Eat, Drink and Be Healthy...

Blueberry Feels Forever

Blueberries are special (coming soon)

Grapes of Red

Cabernet to Merlot (coming soon)

The Shape of Green

Cruciforms & Cabbages (coming soon)

Tangerine Dreams

Bioflavonoids and other Citruscidals (coming soon)

The Spice of Life

Turmeric & Basil (coming soon)

The Acid Test

Tilt toward alkalines (coming soon)

WHY I'VE CREATED THIS WEB-PAGE

Updated August, 2007; see list at end.

   When my wife was diagnosed with cancer 
over a decade ago, we felt confident she 
would be able to survive.  After all, she 
had never smoked and we had been vitamin 
and health conscious for many years.

   What we did not know was if the cause
of her cancer was a chemical in laxatives 
that she had used on and off for decades. 
Shortly before she died in 1996, the FDA 
announced that this chemical caused cancer 
and was being banned. (I do not recall the 
chemical in question, so please don't ask.
The FDA said that it was removed in 1996, 
and that's all I know about it.)

   My wife and I obviously researched as
much about cancer as we were able at the
time, but with four surgeries, radiation
and chemotherapy, it was difficult for 
us to keep our thoughts clear.  We were
not on-line and had no computer in those
days.  Most of our research was through
various cancer support groups, friends,
and the American Cancer Society.

   After Elizabeth died, too late to be
of help to her, a number of new cancer 
breakthoughs were announced. I began to
receive reams of reports in the mail by
alternative doctors, further detailing 
these discoveries. 

   Back on what would have been my and 
Elizabeth's wedding anniversary in May,
2002, I began this web page. Then while 
I was working on it, several of my dear
friends and relatives died of cancer of
various kinds.  I was staggered by all 
of the bad news, and I began to wonder 
if I wasn't getting in 'over my head' 
by saying anything about such a topic.
After all, I have no training in this 
field.  I'm just a widower of a cancer
victim, who has seen too much death and
suffering from this plague.

   Yet I am a technical writer by trade
and my basic skill is researching and 
writing about complex topics.  That is, 
after all, the challenge here.

   Still, none of what follows should
be interpreted for the curing or the
treatment of any disease. I'm doing all
this to publish what I've found (from
reading publicly-available literature
and news reports) for informational
purposes only.  I personally don't know
if any of the following would have any
real value.  All I know is that these
things are being cited by doctors and
scientists as having shown some value
in studies.  I urge you to follow up
your research here by searching the
internet for scientific studies about
any item that interests you, and always
consult your doctor about any matters
related to your health. I'm not just
saying this for legal reasons.  I have
too many dead friends and loved ones
to believe that eating a few nuts or
carrots will cure somebody.  On the 
other hand, good food never hurts.

WHAT WE CAN DO  

   Most of us feel rather helpless when 
we confront the issue of cancer.  Giant 
corporations produce many products that 
cause cancer, the drugs that treat it, 
the insurance that pays for them, and 
now, run most of the hospitals as well.

   Cancer has become big business, and
the whole subject reeks of big money.

   Wouldn't it be nice if there were a 
few things we mere mortals could do in 
the battle against cancer?

   Well, there are the obvious things:
Don't smoke or use tobacco products. 
Avoid pollution.  Eat wisely...

BIG TOBACCO & CANCER:

   Most of us know that tobacco is the
number one cancer risk people face, 
but few appreciate how deadly it is.

   Smokers are well-known to have 20 
times the risk of lung cancer as non-
smokers.  However, did you know that 
smokers also have from double to over
four times the risk as non-smokers to
have just about any other cancer now 
known?  That includes such cancers as
mouth, throat, colon, stomach, skin, 
brain cancers, to name only a few.

   Quitting smoking is obviously one
of the most effective "anti-cancer" 
steps anyone can take.  There are a 
number of products on the market to 
help wean people off cigarets, but 
many of these contain nicotine and 
merely change the form of addiction
from smoking to a gum, pill or patch
that often gives the smoker a bigger
'hit' of nicotine than smoking does.

