Findings of a study published recently hint that pregnant women who are exposed to elevated pollution levels face twice as much risk of delivering a child having an autism spectrum disorder, also called ASD.
Based on the data made available by the Environmental Protection Agency, scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health related autism to exposure to pollutants like diesel fuel, manganese, mercury and lead. They said that pregnant women residing in areas having maximum levels of mercury or diesel fuel faced the maximum chances of giving birth to babies affected by ASD, in comparison to those residing in cleaner environments. The study hinted that women living in area highly polluted by manganese, lead and methylene chloride faced a 50 per cent greater risk of giving birth to babies having autism.
Marc Weisskopf, study researcher and an environmental and occupational epidemiology associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, said that their findings hint that further studies should be undertaken to start the process involving measurement of metals as well as other particular pollutants that enhance the chances of developing autism.
Potential causes of autism and Asperger's syndrome
Both autism and Asperger's syndrome are believed to be akin in several ways. It is generally not easy to determine the precise cause for these conditions, but findings of some studies hint to specific links between the two.
In addition to exposure to pollution by women during pregnancy, which has been discussed earlier, the NHS, UK, website suggests some potential causes, which include the father's age, smoking by mother during pregnancy, mother being infected by bacteria or virus during pregnancy and/ or mother's exposure to pesticide.
Save the planet to save ourselves
Is it common in human nature to devastate the Earth, which eventually has an adverse effect on our health? And does this, in turn, give rise to responsibilities that we may possibly not be ready to take care of? Perhaps, it is much easy to do our bit to lessen our individual carbon footprint as well as do something every day to help our planet, instead of devastating it and, simultaneously destroy ourselves as well as our future generations.
If the physician recommends undergoing a double mastectomy to thwart breast cancer should the patient not avail other available options? Women who have undergone medical mutilations recently said they were genetically prone to developing breast cancer.
In fact, one good option may be taking a healthy dietary iodine supplement. This article talks about the benefits of taking iodine to prevent breast cancer despite the genetics.
It is worth mentioning here that Dr. David Brownstein did a wonderful service by informing about iodine's value through several interviews and his book titled 'Iodine: Why You Need It; Why You Can't Live Without It'.
An occasional contributor to Natural News, Dr. Mark Sircus also always encourages the use of sodium bicarbonate, iodine and magnesium for sustaining good health. Currently, Dr. Jeffrey Dach has taken up the cause of using iodine through numerous reports on international clinical, laboratory and case study showing the effectiveness of consuming iodine in preventing breast cancer.
According to Dr. Dach, earlier salt was iodized to put off goiter. As this is not done any more, salt virtually does not offer any protection now. However, Dr. Dach says even iodized salt is not enough to supplement iodine. In fact, Dr. Dach mentions several in vitro researches using mice, epidemiological human studies, and vitro laboratory studies showing the effectiveness and safety of ingesting iodine to treat malignant tumors.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of iodine is 150 mcg daily. According to Dr. Brownstein's former mentor Dr. Guy Abraham, it is essential to ingest 12.5 mg elemental iodine - about 100 times more than the RDA - daily. In fact, this is supposed to be the daily intake of iodine by Japanese from seafood and seaweed. Incidentally, the rate of breast, prostate and thyroid cancer is the lowest in Japan.
While the FDA suggests ingestion of 165 mg of iodine to put off thyroid cancer provided there is a radiation emergency, in the past iodine has been used in higher doses medically.
Thyroid nodules increase when one develops thyroid cancer resulting in removing the thyroid glands completely to find if the nodules have become cancerous. Although cancer may not be detected, the individual is given synthetic thyroid hormones throughout his life. However, ingestion of iodine can prevent this situation.
Besides cancer prevention, there are numerous researches and case studies that show iodine can cure breast cancer. It has been found that iodine can really change genetically related breast cancer. It works to inactivate genes responsible for cancer, while activating those that encourage destruction of cancerous cells (cell apoptosis). A different study shows that iodine does not affect the quality of thyroid hormone or its production.
While Dr. Guy Abraham formulated a remedy called Idoral, four different kinds of iodine supplements with different bio-availability were listed by Dr. Edward Group. These include nascent iodine, potassium iodide, Lugol's solution and transformative nano-colloidal detoxified iodine.
However, the pharmaceutical firms have been denying use of iodine for breast cancer. It is not because iodine is ineffective or unsafe, but due to the fact that one cannot get patents for supplemental iodine!
