Herbs That Can Help Get Us Through Winter

The cold winter months not only bring in coughs, colds, and flu, we find it harder to stay warm and our circulation tends to be less effective at throwing out toxins. Not least, we feel less energized and able to find that extra bit of energy. Here are 5 key herbs to help with all those winter aspects.

Cinnamon Stick

A fragrant winter favourite, this herb is able to bring circulation as far as cold fingers and toes. It is also a potent antiviral and antibacterial, making it a vital herb for the worst of the flu season. Not only does it fight these microbes, its constituent, cinnamaldehyde, provides welcome pain reduction and is sedative. It continues to be useful post colds and flu, during the often debilitating convalescence stage. It is also a blood sugar stabilizer useful for helping calm down any post-festive sweet tooth over-indulgence.

Ginger Root

This is ‘the’ classic for warming up circulation and helping colds and flu and it is often twinned as an herbal tea with cinnamon to warm and detoxify. However, it is most effective as an antiviral and antibacterial when freshly grated and eaten raw. (You can add a little honey if you wish or simply chew a teaspoon of it as it is.) The gingerol, zingerone, and shogael and other constituents are 6-15 times stronger in the fresh root, and if the aim is to work as an antimicrobial, do not make as a tea or cook with it. Reserve the latter for digestive assistance and circulatory help.

Siberian Ginseng Root (eleuthero)

(This adaptogen is not a ginseng and can be used as a daily food.) It is perfect for the winter months as it increases the body’s ability to resist infection, lessening the likelihood of picking up colds, and stops the “cold” wearing us down and making us more exposed to microbes. In fact, because of this, we are less likely to gravitate to eating weight-gaining carbs and other cold-weather foods. As an adrenal building herb, it enforces energy conservation generally and fortifies against “winter” stress in all its varying guises, from cold, to support while detoxing.

Elderberry

These anti-viral berries are of increasing interest as findings show they appear to “inactivate” any given flu and virus strain. It helps to shorten and reduce its symptoms and severity. Of course, it has been made and used as a home remedy as a syrup for centuries, to treat tickly coughs, colds, and fevers. If taken at the onset, nastier versions like flu, bronchitis, and pneumonia are less likely to progress. It is good taken throughout the colder winter months on a weekly basis, and daily during a cold.

Nettle Leaves

The leaves are a good winter detox choice. In winter it is harder to sweat and naturally get rid of accumulated toxins. Nettle’s high levels of flavonoids and potassium makes it excellent for moving on waste products via the increased urine production. Nettle is also a specific to help clear the skin, so it is perfect for preventing “detox skin”, where toxins can congregate. Use either as an organic powder of 1 tsp (5g) in smoothies or as an herbal leaf tea.

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Jill R. Davies, HNH, Phd, FAMH, is a qualified herbalist and naturopath of over 30 years. She is the author of 14 books on herbal medicine. Jill lectures in naturopathy and herbal medicine at CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine).



Three Beautiful, Beneficial, Edible Flowers

These three flowers may look beautiful in your garden, but their value is not limited to their ornamental use. They also provide a variety of health benefits.

Pansies Are Antibacterial

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These brightly colored flowers – usually blooming purples and yellows – are characterized by large interloping petals that sometimes remind you of a butterfly and at other times look like a face. But above all, they’ll take you back to your Alice in Wonderland days.

Among a number of health perks of the flower, they are best known for their antimicrobial properties and are commonly used as an ingredient in skin care creams and ointments. They can also be used to counter a number of bacterial infections in the digestive tract.

The flower’s antitussive properties make it a great addition to your diet plan if you’re suffering from respiratory conditions such as asthma and bronchitis. Not to mention, the petals are rich in antioxidants and flavonoids that can help treat cancers and tumors.

The entire flower is edible, but the petal has a milder flavor in contrast to the whole that is more wintergreen-like. An entire flower before a meal is a good idea, especially if thrown into a salad. The flower can also be boiled in water to make pansy tea,  a popular way of taking in the pansy’s nutritional goodness.

