Curious Cook: Pesticides and other thoughts - MUST READ

Part of the research into glyphosate for the last article provided additional free insight into the use of pesticides and treatments for fresh vegetables and fruits. The interesting aspect was not only the surprising amount of residues but also the frequent use of multiple chemicals on single crops.

April 15, 2019 Food, Food News

By CHRIS CHAN

Strawberries
As an example, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has identified strawberries as probably the most contaminated fruit in terms of pesticides and fruit treatment compounds. A quick search through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Pesticides Data Program (PDP) database revealed that strawberries for human consumption in the USA can be treated with combinations of over 70 different active compounds, with varying degrees of toxicity.

However in the amounts detected, the USDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have indicated there are no severe threats to human health provided the residue levels are kept below recommended limits. Note there may be more chemicals used but the PDP database did not indicate every possible compound used on commercial strawberries; for example, glyphosate was not included.

Strawberries are one of the most contaminated fruits. Photo: Ted Rabbitts/Flickr

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is probably more thorough in its monitoring of crop residues. It had also reviewed and published the Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) for over 485 chemicals which may be found on strawberries, though not all of them are regulated or actually permitted to be used – these MRLs are limits used by producers and test laboratories to analyse for food safety issues.

There were 109 chemicals originally approved for use on strawberries, including neonicotinoids (or neonics), often called “bee killers”. Since April 2018, three major neonics (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam) are banned from use in open fields though it seems thiamethoxam may still be applied in enclosed industrial greenhouses. The same detailed levels of EFSA documentation and processes apply for all other kinds of food crops.

Again, the EFSA suggests that permitted chemical residues in strawberries and other crops are safe for human consumption if they do not exceed their MRLs.

The dirty list
To be honest, the following list of fruits and vegetables was originally drawn up by the EWG, an organisation probably more known as an environmental lobbyist group than a proper scientific research outfit.

However, after struggling with the PDP and the EFSA pesticides databases, it became clear that there is no such thing as easy access to information regarding toxicity, dosage, frequency of application and consumer removal of many crop treatments without reading through the documentation of every formulation containing these chemicals and the diluents/surfactants used with such chemicals.

So after checking various items on the list as best as I could (and finding no significant discrepancies), I am assuming the EWG had done its homework properly when compiling the following list.

So, based on the analysis from the EWG, crops with the most treatment residues are: strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarine, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes and hot peppers.

Potatoes are one of the crops with the highest pesticide residue. Photo: Sethoscope/Flick

The EWG also states that nearly 70% of all produce sold in the United States is contaminated with pesticide residues, though it does not warn that all such produce is necessarily bad for health, provided all such residues are below the recommended MRLs. It merely suggests that long-term ingestion or over-ingestion of such residues may have a detrimental effect on health, which is likely to be true for sections of the population.

The above list are vegetables and fruits which are commonly targeted by insects, fungi, bacteria and other pests, and are therefore often sprayed with various compounds to prevent loss of production. Regarding potatoes, major treatments are also applied after harvest to prolong the crop storage life. In Britain in 2004, 2,677,280 tonnes of potatoes were treated with various compounds such as imazalil, thiabendazole and/or stored using ethylene, a gas which inhibits the sprouting of tubers. The main treatment was fumigation with chlorpropham, which was applied to 2,257,603 tonnes, or over 84% of the potato crop for that year.

The clean list
Of all commercial fruit and food crops, the following were found by the EWG to contain the lowest amount of pesticide residues: avocados, sweet corn, pineapples, sweet peas (frozen), onion, papayas, eggplants, asparagus, kiwis, cabbage, cauliflower, cantaloupes, broccoli, mushrooms and honeydew melons.

Cauliflower is on the clean list. Photo: Liz West/Flickr

Most of the above either have thick, inedible skins which need to be removed before eating or have hydrophobic surfaces which repel water.
In summary, if it is not possible/feasible to consume organic produce, it might be worthwhile to focus on picking more of your greens and fruits from the clean list above.

A likely carcinogen
As a comment, imazalil (also known as enilconazole or chloramizole) is one of the most common pesticides found on fruits. A huge proportion of oranges and other citrus fruits as well as potatoes are routinely treated with imazalil, even though both the EPA and the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) categorise imazalil as “likely to be carcinogenic to humans”.

Oranges are treated with a chemical that is reputed to be carcinogenic. Photo: Frederique Voisin Demery/Flick

The concentration of this compound is mostly on the fruits’ skin and therefore exposure should be minimal if the skin of the fruit is discarded. This may not be so easy if fruits such as grapes are treated with the chemical (which is the case in many countries).

To remove residues, the best suggestion is to soak and wash produce in a 1% baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) water solution for 12-15 minutes, as the alkalinity apparently destabilises and loosens pesticide molecules.

Honey and babies
We had a new granddaughter arrive recently, and automatically my wife offered the standard French advice to refrain from giving her any honey-based drinks for at least a year. Then it occurred to me that I do not know the reason for this common warning, so it was worth investigating.

