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Virgin olive oil administration improves the
effect of aspirin on retinal vascular pattern in experimental diabetes mellitus
Space Preservation Act of 2001
The Photoprotective and antioxidative properties of luteolin are synergistically
augmented by tocopherol and ubiquinone
Codex
Alimentarius-Regulation on food Safety-Lack there of
**********************************************************************
De La Cruz JP,
Del Río S,
López-Villodres JA,
Villalobos MA,
Jebrouni N,
González-Correa JA.
Abstract
The aim of the
present study is to evaluate the possible influence of virgin
olive oil (VOO) on the effect of
acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in platelet aggregation, prostanoid and NO
production and retinal vascular pattern
in rats with experimental type 1-like diabetes.
We used 100 male Wistar rats that were distributed into five groups: (1)
non-diabetic rats (NDR); (2) untreated diabetic rats (DR); (3) DR
treated with ASA (2 mg/kg per d per os (p.o.));
(4) DR treated with VOO (0.5 ml/kg per d p.o.); (5) DR treated with ASA
plus VOO. The duration of diabetes was 3 months, and each treatment was
administered from the first day of diabetes. Variables that were
quantified were platelet aggregation (I(max)), thromboxane B(2)
(TxB(2)), aortic prostacyclin (6-keto-PGF(1alpha)) and NO, and the
percentage of retina with horseradish peroxidase-permeable vessels (HRP-PV).
Diabetic rats showed a higher I(max) (35 %) and TxB(2) (63 %) than NDR,
and a lower 6-keto-PGF(1alpha), NO and
HRP-PV
than NDR ( - 74.6 %). ASA and VOO administration reduced these
differences and prevented the percentage of HRP-PV ( - 59.7 % with ASA
and - 46.7 % with VOO). The administration of ASA plus
VOO
showed a strong platelet inhibition (80.2 v. 23.4 % for VOO and 50.6 %
for ASA+VOO, P < 0.0001), and reduced HRP-PV differences to - 31.6 % (P
< 0.001 with respect to DR and P < 0.0001 with respect to DR treated
with ASA). In conclusion, the
administration of VOO to rats with type 1-like diabetes mellitus
improves the pharmacodynamic profile of ASA, and increases its retinal
anti-ischaemic effect.
Recipe—take the Virgin
olive oil according to the ratio here .5 X your weight in kilos –example
.5 X 77kilos = 38.5 mils just over an ounce---for the aspirin the used
2mg per kilo again we are looking at as an example 2 X 77= 154 mgs –
Mix them
together—and use—start with tsp increments and increase it through the
day— take it in tablespoon in divided times 3 a day
***********************************************************************
HR 2977 IH
Space Preservation Act of 2001
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2977
To preserve the cooperative,
peaceful uses of space for the benefit of all humankind by permanently
prohibiting the basing of weapons in space by the United States, and to
require the President to take action to adopt and implement a world
treaty banning space-based weapons.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 2, 2001
Mr. KUCINICH introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, and in
addition to the Committees on Armed Services, and International
Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To preserve the cooperative,
peaceful uses of space for the benefit of all humankind by permanently
prohibiting the basing of weapons in space by the United States, and to
require the President to take action to adopt and implement a world
treaty banning space-based weapons.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled,
SECTION 1.
SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Space
Preservation Act of 2001'.
SEC. 2.
REAFFIRMATION OF POLICY ON THE PRESERVATION OF PEACE IN SPACE.
Congress reaffirms the policy
expressed in section 102(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of
1958 (42 U.S.C. 2451(a)), stating that it `is the policy of the United
States that activities in space should be devoted to peaceful purposes
for the benefit of all mankind.'.
SEC. 3. PERMANENT BAN ON BASING OF
WEAPONS IN SPACE.
The President shall--
(1) implement a permanent ban on
space-based weapons of the United States and remove from space any
existing space-based weapons of the United States; and
(2) immediately order the permanent
termination of research and development, testing, manufacturing,
production, and deployment of all space-based weapons of the United
States and their components.
SEC. 4. WORLD
AGREEMENT BANNING SPACE-BASED WEAPONS.
The President shall direct the United
States representatives to the United Nations and other international
organizations to immediately work toward negotiating, adopting, and
implementing a world agreement banning space-based weapons.
SEC. 5.
REPORT.
The President shall submit to
Congress not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, and every 90 days thereafter, a report on--
(1) the implementation of the
permanent ban on space-based weapons required by section 3; and
(2) progress toward negotiating,
adopting, and implementing the agreement described in section 4.
SEC. 6. NON
SPACE-BASED WEAPONS ACTIVITIES.
Nothing in this Act
may be construed as prohibiting the use of funds for--
(1) space exploration;
(2) space research and development;
(3) testing, manufacturing, or
production that is not related to space-based weapons or systems; or
(4) civil, commercial, or defense
activities (including communications, navigation, surveillance,
reconnaissance, early warning, or remote sensing) that are not related
to space-based weapons or systems.
SEC. 7.
DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term `space'
means all space extending upward from an altitude greater than 60
kilometers above the surface of the earth and any celestial body in such
space.
(2)(A) The terms `weapon' and
`weapons system' mean a device capable of any of the following:
(i)
Damaging or destroying an object (whether in outer space, in the
atmosphere, or on earth) by--
(I) firing one or more projectiles to
collide with that object;
(II) detonating one or more explosive
devices in close proximity to that object;
(III)
directing a source of energy (including
molecular or atomic energy, subatomic particle beams, electromagnetic
radiation, plasma, or extremely low frequency (ELF) or ultra low
frequency (ULF) energy radiation) against that object; or
(IV) any other unacknowledged or as
yet undeveloped means.
(ii) Inflicting death
or injury on, or damaging or destroying, a person (or the biological
life, bodily health, mental health, or physical and economic well-being
of a person)--
(I) through the use of any of the
means described in clause (i) or subparagraph (B);
(II)
through the use of land-based, sea-based, or space-based systems using
radiation, electromagnetic, psychotronic, sonic, laser, or other
energies directed at individual persons or targeted populations for the
purpose of information war, mood management, or mind control of such
persons or populations; or
(III) by
expelling chemical or biological agents in the vicinity of a person.
(B) Such
terms include exotic weapons systems such as--
(i)
electronic, psychotronic, or information weapons;
(ii)
chemtrails;
(iii)
high altitude ultra low frequency weapons
systems;
(iv)
plasma, electromagnetic, sonic, or ultrasonic weapons;
(v) laser weapons systems;
(vi)
strategic, theater, tactical, or extraterrestrial weapons; and
(vii)
chemical, biological, environmental, climate, or tectonic weapons.
(C) The
term `exotic weapons systems' includes weapons designed to damage space
or natural ecosystems (such as the ionosphere and upper atmosphere) or
climate, weather, and tectonic systems with the purpose of inducing
damage or destruction upon a target population or region on earth or in
space.
*************************************************************************
The Photoprotective and antioxidative properties of luteolin are
synergistically augmented by tocopherol and ubiquinone.
Planta Med. 2013 Jul;79(11):963-5
Authors: Wölfle U, Haarhaus B,
Schempp CM
Abstract
Ultraviolet radiation induces
DNA
damage and oxidative stress which can result in skin inflammation,
photoaging, and photocarcinogenesis.
The
flavonoid luteolin that is present in high amounts in the dyers weld,
Reseda luteola, is one of the most potent antioxidative plant
metabolites and also has
ultraviolet-absorbing properties.The aim of this study was to
determine whether tocopherol and ubiquinone add synergistic
antioxidative values to luteolin. None of
the substances showed cytotoxic effects in concentrations from 0.25 to 4
µg/mL. The photoprotective
and antioxidant effect of equivalent concentrations of luteolin,
tocopherol, and ubiquinone and their combination in a ratio of 4 : 4 : 1
were studied in solar simulator irradiated human skin
fibroblasts. Luteolin had a half-maximal radical scavenging
concentration of 2 µg/mL, whereas tocopherol and ubiquinone were only
effective at higher concentrations. None of the substances showed a
phototoxic effect, and only luteolin had a moderate photoprotective
effect at 2 µg/mL. The combination of
luteolin, tocopherol, and ubiquinone exerted a synergistic radical
scavenging effect already at a concentration of 0.25 µg/mL and a
complete photoprotection at 2 µg/mL.In summary, our findings
suggest that the potent antioxidant and photoprotective effect of
flavonoids like luteolin may be further
increased by the addition of low concentrations of other antioxidants
such as tocopherol and ubiquinone. --PMID: 23839819 [PubMed -
indexed for MEDLINE]
Using things like
hawthorn-rosemary or sage which has a good source of Luteolin by fusing
this in oil and then add Cq 10 and vitamin E ( fuse in either almond oil
or olive oil which has vitamin E in them naturally) and use –the ratio
is 4:4:1 4 parts luteolin-4 parts vitamin E and 1 part cq 10
100ml would be 4 ml of luteolin-
4 mil Vitamin E 1 mil of Cq 1o
***************************************************************************
Codex Alimentarius-Regulation on food Safety-Lack there of
The concept of “certified organic”
goes deeper, though, than a display of governmental avarice. It’s a
weapon in the hostile takeover of the food supply, ala
Codex Alimentarius. Here are a few
highlights of Codex, according to a
Natural News article by Dr. Gregory D’Amato:
* All nutrients (vitamins and minerals) are to
be considered toxins/poisons and are to be removed from all food because
Codex prohibits the use of nutrients to “prevent, treat or cure any
condition or disease”
* All
food (including organic) is to be irradiated, removing all toxic
nutrients from food (unless eaten locally and raw).
*
Nutrients allowed will be limited to a Positive List developed by Codex
which will include such beneficial nutrients like Fluoride (3.8 mg
daily) developed from environmental waste. All other nutrients will be
prohibited nationally and internationally to all Codex-compliant
countries [2].
* All
nutrients (e.g., CoQ10, Vitamins A, B, C, D, Zinc and Magnesium) that
have any positive health impact on the body will be deemed illegal under
Codex and are to be reduced to amounts negligible to humans’ health [3].
* All
advice on nutrition (including written online or journal articles or
oral advice to a friend, family member or anyone) will be illegal.
* All dairy cows are to be treated
with Monsanto’s recombinant bovine growth hormone.
* All animals used for food are to be treated
with potent antibiotics and exogenous growth hormones.
* The
reintroduction of deadly and carcinogenic organic pesticides that in
1991, 176 countries (including the U.S.) have banned worldwide including
7 of the 12 worst at the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
Pesticides (e.g., Hexachlorobenzene, Toxaphene, and Aldrin) will be
allowed back into food at elevated levels [4].
*
Dangerous and toxic levels (0.5 ppb) of aflotoxin in milk produced from
moldy storage conditions of animal feed will be allowed. Aflotoxin is
the second most potent (non-radiation) carcinogenic compound known to
man.
*
Mandatory use of growth hormones and antibiotics on all food herds, fish
and flocks
*
Worldwide implementation of unlabeled GMOs into crops, animals, fish and
trees
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Show of the Month March 8 2o14
The
Power of Local Unity: Small US Town Enacts Free Food Trade
Damiana - Turnera diffusa
Noah's Ark
Monsanto
“Goes Organic” and Wins “Sustainability Award”
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The Power of Local Unity: Small US Town Enacts Free Food Trade
Sunday, February
2nd, 2014. Filed under:
Activism
Sedgwick, Maine, the
first town in the US to legalize any kind of food transaction as
free and legal in order to keep the right to produce raw milk, organic
produce, free-range eggs, and more, is revolutionizing the way America
keeps its food rights – including saying no to GMOs. In other words, it
is the first town to declare food sovereignty while opposing both state
and federal laws.
The town has
passed an ordinance that protects citizens’ rights to “produce,
sell, purchase, and consume any food of their choosing.” The ordinance
laughs in the face of FDA regulations and their hodge-podge way of
giving food a rubber stamp of approval, especially GMO. Three additional
towns in Maine are expected to pass similar ordinances as well.
The move is somewhat similar to a
move one England town made, where the citizens
transformed their entire town’s landscape into a
giant food-producing garden. Both are great examples of moving toward
food sovereignty.
It isn’t just a declaration on the
whim of a few city council members. There is a warrant added: “It
shall be unlawful for any law or regulation adopted by the state or
federal government to interfere with the rights recognized by this
Ordinance.” This means that federal interference is
prohibited in our food supply – at least in Maine. If you can’t get
Monsanto out of the government, take the government out of your food.
It’s a brilliant way around the convoluted system now in place that
almost gave Monsanto the right to be exempt from federal prosecution for
its poison food and which tries to hoist it upon the whole Nation
without consent.--David Gumpert
reports-“What about potential legal liability and state or federal
inspections? It’s all up to the seller and buyer to negotiate. “Patrons
purchasing food for home consumption may enter into private agreements
with those producers or processors of local foods to waive any liability
for the consumption of that food.
Producers or processors of local foods shall be exempt from licensure
and inspection requirements for that food as long as those agreements
are in effect.” Imagine that–buyer and seller can agree to
cut out the lawyers. That’s almost un-American, isn’t it?”---A
simple seller and buyer agreement is entered into where federal
regulations can be bypassed by the seller agreeing to consume food grown
by their neighbors organically in their garden or by the farm up the
street with their own hormone-free dairy cows that customers have known
for decades. It takes the feds
and their dirty Monsanto money right out of the game. It is commercially
grown food that is killing us all, after all - not locally
grown food.--For those with their heads in a noodle about
bypassing federal laws, the citizens of Maine have stated, “We the
radicals who concocted this mutinous act of infamy believe that
according to the Home Rule provisions of our State Constitution, the
citizens of Sedgwick have the right to enact an ordinance that is “local
and municipal in character.”--n Maine, citizens
can take advantage of local bounty, seasonal
organic crops, and the good-old-fashioned way we used to produce food
without Big Ag and commercial interference. Rural America is
putting the big city budget of Monsanto to shame with this innovative
way of taking down the monopolizing food giant. It’s about time
‘radicals’ in every small town across this nation did the same.
Additional Sources:
SedgwickMaine
+++
ZenGardner.com
- See more at:
http://www.zengardner.com/power-local-unity-small-us-town-enacts-free-food-trade/#sthash.cBE3ISuO.dpuf
***************************************************************************
Sean Curran and
Shanshan Pang studied C. elegans, a one-millimeter-long worm that
scientists have used as a model organism since the 1970s.Your best
friend swears by the Paleo Diet. Your boss loves Atkins. Your sister is
gluten-free, and your roommate is an acolyte of Michael Pollan. So who's
right? Maybe they all are.-In new research published this month in
Cell Metabolism, USC scientists Sean Curran and Shanshan Pang
identify a collection of genes that allow an
organism to adapt to different diets and show that without them, even
minor tweaks to diet can cause premature aging and death.-Finding
a genetic basis for an organism's dietary needs suggests that different
individuals may be genetically predisposed to thrive on different diets
-- and that now, in the age of commercial gene sequencing, people might
be able to identify which diet would work best for them through a simple
blood test. "These studies have
revealed that single gene mutations can alter the ability of an organism
to utilize a specific diet. In humans, small differences in a person's
genetic makeup that change how well these genes function, could explain
why certain diets work for some but not others,"
said Curran, corresponding author of the study and assistant professor
with joint appointments in the USC Davis School of Gerontology, the USC
Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and the Keck School of
Medicine of USC.-Curran and Pang studied Caenorhabditis elegans, a one-milimeter-long
worm that scientists have used as a model organism since the '70s.
Decades of tests have shown that genes in C. elegans are likely to be
mirrored in humans while its short lifespan allows scientists to do
aging studies on it.-In this study, Curran and Pang identified a gene
called alh-6, which delayed the effects of
aging depending on what type of diet the worm was fed by protecting it
against diet-induced mitochondrial defects.
"This gene
is remarkably well-conserved from single celled yeast all the way up to
mammals, which suggests that what we have learned in the worm could
translate to a better understanding of the factors that alter diet
success in humans," Curran said. Future work will focus on identifying
what contributes to dietary success or failure, and whether these
factors explain why specific diets don't work for everyone. This could
be the start of personalized dieting based on an individual's genetic
makeup, according to Curran. "We hope to uncover ways to enhance the use
of any dietary program and perhaps even figure out ways of overriding
the system(s) that prevent the use of one diet in certain individuals,"
he said.--Story Source--The above story is based on
materials provided by
University of Southern California. Note:
Materials may be edited for content and length. -Journal
Reference-Shanshan Pang, Sean P. Curran. Adaptive
Capacity to Bacterial Diet Modulates Aging in C. elegans.
Cell Metabolism, 2014; DOI:
10.1016/j.cmet.2013.12.005
*************************************************************************
Damiana - Turnera diffusa.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2014
Jan 24;
Authors: Szewczyk K,
Zidorn C
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Half a dozen of the currently accepted
135 Turnera species are used in traditional medicine, most notably
Turnera diffusa Willd. ex Schult. which is one of the most highly
appreciated plant aphrodisiacs. Other traditional uses of Turnera L.
species include the treatment of anaemia, bronchitis, cough, diabetes,
fever, fungal disease, gastrointestinal complaints, pain, pulmonary and
respiratory diseases, skin disorders, and women's health problems.
Additionally, Turnera species are used as abortives, expectorants, and
laxatives.
PHYTOCHEMISTRY: Flavonoids (22 different
compounds), maltol glucoside, phenolics, cyanogenic
glycosides (7 different compounds), monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids,
triterpenoids, the polyterpene ficaprenol-11, fatty acids, and caffeine
have been found in the genus Turnera.
BIOACTIVITY: Bioactivities experimentally proven for members of the
genus Turnera encompass antianxiety,
antiaromatase, antibacterial including antimycobacterial,
antidiabetic, antioxidant, adapatogenic, antiobesity, antispasmodic,
cytotoxic, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, and aphrodisiac
activities. Most of these activities have so far been investigated only
in chemical, cell based, or animal assays. In contrast, the antiobesity
activity was also investigated in a study on healthy human subjects and
with a herbal preparation containing among other ingredients T. diffusa
leaves. Moreover, the enhancement of female sexual function was assessed
in humans; again the product contained besides T. diffusa other
potentially bioactive ingredients. However, with only few exceptions,
most of the traditional uses and the experimentally verified
bioactivities can currently not be related to a particular compound or
compound class. A notable exception is the
flavonoid apigenin, which was identified animal experiments
as the antinociceptive (An antinociceptive
factor reduced the sensitivity to a painful stimuli for the
individual.") principle of T. diffusa. CONCLUSION: In this
review, the current knowledge on ethnobotanical uses of members of the
genus Turnera, the secondary metabolites reported from Turnera, and
experimentally documented bioactivities from Turnera extracts and pure
compounds derived from Turnera extracts are compiled. Moreover, some of
the most interesting avenues for future research projects are being
discussed briefly. These include in particular the aphrodisiac activity
of T. diffusa and the antibiotic activity potentiating effect of T.
ulmifolia L. against aminoglycoside resistant bacteria.--PMID: 24468305
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
*************************************************************************
Noah's Ark
Everything I
need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark .
ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in
the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't
raining when Noah built the
Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to
do something really big.
FIVE:
Don't listen to critics; just get on with
the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were
on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the
Ark was
built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a
rainbow waiting.
****************************************************************************
Monsanto “Goes Organic” and Wins “Sustainability Award”
Posted By ANH-USA On
February 18, 2014 @ 3:00 pm In Real, Not Phony Food Safety,
Say No to GMO |
This isn’t a spoof. In addition to
this story, we’ll provide you with a round-up of GMO-related news,
including why your neighbor may shortly be planting GMO grass right next
to you. Action Alerts! --We won’t spend time in this article reiterating
past research on why
genetically modified organisms [1] (GMOs) are
dangerous—you probably already know that they can
randomly produce toxic effects [2];
introduce alarming levels of chemicals [3]
into our ecosystems and diet; and have been
shown to cause [4] serious health problems—but there have
been some recent developments in GMO politics, science, and regulation
that we want to share with you.
Here are the news items we’ll
cover:
Monsanto Wins Award
for…“Sustainability”?
When most of us think of
sustainability, we think of environmental practices that will allow
current and future generations to enjoy nutritious, locally farmed
foods, clean water, pure air, and a non-toxic, natural world. As the
concept has developed, it’s also become applicable to other realms,
including economics and healthcare. For example,
ANH-USA advocates for [11] sustainable
healthcare—practices that allow you to naturally maintain your health
and extend your lifespan.
To the EPA, [12] sustainability “creates and maintains
the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive
harmony,
that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of
present and future generations.”--Taking these definitions into account,
it may surprise you to learn that last month, Monsanto—yes, the same
Monsanto whose expensive seeds caused
an estimated 125,000 Indian farmers [13]
to commit suicide—was
recognized [14] as one of
2014’s Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World.--Monsanto
was ranked 37th on overall sustainability, 5th among American companies,
and 5th globally in the materials industry by an organization called
Corporate Knights [15] (CK), a media and investment
advisory company whose flagship magazine has one of the world’s largest
circulations and is published quarterly as inserts in the Washington
Post and the Globe and Mail (UK).
Ubiquitous as CK is, we find their
criteria for “sustainability” [16]—also called their “key
performance indicators”—more than a little absurd:
- Energy
productivity
- Carbon
productivity
- Water
productivity
- Waste
productivity
- Innovation
capacity
- Percent tax
paid
- CEO to
Average Employee Pay
- Pension fund
status
- Safety
performance
- Employee
turnover
- Leadership
diversity
- “Clean
capitalism” pay link (rewards “companies that have set up mechanisms
to link the remuneration of senior executives with the achievement of
clean capitalism goals or targets”)
As one University of
Toronto
business ethics professor
noted, [17] “Only the
first four actually have something to do with what most of us mean by
‘sustainability.’ The rest
are…not relevant to the question of sustainable use of resources, or to
the notion of sustainable economic growth that is compatible with
environmental conservation.”--And
even the first four have nothing to do with the environment, and
everything to do with profits. After all, the award-givers
define “energy productivity” as how much revenue companies can squeeze
out of one unit of energy. The health of the
environment literally has nothing to do with it.--For the
countless natural health practitioners, organic farmers, consumers, and
activists who unceasingly fight and sacrifice to “walk the walk” of
sustainability, the bastardization of this important term is not a joke.
