Only 4 in 10 Eat Heart-Healthy Nuts Daily: CDC

Heart Health Center

Only 4 in 10 Eat Heart-Healthy Nuts Daily: CDC

Even fewer consume an amount thought to help curb heart disease, study found

WebMD News from HealthDay

By EJ Mundell

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- 

Nutrition experts advocate including nuts in a heart-healthy diet, but a new study finds that about 60 percent of Americans don't consume these foods on a daily basis.

The study, released Dec. 17 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the NCHS Data Brief, found that about 38 percent of American adults ate nuts each day, usually in the form of the nuts themselves or in the form of peanut butter or other "nut butters."

The ideal level of consumption is about an ounce-and-a-half of nuts -- equal to about 240 calories -- according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines on reducing heart disease.

However, in 2009-2010, the years the new study was conducted, only about 14 percent of men and 12 percent of women reached that level of consumption, the researchers found.

"Improved diet quality and overall health have been associated with nut and seed consumption. However, according to new population-based data, American diets are lacking," said Danielle Staub, a nutritionist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

The new study "tells us that as a population, we should be regularly consuming more whole nuts and seeds as part of a well-balanced, heart-healthy diet," said Staub, who was not involved in the new research.

The CDC report was led by Samara Joy Nielsen of the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Her team looked at 2009-2010 data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.

The investigators found that women were more likely to consume nuts on a daily basis than men, and whites were more likely to consume the foods compared to blacks or Hispanics.

"Improved nutrient intake and diet quality have been shown to be associated with nut consumption," the study authors wrote. And, "because nuts and seeds are calorie-dense and high in protein, small portions can be eaten as a replacement for other protein foods. Nut consumption has also been associated with decreased obesity,cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes."

In 2003, the FDA also released a statement that the "scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease."

For the purpose of the study, the CDC definition of "nuts" included everything from peanuts, peanut butter and cashews to pumpkin seeds and sesame paste, among many others.

Another nutrition expert agreed that nuts have a place in a heart-healthy diet.

"Nuts are a terrific source of both healthy unsaturated fats and plant-based protein," said Dana White, clinical associate professor of athletic training and sports medicine at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn.

"They are easy to eat and take on the go for a hunger-fighting snack," she said. "In addition to snacking, I also like to use nuts in my cooking. Adding nuts to smoothies, salads and making homemade nut butters are just a few of the ways we utilize them in my house."

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Changing Our DNA through Mind Control?

Changing Our DNA through Mind Control?

A study finds meditating cancer patients are able to affect the makeup of their DNA

December 16, 2014 |By Bret Stetka

Mindfulness can help 
Credit: Thinkstock

“I think, therefore I am” is perhaps the most familiar one-liner in western philosophy. Even if the stoners, philosophers and quantum mechanically-inclined skeptics who believe we’re living an illusion are right, few existential quips hit with such profound, approachable simplicity.  The only catch is that in Descartes’ opinion, “we” – our thoughts, our personalities, our “minds” – are mostly divorced from our bodies.

The polymathic Frenchman and other dualist philosophers proposed that while the mind exerts control over our physical interaction with the world, there is a clear delineation between body and mind; that our material forms are simply temporary housing for our immaterial souls. But centuries of science argue against a corporeal crash pad. The body and mind appear inextricably linked. And findings from a new study published in Cancer by a Canadian group suggest that our mental state has measurable physical influence on us – more specifically on our DNA.

Lead investigator Dr. Linda E. Carlson and her colleagues found that in breast cancer patients, support group involvement and mindfulness meditation – an adapted form of Buddhist meditation in which practitioners focus on present thoughts and actions in a non-judgmental way, ignoring past grudges and future concerns -- are associated with preserved telomere length. Telomeres are stretches of DNA that cap our chromosomes and help prevent chromosomal deterioration -- biology professors often liken them to the plastic tips on shoelaces. Shortened telomeres aren't known to cause a specific disease per se, but they do whither with age and are shorter in people with cancer, diabetes, heart disease and high stress levels. We want our telomeres intact.

