Note:  the reference to garlic is particularly timely.  For years, my
friends and I have fed small amounts of raw garlic to our pets to make them
unattractive to mosquitoes.  Fed it to the horses too...
Kath


> http://www.advanceforpa.com/pafeature1.html
>
> Research suggests that common foods have the potential to prevent and even
> treat some cancers.
> By Eric Fiedler
>
> For decades, researchers have studied the reputed antioxidant effects of
> Asia's herbal concoctions. Today, a surprising amount of anti-cancer
> research is based not only on exotic herbs, but also on foods found in
your
> local supermarket.
>
> Scientists now know that some foods contain compounds that are likely to
> protect against specific types of cancer. Past studies suggest that
tomatoes
> help protect against prostate cancer, and that tea consumption may reduce
> the risk for esophageal cancer. However, exactly how certain foods act as
> antioxidants is still considered a mystery to many researchers.
>
> "Studies have certainly shown that certain foods may have the ability to
> protect certain systems against certain types of cancers," says Jan
> Levanthal, MD, a radiologist in Mays Landing, N.J. "However, you should
> always consider the source of these studies before making any changes to
> your diet."
>
> Nutrition vs. Cancer
> Linda Quattrochi, PhD, associate professor of medicine, division of
> gastroenterology and hepatology, at the University of Colorado Health
> Sciences Center has been studying how the body deals with carcinogens
found
> in the environment for more than 15 years. Her most recent work has
focused
> on how nutrition prevents the development of cancer.
>
> "When any carcinogen enters the body, it must often be activated by Phase
I
> enzymes," Dr. Quattrochi says. "A widely cited example of this system
> involves hydrocarbons, which can enter the body via charred meat, car
> exhaust and cigarette smoke, to name a few."
>
> Scientists speaking at the 11th Annual Research Conference of the American
> Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) last year revealed new evidence
showing
> that substances within herbs, tea and other common plant-derived foods
zero
> in on the body's front lines-the Phase I and Phase II enzymes that help
the
> body eliminate carcinogens-in the war against cancer.
>
> Dr. Quattrochi and her colleagues reasoned that, if one kind of flavonoid
> binds with one kind of receptor, other flavonoids are likely to bind with
> other receptors to inhibit Phase I enzymes and other cancer-promoting
> systems. She has found that many different flavonoids found in such foods
as
> oranges, horseradish, mustard, tumeric and both green and chamomile teas
can
> inhibit a wide variety of cancer-promoting reactions.
>
> "These substances seem able to 'short-circuit' the cancer process in
several
> different kinds of tissue," she says, "which suggests that flavonoids may
be
> protective against cancer at many different sites in the body."
>
> Dr. Quattrochi's lab continues to research how flavonoids can be used to
> maintain the delicate balance of Phase I and Phase II enzyme functions to
> flush carcinogens from the body.
>
> Dietary Therapy for Kids
> According to a survey conducted by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research
> Center, nearly three-quarters of pediatric cancer patients in western
> Washington use alternative therapies, including dietary changes, to treat
> the cancer or cope with side effects from standard medical treatments.
>
> "The use of alternative medicine is well-known among adult cancer
patients,
> but until now, little has been known about the use of these therapies in
> children with cancer," says Marian L. Neuhouser, PhD, RD, a senior staff
> scientist in cancer-prevention research.
>
> The most pervasive form of alternative treatment among those surveyed was
> the use of herbal and high-dose vitamin supplements, which were used,
> respectively, by 54 percent and 59 percent of the patients, many of whom
> also used several such products simultaneously. "While the data are
> conflicting about harm or benefit regarding use of these products among
> children undergoing cancer treatment, some caution may be advisable," Dr.
> Neuhouser says.
>
> For example, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E may reduce the
> effectiveness of chemotherapy, while herbs such as yew needle and the
herbal
> tea essiac have been associated with heart and kidney impairment,
> particularly when taken in conjunction with certain cancer drugs.
>
> "Anyone who is in active cancer treatment should communicate with their
> medical team about the use of vitamins and supplements, which may need to
be
> curtailed during treatment," Dr. Neuhouser says.
>
> Fruits for Health
> An antioxidant comparison of some of the most common fruits in the
American
> diet found that cranberries contain the highest quantity of
disease-fighting
> phenols, a type of antioxidant that is thought to reduce the risk of
chronic
> diseases such as cancer, stroke and heart disease.
>
> The study represents the most comprehensive investigation to date of the
> quantity and quality of antioxidants in fruits, says lead researcher Joe
> Vinson, PhD, a chemist with the University of Scranton in Scranton, Pa.
