What is the deal on eating oranges? I’ve read several studies that tell you to eat the whole fruit for better fiber intake which slows digestion and keeps blood sugar levels on a more even keel. So I started eating the whole orange, even though I have an orange tree in my backyard and usually juice the oranges and freeze the bottles so I can enjoy them all year. Now, a study in Tufts University’s HNRCA Antioxidants Research Laboratory, Boston, and published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, says that orange juice is better than the whole fruit. Huh? The researcher’s say that the healthy nutrients found in oranges; flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C, are better absorbed by the body when consumed in juice. Okay then, this is what I’ll do. When I juice, I”ll adjust the juicer to get the maximum amount of pulp. That should get me the best of both worlds.
My father died of colon cancer at the age of 63, and it’s something I’ve thought about as I near his age (I’m 61). Although I lead a healthier lifestyle than my dad, the idea that I may have a genetic predisposition to colon cancer is in the back of my mind. But there is a new field of science called epigenetics that is showing that it is possible to up-regulate the activity of anti-cancer genes using a good, whole food diet, exercise, stress management, and concentrated herbal and nutritional compounds. Bottom Line Personal newsletter, 8/15/15, interviewed Mitchell Gaynor, MD, a board-certified oncologist, internist, and hematologist, about a couple of little-known cancer fighters. Dr. Gaynor says these four can prevent or control cancer, or stop its recurrence. All are safe at the dosage he recommends, although he does say to check with your doctor before taking any new supplement. These are the four:
*Magnolia Extract: Is an herbal supplement from the bark of the magnolia tree. Over 200 studies show that two ingredients in magnolia, honokiol and magnolol, are anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic (limits blood supple to tumors). Typical dosage is 200 mg daily.
*Artichoke Extract: This extract from artichoke leaves contain rutin, quercetin, gallic acid, and chlorogenic acid-all of which have been shown in laboratory studies to kill a variety of cancer cells including colon, breast, liver, and leukemia. Artichoke extract triggers tumor-suppressing genes. Typical dosage is 320 mg daily.
* Black Cumin Seed Oil: This oil is rich in thymoquinone, which is found in few other foods. Thymoquinone is anti-inflammatory and stops cancer cells from dividing and spreading by triggering their death. Typical dosage is 500 mg, twice daily.
*Bee Propolis, Bee Pollen, and Royal Jelly: These contain compounds such as cinnamic acid, chrysin, and caffein acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) that are immune-strengthening, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenic and can reduce the growth of many cancers, including colon, prostate, and kidney. They are also known to suppress blood supply to tumors. Typical dosage is 500 mg, once daily.
In the Bottom Line publication, Dr. Gaynor gives a smoothie recipe for fighting cancer, and you can look at it in the article. I’ll give you one that I concocted, mix in my Nutribullet, and drink daily.
1 cup of frozen kale and spinach (combined)
3 broccoli florets
1 cup of coconut water
1/2 cup of blueberries
1 teaspoon tumeric powder
1 banana
1 apple, cored
After reading this report by Dr. Gaynor, I think I will add black cumin seed oil to my mix. With this information, I think I can give myself even more ammunition to fight cancer. Maybe even put 63 further in the back of my mind. Love you Dad.
Stay well, John R Blilie, M.S.