In Carlson’s study distressed breast cancer survivors were divided into three groups. The first group was randomly assigned to an 8-week cancer recovery program consisting of mindfulness meditation and yoga; the second to 12-weeks of group therapy in which they shared difficult emotions and fostered social support; and the third was a control group, receiving just a 6-hour stress management course. A total of 88 women completed the study and had their blood analyzed for telomere length before and after the interventions. Telomeres were maintained in both treatment groups but shortened in controls.

Previous work hinted at this association. A study led by diet and lifestyle guru Dr. Dean Ornish from 2008 reported that the combination of a vegan diet, stress management, aerobic exercise and participation in a support group for 3 months resulted in increased telomerase activity in men with prostate cancer, telomerase being the enzyme that maintains telomeres by adding DNA to the ends of our chromosomes. More recent work looking at meditation reported similar findings. And though small and un-randomized, a 2013 follow up study by Ornish, again looking at prostate cancer patients, found that lifestyle interventions are associated with longer telomeres.

The biologic benefits of meditation in particular extend well beyond telomere preservation. Earlier work by Carlson found that in cancer patients, mindfulness is associated with healthier levels of the stress hormone cortisol and a decrease in compounds that promote inflammation. Moreover, as she points out, “generally healthy people in a work-based mindfulness stress reduction program have been shown to produce higher antibody titers to the flu vaccine than controls, and there has been promising work looking at the effects of mindfulness in HIV and diabetes.” Past findings also show that high stress increases the risk of viral infections – including the common cold – as well as depression and cardiovascular disease.

The therapeutic potential of the mind-body intersect is well-known. Biofeedback – in which sensor-clad patients learn awareness of and control over various physiologic functions – has been around for decades and is used to treat pain, headache, high blood pressure and sleep problems, among numerous other conditions. And of course there’s the placebo effect, the complicated yet very real psychobiological benefit achieved from a patient’s expectations of a treatment rather than the treatment itself.

Though optimistic that meditative and social approaches are mental means toward better physical, and not just psychologic well-being, Carlson rightly hedges. “The meaning of the maintenance of telomere length in this study is unknown. However, I think that processing difficult emotions is important for both emotional and physical health, and this can be done both through group support with emotional expression, and through mindfulness meditation practice,” she says.

Carlson wonders if mentally-rooted telomeric changes are long-lasting, if the same patterns would hold true in other cancers and conditions, and what the effects of mental intervention would be if offered at the time of diagnosis and treatment – all questions she hopes to pursue.

According to a report published by Harvard Medical School in 2011, 6.3 million Americans were using mind-body therapies at the advice of conventional doctors – a surprisingly high number that has surely since grown. Still, prescription meditation – especially in the interest of physical health -- is far from the norm in Western medicine. And it remains unclear whether or not preserved telomeres actually prolong survival in cancer patients; or in anyone for that matter. But stress reduction in the interest of chromosomal preservation, and other possible health benefits, seems like a pursuit even a 17th Century dualist philosopher could get behind.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S)

Bret Stetka is an Editorial Director at Medscape (a subsidiary of WebMD) and a freelance health, science and food writer. He received his MD in 2005 from the University of Virginia and writes regularly for Wired Magazine about brains, genomics and sometimes both. Follow Bret on Twitter @BretStetka

Are you a scientist who specializes in neuroscience, cognitive science, or psychology? And have you read a recent peer-reviewed paper that you would like to write about? Please send suggestions to Mind Matters editor Gareth Cook. Gareth, a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, is the series editor of Best American Infographics and can be reached at garethideas AT gmail.com or Twitter @garethideas.

9 Must Know Facts About Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri)

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9 Must Know Facts About Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri)

Published on April 14, 2014, Last Updated on April 21, 2014

Bacopa monnieri, a plant commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine, has an age-old reputation for being an effective and powerful herb helpful for memory and combating stress. Bacopa monnieri, known to most as Brahmi, acts as an adaptogen; which means it helps the body adapt to new or stressful situations. The following 9 facts show the power and versatility of this therapeutic plant.

