Kimchi Lover's Rejoice

Green Med Info has highlighted two reports this week showing the health benefits of traditional fermented cabbage dishes like kimchi.

The first study shows that an active compound of kimchi inhibits atherosclerosis in rabbits (let's ignore the fact that rabbits usually eat raw cabbage). These rabbits were fed a high-cholesterol diet and then given either a pharmaceutical drug or the kimchi compound. The kimchi compound had the highest cholesterol-lowering effect.

The second study shows that a particular strain of Lactobacillus bacteria found in kimchi is able to degrade organophosphorus pesticides which include extremely toxic substances such as parathion and diazinon.

For more information about kimchi and fermented foods see the past blog post about Raw/Live Food and the health links page at the Alternative Health Guides Web Site for where to buy kimchi-like products and books about how to make your own.

Freedom of Choice

Whatever your personal decisions are regarding vaccines, it is important to have freedom of choice in the United States and the world, because once freedom of choice is taken away in one area, it can be taken away in other areas. To have informed freedom of choice, people need to have access to all sides of an issue.

Science is not one static block of information. There are different opinions, outcomes in tests and a myriad of components in how studies are conducted and reported. Science evolves and changes—you only need to explore history and you will find this consistently. The most common example is that prior to 1850 the notion of infection reduction due to hand-washing before surgery was dismissed as totally ridiculous and the doctor who promoted the theory was imprisoned. Now hand-washing is considered the most important aspect of infection reduction even with all sorts of technology available.

Antibiotics, considered miracle-cures and panaceas, are now known to cause all sorts of resistant super-bugs and other health issues. In a relatively short span of time antibiotics have gone from cure-all drugs to cautiously prescribed — an enormous shift in how the drugs are used.

So when billions of dollars are at stake in the world of vaccines, with its relatively short history, it seems prudent to allow full disclosure and transparency in all information, full access to all sides of the issues and most importantly, the freedom for individuals to make their own choices about what is injected into their bodies.

Here is a link to a referenced article from Dr. Mercola's Newsletter about the money trail of vaccine proponents and the attack on the National Vaccine Information Center, whose primary focus for decades has been freedom of information and choice.

Just as label-reading is important in the grocery store, regardless of what you choose to buy, so is virtual label reading of everything that is put into our bodies. What is considered life-saving and miraculous one day, may not be the next. Everyone has the right to make their own choices.

The Wonders of Curcumin

Just over a year ago I wrote Eat That Curry! about research being done at the Cork Cancer Research Centre in Cork, Ireland on the cancer-killing effects of curcumin, a component of turmeric, a common Indian spice and member of the ginger family used in curry and other dishes. Bright orange-yellow, the compound is traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine as an anti-inflammatory.

As if killing cancer-cells were not enough, curcumin has a wide range of other beneficial health effects. The most recent issue of AARP's magazine reports that researchers at the University of Arizona in Tucson have found turmeric to inhibit arthritis in rats and a study from Thailand found it worked as well or better than ibuprofen for reducing the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.

The research continues into the beneficial uses of curcumin. Lee Silsby, a compounding pharmacy in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, works with doctors and researchers to develop innovative nutritional products. It offers a number of products for people suffering from autism-spectrum disorders, cancer, Crohn's and other illnesses.  A number of its products are designed to enhance detoxification and improve the function of methylation detoxification pathways.

As part of its specialized selection, Silsby has developed a potentiated form of curcumin called Enhansa. Silsby claims Enhansa is absorbed seven to eight times more than standard curcumin extracts. The list of benefits is quite impressive and includes being anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, improving liver detoxification,  and chelating lead and cadmium. People have had success using it to treat candida problems, arthritis and have found it helps to  diminish some of the symptoms of autism-spectrum disorders. Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt of Seattle, Washington includes Enhansa in his protocol for Lyme disease. If you or your health practitioner decide that Enhansa might be a good medicament to incorporate into your health regime, pay attention to the dosing protocol listed on the Silsby Enhansa Web site.

