Black seed (Nigella sativa), also known as black cumin, is a flowering plant native to southwest Asia. It’s been used in traditional medicine for centuries to fight conditions such as asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory diseases, and more.

The most prominent constituent of Nigella sativa’s volatile oil is thymoquinone (TQ), which has been researched extensively since 1960. Studies indicate that TQ plays an antioxidant role that bolsters immunity. It also shows promise in the fight against many cancers, including those of the lung, kidney, liver, prostate, breast, cervix, and skin.

In vitro and in vivo research finds a positive correlation between TQ concentrations and anticancer activities, including the ability to modulate signaling pathways responsible for cancer progression as well as the ability to induce apoptosis. 

Lose Weight with Black Cumin Oil

In addition to its amazing disease-fighting properties, black cumin offers weight-loss potential.

Taking black cumin oil for eight weeks helped a group of overweight women shed more pounds than those who took a placebo. Both groups were on similar weight-loss diets.

The black cumin group also saw greater reductions in markers of inflammation. Obesity and inflammation are known to be linked.

The women, ages 25 to 50, took 1-gram capsules of black cumin oil or a placebo 30 minutes before each meal for a total of 3 grams daily. Those in the black cumin group lost about 6 percent of their body weight in eight weeks, while the control group lost about half as much.

In traditional herbal medicine there is a longstanding technique of determining what an herb might be good for called the Doctrine of Signatures. It was thought that by examining where and how an herb grows, its color, shape, etc., one could determine some of its possible medicinal applications.

So what does this have to do with a mushroom?  

Interestingly enough, there is a mushroom that grows as a knot on trees on an island called Women’s Island off the coast of Japan. This mushroom, Phellinus linteus, is commonly called meshimakobu in Japan, meaning “knot on Women’s Island.” Its name has been shortened to meshima in the West. What ties this medicinal mushroom to the ancient doctrine is that several studies have demonstrated significant promise for its use in supporting healthy breast tissue.

From Tradition to Current Research

This hoof-shaped “woody” mushroom looks a bit like an elephant’s foot and has a preference for mulberry trees. Called Sang Hwang in Korea, it has been used for centuries in traditional medicine as an overall health aid and, to this day, is used to improve blood circulation, allergies, diabetes, and pain from inflammation. It also enhances detoxification.

In research over the last 50 years, the focus has been on its promising immune health-related activities, particularly with cancer.

From the earliest research performed in the 1960s to today, meshima has ranked at or near the top of immune-activating and tumor-inhibiting medicinal mushrooms in comparative studies. In one study performed by the “godfather of modern medicinal mushroom research,” Takashi Mizuno, 27 mushrooms were compared for their ability to suppress tumor growth. Meshima came out on top with a 96.7% inhibition rate.

Immune benefits include activating several types of immune cells, including T, B, NK, dendritic, and macrophage. A novel polysaccharide from meshima was found to stimulate the tumoricidal activities of macrophage and NK cells. 

The immune actions are thought to be primarily due to its polysaccharides, which are concentrated in a hot water extraction. These compounds have been shown to increase the numbers of T lymphocytes and activated B cells while increasing macrophage activity. And while research has shown that meshima stimulates Th1 immunity, it also has demonstrated anti-inflammatory actions suggesting that it may work as an immune modulator.

Promising Adjunct Remedy

While breast cancer mortality rates have been declining over the last few decades, it is still the leading cause of death in middle-aged women.

What makes meshima such a promising ally is the range of actions that it has exhibited in the research; including immune activation, induction of apoptosis, and inhibiting the metastatic behavior of breast cancer. It is this invasive behavior that is largely responsible for breast cancer’s high mortality.

According to the latest research, meshima inhibits the invasive behavior by means of several mechanisms; inhibiting proliferation, colony formation, cell adhesion, cell migration, and cell invasion.

Another tactic that meshima uses to support the body’s efforts in fighting cancer, especially breast cancer, is by inhibiting the early steps in cancer creating a “food supply” for itself—a process called angiogenesis, where new blood vessels are formed to supply the cancer. Tumor growth and spread are dependent upon this formation of new blood vessels to survive and thrive.

Plays Well with Others

Meshima offers a number of supportive and synergistic actions in the battle against cancer as well, including: enhancing liver detoxification while protecting the liver, increasing glutathione (the body’s most powerful endogenous antioxidant) levels, helping to balance blood sugar levels, and possibly offering synergistic support to conventional therapies. 

