Live your Life in a Beautiful Healthier Way...

Diet soda might not help you stay trim after all, new research suggests.

A study presented at a American Diabetes Association meeting this week shows that drinking diet soda is associated with a wider waist in humans. And a second study shows that aspartame — an artificial sweetener in diet soda — actually raises blood sugar in mice prone to diabetes.

“Data from this and other prospective studies suggest that the promotion of diet sodas and artificial sweeteners as healthy alternatives may be ill-advised,” study researcher Helen P. Hazuda, Ph.D., a professor and chief of clinical epidemiology at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio’s School of Medicine, said in a statement. “They may be free of calories but not of consequences.”

In the first study, researchers collected height, weight, waist circumference and diet soda intake data from 474 elderly people who participated in the San Antonio Longitudinal Study of Aging. They were followed up an average of 9.5 years later, according to the research.

Researchers found that the diet soda drinkers hadwaist circumference increases of 70 percent greater than those who non-diet soda drinkers. And people who drank diet soda the most frequently — at least two diet sodas a day — had waist circumference increases that were 500 percent greater than people who didn’t drink any diet soda, the study said.

Artificial sugar didn’t produce any better results in the second study in mice. Researchers for this study found that diabetes-prone mice that were fed a diet that included aspartame for three months, had higher blood glucose levels than mice not given aspartame.

This isn’t the first news illuminating diet soda’s health risks. A study published earlier this year found people who drink the beverage every day have a higher stroke and heart attack risks. And UK researchers found earlier this month that sugary drinks can dull taste buds, leading consumers to crave the sweet stuff even more.

Mistletoe is one of the most widely studied complementary and alternative medicine therapies for cancer. In certain European countries, extracts made from European mistletoe are among the most prescribed therapies for cancer patients.

Mistletoe extracts are prepared as water-based solutions or solutions of water and alcohol. Mistletoe products may be named according to the type of host tree on which the plant grows. For example, IscadorM is from apple trees, IscadorP comes from pine trees, IscadorQ is from oak trees, and IscadorU comes from elm trees. Some users believe that the type of mistletoe extract chosen should depend on the type of tumor and the sex of the patient.

Mistletoe was used by the Druids and the ancient Greeks, and appears in legend and folklore as a panacea or “cure -all”. Modern interest in mistletoe as a possible treatment for cancer began in the 1920s.

Extracts of mistletoe have been shown to kill cancer cells in the laboratory and to boost the immune system (the complex group of organs and cells that defends the body against infection or disease). For this reason, mistletoe has been classified as a type of biological response modifier (a substance that stimulates the body’s response to infection and disease). Extracts of mistletoe have also been shown in the laboratory to prevent the growth of new blood vessels needed for tumors to grow.

Ingredients in mistletoe that have been studied for their usefulness in treating cancer include:

• Alkaloids.
• Viscotoxins.
• Lectins

Most clinical trials using mistletoe to treat cancer have been done in Europe. Most study results have been published in German. Although many of these trials have reported mistletoe to be effective, there are major weaknesses in almost all that raise doubts about their findings. Weaknesses have included small numbers of patients, incomplete patient data, lack of information about mistletoe dose, and problems with study design.

 Many studies involve using mistletoe as adjuvant therapy in patients with cancer. One retrospective cohort study done between 1993 and 2000 looked at the use of a mistletoe extract (Iscador) as long-term adjuvant therapy in 800 patients treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy for colorectal cancer that had not spread. The study found that patients treated with Iscador had fewer adverse events, better symptom relief, and improved disease-free survival compared to patients who did not receive Iscador as adjuvant therapy.

In 2002, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), in cooperation with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), began enrolling patients for a phase I clinical trial 

of a mistletoe extract (Helixor A) and gemcitabine in patients with advanced solid tumors. This combination showed low toxicity and showed treatment benefits in almost half the patients. The trial is now closed and the date are being analyzed. Before researchers can conduct clinical drug research in the United States, they must file an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA does not make information public about IND applications or approvals; this information can be made public only by the applicants. At present, at least two U.S. investigators have IND approval to study mistletoe as a treatment for cancer.   The National Cancer Institute’s PDQ clinical trials database contains protocol abstracts for clinical studies of mistletoe as a treatment for cancer. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved the use of mistletoe as a treatment for cancer or any other medical condition. The FDA does not allow injectable mistletoe extracts to be imported or used except for clinical research. At this time, there is not enough evidence to recommend the use of mistletoe as a treatment for cancer except in carefully designed clinical trials. These trials will give more information about whether mistletoe can be useful in treating certain types of cancer.

