LUCY DAILY PHOTOS

Friday, June 19, 2009

5 Cancer-Fighting Garden Herbs

dill
Dill
Apart from offering strong tangy flavor, dill has many medicinal properties, which come from certain compounds called Monoterpenes. The protective Monoterpenes, are stimulants and activate secretions of an enzyme called glutathione-S-transferase (an power anti-oxidant) which is very effective in neutralizing carcinogens, particularly free radicals, thereby protecting from cancer. The essential oils present in dill are also a natural stimulant and activate bile and digestive juices while encouraging peristaltic motion of the intestine.

mint

Mint
A phytochemical in mint leaves has been found to cut off the blood supply to cancer tumors, resulting in their untimely death. It’s yet another example of the healing power of nature and the medical efficacy of phytochemicals found in your own garden. Julep anyone?

thyme

Thyme
With more than 350 species of thyme around the planet, this herb has a long standing history of medicinal use. Ancient Roman warriors brewed it in tea form to enhance courage and vigor. While no medical studies have quite confirmed thyme for those reasons, there has been modern evidence to suggest that is contains cancer-peventative properties.
Thyme is brimming with an essential oil that is rich in thymol. Thymol, along with rosmarinic and ursolic acids are terpenes (similar to those in rosemary) and possess anti-cancer properties. Thyme can also be used as an antiseptic, antibacterial, and a strong antioxidant. When used in mouthwashes, it can treat inflammations of the mouth and throat.

Parsley

This bright green herb, overlooked as “just a garnish” by many, has lately caught the attention of the medical community. Parsley contains apigenine, a natural oil that has been shown to prevent angiogenesis - the growth of blood vessels that supply cancerous tumors with nutrients. The apigenine from parsley cuts off the blood supply to a tumor, acting similarly to the prescription drug Avastin.

This bright green herb, overlooked as “just a garnish” by many, has lately caught the attention of the medical community. Parsley contains apigenine, a natural oil that has been shown to prevent angiogenesis - the growth of blood vessels that supply cancerous tumors with nutrients. The apigenine from parsley cuts off the blood supply to a tumor, acting similarly to the prescription drug Avastin.

rosemary

Commonly used in cooking, the leaves of this garden herb have a noticeable woody fragrance, thanks to the fatty acids of terpenes, a naturally occurring substance that encourages the cancer cells in tumors to stop reproducing and eventually die.

Today, research has discovered that when the terpene from rosemary is given alongside the chemotherapy drugs Adriamycin and Velban, cancer cells may begin to absorb the chemotherapy that they had previously resisted. In many cases the plant’s natural terpene either brought about the demise of the cancerous cells or helped reduce their spread

Oh, the lovely bounty of nature. As the weather warms, home gardeners around the country are able to look no further than their backyard for flavorful herbs to add that farmstead layer of taste to their dinner entrees. We’ve always known they’re yummy but now we know they offer a heck-of-a-lot more than just flavor.

Everyday garden herbs possess legions of medicinal properties and, when eaten in conjunction with healthy vegetables and spices, have powerful cancer-preventive properties. “The easiest, least-expensive way to reduce your risk for cancer is just by eating a healthy diet,” says Rachael Stolzenberg-Solomon, PhD, MPH, RD, a researcher at the National Cancer Institute in a recent article. Below are five, easily-found, herbs you might consider eating more of.

Herbs for the Mind

When it comes to brain health and mental acuity, few people think of herbs. While Mother Nature’s herbal medicines humbly lay upon the earth in her rain forests, wilderness, and jungles devoid of any slick advertising campaigns, they show tremendous promise in the prevention of brain disease and in maintaining great brain health.Some of the most potent brain health herbs include: sage, turmeric, ginkgo biloba, and periwinkle. And remember: herbs are potent medicine so it is important to consult with your doctor before you start taking any herbs to prevent drug-herb interactions.

A Wise SageMore than just seasoning for stuffing a turkey, recent research shows that sage is great brain food. A British research team conducted a study of sage’s therapeutic properties on a group of forty-four adults between the ages of eighteen and thirty-seven. Some participants were given capsules of sage oil while others were given a placebo of sunflower oil. Results showed that those who took the sage oil performed significantly better at memory tests than those who took the placebo. The people who were given sage as part of the study had improvements in both immediate and delayed word recall scores, as well as mood improvements.