   A better approach for the smoker 
is to take a 'smoking cessation' or
'stop smoking' course.  These may at 
first seem costly, but one quickly 
discovers that they are a bargain: 

   For each pack of cigarets smoked
per day, the smoker will spend from 
a minimum of $400/year (based on the
cost of tax-free 'Indian' cigarets,
using the cheapest brands offered)
to $2,000/year (store-bought higher-
priced brands with tax).  Smoking
two packs doubles the totals to $800-
$4,000/year.  Big money.

   My dad had smoked four packs/day 
when I was born, which caused birth 
defects I've suffered from all of my 
life (heart, vision, etc).  It's now 
well-documented that smoking causes 
birth defects, as the warnings have 
long stated on cigaret packs.  

   Anyway, my dad smoked enough that,
had he not died of heart disease, if
he had continued to smoke, he'd today
be burning up close to $8,000/year.

   With today's taxes, my dad would
have had to earn $16,000 more a year
pre-tax to pay for his habit.  Over
a lifetime of smoking, that would be
like having to earn an extra MILLION
DOLLARS just to pay for cigarets. I
suggest that you can do two things
when you reach retirement age: Die
of smoking-related disease, or begin
retirement with up to $1-million in
cash saved and invested by quitting.

   But that's not all the costs. You
pay higher health, fire, auto, and
life insurance because smoking is so
big a risk factor.  In fact, all of 
us subsidize smoking, since smoker's 
rates, higher though they often are, 
rarely fully pay for smoking's costs
to society. 

   Demographic statistics show the
poorer you are, the more likely you
are to smoke. The higher the level
of education completed, the lower
the rate of smoking.  Cancer rates
are proportionately higher among 
the poor and less-educated, and this
is attributed to smoking rates.

   Yet I know some intelligent and
educated people who smoke.  Hardly
any are financially secure however.
The high costs of smoking make that
almost impossible.  

   Put another way, let's say that
someone offered you hundreds of
thousands of dollars if you quit
smoking today, would you do it?

   Well, that offer is in fact on
the table every day, but the total
payoff dimminishes each day that
you keep smoking.  And one day it
will be withdrawn completely with
little warning, to be replaced by
a death sentence from cancer or
heart disease.

   If you have children or grand-
children, ask yourself what kind
of example you are giving them.
Do you really want that on your
conscience?  Of course not. You
owe it to yourself and everyone
you care about to quit as soon 
as possible.

   Think of how good you will
feel to be free at last, to be
able to breathe again and wake
up feeling good.  Think of all
the money you'll save.  Think
of all the new friends you'll
make who presently cannot deal
with your smoke.

   And think of Big Tobacco no
longer getting rich off of you.
Are you going to let those old
weasles exploit you any more?

   Or are you going to stand up
at last and show them they can't
control your life?

QUIT WITH CREAM OF TARTAR: 

   One nutritional help I've heard 
about will make it easier for anyone
who honestly wants to quit.  It's a 
common 'spice' that is available all
over the country: CREAM OF TARTAR. 
It seems Cream of Tartar sets into 
motion some taste changes that will 
make cigarets unpleasant. Of course, 
some smokers may find Cream of Tartar
a bit unpleasant for this reason. It
is used in foods, where you wouldn't
notice it.  I assume it's in tartar
sauce, as well as some French dishes.

   Anyway, everyone agrees that the 
less you smoke and/or are exposed to 
the second-hand smoke of others, the
better off you'll be. I've seen what 
cancer can do to your body, and it's
enough to make anyone quit.

   My wife's sister died of cancer 
that got into her brain.  She began 
battling cancer in her thirties and 
was dead by age 37.  She continued 
to smoke the whole time, until the 
end, when she was in great agony. I
wouldn't wish her fate on anyone.
You can't fight cancer and keep on 
smoking at the same time.  One way 
or the other, YOU WILL QUIT.  Don't
make the mistake my wife's sister 
made.  Quit now.

