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Natural means of fighting sugar cravings

July 1, 2015

Natural means of fighting sugar cravings: Putting sugar addiction to check

Natural means of fighting sugar cravings

Natural means of fighting sugar cravings can be very effective in bringing sugar cravings to manageable levels

There is no doubt about the sweetness of sugar and naturally sweet things are liked by many globally. No one would want to associate with nasty and horrible taste because that is how we are, the human nature in us. The problem comes when one begins to take sugar excessively to the point that they cannot do without it. When we begin to crave for sugar, then its usefulness and sweetness is altered to addiction which can come along with other health conditions which may be chronic in nature for human life. Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care recommends that when one begins to get into this stage of usage then such a person should seek for help immediately from the medical experts. The consequences of not taking action in good time can be very endangering as we will be able to see in the course of this discussion. In the meantime, doctor Dalal Akoury will be taking us through the discussion focusing on the natural means of fighting sugar cravings as follows:

Natural means of fighting sugar cravings: Diet tips to fight off sugar cravings

The consumption of refined sugar all over the world is sky rocketing and this is a great point of concern for many experts. Take for example in the US it had been estimated that an average American citizen is consuming up to 160 pounds of refined sugar yearly. Can you imagine that? This high consumption of sugar is not just in America, but also in most of the western countries. As a matter of facts, studies have positioned western world to be leading in the prevalence in the number of health conditions which are associated with sugar consumption. Some of those health conditions may include the following: diabetes, certain forms of cancer, obesity and overweight, and tooth decay. Besides that, it is also very important to note that the consumption of too much sugar can also have an impact on individual’s mood causing them to feel tired, irritable, anxious and aggressive.

These complications can really bring you down with a lot of discomforts if treatment is not sought for in good time. With these conditions, one would wish to take action immediately but unfortunately, it is often very difficult to cut back on sugar. This is because human beings have a natural tendency to like sweet things a nature’s trick to save us from poisonous plants which usually have a bitter taste. A sweet tooth was valuable to the survival of our ancestors also because sugary foods provide a quick source of energy. The problem these days is that we eat far more sugar than our ancestors ever could. Also the type of sugar we tend to consume makes us more vulnerable to health problems: rather than indulging in healthy sweet treats like berries or fruit we often opt for unhealthy snacks containing concentrated amounts of white table sugar. This highly refined sugar has little nutritional value; yet it is high in calories. With that said and done let us now get to the natural means of fighting sugar cravings, and remember that the presentations we are going to give only represent diet related tips to help you fight off sugar cravings but are not in any way substitute the professional medical or nutritional advice by the professionals.

Natural means of fighting sugar cravings: Increase brain serotonin levels through diet

The chemical known as serotonin is responsible for the communications between the cells and other nervous system cells. It functions like the neurotransmitter that helps in the transmission of communications to the brain. Some of the perfect sources of serotonin may include walnuts, pecans, plantains, pineapple, bananas, kiwi fruit, plums, and tomatoes.

Natural means of fighting sugar cravings: Eating sufficient of tryptophan-rich foods

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid found in protein rich foods. It normally serves as a precursor to serotonin and therefore an adequate intake of tryptophan rich foods can help with sugar cravings. To get the most out of tryptophan, one should try to increase the blood levels of tryptophan, relative to the blood levels of the other essential amino acids, as other amino acids compete with tryptophan for entry to the brain. One way to do this is to consume some healthy carbohydrates together with the tryptophan-rich meal. It is important to note that carbohydrates stimulate the production of insulin, a hormone which lowers the blood levels of all the essential amino acids, except tryptophan.

Natural means of fighting sugar cravings: Consumption of plenty of foods rich in B vitamins

B vitamins can be helpful for fighting sugar cravings. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), found in a variety of foods including beans, meat, poultry, fish, and some fruits and vegetables, can be particularly beneficial due to its role in the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin.

Natural means of fighting sugar cravings: Ensure an ample supply of glutamine

Glutamine is an amino acid that provides energy in the brain and helps build and maintain muscle. It is commonly used by body builders to help reduce muscle deterioration during and post workout. Glutamine may also help reduce cravings for sugar and carbohydrates. This is likely to be a result of glutamine’s stabilizing effect on blood sugar levels: when the levels are low, glutamine suppresses insulin to prevent further decline of the sugar levels. It also stimulates the release of glycogen to help increase the blood sugar to normal levels. Glutamine is found in many protein rich foods such as fish, chicken, beans, and dairy as well as in vegetables such as raw parsley, spinach, cabbage, and beets.

