Break the Sugar addiction

Break a sugar addiction within a week using three easy steps

(NaturalNews) Refined sugar is a drug that is similar to opiates in its power to become addicted to it. The Journal of Psychoactive Drugs stated in a study published in 2010 that sugar releases euphoric endorphins in some people's brains in a manner very similar to that of certain drugs which are commonly abused.

"Sugar addiction" follows the same pathways in the brain that a habit-forming drug does. Fortunately, sugar cravings can be stopped within a week of withdrawing from the white crystals.



The entire scope of drug addiction has been observed in people with sugar addiction. There are cravings, an escalation of tolerance levels, and dramatic withdrawal symptoms associated with sugar addiction that parallel that of both prescription and non-prescription "street" drugs. In addition, sugar addicts often become narcotic addicts, according to the above study.

The study, performed at California State University, found that children of alcoholic parents often had a "sweet tooth," and were more likely to become alcoholics themselves when they became adults. There are also genetic markers connecting sugar addictions with alcoholism, bulimia, and obesity.

Raw, organic fruits and vegetables form the first step in breaking a sugar addiction

The first step in breaking a sugar addiction is to make sure all fruits and vegetables consumed are 100 percent organic. Organic fruits and vegetables are full of natural sugars, or complex carbohydrates. Not only does organic produce taste better, the complex carbohydrates break down slower than simple carbohydrates do. This means the body does not send "craving" messages as quickly to the brain.

Substitute pastries with whole grain bread and raw honey

While those on an ancestral diet may cringe at the suggestion, a person who is just beginning to transition from the Standard American Diet (SAD) by breaking a sugar addiction can dramatically reduce sugar cravings by eating a slice of homemade whole grain bread drizzled with raw, unpasteurized local honey.

Whereas someone on the SAD might normally reach for a quart of their favorite ice cream and the better part of a bag of cookies for an evening snack, homemade bread with raw honey is a wiser, healthier choice.

According to MyFitnessPal.com, there are approximately 290 calories in just one cup of a commercial brand of vanilla ice cream, along with 16 grams of fat and 30 grams of refined sugar. By comparison, a 1.5 gram slice of homemade whole grain bread contains 100 calories, 1.5 grams fat, and 18 grams of complex carbohydrates.

Drizzling a whole tablespoon of raw honey onto the slice of bread adds 70 calories and 15 grams of sugar. Rather than eating 28 grams of refined sugar from a cup of vanilla ice cream alone, sugar cravings are reduced by eating 15 grams of raw honey.

In addition, the destructive chemicals in refined sugar are replaced with the scientifically proven anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and appetite-regulating benefits of raw honey.

Break the need for crunchy snacks with raw nuts and trail mixes

Raw nuts and seeds along with natural trail mixes made with dried, unsweetened fruit are perfect for the person who is breaking a sugar addiction. Raw nuts and seeds offer protein, energy, and healthy plant fats.

Trail mixes, as long as they do not contain added candy or sugar- sweetened fruit, contain an interesting combination of complex carbohydrates, proteins, and good fats which help tide an individual over until meal time. There is just enough natural sugar in trail mix to offer an energy boost without a sugar spike.

Sources:

Pubmed.gov, Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. .2010 Jun; 42(2):147-51. "Sweet preference, sugar addiction and the familial history of alcohol dependence: shared neural pathways and genes," by JL Fortuna.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20648910

MyFitnessPal.com, "Breyers Vanilla Ice Cream"
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calorie-chart-nutrition-facts

Calorie Count. About. Com, "Calories in Really Raw Honey"
http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-really-raw-honey-i191541
Pubmed.gov, Biotechnology Research International. 2011; 2011: 917505. "Antibacterial Efficacy of Raw and Processed Honey." DP Mohapatra and V Thakur, et al.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3042689/
Pubmed.gov, Journal of the American Dietary Association. 2009 Jan; 109(1):64-71. "Total antioxidant content of alternatives to refined sugar." KM Phillips and MH Carlsen, et al.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19103324
Pubmed.gov, Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2010 Oct; 29(5):482-93. "Effect of honey versus sucrose on appetite, appetite-regulating hormones, and post meal thermogenesis." DE Larson-Meyer and KS Willis, et al.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21504975

About the author:
Brad Chase is the President of ProgressiveHealth.com. His website provides articles and natural remedies to help people solve their health concerns.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037337_sugar_addiction_habits_raw_honey.html#ixzz27gAqyXFR

Vitamin D and Calcium

Vitamin D, calcium found to save lives among elderly

(NaturalNews) A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism (JCEM) has found that elderly individuals who supplement with both vitamin D and calcium together may have a decreased risk of early mortality. Based on data compiled from eight different randomized controlled trials, researchers found that seniors who supplement with both vitamin D and calcium are about seven percent less likely to die early compared to others.

Dr. Lars Rejnmark, M.D., from Aarhus University in Denmark and his colleagues examined the results of pooled data on more than 70,000 randomized participants with a median age of 70 that participated in vitamin D studies. Some of these participants were instructed to take only vitamin D, while others were instructed to take both vitamin D and calcium. After processing this wealth of data using a stratified Cox regression model, the team discovered that vitamin D can play a powerful role in reducing mortality and increasing life expectancy.



Interestingly, the overall decrease in mortality observed from taking vitamin D with calcium was not the result of vitamin D individuals experiencing fewer fractures, which has been the case in previous studies. There appears to be some other mechanism at play in how the body metabolizes vitamin D alongside calcium that provides other life-extending health benefits.

