• Boosting The Circulatory System
• Ginger-Don't Leave Home Without It
• Phosphatidyl Choline Aids Liver Function
• Arthritis, PMS, And Evening Primrose Oil
• Herbs For A Healthy Prostate
• Filling Your Herbal Medicine Cabinet
• Health Tip - Vitamin E

Boosting The Circulatory System

Chinese medicine teaches that when the circulatory system is efficient and healthy, a person has a tranquil mind, good memory, clear senses, restful sleep, and a robust complexion.

Healthy circulation delivers life-giving substances to all glands and organs and is crucial to preventing and overcoming disease.

In most diseases related to aging, decreased blood flow is usually a primary factor. The brain, although comprising only 2% of the body's weight, normally receives 15% of the blood supply along with the blood's oxygen, glucose, and many other nutrients. The most common cause of brain damage is stroke, a blockage of the blood supply.

Symptoms of impaired circulation may be cold hands and feet, leg or foot cramps, pain or burning sensation in extremities, slow-healing wounds, migraine headaches, ringing in the ears and momentary losses of balance.

Some important nutrients that play key roles in circulation are niacin, vitamins C and E, flavonoids, prostaglandins, and numerous herbs. These nutrients directly affect some of the blood and vascular conditions that impair circulation.

Niacin may be the most effective vitamin in reducing serum cholesterol and other lipids. Total serum cholesterol can be reduced by as much as 25% and triglycerides by 30% within two weeks by taking 3 g of niacin per day. These high doses of niacin should only be administered gradually and under medical supervision.

Government guidelines suggest that, in addition to a fat-modified diet, niacin should be considered as a treatment for high serum cholesterol.

Like niacin, vitamin E has pharmacological as well as nutritional properties. According to Richard Passwater, Ph.D., director of research for the Solgar Nutritional Research Center in Berlin, MD, vitamin E level in the blood is one of the most reliable indicators of heart disease risk.

Vitamin E helps to prevent and dissolve blood clots, increases oxygen transport by red blood cells, improves oxygen supply to the heart, dilates capillaries, improves capillary permeability, and prevents undesirable excessive scarring of the heart after a heart attack. Vitamin E also helps to relieve nocturnal leg cramps, a painful symptom of inadequate circulation.

Long known as necessary for maintaining capillary health, vitamin C has a synergistic effect on the antioxidant action of vitamin E. Research shows that vitamin C reduces the tendency to form clots and helps to clear cholesterol and calcium from artery plaque.

Grapeseed extract, a type of flavonoid known as oligomeric proanthocyanidins has shown promise in many studies for the treatment of vasculature insufficiency, post-surgical tissue swelling, and difficulties with the microcirculation characterized by pain, numbness, tingling, and nocturnal cramps in the extremities.

Known for improving memory, one reason Ginkgo biloba works is that it improves circulation. Hundreds of scientific studies performed over the last 30 years have demonstrated its effectiveness in treating edema, varicose veins, leg ulcers, and circulatory diseases such as stroke.

Other effective circulatory herbs include cayenne (Capsicum frutescens), ginger (Zingiber officinale), garlic (Allium sativum), and hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna).

Whatever approach, nutrient supplementation can aid circulation and overall health, offering far-reaching benefits.

Reference: Delacroix P. "Double-blind study on edotelon in chronic venous insufficiency," Rev Medicine, 27:1793-1802, 1981.

Ginger-Don't Leave Home Without It

Ginger, which originated in China, is effective in treating several types of digestive problems, including nausea, heartburn, indigestion, and diarrhea. It seems to have the most consistent results against nausea. In fact, powdered ginger root may be more potent than Dramamine in preventing or treating motion sickness.

Ginger appears to be a side effect-free alternative for nausea that may develop after surgery. Research shows that ginger is just as helpful as drugs in preventing nausea and vomiting in post-operative patients.

Patients receiving chemotherapy may also want to try ginger to reduce the queasiness and vomiting associated with this treatment. Several studies have successfully used ginger in combination with standard nausea-preventing drugs.

Ayurvedic medicine from India incorporates ginger as one treatment for rheumatic diseases.

Researchers at the University Hospitals of Cleveland, Case Western Reserve University, OH, suggest another health-enhancing role of ginger: as a preventative against skin cancer.

In this study, the ability of ginger to prevent the promotion of cancerous tumors was assessed in the skin. Both the short-term and the long-term sections of the study indicated that ginger extract prevented the promotion of skin cancer.

In the long-term section of the study, the researchers found that the subjects given the highest dose of ginger showed the greatest protection from skin cancer. However, the lower doses of ginger also provided significant protection against tumors.

Although this study is promising, it should be kept in perspective. Continued research into the health benefits of ginger has uncovered more health-enhancing attributes of this tasty herb.

Adding more ginger to your life is easy: fresh ginger can be added to foods, soothing ginger teas can be brewed, and capsules of ginger are available from our supplement section.

Reference: Arfeen, Z., et al. "A Double-blind Randomized Controlled Trial of Ginger for the Prevention of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting," Anaesthesia & Intensive Care 23(4):449-52, 1995.

Phosphatidyl Choline Aids Liver Function

The liver plays a central and intricate role in the body's metabolic processes, making liver cells particularly vulnerable to damage from toxic agents.

Phosphatidyl Choline (PC) is a key building block for all cells in the body, including the liver. Because the function of body cells, tissues, and organs depends on PC, the effect of PC supplementation in health and disease has been studied extensively, including research on the benefits of PC supplementation on damaged liver function.

More than 100 studies have been conducted where PC was given to subjects with liver damage. The results consistently showed that nutritional PC helped individuals with liver damage and was well tolerated even at a high level of intake.

As the liver is exposed to toxins, cell membrane functions fail and virtually all cell enzyme systems are affected. As fat metabolism slows, pools of triglycerides are deposited within the liver cells. This initial clinical stage of liver damage is called "fatty liver." If exposure to toxins continues, liver cells begin to die and inflammatory conditions develop.

In Germany, researchers conducted a double-blind, 56-day trial on 40 men with fatty liver deposits. Half the group received a placebo and the others received 800 mg of PC per day. By the end of the trial, the laboratory blood tests and a clinical assessment found significant improvement in the PC group.

In Spain, researchers conducted a 12-week, double-blind study of 40 subjects with fatty liver deposits. Dietary PC was given, and clinical evaluation showed significant improvement in subjects taking PC.

In another clinical trial, researchers conducted a controlled test on 30 subjects with progressing liver damage from chronic liver viruses. All subjects continued on standard immunosuppressive therapy; half received PC supplementation and the rest a placebo. After one year, the PC group showed significantly less disease activity than the placebo group.

Reference: Jenkins, P.J., et al. Liver, 2:77-81, 1982.

Arthritis, PMS, And Evening Primrose Oil

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) carry on a number of functions in the body. One of their major jobs is to serve as the raw materials for our bodies to convert into prostaglandins, a family of powerful hormones which control a vast range of body functions.

Out-of-balance prostaglandins can contribute to high or low blood pressure, ulcers, menstrual ailments, obesity, migraine headaches, eczema, allergies, hyperactivity, asthma, strokes, or heart attacks.

A primary contributor to keeping prostaglandins in proper balance is evening primrose oil, extracted from the seeds of a yellow-flowering willow-family plant (Oeothera biennis). Evening primrose oil contains the fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Among the hundreds of studies on GLA, many indicate that this nutrient can be helpful in alleviating a wide span of health problems, including acne, arthritis, premenstrual syndrome, and obesity.

A deficiency of EFAs can contribute to acne, eczema, hair loss, and brittle, cracking nails. Three capsules daily of evening primrose oil-500 mg each-have been shown in various studies to help control acne, eczema, and other skin conditions.

One of the most common ailments with which people worldwide suffer is arthritis.

Jill Belch, M.D., of the Department of Rheumatology at Glasgow University Medical School conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 53 volunteers with rheumatoid arthritis. Eighteen were in the placebo group, with 17 taking evening primrose oil and 18 taking a combination of evening primrose oil and fish oil.

Eighty-three percent of the primrose oil group and 94% of the primrose/fish oil group were able to either reduce taking pain killers or eliminate them, while 34% of the placebo group-roughly one-third-were able to do the same.

Belch warned, however, against expecting an instant miracle. It took both the primrose and the primrose/fish oil groups several weeks to notice any difference in joint flexibility and pain relief. In most instances, there was no improvement until patients had taken the oil supplements for from two to four months.

A pair of studies in Great Britain showed that evening primrose oil could effectively prevent even severe manifestations of PMS. Two 500 mg capsules of evening primrose oil, three times daily, brought relief to 67% of the women.

Similarly, in a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study at the Universities of Wales and Dundee, a majority of 100 women were significantly relieved from breast pain by taking evening primrose oil.

