What’s Curcumin Got to Do With Breast Cancer?

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Breast Cancer has been spreading faster than wildfire for over three decades.  A new discovery recently published explains how the Chinese herb Curcumae Radix, can possibly help prevent breast cancer and can be used for breast cancer therapy.

Top doctors are studying breast cancer treatments around the clock and yet there is little  in the way of PREVENTIVE strategies.  The reasons are complicated but it may be partly due to the fact the breast cancer is not one disease.  There are several different types of cancer cells which all cause breast cancer, some are more aggressive while others spread slower.   To understand which cancer cells a patient has, doctors must analyze the cells individually. Once this is determined, treatment options can be customized, including herbal treatments for breast cancer.

The recent study from the University of California, San Diego,  published in the British Journal, Nature, has discovered a molecule called RANKL, found in aggressive breast cancer cells that predicts more deadly, lethal and life threatening disease.  The findings from these recent studies suggests that herbs with the correct chemicals can block RANKL and may be effective in preventing both the early stages of breast cancer and the advanced progression of the disease. Research has also shown the active ingredient in the Chinese herb, Curcumae root  (small quantities found in the spice Turmeric) has properties that also reduce the expression of these deadly molecules within cancer cells and can potentially slow the spread of breast cancer.

This new research demonstrates that when a  protein molecule called RANKL (Receptor Activated Nuclear Factor Kappa Ligand) is present in breast cancer cells in high amounts, these tumor cells are more activated, more aggressive, more likely to spread and more likely to kill.  RANKL is produced by regulatory T-Cellsthat modulate our immune response.  High levels of these T-cells means high levels of RANKL, high levels of inflammation and aggressive high risk disease.

Dr. Bharat Aggarwal, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX is one of many respected researchers and experts who has published many studies on the effects of curcumin on cancer cells.  According to Dr. Aggarwal

“Curcumin has a very special nature which will work both for cancer prevention as well as for cancer therapy.”

Turmeric (Curcuma longa or Curcumae radix) is one of the most potent cancer fighting foods. Curcumin, the active ingredient in this common medicinal and culinary herb has been widely studied.  It is recognized as a potent cell protectant, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.  Turmeric has been used for centuries to support cancer patients in Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine and Indian Ayurvedic Medicine.  Now modern science demonstrates why it works.  Curcumin has been shown to influence many cellular factors, including lowering RANKL.

Blocking tumor promoting RANKL can block the spread of breast cancer cells to other parts of the body.  This new information gives women hope that using the natural substance, Curcumin can be used as a preventative, and can lower inflammation, lower RANKL, thereby lowering breast cancer risk.

As with any potent botanical medicine or Chinese herbal medicine, the use of curcumin should be used under the supervision of a knowledgeable licensed Acupuncturist and herbalist or other licensed professional.  Countries such as India use turmeric  frequently in their daily diet and have lower rates of many cancers including prostate cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer.  Turmeric can be safely added to your food as a cooking spice to add anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties to your daily diet.

Disclaimer: Please consult a physician before making any decisions regarding breast cancer treatment.

See the study at the link below.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16219905  Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) down-regulates expression of cell proliferation and antiapoptotic and metastatic gene products through suppression of IkappaBalpha kinase and Akt activation.

Also check out this link at the Linus Pauling Institute research on curcumin for breast cancer.   http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/phytochemicals/curcumin/

More helpful links on Curcumin: ” Curcumin for Prevention of Colorectal Neoplasia”   American Botanical Council               http://cms.herbalgram.org/herbclip/442/091152-442.html


Contact Us  if you need help finding a Licensed Acupuncturist or herbalist in your neighborhood.


Natural Herbs and Supplements for Radiation

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Natural herbs and supplements for radiation exposureDo you know how much radiation affects us everyday?  Do you ever get x-rays, CAT scans or dental x-rays?  Do you use a laptop, microwave or sleep in a building that has wi-fi?  Do you have power lines near your residence, do you breath air?

Do you… do you??  Radiation is pretty hard to avoid these days.  As you’ve probably heard small amounts won’t really hurt.. it’s the accumulation of radiation that can be damaging to our cells. 

So what’s a person to do and still stay sane (and healthy) in the 21st century when living in a cave is not an option?

Here’s two of my favorite experts, with advice on how to reduce the effects of radiation.  

1.  Lu Chih-hong, president of the Sheng Te Tang Chinese Medical Hospital in Taichung City, central Taiwan, suggests more GREEN TEA!!    Tea, is a common medicinal drink in Asia,  it contains a variety of substances including Camaellia sinensis, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and lipo-polysaccharide, that can help people combat the effects of radiation. According to Lu, Camaellia sinensis is the main substance that helps human bodies discharge radiation contamination. C. sinensis can absorb as much as 90 percent of the radioisotopes in the human body and discharges it before it reaches the bone marrow. He added that C. sinensis also helps human bodies take up Vitamin C more effectively, creating more blood and making capillary blood vessels more resilient. This reduces the possibility of getting Jod-Basedow syndrome, a hyperthyroid disease one can acquire after taking potassium iodide to combat radiation poisoning.  Master Sheng Lun, who has dedicated many of his years to organic farming, said drinking tea is even more helpful than taking potassium iodine tablets, because tea prevents radioactive materials from being absorbed into the body and accelerates the body’s metabolism of such substances.  Go for the organic green tea, to avoid and pesticide residues.

2.  Dr. Tieraona Low Dog is an MD at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the Univ. of Arizona who works with Dr. Andrew Weil.  She recommends foods and herbs to help protect us. She said that there is reason to believe that taking two to four grams of curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, can help protect a number of body tissues. In addition, reishi and cordyceps mushrooms can protect bone marrow from toxic assaults, and antioxidants can help the body defend itself from radiation damage.

Other notable foods to include in your diet are:

  • Garlic (one Indian tribe living in the desert of Nevada used to eat bulbs of raw garlic to help protect against radiation from the above-ground nuclear tests)
  • Foods rich in beta-carotene ie carrots, Kale, green leafy vegetables.
  • Ginger
  • Curcumin – the active ingredient in turmeric which, in turn, is in yellow curry (available in Indian and Thai dishes).
  • Many types of seaweed 
  • Miso (The longer the fermentation the better)
  • Vitamin D3
  • Vitamin E 
  • American Ginseng (studies have found American Ginseng helped prevent damage from cesium-137)
  • Rhodiola, a Chinese herb and  adaptogen
  • Holy Basil
  • Chlorella, a blue-green algae
  • Spirulina, a blue-green algae available at health food stores
  • Ginko Bilboa
  • Tomato extract (Lycopersicon)
  • Sesamol (an extract from sesame seeds, just eat sesame seeds)
  • Beta-glucan (a yeast derivative)


Because we live in a world with radiation around us 24/7 adding these foods and supplements to your diet at any time will help your cells cope with the onslaught of radiation that we live with everyday. 

Diabetes Research Uses Chinese Herbs Effectively

Posted by Cathy on with 3 Comments

Chinese herbs for diabetesIn a recent study published in the Feb. 2011 World Journal of Gastroenterology, a combination of Chinese herbs known Yi Qi Zeng Ming Tang, (YQZMT) has been found effective for insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic rats. The Chinese herbs in the formula were found to ameliorate insulin resistance and did not cause an increase in body weight. This may make a suitable adjunct therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in humans.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a long history in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. In comparison to Western medicine, the use of traditional Chinese medicine and botanicals has less side-effects and proven efficacy. According to the Cochrane Library, an international organization that evaluates medical research, when they examined 16 clinical trials of 15 different Chinese herbal medicines, they found that the herbs generally helped lower blood sugar levels in people with “pre-diabetes” that can progress to type 2 diabetes.

Yi Qi Zeng Min Tang (YQZMT) is a traditional Chinese herbal formula whose chief herb is  Radix Astragali or Astragalus (Huang qi) and has been shown to alleviate glucose intolerance and insulin resistance.[1]

When Astragalus has been used in conjunction with other herbs, it proves more valuable for glucose homeostasis for diabetics and pre-diabeties.

The 10 Chinese herbs in the formula are: Radix Astragali, (Huang Qi)  mung bean seed,  Perillae (zi su ye) , Phellodendri (Huang Bai), Pollen Typhae (Pu Huang), Serissa foetida, Cinnamomi (gui zhi), Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata (fu pian, fu zi), Coptis (huang lian) , and Rhizoma Alismatis (ze xie).

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is dramatically increasing throughout the world. The pathogenesis of the disease involves abnormalities in glucose and lipid metabolism, including inadequate insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells and insulin resistance. The results from this study  showed the diabetic rats had reduced serum glucose levels, lower body weight and lipid levels than the control group of  rats who were not given the YQZMT formula. The results suggests this TCM herbal formula can produce marked improvement and  is a viable treatment for diabetes mellitus and its complications.

Related posts:

1.        Astragalus – The Ultimate Immune Booster

2.     Herbal Sugar Options You Should Know

3.   New Diabetes Drug From A Chinese Herb

See World Journal of Gastroenterology study here:   http://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v17/i8/987.htm

1. Hoo RL, Wong JY, Qiao C, Xu A, Xu H, Lam KS. The effective fraction isolated from Radix Astragali alleviates glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and hypertriglyceridemia in db/db diabetic mice through its anti-inflammatory activity. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2010;7:67.[PubMed]

A Natural Alternative To Hormones and Hot Flashes

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Natural Menopause treatments I was so thoroughly impressed with Carolyn's article below I had to re-post it.  If you're one of the millions that suffer from menopausal hot flashes and night sweats you should know there is a natural solution.  Traditional Chinese Medicine has been using combinations of herbs, (herbal formulas) for over one thousand continuous years successfully.   Our Menopause Relief Herb Pac  is based on  one of these formulas.  Written originally in 1113 AD, it's the synergy of the herbs working together that makes the difference.  The 12 herbs in our Menopause Relief gently restore your body's natural "thermostat".  The tea taste delicious and results are guaranteed.  There is a better, safer answer for menopause symptoms than HRT  and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has embraced it for centuries.  Just because you live in the West does not mean you can't experience the healing power from the East.  We didn't recreate the wheel here, we just repackaged it for you.  Now for the Nag!

By:  The Ethical Nag – Carolyn Thomas

How is it possible that half of all gynecologists are still prescribing hormone replacement therapy to their patients for uses that are clearly unsupported by evidence – despite the alarming warnings of the largest randomized, placebo-controlled trial of HRT ever performed?

This reality is “curious”, according to Dr. Adriane Fugh-Berman at Georgetown University Medical Center, in a new study* examining 340 medical journal articles about HRT. Her research was published yesterday in the journal, Public Library of Science Medicine.

But even more curious are her findings that the majority of the doctors who have written pro-HRT papers for medical journals have been funded by the very drug companies that manufacture hormone replacement drugs.

These companies were financially hurt by 2002 results of the massive Women’s Health Initiative study, which meant an almost immediate catastrophic loss of sales revenue for manufacturers of all HRT drugs. Prescriptions dropped by 80% – a major blow to companies like Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, whose HRT drugs Prempro and Premarin had earned the company over $2 billion just one year earlier.

Dr. Fugh-Berman now explains how pharmaceutical companies may have successfully begun to address and even reverse this loss of income by attempting to influence what doctors are learning about HRT since the WHI findings went public:

“The pharmaceutical industry has supported publication of articles in medical journals for marketing purposes. For example, of the 10 journal authors we studied who had written 4-6 articles each:

* eight were found to have declared payment for speaking or consulting on behalf of menopausal hormone manufacturers or for research support
* seven of these eight were speakers or consultants for the drug company

In addition:

* 30 of 32 medical journal articles (90%) evaluated as promoting HRT were authored by those with financial conflicts of interest
* journal articles promoting the use of HRT were almost two and a half times more likely to have been authored by authors with financial conflicts of interest as by authors without conflicts of interest
* in articles from three authors with financial conflicts of interest, some of the same text was repeated word-for-word in different medical journal articles

We know that physicians read medical journals, and Dr. Berman reminds us that about half of gynecologists still continue to distrust the results of WHI while prescribing HRT for uses that are not supported by evidence.

