| |
|
|
|
|
Research shows glucose feeds cancer cells - can you do something about this?
Be clear - there are 4 research studies in the last two years which show that people with the highest levels of blood glucose develop more cancers; and people with cancer and the highest blood levels of cancer, survive less. It makes a mockery of NHS booklets that encourage a Diet of cheeseburgers, sticky buns, milkshakes and sweet, sugary tea during chemotherapy, doesn´t it?
Cancer cells need common glucose to grow
Cancer cells are clever. They make their own food. They don´t burn carbohydrate in the presence of oxygen in the power stations (mitochondria) like normal, healthy cells. Instead they love glucose and ´burn´ it without oxygen in the main body of the cell. This is called glycolysis. The mitochondria have been switched off and don´t seem capable of being turned back on again, even when oxygen levels start to rise again.
This is unfortunate because the mitochondria have a second function. When they see something going wrong in the cell, they cause cell suicide - or apoptosis. If they are not functioning, they cannot do anything to stop the cancer.
The waste product from this process of glycolysis is a form of lactic acid, which can only be broken down by the liver. So the lactic acid passes from the cancer cell to the liver where it is broken down. And the waste product of that process is ............. glucose! This then passes back round the body to feed the cancer cell. This cycle can take over the body.
Of course as cancers grow they need more and more glucose. But don´t worry. The NHS dieticians will tell you that if you are having chemotherapy, you should eat lots of calories - from fatty foods, dairy and glucose. This is to protect the seven per cent of patients that experience serious weight loss (cachexia) due to the drugs - and we couldn´t possibly have drugs killing people, could we? Sadly, in the defence of NHS dieticians, they are so overworked they only get time to see the people who are seriously ill from cachexia. The majority of patients have little or no problems, but still get the booklet to read!
Eat Glucose at your peril
At CANCERactive we say, if you have cancer, eat glucose and sugary foods at your peril. And there is plenty of research from places such as Harvard Medical School to support our view. This is the most important rule in fighting cancer - cut out common sugar, chocolate, cakes, biscuits, ice cream, fizzy soft drinks, Ribena, and processed and packaged food as a start!
Can you starve cancer of glucose?
You should be trying to starve that cancer of glucose - indeed, there is a diet for brain tumours (called the Ketogenic Diet) which aims to do just that. And early results look promising.
Then there is a US Doctor called Joseph Gold, and a number of Russian experts, who have all recommended that cancer patients take Hydrazine Sulphate as this blocks the glucose - lactic acid - glucose cycle. This is a highly controversial route. Some people absolutely ´pan´ the use of Hydrazine Sulphate; while others get excited, claiming there is research. The fact is the research is from Russia and had limitations.
So there are limited clinical trials on this cheap ´alternative cancer treatment´; but the claimed benefits have been ridiculed; and it is nigh on impossible to obtain it!! We pass the information on; what you do with it is your business.
Can you turn the mitochondria back on?
Another inexpensive ´alternative treatment´ is Sodium Dichloroacetate, the sodium salt of dichloroacetate or DCA, which has been the subject of limited research studies at the University of Alberta Medical School. Again, this compound has its critics but there may be more to it. Clinical Trials have started. Researchers believe it can cause cancer cell death, by reactivating the mitochondria in cells currently using glycolysis as their energy production system. Thus the mitochondria ´wake up´ and start the cancer cell suicide process. DCA has huge potential.
Glucose control is in your own hands!
The fact is, you have your blood sugar levels in your own hands. You can cut glucose from your diet and you can take exercise (30 minutes a day) as exercise can help control blood glucose levels. Perhaps it is no co-incidence the American Cancer Society are saying there is ´overwhelming´ research that diet and exercise can increase survival times.
You can read more about Hydrazine Sulphate by CLICKING HERE.
You can read more about Sodium Dichloroacetate and DCA by CLICKING HERE.
And read about the Ketogenic Diet by CLICKING HERE.
 At last - the definitive, research-based book on how to build a diet to help beat cancer. Click here to read about it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|