Recent research is suggests an increasingly important role
for nutrition in preventing and treating a range of conditions, including
cancer. In the 1990s, scientists at the University College of Medical Sciences
in New Delhi studied mice that had been exposed to a carcinogen that caused
breast tumors in 100% of them. When nutritional substances were administered
beforehand, the risk of developing cancer was reduced from 50% for the mice who
ingested one substance to 90% for those who ingested four nutrients together
(described in David Servan-Schreiber’s book, Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life, p. 110).
At Sainte-Justine Children’s Hospital in Montreal Richard Béliveau,
PhD, and his team worked with immune-deficient mice that had been injected with
cancer cells. Mice that were fed a cocktail of anti-cancer nutrients stayed in
better health and developed less serious, slower growing tumors, results
discussed in Béliveau’s 2006 book Foods
That Fight Cancer.
A 2013 study headed by Madhwa Raj, PhD, at Lousiana State
University Health Sciences Center tested ten nutrients and found them to be
ineffective when used individually. However, when researchers selected six of
the nutrients and administered them together, 100% of breast cancer cells were
killed with no side effects for normal cells. http://bit.ly/1rGEZN3
Live human beings will not necessarily respond the same way
as mice or cells in a petri dish. Unless there is more research, these
intriguing results will probably be ignored by conventional medicine. Financing
such research is likely to be a challenge when a positive result will enrich
only grocery store owners. In addition, there may be ethical limitations in designing
such studies for people who already have cancer or some other serious illness.
As a creative project, I decided to develop a drink that
included four easily purchased foods similar to the nutrients used in the LSUHC
study. It is not the most delicious mango lassi you have ever tasted – the
ginger taste still comes through – but it is certainly drinkable. Will it
really help anyone’s health? There’s no way to know for sure, but the drink is
cheap, easy to prepare, and safe, unless you’re allergic to one of the
ingredients. As an added bonus, the four spices I have used show promise
against Alzheimer’s as well as cancer. I’ll be drinking my mango lassi every day along with my usual breakfast.
The Mango Lassi with Anti-Cancer Spices
Time: 15 minutes including cleanup
Servings: 1 large drink
Time: 15 minutes including cleanup
Servings: 1 large drink
Caution: Turmeric can
leave a vivid yellow stain that may be impossible to remove. To avoid damaging
clothing and countertops, wear an apron, measure over a plate or cutting board, and wash
measuring spoons immediately after use. By itself, turmeric is not well
absorbed by the body: mixing it with black pepper and olive oil improves
bioavailability, the reason for the somewhat tricky procedure here.
Before you start: Cut a medium banana into thirds and freeze
it in a plastic bag.
Ingredients
1 green teabag
4 oz. boiling water
1/3 medium banana, previously frozen
¼ teaspoon wasabi powder
2 level tablespoons vanilla whey protein powder
1 heaping tablespoon Greek yogurt
¼ teaspoon powdered turmeric
1/16
teaspoon black pepper
1/2
teaspoon olive or avocado oil
Raw ginger about the size of you first thumb joint, peeled andsliced across the grain
A handful of frozen mango or pineapple chunks, or a combination (1/2 – 2/3 cup)
Cold water (optional)
½ packet of stevia (optional)
1. Brew teabag in hot water and let cool while you prepare
the other ingredients.
2. To the container of a blender add the 1/3 banana, wasabi powder, whey
protein powder, and Greek yogurt.
3. Place a clean tablespoon on a plate or cutting board.
Measure turmeric and put it in the tablespoon. Measure black pepper and add it
to the tablespoon.
4. Pour olive oil into a measuring spoon over the blender
container but don’t add it yet. Lift the tablespoon with the spices and hold it
under the olive oil. Add the olive oil to the turmeric and pepper and use the
measuring spoon to blend it into a paste in the tablespoon. Now add the paste
to the blender and wash both spoons.
5. Peel the ginger and chop it into small pieces – you should have about
two rounded teaspoons – and add that.
6. Add the mango chunks and the green tea. Squeeze the
teabag to get out all the liquid.
7. Pulse the mixture
15-20 times to chop hard ingredients, then puree for a slow count of 30.
8. If the drink is too thick, stir in some cold water. If
it’s not sweet enough, add stevia.
Note: Ginger is easier to peel and chop if you wet it first. Thanks to Real Simple magazine for this tip.
Update: I have recently learned that I am deficient in alpha-linolenic acid. The fix for this is to take one tablespoon of flax seed oil per day. When I add this to the mango lassi, I find that it cuts back the ginger taste. Flax seed oil is expensive so I probably wouldn't use it if I didn't have the deficiency.
Update: The next post has another example of food synergy, The Almond-Berry Green Smoothie: http://bit.ly/1twNQC6.
Note: Ginger is easier to peel and chop if you wet it first. Thanks to Real Simple magazine for this tip.
Update: I have recently learned that I am deficient in alpha-linolenic acid. The fix for this is to take one tablespoon of flax seed oil per day. When I add this to the mango lassi, I find that it cuts back the ginger taste. Flax seed oil is expensive so I probably wouldn't use it if I didn't have the deficiency.
Update: The next post has another example of food synergy, The Almond-Berry Green Smoothie: http://bit.ly/1twNQC6.
http://bit.ly/1twNQC6http://bit.ly/1twNQC6
