Posts Tagged ‘Antioxidant’

What are benefits of Vitamin C during cold or viral?

What is vitamin C?
Vitamin C is an important vitamin and antioxidant that the body uses to keep you strong and healthy. Vitamin C is used in
- the maintenance of bones,
- muscle,
- blood vessels.
- the formation of collagen
- helps the body absorb iron

Vitamin C is found naturally in:
- vegetables
- oranges
- other citrus fruits.

This key vitamin is also available as a natural dietary supplement in the form of vitamin C pills and vitamin C chew able tablets.

Vitamin C and Common Cold
- The common cold is caused by several strains of viruses which includes the rhinovirus and the coronavirus.
- However, vitamin C does not prevent the common cold or decrease the severity of symptoms.
- In the 1970s, Linus Pauling argued that vitamin C could significantly decrease the incidence of the common cold.
- Vitamin C for the common cold is such a widely accepted treatment.
- We seek it in fortified juices, cough drops, and tea.
- Vitamin C was first touted for the common cold in the 1970s.

Other facts found are
- The average adult who suffers with a cold for 12 days a year would still suffer for 11 days a year if that person took a high dose of vitamin C every day during that year.
- For the average child who suffers about 28 days of cold illness a year, taking daily high-dose vitamin C would still mean 24 days of cold illness.
- When vitamin C was tested for treatment of colds in 7 separate studies, vitamin C was no more effective than placebo at shortening the duration of cold symptoms.

A prospective, controlled study focuses on:
- 715 students in a technical training facility found that vitamin C in mega doses administered before or after the appearance of cold and flu symptoms relieved and prevented the symptoms in the test population compared with the control group.
- More than 30 clinical trials with over 10,000 participants have examined the effects of taking daily vitamin C in doses up to 2 g/day.
- A review of Cochrane, PubMed, Natural Standard, and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine databases found that regular vitamin C intake may reduce the duration of cold symptoms in both adults and children.
- It does not decrease the severity of cold symptoms.
- However, in a subgroup of marathon runners, skiers, and soldiers training in the Arctic doses ranging from 250 mg/day to 1 g/day decreased the incidence of colds by 50%.
- Researchers concluded that vitamin C does not prevent or treat the common cold.
- It is better to consume natural foods such as red peppers, oranges, strawberries and grapefruit.
- It is acceptable to consume vitamin C from a supplement and still maintain adequate intake levels.

Daily Dosage
- The recommended daily allowance for vitamin C in the United States is 75 mg per day for women and 90 mg per day for men
- Taking doses above the RDA may have healthful benefits.
- Typically 70-90% of vitamin C is absorbed in the body but when taken in doses higher than 1 g, absorption decreases to 75%
- Further, it decreases to merely 16% after a 12 g dose.
- Popular vitamin C supplementation products, such as Airborne or Emergen-C, contain much higher doses of vitamins than necessary.

Overdose of vitamin C
- Taking vitamin C supplements in the recommended amounts is safe.
- The RDA or recommended daily allowance is 90 mg for men and 75 mg for women.
- High doses of vitamin C (greater than 2000 milligrams per day for adults) may cause kidney stones, nausea and diarrhea.

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What are different health benefits of Sage?

Sage, scientifically known as Salvia officinalis, is a Mediterranean herb. This silvery green herb is grown all over the world and is known for its culinary and medicinal value since the ancient times.

Sage is used in the raw form to give a spicy taste; it is also used in the dried form as well as in the form of oil extracts. The health benefits of sage are mainly due to the presence of alpha and beta thujone, cinerole, camphor, tannins, falvonoids and rosmarinic acid. It also contains vitamins A and calcium.
Some of the prominent Health benefits of Sage are discussed below.

Anti microbial
Sage has been since ancient times been used for preservative purposes mainly due to the presence of the phenolic rosmarinic acid. It is known to fight against bacterial and fungal infections, which not only makes it a good and effective preservative in retaining the flavor and nutrients of food but also helps in maintaining the health of the digestive system.

Antiseptic
Due to its antimicrobial properties sage can also used as an effective antiseptic and can be applied externally to any wound to ward of further infection.

Enhancing Memory
Since ancient times, sage has been used to treat memory loss. However, recent research has confirmed the fact that the roots of this plant indeed contain chemicals, which can help in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Hence, a daily consumption of this herb can help in sharpening memory as well as in warding off degenerative Alzheimer’s disease.

Antioxidant
Sage is also known for its antioxidant properties. These antioxidants help in reducing the effects of the harmful free radicals produced during the metabolic activities of the body. Antioxidants also help in slowing the degeneration of cells thus slowing the aging process.

