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Foods high in antioxidants/ORAC value list? My way to recovery

Messages
30
Sumac bran is the number 1 ORAC food. I bought sumac bran extract, I think it was 50:1 strength from a website. Have forgotten to take it regularly.
I have never tried it, what was your experience with it and for how long did you take it? In my experience I really had to take those herbs and spices for a couple of weeks and months to feel the difference.

After a quick search, Sumac is almost off the charts on the ORAC value list. And what a surprise, it is also has very high antimicrobial effects against pathogentic bacteria. :)

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0956713506000478
 

gumman123

Senior Member
Messages
103
I only took it one day. This is where I bought it https://www.biotanicahealth.com/products/sumac-bran-extract
I will start taking some each day from now on.
I thought it was an uncommon herb but I was in a fruit shop the other day, and they had regular sumac bran for sale, and it was cheap too so it is actually common.
Part of the ORAC value for it may come from vitamin E which would be good if so.
 
Messages
30
I only took it one day. This is where I bought it https://www.biotanicahealth.com/products/sumac-bran-extract
I will start taking some each day from now on.
I thought it was an uncommon herb but I was in a fruit shop the other day, and they had regular sumac bran for sale, and it was cheap too so it is actually common.
Part of the ORAC value for it may come from vitamin E which would be good if so.
Please report back about your experiences, I would be really curious about it. According to Wiki it has shown to be effective against hypertension, but its antimicrobial properties are probably helpful for the microbiome in general.
 
Messages
30
I only took it one day. This is where I bought it https://www.biotanicahealth.com/products/sumac-bran-extract
I will start taking some each day from now on.
I thought it was an uncommon herb but I was in a fruit shop the other day, and they had regular sumac bran for sale, and it was cheap too so it is actually common.
Part of the ORAC value for it may come from vitamin E which would be good if so.
Please report back about your experiences, I would be really curious about it. According to Wiki it has shown to be effective against hypertension, but its antimicrobial properties are probably helpful for the microbiome in general.
 
Messages
3
Korean Ginseng is rich in antioxidants & has personally helped recover. However, it might not be everyone, because it can be overstimulating.

Another one I could suggest is Cordyceps Sinensis. Used it last year for 3 months, really felt an improvement in my energy. Just talking the time off the cycle so that don't get used to it.

Hope this helps.
 

gumman123

Senior Member
Messages
103
Please report back about your experiences, I would be really curious about it. According to Wiki it has shown to be effective against hypertension, but its antimicrobial properties are probably helpful for the microbiome in general.

I took it on, and off over the past few weeks. I think i noticed increased relaxation after taking it. Will finish off the packet for sure. Another really good herb is rhodiola. Has lots of studies for fatigue, anxiety, depression, energy, and other mood problems. I would recommend that. And the ginsengs- including maca are well studied for brain problems, and energy, and shown effective.
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,684
Location
Alberta
I tried rhodiola, since a neighbour was growing it. It made my ME symptoms much worse. I consider it nasty stuff.
 

gumman123

Senior Member
Messages
103
Astaxanthin is 1mg/g in prawns. Also high in Salmon, and Lobster. It is the pigment that gives them their red color.
 

pogoman

Senior Member
Messages
292
Astaxanthin is 1mg/g in prawns. Also high in Salmon, and Lobster. It is the pigment that gives them their red color.

Exactly, it was having a dinner of shrimp and rice then the next morning feeling much better than usual that made me look into why.
That turned into a deep hole of mitochondrial damage and disease connections, reactive oxygen species and the role of antioxidants lol.
 

BeADocToGoTo1

Senior Member
Messages
536
Microbiome dysbiosis is such a big influence on our health, it should be part of family doctor and primary care physicians routine checkup. Sadly, most doctors are either not aware or not comfortable due to lack of knowledge or training to run most of the crucial tests for it. These would include comprehensive stool and nutrient, urine metabolite types of tests.

It can cause nutrient deficiencies, food sensitivities, auto immune reactions, to name a few, with a subsequently large list of potential symptoms. For some reason the link is often missed by doctors, but also sufferers. Good bacteria help with breaking down lactose, gluten, phytates and help produce certain B vitamins. Overgrowth in the wrong places can create a biofilm that hinders absorption of nutrients from food, not to mention some nutrients are used as food for the bacteria instead of our needs.

