Curcumin — A Novel Treatment Alternative for Depression

Curcumin, the active ingredient in the Indian spice turmeric, is a polyphenol with over 160 potentially therapeutic activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects.1

May 18, 2017

Story at-a-glance-

• Curcumin may be helpful against depression, especially atypical depression. No significant difference in efficacy between high and low dosages were found
• Two active components in saffron, crocin and safranal, also have antidepressant effects, and at least three studies have found saffron is as effective as generic Prozac
• One of the mechanisms behind curcumin’s beneficial impact on depression appears to be its ability to tame the flames of inflammation, which is now thought to be a foundational cause of depression

By Dr. Mercola

Curcumin, the active ingredient in the Indian spice turmeric, is a polyphenol with over 160 potentially therapeutic activities, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects.1

Importantly, it has the ability to cross your blood-brain barrier and exhibits potent neuroprotective properties, suggesting it may be useful for neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease. Recent research also suggests it may be helpful against depression.

Remember, though, that curcumin is very poorly absorbed, so if you want to use it therapeutically, make sure you use a supplement that is optimized for maximum absorption; otherwise you won't get the results described below. Many believe that using black pepper helps. And while it does, it is only a marginal increase. 

Curcumin Helps Relieve Depressive Symptoms

According to a meta-analysis2 of six short-term, placebo-controlled clinical trials, curcumin "appears to be safe, well-tolerated and efficacious among depressed patients," and could serve as a "novel antidepressant." Three of the trials also reported significant anti-anxiety effects.

Another recent study3,4 evaluating curcumin's effect on depression was done in Australia. A total of 123 people diagnosed with major depressive disorder were included in the double-blind, randomized study, receiving one of four treatments for 12 weeks:

1. Placebo
2. Low-dose (250 mg) curcumin extract
3. High-dose (500 mg) curcumin extract
4. Low-dose curcumin extract with 15 mg of saffron

Compared to placebo, all three treatment groups experienced improvement in their symptoms. Curcumin was particularly effective for those with atypical depression. Interestingly, there was no significant difference in efficacy between high and low dosages. According to the authors:

"These findings suggest that there was insufficient power in the study to detect group differences, or that there was a ceiling antidepressant effect of these natural spices. This ceiling may have been achieved with the administration of the low-dose curcumin alone. The inclusion of a stand-alone saffron condition would be desirable in future studies."

Saffron Also Has Antidepressant Effects

Indeed, saffron may actually have antidepressant effects in its own right. Other studies have shown two of its active components, crocin and safranal, have antidepressant effects.5

In one study,6 depressed patients taking 30 mg of Crocus sativus (saffron) each day for eight weeks experienced the same amount of relief as those taking 20 mg of fluoxetine (generic Prozac). Two additional studies7,8 have confirmed saffron has an effectiveness equal to that of fluoxetine.

Curcumin May Benefit Many Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Another scientific review9 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, which assessed curcumin's beneficial effect on depression and other psychiatric disorders, noted that:

"[C]urcumin can influence an array of biological activities. Many of these, such as its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective and monoaminergic effects are dysregulated in several neuropsychiatric disorders …

[I]n vitro, animal and human studies investigating … curcumin as a treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder … and autism are reviewed … It is concluded that curcumin is a promising, natural agent for many of these conditions …"

One of the mechanisms behind curcumin's beneficial impact on neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression appears to be its ability to tame the flames of inflammation, which can wreak havoc on your psychiatric health.

Gastrointestinal Inflammation Raises Depression Risk

Previous research10 suggests gastrointestinal (GI) inflammation in particular may play a critical role in the development of depression, as depression is often found alongside GI inflammation and/or autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

Chronic low-grade inflammation is a hallmark of and significant contributing factor to all of these conditions, leading researchers to suggest "depression may be a neuropsychiatric manifestation of a chronic inflammatory syndrome." The study of these connections is known as psychoneuroimmunology, i.e., the impact of inflammation on behavior. As noted in a 2012 study:11

"Elevated biomarkers of inflammation … have been found in depressed patients, and administration of inflammatory stimuli has been associated with the development of depressive symptoms.

Data also have demonstrated that inflammatory cytokines can interact with multiple pathways known to be involved in the development of depression, including monoamine metabolism, neuroendocrine function, synaptic plasticity and neurocircuits relevant to mood regulation …

Psychosocial stress, diet, obesity, a leaky gut and an imbalance between regulatory and pro-inflammatory T cells also contribute to inflammation and may serve as a focus for preventative strategies relevant to both the development of depression and its recurrence."

Controlling Inflammation Is Best Done Through Lifestyle Changes

According to Dr. Hyla Cass,12 whom I've interviewed on this topic, approximately one-third of depressed patients have high levels of inflammation, and anti-inflammatory drugs have actually been shown to favorably alter neurochemical pathways involved in depression.13

The arthritis drug sirukumab is currently being tested on depressed patients. GlaxoSmithKline and others are also working on developing anti-inflammatory drugs targeting depression. The problem with this approach is that most drugs have side effects — sometimes terminal, as the 60,000 who died from the anti-inflammatory Vioxx. Fortunately, you don't need drugs to combat inflammation.

