A History of The Doctrine of Signatures - Carrots
 

The theory that nature provides clues as to the beneficial uses of  plants is known as The Doctrine Of Signatures. The earliest known  references to this theory are the writings of Galen (131-200 AD). Some  1,400 years later The Doctrine Of Signatures was expanded upon by  several authors of note: Paracelsus (1493-1541 AD) was born Phillip von Hohenheim, who later took up the names Philippus  Theophrastus Aureolus, Bombastus von Hohenheim, and finally taking the  title Paracelsus. He is regarded as the father of modern chemistry. The  writings of Paracelsus are regarded as the earliest formal account of  The Doctrine Of Signatures and had a significant influence in bringing  the concept into the medicinal realm.

Jakob Boehme (1575-1624 AD) offered two books which further  expanded upon The Doctrine Of Signatures from both physical and  spiritual aspects. His books Signatura Rerum (The Signature Of All  Things) and Aurora were published in the early 17th Century.

William Coles (1626-1662 AD) was a 17th century botanist,  herbalist and physician. He authored a book titled The Art Of Simpling  which reflected a contemporary belief that the appearance of a plant  provides a clue, or signature, which indicates its beneficial medicinal  use.

Surprisingly, little has been written on the topic since the  17th century. But now that modern day researchers are focusing more  resources on the study of whole foods, the concept is once again coming  into focus. The latest scientific research offers a good bit of  anecdotal evidence suggesting that The Doctrine Of Signatures does hold  true in many cases, including signatures that appear at a microscopic  level - here is our first example.

Carrots resemble the human eye. Notice the small solid area  in the center, with radiating lines surrounded by a solid color. All our lives we've been told to eat our carrots, they help improve your  eyesight. Maybe you've wondered - what exactly is it about the carrot  that is good for my eyes? That would be the beta-carotene. In addition  to giving the carrot its name and orange color, it also converts to  vitamin A in the body which helps improve vision. The vitamin A forms a purple pigment called rhodopsin the eye needs to see in dim light.  Rhodopsin production is spurred by vitamin A, raising the effectiveness  of the light-sensitive area of the retina.

You can find carrots along with their health imparting  properties in some of your favorite Wholefood Farmacy foods such as  Veggielicious and Veggielicious Spice.

Veggielicious Spice
Veggielicious Spice is a spicy, crunchy alternative to traditional snack foods. It's a combination of 12 low pressure dried ingredients: Maize Corn, Sweet  Corn, Peas, Tomatoes, Carrots, Green Beans, Zucchini, Broccoli, Red  Peppers, Green Onions, Green Peppers, & our own Cajun Spice blend (Pure Salt, Paprika, Chili Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Chipotle Pepper, Garlic, Lemon  Peel, Onion, Parsley, Rosemary, & Black Pepper). This complete meal  is packaged as a convenient snack and contains everything you need to  stay energized throughout the day, the healthy way.

Click Here For More Info!
Click Here to Order

A History of The Doctrine of Signatures - Tomatoes
The theory that nature provides clues as to the beneficial uses of  plants is known as The Doctrine Of Signatures. The earliest known  references to this theory are the writings of Galen (131-200 AD). Some  1,400 years later The Doctrine Of Signatures was expanded upon by  several authors of note:

Paracelsus (1493-1541 AD) was born Phillip von Hohenheim, who later took up the names Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus, Bombastus von  Hohenheim, and finally taking the title Paracelsus. He is regarded as  the father of modern chemistry. The writings of Paracelsus are regarded  as the earliest formal account of The Doctrine Of Signatures and had a  significant influence in bringing the concept into the medicinal realm.

Jakob Boehme (1575-1624 AD) offered two books which further  expanded upon The Doctrine Of Signatures from both physical and  spiritual aspects. His books Signatura Rerum (The Signature Of All  Things) and Aurora were published in the early 17th Century.

