A bin for my favorite articles
health
Health Benefits of Honey and Cinnamon
Jul 26th
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Q. What is the only food that doesn’t spoil?
A. Honey
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It is found that a mixture of Honey and Cinnamon cures most of the diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Ayurvedic as well as Yunani medicine have been using honey as a vital medicine for centuries. Scientists of today also accept honey as a very effective medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases. Today’s science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.
Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, on its issue dated 17 January, 1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by Honey and Cinnamon as researched by western scientists.
HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, chappati, or other bread, instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack.
Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heartbeat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as age the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalizes the arteries and veins.
INSECT BITES: Take one part honey to two parts of lukewarm water and add a small teaspoon of cinnamon powder, make a paste and massage it on the itching part of the body slowly. It is noticed that the pain recedes within a minute or two.
ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured.
In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week out of the 200 people so treated practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.
HAIR LOSS: Those suffering from hair loss or baldness, may apply a paste of hot olive oil, one tablespoon of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder before bath and keep it for approx. 15 min. and then wash the hair. It was found to be effective even if kept on for 5 minutes.
BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.
TOOTHACHE: Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey and apply on the aching tooth. This may be applied 3 times a day till the tooth stops aching.
CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder
mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to
reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within 2 hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken 3 times a day, any Chronic cholesterol is cured. As per information received in the said journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.
COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.
INFERTILITY: Yunani and Ayurvedic Medicine have been using honey for thousands of years to strengthen the semen of men. If impotent men regularly take two tablespoon of honey before going to sleep, their problem will be solved.
In China, Japan and Far-East countries, women, who do not conceive and need to strengthen the uterus, have been taking cinnamon powder for centuries. Women who
cannot conceive may take a pinch of cinnamon powder in half teaspoon of honey
and apply it on the gums frequently throughout the day, so that it slowly mixes with the saliva and enters the body.
A couple in Maryland, USA, had no children for 14 years and had lost hope of having a child of their own. When told about this process, husband and wife started taking honey and cinnamon as stated above; the wife conceived after a few months and had twins at full term.
UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomachache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.
GAS: According to the studies done in India & Japan, it is revealed that if honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.
IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.
INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food, relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.
INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ingredient, which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.
LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly arrests the ravages of old age. Take 4 spoons of honey, 1 spoon of cinnamon powder and 3 cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age.
Life spans also increases and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.
PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of Honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.
SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.
CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month 3 times a day.
FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon power in equal parts, are more alert and flexible.
Dr. Milton who has done research says that a half tablespoon honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3.00 p.m. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.
BAD BREATH: People of South America, first thing in the morning gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water. So their breath stays fresh throughout the day.
HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder taken in equal parts restore hearing.
*NOTE:The honey used needs to be REAL RAW UNPASTEURIZED HONEY. If it says PURE honey it is most likely pasteurized. It is best to only buy honey that says RAW or UNPASTEURIZED on the label. The difference is that the enzymes are all heated out of the pasteurized honey.
Cinnamon and Honey formula for weight loss:
This should be prepared at night before going to bed.
1. Use 1 part cinnamon to 2 parts raw honey. 1/2 tsp cinnamon to 1 tsp honey is recommended but can use more or less as long as in the ratio of 1 to 2. — so 1 tsp cinnamon to 2 tsp raw honey is ok too as an example.
2. Boil 1 cup…that is 8 oz of water.
3. Pour water over cinnamon and cover and let it steep for 1/2 hour..(30 minutes)
4. Add honey now that it has cooled. Never add honey when it is hot as the heat will destroy the enzymes and other nutrients in the raw honey.
5. Drink 1/2 of this directly before going to bed. The other 1/2 should be covered and refrigerated.
6. In the morning drink the other half that you refirgerated…but do not re-heat it…drink it cold or at room temp only.
Do not add anything else to this recipe. No lemon, no lime, no vinegar. It is not necessary to drink it more time in a day…it is only effective on an empty stomach and primarily at night.
This works for most people. Inches are lost before any measurement on the scales. This program will cause significant inches lost…but you will reach a plateau and may not lose anymore. This is because the cinnamon and honey cause a cleansing effect in the digestive tract and cleans out parasites and other fungus and bacteria that slow down the digestion…causing a toxic build up. (Lowers pH) Once this is all cleaned out then you will most likely have the weight loss slow down.
Other side effects from a cleansing can occur because of toxins being released…if this occurs, cut back on how much you use or take a break.
