“Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food”
— Greek physician Hippocrates
There is an amazing food that many people may not know about... it is an edible blue green algae (a strain of cyanophyta) known as Aphanizomenon flos-aquae or AFA. Some say that it sits on the top of our food pyramid as a uniquely important medicinal foods.
After diligent research I have come to see it as actually sitting at the foundation of optimal nourishment. A perfect example of "food as medicine".
If a pyramid were to sit on it's point and everything then rests perfectly balanced above it - because of it, this would be a better picture to understand how valuable a resource AFA can be. Picture it as the point of a heart, on which sits the universal symbol of love in perfect balance opening above it — this is what I keep coming back to as I look at this unique nutritional resource.
AFA is a specific type of blue green algae, and the most trusted and experienced harvesting carefully and meticulously sourced and prepared by the company E3-Live.
E3-Live AFA is harvested from the pristine Klamath Lake (one of the few remaining alkaline lakes on the planet) and this unique location holds the key to E3-Live’s remarkable potency as an edible freshwater plant that is at the very foundation of the entire food chain. Klamath Lake has an astonishingly high mineral concentration, due to a massive volcanic eruption, over 7,000 years ago, that covered the area with millions of tons of mineral ash. Located in a 4000 square mile volcanic basin, it is fed by 17 streams and rivers, and has an annual average deposit of 50,000 tons of mineral-rich silt. This makes Upper Klamath Lake one of the richest nutrient traps in the world. [1]
Thanks to it's unique origin, Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, which means "invisible flower of the water", exhibits valuable nutritional characteristics. It is one of the most fundamental foods on the planet. Only recently has its distinct nutritional value been recognized. Science is now focusing their attention on AFA due to current research that has identified its unique photochemistry link to controlling many disorders affecting the body.
E3-Live AFA earns its ranking as superfood because it contains a complete protein amino acid profile and more chlorophyll than any other food source. Primitive as cyanophyta algae may appear, most are highly efficient photo synthesizers, even more so than plants. AFA utilizes light energy from the sun, carbon dioxide from the air, and hydrogen from the water to synthesize proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. Growing only in the wild it is far superior to any other cyanophyta on the planet. Although hundreds of times smaller than the cells of the plant or animal kingdoms, its wide range of sixty-four micro-nutrients is remarkable and unsurpassed by any known food. [2]
Cyanobacteria are well researched as a source of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids (including omega 3 fatty acids), beta-carotene, chlorophyll, phycocyanin, active enzymes, amino acids, proteins, complex sugars, phytonutrients, and other bioactive components. [3] The results of this research and testing have been impressive enough it to be called a “Super Food, capable of contributing to the achievement and maintenance of wellness”. [2]
Why does this all matter right now...?
It's not that research has shown its ability to...
support stem cell release from the bone marrow; by increasing the number of circulating stem cells, which means more stem cells are available to participate to the process of tissue repair (adult stem cell researcher: Christian Drapeau - Harvard & McGill University) [4,5]
relieve pain and reduce inflammation in the body without the negative side effects of NSAIDS such as Advil, because its constituent Phycocyanin is a natural COX-2 inhibitor [6]
nourish the brain, and enhance concentration and attention, as well as act as a natural mood elevator and anti-depressant thanks to its high levels of phenylethylamine (PEA) that works better than Prozac, all without the negative side effects giving it its nickname “molecule of love” [7,8]
Here's where it gets really exciting...!
Recently the first stage of an extensive research project carried out at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Canada produced some remarkable results. The project studies the effect of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae on the immune and endocrine systems, as well as on general blood physiology. It was discovered that eating AFA had a profound and unique effect on Natural Killer (NK) cells. The results were recently published under the title: Effects of the Blue Green Algae Aphanizomenon flos-aquae on Human Natural Killer Cells. It appears in Chapter 3.1 of the IBC Library Series, Volume 1911, Phytoceuticals: Examining the health benefit and pharmaceutical properties of natural antioxidants and phytochemicals. [9]
NK cells have the ability to search for and recognize cells that are cancerous or have been infected by a virus, and kill them. The team of research scientists at the Royal Victoria Hospital, led by Dr. Gitte S. Jensen, discovered that eating Aphanizomenon flos-aquae triggers the movement of 40% of the circulating NK cells from the blood to the tissues where their main function is to perform immune surveillance and eliminate cancerous and virally-infected cells. Further research may prove that eating a small amount of AFA every day could assist in the prevention of cancer and viral infections. No other substance is known to trigger such a movement of NK cells in the body. [9,10,11]
Here's what makes AFA even more valuable...
