Tag: medicinal

A bit about Turmeric

Todays post is about Turmeric.

This is a plant that grows very successfully in our garden. Scott needs to harvest it quite regularly to stop it from taking over the vegetable bed.

Turmeric is something that has received much interest from both the medical/scientific worlds as well as from the culinary world.

I thought I would share some information about it and it’s uses.

Is it herb or spice?

Turmeric is actually a spice. The plant is part of the Ginger family and its botanical name is Curcuma longa.  Curcuma is native to Southern Asia and it’s used for both medicinal and religious applications. Like ginger, the root or rhizome of the plant is mainly used.

For centuries it has been used  in various ways. As early as 600BC, Turmeric was listed as a colouring an Assyrian herbal text. Documents record that it had reached China by the seventh century AD. By the 13th century it was being used as a dye in West Africa.

What about health applications?

Worldwide, the health applications of Turmeric or Curcumin, vary greatly. It is used as an antiseptic in Malaysia, as an anti-inflammatory agent in Pakistan and in Thailand it is used in cosmetics.

Recently, science has started to back up what the Eastern cultures have known for a long time. Turmeric really does contain compounds with medicinal properties. These compounds are called curcuminoids, one of which is curcumin.

What is Curcumin?

Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.

Studies have revealed that curcumin aids in the management of various health conditions. These include inflammation, metabolic syndrome, arthritis and anxiety. It may also help in the management of exercise-induced inflammation and muscle soreness. Scientists have concluded that may enhance recovery and performance in active people. In addition, relatively low doses can provide health benefits for people that do not have diagnosed health conditions.

Actually, the body has difficulty with absorbing curcumin into the bloodstream. However there are ways to improve this situation. It is fat soluble, so consuming it with some healthy fats will increase the absorption. Add to this some piperine, a substance in black pepper, to increase absorption of curcumin by up to 2000%.

Interestingly, the curcumin content of turmeric is not that high. On average it contains only around 3%.

Most of the studies on this spice are using just the curcumin compound  itself, with dosages usually exceeding 1 gram per day. It would be very difficult to reach these levels just using the turmeric spice in your foods.

With this in mind, it is easy to supplement your diet. Health stores sell capsules,  drink mixes and chewable vitamins. It is readily available in different concentrations that already blended with the ingredients that assist with absorption.

There are even pet supplements now with turmeric!

Turmeric as a food spice

It is remarkable how versatile its flavour becomes in a wide variety of dishes. United States manufacturers use it as a preservative and a colouring agent in mustard sauce, cheese, butter, and chips.

Turmeric makes significant contribution to the flavours of Indian style curries. However, many Asian dishes use fresh grated turmeric. Fresh rhizomes are also used in making commercial and homemade pastes. Recently, it has been making an appearance in salad dressings, smoothies and teas.

Conveniently, turmeric powder will always be a stronger flavour. This is because the active ingredients becoming concentrated with the removal of the water content. Should you wish to use turmeric powder as a substitute for fresh, use about one quarter of the amount in the recipe for fresh.

Try adding some Turmeric to your diet. It doesn’t matter what form it is in, any will be beneficial.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper.

Sources – Wikipedia, National Library of Medicine –

 

A plant called White Yarrow

Todays post is about a plant called White Yarrow.

We have been given this plant as a gift from my mother. At the time she gave it to us, she said that it was just our type of plant as it had health benefits. Not having heard of it at all, I have done some research. As usual I am sharing what I found.

What is White Yarrow?

The common yarrow plant, White Yarrow, also called Achillea Millefolium is a perennial herb. It grows naturally in northern hemisphere and is grown around the world as a medicinal and ornamental plant. With feathery leaves that spread along the ground, it has flower stems that grow up to 60cm.

There are multiple species of Yarrow including some varieties of wild natives. Several ornamental varieties feature a wide range of colourful flowers including pale pink, purple, red and yellow.

There are records showing that this plant has been used medicinally for thousands of years in many cultures around the world. The Latin name Achillea comes from the mythical Greek warrior Achilles. This is due to legends in which Achilles used this plant to heal soldiers wounded in war. In the Middle Ages it was used as an ingredient in gruit, a herbal mixture used to flavour ale prior to the use of hops.

The flowers and leaves are still used in some types of bitters and liqueurs.

What else can it be used for?

Studies indicate that this plant may have various benefits as an herbal tea, extract, or essential oil.

It is one of the most widely used medicinal herbs. When researching the health benefits, the list is quite extensive. I have shared the most researched uses.

Due to its styptic and antimicrobial properties, it is famously known for its ability to stop bleeding (when applied directly to a wound). It can prevent infection, and aid blood circulation when taken internally.

It is often used as a poultice, wash, soak, or salve to relieve pain, and help to heal wounds and injuries of various types.

