Sudhir Ahluwalia's Blog, page 36

Can turmeric help colon cancer patients?

Curcumin is the yellow pigment in turmeric and has been in use as medicine for centuries.

A pharmacological review was undertaken by Ammon & Wahl (1991), Jurenka (2009), and others to validate curcumin’s anti-inflammatory properties. Curcumin, the active compound in the spice, exhibits antispasmodic activity. It was seen to stimulate bile secretion in animals and help treat liver disorders.

Araujo and Leon (2001), Anand et al. (2007), and Aggarwal et al. (2009) have noted the anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and gastrointestinal actions of curcumin. It is also helpful in treating liver and other ailments.

Anticancer properties of turmeric have also been reported (Basnet et al., 2011). Jagetia and Aggarwal of the Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA, writes, “Interestingly, curcumin at low doses can also enhance antibody responses. It suggests that curcumin’s reported beneficial effects in arthritis, allergy, asthma, atherosclerosis, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer might be due in part to its ability to modulate the immune system.”

Curcumin boosts the levels of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a protein and brain hormone that increases the growth of new neurons and fights various degenerative processes in the brain.

Researchers from the Cancer Biology Research Center, South Dakota, claim curcumin may be an effective chemopreventive and therapeutic agent for preventing and treating cervical cancer. They found that curcumin treatment suppresses growth in cervical cancer cells by altering the HPV[4]-associated molecular pathways. Basic research appears to validate the ability of curcumin to stop several stages of cancer.

Preclinical and phase 1 clinical trials in various cancers have shown that curcumin may prove to be useful in the chemoprevention of colon cancer in humans (Azuine & Bhide, 1994).

Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials need to be undertaken to prove the effectiveness of curcumin in helping colon cancer patients. The scientific evidence in favor of curcumin so far appears promising, but we can only be sure when these have been validated in trials.

Additional reading:

Natural Solutions for Cancer

Natural Solutions – tri-series on cancer, diabetes, and obesitySimilar Posts:

Curcumin – the bioactive molecule in turmericMedicinal properties of turmeric

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What is the best diet for weight loss?

Several popular diets promoting claims of dramatic weight loss exist in the market. The popular diets are- Paleo, Vegan, Low carb, Dukan, Ultra Low fat, Atkins, HCG, Zone, Weight Watchers, Intermittent Fasting, and Ornish, to name some of them.

The diversity of diets has confused weight loss enthusiasts—proponents of each diet claim that their recommendation is the best for you.

A review of four diets emphasizing different nutrients – protein, carbohydrate, and fat showed that no diet achieved more clinically significant weight loss when compared to the other. Weight loss took place regardless of macronutrients. Weight loss was an outcome of calorie deficit created during dieting. (Sacks et al., 2009)

A comparison trial with obese individuals subjected to either a low-carbohydrate diet or a conventional weight loss diet showed better outcomes at the end of a year in individuals on a low-carb diet. Lipid and sugar levels in the blood were more favorable in such individuals. (Stern et al., 2004)

Four popular diets (Atkins, Zone, Weight Watchers, and Ornish) for weight loss and cardiac risk factor reduction were studied. No significant variations in weight loss and related parameters between diets exist, indicating that all the diets were equally effective. (Dansinger et al., 2005)

Another study on overweight and obese premenopausal women who followed Atkins, Zone, Ornish, or LEARN diets showed no adverse metabolic effects of the Atkins diet within the 12-month study period. Conclusive evidence for the cause of benefits is not available. These could be due to low carbohydrate intake or other aspects of the diet like high protein intake. (Gardner et al., 2007)

A two-year trial with obese individuals on low-fat, restricted-calorie, Mediterranean restricted-calorie, and low carbohydrate, non-restricted-calorie diets showed that the Mediterranean and low-carbohydrate diets are more effective alternatives to low-fat diets. The lipids and blood sugar profiles are better in individuals on a Mediterranean diet. (Shai et al., 2008)

The choice of the diet plan depends on the individual’s comfort, food preferences, and goals. It should be a plan that you can continue over an extended time. Only then will the desired results be obtained. Whatever program you pick should include all foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources, and nuts.

Food choice and food availability in the local grocery store are important criteria for picking a diet plan. Food should fit your lifestyle and budget.

Diet, simply put, means eating healthy, lower-calorie meals.

And these should be accompanied by a fitness regime.

Additional reading:
Natural Solutions for Obesity

Natural Solutions – book tri-series

 Similar Posts:

What is the best diet for weight loss?Intermittent fasting weight-loss dietWhat are the best herbal weight loss supplements?

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What are the best herbal weight loss supplements?

I have looked at scientific evidence supporting the most popular weight loss herbal supplements mentioned in Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The summary of my research on Ayurveda supplements is presented below:

A herbal combination containing the following herbs – Cyperus rotundus, Saussurea lappa, Curcuma longa, Berberis aristata, Acorus calamus, Aconitum heterophyllum, Picorrhiza kursoa, Plumbago zeylanica, Holoptelea integrifolia, and Iris ensata is a formulation prescribed to control obesity. (Kumar and Bhandari 2015) A small trial with 70 obese individuals claims a reduction in obesity. (Paranjpe et al., 1990)

Ayurveda anti-obesity formulation – lekhana basti contains Terminalia bellerica, Terminalia chebula, Embilica officinalis, Cyperus rotundus, Holoptelea integrifolia, Berberis aristata, Curcuma longa, Embelia ribes, mustard oil, honey, cows urine, a formulation made from barley (Hordeum vulgare), and rock salt.

A trial on 40 obese individuals prescribed Lekhaniya vati and Lekhana basti formulations for 30 days. Better results accrue when the formulations are used in combination than singularly. (Payal et al., 2017)

The scale of both these trials is relatively small. It is difficult to conclude the effectiveness or otherwise of a formulation based on a single experiment. Most formulations must undergo multiple clinical trials to finally culminate into a post-release user trial before receiving a final regulatory nod to sell a formulation to consumers.

Additional reading:

Natural Solutions for Obesity

Natural Solutions – tri-series Similar Posts:

Do we have natural remedies for weight loss?Does consumption of milk with a pinch of turmeric help in achieving weight loss?My 12 year old daughter is obese. How can I politely tell her that we are going to put her on a diet?

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What tea helps bring about weight loss?

There are two popular varieties of tea plants Camellia sinensis var assamica and Camellia sinensis var sinensis.

The most well-known chemical constituent of tea is caffeine, which is stimulating in nature. Caffeine in tea is approximately 4 percent in dry weight. Tannin is the other principal constituent of tea.

Caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline are polyphenols belonging to the phenolic group of compounds. These chemical compounds help defend the plant against insects and pests. Theobromine and theophylline are responsible for the bitterness of the tea.

The major flavonols in tea are- catechin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, gallocatechin, epigallocatechin, and epigallocatechin gallate. Epigallocatechin gallate is the most active of these catechins. Another compound – L-theanine, is an amino acid found in tea. Theanine in green tea plays a role in reducing stress. Oxidized catechins (theaflavins in black tea) are said to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood.

Tea decreases lipid and carbohydrate absorption, increases lipid metabolism, inhibits de novo metabolic production of fat, and increases carbohydrate utilization. (Grove et al., 2010)

Green tea intake is associated with increased weight loss due to diet-induced heat generation attributed to the catechin epigallocatechin gallate. (Shixian et al., 2006)

High caffeine intake was associated with weight loss through heat and fat oxidation and suppressed leptin in women. (Leptin is a molecule that triggers a signal of satiation to the brain). The green tea-caffeine mixture improved weight management in habitually low caffeine consumers, partly through heat generation and fat oxidation. (Westertep-Plantenga et al., 2005)

Based on the scientific evidence presented above, green tea has the best weight loss property.

Additional reading:

Book tri-series on Natural Solutions for Obesity, cancer, and diabetes Similar Posts:

Does consuming Chinese herbal tea leads to weight loss?What are the best ways to lose weight?Does Paleo diet really help bring about weight loss?

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What are the health benefits of ginseng?

There are 3,944 prescriptions having ginseng as an ingredient in the Korean Clinical Pharmacopeia that has been in place since 1610 AD.

Traditionally, ginseng is regarded as both a physical and mental restorant. It is said to improve the cognitive ability of patients, improve the quality of life and behavior. Ginsenoides and other constituents in ginseng possess immunosuppressive properties.

It is also said to be an aphrodisiac. Other medicinal properties include the ability to improve concentration, memory, physical efficiency, and athletic endurance.

Studies on healthy individuals given Panax ginseng doses of 200 mg of extract daily showed increased QTc interval]. They decreased diastolic blood pressure two hours after ingestion on the first day of therapy (Caron et al., 2002).

Cognitive enhancement ability tests with herbal treatment with Panax ginseng were conducted on healthy volunteers who had fasted overnight. The results confirm that the herb possesses glucoregulatory and cognitive performance-enhancing properties (Scholey et al., 2016).

It has also been shown that a dose-dependent improvement in memory quality was seen in experiments conducted on volunteers who were administered Ginkgo biloba and Panax ginseng treatment. The biggest improvement was observed in those given the highest dose (Kennedy et al., 2001). Positive results were also observed when Ginkgo biloba and Panax ginseng were given to volunteers with neurasthenic complaints (Wesnes et al., 1997).

Additional reading:

Asian herbs and their wondrous health-giving propertiesHoly Herbs; Modern connections to ancient plants

Similar Posts:

Is ginseng helpful in relieving anxiety?Is it true that ginseng is plant with miraculous medicinal properties?

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What happens if you go 100% vegan if you are bulking bodybuilder?

Let me present some facts to help you decide on the diet that works best for your lifestyle.

Most of North America and Europe obtain their protein requirements from meat, seafood, and dairy products. On the other hand, there are vast sections of the global populace living in Asia, Africa, and Latin America whose primary source of protein is plant-based.

As awareness of the health benefits of plant-based food rises, people have started to turn increasingly curious about the various protein sources. Even the traditional animal protein-consuming parts of the world are looking at this protein version as an option.

A study done by Innova Market Insights 2014 saw a 14.7% growth in demand for plant-based protein, while the need for animal protein grew only by 7.5%. Such trends are being driven by people’s concerns about obesity and the associated lifestyle diseases it brings.

According to Mintel, today, the meat substitutes market is led by tofu and tofu ingredients-based products, tempeh, textured vegetable protein, soy, wheat, and mycoprotein. The tofu and tofu ingredients segment accounted for the largest share of the meat substitutes market in 2017.

It is estimated that about 2 billion people live primarily on a meat-based diet worldwide, while 4 billion focus on a plant-based diet.

While there is increasing scientific support for moving towards a plant-based diet, the shift has certain downsides. For non-vegetarians, reducing intake of meat while increasing intake of legumes, whole grains, and the likes tend to result in iron and zinc deficiency.

And, although vegetarians have lower iron stores because of low quantities of it in their diets, adverse health effects of lower iron and zinc absorption have not been demonstrated in this group of people (Hunt, 2002). In fact, in some cases, a shift to a plant-based diet helped reduce recurrent prostate cancer (Saxe et al., 2006).

Replacing animal protein with plant protein will likely reduce mortality rates, lower cholesterol levels, and higher health benefits.

A vegan diet is also deficient in Vitamin B12. Supplements can prevent its deficiency.

My research tells me that a plant-based diet, in general, is healthier.

Additional reading:

Nutrition Facts- a guide to good health Similar Posts:

Is plant-based really good for our health?What is the recommended diet for elderly heart patients?Anti-nutrients role in nutrition

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Are herbal products trustworthy?

In an article in Harvard business review, trust has three components. I am using that as a framework to explain the state of the herbal and Ayurvedic products as they exist today.

Positive relationships with customers, internal stakeholders, and external stakeholders that includes regulators

Expertise/good judgment supported with knowledge, knowledge, and scientific evidence.

Consistency: Products offer what they claim and with consistency

There are very few herbal medicine products in North America and Europe that have secured regulatory approval from authorized drug regulators. Some products have been given GRAS (Generally recognized as safe) certification from the USFDA. There is a small segment of people in these regions that are supporters of these products. However, large parts of society, in general, are skeptical.

Human clinical trials that prove the safety and efficacy of most herbal formulations have not been conducted. Most of the scientific work has not gone beyond animal trials.

Good manufacturing practices at the core of producing consistent products and formulations are confined to a small number of herbal formulations.

The above generic analysis presents a bleak picture of public trust in herbal formulations, especially in the developed parts of the world.

However, in China, the backing of the state has led to the development of a high degree of trust for Traditional Chinese Medicine formulations. These formulations are now offered routinely along with modern medicine in that region.

Additional reading:

Natural Solutions tri-series (cancer, diabetes, and obesity)

Holy Herbs: Modern Connections to Ancient Plants

Asian Herbs and their wondrous health-giving properties Similar Posts:

What herbs are likely to help people with diabetes?Is ginger good for osteoporosis?Are there Ayurvedic herbs used to heal cancer?

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Ginseng comes from the fleshy roots of perennial slow-gro...

Ginseng comes from the fleshy roots of perennial slow-growing plants belonging to 11 different species and two different genera. There are three popular varieties—Asian, American, and Siberian.

Asian or Korean ginseng is the oldest. The most famous and commonly found ginseng comes from Panax ginseng. American ginseng comes from Panax quinquefolius. Siberian ginseng is from a different genus: Eleutherococcus senticosus. Korean ginseng comes from Panax ginseng.

Three more species of the Panax genus are used in traditional medicine: Panax vietnamensis (Vietnamese ginseng), Panax japonicas (Japanese ginseng), and Panax notoginseng (Pseudoginseng). Both Panax and Eleutherococcus species belong to the Araliaceae family.

Outside of this family, but still called ginseng, are the Malaysian ginseng (Eurycoma longifolia), Peruvian ginseng (Lepidium meyenii), Southern ginseng (Gynostemma pentaphyllum), Brazilian ginseng (Pfaffia paniculata), Kerala ginseng (Trichopus zeylanicus), Thai ginseng (Kaempferia parviflora), Nam ginseng (Dracena angustifolia), and Ashwagandha or Indian ginseng (Withania somnifera). A cheap substitute for Panax ginseng comes from Codonopsis pilosula.

