10 Surprising health benefits of cinnamon

Cinnamon is more than just that thing you sprinkle on toast or on top of a holiday drink. The spice, is typically used in baked goods and pastries, mostly because it smells really good — but its benefits go far beyond its scent. Cinnamon, whether in stick or powder form, comes from the inner bark of evergreen trees that are part of the Cinnamomum genus. According to an article on HuffingtonPost.com, the inner bark is dried, during which it naturally curls up into “quills”, which are then cut into sticks or ground into powder. Sri Lanka, Indonesia, China, Vietnam, and Burma are all top producers of cinnamon.

Taken in either form, this unassuming spice is full of health benefits ranging from improved brain function to promoting heart health. Here are 10 surprising benefits, according to OfftheGridNews.com:

1. Cinnamon is rich in antioxidants – In particular, they’re loaded with polyphenols, phenolic acid, and flavonoids, which can reduce the damage caused by free radicals and slow down the aging process. The amount of antioxidants in cinnamon may even outweigh those found in popular superfoods such as garlic, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.
2. It has anti-inflammatory effects – The antioxidants also contribute to decreasing inflammation in the body, reducing swelling, and relieving soreness in the muscles.
3. It can promote cardiovascular health – Cinnamon has properties that can stabilize levels of HDL (good cholesterol) while reducing LDL (bad cholesterol). It also prevents blood clots and allows blood to circulate better. This helps lower the risk for stroke and heart disease.
4. It keeps diabetes at bay – Cinnamon does this by improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which balances the levels of sugar in the blood.
5. Cinnamon can improve brain function – There is evidence that suggests that cinnamon can protect against debilitating brain disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and also protect brain cells from the damage caused by stress.
6. It can help prevent cancer – The spice contains a compound called cinnamaldehyde, which fortifies the body against tumor growth and cell mutation, particularly when it comes to colon cancer.
7. The spice can protect the body from a range of viruses – Some studies have found cinnamon oil to be an efficient remedy for respiratory tract infections caused by fungi. It can also prevent the growth of bacteria such as listeria and salmonella.
8. It promotes dental health – While cinnamon is often found in a lot of sweets and pastries that may negate its dental benefits, it can actually do wonders for the teeth, killing bacteria that causes tooth decay and halitosis.
9. It can regulate levels of candida yeast – The spice has anti-fungal properties that can maintain the amount of candida albicans at a healthy level. The fungus, when overgrown, can cause problems with digestion and the immune system.
10. It can improve your skin – Cinnamon has antibacterial properties which allow it to protect the skin from rashes and allergies.

Of course, taking advantage of these health benefits does not mean subsisting on a diet of cinnamon rolls and apple pie. To truly make the most of the health boost that cinnamon can provide, you have to incorporate it into a healthy diet. Sprinkling cinnamon into your coffee and oatmeal is one simple and easy way to do so. Health.com suggested other ways such as using the spice to season grilled fruit, stirring it into nut butter, adding a dash of it in soups or stews, sprinkling it on popcorn, or freezing it in ice cubes and adding it to water. Try these ideas out, and you’ll be enjoying all of cinnamon’s health benefits in no time!

Sources include:

HuffingtonPost.comOfftheGridNews.comHealth.com

“Driving While Medicated” now a greater danger to society than driving drunk: Crashes from prescription meds up 100% in past decade

The recent arrest of golfing legend Tiger Woods for driving under the influence of prescription drugs has put the issue of drugged driving back in the spotlight. Although initial reports indicated that Woods had been driving under the influence of alcohol, it was later confirmed that his readings for two breathalyzer tests were 0.00, and that his erratic behavior was actually caused by a cocktail of drugs prescribed after knee and Achilles tendon injuries, as well as a recent back surgery.

Police officers initially approached Woods when they saw his Mercedes-Benz pulled over on the side of the road; he was apparently sleeping behind the wheel. Dashcam video footage shows a dazed and disoriented Woods struggling to complete a field sobriety test and becoming confused when officers asked him to recite the alphabet.

“What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications,” Woods said in a statement. “I didn’t realize the mix of medications had affected me so strongly.”

