Fructose Feeds Cancer Follow-up: Is all fructose metabolized in the liver?

In response to my posting entitled Fructose Feeds Cancer, which referred to the Reuters story entitled Cancer Cells Slurp Up Fructose, some commenters on my blog and other bloggers have stated that fructose gets metabolized by the liver so doesn't make it into the blood stream and couldn't promote cancer anywhere but in the liver. 

I dissented and today took a moment to search for studies measuring fructose concentrations in the blood.  My first find was Increased Fructose Concentrations in Blood and Urine in Patients With Diabetes published in Diabetes Care.  From the abstract:

"Serum fructose concentrations in patients with diabetes (12.0 ± 3.8 μmol/l) were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects (8.1 ± 1.0 μmol/l, P < 0.001) and nondiabetic patients (7.7 ± 1.6 μmol/l, P < 0.001), and daily urinary fructose excretion was significantly greater in patients with diabetes (127.8 ± 106.7 μmol/day) than in nondiabetic patients (37.7 ± 23.0 μmol/day, P < 0.001)."

So there you have it.  Non-diabetics, healthy subjects, and diabetics all have fructose in serum, with the diabetics carrying an average of about 50% more fructose in serum than healthy subjects. 

If you read the full text, you will learn that inadequate technology once made detection of fructose in serum difficult, and the authors of this study overcame that limitation.  You will also see this discussion of several mechanisms which might explain increased fructose in serum of diabetics:

"First, impaired fructose metabolism in the liver might play an important role, given that several studies have shown that the liver metabolizes at least half of all fructose (11,13). Second, the transport system for fructose might be disrupted. Fructose is transported into the liver, at least in part, by the same system as glucose and galactose (14,15). In adipocytes, fructose can enter by at least two different carriers. Hajduch et al. (16) reported that GLUT5 was responsible for mediating ∼80% of the total cellular fructose uptake, whereas the remaining 20% was cytochalasin B-sensitive, which most likely reflects transport via GLUT1 and/or GLUT4. Third, the polyol pathway might play a role in the increment of serum and urinary fructose concentrations. This pathway reportedly contributes to increased fructose concentrations in many tissues of patients with diabetes (17) and diabetic animals (18–20)."

Notice that the authors say "the liver metabolizes at least half of all fructose,"  not "the liver metabolizes all of ingested fructose."  Also, they cite four studies that found increased fructose concentrations in "many tissues" of diabetic humans and animals.  To get to those tissues it had to go through the blood from the gut.  These findings clearly indicate that the development of diabetes involves a rise in serum and tissue levels of fructose, providing fuel for cancer proliferation in affected tissues.  And we don't have to eat an diet of 100% fructose to get this result.  

Some might scoff at the micromolar concentrations but the authors also point out that fructose is so much more reactive than glucose that it has comparable pathological effects even at these very low concentrations:

"Although glucose circulates in millimole concentrations, only ∼1/1,000 molecules circulates as a free aldehyde and can therefore participate in glycation reactions. Fructose, although circulating in micromole concentrations, is much more reactive in this regard and, therefore, may be comparable to glucose in terms of mediating pathology through nonenzymatic reactions and downstream processes."

My Meals 8/17/2010

Breakfast

4 egg omelet with Canadian bacon and curry seasoning
Stir-fried mix of chicken breast, red onions, red pepper, carrots, bok choy, shiitake, and collards in coconut oil seasoned with Chinese five spice and cayenne
Fruit:  oranges, bananas, and grapes (bananas not shown)

We spent this day having fun.  Later after spending time in the mid-day Arizona sun at the pool, we had a snack of strawberries and coconut cream.

For dinner we ate out at an Irish Pub for fun after watching Eat, Pray, Love.  We shared summer ale, french onion soup, a mixed beet root and green salad with grilled steak, beef short ribs, and Irish colcannon with mixed vegetables.

