Spring natural health gifts! Garlic returns!

(NaturalNews) A sure sign of spring is the return of green plants. Garlic mustard (Alliaria officinalis or Alliaria petiolata) is not only one of the first spring greens to appear, it is also edible and delicious. Garlic mustard is widespread: it grows along shaded roadsides, woody paths, and other shady areas. Garlic Mustard is a biennial plant in the mustard family (Brassicareae.)

Not only is garlic mustard wild and free, it is extremely healthy: full of vitamins, minerals, and vibrancy. Not all wild foods have been profiled nutritionally, but those that have often show more than twice the content of vitamins and minerals than similar domesticated crops (1). Learning about wild edibles is a big step toward self-sufficiency. They grow all around us: in yards, fields, empty lots, even up through cracks in city sidewalks.

Garlic Mustard leaves first appear as heart-shaped, coarsely-toothed, and veined leaves close to the ground. They taste and smell (when crushed) strongly of garlic. Soon the second year plants will send up their flower stalk; the leaves will alternate along the flower stalk and become thinner, and white four-petaled flowers will appear at the top.

According to field guides, there are no poisonous look-alikes and all parts of this plant are edible.

The leaves become bitter as the weather gets hot, so they are best collected in early spring and summer. Leaves can be collected either from the ground rosettes or from the stalk.

Flowers and chopped leaves can be added to salads for a nice pungent garlic flavor.

The roots can be collected in early spring and again in late fall, when no flower stalks are present. These are very spicy and taste like horseradish. The root can be chopped and steeped in apple cider vinegar for a spicy condiment.

In the fall the seeds, which have a mustard flavor, can be collected and eaten.

Garlic Mustard was brought to North America in the 1860`s as a culinary herb and has become quite invasive, threatening both native plants and animals.(2) Certain butterflies mistake the flowers of garlic mustard for Toothwort flowers, and lay their eggs on the garlic mustard, which is toxic to their larvae. The National Park Service recommends various management techniques such as hand removal to toxic herbicides to fire control: another excuse to sample and use this delicious wild edible plant.

Recipes:

Note: Collect leaves and stalks for the following recipes as early as you see the garlic mustard. Taste before using, especially as the season progresses. Once the weather becomes warm the leaves become increasingly bitter.

Garlic Mustard Vinegar

1. Fill a jar with garlic mustard leaves.
2. Cover with organic raw apple cider vinegar.
3. Cap with plastic lid. If using a metal lid, protect lid from corrosion by placing wax paper under the lid.
4. Steep for 4 - 6 weeks (though you can use before then, taste and see.)
5. Pour off and save vinegar for use, compost leaves.

Raw Garlic Mustard Pesto

1 1/2 cups garlic mustard leaves
1 1/2 cups spinach leaves
juice of 1/2 - 1 lemon (to taste)
1 clove garlic (or more to taste)
1/2 cup pine nuts or walnuts
1/4 cup olive oil
salt or tamari to taste

Blend above ingredients in food processor or blender and enjoy.

Footnotes:

1. Forager`s Harvest, p.15
2. Wikipedia article

References:

Brill, Steve and Dean, Evelyn. Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places. Hearst Books. New York. 1994.

Elias, Thomas S., and Dykeman, Peter A. Edible Wild Plants, A North American Field Guide. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. New York. 1990

Thayer, Samuel. The Forager`s Harvest; A Guide to Identifying, Harvesting and Preparing Edible Wild Plants. Forager`s Harvest. Ogema, WI. 2006

National Parks Service website: http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fac...

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/garlic...

Feed children healthy!

(NaturalNews) This interview is an excerpt from Kevin Gianni's Renegade Roundtable, which can be found at http://www.RenegadeRoundtable.com. In this excerpt, Chef Susan Teton Campbell shares on feeding children including cultured foods, snacks for the car and more.

Renegade Roundtable with Chef Susan Teton Campbell. Susan is a food evangelist and author of "Raising a New America" and co-author of "The Healthy School Lunch Action Guide."

Kevin: Tell us a little bit about your experience working with schools, working with children. What's a good way to start introducing these foods to kids?

Susan: When I worked in the schools that was in the 90s so I think it depends on the children. I think it's so important to start kids out at a young age with just the foods from the earth and not the factory. I have neighbors that will stop at McDonald's as treats for their kids. They'll say once in a while. It's like the treat kind of thing. They'll come home with these sugary colas and all this kind of stuff, milkshakes. They're just all over the place. They are so amped up.

I raised a son that had a lot of problems with allergies and focusing and all the things we call ADHD now. He's all grown up now, but these things, this is how I first learned that food could be this powerful. If parents think that a little is okay, I really don't think it is anymore. The children that are being born in today's world are not as strong as they were 20-30 years ago. Each generation, we get a little weaker because of all the environmental influences and everything else. I think it's absolutely vital to start your kids out on a very healthy diet. I would definitely include a cultured food in their diet. If they're young and you're raising them with a good diet, their formation will be a lot stronger and a lot more able to handle junkier foods as they enter into a larger, more expanded social life.

I know it's an issue with a lot of parents. I know it's really difficult. My friends make sure that they sit down to a sit-down dinner every single night, despite the fact that they do these other things at times. On the whole their children get dinner every night and they have that family time. I think that's really important too.

I would highly recommend a cultured food. If you don't have time to make them then make sure they get probiotics in pills or in some way. There's a lot of products on the market now.

The other thing is I don't think parents should push so much food on their kids and make them finish all the food. Most kids don't require as much food as people think they need. They'll let you know when they're hungry. So you always want to make sure that you have nuts and seeds and things like that in the car or a little pack-n-go kit. So when you're out and the kids get hungry or blood sugar goes down that you've always got liquids and you've always got maybe some dried fruit and nuts and seeds for them to snack on. You'll find if they're really hungry they'll grab it, and they'll eat a handful, and then they're done. They don't need all that much food.

I think as long as they have good, wholesome foods around the house, if they really don't want to eat their broccoli then don't make them.

Susan: The thing is eventually they will. Things that I eat now, I never ate when I was a child.

Susan: And I don't like to get into vegan, vegetarian, low-fat, high-fat. I'm really just trying to educate people to eat from the earth and not the factory. If people really want to incorporate animal foods into their lives, then what I say is make sure the animals are as healthy as you'd like to be.

If you're going to drink milk or eat cheese, just make sure. I've found in all my research and just watching families, if they eat animal foods and they eat other really wholesome other foods from the earth, they're usually pretty well off. It's the junky factory foods that are the worst and the highly processed foods and all the chemicals.

Kevin: I'm not ethically opposed to dairy or eggs but I read something like The China Study and I say, what's the answer? Do you know what I mean? Do you have any thoughts on that?

Susan: I think the answer is not nearly so much of them. A lot of these diets, the low-carb diets or whatever, they're having you eat like salmon every day or eggs every day. I think if you have an egg a week or something it's not going to be that big a deal. But I agree, I think we're a lot better off on a more vegetarian diet. But a vegetarian diet doesn't mean you're eating a lot of starches.

Kevin: Right.

Susan: That's why I'm a real advocate of trying to inspire people to eat more legumes. Not so much beans but more lentils and chickpeas and mung beans. These things are really great foods: all these vegetables and high-quality, alkaline grains and cultured foods. If you're going to eat animal foods they should be more sparingly, which is like the centenarians do. They have like 10 - 15 percent of their diet is some animal protein. It's a very small amount. They might take a piece of meat and make a stew, and you have maybe two bites of meat. That's all you're really having because it's enough.

To read the rest of this transcript for free as well as access a full archive of information by health experts on abundance, optimum health, and longevity just like Chef Susan Teton Campbell, please visit http://www.renegadehealth.com/inner... for a free 30 day trial.

The History of Apples

THE BENEFITS OF THE USE OF APPLES
IN HERBAL PREPARATIONS

HISTORY OF APPLES

The world as we know it began with the apple. According to Genesis 3:6, Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, gave it to Adam and their eyes were opened. This fruit of knowledge is generally represented by the apple. Were it not for Eve’s transgression, mankind would never have been born. In the eyes of Christians, at least, our world began with the apple.

Malus pumila, the paradise apple has been symbolic of many things throughout history. The genus name Malus comes from the Latin root “mal” which means bad or evil. In the Garden of Eden it represents sin and knowledge. “…the apple of my eye” are the words used by Jehovah in the Old Testament of the Bible, to describe his favored people. The ‘apple’ of the eye is the pupil, the center. God said he kept the children of Israel in the apple of his eye as a way of saying to them that they were central and favored, that he watched over them even in their trials.

Cutting an apple cross-wise will reveal more symbolism. The shape revealed is a five-pointed star. This pentagram, though often mistaken for a satanic symbol, is actually a Christian symbol which represents the atonement. This five pointed star is also called the Star of Bethlehem, representing the star that appeared at the birth of Jesus Christ. The seeds within the star of the fruit represent the Resurrection and Immortality or Rebirth, as this is how the fruit continues its life. This one fruit symbolizes the Birth, Sin and Death of man, then the Birth of a Savior who will Atone and Resurrect him to Immortality and Eternal Life.

This symbolism was carried though to several ancient pagan cultures as well. The Scandinavians had their goddess, Iduna whose name meant ‘at-one-ness,’ very close to the word ‘atonement.’ According to legend, she tended the apple orchards at Asgard a land for the Immortals. To Asgard the other gods went each night to renew themselves. Their immortality depended on partaking of Iduna’s apples.

Like Asgard, Avalon was another place for the Immortals. It was believed that Celtic heros like King Arthur didn’t die but sailed through the mist to reach Avalon. Avalon was the “Apple Island”. The name came from the Welsh word “afal” or apple.

The Irish mythological heros were summoned to Emain Ablach, (Emain of the Apple Trees) or the Avalon equivalent, “Avallach”. This was done by an “other-worldly woman who brings the hero a silver-white blossomed apple branch from Emain…” Some believe these legends to be rooted in descriptions of druidic ceremonies.

