Ginseng safe for children?

Previously ginseng has been highly recommended as an immune system tonic, but mainly suitable for men and post menopausal women. The Red Army famously uses ginseng to help with stamina and endurance, but some new research seems to indicate that it can also be used safely for short term use when treating children with cold and flu symptoms.

Sunita Vohra, M.D., M.Sc., of the University of Alberta tested an over-the-counter ginseng supplement and found it was well tolerated in children without any serious adverse effects if used just for treating common cold symptoms. As this is a self-limiting illness the supplementwas only given for a short period and presumably helped by stimulating the child’s own natural immune defences to be more effective in combating the cold.

The effects of supplements on children has not much been studied – nor indeed as I have previously reported have the effects of drugs such as statins which are currently being prescribed to them. As it is estimated that 41% to 45% of children in Canada and the United States use natural health products, then it seems about time a comprehensive study was done. George Rylance, a paediatrician at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, who helps to produce the British National Formulary for Children, said that dosages must be tailored for each child, calculated by weight and age.

The standard adult dose of a ginseng supplement for treating a cold is three times daily at 600 mg on day one, 400 mg on day two, and 200 mg on day three. The dosage was adjusted for children according to weight and their standard dose 26 mg/kg per day on day one, 17 mg/kg/day on day two, and 9 mg/kg/day on day three. Children weighing more than 45 kg were given the standard adult dose. They received a liquid form of ginseng which they were given in orange juice – not sure if they added in any benefit from the vitamin C or not.

The result on safety over a short term was conclusive, it was fine, and there was some indication that the ginseng was effective in reducing the duration of the symptoms of the cold. The maker of the ginseng product used in the study, CV Technologies, plans to start a larger randomized efficacy trial in children within the next year, as it seems to be an effective treatment for upper respiratory tract infection.

Common colds – old fashioned cure

I am always on the lookout for healthy news, and I was sent an email from Karen Hopwood which reminded me about a very old fashioned remedy indeed. When I was a child and had a cold my mother would apply lashings of Vick’s vapour rub to my chest and cover it with a red flannel liberty bodice. A sticky concoction, but it seemed to do the trick.

Karen has a slightly different take on it, and I will let her tell it to you in her own words. “When my eldest son was a baby he caught a cold which was very heavy and I was really worried. Nothing the doctor gave me seemed to clear the cold. A Jamaican lady I worked with suggested I try putting Vicks Vapourub on his feet and then putting cotton socks on him. I did it and he was much better the next morning. I then caught the cold and she suggested I do the same thing but added that I should drink some hot Ribena with a slug of black rum in it as well. It does make you sweat but you are much better the next day. It really works!”

Not sure of the medicinal effect of the rum and Ribena, but it undoubtedly worked for Karen – and probably would cheer you up in the midst of your cold!

Oh Really?

This week’s winner in the ‘how did they get money to research that’ contest comes from a recent study, which appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. I know you are going to struggle to believe this, but apparently watching too much TV is associated with poor health, in particular, lack of weight loss and an increased risk of excess weight/obesity. Oh really? The researchers looked at a group of young adults aged 26-36 and assessed them for waist size, TV viewing time, amount of food and drink consumed during TV viewing, and physical activity levels during leisure time.

I want to help you here, so be aware that if you want to reduce your waistline, then reduce your tv hours first. Apparently, women who watched 3 or more hours a day had an 89% increased risk of severe obesity compared to those watching 1 hour of TV a day or less. Unfairly, it seems to me, men get off more lightly – but that is still no excuse for hanging on to the remote. Men watching 3 or more hours of TV a day were more than twice as likely to have moderate obesity compared to those watching 1 hour of TV a day or less.

You might have thought this would be offset by what people did in their spare time, but it seems not to have been the case. Whether you rollerblade or sit and watch the world go by is not particularly influential when compared to how much tv you watch. There is also the fact that watching tv is also associated with snacking, not generally on carrot and celery sticks, so that could also be a factor. TV turns the mind off, which turns off the mind/body connection and the internal desire to eat healthy food, and someone who watches a lot of television is more likely to be influenced by advertisements, which generally encourage you to eat more of the sweets/crisps/chocolates rather than healthier options.

Osteoporosis drugs questionmark

Some years ago I set up the Natural Progesterone Information Service to provide women with the latest news on natural hormones rather than synthetic ones such as HRT. One of the things that John Lee talked a lot about all those years ago was how in his opinion the biphosphonate drugs given for osteoporosis were actually weakening the bone rather than helping to build it. He had seen great results with women using natural progesterone to build bone density, though the medical profession did not accept that progesterone could work more effectively than the drugs. Now after all these years, more questions have emerged about whether long-term use of bone-building drugs for osteoporosis may actually lead to weaker bones in a small number of people who use them. Case reports show an unusual fracture pattern in people who have used bone-building drugs, the biphosphonates, for five years or more.

