LONDON, United Kingdom - A recent study conducted by researchers revealed that feeding children peanut products from infancy through the age of five can significantly reduce the risk of developing a peanut allergy into early adolescence. Children who consumed peanut pastes or puffed peanut snacks regularly from four to six months onwards were reported to be 71% less likely to have a peanut allergy at the age of 13 compared to those who did not consume peanuts, indicating a lasting impact of early peanut consumption.
According to the study, this simple dietary intervention could potentially prevent around 10,000 cases of life-threateningpeanut allergies annually in the UK alone, and contribute to a global reduction of 100,000 cases per year. Previous recommendations to avoid peanuts in early childhood had made parents hesitant, but the evidence now suggests that early exposure to peanuts can offer long-term protection against allergies.
Dr. Gideon Lack, a professor of pediatric allergy at King's College London, emphasized the importance of introducing peanuts to babies by four months for those with eczema and by six months for those without. The study also highlighted the increased risk of developing peanut allergies among babies with eczema, as their skin might be more susceptible to traces of the food triggering an immune response.
Peanut allergies have been on the rise in many western countries, with approximately one in 50 children in the UK currently affected. While some children may outgrow the allergy, for others, it means a lifetime of avoiding peanuts and the constant fear of a severe allergic reaction upon accidental exposure to the food.
The researchers noted that early introduction of peanut products offers a dual advantage by preventing the majority of peanut allergies while also enabling early identification and treatment for those who do develop the allergy. They recommended giving children peanut butter or puffs as soon as they can manage soft foods, aiming for a small amount three times a week.
It is crucial to avoid whole or chopped peanuts due to the choking hazard, but ground peanut puffs can be a safe alternative for babies. The study, known as the Leap-Trio trial, followed 508 children to an average age of 13, demonstrating that the protective effects of early peanut consumption persisted regardless of the children's peanut-eating habits post-five years of age.
The healthiest city isn’t highly walkable New York, fitness-obsessed Los Angeles or even one of the outdoorsy cities in the Rocky Mountain states.
A small oasis outside of Washington, DC – Falls Church, Virginia — has the best markers for health and wellbeing.
The town is small – just 2.2 square miles – and is home to about 15,000 residents.
But people who live there, on average, live years longer than most Americans, suffer disease at a much lower rate and the vast majority walk instead of driving.
The life-expectancy of a Falls Church resident hovers around 77 years, while the national average is slightly over 75 years.
Falls Church Mayor Letty Hardi sang the town’s praises after US News officially crowned it number one on the Healthiest Communities list.
The active, social lifestyles of Falls Church residents mirror those seen in Blue Zones, areas of the world including Ikaria, Greece and Loma Linda, California where people tend to live up to 100 or even older.
Falls Church earned an overall score of 100 out of 100, with population health specifically scoring a 97, indicating people have easy access to healthcare, are in good physical and mental health, and have a low rate of illness.
Mayor Hardi said: ‘We have been embracing the urban planning concept of a “15-minute city,” in which a wide array of amenities are located within a 15-minute walk, bike ride or convenient public transit option.
‘In fact, 70 percent of our residents now live within a 10-minute walk of a grocery store, not to mention our weekly farmers market, diverse restaurants, gyms, parks, and civic and cultural life.’
A total of 29 of the healthiest counties are located in Virginia.
A common plastic additive found in everything from pacifiers to metal food cans to even paper receipts has been linked to an increased risk of autism in boys.
The new research, which tracked the development of over 600 infants, found that higher levels of chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in a pregnant mother's urine more than tripled the chances that a young boy would develop autism symptoms by age two.
Worse, those same boys were six times more likely to be diagnosed with autism by age 11 — compared to those whose mothers had lower BPA levels during pregnancy.
New research out of Australia - which tracked the development of over 600 infants - found higher levels of chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in a pregnant mother's urine more than tripled the likelihood that a young boy would develop autism symptoms by age two
BPA, a chemical intended to harden plastics and prevent metals from rusting, among other uses, has also been linked to higher risks of obesity, asthma, diabetes, and heart diseases across over two decades of increasing scrutiny on the compound.
In addition to surveying over 600 human children, tracked since 2010, the study also tested lab mice to track the effect BPA has on brain development and autism. Photomicrographs of cortical neurons in lab mice (above) show the damaging impact of BPA.
But the new study not only identified the apparent link, it also uncovered evidence toward unravelling the specific chemical reactions that contribute to autism cases.
'Our work is important because it demonstrates one of the biological mechanisms potentially involved,' epidemiologist and public health physician Dr Anne-Louise Ponsonby, said in a statement on her team's study.
'BPA can disrupt hormone-controlled, male fetal brain development in several ways,' Dr Ponsonby explained, 'including silencing a key enzyme, aromatase, that controls neurohormones and is especially important in fetal male brain development.'
