Sheldon Saul Hendler and David Rorvik
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 L-methionine is also found in fruits and vegetables, but not as abundantly. Small amounts of free L-methionine occur in vegetables, vegetable juices and fermented foods.
In addition to its role as a precursor in protein synthesis, L-methionine participates in a wide range of biochemical reactions, including the production of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM or SAMe), L-cysteine, glutathione, taurine and sulfate. SAM itself, as a methyl donor (see SAMe), is involved in the synthesis of creatine, epinephrine, melatonin and the polyamines spermine and spermidine, among several other substances. |
Mark Stengler, N.D.
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 Foods high in lysine include chicken and wild game, cottage cheese, and wheat germ. Most fruits and vegetables, except for avocados, contain little lysine.
Lysine is involved in many different metabolic activities in the body. It is required for growth, particularly in children. It is thought to be important for bone health, and some consider it a supplement for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis.
Lysine helps to fight lead toxicity. It is required for the body's synthesis of carnitine, an amino-acidlike substance that's particularly essential for good heart function. |
| This type of fiber is found in the leaves of plants, in the peels and skins of fruits and vegetables, and in the coverings of whole grains.
Both wheat bran and psyllium seed are two excellent sources of insoluble fiber. While it does not dissolve in water, it does bind to water, which helps to bulk up the stool and prevent diarrhea. Insoluble fiber protects against diseases such as diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and possibly colon cancer.
The second category is "soluble fiber," the kind that dissolves in water. |
| How many people are eating seven or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day? The government promotes five servings a day, but seven to ten is what one should consume for optimal health and to prevent diseases like cancer. According to studies, not too many people come close to having three servings on a regular basis.
POLLUTION PROBLEMS
There are sound reasons why antioxidant supplements have been in the news so much. As pollution has increased, so has the burden of body stress created by free radicals. |
| You need to increase the fruits and vegetables in your diet, and take some antioxidant supplements. One of the main supplements you need to take on a regular basis is bilberry."
Fortunately, it was easy to convince Maureen to try this herb. She had already heard about it from a friend, and was wondering about its effectiveness. What I told her confirmed her assumption that it would be helpful.
Ten months later, Maureen had her eyes examined by an ophthalmologist. She was told that her cataracts had not worsened at all, and, if anything, had slightly improved. |
| A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is your best choice. There are also many antioxidants in the multivitamin that you are taking. But I also recommend a mixed carotenoid complex. The carotenoids act as antioxidants to protect the skin and help absorb the sun s ultraviolet rays."
"My multivitamin contains beta carotene. Is that one of the carotenoids?" asked Barb.
"Yes it is." But I also wanted her to know that she might need more than that. "Most multivitamins do not contain a mixed carotenoid complex," I noted. "There are several carotenoids besides beta carotene. |
| We would have to eat seven to ten servings of fruits and vegetables a day for cancer prevention, according to current recommendations. Living in a world where fast-food is the norm, most people struggle to get two servings a day. By taking glucaric acid in supplemental form—as d-glucarate—we can take a step toward cancer prevention by making up some of that daily deficit.
LIVER SUPPORT
D-glucarate helps the liver metabolize or "burn up" some dangerous toxins, preventing these chemicals from causing harm. |
John Heinerman
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 Other Sources for More Data
For more information on this wonderful herb, please consult two other of my books:
Heinerman's New Encyclopedia of fruits and vegetables (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995)
From Pharaohs to Pharmacists: The Healing Benefits of Garlic (New Canaan, CT-. Keats Publishing, Inc.,1994)
There is also a new Garlic Information Hotline funded, in part, by a generous grant from Wakunauga of America, suppliers of the world's best garlic preparation. |
Elson M. Haas, M.D.
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 Intake of the refined carbohydrate foods should be minimal; primary intake should be the complex carbohydrates (many vegetables, whole grains, and legumes) and some simple "naturally occurring" sugars from the fruits and vegetables. For the adult, this higher carbohydrate/fiber diet, along with about 15-25 percent fat and 15-20 percent protein, is likely to be the best long-range healthy diet.
-t r
O CARBOHYDRATE DIGESTION AND METABOLISM
Carbohydrates—sugars and starches—are broken down in the gastrointestinal tract by various enzymes for absorption into the blood. |
Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 There is no question that people who eat less meat and more fish, fruits and vegetables, and drink more wine, have significantly lower rates of death from heart disease. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation between diets high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (vegetable oils prone to oxidation/rancidity) and a high rate of death from heart disease, and correspondingly less death in those cultures that eat more monounsaturated fats such as olive oil. Those countries with the highest intake of antioxidants and bioflavonoids have the lowest death rates from heart disease. |
| Good foods for vitamin C: most fresh fruits and vegetables, such as apricots, asparagus, cantaloupe, cauliflower, citrus fruits, guava, mango, strawberries, broccoli, mustard greens and tomato juice.
