Anti Inflammatory Foods to Help to Fight the Inflammatory Response

Many modern diseases and conditions have what we would term an inflammatory response. Arthritis is a particularly painful inflammatory response as is chronic back pain.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods

Fats and Oils - Omega 3 essential fatty acids are very powerful anti-inflammatory agents. They are converted into hormone like substances called prostaglandins. They are found in cold water oily fish such as salmon, mackerel or herring, flaxseed (sometimes called linseed) and their oil. Omega 6 fats are also responsible for reducing inflammation and pain and they can be found in pumpkin, sunflower, safflower and sesame seed oils.

Fruit and Vegetables - Green and brightly coloured vegetables and fruits can help the inflammatory process. The pigment in brightly coloured fruit, vegetables and in particular berries, contain many phytochemicals and anti-oxidants that have anti-inflammatory properties. For example quercetin which can be found in the skins of red apples and re onions is a natural anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory.

Spices - The spice tumeric is thought to have anti inflammatory properties and is often recommended for those with arthritis. It can be added to food in the natural way or taken as a supplement

Pro-inflammatory Foods

If you are suffering from an inflammatory disease, it would also be wise to avoid pro-inflammatory foods that might increase your pain and inflammation.

Foods to avoid include any junk food and fast food, especially trans-fats and saturated fats. Too much saturated fat means too much arachidonic acid which although essential in the right amounts can be responsible for making your inflammation worse if you consume too much.

Diets high in sugar have also been associated with inflammation and so should be avoided. Another possible cause for concern is foods that come from the deadly nightshade family. Foods such as potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant have been known to aggravate the pain of inflammation.

Adjusting your diet in this way is the first line of defence for any anti-inflammatory regime. Such dietary changes ideally, need to be initiated early on in the disease if they are to have any noticeable effect.

Janet Matthews
skype:- lindajanetmatthews

Janet Matthews is an experienced teacher and health professional who believes in promoting good health through personal responsibility. This responsibility primarily entails being informed. Her articles aim to inform the general public and to lead them to a healthy fulfilling life.

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The Health Benefits of Goji Berries

Goji berries (Lycium barbarum) are the most nutritionally dense fruit on Earth. They are a member of the nightshade family (Solonaceae), which contains many other common vegetables such as potato, sweet potato, tomato, eggplant, and pepper, as well as some poisonous plants such as belladonna and deadly nightshade. Native to the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet and Mongolia, they are now also grown in many other countries as well.

Although they have only been introduced in Western countries in recent years, gojis have been used for thousands of years in Tibet and China, both as a culinary ingredient and medicinally.

Unique among fruits because they contain all essential amino acids, goji berries also have the highest concentration of protein of any fruit. They are also loaded with vitamin C, contain more carotenoids than any other food, have twenty-one trace minerals, and are high in fiber. Boasting 15 times the amount of iron found in spinach, as well as calcium, zinc, selenium and many other important trace minerals, there is no doubt that the humble goji berry is a nutritional powerhouse.

This amazing little superfruit also contains natural anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal compounds. Their powerful antioxidant properties and polysaccharides help to boost the immune system. It's no wonder then, that in traditional Chinese medicine they are renowned for increasing strength and longevity.

In traditional Chinese medicine, the goji is said to act on the Kidney and Liver meridians to help with lower back pain, dizziness and eyesight. They are most often consumed raw, made into a tea or extract, or as an ingredient in soups.

Gojis are most commonly available in dried form, and make a great snack eaten as is, added to trail mix, muesli or oatmeal. They can also be soaked for a couple of hours in enough water to cover them. Then the soak water can be drained off and makes a delicious drink, or both water and berries added to smoothies.

Please note that there can be adverse interactions if you consume goji berries while also taking medication for diabetes, or blood pressure, or take the blood thinner warfarin. So be sure to consult your health care provider if that is the case.

Gojis can often be found in Asian food stores, but most of these come from the commercial growing regions of China and Tibet, and contain high levels of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. Even some brands which claim to be organic may not be, so be sure to source your goji berries from a reputable source.

