It all began when researchers at Ben Gurion University of the Negev discovered last year that the lemon aroma in herbs, like lemon grass, kills cancer cells in vitro, whilst leaving healthy cells unharmed.

The research team was led by Dr Rikva Ofir and Prof. Yakov Weinstein, incumbent of the Albert Katz Chair in Cell-Differentation and Malignant Diseases from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at BGU.

CITRAL is the key component that gives the lemony aroma and taste in several herbal plants such as lemon grass, melissa and verbena.

According to Dr Ofir, the study found that CITRAL causes cancer cells to ‘commit suicide’, using apoptosis, a mechanism called programmed cell death. A drink with as little as one gram of lemon grass contains enough CITRAL to prompt the cancer cells to commit suicide in the test tube.

The idea is to drink about 8 glasses of Lemon grass tea per day.

Hot hot heat

Grenada is currently experiencing some very warm weather, so Sally (our esteemed Spa Director) thought it wise to share some tips on keeping cool during this time. Very wise Sally, very wise.

• Reduce calorie intake, eat less fats and proteins, eat more carbohydrates eg  fruit and vegetables
• Avoid mid-day sun
• Wear light clothing, light colours are good because they reflect the sun, dark clothing absorbs the sun
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, take time out to drink liquids even if you are not thirsty – avoid alcohol though!
• Eating melons is a good way to increase your fluid intake, Water Melons and Cantaloupe contain a significant amount of water
• Make sure your drinks don’t have sugar in them
• Eat small meals rather than large ones, digestion adds to body heat
• Replace potassium and salt lost through sweat, citrus fruits and bananas are good sources of potassium
• Avoid alcoholic beverages, they act as a diuretic, resulting in faster water loss
• Take cool showers, water removes extra body heat 25 times faster than cool air
• Avoid heavy physical activity

The only mode of entry of this nasty virus H1N1 is by the nose and mouth/throat. There are some easy steps you can take to try to prevent this happening.

1.       Wash your hands as often as possible.

2.       Gargle twice a day with warm salt water – this is a very simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

3.       Clean your nostrils every day with warm salt water. Swab both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water

4.       Boost your natural immunity with a healthy diet –

• rich in whole natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts
• low in fats and refined sugars
• contains adequate amount of protein
• drink 6 eight ounce glasses of water per day

5.  30 minutes of exercise per day, deep breathing exercises and 6 – 8 hours sleep per night

6.  If you take a Vitamin C supplement daily make sure it contains Zinc, to boost absorption

7. Drink as much warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling but in the reverse direction. They wash off viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive or do any harm.

Peter Pan eats a lot of fish

Some recommendations which you can do now:

1. Substitute fish for meat as often as possible. Fish contains oils that may prevent a heart attack
2. Use fish oils and olive oils in salads and cooking. Research has shown that these oils lower cholesterol
3. Substitute vegetables for meat and dairy products
4. Increase your intake of food high in beta carotene such as carrots, spinach, broccoli and cantaloupe – these may help to prevent cancer
5. Stay on basic low-fat diet which may prevent heart disease
6. Keep your calorific intake and weight low to help slow ageing
7. Eat more foods high in Vitamin C (citrus fruits, green vegetables, green peppers etc)
8. Eat food high in Vitamin E (vegetable oils and grains), zinc (pumpkin seeds) and selenium (bran, tuna fish)
9. Substitute hard water for soft water. Also, use a charcoal filter to help eliminate chlorine from the water
10. Don’t smoke

Ten old fashioned rules

1. Get 7 – 8 hours sleep every night
2. Eat three well balanced meals  per day
3. Eat bulk food and mineral and vitamin enriched foods daily
4. Cut down on sugary foods and chemically treated foods
5. Get sunshine and fresh air each day if possible
6. Drink a few glasses of fresh water each day
7. Do not smoke, stay away from people who do smoke
8. Avoid alcoholic drinks except rarely and even then only in moderation
9. Exercise naturally every day, walking, swimming or gardening are good
10. Use laughter to banish anxiety and fear, let every day be joyous.

What is blood pressure?

Blood pressure is the force of the blood against artery walls which carry blood through the body. Blood pressure is measured using two numbers. The first number is your systolic pressure. This is the large number. It measures the force of your bood against artery walls when the heart has contracted and is gushing blood through the body. Think of the systolic pressure as a garden hose measuring the force in your arteries when the water is turned on. The second number measures the diastolic pressure. This is the force of the blood against the arteries when the heart is resting between beats.. Think of the diastolic number as measuring the pressure in your arteries when the garden hose is turned off. So, if your blood pressure is 140/70, it means that your blood is exerting 140 pounds of pressure against your artery walls when your heart contracts and 70 pounds of pressure when your heart rests. Normal blood pressure is around 120/80 –

High Blood Pressure: most doctors would consider 140/90 to be high. High blood pressure has been called the silent disease since it very often has no symptoms. However, over time the excessive force exerted on the artery walls may damage the arteries, kidneys, heart and brain, leading to heart attacks or strokes.

The specific cause of High blood pressure is not known, but doctors know what makes it worse. Too much salt in the diet, being overweight, lack of exercise and emotional stress may worsen the situation. As a safeguard, have your blood pressure checked regularly.

Computer Eye Strain

Eye strain caused by using a computer is very common, causing symptoms such as headache, blurred vision and burning sensation in your eyes. To help avoid these problems:

• Position yourself about 22 inches from the screen, the screen should be at eye level
• Get rid of glare reflecting off your computer screen
• Blink your eyes periodically
• Take scheduled breaks from the computer
• Have your eyes examined to make sure you do not need spectacles and to make sure you have the proper prescription.

Beetroot

The health benefits of this vegetable, which belongs to the same family as Spinach and Chard, are varied and include its stimulating effects on your liver’s detoxification processes. It is one of the great cleansers and immune strengtheners, having a beneficial effect on your entire system. Beetroot is good for your heart too as it contains soluble fibre which can help to reduce high blood cholesterol levels. It also contains the phytochemicals. Carotenoids and flavenoids, which help prevent LDL – ‘bad’ cholesterol from being oxidized and deposited in the arteries.

Benefits of bananas

Bananas are an excellent source of Vitamin C and Vitamin B6, dietary fibre, manganese and potassium. Potassium is necessary for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. A banana a day can help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis because an average banana contains 467 mg of potassium. It may also help to promote bone health, has an antacid effect that protects the stomach against ulcers and as they are an unusually rich fruit source of protein, their energising qualities make them a good fruit to have for breakfast.