A recent outbreak of a virulent strain of E. coli has killed 19 people in Europe and infected more than 2,000 in at least 12 countries. The source of the outbreak hasn’t been pinpointed but the World Health Organization and the CDC are focusing on fresh naturally grown foods like tomatoes, lettuce and cucumbers which were packaged in Germany.
Entire suspect crops are ordered destroyed by the WHO and the CDC every year when an E. coli outbreak is declared.
Why does the WHO and the CDC order crops destroyed? In recent years there appears to be a concerted effort by the WHO and the CDC to target only the foods that are essential for a healthy diet and life for millions of people. Foods which helps prevent disease, illnesses and viral infections.
Every year the WHO and the CDC issues E. coli outbreak bulletins and they always accuse anti-cancer, anti heart disease and anti-microbial foods like lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, spinach, peas and beans.
No E. coli alert have been made against processed foods that make up the entire menu at fast food outlets. Fast processed foods are linked to heart disease, cancer, obesity, viral infections and a host of other ailments and illnesses. The intent of the WHO and the CDC is to destroy only the healthy natural food groups.
Yes the death of 19 people is a good argument in favor of destroying a crop linked to an E. coli outbreak but the destruction of the entire crops affects millions. Without these healthy food crops thousands, even millions will become inflicted with disease, illnesses and viral infections and die.
Did you know that E. coli illnesses and deaths can be eliminated entirely with spices? Spices like cinnamon has a long history both as a spice and as a medicine. Cinnamon’s essential oils is an “anti-microbial” food, and the spice has been studied for its ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi.
Cinnamon’s antimicrobial properties are so effective that research demonstrates this spice can be used as an alternative to traditional food preservatives.
"Researchers at Kansas State University have found that spices is effective in eliminating E. coli bacteria"
An outbreak of E. coli in 1996 was allegedly traced to unpasteurized apple juice that killed one child and sickened many others. After that E. coli outbreak the US government ordered all apple juice and other fruit juices to be pasteurized – henceforth killing all nutritional benefits of the natural fruit juices. Another E. coli outbreak years before destroyed all nutritional benefits of another essential food – milk.
Pasteurization of milk destroys it life giving and anti-disease nutrients – including natural Vitamin D and essential natural probiotic bacteria. Any trace of E. coli in milk is eliminated naturally with raw unpasteurized milk’s probiotic bacteria.
Daniel Y.C. Fung, a Kansas State food microbiologist, and Erdogan Ceylan, a research assistant, studied the antagonistic effect different doses of cinnamon alone and in combination with preservatives would have on E. coli bacteria in apple juice. Ceylan added 1 million E. coli bacteria cells to one milliliter of pasteurized apple juice.
The number of bacteria cells added to the juice was higher than the amount of bacteria cells that would be found in consumer food products and was done for experimental purposes only. After adding approximately 0.3 percent of cinnamon – roughly over one teaspoon of the spice to a 64-ounce bottle – about 99 percent of the E. coli was killed. Fung’s research found that several spices, including garlic, clove, cinnamon, oregano and sage killed 99 percent of E. coli bacteria.
There is absolutely no need to pasteurize, destroy or add harmful chemicals to our natural food supply when preparing and cooking our food with natural spices like garlic, clove, cinnamon, oregano and sage kills E. coli bacteria. More people will die as a result of pasteurization, crop destruction and adding harmful chemicals than from any E.coli outbreak.
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SAGE
Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is a small evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region.
It is much cultivated as a kitchen and medicinal herb, and is also called Garden sage, Kitchen sage, and Dalmatian sage. In southern Europe related species are sometimes cultivated for the same purpose, and may be confused with the common sage.
CINNAMON
Various foods and plants have been proven to have a substantial effect on the blood sugar level and insulin response. One of these plants is cinnamon, a well known ingredient that is used by a lot of people around the world. But when people think of cinnamon, they usually think about sweet desserts and such; but can cinnamon treatment for diabetes really be helpful?
Well, let me give you a short introduction to the wonderful plant that is cinnamon. Cinnamon is a short tree that measures up to 15 meters in height. While it is indigenous to Sri Lanka, it can be found in Brazil, India, Indonesia and Brazil, just to name a few… Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices ever used and is prepared by rolling up the dried bark of the tree into sticks. The distinguishable taste of cinnamon comes from an aromatic essential oil that counts for less than 1% of its composition.
While there are many types of cinnamon, the most popular types are Ceylon cinnamon, which stands for the former name of Sri Lanka, and Cassia. Cinnamon has been used for ages as a treatment for various diseases such as colds and diarrhea. In Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, it is used to treat indigestions; and in traditional Chinese medicine, it is used for a variety of disorders from energy loss to painful menstrual periods.
But how can cinnamon help people with diabetes? Well a study that was published in a journal called Diabetes Care in 2003 suggested that there was a relation between cinnamon intake and lower blood glucose levels.
The study was conducted on 60 people affected by type 2 diabetes. Each participant had to take the equivalent of one quarter to one and a half teaspoon worth of cinnamon over the period of 40 days.
