Curry ingredient found to have cancer treating potentials October 29, 2009
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A new research has revealed that a molecule in curry has the capability to kill esophageal cancer cells. This suggests that this molecule might be developed as an anti-cancer treatment.
Scientists at the Cork Cancer Research Center in Ireland have treated esophageal cancer cells with curcumin. Circumin is a chemical found in the spice turmeric, which gives curries the distinctive yellow color. They found the molecule started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours. Read More…
Anti-inflammatory diet can end chronic diseases August 9, 2009
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The patient was suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, with muscle pain, abdominal discomfort, sleeplessness and a frustrating brain fog. Dr. Victor Sierpina changed the patient’s diet and chased down the villains — wheat, corn and dairy foods. All had triggered inflammatory reactions in her body. Sierpina, professor of family medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch, is among a growing number of medical professionals using anti-inflammatory diets as weapons in the fight against disease. Start with a medical checkup, he advises, and then get ready to revamp your grocery list. Read More…
Superfoods combat numerous ills naturally August 4, 2009
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By Patrick McDonough
from WillametteLive, Section Wellness
The word “superfood” seems to be everywhere recently.
From Oprah to MSNBC to the New York Times, it is a term that has gained the attention of the media and the public.
But what exactly is a superfood?
While the answer to that question varies somewhat from source to source, many experts agree that superfoods are often ones high in antioxidants or Omega-3 fatty acids.
Antioxidants are substances that act as inhibitors against detrimental oxidation processes and perform protective functions within the human body. They have been touted by many sources as having the ability to fight cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s, among other ailments.
The USDA lists foods such as artichokes, beans, and apples high on the antioxidant list.
The food that rates highest on the list, however, is blueberries.
According to Dr. Tim Murbach of Salem Natural Medicine, who is a naturopathic physician with certification in micronutrient therapy, blueberries have a wide spectrum of benefits for the body and definitely fall into the category of superfood.
“Blueberry has anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, and anti-cancer properties and properties that stimulate nerve regeneration in the brain, preserve stem cells, and block radiation effects,” he said.
Most berries are high in antioxidants, Murbach said, adding that many berries are excellent sources of nutrition.
“Some of the berries and fruits by which I have been most impressed, in addition to the blueberry, are gogi, acai, hawthorn, and pomegranate.”
Omega-3s are a class of fatty acids found primarily in fish that, among other benefits, act to lower cholesterol.
Dr. Murbach states that there are many readily available sources of Omega-3s.
“The best (or at least most concentrated) sources of Omega-3 oils are fish oil and krill oil. These are far superior to plant sources in medicinal value. Of course, you would need to eat the fish itself to consider it as a superfood. Fish high in Omega-3 are sardines, anchovies, salmon, halibut, mackerel, tuna, krill, etc.,” Murbach said.
He warned of potential drawbacks to this source of Omega-3’s, but commented that fish contains far greater quantities of the substance than other foods.
“The down side to consuming fish, especially the larger species, is, of course, ocean pollution,” he said, “with most containing unacceptable levels of mercury and PCB.”
Plants high in Omega-3 fatty acids are chia seed, flax seed, and walnut. While these are beneficial and should be consumed, they can never, in any quantity, provide the same benefits as the fish and algal oils.
Ultimately, Dr. Murbach said that there are many elements to a superfood besides antioxidants and Omega 3’s.
“Superfoods are good for you because they contain phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and protein,” he said. “They may provide anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-aging, cholesterol lowering, blood pressure lowering, digestive, detoxification, cardiovascular, metabolic (i.e. anti-diabetic, weight loss), memory and anti-dementia, mental health, and a host of other positive health benefits.”
“The good news is that, for many of these foods, you do not have to go to the ends of the earth to find them; they can be found in the local supermarket,” Dr. Murbach said. “The fact is, most chronic diseases of the western world are fundamentally linked to diet and may be benefited by superfoods.”
The use of any food varies individually depending on dietary needs.
For assistance in deciding what is best, see a physician trained in nutrition or visit a local health food store.
Honey: Studies Reveal its Marvelous Antibiotic-like Healing Properties July 24, 2009
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How sweet it is! It appears that researchers have struck gold—liquid gold—in their research work at Waikato University, New Zealand, on the use of honey applied topically to wounds. Long since used in folk medicine for thousands of years, research findings are confirming that honey can be even more potent than antibiotics, and free of any undermining side effects. Read More….
The Power in Onion July 23, 2009
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Regular consumption of onion can protect against diseases including cancer and diabetes
Those who want to look and feel healthy are advised to eat onion everyday. Anselm Adodo, a reverend father, founder and director of Pax Herbal Clinic, Ewu, Edo State, who gave the advice, said apart from strengthening the immune system, warding off a variety of bacteria, lowering noxious cholesterol level in the blood system, onion also protects the body against viral infections. Onion contains substances that also lower blood sugar and destroys cancerous cells in the body. It purifies and strengthens the liver and the kidney as well as cleanses the blood. Read More…
Take It or Leave It? The Truth About 8 Mediterranean Diet Staples June 24, 2009
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By DAN CHILDS
Among the legion of today’s most popular diet regimens, the Mediterranean diet has become a poster child for healthy eating, garnering praise from nutrition experts and home gourmets alike. But while few would dispute the health benefits of such a diet, what is it about the Mediterranean menu that makes it so healthy?
A study released Tuesday in the online edition of the British Medical Journal took aim at this very question. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Healthin Boston and the University of Athens Medical School in Greece looked at more than 23,000 Greek men and women participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Over the course of about eight and a half years, the researchers led by Harvard’s Dimitrios Trichopoulos and the University of Athens’ Antonia Trichopoulou compared the health of the participants against their adherence to a Mediterranean diet.
