Ginger, Garlic and Honey

This recipe I shared with my class this weekend is the one I reach for a the first sign of a cold in me or the children.

To make it is quite simple:

Crush or chop five to eight cloves of Garlic
Slice a ginger root in thin slices (approx. 5 thin slices)
Please garlic and ginger and a jar and cover with honey
Let the herbs release their properties in the honey for about three weeks and then you are ready to use.

Garlic anti-microbial, and antibiotic properties makes it a supreme infection fighter, its indicated in ear infections and coughs and colds. Ginger is an anti-inflammatory and aids with coughs, colds and generally all respiratory problems. And honey is the soother. One tablespoonful for adults and one teaspoonful for children. Honey should not be given to children under the age of 2.

During this winter season, no home should be without this quick remedy.

Valerian and Hops to the Rescue

I have been extremely busy in the past few weeks. The baby and I have been battling a cold and not sleeping very well. So tonight I am call on my old friend Valerian and am including Hops in the mixture. Before bed tonight I will drink a cup of Valerian and Hops tea to soothe, calm and induce sleep. My experience with Valerian and Hops began in 2001. Its the perfect combination for those days that your nerves need soothing and sleep is needed. Try it you may like it.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The study below confirms methods that herbalist have been using to address IBS. Anti-spasmodic herbs and peppermint oil.

Study identifies effective irritable bowel syndrome therapies

• Story Highlights
• An estimated 10 to 15 percent of people in North America have IBS
  
• The exact cause of IBS remains unknown, which has hampered treatment
  
• Study analysis: Peppermint oil, soluble fiber, and antispasmodic drugs all work
  

By Patrick Sauer

Peppermint oil, soluble fiber, and antispasmodic drugs can indeed help people with irritable bowel syndrome, according to an analysis of 25 years of research on the condition, which is characterized by bouts of diarrhea and constipation.

About 10 to 15 percent of people in North America have IBS, and it's twice as common in women. However, only about one-third of people with the intestinal disorder seek treatment.

The exact cause of IBS remains unknown, and that lack of knowledge has led to the use of a variety of treatments, including fiber supplements, probiotics, antidepressants, behavioral-based therapies, psychotherapy, food modification, acupuncture, and laxatives. However, many treatments are controversial because study results have been mixed.

Newer and more expensive medications have been introduced to the public, but some were ineffective or withdrawn from the market due to side effects. The recent study sheds light on the cheap and readily available treatments that can help patients, says study coauthor Eamonn M. Quigley, M.D., a professor of medicine and physiology at University College Cork in Ireland.

"Medical science has tended to ignore IBS; it wasn't appreciated how much of an impact it can have on a patient's quality of life," he says. Health.com: Is that belly ache in your head?

In the new analysis, researchers systematically reviewed 38 studies from the last 25 years; more than 2,500 volunteers were involved. That research compared therapies -- all relatively cheap, safe, and readily available -- with a placebo or with no treatment at all.

The team looked at three treatments -- soluble fiber, peppermint oil, and antispasmodics, which are drugs that relax the smooth muscle in the gut and relieve cramping -- and found that they were all more effective than a placebo, according to the report in the British Medical Journal.

But not all fiber is the same. The soluble fiber ispaghula husk, which is also known as psyllium and found in some bulk laxatives, significantly reduced symptoms of IBS, particularly constipation; insoluble fiber, such as bran, did not relieve symptoms.

Several antispasmodic drugs helped prevent IBS symptoms, particularly diarrhea. The most effective one was hyoscine, which is sold without a prescription in the United States.

Although peppermint oil was found to be the most effective of the three therapies, more data are needed, cautions Quigley. The peppermint-oil therapy was analyzed in only four trials involving 392 patients.

Because past research has been mixed, doctors' treatment guidelines mention the remedies, but don't necessarily give them a ringing endorsement, says author Alex Ford, M.D., a registrar of gastroenterology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

"I suspect that filters down to the practitioners who don't believe they work, so they try something that's newer or a bit sexier," Dr. Ford says. "The problem with IBS is that it's a chronic medical condition and no drug has been shown to alter its natural history." Health.com: Should I be tested for IBS?

The study results are not surprising, says Joanne A.P. Wilson, M.D., a professor of medicine in the gastroenterology department at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.

