Outstanding nutritional benefits help curb disease

Whether enjoyed in a pie, baked good, soup or simply straight-up, pumpkin is a delicious and nutrient rich addition to any diet. Check out the exceptional qualities of this familiar orange food:

Vitamin A – Alpha- and beta-carotene antioxidants are a class of carotenoids that convert into usable vitamin A within the body. Beta-carotene is anti-inflammatory and helps to reverse skin damage caused by the sun. Alpha-carotene hinders tumor growth, slows aging and protects against cataracts. Additionally, carotenoids reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and boost immunity.

Vitamin C – Vitamin C balances cholesterol levels, fights free radicals and encourages collagen production. It also fortifies the body against cancer and supports the immune system.

Magnesium – Loaded with magnesium, both pumpkin seeds and pulp supply this important mineral. Required for healthy teeth and bones along with proper immune and heart function, magnesium plays a crucial role in the body.

Vitamin E – As a key antioxidant, vitamin E contributes to healthy skin and offers protection against Alzheimer’s disease along with certain types of cancer. Pumpkin seeds supply vitamin E in a range of forms including alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, alpha-tocomonoenol and gamma-tocomonoenol.

Fiber – Pumpkin is an excellent source of fiber — containing five grams per half-cup serving. Adequate fiber intake helps to protect against heart disease, assists in weight loss, supports healthy digestion and balances blood sugar levels.

Pantothenic acid – Otherwise known as vitamin B5, this nutrient helps the body to manage stress and equalize hormones.

Potassium and Zinc – Pumpkin flesh is potassium-rich and promotes heart health by calming hypertension. Zinc supports the immune and reproductive systems — pumpkin seeds are a first-rate source.

L-tryptophan – Abundant in this feel-good amino acid, pumpkin prevents depression and encourages a bright outlook.

Pumpkin is also anti-parasitic and a natural diuretic. Additionally, kidney stones can be avoided by consuming five to ten grams of pumpkin seeds a day. And lets not forget about the high protein value of the seeds — seven grams per ounce.

With all these great virtues, what’s not to like? Mix pumpkin puree into yogurt or oatmeal, add to baked goods and soup, sprinkle the seeds onto salads or use in granola, instead of pine nuts, use pumpkin seeds for a unique pesto. As you can see, it’s easy to reap the health benefits of pumpkin each day — no need to wait for Thanksgiving.

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Their work was published recently in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy a follow-up to the author’s previous research in Applied and Environmental Microbiology which conclusively demonstrated that garlic concentrate was effective in inhibiting the growth of C. jejuni bacteria.

Garlic is probably nature’s most potent food. It is one of the reasons people who eat the Mediterranean diet live such long healthy lives. Garlic is also a powerful performer in the research lab.

“This work is very exciting to me because it shows that this compound has the potential to reduce disease-causing bacteria in the environment and in our food supply,” said Xiaonan Lu, a postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the paper.

One of the most interesting of the recent findings is that garlic increases the overall antioxidant levels of the body. Scientifically known as Allium sativa, garlic has been famous throughout history for its ability to fight off viruses and bacteria. Louis Pasteur noted in 1858 that bacteria died when they were doused with garlic. From the Middle Ages on, garlic has been used to treat wounds, being ground or sliced and applied directly to wounds to inhibit the spread of infection. The Russians refer to garlic as Russian penicillin.

“This is the first step in developing or thinking about new intervention strategies,” saif Michael Konkel, a co-author who has been researching Campylobacter jejuni for 25 years.

“Campylobacter is simply the most common bacterial cause of food-borne illness in the United States and probably the world,” Konkel said. Some 2.4 million Americans are affected every year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with symptoms including diarrhea, cramping, abdominal pain and fever.

The bacteria also are responsible for triggering nearly one-third of the cases of a rare paralyzing disorder known as Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Diallyl disulfide is an organosulfur compound derived from garlic and a few other genus Allium plants. It is produced during the decomposition of allicin, which is released upon crushing garlic

Lu and his colleagues looked at the ability of diallyl sulfide to kill the bacterium when it is protected by a slimy biofilm that makes it 1,000 times more resistant to antibiotics than the free floating bacterial cell. They found the compound can easily penetrate the protective biofilm and kill bacterial cells by combining with a sulfur-containing enzyme, subsequently changing the enzyme’s function and effectively shutting down cell metabolism.

