OKRA...! Who knew?
 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...0291786&type=1
Okra Kills 72% of Breast Cancer Cells & Slows Growth in Vitro: A newly discovered lectin in common okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) was shown to kill 72% of human breast cancer cells (MCF7) in vitro, mostly by inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis). The okra extract was also shown to slow the growth of breast cancer cells by 63%. It's interesting that we are still discovering new anti-cancer compounds in common foods we eat on a regular basis. The research on ‪#‎okra‬ for preventing ‪#‎cancer‬ is just starting up, however another recent study has shown that okra pectin is active against highly metastatic melanoma cells (B16F10), reducing their proliferation, inducing cell cycle arrest and programmed cell death (apoptosis). In another study, the "Southern" eating pattern, characterized by eating okra, grits, cornbread, beans, rice and sweet potatoes, was shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 40% in a group of American men, but interestingly a diet richer in fruit & vegetables did not reduce risk in that group. Bottom line: okra is a healthy food which is already widely consumed, and now latest research tells us it may give protection from at least three different cancers. More research is needed to confirm this in humans but in the meantime, it may be a good choice to add okra to your regular diet, which should already contain a wide variety of vegetables - and plenty of them.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24129958

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Oh yuck - how do you make okra taste good? It's soooo bitter

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

The horrid taste is killing the cancer!

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

THESE SUGGESTIONS MAY BE MORE PALLATABLE...

toss okra in oil and grill for about 10 min till blackened and crunchy
add diced tomatoes
THE ACID IN THE TOMATOES CUTS THE SLIME OF OKRA

***********
chop onion
trim and slice okra
butter in skillet (I guess can use EVOO)

stir in onions, then okra
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp coriander
ground black pepper
salt
stir often
can add diced tomatoes
*************************
quick dunk in hot oil
fry
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oil, sliced garlic till golden
add okra and splash of water to lightly steam
cover for 20 minutes
******

cornmeal coating and fry

NOTE: Drink GREEN TEA WITH IT -- that shrinks tumors

I drank gallons of the stuff for yrs...

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

As my mother-in-law used to say, you can fry shoe leather and it would taste good :-)

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

I too always say, Fried anything is good. That pretty much goes for grilling on the bar b q too...

Once my Dad bar b q'd salami. YUM.

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Thanks, Andi, I'm on it! I love okra! And that recipe sure sounds Egyptian to me! My mother-in-law makes it this way (the first recipe).


Karen

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

I googled as I do not cook. Anymore... I did once. I remember making Dinah Shore's moussaka. Complicated but good. Hungarian goulash. Italian meatloaf. Tuna casserole.

Anyway, that recipe said it was Indian and yum. Could be Egyptian-ish... :o))

Sauteed, grilled, bar b q'd and of course FRIED is the best!

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Love this AndiBB!

Grew up on southern cooking, and we grew Okra in the garden! Always looking for ways to eat green veggies, and never think of Okra.

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

I have eaten Okra all my life and it has never tasted bitter to me. It is battered and fried, used in gumbo, and boiled when 2-3 inces long in salted water until tender. My husband slices it, wets it a little with water, seasons it with salt and pepper, shakes with cornmeal mix, puts in a wire basket, shakes the excess off and fries it hot oil until brown. About two minutes. It is delicious.

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Does it comes in a pill form? ;)

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

I wish we had a "like" button! Good one, Leah :-)

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Jaykay i found curcumin in a pill form so I figure why not ask? You just never know. :)

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Irvinefriend, your right! must be the taste killing the cells, Im with Leah, looking for that pill!
I will, however, for the sake of a long life, give it another try.
We so need a like button!
Elizabeth

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

It is that restaurant that says....Fried Okra and throws it at you! You exercise by catching, release endorphins because of the exercise and the okra kills the cancer...It makes perfect, sense!! LOL.