A Look at Xanthones and Mangosteen

We've all heard the news for years about how important it is to get the right amount of antioxidants in order to keep our bodies healthy and ward of disease. Now there's a new classification of antioxidants called xanthones, first discovered in the mangosteen fruit, which are poised to be one of the biggest discoveries of modern science in terms of health benefits.
While the concept of antioxidants may seem even more confusing when adding in another aspect, xanthones are fairly easy to understand, given their clear-cut, scientifically-proven benefits.
What are Xanthones?
Technically put, xanthones are a set of chemical compounds that can be synthetically produced, but are more often found and more potent in their natural settings. Xanthones are powerful antioxidants in a family of phytonutrients.
To date, researchers have discovered and classified approximately 200 xanthones, 40 of which are found in the mangosteen fruit. As a matter of fact, xanthones were first discovered when scientists began studying the health benefits of mangosteen based on its traditional indigenous medical uses.
Research into the medicinal properties of xanthones found in the mangosteen began in the 1970s, and gradually picked up pace as scientists began finding more exciting nutritional properties. Between 1996 and 2005, an exponential amount of research has been done in regards to mangosteen and its xanthones, and even more studies are in the works.
Xanthones in Mangosteen
To recap, xanthones are powerful antioxidants, and out of the 200 xanthones known to science, 40 of them are found in mangosteen.
But what do the antioxidant properties of the xanthones in mangosteen do for you? Antioxidants function as a balance for free radicals in the body. Free radicals are potentially harmful, yet oftentimes natural substances in your body that, when left free reign, build up and cause diseases like cancer, heart disease, and more.
The xanthones function to travel through your body, literally mopping up the free radicals on their way, leaving your body cleaner and healthier than before.
Some of the most important xanthones found in mangosteen include:
Alpha-mangostin Beta-mangostin Gamma-mangostin Garcinone Garcinone A Garcinone C Garcinone D Mangostanol Gartanin
These, among other xanthones, have been touted by independent researchers to have properties to include antiinflammatory, anticonvulsant, antiallergic, antitumor, and antiplatelet, to name just a few.
Known Benefits of Xanthones
Scientific research has made it abundantly clear that no other fruit compares in its health benefits to mangosteen, due to its xanthones and other nutritional properties.
Helping to fight cancer is just one of the many properties that different xanthones perform. For instance, one study performed in Japan showed that the xanthone alpha-mangostin had apparent properties that suppressed the development of tumors. Another, performed in China, found the xanthone garcinone E to show significant anticancer effects in terms of liver, lung, and gastric cancer cells.
In addition, some xanthones have shown significant antimicrobial effects in terms of fighting MRSA (methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus), which is a bacterial strain known for its tenacious resistance to pharmacologic antibiotics. One scientific study also showed that alpha-mangostin, beta-mangostin, and garcinone B to have pronounced inhibition effects on a strain of tuberculosis.
As if that isn't enough, xanthones have also been scientifically proven to help lower LDL, the bad cholesterol, by protecting the LDL from coming into contact with free radicals, thus leaving it unable to oxidize and attach to arterial walls and cause atherosclerosis.
Taking into account the anticancer, antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, and cholesterol-lowering effects of the xanthones found in mangosteen, here is just a sampling of the other many benefits that science has either researched or is in the process of discovering:
Antiviral Helps lower blood pressure Helps fight fatigue Antidepressant Prevents stomach ulcers Aids with weight loss Antiaging Combats diarrhea Pain reducer Heart protective Analgesic Anti-parkinsonian and anti-Alzheimer Lowers fevers Builds immunity to disease Antiallergen Antifungal Antiparasitic
Indeed, even now some health practitioners are suggesting drinking mangosteen juice for relief to people who suffer from the following diseases:
Infections Skin ailments like psoriasis, seborrhea, or eczema Joint problems and arthritis Dementia Anxiety and depression Cancer Chronic pain Chronic fatigue syndrome Ulcers Diabetes
The Fruit with Xanthone Power
As time goes by, it's becoming less and less uncanny how traditional and folk medicine seems to have a grasp on the nutritional properties of food better than modern science has in the past. Indeed, it seems in some cases, especially in that of the mangosteen, science is working to catch up.
The mangosteen fruit is believed to have originated in the Moluccas and the Sunda Islands. It's been used for decades upon decades by people from Thailand, the Philippines, and China in folk medicine to treat dysentery, skin disorders like eczema, diarrhea and cystitis, among other ailments.
One of the reasons why mangosteen is only now gaining notoriety and popularity is because, for many years, direct importation of the fruit from other countries has been illegal, based on governmental regulations to help quarantine the Asian fruit fly. Unfortunately, the mangosteen tree doesn't grow well in most or all climates in the United States, so attempts to grow the fruit here have been relatively unsuccessful.
However, as science has begun proving the unsurpassed medical value of the rare mangosteen fruit and its xanthones, juices and preserves are becoming more and more readily available.
In terms of taste, the mangosteen itself is considered one of the most exquisitely delicious fruits nature has to offer. Often called the "Queen of Fruits," the taste of mangosteen is unique, but is often described as sweet and tangy with hints of pear, ripe strawberry, and grape.
After sampling mangosteen, it's easy to see why this fruit is so popular in Thailand due to its taste. And after learning about the benefits of the xanthones found in mangosteen, it's even more clear how nutritionally beneficial this amazing fruit is.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leslie_Martin

