Day 26 - Spinach

Lutein and Zeaxanthin are antioxidants in the carotenoid family. They are found in high levels in spinach and other deep green leafy vegetables. These powerful antioxidants concentrate in the part of the retina where macular degeneration occurs. Once there, they protect the retina from damage caused by sunlight. Harvard researchers reported that people eating the most Lutein and Zeaxanthin had a 57 percent decreased risk of macular degeneration, compared with people eating the least.

At least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach have been identified by researchers. These compounds function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents. The anti-cancer action of these nutrients has been sufficiently impressive to prompt researchers to create specialized spinach extracts that could be used in controlled studies. These spinach extracts have been shown to slow down cell division in stomach cancer cells, and in studies on mice, to reduce skin cancers. A study on adult women living in New England in the late 1980s also showed intake of spinach to be inversely related to incidence of breast cancer.

Another carotenoid found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables fights human prostate cancer two different ways, according to research published in the September 2004 issue of the Journal of Nutrition. The carotenoid, called neoxanthin, not only induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct, but is converted in the intestines into additional compounds, called neochromes, which put prostate cancer cells into a state of stasis, thus preventing their replication.

Spinach can be consumed cooked or raw. Baby spinach leaves are especially good in salads with bleu cheese, walnuts, red onions, and a vinaigrette dressing made with Heart Of Gold. Spinach cooks very quickly, and doesn't need added water. Just place it in a pan, cover, and simmer for two to four minutes until it wilts; spinach is also excellent when steamed, or it can be sautéed in olive oil with garlic for three or four minutes. Spinach is a good addition to stews and to soups that contain beans, pasta, or potatoes, or to any kind of curry dish.

Don't have the time to go shopping or to do the cooking, but still =want to eat your greens? Farmacy Pro Power is a delicous Superfood Green Drink. It has a delicious mint flavor and one serving of Farmacy Pro Power is the equivalent of eating 8 servings of vegetables!!


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Day 25 - Tomatoes

Scientists are suggesting that tomato lovers may be more likely to reduce the risk of serious disease. Lycopene, an anti oxidant which gives tomatoes their lovely rich red color, helps remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules and have been implicated in cancer and other serious diseases.

Professor Michael Avirim of the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel who is testing lycopene in clinical trials says, ' In its natural form, lycopene is an excellent antioxidant that helps to prevent formation of oxidized LDL, the 'bad' cholesterol in blood, which contributes to the build up of plaque that narrows, stiffens and constricts arteries and can lead to heart attacks. When this natural extract was added to cancer cell cultures, the lycopene inhibited their growth. Lycopene is the most potent nutritional antioxidant found to date.

Another study compared men who had had a heart attack with the same number of healthy men and found that those with high levels of lycopene appeared to reduce their risk of heart diseases by 50%. The study's coordinator, Lenore Kohlmeier, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the university of North Carolina, said, "Based on our findings, and other research, lycopene can be an excellent antioxidant, we recommend that people eat tomato based cooked foods."

Several recent studies have shown that a diet rich in tomatoes and tomato products is strongly linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers. In a six year study of 48,000 male professionals, Dr Edward Giovannucci and colleagues at Harvard Medical School found that consuming tomatoes and tomato based products between five to seven serving a week was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer of 21% to 34%.

Another study published in the International Journal of Cancer said that lycopene appears to protect against cancer of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum. Researchers at the University of Illinois report that women with the highest lycopene levels had a 500% lower risk of developing precancerous signs of cervical cancer than women with lowest lycopene levels.

In one six-year study by Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, the diets of more than 47,000 men were studied. Of 46 fruits and vegetables evaluated, only the tomato products (which contain large quantities of lycopene) showed a measurable relationship to reduce prostate cancer risk. As consumption of tomato products increased, levels of lycopene in the blood increased, and the risk for prostate cancer decreased. The study also showed that the heat processing of tomatoes and tomato products increases Lycopene bioavailability.