It turns out it involves the most toxic poison known to humans, Botulinum Type H (BTX-H), which needs a dose of only two nanograms or less per kilo of body weight to be lethal – this is known as the Lethal Dose (LD). By contrast, the very lethal poison batrachotoxin, commonly known as curare, has a LD of two micrograms, 1,000 times less powerful by volume than botulinum H toxin.

Honey can be dangerous to babies under one. Photo: Harsha K R/Flickr

And the reason why babies should not be given honey is because spores of clostridium botulinum bacteria are not infrequently found in honey. The digestive systems of very young babies are not able to kill such bacteria in their stomachs until they are over a year old. Left to breed, clostridium botulinum will produce enough botulinum toxin (BTX) to provoke health issues quickly.

Note that BTX is the cause of botulism, not the bacteria. The bacteria are widespread in the environment and many food products – it is impossible to avoid over a normal lifetime.

However, people normally do not get infected because the bacteria cannot survive exposure to oxygen or highly acidic conditions (pH 4.6) – regular stomach acid (pH between 1.5-3.5) will destroy any ingested bacteria. But BTX is unaffected by stomach acid and needs heat treatment at temperatures of 85°C or more for five minutes to deactivate the toxin. The bacteria can also enter the bloodstream via wounds, and then propagate.
There are several varieties of BTX which are classified as Types A through H, though most are not as lethal as Type H. The cosmetic treatment botox, for example, is based on BTX A or B.

All types of BTX profoundly affect the function of an important neurotransmitter called acetylcholine – this disrupts normal nerve signalling and causes muscle paralysis. Therefore botox treatments work by relaxing muscles on the face and reducing the effect of wrinkly skin.
The good news is antidotes exist for most types of BTX poisoning, provided treatment is received in time (although they can have side-effects) – however, this does not apply for BTX-H because it is highly unlikely to be survivable.

Summary
In summary, when ingesting food stored in a low-acid, low oxygen environment (such as packaged foods or old tins), make sure to heat it to 85°C for at least five minutes – this should also be done for re-sealed food stored at inadequate cold temperatures (above 3°C). And never ever give honey to young babies.

https://www.star2.com/food/2019/04/15/curious-cook-pesticides-and-other-thoughts/

Cherries — A Potent Super Food

Strangely enough, this delicious super fruit increases your melatonin levels, improving the quality and quantity of your sleep. Besides that, they've been shown to be valuable in maintaining healthy blood pressure, killing off cancer cells and helping to relieve and prevent arthritis and gout. What's not to love about these beauties?

June 19, 2017

Story at-a-glance

• Sweet cherries are a great source of potassium, which is important for maintaining normal blood pressure, and contain a number of potent anticancer agents
• Tart cherries have been shown to improve athletic performance, endurance and recovery, reducing post-exercise pain and inflammation. Tart cherries also help relieve and prevent arthritis and gout
• If you live in a sub-tropical area, growing acerola cherry trees in your backyard can provide you with this potent super food for several months of the year. Relying on commercially-available cherries will limit them to just a few weeks a year

By Dr. Mercola

Cherries are a favorite summer treat with a number of health benefits. Harvest season runs from May through July, and with high susceptibility to disease and a short shelf life, cherry season is a short one. An exception is if you grow your own Barbados or West Indian cherry, more commonly known as the acerola cherry.

I have several acerola trees and harvest cherries nearly nine months of the year. Acerola cherries1 also are one of the highest sources of vitamin C. Each acerola cherry provides about 80 milligrams (mg) of natural vitamin C with all the other important supporting micronutrients, unlike synthetic vitamin C. When I have a bountiful harvest and eat more than 100 cherries, I get close to 10 grams of vitamin C.

The recommended daily allowance for vitamin C in the U.S. is a mere 75 to 90 mg for women and men respectively, so just one of these cherries can provide you with all the vitamin C you need for the day.

You pretty much have to grow acerola cherries on your own, though, as they cannot withstand transportation and storage. Deterioration can occur within four hours of harvesting and they ferment quickly, rendering them unusable in five days or less. Unless you intend to use them for juicing, they also do not fare well being kept in the freezer. Sadly, they only grow outdoors in subtropical climates like Florida.

Tart Versus Sweet Cherries

Conventional cherries can be divided into two primary categories: sweet and tart (sour). Sweet varieties such as Bing cherries are typically eaten fresh, while Montmorency tart cherries are typically sold dried, frozen or as juice.2 Tart cherries develop a fuller flavor when they're used in cooking, which is why they're often used in baked desserts. As noted by the Cherry Marketing Institute:3

“When it comes to nutritional science and cherries, most studies involve tart Montmorency cherries. In fact, more than 50 studies have examined the potential health benefits of Montmorency tart cherries, and the research is continuing. 

This research strongly supports the anti-inflammatory qualities of Montmorency tart cherries, as well as the benefits of muscle recovery and pain relief from conditions like arthritis. Studies have also found that Montmorency tart cherries contain [m]elatonin, a naturally occurring substance that helps regulate sleep patterns.”

One 8-ounce glass of tart cherry juice will give you:4

• 62 percent of your recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin A (about 20 times more vitamin A than sweet cherries)
• 40 percent of your RDI of vitamin C
• 14 percent of your RDI of manganese
• 12 percent of your RDI of potassium and copper
• 7 percent of your RDI for vitamin K

Sweet cherries are a great source of potassium,5 which is important for maintaining normal blood pressure. It plays an important role in your fluid balance, and helps offset the hypertensive effects of sodium. Sweet cherries also contain a number of potent anticancer agents, including:

•Beta carotene, which converts into vitamin A (retinol), important for healthy vision as well

•Vitamin C, the “grandfather” of the traditional antioxidants, the health benefits of which have been clearly established. It’s a powerful antioxidant, which helps neutralize cell-damaging free radicals

•Anthocyanins, including quercetin. Sweet cherries have three times the amount of anthocyanins than tart cherries, and those with deep purple pigments (opposed to red) have the highest amounts.

Quercetin is among the most potent in terms of antioxidant activity and has a wide range of other health-promoting properties as well. As a group, anthocyanins have been shown to promote cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of mutated cells, thereby reducing your cancer risk

•Cyanidin,6 an organic pigment compound with powerful antioxidant activity. By promoting cellular differentiation, it reduces the risk of healthy cells transforming into cancer cells. One study found cyanidin isolated from tart cherries was superior to that of vitamin E and comparable to commercially available antioxidant products7

•Ellagic acid, this polyphenol “prevents the binding of carcinogens to DNA and strengthens connective tissue,” thereby preventing the spread of cancer cells.8 It also inhibits DNA mutations and inhibits cancer by triggering apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells

Mind Your Portions

Just beware that cherries, both sweet and tart, are relatively high in fructose. One cup, about 10 pieces, contain about 4 grams of fructose. It's important to take this into account if you’re tracking your fructose consumption. I recommend keeping total fructose below 25 grams per day if you’re otherwise healthy, or as low as 15 grams if you struggle with health issues associated with insulin resistance. The good news is you don’t need to eat much more than a handful to get good amounts of antioxidants.

Alternatively, if you have confirmed that you are burning fat as your primary fuel and are engaging in cyclical ketogenesis, then, on the days that you are strength training (about twice a week), you can increase your net carbs to 100 or 150 grams, so you can have larger amounts of cherries on those days. Just be sure not to binge on large amounts daily for the entire cherry season as you are just asking for unnecessary metabolic challenges.

Tart Cherries — A Natural Endurance-Boosting Super Food

In one recent study,9 Montmorency tart cherries, taken in the form of a juice concentrate, were found to improve athletic performance and recovery among semiprofessional soccer players, decreasing post-exercise inflammation and muscle soreness.

Similarly, athletes consuming tart cherry juice prior to long-distance running experienced less pain than those who did not.10 Other research has confirmed tart cherry juice is a valuable endurance sports drink. As noted by Running Competitor:11

“The best way to accelerate muscle recovery after exercise is to prevent muscle damage from occurring during exercise. And one of the best ways to do [sic]prevent muscle damage during exercise is to consume the right nutrients before exercise. Tart cherry juice does just that. This was demonstrated in a 2010 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports.

Twenty recreational runners consumed either cherry juice or placebo for five days before running a marathon, then again on race day, and for two days afterward as well. The lucky runners who got the cherry juice exhibited less muscle damage immediately after the marathon. They also showed lower levels of inflammation and recovered their muscle strength significantly quicker.”

Cherries, courtesy of their high vitamin C content, may also stave off exercise-induced asthma, the symptoms of which include cough, wheezing and shortness of breath when exercising. A meta-analysis12 from Finland found vitamin C may reduce bronchoconstriction caused by exercise by nearly 50 percent.

Interestingly, another powerful and natural strategy to accelerate muscle recovery is photobiomodulation. I have a 1-foot by 3-foot panel of red (660 nm) and near-infrared (850 nm) LEDs that I use every day for about five minutes. The bed is a few thousand dollars but you can achieve similar results with a smaller near-infrared device from Amazon.13 It just takes longer as it has fewer LEDs. You also need to remove the plastic lens and put black electrical tape over the green photodiode so it will turn on in the daytime.

On the days that I lift heavy enough to cause muscle challenges serious enough to make it difficult to sit down or use the toilet the next day, I use the light bed for 10 minutes and that is enough to completely abort the post-exercise stiffness and pain. It is an amazing mitochondrial support; every time I use it, I’m surprised that I can avoid the post-exercise pain and stiffness.

Cherries Are Potent Anti-Inflammatories

Tart cherries contain two powerful compounds, anthocyanins and bioflavonoids. Both slow down the enzymes cyclo-oxyygenase-1 and -2, which helps to relieve and prevent arthritis and gout.14 Gout occurs when the metabolic processes that control the amount of uric acid in your blood fail to do their job effectively.

