12.28.2007

CANCER Lifestyle Recommendations

CANCER

"If I had cancer I would never go the traditional medicine route because of their bad track record, I would only try alternative treatments." Medical Prof. Julius Hacketal MD, the world's leading medical surgeon on cancer.

I suggest that if you have cancer, you start by understanding that "you made yourself sick and therefore you must cure yourself'"

–(Dr. Leonard Coldwell).

Healing the mind, body and spirit, Holistically. It took you years to get to this point now you need to work hard to undo all that has been done.

De-stress, detoxify/cleanse, and alkalize.

  • Reduce stress.
  • Get pH paper (to monitor alkalinity), Immune system boosting, and alkalizing supplements.
  • Do a body and colon cleanse. It is imperative to detoxify your system.
  • Drink at least a gallon of filtered –or better yet, electrolyte water a day.
  • Take at least 1/2 a teaspoon of sea salt a day.
  • Drink as much fresh vegetable and fruit juice as you can every day to detoxify your system (carrot, celery and apple are great detoxifiers).
  • Eat only living foods like fresh fruit, vegetables and salads (without meats, cheese or dressings except olive oil) and nuts - no cooked or processed foods.
  • Try to walk in the fresh air for at least 20 to 45 minutes a day. Lie in the sun for at least 10 preferably 30 minutes a day if possible. The sun is good for you. Or at least, try to exercise 3 times a week.
  • Try to sleep as regularly as possible. If you have difficulty sleeping get Melatonin, also a powerful anti-occidant.
  • No alcohol, coffee, dairy products, meats, cooked foods, processed foods, preserved juices, sweets, chips, carbonated drinks, or any diet foods or drinks of any kind should be consumed. Stay away from everything that is not natural and fresh.
  • Minerals, herbs and other products that are healthy carotenoids, fiber and healthy fats, fresh soy, fresh juices, organic foods, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A and beta-carotene, selenium, saw palmetto, modified citrus pectin, CoQ 10, shark cartilage, hydrazine sulfate.
  • Install water filters throughout your house.
  • Get protections chips for your cell phone and all other appliances, etc.

8.20.2007

PLAIN AND SIMPLE: A BRIEF HISTORY OF AIDS

A BRIEF HISTORY OF AIDS
In the early 80's, doctors started seeing more and more people with suppressed immune systems coming into emergency rooms with several opportunistic infections. These were primarily gay men and intravenous drug users. There was panic within the gay community and in the general population as more and more people began dying of what was called AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. In 1984, Robert Gallo, a research scientist working for the National Institute of Health (NIH), announced in a press conference that he had discovered the probable cause of AIDS, and that it was a retrovirus later called HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Without having published his findings for peer review he announced this to the press. The media immediately ran with it, and people began demanding funding into research into HIV, all based on the assumption that HIV is a sexually-transmitted pathogen that causes AIDS. The gay community especially rallied and pushed for more AIDS funding and better education about safe sex. In 1987 a drug called AZT was approved by the FDA for the treatment of AIDS, and this began a multi-billion dollar industry.

RETROVIRUSES DO NOT CAUSE DISEASE
HIV is a normal retrovirus. Its genetic composition does not differ very much from other retroviruses. No retrovirus has ever been shown to cause disease outside of a lab. Unlike ordinary viruses, retroviruses do not kill their host cells. Retroviruses occur naturally inside of the cells of many animals, including humans. Retroviruses are seen by many scientists to be naturally occurring parts of our cells. Retroviruses are not sexually-transmitted, but they are passed from mother to child. Retroviruses had been studied by the NIH extensively throughout the 70's in hopes that they would find a retrovirus that caused cancer. Because retroviruses do not kill cells, they were a perfect candidate for cancer, in which cells do not die but instead multiply rapidly. Millions of dollars went into all of this research into retroviruses with nothing to show for it. Gallo himself tried to prove more than once that he had found a disease-causing retrovirus, only to be debunked by the scientific community. When AIDS appeared, Gallo and the NIH were already looking for a disease that they could blame on a retrovirus, to justify all of their wasted funding.

