Eggplant Recipes

Baked Eggplant
4 Servings
Preheat oven to 350^o

• 1 eggplant, sliced into -inch slices
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Dip eggplant slices, one at a time, in the beaten egg. Coat with seasoned breadcrumbs and lay flat on a platter. Refrigerate the coated slices for 1 hour. Meanwhile, peel and slice garlic. In a large frying pan, add the oil and heat just until smoking. Add the garlic and fry the eggplant slices until brown on each side, about 5 minutes a side.
Place the fried slices into an oiled, rectangular casserole. Arrange neatly and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.
Eggplant-plus Stew
4 servings

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 eggplant, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced thinly
• 2 cups fat-free chicken broth
• 2 cups of tomato puree
• Salt, pepper and oregano to taste
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced thickly
• 1/4 cup wine vinegar

In a large saucepan, heat the oil and add eggplant cubes, garlic and onion. Saut for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the remaining ingredients except the vinegar. Bring mixture to a boil, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the wine vinegar and adjust seasonings.

Sources http://www.foodasfood.com/eggplant-recipes/

Pineapple

 Scientific Name: Ananas cosmosus

Biological Background: A tropical plant with stiff, spiny leaves that yields a single large fruit. Pineapple originated in Brazil.

Nutritional Information: One cup (155 g) of raw pineapple contains 76 calories, 0.6 g protein, 19.2 g carbohydrates, 2.95 g fiber, 175 g potassium, 124 mg vitamin C, 0.14 mg thiamin, 0.06 mg riboflavin, 0.65 mg niacin.

Pharmacological Activity: It suppresses inflammation due to Bromelain, an antibacterial enzyme. Pineapple aids digestion and helps to dissolve blood clots, and is food for preventing osteoporosis and bone fractures because of its very high manganese content. It is also antibacterial, antiviral and mildly estrogenic.

Eating Tips: Eat fresh. Canning destroys some pharmacological activities of pineapple.

Sources http://www.foodasfood.com/pineapple/

Honey May Help Treat Painful Bladder Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis

Injecting honey directly into the problem; a homeopathic solution with a western approach... a good sign, yes?  

The Effect of Honey on Mast-Cell Degranulation: A Possible Role in Painful Bladder Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis
Medical News Today, 5/18/2011

"Mast cells, known for their role in allergies and anaphylaxis, have also been shown to mediate inflammation in the bladders of patients with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS).

Researchers from the United Kingdom explored the possibility that honey, known for its benefits in wound healing, cytokine interaction and anti-oxidant effects, could have an effect on mast-cell degranulation in patients with IC/PBS if used intravesically.

Authors measured spontaneous calcium ionophore A23187 and A23187-induced histamine release on cells from the LAD2 mast cell line, comparing the effects of a range of medicinal honeys to those of control preparations (including a clover nectar, sugar syrup and agents typically used to treat IC/PBS.

The honeys inhibited spontaneous and A23187-induced histamine release significantly better than the control preparations (ranging from 60 percent to 100 percent, compared to 40 percent inhibition with sugar syrup, 36 percent for clover nectar and a maximum inhibition of 24 percent with either drug at either dilution), suggesting that honey, delivered intravesically, may provide some level of success to patients suffering with IC/PBS."

Eat Your Way to Health and Longevity

Eating is one the most important events in everyone’s life. We enjoy eating - it’s part of who we are and part of our culture; in fact, eating is the hottest universal topic of all times. We depend on eating: the foods we eat are the sole source of our energy and nutrition. We know so much about eating: we are born with the desire to eat and grown up with rich traditions of eating. But we also know so little about eating - about how the foods we eat everyday affect our health. We are more confused than ever about the link between diet and health: margarine is healthier than butter or not; a little alcohol will keep heart attacks at bay but cause breast cancer; dietary vitamin antioxidants can prevent lung cancer or can not. Eating is a paradox and a mystery that our ancestors tried and modern scientists are trying to solve.

Based on experiences and traditions, our ancestors have used foods and plant materials to treat various kinds of illness. Manuscripts discovered from a tomb (dated 168 B.C.) in China described prescriptions for 52 ailments with herbs, grains, legumes, vegetables, animal parts, and minerals. Ancient Sumerians recorded the use of 250 medicinal plants on tablets five thousand years ago. Today, plant and food remedies are still the major medicinal source for 80% of the world’s population.