1. Supports the Brain

As people age, it’s common for age-related brain degradation to happen. The active compounds in Brahmi, known as bacosides, are beginning to be evaluated for their effects on the brain and human health. Some research has shown the compounds in Brahmi topositively influence brain cells that prompt the regeneration of brain tissue. ^[1] In one animal study, long-term supplementation with bacosides showed therapeutic value against therapid degeneration associated with Alzheimer’s disease. ^[2] Hopefully more will continue to explore its potential benefits for brain health.

2. Promotes Liver Health

The brain is not the only organ that benefits from Brahmi’s health-promoting compounds. The liver is the body’s main detoxifying organ, and studies suggest Brahmi may be useful for encouraging liver function following toxin damage. ^[3]With the daily onslaught of toxins in our environment and food, it’s no wonder so many seek safe, natural compounds that support proper liver function.

3. Protection Against Neonatal Hypoglycemia

When it comes to newborn infants, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) can result in serious and immediate brain damage, inducing future motor and cognitive impairment. Studies have found bacosides to be highly-active compounds that exhibit neuron-protecting effects in hypoglycemic infants. Therefore, many researchers believe that Brahmi extracts may be effective for protecting newborn brains against hypoglycemia-induced brain damage. ^[4]

4. Positively Impacts Opioid Dependence

Doctors prescribe (and sometimes over-prescribe) opioids, like morphine and oxycodone, for pain management. Although these drugs are effective, their highly-addictive nature is a massive downside. Seventy-seven percent of chronic pain patients also suffer from depression and face an added risk of addiction. Researchers have discovered that bacosides may be helpful for enhancing the benefits of morphine while reducing the “high”, thus decreasing the risk for dependence. ^[5] [6] In addition, studies indicate that bacosides offer protective benefits for organs commonly affected by opiate toxicity. ^[7]

5. Fights Systemic Redness and Swelling

Any illness or irritation can cause redness and swelling in the body. No location more dangerous than the brain. Brahmi may be helpful at fighting this. Research supports its use for managing systemic redness in the brain caused by the body’s autoimmune response . ^[8]Much of the research is ongoing; however, the emerging data offers hope for new therapies in the treatment of chronic discomfort and redness.

6. Encourages Normal Blood Pressure

Brahmi has been shown to increase the utilization of nitric oxide in the body and also appears to encourage vascular muscle function, two benefits that positively influence normal blood pressure. ^[9] While promoting normal blood pressure is not one of Brahmi’s most well-known uses, the herb may still provide a valuable, natural approach to those seeking this benefit.

7. Strong Antioxidant Activity

Antioxidants… can we get too many of them? Many researchers are evaluating natural plants, herbs, and foods for their antioxidant potential and findings indicate that Brahmi is a good one. It provides protection against oxidative damage, a type of cellular damage caused by free radicals. ^[10] The herb has also been shown to enhance antioxidant activity in other organs, like the kidneys. ^[11]

8. Organic is Best…

As with any plant or herb, it’s a good idea to know its source in order to decrease the likelihood of consuming pesticides, GMO’s, and pollutants. If Brahmi has a caveat, it’s that it’s very absorbent and can easily accumulate pollutants and other contaminants, such as arsenic, if grown in or around contaminated areas. In more than one case, Brahmi samples taken from a semi-urban area contained noticeable levels of lead, copper, cadmium, and zinc which exceeded safe thresholds. ^[12] [13] Conclusion? Only purchase organic or wild crafted Brahmi!

9. …And so is Fresh!

When cooking with herbs, fresh herbs offer substantial taste benefits. It turns out that the same is true for your health; as researchers have determined that fresh Brahmi is more potent in its healthy compounds. ^[14]

Supplementing with Brahmi

There’s little question that Brahmi is one of the best, all-around tonic herbs available. It also is quite specific in its beneficial effects on brain health. What is your take on Brahmi? Have you ever used it? Leave us a comment and share your experience!

