Riding Your Charlie Horse to Victory

It is late at night and your sound asleep. You stretch your leg out and all of a sudden you feel a painful cramp that feels like someone is tearing your leg off. It is so bad it makes you jump out of bed and you try to walk it off but your sound sleep was already ruined and for the rest of the day it feels like that leg is bruised or sore.

They are called many things depending on the country your from such as dead leg, chopper, granddaddy, or corked thigh. But I have always heard them called charlie horses. They are the most painful experience that anyone could have at night. And last night I had a really bad one so bad that even now it is still bothering me. I find myself limping around my apartment.

Of course I decided to do some research about Charlie Horses and ways to win the war over them and I'm kind of surprised that I did not find too much information. My next door neighbor saw me limping and asked what was wrong and I told them it was a Charlie Horse and she said you should be eating banana's because it has to do with potassium deficiency but for me that should not be the case because I take daily supplements.

So I went over to the library and  I found some more information it actually can be caused by quite a few different things besides the potassium deficiency while it is a main cause there is a few other things that can cause them too such as:

•     Muscle fatigue
•     Heavy exercising
•     Dehydration
•     High weight (not necessarily obesity)
•     Electrolyte imbalances
•     Medications (statins, prednisone, others...)  

 Now I know I have not done any over exercising but I have not been drinking enough water I can tell because my lips have also been chapped and painful I just have not had the time and have been busy. So I've realized that I need to try and fit more water into my daily schedule. I at least wanted to do a blog post about it because most of us do not think about this. Sometimes we get caught up in our work and we drink soda or sugar drinks which do not keep ourselves hydrated well enough.

Update on Tea's And Other Information

I know it has been quite a few weeks since I last posted. I apologize in preparation of 4th of July I lost track of time and computer upgrade of my computer but I have not forgotten about the tea's. One unfortunate thing is that not all of the manufactures actually have given responses. And some that have also lied about whether or not their tea used Epichlorohydrin.

So the best way to find out is use the trick which I posted here. Otherwise you might not get accurate information. But way to avoid cancer is to have your tea loose. While it might be more annoying because you have to strain the tea you will not have to worry about any type of toxins. Even if the bag is sealed with a form of plastic seal some of the plastics can break down with the water heat and also release chemicals which can cause cancer.

Any steps that you can take to limit your exposure to certain chemicals will increase your life in the long run. While things can happen which we have no control over we do have control over what we eat and how well we take care of ourselves and what we use on a daily basis. Even the smallest steps can help to improve our health. This does not mean you have to spend a fortune to improve your health either cause I do realize that much of the food that you buy from health food stores can be very expensive and not everyone has access to these types of stores. But everyone does have access to your local grocery stores. All you have to do is learn to make food which does not come prefrozen or in a can.

Avoiding food that is process is another important way to stay healthy not just because of the massive amounts of salt that these processed foods contain but the unneeded chemicals which are used to preserve or give it a flavor or color that is pleasing to the person that eats it. Even in your favorite snacks you'll find dye colors to make your food look a certain way like for example I'm sure everyone has had Doritos at one time or another. If I can draw your attention to the wikipedia page for Doritos if you look at the ingredients you'll see artificial color (including Yellow 6, Yellow 5, Red 40). Just so you know when I'm talking about them I'm not making it up.

Of course processed food is not the only one at fault. Canned food deserves some blame too especially that it also contains a vary of preservatives  and also the metal that it is contained in gets into the food and contaminates it. You should always at least wash food that comes from a can that will not only remove some of the contamination but will also improve the taste of the food.

That's all I have for now but I will not forget about you guys now that things have calmed down I'll have another interesting medical related article soon for you. I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog.

How to tell if Epichlorohydrin is in your tea?

Since I've found a lot of interesting information about epichlorohydrin I had to see if there was a way of finding out if a tea really did contain epichlorohydrin. From what I researched epichlorohydrin when it interacts with water turns into 3-MCPD but that does not really tell us what it looks like or anything like that. So I asked a fellow friend who's studying to become a biochemist and he told me that when 3-MCPD if formed it appears as a oil on the top of the water.

So I decided to try an experiment to see if that was the case so I went to the store and picked up a small box of Lipton tea since it is on our list of tea's which contain epichlorohydrin. So I boiled some water in my kettle and put a tea bag into a cup. When the water was boiled I poured it into the cup and I did not notice anything at first and I put some milk into it because I was going to end up just drinking it thinking that there was nothing wrong with the Lipton tea bag. As I poured the milk into the cup that is when I noticed the small layer of oil on top of the tea. I took a piece of cotton which absorbed the oil on top of the tea but decided against drinking the tea because I value my health.

