Marshmallow and Heartburn

When people start talking about marshmallows, most people tend to think about that bag of big fluffy white snacks that people like to take with them on camping trips. However before these essential components to s’mores became a mass produced snack item, they were actually made from the root of a plant that could be found growing in the marshlands. The marshmallow plant, also known as Althea, has a white root that is slightly sweet to the taste. Along with being a traditional ingredient in everyone’s favorite campfire snack, Marshmallow root was also used in traditional medicine to help soothe coughs, irritations and help to combat heartburn. 

It’s all about the mucilage

Marshmallow, or althea root (as most health food stores like to label it), contains a high percentage of mucilage. Mucilage is a substance that swells up and takes on a gel like consistency when it is mixed with water. This gel like substance can then coat the inner lining of your throat and esophagus and help protect and soothe it making it an ideal additive to natural cough and sore throat remedies. 

This ability to coat and soothe also makes marshmallow root tea an ideal remedy for mild heartburn because of its ability to shield the lining of the esophagus from the harmful effects of stomach acid reducing inflammation and irritation. It is also thought to be helpful in cases of ulcers,ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease because it can also help coat the lining of the stomach and intestinal walls. 

Besides being used as a tea to help with a host of digestive and throat ailments, Marshmallow root can also be used as a paste to help soothe irritated skin. Simply mixed the powdered root with enough water to make a paste and apply it to the affected skin and then wrap with a layer of gauze. However, be sure to rinse off immediately if any itching or irritation occurs.

Side Effects

While drinking marshmallow root tea will help keep stomach acid from irritating the lining of your esophagus, there are also certain side effects that you should be aware of. Since mucilage does coat the digestive tract, it will also interfere with the absorption of prescription drugs so be sure to give it at least two hours to wear off before taking your daily pills. Marshmallow is also capable of affecting blood levels so people with diabetes or hypoglycemia should consult a physician before taking it.  

Aged Garlic for Colds and Flu

Move over chicken soup. It looks like Mother Nature has decided to one up you in the cold fighting department. In a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers have found that individuals taking an Aged Garlic Supplement were able to effectively fight off cold and flu symptoms better than those who were taking a placebo. 

After taking an aged garlic supplement for 90 days, the garlic group wound up having more immune system cells (gamma-delta T cells and NK Cells) in their system than the placebo group. They also displayed a 21% reduction in cold and flu symptoms and were found to recover from their ailments 61% faster. This translated into less work days missed due to sickness (with the exception of “nicedayitis”) and more overall productivity due to milder symptoms. 

Aged Garlic Extract, also known as AGE, is a dietary garlic supplement that has been aged for over 20 months. Unlike fresh garlic (which is still good for you) Aged garlic goes through some molecular changes that not only mellows its garlic taste but also allows for the development of certain sulphur containing substances which are thought to be responsible for the supplements unique health benefits. These sulphuric compounds are thought to increase the glutathione levels in the  immune system cells thus making them more effective at patrolling the body and rooting out cold and flu bugs before they can start any serious trouble.  

On top of helping people make it through the cold and flu season, taking aged garlic supplements is also believed to be very beneficial to overall heart health. It has been shown to slow the clogging process and improve overall circulation. The antioxidant power of the garlic is also believed to help protect the body from the damaging effects of free radicals, slowing down the aging process and cancerous cell growth. 

You can find aged garlic at most health food stores and you can either take it as a supplement or even cook with it.

Treating Heartburn the Natural Way

Frequent Heartburn is the bane of our modern society. 1 in 5 Americans are said to suffer from heartburn and frequent heartburn due to gastroesopageal reflux disease (GERD) is becoming a more common diagnosis by doctors all over the country. GERD is the result of your stomach’s acid contents breaching your lower esophageal sphincter and flowing back up your esophagus.  

People who suffer from GERD experience…

-Frequent Heartburn

-Chest Pain, especially when lying down

-Sore Throat

-Coughing

-Wheezing

-A Sour Taste in the Mouth

-Food or liquid coming back up

While occasional heartburn might help you lay off the pizza, frequent Heartburn as the result of GERD can result in some rather serious health consequences including bleeding, ulcers, strictures and may even contribute to cancer.  

The Causes

The biggest contributor to heartburn is your diet. Some of the foods that we all just love to eat also happen to be known triggers for heartburn. 

These Include:

-Citrus

-Mint

-Coffee (No!)

-Chocolate (Double No!)

-Deep Fried Foods

-Spicy Foods

-Alcohol

-Tobacco

-Soda

-Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic, Pepper and pretty much everything else found on pizza

While diet is the major reason why so many of us get heartburn, our lifestyle also plays a big factor. Large portion sizes, eating our food too fast and right before going to bed, and living a stressful lifestyle that causes us to eat fast food, smoke, drink, and over dose on caffeine all help contribute to this growing problem in our society. 