One of the most effective ways to quell inflammation is to eat a cyclical ketogenic diet. In fact, one of the most remarkable effects of nutritional ketosis is that your C-reactive protein (CRP) level (an inflammatory marker) virtually disappears. It can really drive your inflammation levels about as low as they can go.

Other important anti-inflammatory strategies that are strongly recommended for prevention and treatment of depression are animal-based omega-3 and vitamin D. It appears curcumin may be a valuable adjunct as well, judging by recent studies. Another crucial contributor to inflammation is to reduce your exposure to EMF. This means keeping your cellphone in airplane mode unless you are using it and never holding it next to your ear. Turning off your Wi-Fi router at night is also crucial.

Aside from general GI inflammation, a number of studies have concluded the primary cause of inflammation is related specifically to dysfunction of the gut-brain axis,14 which is largely lifestyle driven. Diet, exercise and toxic exposures, for example, all have the ability to influence your gut microbiome, thereby affecting your gut-brain axis.

One of the reasons sugar is so detrimental to your mental health is because it triggers a cascade of chemical reactions — starting with elevated insulin — that promote chronic inflammation. Excess sugar and processed fructose also distort the ratio of good to bad bacteria in your gut. Sugar does this by serving as a fertilizer/fuel for pathogenic bacteria, yeast and fungi that inhibit the beneficial bacteria in your gut.

Chronic Inflammation May Be More Than a Risk Factor for Depression

What this all boils down to is that chronic inflammation not only disrupts the normal functioning of many bodily systems, it can also wreak havoc in your brain and affect your psychological health. In fact, at least one previous study15 has suggested chronic low-grade inflammation may be the very root cause of depression. Published in the International Breastfeeding Journal, the researchers stated:

"Research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) has revealed that depression is associated with inflammation manifested by increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines. The old paradigm described inflammation as simply one of many risk factors for depression. The new paradigm is based on more recent research that has indicated that physical and psychological stressors increase inflammation.

These recent studies constitute an important shift in the depression paradigm: inflammation is not simply a risk factor; it is the risk factor that underlies all the others. Moreover, inflammation explains why psychosocial, behavioral and physical risk factors increase the risk of depression. This is true for depression in general and for postpartum depression in particular …

[L]evels of proinflammatory cytokines significantly increase during the last trimester of pregnancy … Moreover, common experiences of new motherhood, such as sleep disturbance, postpartum pain and past or current psychological trauma, act as stressors that cause proinflammatory cytokine levels to rise."

Inflammation and Depression 101

In this model, depression is the result of your body's attempts to protect itself from an inflammatory response, and involves hormones and neurotransmitters. Depressive symptoms most strongly associated with chronic inflammation include:16

• Flat mood
• Slowed thinking
• Avoidance
• Alterations in perception
• Metabolic changes

Cytokines in your blood, or inflammatory messengers such as CRP, interleukin-1, interleukin-6 and TNF-alpha are all predictive of17and correlate18 to depression. In melancholic depression, bipolar disorder and postpartum depression, white blood cells called monocytes express pro-inflammatory genes that provoke secretion of cytokines.19

At the same time, cortisol sensitivity goes down, and cortisol is a stress hormone that buffers against inflammation. Together, these inflammatory agents transfer information to your nervous system, typically by stimulating your vagus nerve, which connects your gut and brain.20

During inflammatory states, brain cells called microglia are activated. When this happens, an enzyme called indoleamine 2 3-dioxygenase directs tryptophan away from the production of serotonin and melatonin, instructing it instead to produce an NMDA (an amino acid derivative) agonist called quinolinic acid, which can trigger anxiety and agitation.21

Curcumin Goes Head-to-Head With Blockbuster Antidepressant

One last study22 on curcumin and depression worth mention is a randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of curcumin and fluoxetine (generic Prozac) in patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Sixty patients were given one of three treatment protocols:

1. 20 mg fluoxetine
2. 1,000 mg curcumin (500 mg standardized curcumin extract taken twice a day)
3. Combination of fluoxetine and curcumin

According to the authors:

"The proportion of responders as measured by the HAM-D scale was higher in the combination group (77.8 percent) than in the fluoxetine (64.7 percent) and the curcumin (62.5 percent) groups; however, these data were not statistically significant. Interestingly, the mean change in HAM-D score at the end of six weeks was comparable in all three groups.

This study provides first clinical evidence that curcumin may be used as an effective and safe modality for treatment in patients with [major depressive disorder] without concurrent suicidal ideation or other psychotic disorders."

Certain Supplements Boost Effectiveness of Antidepressants

Other research has shown nutritional supplements can boost the effectiveness of antidepressants. Unfortunately, they did not look at supplementation only, which might have offered valuable insights. The analysis in question looked at 40 clinical trials in which supplements were added to the drug regimen.23,24,25 

Four supplements were found to improve the impact of the medication — which included serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and tricyclic antidepressants — compared to medication only:

• Animal-based omega-3 (in the form of fish oil)
• Vitamin D
• Methylfolate (an effective form of folic acid)
• S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe)

In my view, there's reason to suspect the supplements provided the true benefit. Other studies have shown both omega-3 and vitamin D can improve mental health all on their own — in part by regulating inflammatory processes and responses — and studies have repeatedly demonstrated that antidepressants are right on par with placebo in terms of effectiveness.

