The aloe vera plant has long, spiked leaves, which are thick-skinned and contain a clear gel-like substance. It is used today in cosmetics, skin creams, burn gels and sun screen creams. The juice of the aloe vera plant may be consumed internally and is rich in vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

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.

Is there a natural cure for cancer? Mr CabbageHead examines claims regarding five possible natural cures for cancer.

Pau d’arco (Tabebuia impetiginosa)

Pau d’arco is a legendary herb from the Amazon rainforest that is claimed to be a proven cancer killer, especially of childhood leukemia. It has been used in South America for an enormous number of illnesses since the time of the Incas.

Andreas Moritz, a respected healer, tells this story of a 5 year-old girl who suffered from leukemia, and who was about to die. Her parents, in desperation, took her to the clinic of a Doctor Ruiz, who treated the girl with pau d’arco tea. In just 6 days, she had improved noticeably. Six weeks later, the little girl walked out of the clinic completely cured.

Graviola (Annona muricata and Annona montana)

Graviola sounds like some kind of Italian food, but it’s another claimed cancer-killer from the Amazon rainforest. Graviola is 10,000 times more toxic to colon cancer cells than chemotherapy and unlike chemotherapy, graviola has no harmful side effects.

In the early 1990s, one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in America began a massive research program to see if they could synthesize the cancer-killing ingredients in graviola and create a synthetic version. Why? Because you can’t patent an herb; you can only patent your own synthetic version of naturally occurring chemicals in the herb. This company tried for seven years, but they couldn’t come up with a chemical isolate of graviola that was effective. However, the evidence they accumulated during those seven years proved beyond a doubt that graviola, the herb, was a miraculous cancer-killer.

Did they let the world know that? No, they didn’t. Instead, the directors of the giant pharmaceutical company swore all its scientists to secrecy, and destroyed all the information they’d learned. It would still be a secret if one man, the only one with a conscience, hadn’t broken the story to the media — most of whom ignored it.

Tayuya (Cayaponia tayuya)

Novel antioxidant chemicals have been discovered in tayuya and named cayaponosides (24 distinct cayaponosides have been discovered thus far). These phytochemicals have been documented to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties and, more recently, to have anticancerous potential. The National Cancer Center Research Institute in Tokyo, Japan reported that five cayaponosides in tayuya exhibited significant anti-tumor-promoter activity in screening tests.

Tayuya is used in Brazil and Peru as a blood cleanser and general tonic.

Barbed skullcap (Scutellaria barbata)

Tea made from barbed skullcap has been used for a variety of purposes, including the treatment of cervical, glandular, liver, lung, and rectal cancer. Brian Wong, PhD, of Union College in Lincoln, Neb., tried giving it to a strain of mice bred to develop prostate cancer. Normally, these mice quickly develop fatal prostate tumors. Those who received barbed skullcap had much slower tumor growth.

By attacking the tumor’s blood supply, scutellaria may help to starve tumors to death by blocking their supply of oxygen and nutrients. Conventional treatments target tumor cells but also the normal cells. This causes a lot of side effects. Scutellaria is so selective for just tumor vessels it does not attack normal blood vessels.

“Researchers have been looking for something like this for years and we think that our findings look very promising — our research shows this should destroy all types of cancer” (Camber 2004).

Zeolite

Zeolite is a unique volcanic mineral that is claimed to be highly effective at destroying cancer cells. Results have been so impressive, anyone fighting cancer or wishing to prevent cancer should be using zeolite. It comes in two basic forms, a liquid zeolite, and a powdered micronized zeolite.

Part of what zeolite does is to work on a couple of the basic issues in cancer. It is a powerful detoxifier, and improves the alkalinity of your body. More importantly though, zeolite is a cancer killer as it can, when pulled into cancer cells, activate a gene which tells the cancer cell to die, or literally destroy the nucleus of cancerous cells.

Zeolite works exceptionally well at fighting cancer as an informal 14 month study several years ago showed. 65 people with mostly stage 4 cancer, who had a prognosis of about 2 months to live, were given a type of liquid zeolite. At the end of the study, 51 people were cancer free and six more were alive, but still fighting cancer. This is a 78% cure rate for terminal cancer, and an incredible 89% survival rate.