The human body does not produce lycopene alone and therefore relies on a consumption of tomatoes and tomato based products for this antioxidant. Nutritionists and other health professionals have long advocated the cancer preventative benefits of a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

The Wholefood Farmacy's Vichyssoise V-6 Creamy Tomato Soup is quick and easy taking only a minute to prepare. Handcrafted using the finest whole food ingredients, our V-6 Tomato Soup is made from Tomatoes, Brown Rice, Soy Beans, Oats, Onions, Dill Weed & Pure Salt. If you haven't tasted it, you don't know what you're missing!

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Day 24 - Ginger

Ginger can kill ovarian cancer cells while the compound that makes peppers hot can shrink pancreatic tumors, researchers told a conference. Their studies add to a growing body of evidence that at least some popular spices might slow or prevent the growth of cancer.

Dr. Rebecca Liu, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, and colleagues tested ginger powder dissolved in solution by putting it on ovarian cancer cell cultures. It killed the ovarian cancer cells in two different ways. First, through a self-destruction process called apoptosis and second, through the process of autophagy in which cancer cells digest themselves, the researchers told a meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

Ovarian cancer kills 16,000 out of the 22,000 U.S. women who are diagnosed with it every year, according to the American Cancer Society. Ginger has been shown to help control inflammation, which can contribute to the development of ovarian cancer cells.

"In multiple ovarian cancer cell lines, we found that ginger-induced cell death at a similar or better rate than the platinum-based chemotherapy drugs typically used to treat ovarian cancer," said Dr. Jennifer Rhode, who helped work on the study.

You can find ginger in many of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods including Farmacy Gourmet V-10 Creamy Yam Soup, Phi Plus, Cranberry Phi and Coco Cherry Phi. You can also make your own Ginger Mint Dressing with our Heart of Gold - a combination of 5 plant based oils and medicinal gold. It's a great way to add ginger to your daily meal plan.

Heart of Gold Ginger Mint Dressing:

½ cup freshly grated ginger
1 ½ cups Heart of Gold
1 ½ cups fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 cup finely chopped fresh mint

Combine ingredients and blend for 30 seconds in a blender. Add more mint or your favorite spices to taste. Great on salads, great for tossing with steamed veggies or drizzling over fresh veggies!

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Day 23 - Raw Power

Some vegetables contain chemicals that appear to enhance DNA repair in cells, which could lead to protection against cancer development, say Georgetown University Medical Center researchers. In a new study published in the "British Journal of Cancer" and by the journal "Nature" the researchers show that in laboratory tests, a compound called indole-3-carinol (I3C), found in broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, and a chemical called genistein, found in soy beans, can increase the levels of two specific proteins that repair damaged DNA.

This study is one of the first to provide a molecular explanation as to how eating vegetables could cut the risk of developing cancer, an association that some population studies have found, says the study's senior author, Eliot M. Rosen, MD, PhD, professor of oncology, cell biology, and radiation medicine at Georgetown 's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center . "It is now clear that the function of crucial cancer genes can be influenced by compounds in the things we eat," Rosen says.

"Our findings suggest a clear molecular process that would explain the connection between diet and cancer prevention." In this study, Rosen exposed breast and prostate cancer cells to increasing doses of I3C and genistein, and found that these chemicals boosted production of the repair proteins BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Since decreased amounts of the BRCA proteins are seen in cancer cells, higher levels might prevent cancer from developing, Rosen speculates, adding that the ability of I3C and genistein to increase production of BRCA proteins could explain their protective effects.

The study was funded by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Cancer Institute and co-authors include Drs. Saijun Fan, MD, PhD, Qinghui Meng , MS , Karen Auborn, PhD, and Timothy Carter, PhD.

Wholefood Farmacy foods offer you, your family and your children an easy and convenient way to get 5 to 9 servings of fruits and veggies every day. Our dried whole foods, such as Veggielicious, Veggielicious Spice, Fruitalicious and Fruitalicious Plus are nutritionally dense foods. For example, 1 oz of Veggielicious or Fruitalicious is the equivalent of eating a half pound of fresh, raw veggies or fruit. One serving of our Farmacy Pro Power drink mix is the equivalent of eating 8 servings of veggies!

How many servings have you, your family and your children had today?

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Day 22 - A Little Goes A Long Way

Even a very modest amount of exercise might be better than none at all when it comes to preventing disability from arthritis, according to research published in the December 2006 issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism. The study followed more than 3,500 U.S. adults with arthritis.

