General

Bitter melon shows promise in protecting against, treating breast cancer: study

BY Joe Dziemianowicz
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Wednesday, February 24th 2010, 12:20 PM
Bitter melon, a vegetable native to India, China and South America, could show promise in warding off breast cancer, though more studies are needed.
Lotus Hoshikawa/Gett
Bitter melon, a vegetable native to India, China and South America, could show promise in warding off breast cancer, though more studies are needed.
Related News

* Articles
* Cerebrospinal meningitis cases on the rise in Ghana, with 27 deaths this season
* Poor vision linked to dementia risk in elderly

Could a lowly veggie be a cancer magic bullet?

Researchers have found that an extract from bitter melon, a vegetable commonly found in India, China and South America, may protect women from breast cancer, according to reports.

Bitter melon extract, sold in U.S. health food stores as well as on the Internet, is used in folk remedies for diabetes because of its blood-sugar lowering capabilities, according to the researchers.

The scientists, whose work is published in the March 1 issue of “Cancer Research,” found that in lab studies bitter melon extract had other health benefits.

“When we used the extract from that melon, we saw that it kills the breast cancer cells," lead researcher Ratna Ray, a professor of pathology at Saint Louis University, told HealthDay News. "We didn't see any death in the normal cells," she added.

Studies need to move from Petri dish to animals and then to humans before there’s conclusive evidence points to bitter melon extract prevents or cures cancer.

"I don't believe that it will cure cancer," Ray said. "It will probably delay or perhaps have some prevention."

Bitter melon extract is rich in Vitamin C and flavonoids, which are good for health.

Marji McCullough, strategic director of nutritional epidemiology at the American Cancer Society, called the findings interesting.

"The results of this laboratory study are intriguing," McCullough told HealthDay. "But before recommending bitter melon extract supplements for cancer prevention, we need appropriate clinical trials to establish its safety and efficacy in humans."

She added that the ACS recommends getting nutrients through food, not supplements.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2010/02/24/2010-02-24_bitter_melon_shows_promise_in_protecting_against_treating_breast_cancer_study.html#ixzz0gV1WNgUf

Quotes

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Happy moments, praise God.

Difficult moments, seek God.

Quiet moments, worship God.

Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God

Yajurveda-22

[[1-1-13-1]]

वाज॑स्य मा॑ प्रस॒वेनोद्ग्रा॒भेणोद॑ग्रभूत्। अथा॑ स॒पत्ना॒ इन्द्रो॑ मे निग्रा॒भेणाध॑रा अकः॥

With the impulse of strength.

With elevation he hath lifted me up;

Then Indra hath made my enemies

Humble by depression.

उ॒द्ग्रा॒भञ्च॑ निग्रा॒भञ्च॒ ब्रह्म॑ दे॒वा अ॑वीबृधन्। अथा॑ सपत्ना॑निन्द्रा॒ग्नी मे॑ विषू॒चीना॒न्व्य॑स्यताम्॥

The Gods have increased my prayer

What is elevation and depression;

The do ye, O Indra & Agni

Scatter my foes on every side.

 

वसु॑भ्यस्त्वा रु॒द्रेभ्य॑स्त्वाऽऽदि॒त्येभ्य॑स्त्वा।

To the vasus thee, to the rudras thee, to the Adityas thee !

अक्त रिहा॑णा वि॒यन्तु॒ वयः॑

Licking the anointed
lot the birds go asunder.

प्र॒जां योनिं॒ मा निर्मृ॑क्ष॒म्

May I not brush offspring and the organ.

आ प्या॑यन्ता॒माप॒ ओष॑धयः।

Swell, ye waters & plants.

म॒रुतां॒ पृष॑तयः स्थ

Ye are spotted seed of the Maruts.

दिव॑म्॥

Fare to the sky

Yajurveda-21

[[1-1-12-1]]

भुव॑नमसि॒ वि प्र॑थ॒रच।

Thou art the world, be extended.

अग्ने॒ यष्ठ॑रि॒दं नमः॑।

O Agni, sacrifice, this reverence.

जुह्वे॒ह्यग्निस्त्वा॑ ह्वयति देवय॒ज्यायै॒।

O juhu come hither, Agni summons thee for the sacrifice to the Gods.