Many other people have made the same mistake of miscalculating just how much they have been affected by pharmaceutical medications before getting behind the wheel. Market Watch reports that the number of vehicle accidents where drugged drivers were involved nearly doubled between 2005 and 2015. Over 20 percent of the 32,166 fatal accidents in the U.S. in 2015 involved at least one drugged driver. In some states, driving under the influence of prescription pills is even more common than driving drunk. And it is becoming increasingly common for people to combine alcohol with drugs, not realizing how much the effects are amplified. [RELATED: For more stories like this see Twisted.news]

Unfortunately, like Tiger Woods, many people have no idea how much prescription drugs have actually altered their behavior, and feel that they are totally capable of driving. The reality is that they are putting themselves, their passengers and everyone else on the road at risk.

The National Institute of Drug Abuse website explains that just as illegal street drugs like cocaine or methamphetamine affect the brain, and therefore behavior, prescription drugs also have a variety of different effects on those who use them. Benzodiazepines like Diazepam, Xanax and Valium, can cause dizziness and drowsiness. While marijuana has a plethora of absolutely amazing health benefits, it too has been linked to poor reaction time, lane weaving and impaired ability to pay attention to the road. Of course, this should not deter people from reaping the benefits of its natural healing power, but caution needs to be used when driving after using marijuana. [RELATED: Study finds that marijuana can replace dangerous opioid drugs for pain relief.]

Some states have a zero-tolerance policy for all drugged driving, since it is very difficult to determine how any drug or drugs in combination with alcohol might affect a given person. In such states, one can be arrested for driving under the influence if tests find any traces of drugs in the blood or urine.

With so many states recently legalizing marijuana for medical and recreational use, a lot of focus has been placed on its effects on driving ability. Interestingly, there has been no such focus on the many prescription drugs which have been scientifically proven to impair judgment. Perhaps if more attention was paid to the issue, people like Tiger Woods would not end up in possibly life-threatening situations because of sheer ignorance.

Sources :

MarketWatch.com

DrugAbuse.gov

KESQ.com

CNBC.com

How much sugar is hidden in your glass of wine? It’s more than you think

A lot of people believe that a glass of wine is harmless, even drinking it daily as a healthy concession to an alcohol habit. But as it turns out, even just one glass of wine at 175 milliliters can contain up to two teaspoons of sugar, a considerable fraction of the recommended daily sugar intake, according to a report on DailyMail.co.uk.

Red wine contains the least amount of sugar, with just 0.9 grams per glass, while white wine has 1.4 grams. As expected, dessert wines — which include champagnes and sparkling rosés — have the highest amount of sugar: A whopping seven grams. Take note that one teaspoon of sugar is equivalent to around four grams. The American Heart Association recommends that women take no more than six teaspoons of sugar a day, and men take no more than nine teaspoons. This means that two or three glasses could account for a person’s entire daily intake. Added sugars, such as those found in wine, has contributed to the growing epidemic of obesity among Americans, the association said.

On the calorie front, wine also packs an unhealthy punch. A 177 milliliter serving of red wine with an alcohol content of 13.5 percent to 16 percent ABV could contain up to 195 calories. This includes dry red wines such as Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Once again, sweet dessert wine clock in with the highest amounts, containing up to 275 calories for every 177 milliliter glass.

While it’s no secret that alcohol is something you should cut on if you’re on a health binge, wine has managed to remain exempt because of the common notion that it promotes heart health and contains many antioxidants. This notion was recently called into question with England’s top doctor saying that the negative effects of a glass of wine can negate any benefits it may have. Changing alcohol regulations that have been in place for two decades, England’s Chief Medical Officer Sally Davies released a report that details the many previously-ignored dangers of drinking wine. The report by Davies said that even just one glass of red wine per day could increase the risk for breast cancer, a separate article on DailyMail.co.uk said.

The article argued, however, that Davies’ report and the new alcohol regulations ignored hundreds of medical studies that show the benefits of alcohol. For instance, certain clinical trials have shown that alcohol increases HDL, which is considered a good cholesterol. At the same time, it reduces blood clotting and inflammation, which are linked to heart disease. Those who drink moderately were also found to have a lower risk of dementia, stroke, arthritis, kidney stones, and prostate problems, among others.

