Extracts ....

Do You Want to Radically Improve Your Health?


Then replace soda and other sugary drinks with clean, pure water.

Normalizing your insulin levels is one of the most powerful physical actions you can take to improve your health and lower your risk of cancer along with all the other diseases and long-term chronic health conditions mentioned above.

Fortunately, it is also the variable most easily influenced by healthy eating and exercise.

Dr Mercola: http://healthticket.blogspot.com/2012/09/10-diseases-linked-to-soda.html

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With all of the attention surrounding diabetes these days, you’ve probably heard of a condition called metabolic syndrome—a collection of risk factors that are linked to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. These risk factors include high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL (“good”) cholesterol, raised fasting glucose levels and a waist circumference measurement of 35 inches or more (think “beer gut”). If you have three of these five risk factors, then you may have metabolic syndrome, which puts you at increased risk of more serious complications.

Insulin resistance is the cornerstone of metabolic syndrome. Your pancreas produces the hormone insulin, which is necessary for the absorption and utilization of sugar in your diet. However, when you have insulin resistance, your body doesn’t respond as accurately to insulin, which causes the pancreas to produce more insulin.

This is where the merry-go-round starts, because the more insulin you have in the bloodstream, the greater your risk for type 2 diabetes.

Along with insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction is a hallmark of metabolic syndrome. Endothelial dysfunction is characterized by narrowed blood vessels, inflammation and pro-thrombotic properties. In fact, it is one of the first signs of atherosclerosis and impending cardiovascular disease.

When the endothelial lining becomes damaged, NO production suffers, making all the blood vessels susceptible to inflammation, clotting and other negative effects.

While there’s little doubt that antioxidants play an important part in protecting the heart, a team of researchers recently examined the effect of one particular type of antioxidant—grape polyphenols—on the reduction of metabolic syndrome risk factors, especially the cardiovascular ones.²
Grapes contain numerous antioxidant polyphenols—anthocyanins, flavonols and resveratrol, to name a few. Resveratrol, in particular, has been shown to be extremely heart healthy by reducing LDL cholesterol and inflammation.^3-4 As many wine lovers know, red wine is high in resveratrol, and when consumed in moderation (one to two glasses per day), has some impressive heart-protective properties.

Go for the GrapeBecause metabolic syndrome has so many different factors, no simple pharmaceutical solutions exist to treat it. The best solution doctors can offer is to adjust certain lifestyle factors like diet and exercise. This, of course, is sound advice.

Everyone should be eating a clean diet and exercising anyway, but those with metabolic syndrome could see dramatic changes in their condition with these two changes alone. However, considering the proven health benefits of grape polyphenols, it’s great news indeed that this nutrient can now be added to your arsenal in the war against metabolic syndrome and its health effects.

A good way to make grape polyphenols a part of your daily regimen—particularly if you have metabolic syndrome or if you are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease—is to simply make red grapes a regular part of your diet. Eat them as is, or add them to salads and smoothies. And, as mentioned earlier, red wine is a good option to boost your polyphenol intake. Just be sure not to overindulge—drink no more than one or two glasses a day.

However, to achieve real therapeutic benefit, you may want to think about taking grape polyphenols in supplement form. Fortunately, polyphenols like resveratrol and grape seed extract are readily available at most health food stores and vitamin retailers.

http://healthticket.blogspot.com/2012/12/grape-polyphenols-reduce-metabolic.html

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Increased blood level of homocysteine is a strong risk factor for the development of Alzheimer disease and dementia31. Three B vitamins, folic acid, B6, and B12, can help lower your homocysteine levels. Fortified cereal, other grains, and leafy green vegetables are good sources of B vitamins.

eMedExpert.com  http://healthticket.blogspot.com/2012/09/how-to-boost-brain-power.html

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Omega-3 and Turmeric

The results from the third diet (Omega-3 and turmeric) were astounding. DHA has been shown in other studies to repair cell membrane damage but scientists discovered that the healing capabilities of omega-3 fatty acids include the ability to protect nerves after an accident or injury and to prevent cell death.

This total cellular protection is crucial to successful nerve injury recovery.

Curcumin’s role in recovery includes relieving and reducing inflammation, thereby preventing further nerve damage and speeding recovery. Curcumin is such a potent antioxidant that it has been shown to rebuild brain cells and aid in stroke prevention.

http://healthticket.blogspot.com/2012/10/spinal-cord-injury-omega-3-and-turmeric.html

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Vitamin K2 and Natto

In the meantime, since nearly 100 percent of people don't get sufficient amounts of vitamin K2 from their diet to reap its health benefits, you can assume you need to bump up your vitamin K2 levels by modifying your diet or taking a high-quality supplement.

As for dietary sources, eating lots of green vegetables, especially kale, spinach, collard greens, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, will increase your vitamin K1 levels naturally. For vitamin K2, cheese and especially cheese curd is an excellent source. The starter ferment for both regular cheese and curd cheese contains bacteria -- lactococci and proprionic acids bacteria -- which both produce K2.

