06 Aug 18
Originally posted by @sonhouseIs that true?
..... so the real thing is better for you.
Anecdote on Siddhartha Mukerjee (interviewed in the posted article: He has several really good books out there about cancer and genetics. He's very skilled at presenting complicated medical information and nuance in ways that make sense. I highly recommend "The Emperor of all Maladies."
07 Aug 18
Originally posted by @shallow-blueMostly true, like multi vitamins but there is science behind Turmeric. Vitamins mostly have testimonials.
Whenever you hear "suoerfood", think "marketing scam".
Whenever you hear "superfood" and "cancer" in the same context, think "cynical marketing ploy to prey upon the vulnerable sick".
08 Aug 18
Originally posted by @shallow-blueI generally agree, but come on, man... even blueberries and pomegranates were once touted as a "superfood". I can't imagine how that would be a "marketing scam" or who, exactly, would benefit (besides fruit growers, I guess).
Whenever you hear "suoerfood", think "marketing scam".
Whenever you hear "superfood" and "cancer" in the same context, think "cynical marketing ploy to prey upon the vulnerable sick".
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08 Aug 18
Originally posted by @suzianneHow much more did you start paying for products with those fruits in once the label gained hold? Well, there's your scam: all of a sudden pomegranate juice sales go through the roof, and fools pay extra because their shampoo - shampoo, ffs! - has quinoa extract in it.
I generally agree, but come on, man... even blueberries and pomegranates were once touted as a "superfood". I can't imagine how that would be a "marketing scam" or who, exactly, would benefit (besides fruit growers, I guess).
Sure, "there's science behind it". Science of the kind that measures how many "free radicals" are in blueberries, and "free radicals" are good for "detoxing your central nodes", and never mind that what happens in a petri dish means jack squat once it's been through a litre of pH 2 and assorted enzymes.
I'll believe it when it's being prescribed by real doctors, not touted by "dr." Oz.
09 Aug 18
Originally posted by @wildgrassIs there something in this statement you either don't understand or disagree with, from that article. Did you really read this part?
Yes.
"His research hereover the past two decades suggests that curcumin, the bright yellow chemical that gives turmeric its characteristic hue, has serious health-promoting properties that can play a key role in keeping people disease-free.
Turmeric has been found to reduce inflammation and nix free radicals in the body that can damage our cells. But that's not all.
What turmeric does for your body and your brain
The curcumin compound found in turmeric is powerful enough that it can help relieve arthritis pain, break up tumours, and control diabetes.
It promotes good blood flow, which helps protect against heart disease. The plant may even keep some brain plaques from forming, though more research on that front is needed.
Some of Goel's studies, in both animals and humans, suggest that curcumin can also help kill stubborn treatment-resistant cancer cells and might make some cancers less resistant to chemotherapy in the first place."
Originally posted by @sonhouseThis just says it does a lotta good things to promote human health. The mechanism is the HOW part. What are you calling the mechanism? Anti-oxidant? Anti-inflammatory? "blood flow promoter"? "disease-free people keeper"?
Is there something in this statement you either don't understand or disagree with, from that article. Did you really read this part?
"His research hereover the past two decades suggests that curcumin, the bright yellow chemical that gives turmeric its characteristic hue, has serious health-promoting properties that can play a key role in keeping people ...[text shortened]... ant cancer cells and might make some cancers less resistant to chemotherapy in the first place."
Does it bind to cell receptors? Does it react with something in the blood? Does it cross the blood-brain barrier to fight against Alzheimers and cancer and memory retention and longevity? There are thousands of papers (and >120 clinical trials) on turmeric and curcumin but as far as I can tell, even with high dose treatment, the supposed active compound remains undetectable in human blood. How does that work?
“To our knowledge, (it) has never been shown to be conclusively effective in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial for any indication.“
http://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2017/01/12/curcumin-will-waste-your-time
I am not trying to be purposefully antagonistic, but actually very interested in the facts as they stand vs. how they are hyped in science articles. "Promoting wellness" is extremely subjective and open to interpretation. The closest mechanistic data I could find was the following article: It relates to inflammation, which is a very complicated general function. If you are a pro-inflammatory (immune booster) or anti-inflammatory (or anti-oxidant) compound, the effect (on whatever you're trying to treat) depends on context. Anti-inflammatory is generally good unless you are trying to fight an infection or existing tumor. Curcumin seems to weakly antagonize the NF-kB receptor on cancer cells, leading to less inflammation at the tumor site and making natural immunity and drug-based immunotherapy less effective at fighting cancer.
http://stke.sciencemag.org/content/9/459/ec300?utm_campaign=toc_signaling_2016-12-20&et_rid=35141378&et_cid=1064306