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Oregano And Rosemary Can Lower Blood Sugar Plus More Major Benefits!

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Diabetes, which currently affects more than 8 percent of the American population, is increasing at an unprecedented rate. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the incidence of this disease skyrocketed over the last three decades, rising 176 percent in the years 1980 through 2011.

Now, more than ever, a need for safe and effective treatment exists, and researchers are saying that a pair of fragrant, flavorful Mediterranean herbs may hold the key.

In a study conducted by researchers from the American Chemical Society and published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, rosemary and oregano were found to inhibit an enzyme, dipeptidyl peptidase IV, that promotes the secretion of insulin. Protein tyrosine phosphatase – which plays a role in insulin signaling – has led researchers to conclude that the herbs could be useful in preventing and treating diabetes.

Lead author and researcher Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia noted that although some cases of diabetes can be controlled through diet and exercise, many patients lack the discipline to follow a successful regimen. In addition, anti-diabetic drugs can be costly, as well as featuring negative side effects. On the other hand, herbs offer a safe, natural and cost-effective method of lowering blood glucose.

What are the beneficial properties of rosemary and oregano?

If you don’t have access to fresh rosemary and oregano, no worries – although, of course, it is always preferable to use fresh, organic herbs whenever possible, the dried “supermarket” version is just as effective when it comes tolowering blood sugar.

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Photo:www.iherb.com

The researchers tested the effects of both greenhouse-grown and commercial dried extracts. Not surprisingly, they found that the greenhouse version of the herbs had higher levels of beneficial polyphenols and flavonoids. However, the commercial dried extracts functioned just as well to lower blood sugar.

Of the different varieties of greenhouse and commercial herbs tested by the researchers, commercial Greek oregano – scientifically known as origanum vulgare – commercial Mexican oregano, or lippia graveolens – and both greenhouse and commercial rosemary – rosmarinic officinalis – performed best.

Polyphenols and flavonoids in rosemary and oregano shown to target inflammation

Courtesy of their high levels of phytochemicals, both rosemary and oregano are potent inflammation fighters. This pair of herbs is particularly rich in gallic acid, with some samples containing as much 430 micrograms per milligram of dried weight. Gallic acid, with confirmed anti-fungal, anti-viral, and chemopreventive properties, is first and foremost a stunningly effective antioxidant.

In a new animal study published in 2014 in International Journal of Inflammation, gallic acid not only had a beneficial effect on mice with laboratory-induced sepsis, it completely reversed lipid peroxidation – the damaging degradation of fats.

In addition, both rosemary and oregano are rich in antioxidant rosmarinic acid, beneficial volatile oils such as cineol, camphene and borneol, and the antioxidant vitamins A and C.

Rosemary can also alleviate age-related cognitive decline

Rosemary’s beneficial effects aren’t limited to inhibiting diabetes and promoting healthy blood sugar levels. By reducing oxidative stress in the part of the brain that controls learning and memory, rosemary may help to alleviate cognitive deficits that accompany aging.

According to recent animal studies conducted at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, several enhanced proprietary rosemary and spearmint extracts improved the cognitive performance of mice with age-related cognitive decline. The research team expressed hope that the herbs could be used to reduce cognitive problems occurring in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Source: healthy-holistic-living.com

What’s the Number 1 Health Condition of Older People?

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That may seem like an odd question, but the answers one gets may help explain some general misinformation.

The number one answer many people give is heart disease. While heart disease is the number 1 cause of deaths for people over the age of 65, it’s not the number 1 health condition that older people endure.

The second answer one general hears is cancer, but again, that would be wrong. It’s not cancer.

The number 1 health condition facing older individuals is arthritis. According the Center for Disease Control, 49.7% of adults over the age of 65 will suffer from some form of arthritis, but that does come with a caveat.

