Showing posts with label Cholesterol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cholesterol. Show all posts

27.8.16

Home remedies for heart diseases




Heart disease refers to numerous problems that affect the structure and functions of the heart. It is most often related to atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup in arterial walls, that causes narrowing of the arteries, thereby inhibiting blood flow and increasing the risk for a heart attack or stroke.
The heart is an amazing structure, tough yet fragile. A muscle, its network of arteries and veins transport blood through your body, nourishing organs and tissues. When the heart is working as it should, you barely notice it. But when your heart starts acting strangely, you have cause to worry. Thankfully, you live in a day when heart disease can be treated very successfully, and in some cases, the condition can even be reversed. Several home remedies can assist in keeping your heart healthy.
Causes of Heart Disease:
Lots of pressure in the arteries can cause them to become stiff and thick. This hardening of the arteries is known as Atherosclerosis and can restrict the blood flow to other organs and tissues in the body. Unhealthy diets, lack of exercise, obesity or smoking are the main risk factors for this disease.
Heart Arrhythmia is caused by abnormal heart rhythms. The conditions that result in this abnormality are drug abuse, coronary artery disease, congenital heart defects (birth defects), diabetes, smoking, drug abuse, stress, high blood pressure, consumption of alcohol or caffeine (excessive), valvular heart disease, few over-the-counter medication, dietary supplements, herbal remedies and prescription medications.
Pericarditis, myocarditis and endocarditis are developed when bacterium, chemicals or virus reach the heart muscle. The most common causes of heart infections include:
Bacteria: When a number of bacteria enter the bloodstream, endocarditis is caused. The bacteria can enter while eating food or brushing teeth. It is extremely important to keep your teeth clean all the time. Also avoid outside food to prevent these diseases.
Medication: Medicines that cause a toxic or allergic reaction. Illegal drugs, some antibiotics like sulfonamide drugs and penicillin can cause heart infections
Inflammation of blood vessels, other inflammatory conditions, lupus, tissue disorders can also cause heart infections.


Heart disease can be improved — or even prevented — by making certain lifestyle changes. The following changes can help anyone who wants to improve heart health:
Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight increases your risk of heart disease. A BMI of less than 25 and a waist circumference of 35 inches (88.9 centimeters) or less is the goal for preventing and treating heart disease.
Physical activity will reduce the chances of high cholesterol, diabetes, stress and blood pressure. Exercise of 30 minutes each day is recommended, but if you can allocate an hour every day, it could do wonders to your body. Try to stay as conscious as you can by taking the stairs, walking your dog or even gardening.
Master herbalist Dr. John Christopher was nicknamed doctor cayenne because he praised its value as a heart health tonic, which if strong enough could halt a heart attack in progress.
Manage stress. Reduce stress as much as possible. Practice techniques for managing stress, such as muscle relaxation and deep breathing.
Studies have determined that pomegranate juice helps unclog arteries by reducing artery thickness. L-Arginine is a supplement that helps increase blood vessel nitric oxide to repair arterial inner lining damage.
Deal with depression. Being depressed can increase your risk of heart disease significantly. Talk to your doctor if you feel hopeless or uninterested in your life.
Practice good hygiene. Stay away from people with infectious diseases such as colds, get vaccinated against the flu, regularly wash your hands, and brush and floss your teeth regularly to keep yourself well.
Increase your magnesium intake. It's the most important ignored mineral in existence involving 300 metabolic processes. It directly affects heart health, especially with heart beat regulation. Yet most Americans are magnesium deficient.Greens are excellent sources of magnesium, which can also be supplemented orally with magnesium citrate formulas or topically with magnesium chloride, and even by soaking in Epsom salts.
Move. Exercise helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight and control diabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure — all risk factors for heart disease. If you have a heart arrhythmia or heart defect, there may be some restrictions on the activities you can do, so talk to your doctor.


With your doctor's OK, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.
Avoid oils that are processed by heat or hydrogenated. These cause inflammation, and they're ubiquitous in processed and fast foods. But there is one cold pressed oil to avoid, Canola (rapeseed) oil. It's not the health food it's promoted to be.
Eat healthy foods. A heart-healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains — and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugar — can help you control your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.
Check your cholesterol. Ask your doctor for a baseline cholesterol test when you're in your 20s and then at least every five years. You may need to start testing earlier if high cholesterol is in your family. If your test results aren't within desirable ranges, your doctor may recommend more frequent measurements.
Most people should aim for an LDL level below 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 3.4 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). If you have other risk factors for heart disease, you should aim for an LDL below 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L). If you're at very high risk of heart disease — if you've already had a heart attack or have diabetes, for example — aim for an even lower LDL level — below 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L).


Increase your omega-3 fatty acid intake. Both cardiologists mentioned above refer to the imbalance of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 as an inflammatory factor in the standard American diet Omega-3 is high in fish and krill oils, fatty fish, freshly ground flax seeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds as well as avocados and free range eggs. The oils from those plants are also beneficial if they are organic and cold pressed.
Keep diabetes under control. If you have diabetes, tight blood sugar control can help reduce the risk of heart disease
Stop smoking. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, especially atherosclerosis. Quitting is the best way to reduce your risk of heart disease and its complications.
Control your blood pressure. Ask your doctor for a blood pressure measurement at least every two years. He or she may recommend more frequent measurements if your blood pressure is higher than normal or you have a history of heart disease. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, as measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg)




25.7.16

Turmeric Benefits & Treatments


Turmeric is a yellow-pigmented curry spice that is often used in Indian cuisine. But this spice is far more than a cooking staple. It also has a long history of medicinal use in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as well as Ayurvedic medicine.
Traditional medicinal uses include the treatment of liver disease, skin problems, respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments, sprained muscles, joint pains, and general wound healing.
Its benefits have since been well documented in the medical literature, and curcumin—one of the most well-studied1,2bioactive ingredients in turmeric— has been found to promote health and protect against a wide array of health conditions.
It actually exhibits over 150 potentially therapeutic activities, including anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity, as well as potent anti-cancer properties that have been intensely studied.
Turmeric, the main spice in curry, is arguably the most powerful herb on the planet at fighting and potentially reversing disease. It has so many healing properties that currently there have been6,235 peer-reviewed articles published proving the benefits of turmeric and one of its renowned healing compounds curcumin.
This puts turmeric on top of the list as one of the most frequently mentioned medicinal herbs in all of science and the next most popular studied herbs include garlic, cinnamon, ginseng, ginger and milk thistle.
Of the 6000+ studies referencing curcumin, the most interesting finding is that when turmeric is compared to conventional medicine its benefits equal that of many pharmaceutical medications.
In fact, a number of studies have even reported that using curcumin is more advantageous than certain prescription drugs.


 Curcumin a Potent Medicin

Researchers have found a number of different mechanisms of action for curcumin, and part of the answer as to why curcumin appears to be such potent medicine is because it can:
Modulate about 700 of your genes
Positively modulate more than 160 different physiological pathways3
Make your cells' membranes more orderl
Affect signaling molecules For example, curcumin has been shown to directly interact with:
Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color.
It has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb.
Recently, science has started to back up what the Indians have known for a long time… it really does 

contain compounds with medicinal properties
These compounds are called curcuminoids, the most important of which is curcumin.
Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.
However, the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high… it’s around 3%, by weight
Most of the studies on this herb are using turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. It would be very difficult to reach these levels just using the turmeric spice in your foods.
Therefore, if you want to experience the full effects, then you need to take an extract that contains significant amounts of curcumin.
Unfortunately, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. It helps to consume black pepper with it, which contains piperine… a natural substance that enhances the absorption of curcumin by 2000%
Curcumin is also fat soluble, so it may be a good idea to take it with a fatty meal.
Curried dishes around the world wouldn’t be as delicious without turmeric. Turmeric is an orange-colored spice native to India and Indonesia, revered for its culinary and therapeutic benefits. Turmeric gives the curry its bright yellow or orange color and contributes to its peppery, warm, and mildly bitter taste. It also provides a tangy and ginger-like fragrance.
Turmeric is a root crop known for its tough brown skin and bright orange flesh. For more than 5,000 years, this root crop has been cultivated in the tropical regions of Asia. During the 13th century, turmeric was introduced to western countries by Arab traders.
Its popularity has slowly spread across the globe. Today, the leading producers of this aromatic spice are India, Indonesia, China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Haiti, and Jamaica.
Turmeric has been used in the Chinese and Indian pharmacopoeia for thousands of years. It is known for its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, used in treating several conditions such as toothache, chest pain, urinary tract infection, flatulence, jaundice, menstrual discomforts, bruises, hemorrhage, and colic.
Today, researchers are investigating the countless benefits of turmeric and it has shown incredible promise in the prevention and treatment of cancer.
Turmeric is powerful and effective against more than cancer cells. Researchers are fascinated by the broad range of conditions it is capable of helping. 

Beneficial  in arthritis
.
 
Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties aids in managing arthritic conditions. Those who suffer from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis have found relief by consuming turmeric on a regular basis, especially when eaten raw. Turmeric neutralizes
harmful free radicals that can damage the cells of the body and lead to inflammation.The anti-inflammatory properties in turmeric are great for treating both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, turmeric’s antioxidant property destroys free radicals in the body that damage body cells. It has been found that those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis who consume turmeric on a regular basis experience much relief from the moderate to mild joint pains as well as joint inflammation.
Regulates blood sugar. Turmeric has the ability to improve the effects of diabetic medications and help in controlling the disease. It reduces the risks of developing insulin resistance, a physiological condition in which the cells fail to respond to the normal actions of the insulin hormone.Turmeric can be used in the treatment of diabetes by helping to moderate insulin levels. It also improves glucose control and increases the effect of medications used to treat diabetes. Another significant benefit is turmeric’s effectiveness in helping reduce insulin resistance, which may prevent the onset of Type-2 diabetes. However, when combined with strong medications, turmeric can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). It is best to consult a healthcare professional before taking turmeric capsules.
Helps you lose weight. Adding turmeric to your diet helps increase the production of bile, a necessary factor in the breakdown of dietary fat. To help obtain your ideal body weight, a teaspoon of turmeric powder in your meals boosts this process. More efficient bile production aids in better digestion and prevents liver disease.

Heals Wound

Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent and can be used as an effective disinfectant. If you have a cut or burn, you can sprinkle turmeric powder on the affected area to speed up the healing process. Turmeric also helps repair damaged skin and may be used to treat psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.

Reduces Cholesterol Level

Research has proven that simply using turmeric as a food seasoning can reduce serum cholesterol levels. It is a known fact that high cholesterol can lead to other serious health problems. Maintaining a proper cholesterol level can prevent many cardiovascular diseases.
Makes wound heal faster. You can use turmeric as a natural disinfectant because of its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. To heal wounds, sprinkle turmeric powder on the affected area. It has also been shown that turmeric can be used to treat psoriasis and other skin conditions.
Prevents Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease is believed to be caused by rampant inflammation within the brain. Turmeric’s anti-inflammatory property removes accumulated plaque and fats in the brain, improving oxygen flow.


prevents prostate cancer 

Turmeric can help prevent prostate cancer, stop the growth of existing prostate cancer and even destroy cancer cells. Multiple researchers have found that the active components in turmeric makes it one of the best protectors against radiation-induced tumors. It also has a preventive effect against tumor cells such as T-cell leukemia, colon carcinomas and breast carcinomas.
Turmeric has been used in Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic medicine as a non-toxic treatment for arthritis that does not cause too many side effects. Standardized curcumin extract of 300mg thrice daily is the recommended dosage for inflammation. This could be used to manage symptoms of fibromyalgia. Curcumin is a blood thinner and can increase effectiveness of certain medications like aspirin and Coumadin. Sometimes curcumin is combined with Bromelain to increase its anti-inflammatory effectiveness and absorption rates.

dosage-

For osteoarthritis, the dosage is 500mg twice daily. This dosage is for Meriva, Indena a specific turmeric extract. Curcumin supplements can be bought without a prescription. Sometimes these supplements also contain piperine – a chemical compound that is said to improve bioavailability of turmeric by slowing down its metabolism. Piperine does interact with drugs, so check this before taking curcumin supplements that include it.