Are you or someone you know suffers from the painful acid reflux,

heartburn or GERD?

If the answer is Yes, then you must read on. Find out how Joe Barton and his father’s amazing discovery of simple home remedies that cure acid reflux without expensive prescribed drugs.

View his video that reveals the simple remedy that cured his dad’s acid reflux and probably saved his dad’s life. (The remedy is so simple that you can probably get it in your kitchen right now.)

This natural cure video has been BANNED by Google

Click to watch video on Acid Reflux Remedy and why the video was taken out

Acid reflux can lead to much more serious medical problems such as pneumonia and asthma (as the acid moves into your lungs), ulcers, nutritional deficiencies (from the poor digestion) and even cancer.

So don’t put off doing something about your acid reflux because you won’t just get relief from the pain and discomfort.

In this video you’ll also discover the drugs people take for acid reflux can actually worsen the conditions by disguising the symptoms and neutralizing the acid you need to digest your food.

Learn how to fix the real cause of your acid reflux with safe, inexpensive natural home remedies with ingredients you can easily buy from your grocery stores.

This informative video may be the most useful you have watch for a long while.

Basics of Psoriasis

In order to fully deal with the symptoms of psoriasis requires the need to understand what psoriasis is and how it affects your skin. No one really knows what causes psoriasis, but it is most closely related to a genetic link.

To understand psoriasis it’s important to figure out how normal skin works. During the course of a month, the skin cells go through their lifestyle process. The skin has two layers, the top and bottom layers. The newest layers of the skin form on the bottom layer and slowly make their way to the top. The top layer stays alive for those 28-30 days, before dying and falling away. The process isn’t noticeable at all and we all use thousands of skin cells each day during showers or towel drying afterwards.

When someone suffers with psoriasis, their skin process moves much faster. Often the cycle happens in only 3-4 days. The new cells develop much more quickly and force themselves through the top layer of skin. These new cells cause a bit of a buildup of dead skin on the surface. The good news is that the skins cells seem to affect only a small patch of skin at a time. The most common areas this happens in are the scalp, elbows, knees, or knuckles, but it can show up anywhere really. These areas of patchy, scaly, red skin are more commonly known as plaques.

Psoriasis remains a mystery as far as the main causes are concerned. Research has shown about 30% of all causes is based on family history. However, there are a few lifestyle choices that may be a factor as well. Excessive drinking, being overweight, too much stress, anxiety, sunburn, and even some medications can bring about psoriasis or make the symptoms a bit late.

Psoriasis may look a bit disconcerting, but it is not contagious and if you don’t have it you won’t get it. The symptoms affect each person differently; while one person may have small areas of patchy skin, others will have patches all over the body. In any case, psoriasis has no cure but learning to know if you have it or not is the first step in finding ways to prevent breakouts.

Types of Psoriasis

If you have ever dealt with psoriasis you know the feeling of struggling with red, itchy, scaly skin. Do you know what type of psoriasis you have? Were you even aware there were more than just one type? There are, in fact, three main types of psoriasis and although the basic symptoms are the same, they are all a little bit different.

All forms of psoriasis affect the skin. They can cause a few different problems and if you are lucky they will only cause one problem at a time. Psoriasis is famous for the redness of skin and the shedding. There are two layers of skin, the top and bottom. The top layer is the old skin, it lasts for a few weeks and then begins to shed off on its own. The bottom layer is the new skin growth that takes over for the shedding skin. Shedding skin is a normal procedure, but it happens over time so that we don’t notice. In psoriasis, we notice because the bottom lay tries to move up to the top before the top is ready to shed. This leaves cracks in the skin and gives it that red look. On top of that, the skin may start to become inflamed. If you scratch at the skin while it is flaky, red, and peeling, you could get weeping lesions and scaling on the affected area.

Those are the main symptoms for the basic three types of psoriasis: Guttate, Plaque, and Seborrheic. Plaque Psoriasis is the most common type of the disease. Each person is different, but for the most part it appears as patchy, thick flaky skin that causes itching and inflammation. If the skin is damaged skin gets injured in some other way, it is easily infected.

Guttate Psoriasis mainly affects children and young adults. It often follows after a bout of strep throat or other infections and causes red bumps on the skin. This form is often misdiagnosed as an allergic reaction rash or a fever rash. The good news is that it clears up with antibiotics, the kind taken for the strep, and it almost never comes back again.

