How To Instantly Stop A Migraine With Salt

Migraine sufferers are often anxious to rid themselves of the terrible pain characterizing this condition. A migraine is nothing to laugh at; a really bad migraine can pretty much cripple you and take you down for the rest of your day. What’s worse, there are some migraines that can’t be abated with your usual pain killers. So, what’s the next best thing to use? Salt.

How to Use Salt for Instant Migraine Relief
Being acquainted with migraines, I literally have used everything in the past to attempt to stop it. Migraines are one of those things that simply ruin your life for the day. However, eventually, I did find a method that worked for me! I am very happy I didn’t have to resort to conventional medicine.

When you use salt to relieve migraines, make sure to use high quality salt such as Himalayan crystal salt. It’s the most complete salt in the world. It contains 84 minerals, electrolytes and elements – a fascinating number considering that there are only 118 elements known to science. This salt helps reduce the severity of migraine headaches, strengthens the immune system, increases energy levels, balances serotonin levels in the bloodstream, restores the body’s alkaline and electrolyte balance and much more.

Also, this method is very easy.

Just take a glass of lemon juice with a high concentration of Himalayan crystal salt and drink it. It works like magic!

http://naturalcuresnotmedicine.com/how-to-instantly-stop-a-migraine-with-salt/

Scientists Officially Link Processed Foods To Autoimmune Disease

 

The modern diet of processed foods, takeaways and microwave meals could be to blame for a sharp increase in autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, including alopecia, asthma and eczema.

A team of scientists from Yale University in the U.S and the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, in Germany, say junk food diets could be partly to blame.

‘This study is the first to indicate that excess refined and processed salt may be one of the environmental factors driving the increased incidence of autoimmune diseases,’ they said.

Junk foods at fast food restaurants as well as processed foods at grocery retailers represent the largest sources of sodium intake from refined salts.

The Canadian Medical Association Journal sent out an international team of researchers to compare the salt content of 2,124 items from fast food establishments such as Burger King, Domino’s Pizza, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Subway. They found that the average salt content varied between companies and between the same products sold in different countries.

U.S. fast foods are often more than twice as salt-laden as those of other countries. While government-led public health campaigns and legislation efforts have reduced refined salt levels in many countries, the U.S. government has been reluctant to press the issue. That’s left fast-food companies free to go salt crazy, says Norm Campbell, M.D., one of the study authors and a blood-pressure specialist at the University of Calgary.

Many low-fat foods rely on salt–and lots of it–for their flavor. One packet of KFC’s Marzetti Light Italian Dressing might only have 15 calories and 0.5 grams fat, but it also has 510 mg sodium–about 1.5 times as much as one Original Recipe chicken drumstick. (Feel like you’re having too much of a good thing? You probably are.

Bread is the No. 1 source of refined salt consumption in the American diet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Just one 6-inch Roasted Garlic loaf from Subway–just the bread, no meat, no cheeses, no nothing–has 1,260 mg sodium, about as much as 14 strips of bacon.

How Refined Salt Causes Autoimmune Disease

The team from Yale University studied the role of T helper cells in the body. These activate and ‘help’ other cells to fight dangerous pathogens such as bacteria or viruses and battle infections. Previous research suggests that a subset of these cells – known as Th17 cells – also play an important role in the development of autoimmune diseases.

In the latest study, scientists discovered that exposing these cells in a lab to a table salt solution made them act more ‘aggressively.’

They found that mice fed a diet high in refined salts saw a dramatic increase in the number of Th17 cells in their nervous systems that promoted inflammation.

They were also more likely to develop a severe form of a disease associated with multiple sclerosis in humans.

The scientists then conducted a closer examination of these effects at a molecular level.

Laboratory tests revealed that salt exposure increased the levels of cytokines released by Th17 cells 10 times more than usual. Cytokines are proteins used to pass messages between cells.

Study co-author Ralf Linker, from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, said: ‘These findings are an important contribution to the understanding of multiple sclerosis and may offer new targets for a better treatment of the disease, for which at present there is no cure.’

It develops when the immune system mistakes the myelin that surrounds the nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord for a foreign body.

It strips the myelin off the nerves fibres, which disrupts messages passed between the brain and body causing problems with speech, vision and balance.

Another of the study’s authors, Professor David Hafler, from Yale University, said that nature had clearly not intended for the immune system to attack its host body, so he expected that an external factor was playing a part.

He said: ‘These are not diseases of bad genes alone or diseases caused by the environment, but diseases of a bad interaction between genes and the environment.

‘Humans were genetically selected for conditions in sub-Saharan Africa, where there was no salt. It’s one of the reasons that having a particular gene may make African Americans much more sensitive to salt.

‘Today, Western diets all have high salt content and that has led to increase in hypertension and perhaps autoimmune disease as well.’

The team next plan to study the role that Th17 cells play in autoimmune conditions that affect the skin.

‘It would be interesting to find out if patients with psoriasis can alleviate their symptoms by reducing their salt intake,’ they said.

‘However, the development of autoimmune diseases is a very complex process which depends on many genetic and environmental factors.’

Stick to Good Salts

Refined, processed and bleached salts are the problem. Salt is critical to our health and is the most readily available nonmetallic mineral in the world. Our bodies are not designed to processed refined sodium chloride since it has no nutritional value. However, when a salt is filled with dozens of minerals such as in rose-coloured crystals of Himalayan rock salt or the grey texture of Celtic salt, our bodies benefit tremendously for their incorporation into our diet.

“These mineral salts are identical to the elements of which our bodies have been built and were originally found in the primal ocean from where life originated,” argues Dr Barbara Hendel, researcher and co-author of Water & Salt, The Essence of Life. “We have salty tears and salty perspiration. The chemical and mineral composition of our blood and body fluids are similar to sea water. From the beginning of life, as unborn babies, we are encased in a sack of salty fluid.”

“In water, salt dissolves into mineral ions,” explains Dr Hendel. “These conduct electrical nerve impulses that drive muscle movement and thought processes. Just the simple act of drinking a glass of water requires millions of instructions that come from mineral ions. They’re also needed to balance PH levels in the body.”

Mineral salts, she says, are healthy because they give your body the variety of mineral ions needed to balance its functions, remain healthy and heal. These healing properties have long been recognised in central Europe. At Wieliczka in Poland, a hospital has been carved in a salt mountain. Asthmatics and patients with lung disease and allergies find that breathing air in the saline underground chambers helps improve symptoms in 90 per cent of cases.

Dr Hendel believes too few minerals, rather than too much salt, may be to blame for health problems. It’s a view that is echoed by other academics such as David McCarron, of Oregon Health Sciences University in the US.

