Cancer
Brain cancer survivor talks about anticancer foods
By Sue Mueller
Dec 21, 2008 - 2:32:13 PM

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Being diagnosed with a cancer may not be a bad thing for some people who have experienced something unusual during the fighting of their cancer. Some people may even make some additional income out of their experience if the experience is recorded and sold in books or videos.   Some have found new meanings for their lives.

Dr.David Servan-Schreiber MD, Ph.D., a University of Pittsburg psychiatrist, has now survived brain cancer for 16 years.   He wrote a book titled "Anticancer: A New Way of Life", telling people how lifestyle may affect cancer.   His book has become an international bestseller.

In his book, Dr. Servan-Schreiber tells people that the environment, food, and body and mind all affect the risk of cancer.

First, Dr. Servan-Schreiber cites some studies to demonstrate that the humans just like animals have a natural defense mechanism against cancer.   Some medical researchers claim that cancer is a natural part of the body and the body's own immune system can't recognize cancer cells and destroy them. But the studies Dr. Servan-Schreiver cites show that the immune system makes a difference when it comes to cancer-fighting.  

One study cited shows that people with natural killer cells that can react with their cancer cells are more likely to survive 20 years after diagnosis than those with natural killer cells that cannot react with their cancer cells.

Dr. Servan-Schreider says that the environment, food and body and mind all can affect the body immunity against cancer.   For instance, sugar, junk food, and trans fat among many other things promote cancer growth while garlic and cruciferous vegetables and many others inhibit cancer proliferation.

The foods that Dr. Servan-Schreider considers of anticancer include green tea, turmeric/curry, ginger, cruciferous vegetables, garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, chives, vegetable and fruit high in carotenoids, tomatoes and tomato sauce, soy, mushrooms, herbs and spices such as parsley and celery, seaweed, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium rich food, vitamin D, probiotics, berries, citrus fruit, pomegranate juice, red wine and dark chocolate.

These foods have been reported in numerous studies to have something to do with lower risk of a variety of cancer although controversies around these studies are always there.   One downside of the book is that it does not tell readers how he prepares and uses these anticancer foods.

On the website of MSNBC, Dr. Servan-Schreider also published an article revealing some anticancer foods that people can use to reduce their cancer risk.   The article tells some details on how to use the foods, but the list of anticancer foods is obviously incomplete. the way you prepare and use a food may have an impact on the anticancer effect.

For instance, Dr. Servan-Schreider said Japanese green tea is better than Chinese and other types. And you need to brew the tea for 5 to 10 minute and use it with one hour.   Garlic needs to be crashed to release the active ingredient.

Dr. Servan-Schreider’s key point is that some foods help people fight cancer, but he warns that they cannot be used alone to treat any cancer because he says curing any cancer still needs help from conventional therapies including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.  

His opinion may not be accepted by everyone who has survived a cancer.   Dr.  Lorraine Day, a noted physician and professor of a top med school in the U.S. has recovered from her breast cancer using alternatives only.