BusyBodyHealth

Loquat and apricot kernels have been known to be anti-cancer. The controversial surrounds the cynaide content of this nut.  WHAT? You said. I'm not touching that stuff!  Before you close this page, please read the 'fine print' in order to understand the (mis)-interpretation by the authoirities. If your health is in jeopardy from the toxins that in your body, you deserve to give this a read.

Apricot and loquat seeds are, like most nuts and seeds, very nutritious. Among the nutrients they contain is one called amygdalin, which is also known as vitamin B17 (laetrile). This attacks cancer cells, and thus can help prevent cancer from breaking out in our bodies.

Vitamin B17 is contained in many hundreds of foods, but ones that are particularly rich in amygdalin have disappeared to a large extent from our Western diet. Peoples throughout the world who still eat a traditional diet, have been found to be largely free from cancer. These diets are rich in foods containing amygdalin.

Apart from apricot kernels, examples of other amygdalin rich foods are bitter almonds (amygdalin tastes bitter - sweet almonds do not contain it, and apricot kernels that are not bitter do not contain it). Other foods containing amygdalin are loquat seeds, apple pips, grape seeds, millet, broad beans, most berries, cassava and many other seeds, beans, pulses and grains - but not ones that have been highly hybridised (African orange pips contain some amygdalin, but American ones don't, wheat is low in amygdalin).

There are many ways you can fight cancer. One is to build up the immune system so that it is very strong. Another is to supplement with antioxidants which fight carcinogens in the body. However, amygdalin seems to be unique in the way that it directly attacks cancer cells.

Amygdalin was first extracted and named over one hundred years ago and has been listed in pharmacological dictionaries since that time as being non-toxic. However it does have a poison locked away in it - one of its constituents is cyanide. But, locked into the compound amygdalin, it is chemically inert and harmless to normal living tissue. In the same way common salt (sodium chloride) is safe to eat, and in fact is necessary to the body. But this also has locked away in it a poison - chlorine. Of course if you ate too much salt at one time you would be ill. This is true of any substance, and would equally apply to apricot kernels. However, amygdalin is less toxic than salt, and less toxic than sugar.

We are told that our bodies are creating cancer cells all the time. Normally the immune system can deal with them. However at times of stress or in a particularly weak part of the body, or under extreme or regular exposure to carcinogens, then the multiplication of cancer cells may become too great for the immune system to handle. Amygdalin comes alongside the immune system and attacks the cancer cells directly. The cancer cells have within them an enzyme which unlocks the poison in the amygdalin, and in this way the cancer cells are destroyed. Normal, healthy cells do not have this enzyme. In fact they have a different enzyme which unlocks the amygdalin in a different way and releases nutrients and also a neutralising agent which would neutralise any of the poison it came into contact with. Researchers at Imperial College London have been experimenting using cyanide to kill cancer cells, and state that any poison that escaped into the bloodstream would be quickly neutralized by the liver. (See reports in UK national newspapers of 7th September 2000).

Amygdalin is sometimes referred to as Vitamin B17 and is found in nitriloside rich fruits and plants. In its extracted, pure, concentrated form it is known as laetrile. Laetrile is used as the main therapy, but supported by other non-toxic therapies and good nutrition, in treating cancer sufferers in some clinics.

For prevention, however, Dr Ernst T Krebs Jr., the biochemist who first produced laetrile (concentrated amygdalin) in the 1950s, recommended that if a person would eat ten to twelve apricot kernels a day for life, then barring the equivalent of Chernobyl, he is likely to be cancer free. At the beginning of the 21st century it is expected that one in eight women in the UK will get breast cancer and one in nine men prostate cancer. If other types of cancer are added in, then no family is likely to be free. Therefore the suggestion that eating 10 - 12 kernels per day for life is likely to prevent cancer - is very good news indeed. An alternative is to eat 2 loquat seeds per day.

