Pine Oil: A Potential Panacea?

Pine oil provides a pile of profound health benefits as tall as its trees. Discover more about pine oil and why it's a favorite essential oil in aromatherapy.

What Is Pine Oil?

Pine oil is a colorless to pale yellow essential oil. Depending on its source, pine oil may either have a fresh, earthy, and forest-like fragrance or a strong, dry, balsamic, turpentine-like odor. Also called fir leaf oil or oleum folii pini sylvestris, pine oil should not be confused with pine nut oil. Pine nut oil, which is also referred to as pinon, pine kernel, or Indian nut, is a vegetable oil mostly used for cooking. It is derived from the seeds of the pine tree. ¹
Pine oil, on the other hand, is extracted through steam distillation of the needle-like foliage of the pine tree. Generally, pine oil comes from trees of the genus Pinus. Some of its well-known varieties include:²

• Dwarf pine needle (Pinus mugo) – A tall and shrub-like tree harvested from the Swiss Alps. In Europe, this plant is used in healing skin and scalp diseases.
• Long leaf pine or turpentine (Pinus palustris) – This tree, which grows up to 150 feet, originates from the United States and is widely used for the distillation of American gum spirits of turpentine. It was also used by the Native Americans to prevent scurvy. ³
• Scotch pine or Norway pine (Pinus sylvestris) – This high, evergreen tree has a reddish-brown and deeply fissured bark that grows pair of long, stiff needles. Largely produced in the Baltic states, the essential oil from this species is a hypertensive, tonic stimulant.

Uses of Pine Oil 

Below are some practical uses for pine oil – plus handy tips on how you can use it at home. Pine oil can be used as:

• Fragrance in soaps, creams, detergents, and many pharmaceutical preparations – Analgesic ointments, nasal decongestants, and cough and cold medicines⁴
• Flavoring component in many edible products, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, baked goods, confectionery, frozen dairy desserts, gelatins, and puddings
• Insect repellant – To protect your wool sweaters from moths and other insects, pour 10 drops of pine oil onto small pieces of untreated wood. Place the pieces of wood in your closets or drawers.⁵
• Air freshener – Eliminate the awful smell of cigarettes and stale air by adding four drops of pine oil to one cup of water. Pour the mixture in a spray bottle, shake it well, and spray it to instantly freshen up your room. Avoid spraying it on furniture.
• Massage oil before and after exercise – Create your own pre-and post-workout massage oil to prevent or soothe strained muscles. Add three drops of pine oil, juniper-berry oil, and rosemary oil in two ounces of jojoba oil.

Composition of Pine Oil

Pine oil contains 50 to 97 percent monoterpene hydrocarbons, of which 60 to 65 percent is a-terpineol. It also has car-3-ene, dipentene, β-pinene, a-terpinene, y-terpinene, bornyl acetate, cadinene, sylvestrene, and camphene. ⁶
Pine oil is best blended with botanical essential oils like cedarwood, rosemary, sage, labdanum, and juniper.

Benefits of Pine Oil

Pine oil has antimicrobial, antiseptic, antifungal, anti-neuralgic, and anti-rheumatic properties.⁷ It also works as a good decongestant and expectorant for respiratory ailments. In addition, pine oil is praised for its ability to naturally:

• Ease muscular stiffness and rheumatism as a rubefacient⁸
• Relax the body when added in bath
• Stimulate healthy metabolism⁹
• Boost activity levels
• Help eliminate excess water, uric acid, salt, and fat through urination
• Neutralize free radicals with its rich antioxidant capacity
• Cure urinary tract infection (UTI)

What I love about pine oil is that it's a natural analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent, which makes it a potential substitute for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that comes with loads of devastating side effects.

http://articles.mercola.com/herbal-oils/pine-oil.aspx




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U.K. Approves Genetic Editing of Healthy Human Embryos

It’s a world first: a U.K. government panel has given the go-ahead for researchers, led by Kathy Niakan at the Francis Crick Institute in London, to edit healthy human embryos.
This isn’t the ethical morass it might at first appear to be. The researchers will use the powerful gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9, but their work has nothing to do with fixing faulty genes in a developing fetus or bringing designer babies into the world.
The experiment involves growing edited embryos in a lab for no more than seven days. By the time growth is stopped, each embryo will be just a clump of between 64 and 256 cells. Were it sitting in a woman’s uterus, it wouldn’t even have implanted yet. The researchers say the point of the work is to study how embryos develop in the earliest stages after conception in the hopes of understanding more about infertility and miscarriages.
As the technology improves, it seems like it's just a matter of time before it will become realistic to use CRISPR to engineer babies, treat diseases in adults, and tweak the genes of a whole host of other animals and plants. This research isn’t that, and it should scare no one. The broader ethical and moral questions, however, are important. The good news is the conversation around them is already underway.

Source: (Nature, STAT)




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Red Quinoa and Avocado Salad - Recipe

By Julie Andrews

0

Quinoa patties

Photo by Julie Andrews

If you’ve been paying any attention to food trends, you’ve probably seen quinoa popping up more and more in restaurants and grocery stores. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) has been called a superfood because it contains more protein than any other grain. It’s also a source of complete protein, meaning that it provides all of the essential amino acids. Other grains, such as rice or barley, provide only half of the essential amino acids. The reason quinoa is a complete protein is that it is actually a seed but it’s hyped as a grain because of its shared characteristics and similar cooking methods. Here, I have a quinoa recipe that is great for introducing people to this unique food.
In my humble opinion, quinoa, in all its crunchy, nutty glory, is delicious and super good for you. I got addicted to quinoa one summer when it was featured in one of the prepared salads at Wegmans. Although the salad is no longer available in stores, this recipe comes very close to the original.

Red Quinoa and Avocado Salad
Ingredients:
2 and 1/2 cups red quinoa,
cooked to package directions and chilled
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 avocado, sliced into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup lemon vinaigrette
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

To assemble the salad simply add all of the ingredients to a bowl and gently mix. I like to toss the avocados in the dressing first to give them a good acidic coating, which will help to prevent browning.
I like to cook more quinoa than I need and save some for later use. Cooked quinoa can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for about four days or in the freezer for up to two months.


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What is Moringa? - Video

What are the benefits of taking moringa?
Moringa is one of the most nutritious plants on the planet.
Watch this video to gain an insight into how powerful Ankh Rah High Quality Moringa really is.

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Towards the exploitation of the full potential of Moringa

Haiti - Agriculture : Towards the exploitation of the full potential of Moringa



Pursuant to a resolution passed to the States General of malnutrition in 2012 by the Ministry of Health, the Government has decided to promote the Doliv-Moringa (Moringa oleifera), which is since considered one of the main control tools against malnutrition in Haiti.

The Government considers that Moringa can play an important role in improving the living conditions of the population, it is thus that Moringa-Doliv Network of Haiti was established, where state institutions and civil society groups
that intervene in various links in the value chain of Moringa, is also an opportunity to share their experiences and coordinate their actions.

Several actors already working in the production and processing of Moringa in Haiti and new players regularly manifest their interest to exploit in one form or another, Moringa.

To better define strategies aimed at facilitating the development of Moringa sector in Haiti, a deeper knowledge of the sector and experience with this culture is necessary. To this end, the Ministry of Agriculture has taken steps to make it easier for players and allow them to understand the industry to judge the opportunities that exist, where they exist, the conditions created within the global environment, existing constraints, etc... this requires a thorough study on the operation of this commodity.

In addition, a good knowledge of the markets of Moringa (international, regional and national) is essential to identify the most promising derivatives to the country; having a good understanding of regulatory but also biological and economic constraints that are associated with the export of products made from Moringa and identify trends likely to influence the international trading environment to maximize the benefits for Haiti.

Thus, this study will allow to conduct an analysis of the Moringa value chain and highlight the contribution of this value-added plant: to improve food security in the country; the protection of the environment and economic development through the exploitation of export markets.
www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16503-haiti-agriculture-towards-the-exploitation-of-the-full-potential-of-moringa.html

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Is 2016 the year of the Algae?

They don’t look like much. They can be anything from microscopic in size to huge sea kelps and seaweeds, but they’ve never commanded much attention from the general public. And yet algae could be the answer to some of the most pressing problems facing mankind today.
Algae grow quickly and abundantly in all kinds of water, and contain high levels of antioxidants, omega-3 oil, carbohydrates, sugars and proteins, making them unusually nutrient-rich. They can be used for renewable fuel, animal feed, cosmetics, fertilizer, drug delivery, nutraceuticals, water purification, bioplastic, lubricants and even human food. It’s an impressive list.

Indeed, you’ll already find algae at the heart of many food products from baby formula to ice-cream, providing texture, stabilizing features and important nutrients for health; as well as in deluxe skin-care products and dietary supplements.
It’s no surprise, then, that billions of dollars have been invested in the research of algae-based technologies, and Israel, as the startup nation, is at the forefront of much of the leading innovation emerging in this field.
“Israel is considered an empire in microalgae technologies,” says Yoni Sharon, an executive at UniVerve, one of the Israeli companies revolutionizing this field. “Both because of Israeli academic support and Israelis’ innovative thinking and problem-solving attitude, Israel has been a leader in microalgae technologies for the last two or three decades.”
“We see enormous interest in the algae space because of its ability to derive ingredients relevant to food, supplements and cosmetics, the heart of our business,” says Yoni Glickman, president of natural product solutions at Frutarom Industries  of Haifa, one of the world’s 10 largest flavors and specialty natural ingredients companies.
“We are always asking how we can bring more natural products into the food chain as the world moves away from synthetic ingredients, and we think algae provides an incredible platform to deliver that,” Glickman tells ISRAEL21c.

Here are seven of the Israeli companies betting on algae for 2016 and beyond.

1. TransAlgae in Rehovot was founded in 2008 during the worldwide race to make affordable biodiesel fuel from algae. After that bubble burst, the company found a novel high-value alternative for its proprietary technology for genetically engineering algae: delivering protein-based drugs and other biomolecules orally rather than by injection.
Though it could one day apply in human medicine, the technology for now is aimed at orally delivering biomolecules to animals, such as fish and chicken. Injecting their animals costs farmers quite a lot in terms of time, money and manpower. TransAlgae’s technology changes algae into a platform that produces and orally delivers the medication safely to the bloodstream, says COO Doron Eisenstat.

Algae grown at TransAlgae’s beta production site near Latrun are mainly for R&D purposes so far, but Eisenstat expects the algae to go on the market this year. Once commercial regulation and registration processes are completed, enhanced algae will also enter specific markets.
TransAlgae’s lead product accelerates growth of young fish in aquaculture farms. Down the line, the privately held company hopes to add products including fish and poultry vaccines and crop-protection molecules based on its unique platform.

2. Algatechnologies  is a world leader in the production and supply of AstaPure brand astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant sourced from the red microalga Haematococcus pluvialis. Astaxanthin has been proven beneficial to vision, the immune system and skin texture, while protecting against the effects of radiation and aging.
AstaPure softgel and hardshell capsules, topical creams, emulsions, drink mixes and suspensions — which just received verification from the Non-GMO Project — are sold to manufacturers of dietary supplements, cosmetics and functional foods and beverages in 30 countries. Most customers are in Japan and the United States.

 

lgatechnologies, in Israel’s Arava desert, is a pioneer in producing astaxanthin from red microalgae. Photo courtesy

Founded in 1998 at Kibbutz Ketura and acquired by the British firm Grovepoint in 2013, Algatechnologies developed a way to mass-produce microalgae in Israel’s hot Arava desert near Eilat. Algatech was one of the first in the business.
“We doubled production two years ago and we are continuously expanding and spending on R&D to find additional microalgae with active ingredients,” says Chairman Ed Hofland, who also is involved in other environmental enterprises at Ketura including Arava Power for solar energy.
“There is a lot of buzz in Israel about the microalgae business, and I think it’s driven by our success,” adds Hofland.