Additionally people report increased energy, more sex drive, and feeling happier/mood enhancer.
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It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride’s father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month … which we know today as the honeymoon.
Alternate sleep cycles. You Don’t Really Need 6-8 Hours
Jul 25th
Most people only think that there is one way to sleep: Go to sleep at night for 6-8 hours, wake up in the morning, stay awake for 16-18 hours and then repeat. Actually, that is called a monophasic sleep cycle, which is only 1 of 5 major sleep cycles that have been used successfully throughout history. The other 4 are considered polyphasic sleep cycles due to the multiple number of naps they require each day. How is this possible? How is this healthy? Well the most important of every sleep cycle is the Stage 5 REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, which has been shown to provide the benefits of sleep to the brain above all other stages of sleep. When changing over to a polyphasic cycle, the lack of sleep tricks the body into entering REM sleep immediately instead of 45 to 75 minutes into sleep like in the monophasic sleep. This way, you still get the benefits of 8 hours of sleep without wasting all of the time it takes to get to REM cycles, resulting in a much more efficient sleep cycle. Here are polyphasic cycles:
Uberman Cycle:
20 to 30 minute naps every 4 hours, resulting in 6 naps each day. The uberman cycle is highly efficient, and usually results in feeling healthy, feeling refreshed upon waking and extremely vivid dreams. Many uberman-users report increased ability to lucid dream as well. However, the rigid schedule makes it near impossible to miss naps without feeling horribly tired. Blogger Steve Pavlina tried the cycle for 5.5 months and had amazingly positive results.He only reverted to monophasic sleep so that he could be on the same cycle as his wife and children. Read his articles and updates on the cycle here.
Everyman Cycle:
One longer “core” nap that is supplemented with several 20-30 minute naps. The most successful variations that I have read about are either one 3 hour nap and three 20-minute naps or one 1.5 hour nap with 4-5 20 minute naps, all of which have equal amounts of time in between each nap. This cycle is much easier to adjust to than the Uberman and allows for more flexibity in nap times and in skipping naps when necessary. It is also still extremely efficient compared to monophasic with only 3-4 hours of sleep per day. Many bloggers have tried out this cycle and reported no negative effects on their health.
Dymaxion Cycle:
Bucky Fuller invented the cycle based on his belief that we have two energy tanks, the first is easy to replenish whereas the second tank (second wind) is much harder to replenish. So Bucky began sleeping for 30 minutes every 6 hours. That’s 2 hours a day of sleep! He reported feeling, “the most vigorous and alert condition I have ever enjoyed.” Doctors examined him after several years of using the cycle and pronounced him perfectly healthy. In fact, Fuller only stopped the cycle because his business associates were still stuck on monophasic cycles. This is by far the most extreme of the 4 alternate cycles, but also the most efficient.
Biphasic/Siesta Cycle:
Not even worthy of a diagram, the biphasic cycle is basically that of every college student in America. The biphasic cycle consists of sleeping for 4-4.5 hours at night, and then taking a 90 minute nap around noon. So not all that different, still more efficient than monophasic, but not by much.
So which cycle is right for you?
That completely depends on your lifestyle. Keep in mind that if you decide to switch to either the Dymaxion or Uberman cycles, you will be a zombie from day 3 to around day 10 until your body fully adjusts to the cycle. Here are some other tips I have gathered from reading other people’s accounts:
- Eat healthy, avoid fatty foods and the adjustment will be much easier
- Make sure you have a project to work on during all of your new awake hours as it makes the time go by faster
- Also make sure you have two or three weeks of freedom to adjust to the cycle so that you don’t go to work or school completely dead from sleep deprivation
- Hang in there. Each of the cycles will get exponentially easier all of the sudden after the first 2 weeks or so. Just be patient and diligent! Don’t skip naps or change your nap times around or you will basically have to start your adjustment period over.
- Use natural cues for being waking up from naps like sunlight and loud music, while using darkness and silence for sleep (obviously)
Acupressure Points for Relieving Anxiety and Nervousness
Jul 25th
Acupressure Points for Relieving Anxiety and Nervousness.
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Working on these points can help you get better quicker. You do not have to use all of these points. Using just one or two of them whenever you have a free hand can be effective.
