Nicola Quinn's Health Blog

7 Vital Facts You Need To Know About Adrenal Fatigue

2016-07-22T15:02:00.002+01:00

1. Caffeine slows down the processing of the hormones secreted by our adrenal glands.

If you need caffeine to get through your days, it's an indication that your adrenals are getting less effective at managing your adrenal stress hormones.

2. Chronic stress levels lead to a depletion of magnesium.

Since a majority of Americans eat a diet that does not meet the recommended daily allowance for magnesium, the loss of magnesium due to chronic stress is a big problem. Lower magnesium levels increase the risk of insomnia and poor sleep quality, which in turn raises stress levels. This leads to further loss of magnesium and poorer sleep and higher stress levels.

3. The adrenal hormones are made from cholesterol.

The push to drive cholesterol levels lower and lower can lead to cholesterol levels so low that the adrenal glands can't make sufficient adrenal hormones. Because the adrenal hormones help manage the mineral levels, inadequate adrenal hormones can lead to increased loss of minerals.

4. We need an abundant supply of B vitamins, cholesterol, and minerals to make the adrenal hormones.

Many Americans eat fewer than one and a half servings of vegetables a day, instead consuming 4 to 10 servings of sugar- and white-flour-based products. This poor diet increases the strain on the adrenals and makes it difficult to produce all of our hormones, including the adrenal hormones.

5. Lack of sleep increases the production of adrenal stress hormones.

Americans are now sleeping one and a half fewer hours each night than they did 50 years ago. The result is higher levels of stress hormones, which in turn is associated with higher rates of obesity and mental health problems.

6. Diets high in sugar lead to increased production of the adrenal stress hormones.

Eating a diet high in sugar and white flour leads to more insulin, a drop in blood sugar, and a spike in adrenal stress hormones. Keep a stable blood sugar level by avoiding sugar- and flour-based products to reduce the strain on your adrenals.

7. Adding a stress-reducing practice can lessen the strain on your adrenals.

This could be a daily meditative practice, exercise, mindfulness, or some other stress-reduction technique that fits into your life.

from MBG

Anxiety and Leaky Gut

2015-04-28T15:39:00.000+01:00

Anyone with anxiety knows how easy it is to get an upset stomach but did you know that other symptoms like joint pain, food allergies and low energy can be affected by your gut health too?

Your gut lining works as a barrier that keeps big particles like gluten, bad bacteria and undigested food out of your blood system. When the lining is inflamed the wall of your intestine becomes more permeable and these particles are then able to pass through. This is known as leaky gut syndrome or increased intestinal permeability. And it’s this toxic waste that can lead to an immune reaction which then causes inflammation throughout your system and can result in bloating, food sensitivity, thyroid problems, fatigue, joint pain, headaches, skin issues and weight gain.

Chronic stress is undoubtedly a factor in this condition though antibiotics, a poor diet, toxin overload and a bacterial imbalance all contribute as well.

The problem is that if left unchecked leaky gut syndrome can lead to very serious health problems including diabetes, arthritis, IBS, psoriasis, depression and could even be the cause of anxiety itself.

How to Heal Leaky Gut

1. First you need to eliminate foods that can cause or aggravate the condition. This includes gluten, cow’s milk and all GMO foods that tend to be high in the lectins that are the greatest problem. Sugar must also be eliminated as this feeds the growth of yeast, candida and the bad bacteria that are causing most of the damage.

2. Add foods like kefir and fermented vegetables such as sauerkraut to your diet, these will help to build up the good bacteria that your gut needs for healing. Coconut products are especially good too as the fats are more easily absorbed with little strain on your liver. They also contain lauric acid which is antiviral and anti fungal. Sprouted seed such as chia, flax and hemp also support the growth of beneficial bacteria though if you have severe leaky gut you may need to start with lightly steamed vegetable and fruit to get your fibre. Anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fats from bass fed beef and wild caught fish are also good additions.

3. Take these supplements daily to speed the healing.

A good quality probiotic which contains at least 50 billion units of probiotics. Probiotics crowd out the bad bacteria and allow the gut lining to heal.
Digestive enzymes to ensure your food is fully digested which will decrease the chance of large food particles and proteins from damaging your gut wall. (Take one or two before each meal)
L-Glutamine which is an essential amino acid that is anti-inflammatory and repairs and protects cell walls acting as a repellant to irritants. (Take 2-5 grams twice daily)
Licorice root helps balance cortisol levels and improves acid production also maintains the mucosal lining of the stomach and intestines. This is especially recommended if your leaky gut is caused by emotional stress. (Take 500mg twice daily)
Quercetin improves the gut barrier by sealing the gut wall and also helps to reduce histamine which is common in food allergies. It has recently been shown to be effective in healing ulcerative colitis. (Take 500mg three time a day with meals)

4. Learn how to destress. Use EFT to reduce your general anxiety levels. Learn to meditate. Journal daily (write at least 10 things every day you are grateful for). Schedule fun activities. Spend time helping others.

With these simple steps you will be able to heal your gut and improve your mood and health in a very short time. Once you no longer feel sore spots when you touch your stomach you can try introducing back foods that you were sensitive to though do be careful and make sure your gut is completely healed before trying this to avoid a setback.

Anxiety and Diet: Is Your Food Making You More Anxious?

2015-04-28T15:33:00.000+01:00

Diet can have a huge effect on the way you are feeling.

If you have days that seem worse for no apparent reason take a look at what you ate the day before.

When I am stressed I find wheat upsets me, I get really livery and nauseous. And dairy definitely used to make me feel anxious and trigger a panic attack if I was feeling fragile. I can feel palpitations very soon after eating anything with dairy in it, let alone plain cheese, yoghurt or milk on its own, so check ingredients lists too.

This doesn’t necessarily mean you are allergic to the food. When the whole system is on hyperalert the digestion is not working fully, adrenaline keeps a large part of the blood supply in the muscles, ready to run, so light frequent meals is the answer when you are under stress. An overfull stomach is also not pleasant to an anxious person, but then you already know that.

Often if you cut out a food altogether for as little as three months your sensitivity to it is gone though I figure that if anything is that hard on the system it’s probably not good at the best of times so I avoid wheat now and cow’s milk products too.

An easy way to see if food is affecting you is to check your pulse before and after eating.

The Pulse Test

This is a quick and easy way to isolate potential problem foods for you.

Take your pulse before you eat, as a base reading. Sit down for a few minutes to let it settle then using your index and middle fingers, not your thumb, resting lightly on your pulse point on your wrist, count your heart rate for a full minute, note it down.

Then take your pulse reading three times after your meal. At half an hour, an hour and an hour and a half. Make sure you sit down again for a few minutes to let your heart rate settle and count your heart beats again, noting the number down.

If there is a variation of more than 16 beats then you have probably eaten something that you are sensitive to.

Important: This test will not work if you are on beta-blockers and it is essential to count for a full minute and not just 15 seconds and multiply the result.

Alternatives

If cow’s milk shows up as a problem for you try switching to goat’s cheese and yogurt which is often perfectly ok with people. It’s a good alternative to try before switching to soya which some find a problem too. If I have too much soya I find it affects my sleeping patterns though for me that is more about the menopause than anxiety.

