Experts say buying organic does not mean your eggs will be free of salmonella
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Delicious Fruits Can Prevent Cancer
Cancer prevention starts with a healthy diet. The following fruits, while common in our daily life, are healthy and can help in prevention of the disease.
1. Grapes: Grapes contain resveratrol which prevents normal cell from becoming cancerous and inhibits the spreading of malignant cells. Chinese medicine believes that grapes are good for many body functions. Sour grapes are suitable for cancer patients after surgery or undergoing radiotherapy.
2. Strawberry: Ellagic acid in strawberry can protect the body against carcinogens harm and certain effects in anti-cancer. Strawberry is effective in easing out nasopharyngeal, lung, and laryngeal cancer patients with radiation reaction.
3. Banana: It is found that banana extract can control intrinsic carcinogens such as aflatoxin B1. Animal studies found that magnesium deficiency could significantly weaken the body's ability to fight cancer cells. Banana contains magnesium and potassium to help prevention of cancer. Banana benefits colorectal cancer patients in alleviating symptoms resulted from radiotherapy.
4. Fig: Fig contains ingredients that can fight tumors, control cancer cells and inhibit protein synthesis. Six cancer hospitals, through the observation of more than 1,300 patients, found that figs can be used as the daily diet for cancer patients including ascites carcinoma, sarcoma, liver, lung, and other tumors with good therapeutic results.
5. Kiwi: Each 100 grams of the kiwifruit contains 150 mg. of vitamin C, topping all kinds of fruits. Through the protection barriers of the interstitial cells, kiwi can eliminate carcinogenic substances. It is believe this effect can help to lengthen the survival period of cancer patients. The mildly sour kiwifruit is especially suitable for certain cancer patients after radiotherapy (i.e., breast cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, bladder cancer, etc.)
1. Grapes: Grapes contain resveratrol which prevents normal cell from becoming cancerous and inhibits the spreading of malignant cells. Chinese medicine believes that grapes are good for many body functions. Sour grapes are suitable for cancer patients after surgery or undergoing radiotherapy.
2. Strawberry: Ellagic acid in strawberry can protect the body against carcinogens harm and certain effects in anti-cancer. Strawberry is effective in easing out nasopharyngeal, lung, and laryngeal cancer patients with radiation reaction.
3. Banana: It is found that banana extract can control intrinsic carcinogens such as aflatoxin B1. Animal studies found that magnesium deficiency could significantly weaken the body's ability to fight cancer cells. Banana contains magnesium and potassium to help prevention of cancer. Banana benefits colorectal cancer patients in alleviating symptoms resulted from radiotherapy.
4. Fig: Fig contains ingredients that can fight tumors, control cancer cells and inhibit protein synthesis. Six cancer hospitals, through the observation of more than 1,300 patients, found that figs can be used as the daily diet for cancer patients including ascites carcinoma, sarcoma, liver, lung, and other tumors with good therapeutic results.
5. Kiwi: Each 100 grams of the kiwifruit contains 150 mg. of vitamin C, topping all kinds of fruits. Through the protection barriers of the interstitial cells, kiwi can eliminate carcinogenic substances. It is believe this effect can help to lengthen the survival period of cancer patients. The mildly sour kiwifruit is especially suitable for certain cancer patients after radiotherapy (i.e., breast cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancer, bladder cancer, etc.)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
How to Buy the Healthiest Eggs
Here are some tips for choosing the healthiest eggs:
• "Organic"
A USDA-certified organic label means the eggs came from hens that were not enclosed in battery cages, and that must be offered access to the outdoors. However, this doesn't guarantee that the animals ever go outside. Organic eggs come from hens that were fed certified-organic feed, free of antibiotics, pesticides, and other animal products. Forced molting and debeaking are permitted in certified-organic production.
• "Natural"
This means that the finished product hasn't undergone certain unnatural processes; in this case, that product is the egg. However, just because eggs are labeled natural doesn't mean a hen wasn't pumped up with antibiotics or other unnatural substances. And it certainly doesn't mean the chickens were raised in clean, humane conditions. For all intents and purposes, natural means nothing.
