Delicious Ratatouille Recipe

 The ingredients

Ratatouille is a Provencal dish that originated in the area around present day Nice, where it was a poor French peasant fare at first. It was prepared in the summer with fresh summer vegetables and herbs. 

The word "ratatouille" derives comes from the French word "touiller," which means to toss food. 

The original recipe used only zucchini, tomatoes, green and red peppers, onions, and garlic. Most modern recipes have eggplant as one of the main ingredients. I love to add black olives. And I always cook it with good French red wine.

Ratatouille may be eaten on its own as an appetizer or a main course. It is also a perfect side dish to a lamb roast.

To really enjoy this sun infused Mediterranean recipe purchase ripe, organic vegetable.

 The dish

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 4-6 cloves garlic, crushed and coarsely chopped
• 1 large red onion, quartered and sliced
• 2 small eggplants, cut into cubs
• 2 green bell peppers, coarsely chopped
• 3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped (peeled and seeded)
• 2 medium-sized zucchini, cut into cubs
• handful of Provencal black olives
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
•  1/2 glass dry red wine
• Celtic sea salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

In a large saucepan, carefully warm the olive oil over medium heat. Do not burn. Add onions and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add peppers. Stir and cook for 5-8 minutes. Add eggplant. Stir until coated with oil. Cook for another 8-10 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent vegetables from sticking to the pot. 

Add tomatoes, zucchini, and herbs. Mix well. Cover and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and red wine. Cook for another 5 minutes. Toss in the black olives. Add chopped garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetable are tender, but not overcooked. 

I prefer my vegetables cooked al dente. You may want to adjust the cooking time according to your personal preference.

Serve with French baguette and a glass of robust Provencal red wine. Enjoy in good company!

By Dominique Allmon

 

Dominique Allmon©2012

Vitamin K - An Extraordinary Anti-Aging Nutrient

Learn how vitamin K strengthens bones, protects arteries, and prevents liver and prostate cancer and other degenerative diseases.

Unlike many other nutrients, vitamin K did not receive much attention in the past. New research, however, indicates that this vitamin is one of the most amazing anti-aging nutrients available to us. An ongoing scientific research suggests that vitamin K may play a significant role in preventing certain cancers and the Alzheimer's disease.

What is vitamin K? 

Vitamin K is a group of fat-soluble vitamins that can be found in nature and made in the body. Phylloquinone, or vitamin K1, is the natural form of vitamin K that is found in plants such as dark green leafy vegetables, alfalfa, and kelp. Menaquinone, or vitamin K2, is the vitamin K produced by the bacteria in our intestines. Menadione, or vitamin K3, is a synthetic compound that has the chemical structure of the natural vitamin K. This form of vitamin K, however, is regarded as toxic because it generates free radicals.

Vitamin K was discovered in 1929 by a Danish researcher Henrik Dam. He noticed that chicken that were fed a fat-free diet were susceptible to hemorrhage. Moreover, blood taken from these birds coagulated very slowly. Intrigued by this observation, he investigated this strange phenomena and found out that a particular substance was necessary for the blood to coagulate. The chickens in his experiment lacked it because that substance was found only in the fatty foods. He named that substance "coagulation vitamin" using the German spelling, hence the name vitamin K.

Vitamin K is easily destroyed by extreme heat, light, alkaline substances, strong acids, radiation, and oxidizing agents. Some research, however, shows that cooking does not significantly diminish vitamin K content in vegetables. 

Vitamin K is absorbed from the upper small intestine with the help of bile salts and pancreatic juices and carried to the liver where it is utilized in the synthesis of prothrombin - a key blood clotting factor in the body. Vitamin K is stored in small doses within the body. The highest concentrations are found in the liver, the pancreas, and in the bones. Any excess of this vitamin is excreted. High intake of vitamin E and calcium interferes with the absorption of vitamin K. 

Functions of vitamin K

• The most important and best studied function of vitamin K is it role in the blood clotting process. Vitamin K is required for the synthesis of the coagulating factors, mostly the blood-clotting protein prothrombin.
• Vitamin K protects the heart because it prevents the calcification of the aorta and the heart valves.
• Vitamin K is responsible for bone health. Low serum levels of vitamin K are normally associated with lower bone mineral density and indicate an increased risk of hip fracture. Supplementation with vitamin K may improve bone mass in postmenopausal women. Research shows that when vitamin K is taken together with vitamin D3, it can prevent osteoporosis.
• Vitamin K regulates calcium levels in the body. I helps keep calcium in the bones and out of the arteries. Scientists suggest that by regulating calcium, vitamin K may reverse hypertension and reduce the susceptibility to stroke.
• Research shows that vitamin K has the potential to reduce inflammation in the body by inhibiting interleukin-6, a substance that affects the immune system and is responsible for the inflammatory processes in the body.
• According to the latest research conducted in Japan, vitamin K may be involved in blood sugar control. Pancreas has very  high concentrations of vitamin K and researchers discovered that this vitamin has some effects on insulin and glucose concentrations in the body. Laboratory tests showed that insufficient levels of vitamin K in the body interfere with the clearance of glucose causing release of too much insulin. This discovery may be of great importance in diabetes prevention and treatment.
• Studies demonstrated that vitamin K is a powerful antioxidant. It fights free radicals in the liver and protects linoleic acid from oxidation. It may be useful in preventing liver cancer. Research conducted in Germany also shows that vitamin K may prevent prostate cancer.
• Vitamin K supports the brain and the nervous system. Scientists discovered that vitamin K is required for the synthesis of the fats called sphingolipids that are critical in the formation of the myelin sheath - an outer wrapping around the nerves. This discovery may be useful in the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