Points (A) — Heavenly Pillar Points (B) — Heavenly Rejuvenation Points (C) — Crooked Marsh– on both side of arm Points (D) — Inner Gate– on both side of arm Points (E) — Spirit Gate– on both side of arm Points (F) — Third Eye Point Points (G) — Sea of Tranquility |
An afternoon nap markedly boosts the brain’s learning capacity
Jul 25th
If you see a student dozing in the library or a co-worker catching 40 winks in her cubicle, don’t roll your eyes. New research from the University of California, Berkeley, shows that an hour’s nap can dramatically boost and restore your brain power. Indeed, the findings suggest that a biphasic sleep schedule not only refreshes the mind, but can make you smarter.
Conversely, the more hours we spend awake, the more sluggish our minds become, according to the findings. The results support previous data from the same research team that pulling an all-nighter — a common practice at college during midterms and finals — decreases the ability to cram in new facts by nearly 40 percent, due to a shutdown of brain regions during sleep deprivation.
“Sleep not only rights the wrong of prolonged wakefulness but, at a neurocognitive level, it moves you beyond where you were before you took a nap,” said Matthew Walker, an assistant professor of psychology at UC Berkeley and the lead investigator of these studies.
In the recent UC Berkeley sleep study, 39 healthy young adults were divided into two groups — nap and no-nap. At noon, all the participants were subjected to a rigorous learning task intended to tax the hippocampus, a region of the brain that helps store fact-based memories. Both groups performed at comparable levels.
At 2 p.m., the nap group took a 90-minute siesta while the no-nap group stayed awake. Later that day, at 6 p.m., participants performed a new round of learning exercises. Those who remained awake throughout the day became worse at learning. In contrast, those who napped did markedly better and actually improved in their capacity to learn.
These findings reinforce the researchers’ hypothesis that sleep is needed to clear the brain’s short-term memory storage and make room for new information, said Walker, who presented his preliminary findings on Sunday, Feb. 21, at the annual meeting of the American Association of the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in San Diego, Calif.
Since 2007, Walker and other sleep researchers have established that fact-based memories are temporarily stored in the hippocampus before being sent to the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which may have more storage space.
“It’s as though the e-mail inbox in your hippocampus is full and, until you sleep and clear out those fact e-mails, you’re not going to receive any more mail. It’s just going to bounce until you sleep and move it into another folder,” Walker said.
In the latest study, Walker and his team have broken new ground in discovering that this memory-refreshing process occurs when nappers are engaged in a specific stage of sleep. Electroencephalogram tests, which measure electrical activity in the brain, indicated that this refreshing of memory capacity is related to Stage 2 non-REM sleep, which takes place between deep sleep (non-REM) and the dream state known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM). Previously, the purpose of this stage was unclear, but the new results offer evidence as to why humans spend at least half their sleeping hours in Stage 2, non-REM, Walker said.
“I can’t imagine Mother Nature would have us spend 50 percent of the night going from one sleep stage to another for no reason,” Walker said. “Sleep is sophisticated. It acts locally to give us what we need.”
Walker and his team will go on to investigate whether the reduction of sleep experienced by people as they get older is related to the documented decrease in our ability to learn as we age. Finding that link may be helpful in understanding such neurodegenerative conditions as Alzheimer’s disease, Walker said.
In addition to Walker, co-investigators of these new findings are UC Berkeley post-doctoral fellow Bryce A. Mander and psychology undergraduate Sangeetha Santhanam.
