A team from the Nathan Pritikin Research Foundation conducted a study which took blood samples from various groups of people that ate different diets. Their blood was then dripped onto cancer cells growing in a petri dish. The results demonstrated how "...blood of those on a vegan diet was dramatically less hospitable to cancer" after just two weeks of eating whole plant foods. The cancer-fighting properties continued to increase with time. After eating a vegan diet for one year, the blood "suppressed cancer cell growth nearly eight times better" than the blood from those eating a typical American diet. The cancer cells that were used for the test included breast, prostate, lung, and colon.
Those of you who are interested in seeing the impressive results about how a whole-food plant-based diet suppresses cancer cells, will enjoy watching Dr. Michael Greger's videos below!
Video #1 - Ex Vivo Cancer Proliferation Bioassay
This time, researchers tested the blood of those who ate the standard American diet and who exercised strenuously against those eating a plant-based diet who exercised moderately. Three groups of participants were studied. The control group didn't make any changes to their diet and didn't exercise. The second group switched to a plant-based diet and included moderate exercise such as 30-60 minutes of walking a day. The third group continued to eat the standard American diet but included an hour of daily strenuous exercise (calisthenics). These participants continued their particular diet/lifestyles for 14 years. Researchers then studied the blood samples taken from the three different groups. Blood was dripped onto petri dishes containing human prostate cancer cells. The graph in the video below shows cell apoptosis (programmed cell death or "cancer cells programmed to commit suicide.") Notice the dramatic killing effect the blood from the plant-based diet group had on cancer cells!
Video # 2 - Is It the Diet, the Exercise, or Both?
How does a plant-based diet kill cancer cells? A recent study conducted in 2011 looked into the underlying mechanisms for these anticancer effects. The results of the study revealed an association between the powerful growth hormone called Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1). Dr. Greger explains this in more detail saying "If you measure the blood levels of Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 before and after 11 days on a plant-based diet with exercise, IGF-1 levels significantly drop. And, IGF-1 binding protein levels, significantly rise. That's one way our body tries to protect itself from cancer—from excessive growth—by releasing a binding protein into our bloodstream to tie up IGF-1. And so with that combination, 20% less IGF-1, and 50% more IGF binding protein, no wonder there was such a dramatic cancer cell die-off after just a few days." Watch how dying breast cancer cells show up as white spots during this "tunel" imaging which measures cell death!
Video # 3 - The Answer to the Pritikin Puzzle
For more information, click on the following links:
(1) Reduce Cancer Risk by Avoiding Dairy
(2) Dairy Products Promote Prostate Cancer
(3) Animal Protein 'Turns On' Cancer Genes
(4) Colin Campbell Explains Cancer Growth
(5) Using Diet to Help Prevent Prostate Cancer
(6) Meat Consumption Linked to Cancer in 1907
(7) Dairy Hormonal Interference
(8) Breast Cancer "Prevention" Month
(9) Lower Cancer Risk With Super Immunity
(10) Dr. Carney's Pinterest Board on Men's Health - Prostate Cancer
(11) Fighting Breast Cancer With Chemo or Oatmeal?
(12) Animal Fat Increases Risk of Pancreatic Cancer