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| | May 2007 Â | Â Â
Natural options for hay fever relief  
From red, itchy eyes to stuffy, runny nose, the symptoms of seasonal allergies are no picnic. Ragweed is the most common seasonal allergen, but grasses and trees, as well as mold growing on dead leaves, can also be the culprit. Depending on the season and area, pollens and spores of various kinds are carried on the wind and trigger allergic reactions in susceptible individuals.
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The herb was comparable to drugs, without side effects.
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Fortunately, for the millions of people who suffer from seasonal allergies, natural remedies are available to help ease those pesky symptoms.
One emerging winner in the alternative arsenal against allergies is butterbur. Japanese researchers who looked at the effect of butterbur on rats and cell cultures concluded that it may be effective in suppressing Type 1 allergic reactions, which in humans include hay fever symptoms such as sniffling, sneezing and itchy eyes.
Meanwhile, Swiss researchers put butterbur to the test. They randomized 125 hay fever sufferers to receive either butterbur tablets four times daily for two weeks, or one tablet of antihistamine plus three identical-looking placebo tablets daily for the same time period. The people who took butterbur experienced an alleviation of symptoms comparable to the other group but with far less likelihood of drowsiness and fatigue. Butterbur "should be considered for hay fever relief when the sedating effects of antihistamines must be avoided," the researchers concluded.
Here are other natural remedies for seasonal allergies:
. Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA): In a German study of about 570 adults, high levels of ALA in the diet were associated with a reduced risk of allergic reaction. ALA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, is highly concentrated in certain plant oils including flaxseed oil and, to a lesser extent, canola, soy and walnut oils.
. Quercetin: This flavonoid has anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties. A number of studies back quercetin up as one of the most important supplements for allergy season. Studies show that quercetin inhibits the release of histamine from mast cells. Less histamine means less itchy, watery eyes and nose - and that's great news for any hay fever sufferer! Some studies also suggest that the combination of vitamin C and quercetin works even better than quercetin alone.
. Homeopathics: There are a number of remedies and combination products available for dealing with hay fever. Here are some common options:
. Allium cepa: for streaming eyes and nose with sneezing worse when in a warm room
. Arsenicum album: for eyes sensitive to light, feeling worn out and sneezing
. Gelsemium: for bouts of sneezing, when tears feel hot and burn eyelids and there is profuse watery nasal discharge.
Q10 combo reduces cancer relapse Â
Breast cancer patients who take coenzyme Q10, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and niacin (vitamin B3) supplements along with the chemotherapy drug tamoxifen may reduce their risk of relapse, new research suggests.
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Testing showed lower cancer markers in those taking the supplements.
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In a study based in India, researchers randomly divided 84 women with breast cancer into various groups to study the effects of these supplements taken in combination with tamoxifen. For 45 days, one group received 100 mg per day of coenzyme Q10, 10 mg per day of riboflavin and 50 mg per day of niacin, along with 10 mg of tamoxifen twice per day.
Another group underwent the same regimen for 90 days. In each case, researchers at the end of the test period found significant reductions in two substances that serve as circulating breast cancer tumour markers.
This indicated reduced risk of relapse, the researchers pointed out, because metastases at distant sites rather than the primary tumour are the main cause of death among breast cancer patients. Giving coenzyme Q10, riboflavin and niacin supplements, along with tamoxifen, to breast cancer patients "reduces the serum tumour marker level and thereby reduces the risk of cancer recurrence and metastases," the researchers concluded.
Green tea linked to weight loss Â
Drinking green tea can help reduce weight without increasing heart rate or blood pressure, according to a mini-review by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
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The authors reviewed experimental studies, clinical studies and in vitro studies. The human studies reviewed (which involved a daily total of 375 mg of catechins with 270 mg of EGCG and 150 mg of caffeine) showed that green tea consumption led to a significant increase in energy expenditure, decrease in body weight, decrease in waist circumference, and no change in heart rate or blood pressure. In vitro studies show that green tea extract stimulates thermogenesis (energy production).
The results of this review suggest that consumption of green tea may have a role to play in reducing body weight. The authors conclude, "Further studies are necessary to evaluate the observed weight-reducing action of green tea extract, especially in patients with much greater obesity."
Catechins, flavonoid antioxidants found in green tea, are thought to be responsible for many of its health benefits. Black tea has them too, but in lower amounts.
Magnesium lowers diabetes risk Â
High magnesium intake may help reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, two recent American studies show.
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A cup of cooked spinach contains 157 mg of magnesium.
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In a study based at Tufts University in Boston, about 1,200 men and 1,500 women completed food frequency questionnaires, allowing researchers to track how much magnesium they were consuming in their diets. None of the participants had diabetes.
Those who consumed the most magnesium had improved insulin sensitivity compared to those who consumed the least magnesium, the researchers found. "Improved insulin sensitivity may be one mechanism by which higher dietary magnesium intake may reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes," they said.
Research from Harvard Medical School also points to a role for magnesium in helping to prevent Type 2 diabetes. In this study, researchers examined the food frequency questionnaires of about 39,000 women without diabetes.
After six years, they found that those with the highest level of magnesium intake had a significantly reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes. They concluded that a higher intake of magnesium plays a role "in reducing the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, especially in overweight women."
Magnesium is available in supplement form and in such foods as skim milk, cold cereal, dark bread, bananas, spinach and orange juice. In the Tufts University study, the median daily intake of magnesium was 298 mg among men and 281 mg among women.
Gum disease reduced with melatonin Â
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone perhaps most well known for its role in regulating the body's cycles of sleeping and waking. Now research suggests it may be useful in fighting periodontal (gum) diseases.
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Those with more antioxidants in the blood and saliva tend to have less gum disease.
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At the University of Grenada in Grenada, Spain, researchers set out to explore possible links between melatonin levels in saliva and the severity of periodontal disease.
Their premise was that melatonin "possesses antioxidant, free-radical scavenging, and immuno-enhancing properties that promote fibroblast activity and bone regeneration."
In the study, researchers examined melatonin levels in the saliva of 37 people with varying degrees of periodontal disease. The more severe the periodontal disease, the lower the melatonin level, the researchers found.
Melatonin may help protect the body from "external bacterial insults," they concluded. "Therefore, melatonin may be potentially valuable in the treatment of periodontal diseases, although further research is required to validate this hypothesis."
In a separate study from the University of Birmingham, UK researchers who looked at more than 11,000 adults found an association between increased antioxidant concentrations in the blood and reduced relative risk of periodontitis. The higher the concentrations of vitamin C, bilirubin and total antioxidants, the lower the risk of periodontitis: one type of periodontal disease.
"Periodontitis is the major cause of tooth loss and is also significantly associated with an increased risk of stroke, type-2 diabetes and atheromatous heart disease," the researchers warn.
Nursing? Save your teeth with calcium Â
Mothers who breastfeed should be sure to have enough calcium in their diet, or may risk bone loss around their teeth and gums, according to a new study. Researchers from Tohoku University in Japan investigated if lactation affects alveolar bone loss, the bone surrounding the roots of teeth, in animal models of experimental periodontitis.
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"Our research emphasized the importance of having a high-calcium diet while breast-feeding," said Dr. Kanako Shoji. "While our study was on a rat population, the evidence confirmed that breastfeeding can cause increased bone loss in the mother, especially when she has insufficient calcium intake."
The study showed that all groups with insufficient calcium intake saw an acute inflammatory reaction in periodontal tissues and disruption of the tissues surrounding the teeth, in addition to increased attachment loss, and increased alveolar bone loss. Those groups which were lactating saw even greater attachment loss and bone loss.
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