In the past few decades, cancer has proven to be one of the leading causes of fatalities. It is a worldwide health crisis. In 2008, reportedly an estimated 7.6 million deaths occurred due to the disease, on a worldwide scale. Considering the increasing mortality rates and the fact that cancer takes years before it is clinically diagnosed, there is an urgent need to ward off cancer by reducing risks and preventing its development.

Natural treatment methods potentially hold the key to cancer risk reduction and prevention, particularly through consuming foods and supplements rich in antioxidants. As with the increasing cancer crisis, natural remedies are also increasingly breaking free from being merely dismissed as folk medicine, to gaining credibility through scientific research and evidence. Case in point: A new study from Japan reveals the potential role of citrus compounds in reducing a wide range of cancer diseases, particularly pancreatic and prostate cancer.

Promising Results of Daily Citrus Consumption

There have been few actual studies on the effects of citrus consumption on the incidence of cancer. Fortunately, Japanese scientists have established their findings, which will potentially pave the way for further research ventures that could increasingly support the fruit’s anti-cancer potentials.

In the venture led by Wen-Qing Li from Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, the scientists gathered and analyzed data from 42,470 people with an average age of 59, in the Ohsaki National Health Insurance Cohort. The team correlated healthy effects of consuming citrus and green tea on the total number of cancer incidences. 3,398 cases were documented after nine years. Consumption levels were classified as “never”, “occasionally”, “1 to 2 times per week”, “3 to 4 times per week”, and “daily”.

Findings showed that daily citrus intakes are correlated with an all-cancer risk reduction, more significantly in pancreatic and prostate types. For pancreatic cancer, risk reduction reportedly reached 38%. Simultaneously, risk reduction of pancreatic cancer amounted to 37%. Certain data from the laboratory studies showed that lycopene, hesperidin lutein, hesperidin, nobiletin, auraptene, lime flavonoids, and limonoids are some of the particular citrus constituents with protective effects against the two cancer types.

The scientists said that their promising findings suggested a need to initiate further studies on specific favourable contents or properties of citrus; and that more clinical trials must further confirm and establish the protective benefits of the fruit against the dreaded fatal condition.

Heightened Benefits through Co-Consumption with Green Tea

The protective effects against cancer through daily citrus intake were enhanced by co-consuming green tea. Participants who also drank a cup of green tea on a daily basis also reduced all-cancer risk by 17%.

Overall, it was concluded that the association between citrus consumption and all-cancer incidence reduction is potent, which is further heightened when citrus intakes are simultaneously aided with high green tea intakes. As such, a joint effect between the two potential risk-reducers may present more promising effects.

More Delicious and Natural Ways for Cancer Prevention

Healthy effects of consuming citrus and green tea are just some of the evidence that comprise effective, natural ways for cancer prevention and risk reduction. Other anti-cancer foods, beverages, and additives can also be enjoyable treats!

Below are some examples of other natural ways of preventing cancer:

Coffee

German researchers discovered that coffee contains methylpyridium, a powerful antioxidant that may reduce risks and prevent the development of colon cancer.  Reportedly, the antioxidant’s compound concentration levels are proportional to how strong the coffee is.

A Sweden-based study also yielded findings that show long term risk reduction of breast cancer, in relation to women who consumed four to five cups of Scandinavian coffee. This type of coffee requires boiling, which is partly the reason for the coffee’s heightened benefits. Boiled coffee can contain up to 80 diverse kinds of fatty acids that can prevent cancer.

Spicy Marinades

A glimpse of medieval history shows how some conquerors expanded empires along with the aim of discovering and gaining spices from other lands, in order to acquire more ingredients for the well-loved spicy taste. In today’s context, spicy marinades have become the venture aims of certain scientists not because of its taste, but because of its anti-cancer properties.

In a study published in Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, marinades that were used for giving more exciting taste to shish kabob and meats are rich in antioxidants. The most notable ones in the study were the Jamaican-style “jerk” marinade, and a marinade that consists of ginger, sesame, and teriyaki sauce. Antioxidants are powerful anti-cancer agents through their roles in inhibiting the damaging effects of free radicals.

Tomatoes

Apparently, tomatoes don’t just exist to give succulent taste to a wide variety of dishes, including sauces for a worldwide favourite food - pasta. This fruit, when fresh, inherently contains lycopene. However, more lycopene amounts can be found in cooked tomatoes, or those processed as ketchup and juice, among others.  Certain experiments show that lycopene has the capacity of preventing the growth and development of several cancer forms such as the ones found in lungs and breasts.

Dark chocolate

Chocolate lovers need not despair for their health when eating dark chocolate treats.

Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, particularly epicathechin and quercetin, which enables it to have anti-cancer roles. Its polyphenol content has other protective benefits, due to their capacity in lowering blood pressure.

Carrots

Beta-carotene found in carrots prevents toxic damage of cell membranes and hampers the growth of cancerous cells. A carrot’s phytochemicals are also capable of destroying Human Papilloma virus, which enable the vegetable to extend anti-cancer benefits to the stomach, cervix, mouth, and esophagus.

Garlic

Many studies have already supported the wide range of benefits of garlic to overall health. Some of these preventive and favourable effects include warding off stomach ulcers and improving the body’s DNA repair.

In relation to its anti-cancer operations and contents, garlic’s sulphur compounds have a potent capacity of neutralizing carcinogens and slowing the growth of tumours. A study from Iowa Women’s Health has shown women participants that consumed garlic were associated with 32% risk reduction of breast cancer. Furthermore, garlic helps combat bacteria and decreases the risk of colon cancer development.

Clearly, people should change their notion that maintaining a good health status and preventing fatal conditions is tedious and boring. Such delectable foods and beverages show how people can easily gain protective effects against cancer and regularly keep themselves healthy, the delicious and enjoyable way.

Sources
nutraingredients.com
globalnation.inquirer.net
naturalhealthontheweb.com
naturalhealthontheweb.com
naturalhealthontheweb.com
naturalhealthontheweb.com