"Spices kill bacteria and protect cells"
November 10, 2002
From the website "USA Weekend" at
http://www.usaweekend.com/02_issues/

---Turmeric vs. cancer. The yellow spice turmeric, a constituent of curry powder, contains high concentrations of the potent antioxidant curcumin. New tests suggest curcumin helps stifle cancer. In test tubes, 80% of malignant prostate cells self-destructed when exposed to curcumin. Feeding mice curcumin dramatically slowed the growth of implanted human prostate cancer cells. It may do the same in breast and colon cancer cells, researchers say, speculating that curcumin blocks the activation of genes that trigger cancer. Bonus: Curcumin's anti-inflammatory activity reduces arthritic swelling and progressive brain damage in animals. In UCLA research, eating food laced with low doses of curcumin slashed Alzheimer's-like plaque in the brains of mice by 50%.
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Found on Internet April 3, 2002
"A Theory About How Our Bodies Age"
February 15, 1997
From the website "Alternative Medicine" at
http://www.altmedicine.com/Article.asp?ID=33

It's called "the caramelization effect," or more scientifically, "glycation." It occurs when sugar and protein bind together under the body's own heat and gum up vital organs. But, according to the theory, cooked foods that are browned and caramelized--such as baked goods, glazed meats and roasted coffee--may also contribute to the effect.

According to Dr. Richard Bucala, of the Picower Institute, modifying our diets may stave off some of the aging effects. How? Avoid foods cooked at high temperatures for long periods of time. Don't fry potatoes; steam them instead. Cut down on baked goods, especially the crusts. Essentially, stick with boiling and steaming and avoid broiling, roasting and baking.

Glycation occurs at a faster rate in the body when blood sugar levels are elevated, as in diabetes, note doctors at the Picower Institute. And, they add, avoiding foods rich in "glycotoxins" may prove beneficial to people with vascular and kidney disease, high blood pressure and to the elderly.

NOTE: Curcumin, an extract of the spice turmeric (which gives curry powder its golden yellow color) and a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agent, appears to cut down on the cross linking of tissue and glycose. For that medical abstract, click here. [This article follows below.]

Please direct comments and/or suggestions to Frank Grazian