Dandelions: The Next Cancer Killer?

Photo credit: bigstock.com

Photo credit: bigstock.com

Most people simply consider dandelions a nuisance, a weed that drains nutrients from their garden and hinders their vision of what a perfect yard should look like. But little do they know that these pest plants have valuable medicinal applications, and they may offer a powerful treatment for serious illnesses.

In the United States, one of the most common type of cancer is among young people is treatment-resistant skin cancer. This could be due to the prevalence of artificial tanning or a number of other factors, but regardless of the cause, it presents a troubling challenge for the health care system.

Fortunately, scientists in Canada may have discovered hope for a new cancer treatment in the form of dandelion root extract. This article will explore their research, and its potential to help those battling cancer, as well as other healing qualities of this humble weed.

 

Conventional Treatments versus Dandelion Root Extract

“Curing cancer” is an audacious claim, and there have been many snake oil solutions proposed over the years. So before making the argument for the healing potential of dandelion, let’s explore the conventional treatments in order to provide a context for comparison.

Standard treatments for common cancers like breast and prostate cancer, as well as melanoma (skin cancer) consist of either chemotherapy or radiation treatments, and where applicable, surgical removal of the tumor(s). These treatments are effective in a great many cases, but they have serious and very unpleasant side effects. Nausea, hair loss, and constant exhaustion are common symptoms.

What happens with radiation and chemotherapy is that you are essentially poisoning your own body. It does kill the cancer cells, but it also makes the rest of your body terribly sick in the process. It is somewhat analogous to using a nuclear weapon on a city to get rid of a few enemy soldiers (the cancerous tumors). Yes, the enemy was neutralized, but it also destroyed the city that you were trying to save.

There are also unfortunate cases where the conventional treatments simply don’t work. With treatment-resistant forms of cancer like melanoma on the rise, new forms of treatment will be needed.

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