How I discovered 10 amazing super foods
Edited by Super Foods boy and partially published on http://blog.organicbeautyfood.com
Exclusive literature used for a Beauty Foods Workshop hosted at Lifefood Gourmet, in Miami.
I have collected information for a long time about the magic and benefits of those foods from which one only needs small amount to provide the body with the minimum recommended intake of minerals & nutrients, Super Foods. Most of the foods listed below are available at the natural health store down the street from you, but you can order online at http://shop.organicbeautyfood.com
I am not a doctor, so don't take this text as the total truth. Each individual may respond different to these foods.
I am happy to present below some of the "medications" that your doctor will rarely prescribe:
10 SUPERFOODS
1. Blue-Green Algae, Spirulina and Chlorella: Blue-green micro algae, and its cousins spirulina and chlorella, grow on inland waters throughout the world.This primordial food is visible as greenish scum on still lakes and ponds. The Aztecs ate it as a staple food, dried and spread on tortillas. Africans of the Sahara region also use dried spirulina with grains and vegetables. These algae are high in protein, carotenoids and minerals. Beware, however, of claims that they can provide vitamin B12 in vegetarian diets. Nevertheless, the high mineral and protein content of the various algae make them an excellent super food, a good supplement to the diet and a useful product for the treatment of a variety of health problems.
2. Bee Pollen: Bee pollen has been popularized by famous athletes who take it regularly for strength and endurance. It has been used successfully to treat a variety of ailments including allergies, asthma, menstrual irregularities, constipation, diarrhea, anemia, low energy, cancer, rheumatism, arthritis and toxic conditions. A Russian study of the inhabitants of the province of Georgia, where many live to 100 years and a few to age 150, revealed that many of these centenarians were beekeepers who often ate raw, unprocessed honey with all its "impurities," that is, with the pollen. Bee pollen contains 22 amino acids including the eight essential ones, 27 minerals and the full gamut of vitamins, hormones and fatty acids. Most importantly, bee pollen contains more than 5,000 enzymes and coenzymes. It is the presence of enzymes, many of which have immediate detoxifying effects, that sometimes provokes allergic reactions in those taking bee pollen for the first time. If this happens, start with very small amounts and slowly build up to a tablespoon or so per day. Some brands are more easily tolerated than others. Avoid pollen that has been dried at temperatures higher than 130 degrees. Bee pollen can be taken in powder, capsule or tablet form.or in raw unprocessed honey mixed with cereal or spread on toast.
3. Aloe Vera: Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral properties. This energy tonic contains protein, calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamins A, B12 and E, essential fatty acids and is naturally rich in:
Vitamin C which helps maintain tone of blood vessels and promotes good circulation and is essential to the health of the adrenal gland which supports our body in times of stress.
Amino acids which are chains of atoms constructing protein in our body.
Enzymes, which are the life-principle in every live, organic atom and molecule of natural raw food, rejuvenate aged tissues and promote healthy skin.
Germanium which is a mineral that some health authorities claim therapeutic benefits for: immunodeficiency, pain, cardiac disorders, circulatory disturbances and eye problems.
4. Garlic: Garlic is one of the earth's greatest health tonics and does indeed have scientifically-proven medicinal properties. It contains a substance called Allicin, which has anti-bacterial properties that are equivalent to a weak penicillin. It is a natural antibiotic and is useful in treating everything from allergies to tonsillitis. Garlic contains many sulfur compounds which:
detoxify the body
boost the immune system
lower blood pressure
improve circulation.
Garlic has also demonstrated anti-cancer, antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-oxidant effects.
Garlic: Garlic has antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help scavenge free radicals; particles that can damage cell membranes, interact with genetic material and possibly contribute to the aging process as well as the development of a number of conditions including heart disease and cancer.
Free radicals occur naturally in the body but environmental toxins (including ultraviolet light, radiation, cigarette smoking and air pollution) can also increase the number of these damaging particles. Antioxidants can neutralize free radicals and may reduce or even help prevent some of the damage they cause over time.
Garlic can stimulate the production of glutathione, an amino acid which is known to be a very potent antioxidant and de-toxifier and the smooth muscle relaxant adenosine, also found in the herb, will lower blood pressure.