Researchers found that those who were getting some regular physical activity at the study's start were less likely than their sedentary peers to develop worsening problems with walking, climbing stairs and other daily activities. In addition, exercisers were more likely than inactive adults to show improvements in any mobility problems they had at the outset. The findings were published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism in December 2005.

The new findings suggest that even modest levels of exercise can help prevent disability from arthritis, or even reverse it in some cases. Study participants who got less than 30 minutes per day of moderate activity or less than 20 minutes of vigorous exercise, were still less likely than inactive arthritis sufferers to show functional decline over time.

In the study, participants were divided into three groups based on their reported leisure-time activities at the start of the study: an inactive group, an insufficiently active group, and a group that got the recommended level of exercise for adults - at least 30 minutes of moderate activity like walking or gardening on most days of the week, or 20 minutes of vigorous exercise like running or swimming.

Overall, adults in this latter group were 41 percent less likely to show functional decline over the next 2 years than their inactive peers were. The risk reduction was almost as great for those who exercised at a less-than-ideal level. The researchers wrote that: "Given the high prevalence of arthritis, even modest increases in rates of lifestyle physical activity among older adults could make a substantial contribution to disability-free life expectancy." They also noted that it is always a good idea for sedentary people with arthritis to consult their doctor before taking up any activity.

As with most all health related issues, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Have you had your ounce of prevention today?

If you feel that you need more energy, Farmacy Pro Power is a delicious Super Food energy drink that is loaded with nutrients and topped off with a delicious and refreshing mint taste. You can energize your body, mind and spirit with one easy serving per day.

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Day 21 - Laughter

There's been something funny going on at Loma Linda University and there are two doctors right in the middle of it. We're talking about Dr. Lee Berk and Dr. Stanley Tan, and they've been studying the effects of laughter on the human immune system. To date, their published studies have shown that laughing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, increases muscle range of motion, and boosts immune system function. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of well-being. This exciting research was featured in the September / October 1996 issue of the Humor and Health Journal.

We all know that a good laugh leaves us feeling great. That wonderful, euphoric, post-laugher feeling is a type of "positive stress" that produces healthy and positive emotions. After a good laugh, your immune system also seems to "turn it up a notch".

Your body steps up production of natural killer cells that attack viral infected cells and some types of cancer and tumor cells.

Your body activates more cancer fighting T cells.

Your body increases the antibodies that fight upper respiratory tract insults and infections.

Your body produces more gamma interferon, an antiviral protein that "turns on" the various parts of your immune system.

Laughing is good exercise. It provides a workout for your diaphragm and increases your body's ability to use oxygen while it brings in positive emotions that can actually reduce pain. In a study published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing, patients were told "one-liners" after surgery and before painful medication was administered. Those exposed to humor perceived less pain when compared to the others.

So laugh hard, laugh often and give your body the benefit of friuts and veggies every day. Have you tried Phi Plus yet? We call it "The Healthiest Food In The World" because its a potent combination of fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, vegetables and spices - convenient whole body nutrtion in each and every bite.

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Day 20 - Berries

Antioxidants are natural substances found in plants, which are known to aid in the prevention of heart disease, cancer and stroke. Berries have an especially high level of antioxidants, according to a recent study published in the journal BioFactors (Vol. 23, pages 197-205).

The pigments that give berries their rich red to blue, black and purple colors are a type of phytochemical that has been shown to have significant disease-fighting, cell-protecting antioxidant capacity. In addition to boosting your immune system, these valuable compounds are also known to slow the effects of aging by improving things like memory, balance, coordination and motor skills.

The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC Value) of foods is a measurement of the Antioxidant levels. The higher the ORAC Value, the more Antioxidants a food has. It's believed that foods high in these powerful nutrients give the body its greatest protection.

Berries are some of the most delicious and powerful disease-fighting foods available. Blueberries are among fruits and vegetables with the highest Antioxidant levels with an ORAC Value of 5486. Right behind blueberries are blackberries with an ORAC Value of 4654; strawberries at 3520 and raspberries, 2789. Berry ORAC levels top that of many other fruits and vegetables such as oranges, grapefruit, cherries, plums, brussell sprouts, broccoli and spinach.

