According to a new NCI study led by Dr. Richard B. Hayes, men may be able to cut their risk of aggressive prostate cancer in half by adding broccoli and cauliflower to their diets. Hayes and his team found that men who ate more than a serving of either vegetable each week had half the risk of advanced prostate cancer compared with men who ate these vegetables less than once a month.

The overall risk of prostate cancer was unchanged by vegetable intake however.

There was also a reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer among men who ate raw or cooked spinach at least twice a week, compared to those men who ate it less than once a month.

Hey guys, here's a great reason to put your distaste for broccoli aside and scarf some down at dinner tonight -- eating it regularly can significantly reduce your risk of prostate cancer. In fact, it's more effective against the cancer than any other food out there.

In a study, The US National Cancer Institute and Cancer Care Ontario in Toronto found that while regularly eating fruits and vegetables didn't necessarily reduce one's risk of prostate cancer, eating lots of leafy greens--particularly broccoli--was associated with a reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Another healthy food that showed promising results? Cauliflower. So eat next time you're tempted to eat the meat and leave the veggies, don't--for your health's sake.

Broccoli fan? As a vegetable, broccoli is one of the healthiest foods imaginable, with many cancer specialists who are familiar with natural cure alternatives stating that the vegetable is one potent beast. Just don't boil it.

According to researchers in Britain, boiling broccoli actually destroys many of the anti-caner properties of broccoli. Alternative preparation methods would include stir frying, steaming or microwaving. I'm no fan of microwaving )even though it is extremely convenient, but love steaming and stir frying.

The research showed that boiling appeared to have a serious impact on glucosinolate analyte within broccoli and other vegetables like cauliflower. that, right there, lowers the effectiveness of anti-cancer properties (according to the report). While it's preferable to eat vegetables fresh and raw -- to maximize any anti-cancer benefits -- this simply is not possible in many cases. But, if you believe in this research, it may be the best way to consume some of those daily vegetables.

[Thanks, Peter]

A high intake of vitamin C has been shown to reduce the risks for virtually all forms of cancer, including leukemia, lymphoma, and lung, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers as well as sex hormone related cancers like breast, prostate, cervix, and ovarian cancers. Vitamin C is your body's first and most effective line of antioxidant protection. Vitamin C protects cell structures like DNA from damage and it helps the body deal with environmental pollution and toxic chemicals. Vitamin C enhances immune function, and it inhibits the formation of cancer causing compounds in the body (such as the nitrosamines, chemicals produced when the body digests processed meats containing nitrates).

Dr. Douglas Brodie states in the book, Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide to Cancer, "Each one of us produces several hundred thousand cancer cells every day of our lives. Whether we develop clinical cancer or not depends upon the ability of our immune systems to destroy these cancer cells. That's because cancer thrives in the presence of a deficient immune system."

Here is a list of foods high in vitamin C. Adding these foods to your daily diet will help boost your immune system which will aid you in fighting off many diseases as well as cancer.
Fruits and vegetables are both high in Vitamin C. The highest are papaya, raw red and green peppers, oranges, cantaloupe, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, baked potato, cabbage, green peas, kiwi fruit, and kale.

There are a few good vitamin C supplements on the market but one that I particularly am using at present to super charge my immune system is Emergen-C Super Energy Booster which has 1,000mg of vitamin C along with vitamin B and 32 mineral complexes.

It is not new to hear that soy and broccoli have been linked to lowering cancer rates, if they are a part of your daily diet. California researchers think they understand what the effect of these veggies have on the cancer cell.

The researchers are convinced that there is a biological mechanism behind the protective effect. It is explained in the article that a compound resulting from the digestion of cruciferous vegetables, and genistein, an isofavone in soy, reduce the two proteins needed for breast and ovarian cancer to spread.

Cancer cells can be drawn to metastasize by having high levels of a surface recepter on the cell. The organs in which the cancer spreads also secrete high levels of a different receptor that binds to the cancer cell's receptor. This attraction stimulates the invasive properties of cancer cells and acts like a homing device, drawing the cancer cells to organs like the liver or brain.

The study found that when cancer cells were treated with high levels of compounds found in broccoli and soy, the drawing mechanism to the organs was reduced by 80 percent compared to untreated cells.

Dr. Alan Kristal, associate head of the cancer prevention program at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center says "This is an entirely unique mechanism...Preventing the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells is crucial"

More studies are needed but the research suggests that this attraction can play a role in the development of more than 23 different types of cancer.

Spring is here. Time to clean the house. And time to give the 'ol body a once-over too.

According to Chinese medicine, spring is the best time of the year to cleanse the body. So if you're feeling lethargic, sluggish, and just plain weighed down, consider these invigorating tips from Penelope Sach's book Detox: Regaining your health and vitality.

Think about this:

• Cut back on white flour products, sweets, and alcohol.
• Drink one glass of water every hour to flush out excess sugar in your system.
• Up your intake of herbal teas.
• Add natural detoxifying agents to your diet, such as cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, fish, and eggs.

Tomato and broccoli are known for their cancer fighting qualities. In a study published in the January 15th issue of Cancer Research, it showed that the tomato/broccoli combination outperformed all other diets in shrinking prostate tumors in animals.

The research suggested that older men with slow-growing prostate cancer who have chosen the watchful waiting over chemotherapy and radiation should seriously consider altering their diets to include more tomatoes and broccoli.