"This is the largest study ever performed on effects of calcium and vitamin D on mortality," said Rejnmark. "Some studies have suggested calcium (with or without vitamin D) supplements can have adverse effects on cardiovascular health. Although our study does not rule out such effects, we found that calcium with vitamin D supplementation to elderly patients is overall not harmful to survival, and may have beneficial effects on general health."

To gain the most benefits from vitamin D, it is important to also supplement with its various synergistic co-factors, which include magnesium, vitamin K, vitamin A, zinc, and boron. According to the Vitamin D Council, these co-factors are absolutely vital for achieving maximum results from vitamin D, including optimal biosynthesis of this life-giving nutrient. (http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/vitamin-d-cofactors/)

"Magnesium has been found to influence the body's utilization of vitamin D in the following ways: Magnesium activates cellular enzymatic activity," says the Vitamin D Council, which emphasizes magnesium as the most important vitamin D co-factor, even though it was not included in the Aarhus study. "Low magnesium has been shown to alter, by way of decreasing, production of vitamin D's active form, 1,25(OH)2D (calcitriol)."

To learn more about the many health benefits afforded by regular sunlight exposure or vitamin D supplementation, visit: http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22605432

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/120615103525.htm

http://www.medicaldaily.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037285_vitamin_D_calcium_elderly.html#ixzz27JYXdTtP

IV Vitamin C and Cancer

IV vitamin C achieves clinical success with prostate and breast cancer

(NaturalNews) IV (intravenous) vitamin C therapy has already been clinically proven to markedly improve quality of life for cancer patients, but a new landmark study has shown for the first time it can reduce inflammation and tumor markers in prostate cancer and breast cancer patients. The science behind IV vitamin C as a cancer therapy is now advancing faster than ever before, with six clinical trials currently underway worldwide, including colorectal, prostate, pancreatic and other cancers.

Dual role of IV vitamin C for cancer - Cytotoxicity and inflammation

In lab studies, high-dose vitamin C has proven to be potently cytotoxic to a wide variety of cancer cell lines as well as to boost the cytotoxicity of several common chemotherapy drugs. This has been confirmed in animal studies, where IV vitamin C decreases the growth rates of liver, ovarian, pancreatic, and glioblastoma tumors with dosages easily achievable in humans. But beyond directly poisoning cancer cells, there is another role for vitamin C to play in treating cancer: the reduction of inflammation.

Recent research has shown that greater inflammation in cancer patients is associated with poor prognosis. This may be because key features of the inflammatory environment (infiltrating leucocytes, pro-inflammatory cytokine build-up, tissue remodeling and angiogenesis) may actually facilitate cancer development. With this in mind, one of the leading alternative medicine clinics in the USA designed a trial to test the ability of IV vitamin C to reduce key inflammation markers as well as tumor markers in patients with prostate, breast and other cancers. This trial included 45 patients aged 47-85, with an average age of 68. The treatments included vitamin C infusions of 25 to 50 grams, up to three times per week. The median follow-up on patients was 7.2 years (maximum of 18 years). It should be noted that most patients had already been treated by standard therapies. The total number of vitamin C infusions given to any one patient ranged from 1 up to 102.

Inflammation markers reduced in 76 percent of cancer patients

IV vitamin C therapy was successful in reducing C Reactive Protein (CRP) levels in 76 percent of all patients in the trial. This is significant, as CRP is a well-established marker for inflammation. By the end of the trial, the average patient saw a drop in CRP levels of 80 percent (for patients who started the trials with above-normal CRP levels). In addition, for a more detailed picture, serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured for 11 patients. Of these 11 patients, all saw large reductions in these cytokines after their treatments.

Some important trends emerged from the trial. First, patients who had more IV vitamin C treatments tended to have a better response. Second, patients who began the therapy at an earlier stage of their disease had better response compared to those with more aggressive, metastatic cancer. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, patients who saw reductions in inflammation markers usually also saw reductions in tumor markers - especially for breast and prostate cancer.

Tumor markers decreased for most prostate cancer and breast cancer patients

Most impressive with this trial was that PSA levels decreased in 77 percent of prostate cancer patients while 73 percent of breast cancer patients saw decreases in CA27.29/CA15.3 (cancer antigen) and/or CEA (carcinoembryonic antigen) after their treatments.

This trial gives powerful new evidence of the benefits of IV vitamin C therapy for cancer - a therapy which has few side-effects, a well-established safety profile and which is far cheaper than conventional treatments. For more information, the last reference below links to the clinic where this trial was carried out.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22963460
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17297243
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22021693
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18678913
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19246295
http://www.naturalnews.com/034663_IV_vitamin_c_cancer_treatment.html
http://www.riordanclinic.org/

About the author:
Ethan Evers is author of the award-winning medical thriller “The Eden Prescription,” in which natural medicine outperforms a billion-dollar chemo drug and threatens the entire $50 billion cancer drug industry. Ethan based The Eden Prescription on the latest science on natural medicine for cancer, and wrote it to show the future reality that natural medicine can bring us—and to warn of the strategies now being used by those who are trying to stop it. Ethan has a PhD in Applied Science.

