The Power of Peppermint

By Madeline Ellis
Monday, 29 December 2008

At the mention of peppermint, candy canes and ice cream comes to mind. But did you know that peppermint is also an age-old herbal medicine that has been used to treat a wide range of abdominal woes? The oil extracted from the peppermint plant contains a host of compounds, but the most abundant and perhaps the most pharmacologically important is menthol. Studies have shown peppermint oil to be fairly effective at relieving irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a collection of symptoms that includes abdominal pain and cramping, bloating, constipation and diarrhea that affects 5 to 20 percent of the population. One explanation is that the oil—especially the menthol—blocks calcium channels, which has the effect of relaxing the “smooth” muscles in the walls of the intestines. Recently, Alex Ford, a McMaster University researcher, concluded that instead of popular over-the counter drugs, peppermint oil should be the first line of defense against IBS.

Peppermint can temporarily allay itching caused by insect bites, eczema and other lesions, including the rash of poison ivy. Peppermint tea can be used as a mouthwash for babies with thrush (yeast in the mouth) or for reducing nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, especially for women who want to avoid stronger medications.

Peppermint’s essential oil—menthol—is also an ingredient in many conventional over-the-counter products, including toothpaste, mouthwash, chewing gum, breath mints, chewing tobacco substitutes, cough lozenges and various muscle pain ointments. Menthol stimulates the nerves that sense cold, creating that familiar cooling sensation, and inhibits those that react to painful stimuli, temporarily relieving the pain of muscles and organs that are cramped and in spasm. Your mouth also has some of these nerves, which is why products containing menthol "taste" cool. And, even though the effect doesn’t last long, sometimes even a brief reprieve from a hacking cough or aching muscle can work wonders.

Menthol has also been shown helpful in subduing many disease-producing bacteria, fungi and viruses, but because stronger antimicrobials are available, is usually not the first choice in treating serious infections. “Most of the (effective) species are really from the family Lamiaceae, or mint family,” Pavel Kloucek, a scientist at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, told Discovery News. Kloucek and his team have recently identified two other mint family members—Mentha villosa and Faassen’s catnip—along with another non-mint herb, bluebeard, as also have bacteria-busting abilities. Moreover, essential oils for horseradish, garlic, hyssop, basil, marjoram, oregano, winter savory and three types of thyme also showed potent antimicrobial activity.

The researchers made the discovery while testing the essential oils to determine how well they could, in vapor form, kill the bacteria responsible for Listeria, Staph, E. coli, Salmonella infections, and more. They are hopeful that peppermint oil and others may soon be wafted in vapor form over food to inhibit bacterial growth. Plant essential oils are lipophilic, meaning that they gravitate towards fat, Kloucek explained. “And luckily, in the cell membrane of bacteria, there is plenty of fat, which serves as a seal. Essential oils are attracted to this fat and, as their molecules squeeze in between the fat molecules, they cause leakage of the membrane.” This leakage causes a meltdown that can eventually kill the bacteria.

The obvious problem to overcome in treating foods with essential oils to prevent illness is the oils’ potent taste. While strong mint flavor is desirable in a candy cane, it might not work well with other foods. According to Kloucek and his team, the solution is to carefully match the oil with the food. “To overcome unwanted flavors, an essential oil with the best scent best fitting to the taste of the treated product in the lowest possible concentration should be used,” he said. “You will probably not use garlic essential oil to treat grapes, but for some semi-finished meat products it can be suitable.” Kloucek’s findings have been accepted for publication in the journal Food Control.

Monique Lacroix, a professor at the INRS-Institute Armand-Frappier in Quebec, told Discovery News that she agrees “essential oils have a powerful antimicrobial property.” She particularly liked Kloucek’s study because it addressed the volatile nature of the oils by studying them in their vapor phase, as opposed to direct application.