Dr. Wilson adds that such treatments are best for patients with mild or moderate IBS. However, in her practice, she's found that prescription medications need to be used for severe cases that don't respond to these treatments. Health.com: Belly flab doubles mortality risk

Prescription drugs that have been used to treat IBS include Amitiza, a drug for chronic constipation; Zelnorm, which was pulled from the market in 2007; and Lotronex, which was removed from the market because of potentially life-threatening side effects (although exceptions are now made for women with severe, diarrhea-prominent IBS who don't respond to other treatments).

Why you lose your focus and how to regain it

Good information taken for an article in Real Simple Magazine.


Why You Lose Focus

It's not only online shopping that keeps you from getting your bills paid. All of us can feel distracted when we're at the mercy of internal factors, like fatigue, stress and anger, and external factors, like television and e-mail. Here are the most common attention zappers. Identify yours and learn how to regain your focus.

1. Lack of Sleep

When you're tired, you're deprived of oxygen, which is necessary for the production of chemicals, such as dopamine and adrenaline, in the prefrontal cortex. Even one night of tossing and turning can "give you symptoms that resemble ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), such as forgetfulness and difficulty maintaining concentration," says Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D., director of the Chesapeake ADHD Center of Maryland, in Annapolis.

How to Regain Your Focus

• Get a good night's sleep. "A good night's sleep is like pushing the reset button in your brain," says Edward Hallowell, M.D., author of CrazyBusy. You should try to get the amount of sleep required for you to wake up without an alarm.

• Have a snack. If you're running on fumes and about to head into a marathon meeting, drink a glass of water and eat a snack with a balance of carbohydrates, fat, and protein, like an apple and a piece of cheese, recommends Hallowell. "This hydrates you and keeps your blood sugar levels even, both of which aid focus," he says. And try to skip the double espresso. "Caffeine raises your adrenaline, giving you a quick burst of focus," says Hallowell. "But if you overdo it, you'll get the jitters, diminishing your concentration."

Drifting off? Read the next section aloud. According to Judith Greenbaum, Ph.D., a coach for people with ADHD and a coauthor of Finding Your Focus, using more than one sense (for example, seeing and hearing words) sharpens concentration.

2. Stress and Anger

When you're tense, you get a rush of brain chemicals, like norepinephrine and cortisol, that cause you to hyperfocus "like a deer in the headlights," says psychologist Lucy Jo Palladino. Thousands of years ago, this was a survival aid -- your anxiety-induced focus helped you steer clear of potential predators. But today -- when stress might feel life-threatening but usually isn't -- this only means that you have a harder time focusing on work when your mind is on your visiting in-laws or a speech you have to give. Anger has the same effect. When you're irritated by something, your stress hormones rise and your concentration levels decrease.

How to Regain Your Focus

• Start moving. A quick burst of aerobic exercise relieves stress and improves concentration by flooding the brain with oxygen and activating brain chemicals such as dopamine.

Recent studies have shown that people who engage in aerobic exercise -- anything from ice-skating to taking a brisk walk -- at least two days a week -- have better concentration levels than do nonexercisers. If you've been stuck at your desk all day and a quick walk around the block isn't an option, just stand up. This simple act tells your brain it's time to be awake and act alert, says Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D.

• Think happy thoughts. "Thinking of things that promote warmth, connection, and happiness reduces the hormones associated with stress, fear, and anger that can impede concentration," says author Edward Hallowell.

Interesting article on the benefits of Fish in the Diabetic

Fish may help prevent diabetic kidney trouble

Monday, November 03, 2008

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - For adults with diabetes, eating fish twice a week may help prevent kidney disease -- one of the most serious complications of diabetes, according to British researchers.

Dr. Amanda Adler from Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge and associates studied the diets of more than 22,000 middle-aged and older men and women, 517 of whom had diabetes, primarily type 2 disease.

They found that people with diabetes who reported eating fish more than once per week were considerably less likely to have protein in the urine - an early sign of kidney disease.

The condition, known medically as macroalbuminuria, "can herald worse kidney damage and increase the risk even for heart attacks," Adler told Reuters Health.

A little more than 8 percent of those with diabetes had macroalbuminuria versus less than 1 percent of those without diabetes. And 18 percent of diabetics who did not eat fish regularly (less than once per week) had macroalbuminuria compared with just 4 percent of diabetics who ate fish more than once per week.

"This suggests, then, that eating fish may prevent this early sign of kidney problems, which patients with diabetes are more likely to develop," Adler said.

The study appears in the November issue of American Journal of Kidney Diseases, the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation.