The Eden Prescription is available on amazon: www.amazon.com/Eden-Prescription-cancer-what-think/dp/1439276552/
For breaking news and research updates on natural medicine for cancer, see Ethan’s Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eden-Prescription/130965870291786 
For more information: www.edenprescription.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037244_vitamin_C_prostate_cancer_breast.html#ixzz26wCzdyYD

Green tea catechins

Green tea catechins shown to shrink cancerous tumors in humans

(NaturalNews) Natural health advocates have understood and demonstrated the potent antioxidant and anti-cancer properties of green tea consumption for decades. The Chinese have brewed the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant for more than 5,000 years to benefit human health. Catechins such as epigallocatechin 3-gallate or EGCG are gaining prominent attention as they have been shown to halt cancerous tumor growth and improve arterial elasticity to promote cardiovascular health.

Researchers from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, publishing in the journal Nanomedicine have determined that EGCG extracted from green tea could be a powerful weapon in treatments for tackling cancer. The scientists developed a proprietary method for delivering the natural compound directly to tumor cells and found that nearly two-thirds of the tumors it was delivered to either shrank or disappeared within one month. The treatment displayed no side effects to normal tissues.

EGCG from green tea effectively shrinks or eliminates existing tumors in humans

This research is significant because it is believed to be the first time that this type of treatment has made cancerous tumors shrink or vanish in response to a therapy based on a totally natural compound. The lead study author, Dr. Christine Dufes noted "These are very encouraging results which we hope could pave the way for new and effective cancer treatments."

To conduct the study, the scientists encapsulated the green tea extract in vesicles that also carried transferrin, a plasma protein that transports iron through the blood. Transferrin receptors are found in large amounts in many cancers, and are known to be a viable target for many cancer therapies. Testing EGCG on two different types of skin cancer, researchers found 40 percent of both types of tumors vanished, while 30 percent of one and 20 percent of another shrank. A further 10 percent of one of the types was stabilized.

Dr. Dufes concluded "The green tea extract reduced the size of many of the tumors every day, in some cases removing them altogether... these are very encouraging results which we hope could pave the way for new and effective cancer treatments." There is no doubt that EGCG catechins from green tea are important to human health. EGCG can be consumed through standardized encapsulated supplements or by drinking two to four fresh-brewed cups of green tea daily to dramatically lower the risk of many cancer lines and to shield against an array of chronic illnesses.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22891867
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-08/uos-gtc082212.php
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120822071433.htm

About the author:
John Phillip is a Certified Nutritional Consultant and Health Researcher and Author who writes regularly on the cutting edge use of diet, lifestyle modifications and targeted supplementation to enhance and improve the quality and length of life. John is the author of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan', a comprehensive EBook explaining how to use Diet, Exercise, Mind and Targeted Supplementation to achieve your weight loss goal. Visit My Optimal Health Resource to continue reading the latest health news updates, and to download your Free 48 page copy of 'Your Healthy Weight Loss Plan'.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037187_green_tea_catechins_cancerous_tumors.html#ixzz26YTdTA00

Micronutrient deficiencies

Micronutrient deficiencies can cause DNA damage

(NaturalNews) All of us, identical twins excepted, are genetically unique. Of course, everyone's genes encode all the proteins needed for life, but the sum total of all our biochemical processes varies considerably from person to person. One of the consequences of this genetically determined biochemical individuality is that different people have quantitatively different needs for the nutritionally important minerals, vitamins, essential amino acids, etc.



In his book, Biochemical Individuality, biochemist and nutrition pioneer Roger Williams showed that requirements for any given nutrient may vary from person to person by a factor of five or more. Given the large number of genes affecting metabolic processes, it is likely that all of us have at least some nutritional needs that fall well outside the so-called normal range. These exceptional needs might be due to differences in digestion, absorption, excretion, enzyme patterns or other causes.

Biochemical individuality may well explain why clinical trials fail to find nutrients effective in disease prevention. These trials typically include participants chosen at random and test nutrients in amounts judged adequate for most people. Participants with average needs for the nutrient in question may have that need met by their diet plus any supplements they might take on their own; for them, the 'therapy' confers no further benefit. For people with exceptional needs, on the other hand, diet plus daily supplements, plus "therapy" might still not be enough to reach therapeutically effective nutrient levels - the levels needed to ensure proper functioning.

Essential nutrients are substances that the body cannot make, or cannot make in adequate amounts. Given the sad state of today's diet, it is more than likely that many of our chronic "lifestyle" diseases are the result of dietary shortcomings and will; therefore, respond to dietary interventions. Unmet nutritional needs will sooner or later lead to health problems.

The science of nutrition has made tremendous strides since Williams's book was published. It is now recognized that the gene-nutrient connection is a two-way street. Not only do nutrient requirements depend on genetic individuality but nutrients in turn are crucial for genome stability; they act as antioxidants and co-factors for enzymes involved in DNA metabolism and repair. In fact, genome damage caused by even moderate micronutrient deficiencies rivals damage from environmental factors like chemical carcinogens or radiation.

The sharp drop in the cost of gene sequencing has now made it possible to screen individual patients for biomarkers of DNA vulnerability to micronutrient deficiencies, prescribe the appropriate nutritional therapy, and assess the effect of that therapy on DNA stability. Instead of diagnosing and treating diseases caused by genome damage, one can identify and nutritionally prevent the most fundamental initiating cause of developmental and degenerative disease-genome damage itself.

Of course, we still need to take good care of ourselves or all the gene therapy will be for naught.

