In the battle against cancer, food has long been known to play a pivotal role. Eat the right foods and cancer might be preventable. Consume poor choices and the risk for developing this potentially fatal disease and many others goes up. What about spices? Do they also play a role? When it comes to garlic, research is revealing that at least this particular spice might just play a very big role in prevention and even treatment of cancer.
What Is Garlic?
Garlic is a spicy, pungent plant that is closely related to onions and leeks. Its cloves are used in cooking in cultures found almost all over the world. Famed for its distinct flavor, this spice has been also used food medicine for thousands of years. Its properties are said to help treat such conditions as fungal and bacterial infections, high cholesterol, diabetes, intestinal worms, digestive disorders, thrush and more.
Garlic And Cancer
The curative and preventative properties found in garlic have been long known. In recent years, it has been found that this particular food can also help in the fight against cancer.
Scientific studies are showing that garlic may in fact be a powerful ally in the battle against cancer. A German study, for example, has found that the compounds in garlic are toxic to malignant cancer cells. This food seems to have the ability to actually kill cancer cells in much the same way as chemotherapy drugs. The German study also found that ajoene, a compound in garlic, is much more likely to kill malignant cells and than normal ones.
A study conducted at the Loma Linda University School of Medicine also revealed that garlic acts as a biological response modifier. This food product seems to boost anticancer activity in the immune system, especially in relation to T-lymphocytes and macrophages, which are known to destroy cancer cells.
The antibiotic effect produced by garlic may also assist with other forms of cancer. It is believed that garlic can help prevent stomach and colon cancers by attacking the bacteria that has been linked with the formation of these cancers.
Using Garlic As A Preventative And Cure
While researchers admit much more study must be done on garlic’s potential role in preventing and treating cancer, it’s still more than possible to work this food into everyday life. Garlic is a highly common ingredient in dishes from almost every continent on the planet. It is also possible to purchase garlic supplements for a higher concentration of this important substance. It is important to note, however, that garlic should not be used in place of medical treatments when cancer is already present. It might prove to be a powerful booster as treatments are ongoing, however.
Enjoying A Cancer Fighting Diet
The links between food and cancer prevention and even treatment are hard to deny. For those who wish to prevent or help treat this condition, a basic, healthy diet is often recommended. This means eating a good combination of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat meats and low-fat dairy. Staying away from processed foods, dishes that are high in sodium and low in fiber can also prove to be important in the fight against cancer.
When cancer prevention and even treatment options are desired, garlic can play an important role. This common spice is proving its cancer-fighting abilities in research and may just hold a key to slowing and stopping the growth of this disease.
More articles:
- Using Garlic and Onions to Prevent Cancer
- Foods That Assist With Cancer Treatment
- Beans And Other Foods That Battle Breast Cancer
- Why Fatty Fish are Heart Healthy and Pack a Powerful Punch
- Foods that Fight Cancer
- Foods Prevent Cancer
- Foods’ Influence on Breast Cancer
- Kick Cancer With 5 Servings A Day
- Which is Best for Cancer Prevention – Raw or Cooked Foods?
- Top Fruit and Vegetable Cancer Fighters