He says salt has always been part of the human diet, but what has changed is the mineral content of our food. Instead of eating food high in minerals, such as nuts, fruit and vegetables, people are filling themselves up with “mineral empty” processed food and fizzy drinks.
 

Source: “Scientists Officially Link Processed Foods To Autoimmune Disease”, from Prevent Disease, by April McCarthy 

Red Algae for Improved Digestion

Red Algae for Improved Digestion

 

Student Science Experiment Finds Plants Won’t Grow Near Wi-Fi Router

 

By Global Research News  Ninth-graders design science experiment to test the effect of cellphone radiation on plants. The results may surprise you.

Five ninth-grade young women from Denmark recently created a science experiment that is causing a stir in the scientific community.

It started with an observation and a question. The girls noticed that if they slept with their mobile phones near their heads at night, they often had difficulty concentrating at school the next day. They wanted to test the effect of a cellphone’s radiation on humans, but their school, Hjallerup School in Denmark, did not have the equipment to handle such an experiment. So the girls designed an experiment that would test the effect of cellphone radiation on a plant instead.

Photo courtesy of Kim Horsevad, teacher at Hjallerup Skole in Denmark.
The students placed six trays filled with Lepidium sativum, a type of garden cress into a room without radiation, and six trays of the seeds into another room next to two routers that according to the girls calculations, emitted about the same type of radiation as an ordinary cellphone.
Over the next 12 days, the girls observed, measured, weighed and photographed their results. Although by the end of the experiment the results were blatantly obvious — the cress seeds placed near the router had not grown. Many of them were completely dead. While the cress seeds planted in the other room, away from the routers, thrived.
The experiment earned the girls (pictured below) top honors in a regional science competition and the interest of scientists around the world.

According to Kim Horsevad, a teacher at Hjallerup Skole in Denmark were the cress experiment took place, a neuroscience professor at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, is interested in repeating the experiment in controlled professional scientific environments.

http://www.spiritscienceandmetaphysics.com/student-science-experiment-finds-plants-wont-grow-near-wi-fi-router/

Scientists Link Eating Coconut Oil To Reduction In Waist Size

Coconut oil is known as one of the world's healthiest fats. But did you know that eating coconut oil leads to drastic waist size reduction? According to several studies cited below, coconut oil contains a unique combination of fatty acids with powerful effects on metabolism, that accelerate the burning of dangerous fats.

Why Exactly Does Coconut Oil Have These Amazing Properties?

First of all, coconut oil is vastly different from most other fats. While other foods contain mostly long-chain fatty acids, coconut oil consists almost entirely of medium chain fatty acids.

Coconut Oil's Fatty Acids Boost Metabolism

Fatty acids, especially Medium Chain Triglycerides are metabolized differently than the rest. They are sent straight to the liver and, if not used right away they are stored relatively inefficiently, and so they are easy to burn.

Studies have shown that a diet rich in medium-chain fatty acids results in 20% less weight and 23% less body fat gained.

Coconut Oil Helps Burn More Calories At Rest

Each food, regardless of its calories, affects our body in a different way. Eating certain foods can have a huge effect on our hormones and metabolic health. Some foods require more energy to digest and metabolize and coconut oil is definitely one of them.

What is really important is the fact that it is “thermogenic.” Studies have shown that, compared to other fats, coconut oil tends to increase energy expenditure, that helps fat burn a lot faster.

Coconut Oil Reduces Your Appetite: You Eat Less Without Realizing It

According to recent research, medium chain fatty acids (the ones found in coconut oil), increase feelings of fullness, leading automatically to the reduction of calorie intake. In one study in particular, 6 healthy men started eating 256 fewer calories per day since they started consuming high amounts of coconut oil daily.

Coconut oil doesn't only boost fat burning (calories out), but it also reduces your appetite (calories in).

Coconut Oil Helps Burn The Dangerous Abdominal Fat

Apart from boosting metabolism and reducing appetite, coconut oil has another important property, one that can prove especially beneficial in the long run. As you probably know, not all kinds of fat are the same.

Abdominal fat, also called visceral fat or belly fat, is the fat that tends to lodge around your organs and cause inflammation, diabetes and heart disease. Any reduction in abdominal fat is likely to have very positive effects on your metabolic health, longevity and drastically reduce your risk of chronic disease. This is exactly what coconut oil does!

In a study comparing eating coconut oil to soybean oil, those who ate coconut oil not only lost weight, but also had a significant decrease in their waist circumference, hence their amount of belly fat. In another study in obese men, 30 grams of coconut oil for 4 weeks reduced waist circumference by 2.86 cm.

The conclusion is clear: Eating coconut is particularly effective at reducing the harmful belly fat in the abdominal cavity, which is strongly associated with disease.

Sources of Studies:

• Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Vegetable oil, coconut.
• Medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) ketogenic therapy.
• Overfeeding with medium-chain triglyceride diet results in diminished deposition of fat.
• Greater rise in fat oxidation with medium-chain triglyceride consumption relative to long-chain triglyceride is associated with lower initial body weight and greater loss of subcutaneous adipose tissue.
• Physiological Effects of Medium-Chain Triglycerides: Potential Agents in the Prevention of Obesity.
• Ketosis and appetite-mediating nutrients and hormones after weight loss.
• Covert manipulation of the ratio of medium- to long-chain triglycerides in isoenergetically dense diets: effect on food intake in ad libitum feeding men.
• Influence of medium-chain and long-chain triacylglycerols on the control of food intake in men.
• Effects of Dietary Coconut Oil on the Biochemical and Anthropometric Profiles of Women Presenting Abdominal Obesity
• An Open-Label Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Virgin Coconut Oil in Reducing Visceral Adiposity.
• Medium- and Long-Chain Triacylglycerols Reduce Body Fat and Blood Triacylglycerols in Hypertriacylglycerolemic, Overweight but not Obese, Chinese Individuals.
• A good response to oil with medium- and long-chain fatty acids in body fat and blood lipid profiles of male hypertriglyceridemic subjects.

http://www.whydontyoutrythis.com/2015/01/scientists-link-eating-coconut-oil-to-reduction-in-waist-size.html

This Video Is A Brilliant Reminder Of Just How Silly It Is To Judge Other Parents

No matter what decisions we make when it comes to parenting, we all love our children just as much as each other. As the creator of the video, Similac, puts it: “Everyone has their own way of parenting. But when it comes down to it, we’re all on the same side.”
http://pulptastic.com/brilliant-video-reminder-just-silly-judge-parents/

From Detox To Elimination Diets, Skipping Sugar May Be The Best Bet

Allison Aubrey


Oh, sugar! If this time of year has you rethinking your diet, there is one surefire change you can make to improve health: Cut back on sugar.
Farrukh/Flickr

When it comes to detox diets, we totally get the appeal.

Who's not drawn to the idea of flushing all the toxins out of our bodies — a sort of spring cleaning of our insides?

