Natural Pharmacy: Healing Properties of Blueberries

Forget the thesis: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

These tiny exotic fruits are very healthy for its antioxidant and multivitamin. They lower cholesterol levels while improving glucose control and insulin sensitivity, and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. But that’s not all:

Acai Berry – “Fruit of Life”

A handful of blueberries every morning are the perfect breakfast

Blueberries as an antibiotic
Blueberries can be surprisingly useful for its antibiotic properties. They contain substances which inhibit the growth of bacteria, thus preventing many throat infections and urinary tract.
Blueberries as a means of health and youth
Forget creams anti-aging skin. You can lead a healthy lifestyle, consuming a few blueberries every day. They contain vitamin C, E and A, selenium, zinc, copper and phosphorus, which are key components to staying young and healthy for a long time. It is also shown that blueberries are good for eyesight as they contain substances that prevent or delay some diseases of the eye that appear with age. These are problems such as macular degeneration, cataracts, nearsightedness, farsightedness and. Blueberries contain a special group of antioxidants called carotenoids and flavonoids.

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Blueberries as a way to reduce abdominal fat
According to the latest research from the University of Michigan blueberries may help reduce belly fat and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome.
Blueberries as a means to better brain activity
Blueberries are wonderful magic pill for prevent and healing of neurotic disorders. This happens as they prevent degeneration and death of neurons, and restore the health of the central nervous system. They can even help healing of damaged brain cells and tissues that help to keep the memory for a long time.
Blueberries as a means to a healthy heart
High in fiber and antioxidants that help to regulate the “bad cholesterol” blueberries makes an ideal dietary supplement that is extremely beneficial for heart health.

See the Foods Without Calories
Blueberries for constipation
A handful of blueberries every morning are the perfect breakfast improves the function of the stomach. High in fiber and vitamins, sodium, copper and fructose in these delicious fruit improves digestion and makes you feel fresh throughout the day.
Blueberries and cancer
Blueberries may be a blessing for patients suffering from cancer. They contain substances and antioxidants can prevent and treat cancer.
All these qualities of blueberries grown in the garden of nature, can keep us young and healthy. So do not ignore them! Their strength is truly miraculous and certainly can keep us away from doctors!

Source : dailyhealtharticles[dot]com

Why Beauty Queen Lived with SKULL in her Stomach?

Jamie Hilton has never even imagined that she will have to “save” part of her own skull in her stomach

42 long days Mrs Idaho 2009 stored part of her skull to keep her bones nourished. The former lived from Idaho are relatively few months of the skull in his belly reports Daily mail

Mrs Idaho 2009 Jamie Hilton lived through real nightmare, but now she is ALIVE and feel well!

Jamie Hilton suffered severe accident  and then she had to live with part of his skull in the stomach.
Doctors had to cut a quarter of her skull to save Jamie’s life because her brain was swollen. To preserve bone, however, they  “fold” the part of the skull under the skin of her abdomen thus her body can take care of it before it is sewn back into place.

MIRACLE! Father Wakes Up After Seven Years In Coma (VIDEO)
In medical terms is called a decompressive hemicraniectomy. Hilton recovered amazingly well several weeks after surgery. She wore a helmet as a quarter of her skull missing and thus prevents possible injury to the outside world.
When the swelling decreased enough doctors removed a piece of bone from the abdomen and attached in place with titanium plates.
Recently she patient feels better. The only side effects are altered sense of taste and smell loss.

Doctor’s Lunch KILLED Patient
The awful accident happened on fishing trip to Hell’s Canyon in Idaho in June with her husband and brother-in-law.

