Will These Drinks Relax You
Would you like a drink to relax you?
This isn’t a phrase that Muslims hear often. However, a new wave of specialty drinks is trying to change that. A new beverage is on the market which hopes to find a lucrative home between two financially successful categories – that of “vitamin waters” and “energy drinks.”
These new “relaxing drinks” promise to help you relax, sleep better and feel less stressed. Although this is a refreshing idea in the midst of our overly caffeinated societies, how these drinks are marketed and manufactured pose issues for debate. The main issue is the ingredients in the new “relaxing drinks”, their availability, how they are marketed and how they are labeled.
(Un)Relaxing Ingredient
All of the new drink lines feature melatonin as a key ingredient. However, the safety of melatonin is not discussed on their websites.
Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain’s pineal gland and is secreted at night (Ratzburg). Although it sounds deceptively “natural,” one must remember that all human hormones when used in prescription drugs are regulated because they carry substantial risks that require careful medical supervision.
For example, Thomas Moore points out that, “Insulin – an essential and lifesaving drug for Type 1 diabetes – can […] produce a loss of consciousness and coma. Estrogen, unopposed by progesterone, is a growth promoter and proven carcinogen. It causes endometrial cancer, and possibly other cancers. Thyroid hormone, important and safe replacement hormone for millions, caused heart attacks when used in a different form to lower cholesterol.” (Moore)
Francis Mercuri, Licensed Acupuncturist and Doctor of Oriental Medicine, states that, “melatonin supplementation is really a type of self-administered hormone replacement therapy, whose effects and contraindications have not yet been noted extensively.”
Melatonin should not be taken by people with certain medical conditions such as severe allergies, severe mental symptoms, auto-immune diseases or cancers such as leukemia. There may also be negative effects on the reproductive system, so pregnant women or those who want to conceive should not take those drinks. (Ratzburg; Ebner)
Mercuri shares, “Melatonin, in the public mind, is being thought of as a ‘sleeping pill’ whereas, in reality, it is a hormone intimately connected with the day/night circadian cycles. This creates two problems: The first pertains to timing. Melatonin naturally peaks during periods of darkness; taking it at other times (such as in the daytime, following a ‘graveyard’ shift) is highly questionable from a circadian point of view.”
Melatonin is not the only ingredient in question. The beverage RelaxZen contains passionflower and GABA as well. Passionflower is a strong depressant that can significantly reduce blood pressure, and GABA “should not be combined with alcohol or other depressants.” (Drug Safety Site). DreamWater also contains GABA.
However, IChill has chosen Valerian as one of its key ingredients The website does not mention that Valerian should not be taken by people who have liver problems or are pregnant or nursing and, according to drug safety sites, should also, “never be combined with melatonin.” (Altmed)
Surprisingly, although the safety of these drinks is questionable, they are allowed to be marketed without a prescription. And although the UK, France and Canada have outlawed them, they are still being distributed in the United States. (Ebner)
Dreamwater’s site states that “the information presented is for informational purposes only. Any consumer should consult their doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problems/questions and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications.” However, you are not required to have a prescription for ordering and no contraindications are listed, of which there are many. (DreamWater)
”Chemistry is Chemistry”
In fact, lack of information on the ingredients contained in the drinks is not the only thing missing from the websites and labels on the bottles.
A glance at all of the websites and labels reveals that these drinks advertise a “blend of stress reducing and mood enhancing herbs and vitamins is especially formulated to relax you throughout your day.” (RelaxZen) However, little safety information is provided.
RelaxZen includes “commuters and travelers” on its list of who its drink can benefit. However, the only safety advice on any of the three websites (RelaxZen, IChill and Dream Water) clearly says, “This product may cause drowsiness… do not take when operating machinery or driving a vehicle.” (IChill)
Other dangers are not even mentioned at all such as the combined use of “uppers and downers”, long term effects of melatonin, dangers of consuming hormones on a regular basis and dangers of combining these drinks with medications. Even worse, studies linking GABA to possible increased risk of suicide are not listed at all. (Korpi)
A possible risk associated with the drink is how people will use it. Seventy-five percent of Americans between the ages of 55 and 64 drink coffee and 47 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds drink coffee daily (Dowydizka). With caffeine drinkers being so prevalent, chances are high that people will mix caffeine (a stimulant) with a relaxing drink (a depressant.) Many studies have shown that mixing depressants with stimulants can cause symptoms such as severe dehydration, insomnia, vomiting, nose bleeds and even cardiac and respiratory conditions that might lead to death. (Ball State University)
So why are there so many dangers to drinking these relaxing waters when they are filled with such “natural” ingredients? Biochemist Stephen Naylor says that the problem is that these “natural” drinks are not natural at all.
“Chemistry is chemistry,” he explains. “Whether you’re extracting a hormone from a plant, or chemically synthesizing it, the moment you start to handle a chemical like melatonin, it is going to undergo other chemical reactions, and add whole new dimension to biological and toxicological activity. That is just reality.” (Moore)
Fasting & Mechanism of Digestion
Some nutritional specialists believe that man isn’t motivated to eat by his knowledge of the benefits and functions of food but rather by his pressing feeling of hunger as well as his appetite, i.e. desire, for food.
In other words, man’s sense of hunger motivates him to satisfy his food needs in order to survive, while his appetite, i.e. desire for food, is but a means to an end.
From among Allah’s Innumerable Divine Favors to mankind is that He has made delicious the food that they eat in order to survive.
This means that man is motivated to eat food by his feeling of hunger in addition to the fact that food is, in itself, delicious and desirable.
Man may satisfy his need for food by syrup that is injected into his blood, but due to the Grace of Allah, All-Mighty, Most Gracious, He has made food delicious and desirable. In other words, man’s desire for food is a means and not an end.
If man makes his desire for food an end in itself, his body will certainly be disturbed. Due to ignorance or weakness of will, a great many people make their desire for food an end and not a means.
This deprives them of what scientists call “the secret bell”, which rings only when one gets hungry! This “secret bell” is made inactive in the bodies of those who have bad food habits.
The human stomach, as confirmed by scientists, is able to expand and become many folds larger than its original size. Its volume may increase from 250 to 2,500 Cubic centimeters (cc).
When the stomach is made to expand, food becomes an end in itself; and then, one is said to live in order to eat and not vice versa!
Stages of Organizing Food by Human body
An amazing, yet definitive fact is that the mechanism whereby the human organism reacts towards food makes fasting not only necessary but also indispensable.
In other words, Allah, All-Wise, Most Gracious, has made the human organism react towards food substances according to a regular and well organized process that rigidly follows three stages.
First stage: It is the stage at which food is digested in the stomach and intestines, absorbed, assimilated, and changed into sugar flowing through the blood and other substances used for production of energy and building up of tissues.
Second stage: It is the stage at which the surplus energy is stored in the liver, muscles and most parts of the body.
In light of that, the first stage is that of digestion, absorption and consumption, while the second is concerned with storage.
Third stage: It is the stage at which stores of energy are opened. Sugar and fat are also changed into energy.
The remarkable peculiar thing about this stage is that it doesn’t take place unless a person abstains from having food for a certain period of time. In other words, this important stage of food assimilation doesn’t take place unless one abstains from food!
Benefits of Fasting
Scientists say that the ratio of sugar in the blood begins at 80-110 mg/100 cc, which is the normal ratio of sugar in the blood. But after fasting for six hours, this ratio goes down.
Here a marvelous miracle of the human body takes place, as the brain sends fast messages to the endocrine glands for help and energy supply.
The supra-renal gland produces a special hormone that incites the change of starch in the muscles and liver into sugar; and the thyroid gland also produces a special hormone that incites the sugar stored in the muscles and liver to get out and get consumed.
All of this happens because the ratio of sugar in the blood goes down after a six-hour Fast. Another gland, the pancreas, also produces a special hormone that incites the stored sugar to get out and get consumed.
If man were to consume all the sugar that he has stored in his muscles and liver, the fats, stored in the body, are broken down into sugar to be consumed by the body.
Scientific research confirms that the burning of fats increases during fasting hours, and so does the consumption of fats accumulated on the different parts of the body.
The amazing fact about the human body is that each 1kg of fat tissues needs 3km’s of capillaries through which the blood flows.
This is a heavy burden on the heart, for if a person’s weight is 10kg’s above normal, this means that he has 300km’s extra capillaries that have to be provided with blood by his heart.
Scientists confirm that physiology of the human body necessitates that man should abstain from food for certain periods of time enough for the first and second stages of food digestion to take place and to allow operations of the third stage to work well.
Fasting eases the first stage’s processes of food digestion and absorption, the second stage of food storage, and the third stage’s steps of burning and consumption of the stored energy in the body.
This means fasting is indispensable for mankind! And that is why Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, says, “O you who believe! The Fast has been prescribed for you, as it has been prescribed for those before you, so that you may attain self-protection.” (Surat Al-Baqarah: 2:183).
In addition to the above scientific facts, fasting bears a very delicate significance, namely that it is a kind of worship and devotion that provides man with spiritual enhancement and brings him nearer to his Lord, Allah, All-Mighty, Who says, “All of man’s work is for him, except for the Fast: it is for Me; and it is I, Who shall recompense (man) for it.”
The Fast strengthens man’s will and reminds him of his human weakness. In other words, the outcomes of the above-mentioned scientific research by no means clashes with the first and foremost goal of fasting, namely that it is a kind of worship and devotion to the Lord, Allah, Most Gracious.
This is because Allah’s Commands embrace innumerable benefits, both spiritual and physical.
Fasting is a kind of worship, devotion, nearness, reminder of man’s human weakness and need, but, at the same time, it is a fountain of good health.
Celebrating Al-Biruni: A Muslim Genius and Polymath
Scientific developments didn’t come on a silver platter. It had taken men and women throughout the ages to create the innovations we benefit from today, with Muslim scientists being no less involved than others. One such renowned scholar was the great Persian scientist Aburayhan Al-Biruni.
A distinguished Muslim medieval scientist, Al-Biruni rose to fame during the Golden Age of Islamic civilization which arguably extended between 750 CE -1258 CE.
“Al-Biruni is one the greatest scientists of all times,” Mohamed Said Abdi, a high school teacher of Islamic Studies, told AboutIslam.net. “He studied so many branches of science, and did a lot of practical work on a number of scientific innovations.”
Al-Biruni has had considerable influence on modern science, but none of his work was translated into western languages until the 20th century.
“His influence as a Muslim Scientist was above board. But in the study of history he wasn’t granted the kind of publicity he required, like those given to the Renaissance scientists in Europe,” says Fatuma Saman, a history teacher and a Principal at Nairobi Muslims Academy.
“This phenomenon not only affected Al-Biruni, but many Muslim medieval scientists whose ambitious and ground-breaking discoveries were hidden under the shelves only to gather dusts.”
However, historians believe that the role Al-Biruni played in scientific discoveries is by far one of remarkable achievement among not only Muslim scholars, but among scientists of all times.
Polymath
Born on September 4, 973 CE in Khwarezm, Khorasan (modern-day Uzbekistan,) Al-Biruni studied science tirelessly until his death in 1052 CE.
According to many historical sources, Al-Biruni was one of the most accomplished scientists of the entire middle ages.
He became legendary for his intellect and ingenuity in producing revolutionary science, leaving an indelible mark in the studies of so many disciplines. In scholarly parlance, he is regarded as a polymath. He left nothing to chance in his unbounded ambition for advancing the scientific understanding of his day.
He had his finger in every pie, from voluminous anthropology to complex astronomy and astrology; from composite chemistry to comparative sociology; from scientific mathematics to phenomenal physics; and yet more demanding from behavioral psychology to principle philosophy.
He is on record to have said, “I have begun with geometry and proceeded to arithmetic and the science of numbers, then to the structure of the Universe, and finally to judicial astrology, for no one is worthy of the style and title of astrologer who is not thoroughly conversant with these four sciences.”
English renaissance astrologer William Lilly in his book ‘Christian Astrology’ described Al-Biruni as a man of great wisdom with unmatched desire for science during the Middle Ages.
“An excellent disputant or logician, arguing with learning and discretion, and using much eloquence in his speech, a searcher into all kinds of mysteries and learning, sharp and witty, learning almost anything without a teacher; ambitious of being exquisite in every science, desirous naturally of travel and seeing foreign parts: a man of an unwearied fancy, curious in the search of any occult knowledge; able by his own genius to produce wonders; given to divination and the more secret knowledge,” Lilly wrote.
Lunar Eclipse illustration by Al-Biruni.
