In the U.S. depression affects one in 10 of us, and it often goes untreated.

One study found among those newly diagnosed with depression, only about a third get treatment. That number dips further among older people. In fact, patients over the age of 60 were half as likely to seek treatment for depression as those under age 44.

But, even with treatment, depression can be a tough nut to crack. Roughly 31 percent of people with depression have either no response or a poor response to medication.

With those odds, it’s helpful to know of complementary or alternative therapies that may help manage depression.

Take green tea, for instance.

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Previous research has found that people who drink four or more cups of green tea daily are 44 percent less likely to have symptoms of depression than those who drink only one cup per day or less.

Another study showed an association between frequent consumption of green tea and a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms in the community-dwelling elderly population.

But to understand how tea could truly affect the brain’s mood center, scientists turned to mice — and what they found is extremely encouraging…

The impact of matcha

Matcha is a powdered form of green tea that has over a thousand more antioxidant levels than its whole-leaf green tea counterparts. When you boil regular green tea, you throw away the leaves, which contain most of the antioxidants. Because matcha uses the entire leaf pulverized into a powder, it contains all of green tea’s antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

How could matcha possibly affect depression? It may come down to matcha’s effect on the brain’s happy chemicals: serotonin and dopamine. Both carry messages between nerve cells in the brain.

Serotonin influences learning, memory, and happiness and regulates body temperature, sleep, sexual behavior and hunger. Dopamine impacts mood and motivation, as well as learning, heart rate, sleep, attention, and pain processing, among other functions.

Experts believe a lack of one or both of these chemical messengers may contribute to depression. For instance, inadequate levels of dopamine can make a person feel less motivated and less interested in life.

In an animal study involving mice, when the researchers examined the mice’s brains, they found that matcha appeared to affect systems of dopamine in stress-sensitive mice. These results suggest that matcha causes an antidepressant-like effect by activating the dopaminergic system in the brain.

The study results also indicate that mental state is an important factor that affects the physiological benefits of matcha since only the mice under high mental stress were impacted, compared to another group of mice.

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Making matcha at home

Other studies on green tea and depression have identified two ingredients potentially responsible for its feel-good effects. One is L-theanine, a calming amino acid known to reduce mental and physical stress and enhance crucial neurotransmitter activity.

The other is a potent antioxidant known as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which contributes to an increase in brain alpha wave activity. When you’re in an alpha wave state, you’re awake and alert but relaxed.

You can now buy the tea at many grocery stores or online. Just make sure you get the actual powdered matcha, and that it’s 100 percent matcha with no fillers or sweeteners.

To make matcha, take roughly a quarter teaspoon and put it through a small sifter into your cup. Matcha clumps very easily, so you want to make sure your drink isn’t lumpy.

Next, pour in two ounces of hot (not boiling) water. You want the water to be just below the boiling point. Then you need a whisk to stir it — a fork or spoon won’t mix it enough.

Whisk the matcha vigorously in a zig-zag motion. Don’t do it in a circular motion or you won’t get that foamy top that’s characteristic of good matcha. A bamboo whisk known as a chasen, can make the whisking process easier and more complete.

After the tea has dissolved and a foamy top has appeared, pour in another six ounces of hot water, whisk again until foamy, and serve. Or, if you want to make your own matcha latte, add six ounces of heated milk instead of water.

Sources:

Could matcha tea have anti-depressant properties? — Medical News Today

Matcha Tea Powder’s Antidepressant-like Effect through the Activation of the Dopaminergic System in Mice Is Dependent on Social Isolation Stress — Nutrients

Vast Majority of People With Depression Aren’t Getting Treatment, Global Review Finds — Science Alert

Why Are So Many People With Depression Not Getting Treatment? — Forbes

Green tea and coffee consumption is inversely associated with depressive symptoms in a Japanese working population — Public Health Nutrition

Green tea consumption is associated with depressive symptoms in the elderly — The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Matcha 101 – What It Is and How to Use It — Love & Lemons

The post Matcha tea: Nature’s antidepressant in a cup appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

So for these reasons, it’s easy to understand the hype that came about when the diabetes drug Ozempic and its off-label version geared toward weight loss, Wegovy, proved successful for many people.

It seemed that the “magic pill” of our wildest dreams, that could make managing diabetes and weight loss effortless, was finally here.

But, as with most things that sound too good to be true, we learned about alarming side effects and insane medication costs that were not always covered by insurance.

Over the past dozen years or so, research has been ongoing into a natural, plant-based compound that appears to have the ability to support blood sugar metabolism and other health benefits as well — including promising studies on weight loss — all without the side effects of medication.

Most recently, it’s been referred to as “nature’s Ozempic.” Here’s what we know about berberine…

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Is this Traditional Chinese Medicine Nature’s Ozempic?

For more than 10 years now, science has been investigating how natural chemicals from the barberry plant can help control type 2 diabetes.

Specifically, a phytochemical (natural plant compound) called berberine seems to be doing the trick.

Berberine is also found in the perennial flower known as goldenseal, and other plants including Oregon grape and tree turmeric. In most of these plants, the compound is concentrated in the root or stem.

It’s been used in traditional Chinese medicine for a long time as an anti-inflammatory agent. It may also help prevent fatty liver disease, bacterial infections and lower your risk of heart disease.

An examination of data from a number of independent studies (known as a meta-analysis) was conducted by researchers at Iranian and British universities and found that supplementing with barberry can indeed decrease insulin levels.

Seven studies that included 452 subjects were included in the review. The analysis showed that barberry significantly reduces insulin levels. And lowering insulin is the first important step to preventing type 2 diabetes.

Hyperinsulinemia (higher-than-normal insulin levels) is a sign of insulin resistance, where your pancreas is working overtime to secrete insulin because your body is not responding to it. Left untreated, this will lead to type 2 diabetes.

Glucose and cholesterol improve with berberine

Two earlier studies had already shown the effectiveness of berberine supplements in preventing diabetes.

In 2008, a Chinese study examined a group of subjects with diabetes and dyslipidemia.

Many people who are diabetic or prediabetic also have the triple whammy of dyslipidemia: good cholesterol (HDL) is low, bad cholesterol (LDL) is high, and triglycerides are high.

In the Chinese study, 116 patients were given either 1g of berberine daily or a placebo for a period of three months.

In the berberine group, fasting glucose levels decreased from 7mm/liter to 5.6mm/liter, and triglycerides dropped from 2.51mm/liter to 1.10mm/liter. The placebo group showed significantly poorer results.

Together with lifestyle changes, berberine proved effective in controlling blood sugar

In a 2012 meta-analysis, four researchers from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China reviewed data from 14 randomized trials that included 1068 subjects.

While berberine did not control blood sugar any better than oral diabetes medications like metformin, it did have some effectiveness against dyslipidemia.

However, when combined with lifestyle changes to prevent diabetes, berberine proved more effective in controlling blood sugar than metformin or similar drugs when combined with the same lifestyle changes.

You may be surprised to learn though that berberine isn’t the only plant substance that gives metformin some competition. Be sure to check out what my colleague wrote about the diabetes spice that improved glucose tolerance as efficiently as metformin while showing no significant adverse effects.

Berberine and weight management

Some research in animals and humans indicates berberine may be helpful for weight loss.

Berberine reduced weight gain and food intake in mice with high-fat diet-induced obesity while having no effects on mice on a normal diet.

In a 12-week study involving people with obesity, taking 500 mg of berberine three times a day resulted in an average 5-pound weight loss.

A study has also shown that berberine may help activate metabolism and increase brown fat in the body. Brown fat cranks up your energy burn, which has the potential to crank up your fat burn with it.

According to Medical News Today, Berberine appears to activate AMP-activated protein kinase, which can help regulate how the body uses blood sugar. Researchers believe this activation can help treat diabetes and related health issues, such as obesity and high cholesterol.

Berberine isn’t the only plant compound we’ve written about that appears to enhance the activation of energy regulator AMPK to boost metabolism.

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Supplementing berberine

Berberine supplements are available online or through your health food store. It’s always wise to choose supplements from a trusted brand and follow their guidelines on serving amount. Also check the product label for third-party certification, for example, from the National Science Foundation (NSF)

Although berberine is not known for troublesome side effects (other than digestive issues for some people) you should talk with your doctor if you’re taking any medications, especially those that already lower your blood sugar.

Berberine can interact with metformin and affect blood sugar levels, making them harder to manage. 

Whether it could be called nature’s Ozempic may be debated. It works differently because it is obviously not a drug.

Sources:

1. Berberine in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis — National Center for Biotechnology Information (ncbi)
2. The effect of barberry (Berberis vulgaris L.) on glycemic indices: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials — Science Direct
3. Berberine – A Powerful Supplement With Many Benefits — Healthline
4. Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes and Dyslipidemia with the Natural Plant Alkaloid Berberine — The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
5. Berberine — Medical News Today
6. Berberine is a potential therapeutic agent for metabolic syndrome via brown adipose tissue activation and metabolism regulation — National Library of Medicine
7. National Diabetes Statistics Report — CDC

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When the pain rears its ugly head, I go to my local marijuana dispensary and purchase some CBD oil. A few drops under the tongue, along with my regular medication, really takes the edge off.

Even after all this time, this licensed dispensary does not have an account that would let them accept my debit card. It’s cash only.

Why?

Because even though medical marijuana is legal in my state, the federal government still considers it a dangerous Schedule 1 drug, right along with heroin and LSD.

For this same reason, any research into the benefits of CBD for illnesses like cancer has been limited to government-supplied cannabis.

No one’s been able to assess the benefits of “over-the-counter” cannabis products like the one I use for pain or sleep.

But now, for pretty much the first time, someone has found a way around that – and has proven the benefits of cannabis products for people with cancer.

Cannabis, chemo brain, pain and more

Federal law prohibits university researchers from possessing or distributing cannabis for research unless it’s government-issued or of pharmaceutical grade.

So Dr. Angela Bryan, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at CU Boulder and a cancer survivor, took a different approach.

Dr. Bryan collaborated with oncologists at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus to observe 25 cancer patients for two weeks. All of them were users of cannabis products.

She and her research team assessed patients’ baseline pain levels, sleep patterns, and cognition. Then, the 25 patients were asked to purchase an edible product of their choice from a dispensary.

They were offered many choices, including chocolates, gummies, pills, and baked goods that had various ratios of THC (the hallucinatory part of marijuana) and CBD (the non-hallucinatory part). A wide range of potencies was also offered.

After two weeks of use, a follow-up exam assessed their levels of pain and cognition.

Patients reported that within an hour, cannabis eased their pain significantly, but made them feel “high,” which impaired their cognition.

But after two weeks of use, all of them reported improvements in pain, sleep and cognitive function. Objective measures of cognitive function, such as reaction time, also improved.

A doctor who was also a cancer patient

In 2017, Dr. Bryan’s work life and her personal health collided when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Suddenly, she could find out first-hand what medical cannabis products could do. After surgery and chemotherapy, she turned to cannabis to help ease her pain.

But she discovered one big stumbling block.

“The doctors were so supportive of what I wanted to do, but they had no idea what to tell me,” she says. “There was just no data.”

On her own, she created a custom regimen of cannabis products: more THC-heavy when her pain was intense and she didn’t have to be mentally sharp, and milder, CBD-heavy products during the day to keep her pain manageable.

Because she had the knowledge needed to do this, Dr. Bryan was able to avoid using opioids for her pain.

“I was extremely lucky because I had some knowledge about this. Most patients don’t,” she said. 

She hopes her research, and more to come will help cancer patients (and other people) make better decisions in the future about how to use cannabis to manage pain and improve sleep.

Cannabinoids in surprising places

If you live in a state where you have legal access to marijuana, trying it once or twice to see if it helps is pretty risk-free.

When you go to the marijuana dispensary, you’ll see that marijuana comes in many forms and varieties. Don’t worry. There are experts there to help you. Just tell them what issue you’re trying to resolve (insomnia, pain, etc.) and they’ll show you what type will help you most.

If marijuana is still illegal in your state, you might want to try eating more foods with omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, eggs, flax seeds and walnuts.

Omega-3’s contain endocannabinoids, compounds that in studies have been shown to play a useful role in cancer prevention… and maybe even treatment.

Editor’s note: Why full-spectrum CBD? It’s called the ‘entourage effect’ and dozens of studies show it is now the most effective way to get the most out of a CBD supplement. To see what CBD can do for you and has already done for others, Click Here!

Sources:

Cannabis knocks down pain, improves sleep and lifts brain fog in cancer patients Eureka Alert

Cannabis use in cancer patients: acute and sustained associations with pain, cognition, and quality of life

The post What a doctor with cancer discovered about cannabis appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For good reason. The bite of some species of ticks carries the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, responsible for what might be considered a silent plague…

Based on data from 2010 and 2018, the CDC estimates more than 475,000 new cases of Lyme disease are reported each year in the U.S. And other than long-term antibiotic therapy — which the medical community admits is not always effective — there isn’t much else available that your doctor can offer.

That leaves a lot of Lyme disease victims suffering from debilitating fatigue, joint pains, memory problems, facial paralysis, aches, stiffness in the neck, heart palpitations, and severe headaches — for life.

But there may be light at the end of the tunnel…

That’s because the treatment of Lyme disease is at least one area where the medical community may be forced to realize the benefit of alternative treatments.

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Natural extracts that fight Lyme disease

The antibiotics doxycycline and cefuroxime are currently the go-to antibiotics used against the bacterial species behind Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi)

However, antibiotics are not effective in eradicating all traces of B. burgdorferi from the system, which means that the disease can persist.

The impressive likes of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, with colleagues at the California Center for Functional Medicine and Focus Health, surveyed the power of 14 plant-based extracts to kill the bacteria, compared to antibiotic treatment.

What they found was downright impressive…

The researchers show that plant extracts from black walnut, cat’s claw, sweet wormwood, Mediterranean rockrose and Chinese skullcap had strong activity against B. burgdorferi, outperforming both tested antibiotics.

But by far the strongest performers were Ghanaian quinine (Cryptolepis sanguinolenta; also known as yellow-dye root, nibima, or kadze) and Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum).

Ghanaian quinine is a shrub from West Africa containing the antimicrobial alkaloid cryptolepine and is used in ethnomedicine to treat malaria, hepatitis, septicemia and tuberculosis.

Japanese knotweed is a traditional medicine in India and China that contains the polyphenol antioxidant resveratrol. In other preclinical studies, it has been found to have anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory effects and protect the nervous system and heart.

Extracts from both plants were found to kill microcolonies of Borrelia burgdorferi and inhibit the division of the planktonic form, even at low concentrations (0.03-0.5 percent). In fact, just a single 7-day treatment with 1 percent Ghanaian quinine could completely eradicate the bacterium. Amazingly, it did not regrow, even under optimal conditions.

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Resveratrol: The power behind Japanese knotweed.

So if someone like me wants to feel like I’m doing something “extra” that could lessen my risk of contracting Lyme (in addition to wearing lightweight clothing to my ankles and wrists), would choosing a resveratrol supplement make sense?

I’m going to take resveratrol anyway, so why the heck not?

Most supplements containing resveratrol source this powerful antioxidant from the Japanese knotweed. You would see it listed as Polygonum cuspitadum.

According to the information I read at examine.com — an independent educational organization that analyzes nutrition and supplement research — most of the benefits attributed to Japanese knotweed are likely because of its resveratrol content.

More good news is that a forgotten antibiotic, hygromycin A, first discovered in the 1950s is also proving helpful against Lyme disease in mice studies. It was also less disruptive to the mice’s gut microbiomes than conventional broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Above all this summer, be cautious in wooded areas or even in your yard, especially if you let the grass get a little high. Do self-checks to make sure if a tick did hitch a ride, or worse, bite you, you make the discovery as soon as possible. Early diagnosis is imperative when it comes to antibiotic therapy and Lyme disease.

To safely remove a tick, follow these instructions from the CDC.

Stay safe this summer!

Source:

1. Ethnobotanical medicine is effective against the bacterium causing Lyme disease — EurekAlert

The post Could a resveratrol supplement fight Lyme disease? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Common causes include a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or degenerative disc disease; treatment typically involves pain management through modern medicines, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery.

Despite the increasing dominance of modern medicine, the effectiveness of natural remedies should not be disregarded. Although conventional medications have advantages, they are not always the ideal solution for everyone, particularly when treating and relieving pain such as sciatica.

Thankfully, numerous natural remedies can effectively overcome this incapacitating condition. These remedies range from gentle exercises and stretch to herbal supplements and essential oils. Numerous methods are available for managing sciatica pain without harsh chemicals or invasive procedures.

Therefore, if you are looking for a holistic and natural approach to managing your sciatica symptoms, do not hesitate to explore available options.

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Importance of Natural Remedies

Natural remedies can play an important role in maintaining overall health and wellness. They can prevent illness, manage symptoms, and complement conventional medical treatments.  Some key benefits of natural remedies include:

Reduced side effects

Unlike prescription medications, natural remedies are often associated with fewer side effects, making them a safer and more tolerable option for some individuals.

Cost Effective

Natural remedies are often less expensive and can be an affordable option for individuals not covered by health insurance or who cannot afford expensive medical treatments.

Improved Overall Health

Natural remedies can help support overall health and wellness by promoting a healthy immune system, reducing inflammation, and improving digestive health.

Availability

Many natural remedies can be found in local health food stores, online retailers, or even in the kitchen pantry, making them accessible to a wide range of individuals.

Sustainability

Natural remedies are often derived from natural sources, such as plants, and can be a sustainable and eco-friendly option for individuals concerned about the environmental impact of conventional medications.

It is important to note that while natural remedies can be effective for relieving sciatic pain, they may not be suitable for everyone. It is always best to consult with a healthcare professional before trying new treatments, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition or are taking medication.

7 Natural Remedies to Ease Sciatic Pain

While medical treatment may be necessary for severe cases, natural remedies can help alleviate sciatic pain. Here are some natural remedies for sciatica.

1. Stretching Exercises

Gentle stretching exercises can help relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve. Some recommended stretches include the following below:

a. Hamstring Stretches

Stretching the hamstrings can alleviate sciatica discomfort as the sciatic nerve passes through these muscles at the back of the thigh. If hamstrings are tight or shortened, they can pressure the sciatic nerve, worsening sciatica symptoms.

By stretching these muscles, any tension built up in them is released, reducing the pressure on the sciatic nerve and relieving sciatica pain. Consistently performing hamstring stretches can also enhance flexibility and blood circulation in the affected region, promoting healing and reducing inflammation.

b. Piriformis Stretches

Stretching the piriformis muscle can be beneficial in reducing pain as this muscle is situated close to the sciatic nerve and can potentially press or inflame the nerve, resulting in sciatica symptoms. Stretching this muscle helps relax and relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve, thereby relieving sciatica pain. However, it is crucial to ensure that the stretch is done gently and carefully, as excessive stretching or overexertion can lead to further injury or worsen the symptoms.

c. Lower Back Stretches

Sciatica pain can be relieved by performing lower back stretches as the sciatic nerve starts from the lower back and passes through the buttocks and legs. Tightness in the lower back muscles can exert pressure on the sciatic nerve, worsening sciatica symptoms. By stretching these muscles, tension is relieved, and pressure on the sciatic nerve is reduced, reducing sciatica pain.

2. Hot and cold Compress

Applying a hot or cold compress to the affected area can help reduce inflammation and relieve pain.  When experiencing sciatic nerve pain, using a hot compress can be beneficial in promoting muscle relaxation and increasing blood flow to the affected area. In addition to reducing inflammation and stiffness, this can alleviate nerve pressure, resulting in decreased discomfort.

Alternatively, a cold compress can numb the area and reduce inflammation, helping to alleviate pain and discomfort. Additionally, the cold can help reduce swelling and muscle spasms, which can contribute to sciatica pain.