You can also obtain all the K2 you'll need (about 200 micrograms) by eating 15 grams of natto daily, which is half an ounce. It's a small amount and very inexpensive, but many Westerners do not enjoy the taste and texture.

If you don't care for the taste of natto, the next best thing is a high-quality K2 supplement. Remember you must always take your vitamin K supplement with fat since it is fat-soluble and won't be absorbed without it.

Although the exact dosing is yet to be determined, Dr. Vermeer recommends between 45 mcg and 185 mcg daily for adults. You must use caution on the higher doses if you take anticoagulants, but if you are generally healthy and not on these types of medications, I suggest 150 mcg daily.

http://healthticket.blogspot.com/2011/11/importance-of-vitamin-k.html

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These natural therapies knocked the cancer out

The doctor cured the boy's tumors with a combination of natural therapies, including:

• Hyperthermia: a gentle therapy that gives the patient an artificial fever to "bake" the cancer cells to death. Cancer cells "can't take the heat," but normal cells can.
• Oxygen therapy: Cancer cells die by the millions when they get a blast of oxygen.
• Laetrile and vitamin C by IV: These non-toxic therapies kill cancer cells and also quench free radicals. They are far more powerful when administered by IV than when taken by mouth.
• A strictly organic diet to give the body the nutrition it needs
• Detoxification therapies to get rid of the poisons that can cause cancer

Source:  The Amish Cancer Secret

http://www.cancerdefeated.com/amish-secret/index.php?

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Today, we know its cancer-curing effects are from its numerous anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds. Cabbage speeds up estrogen metabolism, which is thought to help block breast cancer and suppress growth of polyps, a prelude to colon cancer. According to research, eating cabbage more than once a week cut men's colon cancer odds by as much as 66 percent. As little as two daily tablespoons of cooked cabbage protected subjects against stomach cancer. Cabbage also contains powerful anti-ulcer compounds; its juice has shown to help heal ulcers in humans.
- Timeless Secrets of Health & Rejuvenation: Unleash The Natural Healing Power That Lies Dormant Within You by Andreas Moritz

http://healthticket.blogspot.com/2012/12/stop-stomach-ulcers-with-miracle-remedy.html

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 Supercharge Your Health With Seven Medicinal Herbs & Spices

Ginger – Over 50 antioxidants have been found in ginger. It helps increase circulation, calms digestive problems. Ginger has also been used to treat food poisoning, shown to lower cholesterol, treat arthritis, reduce inflammation, and can be used to help increase insulin sensivity in diabetics.

http://healthticket.blogspot.com/2013/08/supercharge-your-health-with-seven.html

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The research team was highly impressed with their results. Those who took the pomegranate extract showed a significant decrease in a specific, important marker linked to cell damage.

That marker, known as 8-Oxo-DG, can have detrimental effects such as:

• Lessened brain function
• Weakening of muscles
• Impaired kidney function
• Decrease in liver productivity
• Aging of the skin

Sergio Streitenberger, lead researcher at ProbelteBio, believes the study “demonstrates that the regular consumption of this pomegranate extract can slow down the process of DNA oxidation.”

The pomegranate’s ability to decrease 8-Oxo-DG suggests that it wields significant power as an anti-aging super food.

Pomegranate Benefits The Elixir of Youth Hidden in...

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Chicken soup really CAN fight a cold

Souper broth! An old wives' tale? No, chicken soup really CAN fight a cold, say scientists

• A compound found in chicken soup – carnosine – helps the body’s immune system to fight the early stages of flu, research has found

 

By Ian Marber

PUBLISHED:22:11 GMT, 22 December 2012| UPDATED:14:24 GMT, 24 December 2012


Chicken soup is good for the soul, they say. And as a homespun remedy for everything that might ail you during winter, there are few things as deliciously soothing.

But could such a broth be more than just a cold comfort? According to the latest scientific study, the answer is yes.

Research in the American Journal of Therapeutics showed that a compound found in chicken soup – carnosine – helped the body’s immune system to fight the early stages of flu.

But the authors warned this benefit ended as soon as the soup was excreted by the body, so that means you may need to have a fairly constant supply.

The study wasn’t the first to look at this. More than a decade ago, Dr Stephen Rennard, of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, wanted to find out why his wife’s recipe for chicken soup, handed down through generations, was so healing.

Using blood samples from volunteers, he showed that the soup inhibited the movement of the most common type of white blood cell, neutrophils, which defend against infection.

Dr Rennard theorised that by inhibiting the migration of these infection-fighting cells in the body, chicken soup helps reduce upper respiratory cold symptoms.

What he couldn’t do was identify the exact ingredients in the soup that made it effective against colds.

The tested soup contained chicken, onions, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, carrots, celery stems, parsley, salt and pepper.

The researchers also found many commercial soups had a similar inhibitory effect. It is probable that the combination of nutrients worked in synergy to provide the beneficial effect.

