Archive for November, 2007
Monday, November 19th, 2007
red clover or Trifolium pratense is used for chronic chest problems such as whooping cough, asthma, and bronchitis. Flowering tops of the red clover are used. people with thin blood should exercise extreme caution when using herbs like Red clover and should do so only under physician supervision. There have been several small studies of less than 6 months for effect of red clover on menopausal symptoms and they have had mixed results. because of the shorter duration of these studies , results of an estrogen like substance in red clover on women is not yet determined.
it is very important to talk to your doctor before taking any dietary supplements since the effects on hormone-sensitive women as well as breastfeeding women are not known.
red clover is also used to detox skin or reduce skin problems or blood purifier for various skin condition. its effect on acne has not been studied in large trials.
Tags: acne, asthma, blood thinner, bronchitis, estrogen, pregnancy, red clover, skin detox, skin problems
Posted in asthma, home remedies, natural cures, natural health, natural herbs | Comments Off
Thursday, November 15th, 2007
catnip is a very versatile plant. catnip leaves and flowers play an important part in stress reduction. catnip is liked by cats and is excellent calming herb. catnip is also used as a teething pain relief remedy. It has a restorative digestive capability and can be used for preventing diarrhea or colic. to help with digestion use few drops of catnip tincture before meals. catnip has bitter taste and is better used with other herbs.
chamomile has long been used for stomach disorders and against fever and for nervous stress. chamomile tea is prepared by pouring boiling water over half/one oz of chamomile flowers and then covering it and waiting for 20 minutes. drink small amount couple of times a day for relaxation. Azulene is the key volatile oil in chamomile. its a type of terpene , Azulene is known for its anti-inflamatory property and also has anti-tumor and sedative properties. Chamomile may also help reduce flatulence and reduce inflammation. is some studies chamomile is shown to inactivate toxins produced by bacteria. This may be the reason for chamomiles role in stress reduction.
Tags: catnip, colic, diarrhea, flatulence, inflamation, stress reduction. chamomile, teething pain
Posted in diarrhea and colic, natural cures, natural health, natural herbs, painkillers | Comments Off
Tuesday, November 13th, 2007
small size LDL has bad health effect compared to large size LDL. small LDL seems to trigger the process of atherosclerosis more compared to large LDL. HDL also comes in various sizes and large HDL seems to do a very good job of hauling the cholesterol back to the liver. HDL also has very good anti oxidant effect.
large lipo proteins also may be a clue to longevity. a modest amount of exercise is best way to increase the size of LDL and HDL. transfat promotes smaller size LDL particles thus making transfat more dangerous for your health.
smaller LDL particles are also found in people who have insulin resistance syndrome. LDL particle size is also found to be inversely proportional to total triglycerides.
atherogenesis is the formation of lipid deposits in the arteries, smaller LDL particles and high TG – triglycerides are key factors in the formation of plaque in the lining of the arteries
Tags: atherogenesis, atherosclerosis, diabetes, HDL, insulin resistance, LDL, lipid deposits, plaque, triglycerides
Posted in cholesterol, diabetes, exercise, high blood pressure, high fiber diet | Comments Off
Monday, November 5th, 2007
A recent study in the medical journal, the lancet reported that herb echinacea reduced common cold and also shortened the duration of common cold. however new england journal of medicine had reported that echinacea may not help common cold. it is possible that the two studies different viruses. also FDA does not regulate herbal supplements and hence study results may not be conclusive. Vitamin C is known to reduce cold symptoms although it may not prevent common cold.
a person can be infected with cold virus upto 24 hours before the cold symptoms can be seen. best defense against common cold is to wash your hands every time you are in public places. Washing hands prevents viruses from entering your mouth or nose.
personal hygiene such as washing hands with soap may be the best natural health solution and cure for preventing common cold.
Tags: common cold, echinacea, jama, lancet, medical journals, natural health, zinc
Posted in common cold, natural cures, natural health | Comments Off