HIV HAS NEVER BEEN FOUND
HIV has never been isolated from human blood. What AIDS researchers call isolation of HIV is the finding of certain chemicals and enzymatic activity that they claim indicates the presence of HIV. They find proteins and genetic material thought to come from HIV, or they find reverse transcriptase activity. But none of these proteins, RNA strands, or enzyme activities are unique to HIV. What most AIDS scientists research in their labs is a lab artifact. It is HIV that is created and grown in a lab, and it is thought to be the same thing that causes AIDS when it infects people.

THE TEST DOES NOT FIND HIV
The test for HIV does not look for an actual virus in your blood. It looks for antibodies that will react with a set of proteins that are produced by HIV. But none of these proteins are specific to HIV. Antibodies in the blood resulting from other conditions can cross-react with the proteins in the HIV test. Blood must be diluted before being tested for HIV. Without dilution, all blood samples would test positive for HIV because we all have some antibodies that will cross-react with the test. There are at least 66 factors that are known to cause false positive results on an HIV test, including other infections, drug use, and receptive anal sex. Having unprotected receptive anal sex causes your body to produce antibodies in response to semen. These antibodies to semen can cross-react with the proteins in the HIV test, producing a false positive result. In addition, people of African descent have a higher probability of testing false positive, because they naturally have a greater variety of antibodies in their blood.

NO GOLD STANDARD FOR HIV TESTING
HIV tests are not standardized. This is because HIV has never been isolated from human blood, so there is no way to know how specific the tests are to HIV infection. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve a single HIV test for the diagnosis of HIV infection. There are a variety of tests, and the results are interpreted differently in different countries. So the same sample of blood could test positive in the United States while testing negative in Europe. Another more expensive HIV test is the viral load test. Viral load testing makes use of PCR: polymerase chain reaction. It takes a very small amount of genetic material and makes enough copies of it that you can detect it. Dr. Kary Mullis, who won a Nobel prize for inventing PCR, is among the scientists who say that HIV does not cause AIDS. He claims that viral load testing is a misuse of PCR. PCR does not find isolated virus in the blood. It finds pieces of RNA strands thought to belong to HIV.

PRESENCE OF ANTIBODIES MEANS IMMUNITY
Usually, if you test positive for antibodies that means that your immune system has effectively fought off a pathogen and you now have immunity. But with the HIV test, the logic is reversed. Instead of meaning that you now have immunity to HIV, testing positive is said to mean that you are infected and your immune system has failed to neutralize the virus. The great hope for many who believe that HIV causes AIDS is that researchers will some day develop a vaccine. But vaccines work by causing your body to produce antibodies specific to a pathogen. If a vaccine for HIV was created, everyone who had the vaccine would then test positive for HIV on the non-specific antibody tests now in use.

AZT SUPPRESSES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
The original drug used to treat people with AIDS, called AZT, was not created for AIDS treatment. AZT was originally developed in the 70's as a chemotherapy drug for cancer patients, but it was not approved because it was determined to be too toxic. Chemotherapy for cancer patients is limited to a certain duration, while AZT and similar drugs are prescribed to AIDS patients for the rest of their lives. The study that lead to FDA approval for AZT has now been shown to have been fraudulent. The package for AZT says: "TOXIC. Toxic by inhalation, in contact with skin and if swallowed. Wear suitable protective clothing." Among other side effects, AZT destroys the bone marrow of the body. The reason doctors see an initial rise in their patients' T cell count after taking AZT is because the bone marrow is where T cells are produced. AZT destroys the bone marrow and this releases more T cells from the marrow into the blood. Prolonged use of AZT has been shown to suppress the immune system and lower T cell counts. About 95% of AIDS-related deaths have occurred since the release of AZT.

