You Can Use Coconut Oil To Fight Colds
Coconut oil has been used by many people in all parts of the world to alleviate symptoms of the common cold. Coconut oil originally had a bad reputation because it is a mostly saturated fat, but today it is gaining the popularity it deserves for being a truly nutritious food. This cold season might be a good time for cold sufferers to give it a try.
Extracted from the nut of the coconut palm tree, coconut oil contains a fatty acid called lauric acid, which has anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has anti-viral properties which make it perfect for fighting winter colds. Studies have shown that coconut oil can bolster a weakened immune system by improving white blood cell counts, which helps the body directly fight viruses and infections.
Preventing Colds with Coconut Oil
To prevent colds, adults can consume 3-4 tablespoons of coconut oil per day. This can be added to other foods or used in cooking. Some people like the flavor so well that they can eat it right out of the jar. You can also drink coconut milk or eat the meat of this nutritious nut to harness the power of coconut`s fatty acids. But most health benefits can be found right in the oil, and regular consumption can build up the immune system so it has a better chance of fighting colds before they ever start.
Treating Colds with Coconut Oil
Melted into tea or a broth, coconut oil can gently soothe a sore throat and ease coughing in addition to boosting immunity and fighting the virus directly. It can also be mixed with oatmeal and other warm cereals. Or you can try coconut milk in a smoothie. All of these options may appeal to someone who is sick and may not feel like eating heavy foods. However if it is consumed, coconut oil will provide many benefits to cold sufferers.
Another Study Finds Cholesterol Meds Don't Work
"Can it really be true that statins won't stop heart attacks?" That was the headline in a recent edition of Britain's Daily Mail newspaper.
No, they weren't getting ready to quote me -- they were referring to a damning new analysis from the Cochrane Collaboration, which found that statins don't make a drop of difference for 99.9 percent of all low-risk customers conned into taking them.
Yes, conned -- because these are the customers (let's stop calling them patients) who've made statins into the world's best-selling drugs. They're the millions of people who take these meds every day despite no history of heart attacks or heart disease. Heck, some don't even have high cholesterol levels.
So why are they taking them? Good question -- because it's certainly not doing them any good: The new study looked at 14 clinical trials involving more than 34,000 customers, and found you'd have to give 1,000 of these people statins every day for an entire year to prevent a single death.
Put another way, that's an absolute reduction of a tenth of a percent -- smaller than a statistical blip.
But hold on a minute, because even that teensy-weensy "benefit" is just a wild exaggeration! The Cochrane team found evidence of bias and selective reporting of results to favor the meds -- which shouldn't be a stunner since most of the trials in the analysis were funded by statin makers.
And in addition to exaggerating the drug's supposed benefits, the researchers either hid the side effects or never even bothered to report them at all.
So let me report them here: Statins have been linked to intense and debilitating muscle pain, kidney failure, liver dysfunction, and cataracts. Some people have reported severe memory loss. Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency even warned recently that some statin users suffer from sexual problems, sleep loss, and depression.
So now that the cat's out of the bag and even the mainstream media has spotted it, let's get back to that headline: Can it really be true that statins won't stop heart attacks?
Yes, it can.
A Nutrient For Brain Health
Alzheimer`s disease is a devastating condition that is characterized by the formation of protein amyloid plaques that attack the neural synapses and prevent normal chemical and electrical signaling activity in the brain. Medical researchers aren`t certain if plaque is the cause of Alzheimer`s disease or a normal byproduct of cellular metabolism that remains behind to provoke the memory-robbing condition. The British Journal of Pharmacology provides evidence to explain how plaque is formed in the absence of friendly endothelial nitric oxide (eNOS) that disrupts blood pressure, lipid levels and glucose in the brain.
Resveratrol can increase eNOS levels in the brain and lower the impact of deadly plaques seen in Alzheimer`s disease.
A current study in the journal PLoS ONE demonstrates that as plaque begins to accumulate at the neural synapses, eNOS production declines, compounding the problem. Free radicals multiply in the brain as a consequence of the increasing amyloid load and extensive damage to delicate brain structures essential to cognitive function and memory ensue.
Resveratrol is a natural protective compound found in high concentrations in red grapes, red wine, purple grape juice, peanuts, and some berries. The nutrient has been the subject of extensive research as it has been shown to mimic the effect of caloric restriction known to extend healthy life span. New evidence explains how resveratrol can reduce amyloid plaque burden in the aging brain.
Reporting in the journal Neurochemistry International, researchers have found that resveratrol activates an enzyme that helps make friendly eNOS and can break the plaque-formation cycle that is associated with the progression of Alzheimer`s disease. The researchers were able to show that resveratrol significantly inhibits plaque formation by as much as 90%.
The researchers concluded that their study "supports the concept that onset of neurodegenerative disease may be delayed or mitigated with use of dietary chemo-preventive agents that protect against beta-amyloid plaque formation and oxidative stress." This evidence provides further support to the protective nature of natural nutrients to prevent and halt the development of a host of deadly chronic diseases.
Along with resveratrol, research has demonstrated the power of blueberries and grape seed extract to lower the risks associated with brain aging and cognitive decline. Each nutrient targets the expression of specific genes responsible for the progression of dementia and memory-robbing illnesses. People with a familial history of cognitive disease or early onset symptoms should consider supplementing with 50 to 200 mg of resveratrol daily to prevent or reverse amyloid plaque development.
Alzheimer's breakthrough: scientists discover omega-3s override the bad gene causing Alzheimer's
Scientists tend to describe their research and findings with facts and figures only, leaving out any emotion. But Prof. Daniel Michaelson of Tel Aviv University's Department of Neurobiology has uncovered something so potentially groundbreaking he called it "exhilarating" in a statement to the press.
What news could have this scientist so excited? A diet high in omega-3s, the fatty acids found in fatty fish like salmon as well as walnuts, appears to significantly block the negative effects of the APOE4 gene -- the "bad" APOE gene found in 50% of all Alzheimer's patients and in about 15% of the population. Having the APOE4 gene greatly ups your risk of getting Alzheimer's disease, a dreaded and deadly form of dementia affecting about five million Americans.
Scientists have found that in all there are five molecules known to affect or cause Alzheimer's. But just how dangerous these molecules are is linked to environmental factors including diet and lifestyle.
One of these five molecules, APOE, is created by the apolipoprotein E. gene found in all of our bodies. But, according to Prof. Michaelson, there is a "good" APOE gene and a "bad" APOE gene, which is dubbed APOE4.
He has used animal studies to investigate the effects of diet and environment on carriers of APOE4. So far, his results show a diet high in omega-3 oils and low in cholesterol significantly reduce the negative effects of the Alzheimer's causing APOE4 gene in mouse models.
"The main take-away message here is that good diets can alleviate the effects of bad genes. Of course nutritionists have had this general idea for a while, but it's nice to be able to show that this approach can be applied to specifically counteract the negative effects of Alzheimer's disease-related genes," Prof. Michaelson said in a statement to the media.
As NaturalNews has previously reported, other researchers have found many natural ways to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, including drinking green tea (http://www.naturalnews.com/030984_g...). Walking regularly and briskly for exercise has also been shown to lower the risk for dementia (http://www.naturalnews.com/030180_w...).
The results of Prof. Mchaelson's discoveries with more details are slated to be presented at an international conference in Barcelona, Spain.
Acetaminophen and Alzheimer’s
If you ask your family doctor if taking acetaminophen can increase Alzheimer's risk, he might actually laugh in your face.
Acetaminophen is one of the most-used and most trusted analgesics on the market. Sure, there's a risk of liver and kidney damage with an overdose. But when taken as directed, how could it possibly cause Alzheimer's?
Acetaminophen first was introduced in the 1880s. Another similar drug called phenacetin came along at the same time and was used extensively during a 1889 flu pandemic. But phenacetin is even more toxic to the kidneys than acetaminophen, so acetaminophen became the preferred drug.
The first Alzheimer's disease cases were diagnosed about ten years later.
Of course, that's just circumstantial evidence. But toward the end of the 20th century, pieces began falling into place.
Researchers had noticed an apparent reduced risk of Alzheimer's among arthritis patients. Eventually, they understood that excessive free radical activity causes inflammation that destroys brain neurons--and, of course, that inflammation is curbed in arthritis patients who take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) daily.
So when researchers investigated Alzheimer's risk among NSAIDs users in the late 1990s, they weren't surprised to find that NSAIDs use was linked to reduced AD risk. But they WERE surprised by a marked INCREASE in AD risk among people who frequently used acetaminophen for two years or more.
Further investigation showed that acetaminophen decreased levels of an important brain antioxidant. When that antioxidant is depleted, free radical activity is increased and sets off damaging inflammation.
For now, it looks like a normal dose of acetaminophen for an occasional headache or fever won't increase AD risk. But frequent use appears to be a problem. And researchers say that patients with liver or kidney damage are at even greater risk, especially if they've also been exposed to mercury and aluminum--two heavy metals we're ALL exposed to.
A quick note on NSAIDs is necessary: The AD protection is wonderful, but daily use of NSAID drugs create a high risk of serious adverse side effects. Omega-3 fatty acids provide a much safer way to curb inflammation.
Till next time, stay healthy and happy
JD Roma
The information on this blog is provided for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care, and medical advice and services are not being offered. If you have, or suspect you have, a health problem you should consult your physician (preferably a Naturopath).
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