उप॑भृ॒देहि॑ दे॒वस्त्वा॑ सवि॒ता ह्व॑यति देवय॒ज्यायै॒।

O upabhrt come hither, the God Savitr summons thee for the sacrifice to the Gods

अग्ना॑विष्णू॒ मा वा॒मव॑ क्रमिषम्।

O Agni & Vishnu, let me not step down upon you.

वि जि॑हाथां॒ मा मा॒ सं ता॑प्तम्।

Be ye parted, consume me not

लो॒कं मे॑ लाककृतौ कृणुतम्।

Make ye a place for me, ye place makers

विष्णोः॒ स्थान॑मसि॒।

Thou art the abode of Vishnu.

इत इन्द्रो॑ अकृणोद्वी॒र्या॑णि

Hence Indra brought mighty deeds.

समा॒रभ्यो॒र्ध्वो अ॑ध्व॒रो दि॑वि॒स्पृश॒म्, अह्रु॑तो

Great, grasping the sky, imperishable.

The sacrifice of the Lord of the sacrifice is undisturbed

[[1-1-12-2]]

य॒ज्ञो य॒ज्ञप॑तेः॒। (meaning covered in previous sentence itself)

इन्द्रा॑वा॒न्त्स्वाहा॑

Offered to Indra, hail!

बृहत्भाः

Great Light

पा॒हि मा॑ ऽग्ने॒ दुश्चरिता॒दा मा॒ सुच॑रिते भज

Guard me. O agni, from misfortune,place me in good fortune.

म॒खस्य॒ शिरो॑ ऽसि॒ सं ज्योति॑षा॒ ज्योति॑रज्ञ्काम्॥

Thou art the head of Makha, be light united with light.

Yajurveda-20

[[1-1-11-2]]

दक्षि॑णो॒ यज॑मानस्य परि॒धिरि॒ड ई॑डितः।

(Thou art) the fence of the sacrifice, praised and to be praised.

मि॒त्रावरु॑णौ त्वोत्तरतः परि॑ धत्ता॑ ध्रु॒वेण॒ यज॑मानस्य परि॒धिरि॒ड ई॑डि॒तः

May Mitra and Varuna lay thee around in the north with firm law, thou art the fence of the sacrifice,

praised and to be praised.

सूर्य॑स्त्वा पु॒रस्ता॑त् पातु॒ कस्याश्चिदभिशस्त्याः।

-May the sun from east protect thee from all evil.

वी॒तिहो॑त्रं त्वा कवे द्युमन्त समि॑धीम॒ह्यग्ने॑ बृ॒हन्त॑मध्व॒रे वि॒शो य॒न्त्रे स्थः।

May we kindle thee, O wise one.
That dost invite to the sacrifice, the radiant one.O Agni Agni, thee that are mighty at the sacrifice.
Ye two are the props of the people.

वसूना रु॒द्राणा॑मादि॒त्यान सद॑सि सीद

Sit on the seat of Vasus, Rudras and Adityas.

जुहुरुपभृद् ध्रु॒वाऽसि॑ घृ॒ताची॒ नाम्ना॑ प्रि॒येण॒ नाम्ना॑ पि॒ये सद॑सि

-Thou art named Juhu, Upabhrt Dhruva,Loving the ghee, (sit) on thy dear seat with thy dear name.

[[1-1-11-3]]

सीद।

Sit (this is cocered in the previous line translation itself)

ए॒ता अ॑सदन्त्सुकृ॒तस्यय॑ लो॒के

These have sat down in the world of good action.

ता वि॑ष्णो पाहि

Protect them. O Vishnu.

पा॒हि य॒ज्ञं पा॒हि य॒ज्ञप॑तिं पा॒हि मां य॑ज्ञ॒नियम्॥

Protect the sacrifice, protect the Lord of the sacrifice, protect me that conduct the sacrifice.

What is GOD

What is God ?

If I give you a good slap on your face, who knows that slap ? That knower (Vetta), that knowing subject, is God. When a strong desire is satisfied or gratified, that blissful state wherein the mind finds rest is God. That which sparkles or glitters in your eyes is God. That which prompts you to think is God, the Lord of the mind. The source (yoni) or support (Adhishthan) for your mind, Prana (vital energy), senses and body is God.

The tree exists. It shines. It gives delight. These three aspects, existence, shining, delight - Asti-Bhati-Priya or Sat-Chit-Ananda - is God. God is truth. God is love. God is beauty. God is Ananda. God is Light of lights. God is Mind of minds, Prana of Pranas, Soul of souls. That shines in your heart and that is inseparable from you. Feel His presence always. Recognize His presence always, everywhere. Carry His presence when you walk.

- By Swami Sivananda (taken from Divine Life Society Website)

Yajurveda-19

[[1-1-11-1]]

कृष्णो॑ ऽस्याखरे॒ष्ठो॑ ऽग्नये॑ स्वाहा॒

Thou I art a black deer, living in the lair, to Agni thee, hail!

वेदि॑रसि ब॒र्हिषे॑ त्वा॒ स्वाहा॒

Thou art the altar, to the strew thee, hail!

बर्हि॑रसि स्रु॒ग्भ्यस्त्वा॒ स्वाहा॒

Thou art the stew. To the ladles thee, hail!

दि॒वे त्वा॒ऽन्तरि॑क्षाय त्वा पृथि॒व्यै त्वा॒

To the sky thee, to the atmosphere thee, to the earth thee!

स्व॒धा पि॒तृभ्य॒ ऊर्ग्भ॑व बर्हि॒भ्द्यः॑।

Be thou refreshment to the fathers, strength to those that sit on the strew.

ऊ॒र्जा पृ॑थि॒वीं ग॑च्छत॒

With strength go ye to the earth.

विष्णोः॒ स्तूपो॒ ऽसि।

Thou art the hair- knot of Vishnu .

ऊर्णा॑भ्रदसं त्वा स्तृणामि स्वास॒स्थं दे॒वेभ्यः॑

Soft as wool I strew thee, offering a good seat, to the Gods.

गन्ध॒र्वो॑ ऽसि वि॒श्वाव॑सु॒र्विश्व॑स्मा॒दीष॑तो॒ यज॑मानस्य परि॒धिरि॒ड ईडि॒तः।

Thou art the Gandharva, Visvavasu ( possessing all wealth), the fence of the sacrifice from every attacker, praised and to be praised.

इन्द्र॑स्य बा॒हुर॑सि॥

Thou art the right arm of Indra

Yajurveda - 18

[[1-1-10-3]]

वपामि

मही॒नां पयो॒ ऽस्योष॑धीना॒ रसो ऽद॑ब्धेन त्वा॒ चक्ष॒षावे॑क्षे सुप्रजा॒स्त्वाय॒

Thou art the milk of the great ones, of plants the sap, with undeceived eye, I gaze on thee for fair offspring.

तेजो॑ ऽसि तेजो ऽनु॒ प्रेह्य॒ग्निस्ते॒ तेजो॒ मा वि नै॑त्।

Thou art brilliance, follow thou brilliance, may Agni not take away the brilliance.

अ॒ग्नेर्जि॒ह्वाऽसि॑ सु॒भूर्दे॒वाना॒म्।

Thou art the tongue of Agni, the good one of the Gods.

धाम्ने॑धाम्ने दे॒वेभ्यो॒ यजु॑षेयजुषे भव

Be thou (good) for every sacrifice, for the Gods, for every prayer.

शु॒क्रम॑सि॒ ज्योति॑रसि॒ तेजो॑ ऽसि

Thou art the shining, the radiance, the brilliance.

दे॒वो वः॑ सवि॒तोत्पु॑ना॒त्वच्छि॑द्रेण प॒वित्रे॑ण॒ वसोः॒ सूर्य॑स्य र॒श्मिभिः

शु॒क्रं

My the God Savitr purify you, With a flawless strainer, with the rays of the bright sun

[[1-1-10-4]]

त्वा॑ शु॒क्रायां॒ धाम्ने॑धाम्ने दे॒वेभ्यो॒ यजु॑षेयजुषे गृह्णामि

I grasp the shining in the shining, for every sacrifice, for the Gods, for every prayer

ज्योति॑स्त्वा॒ ज्योति॑ष्य॒र्चिस्त्वा॒ ऽर्चिषि॒ धाम्ने॑ धाम्ने दे॒वेभ्यो॒ यजु॑षेयजुषे गृह्णामि

I grasp thee radiance in the radiance, thee resplendent in the resplendence in every sacrifice, for the Gods, for every prayer.

quotes

We must become the change we want to see.”
Mahatma Gandhi

Yajurveda-17

[[1-1-10-2]]

सेदिम। अग्ने॑ सपत्न॒दम्भ॑न॒मद॑ब्धासो॒ अदा॑भ्यम्

We are come to thee. O Agni, to thee that deceives the foe.The undeceivable, we that are not deceived

इ॒म॑ वि ष्या॑मि॒ वरु॑णस्य॒ पाशं॒ यमव॑घ्नीत सवि॒ता सु॒केतः॑। धातुश्च॒ योनौ॑ सुकृ॒तस्य॑ लो॒के स्यो॒नं मे॑ स॒ह पत्या॑ करोमि

I loosen this bond of Varuna, which Savitr the kindly hath bound, and in the borth place od the creator, in the place of good action, I make it pleasant for me with my husband.

मायु॑षा॒ सं प्र॒जया॒ सम॑ग्ने॒ वर्च॑सा॒ पुनः॑। सं पत्नी॒ पत्या॒ऽहं ग॑च्छे॒ समा॒त्मा त॒नुवा॒ मम॑

With life, with offspring. O Agni, with splendor again. As wife with my husband I am united, united be my spirit with my body.

म॒ही॒नां पयो॒ ऽस्योष॒धीना॒ रस॒स्तस्य॒ ते क्षी॑यमाणस्य॒ निः॥

Of the great ones thou art the milk, of plants the sap. Of thee that are imperishable, I make the offering.

Yajurveda-16

[[1-1-10-1]]

प्रत्यु॑ष्ट॒ रक्षः॒ प्रत्यु॑ष्ठा॒ अरा॑तयः॒।

The Raksas re burnt up, the evil spirots are burnt up.

अग्नेर्व॒स्तेजि॑ष्ठन॒ तेज॑सा॒ निष्टपामि

With Agni's keenest flame I burn you.

गो॒ष्ठं मा निर्मृ॑क्षं वा॒जिनं त्वा सपत्नसा॒ह सं मा॑र्ज्मि॒

May I not brush the place of the cattle, I brush thee that are strong and overcomes foes.

वाचं प्रा॒णं चक्षुः॒ श्रोत्रं प्र॒जां योनिं॒ मा निर्मृ॑क्षं वा॒जिनीं॑ त्वा सपत्नसा॒ही सं मा॑र्ज्मि।

Speech, breath, eye, ear, offspring, the organ of generation may not brush. I brush thee that art strong and overcomest foes.

आ॒शासा॑ना सौमन॒सं प्र॒जा सौभा॑ग्यं तनूम्। अ॒ग्नेरनु॑व्रता भू॒त्वा सं न॑ह्ये सुकृ॒ताय॒ कम्।

Beseeching favour, offspring, prosperity in devotion to Agni, I gird my body for good action

सु॒प्र॒जस॑स्त्वा व॒य सु॒पत्नी॒रुष॑॥

With fair offspring, with noble husbands, (we are come to thee)

Yajurveda-15

[[1-1-9-3]]

मौ॑क्।

अ॒ररु॑स्ते॒ दिवं॒ मा स्का॒न्

Let not Araru mount the sky for thee

वस॑वस्त्वा॒ परि॑ गृह्णन्तु गाय॒त्रेण॒ छन्द॑सा रु॒द्रास्त्वा॒ परि॑ गृह्णन्तु त्रैष्ठु॑भेन॒ छन्द॑साऽऽदि॒त्यास्त्वा॒ परि॑ गृह्णन्तु॒ जाग॑तेन॒

छन्द॑सा

Let the vasus grasp thee with the Gayatri metre, let the Rudras grasp thee with the Trishtubb metre, let the Adityas grasp thee with the Jagati metre.

दे॒वस्य॑ सवि॒तुःस॒वे कर्म॑ कृण्वन्ति वे॒धसः॑।

On the impulse of the God Savitr, wise ones perform the rite.

 

ऋ॒तम॑स्यृत॒सद॑नमस्यृत॒श्रीर॑सि॒

Thou art the right, thou art the seat of the rightthou art the glory of the right.

धा अ॑सि स्व॒धा अ॑सि।

Thou art the holder, thou art the self-holder.

उ॒र्वी चासि॒ वस्वी॑ चासि

Thou art broad and wealthy art thou.

पु॒रा क्रू॒रस्य॑ वि॒सृपो॑ विरप्शि॒न्

Before the cruel foe slips away, O glorious one

 

[[1-1-9-4]]

उदा॒दाय॑ पृथि॒वीं जी॒रदा॑नु॒र्यामैर॑यश्च॒न्द्रम॑सि धीरा॑सो अनु॒दृश्य॑ यजन्ते॥

The earth which they place in the moon by their offerings, which wise men use to guide them in the sacrifice.

