The 6 Major Health Benefits of Broccoli

It is hard to argue that broccoli is anything but one of the healthiest foods we can eat. It is a member of what is called the cruciferous family of vegetables. This family also includes cauliflower and cabbage. Its cultivation originated in Italy in the 16th century, and is named after the Latin word "brachium" which means branch or arm.
Broccoli is one of the vegetables that are most beneficial to our health because it contains a complete nutrition. It consists of many important chemicals that sustain the body such as anti-inflammatory nutrients, detox-support nutrients, antioxidant nutrients, and anti-cancer nutrients.
Broccoli is usually steamed for 4-5 minutes or eaten raw, and best served with a meat dish. Even though most of us know that broccoli can give us many benefits, few only know of the real potential of having broccoli in our diet. Below are some of the ways broccoli can improve our lives and well being.
1. Cancer Prevention - Broccoli is one of the most powerful vegetables when it comes to lowering the risk of developing various forms of cancer. It contains a chemical called indole-3-carbinol which helps DNA repair in damaged cells and also reduces the growth of cancerous tumors.
Broccoli also contains a substance called glucoraphanin in which the body can process into the anti-cancer compound called sulforaphane which in turn has the ability to kill bacteria within the body.
In a study conducted by the University of Illinois, it has been found that the anti-cancer properties of broccoli can be increased when paired with various spicy foods that contain the enzyme called myrosinase, such as mustard, wasabi and horseradish.

2. Healthy Bones - Broccoli contains large amounts of both Calcium and vitamin K, both of which are essential for healthy bones, and also reduce the risk of osteoporosis which is a disease that makes your bones more likely to fracture.
3. Healthy Heart - As mentioned above, broccoli contains sulforaphane which is also anti-inflammatory, may be able to prevent, or even reverse damaged blood vessel linings that can be caused by inflammation due to chronic blood sugar disorders.
Studies have shown that a carotenoid called lutein, which is found in broccoli, can slow down the rate in which your arteries thicken as you grow older, limiting heart diseases and stroke.
In addition, vitamin B6 and folate (which is also given to women as supplements in an attempt to get pregnant and during pregnancy), are also present in broccoli, have been proven to limit the chances of having a heart attack or stroke.
4. Boost Your Immune System - At least four other ingredients in broccoli help with boosting the immune system which are called beta-carotene, selenium, zinc and the well known vitamin C. From all the members of the cruciferous vegetable family, broccoli has the most concentrated source of vitamin C. This means that broccoli not only protects you from catching the common cold, but also helps people who suffer from hay fever.
5. Helps Lose Weight and Keeps Digestive System Healthy - Broccoli is high in fiber which keeps your bowels in good working condition allowing you to have a healthy digestive system. The fiber also maintains your blood sugar levels low and also discourages you from eating since it makes you feel fuller for longer periods of time.
6. Eye Health - Being a very good source of Vitamin A, broccoli can help with your vision. The body needs Vitamin A in order to form vital molecules that help you see in low lighting conditions. Broccoli also contains lutein as mentioned in point 3, and this chemical is also capable of lowering the risk of developing cataracts as you get older.
Given all the benefits of Broccoli mentioned above, you can now see what it is a super food and why it should be included in your diet. It is important that broccoli is not overcooked because it will then lose many of its healthy benefits. You should eat broccoli steam or stir fried (less than 5 min) if you do not want to eat it raw.
Like all foods, if you plan to regularly eat broccoli, it is best to consult your physician with more advanced advice.
By Constantinos K Costa 

Super Foods Known To Fight Cancer

The world has no idea that certain humble foods we find in our kitchens or perhaps in our gardens, can be a Life Saver for someone battling against cancer. People only believe in Medicine or Science, but sadly, not so much in Mother Nature or God's Providence. If only we had faith like that of a mustard seed! We could visualize that Mother Nature has provided us with the most natural resources potent enough to stave off cancer.
What are Super foods? Why are they so different? In truth, Super foods are basically foods that are high in anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic and packed with rich nutrients that are health beneficial. They are the most powerful and effective cancer killer foods, that have yet to be fully utilized!
You might laugh it off and say, "Yes, I know!" Still, here they are:-

• Turmeric - Containing Curcumin. it is a yellow spice and one of the most currently researched cancer fighting food. Not only does it combats, but also able to block cancer growth and can reduce tumours by an astounding eighty-one percent!


• Papaya leaf extract - Without having the negative consequences of Chemotherapy, papaya's powerful impact against lab-grown tumours has been documented. It is capable of eradicating various cancers including breast, liver,lung, pancreas and cervix. Besides, it supports and boosts the immune system.

Garlic - Centuries have shown how garlic has benefitted the prevention and treatment of diseases, most notoriously known also for fighting cancer. The production of a compound in garlic called hydrogen sulfide, mainly attributed to garlic's ability in preventing various cancers... apart from affording protection to the heart.

Ginger - It is a cousin spice of tumeric and is known for its ability to shrink tumours! Its anti-cancer properties additionally reduce inflammation as it is enriched with life enhancing antioxidants. It is effective in reducing flatulence too.

Sour Sop - This is a super duper, potent Killer of cancer cells 10,000 times more efficient than chemotherapy! It contains annonacin, a cancer cure properties and vitamins. You can make tea from its leaves and bark to alleviate headaches, cough, diarrhoea and back pain.

Chorella sorokina - This a marine-plant like algae and is another super food enriched with all the nutrients and powerful antioxidants to ward off inflammatory and degenerative diseases of the spine & knees.

