Saturday, April 28, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
The Harmful Effects Of Sugar On Mind And Body
- Of all the foods consumed today, refined sugar is considered to be one of the most harmful. ...In 1997 Americans devoured 7.3 billion pounds of candy. Americans spent an estimated $23.1 billion dollars on candy and gum. The average American consumed a record 27.3 pounds of candy and gum in the same year-the equivalent of about six regular sized chocolate bars a week-marking the fifth consecutive year of increased demand. (1)
- ...Consumption of processed foods (which are laced with sugar) cost the American public more than $54 billion in dental bills each year, so the dental industry reaps huge profits from the programmed addiction of the public to sugar products. ...Today we have a nation that is addicted to sugar. In 1915, the national average of sugar consumption (per year) was around 15 to 20 pounds per person. Today the average person consumes his/her weight in sugar, plus over 20 pounds of corn syrup. To add more horrors to these facts there are some people that use no sweets and some who use much less than the average figure, which means that there is a percentage of the population that consume a great deal more refined sugar than their body weight. The human body cannot tolerate this large amount of refined carbohydrates. The vital organs in the body are actually damaged by this gross intake of sugar.
- ...Refined sugar contains no fiber, no minerals, no proteins, no fats, no enzymes, only empty calories. What happens when you eat a refined carbohydrate like sugar? Your body must borrow vital nutrients from healthy cells to metabolize the incomplete food. Calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium are taken from various parts of the body to make use of the sugar.
- Many times, so much calcium is used to neutralize the effects of sugar that the bones become osteoporotic due to the withdrawn calcium. Likewise, the teeth are affected and they lose their components until decay occurs and hastens their loss. ...Refined sugar is void of all nutrients, consequently it causes the body to deplete its own stores of various vitamins, minerals and enzymes. If sugar consumption is continued, an over-acid condition results, and more minerals are needed from deep in the body to correct the imbalance. If the body is lacking the nutrients used to metabolize sugar, it will not be able to properly handle and rid itself of the poisonous residues. These wastes accumulate through the brain and nervous system, which speeds up cellular death. The bloodstream becomes over-loaded with waste products and symptoms of carbonic poisoning result.
- ...Sugar also makes the blood very thick and sticky, inhibiting much of the blood flow into the minute capillaries that supply our gums and teeth with vital nutrients. Therefore, we wind up with diseased gums and starving teeth. America and England, the two largest sugar consumers, have horrendous dental problems.
- ...In 1948, a $57,000 ten-year study was awarded to Harvard University by the Sugar Research Foundation to find out how sugar causes cavities in teeth and how to prevent it. In 1958, Time magazine reported the findings, which were reported in the Dental Association Journal. They discovered there was no way to prevent the problem and their funding immediately disappeared.
- ..."The most significant human study was done in Sweden, reported in 1954, and known as the Vipeholm Dental Caries Study. More than 400 adult mental patients were placed on controlled diets and observed for five years. The subjects were divided into various groups. Some ate complex and simple carbohydrates at mealtimes only, while other supplemented mealtime food with between-meal-snacks, sweetened with sucrose, chocolate, caramel, or toffee. Among the conclusions drawn from the study, was that sucrose consumption could increase caries activity. The risk increased if the sucrose was consumed in a sticky form that adhered to the tooth's surfaces. The greatest damage was inflicted by foods with high concentrations of sucrose, in sticky form, eaten between meals, even if contact with the tooth's surfaces was brief. Caries, due to the intake of foods with high sucrose levels, could be decreased when such offending foods were eliminated from the diet. But individual differences existed, and in some cases, caries continued to appear despite avoidance of refined sugar or maximum restriction of natural sugars and total dietary carbohydrates." (2)
- ...Diabetes is another commonly known disease caused by sugar as well as a high fat diet. Diabetes is caused by the failure of the pancreas to produce adequate insulin when the blood sugar rises. A concentrated amount of sugar introduced into the system sends the body into shock from the rapid rise in the blood sugar level. The pancreas eventually wears out from overwork and diabetes then rears its ugly head.
- ...Hypoglycemia occurs when the pancreas overreacts to the large amount of sugar in the blood and releases too much insulin leaving one with the "tired" feeling as the blood sugar level becomes lower than it should be.
