‘Super Anti-Cancer Spice’ Turmeric Could Fight Type 2 Diabetes, Fuel Weight Loss

Turmeric, with its unique flavor and rich yellow color, is known as “Indian gold” for its many healing properties. Science is only beginning to uncover the many ways in which this ancient home remedy serves as a natural medicine that can be picked up at virtually any grocery store for barely a fraction of the price of prescription drugs.

Healthwise

The research is overwhelming

by Julie Fidler
Posted on July 21, 2015

Past Research Proves Turmeric’s Anti-Cancer Power

In the 1990s, Bharat Aggarwal, Ph.D. and colleagues from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston sprinkled a bit of turmeric on some cancer cells in the lab and were flabbergasted by what they found. “The effect was staggering,” Dr. Aggarwal told Men’s Health in 2011. Just a pinch of the powdered perennial plant blocked a biological pathway required for melanoma, prostate and other cancers to grow.

Eight years ago, Chinese researchers found that curcumin, the primary constituent of turmeric, could play a pivotal role in treating prostate cancer by inhibiting hormones known to trigger the disease. Also in 2007, University of Alabama scientists discovered that combining curcumin with traditional radiation therapy killed prostate cancer cells that had previously become radiation-resistant.

In June, preliminary research by UCLA researchers found that a synthetic version of turmeric helps kill cancer cells that had been resistant to a common chemotherapy drug. The team hopes that someday turmeric will be utilized as a treatment for head and neck cancers.

Now the Spice is Being Used for Diabetes Control

Now, scientists want to know if a combination of turmeric and Omega-3 fatty acids might delay the onset of Type 2 diabetes or stave it off completely. Scientists from the University of Newcastle’s Nutraceuticals Research Group, led by Professor Manohar Garg, are on the hunt for 80 participants for a new clinical study to find out exactly that.

“The root cause of type 2 diabetes is systemic inflammation, which impacts insulin secretion and function,” said Garg. “We want to nip the inflammation in the bud,” he said, adding that both curcumin and Omega-3 fats are important anti-inflammatory agents. [1]

Diabetes is a metabolic disease primarily caused by a lack of insulin produced by the pancreas, or the body’s resistance to insulin. Previous research has shown that the curcumin in turmeric works to adjust the insulin in the body. Turmeric assists the pancreas in regulating and stabilizing insulin levels, thereby lowering glucose levels. Actually, the turmeric and diabetes connection is one Natural Society has reported on before. [2]

There’s also evidence that turmeric can help people lose weight, and obesity is one of the leading causes of Type 2 diabetes. A study from Xi’an Jiaotong University School of Medicine found that “cure-cumin” (as Dr. Aggarwal and his colleagues now refer to curcumin) can counter the negative effects of a “junk food” diet.

The study found that turmeric consumption improved insulin resistance and leptin resistance, both strongly associated with weight gain. The study’s authors wrote:

“By diminishing the sediment of fat, relaxing the lymphatic return, and refraining the apoptosis of beta cells, the curcumin might significantly decrease the level of insulin resistance and leptin resistance caused by the high fat diet.”

Turmeric has a long list of medicinal uses – so start eating it! If you’re not a big fan of Indian food, no worries: there are loads of tasty ways to enjoy the spice. You can even incorporate it into beverages, thanks to turmeric’s mellow, sweet flavor. Turmeric is shaping up to a real-life miracle drug, minus the side effects and regulatory red tape.

[1] DNAIndia.com

[2] GuardianLV.com

Source: http://naturalsociety.com/super-anti-cancer-spice-turmeric-could-fight-type-2-diabetes-fuel-weight-loss

Healthwise

Ginger Root Kills Ovarian & Prostate Cancer Cells Better than Chemo

Thanks to research from the University of Michigan and nearly three centuries of medicinal use, we can now utilize ginger root to not only kill ovarian cancer cells, but also prostate cancer cells with zero toxicity.

Healthwise

 OCTOBER 27, 2013
BY CHRISTINA SARICH

Truly among the great medicines of the world, ginger has long been used to treat inflammation and nausea, but the results presented in a session at the American Association for Cancer Research show that in every single instance where ginger powder was used to treat cancer cells, they all died as a result of being exposed to the compound. In medical lingo this is called apoptosis (cancer cell suicide.) When ginger is present, the cells even attack one another, called autophagy.

While ginger has been deemed a great natural remedy for those who are undergoing chemotherapy, it can also be used in larger quantities to treat cancer of its own accord.

