OCTOBER 7, 2019 BLUEBERRIES SLOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

Eating 100 grams of blueberries for 4 weeks twice a day has been studied and is associated with systolic blood pressure lowering. This is equivalent to lowering with blood pressure medication. So would you rather take a synthetic medication or eat blueberries ? I would eat the blueberries.

It is the anthocyanins which are responsible for the beneficial effects. It is these compounds that give the blueberries their red, blue and purple color. Previous studies have suggested that the polyphenols in blueberries are good for aging and preventing neurodegeneration. Mots previous studies focused on the cognitive effects of blueberries.

Now we have a study linked with blood pressure lowering. More studies with blueberries and its active compounds needs to be studied in heart disease

Until tomorrow…

OCTOBER 4-6, 2019 PLASTICS

We live in a world of increasing toxins to our body. Plastic containers for water and other liquids are made up of several endocrine -mimicking compounds such as BPA and phtalates. These two compounds can cause major endocrine dysfunction.

Even if the newer plastics do not contain these above, they still have endocrine mimicking effects Spy products can even worsen this potential as soy contains estrogenic compounds

Several pesticides even contain endocrine disrupting substances. One herb, curcumin ( turmeric) can protect against these endocrine disrupting compounds.

Until tomorrow….

OCTOBER 3, 2019 ALUMINUM

Aluminum and fluoride are toxic substances in many products especially medicines. Many prescriptions medicines have a dye in it that contains aluminum

We do know that vaccinations contain aluminum. This aluminum not only is present in organ tissue but accumulates in the brain. Aluminum in food and water are generally absorbed poorly in the digestive tract ( GI tract ) but organic acids as citric and malic acid dramatically increase aluminum absorption.

Aluminum is strongly linked to neurodegenerative disease as Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease

You can lower aluminum levels in the brain by taking saffron, ellagic acid, and curcumin. Other antioxidants that can reduce aluminum levels are vitamin E, vitamin C, triphala, Bacopa, and taurine

Until tomorrow…

OCTOBER 1, 2019 CANCER CAUSING FOODS

I teach Integrative Oncology at the University of Bridgeport College of Naturopathic Medicine. I am not an Oncologist. As an integrative physician MD/herbalist I utilize many modalities to treat cancer. It all starts for a change in dietary lifestyle

The chances of getting cancer are 1 in 2 for men, and 1 in 3 for women, according to the American Cancer Society. Those shocking numbers represents a growing epidemic in the United States. Nowadays, we should read very carefully the reading labels of any food and avoid those that are harmful for us.

Tomatoes contain lycopene is an anti cancer supplement. The issue with canned tomatoes is an industrial compound that is used in lining the can. It is used to prevent corrosion and preserve the food. It is carcinogenic. It is a time to start reading labels. There are many environment factors that have been linked to cancer Even if a processed meat looks tasty and is delicious it does contain preservatives, like sodium nitrates that are well known carcinogens READ THE LABELS

Until tomorrow…

SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 CBD/CANNIBIS AND CANCER

There is growing evidence that cannabis may help prevent the growth of cancer. The International Society of Urology observed that the men who regularly used cannabis had a 45% reduction in bladder cancer occurrence, compared to both smokers and non-smokers that didn’t.

Researches believe that one of the main reasons cannabis may prevent cancer is due to its well-documented ability to reduce inflammation. It has been shown to reduce inflammation because its powerful anti oxidant properties Cannabis and its components have been shown to not only stop cancer cells growing, but to kill them.

More studies need to be done on the whole cannabinoid system ( called the endocannabinoid system (ECS) A study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute published a meta-analysis of 34 in vitro and in vivo studies of cannabinoids in glioma reported that all but one study confirmed that cannabinoids selectively kill tumor cells.” More and more doctors should be using CBD +/- THC for their cancer patients

Until tomorrow…

SEPTEMBER 28-29, 2019 INTEGRATIVE HEART SUPPLEMENTS

Hypertension is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD). Hypertension is the most common reason for visits to primary care physicians and costs more than $20 billion annually in the United States. Clinical studies show that pharmaceuticals control blood pressure (BP), resulting in reduced strokes, CHD, myocardial infarction (MI), congestive heart failure (CHF), and renal disease

Cardiovascular disease is still the number one killer. There are many documented well researched conventional therapies which do play a role. As a integrative cardiologist there are equally many other natural therapies to be considered.

Hypertension is the response of blood vessels to endothelial disfunction. There are many nutraceuticals that help endothelial function by increasing nitric oxide . There are many supplements that can do this like arginine and citrulline. I utilize a lot of citrulline for blood pressure elevations ( hypertension ) People with hypertension are more likely to have certain nutrient deficiencies compared to the general population. Some dietary supplements including antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and natural compounds in food produce a physiologic effect. Some of these nutrients that can be zinc, L- taurine and omega 3 fatty acids

You do not always have to take a medication for your blood pressure. In addition to change in exercise and dietary lifestyle changes there are nutraceuticals.

Until tomorrow…

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019 ANXIETY REDUCING HERB

There are many traditional conventional medications to treat anxiety. There are also many complimentary /integrative therapies to treat anxiety. Some of these treatments involve botanicals as Lemon Balm, Chamomille, Valerian, St Johns Wort and California Poppy.

Preclinical studies report anxiety-reducing effects of aloysia (Aloysia polystachya, Verbenaceae), a plant grown mainly in Argentina and Uruguay. These authors conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 clinical trial to test whether aloysia is superior to placebo in treating anxiety-related symptoms in adults

This study was preliminary data was published in the American Botanical Council’s most recent , HerbalClip .Each treatment capsule contained 300 mg powdered aloysia.

Limitations of the study include its small sample size, high dropout rate, and the absence of an assessment of the reproductive/hormonal status of the females in the study. Furthermore, the results cannot be generalized to patients with more complex psychiatric disorders.

The authors conclude the "administration of powdered leaves of A. polystachya, rich in acteoside, carvone and limonene, to adults with anxiety-related symptoms was significantly superior to placebo in decreasing HAM-A scores after 8 weeks This study was written in the ABC Herbal Clip

Carmona F, Coneglian FS, Batista PA, et al. Aloysia polystachya (Griseb.) Moldenke (Verbenaceae) powdered leaves are effective in treating anxiety symptoms: a phase-2, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.. J Ethnopharmacol. October 2019;242:112060. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112060.

There are many herbal and homeopathic remedies to treat anxiety.

Until tomorrow…

SEPTEMBER 26, 2019 WITCH HAZEL

There are medicinal herbs growing in your backward and you don’t know it. Every state has a particular herb, flower or tree that is seen commonly in that state. In the State of Connecticut it is Witch Hazel. The botanical name is Hamamelis virginiana.

The leaves, bark and twigs of witch hazel contain tannic acid It is used topically as an astringent for burns and skin irritations

Traditionally it has been used to relieve hemorrhoidal, anal and vaginal itching. It decreases inflammation and promotes healing of bruises, and varicose veins. There is even a homeopathic preparation that I use for hemorrhoids with much success.

It can also be used as a gargle for throat inflammation

Until tomorrow…