Tag: body

Herbs, Spices and Weight loss

Todays post is about herbs, spices and weight loss, a topic suggested by one of my readers. There are several herbs and spices that are used in commercial weight loss formulas. The most popular or well known are green tea and cayenne pepper. However, there are many other herbs and spices that have been used for thousands of years.

History

The Ancient Chinese used remedies for weight loss. Traditionally, this was in the form of raw herbs that were boiled and then consumed. This method is still followed in most hospitals in China today. Ayurvedic medicine uses certain herbs alone or in synergistic combinations to increase the possibility of treating obesity. Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems. It was developed more than 3,000 years ago in India. Modern scientists have put some of these ancient herbs and spices to the test. In a study completed by the South China Agricultural University, the anti-obesity effect of eight common spices were reviewed and evaluated. They found a variety of naturally occurring bioactive ingredients in these spices have weight-loss effects. The spices put to the test were cinnamon, rosemary, ginger, pepper, saffron, garlic, onion and turmeric.

Cinnamon

This classic aromatic spice is rich in antioxidants and offers several health benefits. In regards to weight control, cinnamon is effective in stabilizing blood sugar, which may help reduce appetite and hunger. It also has an affect on the levels of certain digestive enzymes to slow the breakdown of carbohydrates.

Rosemary

A fragrant evergreen plant, which has been used for hundreds of years for its medicinal benefits. Rosemary is naturally rich in carnosic acid, a substance that inhibits the formation of fat cells. Scientific studies have concluded that rosemary extracts can be used as a preventive treatment against metabolic disorders.

Ginger

The results of several studies indicate that supplementing the diet with ginger significantly decreases body weight. It does this by increasing thermogenesis and increasing the breakdown of fats. It also suppresses the formation of fat, inhibits fat absorption, and controls appetite.

Pepper – Cayenne and Black

Cayenne contains capsaicin, which has multiple benefits for metabolic health, especially for weight loss in obese individuals. Capsaicin plays a critical role in the regulation of metabolic health for the whole body, including body weight and glucose metabolism. Cayenne also raises body temp, increasing thermogenesis and helping to boost metabolism. Adding red peppers to your diet can suppress energy intake and reduce appetite. Cousin to cayenne pepper, black pepper is rich in piperine, which gives black pepper its unique flavour. Piperine creates anti-obesity activity without any change in appetite. The spice has also been shown to block the formation of new fat cells.

Saffron

Saffron is the stigma (the female organ) of an autumn flowering crocus (Crocus sativus). It has been used in both in Iranian medicine and modern medicine to reduce appetite. In a study using rats on a high fat diet, saffron extract significantly decreased food consumption. It also significantly reduced the rate of body weight gain.

Garlic

Garlic is traditionally used to treat infection, colds, diabetes and heart disease. Clinically, it has been evaluated for lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose concentration. Recently is has been linked with weight loss in a study that fed garlic to mice. After 7 weeks the mice had reduced body weights and fat stores. The garlic had also reduced the effects of an unhealthy diet on their blood and protected the liver from damage.

Onion

Onion stimulates bile acid production by the liver. Bile and bile acids play a major role in fat digestion and absorption. A study by the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine concluded that Welsh onion extracts have potential for weight control in obesity.

Turmeric

This spice is already known for fighting inflammation but it may also help the body burn fat. Turmeric contains a highly beneficial compound called ‘curcumin’. This increases body heat, which, in turn, can boost metabolism. Over 20 scientific studies have been conducted to assess the influence of curcumin intake on weight among patients with metabolic syndrome and related disorders. The results showed that Curcumin intake significantly reduced body mass index. 

(Sources – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, https://www.sciencedirect.com, https://www.hindawi.com, https://www.researchgate.net )
I hope that this information has given you some ideas on how you can spice up your diet for weight loss.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper.

Homeopathy – an overview

Today’s post is a bit of an Overview of Homeopathy.

I was recently speaking with a Homeopath about how the treatment works. I found the concept quite interesting and thought I would share.

Homeopathy, like most of the natural therapies, works on treating the body as a whole. Working on the premise that if you give the body the right tools, it will heal itself.

The history

In the late 1700’s Samuel Hahnemann developed the central idea of homeopathic medicine. This was the principle of ‘like cures like’ or the ‘law of similars’.

Hahnemann also came to assume that the body was highly sensitive to drugs during illness. He prescribed very small doses of drugs – hence the expression ‘homeopathic doses’ for very small amounts.

Homeopathy spread rapidly through Europe in the early 1800s. The first homeopathic hospital opened in 1832 in Leipzig. In 1835, Hahnemann moved to Paris, where he was a popular practitioner until his death in 1845.

So how is it meant to work?