Nutritional sources of vitamin K

Most dietary vitamin K come from vegetable especially from dark leafy greens such as kale, chard, and collards and from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. Blackstrap molasses, fermented soy products, and polyunsaturated oils also contain significant amounts of vitamin K. Vitamin K is also found in egg yolks, cow liver, fish liver, yogurt, and Swiss cheese. 

Deficiency

Deficiency of vitamin K is very rare and is associated with impaired absorption rather than with inadequate diet. Deficiency occurs when the body cannot absorb this vitamin from the intestines or when the intestinal flora has been destroyed by prolonged treatment with antibiotics. People suffering from cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, and cholestasis may become deficient. Symptoms of vitamin K deficiency usually include tendency to bruises, nose bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, gum bleeding, and heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding.  

 

Recommended daily dose

The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin K is 80 µg per day for adult men and 65 µg per day for adult women. No more than 50 µg per day may be administered to the newborn babies to prevent hemorrhage. 

A healthy, balanced diet usually provides 75 - 150 µg of vitamin K in its natural, bio-available form.

Warning

Although there is no known toxicity associated with high doses of the naturally occurring vitamin K1, synthetic forms of this vitamin should be avoided. High intake of vitamin K is not recommended for individuals taking anticoagulant medications such as Warfarin. Their diet should not contain more than 120 µg of this vitamin.

By Dominique Allmon

 

*This information is for educational purpose only. It is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure a disease.

Vitamin K - An Extraordinary Anti-Aging Nutrient by Dominique Allmon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Lemon Mint Sorbet

Is there a better way to celebrate summer than to indulge in guiltless ice cream consumption? Especially if it is home-made?

I love any ice cream, but when temperatures rise mercilessly I opt for a lighter and more refreshing flavor like lemon, lime or pineapple. A sorbet is probably the best choice on a hot summer day. And if fresh herbs such as mint, thyme, sage or lavender are added, the gustatory experience is rather ecstatic.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup chopped mint leaves
• zest of 1/3 lemon
• dash of kosher salt to enhance the taste
• 1 cup champagne 
• few small finely chopped mint leaves for decoration

Method:

• In a skillet dissolve sugar in water and slowly bring the mixture to boil. Simmer the syrup gently stirring occasionally.
• Place lemon zest and mint leaves in a mixing bowl and pour syrup into it. Mix well and let it sit for 20 minutes or so. Strain through a fine sieve.
• Stir in lemon juice. Add champagne.
• If you have an ice maker follow the manufacturers instructions. If you do not have one, simply use an ice cube dish. Pour the lemon champagne mixture into the dish and place it in the freezer. When ice cubed are formed, throw them into a blender and process until smooth.
• Mix in the mint leaves and serve in chilled glasses. Enjoy in good company!

If you want to make a sorbet without alcohol you have to add more water and more lemon juice. However, alcohol prevents sorbet from setting hard like an ice rock and allows you to scoop it nicely into the glasses.

 

By Dominique Allmon

Image by Lottie Davies

Lose Weight with Wild African Mango

Obesity is a major risk factor for many diseases including cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and Type 2 diabetes. For many people weight loss has become a necessity. Losing weight, however, proves very difficult at times.

As we age, our metabolism often slows down and it is more difficult to lose weight now than it was when we were in our twenties or thirties. It is important to understand these physiological changes and to adjust our nutrition accordingly. Some people, however, may became either glucose or leptin resistant and need more than a simple adjustment of their nutrition.

There are many products on the market making spectacular claims about weight loss. Some of them have excellent results, while others bring disappointment and may even cause damage to health. Information about weight loss products and dieting is confusing at times and may discourage those who want to lose weight from taking any action at all, especially if they have tried to lose weight before and did not succeed.

A serious research is being conducted all around the world since obesity is becoming an acute problem in many countries. Plants that have been used for weight loss in many traditional cultures are now investigated in controlled laboratory settings. The results are very promising and give hope to countless people struggling with health challenges related to the excess weight they are carrying around.

