Health from food: The pumpkin

Pumpkin includes a good source of protein, zinc, vitamins and is a good food with lower cholesterol.

Pumpkin, raw
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
	Energy	56 kJ (13 kcal)
	Carbohydrates	6.5 g
	Sugars	1.36 g
	Dietary fiber	0.5 g
	Fat	0.1 g
	saturated	0.05 g
	monounsaturated	0.01 g
	polyunsaturated	0.01 g
	Protein	1.0 g
	Vitamin A equiv.	369 μg (41%)
	- beta-carotene	3100 μg (29%)
	Thiamine (Vit. B1)	0.05 mg (4%)
	Riboflavin (Vit. B2)	0.110 mg (7%)
	Niacin (Vit. B3)	0.6 mg (4%)
	Pantothenic acid (B5)	0.298 mg (6%)
	Vitamin B6	0.061 mg (5%)
	Folate (Vit. B9)	16 μg (4%)
	Vitamin C	9 mg (15%)
	Vitamin E	1.06 mg (7%)
	Calcium	21 mg (2%)
	Iron	0.8 mg (6%)
	Magnesium	12 mg (3%
	Phosphorus	44 mg (6%)
	Potassium	340 mg (7%)
	Sodium	1 mg (0%)
	Zinc	0.32 mg (3%)
	Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.
	Source: USDA Nutrient database

It has been shown to have many health benefits as follows:

1. Detoxify: Pumpkin contains various vitamins and pectin; with very good absorbability, the pectin can detoxify by absorbing and eliminating bacteriotoxin and other deleterious substances such as heavy metal lead, mercury, and some radioactive elements in vivo

2. Protect gastric mucosa and promote digestion: the pectin in pumpkin can protect stomach rubber mucous membrane from damage by rough food, help heal ulcer, which is especially helpful for patients with gastric diseases; The ingredients in pumpkin are also able to promote choler secretion, strengthen the movement of stomach and intestine creeping, resulting in the promotion of food digestion.

3. Reduce blood sugar and prevent diabetes: The pumpkin contains rich cobalt that can enliven the human body metabolism, promote hemopoiesis, and participate in Vitamin B12 synthesis in human body. It is also a trace element that is necessary for pancreatic cells in human body and to reduce blood sugar.

4. Elimination carcinogen: The ingredients in pumpkin can eliminate the sudden change of carcinogen nitrosamine to cause cancer, restore and maintain the function of liver and the kidney function, and strengthen liver and kidney cell reproduction.

5. Promote growth: Pumpkin contains rich zinc that participates in the synthesis of essence acids and proteins that human body need. It is also one of the adrenal cortex hormone inherent ingredients for human body growth.

New Study: Pycnogenol® Reduces ADHD in Children

A new study reveals that Pycnogenol,an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree can balance stress hormones, which lowers adrenaline and dopamine,resulting in a decrease of ADHD in children.

Vitamin D on Swine Flu ??

1. Believe or not: the best recommendation to prevent swine flu was, Vitamin D. Please read on:

Warning: Swine Flu Shot Linked to Killer Nerve Disease

2. Vitamin D – Popular Science

It's D-lightful, It's D-licious, It's D Vitamin...

Vitamin D: how much we know about it?

1. Vitamin D in the News

D Vital for the Heart

• · Sunscreens can block vitamin D
• · Pediatricians Double Vitamin D Requirement
• · Vitamin D Deficit in Pregnancy Tied to Caesarean Risk
• · Lack Of Vitamin D Can Double Your Risk Of Stroke

2. Role of vitamin D
• Promotes the proper synthesis and functioning of important proteins essential for proper calcium utilization
• Supports the maintenance of bones
• Supports immune health
• Helps maintain cardiovascular health
• Helps maintain normal blood pressure

3. Sources of vitamin D
• Fat-soluble vitamin can obtain from:
• Food (Salmon: 360 IUs; Mackerel: 345 IUs; Tuna: 200 IUs; Sardines: 250 IUs; Fortified Milk: 98 IUs)
• Supplementation
• Sunlight
• Supplementation
• Sunlight

4. Vitamin D Deficiency
• More than1 billion people worldwide do not consume adequate amounts of vitamin
• More than 50% of postmenopausal women taking medication for osteoporosis have suboptimal levels of vitamin D
• Without adequate vitamin D, only 10-15% of dietary calcium is absorbed
• Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences ( Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Apr;87(4):1080S-6S)
• Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as a pandemic.
• Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D, and foods that are fortified with vitamin D are often inadequate to satisfy either a child's or an adult's vitamin D requirement
• Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets in children and will precipitate and exacerbate osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures in adults
• Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk of common cancers, autoimmune diseases, hypertension, and infectious diseases

