Best Cancer Fighting Foods

Cancer is a deadly disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells in a part of the body. Types of cancer include cancer of lungs, blood, breast cancer, prostate cancer, stomach cancer, kidney cancer, bone cancer, anal cancer, gallbladder cancer, skin cancer, colon cancer, liver cancer, salivary cancer and cervical cancer. Most experts agree that a diet rich in cancer-fighting ingredients, should in large part be composed of a plant-based diet.  The general rule of thumb when setting your plate, is two parts plants, one part protein or whole grain.  And while all fruits and veggies are good for you, there are certain foods that are just better.  Here are some of those cancer fighting foods, everyone should be adding to their diet: 

1. Garlic And Ginger

a.      The list of cancers that garlic can help out with is long.

b.      Garlic has certain antibacterial properties, and it can help the body ward off cancer in a number of ways, including killing the cancer cells outrightly.

c.       It may also help to repair the damaged done to the DNA, and help to stop cancer cells from multiplying and spreading.

d.      Has anti-inflammatory properties

e.      Ginger is an excellent herbal remedy for nausea, vomiting, motion sickness, loss of appetite, intestinal gas, and other ailments.

f.        Beyond relieving the uncomfortable side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, ginger can also actually help treat cancer through its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory (prevents the growth of precancerous tumors), antioxidant, anti-proliferative, and anti-metastatic activities.

g.      Ginger is one of the most potent disease fighting spices in the world and can add some delicious flavor to a meal, so it’s not very hard to start getting more of it.

2.  Tomatoes

a.      The biggest benefits come from cooked tomatoes, pasta sauce.

b.      The heating process increases the amount of lycopene your body is able to absorb.It helps fight endometrial, lung, prostate, and stomach cancers 

c.       This juicy fruit is the best dietary source of lycopene, a carotenoid that gives tomatoes their red hue.

d.      Lycopene help to stop endometrial cancer cell growth.

e.      Eating tomatoes protect men from prostate cancer, the juicy red orbs can help guard the DNA in the cells from damage that could actually lead to cancer.

f.        Tomatoes contain a high concentration of an effective antioxidant called lycopene.

g.      Your body may absorb lycopene better from processed tomato foods such as sauce, which means that whole-wheat pasta with marinara sauce could be a delicious way to help lower your risk of the deadly disease.

h.      Always drink water, water quenches thirst, as well as protect you against bladder cancer.

i.        The lower risk hails from water weakening convergences of potential cancer-causing agents in the bladder.

j.        Likewise, drinking more liquids makes you urinate more often and helps flush out infections from the body system.

3. Grapes

Grapes and grape juice, especially purple and red grapes, contain resveratrol. This chemical has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In laboratory studies, it has prevented the kind of damage that can trigger the cancer process in cells. There is not enough evidence to say that eating grapes or drinking grape juice or wine (or taking supplements) can prevent or treat cancer.

4. Green Tea

Even though the evidence is still spotty, tea, especially green tea, may be a strong cancer fighter. Some studies have shown green tea slowed or prevented the development of cancer cells in the colon, liver, breast and prostate cells. Some other studies have shown it decreased risk of bladder, stomach and pancreatic cancers. Similar to other plant-based foods, green tea contains flavonoids, known for their antioxidant effects. As mentioned, antioxidants protect you from the free radicals that can damage cell DNA. One flavonoid in particular, kaempferol, found in tea has shown protective effects against cancer.

5. Blueberries

Berries contain particularly powerful antioxidants, which fight against the naturally occurring process (oxidation) in the body that creates free radicals and can damage cells. All berries are packed with these antioxidant phytonutrients, but black raspberries, in particular, contain very high concentrations of cancer fighting anthocyanins.  These particular phytonutrients may help keep cancers from growing or spreading. Antioxidants fight cancer by ridding the body of free radicals before they can do their damage to cells. Try topping oatmeal, cold cereal, yogurt, even salad with blueberries to boost your intake of these healthful berries.