Fighting Off Prostate Cancer May Be as Simple as Adding a Little Spice to Your Life

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Fighting off prostate cancer may be as simple as adding a little spice to your life, along with these vegetables: cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, kohlrabi, watercress, and turnips.

Researchers at Rutgers University found that cruciferous vegetables contain a chemical that retards prostate cancer cells from growing, and when flavored with curry powder, the combination offers antioxidant protection against even advanced prostate disease.

The chemical, phenethyl isothiocyanate or PEITC, in combination with the yellow pigment in curry called curcumin, demonstrated anti-cancer properties in mice, significantly reducing tumor growth.

Researchers were inspired to investigate after noting that prostate cancer is rare in India, where consumption of curry and a heavily vegetarian diet is favored.

But, as long-time readers know, this is not the first time that curcumin has been found to be a cancer preventive. The compound, which is found in turmeric -- one of the mainstays of curry -- has also been shown to inhibit the growth of both skin and breast cancer cells, and stop the spread of harmful brain plaque in Alzheimer's patients. In addition, research has also shown it can effectively slow the spread of cancerous cells, hamper the growth of new blood vessels that feed tumors, and promote cancer cell death.
 
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What is...curry?

Curry is actually a blend of many spices. Most curry powders contain coriander, fenugreek, cumin, and turmeric. Although you can buy curry powder in a store premixed, you can also mix your own to taste using additional spices such as red and black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, garlic, ginger, fennel seeds, and nutmeg, among others.

Yours in good health,
Amanda Ross
Editorial Director
Nutrition & Healing