Conventional treatments for cancer can be almost as frightening as the disease itself. Chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation can have devastating effects on the body, and are often as life threatening as the cancer they are being used to treat.
Many cancer patients are looking for alternatives to conventional treatments and therapies, and are investigating all natural approaches to the prevention and treatment of this dread disease. For years, proponents of natural healing have championed the power and versatility of Omega-3 fatty acids in the fight against numerous diseases, including cancer. Recent studies, both in America and abroad, are just now coming to the same conclusions regarding the power of Omega-3s, and are verifying that Omega-3 fatty acids can play a vital role in the prevention and treatment of many different types of cancer.
What Exactly are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?
Omega-3s are essential fatty acids that the human body needs in order to maintain its total health potential. They are not manufactured by the body, and must be obtained through good nutrition and/or natural supplements. There are several different types of Omega-3s, all of which offer varying degrees of health benefits. EPA and DHA, found in algae (not fish because of the heavy metal toxicity), appear to be the most beneficial of the Omega-3s. ALA fatty acids, found in flax-seed oil, green leafy vegetables, and some vegetable oils, also have positive effects on the body’s metabolism and immune system. The full range of Omega-3s have been linked to a reduced risk for a number of adverse health conditions including cardiovascular disease, asthma, dementia, and cancers of the breast, prostate and colon.
Omega-3 and Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Omega-3 fatty acids help to protect the cells of the body, safe guarding them from the damages caused by oxidative stress and free radicals. Omega-3s also help provide the energy cells need to replicate and repair themselves. Damaged, or compromised, cells have a greater potential for cancer, but by keeping the cells healthy it is possible to greatly reduce the risk of cancerous growths. Recent studies have shown the Omega-3 fats inhibit the proliferation of cancerous cell lines by as much as 20 to 60 %.
Omega-3s have also been shown to have a positive effect on existing cancers. It would appear that Omega-3s block the growth of blood vessels to cancerous tumors, in effect starving the tumor and inhibiting its growth. Conventional medicine has developed a number of drug therapies to achieve the same result, although they all come with dangerous side effects. The most recent research into the use of Omega-3s in cancer treatment has shown that cancer patients taking Omega-3s saw a definite reduction in the size of their existing tumors without any of the unwanted side effects associated with conventional treatments.
Adding Omega-3 to Your Diet
Since the body does not manufacture Omega-3, it must be obtained through a healthy diet. There are a number of good sources for Omega-3 fatty acids that are easily added to anyone’s nutritional plan. Flax-seed, hemp seeds and walnuts are all prime sources of Omega-3s.
For those who find it difficult to get the desired amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids through diet, all natural supplements can be taken. Omega-3 supplements are typically derived from algae are the safest, and it is important to choose the supplement carefully.
The health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids have been making the news for decades, and it seems that each new research project gives people more reasons to add them to their daily dietary routines. In addition to promoting a strong immune system, and reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease, Omega-3s also play a vital role in the prevention and successful treatment of cancer.
