Around 95% of the United States population is currently under stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders, with daily activities changed as a result of the worldwide pandemic. All of the uncertainty of the future, combined with the fear of contracting COVID-19 and extra time to ponder the realities of our current situation, has lead many to seek out ways to improve their immune system. And while an improved immune system isn’t a guarantee that you won’t get sick, having a healthy body and mind in the face of something like the coronavirus is the best thing you can do.
Why Your Legs Might Be Swelling
Everyone knows the puffy ankles and stiff legs that come with a long car trip or plane ride. They are no fun but often disappear with a little movement at a rest stop or a walk around the airport during a layover. While this leg swelling is the simple result of blood flowing to your legs, other swelling could indicate an underlying health condition. Here are the most common reasons your legs might be swelling and what you can do.
5 Foods/Spices That Fight Chronic Pain
I have had chronic pain in my knee for a very long time. I tore my ACL playing basketball in college and have had other minor tears, sprains and even a medial meniscal cyst over the last ten years. All of this has left a tremendous amount of scar tissue, arthritis and pain in my knee. I have been advised that I need a total knee replacement but have been doing as many natural things as possible to postpone or possibly forego this all together.
I am a firm believer in food as being my first stop for relief and because of this, I have experimented with a number of foods in my diet searching for those that bring the most relief. It is amazing how much just adjusting your diet slightly can have an impact on pain levels. After many years of experimenting, here are the five foods and spices that have brought me the most relief.
Tart Cherries: Eating tart cherries or drinking cherry juice is a well-known remedy for pain and inflammation. Science is just now catching up to what many have known for years, cherries do, in fact, relieve pain associated with such conditions as arthritis. In one study it was found that eating as few as ten tart cherries per day protects against gout, a painful form of inflammatory arthritis.
Other studies seem promising with regards to tart cherry juice and osteoarthritis. Research published in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage found that patients who drank 16 ounces of tart cherry juice per day for six weeks had marked improvement in joint pain, stiffness, and flexibility. I myself enjoy a small bowl of cherries at least 3 days a week and notice an improvement in both pain and flexibility of my injured knee.
Ginger: Ginger has been used a natural inflammatory for thousands of years. A study from the University of Miami found that a highly concentrated ginger extract significantly reduced pain and stiffness in knees joints when compared to a placebo. They concluded that ginger extract might one day be a substitute for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. I drink a couple cups of tea with fresh ginger root and can really notice a difference in my knee pain and swelling.
Turmeric: This ancient spice is loaded with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Its ability to reduce inflammation and fight pain come from the main ingredient, curcumin. Turmeric has been proven to be effective against all kinds of inflammatory pain such as muscle sprains, injuries, and arthritis. There are a number of ways to get a turmeric fix but the one I found most effective for me was to just add ground turmeric to many of my dishes. It is especially delicious on eggs, in soup, stews and even on salads. I also enjoyed turmeric tea and a turmeric topical rub for my knee.
Coffee: I was excited to see that coffee made my list for helping with my pain. Caffeine is a powerful pain reducer. It blocks receptors in the brain known as ‘adenosines.’ which cause the body to relax and activate dopamine chemicals that reduce pain and improve energy. I found that if I drink a cup of coffee prior to working out helped me to recover without pain after working out and allowed my joints to recover faster. A study conducted by the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign shows that small doses of caffeine before working out may prolong the duration of a person’s exercise.
Oranges: Oranges contain beta-cryptoxanthin, a phytochemical that can decrease the development of inflammatory joint conditions. I eat one orange a day as part of my anti-inflammatory diet. If you struggle with insulin resistance, be sure to eat your fruit before noon.
In Summary
In addition to including anti-inflammatory foods and spices in your diet be sure that you are getting daily exercise, sleeping at least 7 hours a night and managing stress. All of these things will go a long ways towards helping reduce pain and swelling.
-Susan Patterson
What is Hydrolyzed Collagen and Should I Take It?
Hydrolyzed collagen has taken the beauty and wellness world by storm, with many claiming that it improves everything from joint health to wrinkles. Most importantly, those claims are backed by studies. While there are several foods you can eat to increase your collagen intake, supplements are becoming increasingly popular. Since collagen production slows in your 30s, bumping up your levels via supplements could be a smart move. But what exactly is hydrolyzed collagen, and should you include it in your health and beauty regime?
What You Need to Know About a Grain-Free Diet
As minimal or no-grain diets like keto and paleo become more and more popular, it is becoming evident that grains (even gluten-free ones) aren’t for everyone. If you’re struggling to lose those last few inches of belly fat, find yourself drained of energy by mid-morning, and are keeping an ever-expanding list of aches and pains, it may be time to consider cutting out grains from your diet. Not convinced? Read on to find out all you need to know about a grain-free diet.
7 Things Celery Can Do For Your Health
Celery would never be added to a list of the top five most popular vegetables. In fact, many find this stringy, crunchy stalk to be downright nasty. However, all of the hate for celery is certainly not justified, as it has actually been shown to have incredible health benefits that can help reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and so much more.