IBS or irritable bowel syndrome is a widespread bowel disorder that causes spells of constipation and diarrhea, convulsive colon activity and bloating in the abdomen. More than 20 million Americans are affected by it and the number is growing. However, following dietary restrictions and taking super foods may help to overcome this condition.
The usual symptoms of this condition include diarrhea, constipation, gas and bloating; in addition to depression, poor immunity and constant weariness. These sufferers have a craving for breads, sweets and/ or alcohol or caffeine and often they have a history of using antibiotics. They have inexplicable headaches and joint pains.
Several trillion microbes pack our digestive tract forming a normal environment known as gut flora. This ecosystem is meant to be symbiotic - benefitting the microbes and the individual hosting them. However, specific lifestyle stressors disturb the natural symbiosis, resulting in an increase of pathogenic microorganisms, harm to the gut coating and persistent gut inflammation.
Damages to the gut flora due to environmental toxins like using antibiotics, processed foods and beverages, industrial meat, chlorinated water and others, it helps these microbes to take charge. Increase in microbial population is known as dysbiosis (anomalous bacterial balance).
The pathogenic microbes exhaust the intestinal walls, causing breaks in the gut lining, which, in turn, makes it possible for food particles, bacteria, yeasts and toxins to enter the bloodstream. These substances circulate along the bloodstream and settle in neural tissue like the brain, joints, and the liver, besides other organs.
It is important to pass up inflammatory foods to restore the intestinal walls. You should essentially avoid the common food allergens like gluten, synthetic food flavorings and additives, soy products, genetically altered ingredients, pasteurized dairy, peanuts and eggs.
It is necessary to have anti-inflammatory diets comprising high fermented liquids and foods and nutrition from raw foods. Fermented foods such as kimchi, sauerkraut, raw cheese and amasai prepared from milk of cows only fed on grass and fermented vegetables should comprise major part of your diet, while you should drink fermented liquids like coconut kefir, apple cider vinegar, and kombucha all through the day. These foods contain high amounts of enzymes, vital amino acids and probiotics that help to eliminate the pathogenic microbes.
In addition, fasting intermittently for about 16 to 20 hours every day or week is beneficial for lessening inflammation and facilitating the healing of the gut. However, it is important to drink plenty of pure water plus antioxidant extracts like light fermented drinks and lemon during the fasting. People suffering from IBS will benefit greatly by drinking a blend of oregano and fermented ginger in an acidic base with fresh lemon juice.
The diet of people with IBS should contain less sugar and more clean protein, healthy fats and antioxidants. They will benefit by consuming sprouted seeds and nuts, extra virgin olive oil, grass-fed lamb, bison, beef, fish caught in the wild and organic eggs and poultry. Consuming anti-inflammatory foods like berries, coconut products and whey protein from cows fed on grass, besides herbs like ginger, turmeric, garlic, rosemary and cinnamon is useful for treating IBS in the natural way.
Migraines are different from headaches though people with migraines suffer from severe headaches. Migraines are of two types - with and without aura, and they cause symptoms like vomiting, nausea, and great sensitivity to light and noise.
Migraines with aura, earlier called classic migraines, usually commence with dizziness and visual problems prior to a headache. However, few people with migraine with aura may not experience nausea or headaches.
People with migraines without aura, also called common migraines, do not experience visual problems, but suffer from a dull headache, which is often always thumping and pulsating as well as weakening. This type of migraine is usually accompanied by nausea and remains for several days.
Migraines are caused by triggers or environmental circumstances, which may include chemical fumes, fluorescent lighting, intermittent lighting like strobes, glare, MSG, specific processed foods, abrupt changes in weather or atmospheric pressure, aspartame and also menstrual cycles.
Many mistake stress, coffee, excitement, depression and strong emotional expressions to be triggers, whereas, the vasodilation effects of coffee provide some respite to people suffering from migraines.
Turkey-based Neurology Department of Erciyes University conducted a study, double-blind randomized placebo, involving 40 people aged between 20 and 55 years and having common migraine to find out the preventive effects of using magnesium supplements. The results of other studies before this were not only mixed, but at times disputed. Contrary to this study, they did not concentrate on common migraine sufferers.
On average, these people suffered between two and five migraine attacks every month. While 30 of these subjects were given 600 mg magnesium citrate, a form of magnesium that is absorbed easily daily, the remaining 10 took placebos. The experiment continued for three months for both groups and in the end it was found that people who took the magnesium supplement had considerably fewer migraine attacks, which were less acute and had lesser intensity, compared to those who took placebos.
