Top 5 best herbs for treating the flu

There are no known cures for the common flu but there are many natural flu remedies that are highly effective at easing flu symptoms and reducing the duration of the illness (http://www.naturalnews.com/026156.html). Certain herbs have been used as natural flu remedies…

Five health-enhancing foods that don’t even seem like health foods: Mustard, cole slaw and more

(NaturalNews) When observing the typical diet of American consumers, with all the fried foods, aspartame-laced “diet” products and pasteurized, hormone-ridden dairy products that typical people consume, I sometimes ask myself a question that perhaps you’ve pondered, too: What on Earth is keeping all these people alive? The answers may surprise you. Hidden inside the typical western diet of highly-toxic processed foods are gems of natural medicine that you’d never suspect are really health foods . So here, I’ve assembled a short list of the five most powerful health-enhancing foods that don’t seem like health foods but which are quite possibly the one remaining source of natural medicines for mainstream consumers. #1 – Mustard Mustard, believe it or not, is a medicinal paste made from the seed of the mustard plant. It’s a superfood that’s been around for at least 5,000 years, and it’s one of the few common sources of cancer-busting selenium , a trace mineral often missing from over-farmed soils. (http://www.naturalnews.com/030916_mustard_health_food.html) Mustard is known to help in reducing migraines, and it’s a natural anti-fungal and antiseptic. Another benefit of mustard is that it’s never made with MSG or yeast extract. Mustard products — even conventional products from non-health-food companies — are still very healthful to consume. You can also make your own mustard using nothing more than a Vita-Mix blender. Check out this handy video where Annmarie Gianni shows you how to make raw mustard : http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=8D94800B310B70E1F3C5C77FD06C5F59 (Jump to 2:45 to skip the crowd socializing part…) As Kevin Gianni explains in this video, you can get bulk mustard seeds from Mountain Rose Herbs, one of the top suppliers of bulk natural products: www.MountainRoseHerbs.com #2 – Cole Slaw Cole slaw is made out of one of the most powerful natural medicines in the food kingdom: Raw cabbage . (http://www.naturalnews.com/032377_cabbage_anti-cancer_food.html) Raw cabbage is a proven cure for stomach ulcers. It’s also an amazing anti-cancer food with that can help prevent (or even reverse) many types of cancer. Throughout the history of the civilized world, cabbage has been one of the most medicinal foods ever consumed. It’s also good for you when cooked (cabbage soup) or fermented (sauerkraut). Check out this story we recently published about the astounding health benefits of fermented cabbage: http://www.naturalnews.com/033659_sauerkraut_health_benefits.html Cabbage is rich in indole-3-carbinol (I3C), one of its many anti-cancer nutrients. Click here to read more about I3C: http://www.naturalnews.com/023081_indole-3-carbinol_broccoli.html It’s best to make your own cole slaw at home, but if you purchase store-bought cole slaw, be sure to avoid processed ingredients often used in cheaper cole slaw recipes such as high-fructose corn syrup and canola oil (which is often GMO). #3 – Cinnamon, cloves, rosemary, paprika and other spices Nearly all the pungent cooking spices are actually powerful medicines. Cinnamon, for example, helps regulate blood sugar in diabetics (http://www.naturalnews.com/031133_cinnamon_diabetes.html). Cloves are the No. 1 source for the highest density of antioxidants found in the entire food supply. (Yes, they have a higher ORAC value than any other food or spice.) (http://www.naturalnews.com/028518_cloves_antioxidants.html) Rosemary is a powerful digestive tonic and internal detoxification herb. Ginger is legendary as an immune-boosting, circulation-enhancing tonic herb that’s also fantastic for beating winter colds and flu. Ginger even works to relieve muscle pain! (http://www.naturalnews.com/029986_ginger_muscle_pain.html) If you’re into curry , then you’ll be glad to know that turmeric , the main ingredient in curry, is also an amazing source of natural medicines. It’s a powerful anti-cancer as well as an anti-inflammatory medicine. If you really want great pricing on curry powder and other spices in bulk, visit a Middle Eastern food store in your local area, where these aromatic spices are often sold at the best prices in town. In Southern and Midwestern cuisine, barbeque sauce is a surprisingly good source of bitter alkaloids and health-enhancing spices (often including mustard and paprika), but this is only true with the rich, homemade sauces, not the processed “Kraft Foods” sauces (which are usually loaded with sweeteners and highly processed ingredients). Nearly all the common spices you find in grocery stores are medicinal foods. But avoid common table salt (or white “sea salt”) because it’s just a processed, refined combination of two poisons. The only salt you should regularly consume is a full-spectrum salt that’s off-white in color, such as Celtic salt or Royal Himalayan Pink Crystal salt (http://store.naturalnews.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=0&keyword=himalayan). #4 – Raisins Raisins may not sound super cool, but if you think about what they really are, it becomes obvious how powerful they can be as natural medicine. Raisins are dried grapes , of course, meaning they contain all the natural medicine of grape skins . Remember: Most of the medicine in grapes is found in the skin (and the seeds, but most raisins are made from seedless grapes). This is why it’s so important to buy only organic raisins , because grapes sprayed with fungicides have low levels of resveratrol . Organic grapes have the highest levels of resveratrol, which is one of the most miraculous natural medicines in the world (http://www.naturalnews.com/033349_red_grapes_resveratrol.html). Raisins are also very high in naturally-occurring antioxidants, making them a fantastic overall source of nutrition. When consumed with nuts, their glycemic index is slowed, so I recommend eating raisins with things such as pecans or walnuts (both of which superfoods in their own way, as you’ll see below). #5 – Common nuts: Walnuts, pecans, peanuts and more Once again, nuts may not be on your list of the “coolest” foods, but they probably should be: Walnuts are an amazing natural medicine that helps reduce the risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. They’re very high in natural antioxidants and also help reduce the risk of prostate cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/028584_walnuts_prostate_cancer.html). Pecans boost brain protection and also help lower cholesterol levels (http://www.naturalnews.com/031815_pecans_heart_health.html). Almonds are now being widely used to make almond milk (a natural anti-cancer milk beverage), and even peanuts are now making a comeback as a health food (http://www.naturalnews.com/024925_protein_risk_fat.html). Just remember: When you buy nuts, raw is best because heat processing destroys the natural medicine found in foods. Avoid “salted” nuts because they’re almost always salted with toxic sodium chloride (simple table salt). Avoid “flavored” nuts because they almost always — yes, nearly ALWAYS — are made with MSG flavor enhancers such as yeast extract or autolyzed proteins. Just look for plain, simple, unsalted nuts… then find ways to work those into your recipes or smoothies. I like to blend cashews into smoothies to give them a creamy milk-like flavor! The five common health foods in review So there you have it, the five health foods that you probably didn’t even know were health foods! The good news about these is that they’re available in virtually every grocery store in North America (and around the world). Once again, they are: • Mustard • Cole Slaw • Common spices: Cinnamon, cloves, paprika, etc. • Raisins • Walnuts, pecans, almonds and other nuts Eat more of these (and less processed junk food) and you’ll be healthier as a result!