Today people use garlic to help prevent atherosclerosis (plaque build up in the arteries causing blockage and possibly leading to heart attack or stroke), reduce colds, coughs and bronchitis.
Garlic has been used to treat:
Atherosclerosis: Studies suggest that fresh garlic and garlic supplements may prevent blood clots and destroy plaque. Blood clots and plaque block blood flow and contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. Blockage of blood flow to the heart, brain and legs, can lead to heart attack, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease (PVD). People with PVD experience pain in the legs when they walk and move. If garlic does reduce the build up of plaque then strokes, heart attacks and PVD may be less likely to occur in people who eat garlic or take garlic supplements.
High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure: A number of studies have found that garlic reduces elevated total cholesterol levels and lowers blood pressure more effectively than placebo. However, the extent to which garlic is effective is small.
Diabetes: Garlic has been used as a traditional dietary supplement for diabetes in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Preliminary studies in rabbits, rats and limited numbers of people have demonstrated that garlic has some ability to lower blood sugars. More research in this area is needed. (See Notes regarding some concern about using garlic with certain diabetes medications.)
Common Cold: A well-designed study of nearly 150 people supports the value of garlic for preventing and treating the common cold. In this study, people received either garlic supplements or placebo for 12 weeks during "cold season" (between the months of November and February). Those who received the garlic had significantly fewer colds than those who received placebo. Plus, when faced with a cold, the symptoms lasted a much shorter time in those receiving garlic compared to those receiving placebo.
Cancer: Test tube and animal studies suggest that garlic may have some anti-cancer activity. Observational, population-based studies (which follow groups of people over time) suggest that people who have more raw or cooked garlic in their diet are less likely to have certain types of cancer, particularly colon and stomach cancers. Dietary garlic may also offer some protection against the development of breast, prostate and laryngeal (throat) cancers. However, these types of cancer have not been as extensively studied as colon and stomach cancer.
Tuberculosis: Numerous test tube studies have demonstrated that garlic extract inhibits the growth of different species of bacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the organism responsible for tuberculosis. Very high concentrations of garlic extract were needed to slow down the growth of M. tuberculosis in these studies, so some experts are concerned that these levels may be toxic to people. While further research in people is needed, one animal study found that garlic oil also inhibited M. tuberculosis and reduced lesions in the lungs of these animals.
Intestinal Parasites: Laboratory studies suggest that large quantities of fresh, raw garlic may have antiparasitic properties against the roundworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, which is the most common type of intestinal parasite. Garlic for this purpose, however, has not yet been tested in people.
Important Note:
Garlic can irritate the digestive tracts of very young children and some sources don't recommend garlic for breast feeding mothers. In addition, some individuals are allergic to garlic.
5. Hempseed oil or Black Currant Oil: These oils contain a fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid or GLA, which the body produces from omega-6 linoleic acid by the action of special enzymes. In many individuals the production or effectiveness of this enzyme is compromised, especially as they grow older. These oils have been shown to increase liver function and mental acuity. Malnutrition, consumption of hydrogenated oils and diabetes inhibit the conversion of omega-6 linoleic acid to GLA.
GLA-rich oils have been used to treat:
cancer
premenstrual syndrome
breast disease
scleroderma
colitis
irritable bowel syndrome
cystic fibrosis
6. Flaxseed oil is an excellent source of omega-3s. Just 1 teaspoon contains about 2.5 grams, equivalent to more than twice the amount most people get through their diets. Flaxseeds also contain omega-6 fatty acids in the form of linoleic acid; omega-6s are the same healthy fats found in vegetable oils.
One of the EFAs in flaxseed oil, alpha-linolenic acid, is known
Genetically Modified Foods – Pros and Cons
When an organism's genes (its genetic materials) are changed in a laboratory, the organism is called genetically modified or transgenic. Genetically modified foods are products that contain transgenic animals or plants as ingredients. Genetically modifying food sources can make them bigger, stronger, and more nutritious. Changing genes in plants can protect them against disease. It can also help them survive when exposed to herbicides (chemicals used to kill weeds and plants) and insects. There are many uses for genetically modified foods. For example, in parts of Africa, people eat large amounts of rice. Regular rice is not very nutritious, so scientists have transgenic rice plants. These modified plants produce proteins that give their rice extra iron and vitamins. Scientists have also modified pigs to produce healthier meat and coffee plants to produce decaffeinated coffee beans, among other things.