DISCUSSION: "During our studies, we have been on guard for observations that could point in the direction of over-activation of the immune system. More is not always better. An over-activation of the immune system could be associated with circulating immune complexes and increase in inflammatory processes that could be detrimental to health. We found no indications of a direct activation of any component of the immune system or a general activation of the immune system as a whole. The increased trafficking of immune cells should translate into a better immune surveillance, i.e. a better and more efficient patrolling of microbial invaders, as well as virus-infected or transformed cells. We see this as very positive for a potential use of AFA in various clinical situations or as a nutritional support for the prevention of viral infections." [9]
Click here: Let them know "Cultivated Health" referred you.
References:
[2] AFA Nutrition Profile Analysis https://bluegreenfoods.com/afa-nutrition-profile-analysis/
[3] Robert A. Kay & Larry L. Barton (1991) Microalgae as food and supplement, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 30:6, 555-573, DOI: 10.1080/10408399109527556 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408399109527556
[4] Christian Drapeau - McGill University https://www.christiandrapeau.com/bio
[5] Shytle, DR; Tan, J; Ehrhart, J; Smith, AJ; Sanberg, CD; Sanberg, PR; Anderson, J; Bickford, PC (2010). “Effects of blue-green algae extracts on the proliferation of human adult stem cells in vitro: A preliminary study”. Medical science monitor. 16 (1): BR1–5. PMID 20037479. https://www.medscimonit.com/download/index/idArt/878300
[6] Romay, C.; Armesto, J.; Remirez, D.; González, R.; Ledon, N.; García, I. (1998). “Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of C-phycocyanin from blue-green algae”. Inflammation Research. 47 (1): 36–41. PMID 9495584. doi:10.1007/s000110050256. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/13735321_Antioxidant_and_anti-inflammatory_properties_of_C-phycocyanin_from_blue-green_algae
[7] Denon, Daniel J. “Is ‘Runners’ High’ a Cure for Depression?” WebMD. 2001. Retrieved July 8, 2017, from http://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20010927/is-runners-high-cure-for-depression
[8] Sustained antidepressant effect of PEA replacement; The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences 1996 8:2, 168-171 https://doi.org/10.1176/jnp.8.2.168 https://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/doi/abs/10.1176/jnp.8.2.168?journalCode=jnp
[9] Manoukin, Raffi; Citton, Monica; Huerta, Patricia; Rhode, Barbara; Drapeau, Christian; Jensen Gitte S. (1911). “Effects of the Blue-Green Algae Aphanizomenon flos-aquae on Human Natural Killer Cells”. Phytoceuticals. In: Savage, Lynn M. (1998). Phytoceuticals: examining the health benefits and pharmaceutical properties of natural antioxidants and phytochemicals. Boston: International Business Communications. pp. 233–241. ISBN 9781579360849.
[10] Jensen, G.S., Ginsberg, D.I., Huerta, P.D., Citton, M., & Drapeau, C. (2000). Consumption of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae Has Rapid Effects on the Circulation and Function of Immune Cells in Humans A novel approach to nutritional mobilization of the immune system. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Consumption-of-Aphanizomenon-flos-aquae-Has-Rapid-A-Jensen-Ginsberg/4add12288e4d39082a45b6212366dc8551663def
[11] Jensen, Gitte S.; Ginsberg, Donald I.; Drapeau, Christian (2001). “Blue-Green Algae as an Immuno-Enhancer and Biomodulator”. Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association. 3 (4): 24–30. Retrieved January 2, 2012. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284339888_Blue-green_algae_as_an_immuno-enhancer_and_biomodulator
Comentários