One study, conducted by researchers at the University of Vienna, demonstrated that its antispasmodic effects might help to soothe symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Long considered by herbalists to be a “blood-moving herb,” yarrow has been used to stimulate blood circulation and lower blood pressure.

Historically, it has been used to treat digestive issues like ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), symptoms of which include stomach pain, diarrhoea, bloating, and constipation. Yarrow contains several flavonoids and alkaloids, which are plant compounds known to relieve digestive complaints.

Research has also found that plant-based alkaloids like those in yarrow tea reduce the secretion of corticosterone, a hormone that’s high during chronic stress

The next time you have a toothache, try chewing on a yarrow leaf. Its analgesic properties can help to numb the affected area.

The anti-inflammatory properties of yarrow are thought to be helpful for dull, pounding headaches or migraines.

Yarrow is most often taken as a tea or a tincture to support digestion and soothe stomach aches.

How else can it be used?

In manufacturing, yarrow is used in shampoos and as a cosmetic cleanser. The leaves and flowers are edible and can be used in salads or to decorate foods.

Yarrow is safe for most individuals. However, you should avoid it if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or undergoing surgery. You should also avoid it if you have a bleeding disorder or are allergic to ragweed.

 I find that I walk around nurseries looking at plants in a whole new way after doing research like this. I hope you have also found this information interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n Prosper

(Sources – The Gardeners Path – Healthline – WebMD )

Is Colloidal Silver good or bad for us?

Todays post is about Colloidal Silver.

Recently a colleague and I were discussing the use of colloidal silver for health. I realised that I had not come across any health related articles on this product, so I have done some research.

There are very few medical articles written about health benefits of colloidal silver. I was unable to find any published scientific studies advocating the ingestion of colloidal silver as a health remedy. Most scientific or medical articles I found did not support the use of this substance.

(Sources – www.healthline.com, www.webmd.com, www.tga.gov.au, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

In fact the Australian Food and Drug Administration have issued a warning in regards to colloidal silver.

“There are no products containing colloidal silver approved for marketing in Australia. With the exception of registered topical silver preparations, there is no evidence to support the safety or efficacy of silver regardless of its form or method of manufacture. In addition, silver has no known nutritional benefit and its well-defined toxicity can occur with all forms of the metal, including silver salts and colloids…… Patients seeking information on claimed benefits of colloidal silver should be advised of the lack of evidence for therapeutic benefit and the potential for toxicity associated with colloidal silver preparations.”

So what is it?

Colloidal silver is the term used to describe tiny particles of silver suspended in a liquid. The size of the silver particles in the liquid can vary; some are so tiny that they are referred to as “nanoparticles.” The solution can be found in various strengths, depending on how much silver it contains.

Before modern antibiotics were developed, it was used as an all-purpose remedy for various infections and illnesses.

Recently, it has experienced a revival in popularity. Those who use colloidal silver take it as a dietary supplement or apply it directly to their skin.

How is it meant to work?

It’s unknown exactly how colloidal silver works. However, research suggests that it attaches to proteins on the cell walls of bacteria, damaging their cell membranes.

Silver ions are released from the silver particles when they come into contact with moisture. They are considered to be the “biologically active” part of colloidal silver that gives it its medicinal properties.

 What are the side effects?

All of us are environmentally exposed to extremely small amounts of silver every day. It’s present in very tiny amounts in drinking water, the food supply and even the air we breathe. The amount in the environment is considered to be quite safe.

The environmental and health risks of silver nanoparticles are not well understood, given that nanoparticles are able to cross the blood-brain barrier.

Ingesting colloidal silver is generally considered unsafe, possibly leading to a condition known as argyria.

Argyria (ahr-JIR-e-uh) presents as a blue-grey discolouration of the skin, eyes, nails and gums. Argyria doesn’t usually pose a serious health problem. However, it doesn’t go away when you stop taking silver products.

You are most at risk of developing argyria if you’re regularly ingesting silver or work in a job that exposes you to large amounts of silver.

It’s not clear how much silver may be harmful, but it can build up in your body’s tissues over months or years. Soluble silver compounds are also capable of accumulating in small amounts in the brain and in muscles

Rarely, excessive doses of colloidal silver can cause possibly irreversible serious health problems. These include kidney damage and neurological problems such as seizures.

Applying colloidal silver to your skin is considered less risky than ingesting it.

There are however, TGA approved therapeutic goods containing presentations of silver that remain appropriate, for example, topical silver nitrate for neonatal conjunctivitis or silver sulfadiazine for burns.

Well, I hope that helps anyone who was thinking about using colloidal silver for any health concerns. It is certainly not something that we would consider using without seeking professional advice.

 Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper