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The good bacteria living in the gut of humans play essential roles in keeping their hosts safe from food allergies. A recent international study showed that gut microbiota taken from human babies and given to mice protected the recipients from developing allergy to milk. The results of the animal experiment suggested that probiotic treatments may be able to stop the development of food allergies in humans. Furthermore, they identified the bacteria Anaerostipes caccae as the species responsible for the protection. An earlier study conducted by The University of Chicago researcher Cathryn Nagler and her colleagues reported that the gut microbiome of healthy human babies do not resemble the gut microbiome of babies with allergy to cow’s milk. They followed…
Photoaging (premature aging) is one of the many unfortunate consequences of excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays – harmful forms of electromagnetic radiation coming from the sun and other artificial sources of light. When the skin is repeatedly exposed to radiation, its normal structure gradually gets altered, resulting in the loss of moisture and elasticity, and the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and age spots. Because of this, the search for effective anti-photoaging compounds, especially from natural sources, has become the primary objective of many studies. In a recent study published in The American Journal of Chinese Medicine, researchers from Kyung Hee University in South Korea…
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, and aging is its primary risk factor. Therefore, researchers continue to look for ways to counter the effects of aging on the brain. In a recent study, researchers from The Salk Institute for Biological Studies discovered a potential natural treatment for Alzheimer’s in the form of a medicinal herb found in California. In their study published in the journal Redox Biology, they found that yerba santa (Eriodictyon californicum), a plant native to California, contains an active compound called sterubin that could be used to treat people with Alzheimer’s. Yerba santa, which is…
Your arteries start to age the day you were born, but it does not mean that they are as old as your actual age. Your lifestyle and diet influence arterial aging. When your arteries age, plaque forms in the arterial walls. This reduces the flexibility of arteries, causing them to become stiff and increasing the pressure within the arteries. These put a strain on the heart and can lead to heart failure if not treated. As plaque builds up, blood flow reduces. If a piece of the plaque comes lose, it will flow downstream and will eventually rest in the…
Looking for a natural approach that effectively relieves the painful and exhausting symptoms of fibromyalgia? Taking magnesium supplements is a great way to deal with the chronic condition. While the primary cause of fibromyalgia remains unclear, some experts suggest that high levels of physical and physiological stress can increase the risk of developing the syndrome. Patients experience fatigue, muscle pain, and tenderness in the abdomen. Drug therapy may alleviate some of the pain, but they do not treat the problem and often come with side effects. There are supplements for fibromyalgia that offer pain relief, but magnesium is considered the best.…
The avocado (Persea americana) is a green, pear-shaped, single-seeded fruit that has gained popularity over the years because of its rich nutrient profile and amazing health benefits. Here are five best reasons to make avocados a part of your regular diet. Avocados are nutrient boosters Avocados contain high amounts of nutrients, such as healthy fats, fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins K, C, B5, B6 and E. They also offer small amounts of magnesium, manganese, copper, zinc, iron, phosphorus, and vitamins A, B1, B2, and B3. In addition, eating avocados can help your body absorb more antioxidants from other healthy foods. A…
The genus Litsea is comprised of evergreen or deciduous trees or shrubs that belong to the Lauraceae (laurel) family. It contains about 200 plant species, and some of them have been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat traumatic injuries and relieve symptoms of pain. From this genus, Litsea verticillata was the first plant species identified by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (ICBG) project to have anti-HIV activities. In an effort to explore the antiviral properties of other Litsea species, ICBG researchers from the U.S., Hong Kong, and Vietnam evaluated nine other plants for their anti-HIV and…
Gastrointestinal health relies on maintaining plenty of beneficial bacteria while keeping the numbers of harmful ones in check. Singaporean researchers warned about a particular gut microbe that might disrupt the composition of good bacteria. The gut contains trillions of microorganisms. Bacteria comprise most of the gut microbiota, but single-celled organisms and viruses are also present in considerable numbers. Also called single-celled eukaryotes (SCE) and protozoans, single-celled organisms don’t draw much attention from researchers. They’re generally considered harmless. However, a recent study by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) showed that the protozoan Blastocystis might be harming good bacteria. By doing so,…