Another study, from Miami, also suggests chicken soup has more than a placebo effect.

 It looked at how consuming it affected air flow and mucus in the noses of 15 volunteers who drank cold water, hot water or chicken soup.

 

But the benefits of chicken soup to those suffering from a cold
ends as soon as the broth is excreted from the body (stock image)

It proved what ENT surgeons (experts in the upper airways, including the larynx) have long known: hot fluids help increase the movement of nasal mucus.

This in turn clears the airways, easing congestion.

But soup did a better job than the hot water as it also improves the function of protective cilia, the tiny hairlike projections in the nose that prevent contagions from entering the body.

Also, researchers at the University of Nebraska found the combination of vegetables and poultry in soup could help alleviate respiratory tract inflammation that results in feeling bunged-up.

All nutrients have some involvement in the complex workings of the immune system. But we know certain things about some of the common ingredients of broth.

Evidence suggests that organosulfides (naturally occurring chemicals found in garlic and onions), together with Vitamin D, stimulate production of immune cells called macrophage, while Vitamin C has an influence on both levels of neutrophils, and another type of immune chemical, interferon.

Vitamin A and carotenoids, found in carrots (a common ingredient of bouillon, the base of any good stock), help antibody production, while Vitamin E and zinc can influence the concentration of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.

The other reason soups are recommended is because the nutrients are more easily absorbed than with solid versions. Remember to add a little fat – a drizzle of olive oil – to ensure the absorption of fat soluble vitamins (D, A, K and E).

You don’t have to live on chicken soup alone when you’re under the weather: the foods that offer a concentration of the nutrients mentioned include a wide range of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and lean proteins.

Hot liquids, herbal teas and hot toddies (without the alcohol and added sugar, as they can suppress the immune response) are effective, too.

While Vitamin C won’t stop you getting a cold, it might reduce the severity, so including sweet potato, peppers, kiwi and citrus fruits in the diet is advisable.

There is no evidence to confirm that dairy food increases mucus, but we mistakenly think it does as the lactose can add a white colour to what’s already there, making it seem more obvious.

Therefore, having plain yogurt with berries topped with flaked almonds is ideal as it offers probiotics as well as carotenoids, vitamins A, C and E, together with omega 6 fats.

The University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey found probiotics helped reduce the duration of a cold as well as the severity of symptoms.

The study gave 200 students either a placebo or a combination of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium animalis.

Students taking the probiotics took less than half the time off due to illness and reported a 34 per cent reduction in symptoms as well as colds lasting 48 hours less.

Source: Souper broth! An old wives' tale?

11 Surprising Health Benefits of Sleep

Sleep makes you feel better, but its importance goes way beyond just boosting your mood or banishing under-eye circles. Adequate sleep is a key part of a healthy lifestyle, and can benefit your heart, weight, mind, and more.

Go ahead, snooze!

By Alyssa Sparacino


Sleep makes you feel better, but its importance goes way beyond just boosting your mood or banishing under-eye circles.

Adequate sleep is a key part of a healthy lifestyle, and can benefit your heart, weight, mind, and more.

"Sleep used to be kind of ignored, like parking our car in a garage and picking it up in the morning," says David Rapoport, MD, director of the NYU Sleep Disorders Program.

Not anymore. Here are some health benefits researchers have discovered about a good night’s sleep.

Improve memory

Your mind is surprisingly busy while you snooze. During sleep you can strengthen memories or "practice" skills learned while you were awake (it’s a process called consolidation).

"If you are trying to learn something, whether it’s physical or mental, you learn it to a certain point with practice," says Dr. Rapoport, who is an associate professor at NYU Langone Medical Center. "But something happens while you sleep that makes you learn it better."

In other words if you’re trying to learn something new—whether it’s Spanish or a new tennis swing—you’ll perform better after sleeping.

Live longer?

Too much or too little sleep is associated with a shorter lifespan—although it’s not clear if it’s a cause or effect. (Illnesses may affect sleep patterns too.)

In a 2010 study of women ages 50 to 79, more deaths occurred in women who got less than five hours or more than six and a half hours of sleep per night.

Sleep also affects quality of life.

"Many things that we take for granted are affected by sleep," says Raymonde Jean, MD, director of sleep medicine and associate director of critical care at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York City. "If you sleep better, you can certainly live better. It’s pretty clear."

Curb inflammation

Inflammation is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, and premature aging. Research indicates that people who get less sleep—six or fewer hours a night—have higher blood levels of inflammatory proteins than those who get more.

A 2010 study found that C-reactive protein, which is associated with heart attack risk, was higher in people who got six or fewer hours of sleep a night.

People who have sleep apnea or insomnia can have an improvement in blood pressure and inflammation with treatment of the sleep disorders, Dr. Rapoport says.

Spur creativity

Get a good night’s sleep before getting out the easel and paintbrushes or the pen and paper.

