Remember sneaking into the kitchen when you were young to steal a snack when mom was not looking? Well, those days might be over if ex-bodybuilding champion Carolyn Hansen gets her way. She has come up with a set of more than 200 dessert and snack recipes that will have mothers everywhere positively encouraging their children to dig in.
Here is a quick anti-inflammatory recipe which you can easily prepared right away, using fresh ginger, cashews, dried apricots and sesame seeds.
Fresh ginger is a spice known botanically as Zingiber officinale.
This odd “horn shaped” spice offers a distinctive flavor. It is pungent, spicy and aromatic adding special flavor and zest to many fruit and veggie recipes.
Ginger has been prized and used in cultures all over the world for its aromatic, culinary and medicinal properties for at least 2,000 years.
Scientific studies reveal that ginger offers antioxidant effects and other important therapeutic properties.
It has been known for centuries as a very effective solution to symptoms of gastrointestinal distress. In fact, ginger is regarded as an excellent spice for promoting the elimination of intestinal gas as well as offering the ability to relax and sooth the intestinal tract.
Ginger has also proven very effective in preventing symptoms of motion sickness and even beats out Dramamine (an over the counter motion sickness drug) in effectiveness. All symptoms associated with motion sickness including vomiting, cold sweats, nausea and dizziness are effectively reduced with ginger.
This odd looking but zesty spice offers potent anti-inflammatory compounds called gingerols – the component responsible for ginger’s distinctive flavor.
Research shows that gingerols may also inhibit the growth of human colorectal cancer cells and has proven effective in reducing pain levels and improving mobility in those that suffer with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
Because ginger is extremely safe to use and only requires a small dose, it has even been used to reduce nausea and vomiting in pregnant women and proven effective for those suffering with migraine head-aches.
Depending on the variety chosen, ginger can be white, yellow or red in color and covered with a thin or thick (depending on when it was harvested – mature or young) brownish skin. The active substances in ginger are very concentrated so it does not take much to receive its beneficial effects.
Fresh ginger is far superior in flavor to dried ginger and contains higher levels of gingerols.
Mature ginger (more readily available than its younger counterpart) is readily available year around in the produce section of your favorite grocery store or super-market. It has a tougher skin than young ginger so it must be peeled before use.
Once peeled it will last up to 3 weeks refrigerated while unpeeled ginger can last as long as 6 months. Be sure to choose ginger that is firm, smooth and mold free.
Ginger is so versatile that you may also find it in crystallized, candied or pickled form.
Try this healthy quick to make Cashew Ginger Crunch snack…
Cashew Ginger Crunch
1 cup cashews
1 cup dried apricots
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
Put all ingredients except for the honey into a food processor and process until roughly chopped but still with some texture. Add honey and process just long enough for it to blend.
Press into a dish or on a plate about ¾ inch thick and refrigerate for about an hour or more.
Cut into squares or any shape and enjoy!
Most veggies and many herbs and spices can be used with great success in desserts and treats and can be key to getting the required daily requirements of nutrients that your body needs.
To get more ideas related to quick anti-inflammatory snack recipe, watch these 2 videos-
If you are ready to expand beyond your traditional recipes and upgrade them to a more nutrient dense level you will love my newest creation…“Blended Bites.
Author Bio:
Carolyn Hansen is the author of The Blended Bites Healthy Snack and Dessert Recipe Collection. This is a one-stop resource for delicious, healthy, guilt-free snacks that you can eat every day. And even better, EVERY ONE of these recipes are RAW healthy snack foods that taste as good as their fattening counterparts.
You can NOW satisfy your snack urge without any negative impact on your weight loss and fitness goals, and without sweating over a hot stove. These easy-to-prepare snacks contain no sugar, no flour or butter and are paleo friendly.
So, if you want to get your hands on recipes for desserts and snacks that you will not need to feel guilty about eating the next time you have a craving for something delicious, be sure to check out Carolyn Hansen’s books at Blended Bites, where she will show you how to take control of your blender and churn out mouth-watering desserts and snacks that will have the kids in your neighborhood lined up around the block for a sample.
Get Your Blood Pressure Down in Minutes Permanently and Naturally – Relaxing Way to Drop Blood Pressure and Cholesterol
Most of us don’t like making the changes needed to improve our health. If we did, we would have made those changes decades ago and stuck to them.
So a new study published in the American Journal of Cardiology should be welcome to anyone with high blood pressure or cholesterol.
Because it shows the most relaxing, pleasurable way to reduce these conditions.
