Eating and Living Naturally - As we were meant to

ONIONS! I had never heard this!!!

Mon, 07 May 2012 02:33:00 GMT

PLEASE READ TO THE END: IMPORTANT!!!!

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that
Visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu...
Many of the farmers and their families had contracted it and many died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser. She said that several
Years ago, many of her employees were coming down with the flu, and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu.

Now there is a P. S. To this for I sent it to a friend in Oregon who
Regularly contributes material to me on health issues. She replied with this
Most interesting experience about onions:

Thanks for the reminder. I don't know about the farmer's story...but, I do
Know that I contacted pneumonia, and, needless to say, I was very ill... I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion put it into an
Empty jar, and place the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the
Onion would be black in the morning from the germs...sure enough it happened just like that...the onion was a mess and I began to feel better.

Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around
The room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful
Antibacterial, antiseptic properties.

This is the other note. Lots of times when we have stomach problems we don't know what to blame. Maybe it's the onions that are to blame. Onions absorb bacteria is the reason they are so good at preventing us from getting colds and flu and is the very reason we shouldn't eat an onion that has been sitting for a time after it has been cut open.

LEFT OVER ONIONS ARE POISONOUS

I had the wonderful privilege of touring Mullins Food Products, Makers of
Mayonnaise. Questions about food poisoning came up, and I wanted to share what I learned from a chemist.

Ed, who was our tour guide, is a food chemistry whiz. During the tour, someone asked if we really needed to worry about mayonnaise. People are always worried that mayonnaise will spoil. Ed's answer will surprise you. Ed said that all commercially-made Mayo is completely safe.

"It doesn't even have to be refrigerated. No harm in refrigerating it, but
it's not really necessary." He explained that the pH in mayonnaise is set at
A point that bacteria could not survive in that environment. He then talked
About the summer picnic, with the bowl of potato salad sitting on the table, and how everyone blames the mayonnaise when someone gets sick.

Ed says that, when food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials
Look for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came
From (in the potato salad?). Ed says it's not the mayonnaise (as long as
it's not homemade Mayo) that spoils in the outdoors. It's probably the
ONIONS, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES.

He explained onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked
Onions. You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion.. He says
it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your
Refrigerator.

It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit,
That it can be a danger to you (and doubly watch out for those onions you
Put in your hotdogs at the baseball park!). Ed says if you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy you'll probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put on your sandwich, you're asking for trouble. Both the onions and the moist potato in a potato salad, will attract and grow bacteria faster than any commercial mayonnaise will even begin to break down.

Also, dogs should never eat onions. Their stomachs cannot metabolize onions.

Please remember it is dangerous to cut an onion and try to use it to cook
the next day, it becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and
creates toxic bacteria which may cause adverse stomach infections because of excess bile secretions and even food poisoning.

Please pass this on to all you love and care about.

What's in Season - May

Mon, 07 May 2012 01:21:00 GMT

There’s an amazing choice of flavours to discover with the late-autumn’s harvest…. So, please enjoy this autumn editions, deliciously healthy, seasonal recipes.

Fruit

Apples
Bananas
Custard Apples
Kiwfruit
Lemons
Nashi
Pears
Pomegranates
Persimmons
Quinces

Vegetables

Beetroot
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbages
Capsicums
Chinese greens
Fennel
Leeks
Mushrooms
Okra
Parsnips
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Silverbeet
Spinach

Source

Taste.com.au - May 2012

Are we designed to eat Grains?...By Dr. Mercola

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:49:00 GMT

Grains contain anti-nutrients and lectins that can damage your gut, and humans did not consume them until relatively recently in biological time
We’re often told that whole grains are healthy, but the high-fiber bran portion of grain -- the part that makes it a whole grain -- actually contains many of the anti-nutrients
There is a sizeable body of scientific evidence showing that grains, as well as legumes, contain anti-nutrients that may increase intestinal permeability and cause leaky gut and associated symptoms
Eliminating grains (and sugars) from your diet, while introducing traditionally fermented foods, may help prevent leaky gut as well as other chronic health conditions

What is leaky gut? It is a condition that occurs due to the development of gaps between the cells (enterocytes) that make up the membrane lining your intestinal wall.

These tiny gaps allow substances such as undigested food, bacteria and metabolic wastes, that should be confined to your digestive tract, to escape into your bloodstream -- hence the term- leaky gut syndrome.

Once the integrity of your intestinal lining is compromised, and there is a flow of toxic substances "leaking out" into your bloodstream, your body experiences significant increases in inflammation. Also, your immune system may become confused and begin to attack your own body as if it were an enemy (autoimmunity).

Most often, leaky gut syndrome is associated with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis, or celiac disease, but even healthy people can have varying degrees of intestinal permeability leading to a wide variety of health symptoms -- and this can be influenced heavily by the foods you choose to eat.

Grains Contain Anti-Nutrients

In the United States & western world, we're told that grains (especially whole grains) are an important part of a balanced diet, necessary for obtaining our daily requirement of healthy nutrients and fibre. However, according to a growing number of experts, including Dr. Loren Cordain, a professor at Colorado State University and an expert on Paleolithic lifestyles, humans are NOT designed to eat grains, and doing so may actually be damaging to your gut.

Dr. Cordain explains:

"There's no human requirement for grains. That's the problem with the USDA recommendations. They think we're hardwired as a species to eat grains. You can get by just fine and meet every single nutrient requirement that humans have without eating grains. And grains are absolutely poor sources of vitamins and minerals compared to fruits and vegetables and meat and fish."

Ironically, since we're often told that whole grains are the best for our health, the high-fiber bran portion of grain – a key part that makes it a whole grain -- actually contains many of the anti-nutrients. But the problem isn't only that there are superior sources of nutrients; grains actually contain anti-nutrients that may damage your health. Dr. Cordain states:

"Grains are the seeds of a plant. They're its reproductive material, and plants don't make their reproductive material to give away for free to other animals. If they did they'd become extinct, and so the evolutionary strategy that many plants, particularly cereal grains have taken to prevent predation is to evolve toxic compounds so that the predator of the seeds can't eat them, so that they can put their seeds in the soil where they're meant to be to grow a new plant and not in the gut of an animal to feed it."

Grains -- Especially Whole Grains -- Increase Intestinal Permeability

There is a growing body of scientific evidence showing that grains, as well as legumes, contain anti-nutrients and other problem substances that may increase intestinal permeability. This includes:

Gliadin is the primary immunotoxic protein found in wheat gluten and is among the most damaging to your health. Gliadin gives wheat bread its doughy texture and is capable of increasing the production of the intestinal protein zonulin, which in turn opens up gaps in the normally tight junctures between intestinal cells (enterocytes).

In celiac disease the body will make antibodies to gliadin after it is digested by the intestinal enzyme tissue transglutaminase, resulting in severe autoimmune damage to the delicate, absorptive surfaces of the intestines. It does not, however, require full blown celiac disease to suffer from the adverse effects of this protein. In fact, it is likely that our intolerance to gliadin and related wheat proteins is a species-specific intolerance, applicable to all humans, with the difference being a matter of the degree to which it causes harm. This helps to explain why new research clearly shows gliadin increases intestinal permeability in both those with, and those without, celiac disease.

Lectins are a key mechanism through which plants protect themselves against being eaten, and are found in highest concentrations in their seed form -- which makes sense, considering that seeds are the plants' "babies" and whose survival ensures the continuation of their species.

When animals consume foods containing lectins, they may experience digestive irritation, along with a wide range of other health complaints. The degree to which the adverse effects are expressed depends largely on how long that species has had to co-evolve with that particular form of plant food it is eating. Since humans have only been consuming unsprouted grains and beans in large amounts for approximately 500 generations, we still suffer far more than certain rodents and birds, who have had thousands of generations longer to adapt to this way of eating.

We are mostly exposed to lectins from grains, beans, dairy products and nightshade plants, such as potato, tomato, and chili peppers. However, bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) has a prominent role to play in lectin-induced adverse effects, due to the fact that it is a relatively new form of wheat, and contains wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) – a particularly resilient & problematic lectin, considering it is not eliminated through sprouting & is actually found in higher concentrations in whole wheat.

Studies indicate that it has the potential to contribute to a wide range of adverse health effects, including gut inflammation and damage to your gastrointestinal tract:

Pro-inflammatory--WGA stimulates the synthesis of pro-inflammatory chemical messengers (cytokines) in intestinal and immune cells, and has been shown to play a causative role in chronic thin gut inflammation.	Immunotoxicity--WGA induces thymus atrophy in rats, and anti-WGA antibodies in human blood have been shown to cross-react with other proteins, indicating that they may contribute to autoimmunity . In fact, WGA appears to play a role in celiac disease (CD) that is entirely distinct from that of gluten, due to significantly higher levels of IgG and IgA antibodies against WGA found in patients with CD, when compared with patients with other intestinal disorders.
Neurotoxicity--WGA can cross your blood-brain barrier through a process called "adsorptive endocytosis," pulling other substances with it. WGA may attach to your myelin sheath and is capable of inhibiting nerve growth factor, which is important for the growth, maintenance, and survival of certain target neurons.	Excitotoxicity--Wheat, dairy, and soy contain exceptionally high levels of glutamic and aspartic acid, which makes them all potentially excitotoxic. Excitotoxicity is a pathological process where glutamic and aspartic acid cause an over-activation of your nerve cell receptors, which can lead to calcium-induced nerve and brain injury. These two amino acids may contribute to neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's, Huntington's disease, and other nervous system disorders such as epilepsy, ADD/ADHD and migraines.
Cytotoxicity—WGA has been demonstrated to be cytotoxic to both normal and cancerous cell lines, capable of inducing either cell cycle arrest or programmed cell death (apoptosis).	Disrupts Endocrine Function—WGA may contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance, and leptin resistance by blocking the leptin receptor in your hypothalamus. It also binds to both benign and malignant thyroid nodules, and interferes with the production of secretin from your pancreas, which can lead to digestive problems and pancreatic hypertrophy.
Cardiotoxicity—WGA has a potent, disruptive effect on platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1, which plays a key role in tissue regeneration and safely removing neutrophils from your blood vessels.	Adversely Affects Gastrointestinal Function by causing increased shedding of the intestinal brush border membrane, reducing the surface area, and accelerating cell loss and shortening of villi. It also causes cytoskeleton degradation in intestinal cells, contributing to cell death and increased turnover, and decreases levels of heat shock proteins in gut epithelial cells, leaving them more vulnerable to damage.