Additional research by the same scientific team led them to conclude that sage may also be helpful for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Fresh sage is an excellent addition to soups, stews, and chicken dishes.

The Curry Factor

Here’s another reason to enjoy your favorite Indian curry dishes: they typically contain the spice turmeric, a powerful food that helps protect your brain from disease. Research conducted by Greg Cole, PhD, associate director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the University of California in Los Angeles, showed that, curcumin, the yellow pigment in turmeric, is a potent weapon against inflammation and plaque build up in the brain. Inflammation and plaque have been linked to serious brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. Additional studies are having similar positive results.

The easiest way to enjoy the benefits of curcumin is by adding turmeric to your favorite curry dish.

Ginkgo Biloba to Boost Brain Power

Ginkgo biloba has developed a reputation as the brain herb thanks to its many beneficial effects on the brain, including: increasing blood flow to the brain, assisting with memory and in the treatment of dementia, as well as positive effects on depression. Ginkgo also helps improve the availability of energy to brain cells, which may improve feelings of mental alertness.

In Germany, ginkgo is approved as a treatment for Alzheimer’s. A study of forty patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, showed that 240 milligrams of ginkgo biloba extract taken daily for three months produced noticeable improvements in memory, mood, and attention. Since then numerous other studies have shown similar positive effects on early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

Opt for ginkgo biloba standardized extract that contains twenty-four percent ginkgoflavonglycosides, also called “flavone glycosides,” the active ingredient which has the capacity to increase blood flow to the brain and lessen symptoms like depression, memory loss, and dizziness, all of which can be the result of reduced blood flow to the brain. For ginkgo’s preventive effects, forty milligrams three times a day is ideal.

Periwinkle: The Blue Flower for Grey Matter

Not just for English gardens anymore, the lovely blue flowering plant, periwinkle may help boost memory. Research shows that vinpocetine, a natural compound in periwinkle, helps transport oxygen and glucose to the brain. Since the brain needs both to function optimally, periwinkle may be beneficial for assisting to ease brain disease.

With around one hundred studies conducted on vinpocetine’s effects on humans, mostly in Hungary, it is not surprising that it has been used by Hungarian doctors to treat senility and blood vessel disorders in the brain for twenty-five years. In these studies it appears to boost memory and cognition in healthy people and in those with mild to moderate forms of dementia.
A double-blind study in 1985 in the European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, researchers tested vinpocetine’s effect on the short-term memory of twelve healthy women. The women who took forty milligrams of vinpocetine three times per day for two days scored thirty percent higher on short-term memory tests than the women in the placebo group.

Vinpocetine also thins blood, boosts circulation to the brain, and improves the brain’s ability to absorb nutrients, all of which improve brain function. Experts typically suggest dosages of two milligrams daily, taken with food. Vinpocetine appears to be safe for short- or long-term use. The effects tend to be fast-acting, not cumulative.

Check with your doctor if you are taking blood-thinning medications or before taking any herbal medicines.

Natural Healing With 6 Seasonal Summer Fruits

Eating fresh, locally grown fruit as opposed to imported fruits shipped from far-off places keeps you eating in season and more in harmony with your environment and climate. We all know a healthy lifestyle is key to optimum weight, longevity and abundant energy. Fruit, used as part of your healthy lifestyle, has many nutritional qualities for your body.

As the temperature rises, eating raw fruit in the summer months is cooling for the body and is great for those who are overstressed or overheated from hot climates or excessive mental strain. Using fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth can help you begin to leave behind chemically processed and refined sugars. Although fruit juice is very cleansing, the fiber content is lower then that in the whole fruit. Since fruit contains lots of natural sugar without the extra fiber, you should be cautious of energy or moods swings. In itÃ¯Â¿Â½s whole form, fruit offers you more fiber which helps to balance the natural sugars that can cause dips in your blood sugar levels for some people.

Whether you have fresh fruit for a light breakfast, a midday snack or evening treat, enjoy nature’s sweetness instead of refined sugars and buy seasonal organic whenever possible.