In addition, the article cited a study done by the Canadian Addiction Research Foundation. In the study, researchers fed mice with plain water, as well as water mixed with varying amounts of alcohol that ranged from low to moderate to a maximum, but still tolerable, amount. The results saw that the first group of rats to die where those who took water mixed with the lowest dose of alcohol. They were followed by those who had the highest amounts of alcohol, and then by the mice who drank moderately. This suggests that moderate drinkers may actually live longer than both heavy drinkers or those who don’t drink at all.

At any rate, given the surprising amount of sugar in wine, it may still be wise to think twice about swigging that extra glass of wine or splitting a bottle for dinner.

Get more health updates on HealingArts.news.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk 1DailyMail.co.uk 2
Heart.org

9 Ways to remedy bronchitis at home

Bronchitis is not fun to deal with; you’ll cough, you’ll wheeze, and you’ll feel short of breath. Fortunately, this infection is manageable. There are several home remedies available that can help you deal with this irritating condition. From essential oils to warm teas, MedicalNewsToday.com states that these are the best ways to ease the load on your lungs.

1. Take honey – With its vast array of health benefits, it makes sense that honey would be effective against the more tiresome symptoms of bronchitis. Besides stabilizing your immunity and alleviating inflammation, honey can also relieve a sore throat.
2. Take ginseng extract – This potent herbal remedy will do wonders for your lungs. Ginseng reduces inflammation, decreases lung bacteria, and even prevents mucus from accumulating.
3. Take N-acetylcysteine (NAC) – By cutting down on the severity and frequency of coughing, this supplement offers a lot of comfort to bronchitis sufferers. As an added bonus, NAC can also thin mucus so that it can be expelled from the body with ease.
4. Use essential oils – Certain essential oils are good at aiding in inflammation abatement and mucus elimination; these include peppermint, tea tree, eucalyptus, basil, thyme, and oregano. Use the essential oil of your choice in a diffuser, add it to a bath, or inhale it directly. (Related: Home Remedies for Bronchitis – Top 10 Useful Tips)
5. Up your vitamin D intake – Vitamin D as a whole is good for your health as it supports your immune system. This important vitamin does this by increasing the immunity’s antimicrobial defenses while also diminishing the inflammatory effects of cytokine proteins. According to VitaminDCouncil.org, people with low vitamin D levels may be more prone to respiratory infections, so get as much of this nutrient as possible.
6. Drink warm liquids – Coughing will be much easier with warm water or tea since these fluids dilute mucus. Ginseng tea and lemon honey tea are two soothing teas you should stock up on if you’re struggling through bronchitis.
7. Wear a face mask – Cold air can worsen a cough, so if you live in a place with chilly weather, put on a face mask. A scarf will do in a pinch, as will any article of clothing if you don’t have access to a face mask. Cold-air face masks are available, so consider investing in these if your bronchitis is severe.
8. Try pursed-lip breathing – This breathing technique is recommended for people with bronchitis. It’s simple to execute too: just inhale through your nose for two seconds, pucker your lips, and then slowly exhale through your mouth for four or six seconds. Pursed-lip breathing will keep your airways open longer and assist your lungs in expelling stale air, making it much easier to breathe.
9. Use a humidifier – The warm, moist air from this device will loosen the mucus clogging up your airways,making easier to breathe. Boost the efficacy of your humidifier by adding a few drops of eucalyptus, peppermint, or other essential oils.

If you ever feel a cough developing, be sure to take immediate action. That cough could become something worse in the long run. You’ll know it’s bronchitis if you have difficulty breathing, chest discomfort, chills, a headache, a sore throat, or a low-grade fever. Decrease your risk of bronchitis by taking enough vitamins and minerals to strengthen your immune system, and by quitting smoking altogether. Smoking makes you more susceptible to chronic bronchitis, a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by bronchial irritants.

Visit Remedies.news for other homegrown solutions to dealing with all kinds of health issues.