Al-Biruni is said to be the first man to carry out elaborate experiments linked to astronomical occurrence. He pragmatically experimented and described the solar eclipse on April 8, 1019 and the lunar eclipse on September 17, 1019.
In 1031, Al-Biruni concluded an all-embracing astronomical encyclopedia called Kitab al-Qanun al-Mas’udi (Latinized as “Canon Mas’udicus,”) in which he recorded his astronomical results and invented astronomical tables with logical conclusions.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Al-Biruni’s original input into astronomy and astrology is clearly noticeable in almost every chapter of the book.
“Al-Biruni drew a subtle distinction between the motion of the solar apogee and the motion of precession, and explored many other applied mathematical techniques to achieve much higher precision and ease of use of tabulated astronomical results,” Britannica states.
According to the website MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive, maintained by Professor John J. O’Connor and Edmund F. Robertson at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, Al-Biruni determined the latitude of his hometown using the maximum altitude of the Sun at the tender age of 17.
“Important contributions to geodesy and geography were also made by Al-Biruni. He introduced techniques to measure the Earth and distances on it using triangulation. He found the radius of the Earth to be 6,339.6 km, a value not obtained in the West until the 16th century,” explains the website.
146 Books
The Muslim scientist also racked his brain to expose and study gemstones and metals. Mineralogy was one among his best findings and here he put his best foot forward to precisely measure mineral densities.
He is said to have described about 100 known minerals, their varieties and rock occurrences, as well as characteristics such as color, hardness, production, and cost.
“This important reference on precious stones was quoted by many later scientists. It is the third authentic text known on mineralogy and equal precision in density measurement was not achieved in Europe until the 18th century,” wrote James Sandusky Aber, a Professor of Geology, in his work on History of Geology.
Elsewhere in anthropology, he studied the Indian community of his century, thus becoming the father of Indology. His remarkable achievements studying the history, philosophy, medicine of India earned him the title “the first anthropologist.”
According to many historians, the world’s enthusiastic clinch of modern anthropology could not have come easily without the pioneering footprint of Al-Biruni.
In a nutshell, Al-Biruni’s works total 146 books. These include 35 books on astronomy, 4 on astrolabes, 23 on astrology, 5 on chronology, 2 on time measurement, 9 on geography, 10 on geodesy and mapping theory, 15 on mathematics, 2 on mechanics, 2 on medicine and pharmacology, 1 on meteorology, 2 on mineralogy and gems, 4 on history, 2 on India, 3 on religion and philosophy, 16 literary works, 2 books on magic, and 9 unclassified books.
According to scientists, among all these works, only 22 have survived, and only 13 of these works have been published.
Single Alcoholic Drink Per Day Increases Breast Cancer
Drinking just one glass of wine or other alcoholic drinks a day increases breast cancer risk, finds a major new report by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).
The report also revealed, for the first time, that vigorous exercise such as running or fast bicycling decreases the risk of both pre- and post-menopausal breast cancers.
Strong evidence confirmed an earlier finding that moderate exercise decreases the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer, the most common type of breast cancer.
“It can be confusing with single studies when the findings get swept back and forth,” said Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, a lead author of the report and cancer prevention expert at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
“With this comprehensive and up-to-date report the evidence is clear: Having a physically active lifestyle, maintaining a healthy weight throughout life and limiting alcohol—these are all steps women can take to lower their risk,” she told MedicalXPress.com.
Diet, nutrition, physical activity and breast cancer systematically collated and evaluated the scientific research worldwide on how diet, weight and exercise affect breast cancer risk in the first such review since 2010. The report analyzed 119 studies, including data on 12 million women and 260,000 cases of breast cancer.
The report found strong evidence that drinking the equivalent of a small glass of wine or beer a day (about 10 grams of alcohol content) increases pre-menopausal breast cancer risk by 5% and post-menopausal breast cancer risk by 9%. A standard drink is 14 grams of alcohol.
For vigorous exercise, pre-menopausal women who were the most active had a 17% lower risk and post-menopausal women had a 10% lower risk of developing breast cancer compared to those who were the least active.
Total moderate activity, such as walking and gardening, linked to a 13% lower risk when comparing the most versus least active women.
In addition, the report showed that being overweight or obese increases the risk of post-menopausal breast cancer, the most common type of breast cancer. Moreover, mothers who breastfeed are at lower risk for breast cancer. And greater adult weight gain increases risk of post-menopausal breast cancer.