My Meals 8/16/2010

Here's what we had for my second meal on Monday:

Two quarter-pound grass fed burgers (only one in photo)
Onions fried with a small amount of potato
Roasted green chili
Steamed green beans
Tomato and cucumber seasoned with olive oil and black pepper

I know, technically green beans don't fit some definitions of strict paleodiet.   However, I seem to recall reading somewhere that some hunter-gatherer tribes--I believe the !Kung among them-- do eat fresh leguminous vegetables.   In any case, I use paleo as a paradigm, not a prison.

My Meals 8/16/2010

I ate this for breakfast after I did my strength training session this morning:

Half-pound of grass-fed ground beef cooked with red and yellow onions and olive oil, seasoned with chili powder
One medium red potato
About one cup of steamed bok choy
One medium orange (not pictured)
About a half cup of coconut cream (not pictured)

Here's the food list for this meal with protein, fat, carbohydrate, and calorie counts (click for larger version).  I had to substitute collards for bok choy because FitDay doesn't list bok choy, but these two vegetables have similar nutrient profiles:

1328 calories, 89g fat, 87g carbohydrate, and 54g protein.  Here's the caloric proportions for protein, fat, and carbohydrate:

 Protein 16% of energy, carbohydrate 25% of energy, fat 59% of energy.  Here's the micronutrient profile:

This one meal provided 50% or more of the RDA for all of the listed nutrients except vitamin D, vitamin E, sodium, and thiamin.  For many nutrients this one meal provided more than 100% of the RDA.  Vitamin D I get from the sun, my vitamin E requirements are low because I avoid polyunsaturated oils, we want low sodium intake relative to potassium, and thiamin is at 46%, nearly 50%, not a concern.  I'll have another meal today that will fill in the gaps.

Holistic Herbal Perspectives for Challenges with Fertility

Preparing for pregnancy is the beginning of a new era in a couple’s life. The excitement of expanding a family, the doubts of parenthood, the increased responsibilities of creating life, all can be a random mix of happiness and intense stress.

This article is an introduction to holistic perspectives on infertility. It is impossible to fully address all areas of this subject in a blog post, but I hope it gives readers an idea of how a holistic herbal practitioner might approach a couple who has not conceived.

Most couples conceive within months after consciously making the decision to become pregnant. Failure to conceive after twelve months of regular sexual activity with no use of contraceptives is labeled as infertility.

Standard methods of treatment for infertility can be costly and invasive. Seeking holistic health treatments first is a viable alternative that can often prove successful. Often, a combination of western allopathic medicine and holistic herbal perspectives is most helpful.

Couples experiencing problems with fertility are advised to have some western medicine tests performed to better understand what is limiting conception.

Males can undergo sperm analysis to rule out abnormalities. They may also want to be tested for genito-urinary infections.

Females can have blood work done to evaluate hormones, the endocrine system including the thyroid, and genito-urinary infection screening. Further tests may be necessary but these are a good place to start.

The results of these tests can help pinpoint areas of concern.

The causes and factors of infertility are so varied there are simply no standard herbal treatment plans. Instead, it is the goal of the practitioner to evaluate and assess the couple to create a plan that promotes overall wellness.

The failure to conceive is a symptom of an underlying cause. Couples seeking holistic treatment need to understand that while the end-result may be conception followed by birth, the big picture goal is to create a healthy balance in the entire body.

General Suggestions

My first recommendation for couples seeking conception is to purposefully avoid conception for 4-6 months. This may seem like an odd first suggestion but I feel that these months can then be devoted to creating vibrant health and well-being in both of the parents. Although the desire for a pregnancy as soon as possible can be hard to ignore, taking the time to focus on the health of the parents can result in a happier pregnancy and a healthier baby.

These months can also be taken to cultivate romance in the relationship. The couple can again experience the art of making love without the pressure to conceive.

Women who continue to pursue conception may have to limit beneficial herbs because they are not advised in pregnancy (and therefore can not be ethically given to those actively seeking conception) or they may not fully resolve underlying issues before further stressing the body with the awe-inspiring task of creating life. 

