I received this very interesting article today from Dr. Mercola that I thought was important to share with all of you. I recently purchased organic baby carrots from Safeway and nowhere on the bag did it mention any ingredients other than carrots. So I wonder what they were preserved in???
The small cocktail or “baby” carrots you buy are made using the larger crooked or deformed carrots which are put through a machine which cuts and shapes them into cocktail carrots. You might have known that already. But what you might not know is that once the carrots are cut and shaped into cocktail carrots, they are dipped in a solution of water and chlorine in order to preserve them.
When a baby carrot turns white (“white blushing”), this causes the bags of carrots to be pulled from the shelf and thrown away. To prevent this consumer waste, the carrots are dipped in chlorine to prevent the white blushing from happening.
Chlorine is a very well-known carcinogen. Organic growers instead use a citrus based, nontoxic solution called Citrox.
About 3 billion pounds of carrots are sold each year in the U.S. Of these, about 20 percent are peeled and processed for sale as miniature “baby carrots,” carrot sticks, and other varieties of fresh, processed carrots.
Why are They Bleaching Carrots?
As described in the articles above, part of the processing of these mini carrot sticks entails submerging them in a bleach bath in order to keep them looking enticing longer by stopping the formation of so-called “white blush.”
According to one U.S. patent for inhibiting white blush on processed carrots, freshly processed carrots begin to develop a white, chalk-like appearance after just a few days, as opposed to whole, unprocessed carrots, which may be stored in your fridge for several weeks without deteriorating.
The rate at which the white blush appears depends on a variety of factors, such as:
* The condition of the carrots prior to processing
* The degree of abrasiveness of the processing
* The chemical treatments applied to the carrots during processing
* Humidity levels during storage
Additionally, carrots grown in poorly irrigated fields tend to form white blush discoloration faster than carrots grown in well irrigated fields.
Although this white blush does not affect the nutritional value or taste of the carrots, many people find them unappetizing, and stores can’t sell them once they’re starting to turn.
So, in order to prolong shelf life and reduce waste, chlorine has and is being used both for sanitation purposes and to curtail the development of white blush. The patent mentioned above calls for one or two chlorine baths during their processing, using a chlorine concentration between 50-150 ppm (parts per million).
Fifteen to 20 ppm of free chlorine is considered the typical amount experts say is needed to kill bacteria.
Is Chlorine Safe to Eat?
Chlorine is a chemical that companies use to make a variety of common products, including plastics, pesticides and paper. It’s also been used as the main disinfecting strategy for U.S. public water supplies since 1908.
Water chlorination has virtually eliminated waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery and hepatitis. However, over the last 30 years a growing body of research has shown that chlorine and its byproducts are actually quite harmful to your health.
Over time, chlorine and disinfection byproducts build up in the environment, in your food, and your body. So although the amount of chlorine you ingest from cocktail carrots may be minute, it’s added to your overall toxic burden from a number of other sources – your water supply probably being one of the worst.
However, just like in water, it is not the chlorine you have to worry about. When chlorine interacts with organic matter it will form dangerous disinfection byproducts (DBPs) which are many thousands of times more toxic than chlorine. Research has now confirmed that the byproducts formed when chlorine reacts with organic material in water are some of the most potent toxins out there. Among them are trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). These disinfection byproducts are believed to be over 10,000 times more toxic than chlorine.
It is important to understand that the term “organic” is used two ways here. The strict chemical definition of organic is any compound that is carbon based. The other organic term is used to identify foods that were grown under healthier conditions, typically free of pesticides.
So please understand that the chlorine forms these DBPs in ALL carrots, organically and non-organically grown.Long-term risks of consuming chlorinated water and DPBs include excessive free radical formation, which accelerates aging, increases vulnerability to genetic mutation and cancer development, hinders cholesterol metabolism, and promotes hardening of your arteries.
Excess free radicals created by chlorinated water also generate dangerous toxins inside your body. These have been directly linked to:
* Liver malfunction
* Weakening of your immune system
* Pre-arteriosclerotic changes in your arteries
In addition, chlorine destroys antioxidant vitamin E, which is needed to counteract excess oxysterols/free radicals for cardiac- and anti-cancer protection.
Chlorine has also been shown to destroy protective acidophilus that nourishes and cooperates with the immunity-strengthening "friendly bacteria" lining your colon.
So is it really realistic to say that carrots bathed in bleach are completely safe to consume?
I would say no, especially when considering that baby carrots are typically fed to young children.
The sobering fact is that in most cases science isn’t even close to understanding the potential short-term and long-term impact of chlorine and other chlorine-based chemicals on your body. There are hundreds of them. And science isn’t even close to understanding what levels of these chemicals can cause damage.
The chemical industry likes to point out that there’s no “sound science” to suggest that chlorine is dangerous and shouldn’t be used. Others strongly disagree.
In the book Pandora's Poison: Chlorine, Health, and a New Environmental Strategy, Joe Thornton of Columbia University’s Center for Environmental Research and Conservation contends there is enough sound science available to understand that chlorine can cause big trouble in your body, not to mention the environment, and that a range of alternatives to this chemical are readily available.
Are Chlorinated Veggies Really Necessary?
I recommend avoiding eating vegetables processed with chlorine. You’re already being bombarded with chlorine and other toxins from so many other sources, and the remedy, in the case of carrots, is so simple. Just buy whole, unprocessed carrots and wash, peel, and cut them yourself.
Your healthiest option, of course, is to locate fruits and vegetables that are grown organically and preferably locally. While this may be a challenge in some areas, it is clearly worth the effort and will go a long way toward avoiding the many health hazards related to the factory-farming and commercial processing methods used in producing conventional foods.
Wholesome Sources
Great resources to obtain wholesome food that supports not only you but also the environment include:
* Alternative Farming Systems Information Center, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/csa/
* Farmers' Markets
www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets
* Weston A. Price Foundation
www.westonaprice.org
* Local Harvest
www.localharvest.org
* Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals
www.eatwellguide.org
* FoodRoutes
www.foodroutes.org
* Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)
www.buylocalfood.com
* Chicago-Area: Chicago's Green City Market (Chicago's only sustainable market with the highest quality locally farmed products. Wednesdays and Saturdays, May through October. Located at the south end of Lincoln Park, north of the Historical Society parking lot between 1750 N. Clark St. & Stockton Dr.)
The National Resources Defense Council (NDRC) also offers a great tool on their website that helps you determine what fruits and vegetables are in season in your state, and this previous article offers even additional helpful tips and guidelines for finding local food no matter where you live in the U.S.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Does Your Health Drink Contain Crystalline Fructose?