By Mary Lee Scully

Study: Breast milk kills cancer cells

(NaturalNews) The health benefits of human breast milk are vast, and researchers from Sweden have uncovered the presence of yet another substance in breast milk with incredible cancer-fighting abilities. As reported in a study published in the journal PLoS One, the substance, known as "Human Alpha-lactalbumin Made LEthal to Tumor cells" (HAMLET), effectively kills cancer cells, which in turn helps provide lasting protection against tumor development in young children.

Back in the late 1980s, researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that breast-fed children are far less likely than children fed formula and other unnatural foods to develop cancer. Now, it has become a little clearer why this is the case, as breast milk contains unique compounds like HAMLET that specifically target cancer cells while leaving healthy cells to grow and multiply as normal.

"Laboratory experiments have shown that HAMLET kills 40 different types of cancer, and the researchers are now going on to study its effects on skin cancer, tumors in the mucous membranes and brain tumors," explains Science Daily about the discovery. "HAMLET kills only cancer cells and does not affect healthy cells."

Scientists originally discovered HAMLET on accident while researching the antibacterial properties of human breast milk. Several years later, researchers from Lund University and the University of Gothenburg, both in Sweden, found that HAMLET contains a protein and a fatty acid that contribute to its cancer-fighting effects. And further followup research has revealed that the substance may actually form in the acidic environment of babies' stomachs, the natural byproduct of breast milk consumption.

"HAMLET is produced by combining alpha-lactalbumin in the milk and oleic acid which is found in babies' stomachs," explained Assistant Professor Roger Karlsson from the University of Gothenburg to the U.K.'s Telegraph about the findings. "So breast feeding has been linked to actually reducing the risk of cancer in babies. HAMLET also triggers some of the cell's apoptotic pathways -- apoptosis is programmed cell death."

Breast milk may help treat cancer in adults as well

But young children may not be the only people who can benefit from consuming breast milk. Human trials involving just the HAMLET component of breast milk have revealed that it can effectively treat male bladder cancer. Patients with bladder cancer who received injections of HAMLET experienced a reduction in cancer tumor size after just a few days of treatment.

"A pilot study of bladder cancer patients were injected with a HAMLET solution through a catheter," Prof. Karlsson is quoted as saying to the Telegraph. "The solution killed cancer cells and the size of the tumors actually reduced within five days."

Related studies conducted over the years have found that other natural compounds in breast milk help inhibit the growth and spread of cancer cells as well. A 1994 study published in the journal Cancer Research, for instance, found that the lactoferrin in breast milk inhibits the growth of tumors in mice. And another study published the same year in the journal Medical Hypothesis found that the fatty acids in breast milk also help deter cancer growth.

Additionally, reports have surfaced over the years of people actually using human breast milk to cure their own cancers. Several years ago, for instance, a man allegedly cured his own prostate cancer by drinking a little bit of breast milk every day. And in 2009, it was reported by ABC News that a U.K. man took daily doses of his own daughter's breast milk to help treat an allegedly terminal case of colon cancer that spread to his liver and lymph nodes. 

By naturalnews

Why cooking with a microwave destroys cancer-fighting nutrients in food and promotes nutritional deficiencies

(NaturalNews) Microwaves absolutely decimate the nutritional value of your food, destroying the very vitamins and phytonutrients that prevent disease and support good health. Previous studies have shown that as much as 98% of the cancer-fighting nutrients in broccoli, for example, are destroyed by microwaving.

To understand why, you have to understand the nature of vitamins and phytonutrients (plant-based nutrients). These are very delicate molecules which are fragile. They are easily destroyed by heat, which is why raw plant foods contain more plant nutrients than cooked foods. Carotenoids, antioxidants and other molecules like DIM (in broccoli) or anthocyanins (in purple corn) are all easily destroyed by microwave energy.

Microwaves "nuke" your food at a cellular level

Microwaving is the worst way to cook foods because microwaves excite the water molecules inside whatever you're cooking, causing heat to be formed from the inside out. This results in a cell-by-cell "nuking" of the food (such as broccoli, carrots, etc.), causing the near-total molecular decomposition of the vitamins and phytonutrients that promote disease.

Microwaved food is not merely "dead" food at every level, it is food that has been molecularly deconstructed, leaving nothing but empty calories, fiber and minerals. Virtually the entire vitamin and phytonutrient content has been destroyed.

Anybody who says microwaving food is a healthy way to cook is wildly ignorant of nutrition and cooking methods. While steaming vegetables is, indeed, a good method for some veggies to help make certain nutrients more bioavailable, microwaving destroys veggies from the inside out at a cellular level.

Don't be fooled by appearances

What's really deceptive about microwave cooking is that the food still appears to be basically the same, but at the cellular level, it's like a nuclear war has taken place. The actual molecular structure has been decimated. If you could see microwaved foods with a powerful microscope, you'd never eat them again because you would recognize just what a nutritional wasteland they really are.

If you want to eat in a healthy way, make sure a significant part of your diet is raw plants. It's okay to eat some steamed, stir-fried or even grilled veggies, but when grilling foods, avoid burning them because all burned parts contain toxic, cancer-causing chemicals that promote colon cancer.

Personally, I am absolutely astonished that more people don't already know all this. I'm even having to talk with my own staff about these issues, as they don't seem to know the full story on microwave cooking. Spread the word: Microwaves promote death because they turn nutritious, healthy food into empty, decimated calories. I gave up using a microwave well over a decade ago, and I don't even own one.

Remember, a person who cooks a lot of their food with microwaves will inevitably have chronic nutritional deficiencies that promote cancer, diabetes, bone diseases, loss of brain function, heart disease and many other health problems. The least healthy people of any society are typically the ones who frequently use the microwave oven to "nuke" their foods

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