Cayce makes no statements about the physiology of the action of the almonds, although in one reading he did state that within the almond was a substance that he called a vitamin. He stated that taking two or three almonds a day would prevent a tendency toward cancer. Nowhere, apparently, does he mention almonds as a treatment for cancer. He did suggest the use of them to several people after they had a cancerous growth removed and likewise in several places to prevent the tendency for it ever occurring.
The almond, Prunus amygdalus, is closely related to the peach, Prunus persica (also called Amygdalus persica), and likewise to the apricot, Prunus armeniaca. The almond nut is of two distinct types, the bitter and the sweet. The bitter almond contains a ferment, emulsin, which in the presence of water acts on the glucoside, amygdalin, and yields glucose, benzaldehyde and hydrocyanic acid. Amygdalin, of course, is present in the sweet almond, but not the ferment, emulsin. It is interesting to note that a cancer therapy, Laetrile, which has been discredited and banned by government authorities, is described as an extract from the apricot kernel, and is for the most part hydrocyanic acid. It has been hypothesized by the discoverer that this acid is destroyed in the body by normal cellular oxidative metabolism, but cancer cells, functioning without oxidative mechanisms, are unable to destroy the acid; thus they absorb it and are destroyed themselves. Cayce mentioned some of these mechanisms in his readings. He suggested sweet almonds rather than the bitter, advised they be used in the prevention rather than the cure of cancer, and ascribed their value to a vitamin-type substance rather than an acid. Perhaps this followed his general philosophy of doing things gently and gradually rather than sharply and abruptly. However, it is interesting to note the relationships between these substances that have both been used now in human beings in relationship to the disease called cancer.
Note: The preceding commentary was written by William A. McGarey, M.D. and is excerpted and this commentary was taken from https://www.edgarcayce.org/the-readings/health-and-wellness/holistic-health-database/commentary-on-almonds/
