Guide to Lung Cancer & Nutrition: How to Fight Lung Cancer Naturally

The best way to fight lung cancer naturally is to prevent the development of this serious disease in the first place. Worldwide, lung cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer. It has also one of the highest fatality rates of all cancers — only a fourth of patients are still alive after more than one year after diagnosis.
The purpose of this online Guide to Lung Cancer and Nutrition is to provide you with information and tips on how you can reduce your risk of developing lung cancer naturally through dietary choices and nutritional modification.
If you are new to this guide, start by reading the paragraphs below. Otherwise, you can directly move to one of three main sections of this Guide to Nutrition & Lung Cancer:

Lifestyle factors such as diet can influence a person's risk of getting lung cancer. In this section of HealWithFood.org's Guide to Lung Cancer Prevention, we outline a diet plan that may help prevent lung cancer.
Note: The information included in this Guide to Lung Cancer Prevention and elsewhere on this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Lung cancer is a serious and potentially deadly disease, and you should always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health care professional for any questions you may have regarding lung cancer or any other condition or disease.

#1: Increase Your Curcumin Intake
If you're a fan of Indian cuisine, here's a diet tip you will like: step up your curcumin intake. Curcumin is a phenolic compound that is responsible for the intense yellow color of turmeric, a popular Indian spice. Curcumin also has medicinal properties, which is why it has been used – in the form of turmeric – in traditional Asian medicine for centuries. In recent years, also western medicine has started to pay greater attention to this powerful phytochemical. Research has shown that curcumin possesses a variety of cancer-combating properties that make it highly effective against almost many types of cancer, including lung cancer. A study conducted at the University of California, San Diego, showed that curcumin can trigger certain cellular and molecular changes that can lead to the induction of apoptosis, a self-destruction mechanism, in human lung cancer cell lines.

#2: Avoid Excess Protein
More than hundred years ago John Beard, a Scottish doctor, discovered that pancreatic enzymes, which aid in the digestion of protein, are also able to destroy cancer cells. High protein diets force pancreatic enzymes to focus on the digestion of protein rather than on the eradication of cancer. Therefore, you should avoid excessive amounts of protein if your goal is to minimize your risk of lung cancer (a certain amount of protein is necessary for a healthy body, though). Some experts suggest that the body needs a protein-free period of approximately 12 hours every day in order to combat cancer.

#3: Eat Plenty of Foods That Deliver I3C
Crucifrous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts have long been touted for their anti-cancer properties. These properties are largely due to indole-3-carbinol (I3C), compounds found in cruciferous vegetables when the plants' cell walls are broken through chopping, crushing, or chewing. Indole-3-carbinol has been shown to boost the detoxification of many harmful substances, including carcinogenes, and to have antioxidant properties. In animal studies, I3C has also been shown to inhibit cell proliferation of lung cancer cells and to promote self-destruction (apoptosis) of such cells.

#4: Limit Fat Intake, Especially From Animal Fat
Another good tip for lung cancer prevention is to limit the amount of animal fat in your diet, as a high dietary intake of animal fat has been associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. A study on the relationship between fat intake, cigarette consumption, and lung cancer mortality rates was conducted using data obtained from 29 countries. The researchers observed a significant positive relationship between lung cancer and both cigarette smoking and lung cancer and animal fat consumption. No significant correlation was found between lung cancer mortality and vegetable fat consumption.

