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Struggling with Stress &

Anxiety? Meet Ashwagandha!

Stress and anxiety are becoming more and more prevalent. Venerated since ancient times, science is proving the herb ashwagandha to still be up to the task.

In 2024, the American Psychiatric Association reported that an overwhelming 43% of adults say they are more anxious than did the previous year. In 2022, 49% of American adults said that stress had negatively affected their life.

Several studies have shown the Ayurvedic herb ashwagandha to be effective for stress and anxiety. This new double-blind study put ashwagandha to the test in 60 people with high stress and anxiety from generalized anxiety disorder.

Ashwagandha root and leaf extract that was standardized for 35% withanolides was given in doses of 60mg and 120mg for 60 days.

Total scores on the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA) decreased by 59% in both ashwagandha groups versus a 0.83% worsening in the placebo group. The 60mg ashwagandha group had a 53% decrease in the perceived stress scale, and the 120mg group had a 62% decrease. Perception of stress improved by only a 5% decrease in the placebo group. Levels of the stress hormone, cortisol, dropped by 66% in the 60mg group and by 67% in the 120mg group. They went down by only 2.2% in the placebo group. All three of these improvements in the ashwagandha group were significantly superior to placebo.

The elevated cortisol levels of stress can inhibit production of testosterone, leading to decreased sex drive and muscle mass and diminished quality of life in men. In this study, testosterone increased by 22% in the 60mg group and by 33% in the 120mg group compared to a 4% increase in the placebo group. There was no change in the females in the study.

This study adds to the evidence that ashwagandha can provide significant relief to people struggling with stress and anxiety.

Heliyon 2024.e36885.

After a Cesarean Section, this

Beautiful Scent Can Help

After a cesarean section, easing pain and anxiety is important for the well-being of the mother and for bonding of the mom with her baby. Safe, simple methods are needed. This one might pleasantly surprise you.

Aromatherapy with lavender essential oil is amazing for relieving anxiety, pain and discomfort.

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 50 women who had undergone cesarean section inhaled either lavender essential oil or a placebo between 2 and 12 hours after cesarean section (the average seems to have been about 6 hours). Three drops of lavender essential oil were placed on a cotton ball at a distance of about 4 inches and inhaled for 30 minutes.

Compared to the placebo aromatherapy, pain was reduced significantly more in the lavender group after both rest and mobilization. Lavender also significantly lowered levels of anxiety. The moms in the lavender group needed significantly less pain medication than the moms in the placebo group.

The lavender aromatherapy was safe.

This study offers, safe, simple, inexpensive, pleasant help to women who have undergone cesarean sections.

J Epidemiol Glob Health. October 2024;14:1536-44.Talk up your brand.

Lose Weight With Prebiotics

There is growing evidence that this surprising supplement can safely help you to lose weight.

Recent research is suggesting that the gut microbiome beneficially affects everything from digestive heath to mental health. The latest science is suggesting that it can also help you attain a healthy weight.

Obesity is becoming a shocking health challenge. In 2020, 38% of the world was overweight or obese. That number is quickly ballooning.

The gut microbiota, the microorganisms, friendly and unfriendly, in your gut, is proving to play a role in managing weight. In overweight people, the gut microbiota is altered. So, could altering the gut microbiota improve weight management?

One way to beneficially affect your gut microbiota is by supplementing prebiotics. Prebiotics increase populations of good bacteria by feeding them while decreasing populations of the bad ones. Two of the most proven probiotics are inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). One good source of inulin and FOS is chicory root.

Several studies have demonstrated improvements in obesity with prebiotics. This systematic review and meta-analysis looked at the effect of prebiotic supplement from chicory root on body weight. It included 1,184 people from 32 studies.

It found that, compared to placebo, chicory derived prebiotics significantly reduced body weight, body mass index, total fat mass and waist circumference. When the prebiotics were taken for at least 8 weeks, they also significantly reduced body fat percentage.

Prebiotics probably work in a number of ways, including decreasing hunger, increasing feelings of fullness, increasing production of hormones that make you feel full and decreasing production of hormones that increase appetite.