Chocolate also affects me in the same way. I wake on the hour every hour after the smallest amount which is extremely annoying. Luckily I don’t mind carob and after a while of not eating chocolate it tastes quite good, particularly the flavoured bars.

Spelt flour is a good alternative to wheat and I now make my own bread, routinely. There are many spelt products available if you don’t fancy baking and plenty of Free From ranges at the supermarkets so you don’t need to go without biscuits or cakes. Ryvita makes a nice change too sometimes and there are plenty of flavours to choose from for variety.

Porridge, muesli and oatcakes are now staples around here. I love soaking home made muesli, oats and a few spoons of chopped dried fruit, in goat’s yogurt overnight, really delicious with a few blueberries on for breakfast and very nutritious so I start my day feeling positively virtuous.

First test for what may be affecting you then check out ways you can reduce your intake for a while by making small changes to your diet.

Remember, this does not mean you will have to cut out these foods forever. A short break will give your system a chance to settle down, grow stronger, give you some space to breath.

Be well, and please let me know how you get on.

160 Uses for Coconut Oil

2014-04-12T05:56:00.001+01:00

I've been having a great time with coconut oil recently. I had a jar sitting in my cupboard for ages and had read about how someone had put a spoon in their porridge (oatmeal) every morning and had started to regain a better memory and as some days I wake up wondering what day it is I thought I'd give it a shot.

Well, after a couple of days I noticed a huge difference so started using it in my baking. Here's my simple flapjack recipe:

170 grams organic oats (whizzed up slightly)

25 grams coconut oil

25 grams non dairy spread

120 grams maple syrup (or honey)

Melt last three ingredients over a low heat then mix with oats. Press gently into a a tin and bake for 20-25 mins on 185 degrees. Cover with foil for first 20 if you don't want them too crispy, I like mine a bit chewy. You can add nuts and dried fruit, I like chopped dates sometimes. Take out and score then let cool before storing in airtight container.

Coconut Oil Is:

Anti-bacterial (kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum diseases, and other bacterial infections)

Anti-carcinogenic (coconut oil has antimicrobial properties so it effectively prevents the spread of cancer cells and enhances the immune system)

Anti-fungal (kills fungi and yeast that lead to infection)

Anti-inflammatory (appears to have a direct effect in suppressing inflammation and repairing tissue, and it may also contribute by inhibiting harmful intestinal microorganisms that cause chronic inflammation.)

Anti-microbial/Infection Fighting (the medium-chain fatty acids and monoglycerides found in coconut oil are the same as those in human mother’s milk, and they have extraordinary antimicrobial properties. By disrupting the lipid structures of microbes, they inactivate them. About half of coconut oil consists of lauric acid. Lauric acid, its metabolite monolaurin and other fatty acids in coconut oil are known to protect against infection from bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi and parasites. While not having any negative effect on beneficial gut bacteria, coconut oil inactivates undesirable microbes.)

An Antioxidant (protects against free-radical formation and damage)

Anti-parasitic (fights to rid the body of tapeworms, lice and other parasites)

Anti-protozoa (kills giardia, a common protozoan infection of the gut)

Anti-retroviral (kills HIV and HLTV-1)

Anti-viral (kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other viruses)

Infection fighting

Has no harmful for discomforting side effects

Known to improve nutrient absorption (easily digestible; makes vitamins and minerals more available to the body)

Nontoxic to humans and animals

Type of Coconut Oil to use:

Expeller pressed (refined) coconut oil can be used for anything. It does not have a coconutty smell or taste.

Virgin (unrefined) coconut oil tastes and smells coconutty and is great for cooking and baking where you want that flavor. You can use it for anything but it will impart a coconut taste (mild) and odor (pleasant in my book)!

Food grade should always be used.

Daily Dosage:

Here is a chart outlining the recommended daily dosage of virgin coconut oil for persons over the age of 12. Coconut oil may be consumed by children under 12 but it is advisable to check with a healthcare practitioner on the proper dosage. Any good naturopath will have the information at the ready. (Starting at 12 months of age, I gave my daughter one teaspoon per day and she weighed about 16 pounds at that time.)

Weight in pounds/kilograms	Number of tablespoons of coconut oil daily
175+/79+	4
150+ /68+	3 1/2
125+ / 57+	3
100+/ 45+	2 1/2
75+ / 34+	2
50+ / 23+	1 1/2
25+ / 11+	1

For the full list of 160 uses visit the link below.

160 Uses for Coconut Oil – LewRockwell.com

How to Quit Smoking

2013-07-19T21:32:00.000+01:00

One of the most difficult things to do in daily life will be to stop smoking. Just the idea of stopping can be very overwhelming to a lot of people. This may be due to a bad experience trying to give up before, seeing how difficult it is for others to stop or fear that you will become a different person without cigarettes. But, with a little helping hand from hypnotherapy you can gain mental strength and resistance against your cravings and stand a much greater chance of quitting.

Stop smoking hypnosis may be used by anyone, as long as the positive and pro-active plan is there - i.e. it's essential to really need to quit, hypnotherapy can not be forced upon someone, nor can it be used as an effortless tool - you still really need to want to transform and put in some work yourself.
When used properly though, hypnotherapy can be a even more organic approach to quit versus use of products such as nicotine patches.
How it Works
Using hypnosis will help you in a few different ways:
Primarily it may help by boosting your willpower and mental strength. It will help keep you strong against desires. This is the main benefit people use hypnosis for - to gain that advantage and that mental edge. Due to this you can use it as an “emergency” tool to make use of any time you feel tempted.
It helps you to stay logical, and to think differently about smoking cigarettes. Other than thinking of the rewards, or enjoyment of having a cigarette you will learn to think more about the health effects, and the negatives of smoking. The more you alter your thinking in this way the easier it will be to quit.
Hypnosis also has a cumulative effect. The more you listen the more benefit you will get as the hypnotic suggestions penetrate deep into your mind, build and build, and change the way you think, feel and act on a deeper level.
By using hypnosis, along with a real commitment to quitting, you will find quitting much easier.
Try stop smoking hypnosis downloads on your own and gain an advantage towards stopping smoking you never believed was possible!

9 Common Indian Spices That Prevent Cancer

2012-10-17T11:50:00.001+01:00

When the opposition in question is an adamant disease like cancer, our armoury should be packed with a healthy lifestyle and a diet including foods that double as anti-cancer agents. Look no further than Indian spices to add incredible flavor to your food and prevent cancer.

When actress Lisa Ray was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a relatively rare cancer of the bone marrow, all she said was, “I’ll beat cancer”. Carrying this spirit of defeating a disease often labelled ‘incurable’, we try to find out diet methods, especially in the selection of spices that can avert the multiplying of malignant cells in the body that gradually mature into insurmountable cancer cells.

Our grandmothers would in no time prepare us a glass of warm milk with saffron sprinkled on top when we went crying to her with bruise on our knee or wound on the elbow. The herbal turmeric paste soothed minor cuts and healed all skin rashes. These age-old kitchen tricks are little more than mere quick-fix tactics. Spices like turmeric and saffron are inherent with medicinal properties that, when incorporated to our diet from an early stage strengthens our bodies against invasion of toxins, bacteria and virus.