3. Qualitas Health, founded in Jerusalem in 2012, is the world’s only algae company with an FDA-approved omega-3 product, produced from algae grown sustainably on a 250-dunam (62-acre) production capacity in Texas.

 

 

Qualitas Health makes the world’s only FDA-approved omega-3 product from algae. Photo: courtesy\

 

“Qualitas Health took algae from boutique production into something we call algaculture, at a lower cost and on a huge scale,” CTO Isaac Berzin tells ISRAEL21c.
Most people get their omega-3 from fish oil, but the fish get it from algae. Cutting out the fish “middleman” makes sense — if the price is comparable and the nutrient is at least as well absorbed by humans. This is Qualitas’ unique achievement, says Berzin.
The company’s Almega PL is sold through distributors in the United States and will soon be available in other countries.
“When you grow algae for omega-3, that is only a small percentage of total biomass,” adds Berzin. The rest of the biomass consists of an easily absorbed protein with a complete amino-acid profile.
“The world is desperate for alternative protein sources and our algae need no freshwater and no fertile land usage, so it is an extremely sustainable platform for producing protein. We are developing the product with several large customers.”
Berzin, whose work in algae biotechnology placed him on TIME Magazine’s Top 100 people in the world for 2008, founded the first company in the world developing algal biofuels and designed algae cultivation systems for NASA.

4. Aquanos won the Cleanvest Cup for best innovative company at the 2015 Watec Israel conference for its energy-efficient wastewater-filtering system using microalgae-fueled oxygen. The company’s CEO, Udi Leshem, won a ticket to present at the first China-Israel Technology Innovation & Investment Summit  held in Beijing in early January.
‬‬‬‬‬
Founded in 2011 in Shoshanat HaAmakim north of Netanya, Aquanos is installing its unique wastewater treatment systems across Africa, Asia, North America and Israel. Its system uses up to 90 percent less energy than do conventional aerobic wastewater treatment plants, and produces biogas as a byproduct. The microalgae can then be harvested to make other products such as fertilizers and bioplastics.
In May last year, Aquanos was featured at a Global Entrepreneurs event at the White House, and in December 2014, Aquanos was one of four winners in the Tel Aviv Challenge Cup, a competition organized by US-based accelerator 1776.

5. UniVerve 
UniVerve, founded in 2009 in Tel Aviv, is establishing microalgae farms based on its proprietary technology.
“UniVerve sees microalgae biomass as a feedstock for many existing and future industries such as food, feed and fuel,” says Yoni Sharon, the company’s vice president for business development, who has a PhD in plant eco-physiology.
Its first commercial farm, based on Kibbutz Neve Eitan in the Beit She’an Valley not far from the Sea of Galilee, is producing omega-3 rich biomass for the food-supplements -and feed industries. The farm is also meant to serve as a training center for clients wishing to establish algae farms overseas.
Sharon says that UniVerve intends to revolutionize the microalgae production industry. “Our vision is that our technology will result in feedstocks, biomass and products that are much more cost-effective and affordable.”
“UniVerve recently initiated negotiations with Chinese partners to establish a subsidiary and new projects in China,” he adds. “We are looking for business partners to invest in new projects and help us further develop our product portfolio. The potential for the biomass is enormous, so we are taking a wide perspective.”

 

 

Univerve’s microalgae farm under construction in the Beit She’an Valley. Photo: courtesy

 

6. Frutarom Industries  cultivates algae as the source for a variety of active ingredients, based on technology licensed from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in 2003.
“We have a significant growing facility in Moshav Gilat in southern Israel for the microalga Porphyridium, used as an anti-inflammatory cosmetic ingredient in many major high-end brands across the world,” says Yoni Glickman, president of natural product solutions at Frutarom.
Because the well-established company has thousands of customers across the world, it has the advantage of being able to move into algae-seeking markets quickly and easily, he adds. “We can take those technologies and put them right in our ecosystem to fill demands from global customers.”
7. Algalo Industries  of Kibbutz Ein Hamifratz has developed a unique method for efficient cultivation, harvesting and processing of a wide variety of microalgae.
Frutarom recently invested NIS10 million (about $2.6 million) in Algalo and will build a modern biotech facility there to produce microalgae for the food, dietary and clinical nutrition supplements and cosmetics industries. Frutarom will have exclusive global rights to market the Algalo products.
“This new investment represents a major move to the world of food and food supplements,” says Frutarom’s Glickman. “We bought 50 percent of Algalo to help our ability to grow algae more effectively and get the maximum harvest per unit so we can further develop new products. A lot of the growth in the algae market is not as good as it could be because the growing platforms are not ready for mass applications. This will provide a robust and economical platform as the world market expands dramatically.”

http://www.israel21c.org/is-2016-the-year-of-the-algae/

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Doctor’s Notes: Live long and prosper? Healthy life can equal long life!

By Eric Hochman. M.D.



Around the world there are special "Blue Zone" areas where people are reaching the age of 100 at unprecedented rates. People from Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, and Nicoya, Costa Rica, have evolved over centuries to incorporate healthy living habits into daily life. Members of these communities are outpacing the average life expectancy elsewhere.

The good news is that you don't have to travel thousands of miles or live in these cities to reap the benefits. By adopting many aspects of their healthy lifestyles today, you can attain higher levels of wellbeing and increase your longevity.

According to research from the Centers for Disease Control, it is possible to control 70 percent of the factors influencing your health. Unlike many of the questionable guarantees promoted by health craze fads or "miracle supplements," the benefits of adopting the Blue Zones initiative are backed by rigorous research and scientific data, and are proven effective for people around the globe.
The Blue Zones Project, which kicked off last November, is an 8-year community-wide initiative that incorporates the "Power 9" principles of daily living. These principles focus on eating wisely, moving naturally, belonging to a social community and knowing your life's purpose. The goals of the Blue Zones initiative are tangential to the goals of healthcare providers. Physicians and other allied health professionals have been focusing attention on patients' health and wellbeing for years, and research has proven the direct correlation between eating healthy, exercising and improved health. The project broadens the idea of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle and provides an expanded approach with specific steps to take to feel better and live longer.