Here are a few summer fruits and their health benefits.
Apricots: Great for lung conditions and asthma, used to help treat anemia due to their high copper and cobalt content.
Bananas: Help to lubricate the intestines, treat ulcers, detoxify the body, and manage sugar cravings; are rich in potassium (which helps hypertension).
Cherries: Slightly warming in nature; increase overall body energy, remedy arthritis and rheumatism, and are rich in iron, which improves the blood.
Grapefruits: Treat poor digestion, increase appetite during pregnancy, alleviate intestinal gas and reduce mucus conditions of the lungs.
Papayas: Tone the stomach, act as digestive aid, moisten the lungs and alleviate coughing; contain carpaine, an anti-tumor compound.
Raspberries: Benefit the liver and kidneys, cleanse blood of toxins, regulate menstrual cycles, treat anemia and can promote labor at childbirth.

eating healthy

Following our ancestors’ lead, a healthy bones diet should be nutrient rich and contain:
Fruits in a variety of colors

4-6 servings a day (one serving equals one fruit; 1-2 cup frozen or canned fruit; 1-4 cup dried fruit or 6 oz fruit juice)

Vegetables of low and medium starch content (in a variety of colors)

2-4 cups mostly cooked vegetables

1-2 cups raw leafy salad vegetables

Grains/High-Starch Root Crops

7-8 servings a day (one serving equals one slice whole-grain bread,

1/2 cup dry or hot cereal or 1/2 cup cooked rice, other grain or pasta)

Animal protein (fish, poultry, meat, eggs)

2 or fewer servings a day

Nuts, Seeds and Dried Beans

1-2 servings (one serving equals 1/3 cup nuts, 2 tablespoons seeds or 1/2 cup dried beans, cooked). If you don’t eat meat, include one or two servings of beans a day.

Fats and Oils

2-4 servings a day (one serving equals 1 teaspoon vegetable oils or butter, 1 tablespoon salad dressing or 1 tablespoon cod liver or flax seed oil). Include 500-1,000 mg Omega-3 oils.

Fermented foods

A daily serving of 1 cup yogurt or kefir or 2-3 oz. tempeh or sauerkraut. Use pickled vegetables, umeboshi plums or miso as condiments.

Wholesome Sweets

3-5 times per week (one serving equals 2 small whole grain cookies; 3/4 cup pudding, compote, ice cream, sherbet or sorbet; 1 small piece fruit-based dessert or piece of cake) As near as possible, today’s healthy bones diet should include adequate amounts of all the 19 key bone-building nutrients, at least 64 ounces of water and a 15-minute “serving” of sunlight to maintain internal vitamin D production

Breakfast•

Alkalinizing whole-grain hot quinoa cereal with yogurt, milk or milk substitute, fruit and a few nuts. Green tea or grain/herb coffee substitute•

Fresh mixed-fruit salad and cow, sheep, goat or soy yogurt or cottage cheese with roasted nuts and seeds sprinkled on top•

Almond or cashew butter, ghee, avocado, sheep, goat or cow milk cheese on rice cakes or other whole-grain crackers/bread with fruit or fresh fruit juice•

“Green rice” (avocado mixed with wild or brown rice and a pinch of sea salt or tamari) served with fruit and hot beverage•

Left-over lentil or vegetable soup or stew accompanied by a toasted sheet of nori sea vegetable• An omega-3 enriched egg omelet (or scrambled tofu omelet) with 1 cup of chopped vegetables, fresh cut fruit or a fruit salad•

Vegetable miso soup with wakame sea vegetable and brown rice (optional)•

Mashed sweet potatoes or yams served with eggs, or slices of tempeh and fruit

Hot herb tea, green tea, grain/herb coffee substitutes, lemon or lime water and 100 percent fresh fruit or vegetable juices are healthful additions to any breakfast. Those with sensitive stomachs might want to heat or cook the fruit in these dishes, or eat it separately as a between-meal snack.

