Several years ago I lost a beautiful, kind, loving, and talented cousin to breast cancer. She had begun to have strange pains in her leg and consequently went for a check up. Several doctors had not been able to find anything. However, after about six months or so, she was finally diagnosed with breast cancer. At that particular time though, the cancer had spread throughout her body. She died at 35.
There is nothing inherently mysterious about disease, including cancer. There is always a cause. For breast cancer, much research indicates a link with a low level of VITAMIN D. According to a study of 166 women undergoing breast cancer treatment presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Breast Cancer Symposium in San Francisco, nearly 70 percent had low levels of Vitamin D in there blood. The presence of Vitamin D was even lower in women with late stage cancer and with non-Caucasian women.[1]
A 2008 study in which researchers measured 103 premenopausal women from the northeastern United States, who were newly diagnosed with breast cancer, revealed that 84 percent were deficient in Vitamin D. Along racial and/or ethnic lines, the breakdown was Caucasian women (78 percent), Black women (90 percent), Latino (91 percent).[2] Dr. Pamela Goodwin's study in the Spring of 2008 conducted in Toronto, Canada tested the blood of 512 women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1989-1995. The researchers discovered that 76 percent of the women had insufficient or deficient levels of Vitamin D.
Current research has been done with CALCITRIOL (Vitamin D's most active form) and CALCIDIOL (Vitamin D's less active form) on breast cancer patients deficient in Vitamin D. Calcitriol inhibits breast cancer cells from growing and causes them to die like natural cells.[3] Studies have shown that the higher the level of calcidiol in the blood, the higher the levels of calcitriol exists in the tissues to fight breast cancer as calcidiol in the blood is converted to calcitriol in the tissues.[4] In 1997, researchers at the Manchester Royal Infirmary found that women with the highest levels of calcitriol in their blood showed the best prognosis while women with the lowest levels exhibited more of a propensity for fatal results.[5]
Since it is obvious that Vitamin D is essential as both a preventative measure and a treatment for breast cancer, the question now should be where can one best get the proper amounts of Vitamin D. The following is a list of foods that possess the highest concentration of Vitamin D according to Healthier Talk (www.healthiertalk.com):
Shiitake and Button Mushrooms (Dried Versions)
Mackerel (3 1/2 ounce yields 90% of the recommended daily amount)
Salmon (one serving provides 360 IU)*
Herring
Sardines (One small can represents about 70% of your daily needs)
Catfish
Tuna Fish (3 ounces provides 50% of your daily Vitamin D needs)
Cod Liver Oil (one tablespoon provides 1300 + IU)*
Eggs (one egg will provide 25 IU)*
Milk (one glass of fortified milk provides 100 IU)*
As you can see, these foods are great sources of Vitamin D. However, the number one source of all is still SUNLIGHT. Dr. Soram Khalsa, in his book The Vitamin D Revolution, asserts that the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of Vitamin D (400 IU) has proven NOT to be a sufficient intake for women. He suggests that up to 10,000 IU a day is safe.[2] Many scientists now believe that our daily intake of Vitamin D should be at 1,000 IU. Full-body sunbathing will produce 10,000 to 20,000 IU.[6] If you are in Arizona, California, or Florida, you should be in good shape with the SOLAR POWER. Otherwise, get what you can get and select the proper foods. If you are in less solar states, are a vegan, or a vegetarian, Vitamin D supplements are necessary. A 1999 study concluded that by combining sun, supplements, and Vitamin D rich food, an estimation of 70,000 to 150,000 new cases of breast cancer and up to 37,000 deaths from breast cancer could be prevented.[2]
References
1. ^ "Women with Breast Cancer Have Low Vitamin D Levels"
(http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091009090431.htm). Science Daily.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091009090431.htm.
Retrieved 2010-1-26.
2. ^ Khalsa, Soram (2009). The Vitamin D Revolution
(http://www.vitamindrevolution.com). Hay House Publishers. pp. (excerpted
at weblink). ISBN 978-1-4019-2470-6. http://www.vitamindrevolution.com.
3. ^ Bortman P, Folgueira MA, Katayama ML, Snitcovsky IM, Brentani MM.
Anti-proliferative effects of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on breast cells: a mini
review."Vitamin D and Breast Cancer: Vitamin D Receptors and
Calcitriol." (http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/cancerBreast.shtml). Braz J Med
Biol Res. 2002 Jan;35(1):1-9. http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/cancerBreast.shtml.
Retrieved 2010-1-26.
4. ^ "Vitamin D and Breast Cancer: Test for Calcidiol Levels, Not Calcitriol."
