How To Make Natural Ginger Ale

How To Make Natural Ginger Ale. Image – WellnessMama.com (with permission)

We just found an awesome tutorial for how to make your own natural ginger ale! The link follows after our introduction to the topic.

If you’re sick of the modern generation of unhealthy junk sodas then this could be a perfect beverage for you! We all want beverages that have great taste, but wouldn’t it be great if we could get that without short-changing ourselves when it comes to our health and nutrition? Ingredients like High Fructose Corn Syrup or aspartame are deal-breakers for me. If those things are in there, I won’t touch it. End of story. 😉

What’s great about this recipe we have found is not only that it contains real ginger (see this page for our full tutorial on the health benefits of ginger) – well known for its numerous health benefits – but it is naturally fermented, which makes it naturally fizzy! The drink contains natural probiotics and enzymes that are widely regarded to have a beneficial effect on the digestive system.

Fermented drinks and foods have been utilized since ancient times on account of their health benefits. This formula uses a short-brew method so that it does not become alcoholic.

One note – you have to be careful to follow the instructions properly. As with making other fermented drinks such as Jun (an old Tibetan Fermented Tea drink), you can create too much pressure, enough to burst the bottles if you do it wrong!

Another note that caught my eye from the comments on the original page – although the recipe calls for some sugar, note that the fermentation process will transform much of this. One person advised not to substitute with honey (it is a commonly held position that due to being antimicrobial it interferes with the fermentation) or stevia.

Ok here’s the link to the full tutorial: https://wellnessmama.com/8945/natural-ginger-ale/

Turmeric Extract Puts Drugs For Knee Osteoarthritis To Shame

Turmeric Extract Puts Drugs For Knee Osteoarthritis To Shame. Graphic © herbshealthhappiness.com. Photos © eyewave, psdesign1 – fotolia.com (under license)

Millions of people take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat their arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. There is a need to increase awareness of available natural remedies that are possibly safer, at least as effective, easily accessible, and inexpensive. For one, despite decades of research and thousands of preclinical studies indicating the therapeutic value of turmeric, not many people are aware that the common kitchen spice can serve as a valuable alternative for a number of health conditions. ^[1]

Turmeric For Osteoarthritis

A recent human study published in the Indonesian Journal of Internal Medicine clinically confirms the medicinal value of turmeric. Results showed that the turmeric’s curcuminoid extract can reduce inflammation in patients who suffer from knee osteoarthritis. ^[2]

The study was conducted by randomly dividing patients into two groups. One group was assigned to take 25 mg of diclofenac sodium three times a day for four weeks. The other group was asked to take 30 mg of the turmeric extract (curcumonoid) three times daily for the same period of time. Researchers compared the effectivity of curcuminoid extract to that of the drug diclofenac sodium in reducing the secretion of the inflammatory cycloxygenase-2 enzyme by the synovial fluid’s monocytes. ^[2]

An egg yolk-like liquid, synovial fluid is found within the synovial joints’ cavities. It reduces friction between the articular cartilages during movement. People who suffer from knee osteoarthritis are known to have increased secretion of the inflammatory COX-2 enzyme in their synovial fluid. ^[2]

Results of the study show that the turmeric’s curcuminoid extract and the NSAID drug diclofenac sodium are both capable of significantly decreasing the secretion of COX-2 enzymes. The two alternatives displayed nearly identical potency. The exact results were as follows:

In curcuminoid group the average scores were 1.84±0.37 and 1.15±0.28 respectively (p<0.001). In diclofenac group the average scores were 1.79±0.38 and 1.12±0.27 respectively (p<0.001). In curcuminoid group the decreasing score of cycloxygenase-2 secretion was 0.70±0.51 while in diclofenac group was 0.67±0.45. There was no significant difference in decreasing the score of cycloxygenase enzyme secretion between both treatment groups (p=0.89). ^[3]

A Safer Alternative

The study published in the Indonesian Journal of Internal Medicine is not the first to confirm turmeric’s efficacy. A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2010 revealed that 2,000 mg of turmeric extract works as effectively as 800 mg of ibuprofen in treating symptoms of inflammation and pain. There are hundreds more of studies that confirm the COX-2 reducing and anti-inflammatory effects of turmeric. What makes the more recent study stand out is what it reveals about the safety of choosing turmeric over pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory drugs, which have been linked to adverse health effects, including seizure, miscarriage, and mortality. ^[1]

One way to compare the relative toxicity of turmeric’s curcumin and the NSAID diclofenac sodium is by considering their Material Safety Data Sheets, which reveal detailed information on their toxicity. Results reveal that there are considerably higher chances of experiencing adverse health effects from diclofenac sodium compared to turmeric. Considering that there are 100 adverse health effects linked to the NSAID drug – and 600 beneficial effects linked to turmeric, this is not a hard choice to make in terms of risk-benefit analysis. ^[1]

Here’s our video on the health benefits of turmeric:

Health Benefits Of Herbs And Spices

Graphic © herbshealthhappiness.com

Here are 7 of the world’s best known herbs and spices, with a few of their noted health benefits according to scientific research:

Cinnamon: Cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels by imitating insulin function and increasing glucose transport into the cells. It can also be used for the treatment of insulin resistance. [1]

Garlic: Allicin is the major active ingredient in garlic that exhibits antibacterial and antifungal properties. A study has shown that garlic extract can inhibit fungal infection due to aspergillosis. [2]

Paprika: Paprika has many health beneficial compounds including vitamin A, capsicin, and carotenoid antioxidants that can improve cholesterol level, eye health, and blood sugar levels. The anti-inflammatory effect of paprika is due to capsaicin that binds to receptors on nerve cells to reduce inflammation. [3]

Ginger: Garlic has been used historically to treat motion sickness. A study has reported that ginger effectively reduces nausea, tachygastric activity, and the release of vasopressin, thus preventing and treating motion sickness. [4]

Turmeric: Curcumin, the main active ingredient in turmeric has an anti-cancer effect. It can kill cancer cells and prevent their growth. [5] It can protect against breast cancer, bowel cancer, and skin cancer.

Oregano: Oregano has antibacterial and antioxidant properties that are mainly attributed to its main active ingredients, carvacrol, and thymol. Various studies have reported the antibacterial effects of oregano against gram-positive bacteria. [6]

Rosemary: Rosemary may provide benefit in the fight against obesity, liver diseases, gastritis, cholesterolemia, bronchial asthma, edemas and even memory loss. These health benefits are attributed to polyphenolic compounds such as rosmarinic and carnosic acid. [7]

Learn More: List of over 200 herbs with full health information: https://www.herbs-info.com/list-of-herbs.html