Lunch•

Steamed vegetables (broccoli, bok choy, cut-up kale leaf, carrots, celery, red , yellow or orange peppers), grilled tofu or chicken (3-4 oz), brown rice, quinoa, millet•

Whole-grain bread sandwich with avocado, cheese, lettuce and tomato, served with a salad of mixed field greens•

Vegetable lentil soup with a salad of mixed greens, green olives and artichoke hearts•

“Green rice” and steamed vegetables•

Salad with pieces of leftover baked potato•

Beans and brown or wild rice with avocado slices and steamed vegetables

Dinner •

Stir-fry vegetables with tofu or meat and alkaline-forming root crop like sweet potatoes, yams or parsnips•

Baked fish, turkey, chicken or other meat with baked squash and sauteed greens (collard, kale, dandelion or turnip greens)•

Whole grains served with steamed or sauteed vegetables (2 cups) and a small amount of animal protein (e.g. meat or fish) or beans

Dinners may occasionally include a ï¿½nourishing sweetï¿½ such as baked apples, fruit compotes or rice pudding made with maple syrup, rice syrup or raw cane sugar, naturally and lightly sweetened fruit pies or apple crisp with whole-grain topping or whole-grain cakes and cookies.

Snacks•

Fresh fruit•

Yogurt (cow, sheep or goat)•

Whole-grain crackers with almond or cashew butter, cottage cheese or sheep or goat cheese• Lightly roasted almonds or pumpkin seeds•

Fresh fruit or vegetable juices•

Vegetable broth•

Frozen fruit-juice treats, sherbets or smoothies•

Frozen blueberries

Indigenous peoples say that in order to return to our true nature, we must befriend four essential symbolic bones in our body. All four bones are needed to fully develop our character, dispel cynicism, and cultivate wisdom as we age.

Which of these four bones, with its essential character and qualities, needs strengthening or realignment?

Backbone: The quality of courage, to stand by one’s heart or core.
Wishbone: The quality of hope, to stay open to dreams, blessings, and possibilities.
Funny bone: The quality of humor, to foster joy and maintain flexibility.
Hollow bone: The quality of trust, to maintain openness, curiosity, and faith.

To eat mindfully is to live in the present. It calls for paying attention to every act, every sensation and perception, for its own sake, in the moment. From the start to the finish of your meal, your intention is to link the moments together into a continuous stream of sensory awareness. Some suggestions:

Be mindful. To become focused, become silent and breathe in a relaxed manner. Choose a time when you’re not hurried or distracted by other things.

Visualize the meal. Become focused in your mind’s eye on what you’re going to prepare, its appearance, aroma, ingredients, etc.

Plan the meal. Mentally focus on all the steps involved in preparing the meal. Will you prepare it? For whom will you prepare it? What will you make?

Prepare the meal. Be mindful of the action of washing the food, such as vegetables you may be preparing for a fresh salad. Notice yourself reaching for the refrigerator door, and other preparation activities.

Set the table. The table on which you eat can be as sacred as the rest of the meal. Create a table that is inviting, for both you and the food.

Serve the meal. Be mindful of each action associated with serving the meal: selecting dishes and utensils, setting the table, bringing food to the table, etc.

Eat the meal. As with the Zen monastic meal, be mindful of each aspect of the food you’re eating. To begin consider saying words of thanks or appreciation for the food. Savor the aroma of the food by inhaling deeply.

Clean up. Regard this as a sacred process, too. It is just as important a part of the meal as the other phases.

Digest the food. After you’ve eaten, be aware of how the food feels in your stomach, how you’re feeling. Are you aware that you overate? Under-ate? Are you still hungry, or ate just the right amount?

From start to finish and throughout the dining process, continue to witness the effects of having prepared, eaten, and digested the meal. For in the witnessing lies the essence of life itself.
Adapted from Feeding the Body, Nourishing the Soul by Deborah Kesten.
Some believe that boosting your immune system is the single most important thing you can do for your health.

