If it were not for the body’s truly miraculous self-healing abilities, and the ceaseless self-correction process that occurs each and every moment within each and every cell in our bodies, it would die within a matter of hours. The mystery is not in how our body succumbs to cancer; rather the mystery is in how, after years and even decades of chemical exposure and nutrient deprivation our bodies prevail against cancer for so long.

The primary causes of breast cancer: nutritional deficiencies, exposure to environmental toxicity, inflammation, estrogen dominance and the resultant breakdown in genetic integrity and immune surveillance, are entirely overlooked by this fixation on drug therapy and its would-be “magic bullets.”

Billions of dollars are raised and funneled towards drug research, when the lowly turmeric plant, the humble cabbage and the unassuming bowl of miso soup may offer far more promise at preventing and treating breast cancer than all the toximolecular drugs on the market put together.

When it comes to the breast cancer industry’s emphasis on equating “prevention” with “early detection” through x-ray mammography, nowhere is the inherently pathological ideology of allopathic medicine more clearly evident. Not only is the very ionizing radiation used to discern pathological lesions in breast tissue one of the very risk factors for the development of breast cancer, but the identification of the word “prevention” with “early detection,” is a disingenuous way of saying that all we can do to prevent breast cancer is to detect its inevitable presence sooner than would be possible without this technology.

If women succumb to the idea of prevention as doing nothing but waiting for the detection of the disease, many will find a similarly deranged logic reemerge later when the self-fulfilling prophecy of prevention-through-doing-nothing is fulfilled and “treatment” is now required. “Treatment,” when not strictly surgical, involves the use of very powerful chemicals and high doses of ionizing radiation which “poison” the cancer cells. The obvious problem with these approaches is that the application of either form of death energy is not suitably selective, and in the long run, many women die sooner from the side effects of toximolecular “therapy” than from the cancer itself.

Why is the obvious question never asked: if exposure to the genotoxic and immune system disabling effects of chemicals and radiation is causative in breast cancer, then why is blasting the body with more poisonous chemicals and radiation considered sound treatment? The answer to this question has much more to do with ignorance than it does an intentional desire to do harm. But the results are the same: unnecessary pain, suffering and death.

Faced with a situation where medieval notions of prevention and treatment of breast cancer are the norm, it is no wonder that when polled over 40% of women believe they will contract breast cancer sometime in their life – well over three times their actual risk. After all, have any of them been given a sense that there is something they can do to actually prevent their disease other than “watchful waiting”?

Obfuscating the real preventative measures available to women to combat breast cancer, and all cancers for that matter, trusted “authoritative” sources like the Susan G. Komen Foundation publish irresponsible statements like this:

“It is unclear what the exact relationship is between eating fruits and vegetables and breast cancer risk…little, if any link was found between the two in a pooled analysis that combined data from eight large studies.”

Have we really come to the point where the commonsense consumption of fruits and vegetables in the prevention of disease can so matter-of-factly be called into question? Do we really need placebo controlled, clinical trials to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that our bodies can benefit from the phytonutrients and antioxidants in fruits and vegetables in the prevention of cancer?

Examples like these make it increasingly apparent that orthodox medicine, and the world view it represents, are approaching a theoretical end-time perhaps most accurately described as Pharmageddon. Within the horizon of this perspective vitamins are considered toxic, fruits and vegetables simply a source of caloric content (a poor one, at that), and drugs are understood as the only legitimate and for that matter, legal, way to combat disease. Are we really at the tipping point, or is there still hope?

Thanks to thousands of scientific studies extant today on the therapeutic effects of foods, herbs and spices on breast health, we still have a fighting chance to let sanity and good sense inform our decisions about what we use as our medicine. Modern science has increasingly confirmed the veracity of the Hippocratean phrase: “let food be thy medicine,” and until a prescription is required to obtain and consume organic food, we have quite an amazing arsenal at our disposal.

