Could FDA End Deadly Antibiotic Drug Trials?

Depletions Created By Medications:
 
1.Taking Oral Contraceptives Can Result in a Deficiency of folate and other minerals!
 
2. Antacids like Rolaids or Maalox can weaken bones by hindering their mineral uptake.
 
3. Taking grapefruit juice with the antihistamine Allegra (fexofenadine) decreases its absorption!
 
4. Taking grapefruit juice with the blood-pressure-lowering drug Plendil (felodipine) increases its absorption!
 
5. When taking an antibiotic you should never drink colas! Reactions can vary but can be dangerous to your health as it alters the action of most drugs!
 
6. Aspirin taken on a regular basis -- say, by an arthritis or heart patient -- can deplete the body of iron!
 
7. The antidepressant drug Prozac (fluoxetine) can decrease the appetite in some while increasing the appetite in others while depleting the system of mineral and vitamin nutrients!
 
8. If you use the heart drug Coumadin (warfarin), tell your doctor if you eat a lot of green leafy vegetables or take fish oil supplements as they can cause the blood thinner to over react!
 
9. Large doses of zinc can interfere with the absorption of Iron, Copper and Calcium! Balance of minerals is the key to correct actions!
 
Did you get the point here? Your medications may be creating more illness for you and in most instances do not medicate the problem, only mask it and create more problems. Do some research and try natural treatments Try taking care of the area that is causing the problem. Proper eating, exercise, supplementing with minerals, vitamins and herbs can create a healthy body! Stop being lazy and letting someone else determine whether you are healthy or ill.

~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
FOOD OF THE WEEK
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^

Citrullis lanatus!
 
Last week I covered one melon and since this is my husband's favorite one and you will find parts of it in our refrigerator at the first hint of warm weather until the first hint of fall?
 
Found at road side stands, in gardens and stores in abundance this time of the year? As a child around Phoenix, where melon fields were abundant but is now houses, we use to walk to a field and pick a couple of melons, throw them in the canal then run home and wait to pick them out of the water and have them nice and cool, serving two purposes? Didn't have to carry them and they were cool enough to eat when we pulled them from the water?
 
Green on the outside and red or yellow on the inside! Nothing says summer like this subtly crunch, thirst quenching fruit. A nutritious food best eaten alone without other foods in the stomach.
 
Although watermelons can now be found in the markets throughout the year, the season for watermelon is the summer when they are sweet and of the best quality. More Watermelon will probably be eaten next weekend, July 4^th, than any other time in the U.S. It is almost a ritual in multitude of homes?
 
Watermelons are low in calories and very nutritious. Recent research suggests that lycopene, found most abundantly in red meated melon, a powerful antioxidant, helps prevent some forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Research shows that consuming foods that contain lycopene are associated with a decreased risk of prostate and cervical cancer.
 
Watermelon is related to the cantaloupe, squash and pumpkin as well as some other plants that grow on ground vines. Watermelons can be round, oblong or spherical in shape and feature thick green rinds that are often spotted or striped. They range in size from a few pounds to upward of ninety pounds. The biggest watermelon grown according to the 1996 Guiness Book of World Records weighed in at 262 pounds!
 
Health Benefits
 
While the watermelon does not contain a large amount of nutrients it still is considered a healthy food! This delectable thirst-quencher may also help quench the inflammation that contributes to conditions like asthma, atherosclerosis, diabetes, colon cancer, and arthritis. According to research conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, men who consumed a lycopene-rich diet were half as likely to suffer a heart attack as those who had little or no lycopene in their diets. Red meat watermelon is rich in lycopene, second only to the tomato.
 
Watermelon is also high in vitamin C and vitamin A, in the form of disease-fighting beta carotene.
 
Watermelon also contains potassium, which is known to help control blood pressure and possibly prevent strokes as well as necessary for a regular heart beat.
 
Watermelon is not a commonly allergenic food, is not included in the list of 20 foods that most frequently contain pesticide residues, and is also NOT KNOWN to contain goitrogens, oxalates, or purines.
 
Many new varieties of watermelons have been developed in recent years. Yellow and seedless types are finding an increasing share of the specialty watermelon market. Small excellent quality "icebox" melons are also becoming increasingly popular.
 
WATERMELON VARIETIES; Seedless yellow: Seedless red: Yellow flesh, seeded: Red flesh, seeded: Tiny heart only melons, red flesh:
 
"Seedless" marketing note: "Seedless" varieties may have some seeds, especially in the first fruits set if the plant is under moisture or temperature stress.
 
Choosing the right watermelon!
 
Look the watermelon over, choose a firm, symmetrical watermelon that is free of bruises, cuts and dents.
 
Lift it up - the watermelon should be heavy for its size. Watermelon is 92% water,  that accounts for most of its weight.
 
Turn it over - on the underside of the watermelon there should be a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.
 
Following these tips will help you pick the best watermelon available.
 
History
Originating in Africa, watermelons were first cultivated in Egypt where testaments to their legacy were recorded in hieroglyphics painted on building walls. The fruit was held is such regard that it was placed in the tombs of many Egyptian kings. It is not surprising that watermelon played such an important role in this country, and subsequently in countries in the Mediterranean region, since water was often in short supply in these areas, and people could depend upon watermelon for its thirst-quenching properties.
 
Watermelons were brought to China around the 10th century and then to the Western Hemisphere shortly after the discovery of the New World. In Russia, where much of the commercial supply of watermelons is grown, there is a popular wine made from this fruit. In addition to Russia, the leading commercial growers of watermelon include China, Turkey, Iran and the United States.  
 
Tips for Preparing Watermelon:
 
Wash the watermelon before cutting it to prevent introducing germs into the melon on cutting. Due to its large size, you will probably not be able to run it under water in the sink. Instead, wash it with a wet cloth or paper towel.
 
Depending upon the size that you desire, there are many ways to cut a watermelon. The flesh can be sliced, cubed or scooped into balls. Watermelon is delicious to eat as is, while it also makes a delightful addition to a fruit salad. Jam, sorbet and juice are some nutritious and delicious things you can make with watermelon.
 
While many people are just accustomed to eating the juicy flesh of the watermelon, both the seeds and the rind are also edible.
 
My mother use to make a melon rind preserves that was interesting and tasty;
 
Ingredients:
For 4 lbs. (11 cups) of the melon rind, still containing some of the red meat, make a syrup of:
9 cups of sugar
8 cups water
4 lemons, sliced
4 tsps. stick cinnamon
4 tsps. cloves (tie spices in cheesecloth bag)
 
 
Directions:
Select melons with thick rinds. Peel off all green portion using only the white and red part of the rind. Cut into small dice. Soak in mild salt water overnight (1/2 cup salt to 1 gallon water). Drain, rinse and cook in clear water for about 30 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
 
Boil the syrup, lemon and spices 5 minutes before adding the rinds. Add rinds and cook until transparent and clear. (If desired, a few minutes before preserves are done add small amount of vegetable green or red food coloring to tint preserves.) Remove spice bag, pour into sterilized pint Jars and wash and seal each jar as filled.
 
Enjoy!
Lena