| Cinnamon The use of Cinnamon as a spice and as a medicine dates back to 2000 BC. There are two types of Cinnamon which are known to as Chinese Cinnamon and Ceylon Cinnamon. While they have a similar flavor, Ceylon Cinnamon is a bit sweeter and is considered be of a more refined and higher quality.
Just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar levels in diabetics, a new study has found. The effect, which can be produced even by soaking a cinnamon stick your tea, could also benefit millions of non-diabetics who have blood sugar problem but are unaware of it.
The discovery was initially made by accident, by Richard Anderson at the US Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland. "We were looking at the effects of common foods on blood sugar; one was the American favorite, apple pie, which is usually spiced with cinnamon. We expected it to be bad. But it helped," he says.
The active ingredient in cinnamon turned out to be a water-soluble polyphenol compound called MHCP. In test tube experiments, MHCP mimics insulin, activates its receptor, and works synergistically with insulin in cells.
To see if it would work in people, Alam Khan, who was a postdoctoral fellow in Anderson's lab, organized a study in Pakistan. Volunteers with Type 2 diabetes were given one, three or six grams of cinnamon powder a day, in capsules after meals.
All responded within weeks, with blood sugar levels that were on average 20 per cent lower than a control group. Some even achieved normal blood sugar levels. Tellingly, blood sugar started creeping up again after the diabetics stopped taking cinnamon.
In the volunteers, the Cinnamon also lowered blood levels of fats and "bad" cholesterol, which are also partly controlled by insulin. And in test tube experiments it neutralized free radicals, damaging chemicals which are elevated in diabetics.
Cinnamon's essential oils also qualify it as an "anti-microbial" food, and cinnamon has been studied for its ability to help stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi, including the commonly problematic yeast Candida.
In a study, published in the August 2003 issue of the International Journal of Food Microbiology, the addition of just a few drops of cinnamon essential oil to approximately 3 ounces of carrot broth, which was then refrigerated, inhibited the growth of the food borne pathogenic Bacillus cereus for at least 60 days. When the broth was refrigerated without the addition of cinnamon oil, the pathogenic B. cereus flourished despite the cold temperature. In addition, researchers noted that the addition of cinnamon not only acted as an effective preservative but improved the flavor of the broth.
Research led by Dr. P. Zoladz and presented April 24, 2004, at the annual meeting of the Association for Chemoreception Sciences, in Sarasota, FL, found that chewing cinnamon flavored gum or just smelling cinnamon enhanced study participants' cognitive processing. Specifically, cinnamon improved participants' scores on attention related processes, virtual recognition memory, working memory, and visual-motor speed while working on a computer-based program.
(Hint: simmer a few cinnamon sticks in water while your kids are doing their homework – this will also serve as wonderful yet non-toxic air freshener for your home)
In addition to the active components in its essential oils and its nutrient composition, cinnamon has also been valued in energy-based medical systems, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, for its warming qualities. In these traditions, cinnamon has been used to provide relief when faced with the onset of a cold or flu, especially when mixed in a tea with some fresh ginger.
You will find Cinnamon used in many of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods including Phi Plus, Apple Cinnamon Phi, DetoxiPhi, Joule and Cornaborealis. Apple Cinnamon Phi
 Apple Cinnamon Phi is a version of Phi Plus which is made with a generous addition of apples and cinnamon. Apples and Cinnamon are two very healthy whole foods additional fiber and the health benefits of apples and cinnamon to Phi Plus. This sweet and chewy treat will please the taste buds, warm the spirit and nourish the mind and body!
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Almonds Almonds are a wonderful Whole Food and science has recently discovered the benefits of eating them in their whole form. Recent research reveals that the flavonoids in almond skin works synergistically the vitamin E found in almonds. This synergistic combination creates more than 200% the antioxidant power of the almonds and almond skins when separated. "We have identified a unique combination of flavonoids in almonds," said Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., senior scientist and director of the Antioxidants Research Laboratory at Tufts University. "Further blood tests demonstrated that eating almonds with their skins significantly increases both flavonoids and vitamin E in the body. This could have significant health implications, especially as people age."
Blumberg's team tested the effects of almond skin's flavonoids alone and then in combination with the vitamin E found in almonds. The tests were done on blood samples containing LDL cholesterol. While almond skin flavonoids alone enhanced LDL's resistance to oxidation by 18%, when the almond’s vitamin E was added, LDL's! resistance to oxidation was extended by 52.5%!
"The synergy between the flavonoids and vitamin E in almonds demonstrates how the nutrients in whole foods such as almonds can impact health," says Dr. Blumberg.