The results made the research believe that magnesium is helpful in preventing migraine without aura and may act with vascular as well as neurogenic mechanisms.
While most people ignore magnesium, which is deficient in most people, use of calcium supplements has been excessively emphasized as well as used. Moreover, it has been found to be dangerous. Magnesium deficiency is attributed to topsoil depletion of Big Ag plus the standard American diet (SAD) processed foods.
Considered to be a super mineral, magnesium is involved in more than 300 metabolic processes in cells and influences our heart's health, nervous system and muscle tissues. Regrettably, magnesium is still not adequately present in what is generally considered to be a healthy diet.
Whole grains and greens contain rich amounts of magnesium, but this magnesium may not be sufficient to ensure good health owing to topsoil depletion. Several magnesium supplements meant for oral consumption do not assimilate properly into the bloodstream and tissues from the digestive tract. Topical application of magnesium chloride or transdermal patches soaking in water with Epsom salt is comparatively more effective as they are directly assimilated into the bloodstream.
However, the Turkey study showed that magnesium citrate assimilates somewhat well into the bloodstream. Specific powdered magnesium supplements are effective in this manner.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare in Japan has started expressing its worries regarding the detrimental side effects of the globally-promoted HPV inoculations - Cervarix and Gardasil manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline and Merck respectively.
About 3.28 million Japanese have been immunized with these two HPV inoculations till date and as many as 1,968 cases of adverse reactions have been reported to the Japanese government so far. People have been complaining about side effects like lasting pain or numbness and infertility making the Japanese government to withdraw its patronage to these contentious HPV vaccines.
While the World Health Organization still upholds the effectiveness of these HPV vaccines and believes that they help to put off cervical cancer, Merck too has been ignoring the reports about the horrible side effects of its product, saying that there is no direct relation between the vaccinations and the grave side effects.
However, people have not stopped taking HPV vaccination in Japan; it is just that the government is no longer endorsing their use. While girls can still avail these vaccines at subsidized, the medical institutions in the country have been telling these girls that the government no longer recommends the use of these vaccines.
In an appeal to all concerned, Japanese Health Ministry VP Mariko Momoi, a member of the task force investigating the reports of side effects, said that the withdrawal of promotion to the vaccines does not imply that they are unsafe, adding, that investigations into the reports of awful side effects will help them to keep people better informed about these vaccines. Once the investigation is over, the government will determine whether to withdraw its support or continue endorsing the vaccines.
The accumulating reports regarding dangers related to Gardasil use notwithstanding, several countries continue to be overwhelmed with Merck's vaccinations. For example, the United States actively recommends that adolescent girls are given the HPV vaccine, under the Vaccines of Children program, depending on the claims of the manufacturers that they are effective and safe. However, prior to committing themselves to such programs, it is important that the governments should consider the accepted data regarding the side effects of these vaccines.
A study undertaken by the Neural Dynamics Research Group of the University of British Columbia and published in the Washington Examiner found that the side effects of Gardasil included convulsions, death, paralysis, facial palsy, paraesthesia, chronic fatigue syndrome, autoimmune disorders, anaphylaxis, transverse myelitis, deep vein thrombosis and others.
This is, however, not the first time that Merck has been involved in medical corruption, as the company has earlier forged the trial findings of its mumps vaccines. In 2010, two ex-employees of the company filed a court case charging that Merck had influenced the federal government into buying useless vaccines worth several million dollars. In addition, Merck has been charged with doping their cattle using Zilmax, a second-hand anti-partitioning medication. The company is notorious for the Vioxx scandal between 1999 and 2004 that resulted in 38,000 deaths and enormous recall.
Hence, questions arise what makes people and government to trust Merck and why this pharmaceutical giant, which has been responsible for so many deaths, continues to do business. What is stopping all government to stop promoting Gardasil and why are others who not working to make safe and effective medicines to put off cervical cancer?
People, who love cherries ought to know that besides being a flavorful summer treat, this crimson red fruit also fights cancer, enhance sleep, regulate blood pressure and also alleviate gout. Cherries enclose compounds which possess strong anti-inflammatory attributes and help to protect against diseases. They also contain high amounts of antioxidants, vitamins as well as minerals, in addition to being packed with other vital nutriments.
Cherries offer us numerous health benefits and some of them are discussed below.