Another study showing ginger’s ability to fight ovarian cancer concludes with:

“Ginger inhibits growth and modulates secretion of angiogenic factors in ovarian cancer cells. The use of dietary agents such as ginger may have potential in the treatment and prevention of ovarian cancer.”

Ginger has also been proven to treat prostate cancer. The British Journal of Nutrition published the results of an American study recently in which ginger extract (zingiber officinale) killed human prostate cancer cells while healthy prostate cells were left alone. Whole ginger extract was revealed to shrink prostate tumor size by a whopping 56%. (Researchers used daily oral feeding of 100 mg/kg body weight of ginger extract in rats).

“Remarkably, daily oral feeding of 100 mg/kg body weight of GE inhibited growth and progression of PC-3 xenografts by approximately 56 % in nude mice, as shown by measurements of tumour volume. Tumour tissue from GE-treated mice showed reduced proliferation index and widespread apoptosis compared with controls, as determined by immunoblotting and immunohistochemical methods. Most importantly, GE did not exert any detectable toxicity in normal, rapidly dividing tissues such as gut and bone marrow. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate the in vitro and in vivo anticancer activity of whole GE for the management of prostate cancer.”

Further adding to the benefits of ginger, the spice has no toxicity when consumed even in high doses, and does not cause people to endure the very uncomfortable side effects of chemo and radiation treatments. The American Cancer Society admits  that more than 15% of men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and more than 20,000 American women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year. Many of these cases can be helped with ginger root.

While Big Pharma would have these men and women endure very invasive treatments, some simple ginger root powder can cause their cancer cells to commit a certain death.

From: http://naturalsociety.com/ginger-root-kills-ovarian-prostate-cancer-cells-better-chemo


Healthwise

No GMO: UK to Conduct Absolutely No GMO Trials in 2014

by Christina Sarich
January 10th, 2014

Though GM wheat and potatoes have been trialed in the UK in recent years, 2014 will mark the first year that no GMO trials will occur in places like Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. 

The director of GM Freeze, Helene Paul says, “We’re celebrating a GM-free 2014 in UK fields – long may it continue. We congratulate the millions of UK farmers and shoppers standing up for what is right for their businesses and families, and we’re standing right beside them.” This will be the first year since 2007 that no trials will be conducted and that none are expected.

According to the UK government “Defra currently has no [GM trial] applications under consideration.” As more people in the UK, including farmers and consumers rally to tell their government that they aren’t interested in GM foods, the mega-giants of the food industry have started to finally pay attention. GMO trials have come to a halt in numerous countries throughout Europe. Trials in France, Poland, Italy, and elsewhere have been completely stopped. This includes transgenic GMO trees recently planted in Saint-Cyr-en-Val, near Orléans that were recently destroyed due to activist insistence.

“No matter what it says, the GM industry just hasn’t produced anything UK farmers can use or that consumers want. Instead the industry colludes with the Government to rig public dialogues, botch consultations, remove necessary regulations and proposes using public money to force pro-GM “education” onto the curriculum.

The aims of the GM wheat trial were never clear, despite the legal requirement for this information to be public before consent for such trials can be granted. We know that over the longer term GM crops cause more problems for farmers than they solve, and GM Freeze still wonders why the many risks were taken for such an unclear goal – unless it was simply to attract funding for further GM research and development. Of course it is also possible the consent given was the result of an assessment process that lacked the necessary rigour to comply with the law.

In any case we hope that the science establishment in the UK has learned that there is plenty of important and highly productive non-GM research needed, and the UK should be aiming to emerge as a centre of excellence in these areas rather than pursuing unnecessary GM crops that no one wants.

This success comes despite the fact that the biotech industry heavily supports Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson, who even said people who supported the GMO-labeling movement were ‘wicked.’

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5. The Necessary GMO Ban – Labeling GMOs Won’t Stall Monsanto
6. AMA Paper Proposes Law Forcing People into Experimental Vaccine Trials

http://naturalsociety.com/gmo-failure-uk-first-gmo-trial-free-year-2014/

Little Known Chinese Herb & Iron Kill 98% of Cancer Cells in 16 Hours

by Christina Sarich
December 12th, 2013

According to studies that were published in an issue of Life Sciences, artemesinin – a derivative of the wormwood plant used in Chinese Medicine - can kill 98% of breast cancer cells in less than 16 hours. 

The herb used alone caused a 28% reduction in breast cancer cells, but when paired with iron, sweet wormwood was able to eradicate cancer almost entirely. What’s more, normal cells were not negatively affected in the experiment by this treatment.

