Blueberries, Concord grapes and other Fruits and Vegetables Helpful for Slowing Memory Decline in Older Adults.

Here is a great article from the website http://www.knowthecause.com/. I trust this website by Doug Kaufman and believe he is one of the best resources for fighting cancer, disease and cronic health issues.

A number of studies with older humans have reported that eating 5 or more fruits and vegetables daily significantly reduces risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of loss of memory and mental function. Animal studies have reported that consumption of blueberries, red or purple grapes or grape juice, pomegranates and walnuts provide considerable protection against the development of Alzheimer’s. All 4 of these foods are rich in plant produced chemicals called phytochemicals, while walnuts are also fairly high in omega 3 fats.

Some recent studies have reported that daily consumption of either blueberry juice or Concord grape juice can improve mental function in elderly humans. An Ohio studied the effects of consuming either about half a liter (a little more than a pint) of blueberry juice or a non juice containing placebo beverage. The subjects were over 70 years of age (average age 76 years) in good general health but with some memory decline. After 12 weeks, several forms of memory were significantly improved in the 9 subjects receiving the blueberry juice but memory remained unchanged in the 7 subjects given placebo. A similar study reported that consumption of half a liter of Concord grape juice for 12 weeks significantly improved memory in older adults, while those who consumed a placebo beverage had no improvement in memory. Both blueberries and Concord grapes are rich in phytochemicals which may improve and preserve mental function.

While blueberry juice and Concord grape juice are very nutritious, they also contain a fair amount of simple sugars. Eating the whole blueberry or Concord grape fruits would probably also result in memory gains. Eating the whole fruit would probably be better for the Kaufman phase diets since the whole fruits have more fiber and lower concentrations of simple sugars as compared to juices.

This research was conducted by Dr. Krikorian and colleagues at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. The work is now in press at the British Journal of Nutrition and the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

A new Study reveals the link between fruit and breast cancer

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Enzyme-blocking chemicals in pomegranates may reduce the risk of estrogen-fueled breast cancers, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

An acid found in pomegranates appears to block aromatase, an enzyme that converts androgen to estrogen, a hormone that plays a role in the development of breast cancer, the researchers wrote in the journal Cancer Prevention Research.

"We identified some of these chemicals in pomegranates that actually have properties that can suppress aromatase," researcher Shiuan Chen, of the City of Hope cancer research and treatment center in Duarte, California, said in a telephone interview.

Many women who have had breast cancer take medicines called aromatase inhibitors -- such as Pfizer's Aromasin, Novartis' Femara and AstraZeneca Plc's Arimidex -- to keep estrogen from feeding tumors.

Chen and colleagues studied whether compounds, or phytochemicals, in pomegranates can suppress aromatase and ultimately block cancer growth. They found that 10 natural compounds in the fruit may potentially prevent estrogen-related breast cancer.

Chen said the compounds would not be a replacement for aromatase inhibitors.
"We do not recommend people start taking this as a replacement for the AI's," Chen said. "They (pomegranate compounds) are not as potent as the real drugs so we think that the interest probably is more on the prevention end rather than in a therapeutic purpose."

Other researchers not associated with the study told the journal that the results are promising, and suggested more studies involving animals and humans were needed to confirm the findings.

"It's not clear that these levels could be achieved in animals or in humans because the (compounds) are not well absorbed into blood when provided in the diet," said Gary Stoner of Ohio State University.

Dr. Powel Brown, an oncologist at the University of Texas, said in a statement that future studies should focus on testing pomegranate juice for its effect on estrogen levels, menopausal symptoms, breast density or even as a cancer preventive agent.

More than 400,000 women die from breast cancer globally every year. About 75 percent of breast cancers are estrogen-receptor positive, meaning they are fed by estrogen.

Previous research has shown that pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants -- vitamins and other substances -- that may help prevent diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease. (Editing by Xavier Briand)

Window cleaning chemical injected into fast food hamburger meat

Nice to know. I may think twice about ordering a number 1 special!

(NaturalNews) If you're in the beef business, what do you do with all the extra cow parts and trimmings that have traditionally been sold off for use in pet food? You scrape them together into a pink mass, inject them with a chemical to kill the e.coli, and sell them to fast food restaurants to make into hamburgers.

That's what's been happening all across the USA with beef sold to McDonald's, Burger King, school lunches and other fast food restaurants, according to a New York Times article. The beef is injected with ammonia, a chemical commonly used in glass cleaning and window cleaning products.

This is all fine with the USDA, which endorses the procedure as a way to make the hamburger beef "safe" enough to eat. Ammonia kills e.coli, you see, and the USDA doesn't seem to be concerned with the fact that people are eating ammonia in their hamburgers.  Read More....Window cleaning chemical injected into fast food hamburger meat

Cupuacu- "A Pharmacy in a Fruit"

The Cupuacu Fruit - When foreigners visit the rainforest, native Amazonians will often offer them Cupuacu - the "taste of the Amazon." However, this delicious fruit also happens to be a potent health resource. It contains unique antioxidant phytonutrients called polyphenols. The marvelous discovery about the polyphenols in Cupuacu (theograndins) is that they are totally unique, and have never been seen before. Like Acai, Cupuacu is rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, and essential fatty acids, and is traditionally known for its nutritive, energizing, and tonic properties.

Aside from its wonderful taste, Cupuacu has some amazing health properties, and scientists are very excited about its potential to deliver a superb boost to human health. Some call it "A Pharmacy In A Fruit." Further analysis of this amazing fruit has revealed that, in addition to the health boosting theograndins (superior antioxidants), it contains at least nine other antioxidants, including the powerful vitamins C and A. This makes the Cupuacu a real "one stop shop" for antioxidant replenishment. It is also rich in Vitamins B1, B2, B3 (Niacin), as well as essential fatty acids and amino acids.
 
Some of the reported benefits of Cupuaçu include: Increases libido,Boosts immune system, Reduces the signs of aging and promotes younger-looking skin, increases energy and stamina, Increases your body's ability to fight disease and cancer cells, Helps to lower cholesterol levels, Destroys free radicals.

The antioxidants in Cupuaçu are extremely potent and provide outstanding cardiovascular and immune system benefits. This is because antioxidants are essential to help us neutralize free radicals, the compounds that often cause the body to grow wrinkled and develop degenerative disease. Powerful antioxidants are also an excellent way to strengthen your cardiovascular system as they protect artery walls from the damage that can lead to heart disease by destroying the damage free radicals cause.

The marvelous discovery about the polyphenols in Cupuaçu is that they are totally unique, and have never been seen before. This new revelation is causing a stir in scientific circles and has prompted experts to give the new polyphenols in Cupuaçu their own name. These theograndins are excellent antioxidants, and can help you achieve optimum health the natural way. Theograndins found in Cupuaçu were uniquely effective at possibly destroying colon cancer cells, among others.

The fruit also contains essential fatty acids, such as the Omegas 3 and 6. These fatty acids help to reduce 'bad' cholesterol and keep the good cholesterol intact. This mix of antioxidants and essential fatty acids makes it an essential ingredient in the fight to maintain a healthy heart and cardiovascular system.

The Tikuna tribesmen of the Amazon have used Cupuaçu fruit and pulp as a natural source of energy, much like the energy found in caffeine in dark chocolate. Cupuaçu juice has even been used by Shamen to help with abdominal discomfort and midwives to help ease strong labor pains.

The fruit provides a host of healthy benefits for the body, especially for those who live in our stressful, fast paced world. It stimulates the immune system naturally, while increasing both energy and stamina without the nervousness or "jitters" that can be caused by other, synthetic caffeine sources.

What you should know about heart disease

Over the last year and a half, I have received many, many kind emails from individuals who found this blog helpful.  I know from first hand experience that when we get sick, our priority is to search for answers and solutions. Everything else in our life takes a back seat.  In the information age, there are millions of sources for information so who do you trust?  That is what we wondered.   It has been a blessing to share information with everyone and I believe Networking information is critical. With a family history of cancer, it became my mission to help others who are searching for answers. Through a combination of real time experience and information from trusted sources, I have shared as much as possible from the heart and have seen it make a difference. There are alternatives to drugs, medications and other harmful procedures. If our society is overwhelmed with Diabetes, High Cholesterol, Heart Disease, high Blood Pressure, etc, obviously we are NOT doing something right. This epidemic has only occured over the last 50-60 years. We must swing the pendulm the other direction and I believe that starts with knowledge, information and awareness.

Last year, I posted a few articles on Heart Disease. I found an excellent video on the subject and is worth watching. Education and knowledge is important but applying this knowledge is critical. My hope is that this information helps everyone evaluate their own lifestyle habits and make some changes that WILL save them pain later. I know some people that think it wont happen to them. Maybe they are young and invincible. Maybe they are unaware. Maybe they just don't care. In any case, I have seen loved ones go thru pain and suffering. It doesn't have to be that way. We will all pass away but the question is how that happens. Laying in a hospital hooked up to tubes, having to endure Chemotherapy and Radiation, is not my idea of fun. Unfortunately, that is the staple of our Health Program today. If we want to live a long healthy life, it is up to us. I preach prevention and prevention begins by learning and understanding.

New Years Resolutions

Is it just me, or did this year fly by fast? It seems like life is a recorded TV show and we hit the fast forward button to bypass all the commercials.  I clearly recall what many of  us were discussing last year which was the subject of New Years resolutions.  I've made a few in my life but for many, it seems to be a yearly tradition to make resolutions to lose weight, eat healthier, get out of debt, work harder, exercise more, eat better, drink less alcohol, quit smoking, Improve their finances, save money, Improve their career, get a better job, Improve their education, improve grades, learn something new (such as a foreign language or music), get more organized, reduce stress, be less grumpy, manage time, be more independent, volunteer to help others, etc, etc.  The list goes on and on.  As we live and grow older, we should all strive to get better, make changes for the better, improve our health, finances and relationships.  Why do most of those never happen?

Why do some start out with good intentions and then give up?  In short, like most things in life, if you don't know why you are seeking to accomplish these goals, then the how part doesnt matter.  All of those resolutions require guts, courage and commitment, to follow through on and accomplish. In some cases, it requires time because as creatures of habit, it is difficult to change bad habits engrained in us.  We can't change our destination overnight but we can change our direction overnight.  The most important thing is to define what it is you want, understand why you are doing it and then commit to doing it.
 
Here is one great example.  Within the context of my blog's title, Health, Wealth, Wisdom, I believe we should all strive to acheive better health.  We are fighting an uphill battle everyday.  Our soceity is overwhelmed with easy access to fast food, pharmecutical drugs, pollution, fast paced careers, chemicals, stimulants, etc.  It is extremely difficult to eat well and maintain opptimum health.  Its been said that 20% of what you eat keeps you alive and 80% keeps your doctor alive.  So what can we do? 
 
My first suggestion is to read.  There is an abundance of ignorance on health, what we are eating and what the true causes of cancer, disease and illnesses are.  Some simply dont know what they dont know. One of my missions with this BLOG, is to help inform, educate and inspire everyone to take a look at their habits before it is too late.  Life is too short as it is- Why do many have a mission to make it even shorter?  It may be ignorance or for some, they simply don't care until they get sick. Then, traditionally, they go to the doctor and find that they don't have many options.  As I have witnessed first hand with family members who were terminally ill or sick, the minute you are diagnosed, life changes forever and your priorities change.  Nothing else matters.  That's not the way i want to go out.  The key is that most things that happen to us and our loved ones are preventable. 
 
Here's an option- preventative maintenance.  Make the New Years resolution to make some changes that may save your life, may help you live life with more energy, vitality and vigor. For many, small changes can make a huge difference.  The key again is to know why you are doing what you are doing.  Regrets are avoidable. Excuses should be your reasons.  If you make any kind of resolution, the way to keep it is to visualize your goals or resolutions, write them down, have someone hold you accountable and commit to them.  If not, it is easy to go back to the way it was.  The results you have, whether it be in your health, finances or relationships, are based on your thoughts and actions to this point.  It is easier said than done but everyone has the ability to do whatever they set their mind to.  It takes a new way of thinking, commitment and discipline to accomplish anything worthwhile.  It can be done and the results are worth the effort.  Happy New Year!

A new Super fruit to be excited about...

A new superfruit called the Maqui berry has peaked the interest of many in the wellness industry.  Here's a quick glimpse of where the Maqui berry comes from as well as some of it's potential benefits.

In distant Patagonia located in Southern Chile, there is s a deeply purpled berry like no other berry before. It thrives in a harsh climate where few would survive. Power packed with anthocyanins and polyphenols... powerful antioxidants protect this berry from UV sun radiation, disease, and biological enemies. This sacred berry has been used by the native Mapuche warrior to give them their legendary strength and stamina.

The Top 20 Maqui Berry Benefits


-The Maqui Berry Benefits Us By Having Very High Levels Of Polyphenols And Anthocyanins
-Maqui Berry Benefits Our Bodies By Supporting Healthy Aging
-The Maqui Berry Benefits And Helps Protects Cells From Oxidative Stress
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Bodies By Neutralizing Free Radicals
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Cardiovascular Health
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Us With Being An Excellent Source Of Vitamin C, Iron & Potassium
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Daily Energy Levels
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Immune System By Providing Strong
-Levels Of Antioxidants
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Skin And Promotes A More Healthy,
-Youthful Appearance
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Weight By Contributing To Healthy Weight Loss
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Body By Helping To Flush Out Toxins & Chemicals
-The High Antioxidant Value In The Maqui Berry Benefits Overall Wellness By Protecting The Body Against Disease & Infection
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Us Through Many Positive Anti-Imflammatory Properties
-The Maqui Berry Benefits The Natural Metabolism Of Our Body
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Us By Supporting Healthy, Natural Strength & Stamina
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Heart By Protecting Against Heart Disease
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Our Blood Vessels By Protecting Against Oxidative Damage
-The Maqui Berry Benefits The Treatment Of Ailments Such As Sore Throat, Diarrhea, Ulcers, Fever,   Tumors, Diabetes, And Many Others
-The Maqui Berry Benefits The Bones And Joints Of The Body
-The Maqui Berry Benefits Overall Health And Positive Mood

More details to follow on this superfruit.  Wow, Wouldnt it be amazing if the Maqui berry could somehow be combined with the ever popular Acai Berry ( Freeze dried)?  That would be an awesome combination to help the immune system fight the never ending bombardment of viruses, flus, and dangerous diseases.

In honor of Jim Rohn- Life is worth living if.....

In honor of Jim Rohn's passing on December 5th, 2009, i wanted to post a little piece of wisdom from his work titled, "Life is worth living if......" Mr Rohn was an American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker.  His work has been influential in launching or furthering the careers of many others in the personal development industry, including Anthony Robbins, Mark Victor Hansen, Brian Tracy and Jack Canfield.


1) First, life is worthwhile if you LEARN. What you don't know WILL hurt you. You have to have learning to exist, let alone succeed.

Life is worthwhile if you learn from your own experiences, negative and positive. We learn to do it right by first sometimes doing it wrong. We call that a positive negative. We also learn from other people's experiences, both positive and negative.

I've always said it is too bad failures don't give seminars. We don't want to pay them so they don't tour around giving seminars. But the information would be very valuable – how someone who had it all, messed it up. Learning from other people's experiences and mistakes.

We learn by what we see - pay attention. By what we hear – be a good listener. Now I do suggest being a selective listener, don't just let anybody dump into your mental factory. We learn from what we read. Learn from every source. Learn from lectures, learn from songs, learn from sermons, learn from conversations with people who care. Keep learning.

2) Life is worthwhile if you TRY. You can't just learn; you now have to try something to see if you can do it. Try to make a difference, try to make some progress, try to learn a new skill, try to learn a new sport. Life is worthwhile if you try. It doesn't mean you can do everything but there are a lot of things you can do, if you just try. Try your best. Give it every effort. Why not go all out?

3) Life is worthwhile if you STAY. You have to stay from spring until harvest. If you have signed up for the day or for the game or for the project - see it through. Sometimes calamity comes and then it is worth wrapping it up. And that's the end, but just don't end in the middle. Maybe on the next project you pass, but on this one, if you signed up, see it through.

4) Life is worthwhile if you CARE. If you care at all you will get some results, if you care enough you can get incredible results. Care enough to make a difference. Care enough to turn somebody around. Care enough to start a new enterprise. Care enough to change it all. Care enough to be the highest producer. Care enough to set some records. Care enough to win.

Four powerful little words: learn, try, stay and care. What difference can you make in your life today by putting these four words to work?

What you should know about your Immune System

With all the reported cases of Swine Flu, H1N1 Virus, and other illnesses, I want to share some information on our Immune System.  I am not a fan of drugs, antibiotics, or vaccinations and with good reason.  More importantly, I believe preventative maintenance is the key.  If our health is our number one priority, which it should be, then there are some important things to know.  I've posted a great video here on the immune system, and how antioxidants affect the body.  Also, Below, I highlighten some facts and some suggestions to help boost your immune system.

The Immune System: The Body's Defense Department

The function of the human immune system is to defend the body against invaders. Microbes (germs or microorganisms), cancer cells, and transplanted tissues or organs are all interpreted by a healthy immune system as non-self against which the body must be defended. Although the immune system is extremely complex, its basic strategy is simple: to recognize the enemy, mobilize forces, and attack. Without a properly functioning defense mechanism, our bodies would be virtually overrun by various bacteria, viruses, cancers and other pathogens in hours to days and we will cease to exist


The immune system is not responsive to drugs for healing. Antibiotics used to fight infections actually depress the immune system when used long-term. Disorders in the immune system can result in disease. Immunodeficiency diseases occur when the immune system is less active than normal, resulting in recurring and life-threatening infections. In contrast, autoimmune diseases result from a hyperactive immune system attacking normal tissues as if they were foreign organisms. Natural nutritive forces, like healing foods and herbal medicines can and do support the immune system. By rebuilding immunity, health is naturally restored and disease disappears

Most of us take our immune system for granted until we're sick. Because our bodies have an amazing ability to adapt and get by, chronic illness rarely happens overnight unless some unusual event pushes you over the edge—the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. Instead, it happens over time and we don’t feel sick until it’s too late. Once your body is overwhelmed and falls into this downward spiral, it usually takes enormous efforts to begin to “spiral up.”

Because being sick is so common in our society, many people "perceive" they are healthy even though they get occasional colds, flu, headaches, fatigue, arthritis and allergies. But the facts are, chronic pain or sickness is not "normal" or you could be unhealthy even without experiencing any symptoms at all.

The good news is that you can prevent sickness and enjoy optimum health if you provide your body with the right tools. By providing your body with proper nutrition and eliminating the toxins in your body that harm your health, it can virtually heal, repair, regenerate, and restore optimal health without the use of expensive or harmful drugs.  For more information, please feel free to contact me or spend some time on my health blog.  http://www.gethealthwealthwisdom.com/ God bless.

How to prevent cancer with superfoods

Hi all.  I came across a good article today and wanted to share it with you.  There has been such an overwhelming amount of scientific studies over the last several years on the coorelation between what we eat and cancer.  After studying cancer for years and having first hand knowledge of what cancer patients go thru, it has been my mission to pass  information on to anyone seeking answers.  In my opinion, it's ashame that it takes a good dose of reality for some to make changes in their life style, often after its too late.  Even small changes can make a huge difference, not only in preventing cancer, but it how we feel everyday. Who doesn't want to feel good everyday? 

Despite our busy life style and easy access to fast food, processed food and chemically altered food, we CAN make some changes that will have a huge impact on our quality of life, now and later.  Remember this; Most people who are sick were once healthy!  It is what we do over time that hurts us.  My sister passed away at 47 from cancer.  My brother was diagnosed with colon cancer at 55.  My Dad passed away from cancer at a young age.  Bottom line, ignorance is expensive.  They didn't know what they didn't know. Get educated now, not when it is too late.  If you get some new information, it will change how you process things and how you do things.  That can make all the difference in the world.  Here is a quick article from from Caring.com

Can SUPERFRUITS help prevent cancer?  The short answer to this question is—drum roll, please—yes. They really do. While studies are ongoing, and in many cases experts still don't know exactly how these superfoods work, there's strong evidence that certain fruits and vegetables rich in plant-based nutrients can both prevent tumors from starting and halt their growth. Here, the top foods to work into the family diet if you'd like to cut cancer risk or help those with cancer recover. And who wouldn't?

Blueberries, açai berries, raspberries, and cranberries

The rich, dark colors of blueberries, Brazilian açai berries, raspberries and cranberries come from phytochemicals that protect against numerous types of cancer. Most recently, researchers at the University of Florida found that the active ingredient in açai berries destroyed cancer cells when tested in cell cultures. And blueberries and muscadine grapes contain compounds that recent research shows cause cancer cells in the liver to self-destruct. In studies particularly important to women, cranberries have recently been discovered to be an important weapon in the fight against deadly ovarian cancer. Studies reported at the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society found that ovarian cancer cells that were becoming resistant to platinum chemotherapy—the standard of care for ovarian cancer—became six times more sensitive when exposed to a compound in cranberries.

WHAT IF THEY ARE WRONG?

Article by Doug Kaufmann from Know the Cause.. Doug has a tv show and a website that is awesome.  I have recommended his show and website to many individuals searching for help.  He has a free newsletter I also recommend highly.  Here is one of his latest articles:

As many of you know, this has become my battle cry! What if mammography causes breast cancer? What if the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test isn't prostate specific? What if Amoxicillin, an antibiotic given to millions of children, causes hyperactivity? In this issue of KNOW THIS, we'll explore why, according to medical researchers, cancer is common and fungal infections are rare.