1) Cruciferous Vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, collards, cabbage and cauliflower contain a variety of powerful anti-cancer phytochemicals. The isothiocynanate sulfurane and the glucosinolate indole-3 carbinol, in particular, have demonstrated significant in vitro and in vivo activity against breast cancer. Large population studies have demonstrated that those who are in the top quarter percentile of cruciferous vegetable consumption have 50% less chance of developing breast cancer than those in the lowest quarter percentile. This sort of risk reduction is impossible for a drug, and so, it is often played down, lest the oxymoronic farce of pharmaceutical prevention be revealed for what it is.

2) The Estrogen Connection. Most breast cancer is estrogen receptor positive. For this reason reducing the effects of endogenously created estrogen, and reducing exposure to exogenously created estrogen (e.g. dairy consumption, hormone replace therapy) and estrogen-mimicking molecules (e.g. the leaching of bisphenol-A from plastics, and paraben preservatives in body care products) is crucial in reducing breast cancer risk. Supporting estrogen metabolism with the indole-3 carbinol in cruciferous vegetables, blocking the conversion of androgens into estrogen with aromatase inhibiting foods like white button mushrooms and pomegranate, or aromatase inhibiting herbs like hops, red clover, and grapeseed, and reducing estradiol binding to breast cell receptors with flaxseed lignan and the soy isoflavone genistein, are all ways in which natural substances have been demonstrated to prevent and inhibit breast cancer.

3) Inflammation: the Cox-2 enzyme is over-expressed in most breast cancers, and plays a key role in metastasis. This enzyme’s job is to literally burn (oxidize) arachadonic acid, which is its main source of fuel. This process of combustion results in the production of the pro-inflammatory eicosanoid known as prostaglandin E2, which is found in high levels in malignant breast tumors. This entire inflammatory cascade depends on the production of arachadonic acid from the consumption of high levels of polyunsaturated omega 6 fatty acids found in all of those “healthy” grains, seeds and beans (e.g. soy, peanut) we’ve been told to consume by public and private health organizations. It is excess omega 6 fatty acid consumption, unopposed by sufficient levels of the omega 3 fatty acids, that literally provides the fuel that cancer ultimately feeds off of.

4) The Problem with Calcium: Women are told to consume massive amounts of fossilized calcium/chalk in order to prevent osteoporosis, despite the fact that there is absolutely no evidence demonstrating that thinning and porous bones are caused by a limestone deficiency. Where does all this calcium go? The body in the attempt to protect itself from biologically inappropriate forms of calcium shunts excess into the bone, where through stimulating the bone-building cells (osteoblasts) to replicate prematurely, the replicative potential (i.e. the fixed number of replication cycles available to the osteoblasts throughout one’s lifetime) is prematurely exhausted. Although this may contribute to the production of denser bone earlier in life, the bone may not be stronger (glass is dense, but structurally weak), and the pace of bone formation later in life will be outstripped by bone resorption, resulting in higher facture rates, which is exactly the case in high calcium consuming cultures.

Shunting calcium into the bone as a protective mechanism is inefficient and results in the elimination of calcium via other channels, e.g. excreting it through the kidneys, perhaps contributing to the narrowing and calcification of the artery leading to the kidney (nephropathy), and calcification within the kidney itself (kidney stones). The inability to fully rid the body of excess calcium via the bones or excretion via the kidneys and bowel may lead to the deposition of calcium crystals in the joints (osteoarthritis) and the arteries (calcification of the fibrous cap on the atheroma), and arguably into the soft tissue of breasts.

