Blueberries are perennial flowering plants of the Ericaceous family known as Vaccinium Cyanococcus. The flower itself is typically bell shaped and can be white, pale pink, or red. The fruit is a deep velvety purple with a fleshy characteristic.

Blueberries are sweet and juicy and can be used in a wide variety of recipes from jams, sauces, and smoothies to cakes, baked goods, and other pastries. Aside from the tasty recipes that can come together using blueberries, they are medicinal in terms having antibacterial and antiviral qualities. This succulent fruit packs quite the nutritional punch with its panel of plant nutrients.

Potent Concentrations of Antioxidants

Did you know that blueberries contain high concentrations of antioxidants, which help your body fight free radicals that kill your cells and accelerate aging? In fact, consumption of this natural medicine may even help protect your heart and brain health. Blueberries possess the highest antioxidant capacity, bar none, when compared to other fruit, veggies, and spices according to the world’s healthiest foods website. Eat them raw and optimize your health by giving the body the nutrients it needs to combat free radicals that damage our cellular structures right down to the DNA.

In fact, according to Prevent Disease.com, 300 grams of blueberries puts up a strong fight against DNA damage to blood cells resulting from oxidative stress. Consuming blueberries on a regular basis may just help one bypass the rising risk of cardiovascular and other degenerative diseases.

Loaded With Phytochemical Anthocyanin

The phytochemical, anthocyanin, is present in substantial levels in blueberries and is responsible for its healing qualities involving inflammation reduction, blood pressure reduction, and the overall rise of health and longevity when consumed often. Due to the antioxidant properties of Anthocyanins, good vision can be maintained and even reserved by preventing or slowing down visual loss and other age related eye problems.

Rich in Other Vitamins and Antioxidants, Too

Anthocyanin is just one of the potent antioxidants found in blueberries. You will be surprised to learn that consuming blueberries will raise your levels of vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, copper, phosphorous, selenium, zinc, and iron. These antioxidants make the blueberry the go to for a quick nutritious snack promoting health and wellbeing. The copper, for example, helps build immunity by fighting bacteria and it’s required for the production of red blood cells; the zinc and iron will raise hemoglobin and oxygen in the blood to strengthen immunity.

Excellent Nutrients for Brain Health

With all the antioxidants present in blueberries, neurological disorders can be prevented and healed as the degeneration neurons and brain cells are restored to health along with the central nervous system. Adequate intake of antioxidants such as those found in blueberries can benefit Alzheimer’s sufferers because they heal deteriorating brain cells and tissues. This can work toward keeping the memory focused and sharp.

Effective Nourishment for Heart Health

There are several factors that make blueberries terrific for heart health including the high fiber content along with the high level of antioxidants found in the fruit. These factors help blueberries dissolve bad cholesterol and strengthen cardiac muscles.

Works Toward Healthy Digestion

The fiber content in blueberries, if consumed by the handful, will help keep constipation at bay, while the vitamins, minerals, and acids help correct digestive difficulties. One such vitamin is the B-complex group with folates, pantothenic acid, niacin pyridoxine, riboflavin, and folic acid. Together these allow the body to metabolize carbs, protein, and fats, ultimately promoting healthy digestion.

Low in Calories

Stay trim snacking on blueberries, as they are quite low in calories. Just under a half a cup of blueberries is only 57 calories. This is a much more health conscious choice then a processed food snack or baked good which does not offer much in terms of nutrients.

Still Potent When Frozen

Studies have shown that there isn’t any damage to the antioxidant content when blueberries are frozen. When frozen for 36 months, researchers learned that the overall power of the antioxidant was not lost; this is fantastic news for those who may have difficulty getting their hands on fresh blueberries and typically buy them frozen.