For more information about the mangosteen, it's juice and where to buy capsules or mangosteen juice, visit http://www.mangosteen--juice.com/.

Mangosteen Juice Products - Which Brand to Purchase?

Mangosteen juice has been used by various cultures, as a food and medicine staple, throughout Southeast Asia, India, and many Pacific Islands, for over 400 years. It is only over the past thirty years, that scientists have determined why the mangosteen is so effective at fighting illnesses and restoring health. It is effective because of more than forty nutritionally active components called xanthones contained within the rind and the pulp of the mangosteen.

Xanthones have very powerful anti-inflammatory properties and they are very potent antioxidants. The mangosteen fruit is considered safe and also helps protect the entire gastrointestinal system, unlike many drugs which are not safe.. The body requires antioxidants because of the damage done to the cells by free radicals , which can trigger the initial phases of certain illnesses. Dirty air, smoke, stress, over exercise, and environmental pollutants are the cause of free radicals getting into the body. These free radicals are neutralized by antioxidants, helping to stop disease from occurring and promote wellness.

There are 14,000 papers from researchers all over the world, reporting positive results from testing of the xanthones in the mangosteen. In addition, numerous people are getting positive results for a number of health concerns, after taking the whole fruit mangosteen juice with the rind and the pulp. These results have been confirmed by blood tests taken before and after taking the mangosteen juice product.

Here is a partial list of properties found when studying 6 of the Xanthones found in Mangosteen:

* Anti-depressant, * Help relieve migraine, * Natural Pain Relief, * Anti-viral/fungal, * Lower Blood Pressure, * Healthier digestion, * Increased Energy, * Anti-diabetic, * Relieves Urinary Pain, * Relieves PMS, * Anti-tumour, * Anti-oxidant * Immune and modulating * Cholesterol-lowering * Anti-eczema/psoriasis * Anti-arthritic * Anti-asthma * Improved skin quality * Anti-bacterial * Anti-eczema * Anti-Diarrhoeal * Stabilises Thyroid * Heart protective * Anti-inflammatory

Choosing a Mangosteen Juice Product

On the market, there are many Mangosteen juice products to choose from . If you are lucky enough to be able to buy mangosteen fruit and you want to eat the mangosteen itself, you must eat the rind and the pulp to get all the health benefits that mangosteen juice supplements can provide. Like in most fruits , the rind and the pulp is bitter , so you will miss out on the xanthones from that part of the fruit.