AICR estimates that one in three breast cancer cases in the U.S. could be prevented if women didn’t drink alcohol, were physically active and stayed a healthy weight.
The report points to links between diet and breast cancer risk. There was some evidence—although limited—that non-starchy vegetables lower risk for estrogen-receptor (ER) negative breast cancers, a less common but more challenging to treat type of tumor.
Limited evidence also links dairy, diets high in calcium and foods containing carotenoids to lowering risk of some breast cancers. Carrots, apricots, spinach and kale are all foods high in carotenoids, a group of phytonutrients studied for their health benefits.
These links are intriguing but more research is needed, says McTiernan. “The findings indicate that women may get some benefit from including more non-starchy vegetables with high variety, including foods that contain carotenoids,” she said. “That can also help avoid the common half of a kilogram women are gaining every year, which is key for lowering cancer risk.”
Aside from these lifestyle risk factors, other established causes of breast cancer include being older, early menstrual period and having a family history of breast cancer.
While there are many factors that women can’t control, says Alice Bender, MS, RDN, AICR’s Head of Nutrition Programs, the good news from this report is that all women can take steps to lower their breast cancer risk.
“Wherever you are with physical activity, try to nudge it up a bit, either a little longer or a little harder. Make simple food shifts to boost protection—substitute veggies like carrots, bell peppers or green salad for chips and crackers and if you drink alcohol, stick to a single drink or less,” said Bender. “There are no guarantees when it comes to cancer, but it’s empowering to know you can do something to lower your risk.”
Parasitology Established by Muslim Hands
Ibn Zuhr, known in the West as Avenzoar, was one of the greatest physicians, clinicians and parasitologists of the Middle Ages.
Some historians of science describe him as the leading Muslim physician after Al-Razi (Rhazes) and Ibn Sina (Avicenna), while some of his contemporaries called him the greatest physician since Galen.
Abu Marwan Abd al-Malik Ibn Zuhr was born in Seville, Spain in 1091 C.E.
He graduated from Cordoba Medical University and after a brief stay in Baghdad and Cairo, returned to Spain and worked for Almoravides as a physician.
Later, Ibn Zuhr worked for ‘Abd al-Mu’min, the first Muwahid ruler, both as physician and a minister. He devoted his career to Seville and died in 1161 C.E.
Ibn Zuhr confined his work only to medicine, contrary to the prevailing practice of Muslim scientists who typically worked in several fields.
Still, by focusing in one field he made many original and long-lasting contributions. He emphasized observation and experiment in his work.
Ibn Zuhr made several breakthroughs as a physician. He was the first to test different medicines on animals before administering them to humans.
Also, he was the first to describe scabies and the itch mite in detail, and is thus regarded as the “Father of Parasitology.”
He was also the first to give a full description of the tracheotomy operation and practiced direct feeding through the gullet in those cases where normal feeding wasn’t possible.
As a clinician, he provided clinical descriptions of intestinal phthisis, inflammation of the middle ear, pericarditis, and mediastinal tumors among others.
Ibn Zuhr wrote a number of important books for both the medical specialists and the common people.
Several of his books were translated into Latin and were in great demand in Europe until the late 18th Century, unfortunately only three of his greatest books have survived.
Kitab al-Taisir fi al-Mudawat wa al-Tadbir, (The Book of Simplification concerning Therapeutics and Diet) was written at the request of Ibn Rushd (Averroes).
The work contains many of Ibn Zuhr’s original contributions, particularly in its detailed discussions of pathological conditions and therapy.
The second book, Kitab al-Iqtisad fi Islah Al-Anfus wa al-Ajsad (translated as the Book of the Middle Course concerning the Reformation of Souls and the Bodies), summarizes different diseases, therapeutics and the hygiene. It also discusses the role of psychology in treatment.
This book is written in an easy to understand format for the nonspecialist. The third book,Kitab al-Aghziya (Book on Foodstuffs), discusses numerous drugs and the importance of food and nutrition.
Surprising Discovery of Genetic Mosaic in Brain
Our body is made up of some hundred trillions of cells and each of them is specialized to its function. There are different cells building our bones, muscles, blood, brain, etc… Among all of them the cells making up our brains – the neurons, are the most remarkable.