My next suggestion is to monitor the women’s ovulatory cycle. The book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler, is a must read for all women whether or not they are seeking pregnancy. It clearly explains how to monitor the women’s basal temperature, the shape and feel of the cervix, and cervical mucosal changes in order to know when and if a woman is ovulating. This alone can help the couple to increase their fertility as well as provide more information about a woman’s cycle and any possible abnormalities.

Another general suggestion for any couple seeking pregnancy is to adopt a pre-conception diet. This is important for both the male and female! While this needs to be tailored specifically to each individual, overall suggestions include:

healthy fats (farm fresh eggs, olive oil, pastured meats including organ meats, coconut oil, raw dairy from healthy animals, olives)

protein (preferably from pastured animals, well sourced fish, fresh nuts)

variety and abundance of vegetables and fruit (organic, nutrient dense)

whole grains and legumes (preferably soaked and fermented before being cooked)

Foods to avoid generally include

any food intolerances specific to that person (common foods are gluten, dairy, soy, corn)

large amounts of sugar (preferably no sugar is eaten)

dairy that is produced in feed lots containing unknown hormones, anti-biotics, etc.

meat from factory farms

processed foods

alcohol

caffeine

denatured food

unfermented soy

Each person should be evaluated for nutritional deficiencies. Depending on the person and the deficiency these can be addressed through food or supplements.

Common nutritional deficiencies include

Magnesium

Omega 3s

Vitamin D

Vitamin C

Vitamin E

Selenium

Zinc

B Vitamins (Especially important for vegetarian women. B12 deficiency is implicated in miscarriage.)

I especially encourage all couples seeking to conceive to have their vitamin D levels tested to ensure they have adequate levels. My mentor, KP Khalsa, says that vitamin D is the nutritional breakthrough of the century. What we know now vs ten years ago is astounding and research is mounting higher and higher, showing the extreme importance of vitamin D levels for the health of the mom and the health of the developing fetus.

Possible Areas of Concern

A holistic practitioner is interested in increasing the entire health and well-being of an individual. Here are some possible areas and concerns that may be addressed.

Reproductive System Health

Polycystic ovarian disease

PCOD is often implicated in women with fertility challenges. Again, protocols would be tailored to that individual but would frequently include addressing insulin resistance, liver function, and pelvic health.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis affects 5 - 10% of women.  The causes can vary and protocols would be tailored to the individual. General suggestions will be around improving liver health and lymphatic health, pelvic decongestants and adaptogens.

Immune health

Imbalances in the immune system can inhibit conception. Treating low-grade infection in the genito-urinary system and addressing any autoimmune factors can be an important factor in fertility health. Important aspects of this are taking immunomodulating herbs, addressing leaky gut syndrome, and avoiding food intolerances.

Endocrine System Health

Disorders within the endocrine system that affect fertility can include hyper or hypo thyroidism, pituitary dysfunction, and signs of adrenal weakness.

Stress is a major factor in fertility. Herbalist, midwife, and Dr. Aviva Romm says, “There is a direct relationship between fertility and stress [and stress] is as much an endocrine experience as an emotional reality.”

Kidney Yang Deficiency

In my practice I often see adrenal fatigue or, in TCM terms, kidney yang deficiency, as an underlying cause of infertility. Kidney yang deficiency is a whole other topic in itself but it is addressed with herbs, lifestyle, and nutritional changes that can help restore balance to these depleted individuals. Adaptogen herbs, nutrient dense foods, healthy sleep habits, regular exercise, and stress management tools are commonly suggested.

Environmental Health

The health of the environment plays a large role in fertility health. Pesticides, heavy metals, xenoestrogens, and radiation have all been implicated in infertility and with miscarriage. An evaluation of the couple’s home and workplace to avoid these toxins is important.

Introduction to bi-phasic formulation

As you can see it’s hard to recommend general herbs for fertility without first understanding the underlying issues that are presenting. Also, not only which herbs you take are important but also when you take them can be important.

I recently took a class on bi-phasic formulation with one of my favorite herbalists (who is also a naturopathic doctor) Robin di Pasquale. Although I haven’t had the opportunity to use this method myself, I thought I would discuss the general theory of it here.