Senior consultant surgical oncologist Dr. B. Niranjan Naik and senior clinical nutritionist, Fortis La Femme, Shipra Saklani Mishra, inform us about the goodness of Indian spices with cancer-fighting properties and the necessity of their inclusion to our eating habits.

Turmeric/Curcumin: This is the king of spices when it comes to dealing with cancer diseases, besides it adding a zesty colour to our food on the platter. Turmeric contains the powerful polyphenol Curcumin that has been clinically proven to retard the growth of cancer cells causing prostrate cancer, melanoma, breast cancer, brain tumour, pancreatic cancer and leukemia amongst a host of others. Curcumin promotes ‘Apoptosis’- (programmed cell death/cell suicide) that safely eliminates cancer breeding cells without posing a threat to the development of other healthy cells. In cases of conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the surrounding cells too become a target in addition to the cancer cells. Therefore, the side-effects are imminent.

Fennel: Armed with phyto-nutrients and antioxidants, cancer cells have nothing but to accept defeat when the spice is fennel. ‘Anethole’, a major constituent of fennel resists and restricts the adhesive and invasive activities of cancer cells. It suppresses the enzymatic regulated activities behind cancer cell multiplication. A tomato-fennel soup with garlic or fresh salads with fennel bulbs make for an ideal entree prior to an elaborate course meal. Roasted fennel with parmesan can be another star pick.

Saffron: A natural carotenoid dicarboxylic acid called ‘Crocetin’ is the primary cancer-fighting element that saffron contains. It not only inhibits the progression of the disease but also decreases the size of the tumour by half, guaranteeing a complete goodbye to cancer. Though it is the most expensive spice in the world for it is derived from around 250,000 flower stigmas (saffron crocus) that make just about half a kilo, a few saffron threads come loaded with benefits you won’t regret paying for. Saffron threads can be used in various ways.

Cumin: Yes, it aids digestion and probably that is why we like chewing a handful of cumin seeds at the end of every meal. However, its health benefits go beyond. A portent herb with anti-oxidant characteristics, cumin seeds contain a compound called ‘Thymoquinone’ that checks proliferation of cells responsible for prostate cancer. So, instead of loading your usual snack options with calories and oil, add this seasoning to your bread, fried beans or sauce and make the dish rich in flavour and high on health. You can rediscover the magic of cumin in your regular bowl of tadka dal and rice too!

Cinnamon: It takes not more than a half teaspoon of cinnamon powder every day to keep cancer risk away. A natural food preservative, cinnamon is a source of iron and calcium. Useful in reducing tumour growth, it blocks the formation of new vessels in the human body. Some of the effective ways of including cinnamon in your diet are:
-Start your day with a cup of cinnamon tea (in leaf or sachet)
-Make your breakfast meal a super healthy one; just add this wonder spice to your
morning oatmeal and you are going well!
-A fruity delight comprising chopped apples, a few walnuts and your magic potion cinnamon
-Honey and cinnamon in your glass of milk before going to bed; no cancer nightmares assured!

Oregano: More than a pizza or pasta topping, oregano confirms its worth as a potential agent against prostate cancer. Consisting of anti-microbial compounds, just one teaspoon of oregano has the power of two cups of red grapes! Phyto-chemical ‘Quercetin’ present in oregano restricts growth of malignant cells in the body and acts like a drug against cancer-centric diseases.

Cayenne Pepper/Capsaicin (Chilli peppers): A promising spice with anti-cancer properties, an overdose of chilli peppers however should be restrained. Capsaicin induces the process of apoptosis that destroys potential cancer cells and reduces the size of leukemia tumour cells considerably. It can be concluded that apart from setting our tongues on fire, chilli peppers can scare cancer pathogens off too.

Ginger: This humble spice boasts of medicinal qualities that help lowering cholesterol, boost metabolism and kill cancer cells. Easily added to vegetable dishes, fish preparations and salads, ginger enhances the flavour in cooking. Chew on fresh parsley if the odour bothers you.

Clove: On the ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scale used by the National Institute on Aging in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to assess the antioxidant value of foods, clove has the highest ORAC score. Besides it’s ability to prevent cancer, clove-infused water is used to treat stomach upsets, nausea and diarrhoea.

Others: Anise, basil, garlic, caraway, fenugreek, mustard, mint leaves, rosemary, Limonin (fresh lemon), virgin olive, vinegar and avocado are other cancer-fighting diet components.
Other diet habits that can keep cancer risk at bay:
1. A plant-based diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and beans is the best organic way to fight cancer.
2. Add fibre: Replace white rice with brown rice in meals
3. Substitute whole-grain bread for white bread; choose a bran muffin over a pastry
4. Snack on popcorn instead of potato chips.
5. Eat fresh fruits with skin.
6. Omega-3 fatty acids fight inflammation.
7. Cook with olive oil instead of regular vegetable oil
8. Avoid packaged or fried foods that are high in trans-fats
9. Avoid processed salt. Celtic sea salt/Himalayan salt can be consumed sparingly.
10. Cancer patients: Do not load your diet with turmeric or Curcumin supplements without doctor’s consult or prescribed dosage.

Cancer fighting salad recipe: Couscous salad with sun dried tomato
Ingredients:
Couscous Wheat- 120 gms
Turmeric – 1 gm
Salt/pepper To Taste
Sun dried tomato- 2 nos
Olives (black/Green) – 2 nos each
Mint leaves- 2 sprig
Lemon juice
Ginger dices
Bell pepper dices- 15 gm
Olive oil- 2 Tsp
Saffron
Pickle onion- 2 nos
Lettuce leaves

Method:
1. Take a pan and add salt, pepper, turmeric, couscous, olive oil and saffron. Steam the couscous for 5 minutes and chill immediately.
2. Now add lemon juice, bell pepper, olives, sun dried tomato, pickle onion (chopped) and dice ginger. Mix well and add mint. Mould it on top of lettuce leaves and serve chilled.

Sources:
Prevent Disease

via truththeory.com

10 Ways to Center Your Life Around Happiness -

2012-05-16T15:51:00.001+01:00

Recently Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton invited Dr. Dacher Keltner, UC Berkeley psychologist and executive member of the Greater Good Science Center, to speak about ways to create a more meaningful life centered around happiness.

His ideas around this new scientific research into social and emotional well-being, which he calls the “science of a meaningful life,” help individuals explore and apply tangible ways to being happy through strong social bonds and altruistic behavior. He presented research-backed evidence that our brains and nervous systems are wired for compassion and that it is fundamental to our happiness, health, and to developing strong communities around us.

His talk inspired listeners to challenge themselves through his tips below, to increase the opportunities for kindness and thoughtfulness toward others in order to build a more meaningful life, while at the same time influencing the same for family, friends and beyond in the community at large.
Here are his talk's ten takeaways:

1) Connect Take time to really make a connection, whether it’s a fist bump with your son to remembering the name of the owner at the dry cleaners, or making eye contact with a stranger. Connecting with those around you and within the community is important for one’s well-being, creating happier individuals.

