The walnut tree can grow to 70 feet or more and may have a span as much as 4 feet round its trunk. The walnut tree has long leaves that can grow as long as two to three feet.

Walnuts are part of the mediterranean diet, well known for its health benefits.

Nutrients found in walnuts

Walnut are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. In fact 30g of walnuts provides the daily needs of omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts contain a lot of manganese and copper. Also found in smaller quantities are vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, phosphorus, selenium, potassium and zinc.

Walnut contains ellagic acid, an antioxidant compound that helps supports the immune system and contains several anticancer properties.

Walnuts for constipation

Walnut has a mild laxative effect, it is beneficial in cases of constipation.

Protect the heart

According to several studies, walnuts have amazing cardioprotective benefits. Research shows that polyphenolic compounds found in walnuts, ellagic and gallic acid, possessed significant antioxidant properties. Further study identifies 16 polyphenols with antioxidant activity so protective it is described as remarkable.

Research shows that inclusion of 30 g of walnuts per day in the diet significantly improves the HDL cholesterol to total cholesterol ratios in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Lower blood pressure

Researchers found that omega-3s from nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils such as walnuts and flaxseed had just as much impact on blood pressure as omega-3s from fish.

Walnuts contain relatively high levels of l-arginine, an essential amino acid, they may be of special importance when it comes to hypertension.

Think better with walnuts

The brain is more than 60% fat. For your brain cells to function properly, the brain fat needs to be mostly the omega-3 fats found in walnuts, flaxseed and cold-water fish. For this reason, walnuts are regarded as a brain food; they even have a wrinkled brain-like appearance.

Protect your bones with walnuts

Alpha linolenic acid, the omega-3 fat found in walnuts, promotes bone health by helping prevent excessive bone turnover by providing a lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in the diet. (Griel et al. 2007)

Add walnuts to your lunch box

Why not have a few walnuts each day with a healthy sandwich for lunch? Walnuts are best eaten raw and unsalted.

References:

Blomhoff R, Carlsen MH, Andersen LF, Jacobs DR Jr. Health benefits of nuts: potential role of antioxidants. Br J Nutr. 2006 Nov;96 Suppl 2:S52-60. PMID:17125534.

Fukuda T, Ito H, Yoshida T. Antioxidative polyphenols from walnuts (Juglans regia L.). Phytochemistry. Aug;63(7):795-801 2003.

Griel AE, Kris-Etherton PM, Hilpert KF, Zhao G, West SG, Corwin RL. An increase in dietary n-3 fatty acids decreases a marker of bone resorption in humans. Nutr J. 2007 Jan 16;6:2. PMID:17227589.

Sabate, J. (1999). Nut consumption, vegetarian diets, ischemic heart disease risk, and all-cause mortality: Evidence from epidemiologic studies. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 70(3S), 500S-503S.

Sabate, J. (1993). Does nut consumption protect against ischaemic heart disease? European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 47(1), S71-S75.

Sabate, J., Fraser, G.E., Burke, K., Knutsen, S.F., Bennett, H., & Lindsted, K.D. 1993. Effects of walnuts on serum lipid levels and blood pressure in normal men. New England Journal of Medicine, 328(9), 603-607.

Tapsell LC, Gillen LG, Patch CS, Batterham M, Owen A, Baré M, Kennedy M. Including Walnuts in a Low-Fat/Modified-Fat Diet Improves HDL Cholesterol-to-Total Cholesterol Ratios in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care 2004.

Wheatgrass refers to the young grass of the common wheat plant, Triticum aestivum, typically harvested after 7-14 days of growth. The freshly cut wheatgrass is juiced or dried into powder for animal and human consumption. Some people grow wheatgrass at home to guarentee a continuous supply of fresh wheatgrass.

Wheatgrass contains vitamins, minerals and trace elements, including selenium, and amino acids. It also contains the hormone abscisic acid, the antioxidant enzyme Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and many other enzymes.

Wheat allergies

People with wheat allergies need not be concerned when consuming wheatgrass juice. Wheatgrass is a leafy green and is different from the grain and refined grain products. Wheatgrass does not contain the gluten found in the grain.

Wheatgrass benefits

There are many claims surrounding wheatgrass, but little scientific evidence. Claims include:

Improvement of the digestive system.
A cure for constipation.
Blood purification.
Detoxification of heavy metals.
Prevention of cancer.
Prevention of diabetes.
Prevention of heart disease.

Many websites making these claims are also selling wheatgrass juice products.

A common claim is that one ounce of wheatgrass juice is equivalent to 1 kg of green vegetables. This is simply not true. The vitamin and mineral content of wheatgrass juice is not that high.

