There are the factors that raise the cholesterol level.  These are smoking, caffeine, stress, pills, refined sugar, food additives, environmental pollutants and high-fat diets .So we have to eat wisely.  You may take light-meat turkey has only 67 mg of cholesterol; dark-meat, 75 mg; and chopped turkey liver (used as gravy), 830 mg.

Some ask if  wheat grass a fad?  Wheat grass is popular because it’s the easiest way to correct internal imbalance.  A part of the cereal grass family like barley, oats and rye, it has high alkaline. Loaded with protein (more than chicken), Vitamin A (higher than spinach), calcium (more than broccoli), among others, it contains 17 amino acids, 13 vitamins and 10 minerals. Its chlorophyll, which I have dubbed “green blood,” immediately gives your own blood a natural “chelation” effect by drawing out heavy metals (which can cause cancer).  Call Easy Phamax for information. The powdered tea variety is compact and practical. Tel. 890-1111.

Some said that their body resistant is very weak that’s why they always catch colds.  Here is a good remedy.  Take two glasses of lukewarm water before breakfast (after brushing your teeth). Remember to “swish” in your mouth two teaspoons of fresh virgin coconut/olive/sesame oil. This will draw out all the bacteria from your mouth.

After 10 minutes, spit it out. Drink two tablespoons of virgin coconut oil. Take one cup of wheat grass juice.  Take two tablespoons of fresh Kefir (super probiotic yoghurt-type drink).  Take three tablespoons of ACAI berry concentrate.  Have a fresh plate of fruits and old-fashioned oatmeal without sugar.  Take five servings of salad/vegetables. Have fish/chicken once a day (preferably organic). Eat red/brown rice.  Exercise three times a week.

You can  take some supplements like one multivitamin/mineral supplement.- 1,000 mg Vitamin C (two times daily)- 500 mg of super mushrooms Multi 5- One ampalaya capsule daily- One moringa capsule daily Drink 10-12 glasses of water.  Call World of Wellness, tel. 332-3864.

How about  those who have a stress?  Most of us all do have a stress .  There  is the best anti-stress regimen.  You should  learn to relax. Give yourself quiet time. Balance work with pleasure and load up on extra B complex on highly stressful days. Pray and meditate. And learn how to laugh.  – Cory Quirino

Vitex Megundo Linn

LAGUNDI (Vitex Megundo Linn) is an herbal medicine recommended by the Philippine Council of Health Research and Development (PCHRD), DOST. Lagundi may be used I it’s entirely for therapeutically purpose. The leaves and seeds are found to heal wounds and clean ulcers. The leaves alone are used to relieve the pressure of excessive gas in the digestive tract. In cases of fever, the leaves can be applied on forehead. Lagundi leaves are effective insecticides. They can also remedy inflammations and rheumatic swelling of joints and testes due to gonorrhea.

The roots, seeds, and leaves are potent against snake bites. The roots are regarded as tonic, fever reducing, and expectorant. The powdered roots are prescribed against hemorrhage, dysentery, indigestion, constipation, rheumatism, boils, and leprosy. The flowers are used for treating cholera and serve as a tonic for the heart. The fruit is good for cataract and watery eyes while dried fruits are purgative. The oil extracted from the plants relieves sinuses, sores, tubercular swelling of the neck and is a remedy for beri-beri.

The medicinal value of lagundi is sure to benefit everyone, considering the high prices of medicines these days. – S & T Media Service

Photo courtesy:  lagundi

The researchers found that the compound inhibited COX-1 and COX-2 activity in the same way as ibuprofen.  But eh lab tests showed that 50g of extra-virgin olive oil would only provide 10per cent of the pain-relieving effects of a recommended dose of 400mg ibuprofen for adult pain relief.

Mr. Beauchamp told that people would need to drink up to one liter of oil to get the same pain-relieving effects as a dose of ibuprofen.  He added that the findings could explain the apparent health benefits of a Mediterranean diet, which contains extra virgin olive oil, such as reduced cancer and heart disease risk.  He is not in the position to recommend diets to people.  What they are suggesting was that this might explain what people say is beneficial in particular olive oil.

He advises that nobody should increase their fat intake by drinking olive oil.  Many would argue that this is another reason to substitute extra virgin olive oil for other sorts of fats.

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The story came from a US study which found that a compound in the oil called oleocanthal has the same anti-inflammatory properties as ibuprofen and aspirin.  Many of the stories started that olive oil, when consumed regularly, could protect against cancer and heart disease.  Yet they went n to report that there is not enough oleocanthal in the oil to use it as a replacement for painkillers.

The study was conducted at the Monell Chemical Senses Centre in Philadelphia.  Gary Beauchamp, lead researcher and centre director became interested in the properties of olive oil after realizing that drinking extra virgin olive oil causes an irritation at the back of the throat similar to that caused when drinking ibuprofen syrups.  He hypothesized that it was the effect of the oleocanthal in the oil that caused the irritation and decided to test the theory.