• "Pastured"
Pastured chickens should be housed on grassland in portable shelters that are periodically moved to give the chickens fresh pasture, but there's no third-party inspection required to ensure that's what's really happening. Your best bet is to buy eggs from pastured hens at a local farm that raises the hens organically, ensuring they're not exposed to pesticides, animal by-products, or antibiotics.
• "Omega-3-Enriched"
This means hens were fed feed with an increased amount of omega-3-rich flaxseeds. However, pasture-raised hens are already higher in beneficial omega-3s, and they get to be outside. Technically, caged hens could also be fed flax feed, so don't equate this label with better living standards.
• "Certified Humane"
This means birds are not kept in cages, but they can be kept indoors. They at least have the space to perform natural behaviors. The program of Human Farm Animal Care sets limits on the number of birds that can be contained in the same area, and outside inspectors perform audits. The program does not, however, require that the animals eat organic feed.
• "Organic"
A USDA-certified organic label means the eggs came from hens that were not enclosed in battery cages, and that must be offered access to the outdoors. However, this doesn't guarantee that the animals ever go outside. Organic eggs come from hens that were fed certified-organic feed, free of antibiotics, pesticides, and other animal products. Forced molting and debeaking are permitted in certified-organic production.
• "Natural"
This means that the finished product hasn't undergone certain unnatural processes; in this case, that product is the egg. However, just because eggs are labeled natural doesn't mean a hen wasn't pumped up with antibiotics or other unnatural substances. And it certainly doesn't mean the chickens were raised in clean, humane conditions. For all intents and purposes, natural means nothing.
• "Pastured"
Pastured chickens should be housed on grassland in portable shelters that are periodically moved to give the chickens fresh pasture, but there's no third-party inspection required to ensure that's what's really happening. Your best bet is to buy eggs from pastured hens at a local farm that raises the hens organically, ensuring they're not exposed to pesticides, animal by-products, or antibiotics.
• "Omega-3-Enriched"
This means hens were fed feed with an increased amount of omega-3-rich flaxseeds. However, pasture-raised hens are already higher in beneficial omega-3s, and they get to be outside. Technically, caged hens could also be fed flax feed, so don't equate this label with better living standards.
• "Certified Humane"
This means birds are not kept in cages, but they can be kept indoors. They at least have the space to perform natural behaviors. The program of Human Farm Animal Care sets limits on the number of birds that can be contained in the same area, and outside inspectors perform audits. The program does not, however, require that the animals eat organic feed.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Eric Mead reveals 'medical magic'
Magician Eric Mead explains why the "placebo effect" and magic are more alike than you may think
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Best Foods for Healthy Skin - SALMON
SALMON
Salmon is an ideal food for many reasons, but as far as your skin’s concerned, there’s only one that matters: It’s among the world’s greatest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Those are the essential fats that, along with bolstering the cognitive powers of your brain, concentrate in the walls of your epidermal cells to help lock in moisture. Plus, in one study, researchers supplemented two groups of mice with either omega-3 or omega-6 fats. After two weeks, the skin of the omega-3-fed group exhibited a 20 percent faster recovery rate from exposure to ultraviolet light. That gives salmon two crucial skin boons: keeping your skin from looking dry and helping it battle the dangers of excessive sunlight.
Other omega-3 foods: sardines, walnuts,
Salmon is an ideal food for many reasons, but as far as your skin’s concerned, there’s only one that matters: It’s among the world’s greatest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Those are the essential fats that, along with bolstering the cognitive powers of your brain, concentrate in the walls of your epidermal cells to help lock in moisture. Plus, in one study, researchers supplemented two groups of mice with either omega-3 or omega-6 fats. After two weeks, the skin of the omega-3-fed group exhibited a 20 percent faster recovery rate from exposure to ultraviolet light. That gives salmon two crucial skin boons: keeping your skin from looking dry and helping it battle the dangers of excessive sunlight.
