“Would you drink cat piss if it could prevent cancer?” my friend, Suze asked as she took a swallow of a nasty looking yellow liquid.
“Well, if there were empirical studies to back it up, yeah sure. I would probably be out milking tom cats every night,” I laughed.
While Suze was not actually ingesting feline urine, judging from the look of it, and how her face contorted as she swallowed it, it may as well have been. However, what she was actually taking was a combination of turmeric (a yellow spice used in curry), combined with black pepper and olive oil. Unlike feline urine, this concoction has actually been shown to have cancer prevention properties!
The actual disease fighting compounds found in turmeric are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin. Curcumin has anti-inflammatory effects and it is a powerful antioxidant. Numerous lab studies have shown that curcumin increases tumor cell death while stopping tumor cell growth. For example, in a study published in the journal “Breast Cancer Research and Treatment” (2010), researchers from the University of Michigan found that a combination of curcumin and piperine (found in black pepper) stopped the spread of breast cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unaffected.
While many of these studies are conducted using lab animals, there seems to be a consensus in the scientific community that curcumin has cancer prevention properties for people as well. In India, where turmeric is consumed in large amounts, the rates of cancer are significantly lower than in the Western world. There are also documented cases of cancer survivors who claim that they put their cancer into remission through consumption of turmeric.
In a recent study, “The Multifaceted Role of Curcumin in Cancer Prevention and Treatment” (Molecules 2015, 20(2), 2728-2769), researchers analyzed the results of 315 clinical studies, spanning four decades of research. The results clearly demonstrate that, “Curcumin has been found to suppress initiation, progression, and metastasis of a variety of tumors.” In other words, curcumin can prevent cancer from starting, slow it from progressing, and stop it from spreading to the organs. These studies also indicate the anti-cancer effects on almost all types of tumor cells, such as cancers of the reproductive, digestive, lymphatic and immune, urinary, pulmonary, nervous, skeletal systems, and the skin. The researchers conclude that: “…curcumin has established itself as a safe and promising molecule for the prevention and therapy of not only cancer but also other inflammation-driven diseases.” Remember, inflammation in the body is the root of all evil, such as cancer, heart disease and arthritis. As a powerful anti-inflammatory, curcumin not only helps to prevent cancer, but can also help to prevent a number of other debilitating diseases!
So, if curcumin is showing such promise as a non-toxic and safe means of preventing and treating cancer, why isn’t your doctor recommending it? Well, there are probably lots of reasons, but mainly I believe, it is because doctors are trained in conventional medicine, not alternative treatments. In conventional medicine, the protocol for cancer is slash (surgery), poison (chemotherapy) and burn (radiation). Since curcumin is a natural substance, as opposed to a chemical drug, there is no place in conventional medicine for such “quackery.” Not to mention the fact that curcumin is relatively cheap and easily available, so big pharmaceutical companies cannot make a bundle of money from it, like they can from conventional chemo drugs. But hey, that is just my opinion.
As an advocate for your own health, it is up to you to do the research on the best methods of cancer prevention. I will strongly caution however, that you must check with your doctor before starting any regime, as even natural substances can have toxic effects on the body if taken in large doses, and can interact in harmful ways with other medications.
If you decide to give “cat piss” a try, (after checking with your doctor, of course) just mix equal parts turmeric, olive oil and black pepper to form a smooth paste, and take a spoonful each day. Keep in mind, the anti-cancer effects of turmeric are dramatically increased when it is consumed with black pepper. Since curcumin is soluble only in fat, olive oil will help your body to absorb it, otherwise, most of it will get expelled from your body. I found this mixture much easier to swallow when mixed in a glass of tomato juice or V8.
If this mixture is just too much for you to swallow, there are many curcumin supplements in capsule form on the market. The one I take and would recommend is called “Curapro”. Unlike many supplements, Curapro has undergone numerous clinical studies, of which several were human trials. These capsules contain curcumin blended with turmeric essential oil to help it get absorbed into the body. Studies indicate that Curapro is up to ten times better absorbed than plain curcumin and it is retained in the bloodstream at significant levels. This supplement was recommended to me by the co-author of 100 Perks of Having Cancer Plus 100 Health Tips for Surviving It, The Savvy Sister, Susan Gonzalez and I know that if she recommends it, it has to be good! Just one capsule a day and you can keep the tom cats away!
Very interesting
There are many interesting facts about cancer prevention that we don’t get with mainstream medicine. thanks for reading!
I use fresh tumeric in soups and smoothies.
Great idea to cook with it. That way you are likely getting the oil and pepper at the same time.
Hi Florence, just getting to read your blog now……..Happy New Year by the way, hope u have a very happy, healthy one and many to come. Where can you buy the supplement and can only cancer survivors take it or can we take it to help with or prevent arthritis? Love reading your blogs, been a little slack here lately, too many irons in the fire…LOL. Just printed of your recipes also, going to try all of them. Take Care.