Herbs and Herbal Supplements

[modest]

Thank you both.

I think you are correct that an inadequate diet is what needs supplementing. Personally, I need to both monitor my diet better and start taking at least a multivitamin.

There is a strong history of heart problems in my family and an ounce of prevention...

Thanks again,

-modest

[CerebralEcstasy]

There is a strong history of heart problems in my family and an ounce of prevention...

There is in mine as well. The heart related incidents offer no chance for recovery, I've lost my mother at 42, my grandmother at 52, and an uncle at 37.

Needless to say I'm 34, I have three children and I really don't want to leave them orphans. So I read..... and here's what I've found.

Hypertension or High Blood Pressure - Nutrition, Herbs, Supplements - cardiologychannel

Eat whole, fresh, unrefined, and unprocessed foods. Include fruits, vegetables, garlic, onion, whole grains, soy, beans, seeds, nuts, olive oil, and cold-water fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, halibut, and mackerel).

Low sodium-high potassium diet. Most people are aware that reducing sodium (salt) intake can help reduce blood pressure. However, that may not be the whole picture.

Restricting sodium intake to lower blood pressure appears to work better if accompanied by increasing potassium intake. Keep in mind that reducing sodium intake involves more than not using a salt shaker, but also reading processed and prepared food labels for the sodium content.

Avoid salt, sugar, dairy products, refined foods, fried foods, junk foods, and caffeine.
Eliminate food sensitivities. Use an elimination and challenge diet to determine food sensitivities.

Drink 50% of your body weight in ounces of water daily (e.g., if you weigh 150 lbs, drink 75 oz of water daily).

Supplements

Supplements are intended to provide nutritional support. Because a supplement or a recommended dose may not be appropriate for all persons, a physician (i.e., a licensed naturopathic physician or holistic MD or DO) should be consulted before using any product. Recommended doses follow:

Calcium—Take 800-1500 mg daily.
Vitamin C—Take 1000 mg daily.
Coenzyme Q10—Take 50 mg two times daily.
Flaxseed meal—Grind 2–4 tablespoons daily. Flaxseed meal is a better choice due to its fiber, lignan, and vitamin content, but flaxseed oil (1 tbsp daily) can be substituted.

[modest]

Thank you CerebralEcstasy for all the good info. I'm afraid the only thing you mention that I do well is drink that much water. I noticed a few years ago that I felt better doing so and it has become habit.

Unfortunately, eating healthy has not become habit; but, I'm starting to work on it.

Thank you again,

-modest

[CerebralEcstasy]

Originally Posted by modest

Thank you CerebralEcstasy for all the good info. I'm afraid the only thing you mention that I do well is drink that much water. I noticed a few years ago that I felt better doing so and it has become habit.

Unfortunately, eating healthy has not become habit; but, I'm starting to work on it.

Thank you again,

-modest

You're quite welcome. One of the things you'll find amazing when you start changing your eating habits is how good you feel.

I'm not good at eating healthy either, so I use a site advertized by the dieticians of Canada to track the foods I eat, to see what my daily caloric intake is, and what nutrients I'm getting from the foods I eat.

While Eatracker isn't exactly 100% it's good enough to closely monitor calories, nutrients, exercise and so forth. Based on your entries, it tells you how many calories you should be eating that day, based on your activity level.

I looked at one person's rating of the site, and wanting to smack them upside the head.

I think we can all figure out that if the site says - to maintain your current weight eat X amount of calories. We can also use deductive reasoning to figure out that if we take in less we'll lose weight, if we go overboard and take in more then we can expect to gain.

eattracker.ca

I also recently learned a lot about the genetics behind heart disease, if you're interested - I'll write more later.

[modest]

Originally Posted by CerebralEcstasy

I also recently learned a lot about the genetics behind heart disease, if you're interested - I'll write more later.

Yes, I'd very much appreciate that. I just started a thread on the topic. It's something I've been thinking about a lot lately:

Preventing Heart Disease

~modest

[Monomer]

Although I originally posted this here I thought it also might be worthwhile in this thread.

Obesity And Heart Disease May Be Reduced By Herbal Remedy

With unprecedented levels of obesity across the Western world, and incidence of associated heart disease, cancer and diabetes rising, there is a major drive to find new treatments. Scientists from Germany have recently discovered that extracts of a traditional herbal remedy derived from Tabebuia impetiginosa can act to delay the absorption of dietary fat in animal models. They believe that the extract could be incorporated into a food supplement which may not only reduce obesity, but also lessen the risk of development of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.