First of all because of their unique function, but also because they are the longest living cells in our body. The majority of the neurons functioning in the brain were developed in prenatal stages. To compare, the cells in our guts are replaced after less than a week.
The structure and function of each cell is determined by our genes. When cells are replicating the DNA is copied, but often part of the genetic code is missing or gets duplicated. This variation leads to a formation of what is called a genetic mosaic. This variation has been found in the skin cells, but till now no one suspected that it could affect neurons as well.
The scientists at Salk Institute of Biological Sciences in a study led by Mike McConnell have discovered that as much as 41% of the neurons they examined displayed at least one significant variation in DNA.
This result came as a big surprise as it challenged the commonly held theories on the development of brain and its genetic makeup. As corresponding author of the study, Fred Gage says: “this was such a surprise – finding out that individual neurons in your brain have different DNA content.”
These findings may lead to a better understanding of some mental diseases such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism and depression – all of these conditions have been suspected to be genetically linked, but their development couldn’t be tied up to a single gene.
“That might be why it’s been so hard to figure out the genetics of these complex diseases – because we’ve been building on the assumption that all the cells in there had the same genome,” says McConnell, the leader of the study. “If we’ve been over- or under-representing some of the risk genes, now we might have a better understanding.”
In their research, the scientists have isolated some hundred neurons from people posthumously. To examine them they have used the method of single-cell sequencing. In this method the miniscule amount of DNA in a single cell is chemically amplified many times before it can be sequenced.
CVNs are the most common cause of autism.
This process is technically challenging, so the team spent a year ruling out potential sources of error. The study is also ground-breaking because this has been probably the first time that single-cell sequencing has been applied to neurons. Without this technique the readout of DNA was an average of all the genomes of a huge population of cells.
Once the scientists were able to isolate the DNA from a single cell they have looked for its variations, such as duplications of deletions called Copy Number Variations or CNVs.
They have found that around 41% of neurons have at least one CNV that has occurred spontaneously, which means it has not been genetically passed down from the parents.
Findings Still to Come
Similar variation of DNA has been found in the neurons derived from the skin of three healthy people, and the variation in the genetic makeup has also been discovered in the skin cells. These findings suggest that many genetic changes occur in the development and are not inherited.
The CNVs in DNA may lead to changes in its expression: a deletion could lead to reduced expression of the affected genes, while a duplication could lead to greater expression. What is the implication of this variation in neurons?
“The thing about neurons is that, unlike skin cells, they don’t turn over, and they interact with each other,” says McConnell. “They form these big complex circuits, where one cell that has CNVs that make it different can potentially have network-wide influence in a brain.”
The findings of the research are groundbreaking, but the scientists feel that they are just at the beginning of the journey to discover how the genetic makeup of neurons and the CNVs are affecting the brain. But they are suspecting that what they have found out could lead to answer some long-standing questions linking genetic patterns with certain mental disorders.
“There are examples out there of identical twins where one has schizophrenia and the other one doesn’t. One has autism and the other one doesn’t,” McConnell said. “These are identical twins who were raised together, they had the same nature and nurture, and it’s not clear why one of them would get the disease and the other one wouldn’t. And it could be because of the mosaic they wound up with in their brain.”
Scientists are very enthusiastic about the discovery of genetic mosaic in brain, but Mike McConnell is cautious about the prognosis of finding remedy to mental diseases based on his findings. “It would be very far-fetched to think that you could actually fix the mosaic,” he says, “but if we can understand how the mosaic is causing disease, and identify certain genes that become overrepresented or underrepresented in the mosaic, then we could start studying those genes and perhaps find better targets for some of these diseases.”
Olive Tree: Symbol of Peace and Healing
In Ancient Egypt, the odor of the olive was utilized in rituals for its ability to bring together many different peoples, beliefs and values.
Later, Prophet Nuh (Noah) made it famous as a symbol of peace and unity (Gurudas p.183).
“Allah is the Light of the heavens, and the earth; a lamp, the lamp is in a glass, (and) the glass is as it were a brightly shining star, lit from a blessed olive tree, neither eastern or western, the oil whereof almost gives light though fire touch it not – light upon light…” (Surat An-Nur 24:35).
Although the olive tree has many different meanings, it does have a common origin. Syrian and Palestinian olives spread to the Mediterranean Basin approximately 5,000 years ago (Oliveoilnews, p.1). Also called “the oldest cultivated tree”, the olive tree has served as food, fuel and medicine.
Soap produced in Nablus and Jaffa, was made from unadulterated olive oil up until the early 20th century. This provided the most important manufactured product for Palestinian export (Passia, p.1).
In 2001, when the Zionist entity uprooted half-a-million trees, mainly olive trees (Jad p.35), the tree become the most important fruit crop for the Zionist entity – with 200,000 dunums growing on the hills of Galilee (Glazier, p.1).
However, the value of the olive tree extends beyond that of a food crop. Since the time of Adam, the olive has been said to represent those seeking God through science in vibrational herbal medicine. The energy of olive oil, in fact, is said to be accentuated when applied through massage. Even the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) recommended massage and acupressure using olive oil (Gurudas, p. 183).
However, olive oils therapeutic and medicinal benefits are not only external. Olive oil is also a popular laxative for children as it removes stony deposits from the bile as well as intestinal worms. Rheumatic and skin conditions have also been reduced by the use of olive oil. When rubbed gently on the gums of teething children, by absorption, olive oil keeps the bowels functional (Kadans, p.159).
Research by doctors at Oxford University in England found that olive oil also reacts with stomach acids, helping to prevent the onset of bowel and rectal cancers. Dr. Michael Goldacre and his team studied bowel cancer rates in 28 countries. They found that those who ate a lot of meat and fish as opposed to vegetables and cereals were more at risk.
Where diets were rich in olive oil the risk was reduced despite the diet. High meat consumption increases bile and deoxycyclic acid, which reduces the activity of the enzyme diamine oxidase, DAO. This enzyme regulates cell turnover in the bowel lining. The oil reduces the amount of bile acid and increased DAO levels, decreasing abnormal cell growth. Every year, 800,000 Britons die from bowel and rectal cancers (BBC, p.1-4).
Spanish physicians also use olive oil as an internal medicine. They once prescribed olive leaves as a febrifuge. Consequently, during the Spanish war of 1808 – 1813, French officers used them to treat cases of intermittent fever.
In 1854 the Pharmaceutical Journal of Provincial Transactions reported olive oil to be more effective than quinine (Jackson, p.1-2).
It was in 1960 that Panizzi isolated the bitter glucoside oleuropein from the olive leaf, the source of the olives powerful disease resistant properties. As an anti-bacterial, oleuropein eliminates lactic acid, staphylococcus aureus (food – poisoning) and others. Elenolic acid, a by-product of oleuropein hydrolysis, also inhibits some viruses.
In 1969, in search of new antiviral compounds, H. Renis isolated from oleuropein, the salt calcium elenolate. In experiments, calcium elenolate destroyed all the viruses tested: herpes vaccina, pseudorabies, influenza A, Newcastle disease, parainfluenza 3, encephalomyocardis, polio 1,2,3, vesicular stomatitis; and it prevented the spread of viral infections of the lungs (Jackson, p.2).
The Upjohn Company of Michigan carried-out most of the work on the properties of calcium elenolate in the 1960s and 1970s – but discovered a problem.
Calcium elenolate has a strong affinity for plasma proteins, probably because it is isolated from the balancing source. In bonding with plasma proteins, calcium elenolate makes the proteins inactive within minutes.
A breakthrough in 1994 made certain changes to the active molecule a closely guarded and patented secret. Researchers found that they could significantly reduce, if not eliminate, the binding of calcium elenolate.
Brand-named “Eden Extract”, it is an olive leaf extract obtained through a hydro-ethanol process. Sold legally, it remains unproven and is therefore reliant on marketing. It is known to kill large quantities of infecting organisms within a short time span. However, extracting a substance from the olive oil and marketing it is not without side effects.
The effect of the elenolate extract causes a large release of toxic substances into the bodily tissues and blood stream from the dying organisms and cellular debris, hence the immune system reacts. There is an allergic reaction that transpires as flu-like symptoms, headaches, fever, fatigue, muscle-joint aches and diarrhea (Jackson, p.3).