People who support genetically altered foods argue that they can help people who live in areas with poor growing conditions. They believe these foods can help end world hunger. Those on the other side of the debate worry about the safety of genetically modified foods. They fear that mixing genes from different species could create strange new animal and plant breeds. Environmental groups worry that genetically altering foods could be dangerous to human health. They are not sure what effects genetically modified plants and animals might have on the people who eat them. Critics call these foods "Frankenfoods" because they have been pieced together using genes from different species.
One specific concern is that a gene might mistakenly be taken from a plant to which many people are allergic. For example, if a gene taken from a peanut were inserted into soybeans, it could cause the soybeans to produce peanut proteins. Those proteins could trigger a reaction in anyone who was allergic to peanuts. Another worry is that genetically modified plants might breed with the plants growing around them. Then the wild plants could pick up the traits from the modified plants. This cross-breeding could create problems such as weeds that herbicides cannot kill.
?no to Genetically Modified Foods?
Introduction:
Genetics is the basis of life. Every living being around, carries a plethora of genes, some are expressed while others may remain unexpressed all through the life of the organism. The nature has bestowed mankind with the best genetics on the planet. Utilizing the brain potentials man has revealed the secrets hidden in the nature and has taken charge of altering the hereditary matter of plants and animals and also of the food items that he consumes. Are these food items really helping human beings or they are providing deleterious effects to mankind. This question became the controversy in southern Africa drought in 2002/03 (Pelletier, 2006).
At present much emphasis is being laid on the health and healthy food which encompass all the natural products which have not undergone any alteration and have preserved their natural and gifted genes i.e. they are directly from the natural sources. Various ailments are due to the food consumption only as content in the food can trigger any cell or enzyme as soon as it is consumed. Taking this into consideration the US FDA has been established. This body has set different rules and regulations for the altered food and beverages.
“Genetically Engineered” food is grown, manufactured, created, developed or changed by utilizing the techniques that brings changes in molecular or cell biology of an organism. This technique cannot be exploited in nature or under natural conditions. These techniques are mostly based on recombinant DNA technology, cell fusion, micro- and macroencapsulation, gene deletion or duplication, introduction of any gene from other organism through microinjection or by the process of transgenesis where the desired foreign gene is inserted in the early sates of development and also the techniques based on altering the position of the genes. The process does not include propagation, conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization and tissue culture method (Grubesic, 2005).
GE food is changing the nature and it is challenging the nature. Laws have been put forward for the GE and this is cited as “genetically Engineered Food Labeling Act”. The purpose of this Act enforces the primary right of the people and it is for the awareness of the people if anyone is buying or selling such product (Grubesic, 2005).
These products could be:
Agriculture product: Farming or horticulture, viticulture or vegetable items for consumption. This also includes food additives (incorporation of this item in food influence the characteristic of food).
Food additives may be used for manufacturing, stuffing or in packaging, dispensation, preparing, treating, and packaging, food additives may also be used when long distance transporting is to be done or when the food item is to be kept for long duration. Now-a-days radiations are given to ensure the safety of food from chemicals.
The food is labeled with the name of the company or firm or by any legal or commercial entity; it also displays the customary conditions of display for bulk, wholesale or retail sale. The GE food must be labeled with “Genetically Engineered” tag.
The GE can be performed for the GE enzymes, or the GE processing agents. It is significant that customer must know if the enzymes are present in the food item or what is the nature of GE agent.
Genetic Engineered food items are prevalent in almost every field:
Agriculture: GE or hybrid seeds, fruits, vegetables, plants are gaining popularity in market. It requires awareness and thorough knowledge for consumption.
Dairy or meat products: these are the products derived from livestock. It not only encompasses transgenic animals but also incorporate the feed of the livestock. The gene for the milk production of the cattle is altered to get the enhanced milk production. The process does not end here the milk obtained is processed and treated with GE agents especially the enzymes to get a range of milk products.
