Our Tastiest Cancer-Fighter Yet

I live in the southwestern United States. And while the summers can be brutal, at least the winters are mild.

This allows me to grow crops in my backyard garden.

In the past, I’ve grown turnips, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower.

They’re all members of the Brassicaceae family—more commonly known as cruciferous vegetables.

And while I enjoy growing these vegetables, what I appreciate even more is that—with every bite—I’m supplying my body with some of the most potent cancer-fighting nutrients in nature…

Studies show you can lower your cancer risk simply by eating more cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, including breast, prostate, colon, liver, lung, uterine, and stomach cancers.

They’re also associated with better survival rates in people who’ve already been diagnosed with cancer.

What sets cruciferous vegetables apart from others is their sulfur-containing compounds, glucosinolates (GSLs).

When these compounds are broken down by cooking, chewing, or digesting they’re converted into other compounds responsible for their health benefits.

These compounds fight cancer at nearly EVERY stage of its growth, which explains why they are so effective against so many different types of cancer.

Here are the top 7 ways they work:

1. They stop cancer growth. DIM and sulforaphane STOP the cell cycle, which prevents tumor cells from growing and multiplying.

They also BLOCK the formation of new blood vessels in tumors, starving them of the oxygen and nutrients needed to grow and thrive.

2. They cause cancer cells to kill themselves. Cells have a built-in safety mechanism called apoptosis that allows them to die off if damaged.

Cancer cells thrive because they’ve found a way to turn OFF apoptosis. Both DIM and sulforaphane kill off cancer cells by switching apoptosis back ON.

3. They turn OFF switches related to cancer development. Like the apoptosis switch, your genes have buttons that can be turned on or off. These are called epigenetic changes.

DIM and sulforaphane help turn OFF key epigenetic changes related to cancer development.

4. They turn ON switches that protect cells. Sulforaphane, in particular, has been shown to boost the Nrf2 pathway, a master transcription pathway for antioxidants in connection with cancer development.

When Nrf2 is activated, it turns ON genes that protect cells from injury.

5. They reduce inflammation. DIM and sulforaphane deactivate nuclear factor-kappa beta (NfKb), a protein that promotes chronic inflammation.

6. They boost detoxification. One crucial way of preventing cancer is to rid your body of toxic compounds. Sulforaphane reduces carcinogens by improving both phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification processes. This is a primary reason cruciferous vegetables protect against so many types of cancer.

7. They induce autophagy. Sulforaphane induces autophagy, which is your body’s way of taking out the trash. It’s how your body cleans out damaged cells to make way for healthy, new ones.

P.S. CLICK HERE to discover a 10-minute cancer-fighting TRICK. (It’s easy!)

Source:

Manchalia. S et al. “Crucial facts about health benefits of popular cruciferous vegetables.” Journal of Functional Foods. 2012;4(1):94-106.