An antibiotics cure is like unleashing an atom bomb in the microbiome that does not discern between good and bad bacteria. Of course this is necessary on occassion, but we have to be a bit careful with its use. It will also require a little extra help immediately in re-populating good bacteria through pre- and pro-biotic food and high quality supplements.

Many people do not realize the slow, stealthy impact of tap water (and ice cubes) on our microbiome with added chlorine and chloramines (ammonia + chlorine) in some countries. Add to that the excessive sugar (often hidden in different marketing names) in food and drinks, antibiotics (certain herbicides are also antimicrobial) in food and animal feed and it can easily cause issues.

It does require discipline and desire in stemming the insults that we have control over, awareness of food and water quality intake. Just an example, but in my immediate surroundings there are quite a few people that will complain of heartburn, acid reflux, bloating, mindfog etc., and just take antacids or PPIs to help with symptoms, but still continue insulting their body with bad food and drinks.

A reset or elimination diet as Monty79 mentioned is very important to start. Addressing SIBO, candida or any other pathogen is important. Fixing nutrient deficiencies is also key. Rebuilding the microbiome and intestinal mucosa will bring so many improvements, but initially might be tough to do.

Really glad to read about the improvements made by Monty79!!
 
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Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,684
Location
Alberta
@BeADocToGoTo1 it's not quite as simple as eat healthier and your health will improve. I've varied my diet greatly over the years, with periods of very health foods and very unhealthy foods. I didn't notice any difference (except in enjoyment of meals).

The microbiome can have a major effect. I had type IV food sensitivity for 2.5 years, but a bout of typical food poisoning seemed to have cured that; I assume it got rid of a bad species that antibiotics wasn't able to. I just haven't noticed any differences from diet.
 

BeADocToGoTo1

Senior Member
Messages
536
@BeADocToGoTo1 it's not quite as simple as eat healthier and your health will improve. I've varied my diet greatly over the years, with periods of very health foods and very unhealthy foods. I didn't notice any difference (except in enjoyment of meals).

The microbiome can have a major effect. I had type IV food sensitivity for 2.5 years, but a bout of typical food poisoning seemed to have cured that; I assume it got rid of a bad species that antibiotics wasn't able to. I just haven't noticed any differences from diet.

Hi Wishful,

Agreed, it never is that simple and everyone's experience and requirements will be different. My underlying issue was exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) where I was not breaking down food properly, which was a big cause of my microbiome dysbiosis amongst many other things. But even after fixing diet and taking pancreatic enzymes (PERT) it was still not enough. It took a good 2-3 months of a number of actions I had to take to help the microbiome rebalancing, including (ironically) 2 different types of antibiotics, antifungals, a host of supplements, something to break down the biofilm, probiotics, prebiotics, and a strict temporary diet. But tasty and healthy are not mutually exclusive and food is one of the few elements we have complete control over.
 
Messages
30
Hi all,

just thought I would post a quick update. I've researched about this Nrf2/Keap 1 pathway @LINE mentioned (Thank you again, LINE!) and I read about sulforaphane being the most powerful activator of this pathway. I thought I had this covered already as I'm eating my steamed broccoli regularly for years thanks to Dr. Greger's daily dozen. Then I found Dr. Rhonda Patricks videos on youtube (FoundMyFitness) and she says that you have to take high amounts of sulforaphane to really trigger this pathway, and that the food source with the highest amount of sulforaphane are broccoli sprouts.

I purchased the seeds on ebay for cheap some months ago, sprouted them and am eating them in my coleslaw salad, in sandwiches, smoothies, chewing them raw ever since, lol.

Well, turns out this was really the last piece of the puzzle I was looking for. The rest of my fatigue and symptoms/mood problems are gone by now. I feel like a fish in the water.

I'm still following Dr. Greger's daily dozens and I'm still taking my tablespoons full of herbs and spices daily, eating my soaked rolled oats in homemade milk kefir with blueberries, as I think a healthy microbiome without candida and pathogenic bacteria really was the key for me for getting better (and the elimination diet) in the first place.