Finally remember what I had said above that these are only tips to help you fight off sugar cravings but are not in any way substitute the professional medical or nutritional advice. The communication behind this statement is that when you are following these natural tips, you will still need the services of professionals to help you out from time to time. It is because of this gap that lead to doctor Dalal Akoury to make a decision of forming a medical center whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. With visionary experts like this, you should not continue to suffer because of any kind of addiction. Therefore you may want to schedule for an appointment with this great addiction professional to help you address all your known concerns.

Natural means of fighting sugar cravings: Putting sugar addiction to check

 

 

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Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reduce Inflammation

February 26, 2015

Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reduce Inflammation modulates Regulatory T Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Mesenchymal stem cells are a rare type of cells that are multi-potent and can be isolated from the adipose tissues, bone marrow among other crucial sources.  These cells have very unique properties that have seen them become targets of very many medical therapies especially in treating degenerative diseases like aging and even joint diseases like arthritis. These cells have been found to be also very effective in modulating the functions of immune cells, including T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, monocyte or macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils. T cells, activated to perform a range of different effector functions, are the primary mediators of many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases as well as of transplant rejection and graft-versus-host disease. Some of the well-defined T-Cell effector cells include; CD4+ (T helper cell) subsets Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes which are derived from antigen-specific activation of simple CD8+ precursors. In addition, naturally occurring and induced regulatory T cells represent CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell phenotypes that potently suppress effector T cells to prevent autoimmunity, maintain self-tolerance, and limit inflammatory tissue injury. The ability of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells to suppress the effector T-Cells and limit inflammation has made them very effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis which is characterized with inflammations around the joints. Typically, many immune-mediated diseases entail an imbalance between regulatory T cells and effector T cells of one or more phenotypes. Mesenchymal Stem Cells broadly suppress T-cell activation and proliferation in a controlled environment outside of a living organism via (Vitro) a plethora of soluble and cell contact-dependent mediators.  These mediators may work in two ways; first they can work directly on T cells or indirectly via modulation of antigen-presenting cells and other accessory cells. Mesenchymal Stem Cells administration has also been shown to be variably associated with beneficial effects in autoimmune and transplant models as well as in several human clinical trials. However, in a small number of studies Mesenchymal Stem Cells administration has been found to heighten T cell-mediated tissue injury. The multiple effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells on cellular immunity may reflect their diverse influences on the different T-cell effector subpopulations and their capacity to specifically protect or induce regulatory T-cell populations.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells

 Mesenchymal stem cell modulation of T cell-mediated immune responses

To repeat for emphasis, the T cells are the primary cellular effectors of the adaptive immune system and their functional properties are central to antigen specificity and memory associated with cognate immunity, this therefore means that to a greater extent they are responsible for rejection of implanted cells of varied specificity.  Antigen-specific activation and differentiation of naïve T cells result in the generation of a range of T-cell phenotypes that may be defined by the acquisition of characteristic cytokine secretion profiles, cytolytic mechanisms, or counter-regulatory properties.

Following antigen-specific adaptive immune responses, a small proportion of activated T cells persist as memory cells and have the capacity to respond more rapidly and potently to secondary encounters with the same antigen. These memory cells may retain the effector phenotype imprinted upon them during primary activation. When these memory cells are appropriately coordinated and regulated, the diversity of T-cell effector phenotypes allows immune protection against a multitude of pathogenic microorganisms while maintaining self-tolerance and homeostasis. On the other hand, over exuberant pro-inflammatory T-cell responses may lead to auto-immune and allergic diseases, including multiple sclerosis, inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus, and asthma. Therefore it is crucial to have a modulatory strategy on the effector T-cells. Furthermore, life-saving treatments such as allogeneic bone marrow and solid organ transplantation may be complicated by alloantigen-specific T-cell immune responses, resulting in graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) or transplant rejection.