However Mr CabbageHead tried drinking 2 ounces of wheatgrass juice a day for several months and noticed a dramatic improvement in digestion and energy levels. Perhaps it is the enzymes and phyto-nutrients that are useful.

How to drink wheatgrass juice

The wheatgrass should be harvested fresh, juiced and consumed immediately on an empty stomach. Many juice outlets sell wheatgrass shots which are typically 1 ounce. You can consume 1 or 2 ounces at a time, one or more times a day. Start with 1 ounce a day. Wheatgrass juice seems to be a powerful detoxifier, so start with modest amounts.

References:

Ferruzzia M, Blakesleeb J. Digestion, absorption, and cancer preventative activity of dietary chlorophyll derivatives, Nutrition Research Volume 27, Issue 1, 2007

Meyerowitz S. Nutrition in Grass, Wheatgrass Nature’s Finest Medicine: The Complete Guide to Using Grass Foods & Juices to Revitalize Your Health, 6th Edition, Book Publishing Company, 53. 1999.

Mr Cabbage Head would like to present his own personal diet for you to try. This is not a short term fix; this is a daily routine to use for the rest of your life. The daily routine can be varied, but make sure the rules at the end are not broken. This page will be updated from time to time.

Morning wake up

Himalayan Crystal Salt washed down with lots of water.You can purchase Himalayan Crystal Salt as large stones. Place these stones in a glass jar and fill with pure water. Always keep as a saturated solution by adding more stones if they all dissolve. Add 1 teaspoon (5mL) of this solution to a glass of water each morning. This has many minerals including trace elements not found elsewhere. This is the only form of salt that should be consumed.

Before breakfast

2 fish oil capsules

5g Spirulina

10g Rose Hip powder

10g Maca powder

A calcium & magnesium supplement

A vitamin D supplement

Breakfast

1 or 2 pieces of fruit

LSA mix (linseed, sunflower seed, almonds) with non-diary milk

For hungry people try the The Mr Cabbage Head Power Breakfast.

Lunch

Your choice, but the rules below must be followed. A salad without dressing would be a good choice or maybe a wholemeal salad sandwich. Raw, unsalted nuts and sunflower seeds are great.

Afternoon snack

1 or 2 pieces of fruit.Nuts may be eaten, but raw and un-salted.For hungry people add the The Mr Cabbage Head Smoothie.

30-60 minutes before the evening meal

One serving of AIM Herbal Fiberblend for a gentle colon cleanse.

Evening meal

A small portion of meat (about 200g). Mostly this should be fish or organic chicken. Red meat can be consumed 2 or 3 times a week. Lots of raw or lightly steamed vegetables. Always include a large portion of leafy, green vegetables.

Drinks during the day

Try not to drink for 30 minutes before and after a meal.Drinks lots of water in between meals.Freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juice is good.For hot beverages, green tea or herbal tea is best.

The rules of the Mr Cabbage Head Diet

Foods you must eat all the time

fresh fruit and vegetables

nuts

seeds

fish

These items may be consumed in moderation

They are not good, but we must enjoy life.

alcoholic drinks, tea and coffee

whole grain based food

honey

These items must be avoided

salt

sugar

diary products

soft drinks

bottled fruit juice

wheat

potatoes

all soy products

margarine

canola oil

refined grains

pasta, pizza and potato chips are not allowed

Supplements

Check out some products used by Mr Cabbage Head.

Warning

If you have a serious illness, seek professional advice before making a radical change to your diet. It is your responsibility to ensure your daily intake of all essential nutrients is adequate.

Try this breakfast which is high in nutrients and fibre.

Ingredients:

10g ground flax seeds.
10g ground pumpkin seeds
10g ground sunflower seeds
10g chopped walnuts
10g chopped cashew nuts
10g psyllium husks

The flax seeds can be purchased ground, make sure they are refrigerated at the point of purchase. The pumpkin and sunflower seeds can be ground in a coffee grinder. Everything must be raw and unsalted.

Mix the ingredients in a bowl and add soy milk or water to make a consistency to your liking. This is a filling meal, so allow time to sit down and eat in a relaxed manner.

The quantities can be varied according to your needs. If you are still hungry afterwards then you need to increase the quantities.

Below are sites that I have found personally helpful.

Contact Mr Cabbage Head:

Used in Japan for years, spirulina is a microalgae grown in alkaline, warm-water lakes. Spirulina’s green colour is due to its chlorophyll content. Chlorophyll acts as an antioxidant and may have medicinal benefits against cancer. Spirulina is also rich in phycocyanin, a pigment with anti-cancer properties.