Seborrheic Psoriasis is often mistaken for a serious cause of dandruff because it affects the scalp, ears, hairline, and forehead. Some medicated shampoos work to eliminate the flaking, but it can still be problematic.

I came across this article recently and was startled by the information and claims about cancer, and the cures available. This was written by a man whose beloved wife died of cancer and then embarked on a full-time research project to find a better way to treat cancer. So he set out to find alternative choices for anyone who has cancer. In his book Cancer-Free he reveals exceptional treatments that are quietly saving patients with cancers of all kinds and at all stages, even advanced and “terminal” cases!

Even if you are not suffering from cancer, you must read his book and share it with friends and colleagues or someone you know who has cancer. This may save their lives. Read on and see what this man, Bill Henderson, has to say about cancer…

Dear Friends,

I remember November 1, 1994, as if it were yesterday. That’s the day my wife, Marge, died from the poisonous effects of chemotherapy.

Let me tell you something: it wasn’t cancer that killed my wife. It was the cancer treatment. The chemo destroyed her immune system, made her feel miserable, and broke down her will to live. She said the chemo made her feel “like hell.” It sickened her so much that she wanted to die.

The doctors were hell-bent on killing my wife’s cancer, and they met their goal — but their drugs also killed the patient.

I’m writing you this letter because I don’t want you or your loved ones to go through the nightmare my wife went through. I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.

How I discovered a gentle way to beat cancer

If I’d known then what I know now, my wife would probably still be alive today. Believe it or not, I found an incredibly powerful yet gentle way to beat cancer — a way that makes the patient feel good and healthy. In fact, you can cure almost any cancer at home — even “terminal” cancers — for pennies on the dollar compared to the $10,000-a-month chemo drugs.

And without any miserable side effects.

You see, after Marge’s death, I embarked on a full-time research project to find a better way to treat cancer. And in my research I found a suppressed cure — a miracle that literally “melts” cancer away.

But don’t expect to hear about this cure from your doctor. He probably doesn’t know about it, because the drug-oriented medical establishment has suppressed it. Why? Because big profits are at stake.

As the late physician, author, and diet guru Dr. Robert Atkins, M.D., once said:

“There is not one, but many cures for cancer available. But they are all being systematically suppressed by the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute, and the major oncology centres. They have too much of an interest in the status quo.”

But even if your doctor knew about the natural cure for cancer, he could get into big trouble with his medical board for recommending a cancer treatment other than chemotherapy.

That’s right. Your doctor isn’t free to tell you the truth about your cancer treatment options, because health freedom in America is disappearing.

But I’m free to tell you the truth about cancer treatment options because I’m not a doctor. I can speak freely.

Let me briefly introduce myself to you. I’m Bill Henderson, a retired Air Force colonel and a retired business owner.

I write books about how to beat cancer gently and naturally, and I host a radio program on the same subject. What’s more, I’ve spoken with more than 3,000 cancer patients from all over the world over the last several years. In a typical day, six or seven cancer patients call me to ask about their treatment options.

I tell these patients that if I ever had cancer, I’d cure it at home myself instead of using chemo and radiation. Why? Because I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t work.

When you read Bill’s special report Cancer-Free, turn to page 103 and you’ll see for yourself. Among many true stories, he tells about Maria W., who had a cancerous tumor  that caused a swelling under her eye. The doctors explained to her that the tumor was much bigger inside and had invaded the bone.

Her doctors wanted to remove considerable facial tissue and bone. She was a young woman and couldn’t bear the thought of being disfigured for life.

“After four months on this regimen,” she writes, “the swelling under my left eye completely disappeared. The doctors at the university hospital gave me many exhaustive tests. One told me, ‘If I didn’t have your previous x-rays and medical history in front of me, I wouldn’t believe that you ever had cancer.’ ”

Bill Henderson stresses that “there is no single cure for all cancers.” He says there’s no magic bullet, and he’s absolutely right.

But it’s a fact – not an opinion, but a FACT – that thousands of people over the last 50 years have followed this diet and report cancer recoveries that sound like miracles. Bill lists four books you can read to learn more about the diet.