Application Techniques:

Hot Compress

Fill a hot water bottle or heating pad with warm water and adjust the temperature comfortably. Apply a hot compress to the affected area for 15-20 minutes. Be careful not to place the hot compress directly on the skin, which can cause burns. Instead, wrap it in a towel or use a cover designated for use with a hot compress.

Cold Compress

Apply the cold compress to the affected area for 15-20 minutes at a time. Be careful not to place the cold compress directly on the skin, which can cause frostbite. Instead, wrap it in a towel or use a cover designed for use with a cold compress.

3. Massage Therapy

When alleviating sciatica pain, massage therapy can be beneficial as it targets the root cause of the discomfort, muscle tension and pressure on the sciatic nerve. Massage therapy can diminish inflammation and encourage recovery in the affected region by enhancing blood flow and lymphatic drainage.

Moreover, it triggers the release of endorphins, the natural pain-relieving chemicals produced by the body, thereby lessening pain and inducing relaxation.

4. Essential Oils

Some essential oils, such as peppermint and lavender. Have anti-inflammatory properties that can help alleviate sciatic pain. Mix a few drops of essential oil with a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, and apply it to the affected area.

5. Herbal remedies

Turmeric, ginger, and devil’s claw are herbal remedies that have been used for centuries to alleviate various types of pain, including sciatica pain. Here’s how each of them works:

a. Turmeric

It contains a compound called curcumin, which has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric helps to reduce inflammation which can turn, help reduce sciatica pain.

Here are some ways to use turmeric for sciatica relief:

• Turmeric Tea: Boil a cup of water and add 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric. Let it simmer for 5-10 minutes, and strain the tea. You can add honey or lemon to taste.
• Turmeric Milk: Add 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric to a cup of warm milk. You can add honey to taste. Drink this milk once a day before bedtime.
• Turmeric Paste: Mix 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric with ½ teaspoon of water to make a paste. Apply this paste to the affected area and leave it on for 20-30 minutes before rinsing it with warm water. Do this once a day.
• Turmeric Supplements: You can take turmeric supplements in capsules, tablets, or powder. The recommended dosage of turmeric supplements is usually 500-2,000 mg daily.

b. Ginger

It is another natural anti-inflammatory agent that can help reduce sciatica pain. It contains compounds called gingerols and shogaols, which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects. Ginger also helps to improve circulation, which can reduce pain and inflammation.

Here are some ways to use ginger for sciatica relief:

• Ginger Supplements:  You can take ginger supplements in the form of capsules or tablets. The recommended dosage for ginger supplements is usually 1-2 grams daily.
• Ginger Tea: You can make ginger tea by boiling a few slices of fresh ginger root in a cup of water for 10-15 minutes. You can add honey or lemon to taste.
• Ginger Oil: You can apply ginger oil topically to the affected area to help reduce inflammation and pain. Mix a few drops of ginger oil with a carrier oil such as coconut oil and massage the affected area.
• Ginger Compress: You can make a ginger compress by grating fresh ginger root, placing it in a cloth, and placing it on the affected area for 15-20 minutes.

c. Devil’s Claw

A plant that is native to southern Africa. Its roots contain compounds called iridoid glycosides, which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-relieving) effects. Devil’s claw also helps to improve circulation, which can help to reduce inflammation and pain.

Here are some ways to use Devil’s Claw in sciatica relief:

• Devil’s Claw Supplements:  Devil’s claw supplements are available in capsules or tablets. The recommended dosage for Devil’s Claw supplements is usually between 500-1000 mg daily.
• Devil’s Claw Tea:  You can make devil’s claw tea by making a teaspoon of dried devil’s claw root in a cup of boiling water for 10-15 minutes. You can add honey or lemon to taste.
• Devil’s Claw Ointment:  You can apply devil’s claw ointment topically to the affected area to help reduce inflammation and pain.
• Devil’s Claw Compress: You can compress a devil’s claw by soaking a cloth in a solution of devil’s claw tea and placing the cloth on the affected area for 15-20 minutes.

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6. Yoga

The practice of yoga can enhance flexibility, boost circulation, release muscle tension, and induce relaxation, which can alleviate sciatica discomfort by incorporating stretching and strengthening exercises.

However, it is crucial to realize that some yoga poses may not be suitable for individuals experiencing sciatica pain, as they can increase pain or put excessive pressure on the sciatic nerve.

It is recommended to seek guidance from a certified yoga teacher who can modify or avoid poses that may cause problems. Some recommended poses include the following below:

a. Downward Dog

This pose is beneficial for easing sciatica pain as it stretches the hamstrings and calves, helps lengthen the spine, improves circulation, and strengthens the core of the lower back, hips, and legs.

b. Spinal Twist

This pose stretched the muscles of the lower back, hips, and glutes. It also improves spinal mobility and improves circulation.

c. Pigeon Pose

This yoga pose is a hip opener that helps ease sciatica pain. It stretches the piriformis muscle that is in the glutes. Also, it stretches the hip flexors, improves circulation, and promotes relaxation.

It’s important to practice the yoga poses correctly and not overstretch, as this can aggravate the sciatica pain. Always listen to your body and work within your limits.

7. Acupuncture

Acupuncture can help to alleviate pain by stimulating specific points in the body and promoting the release of natural pain-relieving chemicals.

Conclusion

Using natural remedies for sciatica pain can be a safe and effective way to manage the symptoms of this condition. From gentle stretches, ginger, and turmeric to devil’s claw, yoga, and acupuncture, many natural remedies can help ease pain, reduce inflammation, and improve mobility. It’s important to remember that natural remedies may not work for everyone, and it’s always best to consult a healthcare professional before trying any new treatment.

However, by taking a holistic approach to managing natural remedies in your daily routine, you can promote healing and feel more comfortable and confident in your body. So don’t be afraid to try these natural remedies and see what works best for you. With patience, persistence, and the right support, you can find relief from sciatica pain and start living your life to the fullest.

The post Breaking free from sciatic: Natural remedies to ease the pain appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Many of the drugs we take have their origins in traditional plant medicine. For instance, aspirin can be traced back to willow tree bark. The cancer drug taxol originates from the bark of the Pacific yew tree. And from the leaves of the Madagascar periwinkle plant, we get the chemotherapeutics vinblastine and vincristine.

One of the richest sources of plant-based remedies is traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Scientists have found anticancer drugs obtained from TCM are more effective than chemical synthetic drugs and have less toxic side effects.

That’s why a team of researchers from China and the U.K. are collaborating to unlock the secrets of one of these medicinal herbs. And what they’ve discovered could be a breakthrough for treating this terrible disease…

Tracing the anticancer activity of barbed skullcap

TCM has used the Skullcap genus for centuries to treat different medical conditions. Previous clinical work has shown using preparations based on Scutellaria barbata during chemotherapy can reduce the risk of metastatic tumors, an advanced form of cancer that spreads to other areas of the body.

But until now, previous research had been unable to unlock how the plant produced its cancer-fighting compound which acts against a range of cancer cells.

In this most recent collaboration, led by CEPAMS, a partnership between the John Innes Centre and the Chinese Academy of Science and supported by The Royal Society, the researchers used DNA sequencing technology to assemble the complete genomic sequence of the barbed skullcap, scientifically known as Scutellaria barbata.

This genetic information — a microevolutionary history — gave researchers exactly what they needed to know about the plant’s powerful anti-cancer compound: scutebarbatine A.

Professor Cathie Martin, Group Leader at the John Innes Centre, and one of the authors of the study said, “We have found that the primary metabolite has activity against cancer cells but not non-cancer cells which is especially important for an anti-cancer metabolite. Now we are looking to develop synthetic methods for producing more of the lead compound.”

In TCM, practitioners isolate the medicinal chemistry of the herb by boiling it in water for 2 hours, then drying the extract to produce a powder. That powder is then taken as a decoction or concentrated liquid.

But now, knowing the biochemical pathway behind barbed skullcap’s anticancer activity allows researchers to come closer to synthesizing large quantities of the compound more rapidly and sustainably.

From nature to pharmaceutical

The road to becoming a drug is usually quite long and that alone comes with pros and cons. When pharmaceutical companies patent an active ingredient it can restrict other uses. But with TCM’s long history and knowledge, hopefully, true practitioners will be able to carry on their legacy as a welcomed presence within integrative medicine.

More doctors take an integrative approach to treating cancer than ever before. That means using the best of conventional medicine and traditional therapies. If you or someone you know is interested in the anti-cancer potential of Chinese skullcap, seek out an expert and talk to your physician.

One of the problems with buying “Chinese skullcap” supplements off the shelves of your local health foods store, or online, is that many of these are made using a different type of skullcap, Scutellaria baicalensis. Like Scutellaria barbata, Scutellaria baicalensis has shown some anticancer, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. Scutellaria barbata may also be labeled “barbed skullcap” or “ban zhi lian.”

As with any supplement, always follow the manufacturer’s serving suggestion and do not take more than is specified. Chinese skullcap varieties may cause irregular heartbeat, anxiety and mental confusion. It also should not be taken with statin drugs or blood thinners. It may also lower blood pressure, which could be a problem for anyone already on blood pressure-lowering medications.

Sources:

Discovery of anti-cancer chemistry makes skullcap fit for modern medicine — John Innes Center

The genomes of medicinal skullcaps reveal the polyphyletic origins of clerodane diterpene biosynthesis in the family Lamiaceae — Molecular Plant

Success Story: Taxol — National Cancer Institute

Vinblastine — Science Direct

The aspirin story – from willow to wonder drug — British Journal of Haematology

Scutellaria barbata: Purported Benefits, Side Effects & More — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Current therapeutic role and medicinal potential of Scutellaria barbata in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western research — Journal of Ethnopharmacology

The post This ancient Chinese herb could be the next big thing in cancer treatment appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But if your immune system response goes overboard, it attacks your body as if it were the enemy.

When this happens, autoimmune problems can develop. And one of the worst of the worst is rheumatoid arthritis.

Sadly, because no one knows exactly why one person’s immune system works perfectly, while another’s sets out to destroy their joints bit by bit, treatments that work have been few and far between.

This is especially true if you’re looking for a treatment where the side effects aren’t worse than the condition itself.

Now however, there’s hope on the horizon with research from Osaka University revealing not only a protein complex responsible for promoting the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, but also a natural extract with the power to block that complex — and possibly rheumatoid itself.

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Where rheumatoid starts

The protein complex the researchers found to be behind the painful march of rheumatoid is made up of two separate proteins, known COMMD3 and COMMD8.

“We had previously shown that the COMMD3/8 complex potentiates the humoral immune response, yet its role in autoimmune diseases remained unclear,” said study senior author, Kazuhiro Suzuki.

So the team created a mouse model that allowed the expression of one of the proteins — COMMD3 — to be switched off.

And the celebration began.

The researchers found that deleting COMMD3 caused the second protein, COMMD8, to degrade and the protein complex itself to completely disappear. And when the complex disappeared, the immune response driving autoimmunity disappeared too.

In fact, in a mouse model of rheumatoid arthritis, the researchers showed that blocking COMMD3 as soon as the mice exhibited symptoms stopped the progression of the disease.

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From cause to potential cure

But they didn’t stop there…

“Once we had established the importance of the complex in autoimmunity, we set about identifying a compound that could interfere with the formation of the complex,” explained Suzuki.

And they found it in an extract from the root of a medicinal plant, known to have potent anti-inflammatory properties, commonly called the “Thunder God vine.”

“Our chemical screen identified celastrol as the most potent inhibitor of the COMMD3/8 complex,” said Suzuki.

The study showed that celastrol actually binds to COMMD3 and prevents the formation of the COMMD3/8 complex, halting an immune system gone haywire and blocking the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.

Because of this, the researchers believe that celastrol is a particularly exciting lead for developing treatments against rheumatoid arthritis and even other autoimmune diseases.

This means that hopefully, not too far in the future, autoimmune problems could be a thing of the past.

Sources:

A herbal compound to fight autoimmunity – EurekAlert!

The post The plant extract that halts rheumatoid progression appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That’s what Dr. Gabrielle Williams had to say about recent findings regarding the effectiveness of cranberry juice to avoid urinary tract infections (UTIs) in people who are susceptible to them, and who suffer from repeated episodes of these painful infections.

Centuries ago, Native Americans valued cranberries for bladder problems. And like me, you probably grew up with a mom who suggested drinking cranberry juice to avoid this painful condition.

But science has often scoffed at this anecdotal evidence, chalking it up to an old wives’ tale. That is, until now…

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Proof cranberry products prevent UTIs

Dr. Gabrielle Williams, a clinical researcher and epidemiologist at the University of Sydney, led a research review that looked for evidence to back up the apparent effectiveness of cranberry juice in preventing UTIs.

Even though cranberry juice and supplements with cranberry have long been promoted as good prevention against UTIs — and even though lots of women swear by that — the most recent review of 24 clinical trials in 2012 said otherwise.

Thankfully, scientists from Flinders University and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead sought to update these findings…

After adding 26 new studies to the 2012 review, bringing the total number of studies to 50 with 8,857 participants — they analyzed results from trials of cranberry products compared with placebos, with antibiotics or probiotics and with no treatment at all.

Results showed that consuming cranberry products (in juice, tablet, or capsule form) was strongly associated with reduced risk of UTIs in women with recurrent infections.

There was a significant protective benefit noted among children, and among people at risk of UTIs due to interventions such as bladder radiotherapy. No significant benefit was noted for elderly subjects in particular.

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Why does it work?

It’s estimated that about 90 percent of UTIs are caused by the bacterium E. coli.

Earlier research has shown that it could be the proanthocyanidins (a type of polyphenol) in cranberries that do the job, by keeping E. coli bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract lining. Cranberries, along with blueberries and chokeberries (Aronia berries) are among the few sources of this powerful polyphenol compound.

Preventing UTIs means less reliance on antibiotics

Antibiotics have their place. If a UTI goes untreated it can move to the kidneys and cause complications, including sepsis in very severe cases. But for women with recurrent infections, antibiotics can pose other problems…

E. coli is becoming resistant to our best antibiotic treatments. That’s one very important reason why prevention is so important.

There are a few other tips to help cut down on UTI risk…

First, get in the habit of urinating when you have the urge, rather than holding it in (yes, even at night). Studies have found that holding your urine in for a long time allows bacteria to multiply in your urinary tract, resulting in a urinary tract infection.

Next, wear loose-fitting, dry clothing. Loose-fitting clothes and underwear allow airflow that can help keep unnecessary moisture away to keep the urethra dry.

Sources:

A myth no more: Cranberry products can prevent urinary tract infections for women — Eureka Alert

It’s Official: Cranberries Can Reduce Risk of UTI by 50% in Certain People — Science Alert

Is cranberry juice really effective against urinary tract infections? — Medical News Today

Cranberries for preventing urinary tract infections — Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Cranberry products can prevent urinary tract infections — Flinders University

Cranberry Products Inhibit Adherence of P-Fimbriated Escherichia Coli to Primary Cultured Bladder and Vaginal Epithelial Cells — The Journal of Urology

The post It’s official: Cranberries keep urinary tract infections away appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Mental stress, for instance, has been linked to an increased risk of chronic health conditions. It can also promote inflammation and shift your metabolism in ways that make it more difficult to lose weight and manage blood sugar.

This relationship is often referred to as the mind-body connection. But it’s long been regarded as an abstract, intangible link. Some have even called it mumbo jumbo — until now…

That’s because the literal link between body and mind has been mapped in the very structure of the brain…

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A physical link between body and mind

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis weren’t looking to advance theories on the mind-body connection. They were simply seeking to verify a 1930s-era map of the areas of the brain that control movement, using modern functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

But they discovered something odd when they examined the collected fMRI data…

The new imaging confirmed that control of the feet, hands and face were in the spots identified in the original map. However, interspersed with those key areas were three additional regions in the brain’s motor area that did not seem to be directly involved in movement at all.

These three regions were also thinner than the original movement areas. And they were strongly connected to each other, and to other parts of the brain involved in thinking, planning, mental arousal, pain and control of internal organs and functions such as blood pressure and heart rate.

When analyzing these new regions further, the researchers found that while they did not become active during movement, they were activated when the person thought about moving.

What this shows is that the link between body and mind is more than abstract — it’s embedded in the very structure of our brains and expressed in our physiology and movements as well as our behavior and thinking.

According to senior author Dr. Nico Dosenbach, a professor of neurology at Washington University School of Medicine, the connections make sense when considering what the brain is really for.

“The brain is for successfully behaving in the environment so you can achieve your goals without hurting or killing yourself,” Dosenback says. “You move your body for a reason. Of course, the motor areas must be connected to executive function and control of basic bodily processes, like blood pressure and pain. Pain is the most powerful feedback, right? You do something, and it hurts, and you think, ‘I’m not doing that again.’”

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Proof of the impact of the mind-body connection

Dosenbach and first author Dr. Evan M. Gordon, an assistant professor of radiology at the Washington University School of Medicine’s Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, have named this newly identified nexus the Somato-Cognitive Action Network, or SCAN.

SCAN could explain phenomena such as why anxiety makes some of us want to pace back and forth, why stimulating the vagus nerve that regulates internal organ functions may relieve depression and why people who exercise regularly have a more positive outlook.

“People who meditate say that by calming your body with, say, breathing exercises, you also calm your mind,” Gordon says. “Those sorts of practices can be really helpful for people with anxiety, for example, but so far, there hasn’t been much scientific evidence for how it works. But now we’ve found a connection. We’ve found the place where the highly active, goal-oriented ‘go, go, go’ part of your mind connects to the parts of the brain that control breathing and heart rate. If you calm one down, it absolutely should have feedback effects on the other.”

This study is further confirmation that mindfulness practices like yoga, tai chi, meditation and mindful breathing have a positive physical effect on your body’s processes. If you already engage in one or more of those activities, it’s probably no surprise to you. But if you don’t, this evidence is all the more reason to give mindfulness a try.

Sources:

Mind-body connection is built into brain, study suggests — Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

A somato-cognitive action network alternates with effector regions in motor cortex — Nature

The post No mumbo jumbo: The mind-body connection built into your brain appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It can stop you from doing things you love, like golf or spending time with your grandkids. It can even stop you from getting out of bed.

So it’s no wonder that so many of us turn to our doctors to help us find relief and end up filling prescriptions for things like muscle relaxants, anti-inflammatories, steroids and even opiate drugs.

The question is…

Do they work and are they safe?

Sadly, according to researchers from UNSW Sydney, the answer is maybe not.

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A shot in the dark

Despite the fact that doctors are more than happy to prescribe a multitude of medications for low back pain, there hasn’t been a lot of science to back up the practice.

So those Australian researchers decided to see if they could finally prove there was a benefit.

The team looked at 69 different medicines or combinations of analgesic medicines, from Tylenol to hydrocodone and everything in between. And they delved into how the medications performed in cases of low back pain across 98 randomized controlled trials, involving over 15,000 participants.

And what it came down to was this…

No matter how popular these drugs are in the treatment of low back pain, when they were compared with a placebo, there was considerable uncertainty about how much pain relief they could provide.

In other words, it was a shot in the dark as to whether or not they could help.

To top it off, the researchers’ results even called into question the safety of the drugs, finding that some analgesic medicines could increase the risk of adverse events and side effects, like nausea, dizziness and drowsiness.

When asked about their findings, Professor James McAuley, Director UNSW’s School of Health Sciences, summed it up by saying:  “Despite more than 60 years of research, we are still uncertain whether any analgesic medicine provides meaningful pain relief for people with low back pain.  We recommend that doctors and patients take a cautious approach to managing acute low back pain with analgesic medicines until higher-quality trials of head-to-head comparisons are available.”

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A safer path to pain relief

So if you’re living with low back pain and can’t rely on these drugs for safety, much less relief, what can you do?

