A Symbol of Human Immortality

TSheba (Monica Palmer)

In Praise Of The Pomegrana te A Symbol of Human Immortality

by (Monica Palmer)

TSheba

Gos s

er

med ia
r p
s es

In Praise of the Pomegranate

Special Dedication
To my hero and high school principal of Knox College, in Spaldings, Jamaica Mr. George Scott. Like a guardian angel you groomed me in staking out every opportunity for me to cultivate and develop those life skills you first identified in my formative years. That my altruistic life started in the cafeteria as head monitor for my lunch hour, my vocation with food seemed destined from the onset.

In Praise of the Pomegranate

In Praise of the Pomegranate

CONTENTS
Introduction Chapter 1: The Protein Assistant
The Role Of Nitric Oxide In Uncomplicated Births With Erectile Function Blood Flow Is Everything Selecting Pomegranates

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10 11 14

Chapter 2: Weight Loss Without The Sag

Nitric Oxide: The Key To Weight Loss The Secret To A Toned Body & To Cure Hernias How The Pomegranate Assists In Weight Loss Opening A Pomegranate

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18 19 20 21

Chapter 3: The Vitamin C Factor

The Amigos: Phenylalanine and Tyrosine Pomegranate Juicing

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24 27

Chapter 4: Not All Antitoxidants Are Created Equally

Pomegranate Polyphenols: The New Qi (chi)

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Chapter 5: Too Much Of A Good Thing

The Skin Whitening Effect of Pomegranate Extract Melanin Is Not Just About Skin Colour

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Chapter 6: The Rave Is About the Fat

Omega5 Fatty Acid In Pomegranate Seeds Keratinocytes: The Immortalized Cells

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In Praise of the Pomegranate

Chapter 7: Pomegranate, Keratinocytes & Longeveity

The Variety of Powers Supporting Human Life The Rescue: Phytoestrogen or Non-Estrogenic Phytosterols?

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48 50

Chapter 8: The Omega 5 & Vitamin D Twin Effects

Nature Proffers Pomegranate In Due Season The Role of Omega 5 & Vitamin D In Immune Signalling

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54 55

Chapter 9: Sleeping Beauty

The Pomegranate-Sleep Connection

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Chapter 10: A Radiant You

The Effect Of Sickness In The Electro-Magnetic Field Mind-Body Alignment By Means Of Diet The Link Between Cholesterol and Self-confidence The Link Between Food-Radiation & Blood-Radiation

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Chapter 11: Recipes

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In Praise of the Pomegranate

Introduction
There are specific images that are highly charged blood-red juice spilling from a cut pomegranate into a cloth and forming a stain in the shape of the boundaries of the ancient Kingdom of Armenia; dyers lifting hanks of wool out of vats in the colours of the national flag, and so on.
From The Colour of Pomegrantes, by Sayat-Nova (1712 1795)

he homage made to foods is as old as the advent of recorded history, if not older. Ancient records still bear witness to exceptionally precious foods and drinks that were sought after to arouse feelings of love and to present, as elixirs and burnt offerings, to appease the many deities. This unalloyed pleasure in eating and symbolic at-one-ment continue to inspire renowned cooks. Those who, for this partaking of human mortals in common life, and are sought after by the rich and famous, have taken food preparation to artistic heights. This purposeful cultivation of the joy for life that throbs everywhere around us in Nature lives on in the fervent adoration of the pomegranate, with juice-laden sacs (arils) around white or red seeds that can be hard or soft both of which are used in various cuisines of different ethnicities. In curries, chutneys, sauces, soups, spices, condiments to liqueurs, humans have cultivated a love for its most delectable sweet yet slight sour taste, and its intense and accepted fresh odour, with the volatile oil of woody turpentine among the bouquet of resins.

In Praise of the Pomegranate

Sayat-Nova, the late, noble Armenian poet, musician and ashik (a mystic troubadour) wrote the above romantic expressionism of adoration of the intensity of the red colour pomegranate, in courtly love of Armenia. To this day, this poem continues to flatter the sensibilities not only of his entire people, but also of all lovers of fine poetry. My tribute to the pomegranate is neither a ceremony nor a lure of the obsessive decadent. The purpose is to evoke that child-like love of the pomegranate, one of the featured superfoods for reversing nerve debility and a waning sex life in the book entitled: Your amazing Nerves Care for it or lose its force. Standing before the mirror while preparing the above mentioned titled book for publication, I noticed a reddish tone to my complexion. This I knew was not from carotenosis. This is the condition when high levels of beta-carotene appear in ones bloodstream, and the excess beta-carotene gets stored in the fat under the skin. I had not drunk carrot juice in quite a while. Only later that day did it dawn on me that the hue a light ruby tone was the result of the abundance of pomegranate juice that I was feasting on, from the raw food selections in my seasonal fall diet. The pomegranate, like the barley seed-grain, had emerged impressively, from among the pack of super raw foods. I had no choice but to give this most celebrated, immortalized fruit its own pedestal on which to stand, hence this book: In Praise of the Pomegranate. Not only had my skin become noticeably softer and with even skin tone, the facial hair growth I experienced for most of my adult life was also diminishing. I noticed also that the chin area, now softer (apparently the reversal of faulty keratinization of the epidermis), was not producing as many facial hair follicles. Chronic dry scalp? This appeared to be history.
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In Praise of the Pomegranate

