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Search Term: " cancerous "
Curcumin and Grapeseed   
Date:
September 01, 2020 11:03 AM
Smoking, Chemical exposure, pesticides, nutrient deficiencies, to much sun exposure, and over the counter drugs and prescriptions can cause cancer. In the news, there are forever chemical roundup found in our water supply, it is no wonder we are laden with cancer as a society. Fortunately, a healthy cancer preventing diet along with natural plant compounds can be far more effective and cost a lot less than conventional care alone. Two top suggested natural medicines available right now are curcumin and grape seed extract. These two herbs are an amazing pair, curcumin is a fat soluble herb to fight oxidation on the fatty oil side in the body and grape seed extract is water soluble, making it a great antioxidant to fight oxidative stress on the water side of a cell. Cells in the body are made up of oil(fats) and water. The impact of both together on your health is virtually miraculous. Curcumin neutralizes unstable free radicals that take electrons from nearby molecules, and stop them from creating a cascade of damaged cells. It also reduces inflammation reduces inflammation markers in the body to prevent prevent tissue degradation. Curcumin has been shown to stop the changes that happen from free radical damage causing normal cells to become cancerous, and tumorous formations, and can even stop cancer from metastasizing or migrating to other parts of the body. Published studies anticancer activity have found that it can suppress breast, prostate, liver, skin, colon and lung cancer cells. Curcumin Must Be Absorbed To Be Useful One of the challenges or using curcumin for cancer prevention and treatment is that not all curcumin extracts are easily absorbable into the body. Blending curcumin in Turmeric essential oil enhances absorption and provides the additional benefits of ar-turmerone, a compound in the oil. Curcumin Makes Chemo More Effective There is big potential for curcumin when used with conventional treatment. BCM-95 curcumin, through research, has shown to sensitize human colon cancer cells to chemotherapy treatment where it would otherwise be resistant to this form of treatment. In some cases tumor recurrence rates can be as high as 60% but when treated with curcumin while under conventional treatment, curcumin boosted the effectiveness of the chemo drug 5-fluorouracil against cancer stem cells. Curcumin has great potential in conjunction with conventional cancer treatment and recovery. It has been found that as chemo treatment progresses, cancer cells become resistant to the chemo treatment and the dosage has to be increased as the treatment continues increasing the toxic side effects. Fortunately, curcumin taken in conjunction with conventional cancer treatment can improve the effectiveness of chemo and so the dosage can be lowered reducing the toxic side effects for individuals. This is good news! Curcumin Protects The Body During Cancer Treatment In a clinical study with curcumin, it showed to alleviate side effects of one of the most common treatments of prostate cancer known as external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) where the doctor uses radiation to destroy tumorous cancel cells. This sort of therapy has many side effects making it a difficult therapy for most men. I often causes sexual dysfunction, digestive problems, urinary tract pain and loss of control. The higher the radiation dosage the more effective the treatment is but this causes significant discomfort, that is why most doctors lean towards lower dosages which makes the treatment less effective. The clinical study administered 3000mg of BCM-95 curcumin that is 1000mg x 3 per day or a placebo one week before therapy started and during the treatment length. Each capsule of curcumin contained curcuminoids, curcumin, demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, and essential oil of turmeric, this is a full spectrum curcumin supplement. At the end of the treatment which lasted 20 weeks the most dramatic difference between the two groups in the study was urinary symptoms. The curcumin group said a 50% decrease in symptoms or side effects of the radiation. Also, researchers noted that the curcumin did not reduce the efficacy of the EBRT.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=6362) Andrographis 
Date:
July 30, 2019 02:31 PM
Dear Friends, I believe there’s an essential herb that everyone should be aware of, though not to many realize the powerful benefits of this near miracle botanical. This one nutrient has the ability to strengthen the immune system while also enhancing cardiovascular health, liver and kidney function, joint mobility, and much more. Recent studies have shown this herb to be three times more effective than milk thistle for liver health. And while I know there’s no miracle supplement, that can prevent all disease, there are a growing number of studies to show that this herb can promote overall health and well-being in a tremendous way. This herb, which I respect and hold in high regard, is andrographis. I believe it’s the next up-and-coming superstar in botanical medicine, and for good reason. I am not yet at liberty to give you the full details on a recent study, but I can tell you the results are impressive. The study involved treating three different groups of animals that had cancerous tumors. One group of animals was treated with curcumin, the second group was treated with french grape seed extract, and the third group was treated with andrographis. And while all three herbs were beneficial in this study, andrographis proved to be the most effective in reducing the cancerous tumors in the animals. I can’t wait to share the study details when it’s published. It’s no wonder that andrographis has been used in natural medicine for years, due to its powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, cancer-preventive, neuroprotective, and immune-stimulating properties. In fact, andrographis is the subject of over 800 studies in the National Institute of Health’s PubMed online database, with more to come! You’ll learn how this amazing herb:
And the benefits don’t stop there. Please take the time to read more at TerryTalksNutrition.com In Good health,
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=6342) Is ginseng a natural and effective remedy for cancer?
Date:
May 17, 2019 09:35 AM
When one has cancer and learns that the type he has is treatable, it is a huge relief until they go through the treatment regimen. Thanks to ginseng, there could now be an easier way to treat cancer. Ginseng targets the stem cells that are responsible for causing cancer, or the tumor stem cells. Ginseng is particularly recommended because chemotherapy and radiotherapy have their drawbacks. They can make regular cancer cells that are not active to turn to cancerous cells and thereby increase the risk. It is only recently that it was discovered that a compound in ginseng, ginsenosides, can be used to treat cancer although the herb has been used for treating humans for centuries. It is believed that given its many effects on cancer, ginseng will most likely be recommended by doctors for use to treat cancer. Ginseng can also help cancer patients in other ways. It was discovered that patients who were sluggish and fatigued after treatment were helped to feel better by ginseng. Even if one is not diagnosed with cancer, he can still benefit from ginseng because it has so many health benefits. Key Takeaways:
"While you’re certain to be thankful for your life, it’s only natural to wish there was an easier way – and perhaps there could be one soon, thanks to ginseng." Read more: https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-04-09-ginseng-a-natural-remedy-for-cancer.html
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=6328) Curcumin stops cancer cell growth, NEW scientific discovery
Date:
April 27, 2019 10:10 AM
Turmeric is hailed for its properties in helping to regulate blood sugar, fighting inflammation and infection, and helping cancer patients. In helping cancer patients, turmeric is able to affect cancerous cells without harming the non-cancerous cells. DYRK2 is inhibited by the turmeric, keeping the cancer from growing. Carfilzomib used with turmeric helped with cancer cell death with minimal affect to the healthy cells. Turmeric also promotes angiogenesis, which stops the growth of new blood vessels which support the growth of tumors, and also doesn't allow development of adhesion which leads to metastasizing of cancers. Key Takeaways:
"The team used cutting-edge X-ray crystallography to obtain 3D images – in which curcumin could distinctly be seen binding to the enzyme at the atomic level." Read more: https://www.naturalhealth365.com/curcumin-cancer-cell-2659.html
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=6206) Camu camu fruits are rich in an anthocyanin that stops tumors fromgrowing
Date:
January 16, 2019 08:50 AM
Chrysanthemin is a naturally occurring, odorless, but colorful pigment, normally found in blueberries, acai berries and camu camu fruits. Recently, the pigment made scientific news, which was published in the African Journal of Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine. Chinese researchers used an array of sophisticated tests to observe how chrysanthemin interacted with and affected prostate cancer cells. The testing and observation revealed that chysanthemin not only inhibited cell growth, but also actively induced cancer cell death. Besides this new and stunning research spotlighting chrysanthemin's potential as a cancer fighter, the substance has other purported health benefits. Data suggests the pigment may be a useful adjunct in the treatment if diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It may also aid cognitive function, skeletal issues and liver function. Study also suggests chrysanthemin can fight inflammation and High fat in the blood. Key Takeaways:
"A study published in the African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines revealed that chrysanthemin can stop the development of cancerous tumors." Read more: https://www.naturalnews.com/2019-01-08-camu-camu-fruits-are-rich-in-an-anthocyanin-that-stop-tumor-progression.html
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5966) One of the most precious spices in the world, saffron can be usedas an alternative cancer treatment
Date:
September 04, 2018 09:53 AM
Saffron is not only a tasty spice highly valued to culinary chefs, but it also has anti-cancer properties, according to a recently published article. Not only does saffron kill cancerous cells, but it is also selective in which cells it kills, meaning it doesn't harm non-cancerous cells. Saffron, although expensive, also has many other benefits. It can fight depression, improve skin, balance hormones, combat stomach pain, and even give sexual activity a boost. Saffron is a highly valued spice for good reason due to it's contributions to overall health. Key Takeaways:
"What’s more, these compounds display selective toxicity against cells; that is, they ultimately kill cancer varieties without harming normal ones." Read more: https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-07-31-saffron-can-be-used-as-an-alternative-cancer-treatment.html
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5742) Could cannabis extract CBD replace ibuprofen as a painkiller?
Date:
January 03, 2018 08:59 AM
Ten years ago Richard Holt was sleeping on the top bunk at a hostel next to an open window. He rolled over and fell 24 feet onto concrete. Somehow he landed on his feet, but ended up shattering his legs. He was given Oxycontin during his recovery. The drug was great at first. Then the grogginess and a crushing feeling replaced the warm and fuzzies. Through a grueling withdrawal period, he quit Oxycontin. The pain from is crushed legs endured. Luckily through Brazilian jiu-jitsu training partners, he learned about a non-psychoactive compound found in hemp and cannabis called cannabidiol (CBD). Despite not containing THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, adaptation of CBD oil has slow. However, it is starting gain notice and momentum. In 2016, CBD oil has been legal in the UK and it's showed promise in several studies. One thing for sure, it helps Richard Holt. Key Takeaways:
"Everyone that uses it tells a similar story: they sleep better and feel less pain." Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/could-cannabis-extract-cbd-replace-ibuprofen-painkiller/
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5476) How to Remove Skin Tags Safely: 10 Natural Ways
Date:
October 02, 2017 10:14 AM
Skin tags, also known as acrochordons amongst the medical community, are noncancerous fleshy growths and are largely a cosmetic issue. They often grow where a lot of friction and moisture occurs. Many people seek to have them removed, and you can do this safely in a number of ways, including at your doctor's office with a scalpel. Cryotherapy can also be used, as well as cauterization, where the skin tag is essentially burned off, tying a string around it to cut off blood supply, and laser removal. However, these all require a doctor's supervision. Some natural at-home remedies can be used as well, such as apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, oregano oil, iodine, garlic, vitamin E, the peel of a banana or papaya, castor oil and baking soda, and cinnamon. You can also prevent further skin tags by keeping your blood sugar at a healthy range through diet. Key Takeaways:
"The best practices for how to remove skin tags at home do not involve cutting; this is dangerous and may lead to a severe infection and permanent scarring." Read more: https://draxe.com/how-to-remove-skin-tags/
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5300) Turmeric Extract May Help Overcome Chemotherapy Resistance
Date:
September 29, 2017 10:14 AM
Researchers are testing the effectiveness of using a turmeric extract to combat resistance for chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer patients. My mother died from pancreatic cancer and from personal experience I know how difficult battling becomes once chemotherapy ceases to work. This study takes a highly potent extract from turmeric that resets the cancerous cells against immunity from chemotherapy. In doing so it helps to reduce the size of the tumor and make chemo a viable treatment option again. Key Takeaways:
"The turmeric extract was also able to re-sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to be able to use Gemcitabine — a commonly prescribed chemotherapy regimen that is often resisted — which in turn reduced tumor size." Read more: http://wholefoodsmagazine.com/news/research/turmeric-extract-chemo-resistance/
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5290) Here's What the Consistency and Color of Your Poop Reveals About Your Health
Date:
August 23, 2017 04:14 PM
Poop is natural; every organism does it. It's a product of your digestive system and therefore is a great indicator of how your GI tract is doing. Eating healthy results in a different poop consistency and look than poop from someone who is sedentary or eating an unhealthy diet. Poop can also change color. It should be light to dark brown but can turn out green, red or black. Some of these colors are due to food intake but others can be more warning signs about health. Key Takeaways:
"Do not panic if you see red poop, it may because of the beetroot or red food color." Read more: http://www.india.com/lifestyle/heres-what-the-consistency-and-color-of-your-poop-reveals-about-your-health-2417142/
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5167) Full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, cabbage needs to be a regular in your kitchen
Date:
August 23, 2017 09:14 AM
For anyone interested in healthy eating, cabbage is a useful vegetable to have handy around the kitchen. Cabbages have anti-inflammatory properties, are packed full of antioxidants, and help to fortify the body against cancerous cells. They are versatile vegetables that can easily be prepared as part of a side dish, appetizer, or even the main course. Cabbage plants are low maintenance and can be grown easily from seed, so it is possible to always have a fresh and abundant supply on hand. Once the cabbage plant is harvested, it can be used to make Cabbage Crunch Salad or as an ingredient in numerous other nutritious recipes. Key Takeaways:
"With its high concentrations of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, cabbage is one of the healthiest vegetables you can eat." Read more: https://www.healthnutnews.com/full-of-antioxidants-and-anti-inflammatory-compounds-cabbage-needs-to-be-a-regular-in-your-kitchen/
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5164) Benefits of Cranberry Juice: Is It Healthy? | Natural Cures
Date:
August 02, 2017 12:14 PM
There's a lot of talk about cranberry juice and the wonderful benefits that it offers to your health. But, is this just a bunch of hype, or is cranberry juice really healthy for you? Perhaps consuming a cup of delicious, fresh cranberry juice now and again is beneficial to your health, but you won't know until you read this article and learn the truth about cranberry juice and the benefits if offers to your health. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPvU0-YBHz8&rel=0Key Takeaways:
"Cranberry juice has properties that fight both cancer and other tumors."
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=5075) Prostate cancer breakthrough: Combination of three plant-based nutrients found to MELT AWAY prostate cancer cells
Date:
July 03, 2017 12:14 PM
A study by the University of Texas, Austin, has found that there is potential for treatment of prostate cancer using compounds found in common foods. ursolic acid, commonly found in apple peel, curcumin, found in the spice tumeric, and resveratrol, found in red grapes. These three compounds were tested together as a new combination approach to creating treatments. Working together, these compounds caused shrinkage of tumor cells and changed the way the cancerous cells metabolized nutrients that allow them to grow out of control. Key Takeaways:
"A fascinating new study published in Precision Oncology has found that a combination of three plant-based nutrients “melts away” prostate cancer cells." Read more: http://www.naturalnews.com/2017-06-30-prostate-cancer-breakthrough-combination-of-three-plant-based-nutrients-found-to-melt-away-prostate-cancer-cells.html
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=4919) Can CBD Oil Get Rid Of Moles On Your Skin? - The Alternative Daily - The Alternative Daily (blog)
Date:
May 19, 2017 06:44 AM
Moles can be small and harmless but larger ones can cause appearance anxiety and even catch on clothes. Insurance doesn't usually cover non-cancerous mole removal and can be very expensive to pay for. CBD oil is rich in vitamins that can be good for your skin , but can also be used for mole removal. Vitamin A, found in CBD oil can treat a variety of skin conditions when applied directly to the skin, it can possible help remove moles as well. Read more: Can CBD Oil Get Rid Of Moles On Your Skin? - The Alternative Daily - The Alternative Daily (blog)
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=4644) Vitamin C breakthrough discovery: Low-cost nutrient halts growth of cancer stem cells... 1000% more effective than cancer drug... peer-reviewed science confirms powerful effects
Date:
March 28, 2017 08:59 AM
Researchers have made a remarkable discovery into the potential of vitamin C to stop the growth of cancer cells. This study was performed by the University of Salford and found that vitamin c was ten times more effective than a pharmacy grade cancer drug at stopping a cancerous tumor's ability to process energy to grow. The study is published at Oncotarget and this article provides a link to the study along with more detailed information into the research. Key Takeaways:
"Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) can be used to target and kill cancer stem cells (CSCs), the cells responsible for fuelling fatal tumours" Read more: http://www.naturalnews.com/2017-03-22-vitamin-c-breakthrough-discovery-low-cost-nutrient-halts-growth-of-cancer-stem-cells-1000-more-effective-than-cancer-drug-peer-reviewed-science-confirms.html
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=4308) Why high-dose vitamin C kills cancer cells
Date:
January 22, 2017 02:59 PM
High doses of vitamin c can kill cancer cells. In the past cancer therapy through vitamin c has not always proven that effective. However, that is because they were trying to get people to ingest it through the mouth. the key is to let hit the bloodstream immediately. The Vitamin C selectively kills the cancerous cells and not the normal cells. This is because normal cells are smarter and handle the hydrogen peroxide better. Key Takeaways:
"Normal cells have several ways to remove hydrogen peroxide, keeping it at very low levels so it does not cause damage. The new study shows that an enzyme called catalase is the central route for removing hydrogen peroxide generated by decomposing vitamin C." Reference: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170109134014.htm
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3816) How rooibos can protect you against the sun
Date:
January 06, 2017 12:59 PM
Rooibos tea is a versatile drink. Researchers have determined it can undo some of the damage caused by harmful rays of the sun. Scientists have been studying how rooibos protects against inflammation of skin cells for the past eleven years. Rooibos extracts are able to remove precancerous damaged cells and block the beginning of inflammation after the skin has been exposed to the sun’s ultra-violet rays. There are more tests that must be done before an after sun exposure product will be available for purchase. Key Takeaways:
"About 80 per cent of sun-induced skin damage occurs before the age of 18, therefore it is imperative to take special care of children in the sun." Reference:
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3750) Colgate toothpaste found to contain cancer-causing chemical
Date:
November 28, 2016 04:19 PM
Triclosan is an active ingredient in Colgate toothpaste. Some research says that it contributes to antibiotic resistance and hormone disruption, but the FDA is still allowing it to be included in toothpaste. It is, however, banned from being used in antibacterial soaps. The FDA sites the fact that the chemical is effective against gum inflammation and plaque, but is that worth the risk? Many mice that were exposed to triclosan developed cancerous tumors and those that already had them experienced rapid growth of the tumors. This definitely causes pause when selecting toothpastes. Key Takeaways:
"The researchers also exposed human muscle cells to an amount of the chemical equivalent to average exposure." Reference: //www.naturalnews.com/056018_triclosan_Colgate_cancer_chemical.html
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3527) Exploring The Benefits Of Cat's Claw Herb
Date:
September 15, 2016 04:05 PM
Cat's Claw is a medicinal plant made from the root and bark. It has drawn the attention of Western herbalists and researchers while being ranked seventh of the best selling herbs around the world. The plant has two components that are vital; Uncaria tomentosa angUncaria guianensis.
references:
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3290) Celery Seeds: blood pressure, cancer, and cholesterol
Date:
September 10, 2016 09:38 AM
Celery is actually a marshland plant whose botanical name is Apium graveolens. Since ancient times, the plant has been cultivated as a vegetable.
The many vitamins contained in the seeds include vitamin K, Folate (Bg), Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (B2), and vitamin C among others. Important minerals such as Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium and Phosphorous are found in the seeds. All these nutrients enhance your body's health.
References:
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3279) Curcumin in the form of Turmeric has been used for over 6000 years
Date:
August 10, 2016 03:32 PM
Curcumin is the active component of turmeric. It works as an anti-inflammatory to prevent cancerous cells from growing.
There is plenty of research showing curcumin's ability to stop chronic inflammation that have been linked to the aging process. Remember, chronic inflammation = high risk of cancer rate. If you are not currently taking curcumin, consider adding it to your daily vitamin regiment.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3253) What Is Thymoquinone Found In Black Seed Oil?
Date:
September 28, 2015 08:53 PM
The black seed oil is obtained from the seeds of the Nigella Sativa plant. The black seeds, also known as the black cumin, were used by the ancient Egyptians because of their ability to cure a variety of health conditions such as toothaches, headaches. It was also used as a dietary supplement. Additionally, the black seed oil is effective in ensuring a stable immune system as well as combating diseases that affect the immune system. The medicinal power of this oil emanates from its active ingredient, thymoquinone. Thymoquinone is an active compound that contains anti-inflammatory, anti-cancerous, and antioxidant properties. Research indicates that thymoquinone can thwart the cancerous cells in the colon, pancreases, and prostate. Because of the healing properties of this compound, black seed oil, therefore, remains useful as far as human health is concerned.
Some of its benefits includes:
The black seed oil has been used for a long time to treat cancer. According to the research from three Chinese researchers and four Arabian scientists, black seed oil contains the right anti-cancer properties. They noted that the black seed oil was used as a traditional medicine for many years. The active compound, thymoquinone, contained in the black seed oil is effective against many other diseases such diabetes, kidney, asthma diseases.
Taking a teaspoon of the black seed oil can help cure fever or flu. It causes the body to sweat for it to recover from the illness.
Research indicates that black seed oil can help a person sleep well if suffering from insomnia. One teaspoon of the oil put in a warm drink before sleeping helps to eradicate the problem.
Studies show that the black seed oil responds positively to the treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis. Further studies indicate that this oil helps reduce inflammation in the joints and the stiffness that occur in the morning.
Black seed oil is an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory, and it is ideal for treating coughs and also addressing asthma symptoms. It achieves this by relaxing the bronchiole tube muscles.
According to researchers from Turkey, black seed oil is potentially helpful to people receiving radiation treatment for cancer. The thymoquinone compound in black seed oil makes this oil essential to the health of human beings. Consumption of the black seed oil will keep you off from most cancer infection and diseases.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3224) Three Immune Boosting Mushrooms You Can't Ignore
Date:
July 20, 2015 01:32 AM
Mushrooms are plants that belong to the fungi kingdom. These plants are not classified as vegetables, they provide essential and vital nutrients to our bodies. It is a common knowledge that the key to building strong immune systems and getting enough minerals and vitamins in the diet is by supplementing a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, the more the color the better. This knowledge has however left mushrooms, which offer a wide variety of nutrients and antioxidants to our bodies, in the dark. In many cases, foods are only considered to be nutritious if they are colored. However, this is not true for mushrooms. Let's take a look at three most common mushrooms that positively impact the overall immune system and how they make it happen. Maitake Mushroom
Maitake mushrooms are common in Asian countries. This mushroom subspecies has shown effectiveness in the treatment of cancer. They can also be used to treat some side effects that are commonly associated with various chemical treatments such as chemotherapy for cancer. It is also used in the other conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, high cholesterol, hay fever, weight loss, diabetes, hypertension and infertility due to poly cystic ovary syndrome. How it works This species of mushroom contains chemicals that might stimulate the immune system and help fight tumors. There is also evidence that it can also be used as an effective regimen in efforts to lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar levels, improve cholesterol levels. Studies have also shown that it is effective in weight loss management. Reishi MushroomsReishi mushrooms are a type of fungi that some people describe as "woody" and "tough". The fruiting body of this plant and the filaments connecting a group of mushrooms has been used greatly as medicine. The plant is also used to boost the immune system, lung conditions including bronchitis and asthma, viral infections such as swine flu, influenza and avian flu, heart disease. It is also effective in maintaining other contributing conditions such hypertension, high cholesterol, liver disease and cancer. Other conditions where Reishi mushrooms are used are insomnia, stomach ulcers, chronic fatigue, herpes pain and poisoning. In combination with other forms of herbs, they are also used in the treatment of prostate cancer. How it WorksReishi mushrooms contain a wide variety of antioxidants and chemicals that have potential benefits and effects on the immune system and activity against tumors. Shiitake Mushroom
An extract made from this mushroom is used as medicine. Although it is used widely as medicine, it is also consumed as food. Shiitake mushrooms are used to lower blood cholesterol levels, boost t-cells and as an anti-aging agent. How it WorksThis type of mushroom contains chemicals that help in lowering cholesterol levels. It contains chemicals that keep cancerous tumors from getting bigger. References: 1. //www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/278858.php 3. //www.healthline.com/health/reishi-mushroom-key-to-immortality#2
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3171) What Mushrooms Help Fight Cancer?
Date:
May 27, 2014 09:51 AM
What is a mushroom?
Benefits of mushroom Shitake Mushroom Another easy-to-find type of mushroom is the shiitake mushrooms, which scientists have discovered that is contained essential mineral and vitamins which enhances immune functions. The minerals occur in chemical compound and ancient civilization used the mushroom for various purposes such as a health tonic. Currently, it is used in the prevention of growth of cancerous cells and development of tumors. It is also used in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome. Besides improving the immune system, the shiitake mushroom also lowers body cholesterol. This is important as it also helps to prevent high blood pressure, resisting viruses and even prevent heart conditions. Maitake mushroom The Maitake mushroom is another type of mushroom that most people consume on a daily basis in an effort to super-charge their immunity. Just as the maitake mushroom also reduces high blood pressure risks besides preventing against other illnesses such as diabetes as well as stroke. It has also been used in immunotherapy complementing radiotherapy, surgery as well as chemotherapy. There are thousand of edible mushrooms that contain chemical compound essential in the treatment of various diseases. Some other common types of mushrooms that boost immunity include Reishi, Cordyceps Oglossoides, Coriolus Versicolor and even the Phellinus Linteus mushrooms. Sources
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3126) What Is Artemisinin?
Date:
April 28, 2014 06:56 PM
Long known as an imposing enemy to malaria and other significant parasites, studies indicate that Artemisinin could assume a useful part in cancer medicines. Uncovered to be a compelling malaria medication many years prior by Chinese botanists, the most recent century has seen that artemisinin is utilized productively within western pharmaceutical. Not just artemisinin treat the worldwide executioner malaria, yet late studies are additionally revealing to its medicinal viability extending from malaria to cancer. It's exceptionally extraordinary in its sub-atomic structure in that it has two oxygen particles joined together by what's known as an 'endoperoxide span'. Why Artemisinin utilization are so wide is unequivocally on account of this extension and its unique atomic structure. Its piece implies it responds with particles with a high iron substance, for example, malaria parasites and cancerous tumors. Upon contact with infected cells (with this high iron substance), its system of activity is to structure free radicals. These free radicals are poisonous to the respectability of the attacking cells, separating them and in the end leaving the contaminated cells devastated.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3107) Does Sea Buckthorn Berry Have Healing Properties?