Translating Food cravings
Jul 25th
| If you crave this… | What you really need is… | And here are healthy foods that have it: |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | Magnesium | Raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits |
| Sweets | Chromium | Broccoli, grapes, cheese, dried beans, calves liver, chicken |
| Carbon | Fresh fruits | |
| Phosphorus | Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes, grains | |
| Sulfur | Cranberries, horseradish, cruciferous vegetables, kale, cabbage | |
| Tryptophan | Cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach | |
| Bread, toast | Nitrogen | High protein foods: fish, meat, nuts, beans |
| Oily snacks, fatty foods | Calcium | Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame |
| Coffee or tea | Phosphorous | Chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes |
| Sulfur | Egg yolks, red peppers, muscle protein, garlic, onion, cruciferous vegetables | |
| NaCl (salt) | Sea salt, apple cider vinegar (on salad) | |
| Iron | Meat, fish and poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries | |
| Alcohol, recreational drugs | Protein | Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, nuts |
| Avenin | Granola, oatmeal | |
| Calcium | Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame | |
| Glutamine | Supplement glutamine powder for withdrawal, raw cabbage juice | |
| Potassium | Sun-dried black olives, potato peel broth, seaweed, bitter greens | |
| Chewing ice | Iron | Meat, fish, poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries |
| Burned food | Carbon | Fresh fruits |
| Soda and other carbonated drinks | Calcium | Mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, kale, legumes, cheese, sesame |
| Salty foods | Chloride | Raw goat milk, fish, unrefined sea salt |
| Acid foods | Magnesium | Raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits |
| Preference for liquids rather than solids | Water | Flavor water with lemon or lime. You need 8 to 10 glasses per day. |
| Preference for solids rather than liquids | Water | You have been so dehydrated for so long that you have lost your thirst. Flavor water with lemon or lime. You need 8 to 10 glasses per day. |
| Cool drinks | Manganese | Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, blueberries |
| Pre-menstrual cravings | Zinc | Red meats (especially organ meats), seafood, leafy vegetables, root vegetables |
| General overeating | Silicon | Nuts, seeds; avoid refined starches |
| Tryptophan | Cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach | |
| Tyrosine | Vitamin C supplements or orange, green, red fruits and vegetables | |
| Lack of appetite | Vitamin B1 | Nuts, seeds, beans, liver and other organ meats |
| Vitamin B3 | Tuna, halibut, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, seeds and legumes | |
| Manganese | Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, blueberries | |
| Chloride | Raw goat milk, unrefined sea salt | |
| Tobacco | Silicon | Nuts, seeds; avoid refined starches |
| Tyrosine | Vitamin C supplements or orange, green and red fruits and vegetables |
Become Slim naturally and easily
Jul 19th
This article is not to market any product its just some simple rules which will make you slim quick and naturally. Its common sense actually more than any thing. You can see the difference within 21 days. Here are the rules:
1. Drink water before the meal but not after it.
2. Eat consciously. chew well.
3. Stop right when you feel little full.
4. Walk 40 steps after eating.
5. Don’t lie down for at least 1 hour after eating.
Following the above mentioned rules will not only make you slim naturally but your stomach and over all health will also improve.
Lack of oxygen. The Real Cause of Cancer — And the Only Way to Stop It
Jun 17th
By Dr. Robert Rowan, MD
Did you know that if you contract stage-4 cancer, conventional medicine has absolutely nothing that can cure you? Some time ago, the Congressional Record stated that no one has ever been cured at this late stage with chemo, radiation, surgery, or any combination of these.
What’s worse, though, is that the government knows this is true and still gives orthodox medicine a government-granted monopoly on cancer treatment.
Fortunately, there are mavericks that risk their livelihood to offer treatments that can beat cancer at any stage. While some of them end up in prison or in poverty, there are others who fly below the government’s radar and make a huge difference in the way we fight cancer.
One such man was Otto Warburg, one of my greatest medical heroes. What he discovered about cancer more than half a century ago won him the Nobel Prize. But more importantly, it may spare your life.
Dr. Warburg was a brilliant German scientist who found the common denominator of all cancers. It’s a very simple thread that connects every cancer — and exposes cancer’s weakness. His meticulous research won him the Nobel Prize in 1931. And subsequent groundbreaking work earned him a second Nobel Prize offer in 1944. Unfortunately, the Nazis wouldn’t let him receive it.
Warburg studied cancer in real time. That means he studied cells as they transformed from normal to cancer as it was happening. His incredible paper was called “The Metabolism of Carcinoma Cells.” It was published in America in the Journal of Cancer Research in 1925.
The connection he discovered was a common metabolic link in all cancers. And it was not pesticides, preservatives, radiation, chemicals, poisons, or any other carcinogen. Wait a minute! Weren’t we taught to believe that carcinogens damage DNA and cause cancer by genetic injury? It’s true all of these are factors. But they all lead to only one simple bottom line — they all prevent your cells from getting or using oxygen.
Warburg’s story is all about oxygen. You know that I, too, love to use oxygen to treat disease. It’s the stuff of life. Consume more oxygen and live longer. Consume less and your life will be shortened with more chronic degeneration. Just what kind of degeneration? Not just circulatory diseases and infections, but cancer!
Most doctors think that less oxygen simply means a heart attack or stroke. But Warburg proved it also can mean cancer. Here’s why: You know that your cells need to make energy. They do that by burning sugars and fats with oxygen. It’s sort of like the combustion engine, which burns gasoline and oxygen in your car’s engine. Deprive your car’s engine of gasoline or oxygen, and it will stop running. Warburg found that malignant tumors always have a degree of oxygen deprivation.
