We bet you never connected eating lasagna, spaghetti or your favorite pizza to fighting cancer, but researchers are finding that one of the key ingredients in most Italian food has significant cancer-fighting qualities. If one of your favorite flavors is oregano, then you may already be fighting cancer without knowing it.
The Oregano-Cancer Connection
Oregano has been studied for decades by researchers for its health benefits. For many years, it has been known for its strong anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities. Often, herbalists will recommend oregano supplements to people with conditions in which inflammation is a problem, such as arthritis, lupus and other health issues. Traditional folk remedies frequently call for oreganos as an ingredient in poultices for wounds to prevent infection.
Recent research has ventured into investigating the effects of oregano and cancer-fighting qualities. It has been found to be effective in fighting breast cancer and, potentially, prostate cancer. In studies measuring oregano’s effectiveness in fighting prostate cancer, preliminary results are exciting: it eliminated almost all prostate cancer cells in tests.
Although researchers are not entirely sure how oregano works to fight cancer, one hypothesis is that compounds in the herb stimulate cancer cells to turn upon themselves and die, rather than continue growing and reproducing. If the research on oregano continues to prove effective against cancer, it may result in better and less invasive treatment options for individuals diagnosed with cancer.
While the research is preliminary, it is exciting and hopeful. It may take a while for science to catch up to traditional remedies and folk medicine, but there is a reason it has been used successfully for thousands of years. So, if you love pizza and Italian food eat up! Not only does it taste good, but if it has a lot of oregano, you might be fighting cancer at the same time you eat.
– The Alternative Daily
