Can Chinese Medicine Help People with Autism?
By Sally Perkins
Around one in 68 children in the U.S. have autism, and following a diagnosis of their child, parents consider a wide range of options that includes educational interventions and, at times, alternative approaches. Among the many natural approaches utilized with autism, one of the most often discussed is Chinese medicine. Relatively few studies have been conducted on the efficiency of this approach, but those that have been carried out show promising and positive findings for specific symptoms and behaviours.
Herbal Medicine Treatment for Children with Autism
Parents of children with autism often turn to traditional therapies, including behavioural treatments such as applied behaviour analysis (ABA), occupational therapy, and the Early Start Denver Model. Each child or adult with autism has unique talents and challenges, though, and for some parents, combining one or more of these therapies with Chinese medicine has been useful. A 2017 review of existing research on the efficiency and safety of herbal medicines for the treatment of autism found that when used alongside conventional therapies, the use of Chinese medicine in relieving symptoms led to a significant improvement of the patient's Child Autism Rating Scale (CARS) score.
Commonly Used Herbs
Some of the herbs which are commonly used to reduce autism symptoms include Poria cocos, Panax ginseng, Acorus gramineus, Schisandra chinensis, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis. These herbs have been studied in different settings. For instance, Acorus gramineus has been found to have a sedative effect, as has Poria cocos. Researchers have stated that these herbs may aid in the reduction of some behaviours as well as inattention. However, they added that further research would be required to demonstrate the specific behaviours that each herb could address, and to see if polyherbal formulations could wield similar benefits.
The Use of Ukgansangajinpibanha Granule in Children with ASD
One small trial currently being led by S Haeng Lee is focusing on the efficiency of Ukgansangajinpibanha (UGSJB – a legitimately prescribed herb for nervousness, insomni, and night crying) in the treatment of children with ASD. The trial is set to conclude at the end of this year. Currently, the trial has already established that this herbal treatment can reduce aggressive behaviour by suppressing the excess activity of a particular neuron type in the hippocampus. It has also been found to successfully reduce anxiety and insomnia.
Acupuncture for ASD
A review report by academics at Cochrane has found that needle acupuncture might be linked to an improvement for people with ASD, specifically in the area of communication, linguistic ability, cognitive functioning, and global functioning. Other small studies have limited the success of acupuncture to cognitive and global functioning alone. Two additional studies, on the other hand, showed no benefits for acupuncture when compared to conventional treatment, yet acupressure did seem to lead to small improvements.
Although herbs and acupuncture are considered ‘alternative therapies’ for autism, few studies have been carried out on their efficiency. Those that have been carried out seem to indicate the utility of some herbs, and one current trial is seeking to discover that of UGSJB. Acupuncture does not seem to be too effective overall, but as stated by the Cochrane scientists, this may be because we have only a small number of studies to rely on, and all of these have been carried out on children. Further research, therefore, needs to be conducted to see whether or not acupuncture can make a positive difference in the treatment of ASD.
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Thunder God Vine to Prevent Arthritis Woes Among the Elderly
By Sally Perkins
Are you experiencing a sudden joint pain, unexplained swelling and redness, or stiffness around the knees or wrists? Have you been experiencing a persistent dull joint pain for the past two weeks? Some seniors transitioning to an assisted living facility may find sufficient help with activities of daily living from professional healthcare workers. But with about 54.4 million adults in the United States experiencing some form of Arthritis, seeking alternative treatments such as Chinese herb thunder god vine may provide just the right solution.
The Role of Inflammation in Arthritis
Inflammation is our body’s defense mechanism against injuries, irritations, and germ invasion characterized by swelling, redness, pain, and increased temperature. With arthritis, inflammation happens because of several factors such as obesity, joint injuries, and genetics. Among older adults, aging cause cytokines, a chemical messenger of our body’s immune system, to add further to the body’s inflammatory state. Medical treatments such as DMARDS, NSAIDs, and Acetaminophen prevent swelling and pain in arthritis.
Lesser Swelling and Pain
Peking Union Medical College Hospital did a research on using thunder god vine (Triptergium wilfordii Hook F) with methotrexate (an anti-rheumatic drug) among 207 patients. Results showed patients who took both treatments expressed 77% of the ACR 50 response (American College of Rheumatology 50 response). Older adults may require assistance with daily living as they age throughout the years. Home remedies such as hot and cold therapy and consumption of food rich in omega-3 fatty acid with other organic supplements may prevent further progression of inflammation or flares.
Better Joints for Better Mobility
Older adults with arthritis do various range-of-motion exercises as part of their preventive therapy. In nursing homes, various physical activities such as swimming, stretching, and cycling custom-made for seniors. Some of these facilities also consider alternative medicinal treatments in combating age-related diseases such as arthritis. But with constant friction, cartilages wear out over time hence leading to joint pain and swelling. Using topical thunder god vine contains immunosuppressive properties to protect your cartilages. It is best to discuss this with your healthcare provider first before using.
Seniors with cancer may also experience chronic inflammation and pannus, a tumor-like formation in the joints. Triptolide, a component found in thunder god vine, prevents the growth of rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs). By taking this herb regularly, it may help prevent cartilage damage and progression of arthritis.
A Good Complementary Treatment
Healthcare providers often see this as a ‘complementary’ treatment. Meaning, this would work best if taken with a drug prescribed by your doctor. Should you take thunder god vine with your current treatment, consult your physician and give an overall picture of your health before proceeding to prevent drug interactions and adverse effects. With exercise and proper diet, you may find yourself living a better and pain-free life in the long run.
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How Ginko Biloba Can Enhance Memory in Chinese Medicine
By freelance writer Sally Perkins
Around 1.6 million U.S adults use the herb ginkgo biloba which can help with various ailments, including memory loss. Experiencing memory loss may well set off alarm bells, but according to the National Institute on Aging, it is often a reversible condition. Although Alzheimer’s may be the first conclusion that people jump to, there are actually a variety of causes which can occur at any age and recognizing what the root of the issue is and addressing it could also help to alleviate the memory loss. Chinese medicines, such as ginkgo biloba, can benefit brain function through improved circulation to the brain and can be used in addition to other healing practices such as targeting acupuncture points for better memory.
Understanding the Causes of Memory Loss
Memory loss tends to occur naturally with age but it is not necessarily only a symptom of getting older. In fact, it often occurs in much younger people as well and once the root of what is causing it has been fixed, the problem of the memory loss is often also solved. Poor sleep and feeling fatigued can result in your brain not operating on all cylinders and lead to memory complaints. If you are taking several medications at the same time, that could also contribute to feelings of confusion and forgetfulness.
Another underlying health problem that could be the cause of memory loss is a nutritional deficiency. Checking the condition of your cognitive function can be done online with an IQ test. It is important to be aware of what is normal for you and not taking it as a personal criticism when people close to you make observations about your slower than usual recall or forgetfulness.
Ginko Biloba leaf / Photo by Buzo Jesús on Unsplash
Ginkgo Biloba to Improve Memory
There are many different herbs that are used in Chinese medicine that can be used to treat all manner of ailments. However, ginkgo biloba is the most popular for improved cognitive function. The way it works is by dilating the blood vessels that nourish the brain, which increases the flow of blood to the neural tissue.
Ginkgo biloba improves concentration and cognitive function through increased blood circulation to the brain alongside a greater circulation of oxygen, helping to inhibit neural cell damage. It is suggested that a dosage of 120 to 240mg per day in two or three divided doses can help with memory impairment and that it ought to be taken along with meals so as not to upset your stomach.
Chinese medicine has evolved over thousands of years and is now commonly referred to in the United States as a form of complementary health practice. Memory loss can be attributed to a great many causes so panic need not be your immediate reaction since it is often treatable. Using Chinese medicine, such as ginkgo biloba, allows you to use natural methods to treat memory loss.
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Chrysanthemum & Licorice Tea for Liver Detoxification
By Vicky Chan of NourishU
Liver/ Gallbladder Disease
The liver is the sole organ in promoting and detoxifying the blood. Promoting liver health is similar to promoting blood. Spring is the best season to address liver health because it is the beginning of a new cycle of growth and the liver needs to produce more blood to support the growth. To protect and improve liver health, we need to observe the following guideline:
1. Drink More Water
Water is important to keep fluid moving and to clean out toxins from the body. Water helps in digestion, circulation of nutrients and detoxification of blood. The more toxins we can clean out of the body, the lesser burden it will be for the liver. Green color foods can increase the detoxifying function and mung bean is the best choice. Cooking mung beans in boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes and drink the green water regularly throughout spring and summer is best to support detoxification and can cool down internal heat.
2. Eat A Regular, Balanced Diet
Both overeating or under eating can cause abnormal production of digestive enzymes and bile by the liver, therefore affecting its normal function. Foods should be bland in taste in spring and not too hot or spicy. It is best to eat more fruits and vegetables.
3. Not Too Much Alcohol
Moderate drinking can uplift liver yang energy but too much alcohol can damage the liver by giving it too many things to detoxify.
4. Stay Positive and Be Happy
Anxiety, anger, sad and worry are the emotions that can cause suppression to liver energy and damage the liver. Controlling these emotions can give positive and uplifting energy to the liver so that it can work at its best.
5. Get Adequate Exercise
Light outdoor exercise in spring such as hiking, jogging, and tai-chi can promote blood circulation which is good for promoting liver function.
6. Eat Foods That Benefit The Liver
Foods such as chrysanthemum, animal's liver, goji-berries, angelica, etc. can lower liver heat and enrich the blood. Eating some sour taste foods can help to promote liver health but overdoing it can suppress liver energy.
The Liver in Environmental Illnesses
The importance of the gut flora in ill health is becoming increasingly obvious as it is implicated as a cause of an increasing number of illnesses. The health of the gut has a substantial impact on the health of the liver as everything absorbed from the intestines passes through the liver so that harmful substances can be detoxified before the rest of the body is exposed to them.
In one study by doctors at Biolab UK, 61% of sufferers of undiagnosed chronic illnesses with predominant fatigue were found to have overgrowth of both bacteria and yeast in the gut1. As a result of their normal metabolism, these micro-organisms produce waste products that in increased amounts can be harmful to the liver and the person’s health as a whole. Yeast in particular produce a large amount of ethanol (drinking alcohol) which is highly toxic to the liver, in fact, alcohol is the single most toxic substance to liver cells. As well as producing increased amounts of toxic substances for the liver to deal with, yeast or bacterial overgrowth also causes damage to the intestinal lining causing 'leaky gut'.
Increased gut permeability results in even more potentially toxic substances from the gut being absorbed to put further stress on the liver's detoxification pathways. A study of liver disease in alcoholics found that only the patients with a leaky gut developed cirrhosis of the liver2. This points to the possibility that in people with gut dysbiosis, not only is there chronic ingestion of alcohol but the leaky gut caused by bacterial and/or yeast overgrowth leads to more severe effects on the liver from the alcohol produced. If the liver is overwhelmed by toxins from the gut and from chemicals in everyday use it won't function correctly and may even become damaged and inflamed. As a result, not all toxins entering the liver are detoxified and gain access to the bloodstream to travel anywhere in the body. These toxins and the excess of free radicals (highly reactive forms of oxygen) caused by poor liver function can cause direct damage to tissues and also initiate allergic or auto-immune reactions. Un-neutralized toxins are also expelled into the bile in this situation and can further damage the intestinal lining, setting up a vicious cycle in which gut dysbiosis and leaky gut cause poor liver function which in turn worsens the gut dysbiosis and leaky gut.
As mentioned earlier, the liver requires large amounts of energy and nutrients to function efficiently. If the liver is overwhelmed by toxins, these nutrients can become depleted and the liver will function inefficiently resulting in numerous symptoms and problems throughout the body. Many of these nutrients can be replaced by supplementation, improving the functioning of the liver. There are also a number of herbs and other methods that can heal a damaged liver and improve detoxification functions.
Herbs for the Liver
Milk Thistle (Silymarin)
This lovely image from medicinalplantsindia.com
The milk thistle plant contains silymarin and related flavonoids which are some of the most potent liver-protecting substances known. These flavonoids are powerful antioxidants so protect the liver from damaging toxins and free radicals. They also stimulate healing and the production of new liver cells and cause the liver to increase production of glutathione, the bodies most important antioxidant and detoxifying substance. Silymarin has been proven to both protect liver cells and repair existing damage in animals intoxicated with mushroom toxins, medicines, heavy metals or toxic organic solvents3. Human studies have also shown decreased mortality in patients with alcoholic liver damage who are treated with silymarin3. Milk thistle is commonly available in capsule or tincture form and a common dose would be 200mg 2/3 times per day. For hepatitis and cirrhosis doses of 400mg or more 3 times per day are common.
Burdock
This lovely image from commonsensehome.com
Burdock contains a number of nutrients important to liver function. These include vitamins B1, B6 and B12 which are essential for the function of phase 1 liver detoxification's pathways, vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant and sulphur which is essential for a number of important phase 2 liver detoxification pathways in which potent toxins created by phase 1 detoxification are neutralized. Phase 2 pathways requiring sulphur include those utilizing glutathione. Burdock also contains other substances such as arctiin which act to improve liver and gallbladder function.
Dandelion
This lovely image from smallfootprintfamily.com
Clinical studies have shown dandelion extract to have protective effects against lipid peroxidation and free radicals, both damaging products of a poorly functioning liver4. Like burdock, dandelion contains a wealth of nutrients important to liver function, especially the B vitamins. It cleanses the liver and increases the production of bile. Dandelion is often used as a herbal treatment for all liver diseases of the liver including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and jaundice.
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is an infection or inflammation of the liver due to viruses of "A", "B" and "C". Drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated seafood can result in hepatitis A. It can easily spread through person-to-person contacts. Hepatitis B is usually contracted from bad blood or infected needles or sexual activity. Hepatitis C is always acquired from blood transfusions. The major symptoms are fever, flu-like symptoms, weakness, poor appetite, fatigue, dark urine and light-colored stools. Most people who got hepatitis can eventually recover with proper nutrition and complete rest. However, liver disease caused by alcohol can lead to death.
Chinese medicine sees hepatitis as damp heat invasion causing spleen dampness, liver energy congestion, blood coagulation, disharmony of liver and spleen, and liver-kidney yin deficiency. An Infectious virus, excessive alcohol consumption, and irregular eating habits can impair the normal functions of the spleen, therefore affecting liver and gallbladder's ability to regulate bile. Bile will then deposit in muscles, skin, bladder, creating yellowish eyes, face and urine. Treatments focus on clearing heat, removing dampness, harmonizing spleen, and nourishing yin. Herbs commonly prescribed are capillaris, atractylodes, aconite, persica, and carthamus.
Jaundice
Jaundice is a yellowish pigmentation of the skin. Jaundice is often seen in liver diseases such as hepatitis or liver cancer. It may also indicate obstruction of the biliary tract, for example by gallstones or pancreatic cancer. Turmeric in yellow curry is effective in treating jaundice.
The diet for people with liver disease should be low in protein, low fat and avoid raw fish and shellfish. Avoid spicy and highly processed foods. Sweet potatoes can lower the yellowish color in the skin. Foods that are diuretic, such as job's tear, are useful in removing dampness. Drinks made of bitter melon and dates are tonics for the liver. Dandelion and burdock are effective in cleansing the liver and the bloodstream. Licorice is used for treating viral hepatitis. Honey can promote proper functioning of liver cells, lower liver fat and promote proper circulation of blood and lower blood pressure. Green pepper and bitter melon are best for releasing liver fire with symptoms of red and dry eyes. White turnip soaked in vinegar can promote bile movement and help to secrete gall bladder stones and kill cancer cells.
