Could hot cocoa be the next “wonder drug” for high blood pressure?

According to recent estimates, nearly 1-in-4 Australian adults has high blood pressure. But for the Kuna Indians living on a group of islands off the Caribbean coast of Panama, hypertension doesn’t even exist. So what makes these folks practically “immune” to hypertension–and lets them enjoy much lower death rates from heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and cancer?

Harvard researchers were stunned to discover it’s because they drink about 5 cups of cocoa each day. That’s right, cocoa! Studies show the flavonols in cocoa stimulate your body’s production of nitric oxide–boosting blood flow to your heart, brain, and other organs. But that’s not all. A Harvard Medical School professor claims cocoa can also treat blocked arteries, congestive heart failure, stroke, dementia, even impotence!

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

Finding The Essence Of Essential Oils

Dear Dr. Cutler,

I have been hearing a lot of hype about essential oils lately. Some are claiming that these oils can help with a variety of problems ranging from improving skin problems to decreasing joint pain and swelling. Could you give me your take on essential oils—where they come from and what they can possibly do for my health?

Dear Myra,

There are only 700 plants and trees that can be processed to obtain their essential oils. The “essences” that plants contain protect them from disease and parasites. And oils like frankincense and myrrh shield the plant or tree from extreme sunlight.

The essential oils are found in various parts of the plant—in the flower of the rose, in the leaves of basil, in the wood of sandalwood or in the rinds of fruit. The essences of the trees and plants are turned into essential oils through steam distillation, cold pressing or solvent extraction—methods that are expensive and time-consuming. For example, to produce 4 to 5 teaspoons of rose essential oil, it takes more than 220 pounds of rose petals… for 1 quart of rosemary essential oil, it takes 500 pounds of rosemary… and 1 quart of thyme essential oil requires at least 1 ton of thyme.

But these aromatic essential oils absorb rapidly through your skin and tissues and stimulate multiple organ systems within your body. If they are used in massage therapy, essential oils have an aromatherapy effect because they are absorbed not only through your skin, but through the olfactory nerve in your brain where they can influence other nerves. This contributes to a decrease in stress, clarity of the mind and an improvement in your mood. And as you breathe, the oils are drawn into your lungs and rapidly absorbed into your bloodstream.

What does this mean for your health? For many acute illnesses, essential oils can be as effective as potent prescription drugs. However, for chronic conditions, they have much slower and less dramatic healing effects. Numerous studies have proven that these oils can be used to…

• Fight microbial infections
• Reduce pain dramatically

If you want relief for heartburn pain, for example, rubbing a few drops of peppermint oil into your upper abdomen can create first a deep heat inside your body and then resolve your heartburn in a matter of a few minutes.

All the best!

Michael Cutler, M.D.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

Low vitamin D linked to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease

So you’ve listened to mainstream and now you don’t even know what the sun looks like anymore.

Well, I’ve got some bad news for you — because if, like most people, you’re deficient in the sunshine vitamin, you’re also at risk for life-robbing diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

One new study out of England’s University of Exeter found that seniors with the lowest levels of D had a dramatically higher risk of dementia warning signs.

Researchers followed 858 seniors for six years, and found that those with less than 25 nanomoles of D per liter of blood were 60 percent more likely to experience general cognitive decline, and 31 percent more likely to start losing their abilities to plan, organize and prioritize.

That’s a road you don’t want to go down — because it ends in a nursing home, where you think every orderly is a long-dead relative and you can’t tell noon from midnight anymore.

But what’s truly bizarre about this new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine is the accompanying editorial, which is straight out of the Dark Ages. In it, Dr. Andrew Grey of the University of Auckland in New Zealand urges people NOT to take a D supplement. He also writes that most people shouldn’t even bother to have their D levels measured.

Paging Dr. Grey, there’s a reality check for you on line one: Ignorance isn’t bliss!

I wonder if this guy even bothers reading these journals. Let me help him out here, because a second new study finds that high levels of D can help save you from Parkinson’s disease.

The study in the Archives of Neurology looked at the D levels of 3,173 Finns between the ages of 50 and 79, and found that those with the most had a 65 percent lower risk of Parkinson’s than those with the least.

