"Letting Food be Medicine"

Having had cancer, I was searching for a specific medicine to reduce my risk of cancer recurrence. Sure, I’ve heard that “veggies are good for you,” but that vague and unexplained statement instilled no confidence that stalks or heads of green would benefit my health in any particular way. On the other hand, when I reach for any medicine bottle, I get to read the impressive health claims on the label. I shake out a pill with the utmost confidence that this scientifically-researched substance will be effective.

At first, I couldn’t get on-board with eating vegetables daily with the same diligence I’d apply to taking a prescribed medication. I couldn’t esteem vegetables the way I did a prescription, which seemed almost magical to me. In a bottle, medicine had the prized trappings of being very expensive, ordered by a physician, and produced by modern science. On the other hand, vegetables seemed uninspiring. Were they simply “healthy” in some general sense? Then, I begin reading and researching. It was eye-opening to say the least. According to controlled scientific studies, I can find my medicine in a garden!

To comprehend all the chemical processes in plants may require a degree in botany. However, on its face, the explanation is simple: compounds in plants which protect the organism or have other metabolic functions often have the ability to inhibit growth of cancerous cells or even initiate apoptosis (cell death). Studies demonstrated a link between reduced cancer risks and populations who ate cruciferous vegetables. The next step was to discover and isolate the cancer-fighting compounds. In the case of cruciferous vegetables, that compound is a naturally-occurring phytonutrient, sulforaphane, which acts as an antioxidant. (1)

Research into plants to prevent or reduce risks for cancer (and other diseases) is a growing field of study. Ironically, this “new” field is an ancient one. “Plants have been utilized as medicines for over 5000 years. Two remaining living traditions, the traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda, the traditional Indian medicine, have provided most of the current knowledge related to medicinal plants.” (2)  As more is learned about the plant kingdom’s metabolic process and resulting substances, the closer developments come for anticancer clinical drugs from their chemicals. A major benefit is that natural compounds from plants don’t have the usual toxic side effects. In fact, I received one effective chemotherapy drug, Paclitaxel, formulated from compounds in the bark of the Pacific yew tree. However, my intention is not to wait for cancer to return and then begin a plant-derived chemotherapy regimen! I am interested in the preventative and immediate use of the plants, themselves.

For me, it was important to understand why certain vegetables have cancer-fighting properties. I learned the phytonutrients in some vegetables are responsible for thwarting the development of cancer on a molecular level. Since I had breast cancer, I was encouraged when I learned sulforaphane expressly inhibits tumor growth in breast cancers. In healthy women sulforaphane accumulates in the breast tissue where it acts preventatively against cancer. Several studies show that women who consume cruciferous vegetables at least once a week had between a 17-50% decrease in breast cancer risk. (3)

An astounding test at John Hopkins revealed the details of how sulforaphane actually works in a woman’s body. Previously the efficacy of broccoli’s phytonutrients in fighting cancer cells had only been demonstrated in the test tube. In this pilot study, women who were to undergo breast reduction surgery were given broccoli sprout juice an hour before their surgery. When the breast tissue was examined, it had measurable evidence (2 picometers) that the sulforaphane went right to the breast tissue! To achieve effective results, one would need to consume a minimum of ¼ cup of broccoli sprouts a day. (4) That is very do-able!

After I read that broccoli sprouts have 10 or more times the antioxidant sulforaphrane than mature broccoli, I bought organic Non-GMO broccoli seeds. They sprouted after a couple days and were ready to eat within the week. Dr. Michael Greger cites a study done with thousands of women having either triple-negative breast cancer or estrogen-positive cancer. (5) The survival rate for both groups quadrupled for those eating five helpings a day of vegetables and fruit plus exercising 30 minutes a day. I simply had not realized that florets, sprouts, and leaves contain chemicals which can promote healing in such targeted ways. Though, don’t forget the exercise!

I had known little about the inner workings of plants when I was diagnosed with cancer. I doubt my experience is unique. I think others may need the incentive that knowledge provides before they can commit to eating more plant-based. I tried to consistently consume more vegetables, but without much success since I viewed them merely as nutritious additions. Now I understand vegetables basically contain doses of medicine, sans the pill bottle.

Since cruciferous vegetables are one of several species of plants with cancer-inhibiting properties, I focus on taking my daily medicine in the form of Kale, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Cabbage, Chinese Cabbage, or Bok Choy. (There are others on the list, but I prefer not to fill up on horseradish, turnips, and rutabagas.) Understanding the science behind eating plants motivated me to consume vegetables daily with the same approach I would use in taking a prescription. Vegetables are virtually a prescription for good health—just from the garden not the pharmacy.

After learning about plants, I not only have vegetables in my belly, I have a “fire in the belly” to share what I’ve learned.

1 Technically, sulforaphane is produced upon chewing. Broccoli contains its precursor, glucoraphanin, which is acted upon by the enzyme myrosinase when raw broccoli is chewed or chopped. Cooking broccoli depletes this enzyme. To add myrosinase back to broccoli, sprinkle on powdered mustard.

2 Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine: a comparative overview. Patwardhan B, Warude D, Pushpangadan P, Bhatt N, Evidence Based Complement Alternative Med. 2005 Dec; 2(4):465-73.

3 Terry P, Wolk A, Persson I, Magnusson C. Brassica vegetables and breast cancer risk. JAMA. 2001 Jun 20;285 (23):2975-7. PubMed PMID: 11410091; Wu YC, Zheng D, Sun JJ, et al. Meta-analysis of studies on breast cancer risk and diet in Chinese women. Int J Clin Exp Med. 2015 Jan 15;8(1):73-85. eCollection 2015. PubMed PMID: 25784976

4 http://nutritionfacts.org/video/sulforaphane-from-broccoli-to-breast/

5 https://breastcanceryogablog.com/tag/womens-healthy-eating-and-living-study/