Archive for April, 2008
Herbal combination formulas
Herbalists and other complementary therapy practitioners sometimes use single herb therapies like those described above, but the general tendency is to blend several herbs into combination therapies. A naturopathic doctor, herbalist or a practitioner of Chinese medicine, Ayurveda or Aboriginal healing methods may create unique blends of herbs specific to your health needs. There are several reasons for doing this. Some herbs work well together by achieving the same goal in different ways. For example, several herbs that support the digestive system are combined in the Triphala formula.
Herbs may also perform different functions that, when combined, make the mixture more specific to a particular problem. For example, the herb eyebright has a tendency to travel to the eye when taken into the body. Combining this herb with an antiviral herb like Lomatium might, therefore, help prevent an eye infection.
Some herbs are combined simply because they are traditionally thought to work best together. Although the theory behind this connection is not always fully understood, practitioners are reluctant to change combinations that derive from many years of observation and use.
Some herbs are combined to make them easier to take. For example, adding ginger or licorice to an herbal formula that has an unpleasant taste might make the combination more appealing and encourage patients to follow their treatment more closely.
Several examples of herbal combinations
Chyavanprash is a jelly used in Ayurvedic medicine. It contains 49 herbs plus the amla fruit, its main ingredient (for details, see the triphala formula section). Chyavanprash is used to boost digestion and increase muscle mass. It may also lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol and enhance the healing of tissue.
Composition A is a combination of Chinese herbs used in HIV infection. It contains more than 20 different herbs, including licorice, maitake mushrooms, astragalus, Atractylodes and ginseng. Composition A blends Chinese herbs used to treat toxic heat, which are often antivirals, with yang tonics that may support the immune system and marrow-strengthening herbs that may both stimulate the immune system and improve the circulation of blood cells. Composition A may be prescribed by a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. Its main side effect is gastrointestinal upset.
Essiac Tea contains burdock root, sheep sorrel, slippery elm bark and turkey rhubarb root. Sheep sorrel and turkey rhubarb root are not indigenous to North America, although Rene Caisse, the original creator of this mixture, based her formula on the teachings of an Ojibwa healer. Essiac tea is sometimes taken by people with cancer. Although the name Essiac is a registered trademark of the Resperin corporation, several other manufacturers make similar formulas.
LIV-52 is an Ayurvedic formula containing herbs that are believed to treat liver disease and prevent liver damage. No side effects have been observed when LIV-52 is used as prescribed.
Sho-saiko-to is a traditional Japanese herbal remedy. It is approved in Japan for the treatment of hepatitis. A small study of combination therapy with sho-saiko-to and the antiretroviral drug 3TC showed that this mixture may be effective against HIV. A possible complication of sho-saiko-to is a serious lung condition called interstitial pneumonia. This complication is more likely to occur in people with existing respiratory problems. If you develop a dry cough or fever while taking sho-saiko-to, you should stop taking the preparation and seek medical attention immediately.
Triphala is a combination of three fruits - haritaki, amalaki and bibhitaki - used in Ayurvedic medicine. It is used to help maintain a healthy digestive system. It improves digestion and appetite and works as a laxative. Triphala is a good example of an herbal formula that combines several herbs with similar properties that work together. Haritaki ( Termina chebula) is used extensively in Tibetan medicine. It is the strongest laxative of the three and helps to prevent cramping. It may also be active against intestinal parasites. Amla, or amalaki ( Emblica officinalis), is used to rejuvenate the digestive system and improve appetite and digestion. It contains large amounts of vitamin C (3,000 mg per fruit) and is said to rejuvenate the circulatory system, helping to rebuild new tissue and maintain the red blood cell count. Bibhitaki ( Terminalia belerica) tones and protects the stomach and is also used as an appetite stimulant. Bibhitaki is also taken for sore throats and respiratory illnesses. Triphala or other formulas containing haritaki should not be used by pregnant women or when a person is experiencing fatigue, wasting or diarrhea.
Source:Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE)
April 5th, 2008
Quick Nutrition Tips
Healthy whole foods: you might know that you’re supposed to eat them. But do you really know what they are?
“We live in a society that eats so much processed and manufactured food, that I think there’s some genuine confusion about what qualifies as a whole food,” says Tara Gidus, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Even for the health conscious, the phrase gets tangled up with other terms. Whole foods might be organic, or locally grown, or pesticide-free. But they aren’t necessarily. The definition of healthy whole foods is much simpler.
“When you eat whole foods, you’re getting the food in its natural state,” Gidus tells WebMD. “You’re getting it intact, with all of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are in the food.” Basically, it’s the healthy whole food, rather than the bits that remain after refinement and processing. It’s the difference between an apple and an apple flavored energy bar, or a baked potato and a bag of potato chips.