Many people never read or think about the ingredients of the so-called "Health" or "Energy" drinks they buy, but BUYER-BEWARE!
Does your health drink contain Crystalline Fructose? Crystalline fructose is a new fancy name for a more concentrated form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). It is produced by allowing the fructose-enriched corn syrup to become crystallized thus giving a higher percentage rate for more sweetness.
Don't confuse glucose with fructose or think that this fructose comes from fruit.
Here is the statement that comes directly from the sugar.org website:
"Crystalline fructose is produced by allowing the fructose to crystallize from a fructose-enriched corn syrup. The term "crystalline fructose" is listed in the ingredient statements of foods and beverages using this corn sweetener. It is important to understand that the “crystalline fructose” listed as an ingredient comes from cornstarch, not fruit. Crystalline fructose can be used in the same foods as the high fructose corn syrups, or in any food that contains sugar."
This fructose unlike glucose is metabolized differently in the body. Glucose can be metabolized or utilized by every cell in the body for energy but fructose must be metabolized in the liver. Since it is processed completely in the liver when a diet includes a large amount of it (if you eat mainly processed foods) you can develop a fatty liver, and even cirrhosis.
Another interesting fact about HFCS is mentioned in Dr. Helmut Oz's book "You On A Diet" where he writes that ingesting fructose does not shut off the hunger signals in your brain. Your body doesn’t “see” the fructose, so you keep eating since your brain doesn’t get the signal that you’re full. Remember, crystalline fructose is a more densely refined fructose meaning it is even more detrimental to your health than HFCS.
If what you have read already isn't making you think twice about your so-called "Healthy" drink maybe this will!
Did you know that the processing of crystalline fructose allows for acceptable levels of arsenic, heavy metals, lead and chloride? These are toxic chemicals that your body is unable to process. The impact on your health is immeasurable. While, a simple serving of the drink might not be bad, over time the buildup of any one of these components can lead to death.
If you have read my previous blogs and articles on why America has the highest obesity rate, which by the way the numbers are growing rapidly and why so many people have cancer, auto-immune diseases and type II diabetes or have pre-diabetes it is largely in part from the typical American diet. A large part of that diet consists of HFCS. It is found not only in these "health" and "energy" drinks, but breads, cereals, bbq sauce, marinades, salad dressings and desserts just to name a few.
Until there is more public awareness food manufacturers will continue to put this very inexpensive poison into our food supply while making huge profits from our stupidity . We all deserve to live with the highest level of health possible, and clearly high fructose corn syrup sweeteners will not be found along the path to outstanding health.
At Internal Creations, Inc we will never use any ingredients that would be detrimental to your health. Our mission is to bring you the safest, highest grade most natural organic ingredients in Nature's Virtue Super Greens Food.
Does your health drink contain Crystalline Fructose? Crystalline fructose is a new fancy name for a more concentrated form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). It is produced by allowing the fructose-enriched corn syrup to become crystallized thus giving a higher percentage rate for more sweetness.
Don't confuse glucose with fructose or think that this fructose comes from fruit.
Here is the statement that comes directly from the sugar.org website:
"Crystalline fructose is produced by allowing the fructose to crystallize from a fructose-enriched corn syrup. The term "crystalline fructose" is listed in the ingredient statements of foods and beverages using this corn sweetener. It is important to understand that the “crystalline fructose” listed as an ingredient comes from cornstarch, not fruit. Crystalline fructose can be used in the same foods as the high fructose corn syrups, or in any food that contains sugar."
This fructose unlike glucose is metabolized differently in the body. Glucose can be metabolized or utilized by every cell in the body for energy but fructose must be metabolized in the liver. Since it is processed completely in the liver when a diet includes a large amount of it (if you eat mainly processed foods) you can develop a fatty liver, and even cirrhosis.
Another interesting fact about HFCS is mentioned in Dr. Helmut Oz's book "You On A Diet" where he writes that ingesting fructose does not shut off the hunger signals in your brain. Your body doesn’t “see” the fructose, so you keep eating since your brain doesn’t get the signal that you’re full. Remember, crystalline fructose is a more densely refined fructose meaning it is even more detrimental to your health than HFCS.
If what you have read already isn't making you think twice about your so-called "Healthy" drink maybe this will!
Did you know that the processing of crystalline fructose allows for acceptable levels of arsenic, heavy metals, lead and chloride? These are toxic chemicals that your body is unable to process. The impact on your health is immeasurable. While, a simple serving of the drink might not be bad, over time the buildup of any one of these components can lead to death.
If you have read my previous blogs and articles on why America has the highest obesity rate, which by the way the numbers are growing rapidly and why so many people have cancer, auto-immune diseases and type II diabetes or have pre-diabetes it is largely in part from the typical American diet. A large part of that diet consists of HFCS. It is found not only in these "health" and "energy" drinks, but breads, cereals, bbq sauce, marinades, salad dressings and desserts just to name a few.
Until there is more public awareness food manufacturers will continue to put this very inexpensive poison into our food supply while making huge profits from our stupidity . We all deserve to live with the highest level of health possible, and clearly high fructose corn syrup sweeteners will not be found along the path to outstanding health.
At Internal Creations, Inc we will never use any ingredients that would be detrimental to your health. Our mission is to bring you the safest, highest grade most natural organic ingredients in Nature's Virtue Super Greens Food.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Ease That Itch!
Today on Fox News, LeAnn Rimes, spoke about her life-long struggle with Psoriasis. Psoriasis is a chronic immune disorder that affects nearly 7 million Americans. often begins before age 35 and it occurs equally among men and women.
This article by Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D. gives great insight on natural ways to ease that itch. Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., is a health advisor to Woman's Health Connection and is featured on the website's "Ask the Expert" page. She has written Hormone Balance, Everything Alzheimer's and Natural Prescriptions for Common Ailments.
Did you ever have a long-term maddening itch that is so intense, especially at night, that you damage your skin with your frantic scratching? If so, you've likely experienced the miseries of eczema, psoriasis or other types of dermatitis.
These inflammatory conditions of the skin are slightly different conditions, but the terms are often used generically for any itchy, red, scaly skin problem. They can occur at any time in a person's life, often beginning in infancy and may sometimes continue unabated for decades. Most of them manifest as painful swelling and oozing of the skin, bleeding cracks, severe scaling, itching and burning. Some sufferers have described eczema as "the itch that rashes" and others say when they sweat, it feels as though acid is being poured on them.