Sources:

Roger J. Williams, Biochemical individuality, John Wiley & Sons, 1963

Bland J, The future of nutritional pharmacology, Altern Ther Health Med 2008;14(5):12-14

http://www.alternative-therapies.com

Fenech M, Genome health nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics - diagnosis and nutritional treatment of genome damage on an individual basis, Food Chem Toxicol 2008;46(4):1365-1370.
http://www.aseanfood.info/Articles/11023559.pdf

About the author:
Helmut Beierbeck has a science background and a strong interest in all scientific aspects of health, nutrition, medicine, weight loss, or any other topic related to wellness. You can follow his ruminations on his blog http://healthcomments.info and leave comments on this or any other health-related topic.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037190_micronutrient_deficiencies_DNA_damage_disease.html#ixzz26S58GkHw

Raw chicken

Unraveling food industry lies - Your chicken is full of liquid fillers and chemicals

(NaturalNews) Those juicy, delicious chicken breasts in the meat case at your local supermarket are more than likely hiding a dirty little secret that might make you think twice about ever eating them again. Most people are unaware of it, but conventional chicken meat typically contains a whole lot more than just chicken, as it is often "plumped" up with brine (salt water), chicken stock, flavor and texture-enhancing chemicals, and even the waste byproducts of other animals that can constitute as much as 30 percent of the meat's total weight.



Rather than produce and sell pure chicken meat as most people assume they do, many conventional chicken producers inject all sorts of liquid fillers and chemicals into the meat prior to packaging it, all for the purpose of making poor quality meat appear and taste superior. The process is not only deceptive, as it tricks consumers into thinking they are getting more chicken than they really are, but it also increases the sodium content of chicken by as much as 500 percent.

Perhaps the worst part about plumping, though, is the fact that chicken producers can still label their plumped chicken as being "100 percent natural," since this terminology is not properly regulated, and does not have a standardize legal definition. As long as the injected substances are considered to be "natural" themselves -- "natural" technically cannot be legally defined in this context, either -- then anything goes as far as chicken production is concerned.

According to Foster Farms, a large chicken producer that claims not to plump its chickens, the average consumers inadvertently spends about $1.50 per package of plumped chicken just on salt water. Throughout the course of a year, this translates into a hidden cost of more than $100 per year for a family of four eating chicken with their meals roughly four days a week. (http://www.saynotoplumping.com)

Plumped chickens can contain waste byproducts of other animals like pigs, cows

Besides containing high levels of refined salt chemicals like monosodium glutamate (MSG), arsenic (http://www.naturalnews.com/032659_arsenic_chicken.html), and various other chemicals, plumped chickens may also contain bits and pieces of other animals and animal waste.

The U.K.'s Independent reported back in 2009 that many restaurants throughout Great Britain had been caught injecting their chicken meat with the bones and gristle of both pigs and cows. Similar to the agenda behind plumping with water and salt, injecting these animal waste byproducts is intended to fatten up chicken meat in order to make it appear larger, weigh more, and thus generate higher profits. (http://www.independent.co.uk)

Another investigation by BBC revealed similar plumping methods involving the flesh of other animals. It turns out that chicken processing in general often involves injecting chicken meat with the protein material of other animals. Some producers even try to cover up this dirty practice by deconstructing the DNA of the foreign animal matter so that it cannot be detected in tests. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/3047159.stm)

This is all very disturbing news, of course, especially for folks who, for religious or dietary reasons, specifically eat chicken in order to avoid eating other forms of meat. Little do they know that, since the 1970s, conventional chicken manufacturers have been pumping up chicken meat with foreign materials and animal waste in order to turn a higher profit.

Stick with local, pastured varieties when eating chicken

The best way to avoid falling victim to the food industry's chicken deception is to buy only local or specifically pasture-raised chicken meat. It is important also to make sure that the chicken meat you buy is organically fed, regardless of whether or not it is officially certified as such, since conventional birds are often deliberately fed arsenic, a cancer-causing chemical compound. (http://www.naturalnews.com/032659_arsenic_chicken.html)

To learn more about food secrets, be sure to check out the FREE NaturalNews report, 25 Amazing (and Weird) Facts About Food: http://www.naturalnews.com

Sources for this article include:

http://www.cracked.com

http://www.naturalnews.com/032659_arsenic_chicken.html

http://www.saynotoplumping.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037153_food_industry_chicken_fillers.html#ixzz26Ag2u42K

Benefits of Ginger

Seven ways that taking ginger can spice up your health
(NaturalNews) Cultivated and used medicinally for thousands of years all around the world, ginger root is a powerful medicinal herb that offers a variety of unique health benefits. When taken regularly in therapeutic doses, ginger root can effectively cure nausea; promote healthy digestion; boost immunity; treat asthma; improve cardiovascular function and heart health; relieve pain; and even prevent and cure chronic disease by quelling inflammation.

Besides being widely known for the exotic, spicy flavor it adds to food and beverages, one of ginger's other main claims to fame is its amazing ability to 1) improve digestion and promote better assimilation of nutrients into the body. A plethora of scientific research conducted throughout the past several decades confirms that ginger contains a distinct enzymatic profile that works synergistically to promote healthy digestion, and ease the processing of food in the stomach and intestines. (http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginger-000246.htm)

"The 'quintessential digestive herb,' ginger has the ability to restore digestive balance as in the cases of ulcers, parasites or nausea; the anti-emetic effects of ginger are therapeutic in cases of motion sickness, morning sickness, and other kinds of nausea," writes Paul Schulick in his 1995 paper entitled "The Many Roles of Ginger." "Ginger also encourages full digestive potential, and due in part to its enzyme activity, can increase bioavailability of drugs and nutrients."