Meanwhile, a new report in Endocrine Today says it’s now clear beyond all doubt that vitamin D is needed by the immune, pancreas, cardiovascular, muscle and brain systems.

That’s in addition to all the other well-established benefits of vitamin D, which can help everything from your bones to your longevity. Low levels of vitamin D have also been linked to diabetes, multiple sclerosis, autism and schizophrenia

Sortced & published by Henry Sapiecha

Gumbi Gumbi: Rare member of family Pittosporaceae

Gumbi Gumbi is a medium to large tree, native to certain areas of Australia only, and very sparsely found. Because of its scarcity, but similarity in appearance to other species, it is often confused with trees more widely found.

Many people believe there to be as many as six varieties with only one having medicinal properties and another being toxic. Our investigations and experimentation with propagation suggests this is not the case at all. We believe there is only one true Gumbi Gumbi.

Currently Gumbi Gumbi is extremely rare, as only one tree is found growing naturally in an average of 400 sq/km (250 sq/miles) and it is not being farmed to any large extent. One significant reason for its rarity is that Gumbi Gumbi saplings and young trees are commonly ravaged by wildlife and roaming farm stock, such as Kangaroos and cattle, prior to reaching maturity. Animals instinctively know what is good for them, as did the early indigenous people. We modern people, on the other hand, are only now beginning to understand.

Gumbi Gumbi trees are by nature very slow growing and difficult to propagate. In order to ensure the required properties are inherent within trees grown in other than their naturally occurring environment; certain conditions have to be met. Mature trees develop a taproot to 60 feet in natural conditions. Many people have attempted to grow Gumbi Gumbi from seeds and saplings and failed to attain mature trees.

Scientific Analysis

Tests undertaken using Leaf and Leaf Extract from Gumbi Gumbi Natural plantation (Central Queensland, Australia)

Summary
Gumbi Gumbi contains significant amounts of elements known to aid in benefiting health.

Further testing has also shown Gumbi Gumbi to be very high in Saponins. This assists with the delivery of the inherent benefits of Gumbi Gumbi Leaf when used as a tea as per our brewing instructions.
TEST REPORT — Chemical Analysis
Gumbi Leaf: 5 July 2006

TEST REPORT — Chemical Analysis
Gumbi Tea: 21 September 2006

Note:
Concentrations in ppm are equivalent to mg/Kg or mg/L
N.D. = Not Detected

Constituent Summary of extracts of Pittosporum Angustifolium (gumbi gumbi)

Saponins:

The major constituent of gumbi gumbi extract was found to be saponin (a sulphonated di- or tri- terpene). Saponins are natural detergents found in plants (that is, they contain water soluble and fat soluble components and dissolve in water to form a stable soapy froth).

Saponins have commercial uses in a number of applications such as in beverages such as root beer and slurpies (to provide the foamy “head”). Saponins have also found application as emulsifiers for photographic film preparations and cosmetics (such as shampoos and lipsticks) and as industrial frothers for ore separation. Saponins also have anti bacterial and anti-fungal properties1. Saponins decrease blood lipids, lower blood glucose response, and as an antidote to acute lead poisoning2.

Extracts containing saponins currently have a wide application. For example, they are used in animal livestock production facilities for ammonia and odour control as well as in gut bacteria control. Certain saponins form strong insoluble complexes with cholesterol which has application in cholesterol lowering in humans. Bile acids metabolised by bacteria in the colon form secondary bile acids, some of which are known promoters of colon cancer. The feeding of saponins to laboratory mice has shown a reduction in the formation of preneoplastic colon lesions1. This has a potential in the prevention and treatment of colon cancer in humans. Saponins also have application as use for adjuvants in vaccines (adjuvants increase immune-stimulation, by using saponins their emulsifying properties can also be utilised).

Saponins are highly toxic to cold blooded animals and some have been identified in snake venom, starfish, and sea cucumber. Some are toxic to humans.

Tannins:

The term tannins is widely applied to large polyphenolic compounds that contains sufficient hydroxyl and/or carboxyl groups to form complexes with proteins and other large molecules. Tannins are classified into two groups — notable hydrolysable tannins, and condensed tannins. The term tannin refers to the use of tannins in tanning animals hides.