It is evident that GE food is modified in composition or nutritional values. In order to prepare such product diverse processes are performed. These processes may alter the food value or the quality of the food because these products are made from the trans-species that encompass gene transfers from some different species or genera. It is mandatory to provide written information to the consumers e.g. "This squash contains viral genetic information designed to make it resistant to viral infection." or "This tomato contains genetic material derived from the flounder, a fish of the family Bothidiae." (Grubesic, 20005).
Various research and studies have been performed where the disadvantages of GE food items are highlighted. It is apparent that in this fast moving life and also in the rat race man has taken shelter under the GE food and all the artificial flavored items. Mankind escapes all the natural food items available just to cut the time in home processing.
This practice is gradually creeping in our own heredity and genetic makeup. The agents used to alter the food items are in turn harmful to mankind and has started bringing disaster. One of the leading causes of the cancer is consumption of those food items that are not natural but are artificially made or its genes are altered or processed so as to ensure that only the desired genes are expressed. Here the expression of genes in the cell is not under the natural control but they are influenced by the inducing factors. The process can give fast momentary results but it cannot substitute the natural articles (Campbell).
The haste to produce additional quantity, to capture the market or for survival in the market various organizations are adopting fallacies. New companies are coming up and they put political influence on and FDA, exploiting and violating the permissive regulatory approach, infringing the research and scientific findings.
It is evident that violating Food Law is a severe offence. The government and the authorities must take the honest and worthy approach to confirm the GE item consumption and safety is equivalent to conventional food items (Pelletier, 2006).
It becomes the responsibility of people and consumers to be aware of such products to safeguard our heath and to avoid the misleading facts unless thoroughly examined and checked and verified scientifically; else, say no to genetically engineered food products.
Are genetically modified plant foods safe to eat?
Foodstuffs made of genetically modified crops that are currently available (mainly maize, soybean, and oilseed rape) have been judged safe to eat, and the methods used to test them have been deemed appropriate. These conclusions represent the consensus of the scientific evidence surveyed by the International Council for Science (ICSU) and are consistent with the views of the World Health Organization (WHO).
However, the lack of evidence of negative effects does not mean that new genetically modified foods are without risk. The possibility of long-term effects from genetically modified plants cannot be excluded and must be examined on a case-by-case basis. New techniques are being developed to address concerns, such as the possibility of the unintended transfer of antibiotic-resistance genes.
Genetic engineering of plants could also offer some direct and indirect health benefits to consumers, for instance by improving nutritional quality or reducing pesticide use.
Could genetically modified plant foods have health effects?
Millions of people worldwide have consumed foods derived from genetically modified plants (mainly maize, soybean, and oilseed rape) and to date no adverse effects have been observed.
Allergens and toxins occur in some traditional foods and can adversely affect some people leading to concerns that genetically modified plant-derived foods may contain elevated levels of allergens and toxins. Extensive testing of genetically modified food currently on the market has not confirmed these concerns. The use of genes from plants with known allergens is discouraged and if a transformed product is found to pose an increased risk of allergies it should be discontinued. All new foods, including those derived from genetically modified crops, should be assessed with caution.
One concern about food safety is the potential transfer of genes from consumed food into human cells or into micro-organisms within the body.
Many genetically modified crops were created using antibiotic-resistance genes as markers. Therefore, in addition to having the desired characteristics, these genetically modified crops contain antibiotic-resistance genes. If these genes were to transfer in the digestive tract from a food product into human cells or to bacteria, this could lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. Although scientists believe the probability of such a transfer is extremely low, the use of antibiotic-resistance genes has been discouraged.
Methods are now being developed whereby only the strict minimum of transgenic DNA is present in genetically modified plants. Some of these techniques involve the complete elimination of the genetic marker once the selection process has been made.