And yes, several years back, I even remember trying — if only for a day — the trendy cayenne-pepper liquid cleanse (as seen in this Mindy Kaling clip from The Office) as part of a cleansing/detox diet.

But it turns out, as we've reported, the whole idea that you need to go on a special, draconian diet to detox your body really has no scientific backing.

We spoke to Dr. Ranit Mishori, a faculty member in family medicine at Georgetown University Medical School who has reviewed the literature on colon cleanses. She told us that lots of her patients are asking about detox and cleansing diets, especially at this time of year. Her advice: Steer clear.

The way she explains it, our bodies have an excellent built-in system for getting rid of toxins. Our kidneys and livers, for instance, both play an important role in helping to filter out potentially harmful compounds.

The 7-Day Color Diet: An attempt to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables, this diet requires followers to eat foods of just a single color each day. It ends with a day in which you "eat the rainbow," so to speak. Here's Gonot's cheeky take on orange day.

"The human body has evolved over many years, and it has a very sophisticated [filtering] system through the liver, through the kidneys," Mishori told us.

Experts say specialized diets won't help rid the body of toxins any more than what the liver and kidneys already do every day.

Can A Diet Clean Out Toxins In The Body?
"The liver has all kinds of different enzymes that break down the chemicals considered to be harmful, potentially, and then it excretes [them]. It does it very, very efficiently," she says. "It does it 24 hours a day. And there are no supplements or super foods that can boost the liver and kidneys to do it better than they already do."

Of course, this doesn't mean that healthful eating isn't important. But the point is, you don't need to live on liquids and cayenne — or any other crazy fad diets out there. Most of us would be better off making more straightforward changes to our diets that are known to be beneficial.

So what kind of simple, good-for-you changes should you consider? Mishori offered her top three tips: "Cutting on sugar is always a good idea. Cutting on processed foods is always a good idea. Being better hydrated is always a good idea," she told us.

Diets don't need to be all-or-nothing. When it comes to sugar, the idea is to reduce consumption and be more mindful.

Currently, as we've reported, the typical American consumes about 22 teaspoons a day of sugar, which is about three times more than what's recommended. And the evidence is piling up that this is doing all kinds of damage to our bodies.

For instance, a recent paper in BMJ Open Heart described how consuming too much sugar can raise the risk of high blood pressure.

And, as we've reported, a study in JAMA Internal Medicine concluded that Americans who consumed the most sugar — about a quarter of their daily calories — were twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who limited their sugar intake to 7 percent of their total calories. Or, as I previously broke it down:

"To translate that into a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, the big sugar eaters were consuming 500 calories a day from sugar — that's 31 teaspoons. Those who tamed their sweet tooth the most, by contrast, were taking in about 160 calories a day from sugar — or about 10 teaspoons per day.
"The American Heart Association advises that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar daily. This is about 100 calories. And men, no more than 9 teaspoons, or about 150 calories from sugar. (This does not include foods such as fruits and vegetables that naturally contain sugar.)"
So the bottom line is, if you want to make one change this year, cutting back on added sugar is probably a good choice.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2015/01/19/377780329/from-detox-to-elimination-diets-skipping-sugar-may-be-the-best-bet

5 Reasons Why You Should Take Cold Showers

By Joe Martino
   

There’s nothing like a warm shower when we want to relax or even warm up on a cold winter day. The idea of subjecting ourselves to cold showers can actually seem crazy at times given how luxurious it has become to enjoy hot showers. But the truth is a cold shower can provide a lot of benefits that you may want to consider.

1. Improves Immunity & Circulation

Running cold water over your body at the end of a shower can improve circulation as blood is sent throughout your arteries to surround your organs. It can be viewed in the same way we run certain systems at high performance every so often to keep it maintained and well oiled. Increased blood flow can also help certain skin and heart issues as well as lower blood pressure, help clear blocked arteries and improve our immune system.

2. Improves Hair and Skin Condition

Hot water can dry out your skin and hair. Of course, it doesn’t help that there are high levels of chlorine coming out of our showers which has a drying-out effect on skin and hair as well. If you can run your shower colder or finish cold at the end, it’s a natural way to keep your skin and hair from drying out as cold water tightens cuticles and pores. This helps to prevent natural oils on the scalp and skin to be stripped away so easily. By keeping a proper oil balance you will have soft, shiny natural looking hair. This also helps to keep the skin and scalp cleaner as well.

3. Increase Alertness

Have you ever woken up early in the morning and felt tired hopping in the shower and as you feel the warm water running over your body you want to jump right back into bed? This is where cold showers can come in handy. As cold water hits your neck it causes you to do that almost slightly shocked deep breath. This increases oxygen intake and also gets the heart rate up which pumps blood through the body faster giving the body a nice natural surge of energy.

4. Eases Stress & Depression

Cold showers have also been shown to help decrease stress levels. One study found that exposure to cold helped decrease uric acid levels and increase glutathione, an antioxidant considered to be one of the most important for a healthy body. The participants swam regularly in ice-cold water during the winter months and it was found that they adapted to repeated oxidative stress.

Another study found that cold hydrotherapy (i.e. cold showers) helped to improve moods and had an anti-depressive effect with no bad side effects or creation of dependency. Subjects were tested with one to two cold showers at 38 degrees Fahrenheit that were two to three minutes long. These were followed by a five-minute gradual adaptation to make the procedure less shocking.

5. Speeds Up Muscle Soreness and Recovery

A study conducted in 2009 found that people who rested or immersed themselves in cold water after their exercise saw a decrease in onset muscle soreness caused by resistance training, cycling or running. It was found that a 24 minute bath in water with temperatures around 10 – 15 degrees celsius (50F – 59F) was most effective. Taking a cold shower after your workouts would still have a positive effect on muscle soreness as well. The longer you go the greater the benefit. Research also believe that alternating hot and cold at the end of a shower after a workout may help reduce pain and speed recovery by decreasing blood lactate concentration.

How To

So how do you do it? Well you turn on the water cold and hop in.. sort of. There’s actually some differing ideas on exactly how to take a cold shower and one of the ways that I’ve used most is listed below from blog.iamgary.com.

1. Turn the water on, set to cold. Some people will tell you to start warm and decrease the temperature slowly each time you shower, then start a little colder each day. Yes, that method will eventually result in taking a cold shower but you’re going to miss out on the heart-pounding exhilaration that you only experience fully the first couple times you take a cold shower. It doesn’t have to be ice cold, just cold.
2. Feet first. Your feet will adjust to the temperature fastest so get them under the spray and work your lower body under the water as quickly as you can. By the time the water is splashing your stomach you’ll be looking for a distraction so…
3. Hands second. Get your hands and arms wet, then splash water over your torso. By now your legs and front should be thoroughly wet.
4. Head under! You’re going to be be breathing heavily and involuntarily so be careful not to inhale any water through your nose or mouth. You’re going to feel alright, like hey I can do this, but you’ve forgotten part of your body…
5. Back last. Millions of nerve fibres are routed through your spine so getting your back wet is the hardest part. You’re going to feel a lot of sensations, almost an electrical charge crackling up and down your back. Get this wet last then finish washing and scrubbing. Good job, you’ve taken a cold shower.