This study adds to the evidence that prebiotics may be an additional strategy in the quest for healthy weight management.

Am J Clin Nutr. November 2024;120(5):1245-58.

To Fight Depression, Eat More Fruits & Vegetables

Research is increasingly pointing to diet as a way to fight depression. This new study makes that research even more convincing.

In 2021 researchers put 21 studies on diet and depression into a meta-analysis. All of the studies looked at adults who were 45 or older. They probably did this because depression is more common in older adults, peaking between 55 and 75. They found that eating more vegetables was associated with a significant 9% lower risk of depression and that eating more fruit reduced the risk by a significant 15% (Ageing Res Rev. 2021;70: 101403). Other meta-analyses have found a 17% decreased risk for fruit and a 14% decreased risk for vegetables (BrJ Nutr. 2018;119:1087–1101).

The new study was interesting because it included twins to better control for genetics and upbringing. 3,483 people over the age of 45 (the average age was 58.5) participated in the study and were followed for 5-11 years.

The results showed that a high intake of both fruit and vegetables was associated with significantly lower symptoms of depression. The people in the high fruit and vegetable intake group were actually only eating about 2 servings a day of each, which is still well below the recommended amount, meaning that eating more might provide even greater protection.

This study powerfully adds to the evidence that a healthy diet, including more fruits and vegetables, might help you to prevent depression.

Scientific Reports. 2024;14,29711.

Vitamin B12 & Smarter Babies

Your baby’s nutrient intake is only as good as your nutrient intake. And deficiencies can affect a baby’s neurocognitive development. Prenatal B12 might help make your baby smarter.

Vitamin B12 is important for fetal development, especially for the nervous system and brain growth. This huge new study looked at vitamin B12 intake and language development in 5151 mother-child pairs. It found that children of mothers who got more B12 had higher scores in language, talking and understanding. They also had significantly higher scores in verbal IQ.

This large study adds to the evidence that prenatal B12 can improve your baby’s cognitive development, especially for speech and language.

Journal of Public Health. 2024;fdae307.alk

Can Boswellia Actually Reverse Osteoarthritis?

Boswellia is a remarkable anti-inflammatory herb. But is it remarkable enough to help people with osteoarthritis? Is it remarkable enough even to help reverse the osteoarthritis?

In this just published study, 80 adults with mild to moderate osteoarthritis in their knees were give either a placebo or 100mg a day of boswellia extract for 180 days. Compared to the placebo, boswellia significantly improved scores on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index as well as the patients’ subjective evaluation. It also improved joint function, according to the Lequesne’s Functional Index. The people who took the boswellia also had significant improvement in the six-minute walking test and the stair climb test.

Boswellia significantly reduced markers of inflammation and collagen degradation. But what makes this study especially exciting is that it added to the evidence that boswellia can not only offer relief to osteoarthritis sufferers, but actually help reverse the osteoarthritis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed that there was a significant increase in cartilage volume, thickness, and joint space width.

This is not the first time that boswellia has been shown to actually reverse osteoarthritis. In a previous study, X-ray imaging revealed that 169.33mg of boswellia extract, standardized for 87.3mg b-boswellic acids, taken twice a day for 120 days increased the space between the knee joints and decreased spurs. (Phytother Res. May 2019;33(5):1457- 1468).

Importantly, given the side effects of conventional painkillers, boswellia accomplished all of these benefits safely.

J Am Nutr Assoc. 2024 Dec 19:1-12.

Is Maple Sugar Healthier than Refined Sugar?

Sugar is sweet. Maple syrup is sweet. What happens to your health when you swap sugar for maple syrup? No one has ever studied that before. Until now.

Maple syrup is more than just another sweet. It also contains several minerals and is rich in polyphenol flavonoids. So, would it have different effects on the body while still sweetening your food?

In the first ever placebo-controlled study of maple syrup, 40 healthy adults from Quebec, where most of the world’s maple syrup is made, who had mild metabolic problems, substituted 2 tablespoons of refined sugar with either real maple syrup or artificially flavored sucrose syrup for 8 weeks.

People in the maple syrup group had significantly better response to the oral glucose tolerance test, meaning that maple syrup leads to better blood sugar management by your body after eating. Systolic blood pressure was also significantly lower in the maple syrup group. While it got slightly worse in the sucrose syrup group, it significantly improved in the maple syrup group.

Weight around the middle, called abdominal fat or central obesity, is more of a risk factor to your life than overall fat. This study found that while abdominal fat increased in the sucrose syrup group, it decreased significantly in the maple syrup group.

And one more sweet bonus: maple syrup increased the beneficial bacteria in the gut and decreased the harmful bacteria.

The researchers concluded that maple syrup can reduce cardiometabolic risk factors that are involved in diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The Journal of Nutrition. October 2024;154(10):2963-75.

Quercetin and Fatty Liver

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common cause of chronic liver disease and one of the most common causes of liver transplant. This powerful and versatile flavonoid can help.

In Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), fats, including cholesterol and triglycerides, collect in liver tissue.

This double-blind study found that quercetin can improve that fat in the liver of people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. It showed that taking 500mg of quercetin a day for 12 weeks significantly reduces lipids in the liver compared to a placebo (Am J Clin Nutr. 2024 Sep;120(3):507-517).

Aromatherapy seems to help some symptoms of long COVID.

As if COVID wasn’t bad enough, many people are now struggling with long COVID. Aromatherapy may provide a safe, simple, inexpensive and easy solution.

Some recent research suggests that the rate of long COVID is a staggering 22.8% of the population. Clearly, safe, affordable and easily accessible help is needed. Some of that help could come from aromatherapy.

A recent controlled study included 60 people who still had respiratory symptoms 7-45 days after first being diagnosed with COVID. Half were in a control group while the other half inhaled a combination of eucalyptus, lemon, lavender, peppermint, and tea tree essential oils for 1 minute, 10 cm from their nose, between 9-10am and again between 1-2pm. Then between 6-7pm, they inhaled a blend of lavender and ylang-ylang essential oils.

The aromatherapy didn’t help everything. It didn’t seem to improve nasal symptoms, stress or sleep. But it really helped some things. There was significant improvement in sore throat, and there was significant improvement in fatigue.

This study introduces a safe, affordable, readily available way to effectively improve some of the important symptoms of long COVID.

Integr Med Res. 2023 Oct 21;12(4):101001.

Wrinkles? Gone!

After menopause, lower estrogen levels can lead to skin aging. A combination of superstar women’s menopausal herbs can help.

Soy, black cohosh, chaste tree berry, and evening primrose oil have all been used for improving women’s reproductive health or menopause. This double-blind study gave menopausal women either a placebo or a combination of soybean extract containing 100mg of isoflavones, 520mg of black cohosh, 400mg of chaste tree berry and 500mg of evening primrose oil a day for 12 weeks.

At the end of the study, compared to the placebo group, there was significant improvement in skin roughness, elasticity, smoothness, scaling and wrinkle density in the herb group. The women in the herb group were significantly more satisfied than the women in the placebo group for skin smoothness, elasticity, moisture and wrinkles.

This study suggests that several herbs that help with menopause can also help with healthy skin after menopause.

J. Cosmet Dermatol. May 2022; 21(5):2064-2072.

For Preventing Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer, Olive Oil is a Healthy Choice

Fats and oils are so confusing. We are always told that fat and oil are bad. But not all fats and oils are. This new study shows why choosing olive oil is a smart choice.

As the very healthy Mediterranean suggests, olive oil–especially extra virgin olive oil–is good for you. Now a huge new study helps explain why.

The study followed 22,892 people for 13.1 years. It found that, compared to people who consumed less that 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil a day, people who enjoyed more than 3 tablespoons a day were 20% less likely to die prematurely from any cause. They were 23% less likely to die from cancer and 25% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease.

This new study found that, independent of overall diet quality, eating more olive oil lowers your risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Eur J Clin Nutr. 2024 May 4. doi:10.1038/s41430-024-01442-8.

Eating Pistachios Protects Your Eyes

Eating pistachios can improve your eye health and potentially protect against macular degeneration.