One such plant is the wild African mango (Irvingia gabonensis) also known as the bush mango or ogbono. Research shows that Irvingia extract  can help overweight individuals shed their unwanted pounds. In addition, this extract can help lower the levels of bad cholesterol.

The bush mango is native to West Africa and grows mostly in Southern Nigeria and Cameroon. The tree produces small fruits that look like mangoes, hence the name. The flesh of these fruits is sweet and juicy, but the natives also utilize their seeds. Just like other nuts and seeds, African mango seeds are high in fat. The oil can be extracted and is used for cooking and in soap making, but more often, the nuts are dried, crashed or ground to a fine flour that is used in local cuisine to thicken soups and stews or to bake a cake called "dika bread". The flour is high in carbohydrates, calcium, iron, proteins, and fiber.

Studies show that the wild mango extract can produce considerable weight loss by inhibiting calorie absorption and storage. The extract exerts potent anti-diabetic effect. It normalizes blood sugar and increases the activity of enzymes involved in cellular energy metabolism. Further, the extract also lowers the levels of "bad" cholesterol, at the same time increasing the levels of beneficial cholesterol in the body. Wild mango extract is also capable of inhibiting the enzyme amylase which is responsible for breaking up the starches into sugar. In this way irvingia extract is useful for dieters who wish to restrict their total carbohydrate exposure. In addition to blocking amylase, the extract acts directly on fat cells in the body. It helps reduce the lipid formation and storage.

What is Leptin?

Leptin is a fat-burning and appetite-suppressing hormone. It modulates appetite by sending signals to our brains when we have consumed enough calories. It also enhances the body's ability to utilize fat deposits as energy source.

As we age our cells may become leptin resistant and this hormone loses its ability to regulate body weight. The more overweight we are, the more leptin circulates in the body in attempt to inform the brain that there are enough fat cells in the body and that our food intake is adequate. But because these fat cells are constantly infused with leptin, they lose their sensitivity to this hormone. We develop leptin resistance, or the inability to respond to the satiety signals, and as a consequence are unable to lose belly fat or to maintain optimal weight. This condition is paired with insulin resistance and we develop so called metabolic syndrome.

Seed extract of the wild African mango shows a great promise in correcting leptin resistance. It enhances the breakdown of fat in fat cells and signals the brain to turn on the satiety message. The extract also shows the ability to increase insulin sensitivity and to inhibit amylase - a digestive enzyme responsible for carbohydrate digestion. People who participated in 10-week studies not only lost some weight, but also showed improved blood levels of total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, and the C-reactive protein.

Dosage

The suggested daily dose of wild African mango seed extract is 150mg taken twice a day approximately 30 minutes before meals. It is best to take the extract before breakfast and before lunch.

The extract is fairly safe and it is often mixed with such nutrients zinc, chromium, caffeine, and green tea extract. The extract will not work for overweight people who consume more calories than they can actually utilize. One cannot irresponsibly overeat and expect to lose weight with pills and potions. No pill can substitute healthy diet and exercise. And no pill can take away our responsibility for the choices we make. But like no other product on the market, wild African mango regulates many aspects of healthy weight loss and helps you maintain high levels of energy during the day.

By Dominique Teng

*This information is for educational purpose only. It is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure a disease.

Lose Weight with Wild African Mango by Dominique Teng is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Image by Alex Craig 

SpaceX Makes History! Dragon in Space!

Falcon 9 over Florida

“Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead

A privately owned company made history today! The California-based Space Exploration Technologies SpaceX successfully launched its unmanned Dragon capsule into orbit at 3.44 this morning, May 22,  from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The Dragon was carried by the Falcon 9 rocket and reached the orbit 9 minutes after lift off. Its mission is the International Space Station. The craft is programmed to perform a number of maneuvers which include docking with the ISS.

After successful docking the astronauts will be able to access the Dragon which carries supplies for the ISS.

Every launch into space is exciting, but success of a privately owned company after decades of NASA is really something special. The future belongs to the visionaries!

Healing Properties of Smoky Quartz

Smoky Quartz Cluster

Smoky quartz is a macro-crystalline variety of quartz. Like other quartz crystals smoky quartz is a silicon dioxide mineral. It usually forms transparent hexagonal, rhombohedral  crystals. Macroscopic crystals commonly occur as horizontally striated hexagonal prisms terminated by a combination of positive and negative rhombohedrons forming six sided pyramids. 

The name smoky quartz derives from the smoky color that ranges from grayish-brown to dark brown and even black. The smoky color results from natural exposure to radiation. It forms from free silicon that was released from silicon dioxide during the formation of crystals. Smoky quartz is a rather prevalent mineral that is mostly mined in Colorado, USA, in Brazil, Australia, Madagascar, Switzerland, and Scotland where it is considered to be a national stone. 