Date:
April 01, 2014 08:12 PM
Sea Buckthorn contains in excess of 190 distinct vitamins and nutrients. It is often proven to enhance the wellness, feel and look regarding skin. It is going to take care of several conditions but it really is principally acknowledged as a robust treatment pertaining to growing old or perhaps harmed skin. It is just a way to obtain this unusual Omega 7 fatty acid solution, which can be shown to result in the entire body to clear itself regarding weight loss. It is often proven to help alleviate problems with type-2 diabetes; and is effective in treatment of burns along with the skin disorder dermatitis. It's got already been utilized to take care of rosacea, eczema, and acne breakouts. Benefits of sea buckthorn berry Allows in weight reduction - Sandthorn is among the a small number of place species that contains large quantities regarding omega-7 fat acid solution, also known as vaccenic acid solution. It helps to cut back LDL (Low Denseness Lipoprotein) cholesterol, which can be considered to be this root-cause regarding several cardiovascular ailments, this modulates metabolic circuit to accelerate this assimilation. Vaccenic acid solution is additionally a robust desire for food suppressant. Hence, seabuckthorn persuades you to definitely take a lesser amount and alternatively, this increases weight malfunction practice. Each function in concert provide help to shed weight devoid of harming your wellbeing in any fashion. Enhances immunity- Sea berry not simply suppresses this development regarding bacteria including streptococcus. Coli and staphylococcus, but it also boosts your own defense by stimulating this development regarding T-cells and escalating the experience regarding interleukin. It also assists in this quick treatment regarding injuries, ulcers and scalds, a result of the occurrence regarding beta sitosterol. Delivers dermatological benefits- Studies reveal which sandthorn hastens cell regeneration practice, although retards skin growth practice. For that reason, it is really thoroughly employed in anti-aging treatments and with the alleviation of the symptoms regarding psoriasis and eczema. Your essential fatty acids also provide defense from your harmful ultra-violet radiations. Superb way to obtain essential nutrients- Sea buckthorn contains high-levels regarding nutrients including Vitamin A supplements, Vitamin E, Vitamin C supplements, Magnesium and Flavonoids. Apart from most of these, large amount of carotenoids and polyphenols are also seen in this place acquire. Most of these antioxidants band together in order to avoid this incident regarding disease including cancers, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, and nerve disorders. The idea assists in this comfort regarding gastric ulcers, which are non-cancerous abdomen ulcers which have been caused by a difference between stomach acid, and an enzyme referred to as pepsin. This particular difference contributes to inflammation inside gastric/stomach area. It may help to heal hard working liver accidents. It really is a wonderful tool pertaining to injure treatment, and cardiovascular ailments. Your nutrients and mineralso of this berries oil gives are perfect with the skin. There are several antioxidants which are recognized by assist wait growing old. Also, this specific berries gives treatment properties to assist in removing a lot of skin conditions. From various research, it is a vivid answer that Sea buckthorn has healing properties.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3085) The Health Benefit Of Grapefruit Oil.
Date:
February 18, 2014 06:47 AM
Grapefruit
Some of the amazing health benefits of grapefruit oil includes Helps in Losing Weight Grapefruit oil is rich in enzymes that burns excess fat in the body, they contains low sodium which helps to fight body weight since there is no absorption of excess water in the body. By eating grapes and taking small exercises that will no strain your body, you are assured of fast weight loss. Prevents Arthritis and antiseptic properties Grapefruit oil contains salicylic acid which is effective in breaking down inorganic calcium in the body. Accumulation of inorganic calcium would lead to arthritis as it builds up in cartilage joints. Regular intake of grape fruit oil will also lower arthritis severity. Additionally, it has antiseptic properties, it helps to clean congested skin. Helps in Cancer Prevention Grapefruit oil contains a compound known as lycopene, lycopene is a carotenoid which makes grape fruits have a red color. It eliminates cancer causing radicals and cancerous tumors. Grapefruit oil is also rich in compound called naringenin which has anti-oxidant properties, naringenin will also repair damaged DNA in prostate cancer cases, by repairing damaged cell, naringenin helps in cancer prevention by preventing production of cancer cells. Mood-Lifting Properties Grapefruits will help to prevent mood swings and ant-depression properties. They are also very energizing and with a refreshing property. Hair Tonic It is also very effective in maintaining the color of your hair, maintaining healthy hair follicles and treatment of dandruffs. Improves Digestion Grapefruit essential oil is rich in fiber, which encourages better digestion by creating a laxative effect for more consistent bowel movements. It stimulates secretion of gastric enzymes to help break down of food and maintains digestion. Source
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=3024) Castor oil
Date:
December 29, 2013 05:08 PM
What is Castor Oil
Benefits of castor oil Castor oil have been found to help in many day to day problems, they include: Yeast infection constipation: Castor oil has strong laxative thus very effective when it comes to constipation, you can mix with some juice to take away the bitterness. Arthritis Natural remedy: Castor oil contains anti- inflammatory properties making it an excellent massage for reliving arthritic joints, nerve inflammation and sole muscles. Acne: The medicinal content in castor oil makes the skin healthy and minimizes a menstrual disorder castor oil consist of ricinolec acid which is anti-inflammatory, oral consumption of 2 spoonful will reduce menstrual pains and other body pains. Hair growth: Fatty acids and vitamin E aids in hair growth. Anti allergic: Castor oil is anti allergic in nature thus helps in allergies related to skin ans naso-pharyngeal. Increases immunity: Castor oil increases white blood cells thus fights infections. Labor induction: When castor oil is given to pregnant female who are at full time pregnancy it induces labor by pushing of uterus contraction giving easy child birth. Chemotherapy drugs: Castor oil acts as medium chemotherapy drug to some cancerous tumors. Castor oil is used to reduce warts, moles and cysts, apply castor oil with a pinch of banking soda and wait for the desired results. Ringworm's known to be the most stubborn fungal infection castor oil has a compound known as undercylenic acid which is known to be effective in treating the fungal infections. Castor oil thickens eye brows and eye lashes, since castor oil enhances hair growth just apply castor oil in your eye brows and lids everyday. References:
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2941) What Makes Beta Carotene The Safer Vitamin A.
Date:
November 15, 2013 11:24 PM
What is the Main Source of Beta Carotene  Vitamins are essential ingredients for a healthy living. A good example of a very essential vitamin is Vitamin A, which consists of a group of fat-soluble retinoids, including retinol, retinal, retinyl esters [1-3] and retinoic acid. The main sources of vitamin A, retinoids, that comes from animal products and Beta carotene, which comes from plants are essential for not only treating deficiency syndromes but also boosting the immune system. What are the Importance of Vitamin A The most important type of vitamin A, is in no doubt beta carotene, a type of carotenoid. The main source of beta carotene is carrots. Carotenoids act as anti-oxidants and anti-inflamatory nutrients. Beta carotene is considered a safe vitamin A source because its sources are vegetables, for instance carrots, meaning that it is low in fat content. 1. Most animal products are rich in cholesterol. Once inside your body, cholesterol molecules bind together forming plaques which then attach themselves on the walls of blood vessels. This restricts the flow of blood resulting to high blood pressure. Plant products, unlike animal products, have less cholesterol and, vitamin A (such as beta carotene), keeps the cholesterol molecules in your body from binding together. It also prevents it from attaching itself on the walls of the arteries. 2. It facilitates normal growth of healthy cells and cell division. A normal replication of DNA requires presence of vitamin A. This vitamin, therefore, inhibits multiplication of cancerous cells and slows tumor growth down. Abnormal cell devision, as found in cancer victims, is a sign that there is deficiency of vitamin A. 3. Studies show that levels of vitamin A are very low for people suffering from viral diseases. When these people receive additional levels os the vitamin, they are said to recover faster since the defences are now restored. This shows that vitamin A is very important in causing retreats of viruses for instance those that cause measles, respiratory viruses, and even HIV. 4. Stroke victims, on the other hand, are encouraged to take vegetables and fruits (they are very good sources of beta carotene). The reason for this is because vitamin A in stroke patients helps reduce chances of the victim suffering from disabilities or in some extreme cases, death. 4. Apart from being very helpful in improving eyesight in dim light, beta carotene helps relieve the dry-eye disorder. When the lubrications of the eyes reduces, mainly due to reduction in tear production, the eyes can be very uncomfortable. Vitamin A eyedrops improve the cell fuctions in your eyes and restores their moistness. References.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2894) Maitake Mushrooms - Eating your Way to Health
Date:
October 25, 2013 07:36 PM
In a world full of processed drugs and foods, the possibilities of getting a viable natural remedy for an ailment have decreased exponentially. As the society as a whole becomes more concerned with the safety and nutritional value of the foods they eat, the need for a food that kills more than two birds with a single stone is one that cannot be outdueled. Currently, one of the best foods of choice out there is the Maitake mushroom.
Where is maitake mushroom came from The Maitake is an edible mushroom native to the northeastern Japan Mountains. This mushroom contains the maitake D-fraction, a compound that exists in our bodies in a form referred to as beta-glucan. Since this component plays a vital role in maintaining the body’s homeostatic levels and hindering the development of some detrimental medical conditions, increasing its concentrations in our bodies increases our chances of living a longer and healthier life.
Components of maitake Research has proven that the active component in the Maitake mushroom inhibits the growth of cancerous cells. It also boosts our immune system by stimulating the production of neutrophils, T-cells and white blood cells. This is achieved by the catalytic effect of the polysaccharide fibers it contains hence increasing the rate at which your immunity system regenerates and how strong it can stand in time of an infection.
Benefits of maitake mushroom Other uses of the maitake extract include treating high blood sugar levels, combating hypertension, accelerating weight loss, lowering cholesterol levels in the body and supplying us with the trace elements our bodies need to function optimally.
Even though most of these research results are from tests that have not yet been rigorously verified on human beings to prove their effectiveness, there is nothing to be afraid of since eating this mushroom will leave you with no negative side effects.
Currently, we can reap of this mushroom’s healing and health boost powers by either directly eating it or by taking the maitake D-fraction as a dietary supplement. The last option is more viable to people who do not have access to the mushroom in its original form.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2856) The Role of Glycine in Collagen and Its Remarkable Health Benefits
Date:
March 17, 2013 08:41 AM
Collagen is basically made up of several amino acids and one of which is glycine. This particular amino acid accounts 1/3 of the entire composition of collagen. It can be found in the third position in the sequence of the amino acids. One of the fundamental roles of this amino acid is that it reduces the water solubility of collagen by a hundred folds. Contrary to the fact that it's considered as a non-essential amino acid, glycine has many health benefits aside from being a part of the collagen synthesis. The details below present some of the most essential information that you ought to know about this collagen component. Here they are: Glycine Synthesizes Normal DNA and RNA DNA and RNA are genetic materials necessary for the proper cellular formation and function. Glycine prevents the breakdown of the muscle tissues by increasing the body's creatine levels which is a compound that builds muscle mass. High concentration of this amino acid can also be found in the skin and connective tissues in the body and it keeps them flexible and firm. Without glycine, the body won't be able to repair damaged tissues. Glycine Keeps the Central Nervous System Healthy Studies had shown that this amino acid is an inhibitor of the neurotransmitters that can cause seizures, hyperactivity and bipolar depression. As a matter of fact, it can be converted into serine which is a neurotransmitter beneficial in the treatment of schizophrenia. Researchers found out that schizophrenic patients exhibited significant improvements after adding glycine with their anti-psychotic medication. It was also found out that it improves memory. Glycine Promotes Proper Function of the Digestive System This amino acid is known to induce bile acid production which is used to digest fats. It is also often included in most over-the-counter gastric antacid agents to prevent and treat acid reflux. Glycine Provides Glucose Specifically, this non-essential amino acid is also considered as glucogenic amino acid. That simply means that it provides glucose in the body. One of its benefits includes regulation of blood sugar levels, so it can be helpful in treating symptoms manifested by low energy and fatigue. Glycine May Help With Cancer Preliminary studies considered this amino acid as another breakthrough in cancer treatment. Results suggested that it can prevent the development of cancerous cells as it acts as an inhibitor of angiogenesis which is a process in which tumors, benign or malignant, develop their own blood supply. Sources of Glycine High-quality protein foods such as white meat from fish and chicken, beans, legumes, eggs and milk are known to be the main sources of this amino acid. Glycine supplements are also available in tablet or powder forms and can also be one of the components of many amino acid supplements. Except for some people complaining about having stomach upset and dizziness after taking glycine supplements, there are no other noted adversarial or severe side effects of glycine. If taken properly, such supplementation is extremely safe. Who Should Not Take Glycine? Those individuals suffering from kidney and liver diseases should never take glycine. Pregnant women should never take as well. People taking antispatic medication are not allowed also since there could be interference between the drugs and glycine. It's always best to consult a doctor first before taking such supplement. Those are all the most notable benefits of glycine. The point here is that it is not just a mere part of a collagen but it also has a number of health benefits.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2831) Facts You Need To Know About Dandelion Root
Date:
February 20, 2013 03:59 PM
Among the different herbal treatments, dandelion root benefits are more valued in Europe. Dandelion roots are rich in vitamins, such as vitamin B complex, vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin A, and minerals, such as zinc, iron and potassium. Due to this, dandelion roots offer several health benefits. Health Benefits of Dandelion Roots Detoxifies the Liver: Dandelion root is a rich in vitamins that are vital in assisting the liver to break down the unhealthy meals, such as alcohol and other hazardous toxins. It can also increase bile production which is vital in eliminating toxic substances from the liver. The root is also valuable in the prevention of gallstone formation, however, its benefits wanes if one already has gallstones. Appetite Stimulant: Tea prepared from roasted dandelion roots is a very effective appetite stimulant. It is therefore essential in appetite revival for individuals under medical care for various ailments. Controls blood glucose and cholesterol Levels: Research carried out on animals has demonstrated that dandelion roots can lower the levels of cholesterol and help regulate blood glucose levels; and therefore can control diabetes. Even though there is no documented proof of these effects in human beings, dandelion root is a valuable inclusion in a person's diet, and it would certainly give a positive outcome on blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Heals Skin Problems: Another notable benefit of dandelion root is its effectiveness in getting rid of body toxins that trigger skin conditions like psoriasis, eczema and acne. When it's taken in tea form, it would help the body do away with various skin conditions. Prevents Cancer: Research has demonstrated that dandelion root is able to prevent the development of cancerous cells that trigger skin and breast cancer. However, there is no scientific proof about these studies hence it can only be used as a preventive measure.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2826) Benefits of Extended Release Guggulipid
Date:
January 03, 2013 04:10 PM
Guggul is one of the holistic ancient herbal extracts derived from the Commiphora wightii plant that had been predominant in India although some parts of northern Africa and Asia still had some traces of the same. Over the years, Guggul resin gum derived from the plant has been used to promote a healthy living, and has a good number of recent scientific research findings to back it up. Some of the health benefits associated with the use of Guggulipids supplements (also known as the Guggulsterone Supplements) include lowering of Low Density Lipoproteins (Bad Cholesterol), reducing inflammation, and significantly lowering the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, tumors and cancers. Research: Extensive scientific research shows that Guggulipids play an important role in inhibition of its synthesis in the liver and its hydrolysis into bile salts. It also acts on the thyroid gland which in turn controls the Basal Metabolic Rate that directly relates to the rate of cholesterol catabolism in the body. Additionally, a cascade of reactions in the liver during the process of cholesterol hydrolysis down-regulates the uptake of cholesterol in the gut which ensures that the body is at a healthy blood cholesterol level. Anti-Inflammatory: The anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and anti-cancer effects are highly associated with the stimulation of the liver to release C-Reactive Protein. Even though the CRP protein is primarily produced by the body in response to inflammation and cell death, presence of the CRP in the blood stream prior to an acute inflammation or cell death plays an important role in toning down inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid inflammation as well as killing abnormal cells before they develop into tumors and cancerous cells. However, Guggulsterones are rapidly regenerated in the body in the same rate that other steroid hormones are degenerated which makes the use of extended release Guggulipid supplements very essential. This makes it possible to have the body under constant supply of the component for optimal guggulsterone health benefits.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2801) What Are Indoles?
Date:
January 03, 2013 03:59 PM
Indoles? What are these? These are natural substances found in cruciferous vegetables when crushed or during cooking. Also referred to as indole-3-carbinol. Cruciferous vegetables include kales, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. These plants contain a high level of glucosinolate glucobrassicin when broken down which is the main source of this substance. Indole is becoming increasingly popular since it is a powerful antioxidant and has been proved to help in relieving a number of ailments. Benefits Of Indoles: Some of the benefits of indole-3-carbinol is that is supports the liver's detoxification process which in extension assist the colon work effectively. Liver detoxification help in filtering out the unwanted impurities from our bodies and also when used as a colon supplement, help colon work properly to eliminate waste material from our bodies. Studies have shown that this supplement (I3C) is successive in treating a prostate cancer tumor and also preventing them in the first place. Estrogen enhanced cancerous cells in the breast, cervix and endometrial can also be prevented if used as a dietary supplement. It works by altering estrogen metabolism and cellular activities. Especially for women, indoles are beneficial since it aids in the treatment of endometriosis which is a condition where the endometrial tissue form outside the uterus. This condition causes problems such as irregular periods, lower fertility and pelvic pain. Powerful Antioxidant: As a powerful antioxidant, indoles help in preventing cellular damage due to free radicals and maintains the hormonal balance of the body in both men and women. Studies have also proved that it helps reduce incidences of muscle soreness due to overexertion and menopausal symptoms, breast tenderness and cramping. Indoles have been known to cause no side effects to most people when used the same amounts as found in the diet hence is safe. It however causes skin rashes and an increase in liver enzymes in some people when not used appropriately.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2800) What Are The Health Benefits Of A Mushroom Formula?
Date:
December 29, 2012 11:39 AM
Three Important Mushrooms And Their Benefits: You've probably heard of the health benefits of a mushroom formula, but do not know much in details. Well, Medicinal mushrooms are known to possess healing and life-giving properties. However, there are different types of mushrooms and each of them has its benefits. Let us look at three important mushrooms and how they can benefit you. Turkey Tail Mushroom The turkey tail mushroom has shown great promise as a powerful immune system booster. If this is your first time of hearing about this mushroom, you will want to pay keen attention to its benefits. The Turkey Tail Mush room has the power to fight off foreign invaders due to its anti-vital and microbial properties. The world we live in is full of toxins, bacteria and viruses, but when our body's immune system is working effectively, it can protect you from dangerous invasions. Furthermore, the turkey tail mushroom is can help your body to fight off the growth of cancerous tumor cells. It is therefore, a weapon against sickness and cancer. Maitake Mushroom This is an edible species that is commonly found in form of extract today. It contains beta-glucane, which helps to strengthen the immune system as well. When you take this extract regularly, it will boost your immune system and prevent the entrance of foreign bodies that causes infection. Also, Maitake mushroom helps to regulate blood sugar levels in the body. Therefore, it is good for people with diabetes and also helps to prevent similar illnesses. Reishi Mushrooms Today, the Reishi mushroom is now available as a dietary supplement. It can be added to coffee and tea. Like other mushrooms, it helps to boost the immune system and promote good health. The Reishi mushroom also act as an antioxidant by eliminating hydroxyl free radicals and improving your ability to use oxygen. More so, it is effective at lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2794) The Benefits of White Tea!!
Date:
November 23, 2012 01:25 PM
White tea is a special variety of lightly oxidized tea which has undergone very little processing. It is originally native to China and in recent times it has been cultivated in Nepal, Thailand and Taiwan. White tea has been popular in China for over a thousand years and was the preferred drink of the rich elite of the nation. It came into prominence during the reign of the Soong dynasty. It was considered precious and was presented as tribute to the Emperor. According to legend Emperor Hui Zong lost most of his kingdom in his pursuit for the perfect white tea. White tea is an integral part of Chinese history and was a part of many of their traditional ceremonies. The rest of the world has only recently adopted this exotic beverage. How Is It Produced? White tea is derived from the Cammelia senensis plant and takes lot of time and effort to produce properly. The leaves and buds of the plant are carefully steamed and subsequently dried. It is not processed or rolled extensively like black or green tea. This makes white tea lightly oxidized and this unprocessed quality may be the reason for its numerous health benefits. We look at some of the health benefits associated with white tea. An Antioxidant And More! White tea contains antioxidants which help in protecting the body from harmful free radicals. These free radicals accelerate aging and damage DNA. White tea has substances which are effective against malignant cells and can help treat stomach, colon and prostate cancers. Flavonoids are a special variety of antioxidants which restrict the growth and development of cancerous cells. White tea has been shown to help in lowering blood pressure and promoting arterial functioning. It causes a reduction in the consistency of the blood and promotes smooth blood circulation. It protects against stroke by promoting a healthy circulatory system. Active Ingredient Catechins: Catechins are another group of antioxidants, which can help regulate cholesterol levels in the body. These antioxidants reduce bad cholesterol and prevent the arteries from hardening. White tea drinkers are reported to have greater strength and bone density. Also drinking white tea has shown positive effects for people suffering from bone related disorders like osteoporosis and arthritis. This tea provides natural defensive against viruses and bacteria. It is conducive for the health of the immune system and provides protection against a variety of immune disorders. White tea contains small amounts of fluoride compounds which help keep your teeth healthy and clean. It eliminates the bacteria responsible for bad breath, tooth decay and plaque. It removes free radicals from the tissue and reverses the effects of weather, stress and poor dietary preferences to give you healthy glowing skin. White tea has many other health benefits to offer. Its consumption is linked to increase in metabolism, weight loss and reduction in the symptoms associated with type-2 diabetes. White tea is a natural product free from excessive processing and harmful chemicals. It offers many health benefits and does not cause any harmful side effects. It is slowly gaining popularity as a health supplement among the global population.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2735) Larch Extract
Date:
October 09, 2012 04:39 PM
Larch Tree Over the years, researchers and scientists found out the larch tree extract proved to the answer to all problems that people is facing. People's bodies are prone to illnesses and sickness and no matter they do it is not enough. The main reason why people get ill easily is that their immune system is not stable and always decreases from time to time. As a result, people's immune system will increase over the years, and it is always depending on the person. What is a larch tree extract? A larch tree extract is a natural polysaccharide extracted from larch tree. This sugar contains active ingredients that enhance the functions of all immune systems, tissues, and cells. This extract also called as arabinogalactan a biopolymer that consists of sugars, which attached to any protein food that helps your body to withstand and eliminates free radicals in your body. These active ingredients are the main responsible for increasing your metabolism that eliminate, and reduce free radicals. Even, your body does not yet increase its immune system, but this extract will surely do extensive favor that protects your body's vulnerability. Having an illness or an ailment due to a low immune system is difficult to handle because it always affects everything like your work performances, relationships, and even, your focus. Therefore, it is indispensable to prevent this from happening at all cost! Why use a larch tree extract? There are many benefits you can get using larch tree extract and these are as follows: 1) Boosts and increase your immune systems - this extract can help fights free radicals in your body that giving you diseases and sickness such as influenza, flu, and the common cold. It is also the best treatment for inflammation, rheumatism, asthma, bronchitis, and diarrhea. This extract also fights recurrent immune problems such as viral infection, and chronic fatigue. 2) Treatment for cancer - this extract can help fight cancer cells that normally triggered by decreasing the activities of NK cells. This extract will suppress and reduces these cancerous cells to nothing. In addition, it prevents these NK cells from spreading to any other organs. Larch extract also serves as an excellent foundation of fiber that potentially improves colon health by increasing the growth of its healthy bacteria located in the gastrointestinal tract. 3) Supports digestion - this extract acts as a food supply to your intestinal bacteria, so they are eating it instead of food nutrients and considering as a prebiotic that is stimulating the activity or growth of bacteria in your digestive systems considered as health beneficial. Prebiotics helps to treat and prevent intestinal conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, LBM, constipation, leaky - gut, and diverticulosis. In addition, prebiotics are the best treatment for ulcerative colitis and Crohn enteritis. Is there any need to take larch tree extract? If you want to stay as healthy as a cow, taking this extract is the best solution! Increasing your immune systems is your main goal to remain healthy over the years and it is easy. Remember that prevention will always better than cure!
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2683) Can Chaste Berry Help With PMS?
Date:
August 18, 2012 08:22 AM
Chaste Berry Chaste berry is a kind of berry that grows in the Mediterranean region, and has many useful medical applications. Chaste berry is essentially a herb, belongs to the Vitex species, and is characterized by purple colored flowers that grow on it. It is grown widely in many parts of Africa. The plant grows up to 5 meters in height. Chaste berry has been in the mainstream media ever since studies showed that it helped women a lot in dealing with pre menstrual syndrome (PMS). While is has many other uses, both medical and non-medical, this particular functionality of chaste berry has been extensively noticed, as every woman in the world suffers from PMS quite a few times in their lives. How is chaste berry useful with PMS? Studies have shown by clinically proving that chaste berry helps women deal with PMS in many ways. A few of them are listed below: Chaste berry helps keep the pituitary glands in check by acting upon prolactin secretion. Prolactin is a secretion of the pituitary gland that is associated with the breasts becoming tender in women during PMS. Thus by keeping it in check, one of the biggest causes of stress that women go through during PMS is reduced. Chaste berry consumed in the tablet form has been proven to significantly reduce many of the PMS symptoms and effects that women go through. It has been concluded that most of the effects that chaste berry has with regards to PMS are sub-results of the bigger result, namely reduced prolactin secretion. Unlike other clinically produced medicine, chaste berry is nature's own medicine to help cure the PMS blues, and it does a great job. As a matter of fact, the exact procedure that happens inside the body after consuming chaste berry is not comprehensible enough to the general audience, but the results speak for themselves. Chaste berry extracts are available as tablets, and the effective dosage is one 20 mg tablet, up to three times a day. Consult your doctor for the exact prescription; this is just the general estimate. If you choose to take the drops, around forty drops per day will do. What other uses does chaste berry have? Chaste berry has many other uses, apart from belong with PMS. Some of them are: Chaste berry has been proven to help in prevention and control of prostate cancer. Anti-tumor behavior of chaste berry on the cancerous cells has been observed, thus establishing the fact that chaste berry helps in prostate cancer. Chaste berry has also successfully helped in breast pain, which is medically called mastalgia. The effects are well researched and documented. With relation to controlling the prolactin secretion as stated above, chaste berry ultimately helps prevent and control Hyperprolactinaemia, which is essentially the presence of the hormone in large quantities in the blood. This can sometimes lead to problems in breast milk production, and breast feeding. The best part about chaste berry is that it has absolutely no documented side effects. The only piece of advice associated with chaste berry is that it should not be consumed during pregnancy, as might cause some complications later on. All said and done, chaste berry does help with PMS, no doubt about that.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2674) What Are The Health Benefits Of Taking Kelp?