Several methods have been reported to create transformed plants that do not carry marker genes, for example co-transformation (Stahl et al., 2002), transposable elements (Rommens et al., 1992), site-specific recombination (Corneille et al., 2001) and intrachromosomal recombination (De Vetten et al., 2003). The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (known by its Spanish acronym, CIMMYT) is committed to providing resource-poor farmers in developing countries with the best options for implementing sustainable maize and wheat systems. CIMMYT believes that although GM crops will not solve all of the problems faced by farmers, the technology does have great potential and should be evaluated.
Scientists at CIMMYT have developed and adapted a transformation technique for wheat and maize to produce genetically modified plants that do not carry the selectable marker genes. With this technique, two DNA fragments, one containing the selectable marker gene and the other containing the gene of interest, are introduced and integrated separately into the genome. During the selection process, these genes segregate from each other, allowing the selection of the plants with only the gene of interest. CIMMYT scientists tested this simple technique using the selectable gene bar and the Bt genes, Cry1Ab and Cry1Ba, and successfully obtained plants without the selectable marker gene but with the Bt gene and which expressed high levels of Bt toxin. Transgenic plants were morphologically indistinguishable from untransformed plants and the introduced trait was inherited stably in the subsequent generations Efforts are now under way with the Kenya National Agricultural Institute and the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture to transfer these "clean events" to local varieties of maize in Kenya to provide resource-poor farmers with an additional option for insect control in the form they know best - the seed they plant. A similar approach is being used to enhance other important traits, such as abiotic stress tolerance and micronutrient content. Improved tolerance to stresses such as drought would directly benefit farmers, and biofortified plants could have a significant impact on children's health in developing countries.
Other unintended changes
Other unintended changes in food composition can occur during genetic improvement by traditional breeding and/or gene technology. Chemical analysis is used to test GM products for changes in known nutrients and toxicants in a targeted way. Scientists acknowledge that more extensive genetic modifications involving multiple transgenes may increase the likelihood of other unintended effects and may require additional testing (ICSU, GM Science Review Panel).
Health benefits:
Potential health benefits of transgenic foods
Scientists generally agree that genetic engineering can offer direct and indirect health benefits to consumers (ICSU). Direct benefits can come from improving the nutritional quality of foods (e.g. Golden Rice), reducing the presence of toxic compounds (e.g. cassava with less cyanide) and by reducing allergens in certain foods (e.g. groundnuts and wheat). However, there is a need to demonstrate that nutritionally significant levels of vitamins and other nutrients are genetically expressed and nutritionally available in new foods and that there are no unintended effects (ICSU). Indirect health benefits can come from reduced pesticide use, lower occurrence of mycotoxins (caused by insect or disease damage), increased availability of affordable food and the removal of toxic compounds from soil. These direct and indirect benefits need to be better documented (ICSU, GM Science Review Panel).
http://wwwkenyancookies-cookies.blogspot.com/
What are Genetically Modified Foods?
Should patents on plants, animals and humans, as well as patents on their genes be allowed? Our ability to alter the genetic blueprint of animals and plants is in the process of changing many aspects of science and medicine. Many people see this as beneficial others see this as tampering with nature.
But what about genetically-modified (GM) food? Do we want to eat such food? And is it really such a big deal?
Genetic engineering enables scientists to create plants, animals and micro-organisms by manipulating genes in a way that does not occur naturally.
A recent GM Nation report concluded that the general public is overwhelmingly against GM technology, with feelings ranging from suspicion and skepticism, to hostility and rejection; there are, it was said, many more people who are cautious, suspicious or out rightly hostile about GM crops than there are supportive towards them.
Anxiety in society over genetically modified food is understandable, fuelled by a variety of causes - consumer unfamiliarity; lack of reliable information on the current safeguards in place; a steady stream of negative opinion in the media; opposition by activist groups; growing mistrust of industry; and a general lack of awareness of how our food is produced. The scientific community has not adequately addressed public concerns about GM foods, nor has it effectively communicated the value of the new technology.
The Royal Society, the UKs premier scientific body has pointed out the total lack of evidence that genetically modified crops cause harm to humans. But youd never have guessed that from the often negative media coverage.
When considering genetic engineering, it should be remembered that almost every living thing that man exploits has been genetically-modified in some way. The crops we use for food, the animals we eat, our pets and the plants in our gardens are radically different from those that existed in the so-called natural state.