Cancer Protection: As cherries are packed with beta carotene, boron, vitamin C and potent antioxidants known as anthocyanins and, hence, provide awesome resistance against cancer. Karen Ansel, M.S., R.D., has reported in 'Eating Well' that findings of initial studies hint that anthocyanin cyanidin present in cherries may possibly put off genetic mutations that may result in cancer; besides preventing the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells. Sour cherries enclose some amount of anthocyanins, but the sweet ones are loaded with thrice as much, of which 2/3 is present in their skin. The riper a cherry is, the better it is for our health, because darker cherries contain additional antioxidants.
Blood Pressure Regulation: Cherries are packed with potassium making them an excellent food for alleviating hypertension. Potassium is a balancing mineral that aids in sustaining fluid balance inside the body by counteracting sodium's bloating effect. In addition, cherries also contain an antioxidant called quercetin that sustains the integrity of blood vessels.
Better Sleep: Cherries supply us with rarely found natural reserves of melatonin - a hormone that aids in regulating sleep and wake cycles. Findings of a study carried in the European Journal of Nutrition suggest that consuming concentrated juice of sour cherry provides an augmented exogenous melatonin, which is useful for enhancing duration of sleep, improving the health of humans and may also be beneficial in dealing with disturbed sleep.
Taming Gout: The findings of a study undertaken by the US Department of Agriculture showed that women, aged between 22 and 40 years, who ate about 45 cherries following fasting, had enhanced levels of urinary uric acid and reduced C-reactive protein. Additional studies showed that cherries possess anti-inflammatory properties. When mice were fed two oz of cherries, there was a notable lessening in their joint swellings. These findings are significant as they hint that cherries are an outstanding food for excruciating bouts of gout.
Pain Relief: During the course of a research, scientists at the Michigan State University have found that anthocyanins present in cherries are effective for easing pain and their potency is as good as aspirin. Muralee G. Nair, lead researcher, notes that cherries are as effective as ibuprofen as well as a number of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The finding of laboratory tests shows that consuming 20 tart cherries can considerably lessen the inflammation and uneasiness associated with pain.
Massaging yourself with aromatic essential oils daily is not only extremely healing, but enjoyable too. This is a part of the ancient all-inclusive healing practice Ayurveda, which originated in India, and helps to slow the aging process, remove impurities from the body and enhance mental awareness by balancing the body, mind and the spirit. This massage technique may be gentle or forceful subject to your individual mind-body type (called 'dosha' in Ayurveda).
When the skin is stimulated due to massage or therapeutic touch, it discharges a host of remedial chemicals having a health-promoting outcome on the bodily processes. Besides inducing a good feeling, regular massages help to detoxify the tissues, enhance circulation, reinforce immunity and soothe the mind.
Different from the Western massage, special oils are used in an Ayurvedic massage. These oils contain particular therapeutic substances that are used internally as well as externally. The herbs and herbal extracts selected for massage are combined with pure sesame carrier oil that is cold pressed as a base. Traditionally, sesame oil is the most widely used carrier oil in Ayurvedic massage as it possesses antioxidant attributes and can get into the body through the subtle channels.
Ayurvedic massage requires you to undress and then gently massaging your scalp with a little oil in your palms. Rub down the oil into your hair and scalp using your fingertips. Subsequently, rubdown your body (gently or vigorously, as the case may require) till the entire oil has been soaked up by all your body parts. Rub the oil on your limbs making use of long strokes, while circular strokes are required to massage the chest, abdominal region and the joints. Massaging your soles for quite some time will specially help to relax and soothe your feet.
When the massage is complete, just take a shower to wash away the surplus oil. Spend some time in the shower, as this will enable the oil remaining on your hand to blend with the water and enabling you to rubdown on your face and ears. Massage the forehead and cheek using tender and circular strokes and then set of to massage the ears, lips and eyes using striking motions around them.
Ayurvedic massage offers numerous health benefits when taken on a regular basis. Besides augmenting blood circulation and toning up the muscles, such massages help to soothe the nerves, enhance mental alertness, lubricate the joints, get rid of impurities, augment your endurance levels, make the skin more soft and smooth and promote sound sleep. In addition, Ayurvedic massages work to augment the functioning of the immune system and make the skin appear healthy and youthful.
Besides the health benefits offered by it, the next best thing about Ayurvedic massage is that it is easy to perform, inexpensive as well as an effectual and pleasurable means to facilitate the body to detoxify itself and attain superior levels of well-being and better physical and mental soundness.
