| Brain tumors are the number one cause of cancer | | | | more than two thousand mothers of children with |
| related death in children. Although brain tumors | | | | brain tumors and more than a thousand mothers of |
| account for only 15% of pediatric tumors, they are | | | | healthy children were analyzed and compared. Again, |
| less amenable to treatment than most other forms | | | | the researchers found that children whose mothers |
| of cancer. So what can you do to protect your child? | | | | ate meat during pregnancy had a significantly |
| According to new research, avoiding meat and eating | | | | increased risk of developing brain tumors. Conversely, |
| cruciferous vegetables are two ways expectant | | | | this study found that children whose mothers |
| mothers can guard against the development of brain | | | | regularly ate cruciferous vegetables had a significantly |
| cancer in their children. | | | | decreased chance of brain tumor development. |
| A research study conducted by the Department of | | | | Many scientists believe that it is the nitrosamines in |
| Preventive Medicine at the University of Southern | | | | cured meat which cause brain tumors. Nitrosamines |
| California and the Norris Comprehensive Cancer | | | | have been shown to cause brain tumors in lab animals |
| Center in Los Angeles looked at the amount of meat | | | | when their mothers are fed cured meats. The reason |
| women ate during pregnancy and compared that | | | | cruciferous vegetables reduce cancer risk is because |
| figure with the number of brain tumors diagnosed in | | | | they contain the phytochemical sulforaphane, which |
| their children over the next twenty years. The study | | | | stimulates enzymes that prevent cancer. |
| revealed that the more meat the mothers | | | | Sulforaphane has repeatedly shown the ability in lab |
| consumed, the more likely their children were to have | | | | experiments to help maintain healthy cells and blood |
| brain cancer. In fact, children whose mothers ate | | | | vessels in the brain, which typically prevents migration |
| cured meats twice daily during pregnancy developed | | | | of cancer cells. |
| more than two times as many brain tumors as | | | | Cruciferous vegetables include a wide variety of |
| children whose mothers abstained entirely from | | | | species: mustard greens, arugula, broccoli, cauliflower, |
| meats. | | | | Brussels sprouts, kale, cabbage, radishes, turnips, bok |
| The research teams at the University of Southern | | | | choy, and kohlrabi. Broccoli and cauliflower have the |
| California and the Norris Comprehensive Cancer | | | | highest concentration of sulforaphane. Since the |
| Center decided to test their findings further to see if | | | | research on sulforaphane is still in its early stages, |
| the original results were a purely American | | | | there is no known minimum dietary requirement for it. |
| phenomenon. They collaborated with nine study | | | | On the other hand, cruciferous veggies have always |
| centers from seven countries and studied 1218 | | | | been part of a healthy diet. Now we just have one |
| international cases with 2223 controls. This larger | | | | more excellent reason to eat them regularly! |
| international study yielded the same results. Diets in | | | | |