In addition to being a fruit rich in symbolism, there is much plant lore assigned to the apple. Apple boughs hung above the door frame of a house are said to bless the couple that resides therein with added peace and love. Others have used the apple in a love spell that involves cutting the apple cross-wise and sharing it with the one that you love to increase the attraction. In Danish folklore, however, apples are believed to wither around adulterers.

Many American children have bobbed for apples on Halloween. This child’s game may have originated from and Irish Tradition, “La mas nbhal.” This was “the feast of the apple gathering” which took place on All Hallow Eve. There was a spicy cider and toast beverage in which apples were floated. “It was usual for each person who partook of the spicy beverage to take out an apple and eat it, wishing good luck to the company.”

In England on Christmas Eve, there once was a popular custom called, “wassailing the orchard trees.” The farmer with his family and workers would honor the most productive trees in the orchard with cider and hot cakes while saying the following toast three times:

“Here’s to thee, old apple tree!”
Whence thou mays’t bud, and whence thou mays’t blow,
Hats full! Caps full! Bushel-bushel-bags full!
And my pockets full, too! Huzza!”

Still in practice by some as late as the early 1900’s, wassailing was believed to ensure that the best trees would continue to bear much fruit.

“Wassaile the trees, that they may beare,
You many a Plum and many a Peare,
For more or lesse fruits they will bring,
As you do give them Wassailing.”

No respectable folk or legend history of apples would be complete would be complete without mentioning Sir Isaac Newton or Johnny Appleseed. Around 1665 or 1666, Newton went to spend some time at his mother’s home away from London. While sitting in the shade of an apple tree he contemplated his many scientific interests. He saw an apple fall to the ground. This inspired him to make the connection of Galileo’s experiments with projectiles, his knowledge of the moon’s orbit, and this fallen apple. The result was the Theory of Gravity.

Johnny Appleseed made no contribution to Physics, but he is a well loved American folk hero just the same. Born in 1774 as John Chapman, he developed a great love for apples. He dedicated his life to pomology, (the cultivation of apple trees.) He worked tirelessly, starting many nurseries throughout Indiana, Ohio, and all along the Allegeny River. His legendary nickname brings to mind a vision of a barefoot man with a sack of apple seeds slung over his shoulder throwing the pips out as he walked the countryside. However, being a gifted pomologist, John Chapman would have known that planting apple trees from their seed was not an effective way to spread his love for this fruit.

Legends, symbols, and myths aside, apples have a history traceable by archeologists and historians. To find the origin of the first apple tree, some point to Southwestern Asia between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea. Others point to carbon dated seeds that were found in Antolia. These are believed to be from 6500 B.C. Still others have found fossilized imprints of apple seeds dating to the Neolithic period in England.

Wherever the true origin of the first apple trees may be found, one thing is certain, man has always been less than a pip’s throw away. Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “It is remarkable how closely the history of the apple tree is connected with that of man.” He remarked that everywhere man migrates he takes his orchard with him.

But perhaps he meant more. As another author has put it, “From a few natural crab apple species, the varieties of apples increased to thousands, very much like the diversity and richness of the cultures and civilizations all over the world.” The first apple trees were types of crab apple trees. These bear a small sour fruit. Through an unknown number of years, these sour little fruits were coaxed by man to be the plump and sweet fruit we know today.

Ancient Greeks were very familiar with the apple tree. Homer mentions apples in the Odyssey (circa 850 B.C.) By the 7th century B.C., apples were considered to be very valuable to the Greeks. To celebrate their wedding night, a couple was allowed to share only one apple. It has been suggested that in ancient Greece it was easy to catch a woman -if she could catch an apple. The man’s toss was the proposal, her catch was the acceptance. One of the most famous Greeks is Hippocrates. He lived around 400 B.C. Considered the father of medicine, he was well acquainted with apples. He said, “Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food.” His most favored prescriptions for his patients included apples, dates and barley mush.

It was the Romans however, that are credited with the perfection of the fruit and its spread throughout Europe. In order to have developed the fruit we know today, cross-breeding had to take place to bring out the sweetness. To preserve the new varieties of fruit they had developed, Roman pomologists employed the technique called “grafting”. Without grafting, trees planted from seeds or pips, as they are sometimes called, eventually revert back to their sour ancestors. Pliny the Elder, a Roman statesman, wrote “Historia naturales,” around 23 A.D. At that time he describes 37 different varieties of cultivated apples, and notes how farmers would auction the fruit on the trees.

When the Romans invaded Britian in 55 B.C., they found the locals drinking apple cider. This was most likely from a more tart variety of apple than the Roman people had been enjoying. Like their herbs and medicines, the Roman’s brought their sweet varieties of apples and orchards with them. During their occupation, officers were given lands to entice them to stay in England. Many accepted, and on those lands they planted orchards.

In 597 A.D., long after the Roman armies had left Britain, Christianity was reestablished in England. At this time, monks were predominantly responsible for planting orchards and tending them at their monasteries, along with their herb gardens. “Encyclopedia” (printed in 1470 A.D.) by Bartholomeus Angelicus, mentions the value of the apple tree as did many of the old Saxon manuscripts. “Malus the Appyll Tree… is gracious in syght and in taste and vertuous in medicyne…”

Fruit cultivation took a hit during the Black Death. This decline was reversed by Henry the VIII. In 1533, one of the king’s fruitiers named Richard Harris, imported apple trees from France. He worked to create new varieties with the trees from France. One of his missions was to reestablish orchards to supply England with trees and fruit.

When the colonists came to the New World, they brought with them a variety of apples. Cider production records from the year 1635 prove the value placed on the apple tree by the settlers. A Mr. Wolcott of Connecticut produced a record 500 hogshead of cider that year. This is roughly the equivalent of 55,000 gallons. It takes about 36 apples to make one gallon of cider. Orchard owners must have enjoy considerable success.

America’s oldest apple tree is believed to have been the one planted by Peter Stuyvesant in 1647. He was the governor of “New Amsterdam” at the time he planted the tree in his Manhattan orchard. It was still bearing fruit 219 years later when it was run over by a derailed train in 1866.

Malus pumila known to many as the “Golden Delicious” apple was discovered in 1905. Anderson Mullins was tending his apple orchard at his farm in Clay County, West Virginia that year when he spotted a tree bearing the huge yellow fruit. It had spontaneously appeared from seed. Over the years he watched this tree as it continued to produce the sweet, plump fruit. Finally in 1913, he sent a sample to the Stark Brothers nursery in Missouri where he had bought his stock of apple tree seedlings. Although red apples ruled at the time, Paul Stark Sr. was soon converted. He later bought the rights to the tree and named it Golden Delicious. In 1972, the “Golden Delicious” apple was named the official state fruit of West Virginia and is grown all over the world today.

Apples have come a long way since their beginning. Between 7500 and 10,000 varieties are cultivated today. The leading producer is China, followed by the United States, Turkey, Poland, and Italy. New varieties have been developed that do well in warmer climates without the need of a two month dormant period. Growers are taking advantage of the seasons all over the world in order to supply fresh apples year round. It is no wonder that the apple is the most well known and well loved fruit in many nations of the world.

LOCATION OF APPLES

The taxonomic hierarchy for our delicious apple is as follows: Plantae, Tracheobionta, Spermatophyta, Magnobophyta, Magnobiopsida, Rosdae, Rosales, Rosaceae, Malus P. , Malus pumila. From the apples taxonomy we learn that it is a member of the Plant Kingdom with veins, produces seeds and flowers in the two seeded leaf class. It is member of the Subclass Rosidae, in the Order of Rosales. Apples are members of the Rose family. Malus pumila has the common name of “paradise apple.” Others know Malus pumila as “Golden Delicious.”

Malus pumila grows wild in temperature zones usually between 30 degree and 60 degree latitude either north or south. The ideal location for an apple orchard is on the tops of rolling hills to protect the blossoms from frost damage. An orchard setting is generally needed because the tree cannot self-pollinate. Apple trees with similar growing seasons are grown together to allow for cross-pollination to be performed by bees.

The cultivation of apples is called pomology. New trees are grown from cuttings, called scions, which are grafted to a strong root stock. Apples are not generally grown from seeds because each contains, a “randomly divided half of the mothers chromosomes and the same for the father’s (pollen donor) “ This means a planted seed is not likely to resemble its parent but instead will revert back to a previous wild species or become a new type of apple tree altogether. These new trees produce their first fruit after four to five years of growing. Apple blossoms appear late in spring after the danger of frost, around April in the temperate zone. At first the blossoms appear pink but fade to white when fully open. The fruit becomes ripe in fall due to the efforts of 50 leaves photosynthesizing to produce energy to make one fruit. It is generally accepted that the larger the fruit, the sweeter the taste.

Malus pumila is not a tall tree like oaks and maples. They may reach up to 40 feet tall. The lifespan of the apple tree is sometimes over 100 years. The profile of an apple tree is distinct with its squatty, gnarled trunk and rigid, crooked branches.

If you have no orchard of your own, the best place to obtain fresh apples is from a farmers market. They will less likely be waxed with paraffin or contain chemical pesticides commonly used in the commercial growing process. To choose an apple ensure it is firm and blemish free. Refrigeration is recommended. Apples can ripen up to ten times faster at room temperature

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF APPLES

The main constituents that contribute to the apples vast usefulness and great taste are hard to narrow down. Over twenty have been documented in the unpeeled fruit alone to contribute a vast amount of biological activities. Those with known biological activities located in either the fruit or peel or both are: Alpha-Linolenic-Acid, Asparagine, D-Categin, Isoqurctrin, Hyperoside, Ferulic-Acid, Farnesene, Neoxathin, Phosphatidyl-Choline, Reynoutrin, Sinapic-Acid, Caffeic-Acid, Chlorogenic-Acid, P-Hydroxy-Benzoic-Acid, P-Coumaric-Acid, Avicularin, Lutein, Quercitin, Rutin, Ursolic-Acid, Protocatechuic-Acid, and Silver. From Dr. James Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Database website, we find that in addition to these phytochemicals the whole fruit contains many more for which the biological activity is not yet known. Many of the benefits of the apple come from enzymes and flavinoids.