#5: Follow a Balanced Diet Rich in Antioxidant Vitamins

The ACE vitamins are potent antioxidants.
Vitamin A (and its precursor beta-carotene) as well as vitamins C and E are potent antioxidants which help neutralize cancer-causing free radicals and boost the immune system, and may thereby reduce the risk of lung cancer. In addition, vitamin C and vitamin E can inhibit the formation of nitrosamine, a potentially carcinogenic substance.
However, the impact of vitamin C on nitrosamine formation might be relevant only if there is no fat in the stomach: A group of researchers replicated the chemical conditions of the upper stomach and measured the impact of vitamin C on the production of nitrosamines, both when fat was present in the stomach and when it was absent. Without fat, vitamin C decreased the levels of nitrosamines, but when 10% fat was added, vitamin C actually boosted the formation of nitrosamines.
Furthermore, experts recommend that people get their vitamins through a balanced diet rather than from supplements in order to avoid overdosing. Indeed, research suggests that there might be a U-shaped association between the antioxidant properties of certain vitamins, such as vitamin E and beta-carotene, and the dosing. In one study, subjects who had a medium dose of vitamin E for 10 years showed a decreased risk of lung cancer whereas those using a high dose for 10 years had an increased risk. One possible mechanism is that, although vitamin E is an antioxidant, it might also act as a pro-oxidant (a substance promoting free radical activity) in high doses. Similar findings have been reported for beta-carotene use.

#6: Eliminate Foods Contaminated with Aflatoxin
Carcinogenic substances can occur in foods when certain types of fungus grow on food producing toxins during processing, storage, or transport. These toxins include the remarkably potent aflatoxins which have been shown to cause cancer due to their ability to damage DNA. Peanuts appear to be particularly susceptible to contamination with aflatoxins, but also many other types of foods, including whole grains, legumes, nuts, and spices are vulnerable to the fungus producing aflatoxins. These poisons are resistant to cooking and freezing, but care in selecting your foods can greatly reduce your risk of exposure to these toxins:
Select fresh seeds, nuts, legumes, and grains (or at least avoid nuts and grains from last year's harvest)
Look for signs of proper storage and avoid foods from countries that have substandard storage requirements
Discard nuts that taste stale or look suspicious
Eat green vegetables that are rich in chlorophyll to further reduce the risk of harmful impacts of aflatoxins; chlorophyll has been shown to reduce aflatoxins levels.

#7: Eat Plenty of Foods That Provide Beta-Glucans
Beta-glucans are naturally occurring polysaccharides (carbohydrate structures), present in many foods that are rich in soluble fiber. According to some studies, these polysaccharides can help fight certain types of cancer — including lung cancer — by passing immune cells into the cancerous area and by destroying cancer cells. Also several animal tests have found beta-glucans to possess strong anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties. Beta-glucans are abundant in some cereal grains, baker's yeast, and mushrooms.

#8: Avoid Meat Products That Contain Nitrates
Nitrates are naturally occurring substances that are present in the air, soil, surface water, ground water and plants. Food manufacturers also use nitrates in many meat products such as sausages, jerkies, bacon, and lunch meat to give meat a deep red color. When you eat foods that contain nitrates, you body may convert the nitrates into nitrites, which in turn can form nitrosamines. Scientific evidence indicates that nitrosamines may cause cancer in humans. Luckily, antioxidant compounds — such as vitamin C and E — appear to be capable of preventing nitrosamine formation. As vegetables are typically rich antioxidants, nitrosamine formation should not be a concern when you eat vegetables containing nitrates. This is supported by population studies which have found no link between a high consumption of nitrate-containing vegetables and cancer, but which show that people who eat plenty of nitrate-containing meat products have an elevated risk of developing cancer.

#9: Eat Foods That Deliver Ellagic Acid
Raspberries
Raspberries are a great source of ellagic acid.
Ellagic acid may well be your best weapon in the battle against lung cancer. Mounting evidence shows that ellagic eliminates cancer causing substances by activating certain detoxifying enzymes in the body. Ellagic acid also seems to be able to prevent carcinogens from attaching to cellular DNA. Furthermore, ellagic acid has been shown to stimulate the immune system, to trigger apoptosis (self-destruction) of cancerous cells, and to scavenge potentially lung cancer causing free radicals. Ellagitannin — which is converted into ellagic acid by the body — is found in a number of red fruits and berries, raspberries being the best dietary source of this extraordinary lung cancer combating phytochemical. Also some nuts, such as walnuts and pecans, contain ellagic acid.