In addition to consolidating memories, or making them stronger, your brain appears to reorganize and restructure them, which may result in more creativity as well.

Researchers at Harvard University and Boston College found that people seem to strengthen the emotional components of a memory during sleep, which may help spur the creative process.
If you’re an athlete, there may be one simple way to improve your performance: sleep.

A Stanford University study found that college football players who tried to sleep at least 10 hours a night for seven to eight weeks improved their average sprint time and had less daytime fatigue and more stamina.

The results of this study reflect previous findings seen in tennis players and swimmers.

Be a winner

If you’re an athlete, there may be one simple way to improve your performance: sleep.

A Stanford University study found that college football players who tried to sleep at least 10 hours a night for seven to eight weeks improved their average sprint time and had less daytime fatigue and more stamina.

The results of this study reflect previous findings seen in tennis players and swimmers.

Improve your grades

Children between the ages of 10 and 16 who have sleep disordered breathing, which includes snoring, sleep apnea, and other types of interrupted breathing during sleep, are more likely to have problems with attention and learning, according to a 2010 study in the journal Sleep. This could lead to "significant functional impairment at school," the study authors wrote.

In another study, college students who didn’t get enough sleep had worse grades than those who did.

"If you’re trying to meet a deadline, you’re willing to sacrifice sleep," Dr. Rapoport says, "but it’s severe and reoccurring sleep deprivation that clearly impairs learning."

Sharpen attention

A lack of sleep can result in ADHD-like symptoms in kids, Dr. Rapoport says.

"Kids don’t react the same way to sleep deprivation as adults do," he adds. "Whereas adults get sleepy, kids tend to get hyperactive."

A 2009 study in the journal Pediatrics found that children ages seven and eight who got less than about eight hours of sleep a night were more likely to be hyperactive, inattentive, and impulsive.

"We diagnose and measure sleep by measuring electrical changes in the brain," Dr. Rapoport says. "So not surprisingly how we sleep affects the brain."

Have a healthy weight

If you are thinking about going on a diet, you might want to plan an earlier bedtime too.

Researchers at the University of Chicago found that dieters who were well rested lost more fat—56% of their weight loss—than those who were sleep deprived, who lost more muscle mass. (They shed similar amounts of total weight regardless of sleep.)

Dieters in the study also felt more hungry when they got less sleep.

"Sleep and metabolism are controlled by the same sectors of the brain," Dr. Rapoport says. "When you are sleepy, certain hormones go up in your blood, and those same hormones drive appetite."

Lower stress

When it comes to our health stress and sleep are nearly one and the same—and both can affect cardiovascular health.

"Sleep can definitely reduce levels of stress, and with that people can have better control of their blood pressure," Dr. Jean says. "It’s also believed that sleep effects cholesterol levels, which plays a significant role in heart disease."

Avoid accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported in 2009 that being tired accounted for the highest number of fatal single-car run-off-the-road crashes due to the driver’s performance—even more than alcohol!

"Sleepiness is grossly underrated as a problem by most people, but the cost to society is enormous," Dr. Rapoport says. "Sleeplessness affects reaction time and decision making."

Insufficient sleep for just one night can be as detrimental to your driving ability as having an alcoholic drink.

Steer clear of depression

Sleeping well means more to our overall well-being than simply avoiding irritability.

"A lack of sleep can contribute to depression," Dr. Jean says. "A good night’s sleep can really help a moody person decrease their anxiety. You get more emotional stability with good sleep."

If you think the long hours put in during the week are the cause of your anxiety or impatience, Dr. Rapoport warns that sleep cannot necessarily be made up during the weekend.

"If you sleep more on the weekends, you simply aren’t sleeping enough in the week," he says. "It’s all about finding a balance.

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20459221,00.html

Curing the Incurable with Vitamin C - Video

 

iHealthTube.com - Curing the Incurable with Vitamin C

Information

From: iHealthTube Admin	Added: 3/4/2010
Time: 3:29	Views: 75071
Dr. Thomas E. Levy discusses how he became interested in vitamin C, and the positive effect it can have on your body.

http://www.ihealthtube.com/aspx/viewvideo.aspx?v=b5799b47c730ae38

Laura Harris · American School

I am glad that there are doctors out there, that are researching the benefits of Vitamin C! I have watched the program on "Netflix" named "Food Matters" and it focused on how mega doses of V-C can help with cancer. It is too bad that the majority of doctors are too interested in the "MONEY" they want to receive through chemo and radiation therapy rather than something that is truly benefical even though it does not cost the patient as much money. GUESS WHAT! No side effects! It is a shame GREED has to come into the equation regarding "HEALTH CARE!"

· September 5 at 9:37pm

 

Marilyn Tapps-Brandt · Des Moines, Iowa

Not only is Vitamin C great for immunity...it helps to lower our Blood pressure and additional Magnesium is another help!

