Food and Cancer

[Guest guest]

Though ayurveda is a philosophy of living long healthy life, ancient

acharyas would not have imagined the chemical sea in which we are

floating today; nor the situation of drug and chemical giants, MNCs

which are perpetuating diseases and ill-health everywhere. Even if we

are able to protect ourselves in this sea, we have won the war.

 

Recent events in Mumbai suggest how diseases caused by mismanaged

environment can take a heavy toll of human life. With this background

and the observation that even ancient texts devote a singnificant

volume to nutrition+lifestyle rather than diseases and herbs, author

thought it appropriate to express his thoughts and research efforts

with emphasis on the links between food and various cancers. Spirit

ayurveda is health rather than diseases and their treatment. Author

wishes to discuss corrective actions our generation should take in

improving the health scenario. Already such efforts are going on by

environmentalists, agricultural scientists and farmers. This author

had an opportunity to stay in villages and undertake journeys in

tribal areas where he could see the farming practices. The influence

of farmers and their methods on nationa; health is very high. In the

various post in this series, author will bring out the fact that if

we wish to reach the healthy and happy planet, we must go back to the

old days when Lord Krishna was existing. Organic farming, organic

food and animals with no chemicals around. Contrary to observations

of old vaidyas, the increased proportion of patients with pitta

vitiation caused skin diseases is another motivation for this post.

The post will be continued in the discussion on farming techniques to

correct the damage done to the soil by previous farming methods. The

treatment of soil will yield better herbs for medicines also.

 

The effects of Genetic Modifications (GM) on our food have been

briefly touched upon by Jagannath in Msg# 4099. Potential human

health effects of new GM foods should always be assessed before they

are grown and marketed, and long-term monitoring must be carried out

to catch any possible adverse effects early. Rethinking by WHO in

their report is mentioned in Msg# 3991 by Jagannath and by Todd

(Msg#4041). In msg 3161 author discussed the effects of the food on

fertility. In Msg 435, Vaidyas at Maharshi ayurved belive that when

foods deliver the most potent nutrition when they are as close to

their state in nature as possible. Foods that have been genetically

altered, processed or refined have much of their natural intelligence

stripped from them, and they disturb the intellect and the co-

ordination between the three aspects of mental prowess --

comprehension, retention and recall. These messages bring us to the

conclusion that not only food items, but even medicinal herbs must be

grown in an environment as natural as possible. The poisons spread on

crops may cause diseases. But why the spread of cancer is so wide?

Let us look at some published facts.

 

Currently, various western governments are concerned over heavy metal

contents in ayurvedic herbs. Herbs are at least taken by sick.

However, are they taking any actions to reduce poisons in food eaten

by masses? Most conventionally farmed foods have a cocktail of

synthetic poisons in them. A recently published study shows that as

little a one tenth of a part per billion of one commonly used

herbicide can damage reproductive systems.[1]. While governments are

in hurry to ban the OTC sell of vitamins and supplements, the current

fruit and vegetables in the USA have about half the vitamin content

of their counterparts in 1963. This study was based on comparing

published US Department of Agriculture (USDA) figures. [2]

Organically and conventionally grown apples, potatoes, pears, wheat,

and sweet corn were purchased in the western suburbs of Chicago, over

two years, and analysed for mineral content. The organically grown

food averaged 63% higher in calcium, 73% higher in iron, 118% higher

in magnesium, 178% higher in molybdenum, 91% higher in phosphorus,

125% higher in potassium and 60% higher in zinc. The organic food

averaged 29% lower in mercury than the conventionally raised food [3].

 

Organically grown corn, strawberries and marionberries have

significantly higher levels of cancer fighting antioxidants than

conventionally grown foods. Some of these compounds, such as

Flavonoids, are phenolic compounds that have potent antioxidant

activities. Many are produced in plants in response to environmental

stresses, such as insects or competing plants. They are protective

compounds that act as a plant's natural defense and also have

protective properties in human and animal health. This research

suggested that pesticides and herbicides disrupt the production of

these protective compounds. Good soil nutrition appears to increase

the levels of these natural compounds that have anti cancer, immune

boosting and anti aging properties.[4]

 

Dr John Paterson and a team from the University of Strathclyde, UK,

found that organic vegetable soups contain almost six times as much

salicylic acid as non-organic vegetable soups. Salicylic acid is

produced naturally in plants as a protective compound against stress

and disease. It is responsible for the anti-inflammatory action of

aspirin, and helps combat hardening of the arteries and bowel cancer.