Albert Einstein College of Medicine researchers have now identified how one deadly fungus, Cryptococcus neoformans, hides from the immune system, enabling it to grow, unabated throughout the infected person's body. What begins as a tiny encapsulated spore, consisting of an outer membrane made up of a sort of sugar (polysaccharide), now attracts more and more of this sugar from somewhere inside the body, leading the once tiny single spore to become too large for the scavenger white blood cells (macrophages) to gobble them up and digest them! Eventually, this mass of cells strangles off normal human physiology and the patient dies.

Lead researcher Dr. Arturo Casadevall says that the mechanism for capsule growth wasn't known until now. Of course, they have yet to identify where the other polysaccharides are coming from but, as you continue reading, you will see how, yet again, an exciting science has been touched upon. Could this discovery actually be a relevant cancer discovery? I think it is! I suspect that millions of other Cryptococcus neoformans cells are already inside our bodies and want nothing more than some bonding-time with their spore family members! Read on click Here

Colon Cancer Hits home

Unexpected and shocking news from your doctor can turn your world upside down.  Some think it could never happen to them or that they are pretty healthy and dont have to worry about eating Mc Donalds everyday. The statistics show that 1 out of 2 men will get cancer and 1 out of 3 women will get cancer. Ignorance and a lack of the correct information from the correct sources is very dangerous. 

Within the last year, a family member and a good friend, were diagnosed with Colon cancer. The crazy thing is, with early detection, colon cancer is preventable and beatable.  IT is critical to get checked early.  The KEY is preventative maintenance and early detection. The standard age to have a colonoscopy done is 50 years old.  I believe that having one done at 40 yrs old is wise.

It is important to understand some basics of colon cancer and how to keep your colon functioning.  Keeping your colon clean provides a number of health benefits, the main ones being: A lowered risk of developing colorectal cancer, the second or third leading type of cancer in most industrialized countries, A lowered risk of experiencing irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, and chronic diarrhea, A lowered risk of developing hemorrhoids, Less objectionable gas production,More efficient absorption of water and minerals, A feeling of lightness, comfort, and well-being in your abdominal region.

After food passes through your stomach and small intestine, the remaining material, mostly waste products in liquid form, move on to the first part of your large intestine -- your colon. Your colon is approximately 6 feet long and serves primarily to dehydrate liquid waste material. In order to understand how to keep your colorectal region clean and healthy, let's go over a few key details on how your large intestine works.

Movement of Waste Material

After you eat a substantial meal, your stomach expands enough to trigger a reflex that causes a contractile wave (called a peristaltic wave) to travel through your small intestine and push any liquid waste material (chyme) that is sitting in the last part of your small intestine into your large intestine.

Movement of waste material through your colon is facilitated by something called "haustral churning". Your colon is divided along its length into small pouches called haustra. When a haustrum is filled with substantial waste material, its muscular walls contract and push the waste material into the next haustrum. The contractile reflex that allows haustral churning is regulated by a division of your autonomic nervous system.

On average, your colon experiences anywhere from about 3 to 12 moderate waves of contractions every minute. After every substantial meal, your colon experiences a much larger contractile wave, called "mass peristalsis". Mass peristalsis serves to push waste materials from your transverse colon all the way to your rectum. In most people, mass peristalsis occurs about three times a day.

When your rectal pouch is distended with enough feces to trigger a contractile reflex, your feces are pushed out through your anus. When you consciously contract your abdominal wall, your diaphragm moves downward and helps open up muscles that line your anal sphincter. If you choose not to release stools when you experience an urge to do so, your reflex contractions may stop, in which case you likely won't have a significant bowel movement until the next mass peristalsis occurs.

Natural Ways to Keep Your Colorectal Region Clean and Healthy

Chronic constipation is the single greatest cause of having an unclean and unhealthy colorectal region because over time, constipation causes your bowel walls to face excessive pressure -- pressure that is created by you straining to go and by your colon walls creating stronger contractions to help eliminate hard stools. Excessive pressure on your colon walls can cause little pouches called diverticuli to form. Sometimes, small bits of waste material can get lodged in diverticuli.

Eat substantial meals; don't nibble on small amounts throughout the day. Each time you eat a substantial meal, you stimulate stretch receptors in your stomach that are responsible for triggering normal and mass peristaltic waves throughout your small and large intestines, ensuring regular movement of waste material through your colon and rectum. Also, eating substantial meals allows significant "chunks" of waste materials to travel together through your colon, turn into well formed stools, and get eliminated from your body in an efficient manner.

Don't suppress the desire to go. If you regularly suppress the urge to have a bowel movement, waste materials spend more time than is optimal in your colon, causing excessive dehydration of waste materials and formation of hard stools.

Ensure adequate intake of water and/or water-rich food. Water helps to move waste materials along, and is absorbed throughout the entire length of your colon. Insufficient water intake can cause stools to form far before waste materials reach your rectal pouch, which can cause constipation. This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to drink several glasses of water per day. If you eat plenty of water-rich plant foods, then you can rely on your sense of thirst to dictate how much water to drink.
Eat fiber-rich foods regularly. Fiber adds bulk to the boluses of waste material that travel through your large intestine, and this bulk is essential to your colon's ability to turn waste materials into well formed stools. A diet that is rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains ensures high fiber intake.

Ensure adequate vitamin D status. Adequate vitamin D status significantly lowers your risk of developing all types of cancer, including colorectal cancer. When you aren't able to get regular exposure to sunlight, look to ensure adequate vitamin D status by eating healthy foods that contain vitamin D, such as wild salmon and a high quality cod liver oil.

Ensure adequate vitamin A status. Glands that line the mucosal lining of your colon are responsible for releasing mucous that is needed to lubricate your feces; vitamin A is needed to maintain the health of these specialized cells that release mucous. It's best to ensure adequate vitamin A status by eating healthy foods that contain vitamin A.

Ensure adequate intake of healthy fats. All of your cells, including those of your large intestine and nervous system, require a constant influx of undamaged fatty acids and cholesterol to remain fully functional. If you don't ensure adequate intake of healthy fats, your nervous system and the smooth muscles that surround your digestive passageway -- both of which are responsible for creating peristaltic waves throughout your digestive tract -- may deteriorate in function.

Also, intake of healthy fats is necessary for optimal absorption of fat-soluble vitamin A, which, as mentioned above, is critical to building and maintaining the mucosal lining of your colon. Healthy foods that are rich in healthy fats include: avocados, organic eggs, olives, extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, coconuts, raw nuts, raw seeds, and cold-water fish.

Build and maintain large colonies of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract. Large populations of friendly bacteria can keep your digestive tract clean and healthy by promoting optimal digestion, thereby preventing build-up of toxic waste materials. Bacteria also take up space and resources, thereby helping to prevent infection by harmful bacteria, fungi, and parasites. The easiest way to build and maintain healthy colonies of friendly bacteria in your digestive tract is to take a high quality probiotic.

Work at feeling emotionally balanced. Stress can interfere with your ability to clean your colon through its effect on your enteric nervous system. Most people who have come to me over the years with a chronic colon-related health issue have had significant emotional stress in their lives. If you have a challenge with colon and rectal health, I encourage you to take a careful look at ways that you can more effectively manage emotional stress in your life.

Here's the bottom line on this topic: Your body is well designed to keep your colon and rectal regions clean and healthy. If you follow the steps outlined above, you can rest assured knowing that your lifestyle choices are minimizing your risk of having colon-related health issues.

Source: www.naturalnews.com

What you should know about Diabetes

Here are some interesting facts from Food Matters.com and Dr Ron Rosedale MD:



Diabetes was not long ago primarily a 'disease' affecting a small portion of the mature population. Yet today, it is becoming commonplace with all ages of adults and we are now seeing an alarming epidemic of diabetes in increasingly younger children.

In the US, 20.8 million people (7.85% of the population) have type II diabetes and another 50 million have pre-diabetes. More than half are not even aware that they have this condition that can rob them of some of the most enjoyable years of their life, if left unchecked.

Type II diabetes is very much a 'disease' we have given ourselves through diet. While this may not be what many like to hear - it should ring as very good news indeed to anyone with diabetes concerns and the desire to reverse it naturally. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, said 'Let Food Be Thy Medicine, and Medicine Be Thy Food'.

Diabetes Is Not A Disease Of Blood Sugar! By Ron Rosedale, MD

As I have stated previously, and one concept that I would like to make well-known to save thousands and perhaps millions of lives as soon as possible, is that diabetes is not a disease of blood sugar, but a disease of insulin and perhaps more importantly leptin signaling, and until that concept becomes well-known in the medical community, articles like the one published in this issue will fortunately continue to be published revealing the inadequacy of current conventional medical treatment for chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and the falsity of their advice about nutrition.

Typically treatment concentrates on fixing a symptom, in this case elevated blood sugar, rather than the underlying disease. Symptoms are generally the way that nature has taught our bodies to deal with a disease. For instance, a runny nose is a symptom designed to cleanse the nose and sinuses of viruses and bacteria when one has a "cold." Taking a decongestant just inhibits our own body's mechanism for dealing with that infection and will therefore prolong it.

Similarly, treatments which concentrate merely on lowering blood sugar for diabetes while raising insulin levels can actually worsen rather than remedy the actual problem of metabolic miscommunication. It just trades one evil for another.

Elevated insulin levels are highly associated and even causative of: heart disease, peripheral vascular disease,
stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, obesity and many other so-called diseases.

Since most treatments for (type 2, insulin resistant) diabetes utilize drugs which raise insulin or actual insulin injections itself, the tragic result is that the typical, conventional medical treatment for diabetes contributes to the manifest side effects and the shortened lifespan that diabetics experience.

Traditional medicine appears certainly not to, especially with diabetes. For two millennia diabetes has been considered to be a disease of sugar. Despite centuries of scientific progress including the discovery of insulin and more recently leptin, that has not changed. It appears that medicine has made little to no progress with that myth. Furthermore, the actual purpose of insulin is widely, if not uniformly, mistaken even among the medical community.

The Main Purpose Of Insulin Is Not To Lower Blood Sugar.

It may surprise you, as well as your doctor, that insulin's main role is not to control blood sugar. The control of blood sugar is mostly in an upward direction, not a downward direction. A few types of tissues and cells in our body such as red blood cells require glucose for energy (the rest can and even desires to burn fat or byproducts of fat metabolism called ketones). Thus it is important to always have a little bit of glucose dissolved in our blood.
The trick throughout most of our ancestral history was to keep sugar in our blood from falling too low since there was not that much sugar to be had. Most starches and grains that would turn into sugar are mostly indigestible unless cooked. You might even strain your jaw trying to eat an uncooked potato.

The major source of sugar was fruit, and that was mostly available only seasonally, and even then we had to work and exercise to obtain it, burning the sugar and preventing it from spiking very high. The hormones cortisone, epinephrine, norepinephrine, glucagon, and growth hormone make sure that we always have some glucose available to the tissues that need it.

High Blood Sugar Was A Rarity.

However when our blood sugar did become elevated it was a sign that we had more energy available than we could currently burn and thus it would be a good idea to store the extra. "Waste not, want not." Food was not always available; feast or famine was the rule. When blood sugar becomes elevated it is a signal for insulin to be released to direct the extra energy into storage.

A small amount is stored as a starch called glycogen in our body, but the majority is stored as our main energy supply -- fat. Thus, in this regard insulin's major role is not to lower sugar, but to take the extra energy when available and store it for future times of need. Insulin lowers glucose as a side effect of directing the extra into storage.

Insulin's purpose may go far beyond even that. Insulin is being researched very heavily by scientists who study the biology of aging. It has been found that when insulin is kept low either through diet or via genetic manipulation animals live much longer and the rate of aging is significantly reduced. This appears true in many different species of animals from single cell yeast, to worms, to flies, and appears likely to be true also in primates.

Apparently, low insulin is a signal that energy is scarce and animals need to focus their energy needs on maintaining and repairing themselves so that they can outlive the famine to be able to reproduce at a future, more opportune time. Insulin's purpose has gone from controlling blood sugar, to directing energy stores, and now to actually regulating the rate of aging including the major symptoms of aging -- diabetes, heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis, dementia, and even cancer.

All Chronic Disease Is Due To Miscommunication Of Messages Between And Within Cells.

As stated in a prior newsletter, all chronic disease is due to miscommunication of messages between and within cells. Certainly diabetes is a disease of insulin miscommunication, and recognizing insulin's true purpose certainly goes much deeper to the roots of diabetes and other chronic diseases. Yet we can go even deeper.

Insulin May Not Even Be The Most Important Hormone In Diabetes Or Other Chronic Diseases Of Aging.
That honor likely goes to leptin. It appears that the hormone leptin is largely responsible for the accuracy of insulin signaling and whether one becomes insulin resistant or not. Leptin, a relatively recently discovered hormone produced by fat, tells the body and brain how much energy it has, whether it needs more (saying "be hungry"), whether it should get rid of some (and stop being hungry) and importantly what to do with the energy it has (reproduce, upregulate cellular repair, or not).

Recent compelling research reveals that the two most important organs that will determine whether one becomes (type 2, insulin resistant) diabetic or not are the liver and the brain and it is their ability to listen to leptin that will determine this.

Leptin largely influences, if not controls, the manifest functions of the hypothalamus in the brain, including:
Reproduction, Thyroid function, Adrenal function and the Sympathetic nervous system.
Fat, and leptin, strongly influences chronic inflammation and therefore diseases associated with this including heart disease, Alzheimer's, and diabetes. It appears now that rather than your brain being in control of your body, fat, by way of leptin, is really in the driver's seat.

The Enemy Is Not Only Foreign To The Medical Community; It Appears To Not Even Be Recognized.
It is no wonder that (type 2) diabetes has not been conquered. By some estimates, diabetes has increased over 700% in the last 50 years. This reveals two very important facts.

Diabetes cannot be primarily a genetic disease, since the prior statistic has taken place within the same generation and presumably essentially the same genetics. Something that we have been doing is obviously wrong and needs to be changed. That something is diet.

It is difficult, or perhaps even impossible, to actually prove that something is true. However, it is not difficult to prove that something is false. Americans have been following (at least partially), for the last 50 years, the nutritional recommendations of a high complex carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet from the: American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, and the American Diabetes Association That, in itself, is an oxymoron since most of those "complex" carbohydrates, such as potatoes, rice, cereals, pasta, and breads rapidly turn to sugar and the excess sugar (glucose) rapidly turns into long-chain saturated fatty acids (palmitic acid; "palm oil"). Concomitant with that recommendation the incidence of diabetes and obesity has skyrocketed and has become one of the worst worldwide epidemics the world has ever seen.

Eating a high "complex" carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet for health and longevity has been shown, and perhaps even "proven," to be wrong. Minimal common sense would say to try something else.
Diabetes Is A Disease Of Nutrition, And It Is The Science Of Nutrition That Must Treat It. Science is telling us that we must eat a diet that maximizes the accuracy of insulin and leptin signaling allowing cells, you, to better listen to their life-giving messages. (The need for those hormones to have to "yell" to be heard is reduced and the levels of insulin and leptin are therefore lowered.)

That would be the eating plan emphasizing good fats and reduced nonfiber carbohydrates/starches as outlined in my book "The Rosedale Diet" and Dr. Mercola's "Total Health Program". Doing so will greatly improve and even reverse type 2 "insulin resistant" diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, many other chronic diseases of aging, and even aging itself, as many of my patients who have been able to totally eliminate the use of their drugs, including insulin, can attest.

Following those guidelines will let you -- and your genes -- "be the best that you can be."  Quick Fact: Estimated Diabetes Costs in United States (2007) Direct medical costs: $116 billion- After adjusting for population age and sex differences, average medical expenditures among people with diagnosed diabetes were 2.3 times higher than what expenditures would be in the absence of diabetes. Indirect costs: $58 billion - disability, work loss, prema

Açaí and diabetes - how do they go together? While diabetics are taught to approach excessive fruit intake cautiously - with fruit juices being nearly avoided all together, for generally high sugar levels - it seems counter-intuitive that açaí is having a very positive impact on the lives of many diabetics. Açaí is actually a low-gylcemic complete food that has been found to have a stabilizing effect on insulin and blood sugar levels.

Leadership and Liberty- Our world needs leadership now more than ever

Hello all,

Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady, top leaders in the business world, have written many books together over the last few years.  Launching a Leadership Revolution, a New York Times best seller, has been wildly successful.  Since everything rises and falls on leadership,  this amazing book has helped individuals and groups learn the principles of leaderhip, soemthing that sorely needed in our world today. 

Their latest book "Leadership and Liberty" is unbelievable! Here is a video clip of Orrin and Chris discussing this awesome book and why they wrote it. I highly recommend this book since it is one of my favorites.

Dr Blaylock talks about nutrition, behavior, aspartame and MSG

Comsume these 3 purple items for your good health health

Concord grapes, blueberries, red wine: They all get that deep, rich color from polyphenols—compounds that reduce heart disease risk and may also protect against Alzheimer’s disease, according to the new research. Polyphenols help keep blood vessels and arteries flexible and healthy. "What’s good for your coronary arteries is also good for your brain’s blood vessels," says Robert Krikorian, PhD, director of the Cognitive Disorders Center at the University of Cincinnati.

Preliminary animal studies suggest that adding dark grapes to your diet may improve brain function. What’s more, in a recent human study, researchers found that eating 1 or more cups of blueberries every day may improve communication between brain cells, enhancing your memory.

Inspiring Quotes for success

Here are some inspiring quotes I came across from Steven Covey.  I wanted to share them with here.  Have a great day!

Stephen Covey Quote # 1: "Live out your imagination, not your history."

There is no limit to who you can be and what you can achieve if you put your mind into it. Unfortunately, many people are too afraid to step out of their comfort zone.

If your family has always been in the pizza business, for example, you would find it almost impossible to try doing something else. But that is what Covey is trying to get you to understand.

You don't have to achieve what your parents have achieved. You have the entire world before you to take on. Explore and discover.

Stephen Covey Quote # 2: "There are three constants in life... Change, choice and principles."

Everyone knows that change is constant. But people seem to forget that choice and principles are, too!
And contrary to popular belief, we all have a choice. We choose to live, to die, to betray, to support, etc. Even in a situation where we seem to have no choice, we always have a choice. And this choice is always backed up by our principles.

Stephen Covey Quote # 3: "Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly."

You can't just rely on other people's pep talk alone. If you really want to bring forth 100% of your potential, you're going to have to call out the motivation from within yourself.

Ask yourself what you want to do and why you want to do it. You'll find that doing things for yourself, rather than for others, can fuel you to do the things you never even imagined you could.

Know the Cause - Hosted by Doug Kaufmann

http://www.knowthecause.com/ is a great site for health information.  Doug Kaufman has a TV show that has been extremely helpful to us.

Majority of Americans not Meeting Recommendations for Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

Interesting article published by Healthy News service on October 17, 2009

No U.S. state is meeting national objectives for consumption of fruits and vegetables, according to the first report to provide state–by–state data about fruit and vegetable consumption and policies that may help Americans eat more fruits and vegetables.

“State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009”was released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Healthy People 2010 objectives aim for at least 75 percent of Americans to eat the recommended two or more daily servings of fruit, and for at least 50 percent of Americans to eat the recommended three or more servings of vegetables daily. However, CDC surveys indicate that only 33 percent of adults meet the recommendation for fruit consumption and 27 percent get the recommended servings of vegetables. The statistics are even worse for high school students – 32 percent report eating at least two servings of fruit daily and 13 percent say they eat at least three servings of vegetables each day.

“A diet high in fruits and vegetables is important for optimal child growth, maintaining a healthy weight, and prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, all of which currently contribute to health care costs in the United States,” said Dr. William H. Dietz, director of CDC′s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity. “This report will help states determine what is taking place in their communities and schools and come up with ways to encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables.”

Ironically, even though our society consumes less than the recommended amount of fruit, I question the integrity of the fruit that IS consumed.  When fruit is pulled off the tree before ripening, then gassed, and bombarded with harmful chemicals, one should wonder how healthy the fruit really is? It stands to reason that fruit today is nothing like it used to be when your Mom had her own garden.  Cancer and disease is rampant and has been linked to lack of fruit and vegetables in our daily diet.  How do you get quality fruit every day conveniently without breaking the bank?  We live in a pharmaceutical fast food culture and it all comes down to education.  If we chose to ignore the studies and statistics thinking that it doesnt apply to you, keep in mind that 1 out of 2 men are going to get cancer. As well, 1 out of 3 women are going to get cancer.  Alarming but true.  Its never too late to make some positive changes that can positively impact you and your family's health in a major way.

Food Inc presents a documentary on the truth about the food we eat.

Dr Schauss, leading researcher on the acai berry discusses importance of fruit

Dr Schauss is the leading research scientist on the acai berry and presents his findings on this superfood. Great presentation, very informative. Enjoy!

Store Wars.. This is funny!

ORAC Score revisited..

According to our government, our body requires approximately 7-9 servings of fruits a day OR 3000-5000 orac a day, ( ORAC is simply a measurement of antioxidant acticity from fruit or vegetables) to maintain optimum health. Based on the chart below, it is no wonder why we do not get that amount in our diet everyday.   According to the scientists and doctors, along with thousands of published papers, lack of fruit in our diet (along with our fast food, chemically laden, pharmecutical culture) contributes to all of the health issues we face, including disease and cancer. 

Now, here is what approximately 13 servings of fruits looks like and their associated costs.. 15.73 cents for fruit that may not contain the quality we expect, depending on where you bought the fruit.  Unfortunately, most fruit today has been chemically altered, pulled off a tree or out of the ground before ripeness, guaranteed not to have the same quality as the fruit from your Mom's garden. 

Now, if taking two ounces in the morning and two ounces at night could give you the same amount, wouldnt that be something?  We certainly spend a lot of money on things that do nothing to help our health.  Chemicals and fast food take care of that for us.  Its been said that 10% of what we eat keeps us alive and 90% of what we eat keeps our doctor alive!  Quality fruit is so important in our diet, yet less than 5% of the population gets the required amount EVERYDAY for good health.  The definition of insanity is to continue to do the same thing over and expect different results.  If we cannot conveniently give our bodies what it needs to survive in this world, then we may want to find a way to do it.  Those who dont have time for proper health will be forced to make time for sickness which we all know is expensive.  Fruit for thought.......

