Under is an approximation of this video’s audio content material. To see any graphs, charts, graphics, pictures, and quotes to which Dr. Greger could also be referring, watch the above video.
For many years, Japan has had the longest life expectancy on the planet, whereas spending only a fraction on healthcare in comparison with different high-income international locations. This longevity has been attributed partly to Japanese dietary patterns, that are thought to have contributed to their comparatively low charges of coronary artery illness. Japan has traditionally had among the many lowest charges of colon most cancers, breast most cancers, ovarian most cancers, prostate most cancers, bladder most cancers, and blood cancers. Japan, nonetheless, has among the many highest charges of abdomen most cancers. Sure, Japanese males could have had seven instances much less prostate most cancers than People however obtained six instances extra abdomen most cancers. Is there some Achilles’ heel within the Japanese weight-reduction plan?
One of many first theories, proposed within the Nineteen Seventies, was that it was the talc used to shine white rice to provide it a shiny sheen. That was the case with ovarian most cancers, which led to billions in damages towards Johnson & Johnson’s child powder, as I detailed in a earlier video, however that didn’t look like the case with abdomen most cancers. Is it simply genetics? No. Research on Japanese migrants present that as they and their youngsters Westernize their diets and life, their abdomen most cancers charges drop accordingly.
Effectively, essentially the most well-established danger issue for abdomen most cancers is H. pylori, a micro organism that infects the liner of the abdomen and causes the power irritation that may result in most cancers. H. pylori an infection is taken into account a Group 1 carcinogen, indicating our highest stage of certainty that it certainly causes most cancers. Korea and Japan have the best charges of abdomen most cancers, and among the many highest incidence of H. pylori an infection. Case closed, then, proper? The thriller appeared to have been solved.
However then got here the “African enigma.” Nations reminiscent of Nigeria had much more H. pylori, however solely a fraction of Japan’s abdomen most cancers charges. Then got here the “Indian enigma.” H. pylori is twice as prevalent in India than Japan, but Indians get ten instances much less abdomen most cancers. Clearly, H. pylori alone can’t clarify Japan’s epidemic.
Although most circumstances of abdomen most cancers are regarded as brought on by H. pylori, most individuals with H. pylori don’t get most cancers. H. pylori is among the commonest human infections. It has been estimated that half of the world’s grownup inhabitants is contaminated with H. pylori, but half of us don’t get abdomen most cancers. There have to be some type of co-factor in international locations like Korea and Japan that explains their elevated most cancers charges. The irritation brought on by H. pylori could set the stage for most cancers formation, growing the susceptibility of the abdomen lining to dietary carcinogens. However what’s so carcinogenic about Korean and Japanese diets?
Research which have in contrast the dietary parts of various Asian populations with related H. pylori charges, however dramatically totally different abdomen most cancers charges, have instructed preserved, salted meals—each fish and greens—because the culprits. Contemporary greens and fruits, alternatively, had been related to an 85 p.c discount in abdomen most cancers odds, whereas consumption of contemporary fish doesn’t seem related to abdomen most cancers both method.
A assessment of sixty research discovered that the consumption of pickled meals was related to considerably larger charges of abdomen most cancers, although extra so in Korea than Japan, maybe as a result of per-capita Korean consumption of salt-fermented greens, like kimchi, is 5 to eight instances larger. You’ll be able to’t know for positive although, till you place it to the take a look at.
Pickled vegetable extracts could cause DNA harm in cells in a petri dish, however what about in individuals? Researchers in Vancouver fed individuals 30 ounces of fukujinzuke (assorted greens pickled in soy sauce) or pickled cucumbers over a three-day interval. Biopsies taken from their abdomen lining earlier than the experiment began had been regular, as had been the biopsies taken after consuming contemporary carrots or cucumbers. However after just some days of consuming pickled greens, average to extreme tissue abnormalities had been discovered, suggestive of abdomen irritation.
The consumption of non-fermented soy meals, reminiscent of tofu, edamame, and soymilk, is linked to a decrease danger of abdomen most cancers in Japan, whereas no affiliation was discovered with fermented soy meals—even extremely salted miso. The safety afforded by soy meals was attributed to the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant results of the isoflavone compounds in soybeans.
Salt itself isn’t thought-about a direct carcinogen, however it might harm the abdomen lining, skinny the protecting mucus layer, improve H. pylori colonization, improve the penetration of carcinogens, and improve the formation of carcinogens. Even reasonably excessive salt consumption is related to considerably elevated danger of abdomen most cancers, although in Japan this impact could also be restricted to these already affected by H. pylori-induced irritation.
H. pylori is usually handled with a cocktail of a number of antibiotics. Is there any technique to eradicate it naturally by way of weight-reduction plan? We’ll discover out subsequent.
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