Other omega-3 foods: sardines, walnuts,
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Kombucha tea: Healthy or trendy?
Is Kombucha tea good for you or just another celebrity fad? Dr. Melina Jampolis examines the question.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Could hot cocoa be the next "wonder drug" For high blood pressure?
According to recent estimates, nearly 1-in-3 American adults has high blood pressure. But for the Kuna Indians living on a group of islands off the Caribbean coast of Panama , hypertension doesn't even exist. In fact, after age 60, the average blood pressure for Kuna Indian islanders is a perfect 110/70.
Is it because they eat less salt? No. Kuna Indians eat as much, if not more salt, than people in the U.S. Is it due to their genes? No. Kuna Indians who move away from the islands are just as likely to suffer from high blood pressure as anyone else!
So what makes these folks practically "immune" to hypertension -- and lets them enjoy much lower death rates from heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and cancer?
Harvard researchers were stunned to discover it's because they drink about 5 cups of cocoa each day. That's right, cocoa!
Studies show the flavonols in cocoa stimulate your body's production of nitric oxide -- boosting blood flow to your heart, brain, and other organs. In fact, one study found cocoa thins your blood just as well as low-dose aspirin!
But that's not all. A Harvard Medical School professor claims cocoa can also treat blocked arteries, congestive heart failure, stroke, dementia, even impotence!
Is it because they eat less salt? No. Kuna Indians eat as much, if not more salt, than people in the U.S. Is it due to their genes? No. Kuna Indians who move away from the islands are just as likely to suffer from high blood pressure as anyone else!
So what makes these folks practically "immune" to hypertension -- and lets them enjoy much lower death rates from heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and cancer?
Harvard researchers were stunned to discover it's because they drink about 5 cups of cocoa each day. That's right, cocoa!
Studies show the flavonols in cocoa stimulate your body's production of nitric oxide -- boosting blood flow to your heart, brain, and other organs. In fact, one study found cocoa thins your blood just as well as low-dose aspirin!
But that's not all. A Harvard Medical School professor claims cocoa can also treat blocked arteries, congestive heart failure, stroke, dementia, even impotence!
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
NEW prostate-protecting champ trumps tomatoes!
Unless you've been asleep under a rock for the past decade, you've heard the news about tomatoes. They contain a potent antioxidant called lycopene that's been proven to reduce the risk of certain cancers -- in particular, prostate cancer.
A famous Harvard study back in 1995 found that out of 48,000 men surveyed, those who ate 10 or more servings of tomatoes a week reduced their risk of prostate cancer by more than one-third. What's more, they lowered their risk of aggressive prostate tumors (the kind that are really tough to treat) by HALF!
But before you reach for that slice of pizza or bottle of ketchup, listen up. What if I told you about a sweet, refreshing food Dr. Steven Pratt recommends that's even better for your prostate than tomatoes?
This NEW prostate protecting champ is watermelon! Ounce for ounce, watermelon is even richer in lycopene than tomatoes. And since you probably eat more watermelon in one sitting than you do tomatoes, you don't have to gorge on it 10 times a week in order to slash your cancer risk! Just a few times a week should do it.
A famous Harvard study back in 1995 found that out of 48,000 men surveyed, those who ate 10 or more servings of tomatoes a week reduced their risk of prostate cancer by more than one-third. What's more, they lowered their risk of aggressive prostate tumors (the kind that are really tough to treat) by HALF!
But before you reach for that slice of pizza or bottle of ketchup, listen up. What if I told you about a sweet, refreshing food Dr. Steven Pratt recommends that's even better for your prostate than tomatoes?
This NEW prostate protecting champ is watermelon! Ounce for ounce, watermelon is even richer in lycopene than tomatoes. And since you probably eat more watermelon in one sitting than you do tomatoes, you don't have to gorge on it 10 times a week in order to slash your cancer risk! Just a few times a week should do it.
Monday, July 19, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Friday, July 9, 2010
What's the best way to cure a headache?