There are several stages made to experiment.  The volunteers asked to rate the irritating effects of oils containing different levels of the compound.  People rated the oils as more irritating when the level of olecanthal was higher.  In the second stage, oleocanthal was higher.  In the second stage, oleocanthal was extracted from olive oil and put into corn oil at different concentrations.  Again the volunteers rated the higher concentrations as more irritating.

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Specific odors that represent food are capable of altering an animal’s lifespan and physiological profile by activating a small number of highly specialized sensory neurons.

Nematode worms and fruit flies that were robbed of their ability to smell or taste, for example, lived substantially longer. The specific odors and sensory receptors that control this effect on ageing were unknown.

Using molecular genetics in combination with behavioral and environmental manipulations, as was identified carbon dioxide (CO2) as the first well-defined odorant capable of altering physiology and affecting ageing.  It was said the flies incapable of smelling CO2 live longer than flies with normal olfactory capabilities. They are also resistant to stress and have increased body fat.

Too many insects, including fruit flies, CO2 represent an ecologically important odor cue that indicates the presence of food or neighbors in distress.

Researchers showed that merely sensing one’s normal food source is capable of reversing the health and longevity benefits that are associated with a low calorie diet.   It was said that these 50 or so neurons, whose primary job is to sense CO2, are capable of instigating changes that accelerate ageing throughout the organism.

Sensory perception has been shown to impact ageing in species that are separated by millions of years of evolution, suggesting that similar effects may be seen in humans.   They said, it may not be the smell of yeast, for example, or the sensing of CO2 that affects how long we live, but it may be the perception of food or danger. – The Times of India

These findings were published in the open-access PLoS Biology .

Iron-deficiency anemia, for example, arises when the body cannot manufacture enough hemoglobin.  This contains iron and is crucial in the production oxygen.  The lack of vitamin B12 in the diet may also caused anemia called pernicious anemia.  A plastic anemia is another type of disorder which may develop from repeated exposure to X-rays, radioactive substances, microwaves, and other high-energy emissions.

Whatever the cause, anemia makes the body function poorly because it prevents the body from getting enough oxygen from the blood.

Here’s the thing.  as far as the American Cancer Society and the American Institute for Cancer Research are concerned, there is no scientific evidence linking cancer and the consumption of cold water after a meal.  And if we are to review our stock knowledge on the digestive system, we will realize that the claim is nothing more than a hoax.  Remember that soon after eating, the stomach’s natural heat brings all contents of the stomach to a uniform temperature.  Thus, even if we drink ice-cold water, it would not stay cold long enough to actually “solidify the only stuff.”

Perhaps, one good rule to follow is to not believe health advice from anonymous forwarded e-mails.  And remember that joking about something a serious as cancer is just wrong on so many levels.  If you are serious about reducing your risk of cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends healthy food choices and incorporating physical activities in your lifestyle.

Sources

► Cold Water Causes Cancer Warning Message.  www.hoax-slayer.com/cold-water-cancer.html

► Drinking cold Water After a Meal Causes Cancer? http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_drinking_cold_water.htm

► http://my.apexfitness.com/cgi-bin/myapex.cgi/vip/content/q_a_detail.html?story=213

It’s an old Filipino belief that a pregnant woman’s craving for a certain food will influence  the physical attributes of her  unborn baby.  This is called paglilihi.  This even extends to the belief that repugnant objects (such as limbless doll), even animals and their replicas (toads and monsters) should not be found lying about so as not to be the pregnant woman’s object of paglilihi.

Medical science has long been able to dispel the myths surrounding paglilihi.  The first trimester (the first 14 weeks of pregnancy) is considered to be the most difficult periods for pregnant women.  It is in this stage that the expectant mother experiences hormonal changes that affect her bodily functions.  Because of these changes, clinical psychologists believe that pregnancy can render women more emotional.  Symptoms can range from hypersensitivity of taste and smell, nausea, morning sickness, mood swings, and yes craving for a particular food.

Genetics tells us that we inherit the physical attributes form our parents’ or grandparents’ set of genes and not from the food that had been the object of our mom’s craving.  It is absurd to say then that you have a dark complexion, because your mom avidly ate duhat (black plum) during the time that she was pregnant with you.

How about those born with congenital abnormalities or physical deformities, such as webbed feet, scaly skin, or pincers for a hand?

These are actually results of what is called genetic aberration (mutation) due to various external factors, such as exposure to X-ray, ultraviolet radiation, or chemicals that alter the genetic materials.

Source:

► Mella, Alfie, ‘Paglilihi’; A Philippine Cultural Myth.  www.isnare.com/?id=&ea=Culture Pregnant Desires:  Is There Medical Basis for a Woman’s Cravings during Pregnancy? www.medobserver.com/jun2002/printable/pregnant.html

► Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetics