Nutrition and Cancer Are They Connected?

Nutrition and Cancer - Are They Connected?
By Jason Capshaw

Why do animals found in the wild not suffer from cancer? It is an intriguing question. Perhaps it is because only the fittest survive, so only those with high immune systems and good health make it into adulthood. This may be the case, but there is another important factor that is being missed. When an animal consumes vegetation that is found in the wild, it is typically grown in good mineral rich soil. That soil has not been aggressively mined for its nutrients. The vegetation that is not eaten, falls to the ground and the its nutrients are absorbed back into the ground. So the balance of micro and macro nutrients is maintained in the soil.

Unfortunately, we do not have the same luxury of eating mineral rich foods. There are over 70 minerals that are found in nature. Most soil where our food is grown only contains 12-20 minerals. And every year that a farmer harvests his crop more minerals are taken from the ground. Over time the soil becomes so depleted of minerals that crop failure results. To prevent crop failure, farmers use fertilizer to promote growth. But fertilizer only contains 3-6 minerals, only giving the crops the bare necessities.

To add insult to injury, many of our crops are than processed into white breads or canned, literally destroying any nutrients that may be in them. So by the time our body begins to digest them, there is nothing left but empty calories. Our bodies know this fact, that is why we stay hungry. The body never got the nutrients that it needed.

The medical community is starting to recognize this alarming fact. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (Vol. 201, No. 6), William H. Strain, Ph.D. and Walter J. Pories, M.D. are investigators whose research has revealed that no element presently can be ruled absolutely unessential to humans. The lack of these elements and minerals can result in malnutrition and disease. Deficiencies of micro-nutrients have been recognized by the United Nations as a major cause of illness and death. They are now trying to address this through their micro-nutrient (minerals) initiative.

Dr. Marnard Murray and Gerry Amena have discovered a natural source for these minerals in the ocean. The ocean contains all minerals that are available in nature. These minerals are in ionic form, meaning that they are ready to be absorbed by the body. Minerals found in the ground are not ionic, and only become ionic after being absorbed by a plant. This renders most mineral supplements purchased at the store useless.

Dr. Murray did extensive research with cancer and minerals and found a direct link. Mice were infected with breast cancer and given a nine month life expectancy. All mice without any intervention died within eight months and seven days and did not give birth to any litters. However, the mice that were given a regimen of sea minerals were sacrificed at 16 months and had no breast cancer. They also gave birth to 10 litters. These results were typical for different types of cancer and animals. Dr. Murrays research indicates that malnutrition can result in cancer and replacing these nutrients can help the body to fight cancer.

At a national level, we must begin to mineralize our crops using minerals from the sea. But on a personal level, ionic sea minerals are now available as a supplement. Some of the more potent mineral supplements are those developed by Gerry Amena in Australia. These minerals supplements can be found at http://ww.aglife.net

Jason Capshaw
http://www.aglife.net

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Having a Positive Attitude Can Make All of the Difference in Surviving Cancer

Having a Positive Attitude Can Make All of the Difference in Surviving Cancer
By Connie Ragen Green

I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in October of 1992, at the age of 37. My life changed that day, in ways that I wouldn't fully understand until many years later.

I was living in Miami at the time, a city I had lived in during my teenage years. I have many friend there and thought it would be nice to live and work there for a year before returning to California, where I am originally from. I took a job with the Department of Transportation and moved to a house in an area called Cutler Ridge in January of 1992.

On the weekends I saw all of the people that I had known since I was twelve years old and first living in south Florida. We would go to the beach and spend time catching up after all those years. Although I had regularly visited I had not spent much time in Miami since I had returned to California in 1974.

On August 17, 1992, Hurricane Andrew struck Miami. The house I was renting was torn apart and I spent six hours in a closet with my little dog and my insurance policy. When I was finally able to come out of the closet my world had forever changed. I lost everything, except for my life. I thanked God every minute for sparing me after such an ordeal.

I was ready to return to California when I became quite ill. After seeing three different doctors I was told that I had breast cancer and would have to undergo a radical mastectomy. I was finally able to return to California in time for Thanksgiving, but the doctors were sure that I would not see Christmas. Again I asked God to spare my life. I told Him that I had important work to do for Him, and promised to spend the rest of my life making Him proud.

