Did you know that a microscopic tumor can grow up to 16,000 times its original size in as little as 2 weeks?
Cancer cells are fed by new blood vessels that are formed by a process called: “Angiogenesis.” Angiogenesis is a highly delicate balancing act. Cancer cells throw this balancing act out of whack by releasing chemicals that cause too many new blood vessels to develop. These excess blood vessels not only feed our healthy cells, but also those ravenously hungry, rogue cancer cells. The more fuel they receive, the more these microscopic malignancies grow and divide. That’s how the smallest cancer cells that live in all of us can morph quietly into life threatening tumors.
William W. Li, MD President, The Angiogenesis Foundation, Cambridge, Massachusetts states, “More than 70 major diseases affecting more than a billion people worldwide share abnormal angiogenesis as their common denominator. In particular, angiogenesis is a hallmark of every type of cancer. “It’s about you and what you choose to eat,” says Dr. Li. Over 100 foods contain inhibitors that prevent angiogenesis, but not all of these foods are created equal. Some are more potent than others.
5 Foods that can Prevent Cancer from growing inside you.
1. Bok Choy – This type of Chinese cabbage contains brassinin; a powerful cancer-fighter, also found in broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Bok Choy should be eaten 3 times a week, in 1/2 cup servings to obtain its full benefits.
2. Cooked Tomatoes – have more cancer-fighting properties than raw tomatoes. Both contain the molecule lycopene, (which is an anti-angiogenesis compound) but heating the tomato and adding olive oil changes its chemical structure and makes the benefits more readily available to your body. You should eat 2-3 (1/2 cup) servings of cooked tomatoes a week. In studies, men eating 2 to 3 servings of cooked tomatoes a week had a 50% reduction in the risk of developing prostate cancer.
3. Flounder – This fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury. Three 6-ounce servings a week is ideal.
4. Strawberries – The antioxidants in this berry help fight cancers. You should eat 1 cup a day, including the juice.
5. Artichokes contain 3 different cancer-fighting molecules. Enjoy ¼ cup of hearts per day.
The important thing to understand is that these are foods in which there is evidence that they can reduce cancer. The servings and sizes are general guidelines. The more we eat of these foods, the better it is for us.
Other great cancer inhibiting foods are:
Green tea – Dunk Your Teabag. Dunking a tea bag up and down releases more cancer-fighting molecules than letting the bag just sit in the cup.
Soybeans – Fermented soy, like the kind used in miso soup, contains four times more cancer fighters than regular soybeans.
Chocolate & Cinnamon
Chewing leafy greens helps to release enzymes that activate cancer-fighting molecules embedded deep in the leaves.
Broccoli sprouts can contain more cancer-fighting properties than regular broccoli.
Red Delicious and Granny Smith apples have twice as many cancer fighters as Fuji or Golden Delicious apples.
The San Marzano tomato contains more cancer fighters than any other variety.
Wine grapes grown in cooler climates have more cancer fighters than grapes grown in warmer climates.
We now know that all fruits and vegetables are not created equal – some are much more potent than others, based on their anti-angiogenesis profiles.
Dr. Oz says to choose one cancer fighting food for each meal. At 3 meals each day, that adds up to more than a thousand of cancer fighting food choices each year.