Blog Category
I want to be both honest and careful in how I introduce this category. Herbal medicine does not cure cancer — and any source that suggests otherwise should be treated with great scepticism. What herbal medicine can do is support the body's overall health and immune function, reduce some of the burden of conventional treatment, and contribute to the kind of preventative lifestyle that is associated with lower cancer risk. The herbs discussed in these articles — green tea, turmeric, astragalus, medicinal mushrooms — are not cancer cures. They are plants with documented antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-supporting properties that may support wellbeing alongside conventional oncological care. Always discuss any herbal use with your oncologist.
Anti-Cancer
15 February 2021
Breaking the habit of smoking Remember that smoking can kill but it is a preventable cause of death – for you to kick the habit, you personally must reverse the process that hooked you. “The decision has to be made deep inside. Once this decision is made, the biggest part of the battle is over”, […]
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Anti-Cancer
16 November 2020
What is Celeriac? Celeriac, or celery root, contains a large amount of natural organic sodium. This is not to be confused with the inorganic sodium chloride, which we know as table or common salt, a substance responsible for deterioration of kidney function, varicose veins, hardening of the arteries and other problems of the circulatory system. […]
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Anti-Cancer
2 May 2019
If you are desperately trying to quit smoking and want to heal the wounds of nicotine, you are probably cursing the name of Jean Nicot, the French diplomat who first introduced tobacco in 1560 in the form of snuff, to cure migraine headaches. Nicotine is a known poison and is particularly dangerous because of its […]
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Anti-Cancer
20 October 2017
Rudolf Breuss was an Austrian healer. Read our review of Rudolf Breuss' works and life as he worked to cure cancer with natural herbal medicines.
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Anti-Cancer
11 September 2017
Parsley is readily available and widely used in cookery but it is often under-appreciated. It can be found throughout the year at the market, it’s cheap so just about anyone can buy it. Parsley is a highly nutritious plant and has ample vitamins and antioxidants which can greatly improve our health. Most people do not realize that […]
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Allergies
6 September 2017
For thousands of years the humble onion has had a respected and often revered place in the diet of man. Sacred to the Egyptians, it often appears in the art of ancient India, China and Greece, but it probably originated in Central Asia. The onion’s unique properties have ensured its constant popularity throughout the civilised […]
Read article →The relationship between herbal medicine and cancer is a nuanced and emotionally charged area. These articles aim to present the evidence honestly — neither dismissing the potential of plant compounds to support health, nor overstating what herbal medicine can achieve. The primary message is always: work with your medical team, inform them of everything you are taking, and use herbal medicine as a support, not a substitute.
A number of plant compounds have shown anti-tumour activity in laboratory studies — including curcumin (from turmeric), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG, from green tea), resveratrol (from grapes), and various compounds in medicinal mushrooms. However, demonstrating activity in a laboratory setting is very different from demonstrating clinical efficacy in humans. The evidence for using these herbs to prevent or treat cancer in humans is preliminary, and clinical recommendations cannot be made on the basis of laboratory data alone.
The immune system plays a role in identifying and destroying abnormal cells — a process called immunosurveillance. Maintaining robust immune function is therefore part of a cancer-preventative lifestyle. Herbs that support immune function — echinacea, astragalus, medicinal mushrooms such as reishi and turkey tail — may contribute to this, though direct cancer-preventative effects in humans have not been established.
Only with their oncologist's knowledge and approval. Some herbs interact with chemotherapy drugs by affecting liver enzymes that metabolise those drugs — this can either increase toxicity or reduce efficacy. St John's wort, for example, is known to interfere with multiple chemotherapy drugs and must be avoided. Gentle, supportive herbs such as ginger (for nausea) and calendula (topically for skin reactions) are generally better tolerated, but medical clearance is still essential.
Curcumin has been extensively studied for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and has shown activity against cancer cell lines in laboratory settings. Some observational studies suggest populations with high turmeric consumption have lower rates of certain cancers, though this association does not establish cause and effect. Including turmeric as a regular part of an anti-inflammatory diet is a reasonable health choice, while understanding that this is supportive nutrition rather than a cancer treatment.
Medicinal mushrooms — particularly turkey tail (Trametes versicolor), reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), and maitake (Grifola frondosa) — contain beta-glucans and other compounds that modulate immune function. Turkey tail has been studied in Japan as an adjunct to conventional cancer treatment, with some positive evidence for supporting immune recovery during and after chemotherapy. These mushrooms are not treatments; they are immune-supportive supplements that may complement conventional care.
The most evidence-backed preventative factors are: not smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight, moderate physical activity, limiting alcohol, eating a diet rich in vegetables and fruits and low in processed meats and ultra-processed foods, protecting the skin from UV radiation, and attending recommended cancer screening programmes. Herbal medicine and healthy nutrition are supportive layers within this broader picture.
With your medical team as the primary guide. If you wish to explore complementary herbal support, seek a qualified integrative medicine practitioner or naturopath who will work alongside your oncologist rather than in opposition to them. Transparency with all members of your healthcare team is essential.
Understanding how herbal medicine interacts with serious illness — including when it is appropriate and when it must be used cautiously — is part of a thorough herbal education. Our course covers both the potential and the limitations of herbal medicine with honesty and depth. View lesson packages and enrol today.