- "A recent article in the British Medical Journal, entitled The Sweet Road to Gallstones, reported that refined sugar may be one of the major dietary risk factors in gallstone disease. Gallstones are composed of fats and calcium. Sugar can upset all of the minerals, and one of the minerals, calcium, can become toxic or nonfunctioning, depositing itself anywhere in the body, including the gallbladder.
- ..."One out of ten Americans has gallstones. This risk increases to one out of every five after age forty. Gallstones may go unnoticed or may cause pain-wrenching pain. Other symptoms might include bloating, belching, and intolerance to foods." (3) ...Another serious problem with sugar that is now coming to the forefront is the various levels of mental problems. Our brains are very sensitive and react to quick chemical changes within the body. As sugar is consumed, our cells are robbed of their B vitamin, which destroys them, and insulin production is inhibited. Low insulin production means a high sugar (glucose) level in the bloodstream, which can lead to a confused mental state or unsound mind, and has also been linked with juvenile criminal behavior. Dr. Alexander G. Schauss, brings this solemn fact out in his book, Diet, Crime and Delinquency. Many mental ward and prison inmates are "sugarholics" and erratic emotional outbreaks often follow a sugar binge.
- REFINED SUGAR-A DRUG?
- ...Refined sugar, by some, is called a drug, because in the refining process everything of food value has been removed except the carbohydrates-pure calories, without vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, enzymes or any of the other elements that make up food. Many nutrition experts say that white sugar is extremely harmful, possibly as harmful as a drug, especially in the quantities consumed by the present-day American.
- ...Dr. David Reuben, author of Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Nutrition says, ".white refined sugar-is not a food. It is a pure chemical extracted from plant sources, purer in fact than cocaine, which it resembles in many ways. Its true name is sucrose and its chemical formula is C12H22O11. It has 12 carbon atoms, 22 hydrogen atoms, 11 oxygen atoms, and absolutely nothing else to offer." ...The chemical formula for cocaine is C17H21NO4. Sugar's formula again is C12H22O11. For all practical purposes, the difference is that sugar is missing the "N", or nitrogen atom.
- ...Refining means to make "pure" by a process of extraction or separation. Sugars are refined by taking a natural food, which contains a high percentage of sugar, and then removing all elements of that food until only the sugar remains. ...While sugar is commonly made from sugar cane or sugar beets. Through heating and mechanical and chemical processing, all vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, enzymes and indeed every nutrient is removed until only the sugar remains. Sugar cane and sugar beets are first harvested and then chopped into small pieces, squeezing out the juice, which is then mixed with water. This liquid is then heated, and lime is added. Moisture is boiled away, and the remaining fluid is pumped into vacuum pans to concentrate the juice. By this time, the liquid is starting to crystallize, and is ready to be placed into a centrifuge machine where any remaining residues (like molasses) are spun away. The crystals are then dissolved by heating to the boiling point and passed through charcoal filters. After the crystals condense, they are bleached snow-white usually by the use of pork or cattle bones.
- ...During the refining process, 64 food elements are destroyed. All the potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, phosphate, and sulfate are removed. The A, D, and B, vitamins are destroyed. Amino acids, vital enzymes, unsaturated fats, and all fiber are gone. To a lesser or greater degree, all refined sweeteners such as corn syrup, maple syrup, etc., undergo similar destructive processes. Molasses is the chemical and deranged nutrients that is a byproduct of sugar manufacture. ...Sugar manufacturers are aggressive in defending their product and have a strong political lobby which allows them to continue selling a deadly food item that by all reason should not be allowed in the American diet. ...If you have any doubts as to the detriments of sugar (sucrose), try leaving it out of your diet for several weeks and see if it makes a difference! You may also notice you have acquired an addiction and experience some withdrawal symptoms. ...Studies show that "sugar" is just as habit-forming as any narcotic; and its use, misuse, and abuse is our nation's number one disaster. It is no wonder when we consider all the products we consume daily which are loaded with sugar! The average healthy digestive system can digest and eliminate from two to four teaspoons of sugar daily, usually without noticeable problems, (that is if damage is not already present). One 12 oz. Cola contains 11 teaspoons of sugar, and that's aside from the caffeine. It's the sugar that gives you quick energy, but only for a brief time due to the rise of the blood sugar level. But the body quickly releases a rush of insulin, which rapidly lowers the blood sugar and causes a significant drop in energy and endurance. It is easy to see why America's health is in serious trouble.
- EFFECT OF SUGAR ON NEUROLOGICAL PROCESSES ...One of the keys to orderly brain function is glutamic acid, and this compound is found in many vegetables. When sugar is consumed, the bacteria in the intestines, which manufacture B vitamin complexes, begin to die-these bacteria normally thrive in a symbiotic relationship with the human body. When the B vitamin complex level declines, the glutamic acid (normally transformed into "go" "no-go" directive neural enzymes by the B vitamins) is not processed and sleepiness occurs, as well as a decreased ability for short-term memory function and numerical calculative abilities. The removal of B vitamins when foods are "processed" makes the situation even more tenuous.
- WHAT ABOUT GUM CHEWING? ...Besides the sugar in gum being damaging to the teeth there is another harmful problem to consider and that is: "teeth and jaws weren't designed for more than a few minutes of solid chewing per day-far less than the two hours clocked in daily by hardcore gum chewers. All this chewing results in inordinate wear on the jawbone, gum tissue and lower molars, and can change the alignment of the jaws" says Michael Elsohn, D.D.S., in the Medical Tribune.
- http://www.macrobiotics.co.uk/sugar.htm
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Monday, March 26, 2012
Natural Cures and Remedies
Natural cures and remedies are becoming more and more appealing to more and more people. Natural cures are done by using various natural herbs, remedies, medicinal plants, and many other natural elements and are the safest way to treat diseases. Natural cures are less toxic than those made from chemicals so they are better for your health and for our environment.
There are many natural cures, treatments and remedies that are widely available. If you haven’t tried any of the natural ways of curing or treating illnesses, perhaps it’s about time you try to combine natural cures with your doctor’s recommendations.
Chemically formulated drugs and medicines have many downfalls despite of their positive effects, such as:
• Some drugs provide relief but might have side effects. In some cases, chemical residues from medications can cause liver damage.
• Oftentimes, it’s a trial and error process. Whenever a prescription does not provide the desired result, a new prescription will be given instead.
• In some cases, another organ is damaged and sometime leads to failure. These instances are just termed as side effects.
• When our body gets used to a specific medication, living without the medication will be very difficult.
• Medications do not actually increase the lifespan of an average person, despite of all the advances that have been claimed.
• In many instances results are still questionable, even thought a lot of money was spent to buy them.
Natural cures are natural means to assist your body to heal itself naturally. Natural cures consist of natural herbs, home remedies, healthy life style, healthy nutrition, detox cleanses and vitamin supplements. Natural cures will address your health needs and help you maintain a healthy body.
Long ago, the only available remedies to our ancestors were natural cures. They categorized plants into two types, plants that are for consumption and plants for natural cures. Even animals are aware of natural cures. Some animals will look for particular types of grass or herb when they are not feeling well. They consume the herb and start feeling better. In eastern culture, healing is mainly based on natural cures. We have the same average life expectancy but we spend a lot more for the same results.
Treatment derived from plants are more often safe than dangerous. Alternative medicine or treatment is gaining in popularity in this modern age despite the ever increasing haste in introducing advanced technologies and synthetic drugs for diseases and ailments.
Keep yourself in shape and maintain a healthy body weight to start realize long term benefits. It’s always a good idea to use natural cures, natural remedies or vitamin supplements, however remember to consult your doctor or dietician about the changes and choices you want to make.
http://www.naturesecrets.yolasite.com is one of the best places to visit if you are looking for natural health solutions that work. This site offers safe and effective natural cures, treatments and other references that can help you enjoy a healthier and longer life.
There are many natural cures, treatments and remedies that are widely available. If you haven’t tried any of the natural ways of curing or treating illnesses, perhaps it’s about time you try to combine natural cures with your doctor’s recommendations.
Chemically formulated drugs and medicines have many downfalls despite of their positive effects, such as:
• Some drugs provide relief but might have side effects. In some cases, chemical residues from medications can cause liver damage.
• Oftentimes, it’s a trial and error process. Whenever a prescription does not provide the desired result, a new prescription will be given instead.
• In some cases, another organ is damaged and sometime leads to failure. These instances are just termed as side effects.
• When our body gets used to a specific medication, living without the medication will be very difficult.
• Medications do not actually increase the lifespan of an average person, despite of all the advances that have been claimed.
• In many instances results are still questionable, even thought a lot of money was spent to buy them.
Natural cures are natural means to assist your body to heal itself naturally. Natural cures consist of natural herbs, home remedies, healthy life style, healthy nutrition, detox cleanses and vitamin supplements. Natural cures will address your health needs and help you maintain a healthy body.