As we noted earlier, the highest amounts of WGA is found in whole wheat, including its sprouted form, which is touted as being the most healthful form of all ... The traditional ways of addressing many of these anti-nutrients is, in fact, by sprouting, fermenting and cooking. However, lectins are designed to withstand degradation through a wide range of pH and temperatures. WGA lectin is particularly tough because it's actually formed by the same disulfide bonds that give strength and resilience to vulcanized rubber and human hair.

New Report Warns of the Sugar in Cereals Marketed to Kids

One of the most common ways we consume grains is in the form of cereal, many of which are marketed to kids and adults alike as "health foods." But cereal is anything but healthy, not only because of the grain it contains but also because many (particularly those for kids) contain excessive amounts of sugar.

A new report from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) revealed that many popular children's cereal brands contain more sugar than snack cakes & cookies. For instance, one cup of Kellogg's Honey Smacks, which is nearly 56 percent sugar by weight, while a one-cup serving of 44 other children's cereals analyzed contain more sugar than three Chips Ahoy! cookies. Sugar is a health disaster, however, as it pertains to leaky gut, you should know that sugar, like grains, can upset the balance of bacteria in your digestive tract, encouraging damage to your intestinal lining that can lead to leaky gut. So, sugary children's cereals are a double-edged sword, assaulting your fragile gastrointestinal tract with both damaging sugar and grains. Please do your kids a great favor and offer them a healthier breakfast instead.

Are Grains Causing Your Leaky Gut Symptoms? This Food is the "Antidote"

As you might suspect, leaky gut can cause digestive symptoms such as bloating, gas & abdominal cramps, but it can also cause or contribute to many others you may not, such as fatigue, skin rashes, joint pain, allergies, psychological symptoms, & autism.

It's a vicious cycle because once your digestive tract has been damaged, it allows various gut contents to flood into your bloodstream where they wreak havoc on your health. The key to preventing this lies in altering your diet to eliminate the offending foods -- including sugars and grains -- as well as introduce healthier ones that will support a proper balance of bacteria in your gut. To restore gut health, and prevent leaky gut from occurring, eating traditionally fermented foods is essential.

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride explains:

"Fermented foods are essential to introduce, as they provide probiotic microbes in the best possible form … fermented foods will carry probiotic microbes all away down to the end of the digestive system. Fermentation predigests the food, making it easy for our digestive systems to handle, that is why fermented foods are easily digested by people with damaged gut. Fermentation releases nutrients from the food, making them more bio-available for the body: for example sauerkraut contains 20 times more bio-available vitamin C than fresh cabbage."

On Dr. Campbell-McBride's web site you can find recipes for many traditionally fermented foods, including sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, kvass and more.

If you regularly eat fermented foods such as these that have not been pasteurized (pasteurization kills the naturally occurring probiotics), your healthy gut bacteria will thrive. If these foods do not make a regular appearance in your diet, or you've recently taken antibiotics, a high-quality probiotic supplement will help give your gut bacteria the healthy boost it needs. Once your gut flora is optimized, your leaky gut should improve naturally. As Dr. Cordain explains:

" … when we have a healthy flora of bacteria in our gut, it tends to prevent leaky gut."

Is a Return to the Paleo Diet Right for You?

During the Paleolithic period, many thousands of years ago, people ate primarily vegetables, fruit, nuts, roots and meat—and a wide variety of it. Today, these staples have been largely replaced with refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, cereal, bread, potatoes and pasteurized milk products… and a much narrower selection of fruits, vegetables, roots and nuts.

This is precisely the recipe for a leaky gut, and all of its associated health problems, which is why simply returning to a Paelo diet by eating foods that are concordant with your genetic ancestry may help you become healthier. This includes focusing on whole, unprocessed foods including vegetables (except corn and potatoes) and free-range organic meats, while avoiding sugars and grains.

As Dr. Cordain states:

"The nutritional qualities of modern processed foods and foods introduced during the Neolithic period are discordant with our ancient and conservative genome. This genetic discordance ultimately manifests itself as various chronic illnesses, which have been dubbed "diseases of civilization." By severely reducing or eliminating these foods and replacing them with a more healthful cuisine, possessing nutrient qualities more in line with the foods our ancestors consumed, it is possible to improve health and reduce the risk of chronic disease."

Source: Me and My Diabetes December 3, 2011

Source: USA Today December 6, 2011

Source: Environmental Working Group December 2011

Milk Wars....a staple for many people, milk is readily available and also ridiculously cheap

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 23:03:00 GMT

Arabella Forge takes a look at where milk comes from, its health benefits and why organic milk from pasture-fed animals is the best there is.

Since the beginnings of agriculture 10,000 years ago, milk-producing animals such as cows, sheep and goats have been an invaluable resource. Milk was known as a nutrient-dense, complete and natural wholefood that contained important nutrients. It could be drunk fresh but usually it was fermented to make clabbered (curdled or soured) milk, yoghurt, kefir or cheese. Without refrigeration, milk would naturally sour so it required fermentation to last for longer periods of time. These natural fermentation processes also increased the milk’s levels of healthy bacteria and several vitamins and minerals, creating an even more nutrient-dense food product.
At the turn of the twentieth century, as many people began migrating to the cities and western populations expanded, the demand for milk continued to grow. To produce plentiful milk on small areas of land, farmers began feeding their cattle various food scraps, brewery waste and grain supplements to increase milk production. This unhealthy and unnatural diet for the cows caused the milk to foul and many people became ill from food-borne diseases. In addition, the longer transport times and a lack of understanding of basic sanitation practices caused milk to be more unstable and added to the risk of contamination.
Modern food processing methods since developed to ensure the safety and standardisation of all dairy foods. Stainless steel milk trucks, refrigeration, homogenisation, fat-reduction and heat-treatment pasteurisation ensure that milk is now safe, convenient and easily available – but it is not quite the same food that our parents or grandparents used to consume. As with many industrialised foods, milk now comes to us over greater distances and with less nutritional value.
Dairy is big business
The Australian dairy industry is one of Australia’s major rural industries with an annual production value of $3.4 billion. Each year 45 per cent of the total milk produced in Australia is exported, with the export industry currently valued at $2.9 billion annually. Of the milk that is used within Australia, 33 per cent goes to cheese making, 25 per cent to skim milk powder and butter and 24 per cent is consumed as milk. There are currently 7924 dairy farms in Australia with an average herd size of 220 cows.
In 2000, deregulation of the dairy industry forced the Australian markets to become more internationally competitive. Prior to this, milk pricing and supply in Australia was regulated by a combination of state and federal policies. The industry now works in an entirely deregulated environment where international prices determine the price received by farmers for their milk. Australian dairy farmers currently receive a low price (39c/litre) by world standards and therefore have to run very efficient production systems.
The supermarket price war
The recent discounting on milk process by chain supermarkets could potentially cause irrevocable harm to the dairy industry. In March 2011, Coles cut its price of home-brand milk to $1.00 per litre to compete against its labelled brands. Woolworths, Aldi and Franklins matched the price on their home-brand milks as well. This discounting is predicted to incur an erosion of the branded milk product, which till cut processors’ margins and ultimately cause prices at the farm fate to fall.
Dairy cooperatives such as Norco, which represents 165 dairy farms in Queensland and northern NSW, have claimed that this continued discounting could potentially trigger ‘the possible demise of the dairy industry’. Producers for Norco receive 54.11c/litre from the farm gate. Norco claims that this is just four cents above what it takes to break even. If the milk discounting was passed back down the chain to farmers, Norco says, they would get about 31c/litre – far less that the break-even milk price. This could cause several farms to close. According to Australian Dairy Farmers vice president Adrian Drury, the price should be set at $1.50/litre from the farm gate to ensure the survival of the dairy industry.
Cow welfare
In recent years concerns have been raised by animal welfare groups about the treatment of dairy cows – in particular, the receding lifespan of an average dairy cow. Dairy cows are now required to produce more milk more rapidly, at a younger age. Consequently, cows burn out faster. Those problems are, of course, likely to be exacerbated by the present price war.
Diet of conventional cows
Most conventional dairy farms practise a combination of pasture-based feeding as well as supplementary feeding in the form of silage, hay, grains and miscellaneous food waste (brewery leftovers and vegetable scraps). No conventional farms operate without some form of supplementary feeding and a small proportion of dairy cattle (four per cent) exists in confinement feedlots without access to natural pastures.
For dairy cows, a diet lacking in natural pastures has been shown to cause various health problems such as bloat or liver abscesses. These need to be treated quickly with medication to avoid severe illness or death. There is also a higher risk of E.coli contamination in the food products from cows that have had a high proportion of grains and food supplements in their diet.
Artificial hormones
Artificial hormones are not given to dairy cows in Australia. The rBST or rBGH – an artificial hormone that stimulates milk production in cows – has been banned from use in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and all European Union countries. The publicity surrounding the use of rBGH in some parts of the USA has caused many people internationally to choose organic or biodynamic certified milk products to ensure that they are hormone free.
Antibiotics and the organic alternative
The dairy industry routinely uses antibiotics for the treatment of infections and inflammation in cattle. Dairy Food Safety Victoria claims that it frequently conducts tests to ensure that antibiotic residues to do not appear in dairy products. However, the amount of antibiotics used on each conventional farm is at the discretion of the farmer and local vet. Antibiotics are administered via intramammary pathways for the treatment of mastitis, and also topically, intrauterinally and orally (directly or as a feed supplement). In comparison, organic and biodynamic farming methods rely on homeopathic remedies and natural immune-boosting feed supplements to prevent infections from occurring and to treat them naturally when required, with minimal side effects. If a cow on an organic dairy needs to be treated with antibiotics, then its milk is discarded for a specific period during and after treatment.
Conventional milks are watered down
Some conventional milk products in Australia are watered down using a milk solid product called permeate. This is a waste product of dairy production created by removing all the fat and protein through a fine sieve and then concentrating all the remaining materials. In some brands of milk it can make up to 12 per cent of the final product. It is legal to use permeate in all conventional milk brands but it is not a requirement of Australian food labelling laws to feature permeate in ingredients lists on milk labels.
Permeate
Dairy Australia claims that permeate is used to standardise levels of fat and protein in milk products to compensate for seasonal variation (levels of fat will naturally change depending on the season). It also allows them to produce and heavily market a variety of different types of milk (for example, low fat, high calcium, not fat). But most farmers do not welcome the use of permeate in milk products and consider such products a poor substitute for the real thing. Milk processing plants save money by using permeate and reducing the fat content of their milk – the excess cream from milk processing can be used for other products such as butter, skim milk powder, yoghurt and ice cream.
A2 milk
A2 milk is a type of milk identified by its specific beta-casein protein. Dairy milk contains one of two types of beta-casein proteins, either A1 or A2. All sheep, goats and buffalo naturally have A2 beta-casein proteins, but dairy cows can have either A1 or A2.
There is a perception amongst the public that A2 milk is less allergenic than A1 milk is. Anecdotally, many people claim that the milk tastes better and is easier to digest. But scientific studies have shown that beta-casein is one of at least seven proteins in cow’s milk with allergenic significance (alpha-, beta- and gamma-casein, alpha- and beta-lactoglobulin, lactoferrin and transferrin). Hence it is unlikely that a single amino-acid difference in one protein will have a significant effect on overall milk allergenicity.
Reduced fat = reduced beneficial nutrients
Regular milk has between two to four per cent fat and reduced fat milk contains one to two per cent fat. Drinking reduced fat milk is a relatively new phenomenon, which only began during the latter half of the 20th century. Prior to this, all milk contained a minimum of four per cent fat. This was due to skim milk not being available and the preference toward the traditional breeds of cows such as the Jersey, Guernsey and Devonshire. These cows produce less milk but with a higher butterfat content.