Aromatase, the new study noted, helps to convert some male sex hormones in the brain, known as neural androgens, into neural estrogens.
The Centers for Disease Control on Wednesday alerted doctors to be on the lookout for a deadly new strain of mpox spreading through parts of Africa while U.S. officials committed $424 million to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is the epicenter of the outbreak.
Why it matters: The so-called clade I virus is more virulent and deadly than the clade II variety that caused a global outbreak in 2022.
The CDC alert came soon after World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he would convene an emergency committee to determine if the outbreak amounts to a public health emergency of international concern.
Threat level: Clade I hasn't been found outside of central and eastern Africa to date, but the CDC said clinicians should be on heightened alert for patients who have recently been in the DRC or to any country sharing a border with it.
Mpox — previously known as monkeypox — has risen by 160% in Africa this year compared with 2023, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While most cases are in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, outbreaks have been reported in 15 countries.
Mpox causes fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue and muscle aches and can be deadly to young children and cause complications in pregnant people and adults with weak immune systems.
Due to the limited number of travelers and lack of direct commercial flights from the DRC, the risk of clade I importation to the U.S. remains very low, CDC said.
The Centers for Disease Control on Wednesday alerted doctors to be on the lookout for a deadly new strain of mpox spreading through parts of Africa while U.S. officials committed $424 million to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is the epicenter of the outbreak.
Why it matters: The so-called clade I virus is more virulent and deadly than the clade II variety that caused a global outbreak in 2022.
The CDC alert came soon after World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he would convene an emergency committee to determine if the outbreak amounts to a public health emergency of international concern.
Threat level: Clade I hasn't been found outside of central and eastern Africa to date, but the CDC said clinicians should be on heightened alert for patients who have recently been in the DRC or to any country sharing a border with it.The assistance the U.S. Agency for International Development announced on Wednesday includes 50,000 Jynneos vaccines and $10 million in health assistance along with more than $170 million worth of agricultural commodities.
The health assistance will go toward "a range of critical public health interventions in response to the mpox outbreak in the region," officials said.
The DRC has grappled with mpox outbreaks for decades but lacks the infrastructure to widely distribute vaccines.
Can a glass of beetroot juice a day keep the doctor away? According to recent research published in Frontiers in Nutrition, it just may help postmenopausal women avoid a visit to the cardiologist.
That’s because beet juice helps stimulate the production of nitric oxide, a vital chemical messenger that promotes circulation and blood flow. This is important for postmenopausal women considering they often face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased blood pressure.
So what exactly did the study find? Let’s find out.
Study Results
A team of researchers from Pennsylvania State University, Edith Cowan University, the University of Western Australia, Wake Forest University and the University of Leeds sought to determine if nitrate supplementation in the form of beetroot juice could help reduce heart disease risk factors in postmenopausal women.
The study authors noted that “cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in women, with increased risk following menopause. Dietary intake of beetroot juice and other plant-based nitrate-rich foods is a promising non-pharmacological strategy for increasing systemic nitric oxide and improving endothelial function in elderly populations.”
Women were broken up into an early-postmenopausal group (last menstrual period one to six years ago) and a late-postmenopausal group (more than six years since last menstrual period). Each group had women consume nitrate-rich beetroot juice and nitrate-depleted beet juice every day for a week.
The study participants drank nitrate-rich beet juice every morning for seven day, and then after several weeks, they drank beetroot juice without nitrate.
Researchers found that the nitrate-rich beet juice boosted blood flow compared to the placebo without nitrate. However, the researchers noted that the benefits to the blood vessels went away after 24 hours of drinking beet juice.
Ultimately, they concluded that drinking beet juice daily can help protect heart health in postmenopausal women, but it’s dependent on the timing of supplementation since the effects wear off after 24 hours.
Thus, in order to get consistent heart-boosting benefits from drinking nitrate-rich beetroot juice, postmenopausal women should make it part of their daily routine.
Other Beet Juice Benefits
In addition to aiding blood flow and heart health, beetroot juice also may help:
An Arizona man who was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease has figured out how to halt and reverse the symptoms, but discovered that no one seems to care. Hans Bogensberger, an 82-year-old retired nuclear physicist from Sun City, believes the principles of quantum physics explain what happened and would like to share how he did it with others suffering from the disease.
He didn't just stop the disease from progressing, but he reversed the symptoms. The hair on the top of his head has started growing back. He now competes in fencing and is the fencing champion for his age group in Arizona.
Parkinson's occurs when the body doesn't produce enough dopamine, destroying or disabling brain cells and neurons. This results in tremors, loss of balance, hallucinations, loss of memories and more. Until now, Parkinson's could not be stopped, only slowed.
Bogensberger developed Parkinson's in his late 60s or early 70s, and it progressed to the stage where he could hardly walk. He lost his long and short-term memory, and could no longer create poetry or remember geography and science.
