Tag Archives: coffee

Cancer Fighting Foods

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Scientific Review Reveals the 10 Best Cancer Killing Phytonutrients To Eat

10 Best Cancer Killing Phytonutrients To Eat

26th September 2015

By Sayer Ji

Contributing Writer for Wake Up World

Thirty years of research reveals 10 of the best food phytonutrients to ingest to protect against and even treat the root cause of most cancers.

A new medical model is fast emerging in line with ancient wisdom: one that aims to strike to the root cause of disease and resolve it permanently, and which some call “functional medicine.” In cancer treatment, this highly rational approach involves targeting the cancer stem cells (CSCs) at the root of cancer malignancy. Because we now know that CSCs are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation treatment, and may even increase in number and invasiveness when exposed to these outdated therapies, it is no longer ethical to continue with the conventional oncologist’s “standard of care.” Clearly, unless a cancer treatment is capable of selectively killing and/or inducing suicide programs (apoptosis) within cancer cells without harming non-cancerous cells, it is not going to produce a cure.

In light of this, we are excited to report on a review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences titled, “Phytochemicals as Innovative Therapeutic Tools against Cancer Stem Cells,” which evaluated the evidence for what natural compounds within various foods and spices make for the most compelling treatments for targeting CSCs. (Download the review here.)

According to the review of 30 years worth of literature on the topic, the following 10 natural substances have been demonstrated to be the most effective chemopreventive dietary agents against CSCs:

  1. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG): A green tea extract

  2. Curcumin: The primary polyphenol in turmeric root 

  3. Resveratrol: A phytochemical found in grapes, peanuts, Japanese knotweed

  4. Lycopene: A red carotenoid found in watermelon, pink grapefruit, and tomatoes

  5. Pomegranate extracts

  6. Luteolin: A flavonoid found in peppers and various green vegetables

  7. Genistein: A phytochemical found in soy, red clover, and coffee

  8. Piperine: A phytochemicals found in black pepper

  9. Beta-carotene: An orange carotenoid found in various vegetables

  10. Sulforaphane: A sulfurous phytochemical found in Cruciferous vegetables

The researchers described the discovery that phytochemicals can selectively target CSCs as “a milestone in the improvement of cancer treatment because the synthetic anticancer drugs that are currently used are often highly toxic for healthy organs and weakens the patient’s immune system.“

They also pointed out that the phytochemicals or extracts identified above, due to their “low levels of toxicity for normal cells,” can be used in combination with other phytochemicals, “yielding powerful synergistic effects.“

They identified several key areas of focus for the future:

  • Finding a way to combine these compounds into “very active cocktails of phytochemicals” to address the multiple areas of treatment resistance often found in CSCs.

  • Compare the effects of natural phytochemicals with synthetic drugs, the latter of which they anticipate will be found to be less efficient.

  • Further research should be performed on CSCs to better understand the signaling pathways that govern their self-renewal and survival.

The authors concluded, “[T]he use of phytochemicals may be a true therapeutic strategy for eradicating cancer through the elimination of CSCs.“

If you have followed GreenMedInfo.com, you know cover the complex terrain of modern cancer treatment and its failures in various exposes on cancer overdiagnosis, the misunderstood nature of cancer, the reality of chemo and radiation resistance, the sorcerer-like power that doctors have over the health destiny of their patients, and the corrupt pharmaceutically-driven medical system that sacrifices ethics for profit. It is clear that while this is a harrowing task and topic, often fraught with darkness, the discovery that natural substances are superior to highly toxic chemotherapy and radiation in selectively killing the root cause of cancer is extremely promising and should help to usher in a new era of cancer prevention and treatment that looks at our dietary decisions as the most important factor in our health destiny.

 

About the author:

Sayer-JiSayer Ji is an author, educator, Steering Committee Member of the Global GMO-Free Coalition (GGFC), advisory board member of the National Health Federation, and the founder of GreenMedInfo.com – an open access, evidence-based resource supporting natural and integrative modalities. His writings have been published and referenced widely in print and online, including Truthout, Mercola.com, The Journal of Gluten Sensitivity, New York Times and The Well Being Journal.

from:    http://wakeup-world.com/2015/09/26/scientific-review-reveals-the-10-best-cancer-killing-phytonutrients-to-eat/

Healthy Additions to Your Morning Joe

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10 Superfoods You Can Add to Your Coffee

Latte artHeather Callaghan
Activist Post

Each day a person gets about three opportunities to up their nutrition in order to sustain them for that day and carry them through to the next.