Hibiscus and the Heart

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Maybe it’s not a contender in the scent department, but if there’s any flower that can give the rose one hell of a beauty complex,  it’s the hibiscus. Characterized by five wide open petals with the flowering reproductive parts protruding out like the Eiffel tower, these flowers come in an unmatched variety of hues, from stark solids to heavenly melanges. The combinations are breathtaking, but what makes them even more outstanding is their ability to moderate blood pressure and cholesterol.  In addition, the hibiscus flower is a source of Vitamin A and C, thus adding a bit of goodness for the eyes along with cancer preventing and immunity boosting properties.

Hibiscus is best consumed in the form of a tea. The petals can also be added as a garnish to salads and juices in thin strips, but be aware that their distinctively sharp taste tends to overpower other savory flavors.

Marigolds Have Big Cancer-fighting Properties

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While many varieties of marigolds are mostly ornamental, the calendula variety packs nutritional goodness. Marigolds get their bright orange and yellow color from a high concentration of carotenoids in their petals. Carotenoids are very powerful antioxidants known for their ability to counter free radicals in our body and boost our immune system while also significantly reducing the risk of developing cancers in the future.

These big orange beauties have a slightly bitter taste that is followed by a subtle hint of sweetness. The best way to incorporate the nutritional value of their antioxidant content into your diet is by drying their leaves into a spice.

You can also choose to eat the entire flower minus the green base, but avoid this choice if you have breathing difficulties or asthma, as the large amounts of pollen will might make it worse.

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Gluten Sensitivity – Fact or Fiction?

Gluten, found in many staple foods, is a substance that gives elasticity to dough. Until recently, a strict gluten-free diet was only of interest to people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in which proteins from grains (such as wheat, rye and barley) damage the small intestine. However, more people are now finding that they feel better on a gluten-free diet. So, is this a psychological “placebo effect”, or do people actually benefit physically from a gluten-free diet?

Research has now confirmed that gluten sensitivity does exist. Some experts say that gluten sensitivity is much more common than celiac disease. In celiac disease, the intestine is damaged, but in gluten sensitivity, it is not. Symptoms for both can be similar (including stomach aches and pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, IBS) so it is important to get tested. Symptoms of gluten sensitivity can affect any organ or tissue in your body, and can include muscular and joint pain, fatigue, anaemia, and tingling in hands and feet.

Why are more people now reacting to gluten when we have been eating grains for 10,000 years? First of all, to make those lovely fluffy white breads, modern grain has been cultivated so that it contains much more gluten than it did in the past. Secondly, our diets have changed significantly in the past few decades. We now eat gluten in most meals, unlike in the past. Wheat flour is used in a vast range of modern, mass-produced “ready-made” meals and sauces. (Even your mustard can have it). So we are consuming far greater quantities of gluten, more frequently, than our ancestors.

When our bodies digest gluten, the lining of the intestine is temporarily damaged. This makes it permeable to gluten proteins (hence ‘leaky gut’), which is the mechanism behind both gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. For most people this inflammation is healed relatively quickly after eating but for some it takes much longer. Other aggravating factors include modern additions from the food chain, including pesticides and GMO foods, which have been linked to ‘leaky gut’. To ensure there are no pesticide residues or genetically modified substances, which may affect your gut health, choose organic food.

If you feel that you suffer from symptoms that may be caused by gluten, get tested for celiac disease. Then you can try going gluten free for a minimum of 4 weeks, then reintroduce gluten to see the difference in how you feel. Take good care of your general gut health, as the gut is the basis for your overall health. Feed the good bacteria in your intestine by eating plenty of organic vegetables and fruit every day. Also, introduce fermented foods, such as sauerkraut and probiotic yogurts. Avoid damaging your intestinal lining with unnecessary antibiotics, drugs or alcohol.

Author: Marika Walker graduated in Nutritional Therapy from CNM (College of Naturopathic Medicine) the UK’s largest training provider in natural therapies.

