It becomes more readily available and biologically active when it comes from processed tomatoes with a small amount of cooking oil added.

People who have diets rich in tomatoes, which contain lycopene, appear in some studies to have a lower risk of certain types of cancer, especially cancers of the prostate, lung, and stomach.

Tomatoes are the most concentrated food source of lycopene, although apricots, guava, watermelon, papaya, and pink grapefruit are also significant sources.

Studies that looked at lycopene levels in the blood found that levels were higher after people ate cooked tomatoes than after they ate raw tomatoes or drank tomato juice.

This suggests that lycopene in cooked tomato products such as tomato sauce or paste may be more readily absorbed by the body than lycopene in raw tomatoes.

Eating lycopene-rich vegetables and fruits together with a small amount of oil or fat (for example, salad oil or cheese on pizza) increases the amount of lycopene absorbed by the intestines.

Dr. Mridula Chopra and colleagues at the University of Portsmouth tested the effect of the nutrient lycopene on the simple mechanism through which cancer cells hijack a body’s healthy blood supply to grow and spread.

They found that lycopene, which is what gives tomatoes their red color, intercepts cancer’s ability to make the connections it needs to attach to a healthy blood supply.

The research, which is published in the British Journal of Nutrition, showed a significant increase in lycopene levels in blood and semen samples after subjects ate 400g (14oz) of processed tomatoes for two weeks.

Cancer cells can remain dormant for years until their growth is triggered through the secretion of chemicals which initiate the process of linking cancer cells with endothelial cells which act as healthy gatekeeper cells lining blood vessels.

This allows the cancer cells to reach out and attach to the blood supply.

In the laboratory experiments, lycopene was shown to disrupt this linking process, without which cancer cells cannot grow.

They claim to boost health in various ways including raising energy levels to allowing the body to focus on self-healing.

But David Bender, an emeritus professor of nutritional biochemistry, has belied such suggestions in an article entitled ‘The Detox Delusion’, published in the Society of Biology magazine, The Biologist.

In it, he says the term ‘detox’ has gone from describing a chemical reaction involved in the production of urine to a ‘meaningless marketing term’ and takes apart the claims made on behalf of detox diets.

He says that they are at best unfounded, more likely demonstrably false, and at worst dangerous.

Professor Bender, of University College London, writes: “I am not sure what ‘self-healing’ is and the idea of ‘raised energy levels’ is nonsense.

“The whole philosophy of detox is based on the unlikely premise that accumulated toxins cause a sluggish metabolism, weight gain, general malaise and so on.

“Weight gain is due to an imbalance between food consumption and energy expenditure. There is no magic shortcut for weight loss, you have to eat less and exercise more. It’s that simple.”

A new study found that a fatty acid found in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and seafood such as prawns and mussels can boost memory function by 15 per cent.

Over a six month period 176 healthy adults were given supplements containing DHA an Omega-3 fatty acid of which during this time memory and cognitive function were assessed and compared to a placebo group.

It is believed that fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an omega 3 fatty acid found in fish and seafood is one of the most highly concentrated fats in the brain.

It could be key in preventing Alzheimer’s disease, one of the most common forms of dementia characterized by a decline in mental abilities, such as memory and reasoning and often associated with increasing age.

Lead researcher Professor Welma Stonehouse of Massey University in New Zealand said: ‘This is the first robust study to show that a DHA-rich supplement can improve some aspects of memory functioning in young healthy adults.

‘The cognitive functions shown to be affected by the DHA-rich fish oil, namely memory and working memory, are among the most important functions of our brains for numerous everyday activities, such as working, driving, shopping, studying, playing sports, etc.

‘Maintaining brain health and getting your brain to perform at its optimal capacity is just as vital as maintaining physical well being and health.’

DHA, is one of the most highly concentrated fats in the brain and known to play a vital role in the structure and functioning of the brain.

