Alternative Cures for Colon Cancer

Colon cancer is one of the most common and lethal forms of cancer. Although many of the available mainstream medical treatments of colon cancer can be highly effective, a lot of people are searching for more natural or alternative ways to treat or even cure colon cancer. Many natural substances contain potent compounds, which have been found in scientific studies to have powerful effects on colon cancer.

Considerations

• Colon cancer is first and foremost a disease of the digestive system and although the exact causes of most cases of colon cancer are often unknown, both mainstream and alternative health practitioners generally agree that diet plays a role in the development of colon cancer. Anyone searching for an alternative "cure" or treatment for colon cancer should first adopt a healthy diet, full of fresh fruits and vegetables with high amounts of fiber and antioxidants.

Green Tea

• Green tea is a tasty beverage that can be easily added to an anticancer diet and has been shown to have very strong effects against colon cancer particularly. In a study published in the "British Journal of Cancer" in March 2001, researchers found that EGCG, an antioxidant compound in green tea inhibited colon cancer tumor cell growth and increased aptosis (cell death) in colon cancer tumor cells in mice.

Turmeric

• Turmeric is a common ingredient in Indian dishes and curries and has a bright orange color due to its high antioxidant properties and it has been identified recently as a potent anticancer herb. A study published in the journal "Oncogene" in December 2005 tested turmerics effect on tumor growth in human colon cancer. The researchers found that turmeric was able to effectively inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells by suppressing a gene that signals cancer cells to grow.

Reishi

• Reishi, also known as Ganoderma Lucida, is a mushroom that is used in Chinese medicine as a supreme longevity medicine and has gained a formidable reputation in the modern medical community for its profound anticancer properties. In a study published in "Phytotherapy Research" in October 2004, researchers in Texas tested an extract of the reishi mushroom on human colon cancer cells. They found that reishi induced aptosis, reduced inflammation, and inhibited the growth factor in the cancerous cells.

Expert Insight

• All of the above mentioned natural substances that have been found to affect colon cancer are relatively easy to find and are very inexpensive. Green tea and turmeric can be found in bulk at most grocery and health food stores. Reishi mushrooms can be found at Chinese herb stores or on the Internet, or can be found growing in the wild.