Long ago, the only available remedies to our ancestors were natural cures. They categorized plants into two types, plants that are for consumption and plants for natural cures. Even animals are aware of natural cures. Some animals will look for particular types of grass or herb when they are not feeling well. They consume the herb and start feeling better. In eastern culture, healing is mainly based on natural cures. We have the same average life expectancy but we spend a lot more for the same results.
Treatment derived from plants are more often safe than dangerous. Alternative medicine or treatment is gaining in popularity in this modern age despite the ever increasing haste in introducing advanced technologies and synthetic drugs for diseases and ailments.
Keep yourself in shape and maintain a healthy body weight to start realize long term benefits. It’s always a good idea to use natural cures, natural remedies or vitamin supplements, however remember to consult your doctor or dietician about the changes and choices you want to make.
http://www.naturesecrets.yolasite.com is one of the best places to visit if you are looking for natural health solutions that work. This site offers safe and effective natural cures, treatments and other references that can help you enjoy a healthier and longer life.
Aloe Vera
Aloe Vera
People keep asking me "what's all this I hear about aloe vera" and I tended to answer, "haven't got a clue mate." I knew it was good for putting on sunburn and that was about it. I've since been reading up on it and after various emails I've been sent, decided to share what little I've learnt as you can actually buy dozens of variations of aloe vera gel here, a lot more potent than you're likely to find anywhere else, along with pure 100% gel. Along with cacti it actually grows as a weed here so very easy for the locals to cultivate.
It's been known throughout history to have medicinal properties, used to cure various ailments and nowadays, the myths surrounding it that go back 5,000 years to the ancient Chinese, Egyptians and Greeks are no longer myths but medical fact. Scientists have found that the Aloe Vera gel is a mixture of antibiotic, astringent, coagulating agent, pain inhibitor, cell growth stimulator and scar inhibitor. It contains a total of 70 "essential ingredients" including most vitamins including B12, minerals, enzymes, protein and amino acids. What does all that mean you wonder - it's good for sunburn!!
"Tests conducted on ulcer patients in Florida in 1962, as reported in the Journal A.O.A., Vol. 62, April 1963, showed that the clinical administration of Aloe Vera gel emulsion resulted in permanent relief for 94% of ulcer patients who had had the condition for an extended period of time."
Enough of the technical stuff. Bearing in mind that most medicines come from plants anyway, aloe vera is a fairly unique plant in that with little processing, it's "gel" is a natural medicine for helping to cure almost any skin ailment from sunburn (told you so) and other burns, rashes, wounds, acne, stings, cold sores, insect bites, arthritis and even as an anti-ageing cream. You can even buy it in a form which can be drunk and is used to help against asthma, insomnia, indigestion, heartburn, constipation, hemorrhoids and ulcers to name but a few.
Something really spooky, the plant's gel not only helps to heal scars and damaged skin tissue but it can also heal itself! The leaves have no stalks or woody parts and are kept upright by the water pressure of the gel. A leaf, slashed across with a sharp knife, first spurts out its "lifeblood" as the flesh on its leaf is opened. A few seconds later the wound films over. The next few minutes a rubber-like, protective coating effectively seals off loss of water. In a short time, the wound heals completely. The plant contains a wound healing substance that does this.
Do a search on the Internet and you'll find reference to hundreds and hundreds of books, medical papers and research documents (well, I did).
Aloe Vera is non toxic - it is not a drug - it is not a medicine - and is not intended to replace any drugs or medicine but documents and experiences show that when people use a product or drink the juice for whatever reason - it works!
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Licorice Heals Ulcers, Inflammation, and Skin Conditions by: Barbara L. Minton
Most of us have fond memories of those black and red licorice whips we ate as kids. Now we are finding out that licorice is a lot more than a treat for the sweet tooth. Licorice root has recently been shown effective against allergies, hepatitis, inflammation and swelling, hypertension, excessive potassium in the body, skin conditions, viral infections, and tumor formation and cancer.
History of a healing superstar
Licorice root has been used since ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman times in the West, and since the second and third centuries B.C. in the East. In traditional Chinese medicine, licorice is one of the most frequently used drugs. In Japan, the oldest specimen of licorice introduced from China in the middle of the 8th century still exists in the Imperial Storehouse.