Study finding

Mesenchymal Stem Cells and InflammationIn a research study done at School of Medicine, University of Seville, Seville, Spain by Gonzalez-Rey E, Gonzalez MA, Varela N, O’Valle F, Hernandez-Cortes P, Rico L, Büscher D,  and Delgado M  it was found that human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells suppressed the antigen-specific response of T cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells inhibited the proliferative response and the production of inflammatory cytokines by collagen-activated CD4 and CD8 T cells. On the contrary, the numbers of IL10-producing T cells and monocytes were significantly augmented upon human adipose stem cell treatment. The suppressive activity of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells was cell-to-cell contact dependent and independent. Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells also stimulated the generation of FoxP3 protein-expressing CD4 (+) CD25 (+) regulatory T cells, with the capacity to suppress collagen-specific T cell responses. Lastly, human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells down regulated the inflammatory response and the production of matrix-degrading enzymes by synovial cells isolated from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The study had sought to find out the immunosuppressive activity of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells on collagen-reactive T cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.  The method used involved investigating the effects of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells on collagen-reactive RA human T cell proliferation and cytokine production as well as effects on the production of inflammatory mediators by monocytes and fibroblast-like synoviocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Stem cell therapy is a promising approach to treatment of degenerative diseases like arthritis but still you will need an expert in degenerative medicine. Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) an expert in integrative and regenerative medicine will be able to help. Visit us at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reduce Inflammation modulates Regulatory T Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis

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The Power of Pumpkin

November 5, 2014

The Power of Pumpkin

Existing in a variety of sizes, tastes and colors, pumpkin is one of the most powerful yet easily ignored types of food throughout the globe. In the Americas in particular, folks more often use it as a core component in celebration of the Halloween festivities.

For many youngsters in this continent, pumpkin is more of a tool for the celebrations and place it at the heart of this liturgical spree. Despite the worldwide variety of items of celebration used during the Halloween festivals, to these teen-agers curving the squash is their only activity.

There is no measure to the extent of what these people and their likes the world over are missing. Reasons are different for not taking this form of gourd seriously. To some people it just ‘not that tasty’. In other parts of the world too, especially those places which often experience heavy rains and that are characterized with marshy conditions; the pumpkin often blossoms but is mostly watery and less tasty- giving the 21st century typicals all the reason to dislike it.

If only they knew the power of the pumpkin. If only they could fully understand the complete nutritional value that the gourd contains. I highly doubt if in their correct states of mind they would throw away even the curved remains from the Halloween merriments.

pumpkin_headline

Nutritional values

If English acknowledges ‘super-food’ as a naming word, then pumpkin deserves that merit. It is not just the meat we are talking about here. We are actually referring to the whole thing, the whole pumpkin thing. Perhaps you are aware of the meaty part of it and a little about how valuable it is said to be.

Well, you know little. The seeds are no less important that the yummy body. In fact, they have far more content in small concentrated volumes than you might have ever fathomed. Those seeds alone produce a nutritious oil with intense flavor and when mixed with olive oil or honey, no culinary additive could taste better. It gives you a delicacy of a salad dressing. Hidden in that delicious taste is a wealth of essential minerals; essentially Zinc, omega-3 fatty acids as well as carotenoids.

No one knows this secret better than the Austrians. They consider the pumpkin seed oil with high regard and add it to several varieties of dishes. Nothing leaves it out, not even the ice cream!

The seeds aside, Pumpkin flesh is a rich source of high fiber. It is also high in vitamins E and C along with minerals including potassium and magnesium. This form of gourd has an astounding amount of carotenoids in different varieties. One thing you might as well marvel about: it is just one of the richest natural sources of these crucial phytonutrients.

Medicinal value of the pumpkin

pumpkinFor centuries the seeds of this culinary product have been used to alleviate various functional gastrointestinal disorders, the well-known disorder it has cured over time being the Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The oil extracted from these seeds help in controlling the levels of cholesterol in the body, get rid of intraintestinal parasites and maintain good prostate health. It is also instrumental in dealing with depression given that it contains considerable amounts of the L-tryptophan.

The mineral Zinc is useful to persons with brittle bones while the oil also prevents kidney stones.

Considering that pumpkin contains rich amounts of carotenoids, it is essential for the prevention or dealing with cancer cases. Not only that, this dietary component is also associated with lower risks of other life threatening diseases such as blindness, heart disease, and cataracts. This is due to the fact that pumpkin has both of beta-carotene and alpha-carotene in rich amounts.

With the alpha-carotene you are assured of protection against a number of cancers while it keeps you young by guarding against aging.

The two forms of carotene when converted into vitamin A inside the body, the product plays a fundamental role in immunity as well as growth and development. The possibility of buildup of cholesterol in the body is prevented by the beta-carotene as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and antioxidant. This helps with protection from heart attack and stroke.

Good thing is, with the diverse variety of pumpkins around the world, you do not have to struggle with the species that do not go well with your taste glands. There are certain varieties that are quite delicious, when admittedly certain other varieties are not. So, go for the sweet one, and have your nutritional as well as medicinal benefits in one piece. The butternuts are a great preference if you are among those who consider the taste a priority.

The Power of Pumpkin

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