Effects of fruit and vegetable consumption on blood pressure

Background High dietary intakes of fruit and vegetables are associated with reduced risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Short-term intensive dietary interventions in selected populations increase fruit and vegetable intake, raise plasma antioxidant concentrations, and lower blood pressure, but long-term effects of interventions in the general population are not certain. We assessed the effect of an intervention to increase fruit and vegetable consumption on plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins, daily fruit and vegetable intake, and blood pressure.

http://realhealthanswers.com/docs/Journal-Articles/MiscFruit/Effecs%20of%20Fruit%20Consumption%20on%20Plasma%20Antioxidant%20-%20trial.pdf

How to Reverse and prevent Diabetes the natural way

When I learnt about a breakthrough in how to prevent and reverse Diabetes I immediately investigated. When I was actually convinced that this genuine method has been researched, trialled and tested, I couldn’t wait to share the news with you.In America over 20.8 million people (approximately 7.85% of the population) suffer from Diabetes. However in India a country of more than 1 billion people very few people suffer from Diabetes. This points to the fact that our diet and lifestyle have a direct influence on the onset of Diabetes. It also points to the fact that our diet and lifestyle habits have a direct influence on the reversal of Diabetes.Our friends at Food Matter had such an overwhelming response to their popular DVD, ‘Food Matters’, they have been asked to produce a targeted learning program especially about Diabetes.

http://www.foodmatters.tv/AP.aspx?ID=547&EID=4642472.

The 'Food Matters Diabetes Learning Program' is an extension of the documentary film 'Food Matters' featuring never before seen footage focusing specifically on Diabetes issues. In a collection of interviews with leading Nutritionists, Naturopaths, Scientists, M.D.'s and Medical Journalists you will discover the secrets of treating diabetes naturally. “My personal experience with diabetes and review of the literature made it VERY clear to me that virtually every case of type 2 diabetes is 100 percent reversible.”--Dr. Mercola, Specialist in Nutritional and Alternative MedicineNow is a good time to learn about:

The importance of Nutrition and Natural Therapies for treating Diabetes Naturally

Specific information on which foods, therapies and vitamin and mineral supplements can promote healing

The true causes of Diabetes and how you can build your bodies own defenses naturally to live a long, healthy and abundant life.

How to start to reduce your insulin dosage and gradually eliminating the need for it entirely!

How to avoid the pain, suffering and unnecessary expenses by naturally addressing the root cause of your diabetes.

Why you’ve never been told about these options before and why most doctors don't advocate these safe and effective modalities

How to most effectively detoxify the body and rebuild the nutrients safely helping you to lose unwanted pounds The 'Food Matters Diabetes Learning Program' gives you:

Over 6 Hours of Instantly Accessible Crystal Clear Video Lessons

Interviews With 9 of the Worlds Leaders In Nutrition and Natural Healing for Diabetes

You Receive Unlimited Access to All of The Videos Which You Can Pause, Stop, Start and Listen to as Many Times as You Wish

A Comprehensive 22 page Workbook Which Follows Along With Each Of the Video Lessons
An Extensive Listing of Doctors and Clinics Specializing in Nutritional Medicine From Around The World

An In-Depth Listing of Recommended Websites, Books and DVDs Click to instantly make the change to a long-term and healthy alternative to Diabetes medication

http://www.foodmatters.tv/AP.aspx?ID=547&EID=4642472.

Fruits and Vegetables shown to reduce the risk of Breast cancer and its reoccurance

NaturalNews) Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables drastically reduces the risk of ever getting breast cancer and of having a recurrence. Scientists at the University of Hong Kong have just released more research findings adding to the growing pile of evidence that selections from the produce section are the best bet for keeping away this dreaded disease.

The association between vegetable and fruit intake and breast cancer risk was evaluated using a hospital-based, case-controlled study. Four hundred and thirty-eight breast cancer cases were matched with an equal number of controls by age and place of residency. Their dietary intake was assessed by face-to-face interviews using a food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate logistical regression was used to estimate odds ratios.

Total vegetable and fruit intake was found to be inversely associated with breast cancer risk. The odds ratios of the highest quartile relative to the lowest quartile of total vegetable and fruit intake were 0.28 and 0.53 respectively. This means that those eating the lowest amounts had a 47% increased risk of breast cancer. Consumption of individual vegetable and fruit groups such as dark green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, carrots, tomatoes, bananas, melons (watermelon, papaya, and cantaloupe) was inversely and significantly related to breast cancer risk. An inverse association was also observed for vitamin A, carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and fiber intake. (International Journal of Cancer, July)Fruits and vegetables modulate the cell cycle to safeguard healthPeople were created to eat fruits and vegetables.

Several systems in the body depend on constituents from nature's garden for proper functioning. One of these is the cell cycle that regulates the growth and maintenance of all living things. During the cell cycle, chromosomes are duplicated, and one copy of each duplicated chromosome is transferred from the mother cell to the daughter cell. Proper regulation of this cycle is critical for the normal development and maintenance of health in multi-cellular organisms. If the cell cycle is not working as it should, cancer and other degenerative diseases may be the result.The successful reproduction of new cells depends on two critical processes, the replication of DNA, and mitosis (the nuclear division of the daughter cell from the mother cell).

Compounds from fruits and vegetables stand guard over this process and assure successful completion. (Frontiers in Bioscience, January, 2008)In a world in which more and more genotoxins are constantly bombarding people, a greater intake of fruits and vegetables is necessary to modulate the effects of deregulation at cell cycle checkpoints and keep the cycle running smoothly creating new cells that are healthy. Up to ten servings of fruits and vegetables each day are now recommended by some health gurus.Fruits and vegetables can reduce breast cancer recurrence by 40 percentScientists from the University of California examined the relationship between plasma carotenoid concentration as a biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake and the risk for a new breast cancer event in 1,550 women previously treated for early stage breast cancer. After 5 years of follow-up, those women with the highest plasma carotenoid concentrations had a 40% reduced risk for breast cancer recurrence. (Journal of Clinical

Read the rest... http://www.naturalnews.com/026607_vegetables_cancer_fruits.html

alkaline-acid- Tips for balancing your diet

NaturalNews) The American diet is anything but balanced. The mass consumption of meat, grains and processed foods causes the body to become overly acidic, which strips it of minerals. Over the long haul, those who do not balance their diet with alkaline foods (fruits and veggies, primarily) become prone to weak bones, joints and muscles, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and a host of other health problems. In other words, long-term health and longevity have everything to do with acid-alkaline balance.

Consider the Inuit (a.k.a., Eskimos), who do not have access to many fruits and vegetables. Their diets consist largely of seal meat, fish and whale blubber. While they eat few grains, their diet is nevertheless highly acidic. Though a sturdy bunch, with healthy hearts, their bones start breaking down prematurely. Indeed, the Inuit people have the worst longevity statistics in North America.

In contrast is Okinawa, where more people live to 100 years of age than anywhere in the world. While meat, rice, soy and seafood (highly acidic foods) are squarely in the diet, so are a vast range of different vegetables and fruits, rich in anti-oxidants, as well as minerals that counteract acidity. A wealth of fascinating anthropologic and scientific evidence exists that supports the acid-alkaline theory of health and longevity; there is much information to research this further.The typical American diet is similar to that of the Inuit in that there is entirely too much meat and not enough alkaline vegetables to balance it.

Factory farms in the US manufacture meat and animal products in unhealthy ways, leaving them loaded with toxins and inflammatory compounds. Furthermore, charring meat adds flavor, as well as cancer-causing substances.

Read More click here http://www.naturalnews.com/

A third of breast cancer patients treated needlessly

In an artice written by Newsmax.com, it was interesting to read that 1/3 of breast cancer patients were treated needlessly.

One-third of women diagnosed with breast cancer in public screening programs are treated needlessly because their tumor will not be life-threatening, the British Medical Journal reported Friday.

Scandinavian researchers highlighted the dilemma facing doctors when it comes to detecting and treating breast cancer. Not all breast cancers kill, though. In some cases, the cancer will grow so slowly that the patient will die of other causes before it produces symptoms, or it might remain dormant or even shrink over the years.
Because doctors have no idea whether a cancer will be lethal or harmless, they tend to treat all patients diagnosed with a tumor. But cancer treatment, using powerful drugs, radiotherapy, or surgery, causes harm.
So it is vital to know how many patients may be being treated unnecessarily, especially given the huge investment in having women undergo regular mammograms.

Karsten Jorgensen and Peter Gotzsche of the Nordic Cochrane Centre in Copenhagen pored over data from screening programs in Australia, Britain, Canada, Norway, and Sweden.
They looked at trends seven years before and seven years after the programs were implemented.

They found that, when screening programs were introduced, doctors did indeed spot more cases of breast cancer - but= 0also treated more women who would not have needed it.
"One in three breast cancers detected in a population offered organized screening is overdiagnosed," they said.

In an accompanying editorial in the British Medical Journal, Gilbert Welch, a professor at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Research in Vermont, said the findings raise key questions about the trade-off between deaths the screening programs avoid and the harm treatment programs inflict.

One study has suggested that one death is avoided for every two women who are overdiagnosed, while another puts the ratio far higher, at one death avoided for every 10 cases of unnecessary treatment.

"Mammography undoubtedly helps some women but hurts others," Welch said. "No right answer exists. Instead, it is a personal choice."

leadership and Liberty- Pieces of the puzzle

"Pieces of the Puzzle"

In this new book, NY Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today best-selling authors Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward describe how the principles of leadership are instrumental in preserving freedom, liberty, and justice not only in our personal lives, but in society at large. Designed to build upon two of their previous books, Launching a Leadership Revolution and Leadership Tidbits and Treasures, this inspiring read teaches you how you can help improve our society to ensure the continuance of liberty and freedom for all.

Fantastic Book! http://www.the-team.biz/shophome/product/tabid/94/p-1183-leadership-liberty-pieces-of-the-puzzle.aspx

More Fruits equal lower risk of diabetes and less weight

In an article by Joene Hendry, a common conclusion is reached about the benefits of fruit.
Amid numerous ongoing debates over which dietary interventions are most beneficial, one standard suggestion continues to ring true: Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Fruits and vegetables “are unbelievably loaded with good-for-you nutrients,” observes American Dietetic Association (ADietA) spokesperson Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, LD, of the Northwestern Memorial Wellness Institute in Chicago.
“Eating more fruits and vegetables can only help prevent diseases, as well as manage diseases that people already have,” she says. “I have never seen a research article that implicates fruits and vegetables in any sort of negative light.”
Evidence shows that fruits and vegetables, consumed in proper amounts, are good for preventing stroke, heart disease, and hypertension, as well as promoting vascular function, weight loss, and other health aspects.

“I DON'T THINK PEOPLE HAVE CONNECTED TO THE FACT THAT IF THEY CONSUME FIVE TO SIX SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES PER DAY THEIR RISK OF STROKE IS GOING TO BE REDUCED.”

Berries beyond the hype?

Karen Collins, MS, RD, CDN American Institute for Cancer Research

Berries are often described as "super foods," but then, so are many other foods. Are berries really such a nutritional powerhouse, or are they just one more fruit option? And is one kind of berry really better than the rest? Research does show that berries are among the fruits highest in antioxidant content and that they are excellent sources of several phytochemicals that seem to help block cancer development. However, other fruits and vegetables provide different nutrients and phytochemicals with unique health benefits.

The best advice, then, is to eat berries often for their great taste and health boost, but stay focused on the main goal of eating a wide variety of produce every day. Strawberries are known as excellent sources of vitamin C, providing as much or more than a whole day’s recommended amount in just one cup. But all berries are good sources of vitamin C, with one cup of raspberries or blackberries giving you close to half of amounts currently recommended for a whole day for adults. One of the ways vitamin C protects our health is its function as an antioxidant.

Antioxidants attract and neutralize highly reactive molecules called free radicals that could otherwise damage body cells in ways that initiate cancer development, heart disease and age-related eye damage. Yet laboratory studies show that much of the antioxidant power of fruits and vegetables comes not from the classic antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin C, but from natural protective compounds called phytochemicals. Anthocyanins are a group of phytochemicals that give many berries their red color. In laboratory studies, anthocyanins inhibit growth of lung, colon and leukemia cancer cells without affecting growth of healthy cells.

Decreased cancer development is also seen in animals given anthocyanins. Ellagic acid is another important phytochemical in virtually all berries. More than a simple antioxidant, ellagic acid also blocks metabolic pathways that can lead to cancer. In animals, it has inhibited development of colon, esophageal, liver, lung and skin cancers stemming from a variety of carcinogens.

Sterostilbene is yet another powerful antioxidant phytochemical that seems to
affect metabolic processes to decrease development of both cancer and heart disease.

Blueberries are an excellent source of this relative of the health-promoting resveratrol that is found in grapes and red wine. Phytochemicals seem to be a vital part of the benefits we get from berries. One study showed that strawberries’ power to inhibit cancer cell growth was unrelated to their antioxidant content, suggesting that the direct influences of the phytochemicals on cancer development are very important.

An essential question remains: Do normal portions of berries give us enough phytochemicals to get protective benefits or do we need to eat larger portions than standard 1/2 cup servings? Some research does suggest that concentrations normally found in the blood after eating berries are enough to substantially decrease cancer cells’ growth and to stimulate their self-destruction.

Overall, research on phytochemicals shows that looking at the effects of single foods does not show the full picture. Studies show that a wide range of phytochemicals found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans act together in ways far greater than would be expected from looking at them individually. That’s why, as fabulously healthy as berries are, the bottom line has to be abundance and variety of many fruits and vegetables.

Doctors discuss alternative ways to manage cancer

John Hopkins Update - Good article AFTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY ('TRY', BEING THE KEY WORD) TO ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHNS HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins :

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3 When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.. *CANCER CELLS FEED ON: a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells.. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses, but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color.

Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt. b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved. c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer. d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment.

About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C). e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells.. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells. 1. No plastic containers in micro. 2. No water bottles in freezer. 3. No plastic wrap in microwave. Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Cast le Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Pa per isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead. This is an article that should be sent to anyone important in your life.

5 thoughts

Here are 5 inspirational thoughts to live by which can affect not only your health in a positive way but in your professional and personal life as well.

Be Thankful. It's easy to think about what is missing and ignore what you have. When you develop an attitude of gratitude, you begin to view things from that positive light and start working toward making something happen. Giving up is not an option you can entertain.

Be Thoughtful. When things go wrong, don't go with them. As you look at yourself, you have to harness your will, you have to be grounded, you have to pause and you have to go within. Begin to clear your head and give yourself permission to accept the reality that is happening. And then turn the page and start working toward where you will go from there.

Be Active. If you're going through hell, don't stop. Keep moving. Start with small steps and build from there. When you are not active and you're not engaging in life, you have a tendency to worry and regret and to engage in less-than-useful emotions. It's very important that you start moving and working and doing things that can give you some headway. The more active you are, the less chance you have of becoming depressed, angry and immobilized with fear.

Be Connected. Many times, people fail because they can't see the picture when they are in the frame. They think there is no way out. These are people who are disconnected and feel isolated and desperate. But interacting with others provides a number of benefits, including helping us find new paths and new ideas to explore.

Be Patient. Don't expect instant results. Plug away carefully and consistently, and keep the mindset that things are going to get better even though you can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. We are living in a microwave society where we want instant results. But it's not that kind of party. Patience and a spirit of expectation and trust will help you work to reach your goals and dreams.

Study finds fruits help the fight against cancer and disease

"Eat your fruits and vegetables" is one of the tried and true recommendations for a healthy diet. And for good reason. Eating plenty of vegetables and fruits can help you ward off heart disease and stroke, control blood pressure, prevent some types of cancer, avoid a painful intestinal ailment called diverticulitis, and guard against cataract and macular degeneration, two common causes of vision loss.

Over the past 30 years or so, researchers have developed a solid base of science to back up what generations of mothers preached (but didn't always practice themselves). Early on, fruits and vegetables were acclaimed as cancer-fighting foods. In fact, the ubiquitous 5 A Day message (now quietly changing to Fruits and Veggies: More Matters) seen in produce aisles, magazine ads, and schools was supported in part by the National Cancer Institute. The latest research, though, suggests that the biggest payoff from eating fruits and vegetables is for the heart.

Vegetables, Fruits, and Cardiovascular Disease

There is compelling evidence that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. The largest and longest study to date, done as part of the Harvard-based Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, included almost 110,000 men and women whose health and dietary habits were followed for 14 years. The higher the average daily intake of fruits and vegetables, the lower the chances of developing cardiovascular disease. Compared with those in the lowest category of fruit and vegetable intake (less than 1.5 servings a day), those who averaged 8 or more servings a day were 30 percent less likely to have had a heart attack or stroke. Although all fruits and vegetables likely contribute to this benefit, green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and mustard greens; cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, bok choy, and kale; and citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit (and their juices) make important contributions.

When researchers combined findings from the Harvard studies with several other long-term studies in the U.S. and Europe, and looked at coronary heart disease and stroke separately, they found a similar protective effect: Individuals who ate more than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per had roughly a 20 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, compared with individuals who ate less than 3 servings per day.

Vegetables, Fruits, and Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a primary risk factor for heart disease and stroke. As such, it's a condition that is important to control. Diet can be a very effective tool for lowering blood pressure. One of the most convincing associations between diet and blood pressure was found in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) study.

This trial examined the effect on blood pressure of a diet that was rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products and that restricted the amount of saturated and total fat. The researchers found that people with high blood pressure who followed this diet reduced their systolic blood pressure (the upper number of a blood pressure reading) by about 11 mm Hg and their diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) by almost 6 mm Hg—as much as medications can achieve.

More recently, a randomized trial known as the Optimal Macronutrient Intake Trial for Heart Health (OmniHeart) showed that this fruit and vegetable-rich diet lowered blood pressure even more when some of the carbohydrate was replaced with healthy unsaturated fat or protein.

Vegetables, Fruits, and Cancer
Numerous early studies revealed what appeared to be a strong link between eating fruits and vegetables and protection against cancer. But because many of these were case-control studies, where people who already have a certain health outcome (cases) are compared to people who do not have that outcome (controls), it is possible that the results may have been skewed by problems inherent in these types of studies; people with illnesses, for example, often recall past behaviors differently from those without illness, which can lead to potential inaccuracy in the information that they provide to study investigators.

Cohort studies, which follow large groups of initially healthy individuals for years, generally provide more reliable information than case-control studies because they don't rely on information from the past. And data from cohort studies have not consistently shown that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables prevents cancer in general. For example, in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, over a 14-year period, men and women with the highest intake of fruits and vegetables (8+ servings a day) were just as likely to have developed cancer as those who ate the fewest daily servings (under 1.5).

A more likely possibility is that some types of fruits and vegetables may protect against certain cancers. A massive report by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research suggests that non-starchy vegetables—such as lettuce and other leafy greens, broccoli, bok choy, cabbage, as well as garlic, onions, and the like—and fruits "probably" protect against several types of cancers, including those of the mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, and stomach; fruit probably also protects against lung cancer.

Specific components of fruits and vegetables may also be protective against cancer. For example, a line of research stemming from a finding from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study suggests that tomatoes may help protect men against prostate cancer, especially aggressive forms of it. One of the pigments that give tomatoes their red hue—lycopene—could be involved in this protective effect.

Although several studies other than the Health Professionals study have also demonstrated a link between tomatoes or lycopene and prostate cancer, others have not or have found only a weak connection. Taken as a whole, however, these studies suggest that increased consumption of tomato-based products (especially cooked tomato products) and other lycopene-containing foods may reduce the occurrence of prostate cancer. Lycopene is one of several carotenoids (compounds that the body can turn into vitamin A) found in brightly colored fruits and vegetables, and research suggests that foods containing carotenoids may protect against lung, mouth, and throat cancer. But more research is needed before we know the exact relationship between fruits and vegetables, carotenoids, and cancer.

Vegetables, Fruits, and Gastrointestinal Health
One of the wonderful components of fruits and vegetables is their indigestible fiber. As fiber passes through the digestive system, it sops up water like a sponge and expands. This can calm the irritable bowel and, by triggering regular bowel movements, can relieve or prevent constipation. The bulking and softening action of insoluble fiber also decreases pressure inside the intestinal tract and so may help prevent diverticulosis (the development of tiny, easily irritated pouches inside the colon) and diverticulitis (the often painful inflammation of these pouches).

Vegetables, Fruits, and Vision
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables also keeps your eyes in good shape. You may have learned that the vitamin A in carrots aids night vision. Other fruits and vegetables help prevent two common aging-related eye diseases—cataract and macular degeneration—which afflict millions of Americans over age 65. Cataract is the gradual clouding of the eye's lens, a disk of protein that focuses light on the light-sensitive retina. Macular degeneration is caused by cumulative damage to the macula, the center of the retina. It starts as a blurred spot in the center of what you see. As the degeneration spreads, vision shrinks.

Free radicals generated by sunlight, cigarette smoke, air pollution, infection, and metabolism cause much of this damage. Dark green leafy vegetables—such as spinach and kale—contain two pigments, lutein and zeaxanthin, that accumulate in the eye; these pigments are found in other brightly colored fruits and vegetables as well, including corn, squash, kiwi, and grapes. These two pigments appear to be able to snuff out free radicals before they can harm the eye's sensitive tissues.
In general, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables appears to reduce the chances of developing cataract or macular degeneration. Lutein and zeaxanthin, in particular, seem protective against cataract.