Sources include:

MedicalNewsToday.com

TheAlternativeDaily.com

VitaminDCouncil.org

Newly-evolved microbes may be consuming plastic waste in the ocean

While scientists, environmentalists, and world leaders scramble to mitigate the effects of plastic pollution, mother nature has solved the problem herself through evolution. In investigating the amount of plastic in the oceans, scientists found that plastic-eating microbes may be helping lessen and prevent the increase of waste in the water, according to a report on NewScientist.com.

Scientists were prompted to investigate this phenomenon after observing that there was less plastic in the ocean than expected, considering the rate at which it is being dumped into the water. One truckload of plastic waste is emptied into the ocean every minute, though scientists found that only a fraction of that amount — one hundredth, to be specific — has actually accumulated in the ocean.

Researchers, led by Ricard Sole at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, surveyed the North Atlantic gyre in the Atlantic Ocean. This area is vulnerable to accumulating waste due to the strong ocean currents surrounding it, creating vortexes that trap plastic when it is carried into the area. Despite this vulnerability, the amount of plastic found in the area was a tenth to a hundredth less than expected. Moreover, the amount of plastic did not seem to be increasing. The researchers suggested that the discrepancy could be explained by an increase in the population of newly-evolved microbes that are able to biodegrade plastic.

Other scientists are exploring other theories that could account for the disparity. Some, including Linda Amaral-Zettler from the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, believe it is more likely that microbial colonies growing on plastic pieces could weigh the plastic down and cause them to sink to the seafloor. Either that, or they break into pieces too small to be caught in the nets of research vessels, are swallowed by living organisms, or brought by currents to other areas.

Sole has acknowledged other scientists’ explanations for the “missing plastic”, but explained that the lack of an upward trend in the amount of plastic in the water can only be attributed to a biological response that increased proportionally to the amount of plastic.

Whatever it is that is causing the disappearance of plastic, experts are quick to warn that it is not necessarily a reason to rejoice. Even with biodegradation, the harmful chemicals in plastic could be released and re-enter the food chain. Amaral-Zettler stressed that reducing plastic waste and keeping it from the ocean is still crucial to dealing with the problem of plastic pollution.

“Plastisphere”

The relationship of microbes and plastics has long been an area of interest for scientists, who have discovered that microbes including bacteria, algae, and other single-celled organisms tend to colonize even the smallest pieces of plastic in the water, creating a layer of life called a “plastisphere” on the surface of the synthetic waste. Plastic pieces found in the ocean were found by scientists to carry entire ecosystems on their surface, an article published on the Smithsonian Institute‘s ocean portal said. These ecosystems come complete with primary producers, grazers, predators, and decomposers, not at all different from the communities that thrive in coral reefs.

Amaral-Zettler’s research has found that a piece of plastic as small as five millimeters across could carry a highly diverse population of up to 1,000 different kinds of microbes. Some of them are not normally found in the open ocean, and only survive because they become attached to the plastic. These microbes that exist in plastics could be carried through long distances, potentially invading native microbial populations and affecting the larger organisms that feed or depend on them.

The effects of these plastispheres on the delicate marine ecosystem remain to be seen, though it may take years before any conclusions are found. Follow more headlines about emerging trends in science at FutureScienceNews.com.

Sources include:

NewScientist.comOcean.SI.edu

Ten alarming, REAL threats to the environment that are widely ignored by “climate change” advocates

The art of climate fear mongering is rooted in the ability to terrorize the population over threats that hardly matter at all while completely ignoring the REAL threats to our global ecosystem.

Isn’t it interesting how people who shudder in fear over President Trump pulling out of the Paris climate treaty say nothing about Fukushima radiation and the mass pollution of the Pacific Ocean with radionuclides?

Here, I’ve created a short list of ten REAL threats to the environment that are largely ignored by climate change advocates, even when they pose an immediate and serious risk to life on our planet. The next time a climate change cultist berates you and claims you must stop driving you car because the oceans might rise a few inches by the year 2100, remind them that the things listed below are killing life across our planet right NOW.

Where is the media alarm over all these threats to life? It’s practically non-existent.