The “Nutrition Almanac” by Lavon J. Dunne gives us further nutritional information on the apple. In one medium apple weighing about five ounces we find the following constituents of vitamins and minerals; Vitamin A, B1, B2, and B6, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Folic acid, Vitamin C and Vitamin E, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Pottassium, Selenium, Sodium, and Zinc. The fats in the apple contain no cholesterol. Instead they are a blend of lipids, saturated, unsaturated and monounsaturated fats. In addition to fats the apple contains the other macronutrients of proteins, and carbohydrates. Other phytochemicals include; Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lycine, Methionine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Valine, Argenine, Histidine, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Proline, and Serine. Trace amounts of Boron and Cobalt are found in apples.

There are four to five grams of soluble and insoluble fiber per apple. This fiber is from cellulose, pectin and lignin. The sugars of fructose and sucrose make up about 9% to 12% of the fruit and give it its sweet taste, while the tartness comes from the malic, tartaric, and citric acids. The tannins, making up 0.2%, give it an astringent cooling and thirstquenching effect. Finally, Amygdaline, a naturally occurring cyanide is found in the seeds

MEDICINAL QUALITIES OF APPLES

The cancer fighting qualities contained in a fresh, unpeeled apple are impressive. There are numerous studies whose findings are promising to anyone seeking to prevent or treat cancer.

Lung cancer may be at the top of the list. The findings of the Nurses’ Health Study revealed apples were one of the fruits associated with a decreased risk of lung cancer. This was found to be more significant among the women rather than the men. A 40% to 50% decrease in lung cancer was found in participants of a study in Hawaii. Of both men and women, those who ate more apples, onions, and white grapefruit saw the most reduction of the cancer. In a Finnish study, apples were the only specific foods that were inversely related to lung cancer risk. Apples have an anti-tumor action. This was evident in the Zutphen Elderly study. Reduced incidences of tumors in the respiratory tract were detected in those who received more flavinoids from fresh fruit, like the apple.

Other promising news for the lungs means better over-all health. Lung function increases with apple consumption. A study of men and women in the Netherlands indicated an increase of lung function in those who ate more apples. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, often a result of smoking cigarettes, was reduced while pulmonary function increased. These results were especially evident in those who ate an apple five times a week. Other pulmonary complaints were decreased also. Incidents of asthma and its cohort -allergies were reduced. Both were shown to be inversely affected by consuming fresh apples.

Lung cancer was not the only form of cancer worked on by apples. Many of the same studies previously cited proved apple’s value with other forms. Among these are; prostate cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, and leukemia. A list of known biological activities associated with apples include: anticancer, antileukemic, antimutagenic, antimetastic,
antineoplastic (stomach), antiproliferant, and antitumor of the skin, pancreas, stomach breast and bladder.

In addition to important cancer fighting constituents, apples will aid the digestive system and related diseases. First of all, apples fight obesity. The fiber in the form of pectin is just one factor that affects weight. The pectin has and amphoteric action. This means it is either laxative or antidiarrheal, according to the body’s needs.

The malic and tartaric acids contribute to the apple’s usefulness as a digestive aid. These acids keep food from fermenting in the stomach, allowing for better digestion. The apple itself is digested completely with in 85 minutes. The acids and enzymes that help it to be digested so quickly also aid in digesting other foods.

Pectin can interfere with the body’s ability to absorb dietary fats. Obesity is a huge factor in Type II diabetes. Blood sugar is also a factor. Pectin aids in the reduction of blood sugar. So among apple’s antiobesity, nutritive and digestive qualities is revealed its antidiabetic action.

Apples are cleaners. Among some of the reported actions are benefits for those exposed to radiation. It has been reported that apples are beneficial in binding radioactive residues and helping to excrete them from the body. Apples can also help remove toxic metals like lead from the body.

Maybe one of the most important cleaning actions provided by apples has to do with cholesterol. The pectin, as well as other constituents, play a role in reducing the bad cholesterol in the body. This is good news for blood vessels and the heart. Because apple is also a hemetic, it can build the blood as well as cleanse it.

A reduced risk of cardiovascular disease has been associated with apple consumption. In the Women’s Health Study, it was found that those whose diets were very high in flavonoids, especially from apples and onions, had a 35% reduction in risk of cardiovascular events. The Finnish study found a lower risk of thromibic stroke among apple consumers. The Zutphen Study concluded “flavinoid intake was strongly correlated with a decreased mortality from heart disease in elderly men and also negatively correlated with myocardial infarction.”

This same study showed apple’s constituents to have an effect on cerebrovascular health. The apple provides antioxidants for the body. Oxidative damage on cells by free radicals contributes to age related brain disorders. Alzheimers and senility are examples. Apples have been cited as antialzheimerian. A study conducted by the University of Massachusetts suggests that whether the oxidation is caused by normal metabolism, dietary insufficiencies or genetic deficiencies, apples can help.

The apple also contains qualities that help prevent the eye and nerve damage associated with diabetes. This happens when too much sugar alcohol, called sorbitol gets trapped in nerve and eye cells. Apples have the quality of being an Aldose Reductase inhibitor. This quality may be means of delaying this common effect of diabetes.

Apples have and ACE inhibitor quality. This aspect helps relax arteries, lower blood pressure and improves the pumping ability of the heart.

Most of the apples medicinal qualities treat chronic illness. ‘An apple a day’ is an important adage to follow in order to enjoy its effects in these areas. There are so many more benefits inherent in the apple. One source cites; Antianemic, antibacterial, antiinflamitory, antimenopauseal, antiCrohn’s, antiedemic, anti PMS, antiseptic, antiyeast, antiviral, capillary protective, hepatoprotective, diuretic, fungicide, nematicided (round worms), and neuroprotective are a few not mentioned before. Still other sources assign tonic, astringent and hypocholeteraemic, disinfectant, cardiac stimulant and cephalic.

CONTRA-INDICATIONS OF APPLES

Apples are a safe food to use in nearly all instances. They are nontoxic, not habit-forming and to my knowledge they are within the law to consume. A few cautions may be considered for the overly cautious.

Apples are difficult to grow without the use of pesticides and herbicides. There are several pests and diseases that enjoy apples as much as we all do. Apples grown in the United States rank among the top 12 foods most contaminated by pesticides with a score of 124 (200 = most toxic). There are organic growers out there, and their numbers are growing. Seek fresh organic apples if possible. This will reduce the risk of ingesting any unwanted chemicals.

Consuming fruits in excessive amounts is believed to cause griping pain or diarrhea. This may be true for some unripe or sour varieties. This should not be a concern with Malus pimila. If there is any concern, however, this can be avoided by thoroughly chewing each bite before swallowing. This will start the digestive process. In “Back to Eden” by Jethro Kloss we learn that time on an exclusive apple diet is safe and will greatly benefit the body. But Kloss warned that “ordinary apple cider is not fit to be used.”

The main caution with apples is the over consumption of apple seeds. Amygdaline is cyanide that occurs naturally in the seeds. It has the capability of poisoning, as one man found out. “There is a famous, sad case of an American man who saved up all his apple pips until he had about a cup of them. One day- for a reason that will always remain a mystery- he ate all the pips he collected and died as a result.” The seeds are safe in small amounts. If you plan to eat apple seeds, eat the apple, too. In other words, consuming one apple with all its seeds at the same time is safe.

KNOWN HERBAL FORMULAS OF APPLES

When it comes to apples, there are not very many formulas lurking around with a whole fresh unpeeled apple in them. The apple is the formula. Its many constituents make a magical brew for good health, without needing help from any other substance. However, different forms of the apple show up in formulas now and then.

Apple juice in the freshly pressed form can be used countless ways for elixirs. Any powdered herb that is difficult to take for an adult or child can be mixed with apple juice to help it go down. In a formula designed for children, apple juice is combined with the berries of Alder, (Black prinos verticullatus). This makes a pleasant tasting and effective elixir to expel worms.

Dating back to at least the 1600’s, there is a recipe for an ointment for rough skin. This is made with apple pulp which has been scraped from the apple. It is then combined with lard and rosewater.

Most of apple’s use is as the single ingredient. Even with a juice fast, apple juice is to be consumed exclusively for the three days with the exception of the morning prune juice. In his book, “Back to Eden,” Jethro Kloss recommends an exclusive diet of fresh apples to do the body much good.

Don’t fault the apple as unfriendly. It can play nice with others if it has to, but does much better as an only child.

DOSAGES & APPLICATIONS OF APPLES

How can we make use of this wonderful fruit? What are the best applications and dosages to employ for our needs? The best use of an apple’s goodness is to eat it fresh and unpeeled at least once a day. There are no set limits on the number of properly masticated Malus Primila one can consume in a day because an apple can be eaten anytime there is a hunger for one.

Apples are suitable for the very young and the very old. However, they may need to be peeled and scraped to form a mush similar to uncooked apple sauce if the person hasn’t sufficient teeth or chewing skills. For teething babies, dried apple slices are recommended in place of a teething ring.

If the whole fruit won’t do, the freshly pressed juice may be used. Each mouthful should be “chewed” or swished in the mouth. This mixes the juice with the saliva and begins the digestive process. This is helpful for anyone with a blood sugar related illness. Properly swishing should also help one avoid any possible stomach upset.

The juice may be used to form an elixir. This is useful when there is a need to disguise the taste of an herb. Simply mix the powdered herb in a glass of apple juice and drink. The dosage would be determined by the herb and size of the person.

Possibly one of the best ways, aside from an apple a day, to use apple juice for a juice cleanse. The instructions for following a three-day cleanse or fast are simple. On the morning of each day, the first juice to consume is 16 ounces of prune juice. One half hour after the prune juice, eight ounces of freshly pressed apple juice is consumed. This is done by swishing the juice in the mouth before swallowing. Distilled water can be had one half hour after the apple juice. Juice and water are alternated throughout the day until at least two quarts of juice are consumed. One or two tablespoons of olive oil should also be taken three times a day during the three days. The olive oil will lubricate the liver and bile ducts and aid in elimination. The recommended use of the three day cleanse is once a month.