Tannins are almost ubiquitous in the plant kingdom. They are astringent and bitter in taste. Their astringency causes the dry and puckery feeling in the mouth following consumption of red wine, strong tea or un-ripened fruit.

They are also predominantly responsible for the colour of the above and hydrolysable tannins have long-term antioxidant properties (the reaction of hydrolysable tannins in red wine is attributable to the “maturing” of the wine). Tannins are found in fruits, berries, smoked foods, beer and wines (more tannin is found in red wines than in white), citrus juices, condiments (such a cloves, tarragon, vanilla and cinnamon), legumes, and chocolate3. Tannins have shown potential antiviral, antibacterial, and anti parasitic properties. They have also been studied for their effects on the treatment of cancers and their inhibitory effect on HIV.

Alkaloids:

Alkaloids are naturally occurring chemical compounds containing basic nitrogen functionality.

There are three main types of alkaloids — true alkaloids, proto alkaloids, and pseudo alkaloids. Both true alkaloids and proto alkaloids are derived from amino acids, while pseudo alkaloids are not derived from amino acids.

Alkaloids are alkaline and they are reactive compounds that have pharmacological effects at low doses and are used as medications and recreational drugs. Cocaine, caffeine, nicotine, and Quinine are all examples of alkaloids. Alkaloids form water soluble salts and may exist in the free-state, as salts, or as N-oxides — depending on pH or physiological conditions. These properties make them have enormous application as medications.

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Latin Name: Hoodia gordonii
Other Names: hoodia, xhooba, !khoba, Ghaap, hoodia cactus, South African desert cactus

Hoodia (pronounced HOO-dee-ah) is a cactus-like plant that grows primarily in the semi-deserts of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola.

In the last few years, hoodia has been heavily marketed for weight loss and has become immensely popular.

Although there has always been a demand for diet pills, after the ban on the herb ephedra, the market was particularly ripe for the next new diet pill.

Much of hoodia’s popularity stems from claims that the San Bushmen of the Kalahari desert relied on hoodia for thousands of years to ward off hunger and thirst during long hunting trips. They were said to have cut off the stem and eat the bitter-tasting plant.

Hoodia gordonii grows in clumps of green upright stems. Although it is often called a cactus because it resembles one, hoodia is actually a succulent plant.

It takes about five years before hoodia gordonii’s pale purple flowers appear and the plant can be harvested.

There are over 13 types of hoodia. The only active ingredient identified so far is a steroidal glycoside that has been called “p57″. Currently, only hoodia gordonii is thought to contain p57.

What is the History of Hoodia Gordonii?

In 1937, a Dutch anthropologist studying the San Bushmen noted that they used hoodia gordonii to suppress appetite. In 1963, scientists at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa’s national laboratory, began studying hoodia. They claimed that lab animals lost weight after they were given hoodia gordonii.

The South African scientists, working with a British company named Phytopharm, isolated what they believed to be an active ingredient in hoodia gordonii, a steroidal glycoside, which they named p57. After obtaining a patent in 1995, they licensed p57 to Phytopharm. Phytopharm has spent more than $20 million on hoodia research.

Eventually pharmaceutical giant Pfizer learned about hoodia and expressed interest in developing a hoodia drug. In 1998, Phytopharm sub-licensed the rights to develop p57 to Pfizer for $21 million. Pfizer returned the rights to hoodia to Phytopharm, who is now working with Unilever.

Much of the hype about hoodia started after 60 Minutes correspondent Leslie Stahl and crew traveled to Africa to try hoodia. They hired a local Bushman to go with them into the desert and track down some hoodia. Stahl ate it, describing it as “cucumbery in texture, but not bad.” She reported that she lost the desire to eat or drink the entire day. She also said she didn’t experience any immediate side effects, such as indigestion or heart palpitations.

Where is Hoodia Gordonii Found?

Hoodia gordonii is sold in capsule, powder, liquid, or tea form in health food stores and on the Internet. Hoodia is also found in the popular diet pill Trimspa.

Despite its popularity, there are no published randomized controlled trials in humans to show hoodia is safe or effective in pill form.