Researchers from the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, Mount Sinai Heart in New York, the Cleveland Clinic, and the Mayo Clinic hypothesized that the physical and mental relaxation brought by meditation could lower heart disease and heart disease risks in the general American population.
To find out, they used information already collected by the 2012 and 2017 National Health Interview Survey. These surveys had 61,267 participants.
Of these, 5,851 or 9.6 percent engaged in some type of meditation.
Compared with those who did not meditate, those who meditated were 65 percent less likely to have high cholesterol, 70 percent less likely to have diabetes, 76 percent less likely to have a stroke, 86 percent less likely to have high blood pressure, and 51 percent less likely to have coronary artery disease.
This was after they ensured that other cardiovascular risk factors like age, gender, race, body mass index, marital status, cigarette smoking, sleeping duration, and depression did not influence their results. They did not have information on alcohol consumption, which can also be a heart disease risk factor.
There are, however, two problems with meditation: a) most people don’t stick to meditation routines, and b) they’re not focused on lowering blood pressure.
A large study examining the effect of vitamin D on high blood pressure was presented at a conference of the European Society of Human Genetics, in France.
For the research, data from 35 studies involving nearly 146,500 people were analyzed.
The people analyzed were those of European descent based in Europe and North America.
It was found that a high level of vitamin D in the blood was associated with a lower incidence of high blood pressure. More precisely, every 10 percent increase in vitamin D levels produced an 8 percent decrease in the risk of developing high blood pressure.
Considering the high costs and side effects of common blood pressure drugs, this comes as welcome news. Statistics reveal that anything from 40 to 75 percent of the population is deficient in this vital vitamin.
Getting exposed to a moderate amount of sunshine is a good way to get this vitamin.
It is also present in foods like eggs, salmon, tuna, milk, yogurt, and orange juice.
Many cereals and food products add vitamin D too, which can otherwise be obtained through supplements if necessary.
And did I mention it’s delicious and can be found in all supermarkets dirt cheap?
The researchers gave their volunteers (all suffering high blood pressure) 1.5 grams of cardamom powder, twice a day for 12 weeks.
One-quarter of a tablespoon equals around 1.5 grams, if you want to try this at home.
At the end of the study, the participant’s average systolic blood pressure had dropped 19 points and diastolic had dropped 12 points.
So, those with a high blood pressure of 140/90 could possibly bring their pressure down to a healthy level of 120/80 using nothing but cardamom powder.
Even more importantly, the antioxidant levels in their blood rose by 90%. This is extremely important, as oxidation is the main cause of cholesterol plaque buildup in the heart, causing heart attack and stroke.
In fact, here we’ll teach you how to clear your heart completely of cholesterol plaque by cutting out just one type of ingredient …
This post is from the High Blood Pressure Exercise Program. It was made by Christian Goodman Blue Heron health news that has been recognized as one of the top-quality national health information websites.
This program will provide you the natural high blood pressure treatments, natural recipes to cook healthy meals and useful strategies to build a healthy diet with the aim to help you to maintain, stabilize and get your blood pressure down in minutes permanently and naturally.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most debilitating and discouraging conditions anyone can have. Waking up day after day knowing you are stricken with MS that gradually drags you, a healthy young person, towards chronic illness and maybe a shorter life.
Suddenly you no longer expect to enjoy many of life’s greatest experiences, knowing the next attack is just a matter of time. Sometimes the attack’s “remission” leaves you with residual, usually permanent, and scary symptoms. You suffer month after month and find you are losing hope of ever getting better.
What REALLY Causes Multiple Sclerosis?
When a human baby develops, fatty myelin sheaths build around nerves of the brain and spinal cord. This development is what allows a one year-old to start to walk. As these myelin sheaths grow, a child gains greater mobility, muscular control and mental activity
Multiple Sclerosis is the deterioration of the myelin sheaths. This happens when the immune system thinks the myelin sheaths are a foreign intruder that must be destroyed. As a result, electrical impulses are slowed or stopped as they travel through the body’s nervous system.
The MS patient loses muscular control, loses feeling in nerves and can even suffer cognitive changes. This results in a lot of different symptoms such as constantly feeling aches and pain, numbness, feeling tired and wiped out all the time, double vision, muscle weakness in arms and legs, vertigo, muscle spasms, burning sensation in feet, breathing difficulty, cardiac problems, gastric distress, etc.
What is the real disease you are suffering from?
The simple answer is that you have an overactive immune system disease. Your immune system “freaks out” when it meets your myelin sheaths and attacks them.