· September 26 at 11:32am

Antioxidant-rich diet 'cuts heart attack risk'

Eating lots of antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables does appear to cut the chance of having a heart attack, but popping vitamin pills in the hope of aping a healthy diet does not, according to research.

Researchers believe antioxidant rich fruit and
veg - such as spinach - can cut heart attack risk. Photo: Alamy

By Stephen Adams, Medical Correspondent

5:06PM BST 23 Sep 2012

Swedish researchers estimate that eating a diet high in antioxidants - mainly derived from fruit and veg - could cut the chance of a heart attack by a quarter.

The results contrast with studies that suggest taking antioxidant supplements, such as vitamin A, C and E pills, has no effect.

They believe that different antioxidant compounds could work together to protect the body in a much more powerful way than taking single large doses can achieve.

Specifically, the researchers found that older women ate seven fruit and vegetable portions a day, were between 20 and 29 per cent less likely to have a heart attack over a decade, than those who ate just 2.4.

The Department of Health recommends everyone should eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

Antioxidants are naturally occurring substances which mop up molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS), better known as 'free radicals'.

These prompt inflammation, can damage cells, and have been implicated for triggering cancer and heart disease.

The researchers assessed antioxidant intake by looking at the diets of 30,000 Swedish women aged 49 to 83 at the start of the study.

Those with the highest antioxidant intake were 20 per cent less likely to have suffered a heart attack than those with the lowest intake, after statistically adjusting for a host of factors like differences in age, weight, and whether they smoked or exercised.

Women who ate a lot of fruit and vegetables also tended to eat less saturated fat. When the researchers adjusted for intake of fats, the difference in heart attack rates rose to 29 per cent. The study did not look at overall mortality.

Dr Alicja Wolk from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, who was the lead researcher, said their research contrasted with tests of single antioxidant supplements, which have largely failed to find evidence that they cut heart attacks or mortality rates.

Pamela Hannley, managing editor of the American Journal of Medicine, where the report is published, said: “Although weight-loss diets abound, the few which emphasize increasing intake of fruits and vegetables actually may be on the right track."

However, not all ascribe to the theory that antioxidants are universally good for health. Two years ago cardiologists at King's College London published results that some free radicals could actually help protect against heart disease.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9561190/Antioxidant-rich-diet-cuts-heart-attack-risk.html

Beetroot juice may help beet your best

Beetroot, the natural ingredient that spurred on our athletes, is thought to have wider health benefits

Juiced up: David Weir's performance at the Paralympics,
where he won four gold medals, was helped by a regular intake of beetroot juice 

 

By Glenda Cooper

6:14PM BST 16 Sep 2012

As revealed in The Daily Telegraph last week, David Weir’s haul of four Paralympic gold medals was powered by a secret ingredient that is completely legal, scientifically proven to improve sporting performance, and has even been referred to as “legal blood doping”. What could this revolutionary aid be? Beta vulgaris – the simple beetroot.

Weir’s admission that he gulped down a slug of the plant’s juice during the marathon – rugby player Ben Foden and marathon runner Helen Davies are also fans – follows studies that suggest the “super root” can help more average athletes, too.

Rich in potassium, antioxidants and folic acid, beetroot was found to lower blood pressure back in 2008, by scientists at Barts and the London School of Medicine. In 2009, a University of Exeter study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that drinking 500ml of beetroot juice before exercise improved stamina. A second Exeter study last year found that cyclists could shave seconds off their time – similar benefits were found for runners in a US study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in April.

The reason for beetroot’s winning ways, says Professor Andy Jones, from the sport and health sciences department at Exeter, is nitrate, a nutrient found in soil that helps build protein. This converts into nitrite in the body and then into nitric oxide, which has a “double whammy” effect: it widens blood vessels, increasing blood flow; and it reduces the oxygen needed by muscles, enabling them to work more efficiently.

“We found this works most effectively in high-intensity exercise, typically races that last up to 30 minutes,” says Prof Jones (who tweets under the name @AndyBeetroot). He says your average runner might feel the benefits of beetroot more than elite athletes whose muscles are already efficient.

However, those eager to achieve a new personal best would need to eat four or five beetroot to make a difference. Pickled or boiled beetroot is of limited value, unless you drink the water it is boiled in. A similar problem exists with supplements, with eight to 10 capsules needed daily.

Which is why experts say the best way to get the benefits is to drink the juice. “Shots” containing 7cl of concentrated juice, and 0.4g of nitrate, have been developed as a sports drink and for use in studies, by the James White drinks company in Ipswich. Managing director Lawrence Mallinson, who supplied shots to Team GB, says that beetroot juice now accounts for half of the firm’s £5 million turnover.

You would need to drink about 500ml (half a litre) of ordinary strength juice to get the same nitrate levels. Consuming this amount of beetroot juice has no side-effects, says Prof Jones – other than turning your urine pink.

The benefits may go beyond track and field, according to Ben Benjamin, professor of medicine at Torbay Hospital. He says that, though more research is needed, 500ml of ordinary-strength juice daily could mean that frail, elderly people could get out of a chair without feeling breathless, or walk upstairs by themselves.

