It’s one of the most powerful weapons against one of the deadliest threats to our health that exists. Yet, it isn’t behind the counter at your local pharmacy. And it’s not under lock-and-key at some cutting-edge cancer clinic, either.
It’s sitting… right now… inside your own body. The only roadblock to this cancer-conquering warrior keeping you safe is that it’s not yet charged up and ready to fight.
In fact, there’s a good chance this hero is downright sleepy, lying dormant, and waiting to be roused. But now, new research reveals one way to help snap it out of that slumber and jolt into action.
And as bizarre as it sounds, it starts with a piping hot mug of TEA.
GREEN TEA activates internal cancer-fighters
Many cancer survivors turn to green tea after their battle. And for good reason, since green tea is a powerful tool that may help keep many forms of the disease from returning.
But new research reveals why you don’t want to wait until you’ve already had cancer to pick up a green tea habit.
Because this ancient beverage can start delivering BIG benefits RIGHT NOW. In fact, researchers say it could even help ensure you never develop the disease in the first place.
The new study focused on a specific protein in your body called p53. But researchers are so impressed by what p53 is capable of that they’ve taken to calling it the “guardian of the genome” instead.
The “guardian of the genome” can:
- WIPE OUT cancer cells
- REPAIR damaged DNA
Some studies have even found that p53 may EXTEND your life.
And now researchers say they’ve uncovered a way to spur this powerful protein into action. Their new report focuses on how a remarkable antioxidant found inside green tee can boost the protective p53 protein’s power.
You may have heard of this compound before. I’ve written about it right here in Healthier Talk. It’s called epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG for short. And EGCG is what gives green tea many of its potent health benefits.
But this might be the antioxidant’s most impressive health trick of all. Because the study shows, for the first time, how EGCG can beef up your cancer-fighting “guardian of the genome” protein, making it even more powerful.
Beef up your GUARDIAN proteins
See, p53 can’t always protect us because it doesn’t have a lot of staying power. Its activity doesn’t last very long, which is why we can still develop cancer and other health problems despite having this potent “guardian” inside our body.
Instead of remaining up and active, p53 shuts down quite quickly after your body produces it. So your levels of the protein are always on the low side.
But that’s where the EGCG from green tea comes into the picture. The antioxidant helps stop it from degrading.
With a helping hand from EGCG, p53 doesn’t shut down so quickly. And that means it not only lasts longer, but you also have more of it in circulation at any given time.
That means the guardian can…
- put up a stronger battle against cancer cells
- help repair more damaged DNA
- force more damaged cells to die off rather than forming tumors
And you can get all of that by merely committing to sipping on more tasty green tea.
But that’s not the only way to kickstart your guardian proteins into action. Other studies have found that resveratrol – the famous “red wine antioxidant” from grape skins – can also help activate p53. And when it does, it acts in ways that may help you live longer.
You can get a fair amount of EGCG from green tea if you make drinking it a regular habit. But the antioxidant is also available as a supplement.
Resveratrol, on the other hand, is a little tougher to get from food directly. Because despite its catchy nickname, there really isn’t much of the “red wine antioxidant” in wine. To get the resveratrol used in most research on cancer, longevity, and more, you’ll likely need a supplement.
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