Many important nutrients are lost when milk is reduced in fat. Butterfat contains vitamins A and D, needed for assimilation of calcium, and protein in the water fraction of the milk. Butterfat is also rich in short- and medium-chain fatty acids, which stimulate the immune system and protect against disease. These nutritional benefits are not present when the butterfat is removed.

Homogenised milk
Homogenisation is the process whereby the fat particles are broken up and dispersed uniformly so the cream will not rise to the top of the milk. Homogenisation is done for aesthetic reasons in milk production. Anecdotally it has been found that homogenised milk can be difficult to digest. Increasingly, studies are also citing links between homogenised milk and heart disease, type 1 diabetes and some cancers. Most milk, unless labelled otherwise, is homogenised.
Organic/biodynamic milk
The emphasis on healthy pastures and nutrient-dense soils and grasses is one of the key factors pertaining to the added nutrients found in organic dairy products. Organic milk has been found to contain up to 71 per cent more health-promoting omega-3 fatty acids than conventional milk does. It is also a richer source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to aid weight loss and protect against cardiovascular disease. Organic milk from pasture-raised cows has also been found to be a richer source of antioxidants such as lutein, zeaxantin and beta-carotene (demonstrated by a slightly yellow-coloured milk and bright orange butter) as well as the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Certified organic milk products do not contain additives or permeate. Hence there is a natural seasonal variation that occurs in the fat composition of the milk. In winter the fat composition can reach up to 4.6 per cent. Organic milk also contains no traces of pesticides, antibiotics or hormones. Many organic farmers also practise salad-bar grazing methods, where cattle are offered a range of fresh grasses and legumes. This provides a variety of nutrients in the cows’ diet, which supports and strengthens their immune systems.

Raw milk
Raw milk is essentially fresh milk – taken straight from the cow and not pasteurised nor homogenised. Increasingly many people are drinking fresh milk instead of pasteurised milk for its added health benefits. The pasteurisation process destroys important enzymes and beneficial bacteria, which aid in the digestion of milk and the assimilation of nutrients. In particular, it contains a natural form of the lactase enzyme, which aids the digestion of lactose present in all types of milk. It also diminishes the content of key vitamins including vitamin C, B12 and B6.
Current food regulations prohibit the sale of fresh milk in Australia. Several side avenues have developed for eager consumers – there are herb shares (where you buy a share in a cow or a farm), milk co-ops and the selling of ‘bath milk’, which is raw milk labelled as unfit for human consumption.
Internationally, raw milk is readily available in mainstream retail markets. For instance, in parts of the USA you can purchase raw milk from wholefoods supermarkets, food co-ops, and via farm gate sales. In New Zealand and many parts of Europe it is sold from farm gates or local co-ops. Italy, France, Switzerland and Slovenia also have milk-o-vats (milk machines) in public places where people can refill their milk bottles with fresh clean milk from local farms.
Yet, in all places where raw milk is safely consumed, it comes from small-scale farms whee the animals are fed a natural diet of pasture and hay. In most cases these are organic or biodynamic farms. History has shown that raw milk can potentially be dangerous if it is sourced from large-scale industrial farms where the animals are fed an unnatural diet of grains, brewery waste or good supplements. Just like any animal food products, the health and lifestyle of the animal will dictate the nutritional quality and safety of the final product. So if you are travelling overseas and are lucky enough to be able to consume fresh milk, make sure that you investigate it source.

Source – Clean Food Organic Magazine

What's in Season......March 2012

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:23:00 GMT

The cooling air, at last signals the arrival of golden days, autumn and soon Easter, and enjoying our beautiful sunshine with outdoor entertaining, family bbqs and picnics in the countryside. Follow this seasonal guide for the freshest and the choicest fruit and vegetables in season.

Fruit
• Bananas
• Figs
• Grapes
• Honeydew melon
• Kiwifruit
• Lemons
• Limes
• Mandarins
• Mangoes
• Oranges: Valencia
• Papaya
• Passionfruit
• Persimmons
• Peaches
• Pears
• Plums
• Quinces

• Rhubarb

Vegetables

• Beetroot

• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Capsicums
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chinese greens
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Fennel
• Green beans
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Nuts: Chestnuts
• Onions
• Peas
• Potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Silverbeet
• Spinach
• Squash
• Sweet corn
• Wombok (Chinese cabbage)
• Zucchini
Source : Taste.com

Pesticides on Produce... The Dirty Dozen - 12 Foods to Definitely Eat Organic

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:49:00 GMT

Apples, Celery, Strawberries, Peaches, Spinach, Imported Nectarines, Imported Grapes, Sweet Bell Peppers, Potatoes, Blueberries, Lettuce, & Kale.

The benefits of eating organic food go straight to the farm, where no pesticides and chemical fertilizers are used to grow the organic produce shipped to grocers. That means workers and farm neighbours aren't exposed to potentially harmful chemicals, it means less fossil fuel converted into fertilizers and it means healthier soil that should sustain crops for generations to come.

For individuals, organic food also has benefits. Eating organic means avoiding the pesticide residue left on foods, and it may even mean more nutritious varietals, though research into that subject has yielded mixed results. While there are few if any proven health impacts from consuming trace quantities of pesticides on foods, a growing number of people take the precaution of avoiding exposure just in case, particularly in the cases of pregnant women (growing babies are exposed to most of the chemicals that mom consume) and the parents of young children.

But organic food can cost a little more, that's what makes the Environmental Working Group's (EWG) yearly list of the dirty dozen foods so useful. The group analyses Department of Agriculture data about pesticide residue and ranks foods based on how much or little pesticide residue they have.

The group estimates that individuals can reduce their exposure by 80% if they switch to organic when buying these 12 foods.

The USDA and farm and food industry representatives are quick to remind consumers that the government sets allowable pesticide residue limits it deems safe, and the produce for sale in your grocery store should meet those standards. Watchdogs like Environmental Working Group see those limits as too liberal, and see the dirty dozen list as a teaching tool to educate consumers about the benefits of organic food. www.thedailygreen.com

1. Apples: Topping the 2011 dirty dozen list is a tree fruit that always makes the list: Apples. (Apples ranked No. 2 in 2009 & No.4 in 2010) Forty different pesticides have been detected on apples, because fungus and insect threats prompt farmers to spray various chemicals on their orchards. Not surprisingly, pesticide residue is also found in apple juice & sauce, making all apple products smart foods to buy organic. Can't find organic apples? Safer alternatives include watermelon, bananas and tangerines.