But as the body cannot effectively make this fatty acid it must be consumed as part of the diet.
Researchers highlighted that as many people fail to eat enough fish and seafood, the brain’s performance is potentially compromised.

The study showed that male participants who took a DHA supplement demonstrated 15 per cent faster working memory while women had a seven per cent improvement in the speed of episodic memory.

Professor Stonehouse added: ‘These findings contribute to the growing body of research showing that omega-3′s play a very important role in brain function throughout the life cycle, even in healthy cognitively intact individuals.’

This is one of the few studies to investigate the effects of DHA on cognitive function in healthy adults with no pre-existing cognitive disorder.

Dementia affects around 570,000 people in England, with Alzheimer’s disease responsible for around 60 per cent of dementia cases.

The National Health Service (NHS) states a healthy diet should include at least two portions of fish a week, including one of oily fish.

Researchers at Boston University found people who got plenty of choline in their diets performed better on memory tests and were less likely to show brain changes associated with dementia.

‘Your lifetime diet may make a difference in how your brain ages,’ said senior researcher Dr. Rhoda Au.

For the latest study, Dr. Au combed through the results from a long-running heart health survey.

The study found, men and women in the top quarter for choline intake performed better on the memory tests than those in the bottom quarter.

People with higher choline intake at the outset were also less likely to show areas of ‘white-matter hyper-intensity’ in their MRI brain scans.

Findings suggest that people with lower choline intakes were more likely to be on a ‘pathway’ toward mental decline than their counterparts with higher intakes.

Choline, the nutrient is a precursor to the brain chemical acetyl-choline, which plays a key role in memory and other cognitive functions; low acetyl-choline levels are associated with Alzheimer’s.

• example of saltwater fah that boosts memory

Eating fish may enhance blood flow to the brain which could stave off dementia in later life, researchers have discovered.

The results seem encouraging though, taking omega-3 or fish oil supplements may not have an impact on the mental performance of young adults, the researchers at Northumbria University say, but the increased blood flow to the brain it caused could be important for older people.

According to lead researcher Dr Philippa Jackson, the evidence suggests that regularly eating oily fish may prevent cognitive decline and dementia, and increased blood flow to the brain may be a mechanism by which this occurs.

”If we can pinpoint both the behavioral and brain blood flow effects of this fatty acid in older healthy people, then the benefits for those with mental degenerative conditions associated with normal aging could be that much greater,” Jackson said.

Researchers now plan to conduct a study on omega-3 use in people aged 50 to 70.

• tiredness after eating mussels

The wild variety usually sprouts from droppings of bats and birds on a newly open cleared upland or rolling terrain farm.

They are those variety common locally, whose fruits are oblong shape, in clusters and smaller in sizes (5″ long and 3″ in diameter) compared to the domesticated variety but it is very sweet when ripe.

Some farmers propagate them commercially for market and domestic consumption. The unripe fruit is used as vegetables in Filipino cuisine like tinola (chicken soup) and delicacy like achara (salad).

When ripe, its flesh can be served or eaten directly or it can be scraped and mixed it with ground ice with milk to form a milk shake or as fruit juice in a blender which can be a very refreshing treat during summer time.

According to Food and Nutrition Institute (FNRI) of The Department Science and Technology (DoST), papaya is rich in nutrients as well as a good source of antioxidants such as folic acid, fiber, carotenes, vitamin C and E.

Antioxidants promote the health of the cardiovascular system and also provide protection against colon cancer.

It contains the digestive enzyme, papain, which is widely used in tenderizing meat. This knowledge has been applied in the Filipino practice of cooking meat with raw papaya to make it tender and digestible. Papain is also used as a digestive aid and is assumed to have an anti-inflammatory benefits.

It is also a good source of fiber which lowers cholesterol levels and helps in easing the discomforts of constipation. This fiber is able to bind cancer toxins in the colon and keep them away from the healthy colon cells.

Papaya helps in the prevention of atherosclerosis, diabetes and heart disease. Folic acid found in papaya is needed for the conversion of a substance called homocysteine, an amino acid.

