Cancer is a group of diseases in which there is an abnormal cell growth that can spread to other parts of the body. There are more than 100 types of cancer in humans. There are many causes for developing cancer, namely smoking, excessive weight, lack of exercise, excessive drinking, virus and genetic defects.
This is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality (the second leading cause) all over the world that has 14 million new cases every year (2012 data) and it is expected that it will rise about 70% over the next 20 years.
One in six deaths is caused by cancer, although there are treatments they aren’t as effective as it was desirable. There have been developed studies that prove that some natural remedies can act together with the prescribed treatments to have better results
Here we leave you some advices on cancer fighting herbs that can be taken to fight this disease.
1. Astragalus (Huang Qi)
This Chinese herb is a known for stimulating naturally the body’s production of interferon. Interferons are a group of proteins that are released in response to the presence of pathogens and tumor cells, helping eradicate them by blocking their proliferation and development in the organism.
Astragalus also helps identifying rogue cells (cells with abnormal behavior that lead to cancer spreading), and killing them before they spread the infection on the body.
The usage of this herb has doubled the survival rates of radiotherapy treated patients.
2. Berberis Family
This plant family is usually found in the temperate and subtropical regions of the world (except in Australia) and there can be found more species in South America, Africa and Asia.
These species are known as slow active purgatives that have a strong action against cancer cells and has been used to treat ovarian cancer.
In some studies, performed, berberine has showed to have a better performance that the commonly used temozolomide, but used together seen to have a synergistic effect improving the efficacy killing cancer cells.
3. Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
This eastern North America native root has consistent anti-neoplastic activity, being effective reducing tumors, shrinking them. Black slave has been shown effective against breast and skin cancers. Some studies have also shown its activity fighting sarcomas.
4. Cat´s Claw (Uncaria tormentosa)
Cat’s claw is an herb from Amazonia that is a powerful immune-stimulant effect, enhancing phagocytosis. It has been shown effective reducing tumor size in skin cancers and reducing side effects of chemo and radiotherapies. It can be used together with astragalus, curcumin and echinacea.
5. Curcumin (commonly known as Turmeric)
Curcumin is a spice that have been showing anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory activities. Due to these properties, some hospitals in America have been considered to be used for treating polyps and colon cancer.
According to recent studies, curcumin can shrink tumors by inhibiting blood supply. Also, it works as a powerful antioxidant with benefits for the liver with better results to result inflammation better than most medicines and with no side effects.
6. Feverfew
Commonly used for treating migraines and as an ornament, feverfew was found to be more effective that the drug cytarabine to treat leukaemia. Although FDA has never approved or disapproved its use to treat cancer.
A group of compounds called sesquiterpene lactones are responsible for their benefic properties, decreasing platelet activity and inflammation. Besides it has antiproliferative effects, being shown to suppress colorectal, cervical and breast cancers.
7. Goldenseal
Helicobacter pylori is one of the main causes of stomach cancer. The infection of this bacteria happens in the mucous lining of the stomach, being protected from the acids and causes irritation, reflux, ulcers and in a later stage, cancer.
This infection and stomach cancer can be fought with goldenseal due to its anti-microbial properties.
8. Milk Thistle
Milk thistle has been traditionally used as a natural treatment for health disorders since it is rich in antioxidants. Various parts of the plant are used. The most benefic effect known is the liver protection, specially during chemotherapy. Studies have shown that patients with leukemia who took milk thistle regularly would fell less side effects of chemotherapy. Besides it also has anti-cancer activity, reducing tumors.
9. Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass is rich in vitamins (some of them antioxidants), minerals, amino acids and enzymes. Due to its constitution is an excellent healing agent, both applied directly on the wound of consumed in the form of juice. Chlorophyll is the main responsible for its blood purifying and kidney cleaning properties, being also an important help in preventing cancer.
Studies in the 70’s showed the benefits has cancer fighting agent, being able to reduce cancer in terminal patients.
10. Sweet Wormwood
Sweet wormwood is a Chinese herb that has been having an increasing interest in the scientific community since it is more effective treating malaria than the conventional medicines.
It is rich in artemisinin that can kill the type of breast cancer cells (iron-enriched) in a comparable way that kills the malaria-causing parasites, becoming one of the most promising natural cancer treatments for breast cancer. The studies performed have shown that artemisinin killed most cancer cells in a brief period of time leaving healthy cells mostly without damage.
11. Red Clover
Red clover is rich in flavonoids, coumarins, coumentans and isoflavones and due to this composition has been claimed to be effective to treat osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and hot flushes. It is also claimed in oncology that red clover is effective treating hormonal cancers (gesteron-driven) and minoring premature menopause symptoms.
12. Pau D’arco
Pau D’arco is a natural herb (tree bark) found in central and south American and has been using by tribes for centuries to. It is rich in lapachol, quercetin, and other flavonoids.
Due to its composition, Pau D’arco has anti-bacterial, anti-yeast, anti-microbial and anti-cancer activities. Quinoids present in this plant have properties that strengthen the immune system, being extremely important to help reduce and treat blood and lymphatic cancers.
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