The most common type of breast cancer in American women – mammary ductal carcinoma – is usually discovered in x-ray mammograms by the presence of very small specks of calcium known as microcalcifications. It is likely that in susceptible individuals limestone (calcium carbonate, and the various chelate forms: citrate, gluconate, etc) and bonemeal supplements (also known as calcium phosphorous or calcium hydroxapatite) will not only lead to the calcification of breast tissue, but may exert proliferative effects on that tissue. This theory has gained support by a Queensland researcher, Won Jae Lee, who has identified a mechanism by which excess calcium acts as a mitogen (i.e. stimulating cell division) capable of signaling breast cells to proliferate uncontrollably. By inhibiting the calcium signaling Lee was able to dramatically block the growth of these cancers. Although these findings do not prove calcium supplements cause breast cancer, it raises the possibility that changing the amount and type of calcium in the diet may have profound effects on reducing breast cancer risk.

Numerous other natural substances have demonstrated profound activity against breast cancer, including but not limited to: vitamin D, melatonin, DHEA, black cohosh, red clover, skullcap, cranberry, cats claw, grapeseed, inositol hexaphosphate, walnuts and many more.

The world of medicine has never ceased to look for possible remedies that will curb this growing problem among women. And recent directions have pointed to the discovery of Vitamin D being an immune system booster. Vitamin D is said to be capable of arresting the growth of breast cancer cells and while the said nutrient has been long known for its immunity-boosting properties, only recently have experts been able to find a significant link between itself and breast cancer.

This link is particularly observed in a study which led to the conclusion that women who live in areas where they could get a lot of sun tend to have low incidences of the cancer as compared to those who are geographically disadvantaged in relation to sun exposure. The conclusion is, of course, hinged on the fact that Vitamin D is something the body produces vigorously when it is exposed to sunlight, reason why it’s called called the sunshine vitamin.

Whether or not a woman has been diagnosed with breast cancer, everyone is always better off getting a dose of sunshine daily except during the hazardous hours between 10am and 3pm. Further protection from the disease may be obtained by incorporating Vitamin D-rich foods into the diet such as milk and milk products, cod liver oil and other fatty fish, mushrooms, dark green leafy vegetables, soymilk, and rice milk, among others. Supplements may also be taken, but it’s important to remember that they can never be substitutes for natural Vitamin D sourced from real food.

Each year, more than a million women are diagnosed with breast cancer according to the France-based International Agency for Research on Cancer or IARC. Although there is nothing conclusive about the link between cancer and Vitamin D, women are encouraged to have more of the nutrient in their daily diet as a safeguard measure.

Senator John McCain

The 2008 Republican nominee for President, Arizona Senator John McCain, would certainly approve this message for you to get any strange mole checked out by your doctor as soon as possible. Unlike other types of cancers, skin cancers can usually be successfully removed by surgery. McCain was diagnosed with malignant melanoma on his left arm in 1993. Another melanoma was removed from his face in 2000. This is the most serious type of skin cancer, but McCain has been cancer-free since 2000. Perhaps McCain was emulating one of his role models.

President Ronald Reagan

One of the most famous people with skin cancer was President Ronald Reagan, who was diagnosed with the disease while he was still in office. He had a lump removed from his nose in 1987. It returned six months later. It is very rare for a skin cancer such as he had to return. Sadly, in 2001, Ronald Regan’s daughter Maureen died of skin cancer at age 60.

Regis Philbin

Although unknown outside of the United States, beloved talk show and game show host Regis Philbin had two skin cancer lumps removed through two separate procedures called Mohs surgery (also known as chemosurgery). The first lump was a sqaumous-cell cancer that had to be removed from his hand. The second was more serious and on his face. Philbin is yet another in a list of famous people with skin cancer who survived it.

Bob Marley

Sadly, not all people with skin cancer survive. Bob Marley was only 36 years old when he was not only the reigning king of reggae, but also dead from a combination of melanoma and brain cancer. He left behind not only thousands of grieving fans, but a wife, eight mistresses, thirteen children and no will. He learned in 1977 he had skin cancer and was dead by 1981. Marley delayed getting any treatment due to his spiritual beliefs and fear of going under the knife.

One of the big worries about skin cancer is that it could spread to other parts of the body, thus compromising any chance of recovery. Even famous people with skin cancer can still die from it. It can’t be stressed enough to seek help if you discover any strange moles on your skin. You also can help prevent skin cancer by wearing sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat when outside.