Use certified organic ingredients to maximize flavors and nutrition while minimizing your risk of exposure to pesticides, chemicals, and preservatives. In the case of blueberries, it’s best to use the organic varieties as the conventional are high in pesticides according to the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie/ Frozen Ice

This recipe uses 1.5 cups of frozen blueberries, 1 frozen banana, ½ cup of Strauss Organic vanilla yogurt, 2 cups water and 1 cup of crushed ice. Combine ingredients in your blender to desired consistency, then enjoy a frozen treat that is packed with antioxidants and nutrients. This same recipe can be used to make blueberry banana frozen ice by pouring into ice cube tray and freezing.

Blueberry Banana Muffins

This recipe calls for 1 ¾ cups of flour. I like to use a combination of almond, amaranth, and quinoa flour in equal portions. This is then combined with ¼ cup of whole oats, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ cup coconut oil, 3 ripe bananas, 1/3 cup of coconut sugar, 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup of almond milk, a dash of vanilla extract ad 1 ½ cup of frozen blueberries.  Combine ingredients, bake for 30 minutes on 375.

Blueberry Flaxseed Pancakes

For this dish, combine 2 well beaten eggs with 1 cup of buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 1 stick of melted butter, 1 cup of your choice of gluten free flour such as brown rice flour and or quinoa and amaranth flour, ¼ cup of ground flax seeds, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/3 cup of honey, 2 cups of blueberries, 3 mashed up bananas and a nice pinch of cinnamon.

Blueberry Parfait

Layer your favorite oatmeal and yogurt with fresh or frozen blueberries. Top with hemp, chia, or sunflower seeds, drizzle with honey and dig in!

Blueberry Jam

Boil 3 cups of blueberries with some maple syrup. Mash the blueberries and boil down to your favorite texture, about 15 minutes. Stir often so that it does not stick. Once you have achieved your desired consistency, remove from heat, let cool, and add ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. This can be spread on muffins, toast, tarts, cookies, and more.

Sources:

• Frozen Blueberries Is Even More Healthy, Study Says – Epoch Times
• 36 Foods That Help Detox and Cleanse Your Entire Body – eatlocalgrown.com
• Eat Blueberries and Strawberries Three Times Per Week – Harvard Health Publications
• Blueberries – Wikipedia
• Blueberries – Women Fitness
• Blueberries – Nutrition and You

When talking about best foods for heart health, most people tend to focus the discussion on fat, saturated versus trans-fat or healthy omega-3s. Of course, the type of fat in your diet does make a difference in the health of your heart, but there are a lot of other foods that can also help keep your heart healthy in slightly different ways. Fruits and vegetables contain no fat, but provide powerful nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber to improve cardiovascular health. Here are the five best fruits and veggies to keep your heart healthy.

1) Strawberries. Two recent studies have found that consuming fresh strawberries may reduce cholesterol and oxidative stress that lead to cardiovascular disease. Both studies required participants to consume a diet rich in strawberries before testing different factors in their blood to determine the effect of the increased strawberry consumption. One of the studies, from the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, required that participants eat 500 grams of fresh strawberries daily for 30 days. During that time the participants’ LDL cholesterol fell an average of 13.7% and triglycerides were reduced by approximately 20%. The reason for this drop may be the anthocyanins in the strawberries, a group of phytochemicals that reduce free radicals.

2) Raisins. These tiny dried grapes may be a great snack for people looking to lower their blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. A paper recently presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Scientific Sessions found that when raisins were eaten as a snack participants’ blood pressure was about 4.8-7.2% less than participants who ate other snacks. It is believed that the potassium, fiber, and antioxidants in the raisins helped lower participants’ blood pressure.

3) Broccoli. This cruciferous vegetable contains a sulfur-based compound called sulforaphane, which has been shown to reduce blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease risk factors. Sulforaphane is a isothiocyanate, a group of compounds responsible for the health benefits found in all cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. This group of compounds has been shown to reduce inflammation, help improve blood pressure, and may even reduce the damaging effect of free radicals on the heart.