Further applications that involve the apple include making a poultice. The fruit can be made into a poultice in the following ways. Scrape the fresh pulp from the fruit and apply it to the needed area until the soothing or cooling effect is accomplished. Rotten apple pulp can be used as a poultice in the same way. Additionally, one that has been baked to a mushy consistency would make a suitable poultice as well.

Apple cider vinegar is another form of using apples. Raw apple cider vinegar purchased from a health food store is recommended. Two to three times per day it can be made into a beverage. By adding a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a cup of distilled water and two teaspoons of raw honey it becomes like a tart beverage.

As a hair rinse, apple cider vinegar is also useful. To make a hair rinse, simply mix the vinegar with water 50/50. Rinse this mixture through damp, freshly shampooed hair. Massage it into the scalp and rinse thoroughly with clean water. Alternately, this is an ideal body wash.

APPLES - PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

Apple is a word that I can’t even think or say without feeling instantly cheered. This is partly due to the taste and partly due to the nostalgia. When I lost my two front teeth as a child, I had a hard time eating my favorite snack. My mother taught me to break the apple pieces off in my mouth using my side teeth. This is a very noisy and sloppy sounding way to eat an apple. My mother deeply regrets teaching me to eat my apples this way. I have been perfecting this for nearly three decades.

I get chuckle from remembering the pitiful looking apple tree that grew near our chicken coup. One year a nest of yellow jackets set up shop in a hollow portion of its trunk. It wasn’t the menacing presence of these stinging insects that nearly killed the tree, rather, the gallon of gasoline and matches applied by my older brother. As most twelve year old boys would believe, this was a perfectly safe and effective form of pest control.

Apples also bring to mind my grandmother, Ruby. As a child she would climb out onto the branches of the apple tree at the old farm. This was at the behest of her grandmother to retrieve the ripe fruit. “Cut it across the bloom”, she would tell her. Then Ruby would scrape the pulp for her because she had no teeth. This same grandmother taught me to make a hair rinse of apple cider vinegar for my dark hair. She said it would keep it dark. Her hair stayed shiny and nearly all black even up until her death at age 91.

Like all good and trustworthy people I have loved apples since I can remember. However, for a time I wasn’t willing to eat them. As a teen and young adult, eating apples seemed to interfere with my diet. It was a diet, fed intravenously, of chocolate, pizza and cheesy pasta. When I would eat an apple I would experience cramping and pain in my abdomen. This must have been due to an actual digestive process. Digestion was not something I did well as a teen.

All joking aside, I can report of health benefits I have received through apples. I have done several three day juice fasts. My experience was positive. I began to loose weight- down twenty pounds to date- which I know is a result of my juice cleansing. The cleanses helped me kick my milk and dairy addictions. It helped me desire better foods. I can easily tolerate large amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables where I could not before. I can breathe easily now, with no more stuffy nose when I wake up. The added energy, especially just after a fast, is always a blessing. The benefits for my mind and spirit are the biggest reasons I continue to do juice cleansing. It seems there is an inexplicable hope and excitement in all that I do. During the quiet, low-key days of fasting, I have received my most treasured inspirations. Apples are the first fruit recommended for babies. This is good advice for anyone who finds themselves at the beginning, regardless of age, on a path to improved health.

APPLES - BIBLIOGRAPHY

Christopher, John R., The School of Natural Healing, 25th Anniversary Edition, Utah, Christopher Publications, Inc., 2001

Furhman, Joel, Eat to Live The Revolutionary Way for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss, 1st paperback edition, New York, Little, Brown and Company, 2005

Kloss, Jethro, Back to Eden, Revised and Updated Edition, Wisconsin, Lotus Press, 1999

Hutchens, Alma R., Indian Herbology of North America, Fifth Edition, Michigan, MERCO, 1974

Duke, James A., The Green Pharmacy the Ultimate Compendium of Natural Remedies from the World’s Foremost Authority on Healing Herbs, paperback edition, New York, St. Martin’s Press, 1998

Grieve, Mrs. M., A Modern Herbal, Dover edition, Volume I, New York, 1971

Elpel, Thomas J., Botany in a Day Thomas J. Elpel’s Herbal Field Guide to Plant Families, 4th edition, Montana, HOPS Press, 2000

Dunne, Lavon J., Nutrition Almanac, 5th edition, New York, McGraw-Hill, 2002

Boyer, Jeanell and Lui, Rui Hai, Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits, 12 May 2004, BioMed Central, online, www.arabmedmag.com, May 2005

Fraser, Anna, Apple, online, www.the-tree.orguk, May 2005

Marra, John L., “The Greatest Apple in the World”: Striking Gold in the Clay County Hills, Fall Issue, Goldenseal, West Virginia, the Division of Culture and History of the State of West Virginia, 1995

A History of Growing Apples in the UK, Blackthorn Cider, online, www.dryblackthorncider.com, may2005

Vanderveer, Chelsie, Why must apples be grafted?, April 2003, Weird Plants Archive, online, www.killerplants.com, May 2005

Apples, Innvista, online, www.innvista.com, May 2005

Apples and More, University of Illinois Extension, online www.urbanext.uiuc.edu, May 2005

Apple, Everything, online, www.everything2.com, May 2005

Felter,Harvey Wickes and Lloyd, John Uri, Kings American Dispensory, online, www.ibiblio.org, May 2005

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away, Vegetarians in Paradise, online, www.vegparadise.com, May 2005

Duke, Jim, Malus domisticas, Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases, online, www.sun.ars-grin.gov, May 2005

Apples Improving Memory and Learning, April 2004, Journal Pioneer, online, archives.foodsafetynetwork.ca/ffnet, May 2005

Pumping up with Apples, Vermont Apple News, online, www.vermontapples.org, May 2005

Apple phytochemicals fight cancer, July 2000, San Diego Earth Times, online, www.sdearthtimes.com, May 2005

Apples the Healthy Snack, New England Apples, online, www.apples-ne.com, May 2005

Apples Keep Your Family Healthy, Washington Apple Commission, online,
www.bestapples.com, May 2005

Uses of vinegar

Other Uses of Apple Cider Vinegar

You can really go wild with this stuff. Pure apple cider vinegar is a simple and safe, natural antibiotic. It may be used on the outside or inside of the body. It may be used on the outside or inside of the body. If used on the outside, full strength is completely safe. If used on the inside, it must be diluted.

Athletes Foot: Four to five days of frequent use on feet will clear the condition. Use it periodically from then on to prevent a return. Works faster than other medication.

Chapped Sore Hands: Any fungus condition on hands or other parts of the body, is quickly corrected with straight vinegar.

Dandruff: Straight vinegar on the head clears dandruff very quickly.

Ring Worm: (on any part of the body): Vinegar often does the job of stopping it. Often stronger methods are necessary. For these occasions, pure peppermint oil works well. If this is not available, a commercial product called "Heet" works very well. The more frequently these products are applied, the faster the condition disappears.

Sore Throat: Vinegar and water—half and half—is an excellent gargle for sore throat and to cut mucus. It is also excellent for canker sores and infections or swellings in the mouth.

Indigestion or Gas: 2 teaspoons of vinegar in a glass of water; may be consumed with the meal or any time afterwards as needed. Use the same amount to stop dysentery or diarrhea—take it every hour until the condition has cleared. However, diarrhea can be very helpful for cleaning and elimination of surplus toxins from the body. Do not be in too big a rush to sop the body’s natural process in the cleansing.

Eye drops: This special formula has been used with most excellent results for many years with absolutely no dangerous side effects when coupled with a change of diet, the reflex work and color therapy. Many cases of glaucoma, cataracts, spots film, and growths of various kinds have completely disappeared. The drops may be applied one at a time to both eyes several times daily. Continue use until the condition is cleared up. Many people have completely overcome the necessity for glasses. In all cases eyes have improved greatly. There are a number of book written on eye exercises; their systems help greatly to bring the sight back to normal. Most people would do well to learn and perform exercises to insure the retention of normal vision.

Formula: 5 parts (measures) distilled water
2 parts best grade of honey
1 part pure apple cider vinegar

Mix together and store in a bottle. It need not be refrigerated as contents will not spoil. If eyes are in good condition, keep them that way by regular use as no harm can ever come by using it. It has a strong smarting effect for a moment, then the eyes clear and feel very good after each use. These drops have proven to be superior to most commercial drops.

Household uses of Vinegar

Removing Rust: A vinegar application will loosen a rusted or corroded bolt.
Clearing stopped up sink: pour ½ cup of baking soda down the drain. Add ½ glass vinegar and cover for a minute.
Fresh Flowers: Two tablespoons of vinegar and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to a quart of water will aid in keeping cut flowers longer.
Streak-free Window Washing: ½ cup of ammonia and 3 tablespoons of vinegar added to each quart of warm water is excellent for washing windows without leaving film or streaks. Using newspaper to do the wiping also helps.

REAL mineralized food

According to the vitalist, Dr Christopher, only minerals from plant conversion are of worth. The decision is yours of course. -Craig

Health Benefits of Paramagnetic Rock Dust The Natural Way to Obtain Colloidal Minerals

http://www.harmonikireland.com/index.php?topic=Superbiomin


There are several groups of extremely healthy and long lived peoples around the world such as the Hunzas of Pakistan, and the Vilcabamba tribe of Equador. A number of Hunza men and women over 120 years (living to 140 yrs old is not a rarity) old still work in the fields every day. What do they have in common - Water!

Different from other mountain cultures is their cloudy grey water. It contains a fine rock dust created by the glaciers higher up. As they slowly slide across and grind the rock, the melting ice mixes with the rock dust creating a rock slurry that finds its way into streams and rivers. This mineral rich water is used for drinking and to irrigate soil and crops.

Amongst many native cultures it is known that when flooding occurs, mud and silt from the rivers mineralise pastures, replenishing deficiencies in the soil that have occurred through farming the land.

Our soil lacks in varying amounts, the very minerals and trace elements that we need for good health. Plants also require the same full spectrum to be strong and resist parasites. Modern agricultural methods of farming are very destructive. Fertiliser is used containing only three minerals, nitrogen Potassium and phosphorus; this causes quick, forced growth, but does not provide balanced nutrition for plants. The application of pesticide (that is necessary due to the inherent poor resistance of the plants) to crops, penetrates into soil killing off beneficial soil bacteria

Soil bacteria work in collaboration with plant roots to facilitate proper nutrient uptake from the soil. destruction of Beneficial micro-organisms in soil further degrades the quality of food produced. At one time we routinely ingested these organisms with daily intake of vegetables - not so now with our modern farming methods. Healthy fertile soil is a rich dark colour due to the presence of these good bacteria, which can seen under a microscope.

Paramagnetism
“The atoms or molecules of a substance having net orbital spin magnetic moments that are capable of being aligned in the direction of the applied field”


Any substance, including soil or rock that will move towards a magnet is paramagnentic.

Superbiomin, (also known as Schindeles minerals) is a paramagnetic rock dust, of volcanic origin ground into a fine powder. It was discovered from a breach in the earth's crust, in an Austrian quarry, a volcanic, brittle material.

Volcanic rock shows itself to be the most paramagnetic (measured using a CGS meter), this is the reason it is so successful in restoring healthy plant growth and remineralisation in people. Paramagnetic rock dust (hence referred to as PMRD) will help to build up the mineral reserves in the body, compensating for the mineral and trace element deficiencies in most diets.

Super Biomin was introduced too the general public in Austria. It is inexpensive and there are many interesting testimonials to attest to its curative properties in a vast array of health problems. Bodies are capable of healing if they are fully mineralised.

References
1.Professor Phil Callaghan, the Father of Paramagnetism
2.We want real food - by Graham Harvey

Excerpt from back of book

There is something missing from our food...
In the past 50 years vegetables sold in the UK have lost 24% of their magnesium, 27% Iron and 46% Calcium.
Milk from Cows kept in sheds is depleted of vitamins and the cancer-fighting CLA that helped to make this a fitness food.
....The cause of poor health and social disorder is not just fast foods, but the source of our foods. Industrial farming depletes the soil of minerals - even organic carrots can be tasteless and lacking in essential elements. We are missing out on the nutrient-rich foods our bodies have evolved to need.

3.You are what you eat - by Grahame Whitehead
4.Dr Joe Wallach - Dead Doctors don't lie
Testimonials from the book "Superbiomin" by Robert Schindelle
“I have been taking your stone flour twice a day and am very satisfied with the result my kidney stones started to move and I hope to entirely get rid of this nuisance soon”

“After taking the mineral flour for three weeks I have obtained very good results. The constant colic's and ravenous hunger have disappeared completely, so one can loose weight much more easily. I am completely enthusiastic about this wonder product”

"I am 66 years old and have had depressions for three years, after taking the stone powder for eleven days. my depressions disappeared. My loss of hair stopped, my backache went. I am full of the joy of living “

Quoting Robert Schindelle:-

"From the many letters of my clients who take the mineral flour, diseases disappear that, up to now were considered incurable. After only a week diabetic values of 280 or more are reduced to 80-90. Gout disappears, the blood pressure and other values balance out to normal. But if one stops taking the mineral flour for several weeks, all complaints begin to return".

(Editors note. we cannot rely on these sort of effects in every case, since some health problems are more difficult to resolve than others)

Schindelle notes that:- 90% of all diseases of human beings, animals, and plant are caused by a lack of mineral elements. Although health is a complex matter it does seem that it is underpinned by the many roles of the minerals and trace elements in our diet and water.

The mineral elements in paramagnetic rock products are just like protein , fats and carbohydrates - helping to create the physical and chemical conditions for the functioning of the cells They are concerned with the building up of hormones, and enzymes and are important constituents of the bones, teeth and tissues. Since these minerals and trace elements are continuously exchanged and lost, they need to be taken in by in body regularly.

Inside us and around us, are millions of ions - groups of atoms which carry either a positive or a negative charge. Anions are negatively charged ions, cations are positive charged. When nature is balanced, these two ions create a unified field of energy present every where, called a paramagnetic field. This field is present in all levels of organ living matter including the human brain.

Our so called civilised ways of living, industrialisation, mechanisation, and the intense electromagnetic fields generated by modern technologies, produce high levels of anions. These can make us feel heavy and exhausted, with prolonged exposure can be a contributory factor in any health disorder.

Every cell in the body contains a balance of energy which keeps each cell individual, in perfect suspension with it neighbouring cells - a colloidal suspension. High concentrations of anions disrupt this balance, the suspension is broken down leading to cellular coagulation, and dysfunction. The unified field has become unbalanced, in favour of anion dominance, we have little contact with what we need these negate these positive charges.

How do we redress this imbalance?
We need the PMRD because it is highly paramagnetic. This has the effect of neutralising excesses of both positive and negative charges, bringing balance and homeostasis (the natural balance of the organism).


"Professor Callahan suggested to site Towers of Power on a downward earth energy vortex, and/or over underground water line crossings. This traditional placement was confirmed by my own dowsing at towers in Ireland - The water line crossings and springs all had a downward vortex at the centre associated with them." - Alanna Moore, Stone Age Farming
Water is an important contact with nature, but nowadays is very unlikely to be highly paramagnetic. Thus the PMRD can provide this very important and harmonising effect on our systems, neutralising external fluctuations in our metabolic and nervous systems, aiding sleep, relieving stress, and improving many other health conditions, refreshing and invigorating the whole organism. Living Water - By Grahame Whitehead

A daily intake of PRD affords you the daily contact with this source of paramagnetic energy and over 70 minerals/trace elements. A level teaspoon daily (two and a half mls ) is sufficient, although for the first week or so twice daily is advised, to reinstate mineral balance and reduce stress by aiding the correct colloidal suspension of the cells within the body.

Broadly speaking, the volcanic rock dusts, with their predominance of silica is strengthening to our overall constitutions and structures of the body. They work steadily but more slowly than the ionic electrolyte minerals, which are also essential on a regular basis to help balance the fluid and electrical activity of the body. These minerals work rapidly to maintain essential functions. Our Ioninc minerals from the Great Salt Lake in Utah are available in the shop, and prove to be essential, for many in natural health regeneration programs.

These two different sources of minerals and trace elements (colloidal paramagnetic and ionic) provide a balanced regime of remineralisation. So even though the amount of major minerals is small in the volcanic rock drink, there is a catalytic effect from the whole swathe of trace and ultra trace elements which improves overall uptake of major minerals in the diet.

An example of this phenomenon was shown with an experiment carried out using mineral supplement called Floramin. This is created by feeding a pro-biotic culture with coal . Coal is formed from primeval rain forest which through millions of years compression has formed into coal. The test involved three separate groups of rats. Over a period of 90 days group one was fed a nutrient deficient diet, these rats lost weight and became ill. The second group also received a poor diet, but were given the full spectrum, multi-mineral trace element supplement in small quantities. Group two gained weight and were in excellent health and fared slightly better than group three that received what was considered a high quality diet!

So, small, but regular daily doses of these full spectrum food supplements generally improves the uptake and utilisation of the nutritional elements in our food. Even when are eating well we are not utilising the nutritional elements in our food properly, due almost universal trace element deficiency.

At this point it is worth mentioning about the fallacy of the health benefits of drinking distilled water, from the false belief that the minerals in drinking water clog the circulatory system and are not nutritionally useful.

Dr. Masironi from the world health organisation has said "modern diets are usually marginally deficient in many elements, and therefore the contribution from hard water makes a difference between optimal and sub optimal intake. Just the little extra boost of minerals from our drinking water may add enough to the minerals obtained from food to get us up the stairs from adequate to optimum intake (clearly Dr. Masir underestimates mineral/trace element deficiency since our official understanding of the role minerals and trace elements have, lagged behind both anthropological and experimental, evidence.)

It is well known that where people consume hard water, which has a higher mineral content than soft water, that there is a definite protective influence on the circulatory system. This shown by a study on 76 Swedish communities, those consuming hard water had a 41% less incidence of heart disease and 14% less strokes than those consuming soft water) It would seem prudent not to consume distilled water which is completely deprived of minerals' and acts to remove minerals from the system.

So once again mother nature knows best, and will provide some ionic (soluble) and some colloidal mineral/trace elements, in muddy/sediment rich rivers, and clinging to the food we would eat in a natural situation. Since we are now so removed from natural situations, in practice, the most successful ways of restoring to our optimum health and longevity is by observing and applying all the good things that we have left behind from nature on a daily basis.

Fermented soy-the only one fitting human health

(NaturalNews) Writings about the soybean date back to 3000 B.C., when the Emperor of China listed the virtues of soybean plants for regenerating the soil for future crops. His praises centered on the root of the plant, not the bean. These ancient writing suggested that the Chinese recognized the unfitness of soybeans for human consumption in their natural form. Now 5000 years later, we are once again catching on to the anti-nutritive qualities of the soybean, and realizing that the only soybean worth eating is one that has been fermented.

The key to releasing the nutrients of the soybean has been known for thousands of years

About 1000 B.C. some smart person in China discovered that a mold, when allowed to grow on soybeans, destroyed the toxins present and made the nutrients in the beans available to the body. This process became known as fermentation and led to the creation of the still popular foods tempeh, miso, and natto.

A few centuries later, a simpler process was developed to prepare soybeans for consumption. After lengthy soaking and cooking, the beans were treated with nigari, a substance found in seawater. The end product was tofu. During the Ming dynasty, fermented soy appeared in the Chinese Materia Medica as a nutritionally important food and an effective remedy for diseases.

Unfermented soybeans contain potent anti-nutrients

In their natural form, soybeans contain phytochemicals with toxic effects on the human body. The three major anti-nutrients are phytates, enzyme inhibitors and goitrogens.

These anti-nutrients are the way nature protects the soybean plant so that it can live long enough to effectively reproduce. They function as the immune system of the plant, offering protection from the radiation of the sun, and from invasion by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. They make the soybean plant unappetizing to foraging animals. All plants have some anti-nutrient properties, but the soybean plant is especially rich in these chemicals. If they are not removed by extensive preparation such as fermentation or soaking, soybeans are one of the worst foods a person can eat.

Unfermented soy has been linked to digestive distress, immune system breakdown, PMS, endometriosis, reproductive problems for men and women, allergies, ADD and ADHD, higher risk of heart disease and cancer, malnutrition, and loss of libido.