He also found that cancerous tumors produced far more lactic acid than benign tumors. Lactic acid is what cells produce when they burn sugar without enough oxygen. It’s also what yeast produces when it ferments. Warburg argued that, malignant cancer cells are essentially cells that are fermenting. As the degree of fermentation increases, so does the degree of malignancy.
So the next question is, “Why don’t you get cancer in your brain or heart when a clot forms cutting off the blood supply?” That kind of oxygen deficit will cause instant cell death — a heart attack or stroke.
Warburg found in order for cancer to develop, damaged cells must survive long enough for fermentation to start. Total oxygen deprivation definitely means cell death and no subsequent degeneration to cancer. So there’s a mysterious delay between a partial insult and the development of cancer. The length of this delay is different in different animals. In man, it can take several decades. Or it can happen much quicker.
Warburg emphasized that you can’t make a cell ferment unless a LACK OF OXYGEN is involved. In 1955, two American scientists, R.A. Malmgren and C.C. Flanigan, confirmed Warburg’s findings. They found that oxygen deficiency is ALWAYS present when cancer develops.
Now here’s the real kicker. Warburg found that you can reverse fermentation simply by adding oxygen – but only if you do it early enough. He incubated cells in nitrogen, starving them of oxygen for regular but short periods. Starving the cells of oxygen caused them to begin fermentation. Restoring oxygen promptly enabled the cells to recover. But the longer they were oxygen starved, the slower and less certain the recovery. With enough oxygen starvation, cells don’t recover. Once they reach a certain point, no amount of oxygen will return them to normal.
So all of this begs the question, “Why do cells lose oxygen in the first place?” I mentioned earlier that poisons, preservatives, radiation, or other carcinogens all affect a cell’s ability to use oxygen. But there’s something far more common that has the same impact — glucose.
Warburg said that glucose brings a cell’s ability to use oxygen to a standstill. So if you flood your cells with glucose, your cells won’t get the oxygen they need to function correctly. That will begin fermentation, which leads to cancer. This is why I repeatedly call for you to avoid all refined foods. That’s the best way to stop the flood of glucose into your cells.
Now you know the underlying cause of cancer. The next question to consider is what we can do to enhance oxygen delivery. Well, one method is exercise with oxygen therapy (EWOT or multi-step therapy), which I’ve told you about in the past.
But what about your diet? Warburg did a lot of work on vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. He found that they help cells use oxygen more efficiently. Today, we know that vitamins and minerals are absolute requirements for your enzymes to work. When you’re deficient in nutrients, it impairs your cell’s ability to use oxygen and produce energy. I prefer you get most of your nutrients from your food. But supplements will also help.
Ref: Cancer Research, vol. 15(7).
Amazing Nigella Sativa For Your Health Treatment
Jun 15th
Blackseedis phytotherapuetic (Herbal medicine ) and has been known to reduce your risk to illness and disease by strengthening your immune system and protecting your body’s most important organs. In English, Nigella sativa seed is variously called fennel flower, nutmeg flower, Roman coriander, blackseed, black caraway, or black onion seed. Other names used, sometimes misleadingly, are onion seed and black sesame, both of which are similar-looking but unrelated. The seeds are frequently referred to as black cumin (as in Bengali: kalo jira, kalo jeera, kali jeera), but this is also used for a different spice, Bunium persicum. The scientific name is a derivative of Latin niger “black”. Another many names such as black cumin, kalonji, blackseed, swartzcummel, Nigella sativa, fennel flower, habbat al barakah, sinouj, black caraway and habba sawdah.
According to Zohary and Hopf, archeological evidence about the earliest cultivation of N. sativa “is still scanty”, but they report that N. sativa seeds have been found in several sites from ancient Egypt, including Tutankhamun’s tomb. For centuries, the Black Seed herb and oil has been used by millions of people in Asia, Middle East, and Africa to support their health. An aromatic spice, similar looking to sesame seed except black in color, it has been traditionally used for a variety of conditions and treatments related to respiratory health, stomach and intestinal health, kidney and liver function, circulatory and immune system support, and for general overall well-being. Black Seed is also known as Black Cumin, Black Caraway Seed, Habbatul Baraka (the Blessed Seed), and by its botanical name “Nigella Sativa”.
Since 1959, over 200 studies at international universities and articles published in various journals have shown remarkable results supporting its traditional uses recorded almost 1400 years ago.
While the blackseedis highly effective by itself, ongoing studies with the combination of other herbs have produced remarkable results.