2. Celery: USDA tests have found more than 60 different pesticides on celery. Can't find organic celery? Safer alternatives include broccoli, radishes & onions.

3. Strawberries: Are always on the list, in part because fungus prompts farmers to spray, and pesticide residue remains on berries sold at markets. Sixty different pesticides have been found on strawberries, though fewer are found on frozen strawberries. Can't find organic strawberries? Safer alternatives include kiwi fruit and pineapples.

4. Peaches: Another tree fruit that always makes the dirty dozen list is: peaches: more than sixty pesticides have been found on peaches. Safer alternatives include watermelon, tangerines, oranges and grapefruit.

5. Spinach: Leading the leafy green pesticide residue category is spinach, nearly 50 pesticides.

6. Nectarines (Imported): Domestic nectarines don't test with as much pesticide residue, but overall 33 pesticides have been detected on imported nectarines. Nectarines, at least imported ones, are among the most highly contaminated tree fruits. Can't find organic nectarines? Try pineapple, papaya or mango.

7. Grapes (Imported): Another perennial entrant on the dirty dozen list, imported grapes can more than 30 pesticides. Raisins, not surprisingly, also have high pesticides residue tests.

8. Sweet Bell Peppers: Another fruit that usually makes the dirty dozen list because it tends to have high pesticide residue (50) is the sweet bell pepper, in all of its colourful varieties.

9. Potatoes: A favourite vegetable is the potato; more than thirty pesticides have been detected. Sweet potatoes offer a delicious alternative with less chance of pesticides.

10. Blueberries: usually make the dirty dozen list, since more than 50 pesticides have been detected. Frozen blueberries are less contaminated. Alternatives like cranberries & cherries, are often also contaminated. For breakfast, consider bananas.

11. Lettuce: Joining spinach in the leafy greens category, lettuce makes the list of dirty dozen foods with the most pesticides (50). Alternatives include asparagus.

12. Kale (Tie) : A superfood, traditionally kale is known as a hardier vegetable that rarely suffers from pests and disease, but it was found to have high amounts of pesticide residue in the past two years. Can't find organic kale? Safer alternatives include cabbage, asparagus and broccoli. Dandelion greens also make a nutritious alternative.

Kids Health....

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:44:00 GMT

Organophosphate pesticides linked to ADHD…new US study May 2011

Alarming research findings from the US could accelerate the swing to organic produce already evident in the Australian marketplace according to the Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA).

The study, released this week May 2011, has found that organophosphates – banned from use in certified organic food production - may be linked to attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADD and ADHD) in children.

Shane Heaton, Nutritionist for the Biological Farmers of Australia, says that the findings come as no surprise. "This adds to evidence already available concerning the harmful effects of pesticides on the brain. Previous studies have shown that pesticide exposure increases the risks of Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s disease in older people.”

“In 1998 American anthropologist Elizabeth Guillette showed that children exposed to pesticides are at great risk of impaired cognitive development, and now this study links pesticides to ADHD.” The research was conducted by several prestigious American & Canadian universities & was based on data for 1139 children, aged 8 to 15 yrs, from the National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey(2000-04). Children were tested for levels of organophosphate pesticide metabolites in their urine.

Mr Heaton went on to say that confirmed links between many common food additives have already prompted many parents to choose organic food for their children, and here's yet another compelling reason to do so. “You can have good food, or cheap food, but not good, cheap food. Organic food isn’t a luxury, it is how food is meant to be,” he said. Researchers also found that 93.8 per cent of those who took part in the study had one or more detectable metabolites in their urine and that every ten-fold increase in metabolites was linked to a 55 per cent to 72 per cent increased likelihood of ADHD. “While more research is needed to establish whether a causal link exits, many consumers are taking the precautionary principal, and a positive approach, and opting for certified organic produce,” Mr Heaton said. BFA May 2011

BFA Organic School Gardens Program: …
…Planting the seeds for healthy, sustainable living…

Schools Australia-wide have registered for the BFA Organic School Gardens program, the only such Australian program developed in accordance with organic standards. Designed by acclaimed certified organic farmer and author Lyn Bagnall
(Lyn’s “Easy Organic Gardening and Moon Planting” is now in its 2nd edition), the free program provides written materials for lessons in the classroom & the garden.
The program is designed for students 8 – 12 years old and Lyn says that children have much to gain from organic gardening.

“In managing their own gardens organically, children are learning how to get excellent results using sustainable cultivation, allowing them to keep their gardens virtually pest-free and more tolerant of climate extremes,” she says.

“The whole process is good for children’s confidence. Children receive a deep sense of achievement from growing their own healthy, delicious food.”

Lyn will continue to roll out additional material for the Organic School Garden’s website. Recently, there has been the addition of information and activities focussing on organic garden management, improving soil health and saving water, and the last term of the year will draw the participants into the exciting realms of organic pest resistance and control, seed saving, plant propagation and growing green manure crops. The inclusion of simple recipes will enable the students to enjoy & share the fruits of their labours.

Kanwal Primary School’s Michelle Newton and Colleen Squires, who access the BFA website for tips and guidance, are nurturing students and the school’s environment alike through their school’s organic garden. The garden started some years ago as a behaviour management strategy but has grown to incorporate much more than that.

Michelle and Colleen are developing awareness of sustainable practices while exploring what a school community can achieve. Seventy of the school’s 700 students are Indigenous, and as a special addition to the garden project they are setting up a bush tucker garden.“At present we’re spreading sugarcane mulch and organic approved liquid seaweed,” Michelle says. “It’s a really stinky job but one the kids love!” Westport Public School at Port Macquarie in NSW will also be using the BFA Organic School Gardens program as a reference for setting up their new garden.

With BFA’s program introducing primary school students to organic primary production, a sustainable future seems to be in good hands.
Currently the program including print-friendly lessons and activities are available free to access online at the site www.organicschools.com.au.
………………………………………………………………………………………………

Health: Non-certified Organic Cosmetic Labelling Causes Concern

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:40:00 GMT

Misleading labelling claims made by natural cosmetic companies that are using the word “organic” on product packaging and advertising has been a major issue for Australia’s certified organic skincare and personal care companies in the domestic and Asian export markets in recent years. Nature’s Gate, USA and Dr Organic, UK are two products using the word “organic” on labels and in promotions in Australia.

Despite in 2010 , a new Australian Certified Organic Standard (ACOS) being launched, and some action taken by the regulator the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) against misleading claims made on food labelling, including organic labelling, certified organic cosmetics companies say false organic product labelling is still prevalent in the local market.

Ami Nakamura of Margate, Tasmania-based Australian Certified Organic-certified supplier Harmony Harvest says she is still seeing brands making false claims on labels. “Yes, companies have never stopped making these organic claims and some say they are using certified organic essential oils,” she says. Ami says she tries to educate customers that her certified organic spa products are safe, good for the skin and have natural healing properties.

Grace Culhaci of Sydney-based ACO-certified organic skincare company Pure & Green Organics says she did not see a slowing down of skincare brands coming on to the market in the last two years, while several brands are making false organic claims. There is still an almost zero understanding that there is a separate organic standard for skincare and personal care cosmetics in Australia,” she says. “

In Europe, the expansion of natural cosmetic labels may be halted by new EU cosmetics product regulations that will replace the Cosmetics Directive in July 2013. The regulations (EC No 1223/2009) will require new Cosmetic Product Safety Report submissions, notification of intended function of ingredients, allergen reports and warnings re usage for novel cosmetic ingredients.

BFA General Manager Holly Vyner says that BFA has been active in raising product manufacturers’ awareness of the ACCC’s commitment to considering Australian organic standards.“In the organic food category, there are now fewer products being marketed as organic, which do not respect the organic standards or carry a recognised certification logo. Brand owners are realising that apart from legal risks, and risks to their brands’ integrity in consumers’ eyes, there is also the risk of losing market access as an increasing number of wholesalers and retailers are demanding that organic products carry a recognised certification mark. The skincare and cosmetics sector is still a long way from achieving the same level of integrity [as the food sector] for organic labelling claims, however BFA will continue to remain active towards reducing these gaps in label integrity for consumers,” she said. The ACCC has a good system in place but it is up to consumers to report false organic logos & labelling.

To report a potentially misleading product, contact BFA’s Organic Crusader hotline via email theorganiccrusader@bfa.com.au or ph 1300 331 309 Source: Biological Farmers

Let Food be Thy Medicine....and Medicine be Thy Food....Hippocrates 400

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 03:37:00 GMT

At The Meat-ting Place…we are passionate about Organics and real food…At The Meat-ting Place…we are passionate about Organics and real food…
…we believe that part of good health is taking an interest in the type & quality of food we eat... We help you feed your whole body and your family, the way nature intended it, to promote not only your health and well being, but also the health of our planet. We are also committed to the health of our kids and future generations. We want you to feel relaxed and revitalised in our store.
What did you eat in recent weeks? Are you feeling great, with clear skin and sparkly eyes? Are you bursting with energy and feeling happy ?
We are what we eat.
Our body is like a juicing machine. We put the whole food in the top and our body breaks down the food to give us all the nutrients we need: vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, fibre, water and energy.