4) Garlic.  Garlic, onions, chives, and shallots are all part of the allium family of vegetables and have shown extensive health benefits, especially when it comes to cardiovascular disease. Garlic, specifically, has been shown to decrease LDL, increase antioxidant levels, and reduce hypertension. It may also reduce enzymes involved in LDL formation and the synthesis of other types of fats in the body.

5) Yams/Sweet potatoes. These powerful potatoes are consistently on the list of “superfoods” due to their high fiber, beta carotene, vitamin B₆, and potassium content. Fiber helps reduce the absorption of dietary cholesterol in the blood stream, by trapping cholesterol and fat in the digestive system so it is unable to be absorbed. Deficiencies in vitamin B₆ have been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, which may be related to the role it plays in decreasing levels of homocysteine. Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant which may help reduce inflammation and lower cardiovascular risk factors.

Lemons are incredible little yellow beings of love. While they may seem quite sour and acidic, each one is anything but a crabby little sourpuss. The acidic taste in lemons is actually alkaline.

What is alkaline, you ask? Alkaline and acid are the measurements of pH in your body. Optimally, your alkaline and acid ratios are balanced. Unfortunately, most standard diets are causing our internal systems to be too acidic, causing significant ill health and a terrain of disease. Don’t worry. There is good news! Many foods are alkaline and they can assist your body in maintaining the right levels. And guess what? Lemons are one such food. In addition to helping us achieve balance, lemons have many other great benefits.

Lemons are anti-bacterial and can protect against many types of infections. Think of these sunshine beings as a natural antibiotic.

Lemons are anti-viral. Starting to feel the flu invading your inner peace? Drink a glass of lemon water every two hours to help deter the virus and stimulate your immune system.

Lemons can assist in dissolving gallstones. Anybody who has ever felt the pain of a displeased gallbladder will adore this tidbit. Lemons help dissolve the calcification in your gallbladder and flush it from your system.

These yellow lovers also help improve mental clarity. They act as natural energy boosters and may even assist in improving focus. Do you have a big meeting or a challenging exam? Sometimes just the wonderful citrus smell of a lemon may elevate your concentration.

Lemons assist in detoxifying your liver. Think of your liver as a filtration system for your body. Because lemons are a natural cleanser and anti-oxidant they support the wonderful housekeeping job your liver does everyday.

They can even make you feel happy! Yep, that is right. Lemons are a natural mood enhancer. They can help reduce anxiety, diminish stress levels, and boost those feel good emotions.

Lemon water is a lovely choice. Yet, why stop there? Let the creativity begin!

How about adding lemon to balsamic and olive oil for a great dressing?

Thirsty? Add lemon juice, orange zest, and honey to a glass of warm water for a healthy and fulfilling drink. Take it to the next level with sparkling water and apple juice. Oh, so fancy.

Lemons can be squeezed over your favorite protein. For an added kick, combine lemon juice with coconut oil and garlic for a great marinade.

Love your greens? Of course you do! Add lemon to kale with a minced shallot and feel fabulous.

Enjoy! Healthy is fabulous.

As more people are seeking to preserve or restore their health through natural means, they are trying to avoid genetically modified organisms. Not everyone can find everything they need with the organic label, and some laboratory testing has shown that even foods that carry the organic label have been contaminated with genetically modified organisms.

I believe that in the not too distant future we will have consumer protection from GMOs with labeling laws, but with Monsanto’s control over our government, this is not right around the corner.

The best way to avoid genetically modified foods is to understand which foods are genetically modified and which foods are not. Understanding the difference between heirlooms, hybrids, and GMOs is imperative to understanding this issue, and there is much confusion here as well.

With heirlooms, you save the seeds of a fruit or vegetable with favorable characteristics. Other than selecting which plant seeds to save, the seeds are not manipulated. The plants are allowed to pollinate and ripen as they would naturally.

