Choices

Usually when presented with “do you want the good news or the bad news first?” you get to choose. Not this time, I’m giving you the bad news first but will give you other options!

Recent statistics show prescription drugs are now killing far more people in America than illegal drugs. It is becoming an epidemic in this country with the rise of popular pain killers and anxiety medications. According to businessinsider.com, Americans consume a whopping 80% of the world’s pain killers. That translates into more than 110 TONS of addictive opiates every year as reported by the BBC. Over the last decade the rise in usage of pain killers has increased over 600 percent and killed nearly 15,000 more people than Heroin and Cocaine combined.

The reality is that drugs are very toxic substances. Nutrition researcher Bernard Rimland, of San Diego describes pharmaceutical medicine as the practice of giving patients “sub-lethal doses of toxic substances.” Rimland points out that the Physician’s Desk Reference, the leading reference book for drug information for doctors, consists mostly of warnings, side effects, adverse reactions and contraindications. If all of these pages were removed from the 3000 page book (currently 3,250 pages), he says, you would be left with only about 150 pages describing the benefits of pharmaceutical drugs.

Another study published in the JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) investigated the number of adverse drug reactions over a typical year. The researchers calculated that 106,000 hospitalized patients die annually because of adverse drug reactions and that 2,216,000 other hospitalized patients have serious but nonfatal drug reactions. These figures would be far higher if the study group went beyond just hospitalized patients. These numbers are startling in the year 2014 and this particular study was published in 1998.

The good news!

The good news is, we have choices. We can choose to make changes in our diet; for example cutting back on sugar intake. The sugar I am referring to is the white processed sugar, brown sugar, sucrose, fructose and high fructose corn syrup. Sugar has no nutritional benefits, it is an addictive substance and is found in nearly all processed food and drink. You may say wait a minute, that’s not good news! It is however a choice although a hard one for many people. Understanding just how harmful sugar is on our health may help in making the decision to cut back on intake. Sugar effects every single system of the body and not in a positive way. It greatly contributes to pain and serious illnesses such as Diabetes type 2, Osteoporosis, Obesity and a host of other ailments up to and including damage to our arteries. In previous articles I have pointed out sugar is immunosuppressive to the extent that one soda can suppress the immune by 40% for up to 5 hours. Stevia is a good alternative sweetener worth considering. An herb of South American origin was vilified when it reached the market in America but scientific trials firmly establish that this sweet-leaf herb has, in fact, many health benefiting plant-derived phyto-chemical compounds that help control blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure. Stevia has no calories and is at least 200-300 times sweeter than sugar. Requiring much less than the 150 pounds of sugar consumed by the average American in a year. In my practice as an herbalist, I have to say, advising people to limit sugar intake may be the single hardest change EVER and elicits the biggest whines and eye rolls from my clients. However, it is my job to present the facts and again, it is always a choice to be made by each individual. For more on just how detrimental sugar is on your health, visit http://www.evolvingwellness.com/essay/health-effects-of-sugar-on-your-body-the-bitter-truth

Tip: When purchasing Stevia from the grocery store try to find the purest possible form as some Stevia products have fillers and are not as sweet as true Stevia

Now for the really good news!

It isn’t always about cutting back or eliminating harmful foods. When healthy foods are introduced into the diet, the body is replenished of nutrients and many of the cravings for bad foods dissipate. Simply introducing spices to your food can make a difference in your health. Three spices that fall into the anti-inflammatory category are Turmeric, Cinnamon and Cayenne pepper.

Turmeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa), an orange-colored spice imported from India, is in the Ginger family and has been a staple in Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian cooking for thousands of years.  Move over NSAIDS and pain killers, in addition to its many health benefits it’s known to be one of the most potent anti-inflammatories available. Turmeric is an excellent source of both iron and manganese. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, dietary fiber, and potassium. Two teaspoons of Turmeric has only 16 calories and is rated very low on the glycemic index.

Other benefits of Turmeric:

-Naturally lowers (bad) cholesterol

-Improves Liver function.

-Turmeric is an antioxidant. Epidemiological studies have linked the frequent use of Turmeric to lower rates of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer

– Growing evidence suggests that Turmeric may afford protection against neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers.

For more on Turmeric’s amazing health benefits and its impressive ability to inhibit Cancer cell growth, see http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78#nutritionalprofile

Cinnamon

Who knew a common spice such as Cinnamon found in nearly every spice cabinet in America could be considered one of the Worlds healthiest foods. Who can resist the warm and wonderful taste of Cinnamon? When sprinkled on high carbohydrate food, it can assist in regulating the blood sugar. It too contains very little calories and is low on the glycemic index. In people with type 2 diabetes, consuming as little as 1 gram of Cinnamon per day was found to reduce blood sugar, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol which should always be on the low end.

