Reducing Cancer Risk by Eating Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables are members of the cabbage family and include cress, bok choy, broccoli, brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower and of course cabbage. All studies show that eating three to four ounces servings several times a week reduce the risk of many types of hormone dependent cancers.
One of the beneficial compounds in cruciferous vegetables is sulforaphane and it targets prostate and other hormone dependent cancers such as breast cancer. One study led by Dr Emily Ho, associate professor from the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon state Uniersity found that cruciferous vegetables contain high levels of the powerful natural compound chemically known as glucosinolates. In the human body glucosinolates are broken down into surloraphane that exert portective anti-cancer characteristics.
The study demonstrated that sulforaphane is an inhibitor of histone deacetylase, or HDAC enzymes. HDAC enzymes are theorized to develop in the body as a result of metabolic inefficiency resulting from systemic inflammation and low antioxodant status. HDAC enzymes provide fuel to the cancer initation and progression processes when they occur in excess and their action runs unabated. HDAC inhibition is currently an important research area targeted by Big Pharma and synthesized drugs that can be addressed with natural nutrients from food and lifestyle modifications.
The botton line to all of this is to include cabbage family vegetables in your diet several times a week and you will reduce the risk of hormome dependent cancers such as breast cancer and prostate cancer.