The stiffness and swelling are a result of excess uric acid-forming crystals in your joints, and the pain associated with this condition is caused by your body's inflammatory response to the crystals. Dr. Nathan Wei, a nationally known rheumatologist, recalled this story about the powerful effect of cherries on gout:15

“Dr. Ludwig W. Blau, relating how eating a bowl of cherries one day led to complete relief from pain, sparked off the interest in cherries in the treatment of gout … Blau's gout had been so severe that he had been confined to a wheelchair. One day, quite by accident, he polished off a large bowl of cherries, and the following day the pain in his foot was gone.

“[Blau] continued eating a minimum of six cherries every day, and he was free from pain and able to get out of his wheelchair … Blau's research led to many other people suffering from gout who reported being helped by cherries.”

In a study16 of over 600 people with gout, those who ate a one-half cup serving of cherries per day for two days, or consumed cherry extract, had a 35 percent lower risk of a subsequent gout attack. Those who ate more cherries, up to three servings in two days, halved their risk. Other studies have found:

• Eating two servings (280 grams) of sweet Bing cherries after an overnight fast led to a 15 percent reduction in uric acid and lower nitric oxide and C-reactive protein levels (which are associated with inflammatory diseases like gout).17 The researchers noted the study supports "the reputed anti-gout efficacy of cherries" as well as "evidence that compounds in cherries may inhibit inflammatory pathways" 
• Consuming tart cherry juice daily for four weeks may lower your levels of uric acid18

By reducing inflammation, the anthocyanin and bioflavonoids in cherries may also help reduce:

• Migraine headaches. These compounds are actually known to have similar activity to aspirin and ibuprofen
• Pain from inflammatory osteoarthritis.19 According to one study,20 women with osteoarthritis who drank tart cherry juice twice daily for three weeks had significant reductions in markers of inflammation and a 20 percent reduction in pain. The researchers noted that tart cherries have the "highest anti-inflammatory content of any food"

How Cherries Support Healthy Sleep

Interestingly, cherries contain natural melatonin,21 a powerful antioxidant and free radical scavenger that helps "cool down" excess inflammation and associated oxidative stress. It also plays a vital role in sleep, cancer prevention and general regeneration. Based on daily environmental signals of light and darkness, your pineal gland has evolved to produce and secrete melatonin to help you sleep.

Research suggests that consuming tart cherry juice increases your melatonin levels, thereby improving time in bed, total sleep time and sleep efficiency. According to the researchers:22

"…consumption of a tart cherry juice concentrate provides an increase in exogenous melatonin that is beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality in healthy men and women and might be of benefit in managing disturbed sleep."

Other Health Benefits of Cherries

Tart and sweet cherries also have a number of other important health benefits. For example, they’ve been found to:

•Improve risk factors associated with diabetes and heart disease. In one animal study, rats fed tart cherry powder along with a high-fat diet gained less weight and accumulated less body fat than rats not fed tart cherries. They also had lower levels of inflammation and triglycerides, suggesting a role in heart health.23

Quercetin is also known to have a beneficial impact on cardiovascular health by reducing your blood pressure. According to a study investigating the effects of quercetin in hypertension, “The results of this meta‐analysis showed a significant effect of quercetin supplementation in the reduction of blood pressure, which suggest that this nutraceutical might be considered as an add‐on to antihypertensive therapy”24

•Reduce your risk of stroke. Tart cherries activate peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPAR) in tissues, which help regulate genes involved in the metabolism of fat and glucose. PPAR activation has a beneficial effect on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

In fact, research suggests eating cherries may provide heart benefits similar to prescription PPAR agonists,25 drugs prescribed for metabolic syndrome. The problem with these drugs is that while they may improve risk factors associated with heart disease, they may increase your risk of stroke instead.

As reported by Science Daily, 26 “… [R]esearch from the U-M Cardioprotection Research Laboratory suggests that tart cherries not only provide similar cardiovascular benefits as the prescribed medications, but can also reduce the risk of stroke, even when taken with these pharmaceutical options”

•Lower your risk of dementia. Inflammation and oxidative stress are associated with an increased risk for dementia. The polyphenols in tart cherries effectively combat both, thereby lowering your risk of cognitive decline.

As explained in one recent study,27 “[P]olyphenols from dark-colored fruits can reduce stress-mediated signaling in BV-2 mouse microglial cells, leading to decreases in nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. [T]art cherries — which improved cognitive behavior in aged rats … may be effective in reducing inflammatory and OS-mediated signals”

•Lower your risk of colon cancer by substantially reducing formation of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) when added to hamburger patties. It also slows meat spoilage.28 HAAs are potent carcinogenic compounds created when food is charred, and have been linked to an increased risk of colon cancer. Hamburger patties with just over 11 percent tart cherries in them contained anywhere from 69 to 78.5 percent less HAAs after cooking, compared to regular patties

Storage and Washing

To retain the best flavor, consume fresh cherries within two days if kept at room temperature, or store in the refrigerator for longer shelf life. Avoid washing them before storing, as this accelerates deterioration. Instead, wash them immediately before eating.