On a similar note, ginger root is a proven 2) remedy for motion sickness, seasickness, and various other forms of nausea. Pregnant women, chemotherapy patients, and individuals with mild or moderate upset stomach can all experience relief by taking therapeutic doses of ginger, which was shown in at least one major study to eliminate nausea symptoms with as little as a one-quarter of a teaspoon dose. (http://articles.cnn.com)

As quoted in the book Alternative Cures: The Most Effective Natural Home Remedies for 160 Health Problems, Dr. Robert Dozor, M.D., explains that "[g]inger in any form -- as a capsule, as a tea, even as ginger candy, if it's actually made with the herb -- can quickly calm nausea" (http://www.naturalpedia.com/book_Alternative_Cures.html). This includes cancer patients who experience debilitating nausea as a result of chemotherapy treatments.

Even better than its power to eliminate post-chemotherapy nausea; however, is ginger's amazing ability to 3) treat inflammation and boost immunity. Chronic inflammation is linked to a host of debilitating diseases, including cancer, all of which can be effectively prevented and even treated with therapeutic doses of whole ginger extract.

Numerous studies, including one that was published in the British Journal of Nutrition back in 2011, have shown that whole ginger extract effectively fights cancer cells by inducing apoptosis, a process by which cancer cells essentially "commit suicide." In the book Cooking with Foods that Fight Cancer, authors Richard Beliveau and Denis Gingras explain how ginger's powerful anti-inflammatory effect creates an environment within the body that precludes the growth and spread of cancer cells and resultant tumors. (http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/turmeric-ginger.htm)

This same anti-inflammatory effect also makes ginger a powerful 4) pain reliever, particularly for chronic pain conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, sciatica, and fibromyalgia. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism back in 2001, for instance, found that patients with osteoarthritis experienced dramatic pain relief when they took ginger extract twice daily. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11710709)

Ginger is also an effective treatment for milder pain symptoms associated with conditions like the occasional headache, sore muscles, and the common cold. Ginger's unique compositional blend of analgesic substances naturally inhibits pain-producing prostaglandins from activating an inflammatory response within the body. Synthetic pain reliever drugs, on the other hand, cannot accomplish this, at least not without eliciting harmful side-effects.

"Ginger inhibits the production of immune-system components called cytokines, chemicals that create a long-term tendency toward inflammation. It also stimulates blood circulation," writes Phyllis A. Balch, C.N.C., in her book Prescription for Herbal Healing: An Easy-to-Use A-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies(http://www.naturalpedia.com/book_Prescription_for_Herbal_Healing.html). "These effects make ginger useful in treating a number of disorders marked by swelling and pain, such as arthritis."

Speaking of circulation, ginger has been shown to greatly promote 5) cardiovascular health by suppressing the biosynthesis of an inflammatory mediator known as leukotrienes. The dual-action, anti-inflammatory nature of ginger, while it inhibits both leukotrienes and prostaglandins, it helps maintain optimal arterial flow. Ginger also prevents platelet aggregation while also stimulating the release of adrenaline, processes that both help strengthen the heart.

Another way that ginger helps prevent and cure disease is through its diverse array of 6) antioxidants, the two most prominent of which are curcumin and gingerol. Not only do these and several other free radical scavengers prevent the growth and spread of cancer cells, but they also prevent from forming, and even eliminate, amyloid plaques in the brain that are linked to causing Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative brain conditions.

"Ginger is a source of a large number of important antioxidants that, amongst other activities, reduce lipid oxidation by enhancing the activities of crucial internally produced antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase," says Dr. Keith Scott, M.D., author of the book Medicinal Seasonings, the Healing Power of Spices. "Melatonin, in particular, is not only a highly effective free-radical scavenger itself, but also stimulates production of the main antioxidant enzyme of the brain, glutathione peroxidase." (http://keithscottmd.articlealley.com)

Children and adults who suffer from asthma symptoms will also be pleased to learn that ginger is an effective 7) asthma treatment as well. Ginger naturally contains several different compounds that can help alleviate asthma symptoms. These include alpha-pinene, which loosens mucus in the bronchial tubes, and beta-carotene, the antioxidant precursor to vitamin A.

You can learn more about the health benefits of ginger by visiting the NaturalNews ginger reference page: http://www.naturalnews.com/ginger.html

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037119_ginger_spice_immunity.html#ixzz25zoobGrJ

Chewy granola bars - A homemade treat to feel good about

(NaturalNews) Granola bars are a convenient on-the-go snack. Unfortunately, typical store-bought varieties are loaded with corn syrup, soybean oil, coloring and flavoring agents and preservatives. If you prefer to eat foods that are grown in nature, rather than created in a lab, try making your own bars with the recipe included here. This recipe is packed with antioxidant-rich ingredients that actually contribute to your health such as cocoa, raw honey, coconut oil and cinnamon. These bars are chewy and delicious, and they are gluten-free and dairy-free, as well. They are perfect for an after-school snack, a lunchbox treat or your other on-the-go needs.

"Chewy granola bars"

Makes 24 bars

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups old fashioned oats (gluten-free if you prefer)
1/3 cup coconut oil*
1 cup raw honey*
4 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
1/8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups almonds, chopped (a food processor works great for this)
1/2 cup cocoa nibs* (optional) - These are unsweetened bits of chopped cocoa that contain no sweeteners or other ingredients.

* This ingredient is often not available at regular grocery stores. You may need to shop at a natural health market or online.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place oats on an ungreased 11" x 17" rimmed baking sheet and toast in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring every three to four minutes.

Meanwhile, melt honey and oil together in a medium saucepan over medium heat, being careful not to burn it. Remove pan from heat; and add vanilla, salt and cinnamon. Stir until dissolved.