Depending on passé propaganda, many consider fats and calories as a nuisance for our appearance and health. However, people have now realized that counting calories is just hype, while fats are beneficial for us - even essential for the vital organs and optimal health.
By now, you may be familiar with the unbelievable therapeutic properties of coconut oil. But are you aware of the fact that it is basically saturated fat and just a couple of decades ago it was completely avoided for erroneous belief that it is harmful for your heart?
Since the fat and calorie content of avocado is high, disinformation let it to suffer the same repute as coconut oil, but not as radically. Now, health experts are increasingly recognizing the importance of consuming it daily.
Use of synthetic fats like margarine, which is used as a butter substitute, is shoddier compared to any apparent problem related with butter. Since the 1950s, a variety of toxic food products like processed or partly hydrogenated oils meant for salads and cooking, and margarines were introduced. Using these items in foods or processed foods has resulted in an detrimental balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fats in a ratio of 20:1 or more, rather than a healthy proportion of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids as 3:1. And this is liable for majority of the chronic inflammatory ailments.
Now, contemporary physicians and nutritionists also support using saturated fats for the health of the heart, brain and nerve. Cholesterol present in the skin helps to produce vitamin D from the sun's UV rays, while our cell walls, nerve tissues and major part of the brain are made up of fats, counting cholesterol.
Seven reasons for including avocado in our daily diet
Avocados contain high amounts of incorporated plant proteins. As the amino acids set off metabolism to accumulate into absolute protein, they remove the load from the pancreas, which no longer uses anti-cancer proteolytic enzymes to break down ingested proteins.
An abridged study by Green MedInfo showed that consuming hamburgers along with a piece of avocado restricts the increase in levels of triglyceride serum. Experienced cardiologists believe triglyceride serum levels to be a strong indication for probable heart disease plus inflammation, more harmful compared to LDL cholesterol.
Avocados facilitate glutathione production by the liver. Glutathione is a potent antioxidant that restores and salvages antioxidants used from different sources.
Avocados contain high amounts of natural vitamin E - another potent antioxidant that puts off cancer.
Avocados also diminish chances of breast cancer, as they contain high amounts of vitamin E, lutein and monosaturated oleic fatty acid - something which has been corroborated by different studies.
Avocados enhance the heart's health and ensure improved blood circulation and lower blood pressure, as they contain high levels of oleic acid.
Avocados also help to augment brain functioning and prevent dementia and, according to the 'Superfoods Rx: Fourteen Foods to Change Your Life' author Dr. Steven Pratt, after blueberries they are most useful for brain health. The high oleic acid in avocado aids in creating and sustaining myelin, thereby protecting the brain and the nervous system.
A new study conducted jointly by researchers from University of York (UK), University of Grenada (Spain) and Venezuela's Simón Bolivar University on rats found that ingesting choline, a form of nutrient belonging to vitamin B group that is present in foods like wheat germ, soy, chicken, eggs and others, augments lasting memory and ability to hold attention by aiding the modulation of memory and attention processes.
This study was conducted by Geoffrey Hall, researcher at the University of York's Department of Psychology; Hayarelis Moreno- Gudiño and Isabel De Brugada-Sauras, researchers at the Department of Experimental Psychology of University of Granada, who along with Diamela Carias were also research staff at Simón Bolívar University; and Milagros Gallo-Torre, researcher at the Department of Psychobiology of University of Granada and also Director of the 'Fedrico Olóriz' University Research Institute for Neuroscience.
Scientists have examined the consequences of choline's nutritional supplements in rats in two separate trials with the objective of examining the effect of ingesting vitamin B on attention and memory processes during incubation and in mature specimens. The first experiment involved administering choline to rats in the third term period of gestation to facilitate determining the outcome of prenatal choline on their offspring's memory process. Pregnant rats, divided into three groups, were given standard, choline-rich and choline-deficit foods. When their offspring had become adult, 30 samples were chosen - 10 female offspring, who consumed a standard diet (the control group), 10 who fed on choline supplements, and 10 who had foods deficit in choline.
Long-term memory
These samples were put through a test to gauze their memory holding capacity. All the offspring were shown a familiar object, which they could remember after 24 hours, but offspring of females fed on choline-rich foods could remember the object better after 48 hours compared to those fed a standard diet during prenatal stage, while those given choline-deficit foods could not recognize it at all.
Therefore, the researchers came to the conclusion that ingesting choline in prenatal stage helps to enhance long-time memory in their offspring when they become adult.