#1) Fukushima radiation

Mass die-offs in the Pacific Ocean are now commonplace. Toxic fuel rods have melted through the floor of the Fukushima-Daiichi containment building, and radioactive isotopes continue to spill into the Pacific. Six years after the Fukushima accident, the Japanese government still can’t even locate the fuel rods. A containment pool sits ready to be ruptured by the next earthquake or tidal wave, and we’re told the Fukushima cleanup could take 100 years or more. Yet the willfully ignorant mainstream media pretends that nothing happened at Fukushima, even absurdly claiming there was “never a meltdown.”

#2) China’s industrial pollution

Environmentalists are thrilled to attack America’s coal industry, but they give a free pass to China’s incredibly toxic industrial pollution that contaminates the entire Northern hemisphere with heavy metals and particulate pollution. Somehow, China is never called to task for its insane levels of pollution, while the United States has been forced to shut down coal-fired power plants that are orders of magnitude cleaner than China’s toxic coal plants.

#3) Biosludge

If you concentrate all the toxins from human and industrial waste, you get a nasty sludge product called “biosludge.” This product, produced by EVERY city in the United States, is dishonestly re-labeled “fertilizer” and spread on farm fields and dairy forage fields all across America. Nobody seems to be aware of this, which is why I’ve announced an upcoming film called BIOSLUDGED, which will document this insane assault on our environment. Every single environmentalist I’ve talked to about this issue was totally unaware of this practice.

#4) Geoengineering / chemtrails

No, ever contrail in the sky is not an attack on humanity, but there are proven examples of geoengineering taking place. Climate change scientists at Harvard are even openly talking about spraying particulate matter into the atmosphere to block out the sun, and weather modification programs have been run by the U.S. government since 1953. Yet we’re still told it’s all a tin foil hat conspiracy theory. If it’s all harmless, why the cover-up?

#5) Mass deforestation

The clear cutting of trees is without question one of the worst drivers of droughts, reduced snowfall on mountains and climate instability, yet environmentalists rarely point to the cutting of trees as a source of climate problems. Instead, they blame carbon dioxide, the very molecule that’s needed to regrow forests and re-green the planet. The answer to climate problems, it turns out, is largely found in supporting reforestation.

#6) Heavy metals contamination of food and soils

Almost nobody from the “environmental” movement ever talks about heavy metals contamination of our soils and foods. Instead, we’re told that carbon dioxide is the problem… but somehow lead and arsenic in rice crops doesn’t matter at all. This is yet another example of how “climate change” cultists are irrationally preoccupied with delusions while ignoring reality. In the real world, there is lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury in the food supply right now! You are EATING toxic poisons, and many organic superfoods are contaminated beyond belief. It was just three years ago that my lab identified high levels of lead and mercury in the Garden of Life “RAW” rice protein products, which is why Garden of Life abandoned rice protein and switched to pea protein, by the way.

#7) Open air cultivation of genetically engineered crops

Isn’t it interesting how “climate” activists usually ignore the threat posed by GMOs which can spread genetic pollution? Somehow, all this concern about the environment almost never deals with the far more serious threat of genetic pollution from self-replicating organisms that might contaminate the world’s food crops. As much as I appreciate the anti-GMO activists, I keep asking: Where are the “environmentalists” when it comes to GMOs?

#8) Widespread pharmaceutical contamination from manufacturing runoff and consumer flushing

The mainstream media is heavily funded by the pharmaceutiucal companies, which explains why they never run investigative stories exposing the widespread environmental damage caused by Big Pharma’s toxic drugs. It’s not just the drugs you take that end up in the water supply, either: It’s also drug manufacturing operations that flush enormous quantities of toxic pharma chemicals down waterways, polluting rivers and oceans.

#9) Mercury pollution from dental fillings and vaccines

Isn’t it interesting how environmentalists are terrified of mercury in tuna fish but often say nothing at all about mercury being INJECTED into children in the form of Thimerosal, a common vaccine preservative? Similarly, you almost never hear environmentalists talking about the widespread pollution from mercury in dental fillings. Where are the marches against the American Dental Association for refusing to acknowledge the toxicity of mercury in “silver” fillings (which are 50% mercury, by the way, but dentists call them “amalgam” to hide the truth about their composition).