2) Trust Keltner says we should build a trusting mind, and talk about others in terms of good intentions. Trust is a key element in one’s welfare, which will create a comforting and safe environment.

3) Give The Dalai Lama said it best: “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion; if you want to be happy, practice compassion.” With our busy lives and schedules, we often forget about the small things we can do to help those in need. Volunteering a few hours a month or donating funds to an organizations you believe in can go a long way in your happiness quotient factor, according to Keltner.

4) Play Spend more time in “play” mode: play games with your kids, make up endearing nick names for friends, or just make fun of yourself. Being in “play” mode enhances our health, creativity and promotes conflict resolution.

5) Appreciate Be thankful for the wonderful things in your life and what has been given to you; write and send that thank you card we’ve all been meaning to send to someone, whether it’s for a recent gift, or just to say thanks for being a friend. Keltner suggested keeping a gratitude diary, and once a week, in which you write down what you are grateful for. He reports that doing this has been shown to boost one’s overall happiness in life.

6) Acceptance Accept that people are not perfect and different. Recognize that everyone has a different opinion, way of life, or political affiliation, and accept them for who they are, and speak of them respectfully, however different their views may be than yours.

7) Optimism The glass is half-full. It’s reported that optimistic people report higher levels of overall well-being and happiness and higher levels of positive emotion.

8) Contemplation Spend time in reflection and contemplation. Focus on your breathing, the mindfulness of your body, and then of loving kindness. When you imagine someone you love or imagine someone who is suffering, it evokes altruistic feelings of warmth and compassion. Keltner suggests thinking of someone who is important to you and then wish for their happiness; then extend it to another person to broaden your circle of care.

9) Narrative If there is something bothering you, put it down on paper, and pen your strongest emotions or facts of the event. Keltner states that writing about a traumatic or troubling event in one’s life has been shown to increase happiness, enhance the immune function, and reduce anxiety and depression.

10) The Sacred Revere things that are sacred to you. Celebrate in the beauty of nature and art, or politics, or religion. Whatever it may be, it should have a transcendent quality that brings a large group of people to a shared sense of humanity.

If we all pledged to employ some or all of Keltner’s suggestions, collectively we could influence the world, or at least our tiny corner of it, to be a happier, kinder, and a more compassionate society of mankind.

via menlopark.patch.com

Grape Seed Extract Targets and Kills Cancer Cells and Leaves Healthy Cells Unharmed

2012-02-08T15:17:00.001+00:00

Grape Seed Extract Targets and Kills Cancer Cells and Leaves Healthy Cells Unharmed

A study published this week in the journal Carcinogenesis shows that grape seed extract (GSE) kills squamous cell carcinoma cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

Grape seed extracts are industrial derivatives from whole grape seeds that have a great concentration of vitamin E, flavonoids, linoleic acid and polyphenols.

Human case reports and results from laboratory and animal studies provide preliminary evidence that grape seed extract may prevent heart diseases such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. By limiting lipid oxdation, phenolics in grape seeds may reduce risk of heart disease, such as by inhibiting platelet aggregation and reducing inflammation.

It is estimated that 40 percent of American adults, or 50 million people, have metabolic syndrome. In a first human clinical trial, UC Davis cardiovascular researchers assessed the effect of grape seed extract on people with metabolic syndrome, a combination of risk factors that increase the risk for heart disease, including high blood pressure, excess abdominal body weight, high blood cholesterol fats and high blood sugar. They found that taking 300 milligrams of grape seed extract also had reduced serum oxidized LDL cholesterol levels.

Nearly 12,000 people will die of head and neck cancer in the United States this year and worldwide cases will exceed half a million.

"It's a rather dramatic effect," says Rajesh Agarwal, PhD, investigator at the University of Colorado Cancer Center and professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

It depends in large part, says Agarwal, on a healthy cell's ability to wait out damage.
"Cancer cells are fast-growing cells," Agarwal says. "Not only that, but they are necessarily fast growing. When conditions exist in which they can't grow, they die."

Grape seed extract creates these conditions that are unfavorable to growth. Specifically, the paper shows that grape seed extract both damages cancer cells' DNA (via increased reactive oxygen species) and stops the pathways that allow repair (as seen by decreased levels of the DNA repair molecules Brca1 and Rad51 and DNA repair foci).

"Yet we saw absolutely no toxicity to the mice, themselves," Agarwal says.
Again, the grape seed extract killed the cancer cells but not the healthy cells.
"I think the whole point is that cancer cells have a lot of defective pathways and they are very vulnerable if you target those pathways. The same is not true of healthy cells," Agarwal says.

The Agarwal Lab hopes to move in the direction of clinical trials of grape seed extract.

via preventdisease.com

Alkaline-Forming Foods List: How to Eat to Help Cure Diseases

2011-12-22T12:57:00.001+00:00

There are two types of foods: acid-forming or alkaline-forming. The differences between the two are like night and day. Or, diseased and not diseased.

Your body is designed for your blood pH balance to be between 7.35-7.45. Too much acid in the blood causes imbalance and eventually, diseases. Whenever you eat something that is incomplete (not wholesome) and acidic, your body has to pull the nutrients out of your body’s minerals to try to neutralize the acidity.

For instance soda, which has one of the lowest pH levels, if consumed, your body will have to use its water to stabilize the acid. Your body is intelligent and will always try to work with whatever you give it. Unfortunately, it can only do this for so long.

How Your Blood’s pH Balance Relates to Diseases
Let’s take a look at arthritis. Or any other so-called disease ending with -itis. All itis means is inflammation. Arth means joint. Arthritis literally means inflammation of the joints. We are trained to give these “diseases” exotic names and deem them to be incurable. But the truth is, WE give these “diseases” strength when we succumb to them and let them claim our lives.

What causes the inflammation that gives you “arthritis”? Too much acid in the blood. No acid, no inflammation. No inflammation, no “arthritis”. Isn’t life simple?

When your body is alkaline-based, you are in optimum health. This is why certain people that “look” healthy die or contract the same “diseases” that unhealthy people have. Because, even though they “look” good, they were probably consuming very acidic foods.

About the List
The foods listed below are all alkaline-forming. There is a difference between acid-forming and alkaline-forming. A citrus fruit like an orange is acidic but when your body assimilates it, it leaves an alkaline ash. Therefore, the orange is an alkaline-forming fruit.

This list is a combination of all the research and experiences I’ve had. There may be other foods that are not listed but that just means it slipped my eye. The important thing is that we make a conscious effort to consume as much alkaline-forming foods as possible.

Please share this list with everyone you know!