More news on the cancer-fiber front

More News on the Fiber-Cancer Front-- by Jeff Jurmain, MA

Scientists have long known that keeping a diet high in fiber goes a long way to protecting the body from chronic diseases. It is most powerful in protecting all areas of the digestive tract from problems. And those problems include cancer.

A brand new study in the journal "Gastroenterology" has found an added benefit to eating lots of fiber and foods made with whole grains. We had known that eating this way could help prevent colon cancer. But they also found that these dietary habits could prevent cancer from developing in the small intestine as well.

Of the entire digestive tract, the small intestine comprises about three-quarters. Cancers are less common in the small intestine, however, when compared to the large intestine or colon. (Colorectal cancers are among the most common and most fatal tumors.)

A team from the National Cancer Institute analyzed data to gauge fiber's cancer protection in the small bowel. Over the span of one year in the mid-1990s, they looked at data from nearly 300,000 men and 200,000 women. It was called the Diet and Health Study. Over the course of seven years, they discovered that 165 patients had developed cancer of the small intestine.

Researchers found that people with the highest intake of fiber from grains had a 49% reduced risk of such a cancer. (That is compared to people with the lowest intake.) And for whole grains? There was a 41% reduced risk of small bowel cancer for people eating the most to people eating the least amount.

Experts call for adults to consume between 20 g and 35 g of fiber per day through food. Unfortunately, the average adult gets only 12 g to 18 g -- in some cases, far below what is recommended. Dietary fiber comes in a variety of foods and it's not that hard to stock up on it. It will also contribute to you feeling full faster, so you are not tempted to overeat (important for people trying to shed pounds).

Here is the best of the lot for finding fiber in foods:
-- Fruit: raspberries, pears and apples (with skin)

Cha-de-Burge

Cha de Burge is an ingredient i came across in a new energy drink by MV. Since I have never heard of it, i did some research and came across this information

Cha de Bugre is yet another exotic weight loss ingredient that hails from South America. The powdered herb is served all over the streets of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. While it hasn't quite reached that status here in the States, it is a sensation there. And what a list of sensational health benefits it apparently has: decreased appetite, kills viruses, reduces cellulite, reduces fever, increases urination, supports heart health, and acts as a stimulant.

The Cha de Bugre tree produces a red fruit similar to a coffee bean which can be roasted and made in to a coffee substitute.

Cha de Bugre is supposed to suppress appetite, but not completely, which is key. The idea is not to not eat at all, then binge later when famished. Cha de Bugre gives one a sense of being full after eating a few bites of food. This seems to promote smaller more frequent meals, which is common knowledge today as the best way to a healthy weight

Some very interesting facts everyone should know about wild fruit

I was listening to Dr Carson speak about the benefits of fruit and I wanted to share some interesting facts that I learned.

As I learn more about the importance of fruit in our diet, statistics show that less than 18% of the population consumes 2 or more fruits a day. Countless studies have concluded that we still need 7-9 servings of quality fruits and vegetables in our diets to maintain optimum health. How many are getting that? I wasn't. Not doing so is one of the main reasons our society is rampant with disease, cancer, and most of the health problems we face today.

First, fruit from the store, including organic fruit, carries a much higher risk of carrying food borne illnesses than chicken or beef. To mitigate that, manufacturers pasteurize or use extreme heat to kill dangerous bacteria. Unfortunately, this destroys much of the nutritional quality of the fruit. There is only one way to maintain the nutritional quality of fruit and that is to flash pasteurize it. Flash pasteurizing heats the juice up at a rapid rate for only a few seconds to kill bacteria, then reduces the temperature rapidly to help maintain the nutrients.

Fruits from the wild, ie, the Amazon Jungle, have 40% more nutrition than fruit from the USA. Why? Because the environmental conditions of the Amazon are so harsh that most of the fruit grown over there developed survival properties. The protection mechanism built into fruit protects it from the following: viruses, bacteria, mold, fungi, parasites, droughts, floods, radiation, high heat, toxins, pollutions, free radicals, over crowding, predators and mutations. The person consuming these raw fruits benefits greatly from these defense mechanisms. Acai fruit for example, is an amazing fruit that has kept Brazilians healthy and young for years, based on it's survival properties.

There are many products out there but keep one thing in mind. As Dr Carson says, and i am paraphrasing, there are a certain things you don't want to save money on- Heart transplants, parachutes, life preservers and wellness products. Get the facts and understand that what you do on a daily basis makes a difference in your health.

Which is the #1 killer of men and women?

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States. If you are worried about heart disease, one of the most important things you can do is to start eating a heart-healthy diet. Changing your diet can help stop or even reverse heart disease.

At first, it may seem like there is a lot to learn. But you don't have to make these changes all at once. Start with small steps. Over time, making a number of small changes can add up to a big difference in your heart health.

To have a heart-healthy diet:

Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other high-fiber foods.
Choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.
Limit salt (sodium).

Stay at a healthy weight by balancing the calories you eat with your physical activity.
Eat more foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish.

Heart Disease, high blood pressure, stroke and the power of acai

About half of Americans die from high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Fortunately, 80 percent of those deaths could be prevented by changing the toxic lifestyles at the root of diseases. Hypertention, heart disease and strokes are the problems that start with cell membranes lining our arteries.

By improving the health of our intestines, acai increases the levels of Short Chain Fatty Acids that are indispensable to the health of the cell membranes lining the arteries. The high amino acid content of the acai berry is also helpful in reducing the risk of heart disease. Acai is also high in monounsaturated essential oils, fats, and trace minerals, which are critical for cell membrane, insulin and arterial health.

How cancer develops- an excellent video

Here is a good video of how cancer forms. It is clear that the root of the problem ultimately comes from damaged cells and DNA caused by lack of antioxidants.

Choices in life

" The Doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame. In diet and in the prevention of disease." -Thomas Edison

CHOICES! Life is all about choices....choosing the "right" car, the dream house, your perfect job, the names of your children. We even choose our brand of coffee, shampoo and laundry detergent. Deliberate concentration is given to our choices in all areas of life...except healthcare. We allow doctors to make all the decisions concerning the MOST important aspect of our lives! WHY? The answer is simple really, we are an uninformed nation when it comes to healthcare, so we accept what the "experts" tell us. We take the pill, go under the knife, subject our bodies to radiation, chemotherapy and drugs that haven't been on the market long enough for the "experts" to know all of the side effects because we don't have knowledge of "other options".

Our goal is to bring to you the information available on prevention of disease and alternative healing. You should be armed with the knowledge to explore other options. The power should be put back into your hands. Make the choice to be healthy. One final note, there are a few things you dont want to save money on..... parachutes, bungy cords or proper health and good nutrition.

Inflammation - The Damage From Within

We are slowly learning about a greater enemy within that is the cause of more disease and discomfort than we realize, and it is largely food caused. Poor but popular food. This silent but voracious condition is INFLAMMATION.

Unlike a temporary fever chronic inflammation is a smoldering, never ending, internal fire. It is insidious these days and it is the root cause of much disease, and it is now epidemic, and it is not getting adequate attention. If you suffer from extreme allergies or arthritic pain and swelling you are on the assembly line of inflammatory attack.

The Standard American Diet (SAD) FEEDS THIS FIRE.
Every day we launch an army of free radical when we eat convenient and processed foods that are deep fried, made non-fat, artificially powdered, hydrogenated, sweetened, etc. Things like coffee creamer, french fries, crackers, cookies, chips, nonfat milk, and more. It is estimated that at least one third of the population is allergic to wheat gluten, the highly lauded protein in wheat... which inflames the gut. That spongy softness we love in our baked goods is evidence that we are eating highly hybridized wheat. This makes our bread, cakes, pasta and cereals delicious and harmful. They all now contain more starch, less protein and few trace minerals.

This absence of nutrition actually causes us to crave them more creating a vicious circle of eating habits. The original set of allergies we may possess are now fully inflamed and out of control. The immune system works poorly as a result. Infections are easy to attract. Root canals and dental problems can then add to our burden of infection. In some an overgrowth of candida eventually overload the gut and all sorts of problems ensue. This is the internal environment that sparks arthritis and other diseases. When inflammation attacks a joint it eats away the cartilage, becoming crippling in the worst cases.

Before our modern food processing, back on the farm so to speak, soups and broths included the bones and cartilage as part of the recipe. This base contained glycine rich gelatin as a result, a protein released from boiled bones. The soup was rich in flavor and it provided anti inflammation properties. The raw cream, milk and butter of the day also contained preventative ingredients, lost now to pasteurization. Further, the grass fed livestock we once digested provided gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) that also diminishes joint pain as well as many diseases.
Drugs can arrest the pain but they never put out the fire. The immune system just becomes further stressed.

Fruits are inflammation busters. Glucosamine and esterified fatty acids help to lubricate joints and to help build cartilidge. Combining the two would make a powerful blend.

Some facts about Free Radicals, oxidation and fruit

Oxidation is caused by free radicals. Free radicals are charged molecules that contain an unpaired electron. Being charged makes such molecules very reactive and unstable. By nature such molecules are always looking for a partner to bond with to fill the gap. By snatching unpaired electrons from other compounds, free radicals become chemically stable but may at the same time convert, or oxidize, the compounds that lost electrons to new free radicals, thus starting a chain reaction.

The oxidized molecules are sometimes damaged by the electron loss and acquire new properties--for example, becoming insoluble. Picture a slice of apple turning brown, a crumbling rubber ball, the metal rusting on your car, fats that go rancid, or rotting meat. These are all examples of free radical damage generated by oxidative stress-oxidation. Try slicing an apple in half and put a little lemon juice on one exposed side. You will see the effects of the Vitamin C.

This oxidation is happening in the cells of your body every second. Several years ago a worldwide antioxidant revolution sparked in the nutrition industry. The world began to learn about cellular oxidation's significant contribution to harm the body's functions and rapidly accelerate aging.Finally, scientists were learning how to pluck dangerous, degenerative free radicals out of cells with the use of antioxidants. The word "antioxidant" has become a common term associated with anti-aging, immune system strength, and total body health.

The truth is, over 1100 different families of free radicals exist. They attack your cells from the air you breath, the sunlight you live in, the food you eat and drink, the stress you feel, and the hygienic products you buy at the store. Although some antioxidants are superior in selectively fighting some free radicals, there is not one single antioxidant that can rid the body of all of the very different kinds of free radicals. The only source of antioxidants in the form of plants come from fruit. With the concept of balance, variety and moderation, consuming 7-13 servings of fruits a day helps supply an ample amount of antioxidants necessary to combat free radicals according to the FDA.

A video parody on fruits and vegetables- This is hilarous!

STORE WARS- A PARODY ON FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. This is hilarious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVrIyEu6h_E&feature=related

Cancer proof your body

Here are a few recommendations on how to cancer proof your body.

Consume Cranberries

Make every day Thanksgiving and you could slash your risk of several different cancers. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles have confirmed that cranberries contain a trove of tumor-blocking compounds, including phenolic acids, glycosides, and anthocyanins.

These phytochemicals are effective at preventing cancer down below—in the colon and prostate—as well as up top—on the head and neck. "They force cancer cells to die or they inhibit their unregulated growth," says David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., a coauthor of the study.

Consume Pomegranate Juice

Some say this luscious, lusty red fruit is Eve's original apple, but what the pomegranate truly banishes is cancer risk. The fruit's deep red juice contains polyphenols, isoflavones, and ellagic acid, elements researchers believe make up a potent anticancer combo. It's been shown to delay the growth of prostate cancer in mice, and it stabilizes PSA levels in men who've been treated for prostate cancer. And now University of Wisconsin at Madison researchers have learned that pomegranate may also inhibit lung-cancer growth. If you currently smoke, have smoked in the past, or hang around in smoky places (Cleveland, for instance), the juice of the fruit could bolster your defenses.

Use it: The mice in the Wisconsin study received the human equivalent of 16 ounces of juice per day, so quaff accordingly.

Eat Blueberries

Got pterostilbene? Rutgers University researchers say this compound -- found in blueberries -- has colon cancer-fighting properties. When rats with colon cancer were fed a diet supplemented with pterostilbene, they had 57 percent fewer precancerous lesions after 8 weeks than rats not given the compound did. Eat blueberries and you'll also benefit from a big dose of vitamin C (14 milligrams per cup). In a study of 42,340 men, New England Research Institute scientists discovered that men with the highest dietary vitamin C intake (as opposed to supplements) were 50 percent less likely to develop premalignant oral lesions than men with the lowest intake were.

Some interesting facts about Glucose and Antioxidants

Some key points about sugar and antioxidants.

Your brain needs glucose to function properly. The glucose supply should be steady, so that means no skipping meals. It also means you should avoid a cheap source of glucose, like a candy bar. Candy will give you a quick high and a plummeting low in terms of glucose levels, and if you've ever experienced a sugar crash, you know what that can do to your body. To provide a steady stream of glucose, you should look for food that slowly releases carbohydrates into the bloodstream, which include most fruits and vegetables. Foods such as candy and white bread just give you the sugar rush.

Glucose is essential for keeping the neurotransmitters in the brain at peak levels but don't go too crazy with all these brain foods. When you consume too many calories, you can undo the positive brain effects. In the process of converting glucose to energy, extra oxygen is created as unstable molecules called free radicals. Free radicals in turn cause oxidative stress by destroying brain cells they come in contact with. Not only does this oxidative stress force the brain's synapses to work harder, it's also a major factor in many diseases, which is why you so often hear about the benefits of antioxidants.

Fruits and vegetables are full of the antioxidants that can fight those free radicals. Green tea also provides antioxidants to the brain. Keeping your brain running smoothly by means of fueling it with the right energy is just one step to increasing your smarts, though. Eating the right food will clear the pathways for knowledge to zoom around the brain, but you'll have to put it there.

Dont forget, if you are not consuming at least 7-13 servings of quality fruits and vegetables a day, you are at risk for many health issues simply because one of the only sources of phytonutrients and antioxidants necessary to fight free radicals come from plants, ie, fruits and vegetables.

There are many reasons why we do not comsume this many fruits and vegetables. Besides the fact that the quality of most fruit is questionable, it requires a discipline to consume this many servings. It can be expensive and it is inconvenient, expecially with how little time we have to protect the most important thing in our life which is our health and the heatlh of our loved ones.

There are solutions to this dilema for those interested. We only have one shot at getting our health right. If the scientists and doctors are saying that we dont get enough fruits and vegetables in our diet and that is the cause of many of today's modern health issues, it would make sense to pay attention but do we? The statistics say that we are not. So, is it worth considering? It should be. It seems that only when we are diagnosed with a medical problem do we drop everything and make our health a priority. This is why the sickness industry is a 3 trillion dollar industry.

Fortunately, with the right information, more and more people are paying attention to their health and to the warning signs. The wellness industry which focuses on prevention vs treatment is a burgeoning industry that is projected to be a trillion dollar industry. The baby boomers are fueling this industry and as more people understand that it is cheaper to prevent a medical problem, not to mention easier, rather than finance a disaster, it is just common sense.

We provide solutions, we provide answers, we provide information critical to helping you understand why fruit is important. You dont know what you dont know and in this case, not knowing what you dont know will hurt you.

Food Choices Are Critical in Preventing Disease

Food Choices Are Critical in Preventing Disease

A new study, the first of its kind, found that the antioxidant potency of the foods you choose is more important than just increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables.

The study included both men and women and found that vegetables and fruits containing high levels of antioxidants significantly lowered liver enzymes (indicating improved liver health).

At the same time, the high-antioxidant foods reduced inflammation in the body. Fruits and vegetables which contained low amounts of antioxidants had no beneficial effects. This could explain why previous studies of diets high in fruits and vegetables found little beneficial effects, since the choice of foods was the critical factor.

Nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables, those high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory flavonoids, protect against disease best. Because most chronic diseases are inflammatory, this can dramatically improve one’s health and speed recovery (Amer. Jour. of Clin. Nutr. 2008; 87: 1290-1297).

Two great sites to refer to for health and cancer information

In the last few years, I have come across two great websites regarding health, cancer and disease that I highly recommmend to anyone looking for quality information. It is easy to get analysis paralysis with the thousands of books and websites referencing cancer, disease and health related matters. I trust and believe in everything on here.

Here they are.. www.knowthecause.com and http://www.healthywealthyandwiseshow.com/

Reference Doug Kaufman on the first site and Dr Sherry Rogers on the 2nd site. I know you will find value in the information they provide. Sometimes having the right information can make all the difference in the world. We need the truth and both these individuals and everyone included on both sites provide some great information everyone should be aware of. God bless.

Very important info regarding the acai berry

Acai berries top the charts for antioxidant potency, but commercial processing may destroy nutritional content by Jessica Fraser

(NewsTarget) New research appearing in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry has found that although the Amazonian acai berry has the highest antioxidant content of any food, certain commercial processing methods may strip the fruit of much of its nutrition.

Two studies led by Alex Schauss from AIBMR Life Sciences -- along with colleagues from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the University of California and other institutions -- examined the antioxidant properties of OptiAcai-brand freeze-dried acai fruit pulp and skin powder, as measured by the powder's oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC).

Schauss and his team found that the OptiAcai product had a 1026.9 ORAC score, compared to an ORAC score of 155 for other commercially available freeze-dried acai samples.
"What mystifies me is that the acai products we tested in the commercial marketplace had a
fraction of the antioxidant activity reported in our paper for OptiAcai," Schauss said.
The OptiAcai product also demonstrated "extraordinarily high" peroxyl scavenging activity -- the highest of any food researched so far -- as well as high superoxide scavenging activity. According to Schauss, the ability of acai berries to halt the formation of damaging free radicals could have profound implications for treatment of a wide range of diseases.

Schauss says that although the OptiAcai product was impressive in its antioxidant content, not all acai products available on the market are as effective. "We believe there are many reasons for the lower ORAC values of various acais that have been on the market for some time," Schauss said. "First, freeze-drying is superior to spray drying or air drying in retaining phytochemicals and nutrients, but more expensive. We believe that other suppliers have not considered the issue of enzymatic degradation of the fruit."

Much of the acai shipped from Brazil to the United States or Europe is sent in large frozen blocks that fail to prevent nutritional degradation, Schauss said. For that reason, many commercially
available acai products have low ORAC levels. Consumer advocate Mike Adams, author of "The Seven Laws of Nutrition," said acai berries have a pleasant taste and provide high-density natural medicine to consumers.

"As with many of the smaller berries such as blueberries, sea buckthorn and goji berries, acai
berries pack a potent nutritional punch in a tiny package," Adams said. "I recommend them to
anyone interested in improving their health."

Antioxidants do not interfere with cancer radiation treatments, research finds

Antioxidants do not interfere with cancer radiation treatments, research finds
by Ben Kage

(NewsTarget) Research by Cancer Treatment Centers of America scientists have found that
antioxidants provide nutritional benefits to cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment without interfering with the treatment itself. The study, entitled "Effect of Concomitant Naturopathic Therapies on Clinical Tumor Response to External Beam Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer," was presented this weekend at the non-profit Society of Integrative Oncology's Third International Conference in Boston.

Most doctors feel that radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery are the best treatment
options for cancer patients, but the side effects of the treatments can be physically and
emotionally damaging. So, supporters of complementary and alternative therapies have sought to improve their patients' post-treatment quality of life through the use of antioxidants.

"In cancer treatment today, we have to look beyond the traditional focus of treating only the
tumor," said Timothy Birdsall, ND, vice president of integrative medicine for Cancer Treatment
Centers of America and lead author of the study.

However, doctors have long been concerned about antioxidant use with radiation treatment
interfering with the cancer cell oxidation levels that assist chemotherapy and radiation in killing
tumors. To address this, the Cancer Treatment Centers of America researchers analyzed the
prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels of prostate cancer patients after radiation therapy, and
found no difference between the control group and the group using antioxidants such as green tea extract, melatonin, high-potency multivitamins, vitamin C and vitamin E.

"This study provides evidence that antioxidants as a complementary therapy in cancer treatment do not interfere with external beam radiation therapy," Birdsall said. "Antioxidants are one of many complementary and alternative medicine therapies that are crucial in today's fight against cancer."Cancer patients will be the first to tell you (traditional treatments are) not enough," he said. "The integrated, whole person approach to cancer is highly valued, so much so that cancer patients and their caregivers are seeking out complementary or alternative therapies on their own."

More than 80 percent of the cancer patients interviewed for the report said they had used some
sort of complementary and alternative medicine treatment, many without any sort of medical
supervision. This presents a danger, the researchers said, as some may interfere with traditional
treatments. St. John's wort, for example, is often taken for depression, but can reportedly reduce the effectiveness of some forms of chemotherapy.

"For years, oncologists have caused great harm to cancer patients by insisting that they take no
antioxidants whatsoever during chemotherapy or radiation treatments," said Mike Adams, a
consumer health advocate and holistic nutritionist. "This misguided advice has caused
immeasurable harm among cancer patients, and is one reason why conventional medicine's
cancer treatments ultimately kill so many people.

"What we've known for a long time in the natural health community is that boosting nutrition
protects the healthy cells of the body from chemotherapy and radiation without interfering with
those therapies," he said. "But bull-headed doctors and oncologists -- who can never admit they
Antioxidants do not interfere with cancer radiation treatments, research finds might be wrong -- simply refuse to accept any scientific facts about the value of nutritiona

Americans still not eating enough fruits and vegetables

In an article by Ben Wasserman from foodconsumer.org, he points out an alarming fact about our diet and the fact that Americans are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. Here are a few clips and points I found interersting:

Americans are still eating less than the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, according to two recent studies. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommends that adults eat at least two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables each day.