If unconverted, homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls and if levels get too high, it is considered a significant risk factor to heart attack and strokes.

Vitamins C and E found in papaya are all associated with reduced risk of colon cancer. The pigment in the fruit called carotene, is similar to that of carrots and squash.

Carotene in food is converted into vitamin A which promotes good eyesight. Papaya is also an ideal food for those with difficulty in chewing and swallowing.

The papaya has a low glycemic index (GI) of 49 making it good for diabetics. Glycemic index is classified as low (<55), medium (56-70) and high (>70).

Low-GI foods have been shown to have reduced postprandial blood glucose and insulin responses and improve the overall blood glucose and lipid concentration in non-diabetics and diabetic patients. One small slice of ripe papaya or three-fourths (3/4) cup contains 40 kilocalories.

It is a good source of protein for poor families who cannot afford expensive protein sources like dairy products, meat and classy fish varieties.

‘Dilis’ is caught in sea water of the Philippine archipelago with some of the catch sold fresh in wet markets, while a major portion is sun dried or salted and fermented into ‘bagoong’ or ‘ginamos’ and ‘patis’ (fish sauce) for domestic consumption and for export.

Anchovies like sardines, are high in polysaturated fatty acids so it can help lower cholesterol level and reduce the risk of heart disease.

‘Dilis’ is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which are among the most beneficial types of the polyunsaturated fats found in fish.

Omega 3 fatty acids are good for the eyesight, fish is the major source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Anchovies are excellent sources of omega 3 oils which are good for a beautiful looking skin.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating two servings (3.5 ounces) servings of fish weekly. Higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids are generally found in fatty fish such as herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and anchovies.

Small fish like anchovies and sardines have a shorter life cycle so are better than larger fish because they contain less heavy metal such as mercury, lead, cadmium, arsenic and other environmental toxins. The smaller the fish, the shorter the lifespan and therefore the less accumulation of toxicity.

The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) has released a report by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) that shows a 100 grams of fresh dilis (anchovy) contains 752 mg. of calcium almost double (340.55 mg.) found in a cup of milk.
Dilis is full of nutrients and rich in healthy protein that is valuable for both children and adults. It is also a good source of vitamins (E & D) and minerals (calcium & selenium).

Fish oil has shown to restore and maintain brain health with more consistent results in the research. Its best sources of fish oil are anchovies, sardines and mackerel.

• benefits of dilis
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It is an edible plant that belongs to the cucurbits family or vine crops that are grown mostly of their fruits like melons, patola, cucumber, kondol, upo and squash.

Sechium edule is the scientific name of sayote and is grown commonly on the ground or on trellises, it has large leaves that form a canopy over the fruit.

Most people are familiar only with the fruit, but the root, stem, seeds and leaves are all edible.

The fruit does not need to be peeled and can be eaten raw in salads. Cooked or raw, it has a mild flavor by itself and is commonly served especially in Australia with seasonings of salt, butter and pepper or in a dish with other vegetables.

In the Philippines, sayote is peeled, cut them into thick slices and then cook with meat or shrimps.

Sayote can also be boiled, stuffed, mashed, baked, fried or pickled. The young leaves and tender shoots can be made into salads.

The tuberous part of the root and other surplus can be fed to cattle, goats, swine and other backyard animals.

Unknown to many, sayote has medicinal uses where the leaves and fruit have diuretic, cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory properties.

A tea made from the leaves has been used in the treatment of arteriosclerosis, hypertension and to dissolve kidney stones.

As to its nutrients, a 100 g of sayote fruit serving gives 94 percent moisture, 19 percent calories, 0.4 gram protein, 0.1 gram fat, 4.9 grams carbohydrates and 0.6 gram fiber. Also found in the fruit in small amounts are calcium, sodium, thiamine, vitamin A, riboflavin, ascorbic acid and niacin.