Believe it or not, pain is one area where the American College of Physician’s guidelines admits that alternative therapies may work best:

• For sub-acute low back pain, they recommend a combination of heat, massage and acupuncture.
• For chronic low back pain, the ACP recommends a multi-pronged natural approach including exercise, acupuncture, mindfulness-based stress reduction, tai chi, yoga, motor control exercise, progressive relaxation, biofeedback and other similar therapy modalities.

Additionally, vitamins and supplements can be surprisingly effective for pain relief — especially these:

• Research shows that taking vitamin D can help sleep and reduce pain, which could make it a good option for low back issues.
• Omega-3s have been shown to essentially block pain by blocking chemical transmissions that exacerbate the perception of neuropathic and inflammatory pain. Omega-3s are found in fatty fish, fish and krill oil.
• CBD has been found to be surprisingly helpful with arthritis pain, with six out of ten people reporting that cannabis products were more effective than other drugs they used at managing their pain.

Editor’s note: Before jumping into any CBD product, make sure it’s full-spectrum, doctor-approved and bioavailable. Learn more about Prosper CBD Oil today!

Sources:

Effectiveness and safety of analgesics to treat low back pain ‘uncertain’: study – UNSW Sidney

The post Safety and effectiveness of drugs for back pain up for grabs appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It’s just human nature to assume the worst. And now that anytime any of us has a symptom we’re worried about, we become internet doctors.

Googling “men, frequent urination” tells you that it’s caused by “diseases that affect the urinary tract at any level.” In addition to enlarged prostate and kidney stones, it throws diabetes into the mix.

What it won’t tell you is that for one in seven men, the reason they trot from bedroom to bathroom going all night or give up their golf game for fear of bladder leakage, is a non-threatening, albeit annoying, slightly embarrassing condition known simply as overactive bladder.

It’s annoying but not scary

First things first. Every man should get annual prostate screenings after the age of 45 or 50. Because your prostate is in close proximity to your bladder, if it’s enlarged, for reasons benign or not (which your doctor can help determine) it can put pressure on your bladder.

So if you’ve all checked out in that department and you’re still going all night, it’s a good bet you simply have an overactive bladder.

Overactive bladder is a kind of incontinence. You may think you have control of your bladder, but the truth is it’s calling the shots.

There are different kinds of urinary incontinence, including stress incontinence (like when lifting or coughing puts pressure on your bladder); urge incontinence is when you feel an overwhelming urge to urinate; overflow incontinence is when your bladder isn’t completely emptying; and mixed incontinence is a combo of stress and urge incontinence.

If you haven’t already guessed, urge incontinence is the type most associated with overactive bladder, and is behind that compelling need to get to a bathroom pronto at any time of day or night. Though to be honest, they can all come into play to make your bladder overactive.

What causes overactive bladder

In case you’re feeling self-conscious about your overactive bladder, you should know that more than 80 percent of people in their 60s deal with excessive nighttime urination — including women.

Sometimes the contributing factors to the condition may differ between the sexes, but basically, a bladder is a bladder — and if the muscles that control how it operates become weak, it doesn’t discriminate.

For men, once an obvious condition like enlarged prostate is ruled out, it’s hard to pin down an exact reason your bladder muscles weakened. But it’s not rocket science to realize that muscle in general weakens with age.

Have you suddenly started hitting the gym? Your glutes may not be the only muscles feeling the strain.

Are you still drinking eight glasses of water a day, even though your activity level has tapered off?

Are sodas, juice, coffee, tea or other acidic drinks (including alcohol) and foods a big part of your diet? They’re triggers to irritating your overactive bladder.

Calming your overactive bladder

Start with your answers to the questions I just posed…

If you’re working out but ignoring your pelvic muscles, your setting yourself up for trouble. Add in Kegel exercises. This may sound crass, but the muscles you’ll want to focus on are the same muscles you’d use to stop yourself from passing gas. Yep, those. Just tense, hold and release.

Next, cut down on water or any other liquid, especially the trigger ones, several hours before bedtime.

Now, there are medications your doctor can prescribe for your overactive bladder. But they can be concerning…

Anticholinergics are a commonly prescribed group of medications also called antispasmodics. They block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from binding to receptors on nerve cells, essentially relaxing the bladder. But acetylcholine is critical for memory function. That’s why using anticholinergics can put people at higher risk for developing mild cognitive impairment, which is considered a precursor to dementia.

No worries, Mother Nature is armed and ready to help you take on your overactive bladder…

• Research has shown pumpkin seed extract can have a positive effect on these annoying symptoms. One such study of 45 men and women who took the extract daily for 12 weeks experienced decreased daytime and nighttime frequency along with decreased urgency.
• Soy germ isoflavones help men (and women) maintain testosterone levels. Testosterone helps to regulate your sex drive, brain function, bone mass, muscle mass and strength — including the strength of the pelvic floor — and that’s why testosterone levels for men and women need to remain strong.

These “bladder supporters” have decades of credibility behind their effects on bladder health.

Just imagine the restful sleep you’ll enjoy when you’re not forced to get up multiple times during the night to pee. No one’s got time for that.

Sources:

The Burden of Overactive Bladder on US Public Health — Curr Bladder Dysfunction Rep

The post The other reason some men ‘go’ all night appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Of course, in “COVID times,” there’s the added feeling that you’re looked at as a pariah — even during allergy season.

Also, a cough that just won’t go away might make you worry about whether there’s something else wrong.

Here’s what we know about chronic coughing, what it means, and when you should be concerned and how to get relief…

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Coughing basics

Coughing is a complaint that leads to an estimated 30 million office visits every year.

The causes can vary, but typically coughing is most often attributed to respiratory infection or allergies. It is also how the body expels foreign matter like fumes or dust from the respiratory system.

There are three main types of cough:

• An acute cough is what you experience while you’re sick with a viral or bacterial infection.
• A sub-acute cough is one that lingers for three or more weeks following an upper respiratory illness
• A chronic cough is one that continues for longer than twelve weeks. Chronic coughing is usually caused by asthma and post-nasal drip, perhaps due to allergies

Postnasal drip is the most common cause of chronic or persistent coughs. When a virus, allergies, dust, chemicals or inflammation irriate the nasal membranes, they produce mucus that drips down the throat. That leads to irritation that makes you cough.

A post-infectious cough is a lingering cough following an upper respiratory infection. It may last for weeks or months, progressing into a chronic cough.

Causes of cough to rule out

Even though it’s a stomach condition, acid reflux, especially GERD, can be a surprising cause of a lingering cough.

Stomach acid is potent stuff. Without even having to back up into your throat, the fumes alone from stomach acid are strong enough to irritate your lungs.

Blood pressure drugs can cause a chronic dry cough, particularly ACE inhibitors. Your doctor may be able to change your medication if it is the reason for your cough.

Lung cancer can cause a chronic cough depending on the location of the tumors. Anyone who’s ever smoked should have this cause ruled out.

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Treatment choices: conventional and not so much

You’d think that the medical profession would have a long list of treatments that work like a charm. That, unfortunately, is not the case.

In 2006, the American College of Chest Physicians published guidelines to help doctors diagnose and treat coughs. This 17-year-old document still represents the best medicine has to offer.

Based on the limited data available from those guidelines, most doctors prescribe either inhalers, steroids, narcotics, or over-the-counter medications for persistent coughs that do not resolve on their own.

Results vary from person to person. And for children, studies have shown that over-the-counter cough suppressants and antihistamines are no more effective than a placebo.

So, what about all the natural cough “cures” you’ve heard about? You may be surprised that there’s some science behind their positive effects…

• Many people swear by honey to treat coughs. One trial showed that, over a three-day period, honey was more effective than a placebo at soothing a cough. Need more evidence? An Oxford University review analyzed data from 14 clinical trials and found that honey was 36 percent better than over-the-counter cough and sinus medicines at reducing coughing, and  44 percent better at reducing the severity of a cough.
• Not crazy for honey? Try sucking on a piece of chocolate.
• Try a steaming cup of ginger tea. Its anti-inflammatory compounds can relax membranes in the airways, which could reduce coughing.
• And we can’t forget the superfood enzyme that researchers have found thins mucus and phlegm to make a cough more productive so you can get that stuff out of your lungs.

The main reason these natural remedies work is that they soothe, coat and relieve inflammation in irritated airways where cough receptors are housed.

Many of these cough receptors are around the vocal cords, which is why you may cough more when you try to speak. But during healing, new cough receptors are regenerated. Many of the natural cough solutions work best if you can rest your airways, especially the vocal cords.

Sources:

Getting Rid of a Chronic Cough Is Tougher Than You Think — Science Alert

Over‐the‐counter (OTC) medications for acute cough in children and adults in community settings — Cochrane Library

That nagging cough — Harvard Medical School

Honey for acute cough in children — Cochrane Library

The post From postnasal drip to infection: Tips for a lingering cough appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But European mistletoe extract has been getting the attention of the medical community as an anticancer agent.

That’s right — the “kissing plant” could become an antidote to cancer.

Small studies have shown improved survival rates in people with pancreatic and breast cancer. It’s also been shown to reduce the adverse effects of chemotherapy.

Of course, more rigorous research is needed. And that’s just what researchers at Johns Hopkins University have been working on.

What is a Phase I trial?

Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins have completed what is believed to be the first Phase I trial of intravenous mistletoe extract in the United States.

As its name implies, a Phase I trial is the very first step in bringing a potentially curative substance to market as a drug.

The purpose of a Phase I clinical trial is to test the safety, side effects, best dose, and timing of a new treatment. It may also test the best way to give a treatment (orally, by injection, etc.) and how the treatment affects the human body.

In the Johns Hopkins trial, 21 patients with advanced and treatment-resistant cancers received mistletoe extract (ME) intravenously three times per week. Their dose was gradually increased until either it stopped working, or it became toxic.

Patients were followed for an average of 15.3 weeks. The ideal dose was found to be 600mg.

The most common side effects reported were fatigue, nausea and chills — but patients reported that these were manageable.

What’s next for mistletoe extract?

Now that a Phase I trial has found European mistletoe extract to be safe and the side effects manageable, Phase II trials can be planned.

In Phase II, researchers look mainly at the efficacy of a substance. Does it work against the condition it’s being given for?

The good news is that, although Phase I was simply meant to test mistletoe extract’s safety, it’s already clear that it’s effective for some cancer patients. Tumors in three participants decreased in size and remained stable for two to five months.

Dr. Channing Paller, lead researcher, says that more research is also needed to help decipher exactly how mistletoe extract works to slow cancer growth, particularly in regard to cytokines that help kill off abnormal cells and encourage the growth of healthy cells.

Plant-based remedies abound

Like many other homeopathic remedies, mistletoe extract is not an FDA-approved remedy.

However, it is listed in the Homeopathic Pharmacopeia of the United States (HPUS). If you’re interested in the details, here are the criteria that must be met before a homeopathic preparation is designated an “official homeopathic drug” and included in the HPUS.

Plant-based homeopathic remedies like mistletoe extract have been used with success in countries outside the United States.

Always feel free to talk with your doctor if you’re considering use of an alternative treatment, or if you have questions.

Not all medical doctors are equally open or knowledgeable about homeopathic remedies, but if you have a doctor you trust, it’s always a good place to start. Integrative physicians may be more knowledgeable in situations like this and have more information on mistletoe extract as a complementary treatment therapy.

Source:

U.S. study of intravenous mistletoe extract to treat advanced cancer — Eureka Alert

Phase I Trial of Intravenous Mistletoe Extract in Advanced Cancer — Cancer Research Communications

Mistletoe Extracts (PDQ®)–Patient Version — National Cancer Institute

Cytokines and Their Side Effects — American Cancer Society

The post Mistletoe: From Christmas tradition to cancer treatment appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

There are creams on the market made from phytocannabinoids (pCBs), bioactive compounds in the marijuana plant that include THC and CBD. These creams can have powerful anti-inflammatory effects that relieve itching and potentially help multiple skin issues, including psoriasis, eczema and fibrosis.

For instance, one small study found that applying cannabinoid cream twice a day for three weeks completely cured a painful, red, itchy skin condition called pruritus in almost 40 percent of individuals who tried it.

Limited scientific data suggests cannabis could be of benefit in anti-aging or rejuvenation products, but the extent of these benefits is unknown. That’s why one international research team decided to investigate the use of pCBs in products meant to rejuvenate the skin….

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The impact of pCBs on skin rejuvenation

Although the epidermis is the visible layer of skin, the underlying dermis plays a key role in delivering nutrients and structurally supporting the epidermis through a network of interconnected collagen and elastin fibers. This extracellular matrix (ECM) also is central to skin hydration because it binds water to the collagen fibers contained within.

Over time, genetic and epigenetic changes, environmental stressors and successive replication of skin cells can cause alterations and lead to degradation in telomeres — structures that safeguard your DNA.

This cascades into the gradual degradation of the ECM and the subsequent deterioration that causes skin to become visibly aged.

In the study, the scientists used healthy and stress-induced premature senescent (SIPS) skin fibroblasts to test the effect of pCBs on cellular viability, functional activity, metabolic function and the architecture of the nucleus.

According to the researchers, “Both delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) within the range of 0.5 µM to 2.0 µM increased cell growth in a dose-dependent manner while significantly decreasing senescence as measured by beta-galactosidase activity.”

In other words, THC and CBD promoted an increase in new cell growth while decreasing the number of damaged cells — or senescent cells. Cellular senescence has been an important area of aging research for a while now.

But not only that. they found both THC and CBD significantly improved wound healing in both healthy and SIPS fibroblasts, and altered cells and genes involved in ECM production.

THC was also found to reduce alterations in skin cells, increase the potential for cellular viability by preserving cell-cycle regulators, as well as boost ECM production.

The researchers added, “Both THC and CBD were found to improve wound healing better than metformin, rapamycin, and triacetylresveratrol in replicative senescent CCD-1135Sk fibroblasts. Therefore, pCBs can be a valuable source of biologically active substances used in cosmetics, and more studies using clinical trials should be performed to confirm the efficacy of phytocannabinoids.”

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How to use topical phytocannabinoids

Cannabinoids are lipophilic compounds, meaning they can pass through difficult biological barriers like the skin. This means transdermal emulsions and creams containing pCBs are not only easy but effective to use. They are absorbed into the skin and bind to the numerous cannabinoid receptors in its different layers.

It’s best to apply them to clean skin so that there are no other cosmetics or contaminants that could interfere with their absorption. And with balms, you may need to warm them first so that they’ll better penetrate the skin.

Unfortunately, the patchwork of regulations that cover pCB products in the U.S. can make it difficult to find them in certain states, particularly if they contain THC. However, hemp-derived CBD topicals can be found in drug stores where wellness products are sold.

This site can help you determine which pCB products are legal to buy in your state, and they have an entire section on “Topicals” that can help you learn more — including that topicals are non-intoxicating (even the ones containing THC) and may include other ingredients such as essential oils.

Editor’s note: Beware of ‘junk CBD’! Before you buy, click here to know these 4 ways to identify fake CBD products.

Sources:

1. Study: Both THC and CBD Improve Wound Healing, May be Valuable As Skin Rejuvenators — The Marijuana Herald

2. Phytocannabinoids Stimulate Rejuvenation and Prevent Cellular Senescence in Human Dermal Fibroblasts — Cells

3. Medical marijuana laws in the United States — Leafly

4. Best CBD Creams Of 2023 — Forbes

The post Cannabis: A new breakthrough in anti-aging skincare appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Every fall, the sneezing and watery eyes begin and don’t let up until the first good freeze. Then it all happens again in early spring.

While allergies don’t cause asthma, the two often occur together — and pollen increases the risk of a flare-up for people with asthma.

I’m lucky — no asthma for me. But people who share my sensitivity to ragweed and rye grass pollen, dust, and mold spores, need to know about a danger that, until recently, I had never heard of.

It’s a weather-dependent condition, and it can cause an asthmatic response that can land you in the hospital and can even be fatal.

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What is “thunderstorm asthma”?

Many people find that their allergic rhinitis symptoms ease in rainy weather since rain cleanses the air and tends to reduce the pollen count.

But thunderstorms are a whole different matter.

Thunderstorm asthma is a phenomenon caused by a predictable series of events that happen along with thunderstorms.

The wind that occurs during a thunderstorm sweeps pollen particles into the clouds, where humidity, wind, and lightning break them into smaller particles that can easily make their way into the sinuses and lungs of allergy sufferers.

The wind gusts also make these concentrated particles easy to inhale.

If you have hay fever, you are at risk for thunderstorm asthma … even if you don’t normally have asthma.

Symptoms include wheezing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and coughing. These symptoms can escalate very quickly and become life-threatening.

According to one study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 144 out of 228 people with seasonal allergies reported experiencing thunderstorm asthma.

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How to protect yourself from thunderstorm asthma

There are really two ways to prevent an attack of thunderstorm asthma.

One is to stay alert to pollen counts in your area, keep windows closed when they are high, and stay indoors when a thunderstorm is predicted (the winds that send pollen into your lungs can begin long before the rain comes down).

Face masks, antihistamines and medications prescribed by your physician, including inhalers if you have asthma, should be kept handy.

The other way is a proactive stance and involves nutrition that’s been shown to support the respiratory system.

The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil are known to reduce bronchial inflammation. And regular supplementing with vitamin D3 can reduce the severity of an asthma attack and make it less likely you’ll land in the hospital if one does occur.

And then there are the foods that regulate your immune system, including honey, and ginger, which, together with the natural herb lobelia, supports breathing and the cough reflex.

The golden oil of the Nigella sativa plant’s black seeds, more commonly known as black seed oil, is reported to act as an antihistamine.

If you decide to supplement, let your healthcare provider know to be sure nothing interferes with allergy or asthma medications.

Of course, anytime asthma symptoms appear severe, seek medical care.

Sources:

Pollen Can Trigger ‘Thunderstorm Asthma’, Even if You Typically Don’t Have Asthma — Science Alert

A systematic review of the role of grass pollen and fungi in thunderstorm asthma — Environmental Research

Thunderstorm asthma in seasonal allergic rhinitis: The TAISAR study — The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

The post Thunderstorm asthma: What allergy sufferers should know appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

They are often sudden and painful, and they come with little warning. Sometimes, though, they do offer warning signs like shortness of breath, visual aura and nausea. At other times, your experience with their appearance lets you recognize when one is coming.

While many people take prescription and over-the-counter medications to relieve the pain of migraine and headaches, there is a more natural way…

Using the simple method of self-acupressure to the specific points shown here, you can relieve a migraine greatly or stop its onset before it takes hold. These acupressure points come from ancient Chinese acupuncture but are done with only finger pressure. No need for needles.

Here is a series of points to locate, press and rub for 30 seconds each, from leg to hand to head, that can help reduce your pain and symptoms while helping reduce your dependence on medications.

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Leg Points

While it seems counterintuitive, points on the legs are very powerful for treating the body and head, especially where pain is associated. For this article, we will use two leg points, one on the shin and the other on the foot.

Gallbladder 34: This is the 34^th point located on the gallbladder energy channel. It is located in the depression just below and behind the head of the fibula. It is a great point for headaches because it is related to the sinews as well as the liver. When the liver qi (energy) stagnates from anger and stress, the sinews become tense and pain arises — especially with migraines, wherein blood vessels constrict to cause pain. Compressing this acupressure point releases the liver qi, opens the meridian, relaxes the sinews and helps reduce pain.

Gallbladder 42: This is the 42^nd point on the gallbladder energy channel meridian. It is located on the top of the foot between the pinky toe and the neighboring toe, next to the fourth metatarsophalangeal joint. It is used for headache and eye pain (think “cluster headache”), and it moves liver qi and heat from the gallbladder. When liver qi stagnates from stress and anger or if there is too much liver heat from alcohol or gallbladder heat from fatty or fried foods, the heat rises into the head and causes a headache. Think of your typical anger or hangover headache or the pounding feeling of a migraine.