One study with a melanoma strain of cells found a synergistic antitumor action with Adriamycin while another study utilizing prostate cancer cells found a synergistic apoptosis-inducing activity with the drug doxorubicin.

In a lab study looking at breast cancer and the use of chemotherapy with meshima, the researchers suggested it might be possible to use a lower dose of chemo and still yield the same results as a higher dose of chemo alone.

A Remedy Whose Time Has Come

While the vast majority of the research with the meshima mushroom has been performed in the lab, the work that has been done suggests much promise. Meshima research has demonstrated potential for the big five of suppressing cancer and its spread:

1. Immune supporting
2. Growth inhibiting
3. Reducing invasive behavior
4. Inhibiting angiogenesis
5. Supporting conventional therapies while reducing side effects.

While the research continues, there is a good case to be made for the use of a meshima mushroom extract to support us our healing path.

Powerful plant compounds in these seasonings help fight cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, while working to relieve pain and the discomforts associated with seasonal bouts of colds and flu.

That’s why you’ll find many of your favorite seasonings on the supplement shelf and even in personal care products.

Fresh Herbs and Spices Are More Potent

For best results, store culinary herbs and spices in airtight containers away from heat and humidity.

To be sure what’s in your spice rack is fresh, rub a little seasoning between your fingers. If the aroma is noticeably pleasant, it’s probably still fresh.

Toss any musty spices or those that smell like old grass clippings. In general, replace any seasoning after one year.

Ways to Use Herbs and Spices

• Add New Ingredients to Old Recipes

  For example, add a little cinnamon along with basil and oregano to your tomato dishes. Mixing spices in curries, rubs, and other traditional combinations may increase their potency. Their antioxidant activity survives even boiling for 30 minutes.

  Many herbs and spices—like ginger, oregano, and thyme—help fight foodborne pathogens to prevent those annoying digestive “bugs” that no one wants to deal with.

  Others, like turmeric (containing curcumin, which gives curry its yellow color), have been shown to be protective against alcohol-related liver damage.

• Drink Herbal Tea

  In addition to culinary uses for these healing botanicals, herbal teas are a great way to enhance your health. Try drinking two cups of antioxidant-rich herb teas daily to help slow the aging process.

  Enjoy ginger, lemon balm, oregano, peppermint, rosemary, sage, spearmint, and thyme in teas.

• Make Your Own Herbal Infusions

  Consider making your own herbal infusions using fresh spices like cardamom:

  1. Lightly smash [q:1 1/2] tablespoons of cardamom pods.
  2. Put in a teapot, cover with 3 cups boiling water.
  3. Steep for 10 minutes.

  This spicy tea will kill bad breath, ease nasal congestion, and soothe an upset tummy as it relieves gas.

• Try Botanical Infusions

  While you’ll find herbs and spices in natural drinks, botanical infusions (also called tisanes) are also making their way onto store shelves.

  Lighter in taste and gentler in their actions, these beverages make a fresh—and refreshing—way to support your health.

Popular Healing Herbs and Spices

These are some of our favorite natural remedies.

It’d be great if there was one easy diet we could all eat to eliminate cancer risk. Alas, it’s not that simple. No one food can prevent cancer. It turns out that it’s a combination of what you eat that matters.

Strong evidence shows that if you consume a diet high in a wide variety of plant items (fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains), this is what can help lower the risk for many cancers. Plant foods offer protection by providing phytochemicals (natural plant compounds); antioxidants for repairing DNA and controlling the growth and spread of cancer cells; and vitamins and minerals for producing and repairing DNA and controlling cell growth. Plant foods also contain fiber, which may lower the risk of colon cancer.

And while studies show that many vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals exhibit anti-cancer benefits, evidence suggests that it’s the effect of the compounds working together in a person’s overall diet that gives the best cancer protection. So the more colorful your plate of food, the better. The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends filling at least two-thirds of it with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans. The remaining one-third can be lean poultry or seafood.

Protein from lean meats and seafood can be an important choice in an anti-cancer eating plan because of its satiating properties, which help you feel full longer. This is noteworthy because being overweight or obese is linked to an increased risk of colon, kidney, breast, esophageal, endometrial, and pancreatic cancers. Excess fat may also trigger inflammation through the body, and this seems to encourage cancer growth, according to Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN, nutrition advisor for the American Institute for Cancer Research.

