Articles tagged with: CANCER

Asian herbal medicine warning

Aristolochia clematitis and kidney failure

ARISTOLOCHIA CLEMATITISNature can heal but it may also kill, specially when lack of information or professional advice on its use is lacking. In fact herbs and herbal supplements have been used for medicinal purposes since thousands of years, some of them being the source of well known medicines as aspirine, atropine, berberine, codeine, morphine, quinine, salicin, taxol, thymol and so many others.

There are some herbs that are already known to exert deadly properties though as Aconitum Ferox for example, an herb that is part of some Ayurvedic medicines and preparations as Mahamrutynjaya rasa, a preparation that contains Aconitum ferox, Piper nibrum and Piper longum, and the active constituents aconitine and piperine [1], this example highlights the importance of care and professional advice when using herbs and herbal medicines.

In that line, a group of prestigious scientists from the well-known King's College of London, have blown the whistle on the dangers that some herbal medicines coming from Asia but widely available worldwide entail for human health, namely those ones rich in aristolochic acid, a chemical that has been reviewed by scientists for its nephropathy, a kind of kidney failure caused by the intake of these type of acids. Aristolochic nephropathy is developed due to the use of Chinese herbs as therapeutic remedies in slimming diets [4]. Image: Aristochia clematitis by Radio Tonreg under Creative Common license (CC BY 2.0).

ARISTOLOCHIA CLEMATITIS

Family: Aristolochiaceae
Genus: Aristolochia
Common name: Clematitis

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The benefits of garlic

The health benefits of garlic

BENEFITS OF GARLIC

Garlic (Allium sativum), a plant native to central Asia, has been used since thousands of years ago for culinary and as medicinal purposes, being part of ancient natural remedies for the treatment of some of the most common ailments and illnesses, as well as for some of its health benefits and properties, among which we can mention being a natural expectorant and an antimicrobial agent. This article will try to cover the most important benefits of garlic and how have these ones been proven in some of the most relevant studies on this subject.

Sumerians, Chinese, ancient Indians, Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, Tibetans, Slavic, Arabic and the list goes on and on naming hundreds of cultures that used garlic not only for its known culinary properties but for its health benefits and as a well-trusted universal folk remedy for the treatment of various illnesses and ailments. Some cultures still know garlic as ‘Russian penicillin’, ‘natural antibiotic’, ‘vegetable viagra’, ‘plant talisman’, ‘rustic's theriac’ and ‘snake grass’ [5,6].

In the past, garlic was used as a folk remedy during various epidemics such as typhus, dysentery, cholera, influenza, and whenever an epidemic has emerged. Garlic has been the first preventive and curative remedy [5,6]. Now, back to the subject, who didn't heard about the saying that onions and garlic collect and kill the flu (influenza) virus spread since its origins time ago in the 1919? I found it interesting enough to enter a little bit deeper and see if there were probably other reasons to believe garlic and onions really got this claimed anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. But let's see what we found about Garlic (Allium sativum) and onion (Allium cepa), it may surprise some of us at the end. Image (taken with Nikon D200): Garlic by Mo Riza under Creative Common license (CC BY 2.0).

ALLIUM SATIVUM

Family: Amaryllidaceae
Genus: Allium
Common name: Garlic.

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Health benefits of Argan oil

Top 5 health benefits of Argan oil

ARGAN FRUIT

An ancient oil, used by African tribes for its culinary, medicinal and health beneficial properties, Argan oil, became in recent years the subject of studies and research from cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies that were looking for a way to make commercial use of all these health benefits of Argan oil.

Since ancient times, indigenous Berber groups made use of Argan tree for almost every possible use, in every way, shape or form, from carpentry to construction purposes. They also knew about the health benefits of Argan oil as well, including its cosmetic, culinary and traditional medicinal uses. Argan oil became one of the rarest and most uncommon oils in the world due to its very limited and specific growing conditions and the area where it is naturally found [2], being available in areas of different geographical origin as Tidzi, Tamanar, Benaiznassen, Ait mzal, Ait Baha, Ighrem or Aoulouz [19].

Argan oil is extracted from the fruit kernels of Argania spinosa or Argan tree, a wild forest tree that grows almost exclusively in the native region from where it originates, an area between 800,000 and 900,000 hectares in the south-west of Morocco. In later July the fruits are black and dry, ready for harvest, moment in which the story begins. Image left: Noix d'argan by Jeremy Couture under Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0).

ARGANIA SPINOSA

Family: Sapotaceae
Genus: Argania
Common name: English, Argan almond, Argan fruit, Argan oil, Moroccan fodder tree [1].

