One must not forget that recovery is brought about not by the physician, but by the sick man himself. He heals himself, by his own power, exactly as he walks by means of his own power, or eats, or thinks, breathes or sleeps. ~ Georg Goddeck Indeed. The moment a person allows the sly, abominable thought that it is not he himself but the medicines and the doctors that are fighting his condition slink inside his subconscious, the mind gets conditioned to being dependent upon the extremely harsh chemicals and the exhausting routines that are part of the regular cancer treatment procedure. Since the mind plays a significant role in deciding how the body copes with the condition and responds to treatment, such conditioning often turns detrimental to the treatment of serious and terminal illnesses. No, I am not dismissing the importance of chemotherapy and other medical procedures for cancer treatment. All I want to say here is, besides following the routine fare, you can follow a parallel healing course which is both natural and holistic. Anti-cancer herbs and cancer preventing herbal remedies are not a recent development in the treatment of malignant tissue growths. Many ancient and alternative medicine systems had recognized the anti-carcinogenic properties of certain spices and herbs that fight cancer and prevent the growth of cancerous cells ages ago. Chinese medicine is one such system which recognizes the cancer fighting properties of various herbs and similar natural resources which is now being recognized by the West as having the claimed potential. These cancer fighting herbs work in several ways, right from preventing the possibility of cancerous growths to killing off cancer cells. Most of these herbs work as immune system boosters to enable the body to combat the enemy from within. Let's see what these anti-cancer herbs are. List of Anti-cancer Herbs A lot of entrants in the following list of cancer fighting herbs prevent cancer by acting as anti oxidants to prevent the production of radicals due to cellular oxidation, which ultimately result in the formation of cancerous growths due to oxidative stress on the cells. Others have a curative mechanism by killing off the malignant cells and making the biological environment surrounding the growth unsuitable for cancer cell survival and propagation. Let's take a look at these herbal superheroes of Nature.

• Chih Ko
• Lingzhi Mushroom (also known as Rei Shi)
• Huang Qi (also known as Astragalus propinquus)
• Yi Yi Ren (also known as Coix Seed and Job's Tears)
• Zedoary (also known as E Zhu)
• Lu Feng Fang (also known as Hornet Nest)
• Xi Yang Shen (American Ginseng)
• Long Kui
• Ban Zhi Lian (Skullcaps)
• Dong Ling Cao (Blushred Rabdosia)
• Bai Hua She She Cao (Spreading Hedyotis)
• Oldenlandia
• Triphala (it is a herbal preparation rather than a single herb)
• Ashwagandha
• Aloe Vera
• Turmeric
• Garlic
• Ginger Root
• Chinese Wormwood
• European Mistletoe
• Chinese Magnolia
• Green Tea
• Ginkgo Biloba
• Panax Ginseng
• Poria Cocos
• Fu Ling (a wood fungus)
• Babul Tree (the bark of the tree)
• Goat Weed Flowers
• Thyme
• Mint
• Parsley
• Basil
• Rosemary
• Dill
• Red Clover Flower
• Custard Apple (leaves and fruits)
• Kachnar (stem, root and bark)
• Indian Barberry
• Guggal-Salai (Indian Frankincense)
• Swallow Wart
• Amaltas
• Periwinkle
• Talmakhana
• Bitter Melon (Bitter Gourd)
• Drumstick Tree (the roots)
• Oleander Leaves
• Sal Resin
• Spreading Hogweed
• Sweet Violet
• Bur Weed

Grape seed is also helpful in fighting cancer. Actually, the resveratrol and the proanthocyanidin contents in grape seeds are the ones that fight cancer. Most of these spices and herbs for cancer have an immune-system boosting action. They kind of refresh the immune system and sort of wakes it up so that the body itself fights off and kills the malignant cells and prevent their growth. This is the best thing about these alternative cancer treatment options as one of the biggest reasons behind cancer is a weakened or compromised immune system and by fortifying and stimulating it, these herbs play the role of a catalyst rather than a protagonist in the entire cancer cure process. Many spices mentioned in the above list such as turmeric, ginger, garlic, etc., have strong anti-inflammatory properties which have been found effective against cancer. On a parting note, I'd like to reveal an interesting fact - studies into cancer trends in various cultures have revealed that those cultures that include natural spices in their daily cooking have shown a remarkably low propensity towards developing cancer than those cultures who do not use much spice. So, go ahead, add a lot of these cancer fighting herbs and spices to you daily menu to enjoy good health and great taste!