MAY 16, 2022 GREEN TEA

Green tea ( Camilla sinensis) is one of the most popular drinks in the world. It even exceeds coffee. . It has a ton of health benefits that include reducing inflammation, improving brain function. Plus, it tastes great hot or cold. Researchers have found that the benefits of green tea are due to its high level of antioxidants, which fight off harmful toxins and free radicals in the body.

It is the most researched herbal medicine. Years ago with Robert Pastore I wrote and published an article on the benefits of green tea. Green tea is low in calories and contains antioxidants that help boost metabolism, this it can be used for promoting weight loss.

The researchers believe that the polyphenols in green tea may help to reduce the absorption of sugar from the intestine. The main polyphenol is EGCG. EGCG has shown to inhibit growth of cancer cells.

It is great to promote mental alertness and to help cognitive symptoms as we age. I even use green tea to help arthritis. In a recent study, participants who drank green tea daily reported reduced pain and stiffness, as well as improved physical function.

There are even studies to suggest green tea protects the heart. I cannot find any reasons why you shouldn’t drink green tea. Unfortunately one cup doe snot suffice. You have to drink more than 5 cups of green tea hot or cold. I prefer to suggest green tea with a high percentage of EGCG to be of benefit.

Have a cup of green tea today…

MAY 12, 2022 HOBBIES FOR DOCTORS

I have always stated that a hobby can improve your health and boost your self-esteem I recently read an article about the 10 best hobbies for doctors. One of the first hobbies were Gourmet cooking. In a 2014 survey by American Medical Association (AMA) Insurance, almost half of physicians (46%) cited gourmet cooking as an outside-work activity they enjoyed.

The second hobby was not surprising to me. It was knitting. Australian surgeon Rhea Liang crocheted her way through a 2019 medical conference, explaining on Twitter that she could concentrate on the presentations better while her hands were occupied. I have always done needlepoint during medical conferences. If I do knit at conferences, I do it with a circular needles. Needlework crafts like crocheting and knitting have been shown to forestall mild cognitive impairment better than many other activities, including reading and playing music. Knitting also can cut stress, improve mood, enhance creativity, and help prevent arthritis and tendonitis. So I picked a good hobby

Other hobbies discussed were playing an instrument, writing, reading , stand up comedy, riding the waves and making art. I do a lot of reading * outsider the medical field) and making art.

All individuals to have a hobby. I feel it is an essential part of living.

Until tomorrow…

MAY 11, 2022 CASTOR OIL PACKS

I first hgeard of castor oil packs through the writing of Edgar Cayce. Castor oil is extracted from the seeds of the tropical plant ( Ricinus communis)

Ingestion of castor oil has been traditionally used traditionally as a strong cathartic. It is a very strong . I prefer to apply externally to the body. Castor oil has strong healing properties.

Castor oil when heated as benefits affected underlying muscles and movement of lymphatic flow. Castor oil increases elimination, improves circulation, and stimulates the activity of lymphatic fluid.

I have used castor oil packs for

1., constipation

2. pelvic congestion

3.lymphatic congestion

4. fibromyalgia

5. joint stiffness, muscle tension

and much more

Until tomorrow…

MAY 9, 2022 ALLIUM OR NOT

If you’re trying to eat healthier, you may be wondering if garlic is a good choice for you. Turns out, this humble herb has some amazing health benefits. So is allium good or is it NOT GOOD.

Garlic ( Allium sativum) is part of the Lily Family and is one herb that I check off a definite YES

All plants contain bioactive substances. Garlic is no exception. Garlic is particularly rich in bioactive compounds, such as allicin and gamma-glutamylcysteine. These powerful phytochemicals taken regularly have been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease, as well as promote overall wellbeing and vitality. So what is it about allium that makes it so good. Allicin has been shown to have antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. In addition, Allicin can also help to reduce cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. Garlic contains a variety of antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds that help to boost the body’s immune system and fight off infection. It is great during the cold and flu season. It has been especially helpful during the COVID pandemic

The allicin in garlic has also been shown to block certain enzymes that contribute to hypertension, while studies have found that taking garlic supplements can lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure by up to 10 points.

I was never a lover of garlic as a child or teenager. It was probably the smell. One good benefit of garlic is hair growth . Garlic is rich in sulphur, which is an important mineral for hair growth

Lastly, some preliminary research suggests that garlic may be effective at lowering blood sugar levels. If you lower blood sugar you will reduce the risk of diabetes and obesity which are both linked to heart disease.

So add garlic to your daily intake of supplements. If not in supplement form learn to cook with garlic

Until tomorrow…

MAY 10, 2022 JUNIPER

Juniper ( Juniperus communis ) is a great herb with many health benefits. The parts of the herb that are used are the berries The berries are gathered in the Fall. The berries turn purple-blue when ripe.