Date:
June 25, 2012 08:24 AM
Common people came to know about kelp only after the nuclear war, which demolished two beautiful cities of Japan. How kelp is related to nuclear war? How it helped people after the nuclear bomb explosion? The Co-relation between Kelp and the Nuclear War After the nuclear explosion the radioactive iodine spread through the air. People, who were completely unaffected by the nuclear explosion, fell sick by absorbing the radioactive iodine. The medical scientists come up with a fantastic idea to save people from the fatal iodine then. They advised people to take kelp pills. Kelp is highly rich in iodine. So, if a person is taking kelp pills, then he or she would require no more iodine, hence their would be no absorption. This miraculous idea saved millions of people from the harmful radioactive iodine after the Second World War. Now, whenever there is a need of iodine, physicians recommend to go for kelp. You would find kelp pills in the medicine boxes of most of homes. Other Health Benefits of Kelp Apart from the radiation poisoning, kelp pills could help a person's body in many other ways. Iodine is required for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. Kelp pills could be used in case of thyroid malfunction. The iodine content of kelp could be used for female hormone regulation. The immune system requires iodine to function properly. If the immune system of any person is getting weaker or not functioning as it should be due to low iodine concentration in body, then the patient could avert the situation by taking iodine-rich kelp pills. Kelp is probably the only natural product, which helps a person to fight against the most fatal disease, cancer. Fucoidan, which has the potency to induce cell death in cancerous cells, is found only in kelp. Apart from the ability to start cell death, Fucoidan possess anti-inflammatory properties also, may reduce pain. In fact, Fucoidan is considered as one of the strongest natural anti-inflammatory agents. Kelp is not only rich in iodine but it contains iron too. If any person is suffering from iron deficiency, then he should go for kelp instead of anything else, as it is a natural source of iron. Pregnant women could take the help of kelp pills to meet the extra requirement of iron in their bodies. One could reduce the danger of suffering from estrogen cancer by regular taking of kelp, either in diet or by in taking kelp pills. Generally, the diet of Japanese people is rich in diet. If you look at the estrogen related cancer cases in Japan, then you would find it is one of the lowest in the world. Kelp has pain killing properties. Kelp is used specially in case of endometriosis. Any woman suffering from endometriosis could get rid of pain by taking one 700 mg capsule of kelp. Do you have kelp pills in your medicine box? If yes, it is well and good. If you are yet to keep kelp along with you, then don't waste any time. Go ahead and keep kelp pills in your home.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2658) What are the Health Benefits of Andrographis?
Date:
June 20, 2012 08:30 AM
Andrographis Being highly cultivated in the Southern parts of Asia, Andrographis is a herb which is widely used in the treatment of a wide range of diseases and infections as well. It was what was used as an antibiotic before the real drugs were created. The main parts which are used are the leaves and roots. All parts of this plant taste bitter. In ancient times, the herb was vastly used to treat the flu, common cold, upper respiratory infections and a number of diseases which were highly infectious. Traditionally, it is used to treat a number of ailments like diarrhoea, cholera, pneumonia, leprosy, sore throats, ear infections and even chicken pox among many others. Andrographis has also replaced quinine and is mostly used to treat malaria. Immune Support This herb has proved advantageous as it poses immunity fighting capabilities as it stimulates a person's immune system. Scientific research has recently shown that the herb has the ability to hinder the multiplication of cancerous cells in a person's body. Medicinal plant Apart from all those, this medicinal plant has more health benefits to the human body. First of all, its action is mainly based on the andrographolides contained in it which help in backing up the immune system. It does so in a number of ways including; production of the white blood cells which fight against disease causing organisms, it plays a big part in the release of interferon and it also enhances a healthy lymphatic system which functions to the maximum. The herb is also believed to aid in the fight of HIV and Aids as it supports a person's immune system which is often weaken by the disease. Andrographis has an anti-inflammatory quality and is therefore used in the treatment of associated symptoms as well as a pain reliever. Swollen lymph nodes, muscular pain and medical conditions like arthritis, rheumatism and many others which result to intense pain can be treated by this herb. Treats Liver issues With this herb, you can benefit from effective treatment of liver problems such as jaundice, hepatitis and also conditions caused as a result of drug abuse by an individual. This is because it has been noted to act as silymarin which helps in the protection of the liver. Currently, scientific studies have also shown that Andrographis helps to stop the formation of blood clots and thus it can be used to treat diseases like atherosclerosis and prevent heart attacks. It also helps in the prevention of conditions like re-clogging which could lead to the congestion of arteries after treatment. Diabetic individuals may also benefit vastly from this herb as it poses antioxidant properties which aid in blood sugar regulation. It does this by reducing the concentration of a person's blood sugar. There are supplements of this herb available in the market today. If you want to experience the benefits yourself, you can start by purchasing them and take them as directed. Andrographis is surely a good way to lead a healthy life free from a variety of common and complicated diseases.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2655) What are the health benefits of Maitake mushrooms?
Date:
May 09, 2012 02:21 PM
Maitake mushrooms are scientifically called Grifola frondosa, and originated from the mountains of north eastern Japan. Loosely translated, maitake is a Japanese word for ‘dancing mushroom'. It is said that people dance for joy once they find one due to its health benefits and value. These mushrooms can be prepared and eaten with a number of foods. Today, they are also found as powders and dietary supplements in tablet or capsule form. Recent studies suggest that they have many anti-cancer and immune system benefits. It is very important to consult a physician before you begin to take these supplements, in order to know the right dosage that will provide health benefits. The following are the health benefits of taking maitake mushrooms every day: Supports cardiovascular health: People who eat a diet that includes a generous amount of maitake mushrooms have a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Taking these mushrooms daily can significantly decrease the risk of heart disease. Therefore, for a healthy heart, include maitake mushrooms in your diet. Boosts immune system: Taking maitake mushrooms in your diet is a simple way to boost your immune system. As we all know, it is important to have a strong immune system for our overall well-being. Otherwise, we cannot be able to fight off infections. Prevents stomach problems: Often, indigestion leads to a stomach ache. But there is a solution to this. Consuming maitake mushrooms can help in digestion, therefore preventing a stomach upset. Lowers high blood pressure: Studies show that maitake supplements and extracts can work miracles to reduce high blood pressure. Most cardiovascular diseases are caused by high blood pressure. Relieves side effects of chemotherapy: It is a well-known fact that chemotherapy has some side effects like hair loss, nausea, and vomiting. Thus, chemotherapy side effects can be effectively managed by daily intake of maitake mushrooms. Controls diabetes: Scientific research reveals that taking maitake mushrooms every day can help to regulate the levels of blood glucose, thereby helping to control symptoms of diabetes. Lowers high cholesterol levels: People with high levels of cholesterol are at a high risk of suffering heart attacks. As well as diabetes control, studies indicate that maitake mushrooms may also benefit people with high cholesterol problems. Other health benefits of maitake mushrooms Besides the above health benefits, maitake mushrooms are also known to have other health benefits, such as their cancer-fighting abilities and weight loss benefits. They are also commonly used as food additives. Maitake mushrooms for fighting cancer: Maitake mushrooms have cancer fighting abilities and that's why they should be consumed daily. A recent research showed that maitake mushrooms, consumed in any form, can strengthen the immune system and stimulate production of cells that fight cancer. In simple language, consumption of maitake mushrooms can actually prevent the development of cancer. In addition, maitake mushroom ingredients can also limit cancerous cells from growing. Maitake mushrooms for weight loss: According to various studies, maitake mushrooms have been proven to be effective in weight loss. Many eat the mushrooms to help in their weight loss and reduce problems associated with obesity. A diet consisting of maitake mushrooms supplemented with light exercise can significantly help in weight loss.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2641) What Are The Health Benefits Of Eating Raw Honey?
Date:
May 03, 2012 11:23 AM
Raw Unrefined Honey Raw honey does not only taste sweet but also has numerous health benefits. It is one of Mother Nature's best gift to us and has been used for its natural healing powers since ancient time. The goodness with it is that it has retained its natural properties, excellent flavor and health benefits. Raw honey is much better than processed honey. Processed honey normally undergoes many heating processes that destroy the critical enzymes. It might appear clean and clear on the outside but it really has no much benefits as compared to the raw unrefined honey. The ultra filtration that processed honey goes through to make it look fine normally removes an important aspect of raw honey; pollen. With no further argument we can boldly complain that raw honey reigns supreme over processed ones. The following are some of the health benefits that can be harvested from consuming it. It provides a natural healing solution for allergies. You can eliminate all kinds of allergies by eating raw honey. Honey contains anti-inflamatory, anti-allergenicand expectorant elements which reinforce the immune system in the most effective manner ever known to man. That's part of the reason why it's recommendable to take honey with lemon and hot water when having a cold. It is the healer of most skin problems. Raw honey heals and mends skin affected by harmful chemicals. It is applied to rashes,acne and burns with would be regarded as a thin layer of baking soda to reduce the sticky effect. it is also used as a natural moisturizer or use it for treating their scalp with by mixing it with olive oil. It is also a perfect remedy for bleeding gums and canker sores. It aids in the digestive process. Raw honey is a kind of inverted sugar that doesn't cause bacteria or ferment in the stomach. Hence it isn't absorbed easily. Its extremely good enzyme content helps in the digestive process. For many years raw honey has been used as a remedy for gall bladder disease,intestinal ulcers as well as a natural laxative. It contains anti-cancer properties. Studies done show that raw honey has both the capability as well as ability to prevent and inhibit cancerous diseases. It can also aid in the chemotherapy treatment for cancer patients. As a sleep aid. Raw honey is full of vitamins, minerals, calcium, zinc, manganese, potassium, chromium and selenium. All these minerals are needed in the sleep formation processes and to fight insomnia. If you are sleep-deprived, take two teaspoons right before bedtime and experience the magic of this wonderful product made by bees. It is a natural energy booster. The sugars found in raw honey are a perfect source of energy, revitalizing the body especially after a workout session. Now that you know why raw honey is good for you, why not opt for it instead of the processed and refined ones? The next step to take is replacing it with sugar for your cup of coffee and baking needs. It is a natural sweetener that will not only sweeten your beverages and cakes, but also make you healthier.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2640) What Herbs Are Good For Boosting The Immune System?
Date:
March 25, 2012 03:11 PM
Herbs for Immunity The immunity system comprises a network of organs, cells and tissues that are responsible for your overall wellness. The status of your immunity system mainly depends on your feeding habits. The foods you eat supply you with vital nutrients and minerals that help protect you from diseases. The white blood cells in your body are also endowed with the role of defending your body against diseases. There are herbs that help increase the number of white blood cells, while others produce immunity cells thus boosting your immunity system. The following are the best herbs that are good for boosting the immune system: Astragalus Astragalus is a traditional Chinese herb that is locally known as Huang-Qi. The roots of this herb are used for a wide range of purposes, one of which is to boost the immune system. This is because of its ability to increase the number of T-cells and interferon. Astragalus is also used to treat inflammatory conditions, liver problems, viral and bacterial infections, lack of appetite, short breath, stomach ulcers, flu, common cold, diabetes, stress, hypertension and body weakness. This herb also interferes with the growth of cancerous tumors, and has thus been used as a natural aid during chemotherapy treatments. Echinacea Echinacea is a group of herbs popular within the American market, which are also known as black susans, Indian head, American cone flower, or Kansas snake root. The popular species of Echinacea are E. pallid, E. purpurea and E. angustifolia. These herbs have been used for ages as natural immune boosters because of their ability to increase the number of WBC as well as spleen cells in your body. They also increase the number of natural immune chemicals such as immuno globin, interferon and interleukin. When White Blood Cells increase, they give your body maximum protection against antigens that interfere with your overall wellness. The phenolic compounds found in the flowers, roots and leaves of Echinacea herbs are the ones that facilitate this immuno stimulating function. They are also natural remedies for common colds, respiratory infections, skin complications and Urinary tract infections. These herbs can suppress your immunity if taken habitually. Therefore, it is recommended that you use the herb only when you suspect infection. It is also advisable for you to limit the intake of Echinacea to a week because overuse may generate unbearable symptoms. Golden seal This herb is also known as Ground Raspberry, Yellow Root, Orange Root, Wild Curcuma, Indian Dye, Indian Paint, Jaundice Root or Indian Plant. It is a medicinal herb that contains berberine, canadine and hydrastine alkanoids. Golden seal also contains vital vitamins and minerals that are needed for strong immunity system. One of the benefits of Golden Seal is that it serves as an immuno stimulant, especially when blended with echinacea. It has also been used to treat various medical conditions such as inflammation, herpes and common cold. It also has tonic and antiseptic qualities. You can also use it externally to cure sores and itchy sensations. So if you want an immune boost, give one of these herbs a try!
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2618) What Makes Neptune Krill Oil So Good For Your Health?
Date:
March 24, 2012 05:32 PM
Neptune Krill Oil Neptune Krill Oil is a dietary supplement that is made from the a species of Krill, a small crustacean that is quite similar to a shrimp. Neptune krill oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These krills are supposed to be the largest biomass in the world and are found in the Antartic and North Pacific Oceans. While these shrimp like creatures are small in size, there is an estimate of 500mn tons of krill in the ocean. Neptune Technology has the patent for krill oil extraction and hence the krill oil that is found as supplement comes from Neptune Technologies only. As Krill form important part of the food chain, especially in the Antartic region, there have been many krill farms being setup for harvesting of krill. Health Benefits Krill oil has many health benefits and is used as a dietary supplement as it contains important nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids similar to those found in fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids conjugated to phospholipids and astaxanthin. Lets us see what benefits of Neptune krill oil are: Blood Sugar and Hyperlipidemia: Recent studies have shown the beneficial effects of krill oil in lowering blood sugar levels and totalcholesterol. Neptune Krill oil helps in lowering bad cholesterol (LDL), blood sugar, triglycerides and total cholesterol:HDL ratio. Hence it keeps your heart healthy and fit. Premenstrual Syndrome: Neptune Krill oil is an effective and natural way to manage the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. It not just gives relief from the physical symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness and fatigue, but also helps in controlling the emotional symptoms (irritability, stress and depression) experienced by many women during their menses. Inflammation relief: Studies have indicated that daily intake of krill oil helps in improving the joint health and thus helps in reducing inflammation and pain of arthritis. Reduces risk of Cancer: Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-carcinogenic properties. Consumption of Neptune krill oil could reduce the risk of cancer. Studies have even shown that krill oil helps slowing down the growth of cancerous tumors. Fish oil versus Krill oil: Which one is better? Fish oil vs Krill oil is the most common debate that is becoming popular among health enthusiasts. This is because both Fish oil and Krill oil are the daily nutritious supplements that are loaded with potential health benefits. In essence, both of these oils share same characteristics in terms of their composition and their properties but still the comparisons between these two healthy oils continue. Let us discuss the pros and cons of fish oil vs krill oil and compare different parameters to decide it by ourselves, which one is better? 1. Krill oil contains higher amounts of anti-oxidants (astaxanthin) that are quite beneficial for health while many manufacturers add anti-oxidants from outside in fish oil. 2. Both the oils are rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, but fish oil contains high concentration of harmful metals that can cause unwanted side-effects if consumed. 3. Fish oil is made commercially from farm raised fish, which lacks useful nutrients, whereas krill oil is made from the pristine waters of Antarctica. Krill oil is nature's rich source of important nutrients. Neptune krill oil is a vital supplement that has many health benefits.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2617) Effects of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Prostate Health
Date:
February 07, 2012 11:46 AM
Pumpkin Seed OilPumpkin seed oil is getting a lot of attention nowadays because of its healing and therapeutic effects to the human body. Pumpkin seeds actually contain a number of valuable nutrients and microelements that enhances the health being of the users. Pumpkin seeds are actually rich sources of phytonutrients, carotenoids, antioxidants, vitamins, proteins, phytosterols and essential fatty acids that bring about a number of beneficial effects to the human body. Pumpkin seed oil is known for its anti-parasitic, anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, the oil is known for its capacity to lower the cholesterol level of an individual and optimize kidney function. The oil is even used to treat skin irritations and minor skin infections. In fact, pumpkin seed oil is used to achieve a healthier and smoother skin. The oil is even capable of improving sexual health, treating minor depression and provide ample amount of energy to the user. Pumpkin seed oil actually contains ample amount of antioxidants such as Vitamins A, E and C that help the body fight against damaging free radicals. The oil also contains significant amounts of Vitamins B1, B2 and B6. The oil is fortified with adequate amount of Vitamin Kand D, magnesium, omega 6, omega 3, phosphorus, iron, zinc, calcium and trace minerals. Pumpkin seed oil is a rich source of omega 6, omega 9, zinc and carotenoids that significantly reduce the risk of developing prostate problems in the future. The zinc content of pumpkin seed oil makes this natural product effective in treating prostate enlargement. Zinc is an essential mineral that shrinks any inflammation or enlargement of the organs or tissues. Pumpkin seed oil actually contains a number of potent elements that inhibit androgen receptors which can trigger the multiplication of cancerous prostate cells. Pumpkin seed oil was initially used to treat prostate problems and infertility. A number of scientific studies revealed that pumpkin seed oil contains essential elements that increases the libido and optimizes bladder and prostate functions. Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy is one of the most common prostate problems of men who are over 50 years old. The condition is mainly characterized by the inflammation of the prostate gland. High levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the body can trigger the onset of prostate problems. DHT is known for its capacity to promote the multiplication of cells in the prostate which leads lead to the enlargement of the gland. Pumpkin seed oil is believed to be efficient in protecting the prostate against the damaging effects of DHT. Pumpkin seed oil contains huge quantities of phytosterol beta-sitosterol that prevents the conversion of hormone testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by inhibiting the activity of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase which converts testosterone to DHT. In effect, the level of DHT in the body is managed at an optimum level. Pumpkin seed oil also contains Delta-7-sterine that acts as DHT blocker and prevents the damaging effects of DHT on the cell. Delta-7-sterine also aids in preventing the multiplication of cancerous prostate cells in the body. Inhibiting the activity of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase can lead help the prostate shrink back to its normal size because of a controlled production of DHT in the body.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2560) Secrets of Papaya Revealed
Date:
February 06, 2012 08:00 AM
The benefits, an individual can derive from eating papaya should never be compared with that of consuming health pills or supplements. Papaya is not only good to eat but it also has a number of beneficial qualities.
Benefits of PapayaPrevents heart attacks Papaya is rich in anti-oxidants. It helps to prevent cholesterol from getting oxidized and helps in preventing heart attacks. It also has ample amounts of vitamin B, folate acid and pantothenic acid, and also minerals, potassium, fiber and magnesium. Such high quantities of minerals in papaya help in the prevention of colon cancer and also in promoting good health of the heart. Aids digestion Papain, a digestive enzyme found in papaya, is very similar to bromelain. It is helpful in the treatment of injuries due to sporty activities and also in the treatment of trauma and allergies. Papain also aids in relieving an individual from constipation problems. Papaya is a great cleansing agent for an individual’s stomach. Recent research has shown that individuals who have consumed papaya daily for three to four days have had a highly beneficial effect on their stomachs and intestines. Promotes healthy immune system Beta-carotene, which is present abundantly in papaya, helps in the making of vitamin A and vitamin C. These vitamins help in the maintaining a healthy immunity system. Helps prevent menstrual irregularity Papaya taken in its raw form helps in the reducing of menstrual irregularities in women. It eases the condition by helping in the smooth flow of the menses. Helps in making your skin healthy Papaya is highly beneficial for the skin. It helps in getting rid of acne for individuals who have acne-prone skin. When one uses papaya as a face pack, the pores of the skin get opened and thus prevent further formation of acne. Papaya helps in giving a glow to an individual’s skin. Papain, the enzyme found abundantly in papaya helps in dissolving the dead cells of the skin. Therefore it helps in giving an individual a fresh and clean look. Consuming papaya helps in allaying pre-mature aging. The anti-oxidants present in papaya help in preventing the skin from developing fine lines and wrinkles. Other benefits of Papaya Arginine, an enzyme found in papaya is extremely essential for the fertility of males. Another enzyme Carpain is considered healthy for the heart. Daily consumption of papaya helps many individuals suffering from nausea and morning sickness and hence gives them relief. Ear infections, which may trouble an individual continuously, can be allayed by the consumption of papaya. Even cold and flu can also be prevented by consuming papaya. Papaya is rich in nutrition and low on calories. Therefore, it is an excellent food for those individuals who are on a diet. Papaya is good for the hair and helps in dandruff prevention. Shampoos with papaya extracts are now readily available at medical stores. Papaya possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous qualities. Individuals suffering from pain from arthritis, edema or osteoporosis can reduce their pain by the intake of papaya.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2554) Free Radicals And Cancer, How Do I Combat Free Radicals?
Date:
October 12, 2011 01:09 PM
Free Radicals OverviewFree radicals, just the very sound of those words are so dreaded in so many consultation clinics around the country today, this substance has mainly been linked to cancer and its proliferation but what else is there to know about free radicals and cancer. This is what we will be looking at as we go along this article. These free radicals are organic molecules which are primarily the cause for aging, damaged tissues, and a variety of diseases. The main property that causes them to bind with other molecules in the body there by causing damage is because it is unstable. This is the non-stop process that these molecules will do, destroy cells, takes away its vigor and initiate this pro aging process. In a way it is the natural order of things, our world is filled with so many unstable molecules and just like us, there survival instincts kick in and they have to keep stable. Outside the body, that’s all good, no harm for us, but when the same process occurs inside that’s where our own survival instincts come in and helps us think of ways to stop this process of degeneration. With this degeneration process of cells being damaged, it is not far fetch to see these free radicals as the cause of some disease most especially Cancer. Cancer Cancer has been a close second as the top killing disease in America for the past few years now, 2011 is not over yet so there is no ranking out but my guess is, the top 2 will most likely be the same with number one still being heart disease. Cancer is basically characterized by out of control cell growth. There are many classifications of cancer and one thing remains constant, it is characterized or named based on what type of cells it began to damage to cause the eventual cancer. For many of us out there what we do not want to here are malignant tumors in the body and this can occur based on 2 things, when cancerous cells spreads around the body through the bloodstream which is often referred to as an invasion process and the second is when the cancerous cells divide and grow leaving tissues metastasized in a process called mestastasis. Tumors grow and uncontrollably which are lumps of masses that interfere with our normal bodily functions and causes systems to crash like our digestive and nervous systems just to name a few.
The Answer:AntioxidantAntioxidants has been well known to be one of the best ways to fight cancer, present in many foods, these molecules does its handy work against cancer by going to the source. More research needs to be done in its healing effects but as an effective treatment it has been proven to be an integral part in minimizing further proliferation of damaged cells. Antioxidants have been shown to have an amazing characteristic against free radicals and that it plays an integral role in killing these cell damaging molecules in the body. List of antioxidants:
This by far a complete list, but it will get you get started with an antioxidant program to help prevent disease caused by free radical damage.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2502) Prostate Prevention: Using Natural Means To Promote A healthy Prostate
Date:
October 12, 2011 11:51 AM
Overview of Prostate HealthProstate health has been more of a concern for men in the recent decade, not really because it did not have any credence before but because now there is more effort in raising awareness. It also helps that more and more men are able to talk about it more comfortably out in the open and rightfully so compared to when men are ashamed to talk about it because in some ways they see it as losing their manhood due to the ability of poor prostate health to affect erectile functions. And when issues like this are involved some prefer to go down with the disease quietly rather than ask for help and talk about it. So the improvement in awareness this past years has been a very positive change, more and more men are aware including me as to how prostate health is as important as breast health for women. Furthermore, aside from just being aware of the need to look into prostate health a little bit more, many men are also realizing the need to have alternative ways aside from medication to promote good prostate health and avoid having prostate cancer in the future.
The Natural Way To Better Prostate HealthAll natural is all well and good but one thing that we need to remember here is that the key is prevention not treatment. There are so many natural products out in the market today which could benefit prostate health and aside from just supplementing there are things you can do as well to maintain good prostate health. Some recent researches has shown that low glutathione has been linked to higher risks of prostate cancer and so it would be a good idea to ensure that glutathione levels in the body are good. There are also herbs that promote prostate health and one well known herb is saw palmetto which is a native of the Atlantic seaboard region and is by far the most well researched prostate herb. It has been proven to be helpful because of its contents like beta sitosterol which is a powerful compound that inhibits DHT(Dihydrotestosterone – male sex hormone) conversion from testosterone. It also has been proven to have properties that aid in the relief of any prostate enlargement and its symptoms. The next herb would be red clover which is a member of the pea family and contains a hefty amount of antioxidants which we all know fights off free radicals that cause cancer. Aside from herbs, activities like regular ejaculation can also help in such a way that it acts like a cleansing method for our prostate and experts say that 3 times a week should be enough. Exercise and diet as well can most definitely be helpful on keeping your systems healthy and making sure the right nutrients are taken in. And speaking of nutrients, some vitamins and minerals that are considered important for prostate health are Vitamin B6 and working in conjunction with the mineral Zinc it aids in the prevention of prostate enlargement or swelling. Lastly but certainly not the least, lycopene simply has powerful antioxidants that will prevent cancerous cells from proliferating thereby reducing the chances of prostate cancer.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2500) Do you Suffer from Varicose Veins? There Is A Remedy!
Date:
February 03, 2011 01:10 PM
Over 12 million people suffer from varicose veins in the US alone, and leg veins in particular are expected to appear by the time women turn 50. There is nothing pleasant about having varicose veins, and complications are not uncommon, giving rise to venous ulcers and even cancerous tissues. The good news is that a treatment proven to be safe and effective has been around for years with the use of horse chestnut seed extract or HCSE as made available by pharmaceutical companies. Veins may develop conditions leading to the impairment of its functions. Unlike arteries, veins pump blood back to the heart, and acting against gravity bear the weight of the blood coming from the lower extremities. This seems to be a real burden to the veins in the legs, but the vascular walls of all veins have special valves to accomplish this feat. To avoid blood flow moving against the programmed current inside the veins, leaflets of the valves fold and close up as blood passes. A medical condition called chronic venous insufficiency explains the appearance of varicose veins. Veins anywhere in the body can get inflicted with the same symptoms made evident by varicose veins, but the latter is more noticeable because it lies close to the surface of the skin. The valves inside the venous system must be able to act against the turbulence that may occur inside the tube, and when they don’t, blood flow literally descends into chaos, putting an added pressure on the vascular walls.
