Artichoke Promotes Healthy Fat Digestion and Metabolism

In discussing the health benefits of the artichoke, and the way it promotes healthy fat digestion and metabolism, we are talking here about the true artichoke: the globe artichoke. The alternative Jerusalem artichoke is not an artichoke at all, but a member of the sunflower family. The globe artichoke is a type of thistle.It is in fact a perennial thistle that originated in the Mediterranean area and is now cultivated world wide. The edible portions are the lower parts of the bracts and the base of the buds, known as the heart while the inedible portion in the center of the bud is known as the ‘choke’. Globe artichokes were introduced to the USA in the 19th century by French and Spanish immigrants who settled in Louisiana and California respectively. Contrary to popular opinion its name did not come from the ‘heart’ and the ‘choke’, but from the Arabic for ground thorn: ‘ardi shauki’.In today’s world of fast foods, a high consumption of fats and red meat and excessive alcohol consumption, your liver is put under a great strain. Its main function is as a chemical factory, to produce the chemicals, such as enzymes and other proteins, needed to maintain life and also to metabolise the nutrients we need from the food we eat. If you overtax your liver it will not work as it should, which results in poor digestion and assimilation of the nutrients in your food and an increase in the toxins in your blood.You will feel tired and run down, with digestion problems and many other health complaints. Liver abuse can result in malnutrition, which also results in cirrhosis which is not curable. You should seriously appraise your diet, and identify the eating and drinking habits that are causing the problem, and give your liver a rest. Artichoke extract is a great liver tonic, and your liver will respond well to a break from alcohol and fatty foods, and a course of artichoke leaves and extract. The main active ingredient of the artichoke is cynarine (1,5-dicaffeylquinic acid), a substance that stimulates the production of bile, and hence renders the artichoke an excellent starter for any meal. This is yet another example of science finding a logical reason for people eating artichokes for centuries in order to promote the health of their liver and digestive system. It is not only for its cynarine content that the globe artichoke is useful, however, but also the luteolin and chlorogenic acids that it contains.The stimulation of bile production by the cynarine is one the more important of the effects of artichoke on your well being. Bile emulsifies fats and renders them into an easily digested form. Most of the digestive chemicals are water soluble, and without this emulsification of the fat with water then most of the fats we consume would pass through the body unchanged. We would the vats majority of the fat soluble nutrients in our food, including vitamins A, D, E and K. Bile enables us to digest fats and to absorb vitamins from our food, and also promotes the general health of our digestive system. It is biosynthesized in the liver from various enzymes and triglycerides and then stored in the gall bladder until needed. Its use is prompted by the presence of fats in the system, and this is stimulated by the cynarine in the artichoke leaves. Its ability to improve bile flow has been recognized by scientist’s world wide, and artichoke juice has been used by the French for many years as a liver tonic. However, it is not just for the liver and the digestive system that artichokes are useful in maintaining good health. They also have an effect on the cholesterol levels in your blood. This is believed to be due to the inhibition of the activity of enzyme HMG CoA Reductase that helps the liver to generate cholesterol. Inhibiting the activity of this enzyme reduces the amount of cholesterol produced.This can have the effect of reduced the possibility of you developing atherosclerosis, a condition caused by deposition of low density lipid (LDL) cholesterol through the effect of free radical oxidation of the lipid. The less cholesterol to be transported by your blood, then the lower levels of the low density lipid needed to do this. This effect is also possibly due to the fact that bile is formed from cholesterol and triglycerides, and so stimulated bile production would possibly leave less cholesterol in the bloodstream.Artichoke also possesses antioxidant properties that would contribute even further to this effect by preventing the oxidation of the LDL by free radicals. These free radicals, formed in the body both naturally and by the effects of pollutants such as pesticides, cigarette smoke and traffic fumes, are destroyed by antioxidants. In atherosclerosis the LDL lipids are oxidised and deposited under the surface cells of the blood vessels, and are then digested by certain blood cells forming a hard fatty deposit that can eventually block the arteries affected.The result can be a heart attack or a stroke, depending on where in the body the blood vessels are affected, and if the cholesterol levels in the body are decreased through it being used to produce bile, then the concentration of LDL lipids used to transport it will also be reduced and the condition will be less likely to occur.. Apart from the liver, the gall bladder is also given a boost by artichoke because that is where bile is stored, and a regular flow to and from the gall bladder maintains its health. The only thing you should be aware of if is that if you are prone to gallstones then the increase in bile flow could cause the stones to be stuck in the bile duct. You should therefore refer to your physician before embarking on a course of artichoke extract if you have a propensity to develop gallstones. Apart from the phytonutrients already discussed, the globe artichoke also contains a good supply of fiber and minerals such as potassium, iron, calcium and phosphorus, and also some trace elements that your body needs. It is therefore more than just a bile stimulant, but provides a wide range off essential nutrition to your body. It is know to aid conditions such as gout, high blood sugar, and digestive complaints such as flatulence, bloating and abdominal cramps. Apart from cooking and eating the tender parts of the leaves, or bracts, you can make an infusion of the parts that you don’t eat. Chop up the tougher leaves and pour boiling water over them as if making tea. Leave it to infuse for a few minutes and then drink. Honey can be used to take away the bitter taste; honey rather than sugar due to its greater nutritional content.