More than 2,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with bone cancer or a bone tumor each year. The tumors often occur in children and adolescents more than it occurs in adults. If an adult does have bone cancer, it’s most likely because the disease has spread from another area in the body.

There are several types of bone cancer and the most common is called Osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is primarily a malignant form of the cancer occurring mainly in males between 10 to 25 years of age. The cancer forms in the long bones of the arm and legs at time of rapid growth rate.

Another form of bone caner is Ewing’s sarcoma. This is the most aggressive form of bone cancer and occurs in children between 4 to 15 years of age. It is more common in males but rarely occurs if they are over 30 years old.

Chondrosarcoma is the second most common form of bone cancer. It accounts for about 25% of all malignant bone tumors. However, what is interesting about this form of cancer is that it is most commonly found in adults over 40 years old. It is most commonly found in males and has a tendency to spread to the lungs. It occurs in the hips and pelvis.

These types of bone cancer are the more common forms although there are several more types which are not covered here. Cancer is becoming increasingly hard to diagnose because there are just so many different types of it. In addition, it’s actually quite difficult to know where to look for it. However, the more we know about the different types of cancer, the more easier it is for us to recognize them when they occur and to take early remedial action to arrest or eradicate this deadly disease. Earlier positive intervention can increase our chances for an early recovery and a higher survival rate.

A poor diet, undoubtedly plays a pivotal role in cancer. Excessively cooked meat is another common cause of cancer. Heat produces carcinogens, especially the heat from barbecuing and is a serious causative factor of cancer, especially colon and rectal cancer.

The cure for cancer is found in natural ingredients. Aloe vera is known to cure a myriad of diseases including cancer. Combined with bee’s honey, this natural substance has the ability to convey the healing power of aloe vera to the remotest receptors of our organism. The other ingredient is grappa. One may also use whisky or brandy. The best species of aloe vera to use is a mature ‘aloe barbadensis’ that has reached the age of flowering. Grappa enlarges the blood vessels, allowing for a general detoxification. The blood thus can be purified eliminating infected substances.

To prepare aloe vera mixture you require a blender. Cut about four large leaves of the plant, or a quantity measuring about 400 grams. Clean the leaves well and dry them using a clean towel before chopping off the thorns. Cut the leaves into small pieces and put in a blender. Add ½ kilo bee’s honey and 40-50 ml grappa. Blend the mixture for about 20 seconds. The mixture is now ready for use. The dosage recommended is two tablespoonfuls taken 30 minutes before each of the three daily meals. An empty stomach quickly absorbs the healing properties of aloe vera. The mixture is not to be filtered and should be stored in a refrigerator. After the first batch is consumed, it is good for the patient to be clinically tested to evaluate the healing progress. Side effects may occur on those who take this remedy. As organisms of impure substances must be expelled, women patients may experience a discharge; others may experience skin rashes, diarrhea or vomiting. This should not frighten anyone and may not continue for more than three days: indeed it is an indication that one is on the road to recovery. Aloe Vera has very dramatic and impressive anti-cancer effects and has been demonstrated to enhance the immune system’s response to cancer, promote the growth of new and healthy cells, and reduce the overall viral load within the body thereby revitalizing the body in its fight against the cancer. This aloe vera preparation is not recommended to pregnant women or breast-feeding mothers. The latex in the whole leaf may trigger uterine contractions.

The writer of this article has administered this preparation to several people with amazing positive results. He is a registered herbal practitioner in Kenya.

Different types of cancer

There are many ways by which cancer could strike within a patient’s body. The treatment of cancer too will depend on the type of cancer, the age and physical condition of the patient and the stage at which the disease is discovered by doctors. Some types of cancers are given below

• Breast cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Blood cancer or leukemia
• Lung cancer, etc

While each form of cancer requires a specialized approach, some of the options that are normally utilized are given below.