It is offensive.--Perhaps “excellence in sustainability” is CK’s code
for “excellence in propaganda.” As we’ve consistently reported,
there is nothing sustainable about Monsanto and their GMO seeds.
For example,
GMOs do not increase
crop yields [18]. A 2009
Union of Concerned Scientists report [19] found that GMO
soybeans do not produce increased yields, that GMO corn only marginally
increases yields, and that no GMO crop has
even been found to have intrinsic yield (meaning, yield in “real life,”
and not laboratory, conditions).---We’re not quite sure who
CK thinks they’re fooling, or what they get out of this nonsense. A more
interesting question is why Monsanto is trying so hard to “greenwash”
its image. --Meanwhile the Geneva-based
Covalence group placed Monsanto dead last on a list of 581 global
companies ranked by their reputation for ethics. For more on
this, see chapter 11 of
Crony Capitalism in America 2008–12 [20], a
book recently published by ANH-USA’s board president, Hunter Lewis.
GMOs Aren’t Enough—Monsanto Wants to Monopolize Conventional and Organic
Crops, Too. Action Alert!
Since it
purchased the company in 2008 [21], Monsanto has been
quietly cultivating its Seminis brand,
as well as several other semi-anonymous brands, to breed and sell seeds
that aren’t GMO.
--To create these seeds, Monsanto and its minions are claiming to use
nothing more than
traditional crossbreeding [22] (where plants with
desirable qualities are laboriously “mated” until they yield progeny
with the targeted traits). This process
takes quite a bit of “time,
land, and patience [23].”--Don’t be
fooled: Monsanto isn’t using your grandparents’ crossbreeding. They’re
engaging in a highly technical process that appears to takes place in a
lab, not a field, and also appears to involve
manipulation on the genetic level [24].Worse yet, they
don’t seem to want to make foods healthier. For example,
Monsanto is attempting to breed fruits and
vegetables that
taste sweeter than their traditional
counterparts [25]. Read: they’re
engineering a way to add more sugar than nature intended. The last thing
that most people need is more sugar or fructose in their diet.--Is this
a blatant attempt to win back the “hearts and minds” of consumers?
According to one Monsanto official, “There isn’t a reputation silver
bullet, but it helps.”--There is another important question to ask here:
If Monsanto truly believes that GMOs are
the future, why are they investing in conventional crops?--There’s
no way to know for sure, but it’s possible that Monsanto doesn’t have
faith in its own product: the company is already facing consumer
pressure and emerging long-term health problems associated with GMOs.--For
this reason, they could simply be hedging their bets. What if, in the
future, the scientific consensus is that GMOs are harmful, or there’s a
GMO-sparked environmental disaster, or the government decides to
intervene? They may think they have to prepare for the possibility that
GMOs may eventually fail. Seminis and its sister subsidies are
Monsanto’s “insurance:” if GMOs crash and
burn, they have a conventional cash cow to fall back on.
Is Someone Growing
Unregulated GMO Grass Right Next to You? Action Alert!
In
July 2011 [27], the USDA—often characterized as a
power-hungry agency [28]—gave GMOs a regulatory hall
pass. The agency determined that, thanks to
a tiny technical loophole [29], they had no oversight
over
GMO Kentucky bluegrass [30]. This meant that the
grass—and any GMOs created via
the same GMO technique [31]—could
be planted anywhere, at anytime, with zero government oversight.--The
public backlash was immediate, though we knew at the time that the true
extent of this disastrous decision wouldn’t be felt for years to come.
Unfortunately, we were right.--Late last month, Scott’s Miracle-Gro
quietly announced [32] that their employees will “test”
the Roundup-resistant GMO grass by planting it in their home lawns in
Marysville, Ohio. Scott’s hopes to have thousands more consumers
planting their GMO grass by 2016—and thanks
to the USDA, there’s no framework in place to keep this from happening.
Alarmingly, if
your neighbor plants GMO grass, your lawn may become full GMOs, too.
Cross-contamination of non-GMO crops is already a reality.
Pollen can travel anywhere from the length of
three football fields to
thousands of miles away
[33]. Given this, and the fact there’s little to no space
between suburban lawns—it’s completely
unrealistic to assume GMO grass will stay where it’s planted.--It
will be interesting to see whether GMO lawn grass producers sue you for
having their grass when it spreads into your lawn. That is what Monsanto
has done for years to innocent neighboring farmers. Since suing each
suburban neighborhood is presumably not a workable model, what new one
will devised?--The truth is that we are at a now-or-never moment with
respect to GMOs in America.
The more these seeds are released into the air, neighboring farms, and
now suburban lawns, the harder it will be to stop them--Write to
the USDA
immediately and tell the agency to stop protecting the biotech industry
at the public’s expense! GMO Kentucky bluegrass shouldn’t be allowed due
to a technical loophole—otherwise, GMOs created via the same GMO
technique as this grass could be planted anywhere, at anytime, with zero
government oversight.
All Eyes on New Global
Precedent for GMO Contamination
GMO crops have
been known to contaminate organic crops, bringing severe economic damage
to small farmers. The
problem has gotten so pervasive that the Organic Seed Growers and Trade
Association has had to publish
a seventy-page booklet [35] on how to avoid (and test
for) GMO contamination.--For example,
one organic corn grower [36] whose crops were
contaminated was forced to sell her corn for $1.67 a bushel—far below
the $4 market price for organic corn.--All eyes are now on
an Australian court case [37], wherein one farmer is
suing Monsanto for the GMO contamination of his organic wheat and oat
crop. The episode resulted in the farmer losing his organic
certification and export license (Australia has a zero tolerance policy
for GMO material in organic products)—the keys to his very
livelihood.--The outcome of this case could set a global precedent, and
seriously affect the regulation of organics to protect the interests of
GMO growers and producers (sad to say, it will almost certainly not be
vice versa). We’ll continue to watch it very closely.--Meanwhile, a
recent Supreme Court ruling confirmed that
Monsanto can sue farmers [38] whose crops are
contaminated—even if it’s not their fault, because Monsanto has promised
to behave better and not take advantage of innocent farmers!
Industrial Herbicides
Are Even More Toxic Than We Thought
The uncontrolled GMO grass
“experiment” is even more alarming in light of the growing body of
evidence that
glyphosate [39], a main chemical component in Monsanto’s
Roundup herbicide, is a major health threat.--Keep in mind that GMO
Kentucky bluegrass, like
some brands of [40] Monsanto’s GMO corn, cotton, and soy
seeds, is engineered to be Roundup-resistant. This means that growers
can apply as much Roundup as they’d like to kill the weeds they don’t
want, while leaving their plants intact. The GMO seed and the herbicide
enter the environment together.--Also
remember that many
weeds are now learning [41]
to be Roundup-resistant. To compensate, growers are forced to
spray more and more Roundup [42]—which that means more
glyphosate in our foods, ecosystems, and bodies, or use even more
dangerous chemicals.--Despite assurances by Monsanto and
the EPA [43],
glyphosate is a hazard to humans, animals, plants, and organic and
conventional agriculture. New research published in the
International Journal of
Toxicology [45] found that
commercial glyphosate-based herbicides—at
levels far below the normal agricultural applications—are extremely
toxic to human many cells, and are lethal to human liver cells.--This
research confirms
Dr. Charles Benbrook’s [46] and ANH-USA’s investigation
into the environmental, economic, and human health effects of glyphosate.
Our research found, for example, that glyphosate is
toxic to fish and essentially all plant life (if you haven’t read this
comprehensive case study, you can
download the PDF here [1]).-We should be focusing on
reducing our addiction to chemical farming, not coming up with new ways
to expose ourselves to more and more toxins. We have the opportunity to
solve this problem before the disastrous health effects become
widespread and irreversible. Future generations will not get the same
chance.
Is Industry Persuading
Scientists to Quash Chilling Scientific Findings?
Another recent study [47], authored by French researcher
Gilles-Eric Séralini and published in BioMed Research International,
confirms the International Journal of Toxicity study.
It too found that herbicides and
pesticides—notably those that are glyphosate-based—are far more toxic
than industry and the EPA would lead you to believe. Séralini
found that formulations like Roundup were
“several times more toxic” than their main ingredient alone
(i.e., glyphosate), and that “Roundup was
by far the most toxic” of the chemical formulations tested.--Just
hours after the study’s publication, Dr. Ralf Reski, a
BioMed editor,
immediately resigned [48], stating, “I do not want to be
connected to a journal that provides [Séralini] a forum for such kind of
agitation.”--We wonder: is Dr. Reski really concerned about scientific
sensationalism?
According to his own résumé [49],
his “independent” research is 53% funded by industry. Did Dr.
Reski proactively protect his source of funding? Did industry threaten
him?--In September 2012, Séralini
published a study [50]
suggesting that a long-term diet of GMO corn can cause health
problems—including breast cancer and severe organ damage—in animals.
After a year of artificial controversy, the paper
was retracted [51], much to the
dismay and protest [52] of a significant part of the
scientific community.---Séralini’s peers felt the retraction
was made on invalid grounds [53]. It was withdrawn for
being poorly designed, despite the fact that it followed
almost exactly the same protocol [54] of a trial
conducted by Monsanto and published in the same journal. Moreover, they
saw in the retraction evidence of undue industry influence on the
scientific community: a few months before the study was retracted, a
former Monsanto scientist was appointed to the journal in a
newly created editorial position [55].--To be published
in journals like BioMed, studies go through a thorough editor
and peer-review process.
BioMed requires [56] an initial review by the
editorial office; approval from an editor knowledgeable about the
subject in question; and a peer review by between two and five outside
evaluators. That’s three layers of intense scrutiny before a study can
even be published.--It now seems that Séralini, despite of the integrity
of his work, has been blacklisted—a clear warning to other objective,
independent researchers.
TOP A
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TOP B
HOME
Show of the Month March
15 2o14
BEEF JUICE
1939 Cancer Act-of the
UK
Oleuropein boosts testosterone level, lowers cortisol secretion, stimulates
anabolism
Estimation of Apigenin, an Anxiolytic Constituent, in
Turnera aphrodisiaca.
**************************************************************************
BEEF JUICE
The body derives
several benefits from regular use of beef juice.
It apparently could bring about a
strengthening of the body without irritating the cells in the intestinal
tract which might bring about a change in the nature of the
lymph and the lymphatic functioning that might in turn disturb the body,
causing sleeplessness and general irritation. The following readings
are commentaries on it plus descriptions of how to prepare it. ---
"The combinations that have been indicated for the body as to diet are
very good; yet we would add the greater strengthening influence without
the addition of weight or of heavy foods - which would materially aid,
and would not irritate those tendencies for the accumulations or
separations in the active forces of mucus that has produced and does
produce in the lymph those segregations and accumulations about which
the body becomes so disturbed at times. These as we find may be had in
the Pure Beef Juice; not broth, but prepared in this manner:
Take a pound
to a pound and a half preferably of the round steak. No fat, no
portions other than that which is of the muscle or tendon or strength;
no fatty or skin portions. Dice this into half inch cubes, as it were,
or practically so. Put same in a glass jar without water in same. Put
the jar then into a boiler or container with the water coming about half
or three-fourths toward the top of the jar, you see. Preferably put a
cloth in the container to prevent the jar from cracking. Do not seal
the jar tight, but cover the top. Let this boil (the water, with the
jar in same) for three to four hours. Then strain off the juice, and
the refuse may be pressed
somewhat.
It will be found that the meat or flesh
itself will be worthless. Place the juice in a cool place,
but do not keep too long; never longer than three days, see? Hence the
quantity made up at the time depends upon how much or how often the body
will take this. It should be taken two
to three times a day, but not more than a tablespoonful at the time
- and this sipped very slowly. Of course,
this is to be seasoned to suit the taste of the body.
"Also once a day it will be
most beneficial to take beef juice as a tonic; not so much the beef
itself but beef juice; followed with red wine.
Do not mix these, but take both about the
same time. Take about a teaspoonful of the beef juice, but spend about
five minutes in sipping that much. Then take an ounce of the red wine
"Q-5. What quantity of beef juice
to be taken daily?
A-5. At least two tablespoonsful,
but no fat in same. A tablespoonful is
almost equal to a pound of meat or two pounds of meat a day;
and that's right smart for a man that isn't active!" (1424-2)
"Beef juice should
be taken regularly as medicine, a teaspoonful four times a day at least,
but when taken it should be sipped, not just taken as a gulp."
(5374-1)
"As we find, we would use
small quantities at a time - but take almost as medicine - of the beef
juices ... This is easily assimilated,
gives strength and vitality, and is needed with the vital forces of the
body in the present. Take at
least a tablespoonful during the day, or two tablespoonsful. But not as
spoonsful; rather sips of same. This, sipped in this manner,
will work towards producing the gastric flow through the intestinal
system, first in the salivary reactions to the very nature of the
properties themselves, second with the gastric flow from the upper
portion of the stomach or through the cardiac reaction at the end of the
esophagus that produces the first of the lacteals' reaction to the
gastric flows in the stomach or digestive forces themselves; thirdly
making for an activity through the pylorus and the duodenum that becomes
stimulating to the activity of the flows without producing the
tendencies for accumulation of gases."
**************************************************************************
IV.
Nitrogenous Foods. Meat Teas, Meat Extracts, Meat Juices, Peptones And
Peptonoids, And Dried Meat Powders
(l) Foods prepared
from meat are sold under the name of meat teas, meat
extracts, meat juices, peptones and peptonoids, and dried meat
powders. Some are supposed
to have marvellous nutritive value because of the evaporation of a
watery extract of the meat, or of the juice expressed from meat, into a
fluid which is stated to contain the nutritive elements of the
original muscle fibre in a concentrated form. Others base their claims
on the predigestion of the protein before concentration. It is not
invariably true that these preparations are made from meat.
The absence of creatinin, in some specimens,
suggests that these particular ones are purely artificial products.---Analyses
of various meats show that the average
percentage of protein is about 20 and that it is,
therefore, impossible to concentrate meat down to less than a fifth of
its bulk, if the total nutritive value of the protein is to be retained.
Reference to the tables of analyses of these
nitrogenous foods shows that in few instances does the percentage of
protein equal that of the original meat from which the food is made,
while in many it is very considerably less, even if undiluted. In those
cases in which the percentage of protein is high, the food is usually
given diluted with a large quantity of
water. --The high percentage of extractives in many of these
preparations proves that they are fluid extracts of meat. These
extractives are of no nutritive value, throw an extra strain on the
liver and kidneys, and are probably actively injurious. The high
proportion of salts and extractives leads to thirst and
diarrhoea, if these foods are given in large quantities.
-A. In the ordinary process of making beef
tea and clear soups the product is strained
and the protein, coagulated by heat, which forms the nutritious
sediment, deprived of its stimulating taste, is usually thrown away. A
weak gelatinous fluid is left which is converted into a firm jelly on
cooling, if the gelatin amounts to one per cent. Beef tea is
often made in institutions from some one or other of the various meat
extracts, instead of from fresh meat, so it is worth while to consider
the nutritive value and the expense of these different preparations.
Approximate
Composition Of Beef Tea Preparations
|
|
Water. |
Proteins. |
Extractives. |
Mineral Ash. |
|
Mason's - strong beef tea . |
8902 |
686 |
2.47 |
1.65 |
| Bovril
Co. - Vril, albuminous beef tea............... |
84.00 |
1017 |
417 |
1.66 |
|
Brand's - fibrous beef tea . |
83.21 |
11.40 |
452 |
086 |
According to the Lancet analysis
Mason's beef tea contains meat fibre 3.74 per cent, soluble albuminoids
and extractives 10.58, mineral salts 2.37.
A comparison of the above
preparations with beef tea, as ordinarily made, is distinctly to their
advantage. Home made beef tea contains about 1.5 per cent of protein
and, if made by the boiling process, may contain considerably less. An
analysis of a sample of that made at St. Thomas's Hospital yielded the
following results (The Hospital, June 11, 1904) : -
Water . . . . ..... 96030
Fat.......... 0199
Insoluble protein and meat fibre .
. . . 0.208
Soluble proteins and gelatin . . .
. . 1.342
Meat bases ........ 0.608
Non-nitrogenous extractive matters
.... 0.843
Mineral matters ....... 0.770
The total dry solids amounted to
3.97 per cent and of that 1.55 per cent only, inclusive of gelatin, was
of value as food.
The price of beef tea made from
various foods is given in the following table (The Hospital, June 1,
1907): -
| Name
of Food. |
Price. |
Amount
Required. |
Cost
per Pint. |
| Lemco
.... |
5s.
6d. per lb. |
1 lb.
for 60 pints |
Id.
and a fraction |
|
Ramornie1 . |
5s. „ |
1 oz.
„ 3 „ |
Ditto |
| Oxo..... |
3s.
9d. |
l 1b.
„ 22 „ |
2d. |
|
Nursing
Oxo2 . |
4s. „ |
l 1b.
„ 22 „ |
2
1/5d. |
|
Invalid Bovril . |
4s.
6d. |
3 oz.
„ 4 „ |
2
1/4d. |
|
Mason's beef tea |
- |
- |
3 1/2
d. |
|
Brand's beef tea |
10d. |
31b. „
7 „ |
4
1/4d. |
| Oxvil
.... |
- |
- |
5d. |
|
Foreign meat . |
2d. -
3d. ,, |
- |
l 1/2
- 2d. |
These results are based on
institutional prices. The price per pint is not an absolute criterion of
the value, unless we regard these preparations as of such little use for
nutritive purposes that the actual percentages of protein can be
neglected. Probably this is true, for the amount of protein which can be
taken in this form is really remarkably small.
These foods may be
restorative and
stimulant,
but they are certainly only feebly nutritive and are an expensive form
of diet. The use
of beef tea and meat extracts depends on the fact that in digestive
disorders and in
fevers, in which
digestion is impaired, the appetite
is bad, and the tongue furred, the patient dislikes food, but can take a
hot, clean, non-cloying fluid which by virtue of the heat has some
stimulating and nutritive properties
.
These preparations have a great influence on the minds of the patient
and friends, who are apt to dread abstinence from food as a source of
extreme danger and have an abounding faith in the nutritive value of
beef teas, jellies and meat extracts. As a food milk is infinitely
superior. There is one advantage in these foods which must not be
overlooked. They encourage appetite and the
secretion of gastric juice. A
few tablespoonfuls of clear soup or of a diluted meat extract, taken at
the beginning of dinner or just beforehand, will improve both appetite
and digestion. A large amount may be harmful by unduly
diluting the gastric juice. They may be regarded as concentrated
flavouring substances of meat the nutritive matters being extracted.
Liebig's Extract was the first and remains the most typical of these
meat extracts. As originally made it is practically free from protein
and fat. It is a concentrated watery extract of meat, heated under
pressure, filtered and evaporated.
1 Liebig's Extract of Meat as
prepared by the Australian Meat Co.
2 Peptonized.
The Approximate Composition Of Meat Extracts
|
|
Water. |
Proteins . and Gelatin |
Extractives. . |
N.free.
Sub- Mineral stances Ash.
etc. |
References and Remarks. |
|
Armour's Extract1 |
24.30
! |
16.08 |
20.55 |
20.06 |
19.03 |
|
| 15.55 |
10.89 |
43.23 |
4.122 |
25.91 |
Food
and Sanitation,l893 |
|
Bovril |
44.40 |
16.94 |
20.32 |
__ |
18.32 |
Stutzer, 1897 |
| 39.58 |
912 |
34.10 |
1.292 |
13.52 |
Chittenden |
| Bovril
Fluid Beef1 |
38.10 |
12.24 |
1204 |
19.75 |
17.87 |
- |
|
Invalids' Bovril1 |
21.82 |
21.42 |
39.60 |
- |
17.16 |
- |
| 21.16 |
16.66 |
16.13 |
29.23 |
16.82 |
Allen's commercial analysis |
|
Bouillon Fleet . |
61.95 |
11.81 |
9.87 |
3.87 |
12.50 |
Tatlock |
|
Brand's Beef Bouillon 1 |
36.27 |
9.58 |
19.34 |
19.75 |
15.07 |
- |
|
Brand's Essence. |
87.17 |
10.433 |
1.01 |
|
1.39 |
Candy,
vide Hutchison, 1904. The juice of beef, mutton, veal or
chicken, without any
addition |
| Hipi
.... |
42.00 |
43.00 |
- |
6.60 |
8.40 |
Medical
Press, 1899. A mutton extract |
| Lemco1
. |
17.80 |
16.48 |
3812 |
6.00 |
21.50 |
- |
|
Liebig's Extract |
20.06 |
0.06 |
55.72 |
0.912 |
24.04 |
Chittenden. Fat and protein free. |
| 18.30 |
9.40 |
30.00 |
18.602 |
23.60 |
Tankard |
|
Mason's Essence |
77.07 |
303 |
7.47 |
2.92 |
9.51 |
Food
and Sanitation,1896 (Hehner) |
| Oxine
Extract1 . |
62.90 |
13.00 |
4.54 |
- |
19.60 |
Hutchison |
| Oxo1 .
. . |
38.10 |
18.93 |
2031 |
5.35 |
17-31 |
Meat
extract, albumin and fibrin, without fat |
| Viking
Beef Essence |
90.68 |
3.63 |
1.85 |
2.41 |
1-43 |
Tankard |
1 Analysis given by the
manufacturers.