Add toasted oats to the saucepan mixture and toss to coat evenly. Add chopped almonds and stir. Add cocoa nibs (optional) and stir to combine.

Line a smaller (10" x 15") rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. (Tip: Sprinkle the sheet with a few drops of water first to help keep the paper in place.)

Transfer batter to this cookie sheet and gently spread to all edges. Once entire sheet is covered, press batter firmly into the pan. You can use a large spatula or your hands for this step. To prevent the batter from sticking to your hands, wet your hands or place a sheet of parchment or wax paper between your hands and the batter before pressing.

Bake 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. The bars are done when they just begin to turn brown at the edges. Don't wait too long or they may burn. Bars will be moist and crumbly when removed from the oven, but they come together as they cool. (It may take a few attempts for you to figure out the best amount of time in your own oven.)

Let bars cool completely (about 90 minutes on a cooling rack; longer if you don't have a cooling rack). Transfer bars and parchment paper to a cutting board and cut into 24 bars.

If you like your bars a little firmer and sweeter, store them in the fridge. They also freeze well for later use; and they can be eaten frozen as well if you forget to thaw them out.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/cinnamon-benefits-explained
http://www.naturalnews.com
http://www.naturalnews.com/036156_Coconut_oil_superfood_healing.html
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com

About the author:
Christy Pooschke is the founder of CompletelyNourished.com - an online community where you can network with others who are interested in natural food, holistic health, green living and positive thinking. The site features hundreds of natural recipes (with photos) for a variety of dietary restrictions (gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegetarian, soy-free, MSPI, etc.), and more recipes are added weekly. The site also features natural living and inspirational videos, discussion groups and more! Join today! Satisfaction is guaranteed - or your money back! 

Christy's passion for natural food and holistic health was sparked in 2007 when she eliminated her Fibromyalgia symptoms through diet and lifestyle changes. Now she is on a mission to help others take control of their own health, as well. Christy is also the author of "Eating Additive-Free" - a natural cookbook and shopping guide. Hard copy and e-book versions are available for purchasehere. If you desire a more individualized approach, Christy also offers long-distance personalized Diet Make-Over consultations to help you reduce your reliance on processed foods in just a few weeks!

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037101_chewy_granola_bars_recipe_healthy.html#ixzz25qYVrOOs

Human Genome Map

انسانی جینوم کا مفصل تجزیہ جاری

سائنسدانوں نےانسانی جینوم کا ایک انتہائی مفصل تجزیہ جاری کیا ہے جس میں متحرک انسانی ڈی این اے کوڈ کے بارے میں انتہائی اہم معلومات ملی ہیں۔

محقیقین کا خیال ہے کہ اس نئی تحقیق سے کئی بیماریوں کی وجوہات کا مزید گہرائی سے مطالعہ کرنے کا موقع ملے گا۔

Read full here...http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/science/2012/09/120905_genome_map_released_ra.shtml

How to distinguish good meats from bad meats

Healthy meat consumption 101 - How to distinguish good meats from bad meats

(NaturalNews) Vegetarians who personally avoid eating meat for health reasons will sometimes suggest to their friends that, in general, eating meat is harmful to health. But the all-encompassing term "meat" is a misnomer, as there are many different kinds of meat that a person can eat -- conventional, feedlot-based meats; organic, grass-fed meats; and everything in between -- and some meats are actually healthy, while others are not.



Most of the meat sold in the meat section at your local grocery store, whether it is beef, chicken, pork, or fish, comes from animals that have been raised in an industrial environment, and fed artificial foodstuffs that would not otherwise have been a part of their natural diet. Conventional beef, for instance, typically comes from cows raised in confinement, that have no access to pasture, and that are fed an unhealthy diet comprised of genetically-modified (GM) corn and soy byproducts during the final stages of their lives.

Throughout their lives, these same conventional cows are often pumped up with artificial growth hormones, including antibiotics that help them develop faster and preliminarily avoid the diseases they would otherwise not develop if they were raised in an unconfined environment. Because their living environments are routinely infested with feces and filth, conventional cows are much more susceptible to disease than, say, pasture-raised cows.

Unnatural diets destroy animal health, quality of meat

Cows are ruminant animals, which means they are meant to eat grass, not corn and soy. When cows eat the latter, their digestive systems largely reject it, making them more prone to developing chronic illness. The term "feedlot bloat" refers to the digestive disorder characterized by the unnatural development of foam in the rumen -- the rumen is the first compartment of a cow's stomach -- that is a result of eating unnatural feed.

Corn and soy byproducts, in other words, so disrupt cows' digestive systems that the poor animals develop a severe inability to breathe, and sometimes even die. High-grain diets are disastrous for ruminant animals like cows, and yet it has become common practice in today's industrial food system to feed cows high amounts of grains in the last few months prior to their slaughter.

The situation is much the same for chickens and pigs, which are typically held and confinement and fed an unnatural diet that changes the composition of their meat. Even fish meat, much of which is now "farm-raised," comes from fish that are not allowed to feed and develop naturally, which results in a significant compositional change in the quality of their meat.

Choose meat from wild, grass-fed, pasture-raised, organic, unconfined, non-grain-fed animals

The end result of such atrocious animal husbandry practices is that the final meat product is filled with antibiotics, hormones, and various other toxins, as well as imbalanced fat profiles that promote chronic illness and obesity. Industrial meat, in other words, is a serious threat to human health, and humanity would do well to take a more proactive approach in avoiding conventional meats for their own well-being.

