Trapped July 6, 2009

What is it that makes us feel the need to own and possess each other? Does true love really need a contract? Why are we obsessed with defining life with expectations and creating restrictions?

If we lived according to what felt right rather than what we are told is the right, acceptable thing to do, maybe we would begin to understand that love is the force that fuels every soul. When we live in love, there is no need for fear and control. Love does not need to be trapped but needs to be free to flow and connect us to the world.

Free the tea June 14, 2009

While a cup of black, white, or green tea provides a healthy refreshment, packed full of antioxidants and metabolism boosting molecules, there may be good reason to brew your next cup of tea from loose leaf tea leaves rather than tea bags. Why? It appears that the paper used in the manufacture of commercial tea bags may be a source of a cancer causing chemical known as epichlorohydrin.

The Potential Toxicity of Tea Bags

Many people choose to brew their own tea from loose leaf tea leaves simply because it produces a better tasting cup of tea. The tea leaves packed into commercial tea bags are usually tea fragments and dustings of inferior quality and produce a cup of tea that lacks the full-bodied taste of tea produced from loose leaves. Not only is the taste compromised when tea bags are used, but the health benefits may be reduced by the toxicity of the bag itself.

Many tea bags made of paper are manufactured with a chemical known as epichlorohydrin, a compound used in the manufacture of plastics and used as an insecticide. When this chemical comes into contact with water it forms a chemical called 3-MCPD, a known cancer causing agent. Not only is epichlorohydrin found in paper tea bags, it’s also used in the manufacture of paper coffee filters. While this chemical in and of itself is troubling, when it comes into contact with water as when steeping tea, it becomes of even greater concern because of the cancer causing 3-MCPD it produces.

Hopefully, in the future, tea manufacturers will eliminate this harmful chemical from their tea bags so that the health benefits of tea can be enjoyed without exposure to cancer causing chemicals. Until then, it may be best to enjoy tea in its loose leaf form.

Forgive yourself May 25, 2009

Open your heart and take the next moments to forgive yourself. Forgive yourself of unfulfilled expectations and the weight of disappointment.

Open your heart and release anything that is not born of love. Let only love reside in your heart, for anything else is a poison, a poison that rots our spirit and blackens our hope.

There is only one moment in which we have a choice, that is now. May you choose to love from within and express the unique beauty of your being.

Tomatoe magic and Lycopene May 1, 2009

Lycopene is the red pigement of ripe tomatoes, it is also found in guava, pink grapefruit, red oranges and watermelon. Lycopene is a very efficient antioxidant, which can neutralize oxygen derived free radicals. The oxidative damage caused by these free radicals has been linked to many degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, premature aging, cancer and cataracts. In studies, treatment of cells will lycopene protects cells against DNA damage and lipid peroxidation. Anti-cancer In vitro-studies have shown the anti-cancer properties of lycopene against many cancer cells, including cancer cells of prostate, stomach, lung, colon and skin. There are numerous studies about the effect of lycopene on cancer and prostate cancer in particular.  Lycopene also shows anti-mutagenic action against chemically induced DNA damage. Antibacterial, antifungal and anti-toxic Lycopene possesses antibacterial and antifungal properties. Lycopene can help to reduce inflammation of the gums and can help to fight infections of Candida albicans. In laboratory conditions, lycopene shows antitoxic properties against many toxins such as aflatoxin, cyclosporine and cadmium. Arteriosclerosis Lycopene inhibits platelet aggregation and reduces the production of foam cells which play an important role in the development of arteriosclerosis. Lycopene helps to prevent arteriosclerosis by reducing inflammatory agents in rats increased risk of venous thrombosis.

Rooting for Rutin- Strengthen your veins April 30, 2009

Need a little help with weak veins? It many sound funny but it is quite common, especially as the body ages to develop varicosities. If so, you will be rooting for rutin to strengthen and heal the pain of veins.

Rutin has strong antioxidant properties. Rutin has also the property to chelate metal ions, such as iron, thereby reducing the Fenton reaction (production damaging oxygen radicals). Rutin also seems to stabilize vitamin C. If rutin is taken together with vitamin C, the activity of ascorbic will be intensified.

Rutin is important because it strengthens capillaries and can help people who bruise or bleed easily.

Studies have demonstrated that rutin can help to stop venous edema, that is an early sign of chronic venous disease of the leg. Rutin has anti-inflammatory effects. Animal studies have shown that rutin has preventive and healing effects. There are indications that rutin can inhibit some cancerous and pre-cancerous conditions. Rutin may help to prevent atherogenesis and reduce the cytotoxicity of oxidized LDL-cholesterol.

Distribution: Rutin is found in many plants, fruits and vegetables. The richest source is buckwheat. Rutin is also found in citrus fruits (especially the pith) , noni, black tea, apple peel. During digestion much of the rutin is metabolized to its aglycone, quercetin.

MSG- safe? April 16, 2009

So after realizing that MSG is lurking in all of my kitchen cupboards, I thought I would research the impact of this food additive, here’s what I found:

MSG is an excitotoxin.

Excitotoxicity is the pathological process by which nerve cells are damaged and killed by glutamate and similar substances.