(http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/cancerBreast.shtml). Vitamin D Council.
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/cancerBreast.shtml. Retrieved 2010-1-26.
5. ^ Mawer EB, Walls J, Howell A, Davies M, Ratcliffe WA, Bundred NJ.
Serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D may be related inversely to disease activity in
breast cancer patients with bone metastases. 1997 Jan;82(1):118-22: "Vitamin D
and Breast Cancer" (http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/cancerBreast.shtml). J Clin
Endocrinol Metab.. http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/cancerBreast.shtml). Retrieved
2010-1-26.
6. ^ Johnston, Laurance. "Sunlight, Vitamin D & Health".
(http://www.healingtherapies.info/Sunlight&VitaminD.htm). Sunlight &
Vitamin D. http://www.healingtherapies.info/Sunlight&VitaminD.htm.
Retrieved 2010-1-27.
*www.healingtherapies.info/Sunlight&VitaminD.htm
Friday, January 29, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
WHAT'S SWEETER THAN SUGAR AND MUCH, MUCH HEALTHIER?: THE NEW STEVIA MOVEMENT
I am a SERIOUS LOVER of GINGER ALE. If I could have only one soft drink for the rest of my beautiful life, it would be ginger ale. However, the well-known manufacturers and distributors of ginger ale (no names, but you know who I'm talking about) have one drawback - they use HIGHLY PROCESSED SUGAR ... that EVIL WHITE STUFF. Recently, while shopping at my favorite supermarket health food store, WHOLE FOODS, as I was looking for my favorite ginger ale made with cane sugar, I noticed that they were "out of stock." Since I was "feining" for ginger ale, just as with the almonds, I had to find a substitute. I found this canned ginger ale advertised as being natural with no sugar or artificial sweeteners. As I searched the label of ingredients (which I always do), I noticed two that I was not familiar with. They were STEVIA and ERYTHRITOL. I noticed also that it listed GINGER ROOT as an ingredient, which indicated to me that there was more real ginger in this soda than the previous one. So I bought it and tried it. Within the first couple of sips, I noticed that I felt invigorated and that my sinuses and entire breathing apparatus seemed to clear up. In other words, I could breathe deeply.
After doing research on stevia, I discovered that it is an herb known as the "sweet herb" by the Guarani Indians of Paraguay, South America (its origin). These natives had been using stevia leaves to sweeten herbal teas such as the bitter mate since ancient times. The natives also used the leaves for medicinal purposes. The news and the use of stevia spread from Paraguay to Brazil and Argentina by the 1800s. Europeans discovered the "sweet herb" courtesy of Italian botanist Dr. Moises Santiago Bertoni, who heard about it while he was exploring Paraguay in 1887. Bertoni actually got his hands on it in 1903. Within about five years or so, the first stevia crop appeared. Thousands of stevia plants were removed for transplantation due to the destruction of the plant's natural growth area because of the clearing of the forests by the timber industry.[1]
In 1918 stevia came to the attention of the United States by way of a botanist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 1921 American Trade Commissioner George S. Brady claimed stevia to be safe for diabetics. He also expressed interest in seeing the herb exploited for profit by U.S. companies. Stevia stood the tests of extensive scientific testing. However, the Germans had already noted in 1913 that stevia proved to be a threat to sugar producers. This threat more than likely stalled the full-scale exploitation of the stevia plant at that time.
Despite the early setbacks, the wonders of stevia spread to Japan in the early 1970s as the Japanese began cultivating it as an alternative to banned cancer-causing artificial sweeteners cyclamate and saccharin. In 1971 the Japanese company, Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd., became the first in the world to commercialize the stevia sweetener.[2] Since then, the Japanese have been using it in food products, and even soft drinks. This version of stevia is in the form of an extraction known as stevioside that resulted from two French chemists who in 1931 isolated this gycoside along with the other compound, rebaudioside, that give stevia its sweet taste.[3] The compounds are claimed to be 250-300 times sweeter than sucrose (regular table sugar).[4] Though I don't normally care for extractions as opposed to the whole properties of an herb, there have been no substantiated evidence that stevioside or rebaudioside (rebiana) are harmful.
The stevia leaf is now commercially grown in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Central America, Israel, Thailand, and China. It has been employed for medicinal purposes in these countries and in the United States for such ills as HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, DIABETES, OBESITY, CAVITIES, FATIGUE, DEPRESSION, INFECTIONS, URINARY INSUFFICIENCY, WOUNDS, and CANDIDA.[5] NO WONDER I FELT SO INVIGORATED!
By the way, the only drawback that I find with this new ginger ale that I've discovered is that it is in that ol' ALUMINUM CAN ... can't afford alzheimer's. Maybe I'll find one in a bottle ... HMMMM!