People often lump hybrids and GMOs together when arguing in favor of GMOS. And while there is modification to the plant at a genetic level, it’s not the same as when we talk about “GMOs.” Hybridization is the act of cross-pollinating two plants; each with a dominant favorable trait resulting in fruit that will bear both of those traits.

Seedless watermelons are a good example of a hybrid. I’ve heard many people tell me they avoid seedless watermelon in an effort to avoid GMOS, but these watermelons are not a GMO food. The best reasons to avoid seedless watermelons is they don’t taste nearly as good, and likely contain less nutrition than their natural seeded cousins.

Another point of confusion is potatoes. Many consumers have begun to notice that their potatoes don’t sprout anymore. It used to be that if you didn’t eat potatoes fast enough, as it sat in your kitchen, the eyes would begin to turn into vines. The conventional potatoes bought in the grocery store don’t do this anymore, not through some form of genetic modification, but due to very heavy doses of chemicals. This renders potatoes lifeless. They look good to the ignorant consumer and last longer on the shelves of the grocery store, as food generally does when it’s not alive.

Foods that are Genetically Modified

Beets, corn, cotton, Hawaiian papaya, soy, rice, canola, alfalfa, yeast (for making wine) and milk (RGBH) are genetically modified foods that have been deemed “fit for human consumption,” and are being produced and sold to us.

More than half of the cotton grown in the world is genetically modified. Not only used to make clothes, but cottonseed oil is used frequently in food production.

Genetically modified rice has been approved but is not yet in large-scale use.

GMOs were recently banned in Hawaii, but they excluded papaya from the ban.

Genetically modified wheat has been developed but not approved for consumption. Unfortunately, commercial wheat fields have been contaminated with the genetically modified seed. It is not unlikely that we have been consuming GMO wheat.

Other genetically modified foods that have been deemed fit for human consumption, but are not being sold (or are very hard to find ) at this time (due to consumer and/or farmer demand) include summer squash and zucchini, tomatoes, and potatoes.

GMO foods  under consideration for human consumption include rice, salmon, bananas, apples that don’t brown, and a purple tomato. They may be coming to your local neighborhood supermarket in the near future.

Genetically Modified Foods in our Grocery Stores

First and foremost, the easiest way to avoid genetically modified organisms is to eat whole, unprocessed foods that are labeled organic. When organic is not available, know the most likely offenders; these include soy, sweet corn, alfalfa, and Hawaiian papaya.

When buying packaged foods, such as snack foods, know your GMO ingredients. Without a GMO free guarantee, to avoid GMOs, one should avoid corn, dairy, soy, canola oil, sugar (sugar beets), and any conventional meat. Conventional, factory farmed livestock are fed genetically modified grains, including GMO foods that aren’t even trusted for human consumption.

As far as corn is concerned, it should be noted that popcorn comes from corn that is not genetically modified, and sweet corn is, typically, not genetically modified (though as with other genetically modified organisms, they will become more and more common very quickly).

Also, note that even when you buy organic, it is imperative, in order to completely avoid GMO foods, to know and trust the company when it comes to soy, alfalfa, wheat, sugar (from sugar beets) and corn. A reputable producer of food that cares about their customers’ health and freedom of choice will test their products regularly (like Eden Foods and Bob’s Red Mill). GMO contamination is a very serious problem, and it’s getting harder and harder to grow food without genetically modified seeds sneaking into the crops and taking over.