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM

References:

1. Singh RH, Narsimhamurthy K, Singh G. Neuronutrient impact of Ayurvedic Rasayana therapy in brain aging. Biogerontology. 2008 Dec;9(6):369-74. doi: 10.1007/s10522-008-9185-z.
2. Rastogi M, Ojha RP, Prabu PC, Devi BP, Agrawal A, Dubey GP. Prevention of age-associated neurodegeneration and promotion of healthy brain ageing in female Wistar rats by long term use of bacosides. Biogerontology. 2012 Apr;13(2):183-95. doi: 10.1007/s10522-011-9367-y.
3. Menon BR, Rathi MA, Thirumoorthi L, Gopalakrishnan VK. Potential Effect of Bacopa monnieri on Nitrobenzene Induced Liver Damage in Rats. Indian J Clin Biochem. 2010 Oct;25(4):401-4. doi: 10.1007/s12291-010-0048-4.
4. Thomas RB, Joy S, Ajayan MS, Paulose CS. Neuroprotective potential of Bacopa monnieri and Bacoside A against dopamine receptor dysfunction in the cerebral cortex of neonatal hypoglycaemic rats. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2013 Nov;33(8):1065-74. doi: 10.1007/s10571-013-9973-0.
5. Rauf K, Subhan F, Sewell RD. A Bacoside containing Bacopa monnieri extract reduces both morphine hyperactivity plus the elevated striatal dopamine and serotonin turnover.Phytother Res. 2012 May;26(5):758-63. doi: 10.1002/ptr.3631. Epub 2011 Nov 22.
6. Rauf K, Subhan F, Abbas M, Badshah A, Ullah I, Ullah S. Effect of Bacopasides on acquisition and expression of morphine tolerance. Phytomedicine. 2011 Jul 15;18(10):836-42. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2011.01.023.
7. Rauf K, Subhan F, Al-Othman AM, Khan I, Zarrelli A, Shah MR. Preclinical profile of bacopasides from Bacopa monnieri (BM) as an emerging class of therapeutics for management of chronic pains. Curr Med Chem. 2013;20(8):1028-37.
8. Williams R, Münch G, Gyengesi E, Bennett L. Bacopamonnieri (L.) exerts anti-inflammatory effects on cells of the innate immune system in vitro. Food Funct. 2014 Jan 22.
9. Kamkaew N, Scholfield CN, Ingkaninan K, Maneesai P, Parkington HC, Tare M, Chootip K. Bacopa monnieri and its constituents is hypotensive in anaesthetized rats and vasodilator in various artery types. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Sep 1;137(1):790-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.06.045
10. Shinomol GK, Muralidhara. Bacopa monnieri modulates endogenous cytoplasmic and mitochondrial oxidative markers in prepubertal mice brain. Phytomedicine. 2011 Feb 15;18(4):317-26. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2010.08.005.
11. Kapoor R, Srivastava S, Kakkar P. Bacopa monnieri modulates antioxidant responses in brain and kidney of diabetic rats. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2009 Jan;27(1):62-9. doi: 10.1016/j.etap.2008.08.007.
12. Srikanth Lavu RV, Prasad MN, Pratti VL, Meißner R, Rinklebe J, Van De Wiele T, Tack F, Du Laing G. Trace metals accumulation in Bacopa monnieri and their bioaccessibility. Planta Med. 2013 Aug;79(12):1081-3. doi: 10.1055/s-0032-1328713.
13. Kulhari A1, Sheorayan A1, Bajar S2, Sarkar S3, Chaudhury A1, Kalia RK1.Investigation of heavy metals in frequently utilized medicinal plants collected from environmentally diverse locations of north western India. Springerplus. 2013 Dec 17;2:676. doi: 10.1186/2193-1801-2-676.
14. Srivastava P, Raut HN, Puntambekar HM, Desai AC. Stability studies of crude plant material of Bacopa monnieri and quantitative determination of bacopaside I and bacoside A by HPLC. Phytochem Anal. 2012 Sep-Oct;23(5):502-7. doi: 10.1002/pca.2347.

Research: Plants Cure Cancer, Not Chemicals

Research: Plants Cure Cancer, Not Chemicals

Posted on: 

Sunday, December 21st 2014 at 1:45 pm

Written By: 

Sayer Ji, Founder

Unbeknownst to most, a Copernican revolution has already taken place in cancer theory. Today, the weight of evidence indicates that plants and not chemicals are the solution for reversing the global cancer epidemic.