One study published in the September 2004 issue of Brain Research found that injections of p57 into the appetite center of rat brains resulted in altered levels of ATP, an energy molecule that may affect hunger. The animals receiving the P57 injections also ate less than rats that received placebo injections. However, this was an animal study and injections in the brain are different from oral consumption, so it cannot be used to show that oral hoodia can suppress appetite in humans.

The manufacturer Phytopharm cites a clinical trial involving 18 human volunteers that found hoodia consumption reduced food intake by about 1000 calories per day compared to a placebo group. Although intriguing, the study wasn’t published or subjected to a peer-review process, so the quality of the study cannot be evaluated.

What are the Side Effects of Hoodia?

There are some potential side effects of hoodia that you should be aware of. What are Hoodia’s Side Effects and Safety Concerns?

How do I Know if it’s Pure Hoodia?

There are widespread reports of counterfeit hoodia products. Mike Adams of News Target, estimates that 80% of hoodia products are contaminated or counterfeit. It’s impossible to know if a hoodia product contains pure hoodia and the active ingredient, unless it has been tested by an independent laboratory.

After looking at hoodia buyer’s guides, hoodia ratings, and hoodia comparisons on the Internet, my advice is that you be very cautious. Most of these sites have been secretly created by companies selling hoodia. They explain why the hoodia in other products is inferior, even though there are no published reports showing that one is more effective. Q&A: How Do I Know if it’s Pure Hoodia or a Fake?

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

A combination of nanotechnology and adult stem cells has been shown to destroy arterial plaque atherosclerosis in the hearts of pigs. Animals that received stem cells also showed signs of new blood vessel growth and restoration of artery function, according to the study reported at the American Heart Association’s Basic Cardiovascular Sciences 2010 Scientific Sessions.

The study was conducted at the Department of Internal Medicine and Research Center of Regenerative Medicine, Ural State Medical Academy in Yekaterinburg, Russia. Nanoparticles were infused into the heart of pigs, along with adult stem cells, then heated by laser light until they burned away arterial plaque. The volume of plaque shrunk an average of 28.9 percent immediately after treatment across the three treatment groups, and six months later it had declined 56.8 percent on average. In the control group, plaque volume increased an average of 4.3 percent.

“Biophotonics (light therapy), plasmonics (plasma therapy), stem cell therapy and nanotechnology might someday offer a completely novel treatment to reduce artery plaque build-up,” said lead author and research manager Alexandr Kharlamov. “Nanoburning in combination with stem cell treatment promises demolition of plaque and functional restoration of the vessel wall.”

This new approach may one day replace angioplasty, a common treatment for atherosclerosis, in which a balloon-tipped catheter is threaded into a blocked artery and the balloon is inflated to restore blood flow. The balloon squeezes plaque against the artery wall, but does not eliminate it.

Sourced & published by Henry Sapiecha

MADISON, Wis. (UPI) — U.S. researchers confirm calling mom reduces stress.

Biological anthropologist Leslie Seltzer and psychology professor Seth Pollak, both of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, tested the stress levels of a group of girls ages 7-12 by requiring them to deliver an impromptu speech and do a series of math problems in front of strangers.

“Facing a challenge like that, being evaluated, raises stress levels for a lot of people,” Pollak said in a statement.

Once stressed, one-third of the girls were comforted with a hug by their mothers, one-third watched an emotion-neutral 75-minute video and one-third were handed a telephone with their mother on the line.

“The children who got to interact with their mothers had virtually the same hormonal response, whether they interacted in person or over the phone,” Seltzer says.

The levels of oxytocin — the “love hormone” strongly associated with emotional bonding — rose significantly and the stress-marking cortisol disappeared, the study found.

The findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, might explain why many college students call their mothers as soon as they hand in an exam.

“I used to think, ‘How could those over-attentive, helicopter parents encourage that?’ Maybe it’s a quick and dirty way to feel better. It’s not pop psychology or psychobabble,” Pollak said.

Received and published by Henry Sapiecha 7th June 2010

Vitamin D has been linked to many health conditions before. A recent study links insufficient levels of the vitamin with the disabling condition depression

In a recent study performed by researchers from the National Institute of Aging in the United States, insufficient levels of vitamin D may be the reason why many individuals over the age of 65 are experiencing symptoms of depression.

