We all know that we need to eat healthily and exercise to live a long and fulfilling life. However, there are many other things that you can do to help your body stay strong and fight off diseases like cancer. Eating the right foods is always important, but so is including herbs in your diet. This article contains some different herbs that are beneficial for those who want to maintain their health.
Contents
Turmeric
Turmeric is a yellow-colored spice that has been used in Indian and Middle Eastern cultures for centuries. The main active ingredient found in turmeric is curcumin, which studies have shown can help prevent cancer from developing by inhibiting new blood vessels needed to support tumor growth. Another study showed that curcumin actually kills the cells of prostate cancer tumors and significantly inhibits their growth. Curcumin can also be effective at preventing colon cancers as well. Though there are many different supplements on the market today, it’s best to use natural sources like this one whenever possible.
Nutmeg
Though not typically found on grocery store shelves or used for cooking purposes like some other herbs we’ve talked about here today, nutmeg can be a powerful natural remedy against various types of cancers, including brain ones such as glioblastomas. Studies have revealed that the active compound in nutmeg, myristicin, has been found to help prevent tumors from growing and even induce tumor regression in mice with pancreatic cancer. There is also evidence this spice can help inhibit metastasis of cancer cells.
Ginger
This herb is the root part of a plant called Zingiber officinale, but it’s extremely popular as both an herbal remedy and cooking ingredient worldwide. Ginger has strong antioxidant activity against tumors in laboratory tests. In addition, ginger helps inhibit cell mutations caused by carcinogenic chemicals, so there are fewer chances of developing colon or stomach cancer. Ingesting ginger regularly may reduce your risk of these and other types of cancers by 40 percent.
Rosemary
Though rosemary is most famous for cooking, the oil from this herb has been shown to kill cancer cells in laboratory studies on animals while leaving healthy cells intact. It also helps prevent tumors from growing larger or spreading elsewhere beyond where they started. In addition, rosmarinic acid found in rosemary may help slow down how quickly a tumor develops. Rosemary can be an effective treatment for breast cancer as well, which is why it’s listed here alongside turmeric and ginger that both have potent anti-cancer properties as well.
Cinnamon
Another popular spice, cinnamon, contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, just as many others on this list do. It’s not just for flavor, either. Cinnamon helps prevent cancer cells from growing and can destroy them in some cases. The antioxidants in cinnamon can also inhibit tumors by preventing certain carcinogens like nitrosamines from developing. Cinnamon is good for preventing stomach, colon, and pancreatic cancers.
Lavender
One of the most relaxing scents around, lavender is a natural cure-all for many ailments, but it may be best utilized against cancer. Lavender oil contains antiviral properties that effectively eliminate viruses associated with lung cancers. In addition, this herb has anti-inflammatory benefits that could prove beneficial when fighting off various types of cancers. There have even been studies about using lavender extract on leukemia cell lines to test its effectiveness at suppressing tumor growth.
Basil
This popular herb is in many different types of cuisines. Basil has antioxidant and apoptotic effects on cancer cells that inhibit tumor formation. It may also help prevent breast cancers from developing while simultaneously slowing the growth of existing tumors by blocking blood vessels needed for malignant cell expansion. The antioxidants in basil are so powerful that they even reduce tumor size when administered after a colon cancer diagnosis. Overall, there’s plenty of evidence showing this “sweet leaf” helps fight various types of cancers, including leukemia, prostate, stomach, brain, cervical, ovarian, and uterine too!
Green Tea
Green tea is often suggested as an alternative remedy for weight loss because of its health-promoting, disease-preventing benefits. Green tea contains a powerful antioxidant called catechins that helps fight cancerous cells throughout the body. Green tea helps inhibit tumor growth and even prevent tumors from forming in mice with liver damage caused by carcinogens!
Cayenne
Though this herb isn’t one of the most popular ones for cooking or medicine, many studies prove just how effective it can be against various types of cancers. Cayenne pepper can induce apoptosis (cell death), specifically on breast cancer cell lines and those associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma and uterine sarcoma! It also shows potential at inhibiting the spread of metastatic melanoma too.
Lemon Balm
This herb not only tastes good but could be one of nature’s most effective remedies for treating many different cancers, including breast, liver, bladder, stomach, and colon ones. It inhibits angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation), so tumors cannot get their own blood supply to grow and expand. This is important because a tumor will not form or continue to develop if it doesn’t have the nutrients required for its survival, which lemon balm can take away from them!
Conclusion
These herbs provide plenty of antioxidants that easily make them a natural way to prevent or treat many different forms of cancer with few to no side effects! These herbs are also affordable and easily accessible, so it makes sense to include them in your everyday diet or turn to them for alternative medicine purposes.
