Mistletoe - the next cancer killer

When you see a sprig of mistletoe hanging in a doorway, your first thought is probably of giving your special someone a smooch.

Scientists in Australia recently found that mistletoe has the power to actually kill cancer cells, and they're even talking about it as a future alternative to chemo.

In Europe, mistletoe extract is authorized for treating colon cancer. We are not quite so lucky in the United States. But with evidence like this, it's definately getting harder to ignore the power hidden in this festive plant.

The recent research shows that the most effective mistletoe extract comes from a species called Fraxini. Not only is it a cancer cell killer, but it's also much more friendly to the healthy cells in the intestines.

That's because the extract targets and kills just cancer cells. This is in stark contrast to chemotherapy, which kills both healthy cells and cancer cells without discrimination. Extracts from the two other species of mistletoe tested were also more harmful to healthy cells...so Fraxini is unique.

In Europe, it's easy to choose mistletoe extract for cancer therapy. Here in the States, there are companies that sell mistletoe extract online, but it's very important to work closely with a doctor skilled in natural medicine if you want to explore this option yourself.

Not only is mistletoe making cancer-fighter news, along comes calcium.

A new study has shown that getting more calcium in your diet could mean a lower risk of prostate cancer. Researchers compared men who had positive biopsy results with those whose results were negative and healthy men who didn't need a biopsy. They found that increasing calcium intake from food was linked to a lower risk of high-grade (more likely to spread rapidly) prostate cancer among all races.

So what are the best sources of dietary calcium?

Well, despite what you may have heard steer clear of milk. The list of reasons is long. To name just a couple, it's been linked to lower sperm count and contains bacteria that could cause Crohn's disease. A few good calcium-rich bets are leafy greens, broccoli, figs, and almonds.

Two very good supplements for calcium are Enriching Gifts Coral Life and Enzyme Research Products Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium Plus.