Olive oil, however, as well as being a healer, is also considered a highly nutritional food. Olives also contain Vitamin K, essential in the synthesis of anticoagulant proteins C and S. Vitamin K deficiency, though rare, is related to the placental transfer of drugs like carbamzepine, phenytoin, rifarpin and warfarin which inhibit vitamin K activity (Buck, p.1-3).
Real olive oil also contains many other known vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants (Radstrom, p.1). The content includes 55.5% oleic acid, 0.9% linoleic acid, a polyunsaturate that lowers cholesterol and reduces platelet aggregation and linoleic acid at 0-1.5% (oliveoilsource, p.1-3).
Linoleic acid is an omega-6 and linolenic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid. These essential fatty acids are found in high concentrations in the brain and are essential to normal nerve impulse transmission and brain function. They prevent oxidation, promote energy production, transfer of oxygen from the air to the bloodstream, cell growth and division and the manufacture of hemoglobin (Bodydoctor p.8).
Antioxidants prevent the formation of free radicals that produce lipid peroxides, which kill cells. They reduce oxidation of cholesterol, prevent heart disease and lengthen shelf life (Radstrom, p.1). This is why olive oil is used as a natural preservative in things like tinned sardines.
The rich antioxidant content and healing power of olive oil, however, varies according to the maturation, variety and the growing condition of the tree. The higher the acidity, the lower the viability of the oil.
In the markets of developed countries one can find extra virgin olive oil – the genuine oil from the first cold press without refinement. It is extracted by pressure, without changing the properties. It is the richest and fruitiest – with an acidity of 1%.
The milder virgin olive oil is from the first pressing, but has an acidity of 1-2%.Olive oil is blended refined oil with 1-15% extra virgin olive oil. It is a product of refined industrially produced lower-grade oils. Pure olive oil has an acidity of 1.5% and is a blend of olive and Pomace oil.
Refined olive oil is extracted through cold press but doesn’t conform to International Oleic Council’s standards. Refined to change the taste and to lower the acidity to 0.3% it contains 10% extra virgin olive oil. It has low nutritional value and has no antioxidants. Pomace oil, is a mixture of refined olive oil cake and virgin olive oil with an acidity of 1.5%.
“Light” and “Extra Light” olive oil has the same calories as regular olive oil. This “lightness” has to do with the color, fragrance and flavor, achieved by filtration and a refining process. A cocktail of refined olive oils, canola and hazelnut, it is of the lowest quality obtained through a chemical process (Eliki, p. 1-2).
Alcohol & Processed Meat Linked to Stomach Cancer
Drinking alcohol, eating processed meat and being overweight increase the risk of developing stomach cancers, according to a major new scientific report released by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund.
The Continuous Update Project (CUP) report was led by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).
Scientists systematically gathered and analyzed data relating to stomach cancer, after which a panel of leading international experts evaluated the results independently. Worldwide, there were 952,000 cases of stomach cancer in 2012, or 7% of all new cancer cases.
Stomach cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death. It affects men twice as much as women, and it is more common among older people, with the average age of diagnosis in the US being 72 years.
In Europe and the US, the survival rate is 25-28%, rising to 63% if it is diagnosed early. But symptoms may not appear until the later stages, and some 70% of cases worldwide are diagnosed late, leading to a lower survival rate. Eastern Asia and China are particularly affected.
Classification of stomach cancer depends on where the tumor develops. Cardia stomach cancer occurs at the top of the stomach, near the esophagus; non-cardia cancer occurs anywhere else in the stomach.
Non-cardia stomach cancer is more prevalent, and especially in Asia, but the rates are declining. This may be due to a decrease in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, and because more people are using refrigeration, rather than salt, to preserve food.
However, cardia stomach cancer is now more frequent in the US and the UK, and the trend is growing.
Previous findings have suggested that smoking is responsible for 11% of cases of stomach cancer worldwide.
Infection by H. pylori infection is known to cause non-cardia stomach cancer, and investigations are under way into a link with Epstein-Barr virus.
Industrial chemical exposure and workplace exposure to dust and high temperature have also been implicated. People who operate food machines and those employed in rubber manufacturing, wood or metal processing, chromium production and coal mining are thought to be at greater risk.The current study highlights the impact of certain lifestyle factors on the risk of developing stomach cancer. It involved 89 meta-analyses and data for 17.5 million adults, 77,000 of whom had stomach cancers.