Amazingly nigella sativa’s chemical composition is very rich and diverse. Aside from its primary ingredient, crystalline nigellone, Black Seed contains 15 amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, both fixed oils (84% fatty acids, including linolenic, and oleic), and volatile oils, alkaloids, saponin, and crude fiber, as well as minerals such as calcium, iron, sodium and potassium. There are still many components in Black Seed that haven’t been identified. Researchers at the Kimmel Cancer at Jefferson in Philadelphia have found that thymoquinone, an extract of nigella sativa seed oil, blocked pancreatic cancer cell growth and killed the cells by enhancing the process of programmed cell death, (apoptosis). Black Seed! and its curative virtues from the ancient knowledge base of Prophetic medicine to new scientific research. This intersection between the Prophetic knowledge base matched with the learning from scientific research surely contributes to make the Sweet Sunnah Black Seed products totally effective and unique. Black Seed (Nigella sativa) appropriately known as the “seed of blessing” is considered to be one of the greatest healing herbs of all times.
It is an excellent phytotherapuetic medicine used for millenniums to treat a variety of conditions related to respiratory health, skin, stomach and intestinal disorders, kidney & liver function, circulatory and immune system support, and to maintain and improve overall health. Phytotherapeutic- simply put, consists of the treatment or prevention of ailments and diseases through the usage of plants.
habbatussauda has a pungent bitter taste and a faint smell of strawberries. The variety of naan bread called Peshawari naan is as a rule topped with kalonji seeds. In herbal medicine, Nigella sativa has antihypertensive, carminative, and anthelmintic properties.
Nigella sativa has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries, both as a herb and pressed into oil, in Asia, Middle East, and Africa. It has been traditionally used for a variety of conditions and treatments related to respiratory health, stomach and intestinal health, kidney and liver function, circulatory and immune system support, and for general well-being.
In Islam, it is regarded as one of the greatest forms of healing medicine available. The prophet Muhammad once stated that the black seed can heal every disease—except death—as recounted in the following hadith:
Narrated Khalid bin Sa’d R.A:We went out and Ghalib bin Abjar R.A was accompanying us. He fell ill on the way and when we arrived at Medina he was still sick. Ibn Abi ‘Atiq came to visit him and said to us, “Treat him with black cumin. Take five or seven seeds and crush them (mix the powder with oil) and drop the resulting mixture into both nostrils, for ‘Aisha has narrated to me that she heard the Prophet saying, ‘This black cumin is healing for all diseases except As-Sam.’ ‘Aisha said, ‘What is As-Sam?’ He said, ‘Death.’ ” (Bukhari)
The seeds have been traditionally used in the Middle East and Southeast Asian countries to treat ailments including asthma, bronchitis, rheumatism and related inflammatory diseases, to increase milk production in nursing mothers, to promote digestion and to fight parasitic infections. Its oil has been used to treat skin conditions such as eczema and boils and to treat cold symptoms. Its many uses have earned nigella the Arabic approbation ‘Habbatul barakah’, meaning the seed of blessing.
Nigella Sativa Sends Relief to Millions of Migraine Sufferers
Jun 15th
(NaturalNews) If you have ever woken with a pounding headache or an excruciating migraine, then Nigella Sativa is right for you. The Greeks and the Arabs have been prescribing Nigella Sativa for over 2000 years in the treatment of headaches and it works quickly and efficiently. By simply applying the oil around the eyes and nose, the headache usually disappears within a short period of time. Nigella Sativa(also known as black seed) has been shown to be effective against Pancreatic Cancer, one of the most aggressive cancers known.
Nigella Sativa has over 100 chemical compounds and has Vitamins such as calcium, potassium, zinc, magnesium and Vitamins A, B, C, D and E in the seeds. Prophet Mohammad said, “Use this seed regularly, because it is a cure for every disease, except death.” Nigella Sativa has been regarded as a true “Miracle Cure” and was found in King Tut’s tomb, suggesting that even centuries ago, the Kings thought of it as a valuable plant and herb of blessings.
As soon as the person gets the first sign of an attack, they must take their first dose of Nigella Sativa. Nigella Sativa comes two ways, in the original small tiny black seeds(that need to be heated) and the oils. The oil is what is needed for the migraine, as the oil is very concentrated. For migraines, you need to take the oil and rub it on the back of your neck and over the eyes and at the hairline. Also, if you have pain at the top of your head, dab some there. Then take a few drops and put in each nostril, not deep inside but at the bottom of the nostril, and then breathe in deeply. This needs to be done 3 times a day or as long as the headache remains. You also need to take 1 teaspoon of the oil with one teaspoon of honey when you wake up in the morning. Wait one hour before eating anything for breakfast.