In one vitamin D study,26 seniors with the lowest vitamin D levels were 11 times more prone to be depressed than those who had normal levels. It makes little sense to take the extra risks with a drug if they don't add anything of real value.

Addressing GI Inflammation May Ease Your Depressive Symptoms

If you suffer from depression, it may be well worth your effort to take steps to reduce the level of inflammation in your body. Remember, no drugs are necessary for this. In fact, the most effective strategies for this are to:

•Address your diet. Limiting net carbs in all its forms (think added sugar, processed fructose, refined grains and most processed foods in general) is a key step. A ketogenic diet, high in healthy fats, low in net carbs with a moderate amount of protein can really drive inflammation levels way down.

•Make sure to get enough animal-based omega-3.

•Optimize your vitamin D level, ideally through sensible sun exposure, as sunlight has been shown to improve depression in ways that are unrelated to vitamin D as well.

•Address your gut health, as impaired gut flora is frequently involved in depression. Regularly "reseed" your gut with beneficial bacteria (probiotics and prebiotics), as this is the foundation of a healthy GI tract. Eating plenty of fermented foods is your best bet. It's also the most economical.

If you do not eat fermented foods, taking a high-quality probiotic supplement makes of sense considering how important probiotics are for your mental health. In fact, probiotics are thought to have a direct effect on brain chemistry, transmitting mood- and behavior-regulating signals to your brain via the vagus nerve.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2017/05/18/curcumin-depression-treatment.aspx

Rheumatoid Arthritis - Maybe It’s Time to Go Natural

Newer Drugs for Rheumatoid Arthritis All Have Similar Risks -- Maybe It’s Time to Go Natural?

September 27 2012 | 31,788 views 

Story at-a-glance

• Rheumatoid arthritis is generally treated with some of the most dangerous drugs in medicine. A newer class of RA drugs is the “biologic” drugs called TNF-alpha inhibitors. While these drugs are aggressively promoted, there are still concerns about their safety. Potential serious side effects include infection and cancer
• A recent safety analysis on three TNF-alpha inhibitors, Humira, Enbrel, and Remicade, shows that, when it comes to your risk of death from taking them, there’s no difference between the three drugs
• A revised and updated drug-free RA protocol based on Dr. Thomas Brown’s RA treatment tends to provide a 60-90 percent improvement rate in most RA sufferers
• Important aspects of the treatment protocol include dietary modifications, low-dose Naltrexone, optimizing your vitamin D levels, astaxanthin, probiotics (preferably in the form of fermented foods), and getting regular exercise

By Dr. Mercola

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease afflicting an estimated 1.5 million Americans,¹ the majority of which are women. RA affects just over 53 women per 100,000, compared to nearly 28 men per 100,000. 

Unlike osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative joint disease, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes your body to break itself down – your immune system starts attacking your joints, leading to pain, deformities and a substantial loss of mobility. As a result, RA is generally treated with very aggressive medications. In fact, the drugs used for RA are some of the most dangerous drugs used in medicine. High doses of prednisone are common, as well as immunosuppressants and anti-cancer agents to treat the severe pain and swelling.  

A newer class of RA drugs is the "biologic" drugs called TNF-alpha inhibitors, sold under the brand names Humira, Enbrel, and Remicade. While these drugs are aggressively promoted, there are still concerns about their safety. A recent safety analysis² on these three drugs shows that, when it comes to your risk of death from taking them, there's no difference between the three drugs. According to MedlinePlus:³

"...Simard's team compiled information on patients with rheumatoid arthritis who began treatment between 2003 and 2008. Of these patients, more than 1,600 started taking adalimumab (Humira), almost 2,700 were prescribed etanercept (Enbrel), and more than 2,000 began treatment with infliximab (Remicade). During the five-year study, 211 of the patients died. However, the researchers found no difference in death rates among the three drugs."

Potentially serious side effects from these drugs include infection and cancer. With risks like that, maybe it's time to try more natural and holistic methods of preventing and treating this painful disease?

First, Address Your Diet

I have personally treated over 3,000 patients with rheumatoid arthritis in my practice, which is well over 10 times the amount a typical family physician would treat in their entire career. So I have a fair amount of experience here. My rheumatoid arthritis treatment protocol has helped thousands of RA patients go into remission, and one of the key factors that dramatically improved the response rate was the dietary modification.

I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of this aspect of the program. It is absolutely an essential component of the RA protocol. Following these general guidelines alone will go a long way to dramatically reduce your risk of developing any kind of problem with chronic inflammation:

• Eliminating sugar/fructose and most grains
• Optimizing your gut flora with the use of high potency fermented vegetables and/or probiotics
• Eating unprocessed, high-quality foods, organic and locally-grown if possible
• Eating your food as close to raw as possible
• Getting plenty high-quality animal-based omega-3 fats, such as krill oil

 

A Novel Approach for Treating RA With a 60-90 Percent Likelihood of Improvement

The natural course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is quite remarkable in that less than one percent of RA sufferers have a spontaneous remission. Some disability occurs in 50-70 percent of people within five years after onset of the disease, and half will stop working within 10 years.  

This devastating prognosis is what makes this novel form of treatment so exciting, as it has a far higher likelihood of succeeding than the conventional approach.