Our understanding of what causes cancer has undergone something akin to a Copernican revolution in the past decade. Biological fatalism has been the predominant force in medicine over the past half century, where most conditions including cancer were believed predestined 'in the genes,' and therefore impossible to reverse. Instead of looking for root cause resolution of disease (RCRD), we resigned ourselves to 'finding it early' and in the case of cancer, when doing so (even when it was benign), we waged war against it, quite literally using weapons grade materials (mustard gas- and nuclear materials-derived agents). Now, however, in this post-Genomic era, factors above (epi-) the control of the genes – epigenetic factors – are taking center stage; these include environmental exposures, stress, nutritional factors, and various lifestyle-based variables that are within the ambit of our control and volition, and which are often reversible.

In other words, cancer is now being understood as epigenetic dysfunction, a direct and even adaptive response to the post-industrial, carcinogen-saturated environment, in addition to a diet of faux, mostly chemically-produced 'food,' combining to produce an environment – 'inner terrain--  within the body ideal for cancer promotion.

Indeed, in a new study published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology titled, "The use of plant-derived bioactive compounds to target cancer stem cells and modulate tumor microenvironment," the authors note the powerful implications of this new epigenetic view of cancer:

"A fundamental aspect to be taken into account is that epigenetic changes can possibly be reversed by modifying epigenetic factors, such as diet and lifestyle. Nowadays, identification of these factors is crucial to develop epigenetically-based preventions and more effective anti-cancer intervention strategies."

Moreover, they note that natural interventions are once again (after countless millennia of worldwide use), at the cutting edge of medical intervention:

"Virtually, all dietary compounds have the ability to act at the epigenetic level in cancer cells thus influencing the epigenome in a positive or negative way. Particularly, plant derived compounds, such as polyphenols, have the capacity to reverse adverse epigenetic mutations in cancer cells, to inhibit tumorigenesis progression, to prevent the metastatic process or to sensitize cancer cells to chemo and radiotherapy (Vanden Berghe, 2012)."

The new study highlighted the following points, the implications for the future of cancer treatment are truly revolutionary:

• Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are chemo-radiotherapy resistant, causing tumor relapse.
• CSCs are known to reside within specific hypoxic and acidic tumor niches.
• Phytocompounds affect CSC self-renewal, metabolism and microenvironment.
• Phytocompounds might be exploited for cancer prevention and treatment.

As we have covered extensively in previous posts, the discovery of a subpopulation within tumors of cells known as cancer stem cells, reveals that our half-century old war on cancer, officially inaugurated in 1971 with Nixon's signing of the National Cancer Act, was extremely misguided. The notion that cancer is simply a byproduct of cells within the body going rogue due to DNA damage and replicating clonally through fundamentally chaotic – stochastic – processes, has been called into question by the discovery that tumors are actually sophisticated, hierarchically organized communities that express highly intelligent, survival-based behaviors, albeit evolutionary ancient in origin. The establishment views cancer as something 'you have or don't have,' and the equivalent of being infected by 'terrorist-like' cancer cells that must be treated as an enemy and obliterated by any means necessary. This treatment ensues regardless of the collateral damage to the patient. The emerging and far more nuanced cancer stem-cell based perspective, precipitated primarily by epigenetic factors – e.g. chemical exposure, dietary incompatibilities, metabolic acidosis and low oxygen (hypoxia) – offers a far more promising and empowering view of prevention and treatment.

If cancer is not something that fatalistically 'happens to the body,' due to 'bad' inherited genes passed down from distant ancestors, but is something the body does adaptively to survive anthropogenic exposures that diverge from millions, if not billions of years, of bodily prehistory, suddenly the solution to overcoming the burgeoning, global cancer epidemic is in regaining and/or reproducing the ideal bodily and psychospiritual conditions within the body that is no longer conducive to carcinogenesis. As proposed in the book I co-authored, Cancer Killers, we don't get sick because we have cancer; we get cancer because we are already sick.