The major constituents are volatile oils, vitamin C, flavonoids and tannins The medicinal actions are analgesic, antibacterial, and anti inflammatory. The other actions are anti rheumatism, antiseptic and urinary antiseptic.

You can use juniper in a variety of ways. Can be used as an infused oil, liniment, tincture, massage oil and even food as honey

Juniper berries are strongly antiseptic for the urinary tract infections, urethritis, and even prostatitis. The berries are cleansing and can even enhance the removal of kidney stones. It also helps decrease build up of uric acid and general toxins in the kidneys.

I use juniper in the following ways

1. As a tea : For gas and bloating and to strengthen digestion

2. As a tea for cold and flu : I mix with rose hips and lemon balm

3. For cellulitis and acne: Use as a topical application

4. For dandruff: prepare as a decoction of the berries for the scalp

   Until tomorrow…

MAY 5, 2022 STATIN EFFICACY

As a physician I always question the efficacy of drugs that I prescribe. One of the drugs that are prescribed to Americans on a daily basis are statin drugs to lower cholesterol Recently a metanalysis published in a peer review journal, JAMA Internal Medicine raised questions about the efficacy of statin for lowering cholesterol to reduce heart attacks strokes and all-cause mortality

The findings are important for both the doctor and the patient. The results were misleading The main finding was that the relative risk reductions in all cause mortality, heart attack and stroke were misleading compared to the absolute risk reduction.

The relative risk reduction ( RRR) were shown to be 9 % for all cause mortality, 29 % for heart attack and 14 % stroke. This sounds great for the use of statin for these . Then I viewed the results for the absolute risk reduction

The absolute risk reduction were 0.% for all cause mortality, 1.3 % for heart attacks and 0.4 % for stroke

The authors wrote this “Reporting the reduction in cardiovascular outcomes as RRR without reporting the absolute risk reduction ( ARR) has the potential to inflate the clinical importance of an intervention and can exaggerate trivial associations. “

So the question is —do I prescribe statins to reduce cholesterol ? Or do I reduce or change lifestyles as diet and exercise and use supplements and herbs to reduce cholesterol ?

Until tomorrow…

MAY 4, 2022 ZINC

Since the pandemic there have been many articles citing the benefits if zinc. I am a avid zinc lover. Most of my patients take zinc during the cold and flu season. Zinc is required for many enzyme reactions in the body as well as a trace mineral to balance your thyroid. You can obtain zinc from your food

There are many foods that are high in zinc. Zinc supports the immune system, and assists in healing , especially the skin ( the largest organ in the body) One food containing high amounts of zinc are oysters. This may not be for everyone.

The next top three choices for high dose zinc are beef, chicken and lamb. Of note, chicken is high in zinc when cooked with the skin on. Lamb is an excellent choice for zinc as well as iron and its B vitamins.

For those that are vegetarians, a great source of zinc are pumpkin seeds and cashews. Pumpkin seeds are also high is phosphorous which is needed for cell membrane integrity. Pumpkin seeds also contain a good amount of potassium, magnesium, copper, selenium and manganese. I love cashews as a on-the-go healthy snack or to put on your salad. I prefer the raw or unsalted cashews.

Three herbs that are rich in zinc are garlic, gingko and ginseng. Garlic also contains high amounts of Vitamin C and within the Lily Family as onions and chives. Zinc is great for cognition and supporting memory. Ginseng in zinc supplements is safe , effective and can improve memory and focus.

So if you are not good about taking supplements then get your zinc from your food

Until tomorrow…

MAY 3, 2022 CINNAMON

More often than not we don’t think of our kitchen spices as medicines. They are ! There are many kitchen spices which have medicinal and health benefits. One of these common kitchen spices is Cinnamon There are many reasons to add cinnamon to your food.

One of the best benefits involves your blood sugar. Cinnamon has been studied to help treat Type II Diabetes. Diabetes is one of the twin epidemics in the United States. The other is obesity. Both of these epidemics lead to Cardiovascular Disease — the number one killer in the United States. Cinnamon has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels.

In addition there have been studies to show that cinnamon can also lower blood cholesterol levels. I use many supplements and herbs to reduce cholesterol, but cinnamon is one not to be left out.

One of the best anti microbial herbs is Garlic. Studies have shown that cinnamon is an effective antibacterial and antifungal herb/spice. This is due in part to the many anti inflammatory properties of this herb. It is great for arthritis in addition to other herbs as tumeric , ginger and Devil’s Claw.

A very cool way to use cinnamon is as an insect repellant. Cinnamon oil can help keep mosquitos, ticks and spiders at bay. It also has been used as a natural insecticide.

So when you think of cinnamon as just a flavor for your hot chocolate…think again

Until tomorrow…