Bi-phasic formulas are issued in two parts. These are be given in accordance of the cycle of  the woman’s menstrual cycle.

The idea is that in the first two weeks of the menstrual cycle (follicular phase) a woman is building estrogen hormones in her body. The last two weeks progesterone is building (luteal phase).

Using a bi-phasic formulation you can then support the woman’s natural cycle. One formula is created for the follicular phase of the cycle and one formula is given for the luteal phase of the cycle. Other considerations may also be present in this formula including liver health, immune support, adrenal support, etc.

Of course all herbs and formulas are created for the individual woman. Besides being important in promoting fertility, bi-phasic formulas can be utilized in a variety of women’s health issues to help bring overall balance and well-being.

Herbal Considerations

I think by now you get the idea that there is no “one herb” to solve infertility issues. Instead addressing what is specifically going on for a particular couple is more successful than blinding pulling an infertility herb out of a hat. Nonetheless as an herbalist I simply must discuss a few herbs that I regularly use for women wishing to conceive.

Shatavari

Asparagus racemosus

Liliaceae family

Shatavari is an Ayurvedic herb that is commonly used for women as a nutritive tonic. It is moistening and building making it a good choice for vata-like conditions. (In Ayurveda, a vata derangement is usually associated with infertility). A food-like substance it can be taken in high doses for extended periods of time. I usually recommend up to ten grams a day taken as a freshly ground powder in ghee or honey. Shatavari is rejuvenating someone from the earth up and it may take several weeks to a month to notice a significant difference.

Milky Oats

Avena sativa

Poaceae family

Another moistening and nutritive tonic, this is a specific trophorestorative for the nervous system. I like both the infusion of the dried milky oat tops as well as the tincture made from the fresh milky oats. I often advise to combine the two preparations. This is for the women (and men) who are high strung and about to fall off their high wire at any moment. This nutritive tonic, like shatavari, re-builds by nourishment bring the body to a better state of health.

Nettle

Urtica dioica

Urticaceae family

A strong nutritive tonic, nettle is renowned for it’s high vitamin and mineral content. Taken daily as a strong infusion it can help to build blood (high in iron) and restore general health and well-being. Nettle can often be too drying and possibly too cooling for some individuals. Small amounts of marshmallow root and ginger can help to balance this out. 

Dong Quai

Angelica sinensis

Apiaceae family 

Like nettle, dong quai builds the blood and is indicated for women who are pale with low vitality and how may have a dark and scanty menstrual flow. Traditional Chinese Medicine has used this herb for centuries as a female reproductive tonic to regulate the menstrual cycle and address amenorrhea. 

Conclusion

Dealing with fertility obstacles can be an immensely challenging time for a couple. There is no proven get-pregnant-quick protocol as the underlying reasons for infertility are as varied as the people themselves. This article is only a brief look at some of the areas a holistic practitioner would evaluate in order to facilitate increased vitality to the whole being. The following are some additional resources that can help educate people further on this issue.

Books

Botanical Medicine for Women’s Health by Aviva Romm

Taking Charge of your Fertility by Toni Weschler

Websites

Preconception diet

http://www.getting-pregnant.com/fertility-diet.html

Diet and unexplained infertility

http://nourishedkitchen.com/unexplained-infertility/

General

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/29/10-Ways-to-Address-Your-Root-Causes-of-Infertility--Naturally.aspx

This blog post was a part of a blog party on the topic of Fertility hosted by Karen Vaughn of Brooklyn Acupuncture

Meat-Based Diet Made Us Smarter

NPR online has published online an article discussing the role of meat-eating in human brain evolution.  The author, Christopher Joyce, interviews both Leslie Aiello, co-author of the Expensive Tissue Hypothesis, and Richard Wrangham, the vegetarian primatologist who believes that cooking meat played a very important role in brain evolution.

This article has some real choice passages, like this one from Aiello:

"You can't have a large brain and big guts at the same time," explains Leslie Aiello, an anthropologist and director of the Wenner-Gren Foundation in New York City, which funds research on evolution. Digestion, she says, was the energy-hog of our primate ancestor's body. The brain was the poor stepsister who got the leftovers.