Boost Cardiovascular Health And Circulation With Butcher’s Broom

Butcher’s broom (Ruscus aculeatus) is a member of the lily family, and looks a bit like a holly bush with barbed evergreen leaves and bright red berries in the fall. At one time they were collected, tied together and sold to butchers as brooms to sweep out their shops. The stiff leaves were particularly suitable for cleaning out offal and other waste products from butchered animals and also for scrubbing butcher’s blocks. It was also used as a deterrent to rodents with their eyes on the meat! Alternative names are sweet broom, kneeholy and Jew’s myrtle, so named because it was used during the Feast of the Tabernacles as one of the ‘four species’ used in the lulav. The herb was commonly used in Ancient Greece and Rome, the Greeks using it to reduce swellings of various kinds and the Romans using it to treat varicose veins. It has the same uses today, only the mechanisms are understood better. It has been used for centuries in the Mediterranean area for the treatment of inflammations and problems with the circulation, and the Romans used to mash up the leaves and berries to add to wine, and they also used the roots and rhizome as a medicine by soaking them in wine. Today, it is illegal to use holly as a decoration in Italy, so butcher’s broom is used instead. All parts of the plant are used, including the rhizome, and although it is used as a diuretic, and to control a loss of blood pressure experience by some people on standing up, it is its effect on blood vessels where its main medical benefits lie. Butcher’s Broom can strengthen certain portions of blood vessels, and change the flexibility properties of the cell walls. The result of this is that the vessels are tightened up, which helps to maintain the flow of blood throughout the body, but also renders the cell walls less likely to leak or crack under stress. The result is a reduction in blood leakage from stretched and weakened blood vessels such as those that result in hemorrhoids, and also of conditions caused by weakened valves in the veins such as varicose veins and spider veins. The blood pressure in the veins is very weak since they are so far away from the heart, the blood having passed through the arteries, through the capillaries and into the veins on its way back to the heart before being pumped to the lungs. When the valves become weakened, particularly in the large veins in the leg, there is little to prevent the blood from coming under the influence of gravity and pooling back down the vein, causing distention and occasional ruptures. A ruptured varicose vein can be very serious and cause significant blood loss. Weakened valves can also lead to the formation of blood clots, which is itself a very serious condition that eventually blocks the heart or causes a stroke. Not only can butcher’s broom strengthen the vein walls and prevent leakage, and also enable them to more easily resist the pressure that can cause them to rupture, but it can also be used to break down blood clots. In fact the herb is used in many European hospitals to prevent the formation of blood clots after surgery. The active ingredients in the rhizome are saponins that contain the aglycones ruscogenin and neuroscogenin and the associated spirostanol and furostanol glycosides. The receptors that cause vasocontraction are known as adrenoreceptors, these receptors can be selectively stimulated by butcher’s broom extract to tighten the veins and improve the return of blood. When introduced intravenously, butcher’s broom was noted to constrict venules (small veins that feed the main veins but not arterioles (the small arteries than feed the capillaries). Hence blood vessels can be selectively treated, and the effect on isolated blood vessels was enhanced by heating. Many supplements include calcium that helps to strengthen the blood vessel walls. It is possible, therefore, to target the blood vessels that require constrictive treatment in order that they are strong enough to return blood to the heart rather than leak or distend. However, that is not the only health benefit that butcher’s broom provides. It can also be used as a diuretic. It is not a strong diuretic, but is used to relief the swelling of bruises and PMS, the reason given being that since leakage from the blood vessels is lessened, then more fluid is available to pass through the kidneys. There might be other reasons. It is also use for the treatment of ortho static hypotension, the reduction in blood pressure that some people experience. It is believed that butcher’s broom can control this condition without increasing blood pressure, as most other remedies do, and which is almost as undesirable as the condition they are treating. There are few problems associated with the herb, although few studies have been carried out its use by pregnant women. Although the one test that was carried indicated no effect, it would be wise for pregnant or nursing women not to use it until further studies have been carried out. Due to its effect in tightening blood vessels, its use is not recommended by anybody suffering from high blood pressure (hypertension). Many hypertension treatments are designed to render the blood vessels more elastic rather than constrict them. In one very small study of pregnant women who used a topical cream containing butcher’s broom, no side effects were seen for either the mother or the baby. However, very little information is available on how oral butcher’s broom might affect a developing fetus, an infant, or a small child. Therefore, its use is not recommended during pregnancy, while breast-feeding, or during early childhood. Because it tightens blood vessels, butcher’s broom may worsen high blood pressure or benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Individuals with either of these conditions should not use any form of butcher’s broom without first consulting a doctor. The known side effects have already been stated, and they are fairly mild, but few studies have been made on the herb other than in Europe, and the side effects have not been fully explored. It is unlikely; however, that there are any as yet unknown serious side effects since butcher’s broom has been used now for a long time, particularly in Europe. The term ‘ruscogenin’ is used for the collective mixture of active saponins in butcher’s broom, and many of the supplements are formulated to include from 5 to 15 mg of these. However, check the label, since standardization is not yet required in the USA, and in theory a preparation can include much more or much less ruscogenin. It is frequently supplied with other active ingredients, such as vitamin C or calcium, and perhaps even horse chestnut that affect blood vessels in a similar way. Always follow the instructions on the package, since these are designed for the specific strength of supplement you are using.