Hand Point

The hand and arm also contain a vast number of powerful acupuncture points. For migraines, the point known as Large Intestine 4 (LI4), is of particular help. This is the fourth point found along the large intestine meridian. It is related to the intestines and digestion, and it is the so-called “command” point for the head and face. While this point has many uses, it works extremely well for headaches related to food triggers and is great for pain, anywhere in the body.

Head Points

Since the head is the location of migraine and headache pain and throbbing, it seems like this should be the first place to press points. However, to be most effective, I recommend releasing the points first in the legs and hands to remove blood stasis, energy blockages and other issues that can continue to cause migraine and headaches, even when direct points on the head are activated.

Yin Tang: This is a special point located on the forehead between the eyebrows. It is where many traditions locate the “third eye,” which is why its Chinese name “yin tang” can translate to “hall of impressions.” Based on personal experience, I tend to locate this point slightly above the central point between the eyebrows, in the depression just above them. The point is most useful for headaches, heavy head, foggy thinking, sinus blockage and insomnia: all things related to migraine.

DU 15: This point is located on the back of the head, just above the hairline at the occiput, below the spinous process of the first cervical vertebra. It is related to vitality and emotional issues, deafness, stiff neck and headache. Of these, stiff neck and emotional issues can trigger headaches and muscle tension in the base of the skull can trigger pain in the trigeminal nerve, which travels up the head from the back of the skull to the front.

Du 20: This is the so-called “hundred meetings” point where so many acupoints and vessels converge. It is on the top of the head, directly in the middle and is located by drawing a line from the top of both ears to where it meets on top.

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How to Apply

Self-acupressure is simple and easy. Simply use your thumbs or forefingers and press in and then rotate slowly for 30 seconds while pressing on the tender space at the points. Be gentler for toe points so you don’t bruise or injure the small toe bones. Press and rub to open the point and release the energy blockage. This helps restore balance in the meridian and, thus, remove what can negatively affect the body and cause migraine.

Check out my video for guidance on using acupressure for headache pain.

The post Simply press these points for headache relief appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

This more accepted cousin of marijuana has been associated with blocking the replication that allows the virus that causes COVID-19 to spread and destroying antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

But perhaps one of the most hyped claims of CBD might be its ability to provide pain relief.

After all, studies have demonstrated a link between taking CBD (cannabidiol) and relief from the pain of Lyme disease. And it’s been reported to offer more help for fibromyalgia pain than opioids.

Still, many have claimed that the relief that CBD provides truly is all hype — offering nothing more than a “placebo effect.”

So researchers at Syracuse University set out to find out the truth and see if you really can rely on CBD to overcome the pain that keeps you from living your life to its fullest.

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Placebo or pain relief

The reason some researchers and doctors have been reluctant to believe in the pain relief of CBD or recommend it to people who live with constant discomfort is the idea that it only works because you believe it does.

This so-called placebo effect is summed up by Martin De Vita, a researcher in the psychology department at Syracuse’s College of Arts and Sciences, who points out that, “simply telling someone that a substance has the ability to relieve their pain can actually cause robust changes in their pain sensitivity. These are called expectancy effects.”

To get to the bottom of it, the researchers recruited participants who agreed to be put through thermal pain while being given either CBD or a placebo. The researchers then assessed their pain responses to see how they change based on which substance was administered.

And to make things completely fair and unbiased, they told some people who actually received CBD that it was only a placebo. And they told some of the participants who were given a placebo that they had just taken CBD.

This allowed the researchers to determine if it was actually the CBD that relieved the pain, or whether it was the expectation that they had received CBD that took that pain down a notch or two.

So what did they find?

The researchers determined that yes — CBD does have a placebo effect, reducing your pain just because you expect it to.

But it also works on the physical level, delivering true pain relief.

How?

They found that while CBD doesn’t seem to lower the intensity of pain it does help ease the uncomfortable feeling of pain.

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Changing the channel on pain

Okay, I get it.

That statement seems strange.

CBD doesn’t make your pain better, but it does help you not feel it.

Well, here’s how the researchers explained the phenomenon…

 “If you think of pain as the noxious noise coming from a radio the volume can represent the intensity of the pain, while the station can represent the quality,” De Vita says.

CBD doesn’t reduce the volume of the pain, but it does “change the channel making it a little less unpleasant.”

Choosing your CBD

Of course, when it comes to CBD, choosing the right one could determine whether or not you can actually benefit from its pain-lowering effects.

In the study, the researchers used pure CBD isolate oil.

“Commercially available CBD products differ in their content and purity, so results might be different for different CBD products, depending on what other compounds they may or may not contain,” says De Vita.

So be sure to check out the brand of CBD you’re considering before you buy.

For a little help deciding which way is best to grab the benefits CBD offers, here are the five easiest ways to incorporate cannabidiol in your everyday life, from edibles to creams and more.

Editor’s note: Have you heard of the entourage effect? Dozens of studies show it is now the most effective way to get the most out of a CBD supplement. If full-spectrum, doctor-approved, highly bioavailable CBD oil is for you, click here!

Sources:

New Research Shows Pain-Relieving Effects of CBD —  Syracuse University

The post Why researchers say CBD ‘changes the channel’ on pain appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Just when you’re ready to rest, your legs have different ideas, and you have to keep moving just to keep away the symptoms at bay.

Even worse, most doctors simply throw up their hands when it comes to treating restless legs. Part of the reasons is there are many potential reasons for its cause — from genetics to peripheral neuropathies and dialysis to iron deficiency and reduced dopamine levels in the brain.

Luckily, researchers haven’t given up on finding a way to treat the condition, and have delivered on a natural, easy-to-use extract that offers relief…

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The power of Pycnogenol®

The researchers set out to test an extract known as Pycnogenol® in 45 participants suffering from restless legs.

If you haven’t heard of pycnogenol, it’s an extract from French maritime pine bark. It’s been used for a few hundred years by American Indians and was trademarked by a French scientist in 1947 when he discovered it contained large amounts of polyphenols similar to that found in the skins of grapes.

Research has already shown pycnogenol to have a number of significant health benefits, including:

• Acting as an antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage
• Helping with asthma and allergies
• Helping to lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the legs

One study even found that it takes a smaller dose of pine bark extract than aspirin to reduce the blood clotting that can cause heart attacks in smokers.

So how did this particular Pycnogenol® standardized extract supplement stack up against restless legs?

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Well, after just four weeks, compared to the control group, participants who took just 150 mg of Pycnogenol per day showed significant improvement in all prominent symptoms of the condition including a:

• 33% decrease in crawling (versus a 3% decrease in the control group)
• 30% decrease in creeping (versus a 7% decrease in the control group)
• 41% decrease in pulling (versus a 7% decrease in the control group)
• 63% decrease in throbbing (versus a 6% decrease in the control group)
• 72% decrease in aching (versus a 3% decrease in the control group)
• 48% decrease in itching (versus a 10% decrease in the control group)
• 52% decrease in electric shocks (versus a 17% decrease in the control group)
• 61% decrease in sleep problems (versus a 16% decrease in the control group)

To top it off, participants who took Pycnogenol® also significantly reduced their need for pain management.

“Even when Restless Legs Syndrome is properly diagnosed, medication to treat the condition includes pharmaceuticals that increase dopamine in the brain, resulting in side effects like nausea and sleepiness. Opioids or narcotic medications may be used to relieve more severe symptoms and can be extremely addictive,” said study author and renowned natural physician, Dr. Fred Pescatore.

With pine bark extract, the participants didn’t have to worry about those issues.

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Natural relief for a very real health problem

“Restless Legs Syndrome is often missed or dismissed in diagnosis, but it’s a real health condition often rooted in microcirculation,” said Pescatore. “Many patients feel helpless and unheard because the symptoms seem to be exaggerated or imagined. It’s not in your head, it’s in your legs, and this research shows there are steps you can take with a powerful natural ingredient that may help you feel better.”

“Pycnogenol® is an all-natural solution,” he added. “Decades of research and global market availability show this circulation booster is safe and effective and is especially recognized as an ingredient at the forefront of naturally improving blood circulation. This study now shows its effects specifically on symptoms related to Restless Legs Syndrome.”

The only thing to remember is to check with your doctor before using pycnogenol, especially if you take blood thinners or other medications. It’s also not recommended to take the extract if you suffer from diabetes or an autoimmune condition, since Pycnogenol can stimulate the immune system.

In those cases you still have a safe and effective option: vitamin D. Several studies have connected vitamin D deficiency with restless leg syndrome. So be sure to keep your levels up!

Sources:

Pycnogenol – WebMD

Restless legs syndrome: prevention with Pycnogenol® and improvement of the venoarteriolar response – NIH

Pycnogenol Shown to Help Relieve Symptoms of Restless Legs Syndrome – Nutraceuticals World

The post The French maritime extract that calms restless legs appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That is what happened to me on a memorable and long flight back from Asia…

I felt sick for four hours in the midst of a 13-hour flight, and I was so stressed over the ill feelings that I forgot I knew how to allay them.

Finally, my recall triumphed and I was able to get a handle on it all. Here’s what I did…

In-Flight Sickness

There are many reasons people feel ill while flying. Motion sickness is among the most common and benign. Other problems like food poisoning, norovirus, bacteria from tray table handles — and microbes from the seats and the bathrooms can be worse.

The airlines can do only so much to help you feel better. They conveniently place a handy bag for vomit in the seat back in front of you. And the service staff is quick with a ginger ale and, in some cases, Tylenol.

But aside from these things, there is little they can, or are equipped, to do.

On my ill-fated half-day, overnight flight back from the Philippines, I experienced a number of ill-feeling symptoms all at once. It started with clammy hands and then sweating. This was followed by stomach cramps and a jittery digestive tract. Next came the dry heaves and headache, followed by some unsavory and not-so-dry heaves.

I was standing outside the onboard restrooms, unable to sit or close my eyes. Every time I did, the room spun and I felt even sicker. I looked at the clock on my cellphone to see when we would land. Not for another eight hours! What to do?

I felt so sick I was trembling. I looked around to see it if was food poisoning from the plane food, but no one else seemed to be suffering. It was probably a result of the fried and overly sweet foods in Manila that I am unused to, as well as bacteria in the water. While I did my best to drink only mineral water, the ice, soups and coffee were made with tap water.

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In-Flight Solutions

After about two hours of this, the steward made a comment: “Too bad there’s no doctor on board.”

Well, that was my eureka moment!

Funny how I can help others who are not well and have a seemingly never-ending stream of advice to offer. But when it comes to me, being ill myslef, I dwell in the illness and forget I probably know a solution.

So I set about making a short list of solutions. Within 30 minutes, I was feeling 70 percent better.

Here are the solutions I used to help relieve my in-flight illness. I present them here as tips to make them easier to remember…

1. Even though I was nauseated, I drank two bottles of water. It is important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Avoid coffee, tea and soda; these are dehydrating. Feelings of nausea can be caused in part from dehydration and food that is “stagnant” or not able to move smoothly through the digestive tract.

2. I focused lightly on a spot on the seatback in front of me to help still the jumping images. It is best to stop reading, gaming and watching movies when feeling motion sickness or nauseated. Otherwise, the words passing by and fast-moving images on the screens can cause more motion sickness.

3. I slowed my breathing, inhaling and exhaling in counts of six seconds to control the heaves and relax the nerves. This also helped me feel less anxious about being sick on board the plane while feeling more optimistic that the ill feelings would pass.

4. I settled my stomach first by sipping ginger ale. Ginger is so good for calming the stomach, aiding digestion, quelling nausea, alleviating headache and dizziness, and detoxifying. I then remembered that I had strong ginger candies in my bag that I had packed for such an occasion. They are called Chimes ginger candies and are strong and made from ginger puree. They worked rather quickly. You want to find a ginger candy that does not contain too much sugar or syrups. Here is the website for Chimes. (I purchased my bag in Marshalls.)

5. I applied self-acupressure to two sets of points, one on my hand and the other on my stomach. These points are indicated for digestive issues and stomach problems:

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Stomach 25 – Tianshu (“celestial point”): This point is located two thumb widths away from either side of the belly button. Simply place your thumbs together on the side of the area and press. The points are on both sides.

Simply press these points until you feel a sensation and hold or massage for 30 seconds. Repeat as often as you like. These points are for abdominal distention, constipation and diarrhea, gas pains and amenorrhea. According to the theories of Chinese medicine, they work by regulating the spleen, stomach and intestines, dispelling dampness and heat (sweaty and burning feelings) while regulating energy and blood.

Large Intestine 4 – Hegu (“joining valley”): This point is located in the webbing between your index finger and thumb, on both hands. If you touch these fingers together, a slight mound forms between the fingers, in the webbing. Simple pinch this point with the fingers of the other hand and hold for 30 seconds, massaging it afterward as frequently as you like.

This point is indicated for headache, dizziness, congestion, nosebleed, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, gastric pain, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea. According to the theories of Chinese medicine, this expels wind, tonifying the energy, strengthening immunity, stopping pain and regulating the face and head.

Pre-Flight Tips

The most important thing I realized during my experience is that people need to prevent in-flight sickness; being prepared is the best way to do this.

Pre-flight tips:

1. Don’t let yourself board the plane too hungry or too full. Avoid greasy food before takeoff.

2. Bring plenty of water with you on board, (as security allows) to keep yourself hydrated.

3. If you are prone to motion sickness, take along ginger candy, ginger tea or products like Dramamine, Bonine and Scopolamine patches. Holding a cold can of soda behind the ear also helps.

4.  If you can select your seat ahead of time, choose a window seat by the wing; this is the most stable area in cases of turbulence.

5. Bring a list of remedies and solutions in your bag (or print this article) and refer to it if you get sick while flying.

Here’s to your next uneventful flight!

The post Sick during air travel: What to do appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

I’m not talking about your average chest cold or even a stuffy nose or sinus infection.

I’m talking about a genetic disease known as cystic fibrosis.

While CF “only” affects about 100,000 people in the world, it is a terrifying disease.

People with CF are prone to lung infections caused by a bacterium that is resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Fortunately, there’s good news from the British research community: a natural substance that, when combined with an antibiotic, is working wonders to treat CF and improve survival odds and quality of life for people with the disease.

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Manuka honey: anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory wonder

In the world of natural remedies, manuka honey is already a wunderkind of healing. It’s known to heal bladder infections and skin wounds and promote healthy bacterial growth in the gut.

Not your ordinary honey, manuka honey contains anti-bacterial compounds that come from the pollen of the manuka flowers of Australia and New Zealand.

There have been reports of manuka honey acting synergistically with certain antibiotics to prevent the growth of certain antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

And now, British researchers have combined Manuka honey with the antibiotic used against CF lung infections, with some amazing results.

Antibiotics + Manuka honey spells relief with fewer side effects

Scientists at Aston University in Birmingham, England, have combined an antibiotic with manuka honey in a treatment that not only kills a highly drug-resistant form of bacteria, but improves the quality of life and life expectancy for people with cystic fibrosis.

Mycobacterium abscessus is a bacterium from the same family of bacteria that causes tuberculosis. But this bacterium causes serious lung infections in people with CF.

Right now, the only treatment is a year of chemotherapy that doesn’t often succeed in curing the infection.

By combining manuka honey with amikacin (the antibiotic of choice for these infections), scientists found that the dosage could be reduced from 16 mcg/ml to just 2 mcg/ml.

This reduction in dosage will potentially save CF patients the ravages of the side effects of amikacin.

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Dr. Jonathan Cox, senior lecturer in microbiology at Aston University and study author, had this to say:

“By combining a totally natural ingredient such as manuka honey with amikacin, one of the most important yet toxic drugs used for treating Mycobacterium abscessus, we have found a way to potentially kill off these bacteria with eight times less drug than before. This has the potential to significantly reduce amikacin-associated hearing loss and greatly improve the quality of life of so many patients — particularly those with cystic fibrosis.”

Other healing uses for Manuka honey

Of course, you don’t have to be living with cystic fibrosis to enjoy the health benefits of Manuka honey.

Next time you cut yourself, try slathering some Manuka honey on the wound instead of antibiotic ointment and watch the rapid healing that takes place.

Or if you suffer from chronic bladder infections (or just want to improve your bladder health), try this combination of Manuka honey, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice and hot water.

Manuka honey also works on gingivitis (gum disease) and strep throat.

It really is the unsung hero of natural remedies!

Sources:

Manuka honey could help clear deadly drug-resistant lung infection, research finds —Science Daily

In vitro synergy between manuka honey and amikacin against Mycobacterium abscessus complex shows potential for nebulisation therapy — Microbiology Society

The post A ‘sweet’ solution to antibiotic-resistant lung infections appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But the truth is that magic mushrooms have begun to take their place in modern medicine.

In fact, psilocybin, a compound found in those mushrooms has shown promise in treating issues like autism and anxiety, thanks to its power to enhance wellbeing and create positive changes in empathy.

It’s even been shown to help fill the deep well of depression by flattening” the brain’s landscape and loosening the rigidity of depressed thinking.

Now research has shown that psilocybin may have a powerful effect on alcohol dependency…

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Psilocybin: Promising mushroom therapy

Since the connection between alcohol use and depression is undeniable, it’s easy to see why researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine decided to test the power of psilocybin to overcome heavy drinking.

To do so, the team recruited men and women who were diagnosed with alcohol dependence and who consumed on average seven drinks on days when they drank.

Forty-eight patients were put in the psilocybin group and given at least one and up to three doses of the magic mushroom powerhouse. The other 45 patients received only an antihistamine as a placebo.

Then, all of the participants completed up to 12 psychotherapy sessions and were asked to report the percentage of heavy drinking days they experienced during that time and for up to 36 weeks. The researchers even took fingernail samples to ensure the participants were being truthful when they said they weren’t drinking or at least drinking less.

And guess what…

Within eight months from the start of their treatment, those who were given psilocybin reduced their heavy drinking by a whopping 83 percent compared to where they were when the study began!

Compare that to a reduction of only 51 percent in the placebo group.

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To top it off, the study showed that eight months after their first dose of psilocybin from magic mushrooms, almost half of the patients stopped drinking completely compared with less than a quarter of the placebo group.

“Our findings strongly suggest that psilocybin therapy is a promising means of treating alcohol use disorder, a complex disease that has proven notoriously difficult to manage,” says study senior author and psychiatrist Michael Bogenschutz, MD, director of the NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine.

In fact, according to Bogenschutz, “Beyond alcohol use disorder, this approach may prove useful in treating other addictions such as cigarette smoking and abuse of cocaine and opioids.”

However, there were some health effects that might hinder its use in some people…

The compound also raises blood pressure and heart rate and may result in overwhelming psychological effects. For these reasons, the researchers caution that it should only be used in carefully controlled settings under the supervision of a doctor.

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Unlocking the subconscious mind to break addiction

Magic mushrooms may not be everyone’s cup of tea. And since the research is still new, doctors and therapists may not be quite ready to begin administering it as a treatment for alcohol dependency.

But there are ways to unlock the power of the subconscious mind and perhaps encourage the same type of experiences and results found with psilocybin…

• Meditation has been found to alter certain brain regions that are specifically linked with depression, something that could also help curb a craving for alcohol consumption, without the worry of a hallucinogenic trip.
•  A mindfulness technique has previously been found to help participants cut down on drinking. In a study at University College of London, mindfulness training went up against relaxation therapy for the win. You can learn more about the 11-minute trick they found tames the alcohol urge, here.

For people who smoke and drink, it helps to ditch alcohol if they ditch cigarettes first. Nicotine and alcohol increase each habit’s pleasurable effects by activating an area of the brain known as the reward center, which can lead to increased alcohol consumption.