The function of the laetrile works like this. The cancer cell contains an enzyme that is NOT present in normal cells.  It is called beta-glucosidase. When cancer cells sees laetrile, this enzyme breaks it down into 2 molecules of glucose and 1 molecule of benzaldehyde and 1 molecule of hydrogen cyanide.  Hydrogen cyanide is complete different from the free cyanide in that it is bound, just like the sodium is bound to chloride in sodium cholride, in table salt, rander the sodium completely safe to injest. If any free cynide is in the blood, the liver takes care of this pretty efficiently.

The kernels can be chewed or grounded and sprinkled on food or in fruit juices. Only 5-6 kernels (1-1/2 tsp grounded) should be taken at one time in one hour.

Apricot kernels may also lower blood pressure.

Most of this information comes from World Without Cancer by G. Edward Griffin (American Media, California, 1974 and 1997). For testimonies of cancer sufferers treated with laetrile and nutrition therapy read Alive and Well (American Media, California, 1994) by Philip E Binzel, Jr., M.D. If you have cancer see Summary of amygdalin/vitamin B17 therapy.

Loquat Seed Pits information.

Life saving Vitamin B17 info.

Alive & Well (One Doctor's Experience with Nutrition in the Treatment of Cancer Patients) by Philip E. Binzel, Jr., M.D.

Raw, organic loquat seeds are available, please email me for order information here.

DISCLAIMER

Making water kefir is relatively simple but expect a slight learning curve and do not give up. It's worth the investment in your health & longevity. Use orgnic ingredients to make organic water kefir. To purchase grain or ready made water kefir, see bottom of page. 

First Fermentation

1. Dissolve the sugar in water according to the chart -

2. Put everything into a clean glass jar with a lid. Kep the lid loose.

3. Leave it on the counter top or in a warm spot in the kitchen.  Wait for 24-36 hr to let it culture. I usually let mine go for 24 hr. 

4. When it's done, bubbled will be released when you move the jar slightly.  Also, taste the water - it should be slightly tarte. It may take 2-3 batches after you have received your grains to fully revive them. The grains take time to reblance itself and it should smell a little yeasty but not foul. You can still drink it. If it's 'syrupy' and sweet that's okay. The 'syrupy' characteristic is due to the polysaccharide that the grain produces, similar to what you see in fresh aloe vera juice. It is good for you. 

5. Strain the grains out using fine or extra fine strainer to catch all the baby grains. Repeat step 1 for the next batch.  You can use the same jar for the next batch. Your grains may grow 20-40% in volume in each batch. The liquid is your water kefir. You may drink it as is, or flavor it with fresh fruits or fruit juices, and follow the 2nd ferment step below to make a fizzy drink. For young children, add the juice and skip the 2nd ferment step to avoid the drink to produce too much CO₂ and thus increase the alcohol content (ususally <1%). 

If you follow the steps correctly, the grains will continue to multiply indefinitely. You can feed the grains to your pets (dogs, cats, chickens). They will love it if they are in good health. You may also mix it with milk kefir for an additional immunity boost. 

Squeeze some fresh lemon or lime juice into it, chill and serve. It's very refreshing on hot days.

If you want to try other flavors, following the steps below in a second ferment. Most people preferred flavored water kefir.

Second Fermentation 

-This is the optional flavoring step. You may produce very bubbly home made soda in this step (see Important below). There are many recipes out there. This is my version:

1. To every 6-7 oz. of kefir from the 1st fermentation, add 1-2 oz. of your favorite fruit juice. Add more if you like it sweeter. Sometimes, I add an extra teaspoon of the thawed concentrated grape juice for extra color. Mix well and put into a clean water bottle with a loose cap. WARNING: If you forget to loosen the cap like I did once, expect an explosion on a hot day, and a huge mess to clean up.

 
2. Let it ripen on the counter for another 12-24 hr. or when you see lots of bubbles gathered on the surface of the kefir. More vitamin B's and minerals are being produced at this step.