As mentioned, growing a few cherry trees or bushes29 in your backyard can provide you with this potent super food for several months out of the year. Relying on commercially-available cherries will limit them to just a few weeks a year. I eat a few acerola cherries every day, right from my own organic garden.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/06/19/cherries-super-food.aspx

Five Ways to Avoid a Gout Attack

June 6, 2014  

Uric acid is a natural waste product in your body. But when too much builds up, it can crystalize. This accumulates in your joints and causes gout. It's a painful—even crippling—condition. Once you've had it, you'll always be prone to it...

Gout can pop up in your ankle, heel, knee, wrist, toe, and even fingers. But don't let fear of a flare up stop you from enjoying your summer. Here are five ways to help avoid a gout attack:

1. Steam Your Greens: Leafy greens are among the best things you could possibly eat to help add years to your life. But there's a little-known problem with these foods... Some of them are high in oxalic acid. It's a natural defense against predators. Eating too much oxalic acid over time can lead to higher levels of uric acid... And that could mean a gout attack.

But don't stop eating your greens. Just don't eat them raw. Gently steaming spinach, kale, collard greens, and Swiss chard is a great way to reduce oxalic acid. This may even help you absorb more of the nutrients in these vegetables. Be sure to drain the veggies and let them dry after steaming. The oxalic acid can actually accumulate in the leftover water. Buying organic veggies may also help reduce inflammation—and chances of an encounter with gout—by lowering your exposure to toxins.

2. Eat Tart Cherries: Preventing inflammation is important for avoiding a gout attack. But don't rely on NSAIDs to do it. One study found that eating just a half cup serving of tart cherries each day can reduce the frequency of gout attacks by 35%. People who took tart cherry extract instead had even more impressive results. They saw a 45% reduction in gout attacks.

The anthocyanin that gives tart cherries their red color also helps prevent inflammation. It may also lower the amount of uric acid in your blood—another important factor in preventing a gout attack. If you can't find fresh tart cherries, you can buy organic juice and natural extract online.

3. Eliminate High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): This dangerous food additive may do more than just spike your blood sugar levels... The fructose in HFCS also causes your uric acid levels to rise. It may also make it harder for your body to process and eliminate this acid. This causes a major buildup that can lead to a gout attack.

One study found that men who drink two or more soft drinks sweetened with HFCS a day have an 85% higher risk of developing gout. But it's not just soda. Look out for fruit juices—even the "healthy" ones—that use HFCS as one of their main ingredients.

4. Limit Alcohol: We don't recommend that you drink alcohol in excess to begin with. But here's yet another reason to limit your intake... It boosts your uric acid levels. One study found that subjects who drank the most beer and liquor raised the uric acid content of their blood by up to 60%. In fact, for every 10 grams of alcohol you consume in a day, your gout risk may go up by 17%.

To put that number in real world terms, there's about 14 grams of alcohol in a single shot of most liquors. Though some studies suggest drinking wine may lower your risk, it's probably best to avoid it if you're already prone to gout flare ups.

5. Supplement with Celery Seed: It's an ancient Indian medicine used to treat colds, flu, and poor digestion. But it may also help prevent a gout attack. Celery seed is a diuretic. It helps your body pass water by increasing urine output. This may also help you flush out uric acid and keep it from building up in your joints. And it's not just uric acid that it helps get rid of. The antioxidant content of these seeds may also help prevent inflammation that can bring on gout.

Your best bet for celery seed is to find a natural extract in supplement form. Try your local health food store. But if you can't find it near you, it's also available online.

If you already suffer from gout, these tips can help you prevent a future attack. But if you've never had an attack, following these five steps may keep you from ever experiencing one.

References:
1http://www.greenmedinfo.com/article/fructose-may-cause-metabolic-syndrome-due-its-ability-raise-uric-acid-levels
2http://www.bmj.com/content/336/7639/285
3http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15593346
4http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/524766_5
5http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm
6http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/herb/celery-seed

http://institutefornaturalhealing.com/2014/06/five-ways-to-avoid-a-gout-attack/#References

'Cherry tree from space' mystery baffles Japan

A cherry tree grown from a seed that orbited the Earth for eight months bloomed years earlier than expected

By Shigemi Sato

April 11, 2014 4:50 AM

Tokyo (AFP) - A cosmic mystery is uniting monks and scientists in Japan after a cherry tree grown from a seed that orbited the Earth for eight months bloomed years earlier than expected -- and with very surprising flowers.

The four-year-old sapling -- grown from a cherry stone that spent time aboard the International Space Station (ISS) -- burst into blossom on April 1, possibly a full six years ahead of Mother Nature's normal schedule.

Its early blooming baffled Buddhist brothers at the ancient temple in central Japan where the tree is growing.

"We are amazed to see how fast it has grown," Masahiro Kajita, chief priest at the Ganjoji temple in Gifu, told AFP by telephone.

"A stone from the original tree had never sprouted before. We are very happy because it will succeed the old tree, which is said to be 1,250 years old."

The wonder pip was among 265 harvested from the celebrated "Chujo-hime-seigan-zakura" tree, selected as part of a project to gather seeds from different kinds of cherry trees at 14 locations across Japan.

The stones were sent to the ISS in November 2008 and came back to Earth in July the following year with Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, after circling the globe 4,100 times.

View gallery

FILE - This Nov. 7, 2013 file photo shows Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, a crew member of the Int …

Some were sent for laboratory tests, but most were ferried back to their places of origin, and a selection were planted at nurseries near the Ganjoji temple.

By April this year, the "space cherry tree" had grown to around four metres (13 feet) tall, and suddenly produced nine flowers -- each with just five petals, compared with about 30 on flowers of the parent tree.

It normally takes about 10 years for a cherry tree of the similar variety to bear its first buds.

The Ganjoji temple sapling is not the only early-flowering space cherry tree.

Of the 14 locations in which the pits were replanted, blossoms have been spotted at four places.

Two years ago, a young tree bore 11 flowers in Hokuto, a mountain region 115 kilometres (70 miles) west of Tokyo, around two years after it was planted.

View gallery

Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata holds a pack of cherry seeds in the International Space Station, Ap …

It was of a variety that normally only comes into flower at the age of eight.

Cosmic rays

The seeds were sent to the ISS as part of "an educational and cultural project to let children gather the stones and learn how they grow into trees and live on after returning from space," said Miho Tomioka, a spokeswoman for the project's organiser, Japan Manned Space Systems (JAMSS).

"We had expected the (Ganjoji) tree to blossom about 10 years after planting, when the children come of age," she added.

Kaori Tomita-Yokotani, a researcher at the University of Tsukuba who took part in the project, told AFP she was stumped by the extra-terrestrial mystery.

"We still cannot rule out the possibility that it has been somewhat influenced by its exposure to the space environment," she said.

Tomita-Yokotani, a plant physiologist, said it was difficult to explain why the temple tree has grown so fast because there was no control group to compare its growth with that of other trees.

She said cross-pollination with another species could not be ruled out, but a lack of data was hampering an explanation.

"Of course, there is the possibility that exposure to stronger cosmic rays accelerated the process of sprouting and overall growth," she said.

"From a scientific point of view, we can only say we don't know why."

Wakata is back aboard the ISS, where he is in command of the station.

The astronaut took part in a video link-up on Thursday with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy, chatting about his daily life hundreds of kilometres above the Earth.

http://news.yahoo.com/cherry-tree-space-mystery-baffles-japan-085044593.html

Melatonin Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk

This Hormone Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk by 75 Percent

Melatonin is the hormone that helps regulate your circadian rhythm. It keeps your body's internal clock running smoothly. But your levels drop as you get older. And not having enough can do more than just keep you up at night...

It may put you at risk for advanced prostate cancer.

Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health measured melatonin levels in 928 men. They found that men who produce have a lower risk for developing advanced prostate cancer. And we're not talking small odds, either. These men reduced their risk by 75 percent.

Melatonin blocks the growth of prostate cancer cells. Having enough also helps control other sleep-related risk factors for developing prostate cancer.

Melatonin is also a potent antioxidant. It's 200 percent more powerful than vitamin E. Getting more of it may help to keep your immune system strong.

Without optimal melatonin levels, you won't get restful sleep. The result? It throws off your circadian rhythm. This can make you produce even less melatonin.

This cycle is what puts you at risk for advanced prostate cancer. That's why you have to make sure your body is producing enough melatonin on its own.

Sure, you can take a supplement. But remember, melatonin is a hormone. Taking it as a supplement on a regular basis may disrupt your natural hormonal balance.

Instead, try to eat the right foods.

Researchers in Thailand found that fruits like orange and banana help. But pineapple increases your levels of aMT6-s by as much as 266 percent. It's a metabolite in your urine that measures circulating melatonin levels. Tart cherry juice also helps your body produce more of the hormone.

Also make sure you avoid bright, artificial lights late at night. That includes television and glowing electronics. Remember, you produce this hormone naturally in the absence of any light. Make the room you sleep in as dark as possible.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014 email received from INH Health Watch

Sharp Rise in Gout Seen

27 January 2014

Story at-a-glance

• Rates of gout have skyrocketed in the UK, rising 64 percent between 1997 and 2012
• Gout now affects one in 40 people in the UK
• High levels of uric acid are associated with gout, and one of the primary ways that uric acid levels are increased is by eating too much fructose
• If you struggle with gout, eliminating or strictly limiting fructose is an important step to recovery
• First, cut out soda, fruit drinks, and other sweetened beverages, as these types of drinks are a primary source of excessive fructose

By Dr. Mercola

Rates of gout have skyrocketed in the UK, rising 64 percent between 1997 and 2012.1 That equates to about a four percent rise every year, and this painful condition now affects one in 40 people!

