Showing posts with label herbs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label herbs. Show all posts

Saturday, September 22, 2012

Alzheimer's Cure from Nature

Different herbs and spices, all from earth and nature. Mostly all can deliver a cure or treatment for diseases and conditions. Chris Kilham, of Fox News "Medicine Hunter" and ethnobotanist, latest announced spice turmeric root, also referred to as curcumin when it is in extract form. This spicefrom Asia seems to pack a powerful delivery in possibly the prevention of Alzheimer's diseaseand may just be able to cure the disease as well.
Dr. Manny Alvarez, who recently gave an interview to Fox News had stated that person's with Alzheimer's develop a sticky plaque in the brain called amyloid beta. These type of plaques either actualize as a reaction of Alzheimer's or they are the explicit cause of the disease. In either case they are absolutely associated to the degenerative process.
Studies have demonstrated that turmeric does really dispose of the plaques. They eliminate these plaques when they are just beginning to form and during the later phases in their progression.
Mr. Kilham, states that what is present in turmeric is something that seems to prevent the developing of Alzheimer's disease and in all reality it aides to decrease the appearance of plaque in the brain if you happen to have it. In animal studies, when the animals have the amyloid beta plaque in their brains and they receive turmeric, the plaque is decreased.
Observational studies have also indicated that persons in groups that consume turmeric basically never get Alzheimer's disease.
Among countries where the populace eat a lot of this spice, the rate of Alzheimer's disease is extremely low. In Southeast Asia and India it is a rare disease. However, in the United States Alzheimer's disease is very common.
Mr. Kilham notes that pharmaceutical companies are working hard attempting to produce medication versions of turmeric. However, consuming the real spice when possible and taking turmeric extract supplements in case the spice in food is not a viable option is highly recommended.
Mr. Kilham remarks pharmaceutical companies face one challenge in being that they cannot patent turmeric. Therefore, they will attempt to develop something else. It very well appears that the consumption of turmeric or using its extracts supplements seems to guard against one of the worlds most dreadful and incapacitating disease around.
ALC Supplements
Acetylene-L-carnitine (ACL) is an amino acid in which is produced in the bodies liver and kidneys and kept in the skeletal muscles, heart, brain and sperm. It aides the body to turn fat into energy.
It is used in many conditions as a treatment due to the fact it decreases oxidative stress.
Research evidence of the supplement is divided. Results for delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease by using this supplement have been favorable. It has also shown good results in decreasing depression cause by senility and other types of dementia. It also has demonstrated the ability to improve memory.
This supplement is safe and effective. However, in serious conditions such as Alzheimer's disease checking with your primary care provider first is recommended.
PS Supplements
Phosphatidylserine (PS) is an element in the membranes which enclose the nerve cells. There have been small studies done on PS supplements and Alzheimer's disease. The outcomes of these studies have suggested that these supplements possible can aide in preventing in mental decline due to age progression. The supplements strengthen the cell membranes which guards them and their contents from harm.
PS supplements are synthesized from soy and in a small trail they resulted in promising results. Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa, Medical Director and President of the Alzheimer's Prevention Foundation in Tuscon, Arizona recommends PS in the following doses:
100mg to maintain top brain functioning
200mg for mild cognitive impairment
300mg to treat Alzheimer's disease
These are all in daily doses.
Vitamin E
In a recent study findings did conclude that vitamin E possibly is associated to decreasing the risk of Alzheimer's disease. High intakes of vitamin E in foods show a 25% less chance of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Food sources of vitamin E include almonds, hazel nuts, wheat germ, broccoli and some green vegetables. High dosage amounts of vitamin E can cause a risk for bleeding. When taking supplements no more than 1,000mg is recommended daily.
American/Asian Ginseng
