| Natural, organic, whole foods are the best choice | | | | competes with the detoxification of drugs, |
| for fighting cancer, but this is not an obvious | | | | hormones, and the toxins released as tumors |
| conclusion from scientific research. Scientists can | | | | break down. |
| ethically gather a great deal of information about | | | | Cancer patients often report that their liver |
| how various foods and food additives increase or | | | | enzymes (the enzymes assessed in blood tests |
| decrease the risk of developing cancer. It is very | | | | to measure liver tissue destruction, ALT and |
| rare to get scientific information about how foods | | | | AST) go up during chemotherapy but go down |
| and food additives help the body defeat cancer. | | | | when they eat organic food. The detoxifying |
| That is because there are so many variables in | | | | CYP450 enzymes are especially susceptible to |
| treating people who already have cancer that the | | | | nitrates in food, either from lettuce and other |
| benefits of an organic diet cannot be identified | | | | salad greens grown with a heavy dose of |
| separately from the positive effects of medical | | | | chemical fertilizer, or to similar compounds in cured |
| treatment and the simple benefit of getting | | | | meats and the "char" on grilled steaks and |
| regular, healthy, tasty, home-cooked meals. Still, it | | | | burgers and barbecue. The dizzying array of other |
| is a reasonable assumption that natural foods are | | | | food additives and contaminants are not good for |
| better. Here is why. | | | | anyone, but none have the impact of the nitrates |
| During recovery from cancer, the liver has to | | | | for people seeking to recover from cancer. |
| work overtime. The liver is not just a detoxifying | | | | The meals that heal cancer are high in potassium |
| organ. As mentioned at the beginning of this | | | | and magnesium and low in salt. Antioxidant |
| chapter, the liver is also a pretoxifying organ. Each | | | | content is helpful, but you need vastly less |
| one of these diets enhances some chemical | | | | antioxidants from food sources than from |
| pathways and inhibits others, but all in the same | | | | supplements for the same benefit to your health. |
| way that fights cancer, sometimes by freeing up | | | | Simply make sure you avoid salty foods and eat |
| liver enzymes, sometimes by using them. The | | | | nine servings of fruits and/or vegetables every |
| liver has a limited supply of detoxification | | | | day, and you have accomplished the most |
| compounds, and the detoxification of chemicals in | | | | important step in making your diet an important |
| conventionally grown fruits and vegetables | | | | part of your cancer cure. |