You’ll discover a total of 15 completely safe at-home treatments

Because the right foods are such potent cancer-fighters, Bill Henderson is able to list no fewer than 15 treatments that you can safely do on your own, including:

• The natural treatment that cured Bob Davis of “terminal” cancer. Wracked with tumors the size of “soft balls” in his abdomen and chest, Bob started this nutritional therapy that’s rich in tumor shrinking enzymes. Amazingly, his next CT scan showed the cancer was gone — and that was over ten years ago! (page 111)

• A Chinese medicinal herb that kills thousands of breast cancer cells in as little as 16 hours! (Pretty amazing when you consider it takes over 52 hours for a cancer-weakened immune system to kill a single cancer cell). Tests show the Chinese herb works even better against leukemia — killing those cells in 8 hours! Over thirty years of research in the West shows it’s safe. You can get it for less than $17 a bottle! (page 162)

• How to stop cancer metastasis with a surprisingly simple combination of one vitamin, two amino acids and a plant extract! This amazing formula blocks cancer cells from moving into connective tissue — cancer‘s way of spreading and claiming 90% of its victims! (page

Best of all, 13 of these 15 do-it-yourself treatments are healthy habits for all of us, cancer patients or not. We can use them to help PREVENT cancer.

These are foods and supplements you and I can start today

In fact, he walks you through a whole series of nutritional supplements and alternative therapies that can increase the effectiveness of chemo and radiation while reducing their side effects like fatigue, nausea and pain!

This secret multiplies the power of chemo 10,000 times – and your doctor’s never heard of it!

On page 68 of Bill’s book, he talks about a simple therapy that makes chemotherapy drugs 10,000 times as effective. That means a patient needs very little of the toxic chemo drug to do the job. Just by adding the treatment Bill Henderson reveals, you hang a bull’s eye on each and every cancer cell so the chemotherapy agent goes straight to it and kills it.

A goldmine of information on alternative cancer treatments

Wouldn’t you like to know…

• The four essentials for a successful fight against cancer
• The “most accurate cancer test in the world” according to Bill.
• Are there scams in alternative health? Of course. Here’s how to spot them — including two therapies you should definitely avoid
• Bill Henderson’s final answer to prostate problems.  Within two weeks, all his own prostate symptoms went away, and stayed away for good.

And more. Much, much more.

I hope you can see why Bill Henderson’s newly revised 3rd Edition of Cancer-Free is a must-read for anyone with cancer, anyone with a loved one who’s a cancer patient, and anyone  who just wants to get ready to beat America’s #2 killer (#1 if you’re a woman aged 35-74).

And the most surprising thing…

Bill’s way of beating cancer costs just $104 per month!

I’m not talking about the cost of his report. That’s a measly $27. I’m talking about the cost of his top recommendations. The food and supplements Bill recommends come to just $104 per month, according to him. And I don’t mean you buy them from him. He doesn’t sell them or profit from them in any way. He just tries to give you the cheapest and best sources he can find.

You can click here right now to order Bill Henderson book Cancer-Free.

Don’t Let Your Cancer Doctor Snow You with Big Words

If the “Big C” ever happens to you, here’s how to understand what in the heck your doctor is talking about

Scary. Devastating. Shocking.

Three words that describe what it’s like to get a diagnosis of cancer.

Whether you need it for yourself or a loved one, the following information is essential if you want to understand what’s taking place inside your body, what your doctor is talking about (including the medical jargon), and what to ask your doctor.

To maintain control of your treatment process, it’s critical that you know what the heck your doctors are talking about.

This information will promote you to “captain” of your cancer treatment team. You ALWAYS have the right to say “NO” — and it’s important to know that, because doctors can be very bossy and intimidating. Now you’ll have the knowledge you need to talk back.

Life-threatening vs. non-life-threatening tumors…

Tumors don’t always threaten your life. Doctors use the term “benign” for these types of cancers. “Benign” comes from the Latin words for “kind or generous by nature.”

Contrast that to the word “malignant”… from the same root as malign and malicious. Malignant cancer is characterized by uncontrolled and invasive growth… destructive growth.

Malignant cancer has two major characteristics:

1. It puts down roots and burrows into the tissues of your body.
2. It spreads through your body by generating enzymes that destroy your tissues, and then sending out “seed” cells to start new growths in other areas of your body.