The pharmacological roles of everyday foods have long been neglected by modern medicine due to lack of proven scientific validity. The main focus of modern medicine has been on pharmaceuticals. With the invention of modern chemotherapy by Paul Erhlich in the early twentieth century and sulfa drugs and antibiotics in the 1930’s and 1940’s, it seemed as if chemical medicines would take care of all our ills. However, while there continues to be great strides made in the understanding and use of pharmaceuticals, there is also widespread dissatisfaction with both them and the system of medicine that utilizes them. This dissatisfaction is centered around the feeling that they are too disease-oriented, and perhaps too limited by their precision to cope effectively with the subtle factors and interrelationships that compromise human health and disease. The precise and pure nature of modern biomedical pharmaceuticals also tends to increase their side effects. In addition, with the victory over many common infectious diseases, more people are concerned with chronic degenerative processes and with prevention of disease. The increasing concerns have started a new movement in medical research. More and more mainstream scientists are reaching back to the truth of ancient food folk medicines and dietary practices for clues to remedies and antidotes to our modern diseases.

Research on pharmacological effects of foods is fast-paced and the results are exciting. The mystery of what foods can do for or to us has started to unveil. In order to effectively use foods for our health benefits, the following issues need to be considered:

• Keep up with the most recent scientific findings and make use of them for our health benefits
• Try to use variety of whole foods as much as possible instead of isolated dietary supplements for your health problems - they are safer, cheaper, and usually more effective since they can provide multiple and balanced disease fighting capabilities
• Choice of foods is important: since healing power of a food is depending on the content of pharmacologically active constituents that differ among foods, and certain foods may need to be avoided due to their disease encouraging activities
• How do you prepare and eat your foods can affect their pharmacological effects
• Concerns about multiple health conditions: foods that benefit one health condition may be harmful to others
• Overall nutritional values of foods

Sources : http://www.naturalnews.com

Honey Reduces Impact of Intensive Road Cycling Training

Additionally in 2001, the National Honey Board reported improved endurance for cyclists, cutting 3 minutes off a 40mi race and improved post-workout recovery...

Honey Reduces Impact of Intensive Cycling Training on Spermatogenesis, Fertility

The Effects of Honey Supplementation on Seminal Plasma Cytokines, Oxidative Stress Biomarkers, and Anti-Oxidants During 8 Weeks of Intensive Cycling Training
J Androl, 2011 Jun 2

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of natural honey supplementation on seminal plasma cytokines, oxidative stress biomarkers, and anti-oxidants during 8 weeks of intensive cycling training in male road cyclists.

Thirty-nine healthy non-professional male road cyclists aged 18-28 years participated in this study. The participants were randomly assigned to exercise+supplement (E+S,n=20), and exercise (E,n=19) groups. All subjects participated in 8 weeks of intensive cycling training. Ninety minutes before each training session, subjects in the E+S group supplemented with 70 g of honey, while subjects in the E group received 70 g of an artificial sweetener. All subjects had an initial sampling at baseline (T1). The next six semen collections were collected immediately (T2); 12 (T3); and 24 hours (T4) after the last training session in week 4; as well as immediately (T5); 12 (T6); and 24 hours (T7) after the last training session in week 8, respectively.

In the E group eight weeks of intensive cycling training significantly increased the seminal interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels (P<0.008) and significantly decreased the levels of seminal superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and total anti-oxidant capacity (TAC) (P<0.008).

Significantly less elevation in the seminal IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, ROS, and MDA levels (P<0.008) and significant increase in the seminal SOD, catalase and TAC concentrations observed after the honey supplementation in the E+S group (P<0.008).

It may be possible that the honey supplementation following long-term intensive cycling training would be effective in attenuating the probable aggravating effects of intensive cycling training on spermatogenesis and fertility capacity in the road cyclists.

Impressive Antioxidant Profile of Strawberry Tree Honey

just as Manuka Honey has antioxidant properties, other monocultural honeys offer promise for beekeepers... 


Antioxidant Profile of Strawberry Tree Honey and its Marker Homogentisic Acid in Several Models of Oxidative stress

^a Dipartimento di Biologia Sperimentale, Sez. Patologia Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, SS 554, km 4.5, 09042 Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy

^b Department of Toxicology, University of Cagliari, via Ospedale 72, 09124 Cagliari, Italy

Received 7 January 2011;  revised 18 March 2011;  accepted 18 May 2011.  Available online 25 May 2011. 