Senior individuals often have low levels of the important vitamin because they tend to stay indoors more often, as opposed to younger, more sprightly individuals with more active lifestyles. The study was published in a medical journal on endocrinology this year.

According to Luigi Ferrucci, the lead researcher, the emerging link between vitamin D deficiency and the occurrence of depression must be further investigated.  The study involved a follow-up testing of nearly one thousand male and female respondents within a six-year period.

The researchers used a specialized scale that measured the symptoms of depression called CES-D.  The researchers discovered that those with lower levels of vitamin D in their blood tended to have poorer score in the CES-D test.  Those with higher vitamin D percentages in their blood scored better in the same test.

Alarming, global trend

Depression is fast becoming one of the leading causes of disability around the world, not just in the United States.  It is estimated that today, there are 120 million people afflicted with the condition.  Ferrucci’s study is not the first to point at the possible link between the vitamin and depression.

In an earlier study carried out two years ago, Dutch researchers reported that insufficient levels of the vitamin in the body resulted in a higher percentage of the parathyroid hormone.

This hormone, which is used by the body to regulate calcium loss, has been directly linked to a higher incidence of depression in some one thousand two hundred respondents in yet another independent study.  This is the reason why a causal pathway must be mapped out to determine just how this vitamin affects the human brain.

In a fourth related study, researchers McCann and Arnes noted that vitamin D is important for the proper functioning and health of the human brain.  The widespread presence of vitamin D receptors throughout the human brain is evidence of the vital role of the nutrient in brain health.

According to yet another scientific review, vitamin D has been associated with affecting proteins in the human brain that are responsible for governing the learning process and remembering.  If an imbalance occurs in these areas, you can just imagine a chain reaction occurring throughout the brain.

Benefits of vitamin D

There are several ways that you can get vitamin D: natural exposure to sunlight, food (like dairy products, e.g. yogurt, milk, etc.) and through vitamin supplementation.  The body only needs about 10 – 15 minutes of exposure to natural sunlight to produce vitamin D on its own.

If this is not possible, people with low levels of vitamin D should explore vitamin supplementation; this applies most especially to senior individuals who may not be eating well or are unable to engage in a more active lifestyle.  Instead of using sunscreen when going out to get your healthy dose of sunshine, you can protect your skin naturally by taking natural antioxidants like fresh wheatgrass juice and citrus fruits.

The usual recommended dose for adults is between 400 to 800 IU (international units) of vitamin D everyday. Pregnant women should be given a higher dose (800 IU) to ensure optimum bone health and proper development of the fetus.

And there are more reasons to love vitamin D! Here are some of the most important benefits:

1. It is needed for proper absorption and utilization of calcium and phosphorous.  It is needed for the proper maintenance and repair of the bones and skin.

2. It strengthens and helps maintain the immune function of the body. Conditions like flu and the common cold can be warded off more efficiently if the immune system is strengthened by vitamin D.

3. It is an important nutrient that prevents the occurrence of MS (multiple sclerosis).  According to researchers from the Oregon Health & Science University, MS is less frequent in tropical countries because there is more available sunshine in these places than in temperate regions.

4. Vitamin D has also been linked to the maintenance of normal body weight (according to research from the Medical College of Georgia).

5. Vitamin D is important for brain health in the later years (60 – 79 years of age).

6. In a recent study from the Harvard Medical School, vitamin D can also reduce asthma attacks in asthmatic individuals.

7. We are exposed continually to low levels of radiation.  The good news is vitamin D can also help protect us from such exposures.

According to US cancer researchers, people with adequate levels of vitamin D have a lower risk for many types of cancer than people with low or inadequate levels of the vitamin.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 7th June 2010

Pain Relief
Is As Easy
As Pie!

Did you realize…

Cherries are 10 times more powerful than aspirin for stopping joint pain? Scientists at Michigan State University proved it.

Reason? They contain amazing phytonutrients called anthocyanins which block inflammation just like NSAID drugs do. Plus they prevent the oxidative damage that cause cancer, heart disease, and other disease.

Sourced and published by Henry Sapiecha 28th May 2010