References
1.) ^ Bonvie, Bill; Bonvie, Linda; Gates, Donna (2000).The Stevia Story: A
tale of incredible sweetness & intrigue
(http://www.stevia.net/history.htm). Retrieved 2010-1-13.
2.) ^ "Stevia" (http://www.morita-kagaku-kogyo.co.jp/e/index.htm).
Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd.. 2007.
http://www.morita-kagaku-kogyo.co.jp/e/index.htm. Retrieved 2010-1-13.
3.) ^ Bertoni, Moises Santiago (1899). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia.
Retrieved 2010-1-13.
4.) ^ Bridel, M.; Lavielle, R. (1931). "Sur le principe sucre des feuilles de kaa-
he-e (stevia rebaundiana B)". Academie des Sciences Paris Comptes Rendus (Parts) 192): 1123-5.
5.) ^ Taylor, Leslie (2005). The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs
(http://rain-tree.com/stevia.htm). Garden City Park, NY: Square One
Publishers, Inc.. pp. (excerpted at weblink). ISBN 0-7570-0144-0.
http:://rain-tree.com/stevia.htm.
After doing research on stevia, I discovered that it is an herb known as the "sweet herb" by the Guarani Indians of Paraguay, South America (its origin). These natives had been using stevia leaves to sweeten herbal teas such as the bitter mate since ancient times. The natives also used the leaves for medicinal purposes. The news and the use of stevia spread from Paraguay to Brazil and Argentina by the 1800s. Europeans discovered the "sweet herb" courtesy of Italian botanist Dr. Moises Santiago Bertoni, who heard about it while he was exploring Paraguay in 1887. Bertoni actually got his hands on it in 1903. Within about five years or so, the first stevia crop appeared. Thousands of stevia plants were removed for transplantation due to the destruction of the plant's natural growth area because of the clearing of the forests by the timber industry.[1]
In 1918 stevia came to the attention of the United States by way of a botanist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In 1921 American Trade Commissioner George S. Brady claimed stevia to be safe for diabetics. He also expressed interest in seeing the herb exploited for profit by U.S. companies. Stevia stood the tests of extensive scientific testing. However, the Germans had already noted in 1913 that stevia proved to be a threat to sugar producers. This threat more than likely stalled the full-scale exploitation of the stevia plant at that time.
Despite the early setbacks, the wonders of stevia spread to Japan in the early 1970s as the Japanese began cultivating it as an alternative to banned cancer-causing artificial sweeteners cyclamate and saccharin. In 1971 the Japanese company, Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd., became the first in the world to commercialize the stevia sweetener.[2] Since then, the Japanese have been using it in food products, and even soft drinks. This version of stevia is in the form of an extraction known as stevioside that resulted from two French chemists who in 1931 isolated this gycoside along with the other compound, rebaudioside, that give stevia its sweet taste.[3] The compounds are claimed to be 250-300 times sweeter than sucrose (regular table sugar).[4] Though I don't normally care for extractions as opposed to the whole properties of an herb, there have been no substantiated evidence that stevioside or rebaudioside (rebiana) are harmful.
The stevia leaf is now commercially grown in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Central America, Israel, Thailand, and China. It has been employed for medicinal purposes in these countries and in the United States for such ills as HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, DIABETES, OBESITY, CAVITIES, FATIGUE, DEPRESSION, INFECTIONS, URINARY INSUFFICIENCY, WOUNDS, and CANDIDA.[5] NO WONDER I FELT SO INVIGORATED!
By the way, the only drawback that I find with this new ginger ale that I've discovered is that it is in that ol' ALUMINUM CAN ... can't afford alzheimer's. Maybe I'll find one in a bottle ... HMMMM!
References
1.) ^ Bonvie, Bill; Bonvie, Linda; Gates, Donna (2000).The Stevia Story: A
tale of incredible sweetness & intrigue
(http://www.stevia.net/history.htm). Retrieved 2010-1-13.
2.) ^ "Stevia" (http://www.morita-kagaku-kogyo.co.jp/e/index.htm).
Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd.. 2007.
http://www.morita-kagaku-kogyo.co.jp/e/index.htm. Retrieved 2010-1-13.
3.) ^ Bertoni, Moises Santiago (1899). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia.
Retrieved 2010-1-13.
4.) ^ Bridel, M.; Lavielle, R. (1931). "Sur le principe sucre des feuilles de kaa-
he-e (stevia rebaundiana B)". Academie des Sciences Paris Comptes Rendus (Parts) 192): 1123-5.