So this is a way to test tea if you have tea at home you can actually figure out whether it has epichlorohydrin in it by looking to see if you see oil on top of the tea. If no oil is there then chances are the tea bag does not contain epichlorohydrin to seal the bag. And if you do that means the bag uses epichlorohydrin or a polyamine-epichlorohydrin resin.

Ultimately I think if your really concerned with your health it is best to avoid drinking tea which uses tea bags to begin with. Tea made just from leaves contains more flavor and aroma and there is no worrying about some kind of poison glue or chemical used in either the bag creation or the bag sealing.

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List of Epichlorohydrin Free Tea Products

After finding the information about the cancer causing chemical epichlorohydrin bonding agent I had to look to see if I could find out if there were any tea companies which bagged there tea without the harmful products. Some of the responses from tea companies where very contradictory they claimed their product does not contain epichlorohydrin and when questioned further then claimed that there paper manufacture uses epichlorohydrin based resin but it's still within safe levels.

Of course avoiding using tea which is contained in bags is one way or buying a tea kettle which has a porcelain filter for leaves also works but some people might not like the fact that it is not as easily to drink it or store it on you while your on the move. So I've been emailing different companies trying to find out which do and which do not. And because some of these companies are slow to respond it might be a long process of modifying the list and adding more to it as I find them. But for the time being I do have some which I can list.

Tea companies which did not provide enough information to prove they don't actually use the chemical:

• Numi tea response:
  Hello,
  Not containing the material of concern.
  Best,
  The Numi Tea’m

So far this is the only information Numi provided so I do not know if they are just trying to avoid answering it or the person answering emails does not know english but regardless of the case I will not add it to the list if there is not enough proof.

Tea companies that contain polyamine-epichlorohydrin resins:

• Bigelow Tea company claims that they do not use epichlorohydrin in there tea but they say there paper manufacture uses resin which contains epichlorohydrin at safe levels.
• Yogi tea currently uses a non-heat sealable filtration paper made from a select blend of high quality manila hemp (abaca) fibers and wood pulp. This paper is oxygen bleached using a natural process free of chemicals or toxins. With regard to your question, our tea bag filter paper does contain epichlorohydrin. This is a resin approved by the FDA for use in food contact materials to provide wet strength.

 Tea companies that contain epichlorohydrin:

• Lipton Tea

 Tea companies which do not have epichlorohydrin:

• Twinings uses a thin layer of polypropylene plastic to seal the tea bags. 

 

 

Companies which have not responded yet:
Ahmad tea
Salada tea
Tazo tea
Celestial Seasonings
Harney & Sons Fine Teas 
Girnar tea
Stash tea

These are most of the tea's of which I see on a daily basis so if I missed one which you'd like me to try and contact and find out whether they use epichlorohydrin in the bagging process feel free to comment and tell me.  

How to Infuse Tea

You’ll need a tea pot, a teaplate to collect runoff water; one bowl for the spent leaves, one teapot brush one tea leaf pick, six tea cups, six tea snifter cups, one ewer, one tea filter to sit inside the ewer, one towel. 

Boil the water its best if you use the most clean and pure water you can get because the better the water the better the tea will taste. 

Pick the type of tea you want.

Teas have two categories baked and raw. Baked leaves (Shou Cha) are darker in color and rich in flavor. When they are infused they produce red colors and have been oxidized or fermented excessively and on occasion are baked with fruit or flowers. Such as jasmine, plum, chamomile, or apricot which give them strong flavors that are unique. Baked teas can be infused multiple times without turning bitter or losing flavor. 

Raw tea’s (Sheng Cha are green and have light armoa’s. They produce a light green or yellowish green color when they are infused.  These teas’s have been lightly oxidized and fermented and produce a light flavor and aroma. Raw teas such as green tea are much more sensitive they can only be infused four to five times before losing their flavor and turning bitter.

Water temperature is very important in properly brewing loose leaf tea. Baked teas require boiled water to be cooled to eighty five to ninety degrees. Raw tea requires one hundred degree boiled water. 

You will need to use boiled water often so keep the pot nearby if possible. Open the package of tea and place the teapot in a large bowl or pan or on a tea plate and open it. Place the tea cups around the tea pot on the tea plate or in the bowl. The larger bowl will serve as a container for any excess water. Prepare an extra bowl or container for the spent leaves.

Measure the leaves from the tea bag into your hand just enough to fill the cup of your palm should be enough leaves. Pour the leaves into the teapot and fill the teapot with the boiling water. Fill it up and allow the water to overflow. Bubbles will begin to form at the top of the pot as the infused leaves start to activate. Scrape the teapot lid across the top of the teapot to remove bubbles and drop it into the teapot opening. 