Although the federal government painstakingly asks the public to increase use of fruits and vegetables, two studies published in the April 2007 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine show clearly that American adults do not eat enough of fruits and vegetables.
Experts are concerned that this is a serious public health concern because low intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with increased risk of obesity and certain chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Tiffany Gary Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health states in her study article that "With two thirds of the U.S. adult population overweight or obese, the implications of a diet low in fruits and vegetables are extensive - New strategies, in addition to the 5-A-Day Campaign, are necessary to help Americans make desirable behavioral changes to consume a healthy diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables."

It is clear that there is a direct link between health related issues and lack of quality fruit in our diets. More importantly, it is important to see how many Americans actually consume the required amount of fruit to maintain health. This fact leads to the conclusion that America is either unaware of the importance of fruit in the diet, or that our society finds it difficult and inconvenient to include 5-13 servings of fresh, quality fruit in our diet EVERY DAY. Is it cost, is it lack of quality fruit available, is it a cost issue, is it the convenience factor? In my opinion, its a little bit of everything. If there were only a way to get wild, raw fresh fruit every day in a convenient way, just as easily as driving through Mac Donalds.

Limited fruit and vegetable consumption a cancer risk?

According to the Natural Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov/), People whose diets are rich in plant foods such as fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of getting cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, stomach, lung, and there is some suggested evidence for colon, pancreas, and prostate. They are also less likely to get diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. A diet high in fruits and vegetables helps to reduce calorie intake and may help to control weight.

To help prevent these cancers and other chronic diseases, experts recommend 4 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, depending on energy needs. This includes 2 to 5 servings of fruits and 2 to 8 servings of vegetables, with special emphasis on dark-green and orange vegetables and legumes.

Acai Berry – Super Antioxidant

A small grape like fruit from the Amazon Rain Forest has been found to be one of the most potent natural antioxidants. The Acai berry, pronounced “a-sigh-ee”, has been shown to have 10 times the antioxidants of grapes and twice the antioxidants of blueberries. In addition to the antioxidant properties, Acai fruit is also rich in iron, fiber, protein, vitamin E, and contain a high level of essential fatty acids & omegas. Acai also contains a multitude of trace minerals.
The Importance of Antioxidants

There is considerable laboratory evidence that indicates that antioxidants may slow or possibly prevent the development of cancer. Antioxidants are substances that are believed to help protect cells from damaged caused by unstable molecules called “free radicals”. Free radical damage may lead to cancer. Antioxidants, like those found in Acai fruit, help to stabilize free radicals and may help to prevent some of the damage that free radicals cause.

Exposure to certain environmental factors such as tobacco smoke and radiation lead to free radical formation. Free radicals are also a natural by product of normal cell activities. Free radical damage to DNA overtime may lead to cancer.

One thing to note. This fruit must be quality fruit. Also understand that today's fruit is no where near the quality that your Mom's fruit was in the garden. Researchers suggest that you need more of the recommended daily intake of fruit to get the necessary antioxidants than ever before.

Definition of an Anti Oxidant

Our bodies are rusting just like a car. We will continue to rust and oxidize after we are gone. The only soure of antioxidants on the planet comes from plants and fruit.

An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves. As a result, antioxidants are often reducing agents such as thiols or polyphenols.

Although oxidation reactions are crucial for life, they can also be damaging; hence, plants and animals maintain complex systems of multiple types of antioxidants, such as glutathione, vitamin C, and vitamin E as well as enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase and various peroxidases. Low levels of antioxidants, or inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes, causes oxidative stress and may damage or kill cells.

As oxidative stress might be an important part of many human diseases, the use of antioxidants in pharmacology is intensively studied, particularly as treatments for stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. However, it is unknown whether oxidative stress is the cause or the consequence of disease. Antioxidants are also widely used as ingredients in dietary supplements in the hope of maintaining health and preventing diseases such as cancer and coronary heart disease. Although some studies have suggested antioxidant supplements have health benefits, other large clinical trials did not detect any benefit for the formulations tested, and excess supplementation may be harmful.[1] In addition to these uses in medicine, antioxidants have many industrial uses, such as preservatives in food and cosmetics and preventing the degradation of rubber and gasoline.

Fruit, vegetables, and cancer prevention: a review of the epidemiological evidence.

Dept. of Social and Administrative Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley.

Approximately 200 studies that examined the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and cancers of the lung, colon, breast, cervix, esophagus, oral cavity, stomach, bladder, pancreas, and ovary are reviewed. A statistically significant protective effect of fruit and vegetable consumption was found in 128 of 156 dietary studies in which results were expressed in terms of relative risk. For most cancer sites, persons with low fruit and vegetable intake (at least the lower one-fourth of the population) experience about twice the risk of cancer compared with those with high intake, even after control for potentially confounding factors. For lung cancer, significant protection was found in 24 of 25 studies after control for smoking in most instances.

Fruits, in particular, were significantly protective in cancers of the esophagus, oral cavity, and larynx, for which 28 of 29 studies were significant. Strong evidence of a protective effect of fruit and vegetable consumption was seen in cancers of the pancreas and stomach (26 of 30 studies), as well as in colorectal and bladder cancers (23 of 38 studies). For cancers of the cervix, ovary, and endometrium, a significant protective effect was shown in 11 of 13 studies, and for breast cancer a protective effect was found to be strong and consistent in a meta analysis. It would appear that major public health benefits could be achieved by substantially increasing consumption of these foods.

Fight cancer with fruits and vegetables

Here is an article I found on the benefit of fruit in the fight against cancer

One of the best-kept secrets in the field of health is that the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute have been conducting studies with vegetable and fruit extracts for years, discovering their remarkable cancer-inhibiting effects. Even so, most oncologists know very little about this and many have, in fact, told their patients not to eat vegetables, thinking it might interfere with their treatments. Their advice is based on the erroneous belief that chemotherapy and radiation treatments depend on free radical destruction of cancer cells. In fact, this is only partially true. Most treatments inhibit cancer through many different mechanisms .

Nutrients from fruits and vegetables - especially the flavonoids - have remarkable powers that have been confirmed by a number of researchers and documented in most major oncology journals. The nutrients enhance the ability of most chemotherapy agents and radiation to kill cancer cells, while at the same time, they protect normal cells from the treatments' harmful effects. Unfortunately, most oncologists ignore these studies. Instead, they concentrate on new chemotherapy protocols and radiation methods. Antioxidants, which are found in fruits and vegetables, are powerful cancer fighters. One of the most important antioxidants is a substance called glutathione. It is present in every cell in the body, and low levels are associated with higher rates of several types of cancer. Conversely, when glutathione levels are high, cancer rates are low. Nutritionally, there are several ways to increase glutathione levels, including flavonoids.

The following are powerful natural c ancer-fighters: Vitamin C: Vitamin C in the form of buffered ascorbate should be taken twice a day. Take it on an empty stomach because vitamin C greatly enhances iron absorption from all foods - and iron is a cancer-growth stimulant. I discuss vitamins and their benefits in detail in my special report "Key Vitamins that Save Your Heart, Prevent Cancer, and Keep You Living Long. N-acetyl-L cysteine (NAC): This chemical supplies one of the chief building blocks of glutathione-cysteine. A number of studies have shown that it is a safe and efficient way to bolster glutathione levels in cells. Flavonoids: Research indicates that eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables can raise levels of glutathione in cells. Such foods include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro, parsley, celery, kale, greens (turnip, collard, and mustard), spinach, tomatoes, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, and carrots.

Reduced glutathione is also available as a supplement, but generally it's poorly absorbed. Melatonin - which most people think of as a sleep supplement - is also a powerful antioxidant. A growing number of studies are providing evidence that this substance fights cancer, as it has been proven to increase levels of several antioxidant enzymes in the brain and possibly other parts of the body.

What does one serving of fruit consist of?

One serving equals:1 medium piece of fruit1/2 cup fruit (raw, canned, or frozen)1/2 cup cooked vegetables (canned or frozen)1 cup raw vegetables1/4 cup dried fruit4-6 oz. of 100% juice (serving size depends on the type of juice)1/2 cup cooked peas or beans


So lets look at this. According to the officials, we are supposed to get 5-7 servings of QUALITY fruits and vegetables a day to maintain health. So the above serving example must be multiplied by 5-7. Hmmm, That is a lot of fruit and vegetables. What would you estimate 5-7 servings costs a day?? Do the math. I mentioned quality. By the time any of these fruits and vegetables above reaches your mouth, they have been heavily compromised.

From the minute the fruit was prematurely picked off the tree ( an un ripened piece of fruit or vegetable does not have its nutrition yet), to the time it gets to you, taking into consideration the herbicides, pesticides, gassing, and storage in a warehouse for 3-5 weeks, and exposure to air, the fruit or vegetable does not have the nutritional equivalent in anti oxidants to have any major affect on your health. Matter of fact, it may hurt you based on the numerous studies of the effects of pesticides and herbicides. Don’t let the FDA fool you. The food industry is a money making business and they have to make fruit look nice but I still question the safety of chemicals that seep into fruit, regardless if you wash it off. If you cook vegetables too long, microwave them or let them sit around, even more nutrients are lost.

You can buy organic but some suggest that it may be only slightly safer. In any case, what we are really talking about is our life style. It is a fact that less than 5% of the population gets 5-7 servings of quality fruit and vegetables a day, necessary for good health. Look around you. That is obvious. The overwhelming rates of cancer and disease are dominating our culture. We live in a fast food, pharmaceutical drug culture and people don’t want to make the time to take care of the root of the problem in America. IF the scientists and doctors all say the cancer and disease rates are sky high due to lack of fruits in our diet, it would make sense that we should all add more fruits and vegetables to our daily routine. Again, we don’t.

It is important to help others understand that for less than 4 dollars a day, you have a convenient delivery system of the most synergistic, high quality, raw, fruits from all over the world. It is less than 4 a day if you buy in bulk. It is free by sharing this amazing product in no time. Isn't your health worth 4 dollars a day? How many people spend money on stupid stuff everyday, including coffee, snacks, value meals and other things that don’t have a positive impact on the one thing that should be most important to you, your health. I know a lot of people who are sick and who have been sick that would have done anything to fix what was wrong. Why regret things after its too late?

Someone once said, "those that don’t have the time or money for good health, will make the time and find the money when they get sick. Keep in mind, everyone that is sick and hurting, was healthy at some point ( for the most part). We are all headed for a train wreck if we ignore the little things we do to our bodies on a daily basis.

Free radicals exist in our bodies everyday. Our body has a natural system to flush out free radicals. Unfortunately, how we live, the air we breathe, how we eat, etc, causes an excess of free radicals in our body which is toxic to our cells. As new cells in our body are born, they are carbon copies of the good or bad cells that created them. The ONLY way to combat free radicals is through plants, fruits and vegetables.

It stands to reason that without enough fruits, our body cannot function properly and our immune system cannot do its job of fighting disease or cancer. Just a thought. You have one shot to get your health right. If you get sick, your life changes and there is no other focus. Since most wont change their habits statistically, at least we offer a convenient delivery system. Don’t forget, this scientific blend of 19 fruits, including the amazing acai berry, offers 13 servings of fruits and vegetables a day with just 4 ounces a day ( 2 shots ) The science is amazing, the testimony is amazing and it works. You are part of this. 1.6 Billion in sales in 3 years cannot be due to a placebo effect. It is real and helping change lives both health and wealth wise. I hope this helps.

Ben

The dangers of pesticides in humans

Here is an article on the dangers of pesticides in humans including the effects of pesticides on fruit

http://www.purezing.com/living/toxins/living_toxins_dangerouspesticides.html

2 independent studies and information on the importance of fruit

Here is some interesting information on fruit consumption as recently reported by 2 independent sources. In an article on fruit consumption and the effects of antioxidants found in the magazine, BestLifeOnLine.com, by Adam Baer, according to the study, " Eating a variety of fruits together provides more health benefits that eating one alone." " Studies have shown that the antioxidant effects of consuming a combination of fruits are more than additive but synergistic."

In fact, a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, by Rui Hai Liu, PhD, from Cornell University's department of food science, looked at the antioxidant capacity of various fruits individually ( apples,oranges, blueberries,grapes) verses the same amount of a mixture of fruits, and found that the mix had a greater antioxidant response.

According to the study, this effect explains why no single antioxidant can replace the combination of natural phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables.

The author also recommends eating five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables daily to reduce disease risks, as opposed to relying on expensive dietary supplements for these compounds."

In an article posted in the latest US NEWS and world report magazine, a survey was conducted on what the leading causes of chronic health conditions were and the following was noted:

Low fruit and vegetable consumption, ( less than the recommended 5 serving of fruits a day) equated to 76%

No vigorous exercise equated to 72%

Being overweight or obese equaled 66%

High Blood pressure 34%

High Cholesterol 21%

smoking 21%

Diabetes 8%

It was further noted that the chronic killers were Heart Disease, Cancer, Stroke, Chronic Respiratory Disease, Diabetes, Alzheimer's, Inflammatory Disease and Hypertension.

These killers have arguably been the result of lack of nutrition, diet and exercise, including a life style that embraces a fast food, pharmaceutical culture.

The choices we all make on a daily basis impact our future. Every person ever diagnosed with a disease or illness, was most likely healthy at one point. Some are fooled into believing that it could never happen to them and then one day wake up, feeling pain or under the weather, only to find out that they have a major medical issue. It is then and only then that they DO NOT care what it costs or what they have to do to remedy the problem. If we put value on our lives, and we only have one life to live, why do we continually ignore the signs, reports, articles, studies and testimonies of others who are already sick?

If the overwhelming testimony, research, science and literature, points towards eating fruits and vegetables, as your Mom told you to do, it is our choice and decision to make. Preventative care is important. The old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It should be worth anything to stay healthy and live as long as possible. We can avoid a train wreck as long as we adhere to the information available.

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables every single day is critical. How many people are not doing that and why? Is it a cost factor? Is it a convenience factor? Is it a lack of understanding of just how important it is to consume the only source of phytonutrients and antioxidants necessary to fight disease and cancer? Maybe it's all the above. What i do know is this: If there was a way to get a convenient delivery of everything my body needed, it would be worth anything to keep my body in balance, feeling good and helping me to live longer without pain. Most would agree that our quality of life is just as important as how long we live.

Which Fruits and vegetables are the most toxic

Interesting website and information regarding pesticides found on foodnews.org

Conventionally grown peaches, apples, and lettuce are marinated in a toxic cocktail of pesticides, which have been shown to cause everything from dizziness to cancer, as well as headaches, rashes and liver toxicity. The environmental working group- a research firm in Washington tested several fruits and vegetables.

10 most toxic: Peaches, apples, sweet peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes and pears. The following is some interesting information worthy of reading..

Reducing Exposure is Smart

The more that scientists learn about the toxicity of pesticides, the more questions are raised about the potential toxic effects on people. Pesticide manufacturers often portray these unresolved scientific issues, and the uncertainty that comes with them, as safety.
Statements like, "There is no conclusive evidence of harm to humans" from exposure to pesticide X are intended to mislead the public into believing that exposures to pesticides and toxic chemicals are without appreciable risks. This is not true. Absence of knowledge is not proof of safety.

Ignorance Does Not Equal Safety

There are two chief reasons why it is so difficult to link human harm conclusively to toxic chemicals like pesticides.
First, most safety tests done for regulatory agencies are not designed to discover whether the low dose exposures to pesticide and chemical mixtures that we all experience are safe, particularly during critical periods of development. In general, the government demands, and companies conduct, high dose studies designed to find gross, obvious toxic effects. In the absence of the appropriate tests at lower doses, pesticide and chemical manufacturers claim safety because no harm at low doses has been conclusively demonstrated (or even studied).

Second, because people are contaminated with trace levels of literally hundreds of chemicals, it is generally impossible to attribute a specific health effect to any one of them. There are several worrisome exceptions, however, including chemicals like PCBs, mercury, dioxin and lead, where low doses at critical periods of development have been shown to have significant permanent adverse effects on learning, behavior, and development (CDC 2001, CDC 2003, EWG 2003, ATSDR 1999, ATSDR 2000).

Tiny Doses Can Be Toxic to Children

Beyond the narrow confines of regulatory agencies, independent research scientists are beginning to understand the subtle ways in which small doses of pesticides during critical periods of fetal development and childhood can have long lasting adverse effects on people. It is well established that the fetus, infant and small child are typically most vulnerable to the toxic effects of pesticides and toxic chemicals (NRC 1993, EPA 2003, FSA 2003). The metabolism, physiology and biochemistry of a fetus, infant or child is fundamentally different than an adult.
A host of vital organ systems continue to grow and mature from conception throughout childhood. At critical periods of developmental change, these systems are susceptible to the toxic effects of pesticides and toxic chemicals, both individually, and in mixtures. Many organ systems, for example the nervous system and brain, can be permanently, if subtly damaged by exposure to toxic substances in-utero or throughout early childhood that, at the same level, cause no measurable harm to adults (Jacobson 1996, CDC 1997, NRC 2000).

The endocrine (hormone) system is perhaps even more sensitive to toxic exposure than the nervous system, and over the past decade, enormous effort has been put into the study of how pesticides and toxic chemicals interfere with normal endocrine signaling and function. A significant body of research in animals now shows that ultra-low doses of pesticides and toxic chemicals on critical days of development can cause changes in hormone function and effects on organ development and function that often only appear later in life. A growing number of these studies show that low doses at a susceptible moment of development can cause more of an effect than high doses (vom Saal 1997, Alworth 2002, Hayes 2003). This is particularly relevant to childhood and fetal exposures via food and water where the timing of the exposure is at least as important as the dose.

Many pesticides are now considered "endocrine disrupters", in part because the term is something of a catch phrase for chemicals that cause a variety of changes in normal hormone signaling. Some better known examples of highly toxic endocrine disrupting pesticides are DDT (and its metabolite DDE) which are now known to exhibit much of their toxicity through anti-androgenic (de-masculinizing) properties (ATSDR 2002), vinclozolin, a heavily used fungicide that is also anti-androgenic (EPA 2000), endosulfan, a DDT relative with estrogenic properties that is found more often in food than any other pesticide (EPA 2002, USDA 1994-2004), and atrazine, a weed killer with broad hormonal activity, that contaminates the drinking water of about 20 million people in the United States (EWG 1999, EWG 1995).

Today scientists know much more about how pesticides can change critical hormone signals in the human body in ways that can have potential life changing effects. Yet in spite of these advances, there is little agreement on how much endocrine disruption is too much, and how much is without harm. The same is true of immune system effects and to a lesser degree effects on the developing nervous system.

As science advances, public health and environmental officials are faced with growing knowledge about the hazards of pesticides, but uncertainty about precise mechanisms and nature of the adverse effects. This conundrum is straining a regulatory system that has become overly dependent on scientific certainty when certainty is increasingly difficult, and even impossible to achieve.

Rather than preventing exposures and putting the burden of proving safety where it belongs, on pesticide and toxic chemical producers, most pesticides remain on the market with no threat of regulatory action. EPA is increasingly mired in complex and arcane scientific arguments, mostly generated by chemical companies, that serve primarily as delaying tactics to keep pesticides and toxic chemicals in the marketplace. With no end in sight to this stalemate, the consumer is wise to minimize exposure to pesticides whenever possible.

Doesn't the government regulate these chemicals?

Yes, but far too slowly. Further, it's important to remember that the government said that highly toxic pesticides like DDT, chlordane, dursban and others were safe right up to the day the EPA banned them.

The EPA is in the process of upgrading pesticide safety standards to comply with a 1996 law (The Food Quality Protection Act) that requires protection of infants and children from pesticides. Several highly toxic pesticides have been banned or restricted under the law, but others have either escaped controls, or have not yet been subjected to them. Pesticide makers, food companies and agribusiness groups are fighting strict application of the statute, and so far have succeeded in weakening several key provisions.

Even the best application of the 1996 law will not protect the public from the combined effect of multiple pesticides. Although some of the most dangerous pesticides have been removed from the food supply in recent years, overall, the number of pesticides found on the most contaminated fruis and vegetables has decline only slightly. If you eat in this country, you eat pesticides.

Are these chemicals bad for me?

Pesticides are toxic by design. They kill bugs, weeds, fungi, rodents and other "pests." That's why the government regulates them--though not stringently enough. The risks you encounter when you eat them depend on a number of factors including the toxicity of the pesticide, degree and form of exposure, your age, genetic susceptibility, and exposure to other toxics, including other pesticides. We believe that:

1. You have a right to know what's in your food.2. The risks from many of these contaminants remain unacceptably high, especially for infants and children3. The government can and should take steps to dramatically reduce the number and amount of toxic chemicals, including pesticides, from the food supply.

For more information, go to http://www.foodnews.org/methodology.php

Dr Carson video talks about nutrition

Ralph Carson, Phd, RDBIOGRAPHY

Ralph Carson, R.D. B.S., B.H.S., Ph.D., is a nationally recognized clinical nutritionist and exercise physiologist. Dr. Carson is a frequently requested speaker on a variety of nutritional topics for medical groups, pharmaceutical companies, universities, athletic training camps and corporations. He has a successful clinical practice as well as being a faculty member of the University of Alabama at Huntsville for over 20 years.

Dr. Carson is also a nutritional advisor to numerous university athletic departments including the University of Tennessee National Basketball Champion Lady Volunteers. Dr. Carson received his B.S. from Duke University, his B.H.S. in pathology (Cum Laude) from Duke University Medical School, and his Ph.D. in nutrition (Phi Kappa Phi) from Auburn University. Dr. Carson currently manages Oprah Winfrey’s web page on eating disorders and is the consultant for Pine Grove’s eating disorder program, The Women’s Center. GREAT VIDEO BELOW, a must watch!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7167648952538700008

This is your brain on fruit, any questions?

At one point or another in our lives, we have been told that fruits and vegetables are a necessary part of a well balanced, healthy diet. Why is it that less than 17 percent of the population consumes 5-7 servings of fruits a day? Is it a cost factor? Is it inconvenience? Is it a lack of understanding of why fruit and vegetables are important? Maybe it is all of the above.