POLLUTION:

   Avoiding pollution is harder.  We 
are seeing progress in auto emissions
and industrial exhuast, but SUV's and
trucks have had exemptions from some 
of the standards. In 2006, standards 
for SUV's were tightened, and people
are switching to better mileage cars 
that also pollute less.  So this will
turn out to be a blessing, in spite 
of the higher gas prices.

   Our national water supply has been
greatly improved in some ways because
of government regulations.  However,
the EPA itself poisoned our national 
water with MBTE, a cancer-causing gas
additive it forced the oil companies 
to add to fuel.  This may go down as 
the biggest blunder in the regulatory
history of the nation.  

   Water filters are probably needed 
in almost every home now.  You can't
trust the water these days.  There
are drugs like Prozac and all kinds
of medications in our water. But the 
use of water filters also requires 
you and your family to take mineral 
supplements to make up for what you 
are filtering out of the water along
with the toxic substances.  This can
be a complex subject.  So you ought
to do research on what your filter
removes before you decide if you'll
need mineral supplements.

   One of the major sources of our
pollution problems is toxic things
in indoor air in offices and homes.
Good ventilation helps.  Carpets and
other new fabrics often vent gases.

Cooking and spraying put toxins into
the air.  Getting good air purifiers
or filters is essential.  Keep the
filters clean.

   Getting fresh air, exercise and
oxygen in your system is vital.  It
is also important to learn to breathe
deeply and fully.  Most of us don't.
Yoga classes teach proper breathing,
but you should know that this is also
sometimes a religious activity.

DIET FOR THE WAR ON CANCER

   Way back in the 1970's, President
Richard Nixon called for a 'War on 
Cancer' in which $25-billion would 
be spent to find ways to prevent and
cure the disease.  Nearly all of the
money (and a lot more since then) was
spent on medical research grants and
traditional medical treatment. Sadly,
there has not been much significant
improvement in one's survival odds
after being diagnosed due to all the
billions spent on this cancer war.

   By contrast, there has been a very
dramatic reduction in the rates that
the public is getting cancer in the 
first place.  That is, while medical
progress has been slow once you have 
the disease, something else seems to 
have been reducing the rate at which
people get cancer in the first place
before doctors get involved.

   To cite one example, the rate of
breast cancer peaked in 1972, and is
down about 20% since.  Put another
way, it was about 25% higher in 1972.

   But suppose it had not gone down
over the years, but had gone up by
that same amount? Today's rate would
be about 50% higher than it now is.
That's a spectacular shift.  

   So we should ask what's behind 
the large change in the nation's
cancer rates among men and women?

   Part of this, of course, comes 
from reduced smoking rates by men 
over the last 40 years.  But women 
had increased their smoking during
much of this period, and yet breast
cancer rates have been falling for 
over 30 years--some good news that 
the cancer industry seems reluctant
to share with the public in its big
ad campaigns.

   Cancer rates are now falling on
a wide front for many kinds of the
disease.  And the over-all rates 
are down on average over the past 
decade for almost all forms of the
disease.

  Less smoking and safer cigarets,
less air and water pollution in 
some areas, removal of pesticides
known to cause cancer, and ending
use of carcinogens from laxatives
have all contributed.

   But all of these things imply 
that prevention is far better as 
a way to fight cancer than all of
modern medicine's expensive tools
and brute-force methods of "cut-
it-out" and "burn-it-out."  

   Yet there are puzzles in this 
data: We are gaining weight as a 
nation, and diabetes and eating a
high-fat diet seems linked to the
risk of cancer.

   We must be doing something on
our own that is offsetting this 
increased risk factor.  There is
an area we know does seem to have
an impact: Diet and nutrition.

WHAT NOT TO EAT

   There are some things we know
increase anyone's cancer risk:

1) Burned, charred and blackened 
foods:  Barbecued, toasted foods 
may seem 'tasty' to some, but in
that black ash and gunk are some 
of the most powerful carcinogens
known. Just as with the burning
of tobacco, fire creates cancer-
causing substances in your food.
Even 'browning' creates them. So
do not overcook foods or cook so
quickly that the inside is still
uncooked and full of bacteria--
while the outside is crisp with
carcinogens. 