For most women, varicose veins must be remedied to avoid the social implications they bring. However, there are a number of patients that are plagued with a variety of complications. Some women practically lose the ability to stand or walk for otherwise short stretches of time, significantly affecting their productivity at work. More severe cases include the formation of skin ulcers close to the area of varicose veins, which may worsen into necrosis or skin loss. All the debilitating effects of varicose veins can be countered by intake of horse chestnut seed extract, including of course the removal of ugly leg veins. Standardized dosage of horse chestnut is among the best remedies for chronic venous insufficiency, accounting for innumerable positive results that have been documented in recent years minus the side effects commonly associated with other medications. In fact, medical professionals in Europe largely rely on the use of horse chestnut to correct varicose veins.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2229) Prostate Health - Clinical Strength
Date:
May 28, 2010 01:50 PM
Clinical Strength Prostate Health
Medical professionals, health experts, and researchers now The constant evolution of nutraceutical science has explored many ways in which to support the physiology and function of a healthy prostate gland. Keeping in mind that natural products are not intended to treat or cure BPH, well-conducted studies have showcased the ability of several nutritionals in providing support for normal prostate health. The most recognized is Saw Palmetto; a popular, effective natural extract which needs no formal introduction to health enthusiasts or supplement-savvy retailers. Others, too, appear to help sustain normal prostate function. These include Pumpkin Seed Oil, Lycopene, Stinging Nettle, Quercetin, Phytosterols, and numerous others. The results of these findings, coupled with growing consumer interest in natural alternatives, have come together in our newest addition to NOW’s line of male support products. Clinical Strength Prostate Health is a science-inspired formula developed to deliver the pinnacle of nutritional support for healthy prostate function.* Each 3 softgel serving supplies 320 mg of Saw Palmetto Berry extract (min. 85% fatty acids), along with Pumpkin Seed Oil, Zinc, Selenium, Natural trans-Resveratrol, Vitamin D-3 and other potent synergists. 850 mg of Phytosterols, including eta-Sitosterol, is represented, as well as standardized extracts from Nettle Root, Turmeric, Green Tea, Pomegranate, and Flax Seed Lignans. This novel arrangement of thoroughly researched compounds makes Clinical Strength Prostate Health the last natural prostate support formula* male enthusiasts will ever need. As with every NOW® product, we formulate using only the best raw materials, under the most exacting quality standards, offered at prices that yield high margins and even happier customers.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=2164) Vitamins and Herbs
Date:
April 03, 2009 02:52 PM
The whole human body is made up of cells that contain their own genetic material. In a healthy body, these cells divide at a controlled rate, growing and repairing damaged tissues and replacing dying cells. This predetermined rate of cell division is what keeps our bodies healthy. If cells keep multiplying when new ones are not necessary, a mass of tissue, often known as a tumor, is formed. This tumor can be either benign or malignant. Benign tumors are not cancerous and can occur anywhere in the body. Benign tumors do not cause a threat to health, do not metastasize, and do not grow back if removed. Malignant tumors are cancerous and are usually serious. Often times, they can be life-threatening. Malignant tumors grow uncontrollably, interfere with normal metabolic and organ functioning, and have the ability to metastasize and invade other tissues. If a portion of a cell’s DNA is damaged, the cell can become abnormal. When an abnormal cell divides, it forms new cells that are a photocopy of the damaged genetic material. This ongoing process occurs constantly within our bodies. The majority of the time our bodies have the ability to destroy these abnormal cells and maintain a sort of cellular equilibrium. If a crucial part of the DNA is destroyed and the abnormal cells cannot be controlled any longer, cancer forms. All cancer cells have two things in common: growing uncontrollably and having the ability to metastasize. The immune system does not recognize cancer cells as dangerous or foreign. Although the exact cause for the cell damage that initiates the cancer process is unknown (theoretically free radical damage causes DNA damage), the chain of events that leads to cancer is very complex, and each individual body reacts differently. It is a combination of genetic, behavioral, environmental, and lifestyle factors that are thought to be involved in turning normal cells into abnormal cells, and abnormal cells into cancer. There are also factors that are believed to slow the process, while other factors can speed up the process. Possible contributors to the development and growth of cancer can be divided into three categories: external, internal, and lifestyle. External factors include unhealthy workplace environments and exposure to air and water pollution, chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides. Included in the internal factors include both genetics and infections. Lifestyle factors are those we personally can most readily control, such as diet, smoking, drinking, and sun exposure. External and lifestyle factors account for 80 percent of cancer deaths in the United States. Just as each of us looks different, each of our bodies has its own unique composition. Some of us may react adversely to what some of us react well to. This is why some treatments prove to be successful for some, but not for others. This is why dietary wellness and prevention is so important. If we can keep our bodies healthy and avoid known cancer-causing agents, we have a good defense against cancer in the first place. The following nutrients and supplements are designed for persons who have been diagnosed with cancer, as well as for those who wish to enhance their chances of avoiding the disease: coenzyme Q10, colostrum, DMG, garlic, IP6, melatonin, MSM, proteolytic enzymes, selenium, 7-keto DHEA, shark cartilage, SOD, vitamin A, shiitake extract, acidophilus, chromium picolinate, flaxseed oil, grape seed extract, kelp, l-carnitine, multienzyme complex, a multi-mineral complex, multivitamin complex, NAC, raw glandular complex, taurine, and vitamin B complex. Additionally, the following herbs may be beneficial: astragalus, birch, burdock root, cat’s claw, chaparral, chuchuhuasi, cranberry, dandelion, Echinacea, fennel, green tea, licorice root, macela, milk thistle, parsley, pau d’arco, red clover, suma, cardamom, cayenne, ginger, rosemary, sage, thyme, turmeric, ragwort, wood sage, curcumin, essiac, noni, olive leaf extract, rosemary, and boswellia. All of the above listed herbs and vitamins can help restore the body to good nutrition and help boost the immune system so the body can find and fight back against cancer. Natural vitamins and herbs are available at your local or internet health food store. When purchasing supplements, look for name brand vitamins like Solaray and Source Naturals to ensure you receive quality and you get what you pay for. *Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Natural vitamins and herbs are not intended to diagnose, treat and cure or prevent disease. Always consult with your professional health care provider before changing any medication or adding Vitamins to medications.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1986) Vitamins
Date:
March 05, 2009 01:31 PM
Inflammation is a normal part of the body’s defense against pathogens. The increase in body temperature, flood of toxic free radicals and inflammation-signaling proteins, and release of killer macrophage cells are the main signs of an inflammatory event that is the body’s long-established means of defending against a clear and present danger. This adaptive response can now become a cause for debilitating disease. It is even thought that the aging process may be linked to the very defense mechanism that keeps us healthy when we are young. As we grow older, our ability to regulate inflammation begins to diminish. Instead of protecting us, inflammation becomes silent and systemic, allowing degenerative disease to take root. The symptoms of silent inflammation are extremely different from acute inflammation of redness, heat, swelling, and pain, and can lie undetected until it has been around for far too long. Silent inflammation causes the body to turn on itself, as its immune system begins attacking its own organs. Over time, inflammatory cytokines such as C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and inflammation producing eicosanoids like prostaglandin E-2 and leukotrienes B-4, start to destroy tissue all over the body. In response to this attack, the body produces even more inflammatory cytokines and free radicals, which creates a self-perpetuating cycle. Silent inflammation damages arteries, destroys nerve cells and organs, compromises the immune system, and promotes cancerous growths. Despite how well they feel today, those with silent inflammation are on a fast track toward degenerative disease. On the good side, preventative measures that are taken today to reduce inflammation can prevent degenerative diseases like cardiovascular heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s tomorrow. When there are equal numbers of good and bad eicosanoids, a state of wellness is able to prevail within the body. However, when they become chronically unbalanced, many problems result. This balance is, interestingly, highly dependant upon the level of insulin that is found in the body. High insulin levels, whether they are induced by sugar overload, the onset of insulin resistance, or the hormonal effects of excess fat, set the stage for systematic inflammation. As insulin levels climb, oxidative stress increases dramatically, causing the production of inflammatory cytokines. Along with being too high in refined sugar, the average North American diet is filled with inflammation-promoting fats and scarce in inflammation-reducing omega-3 fats; the consequence of this chronic fatty acid imbalance in an increase in systemic inflammation. As inflammation rises, so does the production of cortisol, which is produced in the adrenal glands and is intricately involved in the body’s response to stress. In an attempt to reduce inflammation, cortisol increases blood pressure, elevates blood-sugar levels, and suppresses the immune system. This means that systemic inflammation produces chronically elevated levels of cortisol, which then place a heavy physiological burden on all organs, causing a dramatic increase on the risk of degenerative disease. Fortunately, changing the balance within the body to favor the production of anti-inflammatory eicosanoids can be achieved through a conscious dietary change. By simply increasing your dietary intake of fatty fish, eating raw nuts and grains rich in healthy fats, and supplementing with a high-quality cold-pressed fish oil or flaxseed oil, and concurrently decreasing your intake of red meats, eggs, high-glycemic foods, and foods high in saturated fats, chronic inflammation can be reduced greatly. Vitamin supplements can boost ones antioxidant intake and help fight inflammation as well. Quality vitamins are available at your local or internet health food store.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1974) Grape Fruit Pectin Fiber
Date:
October 21, 2008 12:56 PM
Grapefruit pectin fiber is a source of soluble fiber that can bind to cholesterol and inhibit the formation of atherosclerosis. It is also effective in maintaining good blood sugar levels, and promoting a healthy colon. However, before discussing how grapefruit pectin fiber works in these ways, it is first necessary to explain how they occur in the first place. CHOLESTEROL LEVELS First cholesterol. This is a steroid lipid, most of which is biosynthesized by your body rather than being present in your diet. Although it has a bad name health wise, cholesterol is actually essential to good health because it helps your digestive system break down fast, it strengthens cell walls and is a major ingredient in the manufacture of vitamin D by your liver. It is also essential for the formation of several hormones, including cortisone, cortisol and aldosterone by the adrenal glands, and also of estrogen and testosterone. A bloodstream without cholesterol is therefore not good for you. Given that cholesterol is essential for good health, then why does it have such a bad press? The root cause of that is that cholesterol is not water soluble, and to be carried round the bloodstream to where it is needed it needs some transport. For that, it uses low density lipoproteins (LDLs). However, it’s not a return journey, and to get back they must use another form of lipid known as a high density lipoprotein (HDL). The protein part is water soluble, wile the lipid part can attach to the cholesterol and carry it around the bloodstream. The problem arises with free radicals, which are oxygenated molecules that are generated by the body’s metabolism, and also created from pollutants, such as pesticides and cigarette smoke, and the UV portion of daylight. These can oxidize the low density lipoproteins so that they can be attacked by phagocytes (while blood cells) deposited as plaques in the artery walls. This hardens and thickens the arteries, reducing the heart’s blood supply which in turn can cause strokes and heart attacks. This can be prevented in a number ways, the major of which are by consuming plenty antioxidants in your food, mostly contained in phytochemicals (plant chemicals), reducing your LDL cholesterol levels to the minimum needed by your body, and also by increasing the HDL levels in your bloodstream by as much as possible. Grapefruit pectin fiber can bind to cholesterol, and prevent it from being deposited in the artery walls by the oxidized LDL. A sixteen week double blind study (neither the subjects nor those carrying out the test and analyzing the results knew who were given the placebo) found that grapefruit pectin successful reduced the low density cholesterol level of 27 subjects by 10.8% and overall plasma cholesterol by 7.6%. These volunteers were at a medium to high risk of atherosclerosis due to a high LDL cholesterol concentration in their blood. Animal studies have also been carried out, whereby animals were fed a high cholesterol diet, and those fed a high fat diet were found to have an average of 45% narrowing of their arteries, and those fed the same diet, but with added grapefruit pectin fiber, were found to have only 25% narrowing, thus corresponding with the results of the human volunteers. BLOOD SUGAR It is essential that you maintain a stable level of sugar in your blood since the body reacts to low blood glucose by making you feel hungry, and thereby forcing you eat. If you are trying to lose weight you will find it very difficult if your blood sugar levels fluctuate. Grapefruit pectin can reduce the rate at which carbohydrates enter your bloodstream, and therefore the rate at which sugars are absorbed. Studies have also indicated that pectin can even out your blood sugar concentration, so that you experience fewer fluctuations or sudden spikes that can make you feel either very hungry, and so binge on carbohydrates, or very satisfied so that you eat nothing at all. The maintenance of a stable level of glucose in the blood is necessary for a normal life since it is that that determine your need to eat food. If your blood sugar is low, the desire to eat high calorie carbohydrate food is uncontrollable. This is the theory behind the so-called ‘grapefruit diet’. You eat a grapefruit prior to a meal, and allow it to be digested. The grapefruit pectin will make you feel full and so eat less, so that you can eat normal foods, but still lose weight. Many people take the grapefruit pectin in supplement form for its ease and economy of use. It is also more convenient since you don’t have to carry grapefruit around with you everywhere you go. A Healthy Colon Like any other soluble fiber, grapefruit pectin fiber is a dietary fiber that can help to maintain the health of your colon. In fact it is the only one of the basic four fibers of lignin, cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectin that is soluble. Although referred to as soluble, pectin softens and expands and provides substance and added weight to faeces in order to allow it to pass easier through your colon. Other than ensuring the easy passage of your stool through your colon, and avoiding constipation, grapefruit pectin fiber can help to prevent excessive growth of bad bacteria in the intestine, and because it accelerates the passage of substances through the colon, there is less time for toxic or cancerous substances to be in contact with your bowel lining. It is that which causes bowel cancer, and grapefruit pectin fiber can help to prevent it. Fiber can also help to prevent diverticulosis, where the intestinal wall develops small sacs and becomes weakened. It also prevents hemorrhoids, eases the symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). In short, it offers many benefits for the health of your colon, and can help to cure many bowel conditions. However, it is important that you don't just rush into using any form of dietary fiber, but take it gradually. You start with a small intake, and then increase it slowly; since it is not absorbed through the intestine too much can lie in your colon and ferment, causing any number of intestinal problems. When used properly it can ease the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, but if used to excess, or too quickly, can actually cause the same symptoms, in addition to blocking the absorption of essential minerals such as iron, zinc and calcium.
Grapefruit pectin fiber can do a great deal for health, including maintaining good blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and helping to keep your colon healthy. It is available in convenient supplement form, but make sure that you drink sufficient liquid each day in order to prevent the fiber blocking your intestine rather than allowing free passage of waste product into, through, and out of your colon.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1921) Vitamins Herbs And Antioxidants
Date:
October 17, 2008 09:48 AM
Grilling meat over an open fire is something our ancestors have been doing for thousands of years. But people today who are indulging in chicken and cheeseburgers face a lot of concerns that our ancestors never even dreamed of. These include air pollutants and cancer-causing compounds. Research has proven that grilling meats creates two types of compounds that can lead to cancer. More so, both briquettes and lump charcoal spew hydrocarbons and soot particles as they burn, which encourage global warming contribute to many health problems. However, the majority of us cannot resist barbeque. So instead of dodging barbequed food, learn to grill without the guilt and fewer health risks. Barbeque emissions are well below those from motor vehicles and the industry in rank, but its environmental effects are just as harmful given that burning charcoal contributes to smog and global warming. Lump charcoal is actually made from charred wood, which is a factor in deforestation. It can be compared to fuels that we use in furnaces and water heaters, such as oil, gas, and wood. Like these other fuels, charcoal produces soot when it is burned. These particles in soot are air pollutants and microscopic solids which are inhaled and deposited in the lungs. Particle pollution is associated with asthma, strokes, heart attacks, lung cancer, and reduced life expectancy. Once animal fat drips onto the flame of a charcoal or gas grill, carcinogenic compounds rise with the smoke and are deposited on the meat. Other harmful chemicals are then formed on the food as it continues to char. The more time the meat spends on the grill, the more harmful chemicals that are created. These compounds do not form on vegetables, as it is a reaction with animal-based foods that generates the harmful effects. However, any food that is over-charred contains other types of cancer-causing substances. Grilling is a method of cooking that adds to the formation and deposit of cancer-causing substances on meat, as both substances deposited are undesirable and carcinogenic. The high heat of grill cooking produces more harmful chemicals than oven roasting or baking a lower temperature, but beef and chicken must both be cooked at temperatures high enough to destroy E. coli and other harmful bugs. Because cancer risk is influenced much more by long-term patterns than occasional patterns, the goal is to have a diet that balances calories you take in with calories you put out, and to eat a diet containing many fruits and vegetables. Grilling less meat and more vegetables can reduce pollution on many levels. Also, vegetarian sources of protein, such as veggie burgers, contain few or no harmful chemicals when grilled. So for those summer days when a barbecue is irresistible, be sure to use natural charcoal, which is made from environmentally friendly wood sources and low-emission plant wastes. Thankfully, all natural charcoals are chemical-free. In order to minimize cancerous compounds on the grill, cook at lower temperatures and flip meat every one to two minutes. Marinating meat or precooking it in a microwave for two minutes will also reduce hazardous compounds and carcinogenic compounds can be reduced by grilling lower-fat meats with fewer fat drippings.
By simply limiting the animal protein portion and making vegetables and grains a larger part of the meal, you can minimize the carcinogens and maximize your intake of cancer-protective vitamins and natural compounds. For most eliminating meat is undesirable, so supplementing with herbs and vitamins that help boost the immune system and act as antioxidants such as grape seed extract, vitamin c, and bioflavonoids can help the body fight off those nasty carcinogens produced from grilling.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1919) Colostrum
Date:
September 03, 2008 09:17 AM
Over the past several decades there have been many shifts in the research that concerns the immune system of the body. Recent discoveries have found that colostrum carries agents that can positively affect immune function in humans. An impressive body of research has found that colostrum is responsible for the first transmission of immune signals in a newborn, which are valuable in shaping the knowledge of the newborn’s defense systems. When an infant is born, the immune system is somewhat naive to the various invaders that try to break down its defense systems and take over the body. Since colostrum is the first food that the body traditionally takes in, the information that the mother has collected over her life of how to fight microbial invaders, cancerous cells, and other toxins effectively is immediately transferred to her newborn. At a time when the infant is vulnerable to thousands of invaders, nature provides a way to help the infant in the process of building his or her immune system in a quick and effective way. Colostrum is an essential part to this complex and timely process. As soon as an infant is born, it is generally fed, with the first portion of fluid that comes from the mother being colostrum. It was thought by experts for decades that colostrum contained only vital nutrients in a nutritional sense, but many now believe that breast-feeding a child is much more beneficial than simply bottle-feeding a child with formula. It has now been discovered that colostrum is much more than a nutrient-rich fluid, it is a combination of immune agents. This mix of nutrients contains agents that are not species-specific in their function, so they do not produce an allergic reaction when introduced to a foreign species. Some of the more prominent and devastating conditions that could be effectively prevented by the use of colostrum and its properties include viral and bacterial infections, parasitic infections, autoimmune disorders, neurological conditions, fungal infections, tissue damage, as well as many others. The body uses an assortment of processes, mechanisms, and agents in order to defend itself. All of these make up what is known as the immune system. The body uses three interrelated functions making its defense mechanism effective. First, it recognizes foreign agents within the body, followed by enlisting a variety of cells and molecules to eliminate or neutralize the invader. Last, the body is able to remember the exact foreign substance so that next time it comes around; it can deal with it quickly and effectively. If the invading organism is able to get through the physical barriers of the skin and mucous membranes in the nose and throat, there are several immune barriers that are ready to defend the body including the body’s temperature, hydrochloric acid found in the stomach, and interferon. Hydrochloric acid, along with the low pH of the stomach, defeats a large majority of viruses that make it past the mucous membranes of the nose and throat.
Interferon is derived from the virus of infected cells and binds and neutralizes nearby virus cells. If there is enough interferons present, this substance can neutralize large quantities of invading viruses. Colostrum helps the body manufacture interferons that can fight viruses and protect the body for a lifetime.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1881) Isoflavones
Date:
September 02, 2008 10:10 AM
An isoflavone from soy has been evaluated for its effect on various female functions such as the menopause and some effects on estrogens. Soy products have been part of the diet in the Far East for thousands of years, and it is a known fact that these people suffer fewer incidences of conditions such as breast cancer, menopausal problems, rectal cancer and diseases of the heart and joints. The benefits that such a diet appeared to confer on those taking it initiated many studies into the active constituents of soy, and how the biochemistry involved imparted these benefits. A result of this was an intensification of investigations into many so-called -women's functions' or 'women's problems' that hitherto had been accepted as a part of life. Now, however, they are better understood, just as many other components of the Oriental diet are being found to have wider implications in terms of disease prevention and increasing life expectancy. So back to soy and its isoflavone content. Soy contains a number of isoflavones, commonly known as phyto-estrogens - plant estrogens - because their chemical formula is similar to that of estrogen, a female hormone. Isoflavones possess some properties that support the beneficial properties of estrogens, and others that suppress some of the risk factors possessed by estrogen. We shall discuss here how these isoflavones are related chemically to estrogens, and how they can be used to support some specific female functions. In order to understand how isoflavones work we go back to the 1980s, when alpha and beta estrogen receptors were discovered. Until then, the biochemistry of estrogen was not fully understood, and problems connected with estrogen had not been fully investigated. Like all hormones, estrogen works by finding receptors that are located on cells. With regard to estrogen there are two types of receptor. The beta receptors are connected with the beneficial properties of estrogen, while the alpha receptors tend to lead to the unfavorable effects such as cancers related to estrogen. Each of your different tissue types possesses different ratios of these two receptor types. The unfavorable alpha receptors predominate in tissues such as the breast, ovaries and uterus. The favorable beta receptors predominate in the blood cells, bladder, prostate gland, thymus and bones. Studies have indicated that isoflavones appear to attack to the beta receptors and simulate the beneficial effect of estrogen when the levels of estrogen in the body are low, and allow the proper functioning of these cells in the body. The alpha cells are also populated by isoflavones, which then protect these areas of your body against cancers that can be stimulated by estrogen, such as cancers of the breast, ovaries and uterus. It appears that cancers that can develop when the alpha receptors are populated by estrogen do not occur when isoflavones have captured them Isoflavones are present in the form of glucosides. These are composed of sugar and non-sugar components, the latter known as aglycones, and the main isoflavones in soybean are based on the three aglycones genistein, daizein and glycetein. The glucosides are water soluble and are broken down into enzymes known as B-glucosidases in the intestine. This releases the aglycones that can be further metabolized into other substances. Current studies are examining the possibility that a diet rich in isoflavones taken early in life up to teenage years can reduce the incidence of breast cancer in later years. Isoflavones have been used in the laboratory to reduce the growth of prostate cancer cells, and animal studies have reinforced this finding. The fact that Japanese men suffer less from prostate cancer than those eating diets low in isoflavones also tend to reinforce this connection. The same mechanism can be used to in prostate cancer by binding to testosterone receptors. Genistein, in particular, can help treat certain types of cancer by inhibiting enzymes such as tyrosine kinase that can become hyperactive and overstimulate the growth of potentially cancerous cells. It is probable that the estrogen binding facility of isoflavones complements the activity of estrogen in women with low levels of hormone. When the female estrogen level is low, isoflavones can reduce the effects of the menopause and symptoms such as hot flushes and night sweats become less severe. While not all women benefit, it has been found that women with these symptoms tend to suffer less when taking a diet rich in soy foods containing isoflavones. In addition to its moderating effect on these cancers, and its effect on the menopausal symptoms on many women, soy isoflavones possess a few other beneficial health properties. They are strong antioxidants, and help to support the immune system by mopping up free radicals. They also help to protect from atherosclerosis by preventing the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and depositing it as plaque in the arteries. There is evidence that isoflavones in the diet can help to maintain strong healthy bones. This is largely through the fact that Chinese women taking a diet rich in soya suffer fewer fractures than those on a low soy diet, but studies are continuing into potential reasons for this. Estrogen receptors in bones regulate bone growth and density. Isoflavones can modulate these receptors and promote greater bone density just like estrogen hormones with out estrogen side effects. Isoflavones have few dietary sources, the richest being soybeans and other soy products. These are very low in the non-Asian diet, so few people, other than Asians, receive the benefit of these phytochemicals. This is believed to be the major reason for Asians suffering significantly lower rates of certain cancers than non-Asians. Soy milk and tofu are the richest sources, although there is no standardization of isoflavones in soy-based foodstuffs. This is because the isoflavone content varies according to growing conditions, although a diet containing the recommended quantities of soy foods, such as soy milk or soy beans, together with a low cholesterol diet, should help women to overcome many of the problems associated with excess estrogen, or a lack of it especially when taking in conjunction with essential fatty acids. Any supplement containing soy will be beneficial to most women, particularly during the menopausal stages, although the effect of isoflavones on certain cancers to which women are susceptible cannot be ignored. Such supplements should therefore be used by all women from at the teens onwards, studies having indicating that an isoflavone-rich diet should be beneficial over the longer term.