Until, that is, we discovered meat.

"What we think is that this dietary change around 2.3 million years ago was one of the major significant factors in the evolution of our own species," Aiello says.

In fact, new data suggests that this change took place at least 3.4 million years ago.

Previously unknown to me, Aiello says we have some extraordinary data that indicates that our ancestors scavenged meat from carcasses shared with wild dogs and hyenas:

"The closest relative of human tapeworms are tapeworms that affect African hyenas and wild dogs," she says.

So sometime in our evolutionary history, she explains, "we actually shared saliva with wild dogs and hyenas." That would have happened if, say, we were scavenging on the same carcass that hyenas were.

But dining with dogs was worth it. Meat is packed with lots of calories and fat. Our brain — which uses about 20 times as much energy as the equivalent amount of muscle — piped up and said, "Please, sir, I want some more."

 This "dining with dogs" may have had other consequences for human evolution.  MSN online reports that dogs, not chimps are most like humans in social behavior.  I feel inclined to turn this around to say that humans behave more like dogs than like chimps--more like pack hunters and less like solitary mostly vegetarian chimps.  The lead author of this comparative study of dog and human behavior, Jozsef Topal explained to Discovery News "that shared environment has led to the emergence of functionally shared behavioral features in dogs and humans and, in some cases, functionally analogous underlying cognitive skills."  In other words, humans who dined with dogs and behaved more like dogs and less like chimps had greater success in the hunt so that today we behave more like dogs than like chimps.

Back to the NPR article:

"As we got more [meat], our guts shrank because we didn't need a giant vegetable processor any more. Our bodies could spend more energy on other things like building a bigger brain. Sorry, vegetarians, but eating meat apparently made our ancestors smarter — smart enough to make better tools, which in turn led to other changes, says Aiello." 

Those other changes included reduction of the size of teeth and mouth as we adapted to use of "external teeth" i.e. knives.  I often remark that this adaptation made the smile possible.  After all, when an animal with hefty canines bears its teeth, it doesn't exactly warm the heart with joy.

The Raw Deal


Currently raw food diets seem popular.  The raw fooders seem fond of pointing out the no other animal cooks food, and they think this shows that cooking is "unnatural."  They also like to point out that cooking can destroy components of food.

Well, no other animal uses computers, composes symphonies, or writes sonnets.  Wrangham points out that we have good reason to believe that we wouldn't have the brain we need to do these things if we hadn't started cooking.  From the NPR article: 

Wrangham explains that even after we started eating meat, raw food just didn't pack the energy to build the big-brained, small-toothed modern human. He cites research that showed that people on a raw food diet, including meat and oil, lost a lot of weight. Many said they felt better, but also experienced chronic energy deficiency. And half the women in the experiment stopped menstruating.

It's not as if raw food isn't nutritious; it's just harder for the body to get at the nutrition.

Wrangham urges me to try some raw turnip. Not too bad, but hardly enough to get the juices flowing. "They've got a tremendous amount of caloric energy in them," he says. "The problem is that it's in the form of starch, which unless you cook it, does not give you very much."

Then there's all the chewing that raw food requires. Chimps, for example, sometimes chew for six hours a day. That actually consumes a lot of energy.

"Plato said if we were regular animals, you know, we wouldn't have time to write poetry," Wrangham jokes. "You know, he was right."

Wrangham eats a vegetarian diet, but notes that the art of cooking meat gave our ancestors important advantages: 

Besides better taste, cooked food had other benefits — cooking killed some pathogens on food.

But cooking also altered the meat itself. It breaks up the long protein chains, and that makes them easier for stomach enzymes to digest. "The second thing is very clear," Wrangham adds, "and that is the muscle, which is made of protein, is wrapped up like a sausage in a skin, and the skin is collagen, connective tissue. And that collagen is very hard to digest. But if you heat it, it turns to jelly."

As for starchy foods like turnips, cooking gelatinizes the tough starch granules and makes them easier to digest too. Even just softening food — which cooking does — makes it more digestible. In the end, you get more energy out of the food.

