The Amazing Olive Tree August 24, 2009

This is an amazing tree that gives us so much. There are over 500 different species of olive and the trees have grown throughout the Mediterranean regions for thousands of years. They were cultivated by the Minoan people living on the island of Crete (2700-1200 B.C.)

Their height is usually reduced for easier cultivation but if left they can grow to a majestic 15m or more  and survive for several centuries.

The trees have a natural resistance to most diseases and recover well from heavy pruning or even fire damage.

Almost all parts of the olive tree are beneficial to mankind except the pollen, which an increasing number of people have a sensitivity to and several hundred even to the point of needing hospital treatment each year.

The olive wood is used to make bowls, plates, spoons and ornaments and is still a very important fuel for home use.

The olive branch is a worldwide symbol for peace.

The leaves of the tree can be made into a tea and have medicinal uses.

The olives and their oil are very valuable and the world market for these products increases as we become more aware of their health-giving properties.

Olives and Olive Oil are

• rich in the monosaturated  oleic acid 55-85%  an omega-9 fatty acid. It has been shown to reduce LDL Cholesterol and raise HDL the protective Cholesterol.
• contains the polyunsaturated fats linoleic (9%) and linolenic (0-1.5%)
• contains good amounts of Vitamin E anti-oxidant
• contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C (3%), E and K
• contains minerals Ca, P, Fe, Na & K
• contains flavenoid polyphenols which have been shown to heal sunburn, lower B/P, Cholesterol and risk of heart disease. There are 5mg in every 10g of olive oil. Many other nut and seed oils have no polyphenols.
• contains phyto-oestrogen
• The combined anti-inflammatory effect of these ingredients have also been shown to protect against colon cancer and breast cancer.

OLIVE OIL

Some of the main oil producing varieties

In Greece  -  koroneiki and mastoidis

In Italy  -  caratina, frantoio, leccino and moraiolo

In Spain  -  arbequina, cornicabra, emeltre, hojiblanco, lechin and picual

In France  -  aglandau, picholine and tanche

There are many other varieties that can be grown in countries of the Mediterranean

like Turkey, Portugal,  and around the world like China, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand  and the  USA.

Some producers still harvest the oil with screw or hydraulic presses where the olives are reduced to a paste by crushing and separated from the pits and then pressed. The first cold pressing that has been allowed to drain naturally can be slightly cloudy and is called “Fleur d’huile”.  Apparently Spain’s best is Nunez de Prado from Baena Province. Cold pressed, according to EU. regulations means the paste has to be kept under 27C (80F). This is now an almost obsolete term as the vast majority of oil is made in continuous centrifugal presses and there is no second pressing. To obtain a good yield the paste needs to be warmed to about room temperature but not heated too much as that would degrade the flavour and that would be less profitable. The first pressings of oil contain components in suspension, the particles that give olive oil its most therapeutic properties.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is one of the few oils that can be eaten without chemical processing. It is not an oil that should be used for general cooking. It is for salads, mayonnaise, and just enjoying on fresh bread etc. Top quality Extra Virgin oil must have less than 1% acidity. There is a growing interest in oils made from a single variety of olive. Some of these have amazing flavour and need nothing more than a chunk of fresh bread, some olives, Serrano ham or quality cheese for a wonderful lunch.

Virgin Olive Oil has to have an acidity of not more than 2% but is also made using only mechanical or physical means and at temperatures that do not alter the oil in any way. This should also have a good flavour and the degree of acidity refers to the free fatty acids, not to the taste.

Pure Olive Oil or Olive Oil usually a blend of refined and virgin oil, up to 1.5% acidity but usually lacking a strong flavour.

Aceite de orugo is oil extracted chemically from the left- over paste. It might then have about 15% Virgin Oil added for the flavour. Not often sold at retail but used in food processing or certain forms of cooking.

Refined Olive Oil is made from oil that has a high acidity or defects which can be eliminated by refining with charcoal and other chemical and physical filters. It has an end acidity of not more than 0.3%

The grading of Olive oil in the USA is as below:

Grade A – US Fancy with fatty acids not more than 1.4%

Grade B – US Choice with fatty acids not more than 2.5%

Grade C – US Standard with fatty acids not more than 3%

Grade D – US Substandard with fatty acids not more than 3% that fails to meet the requirements of C

Denominacion de Origen ( D.O.)