During the second trial, the scientists gauzed the alterations that occurred in the memory of adult rats feeding on choline supplements for a period of 12 weeks and those that did not ingest any choline. The scientists discovered that rats fed with choline sustained a superior attention compared to the other group when they were provided with a recognizable stimulus. On the other hand, those who were given a normal diet (the control group) displayed usual delay in learning when the same stimulus assumed a new meaning. Rats that were fed choline-rich foods displayed a decline in attention to the same stimulus, picking up its latest meaning rapidly.
The findings of the study have recently led to several publications on the subject of nutritional neuroscience and behavioral brain research.
Turmeric, an assuming spice that imparts curry powder its typical yellow color, may possibly be the solution for lowering cholesterol levels and combat heart ailments.
Since long, turmeric has been used in the form of a remedy throughout Asia. Recently, even scientists in the West have undertaken several researches on turmeric and found it contains three yellow pigments called curcuminoids (occasionally referred to as curcumin). Curcuminoids are basically antioxidant polyphenols that act in the form of a strong anti-inflammatory agent.
In 2004, findings of a study circulated in 'Atherosclerosis' state that turmeric extract may possible diminish LDL cholesterol's vulnerability to oxidation, a significant step in heart disease and atherosclerosis development. In addition, turmeric extract generally lowered the levels of LDL as well as total cholesterol. The study also discovered that the maximum benefit of turmeric extract was obtained when taken in lower dosage.
French scientists conducted another all-inclusive study in 2008 and its findings were presented at the 2009 Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Annual Conference of the American Heart Association and circulated in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research's 2012 edition.
The research involved feeding mice inclined to develop atherosclerosis with a control diet or the same food and curcumin supplements for a period of four weeks and, at the end of this, researchers discovered that mice taking curcumin supplements had 26% less fatty deposits compared to those on control diet. It appeared that curcumin had altered the appearance of genes associated with plaque deposits in arteries.
Turmeric outperforms cholesterol-lowering drugs?
Scientists at South Korea's Kyungpook National University conducted another research on mice inclined to heart ailments and in 2011 its findings were published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. During the research, scientists fed mice with a cholesterol-rich diet and supplementing it with either lovastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug, curcumin or placebo for 18 weeks. In the end, it was discovered that similar to lovastatin, curcumin also helped to reduce blood cholesterol levels, LDL and triglycerides, while augmenting HDL or 'good cholesterol' levels. Curcumin also changed the appearance of genes responsible for lowering risks of heart disease and artery damage.
The researchers concluded that prolonged treatment with curcumin reduced hepatic and plasma cholesterol, while restraining initial lesions of atherosclerosis compared to lovastatin's defensive actions. Curcumin possesses anti-atherogenic impact that is mediated through several means, counting changed cholesterol, lipid and expression of immune gene.
Turmeric for your heart and health
Three studies undertaken by scientists at Japan's University of Tsukuba and made public from June to October 2012 detected that curcumin supplements enhanced heart health on two measures - arterial compliance and vascular endothelial function - something akin to the benefits of aerobic exercises and combining curcumin and aerobic exercises augmented the benefits further, as it inhibited the heart's age-related degeneration.
Some studies have hinted that curcumin and turmeric have the potential to combat arthritis, infections, Alzheimer's disease and several cancer forms. Our body is able to take up curcumin better than the supplements. Moreover, there is evidence that curcumin produces best results when used in low doses for an extended period.
People having feeble teeth and fragile bones, or simply wanting to reinforce them against problems in future, they would benefit greatly by drinking herbal teas every day. These traditional remedial preparations are loaded with compounds that augment the bone health and are also a flavorsome means to make the skeletal structure stronger as well as support the teeth. In fact, it has been found that an Ayurvedic herb possesses the aptitude to get rid of the fluoride contained in water that destroys the teeth and bones, thereby offering an inexpensive way to deal with this troublesome chemical.
Unfortunately, despite being packed with nutrients and a simple means to make the teeth and bones stronger, herbal teas are generally ignored by most. When taken together with a healthy diet, you can correct bone problems or completely avoid them. Several herbalists recommend ingestion of herbs in the form of potent infusions to obtain the maximum benefits from them. Prepare an herbal tea by adding one ounce of dried herb to one quart of boiling water. Cover the container and allow the herb to permeate for no less than four hours. Strain the liquid and drink several cups daily.
Some herbal teas that help to strengthen the teeth and bones are listed below.
