Acute Sleep Loss Increases Blood Levels of Alzheimer’s Biomarker
agsdi-doctor New blood markers that reflect risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are uncovering important modifiable risk factors to be aware of to dramatically reduce the likelihood of ever suffering from this cruel disease. The latest study shows that just one night of...
FDA Adds Black Boxed Warning to Insomnia Drugs
In an “it’s about time” move, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has mandated that drug companies put what is referred to as a “black boxed” warning on certain prescription sleeping pills. These drugs have long been reported to cause injury and death resulting...
Natural Form of GABA Improves Sleep Quality in Clinical Trial
Introduction With the growing concern regarding the serious side effects of both prescription and over-the-counter sleeping pills, it is important for consumers to look to natural products that are both safe and effective in improving sleep quality. A new study with...
Dreaming of Better Sleep: 7 Natural Cures for Insomnia
When sleep seems an impossible dream, it’s tempting to reach for the pill bottle–and an instant fix. But sleeping drugs are not the answer to insomnia. In fact, they can be the stuff of nightmares. But here’s some good news: Some key dietary changes and supplements...
Create Lucid Dreams for a Better Life
Introduction: If you ever been asleep and aware that you were dreaming you were likely experiencing what is referred to as a “lucid dream.” New research from researchers in the UK is showing that the ability to have lucid dreams equates to better mental health and...Welcome
July is National Blueberry Month
On May 8, 1999 the United States Department of Agriculture proclaimed July as National Blueberry Month. It is fitting that July is the month of celebration given the importance of blueberries in American history and the fact that the United States produces over 90% of all of the blueberries in the world.
Blueberries are among the most important foods for good health. The diverse and wondrous health benefits of blueberries are primarily due to their high content of specialized pigments known as anthocyanins. These special flavonoids are responsible for the deep blue or purple color of blueberries.
Currently, the most popular medical use of blueberries is their use in improving vision and protecting against age-related macular degeneration. Additional research also points out that blueberries may be protective against the development of cataracts and glaucoma, and quite therapeutic in the treatment of varicose veins, hemorrhoids, and peptic ulcers.
Another very practical application of the antioxidant activity of blueberries is in the protection against Alzheimer’s disease and age related cognitive decline. In animal studies researchers have found that blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may reduce the effects of age-related conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, when older rats were given the human equivalent of 1 cup of blueberries a day they demonstrated significant improvements in both learning capacity and motor skills, making them mentally equivalent to much younger rats. When the rats’ brains were examined, the brain cells of the rats given blueberries were found to communicate more effectively than those of the other older rats that were not given blueberries.
While blueberries are an excellent food, a blueberry concentrate with all the anthocyanin-power of fresh picked blueberries is a convenient way to gain all of the health benefits. Two 500 mg capsules of a 36:1 blueberry concentrate is equivalent to ¼ cup of fresh blueberries. For general health, take two capsules daily.
For more information, please see the completely revised and updated 3rd edition of The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.
On the Dr Oz show
On the show I discussed the failure of conventional medicine to address the underlying issues in many health conditions offering little more than drugs as biochemical “band aids.”