Cancer cells try to take over your entire system…

It’s the spreading of cancer — or metastasizing — that’s so damaging.

Nearly every kind of cancer is characterized by abnormal cells running rampant through your body, looking for new places to lay down roots and penetrate healthy tissue.

Cancer uses three means of spreading through your system:

1. Direct extension — Burrowing deep while expanding into nearby tissue.
2. Travelling through the blood — When a tumor grows beyond 7 mm (about ¼ inch) in diameter, it requires a blood supply to bring in nutrients and remove waste. To send out its new “seed” cells, the cancer uses the bloodstream as a transport mechanism.
3. Via the lymph nodes — Your lymphatic system is an important part of your immune function. Your lymph nodes filter fluids, and catch viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens, so your white blood cells can kill them. Major groups of lymph nodes are found in your neck, underarms, and groin.

Because some cancers spread through your lymphatic system, your doctor might choose to remove a lymph node near your cancer site to see if it contains malignant tissue.

This becomes a sort of score card to help your doctor determine how advanced   your cancer is.

How tumors are named…

Tumors get assigned a category based on where they’re growing, how fast they’re growing, and how big they already are. Although there are nearly 200 types of cancer, there are only three broad categories:

1. Carcinoma. Grows in tissues that line internal organs, usually in organs that secrete something. For example, lung tissue secretes mucus, breast tissue secretes milk, prostate tissue secretes the milky fluid in semen, and pancreas tissue secretes digestive juices.
2. Sarcoma. Develops in supporting or connective tissue, like muscles, tendons, bones, nerves, and blood vessels. A carcinoma can develop a sarcoma, depending on where it metastasizes.
3. Lymphoma and leukemia. Develops in the lymph nodes (lymphoma) or bone marrow (leukemia). Lymphomas are further divided into Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s.

To one of these three terms doctors then add the Latin or Greek name of the organ that’s affected by the cancer. So bone cancer is usually called (by your doctor, at least) “osteo sarcoma”… and stomach cancer “gastric carcinoma.” “Osteo” is the root of the Latin word for “bone” and “gastric” is based on the Latin word for “stomach.”

How doctors define the rate of growth…

If surgery takes place, the surgeon usually removes a section of the tumor and sends it to the pathologist for his best guess about a particular question: “How fast is this cancer growing?” Here’s how they classify the results…

• Well-differentiated tumors — tissue that looks similar to surrounding healthy tissue.
• Undifferentiated tumors — tissue that looks very different and primitive compared to surrounding healthy tissue. Undifferentiated tumors grow faster and have a poorer prognosis than well-differentiated tumors.
• High grade — a poorly differentiated, fast growing, aggressive tumor
• Low grade — a well-differentiated, slow growing and less aggressive tumor

How doctors define the stage of cancer…

Combining the information about where the cancer is growing, how fast it’s growing, and how fast it’s spreading, doctors can tell you what “stage” of cancer you have, and develop a precise plan of therapy.

They call it the TNM system.

• T = Tumor Size. T0 means the tumor was removed through biopsy. T1 is a smaller size tumor, and T2, T3, and T4 are larger.
• N = Number of lymph nodes positive for cancer. N0 means no lymph nodes with cancer… N1, N2, and N3 indicate increasing levels of lymph node involvement.
• M = Presence and degree of Metastasis. M0 means no metastases found. M1 means that metastases were found.

So, for instance, a breast cancer diagnosis might come back:

• T2 (tumor is 2.5 cm=1 inch in diameter)
• N1 (1 lymph node near breast found with malignant cells)
• M0 (no evidence of metastasis.)

Some oncologists use a more big-picture rating system:

• Stage 1 (no metastasis)
• Stage 2A
• Stage 2B
• Stage 3A
• Stage 3B
• Stage 4 (considerable metastasis)

What is cancer and how does It spread?

Cancer at its most basic level is a collection of abnormal cells.

Your body has 60 trillion cells working in harmony to keep you well. This amazing system functions smoothly for most people most of the time.

So what can make this huge cell system go wrong?

It’s cell replication that generally goes wrong. Cell replication is the amazing process by which your cells generate copies of themselves. It’s how one cell divides itself to create two new cells.

Each cell contains a full “library” off all the information needed to create your entire body. It’s called DNA. In cell replication, a cell splits its DNA in half, copies the DNA for each half, then creates new cells that carry on life.

