Of all turmeric’s many talents, its ability to combat cancer is perhaps the one that has gotten the most attention from mainstream medicine.
In past articles, we’ve discussed how turmeric fights cancer on every level: by directly targeting cancer cells, by improving the body’s own ability to combat cancer, by “switching off” the genes associated with cancer development and proliferation, and of course, by preventing cancer in the first place.
Researchers have even gone so far as to say that curcumin, one of the main turmeric compounds of interest, is a universal cancer treatment, meaning that it is effective against all forms of cancer. This is a very rare compliment in the realm of cancer treatment, as most conventional methods only work (if at all) when used against a specific kind of cancer.
One type of cancer against which turmeric is particularly effective, though, is breast cancer (turmeric is also especially good for treating bowel cancer, skin cancer, and stomach cancer).
This comes as great news to the alternative and mainstream health communities alike, as breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world—a staggering 1 out of every 8 women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer during her lifetime.[1]
With all the fundraising, research, and treatment development surrounding breast cancer, you’d think there would be little need to turn to cooking spices for superior alternatives. But the real state of affairs is much darker than the one painted by mainstream media’s pink-ribbon optimism.
The failures of conventional breast cancer treatment
If you or a loved one has ever had to battle breast cancer, you know just how devastating it can be.
Conventional treatments (which are generally limited to invasive surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy) all make the struggle even more difficult because of how destructive they are to the body.
Chemotherapy and radiation kill healthy cells just as readily as they kill cancer cells, debilitate the immune system, and can even cause permanent damage in the body.[2] And here’s the worst part of all: they aren’t even nearly as effective as they should be to justify such deleterious effects. One breakthrough study demonstrated that a mere 2.1% of the 5-year cancer survival rate in adults can be credited to chemotherapy.[3]
The story gets even darker when you dig into the profit motives behind breast cancer treatment. As we covered in another article, there’s evidence that mammograms (which are hailed as a crucial practice for catching early stage cancer) may actually cause breast cancer.[4]
If’s that not absurd enough, consider this: mammogram machines and chemotherapy drugs are manufactured by the same company, and this company is one of the major funders of the Breast Cancer Awareness Movement that urges women so strongly to receive annual mammograms.
It’s about time we broke free of this corrupt, ineffective system and started using cancer treatments that actually work.
How turmeric can help
Simply put, turmeric is so adept at fighting breast cancer that it almost seems like it was designed for the task. It’s effective against every type of breast cancer—ER/PR positive, HER positive, and triple negative—and it’s the perfect ally for every stage, from prevention through post-treatment.
Prevention. Perhaps most importantly, turmeric can help prevent the incidence of breast cancer in the first place, thanks to its ability to control chronic inflammation, to regulate telomerase activity (an enzyme that boosts the longevity and integrity of your body’s cells), and to protect against the oxidative stress that can damage cells.
Treatment. Turmeric puts up a fight against cancer no matter what stage it has reached. It prevents cancer from spreading by blocking uncontrolled cell division,[5] by inhibiting the signaling pathway linked with cancer cell proliferation,[6] and even by halting the formation of the spindle fibers that allow cancer cells to multiply.[7] Turmeric even kills cancer cells directly by inducing apoptosis (“programmed cell death”),[8] and it does so without harming healthy cells or hampering the immune system (no conventional treatment can claim to be side-effect-free).
Eases symptoms and side effects. Because it supports the body and calms inflammation throughout the process of fighting cancer, turmeric can help ease the unpleasant symptoms associated with breast cancer, including pain and tenderness. For these same reasons, it’s been shown to attenuate the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, and to help patients recover from multiple drug resistance (MDR).[9]
Recurrence and post-treatment. Turmeric is so effective against cancer and offers such powerful protection for your body’s cells that it even reduces the risk of recurrence after breast cancer has gone into remission.[10] Even the pain, depression, and fatigue that are common after a fight with breast cancer can all be supported and healed with turmeric.[11]
If you want to take advantage of turmeric’s cancer-fighting abilities (or any of its other health benefits), though, be sure to seek out the right supplement. Regular powdered turmeric from your spice cabinet won’t do it, because it’s very difficult for your body to absorb an effective dose of turmeric alkaloids when it’s in this form.
You’ll need a product like Purathrive’s Liposomal Turmeric Extract, which contains liposomalized, full-spectrum turmeric and fulvic acid for up to twenty times more absorption.
Give it a try, and experience why health experts are calling turmeric the future of cancer treatment.
References
[1] http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/statistics/
[2] http://www.chrisbeatcancer.com/how-effective-is-chemotherapy/
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15630849
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16498030
[5] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006291X9796527X
[6] http://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/11/20/7490.short
[7] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1383571802000761
[8] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014579302022925
[9] http://apocpcontrol.com/paper_file/issue_abs/Volume9_No1/b%201-6%20Ullah_6%20IN.pdf
[10] https://www.degruyter.com/dg/viewarticle/j$002fdmdi.2000.17.1-4$002fdmdi.2000.17.1-4.311$002fdmdi.2000.17.1-4.311.xml
