JULY 25, 2022 BERRIES

Berries are known as superfoods. The reason for this is that they are high in cancer fighting phytochemicals. These phytochemicals are called flavonoids. Berries contain a specific bioflavonoid called anthocyanin. This phytochemical function as a plant pigment in plants which gives berries its blue-purplish color.

I love berries. I love all berries Some you might not of heard of or eaten have eaten as Wolfberries, Gooseberries and Chokeberries. Berries is a big business not only for food , but in the health and cosmetic/beauty products. I recall that when a dermatologist, Nicholas Perricone promoted Acai berries on the Oprah Winfrey Show - the sales of powdered acai berries on his website were staggering.

In my small property in Black Rock, CT ,I decided to plant High land Blueberry bushes, mulberry tree, strawberries, 3 elderberry trees and a Gooseberry bush. I especially use elderberry as a tincture or cough syrup during the cold and flu season

I drink Blueberry Juice from Weyman’s daily Though berries are diminutive never underestimate the power of the berry.

Until tomorrow…

JULY 21, 2022 PAPER BIRCH

While in Savannah Georgia this past weekend I admired all the botanical species in the parks and squares on this historic city. I saw Leopard plants ( Farfugum japonicum ), Shell ginger ( Alpinia zerumbet ), multiple species of Magnolias and even a Paper Birth.

Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) bark is white with beige horizontal streaks that peel back and shed naturally.

All part of the Betula family, the paper birch tree has many siblings. Silver birch, yellow birch, gray birch, sweet birch, black birch, or the river birch tree, are all a set of very impressive tree species. They can produce sap just like the sugar maple (which can then make birch syrup ), they all have relatively white bark, their flowers are catkin

Native Americans used paper birch sapwood to eliminate toxins, soothe headaches, control menstrual bleeding, and stop wound bleeding by inducing coagulation. Decayed birch wood was mixed with labrador tea and powdered to treat skin irritation. Today, it’s used in natural remedies as an astringent, diuretic and anti-inflammatory ingredient.

My interests are varied. I became interested in trees after reading The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben and The Secret Language of Trees by Gill Davies. There are many good books on trees. You can read about Black or White Spruce being used as an antimicrobial by Native Americans and other fascinating facts

Until tomorrow

JULY 20, 2022 PROTECT YOUR HEART

You have only one heart - protect it well. WE all have our heart broken at one point- ending a relationship, death of a loved one or ending a career. I am not talking about your emotional heart but the physical structural heart There are lifestyle changes you can make to protect your heart .

First you should eat a balanced diet. You should avoid simple sugar or anything white as bread, pasta, and even cereals. Eat a Mediterranean diet without the pasta and the bread. A healthy diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and limits saturated fats, trans fats, sodium, and added sugars.

Second, you should exercise Exercise helps to keep your heart muscle strong and promotes healthy blood flow. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity 3 days of the week This reduces your cardiovascular morbidity and mortality by 38 %

Obviously quit smoking and drinking high amounts of alcohol. Alcohol is myocardial toxic. Excessive alcohol can not only predispose you to diabetes and liver disease , but it can cause a cardiomyopathy

Finally manage your stress levels. This can be done by starting yoga, block therapy, acupuncture and regular massages. I also advocate starting a new hobby or a fun project you wanted to do as a child and never did. This could be Lego building, finger painting, knitting, and model building. This will increase your self-esteem and decrease your stress. Remember IT ISPROGRESS NOT PERFECTION

Until tomorrow…

JULY 19, 2022 FATIGUE

When you are tired all the time you need to get some blood tests ! The possibilities are a lot. It could be your thyroid, your hormones levels, vitamin deficiencies, and even a reactivation of the EBV

Do you have trouble focusing? You may be experiencing the signs of iron deficiency. This common condition can leave you feeling run down and drained. Maybe you are not eating enough of protein especially red meat. If you are vegetarian, you need to look into iron deficiency

Some symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue but also pale skin, brittle nails, and even headaches. Both shortness of breath and dizziness can also be signs of iron deficiency.

If you get your levels checked and your iron levels are low, you can change that. You might not want to eat red meat which is totally understandable. Then you must consume nuts and seeds, and certain grains that can help iron

Two natural remedies is to consume 1 tsp of black strap molasses every other day to increase iron. You can also drink a herbal tea containing yellow dock. Yellow dock increases iron absorption Dark leafy greens also contain iron. You might to take an iron supplements. Be aware that iron supplements will turn your stool color to black and some cause constipation.

Until tomorrow…

JULY 18, 2022 SUMMER INSECT BITES

Insect bites and stings are very common in the summer. Some may cause discomfort, unless you suffer from a severe allergic reaction. The best course of treatment is to soothe the pain and reduce swelling. Of course, you could get the stinger out. The stinging insect ( as the honeybee) inject the toxin through a stinger at the tail end of the abdomen. The reaction is usually local, but if occurs in the mouth or buccal mucosa of the cheek can be a problem. Yellow jackets and wasps have stingers and their sting does hurt more than a honeybee

When I arrived home from Savannah my bees were mostly out of the hive due to the humidity. I opened the hive
I got stung a lot but honeybee will die shortly afterwards. I did mind getting bit on my face twice. My hands got bit, as did my neck and feet. The sting is felt but I was only worried about my eye, since I do not wear a face covering. All turned out fine.


Some quick remedies:

A. FOLK REMEDIES
1. Some old folk remedies are to use the juice of a cucumber, onion or radish to sooth the pain
2. Bathe in baking soda and water if stung all over the body
3. Compress with apple cider vinegar and /or lemon juice
4. I use fresh garlic on the wound

B. HERBAL REMEDIES
1. Marigold petal on a bee bite ( I should have thought of this this weekend- as marigold plants are in the front of the house)
2. Cover the bite with a macerated plantain leaf ( usually not always available in Fire Island, but can be found upstate)
3. Witch hazel is great , but not effective on bee stings, but better on mosquito bites

C. HOMEOPATHY
1, Apis can be used once the stinger is removed. Vincent removed all of my stingers. He was amazed at the size of the stinger.
2. Hypericum can be used with great results

To make an insect bite oil:

1. 1 teaspoon of lavender essential oil
2. 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Combine and place directly on the bite. Rick and I will make some since we are opening the hive next weekend for close friends who love bees. I would love both of them to consider hives in their upstate home. Store the bottle in a glass bottle with a tight lid. Glass bottles better than plastic.

To make a bite/sting poultice

1. 1 tablespoon of echinacea root tincture
2. 1 tablespoon of distilled water
3. 1/2 tsp of lavender essential oil
4. 1 tablespoon of clay

combine the mixture and then add to the clay. Stir slowly till all absorbed. The paste should be tacky enough to stick to the skin. Apply directly to the bite and store in a glass container in a cool place.

Until tomorrow

JULY 14, 2022 THE RIGHT JUICES

For the last year I have consumed Blueberry Juice from Weyman’s every day. I love it. I can’t describe how good I feel, and I love the taste. America has been on a juice craze for the last 10 years. The consumption of the celery juice has more than tripled due to Anthony Williams’ best seller , The Medical Medium (and his other books) I advocate celery juice for EBV ( Epstein Barr Virus) infection. For the last two years due to the COVID pandemic (and the use of vaccinations/boosters) there has been an increase in the reactivation of EBV in most individuals. Celery juice must be consumed first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Please consult the Medical Medium (or one of his practitioners) I have found that celery juice can reduce your blood pressure.

The other two juices that reduce blood pressure are beet and pomegranate . Beetroot is rich in nitrates which the body converts to nitric oxide which dilates (relaxes) blood vessels. In addition, beetroot is rich in fiber and contains potassium. Pomegranate juice also contains potassium which lowers blood pressure. Because of a healthy conscious America, you can find both juices in your local grocery store.

Until tomorrow…

JULY 13, 2022 FOODS THAT LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

As a cardiologist I am always interested in ways to lower blood pressure naturally. I use many herbs and supplements to lower blood pressure as hawthorn, magnesium, globe artichoke, L-carnitine and much more. But there are foods that can also lower your blood pressure.

The herb, Allium sativum known as Garlic from the Lily Family has been shown in studies to lower blood pressure. The mechanism is hypothesized to be by relaxing the smooth muscle that line the blood vessels. By doing this, garlic reduces resistance to blood flow thus lowering blood pressure. Years ago, two dear friends/colleagues’ naturopathic doctors, Dr Peter Bonjourno and Pina LoGuidace published a review article on The Health Benefits of Allium.

In addition to garlic, the consumption of omega 3 fatty acids has been studied to lower blood pressure. For those that do not want to take more supplements, you can eat more fish. These fatty acids reduce inflammation and improve blood vessel function. The fatty acids also increase the good cholesterol- the high-density lipoprotein (HDL ) For men, the HDL should be > 40 and for women, > 50

Lastly, the next two can be addictive- red wine and dark chocolate. You must consume these in small- moderate levels. Red wine contains resveratrol which dilates blood vessels thus lowering BP This substance also inhibits the formation of bad cholesterol called the lower density lipoproteins ( LDL). The polyphenols and flavonoids in dark chocolate ( not milk chocolate) have been studied to reduce blood pressure.

So now your diet just changed with the consumption of garlic, red wine, dark chocolate and fish. Sounds like a nice Italian dinner

Until tomorrow…

JULY 12, 2022 MAGNESIUM

This is one supplement that is essential for good health. Magnesium is needed for good sleep, nerve function and even for regulating your own bowel function. There are ways to tell if you are magnesium deficient.

We all feel tired . This could be a sign of magnesium deficiency. Getting more magnesium is easy ( you could always get an intravenous drip at our offices in NYC or CT ) There are many foods that contain magnesium as leafy greens, nuts and seeds and even whole grains

The most common complaint I hear that I hear from patients is leg cramps or leg twitching. Magnesium helps to regulate nerve impulses. It also helps anxiety if the twitching is due to your stress levels. The next most common complaint that points to magnesium deficiency are headaches and migraines. Although there are causes of both—you must think of magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is essential in over 200 biochemical reactions in the body and has been linked to both headaches and migraines. Personally, I love herbs for migraines as peppermint, butterbur, and Jamaican dogwood.

Lastly some individuals use magnesium to help get a better night’s sleep. Sleep is very important and underrated We should be discussing sleep more often. Magnesium, calcium and B6 are great for a proper night’s sleep. Of note, 1 teaspoon of raw honey increases one’s own melatonin production—so try honey before bed

Until tomorrow…