Excitotoxicity may be involved in spinal cord injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) such as Multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease.

MSG Hides Behind 25+ Names, Such As ‘Natural Flavoring”
MSG Is Also In Your Favorite Coffee Shops And Drive-Ups

In hundreds of studies around the world, scientists were creating obese mice and rats to use in diet or diabetes test studies. No strain of rat or mice is naturally obese, so the scientists have to create them. They make these morbidly obese creatures by injecting them with MSG when they are first born. The MSG triples the amount of insulin the pancreas creates; causing rats (and humans?) to become obese. They even have a title for the fat rodents they create: “MSG-Treated Rats”.

Foods ALWAYS contain MSG when these words are on the label
:

MSG	Gelatin	Calcium Caseinate
Monosodium Glutamate	Hydrolized Vegetable Protein	Textured Protein
Monopotassium Glutamate	Hydrolized Plant Protein	Yeast Extract
Glutamate	Autolyzed Plant Protein	Yeast Food or Nutrient
Glutamic Acid	Sodium Caseinate	Autolyzed Yeast

Foods made with the following products often contain MSG

Annatto	Flavoring Seasonings (Most assume this means salt pepper or spices & herbs which it sometimes is)	Protein fortified anything
Anything enriched or vitamin enriched	Flowing Agents	Protein Fortified Milk
Barley Malt	Gums	Reaction Flavours
Bouillon	Lipolyzed butter fat	Rice or Brown Rice, Syrup
Broth	Low or No Fat items	Soy Protein
Caramel Flavoring (coloring)	Malt Extract or Flavoring	Soy Protein Isolate or Concentrate
Carrageenan	Malted Barley (flavour)	Soy Sauce or Extract
Citric Acid (when processed from corn)	Maltodextrin	Spice
Corn syrup and corn syrup solids (partly depends upon process used)	Milk Powder	Stock
Cornstarch	Modified Food Starch	Ultra-pasteurized anything
Dough Conditioners	Natural Chicken	Wheat
Dry Milk Solids	Pectin	Whey Protein Isolate or Concentrate
Fermented anything	Protease	Whey Protein or Whey
Flavours & Flavouring	Protease enzymes	Yeast Nutrients

MSG has been linked with the following symptoms:

1. Severe headache	12. Shortness of breath, chest pains, asthma	23. Slowed speech
2. Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting	13. Swelling, pain, or numbness of hands, feet, jaw	24. Chronic bronchitis-like symptoms, allergy reactions, dry cough, hoarseness or sore throat
3. Irregular heart beat or blood pressure, racing heart	14. Pain in joints or bones	25. Heavy, weak feeling in arms and legs
4. Depression or mood change, bipolar, SAD	15. Flushing or tingling in face, chest, pressure behind eyes	26. Irritable bowel or colitis
5. Abdominal pain, cramps, bloating, colitis, IBS	16. Gagging reflex or difficulty swallowing	27. Attention deficit disorder, anxiety attacks, rage, panic attacks
6. Balance problems, dizziness, or seizures, mini-strokes	17. Hyperactivity, behavioral problems	28. Neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, fibromyalgia, MS, Parkinson’s
7. Tenderness in localized areas, neck, back etc.	18. Chronic post nasal drip	29. Pressure behind eyes or on head, neck, shoulders
8 Sleep disorders	19. Skin rash, itching, hives	30. ADD, ADHD, Rage Disorders
9. Blurred vision or difficulty breathing	20. Bloated face, dark circles under strained eyes	31. Asthma
10. Chronic fatigue or sleepiness	21. Extreme thirst or dry mouth	32. Weight problems, obesity, hypoglycemia
11. Excessive perspiring or shuddering and chills	22. Difficulty concentrating and poor memory

If any of these conditions plague you, you may be a victim of the myth that monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a safe food additive. The truth is that the average person eats much more glutamate than what is considered to be a safe and normal amount in the typical diet. MSG is in everything from crackers and soda pop to vitamins and toothpaste.

Bee free from radiation- supplements for protection from x rays and other radiation April 14, 2009

Recently I have had a whole bunch of x rays done, (some for my wisdom teeth and some for the chiropactor) and it got me thinking that maybe nature has some useful remedies to offer, so I don’t cause too much radiation damage and start glowing green! Here is what my research showed.

Bee Pollen has shown to protect against the damage of radiation (such as x rays) and reduces likelihood of side effects according to research done by Stanford Research Institute. Part of the reason for this is thought to be the composition of bee pollen, which is 15% Lecithin and helps look after the nervous system and brain.

Siberian Ginseng (Eleuthero) is a powerful adaptogen that helps the body cope with all types of stress, but is especially potent when it comes to minimizing radiation effects and has been used in Russia and China for many years with success.

Sea Vegetables (kelp, dulse, wakame, nori) these anti oxidant & mineral rich ocean delicacies also help to health the body from radiation and maintain the body in an alkaline condition.

Even if you haven’t been x rayed, if you are using a computer to read this even you could do with a little anti-radiation aid.