The drug maker Pfizer announced this week that it will suspend the sale of Roxarsone (3-Nitro), a drug used to kill parasites and promote growth in pigs and poultry, because it contains a form of arsenic that can become carcinogenic in humans.

The company took the step after a study by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration found that chickens given the drug had higher amount of inorganic arsenic, a known carcinogen, in their livers. But the FDA says people can continue to eat chicken, because the levels detected didn’t present a health risk.

The FDA did not test other chicken parts, like breasts or legs. Our 2005 tests of chicken found some forms of arsenic in many chicken livers on the market, though not in those from organically grown chickens.

“Action on this drug is long overdue,” said Michael Hansen, Ph.D., a senior scientist with Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. “Arsenic in chicken production poses a risk not only to human health, but to the environment. Arsenic can end up in the manure from chicken coops, and this is spread on agricultural land as fertilizer. We need to get arsenic out of food production altogether.” He points out that the European Union has already taken steps to do just that.

See our advice on other safety issues regarding chicken, including how to avoid food poisoning from bacteria such as salmonella and campylobacter.

                       

On the Ellen show, Sheryl Crow said that this is what caused her breast cancer. It has been identified as the most common cause of the high levels of dioxin in breast cancer tissue..

Sheryl Crow’s oncologist told her: women should not drink bottled water that has been left in a car. The heat reacts with the chemicals in the plastic of the bottle which releases dioxin into the water. Dioxin is a toxin increasingly found in breast cancer tissue. So please be careful and do not drink bottled water that has been left in a car.

Pass this on to all the women in your life. This information is the kind we need to know that just might save us! Use a stainless steel canteen or a glass bottle instead of plastic!

This information is also being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center … No plastic containers in microwaves. No plastic water bottles in freezers. No plastic wrap in microwaves.

Dioxin chemical causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to cells in our bodies. Don’t freeze plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently the Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard.

He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating food in the microwave using plastic containers….. This especially applies to foods that contain fat.

He said that the combination of fat, high heat and plastic releases dioxin into the food.

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Pyrex or ceramiccontainers for heating food… You get the same result, but without the dioxin.. So, such things as TV dinners, instant soups, etc., should be removed from their containers and heated in something else.

Paper isn’t bad but you don’t know what is in the paper. It’s safer to use tempered glass, such as Pyrex, etc.

He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the styrene foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons….

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Cling film, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

              

For at least 2700 years, honey has been used to treat a variety of ailments through topical application, but only recently have the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of honey been chemically explained. Wound Gels that contain antibacterial honey and have regulatory approval for wound care are now available to help conventional medicine in the battle against drug resistant strains of bacteria MRSA. As an antimicrobial agent honey may have the potential for treating a variety of ailments. One New Zealand researcher says a particular type of honey may be useful in treating MRSA infections. Antibacterial properties of honey are the result of the low water activity causing osmosis, hydrogen peroxide effect, and high acidity. Honey may also be used to alleviate the effects of a sore throat, by mixing with lemon juice and consumed. The mixture coats the throat alleviating discomfort, and the antibacterial, antiseptic properties are good for the throat as well.” (Wikipedia)

Honey contains copper, iron, silica, vitamin B, manganese, chlorine, calcium, potassium, sodium, phosphorous, aluminum and magnesium. Depending on the part of the world where the honey comes from, honey will vary in mineral content.

WARNING! Never give honey to an infant under 12 months.

THE HEALING PROPERTIES OF HONEY

* Afternoon Fatigue: At 3:00pm (or when the body is feeling fatigued), drink 1/2 Tablespoon of honey in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder. Energy will increase within one week if taken daily.

* Anxiety and Nervous Tension: Honey is said to calm a nervous, high strung person. It can also help you sleep at night. For insomnia, take 1 Tablespoon of honey at dinner. If that doesn’t work, try mixing 3 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 cup of honey in a jar. Take 2 teaspoons before bed. If you don’t fall asleep within the hour, take 2 teaspoons more. An old ayuverdic remedy has men taking the same dosage (2 Tablespoons of honey) before bed to treat impotence.

* Honey for pain relief: Mix 3 Tbls. of honey in boiled water and drink. Honey has natural pain-relieving powers.

* Longevity Tea: Boil 3 cups of water with 4 teaspoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Drink 1/4 cup, 3 or 4 times a day. Said to give steady energy and keep the skin soft!