Unfortunately, this replication process can occasionally produce defective cells, which can then become cancer, or tumors.

How you carry the seeds of your own destruction…

You, in fact, carry the seeds of your own destruction in your DNA. They’re called oncogenes — genetic messages that give the “yes” signal to cancer.

These genes in essence “load the gun” — and then your lifestyle choices “pull the trigger”.

Other issues of this newsletter contain information about your lifestyle choices and the impact they can have on your chance of getting cancer. Estimates are that lifestyle accounts for at least 90% of your risk factors, leaving your genes to play only a 5-10% role.

That’s great news for you!

It means that just because other family members have succumbed to cancer doesn’t mean you have to. And, it puts you squarely in charge of your own cancer prevention team.

Tools your doctor might use in the diagnostic process

• Physical exam — The starting point. Your doctor will examine lymph nodes for signs of swelling, perform a Pap smear for cervical cancer, etc.
• Blood tests — Certain markers in your blood can be non-specific indicators of cancer. Many doctors run a battery of tests with every routine check-up. You’re entitled to your records, so I suggest you ask your doctor for a copy of your blood work results, and you can track trends in your numbers over time — and have an historical perspective on your numbers as background when discussing your health with your doctor, or when talking with a new doctor.
• Tumor markers — These are substances in your blood that indicate whether the cancer is getting better or worse. Please note that none of these markers are perfect. All have a tendency to give false negatives (test came back negative, but you do have cancer) and false positives (test came back positive, but you do not have cancer).

Examples might include:

• • CEA — may be elevated in cancers of the colon, breast, lung, and pancreas.
  • CA-125 — elevated in ovarian and uterine cancer.
  • CA 19-9 — elevated in GI tract cancer, such as colon, pancreas, stomach, and liver.
  • CA 15-3 — elevated in breast cancer
  • AFP — elevated in liver and testis cancer
  • HCG — elevated during pregnancy and cancers of the testis, ovary, and lung.
  • PAP — elevated in prostate cancer.
  • PSA — elevated in prostate cancer.
  • Serum protein electrophoresis — elevated in multiple myeloma.
• Tests of your blood, urine, feces and spinal fluid — Your doctor might do any of these.
• Imaging techniques — These enable a doctor to look inside you without literally cutting you open.

Examples include:

• • X-ray (radiography) — Can see through tissue and identify differences in tissue density (tumor vs. healthy). X-ray can easily tell the difference between bone and soft tissue.
  • Soft tissue scans — Nuclear scans, CT (computerized tomography), MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), and ultra-sound.
  • PET (positron emission tomography) — Doctor injects radioactively labeled glucose into your blood stream, and then uses a device to locate the glucose. Because cancer is a sugar feeder, the radiation-tagged sugar will tend to congregate near tumors.
  • Inspection with a scope — Inserted in various parts of your body to find cancer. A bronchoscope examines your lungs… a cytoscope checks your urethra and bladder… an endoscope sees into your stomach and colon. Flexible fiber optic telescopes can also remove tissue for later examination.
• Biopsy — Surgical removal of the suspect tissue for a pathologist to examine for cancer stage and protocol recommendations.

Two types of biopsy include:

• • Incisional — Cutting into the tumor, removing part of it, and stitching it closed.
  • Excisional — Removing the entire tumor.

A word of warning…

Bear in mind that each of these types of testing can have its own set of side effects, including causing any existing cancer to spread. This has been seen with mammograms. You can learn more about the risks of mammograms and biopsies from our special report, Beat Breast & Prostate Cancer without Surgery, Chemo and Radiation.

My best advice is to live such a “clean” lifestyle that you never need these tests except for routine blood work. But the purpose of this article is to explain what your doctor may want to do to diagnose your illness.

Please research the test(s) they recommend before consenting to them, for your own information and peace of mind.

Your typical cancer team…

There are clinics that achieve excellent results with simple, completely safe treatments — and without side effects such as hair loss, nausea, and worse. I recommend you check them out in our Special Reports Cancer Breakthrough USA, German Cancer Breakthrough, and Adios, Cancer. These reports deal with the best alternative cancer clinics we’ve been able to find in the U.S., Germany and Mexico, respectively.