Artemisinin has been used in the past as a powerful anti-malarial herb, but it now has been proven to be a cancer-fighter, too. When subjects in the published study were given an iron supplement, which often accumulates in the breast tissue but especially so in cancerous cells, the artemisinin was able to selectively target ‘bad’ cells and leave ‘good’ cells alone.

“Taken together, our results demonstrate that the artemisinin disruption of E2F1 transcription factor expression mediates the cell cycle arrest of human breast cancer cells and represents a critical transcriptional pathway by which artemisinin controls human reproductive cancer cell growth.

 Iron accumulates in cancerous cells due to special receptors that help them in cell division, called transferrin receptors. Normal cells likely have these receptors as well, but cancerous cells have them in greater abundance, and thus can be targeted by the iron-artemisinin combination, like a 1-2 punch.

There have been many experiments now that prove this sweet wormwood derivative can effectively eradicate disease in the presence of iron. The extract has been used for thousand of years in China to treat malaria. The malaria parasite cannot live in the presence of artemisinin because they are iron-rich, but the treatment works just as well for cancerous cells, too. Bioengineers Henry Lai and Narendra Singh of the University of Washington, Seattle were the scientists who initially made this discovery. This is yet another example of a natural herb causing cancerous cell apoptosis.

While the sweet wormwood extract has been somewhat difficult to obtain for a fair price for countless years, it is now on its way to being mass-produced by biotech. Will the result be positive and promising?

“It’s the volatility that really makes the supply chain for this life-saving drug just a complete train wreck,” says Jack Newman, chief scientific officer of the California-based biotech firm Amyris. ”When we first started talking about this,” Newman says, “we gave it 1,000 to 1 odds of ever working. “

French drugmaker Sanofi is expected to make 50 to 60 tons of artemisinin each year, striving to supply enough demand for the global market.

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http://naturalsociety.com/artemesinin-iron-causes-98-reduction-breast-cancer/

Butter vs Margarine: The Big Fat Butter Lie

by Paul Fassa
August 5th, 2013
Updated 08/05/2013 at 6:23 am



Is butter bad for you?


For decades, the food processing industry has used advertising campaigns to successfully lie about the urgent and proven need to replace “unhealthy” butter with “healthy” margarine. But now we know that this teaching was nothing more than made-up. In the battle of margarine vs butter, you may now be surprised which comes out on top.

Even back in the 60s and 70s sufficient scientific evidence indicated that butter was far better than margarine for good health. Who knew? Nevertheless, the industrial fake food industry relentlessly convinced millions of us to eat margarine for health reasons. The commercial processed fake food industry merged with Madison Avenue, the AMA, and mainstream media to instill a whopper of a lie by reinforcing margarine as better for you. They claimed in unison that saturated fats made you fat and promoted cardiovascular disease.

Damage from Fake Fats that Replace Favorable Fats

Partially hydrogenated fatty acids in margarine damage arteries and blood vessels. They lower good cholesterol, and raise blood levels of triglycerides and lipoproteins leading to cardiovascular damage. They also raise C-reactive protein, an inflammatory and cellular dysfunction marker. Worse yet, they inhibit the utilization of essential omega 3-fatty acids as wells a prostaglandins, which eliminate blood clots. Additionally, a diet high in partially hydrogenated fatty acids has been linked to insulin resistance and type 2 Diabetes.

The NY Times covers hydrogenated oil health issues while still promoting saturated fat nonsense. In order to function properly, your lungs, heart, immune system liver, bones, hormones and cell membranes all require high quality saturated fats - in moderation of course. Fatty acids and cholesterol are needed for healthy cell membranes, hormone and vitamin D production, and the transport and utilization of important vitamins and minerals. Now even mainstream media is spreading the truthful real news on butter. The New England Journal of Medicine recently solidified the link between trans fats and heart disease. Even low levels of trans fats consumption (1%-2%) substantially increase heart disease.

Butter vs Margarine: Butter Hierarchy: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

So what should you be looking for?

• At the top of the pyramid is organic butter made with raw milk from grass fed cows.

• The middle level is organic butter with pasteurized milk from grass fed cows and without rBGH, rBST, or antibiotics.

• The pyramid’s base is butter made from pasteurized milk from confined, grain fed, factory farmed, antibiotic and likely rBGH or rBST injected cows.

Amazingly, the butter at the bottom of the pyramid is still better for you than margarine! Margarine is merely a lab created plastic food-like substance, not by any means a real food. It’s cheap to make, lacks nutritional merit, and damages health. But it has a longer shelve life and a higher profit margin than real butter.