Scratching that breaks the skin increases the risk of infection. Long-term scratching can cause the skin to become thick and leathery.
Causes of Eczema and Psoriasis
Eczema and psoriasis are potentially allergic conditions that can be triggered by environmental factors and dozens of other external irritants like the following:
* Laundry detergent
* Soaps
* Household chemicals
* Workplace chemicals
* Perfumes
* Animal dander
* Metals (such as nickel in jewelry)
While psoriasis is most often linked with external allergic triggers, eczema is often caused by food allergies. The most common allergens include wheat, nuts, seafood, eggs and some fruits, such as strawberries.
Both conditions are often associated with food intolerances and multiple chemical sensitivities. If you have been regularly reading my articles, this will likely ring a bell, since food intolerances and multiple chemical sensitivities are often the result of dysbiosis or an imbalance of intestinal flora that causes yeast overgrowth. This is sometimes accompanied with widespread systemic effects.
Another major cause of eczema and psoriasis is SAD -- the dreaded Standard American Diet -- which is rich in sugar and processed and refined foods. This sugar-filled diet eventually begins to wreak havoc with many aspects of our health.
Science suggests eczema and psoriasis may be autoimmune disorders, which in allopathic medicine tends to be a "cop-out" diagnosis. Integrative medicine argues that our immune system does not attack a healthy body. However, the immune system will go into overdrive when the body becomes toxic. An example of this is the simple case of aspartame, the poisonous artificial sweetener. Most "diet" products contain aspartame, a substance that people take in hopes of losing weight or use as a "healthier" substitute for sweetened products. These people often end up with itchy rashes that can be indistinguishable from eczema.
A naturopathic doctor would say that in an attempt to eliminate aspartame, its metabolites are excreted to the skin surface where it causes irritation.
Characteristics of Psoriasis and Eczema
In the case of psoriasis, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) describes the condition as "an immune system disorder that affects the skin, and occasionally the eyes, nails, and joints." Psoriasis may also affect very small areas of skin or cover the entire body with a buildup of red scales called plaques. The plaques are of different sizes, shapes and severity and may be painful as well as unattractive. Bacterial infections and pressure or trauma to the skin can aggravate psoriasis.
Most treatments focus on topical skin care to relieve the inflammation, itching, and scaling. For more severe cases, oral medications are used. Psoriasis is common and may affect more than 2 percent of all Americans.
A particular type of eczema, called autoimmune progesterone dermatitis (APD), is a condition in which eczema flares when progesterone levels rise 3 to 10 days prior to the onset of menstrual flow. The condition then eases when progesterone levels drop during the menstrual period. Women with irregular periods may not have this clear correlation, thus making diagnosis more difficult.
APD also seems to run in families and the risk of eczema is particularly high in families with a history of asthma and hay fever -- a further indication the condition is related to a compromised immune system.
Eczema and psoriasis are both worsened by stress, but psoriasis is more affected by the weather. Cold dry winter weather worsens psoriasis, whereas sunny, hot, humid conditions make it better. In keeping with the autoimmune nature of psoriasis, when the person develops an infection, such as a sore throat or sinusitis, their psoriasis will often flare up.
Many classes of drugs, similar to the way that aspartame works, worsen psoriasis symptoms. These include antihypertensive ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers, Chloroquine (an anti-malaria drug), progesterone, indocin (the anti-inflammatory drug) and lithium.
In addition to what conventional medicine says about psoriasis, clinically, it is associated with a deficiency of zinc, magnesium, essential fatty acids and represents a high degree of toxicity in the body.
Conventional Treatment Doesn't Provide Much Hope
Conventional medicine will tell you that there is no cure for either of these conditions, although children with eczema will frequently "grow out of it."
Hydrocortisone cream or ointment is the most commonly prescribed conventional treatment for eczema and psoriasis. This is a strong and toxic medicine of limited effectiveness.
Long-term use of steroid creams can result in side effects, such as thin, fragile, dry skin and even suppression of the adrenal glands. For these reasons, medications of this kind can only be used for short periods of time, which is not very helpful to the chronic sufferer.
When studying homeopathy, I learned when you suppress a skin condition with cortisone, especially in children, the focus of the child's illness shifts from the skin to the lungs and they often develop asthma. Parents may be relieved their child's skin condition has cleared, but don't realize that they are substituting a milder condition for a much more serious one.
Using antihistamines, like Benadryl, can be helpful in relieving itching, but they cause drowsiness, so they're usually not appropriate for daytime use. UV light therapy has proven to be very helpful for some patients, especially for those suffering from psoriasis.
Natural Treatment
Eczema can be "cured" but psoriasis is a multifactorial disease that requires a multitreatment approach that is daunting for most people.
Natural treatment begins with detoxification, especially for psoriasis. Saunas, exercise that makes you sweat, bowel, liver and kidney cleansing and removal of mercury amalgams in your teeth are all important considerations. Stress reduction is also an essential part of dealing with skin conditions. It's often said you wear your heart on your sleeve. You also wear your emotions on your skin.
Meditation, journaling, and just plain taking time for yourself are very important tools for calming your body and feelings.
Dietary Treatments
For both conditions, you will need to begin by eliminating sugar and refined and processed foods from your diet. This means avoiding table sugar, foods that contain sugar or high fructose corn syrup, any white food, like white bread, biscuits, pizza dough, baked goods, anything that comes in a box and most canned foods.
The next step is to avoid food irritants and allergens. For skin conditions that may be caused by food allergies or intolerances, I highly recommend the Elimination Diet. Go to www.yeastconnection.com for a detailed plan to eliminate suspect foods from your diet and then gradually re-introduce them, making detailed observations to determine which ones may be causing your problems. (Look under the Yeast Fighting Program section.) You can suspect a food allergy if you have continual craving for that food, or eat it every day.
Dietary Recommendations
*Add foods rich in vitamins A and B-complex, like green leafy vegetables, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and dried beans.
*Add foods that are high in magnesium. These include nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fresh green vegetables -- organic if possible.
*Magnesium is so essential for helping to prevent allergies, detoxify, improve skin quality and relaxation that you might consider adding it as a supplement. The most common form is magnesium citrate taken at 300 milligrams twice daily.
*Increase the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in your diet -- the healthy fats -- by adding wild salmon (be sure it's free of mercury), walnuts, vegetables, nut and seed oils, especially flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil and black currant oil.
I'm going to depart slightly from the dietary recommendations here to recommend two substances that must be taken in supplement form: probiotics and digestive enzymes. I consider them foods and essential for optimal human function, so I'm including them here.