Moxibustion is an age-old external treatment used in traditional Chinese medicine. It involves the burning of dried herbs like mugwort or wormwood on top of an acupuncture needle or over a layer of ginger or salt placed on the skin. Based on a bibliometric analysis on studies conducted from 1954 to 2007 in China, this alternative therapy can treat 364 different kinds of ailments, including various lower urinary tract symptoms. In a recent study published in the journal Medicine, researchers from Pusan National University in South Korea explored the efficacy and safety of moxibustion in treating overactive bladder (OAB). OAB is a group of…
When you’re looking for information about a certain topic, what do you do? If you’re like most people, you head to Google and type in a query, then choose from the first few results it displays. In fact, looking for something like “natural diabetes prevention” might have been what originally brought you to Natural News in the first place. All that is changing, however, and not for the better as Google has finally gone into full censorship mode, ensuring holistic health and nutrition websites aren’t shown to people seeking information about their health and their bodies. Their latest algorithm update…
In this study, researchers from Gaziosmanpasa University in Turkey conducted an interventional correlational study to compare the effects of foot reflexology (FR) and connected tissue manipulation (CTM) on patients with primary dysmenorrhea. The results of their study were published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. For this study, the researchers worked with a total of 30 participants with primary dysmenorrhea. They gathered the following data from the participants: Demographics — age, body mass index (BMI) Menstrual cycle — age at menarche, menstrual cycle duration, time since menarche, and bleeding duration Menstrual pain characteristics — intensity of pain, duration of…
Alzheimer’s is not a genetic curse, written into the fabric of your being. Memory loss is not the consequence of old age, either. Over time, inflammation in the body produces oxidative stress. This oxidative stress and accumulation of inflammatory conditions, left unabated, can cause the deterioration of brain cells. A study published in the April 2018 issue of Pharmacological Research highlights the ways in which Alzheimer’s can be prevented. The study addresses the powerful potential of antioxidants and how the antioxidants in cinnamon express epigenetic changes to improve pathophysiological conditions in the brain. Cinnamon also plays an important role in…
A person’s diet plays a huge role in determining their overall health. Multiple studies have shown how a diet influences many physiological functions, including immune function, which the body relies on for protection against diseases. For instance, a diet rich in fiber and plant-based foods brings longevity and keeps the body in tip-top shape. However, a diet loaded with carbohydrates from processed foods and sugar — also known as a Western diet — harms digestive health and increases the risk of premature death. In a recent study published in the journal Nutrition Research, researchers from Mexico and France reported the harmful effects of a Western diet on…
Have you ever wondered how people with myopia (nearsightedness) lived before eyeglasses were invented? Experts noted that instead of treating the condition as a disability of sorts, people with myopia were valued because of their contributions to the arts, such as illustrating manuscripts. What is myopia? Myopia occurs when a person’s eyeballs are too long. If you are myopic, you can see objects that are close to you, but you may have trouble seeing distant objects clearly. Myopia is a common condition. The American Optometric Association reports that about 30 percent of Americans are nearsighted. The symptoms and risk factors of myopia…
Rickets is a skeletal disorder caused by a deficiency of calcium, phosphate, and vitamin D — nutrients needed for the formation of healthy bones. As a result, children who suffer from rickets tend to have weak bones, abnormal growth, and problems with their skeletal structure. Recently, a rise in the number of rickets cases, especially among children from low-income families, has been reported. While poor nutrition may be a possible reason for this increase, a report published earlier this year in the Archives of Disease in Childhood revealed that another reason is the lack of required vitamin D among some commercially available supplements. This leaves…
Opioid drugs have laid waste to the United States, there is no doubt about that. Over 47,000 people die an opioid-related death annually, and estimates suggest that half of those people died using a synthetic opioid known as “fentanyl.” While the corrupt pharmaceutical industry may have created the prescription opioid epidemic, experts say that the surge in fentanyl overdoses can be traced back to China. A shocking report from The Epoch Times reveals a sinister plot of slow-kill “chemical warfare” perpetrated by a foreign power. China has already been named as the “largest supplier” of illicit fentanyl to the U.S. And…