phytonutrients

17 Medicinal plants you can grow indoors year-round

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Here is a list of medicinal plants, herbs and spices that you can grow indoors throughout the year. You only need a windowsill, vertical spaces on walls that get enough sunlight or a gardening table set up beneath grow lights to grow these medicinal plants in your home.

These plants are the same ones that you would snip off a sprig or two in an outdoor garden to toss into your casseroles, homemade sauces, salads or soups. Use these plants for their essential oils or to make poultices, salves, teas and tinctures for your medicinal needs.

Basil

Mothers can use basil both before and after giving birth to enhance blood circulation and facilitate the flow of breast milk. Native Americans use basil to treat insect bites and draw out venom from snake bites. Basil can also be used as a natural deworming aid for both humans and animals.

When applied topically, basil can treat minor burns and wounds and help remove warts. It can also help with kidney issues, loss of appetite and stomach spasms, as well as reduce swelling due to fluid retention. Basil can also help relieve cold symptoms.

Chamomile

This medicinal herb can be used to treat ulcers, hay fever, rheumatic discomfort, muscle spasms, minor wounds, muscle and tendon inflammation, menstrual pain, hemorrhoids, insomnia and gastrointestinal disorders.

Chamomile is an excellent natural base ingredient for salves, creams and lotions for dry skin and sunburn.

Chives

Boasting high amounts of vitamins A and C, chives are great for supporting bone and immune health. Chives also contain folate and choline, which can promote good-quality sleep.

Research has found that the phytochemicals in chives, such as ajoene, flavonoids, quercetin and S-allylmercaptocysteine, have potent anticancer properties.

Echinacea

Echinacea is a medicinal plant with brightly colored flowers that can easily brighten up any room in your house. You can use echinacea to make an herbal tea that can prevent and treat respiratory illnesses and boost your immune system.

Garlic

An active base ingredient in many home remedies, garlic is excellent for removing toxins from the body. Garlic can naturally prevent and treat gum disease, respiratory issues and symptoms associated with the common cold and flu, cold sores and yeast infections. It can also help draw out venom from spider bites.

Lavender

Known as a calming and relaxing herb, lavender has been shown to help relieve anxiety and other mood issues. Lavender can also be used as a natural remedy for fungal infections, hair loss, insomnia and skin problems like acne, dry skin, minor wounds and eczema.

Lemon balm

A medicinal herb from the mint family known for its lemon scent, lemon balm is commonly used as a natural medicine for liver and bile issues as well as gastrointestinal problems. When combined with valerian, lemon balm can help relieve restlessness and can even be used as a natural sleep aid. (Related: Lemon balm helps improve gut motility, says research.)

Marjoram

An aromatic herb from the mint family, marjoram has been used to make home remedies for thousands of years. Marjoram has medicinal properties that can be used to treat cough, depression, dizziness, gallbladder problems, muscle and nerve pains, nervous headaches and migraines, runny nose, stomach cramps and many more. (Related: Marjoram can prevent gastric ulcers while showing promise in fighting breast cancer.)

Oregano

Another potent medicinal herb with a long history of use as medicine, oregano can be used as a natural remedy for skin sores, aching muscles, asthma, cramps, diarrhea, indigestion and the common cold. Studies have shown that oregano can also help relieve inflammation, treat bacterial infections, regulate blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels, and fight cancer.

Parsley

A flowering plant whose leaves are widely used as a culinary herb, parsley is a great source of antioxidant vitamins, such as vitamins A and C. It is also rich in vitamin K, which is needed for blood clotting and maintaining strong bones. Parsley boasts powerful antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer properties, the latter of which is thanks to the flavonoids, myricetin and apigenin.

The antioxidant carotenoids in parsley, namely, lutein, beta carotene and zeaxanthin, can also support optimal eye health and prevent age-related macular degeneration. (Related: Parsley is a blood purifying superfood.)