There is no question that our world has changed. The challenges we face today are much different than what our grandparents faced. Specifically, our challenges involve the unhealthy environment we live in. We now live in a world where fast food, processed food,prescription drugs, and fast paced life styles dictate our health. Not to mention what poor environmental conditions, such as pollution and radiation, among others, we are forced to endure daily.

When your parents picked fruit off the tree in the back yard, it was the freshest, most delicious tasting fruit you probably ever had. Today, despite the Organic labels on fruit, we simply are not getting the same quality of fruit we used to. In fact, based on the method of harvesting fruit in our modern society, fruit is typically picked before reaching it's ripeness, thrown into a gas chamber and subjected to all kinds of herbicides, pesticides, and spray, thus modifying and compromising the nutritional properties of the fruit. All processed fruit are grown and cared for under perfect environmental conditions. This fruit has never had to survive on it's own compared to fruit found in the wild, such as the Amazon Jungle. Fruit also has a shelf life, meaning by the time it gets to your mouth, oxygen and handling has potentially depleted some of its critical nutrients.

So, not only are we not typically consuming 5-7 servings of fruit a day, we are potentially consuming processed fruit that may even be harmful to you. Is it no wonder that cancer, disease and obesity are rampant in our society. Inadeuate nutritution. So why are fruits and vegetable so important? In one word, Antioxidants.

Our bodies are rusting like cars. Fruit is like rustoleum. It prevents free radicals from causing harm to your cells. Over time, inflammation and oxidative stress causes health problems, rapid aging, disease and cancer. This doesn't happen overnight but it is accelerated by the life styles we live. Quality fruit is essential and is the only source of phytonutrients necessary to fight free radicals. Those are the facts.

Now, here is the reality. If we know all of this, why are people not consuming enough fruits and vegetables? Even worse, quality fruits and vegetables? How is it possible to get the quality you need? When your parents told you to eat your fruits and vegetables years ago, they had the right idea and still do. But, today, we are facing a battle against fast food, processed food, prescription drugs that deplete your body of proper nutrition, environmental conditions, stress, pollution and other health threats. Our bodies are so malnutritioned that it simply cannot do what it was designed to do, which is repair itself and fight against disease and harmful oxidation. If you look at other cultures around the globe, you will find that disease and health issues are almost non existent.

Without proper nutrition, we all know health issues are going to occur. Proper diet, exercise and adequate rest are all parts of living a healthy life style. Some elect to pop vitamins, others can't stand to take them. Some may be wasting money on vitamins if they are not sure what their bodies are deficient in. Some do not have the discipline to consume vitamins and just like eating fruit, most are not able to relate why taking vitamins are so important. In either case, I heard a statement that i thought was worth repeating. To paraphrase, " If we do not find the time for proper nutrition and exercise, we will end up making time for sickness and disease" We have one shot at being healthy and the day we get diagnosed with some health issue, is the day that will change our lives forever.

If we cannot truly change our fast paced life style, the best we can do is protect ourselves. In this generation, we would all like to be able to pop a miracle pill to help lose weight and help us maintain health. We want the easy way out. The society we live in has conditioned us to believe that the FDA will keep us safe and that fast food, even in moderation is ok. Your doctor precsribes medications and despite what anyone says, the side effects are dangerous. SO what can we do?

Ah, the solution? Fruit juices in the health store or local supermarket. Not so fast... For the same reasons mentioned above, fruit in a bottle may be no better due to the way they process the fruit and add sugar and stimulants. For marketing reasons, many companies elect to remove the important nutrients contained in the skin and seeds of the fruit and leave you with the juice. Most companies use a full pasturization process which also kills nutrients. Some use a plastic bottle which I believe can also hinder the quality of the contents. There are products out there, some good, some bad. Whatever the case, you best be the judge whether you would spend money on something that is no better than drinking Welches grape juice.

A group of doctors and scientists put their heads together and formulated what we know today as Mona Vie. All the science that went into this blend has truly changed the lives of millions. All of a sudden, people that could not stand taking pills, and didnt have the discipline or knowledge to consume 5-7 servings of fruits like they have

been told, who were also malnutritioned, began to see radical changes in their health and how they felt. It became an epidemic across the globe and has addressed all the issues hindering our ability to consume quality fruit our bodies demand and require. Instead of fast food, we have fast fruit! Yes, there are other products out there BUT with a patented freeze dried process, there is no comparison. The acai berry from the amazon is known for being a superfood yet once it comes off the tree and stripped of all it's nutritional value, any drink containing acai is simply sugar water which lacks the powerful antioxidant properties of the berry. Finally, a company has addressed the problem with our soceity. The leading causes of death are coronary heart disease and cancer. We cannot make claims to mitigate or cure diseases But if you go back to basics, we know what fruits and vegetables do for us.

One last thing. All the fruits were chosen for their specific nutritional values and are fruits that are for the most part, simply not available in the USA. They take the entire fruit, crush them and process them. Most of the nutritional value in a fruit comes from the seeds and skin so any juice in the store is typically lacking any nutritional value. Also, the fruit from around the world is wild, It had to endure the harshest of environmental conditions. In order for the fruit to survive, it had to develop survival properties. As a result, these fruits are high in antioxidants, much more so than any fruit in the USA.

In the end, what you are getting from the 19 fruits in a bottle is a convenient delivery system of powerful antioxidants, enough to help scrub harmful free radicals that harm the body. If all you needed to do was take two ounces in the morning and two ounces at night to get 13 servings of fruits and vegetables a day AND it was helping you get healthy and stay healthy, in my book, everyone should be doing this. On top of all that, it takes great. It is hard to find products that taste good that are good for you. At around 4 dollars a day, based on what you are getting, the quality of the product and the convenience factor, I believe it makes sense. Or maybe i should go get a triple latte from StarBucks, diet coke, Mc Donalds and a candy bar.

The testimonyof its efficacy is overwhelming. All the science behind the blend is amazing. An overwhelming amount of doctors, sports figures, celebrities and other important people love this beverage for a good reason. It works, it makes sense and has helped so many people feel better and has changed lives. The old motto was, " this is your brain on drugs, any questions?" Now we say " this is your brain on fruit, any questions?"

BLACK RASPBERRIES A POTENTIALLY POWERFUL AGENT IN FIGHT AGAINST COLON CANCER

Great Article!

There is a potentially powerful biological weapon for health -- a mix of compounds suspected of thwarting colon cancer -- hiding deep inside the juicy sweetness of a black raspberry. And if it can be harnessed, it could play a major role in preventing the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

In a recent study, rats that were injected with a cancer-causing agent and then fed a berry-rich diet had 80 percent fewer malignant tumors compared to rats that had no berries in their diet.
For years, scientists have touted the health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables. They're only now starting to gain an understanding of what compounds give certain foods a healthful edge.

Black raspberries are rich in several substances thought to have cancer-preventing properties, said Gary Stoner, a study co-author and a professor of public health at Ohio State University. Stoner is also a researcher at the university's Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Such substances are called antioxidants. The researchers also compared the antioxidant activity of black raspberries to that of blueberries and strawberries, two fruits with suspected chemopreventive effects. Black raspberries prevailed in the comparison by as much as 40 percent.

The tumors were smaller in the rats that ate freeze-dried berries when compared to the animals not fed the berries. "We were surprised by how much difference there was between the antioxidant activity of the raspberries vs. the other fruits," Stoner said.

The research appears in the current issue of the journal Nutrition and Cancer.
Rats were injected with azoxymethane (AOM), a carcinogen that causes colon tumors. After two weeks of exposure to AOM, the animals were placed into four groups and fed diets mixed with 0, 2.5, 5 or 10 percent freeze-dried black raspberries. Two additional groups of rats, which did not receive AOM, served as controls. The two latter groups were fed a diet containing 0 or 5 percent freeze-dried black raspberries, respectively.

Nine weeks after the final injection of AOM, researchers looked for the development of tiny lesions in the colon called aberrant crypt foci (ACF). Although ACF rarely occur in humans, the lesions can develop into polyps in rats. In humans, polyps are benign masses of tissue which, if left untreated, could develop into malignant tumors.

Every rat injected with the carcinogen AOM developed the ACF lesions. While most of these lesions go away on their own, Stoner said, some may eventually develop into malignant tumors. In rats fed diets supplemented with black raspberries, the number of malignant tumors seemed to correspond with the amount of freeze-dried berries fed to a rat -- the more berries a rat ate, the fewer tumors it had.

At the end of the study, the prevalence of adenocarcinomas or malignant tumors was reduced by 80 percent in the rats that ate the most black raspberries in their diets.
"That's a much higher reduction than I thought we'd see," Stoner said.

Adenocarcinomas were reduced by 28 and 35 percent, respectively, in the groups eating diets of 2.5 and 5 percent black raspberries. This reduction is based on the average number of tumors found in rats that had been injected with AOM and fed a berry-free diet.
The tumors were smaller in the rats that ate freeze-dried berries -- diets of 2.5, 5 and 10 percent yielded reductions in tumor size of 28, 42 and 75 percent, respectively, when compared to the animals not fed the berries.

The researchers also measured urinary levels of 8-OHdG -- a compound that is related to the degree of oxidative damage in the body. The process of oxidation produces free radicals, which can damage cells as well as genetic material. Free radicals are thought to play a role in the onset of cancer.

Berries reduced the level of 8-OHdG in the urine by 73, 81 and 83 percent in the 2.5, 5 and 10 percent berry diets, respectively.

"This suggests that berries bind up a good portion of free radicals, preventing them from causing damage in the body," Stoner said.

In addition to measuring the levels of some of these chemopreventive compounds, Stoner and his colleagues compared the antioxidant activity of the black raspberries to that of strawberries and blueberries. Previous studies suggested that these two fruits had antioxidant activity superior to that of other fruits commonly eaten in the United States, but researchers had not studied black raspberries.

Using a device that measured each fruit's ability to absorb free radicals, the researchers found that black raspberries topped the charts: these berries exhibited 11 percent more antioxidant activity than did blueberries and 40 percent more than strawberries.

One reason for the raspberries' seemingly stellar health advantage may be their richness in compounds such as anthocyanins, which give berries their almost-black pigment; phenols, such as ellagic, coumaric and ferulic acid; calcium; and vitamins such as A, C, E and folic acid. All of these substances are known chemopreventive agents, Stoner said.

Fresh black raspberries are undoubtedly beneficial, but they are also expensive and can be hard to come by. Freeze-dried berries have as much nutritional content as fresh berries do, but the freeze-dried version isn't readily available to consumers, Stoner said. He tells people to hold off on getting discouraged, though.

"The results of this study would translate in humans to eating two large bowls -- or four cups -- of fresh black raspberries each day," he said. "That may seem a bit extreme. People need to know that these animals are given whopping doses of a carcinogen. It's conceivable that a much lower dose would be effective in humans."

It's also good to keep in mind that the National Cancer Institute continues to recommend four to six helpings of fruits and vegetables each day. "We're just suggesting that people make one of those helpings berries," Stoner said.

Food Matters-

Came across this video the other day. It is a trailer worth watching!

Do you want to know why there is an epidemic of health issues in America? It shouldnt come as a surprise to anyone yet the day we or someone we know wakes up with cancer, everyone is shocked. Education and information are important but it has to be the right information. More importantly, what you learn has to be applied. This video, in my opinion, hits many key points and is worth viewing. Enjoy and god bless. http://foodmatters.tv/trailer.html

Grape Seed Compound Kills Leukemia Cells

Grape Seed Compound Kills Leukemia Cells
A natural compound extracted from grape seeds makes laboratory leukemia cells commit suicide, according to a new study by the University of Kentucky. When exposed to the extract, 76 percent of the leukemia cells were dead within 24 hours.
The extract forces leukemia cells to commit “apoptosis,” or cell suicide, which is a kind of programmed cell death that cells in the body undergo either in the normal course of growth and development or when something goes wrong with them. Leukemia and other cancers block the cell signaling pathway that allows apoptosis — this is how cancer keeps the defenses of the body at bay. Grape seed extract activates a protein called JNK that regulates the apoptotic pathway and allows damaged cells to commit suicide.
Grape seed extract has already shown beneficial activity in other laboratory cancer cell lines, including breast, skin, lung, and prostate cancers. Before the new study, however, no one had tested the effects of grape seed on hematological cancers, and neither had anyone found the exact mechanism involved.
“What everyone seeks is an agent that has an effect on cancer cells but leaves normal cells alone, and this shows that grape seed extract fits into this category,” said study author Xianglin Shi, Ph.D., who emphasized that research is still in an early stage. Hematological cancers, including leukemia, caused almost 54,000 deaths in 2006, making them the fourth leading cause

Jenny talks about autism

Jenny Mc Carthy talks about her son's Autism

Jenny Mc Carthy quotes, " I turned into a detective, and thanks to a ton of Google research, the support of UCLA and my DAN! (Defeat Autism Now) doctor, I found the treatments that worked for Evan.

Evan is now 5 years old and able to communicate completely. Since we can talk, I ask him questions that I so badly wanted to know the answers to during the crisis. When I asked him why he flaps his arms, he replied, "Because I get so excited and then I fly just like the angels do."

Not all children with autism will be able to make leaps like Evan. Some parents have worked longer and harder than I have, with no success, trying the exact same things.

I have no idea why some treatments work on some kids and not on others. But I beg moms and dads to at least try. I will work my ass off raising awareness for autism and banging down doors to get answers.

In the meantime, don't give up hope and remember that acceptance of your child's condition does not mean giving up; it's just simply loving your child for being the perfect little spirit he or she is.

That was the shift I had experienced before Evan's healing even began. Faith is what continues to keep me moving forward.

If we are supposed to get our fruits and vegetables everyday, how many of you are getting that? How many of you are getting quality fruits and vegetables. Just as a car rusts and an apple oxidizes, so does our cells. Doctors indicate that inflammation and free radicals contribute to aging, disease and cancer. The only thing that combats that are phytonutrients and antioxidants that can be found from fruit, good fruit.

How to avoid a train wreck

Hello all,

I wanted to share something that hit home for me not too long ago. I was listening to a cd from our Leadership Development Organization, TEAM (http://www.the-team.biz/) and it was about avoiding train wrecks. What does that mean really? When they speak of avoiding a train wreck and described what they meant, it made so much sense based on some of the events that have occurred in my life recently. This is what they mean by avoiding a train wreck.

In our lives, many of us face daily struggles as well as life changing events. For me, in the last few months, I experienced a death in the family, some health issues and had some major concerns about my career as an airline pilot. Life seems to be a series of challenges that must be overcome. In our everyday life, we face disappointments, struggles, family issues, work issues, health issues and relationship issues. How we deal with them is what is most important because those issues will never go away. We know that much.

So how do we deal with those issues? What do we mean by avoiding a train wreck? Since TEAM focuses on leadership training and mentor ship, it is the first step to changing our thinking and having the ability to avoid problems before they develop. Our leadership team often focuses on how to be healthy, wealthy and wise. That is the focus of this blog. For anyone not interested in any of these, please let me know why that is?

Whatever your goals are in life, we should all strive to be healthy. Without our health, we have nothing. I am sure that all of us work for a living to make money and it is unfortunately what makes the world go around. Money is not everything, true but try living without it. Finally, we all hope to gain wisdom as we get older. The problem is, where are we getting our information from? Who are we learning from? If we learn from people who mean well but who are sick, broke and lack the wisdom to change, then we have learned from the wrong source.

To avoid a train wreck, it is important to understand what leads up to the train wreck. I want to briefly describe this process as it pertains to being healthy, wealthy and wise.

This blog is ultimately about a wonderful product that has helped millions of people. However, our main purpose is to discuss Leadership development and how to live our life's with purpose in the happiest way we can. How can we make a difference in people's lives? How can we do that and avoid some of the horrible things that we DO have control over?

Let's discuss being healthy first. In my opinion, if you do not have your health, you don't have anything and your entire world revolves around your health. How many of you have been sick or know someone that has been really sick? My sister Linda, who passed away from Leukemia a few months back lived the last years of her life fighting for her life. That was not the way to live. We have all of this great knowledge and studies that maintaining an active and healthy life style is critical for longevity. Why is it still that cancer and disease dominate our society? When someone gets sick and their mortality is challenged, then they may change their habits. What would anyone do for the chance to go back in time and fix the things that caused their illness? If I was on my death bed prematurely, I would do anything to go back and fix the problem. Anything. The problem is for most, when we are diagnosed with cancer, it is often too late.

When we discuss health and tell the world that eating your fruits and vegetables will prevent disease, why is it so hard to do that? Well it is hard because our lives are so busy and fast food is the staple of today's society. People are tired or undisciplined to take vitamins so how do we get healthy and remain healthy? That requires discipline and commitment, something that is beyond the scope of this article. However, we have something that is convenient, much more so than fast food. We have fast fruit. This juice is convenient to take and is helping you avoid a train wreck by protecting you and your cells with a scientific blend of everything your body needs and craves. For individuals with all kinds of health related issues, this product has done wonders. The testimony is overwhelming. For those who are healthy, keep in mind that all people that are sick today, were healthy at some point. It is what we do to our bodies today that affects what happens to us later.

As for avoiding a wealthy train wreck, it is clear that 95% of our society is affected by the economy today. We are robbing Peter to pay Paul and are financing our gas tanks. Most people have either experienced a job loss or know someone that has in the last few years. Our society believes that the Government is going to take care of us and everything will be alright. Who ever believes this is fooling themselves. Whatever we do, I believe it is important to consider a Plan B and to take financial responsibility for ourselves. If you were ever told to go to school, get good grades and get a good stable job with benefits, then you are not alone. If you went and did all that, how is it working out for you? Are you living pay check to pay check and spending more time at work then with the people you love? Are you making millions of dollars for your company and only getting paid pennies on the dollar while having all the responsibility? Is back stabbing and corporate downsizing affecting your job status? All I know is that my expensive education and career path as an airline pilot has resulted in pay cut after pay cut, job loss after job loss, pensions lost or wiped out and my poor 401k reduced down to just a "k".

Someone once said, " The person who can change his mind based on new information, can rule the world" How you think and how you were taught to think defines your actions. If you were taught to go out, get a good education, get a good job and work hard, then that is something you most likely received from your parents like me. This was Industrial age thinking. We are now in the information age and when we talk about avoiding a train wreck, it makes sense to do something that is going to propel you forward, helping to avoid devastation if you were to lose your job or your health. Even if you keep your job and live what the Department of Labor calls the 45 Year plan, then what we need to really think about is retirement and how we are living our lives now. Do we wish we had more time, money, security in our lives? The definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If we don't change some things in our life, then we are going to have a train wreck.

We are expected to live well into our 70's and 80's now on Social Security, savings and investments. A train wreck is coming unless we do something now to avoid it. How are we expected to live happily into our retirement years on 1/2 to 1/3 of the salary we already couldn't live comfortably off of to begin with. With rising health insurance costs and health issues, our expenses are only going to go up, not down. So what do we do? Something... anything different that will add security to our lives, help us pay off debt and allow us the time and freedom to spend time with family and friends. We are getting our information from the wrong sources if we are broke, have no time in our lives and feel like we are running on a hamster wheel.

This blog has hopefully spread the news that we have something world class in our hands that the economists like Paul Pilzer and billionaires Donald Trump, Robert Kiyosaki and Warren Buffet have all said is the best and only way to help create wealth.

The Wellness industry alone is a 600 billion dollar business and is projected to be a trillion dollar business by 2010. This along with some other trends in America today is what has helped millions of people achieve wealth, so much in fact that the rate of 100,000 new millionaires are being created a month. For today's world, it is critical to be involved in something that is moral, legal and ethical. No scams, schemes or pyramids here. No illegitimate opportunities that are only designed to take advantage of people or to make money off of people. Just a true system with a product of great value that is providing the vehicle to drive you to whatever goal or dream you have. With one life to live and the desire to work hard and have something to show for it, this is the best opportunity at the right time.

We work as a team and get paid based on performance. We put the hard work in once and it pays dividends, like compound interest, for the rest of your lives. It is something new, revolutionary and extremely lucrative not only for people at the top but for everyone involved based on the next generation binary and aggressive compensation plan. It is all about working as a team, helping others and leveraging a system that is already in place. You have to see it to believe it. All the experts agree that the combination of timing, value of product, compensation plan, management team and cause have all contributed to the success of this billion dollar company. That is why celebrities, Doctors, atheletes, sports figures, and professionals from all walks of life are on board. Their lives are changed forever because they found an amazing product that is helping their business, their loved ones and themselves. By drinking it, feeling it and sharing it, they have avoided a train wreck and have helped others avoid a train wreck.

Last but not least, how do we avoid a train wreck with being wise. Someone once said, "Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences". Do we really know or understand what the consequences of our actions are? What I am constantly striving for in my life is a balance between my professional life and my personal life. I have gone through some personal struggles, some family and relationship struggles, which is what most people that breathe air on this planet go through. I know that there are not too many things I can control in life but Orrin Woodword said, " The only thing you can control in life is the way you think about the things you cannot control"

I have made it my mission in life to learn. I do so now primarily from listening to cd's and reading endless books from many individuals with a lot more knowledge and wisdom than I have. From a business standpoint, I have Defined what I want, learned from the people that already have what I want and then committed to doing what is necessary to achieving those goals. If I learn from the people that have already achieved success, then that is the first step. In school, I was told to go out and get the job you want, learn how to do your job and then the paycheck I received, defined my lifestyle. It was completely opposite from what we should be doing. Again, I was a victim of Industrial age thinking and had to reprogram what I was taught all my life. This is how millionaires think.

How do we avoid a train wreck in our personal lives, in our relationships with others and in everything we do? Learn about yourself, learn from others. My personal development, hunger to change, thirst for knowledge and willingness to do whatever I need to do to achieve my goals, is what has allowed me to be successful. I just want to pass that along to everyone because before I got involved with TEAM, my thought process was different. What they taught me and what I have learned has positively impacted every aspect of my life.