Preventing Bone Loss With Omega 3 Fatty Acids - Amazing Natural Health Remedies

In one study, rats had their ovaries removed, decreasing their estrogen levels (simulating menopause). This was expected to show a decrease in bone density. This simulated menopausal condition lead to inflammation, which lead to bone density loss. However, half the rat group was fed olive oil, a healthy fatty acid oil, and their bone loss was much less. The study also mentioned the increasingly promoted Mediterranean diet, known for its antioxidant nutrients, because in Europe, the lowest occurrences of osteoporosis has been shown to be in the Mediterranean area. The home of olive oil.Another study showed results that a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids was related to lower bone density at the hip in both older men and women — a condition that, if it were to persist, could lead to osteoporosis.Researchers collected the dietary data of 1,500 participants, both men and women aged 45-90, through self-administered, standard questionnaires. Details such as smoking habits, alcohol use, exercise, reproductive history, and use of vitamins, various medications, and estrogen and other hormones, were also obtained. Baseline bone mineral density (BMD) was measured and researchers found that: *foods containing omega-6 fats were responsible for lower BMD (bone mass density)in the hip bones of older men and in women whether or not they took hormone therapy. *omega-6 to omega-3 ratios was associated with BMD at the hip bones of women whether they took hormone therapy or not.The conclusion was, in the rat study mentioned above “… ageing and oestrogen deficiency induce inflammatory and oxidant conditions that are involved in the development of this chronic disease.” (osteoporosis). Since it is known that omega 3 fatty acids decrease inflammation in the body, and that omega 6 oils increase inflammation in the body, then it stands to reason that we have control over our health as we age, to a large degree. It is inflammation that is aging, and destructive.Omega 6 oils are not bad for us, we just don’t need a lot. We do need to know how to eat so that we get as much omega 3 oils in our diet, daily, as we get omega 6 oils. Firstly, we can choose lean meats, and trim them well. Also, what those meats (including poultry) eat, matters. Beef that is fed grass contains less omega 6 fat, since that comes from grains. Free range poultry also will have less omega 6 fat. Secondly, the bottled oils on the grocery store shelf are usually omega 6 oils. Olive, avocado, flax seed oil and walnut oil are exceptions, and are the most common ones you can buy. Any health food store carries a good selection. These oils are great for making fresh salad dressings - flavor them exactly as you like them!Eating another source of omega 3 fatty acids, cold water wild caught fish, is a good idea, but limited. Those fish are polluted with mercury and other poisons. Purified, or pharmaceutical grade fish oil supplements are now easy to get. If you are pregnant or nursing, this fish oil is instrumental in your baby’s brain development. Ask your health practitioner about the best dosage for you.http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/81/4/934 - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition is where the study with the 1500 humans is published; http://journals.cambridge.org published the study done with the rats.Isn’t it is amazing how easy it is to take control of our health?

