What the Body Needs

One of the first things I learned about "how cancer works" is what the body is deficient in when someone is first diagnosed. Due to the lack of a sufficient amount of vitamins in the body (mainly because our food is largely "synthetic" and often has no nutritional value whatsoever, in many cases), we are creating an environment that is ripe for disease and illness to take root and wreak havoc.

There are several things that one must do in order for our bodies to work at optimal levels to fight off disease and the damage caused by "free radicals" and other things that exist to cause disease and illness.

1. Sufficient levels of Vitamin D

So what are sufficient levels of Vitamin D, you say? That's a great question and a TOUGH question to answer. The truth is, most doctors have no idea how much vitamin D a person needs to maintain optimal health. One thing we can point to is society's aversion to the natural vitamin D which you can receive from the sun. Remember (for those of us who are a little older) when your mother used to tell you to go outside and "get some sun"? That's something we don't hear as often. There have been many studies done that show most kids are opting to stay inside online or playing random video games, rather than playing outside and getting the necessary exposure to the sun's natural vitamin D. In the summertime if they do get outside we often slather them with tons of sunscreen to "protect" them from the sun's rays. It may be that we are overprotecting ourselves from the sun and as a result, we are all largely deficient in this necessary natural nutrient. So, it's a good idea to get at least 30 minutes of sun in the early afternoon. Here is a link to a great article by Dr. Mercola that explains how "Daily Sunlight Can Keep Cancer Away"

2.
Antioxidants and "Free Radicals"
What are "Antioxidants"? They are molecules that prevent free radicals from harming healthy tissue in our bodies. What are "free radicals" you say? In a nutshell, they are molecules in the body that are responsible for aging, tissue damage and possibly some diseases. Think of antioxidants as the opposite of free radicals. Antioxidants are found in fresh vegetables and fruits, particularly foods high in vitamins A, E and betacarotene the molecules of which act like a giant boulder in the path of free radicals stopping them from causing tons of damage in our bodies. It's much better to get our antioxidants from a balanced diet, rather than from vitamin supplements, because our bodies absorb them more easily. Veggies and fruits that are rich in antioxidants are things like blueberries, kiwi, pineapples, grapefruit, strawberries, kale, red cabbage, peppers, artichoke, Brussels sprouts, spinach, ginger, reed beets, apricots, prunes, kidney beans, pinto beans, soybeans, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, peanuts, barley, oats, corn, cinnamon and oregano, just to name a few. And it's best to try and eat many of these foods raw, since it's been said that cooking removes a lot of the enzymes, vitamins and minerals. See this article for more info on "The Health Benefits of a Raw Food Diet"

Free radicals can cause premature aging, tissue damage and, conceivably, disease and illnesses. If your body is getting enough antioxidants, they can really go to work minimizing the damage caused by free radicals. So, "Antioxidants - good, Free Radicals - bad!"

3. Immune System Support

One of the most important things to remember in fighting cancer (or trying to stay healthy so as not to suffer from this disease) is to sufficiently arm the body's immune system. If your diet routinely consists of a log of the above foods, then relax, you're on the right track! With the addition of high-quality protein and as much filtered water (more about the best type of water in another article) as you can drink, you're well on your way to flooding your body with everything it needs to function at an optimal level.

However, if you're like most of us, you probably don't eat a diet high in all these foods. So, what can you do? Well, there are several vitamins that can help support the immune system. Some of the ones that have some cancer-fighting properties are:

* IP6+Inositol - This vitaminis a naturally-occurring carbohydrate that exists in most mammals already. Based on studies done, it was determined that IP6+ Inositol has definitive anti-cancer properties. You can read about one such study here

When I read about this particular vitamin, I was amazed at the fact that it is a
potent antioxidant, that supports healthy renal function, promotes heart health, and helps maintain normal glucose metabolism. It's also a rich source of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium that supports and maintains strong, healthy bones. BUT what I found particularly impressive was the bountiful information that exists demonstrating that IP6+Inositol is effective in inhibiting cancer cell growth. It helps increase "natural killer cell" activity which basically means it helps the body to heal itself. Read more about the studies done on IP6+Inositol at the website of the physician who created it, Dr. Shamsuddin, here