Dr Roos and his team have shown that Tabebuia extract can reduce levels of triglycerides, a breakdown product of fat, in rats after they have been fed a fatty meal. "This result shows the extract may have a potential use in treating obesity," he observes. "However, as coronary heart disease and diabetes have also been shown to be associated with higher triglyceride levels after eating, we believe a food-supplement based on Tabebuia could reduce the incidence of these diseases as well. What is more, as obesity in developing countries is also on the increase, such extracts, taken as a capsule or added to food, may be a cheaper alternative for the rural population to pharmaceuticals."

Although it is clear that Tabebuia extract can act to inhibit the absorption of dietary fat, the scientists have not yet identified the exact compounds within the extract that are responsible for the effects. "The actual substances involved are probably even more active than the extract," says Dr Roos. "We are currently in the process of identifying these compounds, and will then test long-term efficiacy and safety in miniature pigs whose physiology is closer to that of humans than rat physiology is, before moving onto human trials. At this point, we hope to be able to develop the extract, either as a food supplement or in a medicinal context."

Tabebuia impetiginosa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[narenner]

I definitely have to say my favorite herb is the Stevia plant. I know this has been discussed in this forum before, but I really wanted to reiterate the impact it has made on my life. Stevia is a plant native to Paraguay that has been used for its sweet leaves. It's a perfect sweetener because it has no calories!

Though I've been using Stevia for years, I recently came across a new sweetener being sold in story as of just late. It's called SweetLeaf Sweetener and from the research I've done, it has no calories, no carbs and no glycemic index and is the only sweetener to have all of those components. I've found that it's a great natural and healthy way to sweeten pretty much anything including recipes, beverages, etc., etc. I usually just add a filler like mashed bananas or yogurt to maintain the volume of the ingredients when I substitute SweetLeaf for sugar in recipes. It's worked perfectly every time!

Just wanted to enlighten everyone about this awesome herb I've been using for awhile now. I think everyone should just give it a try. You'd be surprised at how much of a difference it makes! Enjoy!

Also, I found a couple videos on YouTube about SweetLeaf when I was perusing the Web site. Search SweetLeaf Sweetener if you want to check them out!

[Michaelangelica]

Spice-Rack Favorites Battle E. Coli And Other Foodborne Pathogens

Oregano or pot marjoram (Origanum vulgare) is a species of Origanum, native to Europe, the Mediterranean region and southern and central Asia. Oils from oregano, thyme, cinnamon and clove, or compounds extracted from those oils, pack a powerful, antimicrobial punch--strong enough to help quell such foodborne pathogens as Escherichia coli O157:H7. (Credit: iStockphoto/Anna Yu)
ScienceDaily (July 24, 2008) — Herbs and spices like oregano, thyme, cinnamon and clove do more than add pleasing flavors and aromas to familiar foods. The oils from these plants, or compounds extracted from those oils, pack a powerful, antimicrobial punch—strong enough to help quell such foodborne pathogens as Escherichia coli O157:H7.

Spice-Rack Favorites Battle E. Coli And Other Foodborne Pathogens

Frankincense Provides Relief To Arthritis Sufferers

ScienceDaily (July 31, 2008) — An enriched extract of the 'Indian Frankincense' herb Boswellia serrata has been proven to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Research published today in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy has shown that patients taking the herbal remedy showed significant improvement in as little as seven days

Frankincense Provides Relief To Arthritis Sufferers

[Michaelangelica]

Spices May Protect Against Consequences Of High Blood Sugar

ScienceDaily (Aug. 7, 2008) — Herbs and spices are rich in antioxidants, and a new University of Georgia study suggests they are also potent inhibitors of tissue damage and inflammation caused by high levels of blood sugar

Spices May Protect Against Consequences Of High Blood Sugar

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[Michaelangelica]

Researchers turn plant cells into medical factories


Researchers turn plant cells into medical factories


VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland will coordinate the large EU research project called SmartCell. The four-year project focuses on developing methods for production of valuable pharmaceutical compounds using plant cells as a production host in an effective and controlled manner. Genetic fishing expedition yields surprising catch important to mammals


Genetic fishing expedition yields surprising catch important to mammals


Johns Hopkins investigators report the discovery of master controllers of a gene critical to human and all mammalian development by trawling, implausibly enough, through anonymous genetic sequences using tiny zebrafish embryos. Squirrels may know a cure for cancer!


Squirrels may know a cure for cancer!


Scientists in the United States believe they have discovered a previously unknown anti-cancer mechanism in some rodents.

Researchers turn plant cells into medical factories