2) High sugar, corn syrup, and 
similar foods, or anything that
puts glucose into your blood is
a major concern. It seems that 
cancer cells thrive on glucose.
So the higher your glucose or 
blood sugar levels, the higher
the food supply to cancer cells
trying to grow inside of your 
body.  Alcohol is converted to
glucose in your body.

3) Overeating: Laboratory rats
fed a low-calorie 'starvation'
diet live far longer than those
given a fuller diet. Eat less 
and live longer is the rule.

4) Refined foods, like white 
flour/bread, white rice, etc.,
have much of their nutritional
value removed. These are high-
glucose foods whose vitamin and
mineral content normally might
reduce your cancer risk--had 
most of these nutrients never 
been removed by manufacturers
looking for long-shelf life.

   A good rule of thumb is to 
look for foods with a lower-
than-average "glycemic index."
Beans and vegetables generally
are better than refined grains,
for example.  I'll try to find
a table of all these foods to
post here, but there seems to
be contradictions among the
various lists I've seen so far.

EAT RIGHT TO SURVIVE WELL

   It turns out we may possess an 
arsenal of anti-cancer weapons in 
our pantries (or at least in our 
supermarkets and local health food 
stores).

   According to news reports I've
read, some of these inhibit cancers
of specific kinds or reduce the rate 
of development. Others seem to have
an effect on all kinds of cancer,
and still others only keep a cancer
from spreading elsewhere (the major
cause of death from cancer).

   Keep in mind, however, that what
is today's 'big discovery' sometimes
becomes tomorrow's big failure. Any
one of the things listed here may one
day be shown not to be efficacious, 
or even to make things worse in some
situations.  Who knows? There's a lot
scientists just don't know, and new
findings continually change what they
thought they knew.  

   Even so, the news is full of many
amazing reports about things that are
showing success in the laboratory.

   I have now learned of so many such
foods and herbs that it seems time to 
gather the reports together and post 
them on the web.  Here is a bare-bones
list of the information I found:

FRUITS:

1) ALL FRUITS in their natural form 
seem to be helpful, but some seem to
have especially powerful benefits. On
the other hand, when turned into the 
kinds of pasteurized, watered-down,
artificially-colored and flavored 
fruit drinks sold in some stores, it
is obvious that the benefits may have
been largely or totally lost.

2) POMEGRANATES: King of the fruits 
when it comes to cancer-fighting may
be the ancient pomegranate, available
in three forms: The fresh fruit, as a
juice, and in pill form containing an
extract believed by some to have the
cancer-fighting elements.  Reports
are just emerging that pomegranates
may be some sort of 'magic bullet,'
but I would not assume anything with
this or any other such claim until
we learn more. But it can't hurt.
  
2) BLUEBERRIES: The research here is
further along, and looks encouraging
for prevention.  One could add all 
sorts of blue and red berries to the
list, but blueberries are available
almost everywhere in markets or as a
beverage, not to mention my favorite:
Blueberry muffins and pancakes!

3) TANGERINES: I'm puzzled that the 
amzing benefits of tangerines have 
not gained the press of blueberries,
but that has at least held down the
price. Tangerine juice is available,
but one should always try to eat the
fruit of citrus to get the benefits
of the seeds and pulp.  If you have
a juicer and can get citrus that has
no pesticide wax or shiny coatings
on the skin, that will also help.

4) GRAPEFRUIT: Recently (2006) the
value of grapefruit in preventing
the metastasy (spread) of prostate
cancer has been suggested. In fact,
eating Grapefruit has long been
known to have healthful benefits, 
and this would certainly make this
tasty fruit a must-have at every 
breakfast table or fruit dessert.

5) GRAPES: Purple grapes, or blue
concord, and the grapes in red wine
like merlot, have been touted for a
while as having anti-cancer effects
as well as heart benefits, as Larry
King keeps saying. Some studies are
raising questions about the wine in
these claims, but the grapes remain
a good choice apparently.