Groups most at risk of experiencing negative effects from the anti-nutrient properties of soy are infants taking soy baby formula, vegetarians eating a high soy diet, and mid-life women going heavy on the soy foods thinking they will help with symptoms of menopause.

Soybeans contain high levels of phytates

All legumes contain phytate (also known as phytic acid) to some extent, but the soybean is particularly rich in this anti-nutrient. Phytate works in the gastrointestinal tract to tightly bind minerals such as zinc, copper, iron, magnesium and calcium. It has a particularly strong affinity for zinc, a mineral that supports wound healing, protein synthesis, reproductive health, nerve function, and brain development. It is believed that people living in developing countries are shorter than those in developed countries because of zinc deficiency caused by eating too many legumes. There is also evidence that mental development can be negatively impacted by a diet high in phytate.

In most legumes such as other varieties of beans, soaking is enough to break down most of the phytate content. However the soybean requires that the enzymes be released in the fermentation process to reduce its phytate content to the point where it becomes fit for consumption. This means that fermented soy foods like miso and tempeh have the lowest levels of phytate and are the best choices for anyone wishing to eat soybean products. Tofu is also a good choice, as long as care is taken to replenish loss nutrients.

Whole soybeans, soy milk, soy chips, soy protein isolates, soy flour and all the other myriad of products made from processed soybeans and advertised as health foods have much higher levels of phytate and are not worth eating.

Unfermented soy products are rich in enzyme inhibitors

When food is eaten, digestive enzymes such as amylase lipase and protease are secreted into the digestive tract to help break it down and free nutrients for assimilation into the body. The high content of enzyme inhibitors in unfermented soybeans interferes with this process and makes carbohydrates and proteins from soybeans impossible to completely digest. When foods are not completely digested because of enzyme inhibitors, bacteria in the large intestine try to do the job, and this can cause discomfort, bloating, and embarrassment. Anyone with naturally low levels of digestive enzymes such as elderly people would suffer the most from the enzyme inhibiting action of soy.

Soybeans can block production of thyroid hormone

Soybeans have a high content of goitrogens, substances that can block the production of thyroid hormone as well as cause goiter formation. Low thyroid activity plagues women in America, particularly middle-aged women. Thyroid hormone stokes the cellular furnaces, known as mitochrondia. When thyroid production is low, energy levels as well as body heat are also low. Low thyroid level is what makes old people move so slowly and seem like every action is a huge chore. Low thyroid means the action of the heart is reduced, resulting in lack of oxygen to the cells, a prime condition for cancer.

Genistein, an isoflavone found in soybeans, can also block thyroid production. Phytate can accentuate these effects because it binds up zinc and copper, leaving little of these important minerals available to make thyroid hormone.

A transport protein called GLUT1 is shut down by genistein. This protein sends glucose into the cells where it is used to generate energy. Slowing the transport of glucose means less energy production not only of thyroid hormone, but of every other action in the body.

Another way in which soy isoflavones reduce energy in the body is by inhibiting tyrosine kinases, enzymes involved in the transfer of energy from one molecule to another. These enzymes drive cell division, memory consolidation, tissue repair, and blood vessel maintenance and regeneration.

It is this action of regulating cell division that made genistein a popular substance for fighting cancer. When research on this anti-cancer effect of genistein became know, the soy industry feverishly developed products that would appeal to Western women looking for genistein. In the middle of all this excitement, little attention was paid to how the energy reducing effects of genistein lowered cellular energy in normal cells.

The benefits of genistein come at a high cost

Women have been encouraged to use high genistein soy products to alleviate symptoms of menopause and as a guard against bone loss and breast cancer. But given the full range of effects of genistein in the body, high consumption could result in age-related memory loss. Commercial soybean products offer genistein levels as high as 20 to 60 mg per serving. Asians are presented as an example of the benefits of eating soybean products because their incidence of breast cancer and osteoporosis is low. However, the Asian diet of fermented soybean products such as miso and tempeh includes only around 5 mg of genistein a day.

Genistein slows the growth of blood vessels to tumors, another action that makes it popular as a cancer fighter. However, it has the same effect on blood vessels serving normal cells. Eating a regular diet high in genistein could result in the starvation of healthy blood vessels, resulting in a reduced supply of oxygen to cells, setting up a cancer promoting situation.

In a graphic example of how genistein slows cellular energy, a study found that eating high levels of it slowed hair growth by 60 to 80 percent

A decade ago a study of 8,000 Asian men showed that those consuming the highest amounts of tofu had smaller brain size and nearly three times the rate of senile dementia as those who ate the lowest amounts. These results suggest that eating foods high in isoflavones such as soy protein isolates may accelerate the aging of the brain.

Fermentation releases nutrients and transforms soybeans into nutritious food

People filling up their shopping carts with raw or cooked soybeans, soy milk, and other non-fermented soybean products do not realize that the isoflavones they contain will not be available to their bodies. Most of the isoflavones in soy products are bound to carbohydrate molecules called glucosides. In this form genistein is actually called genistin. It is fermentation that transforms genistin into genistein. Many products in the U.S. do not distinguish between genistin and genistein on their labels.

Even with fermented soy foods, a little goes a long way. The nutrients found in miso, tempeh, and natto can be beneficial in the moderate amounts found in the typical Asian diet, but have the potential to do harm in higher amounts. In China and Japan, about an ounce of fermented soy food is eaten on a daily basis.

When fermented soy foods are used in small amounts they help build the inner ecosystem, providing a wealth of friendly microflora to the intestinal tract that can help with digestion and assimilation of nutrients, and boost immunity.

Dr. John Lee, author of several books on the health of women, recommended that women wishing to consume soy production eat only miso, tempeh, natto. Tofu can also be eaten provided it is accompanied by fish or some other protein source and some seaweed or kelp to replenish bound minerals. Eating small amounts of these foods will provide the cancer protective effects of genistein without causing the other potential problems of genistein. Dr. Lee recommended avoiding genistein and isoflavone supplements, and soy protein isolates.

Sources:

Dr. John Lee, What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer, Warner Books.

How Fermenting Takes the Allergy Out of Soy and Other Foods, bodyecology.com.

Flaxseed oil - a natural skin remediy from inside out

(NaturalNews) Borage and flaxseed oil appear to act internally to improve skin health, according to a study conducted by researchers from Laboratoire Oenobiol in France and Heinrich-Heine University and the University of Witten-Herdecke in Germany, and published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Researchers assigned 45 healthy, non-smoking women to receive a daily supplement consisting of 2.2 grams of either borage oil, flaxseed oil, or a medium-chain fatty acid placebo. The researchers regularly induced skin irritation (inflammation and reddening) in every woman by means of topically applied nicotinate. All participants were between the ages of 18 and 65.

Women who had been taking borage oil for several weeks were found to experience 35 percent less skin reddening than they had at the beginning of the study, while those taking flaxseed oil experienced 45 percent less. There was no change in the degree of reddening experienced by the placebo group. Women receiving borage or flaxseed oil also exhibited lessened blood flow to the skin in response to irritation.

After six weeks, those taking either oil supplement experienced a 10 percent decrease in water loss through the skin, and another six weeks showed even further improvement among the flaxseed group. Both groups showed significant decreases in skin roughness and scaling after 12 weeks, while no change was observed in the placebo group.

Borage oil consists of large amounts of the omega-6 fatty acids gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and linoleic acid (LA), and the monounsaturated fat oleic acid. Flaxseed oil consists mostly of the omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), along with smaller quantities of omega-6 fatty acids and oleic acid. Blood levels of GLA were observed to increase in the borage oil group after six and 12 weeks, as were ALA levels among the flaxseed group.

The current study was not designed to uncover the specific mechanism by which the oils improve skin health.

Sources for this story include: www.foodnavigator-usa.com.

20 super-foods for life

(NaturalNews) British scientist Gary Williamson, professor of "functional foods" at Leeds University, has released a list of the top foodstuffs that he believes can lead to longevity.

What makes these foods so special, he contends, is that they are rich in naturally occurring phytochemicals including tannins, lignins and flavonoids, that research has shown have a host of health benefits, including offering protection from cardiovascular disease by boosting the function of cells that line the inside of the blood vessels.

"Epidemiology studies support the protective effects of polyphenol-rich foods. Lack of these components in the diet, because of low intake of fruit and vegetables, increases the risk of chronic disease. This means that they are essential to fulfill the maximum individual lifespan, and so I propose that they are 'lifespan essential'," Prof. Williamson said in a statement to the UK media. He added that the foods on his list, which are primarily fruits and vegetables, can help slow the process of aging because they protect cells from the normal wear-and-tear that occurs with time.

So what's included on Prof. Williamson's list of longevity super foods? Here's are what he dubs the "Lifespan Essentials":
* apples
* blackberries
* black tea
* blueberries
* broccoli
* cereal bran
* cherries
* cherry tomatoes
* coffee
* cranberries
* dark chocolates
* green tea
* oranges
* peaches
* plums
* raspberries
* red grapes
* red onions
* spinach
* strawberries

Surprised to find a scrumptious treat like dark chocolate on the list? Researchers like Prof. Williamson have found it is rich in flavonoids that reduce "bad" cholesterol (low density lipoproteins, or LDL) and also make blood platelets less likely to clump together and cause heart attack and stroke producing clots.

Coffee may also seem like an unlikely "super food" because too much caffeine is known to cause jitters, upset stomach and even heart palpitations in some people. However, in moderation, coffee has been found to be a natural health-enhancer. Consider this: Harvard researchers analyzed data on 126,000 people for as long as 18 years and found that drinking caffeinated coffee daily can drastically reduce diabetes risk ( by as much as 54% for men and and by 30% in women).

What's more, half a dozen studies indicate that people who drink coffee on a regular basis are up to 80% less likely to develop Parkinson's. Other research indicates that compared to not drinking coffee, at least two cups of daily java can lower the risk of colon cancer by 25% reduced risk of colon cancer and nearly half the risk of gallstones.

