Category: Healthy Choices

Why We Should Eat More Cherries

I love cherries! Dried, fresh, frozen, tart or sweet…in smoothies, on salads, even in main courses. They are an excellent sweet healthy snack full of antioxidants, and fat burning ingredients.

Cherries contain some unique and pretty awesome bioactive components that can help prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and other inflammatory diseases—as well as prevent muscle soreness, and help you sleep. Not only that, cherries are an extremely effective treatment for arthritis pain, gout, hemorrhoids, and allergies.

Cherries have boatloads of antioxidants in them that fight free radical damage and protect our cells’ DNA. Free radicals are linked to many diseases including cancer, heart disease, and dementia. Cherries also contain the super-nutrients quercetin, hydroxycinnamates, potassium, carotenoids and melatonin. Even sweet cherries have a healthy low glycemic index of 22, making them a healthy food for people trying to keep their blood sugar stable.

Anti-Inflammatory

Cherries are one of the best anti-inflammatory foods you can eat. These little red powerhouses contain phytochemicals called “anthocyanins” that give them their deep red color. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University found that the powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins in tart cherries were as effective at decreasing inflammation as the anti-inflammatory drugs Ibuprofen, aspirin and Tylenol. Another study published in the Journal of Natural Products showed that anthocyanins and cyanidin isolated from tart cherries worked better than aspirin. And many studies have shown that Tylenol and Ibuprofen can be extremely harmful to the liver and very toxic, so eating foods that are anti-inflammatory is far better for your health.

In fact, cherries can even help your workouts. Cherries have been proven to get rid of the aches and pains from an intense workout. They can actually reduce muscle soreness as well. This study published in Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition looked at cherries’ power to reduce muscle damage and soreness from working out.  54 runners ran a 16 miles race, while drinking tart cherry juice or a placebo. The group drinking the cherry juice reported a significantly smaller increase in pain compared to the placebo group, which was attributed to cherries’ anti-inflammatory effect.

Arthritis and Gout

Over 33 million Americans have osteoarthritis. Arthritis can physically affect the joint, creating friction and lots of pain when the cartilage wears down. In one study done at the Osteoarthritis Research Center with 58 osteoarthritic patients who drank two 8-ounce bottles of tart cherry juice for six weeks, Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores decreased significantly after the tart cherry juice treatment. The WOMAC index is standardized questionnaire used by health professionals to evaluate patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and hip, including pain, stiffness, and physical functioning of the joints.

Gout is another type of arthritis that is extremely painful, usually affecting the big toe. Uric acid crystals build up in the toe joint, causing major inflammation, swelling, redness and serious pain. High uric acid levels in the body can also be associated with diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease. A large study of 633 people with gout were treated with cherry extract over a two-day period showing a 35% lower risk of gout attacks. When cherry intake was combined with allopurinol, a prescribed medication for gout and kidney stones, the risk of gout attacks was 75% lower.

Anti-Cancer

Anthocyanins from cherries, especially sour cherries have such strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, they inhibit tumor development in mice and the growth of human cancer cells. On a study done with mice with a genetic risk of colon cancer, a diet of tart cherries and anthocyanins helped prevent colon cancer and tumor growth. This study also showed that these two compounds from cherries reduced the growth of human colon cancer cells as well.

One other study done on humans with cherry extract showed a reduction in the growth of colon cancer cells and human breast cancer cells as well.

Sleep Better After Eating Cherries

Cherries also help you sleep more soundly because they are one of the only foods that contain a natural substance called ‘melatonin’. Melatonin is a hormone in the body that regulates sleep cycles and helps you sleep deeply. Tart cherries contain the highest levels of melatonin. It only takes two tablespoons of concentrated tart cherry juice to promote good quality, deep sleep necessary for healing and repair of the body.

Melatonin contains powerful antioxidants that helps reverse aging as well. What’s more, a good night’s sleep helps to reduce cortisol which helps you burn fat better as well! In a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, 20 volunteers consumed either a placebo or tart cherry juice concentrate for seven days. As a result of this treatment, total melatonin content was significantly elevated in the cherry juice group.

Healthy Hearts

Tart cherries can also protect the heart and reduce the risk of strokes. Research done at University of Michigan shows tart cherries activate something called PPAR (peroxisome proliferator activating receptors) in the body. These receptors are connected to glucose and fat metabolism and can help reduce heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. There are prescribed medications that do the same thing, but they come with serious side effects, such as increasing the risk of heart attacks and stroke!

While sweet cherries are effective, tart cherries contain even more of the powerful antioxidants that burn fat, help with muscle aches and soreness and help you sleep more soundly. Enjoy cherries in your next smoothie, on top of your breakfast oatmeal, throw in a salad, or just plain for a sweet, satisfying snack! One of my favorite snacks is frozen organic cherries mixed with raw almonds, and sprinkled with a little bit of cinnamon.  Give it a try!