For additional research on the true nature of, and solution for, cancer, focusing on the revolutionary implications of the cancer stem cell theory, please review the following articles and videos:

• Are Cancer Stem Cells the Key to Discovering a Cure
• Turmeric Extract Strikes To The Root Cause of Cancer
• The Cure for Cancer Begins With Understanding It 
• Study: Radiation Therapy Can Make Cancers 30x More
• Is Cancer An Ancient Survival Program Unmasked 
• Research: Radiotherapy Causes Cancer, Blueberry Kills It
• Broccoli Kills The Stem Cells That Make Cancers Immortal

I anticipate a time in the not too distant future when the conventional medical establishment freely acknowledges that cancer is a natural response to decades of culminative exposures to unnatural, evolutionarily unprecedented chemical, electromagnetic, psychospiritual exposures and conditions. Instead of vilifying and violently suppressing the symptom of this perfect storm of toxicity -- cancer -- enlightened practitioners will learn to address, remove and redress the root causes, focusing on reproducing the conditions that support our genetic and epigenetic blueprint of health and wellness. It is the goal of GreenMedInfo.com to provide the public and professional populations a resource to leverage the emerging evidence to do exactly that. The following database sections are designed to make this task easier: 

• Health Guide: Cancer Research
• Health Guide: Breast Cancer Research
• E-course: Cancer, Nutrition and Natural Healing

 as far as understanding both how cancer is caused and how it can be effectively treated.

thanks in large part to the discovery that it is an exemplar of epigenetic dysfunction and not a predestined byproduct of dysfunctional genetic information inherited from distant ancestors. 

Sayer Ji is the founder of GreenMedInfo.com, an author, educator, Steering Committee Member of the Global GMO Free Coalition (GGFC), and an advisory board member of the National Health Federation.

He founded Greenmedinfo.com in 2008 in order to provide the world an open access, evidence-based resource supporting natural and integrative modalities. It is widely recognized as the most widely referenced health resource of its kind.

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

Ways To Reduce The Cancer-Causing Effects of Cell Phones

Ways To Reduce The Cancer-Causing Effects of Cell Phones

Posted on: 

Saturday, May 19th 2012 at 12:00 pm

Written By: 

Sayer Ji, Founder

Ever since the World Health Organization admitted in 2011 that cell phone radiation is "possibly carcinogenic," and may be contributing to the global uptick in brain cancer cases, its far harder to label someone a hypochondriac for being concerned about the health consequences of exposure.[i]  In fact, one study cited in their report showed a 40% increased risk for gliomas in the highest category of heavy users (reported average: 30 minutes per day over a 10-year period) – not exactly a small effect.
A recent study published in the journal Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology confirms that the microwave radiation given off by mobile phones is capable of transforming normal cells into cancerous ones.

Titled "Cellular Neoplastic Transformation Induced by 916 MHz Microwave Radiation," researchers exposed fibroblast cells, a connective tissue-producing type of cell, to 916 MHz electromagnetic frequencies (which have already been shown to alter brain biomolecules), and found that after 5-8 weeks exposure they changed their form and rate of proliferation to a cancerous phenotype. These cells were also found to be tumor-forming when transplanted into mice.

What You Can Do To Protect Yourself

Realistically, most people reading this article will not be decommissioning their iphones or androids anytime soon. These devices enable us to stay closely connected to our loved ones, as well as to connect to the global brain which is the internet. But what this research does implore us to do is to exercise caution. Here are a few steps to take to reduce exposure:

• Wear a headset or earphones to keep the device as far away from your head and/or other vital organs as possible.
• Turn the device off whenever it is not being used.
• If you are a heavy user, consider incorporating one of the following proven cell-phone radiation mitigating substances:

• Bee Propolis – A compound found within bee propolis, which is like the mortar the bees use to repair and maintain the structural integrity of their hive, known as caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), has been experimentally tested to protect the kidneys, hearts and retinas of cell-phone exposed mice.  Our bee propolis research page actually lists 12 studies on its radioprotective properties, including protecting against diagnostic and/or "therapeutic" (e.g. radiotherapy) gamma-radiation.
• 
  