5.) ^ Taylor, Leslie (2005). The Healing Power of Rainforest Herbs
(http://rain-tree.com/stevia.htm). Garden City Park, NY: Square One
Publishers, Inc.. pp. (excerpted at weblink). ISBN 0-7570-0144-0.
http:://rain-tree.com/stevia.htm.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
IS GOLDENSEAL A CURE FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
Back in 2001 I decided to return to school to get my Masters Degree in Mass Communications. Following the school's protocol, I paid a visit to the university's health clinic to get examined by the physician there. To my dismay, he informed me that I had HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (OUCH!!!)!!! My rate was 150/86. And of course he ran the proverbial line down, "You know high blood pressure is the leading cause of death among young Black males." Then he capped it with, "Come back in two weeks. If it's still high, I will have to prescribe some pills for you." I arrived back at the clinic two weeks later for my second examination. Now, mind you, my home was about a couple of miles away from the doctor's office. Since, I was walking, my blood pressure was bound to be higher than normal. I tried to explain this to the doctor and the nurse who took my blood pressure; however, they insisted that I was in dire need of high blood pressure medication (DRUGS!!!)!!! Now don't get me wrong, there may come a time when drugs are necessary in cases of emergency; but even then I prefer the Homeopathic type (NO SIDE EFFECTS). I remember the doctor telling me sternly, "You're gonna be on this medication A LONG TIME." After he presented me with the prescription, I walked out of the clinic thinking, "I ain't gonna be on this drug NO TIME." You must realize that I have much contempt for the pharmaceutical industry and any industry or corporation that places profit before people. And that represents about what ... 80 percent? Anyway, the VOICE OF GOD THE FATHER told me to "EXERCISE and take GOLDENSEAL." That sounded good to me, so I had no problem obeying His voice. I proceeded to buy a bottle of about 90 goldenseal capsules at 600 mg each. I also started jogging and walking around the university's old football field. I began testing my blood pressure at home right away. Immediately, my blood pressure registered 130/80. At one time it got as low as 117/69. In the years since, I have been tested by various doctors with the highest peak of my pressure registering at 132/84. The doctor even tried to frighten me with THAT number. Normally my pressure is just under 120/80. I found out recently that one's appropriate pressure is based on such variables as age, body type, blood type, and level of athletic activity. Therefore, I suggest that everyone finds a GOOD NATUROPATHIC PHYSICIAN and NUTRITIONIST to keep you abreast of the 411 concerning YOU.
I know that much information released concerning goldenseal warns against its use if you do have high blood pressure, insisting that it may exacerbate the problem. However, according to the website Herbal Extracts Plus (www.herbalextractsplus.com), goldenseal has been known to lower blood pressure in laboratory tests. This conflict in perspectives is probably due to the anti-inflammatory alkaloids hydrastine and berberine that are contained in goldenseal. Juniper and Sage (www.juniperandsage.com) points out that HYDRASTINE RAISES BLOOD PRESSURE while BERBERINE LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE. From my perspective, this represents BALANCE; for blood pressure can also be TOO LOW. And BALANCE is ALWAYS GOOD.
From the website www.herbalextractsplus.com/high-blood-pressure.cfm, the following herbs, including goldenseal, are useful in lowering high blood pressure:
I know that much information released concerning goldenseal warns against its use if you do have high blood pressure, insisting that it may exacerbate the problem. However, according to the website Herbal Extracts Plus (www.herbalextractsplus.com), goldenseal has been known to lower blood pressure in laboratory tests. This conflict in perspectives is probably due to the anti-inflammatory alkaloids hydrastine and berberine that are contained in goldenseal. Juniper and Sage (www.juniperandsage.com) points out that HYDRASTINE RAISES BLOOD PRESSURE while BERBERINE LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE. From my perspective, this represents BALANCE; for blood pressure can also be TOO LOW. And BALANCE is ALWAYS GOOD.
From the website www.herbalextractsplus.com/high-blood-pressure.cfm, the following herbs, including goldenseal, are useful in lowering high blood pressure:
- Hawthorne Leaf
- Olive Leaf
- Garlic
- Cayenne
- Passion Flower
- Celery Seed
- Ginger Root
- Korean Ginseng
- Skull Cap
- Parsley Leaf
- Maitake Mushroom
- Goldenseal Root
- Valerian Root
- Kelp
Well, I'm certain that I have solved my high blood pressure problem forever. And I'm not a SLAVE to some EXPENSIVE DRUG FOREVER. I hope that if you or anyone you know has high blood pressure, just remember that all ills and diseases have a CAUSE. And EVERY CAUSE has a CURE.
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