(Cherry-infused cocktail: I have a sour cherry tree in my yard, so I get literally 1000’s of tart cherries every July… My favorite way to use all these sour cherries is to fill a bunch of mason jars with cherries and then add rye whiskey to the top of each jar, so that the sour cherries are infusing in the whiskey.  I let the jars sit at least for a couple weeks before I start drinking the cherry-infused whiskey, although many of the jars will soak for months before we get around to beginning to drink them.  

Each night after dinner, I like to take 1 shot of the cherry-infused whiskey, add a few shakes of organic digestive bitters, and a splash of sweet vermouth, and enjoy a super-healthy cocktail that’s a healthier version of a Manhattan. The antioxidants and natural melatonin get extracted very effectively from the cherries by the alcohol (the cherries become white over time as the whiskey extracts all the phytonutrients) and help you fight inflammation, joint pain, and can help to get me to fall asleep easier from the natural melatonin.  I used to have knee pain years ago, but I think this combination of having 1 drink per day of my cherry-infused whiskey and my 1 mug per day of bone broth has completely eliminated my knee pain.  My joints have never felt better since I’ve been doing this nightly ritual!)

And some more tips on sleeping better, using tart cherry syrup and other tips too:
Drink tart cherry syrup and THIS tea to sleep deeper (plus 5 tips for insomnia)

Now you know cherries are one of the best anti-inflammatory foods you can eat. They are as effective in decreasing inflammation as those anti-inflammatory drugs you buy over the counter.

The Above Article By: Catherine Ebeling & Mike Geary
Co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning KitchenThe Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Make Your Own Non-Toxic Deodorant

 

Sources:

[1] National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Antiperspirants/Deodorants and Breast Cancer. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/myths/antiperspirants-fact-sheet

[2] Ye, X., Bishop, A. M., Reidy, J. A., Needham, L. L., & Calafat, A. M. (2006, December). Parabens as Urinary Biomarkers of Exposure in Humans. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1764178/

[3] Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2007, October 3). Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol Toxicity. Retrieved from https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/csem.asp?csem=12&po=14

[4] Braun, J. M., Sathyanarayana, S., & Hauser, R. (2013, April). Phthalate Exposure and Children’s Health. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3747651/

[5] Steckelberg, J. M., M.D. (2017, March 09). Triclosan: Is it safe? Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/triclosan/faq-20057861

Admin – Cymantra  May 29, 2017

Just One Boiled Egg, (Maybe two) Can it help fight Type 2 Diabetes?

 

An an ever increasing toxic environment, we are all striving to ensure our bodies are in the best health they can be. Maintaining a Healthy diet and exercise routine is hard when trying to fit it round a busy lifestyle.

 
Preventable diseases are on the rise and many of us will at some point suffer from an illness due to our lifestyle choices or because of the toxic environment we live in.
 
One of the main health epidemics at the moment is the rise of type 2 diabetes. Unlike its counterpart, type 2 diabetes is totally preventable in most cases, and can be managed by changes in lifestyle and in some cases can be totally reversed.

 

Type 1 diabetes cannot be cured, but type 2 can, and with a few changes in your lifestyle you can quite easily reduce your risk of getting this illness.

Taking more exercise and cutting down on sugar and fatty foods is the best way to control your blood sugar, but there is another helpful thing you can do for your body. This simple step can be done every day to better regulate your blood sugar and to fight off type 2 diabetes.

Preparation

Take an egg and boil in the afternoon. Peel it, and using a fork, pierce it a couple of times. Then, place the egg in a big bowl, and then add vinegar, leaving it like this to stand overnight.

The following morning, consume the egg combining it with a glass of warm water.

Do this every day, and your blood sugar levels will be considerably reduced.

No need to hesitate, act now and start improving your health condition and reducing the high blood sugar levels.

Garlic – Protecting you Against Brain Cancer

The Benefits of Kelp

kelp

You already know to eat your daily servings of vegetables, but when is the last time you gave any thought to your sea vegetables? Kelp, a type of seaweed, is chock full of good-for-you nutrients that can benefit your health and possibly even prevent disease.

Already a staple in many Asian cuisines, this type of sea algae is a natural source of essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

What Is Kelp?

You may have seen this marine plant at the beach. Kelp is a type of large brown seaweed that grows in shallow, nutrient-rich saltwater, near coastal fronts around the world. It differs slightly in color, flavor, and nutrient profile from the type you may see in sushi rolls.

world map of where kelp is found

Kelp also produces a compound called sodium alginate. This is used as a thickener in many foods you may eat, including ice cream and salad dressing. But you can eat natural kelp in many different forms, including:

  • raw
  • cooked
  • powdered
  • in supplements

Nutritional Benefits

Because it absorbs the nutrients from its surrounding marine environment, kelp is rich in:

  • vitamins
  • minerals
  • trace elements
  • enzymes

According to nutritionist Vanessa Stasio Costa, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., kelp “is often considered a ‘superfood’ due to its significant mineral content. It’s especially concentrated in iodine, which is important for optimal thyroid function and metabolism.”