6) OTHER CITRUS: Lemons, limes and
oranges do not seem to be getting a
lot of attention, but logically it
would seem they should also be very
beneficial, especially if one could
eat the pulp and seeds (or rather,
eat the white core of the seeds).
If I learn more, I will report back
on this category.

7) APPLES, PEARS, APRICOTS, ETC.:
There is a general sense that most
fruits are of value, eaten whole
and raw, esp. organic.  By contrast,
drinking refined apple juice every
day may be offset by the glucose it
adds to your system.  Some swear by
the seeds of apricots, but this is
frowned upon by the FDA because the
seeds of apricots contain cyanide,
a deadly poison.  Given all we now
know about other, safer foods, and
given the many people who died even
after getting medical versions made
from apricots, I personally would 
not recommend eating those seeds
under any circumstances.

9) TOMATOES: Yes, the tomato is a
rather bitter fruit as sold in the
supermarkets, often gassed with
ethylene to make it red in color
even though still green and bitter
to the taste.  Fully ripenend when
on the vine at home it is sweeter
than you expect.  Grow your own if
you can (not that hard).  Filled
with LYCOPENE, an anti-oxidant that
may reduce your risk of cancer, in
particular, prostate cancer, or so
all the ads say.  

NUTS & SEEDS & LEGUMES:

It appears that all kinds of seeds and
nuts have some sort of anti-cancer or
super-nutritional benefits.  It's not
good to eat them roasted in oils and
full of salt and sugar, of course, but
raw, fresh, organic nuts and seeds are
available at most health-food stores and
will add all kinds of variety and fun
to your snack-life.  By the way, the 
peannut is NOT a nut; it's a legume
or bean.  Many people are allergic to
them. I have not heard of any benefit
to eating peanuts in fighting cancer,
but if anyone has, please let me know
(PetraGrail@yahoo.com).

1)  ALMONDS: People swear by almonds,
and they are cheap and readily found
in stores. You can also get beverages
made from almonds, as well as a nice
'nut-butter' (like peanut butter), as
you can for many other nuts and seeds.

2) SESEME SEEDS & TAHINI: There is an
ancient tradition praising the seseme
seed for its oil and nutrients. Who am
I to fight such ancient tradition?  It
does appear there is a lot to all this
talk about their benefits, and people
have thrived on the seed for ages.

3) FLAXSEED: Dr. David Williams says
that flax is a nearly perfect food,
and it certainly is tasty. Rome fed
it to its legions and conquered "the
habitable world," as they called it.
Dr. Williams urges you to buy seeds
raw and organic and mill them at home.
http://www.DrDavidWilliams.com

4) CECI, CHICK PEAS, GARBANZOS: One
of my favorite foods. These meaty
legumes or beans are often made as
a paste called 'HUMMUS' that I could
practically live off by itself.  The
good news is that it also has been
said to have anti-cancer properties.
I would not be surprised, but who 
cares when it tastes so good?

5) GARLIC: I was unsure where to put
garlic, but I think it belongs more
or less in this group.  It's a very
powerful anti-oxidant, and as such
ought to also inhibit cancer, but I
don't have any information on that.

6) WHEAT GERM: What a blessing this
tiny seed has turned out to be. It's
in whole wheat, of course, but a new
study is showing certain anti-cancer
effects when it is fermented in one
particular way.  Such a product is 
now available, but expensive.  We will
have to wait for more news on this,
but it is VERY interesting.  And you
can buy wheat germ in any food store
right now.  I buy the untoasted, or
health-food-store variety.

SPICES:

Hold onto your seats. The lowly world
of spices may turn out to have some of
the most powerful anti-cancer goodies
in your supermarket.  

1) ROSEMARY: The tastiest spice you
never knew could save your life. One
of the most-touted of all the cancer-
fighters, according to some sources.
We'll see. But you can now get it in
two forms: As dried, spiny leaves in
the spice section, and as an extract
in the vitamin section.  If you have
trouble finding the latter, you can
order it from where I get a lot of
my own vitamins at low cost:
http://www.SwansonHealth.com 

2) TURMERIC: India has avoided many
cancers for thousands of years, and 
it is thought that turmeric (which
is in curry powder and mustard) is
the reason.  It will stain fingers
if you get it on your skin, but if
it really works, who cares?  Or just
eat a lot of curry. My mother made
curried lamb with fruit that would
melt in your mouth.  All this food
talk is making me hungry!

3) SWEET BASIL: If ever there were
a 'sleeper' in the cancer fight, it
has to be sweet basil.  I've read
that it is effective, but none of
the fancy nutrition doctors seem to
have heard of it.  Not sure why. I
use it in soup, with fish, and with
Italian dishes.  Maybe the cancer
fighting properties are unfounded,
but the spice is delicious.

4) ESSIAC TEA: This is a tea that
was created in Canada by a nurse,
using various spices. Many people
swear by it and it has spawned a
small industry of copy-cats. Here
are the ingredients of one these
copy-cats versions that comes as
an extract you can put in foods:

Sheep Sorrel, Slippery Elm (also
good for sore throats), Burdock
Root (cheap and available widely),
Pau d'Arco (pricey), Rhubarb Root,
Red Clover, and American Gensing.

5) GREEN TEA: While all teas are
said to be beneficial, green tea
supposedly has cancer benefits.
Or so they say. You can get all
those goodies in a little capsule
so you don't have to make tea. I
can't say either way, but tea is
always a good beverage choice.

GRREN TEA UPDATE:  Well, I have
found an old Science News story
from Jan 2, 1999, called "Green 
tea belittles cancer." See also
Science News Aug 31, 1991.  The
1998 Purdue Univ. study found a
green tea compound that "shuts
down...an enzyme...cancer cells
need to divide and reproduce."
The effect seems "restricted to 
tumor cells." But the best part is
the tumor cells then self-destruct
and die, which normally they will
not do.  The best approach is to
keep green tea in your system all
the time.  A time-release green 
tea supplement might be a way to
do this.  I don't know if such a
supplement is available, but there
are green tea capsules if you are
reluctant to drink too much tea.
The effect works on animals too,
according to the article.

CLEANSERS:

Related to spices and herbs are
the cleansers and detoxers.  Your
liver in particular carries the
load when you are purging your
system of cancer (even if taking
chemotherapy).  My wife had had
an infection that left her liver
full of scar tissue that cancer
cells adhered to; it was these
that eventually led to her death.
So it's vital to keep your liver
healthy.  She also had her gall
bladder removed, which some say
also worsens your survival odds.
Even so, she lived almost four 
times longer than the doctors
had predicted.  So detox!

1) BETAINE HCL, BEETS:  Jews
in Europe used to drink beets
as borscht.  It takes a little
getting used to, but it's good
once you get the idea it's not
supposed to taste like a soda.
Red beets in cans are in your
supermarket.  And the betaine
that cleans your liver and also
restores proper digestioon is
available in pill form, albeit
a chunky critter that is harder
to swallow than most, if that's
a problem for you.

2) CILANTRO/CORIANDER: These
are different parts of the same
plant (leaves and seeds).  The 
leaves are touted for cleaning
the liver, but the seed powder
is also a super spice. Cilantro
is a very subtle flavor; but 
coriander is bold and unique.

3) FLAXSEED OIL:  Some can also
get some benefits from taking
a spoonful of high-lignan flax
oil daily before a grain meal.
Shake well to get the lignans
into solution. I end up adding
filtered water to turn all the
dregs at the bottom into mush
when the oil runs out.  Buy it
refrigerated and keep it cold.
Not for cooking. 

4) XYLITOL: This bark-derived
sugar alchohol is proving to
be almost miraculous as a way
to replace a lot of toxic and
unfriendly bacteria in one's
body with those God designed
for us to have. It's a major
breakthough for diabetics and
hypoglycemics because it does
not metablolize the way sugar
does. I buy in quantity to cut
the cost. Can clean out long-
standing sinus problems when
sprayed in the nose.  You'll
get a little gas or diarrhea
when you use a lot too fast, 
because it will be cleaning
the bad toxins out of your
gut. Xylitol is said to be
a major help in getting rid
of bacteria that cause tooth
decay.  Reducing the amount
of bad bacteria your immune
system is fighting will let 
it devote more time to any
cancer cells in your body.

5) LACTOBACILLUS BULGARICUS: 
A fancy Latin name for one 
of the strains of bacteria
we're supposed to have, but
often don't.  Xylitol can't
supply it. It will only weed
out bad bacterial strains in
your body.  So you'll need
to replace those with good
bacteria using yogurt that
has not been pasteurized
after fermentation: "Active
cultures"... BULGARICUS is
not always in yogurt, but
new research suggests that
it is especially powerful
in fighting many diseases.
Get the rest of your system
in shape before adding this
to your diet.  It causes a
bit of intestinal upset for
a few days as it muscles
other strains aside. 

6) CLOVES: Aside from being
able to stop tooth-pain when 
being tortured by an ex-Nazi 
("MARATHON MAN"), it turns out
cloves also have an amazing 
ability to help control blood-
sugar, which you will recall is 
a factor in how fast tumors can 
grow, since they eat blood sugar
(glucose). Anything that lowers 
blood sugar levels should be of 
value.

7) CINNAMON: Lowers your blood
sugar levels by getting pancreas
to function normally. Don't use
too much. You can overdo it as
a spice in some dishes.

8) BEER/SILICON: Yes, I am here
to tell you that a little beer is 
good for you. Beer (or the silicon
in beer) can cleanse aluminum out
of your brain. This should help you
think more clearly, something that 
is hard enough to do when fighting 
cancer, a time when you need all 
your wits about you.  

VEGETABLES:

Green, yellow and red vegetables
are good for us, but there is one 
scientists say outshines them all:
The "CRUCIFORM" vegetables:

1) BROCCOLI SPROUTS:  Broccoli in 
all its forms contains 'indoles' 
that may fight cancer.  But the 
sprouts are really packed with 
them.  The younger the broccoli, 
the better.  You can now also get 
'indoles' in pill form. And check 
out "Broccolini" baby broccoli
for cold snacking and munching.

2) CAULIFLOWER: Like broccoli, it
may have similar benefits.

3) BRUSSEL SPROUTS: Also related 
to the broccoli family. I found 
it gets bitter if it's overcooked. 
Needs water to soak up. Mixes well 
with tomato sauce dishes, even
pasta sauces.

4) EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: I was
not sure where to file this, but 
the olive is either a fruit or a 
vegetable.  It is one of the only 
oils I would cook with now.  I do 
not eat anything that has canola 
oil (rapeseed), soybean oil, or 
cottonseed oil, if I can avoid it.

VITAMINS, MINERALS, MISCELLANEOUS:
 
Many things mentioned above are
available in pills and capsules
as concentrated extracts. I'd be
aware, however, that some of the 
value might be lost in capsules
versus the whole food.  Here are 
some other items you should be 
sure to include:

1) VITAMIN D:  Studies show that 
this vitamin has gneuine value 
in fighting cancer. Sunlight is 
iffy these days; so a good safe
supplement is important as well. 
I've seen no limit on how much
Vit D you can take each day as
long as it is NOT from fish oil,
which should be limited due to
possible mercury contamination.

2) SELENIUM: Adequate selenium 
in the diet could slash national 
cancer rates for prostate and 
other cancers, if one believes 
the ads.  Make sure to get at
least 200 mcg/day.

3) FOLIC ACID: Studies show we 
all are in daily need of Folic 
Acid, and that women benefit 
especially.  It reduces cancer 
rates, but you should take it 
before you eat for digestion.

4) CoQ-10: Please don't ask me 
what Co-enzyme Q-10 is. All I 
know is doctors themselves are 
taking it as a between meals 
supplement, often used with 
L-Carnitine. Ask body-builders 
what all this does. It reduces 
fat and adds muscle and makes 
you healthier.  Or so they say.  
I take it and I'm not dead as
of this writing.  That's all 
I know.