To get the desired effects a 55 year old man concerned about prostate health should consume daily:

• 1.4 cups of raw broccoli and 2.5 cups of fresh tomato
• or 1 cup of tomato sauce
• or 1/2 cup of tomato paste

The researchers also said that eating the whole tomatoes is always better than taking a lycopene supplement and cooked tomatoes may be better than raw tomatoes.

I don't think any of us can go wrong by adding more tomatoes and broccoli to our diets!

University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have received a $1.3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute to study how specific nutrients in broccoli, and other vegetables known to provide an anti-cancer benefit, work to fight cancer.

"Everyone knows broccoli is good for you and that it contains compounds known to lessen the occurrence of some types of cancer. We want to know how these compounds work and what their specific targets may be," says Janet V. Cross, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Pathology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

By discovering exactly what the nutrients in foods like broccoli are accomplishing in the prevention of cancer, there is a potential for using the same compounds in a supplement form in cancer prevention. You can listen to Dr. Cross discuss her research in audio files available here.

Isothiocyanates, chemical compounds found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and watercress are able to kill cancer cells that have become resistant to chemotherapy drugs, according to the Free Radical Research Group research team from Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago.

Basically, isothiocyanates drive cancer cells, and the protein Bcl-2 that seems to aid cancer cells in surviving, to apoptosis or in more descriptive terms -- a self-destructing suicide. The researchers are hoping this discovery might lead to the development of cancer-fighting drugs derived from isothiocyanates.

In the meantime, as they work on better cancer-fighting drugs based on beneficial chemical compounds found in foods, it won't hurt us to eat more veggies. Okay, except for the current recall of E. coli contaminated spinach. Right now, don't eat your spinach.

While the study suggests that not all cruciferous vegetable are equal in the ability to kill cancer cells, and specifically refers only to broccoli, Brussels sprouts and watercress -- other cruciferous vegetables include arugula, cauliflower, cabbage, Bok Choy, rutabaga, Chinese cabbage, Daikon, radishes, turnips, kohlrabi, kale, and turnip, mustard and collard greens.

FREEEEEDOM! is the cry made famous with Mel Gibson's portrayal of William Wallace in the movie Braveheart. The movie stayed true to the reenactment of the Scottish warriors painting faces and chests a bright blue before battle to visually intimidate the enemy. The plant used to create the blue dye is called Woad.

While the ancient Scottish warrior Wallace met with a gruesome fate at the hands of the enemy, women in the modern world diagnosed with breast cancer might gain advantage in the war against cancer with the same plant used as an ancient blue dye in battle.

Italian researchers from the University of Bologna have discovered that the Woad plant, belonging to the same Brassicaceae plant family as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli, contains 20 times more glucobrassicin than broccoli. They also discovered that by wounding the Woad plant, they were able to increase the concentration of glucobrassicin seven times the normal level found in Woad. Glucobrassicin is known for its breast cancer-fighting abilities, and researchers are hopeful that isolating this compound will enable them to conduct clinical trials to better understand and clarify its effectiveness against cancer.

According to the Wikipedia entry on Woad, the first archaeological find of woad seeds were found in the French cave of l'Audoste, Bouches du Rhone. It is reported that Julius Caesar spoke of ancient Britons going into battle naked and using blue dye derived from Woad in face and body painting to terrify their opponents during battle. In addition, the blue dye from Woad was used as a tattooing ink and medicinally as an astringent.

Watercress is one of the richest sources of dietary phenylethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC). PEITC has been shown to inhibit phase 1 enzyme activation. Effectively it stops potential carcinogens becoming carcinogenic. Watercress is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family that includes broccoli, kale and mustard greens. Watercress leaves are tiny and glossy green with a peppery taste and pack a powerful punch of cancer fighting agents especially cancers related to smokers like lung and esophageal. This simple salad is packed full of nutrients and vitamins and is easy to prepare. As always remember to buy organic products when you can.

Vicki's Watercress and Orange Salad
1 Bag or bunch of watercress rinsed well and patted dry
1 bunch of fresh asparagus cut in 1" pieces
2 cups orange wedges peeled
1/2 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Vicki's Simple Citrus Dressing:
1/4 Cup orange juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey

In a small bowl combine all the dressing ingredients and chill for 5 minutes. Blanch asparagus in boiling water for 3-5 minutes keeping it crisp but a little tender. Drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl mix the watercress orange wedges, craisins, and asparagus and toss with the dressing. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top and serve immediately.

Rutgers researchers have concluded a new study that shows cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli and cauliflower, contain a compound known as sulforaphane that might reduce the risk of developing hereditary cancers. In previous studies, sulforaphane was found to inhibit some cancers. In this study, researchers focused on genes associated with an inherited colon cancer risk. 
 
"Our research has substantiated the connection between diet and cancer prevention, and it is now clear that the expression of cancer-related genes can be influenced by chemopreventive compounds in the things we eat," said Ah-Ng Tony Kong, a professor of pharmaceutics in the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers.

By now, most of us know vegetables are good for our health. Georgetown University Medical Center researchers have found one more reason why you should eat vegetables. Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, loaded with indole-3-carinol, and soybeans, with genistein, can repair damaged DNA by increasing the levels of BRCA1 and BRCA2 proteins. Researchers exposed breast and prostate cancer cells to indole-3-carinol and genistein, and discovered these compounds enhanced the production of BRCA1 and BRCA2, responsible in the repair of damaged DNA. This is one of the first studies to provide a molecular explanation and another point of reference in the positive argument for influencing the reduction of risk in developing cancer with dietary choices.