The researchers found the diallyl sulfide was as effective as 100 times as much of the antibiotics erythromycin and ciprofloxacin and often would work in a fraction of the time.

Two previous works published last year by Lu and WSU colleagues in Applied and Environmental Microbiology and Analytical Chemistry found diallyl sulfide and other organosulfur compounds effectively kill important food-borne pathogens, such as Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7.

“Diallyl sulfide may be useful in reducing the levels of the Campylobacterin the environment and to clean industrial food processing equipment, as the bacterium is found in a biofilm in both settings,” Konkel said.

“Diallyl sulfide could make many foods safer to eat,” said Barbara Rasco, a co-author on all three recent papers and Lu’s advisor for his doctorate in food science. “It can be used to clean food preparation surfaces and as a preservative in packaged foods like potato and pasta salads, coleslaw and deli meats.”

“This would not only extend shelf life but it would also reduce the growth of potentially bad bacteria,” she said.

The natural substance could also be derived without artificially introducing harmful chemicals to disruptive its disease-reducing abilities.

Ironically, many researchers think that antibiotics may be just one of several factors that contribute to intestinal blockage in young children.

(Source)

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Elderberry Syrup

Take a tablespoon daily to ward off illness and a teaspoon every 2-3 hours while sick. For children under 2, add the syrup to hot water to kill any microbes in the honey. You can even drizzle the delicious syrup over pancakes, yogurt, or ice cream!

Elderberry Syrup Recipe

– 1 cup fresh or 1/2 cup dried organic Elderberries (harvest blue or black, avoid poisonous reds)

– 3 cups water

– 1 cup raw local honey

– 1 organic Cinnamon stick, 3 organic Cloves, and organic Ginger (optional)

Place berries, water, and spices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Smash the berries to release remaining juice and strain the mixture. Allow liquid to cool and stir in honey. Will last for 2-3 months stored in the fridge.

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Watered down, heated, pressurized honey not real at all

Much of the honey hitting supermarket shelves is derived from an ultra filtering procedure that heats honey to high temperatures, forcing the natural substance at high pressure through extremely small filters to remove pollen. In this way, manufacturers conceal the identity of the source of the honey, which is a technique used by the Chinese, who have illegally dumped tons of their honey on the U.S. market for years. The Chinese are responsible for dumping dangerous antibiotics, artificial sweeteners, and leeching copious amounts of heavy metals into imported honey products.

The Food Safety News investigation

After hearing about US grocery stores being flooded with unidentified honey, Food Safety News began an investigation into several outlets that sold foreign honey. They purchased 60 different containers of honey from 10 different states, buying from a wide range of supermarkets. They then sent the honey samples to premier melissopalynologist and professor at Texas A&M University, Vaughn Bryant. What he found was that roughly three fourths of the honey contained no pollen, making it unidentifiable and unsafe. Of that average, he found that:

• 100 percent of Winnie the Pooh sold in Walmart stores had all pollen removed.

• 100 percent of honey from individual packets from KFC and McDonald’s had all pollen removed.

• 77 percent of honey from big box stores like Costco, Sam’s Club, and Target had no traced of pollen.

• 100 percent of honey from drugstores like Walgreen’s and CVS Pharmacy had all the pollen filtered out.

• He did find out, however, that honey purchased from co-ops, farmers markets and stores like Trader Joes contained the full amount of original pollen.

Ultra filtering of pollen has to do with concealing honey’s true source

Mark Jensen, president of the American Honey Producers Association, says that removing all pollen from honey “makes no sense.” He continues, “I don’t know of any US producer that would want to do that. Elimination of all pollen can only be achieved by ultra-filtering and this filtration process does nothing but cost money and diminish the quality of the honey.”

Jensen added that pollen-void honey is most likely Chinese honey that has entered the country illegally and not inspected.

Richard Adee, who produces 7 million pounds of honey each year from multiple states, explains that real honey is valued for its flavor and nutritional value and that this “is what’s being removed during the ultra filtration process.”

He says that, “It’s no secret to anyone in the business that the only reason all the pollen is filtered out is to hide where it initially came from and the fact is that in almost all cases, that is China.”

Most honey packers are worried about what is being imported and what they are pumping into their plastic bears. Much of the honey sold in the US is imported from Asian countries. Two hundred and eight million pounds of honey have been imported over the past 18 months; 60 percent of that comes from Asian countries that typically launder honey illegally for China.

By using in-house private testing, some US manufacturers have found out that their Asian imported honey is watered down with high fructose corn syrup and a myriad of illegal sweeteners and antibiotics.

This is causing many people to seek out local trustworthy supplies of honey, who leave this precious resource in its unadulterated, nutritional form.

Look around and find a local distributor of honey. Real honey is a valuable resource.

Sources for this article include

http://www.foodsafetynews.com

http://www.motherearthnews.com

http://www.foodrenegade.com/your-honey-isnt-honey/

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Cauliflower is just one of the many cruciferous vegetables that may be able to treat cancer, according to a study coming from Rutgers University.

Cauliflower contains glucosinolates and thiocyanates — both sulfur-containing phytonutrients that cleanse the body of damaging free radicals. It also contains a substance called sulforaphane (SFN), a compound known to inhibit the occurrence of some cancers in rats caused by carcinogens, primarily colon cancer.

In the Rutger’s research, it was found once again that diet does matter in cancer prevention:

“Our research has substantiated the connection between diet and cancer prevention, and it is now clear that the expression of cancer-related genes can be influenced by chemopreventive compounds in the things we eat,” said Kong, a professor of pharmaceutics in the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

Even the American Cancer Society admits that more than two thirds of cancers can be prevented with lifestyle modification, and this includes diet. In this particular study, mice fed a diet high in sulforaphane, the substance naturally occurring in cauliflower and broccoli, enjoyed fewer cancerous tumors, polyps, and smaller tumors in the their colons. After three weeks, the mice fed sulforaphane had a 25% decline in tumors and those given double the dose had a 47% decrease in cancerous tumors.

The results are obvious, “Our results showed that SFN produced its cancer preventive effects in the mice by inducing apoptosis (programmed cell death) and inhibiting proliferation of the tumors; however, it was not clear what mechanism SFN employs to accomplish this,” Kong said.

Just how vegetables like cauliflower (and other cruciferous vegetables) help to kill cancer cells is still unknown, but Kong’s team found that SFN suppressed certain enzymes or kinases that are highly expressed both in the mice and in patients with colon cancer. The researchers concluded that this enzymatic suppression activity is the likely basis for the chemopreventive effects of SFN.

Along with cauliflower’s high levels of SFN, it is also a powerful antioxidant with high levels of vitamin C and vitamin A, also known as cancer inhibitors. Researchers also believe that if you consume cauliflower and turmeric spice together, you can prevent or eradicate prostate cancer totally. The scientists, once again from Rutger’s, tested turmeric and it’s active compound known as curcumin along with phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), a naturally occurring substance in certain vegetables such as watercress, cabbage, winter cress, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, kohlrabi and turnips. They found cancer-preventative qualities in the duo.

There are many varieties of cauliflower that you can enjoy to help prevent colon and other cancers. You can find orange, green and purple varieties along with the more commonly known white. Cauliflower doesn’t need to be relegated to the vegetable tray at parties either, there are hundreds of delicious recipes here.

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Apple cider vinegar (ACV) became well known in the U.S. in the late 1950s, when it was promoted in the best-selling book Folk Medicine: A Vermont Doctor’s Guide to Good Health by D. C. Jarvis. During the alternative medicine boom of recent years, apple cider vinegar and apple cider vinegar pills have become a popular dietary supplement.

Unpasteurized or organic ACV contains mother of vinegar, which has a cobweb-like appearance and can make the vinegar look slightly congealed. It’s the only way apple cider vinegar should be consumed.

ACV is used in salad dressings, marinades, vinaigrettes, food preservatives, and chutneys, among other things. It is made by crushing apples and squeezing out the liquid. Bacteria and Yeast are added to the liquid to start the alcoholic fermentation process, and the sugars are turned into alcohol. In a second fermentation process, the alcohol is converted into vinegar by acetic acid-forming bacteria (acetobacter). Acetic acid and malic acid give vinegar its sour taste.

Apple cider vinegar is purported to treat numerous diseases, health conditions, and annoyances. To name a few, it kills head lice, reverses aging, eases digestion, prevents flu, prevents acne, lowers blood pressure, reduces inflammation, kills fungus, regulate pH balance, dissolves kidney stones and helps relieve allergies, migraines, asthma, nausea, heart burn and wash toxins from the body. Can it really do all these things? You bet it can and more! But what does science say?