ANTIRETROVIRAL SIDE EFFECT LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH
The newer protease inhibitors used in combo therapy are also a type of chemotherapy. They work by preventing the replication of genetic material belonging to HIV. But these proteins are not specific to HIV, and the protease inhibitors do not exclusively target HIV. The highest cause of death today for people with AIDS is liver failure. Liver failure is not an AIDS-defining illness, but it is a known side-effect of the protease inhibitors. AIDS patients can see the disappearance of some symptoms while taking the drug cocktails. This is because the drugs they are taking are global poisons that kill many microbes in the body that may be pathogenic, such as bacteria and other viruses.

ANTIRETROVIRALS NOT PROVEN TO IMPROVE HEALTH
The drug companies claim that the release of protease inhibitors in 1996 was responsible for decreased deaths due to AIDS. But deaths from AIDS had already begun a declining trend three years before in 1993, and the introduction of protease inhibitors did not significantly alter this trend. Studies are no longer comparing AIDS drugs with a placebo. Now when they test a new antiretroviral drug they compare a group taking the new drug with a group that is taking the older drugs. There are no studies being done comparing the difference in health between people taking the AIDS medications and people who are not taking the drugs, though many HIV positive people lead healthy lives free of disease for many years, without taking AIDS medication.

CDC REDEFINES AIDS TO INCREASE NUMBERS
AIDS statistics can be very misleading. This is because of the many definitions for AIDS that have been used by different countries and at different times. Originally, in the United States you had to test HIV positive and have one or more of the AIDS-defining illnesses to be counted as somebody with AIDS. In 1993 the Center for Disease Control (CDC) expanded this definition to include anyone who tested positive for HIV and had a T cell count of under 200. This nearly tripled the perceived number of AIDS cases in the US. Many of the people who have AIDS by this definition are perfectly healthy, and would not be considered to have AIDS if they moved to Canada.

AIDS IN AFRICA CAUSED BY POVERTY
Today we are told that ridiculously large numbers of people in Africa are HIV positive and will die of AIDS unless treated. These statistics are not counts of people who have actually tested positive. It is an estimation generated from a sample population. The sample population is primarily pregnant women, who are the ones who get priority for medical treatment in poor countries. But pregnancy is known to be a source for false positive results on HIV tests. And people of African descent in general are more likely to test false positive. The World Health Organization does not require a positive HIV test for the diagnosis of AIDS in Africa. All that is required is a certain number of symptoms. But all of these symptoms can also be explained by malnutrition, malaria, and tuberculosis, conditions that have been health risks for Africans long before the invention of AIDS. The health of poor Africans would undoubtedly be improved with better food and sanitation. But funding is now being geared towards delivery of toxic AIDS medications to Africans rather than for these basic essentials.

AIDS DEFINES ITSELF
Clearly many people have died in this country and elsewhere as the result of a suppressed immune system. But the 29 AIDS-defining illnesses are not new illnesses, and they all have previously documented causes and treatments. Diagnosis of AIDS now works like a formula. If you have pneumonia and you test HIV negative, you are told you have pneumonia. If you have pneumonia and you test HIV positive, you are told you have AIDS and you are treated with toxic AIDS drugs. For those people who are truly immune suppressed, there are other possible explanations for this phenomenon, and many safe non-toxic therapies.

DRUGS AND MALNUTRITION CAUSE AIDS
If the true condition of AIDS is a suppressed immune system unable to fight off opportunistic infections, there are many other factors that can cause this. Drugs such as cocaine and crystal methane are known to suppress the immune system. These drugs were used extensively by many gay men in the 1970's and 1980's. Intravenous drug users who have AIDS are said to be immune suppressed due to HIV, rather than due to the drug they have been injecting. Corticosteroids and some antibiotics, often prescribed to drug addicts and promiscuous gay men, are also immune suppressive. Hemophiliacs and other transplant recipients have immune problems already resulting from receiving foreign blood and sometimes foreign organs. Despite predictions of a global epidemic, AIDS cases in the United States have remained confined to its original primary risk groups: promiscuous gay men and intravenous drug users. In the gay party scene, drug use, malnutrition, and sleep deprivation continue to be high risk factors for immune deficiency.

