Natural compounds in carnivorous plants could fight human fungal infections

(NaturalNews) The vast array of plants in nature includes carnivorous plants that kill to survive. How can a plant zap a flying or crawling insect? By using a highly evolved group of compounds and secondary metabolites to trap and absorb prey. Now Tel Aviv University researchers say they’ve found a way these natural plant compounds could benefit human health by fighting serious fungal infections. The Venus fly trap is probably the best known example of a carnivorous plant. Native to the tropics, these plants lure unsuspecting beetles, ants, flies and other creatures into a cavity filled with liquid that botanists call a “pitcher”. The instant insects fall into this trap, enzymes are activated that dissolve the bugs and provide the plant with needed nutrients, such as carbon and nitrogen, which can be difficult to extract from soil. For a study just published in the Journal of Experimental Biology , the Israeli researchers investigated the biology of the carnivorous plant Nepenthes khasiana , which is native to India. In a media…

How to Get Rid of Head Lice Naturally

(NaturalNews) Head lice are easily transmitted by head-to head contact or by sharing combs, brushes or caps. Infestations are common in school children but this is not an indication of poor hygiene or dirty hair. Lice lay their eggs along the base of the hair shaft, close to the scalp. Conventional cures include the application of strong smelling insecticides or shampoos which can be harmful to health, especially in the case of small children. Go the natural route in preventing and treating head lice infestations. Preventing Head Lice Do not think a problem with lice will not affect you or your family. Inspect your child’s head regularly for lice and nits, paying particular attention to the hairline, neck and areas above the ears. If there is an outbreak at your child’s school, be even more thorough. To repel lice, comb the hair twice a week with a comb dipped in a mug of warm water containing…

Heal Yourself in 15 Days by Cleaning Up Your Skin Exposure (Part Ten)

(NaturalNews) Continuing with our 15-day self healing series, today we focus on cleaning up your skin exposures . By “skin exposures,” I mean all the things your skin comes into contact with… and the sheer quantity of those things will probably surprise you. But first, let’s get something out of the way that’s crucial to all this. The consumer products industry wants you to believe their “Big Lie”. The Big Lie is that chemicals you put on your skin don’t get absorbed into your bloodstream. So there’s no need to make sure consumer products are actually safe. The FDA and most members of the conventional medical community also believe this lie: They don’t acknowledge the absorption properties of the skin, so they tend to say that all the things you put on your skin are perfectly safe for your health even if they contain toxic chemicals . (Of course, these very same people then promote nicotine patches and other drugs delivered through the skin, so they do indirectly acknowledge that the skin absorbs chemicals.) …

Heart transplants lead to skin cancer

(NaturalNews) A new study published by the Mayo Clinic in the journal Archives of Dermatology has revealed that roughly half of all patients who undergo a heart transplant end up getting skin cancer within 15 years of the surgery. Among the 312 people evaluated in the study, 1,395 different skin cancers emerged following surgery. Whenever a body part is surgically implanted, the body recognizes it as a foreign object and proceeds to attack it. Patients who undergo organ transplants usually have to take immune suppressant drugs for the rest of their lives in order to prevent the body from rejecting the organ. These drugs increase patients’ risk of developing cancer and other serious diseases. The Mayo Clinic study evaluated what types of skin cancers emerged following a heart transplant and found that all sorts of skin cancers, from minor to fatal, afflicted patients. While relatively rare, researchers discovered that some patients developed malignant melanomas, the most serious type of skin cancer. One study participant died from malignant melanoma. A…

Cancer Warnings Lead to Massive Vitamin D Deficiency

February 4th, 2010 Natural News By David Gutierrez Public health warnings about the skin cancer risks associated with sun exposure have led people to avoid sunlight to such an extent that vitamin D deficiencies have now become widespread, according to a study conducted by researchers from King’s College London. The body produces vitamin D upon exposure to the ultraviolet

Heal Yourself in 15 Days (Part 2)

February 1, 2010 Natural News By Mike Adams This article continues our 15-part article series called Heal Yourself in 15 Days. In part one, we looked at why the real secret to rapid healing is to remove the barriers to healing. In part two, we look at why your healing potential is so powerful that you can’t even

Heal yourself in 15 days by recognizing your innate healing power (part two)

(NaturalNews) This article continues our 15-part article series called Heal Yourself in 15 Days . In part one, we looked at why the real secret to rapid healing is to remove the barriers to healing (http://www.naturalnews.com/028053_self_healing_quality_of_life.html). In part two, we look at why your healing potential is so powerful that you can’t even turn it off! When you scrape your elbow, a bit of blood oozes out to clean the wound and wash away bacteria. It then forms a protective scab that keeps out invading microorganisms while your skin has a chance to heal underneath. There, some real magic takes place: Your skin cells innately recognize the need to divide and grow to fill the wound. A cancer-like process is unleashed at the cellular level, activating nearby cells to divide and grow. Your DNA is replicated in the nucleus of each cell with the help of some of the most astounding nanotechnology every witnessed in human civilization. (The best scientists in the world can’t even come …

Johnson & Johnson Skim Cream Ad Banned After Makeup In “After” Shots

January 6, 2010 The Guardian By Mark Sweney A TV campaign for a face cream that promised to make skin look blemish-free has been banned by the advertising watchdog because the “after” shots were achieved using makeup. The television campaign, for Johnson & Johnson, promoted the company’s Clean and Clear Spot Control Kit. The campaign, created by ad agency DDB

Do Statin Drugs Cause Vitamin D Deficiency?

(NaturalNews) Many in the medical profession are beginning to recognize that people who take cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are becoming vitamin D-deficient. Cholesterol is required by the body to synthesize vitamin D and statin drugs are are responsible for eliminating it, leading many to speculate that statin drug users do not have enough cholesterol to process vitamin D. Contrary to popular belief, cholesterol actually plays an important role in maintaining health. It regulates proper hormonal levels and is the precursor substance for the production of vitamin D. Cholesterol also works to digest and absorb fats, nutrients, and vitamins. When converting sunlight into vitamin D, cholesterol in the skin acts as the catalyst for this important process. Vitamin D is crucial for mineral metabolization and is said to target over 2000 human genes. Deficiency is linked to over 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, autoimmune diseases, muscle and bone problems, and other serious diseases. In the study, researchers found a clear …

New Human Sensory System Found Under Skin

December 11, 2009 Examiner By Meg Marquardt Researchers have found an entirely new system related to touch hidden beneath our skin. The study, published in the journal Pain, suggests that this network may play a pivotal role in diseases that cause chronic pain, such as intense migraines and fibromyalgia. The sensory network is completely separate from the long nerves

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