Some of us, for various reasons, cannot overhaul our food lifestyles overnight. Sometimes the availability of funds and wholesome foods just isn’t there. Supplements are expensive and it’s frustrating to have to take things after striving to get nutrition from food (that comes from seriously depleted soil).

That’s why I’m a big fan of doctoring your foods to the highest and most flavorful potency. Make food into both medicine and supplements by simply working them into your routine recipes. By doing so, you don’t have to remember to take anything or choke down pills. You also don’t bypass any digestive channels. You can feel better from the start of your day. Chances are, you have some of these ingredients hiding in your cabinet!

Without further ado – here are 10 superfoods you can add to your morning brew.

1. Grassfed butter  – There is a vast nutritional difference between butter from grassfed or pastured cows versus conventional store bought butter. Mainly, the Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio, very important when fighting inflammation. Not only is grassfed butter better in terms of a nutritional brain food (plus it’s from non-GMO fed cows), but it mixes better. Kerrygold unsalted butter is available in many stores – ask yours to stock it for you. Follow this recipe and blend. I choose not to use it as a meal replacement but for when I really want to focus without the caffeine jitters. This coffee will give you energy and make you chill at the same time.

2. Coconut oil – If you’ve read about butter coffee, you will see people adding commercial MCT oils to it. Please skip that and go for coconut oil instead, which is close to the whole product. This is another fatty brain food that is also anti-microbial without hurting the good cells. Blend as you would the butter. The best coconut oil is the least processed – that would be centrifuge extracted, the only kind I use for consumption. I even confused the Whole Foods employees by asking about it. Get energy, better nutrition absorption, pain relief, weight loss and more. The benefits are astounding.

3. Cardamom – Is a familiar friend if you’ve ever had the pleasure of imbibing Turkish coffee (recipe). Cardamom is the secret ingredient. This blessed spice is bursting with electrolytes, contains vitamin C, iron, fiber and other medicinal properties. It is amazing for all things digestive and is said to fight depression and cancer. If you have a hard time getting an appetite, take heart – cardamom will get it started. Plus the smell and taste are heavenly – you might not be able to go back to regular after adding cardamom. You will want to use the powdered spice. If you happen to have an essential oil then you also have a great breath freshener. But, if you want to use the oil in coffee, you will need to dip just the point of a toothpick into the oil bottle and stir the pick into the pot. Yes, that is the amount for the entire pot – it is a very potent oil!

4. Cinnamon – For the most benefits, use Ceylon cinnamon. Most North Americans use cassia which has high levels of coumarin, toxic to the liver. Ceylon cinnamon is shown to help with moods, weight loss, blood pressure, gut health, pain, oral health and more. It’s probably not used as much because it tastes much more subtle than typical store-bought cinnamon. Always get your organic spices in bulk from the health food store and transfer them in jars to preserve their taste.

5. Reishi Mushrooms – I tested this one on myself to make sure there is some benefit to adding Reishi powder to my morning regimen – there is! It takes awhile to notice, so please stick with it 3-5 times a week. I find buying the powder and adding it in is less expensive then buying Ganoderma coffee (Reishi-infused beans) or taking the supplements. Plus, you can easily add it to other recipes. In just one of my morning cups, I add between 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon and use a handheld frother to mix. The fine powder does not stir well. After doing this for a month, I find that I have less pain, better immune system and pep. Some people find it to be bitter – it can be, but it has a taste that lends itself well to coffee. Reishi is wonderful for a struggling immune system, even for people who are auto-immune.

6. Egg Shells – Some people make their calcium supplement by grinding egg shells. I haven’t tried that but I add egg shells to my brew for the world’s smoothest cup, and to get some minerals back in. I use only farm fresh eggs, rinse the shells, break them up and put them in my french press to brew with the grounds. After four minutes I plunge and pour. Works with drip coffee machines too, just place in the brew basket.  This is the secret to the smoothest cup you’ll ever drink – it annihilates the acidity.

7. Raw Cacao powder – Not only is this a yum way to get a cocoa taste, but raw cacao has minerals like magnesium and iron, flavonoids and antioxidants said to help prevent cancer and increase cardiovascular health. A little goes a long way. This one will suppress the food appetite but increase the appetite for some lovin’. The jury’s still out on all the health hype – and so am I. But, chocolate cravings are real and to me, this powder beats a Hershey bar any day of the week.

8. Gelatin – Do your joints and bones go “snap, crackle and pop” in the morning? Then get some strength, collagen builders and extra protein with gelatin and soothe your digestive tract at the same time. You can get tasteless packets at the store, or go for a grassfed source. Also try the easier-to-digest collagen supplemental powder which you can simply add – no premixing. I was using Now Foods brand and first add the granules to an ounce of cold water, let sit for a minute, then add to the coffee. Without that first step, I might have to eat my coffee in a gel! I will switch to collagen hydrolysate soon so I can just add the powder. Obviously, this is not for vegans and vegetarians.