Unfortunately, many of the media outlets that picked up this story have been focusing on the researchers' finding that access to medication was a problem, and rates of people using uric-acid-lowering medications remained "suboptimal."

If you struggle with gout, as increasing numbers of people do, the message to take home is that you don't need to take drugs to deal with this potentially excruciating condition.

You can address the underlying cause of excess uric acid formation through all natural means, and very effectively at that. Gout is, after all, primarily a lifestyle-related disease.

The Symptoms of Gout Are Related to Excess Uric Acid

Uric acid is a normal waste product found in your blood. High levels of uric acid are associated with gout, which is a type of painful arthritis and inflammation, and about half the time, targets the base of the big toe.

It has been known for some time that people with high blood pressure, overweight, and people with kidney disease often have high uric acid levels as well.

Uric acid functions both as an antioxidant and as a pro-oxidant once inside your cells. So, if you lower uric acid too much, you lose its antioxidant benefits. But if your uric acid levels are too high, it tends to increase to harmful levels inside your cells as well, where it acts as a pro-oxidant.

When the metabolic processes that control the amount of uric acid in your blood fail to do their job effectively, gout occurs. The stiffness and swelling are a result of excess uric acid-forming crystals in your joints, and the pain associated with this condition is caused by your body's inflammatory response to the crystals.

The symptoms associated with gout can be excruciating. In fact, gout is described as one of the most painful forms of arthritis. Most often, gout attacks the big toe first, with sufferers often describing it as being burned by a flame or skewered with a hot poker.

Gout symptoms usually go away within three to 10 days, and the next attack may not occur for months, or even years, if at all. However, oftentimes, gout becomes a lifelong problem, with attacks occurring with increasing frequency and severity. In time, this can permanently damage your joints and surrounding areas, especially if you don't take steps to help reduce your uric acid levels.

Why Drugs Are Not the Long-Term Solution for Gout

Conventional approaches to the treatment of gout typically involve the use of drugs like:

• Allopurinol, which works by reducing the amount of uric acid made by the body
• Colchicine, which blocks the inflammation caused by uric acid crystals
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

These drugs may work in the short term, but they also may have very dangerous, long-term side effects. Because gout is frequently a lifelong condition, you may end up staying on these drugs for very long periods of time, which can wreak havoc with your health.

Any time we're talking about reducing inflammation, please remember that your diet is your number one priority. This is especially true with gout, as it's known that meats and purine-rich foods can raise uric acid. Even more importantly, however, is the fact that one of the most potent ways to raise uric acid is by consuming large amounts of fructose!

If You Have Gout, Carefully Limit Your Fructose

 Total Video Length: 43:35

Uric acid is a byproduct of fructose metabolism. In fact, fructose typically generates uric acid within minutes of ingestion. I became fully aware of the dramatic and devastating impact fructose has on your uric acid levels when Iinterviewed Dr. Richard Johnson on this topic. You can watch that interview above.

Dr. Johnson's research focuses on how fructose -- which is among the top sources of calories in the US diet – causes obesity, diabetes, and a number of other common diseases, including:

• Gout
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol and high triglycerides
• Kidney disease and fatty liver disease
• Heart disease

As it turns out, a major component of all of these diseases is elevated uric acid, and more recent research shows that fructose is the ONLY type of sugar that will raise your uric acid levels!

Fructose is distinctly different from other sugars as it's metabolized through very specific pathways that differ from those of glucose, for example, and it is through this distinct metabolic action that uric acid is generated. According to Dr. Johnson's research, uric acid appears to take on a lead role in creating health problems when it reaches levels in your body of 5.5 mg per dl or higher.

At this level, uric acid is associated with an increased risk for developing high blood pressure, as well as diabetes, obesity, and kidney disease. The ideal range for uric acid lies between 3 to 5.5 mg per dl. The connection between fructose consumption and increased uric acid is so reliable that a uric acid level taken from your blood can actually be used as a marker for fructose toxicity. I now recommend that a uric acid level be a routine part of your blood screening.

Interestingly and not commonly noted, low-carb diets that move one towards a nutritional ketosis can also cause a high uric acid level. It is unclear if uric acid elevation from this route can cause the same damage as that from a high fructose intake. This actually occurred to me and after discussing it with Dr. Johnson I have concluded that it is harmless in this scenario.


Research Connects Fructose-Rich Beverages to Gout

If you're still not convinced that fructose could be increasing your risk of gout, consider a JAMA study from 2010.2 The analysis showed that women who drank more than two cans of soda per day were more than twice as likely to develop gout, compared with women who rarely drank soda. Drinking 12 ounces or more of orange juice daily had the roughly the same effect. Additionally, as reported by CNN:3

"Women who had just one soda or 6-ounce glass of OJ per day were at 74 percent and 41 percent greater risk, respectively, compared with women who rarely drank either. The culprit appears to be fructose, says the lead author of the study, Dr. Hyon Choi, M.D., a professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine."