Unfortunately due to today’s busy lifestyles, we tend to eat too many acidic and highly processed foods, high in fat, sugar, trans-fats & salt. So we can end up feeling sluggish, tired, uncomfortable, and overweight with aches & pains and sore joints.
Our focus needs to be putting fresh natural organic food, animal proteins and organic vegetables & fruits, and unprocessed foods into the juicer to help clean, flush out and revitalise our systems. Even as we age, we should feel alive & well. TMP

What's in Season - Nov/Dec

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 23:07:00 GMT

From blueberries to zucchini, find out which fruit and vegetables are fresh and at their best and most plentiful in November/December.

Mangoes are coming into season and starting to drop in price, as the citrus fruits start to slow… source taste.com.au

Fruit

• Bananas

• Blueberries…One of natures’ true superfoods, a powerhouse of anti-oxidants

• Cherries
• Grapefruit
• Honeydew melons….packed with VitC and B6, fibre and folic acid
• Lemons
• Lychees
• Mangoes
• Rockmelon/cantaloupe…large, ripe and heavy with sweet aromatic flesh
• Watermelon
• Oranges
• Red papaya
• Passionfruit
• Pineapple
• Rhubarb

• Strawberries

Vegetables

• Artichokes
• Asparagus…the ‘king of vegetables”, crisp spears and crown like tips
• Bean shoots
• Beetroot
• Brussel sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Leeks
• Gai lan (Chinese broccoli)
• Green beans
• Cucumber
• Chillies
• Hass avocados
• Lettuce
• Spring onions/green shallots
• Peas
• Potatoes
• Silverbeet
• Snow peas
• Spinach
• Sugar snap peas
• Sweet corn
• Zucchini

The Oxygen Oversight

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 06:04:00 GMT

THE OXYGEN OVERSIGHT

UNDERSTANDING THE ENERGISER IN HUMAN HEALTH

by Graeme Sait

In less than one hundred years the level of oxygen in our atmosphere has fallen from 35% to 19%. In direct relation to this decline the earth has experienced a massive increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In the past 50 years alone atmospheric CO2 levels have increased from 315ppm to 370ppm and we are now experiencing undeniable climate changes associated with that increase (global warming).

The 500 million vehicles on the planet consume seventy times the oxygen required for our 6 billion inhabitants. To produce sufficient oxygen to replace this loss we would need to replant an area the size of Great Britain every year. Of course this is not happening. In fact the world’s rainforests, our major oxygen producers, are still plundered at a depressing rate. What does this oxygen depletion mean to the man in the street? American actor Woody Harrelson has financed a string of oxygen bars around the US. Patrons are hooked up to liquid oxygen and experience the levels of oxygen that granddad would have felt as a child! Is this typical American excessiveness or are we all oxygen deficient to some degree? If large numbers of people are embracing a supplement then that suggests that this supplement is successfully addressing a deficit.

At the recent Radiance Health Festival at Woodford in SE Qld, Brisbane, Naturopath Glen Gillard organised the testing of the majority of the crowd who attended his oxygen presentation. Checking with a hand-held oxygen meter he was able to determine that over 70% of those tested were oxygen deficient in varying degrees.

OXYGEN CHEMISTRY

Oxygen is the most abundant of the five basic elements of life that American author/ consultant, Hugh Lovell terms “The Five Sisters”. Not only is this colourless, tasteless and odourless element more abundant than her siblings hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and sulfur but she is also much more gregarious. Oxygen is the only element that is capable of combining with almost every other element. In fact the essence of oxygen lies in her capacity to conjoin. Oxygen brings energy to the amalgamation; she brings fire to the fusion. When calcium meets oxygen, for example, the union produces the energising characteristics of lime. The fusion of silicon and oxygen spawns the stimulating, protective characteristics of silica. In the biological realm hydrogen combines with oxygen to form water – the lifeblood of the planet.

Plants release oxygen as a by-product of their carbon-binding photosynthesis while animals require oxygen to free carbon (CO2) during the breathing process. The majority of the vast microbial workforce in the soil is oxygen dependent, Getting a breath of fresh O2 from an oxygen dispenser in fact without oxygen there would be no animal or plant life on earth. While carbon is the sculptor’s clay or the puppet maker’s wood, oxygen is the deliverer of life force both literally and ethereally. Oxygen accounts for 85% of seawater, 47% of dry soil, 42% of all vegetation, 46% of rocks and 65% of the human body. From a subtle energy perspective, Ether, the organisational field which is the basis of radionics, homeopathy, kinesiology, reiki, acupuncture, chi, prana and spirituality is both transported and internalised by oxygen. So what happens when we address oxygen deficits in the human body? Let’s look at the role of oxygen in human health.

OXYGEN AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

We breathe an average of 7 litres of air each minute (up to 120 litres during heavy exertion). Oxygen diffuses into the blood stream via lung tissue called the gastric mucosa that has a surface area exceeding 140 square meters. Haemoglobin in the red blood cells absorb this oxygen to the point of 95% saturation & it is then transported in the blood stream to every one of the billions of cells in our body. The oxygen is used by these cells to convert sugars into energy & health. This process of burning carbohydrates for body fuel is called oxidisation.

Energy is about having an adequate and continuous oxygen supply. Dual Nobel Prize winner, Dr Otto Warburg was responsible for some of the seminal research into the importance of oxygen to cellular life. Dr Warburg demonstrated that the production of Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP) was dependent upon oxygen. He referred to ATP as ‘The pure energy of the cell’. The simple six-carbon sugar, glucose, is produced by the process of photosynthesis and converted to more complex carbohydrates by the plant. When plants are consumed these carbohydrates are converted back to glucose by the human digestive system & stored in the cells. When energy is required, a chemical reaction between glucose & oxygen creates ATP. In the absence of adequate oxygen the glucose in the cells begins to ferment creating a serious anaerobic condition. Just as anaerobic conditions in the soil produce toxic chemicals that affect plant health, a similar scenario creates undesirable toxins that weaken cells & compromises the all important human immune system.

We are in the midst of the greatest plague in the history of mankind. While the Great Plague in Europe affected one in four people our current scorecard is considerably more grim. Cancer will now affect one in every 2.7 of us (one in 2 in the US) during our lifetime. One in every three people in the US will contract diabetes and one in 2.9 will contract heart disease. There are numerous other diseases both chronic and degenerative which ensure that our hard-won extended life spans are anything but comfortable in the later years.

The key to beating the odds is a healthy, fully functioning immune system. The immune system is currently assaulted on four fronts: (1) the food we eat today contains just 20% of the nutrients that were present in the food consumed by our grandparents. It is these missing nutrients that were intended to support & sustain our protective systems. (2) Our immune system is constantly under attack by over 70,000 registered chemicals in our environment, the effects of which are uncertain as very little research has been carried out on these countless combinations. (3) Beneficial gut organisms have been decimated by antibiotics (both those prescribed and those present in most factory-farmed meat), food stabilisers (biocides), drugs, stress and diet. These organisms which should total ten trillion (twice the number of cells in our body) play a major role in supporting & training the immune system. (4) Oxygen deficits & their link to ATP play a major role. Anaerobic cells are proven precursers to cancer…it’s important to balance & alkalise.

ATP AND ELECTRICAL BALANCE
A lack of cellular ATP drastically alters the body’s sodium/potassium balance in the individual cells, the bloodstream and in the fluid that surrounds the cells. This chemical change alters the electrical fields in the cells and bloodstream with serious consequences. Minerals begin to ‘fall out’ of the fluids surrounding the cells and the bloodstream and start sticking together to form mineral deposits. Arthritis is a result of the settling of these minerals in the joints while hardening of the arteries is created by minerals accumulating in these transport tubes. Insufficient ATP also upsets the transfer of electrically charged messages from the brain to the muscles creating muscle spasms or poor muscle response.

ALKALISE OR DIE
There is a fascinating parallel between soil health, plant health and human health in terms of ideal pH! At pH 6.4 the soil is at its most productive with maximum availability of nutrients. When the plant sap pH is 6.4 that plant will be at its most disease resistant and it will produce good yields of high quality produce. When human sap (saliva and urine) has a pH of 6.4 there is an identical link to disease resistance and a potent immune system. Unfortunately the majority of us suffer from diet-induced acidity which predisposes us to ill health and disease.

The stabilisers used in processed foods are all highly acidic. Refined carbohydrates (white sugar and white flour) are the most acid-forming of all foods. A can of coke containing corn syrup equivalent to eleven teaspoons of sugar & enough phosphoric acid to reduce the pH to just 2.9 is a double whammy from an acidity perspective. When the body suffers from systemic acidity there is an excess of positively charged hydrogen ions. Oxygen is called upon to help to neutralize the acid & this reduces the oxygen available for ATP production in the cells. In this manner acidity, oxygen deficiency, immune system assault & subsequent disease are all part of the same story.

THE OXYGEN THIEVES
There are a number of factors that steal the body’s oxygen and help to generate oxygen deficiency and subsequent ATP shortages. These thieves include the following:

• A Toxic Environment – Food, air and water are all contaminated to some degree in our abused environment. Oxygen is a major detoxifier and available oxygen is used to metabolise these unwanted contaminants from the body. Rubbish, toxins and cellular debris are destroyed by oxygen and removed from the system.

