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Garlic, honey and apple cider vinegar: Powerful natural mixture against indigestion, obesity

January 21, 2017 by Jude Henry Leave a Comment

Science is supposedly looking for miracle cures for all sorts of ailments, yet nature consistently provides the most powerful remedies anywhere on the planet. These solutions are also typically far safer and cost pennies on the dollar compared to steep costs for conventional medical treatments. Better yet, these down-to-earth treatments are usually simple and accessible to all people. The mixture of garlic, honey and apple cider vinegar is certainly no exception to those principles. It is a powerful remedy that you can make in the comfort of your own home with ingredients you probably keep on hand.

Benefits of this naturally healthy remedy

The combination of the three ingredients yields specific advantages to anyone who mixes then drinks them. It can help to prevent and treat gastrointestinal symptoms such as indigestion, and it has also been shown to ward off weight issues like obesity. With the obesity rate climbing ever higher, having people take a few minutes to prepare this drink can certainly provide a solution to a growing problem.

Taking a look at the benefits of the three individual ingredients gives some clues as to what makes them so powerful when combined:

Garlic is high in allicin, which is anti-inflammatory and anti-aging. It offers a world of miraculous benefits, and when taken internally, it can be helpful for treating all sorts of infections.
Honey contains high levels of vitamins, minerals and enzymes, and it’s an excellent antiseptic.
Apple cider vinegar may provide the secret sauce in the garlic, honey and apple cider vinegar combination because of the sour-tasting liquid’s anti-obesity and indigestion-fighting properties.

You can imagine what a powerhouse you are creating when you combine the three items, in light of their individual properties and benefits even when used alone. (RELATED: Learn more news about the healing power of superfoods at Superfoods.news)

How to make this powerful mixture

Preparing for yourself a healthy drink of these three wonderful ingredients could not be easier or quicker. Simply measure out one cup of apple cider vinegar, one cup of honey and ten cloves of freshly minced garlic. Thoroughly combine the ingredients in a blender, and pour the mixture into a glass jar. Refrigerate that. Take two tablespoons of the mixture each day in the morning, before eating or drinking anything. The mixture keeps for five days, and after that it will not provide the same powerful benefits. If you would like to improve the flavor some, add a small amount of water or organic juice such as apple juice.

Tips for maximum effectiveness

To get the most healing power out of the garlic, honey and apple cider vinegar mixture, make sure you follow certain rules. First, preferably use only organic ingredients. Also, garlic should be as fresh as possible or even grown in your own garden. Avoid using garlic that feels spongy or has dried out. Honey needs to be raw and preferably local, and avoid at all costs the “fake” honey that has become more prevalent in recent years. It is a “mystery” concoction of additives masquerading as a healthy food. Use raw apple cider vinegar that contains particles, also known as the “mother,” that settle to the bottom of the bottle. Before pouring out some vinegar, shake the capped bottle vigorously to thoroughly mix the particles in with the liquid.

Additional benefits include reduced cholesterol and blood pressure, cancer treatment and diabetes improvement. What if one of the cures for those dreaded ailments is right in your kitchen? So cheers to your health, and enjoy the rewards that come from setting aside a few minutes daily to take care of yourself by drinking this remedy.

Learn more about natural remedies at Remedies.news.

Sources:

Desk jobs, fast food and the daily grind contribute to middle-aged health crisis

January 6, 2017 by Howard Roark Leave a Comment

Public Health England (PHE) has a mission to inform its citizens that the typical modern lifestyle is ruining health. PHE is part of the Department of Health in the United Kingdom. BBC reveals an astounding statistic:

Eight in every 10 people aged 40 to 60 in England are overweight, drink too much or get too little exercise, the government body warns.

PHE wants people to turn over a new leaf in 2017 and make a pledge to get fit.

Health officials say the “sandwich generation” of people caring for children and ageing parents do not take enough time to look after themselves.

We are living longer, but are in poorer health because we store up problems as we age. The campaign’s clinical adviser, Prof Muir Gray, said it was about trying to make people have a different attitude to an “environmental problem”.

“Modern life is dramatically different to even 30 years ago,” Prof Gray told Radio 4’s Today programme. “People now drive to work and sit at work.”

By taking action in mid-life… you can reduce your risk not only of type 2 diabetes, which is a preventable condition, but you can also reduce your risk of dementia and disability and, being a burden to your family,’ he added.

Many people no longer recognise what a healthy body weight looks like, say the officials – and obesity, which greatly increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, is increasingly considered normal.

A sedentary lifestyle can be your undoing

Although physical fitness is not the equivalent of overall health, along with a good diet, it is a great start. By now, the health risks to our bodies and minds of getting no exercise have become well established. Adding years to our life expectancy is not desirable if we are talking about extra years as a physical or mental cripple. An alarming thought is that we will increase our risk for mental degradation by being sedentary. But that is what modern research points to.