In both East and West, licorice has been used to treat a variety of illnesses ranging from the common cold to liver disease. The herb is highly valued for its ability to sooth and coat inflamed membranes, and to act as an expectorant, getting rid of phlegm and mucus from the respiratory tract. It is particularly popular for relief from respiratory ailments such as allergies, bronchitis, colds, and sore throats. It is also used as treatment for acid reflux, heartburn and stomach ulcers, digestive tract inflammation, diseases of the skin, relief from stress, and diseases of the liver.
More amazing properties of licorice revealed
Recent studies have provided additional evidence of licorice's anti-inflammatory properties. In the July 24 edition of the journal Shock researchers found that inflammation, swelling, tissue damage and cell death were markedly reduced in mice with induced spinal cord injury. The mice had been treated with glycyrrhizin extract from licorice root administered up to six hours following injury. In a separate study, these researchers found that glycyrrhizin extract treatment significantly ameliorated the recovery of limb function following spinal injury.
This study suggests that the devastating trauma that frequently follows spinal cord injuries may be significantly reduced in humans if they are quickly treated with glycyrrhizin extract following injury. Human trials are needed to support this suggestion.
Another study, reported in the June 11, 2008 edition of Pharmacological Research supports these conclusions. Researchers evaluated the anti-inflammatory activities of glycyrrhizin extract in a mice model of acute inflammation caused by induced lung injury resulting in pleurisy characterized by fluid accumulation. Again, potent anti-inflammatory effects were seen and measured parameters of the injury were significantly reduced. Researchers concluded that the method of prevention was through the NF-kappa B and STAT-3 activation pathways.
And to prove that there is no end to what laboratory mice have to endure on this earth, the journal Z Naturforsch, May-June issue, reports mice induced with ear and paw edema being treated with licochalcone A extracted from licorice root. At the same time, prostaglandin biosynthesis by licochalcone A was also studied in mouse macrophage cells. The licorice extract was shown to be remarkably effective against acute induced inflammation. It significantly reduced paw edema compared to controls by hour four following injury. Both COX-2 activity and expression were significantly inhibited by the extract at all test doses.
The increased incidence of skin conditions and the desire to use natural products to treat them has led to clinical studies evaluating the composition and clinical usefulness of natural products in the treatment of inflammatory skin dermatoses. The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, July edition reports that licorice among other natural products is effective for use in treatment of rosacea, atopic dermatitis, sensitive and irritated skin, drug-induced skin eruptions, and psoriasis.
Animal studies and trials in humans have supported the value of licorice for stomach ulcers. One study found that aspirin coated with licorice reduced the number of ulcers in rats by 50% , even though high doses of aspirin have been shown to cause ulcers in rats. Studies in humans have shown that preparations containing the glycyrrhizin extract may be as effective as leading anti-ulcer medications in relieving pain associated with stomach ulcers and ulcer recurrence. In one study, licorice root fluid extract was used to treat 100 patients with stomach ulcers for 6 weeks. Ninety percent of the patients improved, with ulcers completely disappearing in 22 of the patients.
Licorice has a long history of promoting liver health and has been successfully used to prevent hepatitis. It has also been documented against tumors and cancer. Researchers report a May, 2008 study to determine the effectiveness of a formulation containing licorice root against liver cancer and on immune function. Growth induced liver cancer in mice was markedly inhibited with high, moderate and even low doses (49.66%, 48.52%, and 36.91% respectively). Natural killer (NK) cells and interleukin 2 level showed remarkable increases compared to controls.
Licorice is showing well in studies of its use in heart treatment. In recent research, people with high cholesterol experienced significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels after taking licorice root extracts for one month. Systolic blood pressure was reduced by 10%. These measures returned to their previous elevated levels when the participants stopped taking the licorice supplements. In earlier studies with mice, licorice root extract reduced the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
A study has found that glycyrrhizin inhibited the growth of Japanese encephalitis virus in test tubes.
In a human study, licorice was found to reduce body fat. Fifteen normal-weight subjects consumed licorice for 2 months (3.5g per day). Body fat mass was measured before and after treatment. Licorice was able to reduce body fat mass and to suppress the levels of aldosterone, the hormone responsible for retention of salt and water in the body. Another study found that a topical preparation of glycyrrhetinic acid was able to reduce the thickness of fat on the thigh in human subjects.