If you are not doing so already, start taking probiotics! While they are not technically foods, I've seen positive results over and over. If you correct the imbalance in intestinal flora by adding "good" bacteria to your system, many systemic problems will resolve themselves. I highly recommend that everyone take a probiotic daily.
In fact, there is a growing body of research that suggests that people with unbalanced intestinal flora have a higher risk of developing skin conditions like eczema, but probiotic supplementation diminishes or even eliminates the problem.
Along the same lines, taking supplemental digestive enzymes will enhance digestion and rapidly improve the condition of skin. Digestive enzymes not only digest the meal you are eating, but, taken between meals, they have been shown to digest inflammatory proteins in the body that could otherwise cause skin irritation or other inflammatory conditions.
Here's a list of natural creams and supplements that I have found to be effective in relieving eczema and psoriasis:
Calendula: These creams are very popular in Europe for the topical treatment of eczema and psoriasis. The cream is often combined with soothing chamomile for a variety of skin conditions. It should be applied topically two or three times a day.
Chamomile: The German Commission E approves the use of chamomile for treating a variety of skin conditions. Topical chamomile treatments can reduce inflammation and allergic reaction activity. Look for a cream containing 3 to 10-percent crude drug chamomile content and follow the label for dosage directions.
Supplements, like Nature's Virtue, will reduce the inflammatory process that causes eczema and psoriasis by correcting your ph from acidic body to alkaline. At the same Nature's Virtue contains detoxifiers, is loaded with green leafy vegetables, probiotics, contains Omega-3 fatty acids and digestive enzymes all in one easy scoop. To get Nature's Virtue go to my website: www.internalcreations.com and start to Ease That Itch Today!
This article by Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D. gives great insight on natural ways to ease that itch. Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., is a health advisor to Woman's Health Connection and is featured on the website's "Ask the Expert" page. She has written Hormone Balance, Everything Alzheimer's and Natural Prescriptions for Common Ailments.
Did you ever have a long-term maddening itch that is so intense, especially at night, that you damage your skin with your frantic scratching? If so, you've likely experienced the miseries of eczema, psoriasis or other types of dermatitis.
These inflammatory conditions of the skin are slightly different conditions, but the terms are often used generically for any itchy, red, scaly skin problem. They can occur at any time in a person's life, often beginning in infancy and may sometimes continue unabated for decades. Most of them manifest as painful swelling and oozing of the skin, bleeding cracks, severe scaling, itching and burning. Some sufferers have described eczema as "the itch that rashes" and others say when they sweat, it feels as though acid is being poured on them.
Scratching that breaks the skin increases the risk of infection. Long-term scratching can cause the skin to become thick and leathery.
Causes of Eczema and Psoriasis
Eczema and psoriasis are potentially allergic conditions that can be triggered by environmental factors and dozens of other external irritants like the following:
* Laundry detergent
* Soaps
* Household chemicals
* Workplace chemicals
* Perfumes
* Animal dander
* Metals (such as nickel in jewelry)
While psoriasis is most often linked with external allergic triggers, eczema is often caused by food allergies. The most common allergens include wheat, nuts, seafood, eggs and some fruits, such as strawberries.
Both conditions are often associated with food intolerances and multiple chemical sensitivities. If you have been regularly reading my articles, this will likely ring a bell, since food intolerances and multiple chemical sensitivities are often the result of dysbiosis or an imbalance of intestinal flora that causes yeast overgrowth. This is sometimes accompanied with widespread systemic effects.
Another major cause of eczema and psoriasis is SAD -- the dreaded Standard American Diet -- which is rich in sugar and processed and refined foods. This sugar-filled diet eventually begins to wreak havoc with many aspects of our health.
Science suggests eczema and psoriasis may be autoimmune disorders, which in allopathic medicine tends to be a "cop-out" diagnosis. Integrative medicine argues that our immune system does not attack a healthy body. However, the immune system will go into overdrive when the body becomes toxic. An example of this is the simple case of aspartame, the poisonous artificial sweetener. Most "diet" products contain aspartame, a substance that people take in hopes of losing weight or use as a "healthier" substitute for sweetened products. These people often end up with itchy rashes that can be indistinguishable from eczema.
A naturopathic doctor would say that in an attempt to eliminate aspartame, its metabolites are excreted to the skin surface where it causes irritation.
Characteristics of Psoriasis and Eczema
In the case of psoriasis, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) describes the condition as "an immune system disorder that affects the skin, and occasionally the eyes, nails, and joints." Psoriasis may also affect very small areas of skin or cover the entire body with a buildup of red scales called plaques. The plaques are of different sizes, shapes and severity and may be painful as well as unattractive. Bacterial infections and pressure or trauma to the skin can aggravate psoriasis.
Most treatments focus on topical skin care to relieve the inflammation, itching, and scaling. For more severe cases, oral medications are used. Psoriasis is common and may affect more than 2 percent of all Americans.
A particular type of eczema, called autoimmune progesterone dermatitis (APD), is a condition in which eczema flares when progesterone levels rise 3 to 10 days prior to the onset of menstrual flow. The condition then eases when progesterone levels drop during the menstrual period. Women with irregular periods may not have this clear correlation, thus making diagnosis more difficult.
APD also seems to run in families and the risk of eczema is particularly high in families with a history of asthma and hay fever -- a further indication the condition is related to a compromised immune system.
Eczema and psoriasis are both worsened by stress, but psoriasis is more affected by the weather. Cold dry winter weather worsens psoriasis, whereas sunny, hot, humid conditions make it better. In keeping with the autoimmune nature of psoriasis, when the person develops an infection, such as a sore throat or sinusitis, their psoriasis will often flare up.
Many classes of drugs, similar to the way that aspartame works, worsen psoriasis symptoms. These include antihypertensive ACE inhibitors and beta-blockers, Chloroquine (an anti-malaria drug), progesterone, indocin (the anti-inflammatory drug) and lithium.
In addition to what conventional medicine says about psoriasis, clinically, it is associated with a deficiency of zinc, magnesium, essential fatty acids and represents a high degree of toxicity in the body.
Conventional Treatment Doesn't Provide Much Hope
Conventional medicine will tell you that there is no cure for either of these conditions, although children with eczema will frequently "grow out of it."
Hydrocortisone cream or ointment is the most commonly prescribed conventional treatment for eczema and psoriasis. This is a strong and toxic medicine of limited effectiveness.
