BREAST CANCER: THE TALE OF THE TURKEY Frankly, it is about time.

Before I tell you what I mean by that I want you to know that I have read the research I am about to present to you. I have watched the videos and digested the information. Since I read a lot, and research every single day, I have known about this 'new' information for a while. But, when dealing with things like cancer I like to have solid evidence-based proof and not just something anecdotal. I feel like I have that proof I need now. Getting back to my "it's about time" comment - I will tell you exactly what I mean by that, and to do that I need to tell you a tale about Japan. Mushroom Miracle Asian cultures have long used mushrooms medicinally. They form a very healthy part of their core diet, and exist at every level in their traditional healing platform. Traditional Chinese Medicine (also known as TCM) has used mushrooms as part of their healing medicines for thousands of years, and the Japanese eat multiple varieties of mushrooms at almost every single meal. I am sure that you have heard, or even consumed, some of the mushroom varieties that are common staples in the Japanese diet. They have names like: maitake, enoki, oyster (hiratake), king trumpet (eringi), and of course shiitake. I know in our home we eat enoki, maitake and shiitake mushrooms fairly often. There is another mushroom that has been under the medicinal-cancer-food umbrella for over 30 years. It is for this reason that I am writing this article and that is the tale I want to tell - the tale of the turkey tail mushroom. Turkey Tail Trametes Veriscolor, also know as Turkey Tail, is a mushroom, named for its colourful wavy stripes. It can be found out in the wild in a variety of places in North America and throughout the world. Turkey Tail often colonizes decomposing pieces of wood and can be found (among other places) on large tree stumps in the woods, or sometimes on trees in the city. True to its Latin name, the mushroom comes in many colours, which, coupled with its undulating shape, makes for a mesmerizing spectacle. However, there is much more to this mushroom than meets the eye. While interesting to view, it is even more interesting how powerful this mushroom is in fighting cancer! But I will get to that in a moment. Turkey Tail is known for its strong antiviral, antimicrobial and antitumor properties and this makes it a prime candidate as a cancer fighter.

Turkey Tail has a long and esteemed history in traditional Chinese medicine and it is also one of the most medically researched mushrooms in the world. A few compounds isolated from the mushroom are used to boost the immune system in conjunction with regular cancer treatment. Turkey Tail has also been shown to have great promise in the treatment of breast and lung cancer. Although the mushroom edible, I have been told it is rather chewy and does not have much flavour. In Traditional Chinese Medicine it is often prescribed in tea form for various illnesses. The great thing about science and medical research is that is seeks to expand on the current body of knowledge and understanding. We now know that the mycelium (the root system) is the most potent part of the mushroom and it has a 50% higher concentration of active compounds than the fruiting body (the part we normally eat). That is what scientist in Japan have been studying for the past 30 years. And finally North America has awoken to the potent cancer fighting power of the Turkey Tail mushroom. Its about time! Cancer Fighter Scientist have isolated the active compounds from the Turkey Tail mushroom and are now using them is real clinical trials here in North America. This is in contrast to Japan who approved Turkey Tail as a cancer medicine almost 30 years ago. I know it is not only because of the Turkey Tail mushroom, but Japanese women have some of the lowest rates of breast cancer in the world. The science on this mushroom is clear - Turkey Tail fights breast cancer. These properties have been attributed to two polysaccharides, polysaccharide-K (PSK), and polysaccharide-P (PSP). I find it very interesting that the Japanese government approved the use of PSK as early as the 1980s. They use it for treating several types of cancers. The best thing about it is they use it as a complement to stand cancer care strategies like surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. The active polysaccharide PSK was shown to significantly extend survival at five years or beyond in cancers of the stomach, colon/rectum, esophagus, nasopharynx and lung (non-small cell types) in Japanese trials since 1970. On the other hand, Polysaccharide-P (PSP) was discovered more recently and has been studied mainly in China. In double-blind trials, PSP significantly extended fiveyear survival in esophageal cancer patients. PSP significantly improved quality of life, provided substantial pain relief and enhanced immune status in 70-97 percent of patients with cancers of the stomach, esophagus, lung, ovaries and cervix.

Both PSK and PSP boosted immune cell production and alleviated chemotherapy symptoms. Research indicates that PSP may slow the growth of certain tumours and help protect the immune system, particularly from the effects of cancer treatment. In the research on breast cancer, the Turkey Tail mushroom complex seems to pair very well with Herceptin. The science looks so good on this (and other mushrooms) that the NIH (National Institute of Health) designated a new $5.4 million dollar research study focusing on turkey tail mushroom. That study is now underway and is being conducted by University of Washington, and Bastyr University. Also, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. approved a clinical trial for turkey tail extract. This is very exciting since the study allows patients with advanced prostate cancer to take it along with conventional chemotherapy (a rarity that the FDA often doesn't approve). Breast Cancer When it comes to breast cancer this mushroom really does kick some butt. In fact a seven-year study funded by the National Institutes of Health, in 2010, found that the use of turkey tail mushroom significantly boosted immunity in women who had been treated for breast cancer. The study was with women with stages 1-3 of breast cancer and they had to already have complete radiation and chemotherapy. The results showed that immune function was enhanced in the women who took daily doses of turkey tail in pill form and that none of the subjects suffered any adverse effects. The actual product used in the study was Host Defense Turkey Tail from Fungi Perfecti in Oregon. I encourage you to read all you can on Turkey Tail mushroom. Tell other people about it too. It looks incredible promising and if you search around there is really compelling tale on how Turkey Tale saved the life of someone's mom. As always - Eat healthy. Train Hard. And Smile. Dave Nelson is a holistic personal trainer living in Woodstock. For links to the videos and research please visit: http://vitalitydave.com