Two or three years ago, entering his 80s and feeling miserable with all of the symptoms, Bogensberger felt like returning to the sport of saber fencing, which he played when he was 13 to 14 years old. It was one of a few simple things his brain could easily remember. He could barely stand up to do it.
According to Dr. Buchoff, if every pet owner did this one thing that costs little or nothing to do, there would be a lot fewer vets, simply because their services wouldn't be needed like they are now. It is so crucial to your pet's health, it's a travesty every pet owner isn't already doing it.
One of my longtime holistic veterinary medicine friends, Dr. Gerald Buchoff, was nominated for a Game Changer Award by Paula W.
Dr. Buchoff has been an integrative veterinarian since 1995 and is a former president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association
He's the director of Longevity Veterinary Center in Whippany, New Jersey, a 15,000 square foot hospital that provides both holistic and emergency veterinary care
Dr. Buchoff created Dr. B's Raw Diet, Longevity, is made from locally sourced ingredients designed to help your pet reach optimal health
His No. 1 health tip for pet parents is to keep your pet well hydrated
One of my longtime holistic veterinary medicine friends, Dr. Gerald Buchoff, was nominated for a Game Changer Award by Paula W. As an integrative veterinarian since 1995, and a former president of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Buchoff is a wealth of knowledge on how to prevent chronic diseases and enhance longevity in pets.
In fact, he's the director of Longevity Veterinary Center in Whippany, New Jersey, a 15,000 square foot hospital that provides both holistic and emergency veterinary care. "I'm trying to find a holistic veterinarian who does emergency work," Dr. Buchoff says. "That's a word I'd love to get out."
Spreading the Word — Integrative Modalities Save Pets' Lives
Dr. Buchoff loves what he does — just ask his wife. "I can't wait to get to work. My wife will agree with that. If I go on vacation, I'm thinking about work. I can't wait to get back. But of course, I love the science. I love the challenge of the cases, that kind of thing. I hope every veterinarian does," he says.
While he loves working with individual pets and their owners, he also wants to get the word out that holistic care can improve pets' health and well-being:
"What I really, really love is each individual pet, one at a time with their owner. I love the people. It's a very personal profession as you know, and I just enjoy that so much that, that one-on-one.
But at the same time, I want to spread the word. I want to get other veterinarians. I want more competition. I want to get more veterinarians in the area to take on certain holistic modalities, which anybody can fit into their practice. And that's a whole other discussion. I want to get more pet owners to realize how much other modalities, these integrated modalities that we use, can help their animals.
I got into it because in 1982, clients were saying, 'Don't you have anything else you can do for my allergic pet,' or 'my cancerous pet,' or this or that. 'Just steroids and antibiotics are not cutting it.' And I went out and I listened to them. What can I say? That's how I got into holistic medicine.
But I want to impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of animals. I love the one-on-one, but how can I help others? And one way is to get that word out, having a 15,000 square foot practice. So it is a pulpit. It does attract attention."
Food Formulated to Ward Off Chronic Disease
Another way Dr. Buchoff strives to help animals in his community and beyond is by offering a healthy source of nutrition that's different from most commercial pet food formulas.
Pets fortunate enough to be patients at Longevity Veterinary Center enjoy a range of services, including house calls, nutrition consultations and alternative medicine. But they can also access Dr. B's Raw Diet, Longevity, which is made from locally sourced ingredients and designed to help your pet reach optimal health.
"I developed a food that is designed to help prevent cancer and prevent autoimmune diseases," Dr. Buchoff says. "I can't write that on the packaging, but it does have mushroom products that are known to do that. And lycopene from cooked tomatoes and … ginger and garlic."
With a healthy diet in place designed to stimulate a healing response and prevent disease from occurring, pets have the best chance at living a long, healthy life.
Dr. Buchoff's No. 1 Health Tip for Pets
Dr. Buchoff is a seasoned integrative veterinary practitioner, and I asked him to share the one thing he'd like to share with pet parents around the world. His response might surprise you, but it makes perfect sense — keep your pet well hydrated:
"We all know that the different aspects of disease start out with emotional imbalance. So of course, that's a very important aspect, [along with] oxygenation, exercise, but the one thing that I think veterinarians don't share enough with their pet owners is keep your pet well hydrated. It just sounds trite, but it's really, really important. And I find that it's a common thread in so many patients.
And just about every email that I'm interpreting blood tests about, I'm including that because the blood test is reflecting it, that the animal is not hydrated well. We all know that cats don't drink enough, and it's really, really important to not feed them dry food or, if they must, because it does taste good, to add water to it slowly, slowly, slowly. Keep adding a little bit more each day. But it should be nice and wet.
Just think of what they would catch in the wild — 75% or more water. That's how mushy their food should be. And it's just so important. The animal's not going to drink on its own, at least cats won't, and dogs don't even drink enough.