Time -2

I happened read interesting portion in a website (www.astrojyoti.com)which gives the age of cosmos as of today and comparing the same with what scientists say. I thought I will share the same with all of you through blog. Worth going through patiently.

Quote

As per the time details given in the scriptures the following is noteworthy:
6.3. The Vedic Units of Time – Macro level
SATYUG 4,32,000 YEARS X 4 = 17,28,000 YEARS
TRETA 4,32,000 YEARS X 3 = 12,96,000 YEARS
DWAPAR 4,32,000 YEARS X 2 = 8,64,000 YEARS
KALIYUG 4,32,000 YEARS X 1 = 4,32,000 YEARS
1 MAHAYUG (GRAND TOTAL OF ALL THE YUGAS) = 4,320,000 YEARS
71 MAHAYUG = 43,20,000X71 = 1 MANVANTAR
1 MANVANTAR = 30,6720,000 YEARS
14 MANVANTAR = 4,294,080,000 YEARS
(There are 14 Manvantars)
The earth remains submerged in the water for the period of 8,64,000 years i.e. half the number of Satyug, before the start of each Manvantar, it also remains submerged in the water for the same number of years, i.e. 8,64,000 years, after the completion of each Manvantar.
So in 14 Manvantars the number of years
17,28,000 x 15 = 2,59,20,000
(Number of year in Satyug)
+ 14 Manvantar = 42,9, 40,80,000
1 Kalpa = 4320,000,000 years
One day & night of Brahma = 4,320,000 Mahayug x 100 = 4,320,00,000 years
Since the one moment in the life of Brahma is considered to be of our 100years, therefore the life of Brahma in 100 years will be
4,32,00,00,000 x 360 x 100 = 1,555,200,000,000 years

The Present Age of Cosmos according to the Vedic System is as follows:

There are 14 Manvantaras altogether. The present period is passing through the seventh Manvantara called Vaivaswata Manvantara.
One Manvantara consists of 71 Mahayugs, out of which 27 Mahayugs have already passed. We are passing through the first phase of the Kali Yuga which itself is the third Yuga of the 28th Mahayuga and which has come after the passing of Satya Yuga, Treta and Dwapar Yuga.
The time period of Manvantara (exclusive period, when the earth is submerged in water, in the beginning and in the end) = 306,720,000 years
1) Multiplying these years by 6 = 30,67,20,000 x 6 (Because we are in the midst of 7th Manvantara, of the Svetvaaraah Kalpa and 6 Manvantaras have already passed) = 1,8,0,300,000 years
The time period of Pralaya consists of 17,28,000 years since 7 Pralayas have passed, after the end of 6th Kalpa and before the beginning of 7th Kalpa, so 17,28,000x 7 = 12,096,000 years
Adding we have:
1,840,300,000 + 120 96 000 + 1,852,396,000 years
Therefore, after 1,85,24,16,000 years 'VAIVASVAT MANVANTARA' has started.

2) 27 Mahayugs with each Mahayuga consisting of 43,20,000 years. 43,20,000 x 27 = 116,640,000 years have passed
Total = 1,96,90,56,000 years
3) Now the time period of Kali Yuga in the 28th Yuga =
Time period of Satya Yuga = 17,28,000
Time period of Treta = 12,96,000
Time period of Dwapar = 8,64,000
TOTAL = 38,88,000
Since all the above three Yugas have already passed, it means that after 38,88,000 years, Kali Yuga came into existence.
4) Kali Yuga started on Bhadrapada, Krishnapaksha -13th day, in Vyatipaat yoga at midnight, in the Aashlesha Nakshatra and the age of the Kali Yuga has been fixed as 5101 years as till date that is Vikram Samvat 2057 = Shaka 1922 = 2000 AD.
Sum of all the three Yugs = the Sum of 27 Mahayugas and Manvantar + the time period of Kali Yuga till date.

Kalpa consist of 4,32,00,00,000 years and out of these 1,97,29,49,101 years have passed. Therefore, the earth's existence, according to the calculations devised by our ancient sages, comes up to 1,97,29,49,101 years till date. It is interesting to note that according to scientific calculations, the age of the cosmos is estimated between 15 and 20 billion years.

Unquote