Alkaline-Forming Vegetables (All fresh, not processed or canned)
Alfalfa
Artichoke
Asparagus
Barley Grass
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery
Chives
Chlorella
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Dandelions
Eggplant
Garlic
Green Beans
Kale
Kelp
Kohlrabi
Leeks
Lettuce
Lima Beans
Mushrooms
Mustard Greens
Okra
Olives
Onions
Parsnip
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radish
Rhubarb
Rutabagas
Spinach
Spirulina
Sweet Potatoes
Swiss Chard
Turnip
Watercress
Wheat Grass
Yams
Zucchini

Alkaline-Forming Fruits (all fresh, not processed or canned)
Apple
Apricot
Avocado
Banana
Blackberries
Boysenberries
Cantaloupe
Cherries
Coconut
Currants
Grapefruit
Grapes
Honeydew Melon
Kiwi Fruit
Lemon
Limes
Mangos
Muskmelons
Nectarine
Olives (green)
Orange
Papayas
Peaches
Pears
Pineapples
Raisins
Raspberries
Rhubarb
Strawberries
Tangerine
Tomato
Watermelon

Alkaline Forming Nuts, Seeds & Grains
Almonds
Buckwheat
Cashews
Chestnuts
Cumin Seeds
Fennel Seeds
Flax Seeds
Lentils
Macadamia
Millet
Pecans
Pumpkin Seeds
Sesame Seeds
Sunflower Seeds
Walnuts

Alkaline Forming Spices & Seasonings
Chili Pepper
Cinnamon
Curry
Ginger
Herbs
Sea Salt
Soy Sauce

Other Alkaline Forming Foods
Stevia
Olive Oil

Worst Acid Forming Foods (These “foods” should be limited or avoided)
There are many acid-forming foods (mainly all the unnatural, man-made “foods”) but these are the worst of the worst.
Alcohol
Artificial Sweeteners
Cakes/Pastries
Dairy Products (cheese, ice cream, milk shakes, yogurt etc)
Flour (white)
Juice (sugar-filled)
Meats (including fish, chicken, turkey etc)
Pasta
Salt (use Sea Salt)
Soda
Sugar

Was surprised to see tomatoes on the list. If you suffer from joint problems I recommend cutting them out too for a while, just to see.

12 Top Nutrients For A Healthy Heart

2011-11-23T12:52:00.006+00:00

12 Top Nutrients For A Healthy Heart

By Tony Isaacs - tbyil.com

The heart is our most important and most active muscle. In addition to the benefits for the heart of having a healthy active lifestyle and eating a healthy diets, there are several key herbs, minerals vitamins and other nutritional items which can provide great boosts for heart health.

Here are 12 of the best:

1. Cayenne. Sometimes referred to as the “King of Herbs”, cayenne is one of the most powerful heart-healthy substances. It strengthens, stimulates, and tones the heart, balances circulation and blood pressure, and calms palpitations. Due to its fiery punch, you may want to start small and work your way up to larger amounts of powder or extract added to juice.

2. Hawthorn. Along with cayenne, hawthorn was one of famed herbalist Dr. Christopher’s favorite herbs for the heart. Hawthorn is rich in flavonoids that protect small capillary vessels from free-radical damage. It normalizes blood pressure, lowers cholesterol and fat deposits in the liver and aorta and helps conditions such as angina, arrhythmia, arteriosclerosis, blood clots, and hypertension. Though it may take months to realize hawthorn’s full benefits, often a dropper of hawthorn berry extract will settle irregular heartbeats in short order.

3. Magnesium. Magnesium helps prevent heart attacks, regulates high blood pressure and helps ease heart arrhythmia, in addition to having a great many other vital health benefits. Thanks to today’s SAD diet and mineral depleted soils, it is estimated that anywhere from 80 to 95 percent of us are deficient in magnesium.

4. Co-Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10). CoQ10 is an essential primary heart protector. Notably, statin drugs interfere with the liver’s production of CoQ10 from selenium. Also, the most common side effect of statin drugs is muscle pain and damage – and remember, the heart is our most vital muscle.

5. Selenium. The mineral selenium is essential for the body’s natural production of CoQ10.

6. Silica. It was noted over a half century ago that the mineral silicon was abundant in healthy hearts and deficient in diseased hearts and heart vessels. Silicon is responsible for both the strength and elasticity of cardiovascular tissue. It is a semiconductor that is involved in nervous system message transmissions and is likely important for the heart’s electrical functions.

7. Vitamin D3. Abundant evidence now points to the numerous cardioprotective functions of vitamin D. Restoring vitamin D to normal levels has been found to help reduce inflammation, normalize blood pressure, and improve insulin sensitivity – all factors that reduce heart disease risk.

8. Iodine. In 1933, Dr. Kenneth Turner of Harvard Medical School conducted a series of experiments with rabbits which demonstrated that iodine could prevent atherosclerosis in rabbits even when they were fed horribly unhealthy diets. Iodine is also an essential co-factor for selenium.

9. Garlic. Several studies have shown that a clove a day of garlic inhibits bad cholesterol (LDL) production and raises the good kind (HDL). Smaller trials have also indicated that garlic helps normalize blood pressure, prevent blood platelet aggregation, and improve circulation.

10. Vitamin C. Linus Pauling protege’ Dr. Matthias Rath determined that heart disease is an early form of sailor’s scurvy, which is caused by weakening of the arterial walls due to a deficiency in Vitamin C. Vitamin C induces the natural repair of the blood vessel wall in cardiovascular disease, which can lead to a halt in progression – and even to natural regression – of vascular lesions.

11. Motherwort. Traditionally used to treat a racing heart caused by nervous tension, long-term use of this herbal sedative may reduce the formation of clotting factors, lower total cholesterol and triglycerides, and strengthen the heart muscle. Motherwort is typically consumed as a prepared tea throughout the day.

12. Cacao. A natural source of heart-healthy theobromine, cacao also contains the flavonal epicatechin, which improves blood vessel function.

via wakeup-world.com

Natural Pain Killers

2011-11-22T10:04:00.001+00:00

Natural pain killers
Many who suffer from problems of restlessness, decreased immunity, depression and anxiety can consume these natural pain killers, which are as effective as medical drugs.

Fish oil: Fish contains two essential omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid and decosahexaenoic acid. These can help block the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body, known as cytokines and leukotrienes. Researchers have established that eating about 3 g of fish fats a day can relieve of joint pain, inflammation, and stiffness associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Fish oil can also help reduce the severity of Crohn's disease and these patients can stop consuming anti-inflammatory medications and steroids.

Olive oil: This is a natural chemical with anti-inflammatory properties like ibuprofen. Oleocanthal is the natural ingredient in this oil. 50 g of extra virgin olive oil is comparable to about 10% of ibuprofen dose recommended for adult pain relief.

Tart cherries: Researchers of Michigan State University opine that eating about 20 tart cherries may relieve pain better than aspirin. These cherries exhibit antioxidant properties comparable to vitamin E. Anthocyanins which is found in cherries inhibited cyclooxygenase-1 and 2 enzymes, which are the targets of anti inflammatory drugs at doses more than ten times lower than aspirin. Arthritis and gout can be controlled by daily consumption of cherries.

Saliva: This is found to generate a natural pain killer six times stronger than morphine. Human saliva is similar to opiorphin and it acts as a natural pain killer far better than the traditional drug morphine which has addictive and psychosomatic side effects.