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Crab Cakes – They’re Not What You Think

Maryland is facing controversy over mislabeled blue crab cakes. Because of its crucial role in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, the blue crab is considered a keystone species. Without it, the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem would suffer serious disruption. The blue crab is also a staple of the local economy in Maryland, with 50% of the blue crab harvested each year in the United States coming from the Chesapeake Bay. The high demand and economic value of blue crab has led to overharvesting and resulting regulations.

Places in Maryland that sell crab cakes have started using other types of crab while falsely marketing their product as blue crab. A recent study by Oceana has shown that as much as 38% of crab cakes sold in Maryland as blue crab are, in fact, other types of crab. In addition to the deception, the crab used in these crab cakes is imported from areas around the world where the crab is harvested using unsustainable methods.

Researchers found eight other species besides blue crab with 48% of the crab cakes using crab species originating from the Pacific coast of Mexico and the Indo-Pacific region. In addition, almost 50% of the species used are ones that seafood guides warn people to avoid.

The only way that the problems of mislabeled seafood are going to be solved is through strengthening the tracking process for seafood from the place it’s caught to the place it’s served. Oceana is a leader in the movement to shore up food safety by improving the monitoring process of seafood production and cracking down harder on seafood fraud. They have urged the government to have the Task Force on Combatting Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing and Seafood Fraud implement traceability requirements on all seafood sold in America so that consumers can be confident that they get what they pay for and not something else.

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Healthy Fats the Healthy Way

Fats are always a hot topic in diet and health, but they are not all bad. Your body needs fats for many essential functions. However, the amount of fats you consume, which fats you choose, and the balance of one type of fat to another determine whether your fat intake aids your health or causes damage. 

Too much of a good thing can quickly become bad. When it comes to fat, this is a motto you should adopt. Although you want to add healthy fats to your diet because they boost your health and are better for you than saturated fats, you should aim for no more than 20% to 35% of fat in your daily calories.

What are Healthy Fats?

Omega-3s and Omega-6s are the two healthy fats that make the news a lot because of their health benefits. Otherwise known as polyunsaturated fats, these offer various benefits to your body and have to be consumed through diet as the body can’t produce them on its own.  

Omega-3s

Omega-3s fight inflammation in the body, while lowering blood pressure. This makes them heart-healthy, too. In fact, studies(1) have found that when 1-gram capsules of omega-3 were given to heart attack survivors every day for three years, their risk of sudden cardiac death decreased by approximately 50 percent. They also were found less likely to suffer another heart attack than people who took placebos.

There are two types of omega-3s you need to know about:

  • Icosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): these are mostly found in fatty fish. You should aim to eat two servings of fatty fish every week to reap the health benefits.
  • Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA): these are found in nuts, such as macadamia (which also has a good balance between omega 3 and omega 6); flaxseed; leafy vegetables; and vegetable oils. ALA is required in the body for energy. It is not easily transformed into EPA and DHA, so you need to ensure you get enough fatty fish in your diet to give you enough of them. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, opt for fish oil supplements.

Omega-6s

These fatty acids are also needed by the body and they have various functions, such as improving brain function, hair growth, and bone health as well as aiding your metabolism. You can find most omega-6 fatty acids in vegetable oils. These fatty acids are known as linoleic acid (LA).

One type of omega-6, known as gamma linolenic acid (GLA), fights various health conditions. These include skin issues such as dermatitis and eczema; arthritis; diabetes; and obesity. Unlike other omega-6s, GLA reduces inflammation. Although inflammation is sometimes required by the body, such as the body’s response to an injury, you want to keep it in check when you are healthy. You can find GLA in sources such as black currant seed oil and spirulina.

The Risk of Inflammation

Many illnesses are caused by inflammation in the body, such as asthma, arthritis, fibromyalgia, psoriasis, kidney failure and more. If you’re wondering why such illnesses seem to have become more common, it’s because people tend to eat too many omega-6 fatty acids that contribute to inflammation. There needs to be a balance between omega-6 and omega-3 so the body isn’t getting too much omega-6 and it can benefit from the anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3. 

