Saturday, March 18, 2006

Chili peppers kill prostate cancer

A recent article in the U.S. medical journal Cancer Research reports that capsaicin, the ingredient in hot chili peppers — habanero and jalapeno — that makes them hot, kills up to 80% of prostate cancer cells, and that tumors treated with capsaicin were smaller than those not so treated, the BBC reports.

Said Dr. Soren Lehmann, who led the study: "Capsaicin had a profound anti-proliferative effect on human prostate cancer cells in culture. It also dramatically slowed the development of prostate tumours."

Yet, believe it or not, the "Prostate Cancer Charity" in the UK responded to the news by saying, "...we caution men with prostate cancer in the UK against upping their weekly intake of the hottest known chilis."

Chris Hiley, head of policy and research at The Prostate Cancer Charity, added: "...For now, if men with prostate cancer want to improve their diet they should avoid fatty foods, eat less red and processed meat, increase their fish intake and enjoy a wide and plentiful range of fruit and vegetables every day."

Why? Because there is no "approved drug" made from capsaicin. It's just more proof that the medical profession doesn't want you well. They want you just sick enough that you have to take their overpriced and often dangerous medicines.

Think I'm exaggerating? Here's more from Hiley: ""This is interesting laboratory-based work on cells but we don't yet know how, if at all, it might help men with prostate cancer. Eventually, it may be possible to extract the capsaicin and make it available as a drug treatment. But for now... [insert quote from two paragraphs up].

The industry doesn't want you visiting your local herb shop for a $10 bottle of capsicum / capsaicin / pepper pills, or growing your own hot peppers in your garden. They want you hooked on $200 a month pharmaceuticals.

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Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Demonization of kava kava continues

Do-gooders are now blaming unemployment and "lazyness" among aboriginal Australians on the use of the relaxing herb kava kava.

Though tribal leaders say alcohol and hard drugs are much more serious problems among the aborigines, reformers are using buzzwords such as "dangerous" and "dreadful problem" in discussing kava kava.

"The impact of kava on some communities is similar to alcohol and drugs," a government health adviser says. "People feel dispossessed, are unemployed, have a lack of education and look to substances to occupy themselves. It affects our young people mentally and physically."

Is he saying kava is the problem, or that the rampant depression over unemployment and lack of education lead people to use kava as a means of temporary escape? I guess they'd rather people face up to their horrible poverty with a clear mind.

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