Single servings of fresh or freshly cooked fruits and vegetables supply an average of 600-800 ORAC units. Scientists believe that increasing intake of foods that provide 2000-5000 units per day may be needed to increase serum and tissue antioxidant activity sufficiently to improve health outcomes. This is why it's important to eat 5 to 9 servings daily of fruits and vegetables.

The Wholefood Farmacy makes it easy and convenient to get your 5 to 9 servings each day and to enjoy the very best that nature has to offer. You can find many different types of berries in your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods including Phi Plus, Cranberry Phi, Coco Cherry Phi, Fruitalicious & Fruitalicious Plus.

Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here: http://vip.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Day 19 - Cinnamon

Just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in diabetics, a new study has found. The effect, which can be produced even by soaking a cinnamon stick your tea, could also benefit millions of non-diabetics who have blood sugar problem but are unaware of it.

The discovery was initially made by accident, by Richard Anderson at the US Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland. "We were looking at the effects of common foods on blood sugar; one was the American favorite, apple pie, which is usually spiced with cinnamon. We expected it to be bad. But it helped," he says.

The active ingredient in cinnamon turned out to be a water-soluble polyphenol compound called MHCP. In test tube experiments, MHCP mimics insulin, activates its receptor, and works synergistically with insulin in cells.

To see if it would work in people, Alam Khan, who was a postdoctoral fellow in Anderson's lab, organized a study in Pakistan. Volunteers with Type 2 diabetes were given one, three or six grams of cinnamon powder a day, in capsules after meals.

All responded within weeks, with blood sugar levels that were on average 20 per cent lower than a control group. Some even achieved normal blood sugar levels. Tellingly, blood sugar started creeping up again after the diabetics stopped taking cinnamon.

In the volunteers, the Cinnamon also lowered blood levels of fats and "bad" cholesterol, which are also partly controlled by insulin. And in test tube experiments it neutralized free radicals, damaging chemicals which are elevated in diabetics. Cinnamon's essential oils also qualify it as an "anti-microbial" food, and cinnamon has been studied for its ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi, including the commonly problematic yeast Candida.

Research led by Dr. P. Zoladz and presented April 24, 2004, at the annual meeting of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences, in Sarasota, FL, found that chewing cinnamon flavored gum or just smelling cinnamon enhanced study participants' cognitive processing. Specifically, cinnamon improved participants' scores on attention related processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor speed while working on a computer-based program.

(Hint: simmer a few cinnamon sticks in water while your kids are doing their homework - this will also serve as wonderful yet non-toxic air freshener for your home)

In addition to the active components in its essential oils and its nutrient composition, cinnamon has also been valued in energy-based medical systems, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, for its warming qualities. In these traditions, cinnamon has been used to provide relief when faced with the onset of a cold or flu, especially when mixed in a tea with some fresh ginger.

You will find Cinnamon used in many of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods including Phi Plus, DetoxiPhi, Joule and Cornaborealis.

Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here: http://vip.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Day 18 - Broccoli

Eating foods like broccoli and soy has now been linked to lower cancer rates, and California researchers recently reported that they may have discovered the biological mechanism behind the protective effect.

Using cells in a lab dish, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that diindolymethane (DIM), a compound resulting from digestion of cruciferous vegetables such as Broccoli, along with genistein, an isoflavone in soy, reduce the production of two proteins needed for breast and ovarian cancers to spread.

"We think these compounds might slow or prevent the metastasis of breast and ovarian cancer, which would greatly increase the effectiveness of current treatments," said Erin Hsu, a UCLA graduate student in molecular toxicology.

The findings highlight "an entirely unique mechanism ... Preventing the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells is crucial," said Dr. Alan Kristal, associate head of the cancer prevention program at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Cancer cells express very high levels of a surface receptor known as CXCR4, while the organs to which the cancers spread secrete high levels of CXCL12, a ligand that binds to that particular receptor.

This attraction stimulates the invasive properties of cancer cells and acts like a homing device, drawing the cancer cells to organs like the liver or brain.