Rosemary

Aside from seasoning food, rosemary can be used to fight halitosis and naturally freshen one’s breath. Because of its beneficial properties, rosemary is often added to all-natural homemade toothpastes and mouthwash solutions. According to studies, rosemary can also enhance brain performance and helps improve digestion, mood and sleep quality. It has natural pain-relieving properties and can also help boost immune function.

Sage

This herb from the mint family can be used to treat bloating, dyspepsia or stomach upset, diarrhea, flatulence, heartburn, hot flashes and memory loss. When used to make tea, sage can also help reduce inflammation, lower blood sugar levels and even fight cancer. Gargling with sage tea is also said to be a good remedy for mouth wounds, sore throats and bad breath.

Spearmint

A pleasantly sweet-tasting herb from the mint family, spearmint is a common ingredient in chewing gums and oral care products. Spearmint is high in antioxidant compounds and is a great natural remedy for digestive issues, such as indigestion and gas. It can also help treat symptoms of hormonal imbalance in women, such as excessive hair growth, or hirsutism.

According to studies, spearmint has antibacterial properties that can help get rid of bacteria in your mouth that cause bad breath. Drinking spearmint tea is also said to help lower blood sugar levels in diabetics.

Stevia

A healthy natural sweetener, stevia, or candyleaf, is an herb from the daisy family that is said to be eight to 150x sweeter than sugar. Stevia is low in calories and has a negligible effect on blood sugar, making it an ideal alternative to table sugar and other unhealthy sweeteners. Studies show that certain glycosides in stevia could help lower blood pressure by helping dilate blood vessels.

Stevia also contains an abundance of antioxidants, such as kaempferol, which has been found to inhibit the growth of pancreatic cancer cells.

Tarragon

Tarragon is an herb from the sunflower family that has long been used in Traditional Asian Medicine. Research suggests that tarragon is an anti-inflammatory, antiepileptic and antipyretic (reduces fever) agent that can also be used to relieve pain naturally. Tarragon is also effective for treating helminthiasis, or infestation of parasitic worms.

Studies show that tarragon also has antioxidant, antitumor, liver-protective and blood sugar-lowering effects. (Related: Tarragon and its many surprising health benefits.)

Thyme

A versatile herb from the mint family, thyme can be used as a substitute for salt in the kitchen. Thyme is well-known for having antiseptic, disinfectant and antibacterial properties, and for its history of use as a food preservative. During World War I, thyme was burned as a fumigator and was even used by ancient doctors to protect them from the Black Plague.

When used for cooking, thyme can help stimulate the appetite and promote good digestion. Its active components, thymol and carvacrol, are often added to mouthwashes, toothpastes, soaps, creams, salves, lotions, liniments, throat lozenges and cold remedies.

Turmeric

Widely known for its many health benefits, turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color. Curcumin, the main active compound in turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent that can help lower your risks of brain and heart disease and cancer. Aptly called the “Golden Spice,” this medicinal herb is traditionally used to heal wounds and treat a variety of ailments, such as rheumatoid arthritis, conjunctivitis, small pox, chicken pox, urinary tract infections and liver issues.

Plants are versatile gifts from Nature that can serve you well either as food or medicine when SHTF. Learn more about useful plants to grow in your home garden at GrowYourMedicine.com.

CONFIRMED: Quercetin-tocotrienols combination combats cancer

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Image: CONFIRMED: Quercetin-tocotrienols combination combats cancer

The battle against cancer is heading into new territory, as scientists explore the healing ability of substances that support the body’s cells, instead of killing them off. Researchers from the Italian National Institute of Health and Science on Aging (INRCA) have made a breakthrough discovery for preventing the spread of malignant tumors. A natural plant-based combination, including quercetin and tocotrienols, effectively targets aging cells that cause chronic inflammation and cancer. This dynamic, anti-cancer duo causes stubborn cancer cells to die off and simultaneously promotes the growth of normal cells.