My original RA treatment was based on a protocol developed by a maverick but well respected rheumatologist, Dr. Thomas Brown. He died in 1989 shortly after I started using his approach. I first became aware of Doctor Brown's protocol, which focused on the elimination of mycoplasma using antibiotics, in 1989 when I saw him on ABC's 20/20. This was shortly after the introduction of the first edition of his book, The Road Back.

My application of Dr. Brown's protocol has changed significantly since I first started implementing it. Initially, I rigidly followed Dr. Brown's work with minimal modifications; about the only change I made was changing Tetracycline to Minocin. I believe I was one of the first physicians who recommended the shift to Minocin and most people who use his protocol now use Minocin. After using the antibiotic approach for the first 10 years, my prejudice became more fixed on natural therapies, so my current program allows for a completely drug-free treatment of RA.

As I learned more about natural medicine, I integrated more of that wisdom, starting with the addition of my nutritional plan. This addition alone would oftentimes accelerate the response rate by several months. I wrote an article on my revised protocol in 1995, which I presented at a conference. Since then, I've further revised the protocol twice. The first revision since that paper is presented in the video above. Below, I'll discuss the latest additions.

Besides the nutritional plan, the latest additions to my RA protocol are:

• Low dose Naltrexone. It is inexpensive and non-toxic, and I have a number of physician reports documenting incredible efficacy in getting people off of all their dangerous arthritis medications using low-dose Naltrexone (LDN). Naltrexone is a pharmacologically active opioid antagonist, conventionally used to treat drug and alcohol addiction – normally at doses of 50mg to 300mg. As such, it's been an FDA approved drug for over two decades. However, researchers have found that at very low dosages (3 to 4.5 mg), naltrexone has immunomodulating properties that may be able to successfully treat a wide range of autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's, fibromyalgia, and Crohn's disease, just to name a few.

• For a more in-depth review of low-dose Naltrexone and how it can help RA sufferers, please see this previous article.
  
• Astaxanthin, a powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidant that could have very powerful benefits in controlling the joint pain. Astaxanthin at 4 mg per day is particularly important for anyone placed on prednisone as it offers potent protection against cataracts and age related macular degeneration
• Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is strongly associated with the development of RA. From my perspective, it is now virtually criminal negligent malpractice to treat a person with RA and not aggressively monitor their vitamin D levels to confirm that they are in a therapeutic range of 50-70 ng/ml. For more information, please see my previous article on how to safely maximize your vitamin D production through appropriate sun exposure
• Probiotics (beneficial bacteria). While you can certainly take a high quality probiotics, I would also strongly encourage you to work up to 4-6 ounces a day of fermented veggies, which will supply about 10 trillion beneficial bacteria, which is about 10 percent of the population of your gut. Ideally you would consume them regularly if not daily. The best way to learn how to prepare them properly is to get the GAPS book or listen to my interview with Caroline Barringer
• Incorporating regular exercise into your daily schedule, especially the Peak Fitness Program

 

Factors Associated with Your Success on this Program

There are many variables associated with an increased chance of remission or improvement.

• The younger you are, the greater your chance for improvement
• The more closely you follow the nutrition plan, the more likely you are to improve and the less likely you are to have a severe flare-up. I now offer the Nutritional Typing Test for free, so please do not skip this essential step
• Smoking seems to be negatively associated with improvement
• The longer you have had the illness and the more severe the illness, the more difficult it seems to treat

Drug-Free Pain and Inflammation Relief

One of the primary problems with RA is controlling pain. If this is not achieved, you can go into a depressive cycle that can clearly worsen your immune system and cause the RA to flare. The goal is to be as comfortable and pain free as possible with the least amount of drugs. Fortunately, there are a number of safe, non-toxic dietary supplements that can be helpful in the treatment of RA pain:

• Curcumin (turmeric) in particular has been shown to be effective against both acute and chronic pain. Curcumin is most known for its potent anti-inflammatory properties. It has been shown to influence more than 700 genes, and can inhibit both the excessive activity and the synthesis of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) and 5-lipooxygenase (5-LOX), as well as other enzymes that have been implicated in inflammation. In experiments on rats, turmeric appeared to block inflammatory pathways associated with rheumatoid arthritis. A study published in April 2012⁴ revealed that a highly bioavailable form of curcumin was more effective in alleviating RA symptoms, including tenderness and swelling of joints, than the NSAID drug Voltaren. Not only that, those who were taking the curcumin only actually experienced the most improvement across the board
  
• Boswellia, also known as boswellin or "Indian frankincense" is another herb I've found to be particularly useful against arthritic inflammation and associated pain
• Ginger also has anti-inflammatory properties and can offer pain relief. Fresh ginger works well steeped in boiling water as a tea or grated into vegetable juice
• Astaxanthin has been shown to effectively reduce pain associated with inflammation. In one study, RA sufferers experienced a 35 percent improvement in pain levels, as well as a 40 percent improvement in their ability to perform daily activities after receiving astaxanthin for only eight weeks

 

Is it Really Safe to Exercise with Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis tends to affect your middle joints, especially your hands and fingers, which causes the joint pain, stiffness and deformities that are a hallmark of this disease. However, RA does not only impact your joints, it also leads to diminished muscle mass and reduced strength that can be nearly as debilitating as the damage to your joints.  

Getting regular exercise when you have RA is crucial to avoid this kind of physical decline. 