The benefits of muschrooms

(NaturalNews) Mushrooms have been used for thousands of years by traditional eastern healers but only recently by western healers in advanced medicine. Mushrooms are often classified as a vegetable or an herb, but they are actually fungi.

Mushrooms provide our bodies with the nutrients, proteins, minerals, and vitamins it needs to generate energy and repair cells. They are one of the most remarkable elements for a healthy immune system. They have been used to cure or improve eyesight, hearing, circulation, impotency, stop migraine headaches, tumors, influenza, and even cancer.

Mushrooms are low in carbohydrates, calories, and sodium and are cholesterol and fat free. High in fiber and protein, mushrooms are also rich in B vitamins to help maintain a healthy metabolism.

Mushrooms are an excellent source of potassium, a mineral that helps lower elevated blood pressure and reduces the risk of stroke. One medium portabella mushroom has even more potassium than a banana or a glass of orange juice.

Mushrooms are a rich source of riboflavin, niacin, and selenium. Selenium is an antioxidant that works with vitamin E to protect cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. Male health professionals who consumed twice the recommended daily intake of selenium cut their risk of prostate cancer by 65 percent.

Regular ingestion of mushrooms over long periods of time has been proven to decrease the amount of cancerous cells in the body. They not only fight and reduce cancerous cells and tumors, but they help prevent more of those cells from forming in the body.

Types of Mushrooms and their Therapeutic Value:

Oyster

Oyster mushrooms are used to strengthen veins and relax tendons. "Tendon-easing powder" is an effective treatment for numbed limbs as well as tendon and blood vessel discomfort. Dried Oyster Mushrooms are high in iron which makes them a good blood builder.

Portabella

Portabellas contain a wide variety of B complex vitamins. They are also a great source of riboflavin, Pantothenic acid, niacin and a good source of thiamine, vitamin B6, folate, selenium, lysine, protein, zinc, copper, manganese, and iron.

Morels

Morels contain protein, vitamin D and B, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamine that help the body maintain a healthy metabolism. They also have copper, selenium, and potassium. They are low in carbohydrates, very low in calories and are fat free, not to mention, they contain very little sodium.

Maitake

Maitake may best be known for its cancer-fighting properties. The evidence confirming maitake's therapeutic value is impressive. Laboratory studies have shown that maitake extract can block the growth of cancer tumors and boost the immune function of mice with cancer. Maitake mushroom was found effective against leukemia and stomach and bone cancers. In addition, many doctors in Japan use maitake mushroom to lower blood pressure and blood lipids. This mushroom has also been reported to aid digestion by regulating the stomach and intestines, and helps eliminate food stagnation.

Porcini

Just like Morels, Porcini mushrooms contain copper, selenium, potassium, and protein.

Shiitake

Research has shown that Shiitake lowers cholesterol. Shiitake also appears to be effective against some of the more serious viruses we face today: HIV and hepatitis B and appears to be a formidable cancer fighter.

Reishi

Reishi mushroom is particularly beneficial for individuals with asthma and other respiratory complaints. Reishi is good for respiratory strength and for coughing. At least one population study confirms this claim. When more the 2000 Chinese with chronic bronchitis took reishi syrup during the 1970s, within two weeks, 60 to 90% felt better and reported an improved appetite, according to the article Medicinal Mushrooms by Christopher Hobbs, published in Herbs for Health, Jan/Feb 97.

Scientific Research:

Several scientists addressed the health benefits of mushrooms in a session in July 2008 at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo in New Orleans.

Mushrooms are low in calories, cholesterol and sodium, and they provide plenty of fiber and flavor when cooked. But the big news is that they are high in antioxidants, selenium, riboflavin and other healthful substances that protect the immune system and fight cancer.

Mushrooms contain high amounts of beta-glucans, compounds that occur in the bran of cereal grains and in yeast. These substances help to keep immune cells in a state of vigilance, guarding against disease, said Lana Zivanovic, Ph.D., with the University of Tennessee's Department of Food Science and Technology.

Mushrooms also contain cancer-fighting substances, said Shiuan Chen, Ph.D., director of surgical research at the Beckman Research Institute in Duarte, Calif.

Chen's lab experiments show that mushrooms' cells contain mechanisms that suppress breast and prostate cancer cells. He is following up his lab work with clinical trials funded by the Mushroom Council. Results should be out in a year, he said.

Research is showing that mushrooms contain ergothioneine, an antioxidant that contributes to immune support and protection of the eyes, skin, liver, kidneys and bone marrow.

Scientists have unearthed other mushroom benefits including robust amounts of selenium, vitamin D and potassium. "White button mushrooms have more protein, potassium, copper and selenium than oyster or shiitake mushrooms", said Robert Beelman, Ph.D., at Pennsylvania State University's Department of Food Science. Whether mushrooms will be consumed more as foods or in supplements and extractions is yet to be seen. "But a rich opportunity exists in the marketplace", said Zivanovic.

Sources:

Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) (http://www.ift.org)

Lana Zivanovic, PhD, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn.

Robert B. Beelman, PhD., Pennsylvania State University, professor of Food Science

Schian Chen, PhD, Beckman Research Institute

Great Food (http://www.greatfood.com/)

Health Castle (http://www.healthcastle.com/food_supple...)

Organic food better in cancer prevention

Organically Grown Foods Higher In Cancer-fighting Chemicals Than Conventionally Grown Foods

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/...30304073059.htm

ScienceDaily (Mar. 4, 2003) — Fruits and veggies grown organically show significantly higher levels of cancer-fighting antioxidants than conventionally grown foods, according to a new study of corn, strawberries and marionberries. The research suggests that pesticides and herbicides actually thwart the production of phenolics — chemicals that act as a plant's natural defense and also happen to be good for our health. Fertilizers, however, seem to boost the levels of anti-cancer compounds.

The findings appear in the Feb. 26 print edition of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. The article was initially published Jan. 25 on the journal's Web site.

Flavonoids are phenolic compounds that have potent antioxidant activity. Many are produced in plants in response to environmental stressors, such as insects or competing plants.

"If an aphid is nibbling on a leaf, the plant produces phenolics to defend itself," says Alyson Mitchell, Ph.D., a food scientist at the University of California, Davis, and lead author of the paper. "Bitter or harsh phenolics guard the plant against these pests."

The need for these natural safeguards decreases with the use of herbicides and pesticides in conventional agriculture. This decrease is reflected in the total amount of antioxidants the plants produce. "This helps explain why the level of antioxidants is so much higher in organically grown food," Mitchell says. "By synthetically protecting the produce from these pests, we decrease their need to produce antioxidants. It suggests that maybe we are doing something to our food inadvertently."

Mitchell measured antioxidants found in corn, strawberries and a type of blackberry called a marionberry. "We started with these three due to plant availability," Mitchell explains, "but we intend to widen our search to include tomatoes, peppers, broccoli and a variety of other vegetables. We expect these results to be transferable to most produce."

The investigation compared the total antioxidants found in foods grown organically (using no herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers) to foods grown sustainably (in this study fertilizers but no herbicides or pesticides were used) and conventionally (using synthetic chemicals to protect the plants and increase yield).

The results showed a significant increase in antioxidants in organic and sustainably grown foods versus conventionally grown foods. The levels of antioxidants in sustainably grown corn were 58.5 percent higher than conventionally grown corn. Organically and sustainably grown marionberries had approximately 50 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown berries. Sustainably and organically grown strawberries showed about 19 percent more antioxidants than conventionally grown strawberries.

Antioxidant levels were highest overall in sustainably grown produce, which indicates that a combination of organic and conventional practices yields the highest levels of antioxidants. "This may reflect the balance between adequate nutrition in the form of fertilizers and external pest pressures because of the lack of pesticides and herbicides," Mitchell explains.

"Originally, the question was just really intriguing to me," says Mitchell, whose research grew naturally from a personal interest in organic foods. "I found that the higher level of antioxidants is enough to have a significant impact on health and nutrition, and it's definitely changed the way I think about my food."

How to make grains fit to eat

The Whole Grain Scam: How to Make Grains Fit to Eat

Thursday, October 16, 2008 by: Patty Donovan
http://www.naturalnews.com/024508.html


As you walk down the grocery aisles, you are bombarded with whole grain cereals, breads and other bakery products. Major companies have a big TV campaign promoting their whole grain cereals. Aside from the fact that many of these are loaded with sugar and few are 100% whole grain, are these foods really good for you? Unfortunately, these aren't doing your body much good and could actually be harming you. Grains, nuts and legumes, being seeds, are not "ready to eat". The fiber from untreated whole grains is very harsh and can actually increase digestive difficulties, especially in those who persist in eating a SAD (Standard American Diet). This can lead to irritable bowel, Crohn's disease and inflammatory bowel disease as well as increased constipation, diverticulitis and many more disorders of the gastro-intestinal tract.

Grains fall into two general categories:
1) Gluten containing grains such as rye, barley and especially wheat. These grains should not be consumed unless they have been been soaked, sprouted or fermented (these processes will be discussed later in the article). Oats are actually gluten free but if grown in the US, they are contaminated with gluten as they are grown and processed side by side with wheat. Celtic oats are safe.

2) Gluten free grains such as buckwheat, rice, quinoa and millet are, on the whole, more easily digested. These grains however, still contain other anti-nutrients which should be neutralized.

Gluten, along with other proteins in grain, is very difficult to digest. A diet high in unfermented whole grains, particularly wheat, puts an enormous strain on the whole digestive system. Eventually, the GI system breaks down and you end up with allergies, celiac disease, mental illness, chronic indigestion and Candida albicans overgrowth to name just a few. Symptoms of candidiasis and gluten intolerance overlap significantly because the undigested sugars promotes overgrowth of Candida albicans. There is now even evidence of a link between gluten intolerance and multiple sclerosis.