Five Reasons to Eat Real Butter

• 1. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) - Raw organic, pastured butter has loads of anti- tumor CLA. It inhibits the growth of cancer cells in the skin, colon, breasts and lungs. It’s anti-fungal and it stimulates muscle growth while preventing weight gain.

• 2. Butyric Acid - Butter contains 4% butyric acid – a short chain fatty acid that research indicates can inhibit tumors. It also signals the immune system into action when an infection is brewing.

• 3. Vitamin K2 - Raw, organic, pastured butter and cream contains vitamin K2 – a necessary co-factor in vitamin D synthesis. K2 also ushers calcium out of your blood stream and into bone cells which increases bone density instead of calcifying arterial and heart tissue. Check out Mike Barrett’s article on vitamin K deficiency symptoms.

• 4. Fat–Soluble Vitamins – Butter is a good source of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, and E. It’s also an excellent vehicle for their assimilation.

• 5. The Wulzen Factor - Raw, unpasteurized butter, cream and milk contain the “Wulzen factor” an anti-stiffness agent. It protects against calcification of the joints (osteoarthritis) as well as cataracts, and the calcification of the pineal gland. Pasteurization destroys the Wulzen Factor.

Raw, organic butter is a superfood that won’t make you fat if consumed in moderation. It fact, it consists of short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and medium chain fatty acids(MCFA), which are not significantly stored as fat but easily used as energy.

This may finally be the end of the butter vs. margarine battle.

Additional Sources:

Mercola

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http://naturalsociety.com/butter-vs-margarine-big-fat-butter-lie/

Assaulting Cancer: 5 Natural Ways to Boost Natural Killer Cells

by Christina Sarich

December 4th, 2013

Natural killer cells are white blood cells (lymphocytes) that seek out and kill cancerous or otherwise mutating cells that can harm the body. Also known as NK cells or just K cells, these natural killer cells are a natural part of our immune systems. Considering that 1/3 of the population is expected to get cancer in their lifetime, it would behoove us to boost our body’s natural ability to reduce cancerous tumors and virally infected cells. Below you will learn how to boost natural killer cells naturally.

Killer cells are cytotoxic – that means that they are bad for a cancer cell, and good for us. Small granules in a killer cell cytoplasm contain proteins called perforin and protease (granzymes) that help to kill unwanted, or diseased cells.

“New findings show that natural killer (NK) cell activity is modulated by exogenous (including dietary) and endogenous ligands for the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). AHR was found to be mainly expressed by conventional splenic NK cells following cytokine stimulation.”

Numerous studies point out how various foods or substances can naturally activate our immune system’s natural killer cells to assault cancer cells.

One example is how sea cucumber, found to kill 95% of various cancer cells, can activate NK cells.

Other research points to turkey tail mushroom for increasing the number of natural killer cells and their function activity after ingestion.

(Takeaway: utilize sea cucumber or turkey tail mushroom to boost NK cells. Those are ways 1 and 2).

 

3 More Ways to Boost NK Cells

Here are a few easy ways to boost our naturally occurring killer cells so that we can fight one of the biggest diseases of all time:

• 3. Take More Vitamin C - This vitamin is not only good for fighting colds and flu, but it boosts the activation of both T-cells and NK cells so that your immune system has extra armor to protect you against a host of diseases, including cancer. The Journal of Immunology confirms that ridiculously high doses aren’t required. Just 1000 mg a day can help boost the immune system.

• 4. Get Your Daily E – In addition to boosting the production of killer cells, vitamin E also supports the making of B cells – also utilized by our immune systems to produce antibodies and kill bacteria. You can get the recommended 60 mg a day from nuts, grains, seeds and vegetable oils. Further, vitamin E intake lowers the risk of heart disease.

• 5. Eat Your Beta Carotene - As the name suggests, this important vitamin found in carrots can help boost killer cells as well as helper T-cells so that your immune system can fight a number of diseases. Foods full of beta carotene include sweet potatoes, kale, turnip greens, spinach, dried herbs, and mustard greens, just to name a few.

Preventing cancer may be as simple as eating whole, natural foods. Who knew?


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4. 9 Ways to Boost Your Immune System and Avoid Being a Victim of the Flu Season
5. 6 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer
6. Scientists Modify Cells to Attack Cancer

http://naturalsociety.com/5-ways-boost-natural-killer-cells-assault-cancer/

4 Health Benefits of Rooibos Tea

by Elizabeth Renter

October 25th, 2013

For many novice tea drinkers, the selection of tea varieties can be overwhelming. While green tea seems to be the go-to, as we know it has numerous health benefits and is even considered a super-food by many, there are other superior teas worth looking into. One of them is the South African tea known as rooibos, or red bush tea.