The study found that when cancer cells were treated with either DIM or genistein, movement toward CXCL12 is reduced by at least 80 percent compared to untreated cells.

As the modern day researchers continue to confirm the wisdom of the ancients, and we encourage you to embrace this wisdom. Ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and the Essenes knew the recipe for good health. They partook of pure air and water, sunshine, and nutrient-dense whole foods. Today, it seems that science has come full circle. They have arrived "back in time" only to discover the future!

All of us at The Wholefood Farmacy would like to take this opportunity to welcome you "Back to the Future". You can enjoy the health imparting powers of Broccoli in our Veggielicious, Veggielicious Spice and V-12 Farmacy Gourmet Vegetable Soup. Getting 5 servings a day of veggies has never been easier!

Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here: http://vip.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Day 17 - Walnuts

Back in 1993, the original Walnut Study from Loma Linda University made headlines around the world and was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Why all the excitement? Because Loma Linda University had broken new ground. They were the first to find that walnuts in a controlled diet reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol and heart disease risk significantly more than the Step 1 diet that was then recommended by the American Heart Association. In other words - they proved, scientifically, that food really can be your medicine.

In April 2000, another landmark walnut study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study, a follow-up to the 1993 Loma Linda study, was conducted at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona. Researchers had 49 men and women with high cholesterol incorporate walnuts into a healthy Mediterranean diet, substituting a handful of walnuts a day for some of the monounsaturated fat in the diet.

Participants lowered their "bad" LDL cholesterol by almost 6 per cent and heart disease risk by 11 per cent beyond what would be expected from the Mediterranean diet alone. The Loma Linda study participants substituted walnuts, one of nature's richest sources of polyunsaturated fat, for saturated fat. The Barcelona participants substituted walnuts for another healthy fat.

Barcelona scientists also remarked on the ease of incorporating walnuts into the diet. According to researcher Juan Carlos Laguna, Ph.D., "That's the main point of the study. You eat a normal amount, like five or six walnuts a day. That's something you can do every day without any problem."

We encourage parents to consider bringing walnuts home from the store in place of cheese puffs, potato chips and other processed food snacks. Let the kids open the walnuts themselves and enjoy the very heatlhy treat inside. You can also find walnuts in many of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods including Phi Plus, TropiPhi, Coco Cherry Phi and Cranberry Phi.

Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here: http://vip.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Day 16 - Brown Rice

Milling is the process that turns brown rice into white rice by removing the outer layer known as the bran layer - this alters the nutritional value of the rice. The complete milling process that creates white rice from brown rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. In short, brown rice is a fiber-rich whole grain whereas white rice is simply a refined and nutritionally depleted processed food.

In March of 2006, research reported in the journal Agricultural Research, Nancy Keim and a team at the USDA ARS Western Human Nutrition Center studied 10 women age 20-45 who ate a whole grain diet for three days, then ate the same foods but with refined grains in place of whole grains. Blood samples at the end of each 3-day period showed that the refined grains diet caused a significant increase in triglycerides and a worrisome protein called "apolipoprotein CIII" (apoCIII), both of which have been associated with increased risk of heart disease.

At the University of Utah, in a study of over 2000 people, a team led by Dr. Martha Slattery found that high intakes of whole grains, such as brown rice, reduced the risk of rectal cancer 31%. They also found that a high-fiber diet, 34 grams or more of fiber per day, reduced rectal cancer by an impressive 66%. The findings were published in the February 2004 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In a Study presented at American Heart Association Conference, March 2006, overweight children, age 9-15, spent two weeks on an all-you-can-eat diet of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean protein, while exercising 2.5 hours each day. University of California researchers led by Dr. James Barnard reported that in just two weeks the children's cholesterol levels dropped an average of 21%, while insulin levels fell 30%.

TropiPhi is know as the "Rolls Royce" of snack foods and it's made from macadamia nuts, walnuts, brazil nuts, pineapple, papaya, mango, bananas, coconut flakes, brown rice, & orange oil. If you've got a "sweet tooth" then TropiPhi offers real satisfaction in the healthiest way imaginable.

