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Posts tagged ‘clove’

Antioxidants: Your Defense Against Premature Aging

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ORAC what? Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity is a test developed by USDA researchers at Tufts University in Boston to measure the antioxidant levels of foods and supplements. Why is this important? First, let’s explore what antioxidants are. These, in a nutshell, are substances that destroy free radicals. What are free radicals? Free radicals are unstable molecules that have a free electron. What free radicals do is that they steal electrons from other molecules such as our cells to make themselves stable. In the process, they damage our cells and their components. One of the most vulnerable parts of our cells is the mitochondria, the energy powerhouse of our cells. No wonder, once there’s mitochondrial damage (which is another cause of aging), one of the earliest symptoms a person could experience is fatigue or weakness. Antioxidants should ideally be coming from our food. Other sources include nutritional supplements such as vitamins, minerals and therapeutic-grade essential oils. Rich food sources of these antioxidants include prunes, wolfberries, acai berries, blueberries, pomegranates, apricots, kale, etc. Among the essential oils, clove scores the highest at 1,078,000, followed by myrhh at 379,000 and citronella at 312,000.

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Super Bugs: No Problem! Supercharge Your Immune System!

Ebola, AIDS, MRSA, Vancomycin-resistant Pseudomonas, chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium (cause of Malaria). These are just a few of the super bugs that we could all possibly encounter in our world that’s rapidly getting smaller every day due to air travel. In recent times when sea travel was the main mode of transportation, people who were still asymptomatic would usually show signs and symptoms before they arrive at their destination. In today’s world of faster air travel, people infected may not show signs and symptoms until they arrive somewhere. This can cause the rapid spread/transmission of communicable diseases. This is especially true in a stressed-out, nutritionally-deficient, and unhealthy population.

What is the traditional answer to this issue? I think that we all know the answer to that. Suffice it to say, this reactionary approach (the race to find cures) doesn’t work well because these bugs are smarter than we think. By the time so-called cures are available, they’ve already mutated to a form that’s resistant to the “cure”. That’s one of the reasons why we have MRSA and Vancomycin-resistant Pesudomonas, among many others.

There is no one to blame for this scenario. Health care practitioners (by indiscriminate use) and patients (by insisting that they be given a medication) alike are responsible for the proliferation of super bugs.

What then can we do about it? I would say that we adopt what the traditional Chinese medicine practitioners did in earlier times. A doctor at the time would only get paid or compensated when their clients are healthy. If their clients get sick, the doctors don’t get paid. It does make a lot of sense to do this. This preventive approach would save billions of dollars in health care.

What are the things we can do to fortify our immune system? Let’s start with the basics before we even discuss specifics. Having a healthy diet, adequate water intake, enough exposure to sunlight and the earth’s electromagnetic energy, rest, exercise, good relationships and stress reduction all go a long way in building our immune defenses.

There are ways to strengthen the immune system with the use of dietary supplements. Here are just a few examples;

mixed carotenoids (natural vitamin A)- good for the mucous membranes (respiratory and intestinal tract protection)

vitamin C complex (natural vitamin C with bioflavonoids)- traditionally used to boost the immune system against infections and tumors but also good for formation of collagen, along with L-lysine and L-proline

vitamin D3- studies show that it could protect against the flu (low levels of exposure to sunlight during the winter months make one vulnerable to the flu) and against certain forms of cancer

selenium- one of the co-factors in the formation of glutathione, which is abundant in the spleen and lymphocytes, both involved in immune system health

zinc- has antimicrobial properties and also good for prostate health in men

manganese- helps in the production of SOD, one of the antioxidants endogenously produced in our bodies

probiotics- an essential nutrient especially if one has taken antibiotics in the past, helps prevent bacterial and fungal overgrowth in the intestine

clove- has the highest ORAC (antioxidant levels) level among all natural substances, has antimicrobial properties as well

thyme- its constituent thymol has antifungal properties

lemon- has d-limonene which has anti-carcinogenic properties, has anti-viral properties as well (along with other citrus oils)

cinnamon- has antibacterial properties, also regulates blood sugar

rosemary- antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory

oregano- antimicrobial

chlorella and spirulina- immune stimulants

raspberries- rich in ellagic acid, which has anti-carcinogenic properties

apricots- rich in vitamin B 17, also has anti-carcinogenic properties

wolfberries- also stimulates release of HGH from the pituitary

broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables- lowers xenoestrogens, cleanses liver

frankincense- helps repair DNA

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Written

on December 1, 2010

Flu Fighter

 

