Finding new cancer treatments is the holy grail of medical sciences. The US is projected to spend $156 billion on treating cancer by 2020. One interesting area of study is plants and how they might be able to help support and fight specific cancers.
These are some of the plants that doctors are now recommending to cancer patients.
Giant Salvinia
The Giant Salvinia is an invasive plant species from Brazil found around lakes in Texas. Commonly known as a nuisance, doctors have found eight compounds.
Crucially, one of these compounds could be anti-tumorous. The Giant Salvinia could actively fight against tumor growth, which could help patients in both the early and late stages of cancer.
Red Stinkwood
Red Stinkwood is a plant-based treatment that comes from Kenya. It’s been internationally exploited to help fight prostate cancer. It’s now available in many common medicines and is just one of the 60% of anti-cancer products completely derived from plants.
Ginger Root
Ginger root has been heavily examined for its ability to stop cancer. Pharmacologists have put it under the microscope and discovered that it can prevent the growth of tumors in humans. This would make it extremely effective against highly aggressive forms of cancer like the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma, this resource covers the disease in detail.
Some studies have found that it’s up to 10,000 times more effective than chemotherapy at fighting against tumors. And there are no side effects of ingesting ginger root.
It’s why many Asian cultures include it as part of their diets.
Grape Seeds
The seeds from grapes have something called proanthocyanidins within them. These grape seeds have been shown to stop pancreatic cancer cells from moving around the body.
When cancer spreads it becomes nearly impossible to treat effectively. The substances within grape seeds can stop this from happening.
And there’s evidence to show that it can also prevent the growth of tumors in the first place. They’ve been shown to be particularly effective at preventing tumors from building up within the colon.
Dandelion
The dandelion has been cultivated for its leaves by Asian cultures for thousands of years. Early studies have shown that the leaves may have anti-cancer compounds within them.
The leaves of the dandelion can block the growth of cancer cells. Initial studies were performed on breast cancer cells and prostate cancer cells.
There’s a growing amount of evidence that the dandelion could be as effective at prevention as it is at actively fighting cancer.
Last Word – Plants and Fighting Cancer
The majority of cancer-based treatments are derived from plants in the first place. It makes sense that scientists are looking into how plants could fight cancer now.
Even though most of these plants are refined to create pharmaceutical cancer treatments, the fact is that ingesting various herbs and spices as part of your diet could make a big difference to your future.
Do your research into which plants have been the most effective for fighting the form of cancer you have. You may be surprised by the results!