It is best to use raw honey if you have that available in your area. This remedy must be done on the onset of the migraine. It will help a full blown attack, but it is easier to get rid of in the beginning stages. Also, it is very important to avoid all triggers during this period. Nigella Sativa seeds are fairly inexpensive and can be obtained from many sources but many companies do not have the same quality.
If you buy the organic seeds that have not been prepared, you must heat them to get rid of the bitterness and the hotness. This is a very simple procedure, but you must take precautions and do a small amount at a time, till you understand the process completely. Take a small portion of the seeds and place them in a heavy bottom skillet. Turn the gas or electric burner on low and heat slightly, stirring constantly. You must keep tasting them until the hotness is gone. When the seeds are very bland, remove them from the stove. Be careful not to burn them as they do burn easily. After they have finished, place them in a coffee grinder or blender and mulch to a very fine powder. This powder can be put in honey at this time or in vegetarian capsules. Always use vegetarian capsules, as gelatin is made from pork.
To make the mixture with honey, fill the jar halfway up with honey and then begin adding small amount of the black seed mixture at a time. Keep stirring the honey and black seeds and add till the top is almost full. You want the mixture to be a very thick consistency. By the next day, the honey and black seed mixture will be thick, almost like candy – extremely delicious. You will have no problem eating your minimum of 2 teaspoons per day.
Note: Nigella Sativa is toxic in high doses, so moderation is the key here. Nigella Sativa will increase your energy and take away your fatigue. Never take the oil on a full stomach as it will cause you distress.
Black Cumin (Nigella sativa)
Jun 9th
September 4 2007 post, titled “A Cure For Every Disease Except Death.” The title of my post is the translation of an ancient saying (which I loved!) referring to a common Islamic belief that the black cumin seed plant, or Nigella sativa or blackseed, a member of the buttercup family (the Ranunculaceae family), is a panacea for every ailment except aging and death. And everything that I read online yesterday and this morning on different websites would seem to confirm the extraordinary and wide-ranging healing properties of this plant.
Wikipedia, for instance, informs us that Nigella sativa has been used for centuries, both as a herb and pressed into oil, by people in Asia, Middle East, and Africa for medicinal purposes. It has been traditionally used for a variety of conditions and treatments related to respiratory health, stomach and intestinal health, kidney and liver function, circulatory and immune system support, and for general overall well-being. In Islam, it is regarded as one of the greatest forms of healing medicine available.
So here we have a plant extract that was and is used to treat ailments ranging from asthma to diarrhea, from skin diseases to nervous disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes, worms and parasites. Nigella sativa has antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities, and also allegedly strengthens the immune system, cleanses the body, purifies the blood, improves blood circulation, and helps us live longer. Strengthens the immune system? Purifies the blood? Helps us live longer? Sounds too good to be true. Ahhh, but this is just the beginning.
In the past few decades Nigella sativa has been under scrutiny for its anti-cancer potential. Nope, unfortunately I found no black cumin – myeloma studies. But I am still looking! Here follows a selection of the many studies examining the effects of Nigella sativa and its various extracts on cancer.
A June 2007 study (abstract: http://tinyurl.com/2zksw6), which I was lucky enough to get my hands on, thanks to a good friend (grazie!), informs us that “Nigella sativa has immunopotentiation and antihistaminic, antidiabetic, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial activities. [...] Furthermore, blackseed preparations may have a cancer chemopreventive potential and may reduce the toxicity of standard antineoplastic drugs.”
The study looked at the in vitro and in vivo (mice) potential of different extracts of Nigella sativa seeds against several tumour cell lines. The essential oil injected directly into solid tumours inhibited their development, and even decreased their volume after 30 days of treatment. The study concludes: “Our results indicate for the first time that intra-tumor treatment of tumor-bearing mice with essential oil may have led to the inhibition of metastasis development [...]. These results demonstrate either that the essential oil has an anti-metastatic activity in mice or that it inhibits or delays metastasis by rapid reduction of primary tumor volume at the site of induction. [...] The present study demonstrates that the cytotoxic activity of blackseed extracts is a complex phenomenon depending not only on the nature of the extract and its components, but also on the tumor cell type.”