Note, that a variety of zeolite based products are available. Some have been proven effective, others are ineffective.

Zeolite has a more day to day use – as a very effective cleanser. Mr CabbageHead has found zeolite to be very effective in removing toxins from the body.

Warning

If you have a serious illness, seek professional advice. There may be a natural cure for cancer, but we must wait for proven scientific test results.

References:

Anon. Anti-tumor-promoter activity of natural substances and related compounds. Annual Report 1995. National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan, 1996.

Betancur-Galvis, L., et al. Antitumor and antiviral activity of Colombian medicinal plant extracts. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz. 1999; 94(4): 531-35.

Camber, Rebecca. Mint hope for cancer cure. Manchester News. July 5, 2004.

Ducki S, et al. Isolation of trans 4-(4′-hydroxyphenyl)but-3-en-2-one from Scutellaria barbata. Planta Medica, 1996, 62, 185.

Gonzales, G. F., et al. Medicinal plants from Peru: a review of plants as potential agents against cancer. Anticancer Agents Med, Chem. 2006 Sep; 6(5) :429-44.

Hadfield JA, Ducki S, Hirst N, McGown AT. Tubulin and microtubules as targets for anticancer drugs. Prog Cell Cycle Res. 2003;5:309-25. Review.

Sun, X., et al. Selective induction of necrotic cell death in cancer cells by beta-lapachone through activation of DNA damage response pathway. Cell Cycle. 2006 Sep; 5(17): 2029-35.

Palaeontologists agree that our early ancestors ate much healthier food than we do today. Despite so-called advances in modern medicine, health problems escalate out of control: diabetes, heart disease, obesity, arthritis, cancer, constipation, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, hypertension. Many researchers attribute these diseases of modern life to the drastic changes in our diet.

Our genetic makeup is essentially unchanged over the last 50 thousand years, but the modern diet bears little resemblance to that of the early hunter gatherer.

The Hunter-gatherer diet

The Hunter-gatherer Diet is often called the Paleolithic Diet, Stone Age Diet or Caveman Diet.

Hunter-gatherers ate a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, roots, beans, nuts, tubers, pollen and flowers rich in antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre. Researchers believe that the early humans ate up to 100 different varieties of plants. The meat of the hunter-gatherer diet was low in fat and cholesterol.

Furthermore, their diet had a much lower sugar content than ours, foods were consumed soon after gathering, and uncooked food was common.

Let’s explore some major shifts from the hunter-gatherer diet to the modern western diet.

Cultivated crops

As ancient populations began to grow in size they discovered how to cultivate crops; this permitted them to live in one place instead of wandering the earth in search of food. The variety in food diminished and as the population increased the soil became depleted of vital trace elements.

Contrast the rich variety of the hunter-gatherer diet with the low variety of fruits and vegetables in our modern diet. Modern cultivated crops grown in depleted soil and loaded with chemicals cannot compare to the nutrient rich wild plants of Palaeolithic times.

Another disadvantage of crop-growing was that humans now expended less energy on obtaining food. The agricultural revolution saw the start of our sedentary lifestyles that we as modern humans have perfected.

The shift to cooked food

The grains we consume today such as wheat are not a healthly choice. Many grains, beans and potatoes contain toxins in their raw state, have a high glycemic index and are low in vitamin content. When man discovered cooking about 10,000 years ago these foods could be suddenly be eaten. This revolutionised our diet, but is ruining our health.

Cooking also destroys vital micro-nutrients in food. One study found that stove-cooked spinach lost 77% of its folate; another study found that broccoli lost up to 97% of its antioxidants when nuked in the microwave.

Excess sugar

The caveman loved honey, but this was not a major part of his diet. Apart from honey, the hunter-gatherer had a diet free of sugar. In any case, wild harvested honey is rich in nutrients.

High cholesterol

The meat of the hunter-gatherer was low in fat and cholesterol – the opposite of most meats consumed today. We need fat in our diet – a zero fat diet will kill you. It is all about consuming modest amounts of the healthy fats. The modern obsession with beef is killing us and destroying our environment in the process.

High Sodium

The potassium levels in the hunter-gatherer diet was 5 to 10 times higher than sodium. The modern diet has more sodium than potassium. We sprinkle sodium chloride on our food and call it salt. Sodium chloride is a poison, salt is the term used for naturally occurring rock salt which is rich in many minerals and trace elements.