I believe we could all be healthier, wealthier and wiser, no matter who you are. It was a matter of realizing it and willing to invest time in ourselves. A lot of people invest in a lot of different things except themselves. By becoming a better leader, we become better at everything in our lives, from being a better spouse, sibling, friend, parent and business person. Who wouldn't want that? We can all avoid a train wreck in these 3 categories and TEAM combined can help you achieve that. We believe in having fun, making money and making a difference in people's lives.

As I continue to learn, my hope and desire is to help others achieve their goals. The more I serve and help others, the more I learn that life is short and what we do in the time we are here is what defines us as we leave a legacy. The journey is long and the destination may be far, but it is not the destination that is as important as who we become along the journey to that destination. God Bless.

Those who have no time for nutrition, will make time for sickness

When we were kids, how many of you were told time after time to eat all our fruits and vegetables? How many of us got right on that? We all know fruits and vegetables are good for you yet we don't faithfully consume 5-7 servings of it as we should be. Why? Because our lifestyles are so busy. It is not that easy, is it? I know that I am supposed to eat healthy and exercise. When all is well and we feel ok, it is pretty easy to forget if it is not part of our routine.

If you think about it, we are more conscious of the importance of health, diet and exercise now that ever. Then why do we have an epidemic of obesity, disease and cancer? Do you think this does not apply to you? Guess again. Either you or someone you know has cancer or will get cancer. One out of three women will get cancer and one out of two men will get cancer. I think people are tired of it all and this is why I know the Wellness industry, which currently is a 600+ billion dollar industry will be a trillion dollar industry by the year 2010.

According to Paul Pilzer, world renowned economist, the wellness industry is the fastest growing sector of our economy outside of the technology sector. People are starting to truly acknowledge their health, especially the baby boomers. Many people are tired of popping pills and others are looking for the magic pill that will do it all and help them skirt around the need for proper nutrition and exercise. We invest more time in things that do not matter instead of investing in ourselves. That is why the sickness industry is already a multi trillion dollar industry.

Wow, isn't it amazing? Something so good for you, that is processed with the highest of quality and that works wonders is still scrutinized by skeptics? Is it because they are skeptical just to be skeptical or is it because they are trying to sell a different inferior product? I have seen both sides of the coin. We are all skeptical to some degree but after researching the science and trying the product, most have agreed that it goes back to basics; We are not getting the body beneficial fruits and vegetables we need everyday in our diet.

Since all fruit has a shelf life, most fruits in the store, even organic fruit has been compromised by the time you eat it. If you are eating fruit that is not organic, then you should be concerned about pesticides and how the fruit is handled. What you don't know will hurt you in the long run.

There are cheaper blends on the market. For instance, in the supermarkets, you can find an Acai blended drink. It may have some extra vitamins and maybe some other fruit but typically contain added sugar and stimulates. For marketing reasons, they also clarify the juice, often stripping the last remaining bit of true nutrition from the fruit. Look at the ingredients and you will often find the label, "5% juice". Other companies also use a full pasteurization process which kills the nutritional value and then adds bad preservatives. Many companies also put their juice into a plastic container. This is very very bad.

Although other blends may be cheaper, there is a reason for that. Ever bought a Kraco car radio from Walmart? Lets compare that to a BOSE system.

Cherry Picking the health benefits

I spoke with Steven F. Bolling, MD, professor in the department of cardiac surgery at the University of Michigan, who told me about the impressive study results. His research team fed two groups of rats diets that were identical but for one factor -- one group received some of their calories from a powdered dried extract of tart cherries.
According to Dr. Bolling, all inflammatory markers decreased significantly in the cherry-fed rats, including a 40% reduction in TNF-alpha (Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha) and a 31% reduction in IL-6 (Interluken-6). Both are markers of inflammation, which is a factor in many diseases and conditions, including heart disease, obesity, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and even cancer. That makes this a significant finding. The rats that ate cherry powder also had significantly lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides.

Dr. Bolling believes the potent health benefits are from the anthocyanins, which are what give cherries their color, adding that the high levels of antioxidants in the cherries may also play a role. He cautions, however, that it's likely not a single active compound that should get the credit: "Nature put all these components together in the fruit and designed them to work together."

Interestingly, the obese rats that ate the cherries showed reduced fat accumulation around the middle, which (in both rats and people) has been linked to the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes. Earlier studies have found that lean rats benefited from cherry powder -- when fed cherries, those prone to high blood pressure, impaired glucose tolerance and high cholesterol stored less fat in the liver and had better blood sugar measures.

I asked Dr. Bolling how many cherries an adult would have to eat to achieve this level of benefit. "It's hard to make a perfect extrapolation to a 150-pound human from a rat that weighs a few ounces," he said, "but our best guess is that about a cup and a half of cherries each day, fresh or frozen, can offer a real potential upside as far as reducing inflammation."

Cherry juice concentrate is another choice.
Source(s):
Steven F. Bolling, MD, professor, department of cardiac surgery, and director mitral valve clinic, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Polyphenols In Juice May Slash Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease by 75%

Good article on Alzheimers disease from superfoodsuperstar:

Unless you’ve been living under a rock the last couple of years, you know by now that antioxidants fight free radicals which cause disease and premature aging. Fruits and vegetables (and many brands of face creams too apparently) are rich in antioxidants and the vast majority of us need to eat a whole lot more of them. (Have you eaten your USDA recommended 7-11 servings of fruits and veggies today?)

But did you know that juicing is not just a fad invented by Jack LaLane so he could sell us his clunkly countertop machinery? Juicing is a long tradition for health nuts who know that although eating fruits and vegetables in their natural state does provide us with a substantial amount of vitamins and minerals, we only obtain the maximum benefits from them when they are juiced.

Now there’s one more reason to to incorporate juice into your daily routine - drinking fruit or vegetable juice no less than three times per week could cut your risk of Alzheimer’s by 75% according to a study published in The American Journal of Medicine (Vol. 119, pp. 751-759).
The results suggest that it is not the antioxidant vitamins (vitamins C, E and beta-carotene) but the antioxidant polyphenols that are behind the effects.

Although the mechanism of Alzheimer’s is not clear, more support is gathering for the build-up of plaque from beta-amyloid deposits. The deposits are associated with an increase in brain cell damage and death from oxidative stress. It is against the oxidative stress that the polyphenols appear to offer protection.

The benefit of the juice consumption also appeared enhanced in subjects who carried the apolipoprotein E epsilon-4 allele, a genetic marker linked to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease - the most common form of the disease, which typically occurs after the age of 65.

In other words, if the disease runs in your family, drinking juice is worth your time and money. Harriet Millward, deputy chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust had this to say: “Many scientists believe there is a link between the release of free radicals within the body and early changes to brain cells in people who ultimately go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease. Since fruit and vegetable juices are rich in antioxidants which ‘mop up’ free radicals, this interesting piece of research adds weight to this theory.

Diet almost certainly plays a part in every person’s Alzheimer’s risk - and diet is a magnet for research because it could offer a relatively inexpensive way to fight a disease that ruins countless lives and costs the NHS more than cancer, stroke and heart disease put together.”
Nutrition experts have long looked to fruits and vegetables as a potential powerhouse for fighting ailments ranging from Alzheimer’s disease to cancer. More than 4,000 natural substances in fruits and vegetables have been identified as potential disease fighters, and more may still be discovered.

In the current study, researchers saw particular potential benefits from polyphenols, one of several groups of natural pigments that give fruits and vegetables their rainbow of colors. Polyphenols are found in many fruits and vegetables, particularly in the peels, and are particularly rich in green tea. They are potent antioxidants—some are even more powerful than vitamins C and E in fighting the cell-damaging effects caused by unstable free radicals. In the current study, the researchers found no relationship between consuming foods high in vitamins C and E or beta carotene and the risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

There are many juice products on the market today that seem to offer the convenience of getting these polyphenols into our diet three times per week. But one of the problems is that often times, their valuable nutrients are lost during the bottling process. Those most valuable parts of the foods (stems, skins, seeds, essential fatty acids) are clarified to make it look more appealing.

I don’t know about you, but I’ll drink ugly juice if it means I get me more of those polyphenols. Another problem with juices readily available in the grocery store are added sugars, preservatives and flavors. The extra sugar means extra empty calories which may cause more harm than good.

The best way to juice is make your own using a wide variety of whole, natural, organic or wild fruits and vegetables. However, most of us don’t have the time to run to our farmer’s market each week and manage the volume and variety of produce required to get all of these valuable phytonutrients.

Enter the new trend for functional beverages, where high quality whole food juices are made from “super fruits” and all of the nutrients are retained through proprietary processing methods. And because customers are able to sign up for autoship, drinking juice daily becomes extremely convenient and habitual.

The Acai Berry- a review of it's history

What is Acai? Pronounced ah-saw-ee, the purple-fleshed acai fruit has a long history of use in South America, but is just now gaining popularity worldwide because of new scientific research supporting its health benefits, particularly its antioxidant properties. Besides being touted by the famous Dr. Nicholas Perricone in his book on health and aging, The Perricone Promise, the fruit has also been discussed on Oprah, NBC’s Today Show and on Steve O’Brien’s CBS-FM New York radio show. In addition to its inclusion in several nutritional supplements, the little fruit from the Amazon has even made its way into a fruit smoothie available from the popular national chain, Jamba Juice.

The egg-shaped acai fruit, approximately 1.5 centimeters in size, got its name from Brazilian locals along the Amazon River, who call both the palm tree and its fruit “acai”. The palm tree consists of numerous usable parts, including roots, stems, leaf fronds and clusters of the actual fruit with its deep purplish-red pulp and very large seed (so large that it makes up 80 percent of the fruit’s size).

This health-promoting fruit is highly valued in trade along the border between Colombia and Brazil, where it has a long history of use: it can be made into a drink or added to other foods, such as breads and seafood dishes. But in all inhabited regions around the Amazon River and its tributaries where the tree grows in abundance, residents make use of all parts of the palm. Acai is now a very popular fruit in South America, and it has made its way into hair care products and trendy ice creams, but its potential health benefits are giving it a new kind of renown around the globe.

The Acai is usually found growing along and near numerous tributaries that feed onto the Amazon River system, and along the mighty river itself. The acai fruit is found on three species of South American palm trees, known in scientific circles as Euterpe edulis, Euterpe oleracea and Euterpe precatoria. The acai palms can also grow outside of the Amazon and are found in surrounding areas of South America, from Atlantic coastal forests to the banks of the Amazon River and mountainous regions thousand of miles inland.

The most prominent spot to find the coveted acai palm is near the city of Belem, where several rivers meet in northeastern Brazil and the tropical forests and floodplains are filled with acai palms. Palms vary in size from six feet to over 100 feet in size. Harvesting usually takes place in the drier months, July and December, when the fruit is ripe. Although documented history surrounding the fruit is limited, the acai fruit appears in manuscripts from early Portuguese explorers of the eighteenth century.

Obviously, generations of natives of the region have long harvested the fruit and plant; they have used all parts of the palm for hundreds of years, as a food source or a natural health remedy.Fifty years ago, very few people outside the Amazon knew about the acai palm and fruit. Travel in and out of the area was difficult, and transporting produce overseas had its own set of problems. Although once restricted to South America, this little fruit is now widely available in North America, Europe and Asia—thanks to advancements in freeze-drying technologies and an increased demand for acai fruit outside of Brazil.

Reasons why your Mom told you Fruit was important

Why is it important to eat fruit? Eating fruit provides health benefits — people who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Fruits provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body.

Health benefits:Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases.Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for type 2 diabetes. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer.

Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.Eating fruits and vegetables rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and may help to decrease bone loss.Eating foods such as fruits that are low in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.

Nutrients Food sources of the nutrients in bold can be found in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Click on the nutrient name to link to the food sources table. Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories. None have cholesterol.

Fruits are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and folate (folic acid).

Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Fruit sources of potassium include bananas, prunes and prune juice, dried peaches and apricots, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and orange juice.

Dietary fiber from fruits, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as fruits help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. Whole or cut-up fruits are sources of dietary fiber; fruit juices contain little or no fiber.

Vitamin C is important for growth and repair of all body tissues, helps heal cuts and wounds, and keeps teeth and gums healthy.

Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of pregnancy should consume adequate folate, including folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.

NOTE: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any results mentioned are the personal experience of that individual and might not be the same for others. Natural products such as the Acai Blend juice merely empower the body to begin its own repairing processes. No health claims are made. These pages are not corporate materials; they are compiled and edited for brevity by independent distributors.

Leadership is Key- 4 TEAM videos by Orrin Woodward

Hello everyone,

TEAM, our leadership development organization has been changing lives for many years. The basic principles of running a successful business remain constant. Anyone that can change and adhere to those basic principles will benefit tremendously. A business or product is only as good and successful as the individuals that are involved. Team provides the tools, guidance, support and amazing training to help everyone, from the most successful business owner to the brand new distributor.

My favorite quote i heard today is " A man or woman who can change their minds and attitude based on new information, can rule the world." I love this statement becasue in my opinion, that is true.

Enjoy these brief yet powerful videos by Orrin Woodward, co- founder of TEAM and my personal hero.

http://www.the-team.biz/flvtest/foundervideo.html

Sumner Redstone's anti aging secret

Sumner Redstone's anti-aging secret

There may be some debate about future control of Viacom and CBS, but the media mogul doesn't plan to bequeath his empire anytime soon - thanks to a little purple elixir.

By Tim Arango, Fortune writer
September 4 2007: 5:14 PM EDT

(Fortune Magazine) -- As the years tick by, Sumner Redstone just gets more optimistic. Earlier this year the 84-year-old said he planned to live another 50 years; two years ago he was predicting another 20.

His age has been in the spotlight lately because of the recent public spat with his daughter over his succession plans, but the controller of Viacom (Charts) and CBS (Charts, Fortune 500) has lately been getting a bit of help in the form of a superjuice. "It's a miracle drug," he told Fortune. "I feel great." Redstone attributes his good health to a Brazilian berry.

Mr Food talks about acai on his show

Mr Food discusses acai on his tv show..

http://www.kcby.com/features/recipes/25508809.html?video=YHI&t=a

Forget Pharmaceuticals-try a nutraceutical

The pharmaceutical industry is a trillion dollar a year business. Every medical issue known to modern medicine has some sort of fix through drugs. In some cases, they can be life savers. In other cases, the most common medical issues such as acid reflux or heart burn, have been labeled a disease so the pharmaceutical companies can patent a drug. Our society spends billions of dollars on pharmaceuticals every year and all of them have some kind of undesirable side effect. Again, in some cases they are necessary. But, what if we could change our life style and our health without having to put a band aid on the wound? This thought process has become more and more popular in recent years, yet there are more and more people taking drugs than ever. It is a vicious cycle.

What if many of our health issues could be controlled and even reversed creating long term health? For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. That is physics. There aren't too many people that die from good nutrition but millions of people a year die from drug overdoses, taking the wrong medication or suffer from the side effects.

The new buzz word for people interested in good health and alternative medicines is Nutraceutical.. New superjuices act and work like a pharmaceutical but no side effects, what a concept.

We are told that it is recommended to consume 5-7 servings of fruits a day. The importance of antioxidants and it's impact on our overall health and well being is clear but, I began to wonder:

Do the fruits we eat consume contain any harmful pesticides? I know I have always heard about the importance of washing your fruit but what about fruits that absorb these pesticides? What about the soil that these fruit come from. We buy organic fruit and still don't really know what we are getting. How do we know what happened to the fruit before it reached our mouth unless the fruit was home grown or bought at a farmers market? All good questions. I think what we don't know will hurt us.

The bottom line is that 5-7 servings of fruit a day is hard enough to consume. Factor in how much it costs to purchase and prepare. Also, are we getting the full nutritional value of these fruits? No one knows for sure. As well, what are the best fruits to buy? Some fruits don't have as high of an ORAC value( the nutritional value) as others. I love fruit and try to eat as much of it as possible. After doing the research, I realized that consuming the right kinds and amounts of fruits and vegetables was just as important as how they were prepared and grown. It makes my head spin to think about it. Fortunately, there is a solution.


Most people either don't have the time or the tolerance to take a ton of vitamins nor do they have the time or resources to digest 5-7 fruits a day. Our fast paced lives don't always permit it. We are more prone to driving through a fast food restaurant and ordering the #3 special. Unfortunately, the foods we eat and the air we breathe is what causes problems. We must protect ourselves from free radicals and keep our immune system in top shape. Vitamins are not easily absorbed and the body typically flushes them out. The body absorbs 98% of the juice and has been proven to protect us from free radical damage, an important factor in the aging process. Inflammation is a cause for concern since it is the root of many health issues. Acai helps to fight inflammation and has been reported as helping people feel great and control many of their ailments without drugs.

According to Paul Zane Pilzer, one of our leading economists, the wellness industry will become a trillion dollar industry by 2010. This is significant since the sickness industry has been in the trillions of dollars for many years now. It is time we take control of our lives. Knowledge is power and we all have a choice.

If every action has a consequence and a reaction, I contend that I want to make the most of my life and enjoy my later years without being attached to a litany of prescription medications that ultimately do more harm than good. It is a hard, long fight to stay healthy and live long. A little knowledge will go a long way to help protect you both health wise and wealth wise.

Launching a Leadership Revolution

Launching a Leadership Revolution

What an amazing book. Mona Vie and TEAM have combined forces to help build leaders in our community. The authors of this book take all proceeds and profits and donate them to charity.

Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady, two incredibly successful businessmen, have hit a home run with their latest book, Launching A Leadership Revolution. Undeniably insightful, well researched and easy to read, their book is sure to become one of the most influential books written about leadership in recent years. The authors have created this book in order to share the business lessons they have learned and developed during the last 10 years while on the journey of building a successful business.

If knowledge is power, it makes perfect sense that anyone interested in succeeding in their business and personal life could learn from others that are already successful. I learn something new everyday and learned a lot from this book.

The wellness industry will produce 10 million millionaires in the next 10 years

Paul Zane Pilzer, one of the world's leading economists believes that the wellness industry is the next biggest boom in America and around the world.

Paul says, "If you have read this far, you have already made your choice—the choice to either become one of, or help create
more of, the next 10 million millionaire households
that will be created in the next 10 years".

http://thewellnessrevolution.paulzanepilzer.com/revolution.php

This is a great book and a must read. If anyone were ever doubtful about getting involved with Mona Vie, take a peek at this site and you will be convinced that we are at the right place at the right time and with the right company and product.

Ben

http://www.superjunglejuice.com/

Need a boost of energy?

Lack of energy is one of the most common complaints for many americans. There are many reasons we feel tired. Some are easy to pinpoint: Lack of sleep, stress, inactivity, poor eating habits and over reliance on sugar and caffeine.

Other reasons for fatigue may be harder to pinpoint. Medical conditions such as low thyroid, obesity, chronic fatigue, heart disease, hypoglycemia, anemia and infections can leave us with constantly depleted energy reserves. Take a bunch of sugar and put it in your gas tank. Does your car run well if at all? Same thing with your body.

Instead of caffeine, try these natural ways to get lasting energy. A balanced diet, nutrients for energy, natural herbs and vitamin supplements. Of course a good work out always helps. It seems easier said than done but it all requires a discipline to determine what works best for you. Most look for an easy way to get what they want. Most of the time, there is no easy fix.

To help however get a lasting boost of energy, this blend of fruits including the acai berry, provides a perfect blend of 19 fruits, all optimized to help your body restore it's precious balance. Two ounces a day offers 13 servings of fruits a day. Thousands of people everyday are feeling a surge of energy. Unlike energy drinks such as redbull and coffee, there is no spike in your blood sugar and no crash afterwords.

On top of everything else, you are getting glucosamine and esterfied acids for your joints, a number of fats, minerals, trace minerals, Omega 3,6,9 fatty acids, fiber, vitamins a-e, phytonutrients, protein, amino acids and a number of other ingredients. The acai berry alone has the highest ORAC score among berries to help fight free radicals.

While you may not feel this drink is an "energy drink" per se, the phytoblend of 19 different fruits have been reported to be useful in preventing or responding to eye problems, cancers, sexual dysfunction, immune problems, circulatory conditions, strokes, ENERGY deficiencies, diabetes, inflammations, arthritis, intestinal problems, memory loss, urinary tract infections, DNA damage, insomnia, asthma, anxiety, among others.

In the end, this is a functional beverage and all the testimony on this amazing drink makes buying it, a no "brainer" if you are interested in having energy and health. Who doesnt want to feel better? That is worth the price of admission.

The ORAC chronicles

WHAT IS ORAC?

An Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) score is a test tube analysis that measures the antioxidant levels of food and other chemical substances. If a food has a high ORAC score, then it means the food is high in antioxidants. The antioxidant’s strength is its ability to eliminate oxygen free radicals. With the ORAC score, a higher score means the food is better at helping us fight diseases such as heart disease and cancer.

Foods with a high ORAC score may be able to protect cells and their components from oxidative damage. Oxygen radicals are chemicals that form naturally inside the body through the process of oxidation. Everyday functions such as digestion and physical activity produce oxygen radicals. Daily exposure to polluted air, rancid food and oxidizing radiation from the sun and electrical appliances also contribute.

An easy to understand example of oxidation is to imagine rust attacking metal. When the rust eats away at the metal, the metal starts to weaken and decay until it can no longer work. This is what happens to our body when free radicals attack it. Organs, cells and other parts of the body can be weakened by oxidation. This leads to diseases such as cancer, skin and heart diseases, senile dementia and osteoarthritis.

