By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness
June 15, 2012

• Why nature is smarter than science
• Some hot combos for cancer protection
• Variety in your multi and on your plate

Like any doctor, I’m a big fan of emerging research. But in many respects, science has miles to go to catch up with the innate wisdom of nature.

For example, when it comes to cancer research, we tend to isolate nutrients to learn of their value in cancer protection. Too often, they come up short when tested this way. So scientists report they don’t work. Unfortunately, this kind of research is often used to keep us all convinced drugs work better than nature.

But in nature, nothing is isolated. Every plant is in some kind of symbiotic relationship with another.

My favorite example of this is jewelweed. It usually grows within a 10-foot radius of poison ivy… and it is a natural antidote for the offending urushiol oil that makes many of us break out in an itchy rash.

And any gardener will tell you some plants work better when grown near one another. Basil improves the flavor of tomatoes while in the field, not only in the sauce pot. Horseradish planted near potatoes will keep potato bugs at bay. And on and on it goes… throughout the plant kingdom.

So it only makes sense that fruits and vegetables work similarly in our bodies. They contain nutrients that work together better than they do individually.

The result? A natural cancer-fighting arsenal is sitting in your supermarket. But you might not know it. Which means you may not be taking full advantage of the cancer-fighting potential of your food…

Here are five powerful food combinations that made their way into the research lab, and have officially earned a place on your plate.

You’ll notice right away that most of these combinations are already relatively common in various traditional diets. This is why most “traditional” diets – such as the Modified Mediterranean Diet I recommend, or even Indian and Asian diets – tend to produce healthier people than the standard American diet.

Apparently, the wisdom of generations before us, despite their lack of “science” as we know it, prevails:

1) Broccoli and tomatoes: Lycopene, a nutrient found in tomatoes, was getting mixed reviews in the lab. Until it was paired with broccoli. One study measured the response of prostate cancer cells to the combination and found it slowed the growth of cancer cells even more than the drug also included in the study!

2) Salsa and avocado: This is another combination that boosts the power of lycopene with the healthy fat found in avocado. One study found lycopene was 4.4 times more powerful and lutein was 2.6 times more powerful in this food combination than when tested alone.

3) Curcumin and yellow onions: Very common in Indian food, this combination contains nutrients that help reduce colon polyps that may turn cancerous if allowed to grow unchecked. Other spices such as garlic, saffron, cardamom and ginger are powerful cancer fighters when served together.

4) Green tea and lemon: Digestion can be rough on phytochemicals, and sometimes, reduces their effectiveness in the body. But when combined with lemon, a much higher percentage of catechins – a particularly powerful anti-cancer polyphenol – are preserved after digestion and released into the body.

5) Cancer-fighting fruit salad: While there is something to be said for fruit salad creativity, the specific combination of these four fruits deserves a cancer-fighting medal of honor: oranges, apples, grapes and blueberries. All of these fruits are known to be packed with antioxidants individually. But one study showed the synergy of the combination is much more powerful than any one of them alone.

Until science catches up with nature, and we are able to “prove” the best cancer-fighting combos in nature, your best bet is to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, in addition to those combinations I’ve listed here.

The truth is, it could take years to “prove” the wisdom of nature. One prominent food scientist estimates there are 8,000 phytochemicals in plant foods – maybe more. Each one works with its own unique set of nutrients to reach its full potential.

But cancer cells won’t be waiting around. The more you can use your diet to keep cancer cells at bay, the lower your risk of developing a full-blown case of any kind of cancer.

And because it can be a challenge to get as much variety in your diet as your cells might like, consider getting them in your multi-vitamin.

With the recent advancements in our understanding of phytonutrients and antioxidants, I predict we will see more and more advanced multivitamins that contain a variety of phytonutrients, like you might see in nature.

I suggest you take a look at the label of your multivitamin. If it’s not chock full of phytonutrients and antioxidants, I suggest you replace it with one that is.

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References:

1. Canene-Adams K, et.al., Combinations of tomato and broccoli enhance antitumor activity in dunning r3327-h prostate adenocarcinomas. Cancer Res. 2007 Jan 15;67(2):836-43. Epub 2007 Jan 9.
2. Unlu NZ, et.al., Carotenoid absorption from salad and salsa by humans is enhanced by the addition of avocado or avocado oil. J Nutr. 2005 Mar;135(3):431-6.
3. Gullett NP, et.al., Cancer prevention with natural compounds. Semin Oncol. 2010 Jun;37(3):258-81.