William Coles (1626-1662 AD) was a 17th century botanist,  herbalist and physician. He authored a book titled The Art Of Simpling  which reflected a contemporary belief that the appearance of a plant  provides a clue, or signature, which indicates its beneficial medicinal  use.

Surprisingly, little has been written on the topic since the  17th century. But now that modern day researchers are focusing more  resources on the study of whole foods, the concept is once again coming  into focus. The latest scientific research offers a good bit of  anecdotal evidence suggesting that The Doctrine Of Signatures does hold  true in many cases, including signatures that appear at a microscopic  level.

Tomatoes are red and have four chambers, just like the human  heart. Scientists are suggesting that tomato lovers may be more likely  to reduce the risk of serious disease. Lycopene, an anti oxidant which  gives tomatoes their lovely rich red color, helps remove free radicals  from the body. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules and have been implicated in cancer and other serious diseases.

Professor Michael Avirim of the Rambam Medical Center in  Haifa, Israel who is testing lycopene in clinical trials says, ' In its  natural form, lycopene is an excellent anti oxidant that helps to  prevent formation of oxidized LDL, the 'bad' cholesterol in blood, which contributes to the build up of plaque that narrows, stiffens and  constricts arteries and can lead to heart attacks. When this natural  extract was added to cancer cell cultures, the lycopene inhibited their growth. Lycopene is the most potent nutritional antioxidant found to  date.

Another study compared men who had had a heart attack with  the same number of healthy men and found that those with high levels of  lycopene appeared to reduce their risk of heart diseases by 50%. The  study’s coordinator, Lenore Kohlmeier, professor of nutrition and  epidemiology at the university of North Carolina, said, 'Based on our  findings, and other research, lycopene can be an excellent antioxidant,  we recommend that people eat tomato based cooked foods.'

Several recent studies have shown that a diet rich in  tomatoes and tomato products is strongly linked to a reduced risk of  certain cancers. In a six year study of 48,000 male professionals, Dr  Edward Giovannucci and colleagues at Harvard Medical School found that  consuming tomatoes and tomato based products between five to seven  serving a week was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer of  21% to 34%.

Another study published in the International Journal of  Cancer said that lycopene appears to protect against cancer of the  mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum. Researchers at the University of Illinois report that women with the highest lycopene  levels had a five fold lower risk of developing precancerous signs of  cervical cancer than women with lowest lycopene levels.

The human body does not produce lycopene alone and therefore  relies on a consumption of tomatoes and tomato based products for this  anti oxidant. Nutritionists and other health professionals have long  advocated the cancer preventative benefits of a diet high in fruits and  vegetables. .

 Lycopene: Just The Facts

Research by Dr. Joseph Levy and colleagues from Ben-Gurion  University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel, may have identified the  unique mechanism through which lycopene protects against cancer which is by activating cancer-preventive phase II enzymes.

Lycopene is an open-chain unsaturated carotenoid that imparts red color to tomatoes.

Lycopene is a proven anti-oxidant that may lower the risk of certain diseases including cancer and heart disease.

In the body, lycopene is deposited in the liver, lungs,  prostate gland, colon and skin. Its concentration in body tissues tends  to be higher than all other carotenoids.

Epidemiological studies have shown that high intake of  lycopene-containing vegetables is inversely associated with the  incidence of certain types of cancer. For example, habitual intake of  tomato products has been found to decrease the risk of cancer of the  digestive tract among Italians.

In one six-year study by Harvard Medical School and Harvard  School of Public Health, the diets of more than 47,000 men were studied. Of 46 fruits and vegetables evaluated, only the tomato products (which  contain large quantities of lycopene) showed a measurable relationship  to reduce prostate cancer risk. As consumption of tomato products  increased, levels of lycopene in the blood increased, and the risk for  prostate cancer decreased. The study also showed that the heat processing of tomatoes and tomato products increases Lycopene  bioavailability.

Ongoing research suggests that lycopene can reduce the risk  of macular degenerative disease, serum lipid oxidation and cancers of  the lung, bladder, cervix and skin.