Abstract

The antioxidant activity of several honeys was evaluated considering the different contribution of entire samples. The strawberry tree honey emerged as the richest in total phenols and the most active honey in the DPPH and FRAP tests, and could protect cholesterol against oxidative degradation (140 °C). Homogentisic acid (2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, HGA), the main phenolic compound from strawberry tree honey, showed interesting antioxidant and antiradical activities, and protective effect against thermal-cholesterol degradation, comparable to those of well known antioxidants. Moreover, the pre-treatment with HGA significantly preserved liposomes and LDL from Cu²⁺-induced oxidative damage at 37 °C for 2 h, inhibiting the reduction of polyunsaturated fatty acids and cholesterol and the increase of their oxidative products. This phenol had no toxic effect in human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells within the concentration range tested (5–1000 μM). HGA was able to pass through the Caco-2 monolayers, the apparent permeability coefficients (P_app) in the apical-to-basolateral and basolateral-to-apical direction were 3.48 ± 1.22 × 10^-6 and 2.18 ± 0.34 × 10^-6 cm/s, respectively, suggesting a passive diffusion pathway as the dominating process. The results of the work qualify HGA as natural antioxidant, able to exert a significant in vitro protective effect and to contribute to the strawberry tree honey antioxidant activity.

Highlights

► Strawberry tree honey protected in DPPH/FRAP tests, and cholesterol from degradation. ► Homogentisic acid, main phenolic compound of strawberry tree honey. ► The phenol protected in DPPH/FRAP tests, and cholesterol/fatty acids from oxidation. ► Homogentisic acid showed no toxicity and passive diffusion in Caco-2 cell monolayers. ► Contribution of homogentisic acid to antioxidant activity of strawberry tree honey.

Antifungal Activity of Propolis against Vulvovaginal Candida Albicans

Propolis has been documented to work best in all the mucous linings of the body...

Antifungal Activity of Brazilian Propolis Microparticles against Yeasts Isolated from Vulvovaginal Candidiasis

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 201953, 8 pages

Abstract
Propolis, a resinous compound produced by Apis mellifera L. bees, is known to possess a variety of biological activities and is applied in the therapy of various infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of propolis ethanol extract (PE) and propolis microparticles (PMs) obtained from a sample of Brazilian propolis against clinical yeast isolates of importance in the vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). PE was used to prepare the microparticles. Yeast isolates (n = 8 9), obtained from vaginal exudates of patients with VVC, were exposed to the PE and the PMs. Moreover, the main antifungal drugs used in the treatment of VVC (Fluconazole, Voriconazole, Itraconazole, Ketoconazole, Miconazole and Amphotericin B) were also tested. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined according to the standard broth microdilution method. Some Candida albicans isolates showed resistance or dose-dependent susceptibility for the azolic drugs and Amphotericin B. Non-C. albicans isolates showed more resistance and dose-dependent susceptibility for the azolic drugs than C. albicans. However, all of them were sensitive or dose-dependent susceptible for Amphotericin B. All yeasts were inhibited by PE and PMs, with small variation, independent of the species of yeast. The overall results provided important information for the potential application of PMs in the therapy of VVC and the possible prevention of the occurrence of new symptomatic episodes.
1. Introduction
Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a disease caused by abnormal growth of yeast-like fungi in the mucosa of the female genital tract, classified by the World Health Organization as a sexually transmitted disease of frequent sexual transmission [1]. VVC is caused mainly by the genus Candida, the major agent being Candida albicans, and the prevalence of this yeast can reach 85–95% [2]. Moreover, studies have shown the increasing infections by non-C. albicans species (C. tropicalis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis, C. pseudotropicalis, C. lusitaniae) in VVC [3, 4]. Because the disease strikes millions of women annually, leading to great discomfort, interfering with sexual and affective relations and impairing work performance, it has been considered an important worldwide public health concern [2]. VVC is the first cause of vulvovaginitis in Europe and the second in the USA and Brazil. It represents 20–25% of the vaginal discharges of infectious nature. It is estimated that about 75% of the adult women show at least one episode of VVC during their lifetimes, 40–50% of those will experience new surges and 5% will reach the recurrent character (RVVC), defined as the occurrence of four or more symptomatic episodes in a one year interval [4].
In recent years, drug-resistance to antifungal agents and optimizing therapy of Candida infections have been broadly focused [5]. Moreover, the therapeutic arsenal available for the treatment of fungal infections is quite restricted... 



Conclusion
Considering the antifungal activity showed by PMs and that the high ethanol concentration is a disadvantage of PE, this report clearly showed that PMs arises as a possible agent for the treatment and especially the prevention of the new symptomatic episode the VVC. Moreover PMs have the advantage of to be incorporated in some dosage forms, like vaginal ointments, and to be administered into the vaginal mucosa more easily and safely.