P.S. Andrea I am teasing because I do think food as alot to do with i! :)

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Tossing a pound of okra in my crock pot soup right now! Thanks Andi!

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Thanks for the recipe, Andi, I am going to try this out, I can eat it and like it if its flavored/fried! :) I was reading on another site somewhere about FIGS having compounds in them that killed/protected against bc cells. If I can find some brand of Fig Newtons (Have to check out Paul Newman's) that don't have High Fructose Corn Syrup, or fig preserves, since fresh figs are not always available, I want to try that too. Plus I've been eating more celery too, there was a thread about that too. I jut finished LAST TCH (#6) on Monday and looking forward to feeling better and able to eat more normally next week.

Carol Ann

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Okra, never heard of it, but worth a search for and try, thanks, A.

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

I copied this link below, to share with y'all.

Doesn't look right in this post, but I suppose you can copy and paste, if interested...

Always thinking of all of you! Always with LOVE...


Research Articles | Okra shows promise in fighting breast cancer and prostate cancer | The Eden Prescription

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

this may work better...

http://www.edenprescription.com/Okra.html

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Yum, fried okra! Love okra in vegetable soup and gumbo. Bring it on!

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Here's I do it, and do it all the time since finding this out...
Just simmer some frozen okra (or fresh) in tomato sauce. Add some cumin and a bit of salt. Like eating pizza. I love okra, anyway. How much does one have to eat to benefit, I wonder.
Karen

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

"Okra Kills 72% of Breast Cancer Cells & Slows Growth in Vitro" interesting report, Andi, you're getting our whole group eating okra!! Wish it were as simple as that...

It's easy to kill cancer cells in the Petri dish. The trick is finding something that works "in body".

Eating healthy and a good variety of whole foods is one of the ways that we can support our own bodies as they try to rid toxins and heal. Exercise and rest is another. Having fun yet another. Keeping your mind in a good place (thru god, prayer, meditation, or WHATEVER feeds your spirit) also part of whole body health. Everyday we must consider food as medicine, exercise as health, rest as healing, fun and spirit as love and life. Our bodies have been attacked by sneaky rapidly dividing cells - we must support and optimize our immune systems in hope that it recognizes these sneaky cells. And support it as it works to repair after each infusion of chemo and or targeted therapy.

Our systems can only handle a limited amount of toxins. In an ideal world we'd give up cosmetics, hair dye, nail polish etc. Even so there are still plenty of environmental toxins as well. I think it all plays a part in the tipping point, in why some get cancer and others don't.

For the some who do, it's apparent that our systems need more help to heal.

If you google search "kills breast cancer in vitro" you will see a long list!

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

SoCalGal, I agree ... I never wore makeup, did not use deodorant (showers twice a day instead for years), no nail polish, ate well, exercised (Had to take a USAF fit test yearly) was not overweight, no family history, rarely had a glass of wine, the list goes on ... and yet here I am!

I swear its all a crapshoot!

Carol Ann

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Andi,
I love this post - you never know what you are going to learn in this crazy world of cancer. I love okra, have it eaten all my life. My mother could make the best fried okra ever. One of my regrets in life is that I never learned how to cook it like her. Even as a kid growing up, we had a huge garden and my father always had at least 2 or 3 rows of okra. My brother and I would have to go out to the garden and pick it. We would wear socks on our hands, because it would sting our hands. But wow, did it ever taste sooo....good. Today, I love eating it pickled, stewed or fried. Yeah ---- at least I am doing something right on my eating habits.
What a great post and you took me back to a wonderful memory!!!
And yes, I live in the South - right outside of Atlanta.

Pam

Re: OKRA...! Who knew?
 

Hey gals, "To each her own"...or Her own ...yikes! Seriously though, I am of Armenian descent and my grandmother and mom used to make okra when I was a kid. They cooked it with onions and a little tomato juice and I actually liked it. My husband is a veggie and he likes it, too! Guess I better start making it again. Cathy