How Can Diet Mediate Cancer?
There are three general ways that nutrients work to mediate the growth of cancer cells directly: 1) they can prevent genetic damage from occurring; 2) they can support proper cell reproduction; and 3) they can supply energy and nutrients needed for cells to die when appropriate. Perhaps the most important stage is the initiation stage. In the initiation stage, nutrients called cancer-blockers work by preventing cells from becoming cancerous. They can prevent carcinogens from damaging the cell so no genetic damage occurs in the first place. Or, they can provide the ingredients necessary for proper DNA replication and healthy cellular reproduction. A recent study demonstrates that certain foods actually turn off cancer-promoting genes and turn on cancer-preveting genes. 4 During the promotion and progression stages, nutrients called cancer-supressors can facilitate the initiation of cell death in cancerous cells. They can also support the immune system in doing its job of recognizing and