That increased energy goes to our head!  Our brains use about 25% of our resting energy expenditure, compared to 8-9% for a chimpanzee. So if you want to think like a chimp, go for the raw food diet; but if you want to be human, use fire:

Yes, cooking can damage some good things in raw food, like vitamins. But Wrangham argues that what's gained by cooking far outweighs the losses.

As I cut into my steak (Wrangham is a vegetarian; he settles for the mango and potatoes), Wrangham explains that cooking also led to some of the finer elements of human behavior: it encourages people to share labor; it brings families and communities together at the end of the day and encourages conversation and story-telling — all very human activities.

"Ultimately, of course, what makes us intellectually human is our brain," he says. "And I think that comes from having the highest quality of food in the animal kingdom, and that's because we cook."

New data: Human ancestors eating meat 3.4 million years ago

New Scientist has published an article online reporting on new archaeological finds that indicate that Early humans were butchers 3.4 million years ago.  The article reports:

"Our ancestors were carving meat some 800,000 years earlier than previously thought. Marks on fossilised animal bones found in Ethiopia indicate that early-human butchers were using stone tools as early as 3.4 million years ago.

Shannon McPherron of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and colleagues say the find is evidence that Australopithecus afarensis – the only known hominin species present in the region at the time – used tools.

The finds suggest that the evolution of toolmaking and meat-eating among our human ancestors is more complex than existing theories admit.

They also add to a growing body of evidence that A. afarensis may have been more human-like and less primitive than some have assumed."

The new data indicates that A. afarensis used tools to butcher a large mammal similar in size to a modern cow.  This means that he very deliberately (not accidentally) ate the red meat so dreaded by modern people.   Apparently he understood the advantages of red meat over poultry...and of the fat found in marrow:

"What we have done is push back in time, rather dramatically, two of the more fundamental behaviours that played such an important role in our evolution – meat consumption and tool use," says McPherron. "This find forces us to rethink the idea that the origins of stone tool use, meat consumption and the origins of our genus Homo all occurred together, around 2.5 million years ago."

Instead, he says, it's likely that hominins at least experimented with stone tools to help them eat meat and marrow much earlier.

The article carries the following two images of the bones with cut marks from stone tools used to butcher the animal:

So now it appears that the ancestral group to which Lucy belonged relished red meat and had tools for the purpose nearly a million years before H. habilis showed up.  If so, this means that we have eaten red meat for at least 340 times as long as any human group has eaten grain-based diets found in agriculture.

Fructose Feeds Cancer

"Cancer cells slurp up fructose, US study finds"

On August 2, 2010, Reuters released a story with that title.  The first few paragraphs:

Pancreatic tumor cells use fructose to divide and proliferate, U.S. researchers said on Monday in a study that challenges the common wisdom that all sugars are the same.

Tumor cells fed both glucose and fructose used the two sugars in two different ways, the team at the University of California Los Angeles found.

They said their finding, published in the journal Cancer Research, may help explain other studies that have linked fructose intake with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancer types.

"These findings show that cancer cells can readily metabolize fructose to increase proliferation," Dr. Anthony Heaney of UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center and colleagues wrote.

"They have major significance for cancer patients given dietary refined fructose consumption, and indicate that efforts to reduce refined fructose intake or inhibit fructose-mediated actions may disrupt cancer growth."

 I actually felt amazed to find the following statement in the article:

Tumor cells thrive on sugar but they used the fructose to proliferate. "Importantly, fructose and glucose metabolism are quite different," Heaney's team wrote.

Finally a mainstream article admits that "tumor cells thrive on sugar"!  And how amazing also that a mainstream article discusses cancer and nutrition with nary a mention of the dreaded saturated fat or how meat supposedly promotes cancer!

Now we know that it is the fructose portion of sugar that promotes proliferation.  This data of course helps explain why cancer occurred rarely or not at all among hunter-gatherers. 

And I think of those who say "moderation in everything."  Do you really want "moderate" amounts of a substance which so efficiently promotes cancer? 