• Melatonin – Melatonin is released during deep, restful sleep – which is always the best way to obtain this natural protective secretion. Melatonin has been studied for its ability to protect against cell-phone inducedretinal and kidney damage.  Like propolis, melatonin has also been shown to have powerful radioprotective properties against gamma-radiation induced oxidative stress and tissue injury.
• EGCG (green tea polyphenol) – Green tea contains a potent antioxidant known as EGCG (epigallocatechin-gallate) and which has been shown to protect the liver against mobile-phone induced radiation damage.
• Ginkgo Biloba – This plant never ceases to amaze. Not only is it the oldest living plant (a "living fossil") known to man, but it seems to provide a broad range of benefits to brain and cognitive health.  It has been experimentally confirmed to prevent mobile-phone induced oxidative stress in the rat brain.
• N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) – NAC is the the precursor to glutathione, a powerful cell-protective antioxidant that your body produces, given it has adequate cofactors available.  It has been shown to protect the liver against mobile-phone induced damage.

For additional tips, read contributing writer, Susan Calabro's nifty article titled "4-Acupuncture-Inspired Ways to Stop Neurotic Phone Checking"

For those interested in learning more about the plausible mechanism through which cell phones cause brain cancer, listen to Dr. Chris Busby's explanation:

[i] IARC Classifies Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields As Possibly Carcinogenic To Humans. WHO, May 31, 2011

Sayer Ji is the founder of GreenMedInfo.com, an author, educator, Steering Committee Member of the Global GMO Free Coalition (GGFC), and an advisory board member of the National Health Federation.

He founded Greenmedinfo.com in 2008 in order to provide the world an open access, evidence-based resource supporting natural and integrative modalities. It is widely recognized as the most widely referenced health resource of its kind.

Google Plus Profile.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of GreenMedInfo or its staff.

8 Reasons why the food revolution might happen in your kitchen

Valhalla

8 Reasons why the food revolution might happen in your kitchen

With populations getting denser in metropolitan areas, we are losing space for our food to grow around us.  Many people observed this growing issue and started researching solutions to grow food effectively in their homes. These ideas developed into technologies (IE: The NutriTower) and are starting a revolution home gardening. Here’s why they did it, and why you should to:

1. Your food is healthier and tastes fresh

It goes without saying that fresh foods taste better, but that’s not the only reason you want to eat it soon after you picked it. The moment that you chop your vegetable off its plant, you start losing nutrients from the newly exposed surface. More vitamins and minerals are lost when it’s soaked in water or when it’s heated up after being frozen.

2. It grows all year long

When you live in colder climates, growing food is limited by the seasons. Luckily, if you know how to set up your system properly, you can grow your food all year long. Otherwise, systems like NutriTower are pre-made so that you get to eat food you grow every day of the year.

3. Do your part for our planet

There are many reasons why growing your food at home positively impacts our environment. Vegetables that you find in your market aren’t always grown locally. Most of them are shipped over long distances and consume tons of energy to get to your mouth. During those trips, the vegetables are often frozen to “stay fresh”, and we’ve seen earlier that they lose nutrients when they warm up.

Not only that, energy and resources are wasted to properly package the food and present it to maximize sales. Water is wasted to spray on the food so it keeps looking fresh, losing even more nutrients.

Growing your food at home is a step towards a more sustainable future.

4. Your kids will get involved

Kids nowadays are disconnected from the food they eat; they don’t know where it comes from and what it provides to us. This can be easily solved when having food grown at home. If your kid grows peas, he will eat the peas. There is a connection between a gardener and his food, and kids definitely feel that. So if you want them to learn about their food, and eat healthier, growing food at home is a great idea!

NutriTower has a special package for teachers who wanna grow food in their classroom and parents who want their kids to learn more, make sure to check it out!

5. Pesticides.

With pesticides being sprayed all over our fields today, we can never feel too safe eating what we find at the grocery store. Having food grown right next to us isn’t only convenient, it gets rid of that concern; you know exactly what goes on!

6. Save money

Unfortunately, most (if not all) governments have created elaborate ways to prevent us to print their money. Luckily, growing food is still possible! The abundance created from growing your own food is unreal. The very plants that you take care of provide you with the seeds needed to grow even more. Sure you may need an initial investment to build your system, but after that growing food is pretty much like printing money.

7. Population concentration

A majority of our population is moving to live in urban cities. As we continue to converge into denser areas, we won’t have a choice but to grow food in our homes and offices. Systems that can do this, without needing to be exposed to sunlight or water, allows us to grow more food in less space.

