Top two foods that will boost your immune system

Image: remedytip.com

Pterostilbene, an antioxidant produced by plants has been shown to exhibit exceptional properties in fighting
infections, cancer, hypertriglycerides, as well as the ability to reverse cognitive decline. It is believed that the compound also has anti-diabetic properties. In an analysis of 446 compounds for their the ability to boost the innate immune system in humans, researchers in the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University discovered just two that stood out from the crowd. Red grapes and blueberries both have an exceptional ability to significantly impact immune function. In fact, pterostilbene works as well as some commercial drugs.

Both of these compounds, which are called stilbenoids, worked in synergy with vitamin D and had a significant impact in raising the expression of the human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide, or CAMP gene, that is involved in immune function.

The research was published [September 14th 2013] in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, in studies supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Almost a decade ago, researchers discovered that pterostilbene helps regulate blood sugar and might help fight type-2 diabetes. The finding adds to a growing list of reasons to eat colorful fruit, especially blueberries, which are rich in compounds known as antioxidants. These molecules battle cell and DNA damage involved in cancer, heart disease, diabetes and perhaps also brain degeneration.

Pterostilbene works as well as the commercial drug ciprofibrate to lower the levels of fats (lipids) and triglycerides — but they worked even more accurately. They are so specific that side-effects are non-existent.

“Out of a study of hundreds of compounds, just these two popped right out,” said Adrian Gombart, an LPI principal investigator and associate professor in the OSU College of Science. “Their synergy with vitamin D to increase CAMP gene expression was significant and intriguing. It’s a pretty interesting interaction.”

Resveratrol has been the subject of dozens of studies for a range of possible benefits for muscle strength, anti-inflammatories, metabolism, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer. This research is the first to show a clear synergy with vitamin D that increased CAMP expression by several times, scientists said.

Image: preventdisease.com

The CAMP gene itself is also the subject of much study, as it has been shown to play a key role in the “innate” immune system, or the body’s first line of defense and ability to combat bacterial infection. The innate immune response is especially important as many antibiotics increasingly lose their effectiveness.

Grapes don’t have to be fermented to contain this antioxidant. It’s actually found in the skin of red grapes along with other nutrients, such as minerals manganese and potassium and vitamins K, C and B1.

A strong link has been established between adequate vitamin D levels and the function of the CAMP gene, and the new research suggests that certain other compounds may play a role as well.

Subsequent work indicates that this regulation is biologically important for the response of the innate immune system to wounds and infection and that deficiency may lead to suboptimal responses toward bacterial and viral infections. The regulation of the CAMP gene is a human/primate-specific adaptation and is not conserved in other mammals. The capacity of the vitamin D receptor to act as a high-affinity receptor for vitamin D and a low-affinity receptor for secondary bile acids and potentially other novel nutritional compounds suggests that the evolutionary selection to place the cathelicidin gene under control of the vitamin D receptor allows for its regulation.

Stilbenoids are compounds produced by plants to fight infections, and in human biology appear to affect some of the signaling pathways that allow vitamin D to do its job, researchers said. It appears that combining these compounds with vitamin D has considerably more biological impact than any of them would separately.

Continued research could lead to a better understanding of how diet and nutrition affect immune function, and possibly lead to the development of therapeutically useful natural compounds that could boost the innate immune response, the researchers said in their report.

Despite the interest in compounds such as resveratrol and pterostilbene, their bioavailability remains a question, the researchers said. Some applications that may evolve could be with topical use to improve barrier defense in wounds or infections, they said.

The regulation of the CAMP gene by vitamin D was discovered by Gombart, and researchers are still learning more about how it and other compounds affect immune function. The unique biological pathways involved are found in only two groups of animals — humans and non-human primates.

Considering that most people have insufficient levels of vitamin D and that nearly 1 billion people worldwide are deficient, properly designed supplementation studies in humans will be important for determining the benefits from the interaction of the CAMP gene and serum levels of vitamin D on immune system function.

Dr. Marianna Pochelli is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine specializing in the treatment of disease through superfoods and herbal strategies. She actively promotes detoxification, colon cleansing, and a vegetarian lifestyle using living foods as a platform to health.
Source: Prevent Disease

Sources: RealFarmacy.com & preventdisease.com

12 things you didn't know about the labels on your food

Image: www.maximizedliving.com

Are you confused about food label claims and what they really mean? That’s part of the strategy of the global food giants, of course: confuse you with so much noise that you give up trying to make sense of it all.
That’s why I wrote this article: to demystify food label claims and give you the low-down on what they really mean. Most of these points will probably surprise you…

#1) “Kosher” does not mean non-GMO
Genetically engineered ingredients are openly allowed in Kosher-certified foods. The Kosher certification does not involve testing for GMOs, and Kosher certifications are routinely found on foods containing GMOs.