She reported that common themes in journal articles, editorials and letters that were identified as “promotional” included:

* attacks on the methodology of the WHI
* arguments that clinical trial results should not guide treatment for individuals
* arguments that observational studies are as good as or better than randomized clinical trials for guiding clinical decisions.
* arguments implying that the risks associated with hormone therapy have been exaggerated and that the benefits of hormone therapy have been or will be proven.

WHI, a major independent 15-year research program begun in 1991, reported that the demonstrated risks of HRT outweighed benefits in asymptomatic women. Risks were so clearly demonstrated that the HRT study was stopped early. These findings on the use of estrogen-progestin and estrogen-only HRT drugs were alarming, according to Dr. Fugh-Berman’s team:

“Both therapies increased the risk of stroke, deep vein thrombosis, dementia, and incontinence; estrogen-progestin therapy also increased rates of breast cancer.

“Neither therapy reduced cardiovascular risk, and neither markedly benefited health-related quality of life measures.”

A follow-up study by the Canadian Cancer Society found there was a significant decrease of 10% in the rate of new breast cancers among post-menopausal women between 2002 and 2004 — coinciding with a huge drop in the use of HRT after the WHI study was published.

But the WHI results were no surprise to many women’s health organizations, according to Kathleen O’Grady of the Canadian Women’s Health Network:

“We have been following the questionable methods used to promote the prescription of HRT to healthy midlife women. Short-term use of HRT has been documented in a variety of studies as a useful treatment for alleviating the temporary symptoms associated with the onset of menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness. However, long-term use of HRT (more than 5 years), and the practice of prescribing HRT to healthy women—those not experiencing severe menopausal symptoms—is another matter.

“The WHI results are only the latest in a long series of studies demonstrating that longterm use of HRT should be considered only with extreme caution.”

If you’re like me, and you question even the term “hormone replacement therapy” – which somehow implies that, when diagnosed with the medicalized “disease” of menopause, our hormones need “replacing” in the first place – you’ll be interested in reading Dr. Fugh-Berman’s paper in the Public Library of Science Medicine. Or learn more on the Women’s Health Initiative FAQs page.

*Fugh-Berman A, McDonald CP, Bell AM, Bethards EC, Scialli AR (2011) Promotional Tone in Reviews of Menopausal Hormone Therapy After the Women’s Health Initiative: An Analysis of Published Articles. PLoS Med 8(3): e1000425. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000425

http://www.ethicalnag.org

New Research Supporting This Chinese Herb for Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Chinese herb thunder god vine for Rheumatoid arthritis I originally posted this article about Rheumatoid Arthritis and the Chinese herb known as Thunder God Vine about a year ago.  Since new research on this herb has just been published and I  am continually asked how Rheumatoid Arthritis can be helped with herbal medicine,  it's time for a re-post. 

The new research from John Hopkins School of Medicine isolated an extract in the traditional Chinese medicinal plant also known as  lei gong teng, which works by blocking gene control machinery in the cell. The research was published in the March issue of Nature Chemical Biology, and  suggests that the natural product could be a starting point for developing new anticancer drugs.

"Extracts of this medicinal plant have been used to treat a whole host of conditions and have been highly lauded for anti-inflammatory, immuno-suppressive, contraceptive and anti-tumor activities," says Jun O. Liu, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacology and molecular sciences at Johns Hopkins. "We've known about the active compound, triptolide, and that it stops cell growth, since 1972, but only now have we figured out what it does."

But the RNAPII enzyme complex actually requires the assistance of several smaller clusters of proteins, according to Liu, which required more investigative narrowing down.   If you choose to read the whole article there's a link at the bottom.  As the researchers discover more on triptolide they also discover that plants have more than one active chemical constituent.  When they try to isolate one protein so they can patent a drug and sell it for billions, they often find it's not so easy because plants have many chemical components that work together and isolation of a single solitary protein will not necessarily give the same desired effect as when the whole plant is used. 

Plants/herbs can not be patented.   This is why there is so much new research on herbal medicine that have been used for thousands of years.  Research, such as this at John Hopkins,  is not looking to validate the effects of Chinese herbal medicine, they are looking for plant compounds that can be isolated and then reproduced as drugs.  Drugs that can sell for millions.  In comparison to a new drug, thunder god vine and other Chinese herbs cost pennies and they work.

If your suffering with Rheumatoid Arthritis or know someone who is read on.

A study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in August 2009 on a Chinese herb used for rheumatoid arthritis, (RA). This study found that after six months of taking this herbal remedy more patients in the Chinese herb group had improved, than the group taking a sulfasalazine.   

The Chinese herb used in this study was a single herb known as Lei Gong Teng or Thunder God Vine. Herbal remedies such lei gong teng or in latin Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) have been used and documented for treating inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.   It’s understandable that people with RA are looking to treat their disease with herbal remedies such as Chinese Medicine and Chinese herbs because Western medicine has no cure for RA, only symptomatic relief with many side effects to the medications.  

Find articles referenced at these addresses:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110303153118.htm

http://www.annals.org/content/151/4/I-36.full

Rheumatoid Arthritis Responds Well To This Herb

Posted by Cathy on with 1 Comment
thunder-god-vine Chinese herbsIf your suffering with Rheumatoid Arthritis or know someone who is, this should interest you. 
 
A study was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in August 2009 on a Chinese herb used for rheumatoid arthritis, (RA). This study found that after six months of taking this herbal remedy  more patients in the Chinese herb group had improved, than the group taking a sulfasalazine.   
 
The Chinese herb used in this study was a single herb known as Lei Gong Teng or Thunder God Vine. Herbal remedies such lei gong teng or in latin Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) have been used and documented for treating inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.   It’s understandable that people with RA are looking to treat their disease with herbal remedies such as Chinese Medicine and Chinese herbs because Western medicine has no cure for RA, only symptomatic relief with many side effects to the medications.  
 
The only limitation to this study was it’s duration. The studies time frame was too short to show whether lei gong teng helped to prevent joint destruction.
 
Reference
http://www.annals.org/content/151/4/I-36.full

Dr. Oz And Dr. Weil Talk About Herbs for Menopause

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Menopause treatment Dr. Andrew Weil, founder of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona  recently appeared on The Dr. Oz Show.  The topic of supplements and herbs was discussed, especially those for menopausal hot flashes and night sweat flair-ups. Dr. Weil suggested  eating fresh ground flax seed, which is high in omega-3 and fiber, sprinkled on cereal or otherwise taking 20 mg of black cohosh twice daily in supplement form or as tea.  I agree with Dr. suggestions but….

What if black cohosh worked better when combined with a few other herbs?  (Kind of like chicken soup.  You add the chicken but if you add spices, carrots and celery it just taste a little better.)

What if the herbs for menopause symptom relief had been proven effective by hundreds of clinical studies?

What if a herbal tea that relieved hot flashes and night sweats was available in the U.S.?

What if you knew this menopause relief herbal tea was completely safe to take long term and has been used my millions of people?

What if  you knew the herbs in menopause relief herb tea has been used for one thousand years, continuously throughout parts of the world. 

What if you knew this menopause relief herb tea was included as part of the health insurance prescription coverage in Japan?

What if  you could drink this blend of herbs as a tea that taste delicious?

What if this menopause relief tea cost  less than $1.00 per day?

What if all the was true and you could buy it right here?

For less than the cost of a cup of coffee you can stop suffering from night sweats and hot flashes. We guarantee it. As do the governments of Japan, Germany, and China which all include it as part of the national health insurance programs.  Why are these countries so far ahead of the U.S.?  I believe Dr. Weil and his team ask the same question.  

Thank you Dr. Weil and his team of doctors Russell Greenfield, Jim Nicolai and Victoria Maizes which have brought Integrative Medicine front and center stage on shows like Dr. Oz.   I whole heartedly applaud  them for embracing integrative medicine in the U.S.  In other parts of the world, particularly China, Taiwan, Germany and Japan and Australia, Integrative medicine is more universally practiced  and taught in the medical schools.

Dr. Oz went on to say that Dr. Weil had a secret supplement that he couldn’t live without. It turned out to be a supplement that Dr. Weil highly recommended taking once a day containing containing acetyl L-carnitine (1000 mg) and alpha-lipoic acid (300 mg) daily.  Dr. Weil said that the benefits of the supplement will also help reduce aging.