Lemon contains vitamin C and alkalizes the body making it an inhospitable environment where cancer cells cannot survive. Lemon also contains hesperidin, which has been said to fight cancer by starving it. That means lemons cut off the blood supply to cancerous tumors. Water that has been infused with lemon helps to flush out the liver; this can be extremely helpful during a period of chemo treatment as the burden of the drugs taxes the liver.

There are a considerable amount of studies showing the health effects of citrus and the reduction of cancer risk and tumor growth. One study showed that bladder tumor growth was remarkably inhibited by lemon.[i] Studies included in a meta-analysis also an inverse association between citrus fruit intake and oral cancer. People with the highest citrus fruit intake had a 50 percent reduction in their risk of oral cavity and pharyngeal cancer.[ii] And this study showed the role of pomegranate with citrus fruit juices for colon cancer prevention.[iii] Another group of researchers showed that citrus intake may significantly reduce risk of esophageal cancer.[iv]
 
Lemon Is Especially Good For . . .

• Urinary bladder cancer.
• Oral cancer.
• Pharyngeal cancer.
• Colon cancer.
• Esophageal cancer.

 
Doctrine of Signatures: Lemons resemble the mammary tissue of the female breast, therefore it is said to assist with the health of breasts and keeping lymphatic fluid flowing.

Suggested “dosage”:

• If you have cancer, 1–4 lemons per day
• To prevent cancer, ½ to 1 lemon per day

 
Caution: Lemon can erode tooth enamel, so be sure to rinse your mouth out after drinking it.
 
Cancer-Free with Food Recipes with Lemon

• Lemon Water
• Sick Kick Smoothie
• Green Lemonade
• Cashew Cheesecake

 
Other Ways to Incorporate Lemon in Your Cancer-Healing Kitchen

• ·      Drink Lemon Water upon waking in the morning and throughout the day by squeezing lemon into your water
• Add a squeeze of lemon over your salads
• ·      Add a squeeze of lemon to soups and stir-fry
• ·      Add lemon to your juices and smoothies, can you even juice the rind for a more potent dose!
• For portability and ease, take your lemon in the form of lemon essential oil; made from the peels of lemon, one or two drops in a glass of water is refreshing and antioxidant

Resources from the Cancer Free with Food Book:

[i]     T. Fang, D.D. Liu, H.M. Ning, et al. “Modified citrus pectin inhibited bladder tumor growth through downregulation of galectin-3,” Acta Pharmacologia Sinica, epub ahead of print May 16, 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29769742.

[ii]     S. Cirmi, M. Navarra, J.V. Woodside, et al. “Citrus Fruits Intake and Oral Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis,” Pharmacological Research, vol. 133 (May 2018), pp. 187–94, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29753688.

[iii]    S.K. Jaganathan, M.V. Vellayappan, G. Narasimhan, et al. “Role of Pomegranate and Citrus Fruit Juices in Colon Cancer Prevention,” World Journal of Gastroenterology, vol.  20, no. 16 (April 2014), pp. 4618–25, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24782614.

[iv]    A. Wang, C. Zhu, L. Fu, et al. “Citrus Fruit Intake Substantially Reduces the Risk of Esophageal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Epidemiologic Studies,” Medicine, vol. 94, no. 39 (September 2015), p. e1390, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26426606.

Tomatoes are packed with lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that reduces risk of skin cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer.[i] Men with prostate cancer who were surveyed reported eating less tomatoes than men who did not have prostate cancer.[ii] Most fruits with red flesh actually contain lycopene for example watermelon and pink grapefruit. Tomatoes are also high in vitamin C, which assists in boosting the immune system. They also have an impressive amount of vitamins A, K, and B6, thiamin, and folate.

In a study, tomato extracts were investigated for their ability to induce cell death in human cancer cells and normal cells. This is an important measure because cancer cells “forget” to die. The extracts strongly inhibited the perpetuation of human cancer cell lines that normally take up residence in the breast, colon, stomach, and liver.[iii]
 
Tomatoes are especially good for:
·      Leukemia
·      Prostate cancer[iv]
·      Breast cancer
·      Lung cancer
·      Colon cancer
·      Liver cancer
·      Skin cancer
 
Doctrine of Signatures: The tomato cut in half resembles an almost exact replica of the human heart chamber, therefore it is said to be good for heart health and for promoting the circulation of blood throughout the body. It may be helpful for treating blood-related cancers, like leukemia.

Suggested “dosage”:

• If you have cancer, 1 cup of tomatoes, 2 small whole tomatoes, or about 20 cherry tomatoes per day
• To prevent cancer, the same dose as above, but every 2–3 days

 
Caution: Tomatoes can sometimes irritate the mouth (particularly if you have canker sores or a wound) because of their acidity.
 