As for my hair: For years, pre-sprouted barley seed-germs and the barley grass formed part of my staple diet when, at the onset, I started reclaiming what has now reached 2-3 inches of hair line I did not realize had receded. Now, not only was my hair gaining more body as a new area of hair line continued growing in, with strands of white hair popping through the follicles then turning silverish-black in a short time the texture and radiance of my hair looked stunning. Oh! I was in praise of the pomegranate. This attitude of praise brought me back to a child-like taste for natural (i.e., unadulterated) foods. I was now a conscious observer as to how I do enliven those secretions in the juices that alter my blood-radiation favourably the [alchemical] process behind DNA which alone that confers agelessness and immortality. I now understand how in the identity patterning determined by the biochemical evolution of foods that nourish the human body lies the organic conditions that indicate character. In that, it is character that controls and directs human feelings and emotions and is, therefore, the guarantee of the ever greater happiness that lies between desire and nerve sensation. The sense forces encompass the senses of perception, feeling and hunger, as well as the lower affectional forces, which are the incentive for intimacy between the sexes. It is my wish for all to enjoy this time immortal fruit in its natural state, a taste no gourmet cook or factory processing plant can duplicate. Enjoy this beautiful provision of Nature!

In Praise of the Pomegranate

Chapter 1

The Protein Assistant

Protein from [Greek] proteios, meaning primary is the compound that make up all living organisms and is essential to their function. It carries the genetic instructions specifying the biological development all cells need to grow and replicate but not without the aid of other chemical compounds.

he pomegranate, known also as the Phoenician apple, is widely considered to have originated in the Middle east to the Himalayas in Northern India, as far back as 4000 B.C. From its native region, the pomegranate tree, which lives extremmely long some species are known to have survived for two centuries has traversed the globe. It was introduced into Latin America and California in 1796 by the Spanish. In botany, the pomegrante tree is placed by itself in its own family Punicaceae, with only one genus Punica, and one predominant species P. granatum. The Spanish named their town Granada after this dominant plant species and, on arrival in the Caribbean, gave the name to the island Grenada. The red, sweet, and viscous syrup often used in making cocktails syrup known as granadine got its name from where it was invented, the mainland of Granada. With outer skin colours ranging from off-white to dark red symbolizing both the light and dark skin races, analogous to the lily (the symbol of purity) and the rose (the symbol of love) this anti-ageing fruit has longed been revered as a symbol of health, fertility and eternal life. It should come as no sur9

In Praise of the Pomegranate

prise humans keep immortalizing this amazing fruit both in the arts and science, especially in the last 10 years when its wound healing properties and immune modulating activities caught the attention of scientists. With the redness of blood giving it the reputation as a blood tonic, tests reveal a glass of pomegranate juice (commercially extracted) contains three times more antioxidant activity and is more protecting of the so-called killer nitric oxide (NO), than red wine, green tea, blueberries and cranberries. For starters, nitric oxide and fertility are inseparably linked. Nitric oxide, the chemical that helps men attain an erection, may not only improve the chances of a woman in having a healthy baby by fighting back the effects of aging on her ovaries, but also in helping to preserve her embryo against miscarriage. The Role Of Nitric Oxide In Uncomplicated Births The human uterine cervix, to a large extent, is composed of connective tissues. Its smooth muscle content comprises 1015 percent of the cervical tissue, constituting 28 percent of the upper part and only 6 percent of the lower part. The cervical smooth muslces plays a crucial role in cervical ripening, and inhibiting spontaneous contractions in early pregnancy. During pregnancy, one important function of the cervix is to maintain the embryo within the uterine body, whereas at the end of pregnancy appropriate ripening of the cervix is a prerequisite for uncomplicated delivery. The primary effect of NO is relaxation of smoothe muscle in various organs, including the human uterine body during pregnancy. The body produces NO from the amino acid L-arginine, which abounds in plant and animal proteins such as dairy
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In Praise of the Pomegranate