BBC.com also reports that being unfit in middle years hastens brain deterioration, citing a study that was published in the journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study found that being unfit at age 40 correlated with a reduced brain volume at age 60, and that the brain shrinkage denotes accelerated brain ageing. 1,583 participants who were free of dementia or heart disease were studied, and then again twenty years later. MRI brain scans were given along with a treadmill test. As quoted in the article, lead researcher Dr Nicole Spartano, of the Boston University School of Medicine opined,

“While not yet studied on a large scale, these results suggest that fitness in middle age may be particularly important for the many millions of people around the world who already have evidence of heart disease.”

To drink or not to drink, that is the question

Moderate alcohol consumption is a strategy employed by some of us as a coping mechanism – alcohol can take the edge off of stress and anxiety. But immoderate alcohol use can cause more problems that it solves – it can interfere with our normal daily functioning, and enable us to ignore issues that need to be addressed. Cutting back on the amount of alcohol consumed can in itself solve problems, not the least of which is our health concerns as we enter our middle years.

Abusing alcohol in our youth can seem to be without consequence, but the partying lifestyle is not sustainable. Our wake-up call may come in the form of failing health in later years, forcing us to confront our poor choices. Is now the time to forge a new path in the new year? Yes! You can ask a friend or family member to hold you accountable in turning a new leaf. You don’t have to go it alone – your loved ones can aid you in remaining firmly resolute. The worst you can do is to beat yourself up for past failures. No matter how many breaths and heartbeats you have left, it is up to you to make the best of it, from this day forward.

Know that willpower is not a commodity of limited availability, to be conserved for emergency use only, but more like a muscle group that responds with additional capacity as you exercise it. You can start small and think big – bad habits can be overcome incrementally. And of course for some people, like alcoholics, diabetics, and pre-diabetics – the only solution is to stop drinking alcohol altogether.

Sources:

BBC.com

Apple cider vinegar can help regulate blood sugar, body fat and more

December 28, 2016 by Amy Goodrich Leave a Comment

Apple cider vinegar (ACV), the kitchen staple made from fermented apples, has a long history as a folk remedy for numerous conditions ranging from curing hiccups and alleviating cold symptoms to making your hair shine, whitening your teeth, and freshening your breath. Some people even turn to ACV to treat more severe health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart problems, high cholesterol, and obesity.

While most of ACV’s known benefits are based on the wisdom of our ancestors, the scientific world has recently taken interest in this natural product. Here are three scientifically backed-up reasons why you should keep ACV in your pantry.

Balance blood sugar and Improve diabetes

The number of Americans struggling with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes is expected to increase dramatically within the next few years. Several scientific studies have proven that the acetic acid found in ACV can balance blood sugar levels to help get that number down.

One study, published in Diabetes Care, found that both men and women with type 2 diabetes who weren’t taking insulin had lower blood glucose levels in the morning when taking two tablespoons of ACV before bed.

Another study conducted by researchers at the Arizona State University compared the effects of ACV on healthy adults, people with pre-diabetes or insulin resistance, and people with type 2 diabetes. They found that individuals who drank a mixture of ACV and water before eating a high carbohydrate meal (a white bagel with butter and orange juice) had lower blood sugar levels afterward.

The study reported that people with pre-diabetes improved their blood glucose levels by nearly half, while people with diabetes cut their blood sugar concentrations by 25 percent.

Prevent weight gain

According to some scientists, ACV could reduce body fat and promote weight loss. Again, the acetic acid seems to be responsible for ACV’s health promoting effect. Acetic acid has been shown to curb the appetite, boost metabolism (or the fat-burning mechanism), and reduce water retention. Furthermore, ACV may interfere with the digestion of starch, which results in fewer calories entering the bloodstream.

A team of Japanese researchers found that mice that were fed a high-fat diet along with acetic acid developed up to 10 percent less body fat. According to the team, these findings implied that acetic acid turns on genes that trigger the production of enzymes that break down fat and prevent weight gain. This hypothesis prompted them to investigate the effect of acetic acid on human weight.

During the 12-week follow-up study, obese volunteers were asked to either drink a beverage containing ACV or a drink containing no vinegar at all. The authors of the study found that people who drank ACV daily had lower triglycerides, body weight, BMI, waist measurements and less belly fat, compared to the non-vinegar drinkers.

Improve digestive health

While acetic acid can kill the “bad” bacteria that cause digestive issues, at the same time it promotes the growth of “good” bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria, making it an ideal natural antibiotic.

A digestive tonic made from one teaspoon raw honey, one teaspoon ACV and a glass of warm water just before a heavy meal has long been a natural cure to settle an upset stomach and prevent indigestion. Furthermore, vinegar could potentially help treat ulcerative colitis which is a chronic condition that affects millions of people around the world

Not all that glitters is gold

ACV may seem the cure-for-all, however, know that it has its downsides too. Always make sure to dilute the vinegar since the acetic acid can damage tooth enamel or the esophagus. Also, regular use of ACV may deplete potassium levels in the body.

One last thing, when buying ACV make sure to buy the raw, cloudy vinegar with the “mother” which contains the beneficial compounds including probiotics.

Sources

CNN.com

RD.com

Care.DiabetesJournals.org

PUBS.ACS.org

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

ACS.org