Prof Jones agrees: “This is one of the sports nutrition stories of the decade. It transcends performance – we can use it to improve health.”

Beet It sports shots: beet-it.com. Organic, standard strength beetroot juice is also made by Biotta (biotta.ch), available online. To make your own, try videojug.com/film/how-to-make-beetroot-juice

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/dietandfitness/9546330/Beetroot-juice-may-help-beet-your-best.html

Ginger - A Cancer Killer in the Kitchen

From an email received:

A Cancer Killer in the Kitchen - Ginger 

The powerful healing effects of ginger have been well documented. It's a proven remedy for upset stomach. Reams of studies show that it inhibits inflammation. And there is substantial evidence that it fights cancer too.

For instance, a recent University of Michigan study showed that when ginger was added to ovarian cancer cells in the laboratory, it caused the cancer cells to self-destruct (a process known as "apoptosis") . In a separate study at the University of Minnesota , researchers injected colon cancer cells into mice that were bred to have no immune system.

Half of these mice were routinely fed gingerol, the main active   component in ginger. The researchers found that the mice that were fed gingerol lived longer, their tumors were smaller, and the cancer did not spread as widely as in the control group.

With all these health benefits, you should be using ginger as often as you can. The best way I've found to get a healthy serving of ginger is to juice it. (The brand of juicer I use is an Omega.) Two or three days a week, I juice an apple or two, some carrots, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, and a big piece of ginger root.

The ginger gives the drink a great flavor and a powerful anti-cancer kick.
I highly recommend that you try it.

Green Tea For Men’s Health

Dr. Geo Espinosa | Sep 27, 2012 | Comments 1

 

Over the years, there have been dozens of studies pclaiming the health benefits of green tea, along with some reports that have dismissed the claims.

Now a new review of the clinical evidence related to green tea and health has just been published, so it seems like a good time to look at the role green tea can play in men’s health. First, however, let’s explore the basics of green tea.

 

What’s Special About Green Tea?

 

Green tea comes from the same plant as black and oolong teas, Camellia sinensis, but it’s what tea producers do with the tea leaves that makes the difference among these types of tea. Oxidation is the process that alters the chemical makeup, appearance and flavor of tea leaves. Both black and oolong teas are processed in a manner that breaks down the cell walls and triggers enzymes to cause oxidation. Leaves for green tea are not broken down in this way and are not oxidized. The absence of oxidation not only makes the taste and appearance of green tea different from those of black and oolong teas, but it also means green tea retains high levels of important plant substances called catechins.

 

Experts generally agree that the medicinal powers credited to green tea come from catechins. Although black and oolong teas (as well as apples, apricots, berries and chocolate) also contain catechins, green tea is an excellent source, including one catechin in particular: EGCG, or epigallocatechin gallate, which is credited as being the most powerful of the bunch.

 

Studies Of Green Tea And Health

 

In the latest meta-analysis, [1] eight studies on green tea and health were reviewed: two concerning cancer, two on weight loss and four on cardiovascular risk. The reviewers, researchers at the University of Bristol, reported several points of good news:

• “Positive evidence for risk reduction of breast, prostate, ovarian and endometrial cancers with green tea.” Numerous studies have looked at the effect of green tea on prostate cancer, and we discuss one of them below.
• “Green tea may reduce low-density lipoproteins and total cholesterol.” Men should be concerned about both of these factors, as they are risks for cardiovascular disease.
• A “considerable number” of trials suggest that “green tea does reduce body weight in the short term.” Being overweight or obese is associated with a wide range of health risks ranging from prostate cancer to heart disease, diabetes, gallstones, stroke and arthritis, among others.

Beyond this meta-analysis, other studies have examined the potential role of green tea in critical health issues. For example:

• In a large study involving 49,920 men who were followed for at least a decade, researchers examined the impact of drinking green tea on the risk of prostate cancer. They found that men who drank five or more cups of green tea per day had a lower risk of advanced prostate cancer when compared with men who drank less than one cup per day. [2]
• Catechins may also help men who have pre-cancerous prostate lesions called prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), a condition associated with a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. In a study of 60 men with high-grade PIN, half were given 200 mg of catechins daily while the other group received placebo. After one year, only one tumor had developed among the men who took catechins while 9 cases of prostate cancer were found in the placebo group.
• Although it’s a little soon to sing the praises of green tea for diabetes, a number of studies have examined its role and seen promising results. In one recent study in diabetic rats, the authors reported that “green tea reduced hyperglycemia [low blood sugar], prevented renal injury and autonomic dysfunction, suggesting reduced cardiovascular risk and target organ damage in diabetes.”[4]
• A study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology reported that risk of stroke, cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage was reduced by 50 percent among people who drank several cups of green tea every two to three days.[5]

Enjoy Green Tea

Choosing to include green tea as part of your daily routine is an easy and delicious way to support your overall health. Enjoy green tea hot to start your day or cold with a lemon slice to cool down. Green tea makes a delicious smoothie as well as a unique slush.