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) say that seaweed such as kelp is one of the best natural food sources of iodine, an essential component in thyroid hormone production. A deficiency in iodine leads to metabolism disruption and can also lead to an enlargement of the thyroid gland known as goiter.

But beware of too much iodine. Overconsumption can create health issues, too. The key is to get a moderate amount to raise energy levels and brain functioning. It is difficult to get too much iodine in natural kelp but this could be an issue with supplements.

Calling All Calcium
Did you know that kelp has more calcium than vegetables like kale and collard greens?

Stasio Costa also notes that kelp contains notable amounts of:

  • iron
  • manganese
  • calcium
  • magnesium
  • copper
  • zinc
  • riboflavin
  • niacin
  • thiamin
  • vitamins A, B-12, B-6, and C

The benefits of these vitamins and nutrients are substantial. B vitamins in particular are essential for cellular metabolism and providing your body with energy. According to UCSF Medical Center, kelp has more calcium than many vegetables, including kale and collard greens. Calcium is important to maintain strong bones and optimal muscle function.

Disease-Fighting Abilities

Kelp is often considered a ‘superfood’ due to its significant mineral content.
Vanessa Stasio Costa, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N.

Since inflammation and stress are considered risk factors for many chronic diseases, Stasio Costa says including kelp in one’s diet could have numerous health benefits. Kelp is naturally high in antioxidants, including carotenoids, flavonoids, and alkaloids, which help to fight against disease-causing free radicals.

Antioxidant vitamins like vitamin C, and minerals like manganese and zinc, help to combat oxidative stress and may offer benefits to cardiovascular health. There have been many claims regarding kelp’s abilities to fight chronic disease, including cancer.

Recent studies have explored the role of sea vegetables in estrogen-related and colon cancers, osteoarthritis, and other conditions. Researchers found that kelp can slow the spread of colon and breast cancers. A compound found in kelp called fucoidan may also prevent the spread of lung cancer and prostate cancer. This doesn’t mean that kelp should be used to cure any diseases or be considered a guaranteed protection against disease.

Weight Loss Claims

In recent years, researchers have looked into kelp’s potential fat blocking properties. Because kelp contains a natural fiber called alginate, studies suggest that it may halt the absorption of fat in the gut. A study published in Food Chemistry found that alginate could help block fat absorption in the intestines by 75 percent. In order to reap the benefits of alginate, the research team plans to add the thickening compound to common foods such as yogurt and bread.

Sea Real Results!
Alginate, a natural fiber found in kelp, can help block fat absorption in the stomach by 75 percent.

Kelp may have great potential for diabetes and obesity, although research is still preliminary. A study published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism found that a compound in the chloroplasts of brown seaweed called fucoxanthin may promote weight loss in obese patients when combined with pomegranate oil. Studies also suggest that brown seaweed may influence glycemic control and reduce blood glucose levels, benefitting people with type 2 diabetes.

In addition to its potential to slow down fat absorption in the gut, kelp is low in fat and calories.

How to Eat Kelp

Thankfully, you don’t need to go diving in the ocean to reap the benefits. Kelp is available in a variety of forms.

Bacon Seaweed
Love the nutritional benefits of seaweed, but can’t stand the taste? Scientists from Oregon State University have developed a new strain of seaweed that tastes like bacon when it’s cooked, yet retains all of the nutrients of seaweed.

Nutritionist Lisa Moskovitz, R.D., C.D.N., C.P.T., recommends that you try to eat your nutrients, versus taking them in supplement form. She suggests including kelp in a balanced diet with plenty of vegetables, from both the land and sea. Kelp can be one small part of a broader healthy diet that includes a variety of unprocessed, nutrient-dense foods.

Moskovitz says that one of the easiest ways to incorporate kelp into your diet is to add an organic, dried variety into soups. You could also use raw kelp noodles in salads and main dishes or add some dried kelp flakes as seasoning. It is usually found in Japanese or Korean restaurants or grocery stores and can be enjoyed cold with oil and sesame seeds, hot in a soup or stew, or even blended into a vegetable juice.

ways to eat kelp

Too Much of the Good Stuff?

Health advisers warn that ingesting concentrated amounts of kelp can introduce excessive amounts of iodine to the body. This can overstimulate the thyroid and cause harm. There are significant health risks to consuming excessive iodine. It’s important to only eat kelp in moderation, and it should be avoided by those suffering from hyperthyroidism.

Nutritionist Stasio Costa notes that because kelp and other sea vegetables take up minerals from the waters they inhabit, they can also absorb dangerous heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead. She recommends seeking out certified organic versions of sea vegetables and to look for packages that mention that the product has been tested for arsenic.