You don’t have to experience a headache to read this.
Actually, you will get tips on how to be free from headaches.
With the stress and pressures from work, do you sometimes experience seeing an aura of stars, sparks, and flashes of simple geometric forms passing across the field of vision?
If you do, this is one of the symptoms of having a classic migraine. Otherwise, migraine begins with the throbbing sensations by the temples usually centered above or behind one eye. Or it can start at the nape or entirely spread at one side of your head. Usually we feel nauseated and wanting to throw up. Sometimes, our vision becomes blurred and there is tingling and numbness of the limbs that last for quite a time.
Seventy percent of migraine sufferers are women, and it often runs in he family. It has been found that many patients have abnormal level of brain chemicals that cause excessive dilation and/or contraction of the brain’s blood vessels.
Allergies are sometimes the culprit as the common cause of migraine is attributed to allergies. Sometimes due to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, women have migraine headaches. After menopause, the headaches usually decrease. Liver malfunction can bring about migraine, as well as constipation, stress, environmental allergies, and the lack of exercise.
Herbal Medicine and Other Treatments
When I had these excruciating migraine headaches, herbal medicines helped a lot. Gingko biloba extracts from that ancient Gingko tree is very beneficial for opening up constricted vessels in the brain.
everfew, peppermint, rosemary, and wormwood are also effective in the treatment of migraine headaches. Feverfew helps alleviate pain.
From a study at the University of Notingham, patients who are given feverfew herb got an average of 24% lesser migraines, and vomiting was reduced, with no side effects. All these herbal medicines can be purchased from health food stores in the shopping malls.
Niacin amide 800 mg. plus niacin (B3) 200mg. taken three times a day is essential in increasing the blood flow to the brain.
On the other hand, Rutin 200 mg. removes toxic metals which cause migraines.
Royal jelly which is high in pantothenic acid (B5) helps the adrenal glands when the body is under stress.
Vitamin C 3,000 to 6,000 mg. aids in producing anti-stress adrenal hormones, and enhances the body’s immunity system.
We should also be conscious of our diet as food immensely affects the body’sfunctions. Try to avoid salt and acid-producing foods such as meat, cereal, bread, and grains.
Also, avoid fried foods or fatty and greasy foods. Some researchers have found out that drinking cold water also causes migraines. Eat small meals and eat between meals to help stabilize wide swings in blood sugar that may precipitate a migraine.
Exercise is important. You can also massage the neck and back of the head daily.
Here are some neck rolling exercises which can alleviate stiffness in the neck area.
(a) Turn your head to the right and left. Repeat this eight to 10 times (both ways equal one time).
(b) Then, looking straight ahead, alternately bend your head to the right, then to the left. Repeat this eight to 10 times.
(c) Gently bend your head backwards and forwards. Repeat this eight to 10 times.
(d) Then, gradually rotate your head in a circular motion. Begin with small circles and gradually increase the size to as large as possible without straining or screwing the neck. Relax your muscles around the neck. Do at least eight to 10 revolutions and eight to 10 counter clockwise revolutions.
If you do this properly, your neck will make some crackling noises. This is cause by the release of tension and the massaging of the ligaments, nerves, and muscles. This will help prevent tension headaches. When you are finished, you will feel relaxed and slightly light headed.
There are certain points at which you can apply acupressure. These are at the end of the eyebrow at the temple side, at the end of the eyes at the side of the nose, beyond the hairline above the earlobe (locate the tender area). You can also apply pressure on the web between the thumb and index finger and at your exterior side of the forearm just below the elbow joint. Some patients have found a relief by placing slices of lemon on the temples.
Now you have different alternative solutions every time that excruciating migraine attacks.
Remember, diet and exercise is essentials in attracting that good health that we need.。
Actually, you will get tips on how to be free from headaches.
With the stress and pressures from work, do you sometimes experience seeing an aura of stars, sparks, and flashes of simple geometric forms passing across the field of vision?
