Message 294 of 1101

Asparagus and Cancer

Evidently there seems to be plenty of articles about this combination. Please note that I did not find anything that relates asparagus juice in the equation.
----------------------------------

Friday, June 10, 2005
Asparagus fights cancer

Asparagus is one of nature’s most perfect foods. Asparagus are poor in calories and loaded with vitamins and minerals. Asparagus also contains the phytochemical glutathione, which has antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties.

According to the National Cancer Institute, asparagus is the highest tested food containing glutathione, one of the body's most potent cancer fighters. Additionally, asparagus is high in rutin, which is valuable in strengthening the blood vessels. Avocado and walnuts are also particularly rich in dietary sources of glutathione.

Glutathione is a small protein composed of three amino acids; cysteine, glutamic acid, and glycine. Glutathione is involved in detoxification. It binds to fat-soluble toxins, such as heavy metals, solvents, and pesticides, and transforms them into a water-soluble form that can be excreted in urine.

A word of warning absorption of glutathione may be poor because the human gastrointestinal tract contains significant amounts of an enzyme (gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase) that breaks down glutathione.

However, glutathione is also made inside our cells so maybe we should make a paste and apply that to our skin. Somehow asparagus, avocado and walnut skin cream doesn’t make for an enthusiastic take up but the thought is there.
----------------------------------
From a website called IReport, too bad the second article did not name this biochemist.

Received an e-mail today & after googling around it seems to be kosher so I thought I would share it ~ ( see below ).

Asparagus Facts

According to the National Cancer Institute, asparagus is the highest tested food containing glutathione, one of the body's most potent cancer fighters.

Additionally, asparagus is high in rutin, which is valuable in strengthening the blood vessels and is great for the heart.

Asparagus is packed with nutrients and easy to prepare ahead for a crowd.

One serving of asparagus is low in calories, very low in sodium and is a great source of potassium.

Asparagus is an excellent source of folic acid and is a fairly significant source of Vitamin C, Thiamin, and Vitamin B6.

It contains no fat or cholesterol of dietary significance.

Besides it a great excuse to eat Asparagus - I will just add mine to salads - pureeing it sounds a little gross :-)

Here is a healthy recipe to get you started :

Sesame Ginger Asparagus Salad

2 lb. fresh asparagus cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces.
5 tsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. honey
2 tsp. sesame seed oil (I prefer toasted sesame oil)
2 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. ginger powder or freshly grated ginger
1 tbsp. minced garlic

Cover asparagus in salted boiling water (1 tablespoon sea salt). Cook until tender. Rinse immediately in cold water to stop cooking process and pat dry. Mix other ingredients in small mixing bowl and pour over asparagus. Can serve hot or chilled.

Peace & health to you - one & all !

********************
**This is from a website called IReport:

Here are the contents of the e-mail:

Several years ago, I had a man seeking asparagus for a friend who had cancer. He gave me a photocopied copy of an article, entitled, `Asparagus for cancer' printed in Cancer News Journal, December 1979.

I will share it here, just as it was shared with me: 'I am a biochemist, and have specialized in the relation of diet to health for over 50 years. Several years ago, I learned of the discovery of Richard R. Vensal, D.D.S. that asparagus might cure cancer.

Since then, I have worked with him on his project. We have accumulated a number of favorable case histories.

Here are a few examples:

Case No. 1 : A man with an almost hopeless case of Hodgkin's disease (cancer of the lymph glands) who was completely incapacitated. Within 1 year of starting the asparagus therapy, his doctors were unable to detect any signs of cancer, and he was back on a schedule of strenuous exercise.

Case No. 2 : a successful businessman 68 years old who suffered from cancer of the bladder for 16 years. After years of medical treatments, including radiation without improvement, he went on asparagus. Within 3 months, examinations revealed that his bladder tumor had disappeared and that his kidneys were normal.