* Honey Relieves Coughs: Here’s a recipe from the book, Folk Medicine, by DC Jarvis: boil a whole lemon slowly for 10 minutes. Cut the lemon in 2 and extract the juice. Add juice to a 4 oz glass. Then add 2 Tablespoons of glycerine and fill the remaining glass with honey. Dosage: 1 teaspoon during the day. Stir with spoon before taking. If you have a night-time cough, take 1 teaspoon right before retiring and then another one during the night. If your cough is severe, take concoction every 4 hours starting with when you wake up. As the cough gets better, you take less and less.

* Honey for Burns: Apply to burn, cover with a soft bandage.

* Honey for Asthma: Right before going to bed, take a mixture of 1 tsp. honey with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon.

* Honey for Hang-overs: Eat honey on bread or crackers. The fructose in the honey helps to flush out the alcohol in your system.

HONEY OR HONEYCOMB FOR ALLERGIES

Honeycomb is an old Vermont remedy for allergies. When honeycomb is chewed regularly during allergy season, it completely alleviates allergies.

Recipe: Chew a piece of honeycomb as long as possible as though it were a piece of gum. Within 30 minutes of chewing honeycomb, symptoms like a stuffy nose and headache disappear. Start chewing honeycomb a week or two before allergy season starts and you may not get any allergies. The honeycomb should be from a local bee farm so your best luck in finding a local variety is probably at your farmer’s market. If you can’t find honeycomb, try combed honey. Plain honey apparently works as well: dosage is 2 TBLS at each meal, three times a day.

SKIN CARE

Honey has been used for 2,000 years as an antiseptic dressing for minor wounds. Because honey contains potassium, bacteria cannot survive in it. Potassium withdraws moisture, which is essential to bacteria’s survival. Honey also promotes healing and prevents scarring.

Studies have shown raw honey to have significant antioxidant properties. It is also an anti-irritant. As such, it is often one of the ingredients in sunscreen, since the chemicals in sunscreen can cause skin eruptions. Honey is a humectant (it attracts and retains moisture) and is often used in soaps, cleansers and lotions. Due to honey’s anti-bacterial nature, it can cleanse the skin’s surface as well as temporarily tighten the outer skin layers. Honey acts as both cleanser and toner.

SPIRULINA is a single-celled microorganism that closely resembles a bacterium. Its spiral-shaped filaments are rich in plant pigments such as chlorophyll, phycocyanin and beta-carotene. Spirulina turns the lakes and ponds where it grows a dark-blue green. Harvesting your own spirulina is not advisable as coastal and aquatic colonies of the algae may be contaminated with industrial waste or sewage. Cultivation of organic spirulina involves locations away from industrial pollution (for example, a remote hamlet), where there is no contamination. There should also be no other agricultural activity in the area (to avoid contamination with pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers).

Spirulina has been used medicinally in China for thousands of years. Organic spirulina has the highest protein content compared to other natural food. Apart from that, it is also an excellent source of iron, calcium, magnesium, and a range of vitamin Bs. Organic spirulina contains the highest amount of chlorophyll, carotenoids and phycocyanin and has virtually no cholesterol. These phyto-nutrients act as natural antioxidants to neutralise free radicals.

Those who can benefit from supplementation with organic spirulina include:

Children who don’t eat vegetables and fruits Many parents do face problems persuading their kids to eat enough greens and fruits. However, these food groups may not fare very well among the young ones, and nutrient deficiencies may occur. Students who live away from home, and busy working people These people may lack certain nutrients as they often skip meals and opt for fast food that are high in calories but not necessarily high in important nutrients. Organic spirulina, which has a good nutrient profile, may help replenish and prevent malnutrition. The elderly The elderly may not be able to obtain essential nutrients from the diet due to poor dentition and digestive health, diseases and medication that affect the digestion, absorption and utilisation of nutrients. Spirulina has no cellulose in its cell walls, and thus can be easily digested, absorbed and used by the body. It is also good for enhancing the immune system. Weight-watchers Spirulina is an ideal supplement for those who are weight-sensitive. Spirulina is low in fat, low in calories and contains practically no cholesterol, making it suitable for weight-control. Many people use spirulina as part of their detox programme as the pigment chlorophyll helps in detoxification. Many health professionals also advocate the use of spirulina during juicing (sprinkled into fruit juices and broths), which gives better outcomes. Apart from that, the bioavailability of iron in organic spirulina is important to dieters who are on low calorie diets and prone to iron deficiency Choosing the right spirulina product is important as inferior grades may not provide the outcome that we desire. Besides looking at nutrient content, organic spirulina should be certified by regulatory bodies and the cultivation facilities should also be certified.