What they found was that certain foods in the diet, more than others, may offer the bulk of the nutritional benefits of the regimen.
Vitamins C, D pack powerful budget-friendly punch June 9, 2009
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Two well-known, affordable, and accessible vitamins have long been touted as being the means to a healthier body and boosted immunity to colds. Expanded research is also proving that regular doses of Vitamins C and D will also help treat and prevent diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, osteoarthritis and even multiple sclerosis. Read More…
A Recipe for Healthy Eyes June 8, 2009
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When planning this week’s menu, be sure to remember these super foods for your eyes: fish and nuts. A study in the Archives of Ophthalmology finds that one serving of fish per week and one to two weekly servings of nuts reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in people over 65. Read More…
Diet change leads to improvement for autistic child May 21, 2009
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If it seems you are hearing about more children being diagnosed with autism, you’re right.
The South Carolina Autism Society says one in every 150 people have the disability. That’s about 28,000 people in our state.
There’s an autism walk this weekend as several families take action to deal with it. For some it means taking an alternative action.
To watch Harry Weaver color with his grandmother, you’d assume he’s like any other three-year-old. That was not the case a year ago.
“You could call his name and he wouldn’t respond to his own name. You could go clap your hands behind his head and he would act like nothing happened. Somebody could walk up and say “boo,” and he would go on about his business just doing what he was doing,” says Julie Weaver.
Harry was diagnosed as being autistic. Autism is a developmental disability that interferes with reasoning, social interaction and communication skills.
“So, kids with autism have difficulty functioning socially, difficulty doing what you and I do naturally every day, getting along, relating to other people, difficulty communicating, having conversations, having those non-verbal communications and they have behaviors that may seem different or odd to other people,” says behavioral therapist Elizabeth Wilkinson, who coordinates an autism treatment network for the USC School of Medicine.
She says early intervention is key. And there are recognized therapies that help a child recover, therapies Julie tried.
“He was doing the traditional route and it wasn’t working. It wasn’t working. I had to do something else. I was losing more of him every day,” says Weaver.
So Julie radically changed Harry’s diet. She took out foods that contained gluten, a wheat protein from flour, and casein, the milk protein in cow’s milk.
She said she saw an immediate difference, describing it as a fog being lifted from Harry’s eyes.
“He entered our world. He started having meaningful speech. He would point his finger to show us what he wanted now. And when the therapist would come to the house to do therapy, he would cooperate,” says Weaver.
Julie says the diet takes a ton of work but there are numerous options. She laid out several of them in her husband’s chiropractic office. Together, they educate other parents.
They even use a hyperbaric chamber that uses the amount of pressure you’d feel at the bottom of an eight-foot pool. They believe it helps Harry sleep better and calms his aggression.
When inside, Harry plays games with mommy.
“I don’t discourage them from trying anything that they think is going to help their child, I think they have every right to try whatever they think is going to help the child as long as it doesn’t stand in the way of helping their youngster progress,” says Wilkinson.
Wilkinson says the chamber and radical diet are not recognized forms of treatment.
The Weavers say the alternative treatments are what saved their son.
The Weavers will be one of the families participating in this Saturday’s “Strides for Autism.”
A Healthy Balance: Can you have work-life balance? May 20, 2009
Posted by TruthSeeker in Diet, naturopathic.add a comment
By Katie Baker
How is it possible to balance work, family, friends, community and personal time?
There are some simple steps that can go a long way toward helping us all find balance in our busy lives. The key is to assess whether you are living consistently with what you believe to be important.
I’m a lover of lists. It keeps me from being distracted and helps me feel successful to see checked- off items that I’ve completed during the day.
My sister, a consummate list maker, even stores lists on the computer that include everyday chores and events with blank lines for adding specific tasks. She has created a grocery shopping list with everything in her cupboard that has been categorized and some empty slots, so she can put a check next to items as she uses them up.
This keeps her from spending money on things she already has and helps her remember what she needs, preventing multiple grocery store trips (and wasted time trying to remember what she forgot).
Consider sitting down for 30 minutes and writing out your weekly plans. Look specifically for items that are unappealing and unnecessary.
Practice saying no. This gives you more time to say yes to the things you enjoy doing.
Someone else can bring the snacks for the team or stay behind to help clean up. It does not always have to be the same three parents every time. Just because you’re invited to a barbecue by a co-worker doesn’t mean you have to squeeze it in between two other family events and blow a whole Sunday. Be gracious, but firm.
For some parents who feel more like hired help, work on getting your children involved in household cleanup (many hands make light work). Talk with them about choosing one or two activities instead of a different one each day of the week.
Give an evening a month to volunteer at a local food bank or a Sunday afternoon picking up trash in a local park. Volunteering feeds the soul, helps the community, builds connections with your children and offers them a powerful example of a good role model.
Are you feeling disconnected, even though you have a crowded dinner table? Do you eat in front of the TV or spend hours at night watching?
Turn off the TV. Use dinnertime to check in with family members. Now that the weather is (reasonably) nice, consider a walk after dinner by yourself or with your spouse, alone or with the kids. On a crummy weather kind of day, have family game night or rent a movie to watch together. The key is reconnecting, rather than everyone going their separate ways.
In any of these above ways, you can find things to do with your family, with your friends, and by yourself as well as the time in which to do it. It’s a matter of sitting down and making sure that you know what your priorities are and working to make sure that what you do and how you spend your time is a reflection of them.
