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Featured

Chemists Shed Light On Health Benefits Of Garlic

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It has long been believed that the organic compound allicin, which gives garlic its characteristic aroma and flavor, acts as the world’s most powerful antioxidant. But until now it hasn’t been clear how allicin works, or how it compares to more common antioxidants such as vitamin E and coenzyme Q10.

.Garlic. Chemists have discovered the reason why garlic is so good for us. (Credit: iStockphoto/Jorge Farres Sanchez)

.A research team investigated whether allicin could be as effective as claimed. Through experiments with synthetically produced allicin, they found that sulfenic acid produced when the compound decomposes rapidly reacts with dangerous free radicals.

Researchers said that the reaction between the sulfenic acid and radicals is as fast as it can get, limited only by the time it takes for the two molecules to come into contact. No other compound has been observed to react as an antioxidant so quickly.

Sources:
Science Daily January 31, 2009

Angewandte Chemie International Edition December 22, 2008, Volume 48 Issue 1, Pages 157-160

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Categories
Fruits & Vegetables Herbs & Plants

Chockeberries

Botanical Name:Aronia
Family:Rosaceae
Subfamily: Maloideae
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Rosales

Habitat: Native to eastern North America and most commonly found in wet woods and swamps.

Description; The chokeberries (Aronia) are two species of deciduous shrubs.The chokeberries are often mistakenly called chokecherries, which is the common name for Prunus virginiana. Further adding to the ambiguity, there is a cultivar of Prunus virginiana named ‘Melanocarpa’ easily confused with Aronia melanocarpa. In fact, the two plants are only distantly related within the Rosaceae.

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The two species are readily distinguished by their fruit color, from which the common names derive. The leaves are alternate, simple, and oblanceolate with crenate margins and pinnate venation; in autumn the leaves turn a bold red color.

Dark trichomes are present on the upper midrib surface. The flowers are small, with 5 petals and 5 sepals, and produced in corymbs of 10-25 together. Hypanthium is urn-shaped. The fruit is a small pome, with a very astringent, bitter flavor; it is eaten by birds (birds do not taste astringency and feed on them readily), which then disperse the seeds in their droppings. The name “chokeberry” comes from the astringency of the fruits which are inedible when raw.

Chokeberries are very high in antioxidant pigment compounds, like anthocyanins. They share this property with chokecherries, further contributing to confusion.

Aronia is closely related to Photinia, and has been included in that genus in some classifications (Robertson et al. 1991).

Red chokeberry,(http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/savanna/plants/bl_chokeberry.htm)   Aronia arbutifolia, grows to 2-4 m tall, rarely up to 6 m. Leaves are 5-8 cm long and densely pubescent on the underside. The flowers are white or pale pink, 1 cm diameter, with glandular sepals. The fruit is red, 4-10 mm diameter, persisting into winter.

Red Chokeberry-aronia-arbutifolia

Black chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa, tends to be smaller, rarely exceeding 1 m tall, rarely 3 m, and spreads readily by root sprouts. The leaves are smaller, not more than 6 cm long, with terminal glands on leaf teeth and a glabrous underside. The flowers are white, 1.5 cm diameter, with glabrous sepals. The fruit is black, 6-9 mm diameter, not persisting into winter.

Black chokberry-aronia-melanocarpa

Click to see The Berries Gallery:
.The two species can hybridise, giving the Purple Chokeberry, Aronia x prunifolia. Leaves are moderately pubescent on the underside. Few to no glands are present on the sepal surface. The fruit is dark purple to black, 7-10 mm in diameter, not persisting into winter.

Uses:
The chokeberries are attractive ornamental plants for gardens. They are naturally understory and woodland edge plants, and grow well when planted under trees. Chokeberries are resistant to drought, insects, pollution, and disease. Several cultivars have been developed for garden planting, including A. arbutifolia ‘Brilliant’, selected for its striking fall leaf color, and A. melanocarpa ‘Viking’ and ‘Nero’, selected for larger fruit suitable for jam-making.Juice from these berries is astringent and not sweet, but high in vitamin C and antioxidants. The berries can be used to make wine or jam after cooking. Aronia is also used as a flavoring or colorant for beverages or yogurts.