• Diabetes. The effect of apple cider vinegar on blood sugar levels is perhaps the best researched and the most promising of APV’s health benefits. Several studies have found that vinegar may help lower glucose levels. For instance, a study (White, A. Diabetes Care, November 2007) of 11 people with type 2 diabetes found that taking two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar before bed lowered glucose levels in the morning by 4%-6%. In another study from Arizona State University, subjects took a drink of 20 grams of apple cider vinegar and 40 grams of water. Those with insulin resistance who drank the vinegar had 34% lower postprandial (after-meal) glucose compared to controls. Vinegar may be the most cost-effective medicine in history, but most people with diabetes still aren’t taking it.
• High Cholesterol. A 2006 study reported in Medscape General Medicine, showed evidence that ACV could lower cholesterol. In a study published in a foreign medical journal, scientists found an apple cider vinegar-enhanced diet may increase in HDL (good cholesterol), and reduce levels of triglycerides. Research in rats suggests that apple-cider vinegar can help control triglycerides and cholesterol (Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, June 22, 2011).
• Blood Pressure and Heart Health. Another study in rats found that vinegar could lower high blood pressure. A large observational study also found that people who ate oil and vinegar dressing on salads five to six times a week had lower rates of heart disease than people who didn’t. Researchers have suggested that ‘this reduction in blood pressure may be caused by the significant reduction in renin activity and the subsequent decrease in angiotensin II’. Potassium in the vinegar ‘balances sodium levels in the body, which aids in maintaining blood pressure within healthy limits’ and ‘apple cider vinegar also contains magnesium, a mineral that works to relax blood vessel walls and thus lower high blood pressure’.
• Cancer. A few laboratory studies have found that vinegar may be able to kill cancer cells or slow their growth. One study found that eating vinegar was associated with a decreased risk of esophageal cancer. Another associated it with an increased risk of bladder cancer. In recent trials, pectin, which can be found in ACV, has shown promise in helping to slow the growth of cancerous cells within the prostate (http://www.news-medical.net/news/20100702/Modified-Citrus-Pectin-holds-promise-against-prostate-cancer.aspx). In addition, apple cider vinegar’s acidity aids in detoxifying and cleansing the digestive tract and cleaning out the colon, which supports the health of the prostate as well.
• Weight Loss. For thousands of years, vinegar has been used for weight loss. White vinegar (and perhaps other types) might help people feel full. A study (Ostman, E. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2005) of 12 people found that those who ate a piece of bread along with small amounts of vinegar felt fuller and more satisfied than those who just ate the bread. A 2009 study on mice showed that consuming acetic acid (the active component in ACV), upregulates the expression of genes for fatty acid oxidation enzymes in the liver causing a suppression in body fat accumulation. In a double-blind experiment, obese Japanese were assigned to three different groups based on similar body weights, body mass indexes (BMI), and waist circumference. Each group drank a 500 ml drink containing either 30ml, 15ml, or 0ml of vinegar daily for 12 weeks. Those in the 30ml and 15ml groups had lower BMI, visceral fat area, waist circumference, serum triglyceride, and body weight to the control group of 0ml. The 12-week weight losses were modest: 1.2kg in the 15ml group and 1.7kg in the 30ml group. These two groups consumed a similar number of calories to the control group and also performed a similar amount of exercise, so the effect is not likely to have been due to an impact on appetite or other lifestyle changes. It was concluded that consumption of vinegar might reduce obesity.

Apple cider vinegar is chosen over white vinegar for many processes involving the elimination of fungus. Although they both have highly acidic properties; apple cider also contains detoxifying qualities that will clear up other skin allergies. No side effects have been found when treating the skin with apple cider vinegar, making it a cost effective and safe remedy.

Here are many other benefits of apple cider vinegar that can be applied to your lifestyle. Read the list below.

Hair: It is widely known that apple cider vinegar can be used as a rinse for your hair after shampooing to add healthy body and shine. Recycle an old shampoo bottle and fill it with 1/2 a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a cup of cold water. Pour through your hair after shampooing several times a week.

Face: Did you know that apple cider vinegar can help regulate the pH of your skin? Dilute apple cider vinegar with two parts water, and spread the concoction over your face with a cotton ball as a toner. You can do this at night after washing, and in the morning before you apply your moisturizer. You can also dab apple cider vinegar directly onto age spots and leave them on overnight to lighten their color.

Hands and Feet: Are your hands and feet feeling tired and swollen after a long day? Treat yourself to a personal spa massage by rubbing apple cider vinegar onto them.

Sunburn: Suffering from a bad sunburn? Add a cup of apple cider vinegar to your bath and soak for 10 minutes.

Teeth: Did you know that apple cider vinegar can help remove stains from teeth? Rub teeth directly with apple cider vinegar and rinse out.

Aftershave: Fill a bottle with equal parts apple cider vinegar and water and shake to blend.

Detox: Add 2 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a 1 or 2 liter filtered water bottle. Drink this throughout the day to cleanse your body and kidneys all day long.

Drain Cleaner: Baking soda and apple cider vinegar is an amazing bubbly combination that has many uses. As a drain cleaner, sprinkle baking soda down the drain then add apple cider vinegar and let it bubble for 15 minutes, then rinse with hot water. This is a safer alternative to dangerous drain cleaners.

Digestion: A small amount of apple cider vinegar, taken just prior to a meal, will stimulate production of digestive juices.

Dandruff: A home remedy for dandruff is to mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar with 1/4 cup water. The vinegar solution is thought to restore the restore the pH balance of the scalp and discourage the overgrowth of malassezia furfur, the yeast-like fungus thought to trigger dandruff.

Mosquito and Insect Bites: Using as little as 1/4 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar will relieve insect bites instantly.

Stomach Aches: Mix 1 tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar with 12 ounces of warm water, and drink in the morning on empty stomach. Feel free to add a little honey or maple syrup.

Alkaline Acid Balance: Some alternative practitioners recommend using apple cider vinegar to restore alkaline acid balance. The theory behind the alkaline diet is that our blood is slightly alkaline (with a normal pH level of between 7.35 and 7.45) and that our diet should reflect this pH level. Proponents of the alkaline-acid theory believe that a diet high in acid-producing foods leads to lack of energy, excessive mucous production, infections, anxiety, irritability, headache, sore throat, nasal and sinus congestion, allergic reactions, and increased risk of conditions such as arthritis and gout.

Written By John Summerly (PreventDiseases.com)

The post Is Apple Cider Vinegar That Powerful of a Health Tonic? Science Says Yes appeared first on Grow Real Food — Organic Gardening, Homesteading & Real Food Recipes.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of one small lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 bunch spinach, stems removed
• 1/4 red onion or shallot, sliced thin
• 2 ounces blue cheese crumbles
• 1 package Driscoll’s Strawberries
• 3 slices of white bread
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, salt and pepper together. Set aside in the refrigerator while you assemble the salad.

Make the croutons: Preheat the oven to broil and line a baking sheet with foil. Slice the bread into 1 inch cubes and arrange them on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the bread with cooking spray, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Shake and turn the cubes over, repeating the process. Bake for 2-3 minutes, checking frequently to prevent them from burning.

Assemble the salad: Wash the spinach and remove the leaves from the stems. Leave the leaves whole unless they’re really big. Add the thin slices of onion, blue cheese, Driscoll Strawberries, crispy bacon pieces and croutons. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette on top.

All Done! Enjoy!

(Source)

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The study abstract concluded with:

“Conclusions: The results from this pilot study suggest that celery seed extract may have clinically relevant blood pressure–lowering effects, indicating that additional clinical research is warranted.”

Eating or juicing just four stalks of celery a day prompts a decrease in both blood pressure and cholesterol levels. In addition to this health-giving benefit, celery is also full of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, so it is a great post-workout replenishment. Celery is also 90% water so it is a very alkalizing food. During the Roman Empire, celery was fed to livestock to help de-acidify their diets. It also helped to cure the effects of feasting heavily, and was eaten the morning after a glutenous night of binging.

One of your favorite pale green vegetables, celery (Apium graveolens), is even mentioned by Homer in the Odyssey in 850 B.C. and by Chinese healers alike as a powerful healing food. Celery has also been used by Dutch healers since the eighteenth century and Chinese herbalists since the fifth century.