Zinc lozenges effectively prevent, reduce duration of common colds

(NaturalNews) A comprehensive review of more than a dozen studies has shown that common zinc lozenges and supplements are effective at reducing the duration of the common cold, particularly when taken within the first 24 hours of visible symptoms. Published in The Cochrane Library, the review adds to the large body of evidence proving that zinc is a vital mineral for maintaining optimal health. Compared to patients who took a placebo, patients who took zinc upon first noticing cold symptoms reduced the overall length of their cold. And healthy people who supplemented with zinc on a regular basis were much less likely to ever catch a cold in the first place. In the studies, zinc use also reduced the number of sick days children took from school, as well as lowered overall antibiotic use. “This review strengthens the evidence for zinc as a treatment for the common cold,” said Meenu Singh, lead researcher for the study from the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India. Zinc is an important mineral for life that promotes proper cell division in the body, maintains proper sexual function, ensures that the body produces necessary enzymes, prevents the negative effects of aging, prompts healing within the body, supports eye function, and boosts prostate health, among other things (http://www.naturalnews.com/030157_raw_foods_zinc.html). The best way to obtain high levels of zinc is to eat zinc-rich foods like pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, chia, hemp, sesame, sunflower, poppy, avocados, raspberries, apricots, and pomegranates. Zinc supplements can be beneficial for boosting deficient levels, but extended use of some forms can lead to copper deficiency. So when taking them, be sure to maintain a healthy levels of both zinc and copper. And when using zinc lozenges, be sure to avoid those that contain artificial colors and sweeteners. Sources for this story include: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/02/16/zinc-reduces-severity-common-cold-studies-say/ http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/o/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD001364/frame.html