Always consult a health professional before beginning any supplementation regimen.

by Kristin Buettner

Magnesium deficiency, the signs and the remedy

magnesium-deficiency-effects

 

Signs of magnesium deficiency are everywhere in the United States and Canada, if you know what to look for. Unfortunately, the symptoms are so incredibly common that they constantly slip under the radar! Hardly anyone, especially doctors, notice that the ailments we suffer from on a daily basis are actually magnesium deficiency symptoms… and we’re all paying for it.
Just about every single person you come into contact with – especially those with a health problem, but even those with only minor complaints – are suffering in some way from this nationwide deficiency. Including you!

What Exactly Is Magnesium?

Magnesium is life. It is the 4th most abundant mineral in the body, right next to sulfur (which is JUST as important).

Along with being a mineral, magnesium is also an electrolyte. “Sports drinks” (aka sugar-filled scams) claim to contain electrolytes such as magnesium, potassium, and sodium because we sweat away these important nutrients during exercise, and their deficiency is what leads to the common problems athletes face, such as muscle cramping! But believe me – electrolytes (especially magnesium) do so much more than treat and prevent muscle cramps.

First off, electrolytes are what allow us to be living, electrical beings. They are responsible for all electrical activity (and thus brain conductivity) in the body. Without electrolytes like magnesium, muscles can’t fire, your heart cannot beat, and your brain doesn’t receive any signals. We need magnesium to stay alive, point blank. As soon as we don’t have enough of it, we start to lose the energy and conductivity that keeps us going. Technically, as soon as we become deficient, we slowly begin to die, getting more aches and pains day by day, feeling worse year after year. I can’t stress it enough… signs of magnesium deficiency are everywhere, if you just look.

Magnesium is a cofactor in over three hundred reactions in the body, necessary for transmission of nerve impulses, temperature regulations, detoxification in the liver, and formation of bones and teeth. However, magnesium shows its true power in cardiovascular health. The Weston A. Price foundation writes, “Magnesium alone can fulfill the role of many common cardiac medications: magnesium inhibits blood clots (like aspirin), thins the blood (like Coumadin), blocks calcium uptake (like calcium channel-blocking durgs such as Procardia) and relaxes blood vessels (like ACE inhibitors such as Vasotec) (Pelton, 2001).”

Nearly EVERYONE has signs of magnesium deficiency but we don’t realize it…

Symptoms include:

  • Constipation
  • High blood pressure (Hypertension)
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Insomnia
  • Behavioral disturbances
  • Lethargy
  • Impaired memory/thinking
  • Seizures
  • Fatigue
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Pain
  • Muscle cramps
  • Chronic back pain
  • Headaches
  • Migraines
  • Muscular pain
  • Tendonitis
  • Anger
  • Aggression
  • ADHD
  • Brain fog
  • Tension
  • Anxiety disorders such as OCD

“Similarly, patients with diagnoses of depression, epilepsy, diabetes mellitus, tremor, Parkinsonism, arrhythmias, circulatory disturbances (stroke, cardiac infarction, arteriosclerosis), hypertension, migraine, cluster headache, cramps, neuro-vegetative disorders, abdominal pain, osteoporosis, asthma, stress dependent disorders, tinnitus, ataxia, confusion, preeclampsia, weakness, might also be consequences of the magnesium deficiency syndrome.”

Amazingly, the article referenced above even mentions neuro-vegetative disorders as a possible result of magnesium deficiency. This would include comas. Stress hormone production requires high levels of magnesium and stressful experiences can immediately lead to complete depletion of magnesium stores; could this be a contributing factor to why we see comas after traumatic accidents/injuries? As I mentioned above, magnesium is an electrolyte responsible for brain signals and conductivity. Without magnesium, people in comas may not be able to come to and resume conductivity. Many people with diabetes also fall into diabetic comas. Diabetes is listed as another possible consequence of magnesium deficiency. Could this be a factor in diabetic comas as well? Something to think about and research further!

symptoms-of-magnesium-deficiency

Cravings

Do you crave chocolate? Why, when people are stressed out, do they go for chocolate? Chocolate is one of the highest food sources of magnesium.

Magnesium is associated with so many disorders that Dr. Carolyn Dean of the Nutritional Magnesium Association has devoted an entire book to discussing how she has treated thousands of patients for a wide array of diseases, with magnesium as the primary component. Her book, The Magnesium Miracle, is a must-read if you have any of the magnesium deficiency symptoms above, or any health problems in general – as there is likely a magnesium component to everything. Check out 50 Studies Suggest That Magnesium Deficiency Is Killing Us.

 

Why Don’t Doctors Find Magnesium Deficiencies In Tests?

Unfortunately, conventional medicine has not woken up to the amount of research that has been done on magnesium deficiency.

