Homegrown Figs

Flavonoids exert a multiplicity of neuroprotective actions within the brain, including a potential to protect neurons against injury induced by neurotoxins, an ability to suppress neuroinflammation, and the potential to promote memory, learning and cognitive function. The neuroprotective potential of flavonoids: a multiplicity of effects, David Vauzour, Genes and Nutrition, 2008.

Consumption of flavonoid-rich foods throughout life limits neurodegeneration and prevents or reverses age-dependent loses in cognitive performance. For this reason drug companies are intensely interested in flavonoids as a part of their quest for new drugs promising to enhance brain performance. Drug research has shown flavonoids to be beneficial in dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Keep in mind, the functionality of flavonoids is not dependent upon being made part of a drug, you can benefit from flavoids by eating fresh fruit and vegetables, preferably grown by you in your garden without the use of pesticides or RoundUp.

Dark purple figs, like blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes and plums, contain anthocyanins and phenolics which upon being eaten become antioxidants and contribute to anti-aging as well as helping to improve urinary tract health on one side of things, and memory function on another. Plus, they reduce the risk of some cancers.

The thing is, while we hear about certain phytonutrients, like bioflavonoids or phenolics, a fig contains 170 different ones ~~ That is the wealth of eating a wholesomely grown fig, or fruit of any kind, for that matter. That is the beauty of growing your vitamins!

3/27/2014 ~ I have to add this picture of my fig enjoying the light from the newly added Solatube, which having been installed Level, is giving a wide band of light, in contrast to the old Solatube which sadly was not installed level and gives, as you can see in the first image on this page, a small fraction of the light.

Figs help fight cancer

One study of the polyphenolic compounds in figs was directed at learning to what extent eating figs, with their high levels of polyphenols, flavonoids and anthocyanins, helps us in fighting cancer cells. In the study’s introduction the researchers note that for decades natural products were regarded as important sources of chemotherapeutic agents, and impressively, 50% of anticancer drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration since 1960 originate with natural resources, particularly plants.

The study, which concentrated on fig latex applied to cancer cells in glass plates, showed that there was an antiproliferation effect on cancer cells by inducing apoptotic cell death. Apoptotic cell death is process of cell self-destruction that is marked by the fragmentation of nuclear DNA. Basically, figs provided a means to inhibit cancer cell DNA synthesis. Cytotoxicity of fig fruit latex against human cancer cells, 2007.

Fig latex used to cure warts

While eating figs is clearly different than collecting their latex and putting it on isolated cancer cells in a laboratory, or using it to cure common warts (a traditional method for treating warts in some rural areas of Iran uses fig tree latex applied to the wart ~ Fig tree latex therapy when studied showed several beneficial effects including that it worked quickly, there were no reports of side-effects. because it was easy it was attractive to patients and perhaps best of all, there was a low recurrence rate. The exact mechanism of the antiwart activity of fig tree latex is unclear but is likely to be the result of the proteolytic activity of the latex enzymes. Comparative study of fig tree efficacy in the treatment of common warts (Verruca vulgaris) vs. cryotherapy, International Journal of Dermatology, 2007.) there are several dozen studies showing figs to offer help against cancers of different kinds.

5/17/2014 ~ When I was moving my fig outside today, one of the leaves broke. I noticed a lot of latex, so I tried a little on a wart like thing on my eyelid. I’m curious to see if it has any affect. (or is it, effect?)

5/18/2014 ~ I remain curious to see if fig latex will work on the thing on my eyelid, which as been there, but not as big, for several years.

I broke another fig leaf off today, for the express purpose of applying its latex to the growth.

Having googled “growth on eyelid” I’ve found that it’s likely to be sebaceous keritosis, which is what I thought, especially since the top kept sloughing off for the first few years. Apparently they can turn into melanoma, so I’m glad I’ve increased my use of Milk Thistle, which is said to deprive growths like that of blood supply.

Upon further study it turns out that sebaceous keritosis is sometimes mistaken for melanoma, but does not lead to it. Prevalence of Melanoma Clinically Resembling Seborrheic Keratosis ~ Read more.

One of the most common eyelid growths is a stye. I had those when I was young. At some point I read that applying the inside of the skin of a potato, cut off thinly, to the stye was an effective stye cure. For sure that worked for me, and very quickly.

Several hour later ~ Pretty intense burning. Tried to wash off the latex, but that didn’t exactly work. I don’t have very good light in here, but with my lantern I could see that my eyelid above the growth was red and shiny, which I think must be from the latex brushing off on it and causing the burning sensation. I would guess the latex burns the sebaceous keritosis, as well, but I can’t feel that.

I used a small piece of paper towel with petroleum jelly on it to wipe the latex off my eyelid. It seems to have worked.

7/9/2014 ~ Well, I don’t know if the latex is what caused the thing to develop a hard outside and fall off, but fall off it did.

That doesn’t mean that my eyelid is perfectly normal where the thing was previously attached. On the contrary it looks as if another thing could form. I don’t know what will happen.

Just to be clear, it was hard to go on applying fig latex because my eyelids are droopy. So if I put latex on the thing, my eyelid would descend and get the latex on it, which I knew from experience would burn. Because of that I put latex on the thing about 4 or 5 times, and no more.

Figs contain plant sterols

Plant sterols have been known, for at least a century, to be distinct from cholesterol (chole-sterol). Because plant sterols are not absorbed and in fact interfere with cholesterol absorption, they have been investigated for over half century as a means of controlling high cholesterol and, plant sterols are among the oldest pharmacological therapies for high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia).

Two of figs’ plant sterols are stigmasterol and lanosterol. These plant sterols have a proven beneficial effect on cholesterol. What they do is bind to molecules of cholesterol in the intestines and keep it from being absorbed.

Conclusion