While whole foods might be associated with the upscale grocery store of the same name, they are available to all of us anywhere in the country. Most dietitians feel that eating healthy whole foods has all sorts of benefits. Their nutrients may help to keep your immune system strong and protect you from disease.
“If you’re trying to eat a healthier diet, relying on more whole foods is a great place to start,” says Lucia L. Kaiser, PhD, community nutrition specialist in the department of nutrition at the University of California, Davis.
Healthy Whole Foods
Many studies have found that a diet high in healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as:
o cardiovascular disease
o many types of cancer
o diabetes
So what’s so good about healthy whole foods? For one, they’re loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain phytochemicals, the general name for natural compounds in plants. While thousands of individual phytochemicals have been identified, countless more remain unknown. They help in different ways. Some are antioxidants, which protect cells against damage. Examples of antioxidant phytochemicals are flavonoids, carotenoids, and lycopene.
Usually, the term whole foods is confined to vegetables, fruits, and grains. But any dietitian will agree that eating a skinless chicken breast is preferable to eating processed chicken nuggets.
One problem with processed food is that, during manufacture, many healthy nutrients are removed.
For instance, “When whole grains are refined, the bran and the coat of the grain are often removed,” says Kaiser. Some nutrients are lost, most significantly fiber. Then, during the enrichment process, nutrients may be artificially added back in. But even after enrichment, the final product is likely to be less nutritious than the whole grains you started with.
The Synergy of Healthy Whole Foods
“One of the biggest advantages of eating whole foods is that you’re getting the natural synergy of all of these nutrients together,” says Gidus.
Gidus points to studies of vitamin E, selenium, and a number of antioxidants. We know that when they’re eaten in food, they have all sorts of health benefits. But studies of the single vitamins and minerals in supplement form have not shown the same success. Why? “It could be the natural combination and interaction of all of these different phytochemicals and proteins that give a food its health benefit,” Gidus says. “Trying to extract a single nutrient and take it by itself may not work.”
There’s another thing. We simply don’t know all of the nutrients in a food that make it healthy.
“Nutrition science is always discovering new components of foods, things that we didn’t know are there,” says Kaiser. “Many of them are not even available in supplement form.” If we don’t know what they are, we obviously can’t synthesize them.
Avoiding Additives in Food
The nutrients lost during refinement are not the only disadvantage of eating processed foods. What’s added can also be a problem.
A lot of health conscious people are wary of the preservatives and chemicals that are added to processed and manufactured foods. You know — the ones with the scary-sounding eight-syllable names. But in fact, Kaiser says that some of the worst food additives are household words.
“I think the most worrisome additives are not the preservatives,” says Kaiser. “It’s the salt, sugar, and saturated and trans fats.” While there’s been a lot of attention paid to the risks of trans fats in recent years, Kaiser thinks salt is gravely underestimated.
“As a country, we eat way too much salt,” she tells WebMD, and observes that it’s closely associated with high blood pressure and numerous other health problems.
With all of the extra fat and sugar in processed foods, the calories can quickly add up. That leads to weight gain. But eating more healthy whole foods may actually help you maintain or lose weight. The natural fiber in many vegetables, fruits, and grains may fill you up without adding many calories, Gidus says.
The Cost of Whole Foods
There’s another bonus to eating healthy whole foods. Although the name may now be synonymous with that fancy grocery store, whole foods are much cheaper than processed foods. They’re also available everywhere.
“Generally, the more processed things are, the higher the cost,” says Kaiser. “A bag of healthy brown rice is going to be cheaper than a fancy prepackaged rice mix.”
Of course, there may be a different cost to eating healthy whole foods: the preparation time. It’s hard to deny that popping a processed sandwich pocket in the microwave for three minutes is easier than cooking a proper meal with whole-food ingredients.
But Gidus stresses that you don’t need to cut out all processed foods. The goal is just to decrease the number of processed foods you eat and increase the proportion of healthy whole foods. That isn’t hard, especially when it comes to snacks. The next time need something to tide you over, eat a handful of nuts or a piece of fruit instead. It’s no harder than reaching for an energy bar — you’ll even be spared the labor of unwrapping it.
The other key to a healthy diet is variety. It’s easy to get caught up in the details — the nutritional value of specific healthy whole foods, and exactly how much you need of each. But Gidus and Kaiser say the best advice is to relax and just eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Not only is it simple, but it’s the best way to be sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need.
“After some research into this, my husband decided that the smartest thing he could do was eat as many fruits and vegetables as he could stand every day,” says Kaiser. “That’s not very scientific, but it isn’t bad advice.”