POPPERS CAUSE KAPOSI'S SARCOMA
Kaposi's Sarcoma is one of the AIDS-indicator diseases, but it primarily occurs in gay men and not other AIDS groups. Nitrite inhalants or poppers, used extensively by gay men in the 70's and 80's, have been shown to cause Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS). KS is a cancer of the blood vessels. Nitrites are known carcinogens. KS is usually seen in gay men around the face, mouth, and in the lungs, all sites of contact with nitrite fumes. There are many recorded incidents of KS in HIV-negative gay men who used poppers. As the use of poppers decreased in the 90's, the incidence of KS also decreased. Poppers are still used by many gay men.

FEAR ALONE CAN CAUSE AIDS
Fear and anxiety is another factor that can suppress the immune system. Stress releases cortisol in the body. This cortisol is used to help break down tissues for the release of energy needed in a fight or flight situation. But prolonged stress and anxiety creates abnormally high levels of cortisol in the body. Cortisol has been shown to suppress the immune system and decrease T cell counts. Irregular sleep or lack of sleep also increases cortisol levels. Gay men who face discrimination and hatred for their sexuality can experience chronic fear and anxiety. Intravenous drug users also face a lot of chronic fear and paranoia as part of their addiction. Testing positive for HIV itself can create huge amounts of fear in the person being diagnosed.


WEBSITE LINKS:

Virus Myth http://virusmyth.net/aids/index.htm
Alive & Well
http://aliveandwell.org/
AIDS Myth-buster
http://aidsmyth.addr.com/
Peter Duesberg
http://duesberg.com/
Perth Group
http://theperthgroup.com/
HEAL International
http://thorup.com/HEAL/healindex.html
ACT-UP San Francisco
http://actupsf.com/
New York Rethinking AIDS Society
http://rethinking.org/aids/
Alberta Reappraising AIDS
http://aras.ab.ca/
Reappraising AIDS in Africa
http://oikos.org/aids/aidsafrica.htm
Mothers Oppossing Mandatory Medicine
http://informedmomm.com/
Toxi-Health
http://toxi-health.com/
Robert Giraldo
http://robertogiraldo.com/
HIV is Not the Cause of AIDS
http://orgonelab.org/hiv_aids.htm
Memory Hole
http://blancmange.net/tmh/hivcont2.html
Valley Advocate
http://old.valleyadvocate.com/hiv-ai...lt.html
AIDS/HIV Lies
http://shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/aids.htm
Counter Punch
http://counterpunch.org/mickey07122003.html
Johnny K's Dissident Site
http://geocities.com/pharmharm/
AIDS Myth Exposed
http://groups.msn.com/aidsmythexposed/

David

8.08.2007

BIOMAGNETIC HEALING

Antimicrobial Effects Magnetic therapy can help the body ward off such microbial invaders as viruses, bacteria, and fungi. It achieves this, in part, by increasing immune function through the oxygenation of white corpuscles, an important part of the immune system's arsenal.

A magnetic field can also function like an antibiotic by lowering acidity, with the result that microorganisms have a more difficult time surviving. In addition, hormonal production is regulated, altering enzymatic activity and biochemical messengers of the immune system. For example, the pineal gland is one large electromagnetic entity. The net effect is to augment the body's natural ability to resist a variety of germs.


Stress Reduction The recent discovery of magnetite in the cells of the brain helps explain the calming effect of biomagnetic therapy. A magnetic field applied to the head calms as well as induces a hypnotic sleeping effect on the brain by stimulating the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is known to be anti-stressful, producing a sedating effect in insomniacs. This finding has led to the manufacture of magnetic pillows and pads designed to provide a sound and restful sleep. A person can then awaken with more energy and fewer aches and pains.

Correction of Central Nervous System Disorders Dr. William Philpott claims that biomagnetic therapy can help central nervous system disorders. He states that such symptoms as hallucinations, delusions, seizures, and panic can be alleviated through biomagnetic therapy without disrupting the patient's mental alertness and orientation. Also, a magnetic field may reduce the need for tranquilizers and antidepressants. Magnets have been used as well to stop epileptic seizures.