9. Cayenne – Has so many benefits in its own right. Believe it or not, it is used around the world in coffee. It actually neutralizes the acid. Check out this Mexican mocha recipe.

10. Nutmeg, clove and/or ginger – Similar to cinnamon and cardamom, these are sweet spices loaded with medicinal properties. If they appeal to you in any way, explore some recipes and make your beverage your new medicine. If this is starting to sound sort of like Chai, well, it is similar! Here, try this Moroccan coffee, sure to really wake you up and possibly reduce pain, and help your cells push away cancer.

The worst thing I tried during my experiment was whey protein – don’t try it in coffee! I don’t think I kept it down. Did you know Nordic countries like Scandinavia use raw egg to make coffee?

Honorable Mentions:

  • Raw honey, maple syrup and coconut sugar are possible sweeteners that are less damaging than white refined sugar – but, I’m not sure that they qualify as superfoods for this purpose even though they do contain minerals and antioxidants. Real vanilla extract would be preferable to sugar.
  • Himalayan Salt – Yep, some people swear by just a pinch, especially in cold brew.
  • Raw milk and cream, great for fat and protein but not so great if overheated in the coffee. Coconut milk would be a great alternative.
  • Prebiotic Fiber (not affiliated and haven’t tried it, found it through researching – thoughts?)
  • Turmeric – after trying this for awhile, it just didn’t taste good to me. It’s only palatable if using generous cream, sweeteners and other spices or cacao.

Do you have a secret superfood supplement you add to your morning beverage? Have you tried any of these? Please share your thoughts below.

Heather Callaghan is a natural health blogger and food freedom activist.

from:    http://www.activistpost.com/2014/11/10-superfoods-you-can-add-to-your-coffee.html

Dumping Stress

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Kate Bratskeir

Associate Editor, Healthy Living

9 & 1/2 Things I’m Not Stressing Over Anymore

Posted: 03/15/2013 8:43 am

Something I find fascinating: You can literally throw away your negative thoughts. In a study done last November, participants were told write down their personal, invalidating beliefs on paper. Those who got to crumple their inner demons and dunk them a la NBA player Terrence Ross into a wastebasket (so maybe it wasn’t as dramatic, but I like to imagine) were less likely to be bogged down by their negativity.

Could the same be true for stressful thoughts?

As a GPS for the Soul editor — someone who reads, writes, Tweets and preaches about stress management all day — I have my own tools that work when stress rears its repugnant head. I know when it’s time to step away from the computer for a break. I’ve stored an arsenal of positive mantras if I’m ever in need of some uplifting perspective. All good. But this doesn’t mean I don’t stress.

So I wonder, could posting a blog on what I’ve resolved to no longer stress about diminish my worry, anxiety and — yes — stress? Once confronted and publically confessed, will the load be lifted (at least a little)?

Editors Sarah Klein, Meredith Melnick and Amanda Chan all did it, and while I’m guessing they’re not cured of stress, they’re lighter for it. Here’s my go:

9 ½ Stressors I’m Crumpling Up and Dumping in the Trash

1. Being A “Good” Dancer.
I will never be a good dancer. This is an objective statement. I don’t move like Jagger, I can’t get low, please don’t ask me to drop it like it’s hot. But rather than lean against the wall and stress, I’m just going to enjoy the music and embrace my inner Elaine.

2. Running Solo.
For me, running is meditative and peaceful. I love the feeling of my mind clearing out, and when I’m back at the door from my morning loop there’s this indescribable lightness that embodies my entire physicality.

Running only becomes stressful when other people enter the equation: Some (looking at you, sisters) persist that I sign up for races to get better, faster, stronger. The few I have completed took me out of the moment: I focused on my pace, the feet in front me and the legs I was able to count as I passed. It’s not serene, it’s competitive — and that’s not the spirit of my running.

And, to their vocal chagrin (I’m sorry!), running with friends makes me self-conscious: Am I running too fast? Do I run kind of weird? Should I be embarrassed for listening to “Climax” on repeat? When I run, I want to be by my lonesome, taking in the sights through my own lens, and feeling the endorphins surge.

I’m opting out of feeling obliged to join anyone — friend or opponent — on a run. And I’m saying “no thanks” without the guilt.