Isoflavones from soy is effective in helping to support female functions, although the normal Western diet is traditionally very short in these forms of phytoestrogen. Isoflavones can modulate estrogen receptor sites through out the body helping the body regulate its functions and easy the symptoms related to a estrogen deficient body.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1880) Garlic
Date:
September 01, 2008 01:04 PM
Garlic is a member of the lily family, related to onions and chives, and offers many health benefits other than deterring vampires. There is now ample scientific evidence and proof of its beneficial effect on both a healthy immune system and the circulatory system. The active ingredients in garlic are thiosulfinates, of which the predominant one is allicin, sulfoxides such as alliin and dithiins, of which ajoene is the most widely researched. These compounds are not only responsible for the pungent odor of garlic, but also for its benefits to your health. Among the other components of garlic are selenium, manganese and vitamins B6 and C. Before considering the other effects of garlic on your health, we shall first consider how it benefits the immune system. The immune system is an essential part of human biology, and protects your body from invasion by pathogenic organisms. Without the immune system your body would rapidly be overcome by bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and other foreign bodies, and your body would rapidly fail to function. The immune system consists of several components that can act in concert to protect you from these foreign invaders. It is too large a subject to be discusses in this article, although its major components are the thymus, the spleen, the lymphatic system, bone marrow, antibodies, and white blood cells of various types. Without it your body would rapidly be broken down to nothing, and would revert to a skeleton in a few weeks. It is your immune system that causes inflammation, fevers, boils and pus. These are all examples of the immune system at work to protect your body, and even a fever is the immune system raising your body temperature to one that is unfavorable to invaders. Arthritis and hay fever are other examples of how your immune system reacts to invaders, in one case mistaking damaged joint tissue as being foreign and responding by causing inflammation to protect the joint, and in the other a reaction to invading bodies such as pollen. So what does garlic do to help your immune system? Let's first have a look at the inflammatory reaction of the immune system, a prime example of which is rheumatoid arthritis. The inflammation is caused by compounds known as prostaglandins and thromboxanes, the biosynthesis in your body of which requires the enzymes lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase (LOX and COX). If these enzymes can be inhibited, then the inflammatory response can be modulated, and LOX and COX inhibition is one of the studies currently being carried out into the treatment of some forms of cancers. However, where garlic comes in here is that two effective non-reversible inhibitors of LOX and COX are the chemicals Di(1-propenyl) sulfide and ajoene, and both of these are components of garlic. Garlic can therefore be used, not to stop the inflammatory response altogether since it is an essential part of the immune system for certain infections, but to modulate it and protect you from the more severe effects of conditions such as arthritis - both osteo and rheumatoid - and asthma, which is also an immune response. Allicin has been shown to work with vitamin C to kill certain types of bacteria and viruses, and can help the immune system to protect you from colds and flu, Candida and some gastroenteric viruses. It can also be effective against some of the more powerful pathogens such as tuberculosis. It should be stressed that garlic will not cure these conditions, but help the immune system to deal with them. In fact with respect to the common cold, a study at Munich University has shown that garlic significantly reduces the activity of kappa-B, which is a nuclear transcription factor that mediates the inflammatory response. In other words, the cold symptoms are greatly reduced. This is significant, since increased kappa-B levels can be triggered off by any pathogen that causes an inflammatory response by the immune system (e.g. infection, allergens, physical trauma). The study showed that unfertilized garlic provided a reduction of 25% in kappa-B activity, while garlic fertilized with sulfur reduced it by 41%. There have been other studies carried out that demonstrated that Helicobacter pylori, the organism responsible for gastritis and peptic ulcers, was less active in those that took a regular amount of garlic in their diet. This was shown by measuring the antibody concentration, and while H.pylori was found in both sets (with and without garlic in the diet), the antibody count in the garlic-eating set was much lower indicating a significantly lower population of the bacterium. Another unexpected result was that a group taking both cooked and uncooked garlic had a lower antibody count than those taking either cooked or uncooked. This appears to indicate that cooking changes the chemical nature of garlic, so that both forms work together to provide a more potent effect that cooked and uncooked separately. What has also been established is that odorless garlic has less of an effect on the immune system that natural garlic, so while the odorless type is more socially acceptable, it is not so good at supporting your immune system. The allicin levels in odorless garlic are very much lower than in the natural bulb. Garlic has also been found to be able to help with certain types of cancer. Two servings weekly have been found effective in protecting from colon cancer. Allicin has been found to protect colon cells from the toxic effect of various chemicals, and also reduce the growth rate of any cancerous cells that develop. People in Southern Europe consuming large quantities of garlic have been shown to be 39% less liable to contract cancer of the mouth and pharynx, and 57% less liable to contract cancer of the esophagus. It also had an effect on other cancers, including breast and ovarian cancer. However, the effect of onions on such cancers is even greater. Most people are aware of the cardiovascular benefits of garlic, and it can reduce blood pressure, cholesterol levels and serum triglyceride levels, thus protecting against the harmful condition of atherosclerosis and also of diabetic heart disease. Reduced atherosclerosis means a reduced chance of heart attacks or strokes. It also appears to possess antioxidant properties.
There is no doubt that garlic helps to promote a healthy immune system, although the odorless form appear to be less effective in this respect as natural garlic, and there is evidence that a diet containing uncooked and cooked garlic can be more effective than either of these alone.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1879) Shark Cartilage
Date:
April 30, 2008 03:03 PM
Sharks do not have skeleton of bone but of cartilage, which is a dense form of connective tissue. Its main components are cells known as chondrocytes that are responsible for producing collagen fibers, an elastic protein called elastin that is responsible for the skin returning to its original shape after being pinched, and ground substance that is rich in proteoglycan, a protein with glycosaminoglycan chains. Shark cartilage is said to be beneficial in the treatment of many conditions including arthritis, psoriasis (allied to arthritis), rheumatism, eczema, acne, allergies and the most controversial – cancer. It is said to inhibit tumor growth by inhibiting angiogenesis – the formation of new blood vessels by growing them from old ones. This can lead to metastasis, or the spread of cancer between organs and also feed the cancer cells with blood. Shark cartilage has been used medicinally for thousands of years, particularly in ancient China where its use is documented, and might also have been in other areas where the consumption of fish was high. However, the production of shark cartilage and its trade is not well documented. The major cartilage consuming countries are Australia, India, Japan and the USA, although it is used or consumed in many other countries, especially Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and, increasingly, Europe. The best quality of cartilage is from the blue shark due to its higher chondroitin quality. Chemically, chondroitin is an acid mucopolysaccharide, and a very large molecule that is used for a variety of purposes. In arthritis it is difficult to get it to the source of the problem due to its physical size and large doses are used to ensure that at least a proportion passes through the capillaries to the joints. Arthritis is a particularly prevalent disease and comes in two forms: osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis develops over a long period of time, and generally the cartilage roughens and becomes thin, while the bone becomes thinner. Extra synovial fluid, that lubricates the joint, can be formed and that causes swelling. The bone tried to repair itself, but degeneration continues and the tendons become affected. Eventually inflammation can occur leading to severe swelling and pain. There are several causes, the most common being injury or repetitive hard use of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis, on the other hand, is completely different, and is caused by the immune system rather than wear and tear. The immune system mistakes parts of your joints as being foreign, and attacks the synovial membrane, or lining of the joint. It might also attack the sheath around the tendons. This eventually causes the cartilage to thin and the joints to wear, and the inflammatory response can cause painful inflammations. There is no apparent cause, though heredity, lifestyle and hormones might all be connected. The effect of shark cartilage on arthritis is well documented, and in one study in the 1970s, only 11% of patients did not respond well to a treatment of cartilage injections. The pain relief the injections provided lasted from six weeks to over a year, though no reason could be provided for the vast difference. However, it did seem to demonstrate that the remedy was more than just a placebo. In another study involving bedridden osteoarthritis patients, eight out of ten could leave their beds after only three weeks of oral cartilage treatment. Shark cartilage appears to be effective when administered both intravenously and orally. In a later placebo study involving 147 arthritis patients, they were given either shark cartilage or a placebo. Those with the placebo were encouraged to use other treatments when their pain became severe. After five years the placebo group reported a 5% drop in pain scores compared to 85% of the group taking shark cartilage. The joint deterioration in each group was assessed, and was considerably less in the cartilage group, who also lost less time at work through pain. All of these results indicate that shark cartilage can be used to relieve osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis pain in at least 60% of sufferers. Since rheumatoid arthritis has been linked to psoriasis, this could also explain its effects on psoriasis. What the studies did indicate is that you need not wait five years to find if the treatment is effective or not: if you do not experience positive results within between four and six weeks, then shark cartilage treatment will likely not work for you. There is no doubt that shark cartilage can provide relief to painful, swollen joints, and this is likely due to the mucopolysaccharides. It can also prevent the undesirable growth of new blood vessels into the cartilage and appears to help to regulate the immune system. These are also two of the reasons why it is believed by some to be an effective treatment for cancer by preventing metastasis. It was the publication of the book “Sharks Don’t get Cancer” that started the rush for shark cartilage as a a treatment for cancer, but the problem is that sharks do get cancer – they even get cancer of the cartilage! However, that does not mean that the scientific reasons for the inhibition of metastsis are invalid. They are valid, and it is metastsis rather than the original cancer that ferquently leads to death. Metastsis is the spread of the disease round the body by the bloodstream, and shark cartilage appears to be able to help to prevent that. It also prevents the growth of blood cells into cancerous areas to feed the cancers with oxygen and other nutrients. Although there are few reported side effects of shark cartilage, in the interest of safety it is advised that children and pregnant women should avoid it. The same is true of people recovering from recent surgery since it could slow healing due to its effect on repairing blood vessels. If you have a low white blood cell count, do not have a shark cartilage enema since it can cause a potentially fatal infection.
Otherwise it should be safe to take, and is available in many forms including creams, capsules, powders and injections. The recommended dosage is 1 gram dried shark cartilage for each 7 Kg (15 lb) body weight. Once you begin to see an effect on the pain of your arthritis, one can then try to reduce the dose to 1 gram for each 18 Kg (40 lb) body weight.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1778) Broken Cell Chlorella - Single Celled Micro alga
Date:
April 21, 2008 05:06 PM
Chlorella is what is known as a micro alga, a single celled vegetable organism that grows in fresh water. Microalgae are microscopic species of plant life that are likely responsible for the biological evolutionary history of our planet. Most people associate algae with seaweed: marine plant life. However, this is a restricted view since algae are also common on land, although are rarely conspicuous and still require an aqueous environment if not necessarily a salt water ocean. The reason for this is that algae have no vascular tissue to draw moisture up into the body of the plant as terrestrial plants do, and they tend to be found in tropical regions, on snow in areas of the Arctic and also on exposed areas of stone and rock in symbiosis with fungi in the form of lichens. They can also be found in freshwater ponds and rivers, and chlorella is one of these. Its scientific name is Chlorella pyrenoidosa, and it occurs worldwide. It is said to have the highest concentration of chlorophyll of any other known plant in addition to its other highly nutritional content. The superlatives are almost limitless for such a small plant that most of the general population is unaware of. It is the first plant known to have a true nucleus, it has been around for about two and half billion years, and it can multiply itself fourfold making it the fastest growing species of plant known on earth. It beats other fast-growing algae and bamboo out of site. So what of its nutritional content? It is believed by NASA to be the ultimate foodstuff for long-term travel in space and an ideal crop for colonizing communities. Were a space community to be established on Mars, chlorella would be the first to be cultivated under these big glass domes we all see in the movies! It is more than just a foodstuff though; it is also the most powerful known natural detoxifier for the human body, which makes it practically the ideal food. Why is this? If any food deserves to be referred to as a ‘superfood’ it is chlorella. It consists of over 60% bioavailable protein, and contains six members of the vitamin B complex (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 12) and also vitamins A, C, E and K. It is therefore very high in antioxidants and excellent for destroying free radicals as soon as they are formed, and before they can cause problems such as atherosclerosis and excessive cell damage. It also contains more than its fair share of minerals such as calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc, and also iodine, folic acid and a high proportion of iron. That is not all: it contains many more nutrients essential for a healthy life, but above all chlorella contains all eight essential amino acids. Human biochemistry and metabolism need 20 amino acids to function properly, twelve of which can be manufactured by the liver from these eight: leucine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine, and sometimes serine is added. These are called the essential amino acids from which all the others that your body needs can be manufactured. Amino acids are needed to build proteins and DNA, manufacture body cells, repair damaged tissue, help the immune system to protect you from invading bacteria and viruses, ensure that the oxygen you breathe gets to the cells where it is needed to sustain life and carry out many other functions besides. Without them you could not exist. Chlorella contains five times more protein and amino acids than eggs do. The Chlorella Growth Factor or CGF is a combination of these amino acids, together with nucleic acids, carbohydrates and peptides that have not yet been completely characterized. The CGF promotes the growth of body cells, and stimulates cell repair in a way not seen before in any other food. It has been shown to promote the growth of children in a natural and safe way. Not only this, but it has been found not to promote the growth of diseased or cancerous cells, only healthy ones. The fact that that this accelerated growth does not happen with adults indicates that the Chlorella Growth Factor supports the natural growing process, although in adults it has been seen to accelerate the repair of damaged body tissue. Chlorella also appears to strengthen the immune system, and researchers have found the presence of a polysaccharide in the cell walls of the microalgae that acts with CGF to produce an interferon that protects the helper cells that aid macrophages to destroy invading bacteria and viruses. It can help our resistance to influenza, choryza (common cold), fungi such as candida and many other forms of invasion by foreign agents into our bloodstream. The detox effect of chlorella is largely contained within its cell walls that can bind with persistent toxic substances such as DDT, and bind with heavy metals to safely remove them from the body. In fact it is the ideal anti-toxin for life in today’s environment, full of vehicle exhaust fumes, pesticides and other chemical emissions. It has been claimed to be able to remove mercury from the body, but this has not been established. Probably the only problem with the ingestion and the efficiency of the body to use Chlorella to its full extent is the strength of the cell walls. Chlorella has very strong cell walls, which could also account for the concentration of nutrients within them. the traditional method to overcome this was to mill them using small glass or ceramic beads to break the cell walls down, but the Japanese have come up with a more effective means. High frequency sound waves are used to break the cell walls down supersonically, a technique known as ‘cracking’, and once cracked the cells can release up to 65% of its nutrients, compared to the 50% of the milling method. The nutritional content of single celled microalgae such as chlorella is amazing, and if the was only one food that you were able to eat, then this would be it. There is no other known species of plant or animal life that provides the range of vitamins, minerals, proteins and amino acids that chlorella does, and it truly is the king of all superfoods.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1764) Fight Histamine With Quercetin
Date:
February 11, 2008 03:48 PM
Quercetin is one of the more powerful of the body’s antioxidants, and it can also be used to reduce the rate of histamine release by the body normally initiated by contact with an allergenic substance (for which your immune system has designed an antigen). We shall examine the biochemical mechanism which this is achieved, but first let’s have a closer look at quercetin and what it actually is. Quercetin is what is known as a phytochemical, which is simply the scientific name for a chemical that is naturally produced by plants. Other phytochemicals include vitamin C and omega 3 fatty acids, so the term is very broad ranging for any substance that is produced by plants. It is commonly known as a flavanol, one of a family of compounds known as flavonoids that give color to plants. It is a very active flavonoid, with very powerful antioxidant properties, in addition to acting as an anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory. Histamine is an amine released as part of the body’s immune response to allergenics, and quercetin inhibits its manufacture and release. This amine is an irritant and can itself cause inflammation and the other symptoms associated with allergies such as runny and itchy eyes, a stuffy nose, sneezing and itchy spots. Quercetin can be used to alleviate these symptoms by blocking the manufacture in the body of the histamine that causes them. It demonstrates other anti-inflammatory properties such as alleviating the symptoms of arthritis, and also helps to destroy free radicals in the body through its strong antioxidant properties, but before we discuss how it does this we shall have a closer look at the mechanisms used in its effect in inhibiting histamine. Calmodulin is a protein that is used to transport calcium ions, Ca++, across the membranes of certain cells in the body, and by doing so it helps to mediate a number of biochemical processes within the body, among them the immune response and inflammation. It should not be thought these are always unwelcome responses: on the contrary, they are the body’s way of reacting to foreign bodies and preventing more serious conditions from developing. However, there are instances where the body can become sensitized to certain substances and overreact to their presence leading to conditions such as hay fever or, considerably more serious, asthma. These are just two of the undesirable manifestations of the human immune system that we would be better without. What quercetin does is to prevent calmodulin from properly binding to certain enzymic proteins and so suppress the effect of these proteins. Among these are the enzymes that control the secretion of histamine from mast cells. Mast cells are found mainly in areas prone to injury and at the interface between internal tissues and outside world, such as the nose, mouth, lungs, eyes, blood vessels and feet. They contain granules rich in histamine that degranulate and released the histamine when the immune system detects foreign bodies such as pollen grains and dust mites, especially when the body has created antigens against them. Quercetin suppresses the release of histamine from the granules in the mast cells by preventing the degranulation. The release of the histamine is not completely halted, but its effects are reduced and quercetin is used in the treatment of asthma where it is believed to help reduce the symptoms by reducing histamine-induced swelling in the airways. A similar application of this flavonoid is in reducing the inflammatory response to arthritis, the main cause of the swelling of this painful condition. Your skin can also be affected by inflammation that is partially controllable by quercetin. Collagen and fibronectin biosynthesis is increased that help to maintain not only healthy joints, but also to speed up the healing of wounds and repair damaged nerves. It is also believed that quercetin can hold back the effects of aging on the skin, and slow down the formation of wrinkles. There are other applications of this versatile flavanol, including its effect on acute prostatitis where it reduces oxidative stress and the accompanying inflammation of the prostate gland. In fact, it is believed to have positive effect on many conditions caused by free radical oxidation and excessive reaction by the immune system causing inflammation. Apart from the allergies and arthritis previously referred to, quercetin is believed to have been effectively used in the treatment of gout, macular degeneration and heart disease, and it can also help to prevent the oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL) responsible for transporting cholesterol to where it is needed to repair major blood vessels. When these lipoproteins become oxidized by free radicals then the cholesterol associated with them tends to be excessively deposited in the arteries it is meant to be repairing, and lead to atherosclerosis. This condition can lead to heart failure or to strokes if the blood vessels are in the brain. Studies have indicated that the flavonoid might help to prevent certain cancers by preventing the nutrition of some types of cancerous cells, effectively killing them. Due to its phytoestrogen properties, quercetin can be used to bind to the sites in cancerous cells that are receptive to estrogen and so prevent their growth. Many types of cancerous cells need estrogen for their growth and proliferation, and phytoestrogens mimic the effect of this hormone. However, these are laboratory studies, and more work is required. More certain is the effect of quercetin on heart disease due largely to the aforementioned control of cholesterol deposition in your arteries, but also through its ability to strengthen the capillaries. However, when all things are considered, it is in the properties of this non-allergenic bioflavonoid to fight histamine release that it finds it’s most popular and effective use. So what is the best way to take quercetin? Like most bioflavonoids, it is available naturally in the majority of plant foods. Particularly rich sources are broccoli, red onions, red apple skins, black tea, red wine, red and purple berries and almost all dark green leafy vegetables. However, the name of the game these days is to take measured doses, and while you should continue to eat these foods, you can also receive controlled doses by use of supplements. From 200 to 500 milligrams thrice daily is a good average dose, depending on the severity of your immune reaction or allergy. Bromelain is believed to improve its absorption in the gut, and quercetin is frequently provided with bromelain, which itself is also a good treatment for allergies and excessive response of your immune system to irritation. Bromelain is an enzyme, generally extracted from pineapple, and treatments higher than the above doses of quercetin with or without bromelain are available online, although like any natural remedy you should inform your own physician of the dosage you are taking. There is no better non-allergenic bioflavonoid to fight histamine and its potentially unpleasant effects on your body than quercetin.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1716) Gently Narrow Your "Estrogen Window" With Lignan's
Date:
January 25, 2008 12:23 PM
Although many people think that breast cancer is a genetically transferred disease, the truth is that it is rarely genetically transferred, as only one in every ten cases are linked to genes for this cancer. Strong evidence points to environmental causes being the main reason for breast cancer. By avoiding synthetic chemicals that mimic estrogens, a substantial fraction of these cancers can be prevented. These synthetic chemicals are called xenoestrogens. These xenoestrogens are manmade chemicals that either imitate or enhance the effects of estrogens in the body's cells and tell these cells to grow. During puberty, this growth message is important to a woman's body and during pregnancy and the preparation for that. At this time period, estrogens are in full force, but if estrogen stimulation is increased by chemicals, cell growth is increased even more. Uncontrolled cell growth provides the foundation for cancer. As cells rapidly multiply, which is what happens when exposed to estrogens, the chance of DNA mutation is enhanced, which causes the creation of cancerous cells. A lot of women today also deal with increased estrogen stimulation over their lifetimes due to an early onset of menstruation, late menopause, and less time spent breastfeeding. The use of estrogen-containing oral contraceptives and post-menopausal hormone replacement also add to the estrogen burden, along with obesity and being overweight. Estrogens affect cells by binding to receptor sites. However, there are tools that help to reduce the impact of areas that have a lot of receptor sites, such as the breasts. One of the main tools is lignans, which are a group or naturally occurring plant chemicals that are found in flaxseeds. Interest in lignans began with observational studies, which found a link between high intake and reduced risk of breast and colon cancers. Studies have reinforced those results, finding that lignans inhibit the growth of breast and colon cancer and also reduce the spread of skin cancer. The real benefit of lignans starts when they reach your intestines, where friendly bacteria convert them into phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are a gentler estrogen, which bind to the same receptors that other estrogens bind, but don't have the growth-accelerating effects. While they are occupying these receptors, the less kind and gentle estrogens are unable to bind to them, resulting in both an estrogenic and estrogen-blocking effect. This explains why lignans are effective both for fighting against breast cancer and reducing the effect of hot flashes other symptoms during menopause. When estrogens are low, lignans act as weak estrogens, but when they are high, lignans act as estrogen blockers. The risk for breast cancer is strongly affected by a woman's "estrogen window", or overall estrogen exposure that has been experienced over her reproductive years. The early onset of menstruation, no pregnancies, being pregnant after age 30, limited or no breastfeeding, short menstrual cycles, and late menopause all expand the estrogen window, increasing lifetime estrogen exposure along with the risk for breast cancer. By adding lignans to the diet, women can reduce the size of the estrogen window, and therefore, block the excess estrogen stimulation in estrogen-sensitive tissues like the breasts. Additionally, lignans are also believed to reduce the risk of colon and prostate cancers. When they are delivered along with omega-3-rich flaxseed oil, they promote better cholesterol balance, heart health, joint health, better bone density, greater endurance, better blood sugar balance, and healthy skin, hair, and nails.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1707) Natural Bar Soaps for the Kitchen and Bathroom
Date:
January 23, 2008 11:59 AM
Good natural bar soaps that contain only substances that are good for your skin are available, although most people pay little attention to them. Many people might be unaware of the fact but the skin is the largest organ of the body. As such, the skin needs taken care of just as much as any other major organ, yet few people pay much attention to what they bring into contact with it. Although a lot of money is spent on body products, do you really know what your skin needs for optimum health and what substances can do it harm? Your skin carries out many functions other than keeping the bits inside that should be kept inside. It is a natural thermostat, containing the sweat glands that dampens it and allows evaporation to cool you down. It contains hairs and subcutaneous fat, both of which help you to remain warm when the external temperature is low. Your skin is designed to remain supple, and so allow free movement of the various parts of your body. It is an ideal waterproof covering for your body that also protects you from infection. Although infection can set in if the skin is ruptured through cuts or grazes, the skin itself rarely suffers from surface infections when related to the number of infectious agents it is constantly in contact with. The health of your skin is very important, especially in view of the fact that it regularly comes into contact with some very hazardous substances. What may not have occurred to you is that one of the many functions of your skin is to eliminate some of the body’s waste products. It does this when you sweat and the toxins that are emitted can harm it. Although not often infected, it does suffer from complaints such as psoriasis, eczema and acne that are not primarily caused by bacterial agents or viruses, and hence not true infections. These conditions, however, are caused largely through the emission of toxic agents through the sweat glands. Acne for instance is caused by excessive emission of sebum that combines with dead skin cells to form acne which can also become infected with bacteria. Psoriasis is the excessive formation of skin cells at too rapid a rate, the true causes of which are as yet unknown. Skin cells can become cancerous due to excessive exposure to sunlight or ultra violet radiation, and skin cancer is the most common type of cancer that your doctor is liable to come across. If you suffer from any specific skin condition, such as acne, or even dry skin that can be caused through excessive exposure to degreasing agents or dry winds, then your skin will need special care. The soap you use is very important in the way you care for your skin, and many people will use soaps that contain many ingredients that they cannot pronounce let alone understand. Your skin needs cleansed regularly since it comes into contact with many dangerous and toxic substances. Apart from the everyday pollution of traffic fumes and factory emissions, there are also the substances that contaminate your skin at work and at home. At home specially, domestic cleaners can be very harsh on your skin, consisting of substances that are intended to clean away greases and oils, the very types of substance that protect your skin from the elements. When you clean your oven or your sink without gloves, you also clean off the protective oily layer on your skin and leave it open to bacterial attack. Your skin can also become sensitized to many substances, so that whenever it comes into contact with them it promotes an allergic reaction that can cause irritations so severe that your life can become very miserable. Many people are allergic to various types of soap or detergent because they have become sensitized to them, and are unable to use that type of cleanser after sensitization. Many soaps contain active ingredients that are intended to carry out specific functions. Thus, some contain antibacterial agents to inhibit the growth of specific types of bacteria on your skin, while others contain detergents to improve their cleaning power. However, some detergents can be very harsh on your skin, and try to avoid bar soaps containing PEG-6 methyl ether or butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). These can be harmful to your skin. There are others, and if your skin is sensitive try to avoid soaps containing animal products or petroleum derivatives. Take tetrasodium EDTA, which is present in common bar soaps. It enhances the penetration of substances through your skin, which means that it can also enhance the penetration of the lees welcome ingredients in the soap as well as the moisturizers. Substances as sodium etidronate that is a synthetic preservative that might cause irritation to your skin and mucus membranes. There are several other synthetic detergents that are ingredients in bar soaps, and many kitchen soaps contain the same ingredients as personal or bathroom soaps, the difference between them being only in their moisturizer and perfume content. Other ingredients than can cause potential problems are limonene, linalool and camphor, all of which can give rise to unwelcome conditions such as irritation or respiratory problems. The first two of these are common in bar soaps, as are benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol which are irritants. Alpha-pinene, found in some bar soaps, is a sensitizer than can damage your immune system. Unless you know what a specific ingredient is, don’t use the soap. Instead you should use pure natural bar soaps containing antioxidants that are good for your skin. A pure soap should contain the fat or oil that it is made from, good examples being coconut or palm oils, water, a water softener to enable the soap to cleanse the skin properly, an example being one of the penetrates, a moisturizer such as glycerine or lanolin and possibly a perfume derived from natural sources. Salt is also frequently used, and is a good bactericide. Wherever possibly, you should choose a natural soap containing antioxidants. Citrus soaps, for example, contain vitamin C although many soaps contain antioxidants such as beta carotenes, vitamin A and vitamin E. Since soap consists of both oils and water, you can have both oil and water soluble antioxidants in your soap. The antioxidants help to protect your skin from the ravages of pollution and the effects of the sun’s rays, both of which generate free radicals that can accelerate the aging and wrinkling of your skin. A good antioxidant, moisturizer and wetting agent in your bar soap will help to protect your skin from the effects of atmospheric pollutants, the drying effect of the sun and wind and also effectively cleanse the skin surface and pores of everyday dirt. If this is associated with an absence of synthetic chemicals that can cause irritation then you will be giving your skin the best protection that you can. This is true of soaps intended either for the kitchen or the bathroom.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1705) Build Healthier Skin With Antioxidant Rich Skin Moisturizing Lotions
Date:
November 02, 2007 04:32 PM
Antioxidant rich skin moisturizing lotions can help you to build healthier skin, since they can help to allow the appearance of the fine lines that eventually develop into the wrinkles that you dread. Most people think about caring for their skin more in the summer when the sun is hot than in the colder winter months, but cold can also dry out your skin since you tend to sweat less. However, the summer brings with it the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun to a greater or lesser degree depending on your climate. Tough leathery skin is generally associated with skin neglect by white skinned people in the hotter areas of the world such as Australia and the southern parts of Florida and California. You should look after your skin since it is important to you. It not only keeps everything inside that should be kept inside, but also generates vitamin D and contains the temperature control system that your body relies upon. Elephants flap their ears, dogs pant and humans sweat! Without your skin you would be in a bad way, so you should look after it. If you don’t keep it supple it gets dry and hard, wrinkled, itchy and can crack, into which the bugs and viruses needed to make you ill can enter. All of this occurs when your skin loses its moisture. In order to keep it in tip top condition, and keep yourself looking young and attractive, you should keep it moist through the use of artificial moisturizers if necessary. So why does your skin dry out and how do moisturizers work to help overcome the effects of drying? In fact the major problems that occur with your skin due to exposure to sun in the summer have nothing to do with drying out. Your skin actually does, as suggested above, become more affected by dryness in the winter when the relative humidity is low. It is in winter that you have to use lip moisturizer because of dry and cracked lips, not summer. However, summer has its dangers, even more than winter. It is the UV radiation from the sun that damages your skin and can ultimately lead to skin cancer. The UVA and UVB radiation are at different wavelengths and have different effects. The combination, however, causes wrinkles, skin disorders when aging, premature aging, and dry leathery skin. Part of this is believed to be due to the breakdown of the collagen in the skin that maintains its elasticity, free radical damage and inhibition of the immune system. When UV radiation breaks down collagen it causes the accumulation of abnormal tissue. When this builds up, enzymes are produced that are intended to repair the collagen, but sometimes it does not work properly and produces a disorganized and random accumulation of collagen fibers that eventually result in wrinkles. Free radicals are chemicals that have a free electron available, rather than having all electrons in pairs as in stable compounds. It is therefore unstable and will steal an electron from healthy tissue and so damage the cell that it takes it from. Eventually, the cells die and genetic material within the cells can be altered. This can cause wrinkling of the skin and underlying tissues or even cancer by changing the DNA and RNA contained within the cell. The final defense of the body against cell damage is paradoxically apoptosis, which is suicide by the damaged cells to prevent them becoming cancerous. This is what you see when your skin peels after sunburn – it is deliberate action on behalf of the cells of your skin sacrificing themselves to save the body as a whole. UV exposure can prevent this from occurring which is why it can lead to some forms of skin cancer. However, it is the action of oxidants on the skin that cause most damage. The so-called drying out of skin is largely due to oxidant damage more so than to loss of moisture. The sweat glands in your skin can produce lots of moisture, but nothing can be done about free radicals other than provide the help of antioxidants to kill them off. Antioxidants destroy free radicals with glee, and hunt them down wherever they are. The common antioxidants in your body are vitamins A, C and especially the powerful vitamin E. That is why so many skin creams contain vitamin E, and sometimes also vitamin A. However, there are many more antioxidants than these. Astaxanthin is one. ‘Asta what?’ I can hear you say, and I am not surprised. It is not very common in health stores, but has been approved by the FDA and in Europe as a food colorant. It is a terpene carotenoid, though does not break down to vitamin A in the human metabolism as other carotenes do. It is claimed to be fifty times more powerful as an antioxidant than vitamin E and acts as an internal sunscreen in the skin by blocking the harmful effects of UV radiation at cellular level. It is available naturally in krill, salmon, trout, crustaceans and some bird feathers, and is extracted from microalgae. Not all sources are palatable and it is best taken as a supplement, or to protect the skin, in a cream. Another super-antioxidant is pycnogenol. However, be aware of purchasing it under this trade name in the USA, since the term has been hijacked by others who are selling a different product under that name. The true chemical pycnogenol as named by Frenchman Dr. Masquelier is a very strong antioxidant: any others are mere imitations that are not the same product. Chemically, pycnogenol is a proanthocyanidin, a flavanol extractable from grape seed or pine bark. Any product that comes from a different source cannot be pycnogenol. That said, the product is able to strengthen the skin and prevent wrinkles through its effect in scavenging free radicals. It stops the free radicals from destroying the cells of the skin and causing premature aging. Whether the chemical is extracted from pine bark or grape seed appears to make no difference. The chemicals are virtually identical, or should be if they are from the right form of pine bark. The polyphenols in green tea also eradicate free radicals. They too are very strong antioxidants, just one of the remarkable properties of this plant. However, none of these will be of much help unless specifically applied to the skin. If taken internally, they will do a great job of mopping up free radicals in the blood, but very little will actually reach the skin. In order to build healthier skin, you will have to use antioxidant rich skin moisturizing lotions that apply moisture to your skin, but more importantly also apply these powerful antioxidants. If you really want to maintain good looking wrinkle-free supple skin in sunny climates, then look for one or more of the above substances as an ingredient in your moisturizing lotion.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1614)
Date:
July 29, 2007 11:41 AM
Prostate Cancer and Nutritional Supplements
Years of research have discovered that the foods a man chooses to eat (or doesn’t eat) can have a profound impact on the health of his prostate gland. Because of this close nutritional link, prostate cancer may be the most preventable type of cancer (after smoking-related lung cancers).