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Top 5 health benefits of blueberries

Health benefits of blueberries

BLUEBERRIESTo understand the health benefits of Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) we have to analyse their active constituents. Blueberries have a very high content of anthocyanins, the most abundant type of flavonoid [2] and responsible for their blue or purple color, but also for the characteristic color of cherries, grapes, blackberries, blueberries and other similar ones [3].

Actually a little bit more than 500 anthocyanins have been found [4] in different herbs, plants and natural sources. In pomegranate for example anthocyanins are the only fatty acid that is believed to play an important role in the health benefits of pomegranate (apart from the  polyphenolic content found on it and more specifically punicalagins, punicalins, gallagic acid, and ellagic acid that act as powerful antioxidants).

Anthocyanins have also been linked to an improved night vision, prevention of macular degeneration, anti-cancer activity and reduced risk of heart disease.[5] The compound resveratrol, found also in blueberries, has been linked to reduced risk of heart disease and cancer, and another compound, pterostilbene, has been shown to lower cholesterol [5,6]. Additionally, blueberries are a rich source of phenolic compounds [1]. Image left: Blueberry plant by Chuck Grimmett under Creative Commons license (CC BY-SA 2.0).

VACCINIUM CORYMBOSUM

Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Vaccinium
Common name: American blueberry, Blueberry, Highbusch blueberry, Swamp blueberry.

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Natural weight loss

  • AFRICAN MANGO SEED EXTRACT
  • Aesculum hippocastanum
  • garlic
  • Laurel
  • NATURAL DIETS
  • MILK AND GREEN TEA
  • AFRICAN MANGO EXTRACT
  • Green tea polyphenols and weight loss
  • Weight loss beans
  • Tannins from Sorghum, a weight loss cereal
  • Natural diets
  • Milk protein and tea for weight loss

BENEFITS OF GRAPES

  • GRAPES WINE AND PROSTATE CANCER
  • GRAPES AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
  • GRAPES INFLAMMATION AND BLOOD FLOW
  • RAISINS AND BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS
  • GRAPE SEED EXTRACT FOR PROSTATE CANCER
  • Grapes and prostate cancer
  • Grapes and Alzheimer
  • Grapes and inflammation
  • Raisins for blood sugar
  • Grape seeds and prostate cancer

The strongest

  • Aesculum hippocastanum
  • Laurel
  • moth mullein
  • The strongest antioxidant
  • The strongest poisonous plant
  • The strongest seed

Lower Cholesterol

  • Aesculum hippocastanum
  • garlic
  • Laurel
  • Aesculum hippocastanum
  • Garlic
  • Laurel leaf

GMO's

  • SUPER WEEDS
  • POLLEN FREE FLOWERS
  • NON-BROWNING APPLES
  • Super weeds
  • POLLEN-FREE FLOWERS
  • NON-BROWNING APPLES

Herbal remedies

  • ACNE
  • high blood pressure
  • eczema

  • ACNE
  • High blood pressure
  • Grapes and inflammation
  • Gingivitis

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  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF ARGAN OIL
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF PITANGAS
  • BLUEBERRIES
  • CINNAMON
  • Ginkgo biloba
  • ALOE VERA
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF DATES
  • Achiote
  • coffee
  • WASABI
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF ARGAN OIL
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF PITANGAS
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLUEBERRIES
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF CINNAMON
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF GINKGO BILOBA
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF ALOE VERA
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF DATES
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF ACHIOTE
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF COFFEE
  • HEALTH BENEFITS OF WASABI
  • green tea
  • Green tea diet
  • green tea
  • Green tea
  • GREEN TEA BOOSTS BRAIN CELL PRODUCTION
  • GREEN TEA FOR WEIGHT LOSS
  • GREEN TEA ANTI-CANCER PROPERTIES
  • GREEN TEA BENEFITS
  • virgin's mantle
  • Banana TNF
  • Mediterranean diet olive oil
  • Mediterranean diet olive oil
  • VIRGIN'S MANTLE FOR BREAST CANCER
  • BANANA TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR
  • MEDITERRANEAN DIET AND OLIVE OIL BENEFICIAL FOR BONES
  • AYAHUASCA, AMAZONIAN VINE OF THE SOUL

Disclaimer

THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS WEB SITE IS NOT INTENDED TO PRESCRIBE, RECOMMEND OR DIAGNOSE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM AND IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE AND HELP. THE ONLY PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE USERS WITH PUBLIC INFORMATION GATHERED ON THE SUBJECT OF HERBS AND HERBAL REMEDIES FROM PUBLIC DOMAIN FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES. IN CASE OF NEED SEE YOUR PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING A DIET OR USING ANY HERBAL PRODUCTS OR HERBAL REMEDIES TO CONFIRM IF THOSE ONES ARE SUITED FOR YOU. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTIONS TO A QUALIFIED PHYSICIAN AND FOLLOW THEIR ADVICE.