Saturday, January 16, 2016

Natural Products for Cancer Prevention/Management (3)

Berries

Berries are available most of the time in the U.S.  They are known to contain different kinds of antioxidants in addition to different vitamins, minerals, etc.  Popular berries include blueberries, black berries, elder berries, goji berries, raspberries, red berries, and strawberries.  There are plenty of potential beneficial health effects of berries.  Some examples are shown below.   

Blueberries: Blueberries are becoming popular in recent years because they contain a lot of antioxidants and phytochemicals.  Both in vitro studies and animal studies indicate that blueberries may be effective against cancer.  Potential mechanisms of action include inhibition of pro-inflammation, oxidative stress, and cancer cell proliferation.

Elderberries: Similar to other berries, elder berries contain flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamins, etc.  Elder berries have been used as a folk medicine for cold, flu, and allergy.  Some studies indicate that elder berries may have certain anticancer effect.

Goji Berries (wolf berries): Goji berries have been commonly used in Chinese food and medicine for thousands of years.  Because they contain a lot of antioxidants, Goji berries are becoming a hot item in the trendy health food industry.  Goji berries also contain many other ingredients with potential health benefits, including retina protection, anti-aging effect, etc.  Some studies indicate that the polysaccharides in goji berries may inhibit the growth of several different cancer cells in animal studies, including prostate cancer.

© Jiajiu Shaw, 2016

Disclaimer: This blog is written solely for informational purposes. It does not constitute the practice of any medical, nursing or other medical professional health care advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All contents posted are extracted from the book I am writing, "IS CANCER IN US", to published in December 2015.

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