Recently, there has been an incredible amount of research and investigation of prostate cancer. Many of these studies have explored the use of certain nutrients to prevent and actually treat prostate cancer. These nutrients, calcium D-glucarate selenium, broccoli, green tea, maitake, and lycopene are powerful prostate cancer fighters. All are available as nutritional supplements that men can take every day as an important part of a healthy diet.
In this issue of Ask the Doctor, we will discuss prostate cancer and how men can actually prevent it with the use of these six nutrients. Plus, if men already have prostate cancer, these nutrients can be an important part of their treatment regimen in fighting their disease.
Q. What does the prostate gland do?
A. The prostate is a gland in a man’s reproductive system. It makes and stores seminal fluid, the milky fluid that nourishes sperm. This fluid is released to form part of the semen. The prostate is about the size of a walnut and it is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. The prostate actually wraps around the upper part of the urethra, the tube that empties urine from the bladder through the penis.
Q. What are the symptoms of prostate cancer?
A. Early prostate cancer often does not cause any symptoms. However, many symptoms of prostate cancer are also symptoms of other problems with the prostate, such as an infection or benign prostatic hyperplasia, a prostate enlargement associated with age-related changes.
A man who has any of these symptoms should see his health care practitioner for evaluation:
-A need to urinate frequently, especially at night
-Difficulty starting urination or holding back urine
-Inability to urinate
-Weak or interrupted flow of urine
-Painful or burning urination
-Difficulty in having an erection
-Painful ejaculation
-Blood in urine or semen
-Frequent pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs.
Q. Are certain men more prone to get prostate cancer?
A. Age is the biggest risk factor: most prostate cancers occur in men over 65 years of age. A man’s risk for developing prostate cancer is higher if his father or brother has had the disease. African-Americans are at higher risk for the disease. Mechanics, farmers, sheet metal workers, and workers exposed to cadmium have also had high rates of prostate cancer.
Q. How is prostate cancer diagnosed?
A. A man who has any of these risk factors may want to ask his health care professional whether to begin screening for prostate cancer (even though he does not have any symptoms), what tests to have, and how often to have them.
The usual prostate tests include: Digital rectal exam: the doctor inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum and feels the prostate through the rectal wall to check for hard or lumpy areas.
Blood test for prostate-specific antigen (PSA): a lab measures the levels of PSA in a blood sample. The level of PSA may rise in men who have prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia (a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland), or an infection in the prostate.
These tests will only determine if there is a problem with a man’s prostate gland. They cannot determine if the problem is cancer. Only a biopsy of a sample of prostate tissue can reveal the presence of actual prostate cancer.
Q. What nutrients help prevent or treat prostate cancer?
A. The prostate health nutrients, calcium D-glucarate, selenium, broccoli, green tea, maitake, and lycopene, each work in unique ways. Some help men’s bodies’ work more effectively some keep cancer cells from growing, while others actually kill prostate cancer cells. Let’s discuss each nutrient and how it works.
Calcium D-Glucarate
It is a troubling fact of modern life that we are continuously exposed to cancer-causing chemicals and toxins. These toxins come in part from contaminants in the food we eat and pollutants in the air we breathe. There are also “natural” toxins that are produced in our bodies. Excess hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone, can cause cancer when they are no longer needed. Cancer causing chemicals not only initiate cancer, but exposure to them can also cause existing cancers to grow bigger, stronger, and more deadly.
Our bodies do a fairly good job of eliminating some of these toxins before they can cause us harm. In the liver, the toxin is bound or attached to a chemical called glucuronic acid. The bound toxin is then excreted in bile and eventually eliminated as a waste product in the stool. However, yet another chemical, an enzyme called glucoronidase, can break this bond between the toxin and glucuronic acid. When this happens, the hormone or toxin is released back into our bodies, capable of causing us harm once more. The longer the toxins and excess hormones are in our bodies, the greater the chances they can make us seriously sick. Scientists have discovered that increased glucuronidase activity in the body is strongly associated with prostate cancer.
Fortunately, scientists have also discovered that a natural substance found in foods, calcium D-glucarate, can greatly reduce the activity of glucuronidase. Calcium D-glucarate helps our bodies keep the harmful toxins and chemicals bound to glucuronic acid. While CDG is found in fruits and vegetables, the amounts may not be sufficient to maintain effective levels to stop beta-glucuronidase. CDG has been shown in many experimental studies to significantly stop prostate cancer growth. Studies have shown that by taking calcium D-glucarate, our bodies and get rid of the toxic chemicals and excess hormones that might stimulate cancer formation.
Selenium
Selenium is an essential trace mineral fund in the soil. Both plant foods like oatmeal and meats that we eat, such as chicken and beef, contain selenium. How much selenium, however, is difficult to determine. This is because the amount of selenium in soil, which varies by region, determines the amount of selenium in the plant foods that are grown in that soil. Animals, too, will have varying levels of selenium in their muscle, depending on the amount of selenium in their feed. The actual selenium level in the grasses and grains that make up animal feed reflect the amount of the selenium in the soil where they grew.
A major antioxidant, selenium slows down aging, keeps our skin supple, and helps prevent dandruff. Selenium also keeps our blood vessels healthy and protects us from heart disease. However, some of selenium’s most powerful effects are on the prostate gland.
In a recent study, researchers recruited 974 men to take part in a large clinical trial to determine if selenium could prevent cancer. Half of the men were given selenium supplements and half were given a placebo. Researchers, who did know which group got the placebo, watched and recorded the men’s progress. The researchers were amazed to learn that selenium cut the rate of prostate cancer by 63%!
The results of this study were so impressive that it has led to many other studies of selenium and prostate cancer. In fact, researchers at the
Broccoli
Scientists have observed over for a long period of time, that men who eat lots of broccoli have a lower risk of getting prostate cancer. It seems that sulforaphane, a compound abundant in broccoli, is the secret ingredient responsible for this connection. Sulforaphane increases certain enzymes in the body, called phase 2 enzymes, which deactivate cancer-causing chemicals. In lab experiments, prostate cancer cells that were exposed to sulforaphane, the compound inhibited the growth of the cancer cells up to 80 percent.
Green Tea
There is a potent plant substance in green tea that is a very effective killer of prostate cancer cells. A recent study tested four common components of green tea and determined that one of these compounds, epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, has a special affinity for prostate cancer cells. Scientists discovered that EGCG can stop the growth of prostate cancer dead in its tracks. The chemical structure of EGCG is very similar to substances in red wine and cruciferous vegetables, known cancer killers.
Maitake mushroom
For many years, maitake mushrooms have been linked to good health in those who eat them. Called “dancing mushrooms” (possibly due to their wavy, rippling appearance or possibly due to the little dance of joy mushroom hunters perform when they find them in the woods), maitakes contain an important compound called D-fraction.
A recent study at
Lycopene
Some of the most exciting nutritional news in relation to prostate health involves lycopene. This carotenoid is found primarily in tomatoes, and men who eat lots of cooked tomatoes have very low rates of prostate cancer. Because promising preliminary reports demonstrate that lycopene can actually kill prostate cancer cells, there has been an explosion of lycopene and prostate cancer studies.
In one of these studies, 32 prostate cancer patients ate a pasta meal covered with three-fourths cup of tomato sauce every day for three weeks. Results showed their PSA levels dropped two points. Even signs of DNA damage dropped sharply. The ability of lycopene to drop these levels in just three weeks has impressed researchers and scientists worldwide.
Q. Do I have to take each nutrient separately?
A. While you can purchase each one of these nutrients and take them separately, all of these nutrients are available in prostate health formulas. Make sure the formula you buy contains calcium d-glucarate, lycopene, and selenium, broccoli standardized to contain a minimum of 125 mcg sulforaphane, green tea, and maitake mushroom extract. Standardized ingredients provide consistently effective nutrients.
Q. What else can men do to prevent prostate cancer?
A. Adopting a healthy diet, including eating 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, eating several servings of whole grain cereals and bread, and reducing red meat consumption to 2 or 3 servings per week has been shown to reduce the risk of all kinds of cancer. In addition, the recent lycopene studies suggest that a diet that regularly includes tomato-based foods may help protect men from prostate cancer.
Men 50 years and older should have a digital rectal exam (DRE) and PSA test each year. African-Americans and those at higher risk should begin at age 40. Talk with your health care professional to determine how frequently the test should be done.
Conclusion
This year doctors expect to find 180,000 new cases of prostate cancer is the
More cancers are caught early and new treatments might help make it possible for men to live long and healthy lives following their diagnosis. By taking a few simple steps, men diagnosed with prostate cancer can take charge of their lives and overcome much of the fear and anxiety that accompany a cancer diagnosis.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1588) Breast Cancer and Natural Supplements
Date:
May 11, 2007 10:47 AM
Breast Cancer and Nutritional Supplements
There is probably nothing more frightening for a woman than the discovery of a lump in her breast. Cancer and all its consequences quickly come to mind. This quick association may materialize, in part, because no woman is immune. Most have a friend, a sister, a mother, or a coworker who has been diagnosed with the disease. And they know how difficult dealing with this disease can be. Fortunately, 80% of all breast lumps are not cancerous. Most are cysts or a benign clump of tissue.
Over her lifetime, a woman’s breasts undergo many, many changes. From before puberty and on, breast tissue is continually evolving. Breasts often feel different before menstrual cycle, returning to normal a few days after. Pregnancy certainly causes changes in a woman’s breasts, as does breastfeeding. And as women age, breast tissue becomes less dense.
Because of these continual changes, breast tissue especially requires adequate nutrition. While everyone benefits from a healthy diet, there are additional nutrients from which women can specifically benefit.
In this issue of Ask the Doctor, we will discuss breast cancer and the vast amount of research that has explored the role nutrition plays in this serious and still deadly disease. Specifically, we will discuss how two B vitamins, calcium D-glucarate, broccoli extract, green tea, maitake mushrooms, and iodine can all help prevent breast cancer.
Q. How can these nutrients prevent breast cancer?
A. Scientists learn a lot about disease from simply observing what is happening around them. One observation that has been recognized for many years is that certain cultures have very low incidence of breast cancer. Women n
Moms (and dads) have also learned a lot about diseases simply by observing what is happening in their families. They have notices that certain vegetables play a large role in the prevention of all types of diseases, including cancer. And, accordingly, they have been urging their offspring to eat their vegetables for several generations.
Building on these observations, scientists have designed and carried out many studies to determine what it is about these nutrients that can prevent breast cancer. What they have discovered, so far, follows. Let’s start with the B vitamins.
Vitamin B12
Deficiencies of this vitamin can result in a serious type of anemia. Nerve damage can also occur if B12 levels are too low. Researchers are now investigating whether breast cancer may, in part, be caused by a B12 deficiency as well.
At
Another study, this one taking place in a laboratory setting, discovered that vitamin B12, applied directly against experimental breast cancer cells, actually stopped the cancer cells from growing. The researchers conducting the experiment believe that giving vitamin B12 to women with breast cancer as part of a chemotherapy regime, might help keep the cancer in check.
Folic Acid
Low folic acid intake is linked to the development of all cancers. This is because folic acid is crucial to the making and continual repair of DNA, the molecule that carries our genetic code. A recent study discovered that high intakes of folic acid might actually reduce the risk of breast cancer. The researchers looked at the diets of over 2600 women. During interviews with the researchers, the women reported what they usually ate. Once the data was collected, the results showed that women, who ate lots of foods that contained folic acid, had much lower rates of breast cancer.
There is no clear-cut, single cause of breast cancer. Many factors are required for the disease to appear. One such factor is estrogen. A recent study showed that women who developed breast cancer tended to have higher levels of estrogen circulating in their bodies than women without breast cancer. This means that women who got their periods before age eleven or entered menopause after age fifty-five have a higher risk of breast cancer. This also supports the theory that the number of menstrual cycles a woman has affects her risk for breast cancer.
Another factor is drinking alcohol. Because alcohol raises estrogen levels, if a woman consumes even moderate amounts of alcohol her risk of breast cancer also is increased. The link between alcohol and breast cancer may even be stronger than other dietary links. However, an important study has discovered that folic acid may uncouple this link.
A very large study of over 34,000 women recently studied the effect of folic acid on the risk of breast cancer. This project was part of the Nurses’ Health Study, an ongoing, long-term study that looks at nutrition’s role in the development of disease. The women in the folic acid and breast cancer study were followed for 12 years. The participants completed detailed food questionnaires that provided the researchers with important data.
The women were divided into four groups:
1. Women with low folic acid levels and drink alcohol
2. Women with high folic acid levels and rink alcohol
3. Women with low folic acid levels and don’t drink alcohol
4. Women with high folic acid levels and don’t drink alcohol
Within these four groups the women were further divided into subgroups according to the amount of alcohol they consumed each day and their specific folic acid intake.
The researchers found that women who consumed the lowest amounts of folic acid and drank at least one alcoholic beverage a day had the highest rate of breast cancer. In contrast, women who had high intakes of folic acid and also drank at least one alcoholic beverage a day, had the same rate of breast cancer as the women with high folic acid intakes who did not drink. In other words, women who had high levels of folic acid in their diet erased their alcohol-related increase in breast cancer risk.
Calcium D-Glucarate
It seems estrogen can be both friend and foe. While women need the hormone to soften skin, thicken hair, and fill out hips and breasts, estrogen can also nourish breast tumors, helping them grow bigger, stronger, and more deadly. Thanks, in part, to good nutrition, American women get their periods early and go through menopause alter in life. Women today also have fewer pregnancies; families with one or two children are quite common.
All of these factors increase the time women’s bodies are exposed to estrogen. As we discussed before, longer exposure means increased opportunities for estrogen to cause trouble. It is also a troubling fact of modern life that we are continuously exposed to cancer-causing chemicals and toxins. These toxins come in part from contaminants in the food we eat and pollutants in the air we breathe.
The body does have a system that eliminates some of the excess estrogen and toxic chemicals before they can cause harm. In the liver, they are bound or attached to a chemical called glucuronic acid. The bound toxin or estrogen is then excreted in bile and eventually eliminated as a waste product in the stool.
However, an enzyme called beta-glucuronidase can break this bond between estrogen and glucuronic acid. When this happens, the hormone or toxin is released from its bone, capable of causing harm once more. Increased beta-glucuronidase activity is associated with an increased risk for various cancers, particularly hormone-dependant cancers like breast cancer.
Fortunately, scientists have discovered that a natural substance found in foods calcium D-glucarate (CDG) can stop the activity of beta-glucuonidase. CDG keeps the harmful estrogen bound to glucuronidase. While CDG is found in fruits and vegetables, the amounts may not be sufficient to maintain effective levels to stop beta-glucuronidase.
CDG has been shown in experimental studies to significantly stop beast cancer growth. And several human trials are currently underway with CDG to determine its capability to decrease the breast cancer risk in women at high risk for the disease.
Iodine
There are some very interesting connections between breast tissue and thyroid tissue. Iodine is an essential trace element present in a hormone of the thyroid gland and is involved in several metabolic functions. One iodine function is the protection of breast tissue from cancerous cells.
In a laboratory study, researchers exposed breast cancer cells and breast tissue without any cancer to a type of seaweed that contains high levels of iodine. The seaweed killed all of the cancerous cells, yet did not harm the normal breast cells. Japanese women frequently eat this type of seaweed and have very low rates of breast cancer. The study’s researchers believe one reason for this low incidence of breast cancer may be the iodine in the seaweed.
And, for some as yet unknown reasons, women who have thyroid cancer are at higher risk of developing breast cancer. While they are unsure why this happens, researchers are continuing to study this link, and support of healthy thyroid function remains an important consideration.
Broccoli
For quite some time, scientists have observed that cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, significantly reduce the risk of disease, including cancer. It seems a phytochemical in broccoli sulforaphane, is one of the chemicals responsible for this beneficial activity. Sulforaphane increases certain enzymes in the body called phase 2 enzymes that deactivate cancer-causing chemicals.
Breast cancer cells exposed to sulforaphane in several lab experiments showed that the compound inhibited the growth of the cancer cells up to 80 percent. Researchers are in the process of setting up clinical trials to study sulforaphane’s effect in women who have breast cancer.
Green Tea
There is a tall amount of research, including finding from the Nurses’ Health Study, that suggest green tea beverage consumption is associated with a lower incidence of breast cancer. In fact, researchers have long noted the low rates of breast cancer in
The active compound in green tea responsible for breast cancer inhibition is epigallocatechin-3 gallate or EGCG. When breast cancer cells are exposed to EGCG in lab experiments, the cells stop growing, lose their ability to replicate, and die.
In a recent study, researchers discovered that drinking green tea prevented the recurrence of breast cancer in women who have previously been diagnosed and treated for the disease. This study involved over 1100 Japanese women. The women who drank green tea every day had very low rates of their breast cancer returning.
Maitake Mushrooms
For thousands of years, maitake mushrooms have been linked to good health in those who eat them. Called “dancing mushrooms” (possibly due to their wavy, rippling appearance or possibly due to the little dance of joy mushroom hunters perform when they find them in the woods), maitakes contain an important compound called D-fraction.
Not only does the D-fraction in maitake mushrooms stop the growth of cancerous tumors, it also alerts and stimulates immune cells (including macrophages and natural killer cells) to fight the disease. Maitake also inhibits some of the mechanism that promotes metastasis, or spread, of cancer cells in the lymph and bloodstream.
Because of this success, maitake is now being used in clinical trials of women with breast cancer. One study reported significant improvement of symptoms, including reduction of the tumor. The maitake was given to breast cancer patients in addition to standard chemotherapy.
Q. Should these nutrients be used in place of traditional treatment for breast cancer?
A. Absolutely not. None of these nutrients can cure breast cancer. However, they can be a part of a validated plan of treatment. If you have breast cancer, talk to your health care practitioner about these nutrients. Remember, nutritional supplements are just that: supplements to food, medication, and treatment. They are intended to enhance and prevent, not replace.
Conclusion
Despite apprehension in performing self-breast exams, women are very proactive in their health. Yearly mammograms and pap tests have been an important part of their lives for many years, and newer and more accurate diagnoses are emerging. The prevention of health problems in themselves and their families has always been a high priority for women. And for women, nutrition has played an important part of health problem prevention.
Nutritionally speaking, what benefits your breasts benefit your whole body. However, as we have learned, there are specific links between nutrition and developing breast cancer that seem to be fairly strong.
Making a few changes may reduce the risk of developing the disease. The nutrients listed here, vitamin B12, folic acid, calcium d-glucarate, iodine, broccoli, green tea, and maitake mushrooms can be an important part of a woman’s preventative health regimen.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1537) Turmeric and Alzheimer’s Disease
Date:
May 10, 2007 12:38 PM
Turmeric and Alzheimer’s Disease
In
Compare these findings to people over the age of 65 living in the
So what are people who are living in
Q. How can curry prevent these changes in the brain? Isn’t that a lot to expect from a spice?
A. Evidently, it’s not too much to expect from this spice. Curry comes from the turmeric plant – Curcuma longa is the plant’s official name. Curcumin, a plant compound in turmeric, is the source of curry’s instantly recognizable bright yellow pigment. When it comes to the scientific research of Curcuma longa, the terms curcumin and turmeric are both used. Both refer to the same thing- tumeric extract.
There have been more than 1300 studies on tumeric and its health benefits for humans. Research has shown tumeric is able to help the body get rid of cancer-causing toxins. Turmeric also blocks estrogen receptors and enzymes that promote cancer. And it’s been found to stop the growth of new blood vessels in cancerous tumors – an important factor in keeping cancer from getting larger and spreading throughout the body.
But one of turmeric’s most exciting health benefits is its ability to reduce, prevent, and stop inflammation. While inflammation is a normal and needed response to injury or disease, chronic inflammation can cause damage to tissues. And researchers are now finding inflammation plays a huge role in Alzheimer’s disease.
Q. I’ve always heard that Alzheimer’s disease was caused by complex growths in the brain called plaques and tangles. How can simple inflammation cause such a devastating disease?
A. You are right. Plaques and tangles are indeed the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. But researchers looking at the brain damage caused by Alzheimer’s have always noted the presence of inflammation wherever plaques and tangles form. In the past, this inflammation was thought to be simply a consequence of Alzheimer’s disease. Now scientists believe the inflammation itself starts a chain reaction ultimately contributing to the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
` When cells in the brain are disrupted by inflammation, amyloid, and a protein normally found in the brain, beings to act chaotically. This chaos results in the creation of beta-amyloid, protein that is toxic to cells in the brain. Sticky deposits of beta0amyloid build up and collect around the cells, making dense clumps or plaques. Because the brain can’t break the plaques down and get rid of them, they stay right where they are and slowly accumulate.
Tangles result when long protein fibers that act like scaffolding for brain cells begin to twist and tangle. The cell is damaged and eventually dies. But the tangled proteins remain in the brain even after the dead neuron has been cleared away. And inflammation might be the culprit causing the long protein fibers to start tangling.
The consequence of these abnormalities of protein in the brain is more than the cell death they cause. They also act as roadblocks interfering with electrochemical messengers being shot from cell to cell. Therefore, the remaining healthy cells’ activity is diminished as well.
Research of identical twins has repeatedly shown that if one twin has Alzheimer’s disease, the other has a 60% chance of developing the disease, too. Scientists from the Karolinska Institute in
In fact, the inflammatory process might occur years before the onset of Alzheimer’s, and be the result of any number of infections people can contract. That’s why current research is searching for ways to protect brain cells from inflammation. And why some countries have low rates of Alzheimer’s disease, like
Q. Why curry? Couldn’t other lifestyle difference account for the low rates of Alzheimer’s disease in
A. That’s a good question. When researchers begin studying a disease, like Alzheimer’s, they look for trends to help them determine how and why the disease occurs. For example, we all now know the connection between cigarettes smoking and long cancer. But, it wasn’t until the 1930’s that doctors noticed the trend fro cigarette smokers to have more lung cancer than people who didn’t smoke.