An August 2007 study published in “Cancer Research” (http://tinyurl.com/266rlg) examines the in vitro and in vivo effects of one of Nigella sativa’s active compounds, thymoquinone, on prostate cancer, concluding that it may prove to be effective in treating hormone-sensitive as well as hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Furthermore, because of its selective effect on cancer cells, we believe that thymoquinone can also be used safely to help prevent the development of prostate cancer. The cytotoxicity of Nigella sativa purified extracts, thymoquinone (TQ) and dithymoquinone (DIM), against a variety of tumour cells had already been examined in 1998 (http://tinyurl.com/33woyf). With very good results, I should add.
A 2005 article (http://tinyurl.com/2u9arx) mentions “the protective effects of TQ and the volatile oil against the nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity induced by either disease or chemicals. The seeds/oil have antiinflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, antimicrobial and antineoplastic activity. The oil decreases blood pressure and increases respiration. Treatment of rats with the seed extract for up to 12 weeks has been reported to induce changes in the haemogram that include an increase in both the packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin (Hb), and a decrease in plasma concentrations of cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose.” Well, all this is truly remarkable, to say the least.
As I do with all the substances on my research list, I checked to see if there was any mention of clinical trials. I was actually not surprised to find only ONE (see: http://tinyurl.com/34kv6e), which tested Nigella sativa on dyslipidemia, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. No cancer trials. Not one! This sounds all too familiar, unfortunately. (Big sigh.)
My own experience with Nigella sativa. My interest in this remarkable plant was sparked at the beginning of 2006, after I read that black cumin seeds had been found in the tomb of Tutankhamen (how about that for a fascinating historical detail?). That reminds me: I have not yet mentioned that the seeds are used in Middle Eastern cooking to flavour breads, cakes, and even alcoholic beverages. And oh, by the way, Nigella sativa should not be confused with the herb and spice known as cumin, which is a member of the parsley family (I made that mistake until I looked it up). In April, I took black cumin oil capsules, a total of two grams a day, then I ran out of them and didn’t place another order since by then I had flaxseed oil capsules. However, I wonder if the black cumin oil might have had a positive effect on my good IgG increase in June ? And possibly on the improvement in my rosacea? Hard to say, now. I wasn’t paying much attention to these oil capsules at the time, I confess, since I hadn’t done much research at that point and was using them mainly to enhance curcumin bioavailability. Well, after what I have read in the past two days, I will reorder black cumin oil capsules and test them as a holistic remedy. Soon. In fact, I am going to see if I can grow the plant in my back yard with the rest of my herbs. My Nigella sativa story doesn’t end here!
Update. May 20 2008 post: Today’s Science Daily (http://tinyurl.com/42pofz) has an interesting report on Nigella sativa, also known as black cumin. The black cumin seed plant is a member of the buttercup family and is a highly regarded medicinal plant in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
This is not news to me. I wrote a post in September of 2007 about Nigella sativa titled “A cure for every disease except death.” If you need a memory refresher, just click on my black cumin page on the right side of your screen.
Back to Science Daily. Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University recently discovered that an extract of Nigella sativa, called thymoquinone, blocked pancreatic cancer cell growth and killed the cells via apoptosis.
After adding thymoquinone to pancreatic cancer cells, the researchers observed increased levels of p53 and Bax, both cancer cell killers, as well as decreased levels of Bcl-2, a protein that instead blocks apoptosis. For more technical details please go read the article.
So even though I am working on a different topic right now, this article motivated me to have a quick look around to see what else I could find.
An interesting abstract published in 2006 (see:http://tinyurl.com/4srow5) deals with the effects of Nigella sativa on rats who had been injected with cadmium. Well, the rats that were treated also with Nigella sativa fared much better than the others: their red and white blood cell counts and haemoglobin were higher, for instance. This is actually the real reason I decided to mention this study: if your haemoglobin and red and white blood cell counts are low, you might consider taking this supplement. Nigella sativa also increased the lowered insulin levels and neutrophils of the rats, and decreased their elevated heart rate and glucose concentration. So, good stuff!
Since Sherlock and I have been doing our experiments together, I have stopped taking Nigella sativa. But I will resume taking it over the summer as soon as our current experiment ends. My RBC and WBC counts are low, albeit still within the normal range. My haemoglobin is also within the normal range but I would love to bring it up a bit.
Hmmm, I just read that black cumin seeds are a good source of iron, as you can see here: http://tinyurl.com/3vvs5m. Well, well…WELL!