So what about things like grass-fed beef? Or pasture-raised chicken and eggs? Or wild salmon? These healthy meats often get lumped in with the unhealthy meats into a single category known as "meat," which is both confusing and inaccurate. It turns out that animals raised in their natural environments, whether that be pasture for cows and chickens or streams and oceans for fish, produce meat that is rich in essential nutrients, healthy fats, amino acids, and high quality proteins.

A simple rule of thumb is to avoid meat from animals that were fed GMO feed, and that were raised in confinement, and instead choose grass-fed, pasture-raised meat from organically-tended animals.

To learn more about the benefits of grass-fed, pasture-raised meats, visit:
http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm

Sources for this article include:

http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037058_dietary_meat_processed_animal_health.html#ixzz25WBMopAV

Autistic children

Do autistic children have 'starving brains?'

(NaturalNews) McCandless' position in her book, "Children with Starving Brains: A Medical Treatment Guide for Autism Spectrum Disorder," is that ASD is a complex syndrome based on physiological and biochemical disorders that have as a common end-point the cognitive and emotional impairment that we generally associate with autism. In other words, aside from rare genetic cases such as an autism derived from Fragile X syndrome, it has become evident that these are physically ill children who can be greatly helped medically, behaviorally, and cognitively by proper diagnosis and treatment of their underlying medical conditions. This is a vital breakthrough in understanding and one that many practitioners have had a hard time grasping. In the past, autism and other conditions in the autism spectrum were considered "psychiatric" or behavior disorders, with only psychiatric or behavioral approaches considered as appropriate treatments. Consequently, since they are physically ill, affected children require an all-encompassing, natural intervention to maximize their healing potential.

Studies have shown that ASD children, compared to controls with neurotypical children, report higher occurrences of the following nutrient levels:

• Increased serum copper
• Magnesium deficiency
• Increased copper/zinc ratios
• Iron deficiency
• Increased glutamate
• Zinc deficiency
• Decreased vitamin B6
• B12 deficiency
• Decreased plasma sulphate
• Calcium deficiency
• Decreased methionine
• Fatty acid deficiencies
• Decreased glutamine
• Inadequate vitamins A, D, and E
• Decreased amino acids tyrosine, carnosine, lysine, hydroxylysine

Many experts have further noted that several common factors are seen in most ASD patients; namely, impaired immunity, GI inflammation, higher infection rate and subsequent increased use of antibiotics, impaired nutritional status, maldigestion/malabsorption, and decreased ability to metabolize toxins like heavy metals and pathogens. The crux of the all-encompassing, natural intervention model; therefore, is to restore proper brain function by balancing the nutrients above. This can be done in a variety of ways; namely nutrition, supplements, chiropractic, acupuncture, etc. This approach, though, has been criticized by the medical model because it apparently takes longer than other modalities and may not be as complete with older children since biochemical abnormalities and toxic conditions have already become a part of their cellular functioning and are therefore harder to change. The "golden window" of opportunity, they contend, has been suggested to be between 18 months and five years of age, though it is never too late to initiate care. Many older children and adults have experienced dramatic results as well.

This criticism from the medical community is false. Research is full of evidence-based, "natural" interventions that have dramatic, rapid results. If you suspect your child has autism, contact your natural health care provider as soon as possible.

Sources for this article include:

McCandless, J. Children with starving brains: a medical treatment guide for autism spectrum disorder 2nd ed. Bramble Books, Putney. 2003.

Guliani K, Rubin D. Improvements in developmental delay, colic, and GERD in a Child Undergoing Chiropractic Care: A Case Report and Review of Literature. J Pediatr Matern & Fam Health Chiropr 2012; 1:online access only (4 pages).

Benach JL, Li E, McGovern MM. A microbial association with autism. MBio. 2012;3(1).
Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Ruby A, Reddy C, Zimmerman-Bier B. Evaluation of an association between gastrointestinal symptoms and cytokine production against common dietary proteins in children with autism spectrum disorders. J Pediatr. 2005;146(5):605-10.

Ibrahim SH, Voigt RG, Katusic SK, Weaver AL, Barbaresi WJ. Incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms in children with autism: a population-based study. Pediatrics. 2009;124(2):680-6.

Scelfo TA, Chelenyak PL. Resolution of autistic symptoms in a child undergoing chiropractic care to correct vertebral subluxations: A case study: case report. J Pediatr Matern & Fam Health Chiropr 2011; 4:106-110.

About the author:
Eric is a peer-reviewed, published researcher. His work on heart disease and autism has been accepted internationally at various scientific conferences through organizations like the American Public Health Association and Australian-based Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute. The mission he shares with his wife, Sabrina, is to help people achieve their God-given potential in what they have coined The 7 Key Areas to Abundant Living: Both Eric and his wife are Life Coaches specializing in helping people overcome cognitive disorders like ADD/ADHD naturally. Visit his blog. Track his work on facebook. Read Eric's other naturalnews.com articles.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037046_autistic_children_starving_brains_medical_treatment.html#ixzz25QQEIPnJ

Top foods that cause depression

Health Basics - The top foods that cause depression

(NaturalNews) If you are what you eat, and you regularly eat meat that comes from animals that were depressed and stressed their whole lives, do you then live depressed and stressed? Conversely, if you eat vegetables which grow bountifully in nutrient and mineral rich soil, vegetables never sprayed with pesticides or insecticides, are you then a nutrient rich and "bountiful" person?

