Did you know this reduces your changes of getting a cold or flu?
When I worked in an office, this was the time of the year when everyone either got the office cold or sometimes even worse flu, so I wanted to share something that can reduce your chance of getting one.
Garlic has been used for centuries as both a food ingredient and a medicine. Garlic contains compounds that help the immune system fight germs and has show promise as a treatment for preventing colds and the flu. Studies have shown that garlic reduces the risk of becoming sick in the first place, as well as how long you stay sick. It can also reduce the severity of symptoms.
One study gave 146 healthy volunteers either garlic supplements or a placebo for three months. The garlic group had a 63% lower risk of getting a cold, and their colds were also 70% shorter. Another study found that colds were on average 61% shorter for subjects who ate 2.56 grams of aged garlic extract per day, compared to a placebo group. Their colds were also less severe.
If you often get sick with a cold or flu, eating garlic can help reduce your symptoms or prevent your illness entirely.
However, a review of the evidence found that many of the studies investigating the effects of garlic on the common cold were of poor quality.
Reference
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25961060
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11238820
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22280901
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Tips to prevent lower back pain.
While on holiday I suddenly moved and strained my lower back muscles. My muscle strain was sorted out by a combination of massage, stretches and back exercises. So as I have now returned from sunny Bulgaria I thought I would remind people (including me) how to preventing lower back pain.
- Avoid sudden jerky movements. (Note to self, that includes while on holiday).
- Never slouch.
- Switch sitting positions often and periodically walk around or gently stretch muscles to relieve tension.
- Don’t bend over without supporting your back.
- Try to maintain your ideal body weight. Too much upper body weight can strain your lower back.
- Sleep on your side to reduce any curve in your spine, and always sleep on a firm surface.
- Lift with your legs.
- If you smoke, quit. Smoking reduces blood flow to the lower spine and causes the spinal discs to degenerate.
- Wear flat shoes with cushioned soles as they can help reduce the pressure on your back.
- Regular exercise, such as walking and swimming, is an excellent way of preventing back pain. In addition Yoga & Pilates can strengthen your core muscles reducing the strain on your back and improving the flexibility of your spine.
Natural ways to reduce anxiety – Part 6
My final tip on reducing anxiety is to try chamomile. Chamomile is a herb with a long history of use. A cup of chamomile tea is a common home remedy to calm frayed nerves and promote sleep. A 2009 study showed chamomile may also be a powerful ally against generalized anxiety disorder. The study found people who took German chamomile capsules (220 milligrams up to five times daily) had a greater reduction in scores for tests that measure anxiety symptoms than those who were given a placebo. A more recent trail, much longer term trail reported similar results and noted that the treatment was safe with only a few mild side effects. References https://nccih.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/040310.htm Amsterdam JD, Yimei L, Soeller I, et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 2009 ;29(4):378–382. https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Long-term+chamomile+treatment+for+generalised+anxiety+disorder.-a0503569379
After 20 years of genetically modified crops are they a sucess?
I have never been that keen on the idea of eating genetically modified food. I understand the economic argument about same amount of land would give you a greater yield and that the crops would be more robust and hence would need less pesticides. But I have always had my concerns about if scientist truly understood all the implications of modify crops. In Europe generally the idea of fooling with nature caused widespread protests. Genetically modified crops were more acceptable in North America and were introduced 20 years. Well I can safely say that any fears I had about any adverse side effects or any other fears of GM crops being "Frankenstein" food that is harmful to humans were laid to rest a long time ago. So I would say that GM crops are now more acceptable by the European general public, who here in the UK we probably eat GM crops that are imported from North America. So on the "Frankenstein" criteria they have been very successful. But what about the economic arguments that were put forward 20 years ago. Data from the united nations reveals that there is no discernible advantage in yields between North America and Europe that didn't introduce GM crops. Since GM crops like corn, cotton and soyabeans were introduced into North America the use of toxic chemicals to kill insects and fungi has fallen by 33% but the spraying of herbicides has increased by 21%. In France, the use of insecticides and fungicides has fallen by 65% and herbicide spraying as fallen by 36%. This suggests that GM crops aren't as robust as originally envisaged by scientist and they don't produce more abundant harvests either. So western europe didn't loose out by not introducing GM crops. Where GM crops do seem to have made a difference according to Matin Qaim, a researcher at Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Germany, is significant yield gains from insect-resistant varieties of crops in the developing world, particularly in India. References Genetically engineered crops: Experiences and Prospects report see >> https://www.nap.edu/login.php?record_id=23395