Not all green tea is alike, and this applies not only to its taste but also to the amount of catechins in the leaves. If you want to get the most benefit — and the highest amount of EGCG — from your green tea, choose Japanese over Chinese green tea. A highly rated Japanese green tea is Matcha, which reportedly has about 10 times the amount of EGCG of other green teas. You can also enjoy the benefits of green tea in supplements, but be sure to talk to your healthcare provider before starting a supplement program.

Sources

[1] Green tea and green tea catechin extracts: an overview of the clinical evidence. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22986087
[2] Green tea consumption and prostate cancer risk in Japanese men: a prospective study. http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/167/1/71.long
[3] Chemoprevention of human prostate cancer by oral administration of green tea catechins in volunteers with high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia: a preliminary report from a one-year proof-of-principle study. http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/66/2/1234.long
[4] The effects of green tea consumption on cardiometabolic alterations induced by experimental diabetes. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3299256/
[5] Consumption of green and roasted teas and the risk of stroke incidence: results from the Tokamachi-Nakasato cohort study in Japan. http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/content/37/5/1030.long

http://easyhealthoptions.com/mens-health/green-tea-for-mens-health/

Simple ways to transform your health

Stand like Prince Charles to banish back pain: Surprising and simple ways to transform your health

By Anna Hodgekiss
Last updated at 1:32 AM on 27th December 2011

Daunted at the thought of starting a healthy 2012 with a rabbit food diet and vigorous gym routine?

Don’t despair. There are dozens of small and simple lifestyle changes you can make that will dramatically improve your health.

Here, leading experts tell ANNA HODGEKISS their secrets for a healthier life...

PICK FRENCH WINE OVER GERMAN

In moderation, alcohol — and red wine in particular — is thought to have a beneficial effect on heart health, as it relaxes the blood vessels.

Antioxidants in red wine may also have a protective effect on the arteries.

But wine buffs take note — French red wine has up to three times more artery-protecting enzymes than German reds, according to research in the Journal Of The American College of Cardiology.

TO BEAT BACK PAIN WALK LIKE A ROYAL

For perfect posture interlink your
fingers from each hand  behind your
back, just like Prince Charles does

‘For perfect posture — and to reduce back pain, among a host of other things — interlink your fingers from each hand behind your back, just like Prince Charles does,’ advises physiotherapist Sammy Margo.


‘This will open up your chest and get your shoulders back and down, reversing the slumping posture many people have while sitting.’


And to prevent slumping, the mantra is BBC — bum in the back of the chair — she adds.


Poor posture will throw the body out of its correct alignment, so certain muscles become overworked, while others, such as the stomach muscles, start to weaken through lack of use. This can cause undue stress and strain, especially on the lower back.

SPACE OUT YOUR SUPPLEMENTS

Always leave a space of two hours between taking medication and any of the following: indigestion remedies, calcium (or multivitamins containing the nutrient), milk or iron.

These can affect the absorption of medication, explains Alison Freemantle, a pharmacist at Lloyds Pharmacy.

‘Iron, for example, stops antibiotics being absorbed properly, while calcium affects the absorption of the commonly used thryroid medication thyroxine.’

Indigestion remedies can bind to other drugs, reducing their effectiveness.

Poor posture will throw the body out of its correct alignment, so certain
muscles become overworked, while others start to weaken through lack of use

SWAP SPARKLING FOR STILL

Fizzy water can harm your teeth, warns the British Dental Health Foundation.

After drinking any fizzy drink, the hard outer coating (enamel) on your teeth becomes softer for a while and loses some of its mineral content.

This damage is slowly neutralised by your saliva, but if the acid attack happens too often, the saliva does not have chance to repair the damage, and over time the enamel can be destroyed.

Save your fizzy drinks for low calorie mixers to accompany spirits — by making this swap you halve the calorie content of the mixer, says nutritionist and personal trainer Sarah O’Neill.

LIFT YOUR LEGS IN THE AD BREAKS

‘The knee joints are the most important in your body when it comes to mobility as they bear most of our weight,’ says Professor Alan Silman, medical director of Arthritis Research UK.

‘A great exercise is to lie on your back and put a couple of pillows over the bottom of your legs, then lift them up straight, as high as you can.

'You will feel the muscles on the front of the thighs tightening up and this will gradually strengthen them. Just do ten repetitions twice a day while watching TV.’

START THE DAY WITH HOME-MADE MUESLI

While bran can make things worse for those with a sensitive gut, oats can be a gentler form of fibre, says Professor John Mayberry, consultant gastroenterologist at University Hospitals of Leicester.

That’s because unlike bran, oats aren’t coarse — they are known as soluble fibre, which is easier to digest. And rather than simply use them for porridge, he recommends making home-made muesli.

‘Not only will it have less sugar and additives than commercial varieties but you can add better ingredients to it,’ he says.

‘Cheaper varieties of oats from the supermarket are fine — then add some green raisins (found in the world foods aisle of the supermarket) which are very good at helping a sluggish bowel as they are very fibrous. Start with just five a day as they are very powerful.’

SQUEEZE INTO TIGHTER CLOTHES

Have you ever noticed how tight clothes naturally make you hold your stomach in?

In doing so you are getting a mini workout by constantly engaging those abdominal muscles, says personal trainer Sarah O’Neill.

‘Clothes that are loose around the waist make you slouch and also you’re more likely to overeat because they simply expand with you, rather than feeling tight.’

However, steer clear of leggings, as they can lead to a loss of tone in the legs, says Sammy Margo.

‘They hold in and support the quadriceps (thigh muscles), buttocks and muscles in your tummy, and do the job the muscles are supposed to do. As a result, the muscles are allowed to relax and switch off.’

TAKE YOUR PULSE

Around 12,500 strokes a year could be prevented if more people with atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm problem, were diagnosed, says Dr Matthew Fay, a GP from West Yorkshire and leading expert in atrial fibrillation.

Left untreated, it can cause a stroke and over-65s are particularly at risk.

‘The golden rule is if your pulse doesn’t tick steadily like a clock, it’s time to see the doc,’ says Dr Fay.

To take your pulse: lightly press your index and middle finger on the inside of your other wrist at the base of your thumb, near to where the strap of a watch would sit.

If you can’t feel anything, press slightly harder or move your fingers. Once you’ve found your pulse, continue to feel it for about 20 to 30 seconds.

Feel the rhythm and note if it’s regular or irregular. Occasional irregularities such as missed beats are very common and usually nothing to worry about.

But if your pulse is irregular for 20 to 30 seconds — or is rather like a Morse Code hammer in World War II films — then see your practice nurse or GP.

DOWNSIZE YOUR MORNING JUICE

If you start the day with a glass of fresh orange juice, dowsize the serving from 250ml to 150ml, says dietitian Helen Bond.

This will save you around 50 calories — equivalent to a brisk walk for ten minutes — and it’ll still count as one of your five-a-day.

PUT YOUR LAPTOP ON TOP OF A BOOK

Raise the height of your laptop with a large book - to stop

yourself looking down all the time - and buy a separate keyboard

 

Using laptops — even at a desk —for long periods of time should be banned as they promote terrible posture, and in turn, neck and back pain, says Sammy Margo.

Laptops encourage us to look down, whereas a screen should be directly in front, with no need to dip your head.

To combat this, raise the height of your laptop with a large book — to stop yourself looking down all the time — and buy a separate keyboard.

If nothing else, buy a separate mouse, rather than relying on the built-in touch sensitive one, adds osteopath Adam Dallison, as this can also lead to back pain.

It may surprise many people to learn that using a foot rest while working at a desk can also lead to long term back and neck pain.

As Adam Dallison explains: ‘For the spine to be tilted into a natural curve, your feet should be significantly lower than your hips, i.e. flat on the floor.’

DRINK WATER TO PREVENT FALLS

Many older people are dehydrated, either because their thirst mechanism fades with age or because of medication such as diuretics, which cause more frequent trips to the loo.

‘Dehydration is often why people feel light-headed and/or fall upon standing up,’ says Dr Fay.

‘Therefore it’s a good idea to have an extra glass of water with your meals.’ Two glasses of water with meals could save you from a fatal hip fracture.

USE A BIGGER FORK

A study in the Journal Of Consumer Research found that when eating out, people who used a large fork ate less than those who used a smaller one.

Researchers believe those with smaller forks felt they were making slower progress in satisfying their hunger, so ate more.

The research team put its conclusion to the test by varying the portions of food. It was found that when served larger portions, diners with small forks ate significantly more than those with larger forks.

In contrast, when customers were served smaller portions, the size of their fork did not affect the amount of food they ate.

LEARN TO LUNGE

If you only do one set of exercises each day, make it lunges, says personal trainer Dan Roberts.

‘This is the most beneficial exercise because it uses lots of the large, lower body muscles — the back, bum and legs — and using bigger muscle groups means you’ll burn more calories.’

To perform a lunge: stand with your feet shoulder width apart and step forward, landing with the heel first.

The knee should be at 90 deg and directly above the toes, not further. Continue until the back knee is nearly touching the ground.

Reverse the move to stand up again. Beginners should aim for 40 a day (dependent on age/health), then gradually try and aim for 100 a day.

SWAP TO SKIMMED

‘Swapping full-fat milk for skimmed milk in your tea saves around ten calories per cup,’ says Helen Bond.

‘If you’re a big tea drinker — say you have on average five cups a day — you’ll have saved 350 calories over the course of a week.

'Plus, skimmed milk has the benefit of slightly more calcium, which is vital for healthy bones.’

Swapping from full-fat to semi-skimmed would save six calories a cup.

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