Anti-inflammatory
Sage contains rosmarinic acid, which acts a potent anti-inflammatory agent. People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, body pains and other inflammatory conditions can be given the herb in the form of tea which helps in reducing pains. This herb can also be used to treat swelling due to sprains, ulcers and wounds.

Oral Health
Sage is used in many regions as a gargle to treat sore throat, ulcers in the mouth and gums or inflammation. Its antibacterial properties helps in fighting bad breath and other oral infections.

Gynecological health
Another health benefit of sage for women is that it helps in controlling the bleeding during menstrual flow and in regularizing the cycle in case of any irregularities experienced.

Skin and bone care
Sage apart from vitamin A possesses cicatrisant which is helps in removing scars and blemishes from the skin. Due to this property extracts from this herbs is being used in cosmetics. Sage is also rich in calcium, which is essential for the good health of teeth and bones.

Anemia
Sage is rich in iron, an important factor required for the hemoglobin part of the blood. A deficiency of iron in the body can lead to anemia. Consumption of this iron rich herb can help in overcoming anemic conditions.

Digestion
Sage due to its chloretic and cholagogue properties facilitates in fat and protein digestion and also helps in relieving acidity. Hence adding a little of this herb as a spice in food not only enhances the flavor but also helps in digestion.

Due to its various health benefits, Sage has gained a lot of attention in the medical field and many researches are being conducted on this age-old herb to understand its impact and role in fighting various diseases like Alzheimer’s. This should help in the synthesis of more effective drugs against these diseases which still pose a challenge to our scientists.

What are different health benefits of including clove in your daily diet?

Scientifically known as Eugenia aromatica, Clove is the dried bud of a flower of an evergreen tree. It grows mainly in the warmer climates. Cloves are known for their flavor, aroma and medicinal value probably one of the reasons why it finds a place in innumerable cuisines.
Clove oil is one of the most common form that is used apart from the dried buds that are popularly used as a spice. Cloves are rich in their nutritional value. The most important constituents being manganese, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and vitamin A, it also contains vitamin C and K. Apart from these, cloves are also known to have dietary fibers. Because of such a rich content of vitamins and minerals there are many health benefits of cloves. Some of the benefits are discussed below.

Antimicrobial
Clove oil has a chemical compound called Eugenol. This chemical compound is found to be anti fungal and anti bacterial in nature. Apart from the cost effectiveness, being a natural fungicide it does not have the usual side effects that are common with synthetic drugs or fungicides.

Anesthetic
Cloves have been used since ages as a household remedy for toothache. Eugenol and beta caryophyllene are two major components of clove oil, these two components are known for their analgesic property because of which it is popularly used in dentistry as a local anesthetic.
Eugenol is known not only for its anesthetic property but it is also known for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties because of which it is popularly used the drugs and dental fillings.

Oral health
The anti bacterial property of clove helps in maintaining oral health. It can be taken directly or diluted in water and gargled to remove bad breath or treat sore gums or mouth ulcers.

Diabetes
Recent studies have also indicated that a daily intake of cloves can actually increase the insulin activity by almost 3 times thus maintaining blood sugar levels. Making cloves a part of the daily diet can help in delaying the onset of diabetes.

Aphrodisiac
Cloves have been used since ages as an aphrodisiac. It is now proven through research that cloves do indeed enhance the sexual behavior in males. Research shows that cloves can be used for the treatment of premature ejaculation as well.

Mosquito repellent
Clove oil can be used as a mosquito repellent. Being very strong, clove oil if used on the skin should be used in dilution as it may lead to burning sensation. As a mosquito repellant it stays active for about 4 to 5 hours.

Respiratory health
Cloves have been found to possess the potential to prevent lung cancer. Further research is being conducted to support this discovery. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties and cooling effect clove is popularly used in the treatment of coughs and cold. Gargling or chewing clove can help ease sore throat. Clove is also used in other respiratory disorders like bronchitis, tuberculosis, asthma and sinusitis.

Blood circulation
Another health benefit of clove is that it helps in increasing blood circulation, which allows proper flow of nutrients and oxygen which, in turn, helps in the increase of body metabolism. Eugenol the extract from clove oil is also found to inhibit clotting of blood which helps in maintaining cardiovascular health.

This spice though originally used by the Indians and the Chinese has spread throughout the world because of the pleasant aroma and flavor that it can impart to the food. It not only finds a place in many cuisines of the world but because of all the health benefits of clove it is now one of the most valued spices.