Researchers from Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) in Los Baños, Laguna, found sayote to be a good soil restorer. They found that sayote has the ability to grow profusely in areas where there are gullies and its canopy completely rehabilitated the gullied areas.

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According to Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, young bamboo shoots offer a range of health benefits that include antioxidant, anti-cancer, weight loss, digestion and anti-bacterial properties.

Bamboo shoots are low in saturated fat, and very low in cholesterol. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, protein, riboflavin and zinc, and a very good source of vitamin B6, potassium, copper and manganese based on nutritional data with a serving size of 1 cup (120 grams) as provided by USDA, for the bamboo shoots in brine, cooked, boiled and drained.

In the Philippines, bamboo shoots known locally as ‘labong’ is always part of the Filipino cuisine known as ‘paklay’ and ‘ginatan’ while matured bamboo poles are used in the making of handicrafts, furnitures, construction materials for nipa huts and local fishermen either used them as fish-pens known as ‘ bungsod’ or fisherman’s stationary raft known as ‘payao’ used in deep sea fishing.

Fresh bamboo shoots have a crisp, crunchy taste and sweet flavor. In Southeast Asia, they are mostly used in soups, snacks, hot curries, spicy stir-fries, salads, pickles, and spring rolls.

The most common preparation involves boiling the shoots in stocks, soups or salted water for use in assorted dishes. In Indonesia, for example, bamboo are sliced thin and boiled in santan, a thick coconut milk, along with spices to make a dish called gulai rebung.

They’re also preserved in many different forms: dried, fermented, salted, pickled and canned. In Nepal, bamboo shoots are fermented with turmeric and oil and cooked with potatoes in a traditional dish that usually accompanies rice, called alu tama.

The study proposes that bamboo could also be categorized as a nutraceutical or natural medicine, as they contain phytosterols and a high amount of fiber that have cholesterol-lowering and anti-carcinogenic activities.

The shoots are also said to improve appetite and digestion and in traditional Chinese medicine are used to treat infections while environmental and conservation activists say that mass deforestation of bamboo forests by either man made or natural causes had a devastating impact on the natural habitat and chief food of the pandas in China.

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It grows well in warm, tropical weather. It is a green leafy vegetable that is rich in vitamins and minerals that its benefits are worth considering, than shunning the slimy characteristic of this vegetable when cooked.

Its vitamin content is good for eyesight, as the vegetable contains beta-carotene. Its iron and calcium content necessarily aids a person in maintaining strong bones and teeth, and a healthy count of red blood cells.

Saluyot has been used to reduce wrinkles, as it also contains anti-oxidant substances. Studies have also shown that saluyot can be used for anti-inflammatory treatment.

It is to be noted that saluyot has been used traditionally to address concerns related to inflammation and pain, and the results of recent studies confirmed the validity of such traditional practice.

Saluyot has also been connected with curing the chronic inflammation of the urinary bladder. To prepare its medical decoction, an individual is advised to eat dishes and soups that contain saluyot.

Though saluyot is known as poor man’s vegetable, it is one if not the most nutritious vegetable in the Philippines.

According to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FRNI) of the Department of Science and Technology (DoST), one-half cup cooked saluyot leaves (45g) is equivalent to 20 kilocalories and it will provide the following amount of nutrients:

Protein – 1.30 grams; Calcium – 87.3 milligrams; Phosphorus – 22.5 milligrams; Iron – 1.0 milligrams; Beta carotene – 1334 micrograms; Thiamine – 0.02 milligrams; Riboflavin – 0.04 milligrams; Niacin – 0.30 milligrams; and Abscorbic acid – 10 milligrams; Fat – 0.30 grams; Carbohydrates – 3.1 gram; Fiber – 0.40 grams; Retinol Equivalent (vitamin A) – 222 micrograms

Moreover, saluyot has an antioxidant activity of 77% or α-tocopherol equivalent (vitamin E) of 48.9. In other words, saluyot contains all the important nutrients needed by the body.

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