More reason to work at stopping both of these habits: They age your brain rapidly.

Sources:

How meditation helps with depression – Harvard

Psychedelic drug therapy may help treat alcohol addiction, study finds – ScienceDaily

The post The promising mushroom treatment for alcohol dependency appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Especially when those memes start making the rounds poking fun at baby boomers — as if those younger millennials and gen Xers can compete with 50+ years of life experience under the belt.

But seniors aren’t just experienced. They’re rebels — leading the way to better ways to do things… like staying healthy.

Take integrative medicine, for example.  It’s an approach to health care that utilizes a range of conventional and complementary therapies as a part of whole-person care.

Complementary therapies that fall under that integrative medicine umbrella include options, like chiropractic care, massage therapy, acupuncture, meditation and even yoga.

And while those options have far too long been considered “alternative medicine,” according to a recent survey, seniors are leading the way in taking them mainstream — by seeking integrative health practices that work for them, and long before self-care and hygge were trending.

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The hard numbers and positive results

The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging asked a national sample of adults aged 50–80 about their interest in and experiences with integrative medicine strategies.

And the results show that seniors everywhere deserve a pat on the back for blazing the trail and making alternative and integrative practices, including lifestyle modifications and methods, more accepted.

The survey showed that two-thirds of seniors had used at least one integrative medicine strategy to prevent or treat a health concern, with 38 percent using one currently and 28 percent having leveraged their value in the past.

According to the poll, the most common integrative medicine strategies seniors turn to include:

• Massage therapy – 41 percent of seniors have used massage therapy, with most putting it to work to grab its benefits for relaxation and lessening aches and pains.
• Chiropractic care – Like with massage, 41 percent of people aged 50 to 80 have seen a chiropractor to say goodbye to physical symptoms like back pain.
• Meditation and mindfulness – Over a quarter, or 27 percent, of seniors have used meditation or mindfulness exercises, mainly to relax, manage stress and improve their mental health. And it’s easy to see why these practices would be so popular since nearly all adults surveyed reported that they believe that the mind impacts health.

Additionally, 24 percent of seniors used yoga as part of an integrative approach to improving their health and wellbeing, and 16 percent reported seeing an acupuncturist.

Seniors are also turning to integrative medicine strategies to help with problems ranging from insomnia and digestive issues to diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and more.

And here’s the really good news…

Among older adults who had used one or more integrative medicine strategies, 91 percent found them beneficial. In fact, 38 percent reported the therapies they tried as being “very beneficial.” And even 53 percent said they were somewhat beneficial.

In other words, if you’re considering putting integrative medicine options, like chiropractic or massage to work for you, you’ve got great odds!

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When to consider integrative medicine

This information isn’t really all that surprising. For years, seniors have been leading the way in turning to natural supplements to improve their health and lifestyles.

In fact, 78 percent of those aged 55 years and older consume dietary supplements.

With all of those positives, you may be surprised to learn that while the survey found that seniors are not shy about turning to integrative medicine, only one in five had talked to a health care provider about integrative medicine strategies.

This could be due to the fact that far too many doctors still take a medication-only approach to health.

But the seniors who were lucky enough to have a physician who talked positively about lifestyle factors reported that they were more likely to use integrative medicine strategies than those whose primary care providers talked about lifestyle factors less often.

Alternative and integrative practices are great for helping to maintain health. And many are proof that the best medicine is prevention. Some therapies, including nutrition and supplements, can also help manage health issues.

But either way — with their doctors on board or still stuck in a Big Pharma whirlpool — seniors are showing us the way to the future of healthy living.

Sources:

Use of and Interest in Integrative Medicine Strategies – University of Michigan

The post Rebels with a cause: Healthy seniors who do it their way appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Many people diagnosed with prediabetes have no symptoms. Yet, within six months, many have moved from being prediabetic to having full-blown type 2 diabetes.

But diabetes isn’t just about blood sugar. There are other issues that contribute to a diabetes diagnosis.

A new study has shown that an ancient traditional Chinese medical practice may be a key to controlling these issues and preventing diabetes from taking hold…

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Acupuncture reduces key markers for diabetes

Researchers at Edith Cowan University in Australia have found that acupuncture may be a way to modify other health and lifestyle factors that are strong contributors to developing type 2 diabetes.

“It’s not only about high blood sugar levels,” says Min Zhang, a Ph.D. candidate and lead study author.

“If you experience sleep problems, high blood pressure, a lot of stress, these can contribute too.

“So, acupuncture can help with these factors and work holistically to help people balance their life.”

The research team looked at dozens of studies on the effects of acupuncture on people with prediabetes. In total, these studies involved more than 3600 subjects.

They found that acupuncture significantly improved fasting plasma glucose, two-hour plasma glucose and other key markers used to diagnose type 2 diabetes.

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Another tool in your toolbox

Acupuncture could very well be a valuable therapy for people trying to follow a healthier diet and exercising regularly to try to keep prediabetes from becoming diabetes.

“Without intervention, 93 percent of people with prediabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within 20 years,” Zhang said.

“But unlike diabetes, prediabetes is reversible with lifestyle interventions such as improved diet and increase in exercise. But many people struggle to adhere to lifestyle changes long-term, so non-pharmacological treatments such as acupuncture could prove valuable.”

You can visit the American Board of Medical Acupuncture site to look for a board-certified acupuncturist/physician in your area.

A physician certified in acupuncture is a medical school graduate who has finished at least 300 hours of acupuncture education in an ABMA-approved education program; has passed an exam, and has completed at least two years of medical acupuncture clinical experience with a case history of no less than 500 medical acupuncture treatments.

But according to Zhang, acupuncture is much more than just needles…

It’s just one aspect of traditional Chinese medicine, which includes other treatment modalities that stimulate the body’s 361 acupoints.

While acupuncture is probably the best-known method for stimulating the acupoints, other practices include the use of light and electrical pulses, as well as moxibustion, a traditional Chinese method where dried herbs are burned near the skin to warm the acupoints.

“This is important because diabetic people can have issues with their skin, so perhaps it may not always be ideal to be using needles,” she said.

Sources:

Could acupuncture help ward off diabetes? — Eureka Alert

Should Acupuncture-Related Therapies be Considered in Prediabetes Control? Results From a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials — Holistic Nursing Practice

7 Tips for Choosing an Acupuncturist — healthgrades.com

So you want to give acupuncture a try? How do you choose a provider? — washingtonpost.com

The post How acupuncture may prevent a diabetes diagnosis appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

On the pharmaceutical side, they’ve come up with vaccines that protect against the coronavirus, as well as certain antiviral drugs and monoclonal antibodies to help the body fight off COVID-19.

However, scientists have been on the hunt for new therapies for people infected by SARS-CoV-2 and emerging variants.

In terms of alternative therapies, the hemp compound CBD (cannabidiol) has been getting a lot of attention. CBD has showed promise in blocking coronavirus entry points, halting viral replication and spread and boosting a lung-protecting peptide in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

But it was a study released early in 2022 that really set the CBD world on fire. The Oregon State University laboratory study found that certain hemp-derived precursors to CBD can block SARS-CoV-2 infection. The compounds do this by interfering with the viral spike protein, which keeps the virus from binding to the ACE2 enzyme. This enzyme is abundant on the outer membrane of endothelial cells in the lungs and other organs that COVID attacks.

Now, further research in animals has reinforced these findings, prompting researchers to call for human clinical trials for CBD to prevent COVID-19…

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Once again, CBD blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection

A research team from the University of Chicago has found evidence that CBD can inhibit infection by SARS-CoV-2 in human cells and in mice.

The study also examined a national sample of medical records of patients taking an FDA-approved version of CBD for epilepsy and found that they tested positive for COVID-19 at lower rates than a similar sample of patients not taking CBD.

Based on this evidence, the researchers say clinical trials should be done to determine whether CBD could eventually be used to prevent COVID-19, or to treat it in the early stages.

“CBD has anti-inflammatory effects, so we thought that maybe it would stop the second phase of COVID infection involving the immune system, the so-called ‘cytokine storm,’” says Dr. Marsha Rosner, a senior author of the study. “Surprisingly, it directly inhibited viral replication in lung cells.”

First, researchers treated human lung cells with a nontoxic dose of CBD for two hours. Then, they exposed them to SARS-CoV-2 and monitored them for both the virus and the viral spike protein. Above a certain concentration, the CBD inhibited the ability of the virus to replicate.

CBD had the same effect in two other types of cells and for three variants of SARS-CoV-2 as well as the original strain.

Unlike in earlier studies, this time CBD didn’t affect the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to enter the cell. Instead, it blocked replication early in the infection cycle, six hours after the virus had already infected the cell.

One completely unexpected result was that high concentrations of CBD almost completely eradicated the expression of viral RNAs, which is what viruses like SARS-CoV-2 use to make more copies of itself.

After the cellular study, the researchers moved on to live mice. They pretreated the mice with CBD for one week before infection with SARS-CoV-2, and found infection was suppressed in the lung and nasal passages of the mice.

Finally, the team analyzed the records of patients taking a medically prescribed oral solution of CBD to treat epilepsy. When comparing them to patients from similar demographic backgrounds who were not taking CBD, significantly fewer patients in the CBD group tested positive for COVID-19.

“These results provide major support for a clinical trial of CBD in humans,” Rosner says. “A clinical trial is necessary to determine whether CBD is really effective at preventing or suppressing SARS-CoV-2 infection, but we think this may have potential as a prophylactic treatment.”

More research is also needed to determine the precise dosing of CBD effective at preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans. And researchers need to identify its safety profile and any potential side effects.

Not any old CBD will do

Another point emphasized by the research team was that only high purity, high concentrations of CBD showed COVID-blocking effects. The same power wasn’t found in closely related cannabinoids like CBDA, CBDV and THC, the psychoactive element of marijuana. In fact, combining CBD with equal amounts of THC actually reduced the efficacy of CBD.

Interestingly, CBDA was one of the cannabinoids examined in the Oregon State study and found to have COVID-blocking properties.

Rosner says the problem with most CBD products available on the market today is their lack of consistent dosage and quality, which would make their ability to block SARS-CoV-2 infection suspect.

“Going to your corner bakery and buying some CBD muffins or gummy bears probably won’t do anything,” she observes. “The commercially available CBD powder we looked at, which was off the shelf and something you could order online, was sometimes surprisingly of high purity but also of inconsistent quality. It is also hard to get into an oral solution that can be absorbed without the special, FDA-approved formulation.”

The bottom line: at this point, you should probably not rush out to buy just any old CBD thinking it’s going to make you invincible to COVID-19. Stick to taking a high-quality CBD supplement to reduce inflammation, ease anxiety and promote better sleep. But before you do, you should talk to your doctor as CBD can interact with certain drugs.

In addition, you should probably stay away from vaping CBD, as it can cause side effects that include potential heart and lung damage.

Editor’s note: This ‘Sacred Plant’ has been used for at least 4,755 years to relieve everything from pain to bad moods. Now, CBD could be the answer to our most modern ailments. Click here to have all your questions answered!

Source:

Researchers recommend clinical trials for CBD to prevent COVID-19 based on promising animal data — University of Chicago Medicine

Cannabidiol inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication through induction of the host ER stress and innate immune responses — Scientific Advances

Research shows hemp compounds prevent coronavirus from entering human cells — Medical Xpress

The post Researchers: It’s time to put CBD and COVID-19 to the test on humans appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

However, despite all the medicinal interest in cannabis, there may be a catch… or two or three…

So before you give cannabis a whirl, be sure to keep these important issues in mind.

#1 – Fertility problems for men

Research from a team of scientists at Washington State University has found that cannabis may impact both sperm count and motility for not only men who use it, but also their sons.

In research involving adult male mice, the researchers found that short-term exposure to cannabis vapor three times a day at an amount that mimicked the intake of regular users lowered sperm counts and slowed sperm movement in two generations.

And cannabis-exposed male offspring also showed evidence of DNA damage and disruption related to sperm cell development.

In other words, using cannabis could damage your fertility and that of your children.

“This is a warning flag. You may take cannabis for some kind of momentary stress, but it could affect your offspring,” said Hayashi, researcher and associate professor in WSU’s School of Molecular Biosciences.

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#2 – Drug interactions

If those fertility concerns weren’t enough, hold onto your hat because more research out of Washington State University has demonstrated the dangers of the plant if you take other prescription drugs.

The researchers looked at cannabinoids — a group of substances found in the cannabis plant — and their major metabolites found in cannabis users’ blood. And they discovered that both the cannabinoids themselves and those metabolites interfere with two families of enzymes that help metabolize a wide range of drugs prescribed for a variety of conditions.

Because of this, using cannabis while taking prescription medication could result in a decrease in the desired effect. In other words, your medication may not work as intended, and depending on the situation, that could be a serious problem.

Or even worse, the researchers say that cannabis might increase the negative effects of some drugs, resulting in too much building up in the body, causing unintended side effects such as toxicity or accidental overdose.

For example, the researchers point to anti-cancer drugs with the worry that cannabis could increase their toxic effects. And they specifically call out prescriptions for patients with kidney disease.

“If you have a kidney disease or you are taking one or more drugs that are metabolized primarily through the kidney and you’re also smoking marijuana, you could be inhibiting normal kidney function, and it may have long-term effects for you,” said Philip Lazarus, senior study author.

For more specifics, check out 5 things to know about drug interactions with cannabinoids

#3 – Dangerous heavy metals

Finally, researchers out of Penn State discovered that cannabis plants have an inherent ability to absorb heavy metals from the soil. These toxic metals can make the cannabis and products derived from it, including hemp products and CBD oil, risky.

“Heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, cadmium and chromium, are known to be carcinogenic,” said Louis Bengyella, assistant research professor of plant science, Penn State. “The heavy-metal content of cannabis is not regulated; therefore, consumers could unknowingly be exposed to these toxic metals.”

Research has found a connection between heavy metals and heart problems.

Safe support for your body’s endocannabinoid system

So while the cannabinoids found in cannabis may offer a number of benefits, you must also weigh the risks before making your decision.

If you’re not on prescription medications, have no desire to procreate and keep your cannabis use to a minimum to avoid heavy metals (which I hate to say are a concern from other sources), cannabis may be ok for you.

But, if you don’t want to risk the possible downsides, there are other options…

As my colleague, Joyce Hollman, points out,  cannabimimetics, “superfoods” and other natural substances are capable of mimicking the activity of cannabinoids and can nourish and support your body’s endocannabinoid system to grab more benefits with fewer risks.

Sources:

Cannabis may contain heavy metals and affect consumer health, study finds – ScienceDaily

Cannabis use could cause harmful drug interactions – ScienceDaily

Cannabis impacts sperm counts, motility in two generations of mice – ScienceDaily

The post 3 reasons to be wary of cannabis appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

While it’s widely used as a spice to flavor foods, like bread and pickles, the oil expressed from the seed, commonly called black see oil, has also been embraced for thousands of years for its curative properties.

In fact, black seed oil was the go-to remedy used by King Tut, Cleopatra and Hippocrates for an array of conditions, including malaise, weakness, coughing and skincare.

Now research can back up its benefits…

The main compound behind Nigella sattva’s health benefits is its active constituent, thymoquinone. Studies have shown this compound may benefit brain, liver and heart health, and support healthy blood sugar and blood pressure, just to name a few of its top benefits.

And the seeds also deliver healthy amino acids, significant levels of iron, copper, zinc, phosphorus and other vitamins and minerals, as well as beneficial sterols and fatty acids.

It’s important to note that black cumin seed is packed with phytosterols, which studies are increasingly showing have nutraceutical benefits that help to lower “bad cholesterol” or LDL” as well as total cholesterol numbers.

The many researched benefits of black seed oil

 #1 — Protection against free radicals

Research has shown that oxidative stress caused by free radicals is harmful to good health and cellular aging. Both in-vivo and in-vitro studies have demonstrated that Nigella Sativa delivers high levels of effective antioxidants to combat this oxidative stress, which could help you guard against destructive processes and the accelerated aging caused by those free radicals.

#2 — Potent blood sugar support

Remember how we said that the Egyptian Kings and Queens used Nigella Sativa as a remedy for “sweet urine”?

Well, they were on to something big.

Modern-day studies have shown that when it comes to promoting balanced blood sugar, Nigella Sativa may help:

• Significantly reduce fasting plasma glucose
• Stabilize serum glucose concentrations when combined with Cinnamomum cassia extract

#3 — Supports normal blood pressure

Black seed oil has even been found to offer support for healthy blood pressure.

In fact, a controlled trial of 57 patients who took two grams of Nigella Sativa daily found that it resulted in:

• Reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure
• Reduced mean arterial blood pressure
• Lower heart rate

#4 — Neuroprotective effects

The seeds are also noted for promoting a healthy mind and healthy mood.

Thymoquinone, that highly active molecule in black seed oil, has shown benefits for healthy cognition. And repeated administration of the oil in rats demonstrated improvement in both learning and recall status.

#5 — Anti-Inflammatory and analgesic power

Like free radicals, scientists now see inflammation as playing a key role in numerous conditions, from arthritis and asthma to allergies and chronic pain.

And black seed oil can offer support here as well…

Thymoquinone has been found to display anti-inflammatory properties comparable to that found in salicylic acid, the metabolite of aspirin. And studies have demonstrated that the oils from Nigella Sativa show pain-relieving effects comparable to Diclofenac sodium (a commonly prescribed pain medication).

#6 — Supports the immune system

Research has also shown that thymoquinone is a friend to the immune system. It’s considered an immune system modulator, may help balance the immune response, and has anti-fungal and anti-pathogenic properties.

In fact, black seed oil has been used to inhibit both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial activity, suppress viral load, and increase the number and function of powerful immune cells known as T cells.

#7 — Helps with weight loss

A 2015 study published in Food and Function found that when obese women supplemented black seed oil, along with following a low-calorie diet, they experienced a significant decrease in their weight and waist circumference compared to women who received a placebo.

Black seed oil in your diet

Clearly, black seed oil offers powerful, research-backed benefits to help naturally promote overall wellness.

And there are a few ways you can use it.

First, it should be eaten raw, according to Cate Ritter, a certified functional diagnostic nutrition practitioner, as she says it shouldn’t be heated to preserve the nutrients.

That makes it a good choice as a salad dressing or added to smoothies and coffee as you might do with coconut oil or olive oil. However, if you’re like me, you may find the bitterness a little overpowering.

If that’s the case, you can supplement black cumin seed oil. Look for one that contains cold-pressed, hexane-free black seed oil from organic black Nigella Sativa seeds.

When something is carried down over the years as a “remedy” — especially as long as black cumin seed has — there’s got to be something to it. But when the research agrees, it’s even better. For me, it’s just one more natural way to help keep those modern-day ills at bay.

Sources:

Nigella sativa L. (Black Cumin): A Promising Natural Remedy for Wide Range of Illnesses — Hindawi

What is black seed oil? — cookinglight.com

The post Black cumin: 7 modern benefits of an ancient seed oil appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Metabolic syndrome is another area where researchers are examining hibiscus as a possible therapeutic. This syndrome covers a cluster of conditions including abdominal obesity, hypertension, or high blood pressure, insulin resistance, elevated triglycerides, a type of fat lipids in the blood, and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol. These conditions tend to occur simultaneously and are common precursors to cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes.

The number of people suffering from metabolic syndrome is on the rise, so researchers are keen to find effective treatments for it. This is what one research team found when they investigated studies done on hibiscus in metabolic syndrome…

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Hibiscus improves several metabolic syndrome biomarkers

In a review of studies involving the use of hibiscus in treating metabolic syndrome in animals and people, researchers found it often improved a number of metabolic syndrome measures. These included blood glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, weight, lipid absorption and oxidation of fatty acids around the abdominal cavity.

