For our clients and customers to keep up to date with current health and herbal medicine research and their conditions
Todays Headlines:
- The herb linked to better memory, lower anxiety and protection from Alzheimer’s Thursday June 05th, 2025
- Strange link discovered between painful skin disease and stubborn belly fat Tuesday May 27th, 2025
- This simple snacking habit could improve your cholesterol levels: new study Thursday March 20th, 2025
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- The herb linked to better memory, lower anxiety and protection from Alzheimer’s Thursday June 05th, 2025Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), the aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean, has long been treasured in kitchens around the world. But beyond its culinary charm, rosemary is also gaining recognition for its impressive health benefits, especially when it comes to brain health, inflammation and immune function. Research suggests rosemary may even hold promise in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, the leading cause of dementia worldwide. Historically, rosemary has been linked to memory and mental clarity. In ancient Greece and Rome, students and scholars used rosemary in the hope of sharpening concentration and recall. Modern science is finding there may have been something in this: in one study, people who inhaled rosemary’s scent performed better on memory tasks compared to those in an unscented environment. So, how does rosemary work on the brain? There are several mechanisms at play. For starters, rosemary stimulates blood circulation, including to the brain, helping deliver more oxygen and nutrients, which may improve mental clarity. It also has calming properties; some studies suggest its aroma can reduce anxiety and improve sleep. Lower stress can mean better focus and memory retention. Rosemary contains compounds that interact with the brain’s neurotransmitters. One such compound, 1,8-cineole, helps prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine, a brain chemical essential for learning and memory. By preserving acetylcholine, rosemary may help support cognitive performance, especially as we age. Another bonus? Rosemary is packed with antioxidants, which help protect brain cells from damage caused by oxidative stress – a major factor in cognitive decline. Rosemary is rich in phytochemicals, plant compounds with health-enhancing effects. One of the most powerful is carnosic acid, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that helps shield brain cells from harm, particularly from the kinds of damage linked to Alzheimer’s disease. In 2025, researchers developed a stable version of carnosic acid called diAcCA. In promising pre-clinical studies, this compound improved memory, boosted the number of synapses (the connections between brain cells), and reduced harmful Alzheimer’s related proteins like amyloid-beta and tau. What’s especially exciting is that diAcCA only activates in inflamed brain regions, which could minimise side effects. So far, studies in mice show no signs of toxicity and significant cognitive improvements, raising hopes that human trials could be next. Researchers also believe diAcCA could help treat other inflammatory conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and Parkinson’s disease. Beyond brain health Rosemary’s benefits could extend well beyond the brain. It’s been used traditionally to ease digestion, relieve bloating and reduce inflammation. Compounds like rosmarinic acid and ursolic acid are known for their anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body. Rosemary may even benefit the skin – a review suggests it can help soothe acne and eczema, while carnosic acid may offer anti-ageing benefits by protecting skin from sun damage. Rosemary oil also has antimicrobial properties, showing promise in food preservation and potential pharmaceutical applications by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi. For most people, rosemary is safe when used in food, teas or aromatherapy. But concentrated doses or extracts can pose risks. Consuming large amounts may cause vomiting or, in rare cases, seizures – particularly in people with epilepsy. There’s also a theoretical risk of rosemary stimulating uterine contractions, so pregnant people should avoid high doses. Because rosemary can interact with some medications – such as blood thinners – it’s best to check with a healthcare provider before taking large amounts in supplement form. Rosemary is more than just a kitchen staple. It’s a natural remedy with ancient roots and modern scientific backing. As research continues, particularly into breakthrough compounds like diAcCA, rosemary could play an exciting role in future treatments for Alzheimer’s and other chronic conditions. In the meantime, adding a little rosemary to your life – whether in a meal, a cup of tea, or a breath of its fragrant oil – could be a small step with big health benefits. Source: The IndependentContinue reading →
- Strange link discovered between painful skin disease and stubborn belly fat Tuesday May 27th, 2025
Researchers have discovered a surprising link between abdominal fat and painful psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin condition.
Studies have shown obesity is a risk factor for psoriasis, but never before have scientists established the waist and belly to be the most influential spots.
Psoriasis and obesity, which affects about 100million American adults, share the same biological pathway: chronic inflammation. Adipose (fat) tissue releases inflammatory chemicals that clash with the immune system, which can cause inflammation in the skin, and psoriasis’ trademark red, scaly rash.
The team of dermatologists from King’s College London analyzed data from over 330,000 white people living in the UK, including more than 9,000 with psoriasis, which affects roughly 7.5million Americans.
They examined 25 different body fat measures using traditional methods, such as calipers that pinch skin folds, and advanced imaging techniques, such as highly specialized X-ray scans, assessing how each was associated with psoriasis.
Researchers found the waist-to-hip ratio on a person was the strongest risk factor for psoriasis, but didn’t reveal why specifically that type of fat had the strongest association.
Dr Ravi Ramessur, lead investigator on the study, said: ‘Our research shows that where fat is stored in the body matters when it comes to psoriasis risk. Central fat — especially around the waist — seems to play a key role.