Since ancient times smoky quartz was used in many cultures because it was rather easy to cut it to gems and ornaments. This beautiful crystal was considered sacred by the Druids. In shamanic cultures smoky quartz was used in rain gathering ceremonies. The gem was often found on top of the ritual wands used by some of the North American native tribes, especially the Cherokees. Smoky quartz was also popular for making snuff bottles in ancient China. Ancient Romans used it for carving intaglio seals. 

In esoteric circles smoky quartz is regarded as a grounding stone providing physical and psychic protection from negative energies. It can help remove negative energy and transform negativity of any kind into positive energy. It can be used to cleanse the aura.

Smoky quartz is considered to be a stone of abundance and a luck bringer. In difficult times it helps enhance the survival instinct and determination as it keeps one's mind focused on success and the realizations of personal goals and dreams. It enhances intuition and promotes personal pride and joy.

It helps elevate mood and gently remove emotional blockages. It can transform negative emotions such as fear, anger and jealousy into positive energy. It helps clear mental clutter and promotes focus. It brings calm and serenity and helps relieve grief and depression.

Smoky quartz is considered to be a perfect stone for meditation as it helps refine the vibratory energies within body and create clarity of the mind thus facilitating access to subconscious wisdom. It grounds during the meditation and facilitates alignment between the lower and higher selves. It activates the flow of the kundalini energy and enables access to higher states of consciousness. The gem also helps accept one's own sexuality.

The gem is associated with the root chakra and is, therefore, believed to promote physical health of organs of the abdomen including stomach, kidneys, adrenals, pancreas, and the reproductive organs. It can help alleviate leg cramps and ease the hip pain. It can even cure headaches. Smoky quartz promotes detoxification, regulates body fluids and facilitates the healing process. 

For healing purposes smoky quartz crystals can be placed on the body, especially where pain is experienced. To reduce stress it is suggested to hold a crystal in each hand and sit quietly for a few moments. Smoky quartz can be used to produce gem elixir that gently works within the body.

This amazingly beautiful mineral can be placed in any room of the house to purify and balance the energies. It is believed that smoky quartz placed in the bedroom near or around the bed helps the couple to overcome communication problems.

For best results make sure that you purchase natural smoky quartz crystals. Artificially irradiated crystals are dark and opaque and may not bring the same healing results.

By Dominique Allmon

Healing Properties of Smoky Quartz by Dominique Allmon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
 
*This information is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure a disease. 

The Dream Catcher

The Ojibwa (Chippewa) believe that night is full of both good and bad dreams. When a dream catcher is hung above the place where you sleep it moves freely in the night air and catches the dreams as they drift by. The good dreams, knowing their way, pass through the opening in the center of the webbing while the bad dreams, not knowing the way, are caught in the webbing and destroyed at the first light of the morning sun.

There are many variants to the dream catcher legend, some which say both the good and bad dreams are captured and some which say the good dreams slide down the feather to those sleeping below. Although the Ojibwa are credited as the first people to use Dream Catchers many other Tribes and Native peoples have adopted Dream Catchers into their culture. Even though the designs and legends of Dream Catchers differ slightly, the underlying meaning and symbolism is universal and is carried across cultures and language barriers.

Everybody dreams.

Long ago when the world was young an old Lakota spiritual leader was on a high mountain and had a vision. In this vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and teacher of wisdom, appeared in the form of a spider. Iktomi the spider picked up the elder's willow hoop which had feathers, horsehair, beads and offerings on it, and began to spin a web. He spoke to the elder about the cycles of life; how we begin our lives as infants, move on through childhood and onto adulthood. Finally, we go to the old age where we must be taken care of as infants, completing the cycle. "But," Iktomi said as he continued to spin his web, "in each time of life there are many forces; some good and some bad. If you listen to the good forces, they will steer you in the right direction. But, if you listen to the bad forces, they'll steer you in the wrong direction, and may hurt you. So these forces can help or can interfere with the harmony of Nature."

While the spider spoke, he continued to weave his web. When Iktomi finished speaking, he gave the elder the web and said, "the web is a perfect circle with a hole in the center. Use the web to help your people reach their goals, make good use of their ideas, dreams and visions. If you believe in the Great Spirit, the web will catch your good ideas and the bad ones will go through the hole." 

The elder passed on his vision to the people, and now many Indian people hang a dream catcher above their bed to sift their dreams and visions. The good is captured in the web of life and carried with the people, but the evil in their dreams drops through the hole in the center of the web and are no longer a part of their lives. 

Story source here & here



Images sources unknown but greatly appreciated

Rhubarb in Season!