Long-term use of steroid creams can result in side effects, such as thin, fragile, dry skin and even suppression of the adrenal glands. For these reasons, medications of this kind can only be used for short periods of time, which is not very helpful to the chronic sufferer.
When studying homeopathy, I learned when you suppress a skin condition with cortisone, especially in children, the focus of the child's illness shifts from the skin to the lungs and they often develop asthma. Parents may be relieved their child's skin condition has cleared, but don't realize that they are substituting a milder condition for a much more serious one.
Using antihistamines, like Benadryl, can be helpful in relieving itching, but they cause drowsiness, so they're usually not appropriate for daytime use. UV light therapy has proven to be very helpful for some patients, especially for those suffering from psoriasis.
Natural Treatment
Eczema can be "cured" but psoriasis is a multifactorial disease that requires a multitreatment approach that is daunting for most people.
Natural treatment begins with detoxification, especially for psoriasis. Saunas, exercise that makes you sweat, bowel, liver and kidney cleansing and removal of mercury amalgams in your teeth are all important considerations. Stress reduction is also an essential part of dealing with skin conditions. It's often said you wear your heart on your sleeve. You also wear your emotions on your skin.
Meditation, journaling, and just plain taking time for yourself are very important tools for calming your body and feelings.
Dietary Treatments
For both conditions, you will need to begin by eliminating sugar and refined and processed foods from your diet. This means avoiding table sugar, foods that contain sugar or high fructose corn syrup, any white food, like white bread, biscuits, pizza dough, baked goods, anything that comes in a box and most canned foods.
The next step is to avoid food irritants and allergens. For skin conditions that may be caused by food allergies or intolerances, I highly recommend the Elimination Diet. Go to www.yeastconnection.com for a detailed plan to eliminate suspect foods from your diet and then gradually re-introduce them, making detailed observations to determine which ones may be causing your problems. (Look under the Yeast Fighting Program section.) You can suspect a food allergy if you have continual craving for that food, or eat it every day.
Dietary Recommendations
*Add foods rich in vitamins A and B-complex, like green leafy vegetables, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and dried beans.
*Add foods that are high in magnesium. These include nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fresh green vegetables -- organic if possible.
*Magnesium is so essential for helping to prevent allergies, detoxify, improve skin quality and relaxation that you might consider adding it as a supplement. The most common form is magnesium citrate taken at 300 milligrams twice daily.
*Increase the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in your diet -- the healthy fats -- by adding wild salmon (be sure it's free of mercury), walnuts, vegetables, nut and seed oils, especially flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil and black currant oil.
I'm going to depart slightly from the dietary recommendations here to recommend two substances that must be taken in supplement form: probiotics and digestive enzymes. I consider them foods and essential for optimal human function, so I'm including them here.
If you are not doing so already, start taking probiotics! While they are not technically foods, I've seen positive results over and over. If you correct the imbalance in intestinal flora by adding "good" bacteria to your system, many systemic problems will resolve themselves. I highly recommend that everyone take a probiotic daily.
In fact, there is a growing body of research that suggests that people with unbalanced intestinal flora have a higher risk of developing skin conditions like eczema, but probiotic supplementation diminishes or even eliminates the problem.
Along the same lines, taking supplemental digestive enzymes will enhance digestion and rapidly improve the condition of skin. Digestive enzymes not only digest the meal you are eating, but, taken between meals, they have been shown to digest inflammatory proteins in the body that could otherwise cause skin irritation or other inflammatory conditions.
Here's a list of natural creams and supplements that I have found to be effective in relieving eczema and psoriasis:
Calendula: These creams are very popular in Europe for the topical treatment of eczema and psoriasis. The cream is often combined with soothing chamomile for a variety of skin conditions. It should be applied topically two or three times a day.
Chamomile: The German Commission E approves the use of chamomile for treating a variety of skin conditions. Topical chamomile treatments can reduce inflammation and allergic reaction activity. Look for a cream containing 3 to 10-percent crude drug chamomile content and follow the label for dosage directions.
Supplements, like Nature's Virtue, will reduce the inflammatory process that causes eczema and psoriasis by correcting your ph from acidic body to alkaline. At the same Nature's Virtue contains detoxifiers, is loaded with green leafy vegetables, probiotics, contains Omega-3 fatty acids and digestive enzymes all in one easy scoop. To get Nature's Virtue go to my website: www.internalcreations.com and start to Ease That Itch Today!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Agave: A Triumph of Marketing over Truth
Here is a great article I received today by Dr. Mercola on the truth behind agave syrup. This article was important to me because some of you may have a similar story as mine.
A couple of years ago in my quest to find a healthy and tasty sweetener, I tried agave syrup a natural low glycemic choice, but was it?. I must confess that I didn't do my usual homework until after a few months of using it. I went primarily on label claims and it being sold in what I thought was a very reputable health food store. I started doing research on agave syrup because it just seemed too good to be true and it was. Needless to say I have never used it again. For me stevia is now my sweetener of choice and why I choose stevia for Nature's Virtue.
The popularity of agave syrup, also called agave nectar, is on a meteoric rise -- thanks in large part to clever marketing which positions the product as a healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Agave is also heavily promoted as a low glycemic food, enticing diabetics.
I’ll discuss just how “healthy” agave is in a minute.
The Amazing Power of Marketing
In case you doubt the influence of marketing in setting trends and consumer buying habits, look at these statistics:
* Agave products more than tripled in number between 2003 and 2007.
* McCormick & Co., a major food manufacturer, placed agave syrup in its “top 10 flavors” list for 2009.
Agave can now be found in prepared tea, energy and “health” drinks, nutrition bars, desserts, and other food items typically found in health food stores.
Agave is also quickly crossing over from the health food market to mainstream grocery chains, and consumers (especially vegans and raw food enthusiasts) are buying up bottles of the stuff to use in place of other sweeteners, like honey.
Why Agave Syrup is the Hottest New Trend in Sugar Alternatives
Taste. Agave has a subtle, delicate flavor many people enjoy.
Sweetness. Agave syrup can be up to three times as sweet as table sugar, so it takes less to sweeten a food or beverage.
Public perception. Highly effective agave product marketing campaigns have persuaded consumers the sweetener is a healthy alternative to sugar. As more and more people veer away from deadly artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup (but not from their sugar addiction, unfortunately), they are on the hunt for safer, healthier alternatives.
About the Agave Plant
Agaves grow primarily in Mexico, but you can also find them in the southern and western United States, as well as in South America. Previously, it was most commonly known as a primary ingredient of tequila. Agaves are not cacti, but are actually related to the lily and amaryllis families of plants.