8. You feel great growing food

Not convinced yet? How about “just because it feels great”. Many researches have proven that having plants growing around us, makes us feel better, let alone growing them. The plants give life to the space around us, and relaxes us when we take care of them. We feel connected to the life around us and the abundance it creates for us.

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People have been talking about systems to grow food at home for a while now. If you have the engineer knowledge to set up your own system at home, maybe it’s time to get yours up! I’m personally excited to try the NutriTower at the Valhalla land and see what plants I can grow in the system.

This awesome startup created a solution for the home-grown food revolution and needs our help raising the funds needed to manufacture it! Only 100 of them need to be sold to reach their goal and continue on their mission. Show them some support by checking their website and find their kickstarter campaign in the link below. You can also check out this article that explains what the NutriTower is all about!

 

Written by Marty

Hey! I love to connect with people and learn about their various philosophies on life. I love to ponder and spend a lot of my time questioning things just to get a better understanding of it. I believe that exploring who we are on a personal level creates a greater change in the world than anything else.

Turn the Middle Aisles of Supermarkets into Ghost Towns

Life Arts 11/19/2014 at 12:16:04
 

Turn the Middle Aisles of Supermarkets into Ghost Towns

 

By Rob Kall (about the author)     Permalink  

Grand Rapids April 06, 2012 4
(image by stevendepolo)

There are thousands, even tens of thousands of items in supermarkets. Most of them are highly processed, often un-nutritious or even dangerous and unhealthy. Some barely deserve to be called "food."

The worst of these can be found in the middle aisles of supermarkets. Of late, I've been enjoying totally avoiding those aisles. The sweet thing is, I'm not missing them at all.

Some of the aisles are basically collections of combinations of corn syrup with other products-- soda, chips, brownies, breakfast snacks, supposedly healthy granola products.

Others have so many preservatives and coloring agents in them, their ingredients look more like items for a chemistry lab.

I may zip through the frozen foods section looking for some frozen fruit and vegetables, but even that walk I seem to be doing less of.

You can even make a game of it. Count how many aisles you can totally ignore.

If you are going down any of those middle aisles, be sure to use the Buycott phone app to make sure you're not supporting companies that fund campaigns you would oppose-- like Koch brother companies, Monsanto, companies that fund ads opposing GMO labeling, etc.

Even better, try to do as much of your shopping at smaller local businesses than at big supermarkets. Join a local CSA (community supported agriculture) or a community garden or create your own garden and actually help plant and harvest the food you eat. And if you are buying produce at a big supermarket, try to buy locally grown food.

Learn about the health risks involved in eating animal products Learn about the heavy footprint meat casts on ecosystems. Learn the dirtiest foods, pesticide-wise, and buy organic for them.

There are all kinds of diseases that are appearing at much higher incidences now than even a decade ago. Part of the reason-- I think a big part-- is because of the food. Save your life and your family's health. Avoid those middle aisles and get food smart. 

 

 

Rob Kall has spent his adult life as an awakener and empowerer-- first in the field of biofeedback, inventing products, developing software and a music recording label, MuPsych, within the company he founded in 1978-- Futurehealth, and founding, organizing and running 3 conferences: Winter Brain, on Neurofeedback and consciousness, Optimal Functioning and Positive Psychology (a pioneer in the field of Positive Psychology, first presenting workshops on it in 1985) and Storycon Summit Meeting on the Art Science and Application of Story-- each the first of their kind.  Then, when he found the process of raising people's consciousness and empowering them to take more control of their lives  one person at a time was too slow, he founded Opednews.com-- which has been the top search result on Google for the terms liberal news and progressive opinion for several years. Rob began his Bottom-up Radio show, broadcast on WNJC 1360 AM to Metro Philly, also available on iTunes, covering the transition of our culture, business and world from predominantly Top-down (hierarchical, centralized, authoritarian, patriarchal, big)  to bottom-up (egalitarian, local, interdependent, grassroots, archetypal feminine and small.) Recent long-term projects include a book, Bottom-up-- The Connection Revolution, debillionairizing the planet and the Psychopathy Defense and Optimization Project.