Other research found that licorice mimics the effects of estrogen in the body. These phytoestrogenic activities resulted in decreased symptoms of PMS and menopause, including mild depression. It has also been shown to boost memory and cognition, two areas about which those with estrogen deficiency express great concern.
Licorice as a healing tool
Licorice products are made from the dried root of the plant. In addition to glycyrrhizin, the roots contain coumarins, flavonoids, volatile oils, and plant sterols. Licorice is available as preparations for teas, tablets, capsules, and liquid extracts. Licorice candy contains little to no licorice and is not effective as a therapeutic agent.
Some licorice root extracts have had the glycyrrhizin removed, and are known as deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL). This form retains many of licorice's healing properties and is the better choice for long term use. Excessive consumption of glycyrrhizin can cause a condition in which an individual becomes overly sensitive to aldosterone, a hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. Fatigue, headaches and high blood pressure may result. DGL may be the better choice for treatment of stomach or duodenal ulcers. Studies have shown that DGL reduces inflammation and is as effective as prescription drugs for gastric ulcers, without the side effects.
Natural health experts Phyllis and James Balch report that licorice with glycyrrhizin should not be used during pregnancy, nor by persons with diabetes, glaucoma, heart disease, high blood pressure, severe menstrual problems, or history of stroke. It should not be used on a daily basis for more than seven days in a row.
For treatment of children's sore throat, a piece of licorice root may be chewed or licorice tea can be swallowed.
The following doses for adults are those endorsed by the University of Maryland Medical Center:
* Dried root: 1-5 g as an infusion or decoction (boiled), three times daily
* Licorice 1:5 tincture: 2 to 5 ml, three times daily
* Standardized extract: 250-500 mg, three times daily, standardized to contain 20% glycrrhizinic acid
* DGL extract: 0.4 to 1.6 g three times daily for peptic ulcer
* DGL extract 4:1: chew 300-400 mg. three times daily 20 minutes before meals, for peptic ulcer
Additional Source:
University of Maryland Medical Center "Licorice"
History of a healing superstar
Licorice root has been used since ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman times in the West, and since the second and third centuries B.C. in the East. In traditional Chinese medicine, licorice is one of the most frequently used drugs. In Japan, the oldest specimen of licorice introduced from China in the middle of the 8th century still exists in the Imperial Storehouse.
In both East and West, licorice has been used to treat a variety of illnesses ranging from the common cold to liver disease. The herb is highly valued for its ability to sooth and coat inflamed membranes, and to act as an expectorant, getting rid of phlegm and mucus from the respiratory tract. It is particularly popular for relief from respiratory ailments such as allergies, bronchitis, colds, and sore throats. It is also used as treatment for acid reflux, heartburn and stomach ulcers, digestive tract inflammation, diseases of the skin, relief from stress, and diseases of the liver.
More amazing properties of licorice revealed
Recent studies have provided additional evidence of licorice's anti-inflammatory properties. In the July 24 edition of the journal Shock researchers found that inflammation, swelling, tissue damage and cell death were markedly reduced in mice with induced spinal cord injury. The mice had been treated with glycyrrhizin extract from licorice root administered up to six hours following injury. In a separate study, these researchers found that glycyrrhizin extract treatment significantly ameliorated the recovery of limb function following spinal injury.
This study suggests that the devastating trauma that frequently follows spinal cord injuries may be significantly reduced in humans if they are quickly treated with glycyrrhizin extract following injury. Human trials are needed to support this suggestion.
Another study, reported in the June 11, 2008 edition of Pharmacological Research supports these conclusions. Researchers evaluated the anti-inflammatory activities of glycyrrhizin extract in a mice model of acute inflammation caused by induced lung injury resulting in pleurisy characterized by fluid accumulation. Again, potent anti-inflammatory effects were seen and measured parameters of the injury were significantly reduced. Researchers concluded that the method of prevention was through the NF-kappa B and STAT-3 activation pathways.
And to prove that there is no end to what laboratory mice have to endure on this earth, the journal Z Naturforsch, May-June issue, reports mice induced with ear and paw edema being treated with licochalcone A extracted from licorice root. At the same time, prostaglandin biosynthesis by licochalcone A was also studied in mouse macrophage cells. The licorice extract was shown to be remarkably effective against acute induced inflammation. It significantly reduced paw edema compared to controls by hour four following injury. Both COX-2 activity and expression were significantly inhibited by the extract at all test doses.