Reference: Langer, Stephen, M.D., and Scheer, James F. "Solved: The Riddle of Illness (2nd Edition), 1985.

Herbs For A Healthy Prostate

Many men over the age of 50 begin to develop problems with their prostate, causing a slower start of urination or a decreased force of urine flow. This occurs because as men age, the prostate gland may become enlarged and press against the urethra, the outflow tube leading from the bladder. Extreme prostate obstruction may require an operation. The medical term for prostate enlargement is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Although drugs can help shrink the prostate or relieve obstruction, recent research suggests that several herbal preparations can do this as effectively and with fewer side effects and lower costs.

In the British medical journal Lancet, German researchers reported on a study of 200 men who had symptoms due to BPH. Half received a placebo and half 60 mg per day of beta-sitosterol-one of the main active ingredients extracted from the bark of Pygeum africanum.

After three months, the men taking beta-sitosterol extract had a statistically significant improvement in the velocity of urine flow. Those taking the placebo did not. This large, carefully administered study lends support to previous research favoring the use of herbs for treating urinary symptoms due to prostate enlargement.

Scientists are not exactly sure how beta-sitosterol works to improve prostate symptoms. One interesting tie-in is that beta-sitosterol lowers blood cholesterol. Some researchers also believe that high cholesterol is an important factor stimulating prostate growth.

Saw palmetto (Serene repens), a member of the fan palm family and native to North America, is the most popular herb taken for BPH. Saw palmetto has one direct hormonal effect similar to that of Merck's prostate drug, Proscar_, but it also does much more-including reducing the effects of estrogen and progesterone on the prostate and inhibiting the formation of inflammatory substances that contribute to the increasing size of the prostate.

Another herbal treatment for BPH is the root of stinging nettles (Urtica dioica), which has a limited number of double-blind studies supporting its effectiveness for use with prostate problems.

Long-term studies are currently underway in Europe comparing saw palmetto to standard drug therapy for BPH. We'll keep you posted.

References: Berges, R. "Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of beta-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia," Lancet, 345:1529-32, 1995. Dathe, G. "Phytotherapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with extractum Sernoa repens," Urologe B, 31:220-3, 1991.

Filling Your Herbal Medicine Cabinet

While occasional visits to your family health-care practitioner are certainly essential, preventive measures can be practiced at home.

A visit to our store with its wide selection can overwhelm even the frequent shopper.

Here is a brief review of 3 herbal remedies to keep on hand in your herbal medicine cabinet. These have been found to be effective in stimulating the immune system, which is the front line for defending the body against invading viruses, bacteria, and toxins.

Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra). To the Chinese, there is no other herb that acts on such a grand scale as this herb except, perhaps, ginseng. Whole licorice root potentiates immune activity when necessary and also suppresses it when needed. There is evidence that the anti-inflammatory properties of licorice include some effect on the course of asthma.

Goldenseal root (Hydrastis canadensis). This herb is exemplary in its effectiveness in enhancing the function of the immune system by stimulating the production of white blood cells. When administered to an ailing patient, it increases T-cell activity and enhances other immunological functions. Goldenseal's action is unidirectional-it carries but one signal to the body system-to produce more white blood cells.

Gotu kola (Hydrocotyle asiatica). This herb is a traditional blood purifier, tonic, and diuretic hailing from India and parts of Eastern Europe. Gotu kola is considered a good herbal tonic because it appears to improve the body's nonspecific resistance to disease and has no known toxicity.

Reference: Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D., Herbal Tonic Therapies, 1993.

Health Tip - Vitamin E

Vitamin E is believed to have a role in the prevention of artherosclerosis, through inhibition of oxidation of low-density lipoprotein. Some epidemiological studies have demonstrated a relationship between high dietary intake of high serum levels of vitamin E and decreased incidence of heart disease. The Cambridge Heart Antioxidant Study evaluated the effect of vitamin E supplementation (400 or 800 IU of natural-source vitamin E per day) or placebo on the risk of myocardial infarction in 2002 patients with evidence of coronary atherosclerosis.

Vitamin E supplementation significantly decreased the risk of the primary trial endpoint of cardiovascular death and nonfatal myocardial infarction by 47%. This observed benefit of vitamin E was due to a 77% decrease in the risk of a non-fatal myocardial infarction. This is the first intervention trial of vitamin E to show a reduction in clinically significant coronary events.

Reference: Stephens, N.G., Parsons, A., Schofield, P.M., Kelly, F., Cheeseman, K., and Mitchinson, M.J., Lancet 347:781-6, 1996.