Acidity

The high fruit and vegetable intake of stone age man drove systemic pH toward alkalinity. Today, our high consumption of red meat, grains and diary foods is acid producing. Our bodies will try and balance the acidic condition by drawing on calcium reserves from our bones. Thus, we have an increase in osteoporosis. Don’t believe the hype of the diary industry; we should be getting our calcium from vegetable sources. There is evidence that over consumption of diary food causes osteoporosis.

High Blood pressure

The blood pressure among the remnants of forager populations is consistently lower than that considered healthy today. In addition, their blood pressure remains low in old age. Hypertension is non-existent in hunter-gatherers.

Can we do the Hunter-gatherer diet?

Modern diets are high in energy, low in micronutrients, high in fat and sugar, have a high GI and a low fibre content. Considering our genetic makeup hasn’t changed much in 50,000 years, it’s no wonder so many of us are sick! How do we break this pattern?

We can get much closer to our natural human diet – the Hunter-gatherer diet. It is simple, but you will need an iron will to get started. After some months you will feel great on the proper human diet and you will only go to the supermarket for toilet paper and other non-food items.

Let us know your story if you succeed in making the shift.

References:

Aird, William C. MD. Endothelial Biomedicine. Cambridge University Press. 2007.

Cordain, L. Implications of Plio-Pleistocene Hominin Diets for Modern Humans. In: Early Hominin Diets: The Known, the Unknown, and the Unknowable. Ungar, P (Ed.), Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2006.

Crawford, M and Marsh, D. Nutrition and Evolution: Food in Evolution and the Future. 1995.

Ungar, Peter S. Evolution of the Human Diet: The Known, the Unknown, and the Unknowable Kindle Books 2006.

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

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats in human nutrition and cannot be manufactured by the body, and must be consumed in the diet. The two main biologically active omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are found in fish oil. There is also alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which is found in vegetable oils.

Omega-3 fatty acids reduce mortality

Swiss researchers published results of clinical trials in the April 2005 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine showing decreased risk of mortality using omega-3 fish oil. The trials also included statin drugs. The results combine 10,000 clinical trials from 1965 to 2003 which included 275,000 subjects.

In the trials statin drugs reduced overall mortality by 13 percent. Statin drugs advocated by conventional medicine to reduce cholesterol have side effects such as muscle pain, muscle loss, memory loss, liver failure, and fatigue. Omega-3 fatty acids reduced overall mortality by 23 percent.

Cholesterol

There are two types of cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is bad cholesterol that can lead to heart disease. HDL cholesterol is the good cholesterol. Low HDL cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease.

Not only do omega-3 fatty acids reduce the bad LDL cholesterol, they also increase the good HDL cholesterol.

Sources of omega-3 fatty acids

Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flaxseed, walnuts, and soybean oil. Cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines have high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids. To maintain the heart-healthy benefits of fish, bake or grill it. If dietary intake is insufficient, take fish oil capsules.

Other factors

Many other contribute to cholesterol levels and overall health. Maintain a normal body weight, avoid smoking and eat healthy food.

References:

Studer M, Briel M, Leimenstoll B, Glass T, Bucher H. Effect of Different Antilipidemic Agents and Diets on Mortality: A Systemic Review. Archives of Internal Medicine 2005 April 11; 165(7):725-30.

Vaccination has enjoyed an unchallenged reputation after the elimination of many diseases such as polio, but is this reputation earned and has this reputation lead to complacency when it comes to the increased use of vaccines? Many scientists are now challenging the fundamentals of vaccination. Is vaccination really the saviour we are lead to believe or is profit the main motive?

Polio epidemic caused by vaccination

Statistics for four USA states are listed below, showing the number of cases of polio during 1958 before compulsory vaccination, and during 1959, after the polio shots became compulsory.

(From U.S. Public Health Reports)

Polio increased 300% in states which had compulsory vaccination. “Every one of the handful of polio cases each year in the United States is caused by the vaccine itself.” (Peter Radetsky).

The late Dr Robert Mendelsohn, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Illinois wrote that the great polio epidemics in the U.S.A. in the 1940s and 1950s were caused by: the previous almost total disappearance of breast-feeding, the national change to junk-food diet and the widespread use over the preceding decades of whooping cough vaccine.