The U.S. drought is quickly wiping out up to 80 percent of the corn, soy and beet production in the United States, but those foods, IF NOT ORGANIC, cause disease and sickness anyway, because they are genetically modified, doused with pesticides, OVER AND OVER, and then processed with more chemicals in a laboratory, where money rules and health has no value. (http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/index.cfm)

Beets are used to make monosodium glutamate, and GMO corn meal is fed to cattle, which destroys their digestive track and puts them in need of high doses of antibiotics - ones that the public, in turn, consumes regularly! It's a vicious cycle. It's time to ignore what the media is telling you, and consider that the drought is a blessing in disguise.

Fluoridated water causes depression

Although most dentists will tell you fluoride is good for strengthening your teeth, and you may have heard that it purifies water, those are both lies. Fluoride causes thyroid imbalances, depression, constipation, and fluid retention, according to The New York State Coalition opposed to Fluoridation, Inc. It can also decrease the intelligence in offspring and cause endocrine gland disruption. Fluoride, in the form of silicoflurides, is added to public water supplies across two-thirds of the United States and has been for 50 years. To make matters worse, if you become depressed from fluoride consumption and get prescribed Prozac for depression, PROZAC IS A FLUORIDE PRODUCT. In fact, almost all phsychotropic drugs are fluoride products. Get ready, it gets worse.

HFCS - High fructose corn syrup causes depression

The average American consumes over 200 liters of soda annually. One liter of soda has over 100 grams of sugar. A large percentage of the population suffers from carbohydrate malabsorption, meaning the small intestine doesn't take up fructose very efficiently, so much of the undigested fructose floats down to the colon, feeding bacteria there and leading to bloating, cramping and diarrhea (IBS). A positive test for fructose malabsorption corresponds to depression because fructose reacts chemically with tryptophan, the amino acid precursor to the "happy chemical" serotonin. The sugars degrade tryptophan so there's barely any left to be absorbed into the body. Hello depression. (http://www.psychologytoday.com)

MSG and artificial sweeteners cause depression and make you fat

Depression may be a complex phenomenon, but one factor is as simple as pie: decreased serotonin leads to depression, just ask any smoker. Aspartame and monosodium glutamate (MSG) are neurochemicals that alter the balance between neurotransmitters in the brain. The Trocho Study in Barcelona in 1998 showed that aspartame accumulates in the cells and damages DNA, with the most toxicity settling in the liver and fat cells (adipose tissue).

Another study, done at the University of Texas in 2005, linked diet drinks to obesity. The artificial sweeteners actually make you crave more carbohydrates. Imagine that! You're eating less sugar, putting on weight, getting depressed, and being prescribed 'fluoride pills" which foster disease and more depression. Basically, hundreds of thousands of depressed Americans are taking medications which contain excito-neurotoxic carcinogens which cause obesity and more depression, including suicidal tendencies. (http://www.wnho.net/aspartame_and_msg_make_you_fat.htm)

Processed foods cause depression

Synthetic food ingredients are rarely expelled properly (within 24 hours) and are therefore stored in the fat, which are the first to be used by the body when burning "fuel" for energy. The body doesn't recognize the toxins hiding in the fat cells, so the body won't use it. If an obese person is trying to lose weight by exercising, the body will burn off actual muscle mass first, and then as a last resort, burn off the toxins and synthetic food-agents which are stored in the fat. This, in itself, is depressing, figuratively and literally, because the person losing weight will not "look" like they want to look, and as the toxins release into the bloodstream, depression and anxiety can set in, especially if they do not detoxify their bodies using cleanses and alkalizing strategies (http://guraw.com/). That's where the cortisol comes into play.

The downward spiral: The overwhelmed acidic body and the disrupted digestive system can send the person into a downward spiral, where they do not look or feel healthy, and this can lead them straight to a "doctor" who will PROBABLY prescribe toxic and dangerous chemical, laboratory-made magic pills known as ANTI-DEPRESSANTS or ANTI-ANXIETY drugs.

These scams and hoaxes of Western Medicine will add to the acidic body and most likely fuel more of what the prescription is supposed to be treating: MORE depression, MORE INTENSE anxiety, and a loss of drive, all COUPLED WITH a loss of will power to escape the "media-made" maze of fear and doubt, in which many people have found themselves "trapped." Preservatives which cause cell destruction, like sodium benzoate, BHA and BHT, which are accompanied by the tagline "to preserve freshness," actually help turn your blood and digestive system acidic, which fuels disease and sickness, especially cancer.

Prescription medications for depression and/or anxiety add to your toxicity

Which drug will you need to worsen your depression and your bad eating habits, was it Prozacor or is it Cymbalta? Does the doctor ever educate anyone about nutrition when he/she scribbles out that prescription? How could they, when it's not taught in conventional medical colleges? For the naive masses who lack energy, motivation, will power, and confidence, it becomes more likely that they will eventually look for the answer to that fear and "lack of drive" in some magic pill that's WELL ADVERTISED between their favorite TV news programs. (http://www.naturalnews.com)

People who have mood swings or feel depressed all the time don't need drugs to balance their "brain chemistry." All they need is organic green vegetables and a few choice superfoods, like spirulina, chlorella, and some medicinal herbs. Realize this and you will understand the true nature of NATURAL CURES.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.wnd.com/2008/05/64920/

http://www.psychologytoday.com

http://www.wnho.net/aspartame_and_msg_make_you_fat.htm

http://www.naturalnews.com

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/037021_foods_depression_mental_health.html#ixzz25DvuxPO8