Pour more hot water over the top of the teapot to stabilize the temperatures inside and outside of the teapot. In the winter you’ll want to preheat the tea wear to prevent it from cracking.

Preheat and wash the teacups by pouring the first infusion over them. It is usually recommended to pour out the first infusion to remove any grime or other impurities attached to the tea leaves.

Place a ewer closer by and put a tea strainer into the ewer. Using strainers is optional but it is more convenient to remove small leaf particles when pouring infusions into the ewer.

Return the teapot to the tea plate and refill it with hot water. 

Allow the hot water to infuse for another thirty seconds to one minute. The first drinkable infusion should be the best so be sure to monitor the infusion time carefully. If the infusion tastes bitter then you’ve infused for too long. Thirty to forty seconds is just about right.

Pour infusions into the ewer by inverting the teapot and sitting it into a strainer in the ewer.

Return the teapot to the tea plate or bow and repeat the infusion process to infuse the leaves again. 

Infusing tea properly takes practice it took me quite a few attempts to get the method down but now that I know how to do it properly it comes naturally. 

The Best Ways to Fight Cancer

When you think about cancer and how many people develop cancer in our world it’s quite a high number to give you an idea that number 12 million people in the last year have been diagnosed and are living with cancer. Cancer is the second largest cause of death with close to 2,000 deaths per day caused by cancer. So how do we battle cancer? What can be done about it? Today I'm going to cover over some ways you can use to help avoid getting cancer and I'll go over some of the food and herbs which can help aid in the fight if you have cancer.

Avoiding getting cancer can be quite a challenge because we are exposed to many dangerous elements on a daily basis but there are some steps that you can do which will help the situation. Like for example when buying a house it’s a good idea to investigate the town and neighborhood you’re buying in to make sure that there are no Superfund sites which were dumping pollution nearby to your house location.  If a house falls in an area like that there’s a good chance that the ground water might be polluted. This also goes for living close to power plants while there is so much information out there to say power plants are safe to live near there’s still a certain amount of radiation which has to be released. And while the sun gives off radiation power plants don’t have sun standards of radiation release they can’t control the amount that is released and in the event that there’s a major accident your chance for risk goes up even more. 

Another thing that many people might not think about when buying a house is the age of the house and the paint used any houses which still have lead based paint open more opportunities for types of cancers. Another serious danger is asbestos which can cause mesothelioma one of the most aggressive cancers. And while house buying can put you at risk for these there are even some career choices which can be just as dangerous. Some of these include Fireman, building or construction, architect and some manufacturing careers just to name a few. Working with fiberglass is just as dangerous and can result in mesothelioma so if you have to work with hazardous material always be sure to use the correct certified equipment when dealing with it if you cannot avoid it. 

All of the above might sound like quite a lot to try and avoid but part of avoiding cancer can be done by your diet and what you’re eating.  Believe it or not there are many great foods out which provide some of the important keys to fighting cancer or preventing it.  

Of course like anything everyone’s body reacts differently to different methods. What I mean by this is let’s say for example two people try taking an herbal medication like Kava Kava which relaxes you and makes you sleepy. The first person as soon as they take one notices effects right away.  The second person takes it and does not notice any effect at all. Sometimes a person’s body needs to build up enough of whatever herb or vitamin to have an effect. This is why with the Oolong tea I have not stopped drinking it. 

Another great example is a friend recommended me to an herb called Chinese mood elevator because I told them I’ve been stressing about school. I started taking it to see if it would help me but I did not notice any effect I asked them how long it took them to notice its effect and they said within a week. I continued using it and after about four weeks I finally started to notice results. So the key is not to get discouraged even if results are not right away.

Some of the foods which are extremely important to help fight and prevent cancer are foods like:

Fruits: Kiwi, Cherries, Cranberries, Guavas, Avocados, Figs, Berries, Tomatoes, Grapefruits, Grapes, Oranges, Lemon, Papayas

Vegetables: Beans, Watercress, Spinach, Onions, Carrots, Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Garlic, Mushrooms, Sweet potatoes

Nuts: Walnuts

Spices: Jalapenos peppers, Chili peppers, Rosemary, Turmeric

Other: Seaweed, Soy, Licorice root

Teas: Green Tea, Black Tea, Rooibos Tea, Yerba Mate Tea, Kukicha Tea, Oolong Tea

As you can see we have a huge list of different fruits, vegetables , Spices and even tea’s which are good cancer fighters and a list like this might be overwhelming. But don’t worry I won’t leave you hanging without explaining about what each is good for and some of the benefits you can expect.