As with the wine system, the best olive producing areas are given D.O. status and the quality of their products is carefully regulated.

Olive Oil products include soap, shampoo (which is good for dandruff and also for treating head lice), bath oils, face creams, nail soaks and treatments for psoriasis, eczema and acne.

The Fruit of the Olive tree – Olives.

Olives are harvested from September to October for green olives and November to February for the ripened black olives. Olives cannot be eaten straight from the tree as they are extremely bitter and they need either chemical or soaking treatment followed by storage in brine, vinegar or oil. Olives vary in flavour depending on type and  treatment. If you have tried some and not liked them please don’t give up! I hate the ones that have been in vinegar or strong brine but if re-bottled in a good olive oil with flavourings such as sprigs of Rosemary, coriander seeds and garlic or preserved lemon they can be delicious. Olives have many health benefits. They contain over 80 nutrients including iron, vitamin E, copper and fibre. They offer beneficial anti-inflammatory effects helping with conditions like asthma, arthritis and they are high in anti-oxidants that can help to prevent heart disease, strokes and colon cancer.

Olive Leaf Extract

The Olive leaf has been known to have medicinal properties for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptian and Mediterranean cultures used the leaves to treat a variety of conditions. The leaf contains the anti-oxidants oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, as well as polyphenols and flavanoids like Oleocanthal.

Olive leaf extract is used to fight viral infections and even the difficult to treat Epstein-Barr disease, shingles, herpes and yeast infections. Also good for the heart because of its ability to lower LDL Cholesterol and blood pressure. It is used to boost the immune system, treat chronic fatigue syndrome, maintain normal DNA repair and boost energy. It can also reduce blood sugar. There is some evidence that it can help in cancer treatment and it may be contained in herbal tinctures. It sounds like it could be helpful in treating Swine Flu and the post viral fatigue that follows it.

Side Effect because the lowering of blood pressure and blood sugar can be significant Olive leaf extract should be taken with caution by anyone who is on medication for either condition or by people who naturally have low blood pressure or low blood sugar problems.

To make Olive Leaf Tea

Simmer a handful of leaves in a pan of water for 10 minutes and then strain off the liquid to drink as required. It is not a strong or unpleasant taste. You could add fresh mint, lemon  or ginger according to taste.

Enjoy all this amazing tree has to offer.

If you like the photos in this blog and would like to see more from Spain please click here.

Power on a Plate! July 11, 2009

And now for Lunch or Dinner. The easiest way to incorporate high nutrition into a meal is to get creative with a Stir-fry. I taught my sons this when they were young and they even managed to win cooking competitions in the Scouts cooking over an open fire.The fun of cooking this way is that you can add whatever you fancy but remember to make it colourful. You can add any protein of your choice, nuts, chicken, beans etc. The recipe for the one pictured here includes:-

Broccoli, Shiitake Mushrooms,Peas, Red Pepper,Spring onion, Ginger, Garlic, dried seaweed, Chilli sauce and lime juice with Prawns. All the ingredients should be gently cooked in Olive oil as over heating oils and burning foods destroy many of the health benefits. Basmati Rice, Wild Rice or Brown Rice are better choices than plain white rice or you could serve it with a wholemeal pasta. Beansprouts would be a beneficial addition.

These ingredients contain many nutrients that boost the immune system and have anti-cancer benefits. For instance broccoli contains Indole-3-Carbinol that is an antioxidant, a Liver protector, blocks oestrogen sites on cell membranes and affects the reproduction and death rate of cancer cells. Ginger is anti-inflammatory, shiitake mushrooms contain Polysaccharides that boost the immune system and help it to recognise cancer cells and destroy them. Drink Green Tea after the meal because it contains beneficial  substances that help the immune system and it also promotes good bacteria in the intestine.

If you want to know about how food and drink can help you prevent or beat cancer in more detail then a great book is “The Rainbow Diet” by Chris Woollams (M.A. Oxon) who is also the man behind the most informative website www.canceractive.co.uk

Nutrition and Cancer – Let’s start now! June 14, 2009

The aim is to alter our chances of survival and have a better quality of life. The aim is to die of old age!