Ginseng is vastly being used to strengthen immune system and increase strength.
In animal studies and individual reports for either American or Asian ginseng, have demonstrate ginseng has the possibility in slowing down the progression of Alzheimer's also improving memory and behavior.
Coffee
University of Florida researchers conducted a study on caffeine. The study had provided evidence that caffeine could be practical treatment for Alzheimer's disease.
In the study mice had been bred for the specific purpose to develop Alzheimer's. Half of the mice had received large amounts of a caffeine diet upon researchers noticing signs of the disease. The mice in which had consumed the caffeine had a higher performance rate on memory testing than those mice who received no caffeine.
The researchers stated just due to the fact they could reverse the diseases effects on cognitive ability is of major significance.
Current research on Alzheimer's treatment had concentrated on clumps which form in the brain of Alzheimer's patients which interrupt normal memory capability. At times these clumps are caused by two enzymes. When heavy doses of caffeine is consumed it appears that these enzymes are halted in forming.
Apple Juice
University of Massachusetts researchers in 2009, had discovered apple juice possibly can postpone the beginning of Alzheimer's disease. In mice who consumed two glasses of apple juice (glasses were of human consumption amounts) each day for a length of 30 days had manufactured less beta-amyloid. This is said to be the substance in which is liable for composing the senile plaques which are most often in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.
This study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease along with past studies which had also discovered that the consumption of apple juice aided in boosting the performance of mice in maze trails.
Dr. Thomas B. Shea, PhD., of the universities Center of Cellular Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration Research, head researcher on this study commented that the results gave further evidence associating nutritional and genetic risk factors of age related neurodegeneration and advocates that drinking apple juice on a regular basis not only aides in keeping the mind functioning at its peak performance level but can also inhibit main elements of Alzheimer's disease.
Vitamin B Supplements
University of Oxford scientists just recently conducted a trail of the effects of vitamin B and Alzheimer's disease. The trail consisted of 168 persons and found that when taking high doses of three vitamin B supplements each day had decreased the brain from shrinking by 53%. Brain shrinkage is a normal part of aging but can happen faster in persons with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) associated to Alzheimer's.
The researcher stated that since these findings were significantly immense it should be open to debate as whether to prescribe vitamin B supplements to everyone with MCI half of those persons do develop Alzheimer's disease.
Even though the evidence is very promising more research is required before a decision is made to use the supplements as a positive treatment for Alzheimer's.
Mediterranean Diet and Exercise
At the Columbia University Medical Center in New York, researchers had assessed 1,880 elderly residents who did had no dementia at the beginning of the study. The residents in the study had undergone neurological and neuropsychological assessments every 1.5 years from 1992 to 2006 along with their endurance of the Mediterranean diet and level of exercise evaluated.
In total, 282 persons developed Alzheimer's during the study. In comparison of persons who had low exercise levels and sticking to the diet, and those who had high exercise level and maintained the diet. Those who kept the diet along with high exercise rate had shown a 35 - 44% decline risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
In 2007, a study which was published in Neurology, had discovered that persons with the disease who follow the Mediterranean diet have longer healthy life spans.
In the 2009, British American Journal, published research had noted that the most valuable foods in the Mediterranean diet for aiding in Alzheimer's were vegetables, fruits, nuts, pulses, olive oil and moderate intake of alcohol.
There are numerous studies that support the Mediterranean diet along with regular exercises for a healthy long life span.
It seems more and more the natural things of mother nature prevails at higher rates than that of conventional medicines.
Read more here:

Food and Herbs that Are Helpful in Treating Arthritis


Arthritis is one of the most common, disturbing, painful physical problems experienced by men and women. While not oftenly leading to death, arthritis is extremely serious because it causes mild to excruciating pains upon millions of people causing disturbances in their sleep, work and other normal activities.
Medical researches estimate that nine out of ten of those over age forty already have the beginnings of arthritis, the thinning of the cartilage in the joints. Ant three out of five people with arthritis are younger than sixty-five. The following are herbs and foods that are helpful in treating the pains of arthritis.
*CURCUMIN*
It is derived from curcuma root and it is also known as turmeric root. Curcumin or Curcuma root has been used for centuries as a painkiller and anti-inflammatory. Scientists at Cornell University made a research on this and discovered that it was COX-2 inhibitor. COX-2 refers to the enzyme "cyclooxygenase-2" which triggers production of inflammation and pain in arthritic joints. A daily dosage of 100mg of curcuma root decreases inflammation and joint pain.
*TART CHERRIES*
Tart cherries have been also used for centuries to treat arthritis and gout. Once again scientists intrigued by its long-standing usage made a research on this, this time at Michigan State University. They discovered that extracts from the tart cherries also had COX-2 inhibitors, as well as compounds such as ursolic and oleonsolic acids which are ten times more effective than aspirin. To get the needed amount of COX-2 inhibitors to fight arthritic pain, you would have to eat twenty raw tart cherries a day.
*HOLY BASIL*
The healing qualities of holy basil has been recognized for five thousand years in native India. This herb has also chemical compounds containing natural COX-2 inhibitors with anti-inflammatory effectiveness similar to aspirin and ibuprofen. A daily dose of 150mg is recommended.
*FRANKINCENCE*
Frankincence is a gum resin from the boswellin tree that is usually used as an anti-inflammatory compound. In analyzing this gum resin, a potent anti- inflammatory compound called boswellic acid was discovered. Scientists were so intrigued that they continued on studying boswellic acid and discovered that it blocked the common chemical compound "leukotrienes" in the body. This substance was identified as the one causing inflammation, decreased joint mobility and misshapen and deformed joints. Recommended dosage is 200 mg a day.
*BECHE-DE-MER*
Another important compound that prevents inflammation comes from the sea cucumber also known as "beche-de-mer." This compound has been recognized to treat arthritis in China for about a thousand years. Modern research studies revealed that substances found in sea cucumbers are helpful to "musculoskeletal" inflammatory diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers claim that sea cucumbers improve the balance of prostaglandin which regulate the inflammatory process. A dosage of 100mg a day in capsule form will be helpful in reducing joint swelling.
*GLUCOSAMINE*
A recent study participated by 212 people demonstrated that those who took 1,500 mg of "glucosamine" per day ( a natural substance derived from tha shells of some deep-sea animals) experienced a 25 percent improvement in joint symptoms. This study has been done for a period of three years. Glucosamine produces compounds known as "proteoglycans." This is a complex hydrophilic compounds that help maintain the thick cushion in cartilage by attracting water.
· CALCIUM ASCORBATE*
The threonate compound combined with the ascorbate has a vital role in regenerating cartilage. The role of Vitamin C in joint health has been accountedFor many years.
· GARLIC/ONION
A study revealed that garlic eaters were getting a remarkable decrease in joint pains,particularly the pain associated with degenerative osteoarthritis. Garlic inhibits one of the inflammation- causing prostaglandin hormones.
Onions contain a moderate amount of sulfur, which is important for rebuilding the cartilage, bone and various ligaments around the joints.
*SARDINES*
Sardines has higher content of the omega-3 fatty acids in certain coldwater fish. The marine fatty acids decrease inflammatory compounds such as "leukotrienes." When these compounds are reduced, inflammation and joint tenderness are also reduced.
*VITAMIN E*
Natural D-alphatocopheral is the form of vitamin E one should take daily at a doseof 800 IU. This form of vitamin E, counters the effects of COX-2 and prostaglandin E2 which promote inflammation. One study revealed that arthritis patients taking supplements of natural Vitamin E for four months had a 50 perent reduction in joint pain.
*POLYPHENOLS AND FLAVANOIDS*
These compounds has anti-inflammatory effect that inhibits the COX-2 enzyme."Green tea" is an excellent source of these "polyphenols."
*BROMELAIN*
This compound is derived from the stem and stalk of the pineapple. Use of these Substances has been found to reduce inflammation up to 60 percent by combating prostaglandin E2.
SOURCE :
GOD's Pathway to Healing : Joints And Arthritis
Written by Reginald B. Cherry, M. D.