We’ll start with fruits Kiwi for example is full of antioxidant’s and also is a major source of vitamin C which helps protect against free radicals. If you’re not sure what free radicals are they are unstable molecules which lead to damage on your body’s cells and tissue. Cancer is a free radical because it attacks tissue and cells in your body and damages them. Kiwis also provide Vitamin E which is another important antioxidant and they also contain folate, carotenoids and fiber which are important cancer fighting nutrients.

One of my favorites is Cherries and they contain a chemical known as perilly alcohol which has been studied for the ability to cause cell death to tumors. They also contain anthocyanins a chemical that not only helps cherry with its beautiful red color but can help by making cancer cells die faster and stop the growth of tumors and specifically deal with colon cancer. They also have quercetin, cox inhibitors, ellagic acid, and melatonin all chemicals which help fight cancer. They hold other positive effects too like for example in Chinese medicine they are used to treat arthritis, rheumatism, gout and have also been linked to lowering risk for heart attack and stroke. One thing to keep in mind when buying them is they are seasonal and you might have to stock up frozen cherries off season. You might also want to consider buying organic versions since most supermarkets use pesticides on fruit which can be harmful to your health.

One fruit you might not expect to be a cancer fighter is Cranberries since they are normally associated with treating urinary infections. Cranberries contain a special chemical called proathocyanidins and studies show that proathenocyanidins are toxic to cancer cells. This helps by causing cancer cell suicide and reduction of cancer cells and blockage of tumor growth. Cranberries also provide vitamin C and carry beneficial antioxidants.  With cranberry’s to get the most benefit the whole berry is better than only drinking the juice and most cranberry juices do not contain much cranberry to begin with.  Since cranberries are tart you can always add them to a fruit salad to make them easier to eat.

Guavas are another fruit which has great cancer fighting properties although since they are a fruit which is harder to track down coming from South America it might not be something you can obtain.  Guava’s contains the antioxidant called lycopene and contain more of it than any other fruit about twenty percent more. Lycopene is important in the cancer fight because it helps protect our healthy cells from free radicals which cause blocked arteries, problems with nervous systems and cancer. Lycopene is associated with lowering the rates of prostate cancer. Men who took lycopene supplements showed significant improvements and it has also been found to help stop the growth of breast cancer. Other research shows that lycopene can also help protect against coronary artery disease. With this fruit when you can find the whole fruit that is what you’ll want you can’t usually find it in the freezer section and juices usually are sweetened and don’t provide much of the benefits as eating the actual fruit does.

Avocados are another cancer fighting fruit which has great benefits they provide a powerful antioxidant called glutathione which attacks free radicals by blocking intestinal absorption of different types of fats. Surprisingly they also provide more potassium then a banana and are also a strong source of beta carotene. Scientists believe that they also might be useful in treating hepatitis which is a cause of liver cancer as well as other sources of liver damage.

Figs provide the chemical benzaldehyde which investigators at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in Tokyo say that benzaldehyde is very effective at shrinking tumors. Figs also provide calcium and vitamins C, and A and also help improve weight loss efforts. Fig juice is also powerful at killing bacteria.

Berries are great in the cancer fight because they are packed with phytonutrient’s. Black raspberries are especially high in anthocyanins which slow the growth of premalignant cells and keep new blood vessels from forming which would feed a cancerous tumor. In studies using rat’s black raspberries have been shown to decrease tumors by forty to sixty percent and can help fight colon cancer similar to that of cherries and also esophageal, oral, and skin cancers. Black raspberries contain more antioxidants then other berries like strawberries and blueberries but any of these fruits are still cancer fighters.  

Tomatoes are another fruit which contain cancer fighting properties the same as guavas because they also contain lycopene. Something interesting to keep in mind the hotter the weather is the more lycopene tomatoes produce. So if you’re like me and have a garden in a hot climate you’re going to have tomatoes rich in lycopene. Tomatoes also contain vitamin C. red peppers and watermelons also contain these but in much lesser qualities. Some scientists in Israel have found that lycopene can also help kill cancers of the mouth and reduced risk of breast, endometrial, lung, stomach, prostate, and pancreas cancers.

Grapefruits are similar to other citrus fruits and contain monoterpenes which are believed to help prevent cancer by removing carcinogens out of the body.  Certain studies show that grapefruits can help in the fight of breast cancer. And grapefruits also contain vitamin C, beta carotene and folic acid. 