Depending upon the source, the term arthritis can refer to between 100 to 200 forms of diseases and conditions that affect joints and the tissues associated with the joints. These are further broken down into 7 main groups:

  • Inflammatory arthritis – Inflammation is a normal part of the body’s healing process. The inflammation tends to occur as a defense against viruses and bacteria or as a response to injuries such as burns. However, with inflammatory arthritis, inflammation occurs in people for no apparent reason. Inflammatory arthritis is characterized by damaging inflammation that does not occur as a normal reaction to injury or infection. This type of inflammation is unhelpful and instead causes damage in the affected joints, resulting in pain, stiffness and swelling.
  • Degenerative or mechanical arthritis – Degenerative or mechanical arthritis refers to a group of conditions primarily involving damage to the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones. The main job of the smooth, slippery cartilage is to help the joints glide and move smoothly. This type of arthritis causes the cartilage to become thinner and rougher. To compensate for the loss of cartilage and changes in joint function, the body begins to remodel the bone in an attempt to restore stability. This can cause undesirable bony growths to develop (osteophytes), or cause the joint to become misshapen. This condition is commonly called osteoarthritis.
  • Soft tissue musculoskeletal pain – Soft tissue musculoskeletal pain is felt in tissues other than the joints and bones. The pain often affects a part of the body following injury or overuse, such as tennis elbow, and originates from the muscles or soft tissues supporting the joints. Sometimes if the pain is more widespread and associated with other symptoms, it could be diagnosed as fibromyalgia.
  • Back pain – Back pain can arise from the muscles, discs, nerves, ligaments, bones or joints. Back pain may even be caused by problems with organs inside the body, and can be a result of referred pain, i.e. a problem elsewhere in the body that causes a sensation of pain in the back. Back pain may have a specific cause, such as osteoarthritis – often called spondylosis when it occurs in the spine – which may be visible on diagnostic imaging or physical examination. A “slipped” disc is another cause of back pain, as is osteoporosis (thinning of the bones). In most cases it is not possible for a doctor to identify the exact cause of back pain – this is often described as “non-specific” pain.
  • Connective tissue disease – Connective tissues are tissues that support, bind together or separate other body tissues and organs. They include tendons, ligaments and cartilage. Joint pain is a symptom of CTD, but the inflammation that characterizes CTD may also occur in other tissues including the skin, muscles, lungs and kidneys. This can result in a diverse range of symptoms besides painful joints and require consultation with a number of different specialists.
  • Infectious arthritis – A bacterium, virus or fungus entering the joint can sometimes cause inflammation. Organisms that can infect joints include:
    • Salmonella and Shigella (food poisoning or contamination)
    • Chlamydia and gonorrhea (sexually transmitted diseases)
    • Hepatitis C (a blood-to-blood infection, often through shared needles or transfusions).

In most of these cases, the joint infection can be cleared with antibiotics or other antimicrobial medication. However, the arthritis can sometimes become chronic, and/or joint damage may be irreversible if the infection has persisted for some time.

  • Metabolic arthritis – Uric acid is a chemical created when the body breaks down substances called purines. Purines are found in human cells and several foods. Most uric acid dissolves in blood and travels to the kidneys. From there, it passes out in urine. Some people have elevated levels of uric acid because they either naturally produce more than is needed or their body cannot clear the uric acid quickly enough. Uric acid builds up and accumulates in some people and forms needle-like crystals in the joint, resulting in sudden spikes of extreme joint pain or a gout attack.

Arthritis can affect younger people, but is more common as people age. It affects women and men and can make simple daily tasks difficult and even impossible. Many women like to sew, quilt, darn, knit and other hand-oriented crafts, but these activities can be greatly hindered by many forms of arthritis.

If you experience joint pain anywhere in your body, see a physician. Some forms of arthritis are curable, depending upon the cause and some are better managed with medications and location specific activities. There may be ways to help to make your pain ease off and make your life easier.

The Healthiest Drink Ever – Relieves Pain & Inflammation, Protects Your Heart & More

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Turmeric is considered the king of spices; in India, people add it to almost every dish that they cook. Turmeric is also an invaluable ingredient in many natural remedies. The spice contains more than 300 antioxidants and is beneficial to consume daily.

This juice recipe is made from turmeric; you can use powdered turmeric or fresh turmeric root. This elixir can be used as an analgesic, thanks to it’s anti-inflammatory properties. It also provides a wide range of health benefits.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp powdered turmeric or grated, fresh turmeric
  • ½ tsp grated ginger
  • 5 organic carrots
  • 1 organic orange
  • 2 organic lemons
  • 1 organic cucumber

Instructions:

Peel the citrus fruits. Cut the cucumber and carrots into pieces. Blend everything together in a high speed blender. Serve alone or with ice. For optimal results, drink this juice in the morning half an hour before you eat breakfast.

Benefits:

Helps Arthritis: Turmeric juice relieves inflammation caused by arthritis. When consumed, curcumin (one of the antioxidants found in turmeric) becomes active and relieves stiffness and swollen joints.

