Natural Pain Relief Supplements

Posted on 21/05/2013 by sbonham

So many of us are so caught up on the “Tylenol” marketing bandwagon, that we have been trained not to even think of possible alternative remedies when we have a headache, cramps or inflammation. Believe it or not, there are some great natural alternatives for your pain, if you ever want to avoid the litany of drugstore painkillers polluting our waterways. Here are a few your might want to consider:

White Willow Bark: This bark contains “salicin” which was originally used to make aspirin (of course today Aspirin is 100% synthesized- surprise, surprise). It is also known as an “herbal aspirin” and is really good for headaches, pain relief, muscle aches, cramps as well as lowering fever. Most children are not allowed to take antibiotics when sick (or doctors don’t give it out very readily), so this could even be a more diluted solution for when your little-one is sick.

Turmeric: Ever wonder what this spice is good for besides in “curry”??? Well it actually is considered an anti-carcinogenic root and can do incredible work reducing inflammation throughout your body. It is also a mild blood thinner and is currently being tested on everything from Alzheimer’s to HIV. You can even add black pepper to your turmeric in cooking to bump up its bio-availability thanks to the piperine in there. If you are like me at hate the taste of turmeric, you can buy a natural turmeric extract called BCM-95. What is great about BCM -95…maybe even eat this after you have sprinkled some black pepper on your breakfast to increase its absorption.

Capsaicin: Otherwise known as cayenne pepper cream desensitizes pain receptors called C-fibres and really helps to reduce nerve and muscle pain on contact. I warn you, though, to keep this cream away from your eyes and mucous membranes: it’ll burn a lot!

Have you heard of any natural supplements that work miracles for you? Eco-Savy would love to hear about them! Looking forward to hearing your comments.

Natural Weight Loss Secret: Spices

Posted on 10/05/2013 by sbonham

Next time you want a more natural, eco-friendly, healthy alternative to loosing a few pounds, forget buying weight-loss supplements or killing yourself at the gym.

New research in the journal called Flavour shows that breathing in strong aroma’s from spices such as rosemary and peppermind prior to eating can actually help you eat 5 to 10% less of a meal.

The author of the article, Dr. Rene de Wijk (Ph.D) from Wageningen University in the Netherlands says that “people may unconsciously take smaller bites to regulate the amount of flavour.”

PEPPERMINT was one of the first natural ingredients that was tested for weight loss in association with aroma. The best study I came across was conducted at the Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, West Virginia by Bryan Raudenbush.

In another study involving peppermint, a scientist by the name of Bryan had asked 40 participants (large enough group to avoid bias) to sniff peppermint every two hours for five days. In the remaining five days a placebo was given to them. I am guessing the placebo was a scent very similar to peppermint, but lacked the distinct chemical makeup to be considered “peppermint”. The results were astounding. Overall, in the week that the participants sniffed peppermint, a total of 1,800 less calories were consumed.

“A large part of the reason that you feel full is your brain interpreting that you’ve smelled it and tasted it,” said Dr. Hirsch, a neurologist, psychiatrist and the founder of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago.

GRAPEFRUIT has also been extremely popular over the years for people trying to loose weight… AND now, there is scientific evidence that it does work. Researchers at Vanderbilt University have conducted a study investigating the effects of grapefruit on weight loss when the fruit is consumed as a “pre-load” before a meal. Grapefruit was selected for the study because of its reputation for facilitating weight loss. The study revealed that grapefruit, whether consumed in a solid or liquid form, demonstrated a measurable weight loss effect in participants, as well as providing other benefits.

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Nanoparticles and Doughnuts!

Posted on 05/05/2013 by sbonham

Trying to be more eco-friendly, sustainable and healthier can be hard in a world surrounded by so much temptation. No matter how healthy one tries to be, sometimes we have to cheat and grab a mouth-watering powdered donut filled with whatever our heart desires. But what if that doughnut had harmful chemicals that were one-billionth of a nanometer that could potentially be harmful to your health. Would you still want it then? Most definitely not!!!

Nanoparticles in Food

In a new report, As You Sow, an environmental health group found particle of titanium dioxide less than 10 nanometers in size in the powdered sugar coating on donuts from Dunkin’ and Hostess. The group argues that nanoparticles have no business in any kind of food until safety testing is done.

There is a huge lack of transparency occurring right now in the food industry about nano-particles in food and no one is willing to talk. Indeed, it is reported that nanotechnology is already being used in food and food related products, but again, due to lack of transparency on the issue, no one knows any details as to how much nano materials are being used.

What are nanoparticles?

I am sure you have heard of nanoparticles or nanotechnology by now. They are engineered, small particles that are roughly one-billionth of a meter in diameter (50 000 times smaller than the width of a human hair). We hear about these particles in the spotlight for medical technology, 3D printing and a wide array of technological advancements…but NOT IN OUR FOOD!

It is reported that nanotechnology is already being used in food and food related products but, due to the food industry’s lack of transparency on the issue, concrete information about whether, and how much, nanomaterials are being used in food products is difficult to obtain.

Nanoparticles and Health?

Many want to know how these particles if ingested will affect ones health. Their small size makes them more readily accepted into cells within our bodies, as well as allowing them to travel throughout of bloodstream faster than larger particles.

Currently noone knows the longterm effects of nanoparticles on our health. However, considering these particles have been ubiquitous in suscreens, lotions and other personal care products for a while and noone has raised serious concern, they are likely to pose a more longterm problems and are considered benign in the short-term.

With regards to titanium dioxide, the affect it has on our health hasn’t been studied long enough to have concrete answers, but one scientist found that the inhalation of highly insoluble titanium dioxide nanoparticles ~20 nanometers in diameter (note: the ones found in Dunkin Doughnuts were even SMALLER) resulted in significantly increased pulmonary inflammatory responses. With further investigation that same scientist found titanium dioxide nanoparticles were capable of penetrating through the skin and even into cellls, forming free radicals (often linked to cancer) and causing intracellular damage. Additionally, another sceintist by the name of Dr. Kreilgaard even suggested that very small titanium dioxide particles (~20 nm) could penetrate into skin and interact with the immune system.

So if you eat doughnuts frequently, maybe think of an alternative snack or get a doughnut that isn’t sprinkles with powder next time.

References

Oberdo¨ rster, G. (2001). Pulmonary effects of inhaled ultrafine particles. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 74, 1-8.

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

Posted on 28/04/2013 by sbonham

Ever wonder why wine has that magical ability to reduce stress & lower blood pressure after a hard day?

So many of us hold so much stress in our bodies throughout the day, often causing our blood pressure to spike. Even worse is that it can be hard to find way to get rid of this built up stress naturally. New research however, is showing that it might be easier than you previously thought. All that is required in reaching into your fridge for some GRAPES.

The University of Houston’s new research study suggests that grapes themselves may reduce stress and thus blood pressure. There study involved rodents, who were fed a grape-based powder drink for two weeks. The results were really surprising because the mice had fewer blood pressure spikes when compared to those that just sipped on water.

So what’s so special about grapes? Samina Salim, Ph.D (study author) says that “oxidative stress in the body may contribute to anxiety and grapes’ high antioxidant content may have a protective effect”.

To learn more about natural remedies to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in your body check out an earlier article posted by Eco-Savy on Anti Inflammatory Foods. 🙂

How to Loose Weight Fast – Japanese New Research

Posted on 18/04/2013 by sbonham

Ever wonder why Japanese women are so slim and live the longest in the world? There secret is tomatoes!! New research shows that tomatoes contain a substance that has been found to promote healthy fat burning, enabling you to trim down your sides without going to the gym.

Tomatoes and Weight Loss Research Details

Professor Teruo Kawada and his team of researchers at the Laboratory of Molecular Function of Food in Kyoto have backed up the Tomato Diet with sound research. In particular, they found a substance in the tomatoes called 13-oxo-ODA, which is a special type of unsaturated fatty acid. This chemical was found to help decrease the amount of neutral fat in your body and prevent metabolic syndrome from setting in.

What’s the secret?

The secret of using your genes to do this is in giving your body what it needs to build the enzymes it needs to trigger you fat burning furnace, i.e. activating your DNA.

So how much is required? Well, the researchers gave mice in the study approximately 200mL of tomato juice, which equates to about a small glass of tomato juice.

How much tomatoes does one need to get this weight-loss/ fat burning effect?

Therefore, if you drink 3 glasses of tomato juice a day your body has all the 13-oxo-ODA it needs to promote steady fat burning without exercise.

tomato

However, even though tomato juice is said to by high in “13-oxo-ODA”, don’t limit yourself to JUST TOMATO JUICE when dieting. In fact, tomato products contain ample amounts of 13-oxo-ODA. Thus, don’t let that stop you from having a hot bowl of tomato soup on cold days.