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has anyone ate or heard of eating a high antioxidant diet?
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antioxident diet
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Cancer Chemotherapy Beta-carotene Lung cancer Diabetes Stress
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- By gpawelski
- Posted May 10, 2009 at 10:18 am
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Antioxidants are nutrients that prevent some of the damage from unstable molecules known as free radicals, created when the body turns food into energy. Vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene are among well-known antioxidants, although not the only antioxidants on the planet. There are plenty of sources of antioxidants in a good diet and supplementation.
Previous research had suggested that vitamin C may stifle tumor growth by preventing DNA damage from free radicals. Other research found that antioxidants appear to be working in a different way, undermining a tumor's ability to grow under certain conditions.
Recent Johns Hopkins research has found that antioxidants may be interfering with the growth of cancers that are already established, and even reversing them once established, by knocking out communications signals between cancer cells that encourage cells to grow and divide.
These communications signals turn out to be free radicals, which the cancer cells often produce in abundance. Runaway cell division was actually slowed when cancer cells were introduced to the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine. This demonstrates the existence of a mechanism that can allow a simple antioxidant to slow down or reverse a cancer that's already in place.
Figuring out how antioxidants impede tumors and help to resolve the insidious side effects of treatment, should be the focus of researchers to help figure out how they might be harnessed to fight cancer. Cancer treatment by radiation and chemotherapy reduces inherent antioxidants and induces oxidative stress, which increases with disease progression.
Accumulation of excess free radicals causing oxidative damage to cells is one of the contributing factors in cancer. The human immune system and antioxidant activity becomes weaker and less efficient with age. This reduced effectiveness helps to explain the rising incidence of cancer.
Antioxidant supplementation has shown a remarkable ability to forestall age related changes to the immune system and even reverse many aspects of immune function in subjects with damaged immune functions caused by radiation and chemotherapy. Don't throw out the baby with the bath water.
- By scared1
- Posted May 10, 2009 at 6:51 am
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There are alot of people on this board who have done alot of investigation into just what you are asking. Try a search. The medical community tends to follow treatment protocols that have been studied, proven effective and approved as useful by the FDA. There are very few "nutraceuticals" that have been approved. The only one I can think of at this time is GSK's Lovaza which is a omega 3 for high Tg. With that being said I also know GSK (one of the 3 largest pharmaceutical company) is quickly moving into the realm of nutrition. I believe lack of nutrition in the form of processed and fast food is what has causes alot of our younger people to get cancer, diabetes, obesity,heart disease etc...can I prove that? No.
Anyway, to make a long story short I think we are seeing just the tip of the ice burg in how we are effected with what we do or do not put into our bodies. First I would do as much reading as I could on your topic. Ask Dr. West his opinion (he is a oncologist that answers questions on this board you can search him as well.) Asy your oncologist I know some believe antioxidents hinder chemos effects. There are also a whole community of holistic medical doctors that you can talk to.
As you will come to realize treatment of lung cancer is a crap shoot. Some do well on some things, some do well on others. As a caregiver I feel it is my responsiblity to know the options I have, talk to everyone who will listen and help my dad make decisions on what we can live with and what is the best for him. Again...everyone is different...but there is ALOT of info out there and people on this board will help you alot!
Good Luck!
- By gerdau28
- Posted May 10, 2009 at 12:32 am
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i had a friend whom suggested it for my mom whom has cancer and had just wondered if anyone had done this kind of diet or if heard of one, b.c they said it helped some.. i dont know, i was just searching for some other ways for my mom to feel a little better during treatment. which she starts tuesday.. but thank you for your information.. hugs, deb
- By blujonny
- Posted May 9, 2009 at 5:12 pm
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Yes, antioxidants are great. But the problem becomes that once you are sick it changes the whole situation. Antioxidants are great but were designed as a way to keep the body in respectable health and not as a "get out of jail free" card once things go bad if you will. Once you have cancer you need things that can force their way into the bloodstream which basic antioxidants do not. Now science has found their ways to turn these into "pro-oxidants" which are basically powerful enough to do more than antioxidants. For instance the science department at Cal Berkeley has figured out a way to take extracts from broccoli sprouts which are magnificently more powerful than regular broccoli and they have developed a patented formula called Activamune and a company called Sabinsa is about to release a product with an extremely high antioxidant capacity called Saberry. So with antioxidants you have to look further than just basic fruits and vegetables and start looking at what science has to offer in that sense. But things like aged garlic and wasabi (the plant extract itself not the side garnish) have been known to be naturally extremely potent so these are some things you may want to look at.
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