Source : dailyhealtharticles[dot]com

New Test For Breast Cancer Diagnosing Is Developed

In the near future, many women may be spared the inconvenience of mammograms

This approach has the potential to substantially change the screening for breast cancer 

In the near future, many women may be spared the inconvenience of mammograms, instead it will be performed a simple blood test once a year for early detection of breast cancer.
British researchers had developed new test to detect traces of DNA of malignancy tumors before they become visible radiographically.
Scientists begin a clinical trial in a London hospital, where they hope to collect blood samples from 500 women in whom were found shadows after a mammogram. Then researchers will compare the DNA of women who were subsequently diagnosed with cancer with the DNA of healthy women in order to identify the tumor markers. The scientists have already identified several potential molecules.
If the study proves to be successful, a new one will be started, aiming to determine whether a blood test can be used for screening in women of middle and advanced age.
According to Dr. Jackie Shaw, the leader of the study, this approach has the potential to substantially change the screening for breast cancer in a very short time. Yet, it seems that the test can detect breast cancer before the appearance of lumps on X-rays. Also, the test could help physicians to individualize therapy by targeting what genetic abnormalities are present in the tumor, which would allow selecting a specific treatment with fewer side effects.
Every year in Britain are diagnosed over 40 000 new cases of breast cancer, 12 000 women lose their lives to the disease.
Researchers hope to be able to apply this technique for lungs and intestines.

Source : dailyhealtharticles[dot]com

10 Tasty Vegan Crock Pot Recipes for Fall

Fall is here! The weather is chilly and blustery, the leaves here in Atlanta are starting to change, and it’s time for some cozy eats. What I love about crock pot recipes is that they’re easy. Fall is a busy time for most folks, and it’s so nice to throw a bunch of ingredients into a crock pot and later have a yummy side dish or even a whole, hearty meal waiting for you.

There’s a common misconception that the vegan diet is all about crudites and salads, and when the weather gets chilly, those types of meals aren’t super appealing. There are lots of yummy, hearty, belly-warming vegan meals you can create, and the crock pot makes vegan cooking for fall a total cinch!

Related Reading: 5 Vegan Comfort Food Recipes

The crock pot is also a lot more energy-efficient than the stove or the oven. It takes about half the energy to cook your meal in a crock pot versus using the oven or the stove. That means lower energy bills and fewer carbon emissions.

Ready to get your comfort food on? On the next page, check out 10 delicious vegan crock pot recipes to warm you up from the inside out.

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Read more: All recipes, Basics, Food, Home, Household Hints, Vegan, Vegetarian, crock pot, crock pot recipes, fall recipes, slow cooker recipes, vegan recipes, vegetarian recipes

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Hunting the Wild Mushroom

Saturday morning, I woke to a thick grey sky threatening rain—perfect for tramping through the woods looking for wild mushrooms. I had been talking about this day for months, encouraging, marketing, and motivating my students to sign up for what I think of as a grand adventure, three hours in the state forest hunting the elusive Chicken of the Woods, Hen of the Forest: porcini, and other culinary fungi. It is high season for mushrooms, and the weather has been warm, humid, and rainy for weeks. The time was right.

When I arrived to the ranger’s station in Jenny Jump Park, the group was assembling. Many I knew from my classes, but others came from far and wide, having heard the news through cyberspace. Three young college students, notebook in hands, eager to learn how to forage for food in the wilderness; an OB/GYN-turned-homeopath on her second exploration of immune-enhancing fungi; a couple curious to know how to identify mushrooms around their lake home; a photographer with camera; a gardening couple already invested in shiitake mushrooms growing at home; a housewife who loves nature with a photo book of wild mushrooms; a mother with her sullen 12-year-old son; myself, the intrepid wild foods hunter; and our leader, Lara Greenspan, a mycology expert, who had been taught as a child by her Russian immigrant grandfather how to forage for mushrooms.

We were all eager to begin, despite the light drizzle of rain beginning to fall, but then Lara arrived with bad news. “I have been out looking in the woods and there are no mushrooms,” she told us. Our faces fell in disappointment. “But,” says she, “I know a path that may yield some treasures.” And with that ray of hope, we drove to the site, intent on finding whatever mushrooms we could. With the first discovery, we gathered around Lara to hear of the toxic nature of the little brown mushroom, or what was to become nicknamed LBM. She told us that there are fewer toxic mushroom species than edible mushrooms; however, there are a lot of those poisonous wee rascals and we should learn to identify the toxic ones first before diving into the forest’s culinary delicacies.  Most importantly, she emphasized, never to eat a mushroom unless you know for a fact that it is non-poisonous—and best to consult an expert just to be on the safe side.