This was a long journey for me, but I'm glad I was so persevering as I always believed in food as medicine. Nature would be really cruel if she wouldn't give us the means to cure ourselves. But what I have learned is that it takes some time for these natural foods to do their magic, they are no pharmaceuticals.

Thank you all for your replies, I have learned so much from you guys on this forum!

Monty
 
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Timaca

Senior Member
Messages
792
@Monty79 ~ That's awesome! Thanks for the update. It's always encouraging when people see improvements in their health. And it seems like you consider yourself well now, correct?

I mostly follow Dr. G's daily dozen...well, let's say I eat mostly WFPB with small amounts of olive oil here and there. I had read about broccoli sprouts before, and I maybe even tried them, but found them to be bitter. Are they bitter? I will need to buy or sprout some!!!

Yay for feeling better!! And for sharing your good news!

Best,
 
Messages
30
@Timaca - Oh yes, I feel so much better now compared to a few years back, gosh I can't even describe how much better I feel. It's hard looking back and compare it to the "now state", maybe because you tend to block sth. out because it was traumatizing sometimes, if that makes any sense. And yes, I do consider myself very well now, I didn't feel ill for many months. Thanks for asking.

I follow Dr. Gregers daily dozen as well and my diet is mostly WFPB, but I'm still preparing my daily milk kefir with whole organic milk. My main concern is a healthy microbiome and homemade milk kefir is the food source with the most probiotic strains there is. I prefer it from taking probiotic supplements as I'm a strong believer in food as medicine. Our ancestors ate fermented milk products for thousands of years.

I find the taste of broccoli sprouts to be a bit sharp, maybe best compared to radishes, but not really bitter. I read some people are lucky to find the sprouts in their grocery stores, unfortunately I can't find them in my country.

Best wishes,
Monty
 

Timaca

Senior Member
Messages
792
@Timaca - Oh yes, I feel so much better now compared to a few years back, gosh I can't even describe how much better I feel. It's hard looking back and compare it to the "now state", maybe because you tend to block sth. out because it was traumatizing sometimes, if that makes any sense. And yes, I do consider myself very well now, I didn't feel ill for many months. Thanks for asking.

I follow Dr. Gregers daily dozen as well and my diet is mostly WFPB, but I'm still preparing my daily milk kefir with whole organic milk. My main concern is a healthy microbiome and homemade milk kefir is the food source with the most probiotic strains there is. I prefer it from taking probiotic supplements as I'm a strong believer in food as medicine. Our ancestors ate fermented milk products for thousands of years.

I find the taste of broccoli sprouts to be a bit sharp, maybe best compared to radishes, but not really bitter. I read some people are lucky to find the sprouts in their grocery stores, unfortunately I can't find them in my country.

Best wishes,
Monty

I will have to check into making my own kefir, but using water / juice. I am not drinking milk, and I'm not sure I want to start. I recently started a beverage called Kevita, which I have found beneficial.

I did find some broccoli sprouts in my local store and they are a bit sharp as you described. I will push through though and eat some! I will likely try them in a smoothie. It's funny that you compared them to radishes. I help out at a local food pantry once a week and last week I was washing a lot of radishes and getting them ready to go out on the shelves. I thought to myself that it had been a long time since I had eaten a radish. So next time I was at the local farmer's market I bought some beautiful looking radishes. I tasted one and really didn't like it so I won't be eating any more!!! I will eat the broccoli sprouts though!!

To clarify...you eat one teaspoon a day of the spices you mentioned correct? Not one tablespoon....

Thanks for all you posts. Everything we can do to help ourselves is what we should be doing since there are no definitive answers yet!!

Best,
 

Timaca

Senior Member
Messages
792
Awesome thread.

I've seen a ton of improvement eating at around 50 - 60% raw food since last October. Which is basically smoothies with heaps of fruit, berries, greens, seeds, etc. Rest of the diet vegan, but looking to transition to a 90% raw vegan diet, with only a few cooked meals per week.



I'm just curious, @Monty79, how did you take that much of so many spices? A whole tablespoon each day? Did you just add them to your food, or just mix them in water and drink them?

Seriously thinking about trying whatever you suggest...

David~ I wonder how you are feeling and what your diet is like now.....