"I think this paper has a lot of public health implications. Hopefully, at the federal level there will be some effort to step back on the amount of high fructose corn syrup in our diets," Heaney said in a statement.

I wonder what he has in mind...some form of regulation?  Or does he know that cheap corn syrup is a product of taxation (essentially without representation) and agricultural subsidies, i.e. socialized farming (we support the corn farmers)?   Did you, my dear reader, know that the processed food industry has the goons in Washington using their brute force (guns pointing at your head) to steal money from you and turn it over to their supply chain so that they can have cheap raw materials?  Did you realize the extent to which we already live in a fascist nation?  

Of course I favor ending those subsidies and retaining my hard earned dollars for my own use.  In our current system, I am subsidizing corn, which I rarely eat, and thus have less money available for the foods I do eat, like grass fed meat and vegetables.   This is NOT what I would call a free nation!


According to the article, "Now the team hopes to develop a drug that might stop tumor cells from making use of fructose."

I find this tragico-comic.  Fructose is a dietary component, not produced by human cells nor essential in the diet.  Thus, it is simple to stop tumor cells from making use of fructose....simply eliminate fructose from the diet, or limit it to the point where all coming in will get efficiently metabolized by the liver so that none extra will remain available for cancer cells! 


But the corn syrup industry wouldn't find that palatable.  As noted in the article:

U.S. consumption of high fructose corn syrup went up 1,000 percent between 1970 and 1990, researchers reported in 2004 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

 I fear this research will suffer a crushing fate at the hands of the Sugar Industry.  I doubt that  those leaches will let their subsidies go easily.  So maybe they will finance the quest for a drug to "stop tumor cells from making use of fructose"?  And maybe they will put that drug right into their sodas and other corn syrup-laden products?  A "value-added" product for you, eh?

My Meals 8/13/2010

Today I had this for breakfast:

• Half pound of grass-fed ground beef mixed with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and about 1/2 tablespoon of chili powder
• About a cup of  gai lan, a cruciferous vegetable sometimes called "Chinese broccoli"
• One avocado
• One medium red potato
• One medium orange
• Small handful of almonds

For lunch I had the same ground beef, steamed baby bok choy dressed with olive oil, another red potato, a half-cup of walnuts, and a peach.  Forgot to take a picture of it. 

Oh Yarrow!

Yarrow
Botanical name: Achillea millefolium
Family: Asteraceae (Aster)
Parts used: flowers, leaves, roots


Hatfield Botanic Pharmacopeia speaking of yarrow in the year 1886
“it is indeed difficult to say in what complaints it may not with advantage receive employment. It is one of the commonest wayside herbs, and as useful and well adapted for recourse in almost any emergency where other medicines are not at hand, as it is common.”


I am frequently asked, “If you were stuck on a desert island with only one medicinal plant, which would it be?”

Certainly a difficult question to answer but, if I were really pressed, my response may be yarrow.

Some plants are very specific in their nature and, therefore, we use them in a limited amount of ways.

Not so with yarrow. Its nature is so complex and its uses so far reaching that I find yarrow absolutely astounding.

Instead of asking what yarrow can do, it would be a shorter list to ask what it cannot do... Actually I am still working on the answer to that, so we might as well begin with what it can do.

Yarrow is complex in various ways. With many herbs we can say one is warming or cooling, but yarrow is not so clear cut. Conversely, we can label an herb as moistening or drying but, again, not so with yarrow. While its diuretic and diaphoretic properties define it as drying, its ability to stop blood and astringe tissues can actually hold moisture in. Yarrow is an herb that defies categorization.

Herbalist Matthew Woods says this of Yarrow

“Thus, it is both cooling and warming, fluid generating and controlling. Remedies with contradictory but complementary properties are often of great utility since they are able to normalize opposing conditions. This is true for yarrow.”

Despite its complexity, the uses for yarrow are simple.


Yarrow is a time-proven herb. Fossilized yarrow pollen has been found in burial caves dating back as far as 60,000 years! Yarrow is very old medicine.