Overview 

Pure water has a perfectly neutral pH of 7, while most other water sources are either slightly basic (alkaline) or acidic. Proponents of alkaline water claim it raises the body’s pH and is healthier than plain tap water. Alkaline water can be made at home using several methods. Consult your doctor before drinking alkaline water for health reasons to ensure that it is safe.

Identification 

The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with a highly acidic substances having low pH scores and very basic, alkaline, substances having high pH levels. Pure water has a pH of 7.0, meaning that it is completely neutral. Proponents who claim there are health benefits to alkaline water believe it should have a pH of 8 or 9 for maximal benefits.

Chemistry 

A substance’s pH is a measurement of the ratio of hydrogen ions to hydroxide ions. Alkaline water contains fewer free hydrogen molecules than pure water, raising its pH. Because this balance of hydrogen to hydroxide ions creates a net negative charge, the water must contain metal ions to balance its electric charge.

Claims 

Human blood maintains a slightly alkaline pH, and many enzymes work efficiently at a higher pH. The website Alkaline recommends drinking alkaline water to boost mineral levels, prevent free radical formation, protect cellular functions and increase hydration’s. Alternative medicine practitioners claim that alkaline water improves overall health by neutralizing acids and flushing the body of dangerous toxins.

Considerations 

Creating alkaline water can be done in your home using several methods. Water distillers eliminate bacteria, remove impurities and alkalize your water. Ionizers attach to your tap and adjust the water’s pH to the level you specify, although these devices may be cost-prohibitive for many households.

Expert Insight 

Some experts reject the claim that alkaline water benefits your health. MayoClinic.com reports that no scientific research supports the use of alkaline water to detoxify the body or improve your well-being. Some research suggests that alkaline water may decrease the rate of bone loss, but long-term scientific studies have not been performed to confirm such claims. Talk to your doctor or a nutritionist about alkaline water before beginning any detoxification plan.

by: Michael Schachter M.D., F.A.C.A.M.

Approximately half of the United States’ drinking water supply is fluoridated in an attempt to reduce dental cavities in children. Is this state of affairs justified? Is it safe? Most Americans are unaware of the dangers of ingesting fluoride. Most dentists, physicians and scientists are unaware of the dangers of fluoride and water fluoridation. According to a 1988 article in the prestigious Chemical and Engineering News, scientific voices of opposition to fluoridation have been suppressed, since 1950 when the U.S. Public Health Service first endorsed fluoridation. Power tactics including threats, ridicule and frank censorship aimed at scientists and clinicians knowledgeable about fluoridation have prevented the truth about fluoride to be disseminated to the science world as well as to the public. Whenever a public agency is charged with objectively evaluating the safety of a procedure while at the same time endorsing and recommending it, a serious conflict of interest is set up. This is exactly the position of the U.S. Public Health Service for the past 44 years.

Facts About Fluoride

So, what are some of the facts about fluoride? According to the handbook, Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products, fluoride is more poisonous than lead and just slightly less poisonous than arsenic. It is a cumulative poison that accumulates in bone over the years. According to the Physicians Desk Reference, “in hypersensitive individuals, fluorides occasionally cause skin eruptions such as atopic dermatitis, eczema, or urticaria. Gastric distress, headache, and weakness have also been reported. These hypersensitive reactions usually disappear promptly after discontinuation of the fluoride.”

From 1990 to 1992, the Journal of the American Medical Association published three separate articles linking increased hip fracture rates to fluoride in the water. In the March 22, 1990 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Mayo Clinic researchers reported that fluoride treatment of osteoporosis increased hip fracture rate and bone fragility.

A study by Procter and Gamble showed that as little as half the amount of fluoride used to fluoridate public water supplies resulted in a sizable and significant increase in genetic damage. Epidemiology research in the mid-1970’s by the late Dr. Dean Burk, head of the cytochemistry division of the National Cancer Institute, indicated that 10,000 or more fluoridation-linked cancer deaths occur yearly in the United States. In 1989, the ability of fluoride to transform normal cells into cancer cells was confirmed by Argonne National Laboratories. Results released in 1989 of studies carried out at the prestigious Batelle Research Institute showed that fluoride was linked to a rare form of liver cancer in mice, oral tumors and cancers in rats, and bone cancer in male rats. Since 1991, the New Jersey Department of Health found that the incidence of osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer, was far higher in young men exposed to fluoridated water as compared to those who were not.