Now you know that ginseng does not belong to a single species, let us look at the medicinal properties of this group of plants. Most scientific studies focus on Panax ginseng and, to a limited extent, Ashwagandha or Indian ginseng. It is because the former is extensively used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and the latter in Ayurveda. These two are the most widely used herbal medicine systems.

Traditionally, ginseng is regarded as both a physical and mental restorant. It is said to improve the cognitive ability of patients, improve the quality of life and behavior. Ginsenoides and other constituents in ginseng possess immunosuppressive properties.

It is also said to be an aphrodisiac. Other medicinal properties include the ability to improve concentration, memory, physical efficiency, and athletic endurance.

In Western medicine, Panax ginseng is simulative, while in traditional Chinese medicine, it is used to induce calm. It is also used to treat ailments related to heart and blood vessels, diabetes, etc.

There is so much to know about the various types of ginseng. Each of these herbs is used in a variety of herbal combinations for treating a range of ailments.

References for further reading:

Asian Herbs and their wondrous health-giving properties

Holy Herbs: Modern Connections to Ancient Plants Similar Posts:

Is it true that ginseng is plant with miraculous medicinal properties?What is the difference between American and Korean ginseng?

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What are some suggestions for preventing diabetes in seniors?

Let us look at the science behind diabetes to answer this question.

We need the energy to live, grow, exercise, and survive. When we eat, in the digestive process, sugar is produced. Sugar finds its way from the digestive system into the blood, where insulin released from the pancreas helps break it down to release energy. This energy then becomes available to the body for its survival and other functions.

Excess sugar not required by us is converted into fats and stored in the liver. This stored fat is broken down into energy and made available when demand exceeds supply.

Insulin plays a blood sugar regulatory role. It prevents blood sugar levels from either rising too high. When blood sugar levels get too high, such a condition is called hyperglycemia. Hypoglycemia, on the other hand, is a low blood sugar condition.

Another reason is that the conversion process itself has become retarded. The cells of the body have become resistant to the available insulin. As a consequence, blood sugar levels rise. The medical name for such a condition is insulin resistance.

There are multiple causes of insulin resistance. Hepatitis C virus infection in the liver is one reported cause. (Petit et al., 2001) The pancreas themselves have become calcified and are unable to produce enough insulin is another reason. (Malka et al., 2000). There are other causes of insulin resistance.

Diabetes manifests itself when insulin produced in the body cannot adequately metabolize the sugar in the blood, causing blood sugar levels to spike.

Multiple risk factors like overweight or obesity, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, enhanced cholesterol levels, smoking, gene dysfunction can cause diabetes. Racial factors also have been found to strengthen risk. (Feskens et al., 1989; Choi et al., 2001; Salman. I et al., 2013; Knowler et al.,1990)

There are many causes attributed to the emergence of diabetes. The latest thinking is that an imbalance in the gut microbiota could contribute to diabetes.

We can prevent diabetes by reducing the risk factors that cause the disease to occur.

Reading references:

Natural Solutions for Diabetes, cancer, and obesity – book tri-series Similar Posts:

Is diabetes a lifestyle disease or does it depend on the lifestyle of a person?Can you get diabetes by not eating healthy?Types and causes of diabetes

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Medicinal properties of fennel seeds

I have studied this plant. I did not find any major scientific study that will support fennel seed use in detoxification. However, it is a herb popular in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Fennel is believed to strengthen eyesight, relieve cough, assist in digestion, and treat stomach ailments and menstrual and respiratory disorders. A poultice made from fennel was externally applied as a remedy for snake and scorpion bites. The Chinese believe that fennel brings balance to qi. Fennel was used in traditional Chinese medicine as a laxative to treat cold and liver, kidney, and spleen ailments.

Fennel’s medicinal properties have been consolidated to include antioxidative, cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, bronchodilatory, estrogenic, diuretic, lithotriptic, galactagogue, emmenagogue, anti-thrombotic, hypotensive, gastroprotective, hepatoprotective, memory enhancing, and anti-mutagenic properties (Rahimi et al., 2013).

Fennel seeds were analyzed and were rich in antioxidants with a value of 1.95% (Oktay et al., 2003). Its anti-tumor property has been studied, and initial results validate it (Pradhan et al., 2008). The antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties are mentioned. (Mohammad et al., 2011; and de Marino et al., 2007)

Fennel extracts were found to kill human leukemia cells. (Bogucka-Kocka et al., 2008).

Additional reading references:

Holy Herbs: Modern Connections to Ancient Plants

Asian Herbs and their wondrous health-giving properties from nature Similar Posts:

What are the uses and benefits of lemongrass oil?What are the nutritional benefits of neem leaves?Why is fennel so popular in Mediterranean cuisine?

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