Cancer-Free with Food Recipes with Tomatoes

• Ketchup
• Raw Tomato Sauce
• Taco Salad
• Tabouli
• Immune Boosting Soup
• Raw Tomato Soup
• Tomato Basil and White Bean Soup
• Strawberry Salsa
• Walnut Meat Mixture
• Rainbow Vegetable Juice for Diabetics
• Mediterranean Jar Salad
• Mediterranean Omelet
• Zucchini Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce and Walnut “Meatballs”

 
Other Ways of Incorporating Tomatoes in Your Cancer-Healing Kitchen
Cooking tomatoes boosts their powerful medicinal properties. According to dietician Lindsay Wohlford, “Processing the tomato ups its health-boosting power. This releases the lycopene, so it can be more easily absorbed by the body.”[v]

• Eat tomatoes as they are, on their own, as a beautiful fruit
• Make homemade Raw Tomato Sauce to go with an organic and/or gluten-free pasta dishes. If the batch is doubled, you can freeze a few portions for future meals on days when you’re resting
• Add chopped or chunked tomatoes to guacamole
  
• Make vibrant veggie platters with tomatoes
  
• Juice some tomatoes for a fresh Tomato Juice to get a potent dose

Resources from Cancer-Free with Food book:

[i]     “Prostate Cancer, Nutrition, and Dietary Supplements (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version,” National Cancer Institute (accessed July 1, 2018), http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/prostate-supplements-pdq.

[ii]     V. Er, J.A. Lane, R.M. Martin, et al. “Adherence to Dietary and Lifestyle Recommendations and Prostate Cancer Risk in the Prostate Testing for Cancer and Treatment (ProtecT) Trial,” Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, vol. 23, no. 10 (October 2014), pp.  2066–77, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25017249.

[iii]    M. Friedman, C.E. Levin, H.J. Kim, et al. “Tomatine-containing Green Tomato Extracts Inhibit Growth of Human Breast, Colon, Liver, and Stomach Cancer Cells,” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, vol. 57, no. 13 (July 2009), pp. 5727–33, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19514731.

[iv]    V. Er, J.A. Lane, R.M. Martin, et al.

[v]     “Five Foods That May Help Lower Your Cancer Risk” MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Grapes, especially red ones, are a rich source of the antioxidant resveratrol. Studies show that resveratrol has the potential to possibly stop cancer from starting in the breast, liver, stomach, and lymphatic system.[i] And, “The grape’s skin has the most resveratrol, so leave the skin intact,” advises Lindsey Wohlford, a wellness dietitian at MD Anderson Cancer Center.[ii]
 
Grapes Are Especially Good For . . .

• Breast cancer[iii]
• Colorectal cancer[iv]
• Skin cancer[v]
• Prostate cancer
• Ovarian cancer
• Brain cancer

 
Doctrine of Signatures: Grapes represent the reproductive system and therefore said to be especially good for breast cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer.

Suggested “dosage”:

• If you have cancer, 1 cup a day or 32 grapes
• To prevent cancer, ½ a cup a day or 16 grapes

 
The Cancer-Free with Food recipe with Grapes

• Grape Juice

 
Other Ways to Incorporate Grapes in Your Cancer-Healing Kitchen

• Grab a handful as a snack, one serving size is about 15 grapes
• Add grapes to a cold salad, especially one made with roasted chicken
• Juice them and make Grape Juice
• Freeze as a refreshing treat for a hot day
• Grapes are great in hot dishes too

Fun fact: Red and purple grapes have significantly more resveratrol than green grapes.

Resources from Cancer-Free with Food book:

[i]     M. Kaur, C. Agarwal, and R. Agarwal. “Anticancer and Cancer Chemopreventive Potential of Grape Seed Extract and Other Grape-based Products,” Journal of Nutrition, vol. 139, no. 9 (September 2009, pp. 1806S–12S, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2728696.

[ii]     “Five Foods That May Help Lower Your Cancer Risk” MD Anderson Cancer Center.

[iii]    A.J. Braakhuis, P. Campion, and K.S. Bishop. “Reducing Breast Cancer Recurrence: The Role of Dietary Polyphenolics,” Nutrients, vol. 8, no. 9 (September 2016), p. ii: E547, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27608040

[iv]    S.R. Lee, H. Jin, W.T. Kim, et al. “Tristetraprolin Activation by Resveratrol Inhibits the Proliferation and Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer Cells,” International Journal of Oncology, epub ahead of print (June 25, 2018), pp. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29956753.

[v]     J.R. Heo, S.M. Kim, K.A Hwang, et al. “Resveratrol Induced Reactive Oxygen Species and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress‑mediated Apoptosis, and Cell Cycle Arrest in the A375SM Malignant Melanoma Cell Line,” International Journal of Molecular Medicine, epub ahead of print (June 25, 2018), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29916532.