One of the reasons Western Medicine is so off base with magnesium is how they test it: with blood tests.

Blood tests do not yield ANY information about magnesium… why? Because the body controls the levels of blood magnesium very tightly. If the magnesium in the blood drops just a little bit, you’re going to have a heart attack. It’s that sample. So to prevent this, the body will rob all of its cells, tissues, and bones of magnesium in order to keep the blood levels constant. If you do a blood test for magnesium, the cells could be completely empty while your blood levels remain constant.

What’s worse is that magnesium is not even in your blood. 99% of the magnesium in the body is stored in the cells that get robbed, while a mere 1% of your body’s total magnesium is in the blood. These tests are a complete waste of time, and they’re not educating doctors to this reality.

“A serum test for magnesium is actually worse than ineffective, because a test result that is within normal limits lends a false sense of security about the status of the mineral in the body. It also explains why doctors don’t recognize magnesium deficiency; they assume serum magnesium levels are an accurate measure of all the magnesium in the body.” – Dr. Carolyn Dean, The Magnesium Miracle.

 

Why Are We So Deficient?

Here’s the short(ish) version: Number one, we’re being poisoned by our food. Number two, we’re increasingly stressed out. We’re running our engines on high to keep up with life and it’s draining us. Stress hormone production requires high levels of magnesium and stressful experiences lead to depletion of magnesium stores. Number three, we’re eating more sugar than ever. For every molecule of sugar we consume, our bodies use 54 molecules of magnesium to process it. Fourth, low levels in the soil and modern farming techniques deplete stores of magnesium. And lastly, magnesium is depleted by many pharmaceutical drugs and estrogen compounds such as oral contraceptives, antibiotics, cortisone, prednisone, and blood pressure medications (“Drug-induced nutrient depletion handbook,” Pelton, 2001). Diuretics in coffee and tea (caffeine) also raise excretion levels. Oh and by the way – flouride competes for absorption with magnesium!

Nowadays, nearly everyone is magnesium deficient – no test needed. Refined/processed foods are stripped of their mineral, vitamin, and fiber content. These are anti-nutrient foods because they actually steal magnesium in order to be metabolized. When consumed, they demand that we supplement with magnesium or we are destined to break down eventually due to severe deficiency. Like I said, sugar is the worst offender. Every single molecule of sugar you consume drags over 50 times the amount of magnesium out of your body.

Well, what if you eat a healthy diet? Processed products are not the only foods that are devoid of magnesium. In general, magnesium has been depleted from topsoil, diminishing dietary intake across the board while our need for magnesium has increased, due to the high levels of toxic exposure we come across in our daily lives (air, water, plastics, chemicals, the list goes on!). The soil is depleted of magnesium because of the pesticides that are sprayed on all conventionally grown plants and worldwide pollution that affects even the cleanest fields. Pesticides also kill those beneficial bacteria/fungi that are necessary in order for plants to convert soil nutrients into plant nutrients usable by humans.

 

Are You A Cannabis User?

Cannabis has so many positive effects in terms of treating diseases such as epilepsy, cancer, and more (read 1, 2, 3 and cureyourowncancer.org). Trust me, I’ll be the first to tell you I’m all for it – it’s a safe and effective herb with countless therapeutic benefits that the government has been hiding for years. The only way they want you using it is if they’ve patented one of its’ chemical compounds and can sell it to you for a profit.

However, we should also look at what happens to our body on a cellular level if we use cannabis on a daily basis. Would you take parasite cleansing herbs every day for the rest of your life, or even every few days? Probably not. You’d take them when you’re sick or during a monthly cleanse, or else you’d develop some side effects from overuse. We need to remember that cannabis is a powerful herbal medicine and should be treated in such a way.

It turns out that using marijuana tends to deplete the body’s stores of magnesium, with the result that the person feels more on-edge after coming down from the high.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t safe in moderation. It means that over time, if used consistently without proper balance via magnesium replenishment, it can and will cause magnesium deficiency.

 

The Best Ways To Get Magnesium

1. Eat magnesium rich foods grown on organic soil.mag-2Bcollage

2. Take ionic magnesium drops. This is my new favorite method, which I’ve learned from The Magnesium Miracle.

3. Apply magnesium oil to your skin! This is the second best way to raise your levels.

4. Soak in Epsom salt baths. This will provide not only magnesium, but sulfur for your liver as well.

Additional References (not linked in the article)

Oxford Journals – Magnesium Basics: http://ckj.oxfordjournals.org/content/5/Suppl_1/i3.full

Dr. Carolyn Dean, MD: http://drcarolyndean.com/magnesium_miracle/

Source: http://collective-evolution.com

 

by ORGANIC OLIVIA

 

Cayenne Health Benefits

 

cayenne pepper health
What if there was a common household spice that could rebuild the gut wall to improve digestion, destroy cancer cells, stop a heart attack in its tracks and was useful for weight loss? I’m assuming you’d want to know more about it, right?