• Physical Trauma and Microbial Stress – Physical injuries or bacterial and viral infections put pressure on the immune system. Oxygen is needed to neutralise free radicals, caused by infections but it is also a powerful pathogen killer in its own right. Harmful anaerobic bacteria and viruses cannot survive in the presence of oxygen. Thankfully oxygen is selective with this killer capacity. Unlike the indiscriminate drugs and antibiotics, oxygen takes out the bad guys leaving the beneficials to thrive. The oxygen molecule in stabilised oxygen supplements forces the anaerobes to give up some of their electrons, killing them in the process. Aerobic beneficials will not give up their electrons and neither will the beneficial gut bacteria, which live under both aerobic & anaerobic conditions. In fact these are actually stimulated by oxygen.

• Poor dietary habits – the consumption of the wrong kinds of fats can rob oxygen from the bloodstream. Saturated fats have been given a bum rap in this regard as it is actually the vegetable oils that do the major damage. These denatured oils that have often been heated and extracted under intense pressure or manufactured with the use of toxic solvents are the greatest link to heart disease. We were never designed to consume this quantity of these oils. The critical balance between omega six and omega three fatty acids which should ideally be 1 to 1 has blown out to 20 to 1 in favour of omega 6 and this is directly attributable to over consumption of vegetable oils.

Apart from this serious nutrient imbalance these oils become carcinogenic trans fatty acids when they are heated during cooking. The worst of the bunch is margarine where the toxicity is further enhanced via the process of hydrogenation. Try this simple test for yourself. Take a tablespoon of butter and a tablespoon of margarine and place them outside. Within minutes birds, pets, ants and other wildlife will converge on the butter (an amazing complete food) while the margarine will remain untouched. These oils generate free radicals, which damage artery linings, and extra oxygen is consumed in the production of anti-oxidants to combat these free radicals. The other issue from a diet perspective relates to the actual oxygen content of food. Complex carbohydrates like vegetables and grains have up to 100% more oxygen than processed foods.

• Emotional Stress – Stress has become the greatest single health hazard in our pressure-packed environments. Adrenaline and related hormones are overproduced during times of stress. The body uses available oxygen to remove those unwanted chemicals from the system in an effort to re-establish metabolic balance.

• Lack of Exercise – Exercising increases metabolic rates while increasing oxygen intake to help with the ongoing process of detoxification. A sedentary lifestyle reduces metabolic function and reduces the body’s capacity to remove toxic contaminates.

• Reduction in Atmospheric Oxygen – If our oxygen levels are only half what they were 100 years ago then there must be inevitable consequences for animals dependant upon that oxygen.

THE OXYGEN SOLUTION
In the late 80s a NASA scientist experimenting with the electrode extraction of hydrogen from water found that he could neutralize the acidic oxygen residue with sea salt. To his surprise he found that he had inadvertently stumbled across a completely natural technique to stabilize oxygen. His discovery, Di-atomic oxygen which could deliver 30 times more oxygen than tap water was never commercially developed by NASA although it was widely used in the space program. In recent years an Australian manufacturer has improved upon the process and the result is a potent oxygen supplement (marketed exclusively by NTS) called OxyForce™.

The solution is energised using the Grander Living Water system and the 5% oxygen component remains stable for a minimum of 14 months following manufacture. Oxyforce™ is supplemented at 15-25 drops once or twice a day as a maintenance dose but it can be used at higher rates as a problem-solver. In summary, there are five key benefits linked to supplementation with stabilised oxygen:

1) Energy - 90% of our body’s energy is created by oxygen. Oxygen is the ultimate energiser and results can be profound, particularly in conditions characterised by lack of energy (ie Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)

2) Chronic pain is caused by a lack of cellular oxygen. The lower the level of cellular oxygen the higher the level of pain.

3) Ox-Detox – a proactive game plan for prolonged health and well being should include any strategy that can help to remove the toxins, which are integral to our polluted planet. Oxygen supplementation is one such strategy.

4) Proactive disease prevention – Dr Warburg stated that cellular hypoxea (oxygen deficiency) is not only the underlying cause of diseases like cancer but it also results in a predisposition towards degenerative diseases. A lack of oxygen is also the outstanding factor in immune depressive diseases.

5) Microbe Management – stabilised oxygen is antibacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal and it is selective (taking out the pathogens while boosting the beneficials).

Oxy-Force™ is available in 200ml and 500ml bottles.
The diatomic oxygen molecules in Oxyforce™ are housed in a solution of activated water and sea salt.

Spring Clean Your Body with a Detox.....ready for summer

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 03:48:00 GMT

Isn’t it time you gave your body a spring clean?
As the weather starts to warm, our thoughts turn to shedding off those winter clothes and possibly a few extra kilos, and it may be time for a spring detox. If your body is overloaded with toxins, you may feel tired, sluggish and bloated. You may even feel depressed or anxious and suffer with a foggy head.

In our modern world toxins are almost impossible to avoid. Environmental toxins include things like pesticides, food additives, air and water pollution and heavy metals.
However, toxins can also be generated within your own body. If you have an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in your intestines, they produce toxins that cause inflammation and free radical damage inside your body.

Your body is cleverly designed to break down toxic substances you are exposed to and eliminate them. However, if you live in a polluted environment, are stressed, drink too much alcohol or suffer with nutrient deficiencies, the detox channels in your body can quickly become overwhelmed. In this instance, your health would greatly benefit from following an alkalising diet ( 80% vegetables and fruit : 20% animal proteins rule) and following a short structured detox regime that includes lots of good quality water. In following a detox program, you may experience a range of health benefits, such as:
• Increased energy
• Reduced sugar cravings
• Achievement of a healthy weight
• Less abdominal bloating
• Clear skin
• Improved concentration and memory
• Better moods and less mood swings
• Better sleep
• Improved immune system function
• Less fluid retention
Margaret Jasinska ND, Co-author of The Ultimate Detox.
Check with your healthcare professional before embarking on any detox program.

The Evil Gluten......or is it???

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 03:09:00 GMT

Gluten free has become an advertising catchphrase for health foods, but does gluten deserve this evil tag, or are there other underlying issues, such as the over- processing of our foods, which are the problem?

Q. What is gluten?
A. Gluten is a protein and the term comes from the Latin word for ‘glue’ comprises of two protein groups - gliadin and glutenin. The main function of gluten within breads is to help yeast breads stretch when they are raised; it traps the air bubbles from the yeast and keeps them in the dough. The tiny holes in a slice of bread are formed by gluten bubbles which give the lightness to breads.

Q. Should I be gluten free?
A. It should only be avoided if you are unable to digest/tolerate gluten within your digestive system and/or are diagnosed with Celiac disease. Gluten protein is a natural component within some food sources and should not be removed from your diet. Always consult your physician or health professional with any concerns.

Q. Why gluten caused so much difficulty?
A. As stated Sally Fallon, it is one of the most difficult proteins to digest, It may be that our digestive tracts have not had enough evolutionary time to develop the digestive enzymes necessary to assimilate what nutritionist calls one of the most (2001, p. 56). Gluten is inflammatory; it has been shown to damage internal organs and tissues on contact even when specific antibodies against gliadins or other gluten proteins are absent (Braly et al., 2002, p. 30).
Wheat accounts for approximately 20% of all calories ingested (Helms, 2005) and the hybridization efforts have increased the gluten content that gives wheat products the palatable qualities other grains cannot replicate (Bauman, Friedlander 2007). Another factor that may drive what appears to be an addiction to grains is that undigested peptides in gluten-containing grains contain opiate-like chemicals (Bauman, 2005; Braly et al., 2002).
Everything we have read regarding research studies, nutrition books, and books that claim expertise in ancient human nutrition and two authors brought one important factor to light. Sally Fallon and Catherine Czapp, states that existing recipes from traditional cultures indicate that all primitive peoples developed very careful techniques to prepare their grains prior to eating them. At least one of three methods - soaking, sprouting, and fermenting was always used when making grain foods. Soaking and sprouting grains neutralizes the enzyme inhibitors that are naturally present in all seeds, as well as neutralizing other anti-nutrients, such as phytic acid, which make certain nutrients unavailable for assimilation. The slow process of true fermentation, where live cultures of wild yeasts and bacteria are carefully nurtured and often passed down through generations. It not only neutralizes the anti-nutrients in cereal grains, but also makes the proteins easier to digest (Fallon, 2001, p. 453). Studies using naturally soured dough breads, suggests that fermentation appears to at least partially sever the bonds of the toxic peptides in the gluten that are responsible for initiating the intestinal damage seen in celiac disease (DiCagno, cited in Czapp, 2006). Czapp (2006) also cites work done by cereal microbiologist Michael Gaenzle, who has proposed that people who ferment their cereal grains using local organisms create a mutually sustaining, health-enhancing relationship with those microbes(Bauman, Friedlander 2007).

Q. What is protein?
A. As stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Proteins are part of every cell, tissue, and organ in our bodies. These body proteins are constantly being broken down and replaced. The protein in the foods we eat is digested into amino acids that are later used to replace these proteins in our bodies. Protein is found in the following foods: meats, poultry, fish, legumes (dry beans and peas), tofu, eggs, nuts, seeds, milk products, grains. In addition, some vegetables, and fruits provide small amounts of protein in comparison to the afore-mentioned sources.

Q. What are the types of protein?
A. “Proteins are made up of amino acids. Think of amino acids as the building blocks. There are 20 different amino acids that join together to make all types of protein. Some of these amino acids can't be made by our bodies, so these are known as essential amino acids. It's essential that our diet include these.
In the diet, protein sources are labeled according to how many of the essential amino acids they provide:

• A complete protein source is one that provides all of the essential amino acids. You may also hear these sources called high quality proteins. Animal proteins are complete, including red meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy, complete proteins can also be obtained through certain plants, such as soy, spirulina, hemp seed, amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa.