A gift from the Easter Bunny- Benefits of chocolate April 10, 2009

We may think of chocolate as a naughty treat but emerging health giving properties of coco means Easter can be a time of merry munching for all! Here is some of the most recent research reported by CNN:

A happier heart

Scientists at the Harvard University School of Public Health recently examined 136 studies on coco -

“Studies have shown heart benefits from increased blood flow, less platelet stickiness and clotting, and improved bad cholesterol,” says Mary B. Engler, Ph.D., a chocolate researcher and director of the Cardiovascular and Genomics Graduate Program at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Nursing. These benefits are the result of cocoa’s antioxidant chemicals known as flavonoids, which seem to prevent both cell damage and inflammation.

Better blood pressure

If yours is high, chocolate may help. Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., director of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University, recently found that hypertensive people who ate 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate per day for two weeks saw their blood pressure drop significantly, according to an article in the journal Hypertension. Their bad cholesterol dropped, too.

People who ate the same amount of white chocolate? Nothing.

Muscle magic

Chocolate milk may help you recover after a hard workout. In a small study at Indiana University, elite cyclists who drank chocolate milk between workouts scored better on fatigue and endurance tests than those who had some sports drinks. Yoo-hoo!

TLC for your skin

German researchers gave 24 women a half-cup of special extra-flavonoid-enriched cocoa every day. After three months, the women’s skin was moister, smoother, and less scaly and red when exposed to ultraviolet light. The researchers think the flavonoids, which absorb UV light, help protect and increase blood flow to the skin, improving its appearance.

Brain gains

It sounds almost too good to be true, but preliminary research at West Virginia’s Wheeling Jesuit University suggests chocolate may boost your memory, attention span, reaction time, and problem-solving skills by increasing blood flow to the brain. Chocolate companies found comparable gains in similar research on healthy young women and on elderly people.

Alfalfa for Everything! April 9, 2009

Let alfalfa be your new best friend at the dinner table!

The health benefits of alfalfa are extensive and cover many different conditions and ailments.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, physicians used this wonder herb and its leaves in the treatment disorders of the digestive system and kidneys. The herb is also used to aid detoxification due to its alkalizing properties, (which means it is great for hangovers!)

Certain medical conditions have seen great benefits from an alfalfa regime, including: atherosclerosis, heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and endometriosis.

The risk of High cholesterol and heart disease can be reduced as the fibers and chemicals in alfalfa seem to stick to cholesterol, preventing it from remaining in the blood or depositing itself on arterial walls. It appears that the ingestion of alfalfa rids the body of the harmful types of cholesterol, but HDL (high density lipoprotein) is seemingly untouched by the effects of alfalfa. Hence, it is believed that alfalfa prevents plaque formation on the arterial walls, thereby as a consequence preventing heart disease and strokes, as well as being responsible for lowering blood cholesterol levels.

Due to the high manganese content in alfalfa, it is believed to lower blood sugar levels, and therefore is recommended for diabetics.

Cancer studies have also seen a correlation between alfalfa intake and incidence of cancer. It is reported that alfalfa helps to bind carcinogens in the colon, and is effective in their speedy elimination. Also, during post cancer treatment of chemotherapy with drugs like Cytoxan and Neosar, alfalfa has been reported to reduce and sometimes completely reverse the immune depression caused by these anti-cancer drugs. Benefiting People on Antibiotics, Anti-Cholesterol Medications, Anti-Seizure Medications and Steroids. Also, besides the above, those on a regimen of antibiotics like amoxicillin, gentamicin, streptomycin and tetracycline would benefit greatly from alfalfa consumption, as it restores the levels of vitamin K in the body.

Asthma and Respiratory Conditions Folk remedies passed down the ages suggest that alfalfa seeds have been used to combat asthma and other breathing conditions.  Some chemical constituents of alfalfa are known to have diuretic effect, and Hence, it is thought to be a remedy for edema, which is the accumulation of excess water in the body.

Alfalfa also has components that mimic the effects of the female hormone estrogen, and therefore is believed to be potentially useful in menopause as well.

Alfalfa grass or alfalfa sprouts are very rich in iron, calcium and phosphorus and vitamin D. Alfalfa also contains power packed levels of vitamin B12, which helps combat the onset of pernicious anemia.

You can even use alfalfa as an organic fertilizer due to its nitrogen fixing attributes!

Sickly Sweet-How sugar effects the immune system March 31, 2009

It may shock you to learn that the average American eats up to three pounds of sugar every week. That’s the equivalent of three full bags of the stuff. Of course, few people actually go through that much actual table sugar, but it is found in almost all of the processed foods we eat.

More so than causing any particular disease, sugar has a dreadful impact on the building blocks of our immune systems. Let’s take a look at how this is true.

Vitamin C is an important food supplement our bodies require for the proper health and production of white blood cells. White blood cells are the body’s disease fighters. Because these cells need such a high concentration of Vitamin C to effectively combat illnesses, we have long been instructed to take supplements of the vitamin to fight off the common cold. It so happens that sugar (in the form of glucose) and Vitamin C are absorbed by white blood cells in the exact same way. This means that when consuming glucose, it can find its way into the cells and leaves the Vitamin C roaming about without a home. It also leaves the white blood cells wholly unprepared to fight off viruses and bacteria.