A 2009 study⁵ found that people with RA who did weight training for 24 weeks improved their function by up to 30 percent and their strength by 120 percent.

That said, inflamed joints are very vulnerable to damage from improper exercise, so you must be cautious. People with arthritis must strike a delicate balance between rest and activity, and must avoid activities that aggravate joint pain. Avoid any exercise that strains a significantly unstable joint. If your joints are stiff, stretch and apply heat before exercising. Swollen joints, on the other hand, may benefit from applying ice for 10 minutes prior to exercise.

Your program should include a range of activities, just as I recommend for any exerciser. Weight training, high intensity exercises, cardio, stretching, and core work are all important elements to integrate into your routine. A good rule of thumb to follow is that if you're in pain for longer than one hour after your exercise session, you should slow down or choose another form of exercise. Assistive devices are also helpful to decrease the pressure on affected joints during your workout.⁶

The Importance of Addressing Emotional Traumas 

Lingering emotional trauma is pervasive in people with RA. With the vast majority of the patients I treated, some type of emotional trauma occurred early in their life, before the age their conscious mind was formed, which is typically around the age of five or six. 

However, a trauma can occur at any age, and has a profoundly negative impact. If that specific emotional insult is not addressed with an effective treatment modality then the underlying emotional trigger will continue to fester, allowing the destructive process to proceed, which can predispose you to severe autoimmune diseases like RA later in life.

In some cases, RA appears to be triggered by an infection, and it is my experience that this infection is usually acquired when you have a stressful event that causes a disruption in your bioelectrical circuits, which then impairs your immune system. This early emotional trauma predisposes you to developing the initial infection, and also contributes to your relative inability to effectively defeat the infection. Therefore, it's very important to have an effective tool to address these underlying emotional traumas.

In my practice, the most common form of treatment used is the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). Although EFT is something that you can learn to do yourself in the comfort of your own home, it is important to consult a well-trained professional to obtain the skills necessary to promote proper healing using this amazing tool. 

Conclusion

For my full recommendations on how to treat rheumatoid arthritis naturally, please review my rheumatoid arthritis protocol.

There is no doubt in my mind that this protocol, summarized above, is highly effective for the treatment of autoimmune arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis. I strongly encourage anyone with this disease to adopt the program to help prevent the nearly inevitable poor outcomes that are the result of seeing a conventional rheumatologist. In my experience they have very little to offer except dangerous drugs that only relieve symptoms and do nothing to address the underlying cause of the disease, which continues to ravage the body and cause crippling joint deformities.

[-] Sources and References

• ¹ CDC Arthritis Statistics
• ² Arthritis & Rheumatology 2012 Aug 8 [Epub ahead of print]
• ³ MedlinePlus August 8, 2012
• ⁴ Phytotherapy Research March 9, 2012
• ⁵ Arthritis and Rheumatism December 2009; 61(12):1726-34.
• ⁶ ABLEDATA Database of Assistive Technology, Fact Sheet Number 13 March 1992, Assistive Devices for People with Arthritis

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http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/09/27/new-rheumatoid-arthritis-drugs.aspx?e_cid=20120927_DNL_art_2 

Protect Your Brain With Turmeric

Easy Health Options Staff | Mar 22, 2012 | Comments 4

A spice with a yellow tint may untangle one of the causes of Parkinson’s disease. Turmeric, an Asian plant used in many Indian and Thai dishes, contains a compound, curcumin, which may be effective in preventing the first stages of Parkinson’s and other debilitating diseases. Although how Parkinson’s develops is not fully understood, the first step in the disease is the clumping, or aggregation, of proteins caused by a substance called alpha-synuclein.
Curcumin seems to slow this destructive process.

Unfortunately, curcumin doesn’t easily cross the blood-brain barrier, so it is unclear how protective the substance can be. “Curcumin’s usefulness as an actual drug may be pretty limited since it doesn’t go into the brain easily where (protein) misfolding is taking place,” says Lisa Lapidus, a researcher at Michigan State University.

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/protect-your-brain-with-turmeric/

Alternative Therapies in Ovarian Cancer

Immunotherapy

Photo Credit fruit and vegetables image
by photo25th from Fotolia.com

The body's white blood cells or leukocytes are designed to seek and destroy anything that wants to causes harm--including bacteria, viruses, parasites and cancer cells. Immunotherapy is the process of determining which leukocytes are effective against a cancer and then delivering them as a vaccine to kill the cancer cells. Ovarian cancer cells depend on the development of many blood vessels to allow their growth. A specific population called vascular leukocytes targets the formation of these structures, according to researchers from Dartmouth University Medical School writing in the May 15, 2007 issue of "Cancer Research." This is effective against ovarian cancer that has spread outside the ovary into the pelvic cavity. Other cancer vaccines are already in use, usually for women whose tumors are resistant to traditional chemotherapy.

Ayurvedic Therapies

More than 75 percent of women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed after the cancer has spread beyond the ovary, and only 25 percent achieve five-year survival. These women look at alternative approaches in greater number than people with cancers more amenable to conventional treatment. Many of the most popular treatment alternatives come from Ayurveda medicine, an approach to health care that integrates detoxification, herbal remedies, massage, exercise, yoga, breathing techniques and meditation. Dietary Ayurveda principles include increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables while decreasing or eliminating sugar, white flour and saturated fat. Massage, yoga and meditation can be used with chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy. Interactions between medications and Ayurveda's detoxifying enemas, episodic fasting and herbal remedies may be debilitating.

