Hello Everybody! I hope you are all feeling good and ready to learn more this week on Cancer and what EVOO can do to help prevent it! First, let’s answer a question from last week. 

Q: What kind of olive oil do you drink with your lemon? (Beverly F.)

A: Great question! Whichever has the highest levels of polyphenols. Currently, it is the super robusto Frantoio from Spain. However, since fresh trumps everything, when the new fresh oils come in they will have different polyphenol levels. Best thing to do is ask for the polyphenol count so you can make your best selection.

Let’s get started. We’ve all heard of cancer, or known someone with cancer, or had cancer, or have cancer. We all fear cancer. It can happen anywhere in our body. Cancer is the number 2 killer in the U.S. behind heart disease. In 2017, there were just shy of 600,000 deaths from cancer (Medical News Today). So, how does cancer get started to begin with? Genetic factors play a strong roll, but environmental pollutants increase your risk regardless of genetics. These include smoking, exposure to chemical pollutants and pesticides, as well as factors related to race and sex. Lung cancer in both men and women causes more deaths than any other. The American Cancer Society’s estimation for new cancer cases and deaths for 2019 are: 1,762,450 new cancer cases, and 606,880 deaths from cancer in the U.S. There are many forms of cancer, but 4 that kill 1/4million American’s every year: Breast, Prostate, Lung, and colorectal. Now, this is definitely serious. All of us want to avoid this.

We have all heard that anti-oxidants help to prevent cancer by fighting free radicals, right? Oxidation is a normal chemical reaction that occurs when an oxygen atom is broken apart, leaving “unpaired oxygen radicals.” They are free to roam around causing destruction. The more free radicals present, the more cancer-causing damage is done. Oxygen radicals damage normal DNA, causing errors to occur that lead to cancer. A great example of oxidation is slicing an apple. The exposed apple is now subjected to the air and oxidation begins. It starts turning brown. As long as the skin remains intact, the apple underneath is protected from oxidation. It is also what happens to iron causing rust.

Okay! I’m going to tell you the most awesome piece of news. “Oleocanthal is capable of killing a variety of human cancer cells in vitro (culture) while leaving healthy cells unharmed.” (Phytotherapy research). Normally, apoptosis (pre-programmed cell death) requires 16-24 hours. Quickly, within 30 min to one hour, Oleocanthal (OC) pierced the cells’ lysosomes (store the cell’s waste products, releasing enzymes that kill the cell). Lysosomes are literally the suicide bombers of the cell. OC markedly “inhibits the growth of several breast cancer cell lines in a dose-dependent manner.” In vitro, OC has been shown to inhibit c-met (responsible for proliferation of many cell types). Studies are currently being done to use OC as a small drug inhibitor of C-Met.  In February 2015, “A Rutgers nutritional scientist and two cancer biologists at New York City’s Hunter College have found that an ingredient in extra-virgin olive oil kills a variety of human cancer cells without harming healthy cells.” What was this compound? You guessed it. Oleocanthal. OC has also been shown to exert anti-tumor effects on human liver and on colon cancer cells (Int J Oncol. 2017 Aug). Gastric cancer as well as breast cancer tend toward metastasis and invasion of the microenvironment, predominately composed of adipocytes (fat cells).

Another study showed that “OA inhibited cancer cell growth and survival in low metastatic carcinoma cells, such as gastric carcinoma and breast carcinoma cell lines”  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6693737/. They followed women for 5 years, consuming high amounts of  EVOO, and noted a reduction in breast cancer by 62%! A study published in Annals of Oncology, found that “Oleic acid - the main MUFA in olive oil - can weaken a cancer gene found in 25 to 30 percent of all breast cancers.” OA also improved the effects of Herceptin, a breast cancer drug. This is really exciting. What did we say one of the major properties of OA is? ANTI-IFLAMMATORY. That’s right. Combined with lots of powerful anti-oxidants in EVOO can help kill cancer cells!!

A research team recently discovered an inverse relationship between EVOO intake and cancer prevalence. Their study compared high OC olive oil with poor OC olive oil on cancer cells. The high Oleocanthal EVOO killed ALL of the cancer cells, while the other didn’t kill any. They went further to test this on mice genetically engineered to develop pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Oleocanthal not only reduced the tumor ‘load’, but extended their life by 4 weeks. This is the equivalent of 10 human years. https://researchoutreach.org/articles/diet-cancer-investigating-mechanisms-polyphenolic-compounds-extra-virgin-olive-oil/   (Research Outreach, 4 months ago) This is very promising research!!!! I’d like to extend my lifespan 10 years if I can! 

Okay guys!! Hope you all have a fantastic week! Until then, drink your high polyphenol  EVOO, get plenty of water and sleep, exercise your body and mind! I’ll meet you back next week to delve into what high polyphenol EVOO can do for our Immune System.