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There’s more to preventing the flu than just getting your annual vaccine (which actually doesn’t protect against the current strain of the flu). A healthy immune system is always our best defense against any type of bug, whether it be a virus, bacteria, fungus or parasite. To achieve and maintain a healthy immune system, a person has to take care of the basics. That includes having a healthy diet, adequate water intake, deep breathing, stress reduction, adequate rest and exercise, quality sleep, healthy relationships and last but not least, spirituality. Besides these general recommendations, there are specific nutrients that could help in the fight against the flu. These include certain vitamins, minerals, herbs and essential oils. Vitamin D (D3 in particular), the so-called “happiness” vitamin because of it’s role in preventing SAD or seasonal affective disorder, is more than a vitamin. It’s a pro-hormone and and an immune modulator as well. Doses from 1,000 to 10,000 IU daily may be given to achieve an optimal level of 60-80 ng/ml. Vitamin A can also be used for short periods to help increase secretory IgA and improve the immune system. Doses from 50,000-100,000 units have been used for short periods to help against viral infections. Make sure that a person has a healthy liver prior to initiating high doses of vitamins A and D. Vitamin C complex (with bioflavonoids) can also be given at 1,000-6,000 mg daily. Adequate water intake is suggested when taking higher doses of vitamin C. Minerals such as zinc and selenium, and herbs such as astragalus and garlic, do help as well. Finally, there’s essential oils such as clove, cinnamon, lemon, eucalyptus, rosemary and thyme. I specifically recommend a therapeutic-grade essential oil blend from YLEO called Thieves. It works!

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Air Supply

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If you’re thinking about the 1980’s singing group sensation, think again. I actually want to discuss about something that we rarely think about: breathing. It’s more than just an interchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide). And it better be good gas. Hey, that didn’t sound right. Anyway, I’m talking about the purity of the air we breathe. Air pollution is so bad that the incidence of asthma and allergies especially in major cities have gone up. And it’s not just outdoor air that’s bad, indoor air is supposedly worse. And for those of you frequent fliers out there, airplane air is the worst. Ever wonder why a lot of people feel tired or get sick after a plane ride? I thought that we could all blame it on jet lag but I don’t think so! According to an article published on Natural News, recirculated airplane air is toxic the way it’s created. Combine that with the low pressure when you’re high up in the sky, occasional sick passengers, synthetic fragrances and petroleum-based cleaners, then you’re in for a treat or is it a trick? So, to protect yourself especially on long flights, I recommend therapeutic-grade essential oils. Not the store bought ones though coz they’re of poor quality in general. Think about it, how could something so difficult to produce (steam distillation for most oils) be sold at very low prices unless they’re diluted or something. I recommend a blend that’s been used since the middle ages. This ancient oil blend called “Thieves” consists of lemon, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus and rosemary. Each of these oils have specific therapeutic functions but in combo, they have synergistic therapeutic properties. These oil’s chemical structures by the way, are more complicated than you think (compared to synthetic antibiotics). It’s so complicated that it’s harder for pathogens to develop a resistance against them. They practically go gaga when this happens (not to be confused with Lady Gaga). And for those doubters out there, look at the research (it’s even in PubMed). There’s a lot mentioned even in the Ebers Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian scroll (1555 BC) and Shen Nong’s Herbal book (3000 BC), the oldest surviving medical book in China. Cool, huh?

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