5. Research findings
• Vitamin D supplementation and total mortality (Arch Intern Med. 2007 Sep 10;167(16):1730-7)
• A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials including 57,311 participants.
• Intake of ordinary doses (300 to 2000 IU) of vitamin D supplements seems to be associated with decreases in total mortality rates.
• Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk ( Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jun;85(6):1586-91)
• A 4-year, population-based, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial.
• 1179 healthy postmenopausal women aged >55 years.

6. Current Researches
• Vitamin D may reduce prostate cancer metastasis by several mechanisms including blocking Stat3 (Am J Patholo. 2008 Nov;173(5):1589-90)
• Double-dose vitamin D lowers cancer risk in women over 55 (J Fam Pract. 2007 Nov;56(11):907-10 )

7. Use of vitamin D in clinical practice (Altern Med Rev. 2008 Mar;13(1):6-20)
• Natural vitamin D levels, those found in humans living in a sun-rich environment, are between 40-70 ng per ml.
• Treatment of vitamin D deficiency in otherwise healthy patients with 2,000-7,000 IU vitamin D per day should be sufficient to maintain year-round 25(OH)D levels between 40-70 ng per mL.
• In those with serious illnesses associated with vitamin D deficiency, such as cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, autism, and a host of other illnesses, doses should be sufficient to maintain year-round 25(OH)D levels between 55 -70 ng per mL.

8. Why Vitamin K2?
• Promotes normal calcium absorption
• Promotes healthy arteries
• Active form of vitamin K with highest bioavailability
• Women with low bone density have been found to be deficient in vitamin K
• Addresses the “calcium paradox”
• Vitamin K1 vs. K2
• Both are naturally occurring forms of vitamin K. Different chemical structures resulting in different pharmacokinetic properties
• K1 is absorbed primarily in the liver where at high doses it may interfere with anticoagulant medications
• K2 is transported primarily to the bones and blood vessels
• Only 10% of dietary vitamin K is in K2 form

9. Why take vitamins D and K as supplements?
• Most people are vitamin D deficient or insufficient
• Diet
• Sun exposure
• Very little vitamin K is stored in the body
• These vitamins work together

Important ingredients that support neurological, metabolic, and digestive health

Various ingredients that have shown a role in helping those with neurological and digestive health issues. To date, there have been countless studies documenting these effects from some of ingredients like

· Folic Acid

• Vitamin B6 (P5P)
• Vitamin B12
• Vitamin B3
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Zinc
• Calcium
• Magnesium

No doubt that many people have heard of folic acid, an important B vitamin for many processes in the body, specifically for the nervous system. Folinic acid is the metabolically active form of folic acid and one less step is required for its conversion in the body. Usually folic acid has to be activated but it’s more readily available by using folinic acid. Folinic acid aids in the conversion of sulfur-containing compounds to glutathione, an antioxidant found in the body. Studies on folinic acid have shown improvements in sleep, communication, social interaction in those with neurological, metabolic and digestive needs. The Better-Worse ratio is 11 :1, meaning supplementation with folic acid caused 11 children to get better for every one that got worse.

Another extremely important vitamin is vitamin B6. Food sources include beans, meat, poultry, fish, and some fruits and vegetables. Pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P5P) is the active form of vitamin B6 and it has been shown that the conversion to P5P is problematic in some children. Some studies have shown a low activity of pyridoxal kinase, which is the enzyme required for the conversion to P5P. For this reason, it is best to only supplement with the P5P form. B6 is also involved in the synthesis of neurotransmitters in the brain and peripheral nerve cells, which are critical for the development of language, attention, alertness etc.

Vitamin B12 is naturally found in foods that come from animals, including fish, meat, and poultry. It’s a vitamin needed for many processes, including nerve cell activity, DNA replication. It’s best to use methylcobalamin, rather than cobalamin, as evidences indicate this form is utilized much more efficiently, especially in children with methylation defects. Every cell in the body expresses the folate/methionine cycle, defects in transmethylation can affect vital biochemical reactions at many places in metabolism. This is important, as some children do have methylation defects. So it makes sense to consume B12 in a form in which it's already metabolically active and maximally reduced, and thereby put less of a strain on our bodies' antioxidative capacity.