According to the study, higher doses of hibiscus led to greater benefits in some cases, especially for body mass in animals, but lower doses were often equally effective. Most notably, hibiscus was often just as or more effective than pharmaceuticals in improving some biomarkers of metabolic syndrome, particularly blood glucose and insulin sensitivity.

To gather the studies used in the review, the researchers searched for 12 edible species of hibiscus in the Google Scholar database along with 14 keywords associated with metabolic syndrome. They narrowed the results down to 68 articles that met all inclusion criteria, including 18 that tested human subjects and 48 that tested other animals. In terms of the metabolic syndrome biomarkers, 26 studies explored blood glucose or insulin resistance, 41 investigated dyslipidemia, or elevated blood lipids, 23 examined hypertension and 26 studied changes in body mass.

In several animal and one human study, hibiscus, either alone or in combination with a therapeutic diet, was found to lower blood glucose. Multiple animal studies and four human studies showed it lowered cholesterol levels, and many of the animal studies indicated it also raised HDL levels.

In addition, 11 of the 12 human studies of hibiscus in hypertension showed it lowered blood pressure and reduced several markers involved in regulating blood pressure, including heart rate, angiotension-converting enzyme (ACE), aldosterone and serum electrolytes.

The researchers concluded that while hibiscus shows great promise for improving metabolic syndrome, they need to address certain limitations in future work. These include increasing the number and size of human clinical trials and expanding these trials to include people from a greater diversity of ethnicities, especially those most affected by metabolic syndrome. Future research also needs to consider the health and physical activity of human participants.

Finally, the researchers recommend more studies of hibiscus itself, including the influence of growing conditions and extraction and preparation methods on its nutrients, as well as a comparison of the effectiveness of different plant parts and products of hibiscus to a control group.

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Best ways to add hibiscus to your diet

Hibiscus can be found in a number of products, including teas, cold beverages, jellies and dietary supplements. One of the quickest and best ways to get its benefits without a lot of additives is to drink it as a tea. You can buy hibiscus tea in bag or loose form at specialty supermarkets, health food stores or online.

Hibiscus tea can be prepared either hot or cold. If you have hibiscus tea bags, simply boil water and steep the tea bag for the time recommended on the package. But if you want the highest quality tea, it’s best to buy loose leaf hibiscus tea or dried hibiscus flowers. When using loose leaf, put the tea in a warmed teapot and boil water, then pour the water over the tea and let it steep for 5 minutes before straining and serving. Be careful when handling the tea because it will stain whatever it’s spilled on.

If you want to prepare it in larger batches, you’ll need to give yourself plenty of time. Place one cup of dried hibiscus flowers in 8 cups of cold water and let it steep for 1 to 2 days, or until the color has faded from the flowers. Once you’ve strained the tea through a fine sieve, you can either heat it up or serve chilled or over ice.

Sources:

A review of the effectiveness of hibiscus for treatment of metabolic syndrome — Journal of Ethnopharmacology

Dried Hibiscus Tea — The Spruce Eats

Hibiscus Tea: What It is, Steps to Make It Properly, and Benefits — Oh, How Civilized

The post The tea that tames metabolic syndrome appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And the rate was even higher in younger adults, with 40 percent under the age of 65 reporting anxiety or depression in the August survey.

There are effective drugs available to treat depression, but these drugs often have side effects, and many patients don’t stick with the treatment. An estimated 30 percent to 50 percent of patients with depression do not respond fully to existing medications. And as many as 10 percent to 30 percent of patients are considered treatment-resistant, meaning their response to the drugs is only slightly better than it would be to a placebo.

All this points to the need for newer, more effective depression therapies. And researchers are testing a possible solution derived from a humble mushroom with a colorful reputation…

The magic of psilocybin

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have found a connection between psilocybin, a psychedelic compound found in so-called “magic mushrooms,” and reduced symptoms of depression. In a small study, adults with major depression who received two doses of psilocybin along with supportive psychotherapy experienced rapid and large reductions in depressive symptoms.

The published findings cover a four-week follow-up in 24 participants, all of whom were given two five-hour psilocybin sessions under the direction of the researchers. Most participants showed improvement, and half of the study participants achieved remission through the four-week follow-up.

Most of the participants had experienced depressive symptoms for two years before entering the study, and all had to taper off any antidepressants before the study began with the help of their personal physician so that they could be safely exposed to the psilocybin treatment.

Over a few hours after ingestion, psilocybin produces visual and auditory hallucinations and significant changes in consciousness. Researchers at Johns Hopkins have been studying the psychedelic since 2016, when a study first found that treatment with psilocybin under psychologically supported conditions significantly lowered existential anxiety and depression in people who had received a life-threatening cancer diagnosis.

The results of the most recent trial suggest psilocybin may be effective in a much wider patient population than previously thought.

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In the most recent trial, 67 percent of participants showed a more than 50 percent reduction in depression symptoms at the one-week follow-up and 71 percent at the four-week follow-up. Overall, four weeks post-treatment, 54 percent of participants were considered in remission, meaning they no longer qualified as depressed.

Dr. Alan Davis, a study co-lead and adjunct professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says the magnitude of effect was roughly four times larger than what has been demonstrated by traditional antidepressants currently on the market.

“Because most other depression treatments take weeks or months to work and may have undesirable effects, this could be a game-changer if these findings hold up in future ‘gold-standard’ placebo-controlled clinical trials,” Dr. Davis says.

Study co-author Dr. Roland Griffiths, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research, was surprised by the effectiveness of psilocybin, given the multiple types of major depressive disorders and variation in how people respond to treatment. He notes that the major depression treated in the new study may have been different from the more reactive form of depression in the 2016 trial patients.

Dr. Griffiths says public health officials encouraged his team to explore psilocybin’s effects in the wider population of those with major depressive disorder because of the much larger potential public health impact.

The researchers plan to follow the participants for a year after the study to see how long the antidepressant effects of the psilocybin treatment last. They will report their findings in a later publication.

It’s not a good idea to go out and start tripping on magic mushrooms to treat your own depression or anxiety. But there are some other steps you can take to alleviate the burden the pandemic is placing on your mental health…

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Natural modes of depression relief

We’ve reported in previous issues about how effective yoga is for relieving depression and anxiety. Even a few minutes a day of yoga has shown the ability to calm the body and quiet the mind.

Going to a yoga studio may not be an option right now, but you can get started right at home. There are tons of yoga videos for all levels available on YouTube, or you can download a yoga app on your smartphone. Personally, I use Daily Yoga, which has a great variety of skill levels and practice lengths. Down Dog is another often-recommended app.

Meditation is another good way to elevate your consciousness in a drug-free way. But be careful — some studies have shown that not everyone with depression responds positively to meditation. Make sure to discuss it with your doctor first and report any negative reactions you might have to your doctor as well.

If you do decide to try meditation and feel like you need some guidance, you can find it on YouTube or through a smartphone app like Headspace or Calm. Be gentle with yourself — meditation can feel difficult at first, but it gets easier with time and practice.

Nutritional supplements have also been shown to improve depression symptoms naturally. In a 2015 research study printed in Mental Illness Journal, a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and phosphatidylserine (PS), a nutrient known for its positive effects on cognition, improved mood and lowered cortisol levels (stress hormone) in a group of participates aged 65 and up.

Sources:

Psychedelic Treatment with Psilocybin Relieves Major Depression, Study Shows — Johns Hopkins Medicine

Effects of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy on Major Depressive Disorder — JAMA Psychiatry

One in Four Older Adults Report Anxiety or Depression Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic — Kaiser Family Foundation

Mindfulness and meditation can worsen depression and anxiety — New Scientist

The post A mushroom-derived compound that may treat depression like magic appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

An estimated 1 million cases of shingles, or herpes zoster, occur annually in the U.S. It’s most common in adults over the age of 50, but as my case shows, it can show up in younger people too. Anyone who’s had chickenpox is at risk of developing shingles, which occurs when the virus that has been dormant in the nerve cells reactivates and travels from the nerves out to the skin.

Shingles often starts with flu-like symptoms like fever, headache and fatigue. This is followed by pain, burning, numbness or tingling in one section of the body — frequently on the left or right side of your torso. The rash usually appears in a stripe of blisters a couple of days after the pain starts. It looks a lot like chickenpox in that the blisters break open and crust over.

Occasionally, the shingles rash occurs around one eye or on the side of the neck or face. If you develop shingles around your eye, you need to treat the infection immediately because it can cause permanent eye damage.

Shingles treatment

The first vaccine against shingles, Zostavax, has been available since 2006. But it was recently pulled from the U.S. market because it is no longer the primary vaccine for the disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) now recommends Shingrix as the preferred vaccine for shingles.

If you’ve already had shingles and have not yet been vaccinated, you may think you don’t need to be. But the FDA still recommends that all healthy adults aged 50 and older get two doses of Shingrix, including those who have had shingles before. This is because it’s possible to get shingles more than once, since the virus that causes it remains in the body after infection.

There’s no cure for shingles, but there are several antiviral medicines available to treat the illness and shorten its length and severity: acyclovir, valacyclovir and famciclovir. If you’re suffering from shingles, you should see your doctor and get a prescription for one of these medicines so you can start taking it as soon as possible after the rash appears for it to be most effective.

Relieving the pain caused by shingles can be difficult, though over-the-counter or prescription pain medicines may help. For itching, calamine lotion is a tried and true remedy for rashes of all kinds. Gently spread the lotion over your blisters and let it dry completely before covering it with clothing or a loose bandage.

If you prefer a more holistic approach, there are several natural remedies you can try to ease the pain and itching of shingles…

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Cooling the burning pain of shingles

Taking a colloidal oatmeal bath can provide some relief. This finely ground oatmeal binds to the skin and forms a protective barrier, helping to hold in moisture and relieve inflammation.

Since the shingles rash does not respond well to temperature extremes, make sure the bath water is lukewarm rather than hot. Then add the recommended amount of colloidal oatmeal (or one cup of homemade finely ground oatmeal powder) and soak for 10 to 15 minutes. When you get out of the bath, gently pat yourself dry, but try to leave your skin damp so as not to disturb the protective layer created.

You can also try cool compresses, which keep the blisters clean as well as relieve itching and pain. This will help prevent a skin infection. Run cool (not cold) water over a washcloth, preferably one made of natural fibers, and place it on your shingles blisters in 20-minute intervals. Don’t do this if your blisters have already dried out. And if you’re using creams, lotions or pain patches on your rash, don’t use a wet compress at the same time.

Witch hazel is another good topical treatment and is believed to be more effective than chamomile for reducing inflammation and itchiness. Apply witch hazel water or cream to the affected area for relief from irritation.

Essential oils may be helpful as well. Medical News Today suggests the following oils have properties that are healing and help with the irritation:

• Chamomile oil, which has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and can improve ulcers and pressure sores by aiding skin-cell regeneration.
• Eucalyptus oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties and can increase the speed at which cancer patients’ sores heal.
• Tea tree oil, which has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties and can promote wound healing.

When applied to the skin, essential oils should be diluted with carrier oils and a patch test performed to test for an allergic reaction.

Researchers have discovered that an extract of the flower Gentiana scabra accelerated pain relief for shingles sufferers and reduced the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia, a painful complication of shingles affecting the nerve fibers and skin.

Make sure you wear loose clothing, as anything that rubs against the shingles rash can set off the pain and itching. Opt for natural fibers like cotton or linen whenever possible. And if you need to cover your rash, avoid using any bandages that might stick to the blisters.

Sources:

Shingles — Mayo Clinic

Zostavax (Herpes Zoster Vaccine) Questions and Answers — Food and Drug Administration

Shingles Vaccination — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Treating Shingles — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Oatmeal Baths for Itchy Skin — WebMD

7 Simple Self-Care Tips for Shingles — WebMD

What are some home remedies for shingles? — Medical News Today

Gentiana scabra Bunge. Formula for Herpes Zoster: Biological Actions of Key Herbs and Systematic Review of Efficacy and Safety — Phytotherapy Research

The post Relieving the symptoms of shingles naturally appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But little did I know my sister would also suffer a seemingly unrelated health condition years later, a result of the hidden side effects of using corticosteroid inhalers: a vulnerability for early osteoporosis.

Asthma can be deadly. The symptoms include coughing, tightness in the chest and wheezing. Because there currently is no cure for asthma, management of the condition is the best our health care providers can offer.

However, recent research is proving those treatments, including inhaled and oral corticosteroid medications, can come at a cost…

Clinical studies

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes swelling of the airways in the lungs making it difficult to breathe including the production of thick mucus. It can be minor or interfere with daily activities.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 13 people has asthma resulting in nearly 1.6 million emergency room visits annually. Asthma is the leading chronic disease in children, like my now-grown sister.

Since the 1950s, the use of oral corticosteroids, widely prescribed for asthma and many other conditions, has been linked with a significant increase in the risk of osteoporosis. But newer evidence continues to pile up, linking the use of inhaled corticosteroid to bone loss as well.

These drugs have horrendous side effects which include accelerated bone loss by preventing calcium absorption in the gut and increasing the loss of calcium through urine. If that were not bad enough the drugs also damage the cells that help build bone.

In the UK, using health records entered into the nationally-representative Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD database, patients records of 3,700 older asthma patients were matched with at least 4 patients of the same gender and age who did not have osteoporosis or fragility fractures and other factors likely to affect bone density.

The results revealed a clear positive association between the number of inhaled or oral steroid tablets and the cumulated dose and the risk of osteoporosis…

• Those with four or more prescriptions of oral corticosteroids were roughly four times more likely to have osteoporosis.
• Patients given 11 or more prescriptions for inhaled steroids were 60 percent more likely to have osteoporosis and 31 percent more likely to have fragility fractures than those not prescribed the drugs.

The higher the cumulated dose, and the longer the period of treatment, the greater these risks seem to be indicated in the findings.

What did the researchers recommend? They suggest doctors step down treatment in patients where their asthma seems well-managed and consider additional treatment with bisphosphonates, a class of drugs that prevent the loss of bone density. However long-term use of the bisphosphonates has been found to lead to bone fractures as well.

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Lifestyle and home remedies

As you probably know, steroids are a quick way to bring inflammation down. In an emergency situation, an asthma inhaler is necessary to open up air passageways and reduce inflammation.

But it’s possible to work daily to reduce inflammation in general. An anti-inflammatory diet is one way.

Certain vitamins and supplements can lower the inflammatory response as well, including fish oil, vitamin C, vitamin D, and one you may not be as familiar with, Nigella sativa — also known as black seed oil or golden oil.

My colleague Virginia Tims-Lawson shared a study that indicated N. sativa was an effective anti-inflammatory that inhibited histamine release. The study authors felt it had potential for asthma therapy and prevention, especially where allergy is a trigger.

A trigger is different for everyone, but is something you are sensitive to that causes a reaction in your airways and, likely, inflammation. In addition to allergies, common asthma triggers include:

• Weather changes
• Upper respiratory infections
• Pollen and pets
• Mold and dust mites
• Stress/Exercise
• Chemicals, like those found in cleaning products
• Tobacco smoke
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Lifestyle factors to cut down on asthma attacks:

• Prevention and long-term control are the keys to keeping asthma attacks at a minimum.
• Develop an action plan with your doctor to keep symptoms under control. Also, talk to him about protecting your bone health.
• If the asthma attacks are set off by outside triggers talk with your doctor on how to minimize your exposure to them. For example, your doctor may help identify allergic triggers with allergy testing.
• Always practice frequent hand washing to help reduce your risk of catching colds.
• If you live in a colder climate and enjoy exercising in the cold it may be helpful to cover your face with a mask or scarf if your asthma flares up.
• Explore local clinic studies testing new treatments and interventions with your doctor to help manage this disease

Sources:

Asthma Attack — Mayo Clinic

Asthma – Centers for Disease Control — (CDC)

Vital Signs: Asthma in Children – United States, 2001-2006 — CDC

The risk of osteoporosis in patients with asthma — European Clinical Respiratory Journal

Asthma drugs boost hip fracture risk   — WebMD

 Steroid inhalers/pills for asthma linked to heightened risk of brittle bones and fractures — ScienceDaily

Could Common Asthma Meds Weaken Bones? — US News

The post Why the connection between asthma and osteoporosis? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Individuals diagnosed with OCD are characterized by having recurring, uncontrollable thoughts and ideas which make them feel driven to engage in repetitive behaviors.

Keep in mind that many people have focused thoughts or repetitive behaviors. But a desire for structure or routine shouldn’t be misconstrued as OCD.

For example, it’s not concerning to have a specific morning ritual to make your bed or clean your desk before you start your day. But the symptoms associated with OCD can be severe, persistent and interfere with a person’s daily life activities

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Symptoms of OCD

OCD is a common disorder affecting 1 in 40 adults in the United States and often begins in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood; average symptoms appear at age 19.

People with OCD have different levels of severity and may have obsessions, compulsions or both. They most often present as time-consuming rituals or persistent thoughts that are distressing and cannot be ignored or suppressed by logic.

In general people with OCD:

• have difficulty controlling obsessive thoughts and/or behaviors.
• feel anxiety when something isn’t done a certain way.
• spend more than one hour a day on obsessive thoughts and/or behaviors.
• experience problems with daily life activities due to obsessive thoughts and/or behaviors.
• don’t receive pleasure when performing the behaviors or rituals, however, may experience brief relief from the anxiety surrounding the ritual.

How is OCD treated?

OCD is most often treated with a combination of psychotherapy and medication.

The two main types of psychological therapy are cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy. More than two-thirds of people with OCD who complete these therapies see a significant decrease in the severity and frequency of their symptoms. But the downside is that it is expensive and requires commitment.

Most people with OCD also try medication. The most commonly used drugs to treat the condition belong to a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). But these are not without their dangers.

For example, a study from researchers at the University of North Texas shows that people who take SSRIs are 40 percent more likely to experience brain or gastrointestinal bleeding than people who don’t. And because of this risk, they should be cautious when combining their SSRIs with over-the-counter painkillers, which raise the risk of bleeding even more.

Additionally, researchers from McMaster University, Toronto University, and several other institutions reviewed available studies on SSRIs and found that people who take SSRIs have a 33 percent higher chance of premature death and a 14 percent higher chance of cardiovascular problems, like strokes and heart attacks.

When SSRIs block your brain from reabsorbing serotonin, they are also inadvertently blocking the rest of your body from absorbing serotonin too.

In fact, your heart, kidneys, lungs and liver need serotonin. They typically absorb it from your bloodstream. But SSRIs block these organs from absorbing serotonin, and that may affect the way the organs normally function.

However, for many people, SSRIs work, and it’s never a good idea to stop taking your medication unless discussed with your doctor.

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Cannabis holds hope for OCD

Cannabis may hold potential for providing a break from the chronic cycle of obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors those struggling with disorder deal with daily.

In 2019, a promising clinical review in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research shows that cannabinoids influence OCD by reducing symptoms such as anxiety, fear and certain repetitive behaviors.

And in a recent study conducted at Washington State University using an app, people with OCD reported that the severity of their symptoms was reduced by half within four hours of smoking cannabis. The participants also reported that unwanted thoughts or compulsions were reduced by 60 percent and anxiety by 52 percent.

When participants used higher doses and cannabis with higher concentrations of CBD, or cannabidiol, it resulted in larger reductions in compulsions. Overall, the results indicate that cannabis may have some short-term benefits, but researchers call for more research to determine whether these positive effects can remain in place for longer periods. The researchers also note there were some limitations with the study, including the lack of placebo control.

Editor’s note: If cannabis isn’t an option for you, don’t forget about CBD oil. It may even work better for you because of something known as the entourage effect… dozens of studies show it is now the most effective way to get the most out of a CBD supplement. If full-spectrum, doctor-approved, highly bioavailable CBD oil is for you, click here!