Surgery

Most cancers such as breast cancer and stomach cancer require immediate surgery to stop the spread of cancer cells further into the body of the patient. The patient will require hospitalization during and after surgery even as other treatments including radiation and chemotherapy might be started to ensure total freedom from cancer cells. Surgery is widely used in the treatment of cancer but in some types of cancer such as brain cancer, the risks are quite high as the operation might negatively affect some functions of the patient.

Chemotherapy

With rapid advancement in drugs that can beat cancer and with side effects such as nausea being controlled to a large extent, chemotherapy is now the preferred choice in the treatment of cancer, especially if it is located in hard-to-reach areas or is advancing rapidly. Chemotherapy is usually a combination of several drugs that attack cancer cells and are either injected into the patient or delivered in pill form. Collateral damage is also caused to the patient as healthy cells are also destroyed in chemotherapy, although newer drugs cause less damage to the patient’s body.

Radiation

The patient can also be subjected to internal or external radiation to destroy cancer cells hiding within his or her body. Internal radiation is delivered intravenously or in the form of pills or even surgically implanted in the form of rods on the affected organ itself. External radiation is applied in the form of rays on the affected organ while lead barriers protect other parts of the patient’s body. Radiation is usually applied in the treatment of cancer after a surgery so as to eliminate any remaining cancer cells.

Other options in the treatment of cancer

Doctors will also explore other options in the treatment of cancer such as immunotherapy, which involves activating the patient’s natural immune system to stand up and fight the cancer, hormonal therapy to curb the growth of cancerous cells, bone marrow transplant to replace affected marrow with healthy ones, etc. Patients might also try herbal treatments or even acupuncture to get relief from pain although most doctors do not encourage alternative treatment of cancer as there is no conclusive evidence on their effectiveness.

The right option in the treatment of cancer can enable the doctor and patient to quickly stem the growth of cancer cells and destroy all remaining cells so as to lead a long and healthy life. Prompt detection and action along with regular follow-ups can enable the patient to remain disease-free for life.

Dogtown and Z-Boys, directed by Stacy Peralta (himself a member of the original Z-Boys) and narrated by Hollywood star Sean Penn, tells the history of skateboarding. The documentary charts the story of a group of teenage surfer/skateboarders in Santa Monica, known as the Z-Boys, and their influence on the history of skateboarding (and to a lesser extent surfing) culture, using a mix of film of the Z-Boys shot in the 1970s and more recently conducted interviews.

The aerial and sliding skate moves that the Z-Boys invented were the basis for the aerial skateboarding and surfing still popular today. These were just twelve ordinary teenagers who hung out in the Santa Monica neighbourhood of Dogtown who just wanted to surf and skate. They could never have known that they would start a revolution by turning what was a recreational past-time into an extreme sport.

Considered the most influential skateboard team in history, the Z-Boy movement continues to this day as an expression of performance, innovation and style.

Known officially as the Zephyr Skateboard Team, the Z-Boys began when they transferred their surf skills to drain pipes and empty swimming pools with stunning results. Their acrobatic maneuvers inspired generations of teens to join the skateboarding frenzy and catapulted them to fame and fortune; the majority of the original Z-Boys went on to compete professionally. Bob “Bullet” Biniak retired from skating in 1980, but went on to play golf professionally, while the only female member of the Z-Boys, Peggy Oki, rejected skating in favour of surfing, and has competed in surf contests all over the world. Jim Muir and Tony Alva both rejected deals from major skate companies to set up on their own, and were the first skateboarders to ever do so.

In 2005, Stacy Peralta wrote the screenplay for Lords of Dogtown, which dramatically retold the Dogtown days. Starring Heath Ledger and Rebecca De Mornay, and featuring a cameo from perhaps the world’s most famous modern day skateboarder Tony Hawk, Lords of Dogtown focused more on the relationships between the Z-Boys, looking at their friendships, how they coped with fame, and how they grew more and more competitive towards one another. It also focused heavily on the tragic loss of Z-Boy associate Sid, who lost a battle against brain cancer.