#10: Ensure a Sufficient Selenium Intake
Several population studies suggest that the risk of death from lung cancer is lower among people with a higher intake of the trace mineral selenium. Death rates from lung cancer are significantly lower in areas of the world where selenium is abundant in the soil than in areas where the soil has been depleted of selenium. Selenium is believed to reduce cancer risk in two ways: First, selenium is a constituent of glutathione peroxidase, an enzyme with that helps protect the body from the damaging effects of free radicals. Second, selenium may inhibit tumor growth by boosting the immune system and by preventing the development of blood vessels to the tumor. It is recommended that you get your selenium through diet rather than through supplements – high-dose selenium supplements can be hamrful as the margin between safe and toxic doses of selenium is very narrow.

This are 10+ Foods That Help Fight Lung Cancer

lung cancer preventing foods
This section of HealWithFood.org's Guide to Preventing Lung Cancer presents over 10 foods that may help fight lung cancer. The foods listed below are rich in antioxidants and other nutrients that are thought to help prevent lung cancer.

#1: Blueberries
Blueberries are one of the greatest health foods and an excellent lung cancer fighting food. In a laboratory test conducted by USDA researchers, wild blueberries were shown to have the highest Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) rating of more than 20 fruits and berries. ORAC is a measure of the antioxidant capacity of foods. The antioxidant activity of wild blueberries was shown to be even stronger than that of cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, plums, or cultivated blueberries. The antioxidant and anti-cancer powers of blueberries can be attributed to a number of remarkable compounds contained in them, including anthocyanins, vitamin C, vitamin E, and ellagic acid.

#2: Shiitake Mushrooms
The health benefits of eating mushrooms are well documented, and the benefits of shiitake mushrooms seem particularly compelling. Shiitake mushrooms are packed with selenium, with one cup providing more than half of the recommended daily intake for this lung cancer fighting mineral. What's more, shiitake mushrooms are one of the best dietary sources of beta-glucans. According to studies, beta-glucans may help many types of cancer — including lung cancer — by passing immune cells into the cancerous area and by destroying cancer cells. The anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties of beta-glucans have also been observed in numerous animal tests. Shiitake mushrooms boast a delicious meaty flavor and they are particularly well suited for bringing meatiness to vegetarian dishes.

#3: Turmeric
Turmeric, which lends its yellow color to many Indian-style dishes, has a long history in traditional Asian medicine as a remedy for numerous diseases. In recent years, also western medicine has started to pay more attention to this powerful plant of the ginger family. Recent studies suggest that turmeric may be able to induce apoptosis, a process that triggers the self-destruction of cancerous cells. Turmeric also contains antioxidant compounds and may prevent nitrosamine formation and inhibit aflatoxin production — two processes that have been associated with an increased risk of cancer.

#4: Watercress
Watercress is a great anti-cancer food, and it is believed to be particularly effective at providing protection against lung cancer. Watercress naturally contains phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a specific mustard oil which is released when watercress is chopped or chewed. PEITC has been shown to be an effective chemopreventive agent for tobacco-induced lung cancer in rodents. In addition to PEITC, watercress contains high levels of the vitamin C. Watercress is available in most large supermarkets, but you can also grow it in your garden. Watercress makes a delicious addition to salads and sandwiches.

#5: Tomatoes
Tomatoes possess a number of interesting properties that make them exceptional at helping prevent cancer, including lung cancer. Their most interesting quality: they provide lycopene which is a very strong antioxidant. When incorporating tomato products into your Lung Cancer Prevention Diet, be aware that lycopene from processed tomato products — such as tomato paste, tomato juice, and catsup — appears to be more bioavailable than lycopene from raw tomatoes. In addition to lycopene, tomatoes contain vitamin C and are typically low in pesticides.