White willow bark: This decreases pain by blocking the production of prostaglandins which can get inflamed. White willow bark is effective to reduce fever, and relieves pain similar to aspirin especially chronic headaches. Conventionally, white willow bark is safer than aspirin and other synthetically derived salicylate based anti inflammatory drugs. There are no contraindications and serious side-effects reported in the use of willow bark. An effective relief from headache, toothache, backache and even arthritis can be had by this wonder herb. Yet, it is advised that people with gastritis and ulcers need to avoid use of white willow bark.

Methyl sylphonyl methane: MSM is a naturally occurring sulfur compound. This is a powerful painkiller and anti-inflammatory and anti spasmodic and analgesic. The tradition of pain impulses is inhibited by the use of MSM. In a study conducted at the UCLA School of Medicine in the US, it was found that about 80% pain control was achieved within six weeks in degenerative arthritis patients by using MSM. Glucosamine and chondroitin are the nutritional supplements in MSM and they can significantly help reduce arthritis pain. In Europe, oral glucosamine is a commonly used pain killer and is even approved as a prescription drug.

Boswellia: This is an Indian herb and is very effective for both chronic and minor pains. Boswellia acid is the active ingredient in Boswellia and it is more potent and less toxic than many of the standard anti-inflammatory drugs. Boswellia is available both as a supplement and as a topical cream. It has no adverse effects. Boswellia is also known as frankincense.

Devil's claw: This herb is native to South Africa and it is best known for alleviating back pain and arthritis. The iridoid glycosides in this herb produce analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Devil's claw also helps to decrease pain and is effective for osteoarthritis, but with much lesser side effects. However, people with gastric ulcers should not consume devil's claw as it increases the production of gastric acid.

Curcumin: This spice of life is a compound found in turmeric which is a powerful painkiller known to block inflammatory proteins and enhance the ability of the body to suppress inflammation. Curcumin decreases inflammation by reducing prostaglandin activity. It improves absorption and it can be consumed with equal amounts of bromelain which is an anti inflammatory enzyme found in pineapples.

Arnica: This centuries old remedy comes from the bright yellow arnica flower which is found in the alpine meadows of Europe. It decreases inflammation and is an immune system booster. Tropical arnica soothes pain and restores joint function just as well as ibuprofen. It is also ideal for sprains, bruises, strains and in postoperative healing.

Ginger: This is a flavorful root that contains enzymes that inhabit the production of inflammatory compounds. For acute pain 2 g of grounded dehydrated ginger daily in three divided doses should help. For chronic conditions 1 g daily in three divided doses should do the trick.

Feverfew: For long term relief from headaches, feverfew should be ideal. A member of the sunflower family, this relaxes the blood vessels in the brain and prevents them from constricting which is a primary cause of migraine.

Natural oils: A whole gamut of natural oils like almond, eucalyptus, peppermint, wintergreen, camphor, spearmint and olive help to deliver fast and effective way to relieve pain at the spot of concentration. These topical applications of pure ingredients will penetrate deeply and focus on the cause of pain without having to breakdown the chemicals that prescription pain relievers contain.

via targetwoman.com

A useful list of natural ways to reduce pain.

Spices Stop Blood Clots Better Than Drugs

2011-11-07T11:58:00.001+00:00

Spices do a whole lot more than liven up food. Research has found that the active ingredients in several common spices can help keep you alive by preventing platelet aggregation and blood clot formation up to 29 times better than aspirin, offering a much safer alternative to anti-clotting drugs such as Plavix. And they do it without side effects.

Scientists in India have done extensive testing to determine the health benefits of spices traditionally used in Indian cuisine. The latest research to come from the Central Food Technological Research Institute evaluated the effect of the active principle spice compounds eugenol, capsaicin, piperine, quercetin, curcumin, cinnamaldehyde, and allyl sulphide on human platelet aggregation. They demonstrated that each compound evaluated was able to significantly inhibit blood clotting. Furthermore, the compounds performed their anti-platelet aggregation activity against several different factors that promote the clotting of blood.

Eugenol and capsaicin were found to be the most potent inhibitors of induced platelet aggregation. This ability was shown by the other tested compounds too in the declining order of curcumin, cinnamaldehyde, piperine, allyl sulphide, and quercetin. Eugenol was found to be 29-fold more potent than aspirin in inhibiting ararachidonic acid induced human platelet aggregation. Both eugenol and capsaicin inhibited production of clotting factors in a dose-dependent manner.

Cardiovascular disease and inflammation often go hand in hand. Earlier research by this team of scientists found that eugenol was highly effective at inhibiting inflammatory conditions in humans.

Spices are powerful medicines

Eugenol is the active compound that gives cloves their aroma. It is also found in cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon balm. Eugenol is also used medicinally as a local antiseptic and analgesic. It has antioxidant and pain relieving properties.

Spicing up food with cloves or other spices containing eugenol is best way to get this active compound into your diet. Eugenol is also available as essential oil for use in lotion and massage oil, or as aromatherapy in diffusers. Extracted eugenol should not be consumed internally.

Capsaicin is the active compound in hot peppers and the one that creates the heat. It is found in hot sauce, chili peppers, or as cayenne pepper. Aside from reducing platelet aggregation, capsaicin has a distinguished history as a cancer fighter through its ability to make cancer cells die. It is particularly effective against prostate and other hormone dependent cancers. Capsaicin sooths the digestive tract and may be a cure for inflammatory bowel disease. Eating chili peppers has been shown to protect against the effects of aspirin on the stomach.

Capsaicin protects the heart through other mechanisms besides inhibition of platelet aggregation. It reduces cholesterol and triglycerides, and has been shown able to dissolve fibrin, another action through which it can protect against blood clots. Cultures around the world that use hot peppers liberally have significantly lower rates of heart attack and stroke than cultures that do not.

Getting red pepper into the diet is easy. It is often kept on kitchen tables in the form of hot sauce, and sprinkled on meat, fish, side dishes, and snacks. Hot sauce is a natural accompaniment to Mexican and many other foods. Chili made with fresh tomatoes and hot peppers offers the two major players against prostate cancer in one meal. Even a simple bowl of beans gets up to dance when hot sauce is added.

For anyone wanting a quantifiable amount of capsaicin, there are capsules available.

Curcumin is one of the best known herbal healers. It is the active ingredient in turmeric, one of the staples of Indian cooking. Turmeric has been used for centuries to help treat health conditions and is also a tradition in Chinese medicine. It has recently been shown to strengthen and order cell membranes, making cells more resistant to infection and malignancy. Turmeric treats digestive issues, arthritis, menstrual problems, and liver and gallbladder issues. It is one of the best natural pain relievers and has shown to be more effective at relieving pain that NSAIDS such as ibuprofen, without side effects. Turmeric also offers strong defense against colitis.

While curcumin is preventing blood clot formation, it is also preventing the oxidation of cholesterol, offering protection against blood vessel damage and plaque build up that can lead to heart attack and cancer. There is even mounting evidence that curcumin can keep away neurodegenerative disease through its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and act as an antioxidant.

via wakeup-world.com

Can Tea Reduce Anxiety Levels?