• An incomplete protein source is one that is low in one or more of the essential amino acids.

Complementary proteins are two or more incomplete protein sources that together provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids.

For example, some seeds and grains contain low amounts of certain essential amino acids; however, these same essential amino acids are found in greater amounts in dry beans. Similarly, dry beans contain lower amounts of other essential amino acids that can be found in larger amounts in rice. Together, these two foods can provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids the body needs” (CDC 2011). In the past, it was thought that these complementary proteins needed to be eaten at the same meal for your body to use them together. Now studies show that your body can combine complementary proteins that are eaten within the same day (JADA 2003; pp. 748 – 765).

Whole grains like wheat, rye, and barley, in their natural state and grown organically have a high source of dietary fibre, B vitamins, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, copper, and magnesium. Whole-grain foods also contain phyto-chemicals, such as phenolic compounds, that together with vitamins and minerals play important roles in disease prevention. The exact mechanisms linking whole grains to disease prevention are not known but may include gastrointestinal effects, antioxidant protection, and intake of phytoestrogens which is concentrated on the outer layers of the grain (Slavin, Jacobs, Marguart & Wiemer 2001, pp. 780-785).
As stated above, grains, in their natural form and organically grown, offer most of these nutrients which are concentrated in the outer layers of the wheat grain; but modern processing from grain to market has left the grain a shadow of what it used to be. A significant portion of the vitamins and minerals are lost during the milling process. To obtain more refined flour, further processing needs to be applied, thus the loss of vitamins and minerals is greater. According to Henry A. Schroeder studies on the Nutritional Loss from Refining Wheat are as follow:

• Thiamine (B1) 77%
• Riboflavin (B2) 80%
• Niacin 80.8%
• Pyridoxine (B6) 71.8%
• Pantothenic acid 50%
• Vitamin E 86.3%
• Calcium 60%
• Phosphorous 71%
• Magnesium 84%
• Potassium 77%
• Sodium 78%
• Chromium 40%
• Manganese 86%
• Iron 76%
• Cobalt 89%
• Zinc 78%
• Copper 68%
• Selenium 16%
• Molybdenum 48%
The data shown reflects the losses in percentages and not what remains (Schroeder 1971).
There are approximately 10 - 20 steps in the processing of wheat grain into white flour depending on the end product and the refinement of the flour, they are:

• Storage bins
• Blending
• Separator reciprocating screens
• Aspirator (air currents)
• Disc Separator
• Scourer
• Magnetic Separator
• Wash stoner
• Tempering
• Entoleter
• First Break Rollers
• Sifter
• Purifier
• Reducing Rollers
• Sifters
• Bleaching
• Bulk Storage
• Enriching
• Packaging
• Dispatch

Currently 14 countries employ government legislation for the compulsory enrichment of wheat flour with various micronutrients. The nutrients are added for the purpose of replacing those lost in the flour processing. For the purpose of enriching the flour, the following vitamins and minerals are added during the enrichment process according to the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), approximately 0.45 kilograms or a pound of enriched flour must have the following quantities of nutrients to qualify: 2.9 milligrams of thiamine, 1.8 milligrams of riboflavin, 24 milligrams of niacin, 0.7 milligrams of folic acid, and 20 milligrams of iron. The first four nutrients are B vitamins. Calcium also may be added at a minimum of 960 milligrams per pound. Only 5 or so vitamins are replaced for the 19 that are lost (FDA 2001).
It is reasonable to wonder why the wheat grains are processed in the first place? The answer is, to extend the shelf life for production and transportation from grain to market. Currently because of its widespread geographic distribution, acceptance, stability, and versatility, wheat flour is the best way for delivering micronutrients to mankind.

There has to be a better way!

This is only the tip of the iceberg for worldwide grain production and processing. There is no long term data on the link between the consumption of processed foods and the impact on human physiology. If such data existed, would it be put forth for public debate? Scientific methodology allows on for single point cause and effects and does not allow for multiple causes. For example the scientific methodology suggests that a single point causes this effect and if you take this one drug, it will cause this effect; single point logical process. This is the logical methodology being taught at universities; I know because I am attending university for current tertiary education attempting dual degrees in communications and nutrition. To further reiterate this point, why does the nutrient in a carrot do so much good for us? Because the lack of carotenoids, beta-carotene, vitamin c, and trace minerals can cause so many other health problems. Several recent studies have identified these carrot polyacetylenes as phytonutrients that can help inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells; multiple variables working in unison. But then again, without this single point logic we would not have discovered that the earth was round.
We can only draw possible cause and effect from data that has been correlated from different sources. One example of such correlated data is the increase in health related problems in comparison to the increased consumption from multinational food chains providing processed foods. The main flaw to correlation of different data is that if the data fits into the scales or graph an erroneous conclusion may be drawn, i.e. the comparison of television watching and degenerative diseases from mid 1950’s to today. It could be suggested that there is a link because of the increase frequencies of both activities, while the potential could exist, the possibility is remote. This form of data comparison is widely used by governments and media to influence public behaviour, but I suspect the conclusion is not that simple. A much more likely culprit is what we have done to this planet by employing man-made toxins which we've introduced into the food chain. Another science methodology needs to be adopted margining the benefits of both single point and multiple point variables.

Modern day agricultural practises have taken much of the nutrition out of the foods, they are then processed further reducing what little goodness they have; additives, food colouring E1**, anti caking agent E3** etc; you know the drill!
Synthetic or man -made chemical fertilizers are added because nutrients are not adequately supplied by the soil due to lack or crop rotation and growing the same thing year after year plus the fact that these fertilizers are cheap to make and readily and easily absorbed by the pants. There are 16 known elements that are essential for the plant growth but commercially mainly 3 are used Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K). Pesticides are sprayed during the growing and storage, as the wheat is put into the elevators for silo storage; it is sprayed with a pesticide or a mould retardant or both. So the moral of this is, buy organic.

If you do think you are gluten or dairy intolerant, before you seek professional advice you might try eating small amounts of the suspected food in its raw form. Depending upon your suspected intolerance, and if it will not cause you too much discomfort, try this small experiment at home. I have witnessed the implementation of this type of testing, and found some amazing results during my employment in specialized cooking. One example is to try obtaining wheat in its raw form and blending it in a coffee grinder, then making bread out of the homemade flour. Another possibility is to buy milk that is not homogenised or pasteurised and try heating the milk at home until just past 70 degrees centigrade or 158 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any potential pathogen, and then try drinking a small amount of it to test for a reaction. It may sound like a lot of work, but the results could demonstrate whether a person is intolerant of a food in its raw form or of the man-made processing of the food. Clearly if it is not the gluten or dairy, it must be something else. Mankind has been eating breads and drinking milk for many thousands of years and only in the last 50 -100 years has there been marked increase in food intolerance. We should all question why that is a fact!

If you are concern with eating gluten free, try non-gluten grains, such as millet, quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat and non-GMO corn. These types of grains do not contain gluten and grains do not initiate the negative effects that come from a reaction to the gluten found in wheat, rye, oats and barley.

In conclusion, food intolerance is a health threat and currently more studies trying to find drugs to fix the problem; but are drugs the answer? Many holistic health professionals have no doubt that modern day food processing conglomerates through their agricultural practices cannot feed us; no matter how much they try and convince us with television and media advertising. The so called present primitive and past cultures did not have these intolerance problems, is it by and largely a modern day problem to be found where ever highly processed bastardised foods are sold. Going organic is not just an esoteric airy fairy ideas, but has substantial amounts of evidence to suggest that it has practical implications of healthier living. On the whole we have lost touch with our foods and need to re-connect for our survival. The answer is basically, to buy organics whenever possible. The higher the demand for organics, the cheaper they will become. Here at, “The Meat-ting Place Cafe” we use a combination of organic buckwheat and polenta flour mix for our range of gluten free dishes for example lasagne, muffins. For our pasta bakes, we use gluten free quinoa/rice flour pasta’s.

Foods should be eaten as nature intended them to be.

References

Bauman, Edward, PhD. Gastrointestinal Health 202.4, Nutrition Consultant Training Program, CD track 10. Penngrove, CA, 2005.

BAUMAN, E. & FRIEDLANDER, J. (2007) Gluten Sensitivity: A Rising Concern [Online]. Bauman College Holistic Nutrition and Culinary arts. Retrieved July 10, 2011, from http://www.baumancollege.net/pdfs/articles/Gluten_Sensitivity.pdf

Braly, James, M.D. and Hoggan, Ron, M.A. Dangerous Grains. New York: Avery, 2002.

CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION. (2011) Protein [Online]. . Retrieved July 7, 2011, from http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html

Czapp, K. Against the Grain: The Case for Rejecting or Respecting the Staff of Life. Weston A. Price Foundation online, Summer 2006. Retrieved 3/7/07 from http://www. westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/gluten-intolerance.html

Fallon, Sally. Nourishing Traditions, revised second edition. pp. 56, 452-3, 463, 479. Washington, D.C.: New Trends, 2001.

FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. (2001) TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS Part 137 CEREAL FLOURS AND RELATED PRODUCTS Subpart B --Requirements for Specific Standardized Cereal Flours and Related Products [Online]. The US Government Printing Office. Retrieved July 7, 2011, from http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi?TITLE=21&PART=137&SECTION=165&YEAR=2001&TYPE=TEXT

Helms, Steve, N.D. Celiac Disease and Gluten-Associated Diseases. Altern Med Rev 2005; 10(3):172-192. Retrieved 3/27/07 from Thorne Research online: http://www.thorne.com/media/Celiac.pdf

Position of the American Dietetic Association and Dieticians of Canada: Vegetarian diets. JADA, 2003; Volume 103(Issue 6), pp.748 – 765.

SCHROEDER, H. (1971) The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition [Online]. Losses of Vitamins and Trace Minerals Resulting from Processing and Preservation of Foods. Retrieved July 7, 2011, from http://www.ajcn.org/content/24/5/562.full.pdf+html

SLAVIN, J., JACOBS, D., MARGUART, L. & WIEMER, K. (2001) The Role of Whole Grains in Disease Prevention [Abstract]. Journal of the American Dietic Association, Volume 101(Issue 7), pp 780-785.

Why is Garlic Really Good for you....

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 01:58:00 GMT

Scientists have uncovered the reason why garlic has such good health benefits.
Garlic contains a compound called allicin which is a powerful antioxidant. Garlic is not only an excellent herb for creating and maintaining overall health, but it also has many lesser known, but powerful qualities.
Garlic is proven to
• lower cholesterol,
• strengthen your body's defenses against allergies;
• reduce blood pressure,
• prevent cancer,
• protect against bacterial and fungal infections,
• prevent dangerous blood clots and
• is packed with vitamins and nutrients. (Some of these include protein, potassium, Vitamins A, B, B2 and C, Calcium, Zinc and many others)

Just what makes garlic so good?
Known scientifically as Allium sativum, garlic contains more than 100 biologically useful chemicals, including substances with such as alliin, alliinase, allicin, S-allylcysteine, diallyl sulfide, allyl methyl trisulfide. Modern science has shown that garlic is a powerful natural antibiotic.
The body does not appear to build up resistance to the garlic, so its positive health benefits continue over time. The general therapeutic dosage of garlic is 1,000 - 4,000 mg per day (using concentrated garlic capsules or tablets). For more information on all the benefits garlic has to offer

Eat Your Way to Good Health

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 01:55:00 GMT

The best way to stay healthy is to make sure your immune system is in great form.
This will help prevent colds, flu infections and other more serious illnesses.
Many foods contain substances that can boost your immune system and increase your resistance to illness. The following immune boosting foods , should be at the top of your list.

1. Tomatoes.
The humble tomato, scores highly in immune boosting and cancer fighting foods.
Along with a rich supply of vitamin C, farm fresh tomatoes are loaded with lycopene.
This powerful antioxidant, gives them their luscious red colour, and has been shown to defend the body against cancer. They are an excellent source of the flavonoids quercertin and kaempferol which inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
Tomatoes are second only to carrots as a great source of beta-carotene
The proof- In a review of 72 studies published in the Journal of the national cancer institute, Harvard Medical School, researcher Dr Edward Giovannucci, concluded that eating tomatoes and tomato based products high in lycopene, lowered the risk of many cancers more specifically prostate cancer. Nature & Health Dec 2001.
University of Milan researchers, discovered that a tomato rich. high lycopene diet for women, reduced the risk of breast cancer & reduced the free radical damage to
lymphatic cells by a third. Lycopene is fat soluble so is better absorbed by the body,
when eaten with a small amount of fat, like a Bolognese or vegetable tomato juice or tomato based pasta sauce, rather than raw slices in a salad.

2. Garlic
Natural garlic has amazing health properties, including chemical properties to block cancer by the prevention of some carcinogens that damage DNA. Garlic seems to also trigger increased production of the immune system chemicals. These are the same substances used in immune-system based cancer therapies. Fresh garlic juice can kill various microorganisms, and some studies suggest that eating lots of chopped garlic lowers the risk of colon cancer by 35% & stomach cancer by 50%. Garlic has many health benefits especially for the cardio vascular system, & contains compounds that stop the growth of the ulcer causing Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Gastric ulcers have been identified as a strong risk for stomach cancer. How much garlic do you need? Benefits have been observed in people who eat 5 to 18 grams (about 2-6 cloves) of raw or lightly steamed garlic a week. Overcooking garlic can destroy the beneficial enzymes. Look for Australian grown garlic usually slightly purple in colour. Imported garlic often looks white and bleached and may contain growth inhibitors to allow the bulbs to be sold for up to a year. Add fresh, raw garlic to stir fries, & soups, toss into sauces, stews & casseroles, along with leeks, onions, chives, shallots, or add to bbq lamb cutlets or seafood.

3. Broccoli
The Australian Cancer Foundation values broccoli as one of the main anti-cancer foods. Broccoli contains Sulphoraphane, a chemical that occurs naturally, and in other cruciferous vegetables, like kale, cabbage, cauliflower, and bok choy, brussel sprouts & mustard or turnip greens. Sulphoraphane, stimulates the body’s natural production of substances called Phase II detoxification enzymes. These enzymes destroy carcinogens (cancer causing substances) & free radicals, before they can attack cells.Cruciferous vegetables are also loaded with indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a phytochemical shown to inhibit the growth of oestrogen responsive cancer cells in breast tissue.When scientists fed rats a high broccoli diet, these animals developed half the no. of cancer tumours and smaller in size that animals on normal feed. Lightly steaming broccoli or eaten raw is best.

4. Kiwifruit
When it comes to antioxidants, kiwifruit comes out on top, even beating citrus. Kiwis contain more polyphenols than oranges and grapefruit, according to scientists from Japan’s Teikyo University. Kiwifruit may help prevent the development of diseases caused by oxidative stress, such as heart failure, cancer & Parkinson’s.

5. Blueberries
Anthocyanins, the pigments that give blueberries their stunning colour , have potent immune stimulating properties. As they are anti-oxidants, anthocyanins protect capillaries (small blood vessels) from oxidative damage, and promote brisk blood flow through the circulatory system. Protection against oxidation also allows good circulation of lymph,
the immune cell carrying fluid of the body.
Blueberries, are also rich in tannins, the substances also found in teas. Research suggests these tannins, prevent Ecoli bacteria from sticking to the cells that line the urinary tract and cause infection. (Rutgers University).
When Researchers at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Centre for Aging, Tufts University USA, measured the levels of anti-oxidants in 40 different fruits and vegetables,
blueberries were near the top. A 125g serving of fresh blueberries, supplies enough antioxidants to almost double the average Australians daily intake.
Rutgers research suggests, that a daily handful of chemical free blueberries or cranberries, assist with the prevention of urinary tract infections and promote over
good health and well being.
Other berries including raspberries, blackberries and strawberries, have the same cancer fighting phyto-chemicals. They contain ellagic acid and fibre-seeds that inhibit cancers.

6. Citrus Fruits - Lemons, Oranges
Lemons, Oranges, Grapefruits, Limes, Tangerines, are all excellent sources of the plant form of Vitamin C, Ascorbic acid. Ascorbic acid is a ‘nutritional superstar’, with many immune system functions. These include enhancing the movement of phagocytes in the blood to clean up blood cells, boosting natural killer cell (NK) activity, building and maintaining mucous membranes and collagen (tissue for wound healing). Vitamin C is also required for the manufacture of hormones that help the body deal with stress, as it helps convert toxins to water soluble substances so they can be easily excreted from the body. It is one of the more than 100 phytochemicals that citrus contains. Oranges and grapefruits are also loaded with naringenin, which works against tumour formation and HIV infection. The oil in citrus rind contains limonene, which researchers think helps enzymes deactivate cancer causing substances in the body and shrink and slow down cell division in tumours.
Vitamin C’s importance for health cannot be disputed, as many studies have found an unmistakable correlation between low blood levels of Vitamin C, and increased risk of cancer, especially cancer of the pancreas, stomach, oesophagus and mouth.
Most animals manufacture their own Vitamin C, however humans seem to have lost the ability to do so. The body doesnot store Vitamin C, or B, and any excess is eliminated through urine. It is best to get a small amount of Vit. C a day, and to benefit from Limonene, add a twist of lemon or citrus peel to your tea.

7. Carrots
Carrots and other fruits and vegetables with a deep orange colour (sweet potato, rockmelon and mangoes), contain large amounts of nutrients called carotenoids, some of which the body converts to Vitamin A. many studies have demonstrated that Vit A reduces the incidence and severity of infectious illnesses, by helping to keep the mucous membranes in healthy and in tact. Vitamin A also boosts antibody response and increases white blood cell proliferation. Sweet potato has been shown to stabilize blood-sugar levels by lowering insulin resistance, & contain a high amount of fibre which helps reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol levels in the body. People with higher levels of beta-carotene, have lower odds of developing cancer and heart disease. In a Tufts University study, taking 15-60mg of carotenoids daily, improved immune function especially in the elderly. Aim to eat about 1 cup of cooked carrots a day. As with all vegetables, lightly cooking softens the cell walls so you absorb the plant better.

8. Shiitake Mushrooms
Traditional Chinese herbalists suggest that shiitake mushrooms protect the immune system by activating Qi-the life force. Mushrooms contain disease fighting substances, eg. lentinan- seems to help the body fight cancer by stimulating and revving up the production of Tcells, macrophages and NK cells. Studies suggest 90g of fresh or 10g dired shiitake mushroom as a small dose to boost the immune system. Other medicinal mushrooms include maitake. Consult your herbalist or naturopath.
Amy Nancarrow Nature & Health Dec 2001