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/01/09/5-reasons-why-you-should-take-cold-showers/

Graviola Tree "10000 Times Stronger Killer Of Cancer Than Chemo" - Facts Analysis

"10000 times stronger killer of Cancer than Chemo".. do share it.. can save many lives, fill up hopes and build confidence in the patients...
The Sour Sop or the fruit from the graviola tree is a miraculous natural cancer cell killer 10,000 times stronger than Chemo. Why are we not aware of this? Its because some big corporation want to make back their money spent on years of research by trying to make a synthetic version of it for sale. So, since you know it now you can help a friend in need by letting him know or just drink some sour sop juice yourself as prevention from time to time. The taste is not bad after all. It’s completely natural and definitely has no side effects. If you have the space, plant one in your garden. The other parts of the tree are also useful.
The next time you have a fruit juice, ask for a sour sop.
How many people died in vain while this billion-dollar drug maker concealed the secret of the miraculous Graviola tree? This tree is low and is called graviola ! in Brazi l, guanabana in Spanish and has the uninspiring name “soursop” in English.

Hoax or Fact:

Mixture of hoax and facts.

Analysis:

The message claims that Graviola, also called Soursop is a miraculous, natural cancer cell killer which is 10,000 times stronger than Chemotherapy. It is a fact that Soursop has certain health benefits, attributed to its anti-parasitic, anti-microbial and anti-depressive properties, and recent studies have shown that it MAY have chemotherapeutic potential, but the part of the message saying it is natural cancer cell killer, 10,000 times stronger than Chemotherapy, is a certain hoax.

About Graviola (Soursop)

 

Soursop (scientific name - Annona muricata), also called Graviola (Portuguese), is a fruit that generally grows in the rain forests of Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia. It has other names like thorny custard apple, cherimoya and brazilian pawpaw. In various languages, this fruit is referred as: guanabana (Spanish), corossol (French), aluguntugui (Ghana), sorsaka (Papiamento), adunu (Acholi), guyabano, guanavana, durian benggala, nangka blanda, sirsak, toge-banreisi, nangka londa and zuurzak. In India, it is less known as shul-ram-fal and hanuman fal, and as mullaatha in Malayalam. The bark, leaves, root and fruits of this tree are used for traditional remedies in many countries. Graviola extracts are used for treating infections of viruses or parasites, rheumatism, arthritis, diarrhea, dysentery, depression and sickness.

Graviola and Cancer

The idea that Soursop can fight cancer effectively started after a research at Purdue University's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. The research concluded that the active components of the tree are a unique phytochemical substances known as annonaceous acetogenins, which MAY have chemotherapeutic potential, especially with regard to multi drug-resistant cancer cells. But these tests were only confined to test tubes, no large scale clinical trials were conducted on humans to determine the safety and efficacy of Graviola for treating cancer. Therefore, there is no significant evidence to show that Soursop works as a cure for cancer.
There is evidence indicating that the fruit's extracts selectively inhibit the growth of human breast cancer cells by downregulating expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in vitro and in a mouse model, but the effect has not been studied in humans.

Possible Adverse Effects of Graviola

Studies show that use of Soursop can have certain adverse effects in some people, especially movement disorders and nerve damage that is similar to Parkinson's disease, which is due to the very high concentration of annonacin. Graviola also has few other side effects like lowering the blood pressure, so it should not be taken by people with low blood pressure or heart complications. The antimicrobial properties of Soursop can also kill beneficial bacteria on the skin, in the vagina and gut, which can lead to infections in long term use.

Conclusion

Therefore, the message saying that Graviola, i.e Soursop is 10,000 times more effective cancer killer than chemo is a hoax. However, you can find thousands of websites online selling it as a miracle fruit. We advise people not to believe them blindly, but consult a doctor or oncologist before using it.

Update: 22 Apr 2013

We thank Mr. Kevin Kuin who has shared his mother's Cancer experience through comments. Mr. Kevin Kuin said:

Living in a farm village in Sarawak, my family grows many types of fruit trees including this Graviola tree. My late mother the only person in my family fond of them and we would keep them just for her. But she died of cancer in 1996 although she never stop eating this fruit until she was found to have cancer in 1995. I don't mean to be negative here but will want to understand how this fruit will have prevented cancer from my late mother.

References:
Purdue University Research on Graviola
Soursop Health Benefits
All about Soursop
Soursop effects on nerves
Anti-hyperglycemic effects of Graviola
Soursop anti-depressive effects
http://www.hoaxorfact.com/Health/graviola-tree-10000-times-stronger-killer-of-cancer-than-chemo.html

Weight Training

Once thought an activity for men only, weight training is becoming popular with both sexes as its benefits are learned.

• Weight training increases the strength of your connective tissues (tendons and ligaments), muscles and bones.
• It increases muscle mass, helping your body burn more calories so weight maintenance becomes easier.
• It increases your general strength, making daily tasks easier to perform.
• Your body becomes defined and toned.
• It decreases the risk of bone loss as you age.

When you decide to start your weight training program, consult a trainer or someone at your local gym and have him show you proper form. Lifting weights improperly can cause serious injury.Beginners Weight Training Program:

• Train 2-3 times per week, training your full body in one session
• Be sure to train on non-consecutive days. Example: Monday - Wednesday - Friday
• Be sure to warm up for 5-10 minutes prior to weight training. eg: Treadmill
• Do 1 light warm up set of 15 repetitions prior to the workout set on every exercise
• Rest after every set as long as it takes to recover from the previous set

The following is an example of a beginners weight training program
(it is strongly advised that you use caution and only proceed with the following exercises under the supervision of a qualified personal trainer)

 http://preventdisease.com/fundament/articles/types_exercises.shtml

Shoulders	Machine Shoulder Press	3 sets / 12-14 reps
Back	Machine ~ Pull Downs	3 sets / 12-14 reps
Biceps	Barbell Curls	2 sets / 12-14 reps
Triceps	Machine - Cable Pushdowns	2 sets / 12-14 reps
Chest	Pec Dec	3 sets / 12-14 reps
Legs	Leg Curl	3 sets / 12-14 reps
Calves	Machine - Standing Raises	2 sets / 12-14 reps
Abdominals	Crunches	3 sets / 12-14 reps