Shockingly, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 (2) in the Western diet is between 10:1 and 25:1! You want to reach a ratio of between 2:1 and 4:1 to ensure that your body is receiving a healthy balance of fatty acids.

Get the Right Omega Balance

It’s fine and well to hear that you have to have a balance between omega-3 and omega-6 but how should you do this?

  • For starters, it’s a good thing to try to eat more omega-3. Try adding fish to your regular diet or supplement with oils rich in omega 3s.  
  • Then, try to decrease your omega-6 consumption. You can start by getting rid of spreads, such as margarine, and replacing them with olive oil. Stay away from vegetable oils like canola, corn, and soybean.
  • Interestingly, you can also find omega-6 in whole-grains and animal products, so you want to decrease how much of these foods you consume.
  • Follow the Mediterranean diet as it is high in fruits and vegetables, while including fish and healthy olive oil.

If you’re still worried about your ratio, it’s a good idea to get your omega fatty acids tested. This will enable you to see exactly what you’re dealing with and how to make adequate changes to your diet to reach a healthier ratio.

When you hear that healthy fats are good for you, you might want to add lots of them to your diet but make sure you take a balanced approach. This will help you stay healthy while enjoying delicious meals.

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Genetically Modified Salmon Is On Its Way To Your Store

If you enjoy salmon, eat your fill now. The Food and Drug Administration has announced approval for the first genetically modified animal for consumption, and it’s the Atlantic salmon…and the Pacific-Chinook salmon…and the ocean pout, a creature also known for inspiring a synthetic contribution to less-fattening ice cream, all rolled up into one sentient creation.

The possibility of a genetically engineered salmon is not an unfamiliar one, as biotech company AquaBounty has been attempting to bring the Frankenfish to the public for twenty years. The fish is said to be advantageous because it grows at twice the rate of a regular salmon and requires 75% less food. The company is not planning on letting consumers know that the fish is genetically modified, claiming that as “…the first and only, labeling is a dangerous decision. We’d like to label it as a premium product, but we’ll probably introduce it as Atlantic salmon.” It’s ironic that they use the word dangers in conjunction with actual labeling, as the health and environmental dangers of this fish don;t seem to concern  AquaBounty or the FDA.

Safety Concerns Over the Next Step in GMOs

The debate over the GM salmon from AquaBounty (officially referred to as the AquaAdvantage) has been going on for quite some time, although the approval from the FDA has shifted abstract concepts into something very real and potentially scary. Food and Water Watch and the Consumer’s Union have both expressed concerns about the fish and its impact on health and the environmental threat of a possible escape. Like all GMOs, the salmon has been labeled safe to eat by the FDA. That alone is suspect when you consider the amount of countries worldwide who are banning GMOs, but there are also concerns regarding allergies and how the mix of different fish genetics combined into one fish will affect people. Consumer’s Union has been claiming that the research used to make the decision to approve the salmon suffers from inadequate analysis and a sample size that is too small.

But What if Gets Loose?

Meanwhile, Food and Water Watch is viewing the AquaAvantage from a different angle, and seeing a different problem – escape. The salmon are grown in land-based, contained tanks in Canada and Panama that are sealed completely off and all fish grown for food, as opposed to breeding, are sterile. Or at least they are sterile by FDA standards, which require 95% sterility. Setting aside the questions of what and where exactly the fish for breeding are kept (or if there is even a need for breeding fish when they’re potentially raised in a lab), the FDA maintains that even if the fish were to escape, they would be unable to thrive and establish themselves. Even if the fish aren’t able to sustain a population out in the natural environment, isn’t it naive to assume there won’t be other consequences? Wild salmon that come in contact with farmed salmon have registered a population drop of more than half due to parasites and disease. At what point does the desire for cheap salmon outweigh the increasing delicate needs of the actual wild salmon providing the genes for the Frankenfish? Despite claims that the potential of escape is highly unlikely, Food and Water Watch remains committed to making sure that GMO salmon does not reach the marketplace.