‘This has important implications for how we identify individuals who may be more likely to develop psoriasis or experience more severe disease, and how we approach prevention and treatment strategies.’
The researchers measured overall ‘central’ fat around the torso, encompassing subcutaneous fat right below the skin’s surface, and dangerous visceral fat that wraps around the organs.
The link between central fat and psoriasis remained consistent regardless of genetic predisposition, indicating that abdominal fat is an independent risk factor.
Dr Catherine Smith, senior author, said: ‘As rates of obesity continue to rise globally, understanding how different patterns of body fat influence chronic inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis is important.
‘Our findings suggest that central body fat contributes to psoriasis risk irrespective of genetic predisposition and reinforces the importance of measuring waist circumference and pro-active healthy weight strategies in psoriasis care.”
In addition to releasing inflammatory compounds, fat tissue hijacks the body’s balance of hormones.
The hormone leptin normally signals to the brain the body is full and it’s time to stop eating.
But fat cells overproduce this hormone, breaking that ‘stop eating’ signal.
The overabundance of leptin also stimulates the production of inflammatory cytokines, leading to a psoriasis breakout of painful rashes and subsequent flare-ups in the skin.
In a related editorial, Dr Joel Gelfand, a dermatology expert at the University of Pennsylvania, highlights the promise of specific gut hormone therapies – mainly GLP-1 and GIP, which help control blood sugar, digestion, and hunger – as potential therapies for psoriatic disease.
These hormones, sold under brands like Ozmepic, Wegovy and Zepbound, are already used to treat diabetes, obesity, and obesity-related sleep apnea.
A separate 2024 NIH-funded report in the journal Psoriasis analyzed four studies involving 23 patients with both psoriasis and type 2 diabetes who took a GLP-1 receptor agonist drug.
Every study showed significant reductions in PASI scores, a measure of psoriasis severity.
Two studies showed fewer markers of inflammation in layers of the skin and reduced harmful immune responses.
Patients also reported improved quality of life.
Now, researchers are exploring whether the drugs could also help manage psoriatic disease, possibly by tackling the inflammation and metabolic issues linked to psoriasis.
According to Dr Gelfand, the powerful link between obesity and psoriasis, as well as the evidence that GLP-1 drugs could alleviate symptoms, signals it’s time to launch clinical trials testing the drugs specifically for psoriasis.
He said: ‘The strong relationship between psoriasis and obesity and the emerging promise of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP1RA) for reducing psoriasis morbidity is a call to action for large scale clinical trials of GLP1RA monotherapy for treatment of psoriasis.
‘Our current paradigm of just focusing on the skin and joint manifestations when treating psoriasis is outdated in the context of our evolving understanding of the tight relationship of psoriasis, obesity, and cardiometabolic disease.’
Source: Daily News
Continue reading → - This simple snacking habit could improve your cholesterol levels: new study Thursday March 20th, 2025
Good news for fans of the humble pecan: these tasty nuts might be even healthier than we thought, and swapping your usual snacks for them could be a smart move for your health.
That’s because a recent study has found that swapping daily snack foods for pecans can lead to improved cholesterol and enhanced overall diet quality.
The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, focused on adults who live with or are at risk of having metabolic syndrome – the name for health problems that increase your risk of type 2 diabetes or conditions that affect your heart or blood vessels.
Participants in the 12-week study were randomly split into two groups: one group replaced their usual snacks with 57g of pecans daily, while the other continued with their regular diet.
The result? Participants who snacked on pecans showed reductions in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol and triglycerides.
LDL cholesterol, commonly referred to as ‘bad’ cholesterol, can accumulate in arteries and elevate the risk of heart disease and stroke. Lowering LDL levels, along with improving the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL – ‘good’ – cholesterol, is a key strategy for reducing cardiovascular disease risk.
“Replacing typical snacks with pecans improved key risk factors for heart disease including blood cholesterol levels and diet quality,” said Kristina Petersen, associate professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State and co-author of the study.
“These results add to the large evidence-base supporting the cardiovascular benefits of nuts and add additional insights into how adults can incorporate nuts into their diet to improve the overall quality of their diet.”
A total of 138 adults aged between 25 and 70 took part in the research, all of whom had at least one criterion for metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, low HDL or high blood pressure.
Heart health data and blood work were collected at the start and end of the study, while dietary information was assessed nine times throughout. Participants were told to avoid other types of nuts and to maintain consistency in other parts of their lives, such as in non-snacking eating and day-to-day lifestyles.
Beyond improving cholesterol levels, the study found that pecan snackers demonstrated a 17 per cent higher adherence to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index. Their diets included increased consumption of plant proteins and seafood, which are often under-consumed food groups.
This suggests that choosing pecans over less nutritious snacks may encourage overall healthier eating patterns. By making a small, simple switch, individuals might not only improve their heart health but also naturally increase their intake of other nutrient-dense foods, supporting a more balanced diet.
It’s not all positive, though. Despite the benefits to cholesterol levels and overall diet, the pecan group, on average
Source: BBC
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