The World Cancer Research Fund now says we can slash cancer rates by at least one third by promoting healthy foods and exercise.(http://www.wcrf.uk.org )

With the addition of supplements and lifestyle changes we could push this to nearer 90% reduction.

The Tide of Change is growing. Many hospitals around the world are now researching and using ‘Alternative’ and ‘Complementary’ therapies and they are now embracing the work of the nutritional pioneers like the Gerson Institute and Dr. Gonzales in New York. The World is uniting in a quest to find the answers and all the exciting developments are coming from areas outside chemotherapy. The New Millennium is supposed to be a more gentle, understanding age.

There is so much information available now on the Internet, in books and the media that it can be daunting and confusing – especially for anyone who has just been diagnosed with cancer and who wants all the answers now.

To make it as easy as possible I will give you the evidence based guidelines for an anti-cancer diet without long explanations as to why each food is beneficial. If you need to know more about the science behind it then there are some great websites in my Links column. I will then give you some easy ways to incorporate the changes into your daily regime.

They say it is easier to get someone to change their religion than it is to change their diet. Preventing and treating cancer should be a strong enough incentive to start right now.

Foods and drinks to avoid.              

• Sugar, salt and most dairy foods (milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cream and any foods that contain them) The only exceptions being organic, low fat cottage cheese or yogurt when mixed with flax seeds and flaxseed oil  as an anti-cancer treatment for which a recipe will be included later.
• Red meat avoid as much as possible and if you eat it only have a small portion(about 3oz or 80g)
• Fried food , minimise your intake  and heat cooking oil gently. Boil, steam, poach or bake food instead.
• Bad Fats, Trans fats, hydrogenated fats and margarines that are solid at room temperature.
• Avoid all processed meats, sausages, frankfurters, bacon and smoked meats and fish.
• Avoid all burnt meat and food.
• Cut out white flour products, pastry, cakes, biscuits.
• Avoid Yeast and yeast products like marmite.
• Limit your alcohol to no more than one or two units a day or less. Avoid spirits, red wine is preferable.
• Avoid all soft drinks that are high in sugar. Dilute fresh fruit drinks with water.
• Limit Coffee or avoid completely. If you are a coffee addict – cut down slowly to avoid severe headaches.

Foods and Drinks to Increase                        

• Free range chicken and game avoiding farmed meats if possible
• Oily Fish like herring, mackerel, sardines and salmon avoiding farmed if possible.
• Fresh Fruits and vegetables every day try to eat several portions, some cooked and some raw. Have as many different and colourful ones as you can and  organic if possible. If little is available then opt for frozen substitutes.
• Cruciferous Vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and kale – every day.
• Garlic have some everyday.
• Spices Turmeric, cumin, chili, curry powder, cinnamon and saffron.
  
• Olive Oil for salads and cooking.
• Flax seed oil, walnut oil, olive oil for salads and cold use only. Cold Pressed is best.
• Avocados and homemade guacamole
• Almond milk, rice milk, goats or soya milk can be substituted for cows milk.
• Eat wholefoods such as oats, wholegrain rice and wholegrain pasta, lentils, beans, nuts and seeds. Wholegrain organic bread in small quantities.
• Shiitake Mushrooms and dried seaweeds like Kombu and ginger can be added to cooked dishes.
• Fresh Herbs mint, coriander, thyme, sage and lemon grass
• Drink green tea and herb teas rich in antioxidants.
• Drink pure water, filtered tap water or spring water from glass bottles.

This diet will increase your vital energy and you will soon feel much better in body and mind.

Dr. Gonzales suggests that if you have a solid epithelial tumour, such as tumours of the lungs, pancreas, colon, prostate, uterus etc. you would do better on a largely plant-based diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts, wholegrains and seeds and with minimal to no animal protein.

If you have a blood or immune based malignancy such as leukemia, myeloma and lymphoma you would do better with more animal protein and good fats.

If you have breast cancer and eat almost a vegetarian diet you need to supplement with Vitamin B12 which can be taken with a B complex vitamin and as a sub-lingual powder.

More on supplements in the next post.

Nutrition and Cancer June 9, 2009

Before I start on the benefits of nutritional treatment of cancer I would like to give an overview of the time-line of scientific discovery and cancer.