The fact that you are diagnosed with MS is just because of the fact that your immune system “freaks out” in a way that creates the MS symptoms. But you’re NOT having a “MS” disease. You are having an overactive or blinded immune system disease!
How to Overcome Multiple Sclerosis?
Overcoming multiple sclerosis (MS) isn’t impossible. Despite no drug curing the disease (as is the case even when a disease is cured sometimes), there are ways to put the disease into remission, and to reduce the symptoms it produces. Surprisingly, they’re simple healthy habits for the most part.
You can overcome multiple sclerosis by following some healthy habits. Recent studies have proven the link between vitamin D and reduced demyelination (the breakdown of myelin). This reduces the progress of the disease and can actually reverse some of the damage it causes as well.
If you get your vitamin D through milk, it’s all the better. The extra calcium and fatty acids that milk provides, and that vitamin D supplements lack, do well to strengthen the rest of the body’s systems as well. And that’s the key to reducing the symptoms.
To combat muscular issues and gastric distress that multiple sclerosis causes, you also need to eat foods that are rich in phosphors and potassium. Other dietary concerns, planned in diets by experts and dieticians, help to address various symptoms of the body by similar targeting.
It’s important to talk to your doctor and caregiver before starting a dietary routine. These diets balance around our specific symptoms and severities as well as unique body chemistry and family medical history.
It’s not possible to make them go away through these practices. So, make your body stronger so it can work with the diminished signals and power provided under demyelination.
To strengthen your muscles, nothing beats stretching exercises like yoga, other low stress stretching exercises or Tai Chi. For a stronger heart and better lungs, low impact aerobics are a fantastic practice.
Fingolimod (FTY720) – an FDA approved oral immunomodulatory drug for treating multiple sclerosis
FTY 720 MS proved to provide very substantial improvements over the standard medications that were administered by injection or infusion. Most of the patients involved in the trials sustained benefits from relapsing multiple sclerosis symptoms over two years, with some patients involved over 6 years.
Patients had shown up to 60% fewer relapses compared to those receiving placebos. There were 52% lesser relapses when compared to interferon beta-1a (Avonex®) which was given by weekly intra muscular injections.
FTY 720 multiple sclerosis showed that there were increased improvements in stopping the progression of the disease. Maybe even more statistically significant were the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showing less lesion activity and reduced loss of brain volume.
For the patients and their caregivers taking a pill daily by mouth has proven to be much more convenient than facing IV or IM injections. It has been found patients are more likely to begin and stay on beneficial treatment regime because of the trials run on FTY 720 MS.
Symptoms Addressed by FTY 720 MS and How It Works
There are basically two stages for those afflicted by MS. Firstly, they are likely to experience periods where they will have difficulty with movement or balance, have muscle spasms, and perhaps experience mental confusion.
In the early stages, most patients will then have periods with no symptoms causing alarm. As the disease progresses, the times where they return to symptom-free periods becomes less frequent. The trials run with FTY 720 multiple sclerosis showed marked improvement for the patients in both reducing the flair ups and hindering the progression.
To explain in simplistic terms how it works, it is necessary to understand that T-cells are a type of white blood cell and part of a healthy immune system. In MS patients, it is believed these inflammatory lymphocytes end up attacking the fatty substance (myelin) that surrounds the nerve fibers in the central nervous system (CNS).
The signals transmitted from the brain to the muscles then experience poor transmissions and the resulting symptoms. FTY 720 multiple sclerosis works to keep these cells ‘bottled up’ in the lymph nodes rather than being released into the body.
As far as side effects, the greatest risk may be in receiving the first dose. It is suggested it be taken under the supervision of a doctor for a period of six hours or so because of a decrease in the heart rate (bradycardia).
Eye exams may be called for because macular edema may develop and liver enzymes may rise after 6 months of use. Otherwise, the most common complaints were headaches and some nausea, fatigue, and a higher risk of flu or respiratory ailments because of having a compromised immune system.
By Dr. Gary M. Levin, a retired medical and surgeon in the United states of America who also runs his own clinic at some point in time and helped in tutoring doctors at the Loma Linda University in the U.S.
Dr. Gary’s approach for treating multiple sclerosis works by correcting the malfunctioning of your immune system, making it (your immune system) work correctly, reducing or eliminating the symptoms of multiple sclerosis disease and also energizes your entire body for optimum health.
This can be achieved naturally through a healthy meal and nutrition with vitamins devoid of you taking drugs, pills or injections prescribed by medics that possibly have side effects that can put your health at risk at some point.
Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body (skin, joints, and/or organs inside the body). Normally our immune system should produce antibodies that protect the body from “invaders” (viruses, bacteria, and germs).
“Autoimmune” means your immune system cannot tell the difference between foreign invaders and your body’s healthy tissues and creates antibodies that attack and destroy those healthy tissues in your body. These antibodies cause inflammation, pain and damage in various parts of your body.
Read on to learn about the various ways for treating lupus.
Medications for Treating Lupus
The medications most commonly used to control lupus include:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Over-the-counter NSAIDs, such as naproxen sodium (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), may be used to treat pain, swelling and fever associated with lupus. Stronger NSAIDs are available by prescription. Side effects of NSAIDs include stomach bleeding, kidney problems and an increased risk of heart problems.
Antimalarial drugs. Medications commonly used to treat malaria, such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), affect the immune system and can help decrease the risk of lupus flares. Side effects can include stomach upset and, very rarely, damage to the retina of the eye. Regular eye exams are recommended when taking these medications.
Corticosteroids. Prednisone and other types of corticosteroids can counter the inflammation of lupus. High doses of steroids such as methylprednisolone (A-Methapred, Medrol) are often used to control serious disease that involves the kidneys and brain. Side effects include weight gain, easy bruising, thinning bones (osteoporosis), high blood pressure, diabetes and increased risk of infection. The risk of side effects increases with higher doses and longer term therapy.
Immunosuppressants. Drugs that suppress the immune system may be helpful in serious cases of lupus. Examples include azathioprine (Imuran, Azasan), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept) and methotrexate (Trexall). Potential side effects may include an increased risk of infection, liver damage, decreased fertility and an increased risk of cancer.
Biologics. A different type of medication, belimumab (Benlysta) administered intravenously, also reduces lupus symptoms in some people. Side effects include nausea, diarrhea and infections. Rarely, worsening of depression can occur.
Rituximab (Rituxan) can be beneficial in cases of resistant lupus. Side effects include allergic reaction to the intravenous infusion and infections.
Treating Lupus Naturally
Treating lupus naturally is not something that any patient should take lightly. Even with natural forms of treatment such as herbs and nutritional supplements, there are such things as side effects and interactions to worry about. Doctors and pharmacists are in the best position to talk to patients about the pros and cons of using these substances to treat their lupus symptoms.
Some popular medicinal herbs are ginger and turmeric, which can simply be used in cooking. Not only do they enhance the flavor of the patient’s food, but they also have anti-inflammatory properties. Hence, they can help minimize inflammation and related symptoms, including lupus arthritis.
Some patients who have tried herbs have indicated that their need for anti-inflammatory drugs such as prednisone has gone down as a consequence. Hence, by using them, they have succeeded in minimizing the likelihood that they will develop adverse side effects or complications.
It is important to note that, while a given herb may be highly effective in treating a lupus patient’s symptoms, it may exacerbate another medical condition that he or she suffers from. This is another reason why patients should not assume that treating lupus naturally can be managed without medical support. Medical professionals spend years in school acquiring much specialized knowledge.
Furthermore, they amass years of experience through their work. Lupus patients should make use of this knowledge and experience. They make a wonderful resource. There is no need to put themselves at risk when a conversation with a medical professional would help them tremendously.
Some approaches to treating lupus naturally do not involve the ingestion of materials by mouth or the injection of chemicals into the body. Thus, they do not present the risk of drug interactions. They include such practices as guided imagery and hypnotherapy, which are calculated to minimize stress and to help lupus patients cope with the disease. Acupuncture is an approach that can help relieve chronic pain. It has the capacity to minimize the stress and emotional anguish that come with the pain.
Alternative Method for Treating Lupus – Reiki
Various non-conventional medical approaches have been used in the treatment of lupus. Reiki, one of them, is promoted by some as a complementary form of treatment: one that is intended to be used in tandem with conventional medication and treatment plans.
Reiki is a Japanese treatment to minimize stress and pain, and to facilitate relaxation. It could be described as a form of spiritual healing as it comes out of a philosophy that emphasizes the existence of a higher power and human possession of life-force energy.
Not surprisingly, this has led practitioners of some religious traditions to question Reiki. They believe that they cannot practice it as doing so would contradict their own religions.
However, Reiki is not attached to a specific religious dogma: Patients do not have to adopt a new set of beliefs in order to benefit from it. They may choose to view its healing capacity as coming from whichever deity they believe in. And if they do not believe in anything, that has no bearing in their capacity to be healed through Reiki. Ultimately, the question of whether to accept Reiki treatment is a matter that individuals should decide for themselves.