Some researchers now advise consumers to eat a tablespoon or more of fresh peppermint, and other green herbs daily. A fun way to enjoy peppermint, aside from eating that leftover Christmas candy cane, is by placing peppermint leaves in an ice tray, and then filling the tray with cold water, pushing down any mint leaves that stick out. Put the tray in the freezer for several hours, and then add the peppermint ice cubes to a glass of water, sparkling water, or any other beverage that you enjoy having cold.

SOURCE: Health News Online Jan. 14, 2009

Americans Turn to Complementary, Alternative Medicine for Pain Relief

By Faith Lapidus Washington
02 January 2009

Complementary and alternative medical practices - which include health products and therapies that aren't generally considered part of conventional medicine - are frequently a part of Americans' health care regimens. That's the finding of a new survey released this month by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), which is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

A Reiki practitioner works with a patient. Reiki is an energy medicine practice that originated in JapanThirty-eight percent of American adults are using some form of complementary and alternative medicine, known as CAM, to help with their health. NCCAM Director Dr. Josephine Briggs says the new survey provides the most current, comprehensive and reliable source of information on Americans' use of unconventional remedies such as medicinal herbs, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, massage and chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation. Most of these patients, Briggs says, hope to alleviate pain. "The most common reason why people turn to complementary and alternative medicine in our survey results is chronic back pain - far and away, the leading reason to use complementary and alternative medicine," she says. "Neck pain, joint pain, headache: All these other conditions are also given as common reasons. But chronic back pain is the leading reason, a very common and difficult condition to treat."As the federal government's lead agency for scientific research into CAM therapies, the center funds hundreds of projects and trials, supports training for researchers and encourages integration of proven CAM therapies into conventional practice.

Click here to continue reading article at VOA News

Homeopathy patients often say health improved

Reuters.com
By Amy Norton

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Many people who opt for homeopathic therapy for their chronic ills report lasting improvements in their health, a new study finds.

Among patients at more than 100 German and Swiss homeopathic practices, researchers found that many reported long-term improvements in chronic conditions such as headaches, allergies and sleep problems.

However, the findings do not necessarily mean the controversial alternative therapy is responsible for the benefits, according to the researchers.

Homeopathy, which originated in Germany in the 1700s, is based on the principle of "like cures like" -- substances that, according to homeopathy, would create certain symptoms in a person can, in a highly diluted form, treat those same symptoms.

Homeopathy is controversial because a number of its central concepts do not accord with modern science, and many studies have found that the remedies are no more effective than inactive placebo substances.

The current study, published in the journal BMC Public Health, looked only at how homeopathy patients tend to fare in their everyday life. Therefore, it does not settle the question of whether the remedies are actually effective, lead researcher Dr. Claudia Witt told Reuters Health.

"This observational study design does not allow (us) to determine any causality between the improvement and the given homeopathic remedy, nor does it exclude the placebo effect," said Witt, of Charite University Medical Center in Berlin.

The findings are based on an eight-year follow-up of 3,709 adults and children treated at 103 homeopathic practices. At the end of that time, Witt's team found, one-third were still undergoing homeopathic treatment, while a bit less than a third had stopped because their health had improved, and a similar proportion had stopped because they felt their treatment was not working.

On average, the study found, patients did report significant improvements in their symptoms over time. Nearly half said their symptom severity had declined by at least 50 percent.

However, Witt and her colleagues say, it's not possible to tell whether the homeopathic treatments bestowed the benefits, because many patients also used other types of alternative care, as well as conventional medicine.

The placebo effect may also have been at work, according to the researchers, with some patients feeling better simply because they believed the homeopathic remedies would help.

SOURCE: BMC Public Health, online December 17, 2008.

6.7 grams of dark chocolate cut heart risk

From UPI.com Health News

CAMPOBASSO, Italy, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- A large epidemiological study found new beneficial effects of chocolate in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, Italian researchers said.

The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, found 6.7 grams -- about 1/4 of an ounce -- of chocolate per day is the ideal amount for a protective effect against inflammation -- a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Researchers at the Research Laboratories of the Catholic University in Campobasso, Italy, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute of Milan enrolled 20,000 inhabitants of the Molise region for the study.

People having moderate amounts of dark chocolate regularly have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood -- a biomarker for inflammation.

"The 17 percent average reduction observed may appear quite small but it is enough to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease for one-third in women and one-fourth in men. It is undoubtedly a remarkable outcome," lead author Romina di Giuseppe said in a statement.

The best effect is obtained by consuming an average amount of 6.7 grams of chocolate per day, corresponding to a small square of chocolate twice or three times a week but beyond these amounts the beneficial effect tends to disappear."

Soy has staying power as healthy option

By Sarah Hills
Latest news headlines

23-Sep-2008 -

Consumers in the US are increasingly turning to soy as a healthy choice as they constantly change their eating habits to improve nutrition, according to a study from the United Soybean Board.

Soy is popular for its potential health benefits and versatility and 85 percent of consumers view soy as healthy, the survey showed. This is an increase of 26 percentage points compared to 1997.

The 2008 Consumer Attitudes about Nutrition survey, which is the 15th annual research study sponsored by the USB, also shows that a growing number of consumers specifically seek out soy foods to aid in weight management and promote heart health as well as to reduce the risk of some cancers.

Meanwhile food companies are taking note. According to the Mintel Global New Products Database, between 2000 and 2007 more than 2,700 new foods with soy as an ingredient were introduced in the US. This includes 161 new products last year alone.

The USB report describes soy as “a promising long-term phenomenon” and states: “Turning to soy protein, the ongoing trend toward healthy, versatile foods and an increase in offerings at mainstream grocery stores has promoted the increase of trial and awareness of soy foods and beverages.

“In 1997, 18 percent of consumers surveyed had tried soymilk. Today, this number has more than doubled to 40 percent, and consumption of other soy foods such as edamame and tofu are also on the rise.”

Consumers also continue to recognize soybean oil, commonly labeled as vegetable oil, as one of the healthiest cooking oils. It is relatively low in saturated fat, contains no cholesterol and zero grams of trans fat, which have been linked to health risks as diverse as cardiovascular disease and prostate cancer.

Click here to continue reading article at Nutra Ingredients USA

6.7 grams of dark chocolate cut heart risk

From UPI.com Health News

CAMPOBASSO, Italy, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- A large epidemiological study found new beneficial effects of chocolate in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, Italian researchers said.

The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, found 6.7 grams -- about 1/4 of an ounce -- of chocolate per day is the ideal amount for a protective effect against inflammation -- a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Researchers at the Research Laboratories of the Catholic University in Campobasso, Italy, in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute of Milan enrolled 20,000 inhabitants of the Molise region for the study.

People having moderate amounts of dark chocolate regularly have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein in their blood -- a biomarker for inflammation.

"The 17 percent average reduction observed may appear quite small but it is enough to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease for one-third in women and one-fourth in men. It is undoubtedly a remarkable outcome," lead author Romina di Giuseppe said in a statement.

The best effect is obtained by consuming an average amount of 6.7 grams of chocolate per day, corresponding to a small square of chocolate twice or three times a week but beyond these amounts the beneficial effect tends to disappear."

Gardasil is Dangerous As Well As Unproven

By Dr. Mercola

Merck's Gardasil vaccine is supposed to prevent young women from getting cervical cancer. Now the FDA has approved a claim for two less common cancers as well. But whether it will actually prevent any kind of cancer is unknown.

As of July, the federal government's Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System has received over 9,700 reports of problems since the vaccine's introduction in 2006. These include paralysis, seizures, and miscarriage. Twenty deaths have been reported, although the government has not acknowledged a link yet.

Vaccines were originally developed to protect the public from extremely contagious diseases. Now dangerous and unproven vaccines are being mandated in the hope they will guard against diseases that require very intimate contact to transmit. Where will it end?

Sources:
Health Freedom Foundation