Rooibos tea originated in South African and has only recently begun gaining popularity in other world regions. But this doesn’t mean the tea is new, hardly, as it’s been cultivated in Africa for centuries. Research into the health benefits of rooibos tea, which started in the early 1900s, only increased its popularity both in its homeland and abroad.

Health Benefits of Rooibos Tea

• 1. Rooibos is a great source of cancer-protective antioxidants - Antioxidants protect the cells from oxidative stress and damage. Rooibus has a multitude of antioxidants including two different polyphenols, known as aspalathin and nothofagin. Interestingly, these polyphenols are relatively rare with the first only found in rooibos and the latter only found in rooibos and New Zealand red beech. It’s these antioxidants that give the tea its cancer protective abilities, leading it to be a “leading source of natural anti-cancer chemicals” according to the Cancer Association of South Africa.

• 2. Cardiovascular benefits - Another healthful component in rooibos tea is a flavonoid known as chrysoeriol. This compound helps the cardiovascular system in several ways, namely by promoting healthy circulation, fighting inflammation, and inhibiting enzymes that can contribute to cardiovascular disease. It may also work to reduce cholesterol and improve blood pressure.

• 3. Beneficial mineral content – Also fueling the health benefits of rooibos tea are numerous important minerals. It has manganese and calcium, both of which are good for the bones and the teeth. Zinc is included for a healthy metabolism and iron for vascular health. It’s a good source of magnesium too, which is important for a healthy nervous system.

• 4. Good for an upset stomach - Like ginger tea, rooibos tea is a great solution for upset stomach. It calms the stomach with the benefits of quercetin, an anti-inflammatory known for its own long list of health benefits.

Lastly, it’s worth noting that the health benefits of rooibos tea are accompanied by no caffeine. As a matter of fact, it’s even seen as a solution for insomnia. Safe for nearly everyone, rooibos is definitely a tea you want to add to your healing arsenal.


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http://naturalsociety.com/4-health-benefits-of-rooibos-tea/

Jiaogulan: An Ancient Asian Vine for Health and Longevity

by Susan Patterson

December 1st, 2012

Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) is a potent herbaceous vine and a member of the cucumber family that grows wild throughout China and other Asian countries. Similar in chemical composition and function to ginseng, only more powerful, jiaogulan has been the subject of a number of medical health research studies that have found this herb to be an effective adaptogen and antioxidant.

Sometimes referred to as the “Immortality Herb” or “Miracle Grass,” jiaogulan is now recognized as much more than a “folk remedy,” because of its ability to promote longevity, improve heart health, control weight and reduce stress and fatigue.

Ancient, historical records dating back to the Ming Dynasty point to jiaogulan as a trusted herb used for a wide variety of ailments. Modern American research supports the ancient texts and notes that jiaogulan is one of the top ten most effective anti-aging herbs in the world.

Reduce Free Radicals and Fight Cancer with Jiaogulan

Jiaoglania is full of rich antioxidants that gather up damaging free radicals roaming throughout the body. This reduces mutations in DNA that lead to cancer tumor development. Saponins, a type of phytochemical found in the herb reacts with cholesterol rich membranes around rogue cells to limit the growth of cancer. In addition, a Chinese study of cancer patients who had depleted white blood cells due to radiation therapy demonstrated, with 94% effectiveness, that jiaogulan doubled blood cells counts in as little as five days.

Living Long and Healthy Lives

In a remote area of China known as Guizhou, many people live to be one hundred. Scientists conducting research on these extremely healthy centurions and have discovered that they all have one thing in common; they drink jiaogulan tea. This sweet tasting tea is seemingly responsible for low rates of Alzheimer’s, cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes. Researchers attribute the long and healthy lives to the plethora of antioxidants and saponins found in the potent jiaogulan plant.

Restore Balance

Over 100 saponins are found in jiaogulan, making it an extremely powerful adaptogen capable of restoring balance within the body. A body that is in balance is far healthier than body that is out of balance. Overweight individuals will lose weight while underweight individuals will gain weight in order to bring balance to the body. Jiaogulan also regulates blood pressure and cholesterol and energizes or calms an out of order nervous system.

Because much of the jiaogulan from Southeast Asia is tainted with heavy metals it is always best to choose organic sources of this sweet health- giving herb.

Additional Sources:
Webmd
Herb.com/jgl.html
Herbslist
 http://naturalsociety.com/jiaogulan-ancient-asian-vine-health-longevity/

Longevity Secrets: 6 Reasons Okinawans Live to Be Older than 100

by Christina Sarich
December 1st, 2013
Updated 12/01/2013 at 11:21 am


Did you know that only 20-30% of our life expectancy can be determined through our genes? If you want to live to be 100, you may need more than just a sound set of X and Y chromosomes passed down from your parents. Lifestyle is the most important factor in determining not only how long you live, but the quality of your long life. It turns out the people from a small island off the coast of Japan, Okinawa, have figured out a secret recipe for living to be more than 100 years old.

Scientists researching for the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Japan’s Ministry of Health have been following Okinawan’s who are older than 100 since 1976 in the Okinawa Centenarian Study (OCS) and they’ve learned that there are some very typical traits for all those who live to be so vital at such an advanced age.

Want to know the Okinawan secret to living a long, productive life? Here it is broken down into easily digestible bits:

• 1. Elderly Okinawans often exercise both physically and mentally.

• 2. Their diets are low in salt, high in fruits and vegetables, and contain plenty of fiber and antioxidants that protect against the major diseases of the West, including heart attack and cancer.

• 3. Although they consume more soy (60-120 grams daily) than almost any other population on earth, it is not GMO soy as grown in the US. Soy is high in flavanoids and is healthful when not genetically modified.

• 4. Okinawans don’t overeat. They have a practice called hara hachi bu, which means “8 parts out of 10, full.” They never eat so that they are stuffed, but just mostly sated. This means their daily caloric intake is far lower than ours – around 1800 calories. We westerners sometimes scarf down twice that much in a day.

• 5. Okinawans don’t suffer from dementia or senility as often, either, due to a diet high in vitamin E which helps keep the brain vital.

• 6. Elderly Okinawans are respected and kept as an integral aspect of their overall communities. They feel valued as individuals even as their age progresses and this can only benefit their mental and physiological health. Elderly members of this society express a high satisfaction level with their lives.

It isn’t just something in the water in Okinawa, but when Okinawans move away from their island and take up the western diet and lifestyle, they no longer enjoy longer lives. Within one generation of taking on our bad habits, their life-spans shorten considerably. Cancer and hear-attack rates practically double.

http://naturalsociety.com/longevity-secrets-okinawans-live-older-100/

Watercress Found to Block Breast Cancer Cell Growth

by Elizabeth Renter
November 26th, 2013
Updated 11/27/2013 at 1:28 am

You may have never tasted watercress, but you’ve likely heard of it. It’s a peppery tasting, delicate leaf vegetable related to broccoli, kale, and collards. And like just like those other vegetables, watercress offers some amazing health benefits. One new study from the University of Southampton indicates that watercress could even be useful in the fight against breast cancer.

According to the study, published in a recent edition of the British Journal of Nutrition, a compound in the cruciferous plant could work to turn off signals in the cells that are used to facilitate cancer growth, thereby starving cancer cells to death.

When a tumor outgrows its own blood supply, it sends signals to surrounding tissues to deliver more oxygen and nutrients. Its these signals that phenylethyl isothiocyanate—the watercress compound—may actually shut off.

For the research, a small group of breast cancer survivors ate a bowl of watercress and then had their blood tested for a period of 24 hours following. The participants had a significant level of phenylethyl isothiocyanate in their blood following the meal and the signaling function was “measurably affected.”

According to the study’s abstract:

“Although further investigations with larger numbers of participants are required to confirm these findings, this pilot study suggests that flow cytometry may be a suitable approach to measure changes in 4E-BP1 phosphorylation following the ingestion of watercress, and that dietary intake of watercress may be sufficient to modulate this potential anti-cancer pathway.”

The research is promising, and when paired with research on the benefits of other cruciferous vegetables, we may have identified the family of vegetables that can successfully combat cancer.

Broccoli, related to watercress and a nutrition powerhouse in its own right, contains several compounds that may be effective in fighting cancer. One of the well-researched compounds, sulforaphane, has been found to not only suppress the growth of tumors, but also stop the spread and even the onset of cancer. Indole-3-carbinol, another broccoli compound, has been found to destroy cancer-related molecule known as Cdc25A and to reduce tumor size substantially.

Cruciferous vegetables have many health benefits and are easy to come by. While more research may be needed to determine how they are able to fight cancer, there’s no reason we can’t start reaping the benefits now.

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http://naturalsociety.com/watercress-block-breast-cancer-cell-growth/

4 Awesome Foods for Naturally Detoxing Your Liver

by Elizabeth Renter
November 26th, 2013
Updated 11/27/2013 at 1:28 am


Detoxification is one of the main purposes of your liver. It’s the body’s filtering system, working to filter the blood after it exits the digestive system and before it moves on to the rest of the body. It removes potentially harmful chemicals from the body and metabolizes drugs.