2 Ether extract.
3 Half gelatin.
4 Including extractives.
Read more:
http://chestofbooks.com/health/nutrition/Diet-Dietetics/IV-Nitrogenous-Foods-Meat-Teas-Meat-Extracts-Meat-Juices-Peptones-And-Pepto.html#.UwenGIVyxbw#ixzz2tzS3EaTx
*******************************************************************
Meat Extract
-
A term which in
popular usage embraces several products differing considerably in
character. That best known and most widely
used in the preparation of "Beef
tea" is the
commercial
meat or
Beef extract obtained by simple
boiling, straining and evaporation
without the addition of other ingredients. It consists
principally of "extractives," or
meat flavor, together with a certain proportion of mineral salts.
The fat is removed, as it would in time
render the extract rancid, and nearly all the valuable albuminoids are
also lost - they coagulate during the
stewing of the
meat and are strained off
together with the fibrine, etc. Dry albumin is added to some
preparations in the final processes, but no attempt is made to carry
through the
natural
Beef
albumen as, under the conditions in which
meat extract is ordinarily made, marketed and used, it would readily
decompose and spoil the product.
Meat extract of the type described, was formerly rated as a
condensed food product of high nutritive value. That position has been
entirely abandoned and it is now acknowledged that it is entirely
inadequate to support life, but it has
retained great importance in both the medical and
commercial worlds on the more
solid foundation of its indisputable merit as the basis of an agreeable
and thoroughly wholesome beverage of mildly stimulating properties.
Physicians find it a valuable adjunct in the care of invalids and
convalescents, and its meaty
taste often lends zest to the necessarily restricted diet of the
sick room, exercising a highly
beneficial effect by enabling the digestive organs to extract more
nutriment from other foods.
It is especially useful for mixing with
milk - persons who cannot
assimilate plain
milk can nearly always digest it
when flavored with a little
Beef extract. Its
other uses include its employment in large quantities to give a relish
to the condensed foods, such as those made with pease-meal,
carried by army commissaries, and its similar familiar employment in the
kitchen to enhance the flavor of
soups, sauces, etc. It is worth remembering that
extract of meat contains those flavoring properties to which is
principally due the higher market value of the choice cuts.
Many almost
worthless preparations are, however, sold as "meat
extracts" and it is advisable to confine purchases to houses of
known reliability.
Somewhat similar
value attaches to properly made
commercial preparations of
meat juices or "meat
extracts," obtained by pressure of the raw
meat and then preserved without cooking.
A third class
contains the soluble albumoses (peptoses) of the
meat predigested - i.e., digested by artificial means. The
best of these offer
food values in important percentages, but their use should be
regulated by medical advice
In spite of the
fact that most people enjoy - or at all events do not object to - the
strong flavor of the best
extracts, their
taste and odor are sometimes found quite offensive by those
possessing especially delicate palates. When this objection is found by
a patient, it can be obviated to a considerable extent by putting a
little
butter, and plenty of
salt in the hot
Beef tea.
Beef tea should always be served
hot - if drunk cold, or nearly so, its stimulating property is much
reduced.
Following are the
standards for
meat
extracts and similar products adopted by the Association of State
and National
Dairy and Food Departments and the Association of Official
Agricultural Chemists.
(1)
meat Extract is the product obtained by extracting fresh
meat with
boiling
water, and concentrating the liquid portion by evaporation after the
removal of fat, and contains not less than 75% of total solids, of which
not over 27% is ash and not over 12% is sodium chloride (calculated from
the total chlorine present), not over 0.6% is fat and not less than 8%
is nitrogen. The nitrogenous compounds contain not less than 40% of
meat bases, and not less than 10% of creatin (a compound found in
muscular flesh) and creatinin.
(2) Fluid
meat Extract is identical with
meat extract, except that it is concentrated to a lower degree, and
contains not more than 75% and not less than 50% of total solids.
(3) Bone Extract is
the product obtained by extracting fresh trimmed bones with
boiling
water and concentrating the liquid portion by evaporation after
removal of fat, and contains not less than 75% of total solids.
(4) Fluid Bone
Extract is identical with bone extract, except that it is concentrated
to a lower degree and contains not more than 75% and not less than 50%
of total solids.
(5)
meat Juice is the fluid portion of muscle fibre, obtained by
pressure or otherwise, and may be concentrated by evaporation at a
temperature below the coagulating point of the soluble proteins. The
solids contain not more than 15% of ash, not more than 2.5% of sodium
chloride (calculated from the total chlorine present), not more than 4%
nor less than 2% of phosphoric acid and not less than 12% of nitrogen.
The nitrogenous bodies contain not less than 35% of coagulable proteins
and not more than 40% of
meat bases.
For a number of
years after its first introduction, the greater part of both the
European and American supply came from the
Argentine
Republic, in which country the Liebig Company, the original
manufacturer, established its first factory. The United States is now
one of the principal producers.
Home-Made
Beef Tea,
meat Juices, etc.
In contrast to that from
commercial
meat Extract, home-made "Beef
tea," as generally prepared, is entitled to rank as both food and
stimulant, as it contains a fair
percentage of
protein and fat, in addition to the
gelatine
and
**************************************************************************
A recent study conducted by the
University of Texas (UT) and Neogenis Laboratories suggests that a
dietary supplement containing beetroot and
hawthorn beery may boost heart health.--Beetroot
and hawthorn berry both affect the body's nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide
(NO) pathway. The resulting NO compound is important to cardiovascular
health because it dilates blood vessels, thereby lowering blood pressure
(one of the most significant predictors of heart disease) and improving
blood flow. Researchers tested the effects of a combination
of the two herbs on NO availability.
Beetroot was selected for study because it contains high levels of
nitrate. Similarly, hawthorn berries have a high activity of the enzyme
nitrite reductase, facilitating the conversion of nitrite to NO.---Previous
research on the hawthorn berry has already shown promise for its use in
treating heart conditions. In a review of literature, Pittler et al.
found hawthorn berry effective in improving symptoms of chronic heart
failure, including impaired heart workload capacity. Other researchers
found that hawthorn berry effectively reduced blood pressure in healthy
subjects. The previous literature has not yet established beetroot's
effectiveness in treating heart problems.---In the UT study,
30 participants, all above the age of 40, were randomly assigned to
consume either the herb blend Neo40 Daily® or a placebo twice daily for
30 days. The subjects all presented with at least three of the following
known risk factors for cardiovascular disease: elevated blood pressure
(hypertension), obesity, high blood lipid levels (hyperlipidemia),
diabetes, family history of heart disease, sedentary lifestyle, and
history of smoking.---After 30 days of
therapy, the herb supplement group had significant increases
in NO levels, as compared to the placebo group. Furthermore, 72 percent
of the individuals in the herbal supplement group experienced
statistically significant reductions in blood triglyceride levels,
another risk factor for heart disease.--This study provides evidence for
the herbs use in reducing risk for cardiovascular disease. However,
additional research is needed to completely qualify the relationship
between diet, NO availability and heart disease.
References
- Pittler MH,
Guo R, Ernst E. Hawthorn extract for treating chronic heart failure.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jan 23;(1):CD005312.
View Abstract
- Zand J, Lanza
F, Garg HK, et al. All-natural nitrite and nitrate containing dietary
supplement promotes nitric oxide production and reduces triglycerides
in humans. Nutr Res. 2011 Apr;31(4):262-9.
View Abstract
Simple Remedy---take
hawthorn leaf and add to it beets in equal weight ( example 2 oz of
each) then take either red wine or alcohol ( ethanol) and add 6 oz and
then blend down for 7-10 minutes—strain and use anywhere from 1
tablespoon to 1 oz daily several times a day
****************************************************************************
(OMNS Aug 3,
2012)
Most
citizens of
Great
Britain are totally unaware of
the 1939 Cancer Act which effectively prevents them from finding out
about different treatments for cancer.
Excerpts from the UK 1939 Cancer Act:
“4 – (1) No person shall take any part in
the publication of any advertisement – (a)
containing an offer to treat any person for
cancer, or to prescribe any remedy therefor, or to give any advice in
connection with the treatment thereof; or (b)
referring to any article, or articles of any
description, in terms which are calculated to lead to the use of that
article, or articles of that description, in the treatment of cancer.
---In this section the expression
“advertisement” includes any “notice, circular, label, wrapper or other
document, and any announcement made orally or by any means of producing
or transmitting sounds”. [1] --Publication
of such advertisements is permitted to a very restrictive group
comprising members of either House of Parliament, local authority,
governing bodies of voluntary hospitals, registered or training to
become registered medical practitioners, nurses or pharmacists, and
persons involved in the sale or supply of surgical appliances.
A very tight grip, therefore, is exercised on information that is fed to
citizens of Great Britain; interestingly,
the Act does not apply to
Northern Ireland.
---That pretty much wraps it up, and wraps us (in
Britain) up in the legal
stranglehold that this outdated Act still exerts.
Was this enacted to protect the citizens
from charlatans and “quacks” or to safeguard the interests of the
National Radium Trust, to whom the British Government lent money?
If no one is allowed to tell us, how can we, the general public, ever
find out what alternatives there are to those offered by mainstream
medicine, mainly surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy?
No
Freedom of Therapy, Information, or Assembly
My colleague, Sarah Ling, and I unwittingly found ourselves in a
maelstrom when we decided to hold a convention in Birmingham, later this
year, to do just that – inform the general public about some of the
other ways to tackle this hideous disease than those generally doled out
to their mostly trusting, but fear-filled patients. A well-justified
fear of the actual treatments as well as the disease prevails. --Last
year, Sarah’s sister was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.
Chemotherapy was the only treatment offered, which she accepted out of
fear. She nearly died within hours of having it, and very sadly died
days afterwards. Sarah was determined to help prevent others from
enduring such trauma and so, under the umbrella of our Institute (The
Cambridge Institute of Complementary Health), we organised a convention
to educate people – conventional/complementary health professionals and
the general public – about different ways to treat people who have
cancer. ---We quickly drew up a short list of speakers that we felt
would have much to contribute, including Dr Stanislaw Burzynski who
agreed to come and talk about his pioneering work on antineoplastins.
---After posting our speakers on our web-site, one, an oncologist,
pulled out due to a malevolent e-mail she had received, questioning her
wisdom at sharing a platform with Dr Burzynski. She didn’t want to cause
her team any controversy. We then discovered that we had attracted a lot
of adverse attention that was derogatory, critical of our speakers,
casting aspersions on them and on us as an organisation. Unfortunately
Dr Burzynski decided not to come – so as not to expose us to the sort of
attacks that he has suffered. Regrettably, the public lost an
opportunity to hear first-hand of his pioneering treatments in tackling
cancers, including inoperable brain tumours.
--Two speakers down, we then found ourselves possibly contravening the
archaic Cancer Act. We’ve had to be extremely careful in how we word any
publications relating to the convention so that the Advertising
Standards Agency doesn’t come down on us like a ton of bricks and
prevent us from holding it at all. Britain cherishes its long-held
tradition of freedom of speech, but in recent years that seems
questionable. However, we can still hold debates, and that is what we
are doing.
We are aware that efforts will be made to stop us, from those who are
not seekers of truth. If they were truly interested in the welfare of
people, they would be advocating most of the alternative/complementary
approaches instead of deriding them and trying to close down clinics and
individuals who practise them, via the Advertising Standards Agency.
This ridiculous Act affords them the guise of protecting the public and
gives them ammunition that they can use against persons advocating
alternatives.
We can’t hold an open day of education on treating cancer in this
country: how bizarre is that? How much longer can this information be
contained?
The Cost
of Ignorance
The UK National Health Service is overstretched and, as more and more
people contract cancer (one in three presently), the rising costs of
expensive and often ineffective treatments will surely mean they have to
look at alternatives. --
Conventional healthcare professionals are too often ignorant of the
enormous value of unconventional treatments. How can they be otherwise,
as those outside of their profession are prohibited from alluding to the
fact that they can help treat cancer? Shockingly, even nutrition is most
often totally overlooked during orthodox cancer treatment, and the very
foods that promote cancers are given to patients in our hospitals
sometimes in order to maintain calorie intake. There is frequently no
advice on diet, that most crucial aspect of our health. [2] -
Thankfully, some oncologists do recognise the benefits that
alternative/complementary treatments offer. [3] Hopefully more and more
will come to accept that integrating the best of conventional and
complementary/alternative methods is the way forward.
It is our opinion that a reform of the 1939 Cancer Act is long overdue.
The tenacious grip that it holds on treating cancer must be
relinquished, so that patients and their healthcare providers can make
an informed choice as to what approach may be best for their individual
needs. -(Madeline C. Hickey-Smith has an honours degree in biology and
is cofounder of the Cambridge Institute of Complementary Health http://cichealth.org.uk
. The direct link to the convention page is http://cichealth.org.uk/#/cancer-convention/4566602766
.)
**************************************************************************
Oleuropein boosts testosterone level, lowers cortisol secretion,
stimulates anabolism
Oleuropein is a compound that
occurs naturally in
olive oil and helps the body to use proteins more economically. In a
Japanese study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry,
rats that had a protein-rich diet retained no less than 46 percent more
protein when large amounts of oleuropein were added to their food. In
addition, they produced
more testosterone and
less cortisol.
Oleuropein is
found in olives, olive oil and leaves of the olive tree.
Supplements containing olive-leaf extracts have been on the market for
years, and if you look carefully you'll find cheap extracts containing
25 percent oleuropein.
The structural formula of the
substance is shown below on the left. With a bit of chemical tinkering
you can remove the glucose group from the oleuropein molecule, leaving
you with a pared-down version – chemists call it an aglycon – of
oleuropein. The Japanese experimented with the natural version of
oleuropein.
Seven years ago the Japanese
reported that virgin olive oil boosted the metabolism of rats.
It was the phenol oleuropein that
was responsible for this, they discovered later.
[J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2008 Oct;54(5):363-70.] Oleuropein
boosted the secretion of adrenalin and noradrenalin in rats, and made
the brown fat cells burn more fatty acids.
The discovery of the adrenergic
effect of oleuropein prompted some manufacturers to add oleuropein to
bodybuilding supplements..
Fifteen years ago
the same researchers discovered that garlic had approximately the same
effect. And when the Japanese combined garlic supplementation with a
protein-rich diet, they observed that the
garlic boosted anabolism: lab
animals retained more nitrogen, and produced more testosterone and less
cortisol. That's why the
Japanese were curious whether oleuropein also had a similar anabolic
effect.
The researchers gave three groups
of rats food containing 10, 25 or 40 percent protein [Casein] for 28
days. Half of the rats in each group were
given food containing 1 g oleuropein per kg.
The researchers counted the number
of nitrogen molecules in the urine and droppings of the rats, which
enabled them to calculate how much nitrogen the rats retained. The more
nitrogen you retain, the more proteins your body builds up. Nitrogen is
an essential component of proteins.
The rats retained relatively more
nitrogen, the more oleuropein they consumed. In the group that ate food
containing the most protein, supplementation with
oleuropein boosted the amount of nitrogen
retained by 46 percent.
In the rats that ate large amounts
of protein, oleuropein tripled the concentration of testosterone in the
testes, while the concentration of cortisol in the blood went down by
more than half.
The concentration of LH increased
as the researchers introduced increasingly higher concentrations of
aglycon made from oleuropein into the rats' circulatory system. This
increased secretion of LH may be a consequence of the higher adrenalin
and noradrenalin levels caused by the oleuropein, the Japanese think.
The researchers believe that these
hormonal effects are the key to explaining the anabolic effect of
oleuropein.
"Oleuropein
supplementation enhances protein anabolism and suppresses protein
catabolism owing to hormonal regulation by the stimulation of steroid
hormones via noradrenaline, leading to a higher testicular testosterone
level and a lower plasma corticosterone level in rats fed a high-protein
diet", the researchers
conclude.
Interestingly, the
rats that were given oleuropein did not put on weight. As far as the
researchers could see –
although they did not study the effect on body composition extensively –
the rats became slimmer. Their fat deposits
did shrink at least.
So doing a quick calculation: a
rat eats about 50 g feed per kg bodyweight daily. That means 50 mg
oleuropein. Converted to human proportions, that means 8 mg oleuropein
per kg bodyweight per day. So if you weigh 80 kg, you'd need 640 mg
oleuropein daily. If you can get that quantity out of an olive leaf
extract that consists of 25 percent oleuropein, you’d need about 2.6 g
extract each day. --That's manageable.
Source:
J Nutr Biochem. 2013 May;24(5):887-93.
More:
Diet rich in mono-unsaturated fat boosts EPOC 17.01.2012
Animal study: olive oil is good for (old) muscles 12.08.2011
Your body burns unsaturated fat better after exercise 11.11.2010
Why you stay slimmer more easily with olive oil than with saturated fats
31.10.2010
Olive oil converts cholesterol more easily into testosterone
01.09.2009
More adrenalin through olive oil 23.06.2009
*********************************************************************
Kumar S,
Madaan R,
Sharma A.
Abstract
An HPTLC densitometric method has
been developed to estimate apigenin in Turnera
aphrodisiaca aerial and its segregated parts (leaves,
stems, flowers and fruits) so that plant can be standardized
on the basis of its bioactive marker. The apigenin content in methanol
extract of T. aphrodisiaca aerial parts was found to be about fourteen
times less than acid hydrolyzed methanol
extract of the plant indicating the presence of most of apigenin in
glycosidic form. Amongst different plant parts,
flowers possessed maximum content of
apigenin followed by leaves.
The apigenin content was also determined in three marketed formulations
of T. aphrodisiaca viz., NLK, DWSG and SBL. DWSG contained higher
content of apigenin. Aerial parts of the plant were collected at
bimonthly intervals over a period of one year in the months of January,
March, May, July, September and November.
The plant material collected in September
showed maximum content of apigenin.
TOP B
**********************************************************************
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HOME
Show of the Month
March 2o14
Show Of The Month
March 1 2014
Show of the Month March 8 2o14
Show of the Month March 15 2o14
Show of the Month March 22 2o14
Show of the Month March 29 2o14
Virgin
olive oil administration improves the effect of
aspirin on retinal vascular pattern in experimental diabetes mellitus
Space Preservation Act of
2001
The Photoprotective and
antioxidative properties of luteolin are synergistically augmented by tocopherol
and ubiquinone
Codex
Alimentarius-Regulation on food Safety-Lack there of
**********************************************************************
Virgin
olive oil administration improves the effect of
aspirin on retinal vascular pattern in experimental diabetes mellitus.
De La Cruz JP,
Del Río S,
López-Villodres JA,
Villalobos MA,
Jebrouni N,
González-Correa JA.
Abstract
The aim of the present study
is to evaluate the possible influence of virgin olive
oil (VOO) on the effect of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in platelet
aggregation, prostanoid and NO production and
retinal vascular pattern in rats with experimental type 1-like diabetes.
We used 100 male Wistar rats that were distributed into five groups: (1)
non-diabetic rats (NDR); (2) untreated diabetic rats (DR); (3) DR treated with
ASA (2 mg/kg per d per os (p.o.));
(4) DR treated with VOO (0.5 ml/kg per d p.o.); (5) DR treated with ASA plus VOO.
The duration of diabetes was 3 months, and each treatment was administered from
the first day of diabetes. Variables that were quantified were platelet
aggregation (I(max)), thromboxane B(2) (TxB(2)), aortic prostacyclin
(6-keto-PGF(1alpha)) and NO, and the percentage of retina with horseradish
peroxidase-permeable vessels (HRP-PV). Diabetic rats showed a higher I(max) (35
%) and TxB(2) (63 %) than NDR, and a lower 6-keto-PGF(1alpha), NO and
HRP-PV than NDR ( - 74.6 %).
ASA and VOO administration reduced these differences and prevented the
percentage of HRP-PV ( - 59.7 % with ASA and - 46.7 % with VOO). The
administration of ASA plus VOO showed a strong platelet
inhibition (80.2 v. 23.4 % for VOO and 50.6 % for ASA+VOO, P < 0.0001), and
reduced HRP-PV differences to - 31.6 % (P < 0.001 with respect to DR and P <
0.0001 with respect to DR treated with ASA). In
conclusion, the administration of VOO to rats with type 1-like diabetes mellitus
improves the pharmacodynamic profile of ASA, and increases its retinal anti-ischaemic
effect.
Recipe—take
the Virgin olive oil according to the ratio here .5 X your weight in kilos
–example .5 X 77kilos = 38.5 mils just over an ounce---for the aspirin the used
2mg per kilo again we are looking at as an example 2 X 77= 154 mgs –
Mix them together—and
use—start with tsp increments and increase it through the day— take it in
tablespoon in divided times 3 a day
***********************************************************************
HR 2977 IH
Space Preservation Act of
2001
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2977
To preserve the cooperative, peaceful uses
of space for the benefit of all humankind by permanently prohibiting the basing
of weapons in space by the United States, and to require the President to take
action to adopt and implement a world treaty banning space-based weapons.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 2, 2001
Mr. KUCINICH introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Science, and in addition to the
Committees on Armed Services, and International Relations, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To preserve the cooperative, peaceful uses
of space for the benefit of all humankind by permanently prohibiting the basing
of weapons in space by the United States, and to require the President to take
action to adopt and implement a world treaty banning space-based weapons.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Space Preservation Act of 2001'.
SEC. 2. REAFFIRMATION OF
POLICY ON THE PRESERVATION OF PEACE IN SPACE.
Congress reaffirms the policy expressed in section 102(a) of the National
Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (42 U.S.C. 2451(a)), stating that it `is the
policy of the United States that activities in space should be devoted to
peaceful purposes for the benefit of all mankind.'.
SEC. 3. PERMANENT BAN ON BASING OF WEAPONS IN SPACE.
The President shall--
(1) implement a permanent ban on space-based
weapons of the United States and remove from space any existing space-based
weapons of the United States; and
(2) immediately order the permanent
termination of research and development, testing, manufacturing, production, and
deployment of all space-based weapons of the United States and their components.
SEC. 4. WORLD AGREEMENT
BANNING SPACE-BASED WEAPONS.