Ginger root contains gingerol, a natural chemical that kills and starves cancer cells. It also aids the body in detoxification, by helping drain the lymphatic system and boosting the function of the digestive tract. Raw ginger is composed of 79 percent water and contains vitamin B6 and the essential dietary minerals magnesium and manganese.
 
Ginger Root Is Especially Good For . . .

• Colon cancer[i]
• Gastrointestinal cancer[ii]
• Skin cancer
• Lymphatic cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Breast cancer
• Ovarian cancer[iii]
• Prostate cancer[iv]
• Relieving pain
• Easing nausea that is the side effect of chemo or radiation
• Treating dysentery, heartburn, flatulence, diarrhea, loss of appetite, infections, cough, and bronchitis—all of which are possible side effects to conventional cancer treatments

 
Doctrine of Signatures: Ginger resembles strong hands, fingers, toes and digestive system and is therefore said to be helpful to strengthen those ailments.

Suggested “dosage”:

• If you have cancer, 1-2 teaspoons fresh ginger root daily.
• To prevent cancer, 2–3 grams of powdered per day, in divided doses, or 1-teaspoon fresh grated ginger root.

 
Caution: If you are taking powdered ginger, Andrew Weil, M.D., suggests not taking more than four grams per day.[v]

Caution: If you have cancer and you are planning to undergo surgery, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center advises that you avoid ginger for two weeks dues to its blood-thinning effects.[vi]
 
Cancer-Free with Food Recipes with Ginger Root

• Super Powerful Green Juice
• The Big 3: Anti-inflammatory Blueberry Broccoli Sprouts Turmeric Juice
• Green Lemonade
• Gall Bladder Juice
• Heal from Within Greens Juice
• Vibrant Orange Carrot Ginger Juice
• Digestion Helper Juice
• Ginger Lemon Shot
• Golden Milk
• Sick Kick Smoothie
• A Splash of Sunshine Smoothie
• Anti-inflammatory Ginger Tea
• Immune-Boosting Turmeric Black Pepper Tea
• Pain Relieving Tea
• Thai Wraps
• Turmeric Rice
• Good Ol’ Classic Veggie Stir Fry
• Super Detox Green Salad
• Basic Salad Dressing
• Tangy Ginger-Garlic Dressing
• Sesame Ginger Dressing
• Thai Soup
• Lentil Soup
• Beef Stir Fry
• Sweet Potato Leather

 
Other Ways to Incorporate Ginger Root in Your Cancer-Healing Kitchen

• Buy a whole raw ginger root from your local farmers’ market or an organic supermarket. Then chop it into chunks and boil it for a potent tea. I recommend drinking one ginger tea every night before bed. It will help to drain your lymphatic system
• Grate raw ginger root and then add it to salads, dressings, soups, meat, and/or stir-fry
• Buy a premade dried ginger powder and use it as a spice in cooking, and soups, or sprinkle it into boiling water for a quick ginger tea
• Add ginger to your smoothies and juices
• Buy a bottle of pure, therapeutic-grade essential oil and use a drop or two in 8–12 ounces of water or a green juice. Use ginger EO in place of raw or dried ginger elsewhere too, but add cautiously, tasting as you go, so you do not overdo it

Resources from Cancer-Free with Food book:

[i]     A.A. Tahir, N.F. Sani, N.A. Murad, et al. “Combined Ginger Extract and Gelam Honey Modulate Ras/ERK and PI3K/AKT Pathway Genes in Colon Cancer HT29 Cells,” Nutrition Journal, vol. 14 (April 1, 2015), p. 31, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25889965.

[ii]     S. Prasad and A.K. Tyagi. “Ginger and Its Constituents: Role in Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancer,” Gastroenterology Research and Practice, epub March 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25838819.

[iii]    S. Paramee, S. Sookkhee, C. Sakonwasun, et al. “Anti-cancer Effects of Kaempferia parviflora on Ovarian Cancer SKOV3 Cells,” BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 18, no. 1 (June 2018), p. 178, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29891015.

[iv]    A. Saha, J. Blando, E. Silver, et al. “6-Shogaol from dried ginger inhibits growth of prostate cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo through inhibition of STAT3 and NF-κB signaling,” Cancer Prevention Research, vol. 7, no. 6 (June 2014), p. 627-38, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24691500

[v]     Andrew Weil. “Ginger,” Dr. Weil blog (accessed July 4, 2018), https://www.drweil.com/vitamins-supplements-herbs/herbs/ginger.

[vi]    “Ginger,” Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center blog (accessed July 4, 2018), https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/ginger