In what may the first study of its kind, researchers in India extracted the antioxidants unique to virgin coconut oil from the oil and injected them into rats with induced arthritis. They found that the unique coconut oil antioxidants reduced inflammation associated with arthritis more effectively than current pharmaceutical drugs.
Science now shows that chocolate may be good for you. Five chemical compounds contained in raw, unadulterated chocolate are highlighted to show exactly what they are and how they work. First, antioxidant polyphenols that neutralize free radicals provide some of the most compelling aspects of eating chocolate because they can reduce processes associated with the development of diseases like Alzheimer’s, heart disease and cancer. Second, chocolate contains anandamide, named after the Sanscrit word for “bliss,” which is a neurotransmitter in the brain that temporarily blocks feelings of pain and anxiety. The caffeine and theobromine in chocolate have been shown to produce higher levels of physical energy and mental alertness while, counter-intuitively, lowering blood pressure in women. Chocolate’s heart-friendly properties may be due to the presence of epicatechins, antioxidants which are found in higher concentrations in darker and raw forms. Studies showed that one-and-a-half ounces of dark chocolate a day for 2 weeks reduced stress hormone levels.
Oregano is widely considered as nature’s antibiotic. It is an indispensable spice in Turkish, Greek, Portuguese, Spanish, Latin American and Italian cuisine, oregano is the must-have ingredient in tomato sauces and pairs well with capers and olives. It may be one reason why people who eat a Mediterranean diet tend to live longer and healthier lives. The oil of the wild oregano plant has been shown to kill unwanted bacteria, fungus, yeast, parasites and viruses and is a powerful antihistamine.
A new study reveals that Virgin Coconut Oil consumption leads to lower blood pressure. This study examined the effects of lipid peroxidation in heating liquid unsaturated oils, which leads to hypertension. Virgin Coconut Oil consumption led to a lowering of blood pressure. This study confirms what many other studies also show, that the USDA dietary guidelines' advice on fats and oils has been completely wrong for many years now. Liquid polyunsaturated oils such as soy and corn oils are promoted as "heart healthy" when in fact they lead to heart disease when used in cooking. Saturated fats, on the other hand, have been demonized as causing high cholesterol and heart disease, when in fact the opposite is true.
A study just published in Food and Function, of the Royal Society of Chemistry, shows once again that the highest amounts of antioxidants in coconut oil are found in virgin coconut oils produced by the wet-milling process. The study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Kerala in India. The study compared a traditionally made virgin coconut oil with refined coconut oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil for effects on antioxidant status. The results revealed that virgin coconut oil improved the antioxidant status compared to other three oil-fed groups. They observed increased activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in the liver, heart, and kidneys. Virgin coconut oil also prevented oxidative stress, indicated by the decreased formation of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. This is perhaps the most exhaustive study to date examining the anti-oxidant activities of traditional, wet-milled virgin coconut oils.
Colon cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the U.S. and colonoscopies are one of the most common medical procedures done today. A colonoscopy is performed in order to identify a growth or a polyp at an early stage so that it can be removed it before it becomes cancerous. Colonoscopies are one of the few preventive procedures in conventional medicine that actually improve mortality. A recent study looked at the efficacy of using antioxidants to prevent recurrent colonic polyps in patients who have undergone colonoscopic removal of polyps.
Blackcurrant is full of powerful antioxidants which can help people stay more alert, reduce mental fatigue and work with greater accuracy while under significant mental stress. They also have the amazing side effect of slashing the risk of heart attacks, stroke and heart failure.
Five of the 54 antioxidants in maple syrup were identified for the first time in nature, and are unique to the natural sweetener.
Alliance for Natural Health
Jonathan Wright, MD
In their January 25 issue, Newsweek published a scientifically unsupportable article, claiming that antioxidants “may not be good for your health.” We asked natural biomedical researcher and physician Jonathan Wright, MD, to comment—and he didn’t mince words!
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Here we go again. Another one-sided “mainstream media” […]
