The studies below found some significant facts regarding health effects of certain food. This is an attempt by us to interpret the findings so that it could be implemented in everyday health practices. It has to be understood that good eating habits are necessary for optimal health and that means that a variety of good foods have to be consumed every day. We do believe that some food has medicinal value and could be used to help in the prevention and support of treatment in certain illnesses. However, if it is not part of a good nutritious diet, it might lose its value. Although we do believe in the power of natural food, we absolutely do not claim to cure any disease through the consumption of specific foods.
Analhuda Abdullah Tahir, Nur Fathiah Abdul Sani, Noor Azian Murad, Suzana Makpol, Wan Zurinah Wan Ngah and Yasmin Anum Mohd Yusof (e-mail author) Combined ginger extract & Gelam honey modulate Ras/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathway genes in colon cancer HT29 cells. Nutrition Journal 2015 14:31. DOI: 10.1186/s12937-015-0015-2
Hakim L, Alias E, Makpol S, Ngah WZ, Morad NA, Yusof YA. Gelam honey and ginger potentiate the anti-cancer effect of 5-FU against HCT 116 colorectal cancer cells. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention: APJCP [2014, 15(11):4651-7. (PMID:24969899)
These studies on the effect of honey and ginger on colon cancer cells were done in a petri dish. Although I do not eagerly jump to conclusions from petri dishes to human bodies – I did think that this was promising enough to post here.
Two studies reported the same results when the efficacy of ginger and or honey was tested on cancerous colon cells. In both the studies it was found that both honey and ginger on their own lead to the death of colon cancer cells. However, when these two foods were combined the effect of on the cancer cells was even greater.
Honey and ginger are not only anti-cancer foods; both also possess powerful anti-inflammatory action. Inflammation is now widely recognized as a risk factor in the development of cancer and other auto-immune diseases. Although the ways differ in which dry and fresh ginger works in the body, the effect is very much the same.
I think it is safe enough to at least try using both honey and ginger if you have colon cancer or may be at risk to develop it in your life. The article published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention (mentioned above) claims that this will also be supportive of chemotherapy.
Two ways to get this power combination into your body are steeping a tea from ginger root sweetened with honey or simply mixing dried ginger with honey. If the taste of the honey and dry ginger mix is not appealing, stir it into probiotic Greek yogurt.
Choose the darkest honey possible as it contains extra anti-oxidants to provide you even more benefit. Alternate it with raw honey which is lighter in colour but have enzymes which have extra health benefits.