Miracle Nutrient Explained

Miracle Nutrient Explained


Imagine if there were a natural substance that operated at many different biochemical levels at once, providing all the following health benefits (yes, from a single source!):

• Reduces proliferation of breast cancer tumor cells by 40%
• Protects the brain from dementia and Alzheimer's
• Greatly reduces inflammation and joint pain
• Reduces oxidative damage to your DNA by 40% (even at low doses)
• Greatly increases endurance, muscle recovery and workout performance
• Reduces the risk of cancer
• Reduces blood sugar level in diabetics and prediabetics
• Improves fertility while decreasing the rate of stillborn births
• Promotes cardiovascular health, reduces C-Reactive Proteins (CRP)
• Reduces or eliminates carpal tunnel syndrome
• Boosts immune function and helps the body resist infections
• Protects the stomach from ulcers and invasive bacteria
• Protects the kidneys from damage due to high blood sugar
• Causes cancer cells to commit suicide (apoptosis)
• Greatly improves sperm quality, motility, and sperm count
• Prevents asthma by normalizing histamine levels
• Protects the body from highly oxidative foods like fried foods
• Greatly protects eye health, reduces cataracts and prevents UV damage to the eyes
• Makes skin look younger and functions as a natural internal sunscreen that prevents DNA damage and sunburn
• Protects the body from the dangerous oxidizing effects of Vioxx and COX-2 inhibitors, meaning that is can actually reduce the harmful side effects and deaths caused by other anti-inflammatory pharmaceuticals

For any one substance to prevent and treat so many different diseases -- and to protect the human body in so many different ways -- is nothing short of truly miraculous. So why isn't this nutrient front-page news?

The answer, of course, is because it can't be patented. This natural substance is created by microalgae, so it's not something that was invented by a drug company scientist for patenting purposes. And the sad fact of the matter is that drug companies aren't interested in medicines that can't be patented, no matter how helpful or miraculous they may really be.

And yes, all the health benefits for this supplement are, indeed, quite true. And they're backed by clinical trials and research papers that are fascinating in what they contain, and yet have never been picked up by the mainstream media. In other words, this nutrient may be the most powerful natural medicine you've never heard about!


So What Is it?
So what is this mystery nutrient? It's astaxanthin, a deep red-colored phytonutrient synthesized by microalgae called Haematococcus. It's grown in fresh water using sophisticated techniques that encourage the algae to grow its own powerful medicines that protect it from oxidation, UV radiation and other environmental stresses. When harvested from the algae and concentrated into a liquid, astaxanthin becomes the most powerful antioxidant known in the natural world, demonstrating 550 times the antioxidant power of Vitamin E, for example.

Now why is antioxidant power important? Think about it: Much of what goes on during the aging of the human body is due to oxidation. Every time you breathe, you're inhaling some oxygen, right? That oxygen reacts with your cells to create energy, but the byproduct of that energy is the creation of free radicals. These free radicals cause DNA damage, nerve cell damage, accelerated aging of internal organs and more.

The way to stop those free radicals is with antioxidants, which bind to them, neutralizing their damaging effects. Astaxanthin, it turns out, is so good at halting free radicals that it seems to confer miracle-class health benefits to the human body... benefits that might be described as "anti-aging" or "reversing disease."


Right To The Muscles And Tissues That Need Them
It gets even better: Unlike most antioxidants, astaxanthin is fat-soluble, meaning it gets carried by fat molecules directly to tissues and organs in your body where it can do the most good, like your retina, your brain, your breast tissue, prostate tissue, and skeletal muscles. You know what makes the flesh of salmon pink? Astaxanthin. And guess what gives salmon the seemingly superhuman ability to achieve marathon swimming feats, leaping up waterfalls against the current? Astaxanthin, of course. Without astaxanthin, salmon are mere average performers, and their survival rate drops to less than one in five. But with astaxanthin, they become superstars of the aquatic world, performing feats of physical strength and endurance that, in proportion, dwarf the greatest achievements of the world's top human athletes. (And their survival rate on salmon farms leaps from 17% to an astonishing 98%!)

When astaxanthin is present in muscles and other tissues, it prevents oxidation right where it's needed: Right at the site of stress or potential oxidation. Ever notice how you breathe more air when you're exercising? That's more oxygen you're pumping through your tissues, and more oxygen means more oxidation. So the more you exercise, the more you need powerful antioxidants like astaxanthin. This helps explain why some athletes who work out hard but don't supplement with superfoods and antioxidants seem to age faster than everyone else. Exercising without antioxidants is like putting yourself on an aging acceleration program!

The fact that astaxanthin goes right to the muscles gives it the ability to protect muscles from all sorts of degenerative conditions. A horse suffering from a severe muscle conditions called rhabdomyolysis, for example (which can also be caused by statin drugs), was given 30mg of astaxanthin a day. In merely a few weeks, he was 100% symptom free and running again!

In fact, astaxanthin has been used in all kinds of ways to enhance the health of animals. In animal tests, it has been shown to:

• Greatly increase the longevity and survival rate of salmon and chickens
• Increase egg production by a whopping 300% in salmon
• Significantly lower salmonella infections in chickens
• Reduced infections by increasing immune resistance in every animal it's been tested with
• Accelerated the growth of farmed salmon by 600%!

The animals who have been fed a small amount of astaxanthin in their diet, it seems, experience phenomenal health benefits. Every type of animal given astaxanthin lives longer, grows faster, exhibits greater fertility and shows much stronger immune system function. Do these sound like benefits you'd like to experience, too?


How To Take Astaxanthin For Maximum Effect

Since astaxanthin is a fat-soluble carotenoid, the best way to maximize its circulation in your body (and thereby make sure it gets to all your cells, tissues and organs) is to take it with some healthy fats. What kind of healthy fats? Plant-based fats, of course: Coconut oil, olive oil, avocados, chia seeds, flaxseed oil or even fish oil if you want to go that route. Taking astaxanthin with fat causes it to be efficiently transported all around your body and delivered to the places where you body needs healthy fat.

And where does your body need healthy fat? Almost everywhere! Every cell in your body, for example, contains fat molecules in its membrane. And did you know that your brain is made of a whopping 60 percent fat? It's true: Your brain is mostly fat and water. So does it make sense to protect your brain with natural antioxidants that can cross the blood/brain barrier and protect your brain cells from oxidative damage? You bet it does, and that's why astaxanthin produces such astounding health benefits for your brain. That's why it has been shown to prevent the deterioration of the brain cells that lead to dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

• It doesn't work overnight. You probably won't feel any difference for a few days after you start taking astaxanthin. It takes time for the carotenoids to find their way to your tissues. Once you begin to feel some benefits, those benefits will typically increase for several weeks, so you'll feel better as you continue taking the astaxanthin. At some point, the benefits will level off and as long as you keep taking the astaxanthin, you'll stay there, experiencing those ongoing benefits.

