A Common Food and Drink Found to Prevent Cancer
Ronald Grisanti D.C., D.A.B.C.O., M.S.
New research study shows that broccoli and wine have anticancer ingredients that can help our bodies fight cancer. These special ingredients has been found to boost our body's defenses against cancer-causing DNA damage. According to Andrew Mesecar, an associate professor of pharmaceutical biotechnology at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy, broccoli contains a compond called sulforaphane and wine resveratrol. Both of these compounds have been shown to prevent cancer. How It Works
They do that by signaling our bodies to ramp up the production of proteins capable of preventing damage to our DNA. The two proteins are called Keap1 and Nrf2. Eating broccoli and drinking wine has been found to increase the production of Keap1 and Nrf2 increasing our anticancer defenses. Mesecar states that one way of preventing cancer may be to eat certain foods rich in cancer-preventing compounds. Dr. Grisanti's Comments
Although I am not a big advocate of drinking alcoholic beverages, I have to admit that my mother has been selling wine to Catholic churches for over 32 years. I was brought up with wine in my home. Fortunately it was never abused.
If drinking wine has been part of your life, I don't suggest that you stop, however, like all alcoholic beverages, always be aware of the downside of abuse. As for broccoli, I suggest that you make it a habit to eat it steamed and frequently. Subscribe to Dr. Grisanti's Free Health News and Medical ALERTS
References
Eggler AL, Liu G, Pezzuto JM, van Breemen RB, Mesecar AD. Modifying specific cysteines of the electrophile-sensing human Keap1 protein is insufficient to disrupt binding to the Nrf2 domain Neh2. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Jul 19;102(29):10070-5. Epub 2005 Jul 8. Dinkova-Kostova AT, Holtzclaw WD, Cole RN, Itoh K, Wakabayashi N, Katoh Y, Yamamoto M, Talalay P. Direct evidence that sulfhydryl groups of Keap1 are the sensors regulating induction of phase 2 enzymes that protect against carcinogens and oxidants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2002 Sep 3;99(18):11908-13. Epub 2002 Aug 22.
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