Zinc is a mineral that can be found in the following food sources: oysters, red meat, beans, nuts and grains etc. It is an essential mineral that is a component of more than 300 enzymes needed to repair wounds, synthesize proteins, aid in the development and maintenance of the brain, help cells reproduce, preserve vision, boost immunity, and protect against free radicals, among many other functions. It is a known fact that when zinc levels are down, copper levels are often increased. 90% of children with neurological and digestive needs have this abnormal zinc to copper ratio. Excess copper can lead to copper imbalance in the body and organs and copper imbalance in children is associated with delayed development, anti-social and hyperactive behavior, and learning difficulties. Because zinc helps facilitate the excretion of excess copper, it is important to make sure a multivitamin has an adequate amount of zinc. You should avoid copper-containing supplements for these children. Also, the B:W ratio for zinc is 22:1, even higher than that of vitamin C!

In support of the use of these ingredients for certain children, Adams and co-workers (Adams J et al. Pilot study of a moderate dose multivitamin/mineral supplement for children with autistic spectrum disorder. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 10(6):1033-1039, 2004) conducted a small pilot study using a strong, balanced multivitamin/multimineral formulation. 20 children ages 3-8 years old with neurological and digestive issues. This formulation included the P5P form of vitamin B6, magnesium, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin B12, calcium, among others. The results clearly indicated statistically significant improvements in sleep and GI health. They also determined a functional need for more B6 and vitamin C in these individuals.

Nutrition and cancer: the current epidemiological evidence

A good paper worth reading!

Free radicals: the hidden killers of your health

Free radicals are unstable, unbalanced, and unpaired molecules. They can react quickly with nearby molecules to capture needed electron to gain stability. As they find needed electrons, it leaves behind another unstable radical and a chemically unstable chain reaction of similar events occurs. In this process, delicate biological tissues vital to life encounter a radical, the reactive radical may cause destruction in the tissue/cell, resulting in human diseases. They are very destructive and non-selective.

The typical FREE RADICALS impacting our human body are: Superoxide anion ( O^-₂ and O^-₂ rich salts), Hydroxyl radical ( OH^- ), Hypochlorous acid (ClO^- ),Nitric oxide ( NO^- ),Singlet oxygen ( O^- ), hydrogen peroxide ( H₂O₂),Fatty acid hydroperoxides , and oxidized Protein, etc.

Free Radicals can be generated from metabolism, ionizing radiation, smoke, inflammation, UV, air pollution etc.

Free Radical Attack Related Diseases:

• Cardiovascular Diseases

• Cancer

• Stroke

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

• Alzheimer's Diseases

• Parkinson's disease

• Emphysema

• Autoimmune diseases (Asthma, Diabetes • • •)

• Arthritis

• Cataracts

Antioxidants have been proven to protect the body against the destructive effects of free radicals. They can neutralize free radicals by donating one of their own electrons, ending the electron-"stealing" reaction. They typical antioxidants and their electron donating capacities are:
( - vitamin E [1e^-]

- vitamin C [2e^-]

- flavonoids [>2e^-]

- OPC [>50e^-]

Effects of Antioxidants:

• Protect us from free radical damage: a leading causes of tissue injury
• Prevent oxidation of LDL cholesterol
• Helps cells produce energy (CoQ10)
• Enhance synthesis & protection of collagen (Vit C)
• Protect skin from radiation damage (Vit E, Beta Glucan)
• Improve circulation and oxygen delivery (Ginko, OPC)
• Reduce inflammation (OPC, Ginko, Vit E)

The best way to ensure adequate intake of the antioxidant nutrients is through a balanced diet and/or taking supplements per day.

Detoxification: start from food

There is no doubt that there exists toxin accumulation in our body, which is often overlooked. However, such a silent accumulation may surprise us (cause diseases) someday. Here is a list of food that will help our body detoxification based on experts:

1. Colon detoxification
· apple
· black wood ears
· blueberry
· Grains
· red bean
· soy bean

2. Liver detoxification
· carrot
· garlic
· grape
· aloe juice
· Chrysanthemum tea

3. Kidney detoxification
· cucumber
· cherry
· lotus seed
· CommonYam Rhizome


Certainly it is more effective by taking some natural supplements.