So it has been with researchers studying Alzheimer’s disease. They know Alzheimer’s disease has an important connection to inflammation. They also know turmeric reduces inflammation. And when researchers noticed these trends – that people in India eat high amounts of curry from turmeric and have very little Alzheimer’s disease – they began to theorize that turmeric might be able to prevent or even treat the illness. And the research they designed around these trends has unequivocally found turmeric to be on common denominator.
Q. What have the turmeric studies shown so far?
A. Simply amazing findings are coming from curry research. Not only does turmeric slow down cancer growth, it’s also been found to correct the cystic fibrosis defect in mice, help prevent the onset of alcoholic liver disease, and may slow down other serious brain diseases like multiple sclerosis.
Researchers from the
And now the UCLA Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC) is using turmeric in clinical trials and studying the effect of this powerful spice in patients diagnosed with this devastating disease. Clinical trials are the gold standard of medical research. But it’s rare in Alzheimer’s disease. And it’s even more rare when all-natural herbs and spices like turmeric are used in hopes the positive benefits will be discovered. The head of the UCLA’s research team was recently interviewed and stated that setting out to hopefully prove turmeric’s ability to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease was “tremendously exciting.”
Q. I recently read that one of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) was found to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Is this true?
A. Scientists recently studied ibuprofen, one of the NSAIDs investigated for Alzheimer’s disease Prevention. Ibuprofen belongs to a family of drugs that includes naproxen, indomethacin, nabumetone, and several others. These drugs are used most often to get rid of headaches, mild arthritis, and other kinds of pain and inflammation.
In the studies, the average dose of ibuprofen was 800mg a day. Patients took the product for two years. While the results suggested that ibuprofen might reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, ibuprofen’s side effects are too harmful to be a valid lifelong prevent aid treatment. Ibuprofen, like other NSAIDs, can cause gastrointestinal bleeding when used at high dosages over a long period of time. Long term use of ibuprofen can also lead to analgesic nephropathy, a kind of kidney damage caused by NSAIDs.
As we discussed earlier, turmeric appears to block and break up brain plaques that cause the disease and helps reverse some of the damage already present. Ibuprofen does not provide any protection against free radical damage. No anti-inflammatory medicine can do this.
Q. If I eat curry will I be protected against Alzheimer’s disease? There aren’t many foods or recipes I make that require curry, do I need to eat it every day? And how much do I need?
A. If you enjoy Indian cuisine, by all means, enjoy these delicious foods. You’ll benefit your brain and your appetite. But you make a good point, American meals rarely contain curry. That’s why supplements that contain extracts are suddenly quite popular. In fact, there are numerous turmeric/curcumin supplements on the market today.
But like all nutritional supplements, some turmeric supplements are superior to others. You need to read their labels to make sure the turmeric extract you are buying will provide the protection you need. Look for high-potency turmeric extract from turmeric (Curcuma longa) rhizome. And make sure the extract is standardized to contain 90% curcuminoids, the active ingredient in turmeric responsible for the positive research findings.
Conclusion
Researchers once thought that preventing for Alzheimer’s disease would elude them for decades. In fact, several scientists privately speculated the disease might never be ameliorated. They thought the origin of the disease was too complex and the symptoms of the disease were too profound.
That’s why ongoing research on turmeric is so exciting. A safe, natural, and effective way to protect against Alzheimer’s disease almost seems too good to be true. But, the nation of
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1535) Q. If IP-6 comes from bran, wouldn’t eating more whole grain or high fiber foods = IP-6
Date:
November 22, 2006 01:42 PM
A. Scientists who study a specific IP-6 and inositol blend asked this very same question and went to the laboratory to find the answer. They took cancerous tumors and exposed them to either the nutrients of fiber and bran, or to IP-6. The nutrients of the fiver and bran were the equivalent of a 20% bran diet. The scientists discovered that the IP-6 was twice as effective as the nutrients of the 20% bran diet. In bran or fiber, IP-6 is bound to protein. For IP-6 to be well absorbed in the stomach, enter the bloodstream, and travel to the various organs where cancer has occurred, the IP-6 must first be separated from the protein. This normally happens with digestion, but it can take awhile and is inefficient. Phytase, an enzyme found in food and also the intestine, can actually break down IP-6, making it ineffective as a cancer fighter. The longer it takes IP-6 to be released from food, the more time phytase has to break down IP-6 to an ineffective form. Pure IP-6 is better, because it will be absorbed into the bloodstream before phytase has a chance to destroy it.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1429) Q. How does IP-6 with inositol help the immune system?
Date:
November 22, 2006 01:41 PM
A. Scientists who study IP-6 with inositol have discovered many amazing things how this combination works. While many cancer drugs work by killing all cells, both cancerous and normal, IP-6 with inositol only affects cancer cells. When cancer cells in the laboratory are exposed to IP-6 with inositol, they lose their aggressive nature, stop dividing uncontrollably, and eventually die. The combination of IP-6 with inositol does not affect normal cells. Researchers have also discovered that this powerful combination boosts the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, those important white blood cells that “naturally” kill cancer cells. Increased NK cell activity can result in the increased killing of cancer cells, as well as cells infected by viruses. And, finally, researchers have discovered that IP-6 with inositol also acts like an antioxidant to help prevent cellular damage.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1428) Q. How did research discover maitake’s health benefits?
Date:
November 22, 2006 01:40 PM
A. Because maitakes are well known as healthy food, researchers interested in medicinal mushrooms have studied them extensively. They discovered many maitake compounds with dramatic health-promoting potential. One of these compounds, maitake D-fraction, has particularly powerful anti-cancer effects. In lab studies, D-fraction stops the growth of cancer cells and cancerous tumors. Maitake D-fraction stimulates the activity of two white blood cells, macrophages and natural killer cells. These white blood cells then trigger the production of interleukins and other lymphokines, two biochemicals that help mediate the immune response. Maitake also inhibits some of the mechanisms that promote metastasis, or spread, of cancer cells in the lymph system and bloodstream. Because of this success, maitake D-fraction is now being used in preliminary clinical trials of women with breast cancer. One study has reported significant improvement of symptoms, including reduction of the tumor. The maitake D-fraction was given to breast cancer patients in addition to standard chemotherapy.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1426) Anti-Cancer Activity
Date:
May 20, 2006 12:15 PM
Today’s scientists might be less poetic that tea’s ancient admirers. But they are no less impressed by the fragrant beverage’s lengthy list of health-boosting compounds, including a powerful antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) that may interfere with potentially harmful genetic changes. Researchers at the University of Rochester (New York) Medical Center have found that EGCG binds to a protein called HSP90, jamming an important gene-damaging mechanism (biochemistry 4/5/05). Tea may also help stymie cancer development by interacting with toxin-neutralizing enzymes in the liver and by encouraging apoptosis, a process that causes cells to die when their useful life is over. Studies of actual tea-drinking humans have had mixed results; some show a cancer-preventive effect, others don’t. The most promising research comes from China, where green tea is the beverage of choice. Among more than 18,000 men, those who drank tea were half as likely to develop cancer of the stomach or esophagus (which leads from the mouth to the stomach) as non-imbibers (Carcinogenesis 9/02). Americans have traditionally favored black tea, which has different chemical properties. A 2005 American Institute for Cancer Research survey showed that only 15% of the US population drinks green tea on any given day and less than 1% matches the per-person consumption seen in Asia (although green tea sales have climbed considerably in recent years). Meanwhile, the good news continues to pour in. in February, an investigation published in the Journal Carcinogenesis found a 22% drop in breast cancer risk among women who quaffed five cups a day. And in two preliminary studies, green tea extract, which provides tea compounds in an easy-to-take, form, has been linked to reduced risk of cancer in men with precancerous prostate changes and has benefited people with leukemia.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1279) Fighting fat with fat makes sense with conjugated linoleic acid.
Date:
April 03, 2006 04:57 PM
Trimming flab away with CLA Fighting fat with fat makes sense with conjugated linoleic acid. Substances that enhance human health and well being can be discovered in all sorts of odd places. Take conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), for example. This unique fatty acid currently under intense study as an aid to help dieters reduce body fat—was first isolated from grilled ground beef in the early 1980’s by researchers at the University of Wisconsin. (CLA is also found in hamburger that ma actually help you slim down? Who knew? What’s more, CLA (now generally derived from plant sources like safflower oil) also shows promise in two important areas. First, evidence suggests it can slow down some of the steps in cancer’s complex progression. In addition, CLA may help tame excess inflammation. Fat City When you take in more calories through food than you burn off through exercise, all those extra energy units have to go somewhere and if you’re like a lot of folks, they wind up being deposited into your fat cells. Not only are jam-packed fat cells responsible for the dreaded disappearing waistline effect, but they also promote unhealthy changes in blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other makers of possible hazards to your continued well-being. CLA helps make life miserable for fat cells in several ways. First, it inhibits an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase that shuttles fat molecules from the blood stream into the cells. It encourages lipolysis, or the breakdown of fat that’s already in storage. Finally, in some studies CLA has shown an ability to actually encourage fat cells to commit a form of cellular suicide call apoptosis—which results in fewer places for fat to hide. At the same time, CLA promotes the transport of fat into exercising muscle cells, helping them to both burn off calories and become more toned (and shapely). CLA Comments: What is it: a special form of linoleic acid, an essential fat: CLA is found naturally in diary foods. What it does: CLA has shown an ability to help reduce body fat and increase muscle mass (When used as part of a healthy diet and exercise plan); it has also demonstrated cancer-fighting and immune enhancing effects. While CLA is the subject of ongoing research, early human trials have produced promising results. In Norway, for example, scientists from five separate institutions teamed up for a study involving people who were healthy but over weight. For the first year some of the individuals took CLA while the others took placebo (look-alike) softgels that contained olive oil instead; in the second year, everyone took CLA. At the end of two years, all the people in this study showed significant reductions in body fat, body mass index (BMI), a standard measure of obesity, and weight(Journal of nutrition 4/05). Extra Helpings While battling the bulge is a major goal for many people, fending off cancer may just be America’s number one health concern. And here, too, CLA has come up big in a number of studies, such as a Swedish investigation that shows a link between high CLA intake and reduced colorectal cancer risk (American Journal of Clinical nutrition 10/05). In various lab studies CLA has been shown to interfere with tumor development and keep cancerous cells from spreading to nearby organs. What’s more, CLA appears to regulate immunity by helping to strengthen the body’s natural defenses while protecting against the inflammatory damage the immune response can cause. That’s important because low-level inflammation has been linked to an ever-growing list of disorders, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and arthritis. If you want to fight off both fat and cancer without eating a mountain of cheeseburgers, don’t have a cow. Turn to CLA instead. --Lisa James.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=1247) If Ip-6 comes from bran, wouldn’t eating more whole grain or high fiber foods provide IP6
Date:
November 11, 2005 06:30 PM
Q. If Ip-6 comes from bran, wouldn’t eating more whole grain or high fiber foods provide IP-6? A. Scientists who study a specific IP-5 and inositol blend asked this very same question and went to the laboratory to find the answer. They took cancerous tumors and exposed them to either the nutrients of fiber and bran, or to IP-6. The nutrients of fiber and bran were the equivalent of 20% bran diet. The scientists discovered that the IP-6 was twice as effective as the nutrients of the 20% bran diet. In bran or fiber, IP-6 is bound to protein. For IP-6 to be well absorbed in the stomach, enter the bloodstream, and travel to the various organs where cancer has occurred, the Ip-6 must first be separated from the protein. This normally happens with digestion, but it can take awhile and is inefficient. Phytase, an enzyme found in food and also the intestine, can actually break down IP-6, making it ineffective as a caner fighter. The longer it takes IP-6 to be released from food, the more time phytase has to break down IP-6 to an ineffective form. Pure IP-6 is better, because it will be absorbed into the bloodstream before phytase has a chance to destroy it.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=938) How does IP-6 with inositol help the immune system?
Date:
November 11, 2005 06:29 PM
Q. How does IP-6 with inositol help the immune system? A. Scientists who study IP-6 with inositol have discovered many amazing things how this combination works. While many cancer drugs work by killing all cells, both cancerous and normal, IP-6 with inositol only affects cancer cells. When cancer cells in the laboratory are exposed to IP-6 with inositol, they lose their aggressive nature, stop dividing uncontrollably, and eventually die. The combination of Ip-6 with inositol does not affect normal cells. Researches have also discovered that this powerful combination boosts the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, those important white blood cells that “naturally” kill cancer cells. Increased NK cell activity can result in the increased killing of cancer cells, as well as cells infected by viruses. And, finally, researchers have discovered that IP-6 with inositol also acts like an antioxidant to help prevent cellular damage.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=937) Q. How did researcher discover maitake’s health benefits?
Date:
November 11, 2005 06:22 PM
Q. How did researcher discover maitake’s health benefits? A. Because maitakes are well known as healthy food, researchers interested in medicinal mushrooms have studied them extensively. They discovered many maitake compounds with dramatic health-promoting potential. One of these compounds, maitake D-fraction, has particularly powerful anti-cancer effects. In lab studies, D-fraction stops the growth of cancer cells and cancerous tumors. Maitake D-fraction stimulates the activity of two white blood cells, macrophages and natural killer cells. These white blood cells then trigger the production of interleukins and other lymphokines, two biochemicals that help mediate the immune response. Maitake also inhibits some of the mechanisms that promote metastasis, or spread, of cancer cells in the lymph system and bloodstream. Because of this success, maitake D-fraction is now being used in preliminary clinical trials of women with breast cancer. One study has reported significant improvement of symptoms, including reduction of the tumor. The maitake D-fraction was given to breast cancer patients in addition to standard chemotherapy.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=935) New Test for Early Cancer Detection
Date:
October 18, 2005 10:17 AM
A new test for early cancer detection Researchers out of Johns Hopkins University believe they may have found a new method of testing for cancerous growths that allows for much earlier detection. The new method of testing saliva and urine does not work for all cancers but would allow doctors to check for DNA abnormalities in these fluids. If these tests prove viable, they would allow for cancer detection years before symptoms appear. Tests on patients suffering from cancers of the lung, voice box, mouth, throat and bladder showed 100 percent sensitivity to abnormal DNA particles. Researchers say that a mutation in the tumor guaranteed a detection in the bodily fluid. The test works by detecting DNA strands that have been dumped by the tumor into the bloodstream and excreted by the body. These mutated DNA strands lead to dysfunctional cell division and give rise to tumor development and growth. In order to further test their theory, researchers tested a urine sample of the late U.S. Vice President Hubert Humphrey taken nine years before he was diagnosed with urinary cancer. The test showed the presence of DNA mutations. Researchers are optimistic that these studies can push cancer detection up two, four or more years from its current position. New tests are being developed that search for more numerous DNA strands and are 200 times more sensitive than the original test. Major clinical research for these tests will begin next year.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=846) Grape Seed Extract - to fight prostate cancer...
Date:
October 10, 2005 10:37 AM
Grape Seed Extract – contains proanthocyanidins, potent antioxidants that may lower the risk of cancer. In a recent study, grape seed extract was used to inhibit cell growth in human cancerous prostate cells. The results suggest that grape seed antioxidant proanthocyanidins may exert a strong anticarcinogenic effect against prostate cancer by inhibiting abnormal cell growth and promoting tumor cell death.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=827) 10 Things You Should Know About Prostate Cancer
Date:
July 27, 2005 02:12 PM
10 Things You Should Know About Prostate Cancer If you were to compile a top ten list of things men would rather just avoid, prostate exams might even rate above taking out the garbage, doing dishes and going shopping. But there’s no good excuse to ignore this walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and the penis and in front of the rectum. Confused by the debate surrounding nearly ever aspect of prostate cancer and embarrassed to request a physical exam, many men ignore prostate health, only to discover that the benefits of screening far outweigh its risks. As women openly talk about breast and ovarian cancers, prostate health remains a difficult and controversial topic for men to discuss, forcing many to forgo the manual exam that could lead to early detection and straightforward treatment. Though most males eventually develop some cancerous cells in their prostates, many prostate cancers develop so slowly that men often die of other causes. Indeed, it’s often said that most men die with prostate cancer, not from it. But the fact remains that prostate cancer kills more men who don’t smoke than any other cancer: The American Cancer Society reports that more than 232,000 men will be diagnoses with prostate cancer in 2005 and 30,350 will die from it. These statistics seem fairly overwhelming when you consider that one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime, while one in eight American women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Despite the ongoing debate about whether the results of a prostate screening may cause unnecessary treatment, growing evidence suggests that testing for prostate cancer saves lives. The number of men who died of the disease fell by 26% from 1991 to 2001, with a five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer of nearly 100%; 10-year survival rates for all prostate cancer patients stand at 92%, while 15-year survival rates fell to 61%. Energy Times evaluated some of the key issues surrounding prostate cancer, including screening misconceptions, risk factors and lifestyle choices that can influence the likelihood of developing this potentially deadly disease. We hope they help you, or your significant other, make well-informed health decisions.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=699) CANCER/TUMORS AND ST. JOHN'S WORT
Date:
July 15, 2005 09:31 AM
CANCER/TUMORS St. John’s wort, and more specifically, hypericin, has an outstanding ability to work favorably at the cell level against normally destructive invaders like viruses and bacterias. But these are not the only destructive agents that are being targeted by researchers in Hypericum research. Hypericin has been shown in various recent studies to work very effectively against cancerous cells and tumors of varying kinds. The April 1996 issue of Laryngyscope reported that hypericin is showing great potential in targeting human cancer growths through what is called “phototargeting,” a process that uses laser activation of hypericin, along with chemotherapy, for improved results in inhibiting the growth of cancerous cells. The study states, These results show that hypericin is a sensitive agent for phototherapy of human cancer cells in vitro and indicate that this drug may be useful for tumor targeting via minimally invasive imaging-guided laser fiber optics.22 Another recent study commented on the use of hypericin in treating human cancer cells, saying that “the nucleus of the cell . . . is the target for the toxic action of hypericin.” The study pointed out that the compound is well distributed throughout the cells, indicating that its value as an anticancer agent remains high.23 Yet another study points to the photodynamic qualities of hypericin in combating cancerous cells. The study’s results suggest that hypericin “has considerable potential for use as a sensitizer in the PDT [photodynamic therapy] of cancer.” And when hypericin was used in conjunction with other “scavenging” agents, its inhibitory abilities were greatly enhanced. Again, with such promising results from clinical studies, St. John’s wort (and hypericin) is perhaps opening the way to curing one of our most devastating diseases, cancer. Further research could quickly finalize a cure.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=633) Pain - Post Op and Relaxation
Date:
July 13, 2005 09:24 AM
Relaxation, Music Reduce Post-Op Pain. New research has found that relaxation and music, separately or together, significantly reduce patients' pain following major abdominal surgery. The study, published in the May issue of the journal Pain, found that these methods reduce pain more than pain medication alone. Led by Marion Good, PhD, RN, of Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, the study is supported by the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR), at the National Institutes of Health. "This is important news for the millions of Americans who undergo surgery and experience postoperative pain each year," said Dr. Patricia A. Grady, director of the NINR. "Better pain management can reduce hospital stays and speed recovery, ultimately improving patients' quality of life." Dr. Good and her research team studied three groups of patients undergoing abdominal surgery. In addition to the usual pain medication, one group used a jaw relaxation technique, another group listened to music, and a third group received a combination of relaxation and music. Findings revealed that, after surgery, the three treatment groups had significantly less pain than the control group, which received only pain medication. "Both medication and self-care methods which involve patient participation are needed for relief," said Dr. Good. "These relaxation and music self-care methods provide more complete relief without the undesired side effects of some pain medications." The findings have important implications for the 23 million people who undergo surgery and experience postoperative pain annually in the United States. Pain can hamper recovery by heightening the body's response to the stress of surgery and increasing tissue breakdown, coagulation and fluid retention. Pain also interferes with appetite and sleep and can lead to complications that prolong hospitalization. Dr. Good and her research staff worked with 500 patients aged 18-70, who were undergoing gynecological, gastrointestinal, exploratory or urinary surgery. Prior to surgery, those in the music, relaxation or combination groups practiced the techniques. The relaxation technique consisted of letting the lower jaw drop slightly, softening the lips, resting the tongue in the bottom of the mouth, and breathing slowly and rhythmically with a three-rhythm pattern of inhale, exhale and rest. Patients in the music group chose one of five kinds of soothing music--harp, piano, synthesizer, orchestral or slow jazz. On the first and second days after surgery, all patients received morphine or Demerol for pain relief by pressing a button connected to their intravenous patient controlled analgesia pumps. The groups receiving the additional intervention used earphones to listen to music and relaxation tapes during walking and rest, while the control group did not. The research team measured the patients' pain before and after 15 minutes of bed rest and four times during walking to see if the sensation and distress of pain changed. Dr. Good found that during these two days postsurgery the three treatment groups had significantly less pain than the control group during both walking and rest. "Patients can take more control of their postoperative pain using these self-care methods," says Dr. Good. "Nurses and physicians preparing patients for surgery and caring for them afterwards should encourage patients to use relaxation and music to enhance the effectiveness of pain medication and hasten recovery." Dr. Good's findings have implications for future research into the effectiveness of self-care methods on other types of pain, including chronic pain, cancer pain, and pain of the critically ill. ----------------------------- Vitamin D Lack Linked to Hip Fracture. Vitamin D deficiency in post-menopausal women is associated with increased risk of hip fracture, according to investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Mass. In a group of women with osteoporosis hospitalized for hip fracture, 50 percent were found to have a previously undetected vitamin D deficiency. In the control group, women who had not suffered a hip fracture but who were hospitalized for an elective hip replacement, only a very small percentage had vitamin D deficiency, although one-fourth of those women also had osteoporosis. These findings were reported in the April 28, 1999, issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study, conducted by Meryl S. LeBoff, MD; Lynn Kohlmeier, MD; Shelley Hurwitz, PhD; Jennifer Franklin, BA; John Wright, MD; and Julie Glowacki, PhD; of the Endocrine Hypertension Division, Department of Internal Medicine, and Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, was supported by grants from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR. These investigators studied women admitted to either Brigham and Women's Hospital or the New England Baptist Hospital, both in Boston, between January 1995 and June 1998. A group of 98 postmenopausal women who normally reside in their own homes were chosen for the study. Women with bone deterioration from other causes were excluded from the study. There were 30 women with hip fractures caused by osteoporosis and 68 hospitalized for elective joint replacement. Of these 68, 17 women also had osteoporosis as determined by the World Health Organization bone density criteria. All the participants answered questions regarding their lifestyle, reproductive history, calcium in their diet, and physical activity. Bone mineral density of the spine, hip, and total body were measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) technique, as was body composition. Blood chemistry and urinary calcium levels were analyzed. The two groups of women with osteoporosis did not differ significantly in either time since menopause or bone density in the spine or hip. They did, however, differ in total bone density. The women admitted for a hip fracture had fewer hours of exercise than the control group. Fifty percent of the women with hip fractures were deficient in vitamin D, 36.7 percent had elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels (a hormone which can stimulate loss of calcium from bone), and 81.8 percent had calcium in their urine, suggesting inappropriate calcium loss. Blood levels of calcium were lower in the women with hip fractures than in either elective group. These researchers propose that vitamin D supplementation at the time of fracture may speed up recovery and reduce risk of fracture in the future. Current Dietary Reference Intake Guidelines contain a daily recommendation of 400 IU of vitamin D for people aged 51 through 70 and 600 IU for those over age 70. "We know that a calcium-rich diet and regular weight-bearing exercise can help prevent osteoporosis. This new research suggests that an adequate intake of vitamin D, which the body uses to help absorb calcium, may help women to reduce their risk of hip fracture, even when osteoporosis is present," observed Dr. Evan C. Hadley, NIA Associate Director for geriatrics research. "Osteoporosis leads to more than 300,000 hip fractures each year, causing pain, frequent disability, and costly hospitalizations or long-term care. "Prevention of such fractures would greatly improve the quality of life for many older women and men, as well as significantly reduce medical costs." The bones in the body often undergo rebuilding. Some cells, osteoclasts, dissolve older parts of the bones. Then, bone-building cells known as osteoblasts create new bone using calcium and phosphorus. As people age, if osteoporosis develops, more bone is dissolved than is rebuilt, and the bones weaken and become prone to fracture. Also in many older persons, levels of vitamin D in the blood are low because they eat less or spend less time in the sun, which stimulates the body's own production of vitamin D. Experts do not understand fully the causes of osteoporosis. However, they do know that lack of estrogen which accompanies menopause, diets low in calcium, and lack of exercise contribute to the problem. Eighty percent of older Americans who face the possibility of pain and debilitation from an osteoporosis-related fracture are women. One out of every two women and one in eight men over the age of 50 will have such a fracture sometime in the future. These fractures usually occur in the hip, wrist, and spine. ----------------------------- Sleep Apnea, Diabetes Link Found. Adults who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea are three times more likely to also have diabetes and more likely to suffer a stroke in the future, according to a new UCLA School of Dentistry/Department of Veterans Affairs study published today in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Sleep apnea, a serious condition marked by loud snoring, irregular breathing and interrupted oxygen intake, affects an estimated nine million Americans. The culprit? Carrying too many extra pounds. "The blame falls squarely on excess weight gain," said Dr. Arthur H. Friedlander, associate professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the UCLA School of Dentistry and associate chief of staff at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Los Angeles. Surplus weight interferes with insulin's ability to propel sugars from digested food across the cell membrane, robbing the cells of needed carbohydrates. Diabetes results when glucose builds up in the bloodstream and can't be utilized by the body. Being overweight can also lead to obstructive sleep apnea, according to Friedlander. "When people gain too much weight, fatty deposits build up along the throat and line the breathing passages," he explained. "The muscles in this region slacken during sleep, forcing the airway to narrow and often close altogether." Reclining on one's back magnifies the situation. "When an overweight person lies down and goes to sleep," Friedlander said, "gravity shoves the fat in the neck backwards. This blocks the airway and can bring breathing to a halt." Friedlander tested the blood sugar of 54 randomly selected male veterans whom doctors had previously diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea. He discovered that 17 of the 54 patients, or 31 percent, unknowingly suffered from adult-onset diabetes. Using the same sample, Friedlander also took panoramic X-rays of the men's necks and jaws. The X-rays indicated that 12 of the 54 patients, or 22 percent, revealed calcified plaques in the carotid artery leading to the brain. These plaques block blood flow, significantly increasing patients' risk for stroke. Seven of the 12, or 58 percent, were also diagnosed with diabetes. In dramatic comparison, the 17 patients diagnosed with diabetes showed nearly twice the incidence of blockage. Seven of the 17 men, or 41 percent, had carotid plaques. Only five of the 54 patients who displayed plaques did not have also diabetes. If he conducted this study today, Friedlander notes, he would likely find a higher number of diabetic patients. After he completed the study in 1997, the American Diabetes Association lowered its definition for diabetes from 140 to 126 milligrams of sugar per deciliter of blood. "This is the first time that science has uncovered a link between sleep apnea and diabetes," said Friedlander. "The data suggest that someone afflicted with both diabetes and sleep apnea is more likely to suffer a stroke in the future." "Persons going to the doctor for a sleep-apnea exam should request that their blood be screened for diabetes, especially if they are overweight," he cautioned. More than half of the individuals who develop diabetes as adults will need to modify their diet and take daily insulin in order to control the disease, he added. ------------------------------ Stress, Surgery May Increase CA Tumors. Stress and surgery may increase the growth of cancerous tumors by suppressing natural killer cell activity, says a Johns Hopkins researcher. Malignancies and viral infections are in part controlled by the immune system's natural killer (NK) cells, a sub-population of white blood cells that seek out and kill certain tumor and virally infected cells. In a study using animal models, natural killer cell activity was suppressed by physical stress or surgery, resulting in a significant increase in tumor development. These findings suggest that protective measures should be considered to prevent metastasis for patients undergoing surgery to remove a cancerous tumor, according to Gayle Page, D.N.Sc., R.N., associate professor and Independence Foundation chair at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. "Human studies have already found a connection between the level of NK activity and susceptibility to several different types of cancer," says Page, an author of the study. "We sought to determine the importance of stress-induced suppression of NK activity and thus learn the effects of stress and surgery on tumor development. "Many patients undergo surgery to remove cancerous tumors that have the potential to spread. If our findings in rats can be generalized to such clinical settings, then these circumstances could increase tumor growth during or shortly after surgery." The research was conducted at Ohio State University College of Nursing and the Department of Psychology at UCLA, where Page held previous positions, and at Tel Aviv University. Results of the study are published in the March issue of the International Journal of Cancer. In laboratory studies, Page and her colleagues subjected rats to either abdominal surgery or physical stress, and then inoculated them with cancer cells. In the rats that had undergone surgery, the researchers observed a 200 to 500 percent increase in the incidence of lung tumor cells, an early indicator of metastasis, compared with rats that had not received surgery. The experiment also showed that stress increased lung tumor incidence and significantly increased the mortality in the animals inoculated with cancer cells. "Our results show that, under specific circumstances, resistance to tumor development is compromised by physical stress and surgical intervention," says Page. "Because surgical procedures are life-saving and cannot be withheld, protective measures should be considered that will prevent suppression of the natural killer cell activity and additional tumor development. "Researchers do not yet know how to prevent surgery-induced immune suppression, but early animal studies have shown increased use of analgesia reduces the risk." The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, and the Chief Scientist of the Israeli Ministry of Health. Lead author was Shamgar Ben-Eliyahu, Ph.D., and other authors were Raz Yirmiya, Ph.D., and Guy Shakhar.
