From ANTICANCER: A New Way of Life by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD

If certain foods in our diet can act as fertilizers for tumors, others, to the contrary, harborprecious anticancer molecules. As recent discoveries show, these go far beyond the usual vitamins,minerals, and antioxidants.

In nature, when confronted with aggression, vegetables can neither fight nor flee. To survive,they must be armed with powerful molecules capable of defending them against bacteria,insects, and bad weather. These molecules are phytochemical compounds with antimicrobial,antifungal, and insecticide properties that act on the biological mechanisms of potentialaggressors. They also have antioxidant properties that protect the plant’s cells from dampnessand the sun’s rays (by preventing cellular “rust” from forming when the cell’s fragile mechanismsare exposed to the corrosive effects of oxygen).

Berries have recently found some competition: peaches, plums, nectarines, etc. (collectivelyknown as stone fruit), whose anticancer virtues were previously unknown. According to agroup of researchers in Texas who reviewed more than a hundred species, these fruits—particularlyplums—are at least as rich in anticancer elements as small berries. In this time ofeconomic recession, it’s good to know that a single plum contains as many antioxidants as ahandful of berries and costs far less. In laboratory tests, stone fruits have also demonstratedtheir efficacy against breast cancer cells and cholesterol.

The intestines ordinarily contain “friendly” bacteria, which help digestion and facilitate regularbowel movements. They also play an important stabilizing role for the immune system.Among the most common of these bacteria are Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillusbifidus.

It has been demonstrated that these probiotics inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells.Their effect on the facilitation of bowel movements also lowers the risk of colon cancer by reducingthe time the intestines are exposed to carcinogenic substances in food. Probiotics thusalso play a role in detoxification. In addition, according to a 2006 Korean study, probiotics improvethe performance of the immune system, as well as increasing the number of NK cells.Organic yogurts and kefir are good sources of probiotics. Soy yogurts are usually enrichedwith probiotics. These precious bacteria are also found in sauerkraut and kimchi.Finally, certain foods are prebiotics, which means they contain polymers of fructose, whichstimulate the growth of probiotic bacteria. Examples are garlic, onions, tomatoes, asparagus,bananas, and wheat.

Rich in polyphenols, including catechins (and particularly epigallocatechin gallate-3, orEGCG), which reduce the growth of the new vessels needed for tumor growth and metastases.It is also a powerful antioxidant and detoxifier (activating enzymes in the liver that eliminatetoxins from the body), and it facilitates the death of cancer cells by apoptosis. In the laboratory,it enhances the effects of radiotherapy on cancer cells.

Turmeric (the yellow powder that is one of the components of yellow curry) is the most powerfulnatural antiinflammatory identified today. It also helps stimulate apoptosis in cancercells and inhibit angiogenesis. In the laboratory, it enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapyand reduces...