If you are taking such drugs please ensure you are also having regular bone scans to check your progess and it would be worth looking at your diet and natural supplements that can help build bone such as horsetail and silica. If you would like information on natural progesterone for osteoporosis and HRT replacement (I no longer have any connection with the service since I gave up running it) you can obtain a booklet from the Natural Progesterone Information Service, tel: 07000 784849 or visit their website at www.npis.info.
Wellspring Trading in Guernsey also have an excellent free booklet on natural progesterone cream which is written by my good friend and colleague, Dr Shirley Bond – a private GP who specialises in hormone therapy for women. Wellspring’s telephone number is – 01481 233 370.

Pets and pregnancy – A warning

A new study shows that pregnant women who use flea and tick shampoos on pets may double the risk of autism in their children. This preliminary finding comes from the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment study (CHARGE) – a case-control study from the University of California Davis, in the US.

The results are part of an ongoing research project which is following 2,000 children – some with autism, some with developmental delay, and some with typical development – and compares individual genetic patterns with exposure to medications, chemicals, food products, and other environmental factors.

It is believed that it is pyrethrins, commonly used chemicals in insecticides, that may play a role in triggering autism in certain children. Pyrethrins are extracted from Chrysanthemum flowers and are regarded as low in toxicity and there are commercial pyrethrum formulas that are considered safe to use in food preparation areas where flies and other insects can be found. One other product where Pyrethrins are widely used is in lice-control shampoos for humans and pets.

As I mentioned earlier, this is only a preliminary study but it would be a sensible precaution for pregnant women to avoid contact with lice-control shampoos. Let someone else shampoo the dog, or look for shampoos that treat lice naturally with ingredients such as tea tree oil, and not pyrethrins.

The most effective antioxidant juice – Honest

It used to be that you just went into the supermarket, and bought juice. Probably orange or apple and that was that. Now the packs all scream about being one of your 5 a day, or that they are rich in antioxidants and can reduce your levels of free radicals – in their opinion, which is rarely backed up by any facts and figures. You know that to be healthy you need a decent level of antioxidants in your diet, but with up to a dozen or so manufacturers all claiming the same thing for their product – so just who do you believe?

Happily for us, the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry has just reported on some research done at the University of California which definitively proves which juice has more antioxidants than any other drink, including other juices, green or black tea, and red wine.

Ready for it? The winner is pomegranate juice, which has around 20% more antioxidants than other drinks tested. They carried out a series of tests to determine their antioxidant levels and abilities to scavenge for free radicals. The pomegranate juice was a clear winner on all counts as was their conclusion and it has been linked to many other health benefits including a 50% reduction in Alzheimer’s risk, and suggested as part of a cancer prevention diet, particularly prostate cancer.

Why low cholesterol is not always a good thing

I know that in the media there is a lot of emphasis placed on the dangers of high cholesterol, however what many people fail to realise is that cholesterol is essential for your health. It’s present in every single cell in your body where it helps to produce cell membranes, hormones, vitamin D and bile acids to help you digest fat.

Cholesterol also helps in the formation of your memories and is vital for neurological function, and now scientists have discovered that there is one specific area where having low levels of one type of cholesterol has been linked to memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease.

Scientists studied more than 3,500 civil servants to investigate how levels of HDL or “good” cholesterol were associated with memory. HDL cholesterol can influence the formation of the beta-amyloid “plaques” that are a distinctive feature in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Higher levels of HDL are also believed to protect against damage to blood supply caused by the narrowing of the arteries.

After the five-year study period, the researchers found that people with low levels of HDL were 53% more likely to suffer memory loss than people with the highest levels of HDL. Those with impaired memory are at an increased risk of developing dementia later in life, and that is not the only area where low cholesterol levels can cause you health problems.

The Risks of Low Cholesterol

Other risks related to neurological function are depression, suicidal tendencies and may lead to violent behaviour and aggression. Cholesterol levels that are too low can also increase your risk of cancer and Parkinson’s disease so trying to reduce your cholesterol to unreasonably low levels is doing your long-term health no favours.

Why do cholesterol levels rise?

High cholesterol has become such a hot topic that many people don’t realise that it is not a disease in itself. It is actually a perfectly normal response when something has gone wrong and your body needs to make new, healthy cells. Because cholesterol is produced whenever your cells become damaged, it will show as high cholesterol levels, but if you have a lot of damaged cells, you’re also going to have a lot of cholesterol in your bloodstream. This is a good thing, because it means your cells are being repaired.

Instead of just trying to reduce the high cholesterol, it makes more sense to search for what’s causing the damage in the first place, rather than moving straight on to cholesterol-lowering drugs.