[5] The average level of salicylic acid in 11 brands of organic

vegetable soup, on sale in Britain, was 117 nanograms per gram,

compared with 20 ng/g in 24 types of non-organic soups. The highest

concentration of salicylic acid, 1040 ng/g, was found in an organic

carrot and coriander soup, while it was not detectable in four

conventional soup brands. This tells us why naturopaths use carrots

extensively for treating many diseases.

 

Two researchers found higher vitamin C, higher mineral levels and

higher phytonutrients - plant compounds which can be effective

against cancer, in organically grown foods. There's also less water

in organic vegetables so pound for pound you get more carrot for your

carrot.[6,7] It is no coincidence that the consumer demand for food

supplements has grown, as the amount of minerals and vitamins

decline, in conventionally farmed food. Many people cannot get the

necessary quantity and quality of nutrition from food grown from

synthetic chemicals.

 

A United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report

concluded that organic farming potentially reduces the risk of E.

coli infection - Two studies reported by Woess found that aflatoxin

M1 levels in organic milk were lower than in conventional milk ... As

organically raised livestock are fed greater proportions of hay,

grass and silage, there is reduced opportunity for mycotoxin

contaminated feed to lead to mycotoxin contaminated milk'.

The report further stated. `Animal feeding practices followed in

organic livestock production, also lead to a reduction in

contamination of food products of animal origin.'[8]

 

The use of antibiotics, anti-microbials, hormones and other growth

promotants are prohibited in organic production. Where animals are

treated with veterinary chemicals, they are not allowed to be sold as

organic. Similarly the use of synthetic chemicals as preservatives,

colourings, antioxidants etc are prohibited in the processing of

organic foods. There is an increasing body of concern about these

synthetic compounds in the diets of humans and animals used for human

food[6].

 

A numver of studies exist which show that conventionally farmed foods

contain a cocktail of chemical residues [9-12]. A recent study shows

that as little as 0.1 part per billion in food of a common herbicide

can cause damage to reproductive system [13]. EPA is now in the

process of reducing the chemical residues in food one tenth of the

present levels to lessen childhood exposure.[10,12,14].

 

Though extremely effective, this author does not recommend self urine

therapy to U.S. people after he read that CDC found a cocktail of

many toxic chemicals in the blood and urine of most Americans that

they tested. Other studies show that most living organisms carry a

cocktail of synthetic man made chemicals. Only now are scientists

beginning to understand the detrimental effects of minute amounts of

these artificial toxins[10,11,15]. Cheical residues is also the

reason that Panch Gavya medicines made at certain goushalas in India

are more effective. When cows are fed organic fodder, the cow urine

will not contain harmful residues. Many of these types of chemicals

are known to disrupt the hormone, nervous and immune systems. The

escalating increase of certain types of cancers such as lymphoma,

leukemia, breast, uterine and prostate cancers are linked to

agricultural and other synthetic chemicals. Similarly, a good body of

scientific research also links these chemicals to the dramatic

increases in autoimmune diseases such as asthma and chronic fatigue

syndrome. Cancers such as Non Hodgkin's lymphoma have gone from being

one of the rarest cancers to one of the fastest growing cancers

amongst people exposed to agricultural chemicals. [10,11,16-24]

 

IN the next post in this series, new techniques will bediscussed in

brief to show that whether human life or plant life, the biosphere

cycle and its equilibrium is important to retain ideal helath. All

the species are made by creator to support each other and not destroy.

 

Dr Bhate

 

 

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2. Faloon W. (2001) Vegetables Without Vitamins, Life Extension

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3. Journal of Applied Nutrition (1993); 45:35-39. Organic Food is

More Nutritious Than Conventional Food

4. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, (2003) February 2003

5. Paterson, J (2002) European Journal of Nutrition (vol. 40, p 289)

6 Heaton, S (2001), Organic Farming, Food Quality and Human Health,

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