When your liver is out of whack, your whole body can suffer. An occasional liver detox can do wonders for your total body health. In addition, a diet regularly supplemented with liver-cleansing herbs and foods can keep everything working smoothly in the between-times.

There are several herbs and foods that can help keep your liver detoxified. Here are 4 of them:

1. Milk Thistle

Silymarin, a substance within milk thistle, works to increase protein synthesis very important to liver health and much more. Studies have indicated milk thistle is a viable treatment for liver diseases, bile duct inflammation, and damage due to alcoholism. It may also be effective at protecting the body from pollutants in the air and food supply.

2. Turmeric

A wonder herb, turmeric is able to assist the enzymes responsible for flushing carcinogens and other toxins present in our food. As Anthony Gucciardi reports in his article “4 Natural Liver Cleansing Foods‘, it is able to protect against liver cancer and even regenerate cells damaged by liver disease.

3. Licorice Root

Used for centuries in folk medicine, licorice root is a valuable tool in total body detoxification. Containing something known as glycyrrehntinic acid, licorice root works to neutralize strong chemical reactions in the liver and protect the organ overall. Taken as a tea, tablet, or extract, licorice root offers many liver-health benefits.

4. Dandelion

Perhaps the easiest liver-detoxification herb to find, dandelion roots and leaves have many valuable medicinal properties. Dandelion leaves can be used in salads and are a natural diuretic, which is good for the liver. The roots can be made into a tea. Check out this article to see other awesome dandelion benefits.

Liver health is total body health. By caring for your liver naturally, you can increase your immune function and your digestive health as well. These herbs, along with a diet rich in natural plant foods, are a perfect start to natural liver health. And if you want to take things a step further, you can also take a liver-cleansing supplement to hasten the cleansing process.

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http://naturalsociety.com/4-foods-detox-liver-naturally/

Sea Cucumber Found to Kill 95% of Cancer Cells, Shrink Tumors

by Elizabeth Renter
November 5th, 2013
Updated 11/05/2013 at 1:33 am


Sea cucumber has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years, but they are relatively obscure in the U.S. This may be soon changing, however, as evidence mounts that sea cucumber extracts can kill cancer cells while stimulating the immune system.

As reported by Ethan Evers, author of “The Eden Prescription, previous research on sea cucumber has demonstrated its ability to kill lung, breast, prostate, skin, colon, pancreatic, and liver cancer cells. These extracts have also proven effective in killing leukemia and gioblastoma cells. Looks like we can add yet another food to the list of anti-cancer foods.

Scientists believe a key compound known as frondoside A to be responsible. Frondoside A is a triterpenoid, diverse organic compounds found in the essential oils and oleoresins of plants.

 This latest study, published in PLoS One, has confirmed just how powerful frondoside A truly is. Researchers found it to kill 95% of ER+ breast cancer cells, 95% of liver cancer cells, 90% of melanoma cells, and 85-88% of three different types of lung cancer.

As Evers reports:

“But the benefits of this compound don’t just stop at directly inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis). It also inhibits angiogenesis (the ability of tumors to grow new blood vessels to get their food) and stops cancer metastasizing by impeding cell migration and invasion. Even more intriguing is the ability of frondoside A to activate our immune system’s natural killer cells to attack cancer cells. This has been shown for breast cancer in particular but may also apply to all cancers, because it involves the immune system and not cancer cells directly. This may partially explain why frondoside A was so effective at shrinking lung tumors in mice that it rivaled chemo drugs in performance.”

When given to mice with non-small cell lung cancer, frondoside A was found to shrink tumors by 40% in only 10 days. Traditional chemo drugs shrunk the tumors by 47 percent, but the risks of chemo treatment are far greater than any side-effects or risks of sea cucumber. (Namely because there are no known risks associated with sea cucumbers). In addition, the amount of frondoside A needed to achieve such results was miniscule—less than a single milligram for an adult weighing 165 pounds.

While sea cucumber extracts aren’t currently offered as a treatment for cancer—at least not in your traditional doctor’s office—you can find dried and powdered sea cucumber in health stores. It is packaged as a solution to arthritis and similar conditions because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Additional Sources:

Pubmed/18800890

Pubmed/19162021
Pubmed/21741966

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http://naturalsociety.com/sea-cucumber-shrinks-cancer-cells-95-percent/

6 Foods for Natural Heavy Metal Chelation

by Elizabeth Renter
March 14th, 2013
Updated 03/14/2013 at 3:55 am


Heavy metals can do significant damage to the body. Historically, they’ve been used as “an instrument of murder” (in the case of arsenic) and instruments of war. But most people who are exposed to heavy metals in today’s times are through their food, water, vaccines, or the air around them. The good news is that there are natural ways to chelate heavy metals from your body.

In high amounts, heavy metal toxicity can cause numerous symptoms like headache, nausea, vomiting, sweating, and even death. In lower amounts toxicity from lead or mercury, for example, can have much subtler effects. In either case, however, ridding the body of these harmful metals is important.

Removal of heavy metals from the body is known as chelation. This word actually comes from the Greek word “claw” and was used because early practitioners saw substances that they believed grabbed a hold of the metals and carried them out of the body through the digestive system. The term stuck.

Fortunately, there are foods with natural chelation properties. In cases of minor exposure, you don’t need to spend a fortune on prescriptions or even supplements in order to restore optimal health. The following are natural heavy metal chelating agents.

• Amino Acids. Amino acids are great at removing metals from the body – so good for meat eaters. These proteins are found in eggs and fish, among other things, and can work to increase liver health and balance enzyme production.

• Cilantro. Cilantro is just one super-herb that can effectively remove heavy metals (aluminum, mercury, and lead in particular) – in only two weeks. Also, because these metals can damper the immune system, cilantro is also recognized as an immune-booster.

• Food-Grade Activated Charcoal - Dr. Al Sears, MD, has his patients use food-grade activated charcoal for general detoxifying; this includes detoxing heavy metals. For heavy metal detoxifying, he recommends a total of 20 grams per day, spaced apart in two to four doses, over a 12 day period. I prefer taking a heaping tablespoon once in the morning, well before breakfast for general detoxification.

• Brazil Nuts: Not necessarily a chelation food, Brazil nuts actually work to restore the good minerals, like selenium and zinc, that may be lost in the chelation process.

• Onions and garlic. The sulfur in onions and garlic can also work to eliminate heavy metals. Along with these, things like eggs, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage also have high sulfur content.

• Chlorella. The superfood known as chlorella can serve as a mild chelation-helper. You can find it in supplement form or as a powder to add to various dishes.

If you’re looking for a more advanced way to cleanse your body of heavy metals, Dr. Edward Group has a great starter heavy metal cleansing kit as well as an advanced kit.

Source:  http://naturalsociety.com/6-foods-natural-heavy-metal-chelation/

Olive Oil Shown to Protect and Promote Liver Health

by Elizabeth Renter
February 17th, 2013 | Updated 02/17/2013 at 3:59 am

 

Olive oil is a staple in diets of the Mediterranean region. It’s this tasty oil that’s been credited with the lower rates of heart disease and even obesity of that part of the world. We often hear about these heart-healthy benefits of olive oil, that it can reduce cholesterol and help manage blood pressure. But the liver-health benefits of this oil are remarkable as well. For that reason, and more, olive oil has gained significant popularity in the West over the past decade or so.

One relatively recent study found that olive oil can decrease liver damage. Researchers tested the effectiveness of olive oil on a group of rats that had been exposed to a toxic herbicide. The herbicide 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyactetic acid is known to cause significant liver damage. When compared to a control group who received no oil, the group of rats who were given extra virgin olive oil had “significantly increased antioxidant activity and a decrease in the biomarkers of liver damage.”

It’s believed the oil works by having an antioxidant effect on fat-storing liver cells. Liver damage is caused by inflammation and oxidative stress; olive oil can reduce this stress. It also has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce inflammation throughout the body (a common cause of many chronic diseases).

But, it’s important to note that olive oil may have drawbacks if not stored and used correctly.

Olive oil is the only oil that can be directly squeezed from its fruit and used. Other oils are processed to one degree or another. Extra virgin olive oil is from this first pressing and is considered the most pure. Heat and other methods of processing are used to get the second and subsequent pressings, as in virgin, pure, and extra light olive oil.

Extra virgin olive oil breaks down when exposed to air, heat, and light. Every time you open the bottle of oil, you are encouraging it to go bad. Similarly, cooking with olive oil can result in oxidation—something people with existing liver damage want to avoid.

For the best results: buy extra virgin olive oil is small bottles so it is closer to fresh. Store it in a dark and cool place. And finally, use it raw. Don’t heat it in order to ensure it maintains the liver-healthy benefits.

Here are additional tips on choosing the best olive oil.

Additional Sources:
NaturalNews.com/030245
LiverSupport.com
Peak-Health-Now

Read more: http://naturalsociety.com/olive-oil-protect-promote-liver-health/#ixzz2LFYPethS