Here are some essential nuggets of information that represent many of their key ideas to help boost your immune system into great shape.
1. Put some color on your plate.Eat nine to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
2. Sample the supplements.Take a multivitamin plus vitamin E, vitamin C, and calcium.
3. Discover the wonders of working out.Get moving for 30 minutes a day.
4. Enjoy the powers of sleep.Get your eight hours.
5. Up your emotional quotient.Pay attention to your psychological health.
6. Listen to your body and learn your family history.Study your family tree to target your disease prevention.
7. Wet your whistle.Drink eight to 10 8-ounce glasses of water and once cup of tea a day.
8. Remember, variety is the spice of life.Eat a wide variety of foods.
9. Be a fat detective.Eat the good fats, not the bad.
10. Exercise kitchen care.Use safe cooking methods.
11. Hold hands with a friend.Be social, stay connected, have fun.
12. Celebrate your sensual side.Have great sex!
13. Discover the dynamic DTake 400 IU of vitamin D a day.
14. Seek out serenity.Practice stress reduction techniques.
15. Turn on the magic of touch.Get a massage.
16. Tap the poet within.Keep a journal.
17. Embrace cleanliness.Brush up on good hygiene.
18. Practice an ounce of prevention.Get appropriate vaccinations and make doctor and dentist appointments.
19. Send those sneezes packing.Protect yourself against allergies.
20. Treat yourself to the miracle herbs.Try herbs to heal and protect your body.

The Flip Side of 7 Major Superfoods

The Flip Side of 7 Major Superfoods

Some foods seem to have it all. They’re nutritious, medicinally potent and great tasting. Magazines and newspapers sing their praises and urge us to eat our fill. But no food is perfect, and even those with a host of medicinal properties can have their shortcomings. Since none of these super foods come with disclaimers, here’s the flip side of seven highly touted medicinal foods.

Tomatoes Nowadays no one talks about tomatoes without mentioning lycopene. And with good reason: This potent antioxidant may help prevent atherosclerosis and cancers of the prostate, breast and lungs.

In a testament to nature’s mysterious ways, lycopene works best in concert with the tomato’s other important phytonutrients rather than in isolation. In fact, in one study, lycopene alone didn’t inhibit prostate cancer cells, while the whole tomato did. Lycopene is more concentrated in tomato pastes and sauces and is better absorbed when the tomato’s been cooked or has a touch of oil. No one has tested the role of basil.

When buying tomatoes, choose the reddest you can find; yellow and orange varieties lack lycopene. Lastly, as a member of the nightshade family, which includes eggplant, potatoes and peppers, tomatoes may aggravate arthritis pain, though few existing scientific studies establish a link. If you suffer from arthritis, you may want to try eliminating tomatoes (and the other nightshades) from your diet to see if your pain improves.

Garlic In addition to warding off vampires, one to three cloves of garlic daily can help lower cholesterol and protect against cancers of the stomach, prostate and colon. Garlic’s antibacterial and antifungal properties also boost the immune system. But before you start popping cloves, realize that they’ve got to be crushed to make their benefits available. The key healthful ingredient, allicin, only forms when exposed to air. Similarly, when you cook with garlic, let the crushed or chopped cloves stand for 10 minutes first. And if you’d rather take a garlic supplement, make sure it contains allicin.

Not everyone’s gonzo about garlic. Ayurveda, the traditional Indian healing system, cautions that garlic heats the body, so it could aggravate problems with digestion, hot flashes, excessive body heat or tendencies to be impatient or angry. And although garlic thins the blood, which can help lower blood pressure, it also increases the risk of bleeding if you’re having surgery or are taking blood thinners, including aspirin.

Leafy Greens When measured on the good-for-you scale, kale, collards, mustard greens and spinach reign supreme in the vegetable world. High in calcium, antioxidants and the phytonutrient lutein, leafy greens may help prevent cancers of the breast, colon and prostate. And a recent study shows that lutein may even help reverse macular degeneration. Of the four, kale contains the most antioxidants and has high levels of easily absorbed calcium.

That’s all good, but spinach poses a potentially painful problem. Though rich in potassium, folic acid and carotenoids, its green leaves contain high levels of oxalate, which can contribute to kidney stones. If you’re prone to calcium oxalate stones (the most common), limit your spinach intake.

Also, long journeys from field to table and warm temperatures can destroy up to half of these greens’ phytonutrients. So buy local-grown greens whenever you can, and eat them soon thereafter.