Try These 5 Loose Leaf Tea Mixes For Natural Hormone Balance
The human body is designed to operate in harmony, with each part — and each hormone — playing its role and contributing to overall wellness. But when your hormones are out of balance, it can mean anything from minor annoyances to chronic inflammation and disease. [Read more…]
7 Natural Ways To Beat The Summer Heat
As temperatures climb, it’s easy to get dragged down by the sweltering air around us. Not only do we sweat more in the summertime, but most people spend months feeling uncomfortable in elevated temperatures. Luckily there are a few easy, natural ways to keep cooler throughout the summer months, without racking up an extreme air conditioning bill. [Read more…]
Guanabana For Cancer Prevention? 7 Amazing Reasons To Eat This Tropical Fruit
Watch out, world. There is a new superfruit in town! Okay, guanabana (Annona muricata), is not exactly new, but it continues to make headlines for its superpowers. Guanabana, also known as soursop, custard apple or Brazilian Paw Paw, comes from the graviola tree that is native to Mexico. It is frequently used in South America for beverages and in candy, and its leaves are made into tea.
What is guanabana?
The guanabana fruit, which is more commonly known to us as soursop, is a prickly fruit with white flesh that is said to have a sweet and sour taste like a combination of strawberries and pineapple with just a hint of sour citrus. The bumpy skin is green and not edible but the white flesh is often used as an ingredient in ice cream, beverages and candy. It is quite nutritious with a variety of B vitamins as well as vitamin C, phosphorus and calcium. Plus, it is high in antioxidants.
In ancient medicine, the fruit, leaves and bark of the tree have been used to cure diseases and disorders like dysentery, diarrhea, worms and even parasites in the digestive system. To this day, in some South American countries, the fruit and leaves are used to treat mucus membranes from the nose, throat and lungs.
Breast cancer treatment
Studies suggest that the antioxidants and phytonutrients of the guanabana fruit fight disease-causing cells, including tumors. In fact, a study conducted in 1997 found that guanabana worked better than chemotherapy in destroying breast cancer cells!
Root canals
During root canals, dentists will usually irrigate the root canal with a chemical solution that is actually found in bleach. However, scientists may have found a better way. A study in the Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice suggests that using guanabana leaves may actually be a much healthier alternative to irrigate the root canal. That’s because guanabana leaves are high in anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Who knew?
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer claims the lives of about 85 percent of patients. It is estimated that at least 44,000 cases are diagnosed each year. Surprisingly, the extract of guanabana has been shown to help reduce rates of pancreatic cancer. A study performed by the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that these cancer cells have a high glucose uptake, but when treated with the guanabana extract their glucose uptake went down, compared to those cells that were left untreated.
Diabetes
Though it has not been studied in humans, laboratory rats saw a 75 percent decrease in blood glucose levels after being treated with extract from guanabana leaves. In combination with a diet low in processed carbohydrates, this could mean that patients with diabetes could see a significant decrease in their blood glucose levels.
Urinary tract infections
Urinary tract or bladder infections are most common in women and can be extremely painful. Usually, doctors prescribe strong antibiotics to treat the infection, but these can come with a host of side effects. The most common alternative treatment is pure cranberry juice or extract, but have you considered guanabana? Some people use this fruit because of its high vitamin C content and the high volume of water it contains. No clinical trials have been performed to support the claim that guanabana is effective, but there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that it may be able to treat urinary tract infections.
Parasites
Western medicine usually relies on antibiotics to treat parasites, but guanabana has been used in ancient medicines for just this purpose. It is the amino acids, ascorbic acid, thiamin, iron, phosphorus, fiber and riboflavin that are said to inhibit parasites in the body.
Other potential benefits of guanabana
Thanks to the high amount of nutrients in the fruit and leaves, guanabana has been used for medicinal purpose for thousands of years. Vitamin C, for instance, is known to increase endurance and it slows down the aging process. Tryptophan, also naturally-occurring in this fruit, can potentially help with sleep and relaxation. Guanabana is rich in soluble and insoluble fiber which could make it a great relief for constipation. In addition, the extract from the guanabana leaves is frequently used in essential oils and aromatherapy.
How to eat guanabana
If you can find guanabana sold in a store, likely an Asian or Hispanic supermarket, wash the fruit under running water. Sometimes dirt can collect in the bumps, so you may even want to scrub the fruit. It is best to cut the fruit in half and spoon out the flesh, but you can also easily peel the skin and cut the flesh into pieces. Watch out for the seeds; they are not edible and should be spit out like the seeds of a watermelon. Also, do remember that the skin of the fruit is not edible.
Side effects of guanabana
While this superfruit is certainly worth exploring as an addition to a balanced diet, it is advised not to use it in excess. Side effects like diarrhea, excessive sweating and increased body heat have been reported by people who used guanabana in large amounts.
— Susan Patterson
Arthritis Relief + 11 Other Reasons I Eat Radishes Every Day
Radishes aren’t talked about all that often when superfoods are mentioned, but whether they’re red, white, purple or black, cooked, raw or pickled, they offer a ton when it comes to nutrition, along with a wide range of health benefits. A root crop, they’re juicy and have either a sweet or pungent taste that makes them ideal tossed into a salad, as part of a side dish or even as a main course. [Read more…]