In addition to the well documented toxic effects of fluoride, fluoride even at dosages of 1 part per million, found in artificially fluoridated water, can inhibit enzyme systems, damage the immune system, contribute to calcification of soft tissues, worsen arthritis and, of course, cause dental fluorosis in children. These are unsightly white, yellow or brown spots that are found in teeth exposed to fluoride during childhood. In 1993, the Subcommittee on Health Effects of Ingested Fluoride of the National Research Council admitted that 8% to 51% and sometimes up to 80% of the children living in fluoridated areas have dental fluorosis. Malnourished people, particularly children, usually targeted for fluoridation, are at greater risks to experience fluoride’s harmful effects.

Surprisingly, the most recent studies do not even show that water fluoridation is effective in reducing tooth decay. In the largest U.S. study of fluoridation and tooth decay, United States Public Health Service dental records of over 39,000 school children, ages 5-17, from 84 areas around the United States showed that the number of decayed, missing, and filled teeth per child was virtually the same in fluoridated and non-fluoridated areas. Dr. John Colquhoun, former Chief Dental Officer of the Department of Health for Auckland, New Zealand, investigated tooth decay statistics from about 60,000 12 to 13 year old children and showed that fluoridation had no significant effect on tooth decay rate.

Given all of this scientific information, what is behind this push for universal fluoridation? Prior to 1945, fluoride was properly regarded as an environmental pollutant. It was responsible for many lawsuits against industries, such as the aluminum industry and the phosphate fertilizer industry, whose waste products contain large quantities of fluoride. This fluoride destroyed crops and animals, leading to the lawsuits. The limited public view was that fluoride was an environmental pollutant that needed to be reduced or eliminated from the environment.

As a result of clever public relations campaigns, fluoride was transformed from an environmental pollutant to an essential nutrient necessary for producing healthy teeth. The science was poor, but the P.R. campaign was great. Being against fluoride was like being against motherhood or apple pie. Industries not only made millions from selling this environmental pollutant to water companies and toothpaste companies, but more importantly, it saved billions of dollars that would be required to clean up this environmental pollutant.

So, what can you do to protect yourself from fluoride? 

First, avoid fluoridated water. Much of the metropolitan area, including New York City water is artificially fluoridated. Boiling water removes chlorine, but concentrates fluoride. Water filters do not remove fluoride, unless there is a reverse osmosis component. Children should avoid fluoridated vitamins and fluoride treatments at the dentist. Everyone should avoid fluoridated toothpaste. The concentration of fluoride in water is 1 ppm, in toothpaste 1,000 ppm and in fluoride dental rinses 10,000 ppm. Work on your legislators to get fluoride out of the water supplies. 

Vitamin B17 has long been under debate in America. Banned from research in 1977, it was discovered that this vitamin produces a type of cyanide in the body. According to previous research done, prior to this ban, the cyanide that vitamin B17 produces, only affects cancerous cells. This is due largely in part to the fact that yet another enzyme created by the vitamin protects cells that are non-cancerous, and deactivates the cyanide’s affects on healthy cells. It would appear from this research that, in essence, this means that vitamin B17 is truly the only natural cancer killing substance. What Can We Do? Just because it is unlawful to prescribe vitamin B17 here in the United States, that does not mean that there is no way for you to get the amazing benefits of this vitamin in your system.

Many foods are rich in vitamin B17, and can be ingested daily without any ill effects. These include: spinach, apricot seeds, mung bean sprouts, and alfalfa sprouts. Vitamin B17 can also be found in foods such as watercress, and bamboo shoots. Eating a diet that includes vitamin B17 can help your body to naturally form cancer-fighting cells. Even without any additional vitamin B17 taken in supplements (which no longer exist), your body will automatically use the B17 found in the foods you eat to flush cancerous toxins from your system. The Chinese have known this for centuries, and have used B17 rich foods as a means for treating tumors for centuries. This is not to say that, if you have cancer, eating high doses of vitamin B17 will suddenly cure you. There are many who would have you to believe that eating apricot seeds while being treated for cancer will automatically rid your body of the disease. This simply isn’t so. There is, as of yet, no magical cure for cancer. But eating a diet that is rich in foods containing vitamin B17 can help to prevent your body from developing cancerous cells.

It is illegal for a doctor or physician to prescribe any type of vitamin B17 supplement; so if you are looking for advice on how to incorporate more of this vitamin into your system, you will have to look elsewhere for information. A nutritionist can tell you which foods contain vitamin B17, and the appropriate serving size of each of these foods you should eat to maintain your health. There is also a plethora of information regarding the benefits of vitamin B17 available on the web.