#6: Arugula
While extremely low in calories, this aromatic salad green is loaded with health promoting phytochemicals, and studies suggest it may help reduce the risk of certain cancers, including lung cancer. Arugula, or rocket salad as it is called in some countries, is a particularly good source of glucosinolates, natural compounds that turn into isothiocyanates when the plant is chewed. Isothiocyanates have been shown to neutralize carcinogens and inhibit cancer cell proliferation. In addition, arugula is rich in chlorophyll, a plant pigment that has been shown to heal scarring in the lungs that could lead to lung cancer.

#7: Broccoli
If you're looking for a great functional food to reduce your risk of lung cancer, think broccoli. Broccoli is the best natural source of sulforaphane, an extraordinary compound that has been shown to inhibit the development of lung cancer tumors in rodents. Sulforaphane has also been shown to eliminate carcinogenic substances, reduce DNA mutation, increase apoptosis in cancer cells, and help prevent the spread of cancer from one organ to another. Broccoli sprouts are a particularly rich source of sulforaphane, but also broccoli florets provide substantial amounts. Broccoli sprouts are typically eaten raw, but also broccoli florets are should be eaten raw, or slightly cooked, at least if you want to maximize their cancer-fighting properties. According to one study, cooking may destroy as much as 90% of the sulforaphane in broccoli.

#8: Raspberries
Raspberries
Raspberries are the best natural source of ellagic acid.
Raspberries are inarguably one of the best foods to eat if you want to prevent lung cancer. These super-berries are bursting with nutrients and flavor, yet they are very low in calories. One of the most interesting compounds in raspberries is ellagic acid, a natural anti-carcinogen, anti-mutagen, and an inhibitor of lung cancer. In some cases, it has also been able to cause apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells. Ellagic acid is found in a number of foods, red raspberries being by far the best source of this lung cancer fighting substance (1,500 mcg per gram of dry weight fruit extract). Further, the ellagic acid found in red raspberries retains its potency through heating and freezing. So, regardless of whether you eat your raspberries fresh, frozen or heated, you will reap their lung cancer preventing benefits.

#9: Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are by far the nature's best dietary source of selenium: a single Brazil nut provides more than the US reference daily intake. Population studies suggest that the risk of death from lung cancer is lower among people with a higher intake of the trace mineral selenium. Besides selenium, Brazil nuts are packed with vitamin E. When incorporating Brazil nuts in your diet, keep in mind that they are calorie dense and therefore should be consumed in moderation. What's more, selenium in high doses can be risky because of the margin between safe and toxic doses.

#10: Apples
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, goes the old adage. But did you know that apples may also help keep lung cancer away? Apples are packed with phytochemicals, and several large scale human studies have associated the consumption of apples with a reduced risk of lung cancer. When buying apples, opt for organically grown fruit whenever possible. Together with peaches, apples top the list of fruits that contain the highest levels of pesticides and other harmful chemicals (when conventionally grown).

Lung cancer develops when cells in the lungs begin to grow in an uncontrolled manner. Instead of undergoing a normal cell death (process called apoptosis), the lung cancer cells outlive normal cells, invade adjacent tissues, and often spread to other parts of the body via lymph (in a process called metastasis). The cancerous cells eventually form a tumor.

Although anyone can develop lung cancer, smokers are much more likely to get them. An estimated 80% of lung cancer cases can be attributed to tobacco smoking. Non-smokers who inhale the smoke of others (called passive smoking or second hand smoke) are also at increased risk. Furthermore, exposure to certain carcinogenic (cancer-causing) substances — such as asbestos, radon, arsenic, and coal products — in the workplace or at home can increase the risk of lung cancer. A medical history of tuberculosis and some types of pneumonia as well as a family history of lung cancer may also predispose to lung cancer. Furthermore, certain dietary habits may increase the risk of developing the disease. On the other hand, other dietary factors may play a key role in the prevention of lung cancer. To learn more about dietary factors that may have an impact on a person's risk of developing lung cancer.