There are several website that we purchase IP6 from and they can be found here: http://www.luckyvitamin.com/search.aspx?search=1&UrlSearchTerm=IP6

** CoQ10 - This is a naturally-occurring nutrient found in our bodies and also found in fish and some meats. It's proven beneficial for the cardiovascular ailments, including congestive heart failure and hypertension and has even shown some benefit for controlling cholesterol and diabetes. Studies have been done that suggest Coenzyme Q10, which is an enzyme that speeds up the rate at which natural chemical reactions take place in cells of the body. The body’s cells use Coenzyme Q10 to make energy needed for the cells to grow and stay healthy. The body also uses CoQ10 as an antioxidant. An antioxidant, you will remember, is a substance that protects cells from chemicals called free radicals. Free radicals can damage DNA. Genes, which are pieces of DNA, tell the cells how to work in the body and when to grow and divide. Damage to DNA has been linked to some kinds of cancer. By protecting cells against free radicals, antioxidants help protect the body against cancer. CoQ10 is found in most body tissues. The highest amounts are found in the heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas. The lowest amounts are found in the lungs. The amount of coenzyme Q10 in tissues decreases as people get older. Low blood levels of CoQ10 have been found in people with with myeloma, lymphoma, and cancers of the breast, lung, prostate, pancreas, colon, kidney, and head and neck. So it stands to reason that CoQ10 could be helpful in stopping cancer cells from growing, in addition to boosting the immune system and helping the body fight infection when undergoing traditional cancer treatment.

*** Alpha Lipoic Acid - this is another antioxidant that is found in many types of vegetables and some red meat. It is also another naturally-occurring nutrient that the body actually produces less of as we age. Since this is another antioxidant it may help prevent the development of progression of cancer. In some cases, it's been known to cause cancer cells to self-destruct, called cell apoptosis. Alpha lipoic acid can also help with the harmful side effects of chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is known to damage nerve cells in the body which is called peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy results in pain, tingling or other abnormal sensations in the hands in feet. Alpha lipoic acid helps protest the nerves in the body, leading to reduced incidences of peripheral neuropathy.

**** YES Ultimate Minerals and Ultimate Essential Fatty Acids - these vitamins and minerals are considered "super foods". They contain organic herbs that help fight fatigue, boost your immune system, improve circumation and even reduce allergy symptoms. Basically, they contain organic safflower and sunflower oil and Evening Primrose oil which are excellent sources of "parent" Omega 6 as well as organic flax oil for "parent" omega 3. Remember when people raved about omega 3 fish oil tablets? Well, if you can believe it these nutritional supplements are even better. They are known to have an anti-inflammatory effect as well. You can learn more about these vitamins here http://www.yes-supplements.com/testimonials.html

4. Something else we learned about is something called wheatgrass. Wheatgrass has been around for several years but it still seems to be a pretty well-kept secret. It is known to help build up the red blood cell count as well as delivering necessary oxygen and other nutrients to the body's cells. It also helps detox the body by removing thousands of toxins from the cells. It helps boost the body's immune system and contains many vitamins such as B, C, E, H and K as well as 90 different minerals that are very alkalising for the body which is really important when you're fighting cancer (more about alkalizing the body in another article). It's also not a bad to add lemongrass and barleygrass to the mix in order to get an even wider range of health benefits. Remember, wheatgrass may not be very tasty, but mixing a spoonful into a glass of juice three times a day ensure you're receiving the health benefits of three large salads every day!

These are just some of the health benefits of nutritional supplements. Stay tuned for more information on what it means to alkalize the body (as opposed to acidifying) and what we can do on a regular basis to help maintain a healthy balance of alkaline and acid in our bodies!