• Astaxanthin won't counteract unhealthy habits like smoking cigarettes, eating fried foods or drinking a fat-laden Starbucks "coffee" that's really more like a 600-calorie milkshake. Don't take astaxanthin as an excuse to pursue unhealthy foods or lifestyle choices (like smoking).

• Don't go overboard with your exercise in an unsafe way. Always work with a qualified health practitioner concerning ANY changes in your exercise or diet. Ease into your exercise slowly and carefully. It's better to slowly ramp up to more exercise over time than to injure yourself because you got overly excited and went too far...

• Astaxanthin needs to be taken throughout the day for maximum effect. I take 4mg every 4 hours. That way, I'm getting a healthy dose of astaxanthin at every hour of the day.

• Always take astaxanthin with healthy fats. Since it's fat-soluble, it needs fat to hitch a ride to your body's cells.

• There's virtually no way to overdose on astaxanthin. Remember, this isn't a drug. It's something that's been in the natural food supply for millions of years. The studies that have been done show virtually no toxicity even at ridiculously high doses. The benefits of astaxanthin reach a point of diminishing returns after about 20mg per day for a human being. Even 4mg per day produces some benefits, but you may want to increase the dosage depending on your bodyweight and how you feel for maximum benefits.

http://preventdisease.com/news/08/050708_astaxanthin.shtml

Anti-Inflammatory Pineapple Ginger Smoothie

by KAREN FOSTER

Pineapple has been used for centuries to reduce pain and inflammation. It turns out that an enzyme found in pineapples called bromelain does, in fact, have scientifically proven medicinal benefits. Two molecules isolated from an extract of crushed pineapple stems have even shown promise in fighting cancer growth. Studies have shown that bromelain reduces swelling, bruising, healing time and pain. An even more potent anti-inflammatory is ginger whose analgesic properties have been proven stronger than ibuprofen. Combine the two in this smoothie recipe and you have deliciously balanced beverage at any time of the day.


Ingredients:
- 2 cups ripe pineapple
- 1 cup ripe mango
- 1 piece of ginger (about 3 inches)
- 1/2 cup of celery
- 1 cup of coconut water
- 1 tsp. fresh vanilla

A high-speed blender is your friend for this recipe so if you have a vitamix or blend-tec you'll be able to achieve a great consistency.
http://preventdisease.com/news/14/030614_Anti-Inflammatory-Pineapple-Ginger-Smoothie.shtml

The Brain Has a Requirement For Cannabinoids And Dietary Hemp Is The Answer

The Brain Has a Requirement For Cannabinoids And Dietary Hemp Is The Answer
 

by MARCO TORRES

There are over 400 phytonutrients that exist in Hemp Plants. Hemp is often mistaken for its cannabis cousin, marijuana, even though smoking an entire garbage bag of hemp would not produce an altered state of consciousness. Optimal brain health is achieved when linoleic acid (LA) and alpha linoleic acid (ALA) are consumed in a ratio only naturally found in hemp.

The brain also has a requirement for cannabinoids, which regulate most of the major functions of the body including alertness, emotions, inflammation and cancer defences. The brain can make a small number of its own cannabinoids, but as 4,000 years of history and decades of scientific research indicate, it operates optimally when supplied with dietary cannabinoids, such as those found in hemp.

The brain can build itself from saturated and monounsaturated fats but it has a preference for Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Research on humans and animals suggests that optimal brain health is achieved when linoleic acid (LA) and alpha linoleic acid (ALA) are consumed in a ratio of between 3.5:1 and 4:1--a ratio only naturally found in hemp.

Like other oil seeds, the hemp nut consists mainly of oil (typically 44%), protein (33%) and dietary fiber and other carbohydrates (12%, predominantly from residues of the hull). In addition, the nut contains vitamins (particularly the tocopherols and tocotrienols of the Vitamin E complex), phytosterols and trace minerals. Overall, hemp's main nutritional advantage over other seeds lies in the composition of its oil, i.e. its fatty acid profile, and in its protein which contains all of the essential amino acids in nutritionally significant amounts and in a desirable ratio. More and more people are discovering the nutritional benefits of hemp seed, nut and oil.

What's The Difference Between Hemp and Marijuana?

Confusion amongst the public on how exactly hemp oil differs from cannabidiol, or CBD, oil, has prompted the nonprofit Hemp Industries Association to issue a statement explaining the difference between the oils in order to ensure that consumers -- specifically, medical marijuana patients -- are not misled about the intended uses.

Confusion between hemp oil and marijuana oil has spiked recently, as states have passed medical marijuana laws that allow for the use of strains of marijuana that are low in THC and high in CBD. Consumers often confuse hemp oil with CBD oil because both are low in THC and contain CBD.
"With hemp research and development pilot programs taking off this spring, and the hemp retail market growing at an incredible rate, it's crucial that consumers and retailers alike understand the difference between hemp oil and CBD extracts," Eric Steenstra, executive director of Hemp Industries Association, said in a separate statement.
"Our Hemp Industries Association position regarding this distinction calls on makers of CBD products to brand and market their products truthfully and clearly, so as to not further the confusion surrounding CBD products in the marketplace."
Though hemp oil does contain low levels of CBD, typically less than 25 parts per million (ppm), CBD extracts "are produced either directly from cannabis flowers that are up to 15 percent CBD (150,000 ppm), or indirectly as a co-product of the flowers and leaves that are mixed in with the stalks during hemp stalk processing for fiber."
Because of this distinction, the association says, "It is important for American farmers and processors of hemp to understand that most CBD in products mislabeled as 'hemp oil' is a product of large-scale hemp stalk and fiber processing facilities in Europe where the fiber is the primary material produced at a large scale.
"CBD is not a product or component of hemp seeds, and labeling to that effect is misleading and motivated by the desire to take advantage of the legal gray area of CBD under federal law."

The reason hemp is illegal is not because of any negative impact to the environment or human health, but exactly the opposite. It is so environmentally friendly, nutritionally and medicinally beneficial, that it provides too many abundant resources which would make it impossible for powerful corporations to compete.
Although hemp was once the most important cash crop in the United States -- more so than corn and wheat combined -- hemp was banned and classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. While classification as a Schedule I drug meant hemp could no longer be grown in the U.S., products containing hemp, such as lotions, fabric and food, are legal for purchase in the U.S. and are often found at natural and health food retailers including Whole Foods, Costco and Sprouts grocers.