Here I am, 14 years, 6 months, and 8 days later. I have kept my promise. I have also kept a positive attitude. I believe that my outlook on life is what keeps me going. I do have important work to do and I remember that each and every day. Each moment is a gift from God and I don't forget that. Gratitude is another part of each of my days. My most important letter of gratitude was one I wrote to my first oncologist last year. I thanked him for what he had done to save my life and told him a little about how I live my life. I hope and believe that God is proud of me.

Connie Ragen Green is a motivational speaker and writer living in southern California. Visit her at http://www.ReinventYourLifeWithPassion.com/

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The Promising Reduction in Gastric Cancer Rates

The Promising Reduction in Gastric Cancer Rates
By Jon Stout

The news is full of frightening statistics about cancer and other diseases. From what we read and hear on television, we are led to believe that more and more people are being diagnosed with cancer and that more and more people are dying from it.

In some cases, this is true. Incidences of and deaths from cancer have risen every year for the last fifty. However, dont let this lead you to believe that no progress is being made.

Lets take a look at gastric cancer, for example. Gastric cancers were once the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, and in many other countries, too. However, since 1930, the incidence of and number of deaths related to gastric cancer have steadily decreased.

By 1994, gastric cancer was the eighth leading cause of cancer death in the US and the statistics appear to continue to be on the decline. So, why are we seeing less gastric cancer today than before? Well, the medical community doesnt appear to have made any definite conclusions, but there are some factors that are believed to be contributing to this promising trend.

The number one reason doctors believe that gastric cancer is on the decline is the higher consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in our diet and the lower consumption of foods that are preserved by salt. Years ago, refrigeration in the home was not common, so keeping fruits and vegetables at the ready was not easy. And, it was common to preserve meats and some other foods with salt rather than freezing them.

When the ability to refrigerate and freeze foods in the home became commonplace, the American diet changed. We began to eat more fruits and vegetables and freeze our meat instead of curing it. So, how does this help reduce our risk of cancer?

Well, its actually quite simple. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables means a diet rich in anti-oxidants. Each day, as we convert the foods we eat into energy, we create free radicals in our body. These free radicals can damage our cells and our DNA. Unchecked free radicals are believed to contribute to the development of cancer and other diseases.

Anti-oxidants are excellent at combating free radicals. A diet rich in anti-oxidants is linked with preventing cancer, heart disease, cholesterol problems and a lower incidence of stroke.

So, if youre interested in reducing your risk of cancer, be sure your diet is rich in anti-oxidants on a daily basis. Some of foods highest in anti-oxidants are:

Small Red Bean (dried)
Wild blueberry
Red kidney bean (dried)
Pinto bean
Blueberry (cultivated)
Cranberry
Blackberry
Prune
Raspberry
Strawberry

Apple
Pomegranate
Pecan
Sweet cherry
Black plum
Russet potato (cooked)
Black bean (dried)
Plum

So, if you want to improve your health, and reduce your risk of cancer, these fruits should be staples in your diet. And, theres another way you can get your daily dose of anti-oxidants; one you might not have thought of.

Green Tea is High in Anti-Oxidants

Green tea has been widely used in Asian cultures for centuries to prevent illness and to treat it, as well. And, many recent studies have linked green tea with the prevention of cancer, and, in some cases have even found green tea to be helpful in the treatment of cancer.

Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. There are many different types of tea; most of the differences come from the way the tea is processed. Tea leaves contain very powerful anti-oxidants in their natural state.

Fermenting tea leaves, which is part of processing tea leaves for black tea, converts these catechins to other compounds and reduces their health benefits. Therefore, green tea, because it is not fermented, retains more of its original anti-oxidants than black tea.

In every part of the world except Asia, black tea varieties are far more widely consumed than green tea. And, black tea is healthy. However, because green tea undergoes less processing, it far outranks black tea in its ability to provide anti-oxidants, and thereby, prevent disease.

Asian cultures have a far lower incidence of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol and cancer. And, while there are likely other cultural and environmental factors that contribute to their lower incidence of disease; their high consumption of green tea is considered a significant factor. In fact, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent.

So, if youd like to reduce your risk of developing cancer and other diseases that often plague us as we get older, eat and drink up. Get your daily fill of fruits and vegetables. And, wash it down with green tea! Youll be doing your part to ensure you live a long and healthy life!

Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about their current tea offerings, including their exceptional green tea, white tea, black tea, oolong tea (also known as wu long tea) and chai. Visit http://www.goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning the Golden Moon Tea Company's fine line of teas.

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