farmeric September 21st, 2010
You could be getting a lot of less calcium than you suspect. This warning comes from Dr, Robert P. Heaney of the Osteoporosis Research Center at Creighton University.
It means your body can’t absorb the calcium from fortified soy milk as easily as it does from cow’s milk. In fact, you absorb about 75 percent less. The problem lies within the certain chemicals in the soy milk called antiabsorpers. These sees to limit how well your body takes in and uses the calcium.
This problem isn’t going away anytime soon since the FDA regulates calcium as food and not as a drug. That means the government measures how much calcium is in a product, but not how much your body will absorb.
Heaney has three recommendations if you’re concerned about getting enough calcium from soy milk.
Look on the labels. In its natural state, soy milk contains low levels of calcium - only about 10 milligrams (mg) in every cup. And remember, your body absorbs only a small percentage of that. On the other hand, a cup of cow’s milk contains over 350mg of calcium and you can use most of it. So, soy milk producers fortify their products with extra calcium to make them more Continue Reading »
Tags: calcium, Osteoporosis, soy milk
farmeric September 11th, 2010
Almost 76,000 people each year rush to the hospital because of the side effects of their non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). One-tenth of these people die - and that’s in the United States alone. There is a solution to this problem - herbal painkillers. They could put an end to your pain without dangerous side effects.
1. Cramp bark. Great for weekend warriors, this herb relaxes strained muscles. Herbal experts suggest boiling one teaspoon of the bark in one cup of water, then straining and drinking this concoction three times a day. Cramp bark is also available as a lotion.
2. Valerian. If you know you’re about to meet stress head on, take these supplements according to the directions on the pack. Valerian could help soothe your mind before your muscles tense up.
3. Willow bark. In a recent study, almost 40 percent of the participants taking willow bark extract were amazed when the herb swept away their pain. They took 240 milligrams for only four weeks. The ingredient in willow bark that makes it such a powerful painkiller is salicylate, the same active ingredient in aspirin.
farmeric September 7th, 2010
The Ifugao Honey by Juan B. Dait, Jr,
THE RARE IFUGAO HONEY is not cultured. Pure and unadulterated, it is made from the nectar of wild flowers which colonies of bees gathered in the distant forests of Asipulo town in Ifugao.
Honey season in Asipulo starts from the month of March and ends in August. During these months, swarm of honeybees settle in in the forests of some barangays in Asipulo and busy themselves making honeycombs in the branches of trees. The yearly appearance of the honeybees in Asipulo reminds one of the annual migration to the Philippines of flock of foreign birds ti escape the cold Siberian winds.
The seasonal migration of honeybees in Asipulo is a boon to the natives of the far-flung barangays of the the town who earn good income by gathering the “manufactured” honey and selling the sweet liquid in bottles in the nearby markets of Kiangan, Lagawe, Lamut, and Banaue. The rare honey even reaches the markets of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, and Baguio City.
Ifugao honey is ripe for gathering one month after the bees start making beehives. The natives traditionally gather the manufactured honey by smoking to drive away the bees from their hives. The honeycomb is then pulled down and opened to allow the honey to flow out into containers.
There are two kinds of Ifugao honey: the Uyukan and the Alig. The Uyukan bees are bigger and Continue Reading »
Tags: alig bees, asipulo, ifugao honey, uyukan bees