SOURCES: American Cancer Society web site: “Nutrition and Physical Activity During and After Cancer Treatment: Answers To Common Questions.” Tara Gidus, MS, RD, American Dietetic Association spokesperson, Orlando, Fla. Lucia L. Kaiser, PhD, community nutrition specialist, department of nutrition, University of California, Davis. Liu RH, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2003; vol 78: pp 517S-520S. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services web site: “Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005.” WebMD Feature: “The Whole Foods Diet.”
April 5th, 2008
Symptoms of Heartburn
The ache of heartburn is described as a burning feeling in the chest. Time and again, the feeling may perhaps extend up into the throat, jaw, arms, or back. That’s why heartburn is over and over again flawed for chest pain owed to a heart attack. On the other hand, do not second guess yourself. If you are having chest pain for any cause, look for medical attention right away, if only to rule out a heart attack.
Heartburn (often called acid indigestion) characteristically occurs 30-60 minutes subsequent to meals. The pain worsens when lying down, bending forward, and straining to exceed stools. The pain is comforted by standing straight, swallowing saliva or sipping water, or even by taking some antacids.
* If minute amounts of stomach acid or food travel beyond the esophagus and up into the mouth, you possibly will experience pungent or unpleasant taste. This is known as regurgitation. It is ordinary after meals, especially if you are lying down, bending over, or straining.
* Stomach acid can also affect the respiratory tract, causing asthma, hoarseness, chronic cough, sore throat, or tooth damage (acid eats the enamel on teeth). You may feel as if you have a lump in your throat.
* If the acid exposure continues for long periods of time, the esophagus becomes damaged. You may then have difficulty swallowing. In more serious cases, you may lose weight and become dehydrated. Very rarely, the esophagus may bleed or tear completely because it is so damaged. In severe cases, you may vomit blood or have small amounts of blood in your bowel movements. However, all these are uncommon.
April 5th, 2008
Heartburn is a prickly but widespread sensation of aflame or heat in the chest. even though the soreness of heartburn is experienced in the chest, heartburn has nothing to do with your heart. as an alternative, heartburn is caused by belly acid.
Frequent bouts of heartburn can be an indication of an extra serious condition called gastro esophageal reflux sickness or GERD. Recurrent or relentless heartburn may perhaps limit daily actions and direct to more complications such as ulcers in the esophagus. With appropriate perceptive of heartburn and cure, help can be obtained from this situation.
About 30% of adults experience occasional heartburn, while 10% experience heartburn every day. About 25% of pregnant women have heartburn or related symptoms.
Heartburn Causes
The foodstuff that is gulped down travels from the oral cavity to the stomach all the way through a vacant tube called the esophagus (or food pipe). Prior to entering the stomach, food is required to pass throughout a stiff muscle at the subordinate part of the esophagus called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). The lower esophageal sphincter prevents food from wandering toward the back into the esophagus.
Just the once in the stomach, stomach acid assimilates the food. This acid is incredibly tough and can harm the major parts of the body. Providentially, the stomach is sheltered from its individual acid by a particular mucous layer. The esophagus, on the other hand, does not have any such exceptional protection. In case the lower esophageal sphincter does not close entirely, the lower part of the esophagus can be spoiled by stomach acid. When this happens, heartburn may possibly be experienced.
The lower esophageal sphincter may perhaps not close up totally thus allowing stomach acid into the esophagus for these reasons:
o Some kind of foods and drinks are identified to release the lower esophageal sphincter. These include chocolate, peppermint, caffeine-containing beverages (such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks), fatty foods, and alcohol.
o Heartburn time and again depends on the body’s location. It is easier for stomach acid to flow back into the esophagus if you are lying down or bending over.
o Whatever thing that enlarges the strain on the stomach and forces stomach acid backward into the esophagus can furthermore cause heartburn. This is why elating, straining, coughing profusely, rigid clothing, plumpness, and pregnancy can aggravate heartburn.
o People who undergo definite medical conditions may well have an augmented possibility of heartburn. These conditions include hiatal hernia, diabetes, and a lot of autoimmune diseases (CREST syndrome, Raynaud phenomenon, and scleroderma).
o Loads of prescription medications can release the lower esophageal sphincter, including certain blood pressure and heart medications, and the asthma drug theophylline.
o Scores of substances straightforwardly infuriate the lining of the esophagus and can add to heartburn. These include spicy foods, citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes and tomato sauces, cigarette smoke, aspirin, ibuprofen (with brand names such as Motrin and Advil), and medicines for osteoporosis.
April 5th, 2008