Food as medicine

Top 5 super foods with healing powers

Mansi Kohli

Times of India

2012 February 1

You might know about many nutritious whole foods, which are rich in healthy nutrients. But, do you know about the significance of a few super foods that help you heal?

These foods have multiple healing effects like fighting cancer, reducing cholesterol levels and guarding against heart diseases. Intrigued? Let’s take a look…

Kiwis. These tiny packs of goodness have high levels of Vitamin C. Rich in potassium, kiwis have more fiber in them when compared to apples and bananas. Because of phytonutrients present in them, they are extremely good for people who have heart disease, cancer or any respiratory disease. They have natural blood-thinning properties, which further help in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and blood pressure in the body. It is always best to eat the kiwis as soon as you cut them as they contain enzymes that lose certain properties once exposed to air. Aim to eat one to two kiwis a day.

Cherries. Cherries are packed with antioxidant value and vitamins. They are slightly high on natural sugar content, but they’re still very low-carb and are an excellent source of important fiber. Cherries are amazing with feta and greens. With a glycemic index of just 22, one should go for a daily serving of cherries, when they are in season locally.

Beans. Other than fiber, beans are also rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients. They have low glycemic index levels, which helps in regulating blood sugar levels and insulin production. They are low in energy-density levels i.e. they provide sustained energy, maximizing health benefits. Also, known as miracle foods, beans deliver a high amount of antioxidants to the body. Enriched with potassium, magnesium, vitamin B1 and B2, and vitamin K, they are also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. One should go for a minimum of two servings of beans on a weekly basis.

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The many health benefits of turkey

Elements4Health.com

2008 November 26

The domestic turkey is a descendent of the Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), and is native to the United States, and the Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata) is native to Mexico.

The turkey has become synonymous with Thanksgiving in the United States and is becoming more popular due its health benefits.

The health benefits of turkey include reduced LDL cholesterol, mood-enhancing properties, helps prevent cancer, boosts testosterone and immune system.

Health Benefits of Turkey

Nutrients Turkey is a very good source of protein, selenium, niacin, vitamin B6 and the amino acid tryptothan. It’s a good source of zinc and vitamin B12. The skinless white meat is an excellent high-protein, low-fat food.

Reduce LDL Cholesterol The Cholesterol Education Program recommends adopting diets that are low in cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fatty acids. Light, skinless, roasted turkey has less saturated fat, less total fat, and less cholesterol than chicken, pork or beef.

Cancer Prevention The amino acid tryptophan is needed for T cells, a type of immune system cell that kills cancer cells. T cells activated in the absence of free tryptophan become susceptible to death via apoptosis.

Mood Enhancer Neurotransmitters are made from amino acids, and the neurotransmitter serotonin is made from tryptophan. Serotonin helps to improve mood and eating food such as turkey can improve your mood.Fifteen women who had suffered recurrent episodes of major depression received two amino acid mixtures in a double-blind crossover design. One of the mixtures was nutritionally balanced and contained tryptophan and the other was identical except it contained no tryptophan. After drinking the tryptophan-free mixture, ten of the 15 women experienced temporary but clinically significant depressive symptoms. No changes in mood were seen after taking the nutritionally balanced mixture containing tryptophan.

Immune Booster There is a growing body of evidence indicating that the amino acid tryptophan plays a pivotal role in the immune system. In a study on mice it was found that tryptophan metabolites (molecules formed as the body breaks down the amino acid), work as well as any other existing medicines to alleviate symptoms of the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis.

Testosterone Booster The protein from organic turkey will help in maintaining optimum testosterone levels in men. The hormones used in industrial turkey might increase estrogen production and lower testosterone levels. Diets low in protein in elderly men may lead to elevated sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) levels and decreased testosterone bioactivity. The decrease in bioavailable testosterone can result in declines in sexual function and muscle and red cell mass, and contribute to the loss of bone density.

Insomnia The amino acid tryptophan plays a vital role in sleep and is effective in promoting sleep in cases of chronic insomnia.

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The high cholesterol hoax

Women with high cholesterol live longer, have fewer heart attacks and strokes

Elizabeth Walling

Natural News

2011 October 26

If the diagnosis of high cholesterol sounds like a death sentence to your ears, you may be the victim of cholesterol propaganda. It’s not uncommon to believe that lower is better when it comes to cholesterol, but new research shows otherwise. In fact, a recent study in Norway says women with high cholesterol live longer and suffer from fewer heart attacks and strokes than those with lower cholesterol.

Can High Cholesterol Save Your Life?

Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology looked at 52,087 individuals between the ages of 20 and 74. After adjusting for factors like age, smoking and blood pressure, researchers found women with high cholesterol (more than 270 mg/dl) had a 28 percent lower mortality risk than women with low cholesterol (under 193 mg/dl). Risk for heart disease, cardiac arrest and stroke also declined as cholesterol levels rose.

The researchers involved in the study admit this contradicts commonly accepted beliefs about cholesterol. They say current guideline information is misleading because the role of cholesterol in heart disease is overestimated.

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