In another study, Researchers from the Institute of Food Research found that eating almonds can help fight viral infections such as the common cold and the flu. It was discovered that almond skins had improved the white blood cells ability to detect viruses found in the body. It was also determined that almonds had the unique effect of increasing the body's ability to stop viruses from replicating and spreading throughout the body. According to the study's author Dr. Giuseppina Mandalari, “Almond skins are able to stimulate the immune response and thus contribute to an antiviral immune defense.” This study was published in the scientific journal Immunology Letters, the official journal of the European Federation of Immunological Societies.
You can find almonds in many of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods such as Phi Plus, Cranberry Phi, Coco Cherry Phi as well as all seven Wholefood Farmacy Farinas!
Cranberry Phi Plus
 Cranberry Phi Plus is perfect for the holidays. This rich tasting, moist delicious variation of Phi Plus features the wonderful flavor of Phi Plus enhanced with heart warming flavor and healthy nutrition of cranberries. Cranberries have a special place on the holiday table during this festive season of the year and Cranberry Phi Plus can be a wonderful Hor’s Dourve, appetizer or a special part of your main course.
These amazing little red berries pack a powerful nutritional punch. In 1996 laboratory studies conducted by University of Illinois scientists and published in Planta Medica demonstrated the potential anti-cancer properties of cranberries. USDA scientists at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University have been finding promising results associated with diets high in antioxidants and other phytonutrients. Preliminary studies suggest that diets containing fruits and vegetables with high ORAC values may provide protection against chronic age-related afflictions like loss of coordination and loss of memory. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity which is a measure of the antioxidant activity for a particular food. Cranberries score very high on the ORAC scale at 1750 ORAC units per 3.5 oz. serving.
When you taste Cranberry Phi Plus your taste buds will jump for joy and the wonderful, familiar flavor of cranberries will create that warm inner glow that so many of us look forward to during this festive season of the year. It’s the perfect treat for the holidays – enjoy! Click Here For More Info Click Here to Order
Sleep & Obesity in Young Children
A study published in the November 2007 issue of the journal Pediatrics shows that more sleep for youngsters may lower their risk of obesity significantly.
The researchers have found that every additional hour per night a third-grader spends sleeping reduces the child’s chances of being obese in sixth grade by 40 percent.
Dr. Julie Lumeng of the University of Michigan, who led the research, said that “the less sleep they got, the more likely the children were to be obese in sixth grade, no matter what the child’s weight was in third grade”.
If there was a magic number for the third-graders, it was 9 hours, 45 minutes of sleep. Sleeping more than 9 hours, 45 minutes lowered the risk of obesity significantly. Of the children who slept 10 to 12 hours a day, only 12 percent were obese by sixth grade. If you think about it, the kids can’t eat while they’re sleeping - and - if well rested, they are less likely to be stressed or exhausted which is when many kids turn to unhealthy “comfort foods” (candy, sodas, burgers, fries, chips, energy drinks, etc).
If your children consume these all-to-common energy drinks, we encourage you to read the labels – the levels of caffeine are extremely high. In place of these unhealthy energy drinks, consider offering Farmacy Pro Power which is an all natural, delicious and very healthy energy drink. One serving is the equivalent of 8 servings of vegetables - that’s where the real energy comes from. But all in all, the study gives parents yet another reason to encourage regular bedtimes, restrict caffeine and remove the TV from the bedroom.
Experts offer these ideas for promoting good sleep habits in elementary school children:
WAKE TIME: The biological clock resets in the morning, so it’s just as important to have a consistent wake-up time as a consistent bedtime. Avoid over scheduling that interferes with sleep time.
WEEKENDS: Avoid letting children sleep extremely late on weekends, but be flexible enough to allow a little fun.
TEMPERATURE: A cool bedroom is better.
CAFFEINE: Soda or chocolate at lunch may keep some children awake at night, so limit or rule out caffeine.
ELECTRONICS: Keep TVs, cell phones, computer games and other electronics out of the bedroom.
BEDTIME ROUTINE: Encourage reading, chatting about the day or other soothing activities in the 30 minutes before bed.
After a good night’s sleep, there’s no better way for your kids to start the day than with convenient Wholefood Farmacy foods. The kids love it when you add Phi Plus or Fruitalicious Plus to their oat meal, cream of wheat, or quality whole grain breakfast cereal. It adds new dimensions of taste and nutrition to these healthy, whole grain types of breakfast foods.
Fruitalicious Plus
 Fruitalicious Plus is a sweet, fruity, crunchy alternative to traditional snack foods. It is a combination of low-pressure and sun-dried ingredients: Honey Granola, Apples, Raisins, Banana, Strawberry, Mango, Raspberry, Dates, Coconut, Currants, Figs, Cranberry, & Red Flame Raisins. This raw fruit snack packs a powerful fruity punch. Fruitalicious Plus is a tasty immune boosting treat that is also a great source of dietary fiber & slow sugars.
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