It is estimated that Americans spent more than 5 billion dollars on hypertension drugs in just the past five years alone. Celery is an inexpensive way to treat this disease without side effects that accompany drugs like Adderall or Celexa, Cipro, and Hydrocodone. Why would anyone want to suffer from nausea, dizziness, loss of sexual appetite, light headedness, insomnia, and other unpleasant side effects when celery provides only life sustaining nutrients and a natural hypertension solution?

Just be sure to purchase your celery organically, since it is listed as one of the dirty dozen, which is a list of fruit and veggies that contain high levels of pesticide residues when purchased conventionally.

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Garlic

Garlic is an amazing superfood that can dramatically alter your inner ecology with its antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Quite simply, it helps safely remove all those little critters that are destroying your digestive system.

In fact, Washington State University has confirmed that garlic is far more effective than pharmaceutical antibiotics in fighting a common bacteria known as campylobacter bacterium, which currently infects 2.4 million Americans per year.

Keeping your gut clear of these harmful bacteria will go a long ways to healing your digestive system.

Coconut kefir

Coconut kefir is somewhat of a lesser-known superfood, but is powerful nonetheless.

Coconut kefir is the simple process of using young coconut water and fermenting it to a state that leaves it teeming with billions of beneficial microorganisms. These friendly bacteria help balance your inner ecosystem, which in turn facilitates digestion, nutrient absorption, and toxin removal.

Bottom line, if you want to clean up your gut, repopulating it with beneficial bacteria is a requirement. Taking an ounce of kefir in the morning, at meals, and before bed is a great way to start.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut is essentially fermented cabbage, which contains a vast array of nutrients and a hardy strain of probiotics, and does an exceptional job of cleaning and ‘furnishing’ your gut with beneficial bacteria so that it can heal and work efficiently again.

Add it as a side to any meal, or get creative and incorporate it into dishes where you would normally add vegetables.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera is a highly medicinal plant, and most of the benefits seem to come from the gel.

Aloe gel contains active compounds that help temper inflammation and block bacteria from infecting various areas of our body, including our digestive tract. They are also believed to help regenerate cells for faster healing times, which is vitally important in healing your gut after significant damage has occurred.

Aloe gel has also showed promise in healing gastric ulcers. According to a study in the World Journal of Gastroenterology in April 2006, when given internally, aloe gel reduced gastric inflammation and generated ulcer healing in mice.

Sangre de drago

Sangre de Drago is a latex-like red sap that comes from the Croton species of tree in the Amazon rainforests. This medicinal sap has been used for a variety of ailments, including ulcers in the stomach and intestines.

The two main phytochemicals responsible for its healing properties are an alkaloid known as Taspine (documented as anti-inflammatory, anti-tumorous, and antiviral) and a lignan known as Dimethylcedrusine, which plays a central role in sangre de drago’s wound healing capabilities.

When smeared onto a sterile plate and allowed to dry, then doused with E. coli bacteria, it was found that the bacteria promptly died in the presence of the sangre de drago.

A clean gut can create a clean bill of health

Eighty percent of our immunity, and conversely, where 80 percent of things go wrong, starts in the gut. It is perhaps the most important factor to consider when deciding to clean up your health.

Start with these five superfoods, and continue to add to your arsenal in order to keep your gut free of damaging pathogens, and full of beneficial bacteria.

My gut says go for it.

Sources for this article include:

http://news.wsu.edu

http://ajpgi.physiology.org/content/279/1/G192.full

http://www.rain-tree.com/sangre.htm#.Ucifa-BQPTQ

The post Heal the gut with these five superfoods appeared first on Grow Real Food — Organic Gardening, Homesteading & Real Food Recipes.

Time: about 1 hr 15 mins
Suggested portion: 1 slice
Yield: 1 cake
Serves: 4

“This amazing pancake stack is filled with natural goodness. By using organic veggies, you ensure a good cocktail of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants to boost the health of the whole family. If opting for organic veggies, you do not have to peel them, since most of the nutritional value is in or right beneath the skin or peel and it is a good source of dietary fibre. By including such as variety of organic veggies in a meal, one will ensure a good supply of minerals and anti-oxidants, both important to prevent serious degenerative diseases like cancer. Onions reduce water retention and mucous build-up, reduce inflammation, aid circulation and are beneficial for the heart.” – Heidi du Preez

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