Fight cancer from the ground up

Garlic and cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli) are well-known for their cancer-fighting abilities. But the fact is, their domination over this deadly disease is only as good as the soil they’re grown in.

Soil that’s rich in the mineral selenium can power up the cancer preventive strength of these superfoods.

Of course, this begs the question: Is there enough selenium in your food?

Digging in the dirt for cancer prevention  

Recent research reveals selenium is most definitely a problem in Europe.

In fact, researchers at Newcastle University in the UK believe that low levels of selenium in European soil are directly related to Europe’s high rates of colorectal cancer.

The Newcastle team collected data from the European Prospective Investigation in Cancer and Nutrition study (also known as EPIC). For nearly 15 years, more than half a million people from Western Europe and the UK contributed health records to the EPIC database.

In their analysis of medical treatment data and blood samples, the researchers came to three conclusions:

  • Blood levels of selenium are low in large populations of Western Europe
  • Higher selenium status paralleled reduced colorectal cancer risk
  • The cancer-protective effects of selenium appear to be stronger in women

These results mirror another recent study where a team of German researchers analyzed blood samples from approximately 120 liver cancer patients who participated in the EPIC study. These patients were compared to the same number of EPIC volunteers who were cancer-free.

Results showed that participants with the lowest selenium levels were five to 10 times more likely to have liver cancer.

Antioxidant power is just the beginning

So, how exactly does selenium protect you against cancer?

Dr. Marc Micozzi offers all of his insights about this must-have mineral in his Authentic Anti-Cancer Protocol. He notes that early research into selenium’s cancer-fighting capabilities centered on its role as an antioxidant — especially in combination with vitamin E.

“Now,” he says, “more emphasis is being directed to selenium’s role in the immune system. After all, the immune system is designed to remove cells not normally found in the body, including bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells.”

Dr. Micozzi points out that some cancer cells overstimulate the immune system, rendering it ineffective against those cells.

And this is where selenium steps in…

Dr. Micozzi adds, “Researchers have found that certain selenium compounds, such as those found in broccoli and garlic, block cancer cells from exhausting the immune system and causing it to collapse.”

You are what your food eats

The study I mentioned above looked at selenium levels in Europe. So how does the U.S. stack up? Well, selenium levels in the soil vary in different areas of the country.

High concentrations of selenium can be found stretching across the Great Plains to the Pacific, and down into Mexico.

The soil in Wyoming and South Dakota is especially rich in selenium. But back East is another story. New England has drastically lower selenium levels than the western part of the country.

So how can you be sure you’re getting enough of this essential nutrient?

Start by incorporating more foods that are naturally rich in selenium, such as:

  • Brazil nuts
  • Chicken
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Red meat
  • Shellfish

However, keep in mind that, like plants, animal foods are only as selenium-rich as the soil their feed is grown in. Which is yet another reason it’s hard for most of us to gauge just how much selenium our diets are delivering. That’s why Dr. Micozzi also recommends taking 220 micrograms of selenium in supplement form each day.

You can find Dr. Micozzi’s full list of cancer-thwarting foods — along with his 16 essential anti-cancer nutrients, cancer-fighting herbs, lifestyle tips, medical screening recommendations, and exercise tips — in his Authentic Anti-Cancer Protocol. Click here to learn more or to enroll today.

SOURCES 

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ijc.29071
Selenium status is associated with colorectal cancer risk in the European prospective investigation of cancer and nutrition cohort
International Journal of Cancer
March 1, 2015

ajcn.nutrition.org/content/104/2/406
Prediagnostic selenium status and hepatobiliary cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
August 2016