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Medical Science Embraces The Healing Power Of Aloe Vera

by: Brad Chase

(NaturalNews) Aloe vera has been used as a healing agent for centuries. As far back as the days of ancient Egypt, aloe vera was prescribed as "the plant of immortality." Aloe vera is used to heal a variety of skin conditions, to heal wounds, and as a laxative when consumed internally. Even the FDA approves aloe vera as a food additive.

Liquid Life Complete

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine states that aloe vera is being used to treat diabetes, arthritis, epilepsy, and asthma. It is often used topically on burns and sunburns, but is also used to help treat psoriasis. The gel inside the aloe vera plant can be spread directly on the skin, and the leaves can be juiced.

Aloe vera lowers blood glucose and lipid levels and heals skin conditions
The British Journal of General Practice published a medical study in 1999 which reviewed all of the available research done on aloe vera to that time. The researchers found sound evidence that aloe vera could be useful in the treatment of diabetes patients by lowering blood glucose levels. Aloe vera could also help to reduce blood lipid (fat) levels, and possibly help create faster healing times in genital herpes and psoriasis.

Dermatologists find a multitude of clinical uses for aloe vera
By 2008, dermatologists around the world were using aloe vera in numerous applications in the field of cosmetology. The Indian Journal of Dermatology noted over 75 different active components in the aloe vera plant. Aloe vera is full of vitamins and minerals, enzymes, mono and poly-saccharides, and laxative properties. It is antimicrobial, it provides pain relief, and provides fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory. In addition, aloe vera offers wound healing hormones and most of the human body's required and essential amino acids.

There is scientific documentation that aloe vera is useful for the following health issues: dermatitis, psoriasis, herpes simplex virus-2, burns, type 2 diabetes, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and preventing cancer. There is also clinical proof that aloe vera works for ulcerative colitis, some cases of wound healing, radiation burns, acne, frostbite, and constipation.

Traditional literature suggests empirical evidence that aloe vera can also be used in the treatment of alopecia (hair loss and baldness), parasite infections, lupus, and arthritis.

Aloe vera tincture may be used as eye drops
An interesting new use for aloe vera is as eye drops for a variety of eye diseases. Pharmaceutical Biology suggests that an ethanol extract, or tincture, of aloe vera could be used to treat inflammations in the eyes and ailments of the cornea.

Side effects of aloe vera
The side effects of aloe vera are few, and are mostly related to individuals who are allergic to the plant. In sensitive individuals, aloe vera may cause redness or stinging when applied to the skin. When consumed orally, aloe vera may possibly cause abdominal cramps, either diarrhea or increased constipation, or a red tint to urine color. The laxative effect of aloe vera may cause potassium levels to become low.

Aloe vera is not recommended for pregnancy because of the remote possibility of triggering uterine contractions. It is also not recommended for breastfeeding mothers, because it may cause the baby's gastrointestinal system to become upset.

There is some concern about long-term oral use of aloe vera as a laxative. Rats fed aloe vera for two years, over half of their lifetimes, developed colon cancer in a toxicology study. While no such evidence has occurred clinically in humans, more study is needed to determine any possible risk to ingesting aloe vera over several decades.

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Drought-tolerant GMO Seeds Coming In Few Months

BOONE, Iowa – The holy grail of seed companies – drought-tolerant corn – will reach farmers in the next few months, offering hope should record hot, dry summers return.

Detoxification Healing ProtocolThe new seed lines were popular attractions at the DuPont Pioneer, Monsanto and Syngenta exhibits early last week at the Farm Progress Show in Boone. The show displays the latest technology in agriculture.

Drought tolerance will be the latest gee-whiz addition to seed offerings, going beyond the pest and weed resistance made commonplace by the genetic biotech revolution. Iowa yields have increased around 35% to 40% since the late 1980s, helping satisfy a greater demand for corn for food, feed and fuel.

The new seeds won't completely erase the impact of drought. The companies limit their claim to yield increases of 5% to 15% above what non-drought tolerant corn would yield in the kind of heat Iowa endured this summer.

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Flawed Organic Foods Study Really Just A Media Psyop

by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger

(NaturalNews) If you read the mainstream news headlines today, you might be shocked to see headlines that say things like, "Organic foods no healthier than conventional foods" or "Organic foods may not be healthier for you." You'll see these headlines all across the usual disinfo outlets: NPR, Associated Press, Reuters, Washington Post, WebMD and elsewhere.

 

The problem with these headlines is that they are flatly false. The study these news outlets are quoting actually confirms that organic foods are far healthier for you than conventional foods.

So how is the mainstream media lying about this? By fudging the facts, of course.

For starters, the "study" isn't even a study. It was just a review of other studies. No new laboratory analysis was done whatsoever!

The "review" was conducted at Stanford University and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. You can read the abstract here:
http://annals.org/article.aspx?articleid=1355685

As the study itself concludes:

• Exposure to chemical pesticides was significantly lower in organic foods (roughly 30% less than conventional foods).

• Exposure to "superbugs" in meat (antibiotic-resistant bacteria) was also significantly lower in organic foods (roughly a 33% risk difference).

• The study conclusion says, right out, that "Consumption of organic foods may reduce exposure to pesticide residues and antibiotic-resistant bacteria."

Somehow, the mainstream media took this study and then lied to their readers, claiming organic food is "no different" than conventional food. That is a flat-out lie, of course. Because it fails to mention all the following:

• GMOs are not allowed in organic foods. So GMO exposure is many orders of magnitude higher in conventional foods, where GMOs are commonplace.

• Artificial chemical sweeteners are not allowed in organic foods. But conventional foods are often sweetened with toxic chemicals such as aspartame or saccharin.

• The study completely failed to look at the use of genetically-modified bovine growth hormones (rBGH) in conventional milk versus organic milk.

• The environmental impact of conventional food production is devastating to the planet. Chemical pesticides aren't just found in the crops; they also run off into the streams, rivers and oceans. No mainstream media article that covered this story even bothered to mention this hugely important issue — it's one of the primary reasons to buy organic!

• The funding source of the study is listed as "None." Does anybody really believe that? All these scientists supposedly volunteered their time and don't get paid to engage in scientific endeavors? It's absurd. The money for the study had to come from somewhere, and the fact that the Annals of Internal Medicine is hiding the source by listing "none" is just further evidence of scientific wrongdoing.

Ultimately, this study comes down to being a total psyop pushed by the mainstream media for the purpose of confusing the public and ultimately promoting GMOs.

The media's coverage of this is pure disinfo along the lines of other health disinfo campaigns such as:

• Mercury in vaccines is actually GOOD for you and makes vaccines work better:

• GMOs shouldn't be labeled on foods: it should be a huge corporate secret!

• Flu shots are great! Take more flu shots and you'll be protected from the flu (total disinfo, a complete lie).

• West Nile Virus is a huge danger to everyone. Run! Run! Spray yourself with deadly chemicals to be "safe!"

• Vitamins are dangerous! Don't take vitamins! They might kill you!

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Tame High Blood Pressure With Natural Remedies

by: Celeste M. Smucker, MPH, PhD

(NaturalNews) Hypertension or high blood pressure is a serious health problem which impacts nearly 30% of the American population. Its prevalence is growing as is it's cost, and people who suffer from this condition are also likely to experience heart attacks and strokes as well as kidney damage, loss of vision, and impaired cognitive ability. In 2008 the cost of hypertension was estimated to be in excess of $69 billion not including associated cardiovascular complications which up the total by another $100 billion. Unfortunately, according to an article in the American Journal of Hypertension only about 24% of those affected by hypertension are able to control their blood pressure. In addition, among those who take drugs for this condition, only 43% have it under control. Fortunately there are many natural blood pressure remedies which are effective, less costly, and lack the side effects of pharmaceuticals.

Magnesium Orotate
Magnesium Taurate

Coconut water
These days most health food stores and supermarkets carry coconut water which is the fluid found inside coconuts. Coconut water is not the same as coconut milk which is made from the meat of this delicious fruit. Coconut water has long been used as a source of nutrition during famines and can be safely injected into the human blood stream…the only natural substance for which this is the case.

In a 2005 article in the West Indian Medical Journal, researchers reported on the effectiveness of coconut water and another tropical drink, mauby, for reducing hypertension. Mauby is a drink made from the bark of the buckhorn tree and is popular in the Caribbean. For this study 28 subjects were divided into four groups. One received water the others received mauby, coconut water or a combination of the two for two weeks. Results showed 71% of the coconut water group had a significant reduction in their systolic blood pressure followed by 40% and 43% for the mauby and mixture groups respectively. Similarly, 29% of the coconut group saw significant declines in their diastolic pressure as did 40% and 57% of the other two treatment groups.

Increased potassium intake helps reduce blood pressure as it balances out the sodium that promotes hypertension. Coconut water's high potassium content may explain its effective for this purpose, and along with reducing dietary sodium can help bring down blood pressure.

