Cancer ranks second to cardiovascular diseases as a leading cause of death. According to Cancer.org, it is estimated that close to 1.8 million cases of cancer are diagnosed for the year 2019 and likely to cause more than 600,000 deaths in the United States.

Agents considered to stimulate cancer has remained the same; toxins, free radicals, mutagens, high blood sugar, radiation, and heavy metals still cause most cancer diagnosis today. Various risk factors make matters worse and can lead to early development or accelerated progression and metastasis.

Although treatment options are plenty for various forms of cancer, majority offers no guarantee of survival, especially in critical stages. Existing treatments like surgery, for example, is a hit and miss kind of affair.

Conventional therapies like chemotherapy and radiation are not as effective, and they burden the immune system too much, which leads to additional complications.

Nature has provided us with a wide variety of cancer preventing, cancer-fighting foods and substances. Medicinal mushrooms like Reishi, Coriolus, and Shiitake contains bio-active components that help reduce tumor size and help cancer patients deal with chemotherapy and radiation.

A wide range of vegetables and fruits containing phytochemicals have been implicated in reducing cancer risk as well. Cruciferous vegetables, for instance, are credited for helping the most, and it is believed that this kind of vegetable contains organic compounds that may even stop the growth of cancer.

Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries contain phytochemicals like ellagic acid, which has been shown to help inhibit the carcinogenic effects of cancer cells.

More often than not, these fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants, that is instrumental in preventing free radical damage, which is a significant cause for cancer formation.

There are plenty of anti-cancer foods out there, but one that is showing strong promise is a black colored biomineral found in high altitude places, a substance known as shilajit.

Shilajit is brownish to the blackish biomineral that seeps from rocks in high altitude places in mountain ranges all over Asia. It is presumed to have cancer-fighting and to prevent benefit because it contains humic acid components, like humic acid and fulvic acid that is potentially cancer-fighting and preventing.

It has been established that shilajit has strong antioxidant properties thus it may also help with cancer. It is not expensive, nontoxic, and an all natural combination of organic and mineral components.

Antioxidants, Free Radicals & Cancer

Fulvic acid and humic substances are credited by researchers to be the source of shilajit’s potent antioxidant action, and shilajit is one of the richest sources of this bioactive component. It is said to offer far better antioxidant qualities than Blueberries and Nonis.

Free radicals are damage-causing molecules and could hurt DNA structure, protein, and cell membranes of cells. Damage to DNA structure is one of the worst that free radicals can do, and the cost could become irreversible and is one among the many ways that lead to cancer.

Chemotherapy and radiation generate free radicals, that is why cancer treatment options result in general weakness, pain around the tumor site, and complications since healthy cells are equally affected by treatment.

Cancer-fighting drugs cause damage to cell DNA and produce a reactive oxygen species (Free radicals). Thus, the presence of antioxidants in the body provided by shilajit can help against cellular damage.

Aside from strong antioxidant capabilities, research has proven that shilajit has anti-lipid peroxidation activity, free radical scavenging properties of NO and OH and is said to increase in efficacy based on dose. Cancer risk increases as we age thus, maintaining a diet high in antioxidants is helpful.

Inflammation accelerates cancer progression thus, it is imperative that inflammation is controlled. Shilajit has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and wer confirmed by Goel and his contemporaries.

They did research on rats with pedal edema and granuloma pouch as well on arthritic rats. Shilajit bioactives were found to inhibit inflammation effectively. Other researchers found that anti-inflammatory effectivity is more potent when combined with anti-inflammatory drugs.

Radiation leads to DNA damage that can facilitate the formation of cancer cells and mutation of DNA. UV light exposure from the sun can lead to skin and eye conditions.

Humic acids have been found to offer photoprotective effects and as such, can help protect the body from the onset of cancer of the skin. Humic acids are UV light absorbing according to one study involving E.Coli.

Hodgkin lymphoma has been linked to weakened immunity and HIV. Brukitt’s lymphoma has been linked to AIDS, and Human Papilloma Virus are all associated with various cancers.

Research suggests that humic and humin substances in shilajit may help prevent these cancers and even deter the viruses from causing damage. There is evidence suggesting that HIV infection and the replication of the virus can be inhibited by humic acid.

The humic acid was found to boost the production of immune cells that leads to the inhibition of HIV infection.

Shilajit is known since ancient times as a cure for a lot of ailments. Modern studies just told us that there is potential that it may support cancer treatment too. Granted that human trials are very limited, existing studies do set the stage for shilajit as a viable supplement in the treatment of diseases that kill millions of people every year.