New research: flavonoid quercetin fights viral infections, protects against chronic lung diseases

(NaturalNews) Asthma, cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are serious and even life-threatening conditions. However, these health problems share something with a usually minor infection — the common cold. The connection? Rhinovirus (RV), a single-stranded RNA virus from the picornaviridae family, causes the majority of colds and RV is also known to trigger exacerbations of CF, asthma and COPD. But now University of Michigan at Ann Arbor scientists have found that a natural substance, the flavonoid quercetin, puts the brakes on the ability of RV to replicate. It also fights inflammation. According to their research just presented at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2010 International Conference held in New Orleans, quercetin could be a treatment for rhinovirus-caused infections and could be particularly beneficial for people with serious underlying chronic lung diseases. That’s great news not just for people looking for a possible cure for the common cold but especially for those suffering from conditions like COPD and CF that rob them of the ability to breathe. For example, COPD (which includes emphysema and chronic obstructive bronchitis) causes coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms. According the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, COPD is a major cause of disability and the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. CF is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the US. It causes the body to produce a thick, sticky mucus that clogs the lungs and can lead to life-threatening lung infections. For their study, the University of Michigan research team decided to test quercetin on cells infected with RV. A phytochemical found in the skins of apples, red onions and other foods, quercetin is known to be a powerful antioxidant with antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties. So the scientists hypothesized that quercetin might reduce the ability of RV to spark an inflammatory response. That’s important because inflammation causes oxidative stress which can disrupt the function of epithelial cells (cells that line cavities and structures) inside airways, negatively impacting the ability to breathe. Their lab experiments with RV infected cells showed that the researchers were right. The results suggested that quercetin actually inhibited the ability of the virus to replicate. The flavonoid also appeared to reduce the RV-triggered immune system response that can cause cytokines (proteins that are secreted by specific cells of the immune system) to induce excess inflammation. “Therefore, quercetin may be beneficial in the treatment of viral infections, particularly in patients with underlying chronic lung disease,” the researchers stated. As NaturalNews has previously reported, evidence has been accumulating over the past several years that shows phytonutrients such as quercetin are powerful protectors of health (http://www.naturalnews.com/027409_foods_meals_fruits.html). For example, the flavonoid may protect brain cells and help prevent dementia (http://www.naturalnews.com/002509.html). A study by University of South Carolina research found quercetin can boost exercise endurance, too (http://www.naturalnews.com/026591_quercetin_health_placebo.html). For more information: http://www.thoracic.org/newsroom/press-releases/resources/late-breaking-abstract-pdf/quercitin.pdf http://www.naturalnews.com/quercetin.html http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Copd/Copd_WhatIs.html http://www.cff.org/AboutCF/

Common gene variants appear to increase risk of vitamin D deficiency

Scientists have identified four common gene variants that are associated with blood levels of vitamin D and with an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency.

New evidence that green tea may help fight glaucoma and other eye diseases

Scientists have confirmed that the healthful substances found in green tea — renowned for their powerful antioxidant and disease-fighting properties — do penetrate into tissues of the eye. Their new report, the first documenting how the lens, retina, and other eye tissues absorb these substances, raises the possibility that green tea may protect against glaucoma and other common eye diseases.

Pomegranates: Latest weapon in the fight against MRSA

Pomegranates have already been hailed as a super-food but a team of scientists has found a new use for the deep red fruit. The team has discovered that the rind can be turned into an ointment for treating MRSA and other common hospital infections.