If you do, this is one of the symptoms of having a classic migraine. Otherwise, migraine begins with the throbbing sensations by the temples usually centered above or behind one eye. Or it can start at the nape or entirely spread at one side of your head. Usually we feel nauseated and wanting to throw up. Sometimes, our vision becomes blurred and there is tingling and numbness of the limbs that last for quite a time.
Seventy percent of migraine sufferers are women, and it often runs in he family. It has been found that many patients have abnormal level of brain chemicals that cause excessive dilation and/or contraction of the brain’s blood vessels.
Allergies are sometimes the culprit as the common cause of migraine is attributed to allergies. Sometimes due to hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle, women have migraine headaches. After menopause, the headaches usually decrease. Liver malfunction can bring about migraine, as well as constipation, stress, environmental allergies, and the lack of exercise.
Herbal Medicine and Other Treatments
When I had these excruciating migraine headaches, herbal medicines helped a lot. Gingko biloba extracts from that ancient Gingko tree is very beneficial for opening up constricted vessels in the brain.
everfew, peppermint, rosemary, and wormwood are also effective in the treatment of migraine headaches. Feverfew helps alleviate pain.
From a study at the University of Notingham, patients who are given feverfew herb got an average of 24% lesser migraines, and vomiting was reduced, with no side effects. All these herbal medicines can be purchased from health food stores in the shopping malls.
Niacin amide 800 mg. plus niacin (B3) 200mg. taken three times a day is essential in increasing the blood flow to the brain.
On the other hand, Rutin 200 mg. removes toxic metals which cause migraines.
Royal jelly which is high in pantothenic acid (B5) helps the adrenal glands when the body is under stress.
Vitamin C 3,000 to 6,000 mg. aids in producing anti-stress adrenal hormones, and enhances the body’s immunity system.
We should also be conscious of our diet as food immensely affects the body’sfunctions. Try to avoid salt and acid-producing foods such as meat, cereal, bread, and grains.
Also, avoid fried foods or fatty and greasy foods. Some researchers have found out that drinking cold water also causes migraines. Eat small meals and eat between meals to help stabilize wide swings in blood sugar that may precipitate a migraine.
Exercise is important. You can also massage the neck and back of the head daily.
Here are some neck rolling exercises which can alleviate stiffness in the neck area.
(a) Turn your head to the right and left. Repeat this eight to 10 times (both ways equal one time).
(b) Then, looking straight ahead, alternately bend your head to the right, then to the left. Repeat this eight to 10 times.
(c) Gently bend your head backwards and forwards. Repeat this eight to 10 times.
(d) Then, gradually rotate your head in a circular motion. Begin with small circles and gradually increase the size to as large as possible without straining or screwing the neck. Relax your muscles around the neck. Do at least eight to 10 revolutions and eight to 10 counter clockwise revolutions.
If you do this properly, your neck will make some crackling noises. This is cause by the release of tension and the massaging of the ligaments, nerves, and muscles. This will help prevent tension headaches. When you are finished, you will feel relaxed and slightly light headed.
There are certain points at which you can apply acupressure. These are at the end of the eyebrow at the temple side, at the end of the eyes at the side of the nose, beyond the hairline above the earlobe (locate the tender area). You can also apply pressure on the web between the thumb and index finger and at your exterior side of the forearm just below the elbow joint. Some patients have found a relief by placing slices of lemon on the temples.
Now you have different alternative solutions every time that excruciating migraine attacks.
Remember, diet and exercise is essentials in attracting that good health that we need.。
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Protect yourself against cancer
Radical liberals are not a political group, but a kind of very
active molecule that is suspected of being one of the causes of cancer.
How can you protect yourself? Diet plays an important role here,
especially in the absorption of anti-oxidants. The strongest
anti-oxidizing agent is Vitamin E, which is found in wheat germ oil
and sunflower seeds.
Next comes Vitamin C (oranges, grapefruits, lemons, red peppers
etc.).
Beta carotene also absorbs large amounts of radical liberals.
