Two of the most useful books on specific “non pharmaceuticals” that have shown to be very powerful in the prevention and cure of cancer are Shane Ellison’s Over the counter Natural Cures and David Servan-Schreiber’s Anticancer–A New Way of Life.  Ellison is a chemist who formerly worked in pharmaceutical cancer research and Servan-Schreiber is both an MD and PhD as well as a brain cancer survivor.  Both men write about the ancient spice Tumeric (Curcumin is its potent molecule) and its effect on cancer and they write from the perspective of scientists who like proof of theories rather than mere speculation.  Both men fully document their sources in their books.


Ellison (p. 153) writes, “Early in the 1900’s, the University of Texas’s M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, found the anticancer effects of turmeric to be “staggering”.  After sprinkling a pinch of the spice on cancer cells in the lab, they found that it blocked a crucial pathway required for the development of skin cancer and other types, including prostate tumors.”


He continues, “Epidemiology has further increased the turmeric excitement with population studies showing that India, the country whose residents consume most of the world’s turmeric, has the world’s lowest prostate cancer rate–twenty-five times less than that of men within the United States.”


 Ellison writes, “Further studies by the University of Wisconsin and others report that turmeric blocks a type of cancer fertilizer known as VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor).  Without this growth factor, cancer cells are unale to thrive and eventually commit cell suicide. In 2001, scientists also discovered that turmeric dampens the inflammation cascade within the body, thereby stopping the proliferation of cancer in its tracks.”


Ellison cites several more studies and I recommend you get this book because it not only gives  information written for laymen to understand, but it shares research on particular brands that he has tested for purity and potency (he is not a paid advocate of brands).  He also says, “Tumeric may potentiate conventional chemotherapy as well as certain blood thinners.”  


Finally, Ellison shares that  “Big Pharma is working rigorously to design drugs that mimic the active ingredients in tumeric–the curcuminoids.”  (obviously patented pharmaceuticals make big profits and spices don’t).  Ellison’s nickname is “The People’s Chemist” and his website is www.peopleschemist.com


Dr. Servan-Schreiber also cites the M.D. Anderson work as well as that of other well know universities.  He also adds (p. 114)  “No other food ingredient has such a powerful antiinflammatory effect.  The principle molecule responsible for the effect is curcumin.  In the laboratory, curcumin inhibits growth in a large number of cancers:  colon, prostate, lung, liver, stomach, breast, brain, and leukemia, for example.  It also inhibits angiogenesis and forces cancer cells to die (through the process of cell suicide known as apoptosis).  In mice, curcumin prevents the development of several types of tumors caused by chemical carcinogens.  Additionally, curcumin inhibits the growth of human tumors when implanted in mice.”  Dr. Servan-Schreiber also shares that combination with ginger and/or pepper aids absorption of tumeric.  


Dr. Servan-Schreiber’s account of the research on tumeric treats standard medical research a little more kindly than Ellison’s but he does share that the researcher at M.D. Anderson couldn’t get anyone to listen to him until he told them he was researching a “pharmaceutical”.  He also discloses how the research was far more scientifically sound than “sprinkling some spice on cancer cells in a petri dish”.


I found it fascinating that (as Servan-Schreiber shares) “Tumeric has been mentioned in medical texts in India, china, Tibet, and the Middle East for more than two thousand years.  I take the brand Ellison has tested for potency and purity, Jarrow 95 Curcumin.  I have a friend who takes another form because she doesn’t want  capsules prepared with magnesium stearate.  She’s been cancer free 5 years from aggressive pancreatic cancer.  Curcumin is part of both of our lifestyles of stewarding God’s healing blessing.


No one, according to these scientists, has ever overdosed on Tumeric or Curcumin.  It’s not a favorite tasting spice of mine to cook with but the capsules aren’t expensive and are easy to take.  


Neither of these men discuss their faiths except that Dr. Servan-Schreiber seems to work hard to hang on to his “non-believer” self image while glimpses of faith flicker here and there.  It is their scientific information this post seeks to share.


God made this ancient spice and it still heals…..check with your health care provider to see if this spice would conflict with other treatments and medicines you take….be prepared to explain because they may not be aware of this spice as medicine.