If you only used yarrow for one thing, it could be for its incredible affinity to heal minor to serious wounds. It has been used for thousands of years on battlefields. Its scientific genus name, Achillea, is in reference to the Greek story of Achilles. It is said that Achilles was dipped in a solution made from yarrow, rendering him untouchable in battle.

Yarrow has several properties that make it ideal for wound care. Yarrow is a great antiseptic; thus, it can keep a wound clean and prevent infection.

It is also an anodyne and can be used to relieve pain associated with wounds.

But most amazingly is its ability to control blood. Yarrow can miraculously stop even heavy bleeding. It is commonly used for hemorrhoids, cuts, scrapes, post-partum care, bruises, and even sores found in the mouth.

Once, while camping, a friend of mine sliced through her hand while cutting an avocado. The bleeding was profuse and we were quite a ways from medical attention. We quickly packed the wound with bruised yarrow leaves and the bleeding stopped almost instantly. In this way we were able to safely transport her to the ER where she got stitches. At first the attending doctor was evidently upset that we were stupid enough to place a dirty plant in a wound. Once he saw how deep the cut went, however, he became very interested in exactly what plant was able to stop the bleeding so effectively.

Yarrow can also stop internal bleeding. Examples include excessive bleeding associated with uterine fibroids, bleeding hemorrhoids, urinary bleeding, coughs that produce bloody mucous, nosebleeds, and bleeding ulcers.

However, yarrow has the ability to control blood, so it not only stops bleeding, it can also promote circulatory flow!  It is used on varicose veins which are essentially the pooling of blood often occurring in the legs. It can be used to ease the flow of blood in the case of hypertension. Yarrow is also a pelvic decongestant making it a strong ally for fibroids by both clearing the stagnation while simultaneously stopping excessive bleeding.

An infusion or diluted tincture of yarrow is great for spongy gums. Herbalist Michael Moore reports good results with using yarrow root for toothaches.

Yarrow is a bitter herb and can be used in small amounts to promote digestion. Its astringent, anodyne, and styptic abilities make it a great match for bleeding ulcers. Historically, it has been used for dysentery.

Yarrow works as a fabulous bug repellant. If you are in the woods you can simply rub the plant over your exposed skin. If you are planning ahead you can make a tincture out of the yarrow and spray that on your clothes and skin. I’ve found this to be very effective although I do have to reapply every hour or so.

Drink yarrow as a hot tea and it is an effective stimulating diaphoretic. It can be used for colds and flus, especially when a dry fever is present. Yarrow’s ability to promote sweating has made it a sacred herb used in sweat lodges and other types of therapeutic sweating.

Taken as a lukewarm or cold tea one can experience more diuretic properties, making it a powerful antiseptic for bladder infections. Herbalist Gail Faith Edwards says its affinity for the bladder along with its astringent properties make it ideal for helping with incontinence.

But wait! There’s more!

Yarrow is an anodyne, quite effective at relieving pain. It can be used topically on bruises, musculoskeletal pain, and even arthritis.

If that’s not enough I even found a reference in Culpeper’s herbal, dated in 1652, that a decoction of yarrow poured over the head will stop a person from going bald.

From hemorrhages to balding, yarrow does it all!

I've even seen insect activity that might suggest it's an aphrodisiac or perhaps just a good place to get comfortable.

And yarrow grows everywhere! Well, everywhere except Antarctica.

It likes to grow in dry soils and is often found in meadows and other clearings. Depending on the environment it can grow from 1-3 feet tall.

It has distinct feathery leaves. Its species name, millefolium, literally means ‘a thousand leaves. The leaves are alternate.

It flowers from early summer to early fall. It has a composite flower head with 5 ray flowers and 10-30 disk flowers.

Even spiders like yarrow

The leaves, roots, and flowers can be used for medicine. It can be extracted fresh in alcohol or oil, or dried for making teas.

Yarrow is the current featured herb at HerbMentor and this article was originally written as an introduction to yarrow for HerbMentor.com members. You can see a free HerbMentor newsletter about making Yarrow insect repellent here

Our next featured herb is Marshmallow!