After the 40 day period, all 3 amounts of cinnamon reduced fasting blood glucose by 18 to 29%, triglycerides by 23 to 30%, LDL cholesterol by 7 to 27%, and total cholesterol by 12 to 26%. However, there was no difference between the participants who took the equivalent of a quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon versus those who took one and a half teaspoon worth of cinnamon daily.
Another study that was conducted on a small group of Swedes who were given either rice pudding alone or rice pudding with cinnamon showed that the participants who were administered a portion of rice pudding with cinnamon experienced a lower rise in blood sugar after their meal compared to those who took rice pudding without cinnamon.
So there is strong evidence that proves that cinnamon treatment for diabetes does indeed have an effect on the blood glucose level and can help diabetics control their blood sugar. Adding cinnamon to your recipes or drinking a cup of cinnamon tea in the morning is a great way to insert cinnamon in your diet. However, make sure you don’t replace your regular medication with cinnamon; it might lead to serious complications…
OREGANO
Oregano is high in thymol, a powerful antioxidant, and one tablespoon of oregano (fresh) has about as much antioxidant potential as a medium sized apple (You know. . . "An apple a day keeps the doctor away.").
If you've been hiding behind the potting shed and haven't heard about antioxidants, they are widely believed to help repair the body on a cellular level. Antioxidants, like thymol, help fight cancer, maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, reduce blood pressure, and slow macular degeneration. The list goes on, but you get the idea.
Oregano is also an antibiotic and antifungal. Based on a study conducted by Georgetown University, a substance called carvacrol in oregano may have as much antibiotic power as penicillin or streptomycin.
You can get oregano supplements at your local health food store, or add more oregano to your stews, sauces and side dishes.
CLOVE
Clove
Syzygium aromaticum - (syn. Eugenia caryophyllata)
The clove plant is a small, bushy, evergreen tree with ascending branches and shiny, dark green, leathery and aromatic leaves.
The beautiful, fragrant flowers are beige turning to red, when the stamens wither. The berries are purple in colour and very aromatic.
The spice known as clove is the flower bud, that's collected just before it opens and then sun-dried.
The clove tree is native to the Moluccas - also known as The Spice Islands - and that's where the finest cloves come from.Today it's also grown in Tanzania, Madagascar, Brazil, and Sri Lanka. Main exporters are Tanzania and Madagascar.
Whole or ground cloves are used for culinary purposes.
Cloves are also used in liqueurs such as the French Benedictine.
The large amounts of essential oils from flower buds and leaves are used in various dietary supplements and herbal remedies, in dentistry and as flavourings in perfumes, beverages, tooth pastes, and Indonesian cigarettes.
Recipe
For best result, use whole, dried clove flower buds (cloves). The cloves must be of good quality - oily and dark brown.
Direction:
- Put 10 whole cloves in a clean glass jar with tight-fitting lid.
- Add 25 centiliter clear, unflavoured vodka - 40% alcohol content (80 proof).
- Let steep for 2 days in a dark place at room temperature,
18-20°C (64-68°F). - Shake lightly and taste it from time to time.
- Strain and filter your infusion into a clean glass bottle or jar with tight-fitting lid.
- Store (age) for a month or so in a dark place at room temperature before serving.
Spices Kill Bacteria and Protect Cells
I love cinnamon and ginger in pumpkin pie, sage in stuffing, oregano in onions, garlic in potatoes, even turmeric in dip. And I know that herbs and spices are more than holiday treats for taste buds: Recent research shows that it’s health-savvy to sprinkle herbs and spices in your food all year long.
“We now know they act as potent antibiotics, blood thinners, anti-cancer agents, anti-inflammatories, insulin regulators and antioxidants,” says Harry G. Preuss, Ph.D., physiologist at Georgetown University Medical Center and a top researcher in the field. “In tiny doses, eaten regularly in food, common herbs and spices are unique health boosters.”
4 formidable herbs and spices
– Ginger vs. inflammation. Inflammation is a suspect in heart disease, stroke, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and arthritis. The exciting news: Ginger compounds (gingerols) reduce pain in animals and act as Cox-2 inhibitors, similar to the anti-arthritis drug Celebrex, Australian scientists have found. Further, gingerols thin the blood “just like aspirin,” the scientists noted, suggesting that gingerols also fight heart disease. The best evidence that ginger is anti-inflammatory: University of Miami research shows that patients with osteoarthritis of the knee who took 255 milligrams of ginger extract twice a day for six weeks had less knee pain than those not getting ginger. As a side effect, ginger-takers had more episodes of mild gastrointestinal distress.
– Oregano vs. germs. “No wonder oregano has been used since antiquity to fight infections,” Preuss says. He recently found oregano oil as effective as the common antibiotic drug vancomycin in treating staph infections in mice. Bonus: It wiped out an infectious fungus. A daily dose of oregano oil, mixed with oils from fenugreek, cumin and pumpkin seeds, reduced blood pressure and improved blood sugar and insulin sensitivity in diabetic rats. In Texas research, oregano killed parasites in humans. The point, Preuss says: People who eat small regular doses of oregano may get antibiotic and antidiabetic benefits, although more tests on humans are needed to verify it.
