“Angiogenesis, the growth of new capillary blood vessels in the body, is an important natural process used for healing and reproduction. The body controls angiogenesis by producing a precise balance of growth and inhibitory factors in healthy tissues.
When this balance is disturbed, the result is either too much or too little angiogenesis. Abnormal blood vessel growth, either excessive or insufficient, is now recognized as a “common denominator” underlying many deadly and debilitating conditions, including cancer, skin diseases, age-related blindness, diabetic ulcers, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and many others. The list of diseases that have angiogenesis as an underlying mechanism grows longer every year.”
– The Angiogenesis Foundation
What if I told you that one of the most powerful cancer fighting tools at your disposal is in the kitchen? Would you believe that you can literally “cut off the blood supply” to cancerous masses and prevent tumor growth by making better food choices?
You can. The science behind this involves something we refer to in the medical community as angiogenesis. Simply stated, this is the creation of new blood cells that feed tumors and cancerous masses. You can inhibit and even completely stop this process and stop the spread and growth of cancer cells with antiangiogenic foods.
As a result of these findings, there is now a practice of “Angiogenesis-Based Medicine” that centers around helping the body to naturally control angiogenesis and therefore fighting cancer and disease in the process. Methodologies in this treatment can both inhibit or stimulate angiogenesis, depending on the diagnosis.
There are two types of control
- Inhibiting angiogenic growth factor – For those with cancerous tumors, the key to starving tumor growth Is in starving the blood vessels that feed the growth of oxygen and nutrients. Antiangiogenic therapy does just that. Cancer treatments that block angiogenesis are now used to treat lung, kidney, breast, liver, brain, ovarian, thryoid, and colon cancers.
- Stimulating angiogenesis – This method is used to restore healthy blood supply to chronic wounds. The result is expedited healing and in some cases, saving a limb where is may have otherwise required amuputation. Research indicates the stimulation on angiogenesis in these circumstances can help those with heart disease, poor circulation, and other forms of damaged tissue.
In addition to some pretty incredible scientific treatment and modalities, many foods provide an angiogenic benefit. This is a new way for us to think about treating cancer and disease and further enforces the fact that the key to good health starts in the kitchen.
Eating 6-9 servings of fruit and vegetables per day to greatly reduce your risk for all diet-related diseases. My personal method of my anti-cancer diet was consume a minimum of 15 servings of organic fruits and vegetables per daily with an emphasis on the following foods (special thank you to the Angiogenesis Foundation for this easy infographic). If you can commit to increase your intake of the following foods, you stand a very good chance of eating to beat cancer & disease!
**I don’t agree with a few foods on this list like tuna and too much grapeseed oil!