The red chokeberry’s fruit is more palatable and can be eaten raw. It has a sweeter flavor than the black species and is used to make jam or pemmican.

Antioxidant qualities
Aronia melanocarpa (black chokeberry) has attracted scientific interest due to its deep purple, almost black pigmentation that arises from dense contents of phenolic phytochemicals, especially anthocyanins. Total anthocyanin content in chokeberries is 1480 mg per 100 g of fresh berries, and proanthocyanidin concentration is 664 mg per 100 g (Wu et al. 2004, 2006). Both values are among the highest measured in plants to date.

The plant produces these pigments mainly in the skin of the berries to protect the pulp and seeds from constant exposure to ultraviolet radiation. By absorbing UV rays in the blue-purple spectrum, pigments filter intense sunlight and thereby have a role assuring regeneration of the species. Brightly colorful pigmentation also attracts birds and animals to consume the fruit and disperse the seeds in their droppings.

Anthocyanins not only contribute toward chokeberry’s astringent property (that would deter pests and infections) but also give Aronia melanocarpa extraordinary antioxidant strength that combats oxidative stress in the fruit during photosynthesis.

A test tube measurement of antioxidant strength, the oxygen radical absorbance capacity or ORAC, demonstrates chokeberry with one of the highest values yet recorded — 16,062 micromoles of Trolox Eq. per 100 g.

There is growing appreciation for consumers to increase their intake of antioxidant-rich plant foods from colorful sources like berries, tree or citrus fruits, vegetables, grains, and spices. Accordingly, a deep blue food source such as chokeberry yields anthocyanins in high concentrations per serving, indicating potential value as a functional food or nutraceutical.

Analysis of anthocyanins in chokeberries has identified the following individual chemicals (among hundreds known to exist in
the plant kingdom): cyanidin-3-galactoside, epicatechin, caffeic acid, quercetin, delphinidin, petunidin, pelargonidin, peonidin and malvidin. All these are members of the flavonoid category of antioxidant phenolics.
For reference to phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins and similar plant-derived antioxidants, Wikipedia has a list of phytochemicals and foods in which they are prominent.

Medicinal Uses:
Chokeberries’ rich antioxidant content may be beneficial as a dietary preventative for reducing the risk of diseases caused by oxidative stress. Among the models under evaluation where preliminary results show benefits of chokeberry anthocyanins are colorectal cancer (Lala et al. 2006), cardiovascular disease (Bell & Gochenaur 2006), chronic inflammation (Han et al. 2005), gastric mucosal disorders (peptic ulcer) (Valcheva-Kuzmanova et al. 2005), eye inflammation (uveitis) (Ohgami et al. 2005) and liver failure (Valcheva-Kuzmanova et al. 2004).

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aronia

http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/savanna/plants/bl_chokeberry.htm

http://www.natures-health-foods.com/Aronia.html

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Herbs & Plants Herbs & Plants (Spices)

Turmeric The Miracle Spice

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For more than 5,000 years, turmeric has been an important part of Eastern cultural traditions, including traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. Valued for its medicinal properties and warm, peppery flavor, this yellow-orange spice has more recently earned a name for itself in Western medicine as well.

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Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma longa plant, which is native to Indonesia and southern India, and is widely used as an ingredient in curry dishes and yellow mustard. As research into this powerful spice has increased, it has emerged as one of nature’s most powerful potential healers.

Said Dr. David Frawely, founder and director of the American Institute for Vedic Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico:

“If I had only one single herb to depend upon for all possible health and dietary needs, I would without much hesitation choose the Indian spice Turmeric. There is little it cannot do in the realm of healing and much that no other herb is able to accomplish.