Tip: If you use Grolsch type bottles to bottle your water kefir, you may prevent possible explosions.

3. Tighten the cap, date the bottle so can keep track of them. Refrigerate and serve when chilled.

Option: You can flavor the water kefir using any fresh fruits instead, however avocado and banana don't do very well.

Important: When serving water kefir to children, please be aware of the alcohol content of the finished kefir using this method. To reduce or avoid this issue, I would recommend skipping the 2nd fermentation on the counter and just flavor the drink and consume when chilled.  If you leave the unfermented kefir in the fridge for few days, it may still develop a slight amount of alcohol.  Just experiement and see what works best for your family.   

Contact me if you would like to order your own Organic Water Kefir Grains. 

Other recipes to try:

Coconut Water Kefir

If you love coconut water, making it into kefir is even better! Just substitute the water portion with fresh coconut water. You do not need to add sugar to the mix because coconut water is naturally sweet and it will feed the grains on its own. Also, you may skip the dried fruit and lemon. You also don't need to add anything during the 2nd fermentation step. 

Creamy Ginger Spice

After 24 hr of fermentation with just ginger and sugar, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ½ Tbsp vanilla extract and 1 cinnamon stick per quart. Let sit for another 24 hr on the counter, or 24-48 hr in the fridge. Tighten the lid for more fizz. Serve cold with whip cream on top. Or add some scoops of caramel vanilla ice cream for a delicious float!

Lime Pineapple

After 24 hr of 1^st fermentation with a slice of lime, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add a ½ C pineapple chunks per quart, squeeze in the lime juice and discard the lime slice. Let sit for another 24 hr on the counter, or 24 - 48 hr in the fridge.

Raspberry Mango

After 24 hr of fermentation, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ¼ C mango (or similar tropical fruit juice) per quart. Add in ½ C raspberries. Let sit for another 24 hr on the counter, or 24-48 hr in the fridge. Tighten the lid for more fizz!

Cola Cherry

After 24 hr of fermentation of just sugar and grains, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ¼ C cherry juice per quart. Add a couple whole cherries if desired as well. Let sit for another 24 hr on the counter, or 24 - 48 hr in the fridge. Mix in sugar to taste if desired.

To order water kefir grains or ready made water kefir,  send request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or text 805-738-9434. Thank you and God bless!

Unique advantages may be gained by ripening strained kefir for several days, before consuming the culture-milk product. Mild ambient temperatures, ranging between 12°C to 22°C [53°F to 71°F] is a good temperature range for ripening kefir. At day 1 to day 2 of ripening, Folacin should increase by some 117% to possibly 125% compared to the amount of folic acid found in the original fresh milk. There are other B group vitamins that increase during ripening, while a few B vitamins are found in slightly less amount, or remain at the same level found in fresh milk. Other benefits of ripening include the reduction of lactose, which is desirable for the low carbohydrate diet, be it for reasons other than Diabetes. Another point to consider is the reduction of milk fat and cholesterol content of milk through the process of ripening.

Other properties of ripening, which involves the sequence or the evolution of the microflora, as the maturing kefir encourages certain strains of organisms to proliferate, or triggered into propagation, due to conditions and byproducts produced by specific strains of organisms, over time. With this, one may find a unique beneficial value of matured kefir, due to a distinctive compound and microbial signature [nutritionally inclusive] to that of freshly strained kefir.

The people of Caucasus often ripened, or brewed larger volumes of liquid kefir for some days before consuming the beverage. The fresh root of the Snow Rose [Rhododendron caucasicum], a native non-toxic rhododendron specie to the area, is said to have been added and brewed with liquid-kefir [and left to ripen]. The sweet root of Snow Rose contains antioxidants, which prevents the oxidation of milk fat during the ripening process. The root of Snow Rose also contains numerous beneficial properties that are leached into the kefir through ripening. This may further extend on the antioxidants produced naturally through the process of kefir fermentation, such as citric acid, the content of which increases during the ripening process of kefir, and which retards the oxidation of milk fat. There is also another powerful antioxidant found only in kefir, which exists as charged molecules. This antioxidant is thought among the scientific community who have studied the molecules, to be among the more promising antioxidant, especially in the prevention of degenerative diseases of the brain, such as dementia, Huntington's disease and Alzheimer etc. It has been found that the antioxidant of kefir, is easily absorbed into the blood and reaches the brain quite effectively.