The President shall direct the United States representatives to the United
Nations and other international organizations to immediately work toward
negotiating, adopting, and implementing a world agreement banning space-based
weapons.
SEC. 5. REPORT.
The President shall submit to Congress not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, and every 90 days thereafter, a report on--
(1) the implementation of the permanent ban on
space-based weapons required by section 3; and
(2) progress toward negotiating, adopting, and
implementing the agreement described in section 4.
SEC. 6. NON SPACE-BASED
WEAPONS ACTIVITIES.
Nothing in this Act may be construed as prohibiting the use of
funds for--
(1) space exploration;
(2) space research and development;
(3) testing, manufacturing, or production that
is not related to space-based weapons or systems; or
(4) civil, commercial, or defense activities
(including communications, navigation, surveillance, reconnaissance, early
warning, or remote sensing) that are not related to space-based weapons or
systems.
SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) The term `space' means all space extending upward from an
altitude greater than 60 kilometers above the surface of the earth and any
celestial body in such space.
(2)(A) The terms `weapon' and `weapons system'
mean a device capable of any of the following:
(i) Damaging or
destroying an object (whether in outer space, in the atmosphere, or on earth)
by--
(I) firing one or more projectiles to collide
with that object;
(II) detonating one or more explosive devices
in close proximity to that object;
(III) directing
a source of energy (including molecular or atomic energy, subatomic particle
beams, electromagnetic radiation, plasma, or extremely low frequency (ELF) or
ultra low frequency (ULF) energy radiation) against that object; or
(IV) any other unacknowledged or as yet
undeveloped means.
(ii) Inflicting death or injury on, or damaging or destroying, a
person (or the biological life, bodily health, mental health, or physical and
economic well-being of a person)--
(I) through the use of any of the means
described in clause (i) or subparagraph (B);
(II) through
the use of land-based, sea-based, or space-based systems using radiation,
electromagnetic, psychotronic, sonic, laser, or other energies directed at
individual persons or targeted populations for the purpose of information war,
mood management, or mind control of such persons or populations; or
(III) by expelling
chemical or biological agents in the vicinity of a person.
(B) Such terms
include exotic weapons systems such as--
(i) electronic,
psychotronic, or information weapons;
(ii) chemtrails;
(iii) high
altitude ultra low frequency weapons systems;
(iv) plasma,
electromagnetic, sonic, or ultrasonic weapons;
(v) laser weapons systems;
(vi) strategic,
theater, tactical, or extraterrestrial weapons; and
(vii) chemical,
biological, environmental, climate, or tectonic weapons.
(C) The term
`exotic weapons systems' includes weapons designed to damage space or natural
ecosystems (such as the ionosphere and upper atmosphere) or climate, weather,
and tectonic systems with the purpose of inducing damage or destruction upon a
target population or region on earth or in space.
*************************************************************************
The Photoprotective and
antioxidative properties of luteolin are synergistically augmented by tocopherol
and ubiquinone.
Planta Med. 2013 Jul;79(11):963-5
Authors: Wölfle U, Haarhaus B, Schempp CM
Abstract
Ultraviolet radiation induces
DNA damage and
oxidative stress which can result in skin inflammation, photoaging, and
photocarcinogenesis.
The
flavonoid luteolin that is present in high amounts in the dyers weld, Reseda
luteola, is one of the most potent antioxidative plant metabolites
and also has ultraviolet-absorbing properties.The
aim of this study was to determine whether tocopherol and ubiquinone add
synergistic antioxidative values to luteolin. None
of the substances showed cytotoxic effects in concentrations from 0.25 to 4 µg/mL.
The photoprotective and antioxidant effect of
equivalent concentrations of luteolin, tocopherol, and ubiquinone and their
combination in a ratio of 4 : 4 : 1 were studied in solar simulator
irradiated human skin fibroblasts. Luteolin had a half-maximal radical
scavenging concentration of 2 µg/mL, whereas tocopherol and ubiquinone were only
effective at higher concentrations. None of the substances showed a
phototoxic effect, and only luteolin had a moderate photoprotective effect at 2
µg/mL. The combination of luteolin, tocopherol,
and ubiquinone exerted a synergistic radical scavenging effect already at a
concentration of 0.25 µg/mL and a complete photoprotection at 2 µg/mL.In
summary, our findings suggest that the potent antioxidant and photoprotective
effect of flavonoids like luteolin may be further
increased by the addition of low concentrations of other antioxidants such as
tocopherol and ubiquinone. --PMID: 23839819 [PubMed - indexed for
MEDLINE]
Using things like hawthorn-rosemary or sage
which has a good source of Luteolin by fusing this in oil and then add Cq 10 and
vitamin E ( fuse in either almond oil or olive oil which has vitamin E in them
naturally) and use –the ratio is 4:4:1 4 parts luteolin-4 parts vitamin E
and 1 part cq 10
100ml would be 4 ml of luteolin- 4 mil
Vitamin E 1 mil of Cq 1o
***************************************************************************
Codex
Alimentarius-Regulation on food Safety-Lack there of
The concept of “certified organic” goes deeper, though, than a display of
governmental avarice. It’s a weapon in the hostile takeover of the food supply,
ala
Codex Alimentarius. Here are a few highlights of
Codex, according to a
Natural News article by Dr. Gregory D’Amato:
* All nutrients (vitamins and minerals) are to be
considered toxins/poisons and are to be removed from all food because Codex
prohibits the use of nutrients to “prevent, treat or cure any condition or
disease”
* All food
(including organic) is to be irradiated, removing all toxic nutrients from food
(unless eaten locally and raw).
* Nutrients
allowed will be limited to a Positive List developed by Codex which will include
such beneficial nutrients like Fluoride (3.8 mg daily) developed from
environmental waste. All other nutrients will be prohibited nationally and
internationally to all Codex-compliant countries [2].
* All
nutrients (e.g., CoQ10, Vitamins A, B, C, D, Zinc and Magnesium) that have any
positive health impact on the body will be deemed illegal under Codex and are to
be reduced to amounts negligible to humans’ health [3].
* All advice
on nutrition (including written online or journal articles or oral advice to a
friend, family member or anyone) will be illegal.
* All dairy cows are to be treated with
Monsanto’s recombinant bovine growth hormone.
* All animals used for food are to be treated with
potent antibiotics and exogenous growth hormones.
* The
reintroduction of deadly and carcinogenic organic pesticides that in 1991, 176
countries (including the U.S.) have banned worldwide including 7 of the 12 worst
at the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pesticides (e.g.,
Hexachlorobenzene, Toxaphene, and Aldrin) will be allowed back into food at
elevated levels [4].
* Dangerous
and toxic levels (0.5 ppb) of aflotoxin in milk produced from moldy storage
conditions of animal feed will be allowed. Aflotoxin is the second most potent
(non-radiation) carcinogenic compound known to man.
* Mandatory
use of growth hormones and antibiotics on all food herds, fish and flocks
* Worldwide
implementation of unlabeled GMOs into crops, animals, fish and trees
TOP
**************************************************************************
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Show of the Month March 8 2o14
The Power
of Local Unity: Small US Town Enacts Free Food Trade
Scientists
find genetic mechanism linking aging to specific diets
The
Photoprotective and antioxidative properties of luteolin are synergistically
augmented by tocopherol and ubiquinone
Noah's Ark
Monsanto “Goes Organic” and
Wins “Sustainability Award”
**************************************************************************
The Power
of Local Unity: Small US Town Enacts Free Food Trade
Sunday, February 2nd,
2014. Filed under:
Activism
Sedgwick, Maine, the
first town in the US to legalize any kind of food transaction as free and
legal in order to keep the right to produce raw milk, organic produce,
free-range eggs, and more, is revolutionizing the way America keeps its food
rights – including saying no to GMOs. In other words, it is the first town to
declare food sovereignty while opposing both state and federal laws.
The town has
passed an ordinance that protects citizens’ rights to “produce, sell,
purchase, and consume any food of their choosing.” The ordinance laughs in the
face of FDA regulations and their hodge-podge way of giving food a rubber stamp
of approval, especially GMO. Three additional towns in Maine are expected to
pass similar ordinances as well.
The move is somewhat similar to a move one
England town made, where the citizens
transformed their entire town’s landscape into a giant
food-producing garden. Both are great examples of moving toward food
sovereignty.
It isn’t just a declaration on the whim of
a few city council members. There is a warrant added: “It shall be unlawful for any law or regulation adopted by the state
or federal government to interfere with the rights recognized by this
Ordinance.” This means that federal interference is prohibited in
our food supply – at least in Maine. If you can’t get Monsanto out of the
government, take the government out of your food.
It’s a brilliant way around the convoluted system now in place that almost gave
Monsanto the right to be exempt from federal prosecution for its poison food and
which tries to hoist it upon the whole Nation without consent.--David
Gumpert
reports-“What about potential legal liability and state or federal
inspections? It’s all up to the seller and buyer to negotiate. “Patrons
purchasing food for home consumption may enter into private agreements with
those producers or processors of local foods to waive any liability for the
consumption of that food. Producers or processors
of local foods shall be exempt from licensure and inspection requirements for
that food as long as those agreements are in effect.” Imagine
that–buyer and seller can agree to cut out the lawyers. That’s almost
un-American, isn’t it?”---A simple seller and
buyer agreement is entered into where federal regulations can be bypassed by the
seller agreeing to consume food grown by their neighbors organically in their
garden or by the farm up the street with their own hormone-free dairy cows that
customers have known for decades. It
takes the feds and their dirty Monsanto money right out of the game. It is commercially
grown food that is killing us all, after all - not locally grown
food.--For those with their heads in a noodle about bypassing federal
laws, the citizens of Maine have stated, “We the radicals who concocted this
mutinous act of infamy believe that according to the Home Rule provisions of our
State Constitution, the citizens of Sedgwick have the right to enact an
ordinance that is “local and municipal in character.”--n Maine, citizens
can take advantage of local bounty, seasonal organic
crops, and the good-old-fashioned way we used to produce food without Big Ag and
commercial interference. Rural America is putting the big city budget
of Monsanto to shame with this innovative way of taking down the monopolizing
food giant. It’s about time ‘radicals’ in every small town across this nation
did the same.
Additional Sources:
SedgwickMaine
+++
ZenGardner.com
- See more at: http://www.zengardner.com/power-local-unity-small-us-town-enacts-free-food-trade/#sthash.cBE3ISuO.dpuf
***************************************************************************
Scientists
find genetic mechanism linking aging to specific diets
Sean Curran and Shanshan
Pang studied C. elegans, a one-millimeter-long worm that scientists have used as
a model organism since the 1970s.Your best friend swears by the Paleo Diet. Your
boss loves Atkins. Your sister is gluten-free, and your roommate is an acolyte
of Michael Pollan. So who's right? Maybe they all are.-In new research published
this month in Cell Metabolism, USC scientists Sean Curran and Shanshan
Pang identify a collection of genes that allow an
organism to adapt to different diets and show that without them, even minor
tweaks to diet can cause premature aging and death.-Finding
a genetic basis for an organism's dietary needs suggests that different
individuals may be genetically predisposed to thrive on different diets
-- and that now, in the age of commercial gene sequencing, people might be able
to identify which diet would work best for them through a simple blood test.
"These studies have revealed that single gene
mutations can alter the ability of an organism to utilize a specific diet. In
humans, small differences in a person's genetic makeup that change how well
these genes function, could explain why certain diets work for some but not
others,"
said Curran, corresponding author of the study and assistant professor with
joint appointments in the USC Davis School of Gerontology, the USC Dornsife
College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, and the Keck School of Medicine of USC.-Curran
and Pang studied Caenorhabditis elegans, a one-milimeter-long worm that
scientists have used as a model organism since the '70s. Decades of tests have
shown that genes in C. elegans are likely to be mirrored in humans while its
short lifespan allows scientists to do aging studies on it.-In this study,
Curran and Pang identified a gene called alh-6,
which delayed the effects of aging depending on what type of diet the worm was
fed by protecting it against diet-induced mitochondrial defects.
"This gene is
remarkably well-conserved from single celled yeast all the way up to mammals,
which suggests that what we have learned in the worm could translate to a better
understanding of the factors that alter diet success in humans," Curran said.
Future work will focus on identifying what contributes to dietary success or
failure, and whether these factors explain why specific diets don't work for
everyone. This could be the start of personalized dieting based on an
individual's genetic makeup, according to Curran. "We hope to uncover ways to
enhance the use of any dietary program and perhaps even figure out ways of
overriding the system(s) that prevent the use of one diet in certain
individuals," he said.--Story Source--The above story is based
on
materials provided by University of
Southern California. Note: Materials may be edited for content
and length. -Journal Reference-Shanshan Pang, Sean P.
Curran. Adaptive Capacity to Bacterial Diet Modulates Aging in C. elegans.
Cell Metabolism, 2014; DOI:
10.1016/j.cmet.2013.12.005
*************************************************************************
The photoprotective and
antioxidative properties of luteolin are synergistically augmented by tocopherol
and ubiquinone.
Planta Med. 2013 Jul;79(11):963-5
Authors: Wölfle U, Haarhaus B, Schempp CM
Abstract
Ultraviolet radiation induces
DNA damage and
oxidative stress which can result in skin inflammation, photoaging, and
photocarcinogenesis.
The
flavonoid luteolin that is present in high amounts in the dyers weld, Reseda
luteola, is one of the most potent antioxidative plant metabolites
and also has ultraviolet-absorbing properties.The
aim of this study was to determine whether tocopherol and ubiquinone add
synergistic antioxidative values to luteolin. None
of the substances showed cytotoxic effects in concentrations from 0.25 to 4 µg/mL.
The photoprotective and antioxidant effect of
equivalent concentrations of luteolin, tocopherol, and ubiquinone and their
combination in a ratio of 4 : 4 : 1 were studied in solar simulator
irradiated human skin fibroblasts. Luteolin had a half-maximal radical
scavenging concentration of 2 µg/mL, whereas tocopherol and ubiquinone were only
effective at higher concentrations. None of the substances showed a
phototoxic effect, and only luteolin had a moderate photoprotective effect at 2
µg/mL. The combination of luteolin, tocopherol,
and ubiquinone exerted a synergistic radical scavenging effect already at a
concentration of 0.25 µg/mL and a complete photoprotection at 2 µg/mL.In
summary, our findings suggest that the potent antioxidant and photoprotective
effect of flavonoids like luteolin may be further
increased by the addition of low concentrations of other antioxidants such as
tocopherol and ubiquinone. --PMID: 23839819 [PubMed - indexed for
MEDLINE]
Using things like hawthorn-rosemary or sage
which has a good source of Luteolin by fusing this in oil and then add Cq 10 and
vitamin E ( fuse in either almond oil or olive oil which has vitamin E in them
naturally) and use –the ratio is 4:4:1 4 parts luteolin-4 parts vitamin E
and 1 part cq 10
100ml would be 4 ml of luteolin- 4 mil
Vitamin E 1 mil of Cq 1o
*************************************************************************
Noah's Ark
Everything I need to
know, I learned from Noah's Ark .
ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same
boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when
Noah built the
Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do
something really big.
FIVE:
Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job
that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with
the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the
Ark was built by amateurs; the
Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a
rainbow waiting.
****************************************************************************
Monsanto “Goes Organic” and
Wins “Sustainability Award”
Posted By ANH-USA On February 18,
2014 @ 3:00 pm In Real, Not Phony Food Safety, Say No to GMO
|
This isn’t a spoof. In addition to this
story, we’ll provide you with a round-up of GMO-related news, including why your
neighbor may shortly be planting GMO grass right next to you. Action Alerts!
--We won’t spend time in this article reiterating past research on why
genetically modified organisms
[1] (GMOs) are dangerous—you probably already know that they can
randomly
produce toxic effects [2];
introduce alarming levels of chemicals [3]
into our ecosystems and diet; and have been
shown to cause [4] serious health problems—but there have been
some recent developments in GMO politics, science, and regulation that we want
to share with you.
Here are the news items we’ll cover:
Monsanto Wins Award
for…“Sustainability”?
When most of us think of sustainability, we
think of environmental practices that will allow current and future generations
to enjoy nutritious, locally farmed foods, clean water, pure air, and a
non-toxic, natural world. As the concept has developed, it’s also become
applicable to other realms, including economics and healthcare. For example,
ANH-USA advocates for
[11] sustainable healthcare—practices that allow you to naturally
maintain your health and extend your lifespan.
To the EPA,
[12] sustainability “creates and maintains the conditions under which
humans and nature can exist in productive harmony,
that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present
and future generations.”--Taking these definitions into account, it may surprise
you to learn that last month, Monsanto—yes, the same Monsanto whose expensive
seeds caused
an estimated 125,000 Indian farmers [13]
to commit suicide—was
recognized [14] as one of 2014’s
Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World.--Monsanto
was ranked 37th on overall sustainability, 5th among American companies, and 5th
globally in the materials industry by an organization called
Corporate Knights
[15] (CK), a media and investment advisory company whose flagship
magazine has one of the world’s largest circulations and is published quarterly
as inserts in the Washington Post and the Globe and Mail (UK).
Ubiquitous as CK is, we find their
criteria for
“sustainability” [16]—also called their “key performance
indicators”—more than a little absurd:
- Energy productivity
- Carbon productivity
- Water productivity
- Waste productivity
- Innovation capacity
- Percent tax paid
- CEO to Average Employee Pay
- Pension fund status
- Safety performance
- Employee turnover
- Leadership diversity
- “Clean capitalism” pay link (rewards “companies that have set up
mechanisms to link the remuneration of senior executives with the achievement
of clean capitalism goals or targets”)
As one University of
Toronto business ethics professor
noted, [17] “Only the first four
actually have something to do with what most of us mean by ‘sustainability.’
The rest are…not relevant to the question of
sustainable use of resources, or to the notion of sustainable economic growth
that is compatible with environmental conservation.”--And
even the first four have nothing to do with the environment, and everything to
do with profits. After all, the award-givers define “energy
productivity” as how much revenue companies can squeeze out of one unit of
energy. The health of the environment literally has
nothing to do with it.--For the countless natural health
practitioners, organic farmers, consumers, and activists who unceasingly fight
and sacrifice to “walk the walk” of sustainability, the bastardization of this
important term is not a joke. It is offensive.--Perhaps “excellence in
sustainability” is CK’s code for “excellence in propaganda.” As we’ve
consistently reported, there is nothing sustainable
about Monsanto and their GMO seeds. For example,
GMOs
do not increase crop yields
[18]. A 2009
Union of Concerned Scientists report [19] found that GMO soybeans
do not produce increased yields, that GMO corn only marginally increases yields,
and that no GMO crop has even been found to have
intrinsic yield (meaning, yield in “real life,” and not laboratory,
conditions).---We’re not quite sure who CK thinks they’re fooling, or
what they get out of this nonsense. A more interesting question is why Monsanto
is trying so hard to “greenwash” its image. --Meanwhile
the Geneva-based Covalence group placed Monsanto dead
last on a list of 581 global companies ranked by their reputation for ethics.
For more on this, see chapter 11 of
Crony Capitalism in America 2008–12 [20], a book
recently published by ANH-USA’s board president, Hunter Lewis.
GMOs Aren’t Enough—Monsanto Wants to Monopolize
Conventional and Organic Crops, Too. Action Alert!
Since it
purchased the company in 2008 [21], Monsanto has been quietly
cultivating its Seminis brand, as well as several
other semi-anonymous brands, to breed and sell seeds that
aren’t GMO. --To create these seeds, Monsanto
and its minions are claiming to use nothing more than
traditional crossbreeding [22] (where plants with desirable
qualities are laboriously “mated” until they yield progeny with the targeted
traits). This process takes quite a bit of “time,
land, and patience [23].”--Don’t be fooled:
Monsanto isn’t using your grandparents’ crossbreeding. They’re engaging in a
highly technical process that appears to takes place in a lab, not a field, and
also appears to involve
manipulation on the genetic level [24].Worse yet, they don’t seem
to want to make foods healthier. For example,
Monsanto is attempting to breed fruits and vegetables that
taste sweeter than their traditional counterparts
[25]. Read: they’re engineering a way to add more sugar than nature
intended. The last thing that most people need is more sugar or fructose in
their diet.--Is this a blatant attempt to win back the “hearts and minds” of
consumers? According to one Monsanto official, “There isn’t a reputation silver
bullet, but it helps.”--There is another important question to ask here:
If Monsanto truly believes that GMOs are the future,
why are they investing in conventional crops?--There’s no way to know
for sure, but it’s possible that Monsanto doesn’t have faith in its own product:
the company is already facing consumer pressure and emerging long-term health
problems associated with GMOs.--For this reason, they could simply be hedging
their bets. What if, in the future, the scientific consensus is that GMOs are
harmful, or there’s a GMO-sparked environmental disaster, or the government
decides to intervene? They may think they have to prepare for the possibility
that GMOs may eventually fail. Seminis and its sister subsidies are Monsanto’s
“insurance:” if GMOs crash and burn, they have a
conventional cash cow to fall back on.
Is Someone Growing Unregulated GMO
Grass Right Next to You? Action Alert!
In
July 2011 [27], the USDA—often characterized as a
power-hungry agency [28]—gave GMOs a regulatory hall pass. The
agency determined that, thanks to
a tiny technical loophole [29], they had no oversight over
GMO
Kentucky bluegrass [30]. This meant that the grass—and any GMOs
created via
the same GMO technique [31]—could be
planted anywhere, at anytime, with zero government oversight.--The
public backlash was immediate, though we knew at the time that the true extent
of this disastrous decision wouldn’t be felt for years to come. Unfortunately,
we were right.--Late last month, Scott’s Miracle-Gro
quietly announced [32] that their employees will “test” the
Roundup-resistant GMO grass by planting it in their home lawns in Marysville,
Ohio. Scott’s hopes to have thousands more consumers planting their GMO grass by
2016—and thanks to the USDA, there’s no framework in
place to keep this from happening.
