It is a known fact that women in Mediterranean countries have a lower incidence or rate of breast cancer. Doctors and researchers have been somewhat puzzled over reasons for this.
And research that took five years to complete has found the missing link to be the use of olive oil.
Researchers at Northwest University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago published their findings in the Annals of Oncology.
They say the oleic acid found in olive oil significantly cuts or reduces the levels of the breast cancer promoting gene HER- 2/neu by up to 50 per cent. Any form of cancer is caused by abnormal growth of cells in the body, doctors say.
Research shows that about one-fifth of women with breast cancer exhibit high levels of this gene which makes treatment extremely difficult.
Doctors across the world have been treating breast cancer with a drug known as Herceptin, a substance that targets this gene. It is good news that olive oil also targets the same gene.
This certainly explains why women in countries where olive oil is a staple appear to have lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who do not use the oil at all.
Protective effects
Olive oil is also thought to increase the effectiveness of Herceptin, the study reveals.
Dr Javier Menendez from the School of Medicine, who led a team of other doctors and researchers wrote, “Our findings underpinned epidemiological studies that show that the diet prepared using olive oil has significant protective effects against cancer, especially breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes and ageing.”
The olive tree, that produces olive oil, grows in plenty in Mediterranean countries.
A random study carried out on 4,000 women from different countries found that women from countries where the oil is used, have a low percentage of breast cancer, heart disease and diabetes compared to women from regions where olive oil is not used at all.
According to Dr Nicholas Ochieng’ a consultant at Kenyatta National Hospital, doctors usually advise people with diabetics to eat food prepared using olive oil since it contains a substances that reduces the effects of chronic diseases including heart diseases, all forms of cancers and diabetes.
Dr Ochieng adds that olive oil not only lowers the incidence of the above mentioned diseases, it is also said to reduce obesity.
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Anglican pastors and Catholic priests use olive oil as anointing oil for prayers for spiritual nourishment and healing.
Benefits
On the website oliveoiltimes.com, it is reported that cardiologists recommend at least two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil each day to enjoy better health and well being. This oil is made simply by crushing the olives and extracting the oil, it has no additives, therefore, when you eat it, you get all the nutrients unadulterated.
Other studies have shown that the phenols in olive oil explain why people on Mediterranean diets have a lower incidence of osteoporosis and fractures.
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