Energy Enhancement Biomagnetic therapy is known to increase general well-being by enhancing energy. The normal polarization of a positively charged nucleus with a negatively charged outer membrane permits a cell to function as a healthy entity. However, as the cell performs its daily functions, it becomes depolarized. Depolarized cells equal a tired person.

It is believed that magnetic energy has the ability to penetrate all facets of the human body and reach every cell. That translates to greater energy and vitality throughout the body as a whole. Consequently, supplemental biomagnetic therapy can help the body revitalize. One normally revitalizes biological energy during sleep. This can be enhanced by sleeping in a magnetic field. Then, anabolic hormones, such as melatonin and DHEA, are made. Melatonin, made by the pineal gland, is a master hormone controlling the entire energy system.

Read more at Garry Null's Biomagnetic Healing

5.31.2007

POZ, NOW WHAT?

On May 31, 2007, at 7:30 AM, M wrote:
Hey liveswell-
A friend of mind recently found out that he has HIV. So far he has been lucky and has remained healthy. I told him that I had a friend who was and said that you are in great shape and healthy. He asked me to ask you what vitamins, websites, and in general what to do to keep healthy. Can you help?
Cheers-
M

To answer your question, I will give you a couple of views and resources that your friend can look into. I am not promoting either. Each person should make their own mind. I have made up mine, however. Basically, there are two lines of thought:

1_ the people who follow the status quo and see HIV/AIDS as a decease (and this includes the majority since it knows and understands what the media and the pharmaceutical establishment puts out).

2_ is a smaller group of people who have come in contact with more in depth, broader knowledge of the events and facts surrounding HIV/AIDS and it includes a large number of established scientists and so called HIV/AIDS victims. The informations is not simple, but that is why most people do no look into it more in depth. I'd give you a whole lecture here :) but I would only be repeating what I have gathered from resources such as http://aliveandwell.org
This resource is probably the best compilation of information with a point of view that intelligently counters the status quo. Bear in mind most of the organizations spun to put this side of the coin are independent and not funded like most of the establishment, which get HIV/AIDS funding and tout the knowledge we all hear. What I'm saying is '#2' may not 'look' as cool as '#1', but there is certainly more info in #2 to chew on and stronger well-founded research that is not too popular with #1. There is an RSS feed with Pod casts from radio stations with interviews at http://apart.libsyn.com/rss

Health-wise, the views from #1, we mostly know:
We know it, it is the message any doctor will tell. (Note: those who don't toe the line are called "Denial-ists", like when the political Right called the Left "Liberals" :) Many doctors, however are not quite up to date on the details and latest developments on HIV/AIDS, that is why you will learn that some are 'specialists'. For example, some doctors may still prescribe AZT even though it has been known for over 20 years that is is poison, it was after all designed to kill cells, for cancer treatment. It is now a days considered mal-practice to prescribe it. (not in Africa though).

Health-wise, the summarized views from #2's bottom line is:
HIV virus may or may not exist. If it does it is very unlikely it is even contagious. The tests are highly unreliable. Your friend should really be tested –anonymously, several times by the various methods. It is likely the results will be all over the place (neg, pos, neg, neg, pos, etc.) Very few people actually do this and is never actually suggested by most medical practitioners.
If the body is undergoing extreme stress or reacting to certain deceases, immunity may go down, anti-gens may become active or dominant, the body creates antibodies, the test may read positive during that time because it is designed to detect 'antibodies', NOT a (the) virus... etc. (refer to web site above)

AIDS is a denomination for about 23 previously known deceases (pneumonia, etc.) it is NOT a decease in itself. The body succumbs to many of those 23 or 26 deceases (which include malaria and those other prevalent in third-world places such as in 'Africa') by a weakened immune system and exposure to the respective infecting bacteria. The immune system can be weakened by cell oxidation caused by A) stress (body naturally releases corticol which destroys all kinds of cells in the body, including skin (wrinckles) and immune system cells), by B) lack of sleep, or by C) over-use of alcohol and many recreational drugs. (The gay partying crowd is particularly susceptible to that combination, hence the crisis of the 80's. Carposis Sarcoma (gay cancer) is directly connected to the over use of gay drugs such as poppers).(This kind of explains why AIDs in the US is a 'gay' desease, but in Africa anyone who is poor and malnourished gets it). Get it? :)

It is nice to hear that one can just pop some pills and reverse that process of oxidation caused by 'lifestyle', however the contents of the medications are probably even worse for the body, since they are extremely toxic (read all labels and advertisments' small print for HIV meds: "may cause liver/kidney damage, etc.