Which brings me to number 2 ½ …

2 ½. Still Running Solo.
I’ve never been one to suffer from FOMO. If anything, I suffer from FOMFTIA (that’s Fear of My Friends Thinking I’m Antisocial). I’m incredibly lucky to have such a loving pack who care to spend time with me, but there are moments, once again, that I prefer being on my own. And there lies the pressure — hence the stressor — of being cajoled to join in the fun. Here’s granting myself more permission to say “no” when an afternoon of reading a book, surfing the web (and being generally nerdy) or window shopping beats out the prospect of day-drinking by a landslide.

3. My Coffee Addiction.
Coffee has been described as a drug (aack!) that may raise your cholesterol, spike your blood pressure and lead to wide-awake nights.

And yet, coffee has been touted for its brilliance: It could lower the risk for depression, cancer and diabetes and it tastes like heaven (scientifically speaking).

So, whatever. The list of things I am not addicted to is a whole lot longer than the list of things to which I am. Science has a lot to work out about coffee, so in the meantime, just let me have this — jitters, shakes and all.

4. My Sense of Direction.
It’s bad, real bad. Once, on my four-hour trip home from college — upstate New York to Long Island — I ended up back at college … after four hours. Really. If I had a GPS surgically implanted it wouldn’t be the worst thing. And now in Manhattan, HopStop and I are in a semi-romantic relationship in lieu of a subway system that turns my brain inside-out. I used to stress about how I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere without technology. Now, instead of stress, I’m going to graciously accept all the help I can get.

5. Being Blind as a Bat.
Nearly every year, I get my eyes checked and my contact lens script raised. I have spent too much time being dramatic and upset over the possibility that I’ll one day not be able to see — realistically I know, it’s genetic, we are an appallingly near-sighted clan. From here on, I’m vowing to take in all the beauty that I have the privilege of looking at, and banking on that miraculous technology to fix my vision in the near future.

6. The Sentimental Things I’ve Lost.
My grandma’s turquoise pendant, that bracelet from an important boyfriend, a beloved, music-making stuffed animal — Lamby. The list goes on — items I’ve attached meaning to that are nowhere to be found. They weigh heavily on shelves inside my head. But as I’m regretting my careless misplacement of these things, I realize now, their memories — the meaningful parts — live right here, written down, typed up, catalogued in this very blog. Which means I haven’t lost these sentiments in the first place, and there’s not a reason to worry about all that’s unfound.

7. Pleasing Everyone at the Dinner Table.
In my experience, people treat vegetarians like strange, starving, picky burdens. I may be strange and picky, but starving I am most certainly not.

Others’ concerns for how I’ll navigate a restaurant menu (“We can’t go there,” “You won’t like this,” “Will this be enough for you?”) can no longer be of my concern.

Just a note: I’d do a jig for skirt steak salad with crumbled feta (sans skirt steak, please) and if it’s one of those bacon-and-brussels-sprout joints, I’m assertive enough to ask them to hold the pig. Don’t worry, people — be happy. I sure am, especially when I get the chance to dine out.

8. Keeping in Touch.
Facebook has done wonders for keeping us connected, to a certain degree. For me, the upset is the conspicuous reminder that I’ve done a poor job of keeping tabs — other than the ones lining my browser — on the many magnificent people who’ve come into my life. Instead of tossing and turning awake, mentally listing the check-up emails that I should be crafting, it’s been decided — here and now — that people float in and out of your life in waves at the times they’re meant to.

9. My Five-Year Plan.
I have plenty of friends who are on a five-year-track: They know just where they want to be and have a neat itinerary for when what will happen and how. Not me.

I’m not sure where I’ll land down the line, but when I hear people recite their life plans like roll call, or they cock their head at me in that way when I say “I dunno,” to what’s next, well, it stresses me out. I value the unknown and I won’t stress about it — I’m looking forward to good things. I’m optimistic (and almost certain) that my dreams are malleable and will mold and mesh with the times. So I’ll let them.

from;    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-bratskeir/stress-less_b_2862035.html?ref=topbar#slide=1624337

Need Some Energy — Try Chia Seeds

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Chia Seed – Ancient Food of Aztec Warriors, Now on Wall Street

By Carolanne Wright

3rd January 2013

Guest Writer for Wake Up World

The versatile chia seed has a long history of cultivation and use in Mexico, Central and South America. Warriors of the past have recognized chia’s exceptional energy and stamina supporting attributes. Over the last several years, those wishing to boost vitality have discovered the extraordinary power of this seed as well. Incredibly, even the workers on Wall Street have adopted chia to healthfully promote stamina in lieu of dangerous stimulants.