Turmeric has a broad spectrum of actions, mild but certain effects, and is beneficial for long term and daily usage. Though it is a common spice, few people, including herbalists know of its great value and are using it to the extent possible. It is an herb that one should get to know and live with.”

Turmeric’s Beneficial Effects in a Nutshell:
*Strengthens and improves digestion
*Reduces gas and bloating
*Assists in the digestion of protein and with rice and bean dishes
*Improves your body’s ability to digest fats
*Promotes proper metabolism, correcting both excesses and deficiencies
*Maintains and improves intestinal flora
*Improves elimination of wastes and toxins

Supports healthy liver function and detox:
*Turmeric helps increase bile flow making it a liver cleanser that can rejuvenate your liver cells and recharge their *capability to break down toxins
*Helps to prevent alcohol and other toxins from being converted into compounds that may be harmful to your liver
*Supports formation of healthy tissue

Purifies your blood :
*Stimulates formation of new blood tissue
*Anti-inflammatory: Helps to reduce irritation to tissues characterized by pain, redness, swelling and heat

Contains curcuminoids that fight cancer, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s :-
*Curcuminoids are potent phytonutrients (plant-based nutrients) that contain powerful antioxidant properties

*Counteract the damaging effects of free radicals in your body

*Relieve arthritis pain and stiffness, anti-inflammatory agent

*Anti-carcinogenic: “Curcumin has been shown to prevent a large of number of cancers in animal studies. Laboratory data indicate that curcumin can inhibit tumor initiation, promotion, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis.”

*Supports treatment of Alzheimer’s disease: “Because Alzheimer’s disease is caused in part by amyloid-induced inflammation, curcumin has been shown to be effective against Alzheimer’s. Clinical trials are in progress at UCLA with curcumin for *Alzheimer’s.”

Curcumin: Turmeric’s Active Anti-Inflammatory “Ingredient”:-
Most notably turmeric is known for its potent anti-inflammatory properties, which come from curcumin — the pigment that gives turmeric its yellow-orange color, and which is thought to be responsible for many of its medicinal effects. There are an estimated three to five grams of curcumin in 100 grams of turmeric.

Curcumin has been shown to influence more than 700 genes, and it can inhibit both the activity and the synthesis of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) and 5-lipooxygenase (5-LOX), as well as other enzymes that have been implicated in inflammation.

Turmeric’s Cancer-Fighting Properties:-
In India where turmeric is widely used, the prevalence of four common U.S. cancers — colon, breast, prostate and lung — is 10 times lower. In fact, prostate cancer, which is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in U.S. men, is rare in India and this is attributed, in part, to turmeric.

Numerous studies have looked into this potential cancer-fighting link, with promising results. For instance, curcumin has been found to:

*Inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells
*Inhibit the transformation of cells from normal to tumor
*Help your body destroy mutated cancer cells so they cannot spread throughout your body
*Decrease inflammation
*Enhance liver function
*Inhibit the synthesis of a protein thought to be instrumental in tumor formation
*Prevent the development of additional blood supply necessary for cancer cell growth

As for the results of research studies, a study in Biochemical Pharmacology found that curcumin can slow the spread of breast cancer cells to the lungs in mice.

*Curcumin acts against transcription factors, which are like a master switch,” said lead researcher, Bharat Aggarwal.

*Transcription factors regulate all the genes needed for tumors to form. When we turn them off, we shut down some genes that are involved in the growth and invasion of cancer cells.”

A second study in Biochemical Pharmacology also found that curcumin inhibits the activation of NF-kappaB, a regulatory molecule that signals genes to produce a slew of inflammatory molecules (including TNF, COX-2 and IL-6) that promote cancer cell growth.

Turmeric’s Essential Role for Your Liver:-
Your liver’s primary role is to process and remove toxins carried in your bloodstream. When functioning at its peak, it can filter up to two liters of blood per minute and easily break apart toxic molecules to reduce their toxicity. Your liver is also a crucial part of vitamin, mineral, protein, fat, carbohydrate and hormonal metabolism.