Lutein is an important antioxidant carotene that accumulates in the macula region of the retina where it, remarkably, as macular pigment, acts as a blue light filter that protects your eyes from light damage and oxidative damage. The result is improved visual function and protection from age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older age.

This study had 33 people who were between 40 and 70 eat a usual diet or the usual diet plus 2 oz (57g) of pistachios for 12 weeks. By week 6, lutein concentrations had significantly increased. Paralleling that increase in lutein, there was a highly significant increase in macular pigment optical density.

Increased macular pigments is important because it has been associated with improved eye health and decreased risk of macular degeneration.

This study introduces the exciting possibility that simply enjoying pistachio nuts in your diet could help promote eye health and prevent macular degeneration.

The Journal of Nutrition. Oct 2024;doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.10.022.

Herbal Cure for a Hangover?

While it’s never a good idea to drink too much, it’s good to know that there may be herbal help if you do.

Your body’s response to alcohol is to enlist the liver to break the ethanol into acetaldehyde. But acetaldehyde is more toxic than ethanol, and the result is a hangover. In moderation, the body can more or less handle further breaking down the acetaldehyde, but if you drink too much, you overwhelm your body and suffer the toxic hangover.

But a recent double-blind study found that a single dose of noni extract may help your body to rescue you. In the small study, 30 people were given either a placebo or 1 gram of noni extract before drinking alcohol.

The ones who took the noni reached peak alcohol concentration significantly faster, meaning that they were more efficiently processing the alcohol. Their blood acetaldehyde levels were also significantly lower 40 minutes after drinking and 12 hours after drinking. That’s good news, since it’s the acetaldehyde that causes the hangover.

The study found that noni extract significantly lowered acetaldehyde levels and the severity of hangover symptoms in people who were 36 years old or less, who drank more than 15 drinks a week and who had higher total hangover scores.

According to the researchers, this study suggests that noni extract “has the potential to improve hangover symptoms by decreasing alcohol and acetaldehyde levels.”

Food & Function. 2023;14(3):1750–60.

A Herbal Way to Help You Sleep

This combination of six herbs can calm your stress and help you sleep. This new double-blind study included 60 adults and lasted 8 weeks. One group was given a placebo, and the other was given a combination of 6 herbs. The herbs included the well-known sleeping herbs valerian and passionflower. It added black seed (Nigella sativa), which has recently been shown to improve sleep and restorative sleep (Front Nutr. 2023;10:1200118) and holy basil, which has recently been shown to help stress and sleep (Front Nutr. 2022;9:965130).

The other two herbs were rosemary and jujube (Ziziphus jujuba). Jujube is used in traditional Chinese medicine and has been traditionally used for sleep and anxiety.

The results showed that the herbal combo led to a 39% increase in sleep time: that’s like an additional 2 hours. It also led to 70% decrease in the time it takes to fall asleep and 53% fewer times waking up. The herbs also led to a 40% decrease in stress scores and an objective 30% decrease in cortisol, the stress hormone. The herbs accomplished all of this safely.

The researchers conclude that this combination of herbs “can be considered a safe and effective dietary herbal supplement to reduce stress and improve sleep quality.”

International Journal of Basic & Clinical Pharmacology. Jul-Aug

2024;13(4):doi.org/10.18203/2319-2003.ijbcp20241646.

The Latest Proof that Garlic Improves Cholesterol

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the world. Cholesterol problems are a leading cause of cardiovascular disease. And cholesterol problems are on the rise because of bad diet. Is garlic powerful enough to help?

This meta-analysis of 21 controlled studies included over 1,600 people with cholesterol problems who were not taking cholesterol drugs.

It found that garlic significantly reduced total cholesterol, triglycerides and the bad LDL cholesterol while slightly but significantly increasing the good HDL cholesterol.

For total cholesterol and triglycerides, the effect was greatest for people over 50, suggesting that garlic may have an even greater effect as we age. For total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, garlic oil had an even greater effect than garlic

powder.

This large meta-analysis adds to the evidence that garlic improves cholesterol and can protect against cardiovascular disease.

J Health Popul Nutr. 2024 Aug 7;43(1):113.