But if you decide on conventional cancer treatment, here’s a list of the “standard” doctors on a typical cancer team in a mainstream hospital.

Always remember that YOU (or a trusted advocate) are the captain of your treatment team. As captain, you hold the final say.

• Oncologist — MD or DO (Doctor of Osteopathy) with specialized training in cancer and chemotherapy.
• Radiologist — MD or DO with specialized training in diagnostic use of x-ray, MRI and CT scans.
• Radiation Oncologist — MD or DO with specialized training in radiation therapy treatments.
• Surgical Oncologist — MD or DO with specialized training in surgical removal of cancer masses.
• Pain Management Specialist — MD or DO specializing in dealing with the pain that comes with cancer.
• Internist — MD or DO with training in internal medicine and the biochemistry of how your body works.

Each year, 1.4 million Americans are newly diagnosed with cancer. More than 50% of those will have one of these common cancers:

• Prostate cancer — 232,000
• Breast cancer — 212,000
• Lung cancer — 172,000
• Colorectal cancer — 144,000

But the bottom line is that each of these starts with an abnormal growth that could multiply exponentially because of poor food choices, organ failure, or infection.

Nutrition can improve the outcome of nearly any type of cancer, regardless of which type of medical therapy you choose.

Lee Euler,
Publisher

Cancer Free

Health Disclaimer: The information provided above is not intended as personal medical advice or instructions. You should not take any action affecting your health without consulting a qualified health professional. The authors and publishers of the information above are not doctors or health-caregivers. The authors and publishers believe the information to be accurate but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed. There is some risk associated with ANY cancer treatment, and the reader should not act on the information above unless he or she is willing to assume the full risk.

If you like to get great free tips on Internet Marketing, Alvin Phang’s GatherSuccess is a great resource where you can find lots of tips and articles showing you how to make money online. He is also organizing a link love exercise on his blog at this link which you can join in for free. More details at this article link here.

The festive holidays are upon us! Regardless of the state of the economy, people will consume more food and drinks at this time of year. Enjoy yourselves by all means but try to remain healthy by keeping in mind some feasting facts while you celebrate.

Foods with added sugar reduces good cholesterol levels, increases blood fats and adds to the risk of heart disease. Carbonated drinks, sweetened beverages and sports drinks are the main source of sugar. Cakes, candies, cookies, sweetened cereals and dairy products like flavoured yogurt are other major sources of sugar. Sugar makes our food taste better, but it also adds up the calories and does not provide any nutrition. Sugar causes tooth decay, gingivitis, and bad breath if left in the mouth. Drinking alcohol causes dehydration and depletes our body of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. It contains relatively high amounts of calories and certainly not recommended for obese or weight conscious people. Alcohol also cause bad breath and dry mouth. Excessive drinking can cause decreased immune responses. This can directly affect the gums and teeth and the rest of your body, as well. People tend to eat unhealthy finger foods when they drink alcohol at the same time, especially beer.

Alcoholic drinks can burn the stomach lining when consumed in large amount within a short time. This may damage the liver as it has to break down the alcohol and produce toxic substances in the process. Women are more susceptible to alcohol-related diseases due to their smaller body size and liver volume.

If you have to drink, choose wine instead of beer as it aids digestion and is good for the heart. Fruit juices are also good alternatives. You might already know that consuming spicy food can cause bad breath. Spicy food usually include ingredients like garlic, onions and pepper which can cause long term oral disorders such as bad breath. Although these ingredients contain important nutrients and vitamins, it is better to choose non spicy recipes than the usual spicy cuisines. Eat more fruits and vegetarian dishes as they are good choices and healthier for your teeth and gums.

Manage your stress. Take some time out to meditate, attend a yoga class, or just curl up with a good book or music CD. Anything that makes you feel relaxed and eases your mind will be helpful in reducing your stress. Your oral hygiene routine is important during the festive holidays when you tend to drink and eat excessively. If possible, brush and floss your teeth after every meal, or at least rinse your mouth with water. Be mindful that all the eating and drinking during the festive holidays may affect your teeth, gums, breath, and your overall health.

Does green tea reduce blood pressure?

Green tea is believed to contain compounds that relax blood vessels but scientific evidence supporting this is fairly weak.

The claim: Green tea can help lower blood pressure.

The facts: Few foods have a reputation for soothing stress quite like a hot cup of tea.

