JUNE 20, 2018 – MANGOES

I love the taste of mangoes. I don't eat them as often as I should due to the high sugar content. Research has shown that the antioxidants in mangoes have been found to protect against certain cancers such as colon, breast, and prostate. The compounds in mangoes have been identified as quercetin, fisetin, gallic acid, and astragalin. Scientists at the University of Palermo Italy reported added benefits to mangoes in regards to improvements in cognitive decline and even diabetes.

The Texas A&M researchers did their own in house study studying 300 patients with Crohn's disease. Each of the participants ate between 200-400 grams of commercially available mangoes for 8 weeks. The group that ate the mangoes had fewer digestive symptoms and improved inflammatory biomarkers.

Eat your mangoes today.

Until tomorrow...

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JUNE 19, 2018 – ATLANTIC MENHADEN

Recently I spoke to a patient about Wild Fish Oil which uses Atlantic menhaden as its source. I decided to look into it myself.

There are a few statements that intrigued me. It is caught in the United States, certified by Friends of the Sea, and lab tested. People who use this source have also been said to burp less.

I found that every batch is tested for purity with Good Manufacturing Practices, does not contain artificial colors or flavors, no gluten, no soy, no dairy, and no GMOs. Each gel cap contains 240-300 mg of fatty acids. 

While there are other fish oils I also utilize in my practice (and personally), I will be giving Wild Fish Oil a try in the future.

FACTS:

• Atlantic menhaden—Brevoortia tyrannus—constitute the largest landings, by volume, along the Atlantic Coast. They rank second in the United States for landings behind only pollock on the West Coast, Alaska.
• Menhaden are a major source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to cut risks of heart disease and possibly other diseases, such as Alzheimer's.
• Menhaden play an important role in the Bay's ecosystem as both a forage fish for striped bass, weakfish, bluefish, and predatory birds such as osprey and eagles as well as serving as a filter feeder because they feed on phytoplankton and zooplankton at various life stages

Until tomorrow...

JUNE 18, 2018 – LYDIA PINKHAM

I was delighted and surprised this weekend when my daughter brought up the remedies of herbalist Lydia Pinkham.

Lydia Estes Pinkham (February 9, 1819 – May 17, 1883) was an iconic concocter and shrewd marketer of a commercially successful herbal-alcoholic "women's tonic" meant to relieve menstrual and menopausal pains. Although Pinkham's Vegetable Compound sold well to the general public, it was regarded by health experts as quackery. (Wikipedia)

Her formula contained 5 different herbs. The herbs were pleurisy root, life root, fenugreek, unicorn root, and black cohash. Most women take this to try to get pregnant. It must be stopped when the female is ovulating. All of these herbs have been used by several American Indian tribes.

In addition to being used for trying to get pregnant, many have also been used for menopausal symptoms.

Until tomorrow...

JUNE 14, 2018 – MELISSA OFFICINALIS

One of my favorite mint family herbs is lemon balm (Mellissa officinalis). It is a perennial herb  which originated from Southern Europe. The medical use of this herb dates back more than 2000 years.  

Paracelsus, born Theophrastus von Hohenheim, was a Swiss physician, alchemist, and astrologer of the German Renaissance. He believed lemon balm would completely revivify a man and indicated its use for all complaints of the nervous system.

John Evelyn (1620 – 1706) was an English writer, gardener and diarist who wrote, "Balm is sovereign for the brain, strengthening the memory and powerfully chasing away melancholy."  The history of John Evelyn's writings – especially his diaries – are fascinating.

In 1992, the skulls of John and Mary were stolen by persons unknown who hacked into the stone sarcophagi on the chapel floor and tore open the coffins. They have not been recovered. I never understood vandalism on graves and headstones.  

And finally the famous Nicholas Culpepper said that lemon balm "is excellent in the use to help the memory."

There have been double blind studies involving Lemon Balm that demonstrate dose dependent memory decrements and its anxiolytic like modulation of mood. Grow lemon balm in your garden, or go to www.urbanleaf.com - the worlds smallest garden and grow lemon balm in a bottle in your apartment window sill.  

Until tomorrow...  

JUNE 13, 2018 – PHENOLICS IN THE DIET

There are many phenolic compounds in the plant kingdom. They are so ever present and unavoidable in the American diet. You can get your phenolic compounds from fruits, vegetables, grains, cereals, seeds, beans, and most spices. The highest concentration of phenolics in the diet are in the foods that most individuals consume the least which  as spices and herbs. I feel we consume most phenolic compounds in beverages such as tea and coffee while others consume it in beer and wine. 

I even found out that there is a phenolic database on the Internet where you can find the foods with the most phenolic compounds. 

There are also studies to suggest that the high concentration of polyphenols are associated with better cognitive function. Polyphenols play a major role in assisting the prevention of chronic disease such as coronary artery diseases, diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

Until tomorrow...

JUNE 12 2018 – CANNBINOID RICH HEMP OIL

There is a lot of hype about CBD with and without THC. I am focusing on CBD without THC. This is an ideal chocie to optimize the endocanninoboid system (ECS). The primary cannabinoid in hemp oil is CBD. I utilize Canbiola and Thorne hemp products.

CBD oil contains other cannabinoids as well as terpenes. The terpenes are limonene, inene, and linalool. These, I feel, help with mood and enhance cognitive behavior. 

Hemp has been used worldwide for a variety of conditions. Today it gets a lot of hype due to cannabis. Read what is out there. CBD oil can be used for a variety of conditions. Wake up America! More needs to be studied on the ECS and the use of cannabinoids.

Call Botanical Bounty at 646-723-1823 to order Canbiola Hemp Oil Drops.

Until tomorrow...

JUNE 11, 2018 – CHEMICALS IN SKIN CARE

The environment is toxic. Sometimes the chemicals in our environment are more toxic than we think or are lead to believe. Many products are banned in European countries, but not in the United States. 

Some of the chemicals banned in Europe, but legal in the USA, include formaldehyde, lead acetate, petroleum products, and hydroquinine. The potential harmful effects of these and many more are usually in relation to cancer. These chemicals are or can be carcinogenic.

If you are going to make a change to natural products, there will be lots of research that you need to do on your end.

Until tomorrow...

JUNE 8, 2018 – BEST CITIES FOR DOGS

This is not a topic I would typically discuss, but being a 'Dog Dad' I feel it is very important for the welfare of both your pet as well as yourself. I live in one of the best cities for dogs – New York City. It is rated high on walkability. Other cities great for walkability are San Francisco and Chicago.

The best cities for welcoming dogs in restaurants are Tucson, Phoenix, and San Diego. 

The one city best for housing that allows dogs is Sacramento. Albuquerque is also great for affordable housing.

The city that scored high in all areas – dog parks, walkability, dog friendly restaurants, housing and great all around weather – was Denver, Colorado.

Until tomorrow...