Vitamin E: The Heart and Blood Vessel Helper
The Shute brothers, both M.D.s, recommended vitamin E in the 1940s as a prevention against heart disease and were nearly thrown into jail for their trouble. Today, wonder of wonders, we are scientifically proving that vitamin E prevents heart disease. |
| Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
An extra B-complex vitamin supplement that includes at least 50 mg of thiamine. (It's best to take the B vitamins together.)
Be sure you're getting both beta-carotene and vitamin A in your multivitamin formula.
Other Tips on These Drugs
They can skew the results of many blood and urine tests. Take them with food or they may upset your stomach. |
Elson M. Haas, M.D.
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| Lysine is particularly high in fish, meats, and dairy products and higher than most other amino acids in wheat germ, legumes, and many fruits and vegetables. Lysine has many functions. It is concentrated in muscle tissue and helps in the absorption of calcium from the intestinal tract, the promotion of bone growth, and the formation of collagen. Collagen is an important body protein that is the basic matrix of the connective tissues, skin, cartilage, and bone. Vitamin C is needed to convert lysine into hydroxylysine, which is then incorporated into collagen. |
| In addition to a healthy diet containing fresh fruits and vegetables, I recommend that the average person consume at least one and a half to two quarts of water daily, because I also suggest a physically active lifestyle with daily exercise.
Water is best consumed at several intervals throughout the day—one or two glasses upon awakening and also about an hour before each meal. Water should not be drunk with or just after meals, as it can dilute digestive juices and reduce food digestion and nutrient assimilation. |
| There has been a shift in this century away from the healthful consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and complex carbohydrates—the starches and fiber foods—toward a diet of more refined carbohydrates and simple sugars that are implicated in a variety of diseases, among them obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and tooth decay.
Carbohydrates are organic molecules; that is, they contain carbon and come from living sources. They are composed of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) (thus, the abbreviation CHO) in a 1:2:1 ratio. |
Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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| There are small amounts of GLA oils in oatmeal and trace amounts in many fruits and vegetables. You only need minuscule amounts of these oils to drive your prostaglandin pathways. The most significant source of GLA oils is found in borage oil, which is sold in capsules at your health food store. However, your GLA oils should be balanced with EPA oils, so before you go out and buy borage oil capsules, read on.
A specific type of omega-3 oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), found in fish oil, will inhibit the production of bad prostaglandins without bothering the good ones. |
Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 1Michael T. Murray, ND
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| According to a detailed analysis of the levels of carotenoids in 120 fruits and vegetables, lycopene is found in very few.20 Table 67.4 provides a list of the foods which contained lycopene.
Table 67.4 Lycopene content of common foods
Food Lycopene (mg/100 g)
Apricot, canned
0.06
Apricot, dried
0.8
Grapefruit (pink and raw)
3.4
Guava juice
3.3
Tomato, raw
3.1
Tomato juice, canned
8.6
Tomato paste, canned
6.5
Tomato sauce, canned
6.3
Watermelon, raw
4.1
These values indicate that lycopene levels are retained in food processing. |
Elson M. Haas, M.D.
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| O FIBER
The third component of carbohydrates is fiber—mainly the indigestible cellulose commonly found in the skins of fruits and vegetables and in the coverings of cereal grains, such as wheat bran. This fiber in foods provides little energy or caloric value. As mentioned earlier, it fosters good intestinal function and elimination. Low-fiber diets are associated with constipation, gastrointestinal disorders, diverticulosis, and colon cancer, while a high-fiber diet may prevent these problems. Fiber in the diet may also reduce the risk of appendicitis. |
Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 1Michael T. Murray, ND
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| Carotenoid content of fruits and vegetables. An evaluation of analytic data. J Am Diet Assoc 1993; 93: 284-286
21. Ben-Amotz, A, Mokady S, Edelstein et al. Bioavailability of a natural isomer mixture as compared with synthetic all-trans-beta-carotene in rats and chicks. J Nutr 1989; 119: 1013-1019
22. Mokady S, Avron M, Ben-Amotz A. Accumulation in chick livers of 9-cis versus all-trans beta-carotene. J Nutr 1990; 120: 889-892
23. Carughi A, Hooper FG. Plasma carotenoid concentrations before and after supplementation with a carotenoid mixture. Am J Clin Nutr 1994; 59: 896-899
24. |
| Subjects who had the highest level of serum beta-carotene at the beginning of the study - indicative of a greater intake of fruits and vegetables - had the lowest risk of developing lung cancer. Beta-carotene could act as a pro-oxidant, unless protected by other antioxidants such as vitamin E, when there is excessive oxidative stress (smoking, alcohol consumption) and when diets are inadequate. |
Elson M. Haas, M.D.
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| Beta-carotene, the precursor of vitamin A, is found in many fruits and vegetables, such as carrots, spinach, tomatoes, apricots, peaches, and melons. This nutrient is thought to help reduce carcinogenesis. Vitamin C, found in high amounts in citrus fruits and many vegetables, may also prevent cancer. It interferes with production of nitrosamine, a carcinogen formed from dietary nitrites in preserved foods.
Include the cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower, in the diet. |
Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 1Michael T. Murray, ND
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| Pyruvic acid occurs naturally in the diet, with fruits and vegetables being good sources. Red apples are possibly the best source with an estimated 450 mg of pyruvic acid per apple.
Pyruvate is a three-carbon compound containing a carboxylic acid and a ketone group. During the process of glycolysis, glucose is converted to pyruvate. Pyruvate is then either converted to acetylCoA, for entry into the citric acid cycle under aerobic conditions, or to lactate under anaerobic conditions. Pyruvate's mechanism of action for weight loss and for enhancing endurance is unknown. |
| Numerous population studies have repeatedly demonstrated that a high intake of carotene-rich and flavonoid-rich fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease and strokes (see Ch. 67 for a full discussion).3'5 Carotenes represent the most widespread group of naturally occurring pigments in nature. They are a highly colored (red and yellow) group of fat-soluble compounds. Over 600 carotenoids have been characterized, including 30-50 that the body can transform into vitamin A. |
Earl L. Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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| The average American doesn't eat nearly enough antioxidant-rich fresh fruits and vegetables to counteract these environmental toxins. Our bodies are in double oxidant jeopardy, which makes taking antioxidant supplements an important part of preventing heart disease.
Antioxidants come in many forms, from teas and herbal tinctures to foods and vitamins. Their marvelous power gives a shielding, protective effect against heart disease. Some work better than others to protect against heart disease.
Ginkgo biloba extract is made from the tree of the same name. |
Textbook of Natural Medicine 2nd Edition Volume 1Michael T. Murray, ND
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| Instead, the system encouraged a vegetarian diet of raw fruits and vegetables and whole grains, while allopaths held that uncooked produce was injurious to your health and white bread was a status symbol.
Both the Thomsonians and the hygienists upheld that health care and healing skills belonged to the people and should not be a marketable commodity. |
Gary Null, Ph.D.
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 Ascorbate significantly prevented selenite-induced cataracts in rats as well. Vitamin C may also be related to asthma. Studies show that vitamin C intake in the general population correlates with the incidence of asthma. Asthma symptoms in adults have been shown to decrease following vitamin C supplementation. |
John R. Smythies
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| According to the article, in some studies the use of antioxidants appears to be associated with a "dramatic" reduction in cancer and other diseases, but in other studies beta-carotene (the only antioxidant mentioned by name in the article) actually seems to be associated with an increase in cancer. The article concluded: "In either event few contemporary aging researchers think self-medicating at a salad bar is the best way to extend the human life span. |
Arthur C. Upton, M.D.
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| J-carotene)
Cigarette, cigar, or pipe smoking; smokeless tobacco; alcohol (even very low levels); ionizing radiation
(continued)
Table 7. |
Isadore Rosenfeld, M.D.
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 Italian, oatmeal, raisin, or English muffins), and a variety of cholesterol-free cakes and cookies. In the past ten years, several other heart-healthy foods (fat-free and cholesterol-free) has become available. They can make any diet interesting, varied, and delicious. You should ask for these products even when eating out, since a growing number of restaurants offer them.
It's important to develop a modus operandi with respect to restaurants if you eat out frequently. What's the point of being "good" at home and then blowing it when you eat out? |
Laurie Deutsch Mozian, M.S., R.D.
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 But keep in mind that these supplements are missing the fiber, caloric energy, and many of the beneficial phytochemicals that have yet to be discovered.
Storing Your Phytochemical Supplements
Phytochemical supplement pills and capsules should be stored with the same care you would give to vitamin and mineral supplements. They are best kept in a dry, dark place at room temperature. A kitchen cupboard works well. Make sure the bottle is marked with an expiration date, and do not use the product after that date. Do not buy products that do not provide you with a freshness date. |
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