Recommended Supplements (These supplements help detoxify GMOs):

• Shillington’s Total Nutrition Formula
• FloraMend Prime Probiotic – Thorne Research
• Fundamental Sulfur Powder (MSM Powder) – Douglas Labs
• Shillington’s Intestinal Cleanse Formula
• Shillington’s Intestinal Detox

Further Reading:

• Understanding and Detoxifying Genetically Modified Foods
• GMO Science
• GMO Facts and Arguments
• How to Avoid GMOs
• The Difference Between Heirlooms, Hybrids, and GMOs

Sources Include:

• Mother Jones – 5 Surprising Genetically Modified Foods
• Organic Lifestyle Magazine – Foods that are GMO
• Living Maxwell – The Health Risks of Eating Conventional Potatoes
• Organic Lifestyle Magazine – The Difference Between Heirlooms, Hybrids, and Gmos

Americans eat a phenomenal amount of chicken, more than any other meat. Those of us over 50 can still remember when chicken was a treat for special occasions because it was more expensive than beef. Today chicken is the cheapest meat, and its consumption has doubled since 1970. Advocates of factory farming boast that their techniques have brought chicken within the reach of working families.

Tyson Foods proudly calls itself “the largest provider of protein products on the planet,” as well as “the world leader in producing and marketing beef, pork, and chicken.” Tyson now produces more than 2 billion chickens a year, and if you are shopping in a typical American supermarket, close to a quarter of the chicken you see on the shelves will have been produced by Tyson.

Virtually all the chicken sold in America—more than 99 percent, according to Bill Roenigk, vice president of the National Chicken Council—comes from factory-farm production similar to that used by Tyson Foods. The ethical issues raised by its production of chicken therefore exemplify issues raised by modern intensive chicken production in general. We can divide these issues into three categories, according to whether they most immediately impact the chickens, the environment, or humans.

The Cost To Our Ethics

To call someone a “birdbrain” is to suggest exceptional stupidity. But chickens can recognize up to 90 other individual chickens and know whether each one of those birds is higher or lower in the pecking order than they are themselves. Researchers have shown that if chickens get a small amount of food when they immediately peck at a colored button, but a larger amount if they wait 22 seconds, they can learn to wait before pecking.

Interesting as these studies are, the point of real ethical significance is not how clever chickens are, but whether they can suffer—and of that there can be no serious doubt. Chickens have nervous systems similar to ours, and when we do things to them that are likely to hurt a sensitive creature, they show behavioral and physiological responses that are like ours. When stressed or bored, chickens show what scientists call “stereotypical behavior,” or repeated futile movements, like caged animals who pace back and forth. When they have become acquainted with two different habitats and find one preferable to the other, they will work hard to get to the living quarters they prefer.

Most people readily agree that we should avoid inflicting unnecessary suffering on animals. Summarizing the recent research on the mental lives of chickens and other farmed animals, Christine Nicol, professor of animal welfare at Bristol University, in England, has said: “Our challenge is to teach others that every animal we intend to eat or use is a complex individual, and to adjust our farming culture accordingly.” We are about to see how far that farming culture would have to change to achieve this.

Almost all the chickens sold in supermarkets—known in the industry as “broilers”—are raised in very large sheds. A typical shed measures 490 feet long by 45 feet wide and will hold 30,000 or more chickens. The National Chicken Council, the trade association for the U.S. chicken industry, issues Animal Welfare Guidelines that indicate a stocking density of 96 square inches for a bird of average market weight—that’s about the size of a standard sheet of American 8.5-inch by 11-inch typing paper. When the chicks are small, they are not crowded, but as they near market weight, they cover the floor completely—at first glance, it seems as if the shed is carpeted in white. They are unable to move without pushing through other birds, unable to stretch their wings at will, or to get away from more dominant, aggressive birds.

If the producers gave the chickens more space they would gain more weight and be less likely to die, but it isn’t the productivity of each bird—let alone the bird’s welfare—that determines how they are kept. As one industry manual explains: “Limiting the floor space gives poorer results on a per bird basis, yet the question has always been and continues to be: What is the least amount of floor space necessary per bird to produce the greatest return on investment.”

