Author Archives: marktsaloumas
Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is an enzyme involved in the folate and methionine cycles, encoded by the MTHFR gene. These cycles are involved in the conversion of homocysteine to the amino acid methionine using activated folate, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) and vitamin B12.
(more…)Parsley is a common culinary herb found growing in household gardens. The two most familiar cultivars are curly-leaved parsley (Petroselinum crispum crispum) and the flat-leaved ‘Italian’ parsley (Petroselinum crispum neapolitanum). When eaten regularly parsley is a nutritive tonic containing minerals such as iron, potassium, manganese and copper, as well as B-vitamins, vitamin C, E and K. It also contains a considerable amount of the antioxidant lycopene.
(more…)The symptoms associated with prostate problems are urging, pain on urination (dysuria), urinary frequency, incomplete emptying of the bladder, hesitancy and dribbling. This may be caused by an acute or chronic infection (prostatitis), or be the result of chronic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Urinalysis, a test for prostate specific antigen (PSA), and a physical exam (DRE) will help differentiate prostatitis, BPH, kidney disease, diabetes and prostate cancer.
(more…)The marigold (Calendula officinalis) is a common garden flower that loves sunny paths and walls, and spreads easily by seed without cultivation. There are several varieties but the one with the orange flowers and flat, olive-coloured leaves is commonly used in medicine. We pick the golden petals in order to make an infusion (tea), medicinal oil or cream, after drying the flowers in the shade, but the fleshy leaves are also sometimes used. The leaves can be dried and made into an infusion, ointment or even a poultice.
(more…)Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is found growing along railway lines all over Melbourne. It grows tall, green and fragrant in the spring with delicate filiform leaves and yellow flowers forming the typical umbels of the Apiaceae family. The ancient Egyptians used fennel and it is also mentioned on Linear B tablets, the oldest form of Greek writing.1 The shepherds of the Mediterranean still feed it to their goats and sheep in order to increase milk, and fennel does the same for breastfeeding women, but it is not to be used during pregnancy.
(more…)The avocado tree (Persea americana) originated from Latin America where it has been cultivated since around 500 BC . The tree can reach a height of 10-20 metres and there are cultivars available to suit different climates such as Bacon, Fuerte, Hass and Reed. The fruit is a large berry with a single seed, providing a valuable source of nutrients for poor people subsisting in countries such as Mexico.
(more…)Chili (Capsicum annuum) is a small plant of about one metre height, with lush green leaves and angular branches that bear white flowers followed by purple, red or yellow fruit. Chili has been cultivated in South America for thousands of years and was discovered by Christopher Columbus on his voyages to the New World in the 15th century. He introduced it to Europe before Portuguese and Spanish traders took this new spice to India and Asia, where it has since become an integral part of the cuisine. Despite its heat, chili is a nutritious fruit containing vitamins A and C, β-carotene, magnesium, potassium and iron.
(more…)Protein
We live in a time when meat is abundant and vast tracts of wilderness and rainforest are rapidly being converted into ranches. Indeed, for decades we were encouraged by food industry lobbyists to eat meat three times a day, that is, until the advent of Dr Keys and the ‘lipid hypothesis.’ This great urban myth, fostered by pharmaceutical industry lobbyists and the participating health care industry, put an end to guilt-free meat consumption with dire warnings that saturated fat and cholesterol were ‘villains’ responsible for the early demise of legions of sedentary urban people.1–3
(more…)The soybean (Glycine max) provides a cheap and nutritious alternative to animal protein in populous countries such as China, Korea and Japan. There are many cultivars available and a crop of soy is highly productive, producing large amounts of beans. The beans are usually pressed for their oil and the remaining meal used for animal feed, or included as an ingredient in vegetarian meals and baked goods. Traditional methods of preparation of soybean included boiling to make soymilk and tofu, roasting the beans, and fermentation to make tempeh.
(more…)St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an invasive weed in Australia, growing to about a metre high with small oval-shaped leaves and yellow flowers. The plant’s Latin name refers to the many transparent oil glands in the leaves which look like perforations when held up to the light. When you gather it for drying, the flowers stain your fingers a tell-tail red.
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