Salmon The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings weekly of cold water, fatty fish such as salmon for a good reason. High in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, salmon may lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and depression. However, not all salmon warrants unqualified praise. Ninety percent of the salmon eaten in the United States is farmed rather than wild, and it contains higher levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a probable carcinogen. Farmed salmon is also more likely to be raised in polluted water and to face diseases not typically found in wild stock. Wild salmon may contain fewer toxins than farmed fish, but mercury contamination remains a problem.

Unfortunately, the ocean populations can’t support the world’s appetite for this nutritious fish. So buy wild salmon that’s been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as sustainably harvested. For farmed salmon, follow guidelines on safe levels for consumption (see oceansalive.org), and cut away the fat and skin before cooking to limit the PCBs. Even better, alternate salmon with sardines or anchovies, which have fewer contaminants and can withstand larger harvests.

Olive Oil Popeye was right: Olive oil deserves our love. In 2004 the FDA approved the claim that two tablespoons of olive oil daily may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. A recent study shows it may also block the action of the Her-2 breast cancer gene.
To ensure that you receive all of these benefits, buy extra virgin olive oil, rather than refined or light, both of which are treated with chemical solvents that destroy many of the oil’s nutrients. Also, choose oil in dark containers because light can damage the antioxidants.
When cooking with olive oil, avoid getting the pan so hot that the olive oil starts to smoke. Excessive heat ruins the oil’s flavor and creates harmful byproducts such as trans fats.
Lastly, since olive oil is almost 75 percent monounsaturated fat, it won’t give you all the healthy fats your body needs to stay well. Supplement your diet with the polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids found in flaxseed and hempseed oils. You can drizzle these temperature-sensitive oils over salads and grains.

Almonds The most nutrient dense of all the nuts, almonds pack a healing mix of vitamins, protein and healthy monounsaturated fats. Just one-quarter cup delivers 40 percent of the daily value for vitamin E, and almonds may also help lower blood pressure and cholesterolâ€”in one study, two handfuls of almonds daily decreased LDL cholesterol by 9.4 percent. Studies suggest almonds also reduce the risk for atherosclerosis and cancers of the colon and prostate.
Exposure to air, heat and pesticides can make the healthy almond a shell of its former self. Commercial roasting, for example, deep-fries the nuts in saturated fats, negating any cholesterol lowering benefit. Buy dry-roasted almonds with no sugar, corn syrup, MSG or preservatives added. If you’re roasting them yourself, do it gently at 160 to 170 degrees to preserve the natural oils. Even with that precaution, roasting significantly decreases vitamin A, pantothenic acid and thiamin levels, though other nutrients appear unaffected.
When it comes to nuts, freshness matters a lot. Buy organic almonds in their shells and, ideally, in hermetically sealed packaging. If you prefer to buy almonds in bulk, they should smell sweet and nutty, not sharp and bitter.While whole nuts provide the most nutrition, shelled almonds are still quite nutritious, although they may become rancid sooner, especially if sliced. Keep them stored in a sealed container in a cool, dry, shady place or in the refrigerator or freezer.
Of course, anyone with nut allergies should shy away.

Soy In 1999 the FDA approved the claim that eating 25 grams of soy protein daily decreases the risk of heart disease. Eating soy may also protect against cancers of the uterus, colon, prostate and breast. While some studies say soy alleviates menopausal symptoms and protects against osteoporosis, the evidence is inconclusive. Controversy also exists about whether soy isoflavones, a group of phyto-estrogens that stimulate breast cell growth, may increase breast cancer risk in those prone to it. Several studies show no link, but people with breast cancer or those predisposed to it should eschew soy isoflavones supplements for soy protein itself. You’re less likely to overdose on isoflavones with soy protein, and it carries more health benefits as well.
Soy can trigger allergic reactions such as nasal congestion, asthma, fatigue and itching. Kids aged three months to two years may be particularly sensitive, though they usually outgrow it. If you suspect you’re allergic, avoid eating soy for three weeks and then reintroduce it and watch for symptoms.

Many people worry that genetically modified soy can cause organ damage and allergic reactions. Choose organic soy to avoid the otherwise ubiquitous GMO varieties.