There are over 100 species of agave plants, in a wide variety of sizes and colors.
Edible parts of the agave are the flowers, leaves, stalks and the sap. It is the sap of the plant that is used to make agave syrup.
Commercially available agave syrup or nectar is thought to be produced primarily from blue agave plants grown in Southern Mexico. This is because the blue agave has a high carbohydrate content, which results in a high concentration of fructose in the final product.
Harvesting the Sap
When an agave plant is about seven to 10 years old, the leaves are removed to expose the core, or pina, of the plant. The harvested pina looks like a large pineapple and can weigh anywhere from 50 to 150 pounds.
Sap is removed from the pina, filtered, and heated to break down the carbohydrates into sugars.
The same agave plant produces all three varieties of commercially sold syrup, depending on the amount of heat used in processing. These varieties include:
* Raw (color is similar to maple syrup and flavor is similar to caramel)
* Light (lighter color and flavor than raw)
* Amber (similar in color and flavor to raw)
Many varieties of agave nectar are processed at relatively low temperatures (below 118°F) and are marketed as a “raw” food.
The Myth of Agave as a “Healthy” Sugar Substitute
* Agave syrup is neither a natural food nor organic
Fully chemically processed sap from the agave plant is known as hydrolyzed high fructose inulin syrup.
According to Dr. Ingrid Kohlstadt, a fellow of the American College of Nutrition and an associate faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health:
“[Agave is] almost all fructose, highly processed sugar with great marketing.”
* Agave syrup is not low calorie.
Agave syrup is about 16 calories per teaspoon, the same as table sugar.
* Agave syrup may not have a low glycemic index.
Depending upon where the agave comes from and the amount of heat used to process it, your agave syrup can be anywhere from 55 percent to 90 percent fructose! (And it’s likely you won’t be able to tell from the product label.)
This range of fructose content hardly makes agave syrup a logical choice if you’re hoping to avoid the high levels of fructose in HFCS (high fructose corn syrup).
And if you’re diabetic, you should know that the alleged benefit of agave for diabetics is purely speculative. Very few agave studies have been documented, and most involved rats. There have been no clinical studies done on its safety for diabetics.
Since most agave syrup has such a high percentage of fructose, your blood sugar will likely spike just as it would if you were consuming regular sugar or HFCS, and you would also run the risk of raising your triglyceride levels. It’s also important to understand that whereas the glucose in other sugars are converted to blood glucose, fructose is a relatively unregulated source of fuel that your liver converts to fat and cholesterol.
A significant danger here is that fructose does not stimulate your insulin secretion, nor enhance leptin production, which is thought to be involved in appetite regulation. (This was detailed in one of the most thorough scientific analyses published to date on this topic.)
Because insulin and leptin act as key signals in regulating how much food you eat, as well as your body weight, dietary fructose can also contribute to increased food intake and weight gain.
Therefore, if you need to lose weight, fructose is one type of sugar you’ll definitely want to avoid, no matter what the source is.
Other Dangers of Fructose
In addition, consuming high amounts of concentrated fructose may cause health problems ranging from mineral depletion, to insulin resistance, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and even miscarriage in pregnant women.
Fructose may also interfere with your body’s ability to metabolize copper. This can result in depletion of collagen and elastin, which are vital connective tissues. A copper deficiency can also result in anemia, fragile bones, defects in your arteries, infertility, high cholesterol and heart disease, and uncontrolled blood sugar levels.
Additionally, fructose consumption has been shown to significantly increase uric acid. Elevated levels of uric acid are markers for heart disease. It has also been shown to increase blood lactic acid, especially in diabetics. Elevations in lactic acid can result in metabolic acidosis.
Isolated fructose has no enzymes, vitamins or minerals and can rob your body of these nutrients in order to assimilate itself. Hence, consumption of fructose can also lead to loss of vital minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc.
Other Reasons You Should Steer Clear of Agave
1. There are very few quality controls in place to monitor the production of agave syrup. Nearly all agave sold in the U.S. comes from Mexico. Industry insiders are concerned agave distributors are using lesser, even toxic, agave plants due to a shortage of blue agave.
There are also concerns that some distributors are cutting agave syrup with corn syrup -- how often and to what extent is anyone’s guess. In addition, the FDA has refused shipments of agave syrup due to excessive pesticide residues.
2. Agave syrup is not a whole food -- it is fractionated and processed. The sap is separated from the plant and treated with heat, similar to how maple sap is made into maple syrup. Agave nectar is devoid of many of the nutrients contained in the original, whole plant.
3. Agave syrup is not a live food. The natural enzymes are removed to prevent agave syrup from fermenting and turning into tequila in your food pantry or cabinet.
4. Agave is, for all intents and purposes, highly concentrated sugar. Sugar and sweeteners wreak havoc on your health and are highly addictive.
The Case Against Sugar
No matter your nutritional type, sugar is not good for you. Certainly you can tolerate small amounts if you are healthy and the majority of your diet is healthy, but let’s face it the average American is consuming over 150 pounds a year of sugar or nearly half a pound a day. Ideally your annual consumption should be well under ten pounds per YEAR.
Sugar increases your insulin and leptin levels and decreases receptor sensitivity of both these hormones. This can lead to a wide range of health problems, including weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, premature aging, and heart disease.
Sugar suppresses your immune system, causing problems with allergies and digestive disorders. It can even bring on depression.
For a comprehensive list of the dangers of sugar to your body, read 76 ways sugar can destroy your health now.
Worse Than Any Sugar: Artificial Sweeteners
The worst of all possible choices are artificial sweeteners. They are, without question, far more damaging to your health than regular sugar.
While I don’t recommend it, consuming sugar in moderation isn’t likely to cause serious health problems. Moderation in this case is five pounds or less per year, which is a far cry from the 150 pounds per year consumed by the majority of Americans.
If you’re interested in kicking your sugar addiction, I highly recommend trying a meridian tapping technique called Turbo Tapping, which has helped thousands of people kick their sugar and soda habits.
Have You Tried Stevia?
If you’re determined to sweeten your foods and beverages, I urge you to consider using stevia. Stevia is a sweet herb, safe and natural. It is much sweeter than sugar, but has no calories. It is my personal choice of sweetener.
In the U.S., you’ll find stevia not in the sweetener aisle of your local grocery, but in the supplement section. It can be used in appetizers, beverages, soups, salads, vegetables, desserts -- just about anything.
If you’ve tried stevia and were bothered by an aftertaste, it could be the way the plant was processed. You should try a few different brands until you find one that tastes good.