#10) Pesticides and herbicides in the food supply

On this point, you actually do hear environmentalists speaking out, but the media remains almost universally silent about this mass poisoning of the food supply. Somehow, we’re all supposed to be terrified of “climate change” while obediently eating pesticide poisons in our food, oblivious to the reality that we’re killing ourselves right now… never mind a hundred years down the road.

Conclusion: Mainstream “environmentalism” is driven entirely by politics, not scientific evidence of harm

When you realize how mainstream “environmentalism” is all about certain, selected issues largely rooted in delusional thinking while ignoring the REAL threats to our lives, our soils and our planetary ecosystems, it becomes abundantly obvious that mainstream “environmentalism” is a fraud.

Its advocates are bureaucrats, politicians, academic propagandists and “fake news” media mouthpieces. The label of “environmentalism” is used to oppress and control humans rather than solve genuine problems we face across our planet. Instead of acknowledging the threats of pesticides in our food, mercury in modern dentistry and toxic biosludge used as fertilizers on farms, we’re told that only “climate change” deserves our attention, even when its claims are utterly bogus and lacking all credible science in the first place.

If you want to be a real environmentalist, it turns out, you have to reject all mainstream propaganda and work to halt the real sources of pollution and environmental degradation, from mercury dental fillings to GMOs. Only then do you qualify as a true “conservationist” who cares about the planet. Everything else is just virtual signalling and hot air blabbery from ignorant conformists who want their friends to think they’re all about “green” when they’re really just obedient sheeple who repeat propaganda from “official sources.”

Humans INTUITIVELY avoid others who carry disease, even before they become conscious of symptoms

The next time your instincts tell you to avoid someone, it may just be your brain protecting your system from contagious diseases. A new study has found that the human brain can detect diseases in other people even before symptoms manifest, ScienceDaily.com reported. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), found that the human brain is better at reading signals and discovering early-stage diseases than scientists previously thought. More than that, the study also found that humans act on the information, showing less preference for people infected with disease.

In carrying out the research, the scientists focused on two groups of participants. They activated the immune response in the first group of participants, injecting them with harmless sections of bacteria. They then developed symptoms of disease, such has tiredness, pain, and fever. The symptoms only lasted for a few hours, during which time photos, videos, and smell samples were recorded from the participants.

The smells, images, and videos were then shown to the second group of participants, along with samples and recordings from healthy people without symptoms. The second group of participants were asked to rate how much they liked the people, as an MR scanner tracked their brain activity. Afterwards, the second group of participants were asked to identify based solely on the photographs which of the people looked sick, which they thought were attractive, and which they would want to socialize with.

The results showed that there was a remarkable difference in the way people respond to healthy people compared to sick people, with participants showing a preference for healthy people.

“The study shows us that the human brain is actually very good at discovering this and that this discovery motivates avoidance behavior,” lead investigator Mats Olsson, professor at Karolinska Institutet’s Department of Clinical Neuroscience.

“Common sense tells us that there should be a basic behavioural repertoire that assists the immune system. Avoidance, however, does not necessarily apply if you have a close relationship with the person who is ill,” Olsson explained. “For instance, there are few people other than your children who you’d kiss when they have a runny nose. In other words, a disease signal can enhance caring behavior in close relationships. With this study, we demonstrate that the brain is more sensitive to those signals than we once thought.”

There are many ways that the brain protects the rest of the body from being physically compromised. Apart from alerting the body to potential threats (i.e people carrying diseases), the brain can also impact how the body recovers once a disease is already contracted. There are studies that show that the simple act of positive thinking can help speed up recovery from surgery and even manage serious diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and AIDS, PsychCentral.com said.

Scientists suspect that the healing powers of positive thinking go back to the strong connection between the mind and the immune system. For instance, one study showed that first year law students who expressed optimism at the start of the school year were found to have better-functioning immune system cells than the students who were worried. Conversely, pessimism can trigger the release of stress hormones in the bloodstream.

Evidently, the power of the brain over the rest of the body is unparalleled, with new discoveries of its effects on the body coming up every day.

Get more updates like this on Healing.news.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.comPsychCentral.com