My good friend, Gail Coffey, has a medical sharing website. These are some important articles that I received through her WellnessSharing posts. Periodically, I will be adding more of her articles but do check out her website and do ask to receive article postings. This is a good and reliable resource! Like myself, this “trail blazing” group is learning about medical alternatives through their own personal experiences.
Spices for Health
We received an email that had about 15 healthful uses of powdered cinnamon and honey recently and experimented with it. Then a few days later I read in Wellbeing Journal, July/August 2007, Vol 16, No 4 newsletter some information that confirmed the use of cinnamon for helping diabetes: according to the Journal of Agriculture Food Chemistry 04;52[1]1:65-70 and Diabetes Care 03;26[12]:3215-8, half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduced fasting glucose levels (18-29%) in 60 persons with type 2 diabetes and also reduced triglyceride levels (23-30%), LDL cholesterol (7-27%). To maintain the benefits, it is necessary to continue the 1/2 tsp./day of cinnamon. The New England Journal of Medicine 01:345:790-797 now reports that those who suffer from blood sugar related symptoms (low or high) can return to health by decreasing or eliminating simple sugars, eliminating trans fatty acids, increasing fiber intake, and exercising regularly.
In the email article we were sent, one of the suggestions for longevity was to make a tea by boiling 3 cups of water, 4 spoons of honey, and 1 spoon of cinnamon powder; then drink 1/4 cup 3 to 4 times a day. The claim is that it keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. We’re continuing our experiment… For other uses of cinnamon and honey, check this source.
Herbs
From Pam Blowers at Organic NZ, we’ve learned that coriander/cilantro leaves contain an antibacterial that is twice as effective at disintegrating salmonella as the antibiotic, gentamicin. You may have used it in salads or soups— either the fresh leaves or the ground powder. The fresh leaves are such strong chelators of heavy metals that those who are heavily toxic, have to be very careful and sparing in their consumption of coriander/cilantro. If you know you have heavy metals toxicity, be judicious. For other herb references for health, take a look at Dr. Mercola’s discussion of peppermint, oregano, dill, thyme, rosemary, cayenne pepper, etc.
Omega-3 Fats
Concentrations of omega-3 fats were associated with positive bone mineral densities in a study of 78 teenage men over an 8-year span. DHA was linked to better total bone densities and positive changes in the spine for men between 16 and 22. Omega-e fatty acid DHA has also been shown to reduce diastolic blood pressure and heart rate in healthy men and women (0.7 grams/day for 3 months, a “washout” period of four months, followed by a placebo for 3 months). These studies were both published in editions of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.