 

Tumeric

Ovarian cancer causes the buildup of free fluid in the pelvis, a process called ascites. It's painful and allows the cancerous cells to float freely. Researchers from India and Germany collaboratively revealed in the October 2002 issue of "Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications" findings that turmeric, an herb, effectively blocks the development of blood vessels that supply ovarian tumors and causes a 66 percent decrease in ascites. They recommend infusing turmeric directly into the peritoneal cavity; an approach already used to deliver chemotherapy.

This is a example of a simple, non-toxic treatment that can be used in combination with chemotherapy and radiation. It allows a woman to embrace a natural, plant-based approach to cancer treatment without abandoning treatments supported by medical research. In order to prove whether an approach such as turmeric is safe and effective, public research funding is required because there is no profit in proving that an herb can effectively treat cancer.

 

Yoga

Survival is not the only goal in battling cancer. When a woman faces the stress of an ovarian cancer diagnosis or the fatigue that accompanies chemotherapy, her quality of life is affected. If long-term survival is not possible, maintaining comfort, emotional peace and quality relationships becomes the focus. Yoga provides these improvements. Yoga is valued for its ability to restore flexibility and aid meditation. A team published in the 2008 issue of the "Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology" found yoga to be an effective complementary ovarian cancer treatment for depression, negative effect, anxiety, fatigue and overall quality of life.

 

References

• Johns Hopkins: Understanding Ovarian Center
• National Cancer Center: Ovarian Cancer
• "Cancer Research"; Scavenger Receptor-A--Targeted Leukocyte Depletion Inhibits Peritoneal Ovarian Tumor Progression;S. Peter Bak, M.D. et al;May 15, 2007
• "Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications"; Molecular mechanisms of anti-angiogenic effect of curcumin; A.Gururaj et al; October 2008
• "Journal for the Society of Integrative Oncology"; Restorative Yoga for Women with Ovarian or Breast Cancer; SC Danhauer, M.D.; 2008

Article reviewed by Anton Alden Last updated on: Sep 11, 2010              

 http://www.livestrong.com/article/240591-alternative-therapies-in-ovarian-cancer/

Turmeric - Indian Super Spices Combat Cancer, Arthritis, and Alzheimer’s

I love Indian food—the tandoori, the savory lentil and chickpea dishes, and especially the pungent curries. But, along with the complex and exotic flavors, many Indian dishes pack a powerful health punch, thanks to the spice turmeric.

Aside from its bright yellow hue, turmeric contains a compound called curcumin that studies credit with significant healing properties. Scientists became intrigued by turmeric’s properties when people realized that India’s rates of prostate, colorectal and lung cancer are among the lowest in the world. There are a number of reasons for this phenomenon: Many Indians are vegetarians. As a result their diets are rich in both fiber and phytonutrients. But it’s believed that a number of India’s signature spices, especially turmeric, also help keep cancer in check.

In the laboratory, turmeric—or more specifically curcumin—impacts virtually every tumor biomarker. Scientists at the University of Alabama found that curcumin inhibited prostate cancer cells from expressing a protein linked to tumor formation while increasing a protein linked with natural cell death. In other studies, curcumin blocked the production of substances that speed the spread of both colorectal and pancreatic cancer cells; inhibited angiogenesis, or the ability of malignant tumors to develop their own blood supply; and counteracted human papillomavirus (HPV), a main cause of cervical cancer. What’s more, science has confirmed traditional medicine’s view of turmeric as a valuable inflammation fighter—and chronic, low-level inflammation has been found to promote cancer development.

But turmeric’s benefits go well beyond cancer prevention. One double-blind clinical trial involving patients with rheumatoid arthritis found that supplementing with curcumin provided significant improvement in morning stiffness, walking time, joint swelling, pain and discomfort. Studies conducted at the Central Drug Research Institute in Lucknow, India, found that curcumin is an effective, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory. I’ve long advised my patients with osteoarthritis to take curcumin capsules with excellent results.

Curcumin also offers pulmonary benefits as well. Patients with respiratory diseases who were treated with curcumin experienced varying degrees of relief from coughing, excessive sputum and labored breathing. Some natural cold and flu formulas also include curcumin to help ease coughs from viral and bacterial infections.

One of curcumin’s most promising usages lies in its seeming ability to protect the brain. In one study, healthy older Asians who ate the most curry ran the smallest risk of mental decline. Other research pinpoints curcumin’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiprotein-aggregate activities for this compounds neuroprotective affects. This helps explain why some scientists think that curcumin may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease.

Curcumin’s traditional role in digestive relief has also been demonstrated in studies. In addition to killing H. pylori, the germ that fosters stomach ulcer formation, curcumin has helped keep ulcerative colitis in remission and fought giardia, a main culprit in intestinal infections worldwide.

The only catch is that curcumin is not well absorbed by the body. This means you need to either take large quantities or take it with other compounds that boost absorption. A growing number of curcumin supplements add the black pepper-derived agent piperine to increase absorption. Piperine also enhances curcumin’s ability to tame inflammation.

While I prefer to get my curcumin via a steaming bowl of vegetable curry, not everyone is a fan. If you don’t like Indian food or aren’t able to enjoy it frequently, consider curcumin supplements standardized to contain 90 to 95 percent total curcuminoids. These can be taken in the amount of 250 to 500 mg. three times per day. Just check the label to make sure your supplement contains black pepper fruit that contains 95 to 98 percent piperine to enhance curcumin’s healthful properties.

References:

Li Y. Neuroprotective effects of curcumin. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2009;34:3173-3175.
Mao Li. Curcumin, a Dietary Component, Has Anticancer, Chemosensitization, and Radiosensitization Effects by Down-regulating the MDM2 Oncogene through the PI3K/mTOR/ETS2 Pathway. Cancer Research. 2007; 67:1988-1996.

Yvonne G. Curcumin Inhibits Tumor Growth and Angiogenesis in Ovarian Carcinoma by Targeting the Nuclear Factor-κB Pathway. Clinical Cancer Research. 2007; 13:3423-3430.


By Dr. David Blyweiss on 03/17/2011
http://www.healthiertalk.com/indian-super-spices-combat-cancer-arthritis-and-alzheimer-s-3585

Turmeric - Common Spice Targets Cancer Cells in Two Powerful Ways

Okay turmeric…now you’re showing off.

Just when I thought we had a handle on turmeric’s healing abilities along comes another study showing that this remarkable spice hasn’t revealed all of its healing secrets yet after all.

The last couple of years have been chock full of stories singing the praises of the savory South Asian and Middle Eastern spice known as turmeric and it’s main component curcumin. It’s known to be a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and has already been shown to have some potent anti-cancer abilities.

But now a group of researchers from UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center says curcumin could be a lifesaver for those with head or neck cancers. The brightly colored yellow extract can be used in the mouths of patients with malignancies to suppress the growth of cancer cells.

And, according to the UCLA scientists, the curcumin not only inhibits the cancer-cell growth it also literally goes to work on the patient’s saliva reducing the amount of pro-inflammatory cytokines which help to feed the cancer cells.

The researchers had 21 volunteers with head and neck cancers give saliva samples both before and after chewing two 500 mg curcumin tablets. Then one hour later a third sample of saliva was taken.

Proteins were extracted from the samples…and from 18 additional control samples…and the activity of a cancer-promoting enzyme called IKKβ was measured. The samples were then trundled off to an independent lab that quickly confirmed from the blind samples what the scientists had already found; the curcumin had indeed significantly inhibited the cancer promoting cytokines as well as the cell signaling pathway in the saliva of the patients who chewed the tablets.

Meaning that the curcumin was kicking the cancer’s butt in two different and important ways, making it a viable additional treatment option for those suffering with head and neck cancers as well as a possible preventive measure for anyone who is at high risk for the cancers like a smoker.

To get the benefit of curcumin’s double-punch of cancer protection you can certainly start sprinkling more delicious turmeric into your favorite dishes. However, to reach the 1000 mg level that was tested in this study the UCLA team warns that you will likely need to take a supplement.

While finding a chewable curcumin supplement might be challenging there are some curcumin/tumeric powder supplements that could fit the bill. Check online or with a local retailer of vitamins and supplements. Just be warned, however, that the yellow spice can cause stains so be careful when using it.

By Alice Wessendorf on 09/23/2011
http://www.healthiertalk.com/common-spice-targets-cancer-cells-two-powerful-ways-4721


Related articles of interest:
Indian Super Spices Combat Cancer, Arthritis, and Alzheimer’s
Turmeric: Nature’s Powerful Anti-Inflammatory
Curcumin, Garlic and Green Tea Protect the Brain and Heart
Beating Cancer on a Shoestring Budget

References:
“Curcumin Treatment Suppresses IKKβ Kinase Activity of Salivary Cells of Patients with Head and Neck Cancer: A Pilot Study,” Clin Cancer Res, September 15, 2011 17; 5953

Five health-enhancing foods that don't even seem like health foods: Mustard, cole slaw and more

(NaturalNews) When observing the typical diet of American consumers, with all the fried foods, aspartame-laced "diet" products and pasteurized, hormone-ridden dairy products that typical people consume, I sometimes ask myself a question that perhaps you've pondered, too: What on Earth is keeping all these people alive?

The answers may surprise you. Hidden inside the typical western diet of highly-toxic processed foods are gems of natural medicine that you'd never suspect are really health foods. So here, I've assembled a short list of the five most powerful health-enhancing foods that don't seem like health foods but which are quite possibly the one remaining source of natural medicines for mainstream consumers.

#1 - Mustard

Mustard, believe it or not, is a medicinal paste made from the seed of the mustard plant. It's a superfood that's been around for at least 5,000 years, and it's one of the few common sources of cancer-busting selenium, a trace mineral often missing from over-farmed soils. (http://www.naturalnews.com/030916_m...)

Mustard is known to help in reducing migraines, and it's a natural anti-fungal and antiseptic. Another benefit of mustard is that it's never made with MSG or yeast extract. Mustard products -- even conventional products from non-health-food companies -- are still very healthful to consume.

You can also make your own mustard using nothing more than a Vita-Mix blender. Check out this handy video where Annmarie Gianni shows you how to make raw mustard:
http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=8...

(Jump to 2:45 to skip the crowd socializing part...)