Reversing the process: different approaches for cancer prevention

New directions toward cancer prevention from science studies:

1. Cramping tumors: An old observation about cancer cells may lead to a new treatment
2. Breast cancer: reversing the process. “Although this research does not offer a cure for breast cancer, it does point to the possibility that the disease may be treated or perhaps even prevented through means other than conventional genetic therapy.”
3. Reversing Cancer Cells To Normal Cells. A Northwestern University scientist describes new research to provide unique insights into how scientists can change human metastatic melanoma cells back to normal-like skin cells
4. How vitamin C stops the big 'C'. A team of Johns Hopkins scientists have shown that in mice at least, vitamin C can indeed inhibit the growth of some tumors.
5. Substitute Protein in Energy Pathway Stalls Cancer Growth“We have yet to see the exception of a cancer cell that does not have the M2 version of pyruvate kinase. That’s telling—they all seem to have PKM2,”
6. Too Much Oxygen Not A Good Thing For Tumors.
7. Another Anti-cancer Effect Of The 'Longevity' Protein SIRT1 Identified. From this study,another anti-cancer effect of the "longevity" protein SIRT1 was identified.
8. Resveratrol inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis of human breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells.
9. Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Risk Of Advanced Prostate Cancer
10. Omega-3 Kills Cancer Cells.
11. Colon Cancer Shuts Down Receptor That Could Shut It Down

Natural way to prevent cancers

· Cancer cells hunger on glucose: Avoid food with sugar and starch to starve cancer cells; fasting, low calorie diet
· Cancer cells like acid environment: Eat alkaline and green food with calcium
· HIF depends on free radicals: Take antioxidants as supplements
· HIF supplement by oxygen: Improve circulation system by taking rich Omega III food and supplement
· Support normal cells: Multivatamins, Vb, Vc
· Support mitochondria function: Resveratrol
· Apoptosis: Resveratrol
· Detoxification

The cause of cancers: findings from scientific studies

1. DNA damage from micronutrient deficiencies is likely to be a major cause of cancer. This study reveals that the deficiency of any of the micronutrients, rather than macronutrients may be the main cause of cancers.

2. Fundamental Process Of Tumor Growth Explained. As reported in ScienceDaily (Mar. 13, 2008), two papers appearing in the March 13 issue of the journal Nature help explaine the observation by Otto Warburg nearly 80 years ago that cancer cells perform energy metabolism in a way different from normal adult cells. The metabolic process known as the Warburg effect is essential for tumors' rapid growth; and they identify the M2 form of pyruvate kinase (PKM2), an enzyme involved in sugar metabolism, as an important mechanism behind this process.

3.The M2 splice isoform of pyruvate kinase is important for cancer metabolism and tumour growth. This study shows that a single switch in a splice isoform of the glycolytic enzyme pyruvate kinase is necessary for the shift in cellular metabolism to aerobic glycolysis and that this promotes tumorigenesis. Tumour cells have been shown to express exclusively the embryonic M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase.

4. The Prime Cause and Prevention of Disease. It is found that the prime cause of cancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen ... in normal body cells by fermentation of sugar.

5. New Protein That Triggers Breast Cancer Identified. As reported by ScienceDaily (Jan. 14, 2009), Canadian researchers have identified a new protein in the progression of breast cancer. The protein ARF1 plays a critical role in cancer cell growth and the spread of tumours.

Other side of cancer treatments

Let’s see what scientific studies tell us:

1. Chemo has long-term impact on brain function
The researchers from the University of California found that chemotherapy caused changes in the brain's metabolism and blood flow that can last as long as 10 years.

2. Approach to treat bone loss might increase bone cancer risk. As reported by ScienceDaily (Apr. 1, 2009) , the approach developed to treat osteoporosis involves blocking the action of proteins that inhibit the Wnt signaling pathway, which is associated with several cancers.

3. Drug might be more harmful than the disease it is meant to treat.

4. Does chemo for breast cancer cause more harm than good? Currently, chemotherapy is recommended for women with breast cancer that has spread to lymph nodes. However, the chemo does not help most of the patients treated. and many women could actually safely skip chemo.

5. Numerous CT scans over lifetime may increase cancer risk (ScienceDaily,Apr. 1, 2009)

And more.......

If a treatment does not highly selectively target the cancer, side effects are inevitable. If side effects cause more known or unkown problems, we may not use the treatments because some side effects may speed up cancer cell proliferation.

If we understand what cancer cells love and live on, can we try something to cut off the supply?