From a healthcare perspective, the project highlights two important points, prevention and accountability. One of the Power 9 principles, Move Naturally, promotes the importance of leading an active lifestyle. The research shows that small steps (such as parking in a spot far from an entrance, introducing walking meetings at work or taking the stairs instead of an elevator), all have benefits.

Over time, these small steps will accumulate and lead to a more healthy lifestyle.
In our office, at Gulfshore Concierge Medicine, we offer complimentary exercise and yoga classes as a benefit to our patients, and our staff as well. Research demonstrates that promotion of fitness and community support leads to a healthier life and prevention of disease. Many studies have shown that stress leads to chronic inflammation, which is associated with almost every age-related disease.

Through incremental changes in activity and shedding stress over time, everyone can benefit.
In addition to prevention, the project emphasizes accountability. The more invested patients are in their health, the more providers will be able to work as a team to help. The innovative program encourages patients to take ownership of their health. Physicians continually work to stay current through reading medical journals, completing CMEs, and striving to stay on the forefront of innovation, both from a treatment and healthcare delivery perspective.

The Blue Zones Project asks you to make this kind of commitment to your health. Our practice, as well as many other healthcare facilities, are now offering the option for patients to interact with their health record remotely. This helps promote patient accountability and provides more personal control. Patients who feel more involved and in charge of their health report higher levels of satisfaction, and are more successful in reaching their healthcare goals. Through wellness classes, online health record access and other innovative programs, we are making it more convenient to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Take the Blue Zone pledge, be healthier … feel better … live longer.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/health/eric-hochman/doctors-notes-live-long-and-prosper-healthy-life-can-equal-long-life-2acf3cf9-fa38-7b36-e053-0100007-367410281.html

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New startup creates healthy food options to help boost immune system

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --A new startup out of UF's Innovation Hub is using disease- fighting superfood to help boost the body's immune system."We believe that food should be your medicine, medicine should be your food," says Dr. Wayne Garland, founder.

 

Doctor wayne garland is the founder of PaleoGanic. He says his company harnesses the secrets of superfood that helped save his life three decades ago."32 years ago I came down with cancer and I was diagnosed with cancer and I was given a six month prognosis that I wouldn't survive and chemotherapy and radiation wasn't a route I could take because it wouldn't cure what I had," says Garland.

 

At that time, he left everything behind: his job as a research analyst and consultant in Sydney, Australia, and took off to southeast Asia seeking answers Hoping within that six month period, he would find answers before the cancer in his spine killed him. "The threat of execution concentrates the mind wonderfully.And my mind concentrated with my research on methodologies to treat all disease," says Dr. Garland

 

Dr. Garland made a drastic change to his diet, seeking foods that might help fight potentially deadly diseases. Now he says he's cancer free and owes a lot of his progress to the foods he eats."Disease is now epidemic. The diseases that we thought were all disappeared are now roaring back.I have the answer. And I put it into this company and the products that we're making," says Garland.

 

 Dr. Garland started paleoganic which now makes three soups: all of which he says contain active disease fighting ingredients including bladderwrack, a type of seaweed used for thyroid disorders, and lion's mane - a medicinal mushroom."There are superfoods now and these superfoods are what have this enormous immune system capacity," says Garland.

 

The soups cost about twelve dollars apiece, and are now sold online, and at local farmer's markets, including ward's here in Gainesville.

And Ward's customer and health food enthusiast Maria Derrick-Mescua agrees. "I think my favorite is the lion's mane mushroom because there are all kinds of mushrooms in it. I've been buying mushrooms at the farmer's market and this has a great selection," says Derrick-Mescua.

 

Dr. Garland says the soups he creates are not an alternative to antibiotics but provide benefits to help strengthen the immune system.One of his many mottos: every spoonful you eat should be healing not harming. "When I was in Okinawa, I didn't hear anyone have an argument, I didn't hear anyone have an argument, raise their voice,  have road rage, everyone was enjoying their life happy until 100 years of age,"says Garland.

 

Dr. Garland says he hopes his products will create a revolution and lead the way for medicinal food innovation here in Gainesville. To order Dr. Garland's soup, visit his website.

 

http://www.wcjb.com/local-news/2016/02/new-startup-creates-healthy-food-options-help-boost-immune-system 

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Lycopene Boosts Lifespan of Metabolic Disorder Sufferers

Lycopene, a health-boosting antioxidant in tomatoes known to reduce prostate cancer risks, may help individuals with metabolic disorders live healthier, longer lives, according to new research out of the University of Nebraska.

Metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes high blood sugar, high blood pressure, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels — boosts the risk of death from heart attack and stroke.

Scientists believe increased oxidative stress and inflammation may play an important role in the high mortality of individuals with metabolic syndrome. Building on past studies that have suggested that lycopene might reduce oxidative stress and decreased inflammation, the Nebraska researchers assessed data from the long-running National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for evidence that the compound reduces mortality among individuals with metabolic syndrome.

The study, published in the journal Nutrition Research, evaluated the blood concentrations of lycopene in 2,499 participants with metabolic syndrome, 20 years and older.

The findings indicated the “mean survival time was significantly higher in the group with the highest serum lycopene concentration,” while individuals with low levels of the compound were most at risk for early death.

“The data suggest that higher serum lycopene concentration has a significant association with the reduced risk of mortality among individuals with metabolic syndrome,” the researchers concluded.

Read more: Tomato Compound Boosts Lifespan of Metabolic Disorder Sufferers

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Why are enzymes vital? - Video

A fantastic explanation of what enzymes are and why we need them.

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Why are Pulses so Important!

2016 - International Year of Pulses

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Miracle Tree Cures Severe Foot Infection!

