Rosemary: A Cancer Fighting Spice

Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)

For centuries, culinary herbs have been the healthy seasonings and an abundant source of healing chemicals. A recent USDA study revealed that many popular herbs are a great source of natural antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals that are believed to be a major trigger to development of cancer.

In many parts of the world, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis, family Lamiaceae), is a common household plant that is used for many purposes including food flavoring, drink, and beverages, as well as cosmetic uses. Rosemary has also been used commercially as an antimicrobial food preservative for years, as it has a lot to offer as a nutritional supplement, especially in the prevention of some types of cancer, allergies, and the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. 

Various studies have shown that rosemary can help prevent cancer and age-related skin damage. Rosemary contains more than two dozen antioxidants, including carnosic acid, one of the only antioxidants that deactivate free radicals through a multilevel cascade approach. In vitro studies have shown that as carnosic acid attacks free radicals, it is transformed into at least four other antioxidant compounds, each with the ability to neutralize additional free radicals.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis)

The two key ingredients, caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid, found in rosemary, are potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents that help protect the body's cells from free radical damage. Rich in carnosol, Rosemary has been found to detoxify substances that can initiate the breast-cancer process. The antioxidants in rosemary have also been found to prevent the development of cancer in human liver and bronchial cells. 

Can High Fiber Diet Help Prevent Prostate Cancer?

Foods for Cancer Prevention: Can High Fiber Diet Help Prevent Prostate Cancer?

Scientists have studied that the rate of prostate cancer occurrence is similar among Asian and Western societies, yet the rate of disease progression is much higher in Western men, leading to a significantly increased death rate among this population. Why? A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the January 2013 issue of the journal Cancer Prevention Research shows that the answer may be a high-fiber diet, which may have the clinical potential to control the progression of prostate cancer in patients diagnosed in early stages of the disease.

High Fiber Diet to Prevent Prostate Cancer

Researchers developed a mouse model to test the influence of inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), a major component of high-fiber diets, on the progression of prostate cancer tumors and subsequent malignant growth. Mice with existing prostate cancer were divided into two groups. The first group was fed a standard diet with the addition of IP6, while the second group received the same diet and served as a control group.

The lead study author, Dr. Komal Raina noted "The study's results were really rather profound. We saw dramatically reduced tumor volumes, primarily due to the anti-angiogenic effects of IP6."Scientists determined that the bioactive compound kept prostate tumors from making the new blood vessels they require to supply themselves with energy. Without this energy, prostate cancer can't grow. Additionally, they found that the cancerous tumor cells metabolized glucose at a much slower rate, inhibiting their ability to grow from their preferred fuel source.

Dr. Raina concluded "Researchers have long been looking for genetic variations between Asian and Western peoples that could explain the difference in prostate cancer progression rates, but now it seems as if the difference may not be genetic but dietary. Asian cultures get IP6 whereas Western cultures generally do not." Boost your natural intake of IP6 and fiber by adding six to ten servings of fresh vegetables, fruit and legumes to your daily diet to significantly lower the risk of prostate cancer and most other forms of cancer. 

Sources
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130109162032.htm
http://cancerpreventionresearch.aacrjournals.org/content/6/1/40