The increased incidence of skin conditions and the desire to use natural products to treat them has led to clinical studies evaluating the composition and clinical usefulness of natural products in the treatment of inflammatory skin dermatoses. The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, July edition reports that licorice among other natural products is effective for use in treatment of rosacea, atopic dermatitis, sensitive and irritated skin, drug-induced skin eruptions, and psoriasis.
Animal studies and trials in humans have supported the value of licorice for stomach ulcers. One study found that aspirin coated with licorice reduced the number of ulcers in rats by 50% , even though high doses of aspirin have been shown to cause ulcers in rats. Studies in humans have shown that preparations containing the glycyrrhizin extract may be as effective as leading anti-ulcer medications in relieving pain associated with stomach ulcers and ulcer recurrence. In one study, licorice root fluid extract was used to treat 100 patients with stomach ulcers for 6 weeks. Ninety percent of the patients improved, with ulcers completely disappearing in 22 of the patients.
Licorice has a long history of promoting liver health and has been successfully used to prevent hepatitis. It has also been documented against tumors and cancer. Researchers report a May, 2008 study to determine the effectiveness of a formulation containing licorice root against liver cancer and on immune function. Growth induced liver cancer in mice was markedly inhibited with high, moderate and even low doses (49.66%, 48.52%, and 36.91% respectively). Natural killer (NK) cells and interleukin 2 level showed remarkable increases compared to controls.
Licorice is showing well in studies of its use in heart treatment. In recent research, people with high cholesterol experienced significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels after taking licorice root extracts for one month. Systolic blood pressure was reduced by 10%. These measures returned to their previous elevated levels when the participants stopped taking the licorice supplements. In earlier studies with mice, licorice root extract reduced the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
A study has found that glycyrrhizin inhibited the growth of Japanese encephalitis virus in test tubes.
In a human study, licorice was found to reduce body fat. Fifteen normal-weight subjects consumed licorice for 2 months (3.5g per day). Body fat mass was measured before and after treatment. Licorice was able to reduce body fat mass and to suppress the levels of aldosterone, the hormone responsible for retention of salt and water in the body. Another study found that a topical preparation of glycyrrhetinic acid was able to reduce the thickness of fat on the thigh in human subjects.
Other research found that licorice mimics the effects of estrogen in the body. These phytoestrogenic activities resulted in decreased symptoms of PMS and menopause, including mild depression. It has also been shown to boost memory and cognition, two areas about which those with estrogen deficiency express great concern.
Licorice as a healing tool
Licorice products are made from the dried root of the plant. In addition to glycyrrhizin, the roots contain coumarins, flavonoids, volatile oils, and plant sterols. Licorice is available as preparations for teas, tablets, capsules, and liquid extracts. Licorice candy contains little to no licorice and is not effective as a therapeutic agent.
Some licorice root extracts have had the glycyrrhizin removed, and are known as deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL). This form retains many of licorice's healing properties and is the better choice for long term use. Excessive consumption of glycyrrhizin can cause a condition in which an individual becomes overly sensitive to aldosterone, a hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. Fatigue, headaches and high blood pressure may result. DGL may be the better choice for treatment of stomach or duodenal ulcers. Studies have shown that DGL reduces inflammation and is as effective as prescription drugs for gastric ulcers, without the side effects.
Natural health experts Phyllis and James Balch report that licorice with glycyrrhizin should not be used during pregnancy, nor by persons with diabetes, glaucoma, heart disease, high blood pressure, severe menstrual problems, or history of stroke. It should not be used on a daily basis for more than seven days in a row.
For treatment of children's sore throat, a piece of licorice root may be chewed or licorice tea can be swallowed.
The following doses for adults are those endorsed by the University of Maryland Medical Center:
* Dried root: 1-5 g as an infusion or decoction (boiled), three times daily
* Licorice 1:5 tincture: 2 to 5 ml, three times daily
* Standardized extract: 250-500 mg, three times daily, standardized to contain 20% glycrrhizinic acid
* DGL extract: 0.4 to 1.6 g three times daily for peptic ulcer
* DGL extract 4:1: chew 300-400 mg. three times daily 20 minutes before meals, for peptic ulcer
Additional Source:
University of Maryland Medical Center "Licorice"
About the author
Barbara is a school psychologist, a published author in the area of personal finance, a breast cancer survivor using "alternative" treatments, a born existentialist, and a student of nature and all things natural
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