Studies show the anti-cancer properties of spirulina.

Beta carotene is one of the most effective substances for deactivating free radicals, which damage cells, leading to cancer. Spirulina is the richest beta carotene food known, having over ten times more beta carotene than any other food, including carrots. Studies show that vitamin A and beta carotene inhibit the development of various cancers and tumors. Beta carotene (and not the preformed Vitamin A from animal sources) correlated with lower cancer rates.

A 1987 Israeli study demonstrated natural beta carotene is more effective than synthetic beta carotene. Natural beta carotene is better assimilated by the body because it contains the 9-cis carotenoid isomer which is lacking in synthetic carotene molecules. This means that beta carotene in algae and vegetables has a greater antioxidant power than synthetic beta carotene.

An Indian study found that spirulina inhibits the growth of oral tumors: “We evaluated the chemopreventive activity of Spirulina fusiformis (SF) (1 g/day for 12 mos) in reversing oral leukoplakia in pan tobacco chewers in Kerala, India. Complete regression of lesions was observed in 20 of 44 (45%) of subjects supplemented with SF, as opposed to 3 of 43 (7%) in the placebo arm.”

The Harvard University School of Dental Medicine reduced oral cancer cells with spirulina extracts. A beta carotene solution applied to cancerous tumours in mouths of hamsters reduced the number and size of tumours or caused them to disappear. When a beta carotene extract was fed to 20 hamsters pre-treated to develop mouth cancer, none developed the disease. Tissue samples contained an immune stimulating substance believed to have destroyed cancer cells before they could multiply.

Spirulina as a supplement

A traditional food source in parts of Africa and Mexico, spirulina is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and protein, GLA (essential fatty acid) and one of the few vegetable sources of vitamin B12. AS well as its potential anti-cancer properties, spirulina is a good supplement with many benefits.

References:

Amotz, B.A. Presentation to Polysaccharides from microalgae workshop. Duke University, 1987.

Balch, P.A. and Balch, J.F. Prescription For Nutritional Healing.

Mathew B, Sankaranarayanan R, Nair PP, Varghese C, Somanathan T, Amma BP, Amma NS, Nair MK. Evaluation of chemoprevention of oral cancer with spirulina fusiformis. Nutrition and Cancer 1995; 24(2):197-202.

Menkes, et al. Serum beta carotene, vitamins A and E, selenium, and the risk of lung cancer. N.E. Journal of Medicine, Nov. 1986, p. 1250.

Pitchford P. Healing with Whole Foods.

Schwartz, J., Scklar, G., Suda, D. Inhibition of experimental oral carcinogenesis by topical beta carotene. Harvard School of Dental Med. Carcinogenesis, May 1986, 7(5) 711-715.

Shekelle,R.B.etal. DietaryVitaminA and risk of cancer in Western Electric study. Lancet,1981,8257:1185-1189.

Molasses is made from sugar cane. Juice is extracted from crushed sugar cane and boiled. This causes sugar to crystallise so it can be extracted. The left over syrup is molasses, which is high in minerals and vitamins. This process is performed three times; the syrup from the third boiling is called blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap molasses has the lowest sugar content and the highest nutrient content. Sulphur is sometimes added to molasses as a preservative; look for un-sulphured blackstrap molasses.

Blackstrap molasses contains vitamins and minerals

Blackstrap molasses contains large amounts of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese and potassium. Blackstrap molasses still contains some sugar, but is much healthier than pure sugar. Two teaspoons will give you 10-20 percent of your daily requirement of these minerals as well as 5 percent of your daily vitamin B6 needs.

Using blackstrap molasses

Blackstrap molasses has a sweet, but strong flavour. Some people use blackstrap molasses in place of sugar in tea or other hot beverages. Blackstrap molasses may be used in baking in place of sugar with varying degrees of success. This probably works best in simple baked food such as cookies.

If you want to take blackstrap molasses as a supplement, but don’t like the taste, simply take a teaspoon twice a day and wash it down with water.

Note that molasses is often fed to livestock as a mineral supplement.

Blackstrap molasses cures

Blackstrap molasses has been said to cure or help with many conditions such as constipation, diabetes, amenia, anxiety, acne, fibroid tumours, insomnia, arthritic pain, high blood pressure, heart palpitations and symptoms of menopause. Some people have reported grey hair returning to the original colour.

Some of these folk remedies are unproven, so do your own research and consult your medical practitioner. As a sweetener that is much healthier than sugar, consider adding blackstrap molasses to your diet in moderation.

References:

Scott, C. Crude Black Molasses: a natural “Health -food”. 1948

Wikipedia