Grapes are a great source of bioflavonoids particularly red grapes. Bioflavonoid is a powerful antioxidant which helps as a cancer preventive.  Grapes also contain resveratrol which helps by preventing the enzymes that causes cancer cells to grow and suppresses immune response.  Grapes also contain ellagic acid which is a compound that blocks enzymes that cancer cells depend on which slows the growth of tumors. 

Both oranges and lemons are useful in the cancer fighting because they contain limonene which helps by stimulating cancer killing immune cells which also might break down cancer causing substances. Lemon's and oranges are also a good source of vitamin C.

Papaya’s are useful because they have vitamin C and may also reduce absorption of nitrosamines from soil or processed foods which cause cancer.  Papaya also contains folic acid which is known to reduce cervical dysplasia and types cancers.

Bean's are the magical vegetable like fruit that’s good for more than just making music. They contain many of good effects like lowering cholesterol and help by regulating blood sugar and aid in the production of insulin. They also help by fighting cancer because they contain an assortment of phytochemicals that help protect cells from cancer and stop cancer cells from being able to reproduce which slows tumor growth. Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health reported that women who ate beans twice a week had twenty percent less of a chance of developing breast cancer. Beans also contain the chemical tryptophan which will help regulate appetite and aid in the process of weight loss. Many of the types of beans are rich in folate which can help your heart health. Beans also contain many of different minerals such as potassium, magnesium, vitamin B1 and B2, and vitamin K. 

Watercress does not only have high nutritional value but it has multiple antioxidant carotenoids and protective phytochemicals. Watercress helps fight cancer in three ways. The first way is by killing cancer cells then it blocks carcinogens and helps by protecting healthy cells from carcinogens making watercress armed and dangerous versus cancer.  Watercress provides as much vitamin C as an orange and provides a ton of iron. It also comes with vitamin A and a ton of vitamin A.

I’m sure you know spinach is a good vegetable for you since Popeye always told you to eat your spinach but you might not have known all of the benefits of eating it. Spinach helps by protecting against vision loss and eye disease. It also helps by improving brain function and guards against colon, prostate and breast cancer. Spinach provides tons of vitamin K and helps build strong bones by helping calcium join to bones. 

Onions help by lowering the risk for prostate and esophageal cancers they also help fight coronary heart disease. Some research also shows that onions may help by protecting against stomach cancer. They also contain sulfides which can help by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol and contain peptide which helps prevent bone loss. Onions contain natural antihistamine that helps by reducing breathing inflammation and helps relieve allergy symptoms like hay fever. Onions have high levels of vitamin C and contain anti-inflammatory properties which can help fight pain and swelling which is associated with types of arthritis such as rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Yellow onions provide the highest amount of antioxidants and raw onions provide the most nutrition but they still provide a good amount when lightly cooked.

Carrots are of bugs bunny’s favorite snacks but they also help in the cancer fight because they carry carotenoids which have been tied to decreased risk in postmenopausal breast cancer and also help with bladder, cervix, prostate, colon, larynx and esophagus cancers.  Researchers say that eating one carrot a day could reduce your risk of lung cancer by half. Carrots might also help by reducing the risk of kidney and ovarian cancers.  Carrots contain potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, fiber, vitamin C and contain a very high amount of vitamin A. In Chinese medicine carrots have been used for treating kidney stones, arthritis, tumors, night blindness, indigestion and ear infections.  Whole carrots are the best option because they contain the most nutrients. Baby carrots which are made from whole carrots lose important nutrients when they are being processed making them less beneficial. 

Broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower have a compound called indole-3-carbinol that can help fight breast cancer by changing cancer promoting estrogen into a protective variety.  Broccoli has phytochemical sulforaphane which is a product of glucoraphanin which helps prevent types of cancers like colon, rectal cancer breast, liver, lung, prostate, skin, stomach, and bladder cancers. Broccoli sprouts have twenty percent more of sulforaphane then mature broccoli and sulforaphane can help by activating enzymes which help by deactivating free radicals and carcinogens.  Cabbage is packed with vitamins K and C and has ninety percent of the recommended amount of vitamin K. 

Kale has compounds which might help stop the conversion of cancerous cells in estrogen tissues. Kale also provides insothiocyanates which are thought to suppress tumor growth and help block cancer causing substances from reaching their targets.  Kale comes packed with vitamin K, A and C. It is a good source of iron and calcium.  Kale contains beta carotene about seven times as much as broccoli and contains lutein and zeaxanthin with ten times the amount found in broccoli. In Chinese medicine kale is used to help lung congestion.

Brussel sprouts protect against heterocyclic amines which are a carcinogenic compound which is found in grilled and charcoal broiled meats which are associated with colon cancer. Brussel sprouts also help defend against breast, prostate, and bladder cancer.

