Oregano - Good For More Than Just Spaghetti Sauce

I've been growing basil for the past 3 or 4 years, but this year when I went to purchase my seeds the store I was at had a multi-herb packet that enticed me. In it were seeds for basil, cilantro, chives, oregano and zinnias. All of which I planted and are coming along nicely, though as you can see from the photo, oregano grows much slower than basil. I was excited to have all these herbs, thinking only of all the yummy pestos and sauces I was going to make, but not giving much thought to any other benefits I could reap from eating them, until I came across a very short article in the June 9, issue of First magazine about oregano.

The article claims that women who consumed a 2 tsp. serving of dried or fresh oregano daily during menstruation experienced few or no cramps. Apparently the herb's thymol and carvacrol compounds relax uterine muscles so they don't generate painful contractions.

After reading that I was interested to know if there were any other benefits to be derived from the herb, and I found that there are quite a few. It's known to be good for easing upset stomachs, is a natural diuretic, kills parasites in the intestines, has sedative qualities that are useful in treating nervous disorders and irritability, it is thought to relieve dry coughs and asthma and some consider it to be perhaps the most powerful herbal anti fungal agent known. Wow! And I only thought it was only good for spicing up my food!

If you can't (or don't want to) grow your own, you can purchase it fresh from your local grocery or if you aren't a fan of the taste, it can also be taken in caplet form or as liquid drops.

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IC Disease Health Blog Carnival

Sandy, who runs two great health-related sites, icdisease.today.com and www.fightingfatigue.org, recently invited me to participate in a blog carnival she was hosting. I had never joined a blog carnival before and wasn't exactly sure what they were or how they worked, so I did a little research. I found that a blog carnival simply brings together links to blog articles on a particular subject. Blogcarnival.com likens it to a magazine because, "it has a title, a topic, editors, contributors, and an audience... and editions of the carnival typically come out on a regular basis." (monthly in this case) This month the only requirement was that the post submitted be health related. I decided to enter a post I made in April on A Link Between Blood Sugar And Alzheimer's Disease. However, you'll find articles on everything from fibromyalgia to acupuncture to staying active during pregnancy to relieving neuropathy pain naturally and more, since there were more than 25 links submitted! See for yourself by visiting The First IC Disease Health Blog Carnival. I'm sure you'll find a topic that interests you, and you may also find a few new health blogs you'll want to keep tabs on. Next month's carnival is going to have the theme, Chronic Pain. I don't have much (if anything) written on this so I've got my homework cut out for me!

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The Eyes Have It!

Did you know that eye movements can affect brain function? Why? Researchers believe it's because the optic nerves directly link the eyes and the brain. The moves below are designed to help you improve alertness, memory, and more. Give them a try!

Note: Moves are for right-handed individuals, if you are left-handed reverse the move since your brain hemispheres are reversed.

To improve alertness – Focus on an object about 20 feet away for a few seconds, then switch your gaze to something closer. Do this a few times until you start to feel more energized. This jump-starts the part of your brain responsible for alertness and arousal and as an added bonus it also stretches the muscles around and inside the eye and can help combat eye strain when working at a computer.

To boost creativity -- Look to the upper right! Ever see a kid glance that way when they are telling you a story? It’s because it allows them to tap into the part of the brain responsible for creative thoughts and ideas.

To remember something -- Look to your upper left! Moving your eyes up and to the left activates the region of the brain responsible for visual memory. (I can't wait to try this next time I've forgotten where I parked!)

To build brainpower -- Move your eyes back and forth, from left to right for 30 seconds! By integrating both sides of the brain you help the two hemispheres of the brain interact more with each other which strengthens brain connections and can improve learning capacity, reading speed and even communication skills.

To fall asleep faster -- Roll your eyes as far up as they'll go, like you are trying to look at your forehead, while counting backward from 100 slowly, taking deep breaths, and telling yourself your becoming more relaxed with every count. Rolling your eyes deep into your head is said to reset brain circuitry to help you unwind.

source: Woman's World, April 14, 2008

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Eating Low-Fat? Do This To Speed Up Your Weight Loss

Researchers at Penn State University found that dieters who ate water-rich foods such as melon, cucumber, and soups, lost an average of five pounds more than women who adhered to a standard reduced-fat diet.

The study followed 71 obese women ages 22 to 60 for one year. The participants were taught by dietitians to make appropriate food choices for a diet low in calorie density, but unlike most diets, they were not assigned daily limits for calories.

Records of what they ate show that those with the water-rich diet ate an average of 25 percent more food by weight and thus felt more full. "By eating more fruits and vegetables they were able to eat more food, and this probably helped them to stick to their diet and lose more weight," said Julia A. Ello-Martin, who conducted the study.

To find information on how to incorporate foods with a low calorie density into your daily diet, check out the book, The Volumetrics Eating Plan: Techniques and Recipes for Feeling Full on Fewer Calories, which was written by the director of the study, Barbara Rolls, Ph.D.

source: Penn State Live

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Eat Yogurt To Prevent Gum Disease

A recent article in the Journal of Periodontology reports that yogurt may help prevent periodontitis, a type of gum disease. In a study of 942 subjects aged 40 to 79 years, the incidence of the disease was close to 50 percent lower among those that ate lactic acid foods (yogurt and lactic acid drinks) than among those who didn't eat any. Subjects who took in the same amount of calcium but through milk or cheese, instead of lactic acid foods, did not see a significant effect on periodontal disease. Why? Possibly it is because one of the important differences between lactic acid foods and other dairy products, such as milk and cheese, is the presence of lactobacilli. Lactobacilli is a probiotic that may control the overgrowth of gum disease-causing bacteria. All it takes is just 55 grams a day (about 1/2 a serving of yogurt.)

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Double Dippers Get 10,000 More Germs!

If your mom told you not to double dip, it turns out she knew what she was talking about. The fact is, you might want to think twice before you're tempted to reload that chip. Researchers have discovered that when someone double dips three to six times it can transfer up to 10,000 bacteria to the bowl. Salsa was one of the worst culprits picking up more bacteria than thicker dips because of it's runny consistency, but its acidity makes the bacteria count decline faster.

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Puffy Face? Try This Quick Fix

Party a little too late last night? To help reduce those puffy eyes, put two clean teaspoons in the freezer for 5 minutes, then place one over each eyelid and at the same time hold an ice cube in your mouth. You should use your tongue to hold the ice against the roof of your mouth until the cube melts. The chilly spoons eliminate under-eye puffiness that can make you look sleepy, while the ice hydrates skin from the inside out to banish bloating. It's reported that Carrie Underwood used this very trick before the Grammy Awards!

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Maybe A Spoon Full Of Sugar Really Does Help The Medicine Go Down

Watching your baby while they are getting their regular immunizations can seem as painful for mom & dad as it is for baby. Here's a tip to make those immunizations not quite as painful.

Giving your baby a small dose of sugar water two minutes beforehand can increase their pain tolerance by up to 28 percent!

It may be that sucrose (common table sugar) provides a pain-killing analgesic benefit that is especially pronounced in infants.

Source: Penn State School of Nursing, University Park

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What Your Food Cravings Mean II

I get quite a few visits to my site from people trying to figure out what their food cravings mean. I wrote a post back in November of 2006, that listed 6 common cravings, why you might be having them, and what you can do to stop the craving. While Stumbling through websites a few weeks ago, I ran across the website of Dr. Colleen Huber, Naturopathic Medical Doctor. She has a page on her site devoted to food cravings. Her list is more extensive, with a total of 18 cravings -- everything from chocolate and sweets to chewing ice, to burned food, to tobacco -- and then she lists what you may really need and what healthy foods you can substitute that have it. You can find her site at: http://www.naturopathyworks.com/pages/cravings.php.

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