products, egg yolk, lean meats, poultry, seafood (highest in the dried fish swim bladder called isinglass), peanuts, sesame seeds, soy, among other food items. Nitric oxide is a short-lived free radical gas that the body uses to communicate between cells. It survives only a few seconds after it is created by cells and neurons. Depending on the requirement, NO can act as a hormone, a neurotransmitter, or an intracellular messenger. When produced in large quanties, NO causes toxic effects that are involved in immune and inflammatory responses. Inflammation is a defense reaction caused by tissue damage or injury, characterized by redness, heat, swelling, and pain. The ripening of the cervix at birth is considered an inflammatory process that causes dilation of the cervix. The inflammatory process of birth causes leucocytes to inflitrate through the endothelium of the uterine cervix at term and accumulate in what is termed leucocyte adhesion. NO inhibits leukocyte adhesion to the lining of the uterus as well as platelet aggregation, by controlling the pain; relaxing and dilating blood vessels, while normalizing blood pressure. Test shows that, during pregnancy, NO synthesis decreases prior to labour and the generating system is upgraded during labour. It is the indication of NO assuming the role of hormones in regulating uterine relaxation, blood flow and immunosuppression required for pregnancy maintenance. With Erectile Function Blood Flow Is Everything Numerous are the studies reporting the effectiveness of pomegranate fruit, pomegranate juice and polyphenols in reducing heart disease (due to oxidation of LDL cholesterol); blood

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In Praise of the Pomegranate

pressure; the formation of macrophage foam cells all steps to artheriosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. It is crucial to draw the correlation between macrophages (white blood cells within tissues) and erectile function. In the first place, macrophages have the unique ability to metabolize arginine to NO. Macrophages are called the big eaters (Greek makros large + phagein eat") of the immune system. Macrophage foam cells are fat-laden immune cells. Foam cells are formed when the body sends macrophages to the location of a fatty deposit on the blood vessel walls. The macrophage surrounds the fatty material in an attempt to destroy it. The cell becomes filled with lipids (fats). The lipids surrounded by the macrophage give it a foamy appearance. Though on their own they are not dangerous, the foam is an indication of plaque-build up, or atherosclerosis, which is commonly associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke. What is vital to cardivascular health is just as crucial to erectile function. In a case study involving 42 men, 25 of the subjects reported improvement in erectile function, after drinking pomegranate juice. The consensus was that pomegranate extract appeared more effective in diminishing oxidative products, preventing toxic superoxides, and protecting the structural integrity of mitochondria (energy factory cells), endothelia (inner lining) and carveolae (lipid rafts) of cells. This is critical to contraction rate and tensile strength of epithelial tissue, in attaining an erection and for maximum performance. If the body does not produce enough of the amino acid Larginine to complete the process of NO production, the enzyme produce instead another oxidative molecule known as
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In Praise of the Pomegranate

superoxide. When superoxide reacts with NO it create an even more powerful and damaging oxidant, peroxynitrite. Peroxynitrite not only attacks cell DNA and RNA, making one susceptible to cancer and various dysfunctions, it gobbles up ever-increasing amounts of NO. This can lead to hardening of the blood vessels, increase of blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems. Pomegranate juice (including the seeds that contains roughly 13 percent protein) was found to be a potent inhibitor of superoxide anion-mediated disapperance of NO. A primary imbalance between internal and external forces of the human psysiology in which life is maintained is the oxidative imbalance. This is linked directly to menopausal transition, which causes oxidative stress. High level of oxidative stress is often accompanied by glutathione deficiency and health loss as studies have shown. In clinical studies, pomegranate juice consumption has shown to decrease this oxidative stress. The antioxidant activity of pomegranate juice resulted in marked protection of NO against oxidative destruction. This could be especially valuable in the case of ovariectomy (surgical removal of one or both ovaries), which causes an imbalance in oxidant production (e.g., oxidized glutathione) over antioxidant level (e.g., glutathione) level. Reduced antioxidants level increases oxidative stress and consequently accelerates ageing. The study finding the consumption of pomegranate juice to be potentially better than apple juice in improving antioxidant function in elderly shows that from the womb to the grave the pomegranate improves the quantity of life.

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In Praise of the Pomegranate

Selecting Pomegranates

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In Praise of the Pomegranate

Inside a pomegranate lie thin leathery yellowish membranes with transparent sacs (or arils) filled with tart, tasty, fleshy, juicy red, pinkish or whitish pulps. Not many people have the luxury of choosing between wild grown and commercially grown pomegranates. Commercially grown crops are harvested before they are fully mature, in order to avoid excess bruising during transport. Pomegranates will not ripen further once picked. Once harvested, they will not continue to develop sugar. The whole fruits can be stored for a month in a cool, dry area or refrigerated up to two months. Some commercial pomegranate juice contains added sugar, If your purpose for selecting a pomegranate is to satiate in its delectable, fresh taste from its sacs, or expressing the juice, and, if you have a choice, fresh pomegranate is best. Why? Plants are rich in vital force the energy that animates living creatures. They radiate from the nucleus of their cells where they lay up stores of this light power to be expended by the nervous and motive systems of humans and animals, especially in stimulating red blood cells. To the human body, the radiant force in foods is pervading, healing and sustaining force.

A fresh pomegranate, on opening, shows clear droplets glistening in the albedo (white).

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