There are 10,000 different mushroom species in North America, with names as varied as Destroying Angel, Puffball, Honey Mushroom, Death Cap, Yellow Brain Fungus, Jelly Leaf and Black Trumpet. The wild mushrooms help maintain a natural balance in the order of the forest by producing enzymes to break down the leaves, soil and other forest matter. Lara always identified them first by their Latin names, and showed us how to dig gently around the base, a bit deeper than the stem, to bring up the whole mushroom for proper identification.

With this bit of information, we began a slow, deliberate walk down the path, through the damp leaves, and over rotted logs and fallen trees. Everything on the ground was shades of rust, mustard yellow, burnt umber and deep brown. It was difficult to train the eyes to look beyond the visible. Someone called out, “Look for what is not normal, a break in the pattern,” and then suddenly, something, yes, a flash of red. A leaf was lifted, and there was a small red mushroom, like something from Alice in Wonderland. After that find, the forest yielded up her bounty with one species of mushroom after another. When I came upon a young white Destroying Angel dead center in my path, I took a moment to contemplate the history of acquiring such a name. Here was the one mushroom responsible for the majority of deaths due to mushroom poisoning. So perfect in its form, brilliant white, yet fatal to ingest and a dead ringer for the button, horse and meadow mushrooms, which is why people often mistake it for safe and edible.

Each time a mushroom was found, we would circle Lara and hear her stories of the medicinal use of some mushrooms, powerful immune enhancers used in both herbal and pharmaceutical preparations; or the sad outcomes of those who had emigrated to America and, thinking they had found the same edible species of mushrooms they had enjoyed in their country, were mortally poisoned by the lookalike species. We soon learned not to trust the brown, white, red, or yellow mushrooms we were finding, and, catching a glint in Lara’s eye, I knew she was ensuring none of us would attempt to forage alone with only this small bit of experience.

When the sun broke through the trees, we had small bags of puffballs and honey mushrooms destined for the evening dinner. The sullen 12-year-old had turned into an enthusiastic young boy, digging mushrooms from the ground and presenting them to Lara with great delight. There was no sign of the cell phone he had been using earlier to text, indeed for any of us, as nature took us into her embrace and shared something so very special. That small amount of intense focus in the forest was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable afternoons I have had in quite a while. I highly recommend that you join a group of foragers with an expert guide and head off into the woods.

Next: A delicious wild mushroom lentil salad recipe!

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Read more: All recipes, Blogs, Environment, Food, Nature, Nature & Wildlife, Outdoor Activities, Rejuvenate your Body with Delia Quigley, Side Dishes, Soups & Salads, lentil, mushrooms, mycology, wild mushrooms

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How Do Plant-Based Diets Fight Cancer?

Why do centenarians—those who live to be over a hundred years old—escape cancer? As you can see in my 3-min. NutritionFacts.org video IGF-1 as One-Stop Cancer Shop, as we get older our risk of getting and dying from cancer grows year by year until we hit about 85 or 90, and then cancer risk starts to drop. It seems that centenarians are endowed with a particular resistance to cancer. So what’s their secret?

Every day, 50 billion of our cells die, and every day, 50 billion new ones are born. There’s a balance. Otherwise your body would shrink or get too crowded. Sometimes we need grow, like when we’re a baby or for that growth spurt around puberty. Our cells don’t get larger when we grow up; they increase in number. A child’s hand may only be made up of about 50 billion cells and may have to add half trillion or so while growing up.

Once we’ve already grown up, though, we don’t want a lot of extra cells hanging around. We still need our cells to grow and divide, but out with the old and in with the new. We don’t want to be making more cells than we’re putting out to pasture. When you’re a kid, extra growth can be good; when you’re an adult, extra growth can mean a tumor.