We may extend on this practice, for specific herbs may be added with liquid-kefir, and brewed together to mature. Such procedures can be taken advantage of, in order to tailor-brew a specific kefir, intended for specific conditions. As an example, to relieve flatulence and to fortify gastric function, Caraway, Fennel and Anise seed and Cinnamon bark, can be ground to a course powder, and added to fresh kefir, and then ripened at room temperature for 1 to 2 days, or longer fermented under airlock. This form of kefir may be highly recommended for the prevention of, or the control of Diabetes especially Diabetes mellitus, due to the beneficial property of Cinnamon bark for Diabetics.[23] Another example is to ripen kefir for say 3 days either in the fridge, or at room temperature, with the addition of freshly bruised or pounded fresh Turmeric root, Ginger root, Corn silk, dry Olive and Buchu leafs. This may assist in the prevention of, or as part treatment for cancer, to relieve prostate problems in men, Interstitial Cystitis in women including bladder infection and gastric dysfunction in both sexes. The addition of fresh, dry Goji Berries or the natural juice added to liquid kefir, and brewed for 1 to 2 days at room temperature or in the fridge, can be of great benefit. There is beginning to be more understanding of how brewing specific herbs, the process of which increases the effect of the therapeutic property of those herbs, while reducing to the point of eliminating many nutrient-locking or nutrient-binding agents found among the vegetative kingdom, such as phytates and oxalates.

< Brewing herbs with kefir can improve Bio-Availability of Phyto-Active compounds of Herbs>

Concoctions such as the above, can be prepared to amplify the anti-candidiasis property of kefir. The therapeutic benefits of such kefir-herbal concoctions, may be amplified even further with the addition of Vitamin C and fresh kefir grains, blended together in a food processor to prepare a smoothie; a smooth, creamy beverage with desirable consistency and flavour. As an example, 1/4-cup fresh milk kefir-grains and 500mg Vitamin C blended with 1-cup strained herbal-kefir, prepared just before consumption. I have discovered that such concoctions have a desirable effect for gastric problems, including irritable bowel disease, liver problems due to hepatic infection such as Hepatitis C Infection. This is through personal experience, and I believe that long term use of such concoctions is the main factor for a spontaneous cure of Hepatitis C in my case, including Ulcerative Colitis [UC] in 1999. Even though current orthodox medics believe that one goes into remission from UC, my particular case raised some interest among my Dr and his peers, for a recent colonoscopy found no evidence of the disease. This can only assume a complete cure, even though my current Dr who is a specialist in gastroenterology, suggests that I may never have had UC in the first place [And of course he would come to this conclusion, for a cure from UC goes against his medical training]. However, 2 independent diagnosis 10 years prior by 2 of his medical peers both of whom are extensively experienced gastroenterologists, and who both found that I did indeed have Ulcerative Colitis of the sigmoid colon, can not be easily dismissed.

Enhancing a distinctive feeling of well-being usually results shortly after consuming such concoctions. For me, this clearly demonstrates an enhancement of improved immune function, in correlation with an increase in serotonin and possibly other yet-to-be-discovered feel-good factors.

From: http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html#eat-kg

To order kefir grains or ready made kefir,  send request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or text 805-738-9434. Thank you and may God bless you!

Information about fats gets pretty confusing for most of us. Here, I will attempt to simplify some important facts to keeps us all informed.

There are four types of fatty acids, based on how many of their carbon bondsare paired with hydrogen: