JULY 17, 2019 PYSCHEDELICS... LETS GET REAL

Psychedelics, psychoactive substances, or entheogens are naturally occurring or chemically produced substances that temporarily alter your brain function in significant ways causing you to ‘trip’

These substances get a bad name and are usually associated with drug addiction or recreational drugs. This is not the case today in many of these substances especially with mushrooms and ketamine. Throughout the years I have discussed some of these psychoactive substance.

Last year, Michael Pollan’s book, How to Change Your Mind was published. I urge you to read this very informative, well written and researched book.

“ When Michael Pollan set out to research how LSD and psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) are being used to provide relief to people suffering from difficult-to-treat conditions such as depression, addiction and anxiety, he did not intend to write what is undoubtedly his most personal book. “

My diversity of reading about psychoactive substances has given me new insight and discoveries. You need to read some books and discover some new web sites I would suggest www.guidedtripping.com as a start

Until tomorrow…

JULY 16, 2019 BLOOD PRESSURE

Most causes of high blood pressure can be helped with lifestyle changes. It is not the case for everyone but can be for the majority of individuals. I think you have to consider the following to lower your blood pressure

1. Exercise on a regular basis at least 30- 45 minutes three times a week

2. Eat a healthy dietary lifestyle without simple carbohydrates

3. Limit the amount of alcohol you drink

4. Quite smoking

5. Lose a few extra pounds

6. Cut back on caffeine

7. Reduce your stress.

8. Focus on issues which you can control.

9. Recognize stress triggers

See a health care professional that can help the above and in addition use some herbal remedies to lower your blood pressure. I utilize hawthorn , celery seed, hibiscus, and garlic to lower blood pressure

Until tomorrow…

JULY 15, 2019 ARROWROOT

Arrowroot powder is a natural powdered root starch that is white in color and very lightweight. It is derived from the tropical South American plant Maranta arundinacea. The plant was given the name “Arrowroot” because it was once used to treat those injured with wounds from poisoned arrows.

Arrowroot powder is frequently used in gluten-free, paleo cooking and it’s extremely versatile in the kitchen. The starch is extracted, which is unlike cornstarch. Arrowroot powder is extracted in simpler, more traditional methods, without the use of high heat or harsh chemicals.

Arrowroot powder is enormously versatile. Use arrowroot powder as a blend with other flours, such as almond flour, coconut flour and tapioca flour for bread and dessert recipes

Medicinally , Arrowroot contains a good amount of potassium, iron and B vitamins, which is great for metabolism, circulation and heart and general health Studies have shown that arrowroot can stimulate immune cells and boost the immune system.

Until tomorrow..

JULY 12, 2019 ALMOND MILK

There are many individuals who are sensitive to cow’s dairy. There are other options. There is goat dairy, almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk and many others. Some of the nut based milks have other additives that you may be allergic to

Almond milk can be a great plant-based option for those avoiding cow’s milk. Unsweetened varieties are naturally low in calories and sugar while providing plenty of vitamin E. As with other nut milks, Almond milk is low in protein and sweetened types can be loaded with sugar

I am not a fan of nut milks ( unless of course you are making your own)
Almond milk provides only 1 gram of protein per cup (240 ml) while cow’s and soy milk provide 8 and 7 grams, respectively. Therefoe it lacks protein

All Processed almond milk can contain many additives, such as sugar, salt, gums, flavors, and lecithin and carrageenan (types of emulsifiers)

Be informed

Until tomorrow…

JULY 11, 2019 HORSE CHESTNUT

When you think of horse chestnut, you might think of varicose veins or chronic venous insufficiency I have been researching this herb for its use in a variety of other conditions. One of the twin epidemics, diabetes can be treated not only with dietary and exercise lifestyle changes, but with some nutraceuticals and herbs. Some of the herbs used to help regulate blood sugar are fenugreek, cinammon, bitter melon and gymnema.

There are supplements as vanadium, chromium and alpha lipoic acid that can decrease and support normal blood sugar levels.

Horse chestnut can be used in patients with sugar imbalance. It should be monitored carefully. If using too much, it can result in hypoglycemia.