>
> "Cranberries are one of the healthiest fruits. I think that people should
> eat more of them," says Dr. Vinson. Although researchers have known for
> years that cranberries are high in antioxidants, detailed data on their
> phenol content in comparison to other fruits was unavailable until now, he
> says.
>
> Dr. Vinson measured the total phenol content in each of 19 fruits commonly
> consumed in the American diet. Gram for gram, cranberries had the highest
> phenol content. On the basis of serving size, cranberries also ranked
first,
> he says.
>
> The study underscores government health recommendations that people should
> eat more fruits and vegetables to help maintain a healthy diet and
> lifestyle.
>
> Although studies have shown that antioxidants from both sources appear to
> offer some degree of health protection, Dr. Vinson gave the edge to fruit.
> Using comparative data on antioxidants in food, he found that fruit
> contained twice as many antioxidant phenols as vegetables.
>
> In particular, the phenol content of cranberries was five times that of
> broccoli. However, he cautions that you may not want to ignore broccoli.
It
> and other cruciferous veggies contain sulforaphane, a chemical that has
been
> shown in recent studies to be better at fighting certain kinds of cancer
> than other food chemicals.
>
> In general, processing, storage and heating reduces the antioxidant levels
> in cranberries: uncooked fruit is the best, says Dr. Vinson. On the basis
of
> serving size, 100 percent pure cranberry juice, found in some health food
> stores, has the highest antioxidant content.
>
> Many people prefer not to drink it in this form due to its extremely sour
> taste, he says.
>
> Fresh and dried cranberries have the next highest antioxidant content
based
> on serving size, followed by cranberry sauce, says Dr. Vinson. Cranberry
> drinks or cocktails contain the least. Most contain only about 27 percent
> pure juice, he adds.
>
> Get Raspy
> Not to be overshadowed by the cranberry, new research shows that a cup of
> black raspberries a day may help keep esophageal cancer away. Researchers
> found evidence in rats that black raspberries may both prevent the onset
of
> esophageal cancer as well as inhibit pre-cancerous growth already under
way.
>
> "Black raspberries are loaded with nutrients and phytochemicals that may
> prevent the development of cancer," says Gary Stoner, a study co-author
and
> a professor of public health at Ohio State University.
>
> Stoner, who has also found similar anti-carcinogenic effects with
> strawberries, says the study results suggest that a daily diet of about
1.4
> cups to 2 cups of fresh berries may be ideal for staving off certain types
> of cancer.
>
> Wine is Fine for Cancer
> According to researchers from the State University of New York at Stony
> Brook, drinking at least one glass of wine per week may actually protect
> against the development of colorectal cancer. However, beer or mixed
drinks
> do not.
>
> In the study, led by Catherine R. Messina, PhD, researchers analyzed
results
> of 1,500 consecutive colonoscopies performed between August 1999 and April
> 2000. Patients with a history of inflammatory bowel disease were excluded.
> The investigators found that only one percent of wine drinkers had
> significant colorectal polyps, compared with 18 percent of beer or
> grain-based liquor drinkers, and 12 percent of those who abstain. The
> results were statistically significant.
>
> The researchers defined alcohol use as a glass of wine, a can of beer, or
> one ounce of liquor at least once a week. "Previous research has suggested
> that alcohol use may increase the risk for developing colorectal cancer,"
> says Dr. Messina.
>
> The study found that wine drinkers were far less likely to have
significant
> colorectal pathology than those who drank grain-based liquors or even
those
> who abstained. Drinking moderate amounts of wine has already been shown to
> have beneficial effects on the heart.
>
> Garlic Fights Cancer
> Researchers from the University of Toronto report that compounds commonly
> found in garlic be an effective treatment to fight cancer cells. The
> compounds, called disulfides, occur naturally in garlic, onions and
mahogany
> trees and are known to have antifungal, anticancer and antibacterial
> properties.
>
> For years scientists have suspected that one of these compounds in garlic
> may be helpful against malaria and have proven it in animal models. Ian
> Crandall, assistant professor of laboratory medicine and pathobiology at
the
> University of Toronto, and his colleagues were more interested in
> understanding how these compounds worked against infection.
>
> They tested 11 different synthetic disulfide compounds against
> malaria-infected cells. They also tested the effect of these compounds on
> cancer cells.
>
> "We looked at the active compounds to see what they had in common.
> Apparently P. falciparum-infected cells and these cancer cells seem to
have
> the same susceptibility profile," says Crandall.
>
> Crandall hopes that one day these compounds may be used to treat not only
> malaria, but some types of cancer as well.
>
> Eric Fiedler is a former assistant editor at ADVANCE.