A member of the mint family, chia has been grown since 2,600 BCE in the southern regions of Mexico. Cultivation spread to the Aztec and Mayan civilizations where it claimed such importance. It was used as currency to pay tribute to the nobility and priesthood. Known as the “running food,” Aztec warriors were exclusively fueled by chia seeds and water during conquests. Due to its high level of easily digestible protein, omega-3 oils, and abundant fiber, chia kept ancient societies healthy and strong.

The rediscovery of chia

The outstanding benefits of chia have also been embraced by present-day health enthusiasts who value potent, nutritionally dense food. Many have used this tiny seed to slim down, gain energy, and increase endurance. Since chia absorbs up to 10 times its weight in water and is an excellent source of fiber, consumption promotes a feeling of satiety, thereby helping one to eat less. Vigor and stamina are enhanced by the high quality protein found in the seed. As an added bonus, chia is a hearty, environmentally friendly crop that is drought and pest resistant.

An unexpected use in an unusual place

As reported by David Sax in Bloomberg Businessweek Lifestyle, a startling craze is sweeping through Wall Street: using chia as an alternative to the usual stimulants of coffee, energy drinks; and, yes, even cocaine. According to the article, chia’s popularity is due to the best selling book “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall about Tarahumara Indian marathon runners who thrive on chia seeds. After reading the book, Dan Gluck and Nick Morris, a manager and trader in New York, began using chia to take advantage of all the nutritional and energy-boosting benefits. Both were so impressed with the results that they began spreading the chia news to friends and coworkers in finance. Soon a trend was born.

from:    http://wakeup-world.com/2013/01/03/chia-seed-ancient-food-of-aztec-warriors-now-on-wall-street/

How to Walk Safely Coffee in Hand

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(I am just so glad that the scientists have addressed this ever so critical issue. )

Science Reveals How Not to Spill Your Coffee When Walking

Natalie Wolchover, Life’s Little Mysteries Staff Writer
Date: 11 May 2012 Time: 01:02 PM ET

 

how to keep from spilling
CREDIT: H.C. Mayer and R. Krechetnikov

Ever wondered why it’s so hard to walk with a cup of coffee without spilling? It just so happens that the human stride has almost exactly the right frequency to drive the natural oscillations of coffee, when the fluid is in a typically sized coffee mug. New research shows that the properties of mugs, legs and liquid conspire to cause spills, most often at some point between your seventh and tenth step.

So says a pair of fluid physicists at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB). They investigated the science of sloshing in a new study published in the journal Physical Review Letters E, and calculated the natural frequency at which coffee sloshes back and forth when held in mugs of a variety of sizes, from a dainty espresso cup to a cappuccino behemoth. They found that a normal human gait moves at nearly the same frequency, so each step amplifies the coffee’s heave-ho motion. Stumbling or changing pace — common occurrences when you’re low on caffeine — make matters worse by causing chaos in your cup, increasing the chance of a splash over the rim.

But now, there’s hope. By modeling the fluid and walking dynamics of the situation, and comparing the math with some real-world walking-with-coffee experiments, the UCSB scientists have uncovered a few tips for bleary-eyed coffee cup carriers.

“Of course, there are ways to control coffee spilling,” study co-author Rouslan Krechetnikov told Life’s Little Mysteries.

Coffee drinkers often attempt to walk quickly with their cups, as if they might manage to reach their destination before their sloshing java waves reach a critical height. This method is scientifically flawed. It turns out that the faster you walk, the closer your gait comes to the natural sloshing frequency of coffee. To avoid driving the oscillations that lead to a spillage, walk slowly. [Why Does Room-Temperature Coffee Taste So Bad?]

Secondly, watch your cup, not your feet. The researchers found that when study participants focused on their cups, the average number of steps they took before spilling coffee increased greatly. Krechetnikov and his graduate student Hans Mayer, the primary author of the study, suggested two explanations for this result: First, focusing on one’s cup tends to engender slower walking, and second, it dampens the noise, or chaotic sloshing, in the cup. Whether focused carrying decreases the amount of noise because we perform “targeted suppression,” automatically counteracting the sloshing of the liquid with small flicks of our wrists, or because we simply hold the cup more steadily when we’re looking at it, the researchers could not say.

Third, accelerate gradually. If you take off suddenly, a huge coffee wave will build up almost instantly, and it will crash over the rim after just a few steps.

But the best way to prevent coffee spilling might be to find an unusual cup. According to Krechetnikov, ideas from liquid sloshing engineering studies, which historically were done to stabilize fuel tanks inside missiles, indicate three possibilities for spill-free cup designs: “a flexible container to act as a sloshing absorber in suppressing liquid oscillations, a series of annular ring baffles arranged around the inner wall of the container to achieve sloshing suppression, or a different shape cup.”

from:    http://www.livescience.com/20246-coffee-spill-walking.html