The medicinal uses of oregano are extensive, due to its numerous useful phytochemicals. We all know Oregano to be an excellent culinary herb, but it has now found its rightful place among the medicinal herbs of the 21st Century. Scientific enquiries have brought this humble herb forward to our attention as a powerful antioxidant that can help relieve pain and stimulate the immunity system to protect you against infections, allergies and debilitating disease.

As for its phytochemicals, Oreganum vulgare hirtum has 29 anti-inflammatories, 11 analgesics, 16 sedatives, and 5 carminatives, making it an ideal remedy for sore muscles, painful spasms or cramps, sore stomach or indigestion and pain associated with arthritis or rheumatism. It can even be used for tension headaches and nervous conditions that cause muscle tightness around the head and shoulders.

Other indications for using medicinal Oregano: as a powerful anti-allergy remedy, an antiseptic, a diuretic, an antibacterial and antiviral remedy, for the treatment and prevention of Candida albicans, for allergies such as hay fever or environmental allergies, for colds and the flu, as an expectorant to loosen phlegm, for weight control and for the possible prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Uses of oregano Chop up the leaves and place in a salad, sauces or soups or use the leaves in teas, infusions and to make tinctures or glycerines. Use oregano teas to treat coughs and colds, headaches, indigestion and flatulence. Cooled oregano tea can be used as an antiseptic wash for cuts and abrasions, skin irritations and bites. Oregano poultices will help treat bruises and inflammation.

One of the latest superfoods to be touted by celebrity trainers and the like is quinoa. What makes “keen-wah” so nutritious? We’ve got the scoop on quinoa nutrition facts. Most people who have heard of quinoa think it’s a grain, and judging by how it’s pronounced, some assume it’s from the Orient. But technically, quinoa is a seed, not a grain and it’s grown high in the Andes Mountains of South America. Quinoa plants have been cultivated at altitudes of well over 10,000 feet and have been considered a superfood for at least a few millennia — in fact, the Incas cherished it as a superfood of their own. Here in the U.S., quinoa has been discovered as a nutritious asset and enjoyed culinary popularity within only the last few years. Here’s why… Eat one cup of quinoa (a single serving size), and you’ll consume:

• 220 calories (70 percent carbs, 15 percent fat, 15 percent protein)
• 40 grams of carbohydrates (13 percent daily value)
• 8 grams of protein (16 percent of daily value)
• 3.5 grams of fat (5 percent daily value with no saturated fat)
• A glycemic load (blood sugar spike) of only 18 out of 250
• 5 grams of fiber (20 percent of daily value)
• 20 percent of daily value of folate (various forms of Vitamin B)
• 30 percent of magnesium daily value (beneficial for people with migraine headaches); 28 percent daily value of phosphorous; iron (15 percent); copper (18 percent); and manganese (almost 60 percent)

Quinoa is stocked with life-sustaining nutrients all across the board, including all eight essential amino acids. There are other highly beneficial compounds, vitamins and minerals in this food that the Incas reverently called “chisaya mama“ (mother of all grains). Vegetarians would do well to incorporate quinoa into their diet often. It’s difficult for vegetarians to get all eight essential amino acids and an adequate source of protein from one food source. Usually, vegetarians and vegans need to combine foods like beans and rice to acquire all the essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Those with gluten sensitivities or wheat allergies can rejoice in eating quinoa as it contains no gluten or wheat. (Spanish conquistadors during the South American conquest suppressed quinoa production, as it was associated with what the Spaniards perceived as non-Christian, indigenous, ceremonial backwardness. Thus, wheat was cultivated in the Andes region.) Quinoa cooks very easily, in about 15 minutes. Like cooking rice in a stove top pot, you’ll want almost 2 cups of water per one part quinoa but be careful not to pour too much water in the pot, otherwise it will take even longer. Cook quinoa at a high setting until it starts boiling and then cover and simmer for about 12-15 minutes. When you see the ring-shaped sprouts popping out, you’ll know the quinoa is almost ready. Stir the quinoa so all the water gets absorbed. Quinoa by itself tastes rather bland. Add some coconut or olive oil or ghee butter (clarified butter) to add flavor and consistency. Add any spices or herbs you like and perhaps some crushed almonds or walnuts. In the last two minutes before it’s ready to serve, toss a handful of spinach and stir until the spinach withers a little bit but not too much. Enjoy this food that the Incas valued as much as gold.