My conclusion to all this, over the years has been to avoid debilitating the immune system. As simple as that. This means live a happy stress-free life. Enough exercise. Avoid any chemicals (recreational or otherwise) which may do the stressing on the bod. Reduce alcohol consumption to almost 0, when possible (I love red wine, but hey, it's got anti-oxidants :). A very helpful idea is to watch the PH balance (acid vs. alkaline) of the body. Viruses and bacteria across the board cannot live or thrive in an alkaline environment, but will thrive in an acidic one.

Most deceases are bacteria or virally caused. This is a whole other topic, but it simply means eat healthy, avoid all stuff that makes the body acidic such as sugars (especially refined sugars and starchy stuff that turns into sugars quickly (White bread, white rice, white sugar, most pastas, alcohol).
Favor natural (especially green, leafy, fresh) stuff, all the vitamins and nutrients one needs to keep the immune system strong are there, naturally present. Packaged goods, as a rule are depleted of naturally occurring nutrients no matter how many manufacturers claim they artificially inject back into the product. The body absorbs nutrients best in natural synergistic balances, the way they come naturally.

I do take natural immune boosting supplements here and there just to compensate for long nights or exposure to bacteria that goes around. This may include Cat's claw, dandelion, green tea, anything with anti-oxidants, and a few other things.


Exercise! Anything that will keep the body pumping oxygen to the cells. Which brings me to the Ride topic... No, unfortunately I have to pull out. Been focusing on developing new business since, as you may know, I left my job 3 months ago and need to keep the focus to get on a new track. I hope you are and look forward to hear the stories. I have been riding a lot though. Hope we can hang soon and that the above helps your friend get a perspective on the issues. I'll be happy to talk to him or both of you if you want.
Either way, hope all else is good with you.

Peace and hug!

– ls

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4.09.2007

Dandelion Root

The dandelion is a perennial plant found almost everywhere though not
occurring in the Southern Hemisphere. Having a leaf the shape of a
lion's tooth, the name is taken from the French "dent-de-lion" meaning
"tooth-of-the-lion". It increases bile production and stimulates its
flow to the gallbladder, where it also causes contractions and the
release of bile from there. The polysaccharide insulin found in this
root is respected for its white blood cell and immuliver,detoxne-boosting
properties.

This root is also higher in beta-carotene (a powerful antioxidant and
precursor to Vitamin A) than what is found in carrots. The leaf of the
plant is a powerful diuretic and a delicious salad green eaten in the
spring. Dandelion is a very nutritive herb with medicinal benefits; it
stimulates the liver and kidneys while absorbing toxins and soothes the
digestive tract while promoting healing.

Uses: liver, kidneys, gall bladder, stomach, pancreas, intestines, and
blood. Abscesses, age spots, anemia, boils, blood pressure (high),
blood purifier, breast tumors, cancer, cholesterol, constipation,
cirrhosis, cramps, dermatitis, diabetes, eczema, endurance, fatigue,
fever, fluid retention, gout, jaundice, hypoglycemia, all liver
problems, psoriasis, rheumatism, spleen, stomach, uric acid, warts,
stimulates metabolism.

Constituents: High in A, C, E, Calcium, Iron, and Potassium. Moderate
in Magnesium, Phosphorus, Manganese, Selenium, Silicon, Sodium and
Vitamin A, C, and E. With some B-complex including Biotin, Inositol,
Niacin, PABA, B-1, B-2, B5, B-6, B-9, B-12; Vitamin P, Fats, Gluten,
Gum, Linolenic Acid, Proteins. Small amounts of Sulfur, Zinc, Inulin,
Lactupicrine, Potash, Resin.