The hot fruit of the cayenne plant (“capsicum annuum”) has been used as a superb culinary spice for centuries and may be the most valuable medicinal herb in the entire plant kingdom for many of the reasons mentioned above!

High in vitamins A, C, B complex, calcium and potassium, studies have shown that cayenne can rebuild the tissue in the stomach and the peristaltic action in the intestines. Moreover, cayenne acts as a catalyst and increases the effectiveness of other herbs and alternative cancer treatments.

Have you ever gone after the chips and salsa with gusto and then felt flushed while your nose started to run a little bit? Cayenne warms the body and stimulates the release of mucus from the respiratory passages. If you’ve ever eaten a fresh hot pepper, you know it clears the sinuses and causes sweating.

Cayenne peppers raise the body temperature as it stimulates circulation and blood flow to the skin. Herbs that promote fever and sweating are considered to have a diaphoretic (sweat-inducing) action which helps reduce fever and relieves the congestion of colds and sinusitis.

The Science Behind Cayenne Pepper & Cancer

The active ingredient in cayenne is called capsaicin and in 2004, Dr. Sanjay K. Srivastava and colleagues (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine) treated pancreatic cells with capsaicin. They found that it disrupted mitochondrial function and induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancerous cells without affecting normal pancreatic cells!

The results of the study were published in the April 20, 2005, issue of Innovations Report, in which Dr. Srivastava stated: “Our results demonstrate that capsaicin is a potent anticancer agent, induces apoptosis in cancer cells and produces no significant damage to normal pancreatic cells, indicating its potential use as a novel chemotherapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer

In an article published in Reuters on March 16, 2006, entitled, “Hot Pepper Kills Prostate Cancer Cells in Study,” Dr. Soren Lehmann of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the UCLA School of Medicine asserted: “Capsaicin had a profound anti-proliferative effect on human prostate cancer cells in culture. It caused 80% of the prostate cancer cells growing in mice to commit suicide in a process known as apoptosis.” Researchers in Japan have also shown that cayenne pepper can dramatically slow the development of prostate tumors, and is an excellent addition to alternative cancer treatment for this type of cancer.

Cayenne’s Other Uses

For Your Heart

And if cayenne’s cancer-fighting capabilities weren’t enough, its effects upon the venous structure and heart are nothing short of miraculous. Cayenne is incredibly nourishing to the heart and has been known to stop heart attacks within 30 seconds.  If you want something in your first aid kit for a heart attack, carry cayenne tincture.

According to Dr. John R. Christopher, “In 35 years of practice, and working with the people and teaching, I have never on house calls lost one heart attack patient and the reason is, whenever I go in (if they are still breathing) I pour down them a cup of cayenne tea (a teaspoon of cayenne in a cup of hot water) and within minutes they are up and around.”

For Weight Loss

In addition to being a welcome addition, there’s also evidence to suggest that cayenne may be useful in the treatment of obesity. Results of one trial showed that consumption of 10 grams of cayenne pepper with meals helped to reduce appetite, while results of another revealed that cayenne increases the metabolism of dietary fats.

For Infections and Parasites

Lastly, herbalists from centuries past would pour cayenne pepper directly on fresh wounds in order to sterilize and stop bleeding.

Many of us (over 90%) have worms or different parasites in our systems. One simple way to get rid of them is to have a “cayenne drink” daily. Fill up a glass with water or juice and then add 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper. Stir it up and then “down the hatch.” Yes, it’s a bit spicy, but you’ll get used to it.

As you can see, the amazing curative powers of cayenne are almost mind-boggling. Clearly, it is  a “wonder herb” that has scientifically proven its worth!  According to Dr. Richard Schulze, “If you master only one herb in your life, master cayenne pepper. It is more powerful than any other.”

On a personal note, I take cayenne pepper every day as part of my nutritional regimen and a “preventative” cancer treatment. I also keep a cayenne tincture in the house and in both cars … just in case!

This article was republished with permission from the truth about cancer

Admin – Cymantra  Oct. 2016

What Fasting Does For Your Brain

fasting
I chose to include ‘Big Pharma’ in the title because that’s exactly what it is. There have been countless examples of the manipulation of published research at the hands of pharmaceutical companies in recent years. This is why Harvard Professor of Medicine Arnold Symour Relman told the world that the medical profession has been bought by the pharmaceutical industry. It’s why Dr. Richard Horton, Editor in Chief of The Lancet, recently stated that much of the scientific literature published today is simply untrue. It’s why Dr. Marcia Angell, former Editor in Chief of The New England Journal of Medicine, said that the “pharmaceutical industry likes to depict itself as a research-based industry, as the source of innovative drugs. Nothing could be further from the truth.” And it’s why John Ioannidis, an epidemiologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, published an article titled “Why Most Published Research Findings Are Falsewhich subsequently became the most widely accessed article in the history of the Public Library of Science (PLoS).I also chose to mention ‘Big Pharma’ because of Dr. Mattson’s comments towards the end of the video.

“Why is it that the normal diet is three meals a day plus snacks? It isn’t that it’s the healthiest eating pattern, now that’s my opinion but I think there is a lot of evidence to support that. There are a lot of pressures to have that eating pattern, there’s a lot of money involved. The food industry — are they going to make money from skipping breakfast like I did today? No, they’re going to lose money. If people fast, the food industry loses money. What about the pharmaceutical industries? What if people do some intermittent fasting, exercise periodically and are very healthy, is the pharmaceutical industry going to make any money on healthy people?” 

Main Points Of The Lecture Above & The Science To Go With It

Mark and his team have published several papers that discuss how fasting twice a week could significantly lower the risk of developing both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

“Dietary changes have long been known to have an effect on the brain. Children who suffer from epileptic seizures have fewer of them when placed on caloric restriction or fasts. It is believed that fasting helps kick-start protective measures that help counteract the overexcited signals that epileptic brains often exhibit. (Some children with epilepsy have also benefited from a specific high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet.) Normal brains, when overfed, can experience another kind of uncontrolled excitation, impairing the brain’s function, Mattson and another researcher reported in January in the journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience.”(source)

Basically, when you take a look at caloric restriction studies, many of them show a prolonged lifespan as well as an increased ability to fight chronic disease.

“Calorie restriction (CR) extends life span and retards age-related chronic diseases in a variety of species, including rats, mice, fish, flies, worms, and yeast. The mechanism or mechanisms through which this occurs are unclear.”

The quote above is from a review of the literature that is more than 10 years old. The work presented here is now showing some of these mechanisms that were previously unclear.

Fasting does good things for the brain, and this is evident by all of the beneficial neurochemical changes that happen in the brain when we fast. It also improves cognitive function, increases neurotrophic factors, increases stress resistance, and reduces inflammation.

Fasting is a challenge to your brain, and your brain responds to that challenge by adapting stress response pathways which help your brain cope with stress and risk for disease. The same changes that occur in the brain during fasting mimic the changes that occur with regular exercise. They both increase the production of protein in the brain (neurotrophic factors), which in turn promotes the growth of neurons, the connection between neurons, and the strength of synapses.

“Challenges to your brain, whether it’s intermittent fasting [or] vigorous exercise . . . is cognitive challenges. When this happens neuro-circuits are activated, levels of neurotrophic factors increase, that promotes the growth of neurons [and] the formation and strengthening of synapses. . . .” 

Fasting can also stimulate the production of new nerve cells from stem cells in the hippocampus. He also mentions ketones (an energy source for neurons), and how fasting stimulates the production of ketones and that it may also increase the number of mitochondria in neurons. Fasting also increases the number of mitochondria in nerve cells; this comes as a result of the neurons adapting to the stress of fasting (by producing more mitochondria).

By increasing the number of mitochondria in the neurons, the ability for nerons to form and maintain the connections between each other also increases, thereby improving learning and memory ability.

“Intermittent fasting enhances the ability of nerve cells to repair DNA.” 

He also goes into the evolutionary aspect of this theory – how our ancestors adapted and were built for going long periods of time without food.

A study published in the June 5 issue of Cell Stem Cell by researchers from the University of Southern California showed that cycles of prolonged fasting protect against immune system damage and, moreover, induce immune system regeneration. They concluded that fasting shifts stem cells from a dormant state to a state of self-renewal. It triggers stem cell based regeneration of an organ or system. (source)

Human clinical trials were conducted using patients who were receiving chemotherapy. For long periods of time, patients did not eat, which significantly lowered their white blood cell counts. In mice, fasting cycles “flipped a regenerative switch, changing the signaling pathways for hematopoietic stem cells, which are responsible for the generation of blood and immune systems.”

This means that fasting kills off old and damaged immune cells, and when the body rebounds it uses stem cells to create brand new, completely healthy cells.

“We could not predict that prolonged fasting would have such a remarkable effect in promoting stem cell-based regeneration of the hematopoietic system. . . . When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged.  What we started noticing in both our human work and animal work is that the white blood cell count goes down with prolonged fasting. Then when you re-feed, the blood cells come back. ” – Valter Longo, corresponding author (source)

A scientific review of multiple scientific studies regarding fasting was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007. It examined a multitude of both human and animal studies and determined that fasting is an effective way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. It also showed significant potential in treating diabetes. (source)

Before You Fast

Before you fast, make sure you do your research. Personally, I’ve been fasting for years, so it is something that comes easy for me.

One recommended way of doing it — which was tested by the BBC’s Michael Mosley in order to reverse his diabetes, high cholesterol, and other problems that were associated with his obesity — is what is known as the “5:2 Diet.” On the 5:2 plan, you cut your food down to one-fourth of your normal daily calories on fasting days (about 600 calories for men and about 500 for women), while consuming plenty of water and tea. On the other five days of the week, you can eat normally.

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Another way to do it, as mentioned above, is to restrict your food intake between the hours of 11am and 7pm daily, while not eating during the hours outside of that time.

Bottom line, how you think about you’re diet is, in my opinion, one of the most, if not the most important part of staying healthy. How you think about what you are putting in your body is important, and I believe this will eventually be firmly established in the untainted, unbiased, uninfluenced medical literature of the future.

Below is a video of Dr. Joseph Mercola explaining the benefits of intermittent fasting. Here is a great article by him that explains how he believes intermittent fasting can help you live a healthier life.

 

Related : The Benefits of Fasting for 16 Hours

 

Arjun Walia

Health Benefits Of Spirulina

Health Benefits Of Spirulina

The health benefits of spirulina are undeniable. Spirulina is hailed as a superfood that promotes body and brain health. This blue-green “miracle” algae grows naturally in oceans and salty lakes in subtropical climates.

The health benefits of spirulina are undeniable. Spirulina is hailed as a superfood that promotes body and brain health.  This blue-green “miracle” algae grows naturally in oceans and salty lakes in subtropical climates.

Abundant Nutrients For The Body

Spirulina is rich in nutrients, some of which aren’t found in the average daily vitamin. According to the FDA, the health benefits of Spirulina include significant amounts of calcium, niacin, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins and iron.  Spirulina is a great source of B-complex vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and antioxidants.  It also has essential amino acids (compounds that are the building blocks of proteins).  In fact, protein makes up about 60 to 70 percent of Spirulina’s dry weight.

An Antioxidant Powerhouse

One of the health benefits of Spirulina comes from its antioxidant properties. Spirulina protects our cells by warding off inflammation and other diseases in the body.  Spirulina has been shown to positively reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering “the bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the body while promoting HDL “the good” cholesterol.  In higher doses, spirulina could reduce blood pressure.

It’s Full Of Protein

Anemia is a fairly common ailment which can lead to fatigue due to a reduction in hemoglobin or red blood cells in the blood.  When one’s diet is supplemented with spirulina, it has been documented that hemoglobin content of red blood cells increases.

Spirulina has 4 grams of protein in a single tablespoon making it a more concentrated source of protein than red meat and only 20 calories.  With a high concentration of bio-available iron, it is excellent during pregnancy and for those with anemia as it will not cause constipation.  The health benefits of Spirulina are compounding in the body as the proteins and nutrients are bioavailable and easily absorbed.

Detox The Body

The health benefits of Spirulina include its ability to detoxify the body. It is great for cleansing the body of heavy metals by binding to them and removing them from the body.  Evidence suggests that it can bind to radioactive isotopes and may be useful for radioactivity exposure or radiation therapy.  A combination of zinc and Spirulina may help the body clear arsenic of people whose drinking water has unusually high levels, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH).

Prevent What Ails You

Many people promote Spirulina as a treatment for a range of metabolism and heart health issues, including weight loss, diabetes, and high cholesterol, according to the NIH.  The health benefits of Spirulina help a range of eclectic health problems, including premenstrual symptoms and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), according to the NIH.  People also recommend Spirulina as an aid for various mental and emotional disorders, including anxiety, stress, depression and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

It’s Nontoxic

Toxicological studies of the effects of spirulina consumption on humans and animals, including feeding as much as 800 mg/kg, and replacing up to 60% of protein intake with spirulina, have shown no toxic effects.  Fertility, teratogenicity, peri- and postnatal, and multigenerational studies on animals also have found no adverse effects from spirulina consumption.

Doctors consider Spirulina to be safe in general, especially in light of its long history as a food.  Spirulina may become contaminated with toxic metals, harmful bacteria, and microcystins — toxins produced from some algae —if it is grown in unsafe conditions.  Be sure to buy Spirulina from a trusted source and always buy organic when possible.

Get Some Today

Spirulina is available in tablet, flake and powder form.  Adding a tablespoon a day to your fresh green juice or to 8 ounces of water will kill the sugar/carb cravings you have and keep you full for hours.  For those that want to reap the benefits of this powerhouse but can’t hack the flavor, capsules are a great way to go as spirulina has a very strong taste.  A little experimentation will help you find the way you will most enjoy adding Spirulina to your diet.  Here is a recipe to try:

Spirulina Chips

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 potatoes, thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoons spirulina
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 3 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper. Place potatoes on the parchment paper and toast in the oven for 10 minutes.
  3. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes.
  4. Mix all spices thoroughly in a bowl. Sprinkle spices over potatoes.
  5. Place back in the oven and bake until crisp, about 30 minutes.
  6. Store in an air-tight container.

By Stephanie Weeks June 2016