This dynamic duo heals the body at the cellular level by triggering a die-off sequence within aging and malignant cells. If old, decrepit cells become inefficient at performing cellular division, new cells cannot be created. If these senile cells refuse to die off, a condition called cellular senescence sets in. This causes an accumulation of aged cells that emit pro-inflammatory chemicals into the body. This process promotes aging in the body and increases cancer risk. Quercetin and tocotrienols help to remove aging cells so healthy cells have space to flourish.

Moreover, quercetin and tocotrienols identify malignant cancer cells and speed up their cellular senescence. This dynamic duo effectively target unwanted cancer cells and speed up their death, preventing cancer cell replication. The two natural substances remove inflammatory, aging cells and stop malignant cells from growing. This combination is a highly intelligent form of medicine that deciphers dangerous cells and manipulates cellular senescence so that the body can heal itself. The combination can be employed as an adjunct therapy for cancers of many origins. This combination can be used to prevent cancer from taking hold and stop early cancers in their tracks.

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Anti-cancer intelligence of tocotrienols

Tocotrienols are an anti-inflammatory type of vitamin E that can be found in wheat germ, barley, oat, rye, cranberries, blueberries, kiwi, plum, coconut, and some nuts. It is also isolated in supplement form. Research confirms that this form of vitamin E can reverse cell cycle arrest and reduce DNA damage, especially for treatment of breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and melanoma. However, assimilation of tocotrienols in the human intestine is poor because they are lipophilic in nature (they dissolve in lipids and fats). Researchers must find ways to increase the bio-availability of tocotrienols to increase this vitamin’s therapeutic effects. Intestinal absorption depends upon the secretion of bile and transporters such as ?-tocopherol transfer protein (?-TTP); therefore, assimilation of tocotrienols occurs more readily with food. Nutritionists recommend a daily dose of 150 mg of tocotrienols. One should expect to see therapeutic benefits with supplementation after ninety days.

The healing nature of quercetin

Quercetin is a plant-based flavonoid and antioxidant that helps plants defend against disease. When quercetin is combined with tocotrienols, synergy is created; together these natural substances slow the aging process, prolong the life of healthy cells, and induce apoptosis of malignant cancer cells. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, quercetin can benefit seasonal allergies, asthma, bronchitis, and congestion. Quercetin is commonly found in apples, tea, onions, nuts, berries, cauliflower and cabbage and can be isolated and consumed in the form of a supplement. To rid the body of aging cells, nutritionists recommend a daily dose of quercetin (500 to 800 mg) for up to three consecutive months, followed by a maintenance dose of 150 mg a day. It is best to consult a healthcare professional, as many medications can adversely interact with the body when healing substances are introduced.

Sources include:

NaturalHealth365.com

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

NaturalPedia.com

NaturalPedia.com

Pharmacology.Imed.Pub

10 BEST CANCER KILLING PHYTONUTRIENTS TO EAT

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10_best_cancer_fighting_foods

Thirty years of research reveals 10 of the best food phytonutrients to ingest to protect against and even treat the root cause of most cancers. 

A new medical model is fast emerging in line with ancient wisdom: one that aims to strike to the root cause of disease and resolve it permanently, and which some call “functional medicine.” In cancer treatment, this highly rational approach involves targeting the cancer stem cells (CSCs) at the root of cancer malignancy. Because we now know that CSCs are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation treatment, and may even increase in number and invasveness when exposed to these outdated therapies, it is no longer ethical to continue with the conventional oncologist’s “standard of care.” Clearly, unless a cancer treatment is capable of selectively killing and/or inducing suicide programs (apoptosis) within cancer cells without harming non-cancerous cells, it is not going to produce a cure. 

In light of this, we are excited to report on a new review published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences titled, “Phytochemicals as Innovative Therapeutic Tools against Cancer Stem Cells,” which evaluated the evidence for what natural compounds within various foods and spices make for the most compelling treatments for targeting CSCs.

According to the review of 30 years worth of literature on the topic, the following 10 natural substances have been demonstrated to be the most effective chemopreventive dietary agentsagainst CSCs:

  1. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG): A green tea extract

  2. Curcumin: The primary polyphenol in turmeric root 

  3. Resveratrol: A phytochemical found in grapes, peanuts, Japanese knotweed

  4. Lycopene: A red carotenoid found in watermelon, pink grapefruit, and tomatoes

  5. Pomegranate extracts

  6. Luteolin: A flavonoid found in peppers and various green vegetables

  7. Genistein: A phytochemical found in soy, red clover, and coffee

  8. Piperine: A phytochemicals found in black pepper

  9. β-carotene: An orange carotenoid found in various vegetables

  10. Sulforaphane: A sulfurous phytochemical found in Cruciferous vegetables

The researchers described the discovery that phytochemicals can selectively target CSCs as “a milestone in the improvement of cancer treatment because the synthetic anticancer drugs that are currently used are often highly toxic for healthy organs and weakens the patient’s immune system.”

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They also pointed out that the phytochemicals or extracts identified above, due to their “low levels of toxicity for normal cells,” can be used in combination with other phytochemicals, “yielding powerful synergistic effects.”

They identified several key areas of focus for the future:

  • Finding a way to combine these compounds into “very active cocktails of phytochemicals” to address the multiple areas of treatment resistance often found in CSCs.

  • Compare the effects of natural phytochemicals with synthetic drugs, the latter of which they anticipate will be found to be less efficient.

  • Further research should be performed on CSCs to better understand the signaling pathways that govern their self-renewal and survival.

The authors concluded, “[T]he use of phytochemicals may be a true therapeutic strategy for eradicating cancer through the elimination of CSCs.”

If you have followed GreenMedInfo.com news, you know cover the complex terrain of modern cancer treatment and its failures in various exposes on cancer overdiagnosis, the misunderstood nature of cancer, the reality of chemo and radiation resistance, the sorcerer-like power that doctors have over the health destiny of their patients, and the corruptpharmaceutically-driven medical system that sacrifices ethics for profit. It is clear that while this is a harrowing task and topic, often fraught with darkness, the discovery that natural substances are superior to highly toxic chemotherapy and radiation in selectively killing the root cause of cancer is extremely promising and should help to usher in a new era of cancer prevention and treatment that looks at our dietary decisions as the most important factor in our health destiny

Vitamins and Supplements – The Benefits of Food First.

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Vitamins and supplements are a big area of conversation, controversy, and research. When considering ways to ensure that you are getting the nutrients you need for optimal health, it’s important to think about the benefits of “food first.”

We know that people who eat a variety of plant-based foods gain important health-promoting nutrients (called phytonutrients). Different phytonutrients are associated with different types of foods — which is why it’s important to eat a variety of foods “by the rainbow.” For example, red fruits and vegetables contain lycopene, an important antioxidant. What makes carrots and sweet potatoes orange is another antioxidant in the same family as lycopene, called beta-carotene. One of the many phytonutrients found in blueberries are anthocyanins, which give blueberries their intense blue color, in addition to providing several health benefits, including immune support.

Many of these examples of phytonutrients found in food also come in pill form. But there are some considerations for why it’s advantageous to consider food first:

  • The way that nutrients work in pill form may be different from the way they work in food form in the body.
  • Some high-dose antioxidants taken in pill form during certain types of cancer treatment can actually reduce the effectiveness of that treatment, whereas getting antioxidants from foods does not interfere with the potency of treatment.
  • Supplements may be made with additional ingredients that interact with treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery.
  • Getting vitamins into your diet is easier than you think by eating a plant-based diet.

Some supplements might be necessary. For example, when you’re going through treatment, you may have low blood levels of certain nutrients, like magnesium or Vitamin D. Your doctor can perform a blood test to determine your Vitamin D level and whether it is appropriate for you to take a supplement to address a deficiency. But on the whole, eating food first is the best approach to getting your vitamins and nutrients. And if you decide that you want to explore taking certain vitamins or supplements, it’s always important to talk with a dietitian and your doctor before starting a supplement regimen.