A similar study on men also revealed that men who drank two or more sugary soft drinks a day had an 85 percent higher risk of gout than those who drank less than one a month.4 The risk significantly increased among men who drank five to six servings of sugary soft drinks a week. Fruit juice and fructose-rich fruits such as oranges and apples also increased the risk.

As a general health rule, I recommend limiting your total fructose consumption to about 25 grams per day on average, and that includes fructose from fruit. However, if you have insulin resistance, heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, or elevated uric acid levels, you may want to cut it down to 15 grams or less.

For those who are particularly sensitive to fructose, Dr. Johnson has developed a program to help people optimize their uric acid levels, and the key step in this program is complete elimination of fructose, until your levels are within the ideal range of 3-5.5 mg/dl. The chart below is excerpted from Dr. Johnson's book, The Sugar Fix, which contains more details on the fructose content of common foods. You can use it to help you cut back in your diet:

Fruit Serving Size Grams of Fructose Limes 1 medium 0 Lemons 1 medium 0.6 Cranberries 1 cup 0.7 Passion fruit 1 medium 0.9 Prune 1 medium 1.2 Apricot 1 medium 1.3 Guava 2 medium 2.2 Date (Deglet Noor style) 1 medium 2.6 Cantaloupe 1/8 of med. melon 2.8 Raspberries 1 cup 3.0 Clementine 1 medium 3.4 Kiwifruit 1 medium 3.4 Blackberries 1 cup 3.5 Star fruit 1 medium 3.6 Cherries, sweet 10 3.8 Strawberries 1 cup 3.8 Cherries, sour 1 cup 4.0 Pineapple 1 slice (3.5" x .75") 4.0 Grapefruit, pink or red 1/2 medium 4.3

Fruit Serving Size Grams of Fructose Boysenberries 1 cup 4.6 Tangerine/mandarin orange 1 medium 4.8 Nectarine 1 medium 5.4 Peach 1 medium 5.9 Orange (navel) 1 medium 6.1 Papaya 1/2 medium 6.3 Honeydew 1/8 of med. melon 6.7 Banana 1 medium 7.1 Blueberries 1 cup 7.4 Date (Medjool) 1 medium 7.7 Apple (composite) 1 medium 9.5 Persimmon 1 medium 10.6 Watermelon 1/16 med. melon 11.3 Pear 1 medium 11.8 Raisins 1/4 cup 12.3 Grapes, seedless (green or red) 1 cup 12.4 Mango 1/2 medium 16.2 Apricots, dried 1 cup 16.4 Figs, dried 1 cup 23.0

Top Lifestyle Changes for Fighting and Preventing Gout

Limiting fructose in your diet is one of the most important parts of managing and preventing gout attacks, and you can find a simple guide for doing so using my nutrition plan. You'll want to be sure to cut out soda, fruit drinks, and other sweetened beverages, as these types of drinks are a primary source of excessive fructose. Instead, drink plenty of pure water, as the fluids will help to remove uric acid from your body. Other top tips include:

• Limit Alcohol Consumption, Especially Beer: Gout is more likely if you drink too much alcohol but beer in particular may be problematic. It turns out that the yeast and all that's used to make beer work together to make beer another powerful uric acid trigger. While this concept is still new, pilot studies support Dr. Johnson's findings, so beer consumption is also something to definitely consider when you're watching your weight and trying to improve your health.
• Eat Tart Cherries in Moderation: Cherries contain powerful compounds like anthocyanins and bioflavonoids, which are known to fight inflammation and may help lower your uric acid levels.5 If you eat cherries for their therapeutic value, 10 sweet cherries or 1 cup of sour cherries contain about 4 grams of fructose, so be sure to take that into account for your total daily fructose consumption.
• Avoid Soy Milk: There is some research showing it may increase uric acid levels by about 10 percent.6
• Consider Therapeutic Herbs: Certain herbs and spices, including ginger,7 cinnamon,8 and ashwaganda,9 have been shown to potentially help relieve gout symptoms and its associated inflammation.
• Eat More Potassium-Rich Foods: Potassium deficiency is sometimes seen in people with gout, and potassium citrate preparations, which are known to alkalize your urine, may help your body to excrete uric acid.10 A proper balance of potassium both inside and outside your cells is crucial for your body to function properly, but if you eat a highly processed diet (the same type often associated with gout), you may not be getting enough. Potassium is widely available in fruits and vegetables, but I've included some of the most beneficial sources below. If you want to supplement, consider using potassium bicarbonate, which is probably the best potassium source to use as a supplement. I personally use it every night in my dental irrigator.

Swiss chard (960 mg of potassium per 1 cup)	Avocado (874 mg per cup)	Spinach (838 mg per cup)
Crimini mushrooms (635 mg in 5 ounces)	Broccoli (505 mg per cup)	Brussels sprouts (494 mg per cup)
Celery (344 mg per cup)	Romaine lettuce (324 mg per 2 cups)

[+] Sources and References

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/01/27/gout-uric-acid.aspx?