Turmeric Extract Puts Drugs For Knee Osteoarthritis to Shame

Prior to 2005, I was suffering from crippling, painful osteoarthritis. I could predict rain was coming 3 days in advance. Winters were horrendous and I could barely get out of bed or walk. I would sleep with heating pads and wrap my legs up with three or four layers of leggings to stay warm. Refusing to have surgery and take the recommended non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), I researched for natural, healthy pain relief. I found Turmeric and I am pain free today! ~Marion
 

Laboratory tests have found that turmeric is antioxidant and antimutagenic, as it potentially helps prevent new cancers that are caused by chemotherapy or radiation used to treat existing cancers. Turmeric in the diet may prevent pain from arthritis, bursitis and tendonitis. A volatile oil in the spice is as
effective in relieving pain, under laboratory conditions, as equal amounts of steroids. http://www.nutritionalwellness.com/archives/2006/nov/11_heller.php

 
 
CAUTION: The only side effects found with Turmeric is it can cause constipation, sweating and even diarrhea if too much is taken. Limit dosage to 1/2 teaspoon per day.
 
 
DOSAGE:

1/2 teaspoon in 4 oz of water. Drink.

I prefer to add 1/2 tsp. of Turmeric to hot cereal. Just add to the water before boiling and cooking. It also tastes great in soups, vegetable, egg and meat dishes. Feel free to experiment.
 
 
Here are 20 reasons to add turmeric to your diet:

1. It is a natural ANTISEPTIC and ANTIBACTERIAL agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.

2. When combined with cauliflower, it has been shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.

3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.

4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.

5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.

6. Is a natural LIVER DETOXIFIER.

7. May prevent and slow the progression of ALZHEIMERS disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.

8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of CANCER.

9. It is a potent natural ANTI-INFLAMMATORY that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.

10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS in mice.

11. Is a natural PAINKILLER and cox-2 inhibitor.

12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in WEIGHT MANAGEMENT.

13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for DEPRESSION.

14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for ARTHRITIS and RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS.

15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug Paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.

16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on PANCREATIC CANCER.

17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on MULTIPLE MYELOMA.

18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in TUMORS.

19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.

20. May help in the treatment of PSORIASIS and other INFLAMMATORY SKIN CONDITIONS.

http://www.acne.org/messageboard/turmeric-magic-healing-t221077.html
 
 
Where to buy Turmeric?

Buy Turmeric from a health food store or Indian store (India). Because I use it daily, I buy it in bulk from here: http://amzn.to/HStxFR

Maybe you have a relative or friend who suffers from inflammation due to arthritis or other joint conditions. Do them a favor and get them started on Turmeric. They will be so grateful.
 
 
Natural Cancer-Fighting Spice Reduces Tumors by 81%
http://wakeup-world.com/2011/10/18/natural-cancer-fighting-spice-reduces-tumors-by-81/
 
 

 
 
Disclaimer: As with any alternative treatments, work with your doctor. Know that alternative remedies may not work if the person’s condition is too far gone.
 
 

Stevia…sugar substitute

By Christine Frazier, No Meat Athlete
 
 

Is Stevia Safe?

After a not-so-great first experience with stevia and pumpkin, I vowed to do some more research on stevia to get it right! I didn’t just find out about cooking with stevia, I also learned about the crazy controversies surrounding the sweetener.

The sweet leaves of the stevia plant are originally from South America, and have been sweetening Yerba Mate in Paraguay for centuries. Japan has been using stevia as a sweetener since the 70′s and now it makes up 40% of all sweeteners used. So how come it’s 2009 and stevia is just showing up at my grocery store?

Stevia had quite the journey coming here: there were a handful of very dated and poorly executed studies on stevia that showed dangerous results, which scared the FDA and fueled sugar lobbyists. Two of these old studies found stevia to be a contraceptive. The data methods have been seriously questioned and the results have never been able to be reproduced (ha!) since. One study from 1985 made it seem that very high doses of stevia were mutagenic in rats. It has been shown now that the data was handled incorrectly- even water would appear mutagenic — but in 1991 the FDA decided that stevia was an unsafe food additive.

There was a lot of fuss about the FDA’s ruling because it was made on the idea that stevia hadn’t been proven safe. This contradicts the FDA policy to rule unfavorably only if a food has been proven unsafe. The ruling also conflicted with trade laws, and in 1995 the decision was reversed and stevia was allowed as a “dietary supplement” but not a “food additive.”

What does this distinction mean? It says that stevia is safe to include into a food because of its health benefits, but cannot officially be listed as a “sweetener.” Silly, right?

In 2006 the World Health Organization declared that stevia is safe. Just last year in 2008 the FDA finally decided that Rebiana, one extracted part of stevia, is generally regarded as safe. For some reason, they haven’t ok’d the entire leaf yet. Rebiana is the main ingredient in Truvia, owned by Coca-Cola, and PureVia, owned by Pepsi. My impression is that when the two big sweetener-guzzling companies got interested in stevia, their influence overpowered the aspartame and sugar lobbyists’ impact on the FDA.

So now that stevia is here, what good is it? Well for starters, our bodies don’t metabolize the glycosides, so we can enjoy the sweetness calorie-free. I feel much better about eating a natural no-calorie sweetener than a synthetic one. Stevia also doesn’t effect glucose levels, which makes it safe for diabetics. It doesn’t cause cavities in teeth, either.

As for baking, stevia is heat stable so it won’t break down like synthetic sweeteners under high heat, and it also can handle being frozen. Because of this, it doesn’t caramelize so it is unsuitable for, well, making caramel, and also things like meringue where you would need the sugar to brown. Stevia can’t ferment either- sometimes in bread recipes you’ll see sugar being used to feed the yeast. With stevia the bread will not rise as much.
 
 

Stevia as a substitute

When substituting with stevia, it’s important to compensate not just for sweetness but also for bulk. You only need to use about 1/2 a teaspoon of stevia extract for 1 cup of sugar, so you need to make up for that loss. But remember that sugar melts in the oven, so for every cup of sugar you take out, you only need 1/3 to 1/2 a cup of filler. Refer back to my post on healthier baking to find some great replacements; pumpkin, mashed bananas and applesauce all work well.

Stevia extracts aren’t standardized yet, so the strength of different brands will differ. Start with a very small amount like an 1/8 teaspoon and taste as you go. Stevia can very quickly have a bitter aftertaste. Try adding a tablespoon of maple syrup to “warm up” the taste.

Vegan Orange-Currant Brunch Cake

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My thoughts…

Not all stevia brands are created equal. I’ve tried many of them and have been very disappointed with the bitter aftertaste left by these brands. I fell in love with KAL brand in the image above. It tastes sweet, with no aftertaste.

Coca-Cola and Pepsi are two of the major food corporations I avoid buying from because of their harm to the land and people here and in other countries. As a responsible consumer, I do my best to buy from corporations and businesses that do no harm, or as little as possible.

That said, the reason to avoid artificial sweeteners that contain aspartame has proven to be carcinogenic and induce disease. It is well documented on the web, and I encourage you to read up on it if you’re unsure. The same with refined, white sugar. Avoid it like the plague.

There are other sugar substitutes for your baking, cooking and drinks. You can read about them here. ~ Marion ♥

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