#2) “Organic” does not mean low in heavy metals
The USDA certified organic certification process does not test for heavy metals. Foods that are very high in lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury and even aluminum are openly allowed to be labeled USDA certified organic.

#3) “Non-GMO” does not mean organic
Just because a food is certified non-GMO doesn’t mean it is organic. Even conventionally-raised crops such as corn, soy and canola can be certified non-GMO if they are grown without genetically engineered seeds.
There are several snack chips on the market right now which use non-GMO ingredients grown with chemical pesticides.

#4) “All Natural” doesn’t mean anything at all
The phrase “All Natural” is not regulated in any way by the FDA. Any foods, including foods made with artificial colors, chemical sweeteners, chemical preservatives and GMOs, can be labeled “all natural.”
“All natural” is the trick used by large food corporations to try to mislead consumers into thinking their junk food products are somehow organic.

#5) “Trans-Fat Free” does not mean free from trans fats
The FDA currently allows foods containing up to 0.5g of trans fats per serving to claim ZERO grams of trans fats per serving.

The FDA, you see, has been completely hijacked by food and drug corporations, and they have convinced the FDA to allow food labels to blatantly lie to consumers about what the food really contains. Everywhere else in the world, 0.5 does not equal zero. Even in high school math class, it’s rounded up to one. But at the FDA, 0.5 somehow means zero.

#6) “Non-GMO” does not mean certified non-GMO
There are many foods, superfoods and even nutritional products currently claiming to be “non-GMO” but failing to provide any certification of that status. A company that self-proclaims its products to be “non-GMO” is most likely trying to pull a fast one on you unless it can back up that claim with certification.
Only certified non-GMO means something. The next time you see a label that claims “non-GMO,” ask yourself, “Certified by whom?” “Where’s the proof?”

#7) “Gluten-free” foods are often GMO
Beware of GMOs in gluten-free foods. Because gluten-free foods are often based on corn, they are usually made with genetically modified corn containing BT toxin, a deadly insecticide.
Avoid gluten-free unless it’s also certified non-GMO.

#8) “Organic” foods can still contain a small amount of GMO
GMOs are so widespread that they have now contaminated virtually the entire food supply. Foods that are certified organic can still contain trace levels of GMOs.

How much are they allowed to contain? “there aren’t specific tolerance levels in the USDA organic regulations for GMOs,” says the USDA. “National Organic Program policy states that trace amounts of GMOs don’t automatically mean the farm is in violation of the USDA organic regulations. In these cases, the certifying agent will investigate how the inadvertent presence occurred and recommend how it can be better prevented in the future. For example, they may require a larger buffer zone or more thorough cleaning of a shared grain mill.”

Even though certified organic foods can still contain trace levels of GMOs, they are still far healthier for you than conventionally-grown foods, by the way.

#9) “Organic” foods are now being routinely grown in heavily polluted countries such as China
An increasing percentage of “organic” foods, superfoods and raw materials used in nutritional supplements are being imported from China. Natural News has found that these raw materials are consistently higher in heavy metals than competing products grown in North America.

But because they are significantly lower in case, they are being increasingly used in nutritional products or sold at health food stores after being labeled “organic.”

Organic certification standards openly allow organic farms in China to grow produce in fields that are heavily polluted with cadmium, lead and mercury. There is no limit on the heavy metals levels in soils used to produce USDA certified organic foods.

#10) The FDA currently has no limit on the amount of heavy metals allowed in foods, either
The FDA does, from time to time, conduct food contaminant tests on imported foods. However, the FDA does not publish or set any official limits on heavy metals in imported foods.

Usually, when the FDA does find metals in foods (such as arsenic in rice), it declares the contaminant “too low to cause short-term health risks” while blatantly ignoring the long-term health risks.

As long as the food is dead and not carrying e.coli or salmonella, there is almost no food too polluted for the FDA.

#11) The use of “organic” ingredients does not automatically make the whole product organic
Some products sold today are being described as “organic” when only a fraction of their ingredients are organic. This does not qualify a product to be called organic.

Unlike the phrase, “all natural,” the term “organic” is highly regulated by the federal government and carries a specific meaning. The mere presence of organic ingredients in a product is not sufficient to be able to claim the entire product is organic.

Interestingly, even if ALL the ingredients used in a product are certified organic, the product itself still needs to be separately certified to be accurately called “organic.”