• 1906 (93 years ago) Professor John Beard of Edinburgh University pioneered work that looked at young cells that are stimulated by  oestrogen (in both men and women) for healing tissue and are then terminated by pancreatic enzymes when they have completed the task. If these cells are not terminated cancer tumours are the result of the ongoing  “healing” process. He injected trypsin, a pancreatic enzyme, into mouse sarcomas and achieved a regression in each case.
• 1911 Professor John Beard published a book “The Enzyme Therapy of Cancer”
• 1920′s Gerson Therapy was first introduced to treat TB and then to treat cancer. A modified version of this extreme diet therapy is still used today. It involves juicing of vegetables and detoxing with the aid of coffee enemas.
• 1931 Dr. Warburg won a Nobel Prize for proving that cancer is caused by a lack of oxygen respiration in cells. All normal cells meet their oxygen needs by respiration of oxygen whereas cancer cells meet their energy needs mainly by fermentation of sugars. Poor oxygenation comes from a build up of toxins within and around the cells and low essential fatty acids in the cell walls restrict oxygen exchange. When the cell doesn’t get enough oxygen it starts to ferment sugars which can produce energy without oxygen. Cells that do this lose their ability to function properly and therefore cannot do whatever they need to do in the body. These cells may turn cancerous if not destroyed by the immune system. Further research by the National Cancer Institute showed this to be true and that it took a reduction of just 35% in oxygen levels for this to happen. Cancer cells produce excess lactic acid as they ferment and as this builds up it prevents the transport of oxygen into neighbouring cells.
• 1936 The US Senate produced a statement saying that there was concern that the vitamins and minerals were being depleted in farming soil and the effect that this could have on human health.
• 1940 The first chemical nitrogen mustard was used to treat lymphoma but with no lasting effect.
• 1950′s Ernst Krebs, following on from Professor John Beard’s research into natural substances that would kill cancer cells, isolated a Vitamin B17 that he called laetrile a selective toxin. This is present in some foods, seeds and fruits that are not frequently eaten now. News of B17′s effective spread throughout America but there were powerful interests within the government and pharmaceutical companies that would not sanction a vitamin that could not be patented, licensed or sold for huge profit.
• 1960′s Combination chemotherapy started to successfully treat some lymphomas.
• 1970′s Dr. Harold Manner, Professor of Biology at a University in Chicago, stated ” The frequent recurrence of a malignancy after treatment with the conventional methods of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, result because the basic underlying metabolic cause of the cancer is rarely considered and consequently remains uncorrected.” He suffered much harassment from the medical profession over his claims that Laetrile worked and he moved to Mexico where he successfully treated many thousands of patients until his death in 1992. He wrote a book “Metabolic Therapy in Cancer”
• Also in 1970′s A very well respected cancer researcher Dr. Kanemaysu Sugiura, after conducting five years of trials on B17 at Sloan Kettering Memorial hospital in New York, reported that it was the most effective anti-cancer agent that he had tested. The President of the hospital sanctioned several more trials trying to disprove these results and eventually managed to get Laetrile banned by the Food and Drug Administration.
• 1979 Linus Pauling promoted his research into the effects of high dose Vitamin C and cancer treatment and prevention. Some Doctors are still using this but by intravenous injection.
• 1980′s – present time Dr. Gonzalez  has been following the Nutritional approach to cancer since 1981 and he has succeeded in getting the National cancer Institute to sponsor a clinical trial on Pancreatic cancer( one of the hardest to treat).

Many other Doctors across the World have been adding their voices to the Nutritional approach, Orthomolecular Oncology, Integrated Medicine, Complementary Cancer therapy or Alternative treatment. Cancer is still growing in pace as a major killer in the world. In 2005 7.6 million people died from cancer, that number is predicted to rise to 9 million by 2015 and to 11.4 million by 2030 ( Statistics from The World Health Organisation). Chemotherapy, although sometimes successful, is certainly not the magic bullet we had hoped it would be back in the chemical age of the 50′s and 60′s. Many people consider the side effects, risks and potential damage to their immune system more terrifying than the disease itself  and if we are to have  equality in care then we should also back research and development into other methods of treatment and not just the ones that make money but ones that can save more lives.