Epilepsy and Brain Health
In many forms of epilepsy, damage to or faulty development of glucose receptors on brain cell membranes can starve brain cells of their preferred energy source. Going hand in hand with demand for glucose is oxygen delivery to brain cells. Depletion of either can result in a significant decrease in mental function.
Furthermore, essential fatty acid deficiency can lead to instability of brain cell membranes. This leaves the brain susceptible to damage and can cause aberrant electrical activity, resulting in seizures which in turn can cause further brain damage. This is a vicious circle of deficiency, dysfunction and deterioration.
A ketogenic diet is one in which a dietary emphasis on the medium chain triglycerides found in coconut oil leads to the production of ketones that can serve as an alternative energy source for brain cells. It has shown some limited success in improving function in metabolic conditions such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.
One possible reason for the modest success of some ketogenic approaches was the substitution of real food with highly processed powdered formulas consisting mostly of synthetic chemicals. Some even include synthetic omega 3 and 6 compounds, the synthetic sweetener sucralose and genetically modified high fructose corn syrup, all of which are suspected of actually causing brain damage and/or seizures.

According to scientific and clinical studies, hemp oil has the potential to help a range of conditions including epilepsy, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain, alcoholism, schizophrenia, PTSD, antibiotic-resistant infections, and various neurological disorders.
In addition to trying an alternative energy source, what if it were possible to address the underlying source of the brain's energy problems? Here are five ways hemp could be the answer to combating epilepsy.
1. Glucose transport
It has been shown that glucose receptor dysfunction in the brain is related to membrane instability from dietary essential fatty acids (EFA) deficiency. Restoration of adequate membrane EFA content increases glucose uptake and utilisation in brain cells.
2. Membrane stability
Researchers from Israel tested the idea that optimising EFAs could help prevent seizures in rats. The rats underwent four different treatments known to cause seizures. One group of rats was fed an EFA mixture of LA and ALA in a ratio of 4:1 for three weeks prior to the experiments and the control group was fed a diet deficient in EFAs.
At the end of the period, all rats underwent procedures to cause seizures. Over 90% of the deficient rats suffered seizures as expected, though the EFA-fed rats had profoundly better outcomes.
In total, 84% of the EFA rats stopped having seizures altogether. Of the remaining EFA rats, the onset of seizures was delayed by 2,200% and the duration of seizures was reduced by 97%.
The researchers attributed the success to stabilisation of brain cell membranes in the EFA-fed rats. It is worth noting, however, that rats have a faster membrane turnover of EFAs, so while three weeks may be sufficient time to replenish membrane EFAs in the rodents it may take much longer in humans.
3. Cellular oxygenation
One of the functions of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids is to act as oxygen magnets and transporters. It is known that Haemoglobin carries oxygen around the body; however, before oxygen can bind with the haemoglobin in red blood cells, it first has to be attracted to and released into the cell. This is exactly what omega 3 and 6 do.
Research in cystic fibrosis has shown that as cell membrane levels of linoleic acid (Omega 6) decrease, and levels of oleic acid increase, the amount of oxygen entering the cell decreases. Linoleic acid, aas found in hemp seed oil, undergoes "reversible oxygenation" much more easily than oleic acid.
The researchers concluded that a diet overly rich in oleic acid and too low in linoleic acid can impair the oxygenation of cells.
4. Cellular energy
Human cells run on electrical energy. The more of this electrical energy we have, the more alive we feel and healthier we become.
This energy ultimately comes from the sunlight energy that green plants absorb and store electrically in their leaves and fruits. When eaten, the body uses some energy to break down the plant until its stored electrical energy is released and available to power the cell.
LA and ALA are especially electron-rich molecules. In the 1950s, German physicists discovered that the vibration frequency of the electrons in LA and ALA matches the vibration frequency of sunlight energy. This makes LA and ALA perfect receivers and carriers of sunlight energy.
They pick up this energy through the skin as the blood circulates the oils near the surface of the body, and can release it directly into cells. If we consume enough EFAs and regularly expose our body to sunlight, we literally act like plants and freely absorb this life-giving energy from the sun directly into our blood cells.
It is these oxygenating and energising processes that acclaimed German cancer doctor Johanna Budwig attributes to the rapid recovery her patients experienced when increasing their intake of EFAs and exposing themselves to sufficient sunlight each day.
5. Cannabinoid production and function
As mentioned, the brain can produce its own cannabinoids, all of which are made from metabolites of linoleic acid as found in hemp seed oil. The receptors cannabinoids interact with are also made from omega 3 and 6. Recent research showed that omega 3 deficiency leads to destruction of cannabinoid receptors resulting in various mental, emotional and physical dysfunctions. The entire endocannabinoid system is best fuelled by Hemp Seed Oil.
In summary, hemp seed oil's unique content of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids may be capable of addressing a number of medically neglected metabolic issues in epilepsy, as well as optimising the function of the endocannabinoid system and transporting little parcels of sunlight energy around the body.

"The stories you have heard about people reversing epilepsy, cancer, pain and most other ailments come from the use of special strains of marijuana that are low in THC [which produces a high] and high in CBD," Paul Benhaim, managing director of Hemp Foods explains.
"One of the best known examples is Charlotte's web, grown by the Stanley brothers in Colorado. This plant was originally called 'hippies' disappointment' due to the fact that no matter how much of it you smoke, you just can't get high."
The strain was later renamed after a little girl called Charlotte who went from having hundreds of life-threatening seizures a week to zero after eating a high-CBD oil extracted from the plant in one go.
"Charlotte had been on every epileptic drug there was," says Benhaim, who has visited the family. "The drugs had ruined her brain and body; they were highly psychoactive, which would stop her heart bleeding, and most importantly failed to stop the seizures.
"Within hours of taking the CBD oil, the hundreds of seizures stopped, and in two years they have not returned. Charlotte consumes a blob of CBD oil about the size of a grain of rice twice a day. There are no negative side-effects.
It should be noted that the horrific side-effects of the drugs she was taking are well known and they are still approved for her and other children. It should also be considered that the western governments have known since 1971 that cannabis safely halts epilepsy, says Benhaim.
"The US government used research to release a patent for cannabinoids as a medicine for multiple conditions while publicly claiming that cannabis had no known health benefits. In 1971, the publication Medical World reported that 'Cannabis is probably the most potent anti-epileptic known to medicine'."
According to the WHO, 50m people suffer from epilepsy worldwide. There are currently 300,000 children in the USA suffering from epilepsy, and 90,000 in Australia.

Sources:
earthsciencetech.com
preventdisease.com
nutraingredients.com
mintpressnews.com
http://preventdisease.com/news/15/011315_Brain-Has-Requirement-Cannabinoids-Dietary-Hemp-Is-Answer.shtml

Turmeric Smoothie Recipe Makes A Delicious & Powerful Antioxidant

by Joe Martino
 

 

How would you like to start your day with an awesome antioxidant packed smoothie that has a ton of medicinal properties as well? This turmeric smoothie recipe is perfect for that.

The Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family. The average person may best recognize turmeric as a spice commonly used in Indian cuisine. The active compound curcumin is known to have a wide range of medicinal benefits including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumour, antibacterial, and antiviral activities. In India, turmeric has been used for thousands of years as a remedy for stomach and liver ailments. Turmeric can also be used topically to heal sores due to its antimicrobial properties.

Turmeric is also the liver’s favorite spice and helps boost liver detox. It does this by assisting enzymes that actively flush out dietary carcinogens. Be sure to check how powerful turmeric can be in treating depression as well.

Turmeric Smoothie Recipe Ingredients:

For these ingredients, try and use organic as much as possible. Also try not to substitute actual milk for hemp or coconut milk. If you need, you can try almond milk as well.

• 1 cup hemp or coconut milk
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple or mango chunks
• 1 fresh banana
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (can be increased to 1 tsp)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon maca (optional)

Add all ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. Try to drink this smoothie in the morning before you have anything to eat. It’s a solid way to start your day and pack your body full of antioxidants.
http://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/08/04/turmeric-smoothie-recipe-makes-a-delicious-powerful-antioxidant/

Dark Chocolate Could Improve Memory By 25%, But You’d Have to Eat Seven Bars a Day

For years, scientists have been trying to prove that chocolate is good for us. The idea was based on more than the desires of a sweet-toothed scientist—cocoa is high in antioxidants known as flavanols. But proving those hypothetical health benefits hasn’t been easy.

Now, there’s new evidence to suggest that chocolate dramatically improves the memory skills that people lose with age. When healthy people between the ages of 50 and 69 drank a mixture high in cocoa flavanols for three months, they performed about 25% better on a memory test compared to a control group of participants.

Dr. Scott A. Small, a neurologist at Columbia University Medical Center, led the study, which was funded by the chocolate company Mars, the National Institutes of Health, and two other research foundations. The results were published yesterday in Nature Neuroscience.

When healthy people ages 50 to 69 drank a mixture high in cocoa flavanols for three months, they performed about 25% better on a memory test.

Here’s Pam Belluck, writing for The New York Times:

The findings support recent research linking flavanols, especially epicatechin, to improved blood circulation, heart health and memory in mice, snails and humans. But experts said the new study, although involving only 37 participants and partly funded by Mars Inc., the chocolate company, goes further and was a well-controlled, randomized trial led by experienced researchers.

Besides improvements on the memory test — a pattern recognition test involving the kind of skill used in remembering where you parked the car or recalling the face of someone you just met — researchers found increased function in an area of the brain’s hippocampus called the dentate gyrus, which has been linked to this type of memory.

While the study supports the idea that cocoa flavanols help reverse age-related memory decline, it probably won’t ward off Alzheimer’s. The participants didn’t show any marked difference in the functioning of the entorhinal cortex, which is impaired in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The distinction shows that age-related and Alzheimer’s-related memory loss are not the same thing, and that flavanols won’t have an effect on cognitive disease.

Even if you don’t have Alzheimer’s, though, binging on any old chocolate this Halloween will help you remember where you left your keys. Milk chocolate won’t help since processing usually removes the key flanvanol epicatechin. Eating dark chocolate may not help much, either. To ingest the same amount of epicatechin as the study group, you’d have to consume the equivalent of about seven average-sized bars a day, which would probably invite other health problems.

Experts have other qualms about the study, including whether or not participants’ overall diet was account for, but the new study is at least a step forward in understanding dark chocolate’s rich rewards.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/body/seven-bars-dark-chocolate-improve-memory-25/

Sharpen The Brain For Memory

Sharpen The Brain For Memory

6 Ways MUSHROOMS Can SAVE the WORLD - Paul Stamets - TED awards -Talk, L...

Paul Stamets - TED awards

Fantastic Fungi

The Best One Piece of Exercise Equipment for Home Use : Working Out Hard - Video

Jacques Laventure  Best One Piece of Exercise Equipment for Home Use : Working Out Hard

Indian City Becomes First Vegetarian City in the World

Indian City Becomes First Vegetarian City in the World



By Sarah Von Alt

Worldcrunch reports a historic change in Palitana, an Indian city, which has become the first all-vegetarian city in the world.

Behind this revolutionary change are the Jain monks who went on a hunger strike to pressure the state of Gujarat to outlaw animal slaughter in their city. The hunger strike was successful and the Gujarat government imposed a ban on animal slaughter and outlawed the sale of meat and eggs.

About 5 million people in India practice Jainism and agree with the ban.

Virat Sagar Maharaj, a Jain monk, says, "Everyone in this world - whether animal or human being or a very small creature - has all been given the right to live by God."

As individuals, the best thing you can do to protect animals is to adopt a kind vegan lifestyle. For more information and tips for transitioning to a vegan diet, check out ChooseVeg.com.

 http://www.mfablog.org/indian-city-becomes-first-vegetarian-city

This Inspiring Fitness Video Celebrates Real Women Working Out (Yes!)

BY EMI BOSCAMP


A new video, which features a bunch of sweaty women busting their butts outside, at the gym, on the field, and on the court, has gone viral. Why? It could be because any video that plays "Get Ur Freak On" by Missy Elliott in the background is bound for success. Or, as a more likely option, it's incredibly inspiring.

The women are of all shapes and sizes, and they're determined to get into shape. And that doesn't mean they're trying to get stick-thin. They're striving for health. They want to get their blood pumping, to sweat, and as one can tell by the look in their eyes, they're not apologizing for it.

The video opens with the text "I jiggle therefore I am," which sets the tone for the entire campaign.

And get this: The video wasn't created as an attempt to sell you anything. Instead, it's message to all women around the world that it's perfectly normal and acceptable to have some some jiggle happening as you work out.

The campaign, called This Girl Can, was created by Sport England, a U.K. government agency. The agency did some research and found that 75% of women want to be more active, but they don't because of a "fear of judgment." So they figured that the best way to get women to feel comfortable working out would be to make a video with realistic-looking women — dimpled legs and all — who look powerful, strong, and most importantly, proud.

With sassy one-liners like "Sweating like a pig, feeling like a fox," "I kick balls, deal with it" and "Damn right, I look hot" popping up throughout the video, the message is clear: This is what real workouts look like. There's nothing glamorous about them — no makeup, no perfect hairdos, no uniform body type.
Exercise may not be "pretty," but it's necessary. You've got to keep your body moving in order to stay healthy. And no one can judge that — no matter what you look like. So keep kicking asses, ladies.

Watch the video below to get inspired:

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-17099/this-inspiring-fitness-video-celebrates-real-women-working-out-yes.html?utm_campaign=recommendation&utm_medium=popular&utm_source=feature