The Wholefood Farmacy’s Vichyssoise V-6 Creamy Tomato Soup is quick and easy taking only a minute to prepare. Handcrafted using the  finest whole food ingredients, our V-6 Tomato Soup is made from  Tomatoes, Brown Rice, Potatoes, Tapioca Flour, Oats, Onions, Dill Weed,  & Stardust Pure Salt. If you haven’t tasted it, you don’t know what  you’re missing.

Farmacy Gourmet V-6 Creamy Tomato Soup
Farmacy Gourmet V-6 Creamy Tomato is a pure wholefood pleasure. This delicious  soup is handcrafted from 7 wholefood ingredients including Tomatoes,  Brown Rice, Potatoes, Tapioca Flour, Oats, Onions, Dill Weed, & Stardust Pure Salt. Gifts from nature's bounty delivered as a convenient wholefood treat. Mix 2 rounded tablespoons with water --- hot or cold  --- and it will put you in the flow of life. This 1 lb. bag makes about  17 servings. "Favor the savor of flavor" with Farmacy Gourmet V-6 Creamy Tomato Soup!

Click Here To Order Today!

Strawberries & Cancer

The strawberry is full antioxidants, vitamins, many essential nutrients, and may be beneficial in promoting cognitive health and  overall health. Strawberries are a rich source of phytonutrients and  flavanoids. These flavanoids, in the form of anthocyanins, are a potent  antioxidants which gives the strawberry its characteristic red coloring. These antioxidants are known to promote cardiovascular health as well  as helping to maintain cholesterol and blood pressure levels within a normal range. But that is not all..

 According to a preliminary study released by researchers from Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, eating strawberries  have the potential to help protect people who are at risk of esophageal  cancer.

 The researchers were able to show that freeze-dried  strawberries were able to slow precancerous lesions in 29 of the studies 36 participants. Each of the patients ate 60 grams(about 2 ounces) of  freeze-dried strawberries daily for a period of six months. “We found  that daily consumption of strawberries suppressed various biomarkers  involved in esophageal carcinogenesis, including cell proliferation,  inflammation and gene transcription,” said Dr. Tong Chen, lead author of the study.

 “We concluded from this study that six months of strawberry  treatment is safe and easy to consume. In addition, our preliminary data suggests that strawberries decreased histological grade of precancerous lesions and reduced cancer-related molecular events,” said Dr. Chen.

 “We predict that the majority of patients with precancerous  lesions in their esophagus will develop esophageal cancer over  subsequent decades,” said Chen. “Our study is important because it shows that strawberries may slow the progression of precancerous lesion in  the esophagus. Strawberries may be an alternative, or may work together  with other chemo-preventive drugs, for the prevention of esophageal  cancer. But, we will need to test this in randomized placebo-controlled trials in the future.”

 In the United States, more than 16,000 new cases of  esophageal cancer will be diagnosed this year alone. Risk factors for  developing esophageal cancer include but not limited to: tobacco use,  alcohol use, intake of salty food, food contaminated with various  mycotoxins, a poor diet lacking fruits and vegetables, dietary vitamin  and mineral deficiencies, and consumption of hot foods and beverages.

 Let the Wholefood Farmacy help you with the fruits and  vegetables today! You will find strawberries in our Fruitalicious and  Fruitalicious Plus products.

Fruitalicious Plus

Fruitalicious Plus is a sweet, fruity, crunchy alternative to traditional snack  foods. It is a combination of low-pressure and sun-dried ingredients:  Honey Granola, Apples, Raisins, Banana, Strawberry, Mango, Raspberry,  Dates, Coconut, Currants, Figs, Cranberry, & Red Flame Raisins. This raw fruit snack packs a powerful fruity punch. Fruitalicious Plus is a tasty immune boosting treat that is also a great source of dietary  fiber & slow sugars.

Click Here For More Info!