This substance seems to act as a protecting agent against most types
of cancer.
Where do you find it? In red vegetables (like tomatoes), orange
ones (carrots), yellow (squash), and dark green (broccoli). All these
are rich in beta carotene. So make them a regular part of your menu!。
active molecule that is suspected of being one of the causes of cancer.
How can you protect yourself? Diet plays an important role here,
especially in the absorption of anti-oxidants. The strongest
anti-oxidizing agent is Vitamin E, which is found in wheat germ oil
and sunflower seeds.
Next comes Vitamin C (oranges, grapefruits, lemons, red peppers
etc.).
Beta carotene also absorbs large amounts of radical liberals.
This substance seems to act as a protecting agent against most types
of cancer.
Where do you find it? In red vegetables (like tomatoes), orange
ones (carrots), yellow (squash), and dark green (broccoli). All these
are rich in beta carotene. So make them a regular part of your menu!。
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Cinnamon & Its Health Benefits
Cinnamon has a long history both as a spice and as a medicine. Cinnamon's unique healing abilities come from three basic types of components in the essential oils found in its bark. These oils contain active components called cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, and cinnamyl alcohol, plus a wide range of other volatile substances.
Anti-Clotting Actions
Cinnamaldehyde has been well-researched for its effects on blood platelets. Platelets are constituents of blood that are meant to clump together under emergency circumstances (like physical injury) as a way to stop bleeding, but under normal circumstances, they can make blood flow inadequate if they clump together too much. The cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon helps prevent unwanted clumping of blood platelets. Cinnamon's ability to lower the release of arachidonic acid from cell membranes also puts it in the category of an "anti-inflammatory" food that can be helpful in lessening inflammation.
Anti-Microbial Activity
Cinnamon's essential oils also qualify it as an "anti-microbial" food, and cinnamon has been studied for its ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi. In lab tests, growth of yeasts that were resistant to the commonly used anti-fungal medication fluconazole was often (though not always) stopped by cinnamon extracts.
Blood Sugar Control
Cinnamon may significantly help people with type 2 diabetes improve their ability to respond to insulin, thus normalizing their blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that compounds in cinnamon not only stimulate insulin receptors, but also inhibit an enzyme that inactivates them, thus significantly increasing cells' ability to use glucose. Studies to confirm cinnamon's beneficial actions in humans are currently underway with the most recent report coming from researchers from the US Agricultural Research Service, who have shown that less than half a teaspoon per day of cinnamon reduces blood sugar levels in persons with type 2 diabetes.
Cinnamon's Scent Boosts Brain Function
Research led by Dr. P. Zoladz (April, 2004), found that chewing cinnamon flavored gum or just smelling cinnamon enhanced participants' cognitive processing. Specifically, cinnamon improved participants' scores on tasks related to attentional processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor speed while working on a computer-based program. Encouraged by the results, researchers will be evaluating cinnamon's potential for enhancing cognition in the elderly, individuals with test-anxiety, and possibly even patients with diseases that lead to cognitive decline.
Calcium and Fiber Improve Colon Health and Protect Against Heart Disease
Cinnamon is an excellent source of the trace mineral manganese, dietary fiber, iron and calcium. The combination of calcium and fiber in cinnamon is important and can be helpful for the prevention of several different conditions. Both calcium and fiber can bind to bile salts and help remove them from the body. By removing bile, fiber helps to prevent the damage that certain bile salts can cause to colon cells, thereby reducing the risk of colon cancer. In addition, when bile is removed by fiber, the body must break down cholesterol in order to make new bile. This process can help to lower high cholesterol levels, which can be helpful in preventing atherosclerosis and heart disease. For sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome, the fiber in cinnamon may also provide relief from constipation or diarrhea.
A Traditional Warming Remedy
In addition to the active components in its essential oils and its nutrient composition, cinnamon has also been valued in energy-based medical systems, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, for its warming qualities. In these traditions, cinnamon has been used to provide relief when faced with the onset of a cold or flu, especially when mixed in a tea with some fresh ginger.
A Few Quick Serving Ideas:
Enjoy one of the favorite kids' classics - cinnamon toast - with a healthy twist. Drizzle flax seed oil onto whole wheat toast and then sprinkle with cinnamon and honey.
Simmer cinnamon sticks with soymilk and honey for a deliciously warming beverage.
Adding ground cinnamon to black beans to be used in burritos or nachos will give them a uniquely delicious taste.
Healthy sauté lamb with eggplant, raisins and cinnamon sticks to create a Middle Eastern inspired meal. Add ground cinnamon when preparing curries.
Anti-Clotting Actions
Cinnamaldehyde has been well-researched for its effects on blood platelets. Platelets are constituents of blood that are meant to clump together under emergency circumstances (like physical injury) as a way to stop bleeding, but under normal circumstances, they can make blood flow inadequate if they clump together too much. The cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon helps prevent unwanted clumping of blood platelets. Cinnamon's ability to lower the release of arachidonic acid from cell membranes also puts it in the category of an "anti-inflammatory" food that can be helpful in lessening inflammation.
Anti-Microbial Activity
Cinnamon's essential oils also qualify it as an "anti-microbial" food, and cinnamon has been studied for its ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi. In lab tests, growth of yeasts that were resistant to the commonly used anti-fungal medication fluconazole was often (though not always) stopped by cinnamon extracts.
Blood Sugar Control
Cinnamon may significantly help people with type 2 diabetes improve their ability to respond to insulin, thus normalizing their blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that compounds in cinnamon not only stimulate insulin receptors, but also inhibit an enzyme that inactivates them, thus significantly increasing cells' ability to use glucose. Studies to confirm cinnamon's beneficial actions in humans are currently underway with the most recent report coming from researchers from the US Agricultural Research Service, who have shown that less than half a teaspoon per day of cinnamon reduces blood sugar levels in persons with type 2 diabetes.
Cinnamon's Scent Boosts Brain Function
Research led by Dr. P. Zoladz (April, 2004), found that chewing cinnamon flavored gum or just smelling cinnamon enhanced participants' cognitive processing. Specifically, cinnamon improved participants' scores on tasks related to attentional processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor speed while working on a computer-based program. Encouraged by the results, researchers will be evaluating cinnamon's potential for enhancing cognition in the elderly, individuals with test-anxiety, and possibly even patients with diseases that lead to cognitive decline.
Calcium and Fiber Improve Colon Health and Protect Against Heart Disease
Cinnamon is an excellent source of the trace mineral manganese, dietary fiber, iron and calcium. The combination of calcium and fiber in cinnamon is important and can be helpful for the prevention of several different conditions. Both calcium and fiber can bind to bile salts and help remove them from the body. By removing bile, fiber helps to prevent the damage that certain bile salts can cause to colon cells, thereby reducing the risk of colon cancer. In addition, when bile is removed by fiber, the body must break down cholesterol in order to make new bile. This process can help to lower high cholesterol levels, which can be helpful in preventing atherosclerosis and heart disease. For sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome, the fiber in cinnamon may also provide relief from constipation or diarrhea.
A Traditional Warming Remedy
In addition to the active components in its essential oils and its nutrient composition, cinnamon has also been valued in energy-based medical systems, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, for its warming qualities. In these traditions, cinnamon has been used to provide relief when faced with the onset of a cold or flu, especially when mixed in a tea with some fresh ginger.
A Few Quick Serving Ideas:
Enjoy one of the favorite kids' classics - cinnamon toast - with a healthy twist. Drizzle flax seed oil onto whole wheat toast and then sprinkle with cinnamon and honey.
Simmer cinnamon sticks with soymilk and honey for a deliciously warming beverage.
Adding ground cinnamon to black beans to be used in burritos or nachos will give them a uniquely delicious taste.
Healthy sauté lamb with eggplant, raisins and cinnamon sticks to create a Middle Eastern inspired meal. Add ground cinnamon when preparing curries.
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