(https://vitanetonline.com:443/forums/Index.cfm?CFApp=1&Message_ID=599) HAWAIIAN NONI (Morinda citrifolia) 
Date:
July 11, 2005 08:50 PM
INTRODUCTION In a time when we are more concerned than ever with issues of health, a tried and true tropical herb called noni needs t o be added t o our list of the best natural remedies. It susage over hundreds of years supports it s description as a veritable panacea of therapeutic actions. At this writing, noni continues to accrue impressive medicinal credentials, and its emergence as an effective nat ural healing agent is a timely one. Amidst rising cancer rates, the high incidence of degenerative diseases like diabetes, and the evolution of ant ibiotic resist ant bacteria and new viral strains, herbs like noni are sought after for their natural pharmaceutical properties. Unquest ionably, all of us want to know how to:
Genus Rubiaceae Common Names Indian Mulberry (India), Noni (Hawaii), Nono (Tahiti and Raratonga), Polynesian Bush Fruit, Painkiller Tree (Caribbean islands), Lada (Guam), Mengkudo (Malaysia), Nhau (Southeast Asia), Grand Morinda (Vietnam), Cheesefruit (Australia), Kura (Fiji), Bumbo (Africa) Note: This is only a small sampling of vernacular names for Morinda citrifolia. Almost every island nation of the South Pacific and Caribbean has a term for this particular plant . This booklet will refer to the herb mainly as “ noni” or M. citrifolia, and is referring primarily to Hawaiin noni. Parts Used The parts of the noni plant most used for their medicinal and nutritional purposes are the fruit, seeds, bark, leaves, and flowers. Virtually every part of the noni plant is utilized for its individual medicinal properties; however, it is the fruit portion that is regarded as its most valuable. The seeds have a purgative action, the leaves are used to treat external inflammations and relieve pain, the bark has strong astringent properties and can treat malaria, the root extracts lower blood pressure, the flower essences relieve eye inflammations and the f ruit has a number of medicinal actions. Physical Description Morinda citrifolia is technically an evergreen shrub or bush, which can grow to heights of fifteen to twenty feet . It has rigid, coarse branches which bear dark, oval, glossy leaves. Small white fragrant flowers bloom out of cluster-like pods which bear creamy-white colored fruit. The fruit is fleshy and gel-like when ripened, resembling a small breadf ruit . The flesh of the fruit is characterist ically bitter, and when completely ripe produces a rancid and very dist inctive odor. Noni has buoyant seeds that can float formont hs in ocean bodies. The wood of the inflammatory, astringent, emollient, emmenagogue, laxative, sedative, hypotensive (lowers blood pressure) , blood purif ier, and tonic. Chemical Constituents Noni has various chemical constituents. First, it has an impressive array of terpene compounds, three of which—L. Asperuloside, aucubin, and glucose— have been identified by their actyl derivatives. Both caproic and caprylic acids have been isolated.1 Second, bushfruits, a category of which noni fruit is a member, are also considered a good source of vit - amin C.2 Third, Hawaiin noni has been linked to the synthesis of xeronine in the body which has significant and widespread health implications. Last , the alkaloid cont ent of the noni fruit is thought to be responsible for its therapeutic actions. Alkaloids exhibit a wide range of pharmacological and biological act ivitiesin the human body. They are nitrogencontaining organic compounds which can react with acids to form salts and which are the basis of many medicines. The following is an in-depth chemical analysis of each plant part and it s chemical constituents.
FLOWER
FRUIT
discovered an alkaloid in the Hawaiin noni fruit which he calls proxeronine and which he believes has appreciable physiological actions by acting as a precursor to xeronine, a very crucial compound (see later sections) . In addition, a compound found in the fruit called damnacanthol is believed to help inhibit cert ain viruses and cellular mutations involved in cancer. ROOT AND ROOT BARK
Pharmacology Recent surveys have suggested that noni fruit exerts antibiotic action. In fact, a variety of compounds which have antibacterial properties (such as aucubin) have been identified in the fruit.5 The 6-Dglucopyranose pentaacet ate of the fruit extract is not considered bacteriostatic.6 Constituents found in the fruit portion have exhibited ant imicrobial action against Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi (and other types) , Shigella paradysenteriae, and Staphylococcus aureaus. Compounds found in the root have the ability to reduce swollen mucous membrane and lower blood pressure in animal studies. Proxeronine is an alkaloid constituent found in Hawaiin noni fruit which may prompt the production of xeronine in the body. It is considered a xeronine precursor and was discovered in noni fruit by Dr. Ralph M. Heinicke. He has theorized that this proenzyme can be effective in initiating a series of beneficial cellular reactions through its involvement with the integrity of specific proteins. He points out that tissues contain cells which possess certain recept or sites for xeronine. Because the reactions that can occur are so varied, many different therapeutic actions can result when xeronine production escalates, explaining why Hawaiin noni is good for so many seemingly unrelated disorders. Damnacanthol is another compound contained in the fruit of the Hawaiin noni plant which has shown the ability to block or inhibit the cellular function of RAS cells, considered pre-cancerous cells. Body Systems Targeted The following body systems have all been effec-freeze-dried capsules, dehydrated powder or fruit, and oil. Noni plant constituents are sometimes offered in combination with other herbs. Some products contain a percent age of the fruit, bark, root and seeds for their individual therapeutic properties. Satety Extracts of M. citrifolia are considered safe if used as directed; however, pregnant or nursing mothers should consult their physicians before taking any supplement . High doses of root extracts may cause constipation. Taking noni supplements with coffee, alcohol or nicotine is not recommended. Suggested Uses Ideally, noni extracts should be taken on an empty stomach prior to meals. The process of digesting food can interfere with the medicinal value of the alkaloid compounds found in Hawaiin noni, especially in its fruit . Apparently, stomach acids and enzymes destroy the specific enzyme which frees up the xeronine compound. Take noni supplements without food, coffee, nicotine or alcohol. Using supplements that have been made from the semi-ripe or light - green fruit is also considered preferable to the ripe, whit ish fruit . NONI: ITS USE AND HISTORY Noni is a tropical wandering plant indigenous to areas of Australia, Malaysia and Polynesia. It is considered native to Southeast Asia although it grows from India to the eastern region of Polynesia. Morinda citrifolia has a long history of medicinal use throughout these areas. It is thought to be the “most widely and commonly used medicinal plant prior to the European era.” 7 Centuries ago, the bushfruit was introduced to native Hawaiians, who subsequently called it “noni” and considered its fruit and root as prized medicinal agents. Among all Polynesian botanical agents of the 19th and 20th centuries, Hawaiin noni has the widest array of medical applications. Samoan and Hawaiian medical practitioners used noni for bowel disorders (especially infant diarrhea, constipation, or intestinal parasites) , indigestion, skin inflammation, infection, mouth sores, fever, contusions and sprains. Hawaiians commonly prepared noni tonics designed to treat diabetes, stings, burns and fish poisoning.8 The herb’s remarkable ability to purge the intestinal tract and promote colon health was well known among older Hawaiian and Tahitian natives and folk healers. Interestingly, field observations regarding its repu-remarkable healing agent . Wonder Herb of Island Folk Healers Common to t he thickets and forests of Malaysia and Polynesia, and the low hilly regions of the Philippine islands, noni has been cultivated throughout communities in the South Pacific for hundreds of years. Its Hawaiian use is thought to originate from inter-island canoe travel and settlement dating to before Christ . Its hardy seeds have the ability to float which has also contributed to its distribution among various seacoasts in the South Pacific region. Historical investigation has established the fact that some of Hawaii’s earliest settlers probably came viaTahiti. For this reason, Tahitian herbal practices have specific bearing on the herbal therapeutics of islands to the nort h. The very obvious similarities between the Hawaiian vernacular for herbal plants like noni and Tahitian names strongly suggests the theory of Polynesian migrations to Hawaii. Cultures native to these regions favored using Morinda citrifolia for treating major diseases and ut ilized it as a source of nourishment in times of famine.9 Noni fruit has been recognized for centuries as an excellent source of nutrition. The peoples of Fiji, Samoa and Rarat onga use the fruit in both its raw and cooked forms.10 Traditionally, the fruit was propicked before it was fully ripe and placed in the sunlight . After being allowed to ripen, it was typically mashed and its juice extracted through a cloth. Noni leaves provided a veget able dish and their resiliency made them desirable as a fish wrap for cooking. Noni’s Medical Reputation Elaborate traditionalrituals and praying rites usually accompanied the administration of noni. Int erestingly, cultures indigenous to the Polynesian islands had a significant understanding of their flora. For example, native Hawaiians maint ained a folkmedicine taxonomy t hat was considered second to none.11 Noni was not only used for medicinal purposes but for its food value, for clot hing and for cloth dyes as well. Research indicates that noni was among the few herbal remedies that islanders considered “ tried and true.” In Hawaii, trained herbal practitioners reserved the right to prescribe plant therapies.12 Records indicate that Hawaiian medical practices were based on extensive and very meticulous descriptions of symptoms and their prescribed herbal treatments. Dosages were controlled and the collection and administration of plant extracts was carefully monitored.13 In addition to Morinda, it was not uncommon for these herbal doctors to also recommend using In regard to its application for common ailments, Hawaiians and other island communities traditionally prescribed noni to purge the bowel, reduce fever, cure respiratory infections such as asthma, ease skin inflammations, and heal bruises and sprains. In other words, noni was widely used and highly regarded as a botanical medicine. A Timely Reemer gence Today, the natural pharmaceutical actions of the chemical constituents contained in noni are scientif-ically emerging as valuable bot anical medicines. Tahitian “nono” intrigued medical practitioners decades ago; however, due to the eventual emergence of synthetic drugs, interest in this island botanical diminished until recent years. Ethnobot anists are once again rediscovering why Hawaiian people havet reasured and cultivat ed Morinda citrifolia for generations. Noni is now finding its way into western therapeutics and is referred to as “ the queen” of the genus Rubiaceae. Its ability to reduce joint inflammation and target the immune system have made it the focus of the modern scientific inquiry. Dr. Ralph Heinicke has conducted some fascinating studies on the chemical constituents of the Hawaiin noni fruit. His research centers on the proxeronine content of the fruit juice and how it profoundly influences human physiology. In addition, scientific studies investigating noni as an anti-cancer agent have been encouraging. It s conspicuous attributes and varied uses have elevat edits status to one of the best of the healing herbs. Today Morinda citrifolia is available in liquid, juice, freezedried capsules, or oil forms, and is considered one of nature’s most precious botanicals. TRADITIONAL USES OF NONI Throughout tropical regions, virtually every part of Morinda citrifolia was used to treat disease or injury. Its curative properties were well known and commonly employed. PatoaTama Benioni, a member of the Maoritribe from the Cook Islands and a lecturer on island plants explains: Traditionally Polynesians use noni for basically everything in the treatment of illness. Noni is a part of our lives. Any Polynesian boy will tell you he’s had exper ience with it . We use juice from its roots, its flowers, and its fruit... my grandmother taught me to use noni from the roots and the leaves to make medicine for external as well as internal use, and for all kinds of ailments, such as coughs, boils, diseases of the skin, and cuts.15 decoctions to stimulate delayed menst ruation.
XERONINE: THE SECRET OF NONI? One informed professional on the subject of noni is Dr. Ralph Heinicke, a biochemist who has researched the active compounds of noni fruit for a number of years. He discovered that the Hawaiin noni fruit contains an alkaloid precursor to a very vital compound called xeronine. Wit hout xeronine, life would cease. In Dr. Heinicke’s view, noni fruit provides a safe and effective way to increase xeronine levels, which exert a crucial influence on cell health and protction. His research suggests that the juice from the M. citrifolia fruit contains what could technically be considered a precursor of xeronine—proxeronine. This compound initiates the release of xeronine in the intestinal tract after it comes in contact with a specific enzyme which is also contained in the fruit . Because proteins and enzymes have so many varied roles within cell processes, the normalization of these proteins with noni supplemenation could initiate avery wide variety of body responses and treat many disease condit ions. Proteins are the most important catalysts found in the body. The beauty of obtaining a precursor to xeronine from the noni fruit is that the body naturally decides how much of this precursor to convert to xeronine. Disease, stress, anger, trauma and injury can lower xeronine levels in the body, thus creat ing a xeronine deficit . Supplementing the body with noni fruit is considered an excellent way to safely and naturally raise xeronine levels. It is the research and theories of Dr. Heinicke which have made the juice of the Hawaiin noni fruit a viable medicinal substance. He writes: Xeronine is analkaloid, a substance the body produces in order to activate enzymes so they can function properly. It also energizes and regulates the body. This par-ticular alkaloid has never been found because the body makes it, immediately uses it, and then breaks it down. At no time is there an appreciable, isolable amount in the blood. But xeronine is so basic to the functioning of proteins, we would die without it . Its absence can cause many kinds of illness.17 Because so many diseases result from an enzyme malfunction, Dr. Heinicke believes that using the noni fruit can result in an impressive array of curative applications. Interestingly, he believes that we manufacture proxeronine while we are sleeping. He proposes t hat if we could constantly supply our bodies wit h proxeronine from other sources, our need to sleep would diminish.18 NONI PROCESSING How an herb is processed is crucial to how beneficial it is: this is especially true of noni, with its unique enzymes and alkaloids. Morinda citrifolia should be picked when the fruit is turning from its dark green immature color to its lighter green color, and certainly before it ripens to its white, almost translucent color. Once picked, noni, like aloe, will denature extremely quickly due to its very active enzymes. After harvesting, it should swiftly be flash frozen. This is similar to what is done to fish caught at sea to keep them f esh. This stops it from losing its potency while not damaging any of its constituents. To process noni, freeze-drying is recommended. This removes only the water without damaging any of this miracle plant’s vital enzymes and other phytonutrients like xeronine and proxeronine. This pure high-quality noni fruit juice powder is then encapsu-has a very harsh taste and an extremely foul smell, similar to the fruit it self . Other methods of processing include thermal processing, dehydrat ion and air drying. Thermal processing is generally found in liquids, while the dehydrat ed noni is then milled and encapsulated. Unfortunately both methods utilize high heat (110+°F) , which can deactivate many of the vital compounds that make noni so import ant . Air-drying is effect ive without using damaging heat but has serious quality control problems for commercial production. MODERN APPLICATIONS OF NONI Overview Noni possesses a wide variety of medicinal properties which originat e from its differing plant component s. The fruit and leaves of the shrub exert antibacterial activities. Its roots promote the expulsion of mucus and the shrinkage of swollen membranes making it an ideal therapeutic for nasal congest ion, lung infect ions, and hemorrhoids. Noni root compounds have also shown natural sedative properties as well as the ability to lower blood pressure. Leaf extracts are able to inhibit excessive blood flow or to inhibit the formation of blood clots. Noni is particularly useful for its ability to treat painful joint conditions and to resolve skin inflammations. Many people drink noni fruit extracts in juice form for hypert ension, painful menstruation, arthritis, gastric ulcers, diabetes, and depression. Recent studies suggest that its anticancer activit y should also be considered. Concerning the therapeutic potential of the Hawaiin noni fruit, Dr. Heinicke writes: I have seen the compound found in noni work wonders. When I was still investigating its possibilities, I had a friend who was a medical research scientist administer the proxeronine to a woman who had been comatose for three months. Two hour safter receiving the compound, she sat up in bed and asked where she was. . . . Noni is probably the best source of proxeronine that we have today.19 Studies and surveys combined support the ability of noni to act as an immunost imulant, inhibit the growth of certain tumors, enhance and normalize cellular function and boost tissue regeneration. It is considered a powerful blood purifier and contributor to overall homeostasis. xeronine, which appears to be able to regulate the shape and integrity of cert in proteins that individually contribute to specific cellular activities. Interestingly, this effect seems to occur after ingestion, inferring that the most active compound of noni may not be present in uneaten forms of the fruit or other plant parts. Some practitioners believe that xeronine is best obtained from a noni fruit juice precursor compound. The enzymatic reactions that occur with taking the juice on an empty stomach are what Dr. Heinicke believes set cellular repair intomotion. Cancer A study conducted in 1994 cited the anticancer activity of Morinda citrifolia against lung cancer. A team of scientists from the University of Hawaii used live laboratory mice to test the medicinal properties of the fruit against Lewis lung carcinomas which were artificially transferred to lung tissue. The mice that were left untreated died in nine to twelve days. However, giving noni juice in consistent daily doses significantly prolonged their life span. Almost half of these mice lived for more than fifty days.20 Research conclusions state that the chemical constituents of the juice acted indirectly by enhancing the ability of the immune system to deal with the invading malig-nancy by boosting macrophage or lymphocyte activit y. Furt her evaluation theorizes that the unique chemical constituents of Morinda citrifolia initiate enhanced T-cell activity, a reaction that may explain noni’s ability to treat a variety of infectious diseases. 21 In Japan, similar studies on tropical plant extracts found that damnacanthol, a compound found in Morinda citrifolia, is able to inhibit the function of KRAS- NRK cells, which are considered precursors to certain types of malignancies.22 The experiment involved adding noni plant extract to RAS cells and incubating them for a number of days. Observation disclosed that noni was able to significantly inhibit RAS cellular function. Among 500 plant extracts, Morinda citrifolia was determined to contain the most effective compounds against RAS cells. Its damnacanthol content was clinically described in 1993 as “a new inhibit or of RAS function.” 2 3 The xeronine fact or is also involved in that xeronine helps to normalize the way malignant cells behave. While they are still technically cancer cells, they no longer function as cells with unchecked growth. In time, the body’s immune system may be able to eradicate these cells. Arthritis with arthritic disease. One link to arthritic pain may be the inability to properly or completely digest proteins which can then form crystal-like deposits in the joints. The ability of noni fruit to enhance protein digestion through enhanced enzymatic function may help to eliminate this particular phenomenon. In addition, the alkaloid compounds and plant met abolites of noni may be linked to its apparent anti-inflammatory action. Plant sterols can assist in inhibiting the inflammatory response which causes swelling and pain. In addition, the antioxidant effect of noni may help to decrease free radical damage in joint cells, which can exacerbate discomfort and degeneration. Immune System The alkaloid and other chemical compounds found in noni have proven themselves to effectively control or kill over six types of infectious bacterial strains including: Escherichia coli, salmonellatyphi (and other types) , shigella paradysenteriae, and staphylo - coccus aureaus.25 In addition, damnacanthol, was able to inhibitt he early antigen stage of the Epstein- Barr virus. The bioactive components of the whole plant, combined or in separate portions, have demonst rat - ed the ability to inhibit several different strains of bacteria. Anecdotal reports support this action in that noni seems particularly effective in shortening the duration of certain types of infection. This may explain why noni is commonly used to treat colds and flu. The chemical constituents found in noni and the possibility that they stimulate xeronine production— as well as initiate alkaloid therapy—may explain noni’s reputation for having immuno-stimulatory properties. Alkaloids have been able to boost phagocytosis which is the process in which certain white blood cells called macrophages attack and literally digest infectious organisms. Interestingly, the ant it umoraction of noni has been ascribed to an immune system response which involves stimulating T-cells. tropical regions during World War II learned of the fruit’s ability to boost endurance and stamina. Native cultures in Samoa, Tahiti, Raratonga and Australia used the fruit in cooked and raw forms. M. citrifolia is considered a tonic and is especially recommended for debilitated conditions. Antioxidant The process of aging bombards the body with free radicals which can cause all kinds of degenerative diseases. The xeronine theory promoted by Dr. Heinicke submit s t hat as our bodies age, we lose our ability to synthesize xeronine. To make matters worse, the presence of many environment altoxins actually blocks the production of xeronine as well. He believes that the proxeronine content of Hawaiin noni fruit juice can help to block these actions, thereby working as an antiaging compound.26 The phytonutrients found in noni assist in promot - ing cell nourishment and prot ect ion from free radicals created by exposure to pollution and other potentially damaging agents. In addition, Morinda citrifolia contains selenium, which is considered one of the best antioxidant compounds available. Diabetes While scientific studies are lacking in this particular application of noni, Hawaiians used various parts of the plant and its fruit to treat blood sugar disorders. Anecdotal surveys have found t hat noni is current ly recommended for anyone with diabetes. Pain Killer A 1990 study found that extracts derived from the Morinda citrifolia root have the ability to kill pain in animal experiments.27 Interest ingly, it was during this study that the natural sedative action of the root was also noted. This study involved a French team of scientists who noted a significant central analgesic activity in laboratory mice.28 Dr. Heinicke has stated, “Xeronine also acts as a pain reliever. A man wit h very advanced int est inal cancer was given three months to live. He began taking the proxeronine and lived for a whole year, pain-free.” 29 Skin Healing Agent One of the most prevalent hist rical uses of noni was in poultice form for cuts, wounds, abrasions, burns and bruises. Using its fruit extract for very serious burns has resulted in some extraordinary healing. Because skin is comprised of protein, it immediately responds to the presence of xeronine. burn site throught he direct application of a noni poultice is considered quite effective by Dr. Heinicke and his colleagues, who have studied enzymatic therapy. Concerning burns, he has written: I believe that each tissue has cells which contain proteins which have receptor sites for the absorption of xeronine. Certain of these proteins are the inert for ms of enzymes which require absorbed xeronine to become active. This xeronine, by converting the body’s procol- langenase system into a specific protease, quickly and safely removes the dead tissue from burns.30 Drug Addiction The xeronine link to treat ing drug addiction is based on the notion that flooding t he brain with extra xeronine can reverse the neurochemical basis for addiction. This natural alkaloid is thought to normalize brain receptors which subsequent ly results in the cessation of physiological dependence on a certain chemical like nicotine.3 1 The potential of Hawaiin noni as a natural stimulat or for t he production of xeronine may have profound implications in treating various types of addictions. Complementary Agents of Noni
PrimaryApplications of Noni
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Mushrooms are commonly found on dead and decomposing plants. Over the years, human kind has used mushrooms for the purposes of boosting their immunity. Mushrooms are known to have the power to prevent illnesses and diseases. Today, there are some medical mushrooms that have been known to be the most potent immune boosters. Scientists have discovered that most potent mushrooms target the cancerous cells in your body while at the same time boosting the healthy cells. One of the most potent of them all is perhaps the Agaricus Blazei mushroom, commonly found in Brazil. The mushroom has been used as a major supplement for herbal manufacturers who credit it with the success in the treatment of major diseases around the world, such as cancer.
Artemisinin health benefits
Sea buckthorn 
Grapefruit oils are known to be very important in improving and maintaining body health. Herbalist and medical doctors have recommended regular use of grapefruit oil because of variety of benefits it has. 
Castor oil is an inflammatory and anti oxidant oil. A very pale yellow liquid extracted from castrol seed, with high concentration of unsaturated fatty acid,although with unpleasantand strong taste castor oil is used as medicine.
The resulting dilated veins are what we refer to as varicose veins, which is just one symptom of chronic venous insufficiency. Age is one major factor in the development of this medical condition. It is a fact that the valves inside the leg veins are more susceptible to decreasing elasticity as we age due to daily wear and tear the veins in the legs has to endure over the years. Since female hormones contribute to the relaxing of the vascular walls, varicose veins are more likely to afflict women. 
concur that approximately one in three men over thirty will face some form of prostate challenge during their lifetime. One of the most frequently encountered is BPH, or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. This common, non-cancerous condition occurs in aging males as a result of normalized shifts in hormonal production. While the exact cause of BPH continues to intrigue the research community, findings from ongoing studies have indicated that it may be linked to excess free testosterone reaching the prostate gland in high concentrations, or possibly excess production of DHT, or dihydrotestosterone, a natural testosterone metabolite. Current research is looking at possible estrogenic causes, as well. While the volume of men affected by BPH is indeed concerning, hope for supporting optimal prostate function, once only within view of the health horizon, is now a very real and accessible alternative option. 