Treats Depression and Dementia: American scientists have proven that turmeric reduces the risk of depression and dementia and also relieves the symptoms of these conditions.

Lead researcher Dr. Ajay Goel analyzed the properties of turmeric together with his team.They found that turmeric is only 2-5 % less effective than pharmaceutical antidepressants. Turmeric can treat depression and dementia without causing side-effects.

“Speaking in the aspect of medicine, we have a natural remedy that is just 2% less effective than pharmaceutical drugs, and this 2% mean absolutely nothing,” says Dr. Goel. He adds that “turmeric is safe, even when consumed in large amounts.”

Scientists are still trying to determine how turmeric affects depression. They believe that it blocks the enzymes that increase the risk of depression, and also reduces the level of cytokines in the body; cytokines can affect the body’s response to stress.

Eliminates Toxins: This juice successfully flushes toxins out of the body and also improves the complexion.

Reduces Pain: According to researchers, turmeric is effective in the treatment of pain and inflammation caused by steroid drugs.

Experts at the National Institute of Health believe that turmeric is effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis because it stops the destruction of joints. Turmeric contains Nf-kB, a protein that activates the defensive mechanisms in the body that help fight pain.

Helps in Cancer Treatment: Antioxidants interfere and regulate the growth of free radicals in the body; free radicals lead to many diseases including cancer. Turmeric juice provides prevention against ovarian, colon, prostate, and breast cancer.

Nourishes Heart and Blood Vessels: Turmeric juice regulates cholesterol and protects heartand blood vessels. Turmeric also helps to prevent potential cardiovascular diseases.

Treats Digestive Problems: This juice reduces bloating, relieves heartburn, and heals gastritis. Add turmeric as a spice to every meal for better digestion, or take a teaspoon of turmeric in water every day.

Source: healthyfoodhouse.com

The Top Inflammatory Foods + How To Detox From Them

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There are a multitude of diets to choose from, or exercise programs that run the body ragged. The simple truth is that our bodies weren’t meant to eat Lean Cuisine meals or to be engaged in hours and hours of intensive exercise. If a person examines the evolution of our body from the caveman days, they would see that the body thrives off of whole foods, clean meats and exercise that involves lots of walking.

Fast forward a few thousand years, and as a society, we are stuffing our bodies full of inflammatory food-like products that make a person sick, fat and depressed. The key to fat loss, optimal health and joy is so simple, it’s easy to overlook.

Eat whole foods that are plucked from the earth. Foods that do not come in a package, can, bag or jar, and automatically the inflammation will dissipate in your body, freeing up space for your liver to begin processing fat. The best part, you can eat all you want, as long as it’s clean whole foods.

No longer is a deprivation mentality of dieting or extreme exercising required. By pivoting our thinking, we can create a healthy relationship with food. One that creates a foundation of values based on fueling the body, and giving it health through whole foods, rather than limiting the amount of calories a person eats.

To help you with this clean eating journey, I have compiled a list of the top 6 inflammatory foods along with substitutes that allow you to eat many of the foods you enjoy, but with ingredients that give you health, rather than take it away.

1. Processed Sugar

Swap out processed sugars for raw honey, organic maple syrup, liquid stevia or fruit.

2. Sodium

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Photo:healthunit.com

Swap out table salt for sea salt or pink Himalayan salt. By eliminating processed and packaged foods, you will significantly eliminate the amount of daily sodium intake.

3. Wheat Flour

Swap out wheat for almond flour or coconut flour. While these two flours do come in a bag (unless you make them on your own with a food processor), they are minimally processed are a great substitute for baking many foods that typically contain wheat.

4. Certain Oils

Swap out highly processed oils such as vegetable oil, canola oil, safflower oil, partially hydrogenated oil (just to mention a few) for high-quality omega-6 and omega-3 oils. The best source for oils are from extra-virgin coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, hemp seeds, chia seeds, avocados or avocado oils.

5. Cow Dairy

Swap out cow dairy for that of sheep or goat. Around the age of 1.5-2 years, our bodies significantly decrease in the amount of digestive enzymes created that specifically help to digest dairy. The molecular make-up of the sheep and goat dairy is more easily digested in the human body. Another reason cow dairy does not work as well is because the feed is typically made up from genetically modified corn and soy which creates inflammation in the cows. This is then passed on to us when we eat cow dairy. Last, casein is used in much dairy and many people are highly sensitive to it. When shopping for sheep and goat dairy, read the ingredients so that you can chose a dairy product free of casein.