Why do people in the Mediterranean lose weight easily and live longer?

It is common knowledge that people who live around the Mediterranean region tend to live longer and have less overweight related diseases than people in the developed countries except perhaps, Japan.

Not very long ago, the Mediterranean climate was thought to be the reason why people live longer and are healthier in the region. Now it has become rather clear that while the weather of the Mediterranean area may be pleasant and refreshing, it is the diet of the people in the Mediterranean that account for their longer lives.

The Mediterranean diet is not a designed easy weight loss diet plan like the Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet or The Zone Diet. It is the healthy dietary habits and food source of the Mediterranean people which they are eating everyday.

Many food sources that are part of a Mediterranean diet are high in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants are important compounds found in certain types of food that mopped up dangerous free radicals. Free radicals are produced when the body burns oxygen to produce energy.

The accumulation of these free radicals in the body accelerates the ageing process. Cellular tissues such as skin and muscles wear out and lose their elasticity. Human organs function with less efficiency. Studies have also shown that free radicals clog up arteries which may result in a stroke, high blood pressure and even heart attack. Free radicals are also blamed for other dangerous medical conditions such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

The types of fruits and vegetables that form the Mediterranean diet

include richly colored leafy green vegetables which are high in anti-oxidants which are excellent free radical destroyers. Scientists have also found that the Mediterranean diet reduces the risks of certain types of cancers.

The Mediterranean diet includes very little animal fat or saturated fat. Since there is a direct link between the consumption of saturated fat and colorectal cancers, heart diseases and strokes, the risks of getting these diseases are reduced. The main fat source in the food of the Mediterranean people is the olive oil. Not only that the olive oil is a healthy fat source, it had been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer.

It is concluded on a firm basis that the Mediterranean diet has played a very important role in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease amongst the people of the countries around the Mediterranean region.

There is strong evidence to suggest that eliminating certain items from a diet, like processed salts can lower the risk of hypertension and high blood pressure. There are also evidence that a diet which is rich in fiber and low in animal can help to reduce the risk of hypertension and high blood pressure.

A person who eats like the Mediterranean people will get tremendous health benefits. Not only will the person live longer, because of the moderate carbohydrate, low fat high fiber Mediterranean diet, weight loss and weight control comes naturally with this healthy diet.

If you want to go on a healthy weight loss diet, then the Mediterranean diet will be indeed a good option.

Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/

Boost Cardiovascular Health And Circulation With Butchers Broom

Butchers broom (Ruscus aculeatus) is a member of the lily family, and looks a bit like a holly bush with barbed evergreen leaves and bright red berries in the fall. At one time they were collected, tied together and sold to butchers as brooms to sweep out their shops.

The stiff leaves were particularly suitable for cleaning out offal and other waste products from butchered animals and also for scrubbing butchers blocks. It was also used as a deterrent to rodents with their eyes on the meat! Alternative names are sweet broom, kneeholy and Jews myrtle, so named because it was used during the Feast of the Tabernacles as one of the four species used in the lulav.

The herb was commonly used in Ancient Greece and Rome, the Greeks using it to reduce swellings of various kinds and the Romans using it to treat varicose veins. It has the same uses today, only the mechanisms are understood better. It has been used for centuries in the Mediterranean area for the treatment of inflammations and problems with the circulation, and the Romans used to mash up the leaves and berries to add to wine, and they also used the roots and rhizome as a medicine by soaking them in wine. Today, it is illegal to use holly as a decoration in Italy, so butchers broom is used instead.