By the way, sometimes the cleanest product in a particular category is not the one that’s certified organic, as we discovered in our heavy metals tests of chlorella superfoods.

#12) “Low calorie” almost always means it is sweetened with a chemical sweetener
Look on the ingredients labels of “low calorie” foods or beverages, and you’ll almost always find sucralose, acesulfame potassium, saccharin, aspartame or other chemical sweeteners. The presence of such chemical sweeteners is almost ubiquitous on foods sporting the “low calorie” label.

And yet “low calorie” does not mean it’s healthier for you in any way whatsoever. In fact, low-calorie foods such as diet sodas can still contain extremely damaging ingredients such as phosphoric acid, a potent chemical that can eat away your teeth and bones.

What is the ultimate food, then?The ultimate commercially-available food would be certified organic, certified non-GMO, grown in your local country, certified Kosher and lab tested to be very low in heavy metals

But if you just grow it in your own garden, you don’t need all those labels and certifications in the first place. You’ve got real food right from your own yard.

That’s why I encourage everyone to grow what you eat and eat what you grow. The answer to pollutants, GMOs, pesticides and heavy metals in foods is found when you get on your knees and put some seeds in the ground.

Everything else in the marketplace — including quadruple-certified premium food — is vastly inferior to food you grow yourself.

How do you know you can trust me on this point? Because I sell superfoods and I’m still telling you to grow your own instead. In my vision of a perfect world, the Natural News Store wouldn’t even exist because everybody would be growing their own foods and superfoods in their own yards or greenhouses.

Source: Natural News

A Documentary About Waste: "Fresh in the garbage"

Documentary - German title "Frisch auf den Müll" Die globale Lebensmittelverschwendung - 
"Fresh in the garbage" The global food waste - a film by Valentin Thurn. (Taste the waste)

First broadcast on German TV: ARD 20th October 2010 - I don't own this video. 



The international version is titled "Taste the Waste" (55 minutes) 

More than half of our food ends up in the garbage! Most already on the way from the farm to the store before it even reaches our dinner table: every second lettuce, every second potato and every fifth bread. 
Some countries produce abundance and throw it away, others can not afford the prices on the world market and the people suffer from hunger. 

Young activists protest against this situation by rescuing the wasted food. People eating rubbish - a habit that sounds disgusting until you see the loads of perfectly edible food in the bins of your supermarket or sandwich shop around the corner. They often receive help from the employees of the shops because, just as most people do, they feel bad about dumping food. There appears to be something instinctive in human beings that tells us so. 
Read also:
http://www2.tastethewaste.com/article...

The film will also be shown in the Netherlands (Nederland 2), Sweden (SVT), Ireland (TG4) Spain (TV3), Lithuania (LVT), Finland (YLE), Switzerland (TSR), Norway (NRK), Cyprus (CyBC), Greece (ERT), South Korea (CREO) and in other countries. 
Check your TV Program or the TV broadcast on the Internet.

Here is the full version -- mainly in french, but also english and german.

Boost your immune system for the flu season with this raspberry orange smoothie

Raspberry Orange Immunity Smoothie

Image: farm8.staticflickr.com

Want to boost your immune system for the up-coming flu season? Show the flu who's boss and strengthen your immunity with this antioxidant loaded raspberry orange smoothie! Raspberries are packed with 10 times the antioxidants found in tomatoes and broccoli - in fact, these little berries contain some antioxidants that are found almost nowhere else.

Both raspberries and orange contain vitamin C (which is crucial for developing a strong and healthy immune system) - however, raspberries contain an antioxidant called ellagitanins, which is found nowhere else except in small amounts in strawberries (as well as in some Chinese herbs). These antioxidants not only strengthen our immune system, but they scavenge cancer-causing chemicals, rendering them inactive and thus unable to mutate our DNA.

Many studies have shown the positive effects of ellagitanins (Ellagic acid) in raspberries such as:

- Making cervical cancer cells undergo apoptosis (cell death)
- Inhibiting mitosis in cancer cells (cancer cell division) by arresting the G1 cycle
- Preventing the P53 gene destruction by cancer cells
- Similar results above for cancers of the breast, pancreas, esophagus, skin, colon and prostate. Positive responses also observed in periodontal disease, radiation induced chromosomal damage, slowing the degenerative process of aging and healing neurodegenerative diseases

Ingredients:
- 1-2 cups organic raspberries
- 6 oranges, juiced
- 1 cup coconut water
- 1 tsp. raw ginger, squeezed in garlic press or shredded (cut up finely)

Put in a high-speed blender such as the vitamix and pulse-blend for 30 seconds until smooth & creamy. Enjoy!

Source: rawedibles