As Kevin Gianni explains in this video, you can get bulk mustard seeds from Mountain Rose Herbs, one of the top suppliers of bulk natural products: www.MountainRoseHerbs.com

#2 - Cole Slaw

Cole slaw is made out of one of the most powerful natural medicines in the food kingdom: Raw cabbage. (http://www.naturalnews.com/032377_c...)

Raw cabbage is a proven cure for stomach ulcers. It's also an amazing anti-cancer food with that can help prevent (or even reverse) many types of cancer. Throughout the history of the civilized world, cabbage has been one of the most medicinal foods ever consumed. It's also good for you when cooked (cabbage soup) or fermented (sauerkraut).

Check out this story we recently published about the astounding health benefits of fermented cabbage: http://www.naturalnews.com/033659_s...

Cabbage is rich in indole-3-carbinol (I3C), one of its many anti-cancer nutrients. Click here to read more about I3C: http://www.naturalnews.com/023081_i...

It's best to make your own cole slaw at home, but if you purchase store-bought cole slaw, be sure to avoid processed ingredients often used in cheaper cole slaw recipes such as high-fructose corn syrup and canola oil (which is often GMO).

#3 - Cinnamon, cloves, rosemary, paprika and other spices

Nearly all the pungent cooking spices are actually powerful medicines.

Cinnamon, for example, helps regulate blood sugar in diabetics (http://www.naturalnews.com/031133_c...). Cloves are the No. 1 source for the highest density of antioxidants found in the entire food supply. (Yes, they have a higher ORAC value than any other food or spice.) (http://www.naturalnews.com/028518_c...)

Rosemary is a powerful digestive tonic and internal detoxification herb. Ginger is legendary as an immune-boosting, circulation-enhancing tonic herb that's also fantastic for beating winter colds and flu. Ginger even works to relieve muscle pain! (http://www.naturalnews.com/029986_g...)

If you're into curry, then you'll be glad to know that turmeric, the main ingredient in curry, is also an amazing source of natural medicines. It's a powerful anti-cancer as well as an anti-inflammatory medicine. If you really want great pricing on curry powder and other spices in bulk, visit a Middle Eastern food store in your local area, where these aromatic spices are often sold at the best prices in town.

In Southern and Midwestern cuisine, barbeque sauce is a surprisingly good source of bitter alkaloids and health-enhancing spices (often including mustard and paprika), but this is only true with the rich, homemade sauces, not the processed "Kraft Foods" sauces (which are usually loaded with sweeteners and highly processed ingredients).

Nearly all the common spices you find in grocery stores are medicinal foods. But avoid common table salt (or white "sea salt") because it's just a processed, refined combination of two poisons. The only salt you should regularly consume is a full-spectrum salt that's off-white in color, such as Celtic salt or Royal Himalayan Pink Crystal salt (http://store.naturalnews.com/index....).

#4 - Raisins

Raisins may not sound super cool, but if you think about what they really are, it becomes obvious how powerful they can be as natural medicine. Raisins are dried grapes, of course, meaning they contain all the natural medicine of grape skins.

Remember: Most of the medicine in grapes is found in the skin (and the seeds, but most raisins are made from seedless grapes). This is why it's so important to buy only organic raisins, because grapes sprayed with fungicides have low levels of resveratrol. Organic grapes have the highest levels of resveratrol, which is one of the most miraculous natural medicines in the world (http://www.naturalnews.com/033349_r...).

Raisins are also very high in naturally-occurring antioxidants, making them a fantastic overall source of nutrition. When consumed with nuts, their glycemic index is slowed, so I recommend eating raisins with things such as pecans or walnuts (both of which superfoods in their own way, as you'll see below).

#5 - Common nuts: Walnuts, pecans, peanuts and more

Once again, nuts may not be on your list of the "coolest" foods, but they probably should be: Walnuts are an amazing natural medicine that helps reduce the risk of heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. They're very high in natural antioxidants and also help reduce the risk of prostate cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/028584_w...).

Pecans boost brain protection and also help lower cholesterol levels (http://www.naturalnews.com/031815_p...). Almonds are now being widely used to make almond milk (a natural anti-cancer milk beverage), and even peanuts are now making a comeback as a health food (http://www.naturalnews.com/024925_p...).

Just remember: When you buy nuts, raw is best because heat processing destroys the natural medicine found in foods. Avoid "salted" nuts because they're almost always salted with toxic sodium chloride (simple table salt). Avoid "flavored" nuts because they almost always -- yes, nearly ALWAYS -- are made with MSG flavor enhancers such as yeast extract or autolyzed proteins.

Just look for plain, simple, unsalted nuts... then find ways to work those into your recipes or smoothies. I like to blend cashews into smoothies to give them a creamy milk-like flavor!

The five common health foods in review

So there you have it, the five health foods that you probably didn't even know were health foods!

The good news about these is that they're available in virtually every grocery store in North America (and around the world). Once again, they are:

• Mustard
• Cole Slaw
• Common spices: Cinnamon, cloves, paprika, etc.
• Raisins
• Walnuts, pecans, almonds and other nuts

Eat more of these (and less processed junk food) and you'll be healthier as a result!

Monday, September 26, 2011
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger

http://www.naturalnews.com/033695_health_foods_mustard.html