Alarmingly, if your
neighbor plants GMO grass, your lawn may become full GMOs, too.
Cross-contamination of non-GMO crops is already a reality.
Pollen can travel anywhere from the length of three
football fields to
thousands of miles away [33].
Given this, and the fact there’s little to no space between suburban lawns—it’s
completely unrealistic to assume GMO grass will stay where it’s planted.--It
will be interesting to see whether GMO lawn grass producers sue you for having
their grass when it spreads into your lawn. That is what Monsanto has done for
years to innocent neighboring farmers. Since suing each suburban neighborhood is
presumably not a workable model, what new one will devised?--The truth is that
we are at a now-or-never moment with respect to GMOs in America.
The more these seeds are released into the air, neighboring farms, and now
suburban lawns, the harder it will be to stop them--Write to the USDA
immediately and tell the agency to stop protecting the biotech industry at the
public’s expense! GMO Kentucky bluegrass shouldn’t be allowed due to a technical
loophole—otherwise, GMOs created via the same GMO technique as this grass could
be planted anywhere, at anytime, with zero government oversight.
All Eyes on New Global Precedent for
GMO Contamination
GMO crops have been known
to contaminate organic crops, bringing severe economic damage to small farmers.
The problem has gotten so pervasive that the Organic Seed Growers and Trade
Association has had to publish
a seventy-page booklet
[35] on how to avoid (and test for) GMO contamination.--For example,
one organic corn grower
[36] whose crops were contaminated was forced to sell her corn for
$1.67 a bushel—far below the $4 market price for organic corn.--All eyes are now
on an Australian court
case [37], wherein one farmer is suing Monsanto for the GMO
contamination of his organic wheat and oat crop. The episode resulted in the
farmer losing his organic certification and export license (Australia has a zero
tolerance policy for GMO material in organic products)—the keys to his very
livelihood.--The outcome of this case could set a global precedent, and
seriously affect the regulation of organics to protect the interests of GMO
growers and producers (sad to say, it will almost certainly not be vice versa).
We’ll continue to watch it very closely.--Meanwhile, a recent Supreme Court
ruling confirmed that
Monsanto can sue
farmers [38] whose crops are contaminated—even if it’s not their
fault, because Monsanto has promised to behave better and not take advantage of
innocent farmers!
Industrial Herbicides Are Even
More Toxic Than We Thought
The uncontrolled GMO grass “experiment” is
even more alarming in light of the growing body of evidence that
glyphosate [39], a main chemical component in Monsanto’s Roundup
herbicide, is a major health threat.--Keep in mind that GMO Kentucky bluegrass,
like
some brands of [40] Monsanto’s GMO corn, cotton, and soy seeds,
is engineered to be Roundup-resistant. This means that growers can apply as much
Roundup as they’d like to kill the weeds they don’t want, while leaving their
plants intact. The GMO seed and the herbicide enter the environment together.--Also
remember that many
weeds are now learning [41] to
be Roundup-resistant. To compensate, growers are forced to
spray
more and more Roundup [42]—which that means more glyphosate in
our foods, ecosystems, and bodies, or use even more dangerous
chemicals.--Despite assurances by Monsanto and
the
EPA [43], glyphosate is a
hazard to humans, animals, plants, and organic and conventional agriculture.
New research published in the
International Journal of Toxicology [45]
found that commercial glyphosate-based
herbicides—at levels far below the normal agricultural applications—are
extremely toxic to human many cells, and are lethal to human liver cells.--This
research confirms Dr.
Charles Benbrook’s [46] and ANH-USA’s investigation into the
environmental, economic, and human health effects of glyphosate. Our research
found, for example, that glyphosate is toxic to fish and
essentially all plant life (if you haven’t read this comprehensive case study,
you can download the PDF here [1]).-We
should be focusing on reducing our addiction to chemical farming, not coming up
with new ways to expose ourselves to more and more toxins. We have the
opportunity to solve this problem before the disastrous health effects become
widespread and irreversible. Future generations will not get the same chance.
Is Industry Persuading Scientists to Quash Chilling Scientific
Findings?
Another recent study
[47], authored by French researcher Gilles-Eric Séralini and
published in BioMed Research International, confirms the
International Journal of Toxicity study. It too
found that herbicides and pesticides—notably those that are glyphosate-based—are
far more toxic than industry and the EPA would lead you to believe.
Séralini found that formulations like Roundup were
“several times more toxic” than their main ingredient alone (i.e.,
glyphosate), and that “Roundup was by far the most
toxic” of the chemical formulations tested.--Just hours after the
study’s publication, Dr. Ralf Reski, a BioMed editor,
immediately resigned [48], stating, “I do not want to be
connected to a journal that provides [Séralini] a forum for such kind of
agitation.”--We wonder: is Dr. Reski really concerned about scientific
sensationalism?
According
to his own résumé [49],
his “independent” research is 53% funded by industry. Did Dr. Reski
proactively protect his source of funding? Did industry threaten him?--In
September 2012, Séralini
published a study [50] suggesting
that a long-term diet of GMO corn can cause health problems—including breast
cancer and severe organ damage—in animals. After a year of artificial
controversy, the paper
was retracted [51], much to the
dismay and protest [52]
of a significant part of the scientific community.---Séralini’s peers felt the
retraction
was made on invalid grounds [53]. It was withdrawn for being
poorly designed, despite the fact that it followed
almost exactly the same protocol [54] of a trial conducted by
Monsanto and published in the same journal. Moreover, they saw in the retraction
evidence of undue industry influence on the scientific community: a few months
before the study was retracted, a former Monsanto scientist was appointed to the
journal in a
newly created editorial position [55].--To be published in
journals like BioMed, studies go through a thorough editor and
peer-review process. BioMed
requires [56] an initial review by the editorial
office; approval from an editor knowledgeable about the subject in question; and
a peer review by between two and five outside evaluators. That’s three layers of
intense scrutiny before a study can even be published.--It now seems that
Séralini, despite of the integrity of his work, has been blacklisted—a clear
warning to other objective, independent researchers.
TOP A
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TOP B
HOME
Show of the Month March 15 2o14
BEEF JUICE
Beetroot and
Hawthorn May Improve Heart Health
1939 Cancer Act-of the UK
Oleuropein boosts
testosterone level, lowers cortisol secretion, stimulates anabolism
**************************************************************************
BEEF JUICE
The body derives several
benefits from regular use of beef juice.
It apparently could bring about a strengthening
of the body without irritating the cells in the intestinal tract
which might bring about a change in the nature of the lymph and the lymphatic
functioning that might in turn disturb the body, causing sleeplessness and
general irritation. The following readings are commentaries on it plus
descriptions of how to prepare it. --- "The combinations that have been
indicated for the body as to diet are very good; yet we would add the greater
strengthening influence without the addition of weight or of heavy foods - which
would materially aid, and would not irritate those tendencies for the
accumulations or separations in the active forces of mucus that has produced and
does produce in the lymph those segregations and accumulations about which the
body becomes so disturbed at times. These as we find may be had in the Pure
Beef Juice; not broth, but prepared in this manner:
Take a pound to a
pound and a half preferably of the round steak. No fat, no portions other than
that which is of the muscle or tendon or strength; no fatty or skin portions.
Dice this into half inch cubes, as it were, or practically so. Put same in a
glass jar without water in same. Put the jar then into a boiler or container
with the water coming about half or three-fourths toward the top of the jar, you
see. Preferably put a cloth in the container to prevent the jar from cracking.
Do not seal the jar tight, but cover the top. Let this boil (the water, with
the jar in same) for three to four hours. Then strain off the juice, and the
refuse may be pressed
somewhat.
It will be found that the meat or flesh itself
will be worthless. Place the juice in a cool place, but do not keep
too long; never longer than three days, see? Hence the quantity made up at the
time depends upon how much or how often the body will take this.
It should be taken two to three times a day, but not
more than a tablespoonful at the time - and this sipped very slowly.
Of course, this is to be seasoned to suit the taste
of the body.
"Also once a day it will be most
beneficial to take beef juice as a tonic; not so much the beef itself but beef
juice; followed with red wine. Do not mix these, but take both about the same time. Take about a
teaspoonful of the beef juice, but spend about five minutes in sipping that
much. Then take an ounce of the red wine
"Q-5. What quantity of beef juice to be
taken daily?
A-5. At least two tablespoonsful, but no
fat in same. A tablespoonful is almost equal to a
pound of meat or two pounds of meat a day; and that's right smart for
a man that isn't active!" (1424-2)
"Beef juice should be taken
regularly as medicine, a teaspoonful four times a day at least, but when taken
it should be sipped, not just taken as a gulp."
(5374-1)
"As we find, we would use small
quantities at a time - but take almost as medicine - of the beef juices ...
This is easily assimilated, gives strength and
vitality, and is needed with the vital forces of the body in the present.
Take at least a tablespoonful during the day, or
two tablespoonsful. But not as spoonsful; rather sips of same.
This, sipped in this manner, will work towards producing the gastric flow
through the intestinal system, first in the salivary reactions to the very
nature of the properties themselves, second with the gastric flow from the upper
portion of the stomach or through the cardiac reaction at the end of the
esophagus that produces the first of the lacteals' reaction to the gastric flows
in the stomach or digestive forces themselves; thirdly making for an activity
through the pylorus and the duodenum that becomes stimulating to the activity of
the flows without producing the tendencies for accumulation of gases."
**************************************************************************
IV. Nitrogenous Foods.
Meat Teas, Meat Extracts, Meat Juices, Peptones And Peptonoids, And Dried Meat
Powders
(l) Foods prepared from meat
are sold under the name of meat teas, meat extracts,
meat juices, peptones and peptonoids, and dried meat powders.
Some are supposed to have marvellous nutritive value because of the evaporation
of a watery extract of the meat, or of the juice expressed from meat, into a
fluid which is stated to contain the nutritive elements of the original
muscle fibre in a concentrated form. Others base their claims on the
predigestion of the protein before concentration. It is not invariably true that
these preparations are made from meat. The absence
of creatinin, in some specimens, suggests that these particular ones are purely
artificial products.---Analyses of various meats show that the
average
percentage of protein is about 20 and that it is, therefore,
impossible to concentrate meat down to less than a fifth of its bulk, if the
total nutritive value of the protein is to be retained. Reference to
the tables of analyses of these nitrogenous foods
shows that in few instances does the percentage of protein equal that of the
original meat from which the food is made, while in many it is very considerably
less, even if undiluted. In those cases in which the percentage of protein is
high, the food is usually given diluted with a large quantity of
water. --The high percentage of extractives in many of these preparations
proves that they are fluid extracts of meat. These extractives are of no
nutritive value, throw an extra strain on the liver and kidneys, and are
probably actively injurious. The high proportion of salts and extractives leads
to thirst and
diarrhoea, if these foods are given in large quantities.
-A. In the ordinary process of making beef tea and
clear soups the product is strained and the protein,
coagulated by heat, which forms the nutritious sediment, deprived of its
stimulating taste, is usually thrown away. A weak gelatinous fluid is left which
is converted into a firm jelly on cooling, if the gelatin amounts to one per
cent. Beef tea is often made in institutions from some one or other
of the various meat extracts, instead of from fresh meat, so it is worth while
to consider the nutritive value and the expense of these different preparations.
Approximate Composition
Of Beef Tea Preparations
|
|
Water. |
Proteins. |
Extractives. |
Mineral Ash. |
|
Mason's - strong beef tea . |
8902 |
686 |
2.47 |
1.65 |
|
Bovril Co. - Vril, albuminous beef
tea............... |
84.00 |
1017 |
417 |
1.66 |
|
Brand's - fibrous beef tea . |
83.21 |
11.40 |
452 |
086 |
According to the Lancet analysis Mason's
beef tea contains meat fibre 3.74 per cent, soluble albuminoids and extractives
10.58, mineral salts 2.37.
A comparison of the above preparations with
beef tea, as ordinarily made, is distinctly to their advantage. Home made beef
tea contains about 1.5 per cent of protein and, if made by the boiling process,
may contain considerably less. An analysis of a sample of that made at St.
Thomas's Hospital yielded the following results (The Hospital, June 11, 1904) :
-
Water . . . . ..... 96030
Fat.......... 0199
Insoluble protein and meat fibre . . . .
0.208
Soluble proteins and gelatin . . . . .
1.342
Meat bases ........ 0.608
Non-nitrogenous extractive matters ....
0.843
Mineral matters ....... 0.770
The total dry solids amounted to 3.97 per
cent and of that 1.55 per cent only, inclusive of gelatin, was of value as food.
The price of beef tea made from various
foods is given in the following table (The Hospital, June 1, 1907): -
|
Name of Food. |
Price. |
Amount Required. |
Cost per Pint. |
|
Lemco .... |
5s. 6d. per lb. |
1 lb. for 60 pints |
Id. and a fraction |
|
Ramornie1 . |
5s. „ |
1 oz. „ 3 „ |
Ditto |
|
Oxo..... |
3s. 9d. |
l 1b. „ 22 „ |
2d. |
|
Nursing
Oxo2 . |
4s. „ |
l 1b. „ 22 „ |
2 1/5d. |
|
Invalid Bovril . |
4s. 6d. |
3 oz. „ 4 „ |
2 1/4d. |
|
Mason's beef tea |
- |
- |
3 1/2 d. |
|
Brand's beef tea |
10d. |
31b. „ 7 „ |
4 1/4d. |
|
Oxvil .... |
- |
- |
5d. |
|
Foreign meat . |
2d. - 3d. ,, |
- |
l 1/2 - 2d. |
These results are based on institutional
prices. The price per pint is not an absolute criterion of the value, unless we
regard these preparations as of such little use for nutritive purposes that the
actual percentages of protein can be neglected. Probably this is true, for the
amount of protein which can be taken in this form is really remarkably small.
These foods may be
restorative and
stimulant, but they are certainly only feebly nutritive and are an expensive
form of diet. The use of
beef tea and meat extracts depends on the fact that in digestive disorders and
in
fevers, in which
digestion is impaired, the appetite is bad,
and the tongue furred, the patient dislikes food, but can take a hot, clean,
non-cloying fluid which by virtue of the heat has some stimulating and
nutritive properties . These
preparations have a great influence on the minds of the patient and friends, who
are apt to dread abstinence from food as a source of extreme danger and have an
abounding faith in the nutritive value of beef teas, jellies and meat extracts.
As a food milk is infinitely superior. There is one advantage in these foods
which must not be overlooked. They encourage
appetite and the secretion of gastric juice.
A few tablespoonfuls of clear soup or of a diluted
meat extract, taken at the beginning of dinner or just beforehand, will improve
both appetite and digestion. A large amount may be harmful by unduly
diluting the gastric juice. They may be regarded as concentrated flavouring
substances of meat the nutritive matters being extracted. Liebig's Extract was
the first and remains the most typical of these meat extracts. As originally
made it is practically free from protein and fat. It is a concentrated watery
extract of meat, heated under pressure, filtered and evaporated.
1 Liebig's Extract of Meat as prepared by
the Australian Meat Co.
2 Peptonized.
The
Approximate Composition Of Meat Extracts
|
|
Water. |
Proteins . and Gelatin |
Extractives. . |
N.free.
Sub- Mineral stances Ash.
etc. |
References and Remarks. |
|
Armour's Extract1 |
24.30 ! |
16.08 |
20.55 |
20.06 |
19.03 |
|
|
15.55 |
10.89 |
43.23 |
4.122 |
25.91 |
Food and Sanitation,l893 |
|
Bovril |
44.40 |
16.94 |
20.32 |
__ |
18.32 |
Stutzer, 1897 |
|
39.58 |
912 |
34.10 |
1.292 |
13.52 |
Chittenden |
|
Bovril Fluid Beef1 |
38.10 |
12.24 |
1204 |
19.75 |
17.87 |
- |
|
Invalids' Bovril1 |
21.82 |
21.42 |
39.60 |
- |
17.16 |
- |
|
21.16 |
16.66 |
16.13 |
29.23 |
16.82 |
Allen's commercial analysis |
|
Bouillon Fleet . |
61.95 |
11.81 |
9.87 |
3.87 |
12.50 |
Tatlock |
|
Brand's Beef Bouillon 1 |
36.27 |
9.58 |
19.34 |
19.75 |
15.07 |
- |
|
Brand's Essence. |
87.17 |
10.433 |
1.01 |
|
1.39 |
Candy, vide Hutchison, 1904. The juice of
beef, mutton, veal or chicken, without any
addition |
|
Hipi .... |
42.00 |
43.00 |
- |
6.60 |
8.40 |
Medical
Press, 1899. A mutton extract |
|
Lemco1 . |
17.80 |
16.48 |
3812 |
6.00 |
21.50 |
- |
|
Liebig's Extract |
20.06 |
0.06 |
55.72 |
0.912 |
24.04 |
Chittenden. Fat and protein free. |
|
18.30 |
9.40 |
30.00 |
18.602 |
23.60 |
Tankard |
|
Mason's Essence |
77.07 |
303 |
7.47 |
2.92 |
9.51 |
Food and Sanitation,1896 (Hehner) |
|
Oxine Extract1 . |
62.90 |
13.00 |
4.54 |
- |
19.60 |
Hutchison |
|
Oxo1 . . . |
38.10 |
18.93 |
2031 |
5.35 |
17-31 |
Meat extract, albumin and fibrin, without
fat |
|
Viking Beef Essence |
90.68 |
3.63 |
1.85 |
2.41 |
1-43 |
Tankard |
1 Analysis given by the manufacturers.
2 Ether extract.
3 Half gelatin.
4 Including extractives.
Read more:
http://chestofbooks.com/health/nutrition/Diet-Dietetics/IV-Nitrogenous-Foods-Meat-Teas-Meat-Extracts-Meat-Juices-Peptones-And-Pepto.html#.UwenGIVyxbw#ixzz2tzS3EaTx
*******************************************************************
Meat
Extract -
A term which in popular
usage embraces several products differing considerably in character.
That best known and most widely used in the preparation
of "Beef
tea" is the
commercial
meat or
Beef extract obtained by simple
boiling, straining and evaporation without
the addition of other ingredients. It consists principally of
"extractives," or
meat flavor, together with a certain proportion of mineral salts.
The fat is removed, as it would in time render the extract rancid, and
nearly all the valuable albuminoids are also lost - they coagulate during the
stewing of the
meat and are strained off together with
the fibrine, etc. Dry albumin is added to some preparations in the
final processes, but no attempt is made to carry through the
natural
Beef
albumen as,
under the conditions in which
meat extract
is ordinarily made, marketed and used, it would readily decompose and spoil the
product.
Meat extract
of the type described, was formerly rated as a condensed food product of high
nutritive value. That position has been entirely abandoned and it is now
acknowledged that it is entirely inadequate to support life,
but it has retained great importance in both the
medical and
commercial worlds on the more solid
foundation of its indisputable merit as the basis of an agreeable and thoroughly
wholesome beverage of mildly stimulating properties. Physicians find
it a valuable adjunct in the care of invalids and convalescents, and its meaty
taste often
lends zest to the necessarily restricted diet of the sick room,
exercising a highly beneficial effect by enabling
the digestive organs to extract more nutriment from other foods.
It is especially useful for mixing with
milk - persons who cannot assimilate
plain
milk can nearly always digest it when
flavored with a little
Beef extract. Its other uses
include its employment in large quantities to give a relish to the condensed
foods, such as those made with pease-meal,
carried by army commissaries, and its similar familiar employment in the kitchen
to enhance the flavor of
soups,
sauces, etc. It is worth remembering that
extract of meat
contains those flavoring properties to which is principally due the higher
market value of the choice cuts.
Many almost worthless
preparations are, however, sold as "meat
extracts" and
it is advisable to confine purchases to houses of known reliability.
Somewhat similar value
attaches to properly made
commercial
preparations of
meat juices or "meat
extracts,"
obtained by pressure of the raw
meat and then
preserved without cooking.
A third class contains
the soluble albumoses (peptoses) of the
meat
predigested - i.e., digested by artificial means. The best of these offer
food values
in important percentages, but their use should be regulated by medical advice
In spite of the fact that
most people enjoy - or at all events do not object to - the strong flavor of the
best extracts,
their taste
and odor are sometimes found quite offensive by those possessing especially
delicate palates. When this objection is found by a patient, it can be obviated
to a considerable extent by putting a little
butter, and
plenty of salt
in the hot Beef
tea.
Beef tea should always be served hot - if
drunk cold, or nearly so, its stimulating property is much reduced.
Following are the standards
for meat
extracts and
similar products adopted by the Association of State and National
Dairy and
Food Departments and the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists.
(1)
meat Extract
is the product obtained by extracting fresh
meat with
boiling
water, and
concentrating the liquid portion by evaporation after the removal of fat, and
contains not less than 75% of total solids, of which not over 27% is ash and not
over 12% is sodium chloride (calculated from the total chlorine present), not
over 0.6% is fat and not less than 8% is nitrogen. The nitrogenous compounds
contain not less than 40% of
meat bases,
and not less than 10% of creatin (a compound found in muscular flesh) and
creatinin.
(2) Fluid
meat Extract
is identical with
meat extract, except that it is concentrated to a lower degree, and contains
not more than 75% and not less than 50% of total solids.
(3) Bone Extract is the
product obtained by extracting fresh trimmed bones with
boiling
water and
concentrating the liquid portion by evaporation after removal of fat, and
contains not less than 75% of total solids.
(4) Fluid Bone Extract is
identical with bone extract, except that it is concentrated to a lower degree
and contains not more than 75% and not less than 50% of total solids.
(5)
meat Juice is
the fluid portion of muscle fibre, obtained by pressure or otherwise, and may be
concentrated by evaporation at a temperature below the coagulating point of the
soluble proteins. The solids contain not more than 15% of ash, not more than
2.5% of sodium chloride (calculated from the total chlorine present), not more
than 4% nor less than 2% of phosphoric acid and not less than 12% of nitrogen.