How do our cells know when to tip the scale in favor of more dividing with less dying and when to come back into balance? A key signal is IGF-1, a growth hormone called insulin-like growth factor number one. IGF-1 levels go up when you’re a kid so you grow and then come back down when you’re done growing. Should your levels stay a bit too high as an adult, though, there’s a constant message sent to your cells to grow, grow, grow, divide, don’t die, keep going, keep growing. Not surprisingly, the more IGF-1 we have in our bloodstream, the higher our risk for many types of cancer.

When you’re a kid, growth is good, but too much growth when we’re all grown up can mean cancer. In my 90-second video, Cancer-Proofing Mutation, I describe Laron Syndrome, a type of dwarfism caused by congenital IGF-1 deficiency. Those affected don’t have that IGF-1 spurt in childhood so they grow up short-statured, but not having an excess of IGF-1 in their systems as an adult makes them nearly cancer-proof. This raises the question of whether one can achieve the best of both worlds by ensuring adequate IGF-1 levels during childhood and then suppressing excess growth promotion in adulthood. This can be done with a plant-based diet as I described in last week’s Care2 posts Cancer-Proofing Your Body and Treating an Enlarged Prostate With Diet, as well as in today’s video pick above.

Who is Pritikin? See Engineering a Cure. What’s the puzzle? See Ex Vivo Cancer Proliferation Bioassay. The binding protein findings I describe in the video may explain the findings in Is It the Diet, the Exercise, or Both?

For more on IGF-1, I’ve touched on it before in Dairy Hormonal Interference and Meat Hormones & Female Infertility.

In health,
Michael Greger, M.D.

PS: If you haven’t yet, you can subscribe to my videos for free by clicking here and watch my full 2012 presentation Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death.

Image credit: The Birkes / Flickr

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Coffee and Cancer
Breast Cancer Survival and Soy

Read more: Food, Cancer, Diet & Nutrition, Eating for Health, Vegan, Vegetarian, Videos, Dr. Michael Greger, IGF-1, NutritionFacts.org

Source : care2[dot]com

Improve Your Digestion To Lose Weight

Does your tummy grumble or feel bloated or tired at the end of a meal?

This may be the result of a conflict in your digestive system. Our foods should agree with each other, rather than be in conflict.

You may find food combining very helpful for your health and weight management. It was for me. Food combining, along with Acid/Alkaline balance, saved my life when my health was on a downward spiral in 1996.

What Correct Food Combining Will Do For You:

• Get optimum nutrients from your food. By combining foods correctly, we enable our digestive system to absorb all the nutrition from our food.
• Create less stress on your digestive system, leaving you feeling more relaxed.
• Save valuable energy for your body to use; you will have more available energy to live and heal.  Your digestive system won’t be working overtime trying to digest the combo of foods you put into your stomach.
• Weight loss often happens after just a few days of following food combining principles.
• You will no longer be bloated as your body cleanses the toxins.
• Degenerative health conditions like indigestion, constipation, asthma, arthritis, and allergies can be resolved.

The Original Food Combining Testimony

In 1906, at the age of 40, Dr. William Hay learned that his own health was failing with Bright’s Disease (a kidney condition), an enlarged heart, and high blood pressure; he was also seriously overweight. The medical profession had nothing to offer; he was told he had little chance of recovery and was advised to put his affairs in order.

In an attempt to save his life, Dr. Hay adopted an uncomplicated diet following simple food combining and pH balance rules. After three months, he felt better then he had for years, and by 1908 he was totally recovered. He no longer had kidney and heart problems, his blood pressure was normal, and as a bonus, he had lost 50 pounds. This was the beginning of the theory of food combining.

Next Page: Why food combining helps weight loss.

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Read more: Diet & Nutrition, Eating for Health, Food, Health, acid-alkaline balance, carbohydrates, carbs, fats, Food combining, fruits, protein, starches

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