Cancer, selenium and Steiner

[Tony Nelson-Smith]

My Sunday newspaper (Observer, 20th Oct) carries two articles on cancer. Relevant to a previous thread on 'organic' selenium, it is reported in one that a recent US study has shown that selenium (form or compound not stated) helps activate a gene which suppresses tumours. Selenium levels in the blood of Brits have fallen to half their 1974 values and are now well below those recommended for good health. Apparently we got much of our selenium from bread made with North American wheat but, in the seventies, this was replaced by European supplies. British crops are low in selenium because there is less of it in our soils. The other reports on unconventional treatments, including mistletoe; this is "based on a theory by the educationalist (sic) Rudolf Steiner that, as the plant is a parasitic growth on a tree, it might follow that it would have an effect on cancer growths". Trials appear to have shown that this therapy had no effect on survival rates or quality of life. Aside from the obvious gross oversimplification, did RS really recommend mistletoe against cancer and, if so, what was his full reasoning ? Tony N-S.




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