The nitrogenous bodies contain not less than 35% of coagulable proteins and not
more than 40% of
meat bases.
For a number of years after
its first introduction, the greater part of both the European and American
supply came from the Argentine Republic, in which
country the Liebig Company, the original manufacturer, established its first
factory. The United States is now one of the principal producers.
Home-Made
Beef Tea,
meat Juices, etc.
In contrast to that from
commercial
meat Extract, home-made "Beef
tea," as generally prepared, is entitled to rank as both food and stimulant, as
it contains a fair
percentage of
protein and fat, in addition to the
gelatine
and
**************************************************************************
Beetroot and
Hawthorn May Improve Heart Health
A recent study conducted by the University
of Texas (UT) and Neogenis Laboratories suggests that a
dietary supplement containing beetroot and hawthorn
beery may boost heart health.--Beetroot
and hawthorn berry both affect the body's nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide (NO)
pathway. The resulting NO compound is important to cardiovascular health because
it dilates blood vessels, thereby lowering blood pressure (one of the most
significant predictors of heart disease) and improving blood flow.
Researchers tested the effects of a combination of the two herbs on NO
availability. Beetroot was selected for study
because it contains high levels of nitrate. Similarly, hawthorn berries have a
high activity of the enzyme nitrite reductase, facilitating the conversion of
nitrite to NO.---Previous research on the hawthorn berry has already
shown promise for its use in treating heart conditions. In a review of
literature, Pittler et al. found hawthorn berry
effective in improving symptoms of chronic heart failure, including impaired
heart workload capacity. Other researchers found that hawthorn berry effectively
reduced blood pressure in healthy subjects. The previous literature has not yet
established beetroot's effectiveness in treating heart problems.---In
the UT study, 30 participants, all above the age of 40, were randomly assigned
to consume either the herb blend Neo40 Daily® or a placebo twice daily for 30
days. The subjects all presented with at least three of the following known risk
factors for cardiovascular disease: elevated blood pressure (hypertension),
obesity, high blood lipid levels (hyperlipidemia), diabetes, family history of
heart disease, sedentary lifestyle, and history of smoking.---After
30 days of therapy, the herb supplement group had significant
increases in NO levels, as compared to the placebo group. Furthermore, 72
percent of the individuals in the herbal supplement group experienced
statistically significant reductions in blood triglyceride levels, another risk
factor for heart disease.--This study provides evidence for the herbs use in
reducing risk for cardiovascular disease. However, additional research is needed
to completely qualify the relationship between diet, NO availability and heart
disease.
References
- Pittler MH, Guo R, Ernst E. Hawthorn extract for treating chronic
heart failure. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jan 23;(1):CD005312.
View Abstract
- Zand J, Lanza F, Garg HK, et al. All-natural nitrite and nitrate
containing dietary supplement promotes nitric oxide production and reduces
triglycerides in humans. Nutr Res. 2011 Apr;31(4):262-9.
View Abstract
Simple
Remedy---take hawthorn leaf and add
to it beets in equal weight ( example 2 oz of each) then take either red wine or
alcohol ( ethanol) and add 6 oz and then blend down for 7-10 minutes—strain and
use anywhere from 1 tablespoon to 1 oz daily several times a day
****************************************************************************
(OMNS Aug 3, 2012)
Most citizens of
Great Britain are totally unaware
of the 1939 Cancer Act which effectively prevents them from finding out about
different treatments for cancer.
Excerpts from the UK 1939 Cancer Act:
“4 – (1) No person shall take any part in the
publication of any advertisement – (a)
containing an offer to treat any person for cancer, or to prescribe any remedy
therefor, or to give any advice in connection with the treatment thereof; or
(b) referring to any article, or articles
of any description, in terms which are calculated to lead to the use of that
article, or articles of that description, in the treatment of cancer.
---In this section the expression “advertisement”
includes any “notice, circular, label, wrapper or other document, and any
announcement made orally or by any means of producing or transmitting sounds”.
[1] --Publication of such
advertisements is permitted to a very restrictive group comprising members of
either House of Parliament, local authority, governing bodies of voluntary
hospitals, registered or training to become registered medical practitioners,
nurses or pharmacists, and persons involved in the sale or supply of surgical
appliances. A very tight grip, therefore, is exercised on information
that is fed to citizens of Great Britain; interestingly,
the Act does not apply to
Northern Ireland. ---That pretty much wraps it up, and wraps us (in
Britain) up in the legal stranglehold that
this outdated Act still exerts. Was this
enacted to protect the citizens from charlatans and “quacks” or to safeguard the
interests of the National Radium Trust, to whom the British Government lent
money?
If no one is allowed to tell us, how can we, the general public, ever find out
what alternatives there are to those offered by mainstream medicine, mainly
surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy?
No Freedom of Therapy, Information, or Assembly
My colleague, Sarah Ling, and I unwittingly found ourselves in a maelstrom when
we decided to hold a convention in Birmingham, later this year, to do just that
– inform the general public about some of the other ways to tackle this hideous
disease than those generally doled out to their mostly trusting, but fear-filled
patients. A well-justified fear of the actual treatments as well as the disease
prevails. --Last year, Sarah’s sister was diagnosed with an aggressive form of
cancer. Chemotherapy was the only treatment offered, which she accepted out of
fear. She nearly died within hours of having it, and very sadly died days
afterwards. Sarah was determined to help prevent others from enduring such
trauma and so, under the umbrella of our Institute (The Cambridge Institute of
Complementary Health), we organised a convention to educate people –
conventional/complementary health professionals and the general public – about
different ways to treat people who have cancer. ---We quickly drew up a short
list of speakers that we felt would have much to contribute, including Dr
Stanislaw Burzynski who agreed to come and talk about his pioneering work on
antineoplastins. ---After posting our speakers on our web-site, one, an
oncologist, pulled out due to a malevolent e-mail she had received, questioning
her wisdom at sharing a platform with Dr Burzynski. She didn’t want to cause her
team any controversy. We then discovered that we had attracted a lot of adverse
attention that was derogatory, critical of our speakers, casting aspersions on
them and on us as an organisation. Unfortunately Dr Burzynski decided not to
come – so as not to expose us to the sort of attacks that he has suffered.
Regrettably, the public lost an opportunity to hear first-hand of his pioneering
treatments in tackling cancers, including inoperable brain tumours.
--Two speakers down, we then found ourselves possibly contravening the archaic
Cancer Act. We’ve had to be extremely careful in how we word any publications
relating to the convention so that the Advertising Standards Agency doesn’t come
down on us like a ton of bricks and prevent us from holding it at all. Britain
cherishes its long-held tradition of freedom of speech, but in recent years that
seems questionable. However, we can still hold debates, and that is what we are
doing.
We are aware that efforts will be made to stop us, from those who are not
seekers of truth. If they were truly interested in the welfare of people, they
would be advocating most of the alternative/complementary approaches instead of
deriding them and trying to close down clinics and individuals who practise
them, via the Advertising Standards Agency. This ridiculous Act affords them the
guise of protecting the public and gives them ammunition that they can use
against persons advocating alternatives.
We can’t hold an open day of education on treating cancer in this country: how
bizarre is that? How much longer can this information be contained?
The Cost of Ignorance
The UK National Health Service is overstretched and, as more and more people
contract cancer (one in three presently), the rising costs of expensive and
often ineffective treatments will surely mean they have to look at alternatives.
--
Conventional healthcare professionals are too often ignorant of the enormous
value of unconventional treatments. How can they be otherwise, as those outside
of their profession are prohibited from alluding to the fact that they can help
treat cancer? Shockingly, even nutrition is most often totally overlooked during
orthodox cancer treatment, and the very foods that promote cancers are given to
patients in our hospitals sometimes in order to maintain calorie intake. There
is frequently no advice on diet, that most crucial aspect of our health. [2] -
Thankfully, some oncologists do recognise the benefits that
alternative/complementary treatments offer. [3] Hopefully more and more will
come to accept that integrating the best of conventional and
complementary/alternative methods is the way forward.
It is our opinion that a reform of the 1939 Cancer Act is long overdue. The
tenacious grip that it holds on treating cancer must be relinquished, so that
patients and their healthcare providers can make an informed choice as to what
approach may be best for their individual needs. -(Madeline C. Hickey-Smith has
an honours degree in biology and is cofounder of the Cambridge Institute of
Complementary Health http://cichealth.org.uk . The direct link to the convention
page is http://cichealth.org.uk/#/cancer-convention/4566602766 .)
**************************************************************************
Oleuropein boosts
testosterone level, lowers cortisol secretion, stimulates anabolism
Oleuropein is a compound that occurs
naturally in
olive oil and helps the body to use proteins more economically. In a
Japanese study, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, rats that
had a protein-rich diet retained no less than 46 percent more protein when large
amounts of oleuropein were added to their food. In addition, they produced
more testosterone and
less cortisol.
Oleuropein is found in
olives, olive oil and leaves of the olive tree.
Supplements containing olive-leaf extracts have been on the market for years,
and if you look carefully you'll find cheap extracts containing 25 percent
oleuropein.
The structural formula of the substance is
shown below on the left. With a bit of chemical tinkering you can remove the
glucose group from the oleuropein molecule, leaving you with a pared-down
version – chemists call it an aglycon – of oleuropein. The Japanese experimented
with the natural version of oleuropein.
Seven years ago the Japanese
reported that virgin olive oil boosted the metabolism of rats.
It was the phenol oleuropein that was
responsible for this, they discovered later.
[J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo). 2008 Oct;54(5):363-70.] Oleuropein boosted
the secretion of adrenalin and noradrenalin in rats, and made the brown fat
cells burn more fatty acids.
The discovery of the adrenergic effect of
oleuropein prompted some manufacturers to add oleuropein to bodybuilding
supplements..
Fifteen years ago the same
researchers discovered that garlic had approximately the same effect. And when
the Japanese combined garlic supplementation with a protein-rich diet, they
observed that the
garlic boosted anabolism: lab animals
retained more nitrogen, and produced more testosterone and less cortisol.
That's why the Japanese were curious whether oleuropein also had a similar
anabolic effect.
The researchers gave three groups of rats
food containing 10, 25 or 40 percent protein [Casein] for 28 days. Half of the
rats in each group were given food containing 1 g
oleuropein per kg.
The researchers counted the number of
nitrogen molecules in the urine and droppings of the rats, which enabled them to
calculate how much nitrogen the rats retained. The more nitrogen you retain, the
more proteins your body builds up. Nitrogen is an essential component of
proteins.
The rats retained relatively more nitrogen,
the more oleuropein they consumed. In the group that ate food containing the
most protein, supplementation with oleuropein
boosted the amount of nitrogen retained by 46 percent.
In the rats that ate large amounts of
protein, oleuropein tripled the concentration of testosterone in the testes,
while the concentration of cortisol in the blood went down by more than half.
The concentration of LH increased as the
researchers introduced increasingly higher concentrations of aglycon made from
oleuropein into the rats' circulatory system. This increased secretion of LH may
be a consequence of the higher adrenalin and noradrenalin levels caused by the
oleuropein, the Japanese think.
The researchers believe that these hormonal
effects are the key to explaining the anabolic effect of oleuropein.
"Oleuropein supplementation
enhances protein anabolism and suppresses protein catabolism owing to hormonal
regulation by the stimulation of steroid hormones via noradrenaline, leading to
a higher testicular testosterone level and a lower plasma corticosterone level
in rats fed a high-protein diet",
the researchers conclude.
Interestingly, the rats that
were given oleuropein did not put on weight. As far as the researchers could see
– although they did not study the effect on body composition extensively –
the rats became slimmer. Their fat deposits did shrink
at least.
So doing a quick calculation: a rat eats
about 50 g feed per kg bodyweight daily. That means 50 mg oleuropein. Converted
to human proportions, that means 8 mg oleuropein per kg bodyweight per day. So
if you weigh 80 kg, you'd need 640 mg oleuropein daily. If you can get that
quantity out of an olive leaf extract that consists of 25 percent oleuropein,
you’d need about 2.6 g extract each day. --That's manageable.
Source:
J Nutr Biochem. 2013 May;24(5):887-93.
More:
Diet rich in mono-unsaturated fat boosts EPOC 17.01.2012
Animal study: olive oil is good for (old) muscles 12.08.2011
Your body burns unsaturated fat better after exercise 11.11.2010
Why you stay slimmer more easily with olive oil than with saturated fats
31.10.2010
Olive oil converts cholesterol more easily into testosterone 01.09.2009
More adrenalin through olive oil 23.06.2009
*********************************************************************
Damiana - Turnera diffusa.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2014 Jan 24;
Authors: Szewczyk K, Zidorn C
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Half a dozen of the currently accepted 135
Turnera species are used in traditional medicine, most notably Turnera diffusa
Willd. ex Schult. which is one of the most highly appreciated plant
aphrodisiacs. Other traditional uses of Turnera L. species include the treatment
of anaemia, bronchitis, cough, diabetes, fever, fungal disease, gastrointestinal
complaints, pain, pulmonary and respiratory diseases, skin disorders, and
women's health problems. Additionally, Turnera species are used as abortives,
expectorants, and laxatives.
PHYTOCHEMISTRY: Flavonoids (22 different compounds),
maltol glucoside, phenolics, cyanogenic glycosides (7 different compounds),
monoterpenoids, sesquiterpenoids, triterpenoids, the polyterpene ficaprenol-11,
fatty acids, and caffeine have been found in the genus Turnera.
BIOACTIVITY: Bioactivities experimentally proven for members of the genus
Turnera encompass antianxiety, antiaromatase,
antibacterial including antimycobacterial, antidiabetic, antioxidant,
adapatogenic, antiobesity, antispasmodic, cytotoxic, gastroprotective,
hepatoprotective, and aphrodisiac activities. Most of these activities have
so far been investigated only in chemical, cell based, or animal assays. In
contrast, the antiobesity activity was also investigated in a study on healthy
human subjects and with a herbal preparation containing among other ingredients
T. diffusa leaves. Moreover, the enhancement of female sexual function was
assessed in humans; again the product contained besides T. diffusa other
potentially bioactive ingredients. However, with only few exceptions, most of
the traditional uses and the experimentally verified bioactivities can currently
not be related to a particular compound or compound class. A notable exception
is the flavonoid apigenin, which was
identified animal experiments as the antinociceptive
(An antinociceptive factor reduced the sensitivity to a
painful stimuli for the individual.") principle of T. diffusa.
CONCLUSION: In this review, the current knowledge on ethnobotanical uses of
members of the genus Turnera, the secondary metabolites reported from Turnera,
and experimentally documented bioactivities from Turnera extracts and pure
compounds derived from Turnera extracts are compiled. Moreover, some of the most
interesting avenues for future research projects are being discussed briefly.
These include in particular the aphrodisiac activity of T. diffusa and the
antibiotic activity potentiating effect of T. ulmifolia L. against
aminoglycoside resistant bacteria.--PMID: 24468305 [PubMed - as supplied by
publisher]
*********************************************************************
Estimation of
Apigenin, an Anxiolytic Constituent, in Turnera
aphrodisiaca.
Kumar S,
Madaan R,
Sharma A.
Abstract
An HPTLC densitometric method has been
developed to estimate apigenin in Turnera
aphrodisiaca aerial and its segregated parts (leaves,
stems, flowers and fruits) so that plant can be standardized on the
basis of its bioactive marker. The apigenin content in methanol extract of T.
aphrodisiaca aerial parts was found to be about fourteen times less
than acid hydrolyzed methanol extract of the
plant indicating the presence of most of apigenin in glycosidic form. Amongst
different plant parts, flowers possessed maximum
content of apigenin followed by leaves.
The apigenin content was also determined in three marketed formulations of T.
aphrodisiaca viz., NLK, DWSG and SBL. DWSG contained higher content of apigenin.
Aerial parts of the plant were collected at bimonthly intervals over a period of
one year in the months of January, March, May, July, September and November.
The plant material collected in September showed
maximum content of apigenin.
TOP B
**********************************************************************
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HOME
Show of the
Month March 22 2o14
The Gut Microbiome and Cancer
The photoprotective and antioxidative properties of luteolin are synergistically
augmented by tocopherol and ubiquinone
Active extracts of black tea (Camellia Sinensis) induce apoptosis of PC-3
prostate cancer cells via mitochondrial dysfunction
*************************************************************************
The U.S. is now a designated
military testing ground for real-time biological and entomological
warfare applications using Americans as test subjects under public law
105-85
“Entomological warfare (EW) is
a type of biological
warfare that
uses insects to
attack the enemy. The concept has existed for centuries and research and
development have continued into the modern era. EW has been used in
battle by Japan and several other nations have developed and been
accused of using an entomological warfare program.” – --(INTELLIHUB)
—Reporting on the “fake snow” or “polymer snow” that has been found in
several U.S. cities, including Atlanta,
which was mocked by some including “truther” Mark
Dice, who wrote it off as a joke early on.---However,
after researching nearly one-hundred accounts or claims of this “fake
snow” that seemly won’t melt, burning oddly under flame, smelling like
plastic– There is specualtion that there is something else to this issue
and that we are not being told the real truth about the recent cold
spells.---So far what we do know is that strange
polymer fibers have been found in the snow in several states.--We
know that snow recently found in several parts of the eastern U.S. smells
like burnt plastic when melted under a flame or in a pan (using no
butane).
Samples of the snow have even been taken and dried by Henning Kemner, a
researcher who posts videos on YouTube, under controlled circumstances.
So far, at least one test conducted by Kimner using 2 pounds of fresh
snow has shown a rather impressive yield of an ample
amount of a dry white powdery residue which Kemner plans to get
analyzed spectrally.--However, even to my surprise, new findings posted
on YouTube show that America may be under attack by entomological
warfare as vast
quantities of fleas [insects] have now been found in new snowfall following
low-altitude passes by aircraft in Craig,
Montana.--Shockingly, this matches up with diabolical tests
conducted on human beings by Biological Warfare Unit #731 during the
World War II era.--sadly, Don
Tow writes---The
largest Japanese biological/chemical warfare laboratory was in Ping Fan,
a small village near the city of Harbin, Heilongjiang Province in
northeast China, known as Unit 731. Unit 731 was a gigantic complex
covering six square kilometers and consisted of more than 150 buildings,
with living quarters and amenities for up to 3,000 Japanese staff
members, 300-500 of whom were medical doctors and scientists. The
complex contained various factories. It
had 4,500 containers for raising fleas, six giant cauldrons to produce
various chemicals, and around 1,800 containers to produce biological
agents. Approximately
30 kg of bubonic plague bacteria could be produced there in several
days. Especially in the area of biological weapons, Unit 731 could be
considered to be the largest such laboratory ever in the world. Not only
that it was state of the art, it significantly extended the state of the
art, partially because the Japanese had no reluctance at all to
experiment with live patients, including doing autopsies while the
victims were still alive.
You see under public law
substantiated in 1997, all of this has been made possible, allowing the
testing of chemicals and biological agents on “Civilian population” as
pointed out in my documentary film SHADE
the Motion Picture.
Public Law 105–85 105th
Congress
PUBLIC LAW 105-85- NOV. 18, 1997:
USE OF HUMAN SUBJECTS FOR TESTING OF CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL AGENTSSEC.
1078. RESTRICTIONS ON THE USE OF HUMAN SUBJECTS FOR TESTING OF CHEMICAL
OR BIOLOGICAL AGENTS.(a) PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES. – The Secretary of
Defense may not conduct (directly or by contract)(1) any test or
experiment involving the use of a chemical agent or biological agent on
a civilian population; or(2)
any other testing of a chemical agent or biological agent on human
subjects.(b)
EXCEPTIONS.- Subject to subsections (c), (d), and (e), the prohibition
in subsection (a) does not apply to a test or experiment carried out for
any of the following purposes:(1) Any peaceful purpose that is related
to a medical, therapeutic, pharmaceutical, agricultural, industrial, or
research activity.
(2) Any purpose that is
directly related to protection against toxic chemicals or biological
weapons and agents.
(3) Any law enforcement
purpose, including any purpose related to riot control.
So section (a) prohibits these
cruel and inhumane chemical and biological tests on humans. Then section
(b) says that the prohibitions in section (a) do not apply to tests
carried out for virtually any purpose. So section (b) completely negates
the prohibitions of section (a).
Aircrap.org
*************************************************************************
Source-Lund
University
People with type 2
diabetes have epigenetic changes on their DNA that healthy individuals
do not have. This has been
shown in a major study by researchers at Lund
University. The researchers also found epigenetic
changes in a large number of genes that contribute to reduced insulin
production.--"This shows that the
risk of developing type 2 diabetes is not only genetic, but also
epigenetic," said Charlotte Ling, who led the study.--Epigenetic
changes occur as a result of factors including environment and
lifestyle, and can affect the function of genes. Charlotte
Ling and her colleagues have analysed insulin- producing cells of both
healthy individuals and patients with type 2 diabetes.
The analysis revealed epigenetic changes in approximately 800 genes in
those with type 2 diabetes. Over 100 of the genes also had altered
expression and many of these could contribute to reduced insulin
production. Reduced insulin production is
one of the underlying causes of type 2 diabetes.---In order
to work out which is the chicken and which is the egg, i.e. whether the
epigenetic changes are a consequence of the disease or if the disease is
a result of the changes, the researchers also investigated whether
healthy individuals had epigenetic changes caused by age,
BMI and raised blood sugar
levels.--"We were able to observe that a
number of epigenetic changes had already taken place in healthy subjects
as a result of age or high
BMI, and were therefore
able to conclude that these changes could contribute to the development
of the disease," said
Charlotte Ling. "Unlike genes that can't be changed,
epigenetic changes are reversible,"
added Tasnim Dayeh, first author of the publication in PLOS Genetics.--Drugs
that cause epigenetic changes have long been used in the treatment of
cancer and epilepsy. The new survey changes the view of epigenetics in
relation to diabetes, according to Charlotte Ling.--"It
shows that epigenetics is of major significance for type 2 diabetes, and
can help us to understand why people develop the condition.
This also opens the way for the development of future drugs."---Story Source--The above story is based on
materials provided by
Lund
University. ---Journal Reference--Tasnim Dayeh, Petr Volkov, Sofia
Salö, Elin Hall, Emma Nilsson, Anders H. Olsson, Clare L. Kirkpatrick,
Claes B. Wollheim, Lena Eliasson, Tina Rönn, Karl Bacos, Charlotte Ling.
Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Analysis of Human Pancreatic Islets
from Type 2 Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Donors Identifies Candidate Genes
That Influence Insulin Secretion. PLoS Genetics, 2014;
10 (3): e1004160 DOI:
10.1371/journal.pgen.1004160
**************************************************************************
"Garlic
Sprouting Is Associated with Increased Antioxidant Activity and
Concomitant Changes in the Metabolite Profile"
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Scientists are reporting in ACS’
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry that this type of garlic
has even more heart-healthy antioxidant
activity than its fresher counterparts.--Jong-Sang Kim and
colleagues note that people have used garlic for medicinal purposes for
thousands of years. Today, people still celebrate its healthful
benefits. Eating garlic or taking garlic supplements is touted as a
natural way to
reduce cholesterol
levels, blood pressure and heart disease risk. It even may boost the
immune system and help fight cancer. But those benefits are for fresh,
raw garlic. Sprouted garlic has received much less attention. When
seedlings grow into green plants, they make many new compounds,
including those that protect the young plant against pathogens. Kim’s
group reasoned that the same thing might be happening when green shoots
grow from old heads of garlic. Other studies have shown that sprouted
beans and grains have increased antioxidant activity, so the team set
out to see if the same is true for garlic.---They
found that garlic sprouted for five days had higher antioxidant activity
than fresher, younger bulbs, and it had different metabolites,
suggesting that it also makes different substances. Extracts
from this garlic even protected cells in a laboratory dish from certain
types of damage. “Therefore, sprouting may be a useful way to improve
the antioxidant potential of garlic,” they conclude.
*******************************************************************
Top 5
reasons sprouted garlic is good for your health
A number of people believe that
vegetables and fruits that have sprouted are bad for health as they
release chemicals that are toxic for the body. While this might be true
for certain fruits and vegetables it does
not apply to garlic. That might not necessarily be true,
especially in the case of sprouted garlic. While unsprouted garlic is
known to help
reduce cholesterol,
keep heart disease at bay, beat cancers, heal skin infections and even
help in decongesting a clogged up nose;
sprouted garlic has now been found to have amazing benefits for your
heart health. Read more about the
health benefits of garlic. --According to a study published in the
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
[1]
sprouted garlic actually has stronger health benefits than unsprouted
ones. They conjectured that the pod when
sprouted for five days showed the maximum ability to help the human
body. -Wondering how it helps? Here are the health benefits
of eating sprouted garlic:
Can fight against cancer:
The process of sprouting in garlic
stimulates the production of phytochemicals, that have amazing
properties like the ability to block the further spread of
malignant cancer cells and inhibit the activity of carcinogens
(cancer causing chemicals) on the body. Apart from that, garlic also
produces a large amount of anti-oxidants that are very useful in
scavenging
free
oxygen radicals – one of the main reasons for the formation of cancers.
Protects your heart:
The same way that phytochemicals block the activity of carcinogens,
they also boost enzyme activity and block the activities that leads to
plaque formation – an important factor in the formation of blockages in
the heart. This thereby helps protect you from suffering from heart
disease and heart attacks.
Can prevent strokes:
Garlic on its own is a rich source of
anjoene a substance that prevents the formation of blood
clots. It also is packed with nitrites –
a compound that helps dilate (or widen) the arteries. Both
these activities in tandem help prevent the onset of strokes (a
condition caused by the formation of a blood clot in the blood vessels
of the brain). How is sprouted garlic better in preventing strokes? Well
during sprouting the amount of phytochemicals present in the garlic pods
helps not only enhance the activity of the already present chemicals in
garlic but it also blocks the activity of blood clot forming chemicals –
making it a better agent against strokes.
Helps prevent
wrinkles
and premature ageing: We all know that antioxidants help prevent
premature ageing by scavenging
free
radicals in our body – the leading cause of ageing in our body. But
according to the study published in the Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry, garlic pods sprouted for five days have the highest
antioxidant activity – making them an elixir for your body. Not only
will it prevent the appearance of
wrinkles
but also has the potential to stop the deterioration of organs
(something that takes place as we age).
Strengthens your immune system:
If you suffer from frequent cold and cough or infections its time you
ate some sprouted garlic. That is because sprouted garlic – especially
those that have been sprouted for five days – gives your body a strong
dose of anti-oxidants. These anti-oxidants in turn strengthen your
immune system by protecting the very cells that kill off infections. So,
if you want to stay healthy all year round, here is your
chance
– load up on sprouted garlic.
How to sprout
garlic
Garlic normally sprouts on its own
if left in the open. But if you want to sprout them at home without
drying them out here is how you can do it:--Take a pod of garlic and
without peeling it gently poke in two tooth picks on either side of the
garlic. Make sure you place the toothpicks on the more fleshy part of
the pod. Now take a small and narrow glass cup and fill it with water
(tap water should do. Do not add anything to the water). Next, using the
two toothpicks as stands, balance the garlic pod on the rim of the
glass, such that the narrow part is partly submerged in the water.--Keep
this glass on a window sill where it will get enough sunlight. Allow it
to stay there for five days, making sure the tip is submerged in the
water. Once it is sprouted you can wash and eat the garlic
*****************************************************************************
The Gut Microbiome and Cancer
Our gut microbiota influence cancer
susceptibility of our digestive tract as well as distant organs
including the skin, lungs, breasts and liver
Dr Eva Sirinathsinghji
Cancer is a leading disease in industrialised nations and the incidence
is
rising sharply in developing nations as a result of aging demographics,
“westernised” diets, exposure to chemical carcinogens and inactivity.
Though
there are genetic causes for certain cancers that give a significant
risk to the
individual carrier e.g. BRCA1 mutations and breast cancer,
most cancers are
linked to environmental factors. Despite this overriding environmental
determinant in cancer susceptibility, we still know relatively little
about the environmental factors involved. Recent research on
the gut microbiota reveals a complex and important role that this
‘forgotten organ’ may play, not only in
preventing or promoting carcinogenesis, but also in modifiying the
efficacy of different therapies.--Clues
that the bugs in our guts may influence cancer development have been
around at least since the late 19th century when anti-tumour effects
were observed in sarcoma patients after bacterial infections or
following the
injection of heat-killed bacteria (Coley’s toxin) [1, 2].
In the 1970s, studies
of germ-free mice suggested tumour-promoting effects of the microbiota
in spontaneous, carcinogen-induced and genetically-induced cancer
models. Indeed, there is now a
well known association of the gut microbiota with inflammation and
metabolism, two hallmarks of cancer,
with germ-free animals displaying decreased
weight gain and resistance to obesity, hypoglycaemia and low insulin.
With the advent of metabolomics and deep sequencing techniques,
researchers are beginning to decipher the role of specific microbes as
well as specific global microbiotic profiles associated with different
cancers. These discoveries are leading to new avenues of research into
cancer prevention and treatment.
One bug, two bugs, all or none?
The relationship between our gut microbiota and cancer appears to be
complex,
involving both specific microbial species as well as dysregulation of
the global
microbiota, called dysbiosis. Epidemiological studies have linked a
number of
cancers to individual microbes, e.g. the human papillomavirus (HPV) in
cervical
cancer; H.pylori in gastric cancer; chronic infection in hepatitis B
virus
(HBV); hepatitis c virus (HCV) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC);
chronic
Salmonella enterica subsp infection in gallbladder cancer; infection
with
Chlamydia pneumonia in the development of lung cancer; and infection
with
Haemophilus influenza and Candida albicans in the development of lower
respiratory tract malignancies [3-6]. The clearest example for
bacterially
driven carcinogenesis is H.pylori infection, with epidemiological
studies
suggesting it is responsible for 1-3 % of gastric cancer cases of
H.pylori
infected individuals. This microbe has been
widely defined as a carcinogen by public health institutions
including the International Agency for Research on Cancer [7].---Most of
the microbiome differences seen in cancer studies involve
dysbiosis of the overall microbial community.
Even in those ‘one microbe –one disease’ cases, the story appears more
complicated than it seems. With H. pylori infection and gastric cancer,
mice colonised with this species alone develop fewer gastric tumours
than those colonised with a complex mixture of species [8]. It is
interesting to note that H.pylori is also linked to a lower risk of
oesophageal adenocarcinoma in humans, emphasising the organ-specific
effect of bacterial communities on carcinogenesis [9]. The emerging
understanding of colorectal cancer is similarly complex,
with metagenomic studies showing
underrepresentation of two bacterial phyla, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes
as well as overrepresentation of the invasive Fusobacterium nuculeatum
species (previously associated with periodontis and appendicitis) in the
tumours [10, 11]. Even though there
were consistent patterns of dysbiosis
between the patients in these studies, the
overall microbiotas between tumours and noncancerous regions of the
colon of individual patients were more similar to
each other than they were to tumours of other patients or colon samples
from unaffected patients. This intricate association with
cancer suggests that any therapy involving the gut microbiota many rely
on individualised therapies for successful treatment. Furthermore, these
associations to do not prove causation so further analysis is much
needed. Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota has also been linked to cancers
of distant organs, exemplified by cancers of the liver and pancreas,
which do not have a known microbiota of their own.
The role of the gut microbiota therefore appears wide-reaching,
affecting much more than the gut itself [12-14].
How do microbiota influence cancer
susceptibility?
There are many mechanisms by which gut microbiota may alter
susceptibility to
cancers including activation of the innate immune system, modulation of
inflammation, influencing gene expression as well as the genomic
stability of
host cells. A failure of the intestinal
barrier to limit host-microbiota
interactions is also thought to be important.
Anatomical separation between the host and
microbes is a crucial first line of defence and is maintained through an
intact epithelial lining and mucosal layer, as well as a sensing system
that detects and eliminates bacteria.
Consistently, ulcerative colitis, a condition
that disrupts the barrier, increases the risk of colon cancers. Studies
that have induced barrier failure in lab animals have also shown that
carcinogens are more likely to pass through a disrupted gut lining,
leading to increased tumour formation in local and distant organs
[15]
**************************************************************************
The photoprotective and antioxidative properties of luteolin are
synergistically augmented by tocopherol and ubiquinone.
Planta Med. 2013 Jul;79(11):963-5
Authors: Wölfle U, Haarhaus B,
Schempp CM
Abstract
Ultraviolet radiation induces
DNA damage and
oxidative stress which can result in skin inflammation, photoaging, and
photocarcinogenesis.
The
flavonoid luteolin that is present in high amounts in the dyers weld,
Reseda luteola, is one of the most potent antioxidative plant
metabolites and also has
ultraviolet-absorbing properties.The aim of this study was to
determine whether tocopherol and ubiquinone add synergistic
antioxidative values to luteolin. None of
the substances showed cytotoxic effects in concentrations from 0.25 to 4
µg/mL. The photoprotective and
antioxidant effect of equivalent concentrations of luteolin, tocopherol,
and ubiquinone and their combination in a ratio of 4 : 4 : 1
were studied in solar simulator irradiated human skin fibroblasts.
Luteolin had a half-maximal radical scavenging concentration of 2 µg/mL,
whereas tocopherol and ubiquinone were only effective at higher
concentrations. None of the substances showed a phototoxic effect,
and only luteolin had a moderate photoprotective effect at 2 µg/mL.
The combination of luteolin, tocopherol, and
ubiquinone exerted a synergistic radical scavenging effect already at a
concentration of 0.25 µg/mL and a complete photoprotection at 2 µg/mL.In
summary, our findings suggest that the potent antioxidant and
photoprotective effect of flavonoids like luteolin
may be further increased by the addition of
low concentrations of other antioxidants such as tocopherol and
ubiquinone. --PMID: 23839819 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Using things like hawthorn-rosemary
or sage which has a good source of Luteolin by fusing this in oil and
then add Cq 10 and vitamin E ( fuse in either almond oil or olive oil
which has vitamin E in them naturally) and use –the ratio is 4:4:1
4 parts luteolin-4 parts vitamin E and 1 part cq 10
100ml would be 4 ml of luteolin- 4
mil Vitamin E 1 mil of Cq 1o
************************************************************************
Active extracts of black tea (Camellia Sinensis) induce apoptosis of
PC-3 prostate cancer cells via mitochondrial dysfunction.
Oncol Rep. 2013 Aug;30(2):763-72
Authors: Sun S, Pan S, Miao A, Ling
C, Pang S, Tang J, Chen D, Zhao C
Abstract
Cancer of the prostate gland is the most common invasive malignancy and
the second leading cause of cancer-related death in human males.
Many studies have shown that black tea reduces
the risk of several types of cancer. We studied the effects
of active extracts of black tea and the black tea polyphenols
theaflavins (TFs), on the cellular proliferation and mitochondria of the
human prostate cancer cell line PC-3. Our
studies revealed that Yinghong black tea extracts (YBT),
Assam
black tea extracts (ABT) and TFs inhibited cell proliferation in a
dose-dependent manner. We
also showed that TFs, YBT and ABT affected the morphology of PC-3 cells
and induced apoptosis or even necrosis in
PC-3 cells. In addition, it was observed that the samples
significantly caused loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential,
release of cytochrome c from the intermembrane space into the cytosol,
decrease of the ATP content and activation of caspase-3 compared with
the control. Taken together, these findings
suggest that black tea could act as an effective anti-proliferative
agent in PC-3 cells, and TFs, YBT and ABT induced apoptosis of PC-3
cells through mitochondrial dysfunction.---PMID: 23715786 [PubMed
- indexed for MEDLINE]
Recipe—Either extract the
black Tea in alcohol ( wine –brandy-cognac-vodka or a clear based rum or
ethanol in a clear base) or in water and use the teas throughout the day
or the use of the tinctures in 10-30 drop increments
TOP C
**************************************************************************
TOP D
HOME
Show of the
Month March 29 2o14
REPORT CARD ON PRIMARY
PREVENTION Chronic Disease- 1998-2008
**************************************************************************
Date:
February 26,
2014
Source:
Massachusetts
Institute of Technology
A false-color
electron microscope image showing E. coli bacteria (green) trapped
over xylem pit membranes (red and blue) in the sapwood after
filtration.-If you've run out of drinking water during a lakeside
camping trip, there's a simple solution:
Break off a branch from the nearest pine tree, peel away the bark, and
slowly pour lake water through the stick. The improvised filter should
trap any bacteria, producing fresh, uncontaminated water.---In
fact, an MIT team has discovered that this low-tech filtration system
can produce up to four liters of drinking water a day -- enough to
quench the thirst of a typical person. In a paper published
this week in the journal PLoS ONE, the researchers
demonstrate that a small piece of sapwood
can filter out more than 99 percent of the bacteria E. coli
from water. They say the size of the pores in sapwood --
which contains xylem tissue evolved to transport sap up the length of
a tree -- also allows water through while blocking most types of
bacteria.-Co-author Rohit Karnik, an associate professor of mechanical
engineering at MIT, says sapwood is a promising, low-cost, and
efficient material for water filtration, particularly for rural
communities where more advanced filtration systems are not readily
accessible.-"Today's filtration membranes have nanoscale pores that
are not something you can manufacture in a garage very easily," Karnik
says. "The idea here is that we don't need to fabricate a membrane,
because it's easily available. You can just take a piece of wood and
make a filter out of it."--The paper's co-authors include Michael
Boutilier and Jongho Lee from MIT, Valerie Chambers from
Fletcher-Maynard Academy in Cambridge, Mass., and
Varsha Venkatesh from Jericho
High School in Jericho, N.Y.
Tapping the
flow of sap
There are a number of
water-purification technologies on the market today, although many
come with drawbacks: Systems that rely on chlorine treatment work well
at large scales, but are expensive. Boiling water to remove
contaminants requires a great deal of fuel to heat the water.
Membrane-based filters, while able to remove microbes, are expensive,
require a pump, and can become easily clogged.--Sapwood may offer a
low-cost, small-scale alternative. The
wood is composed of xylem,
porous tissue that conducts sap from a tree's roots to its crown
through a system of vessels and pores. Each vessel wall is pockmarked
with tiny pores called pit membranes, through which sap can
essentially hopscotch, flowing from one vessel to another as it feeds
structures along a tree's length. The pores also limit cavitation, a
process by which air bubbles can grow and spread in xylem, eventually
killing a tree. The xylem's tiny pores can trap bubbles, preventing
them from spreading in the wood.--"Plants have had to
figure out how to filter out bubbles but allow easy flow of sap,"
Karnik observes. "It's the same problem with water filtration where we
want to filter out microbes but maintain a high flow rate. So it's a
nice coincidence that the problems are similar."
Seeing red
To study sapwood's
water-filtering potential, the researchers collected branches
of white pine and stripped off the outer bark.
They cut small sections of sapwood
measuring about an inch long and half an inch wide, and mounted each
in plastic tubing, sealed with epoxy and secured with clamps.--Before
experimenting with contaminated water, the group used water mixed with
red ink particles ranging from 70 to 500 nanometers in size.
After all the liquid passed through, the researchers sliced the
sapwood in half lengthwise, and observed that much of the red dye was
contained within the very top layers of the wood, while the filtrate,
or filtered water, was clear. This
experiment showed that sapwood is naturally able to filter out
particles bigger than about 70 nanometers.--However, in
another experiment, the team found that sapwood was unable to separate
out 20-nanometer particles from water, suggesting that there is a
limit to the size of particles coniferous sapwood can filter.
Picking the
right plant
Finally, the team flowed
inactivated, E. coli-contaminated water through the wood
filter. When they examined the xylem under a fluorescent microscope,
they saw that bacteria had accumulated around pit membranes in the
first few millimeters of the wood.
Counting the bacterial cells in the filtered water, the researchers
found that the sapwood was able to filter out more than 99 percent of
E. coli from water.--Karnik says
sapwood likely can filter most types of
bacteria, the smallest of which measure about 200 nanometers.
However, the filter probably cannot trap
most viruses, which are much smaller in size.--Karnik says
his group now plans to evaluate the filtering potential of other types
of sapwood. In general, flowering trees have smaller pores than
coniferous trees, suggesting that they may be able to filter out even
smaller particles. However, vessels in flowering trees tend to be much
longer, which may be less practical for designing a compact water
filter.--Designers interested in using sapwood as a filtering material
will also have to find ways to keep the wood damp, or to dry it while
retaining the xylem function. In other experiments with dried sapwood,
Karnik found that water either did not flow through well, or flowed
through cracks, but did not filter out contaminants.--"There's huge
variation between plants," Karnik says. "There could be much better
plants out there that are suitable for this process. Ideally, a filter
would be a thin slice of wood you could use for a few days, then throw
it away and replace at almost no cost. It's orders of magnitude
cheaper than the high-end membranes on the market today."-------This
research was supported by the James H. Ferry Jr. Fund for Innovation
in Research Education.--Story Source-The above story
is based on
materials provided by
Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. The original article was written
by Jennifer Chu. Note: Materials may be edited for content and
length.--Journal Reference-Michael S. H. Boutilier, Jongho Lee,
Valerie Chambers, Varsha Venkatesh, Rohit Karnik. Water
Filtration Using Plant Xylem. PLoS ONE, 2014; 9 (2):
e89934 DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0089934
**************************************************************************
REPORT CARD ON
PRIMARY PREVENTION, 1998-2008
AGE ZERO CD (%)* FOUR
+ CD (%)*
1998 2008 1998 2008
ALL ≥ 65 13.1 7.8
11.6 17.4
ALL ≥ 65 MALE 13.6
8.9 11.3 17.5
ALL ≥ 65 FEMALE 12.8
6.9 11.7 17.3
RANGE 65-69 17.0 11.7
9.1 12.7
RANGE 70-74 14.8 7.5
9.8 16.8
*CD—Chronic diseases.
Source: Hung, W. et al. BMC Geriatrics. 2011;11:1-12
From this report
card, it is clear that the percentage of the population in the US free
of chronic disease decreased dramatically, i.e. the prevalence of
chronic disease increased dramatically, and this was independent of
gender and was seen in the total ≥ 65 population as well as in two age
groups which represent the traditional initial retirement years and
the following half-decade leading up to approximately life expectancy.
This continues a trend seen in the 1990s and, if this trend were to
continue,
it eventually will be
hard to find anyone over 65 who does not have a chronic disease.
And
omitted in this study are mental diseases.
The World Health
Organization is predicting a 70% increase in cancer over the next 20
years. The elderly having four or more chronic diseases by 2008 was
approaching 20% prevalence. This is perhaps the most shocking
observation. The data in this table represent bad news for those
concerned with healthcare costs, but more importantly, for those who
view healthy aging as an important goal. Furthermore, it can be argued
that the data cannot be dismissedby citing increased efficiency of
diagnoses. Mainstream preventive medicine appears to have failed. We
are on our own. The study from which the above table was derived also
looked at impairment, including impaired cognition, vision, hearing,
mobility, urinary continence and the presence of disabilities which
impacted daily living. The good news is that the prevalence of
impairment International Health News March 2014 Page 2 and disability
did not increase in the decade examined, although because of the
increase in the number of individuals in the ≥ 65 age group, the
absolute numbers increased. Thus not surprisingly, modern medicine
appears better at dealing with some of the problems which arise after
one has a chronic disease of aging than preventing these diseases in
the first place, although earlier diagnosis may be a factor due to
some with less severe disease. The authors of the study from which the
above data was derived also comment that the main goal of successful
aging is the maintenance of independence and they emphasize the
stability of the prevalence of impairment and disability. However, it
can be argued that the primary goal should be to prevent the disorder
in the first place, or arresting or reversing progression.