One of the most common causes of high cholesterol is inflammation, and that can be brought on by a number of factors, including:

** Too many processed foods
** Smoking
** Not enough exercise
** Emotional stress

Healthy cholesterol levels are essential to keep your cells functioning at their best, and all of those risk factors above are within your control so that might be the place to start. If stress is the issue, have a look at the website for my book on How To Cope Successfully With Stress at www.sortingstressout.com

Given up smoking? Take up gardening!

If you know anyone who has recently given up smoking, or is thinking of doing so, then there is some great news on a really substantial benefit if they will also take up a very specific form of physical exercise. Former smokers can decrease their risk of developing lung cancer by up to an amazing 45%, and if they also reform their diet they can reduce their risk even further. These findings came out of a study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s Sixth Annual International Conference in Philadelphia this month.

Researchers studied 3,800 women and men using a pairing system that sorts people according to smoking status. Therefore, smokers with lung cancer would only be compared to smokers without lung cancer, with the same pairing taking place for former smokers and those who have never smoked. Researchers compared those who had not developed lung cancer based on a variety of factors including exposure to secondhand smoke, dust exposure, family cancer history, personal respiratory history, diet and exercise.

The ‘exercise’ that is credited with this decrease in risk is gardening, because apparently that is one of the few activities that people with lung cancer report doing. So the former smokers who gardened reduced their lung cancer risk by 45% percent, while current smokers who gardened reduced their risk by 33%. Hopefully they were also growing their own vegetables because eating four or more salads a week reduced their risk by 67 percent, and for those still smoking who gardened and chomped on the green stuff they reduced their risk by 71% Time to get out the garden spade, rake and dibber and get planting.

Global warming effect on health

We are used to hearing about the dire effects global warming will have on the environment and the knock on effect on the animal and plant life of our planet. Now it seems that another animal is being affected: the human one. Apparently, as temperatures across the U.S. increase because of global warming, there is a suggestion that the prevalence of kidney stones is expected to grow.

Researchersat the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas have reported online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, that if the temperature overall increases by just 2.38°C, then such climate change is expected to create 1.61 to 2.25 million new cases of kidney stones by 2050. This is an increase of 7% from 2000 and would add $947 million to $1.33 billion in annual healthcare costs, according to the researchers’ calculations. This represents a 25% increase over the $5.3 billion spent in 2000.

They predict the increase would either be in a band covering the southern half of the U.S. or the upper Midwest. The maximum climate-related risk increases would be found in cities such as New York, Detroit, Chicago, Salt Lake City and Sacramento although they predict new cases would occur mostly in the Midwest and Northeast.

The south east of the US already has a 50% higher incidence of kidney stones than other parts of the country, due to regional differences in temperature. Rising temperatures are believed to be associated with a greater risk of kidney stones, perhaps because of increased dehydration, the researchers said, although the link hasn’t been proven. It also appears that when people relocate from areas of moderate temperature to areas with warmer climates, a rapid increase in stone risk has been observed and it would be interesting to track whether has also been the case with the substantial number of UK residents who have relocated to Spain and the South of France.

Natural relief for joint pain

Old wives’ tales are usually dismissed as being nonsense, but if you really care about your health they are well worth paying attention to as they are based on experience and ‘case studies’ that may be anecdotal but have at least been tried on actual human bodies – usually several thousand of them over a long period of time. I have mentioned the health benefits of Manuka honey before, and an old folk remedy for joint pain combines honey with cider vinegar to good effect. I teased you with that mention of the Bible, well cider vinegar gets a mention for being a healing agent and having antiseptic properties and has been used for many things including dealing with high blood pressure, lowering cholesterol and reducing stress. However, one of it’s most impressive qualities lies in it being able to tackle joint disease.

How does it do it? Because vinegar is full of natural enzymes that can help dissolve uric acid, and it is that acid which breaks down the calcium deposits in your joints. It is also believed that cider vinegar builds up the minerals needed for healthy bone structure. In other words, it acts as a natural anti-inflammatory.

Commercial vinegars are produced to give you a fine, clear liquid which is produced by boiling, and unfortunately that also kills all the enzymes and removes vital nutrients. However, like honey, it is better when from a powerful natural source such as Manuka – which itself has anti-inflammatory properties – so cider vinegar is most effective when it is unpasteurised and for that you need to find a specialist supplier. One enterprising company has combined the two ingredients for maximum effectiveness – and to make the vinegar palatable it must be said! A tablespoon of the combination in water on a daily basis will have your joints thanking you, and personally I combine it with a splash of ginger cordial concentrate and make it with hot water. It really does taste good, and if you want to know more then visit this website if you want to order up some ease in your joints: www.greenbayharvest.co.uk

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