Lead investigator Chee-Tin Christine Lee told Reuters Health: "It is possible that fish oil improves blood lipid profiles and decreases the risk of kidney disease. It could be other components of fish, such as protein or micronutrients, are protective against diabetic kidney disease. However, it is also possible that people who eat fish frequently have other lifestyle factors, which we could not account for."

The study could not answer whether one kind of fish was better than another. "Future studies may be able to test this question," Adler said.

SOURCE: American Journal of Kidney Diseases, November 2008.

The Face of a Modern Herblist

In my article on Urban Herbalism I address whats it like to be an herbalist living in NYC and how I keep this beautiful tradition alive and well living in the City. Here's the link http://EzineArticles.com/?id=1656264

National Diabetes Awareness Week - Self Management

The First week of November is National Diabetes Awareness Week.

CNN has reported that:

• More than 23 million Americans have diabetes; 1.6 million new cases last year
• Annual new case rate up from 5 per 1,000 in mid-1990s to 9 per 1,000 in mid-2000s
• Highest rates in the South; lowest rates in Minnesota, Hawaii and Wyoming

I have found that implementing effective educational strategies and self-management activities are particularly important for those with diabetes. It is to that point that I write this.

Mother and my sister are diabetics. So I am speaking those who have the disease. I encourage you to become empowered and begin to self-manage.

Living with and managing diabetes can lead to dealing with social and emotional issues. As those who are familiar with my work knows that I always address the person as a whole. There is connection in what happens on the emotional plane with what happens in the physical body. Diabetes can sometimes be a signal that we are longing for what might have been. We may have great need to control. There is some deep sorrow that needs to be address and you may feel as if there is no sweetness left. If such is the case please affirm to yourself on a daily basis that you now experience the sweetness of live today.

Furthermore, how you feel can often affect you decision to self-management, become empowered in your care. Discover your own innate ability to gain mastery over their diabetes. Realize that you are:

• Responsible for and in control of the daily self-management of diabetes;
• Become educated promote informed decision;
• Set goals so that you can make changes to your treatment adherence of your own choosing;
• Become an expert on your disease;
• Determine with your physican the approach to diabetes self-management that will works for you
• Reach out to others who are diabetic for social support

The Use Herbal Remedies and Supplements for Natural Treatment of Diabetes

The use of natural herbs for diabetes treatment is an important step in the overall management of the disease. It is important that good overall diabetes education and constant monitoring of blood glucose levels accompany the use of herbal supplements for diabetes. It is essential that any changes in supplements or medication be discussed with a medical professional.

Herbal treatment for diabetes has been a part of traditional medicine for thousands of years. The natural herbs for diabetes treatment focus on lowering blood sugar and reducing the damaging effects of the disease.

Herbal supplements for diabetes should be a part of a holistic approach to treatment that addresses proper nutrition, a good exercise program, and continued monitoring of blood glucose levels. It is important to visit a medical professional for proper diagnosis of diabetes and follow up treatment for the disease. After a diagnosis of diabetes it is important to continue follow up care and education to ensure the best treatment possible.

Natural Herbs Used For Diabetes Treatment

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum)
Cinnamon has begun to find favor with modern science as an herbal treatment for diabetes. The active ingredient, methylhydroxy chalcone polymer (MHCP), has been shown to increase the body’s cells’ sensitivity to insulin. This helps improve the efficiency of insulin and increase the conversion of glucose to energy. It has even been claimed that cinnamon may triple insulin’s efficiency, whether natural or injected. It also has anti-oxidant properties that help to reduce the damaging effects of diabetes.

Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia)
Bitter melon has been used extensively in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes. Its blood sugar lowering capabilities has attracted diabetics to this herbal supplements for centuries. Charantin, one of the active ingredients in Bitter melon, has been shown to be a potent hypoglycemic agent. It has similar effects to many hypoglycemic drugs used in diabetes treatment. Momordica, another active ingredient, has insulin-like effects, further decreasing blood glucose levels. Due to the potent hypoglycemic effect this supplement should be taken with care when using medications to control diabetes.

Gymnema Sylvestre (Gurmar, Meshasringi, Cherukurinja)
Gymnema sylvestre has been called the “sugar killer” due to its ability to reduce sweet cravings. Gymnema helps the pancreas with insulin production in type 2 diabetics, and increases the sensitivity to insulin in type 1 diabetics. Some type 2 diabetics have been able to discontinue their use, or reduce their dosage, of oral diabetic medications with use of this supplement (although this is not recommended without consultation with a medical professional.)