Horsetail: This herb is packed with magnesium and silicon and strengthens the teeth, bones and connective tissue. Drink a tea prepared from horsetail twice daily to reverse loss of periodontal bone and help repair of breaks and fractures rapidly. Horsetail also helps assimilation of calcium. It is advisable that you should only use horsetail gathered in spring, because mature types may cause kidney irritation.
Nettle: This herb is loaded with magnesium, sulphur, calcium, proteins and vitamins C, D plus K and is beneficial for the health of our bones. Drinking one cup (250 ml) of nettle tea provides about 300 mg to 500 mg of calcium.
Oatstraw: This herb is an excellent source of nutriments like calcium, flavonoids, steroids, alkaloids, saponins, methionine and lysine. University of Maryland Medical Center says that it promotes growth of bone cells and, hence, it is beneficial for people suffering from osteoporosis or wanting to put off brittle bones.
Besides these herbs, University of Rajasthan has discovered that Tulsi or holy basil is said to be effective in removing fluoride and enamel present in drinking water. According to a report by Andrew Puhanic in Activist Post, during an experiment by scientists in Narketpally Mandal's Yellareddyguda village they found that steeping 75 mg leaves of tulsi in 100 ml water containing 7.4 ppm (parts per million) of fluoride for eight hours reduced the fluoride content in water to just 1.1 parts per million.
If Dr. Harold Gunatillake, a Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons' affiliate, is to be believed, parsley offers much more than just enhancing the appearance of mouth-watering dishes at restaurants. In addition to its vibrant flavor, parsley offers us protection from diseases and numerous health benefits.
Most well-liked parsley varieties
The Italian flat leaf and the curly parsley are most popular among the several varieties of the herb known to us. Compared to the curly parsley, the Italian flat leaf variety is more fragrant and tastes less pungent. However, many prefer the curly variety for garnishing owing to its ornamental appearance. The turnip-rooted or root parsley is another variety of this herb, which is cultivated for its roots that resemble a variety of biennial oyster plant called burdock. This variety is usually used in culinary in some Eastern and Central European regions. In fact, it is used in the form of a vegetable addition in soups, stews, sauces, stocks and casserole preparations.
Food rating system
Going by the nutrition rating system, a normal parsley serving contains vitamin A, vitamin C or ascorbic acid, potassium, vitamin K, folate, iron, but no calories. A small parsley stem contains two rare constituents that are responsible for providing us with unique health benefits - volatile oils, particularly myristicin, in addition to flavonoids.
Preventing cell damage, ailments
In studies undertaken on animals, it has been proved that the volatile oil in parsley slows down tumor growth, particularly in the region of the lungs. It has also been established that myristicin activates glutathione-S-transferase - a vital enzyme that helps the glutathione molecule to bind to molecules that have already been oxidized. On the other hand, the volatile oils work to put the food constituents together and serve in the form of neutralizers for specific varieties of substances that are responsible for development of cancers.
It has been proved that a flavonoid called luteolin also works in the form of an antioxidant. It merges with exceptionally reactive molecules carrying either oxygen or oxygen radicals. In fact, such a combination is helpful for putting off cell damage. Extracts from parsley were used in animal studies and it proved to aid in enhancing the antioxidant function of the blood.
Precisely speaking, in addition to containing the above mentioned volatile oils and flavonoids, parsley is also an excellent resource for essential nutriments. Dr. Gunatillake reports that this herb contains vitamin A (also known as anti-infective vitamin), folic acid, and vitamin C, something that is vital for preventing ailments. Parsley aids in diminishing free radical levels as well as in sustaining the health of the immune system. In addition, parsley may also aid in improving appetite, digestive processes as well as urine production, besides increasing menstrual discharge and reducing spasms.
A study undertaken by University of Pittsburg and carried in 'Biological Psychiatry' has been found that omega-3 deficient foods may cause health havocs over successive generations, particularly distressing adolescents.
Scientists from the university found that second-generation omega-3 deficits in a rodent model augmented anxiety and attention deficit disorder (ADHD) in teens and influenced their cognition and memory. Study lead author Bita Moghaddam, who is also a neuroscience professor at the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, said that while they always considered anxiety during this period was the major environmental insult that added to the development of such conditions in people who are at high risk, this research hinted that nutrition too is an important factor.