4.07.2007

AVOCADOS

Some very compelling reasons (especially the glutathione) to eat an avocado or two a day.

The compound profile of the avocado includes a cholesterol-lowering by a phytosterol called beta-sitosterol and the anti-acid glutathione, according to Dr. David Heber, director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. Evidence suggests phytosterol and glutathione found in avocados may help prevent certain types of cancers and heart disease in
humans.

"The avocado has long been known for its special taste enhancing properties," Heber said. "However, new research demonstrates that avocados provide favorable phytochemicals that work in combination with biochemicals from other foods in the diet to enhance overall health."

"The California avocado is an excellent dietary source of glutathione and phytosterol providing micronutrients that may have unique roles in the body and the potential to improve overall health and prevent chronic disease," Heber said.

According to Heber, he has discovered that avocados contain a biochemical called lutien, which is a carotenoid recently discovered in avocados and found in green vegetables to help protect against cancer, including Prostate Cancer.

Traditionally, lutein has been found in green vegetables such as parsley, celery and spinach, but was recently discovered in avocados. In fact, research shows that avocados are the highest fruit source of lutein among the 20 most frequently consumed fruits.

Heber states, "avocados are recognized as an excellent source of monounsaturated fat which is known to lower cholesterol levels, but the antioxidant and biochemical properties of avocados are less well-recognized. These plant nutrients naturally found in fruits and vegetables work together to reduce oxidative stress and prevent disease.

The avocado contains fourteen minerals, all of which regulate body functions and stimulate growth. Especially, noteworthy are its iron and copper contents, which aid in red blood cell regeneration and the prevention of nutritional anemia. It also contains a higher source of potassium than bananas. The avocado is also a great source of protein at 10 to 15%.

Asparagus, avocado, and walnuts are particularly rich dietary sources of glutathione.

2.15.2007

Nutrients To Calm You Down Fast

1. Berries, any berries
Eat them one by one instead of M&Ms when the pressure's on. For those tough times when tension tightens your jaw, try rolling a frozen berry around in your mouth. And then another, and another. Since the carbs in berries turn to sugar very slowly, you won't have a blood sugar crash. The bonus: They're a good source of vitamin C, which helps fight a jump in the stress hormone cortisol

2. Guacamole
If you're craving something creamy, look no further. Avocados are loaded with B vitamins, which stress quickly depletes and which your body needs to maintain nerves and brain cells. Plus their creaminess comes from healthy fat. Scoop up the stuff with whole-grain baked chips-crunching keeps you from gritting your teeth.

3. Mixed nuts
Just an ounce will help replace those stress-depleted Bs (walnuts), give you a whopping amount of zinc (Brazil nuts)-it's also drained by high anxiety-and boost your E (almonds), which helps fight cellular damage linked to chronic stress. Buy nuts in the shell and think of it as multi-tasking: With every squeeze of the nutcracker, you're releasing a little bit of tension.

4. Oranges
People who take a 1,000 mg of C before giving a speech have lower levels of cortisol and lower blood pressure than those who don't. So lean back, take a deep breath, and concentrate on peeling a large orange. The 5-minute mindfulness break will ease your mind and you'll get a bunch of C as well.

5. Asparagus
Each tender stalk is a source of folic acid, a natural mood-lightener. Dip the spears in fat-free yogurt or sour cream for a hit of calcium with each bite.

6. Chai tea
A warm drink is a super soother, and curling up with a cup of aromatic decaf chai tea (Tazo makes ready-to-brew bags) can make the whole evil day go away.

7. Dark chocolate
Okay, there's nothing in it that relieves stress, but when only chocolate will do, reach for the dark, sultry kind that's at least 70% + cocoa). You figure if the antioxidant flavonoids in it are potent enough to fight cancer and heart disease, they've got to be able to temper tension's effects. Just make sure there is no refine sugar in the ingredients. Raw Cocoa nuts and honey are a better alternative, just harder to get.