The Rhubarb

Rhubarb is a perennial plant belonging to the genus Rheum in the family Polygonaceae. It is related to buckwheat and has a slightly earthy and sour taste. Rhubarb thrives in cold climates. It originated in the regions of Western China, Tibet, Mongolia, and Siberia.

The Chinese cultivated rhubarb for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. The plant was mentioned in the Chinese materia medica compendium "The Divine Farmer's Herb-Root Classic" as early as 2700 BC. The dried root was a popular remedy for a wide range of illnesses. It has been used to cure fevers, to cure constipation and as a blood purifier. The stalks are edible, but the leaves are highly poisonous.

The word rhubarb derives from the Greek words "Rha" and "barbaron." "Rha" is a Scythian name of the Volga River in present-day Ukraine. Rhubarb grew abundantly along its banks. "Barbaron" means "foreign" or "barbarian." Together, the word "rhabarbaron" meant roughly, "A plant of the barbarians from the banks of the Volga River."

During the Middle Ages rhubarb was considered an exotic luxury in Europe. The plant had to be transported from Asia via the Silk Road and its price reflected the hazards of this trade route. Rhubarb was several times more expensive than precious herbs and spices such as cinnamon, opium and saffron. The chroniclers reported in 1542 that rhubarb sold in France for ten times the price of cinnamon. In 1657 rhubarb fetched over twice the price of opium in England.

Cultivation in Europe began in Italy around 1608 where it was used as a sweet filling for pies and tarts. By 1778 rhubarb was considered an edible plant in other parts of Europe, but it wasn't until early 1800s that the plant became widely popular. Those who ate the oxalate containing leaves got sick. This must have discouraged people from cultivation of this very interesting plant.

Health Benefits of Rhubarb

Rhubarb has many health benefits. The roots and stems are rich in anthraquinones, such as emodin and rhein. These substances are cathartic and laxative, which may explain the sporadic use of rhubarb as a weight loss aid.

The rhizomes contain stilbenoid compounds, such as rhaponticin, which seem to lower blood glucose levels in diabetic mice, however, more research has to be conducted before these compounds can be safely used in humans.

Rhubarb is very low in calories (about 25 calories per cup). It is rich in fiber (about two grams of fiber per cup) and is absolutely fat free. It also contains significant amounts of Vitamins A, C and K, and small amounts of B Vitamins. Rhubarb is rich in calcium (about 350 milligrams of calcium per cup of cooked plant) and potassium (230 mg per cup). It also provides some magnesium, manganese, iron, phosphorus, selenium, and copper.

Rhubarb is a good source of the sight and skin preserving carotenoid lutein. It contains 207 mcg lutein per cup.

Rhubarb contains such antioxidant compounds as lycopene and anthocyanins. This antioxidants fight free radicals and promote the health of your heart, eyes and immune system. They can also help prevent cancer. Cooked rhubarb delivers a good dose of lycopene, but raw rhubarb has practically none.

Rhubarb Vanilla Jam Recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 cups diced rhubarb stalks 
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 vanilla beans
• 4-5 Tbsp of water 

Method:

• Place rhubarb and sugar in a heavy saucepan. Mix well.
• Cut vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape the seeds out. Place the seeds and the split vanilla beans in the saucepan. 
• Cook the rhubarb on a very low heat for 5-6 minutes. Stir gently from time to time. Add a little water to prevent burning. Stir again.
• Cook for another 4-5 minutes stirring constantly until rhubarb is well cooked and has a smooth, jam-like consistency.  
• Remove vanilla beans and discard.
• Gently scoop the hot jam and place in clean, small jars. Let the jars open to cool off.
• When the jam is cool enough, screw on the lids and refrigerate.

Enjoy in good company on fresh toast or croissant! 

*This jam will remain fresh in a fridge for about one week. To make it last longer you will have to pasteurize it by cooking the sealed jars in a water bath. 

By Dominique Allmon

Rhubarb in Season! by Dominique Allmon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Images by Foodista & by Howard Shooter

Health Benefits of L-Theanine

Stress and Anxiety Relief

For many people stress and anxiety are the symptoms of their high-powered day to day existence. If not managed properly, chronic stress and anxiety may cause many disorders, including insomnia, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, and cognitive impairment. There are many pharmaceutical drugs on the market that promise to bring peace of mind and relieve the symptoms of anxiety, but many people prefer to look for natural alternatives out of fear of side effects and possible addiction.

One of the most powerful natural antidotes to stress is L-theanine. L-theanine (gamma-ethylamino-L-glutamic acid) is a non-protein forming amino acid found almost exclusively in the green leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis). The only other significant source in nature is the Boletus badius mushroom also known as Bay bolete. Among other active compounds, Bay bolete contains substantial amounts of L-theanine.

L-theanine was first isolated in Japan, where green tea is part of the culture since inception of Buddhism in the 6th century. Green tea was used traditionally by the Buddhist monks to keep them calm and awake during long hours of meditation. Researchers found out that caffeine ingested in green tea had a different effect on the mind and the body that had the same amount of caffeine from coffee. The excitatory effect of caffeine in green tea was offset by the calming action of a compound that was named theanine. L-theanine constitutes about 50 per cent of the dry protein weight of green tea.

L-theanine is a powerful stress and anxiety reliever. It effectively reduces both, mental and physical, stress. About 30-40 minutes after ingestion, it induces tranquility and a state of deep relaxation without causing any drowsiness or forming a chemical dependence. In fact, it helps improve attention and concentration.

L-theanine is one of the few known substances that can easily cross the blood-brain barrier. It exerts subtle changes in the brain chemistry by altering the levels of serotonin, dopamine, and GABA (gamma-amino-butyric acid).

L-theanine induces state of well-being and relaxation in four ways:

• it stimulates the production of alpha waves in the brain
• it increases the levels of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA in the brain
• it lowers the blood pressure
• reduces heart rate

Encephalographic measurements (EEG) show that L-theanine increases the brain activity within the alpha frequency band (8-13.9 Hz). The alpha state of the brain indicates relaxation, relaxed focus, and increased serotonin production. The slowest alpha waves are associated with the so called twilight state - a deep relaxation state that is usually experienced between sleep and waking. People who meditate begin to access the unconscious mind at this stage of relaxation.

The inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA is considered to be the brain's own tranquilizer. It helps to reduce the excess of stress hormone adrenalin and calm down. It also controls the levels of noradrenalin, dopamine, and serotonin in the brain. Insufficient levels of GABA are associated with anxiety, tension, depression, and insomnia. L-theanine increases the secretion of GABA thus helping the brain to calm itself. 

L-theanine has been shown to reduce the blood pressure in individuals with elevated blood pressure. It did not, however, affect individuals with normal blood pressure which means that in only acts where there is lack of balance.

 Other benefits of L-Theanine

While L-theanine received the greatest attention as a natural anti-anxiety drug, it also has many other benefits as it restores chemical balance in the body:

• alleviates depression
• supports concentration and mental performance
• helps focus attention on critical tasks
• improves learning
• protects the body from stress damage caused by the hormone cortisol
• improves quality of sleep when taken 30 minutes before bed
• protects the brain from damage done by glutamate and caffeine
• supports the immune system by increasing the activity of T-cells
• assists in weight loss by promoting thermogenesis
• reduces levels of lipids in the blood
• lowers blood pressure in people with a high blood pressure
• relieves physical and mental symptoms of PMS
• protects the liver from damage caused by alcohol
• slows down the growth of certain tumors

L-theanine has remarkable cognitive effects. Research shows that L-theanine increases brainwave activity that is normally associated with attention and concentration. It helps to stay centered in spite of stress. Studies show that the substance has remarkable ability to minimize interference from distracting outside stimuli helping at the same time to focus attention. Subjects in the study were able to concentrate on important tasks without getting distracted.

While L-theanine is not a sedative, it significantly improves the quality of sleep and prolongs the duration of deep sleep. Taken about half an hour before bed time, it helps to unwind and fall to sleep. One wakes up rested and refreshed. L-theanine can safely be taken together with melatonin and 5-HTP to improve sleep patterns.

L-theanine appears to act as an antagonist to glutamate receptors and may be useful in treating depression. Stress and depression activate stress hormones known as glucocorticoids. These hormones disrupt brain chemistry and affect mood and memory. Glutamate seems to play a major role in the process. In depressed people glutamate levels in the brain are out of balance. Based on research, drugs that suppress glucocorticoids have been proposed as an effective treatment of depression. L-theanine blocks certain signals produced by glutamate and suppresses harmful effects of glucocorticoids helping to restore chemical balance in the brain.

Research shows that L-theanine may protect the brain from the damage caused by a stroke. It also helps to preserve brain functions such as blood flow in a stroke affected brain area. Moreover, L-theanine protects brain cells against the toxic damage caused by the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. After a stroke excess of glutamate in the space between the cell receptors is believed to cause the increased neuronal death. L-theanine appears to modulate this damage. Laboratory tests show that there was no damage in the brains where L-theanine was present before the stroke. These findings also bring hope to the Alzheimer's disease research, as the glutamate toxicity is associated with the neural damage that occurs in Alzheimer's disease. Together with other compounds found in tea, L-theanine counteracts the neuro-toxicity of the harmful beta-amyloid protein commonly found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. It helps increase the activity of an enzyme that breaks dawn this protein.

L-theanine has been demonstrated to support overall cardiovascular health. It prevents lipid peroxidation of LDL (low-density lipoprotein). Peroxidation of lipids is believed to be one of the causes of atherosclerosis.

Japanese researchers have found that L-theanine minimizes the harmful effect of alcohol in the liver where alcohol is converted to extremely toxic chemical known as acetaldehyde. L-theanine seem to accelerate the digestion of acetaldehyde and to block the harmful free radicals. It increases the levels of glutathione that is normally depleted by the consumption of alcohol and restores the detoxifying capacity of the liver.

L-theanine may also find an application in complementary cancer therapies. It not only inhibits the growth of certain tumors, but also enhances the activity of pirarubicin, doxorubicin and adriamycin - drugs that are used in chemotherapy, reducing at the same time their destructive side-effects on healthy tissues of the patient. L-theanine seems to decrease the tumors ability to get rid of an anti-cancer drug. More studies have to be conducted, but the Japanese scientists T. Sugiyama and Y. Sadzuka are very optimistic. 

L-theanine is a versatile natural supplement that helps to restore the balance in the mind and the body. It has no known side effects. It relaxes, restores mood, and rejuvenates. In Japan, where stress is ubiquitous and people even die from work related stress (karoshi death), L-theanine was approved as a food additive in 1964.

There are many products on the market, but only products containing Suntheanine® are worth buying. Suntheanine® is enzymatically synthesized L-theanine of highest purity and efficacy. The suggested dose is 200-400 mg a day. 

Although L-theanine is safe and has no known side-effects, please, consult your health care provider before beginning supplementation.

By Dominique Allmon

 

Dominique Allmon©2012

 

*Information in this article is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose, treat or cure a disease. 

Health Benefits of L-Theanine by Dominique Allmon is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Selfless Opulence

With regard to equality, this word must not be understood to mean that degrees of power and wealth should be exactly the same, but rather that with regard to power, it should be incapable of all violence and never exerted except by virtue of status and the laws; and with regard to wealth, no citizen should be so opulent that he can buy another, and none so poor that he is constrained to sell himself. - Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Image by Gil Inoue

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Happiness Is An Inside Job

More often than not, people expect to be made happy. They understand happiness as something that comes from without; something that is conditioned and depends on other people, things, or circumstances.

It is very possible that these people experience happiness. And it is possible that such happiness lasts for quite some time. Unfortunately, as soon as their circumstances change, their happiness is gone as well...

Happiness is an inside job. No one can make you happy. You are the one who is in control. Genuine happiness is unconditional. No circumstances can change that. It is true that a misfortune may change how you feel and think about things.

Misfortunes are there to test your resolve as it is always your attitude to things that sets the tone. Never forget. Never forget that happiness is always an inside job.

By Dominique Allmon

 
Dominique Allmon©2012

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The "Hindenburg" Mystery

75 years ago, on May 6, 1937 an unimaginable tragedy occurred at Lakehurst, NJ - the German airship "Hindenburg," the pride of the Third Reich, caught fire and crashed killing thirty six people. It took only thirty seven seconds for the "Hindenburg" to completely burn down. This tragedy was witnessed by hundreds of people who gathered at Lakehurst to watch "Hindenburg's" arrival.

The "Hindenburg" was built in Germany in 1935. This 800-foot long airship, named after the last president of the Weimar Republic Paul von Hindenburg, was considered a marvel of sophisticated air travel. By 1937 it had already made dozens of Transatlantic flights.

The "Hindenburg" was equipped with sixteen gas cells that had a total gas capacity of 7,062,100 cubic feet and was powered by four 1,100-horsepower diesel engines. Originally  this airship was constructed for a less flammable helium gas, but the United States had refused to export helium to Germany. Thus, the "Hindenburg" was filled with the less expensive but extremely flammable hydrogen. 

The "Hindenburg" had departed from Frankfurt, Germany, on May 3, 1937, and was scheduled to land at Lakehurst on the morning of May 6. However, bad weather conditions delayed the landing and the blimp kept flying over New York City until it could land in New Jersey.

 

There is much speculation about the origins of this tragedy. Many people believe that the "Hindenburg" was a victim of sabotage perpetrated by Germans who opposed the Nazi regime. This is the romantic version of the tragedy. Another version has it that the giant blimp was ignited by a lightning. More recently, however, some scientists theorized that a build-up of static electricity was responsible for the disaster, although Horst Schirmer, whose father was the "Hindenburg's" aeronautical designer, believes that the airship most probably suffered a leak to its hydrogen gas cells while performing the docking maneuver. 

We may never know what really happened.

The tragedy of "Hindenburg" set an end to the Transatlantic blimp travel. And if it hadn't, the looming war would have made such travel impossible anyway.

By Dominique Allmon

The Gnostic Theory of Alien Intrusion

By John Lash

Since the explosion of the ET/UFO phenomena in 1947, speculation about alien intrusion on planet Earth has been rampant. Half a dozen theories dominate the debate, but there is one theory that has yet to be examined. It did not emerge after 1947, but approximately 1600 years earlier. To be precise, the evidence of this theory came to light through a discovery in Egypt in December, 1945, although the significance of the find was not realized until - guess when? 1947.

In that year, French scholar Jean Doresse identified the Egyptian find at Nag Hammadi as a cache of rare Gnostic texts. "Gnosticism" is the label scholars use for a body of teachings derived from the Mystery Schools of pre-Christian antiquity. Gnostics who protested against Christian doctrines such as divine retribution and Christ’s resurrection found themselves targeted as heretics and were brutally suppressed by early converts to the One True Faith. This is the untold story of how the Mysteries ended. Since that signal year, 1947, some of the lost Mystery School knowledge has been recovered.

Gnosis (“inner knowing”) was a path of experimental mysticism in which the initiates of the Mystery Schools explored the psyche and the cosmos at large. Using psychoactive plants, yoga, and sex magic, these ancient seers experienced altered states and developed siddhis, occult skills such as clairaudience and remote viewing. Gnosis was a kind of yogic noetic science melded with parapsychology. In heightened perception, Gnostics developed a vast cosmological vision centered in a female deity, the Divine Sophia. The Gnostic creation myth is unique in that it includes a full-blown explanation of how inorganic alien beings came to be present in our solar system.

The Nag Hammadi material contains reports of visionary experiences of the initiates, including first-hand encounters with inorganic beings called Archons. Gnostic teaching explains that these entities arose in the early stage of formation of the solar system, before the Earth was formed. Archons inhabit the solar system, the extraterrestrial realm as such, but they can intrude on Earth. Interestingly, this Gnostic insight accords closely with the view of Jacques Vallee, who maintains that ET/cyborgs probably belong to the local planetary realm. Vallee also proposes that the ET/UFO enigma is a “spiritual control system,” a phenomenon that “behaves like a conditioning process.” (Messengers of Deception). This is exactly what Gnostics said about the Archons: they can affect our minds by subliminal conditioning techniques. Their main tactics are mental error (intellectual virus, or false ideology, especially religious doctrines) and simulation. Archons are predatory, unlike a wide range of non-human and other-dimensional beings also know to the Gnostics, beings who are benevolent or neutral toward humanity.

Physical descriptions of Archons occur in several Gnostic codices. Two types are clearly identified: a neonate or embryonic type, and a draconic or reptilian type. Obviously, these descriptions fit the Greys and Reptilians of contemporary reports to a T. Or I should say, to an ET.

Delving into the Gnostic materials, it is quite a shock to discover that ancient seers detected and investigated the problem of alien intrusion during the first century CE, and certainly well before. (The Mysteries date from many centuries before the Christian Era.) What is amazing about the Gnostic theory of the Archons is not only the cosmological background (explaining the origin of these entities and the reason for their enmeshment with humanity), but the specificity of information on the alien m.o., describing how they operate and what they want from us. For one thing, Gnostics taught that these entities envy us and feed on our fear. Above all, they attempt to keep us from claiming and evolving our “inner light,” the gift of divine intelligence within. While I would not claim that Gnostic teachings on the Archons, or what remains of such teachings, have all the answers to the ET/UFO enigma, one thing is clear: they present a coherent and comprehensive analysis of alien intrusion, as well as specific practices for resisting it. They are far more complete and sophisticated than any theory in discussion today.

In short, the ancient seers of the Mysteries in Europe and the Levant seem to have accomplished 2000 years ago what many of us have been attempting to do since 1947: figure out who the ETs are, where they originate, how they relate to us, and most important of all, how we ought to relate to them.

As far as I know, apart from myself only one writer on the ET/UFO issue has directly identified the Gnostic Archons with contemporary ETs. This is Nigel Kerner, whose book, The Song of the Greys, is a strange, singular and little-known contribution to the debate. Kerner cites the Nag Hammadi texts just in passing, and does not elaborate on Gnostic teachings about the Archons. He makes a strong case for alien interference with the human genome, but this claim does not stand up against Gnostic analysis. Gnostic texts use mythological language to describe actual events in prehistory as well as long-term developments in the human psyche. According to the ancient seers, Archons cannot access our genetic makeup but they can fake an intervention. Considering the confusion of humanity in modern times, a faked intervention would be as good as real. This typifies the Archon tactic of getting us to imagine and believe things that are not true, and to accept simulation for reality. In this way, Gnostics taught, these alien cousins can deviate the human species from its true and proper course of evolution.

The unique emphasis on the Goddess Sophia is the high inspirational message of Gnosis. The ancient seers taught that, through a special link to the Goddess, our species can overcome the Archons and secure a human, and humane, future for the Earth.

Article source: Red Ice Creations

Image source abducted by aliens