Hygiene the key to health

“All the major medical historians of our century agree that the decline of the epidemics which had wrought havoc in the Middle Ages was not due to the introduction of vaccination, but of hygiene, for they had diminished long before large-scale inoculations had begun. And hygiene, in the broadest sense of the word, physical, mental and alimentary, is the only key to health. The overwhelming majority of people vaccinated all over the world against polio have been inoculated with potentially carcinogenic substances. i.e. theoretically capable of producing cancer.”
(Hans Ruesch, Slaughter of the Innocent.)

Vaccines are affecting our children’s health

Recent studies show a relationship between vaccines and various health problems in chidren. For example, many USA manufactured vaccines contain thimerosal which contains ethyl mercury, a known neurotoxin. Thimerosal has been linked to many cases of autism, ADHD, OCD, Tourette’s Syndrome, and anorexia . It is interesting to note that the Amish in the USA do not vaccinate their children. They have only 3 cases of autism out 150,000; one was adopted from overseas already vaccinated, the other two were vaccinated in the USA. Note, the rate of autism in the USA has risen from 1 in 10,000 in 1970 to 1 in 500 in 1990; it estimated as 1 in 150 today.

Build immunity without vaccines

How do we build immunity without vaccines? The answer may lie in sunlight, and it is free. A crucial vitamin, vitamin D, is produced by our bodies when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D increases the body’s production of anti-microbial peptides which destroy the cell walls of bacteria and viruses including the influenza virus. Vitamin D cannot be obtained in sufficient quantities from food, so modest exposure to sunlight or a vitamin D supplement is needed. Also important for building a healthy immune system are: Vitamins A, C, E and the minerals iron, zinc and selenium.

As well as ensuring an adequate intake of essential vitamins and minerals, foods that weaken the immune system should be avoided. This includes alcohol, sugar, refined carbohydrates, excess fat and processed foods.

References:

Institute of Medicine. Immunization Safety Review: Thimerosal Containing Vaccines and Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine; 2001.

Mendelsohn R.S. Confessions of a Medical Heretic. 1990.

Neustaedter, R. OMD, FLU: Alternative Treatments and Prevention. North Atlantic Books, 2005.

Radetsky, P. The Polio Problem. N.Z. Listener, October 29 1990. p98.

Ruesch, H. Slaughter of the Innocent.

Ruesch, H. Naked Empress.

Sheppard, J. Super Healthy Kids, Strengthening Your Child’s Resistance to Disease.

The American Diabetes Association states: ‘The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.’ Where is the mystery? It would be interesting to know the incidence of diabetes before the introduction of sugar and refined carbohydrates to the western diet.

Diabetes is a condition where the body either fails to produce insulin or fails to properly utilise the insulin produced. Insulin is produced by the pancreas. So what is affecting the pancreas? Let’s look at some common ingredients of the American diet, which is unfortunately becoming popular in many other countries.

Soft drinks. Many contain more than 10 teaspoons of sugar per can. What about the so-called diet soft drinks where a chemical is used instead of sugar? Aspartane is used as an artificial sweetener, but this chemical has been linked to an increased incidence of brain cancer and symptoms including: severe headaches, nausea, vertigo, insomnia, loss of control of limbs, blurred vision, blindness, memory loss, slurred speech, hyperactivity, gastrointestinal disorders, seizures, skin lesions, rashes, anxiety attacks, muscle and joint pain, numbness, mood changes, loss of energy, menstrual cramps out of cycle, hearing loss or ringing in the ears.

Refined white flour. Pancakes, doughnuts, cakes, biscuits, bread and so on. Not only is refined white flour lacking in nutrients, it often contains a chemical called alloxan. Alloxan damages the beta cells of the pancreas. Scientists use alloxan to induce diabetes in lab animals for their research.

Bacon. Bacon contains sodium nitrate which becomes a carcinogenic chemical in the body with damaging effects on the pancreas and other organs.

Bottled fruit juice. This often has a high glycemic index and may contain sugar and various chemicals.

