While many factors are involved in the
origins of cancer in the body, one of the
most dangerous root causes is inflammation.
As the body fights to control inflammatory
markers, it actually creates free radicals. The
problem is, sometimes our bodies respond
to this threat by creating more cells to make
up for the damage from what it views as free
radical “invaders”. But the process doesn’t
always work properly, and damaged DNA
can begin over-replicating cells. This sets
the stage for cellular “population explo-
sions” that can even draw in cells from
surrounding unrelated tissue. So what you
really have here is a relationship between
inflammation, free-radical damage, and
DNA mutation. And this is why finding the
right nutrients is so important.
the case when you’re talking about tumors.
Curcumin has been shown to inhibit these
proteases as they try to build tumors in liver
cancer cells. Beyond that, other studies have
shown that curcumin can inhibit the spread
of not just breast cancer, but cancers of the
bladder, lung, pancreas, prostate, colon,
cervix, ovary, kidney and brain. It can also
fight osteosarcoma, leukemia, and mela-
noma.
So, curcumin is important because
it stops all three stages of cancer. It stops
cancer cells from forming, kills existing
cancer cells, and stops cancer cells from
spreading. Curcumin has been used as
both a preventative and as an addition to
chemotherapy or radiation treatment. While
common chemotherapeutic drugs cause
serious side effects, curcumin produces
CURCUMIN: EXTRAORDINARY
none. Common anticancer drugs are immu-
INFL AMMATION FIGHTER
nosuppressive. Curcumin is an immune-re-
Curcumin, the key compound from
storer. Plus, most common anticancer
the spice turmeric, can stop inflammation
medications cannot cross the blood/brain
and free radical damage in their tracks. It
barrier, and curcumin can.
inhibits the way the body overexpresses
There have been some challenges,
inflammatory markers, including interleukin though. Standard curcumin doesn’t absorb
1b (IL-1b), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor
well, and because of this, clinical trials have
necrosis factor-a (TNF-a). This is important, had to use increasingly larger dosages (up
because inflammation fuels the growth of
to 10-12 grams daily) in order to get even a
cancer.
small amount into the bloodstream. There’s
And in a very direct way, curcumin
no toxicity associated with curcumin, even
alters the potential for tumors by inhibiting at these ve ry high dosage levels, but cost,
the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9
comfort and compliance are very real issues
(MMP-9) and MMP-2. These enzymes (also
here.
known as proteases) are normally involved
However, there is a powerful curcumin
with building tissue, which in most cases
extract which I recommend that has been
is a good thing, but obviously that’s not
extremely successful. It combines micron-
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