All parts of the plant are used, including the rhizome, and although it is used as a diuretic, and to control a loss of blood pressure experience by some people on standing up, it is its effect on blood vessels where its main medical benefits lie. Butchers Broom can strengthen certain portions of blood vessels, and change the flexibility properties of the cell walls.

The result of this is that the vessels are tightened up, which helps to maintain the flow of blood throughout the body, but also renders the cell walls less likely to leak or crack under stress. The result is a reduction in blood leakage from stretched and weakened blood vessels such as those that result in hemorrhoids, and also of conditions caused by weakened valves in the veins such as varicose veins and spider veins.

The blood pressure in the veins is very weak since they are so far away from the heart, the blood having passed through the arteries, through the capillaries and into the veins on its way back to the heart before being pumped to the lungs. When the valves become weakened, particularly in the large veins in the leg, there is little to prevent the blood from coming under the influence of gravity and pooling back down the vein, causing distention and occasional ruptures.

A ruptured varicose vein can be very serious and cause significant blood loss. Weakened valves can also lead to the formation of blood clots, which is itself a very serious condition that eventually blocks the heart or causes a stroke. Not only can butchers broom strengthen the vein walls and prevent leakage, and also enable them to more easily resist the pressure that can cause them to rupture, but it can also be used to break down blood clots. In fact the herb is used in many European hospitals to prevent the formation of blood clots after surgery.

The active ingredients in the rhizome are saponins that contain the aglycones ruscogenin and neuroscogenin and the associated spirostanol and furostanol glycosides. The receptors that cause vasocontraction are known as adrenoreceptors, these receptors can be selectively stimulated by butchers broom extract to tighten the veins and improve the return of blood. When introduced intravenously, butchers broom was noted to constrict venules (small veins that feed the main veins but not arterioles (the small arteries than feed the capillaries). Hence blood vessels can be selectively treated, and the effect on isolated blood vessels was enhanced by heating. Many supplements include calcium that helps to strengthen the blood vessel walls.

It is possible, therefore, to target the blood vessels that require constrictive treatment in order that they are strong enough to return blood to the heart rather than leak or distend. However, that is not the only health benefit that butchers broom provides. It can also be used as a diuretic. It is not a strong diuretic, but is used to relief the swelling of bruises and PMS, the reason given being that since leakage from the blood vessels is lessened, then more fluid is available to pass through the kidneys. There might be other reasons.

It is also use for the treatment of ortho static hypotension, the reduction in blood pressure that some people experience. It is believed that butchers broom can control this condition without increasing blood pressure, as most other remedies do, and which is almost as undesirable as the condition they are treating.

There are few problems associated with the herb, although few studies have been carried out its use by pregnant women. Although the one test that was carried indicated no effect, it would be wise for pregnant or nursing women not to use it until further studies have been carried out. Due to its effect in tightening blood vessels, its use is not recommended by anybody suffering from high blood pressure (hypertension). Many hypertension treatments are designed to render the blood vessels more elastic rather than constrict them.

In one very small study of pregnant women who used a topical cream containing butcher’s broom, no side effects were seen for either the mother or the baby. However, very little information is available on how oral butcher’s broom might affect a developing fetus, an infant, or a small child. Therefore, its use is not recommended during pregnancy, while breast-feeding, or during early childhood.

Because it tightens blood vessels, butcher’s broom may worsen high blood pressure or benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). Individuals with either of these conditions should not use any form of butcher’s broom without first consulting a doctor. The known side effects have already been stated, and they are fairly mild, but few studies have been made on the herb other than in Europe, and the side effects have not been fully explored. It is unlikely; however, that there are any as yet unknown serious side effects since butchers broom has been used now for a long time, particularly in Europe.

The term ruscogenin is used for the collective mixture of active saponins in butchers broom, and many of the supplements are formulated to include from 5 to 15 mg of these. However, check the label, since standardization is not yet required in the USA, and in theory a preparation can include much more or much less ruscogenin. It is frequently supplied with other active ingredients, such as vitamin C or calcium, and perhaps even horse chestnut that affect blood vessels in a similar way. Always follow the instructions on the package, since these are designed for the specific strength of supplement you are using.