We encourage parents everywhere to consider guiding themselves and their children down a healthier path by replacing processed and refined grains with healthy, natural whole grains such as brown rice. The healthy habits that your children learn from you while young will stay with them and be passed on for generations to come.

Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here: http://vip.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Day 15 - Peanuts

Peanuts, contrary to their name, are not really nuts. They are a member of the legume family along with peas, lentils, chickpeas and other beans. Peanuts start growing as a ground flower - but because the peanut flower is very heavy - it bends towards the ground and eventually pushes it's way underground where the peanut matures.

A University of Florida team says peanuts are rich in antioxidants which protect cells from damage linked to heart disease and cancer. Peanuts also contain high levels of protein and "good" monounsaturated fat.

The US researchers tested the antioxidant content of a dozen different varieties of peanuts. Antioxidants are the naturally occurring substances in plants that protect the body from free radicals - 'volatile' chemicals in the blood.

Although free radicals do play an important role in the immune system, they also alter cholesterol in a process known as oxidation, which is thought to speed up the hardening of the arteries.

Red and orange fruits and vegetables are already known to be particularly high in antioxidants. But the researchers found peanuts were also high in the beneficial chemicals. They found peanuts contain high levels of polyphenols, a family of chemicals commonly found in foods, which have strong antioxidant properties.

Steve Talcott of the University of Florida, who led the research, said: "When it comes to antioxidant content, peanuts are right up there with strawberries. We expected a fairly high antioxidant content in peanuts, but we were a bit shocked to find that they're as rich in antioxidants as many kinds of fruit."

If you're a peanut fan we encourage you to consider Buckey Ball Matrix. This delicious energy food is handcrafted from peanuts, honey, white and black sesame seeds, dried whole raspberries, organic raspberry tarts, and olive oil. It's a taste that's sure to please and always a hit with the kids.

Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here: http://vip.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Day 14 - The Amazin' Raisin

Raisins rank among the top antioxidant foods, according to USDA government tests. Early findings suggest that eating plenty of fruits high in antioxidants, such as raisins may help slow the processes associated with aging in both body and brain.

Andrew J. Dannenberg, M.D. a cancer researcher at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University reports that the antioxidant catechin, found in raisins and some other fruits and vegetables, in the diet of mice genetically predisposed to intestinal tumors reduced the number of tumors by at least 70 percent compared to the control group. This type of study adds to the body of evidence which shows that components of fruits and vegetables have the potential to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer, colorectal adenomas and other gastrointestinal tumors.

Carl L. Keen, Ph.D. from the University of California Davis reports that a significant amount of raisins eaten daily for 4 weeks increased the plasma antioxidant capacity. This in turn decreased the level of circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) also known as the "bad cholesterol". These data clearly show raisins are an important part of 5-a-day diet and that benefits of eating raisins are similar to benefits seen when eating other fruits and vegetables with these plant antioxidants.

Christine D. Wu, M.S., Ph.D. of the University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Dentistry has found that raisins contain compounds including oleanolic acid that inhibit in vitro growth of Streptococcus.mutans, the bacteria in the mouth responsible for tooth decay. Oleanic acid and other compounds in raisins also inhibit organisms associated with periodontal disease, including Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. Oleanolic acid is most effective in suppressing in vitro plaque formation by Streptococcus mutans. Prevention of plaque building up on the tooth surface is critical both for preventing tooth decay and promoting healthy gums.

Mary Ellen Camire, Ph.D. of the University of Maine reports that dietary fiber and other components may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer by binding bile acids and causing their elimination from the body. Camire's study confirms that eating fibrous foods, such as raisins, stimulates the body to replace the bile acids that have been eliminated by making them from its own cholesterol, thus potentially lowering serum cholesterol and the risk of coronary heart disease. Furthermore, bile acids that are bound by fibers such as those in raisins will not be metabolized to a more toxic form and this may potentially reduce cancer risk..

Gene A. Spiller, Ph.D. of the Sphera Foundation and Health Research Studies Center - Los Altos, CA reports feeding of raisins along with peanuts to 10-12 year old children prior to a soccer game resulted in lower increases in blood glucose and insulin than a snack of a white bagel and jam. This is important because it means a more steady fuel supply to the exercising muscle of the young players. Lower insulin levels are advantageous because high levels of circulating insulin can promote the laying down of fat and may lead to insulin resistance, a concern among US children today, where rates of obesity and type 2 Diabetes are increasing.

You, your family and your children can enjoy all of the health benefits that raisins have to offer with your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods such as Phi Plus, Cranberry Phi, Fruitalicious, Fruitalicious Plus and Cornaborealis.

Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here: http://vip.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Day 13 - A Woman's Heart

HeAmazing new research was published in the October 2007 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. This new study shows that women who eat a healthy diet, drink moderate amounts of alcohol, are physically active, maintain a healthy weight and do not smoke have a significantly reduced risk of heart attack - a reduced risk of up to 92 percent!

Dr. Agneta Akesson, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, and colleagues identified dietary patterns in 24,444 postmenopausal women by analyzing food frequency questionnaires, on which the women supplied information about how often they ate 96 common foods.

The low-risk lifestyle, characterized by a high intake of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish and legumes, in combination with moderate alcohol consumption, not smoking, maintaining the proper weight and being physically active was associated with 92 percent decreased risk compared with findings in women without any low-risk diet and lifestyle factors.

Several components of fruits, vegetables and whole grains such as fiber, antioxidant vitamins and minerals, have been associated with a reduced risk for coronary heart disease, the researchers note. In addition, previous studies have found beneficial effects of small amounts of alcohol in preventing the buildup of plaque in the arteries, which could help prevent heart attacks. "The combined benefit of diet, lifestyle, and healthy body weight may prevent more than three of four cases of heart attack in our study population," Dr. Akesson and colleagues report.

Wholefood Farmacy foods make it easy and convenient for you to enjoy the benefits of a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and dietary fiber. How many servings of fruits and veggies have you, your family and your children had today?

Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here: http://vip.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Day 12 - Garlic & Your Heart

A new study just released in the Oct. 16th , 2007 issue of the prestigious medical journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that garlic causes red blood cells to release hydrogen sulfide in the body thereby causing blood vessels to relax.

When blood vessels relax, they become larger and are able to carry more blood and more oxygen to the brain and other important parts of the body. Blood pressure also comes down when blood vessels relax. It is well known that high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, so this newly discovered health benefit of garlic, once again, is an example of modern day researchers confirming the wisdom of the ancients. Garlic has been used for medicinal purposes throughout all of recorded history.

The lead researcher is Biology professor David Kraus from the University of Alabama. He said that there is also another study in progress that shows "sulfide can protect from cardiovascular damage during a heart attack, it can alleviate various sorts of inflammation, and it can reduce platelet aggregation that would cause a blood clot to form".

When you eat garlic, your body metabolizes garlic's active ingredient, allicin, and produces hydrogen sulphide. The hydrogen sulphide then signals your blood vessels to relax, increasing blood flow, reducing blood pressure and supporting heart health.

You can find garlic in many of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods such as Corn of Plenty, Veggielicious Spice, V-8 Creamy Bean Soup, V-10 Creamy Yam Soup and V-12 Creamy Vegetable Soup.

Have you had a serving of garlic today?

Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here: http://vip.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Day 11 - Apple Juice

When it comes to apple juice, "cloudier" may mean healthier, according to a study published in January 2007, in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

In a head-to-head comparison of apple juices, Polish researchers found that pulpy, non-clarified juice carried a greater antioxidant punch than clear juice. Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals, molecules that can damage body cells and contribute to disease.

Unlike cloudy apple juice, the much more common clear variety undergoes additional processing to remove any apple solids. Manufacturers typically think the public will favor the more attractive, clear juice over its cloudy cousin, and retailers prefer the clear variety for its longer shelf life.

But the new findings suggest that health-conscious consumers should reach for the cloudy variety, according to Dr. Jan Oszmianski, the study's lead author. "Cloudy apple juices contain much more antioxidant than clear," says Dr. Oszmianski, a researcher at the Agricultural University of Wroclaw.

In fact, Oszmianski's team found, cloudy juice packed up to four times the level of polyphenols, a group of antioxidant plant compounds. And in experiments, cloudy juice was the more effective free radical "scavenger," the researchers report in their findings.