While garlic has a smell that can wake the dead and ward off Dracula it also has cancer fighting properties.  Garlic contains compounds which help by enhancing the immune system by increasing the number of immune cells which fight cancer and can indirectly help by breaking down substances which can cause cancer. Garlic contains diallyl sulfide which is a component of garlic oil and studies show that it can render carcinogens in the liver inactive. When it comes to whether or not supplements are as good as having real garlic nothing can beat eating the actual vegetable so I would not use supplements as a replacement for garlic. Garlic may also help stomach cancer since it has high anti-bacterial properties.

Mushrooms are also an important cancer fighter but that does not mean you should eat the ones you find on your lawn. Types of mushrooms like maitake, reishi, Agaricus blazei Murill, Coriolus Versicolor, and shiitake help fight cancer and build up the immune system because they contain polysaccharides such as lentinan a powerful compound that helps build immunity. They contain beta glucan and a protein called lectin which can help by attacking cancerous cells and helps by preventing the cancerous cells from multiplying. They also have a compound called thioproline and can help promote the production of interferon.

Sweet potatoes also contain anticancer properties like beta carotene which protects cells from cancer causing chemicals.

Walnuts are one of squirrels biggest enemies mostly because of how hard they are to crack but to people walnuts are a great cancer fighter.  They contain phytosterols which can help block estrogen in breast cancer cells which helps slow the growth and can also help with prostate cancers.  Black walnuts are especially good because they contain antiseptic healing properties and can help by flushing out toxins and harmful pathogens.

Jalapeno peppers and chili peppers both contain a chemical called capsaicin which might help neutralize different kinds of substances which can cause cancer and they can help prevent stomach cancer.

Rosemary can help by detoxification of enzymes and has helped stop the development of breast and skin tumors in animals. Rosemary can easily be used as a seasoning in some of your favorite cooking dishes.

Tumeric is another cancer fighter which is in the ginger family I guess that means it has no soul but that’s okay.  Tumeric is believed to have medicinal properties because it has reduces inflammation related to enzyme cyclo-oxygenase 2 levels which are high with certain inflammatory diseases and cancers. It aids in cancers such as colon and bowel cancer. The in the United Kingdom a company called Phytopharm hopes on introducing a natural product P54 which contains oils that increase the potency of turmeric spice.

Seaweed isn’t just flame retardant it’s also cancer retardant. Seaweed contains beta carotene, protein, vitamin B12, fiber and chlorophyll and also contains chlorophylones which are important fatty acids that help fight breast cancers. Many of the oceans vegetables contain high amounts of the minerals calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and iodine.

Products which contain soy like for example my favorite tofu contains a few different types of phytoestrogens which can help prevent prostate and breast cancer by suppressing cancerous changes. Soy also contains isoflavones. Just be careful when eating soy everyday because it can cause hormone imbalances.

Licorice root contains the chemical glycyrrhizin that stops a component of testosterone and can help prevent the growth of prostate cancer but taking excessive amounts can raise your blood pressure so you would want to avoid over doing it.

Green tea contains around three hundred milligrams of polyphenols which help destroy cancer cells and prevent the formation of tumors. Green tea can also help by reducing free radicals and other harmful compounds which can damage sells and cause cancer.  Green tea is a healthy alternative to sugary drinks. But there is something to keep in mind one of the chemicals which is used in tea bags is a carcinogen and may increase your risk for cancer so while tea’s can help you tea’s which are contained in bags can be harmful. Loose green tea is the best option to get the most amount of antioxidants and avoid the risk of the manufacturing chemicals besides the taste and flavor is so much better.

Black tea also contains polyphenols but not nearly as much as green tea. You would also want to avoid bagged tea for the same reason above. 

Rooibos tea (African Red Bush) is another tea which is high in antioxidants and has no caffeine and has been used to treat asthma and allergies. 

Yerba mate tea comes from the rainforests of Argentina and Brazil and has high antioxidants and contains caffeine which provides a stimulating effect without irritating the nervous system like what coffee does.  

Kukicha tea (Bancha) has high alkalizing properties which helps balance diets which are rich in foods such as meat, dairy products, sugar and carbohydrates. Kukicha tea contains calcium, zinc, selenium, copper and magnesium and also contains a high amount of antioxidants.

Oolong tea has many benefits and contains antioxidants just like green tea. Some websites claim that green tea has more but from further research when oolong tea is infused for three minutes at two hundred degrees Fahrenheit the amount of antioxidants increases. This suggests when you step oolong longer than three minutes it might enhance the cancer fighting benefits of the tea. Oolong tea helps prevent heart disease and reduces the effect of aging and different skin diseases like eczema.  