Gallstones
Gallstones are formed by stagnant bile flows, secreted by the liver and passed to the gallbladder for storage. First, it formed sludge and then stones. When the stones are small, they will pass through into the intestines and out. If they are large and got stuck in the bile duct, they will cause a sharp, stabbing sensation. Most elderly people have gallstones due to excess cholesterol, high sugar and fat diet and overweight. Women on the pill are more likely to have gallstones. The symptoms are bloating, upper abdominal discomfort, flatulence and food intolerance.
Diet plays an important part in preventing the formation of gallstones and reduces the frequency of their attacks. The preventive diet consists of fruits, vegetables, fiber, no sugar, and little saturated or unsaturated fat. A vegetarian diet is recommended. Lemon juice with olive oil before bedtime will help to eliminate gallstones. Apple juice, pear juice, and beet juice are good for cleaning out the system. Sour white turnip promotes the production of bile and prevents the formation of gallstone. Walnut and celery can help to pass out small stones and so is sour plum juice.
Chrysanthemum & Licorice Tea
Chrysanthemum Flowers
SYMPTOMS:
Eyes with white secretions at both corners of the eyes, especially upon waking up in the morning.
THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS:
Lowers liver heat and clear toxins in the eyes and liver.
Licorice Root : This lovely image from Mountain Rose Herbs
INGREDIENTS:
- Chrysanthemum (ju hua) 菊花 – 30gm
- Licorice (gan cao) 甘草 – 15gm
1. Rinse herbs and cook both ingredients with 3 cups of water over medium heat down to one cup of tea (about 15 minutes).
2. Strain and drink tea.
USAGE:
No restriction.
The beautiful featured image photo by Marisa Harris on Unsplash
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Fending Off the Common Cold with Black Elderberry
By Dr. Kevin Curran
We all know there’s no cure for the common cold. But the question remains…is there a natural way to treat the symptoms of a cold. Plant-based, natural remedies for cold or flu infections are popular because they tend to be less invasive and yield fewer side effects than pharmaceutical drugs. Black elderberry is one of these popular natural therapies. However, just because a remedy is popular, that doesn’t always mean it’s an effective approach. In this article, we explore the biology behind the proposed health benefits of black elderberry.
What is black elderberry?
Black elderberry is a shrubby tree native to the temperate regions of Europe. Black elderberry, or Sambucus nigra, has become widely used as a medicinal plant. This deciduous tree grows up to 30 feet in height and produces clusters of small, white flowers. These flowers generate green berries, which turn black at the end of summer.
The use of elderberry by humans is not a new concept. Archaeologists discovered that early humans buried their dead with elderberry branches. In North America, early settlers have been using black elderberry for the past 10,000 years. Native Americans ate the berries for food but they were also aware of the healing properties of the plant. They consumed the berries, leaves and flowers as a means to defend against rheumatism and viral infections.
Lately there’s been a resurgence in interest the health benefits of this medicinal plant. Fortunately this resurgence of interest has been accompanied by quality clinical and laboratory studies. These studies explore the capacity for black elderberry to strengthen our immune system and, thereby, minimize the negative effects of a cold or flu.
Below, we’ll explore some of this published work and, in doing so, we will explain how elderberries can help us stay healthy.
Clinical tests probe the ability of black elderberry to treat colds or flu infections.
There are two notable clinical studies that both demonstrate the ability of black elderberry to reduce the symptoms associated with a cold or flu (Zakay-Rones, 1995; Zakay-Rones, 2004). One of these clinical trials, performed in Norway, tested 60 patients of varying ages. All of these test subjects had just begun to feel the effect of a flu (extreme fatigue, high fever, aching body, congestion). These recently ill patients were given 15 mls. of black elderberry syrup for a duration of 5 days. A similar control group was given a placebo treatment. The scientists found that patients who received elderberry treatment became healthy approximately 4 days earlier then the control group. The authors conclude black elderberry treatment is an efficient, safe and cost-effective treatment for influenza.
In summary, these clinical trials demonstrate the capacity for black elderberry to reduce the time duration of a flu.
How does black elderberry strengthen our immune system?
The primary job of our immune system is to attack and kill invading pathogens. In regards to a cold or flu, these invading pathogens tend to be either a bacteria or a virus. When our bodies fight a sickness - our immune system shifts into battle mode. Specialized immune cells are sent out to destroy the pathogens that have caused our sickness. Laboratory studies have explored the benefits of black elderberry syrup for colds. These studies have concluded that black elderberry strengthens our body by regulating our cytokine levels and by delivering antioxidants. We will explain all this biology below.
Anti-oxidants prevent cellular damage
First of all… what are anti-oxidants? Anti-oxidants are small molecules that defend our cells from free radicals. Free radicals are small, charged molecules that can bang around the inside of our body and cause inflammation and cellular damage. This is why you want to eat foods that are full of anti-oxidants.
Plants are a rich source of antioxidants. Turmeric, for example, the tropical plant used as a curry spice, is enriched with a powerful antioxidant called curcumin. Curcumin is a potent bio-active compound that fights free radicals. This antioxidant capacity makes turmeric a natural remedy for inflammation related health issues, such as arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Black elderberry is another plant that is enriched with antioxidants. In particular, black elderberries contain molecules called flavonoids. Flavonoids are a class of antioxidants often found in leafy plants and dark colored fruits. Multiple studies demonstrate that flavonoids in black elderberries protect cells from oxidative stress. In these experiments, living cells are exposed to damaging, oxidizing free radicals such as hydrogen peroxide, AAPH and α-tocopheroxyl. The authors then present data showing that the presence of flavonoids protects these cells from this free radical damage (Abuja 1998).
In summary, taking black elderberry delivers antioxidant flavonoids to our body. These flavonoids help protect our body from the damaging effect of free radicals.
Black elderberry controls our cytokine levels
Cytokines are small molecules that are incredibly important for our immune system. These small molecules move throughout our body and act as chemical messengers. Cytokines send signals that tell our body to either increase or decrease the intensity of an immune response. When cytokine signaling is functioning properly, our body will only mount an aggressive immune response when necessary. In contrast, if there is no threat to our body, then we want our cytokines to tell our immune system to take the foot off the gas. If our immune system is overactive, our body will experience chronic inflammation and tissue damage. We need our cytokines to help us mount an appropriate response to an infection.
Multiple laboratory studies reveal that a treatment of black elderberry can increase and regulate the cytokine levels in our immune system (Middleton, 1992). One especially convincing report by Barak et al., demonstrates that black elderberry extract activates a series of cytokines that are critical to our immune system (IL-6, IL-1 and TNF-α).
In summary, taking black elderberry when we’re sick can modulate our cytokine levels. Properly regulated cytokine levels leads to an appropriate immune system response.
When taken together, the clinical and laboratory studies discussed in this article certainly suggest that using black elderberry is a reasonable course of action. Our body is bolstered by the cytokines and antioxidants derived from the black elderberry tree. So, next time you feel a cold or flu sneaking into your body, consider lending your body a hand with this medicinal plant.
Citations:
Abuja, Peter M., Michael Murkovic, and Werner Pfannhauser. “Antioxidant and prooxidant activities of elderberry (Sambucus nigra) extract in low-density lipoprotein oxidation.” Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 46.10 (1998): 4091-4096.
Barak, Vivian, Tal Halperin, and Inna Kalickman. “The effect of Sambucol, a black elderberry-based, natural product, on the production of human cytokines: I. Inflammatory cytokines.” Eur Cytokine Netw 12.2 (2001): 290-296.
Middleton, Elliott, and Chithan Kandaswami. “Effects of flavonoids on immune and inflammatory cell functions.” Biochemical pharmacology 43.6 (1992): 1167-1179.
Zakay-Rones, Zichria, et al. “Inhibition of several strains of influenza virus in vitro and reduction of symptoms by an elderberry extract (Sambucus nigra L.) during an outbreak of influenza B Panama.” The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 1.4 (1995): 361-369.