In addition, Researchers at the University of California-Davis recently reported that apples and apple juice may help protect arteries from harmful plaque build-up. In the first study conducted in humans, adults who added two apples, or 12 ounces of 100% apple juice, to their daily diet demonstrated a significant slowing of the cholesterol oxidation process that leads to plaque build-up - thereby giving the body more time to rid itself of cholesterol before it can cause harm. Enjoy some apples or cloudy apple juice each day and keep the doctor away!

You can also find Apples in some of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy Foods such as Fruitalicious, Fruitalicious Plus and Phi Plus. Have you, your family and your children had some apples or cloudy apple juice today?

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Day 10 - A Slice of Life

These days, juicy, delicious oranges are practically synonymous with vitamin C. But did you know that America 's favorite fruit also provides healthful natural compounds called limonoids? In laboratory tests with animals and with human cells, citrus limonoids have been shown to help fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach, and colon.

Agricultural Research Service scientists in northern California led by chemist Gary D. Manners of the Western Regional Research Center in Albany have uncovered new details about these compounds. Their research has demonstrated that our bodies can readily access a limonoid called limonin, and all of its health-imparting properties, each time we bite into an orange. This is the first time that bioavailability has been shown in humans.

In some individuals, limonin remains in the bloodstream for up to 24 hours which is an impressive length of time. This longevity, or persistence, may help explain why limonoids fight the type of cancer cells which proliferate unless they are continuously suppressed.

A single orange provides 12.5% of the daily value for fiber, which has been shown to reduce high cholesterol levels and to prevent atherosclerosis. A single orange offers you over 170 different phytochemicals and more than 60 flavonoids, many of which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and blood clot inhibiting properties, as well as strong antioxidant effects.

Although oranges are the major fruit in the citrus fruits group we shouldn't forget about the others such as Tangerines, Mandarines, Clementines , Satsumas, Lemons, Limes and Grapefruits.

Treat yourself and your children to a slice of life today!

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Day 9 - Go Nuts!

Some fairly recent analyses of the Adventist Health Study findings showed a remarkable relationship between eating nuts and whole wheat bread, and experiencing a reduced risk for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). These findings were the subject of a research article submitted by Dr. Fraser and his colleagues to the Archives of Internal Medicine, and published in its July 1992 issue.

The most outstanding findings of this part of the overall study show that nut consumption reduces the risk of both fatal and nonfatal coronary heart disease. Again, the researchers looked for a variety of ways to disprove the finding, adjusting the data for differences in age, sex, smoking habits, exercise, relative weight, and hypertension. The protective qualities of nuts remained statistically significant and essentially unchanged in magnitude.

Those individuals who ate nuts one to four times a week had 26% decrease in the risk of suffering from definite nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) and a 27% decrease in the risk of definite fatal coronary heart disease as compared to those who ate nuts less than once a week. However, those individuals who ate nuts five or more times a week had a 48% decrease in the risk of definite nonfatal heart attack and a 38% reduced risk of definite fatal CHD as compared to the group who ate nuts less than once a week.

Age- and sex-adjusted analyses of the associations between nut consumption and definite CHD were calculated for various subgroups within the Adventist Health Study. Results were examined to see if the association between nut consumption and CHD held up in different segments of the population. The consistency was quite remarkable and adds to the researchers' confidence in the importance of these findings.

Both "ever-smokers" and "never-smokers" showed a 46% decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease when they ate nuts five or more times a week. Study participants with normal blood pressure showed that eating nuts more than five times a week reduced their risk of coronary heart disease by 60% percent, and hypertensive individuals enjoyed a 30% decrease in risk compared to similar subjects who ate few nuts.

Nuts are widely used here at The Wholefood Farmacy and you can find them in many of our foods. In addition, the next time you go to the grocery store, spend a few minutes looking at all of the different types of nuts and consider them in place of other processed food snacks such as potato chips and cheese puffs. You'll love them, your kids will love them and your whole family will be much better off. Now is the best time to put your kids on a path that leads to health, vitality, longevity and happiness.

Visit The Wholefood Farmacy Here: http://vip.wholefoodfarmacy.com