So you can add flavorings to the food, even a couple drops of lemon juice, couple drops of bone broth, or whatever it takes. For cats, maybe a couple drops of canned tuna fish liquid, whatever it takes … That would be a lot fewer vets in this world if you had all the animals being hydrated."
Who wants all the side effects that Big Pharma causes? Natural is always worth a try and some even warn that natural remedies are just as potent at times, if not more potent, then pharmaceuticals. That means use them instead when you can and be careful, do your research!
Sore Throat
No pills. No herbs. No drugs.
This is quite amazing. If you can get your kiddle to let you do acupressure on them...the results are pretty significant, and the comments section is full of success stories on this YouTube vid:
Fever
If your child can handle ginger ale with apple cider vinegar (get the kind with the mother in it) mixed in, this could be a game changer. Iced, room temp, or even a teensy bit heated, it could bring down the fever within 30 minutes.
What happens if/when we feel it’s time to try to bring the fever down? Apple cider vinegar is an old remedy used by grandmothers and great-grandmothers that is thought to “draw out” the fever – people still swear by it! Soak a couple washcloths in diluted apple cider vinegar (1 part vinegar and 2 parts water), then place them on the forehead and tummy, or add a cup to a warm bath. Some people also soak a cloth in and wrap it around the soles of the patient’s feet.
Cough
Recipe's vary. A basic pineapple juice, honey, lemon juice, and cayenne works great instantly. Here is a variation:
Homemade Cough Syrup
Place the vinegar, honey, water, cayenne, and ginger in a small jar and shake to combine.
Leave at room temperature for a few days or place in the refrigerator for longer storage.
Shake well each time, before using. The spices will not dissolve into the liquid. It will not be a thick syrup, it should remain watery.
Take as needed and have a happy and healthy new year!
When I used to listen to the late great Dr. Robert Marshall from Quantum Nutrition Labs in Santa Monica on the daily, I gathered a lot of offbeat yet true remedies. Dr. Marshall claimed that a majority of stye's have to do with food poisoning. Mostly due to PORK. (We know here at The Plain Truth what God says about our clean diet and it does not include pork)
Dr. Marshall believed that if the stye is in the left eye, the small intestine is where the infection is coming from and if in the right, the large. You will know if it is food poisoning related if you take a probiotic and you start feeling a relief in your eye symptoms right away. I am not promoting this product just proving I am not alone out there who knows this...but totalvisioncareok.com talks about probiotics for eye issues.
It’s important to keep the eyelids clean to both treat and prevent a stye since bacteria causes a stye. It’s recommended to gently wash your eyelid with a mild soap and warm (not hot) water. You also want to avoid rubbing your eyes, especially if your hands aren’t clean, if you have a stye or want to make an effort not to get one. (12) Some sources also recommend using coriander seeds to make a tea-like liquid and then use this coriander liquid (once it has cooled down) to cleanse the eye. Coriander has antibacterial properties, so it makes sense that it could be helpful to a stye. (13)
Black or Green Tea
Similar to remedy #1 (a warm compress), you can also use a warm teabag on a stye. What kind of teabag? Typically a black tea bag is recommended because black tea is excellent at decreasing inflammation and it also has natural antibacterial abilities. A teabag of green tea is a good choice as well.
So after you have your morning cup of tea, you can simply place that teabag on the stye. If you’re not a tea drinker then you can make a cup of black tea using boiling water, let it steep and then remove the tea bag. Once the teabag has cooled down, place it on your closed eyelid that has the stye. Similar to the warm compress, make sure the teabag is moist, but not dripping wet. Let the teabag rest over the area of your eye where you have the stye for about five to 10 minutes. Throw the teabag out after each use. (14)
Cucumbers or Potatoes
When you have a stye, putting something cool and refreshing on your eyelids can really make the stye less bothersome. Cold cucumber slices are perfect for providing cool moisture that help decrease inflammation and irritation. Simply slice a cucumber that has been in the refrigerator and put a slice on the problem eye for ten minutes or so. If you don’t have a cucumber, a slice of potato can work well too.
Nosebleeds - Cayenne Pepper
This spice helps blood clot, and it has been used medicinally in cultures around the world, says pediatrician Lillian Beard, MD, author of Salt in Your Sock and Other Tried-and-True Home Remedies. Keep your child's head upright and pinch his nostrils together for several minutes. Then sprinkle a pinch of ground cayenne pepper on a moistened cotton swab and dab inside the nose on the area of the bleeding. "It seems like it might sting but, surprisingly, it doesn't," says Dr. Beard.
The Plain Truth is that God loves us. (John 14:21) He wants the best for us. He wants to bless us and make our food amazing (Isaiah 1:19) and heal our land (2Chron 7:14) and take our sickness away (Exodus 23:25) and set us high above all the nations of the earth! (Deut 28:1)
Why would we not want to respond out of obedience to God?
God wants the best for His Family, for us, for we are His children! Why would we not want to choose obedience as this is the loving response and one that will continue to move us all in the right direction. God has said, “If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land". 2Chron 7:14
Berberine in supplement form and in tea form, it is closely paralleled to Metformin and the list of benefits may be worth looking into...
The list of health benefits of Berberine is pretty significant. Especially how it helps the body regulate blood sugars helps support the liver, which we have suggested here as being the hub of our health, but by specifically getting rid of fatty liver disease, and righting our mitochondria issues, if any.
Check this out this informative video from Dr. Berg
The list of health benefits of Berberine is pretty significant. Especially how it helps the body regulate blood sugars helps support the liver, which we have suggested here as being the hub of our health, but by specifically getting rid of fatty liver disease, and righting our mitochondria issues, if any.
Check this out this informative video from Dr. Berg
What Is Berberine Tea? – Eight Amazing Benefits and How to Use
Berberine tea is a herbal remedy made from the dried roots of plants rich in berberine—a potent phytonutrient that has gained the attention of medical researchers worldwide.
Evidence suggests that berberine lowers blood glucose, reduces high blood pressure, supports cardiovascular health, and may reduce your risk of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and certain cancers.
Let’s look at the potential health benefits of berberine tea and find out why taking a berberine supplement may even prolong your life.
What is berberine tea?
Berberine is a naturally occurring compound found in several plants, including the barberry, goldenseal, tree turmeric, and Oregon grape.
Because berberine-containing plants aren’t commonly used for culinary purposes in Western cultures, dietary sources of berberine are limited.
However, because of its incredible health benefits, berberine is widely available in the form of tea, capsules, tinctures, and topical ointments.
Most berberine tea is made from the roots of the barberry shrub, also known as Berberis vulgaris. It can be consumed hot or cold and typically is served with lemon, cinnamon, or ginger to enhance its slightly bitter taste.
Berberine is an alkaloid phytochemical—a defensive compound that protects the plant by repelling herbivores, microbes, and pests and promotes self-healing, growth, and development.
Many of these alkaloid plant compounds also profoundly impact human physiology, which explains why berberine has been used as a natural remedy for treating a wide range of ailments for centuries.
Watch the video below to learn about the amazing benefit of berberine.
Eight benefits of berberine tea
Berberine-containing remedies have a long history in traditional Chinese medicine and were frequently used to manage high blood pressure, microbial infections, blood sugar imbalances, and various other health problems.
Contemporary research confirms berberine’s numerous health benefits. A study published in Phytotherapy Research found that berberine may play a significant therapeutic role in treating chronic diseases, including heart disease and metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and diabetes.
Here are eight incredible health benefits of berberine.
1. Blood sugar regulation
Berberine has profound benefits for metabolic health and can significantly improve insulin resistance, a metabolic imbalance that causes impaired blood sugar control and is the leading cause of diabetes.
Berberine may prevent and even reverse diabetes by increasing the number of insulin receptors on cell membranes which essentially enhances insulin’s ability to regulate blood sugar and control glucose metabolism in the liver.
In fact, a large review study published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity summarizes, “Berberine has been demonstrated to have comparable effects in the treatment of diabetes with anti-diabetic drugs like metformin.”
2. Weight loss
While berberine isn’t a miracle cure for weight loss, it has been found to significantly decrease the body mass index of overweight and obese individuals.
Berberine increases the activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a crucial enzyme that plays a fundamental role in regulating energy metabolism.
Due to its AMPK-activating properties, berberine can enhance fat oxidation and inhibit fat synthesis, meaning it speeds up fat burning and slows down fat storage, which can help reduce fat mass and body weight.
3. Cardiovascular health
Taking berberine has shown great promise in lowering the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and arrhythmia—an irregular heartbeat that can have serious health consequences.
Some evidence suggests that berberine has antiarrhythmic and cardioprotective properties. Berberine may inhibit specific potassium channels and helps to balance intracellular calcium levels, which are needed to regulate heart muscle contraction and may lower the risk of arrhythmias.
Berberine’s metabolic benefits also may improve several risk factors linked to heart disease, including:
While inflammation is a normal physiological response to injury and infections, chronic inflammation has detrimental impacts on the body.
Uncontrolled inflammation can significantly contribute to metabolic diseases, autoimmune conditions, cancers, neurodegenerative disorders, and various other health issues.
Berberine can inhibit several inflammatory molecules, including cytokines and interleukins, which play a crucial role in triggering and propagating inflammation in the body.
“By reducing the production of these proinflammatory compounds, berberine can help suppress chronic inflammation,” explains Dr. Berg. “This may explain why berberine intake is associated with a lower risk of a wide range of inflammatory conditions.”
5. Anti-microbial
In Ayurvedic medicine, berberine-containing remedies have traditionally been used for their antimicrobial properties to treat viral, bacterial, and fungal infections.
Berberine is a potent natural antibiotic that has shown to be particularly effective against E. coli, Staphylococcus, and Helicobacter pylori and may help to keep candida, fungi, and yeasts in check.
Research published in Frontiers of Microbiology found that berberine can inhibit the growth and replication of microbes by interfering with their cellular functioning, inhibiting DNA replication, and disrupting cell membranes.
In addition, berberine is a potent antiviral agent that may stop the replication of viruses such as hepatitis, influenza, and herpes simplex.
6. Immune system support
Berberine may be particularly beneficial for individuals with a weakened immune system.
Berberine has been shown to enhance the activity of macrophages, T cells, and natural killer cells. These crucial immune cells are needed to defend the body against pathogens, detect and eliminate cancerous cells and maintain balanced inflammatory responses.
There is also evidence that berberine promotes a balanced intestinal microflora by increasing beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli while reducing potentially harmful microbes.
Although more research is needed to establish the link between berberine and reduced cancer risk, there is preliminary evidence that berberine has impressive anti-cancer effects.
Berberine may have the ability to induce apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death, in abnormal cells that have cancerous characteristics, which may prevent the growth and proliferation of cancer.
8. Longevity
Berberine has shown promising anti-aging effects and may have potential benefits for longevity.
It has been proposed that berberine enhances longevity by activating AMPK, the enzyme that regulates cellular energy metabolism, maintains normal cellular functions, and stabilizes and repairs DNA.
Another way that berberine may prolong lifespan may be a result of its positive impact on metabolic health, resulting in a lower risk of insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, heart disease, and cancers, which may prevent premature death.
Berberine side effects and dosage
Berberine tea is generally considered safe and well-tolerated by most people. However, some individuals are sensitive to berberine or other compounds in berberine tea and can develop allergic reactions.
If you develop symptoms including itching, swelling, or difficulty breathing after consuming berberine, it’s crucial to seek medical attention immediately.
In addition, berberine supplements can cause gastrointestinal upset, and it’s recommended to take berberine with food to lower the risk of nausea, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.
If you want to take berberine as a health supplement, the typical recommended dosage ranges between 500-1500 milligrams per day, divided into two to three doses.
Berberine tea can vary in potency, and it's best to start with one cup per day and gradually increase your intake to a maximum of three cups per day.
Who shouldn’t drink berberine tea?
The safety of berberine during pregnancy and breastfeeding hasn't been adequately studied, and it’s recommended that mothers who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and those who are planning to conceive, avoid berberine-containing products.
Berberine has been found to modulate liver function enzymes which can alter the detoxification and metabolism of certain pharmaceutical compounds.
If you are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, blood thinners, or medications to improve insulin sensitivity or blood lipids, it’s essential to discuss berberine with your healthcare provider.
In addition, berberine may lower HbA1C, a measure of average blood sugar levels, and berberine supplementation in combination with blood-sugar-lowering drugs can result in dangerously low blood sugar levels, also known as hypoglycemia.
How to make berberine tea
Berberine tea is traditionally made by steeping dried roots of the barberry plant in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes.
However, barberry root isn’t always readily available, and berberine tea bags are an excellent alternative. Follow the berberine tea instructions and let the tea bag steep in hot water until it reaches the desired strength.
Another way to prepare berberine tea is by using a powdered berberine supplement. Sprinkle one teaspoon of berberine powder into a cup of hot water and stir until the powder is completely dissolved.
You can add lemon, ginger, or cinnamon to mask berberine’s slightly bitter taste and use stevia or monk fruit to sweeten the tea if desired.
Key takeaways
Berberine possesses profound health-promoting properties that may prevent and even reverse insulin resistance and diabetes, protect from microbial infection, lower cancer risk, and potentially help prolong lifespan.
Because of berberine’s impressive health benefits, berberine supplements and berberine teas are readily available and may be particularly beneficial for individuals with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and a weakened immune system.
If you are considering using berberine tea to promote a healthy body, it's best to start with one cup daily and slowly increase your intake to three cups per day to avoid side effects.
Eight benefits of berberine tea
Berberine-containing remedies have a long history in traditional Chinese medicine and were frequently used to manage high blood pressure, microbial infections, blood sugar imbalances, and various other health problems.
Contemporary research confirms berberine’s numerous health benefits. A study published in Phytotherapy Research found that berberine may play a significant therapeutic role in treating chronic diseases, including heart disease and metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and diabetes.
Here are eight incredible health benefits of berberine.
1. Blood sugar regulation
Berberine has profound benefits for metabolic health and can significantly improve insulin resistance, a metabolic imbalance that causes impaired blood sugar control and is the leading cause of diabetes.
Berberine may prevent and even reverse diabetes by increasing the number of insulin receptors on cell membranes which essentially enhances insulin’s ability to regulate blood sugar and control glucose metabolism in the liver.
In fact, a large review study published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity summarizes, “Berberine has been demonstrated to have comparable effects in the treatment of diabetes with anti-diabetic drugs like metformin.”
2. Weight loss
While berberine isn’t a miracle cure for weight loss, it has been found to significantly decrease the body mass index of overweight and obese individuals.
Berberine increases the activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a crucial enzyme that plays a fundamental role in regulating energy metabolism.
Due to its AMPK-activating properties, berberine can enhance fat oxidation and inhibit fat synthesis, meaning it speeds up fat burning and slows down fat storage, which can help reduce fat mass and body weight.
3. Cardiovascular health
Taking berberine has shown great promise in lowering the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and arrhythmia—an irregular heartbeat that can have serious health consequences.
Some evidence suggests that berberine has antiarrhythmic and cardioprotective properties. Berberine may inhibit specific potassium channels and helps to balance intracellular calcium levels, which are needed to regulate heart muscle contraction and may lower the risk of arrhythmias.
Berberine’s metabolic benefits also may improve several risk factors linked to heart disease, including:
While inflammation is a normal physiological response to injury and infections, chronic inflammation has detrimental impacts on the body.
Uncontrolled inflammation can significantly contribute to metabolic diseases, autoimmune conditions, cancers, neurodegenerative disorders, and various other health issues.
Berberine can inhibit several inflammatory molecules, including cytokines and interleukins, which play a crucial role in triggering and propagating inflammation in the body.
“By reducing the production of these proinflammatory compounds, berberine can help suppress chronic inflammation,” explains Dr. Berg. “This may explain why berberine intake is associated with a lower risk of a wide range of inflammatory conditions.”
5. Anti-microbial
In Ayurvedic medicine, berberine-containing remedies have traditionally been used for their antimicrobial properties to treat viral, bacterial, and fungal infections.
Berberine is a potent natural antibiotic that has shown to be particularly effective against E. coli, Staphylococcus, and Helicobacter pylori and may help to keep candida, fungi, and yeasts in check.
Research published in Frontiers of Microbiology found that berberine can inhibit the growth and replication of microbes by interfering with their cellular functioning, inhibiting DNA replication, and disrupting cell membranes.
In addition, berberine is a potent antiviral agent that may stop the replication of viruses such as hepatitis, influenza, and herpes simplex.
6. Immune system support
Berberine may be particularly beneficial for individuals with a weakened immune system.
Berberine has been shown to enhance the activity of macrophages, T cells, and natural killer cells. These crucial immune cells are needed to defend the body against pathogens, detect and eliminate cancerous cells and maintain balanced inflammatory responses.
There is also evidence that berberine promotes a balanced intestinal microflora by increasing beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli while reducing potentially harmful microbes.
Although more research is needed to establish the link between berberine and reduced cancer risk, there is preliminary evidence that berberine has impressive anti-cancer effects.
Berberine may have the ability to induce apoptosis, also known as programmed cell death, in abnormal cells that have cancerous characteristics, which may prevent the growth and proliferation of cancer.
8. Longevity
Berberine has shown promising anti-aging effects and may have potential benefits for longevity.
It has been proposed that berberine enhances longevity by activating AMPK, the enzyme that regulates cellular energy metabolism, maintains normal cellular functions, and stabilizes and repairs DNA.
Another way that berberine may prolong lifespan may be a result of its positive impact on metabolic health, resulting in a lower risk of insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, heart disease, and cancers, which may prevent premature death.
Berberine side effects and dosage
Berberine tea is generally considered safe and well-tolerated by most people. However, some individuals are sensitive to berberine or other compounds in berberine tea and can develop allergic reactions.
If you develop symptoms including itching, swelling, or difficulty breathing after consuming berberine, it’s crucial to seek medical attention immediately.
In addition, berberine supplements can cause gastrointestinal upset, and it’s recommended to take berberine with food to lower the risk of nausea, bloating, and abdominal discomfort.
If you want to take berberine as a health supplement, the typical recommended dosage ranges between 500-1500 milligrams per day, divided into two to three doses.
Berberine tea can vary in potency, and it's best to start with one cup per day and gradually increase your intake to a maximum of three cups per day.
Who shouldn’t drink berberine tea?
The safety of berberine during pregnancy and breastfeeding hasn't been adequately studied, and it’s recommended that mothers who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and those who are planning to conceive, avoid berberine-containing products.
Berberine has been found to modulate liver function enzymes which can alter the detoxification and metabolism of certain pharmaceutical compounds.
If you are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, blood thinners, or medications to improve insulin sensitivity or blood lipids, it’s essential to discuss berberine with your healthcare provider.
In addition, berberine may lower HbA1C, a measure of average blood sugar levels, and berberine supplementation in combination with blood-sugar-lowering drugs can result in dangerously low blood sugar levels, also known as hypoglycemia.
How to make berberine tea
Berberine tea is traditionally made by steeping dried roots of the barberry plant in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes.
However, barberry root isn’t always readily available, and berberine tea bags are an excellent alternative. Follow the berberine tea instructions and let the tea bag steep in hot water until it reaches the desired strength.
Another way to prepare berberine tea is by using a powdered berberine supplement. Sprinkle one teaspoon of berberine powder into a cup of hot water and stir until the powder is completely dissolved.
You can add lemon, ginger, or cinnamon to mask berberine’s slightly bitter taste and use stevia or monk fruit to sweeten the tea if desired.
Key takeaways
Berberine possesses profound health-promoting properties that may prevent and even reverse insulin resistance and diabetes, protect from microbial infection, lower cancer risk, and potentially help prolong lifespan.
Because of berberine’s impressive health benefits, berberine supplements and berberine teas are readily available and may be particularly beneficial for individuals with diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, and a weakened immune system.
If you are considering using berberine tea to promote a healthy body, it's best to start with one cup daily and slowly increase your intake to three cups per day to avoid side effects.
FAQ
1. What is berberine?
Berberine is a potent alkaloid phytochemical that’s found in plants of the Berberidaceae family, such as barberry, goldenseal, tree turmeric, and Oregon grape.
Berberine protects plants from microbial infections and stimulates self-repairs, and has been found to have profound benefits for human health.
2. What is berberine tea?
Berberine tea is a herbal beverage made from dried roots of the barberry bush. It’s yellowish in color and typically has a bitter taste which explains why most people add lemon, ginger, or cinnamon to enhance its flavor.
Berberine-containing teas have been used for centuries in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine to treat a wide range of health issues.
3. What is berberine tea good for?
Berberine has an impressive number of health benefits. It has been shown to possess potent anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-cancer, and anti-aging properties.
Regular berberine intake has been linked with a lower risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, cancer, and heart disease and has potential benefits for immune functions, longevity, and weight loss.
4. Is there a downside to taking berberine?
While berberine is generally well tolerated, some sensitive individuals may experience gastrointestinal issues or allergic reactions.
5. What is the best way to take berberine?
Berberine-containing plants aren’t typically consumed in Western cultures, and berberine supplements or berberine teas are widely available and a convenient way to take this health-promoting phytochemical.
6. What does berberine do for the body?
Berberine has been found to lower inflammation, support the immune system, and promote weight loss and blood sugar control.
It also has been linked to a lower risk of infections, cancer, heart disease, and metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance and diabetes.
7. Is berberine and turmeric the same thing?
No, berberine and turmeric aren’t the same thing. They’re distinctly different compounds derived from different plants. Berberine is found in plants of the Berberis species, whereas turmeric is derived from the root of the Curcuma plant.
8. Can I have berberine on keto?
Yes, you can have berberine on keto as it doesn’t contain carbohydrates and won’t interfere with ketosis.
9. Can I drink berberine tea while fasting?
Berberine tea doesn’t contain calories and won’t break your fast. However, drinking berberine tea on an empty stomach can increase the risk of gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea or bloating, and it’s generally recommended to consume berberine tea in combination with food.
10. Does berberine tea help with weight loss?
Yes, berberine has been linked to significant weight loss in obese individuals. Berberine activates AMP-activated protein kinase, a crucial enzyme that promotes fat breakdown and inhibits fat storage, which can help to reduce fat mass and body weight.
11. How do I make berberine tea?
Berberine tea is traditionally made by steeping the dried roots of barberry plants for 10 to 15 minutes in hot water. Because dried barberry root can be challenging to find in Western parts of the world, using berberine tea bags or dissolving one teaspoon of dried berberine powder in hot water is an excellent alternative.
13. Who should avoid berberine?
Berberine should be avoided by individuals that are allergic to plants of the Berberis family. In addition, berberine has been found to interact with certain prescription drugs, such as blood sugar-lowering medications, statins, blood thinners, and anti-hypertensive drugs.
14. Can I have berberine tea while pregnant or breastfeeding?
Pregnant or breastfeeding mothers and those who are planning to conceive should avoid berberine-containing products as the safety of berberine during pregnancy and breastfeeding hasn't been adequate
In today's broadcast, Bob Barney discusses how people listen to whatever their doctor says because they trust their doctor over God, so much so that the doctor's advising reigns supreme even over their own common sense! Bob presents many different perspectives as to how we fall prey to this in our everyday lives when the truth of how we are being poisoned and misdirected by the medical industry (and the food industry, etc.) is so glaringly obvious and right in front of our face.
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3. Cardiovascular health