Case No. 3 : a man who had lung cancer. On March 5th 1971, he was put on the operating table where they found lung cancer so widely spread that it was inoperable. The surgeon sewed him up and declared his case hopeless. On April 5th he heard about the asparagus therapy and immediately started taking it. By August, x-ray pictures revealed that all signs of the cancer had disappeared. He is back at his regular business routine.

Case No. 4 : a woman who was troubled for a number of years with skin cancer. She finally developed different skin cancers which were diagnosed by asking specialist as advanced.. Within 3 months after starting on asparagus, her skin specialist said that her skin looked fine and no more skin lesions. This woman reported that the asparagus therapy also cure her kidney disease, which started in 1949. She had over 10 operations for kidney stones, and was receiving government disability payments for an inoperable, terminal, kidney condition. She attributes the cure of this kidney trouble entirely to the asparagus.

I was not surprised at this result, as `The elements of material medica', edited in 1854 by a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania , stated that asparagus was used as a popular remedy for kidney stones. He even referred to experiments, in 1739, on the power of asparagus in dissolving stones.

We would have other case histories but the medical establishment has interfered with our obtaining some of the records. I am therefore appealing to readers to spread this good news and help us to gather a large number of case histories that will overwhelm the medical skeptics about this unbelievably simple and natural remedy.

For the treatment, asparagus should be cooked before using, and therefore canned asparagus is just as good as fresh.
I have corresponded with the two leading canners of asparagus, Giant and Stokely, and I am satisfied that these brands contain no pesticides or preservatives.

Place the cooked asparagus in a blender and liquefy to make a puree, and store in the refrigerator. Give the patient 4 full tablespoons twice daily, morning and evening.

Patients usually show some improvement in from 2-4 weeks. It can be diluted with water and used as a cold or hot drink. This suggested dosage is based on present experience, but certainly larger amounts can do no harm and may be needed in some cases.

As a biochemist I am convinced of the old saying that `what cures can prevent'. Based on this theory, my wife and I have been using asparagus puree as a beverage with our meals.

We take 2 tablespoons diluted in water to suit our taste with breakfast and with dinner. I take mine hot and my wife prefers hers cold. For years we have made it a practice to have blood surveys taken as part of our regular checkups.

The last blood survey, taken by a medical doctor who specializes in the nutritional approach to health, showed substantial improvements in all categories over the last one, and we can attribute these improvements to nothing but the asparagus drink...

As a biochemist, I have made an extensive study of all aspects of cancer, and all of the proposed cures. As a result, I am convinced that asparagus fits in better with the latest theories about cancer. Asparagus contains a good supply of protein called histones, which are believed to be active in controlling cell growth. For that reason, I believe asparagus can be said to contain a substance that I call cell growth normalizer. That accounts for its action on cancer and acting as a general body tonic.

In any event, regardless of theory, asparagus used as we suggest, is a harmless substance.

The FDA cannot prevent you from using it and it may do you much good.. It has been reported by the US National Cancer Institute, that asparagus is the highest tested food containing glutathione, which is considered one of the body's most potent anticarcinogens and antioxidants.

***Although I personally have not seen the report from the Nation Cancer Institute as well as the above going unsigned I really can not vouche for the accuracy of these sites. Usually they saying if it sounds too good to be true usually is, but until I find a website that I am comfortable with then I would take this a bit more seriously.***
SnowWolf's profile
The email that I found on IReport happens to be repeated several times on the internet. Truth or Hoax, I am not sure but the one thing I do know I seem not to find any thing else reporting or posting anything different than this same email.

As I have noted before, if it sounds too good to be true...
SnowWolf's profile

11 months ago
Here is a chart that I find interesting when it comes to anti-cancer foods.

Foods That Prevent Or Inhibit Cell Growth In Certain Cancers
According to David Servan-Schreiber, M.D., Ph.D. author of Anticancer: A New Way of Life (Viking, 2008), the following prevent or inhibit cell growth in certain cancer.