Green tea, in particular, has been credited with reducing stress and anxiety and is believed to contain compounds that relax blood vessels.

However, when scientists looked at whether it lowers blood pressure, even by a little, the evidence is fairly weak.

Some small studies have found that a few cups a day can shave some points off blood pressure levels, but others have found that it provides no help at all and may even be counter-productive.

Still, the news is not all bad for tea drinkers.

In a recent randomised study financed in part by the United States Department of Agriculture, scientists at Tufts University recruited 65 men and women with modestly high blood pressure who were not taking medication.

Some were randomly assigned to drink a cup of hibiscus tea three times a day, while others received a tea-flavoured placebo.

After six weeks, the hibiscus tea group saw a respectable drop in systolic pressure – the top number in blood pressure readings – compared to the placebo group, suggesting that the tea made an impact.

However, experts said that more study is needed.

The bottom line: Green tea does not seem to have much effect on blood pressure while hibiscus tea may have the potential of lowering blood pressure.

Coconut water is the purest liquid second only to water itself. It has many health benefits and uses that you probably did not know about.

Many persons have gone to the Caribbean , the Pacific Islands , Florida , Hawaii , South America or Southern Asia and have tasted some very refreshing coconut water. The palm trees you have become accustomed to while on vacation are very potent sources of coconut water that has many health benefits and uses that you probably did not know about.

Coconut water is the purest liquid second only to water itself. It is chock full of electrolytes, calcium, potassium, magnesium; everything that is good for you.

Coconut water is the liquid that is taken from unripe coconuts. If coconuts get ripe the liquid that is inside will harden and become a part of the white flesh of the coconut, which is used to make coconut milk. So, picking the coconut while it is unripe will ensure that the body gets all the benefits of coconut water.

Coconut Water Hydrates the Body
Coconut water is an isotonic solution which replaces the fluids and minerals that the body loses during physical activities. For this reason, many athletes and persons who work out regularly are encouraged to drink coconut water to replace all the minerals and fluid that they lose while working out. Even the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) attest to the benefits of drinking coconut water when it fought for a patent in 2000 to market coconut water as the next big sports drinks.

Coconut Water Relieves Urinary Problems
If you consume coconut water on a regular basis it can reduce urinary problems. People who suffer from strangury, polyutra and other urinary ailments drink coconut water to relieve their symptoms

Coconut Water Kills Intestinal Worms
Drinking coconut water with one teaspoon of olive oil for three days will kill intestinal worms and clear the stomach of worms, which makes for better digestion.

Coconut Water Breaks up Kidney Stones
People who have kidney problems and are plagued by kidney stones should drink coconut water in addition to taking their medication.
Drinking coconut water regularly helps to break up kidney stones making them easier to push out.

Coconut Water is Used in Blood Transfusion
Coconut water is almost identical to blood plasma and this makes it easy to use for blood transfusion. In cases of emergency coconut water has been used as an intravenous hydration fluid instead of the standard IV fluid. During World War II many wounded soldiers were saved in the Pacific because of emergency transfusion using coconut water as plasma.

Coconut Water is an Antibacterial
Coconut water contains monolaurin, an antiviral, antibacterial and antiprozoal monoglyceride that is used to kill lipid-coated viruses such as HIV, Herpes, cytomegalovirus, flu and various pathogenic bacteria.

Coconut Water Controls Vomiting
Coconut water is great at reducing vomiting. People who have typhoid, malaria, fevers or other ailments that are known to induce vomiting drink coconut water to settle the stomach. As such, coconut water is also a good thing to drink during a hangover..

Green or unripe coconuts can be found in Asian and West Indian markets. All coconuts that they sell are closed up to keep coconut water from losing its nutrients. So, if you plan on buying a coconut, you can ask someone to chop the coconut open or you can open it yourself at home and drink it.

Source: Tommy Fassbender

I started drinking lemongrass juice after reading an article about its amazing cancer healing ability. It is not because I have cancer but as a great fan of fruit juices I was curious what it tastes like. I prompted my wife to try it out and she happily concocted a lemongrass drink which is wonderfully fragrant and refreshing.

