Can green vegetables beat breast cancer?

By
Daily Mail Reporter

17:49 EST, 3 April 2012

|

02:44 EST, 4 April 2012

Women diagnosed with breast cancer are more likely to survive if they eat up their greens, research suggests.

A large Chinese study found a link between higher consumption of cruciferous vegetables such as greens, cabbage and broccoli, and reduced breast cancer death rates.

Researchers followed the progress of almost 5,000 women for around five years after they were diagnosed with breast cancer.

Lifesaver? A Chinese study has found that breast cancer sufferers who eat green vegetables including cabbage are more likely to survive

Lifesaver? A Chinese study has found that breast cancer sufferers who eat green vegetables including cabbage are more likely to survive

They found that the more cruciferous vegetables women ate during the first three years after diagnosis, the less likely they were to die.

As consumption increased, the chances of dying from breast cancer fell by between 22 per cent and 62 per cent and from all causes by between 27 per cent and 62 per cent.

Breast cancer recurrence risk also decreased, by between 21 per cent and 35 per cent

During the study period, a total of 587 women died, 496 from breast cancer. Researchers recorded 615 cases of recurrence.

The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Chicago, US.

The researchers pointed out that cruciferous vegetable consumption habits differed between China and the West.

‘Commonly consumed cruciferous vegetables in China include turnips, Chinese cabbage/bok choy and greens, while broccoli and brussels sprouts are the more commonly consumed cruciferous vegetables in the United States and other Western countries,’ said study leader Dr Sara Nechuta, from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, US.

‘Second, the amount of intake among Chinese women is much higher than that of US women. The level of bioactive compounds such as isothiocyanates and indoles, proposed to play a role in the anti-cancer effects of cruciferous vegetables, depend on both the amount and type of cruciferous vegetables consumed.’

Dr Nechuta said future studies of the effects of cruciferous vegetables on breast cancer should make direct measurements of levels of bioactive compounds.

The women were participants in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study, an investigation of Chinese breast cancer survivors diagnosed with different grades of tumour between 2002 and 2006.

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I REALLY wish that those people whos cancer is in remission wouldn’t go on about a “cure” just because they eat grass or some other stupid thing and they were just LUCKY – OK?

So if I eat my cabbage can I have wine for pudding? 🙂

@ oops, UK, 04/4/2012 11:41…That is completely untrue. The China study was carried out by 3 very reputable scientists and the work has been peer reviewed and is backed up by many other reputable scientists and doctors. The lead scientist on the study, Colin T Campbell is Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University and has worked as a senior science adviser to the American Institute for Cancer Research – he is respected by his peers, as is his work. His work in the lab, switching the growth of cancer on and off in mice, by adding and removing casien (a milk protein) from the diet has been reproduced and expanded on by other labs, with different groups of scientists. My husband is currently working with someone, whose mother-in-law has healed herself from breast cancer through a vegan, green juice based diet – after refusing the medical choices offered her. There is overwhelming evidence that consuming a lot of leafy greens is beneficial to health.

Good, I have had low iron and have been eating a lot of greens for a while now if this is good for me then I will carry on! Seems to me though eating a lot of fruit and vegetables are good for you in the first place not just when you get cancer so if you eat a healthier diet you are less likely to get cancer.

The health benefits of cruciferous vegetables have been known for a long time, although this study is a timely reminder. The main cancer fighting ingredient may be selenium,. However this is much depleted in British soil so organic is probably best. Cancer is a truly evil disease so anything that may help prevent it is well worth the effort.

Eat your greens!

The China study was not well conducted and was very biased, omitted data and twisted data. Of course greens and other plant matter is extremely good for you, but not all animal produce is bad. We just need to cut out rubbish – like refined sugar, pesticides, processed food (yes including processed soya and many margerines, processed meat of course but don’t forget processed veg matter can also be damaging), antibiotics in meat, fried food….. Man is NOT a herbivore, but this debate will go on and on, I know the vegan lobby will be on my case quoting this and that study, whilst omitting any other valid evidence. I honestly admire those who CAN stay healthy on a vegan diet, I’m not anti vegan as a humane choice, but I wish those behind the studies would stop twisting the truth! Equally I would love to see an end to the barbaric mass-livestock farming, but lets have a balanced view eh?

The China study was not well conducted and was very biased, omitted data and twisted data. Of course greens and other plant matter is extremely good for you, but not all animal produce is bad. We just need to cut out rubbish – like refined sugar, pesticides, processed food (yes including processed soya and many margerines, processed meat of course but don’t forget processed veg matter can also be damaging), antibiotics in meat, fried food….. Man is NOT a herbivore, but this debate will go on and on, I know the vegan lobby will be on my case quoting this and that study, whilst omitting any other valid evidence. I honestly admire those who CAN stay healthy on a vegan diet, I’m not anti vegan as a humane choice, but I wish those behind the studies would stop twisting the truth! Equally I would love to see an end to the barbaric mass-livestock farming, but lets have a balanced view eh?

Greens are alkalising on the body, cancer cannot live in an alkaline environment, it makes sense. Alkalise and survive!

We already have a large Chinese study : it is called The China Study. It has 8,000 references and confirms what The Scientific American of 1892 said : that the incidence of chronic disease, cancer included, depends on the consumption of animal protein and the lack of plant foods. Man is a herbivore. Cancer is not caused by a lack of surgery/radio/chemo “therapy”.

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