Cancer-Fighting Foods

• Beans

  Diets high in beans or lentils can help lower breast cancer recurrence in women.

• Broccoli

  The phytochemical sulforaphane in this cruciferous veggie appears to slow the growth of leukemia and melanoma.

• Brown Rice

  A great source of fiber, this whole grain may protect premenopausal women against breast cancer―especially those that are overweight. Whole grain rice fiber may also help reduce colon cancer risk.

• Cabbage

  Extremely high in anticancer phytochemicals, one of which (indole-3-carbinol) nearly doubles the speed in which the liver can break down estrogen so it doesn’t remain in the body.

• Dark Chocolate

  This healthy treat is rich in flavonoids, which have chemoprotective effects. The darker the chocolate, the better. It has four times the amount of antioxidants found in tea.

• Chicken

  Organic, free-range birds are good sources of selenium and niacin, both of which have cancer-preventive qualities.

• Leeks

  Just like garlic and onions, this vegetable is linked to a reduced risk of prostate and colon cancers.

• Mushrooms

  Shiitake, maitake, and reishi mushrooms all appear to boost the body’s immune system, which can make it potentially more resistant to cancer.

• Other Foods

  • Apples
  • Berries
  • Broccoli and other cruciferous veggies
  • Cherries
  • Cranberries
  • Dark green, leafy veggies
  • Flaxseed
  • Garlic
  • Grapefruit
  • Grapes
  • Green tea
  • Legumes (dry beans, peas, lentils)
  • Squash (winter)
  • Tomatoes
  • Walnuts
  • Whole grains

The health benefits of curcumin can be significant, but its effects have been limited because it is not well absorbed in the body. Several recent breakthroughs have led to formulas with greater bioavailability. And that’s welcome news.

Benefits of Curcumin

Curcumin—a compound in turmeric that gives the spice its yellow color—has been shown to reduce inflammation in the body.

It has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine and, more recently, it's been studied as a potential treatment for a wide range of disorders, including colon cancer and osteoarthritis.

It has also been used to treat joint pain, digestive issues, skin problems, and more. Curcumin is available in capsules and other forms including powders and teas.

• Anti-Inflammatory

  New formulas are being developed that may release curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties throughout the body.

  By mixing curcumin with piperine (black pepper), bioavailability is greatly enhanced in the human body. In other research, scientists mixed curcumin powder with castor oil and polyethylene glycol (a substance commonly used as a laxative).

  That process allowed the curcumin to be more easily absorbed in the gut so it could enter the bloodstream and tissues. In laboratory animals, the formula was shown to shut down an acute inflammatory reaction.

  A recent review of 15 randomized controlled studies of more than 1,600 participants found that curcumin relieves joint pain, function, and stiffness in a manner similar to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with fewer adverse events.

  Curcumin is found in many ointments for the relief of joint pain.

• Depression Relief

  Another curcumin supplement with increased bioavailability helped to relieve symptoms of depression in a group of people with major depressive disorder.

  The improvements began after four weeks and continued through the end of the eight-week study. Participants took 500 milligrams (mg) of the supplement twice daily, or a placebo.

  One recent meta-analysis of nine articles backed up the effectiveness of curcumin, stating it had a significant effect on depression and anxiety symptoms.

  Comparison to Prozac

  Another study of the same supplement found that it worked as well as the antidepressant medication fluoxetine (Prozac) in treating major depressive disorder without the major side effects.

  Patients who took 1,000 mg of curcumin per day fared as well as those who took 20 mg of fluoxetine. Curcumin was also well tolerated, and the study authors concluded that it was effective and safe.

• Brain Health

  Turmeric is a relative of ginger, and it’s a popular ingredient in Indian cuisine. Tumeric intake is high in India, and the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease in that country is relatively low.

  There is some speculation that the two things are linked.

  Curcumin can cross the blood-brain barrier, and research has shown it can decrease amyloid plaque build-up in the brain that’s associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

• Anti-Cancer Properties

  Curcumin may also be useful in the treatment of cancer. Research indicates that it may help increase a protein inhibitor that is known to slow the progression of mesothelioma—a cancer of the lining of the lung that has been linked to asbestos.
  
  
  
  Laboratory studies have shown that curcumin can inhibit stomach (gastric) cancer by decreasing the proliferation of gastric cancer cells and reducing chemo-resistance in gastric cancer cells.