Lemongrass Farm

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 8 large stalks of fresh lemongrass, without leaves
• 4 x 250ml cups of water
• 3 tablespoon of pure natural honey (add more if you prefer sweeter)
• 2 tablespoon of lemon juice (adjust amount to suit your taste)

Lemongrass stalks

Preparation:

1. Cut off the knob at the bottom part of the stalk.
2. Wash it in water and peel off the first layer of the stalk that may have turned brown.
3. Use a pestle or the blunt side of a heavy knife and bruise the stalks especially at the thickest and juiciest part of the stalk to split it open. This helps to release the juice when boiling.
4. Put the lemongrass stalks in the water and bring it to a boil. When the water starts to boil, turn the flame down and simmer for about 20 minutes. The water should take on a light yellowish tinge.
5. Let it cool to room temperature and add 3 tablespoons of pure natural honey (I use Manuka honey)
6. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional). You can drink it warm or chilled  (I prefer the chilled version).

Lemongrass juice

Nutritional value of lemongrass:

1 cup of Lemongrass (about 67g ) contains:

Protein – 1.2 g

Phytosterols – 4.5 mg

Total Calories – 66.3

Total Carbohydrate -17 g

Total Fat – 0.3 g

Vitamins A, C, B6, Niacin,  Folate, Riboflavin, and several minerals including Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese and Selenium.

Apart from its delightful taste, lemongrass has many medical benefits.

Antibacterial: Lemongrass’s antimicrobial properties help to avert all kind of viral, fungal and bacterial infections.

Blood Pressure: It improves blood circulation and lower blood pressure.

Detoxifies: Lemongrass is diuretic and help to cleanse the body of toxic substances and uric acid

Digestion: Lemongrass has the effect of relaxing the abdomen, reduce belching and stomach pain.

Nervous System: Essential oils made from Lemongrass can be used to soothe agitated nerves, reduce stress and help people with insomnia to sleep better.

Painkillers: Munching Lemongrass has the effect of relieving inflammation, pains and aches.

Lemongrass is commonly used in South East Asian countries to spice up cooking; especially in curries, soups and many other dishes. It is also used as perfume and insect repellent.

Many studies and researches have been done on Lemongrass in the prevention of cancer. Though its effect is inconclusive there are evidences to suggest that it is indeed useful for preventing and treating many types of cancer.

It is definitely safe to consume as a spice and herbal drink. So it does not hurt to give it a try.

I am thinking of planting it in my garden. It smells and looks good too.

Cancer Free

Medical tourists who are going to South Asian countries for cheaper medical treatment risk picking up and spreading a new superbug.

This gene, known as New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase, or NDM-1, was found in patients in Britain, who may have contacted it while receiving treatment in countries such as India and Pakistan.

The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal published a report this week claiming that researchers found this new gene to be common in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

NDM-1 is highly resistant to almost all antibiotics, including the most powerful class called carbapenems.

With increasing popularity of medical tourism, the scientists said they feared this new superbug could soon spread around the world.

Prof Timothy Walsh who led the research team, examined bacteria samples from hospital patients in Chennai and Haryana and also from patients referred to Britain’s national reference laboratory between 2007 and last year. They found 44 cases of NDM-1-positive bacteria in Chennai, 26 in Haryana, 37 in Britain, and 73 in other sites in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

Many of the infected British patients had travelled to these countries for different medical treatments, including cosmetic surgery, kidney or bone marrow transplants, dialysis, pregnancy care or burns treatment.

Reaction from the medical industry in India was expectedly strong.

The medical tourism industry in India has called this negative report an attempt to discredit a business that earned the country an estimated 20 billion rupees (US$423 million) last year.

Dr Yatin Mehta at Medanta, one of India’s best hospitals, dismissed these reports and claimed the hygiene standards in India’s hospitals are better than those of the National Health Service in Britain.

‘Multi-drug resistance can be found anywhere in the world,’ said Dr V.M. Katoch, Secretary for Health Research who also chairs the Indian Council of Medical Research. ‘It is unfair to blame India for that.’

This act of naming Superbug after New Delhi, while none of the samples collected was from Delhi and its presence in UK itself indigenously, appears a ‘Racially’ and commercially motivated act to malign Indian Medical tourism sector.” said Dr K M Kapoor, Senior Consultant, Cosmetic Surgery at Fortis Hospital, Mohali and a Medical Tourism exponent in India.

Looks like this “fingers pointing” will continue for a while.