The Cost to the Environment

In western Kentucky, the masthead of The Messenger, the local newspaper of Madisonville, carries the slogan “The Best Town on Earth.” But if you had been in the audience of a hearing at the Madisonville Technology Center on the evening of June 29, 2000, you would have had to wonder about that. The Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet of the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection was listening to public comment on a proposed regulation for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, also known as factory farms. A long procession of citizens came up and made their views known. Here is a selection:

“Since Tyson took over the operation of the growing houses, there is a very offensive odor that at times has taken my breath. There has been a massive invasion of flies. It is hard to perform necessary maintenance on our property.”

“Uncovered hills of chicken waste attract hundreds of thousands of flies and mice… People, including school children, cannot enjoy a fresh morning’s air and can’t inhale without gagging or coughing due to the smell.

“My family lives next to chicken houses. We caught 80 mice in two days in our home. The smell is nauseating … My son and I got stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, and we had a sore on our mouths that would not go away. We went to the doctor and my son had parasites in his intestines. Where are the children’s rights? Should families have to sacrifice a safe and healthy environment for the economic benefit of others?”

Western Kentucky is an example of a nationwide problem. In Warren County, in northern New Jersey, Michael Patrisko, who lives near an egg factory farm, told a local newspaper that the flies around his neighborhood are so bad, “You literally can look at a house and think it’s a different color.” Buckeye Egg Farm in Ohio was fined $366,000 for failing to handle its manure properly. Nearby residents had complained for years about rats, flies, foul odors, and polluted streams from the 14-million-hen complex. At the same time, Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson was threatening to sue Arkansas poultry producers, including Tyson Foods, saying that waste from the companies’ operations is destroying Oklahoma lakes and streams, especially in the northeast corner of the state.

Tyson produces chicken cheaply because it passes many costs on to others. Some of the cost is paid by people who can’t enjoy being outside in their yard because of the flies and have to keep their windows shut because of the stench. Some is paid by kids who can’t swim in the local streams. Some is paid by those who have to buy bottled water because their drinking water is polluted. Some is paid by people who want to be able to enjoy a natural environment with all its beauty and rich biological diversity. These costs are, in the terms used by economists, “externalities” because the people who pay them are external to the transaction between the producer and the purchaser.

Consumers may choose to buy Tyson chicken, but those who bear the other, external costs of intensive chicken production do not choose to incur them. Short of moving house—which has its own substantial costs—there is often little they can do about it. Economists—even those who are loudest in extolling the virtues of the free market—agree that the existence of such externalities is a sign of market failure. In theory, to eliminate this market failure, Tyson should fully compensate everyone adversely affected by its pollution. Then its chicken would no longer be so cheap.

Superfoods are foods and herbs that have a unique concentration of nutrients that synergize together to boost potential. These foods are typically loaded with a combination of critical fatty acids, anti-oxidant phytonutrients, and essential amino acids. Ginger is a superfood herb.

Ginger is used throughout the world in countries such as China, Japan, India, Greece, Caribbean countries, England, and the USA. It is made into ginger teas, ginger-ale, ginger beers, ginger bread, gingersnap cookies and ginger biscuits. Almost every culture has historically used it for its powerful ability to enhance immunity, improve digestion, and reduce inflammation.

Loaded with Anti-Oxidants

This incredible superfood herb is 13th on the anti-oxidant list, boasting an impressive ORAC score of 28,811. Ginger is composed of several volatile oils that give it its characteristic flavor and odor: zingerone, shogaols, and gingerols. These oils are powerful anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and antiparasitic agents. In addition, ginger inhibits cancer cell formation while firing up our body’s own inborn ability to destroy cancer cells.

Ginger Improves Digestive Function

Ginger has classically been used to improve the digestion process. Nine different substances have been found that stimulate serotonin receptors in the gut, which provides benefits to the gastrointestinal system. This reduces gut related inflammation and enhances nutrient absorption.

Ginger is classified as a carminative (reducing intestinal gas) and an intestinal spasmolytic (soothes intestinal tract) while inducing gut motility. Ginger is known to reduce fever related nausea, motion sickness, and feelings of “morning sickness.” Additionally, it helps aid in the production of bile, making it particularly helpful in digesting fats.

Ginger is a Powerful Anti-Inflammatory

Ginger is also an important part of am anti-inflammation, natural pain-relief program. One compound called 6-gingerol has been shown to significantly inhibit the production of a highly reactive nitrogen molecule, nitric oxide, that quickly forms a dangerous free radical peroxynitrite. Additionally, ginger helps to protect the body’s stores of glutathione (the super anti-oxidant and free radical destroyer).

Ginger is also very high in potassium, which aids in electrical energy production and detoxification. It is a great source of manganese, which protects the lining of the heart blood vessels and urinary tract. Ginger contains silicon, which enhances skin, hair, teeth, and nails. It helps assimilate calcium and reduces inflammation in the bone tissue, aiding the development of strong bones and teeth.

One of my favorite ways to get Ginger into my system is with the Beyond Organic Ginger Terrain.  Organic ginger is taken through an advanced three-month fermentation cycle that unlocks the full nutritional potential within the ginger.  This means more anti-oxidant potential and beneficial gingerols in a medium that allows it to stabilize the gut flora and optimize overall health.

Here is a tasty and very healthy recipe for an American Favorite – Ginger Ale.

De-Inflaming Ginger Ale

2 Tbsp of Coconut Water Kefir
1-2 cups of coconut water
2-4 oz of fresh ginger grated

2 tbsp of ginger terrain (optional)
Combine all ingredients and let sit and ferment for 24 hours to provide an amazing, probiotic enriched soda alternative.

Related Reading:

• Cinnamon – Ceylon Vs Cassia, Health Benefits, and Other Interesting Facts
• How To Use Turmeric To Kill Cancer
  
• Cayenne and Capsaicin, Natures Miracle Medicine
• Garlic – The Most Amazing Herb On The Planet

Sources:

• http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=72
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger
• http://www.boost-immune-system-naturally.com
• http://www.naturalnews.com/028540_inflammation_superfoods.html

Maca is a root vegetable belonging to the Brassica family of cruciferous vegetables.  It is most similar to radishes and turnips in growth habits, size, and proportions.   Maca is extremely rich in minerals with ample amounts of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, potassium, copper, and zinc.  These are extremely important for healthy skin, bones, eyes, and joints.   These minerals are also vital for effective cellular formation, communication, and regeneration.

Maca is one of the highest altitude crops in the world, growing atop 8,000-14,500 foot regions of the Andes Mountains in Peru.  In this climate, it faces extreme cold, intense sunshine, powerful winds, and challenged agricultural areas.  The challenging climates do not harbor pests; therefore, maca is always grown organically.  In fact, many Peruvian farmers have begun planting it with other root vegetables as the plant naturally repels pathogenic nematodes and other pests.

Adaptogenic Properties

The survival of the fittest principle of ecological evolution helps us understand the unique benefits maca provides.  Over thousands of years, maca has developed the ability to thrive in some of the worst soil and environmental climates in the world.  Maca has adapted effectively to these stressful conditions and developed certain factors that enhance human adaptability.

Maca is an adaptogenic in that it helps the body adapt to environmental stressors effectively.  Adaptogenic substances support the nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system to allow the body to effectively manage homeostasis under challenging circumstances.  This enhances energy levels, stamina, mental clarity, spiritual outlook, and the ability to handle oncoming stress.

Maca contains a certain balance of alkaloid and polysaccharide compounds that help improve control and coordination of the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.  These regions are the master regulators of the body’s stress response and reproductive systems.  Through this mechanism it helps stabilize adrenal output and regulate inflammatory hormones like cortisol.

Balancing Hormones

One of the unique characteristics of maca is its ability to help balance hormones in both men and women.  Studies have found it effective for reducing hot flashes, painful menstrual cramps, improving mood and sexual desire.  It hasn’t been demonstrated to consistently increase sex hormone production; instead it modulates and coordinates the role of these hormones more effectively.

A 2008 study published in Menopause showed that about 3.5 grams of maca per day reduced psychological symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and lower measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women independent of estrogenic and androgenic activity.  Another 2006 study showed that maca improved cognitive function and reduced depression in surgery induced menopausal rats that couldn’t produce sufficient sex hormone.

Maca has also been demonstrated in several studies to improve libido and fertility in male and female rats.  Many people have blogged their unique anecdotal testimonies of maca improving their sex life and overcoming their struggles with infertility.

Red maca has been shown in 2 studies to reduce prostatic hyperplasia in testosterone induced male rats.  This demonstrates the glandular modulating effects of maca as it works to balance hormones.   Red and black maca have the greatest anti-oxidant content and therefore the greatest health benefits.

Maca Helps Fight Against Diabetes and Heart Diseas

A 2007 study demonstrates maca’s ability to reduce inflammation at the cellular level.  The results of the study indicated that maca was effective at improving glucose metabolism, lipid profile and anti-oxidant status.  This improves cardiovascular function and decreases the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

This A 2006 study showed that Maca was able to inhibit bone loss in an ovarectomized rat.  Typically amlack of the estrogen-secreting ovaries leads to increased catabolic state and subsequent bone loss.  Another study showed a specific extract from Maca (RNI-249) was able to help to preserve cartilage cells by inhibiting catabolic pathways, activating anabolic mechanisms and enhancing blood flow into the cartilage cells.

Sources For This Article Include:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepidium_meyenii
• http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/maca-superfood-energy-stamina-and-libido
• Beneficial effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on psychological symptoms and measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women are not related to estrogen or androgen content.  Nicole A Brooks, Gisela Wilcox, Karen Z Walker, John F Ashton, Marc B Cox, Lily Stojanovska.  Menopause. 2008 Nov-Dec;15(6):1157-62. PMID: 18784609
• Gustavo F Gonzales, Vanessa Vasquez, Daniella Rodriguez, Carmen Maldonado, Juliet Mormontoy, Jimmy Portella, Monica Pajuelo, León Villegas, Manuel Gasco. Effect of two different extracts of red maca in male rats with testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia.Asian J Androl. 2007 Mar;9(2):245-51.
• G F Gonzales, M Gasco, A Malheiros-Pereira, C Gonzales-Castañeda. Antagonistic effect of Lepidium meyenii (red maca) on prostatic hyperplasia in adult mice. Andrologia. 2008 Jun;40(3):179-85. PMID: 18477205
• Mark J S Miller, Salahuddin Ahmed, Paul Bobrowski, Tariq M Haqqi. The chrondoprotective actions of a natural product are associated with the activation of IGF-1 production by human chondrocytes despite the presence of IL-1beta. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006 Apr 7;6:13. PMID: 16603065
• Yongzhong Zhang, Longjiang Yu, Mingzhang Ao, Wenwen Jin. Effect of ethanol extract of Lepidium meyenii Walp. on osteoporosis in ovariectomized rat. J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Apr 21;105(1-2):274-9. Epub 2006 Feb 8. PMID: 16466876
• Julio Rubio, Maria Caldas, Sonia Dávila, Manuel Gasco, Gustavo F Gonzales. Effect of three different cultivars of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on learning and depression in ovariectomized mice. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2006 Jun 23;6:23. PMID: 16796734
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• Ana C Ruiz-Luna, Stephanie Salazar, Norma J Aspajo, Julio Rubio, Manuel Gasco, Gustavo F Gonzales. Lepidium meyenii (Maca) increases litter size in normal adult female mice. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1991 Aug 30;179(1):661-7. PMID: 15869705
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• http://www.examiner.com/article/discover-maca-root-nature-s-viagra
• http://www.docstoc.com/docs/156925617/Maca-Powder-Benefits
• http://therawsomelife.net/2013/07/18/the-benefits-of-maca/