The following are things to look for when selecting from all the mangosteen juice products available:

A. Independent testing, Amount of Xanthones, Phytonutrients and ORAC value

The most important thing to look for is independent laboratory tests on the product. The tests should clearly display

1) How many Xanthones in the supplement. The more xanthones in the product, the more benefits there will be.

2) How many Phytonutrients in the product. Phytonutrients can protect against disease and promote health,

and they are nutrients which are derived from plants we can eat.

3) The ORAC value. The power of antioxidants to neutralize free radicals, can be measured, and this is called the ORAC value.

Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. More free radicals will be neutralized as the value of ORAC in your blood is higher.

If an antioxidant supplement has an ORAC value of 90,000 to 100,000 plus, it is claimed by experts to be effective.

So, if you want to receive the full benefits of the nutrients in the mangosteen, it is best to check for independent laboratory tests

performed on a particular mangosteen juice product.

B. Method of Preparation

Research has found that a mangosteen juice using cold processing when being prepared, is of much higher quality.

This is because it's been found that some nutrients in the mangosteen fruit die at the time they are cooked.

Cooking the juice can render some preservatives more harmful, and also make the juice acidic.

So, it's better to select a mangosteen juice which uses cold processing when being prepared, is therefore of a higher quality.

C. Is the Mangosteen Pericarp and the Whole Fruit contained within the Product?

The seeds and the pericarp of the mangosteen are the main source of xanthones, therefore a high quality mangosteen juice supplement should utilize the whole fruit puree. The whole fruit puree consists of a milling of pericarp, seeds and entire fruit-pulp together. Only a high amount of xanthones contains the full healing and nutritional value of mangosteen,

and these will be found only in those products utilising the whole fruit process. If you are only drinking the juice and not the pericarp, it will not do you much good.

D. Are there other Nutrients within the Mangosteen Juice product?

A good quality mangosteen juice supplement will also contain other nutrients, which work together with the mangosteen to enhance the benefits. These are some of the additional nutrients the product could contain:

1) Minerals

When minerals are added to mangosteen, the additional effects are huge. Mineral deficiencies are high in chronic conditions, especially neuro degenerative conditions. After 60 years of the environment being exploited, the nutrients in vegetables and fruit, are not there anymore. Few people eat properly anyway, and most people eat packaged food and fast food, which contains few nutrients.

Minerals are required for energy production and protection from free radical damage, as well as other vital functions.

2) Additional Vitamins may be included

Research shows that depletion of certain vitamin types is related to diseases like alzheimer's, cancer and dermatitis.

3) Aloe Vera may be included in some Mangosteen Juice products

Research has shown that when Aloe Vera is present, the delivery of vitamins into the blood is improved by up to 20%. Also, the vitamins are held in the blood longer when Aloe is included, which gives the body a greater chance to utilize the vitamins.

4) Some mangosteen juice products may contain Green Tea

Green Tea is well known for its traditional healing properties and also provides additional antioxidant power.

E. Is the Mangosteen product liquid?

A liquid formula is more bioavailable (body ready) so that the cells in the body can absorb it more readily. The phytonutrients and xanthones are within the mangosteen whole fruit, which includes the pericarp and the pulp, and they work synergistically. Powders and pills cannot include the mangosteen whole fruit, so these may not provide the health benefits that a liquid product provides.

Summary

We have examined what to consider when looking at the different brands of Mangosteen Juice supplements - Independent testing, amount of xanthones, amount of phytonutrients, the ORAC value, the other nutrients in the product, the way the product is processed, and whether it is a liquid product or not. For a fair comparison of quality and price, have a look at how many bottles of a less expensive product you would need to give you the same amount of nutrients as a more expensive product has. What you think is a 'cheaper' product may be a lot more expensive when you do the mangosteen juice product comparison carefully.

Julieanne van Zyl is interested in health and nutrition and is also a distributor of Mangosteen Juice Products

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Julieanne_Van_Zyl

Buy Mangosteen Juice - Various Options

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