However, poor diet, allergens, pollution and stress can cause your liver to become sluggish, and this can impair its vital functions. This is where turmeric can be a very useful part of your liver support system. Studies have shown that it:

*May increase important detoxification enzymes in your liver
*Induces the formation of a primary liver detoxification enzyme, glutathione S-transferase (GST) enzymes

Turmeric is also a natural cholagogue, a medicinal agent that promotes the discharge of bile from your system. Increased bile flow is important to help your liver detoxify and to help your body digest fats.

Click to learn more about Turmeric from Dr. Mercola’s article

You may click to see:->

Turmeric slows melanoma growth in lab study
Turmeric slows breast cancer spread in mice
Turmeric could help treat cystic fibrosis

Categories
Exercise

Seated Twists Give Muscles a Lift

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Twisting is a part of everyday movement, but if your body is not used to doing it correctly, you could easily get injured by twisting the wrong way. Here are two seated twists that will help stretch and strengthen the muscles of your back, abdomen, hips and legs. Once you feel comfortable with twists done safely on the floor, you can progress to standing twists. Always approach twists with caution, especially if you have a sensitive back.

Step 1. Sit on the floor with both legs stretched out in front of you. Bend your right knee, foot flat on the floor next to your left inner knee. Hug your right knee with your left arm and pull your body upright so you’re sitting tall. Move your right hand behind you, placing it flat on the floor to help you maintain a vertical spine. Now rotate your upper body to the right as far as you can. Stay in this position for 10 to 20 seconds while breathing evenly. Return to the starting position and switch sides or continue to the next pose.

Step 2. Stay in the twist as you grasp the outer edge of your right foot and slowly straighten your right knee and left elbow. Keep your spine upright as you stretch your right hand out and back . Stay in this position for 10 to 20 seconds. Bend your right knee, release your foot and turn to the front. Switch legs and repeat on the other side.

Sources: Los Angeles Times

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Diagnonistic Test

Sputum Evaluation (and Sputum Induction)

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Introduction:
If your doctor thinks you have pneumonia, he or she might examine a sample of your sputum, the phlegm that you cough out of your lungs, to try to determine what type of bacteria or other infectious agent might be the cause.

Sputum induction is also  a new support tool for the diagnosis and evaluation of occupational asthma.
In order to evaluate a new test for helping in the diagnosis and evaluation of occupational asthma, 24 workers with occupational asthma were recruited. Besides assessing their respiratory function, their bronchial inflammation was evaluated by sputum induction, a simple method that evaluates bronchial cellularity non-invasively. The results show that the functional and inflammatory parameters of subjects with occupational asthma improve mainly in the 6 months following removal from exposure. Furthermore, it appears that the workers with eosinophilic bronchial inflammation at the time of diagnosis evolve more favourably after removal from exposure than those without this inflammation.

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How do you prepare for the test?
Drink plenty of fluids the night before the test; this may help to produce a sample.

What happens when the test is performed?
You need to cough up a sample of sputum. To be useful for testing, the stuff you cough up has to be from deep within the lungs. If your cough is too shallow or dry, the doctor might ask you to breathe in a saltwater mist through a tube or mask. This mist makes you cough deeply, usually producing an excellent phlegm sample.

You may click to see:->

Method and apparatus for inducing sputum samples for diagnostic evaluation

Lung Tests in Asthma

Risk Factor: No risk is involved.

Must you do anything special after the test is over? : Nothing

How long is it before the result of the test is known?
The technician stains the sputum sample and views it under a microscope. Some of the sample is incubated to grow the bacteria or other germs in it for further testing. This step is called a sputum culture.While some stain results might be available on the day of your test, the culture usually requires several days.

Resources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/diagnostic-tests/sputum-evaluation.htm
http://www.irsst.qc.ca/en/_projet_3045.html

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