However, if you have insulin issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or if you’re overweight, I suggest you avoid all sweeteners, including stevia, since any sweetener can decrease your insulin sensitivity.
For everyone else, my recommendation is to:
o Eliminate all artificial sweeteners
o Avoid agave
o Limit sugar
o Use raw, organic honey in moderation
o Use regular stevia in moderation, but avoid stevia-based sweeteners like Truvia and PureVia
A couple of years ago in my quest to find a healthy and tasty sweetener, I tried agave syrup a natural low glycemic choice, but was it?. I must confess that I didn't do my usual homework until after a few months of using it. I went primarily on label claims and it being sold in what I thought was a very reputable health food store. I started doing research on agave syrup because it just seemed too good to be true and it was. Needless to say I have never used it again. For me stevia is now my sweetener of choice and why I choose stevia for Nature's Virtue.
The popularity of agave syrup, also called agave nectar, is on a meteoric rise -- thanks in large part to clever marketing which positions the product as a healthy alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Agave is also heavily promoted as a low glycemic food, enticing diabetics.
I’ll discuss just how “healthy” agave is in a minute.
The Amazing Power of Marketing
In case you doubt the influence of marketing in setting trends and consumer buying habits, look at these statistics:
* Agave products more than tripled in number between 2003 and 2007.
* McCormick & Co., a major food manufacturer, placed agave syrup in its “top 10 flavors” list for 2009.
Agave can now be found in prepared tea, energy and “health” drinks, nutrition bars, desserts, and other food items typically found in health food stores.
Agave is also quickly crossing over from the health food market to mainstream grocery chains, and consumers (especially vegans and raw food enthusiasts) are buying up bottles of the stuff to use in place of other sweeteners, like honey.
Why Agave Syrup is the Hottest New Trend in Sugar Alternatives
Taste. Agave has a subtle, delicate flavor many people enjoy.
Sweetness. Agave syrup can be up to three times as sweet as table sugar, so it takes less to sweeten a food or beverage.
Public perception. Highly effective agave product marketing campaigns have persuaded consumers the sweetener is a healthy alternative to sugar. As more and more people veer away from deadly artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup (but not from their sugar addiction, unfortunately), they are on the hunt for safer, healthier alternatives.
About the Agave Plant
Agaves grow primarily in Mexico, but you can also find them in the southern and western United States, as well as in South America. Previously, it was most commonly known as a primary ingredient of tequila. Agaves are not cacti, but are actually related to the lily and amaryllis families of plants.
There are over 100 species of agave plants, in a wide variety of sizes and colors.
Edible parts of the agave are the flowers, leaves, stalks and the sap. It is the sap of the plant that is used to make agave syrup.
Commercially available agave syrup or nectar is thought to be produced primarily from blue agave plants grown in Southern Mexico. This is because the blue agave has a high carbohydrate content, which results in a high concentration of fructose in the final product.
Harvesting the Sap
When an agave plant is about seven to 10 years old, the leaves are removed to expose the core, or pina, of the plant. The harvested pina looks like a large pineapple and can weigh anywhere from 50 to 150 pounds.
Sap is removed from the pina, filtered, and heated to break down the carbohydrates into sugars.
The same agave plant produces all three varieties of commercially sold syrup, depending on the amount of heat used in processing. These varieties include:
* Raw (color is similar to maple syrup and flavor is similar to caramel)
* Light (lighter color and flavor than raw)
* Amber (similar in color and flavor to raw)
Many varieties of agave nectar are processed at relatively low temperatures (below 118°F) and are marketed as a “raw” food.
The Myth of Agave as a “Healthy” Sugar Substitute
* Agave syrup is neither a natural food nor organic
Fully chemically processed sap from the agave plant is known as hydrolyzed high fructose inulin syrup.
According to Dr. Ingrid Kohlstadt, a fellow of the American College of Nutrition and an associate faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health:
“[Agave is] almost all fructose, highly processed sugar with great marketing.”
* Agave syrup is not low calorie.
Agave syrup is about 16 calories per teaspoon, the same as table sugar.
* Agave syrup may not have a low glycemic index.
Depending upon where the agave comes from and the amount of heat used to process it, your agave syrup can be anywhere from 55 percent to 90 percent fructose! (And it’s likely you won’t be able to tell from the product label.)
This range of fructose content hardly makes agave syrup a logical choice if you’re hoping to avoid the high levels of fructose in HFCS (high fructose corn syrup).
And if you’re diabetic, you should know that the alleged benefit of agave for diabetics is purely speculative. Very few agave studies have been documented, and most involved rats. There have been no clinical studies done on its safety for diabetics.
Since most agave syrup has such a high percentage of fructose, your blood sugar will likely spike just as it would if you were consuming regular sugar or HFCS, and you would also run the risk of raising your triglyceride levels. It’s also important to understand that whereas the glucose in other sugars are converted to blood glucose, fructose is a relatively unregulated source of fuel that your liver converts to fat and cholesterol.
A significant danger here is that fructose does not stimulate your insulin secretion, nor enhance leptin production, which is thought to be involved in appetite regulation. (This was detailed in one of the most thorough scientific analyses published to date on this topic.)
Because insulin and leptin act as key signals in regulating how much food you eat, as well as your body weight, dietary fructose can also contribute to increased food intake and weight gain.
Therefore, if you need to lose weight, fructose is one type of sugar you’ll definitely want to avoid, no matter what the source is.
Other Dangers of Fructose
In addition, consuming high amounts of concentrated fructose may cause health problems ranging from mineral depletion, to insulin resistance, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and even miscarriage in pregnant women.
Fructose may also interfere with your body’s ability to metabolize copper. This can result in depletion of collagen and elastin, which are vital connective tissues. A copper deficiency can also result in anemia, fragile bones, defects in your arteries, infertility, high cholesterol and heart disease, and uncontrolled blood sugar levels.
Additionally, fructose consumption has been shown to significantly increase uric acid. Elevated levels of uric acid are markers for heart disease. It has also been shown to increase blood lactic acid, especially in diabetics. Elevations in lactic acid can result in metabolic acidosis.
Isolated fructose has no enzymes, vitamins or minerals and can rob your body of these nutrients in order to assimilate itself. Hence, consumption of fructose can also lead to loss of vital minerals like calcium, iron, magnesium, and zinc.
Other Reasons You Should Steer Clear of Agave
1. There are very few quality controls in place to monitor the production of agave syrup. Nearly all agave sold in the U.S. comes from Mexico. Industry insiders are concerned agave distributors are using lesser, even toxic, agave plants due to a shortage of blue agave.