Sources:

Understand the facts Obsessive – Compulsive Disorder — ADAA

OCD statistics 2020 — Singlecare.com

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder — NIMH

Treatments for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder — verywellmind.com

Cannabis reduces OCD symptoms by half in the short-term — Science Daily

The Endocannabinoid System:  A New Treatment Target for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder? — Cannabis Cannabinoid Research

The post Is cannabis a safer, effective answer to OCD? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

While chemotherapy is necessary to treat many forms of cancer, it can come with some rough side effects, including nausea, vomiting, hair loss, weight loss, fatigue, mouth and throat problems, anemia and infection.

But that’s not even the worst part. After going through chemotherapy and enduring its hellish side effects, sometimes the patient discovers that the chemotherapy did not work on their cancer. All that pain and suffering… and it didn’t even help.

One cancer that can be especially difficult to treat with traditional chemotherapy drugs is colorectal cancer, which is the No. 3 killer among cancers in the United States. According to Dr. Ajay Goel at City of Hope cancer center, “Approximately half of all colorectal cancer patients will develop resistance to chemotherapy, and when they do, almost nothing works.”

That grim outlook looks to be changing. Results of a recent cellular study by City of Hope show that pairing chemotherapy with the natural botanical Andrographis paniculate was more effective in treating colorectal cancer than using either therapy alone. If these results translate to treating human patients, it will be a welcome breakthrough in treating chemotherapy-resistant colorectal cancer.

Natural support for chemotherapy

Right now, the only way to help patients resistant to 5-fluorouracil (5FU), the most common chemotherapy for colorectal cancer, is to give them other types of chemotherapies. Unfortunately, the cancer tends to resist these add-on drugs as well, and they can be highly toxic and do more damage to the patient.

There is growing evidence that active ingredients in plants can make cancer cells more sensitive to chemotherapy. As a bonus, many of these natural substances are nontoxic—they zero in on killing chemo-resistant cancer cells, leaving the rest of the body undisturbed.

A bitter-tasting annual plant found and used in much of South Asia, Andrographis is known for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral properties. And more and more studies are showing that Andrographis kills cancer cells.

“In cancer there are hundreds of pathways that are malfunctioning, and modern therapies are designed to target a specific gene or molecule or pathway,” Dr. Goel says. “Unlike many of the targeted therapies we use in cancer patients, natural treatments are unique, as they don’t target a specific pathway but work on many pathways.”

In the City of Hope study, researchers discovered that Andrographis alters two major pathways, one of which regulates programmed cell death and the other of which involves cell metabolism. Cancer wreaks havoc on both these pathways, allowing old cells to grow out of control and steal nutrition away from healthy cells. And Andrographis restores both pathways to their regular function.

Botanicals may help prevent disease

Dr. Goel has studied other botanicals in treating colorectal cancer and identified two more that can help: curcumin, found in turmeric; and boswellic acid, a gum resin from the boswellia tree. Both of these natural substances were found to regulate certain microRNAs pathways in human colorectal cancer, suggesting that they could be useful for preventing the disease.

If you’re looking to protect yourself against colorectal cancer, Dr. Goel recommends taking curcumin and boswellic acid. Both are easily available as supplements and have powerful anti-inflammatory properties.

As a bonus, these botanicals have a bunch of other health benefits. For instance, clinical studies of boswellic acid have shown it can manage other inflammatory conditions such as asthma, arthritis, cerebral edema, chronic bowel diseases and chronic pain syndrome. And in separate studies, curcumin — an active compound in turmeric — has demonstrated protective or preventive effects on diabetes, as well as the liver, nervous system and cardiovascular system.

Sources:

Chemotherapy side effects — American Cancer Society

Study finds botanical effective for chemo-resistant colon cancer — City of Hope

Drug resistance and new therapies in colorectal cancer — World Journal of Gastroenterology

Andrographis Clinical Summary — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

An Update on Pharmacological Potential of Boswellic Acids against Chronic Diseases — International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Bioactivity, Health Benefits, and Related Molecular Mechanisms of Curcumin: Current Progress, Challenges and Perspectives — Nutrients

The post The Chinese herb in the fight against colorectal cancer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Now, before you get the wrong idea, I should make it clear that I don’t take those popular drugstore cough medicines that contain dextromethorphan, a cough suppressant that can make you feel loopy and even lead to addiction when used inappropriately…

I take a simple, natural cough medicine made from honey. And it tastes really good… even when I’m sick. But even more importantly, it’s effective. When I take it, my cough gets better.

Of course, I imagine a lot of people see the all-natural honey stuff on the shelf and think, “That’s not going to work, I need the serious stuff.” So, they buy Robitussin, Dayquil or Nyquil. But here’s the catch…

In the case of cough medicines, the popular stuff filled with potent (and potentially dangerous ) drugs doesn’t work better. The natural, simpler remedy comes out on top…

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A spoonful of honey helps your coughing go down

Now, I typically buy a cough medicine that contains honey along with a few other natural ingredients. But it turns out, I could simplify even more and still get great results… I could just use whole, natural honey.

A new research review from researchers at Oxford University found that honey is the most effective treatment for upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) like colds.

These researchers analyzed data from 14 clinical trials that tested the most common treatments for URTIs, including over-the-counter cold and sinus medicines as well as antibiotics.

Honey was by far the most effective. It was 36 percent better than other treatments at reducing coughing and 44 percent better at reducing cough severity.

Even more amazing, it helped people recover from their infections faster. It knocked two days off their infection time on average… which means two fewer days of feeling miserable.

These researchers believe honey is so effective against URTIs because it contains hydrogen peroxide, which can kill bacteria. But as you know, many respiratory tract infections are caused by viruses, so there’s more to the story than just that. I believe honey’s known anti-viral properties come into play as well (although, researchers didn’t mention that specifically). Honey is also the perfect consistency to coat your mouth and throat, which helps soothe irritation.

Treat your next cough with honey

So, next time you have a cold or other upper respiratory tract infection, buy a jar of honey or a natural, honey-based cough medicine instead of those intense OTC cough medicines.

If you decide to use raw, natural honey instead of a prepackaged honey cough medicine, there are a few ways you can take it. You can simply take a spoonful of honey when you need a bit of cough relief. Or you can add a couple of teaspoons of honey to hot water along with some fresh lemon juice. This is a great way to soothe a sore throat.

You can even use honey when your children or grandchildren are sick. But whatever you do, make sure you don’t give honey to any child under 1 year old. It contains bacteria their bodies aren’t mature enough to digest and could cause botulism.

Sources:

1. Honey found to be a better treatment for upper respiratory tract infections than traditional remedies — MedicalXpress.
2. Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis — BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine.
3. Is it true that honey calms coughs better than cough medicine does? — Mayo Clinic.
4. Honey, not antibiotics, recommended for coughs — National Health Services (NHS) UK.

The post Honey beats medications at treating cough and upper respiratory tract infections appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The Ayurveda tradition, which began in India, from 3,000 to 5,000 years ago, may be the most familiar to most of us.

You may not know a lot of specifics about it, but chances are you’ve heard of it, especially if you’re of the mindset that you’d rather avoid getting sick in the first place than have to work harder at treating or reversing a condition… a difficult thing to do (though, not impossible) once disease has a hold on the body.

That last part is something our modern health system has never quite embraced. We go to the doctor when we’re sick — not when we’re well, except for maybe that yearly checkup which provides the perfect opportunity for your doctor to increase whatever current medicines you may take.

But Ayurvedic practices advocated the maintenance of good health through oral traditions which included a vast knowledge of healing plants. Finally, doubters can put their money where their mouth on at least one of those ancient “cures.”

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The history of Nigella sativa

The Nigella sativa plant — also called black cumin, black sesame and black caraway — is native to Africa, Asia and the Mediterranean. And much of the earliest information we have about it was written by “the most influential philosopher of the pre-modern era.” His name was Avicenna and he put those oral traditions down in writing in two books: The Book of Healing and The Canon of Medicine. These books were created around the years 1020 and 1025 and remained the standard of medicine through the mid-17^th century.

Though Avicenna may have provided the most thorough ancient information on Nigella sativa, Hippocrates and Dioscorides also mentioned it in their texts. And the Bible describes it as the “curative black cumin” (Isaiah 28:25, 27 NKJV).

The seeds were used in foods and poultices. They were also ground to powder. But the golden oil of the seeds was also extracted and consumed. And as we’ve found, there are healthy oils and not-so-healthy oils. Golden seed oil has been found to contain unsaturated fatty acids, namely linoleic and gamma-linolenic acids, which are essential for a healthy immune system, putting it in the healthy group.

Apparently, it was so widely used for a vast array of conditions that it was referred to as “the remedy for all disease.” But modern research has been focusing on one disease where its scientific credibility is stacking up…

The mounting research on Nigella sativa and diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is considered one of the most preventable diseases. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to do so. Many conditions can contribute to the disease and make it harder to reverse, including obesity, hypertension and metabolic syndrome.

But there is quite a bit of published research that indicates Nigella sativa could help. Here are few with impressive findings:

• The Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism found that, in mice, black seed oil, “causes gradual partial regeneration of pancreatic beta-cells (the ones in your body that make insulin), increases the lowered serum insulin concentrations, and decreases the elevated serum glucose.”
• A study in human participants found that at a dose of 2 grams per day, black seed oil was able to lower fasting blood sugar, decrease insulin resistance, improve pancreatic beta-cell function and lower HBA1c (average blood sugar level over a two to three-month timeframe).
• A published review in the Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders from 2013 found black seed oil could be effective against obesity.

Some of these studies were small, some on animals, but also some on humans. But before I get behind something, there’s one scientific method I prefer to see… a systematic review of the evidence.

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The evidence stacks up

Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials provide the clearest evidence for the benefits of a healthcare intervention. Recently, a (published in May 2020) comprehensive systematic review was performed that looked at the published results about Nigella sativa.

And here is what the researchers determined:

• Nigella sativa has a key role in herbal medicine as an adjuvant remedy for the treatment and management of patients with Diabetes Mellitus and its complications.
• The beneficial effects of Nigella sativa preparations depend on dosage forms, prescribed active ingredients and duration of the intervention.
• The best dosage to improve glycemic indices and lipid and lipoprotein profiles is 2 g daily powdered Nigella sativa for at least 12 weeks.

According to the review, dietary supplementation with Nigella sativa preparations can improve various secondary complications of diabetic patients because it possesses anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive and anti-obesity effects. Additionally, it was shown to help:

• Restore the antioxidant defense systems
• Decrease inflammatory biomarkers
• Improve endothelial dysfunction, and hepatic, kidney, heart and immune system functions

A 2017 review indicated that Nigella sativa may be heading to drug development, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this 2020 review doesn’t put that into motion even faster. That may be helpful, but before type 2 diabetes digs its claws in, blood sugar spikes slowly decrease insulin sensitivity and lead to pre-diabetes. Along with a healthy diet and exercise, it appears this simple seed’s golden oil could be the prevention, not prescription, we should reach for.

Sources:

1. Avicenna — Wikipedia

The post Prevention or prescription: Black cumin seed, golden oil and diabetes appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

I’ve never thought of my diffuser as anything but a blessing to my health and home. It’s an easy way to take advantage of the benefits of aromatherapy, and it’s a great alternative to chemical air fresheners. But I recently read something that made me wonder if there’s a dark side to my diffuser I didn’t know about…

France’s food and environmental safety agency ANSES issued a report recently that said essential oil diffusers could cause dangerous pollution in the home. As an avid essential oil diffuser user, that got my attention. Here’s why French health officials think essential oil diffusers are dangerous…

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Essential oil diffusers and concern about toxins

In a recent report, officials from France’s food and environmental safety agency ANSES says 1,400 cases of essential oil diffuser side effects were reported to anti-poison centers in France between 2011 and 2019.

Now, in the majority of cases, people called because of an accident. Most often, a child had accidentally ingested an essential oil. There were, however, some reports of other side effects caused by regular use of an essential oil diffuser, like eye, nose and throat irritation and breathing problems.

Researchers believe these side effects happened because of chemical organic compounds in essential oils called phenols and ketones. Phenol does have toxic effects on its own. But it’s hard to say how much (if any) harm the natural phenols in essential oils cause. Phenols are in plenty of products you encounter every day, including prescription and OTC medications, vaccines, cosmetics, foods and soaps.

There is evidence that inhaling a lot of phenol over a short period of time can cause breathing difficulties and muscle twitching in animals. But the dosage necessary to cause these side effects is far higher than what you’d typically encounter from your essential oil diffuser.

It’s also important to mention that phenols from plant-based compounds (like the ones you find in essential oils) act as antioxidants. That means they can fight free radicals and prevent damage to your DNA. They’ve even been shown to reduce the risk of cancer. So, they’re not all bad.

Ketones are compounds that have toxic effects at high levels too. But in smaller doses, they’re relatively safe. Just like phenols, they’re in many everyday products, including prescription drugs, supplements (thanks to the popularity of the keto diet) and solvents like acetone. Even more interestingly, ketones are behind many of the beneficial effects of essential oils. So, they’re not all bad either.

Using essential oil diffusers safely

I think ANSES’ warning about essential oil diffusers was issued out of an overabundance of caution. For the average user, essential oil diffusers are pretty darn safe. In fact, even ANSES said the irritation caused by essential oil diffusers wasn’t serious and quickly resolved once people weren’t exposed to them anymore.

All that said, there are a few things to keep in mind to prevent anyone else in your household from experiencing side effects. First off, you’ll want to make sure your essential oil collection is stored somewhere out of the reach of children and pets.

You’ll also want to consider who’s present in your household when selecting essential oils to diffuse, especially when it comes to children and pets. Certain oils are more likely to cause irritation to mucous membranes for sensitive individuals (like children):

• Bay
• Cinnamon bark or leaf
• Clove bud or leaf
• Lemongrass
• Peppermint
• Thyme

There are also certain oils that are toxic to dogs and cats, so do your research before diffusing any essential oil in your house. You should be careful not to go overboard on essential oils as well. You can have too much of a good thing. Don’t use your diffuser nonstop. Stick to 30-60 minute increments, and make sure to take at least a 30-60 minute break in between diffuser sessions.

Sources:

1. Essential oil diffusers may cause pollution in home says watchdog — MedicalXpress.
2. Essential Oil Diffusers May Cause Pollution in Home Says Watchdog — Courthouse News Service.
3. What are the Medical and Health Uses for Phenol? — Healthline.
4. Are Essential Oils Safe? 13 Things to Know Before Use — Healthline.

The post Essential oil diffusers may pose an unexpected risk appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, more than enough proof has surfaced in recent years to convince any doubter that maintaining a weed-free yard and enjoying bottled water are convenient habits not worth the health risks.

But while we’ve been focused mostly on toxins and poisons and even pollution, there’s another threat that deserves your attention…

Heavy metals build up in your body and are capable of contributing to autoimmune diseases and the underlying inflammation that accelerates the process of chronic illness.

They can accumulate as a result of industrial exposure, air or water pollution, foods, medicines, improperly coated food containers or the ingestion of lead-based paints. In case you missed it in the news, lead and arsenic have been found in fruit juice.

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Health problems associated with heavy metals

According to the Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, heavy metal toxicity can have a wide range of negative effects.

• Mercury can cause depression and add to anxiety; mercury and cadmium can significantly compromise your immune system. Amalgam fillings still present a significant risk of mercury poisoning, mercury toxicity can also cause allergies.
• Lead poisoning particularly disturbs GABA balance. This neurotransmitter enables the brain to inhibit persistent thoughts going around and around. When GABA becomes deficient it can contribute to anxiety, lead also dulls your intelligence.
• Lead, cadmium (from smoking) and arsenic disturb dopamine. This neurotransmitter gives the brain energy, motivation and the capacity for pleasure, when it becomes deficient you can get a low energy demotivated depression.

But it doesn’t end there.

The health of your brain can also be affected by an accumulation of metals. Previous studies have shown that the aggregation of amyloid beta clusters is often dependent on their interaction with metal molecules in the brain — particularly zinc and copper.

Chelation therapy has long been established for helping to remove heavy metals from the body by using a chelation agent. Chelators, as the Greek origin of the name implies, help claw and remove metals from the body, and there are a few we’ll talk about here…

EDTA chelation therapy for heavy metals

The first supplement that makes up that list is one known as EDTA. You also may have heard of it as EDTA chelation therapy, which was approved by the FDA to aid in lead poisoning. EDTA can be administered via IV or oral supplementation.

A study at the University of Michigan found that one dose of an oral EDTA chelation product showed excretion of heavy metals in the following amounts:

• Aluminum: 229 percent
• Arsenic: 661 percent
• Cadmium: 276 percent
• Lead: 350 percent
• Mercury: 773 percent
• Nickel: 9,439 percent

EDTA can also remove calcium. Yes, calcium is an essential mineral, but if the body has excess calcium or when the body is not metabolizing it efficiently, calcium can lead to coronary arterial calcification (CAC). That’s why CAC scores are a significant indicator of heart health.

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Inositol hexaphosphate

Inositol hexaphosphate (also called IP6 or phytate), a carbohydrate found naturally in many plants and mammalian cells, where it performs important messenger roles and affects numerous cellular processes, was shown in a 2006 study reported in Frontiers in Bioscience to significantly reduce the calcium content in the aorta and heart tissue of rats treated with it.

Studies in humans have confirmed that taking IPS increases bone mineral density by encouraging calcium to move to the bones instead of the blood vessels, similarly to EDTA.

Other natural heavy metal chelators

1. Malic acid — A natural substance manufactured by your body and found in apples and grapes, malic acid works in much the same ways as EDTA to remove the toxic metals aluminum, lead and strontium.
2. Garlic — A natural chelator and also an antioxidant, garlic can help chelate lead and mercury from your body. It’s also thought to help to lower the sticky cholesterol underlying the atherosclerosis process and help keep your arteries elastic.
3. Modified citrus pectin (MCP) — Derived from the pith of citrus peels, MCP has been extensively studied for its ability to remove heavy metals and toxins from the circulatory system, ensuring elimination through the urinary tract, similarly to the way EDTA helps metals leave the body via urine.

Sources:

1. The Best Supplements For Detox And A Healthier Heart — Easy Health Options
2. EDTA Chelation Effects on Urinary Losses of Cadmium, Calcium, Chromium, Cobalt, Copper, Lead, Magnesium and Zinc — National Library of Medicine
3. Magnesium helps the heart keep its mettle — Harvard Health Publishing
4. Chelation: Getting the lead out — Easy Health Options
5. Phytate (Myo-inositol hexakisphosphate) inhibits cardiovascular calcifications in rats — Europe PMC
6. Phytate (Myo-Inositol Hexaphosphate) and Risk Factors for Osteoporosis — National Library of Medicine
7. Inositol Hexakisphosphate Inhibits Osteoclastogenesis on RAW 264.7 Cells and Human Primary Osteoclasts — NCBI
8. Phytate Associated with Reduced Bone Loss and Fractures in Postmenopausal Women — Osteoporosis–Studies
9. Vitamin K and Vascular Calcifications — National Library of Medicine
10. Effects of the Blood Coagulation Vitamin K as an Inhibitor of Arterial Calcification — National Library of Medicine
11. Chelation Therapy for CAD — American College of Cardiology

The post Clearing out heavy metals that weigh your health down appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, most people don’t know that just like medical doctors, chiropractors are required to complete years of school beyond their initial college degrees — including much of the same curriculum used in medical schools across the country, from gross anatomy (even dissection of a human body) to extensive courses in biochemistry, obstetrics and gynecology and more.

Like medical doctors, chiropractors are also required to complete an internship before being granted their diplomas and licenses to practice.

This results in doctors who are very good at making a correct diagnosis of spinal column-related injuries and ailment…  and who probably have more expertise in this area than medical doctors.