Treating Lupus: Reiki Therapy
Reiki has been popularized in a variety of contexts worldwide. It is not an invasive procedure, nor does it involve the ingestion of medication. Reiki involves what some might describe as the “laying on of hands,” it can also involve light tapping, looking, and breathing practices.
In some forms of reiki, there is no touching involved. Instead, the hands are held some distance above the body. In all of these cases, universal energy is understood to be transferred from the palms of the Reiki practitioner to the patient’s body, facilitating healing. Because this seems harmless to casual observers, many are open to trying it out. Even for many of those suffering from lupus, reiki seems to be an option worth considering.
According to those who recommend it as a treatment for lupus, reiki is effective in minimizing pain, anxiety, depression and insomnia. If treatment is successful, then it should minimize lupus patients’ need for high doses of pain medication. It should also improve their quality of life.
There is some controversy over the value of using this technique to treat lupus. Reiki is considered advantageous because it does not involve invasive procedures or pharmaceutical drugs.
However, it is for precisely this reason that people question its value. They may wonder whether any apparent healing due to reiki is actually the result of the placebo effect or of some other factor that has not been controlled for.
Other Alternative Ways for Treating Lupus
Complementary and alternative treatments for lupus include:
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Supplements containing this hormone may help fatigue and muscle pain. It may lead to acne in women.
Fish oil. Fish oil supplements contain omega-3 fatty acids that may be beneficial for people with lupus. Preliminary studies have found some promise, though more study is needed. Side effects of fish oil supplements can include nausea, belching and a fishy taste in the mouth.
Acupuncture. This therapy uses tiny needles inserted just under the skin. It may help ease the muscle pain associated with lupus.
Chiropractic Care for Treating Lupus
For patients with lupus, chiropractic care is one of the complementary and alternative medical practices that they can turn to for relief from some of their symptoms.
If you are living with lupus, chiropractic care may offer some answers to your struggles with joint pain, joint stiffness, muscular pain, and fatigue.
Chiropractic is a field of medical practice that focuses on the neuromusculoskeletal system. The idea is that disorders affecting this bodily system have the capacity, not only to cause much pain and discomfort to patients, but also to trigger broader health issues. Thus, chiropractic treatment seeks to correct these disorders and to thereby minimize the patients’ symptoms and improve their overall health.
Chiropractic medicine is not just sought after as a treatment option by lupus patients. It is actually a popular medical approach: third in popularity after conventional medicine and dentistry.
Even though there is some controversy among conventional medical practitioners as to the effectiveness of this alternative medical approach, the patients who seek it out tend to come away with smiles on their faces.
Not surprisingly, whether or not patients are suffering from lupus, chiropractic medicine is high on the list of options they are willing to consider for the treatment of their neuromusculoskeletal issues.
Treating Lupus- Chiropractic Care Works in the Following Instances
Chiropractic therapy involves the manual manipulation of the spine, the joints, and soft tissues (such as muscles, synovial membranes, tendons, and ligaments). It is important to note that there are two main forms of chiropractic practice.
The first, which is the traditional approach, is based on a philosophy that rejects science’s inferential reasoning and materialism. It owes something to vitalism and includes some metaphysical features.
The second approach is more open to mainstream medicine. It even includes conventional medical diagnostics and borrows insights and techniques from conventional medical practices like physical therapy. The second approach is the more dominant approach in chiropractic practice today.
There is independent evidence suggesting that chiropractic therapy is useful in the treatment of back pain, particularly lower back pain. This indicates that, for those who experience lower back pain as a symptom of lupus, chiropractic therapy can offer considerable relief.
Chiropractors often incorporate techniques from conventional medicine and other forms of alternative medicine in their practice. Thus, it is not unheard of for one to encounter a chiropractor who recommends yoga and dance exercises for his or her patients.
These adopted techniques have an independent track record of success in the treatment of lupus symptoms. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, under the umbrella of chiropractic practice, they can facilitate joint mobility, minimize stiffness, improve muscle strength and provide relief from pain.
By Dr. Gary M. Levin, who creates the Natural Lupus Treatment program. Based on his long term studies and research, he discovers powerful breakthroughs that would have profound impacts for Lupus patients.
These serve as the highly effective KEY to slowing deterioration, preventing attacks, and promoting regeneration.
The natural method for reversing lupus is a healing process that is carried out through a simple step-by-step method to rehabilitate your immune system and boost your supporting body systems to rid it of all Lupus symptoms, the joint pains and swelling etc. PLUS re-energizes and purifies your body for maximum health.
