
By Michelle Schoffro Cook
Who doesn't love ginger cookies or spice cake? The signature ginger flavor adds a delightful taste to almost anything to which it is added.
But taste is not the only reason to love this amazing spice. Not only is ginger a delicious addition to food, it is also one of the best natural medicines around. And, now there is more reason than ever to turn to ginger for its impressive healing abilities: research shows that this spice sensation kills breast cancer stem cells.
Not only is ginger a delicious addition to food, it is also one of the best natural medicines around.
While cancer is made up of a range of cells, its stem cells have the ability to self-renew and give rise to a large number of cancer cells and have shown resistance to numerous chemotherapy drugs. As a result, these cells have been the target of widespread investigation. It is believed that targeting these cells will help to effectively kill cancer cells and tumors. However, to date, cancer stem cells have posed a serious obstacle to cancer therapy as they are often the cause of cancer relapse.
According to research in the online medical journal PLoS One, the herb ginger or gingerroot as it is also called, holds promise in the destruction of cancer stem cells and cancer in general. That's because ginger contains several substances that have been found to kill stem cells and interfere with their ability to renew.
Specifically, ginger contains the anti-cancer compounds known as gingerols and 6-shogaol. The study found that these compounds effectively targeted breast cancer stem cells and prevented them from renewing. While it is possible that these ginger compounds will have the same effect on other types of cancer, they were not explored in this particular study.
Other research published in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine found that these compounds and two others found in ginger showed significant anti-cancer properties. While more research is needed, the authors of the PLoS One study state that ginger and an extract of its constituent 6-shogaol, is "a promising therapeutic agent which should be further followed up for breast cancer treatment."
Since ginger has a proven safety track record, it is worth consideration as part of an anti-cancer or cancer-prevention plan. You can use a ginger extract (usually the medicinal parts of roots like ginger are extracted in alcohol). These extracts, known as tinctures, are available in most health food stores. Follow package instructions; however if you're using it as part of your breast cancer treatment program, you may need higher dosages than the package indicates. It is best to work with a qualified herbalist or natural medicine practitioner along with your oncologist.
For day-to-day help with cancer prevention, you can add chopped, fresh ginger to soups, stews, stir-fries, vegetable or meat dishes, as well as desserts. Add fresh ginger to a juicer while making juices. You can also add chopped, fresh ginger to water and boil it for at least 45 minutes but preferably an hour, then strain and drink as a hot or iced tea. Add the herb stevia if you prefer a sweeter-tasting beverage. Always choose fresh gingerroot over dried ginger powder as it contains far more of the medicinal compounds.
This article was reposted with permission from our media associate Care2.
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Wisdom the mōlī, or Laysan albatross, is the oldest wild bird known to science at the age of at least 70. She is also, as of February 1, a new mother.
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The Science Behind Frozen Wind Turbines – and How to Keep Them Spinning Through the Winter
By Hui Hu
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Comparing rime ice and glaze ice shows how each changes the texture of the blade. Gao, Liu and Hu, 2021, CC BY-ND
Ice buildup changes air flow around the turbine blade, which can slow it down. The top photos show ice forming after 10 minutes at different temperatures in the Wind Research Tunnel. The lower measurements show airflow separation as ice accumulates. Icing Research Tunnel of Iowa State University, CC BY-ND
How ice builds up on the tips of turbine blades. Gao, Liu and Hu, 2021, CC BY-ND
While traditional investment in the ocean technology sector has been tentative, growth in Israeli maritime innovations has been exponential in the last few years, and environmental concern has come to the forefront.
theDOCK aims to innovate the Israeli maritime sector. Pexels
<p>The UN hopes that new investments in ocean science and technology will help turn the tide for the oceans. As such, this year kicked off the <a href="https://www.oceandecade.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030)</a> to galvanize massive support for the blue economy.</p><p>According to the World Bank, the blue economy is the "sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem," <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412019338255#b0245" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Science Direct</a> reported. It represents this new sector for investments and innovations that work in tandem with the oceans rather than in exploitation of them.</p><p>As recently as Aug. 2020, <a href="https://www.reutersevents.com/sustainability/esg-investors-slow-make-waves-25tn-ocean-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Reuters</a> noted that ESG Investors, those looking to invest in opportunities that have a positive impact in environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, have been interested in "blue finance" but slow to invest.</p><p>"It is a hugely under-invested economic opportunity that is crucial to the way we have to address living on one planet," Simon Dent, director of blue investments at Mirova Natural Capital, told Reuters.</p><p>Even with slow investment, the blue economy is still expected to expand at twice the rate of the mainstream economy by 2030, Reuters reported. It already contributes $2.5tn a year in economic output, the report noted.</p><p>Current, upward <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/-innovation-blue-economy-2646147405.html" target="_self">shifts in blue economy investments are being driven by innovation</a>, a trend the UN hopes will continue globally for the benefit of all oceans and people.</p><p>In Israel, this push has successfully translated into investment in and innovation of global ports, shipping, logistics and offshore sectors. The "Startup Nation," as Israel is often called, has seen its maritime tech ecosystem grow "significantly" in recent years and expects that growth to "accelerate dramatically," <a href="https://itrade.gov.il/belgium-english/how-israel-is-becoming-a-port-of-call-for-maritime-innovation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">iTrade</a> reported.</p><p>Driving this wave of momentum has been rising Israeli venture capital hub <a href="https://www.thedockinnovation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">theDOCK</a>. Founded by Israeli Navy veterans in 2017, theDOCK works with early-stage companies in the maritime space to bring their solutions to market. The hub's pioneering efforts ignited Israel's maritime technology sector, and now, with their new fund, theDOCK is motivating these high-tech solutions to also address ESG criteria.</p><p>"While ESG has always been on theDOCK's agenda, this theme has become even more of a priority," Nir Gartzman, theDOCK's managing partner, told EcoWatch. "80 percent of the startups in our portfolio (for theDOCK's Navigator II fund) will have a primary or secondary contribution to environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria."</p><p>In a company presentation, theDOCK called contribution to the ESG agenda a "hot discussion topic" for traditional players in the space and their boards, many of whom are looking to adopt new technologies with a positive impact on the planet. The focus is on reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment, the presentation outlines. As such, theDOCK also explicitly screens candidate investments by ESG criteria as well.</p><p>Within the maritime space, environmental innovations could include measures like increased fuel and energy efficiency, better monitoring of potential pollution sources, improved waste and air emissions management and processing of marine debris/trash into reusable materials, theDOCK's presentation noted.</p>theDOCK team includes (left to right) Michal Hendel-Sufa, Head of Alliances, Noa Schuman, CMO, Nir Gartzman, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, and Hannan Carmeli, Co-Founder & Managing Partner. Dudu Koren
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