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A Guide to the Health and Beauty Benefits Found in 20 Types of Tea

(Getty Images)

When it comes to the health benefits of tea, you might think that all you need is a bag of Lipton or a matcha latte and call it a day. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. “Most Americans don’t know a thing about tea, and that’s a shame,” says Sebastian Beckwith, a purveyor with high-end tea brand  In Pursuit of Tea. He says teas offer not only great taste, but stellar health benefits and zero calories. And Daniela Turley, a medical herbalist with Urban Healing NYC agrees.

“Teas have so many health benefits,” she says. And whether you’re looking to boost your immune system, calm a queasy stomach, de-stress, or get better hair and nails, there’s a tea for you.

The problem: You worry about the army of free radicals in your body.
What to drink: Herbal tea
Benefit: A boatload of free-radical-battling antioxidants, delicious flavor
Everyone thinks that green tea is the antioxidant hero, but Turley says it’s herbals that are the way to go. A recent study found that mint has hundreds of times more antioxidant power than kale, making a cup of tea the most economical way to fight against free radicals that could cause diseases like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and premature aging. “Herbal teas have more antioxidants than your green juice—and are a lot cheaper,” she says.

The problem: You’ve looked in the mirror and gah—your first wrinkle!
What to drink: Green tea
Benefit: Turning back time
As you probably know, green tea is a long-lauded hero of anti-aging. The tea, which is partially fermented, contains “catechins, or a type of natural antioxidant, that have been shown to fight signs of aging. If that wasn’t enough to get you to drink up, Turley says green tea has also been known to lower blood sugar and cholesterol and could prevent Alzheimer’s. “Add these effects to the other compound found in tea, the relaxant theanine, means you can protect your body from aging while chilling out,” she says. We’re sold.

Photo: Getty Images

The problem: Your skin is lackluster, your nails are brittle, and your hair is more damaged than Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick’s relationship.
What to drink: Horsetail tea, Nettle tea
Benefit: Glowing skin, hair glossier than a goddess’, healthy bones
For that je ne sais quoi inner glow, these teas are the ultimate way to go. “Certain teas [like these] that are rich in minerals feed the hair, skin, and nails,” Turley says. Another added benefit: The minerals also help you have strong, healthy bones, cartilage, and nails. Nettle tea, meanwhile, is also great for hair, and, pound for pound, has more calcium than milk (hey, vegans! Now you have no excuse!).

The problem: You’re in your mid-20s, but you still have the breakouts of a teenager.
What to drink: Burdock (herbal tea)
Benefit: Clear skin, some serious collagen production
Turley’s favorite tea to treat blemish-prone skin is a little-known one. Made from the burdock plant, it’s a natural blood purifier, and, if taken regularly, is used to banish breakouts and eczema and helps with collagen production.

The problem: You need a one-size-fits-all super tea.
What to drink: Oolong
Benefit: Where to start? Weight management, healthy skin and nails, stronger bones, helpful for chronic skin problems like dermatitis
Oolong is made from the leaves of an aromatic white flower with a “vegetal, herbaceous” flavor, Beckwith says. Studies have shown the tea has helped deal with a whole host of issues, so if you’re looking for a one-stop shop for a healthful tea, this is it.

The problem: You’re hoping to slim down (and still feel energized)
What to drink: Matcha
Benefit: Metabolism rebooter, calorie burner, energy booster, latte enhancer
Everyone’s favorite trendy green tea earned its title for a reason. The powdered green tea is zero-calorie and can help jump-start your metabolism. “It’s really the next healthy thing, because it’s the only tea where you’re consuming the actual leaf, not just the infusion,” Beckwith says. It has also been shown to boost energy and help your body detox. It’s a win-win-win!

Photo: Getty Images

The problem: Stress, stress, stress
What to drink: Kava kava, chamomile, passionflower, valerian root
Benefit: Stress relief, well-deserved chill time
Nothing might seem quite so grandmotherly (or maybe British) as calming down with a cup of steeping hot tea in your hands. But many herbal teas have calming properties, Turley says. “Kava kava is an herb from the South Pacific that has been used for centuries for its calming properties,” and has been used successfully to treat those suffering from generalized anxiety disorder. If your mind’s racing, you can also try a relaxing cup of chamomile or valerian for a good night’s sleep.

The problem: You’re seriously lagging and need a jolt
What to drink: ginseng tea, Siberian ginseng, reshi, rhodiola
Benefit: A caffeine-free energy boost
We’re hard-wired to reach for the coffee or soda when we feel a lull coming on, but Turley says you can get the same energizing effect of caffeine through Korean ginseng tea. “If you use a good quality brand—available at most Asian markets—you should notice the pick-up immediately,” she says. And if you take it regularly, the tea could help you lower your stress and drop your blood pressure.

The problem: Your digestive system is out of whack
What to drink: Herbal teas like Triphala, peppermint, fennel, or chamomile, Pu-Erh
Benefit: Aiding digestion and relieving constipation
People have been using herbal teas to treat tummy issues for thousands of years, Turley says. “As well as their traditional use, there is good scientific evidence that herbal teas can calm digestive ills.” She recommends Triphala tea—a mild laxative—to help ease constipation. And if you’re fighting the battle of the bloat, peppermint tea does wonders.

Beckwith adds that the little-known Pu-Erh, a tea leaf that’s aged in a cake for 20 years or more, is traditionally used in China for digestive issues, too. So if you’ve eaten too much, fear not! “This tea is great at the end of a big meal—just replace it with your after-dinner coffee,” he says.

Read more: http://stylecaster.com/healthy-teas/#ixzz3z49ErJ15

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British Fitness Model Pulls a Mini Cooper for an Entire Marathon

Ross Edgley took the better part of a day to pull the 3,200-pound car 26.2 miles.

 

Fitness writer Ross Edgley pulled a car for 26.2 miles, calling the stunt the "World's Strongest Marathon."

Photograph courtesy of Ross Edgley

 

 

Like many first-time marathoners, Ross Edgley felt like a car was strapped to his back when he crossed the finish line.
Unlike many first-time marathoners, Edgley actually did have a car strapped to his back at the 26.2-mile mark. 

3,200-pound Mini Cooper, to be exact.

Calling it the “World’s Strongest Marathon,” the 30-year-old from Cheshire, England, took 19 hours and 36 minutes to run a full marathon while dragging a car. He completed the feat Friday on a racetrack in rainy and windy conditions “The idea started as a bit of a joke with some friends while watching movies,” Edgley told Runner’s World. “Someone went, ‘Oh, you should run a marathon while pulling a car.’”Edgley took the suggestion seriously because, as a former swimmer and water polo player for Great Britain’s international team, now a trainer and fitness model, he believed he had the stamina to finish. He trained for eight months with the Mini, going up to 16 miles in one session. “The whole idea came down to work capacity,” Edgley said. He had to adapt his body to be able to exert himself for up to 16 hours at a time. “That first training session I put the harness on to see how far I could go. After two miles my legs were bit.” Eight months later, in the rain at the Silverstone track in central England, he strapped into the harness with the help of his crew. The car’s speakers blasted Jay Z’s rendition of “It’s a Hard Knock Life” during the first mile.

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Health Benefits of Jackfruit - Video

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Next In Nutrition: Healthy Hedonism

The biggest food trends for 2016 appear to be completely at odds. We’ve all become obsessed with healthy eating, although none of us can agree on what that even is. (I am personally at odds—both impressed and aggravated—when someone launches into a plant-based-diet lecture.)
But we also have a passion for indulgent eating. Obesity numbers are still soaring in the United States, and even the most disciplined of us can easily fall down the rabbit hole after googling “most indulgent foods” or “most decadent meals.” Food & Wine even published a list of 11 foods to “inhale” before New Year’s resolutions kick in (three-queso dip, sticky toffee pudding eggnog and more), and BuzzFeed thrives on clickbaity lists like “The 8 Most Insanely Unhealthy Restaurant Meals in America.” And the turducken has given rise to the piecaken.

 

AP Photo/Matthew Mead

It would seem as though the two strains of thought (healthy and indulgent) would be stuck in a perpetual hornlock. Some 20 years ago—even if neither trend was quite as pronounced—they were pitched in battle, as my co-authors and I mentioned debit-and-credit diets in our book Next. Then a decade ago, the trendwatchers at What’s Next remarked that “on the one hand [consumers] are craving indulgence, but then they are repenting soon afterwards. The trend (also known as debit and credit eating or Jekyll and Hyde eating) sees people eating salad one minute and ice cream the next.”
Back then, it seemed as if we could drink a diet cola with our bacon cheeseburger and they would somehow cancel each other out—the calories and fat in the burger being clearly bad and the lack of calories in the soda being good (never mind what the chemicals in their place did to the body). One minus one equaled zero.
The new math around food is a lot more nuanced and subtle. Hardly anyone counts calories anymore, and numerous experts are telling us to embrace fat, and not just olive oil and nuts but also full-fat yogurt and milk. (At least for those of us who aren’t shunning dairy.) Nothing adds up the way we grew up thinking it did. There are hardly any food rules to follow—and exceptions to almost all of them. There are no absolutes.

That’s why “healthy indulgences” has become one of the biggest buzzwords in nutritional circles lately. Foods that many of us long thought were inherently bad, like eggs, coffee and even butter, turn out to be pretty good for you. Now it’s sugar—and plain white foods, like formerly innocuous bread—that’s public enemy No. 1. (The recently released federal guidelines on nutrition say as much, though like anything related to nutrition, and agricultural politics, they’ve brought their own controversy and conflicting opinions.)
Although nutritionists have long advised moderation—the thinking being that it’s better to allow yourself the occasional bite or two of chocolate brownie than to deny it completely and set yourself up for a binge on the whole pan—some are going to a new extreme. Cheat days are not a new idea, but an extreme manifestation has been bubbling up in recent years in the form of intermittent fasting, the idea that you can eat like an abstemious monk a portion of your day or week and a reckless hedonist the rest.


 http://www.forbes.com


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Easy Vegan Tacos

Lauren & John of "Hot for Food" - Show how easy it is to make Tacos

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What you get out of trendy fitness classes like Insanity and SoulCycle — and what you don’t

Barre classes improve balance, coordination and muscular endurance, but they are likely to lack an aerobic component. (Pure Barre)
 

By Gabriella Boston 

In this era of CrossFitters, SoulCyclists and yogis as well as barre, Zumba and Insanity devotees, people often focus on one — and only one — fitness format.
So what exactly are you getting if you are doing only that one particular routine — say, yoga — and what are you missing out on?
We asked a couple of fitness experts and a local endurance athlete to guide us through the field of popular fitness routines — their upsides, their limitations and what you might add to them to round out your program.

Barre

What you get: Using a ballet barre for balance, you typically will perform a combination of small ballet-inspired movements and static poses that provide isometric training. “A barre class offers a nice combination of balance and coordination,” says Anthony Wall, director of professional education for the American Council on Exercise. “It works postural muscles, which improves stability.” Postural muscles include both the front body (such as abdominal muscles) and, more important, the back muscles that help lift the body up. Barre also improves muscular endurance — the ability of muscles to sustain force against resistance over time. (Think of the repetitive movement and holds typical of ballet.)
What to add: A barre class is unlikely to improve external-load-bearing strength (as free weights do) or aerobic fitness (as from power walking or running). “So you might add kayaking or hiking for that aerobic component,” Wall says. And maybe some weights for external load bearing.
Adds Linda Haupt, regional group fitness director for Gold’s Gym on the East Coast: “In order to improve bone density, you need some extra load and impact.”

Insanity

What you get: A high-intensity interval body-weight class such as Insanity or P90X (both branded products) usually lasts up to 30 minutes and features drills that drive the heart rate into an anaerobic zone — more than 80 percent of maximum heart rate. Gold’s uses a version called Grit, developed by the Les Mills brand.
“It pushes you into that anaerobic space,” Haupt says. “It’s very efficient and includes agility, speed, dynamic jumping and strength — it’s full-body.” The post-exercise fat burn is higher and longer with this type of training than after aerobic exercise, Haupt says.
Wall adds that body-weight exercises such as lunges and push-ups — whether done in a high-intensity format or not — are great functional exercises. “When you use the body as a tool, it helps create better control and body awareness.”
What to add: You’re not getting much aerobic work with high-intensity intervals, so adding running, cycling or swimming would be a good complement, Wall says. Another way to round out the routine would be to add some external load bearing, such as free weights.
Haupt says she would also recommend adding some flexibility — maybe a yoga class to stretch out the body.

CrossFit

What you get: CrossFit is a brand that features high-intensity intervals but, unlike Insanity, also uses external loading. “With the high intensity, you are improving your cardiovascular system,” Wall says, and the external load bearing improves strength. Other benefits include weight loss and, maybe most important, the social aspect — the feeling of being part of something larger.
“You could do the same type of exercises elsewhere, but CrossFit offers a community, a sense of belonging that we all want,” Wall says.
What to add: Haupt suggests incorporating some mobility and stability work, maybe through yoga.
Wall recommends adding an aerobic component. “Even top athletes have to work in that low-intensity arena to help them recover better,” he says.

Indoor cycling

What you get: Indoor cycling can mean long-distance, steady-state drills, Wall says, which can be an excellent way to build aerobic capacity. But the most popular format focuses on short, high-intensity intervals — in other words, anaerobic work, he says. Like CrossFit, it helps improve the cardiovascular system and encourages weight loss. It also strengthens the legs.
What to add: Wall suggests adding something like boxing to strengthen the upper body and core as well as to work on rotating the body to complement the static body position on a bike.
Haupt agrees and adds that lateral movement (side to side) is crucial for injury prevention for runners and cyclists alike. Stretching — in particular, hip flexors, gluteus and hamstrings – can also help not only with recovery and injury prevention but also, ultimately, with performance.
Long-time endurance athlete and D.C. resident Carolyn Abramczyk, 38, can attest to this. She had been doing long-distance-running races and triathlons for years, with all the training focused on endurance. But a few years ago, she stepped into a yoga class.
“I didn’t see any improvement in my running until I started doing yoga,” Abramczyk says. “I felt it really improved my core strength.”
She even had a personal record in a half-marathon with a sub-1:45 finish in 2014. She credits yoga. “I felt taller, stronger during the whole race.”
Now she does yoga at least three times a week in addition to cycling and running.

Yoga

What you get: Yoga can mean a lot of things, Haupt says, and the benefits will depend on the style of yoga you are practicing. With Ashtanga, a powerful, fast-moving style of yoga, you might get your heart rate up, and with something like Iyengar, where you hold poses for a long time, you might work more muscle endurance, she says. But generally speaking, yoga focuses on balance, flexibility, breathing, relaxation and meditation.

What to add: A cardio component — whether aerobic or anaerobic — to improve the cardiovascular system, Haupt says. Also, some external load bearing would be beneficial to create more strength and improve bone density.

Zumba

What you get: Zumba is a program that incorporates dance and aerobic fitness. Like CrossFit, Zumba has a social component that encourages participants to keep coming back, Wall says. And like any dance-based routine, it improves coordination and balance. It also improves aerobic (low-intensity) fitness, he says.

Haupt adds that with all the hip and lateral moves, it also helps strengthen the core and pelvic area.

What to add: Haupt suggests adding a strength component, particularly for the upper body, and additional stretching for the lower body, including hips. Yoga or Pilates could fit the bill.
Wall adds that total-body conditioning such as high-intensity intervals can be a good complement to the mostly aerobic dance format.

The takeaway

So there it is. The good, the bad and the ugly of your favorite fitness routine. In the end, you want to mix it up for a host of reasons, including injury prevention, improved performance and motivation as well as better recovery, according to our experts. Variety is the spice of your fitness life.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/breaking-down-what-you-get-out-of-fitness-classes--and-what-you-dont/2016/01/25/d402f4a0-bede-11e5-bcda-62a36b394160_story.html

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Can Deep-Frying Vegetables Make Them Even Healthier?

basically the worst for you. But, as with many nutrition rules, there are actually several shades of gray (or golden brown) here. According to a recent study, there may be at least one health benefit to deep-frying your veggies — as long as you use extra-virgin olive oil, reports Popular Science.

For the study, which was published last month in Food Chemistry, the researchers put four foods to the test. Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and pumpkins were all boiled in water, or deep-fried, or sautéed in EVOO, which is a source of "healthy" monounsaturated fat that's been linked to lower cholesterol levels and other health benefits.

The researchers found that the veggies' fat content increased when they had been deep-fried and sautéed, but that they also had higher levels of antioxidant phenols. This is primarily because, during cooking, the veggies absorb some of the antioxidants already in the olive oil — along with some of the fat. In contrast, the foods boiled in water had about the same amount of phenols as when they were raw, but had much less fat than their oily counterparts.

Though we'd all love to hear that deep-fried anything is actually great for you, the question is, do those extra antioxidants leached from the oil really make the veggies healthier?

That depends on how you look at it. "Heating olive oil to [frying] temperature can compromise olive oil’s color pigments that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory health benefits. Anywhere from 5 to 15% of the phytonutrients in olive oil can be lost with heating, even when below the smoke point," explains Libby Mills, RD, who was not involved with the study. This means that "slightly enhancing the phenol content in the vegetables is a trade-off of some of the natural health benefits of olive oil itself."

Plus, you've probably heard that antioxidants are basically nutritional magic; people love to tout them as cancer-fighting, anti-aging silver bullets. But it's good to know that the real story is far more complicated, with some studies suggesting overdoing it on certain types may actually exacerbate diseases or make them more likely to develop.

The bottom line is that french fries are not going to prevent cancer (groundbreaking, we know). If you're really that concerned about the antioxidant phenols in your life, the best way to get the most nutrition out of your vegetables is to steam them and then drizzle some EVOO on top, Mills says. But hey, if you want to chow down on some deep-fried anything now and again, don't feel bad about it — french fries are delicious with or without that extra antioxidant punch, after all.

http://www.refinery29.uk/2016/01/101878/fried-vegetable-antioxidant-benefits?utm_r29_redirect=us

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Here's What You Need To Know About The Zika Virus

Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images.