How to Eliminate Heartburn 

While seeing a doctor is important, especially if your heartburn is frequent, there are other things besides taking acid blockers that play havoc on your digestive tract or having surgery to get your sphincter tightened that you can do to help curb your heartburn woes. Making some changes and your diet and lifestyle can be the first big step in eliminating heartburn. Keeping a food journal to eliminate the culprit foods is a first good step and not taking a nap after eating a big meal is a great second rule of thumb. 

How you eat is also as important as what you eat. Instead of wolfing down your food as your are driving home from the drive thru, try sitting down and eating slowly, being sure to savor thoroughly chew your food. Smaller portions will also help eliminate heartburn as well as cut down on your waistline. Also, eliminating distractions while you eat will help you focus on what you are eating and even help you find the food that is causing your problems.

Working at reducing your stress can also help contribute to lessening your heartburn. While research has yet to find a direct link between stress and GERD, it has been found that a stressful lifestyle does  spur people to do things like eat fried foods, drink copious amounts of coffee and booze and smoke, all which can lead to  heartburn.

Natural Cures for Hair Loss

While some of us rock the bald look, most of us who suffer from hair loss would much rather have a full head of hair again.  Unfortunately implants are painful and costly and prescribed hair loss treatment like Rogaine and Propecia take time and have varying results. Clever haircuts or thickening shampoos will work for some time, but eventually, the only one you are going to be fooling is yourself. Eventually, you are going to have to come to terms with that growing horseshoe, and if you do not have the money or the commitment to join come hair club, you are going to have to learn how to be comfortable with it. It’s not like you can wear that cap all the time.

 Hair Loss Causes

However, do no not despair. There are ways to stave off the inevitable. The most important thing in treating baldness is knowing what causes it. While genetics (if your mother’s father or your own father was bald) plays a big part, hair loss is also exacerbated because of excess hormones and poor blood circulation. While you cannot help where your X chromosome came from, you can address the other two problems through natural treatments. 

Healthy Body, Healthy Scalp

Lack of blood circulation to your scalp can lead to premature hair loss. The two main FDA approved treatments for hair loss are actually vasodilators which promote blood flow to the follicles that have been choked off by the buildup of DHT. By taking care of yourself through a diet rich in veggies and an active lifestyle, you can help promote better blood flow which will help you keep your hair from falling our prematurely. Iron, Zinc,  B Vitamins, and Omega 3 Fatty Acids are all essential in  maintaining a healthy scalp. 

Some other Natural Hair Loss Remedies

-Washing your hair with baking soda and rinsing with Apple Cider Vinegar Everyday is a great way to help wash off the residual buildup of DHT and promote new hair growth. 

-Saw Palmetto has been called Nature’s Rogaine.  Like the over the counter drug, this plant can help reduce the amount of excess DHT (the hormone most responsible for hair loss) in your scalp, leading to thicker, fuller hair. 

-Inversion therepy is not only good for your spine, it can also help promote circulation to your scalp. Massaging your scalp while upside down can also help. 

-Simply massaging you scalp everyday will also promote circulation and new hair growth. 

 -Alma Powder soaked overnight in cast iron and then used to wash the scalp can also help invigorate growth.

Baldness and Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar has been touted for its many useful health benefits. Drinking it on a daily basis can help with everything from heart burn to regularity and it can also be used topically to help treat a number of different skin disorders including eczema and warts. It makes you wonder if there is anything that apple cider vinegar is not capable of curing. The next thing you will be hearing is that is can literally make you look 20 years younger.

Well, guess what…

For all of you men (and women) out there wishing that you had the strong wavy locks of your youth back, it turns out that apple cider vinegar can help you out. That’s right, while perhaps not exactly what old Ponce Deleon was looking for, Apple Cider Vinegar can actually help reverse alopecia and takes a decade or two off of your scalp.  

Here’s How

Scientists now believe that the excess build up of DHT around the root follicle is what causes the hair follicles to die off and becoming incapable of producing new hair growth. The DHT essentially builds up around the follicle like wax choking off the blood supply causing it shrink and eventually die off.  Organic Apple Cider can actually help dissolve this extra DHT build up around the follicle and promote new hair growth. It acids and enzymes might also help kill off certain pathogens associated with excess DHT and hair loss due to Alopecia. 

Along with helping to prevent hair loss, Apple Cider Vinegar also help balance the pH of your hair and scalp which also helps to prevent dandruff and leave your hair healthy and shiny looking. It will also kill off any other bacteria of fungal problems that might be going on up there. 

You can find lots of natural shampoo and rinse products that utilize apple cider vinegar online or at your local health food store.