6. Alcohol

Swap out alcohol for water, bubbly water, Kombucha drinks (without added sugar), tea or cold pressed juices. Alcohol tops the list of most inflammatory and toxic foods, and with a pause from the holidays, it seems like a reasonable time to take a break in order to regain and experience the most optimal and vibrant health.

Source: mindbodygreen.com

Ibuprofen Linked to Increase Risk of Sudden Heart Attacks

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Millions of Americans use over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers for a variety of reasons – headaches, muscle or joint pain, pain related to an illness or chronic condition, temporarily reduce a fever, and more. Far too many people abuse these OTC pain relievers and take them for everything or as a part of their daily regime.

But are we aware of some of the dangers of using these ITC pain relievers too frequently?

There are four major types of OTC – aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), and naproxen (Aleve).

Aspirin has been in use for over 2,000, but it wasn’t called aspirin until 1899, when Bayer named it. It is part of a group of drugs known as NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug), and used not only for pain, but to reduce swelling and inflammation. It’s long been a favorite to help relieve a toothaches as American Indians used to chew willow bark (the original source of the main ingredient in aspirin).

Over the past couple of decades, aspirin has been recommended to improve heart health, circulation and reduce the possibility of heart attacks. Today, many doctors recommend taking a low-dose aspirin (less than 100mg per tablet) a day for heart health. My wife and I both take a low-dose aspirin (81mg) daily as recommended by our doctor.

However, aspirin is not the wonder drug it was touted to be for years as it, like many other NSAIDs, are hard on the stomach lining and may lead to bleeding ulcers. This is why so many companies make a buffered aspirin, where it is combined with a buffer substance to help prevent the harsh effects on the stomach lining.

Acetaminophen is technically known as paracentamol and was discovered around 1877. It is used for pain and fever relief and sometimes combined with other medications to relieve symptoms of things like the common cold. Acetaminophen is widely available as a generic drug but is also the main ingredient in Tylenol and Panadol.

Some years back, it was discovered that too much acetaminophen could lead to kidney and/or liver damage. It’s also fatal to some animals including house cats. In 2007, in a report on the dangers of acetaminophen it was reported:

“What if a dietary supplement was proven to cause liver damage, liver failure and death? What if each year, this same supplement caused 100,000 calls to poison control centers, 56,000 emergency room visits, 26,000 hospitalizations, and more than 450 deaths from liver failure alone?…”

“Many drugs can cause liver damage, liver failure, and death. Yet, acetaminophen prompts the most calls to poison control centers—more than 100,000 per year. Each year, acetaminophen accounts for about 56,000 emergency room visits, 26,000 hospitalizations, and more than 450 deaths from liver failure. Acetaminophen causes more cases of acute liver failure than all other medications combined.”

My family used to take Tylenol for many things until these reports came out and then we switched to Advil or generic ibuprofen.

Naproxen (Aleve) is used like the others for pain and sore muscle relief. It is also often recommended for osteoarthritis and gout pain. However, like most NSAIDs, it can be harsh on the stomach if taken too frequently. More recent reports have indicated that many NSAIDs can reduce blood to the kidneys and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Like the others listed above, these should be taken only when needed and not for prolonged periods of time.

Ibuprofen (Advil) has long been thought of as the safest or less dangerous of the four main OTC pain relievers, but a recent study indicates that it also has its dangers. This OTC, like the others is also used to relieve pain of headaches, lower fever and reduce inflammation. However, a very recent study is placing a dire warning on the use of ibuprofen:

“Some common pain relievers may increase the risk of cardiac arrest, according to a new study from Denmark.”

“In the study, researchers found a link between the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — including ibuprofen  — and an increased risk of cardiac arrest, which is when the heart suddenly stops beating.”

“The findings add to those of previous research, which has also found a link between NSAID use and a higher risk of heart problems, including heart attack, stroke and heart failure. The new study is the first to look specifically at the impact of NSAIDs on cardiac-arrest risk.”

The bottom line is that all of the aforementioned OTC pain and fever relievers have their beneficial uses but they also have their dangers and everyone needs to be aware of what those dangers are. Take them only when necessary, not for prolonged periods of time, do not take more than the recommended safe dosage and always check with your doctor. None of them, not even ibuprofen is the wonder drug it was once thought of.

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