Three decades of research show us the 10 best food phytonutrients to consume for protection against the root cause of many cancers. Some even treat cancer.
The result is a new medical model that aligns with ancient wisdom, which seeks to address the root cause of disease and eliminate it permanently. The practice of functional medicine is growing in popularity as it focuses on supporting the optimal functioning of the body.
For cancer treatment, this means targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs) at the root of cancer malignancy. CSCs can be resistant to radiation and chemotherapy. Some research suggests that CSCs may increase in number and malignancy when exposed to either of these therapies. A cancer treatment should selectively kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells.
A review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences titled, “Phytochemicals as Innovative Therapeutic Tools against Cancer Stem Cells,” evaluated the possibility of just that. It found evidence that natural compounds within various foods and spices can provide treatments capable of targeting CSCs.
According to the review of 30 years of literature on the topic, the following 10 natural substances have been found to be the most effective diet-based agents against CSCs:
- Luteolin: A flavonoid found in peppers and various green vegetables
- Genistein: A phytochemical found in soy, red clover, and coffee
- Piperine: A phytochemical found in black pepper
- β-carotene: An orange carotenoid found in various vegetables
- Sulforaphane: A sulfurous phytochemical found in Cruciferous vegetables
- Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG): A green tea extract
- Curcumin: The primary polyphenol in turmeric root
- Resveratrol: A phytochemical found in grapes, peanuts, Japanese knotweed
- Lycopene: A red carotenoid found in watermelon, pink grapefruit, and tomatoes
- Pomegranate extracts
The researchers described the discovery that phytochemicals can selectively target CSCs as “a milestone in the improvement of cancer treatment because the synthetic anticancer drugs that are currently used are often highly toxic for healthy organs and weakens the patient’s immune system.”
They also pointed out that the phytochemicals or extracts identified above, due to their “low levels of toxicity for normal cells,” can be used in combination with other phytochemicals, “yielding powerful synergistic effects.”
They identified several key areas of focus for the future:
- Comparing the effects of natural phytochemicals with synthetic drugs, the latter of which they anticipate will be found to be less efficient.
- Finding a way to combine these compounds into “very active cocktails of phytochemicals” to address the multiple areas of treatment resistance often found in CSCs.
- Further researching the signaling pathways that govern the self-renewal and survival function of cancer stem cells.
The authors concluded, “The use of phytochemicals may be a true therapeutic strategy for eradicating cancer through the elimination of CSCs.”
More research is needed to determine if these natural substances may prove to be a better treatment than radiation or chemotherapy. These discoveries may be the beginning of new, more effective cancer therapies.