The basic principle behind homeopathy is “like cures like.” In other words, something that brings on symptoms in a healthy person can, in a very small dose, treat an illness with similar symptoms. This process is meant stimulate the body’s own natural healing response.

Homeopathy works on treating the “whole person”. This means that two people presenting with the same complaint may receive a different medicine based on their individual symptoms and emotional response to the illness.

Homeopathic practitioners repeatedly dilute these ingredients by adding water or alcohol. Homeopaths also believe that the lower the dose, the more powerful the medicine. In fact, many of the remedies no longer contain any traceable molecules of the original substance.

Conditions that are most commonly treated by homeopaths include – coughs, colds, hay-fever and travel sickness.

Does it work?

Homeopathy has had quite a lot of bad press. Numerous doctors and researchers have reported that the practice does not work and is nothing more than a placebo.

As is the case with many alternative or natural healing practices, there are people who have had success with the treatment and those that have not.

Interestingly, while conducting my research, I found out that the ‘like cures like’ principle is also used for vaccinations.

To immunise against viral diseases – such as polio and measles – the vaccine usually incorporates virus particles that have been weakened or killed. With providing immunity against bacterial diseases – such as tuberculosis, diphtheria and cholera – introducing an inactivated portion of the bacteria, or its toxic products, is used. Vaccinations are used to stimulate the body’s immune system to increase antibody formation.

With this in mind, is it such a stretch to consider that homeopathic treatment can work for some individuals?

My personal experience with homeopathy is so far a positive one. I have found the treatment to be effective in managing menopause symptoms.

On that note, do your own research before taking on any kind of treatment and discuss your situation with a reputable health professional.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper  

(Sources – http://broughttolife.sciencemuseum.org.uk, www.wikipedia.org, www.homeopathyoz.org o

Cortisol and Stress.

Todays post is about Cortisol and stress.

I have been reading an interesting book called ‘The Cortisol Connection’. It is about how stress and the hormone ‘Cortisol’ affect our health.

I thought I would share with you some of what I have learned.

Firstly, what is Cortisol?

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, which are located near the kidneys. It’s the body’s primary stress hormone and works with certain parts of our brain to control mood, motivation, and fear.

It’s best known for preparing the body’s “fight-or-flight” instinct in a crisis. However cortisol also plays a vital role in a range of other bodily functions.

  • Manages how the body uses carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
  • Regulates blood pressure
  • Increases blood sugar (glucose)
  • Controls sleep/wake cycle
  • Boosts energy so that the body can handle stress and restores balance afterward

We have cortisol receptors in most of the cells in our body. These receptors receive and use the hormone in several ways. When the body is on high alert, cortisol can alter or shut down functions that get in the way. These might include the digestive or reproductive systems, the immune system, or even growth processes.

These functions of cortisol are very beneficial, but only for a short period of time, in very specific situations.

Then there’s Stress

Now for all of us, living in the twenty-first century brings with it a certain amount of unavoidable stress. This can mean that, sometimes, our cortisol levels can get out of balance.

In an ideal world, after the pressure or danger has passed, the body’s cortisol level should calm down. This means that the heart rate, blood pressure, and other systems will get back to normal.

But what if you’re under constant stress and the alarm button stays on?

Too Much Cortisol

Too much cortisol can derail the body’s most important functions. It can also cause a variety of health problems.

  • Anxiety and depression
  • Headaches
  • Memory and concentration issues
  • Problems with digestion
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Increased appetite and weight gain
  • Elevated cholesterol levels and blood pressure
  • Reduced sex drive

When the body is continually subjected to regular stress, this will lead to increased cortisol levels. The subsequent health problems will then create additional stress for the individual and a vicious cycle is created.

It’s about balance.

We have all heard this many times and some of us are lucky enough to get the balance just right. However it’s now scientific fact.

Stress researchers have proven that the best way of managing stress is to eat right, exercise regularly and get enough sleep.

Eat right – The scientists support what many of our grandparents have said. Eat a good blend of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, including 5 serves of fresh fruit and vegetables. In other words, a little of everything, but without the high processed ‘fast foods’.

Exercise regularly – This translates to ‘a small amount of exercise on a daily basis’, such as walking whenever possible and using the stairs. The small sessions of exercise help the body to use the energy provided by the cortisol and then calm down. Simulating a sort of a mini ‘fight or flight’ scenario.

Enough sleep – Researchers found that too little sleep heightens the stress response and keeps cortisol levels elevated. Participants who got 8 hours of sleep for a week kept cortisol levels in the normal range.

The Australian National Sleep Foundation recommends between 6 to 10 hours of sleep for adults 26-64.

 We are all living with a certain amount of stress every day and it’s important to our health that we find our own balance.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper