John Reganold has been comparing organic and conventional agricultural systems since he noticed the drastic difference between them in a soil sample 25 years ago. He is an agro-ecologist who has always been interested in how land is used, and is the lead author of a study on the sustainability and nutritional benefits of organic farming, which was published in the journal PLoS ONE yesterday.
The demand for organic food continues to increase, and as we are huge fans of the benefits of organic produce here at HLife, we were thrilled to see such definitive information on a much-debated subject. While everyone knows that conventionally grown produce has more pesticide residue that the liver then has to discard, there wasn’t conclusive data regarding nutrition – until now. This study of strawberries grown on commercial farms is among the most comprehensive of its kind: A team of interdisciplinary researchers checked indicators like soil DNA, microbe diversity, fruit taste, antioxidant activity, and even appearance. Twenty-six strawberry fields were analyzed, and side-by-side comparisons found that the organic farms produced more flavorful and nutritious berries while leaving the soil healthier.
HLife chatted with Professor Reganold about the groundbreaking implications of this study, among which are the relationship between organic farming and better nutrition, a longer product shelf life, and quality soil. Read More…
Chron’s: A staple of Cuban and Puerto Rican diets may be helpful in the treatment of a chronic intestinal inflammatory condition. In a study published in the journal Gut, scientists found that plantain soluble fibers prevented the uptake and transport of E. coli bacteria across M-cells that act as gatekeepers to the lymphatic system, helping to halt the progression of Chron’s disease. “This research shows that different dietary components can have powerful effects on the movement of bacteria through the bowel. We have known for some time the general health benefits of eating plantain and broccoli, which are both high in vitamins and minerals, but until now we have not understood how they can boost the body’s natural defenses against infection common in Chron’s patients,” said Dr. Barry Campbell. Read More…
Watermelon Cherry Drink by HLife Photography
In the summer, the human body requires higher quantities of water. But nowadays, most of the pure water we drink is so acidic that it practically goes through our bodies without nourishing our cells. One of the ways to nourish our cells with H2O properties, along with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, is by consuming alkaline fruits that have a high water content. Watermelon happens to be both in season and a high-water content (very alkaline) fruit. Cherries are also in season, and featured in our July’s HReport as an aid for insomnia. So, here’s our Rojo Rejuv for you, a quick drink with a whole lot of health benefits. Cheers! Read More…
Did you know that your personal natural medicine cabinet is right in your kitchen? Culinary herbs and spices not only act as added flavor to foods, they can aid in digestion, healing, and health prevention. They can be used to treat problems ranging from bleeding, diarrhea, and headache to heart attacks and acute infections. Some are used to relieve nervousness, spasms and coldness. Most are carminative (prevent and relieve gas), stimulants, and digestive aids. Herbs also have tons of vitamins and minerals, and they actually help improve assimilation of vital nutrients. Mineral-dense herbs are seaweeds (kelp, Irish moss), the docks, and dandelion. Herbs and spices that provide high-content vitamins are parsley leaves, dandelion leaves and alfalfa. Herbs have a huge medicinal value, and they are all sitting in your very kitchen. In the book The Way Of Herbs, Michael Tierra L.Ac., O.M.D. talks about the some of the star culinary herbs that we love and that are usually found in a spice rack or condiment drawer, as well as their commonly known properties and applications: Read More…
Here at the HLife headquarters, onion consumption is a daily habit. From the ultimate red onion to the sweet shallots, some are so delicious that they are said to have a higher sugar content than many sweet-tasting foods. Besides being valued as a decadent and flavorful food and a natural medicine, the onion shares life wisdom through its layered structure. The onion’s unfolding layers might help us understand our own layered nature (conscious, subconscious, unconscious) and visualize a concept of dimensions, or of what parallel realities may be like. Its form gives us a glimpse of what the possible shape of the matrix of life. Read More…
Magnesium is an intracellular nutrient and metabolic electrolyte. It’s a very important essential macro-mineral, not only the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, but also involved in several hundred enzymatic reactions, with cardiovascular functions being one of them. Known as the “relaxer” mineral, magnesium is an alkaline earth metal, involved in more the 300 biochemical reactions in the body such as energy production, synthesis of essential molecules, cell signaling and ion transport across cell membranes. This anti-stress mineral is the central component in the “blood” of the plant world just like iron is to our own human blood, because the central atom of the chlorophyll structure is magnesium. I’m in love with it already – aren’t you? Some highlights: Read More…
Nutrition: Drinking tart cherry juice daily could help reduce the severity of insomnia and time spent awake after going to sleep, according to a new study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food. In an experiment, adults who drank eight ounces of tart cherry juice in the morning and evening for two weeks reported significant reductions in insomnia severity and saved about 17 minutes of wake time after going to sleep on average. The researchers suspect tart cherries’ natural benefits could be due in part to their relatively high content of melatonin – a natural antioxidant in cherries with established ability to help moderate the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin is produced naturally by the body in small amounts and it plays a role in inducing sleepiness at night and wakefulness during the day. Cherries may help boost the body’s own supply of melatonin and increase sleep efficiency. Read More…
Nutrition: In a new study, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that eating five or more servings of white rice per week was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, eating two or more servings of brown rice per week was associated with a lower risk of the disease. The researchers estimate that replacing 50 grams of white rice (just one third of a typical daily serving) with the same amount of brown rice would lover risk of type 2 diabetes by 16%. The same replacement with other whole grains, such as whole wheat and barley, was associated with a 36% reduced risk. The researchers also found that consuming white rice was associated to ethnicity and diabetes risk, while eating brown rice was not associated with ethnicity but with a more health-conscious diet and lifestyle instead. The study is the first to examine the difference between white and brown rice. It was published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine. Read More…
Dear HLife: What should I feed my dog?
Dear HLifer,
In the United States, most people treat their pet as if it were their very own child, yet south of the border, where dogs do not have this kind of treatment, they are actually fed as well as the rest of the family. When it comes to feeding your beloved dog, why should he get the canned and dehydrated (aka cardboard) processed stuff? My rule is, if I wouldn’t eat it, I won’t feed it to my dog. Read More…
We often hear that an alkaline body is a healthy body and an acidic body is a disease-promoting environment. But do you know what this means? Being aware of the delicate pH balance of our bodies is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. This is directly affected by the foods we eat. Let’s explore how.
When it comes to the body and nutrition, it’s really all about the cell. The cell has to do a job, which is to keep us alive by providing us with energy to do what we need to do. The thing is, in this energy-generating process, the cell also creates waste byproducts. This is where pH comes in. The natural pH of blood is 7.365, but cellular byproducts are lower than that, what we would call acidic. Refreshing our memories from chem lab in school: The pH scale goes from 1-14, with 1 being the most acidic and 14 the most alkaline or “basic”. A pH of 7 is considered neutral. At 7.365, the healthy pH of our blood is slightly alkaline, while cellular byproducts are the opposite. Here is where our role in helping balance this out comes in – and the importance of food in this process. Read More…
