High ORAC index curry that won’t stress your gall bladder
I like foods with function. And I love curry. So here’s a simple recipe that I have been making a lot that is high in antioxidants (some of these spices are high on the ORAC index) and easy to digest since coconut oil bypasses the gall bladder. Keep in mind that whole spices are the […]
Cow’s milk adversely affects male reproductive system in mice
In this study they examined the effects of cows milk on mouse testicles. They found that Cows milk lowered serum testosterone levels and reduced the weight of the seminal vessicles. In general, dairy is not a great idea for male fertility in my opinion. For female fertility there is some support for using dairy, however, […]
Black pepper and garlic reduce fertility in male mice
In this first study, researchers orally administered black pepper to male mice. They found that 0.5mg (the equivalent of 1 – 2 grams of black pepper per day in humans) was enough to induce testicular damage and resulted in a reduced litter size. The second study, researchers administered raw garlic and found that the rat […]
Olive leaf extract kills MRSA
With serious lapses of hygiene in hospitals, we are now facing an epidemic of antibiotic resistant strains of potentially deadly microorganisms that are now being found outside of hospitals. One of these antibiotic resistant organisms is known as MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). MRSA initially looks fairly innocent and may resemble pimples, boils or spider bites. […]
Acupuncture and herbs may slow breast cancer metastases
A new study found that distal metastases for breast cancer tumors occurs through the action of a molecule called Transforming Growth Factor beta or TGFb. It turns out that when TGFb is expressed, single cells break off of the tumor and can metastasize through the blood stream. However, without TGFb, only chunks of cells can […]
Lifestyle changes better than medical treatment for infertility due to PCOS
In this study researchers looked at 4 groups of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): (1) treatment with clomid, (2) treatment with metformin, (3) clomid + metformin (4) lifestyle modification. The results were that the lifestyle modification group achieved the highest clinical pregnancy rates (20%). The next best was clomid + metformin (14.8%). Our patients […]
Too much exercise can cause infertility
This is yet another study demonstrating that the wrong kind of exercise can cause fertility problems. Researchers did a population based health survey in Norway examining close to 4,000 women and found that after adjusting for age, parity, smoking, and marital status, women who exercised on most days were over 3 times more likely to […]
Orgasm reduces mortality in men
While not a new study, I just came across it. It turns out that men who had 100 orgasms per year had significantly lower mortality (50% lower!). This was especially the case for coronary heart disease. There is a caveat here though. The study only looked at men aged 45-59. So this turns out to […]
Echinacea powerful against h1n1 swine flu
In a frantic race to find substances to combat the most recent H1N1 outbreak, scientists have been looking to botanicals. In this study they found that Echinacea pupurea not only inhibited H1N1 by preventing its ability to enter cells (in vitro), but inactivated the virus as well. In addition, Echinacea inhibited the highly pathogenic avian […]
Plastics make boys less violent
A very interesting study that examined the effects of phthalate exposure during pregnancy on behavioral characteristics of boys found that they were much less aggressive due to the anti-androgen effects of some phthalates (i.e., they block testosterone). We’ve been warning our patients for years to minimize the use of plastics, however now I’m rethinking that. […]