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)
Fenugreek has strong anti-diabetic properties, as well as triglyceride and LDL cholesterol lowering effects. It has also been shown to support HDL (good cholesterol) levels. Defatted fenugreek seed powder has been shown in studies to increase glucose tolerance and decrease fasting blood glucose levels after as few as 7 days.

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)
Goldenseal has strong hypoglycemic properties and insulin supporting effects, as well. Although not as rapid as bitter melon, the blood sugar lowering effects of this supplement make it a good pre-meal supplement to increase glucose tolerance. Its insulin support also increases the glucose lowering effect.

Panax Ginseng (Panax ginseng)
Panax ginseng has many health boosting properties in all individuals. Those with diabetes may benefit from direct blood sugar control, increased insulin secretion and the number of insulin receptors, and an increase in energy. Panax ginseng has also been shown to support cardiovascular function and support blood vessel health and tone, a common problem for those with diabetes.

For a detailed and personalized protocol please consult with an herbalist. www.sacredvibeshealing.com

Heres a great article on the benefits of Sleep

NEW YORK (AP) -- Turning your clock back on Sunday may be good for your heart.

Researchers noticed a reduction in heart attacks in Sweden on the Monday after clocks were moved back.

Swedish researchers looked at 20 years of records and discovered that the number of heart attacks dipped on the Monday after clocks were set back an hour, possibly because people got an extra hour of sleep.

But moving clocks forward in the spring appeared to have the opposite effect. There were more heart attacks during the week after the start of daylight saving time, particularly on the first three days of the week.

"Sleep -- through a variety of mechanisms -- affects our cardiovascular health," said Dr. Lori Mosca, director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, who was not involved in the research. The findings show that "sleep not only impacts how we feel, but it may also affect whether we develop heart disease or not."

The study was described in a letter published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine by Dr. Imre Janszky of the Karolinska Institute and Dr. Rickard Ljung of Sweden's National Board of Health and Welfare.

Janszky said he came up with the idea for the study after last spring's time change, when he was having problems adjusting.

"I was on the bus, quite sleepy, and I thought of this," said Janszky, who has done other research on sleep and health.

They took advantage of Sweden's comprehensive registry of heart attacks to see if the disruptions to sleep and the body's internal clock caused by a time change had any effect on heart attacks from 1987 to 2006. They compared the number of heart attacks on each of the seven days after the time shift with the corresponding day two weeks earlier and two weeks later.

Overall, in the week after "spring forward," there was a 5 percent increase in heart attacks, with a 6 percent bump on Monday and Wednesday and a 10 percent increase on Tuesday. In the week after "fall back," the number of heart attacks was about the same, except on Monday, which had a 5 percent decrease.

"The finding that the possibility of additional sleep seems to be protective on the first workday after the autumn shift is intriguing," the authors wrote.

Doctors have long known that Monday in general is the worst day for heart attacks, and they usually blame the stress of a new work week and increased activity. The Swedish researchers said their findings suggest that the minor loss of sleep that occurs at the end of ordinary weekends -- with people going to bed later on Sunday and getting up early on Monday -- might also be a contributing factor.

Last year, a study by American researchers found there were more pedestrian deaths during the evening rush hour in November than October as drivers and pedestrians adjust to the earlier darkness. They said the risk for pedestrians drops in the spring when clocks are set back and daylight comes earlier.

Daylight saving time in the United States ends this year at 2 a.m. Sunday. All states except Arizona and Hawaii will make the switch. Sweden and the rest of Europe turned back their clocks last weekend. More than 1.5 billion people worldwide live in countries that use daylight saving time, the researchers said.

Sweden has a moderate rate of heart attacks and is at a high latitude, but Janszky said he would expect roughly the same results elsewhere.

Sleep can affect the heart through changes in blood pressure, inflammation, blood clotting, blood sugar, cholesterol and blood vessels, Mosca said. She suggested that anxiety from changes in routine may also be a factor, in addition to loss of sleep.

Dr. Ronald Chervin, director of the University of Michigan's Sleep Disorders Center, said this is a "sleep-deprived society," and he advises taking advantage of Sunday's time change and getting an extra hour of sleep.

In the spring, he suggests gradually adjusting to the one-hour loss by going to bed and getting up 15 minutes earlier for a few days before the time change.

"We spend a third of our lives sleeping and people forget how much effect it has on overall health," he said.