The ORAC score test was developed by Dr. Guohua Cao, a chemist and physician. The ORAC score covers all the antioxidants in foods. Antioxidants cannot easily be measured separately, but the ORAC score test can identify which nutrients are the important antioxidants. Combinations of nutrients found in foods may have greater protective benefits than each nutrient on its own. Many people obtain a number of their daily nutrients from supplements in pill or powder form, but in order to receive the best form of nutrients, it is essential to receive them from plant chemicals rather than just from supplements.

There are certain types of plants that have a better antioxidant level than others, and the ORAC score can measure these. Different types of fruit and vegetables have different ORAC scores. The recommended “5-a-day” fruit and vegetable servings will give you an ORAC score of 1,750 units. You could pick seven fruits with a low ORAC level and achieve only 1,300 ORAC units, or you could pick seven with high values and receive around 6,000 ORAC units or more. A large handful of blueberries would give you an ORAC score of around 6,000.

Studies have shown that eating foods with a high ORAC score will raise the antioxidant levels in the blood by around 10 to 25%. The ORAC figure suggested by experts is around 5,000 units per day to have a significant effect on plasma and tissue antioxidant levels. Eating eight to ten servings of brightly colored fruits and vegetables or dark greens will help achieve this level. More and more foods and supplements are beginning to state the ORAC score on their labels, and this should make it easier to find foods you like which are also good for you.

Mona Vie and the acai berry have some of the highest ORAC scores available combining 19 fruits. It is an amazing blend that is hard to beat.

Do you get 5-7 servings of recommended fruits a day?

Every couple of weeks or so, I make a trip to the local health food store to buy supplements. As I walk by the juice supplement section, I can't help but notice the extensive selection of juice drinks.

I looked for juice blends that specifically contained the Acai berry and found a few. Some brands had a combination of the Acai berry along with a variety of vitamins and minerals. Each blend seemed pretty good but they were all different. I have tried many different kinds of juices, from Gogi to Noni. Although they were good for me, all of them tasted horrible in my opinion. The amazing thing was that these bottles of juice cost anywhere from $29-65.

That was just for the Acai blend alone. In some cases, I have heard of bottles of juice going for $100.00. That seemed a bit crazy. I must admit though, if the juice really worked, it would be worth it.

Our society spends millions of dollars on pharmaceuticals every year and all of them have some kind of undesirable side effect. In some cases they are necessary; What if many of our health issues could be controlled by the juice though? It is happening! Again, the testimony is overwhelming. That is why they call the juice a Nutraceutical-All the benefits of the juice without the side effects.

I was convinced more than ever that a bottle containing 19 different potent fruits from all over the world ( some not easily attainable in the USA) was a better choice than those offering just a single juice. I even tried an Acai blend from the local grocery store. The taste wasn't bad but something told me the "made from concentrate " label along with the high sugar content was in fact good not good for me. It all made sense but that was only half the story.

I thought about this; Do any of us really consume 5-7 servings of fruits a day consistently, as recommended by the FDA? I know I didn't. As I educated myself on the importance of antioxidants and it's impact on our overall health and well being, I learned how important it was. I began to wonder: Do the fruits we eat consume contain any harmful pesticides? I know I have always heard about the importance of washing your fruit but what about fruit that absorbs
these pesticides? What about the soil that these fruit come from. We buy organic fruit and still don't really know what we are getting. How do we know what happened to the fruit before it reached our mouth unless the fruit was home grown or bought at a farmers market? All good questions. I think what we don't know will hurt us.

The bottom line is that 5-7 servings of fruit a day is hard enough to consume. Also factor in how much it costs to buy this fruit . Are we getting the full nutritional value of these fruits? No one knows for sure. As well, what are the best fruits to buy? Some fruits don't have as high of an ORAC value as others.

This blend contains 19 fruits ( including gogi )from all around the world including the most powerful antioxidant and super food, the Acai berry in it's purest form. Mona Vie's patented freeze dry process helps to retain all of the berry's nutritional properties or ORAC value. Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) is a scalar value useful for comparing the antioxidant content of different foods or nutritional supplements. You know what you are getting here. Plus Mona Vie contains glucosamine and Esterfied acids for your joints. Each fruit was specially picked for it's high ORAC value and combined into one formula, offering 15 servings of fruits a day based on the recommended serving.

This blend contains other ingredients such as fiber, fats, protein, omega 6-9 essential fatty acids, minerals and trace minerals, 11-13% solids, phytonutrients, and a number of vitamins. No juice can claim that. Most juices are pasteurized and processed differently where some or most of the nutrients you expect to get are lost. The freeze dry process and timely processing are the key to maintaining the nutritional value of the juices. What this simply means is that you are getting ALL of the above ingredients along with a quality guarantee, all for $45 ( and, it is much cheaper if you are a distributor)

Glucosamine alone costs between $25-50 a month at the health food store. Most people either don't have the time or the tolerance to take a ton of vitamins nor do they have the time or resources to digest 5-7 fruits a day. Our fast paced lives don't always permit it.

Statistically, there are approximately 110 million baby boomers retiring soon, all looking to feel and look better. They are tired of taking drugs and are smart enough to realize the benefits of good health with supplements. The health and wellness industry will become a trillion dollar industry by 2010. This is significant since the sickness industry has been in the trillions for many years now. We can enjoy the benefits of the juice and take advantage of the business aspects of it as well.

I was skeptical at first, but after my wife and I started drinking the juice, we became true believers in all the benefits this juice has to offer. We feel better, sleep better and have more energy among many other changes we have noticed. That is no joke. That combined with the successful business we have created has changed our lives. That is worth sharing in my book.


Ben

Brazilian berry destroys cancer cells in lab, UF study shows

Here is a good article published from The University of Florida on a study of the Acai Berry and how it fights cancer.

http://news.ufl.edu/2006/01/12/berries/

Suffer from allergies? The superjungle Juice to the rescue

What is an allergy?

Chances are, you know exactly what an allergy is since allergies affect millions of people. An allergy refers to an exaggerated reaction by our immune system in response to bodily contact with certain foreign substances. It is exaggerated because these foreign substances are usually seen by the body as harmless and no response occurs in non- allergic people. Allergic people's bodies recognize the foreign substance and one part of the immune system is turned on. Allergy-producing substances are called "allergens." Examples of allergens include pollens, dust mite, molds, danders, and foods. To understand the language of allergy it is important to remember that allergens are substances that are foreign to the body and can cause an allergic reaction in certain people.

When an allergen comes in contact with the body, it causes the immune system to develop an allergic reaction in persons who are allergic to it. When you inappropriately react to allergens that are normally harmless to other people, you are having an allergic reaction and can be referred to as allergic or atopic. Therefore, people who are prone to allergies are said to be allergic or "atopic."

Acai and other fruits helps the immune system fight allergies. This super jungle juice has two different products on the market today. Both are basically the same except one of them, the Active formula, contains Glucosamine and esterfied acids for the promotion of joint and cartilidge health. The regular blend is safe for children especially and highly effective in fighting allergies.

Here is a testimony from acaihealthinfo.com:

Author: Christy NormanTitle: Children's Allergies

My husband and I were introduced to the "Active Blend" a few months ago and both of us have seen incredible result from it. We are both sleeping better, he doesn't have any joint pain and I have lower anxiety. We just have had an all around good experience with this product.

But what really peaked my curiosity is that the "regular blend" was alright for children to take. At fist I thought my picky children would not touch the stuff but the LOVED it. Now they dreak it everyday and they remind us if they haven't taken it. The best thing that we have seen is that their allergies have significantly reduced.

My oldest son used to walk around clearing his throat constantly and he no longer does that. He also is extremely allergic to dogs and would break out in hives from the top of his head to the the tip of his toes. It was so bad. Well a few weeks ago he went to a friends house and forgot that the dog had been riding in the car. I thought that he would have a full blown attack but all he had was a tiny patch of hives on his neck and that was it. I immediately gave him his dose of the "regular blend" and within 30 minutes he did not have any more hives.

Our other children have only mild seasonal allergies but they haven't complained once since on this blend. They are also showing more focus and concentration and our 1 year old is sleeping soundly at night and not waking up 3 to 4 times.

This product is a true blessing and we thank God everyday that we get to share it with our friends!

Another testimony on allergies:

Author: Greg O'HaraTitle: Allergies no more.

I am 41 years old I DO NOT remember a time when allergies have not bothered me. In fact when I was a kid I spent 8 yrs going to an allergist to get shots, my mom picked my brother sister and myself up from school and off to the doctor we went 8 YEARS. If it work at all it just made it less severe for that allergy season. Well let me tell you this year especially the spring has been a bad allergy year in the Northeast co-workers and friends have all been suffering because they won't listen to me. If I start sneezing and the roof of my mouth gets itchy I know its allergies. Acai juice has made a follower out of me. God has given us all the tools we need to correct our problems and we are trying to reinvent the wheel with chemicals. Nature has all we need, free yourself , your mind, your soul. Greg

I MYSELF having lived in Florida for many years, have suffered from allergies of all kinds. After taking Mona Vie over the course of the last few months, I do not have sneezing attacks nor do I feel like I have any of the sinus effects of allergies anymore. A testimony to sneeze by.

The acai berry- The crown Jewel of the Amazon

Pronounced ah-sigh-ee, the purple-fleshed acai fruit has a long history of use in South America, but is just now gaining popularity worldwide because of new scientific research supporting its health benefits, particularly its antioxidant properties. Besides being touted by the famous Dr. Nicholas Perricone in his book on health and aging, The Perricone Promise, the fruit has also been discussed on Oprah, NBC’s Today Show and on Steve O’Brien’s CBS-FM New York radio show. In addition to its inclusion in several nutritional supplements, the little fruit from the Amazon has even made its way into a fruit smoothie available from the popular national chain, Jamba Juice.

The egg-shaped acai fruit, approximately 1.5 centimeters in size, got its name from Brazilian locals along the Amazon River, who call both the palm tree and its fruit “acai”. The palm tree consists of numerous usable parts, including roots, stems, leaf fronds and clusters of the actual fruit with its deep purplish-red pulp and very large seed (so large that it makes up 80 percent of the fruit’s size).

This health-promoting fruit is highly valued in trade along the border between Colombia and Brazil, where it has a long history of use: it can be made into a drink or added to other foods, such as breads and seafood dishes. But in all inhabited regions around the Amazon River and its tributaries where the tree grows in abundance, residents make use of all parts of the palm. Acai is now a very popular fruit in South America, and it has made its way into hair care products and trendy ice creams, but its potential health benefits are giving it a new kind of renown around the globe.

Among the reported benefits/features of this deep purple berry are:

* Small berry that grows on palm trees in the heart of the Amazon

* Dr. Nicholas Perricone proclaimed it top of the worlds superfoods

* Anti-Bacterial

* Large amounts of A, B1, B2, B3, C & E

* More than 16 anti-oxidants and phytonutrients

* Near perfect amino acid complex

* Essential fatty acids

* Prevents arteriosclerosis

* Provides anti-allergenic support

* Helps prevent blood clots

* High levels of dietary fiber

* High levels of essential amino acids and trace minerals

* High levels of plant sterols, which have been shown to help control cholesterol

* Essential fatty acids ratio that resembles olive oil, which has been shown to help combat heart disease

* Protein profile similar to eggs

* Very low sugar content

* Greater energy/stamina

* Improved mental focus

* Prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's

* Better sleep

* Improved digestion

* Improved sexual function

* Immune system support

* High levels of antioxidants

* Anti-aging support

* Promote better circulation


Source: acai health info.com

No more heartburn?

Throughout the last few months, I have been getting major feedback from friends, family and customers on some of the things they have been experiencing by consuming an amazing drink. My theory is any product can claim whatever they want but show me the money! I want to see results and know it works.

I hear general comments all the time about how the juice makes everyone sleep better and that they have more energy, something we could all use.

I have heard of individuals who have had skin issues that have cleared up in about a 2-3 week period. In a previous post, I mentioned that some testimonies revealed an increased libido.

The list of good effects goes on and on but I heard a new one yesterday. One guy I spoke to used to get bad heartburn and acid indigestion. Ever since they started taking the standard 2 ounces a day, their heart burn reportedly went away! I myself have experienced this and all of the other effects but just realized this one after hearing about it. The funny thing, I eat spicy food like crazy and still, no heartburn. Could it be a coincidence? Not likely if you know what some of the benefits are of the ingredients in the juice.

There are all kinds of medications for acid reflux ( they call it a disease to patent a drug which costs us millions) But, according to research, long-term intake of these drugs may cause a myriad of side effects. Prolong use of antacids can aggravate the damage made by chronic acid reflux: gastric acid is important for proper digestion and immune function, and continuous intake of antacids interferes with this process. While its most common side effects include severe headache and diarrhea, it seems to me that this quick fix can ultimately harm your health later.

I believe in moderation. I believe that with a modified diet, minimal alcohol intake and exercise, acid reflux can be controlled without medication. If the testimony holds true, this juice seems to be another great way to get healthy and take care of life's little nuances.

My sister Linda

Hi,

I just wanted to take a moment to honor my sister Linda who passed away in California last Saturday at the age of 47. She fought a long battle with breast cancer and more recently, Leukemia. She was a loving mother of 2, a thoughtful, giving Wife and a strong, beautiful, intelligent women. She will be missed by all that knew and loved her.

In order to honor her in my own way, I have been working on a website memorial that will be up and running in the next day or so.

I wanted to thank everyone again who took time out of their lives to express their condolences. I also want to thank each and everyone of Linda's friends who were there for her when she needed them. Linda's memory will live on forever. The person I am today is in part due to Linda and words cannot express how much we loved her.

Thanks for visiting and God bless.

Ben

Fountain of Middle Aged?

Let's take a look at one of the ingredients contained in acai that may make you feel like you have made it to the Fountain of Youth or at least Fountain of Middle aged.

This superjungle juice contains additional Glucosamine and Esterifed Fatty Acids to help maintain healthy joint function and to help build cartlidge.

Esterifed Fatty Acids is one of the most effective and natural anti-inflammatories on the market. Esterifed Fatty Acids facilitates the cushioning of bones and joints and is proven torelieve pain and improve function for people struggling with aches and discomforts resulting from inflammation.

Glucosamine is extracted from a carbohydrate in crustacean shells and has been promoted and researched for over 20 years as a viable supplement for regenerating cartilage, reducing pain, and improving function in people who struggle with joint pain. The Glucosamine is the same form (crystalline Glucosamine sulfate) used in scientific research that has proven Glucosamine effective in restoring flexibility and as a natural building block of healthy cartilage.

Glucosamine has also been proven to relieve pain at the same rate as Ibuprofen. (Without the side effects). Together, Esterifed Fatty Acids and Glucosamine perform faster and more efficiently in building joint cartilage and strengthening the overall structure of the joint. The dual action of Esterifed Fatty Acids and Glucosamine, alleviate in flammation, promote joint cushioning, rebuild cartilage and restore the entire joint area.

For those wondering, glucosamine will cost you around 20-30$ a month alone in pill form. Here you will find it included in this blend combined with all of the other fruits and associated benefits. A no brainer in my book. It is concentrated enough to work fairly quickly. Everyone I know including myself feel better and have less joint pain. I would take the fountain of youth but would settle for the fountain of middle aged.

Liquid Viagra?

I was reading an article this morning on some of the benefits of fruit and one thing struck me as funny- Some drinkers have mentioned that besides feeling and sleeping better on the juice, they also have more energy and an increased libido. One customer even mentioned that the effects were like taking Viagra. Now lets get a hold of oursevles (not literally) and examine this for a second. No claims are made here however, Lets take an inside look at how this might be true. First, a quick review at some of the benefits of acai and the right combination of fruits..


Greater energy/ stamina
Improved mental focus
Joint Support
Better sleep
Improved digestion
Improved sexual function
Immune system support
High levels of antioxidants
Anti-aging support
Promotes better circulation
Provides anti-allergenic support
High levels of dietary fiber
High levels of essential amino acids and trace minerals
High levels of plant sterols, which have been shown to help control cholesterol.
Essential fatty acids ratio that resembles olive oil, which has been shown to help combat heart disease
Protein profile similar to eggs
Very low glycemic (sugar) index

Fruits are important in our diet and we look forward to more studies to commensurate with the testimony.

Caution- This might make you feel better

Acai has gained such popularity over the past couple of years and again, I am amazed at how many people with nothing to gain, promote this product.

Everyone that has tried this juice has seen various degrees of success but overall feel better, have energy and sleep better.

On Oprah's site, she promotes the acai berry.

No. 1: AçaíNature's Energy FruitIt may seem odd to start this list of superfoods with one you’ve likely never even heard of. But studies have shown that this little berry is one of the most nutritious and powerful foods in the world! Açaí (ah-sigh-ee) is the high-energy berry of a special Amazon palm tree. Harvested in the rainforests of Brazil, açaí tastes like a vibrant blend of berries and chocolate.

Hidden within its royal purple pigment is the magic that makes it nature's perfect energy fruit. Açaí is packed full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Although açaí may not be available in your local supermarket, you can find it in several health food and gourmet stores (often in juice form). A new product featuring the unsweetened pulp is now also available, and I highly recommend that you choose this form of açaí.Açaí pulp contains:

A remarkable concentration of antioxidants that help combat premature aging, with 10 times more antioxidants than red grapes and 10 to 30 times the anthocyanins of red wine.

A synergy of monounsaturated (healthy) fats, dietary fiber and phytosterols to help promote cardiovascular and digestive health. An almost perfect essential amino acid complex in conjunction with valuable trace minerals, vital to proper muscle contraction and regeneration.

The fatty acid content in açaí resembles that of olive oil, and is rich in monounsaturated oleic acid. Oleic acid is important for a number of reasons. It helps omega-3 fish oils penetrate the cell membrane; together they help make cell membranes more supple. By keeping the cell membrane supple, all hormones, neurotransmitter and insulin receptors function more efficiently. This is particularly important because high insulin levels create an inflammatory state, and we know, inflammation causes aging.

http://www.oprah.com/presents/2005/young/life/life_acai.jhtml

ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity, and rates foods according to their antioxidant content. Tropical fruits, like acai and wolfberry are especially high in antioxidant value. The body's ability to fight free radicals that cause damage are significantly reduced by consuming foods and fruits high in antioxidants.

Not just another blog

Welcome to our blog! With all the blogs posted on this amazing nutritional juice, I had to ask myself why it has become so incredibly popular. The internet is flooded with positive testimony and there are a number of celebrities promoting this blend. My first impression was that it was simply another product on the market designed to zap people's hard earned money. After I got a hold of my first bottle, somehow I ended up drinking the entire bottle down quicker than was recommended.

With all the research I have done, I was initially overwhelmed to see how much of a positive impact this juice has made in people's lives everyday. The personal testimony my wife and I continue to submit, give incentive to people to try the juice for themselves just as we did. That is what it was all about. In an instant, I was inspired and excited to pass the word along.

Our passion and mission in this blog is to inform, educate and offer further testimony. You will find a number of resources, facts and information all contained right here. Whether you are a customer, a distributor or someone looking for a great opportunity to get healthy, wealthy and wise, I dedicate this blog to you. Think of it as a great resource and I hope you will find that it is not just another blog.

My wife and I have been eating right, taking supplements, and maintaining a healthy life style for many years. As a professional in the vitamin and health industry for close to 10 years now, we have seen the benefits of taking nutraceuticals in every way. It is generally accepted today that feeling good and looking good are a result of the proper balance of nutrition and excercise. All the testimony in the world has finally proven that part of a well balanced diet involves consuming 15 servings of fruits a day. How many of us truly get that on a daily basis?

Our immune system is driven in part by the food we eat, the air we breathe and the liquid we consume. Free radicals compromise our immune system and one of the major ways to eliminate or reduce free radicals is to consume antioxidants. There are a number of ways to get the proper nutrition we need, including antioxidants Most would agree that the easiest way to accomplish this would be in liquid form. Our fast paced world lures us down the easy path.

It is hard to dispute that fast food is a staple of our society. Even healthy eaters, whether eating out or at home, are not guaranteed that they are receiving the proper nutrients from the food they consume. By the time food reaches our system, a majority of the nutrients are gone. The same goes for fruits, vegtables and various liquid drinks that advertise health in a bottle. Some people take multiple supplements which they swear by. Unfortunately, it requires a discipline to take the correct vitamins and minerals daily. In a lot of cases we have seen, people simply do not like to pop pills unless they are taking otc aspirin or some prescribed drugs which zap the body of nutrition in itself.

In the last few years, our family has had to endure some major family illnesses. In an attempt to help, we spent a great deal of time researching all of the current literature and information we could find on how best to help. Our family has endured 3 cases of cancer, one of which was fatal and the other 2 both physically and financially devastating. A reoccuring theme emerged after countless hours of research. A combination of degenerative cells caused by free radicals, inflamation and various fungi throughout the body were the cause of many types of cancer. Perhaps genetics played a role or we as a society simply inherited the same bad traits and habits of our parents and ancestors.

Either way, our mortality defines us as we make a conscious decision to act on the knowledge we gain on health related issues. It is up to us to do the right thing. What is the right thing? Eat right and excercise, drink plenty of quality water, stuff we have all heard for years. Society today is confusing though. Everyday a new discovery is made. Some times controversy and confusion sets in. Just look at the debate that has been taking place for a long time over Coffee and Wine.

Certain foods that used to be labeled as healthy or safe are now potentially dangerous. Produce such as milk, peanuts, chicken and fish, can have negative side effects if you are allergic to them. If they are not organic produce then we may be subject to pesticides and fungus. Where does it end. Well, in the end, I believe in moderation but think that preventative maintenance for your body is just as important as for your car. This is where supplements whether in pill or liquid form are important and vital for your well being and good health in my opinion.

They say to drink it, feel it and share it. That is exactly what we are doing now as it has helped me, my wife and the entire family feel better.

I hope you enjoy my blog and find it useful, informative and inspiring. Cheers!

Ben