And while many still don’t think of heading to the chiropractor when they’ve been injured, scientific literature backs up chiropractic as a natural, safe and extremely effective option for the treatment of a number of conditions.

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Conditions a chiropractic adjustment can help

#1 — Neck pain

Neck injury due to car accidents is usually managed first by an emergency room doctor. This allows more dangerous issues like fractures to be ruled out and ensure that you don’t require surgery. Once they’ve decided you’re in the clear, they’ll let you head home and recommend ice, rest and pain relievers.

Yet, science tells us that even in a very minor car accident, there will still be damage — that can’t be seen on x-rays — to your soft tissues (ligaments and muscles) as well as to the facet joints of your spinal vertebrae.

And evidence is mounting that early spinal adjustments performed by a chiropractor have the power to enhance recovery far more than the conventional approach of rest and pain medicine.

#2 — Low back pain

Low back pain is another common condition that can be effectively and safely treated by a chiropractor. In fact, a 2000 study reported in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that, “Patients with chronic low back pain treated by chiropractors show greater improvement and satisfaction (90 percent vs. 52 percent) at one month than patients treated by family physicians.”

The study even found that chiropractic patients experience greater relief from low back pain (56%) than people who were treated by medical doctors at only 13 percent.

When it comes to chronic low back pain, chiropractic care wins by a large margin.

The relief you get from low back pain thanks to chiropractic care might be more long lasting as well. A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that pain scores were lower for chiropractic patients than for medical patients with chronic and acute low back pain up to one year following treatment.

And while a literature synthesis of 64 randomized clinical trials and 13 meta-analyses found that chiropractic is more effective at reducing chronic low back pain than acute (recent) back injuries, it is effective for both conditions.

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#3 — Conditions of the upper and lower extremities

About 20 percent of all chiropractic visits are for conditions of the upper and lower extremities and the science says that it’s working!

A clinical trial that looked at the effectiveness of manipulative therapy for these conditions found that among those receiving chiropractic care, twice as many reported complete recovery compared to medical treatment alone over a three-month timeframe.

Just a few of the lower extremity conditions that chiropractic may help include:

• Knee osteoarthritis
• Patellofemoral pain syndrome
• Ankle sprain
• Hip osteoarthritis

#4 — Non-musculoskeletal conditions

While you might not think of chiropractic as anything more than a way to care for your spine and other joints, scientific studies are also showing the modality has a place in maintaining your overall health and well-being too.

Studies show that having your atlas (your first cervical vertebra) adjusted can result in significant and sustained reductions in blood pressure at the same level as using two prescription medications combined.

A systematic literature review of 179 published papers on chiropractic care for non-musculoskeletal conditions found it to be beneficial for:

• Asthma
• Vertigo (cervical spine-related)
• Infantile colic

And it was found to have potential benefits for otitis media (middle ear infection) in children and pneumonia in the elderly.

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Safe, natural, effective

So if you’re living with any of the above conditions that have been scientifically proven to benefit from chiropractic care, make an appointment today. Chiropractic is a natural, medication-free, nonsurgical form of health care that can help not only ease your pain but improve your health.

Sources:

1. The pros and cons of using a chiropractor, part 2 — Easy Health Options
2. Biomechanics of Whiplash Injury — National Library of Medicine
3. Whiplash injury — The Bone & Joint Journal
4. Patient Characteristics, Practice Activities and One-Month Outcomes for Chronic, Recurrent Low-Back Pain Treated by Chiropractors and Family Medicine Physicians: A Practice-Based Feasibility Study — National Library of Medicine
5. Patients Using Chiropractors in North America: Who Are They, and Why Are They in Chiropractic Care? — National Library of Medicine
6. Patient Satisfaction With the Chiropractic Clinical Encounter: Report From a Practice-based Research Program — Chiro.org
7. A Practice-Based Study of Patients With Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain Attending Primary Care and Chiropractic Physicians: Two-Week to 48-month Follow-Up — National Library of Medicine
8. Chiropractic Management of Low Back Pain and Low Back-Related Leg Complaints: A Literature Synthesis — National Library of Medicine
9. Manipulative Therapy in Addition to Usual Medical Care for Patients With Shoulder Dysfunction and Pain: A Randomized, Controlled Trial — National Library of Medicine
10. Manipulative Therapy for Lower Extremity Conditions: Expansion of Literature Review — National Library of Medicine
11. Chiropractic treatment of lower extremity conditions — Macquarie University
12. Atlas vertebra realignment and achievement of arterial pressure goal in hypertensive patients: a pilot study — Journal of Human Hypertension
13. Chiropractic Care for Nonmusculoskeletal Conditions: A Systematic Review With Implications for Whole Systems Research — National Library of Medicine

The post Conditions scientifically shown to benefit from chiropractic care appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But wait…

Many of those pills have been linked to memory problems and, possibly, dementia — even the over-the-counter ones. And who really wants to take a pill and full glass of water when you already feel like your stomach’s about to explode?

Luckily, a new study has found indigestion relief in an ancient Chinese practice. That’s why we’re going to break down why the proof is in the pudding when it comes to acupuncture and indigestion… and how to use the treatment to defeat your indigestion and get rid of the bloat for good.

Significant relief without rebound pain

The study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at a type of indigestion known as postprandial distress syndrome or PDS. This type of indigestion might be familiar since the main symptoms are a feeling of early fullness after eating (even a little) and bloating in your upper abdomen.

In other words, you get that full feeling far sooner than you should, and when you look down, your stomach has blown up.

Previous studies on acupuncture for the condition have been limited by a small number of participants and poor study quality so no one really knew if the treatment could be helpful or not, leaving patients without enough choice when it came to finding relief.

Related: 4 dementia-causing drugs to avoid

So, researchers at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine set out to correct that issue and discover the truth behind the effects of acupuncture on indigestion.

The team randomly assigned 278 patients with PDS to either 12 sessions of acupuncture or the same number of sham acupuncture sessions (basically, pretend sessions where the people thought they were receiving true acupuncture treatments but really received no treatment at all).

These sessions were conducted over four weeks and the researchers then compared the proportion of patients in each group who reported “extreme improvement” or “improvement” in their stomach symptoms as well as the proportion of patients who experienced complete resolution of their symptoms the big winners.

And it came down to this…

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In the head-to-head challenge of acupuncture versus no acupuncture for indigestion, the ancient Chinese treatment came out on top by a wide margin!

The researchers found that a significantly higher proportion of patients in the acupuncture group experienced overall improvement or even complete and total elimination of their symptoms than in the sham acupuncture group.

And the acupuncture patients were still feeling the benefits for at least 12 weeks after their final acupuncture treatment with no problems with relapsing, rebound in pain or adverse effects.

So not only did acupuncture work, it kept working! And unlike the drugs your doctor might prescribe, it won’t steal your memory.

That’s a win-win-win situation!

Acupuncture facts to remember when setting up your sessions

If you’re living with indigestion and would like to use acupuncture to find relief naturally, no drugs involved, here are a few facts to remember.

First, it takes more than one session to see the benefits — in the case of the study above, it took 12 sessions.

Second, and maybe most importantly to some, acupuncture isn’t painful. Although many worry that those needles will feel like getting a shot multiple times, the truth is that acupuncture needles are so small that you can insert one into an inflated balloon without popping it.

So, don’t be afraid to give acupuncture a try to find relief from your indigestion and banish the bloat for good.

Sources:

1. Acupuncture may be safe and effective for easing indigestion symptoms — Eureka Alert
2. Newly discovered mechanism can explain increased risk of dementia — ScienceDaily
3. Efficacy of acupuncture for postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) — ISRCTNregistry
4. Acupuncture offers better pain relief — Easy Health Options

The post Ancient Chinese remedy soothes indigestion without drugs or side effects appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

No doubt about it, anyone in cardiovascular research knows calcium is the culprit behind heart disease. In fact calcium trumps cholesterol at saving the heart.

But for far too long the focus has been on cholesterol. The money for research and the development of pharmaceuticals that manage cholesterol (as well as research for off label uses for these meds) has created quite a lucrative industry for those involved.

That makes it hard to look elsewhere for answers when cholesterol is footing all your bills.

But research into another growing health problem may intersect this blind spot of cardiovascular research to provide an answer for two very serious health conditions that both lead to vascular calcification… and hearts that give out.

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Why chronic kidney disease leads to heart disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) kills more people in American yearly than breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Part of the reason could be that there are so many Americans that have certain conditions that put them at high risk for it. Those conditions include diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

But heart disease isn’t just a risk factor. Chronic kidney disease can give you heart disease. In fact, most people with CKD die from heart disease — not kidney failure.

The reason? Calcium builds up in your arteries when your kidneys stop working.

Because vascular calcification is part and parcel to CKD the latest research into saving the lives of people with the disease aims to clear their arteries — which should be the same goal for saving patients with heart disease.

Removing rogue calcium saves lives

Researchers in Zurich, Switzerland, are looking at a plant molecule that naturally binds to minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron, to see if it will help remove the calcium salts that are deposited in the blood vessels and heart valves of patients with CKD as their metabolism is impaired by the disease.

“Calcification occurs when calcium phosphate crystals are deposited in tissue,” explains Jean-Christophe Leroux, Professor of Drug Formulation and Delivery at ETH Zurich. “The compound adheres to calcium phosphate crystals, inhibiting their growth.”

The compound is a molecule known as IP6 and is found legumes and cereals — perhaps one reason that foods high in fiber are often recommended for a heart-healthy diet.

The scientists have known for a while that IP6 also has an effect in the human bloodstream, where it has to be injected. So far, in vitro experiments to study the molecules’ ability to inhibit the growth of calcium phosphate crystals in the blood, as well as mice studies, shows IP6 is particularly suitable for the job.

However, it will be a while, following testing in humans, before IP6 could be the next prescription, aside from the same old statin handouts doctors offer us to actually remove calcium or keep it from building up in our arteries. But don’t hold your breath…

Who knows if you will have to have heart disease via CKD to even be offered the medication. Because cardiologists have known of a similar therapy that binds to calcium for decades, but they don’t talk about it…

Chelation for kidney patients but not heart patients

If you’ve been reading me for a while, you may already be familiar with the term chelation.

Chelation is a therapy that removes heavy metals and minerals from the blood using a chelator substance, like ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA), an amino acid, that binds to them. EDTA is well-known for removing calcium as a component of urine.

If that sounds like a possible alternative to bypass heart surgery, that’s because it could be. Since bypass surgery is the most profitable income to hospitals, a big propaganda effort by conventional medicine has been ongoing for many years.

EDTA is very similar in composition to common household vinegar, and it’s currently approved to help remove lead from people who’ve been exposed to too much. It’s also used by dentists as an irrigator during endodontic procedures.

And like IP6 is may be approved soon to be used on Chronic Kidney Disease patients to keep their arteries clear of calcium deposits.

Like the researchers in Zurich, researchers at Clemson University have set out to stop vascular calcification in CKD patients. In their work, animals were treated with EDTA infusions enclosed in a nanoparticle coupled with an antibody that seeks out damaged elastin. In animals that received the targeted therapy, calcium buildup was destroyed without causing side effects. Moreover, the calcification did not come back up to four weeks after the last injection, even though other signs of chronic kidney disease were present.

But unless your heart problems stem from CKD, you could be denied these potential treatments if and when they are approved. That’s because although many studies from the 1950s until the 1990s show chelation can improve heart disease symptoms and potentially reverse atherosclerosis, the FDA and most cardiologists aren’t on board with it.

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Healthy blood flow alternatives

EDTA chelation therapy is available through some specialized integrative physicians. I have also seen it in capsule form. But it’s not the only chelator (substance for binding and removing minerals). Some natural ones include:

• Malic acid: Your body manufactures this natural chelator. Apples and grapes contain several hundred milligrams of malic acid. Although not as powerful as EDTA, it is thought to be a good addition to EDTA for improving blood flow, too.
• Garlic: A natural chelator and also an antioxidant, garlic has the ability to chelate lead and mercury from the body. It is thought to help to lower the sticky cholesterol underlying the atherosclerosis process and help keep your arteries elastic.
• Cilantro: is an important source of organic selenium, a very important mineral in heavy metal detox.

And other nutrients boost the health of arteries to keep them smooth and pliable:

• L-Arginine: at 6 grams daily triggers the natural arterial secretion of nitric oxide, which dramatically relaxes arterial smooth muscle for optimal blood flow.
• Nattokinase: nature’s blocker clot-buster derived from the Japanese natto bean. Keeps arterial blood flow optimal.
• Alpha-lipoic acid: scavenges free radicals and helps to promote arterial flexibility.

Sources:

1. A new substance prevents vascular calcification — EurekAlert
2. Kidney disease killer vulnerable to targeted nano therapy — EurekAlert

The post The kidney disease research that could save hearts appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The good news is that lead poisoning is largely treatable, and the earlier it is detected the better. Let’s look closer at treatment methods…

Diagnosis, first

If you are suspecting lead toxicity as the cause of symptoms, have your doctor order a blood test to measure it. For example, the lab I use most is Labcorp. They have a whole blood lead level test or even better, the Heavy Metals Profile I. There is also a finger stick test.

Remember that there is no safe blood level of lead. It’s been tied to illnesses ranging from mystery military ailments to heart disease.

The most important first step to treating lead poisoning is to identify and remove the source of the contamination the best you can. For the majority of us, know that lead-based paints were routinely used in homes build before 1978 and that even household dust is a major source of lead.

Treatment for lead poisoning

Chelation is a method of binding up metal molecules so it can be eliminated via the urine. There are also antioxidants (e.g. N-acetylcysteine) that help to remove lead from the body which I’ll address below.

The first and safest chelation method is by taking a pill called DMSA (meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid) or DMPS (2,3-dimercapto-propanesulphonate). These are pills and have low side effects or toxicity. DMSA is less toxic than DMPS. It takes several months of taking these weekly or twice weekly to slowly release lead from tissues.

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was first patented in 1938 as a chelating agent capable of binding metallic and non-metallic ions and releasing them from physiological tissue.¹ Therefore, calcium disodium EDTA chelation is approved by the FDA for use in treating not only lead poisoning but also other heavy metals. It removes heavy metals and minerals from your blood such as lead, iron, copper, and calcium.

Calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) is given by IV injection, but oral pills are available, though they would work much more slowly.

The EDTA-metal chelate Edetate disodium (the sodium salt of EDTA) binds to calcium and first used to treat hypercalcemia and digitalis intoxication before it became popular in reducing atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

Once in your bloodstream, calcium disodium EDTA sheds its calcium bond and aggressively chelates toxic heavy metals such as lead and mercury, whichever metal molecule it comes in contact with first.

Calcium disodium is not very well absorbed from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract; only about 5-18% actually makes it into your bloodstream where it can chelate and remove toxins. Additionally, unabsorbed calcium disodium EDTA (the portion that does not get back into the bloodstream) continues to chelate toxic metals as it passes through your intestinal tract.

The GI chelating effect of oral chelation of other metals was demonstrated at the University of Michigan in a small study. They measured the excretion of unwanted heavy metals 14 patients after taking one dose of oral calcium disodium EDTA. It showed dramatic excretion of unwanted heavy metals by the following amounts: aluminum: 229%; Arsenic: 661%; Cadmium: 276%; Lead: 350%; Mercury: 773%; and Nickel: 9439%.

You should know that with oral chelation you may lose some beneficial trace elements such as zinc and calcium along with the toxic ones listed above.  However, with a diet of adequate fresh vegetables — or even supplementing with zinc and calcium, you can easily overcome this. Yet, some good news here is that EDTA appears not to deplete the trace minerals cobalt, chromium, and copper and even helps retain the beneficial trace mineral magnesium.  Furthermore, EDTA is an amino acid that enhances the absorption of zinc with protein and the amino acids cysteine and methionine.

Although the topic of another article, EDTA has been proven in many prior studies to reduce cardiovascular disease especially.  The more recently completed TACT trial by the NIH proved the tremendous benefit of EDTA for diabetics.  What’s more, EDTA and supplemental chromium have both been shown to improve blood glucose, lipids, and insulin activity in diabetic patients. This was demonstrated and reported in the December 1999 issue of Biological Trace Element Research.

The other chelators for lead

These two chelating agents (DMSA and EDTA) have been studied and compared. Here is what research has shown us about them:

• Sodium calcium edetate causes dose-related nephrotoxicity.
• Both agents (DMSA and EDTA) deplete zinc and copper. The effect on zinc is significantly greater with EDTA.
• A transient increase in liver function (transaminases) is more common with DMSA, but neither causes any clinically significant liver toxicity.
• Skin lesions during treatment with EDTA are unusual and have been attributed to zinc deficiency.
• DMSA has occasionally been associated with a severe mucocutaneous reaction necessitating discontinuation of therapy.
• DMSA pills and EDTA infusions are both effective chelators of lead and considered equally effective. Both antidotes resolve symptoms of moderate to severe lead toxicity fairly rapidly.

Chelator antioxidants

Chelator antioxidants have the ability to decrease blood lead levels and the oxidative stress that results from lead poisoning. Glutathione and N-acetylcysteine are two of these that have shown effectiveness. N-Acetylcysteine is a natural antioxidant. It is a precursor to cysteine and glutathione in metabolic pathways. Both are detoxifying agents for heavy metal ions.

However, as far as I understand them, they are proving their effectiveness in animal studies but used in mainstream medical practice due to the lack of human studies.

To long-term health and feeling well,

Michael Cutler, M.D.

Sources:

1. Lead, Whole Blood (Adult) — LabCorp
2. Heavy Metals Profile I, Whole Blood — LabCorp
3. Lead, Blood, Filter Paper — LabCorp
4. What can I do to protect my family from lead contamination that was found in my neighborhood? — Pollution Prevention and Toxics | U.S. EPA
5. Chen W, Ercal N, Huynh T, Volkov A, Chusuei CC. Characterizing N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA) binding for lead poisoning treatment — J Colloid Interface Sci. 2012 Apr 1;371(1):144-9. PubMed PMID: 22284448
6. Bjørklund G, Mutter J, Aaseth J. Metal chelators and neurotoxicity: lead, mercury, and arsenic — Arch Toxicol. 2017 Dec;91(12):3787-3797. Review. PubMed PMID: 29063135
7. Waters RS, Bryden NA, Patterson KY, Veillon C, Anderson RA.  EDTA chelation effects on urinary losses of cadmium, calcium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, magnesium, and zinc — Biol Trace Elem Res. 2001 Dec;83(3):207-21
8. Mohamedshah F. Mineral absorption: zinc, selenium, chromium, calcium — Slide presentation at National Institute of Health Bioavailability Conference; January 5, 2000.
9. Chelation for Coronary Heart Disease — National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
10. Anderson RA, Bryden NA, Waters RS. EDTA chelation therapy does not selectively increase chromium losses — Biol Trace Elem Res. 1999 Dec;70(3):265-72.
11. Bradberry S, Vale A. A comparison of sodium calcium edetate (edetate calcium disodium) and succimer (DMSA) in the treatment of inorganic lead poisoning — Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2009 Nov;47(9):841-58. Review. PubMed PMID: 19852620
12. Gurer H, Ercal N. Can antioxidants be beneficial in the treatment of lead poisoning? — Free Radic Biol Med. 2000 Nov 15;29(10):927-45. Review. PubMed PMID: 11084283
13. Sisombath NS, Jalilehvand F. Similarities between N-Acetylcysteine and Glutathione in Binding to Lead(II) Ions — Chem Res Toxicol. 2015 Dec 21;28(12):2313-24. PubMed PMID: 26624959
14. Chen W, Ercal N, Huynh T, Volkov A, Chusuei CC. Characterizing N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA) binding for lead poisoning treatment — J Colloid Interface Sci. 2012 Apr 1;371(1):144-9. PubMed PMID: 22284448

The post Chelation: Getting the lead out appeared first on Easy Health Options®.