2011-10-12T17:31:00.002+01:00

Theanine (L-theanine) which is found in tea leaves may reduce anxiety and improve attention and the ability to focus in people who have high anxiety levels. Japanese researchers reported these findings in a recent issue of the Journal Of Functional Food.
Theanine is an amino acid that has a chemical structure similar to glutamate, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in memory. Previous studies have shown that theanine can pass through the blood-brane barrier and thus can have a direct impact on the brain.
In a new current study university students were broken up into two groups. One group had high anxiety levels and the other had low. Both groups were given water or water plus 200mg of L-thanine per 100mg water. The test was conducted repeatedly and evaluations were done between 15 and 60 minutes after the students ingested the water or water plus theanine.
Results indicated that students who were highly anxious and who received theanine had a slowed heart rate, improved attention and a better reaction time when compared with high-anxiety students who took the placebo. Students with low anxiety did not experience any significant benefit from taking theanine.
The authors of this research noted that unlike other conventional treatments for anxiety, theanine does not cause drowsiness, impair concentration or slow down reflexes. Rather, 200mg of thanine enhanced performance in visual attention tasks and reaction time responses among the subjects with high anxiety propensity symptoms.

via mentalhealthy.co.uk

Just shows we English have had it right all along. Crisis strikes, have a nice cup of tea :)

Yoga boosts stress-busting hormone, reduces pain, study finds

2011-07-31T11:57:00.001+01:00

The study is the first to look at the effects of yoga on cortisol levels in women with fibromyalgia. The condition, which predominantly affects women, is characterized by chronic pain and fatigue; common symptoms include muscle stiffness, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal discomfort, anxiety and depression.

Previous research has found that women with fibromyalgia have lower-than-average cortisol levels, which contribute to pain, fatigue and stress sensitivity. According to the study, participants' saliva revealed elevated levels of total cortisol following a program of 75 minutes of hatha yoga twice weekly over the course of eight weeks.

via sciencedaily.com

"Yoga promotes this concept -- that we are not our bodies, our experiences, or our pain. This is extremely useful in the management of pain," she says. "Moreover, our findings strongly suggest that psychological changes in turn affect our experience of physical pain."

This alone should be a good enough reason to practise yoga twice weekly.

Looking to the Dietary Gods: Eating Well According to the Ancients

2011-07-13T09:47:00.001+01:00

By eating well, we can be proud and transparent, rather than secretly uncomfortable. For starters, by eating more naturally (protein-dense, appropriate portions), we reduce our footprint—the amount we ask of the world to give us. By caring about the quality of what we ingest, we opt out of brutal factory farming and toxic industrial agriculture—keeping excessive blood off our hands. And by eating locally, we support small businesses and entrepreneurs instead of corporate behemoths who have few qualms about poisoning and fattening us (by doing the same to their “product”) if it means greater profits.

via fourhourworkweek.com

Makes perfect sense. The full article is definitely worth a read.

Anneli Rufus - Why Prescription Ecstasy or LSD Could Happen Much Sooner Than You Think

2011-07-07T09:10:00.001+01:00

Research to the rescue. High-tech brain scans reveal that psilocybin inhibits blood flow in parts of the brain that regulate sensory input. Less blood flow means less regulation. Flooded with perceptions, a psilocybinized brain can help PTSD patients reprogram their fears, Doblin says. New tools also provide new insight into LSD's ego-dissolving "catharsis effect." And the ecstasy chemistry: MDMA reduces blood flow in the fear-processing amygdala while increasing blood flow in the prefrontal cortex, which facilitates our ability to put things into context.
"With MDMA, the fear circuitry is reduced," Doblin explains. This helps PTSD patients remember and re-examine long-buried aspects of their traumas. Aided by MDMA, "these memories don't immediately go straight to fear." Say you were traumatized by a bat-wielding, red-hatted assailant. Under MDMA, "the neural pathways connecting bats, red hats and fear are not so strong." Recontextualized in an MDMA-activated prefrontal cortex, triggers lose their power -- sometimes forever, he says.

"Under the influence of MDMA, people can make emotional changes that persist after the MDMA is out of their systems." On MDMA, "you operate on this much smoother level, and then you lose it -- but not all of it. You get so much material from that experience, which you can learn to integrate."

This doesn't mean you can recover by hitting a few raves. A key theme of the medical-psychedelics movement is that it's medical. These drugs are so strong and long-lasting that, for clinical use, Doblin says they must be administered in "a safe, supportive, controlled setting" overseen by professionals.

via integral-options.blogspot.com

This is really good news, I just hope it comes to fruition. Enough mind altering drugs are used anyway so why not use some clinically that may actually have some long lasting positive effects.

Mindfulness meditation training changes brain structure in eight weeks

2011-07-05T15:16:00.001+01:00

Participating in an 8-week mindfulness meditation program appears to make measurable changes in brain regions associated with memory, sense of self, empathy and stress. In a study that will appear in the January 30 issue of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, a team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers report the results of their study, the first to document meditation-produced changes over time in the brain's grey matter.

"Although the practice of meditation is associated with a sense of peacefulness and physical relaxation, practitioners have long claimed that meditation also provides cognitive and psychological benefits that persist throughout the day," says Sara Lazar, PhD, of the MGH Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program, the study's senior author. "This study demonstrates that changes in brain structure may underlie some of these reported improvements and that people are not just feeling better because they are spending time relaxing."

via sciencedaily.com

An excellent article with supporting research for those who need even more convincing that meditation is a worthwhile practice.

Bananas and Blood Pressure - Do Bananas Lower Blood Pressure - RealAge

2011-06-30T21:35:00.001+01:00

Cheap and plentiful year-round, bananas are bursting with potassium. And a review of several major studies suggests that people who add the potassium equivalent of an extra 1 1/2 to 2 bananas to their day could drop their blood pressure 2 to 3 points.

More Points for Potassium
Dropping BP by 2 or 3 points is nothing to sneeze at. In fact, it's enough to lower stroke risk. In other research, people with the highest potassium intake levels cut their stroke risk by a whopping 38 percent compared with the people who got the least potassium. This magical mineral works by encouraging your kidneys to filter more pressure-boosting sodium out of your bloodstream. It also helps tiny blood vessels relax and makes pressure sensors in artery walls function more efficiently.

via realage.com

Even people who generally don't like fruit make an exception with bananas, so there really is no excuse...

Nutrition: Sweet Potato (A Paleo Exception) - Explore Fitness

2011-06-20T09:38:00.002+01:00

The sweet potato is a moderate GI (glycaemic index) carbohydrate and is very high in Vitamin A (a fat-soluble antioxidant). Vitamin A (beta-carotene) is what gives sweet potatoes the rich orange colour (some sweet potatoes are purple in colour).
To maximise absorption of vitamin A ensure you have adequate fat with your meal to ensure the body is better able to utilise this antioxidant.
Interestingly a study several years ago of 10,000 Finnish smokers found that those with higher levels of Vitamin A (beta-carotene) in the blood had a lower incidence of lung cancer. This was only the case with Vitamin A from natural sources though, not that coming from synthetic vitamin supplementation where lung cancer rates where actually found to be higher! [1] Another reason to stick to natural sources for antioxidants!
In Loren Cordain's book "Paleo Diet For Athletes" the sweet potato is also considered as one of the better options for recovery from extended endurance work. This book goes into great detail of nutrition for pre-, during and post-activity.
The sweet potato also includes Vitamin C, E, B6 - the micronutrients manganese, copper and traces of potassium and iron. Anthocyanin is a colour related pigment which studies have shown to have anti-inflammatory properties another property supporting one's recovery from activity.[2]
Here's a recipe for Sweet Potato Chips (using coconut oil for adequate fat intake).

via thefitnessexplorer.com

Excellent alternative to potatoes, especially if you are avoiding the deadly nightshade family because of joint pain.