Until tomorrow…

JULY 10, 2019 UNICORN ROOT

Unicorn Root is not a commonly used herb by many herbalists. Its botanical name is Aletris farinose - true Unicorn root. There is False Unicorn Root The true Unicorn root is from the Lily family. It has many names that it is called by- Some of these are ague root, blazing star and starwort.

The edible part is the root of the plant. It is said the have a bitter=sweet soapy taste. I have never tasted it. The leaves are used in a tea.

Some of the medicinal uses are as a laxative, anti flatulent herb and as a sedative. It is mostly written with False Unicorn Root for its estrogenic properties and its use on the female system. I have seen both False and True Unicorn Root used to treat menstrual disorders

Besides its sedative effects , it has been used on the skin as a beauty treatment .

Until tomorrow …

JULY 9, 2019 GARLIC AND OSTEOARTHRITIS

Garlic has many uses. I use it as a natural blood thinner, and to lower blood pressure and lipids. This is a recent study published in the HerbalGram from the American Botanical Council on its use in osteoarthritis

Re: Garlic Relieves Joint Stiffness in Knee Osteoarthritis in 12-week Study

Salimzadeh A, Alipoor E, Dehghani S, et al. The effect of 12‐week garlic supplementation on symptom relief in overweight or obese women with knee osteoarthritis. Int J Clin Pract. December 2018;pii: S1063-4584(18)31582-6. doi:10.1111/ijcp.13208.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease worldwide. It causes considerable pain and debility. There is a need for low-cost, safe, effective therapies. The commonly prescribed medications do not provide adequate relief. The chronic nature of OA makes the costs and adverse effects of these medications particularly problematic. The mechanisms of pain and dysfunction in OA are multifactorial. Natural products therefore have the possibility of affecting multiple aspects of the disease process. Garlic (Allium sativum, Amaryllidaceae) has a long history of use for many conditions. There is a robust body of evidence supporting its use as an anti-inflammatory therapy. Constituents of garlic have several known bioactivities, including cytokine modulation, immune cell stimulation, antioxidant action, and analgesic effects, that could affect OA. However, research on the use of garlic in OA has been limited. This paper investigates the use of garlic in overweight or obese women with knee OA; obesity increases the risk of OA, and increased weight is associated with greater OA pain.

This single-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-design study involved eighty female patients with mild or moderate knee OA who were recruited from the Sina Hospital Rheumatology Clinic in Tehran, Iran. The included patients were 50-75 years old, postmenopausal, and had a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 40. Exclusion criteria were severe pain; scheduled for surgery; receiving intra-articular therapies in previous three months; allergic to garlic; diabetes or other endocrine or chronic disorder; on a weight-loss protocol; smoker; or using hormone replacement therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other analgesics, chondroitin sulfate, omega-3 fatty acids, warfarin, or other anticoagulants.

In summary, 12-week garlic supplementation may have improved knee OA symptoms in overweight or obese women, but the results were for the most part not statistically different from placebo.

Until tomorrow…

JULY 8, 2019 ANTI INFLAMMATORY FOODS

I know you will consume some inflammatory foods over this weekend There are some foods that are considered anti inflammatory you might try

1. Berries provide antioxidants known as anthocyanins. These compounds may reduce inflammation, boost immunity and reduce your risk of heart disease. Berries are low glycemic fruits

2. Fatty fish hold high amounts of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have anti-inflammatory effects.

3. Broccoli is one of the best sources of sulforaphane, an antioxidant with powerful anti-inflammatory effects.

4. Avocados offer various beneficial compounds that protect against inflammation and may reduce your cancer risk. It contains good oils

5. Green tea's high EGCG content reduces inflammation and safeguards cells from damage that can lead to disease. EGCG is a polyphenol with beneficial effects used for heart disease, chronic diseases as diabetes and Alzheimer, support for many cancers and much more

6. Chili peppers and bell peppers are rich in quercetin, sinapic acid, ferulic acid and other antioxidants with strong anti-inflammatory effects.

7. Some edible mushrooms boast compounds that may decrease inflammation. Eating them raw or lightly cooked may help you reap their full anti-inflammatory potential. You must always identify mushrooms if picking wild. Some benefical mushrooms are shiitake, maitaike, coryceps, lion’s mane and turkey tail

Until tomorrow…