The potent volatile oils of Cinnamon make it an excellent anti-microbial. The essential oil can be used as a natural preservative for foods such as soups and broths and is included in the commonly known “Thieves” oil. In addition to its unique essential oils, it is an excellent source of fiber and the trace mineral manganese while also a very good source of calcium.

Cinnamon is also a powerful antioxidant and traditional warming remedy. It has proven useful when taken with honey at the onset of a cold or the flu. While that other Mary would have you believe “just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down”, this one would advise you to replace that non-nutritious sugar with honey!

For more on Cinnamon’s amazing health benefits, see http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=68

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne is famous for reducing many types of pain. It works by effecting your nervous system. Substance P is a neurotransmitter that relays information and results in what we call pain. Capsaicin, a major constituent of Cayenne blocks substance P and therefore reduces pain. When used topically, it can relieve many different types of pain, from diabetic neuropathy, shingles, migraine headaches, back aches as well as arthritis. If using for arthritic pain it may take up to a week or two to see results. In this case you want to use it daily to decrease chronic pain. Cayenne preparations are most appropriate for long-standing chronic conditions, not acute inflammations. Taken internally, Cayenne also stimulates circulation and blood flow to the peripheral areas of the body making it an excellent remedy for cold hands and feet.

Over the past few decades, Cayenne has gained the reputation of being a wonder herb. Dr. Richard Schulze, a medical herbalist and naturopath, stated, “If you master only one herb in your life, master Cayenne pepper. It is more powerful than any other.”

Natures Nitroglycerin

Perhaps Cayenne’s most amazing attribute is its ability to stop a heart attack. According to Dr. John Christopher, pioneer of herbal medicine, “In 35 years of practice, and working with the people and teaching, I have never on house calls lost one heart attack patient and the reason is, whenever I go in-if they are still breathing-I pour down them a cup of Cayenne tea (a teaspoon of Cayenne in a cup of warm water), and within minutes they are up and around.” The tincture is also effective for this purpose. When using Cayenne to stop a heart attack it is recommended to use the 90,000 HU (heat units). If the person is conscious it may be administered as a teaspoon in a cup of hot water. If unconscious, a dropper of tincture under the tongue is best. Cayenne has been shown to stop heart attacks in as little as 30-60 seconds.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/030566_cayenne_pepper_heart_attack.html##ixzz2woOyrscP

In addition to its healing benefits, Cayenne is also nutritious. It contains minerals such as Zinc, Selenium, Calcium, and Magnesium. It also contains Vitamins such as Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Cayenne may sting a bit when applied to open wounds but will very effectively stop bleeding. For this purpose I use the 40,000 HU and have had great success with even the deepest wounds.

Tip: when using culinary herbs as medicinals it is always best to use as fresh as possible. Herbs will lose potency once they are ground and have sat on the shelf for a couple of years. For medicinal usage I would recommend growing your own or ordering from mountainroseherbs.com. For freshness and cost effectiveness Mountain Rose is a great resource.

Caution: When Cayenne comes in contact with your mucosal membranes or eyes it will burn! Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after touching Cayenne or use gloves to apply salve or liniment. If you are using the Cayenne salve on your hands, consider applying it at night and sleeping with gloves on or socks over your hands.

Most if not all of the culinary herbs in your spice cabinet have medicinal benefits. Other medicinal kitchen spices include Anise Seed and Fennel Seed. Both are antiseptic and assist with digestion. They have carminative properties that help with gas and bloating. They also help in the production of mother’s milk for nursing mothers and both are considered expectorants loosening phlegm in the case of congestion. Some, like Anise and Vanilla are even considered aphrodisiac! The amazing world of herbs and spices afford us many benefits which is why I truly consider them gifts of the Earth. Spice your food with purpose as well as flavor!

Super Easy Cayenne Pepper Salve

What you will need

1 Cup Olive Oil

4 Heaping tsp of Cayenne pepper

1 cup beeswax (can be purchased at Mountain Rose or The Thymekeeper)

Small sauce pan

Cheesecloth or muslin cloth or even a piece of an old sheet- 4”X 4”

Strainer

Candy thermometer

Heat Cayenne pepper in olive oil at low temperature 140-160 degrees for four hours

Pour through cheesecloth and strainer and squeeze out as much oil as you can and return to the saucepan

Add beeswax and melt over low heat. Pour into tins (SKS container) or small jars and let beeswax harden

Voila! An anti-inflammatory muscle warming salve!

Mari Marques is a Certified Herbalist and owner of The Thymekeeper. For questions or more information contact: Mari at mugsyspad@aol.com or 719-439-7303