It is refreshing to see modern medicine explore ancient knowledge and to embrace its possibilities. We can only hope that this trend continues not only for curcumin, but also for the vast reservoir of other natural substances available around the world.

Recipes for the Caffeine Sensitive and Menopause-Afflicted

One of the less fortunate effects of perimenopause (I really dislike that word speaking of cranky) for me is that my usual sensitivity to caffeine has skyrocketed making it absolutely impossible for my body to tolerate even microscopic amounts of caffeine, no matter how beneficial the supposed source (so no green tea, dark chocolate, or "decaf" items). This to me is actually a tragedy, not just an annoyance. During the periods (no pun intended) I want or need caffeine and chocolate the most, I am not able to partake—a cruel twist. So I have come up with my own substitutes. I hope those of you similarly afflicted will find some solace in these recipes.

I need to preface the following by saying that I am not a huge soy-food fan. I do like tofu if it is fresh, especially when it is combined with pesto (just about anything mixed with pesto is delicious in my book), and I like fresh miso, but that is about it. Most other soy products make me gag. So my concoction below was a happy discovery since I seem to benefit from the mild suppression of excess estrogen which soy milk offers.


My Cup o'Joe
1) In a French Press Coffee Maker (about 1 Qt size) put in 3 small scoops (about 3 Tablespoons) of Orzo (see more on Orzo below)*
2) Fill the Press with just-boiled water, place the cover on but do not press, rather let it sit
3) Separately grind cardamon, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg (sometimes ginger, fennel and/or black pepper too as to mood and preference) in a mortar & pestle
4) Mix the spices with 1 cup of soy milk—not just any soy milk, but Vermont Soy Plain soy milk which is prepared from Vermont-grown, organic and GMO-free soy beans. The Unsweetened "flavor" has no sweeteners or flavors and has the highest protein content so also the highest isoflavone content—phytonutrients which some women find helpful with their menopausal symptoms.
(For some more information about soy and menopause see Women to Women)
5) Press the orzo and add about half of it to the soy milk and spice mixture. Pour into a mug and enjoy.

(Save the other half for a cold Orzo-latte or drink plain—it is delicious and reminiscent of black-coffee)



*For more information about Orzo/Caffe Orzo, see Orzo You Say?
Orzo—finding the good stuff in the U.S.: Fortunately for those of us who do not find ourselves in Italy, Two Leaves and a Bud, purveyors of fine teas, imports what I found to be one of the best Orzos in Italy from Alce Nero. You can order it online or find it at local stores. It is available locally in the Upper Valley at the Upper Valley Food Coop, 185 North Main St., White River Jct, VT 05001; Tel: 802-295-5804


I have recently found that I can tolerate very small amounts of raw cocoa nibs and raw cocoa, although even these I must limit. Raw cocoa is not stimulant-free, it contains theobromine, a compound similar to caffeine. Raw cocoa can also contribute to excess estrogen so moderation is extremely recommended if you suffer from caffeine-sensitivity and excess estrogen. I find that if I stick to moderation, for some reason also easier to do with raw rather than regular cocoa, I can be satiated with something relatively healthy when I am having a wild chocolate craving.



Chocolate Truffle Fix
6 whole dates- soaked for 30 to 60 minutes
1 Tablespoon Raw Agave nectar

1 Tablespoon Raw Coconut Oil
1/3 cup raw, dried shredded coconut

1/6 cup raw cocoa powder

1-2 Tablespoons water from the soaked dates

Optional: 1 teaspoon organic peppermint extract (for those that like mint-chocolate (guilty)

Pit the dates and throw all the ingredients into a food processor. Blend until a thick paste.
Place 1/4-1/2 cup of raw cocoa nibs on a plate and roll teaspoonfuls of the paste into balls in the nibs. I recommend making small balls so that you protect yourself from eating more than might be tolerable.

Eat plain, or with sliced bananas, and serve with an orzo Cup o'Joe. Enjoy!