The common symptoms of cancer

One of the signs of digestive cancers, diabetes or tuberculosis could be unexplained weight loss. When you are losing weight yet your diet and physical activity remain the same, then this could be a sign of a more serious problem. Pay attention to that.
Having difficulties with urinating could be a sign of prostate cancer. The urine flow then is usually weak, slow and intermittent.
Some of the symptoms of colon cancer and other types of cancer, can be unexplained stomach pains, diarrhea, constipation.
Chest pain and chronic coughing yet again can be symptoms of different types of cancers. But these symptoms are also very common of other diseases as well. So if you have chest pains and chronic coughing, that is out of the ordinary, then you should get a medical checkup.
Blood in the urine can be an early sign bladder cancer, painful or frequent urination could also be a sign of bladder cancer.
Headaches, dizziness, problems with vision – could be a sign of early brain cancer. Especially when these symptoms persist and do not go away.
Any type of lumps or swellings can obviously be a sign of different types of cancer or leukemia. Anything that feels out of the ordinary.

If you have some of these symptoms then you certainly should not get too worried, but if they persist and you have some concerns, then you should get a medical checkup just in case. Pay close attention to your body, feelings and intuition.

As many tests have shown, the best brain and memory supplements are based on ginkgo biloba extract. This extract is obtained from the ginkgo biloba leaves. The arguments of the scientists that proclaim that this is the best herb for memory improvement are the several ways in which ginkgo biloba can enhance memory.

First of all, the ginkgo biloba extract is able to expand the blood vessels and to help them relax. This leads to an improved blood flow to the brain. The effect is visible throughout the entire body. Next, the brain and memory supplements based on ginkgo biloba do not allow the bad cholesterol to change to plaque, which would get deposited on the arteries. This transformation directs to a difficult circulation of the blood and eventually to stroke, which is considered one of the major causes of memory loss.

The ginkgo biloba extract contains more than 40 active substances. However, the most important seem to be the terpenoids and flavonoids, which are two types of antioxidants. These substances enhance the immune system, slow down aging of the brain, neutralize the free radicals and prevent or slow down the development of stroke and brain cancer. These two diseases represent life threatening health problems that can also cause memory loss. In addition, the antioxidants can determine the stress and depression levels to drop considerably by increasing the energy.

The efficiency of the brain and memory supplements is also determined by the place where these supplements are produced. It is believed that the most effective brain and memory supplements are produced in New Zealand. This country has a system of laws that protects the environment better than most of the other countries. In addition, the products that are made in New Zealand meet higher standards than the brain and memory supplements that are produced in the other countries.

“At long last here’s the reason you can take minerals, vitamins, and herbs by the handful and not recover your health. Even if you take the supplements you need to make up for the nutrients needed in our modern depleted soils, there is one super-food that you need to cure you cancer. Even most doctors specializing in alternative medicine don’t know about it.”

“One grandmother in Hoboken, New Jersey said eating this food made her 35-year problem with migraine disappear instantly. Women who eat this food never develop breast cancer, breast tumors, or hot flashes. Men who eat this food every day never develop prostate cancer and maintain their sexual stamina well past age 80. And a man with liver cancer, given just days to live, went into remission and is still alive 25 years later after a single serving of this unknown supplemental food!”

“Your doctor does not know about this food because the original studies were published in Sanskrit written backwards and never translated. But if you will just send me $159.95 I will send you three 15-minute DVDs telling you everything you need to know about this remarkable food…”

Although this might seem like a parody of a sales pitch for a supplement or a health food, unfortunately, it’s not. It’s paraphrased from an actual advertisement for an actual product (which advised buyers they could cure their cancer by eating pineapple). Unscrupulous alternative health “experts” regularly play on the hopes and fears of the desperate to sell products that may not be worthless, but certainly are not the best option for everyone who has cancer.