Thousands of years of selective breeding have improved the yields of crops, the milk production of cows, the quantity of meat on cattle and the sizes and colours of our flowers and dogs.
But because of commercial interests, the public is being denied the right to know about GE ingredients in the food chain, and therefore losing the right to avoid them despite the presence of labelling laws in certain countries. GMOs should not be released into the environment as there is not adequate scientific understanding of their impact on the environment and human health. Genetic pollution could be a major threat because GMOs cannot be recalled once released into the environment. Labelling of all products with GE ingredients doesnt appear to be happening at the moment which is important for those people that want to avoid them.
Now my final thoughts… few would deny the benefits of modern genetic engineering in medicine. The use of genetically-modified bacteria to produce drugs such as insulin has been a revolution in medicine and saved the lives of millions. GM crops have also been hailed as the saviors of developing countries as they can be modified to prosper in dry, arid countries where there is little rainfall. There seems to be both negatives and positives to GE and GM foods….ill let you decide which path you choose!
Find Organic GM Free Food in the Green Directory.
See http://www.agbioworld.org for information on supporting technology in Agriculture.
Genetically Engineered Foods May Cause Rising Food Allergies
Arguments made by the Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates plant produced pesticides, tell us not to worry about the thought of consuming toxic pesticides. Instead, they say that the pesticides used, Bt, are produced naturally from a soil bacterium which has a history of safe use by organic farmers who have used the solution for yeas as a method of insect control. Genetic engineers simply remove the gene that produces Bt and insert it into the DNA of corn and cotton plants, making the plant do the work, instead of the farmer. They also say that the Bt toxin is quickly destroyed in our stomach, and even if it survived would not harm humans or any other mammals. However, these arguments are solely that, arguments, which are unsupported and refuted according to a lot of research.
When a study was done, spraying natural Bt over areas in Vancouver and Washington State for months, about 500 people reported reactions, mostly those being allergy or flu-like symptoms. Six of those people had to go to the emergency room, while workers who applied the Bt sprays reported that their eyes, nose, and throats were irritated. Similarly, farmers who were exposed to liquid Bt said that they had reactions such as infection, ulcers on the cornea, skin irritation, burning, swelling, and redness. One woman even reported fever, altered consciousness, and seizures when she was accidentally sprayed with Bt. This proves that the statements of Bt doing no harm on humans is extremely false. As for being destroyed in the digestive system, studies on mice disproved this as well. Results of these, and other, studies showed that plant-produced Bt is always active and much more likely to trigger an immune response than the natural version.
Additional studies in 2005 reported by medical investigators in India found that hundreds of agricultural workers are developing severe allergic reactions when they are exposed to Bt cotton. This exposure includes picking cotton, loading it, cleaning it, or simply leaning against it. Some people that work at ginning factories must take antihistamines daily in order to go to work. These reactions are only trigger with the Bt varieties and the symptoms are virtually identical to those that were described by the 500 people in Vancouver and Washington who were sprayed with Bt.
Another study was done on the basis that Bt-toxin is produced in GM corn and can be eaten intact. It is also in pollen which can be breathed in. Therefore, a village of Filipino people were studied in 2003 when an adjacent Bt cornfield was pollinating. 100 of these people were stricken with disease which included symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, extreme stomach pain, vomiting, chest pains, fever, and allergies, along with respiratory, intestinal, and skin reactions. The symptoms first appeared in those that were living closest to the field and then progressed to those further away. When the same corn was planted in four other villages the following year, the same symptoms returned in all four areas only during the time of pollination.
All of these studies confirm that GM crops engineered to produce built-in pesticides provoke a great variety of immune responses. Allergic reactions are a defensive and often harmful reaction from the immune system to an external irritant that occur when the body interprets something foreign as harmful and offensive and acts accordingly. Since all GM foods have something foreign and different, it is easy to see why the body would react in such ways.
As the GM foods arise on the market place make sure you scan each label to make sure you are not buying a GM vegetable of fruit. Check every label this way you will not be stricken with debilitating symptoms that may prevent you from going to work. Always say NO to GM foods and support your organic foods store.