Zakay-Rones, Z., et al. “Randomized study of the efficacy and safety of oral elderberry extract in the treatment of influenza A and B virus infections.” Journal of International Medical Research 32.2 (2004): 132-140.
Image Credits
Featured image - www.tophealthremedies
Black Elderberry closeup - www.gartenjournal.net
Black Elderberry Bush - science.halleyhosting.com
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White Mulberry for Diabetes, Obesity and High Cholesterol
By Dr. Kevin Curran
A New Superfood?
The White Mulberry Tree Helps with Diabetes,Obesity and High Cholesterol.
Diabetes has been steadily increasing for decades. The latest estimates by the IDF report that 8.3% of the global population is currently suffering from diabetes. Unfortunately, this trend is predicted to continue. Any natural remedy that can assist in the prevention or treatment of diabetes is currently in great demand.
For this reason, the White Mulberry tree (Morus alba) has been gathering quite a bit of attention. The renewed interest with this plant is largely due to a series of publications demonstrating the benefit to adding white mulberry to your diet. By ingesting white mulberry before or with meals, you can avoid the spikes in blood-sugar that are common when eating carbohydrates. You can either eat the plant as a dried fruit or else you can take mulberry extract in capsules. Both forms impart the health benefit of the plant. The fruit actually tastes quite nice, the flavor is somewhere between a sweet fig and a raisin.
Ok, so how exactly does white mulberry relate to diabetes? Well, if you remember from your last biology class, it’s the excessive amounts of sugar in our blood that can often lead to diabetes (T2D). High blood-sugar levels demand that the pancreas works extra hard to keep up. The pancreas releases large amounts of the insulin protein. The job of insulin is to convert extra sugar in our blood into glycogen, a storage molecule. But when we overload our body with sugar, this pancreas/insulin/glycogen machinery cannot keep up. The pancreas begins to fail as an organ, and more often than not, the symptoms of diabetes set in. Yuck!
Nobody wants this…
So, how do we avoid it? Well, for starters, we should be out exercising and we should be limiting the amount of carbs in our diet. Okay, fair enough, but we all know that already. In addition to these lifestyle changes, there is also great interest in a natural, food-based remedy that can help prevent these issues from occurring.
Clinical results have shown that by adding a few grams of white mulberry extract to your diet, you will keep your blood sugar levels lower. In one study, conducted with the fruits of white mulberry, the authors explored the benefit white mulberry offers to diabetics. Mahmoud et al. used diabetic rats in their experimental design. One group of diabetic rats ate their regular carbohydrate diet, while another group made 5% of their diet consist of white mulberry fruits. The blood-glucose level of the both groups were then tested 4 weeks after the experiment began. The scientists found that the diabetic rats who ate white mulberry fruits as 5% of their overall diet, experienced a significantly lower blood-glucose level as compared to diabetic rats with no white mulberry. Similar results have also been reported in human patients.
But that’s not all…
The White mulberry plant is rich in multiple phytochemicals that impart various health benefits. Reports have highlighted the plant’s ability to act as a powerful antioxidant, this has implications for anti-aging. Additionally other reports highlight the capacity of white mulberry to combat high cholesterol, specifically high LDL cholesterol. If you remember correctly, LDL is the bad cholesterol, it’s the one we don’t want. HDL is the cholesterol we do want, and in fact White Mulberry has shown to boost HDL levels.
In summary, white mulberry offers multiple health benefits. And for this reason, the plant is now regarded as a superfood. As we look forward, diabetes is predicted to afflict approximately 582 million people by 2035. Let’s hope that more natural remedies, like white mulberry, continue to yield positive results regarding the suppression of high blood-sugar levels.
Kevin Curran holds a PhD in molecular biology and currently serves as a professor at the University of San Diego, teaching courses on Cell Biology and Plant Biology.
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White Mulberry for Diabetes, Obesity and High Cholesterol | Chinese Medicine Living