Meditation helps control blood pressure
Over the years there have been several studies of the benefits of meditation for reducing blood pressure. A 2004 review article which appeared in the journal Cardiology Review looked at meditation's impact on the risk of cardiovascular disease including hypertension. The authors concluded that twice daily meditation promoted heart health in part by contributing to significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure compared to control groups. The results were seen in both sexes and in people who were both low and high risk for hypertension. A group who learned a muscle relaxation technique had some success in this regard, but not to the extent of those who practiced meditation.

The article's authors concluded that meditation is effective for reducing blood pressure because it helps lower stress and corrects its negative impact on the body.

Use stevia to reduce blood pressure and sugar intake
A number of animal and human studies have demonstrated that stevia helps reduce hypertension. For example, in a 2003 study reported in Clinical Therapeutics patients received either stevioside (derived from stevia) or a placebo for two years. Results showed significant declines in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the stevia group.

Stevia can also promote lower blood pressure if used to replace sugar in the diet. Dr Gerald Reaven, who is credited with creating the concept of the metabolic syndrome, was one of the first to recognize the connection between excess sugar intake and hypertension. In a 2005 article on Heart Wire at theHeart.org he is quoted as saying that 40%-60% of patients with essential hypertension are also insulin resistant and that insulin resistance predicts the development of hypertension.

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Five Reasons Why You Should Remove Grains From Your Diet

by: Eric Hunter

(NaturalNews) Government guidelines and advice from medical doctors can often lead people to believe that cereal grains are the foundation of a healthy diet. The food pyramid, now renamed the food plate, dictates that people should eat several servings of whole grains each day to provide an adequate supply of vitamins, minerals and fiber. This advice is given despite the fact that humans are poorly adapted to the consumption of cereal grains and that the scientific literature shows that grain consumption is linked to several health problems.

Grains have only been a part of the human diet for about 10,000 years, which is a very small time in the context of evolution. Just because humans can tolerate grains to a certain degree doesn't mean that we are designed to consume grains or that we can achieve optimal health on a grain-based diet.

1) High-carbohydrate density and increased insulin load
Carbohydrates are eventually converted into a simple form of sugar, glucose, after they are consumed. Insulin is secreted and allows glucose to be transported into various cells throughout the body. Individuals who aren't very physically active don't have the need to continually refill their muscle and liver cells with glycogen, and these cells often start to become insulin-resistant on a grain-based diet.

Regular consumption of high-density carbohydrates is not only linked to insulin resistance and overweight, but also leptin resistance, altered gut flora and inflammation.

2) Antinutrients
Grains are the reproductive material of the plant, and plants don't make the reproductive material to give away for free to animals. Cereal grains have evolved Lectins, Phytic Acid, Protease Inhibitors and other anti-nutrients that potentially disrupt normal gut physiology when they are consumed over time. Only certain anti-nutrients are problematic in humans, and they seem to operate in a dose-dependent manner.

Regular consumption of anti-nutrients in grains may lead to poor mineral absorption, autoimmune disease, leaky gut and low-level chronic inflammation. More studies on human subjects are needed to fully understand the detrimental effects of Lectins and other anti-nutrients on human health.

3) Gluten
Studies and anecdotal reports indicate that gluten intolerance is much more common than previously thought, and many asymptomatic individuals react to gluten with some type of inflammatory response.

4) Insoluble fiber
While fruits and vegetables contain heart-healthy, soluble fiber that promote good gut flora, cereal grains are high in insoluble fiber that shouldn't be eaten in excess. More insoluble fiber is often recommended for healthy digestion, despite the fact that healthy gut bacteria is the key to relieve constipation and achieve healthy bowel movements.

5) Dietary imbalances
Cereal grains have several dietary shortcomings, and a grain-based diet can disrupt adequate nutritional balance. Cereal grains are poor sources of fiber, minerals, vitamins and protein compared to animal products, fruits and vegetables. They contain no vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B12, calcium nor sodium, and several animal studies show that grain consumption can induce vitamin D deficiencies and alter the metabolism of several minerals.

Cereal grains only supply some of the essential amino acids, very few essential fatty acids and are also characterized by a high omega-6 to omega-3 ratio.

Traditional grain preparation

Some traditional cultures have been known to consume grains on a regular basis and still maintain excellent health. However, these populations have usually used soaking, sprouting and fermentation to make the grains easier to digest. These preparation methods remove or deactivate some of the anti-nutrients commonly found in grains, and fermentation is especially effective when trying to make grains more digestible.

Sources for this article include:

Cordain L. Cereal Grains: Humanity's Double-Edged Sword
World Rev Nutr Diet. 1999;84:19-73.