More Care is Needed in Introducing GM Meats

The marketplace at the moment has a slightly different view from the FDA. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have been critical of the AquaAdvantage and have publicly pledged not to sell the salmon. Other retailers like Safeway and Kroger also have no plans to stock the product. The criticism from consumer and environmental groups, as well as the lack of support from stores, have the potential to stop the forward march (swim, really) of the GMO salmon. Anything can happen within the two-year period from approval to market. If you oppose GM salmon, now is the time for your voice to be heard.

Extensive research occurs when new varieties of conventional foods like fruits and vegetables are introduced. A newly developed type of apple, for instance, takes an average of 15 years. A salmon spliced together from three different fish and altered at the base genetic level is a huge step in the food system and should not have any room for groups to claim inadequate analysis. The consequences of unleashing the Frankenfish could permanently damage the oceanic ecosystem or even play out like a science fiction movie. Do we want to be the at the mercy of our own ill-advised creation because the population is looking for cheaper salmon? At the very least we should be able to know what we’re being sold.

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Five Foods that Feed Cancer

Some foods can speed you to your grave. Rather than promote health and healing, some foods are known to feed cancer more than they feed you.

Soda

Sodas are known to be bad for you, but did you know they can cause cancer? Sodas are loaded with sugar, artificial flavors, artificial colors, and preservatives as well as other chemicals. Caramel coloring agents are added to the drinks to give it that brown color. This process can produce a possible carcinogen called 4-methylimidazole. Surprisingly enough, the FDA has yet to limit the amount of this chemical byproduct allowed in sodas. Researchers have found that just drinking one can of soda a day raises the risk of cancer and this affects between 44% and 58% of all Americans.

Processed Meat

Processed meats that include artificial preservatives, flavorings, and colors include bacon, sausage, hot dogs, salami, beef jerky, ham, canned meats, and meat-based sauces. The WHO found that daily consumption of 50g of processed meat results in an 18% increase in the risk of colorectal cancer. This is roughly equal to eating about 2 pieces of bacon a day. While this is not much, and eating processed meats does not directly translate into getting cancer, frequently eating large amounts of it does increase your risk. In order to lower your risk, it is better to avoid this type of meat. If you choose to eat lunchmeat, choose the brands that do not include nitrates, nitrites, and other chemicals.

Sugar

Sugar is highly processed and stripped of minerals. As a result, it is very acidic. An acidic pH benefits cancer growth. But sugar does more. It impairs the immune system and directly feeds cancer cells and tumors.

GMO’s

There are now many animal studies that show long-term consumption of GMOs to be harmful. A variety of deleterious effects have been documented: kidney damage, liver damage, infertility, reduced birth weight, birth defects, and cancer. GMOs also damage gut health, feed cancer, and lead to other illnesses.

Artificial Flavors, Colors, Sweeteners, Preservatives, and MSG

If you’re thinking of trading in the sugar laden soda for the zero calorie stuff, you may want to reconsider. Food-like products, that aren’t really food at all do more damage to the body and even promote more cancer growth than sugar and other junk food. Anything artificial is bad news for the body’s overall function, and this can be disastrous when battling cancer. For instance, MSG is a neurotoxin; it kills brain cells. In addition, all of these food-like products dramatically disrupt the function of the beneficial bacteria in our gut. If we eat processed foods filled with artificial ingredients, we are giving cancerous cells a chance to prosper.

Many chemicals are known to cause cancer, so it should not surprise us to find chemical laden food causes cancer – in more ways than one. Cancer doesn’t just happen due to some bodily malfunction. In order for cancer to progress to the point that it poses a threat, something is horribly wrong. More often than not, environmental toxins, usually from one’s diet, have caused imbalances in the body that have enabled cancer to grow. If you’re facing cancer or any other serious disease choose food wisely. If it’s not real food, don’t eat it.

For anyone who’s sick, whether it be cancer or almost any other disease, the first steps to eliminating disease are to fix the diet and heal the gut. Check out 80% Raw Food Diet and Gluten, Candida, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Autoimmune Diseases.

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