Here are ten natural bioactive compounds such as sulforaphanes, turmeric, lycopene, ursolic acid, resveratrol, 6-gingerol, piperine and EGCG, that have important effects against supposedly indestructible cancer stem cells, according to research.

On this CANCERactive Website we have covered a great many research studies on which natural compounds have been shown to attack and help fight cancer stem cells. These are the core cells at the heart of a cancer. And, be clear: No known chemotherapy drugs kill them off. This is why your cancer drugs may knock the tumour back 50, 60 or 70% but in the end that tumour may regrow.

What is a cancer stem cell? They are unlike ‘normal’ cancer cells because the can promote cancer tumour re-growth, promote metastases, promote inflammation, cancer progression and cancer cell invasion. These cells are totally self-sufficient and do not use the same signalling pathways that normal cancer cells do. Think of them rather like the queen bee in the hive.

But natural bioactive compounds can have a damaging effect on these ‘royal cells’. Here are the top ten such compounds, each with their main sources:

Ursolic Acid (Holy Basil, pistachio nuts, apple peel) Lycopene (tomatoes, watermelon, pink grapefruit) Curcumin (turmeric) Resveratrol (red grape skins) EGCG (green tea) Vitamin D3 (sunshine) 6-gingerol (ginger) Piperine (black pepper) Sulforaphanes (cruciferous vegetables, sprouting seeds) Anthocyanins (think purple – aubergines, cherries, red onions, red cabbage, berries)

The biggest issue is to consume adequate levels. As Dr. Young S. Kim, Head of Nutrition and Cancer at the National Cancer Institute says, “you may well have to use quality supplements”.

And, let’s be quite clear to those denialists that diet, food and supplements have no research to support them in the fight against cancer. Dr. Young S. Kim commissions all the Nutrition research at The National Cancer Institute – the largest Government cancer agency in the world. Her list of food ingredients that fight the regrowth of cancer and increase cancer survival includes sulforaphanes, curcumin, piperine, EGCG, genesteine, B vitamins like inositol, vitamin E, vitamin A, and others from the list above.

Go to: Bioactive foods can stop the regrowth of cancer tumours

What sort of levels have an effect in research?

Ursolic Acid: It is hard to get enough from eating the foods alone – 500 mg to 1000 mg per day seems the required norm. Lycopene: While 25 mg according to research can cut blood fat levels by 10%, cancer stem attack levels need to be 60-100 mg per day. Turmeric/curcumin: Research from MD Anderson suggests that 3.2 gm of turmeric is a powerful level. This is not just about volume though. You must take with black pepper and oil/fat. Without these additions, only 7% is absorbed; with it is nearer 90%. Resveratrol: Research is very confusing on this. Healthy individuals might take 40 mg a day; the latest research on cancer stem cells, and in longevity studies is talking of High Dose levels around 1000 mg. To put this in context, a big glass of red wine might only contain 1 mg. EGCG: Here you can drink green tea. One study from the Mayo Clinic was suggesting 5-7 cups per day could stop the growth of leukemia in humans! Supplement levels should be around 750 – 1500 mg. Beware reducing folate levels as a result. Vitamin D3: Boston Medical School under Professor Holick have told the world repeatedly that all stimulate the correct levels of GcMAF production to deal with cancer in the body. Cancer patients should take at least 5,000 IUs a day (which is 4 hours in the sun). However, research shows that 20,000 IUs is necessary each day to stop cancer stem cells regrowing. The issue is really the target level in your blood stream. Ideally it should be 75-150 ng/ml. 6-Gingerol: There are several active ingredients in ginger root, but 6-gingerol acts like a drug in its cancer attacking properties. You should aim to consume 5-10 gm per day. Piperine: A powerful ingredient of black pepper known to enhance the action of a number of other compounds such as lycopene and vitamin C, not just turmeric. Just make black pepper a regular part of your diet. Sulforaphanes: Sprouts, cabbage, broccoli and sprouting seeds. 1000mg is the anti-cancer supplement level. Anthocyanins: Think red berries and ratatouille – there’s no need to supplement if you are eating a Rainbow Diet.

So, it seems, whatever the failings of drugs, there are research studies and authorative voices telling us that natural foods contain bioactive compounds that can help destroy cancer stem cells.

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