Brain Cancer Colon Cancer Lung Cancer Prostate Cancer
Asparagus X X X
Beets X X X X
Broccoli X X X
Brussel Sprouts X X X X
Cabbage X X X X
Cauliflower X X X
Celery X
Eggplant X
Fiddlehead Fern X X
Garlic X X X X
Green Beans X
Jalapeno Peppers X
Kale X X X X
Leeks X X X X
Onions X X X
Savoy Cabbage X X X
Scallions X X X X
Spinach X X X
Turnips X


Many of the foods above have been shown to repress cancerous cell growth by more than 80%. Note that garlic, onions, and leeks rank highest among the most effective foods for all the cancers listed.

***Unfortunately the way some of this stuff works it never shows properly, I will place the "X"s in their proper column but can not guarentee that they will stay there.***
SnowWolf's profile

11 months ago
I also made a word document and placed the chart in the files section for you reading pleasure. At least that chart looks a lot better than the one posted.

Also in looking at everything about the asparagus and cancer postings and websites, one thing hit me about curing cancer with asparagus. That one is a huge oversight for it does not mention which cancer(s) are cured with asparagus.

This is one that should be taken with a very large dose of sodium chloride (salt), but as I have said also in the past if it works for you great if not then the chart I put in the files section is a much better reference.
SnowWolf's profile

11 months ago
Thank you SW. I suppose we should alsways take things with "grain of salt". But maybe there is some truth surrounding the asparagus eh? Zochitl
Zochitl's profile

11 months ago
I think I found one of the letters going around about the 'asparagus cures cancer', there are several things I look for most notably is who the person is, their doctor, and some other items that like how often has this been forwarded, and is the in first person or friend of a friend. Things like that to be leery over. One other thing, the author did not say what type of cancer he or she had.

I did place a document in the files section, and if I remember correctly asparagus helps with brain, colon and prostrate cancers. Most notably missing are things like breasts, skin, and lungs. From the look of things there is some truth about asparagus, but not the whole picture. When I can not put the whole picture together, that is when I tend to get a bit nervous over what has been said. And in this case we do not have the whole picture on asparagus.

There is some truth to this, but depending upon what you want to guard against one could be eating a lot more items than really necessary. I can say with a lot of certainty that the "Magic Bullet Cure-All" has not been discovered, and I doubt that there may be one even in out Great-Great-Grandchildren's lives. But I have really yet to find any independant testing to even verify the claims of asparagus.

Really when one ponders about things like this, we have a lot of external and internal influences on getting cancer. Out environment factors, stress, genetic make up (some folks will actually get cancer no matter what they do), mental health, where you live are just a few that we have to consider.
SnowWolf's profile

10 months ago
I agree with you SW. One must be careful in believing where the information comes from and first analize the whole picture. thanks so much. Have a great day...or night?? I think I remember you are on a different schedule?? Sochitl
Zochitl's profile

10 months ago
I am back to staying up late into the night just to get use to the hours I worked before the surgery. Since my wife took everything down from the windows I will need to build another 'dark room' to sleep in. Right now I am working on keeping up to 1 am, by the end of this week I should be awake until 4 am. Next full week I will need to make certain that I stay up all night and get to bed around 9 am. So I would be ready to do the all-nighters again.
SnowWolf's profile

10 months ago
I can tell you that it takes some adjusting. I used to pull an 11-to 7am shift and my biological clock would go bananas when I would switch. Hope it suits you. It's very hard to get used to unless you are a "night" person. I just happen to be a "day" one so always had trouble.
Zochitl's profile

10 months ago
Cancer cure or not, I love asparagus! I'll eat it and reap any benefits. I love it when stuff I really like is good for me. LOL
mrschris's profile

10 months ago
I was a night owl for years, almost always thought sleeping was for when I got old. Before becoming very involved with the nursery (only had two months where I could play all night) and then moving out here I had loved working the deep night shifts, then watching the sun come up and go to bed.

Also now being with Terry for 8 years I had to change my sleeping habits to become more of a day person, but I still have a lot of trouble getting to sleep before 1 to 2 am.

I love asparagus as well; Zoe mentioned having it with holidaze sauce and for me that is like icing on the cake.
SnowWolf's profile

10 months ago