Olive oil 'helps prevent stroke' - BBC News

2011-06-18T07:49:00.002+01:00

Olive oil can help prevent strokes in people over 65, a study suggests.
Researchers followed around 7,000 people aged 65 and over living in three French cities, for at least five years.
They found those who used a lot of olive oil in cooking or as a dressing or dip had a lower risk of stroke than those who never used it.
The researchers say older people should be given new dietary advice regarding olive oil, based on the findings, which are published in the journal Neurology

via bbc.co.uk

Good to see at last commonsense healthy eating is being researched and verified.

Lose Weight by Eating 30 Grams of Protein Within 30 Minutes of Waking

2011-06-07T11:54:00.003+01:00

So says Tim Ferris in his book The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman. He says if you do only that you will lose weight easily. So with that in mind I have compiled a list of high protein foods to try it out.

High Protein Foods

1. Dry Roasted Soybeans - have a massive 39.6 grams of protein in 100 grams.

2. Lean Beef - 36 grams per 100 gram serving. A small fillet steak should do it.

3. Cheese - Although they vary, hard cheeses like parmesan have the highest protein and the softer the lowest, if you opt for a medium cheese you will get roughly 30 grams in a 100 gram portion.

4. Roasted Pumpkin Seeds - 33 grams per 100 grams.

5. Chicken - 32.8 grams in 100 grams, that's about 27 grams in half an average breast.

6. Tuna - 30 grams for every 100 grams.

7. Salmon - 27 grams for the same amount.

8. Fish Roe - 28 grams per 100 grams. And though caviar, for some reason, only rates at 24, would be a nice excuse to indulge :)

9. Marmite - weighs in at 27 grams per 100 grams though you'd need to eat about 50 teaspoons of the stuff. Moving on...

10. Lobster - 26.4 per 100 grams.

11. Peanuts - 23.7 per 100 grams. And oddly lentils are 25.8 raw though only 9 when cooked. Hmm.

12. Almonds, Pistachios, Sunflower Seeds - All 21 grams per 100g.

13. Flax and Sesame Seeds - 18 grams per 100g.

14. Tofu - 17 grams per 100g.

15. Eggs - 13 grams per 100g. You'd need two eggs for that.

My goat milk yoghurt says an average serving of 150 grams gives 8.3 grams of protein so may try combining with some ground nuts and seeds to make that up.

Also going to investigate protein shakes and bars. Will report back on those later.

And if it all gets too much may try just cutting out the 5 foods you should never eat to lose weight as explained in this brilliant video.

Let me know your thoughts, or results, in the comments.

Happy Birthday Soph

2010-07-30T18:00:00.004+01:00

Am so proud of you. Proud to be your mother. Proud to see how well you're doing.

It's been a long road. We're both still here and relatively sane.

Say no more.

:) x

Sunrise - Music To Lift Depression

2010-03-30T05:33:00.004+01:00

Ok, so it's my birthday (yay!) and today is also the release date of my new album.

This album means a lot to me, and in time I'm sure I'll write an article explaining why. Meanwhile here is the title track of Sunrise - Music To Lift Depression featuring my favourite sunrise photos taken from my very own balcony here on the beach.

Enjoy :)

Buy the Album, Sunrise - Music To Lift Depression HERE!

09/09/09

2009-09-09T21:13:00.002+01:00

God is in the spaces in between.

Birthday Reflections

2009-03-30T23:58:00.001+01:00

Sitting here wondering if too much fuss made on your birthday when you're young makes you feel miserable as you get older when less attention is paid to you. Or is it just that each year highlights how old you are getting which adds to the misery?

Either way I used to look forward to them and now I don't. I hate myself on that day, for feeling so sad. I really don't think any amount of attention would change that, in fact the more fuss made the worse I might feel. Though don't quote me on that and ignore it at your peril. I'm not grown up enough yet not to hold grudges...

As it turns out just looking at these thoughts today has turned it all around and for the first time I feel fairly philosophical about the whole thing.

I don't feel any pressure to feel happy today and yet I do.

That's quite neat :)

Happy Birthday me and well done for no tears today. A step closer to being a real grown up?

Nicola Quinn's Health Blog

7 Vital Facts You Need To Know About Adrenal Fatigue

1. Caffeine slows down the processing of the hormones secreted by our adrenal glands.

2. Chronic stress levels lead to a depletion of magnesium.

3. The adrenal hormones are made from cholesterol.

4. We need an abundant supply of B vitamins, cholesterol, and minerals to make the adrenal hormones.

5. Lack of sleep increases the production of adrenal stress hormones.

6. Diets high in sugar lead to increased production of the adrenal stress hormones.

7. Adding a stress-reducing practice can lessen the strain on your adrenals.

Anxiety and Leaky Gut

Anxiety and Diet: Is Your Food Making You More Anxious?

160 Uses for Coconut Oil

How to Quit Smoking

9 Common Indian Spices That Prevent Cancer

10 Ways to Center Your Life Around Happiness -

Grape Seed Extract Targets and Kills Cancer Cells and Leaves Healthy Cells Unharmed

Alkaline-Forming Foods List: How to Eat to Help Cure Diseases

How Your Blood’s pH Balance Relates to Diseases

About the List

Alkaline-Forming Vegetables (All fresh, not processed or canned)

Alkaline-Forming Fruits (all fresh, not processed or canned)

Alkaline Forming Nuts, Seeds & Grains

Alkaline Forming Spices & Seasonings

Other Alkaline Forming Foods

Worst Acid Forming Foods (These “foods” should be limited or avoided)

12 Top Nutrients For A Healthy Heart

12 Top Nutrients For A Healthy Heart

Natural Pain Killers

Spices Stop Blood Clots Better Than Drugs

Can Tea Reduce Anxiety Levels?

Yoga boosts stress-busting hormone, reduces pain, study finds

Looking to the Dietary Gods: Eating Well According to the Ancients

Anneli Rufus - Why Prescription Ecstasy or LSD Could Happen Much Sooner Than You Think

Mindfulness meditation training changes brain structure in eight weeks

Bananas and Blood Pressure - Do Bananas Lower Blood Pressure - RealAge

Nutrition: Sweet Potato (A Paleo Exception) - Explore Fitness

Olive oil 'helps prevent stroke' - BBC News

Lose Weight by Eating 30 Grams of Protein Within 30 Minutes of Waking

Happy Birthday Soph

Sunrise - Music To Lift Depression

09/09/09

Birthday Reflections