During the process of soaking and fermenting, gluten and other difficult-to-digest proteins are partially broken down into simpler components that are more readily available for absorption.
Approximately 1 in 200 people around the world have actual celiac disease, an auto-immune disease where the body's immune system attacks itself when exposed to gluten. However, a conservative estimate places gluten intolerance as affecting 1 in 7 people. Some studies indicate 1 in 3 or 4. Gluten intolerance is poorly understood, and rarely diagnosed by physicians . When you complain of symptoms that are actually gluten intolerance, you are most likely to be told you have reflux, irritable bowel or that you are depressed. These symptoms are overlooked because gluten intolerance is so poorly understood and the symptoms vary widely, affecting every part of your body. Some of these symptoms include: diarrhea, flatulence, bloating and generalized gastro-intestinal discomfort. Other symptoms often reported are headaches, mouth ulcers, weight gain or weight loss, a poor immune system, and chronic skin problems like dermatitis and eczema. Anemia is often also present.

Gluten intolerance is poorly understood, and rarely diagnosed by physicians
Because it is highly unlikely you will get the correct diagnosis from your physician unless you actually have celiac disease, you can test yourself through an elimination diet. You will have to be extremely conscientious because wheat/gluten is hidden in most processed foods, medications and even supplements. Here is one site which shows you what to look for if you are avoiding gluten: http://gfkitchen.server101.com/FoodstoA... If you have determined you are gluten intolerant or have been diagnosed with Celiac disease, complete abstinence from gluten is imperative to healing. Gluten intolerance is known to lead to other food sensitivities. Some people with gluten intolerance (not celiac) may be able to introduce sprouted grains back into their diet after at least a year of strict abstinence.

Other important antinutrients:
The other problem with untreated grains (and nuts,seeds and most legumes)is that they contain substances called "anti-nutrients"; in other words they contain substances which block or inhibit obtaining nutrition from them. The main anti-nutrient is phytic acid (or phytate). Phytic acid is the principal storage form of Phosphorus in plant tissues. The highest levels are found in the hulls. Phytates are known to inhibit the absorbtion of essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. Because phytates bind to these minerals in the GI tract, they are eliminated instead of absorbed. Phytates contribute to mineral deficiencies in anyone who relies primarily on these foods for their mineral intake. Deficiencies are most likely to occur in vegans, infants and children, the elderly and in people of developing countries who rely on grains for most of their nutrtion, especially if little or no animal protein is consumed. Along with mineral deficiencies, these people are especially vulnerable to developing a niacin deficiency leading to pellagra. Pellagra is characterized by the "4 D's": Diarrhea, Dermatitis, Dementia, and Death.

Besides phytates, grains contain other antinutrients such as enzyme inhibitors which can inhibit digestion and put stress on the pancreas; tannins, which irritate the digestive tract; complex sugars which the body cannot break down; and gluten and related proteins which humans have difficulty digesting. Anti-nutrients are present because they prevent germination until conditions are right for growth and survival. Plants need moisture, warmth, time and slight acidity in order to sprout. Soaking grains and legumes or slow sour dough fermentation imitates nature.

Neutralizing antinutrients:
All of these substances can be neutralized by several methods, however, the whole grain products you find at the grocery store, and even most at the local health food store have not been treated. Cooking grains only slightly decreases the amount of phytic acid. Soaking grains/nuts/legumes in an acidic medium for 12 to 24 hours will effectively neutralize phytates as does sprouting which is more involved and actually entails sprouting or germinating the grain or legume. Fermenting, as in preparing a true sourdough, will also neutralize antinutrients.

Sally Fallon, author of the book Nourishing Traditions and follower of Dr. Weston A. Price's teachings, is a huge advocate of soaking and goes into great detail in the book. This is an excellent book for beginners. Dr. Weston A. Price was a dentist who studied "native" nutrition as it affected various cultures' teeth. He was the first person to warn of the dangers of consuming large amounts of either refined or improperly prepared grains. An excerpt from page 452:
"Soaking allows enzymes, lactobacilli and other helpful organisms to break down and neutralize phytic acid. As little as seven hours of soaking in warm acidulated water will neutralize a large portion of phytic acid in grains. The simple practice of soaking cracked or rolled cereal grains overnight will vastly improve their nutritional benefits. Soaking in warm water also neutralizes enzyme inhibitors, present in all seeds, and encourages the production of numerous beneficial enzymes. The action of these enzymes also increases the amounts of many vitamins, especially B vitamins".

Humans only have one stomach and much shorter intestines than animals that subsist on plant matter. These animals have as many as four stomachs and an extremely long (by comparison) intestinal tract. Human anatomy allows us to eliminate animal products before they putrefy in the gut but leave us poorly adapted to a diet high in grains. When grains are properly prepared through soaking, sprouting or fermenting, the friendly bacteria of the microscopic world begin the process of digestion for us in a bowl. These are the same lactobacilli that do their work in the first and second stomachs of the herbivores and found in the intestines of healthy people. We can survive quite well without grains, and giving up grains altogether is an option that will not only aid digestion, but help heal insulin resistance and other problems. This is an option few people are willing to choose, so here is how to make grains as healthy as possible.

Preparing Grains
Changing the way you eat grains requires advance planning, but only a few extra minutes of actual preparation time. For non-gluten containing grains, simply put the whole grain in a bowl with enough water to cover. Add a tablespoonsful of whey, lemon juice or vinegar and leave covered at room temperature for at least 6 to 12 hours. You can get whey simply by draining yogurt (or kefir) through a tightly woven cloth. The clear liquid that drains is whey. Drain, add your cooking liquid and cook as usual. This will take you less than 5 minutes and the grain will be ready for cooking when you get home from work or get up the next morning.
Gluten containing grains require more preparation. Grains need to be soaked and sprouted, a process which takes 2 to 4 days. After germination, they are ready to cook with no further soaking, or the can be dried and ground into flour. The process sounds difficult and daunting, but really isn't. If you are interested in doing this yourself, check out this site: http://organicfanatic.blogspot.com/2008...

In todays busy world there are many alternatives. If you make your own bread with purchased whole grain flours, simply start a day early. Substitute buttermilk, kefir or yogurt for part of the liquid. Make your dough as usual, put in a covered bowl and allow to rest for 24 hours. I'm not going to give an exact recipe because you will have to experiment to find what works for you. The acid in the above foods is needed to break down gluten and phytates while the live bacteria in the above cultures actually begins the digestion process for you.

The easiest option is to buy your grain products already made from sprouted grains. Ezekial bread is available in almost all health food stores and even some grocery stores. Other brands are Alvarado Street Bakery and Manna Breads. There are other brands depending on where you live. You can get bread, hamburger buns, even tortillas. You can also buy flour that has been made from sprouted grains.
Sources:
http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeature...
http://www.foodintol.com/celiac.asp
http://www.diagnose-me.com/cond/C212360.htm
Gilani GS, Cockell KA, Sepehr E.
Health Canada, Nutrition Research Division, Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Banting Research Centre (AL: 2203 C), Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0L2, Canada. sarwar_gilani@hc-sc.gc.ca

Pollution, bees, honey, human food...

Air Pollution May be to Blame for Honeybee Population Collapse

Friday, October 17, 2008 by: David Gutierrez
http://www.naturalnews.com/024519.html


Air pollution is making it harder for bees and other pollinating insects to find food, according to a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Virginia.

Pollutants such as ozone (smog) and nitrate radicals, formed mostly as a consequence of car exhaust, are binding with the volatile scent molecules given off by flowers, the scientists found. This chemically alters the molecules so that they no longer carry a sweet scent, and do not attract pollinating insects to plants.

"Scent molecules produced by flowers in a less polluted environment could travel for roughly 1,000 to 1,200 meters," said lead researcher Jose Fuentes. "But today they may travel only 200 to 300 meters. This makes it increasingly difficult for bees and other insects to locate the flowers."

Pollinating insects like bees feed on the nectar from flowering plants. Thus air pollution is having a direct impact on these insects by making it harder for them to find food. Since a plant that is not pollinated cannot reproduce, pollution also leads to an overall reduction in the number of these plants, the researchers said, so that there is even less food available for the insects.

Populations of bees and other pollinating insects have drastically declined in many parts of the world - most dramatically in the United States, where up to 25 percent of honeybee colonies have been lost to colony collapse disorder.

Colony collapse disorder describes the still-unexplained desertion of a hive by its bees.

The researchers suggested that a difficulty finding food due to air pollution may be partially responsible for the decline in bee populations. Because insects rely heavily on scents for a variety of functions, the scientists expressed concerns that pollution might also be hampering mate attraction and defense against predators.

Honeybees are the primary pollinators for 80 percent of the world's food crops.

Sources for this story include: www.independent.co.uk.

Seven foods for a good sleep

(NaturalNews) Sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing. It allows our body to rejuvenate and restore itself. Sleep deprivation is one of the biggest causes of aging. Tiredness can also affect your mood and how you feel. Chronic tiredness can increase your risk of depression and anxiety. It can also affect the way that you respond and react to the people around you.

It can also affect your cognitive ability and your ability to use your brain. This can cause you to be less constructive and creative. It can also decrease your ability to think quickly which may impair your ability to drive or do daily tasks.

There is no set amount of time that everyone needs to sleep, since it varies from person to person. Studies indicate that people are generally most effective when they sleep an average of 7 hours, but people can find anywhere between 5 and 7 hours okay for them.

Insomnia can be caused by deficiencies in certain nutrients. The foods that we eat can help us to gain those nutrients and help us sleep. These 7 super foods can help us get a good night's sleep at last so that we can feel refreshed and energized in our daily life.

Bananas

Bananas are a delicious sleepy time fruit. They balance melatonin and serotonin levels, which are the neurotransmitters necessary for deep sleep. They also contain magnesium, which is a muscle relaxant.

Chamomile tea

Chamomile is a mild sedative that calms and relaxes, making it the perfect natural antidote for restless minds and bodies.

Honey

While sugar is stimulating, honey helps the brain to turn off because it contains orexin, a recently discovered neurotransmitter that's linked to alertness.

Potatoes

Potatoes contain tryptophan, which will ensure you get your ZZZZZZZZs.

Oatmeal

Oats are a rich source of sleep inducing melatonin

Almonds

A handful of my favorite food can help one relax and unwind because they contain the snooze helping nutrients tryptophan and magnesium.

Flaxseeds

Flaxseeds are a rich source omega-3 fatty acids, which make them a natural mood lifter. They are one of the 7 super foods for a good night's rest.