There are also concerns that some distributors are cutting agave syrup with corn syrup -- how often and to what extent is anyone’s guess. In addition, the FDA has refused shipments of agave syrup due to excessive pesticide residues.
2. Agave syrup is not a whole food -- it is fractionated and processed. The sap is separated from the plant and treated with heat, similar to how maple sap is made into maple syrup. Agave nectar is devoid of many of the nutrients contained in the original, whole plant.
3. Agave syrup is not a live food. The natural enzymes are removed to prevent agave syrup from fermenting and turning into tequila in your food pantry or cabinet.
4. Agave is, for all intents and purposes, highly concentrated sugar. Sugar and sweeteners wreak havoc on your health and are highly addictive.
The Case Against Sugar
No matter your nutritional type, sugar is not good for you. Certainly you can tolerate small amounts if you are healthy and the majority of your diet is healthy, but let’s face it the average American is consuming over 150 pounds a year of sugar or nearly half a pound a day. Ideally your annual consumption should be well under ten pounds per YEAR.
Sugar increases your insulin and leptin levels and decreases receptor sensitivity of both these hormones. This can lead to a wide range of health problems, including weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, premature aging, and heart disease.
Sugar suppresses your immune system, causing problems with allergies and digestive disorders. It can even bring on depression.
For a comprehensive list of the dangers of sugar to your body, read 76 ways sugar can destroy your health now.
Worse Than Any Sugar: Artificial Sweeteners
The worst of all possible choices are artificial sweeteners. They are, without question, far more damaging to your health than regular sugar.
While I don’t recommend it, consuming sugar in moderation isn’t likely to cause serious health problems. Moderation in this case is five pounds or less per year, which is a far cry from the 150 pounds per year consumed by the majority of Americans.
If you’re interested in kicking your sugar addiction, I highly recommend trying a meridian tapping technique called Turbo Tapping, which has helped thousands of people kick their sugar and soda habits.
Have You Tried Stevia?
If you’re determined to sweeten your foods and beverages, I urge you to consider using stevia. Stevia is a sweet herb, safe and natural. It is much sweeter than sugar, but has no calories. It is my personal choice of sweetener.
In the U.S., you’ll find stevia not in the sweetener aisle of your local grocery, but in the supplement section. It can be used in appetizers, beverages, soups, salads, vegetables, desserts -- just about anything.
If you’ve tried stevia and were bothered by an aftertaste, it could be the way the plant was processed. You should try a few different brands until you find one that tastes good.
However, if you have insulin issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or if you’re overweight, I suggest you avoid all sweeteners, including stevia, since any sweetener can decrease your insulin sensitivity.
For everyone else, my recommendation is to:
o Eliminate all artificial sweeteners
o Avoid agave
o Limit sugar
o Use raw, organic honey in moderation
o Use regular stevia in moderation, but avoid stevia-based sweeteners like Truvia and PureVia
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Curcumin and Resveratrol 2 Powerful Ingredients Found in "NV"
Curcumin and resveratrol exert synergistic effects against cancer cells.
Curcumin and resveratrol exert synergistic effects against cancer cellsIn the July, 2009 issue of the journal Nutrition and Cancer, researchers at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Karmanos Cancer Center and Wayne State University in Detroit report that a combination of curcumin and resveratrol showed greater inhibitory effects against cancer cells compared with either agent used alone.
Adhip P. N. Majumdar and colleagues incubated human colon cancer cells with varying concentrations of curcumin, resveratrol or both agents combined. Untreated cells served as controls. Although both agents inhibited cell growth dose-dependently, the combination of curcumin and resveratrol elicited a greater effect than either extract used separately, suggesting a synergistic benefit.
Further experimentation showed that the synergism was effective in both p53 positive and p53 negative colon cancer cells. While curcumin or resveratrol alone inhibited the growth of these cells by 15 to 30 percent, the combination resulted in a 40 percent inhibition compared to the control cells.
In another experiment in which colon cancer cells were grated into mice, the combination of resveratrol and curcumin once again was associated with greater tumor growth inhibition than either therapy alone. The number of cells undergoing apoptosis in response to the curcumin/resveratrol combination was found to be double that of treatment with either agent by itself. Activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa-beta (NF-kB), which stimulates the transcription of genes involved in cell survival, was similarly decreased by the administration of curcumin and resveratrol.
“Our data show that the combination therapy of curcumin and resveratrol is highly effective in inhibiting the growth of colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, which could be attributed to inhibition of proliferation and stimulation of apoptosis resulting from attenuation of nuclear NF-kb activity,” the authors write. “The combination of curcumin and resveratrol could be an effective preventive/therapeutic strategy for colon cancer,” they conclude.
—D Dye
July 01, 2009 Life Extension
Curcumin and resveratrol exert synergistic effects against cancer cellsIn the July, 2009 issue of the journal Nutrition and Cancer, researchers at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Karmanos Cancer Center and Wayne State University in Detroit report that a combination of curcumin and resveratrol showed greater inhibitory effects against cancer cells compared with either agent used alone.
Adhip P. N. Majumdar and colleagues incubated human colon cancer cells with varying concentrations of curcumin, resveratrol or both agents combined. Untreated cells served as controls. Although both agents inhibited cell growth dose-dependently, the combination of curcumin and resveratrol elicited a greater effect than either extract used separately, suggesting a synergistic benefit.
Further experimentation showed that the synergism was effective in both p53 positive and p53 negative colon cancer cells. While curcumin or resveratrol alone inhibited the growth of these cells by 15 to 30 percent, the combination resulted in a 40 percent inhibition compared to the control cells.
In another experiment in which colon cancer cells were grated into mice, the combination of resveratrol and curcumin once again was associated with greater tumor growth inhibition than either therapy alone. The number of cells undergoing apoptosis in response to the curcumin/resveratrol combination was found to be double that of treatment with either agent by itself. Activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa-beta (NF-kB), which stimulates the transcription of genes involved in cell survival, was similarly decreased by the administration of curcumin and resveratrol.
“Our data show that the combination therapy of curcumin and resveratrol is highly effective in inhibiting the growth of colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, which could be attributed to inhibition of proliferation and stimulation of apoptosis resulting from attenuation of nuclear NF-kb activity,” the authors write. “The combination of curcumin and resveratrol could be an effective preventive/therapeutic strategy for colon cancer,” they conclude.
—D Dye
July 01, 2009 Life Extension
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