DETOXIFICATION
Detoxification has
become a very hot topic in the popular health literature. There are
books about detoxification diets, juice fasting for detoxification,
detoxification and longevity, liver detoxification, etc, etc. Since
concern for toxic overload is
unfortunately
justified, it is of interest to attempt to separate mythology from
approaches to
detoxification associated with at least some more or less scientific
evidence of human
efficacy.
The need for human studies is based on the fact that animals in
general have different physiological and biochemical mechanisms for
eliminating acquired toxic substances and animal studies are only
partly transferable.
This is unfortunate since the type of experiments routinely performed
on animals cannot be carried out with humans for obvious reasons. This
review relies heavily on the pioneering and ongoing research and
publications of Dr. Stephen J. Genuis and his colleagues at the
University of Alberta.
TOXINS AND CHRONIC
ILLNESS
What are the
determinants of the occurrence of adult chronic illness? The
consensus appears to
be infectious agents, genetics, psychological factors,
nutrient deficiencies
and toxins.
Among these, according to the conventional wisdom, genetics appears to
be the most important.
It is called the genetic predestination paradigm, the short form of
which implies the misfortune of having the wrong parents.1 However the
paradigm is challenged by the following: (a) Identical twin studies
are not consistent with the paradigm; (b) ancestry frequently is a
poor predictor of risks; (c) genomes have not significantly changed
over eons but some disorders have escalated dramatically over periods
extremely short by comparison; (d) migration and adoption of new
lifestyles can profoundly change disease incidence.
In fact, it has been
estimated that 70% to 90% of disease risks are instead probably due to
environmental issues.2---Genetic
predisposition to disease has been well established.
However, directly and permanently modifying genes does not appear to
be the answer and thus the predisposition to specific diseases appears
immutable.
However, environmental factors
interact with an
individual’s genome and can cause illness.1
These are called
epigenetic
influences.
Included
are toxic chemicals, viral and fungal exposure and radiation, which
are external and internal agents generated for example by a toxic
excess of biochemicals associated with inflammation and metabolism and
toxins associated with psychological stress.
However, epigenetic actions represent only one of many ways that
toxins adversely interact with human biochemistry and microbiology.
The huge variety of toxins assures a significant variety of
mechanisms. If one also considers deficiencies in biochemicals
required for humans to thrive,
then the combination
of toxins and these deficiencies represent together the environmental
component of the etiology of illness.1
In practice, mainstream medicine tends to ignore both.
The belief that
humans, if not undernourished, get everything by way of essential
nutrients from their diet has
the status
of dogma.
With external toxins, there is general agreement regarding heavy
metals. For externally derived toxins, there is inadequate information
regarding thresholds for toxicity since human studies are impossible,
animal studies in general not definitive,
knowledge of
accumulation and locations of storage is lacking and it is not
possible to adequately measure distributed body stores.
Furthermore, clinical
manifestations may
require years to develop. The fetus gets its toxins from the mother
through the common blood circulation. Studies of cord blood typically
reveal significant levels.
The newborn is
particularly sensitive to toxins
which can adversely
impact critical aspects of the development process all the way
throughto adulthood,
especially with regard to the brain. This is called the silent
epidemic and is the subject of a frightening study from Harvard just
published in journal
Lancet Neurology.3
With
the fetus or newborn
there is obviously an incredibly complex developmental process
involved and it is exquisitely sensitive to toxic interference.
Consider four common toxins, mercury, lead, glyphosate (in Roundup)
and the much publicized bisphenol A. All have atomic weights or
molecular weights around 200 g. A rough approximation for the number
of cells in the newborn child is a bit less than 1012,, i.e. a
thousand billion.4. Using Avogadro’s number, it is easy to calculate
the amount required of any one of these toxins in order to have enough
for one toxic atom or molecule for every cell in the newborn child’s
body. The number
is about 0.3 ng, a
third of a billionth of a gram.
However, toxins are
not evenly distributed and this fraction of a nanogram would in fact
concentrate such that some cell contained considerably more, some less
or zero. If the toxin accumulates with each exposure, then the
toxic load
constantly increases.
Thus much smaller amounts are potentially dangerous. The brain’s
development is uniquely sensitive to toxic chemicals. The theme of a
recent book by Professor Philippe Grandjean (University of Southern
Denmark and Harvard School of Public Health) is that the developing
brain has only one chance to get it right, and how environmental
pollution impairs normal brain developmet.5 It is remarkable that
women living in the modern, developed, chemical-saturated world can
even give birth to normal babies who will then go on to develop
normally.
In fact, abnormalities at birth or miscarriage are not uncommon.
Child mortality in the US is higher than in most developed countries.
The mother
probably exhibits no clinical symptoms associated with her toxic
burden.
The problem of maternal toxins appears to be getting worse.5 However,
toxins measured in the mother and in the cord blood provide a starting
point for epidemiological studies involving follow-up of newborns
which eventually will yield important information.
At present,
the only
solution appears to be either avoidance of exposure before and during
pregnancy and while nursing,
which is very
difficult if not impossible, or detoxification prior to conception,
which is
almost entirely off the radar of modern medicine.
Ignoring or
denying environmental toxins is common.
The argument that there is no “scientific” evidence of risk at current
exposure levels is in fact the traditional approach proven effective
years ago by the tobacco industry. For example, many would agree that
chemicals that mimic hormones are potentially bad, but maintain that
the threshold of risk is above normal exposure, when in fact in many
cases the threshold is unknown.
When animal studies
raise red flags, the response may be that the results are flawed or
not transferable,
even if normalized to body mass. But animal studies are routinely used
by industry to establish “safe” human limits. In the absence of
definitive evidence based on human studies, it
appears that the zero
tolerance is the correct attitude. But with 80,000 chemicals out
there, the number of potential toxins is too great, and therefore one
must assume that one has an unavoidable toxic burden, the only
question being what and how much. Thus the importance of
detoxification not specific to any one toxin.
THE TOXIC ZOO
The following is a
general account of substances implicated as toxins. The importance and
pathophysiology have been reviewed.6 • Naturally occurring organic
substances.
These include moulds
and their metabolites and allergy-causing substance of plant and
animal origin. • Inorganic or elemental toxins. Included are the heavy
metals arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Found in dust, drinking
water, foods, dental amalgams, and consumer products.
Some react strongly with sulphur containing proteins and inhibit
enzyme controlled reactions.
Heavy metals
accumulate in the brain, liver, kidney and bone.
• Pesticides. These
are intentionally distributed into the environment because they are
toxic and act as insecticides, herbicides and fungicides. Yearly use
is measured in tons.
Human
toxicity has been linked to neurological, endocrine, developmental,
reproductive, respiratory and immunological disorders as well as
cancer.7 •
Persistent organic molecular pollutants.
These include
chemicals used as flame retardants, stain repellents, anti-wrinkle and
non-stick chemicals, fragrances, chemicals added during food
preparation, cleaning and cosmetic agents, etc., etc. Also, toxins
leached from or released by plastics. Bisphenol-A, a so-called
xenoestrogen,
is the poster child of this class.
Other chemicals
include phthalates, stabilizers and dyes.
This list includes many synthetic chemicals to which humans have been
exposed in only recently evolutionary history.
Food borne pollutants
increase in concentration as one goes up the food chain and by
accumulation in organs and fatty tissue, form a pool of toxic
substances in humans with many adverse health effects.
Therefore
one cannot assume human natural detoxification mechanisms that evolved
over eons will be able to deal with this onslaught,
a problem which intensified in a post-WWII
chemical revolution
with synthetic substances designed to enhance taste, flavour,
efficiency, convenience, beauty, comfort and so it was claimed, safety.
Today both
naturally occurring
and synthetic toxic substances are ubiquitous in the environment and
in humans and unfortunately appear to be a significant cause of
illness.1,6
The manufacturers strongly dispute this suggestion, inevitably citing
no absolute proof or evidence, a powerful approach which seems to work
with at least some governments and regulatory agencies.When these
toxic chemicals accumulate in the body, they can reside in a number of
locations and thus blood levels or urine levels or hair analysis fail
to provide an accurate or even in some cases informative picture of
the body burden. Inability to establish individual body burdens
impacts not only toxicological studies but also attempts to determine
the success of detoxification protocols.
AVOIDANCE OF TOXINS
This obviously should
have high priority but the devil is in the details. Sources of most
toxic exposure are suggested in the above list of toxins. Thus it
appears advisable to consider drinking and cooking with only reverse
osmosis water, to regard tap water as suitable for washing and
toilets, and shower heads should have carbon filters.
Attempts to achieve a
chemical-free home are obviously important. Attention is directed to
cosmetics and personal care items, cleaning and laundry chemicals,
fabrics, carpets and other materials containing fire retardants and/or
stain resistant chemicals, and weed and pest control substances.
Highly
efficient air filters may be important for air pollutants including
moulds and small particulate matter.
Avoiding
frequent consumption of foods known to commonly contain toxins can
reduce the body toxic burden. This includes not only some species of
fish but also commercial canned food. The problem here is that the
levels of toxins in food are highly variable and largely unknown, nor
are official safe limits credible.
In addition, some suggestions are simply not practical such as living
only in older houses to avoid the outgassing of building materials
including insulation and particle board as well as new carpets and
drapes. It is important to buy rugs, carpets, drapes and mattresses
with great care because of toxic organic substances which these items
emit, especially fire retardants. A independent lab
had
recently set up state-of-the-art laboratory for testing levels of
toxin in foods, beverages, personal care products and supplements. The
initial reports are shocking. From the laboratory, had
reported a general
conclusion from the analysis of over 1000 foods, supplements, junk
foods and popular beverages for heavy metals and other toxins.
The conclusion was that unless something is done about this problem,
we are doomed.
DETOXIFICATION
INTERVENTIONS
The variety of toxins
potentially present requiring elimination is so
large that it should
be evident there is no single detoxification protocol that is
comprehensive.
However, the problem is even greater since there is very little
research on detoxification protocols, and the
compartmentalization
of toxins in the body further complicates the issue. Some
detoxification protocols have been studied only in the context of
individuals with very high toxic loads or frank poisoning.
Drops in blood or urine levels may conceal large unaffected body
stores.--Hair
analysis offers problems in interpretation.
In what follows, the detoxification protocols that have received some
scientific study will be discussed, and as well those without
convincing evidence will be listed. The first step in detoxification
is to attempt to optimize the body’s own mechanisms. In an important
review of detoxification, Sears and Genuis list the following dietary
and supplemental intervention for which there is some evidence:7
• Glutathione and
sulphur-containing foods such as eggs, fermented cabbage,
onions
and garlic are important. Supplementing with N-acetyl cysteine,
selenium, taurine and/or methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) can support
glutathione and metallothionein synthesis. • Folate may assist arsenic
metabolism and elimination. • Alpha-lipoic acid or R-lipoic acid may
assist in the detoxification of compounds resulting from mould
exposure.
• Adequate calcium
and zinc can reduce the absorption of heavy metals.
• Chlorella has been
found to decrease absorption and increase excretion of toxicants.
Evidence is for mercury, cadmium and dioxin.
• Pectin will reduce
absorption and increase elimination
• Some evidence
exists for the benefit of restoration of normal flora in the gut with
probiotics in order to facilitate removal of toxins from the GI
tract.8
Taurine decreases
oxidative stress markers resulting from heavy metal exposure. Alpha
lipoic acid regenerates reduced glutathione which is an important
endogenous defence against heavy metals. N-acetyl cysteine is a
chelator of toxic elements and may stimulate glutathione synthesis,
especially in the presence of vitamins C and E. Glutathione itself is
not generally recommended as
supplement since it is destroyed by digestion. However, there are
novel delivery systems such as liposomes under development and one
formulation is now available over-the-counter. Selenium is important
in the context of detoxification. Selenium incorporated in an organic
molecule is the indicated form and has been shown to increase mercury
secretion and decrease stress-related biomarkers. Supplements not
mentioned by Genuis and Sears include milk thistle, curcumin and green
tea extract.
**************************************************************************
Date:
February 27,
2014
Source:
Institut de
recherches cliniques de Montreal
A team of researchers at the IRCM
in Montréal led by Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret, in collaboration with Jérôme
Ruzzinfrom the University of
Bergen in Norway, found
a link between a type of pollutants and
certain metabolic complications of obesity. Their
breakthrough, published online this week by The Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology & Metabolism, could eventually help improve the
prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiometabolic risk
associated with obesity, such as diabetes, hypertension and
cardiovascular disease.--Although obesity is strongly linked to
insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, a subset of obese individuals,
termed "metabolically healthy but obese," appears relatively protected
from the development of such cardiometabolic complications. IRCM
researchers are studying the factors that seem to protect obese
individuals who remain metabolically healthy, in an attempt to find
therapeutic avenues to prevent complications for others who are at
risk.--"Recently, persistent organic
pollutants (POPs) have been found to accelerate the development of
prediabetes and obesity in mice, thereby mimicking the unfavourable
cardiometabolic profile characteristic of certain obese individuals,"
says Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret, MD, PhD, endocrinologist and Director of the
Metabolic Diseases research unit at the IRCM. "As a result, the aim of
our study was to test whether metabolically healthy but obese
individuals have lower circulating levels of POPs than obese
individuals with cardiometabolic complications."--Persistent
organic pollutants are
human-made chemicals used in agricultural, industrial and
manufacturing processes. Due to their toxicity, POPs have
been strictly and internationally regulated to ensure public health.
However, because they have the ability to resist environmental
degradation, POPs can still be found all
around the world, even in areas where they have never been used, and
remain omnipresent in our environment and food products. Thus,
virtually all humans are exposed to POPs daily.--"Exposure
to POPs comes primarily from the environment
and the consumption of food such as fatty
fish, meat and milk products," explains Jérôme Ruzzin, PhD,
expert in the field of research on POPs.
"One important characteristic of POPs is their lipid solubility,
meaning they accumulate in the body's fatty tissues. As
their name suggests, they are also persistent so the body cannot
easily eliminate them. POPs can therefore
have significant impacts on human health, and have been shown to
affect reproduction, promote cancer, and be involved in the
development of metabolic diseases."--IRCM researchers
conducted a study of 76 obese women of similar age, body mass index
and fat mass index, in which they analyzed
the concentration of 21 POPs, as well as cardiometabolic risk factors.
Among 18 detectable pollutants,
the women with cardiometabolic complications
had higher concentrations of 12 POPs.--"Remarkably, close
to 70 per cent of the detectable
POPs were significantly higher in
individuals with cardiometabolic complications compared to
metabolically healthy but obese subjects," adds Marie-Soleil
Gauthier, PhD, co-first author of the study and research associate at
the IRCM. "Our study confirms that the two groups have distinct POP
profiles, and that metabolically healthy but obese individuals have
significantly lower circulating levels of various classes of POPs than
patients with complications. A better understanding of the role of
POPs could lead to new directions for the prevention, diagnosis, and
treatment of cardiometabolic risk associated with obesity."--"Although
this study does not show a causal link, it suggests that pollutants
found abundantly in our environment could promote the development of
cardiometabolic diseases like diabetes," concludes Dr.
Rabasa-Lhoret. "If future studies confirm this increased risk, such
observations could have a significant impact on public health
decisions because we will need to dramatically reduce our exposure to
these pollutants."
The abstract to the report can be
found at:
http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/jc.2013-3935
Story Source-The
above story is based on
materials provided by
Institut de
recherches cliniques de Montreal. Note: Materials may
be edited for content and length.--Journal Reference-Marie-Soleil
Gauthier, Rémi Rabasa-Lhoret, Denis Prud’homme, Antony D. Karelis,
Dawei Geng, Bert Van Bavel, and Jérôme Ruzzin. The
metabolically healthy but obese phenotype is associated with lower
plasma levels of persistent organic pollutants as compared to the
metabolically abnormal obese phenotype. The Journal of
Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, February 2014
*************************************************************************
Date:
December 28,
2010
Source:
Norwegian
School of Veterinary Science
Cross section
of an adrenal gland from a sheep foetus.
Exposure to PCB through foetal life caused changes in adrenal cortex
thickness and its ability to produce the stress hormone cortisol.
Karin E Zimmer's PhD research shows that
persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as PCB and
mixtures of different POPs, affect the way the adrenal cortex
functions and thereby the synthesis of the stress hormone cortisol.
Cortisol plays an important role in normal foetal development and,
later in life, in retaining normal body
functions during periods of stress. Less research has been
carried out on the effects of POPs on cortisol levels than on sex
hormones.
POPs are
widespread in nature and all animals and humans are exposed to them
daily, mainly through food.
There have been great concerns regarding the potential ability of
these pollutants to affect the body's hormone balance. Zimmer's
thesis sheds light on how exposure during
early life stages interferes with hormone levels and may therefore
cause harm to health later in life. Zimmer also
investigated how the production of hormones such as
cortisol and sex hormones were affected by
environmental mixtures of POPs extracted from fish. ---The
thesis reveals that exposure to PCBs during foetal life and the
suckling period caused altered cortisol
levels in the blood of both foetuses and adult animals.
This indicates that exposure during these sensitive, initial stages of
life may have long-term consequences. Her
findings are important because altered cortisol balance during early
life may lead to a predisposition to develop several diseases in
adulthood, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.--Knowledge
about how POPs work and how different POPs act together is important
for the assessment of human health risks. Zimmer used human
hormone-producing cells in her study. High
levels of brominated flame retardants in a POP mixture extracted from
fish in
Lake Mjøsa in Norway did
not make this mixture more potent as regards increasing hormone
synthesis than a similar fish mixture from another lake with
considerably lower levels.
Another POP mixture extracted from crude, unprocessed cod liver also
had a pronounced affect on the synthesis of cortisol and sex hormones,
whereas a mixture from processed, commercial cod liver oil, which is
frequently consumed as a dietary supplement, was shown to have only
limited effects.--Karin
Zimmer concludes that cortisol synthesis appears to be a sensitive
target for POPs and that efforts should be made to find out to what
degree this may threaten human and animal health.--Karin Zimmer
Cand.med.vet. defended her thesis entitled
"Persistent organic pollutants as
endocrine disruptors: effects on adrenal development and
steroidogenesis" at The Norwegian School of Veterinary
Science on 2nd December 2010.--Story Source-The
above story is based on
materials provided by
Norwegian School of Veterinary Science. Note:
Materials may be edited for content and length.
***********************************************************************
Date:
June 26, 2012
Source:
The Research
Council of Norway
Lack of physical
activity and poor diet alone cannot explain the dramatic rise in
obesity and diabetes occurring in many countries,
believe some researchers. It is time to
face the possibility that hazardous chemicals may also share part of
the blame.
The population of the Western
world is increasingly falling prey to metabolic syndrome, which is the
name for a group of risk factors -- such as overweight and insulin
resistance -- that occur together and increase the risk for coronary
artery disease, stroke, and type-2 diabetes.---What can explain this
sharp upsurge in the incidence of metabolic syndrome? Both genetics
and environmental factors such as diet and physical exercise play a
part, but researchers are still missing some key pieces to the puzzle.--"Many
studies now indicate that persistent organic pollutants play a major
role," says Jerome Ruzzin, a post-doctoral researcher at the
University of Bergen.
From fatty foods
For several years, Dr Ruzzin has
been receiving funding from the Research Council of Norway's Programme
on Environmental Exposures and Health Outcomes (MILPAAHEL) to study
the effects of persistent organic
pollutants (POPs). He believes these substances have much
more of a health impact than most people realize.---"Today's
adults are the first generation to experience serious health problems
from these substances. If we do not take this challenge seriously," he
cautions, "there is every reason to be concerned about the coming
generations as well."--POPs enter our bodies when we
consume fatty foods such as dairy products, meat, and
particularly fatty fish. One of Dr
Ruzzin's research findings on mice is
that eating salmon that contains high levels of POPs can lead to
insulin resistance, one of the main causes of metabolic syndrome.
Popping up everywhere--In two recent scientific articles,
Dr Ruzzin has sounded the alarm about the harmful health effects of
POPs.--"A great number of studies are now showing that people
with high concentrations of POPs in their
body are developing metabolic syndrome. We are talking
about ordinary people who live in normal environments," stress Dr
Ruzzin, "so this means that we are being exposed to far too high
levels of POPs that may have a major impact on our
health."--Typically, dietary changes are prescribed to treat metabolic
syndrome. But according to Dr Ruzzin, too
little is known about the effects of pollutants in specific foods to
make any detailed health recommendations. This is why he
believes we should waste no time in launching more studies that
examine the combination of pollutants and nutrients in humans.
Dangerous cocktail effect
Studies have shown that POPs,
even at concentrations below their danger
level individually, can interact with other POPs or hazardous
substances to cause serious consequences. This combined
"cocktail effect" worries Dr Ruzzin.--"Current
threshold values for pollutants are probably too high,"
says Dr Ruzzin, "which means that the regulatory framework needs
changing. Food producers need to eliminate hazardous substances to a
far greater extent than they do at present, and we consumers need more
information about the kinds of chemicals we could be ingesting with
their food products."
Deformed genitalia
Danish studies have
shown that even small amounts of different chemicals found in everyday
products can have a cocktail effect.
Malformations of the sex organs are one
possible consequence.
Researcher
Sofie Christiansen of the Technical University of Denmark is concerned.--"There
is no doubt that the importance of interactions between different
hormone-disrupting chemicals has been underestimated," she
asserted in connection with a conference on environmentally hazardous
substances co-hosted by the Research Council and the Norwegian Climate
and Pollution Agency this January.--Story Source-The
above story is based on
materials provided by
The Research Council of Norway. Note:
Materials may be edited for content and length.
TOP D
a
compound tissue
in vascular
plants that
helps provide
support and
that conducts
water and
nutrients upward
from the
roots, consisting
of tracheids,
vessels, parenchyma
cells, and
woody fibers.