The above ‘foods’ are not only high in sugar but they are low in essential vitamins, minerals and fibre. It is obvious that diet is a major factor in causing diabetes, but can a change in diet cure diabetes? In a clinical trial at UCLA, 50% of patients with type 2 diabetes were able to cure themselves of diabetes in three weeks by altering their food intake. “The study shows, contrary to common belief, that Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome can be reversed solely through lifestyle changes,” according to lead researcher Christian Roberts of University of California, Los Angeles. The diet used in the study was low in fat, moderate in protein and high in unrefined carbohydrates: whole grains (5 serves a day), vegetables (4 or more serves), fruit (3 or more serves), soy, beans, nuts, low fat diary with small amounts of fish and chicken.

So, will you remove all sugar and refined carbohydrates from your diet?

References:

American Diabetes Association website. www.diabetes.org

Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_drink

“Effect of a diet and exercise intervention on oxidative stress, inflammation, MMP-9, and monocyte chemotactic activity in men with metabolic syndrome factors,” by Christian K. Roberts, Dean Won, Sandeep Pruthi, Silvia Kurtovic, and R. James Barnard, of the Department of Physiological Science at UCLA; Ram K. Sindhu of the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine at Charles R. Drew University, Los Angeles; and Nosratola D. Vaziri of the Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Medicine at University of California, Irvine is in the online issue of the Journal of Applied Physiology published by the American Physiological Society.

Studies have shown that moderate exercise combined with a Mediterranean diet, can increase life expectancy.  A Mediterranean diet is high in fish, nuts, olive oil, raw fruits, raw vegetables, and low in red meat.  A recent study showed that individuals aged 70 to 90 years eating a Mediterranean-like diet, who were non-smokers, moderately consumed alcohol, and engaged in physical activity had more than a 50% lower risk of death.   In another study based on surveys over one year with a five year follow up study, men and women aged 50 to 71 on a Mediterranean diet were 21 percent less likely to die over five years.

There are many countries that border the Mediterranean Sea, and the diet of these countries will vary.  Here are the key elements of a Mediterranean diet:

• Minimal intake of red meat with no consumption of bacon, sausage or other high fat meats.
• Regular consumption of fish. Fish is high in Omega 3 fatty acids.
• Bread is eaten without butter or margarine. No breads from white, heavily refined flour.
• Modest fat intake, but only good fats from sources such as olive oil and nuts. Olive oil does not increase cholesterol like saturated fats.
• Generous amounts of fruits and vegetables, around 10 servings a day.
• Small amounts of diary food. Goat cheese is used which is high in calcium.
• No more than four eggs a week.
• Red wine in moderation. Red wine is known to have strong antioxidant properties, however, if you don’t drink alcohol, you don’t need to start now.

The Mediterranean diet is a good balance of protein, fat and carbohydrates with plenty of fibre. Don’t starve yourself on a low fat or low carbohydrate diet.  Here are some the possible benefits of the Mediterranean diet:

• Reduced risk of heart disease.
• Reduced risk of cancer.
• Protection from diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
• Relief from rheumatoid arthritis.
• Lower cholesterol  and blood pressure.
• Assistance with weight management.

The Mediterranean diet might be the delicious, healthy diet you are seeking. Don’t forget to exercise.

References:

Harriss L.R.,English D.R., Powles J., et al. Dietary Patterns and cardiovascular mortality in the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. American Journal Clinical Nutrition. 86:221-9 (2007)

Knoops KT, de Groot LC, Kromhout D, Perrin AE, Moreiras-Varela O, Menotti A, van Staveren WA. Mediterranean diet, lifestyle factors, and 10-year mortality in elderly European men and women: the HALE project. JAMA. 2004 Sep 22;292(12)1433-9.

Mayo Clinic. Mediterranean diet for heart health.  June 21, 2006.

Panagiota N. Mitrou, Victor Kipnis, Anne C. M. Thiébaut, Jill Reedy, Amy F. Subar, Elisabet Wirfält,  Andrew Flood, Traci Mouw, Albert R. Hollenbeck, Michael F. Leitzmann, Arthur Schatzkin.  Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Prediction of All-Cause Mortality in a US Population. Archives of Internal Medecine. 2007;167(22):2461-2468.

Simini, Bruno . Serge Renaud: from French paradox to Cretan miracle. The Lancet 355:9197:48 (1 January 2000).