Super-foods are almost never super. Even highly principled true medical experts can make this mistake. In Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life, Dr. David Servan-Schreiber describes a number of super-foods that stop 100 per cent of the growth of cancer cells. For instance, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, garlic, leeks, Savoy cabbage, scallions, and spinach stop 100 per cent of the growth of brain cancer cells in a test tube. The same group of vegetables plus asparagus and fiddlehead fern stop 100 of the growth of colon cancer cells.

Brussels sprouts, garlic, leeks, and scallions stop 100 per cent of the growth of lung cancer cells, and breast and prostate cancers also are stopped in their tracks with these foods. So isn’t it true that all we really need to stop the growth of cancer is to get enough of these super-foods?

Absolutely, positively not. These foods were tested for anti-cancer activity by a Dr. Richard Béliveau. He applied extracts of these foods to cultures of cancer cells and found that the cancer, in a test tube, stopped growing. While these foods may in fact be useful in the diet of people with certain brain, breast, colon, lung, or prostate cancers, the test did not even prove they stop the growth of cancer in real people.

Dr. Béliveau’s tests used extracts. People consume foods, not food extracts. The tests applied the extracts directly to the foods. People do not apply extracts directly to cancers inside their bodies (and would risk death if they were to try). There are genetic differences in how people respond to the cancer-fighting chemicals in various foods.
Let’s look at a common example.

The isothiocyanates, also known as ITCs, are the anti-cancer compounds in vegetables in the Brassica family. They are found in the crucifers such as bok choi, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kai-lan, kale, kohlrabi, komatsuna, mustard, rapini, rutabagas, and turnips. The same sulfur-laden compounds that make most of these vegetables smelly when they are cooked become potent cancer-fighters when they are digested in the human body.

The ITCs do their work in the liver. They help the liver’s Phase I enzymes add a highly reactive atom of oxygen to many common toxins, such as the carcinogens in tobacco smoke and charcoal-grilled meat. This addition of “reactivity” in the toxin makes it more susceptible to further processing by the liver’s Phase II enzymes, which actually neutralize the dangerous chemical.

The cancer-fighting chemicals from cabbage and similar vegetables, however, do not act independently. They interact with a complex series of proteins the liver itself makes. These proteins are coded in not just one gene, but at least two different genes known as GSTM1 and GSTT1. Fifty percent of people do not have a GSTM1 gene. Forty percent of people do not have a GSTT1 gene. This means that for fifty to ninety percent of all humans on earth, ITCs are of limited value. Eating these vegetables simply does not do them a whole lot of good. For at least 10 per cent of the human population, however, vegetables in the cabbage family are truly cancer-protective.

Genetics also determines the body’s response to other healing foods and supplements. There are genetic variations in the body’s cancer-curative responses to foods and supplements providing alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, vitamin A, folic acid, and vitamin D. Nutrients that seem to assist recovery for one kind of cancer can actually cause the proliferation of another form of cancer.

No single food and no single supplement ever is going to be everybody’s cancer cure. Scientists believe that at least 70 per cent of the differences in how the body responds to healing nutrients in food is determined by genetics. Just 30 per cent of the variation in how the body responds to healing nutrients in food is determined by the food itself.

That 30 per cent, however, can make the critical difference in getting well. If your body does not respond to one nutrient, it certainly responds to others. The objective of anti-cancer nutrition is to make sure your body gets all the nutrients that are potentially helpful. That’s why cancer-fighting diets are more important than cancer-fighting foods.

No single diet cures every kind of cancer or everyone who has cancer. Patterns of food choices, however, involving dozens of foods, are far more likely to be helpful than focusing on a single food. Just like you’d never buy shoes at a shoe store that advertised with the slogan “One Size Fits All,” you should never limit yourself to someone else’s cancer-fighting program unless you have discovered that that is the program that works for you.