She added that they discovered that this nutritional deficit may harm teens' behavioral health, as their diet lacks essential nutriments and also because their parents' diet was incomplete. This is of specific worry as the teenage years are an extremely vulnerable period for picking up psychiatric problems, counting addiction and schizophrenia. According to Moghaddam, diets deficient in omega-3 fats, which are present in grass-fed livestock, eggs and wild fish may have deteriorating effects on successive generations.
During experiments undertaken with rodents in Moghaddam's lab, scientists studied 'second-generation' diets deficient in omega-3 fats, representing contemporary teens. Parents of several present-day adolescents were born during the 1960s and 1970s, a period when oils deficient in omega-3 like soy and corn oils were extensively used, and the farm animals started consuming grain, instead of grass. As omega-3 fats are found in grass and algae, most of the cattle fed on grains have fewer such essential fatty acids.
Scientists from the University of Pittsburg performed a series of behavioral tasks to examine the learning and recollection, decision making abilities as well as anxiety and hyperactive in adolescents and adults. While the subjects seemed to have an overall fine physical health, the scientists observed distinct behavioral deficits in teens owing to second generation omega-3 fat deficits. In general, all the teens were suffered from more anxiety and hyperactivity, learnt more slowly and their ability to solve problems was impaired.
Moghaddam said that their research reveals that although deficiency of omega-3 fats affects the behavior of teens as well as adults, the effect was dissimilar on different age groups. She added that they detected alterations in the brain areas responsible for habit formation and decision making.
Currently, these scientists are investigating epigenetics as a possible reason. In this process, environmental occurrences affect genetic information. Similarly, they are also exploring signs of inflammation within the brain, as deficit of omega-3 fats results in augmented omega-6 fatty acids that are encourage inflammatory molecules within the brain as well as different tissues.
Moghaddam points out that it is amazing to note that somewhat common changes in diets can have generational consequences, indicating that our diet not only influences us temporarily, but can also have an effect on our offspring.
West Nile Virus (WNV), a particular viral infection, has been in the news periodically for the last one decade since it entered the United States in 1999. This viral infection is transmitted from infected birds to animals as well as humans through mosquito bites.
Barring crows, most birds carrying WNV do not fall ill or die when infected. Nevertheless, birds are so vulnerable to WNV that people are alerted of mammals being infected when they find dead crows in their neighbourhood.
Then again, nearly 80% humans infected by WNV do not have any symptoms, and they also do not spread the infection unless mosquitoes that bite them also bite others. This infection does not spread by touching or kissing. As this disease is borne by the blood, it may be seldom spread by blood transfusions, breast feeding and organ transplants.
Usually, symptoms may appear after about three to 14 days of being bit by a mosquito carrying the virus. Even the 20% people who develop symptoms do not have flu or anything similar. However, one percent of the patients may develop a variation of brain inflammation (encephalitis), a severe neurological disease that may be fatal.
It is a good idea to consume garlic to defend against WNV as there is no pharmaceutical remedy for this condition. Garlic fends off mosquitoes, as mosquitoes do not feed on the blood of people whose blood contains elevated levels of allicin (active anti-microbial element in garlic). Garlic is beneficial even for those who have been infected, as this herb helps to kill viruses as well as bacteria.
There were reports about a person whose few horses were lost to WNV, while many other horses and dogs were infected by the virus. However, they recovered fast when administered garlic essential oil injections. However, humans are unlikely to endure garlic oil injections.
It is believed that ingesting some garlic cloves every day and massaging garlic oil under the feet with olive oil helps to prevent as well as cure several viral infections. To obtain the best results, you should consume crushed garlic cloves and chew them properly before swallowing. Otherwise, you may also use allicin supplements. While the effectiveness of the supplements is subject to their quality, garlic cloves are more useful as well as inexpensive.
Jon Rappoport, an investigative journalist, and others state that scientists are yet to isolate WNV microbe. As the filtering procedure was defective, they suggest that it has possibly not trapped the virus. Citing Robert McLean, US Geological Survey's National Wildlife Center director, who told Nick Regush of ABC that they do not possess a purified variety of WNV.
Detecting a WNV infection entails antibody or cross testing, which is also performed in the case of hepatitis, HIV and others. In fact, several HIV positive test findings have turned out to be false. There are many other causes for testing HIV positive.
Some of the viral testing procedures often make people unnecessarily undergo hazardous pharmaceutical treatments. When such treatments cause deaths, the casualties are attributed to the virus, thereby increasing the number of deaths due to the disease - augmenting alarm and anxiety.
Hence, it is best to rely on garlic.
