Welcome to the eleventh edition
of the Alchemist Lab newsletter.
"Let your food be your medicine and
your medicine, your food," Hippocrates. In honor of
Thanksgiving I decided to do a newsletter on food as medicine
for Hepatitis C. Here are some food items that are strong
enough to have a therapeutic effect.
#1 Mung beans contain a natural protease inhibitor and have
a long use in detoxifying poisons in TCM (Traditional Chinese
Medicine) Mung or the Latin Vigna Radiata is one of the herbs
used in the Hepatitis Recovery Formula
Here is a kichari, mung bean recipe from Michael
Tierra L. Ac. http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=BN5pi&m=1diHN70EHuqft9&b=q9_20zl_fLcVnrsZooeyWg
My favorite recipe is soaking split mung dahl
for an hour and then wash the dahl well. Then simmer till the
dahl dissolves well. Bake a winter squash of your choice and
scoop out the flesh minus the seeds and skin. Then blend with
ginger, miso, tumeric, and coconut milk. I will often add in
a small lemon as well. Delicious and very liver friendly.
#2 Milk Thistle Seeds: These can be bought by
the pound, or better yet harvested yourself, bring gloves.
Grind them in your coffee grinder and stir fry (stir fry is
without oil or butter, where you stir quite often to keep from
burning) and add sea salt. The Japanese make gomasio, goma
is sesame seeds and sio is sea salt and use it as a condiment.
Milk Thistle Seeds make a delicious, nutty condiment and that
is much tastier than gomasio.
#3 Shitake Mushrooms contain lentinan which is a beta-glucan
with powerful effects on hepatitis and many other diseases,
including cancer. The current Hep C Powder has a base of Shitake
Extract that is 25% lentinan. According to the Sloan Kettering
Cancer Center lentinan is used for cancer, high cholesterol,
strengthening the immune system, and treating infections. It
also raises white blood cell counts and increases helper t-cells.
Shitake contains many other ingredients with active properties
as well.
#4 Whey protein both contains lactoferrin as
well as builds glutathione levels. Glutathione is the main
anti-oxidant found inside liver cells and whey protein as well
as raw dairy are your best dietary sources. Lactoferrin upregulates
the immune system, regulates iron, and is a direct anti-viral
that interferes with the ability of HCV to dock onto hepatocytes.
#5 Coconut is chockful of medium chained fatty
acids, including both Lauric and Caprylic that are strongly
anti-infective. Its finest use is when there is poor thyroid
function, fatigue, and low body temperature. It cranks up metabolism
and fights infections that hamper the thyroid. Many years ago
before the advent of protease inhibitors to treat HIV, one
young man dying of AIDS decided to spend his remaining few
months living on a South Pacific island. Once there he proceeded
to eat at least one fresh young coconut every day. To everyone's
astonishment he went on to recover his health. This story which
was printed in a newsletter that our clinic always received
stuck in my mind about coconut's potential in treating infections.
#6 Artichokes contain cynarin which promotes
the flow of bile. Having stronger bile flow strengthens the
digestion as bile emulsifies the fat that you eat. Also bile
is made out of cholesterol and increasing bile flow lowers
the amount of stored cholesterol. Artichoke as a member of
the thistle family also helps control blood sugar levels.
#7 Selenium rich foods include Brazil Nuts, each
nut containing approximately 75 mcg of selenium. Broccoli,
onions, leeks, and garlic all accumulate selenium, mostly the
methylselenocysteine type which in the studies of different
types of selenium to inhibit cancer, it is the most effective
as well as the safest. The basic idea is that selenium is to
Hep C, what vitamin c is to colds. If you have an HCV infection
your body needs more selenium than the average person. This
is because HCV encodes selenoproteins depleting the cells of
selenium. Researchers believe that when selenium is gone from
cells, the virus will spread from cell to cell looking for
it. Some call adequate selenium 'viral birth control' preventing
viruses from spreading. Dr. Passwater, who has studied selenium
for 20 years recommended 200 mcg daily for every 40 pounds
of bodyweight for Hepatitis C patients.
#8 Lecithin contains phosphatidyl choline
which is a phospholipid that is a building block for cell
membranes. Because the liver has so many diverse functions,
its cells contain more organelles all of which need cellular
membranes. Lecithin also contains phosphatidyl serine which
promotes the productions of nerve growth hormone which helps
heal neurons. It also balances out the effect of cortisol
on the brain, preserving memory and organizing the brain
in the face of stress. PS & PC helps
renew and flush out cell membranes keeping cells healthier
and less prone to viral invasion. You can buy lecithin granules
at health food stores and sprinkle a tablespoon on salads and
other foods.
#9 Chlorella helps the body produce interferon
which upregulates immunity. It is high in Vitamin K which strengthens
platelets as well as many other nutrients. It detoxifies heavy
metals including mercury, which have a pro-inflammatory action
on liver enzymes. The only negative caveat on chlorella for
Hepatitis C patients is that it is rich many nutrients including
iron, so it is not recommended for those with high iron or
ferritin.
#10 I know that many of you may be disappointed
that red wine is not on this list for its resveratrol levels,
but the final choice goes to juicing. My favorite recipe for
liver health is lemons including the peel if it is organic,
fennel, celery, apples, and watercress if organic or cilantro.
Other great juices for the liver include beets, carrots, parsley,
and noni. When I do the newletter on detoxification programs
we will detail the apple juice gallstone cleanse.
Recipes:
Liver Health Juice
1 lemon
5 apples
3 stalks of celery
∏ fennel root
1 bunch of cilantro, watercress, or parsley
Add in 1/3 of the total juice amount with water, otherwise
it is
too strong for some. This is a delicious drink. Very energizing!