– Turmeric vs. cancer. The yellow spice turmeric, a constituent of curry powder, contains high concentrations of the potent antioxidant curcumin. New tests suggest curcumin helps stifle cancer. In test tubes, 80% of malignant prostate cells self-destructed when exposed to curcumin. Feeding mice curcumin dramatically slowed the growth of implanted human prostate cancer cells. It may do the same in breast and colon cancer cells, researchers say, speculating that curcumin blocks the activation of genes that trigger cancer. Bonus: Curcumin’s anti-inflammatory activity reduces arthritic swelling and progressive brain damage in animals. In UCLA research, eating food laced with low doses of curcumin slashed Alzheimer’s-like plaque in the brains of mice by 50%.
– Cinnamon vs. diabetes. Adding cinnamon to food, especially to sugary ones, helps control spikes of blood sugar, says researcher Richard Anderson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Cinnamon can help normalize blood sugar by making insulin more sensitive,” he says. He recently isolated cinnamon’s most active ingredient: methylhydroxy chalcone polymer, or MHCP, which increased the processing of blood sugar by 2,000%, or 20-fold, in test-tube studies. So using cinnamon in tiny amounts — even sprinkled in desserts — makes insulin more efficient. Cloves, turmeric and bay leaves also work, but they’re weaker. This is a big deal. Avoiding high circulating levels of blood sugar and insulin may help ward off diabetes. In animals, steady lower insulin levels are a sign of slower aging and greater longevity.
| Racking up the spices – Strongest antibiotics. The most ferocious killers of 30 bacterial species in Cornell University tests are (in order) onion, garlic, allspice, oregano, thyme, tarragon, cumin, cloves, bay leaf and cayenne pepper. – Strongest antioxidants. Tops are oregano, thyme, sage, cumin, rosemary, saffron, turmeric, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, coriander (cilantro), basil and tarragon, according to several reports. A new test at the University of California, Davis, finds thyme similar to vitamin E in antioxidant power. – Dried vs. fresh. All forms have similar benefits; the healthful compounds are more concentrated in dried herbs and spices. – Warnings. Spices may be more beneficial taken together than taken separately. Proper doses are unknown. If you want to try therapeutic doses, consult your doctor. |
SCIENTIFIC SOURCES FOR THIS ARTICLE
Strongest Antioxidants
– Martinez-Tome M, J Food Prot 2001 Sept :64 (9): 1412-9
– Lee KG, J Agric Food Chem 2002, Aug 14; 50(17): 4947-52
Strongest Antibiotics
– Sherman, P. and Billing, citation TK
Turmeric: Anti-Cancer
– Naidu KA, Mol Cell Biochem 2002 Jan; 229(1-2): 19-23
– Cole, et al. J Neuroscience 2001 Nov 1; 21(21): 8370-7
Ginger–Anti-Inflammatory
– “Food Chemical News”, December 17, 2001
– Altman RD, Arthritis Rheum 2001 Nov; 44(11): 2531-2
Cinnamon: –Anti-Diabetes
– “Agricultural Research”, July 2000
This EatSmart column is reprinted from USAWEEKEND Magazine and is copyrighted by Jean Carper. It cannot be reprinted without permission from Jean Carper.
Cinnamon Eliminates E. coli bacteria
By Kevin Flatt
Cinnamon has a long history both as a spice and as a medicine. Cinnamon’s essential oils also qualify it as an “anti-microbial” food, and the spice has been studied for its ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi. Cinnamon’s antimicrobial properties are so effective that research demonstrates this spice can be used as an alternative to traditional food preservatives.
Researchers at Kansas State University have found that cinnamon is effective in eliminating E. coli bacteria in apple juice. An outbreak of that E. coli strand in 1996 was traced to unpasteurized apple juice that killed one child and sickened many others.
Daniel Y.C. Fung, a K-State food microbiologist, and Erdogan Ceylan, a research assistant, studied the antagonistic effect different doses of cinnamon alone and in combination with preservatives would have on E. coli bacteria in apple juice. Ceylan added 1 million E. coli bacteria cells to one milliliter of pasteurized apple juice.
The number of bacteria cells added to the juice was higher than the amount of bacteria cells that would be found in consumer food products and was done for experimental purposes only. After adding approximately 0.3 percent of cinnamon - roughly over one teaspoon of the spice to a 64-ounce bottle - about 99 percent of the E. coli was killed.
"Nobody expects apple juice to be a problem," Fung said. "But there have been previous outbreaks of E. coli. We found out that some spices can inhibit the growth of E. coli."
"The objective of this research was to study the inhibitory effect of cinnamon on E. coli 0157: H7 in apple juice and reduce the amount of preservatives used in apple juice," Ceylan said. "We can do it with chemicals but we think using natural resources is a better way."
Previously Fung found that several spices, including garlic, clove, cinnamon, oregano and sage killed 99 percent of E. coli bacteria in ground beef. Fung and Ceylan released their findings at the annual meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists.
Compiled and edited by : Mohd Ezli Mashut