5) QUERCITIN: This is part of 
all the vitamin C complex in 
citruses. I assume it works 
together like some sort of a
catalyst to fight cancer or do 
something wonderful for us. It's
a good thing, as Martha Stewart
would say. 

6) RESVERATROL: This is believed
the active ingredient in purple 
grapes that may fight cancer. 
You can now get it in a capsule 
form.

7) GRAPESEED & PINE BARK COMPLEX: 
A popular formula for fighting
cancer in pill or capsule form.  
Does it work?  I don't know, but 
it does seem safe enough. It's 
hard to keep up with all the 
latest news on all these things.

8) NATTO-KINASE: The story with
natto is some people in Okinawa, 
I believe, live to be a zillion 
years old & they eat this stuff.  
Okay...well, Dr. Williams likes 
it, so it might just be as good 
as they say. But follow all the
label directions. You should be
careful not to take too much.

9) ZINC: You have to have zinc. 
But are you sure you're getting 
enough? I don't know. They say 
22 mg/day, but then you read 
labels with a lot more. Anyway,
it supposedly helps men avoid 
prostate cancer. Whether or not
it does, it's essential for 
everyone.

10) CHROMIUM: Nutritional use
of chromium is important for 
regulating blood sugar and is 
included in many blood-sugar
supplements.  In theory, the
reduced blood sugar should 
starve cancer cells.  But I 
have not seen studies tying 
this mineral specifically to 
cancer rates one way or the 
other.

11) GRAVIOLA:  Not much hard
information on this, but one
of my sources is promoting it
as a 'suppressed' item; so I
am skeptical so far, but you
never know. Studies have been
done and seem legit, and I'm 
seeing some new supplements 
with it, the usual sign that
it is being taken seriously.

MISCELLANEOUS: BLACK WALNUT
GREEN HULLS, SWEET ANNIE LEAF
AND TOP, CLOVES FLOWER BUD,
WORMWOOD LEAF & CUASSIA WOOD:
This is based upon a book by
Hulda Clark called "The Cure
for All Cancers," which is
the kind of humble, low-key
title that may frighten off
most people.  But the theory
makes sense, I suppose. The
idea is that parasites have
set up housekeeping in most
of us during our lives, and
they are wearing down some
of your immune capacity to
the point that cancers have
an easy time getting going.
The mix above is designed to
kill off parasites, and so
far as I know, it works. If
you get rid of parasites, I
assume, you will feel a lot
better, regardless of what
it does about cancer.  BUT,
the wormwood is addictive
and in large quantities is
toxic.  So consult a doctor
and obey the label warning.
A company called "Nature's
Answer" makes the whole mix
in a capsule.  Be careful.
This one's actually got a
danger warning. Talk to a
doctor and let them guide
you in this case. It's a
legal supplement, but it
should be checked against
your medical risks first
with your doctor.

SUMMATION:

   Well, these are what I 
have found.  So much new 
information comes out all
the time that it is hard 
to keep up. I'm sure that
there is news I've missed.  
Please don't consider my
list complete.

  I know there may be some 
mistakes in a substantial 
list of items. So I tried 
to stick to foods and items
that seem safe. But nothing 
here ought to be considered 
medical advice for treatment 
or cure of any disease. You
should always consult your 
own professional healthcare 
providers before taking any
food or supplement or that 
might affect a medication 
you are using.  

  All information here is 
provided for informational 
purposes only and is not
intended to replace the 
advice of your doctor. You 
should not do anything if
you are ill or concerned 
without consulting your 
doctor first.

  You should know that I 
have used or am using many
things listed here and I 
have grown purple antennae
out of my new third eye...

  By the way, did I mention 
that laughter is also good 
for you?

--Olaf Hage
 
  [Initially Posted: May 5, 2002; 
      Updated: July 5, 2006 
       and August 12, 2007]




 This web-page was launched on what would 
have been our wedding anniversary, almost
6 years after my wife's death by cancer. It
was updated ten years after her death.