There’s no doubt about it: The Zika virus is sweeping through the Western Hemisphere at a rapid rate, and filling your news feed with panic in the process.

It is true that the Pan American Health Organisation (a regional office of the World Health Organisation) anticipates that the virus will spread to every country in the Americas, except Canada and continental Chile.

The Independent also reported today that Howard Carter, one of the country’s leading bite experts, has spotted the mosquitoes that can carry the virus in the UK. He added that they're not in the UK in "any great number", but that it's "only a matter of time before that becomes the case".

So – how worried should you be? And what is Zika, anyway? Here’s what you should know.

First things first: What exactly is Zika? It’s a virus that’s related to other mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and chikungunya. People can become infected with Zika after being bitten by a certain mosquito (the Aedes species to be exact — more on that later).

The virus isn’t new — at least, not to many around the world. Zika was first discovered in Uganda in 1947, and up until last year, the virus mainly hung out in parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Then, sometime around May 2015, the virus hopped over to the Americas.

Since it’s just recently arrived in the Western Hemisphere, those of us on this side of the world haven’t built up an immunity to Zika yet, and we might be particularly sensitive — in fact, experts say that’s one possible reason why it’s spreading so rapidly.

What are the symptoms? About 80% of people who catch the Zika virus won’t show any symptoms at all; the other 20% might have a mild fever, a rash, some joint pain, or conjunctivitis. (Muscle pain and headaches can occur too.) Whatever the symptoms, they’ll likely only last for a few days, probably a week at most. In most cases, the symptoms are manageable, and don’t require hospitalisation.

After that, it clears out of your system, and that’s the end of it, says Daniel Lucey, MD, MPH, an adjunct professor of microbiology and immunology at Georgetown University Medical Center.

That doesn't sound so bad. Why all the commotion? The reason so many people are talking about this right now is because experts are worried about a possible link between the Zika virus and a birth defect called microcephaly. (We say “possible,” as according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s still just an “association” — albeit one that’s looking more and more certain every day.) Microcephaly is characterised by a smaller-than-average head, and usually indicates an underdeveloped brain as well. This can set these babies up for a lifetime of problems, including vision loss, seizures, learning disabilities and more.

This is a BFD considering that previously, experts thought that Zika mostly caused minor symptoms, rarely required hospitalisation, and ultimately resolved itself on its own.

Brazil has been dealing with a Zika virus outbreak since early 2015, and in September of last year, there was a huge jump in the number of reported cases of microcephaly — possibly an increase of 20 times the average amount. Further testing revealed that the virus was found in the amniotic fluid of two women whose foetuses had microcephaly, and another report on 35 women showed that all of them had either lived in or visited regions that were known to be affected with Zika.

Given the growing certainty about the link to birth defects, and the spread of the virus, experts are rightfully flagging Zika as a huge concern for everyone right now. Governments in El Salvador, Colombia, and Ecuador are going so far as to urge women to put off getting pregnant completely for months — even years in El Salvador’s case, in an effort to prevent potential birth defects.

So where is Zika currently spreading? With the disclaimer that it’s changing fast (Puerto Rico just reported its first locally acquired case), just know the CDC has issued a travel alert for 22 countries and territories in the Americas. An “alert” from the CDC means certain people (in this case, pregnant women) should avoid travelling there, and anyone should take “enhanced precautions.” It’s one step below a travel “warning,” which means the risk is high enough that the best advice is to completely avoid a trip there.

As of now, the list of countries with a CDC alert for Zika includes: Cape Verde, Samoa, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Suriname, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Venezuela.

The CDC says that pregnant women should delay visiting those areas if possible. (Some airlines are reportedly offering refunds on tickets to Zika-affected countries if you’ve already booked.) If you’re currently trying to get pregnant, the CDC says to talk with your doctor before finalising your travel plans. And if you’re pregnant and you must travel, take precautions against mosquitoes and watch for symptoms. If you start to feel sick within two weeks upon your return, you'll need a Zika virus test.

As for all non-pregnant travellers to these countries, the best thing you can do is try to avoid being bit by a mosquito. That’s easier said than done, of course, but you might have more options that you think: Wear long sleeves, use EPA-registered insect repellent, and get rid of (or stay away from) any standing pools of water, which are fertile breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

And finally, if you’ve recently been travelling to any of the countries on the CDC’s list and you start feeling sick, definitely see a doctor.

Photo: Marvin Recinos/Getty Images.

Is it really only spread by mosquitoes? Based on the available evidence right now, experts say that this is how the virus spreads: An infected person gets bitten by an Aedes mosquito, which then goes on to feed on another person, passing the virus to him or her in the process. In medical parlance, the mosquito is the most likely vector — a bug that spreads the disease.

That said, Zika remains a rare virus, and since there aren’t a ton of cases to study, questions remain about how it spreads. For example, there is some research that suggests the Zika virus might be able to reside in a man’s semen — and if that’s the case, it might be possible to contract the infection through sex. Another long shot possibility: It might be able to spread via a blood transfusion. However, these things remain extremely unlikely at this point. The bigger concern right now is the threat posed by Zika-carrying mosquitoes.

How is Zika treated? Since there’s no medication designed to target Zika specifically, the most doctors can do is manage symptoms. “The overwhelming majority of people get better on their own,” Dr. Lucey says. The CDC recommends rest and fluids, and treating any joint pain with medicines like acetaminophen.

No one has developed a vaccine yet. And since the symptoms seemed pretty mild (and the link to microcephaly wasn’t previously known), a Zika virus vaccine hasn’t been a top priority for experts and pharmaceutical companies. While recent events will probably change this, it takes years to develop a vaccine. If we were to see a Zika vaccine, it’s unlikely that it would be developed in under three years, Dr. Lucey says.



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