 I apologize for the lengthy size of the post but once I got writing I had to provide all of the useful information I found.

Follow Up on Oolong Tea

So I said I would do a follow up about the test with drinking oolong tea to tell you if I've lost weight or not I do realize that usually to get a proper test of something you want to do it continually and so far I've only lost about a pound which isn't much unfortunately.  But what I have noticed was my skin has cleared up some. I have eczema something I didn't really mention I had no idea that oolong tea has an effect on eczema but I've noticed quite a big difference. I've been drinking three cups per day.

I think I'll continue experimenting with oolong especially since I find I'm actually enjoying drinking it. I have a doctors appointment next month for a check up so I'll continue drinking it and let you guys know if it makes any effect during the doctors checkup. One thing I have noticed with it is I can't drink it too late at night because of the caffeine that it contains but its a great start to the mornings.

 I usually drink one in the morning then bring some in a small bag and have one at lunch and because I can't drink it too late at night I'll have one after I get home from school and that also keeps me up and active during work and gives enough time when I get home and have dinner the effects are warn off and the caffeine no longer is effecting me.

The store I bought the oolong from I asked the Asian women if there was any difference because they had like three different types and she said they taste different. I ended up getting one which has a pretty she recommended me to one which she said is fruity and has a aroma of honey. I really like it although I'm tempted to go back and try all the other types to see if I have a favorite flavor out of all of them. 

But all in all this was a really good experience for something to try. I wouldn't say it's a miracle weight loss treatment since weight loss is best done with multiple steps of exercise, diet, and life style changes if your addicted to fast food or processed food. But it doesn't hurt if you like the taste of oolong tea to give it a try.

Luster Premium White One Hour White

I just was sitting down watching television while I had my dinner and I saw this commercial for whitening your teeth using some kind of blue light. I found this kind of weird but interesting because it made me wonder how could a light whiten your teeth but I did think that maybe it was a process of using a ultra violet light to kill the bacteria.

To my surprise when I pulled up the box to see what the ingredients are and I found these: Accelerator Mouth Rinse: Water , Glycerin , Polysorbate 20 , Sodium Bicarbonate , Mentha Piperita Oil (Peppermint) , Sodium Carbonate , Benzalkonium Chloride , Aspartame , Alcohol Denat. , Super Whitener: Alcohol Denat. , Methyl Hydrogenated Rosinate , Urea Hydrogen Peroxide , Zinc Oxide , Hydroxypropylcellulose , Mentha Piperita Oil (Peppermint) , Menthol , Sucralose

What I do find odd about this is the fact that it includes two diet sweeteners the first being the very well known Aspartame the second being Methyl hydrogenated Rosinate. Why add an artificial sweetener to something that should not be consumed in the first place. Methyl is not as bad as Aspartame is when it comes to effects. Aspartame directly effects parts of the brain this is why they have to put on the box that you should avoid using this if your pregnant.

The thing that I find completely strange is that they are not required to list other negative effects of Aspartame like for example it should be avoided for use for people with certain disorders because it can cause movement disorder (tardive dyskinesia) in people who have schizophrenia.

Of course because its approved by the FDA that makes it okay right? Not in my book a perfect example is dog food that I recently bought for my mother diamond dog food was recalled by the FDA of course a bit too late since we bought it and used it about three months ago. If they can't get something as simple as dog food right then will you trust what they have to say about a chemical which seems to cause an increase of dyslexic tendencies for people with disorders then it must still have some sort of effect to healthy people as well.

One thing that you can be sure of is artificial sweeteners can cause your brain to forget how many calories it has taken in causing you to eat more and while these sweeteners are meant to be used as dieting it can be a cause to make you gain weight as well. There are better options in naturally whitening your teeth without using something that contains harmful diet sweeteners.

Believe it or not you can use baking soda mixed with water to achieve whiter teeth putting the paste on your teeth will naturally bleach your teeth whiter. Another natural method which is effective is lemon mixed with salt. Lemon is a natural antiseptic and can kill bacteria. Another method I have not tried but I have heard about was using strawberries. Burts Bees provides natural versions of toothpaste without the harmful fluoride or artificial sweeteners if you do research I'm sure their is even better remedies that could be used. If you have more suggestions I would love to hear them. 

Weight Loss as simple as drinking tea?

This is actually something that I've heard recently that you can simply drink certain types of tea to help with weight loss. So today I've decided to do some research about types of tea which are good in this area and I'm going to try drinking a type and see if I notice any positive results after a week.

One of the biggest ones which seems to stick out in search engines often is Oolong tea (black dragon)
so I think this might be the one I'll try. I've had oolong tea once before from a friend of mine who invited me for tea with his family once and it tasted pretty good.  The interesting thing I found was that there is many different types of oolong tea even a very expensive types of oolong tea which comes from Fujian in China.

One of the really expensive types of Oolong is called Big Red Robe (Da Hong Pao). I was curious so I checked on amazon it seems this tea costs $110.00 for eight ounces on amazon pretty pricy if you ask me. But I would imagine part of the expense comes from it being around since the Ming Dynasty not to mention that it grows on the side of a mountain and isn't very easily access able to people.

Most likely I will not be buying this type of tea to try even with the so called story about an empress that was healed from an illness by drinking the tea from this mountain. Since we have science we can understand that while stories from the past can provide some entertainment and learning experiences we know that if science proves that oolong in general is good for your health the type should not matter as much. Only the quality of the tea matters so I plan on going over to a local Asian food store and seeing what they have. Then try drinking it for a few weeks to see if I notice any change in weight loss.

I will also be continuing my normal exercise routine while drinking the tea as well as my sleep and eating patterns since changing what I normally do would not be an effective way to see if I notice changes. I will provide everyone with an update on how it worked out. 

The Battle of Kidney Stones

This is a topic which my dad was having frequent problems with and he asked his doctor what he could do to prevent from getting kidney stones and they didn't have any answer to it saying that kidney stones just happens and it can be prevented. It really frustrates him having to go for extra corporeal shock wave lithotripsy treatments and he came to me and asked me about kidney stones and whether their was anyway to prevent them. I didn't have an answer to this either I've been told the same as other doctors that their is no way to prevent them.

But it made me think because I never like to just agree with what someone says I love to do research on topics so I can be sure all the information I've been using is accurate. So I headed over to the library to do some research and while I was sitting reading an elderly lady sat down in front of me. She asked what I was reading and I told her about why I was doing the research. She praised the fact that I was trying to help aid my dad and she asked me if he ever tried drinking lemon juice.

This sounded like some kind of weird voodoo remedy and even though I do support natural treatment I like to be careful about what I recommend because there are a lot of myth remedies out there so I thought at first this might be something half baked. I didn't end up finding anything else which was good at the library so I headed home and decided to try Google for information.

Sure enough after searching I found about potassium citrate which is a pill form of lemon juice and saw many great articles from people who recommended drinking lemon juice to prevent and to treat kidney stones. I told my dad about it and since hes stubborn he did not want to drink it to prevent getting them so like a year later he ended up with them again and I had my mother force him to try using lemon juice since he won't listen to me as much as he will my mother. 

After about a week of doing it everything was back to normal and so far he has not had a problem since so far. I never got to thank the women who I met their at the library but if she comes across this article I hope she knows that she has my thanks for not only providing valid information but expanding my knowledge as a future doctor.

Welcome to my Health Blog

For awhile now people have told me I should start a blog because I'm always offering helpful tips on health to them and they keep telling me I should be able to share it with more people. I thought that I would try making a blog so I could post some articles and share some valuable information. We all know how important our health can be and how we should be putting the effort in to take care of ourselves in the best way possible.

Sometimes I have a hard time doing just that especially when I'm busy with school or work. I have a bad habit of not sleeping enough or eating proper meals and I've made a health scheduled recently to try to help prevent myself from my unhealthy practices. Some of you might be wondering health schedule? What do you mean?

Well simply put i bought a calender and figured out all the free time that I have first between school and work and figured out how much time I have then I made sure to mark sleeping hours so I have a set sleeping time (I'm sure some of you might be thinking but I'm too old for a bed time but this is important). Then I added food to the schedule like for example today I spent about an hour making vegan potsticker's . This makes quite a lot of them an ungodly amount compared to what one person can eat so what I do is I make myself lunches and spread it our during the week. Of course I don't eat it everyday but I have other recipes which help to mix things up this way I'm not eating instant noodles all week and loading myself up on MSG.

Another thing which I also make some time for is exercise and trust me I don't spend more then 10 minutes in this area because my time is so limited but I do make sure to do some type of exercise or yoga at least after a meal to help burn off some of the calories. The last important thing that goes on the list is vitamins and supplements of course you might be thinking herbs are voodoo or some form of black magic and being in the medical field I see how drugs are pushed so often today. But I've done a lot of research on my own and that usually is the best way to go about anything is look information up on your own to see what legitimate results you can find. And I would have to say that I've found enough information which leads me to believe that herbal and vitamin's are a positive treatment for quite a large number of problems.