The many benefits of Fennel

A May 2017 study, noting that “Fennel, an anise-flavoured herb used for cooking, has long been known for its health benefits for a variety of issues, including digestion and premenstrual symptoms”, goes on to confirm that it is, “effective in the management of post-menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, sleeplessness, vaginal dryness, and anxiety, without serious side effects.”

Fennel is al shamr in Arabic.  Ibn Qayyim lists it as raazyaanaj. In Moroccan Arabic it is bes bes and in Greek it is marathon.  In Chinese medicine it is xiao hui xiang. In Latin it is Fructus Foeniculi Vulgaris.

As-Suyuti in "Medicine of the Prophet" said that fennel may have been what was referred to in the hadith as ‘sanut’ being of the three things that cures everything except cancer. Others said ‘sanut’ meant honey, Makkan fat, a seed similar to cumin or dates. As-Suyuti refers to fennel as one of the ingredients in a sweet ebullient. He notes that some physicians recommend fennel for treating cases of weak eyesight.

Ibn Qayyim in "Medicine of the Prophet" said that ‘sanut’ has eight explanations and includes fennel.  He mentions it in relation to chicory (hindiba). He says (of chicory), “the more bitter sort is more beneficial for the liver. Its pressed out juice is beneficial for obstructive jaundice, especially when mixed with juice of moist fennel.”

Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber" classifies fennel as bitter sweet and a carminative and suggests it for conjunctivitis and blepharitis.

In Yang, Huang and Zhu’s “Introduction to Chinese Materia Medica” it is said of fennel that it is, “pungent and warm; expel[s] cold, warm[s] the liver and stomach, arrest[s] vomiting, and [is] specialised at curing different types of hernia.”

Obesity: Eating Fruit and Veg

A May 2017 study suggests that, “Pro-vegetarian diets (with a higher consumption of plant-based foods compared to animal-based foods) could provide substantial protection against obesity”.

The risk is cut by more than half.

The study states, “Current evidence suggests that such a pro-vegetarian diet has a protective role in cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but little is known about its role on the risk of developing obesity in healthy populations.”

The DASH diet and Gout

In a May 2017 study, it has been suggested that following a diet known to reduce the risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease may also reduce the risk of gout. Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis known since ancient times and is due to elevated levels of uric acid the blood.

The UK Gout Society says, “Too much uric acid can also be caused by a diet rich in purines (a protein found in many foods), alcohol, crash dieting, stress, prolonged illness, injury, or by certain medicines e.g. diuretics (water tablets), aspirin.”

The DASH diet emphasizes increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products.

Cinnamon and Diabetes 2

Research by Ohio Northern University in April 2017 follows on from studies that show that cinnamon reduces blood-sugar levels for those with Type 2 Diabetes. The current research indicates that cinnamon may be acting on an enzyme that is active in insulin and sometimes more strongly than resveratrol, well-known for acting on the enzyme.

Dark Chocolate, ageing and memory

California University research in April 2017 found that a component in foods such as dark chocolate reduces oxidative stress and may have protective effects in ageing in terms of memory.

Waking Early

Research in 2013 concluded that, “most adverse cardiovascular events tend to happen in the morning” and a 2014 study found that, “People who had most of their daily exposure to even moderately bright light in the morning had a significantly lower body mass index (BMI) than those who had most of their light exposure later in the day.”

Intention

 “God establishes the habit of creating every act the acquisition of which man intends.”

– Introduction to Al-Ghazali’s, ‘On Intention, Sincerity and Truthfulness’.

How much coffee each day?

An April 2017 systematic review supports the well-known Health Canada literature review of 2003 which concluded that adverse health effects were not associated with caffeine intake levels equivalent to around 4 cups of coffee each day,

Trans Fats

In an April 2017 study by Yale School of Medicine it was found that, “People living in areas that restrict trans fats in foods had fewer hospitalizations for heart attack and stroke compared to residents in areas without restrictions”

Eureka reminds us that, “Trans fatty acids, or trans fats, are commonly found in foods such as chips, crackers, fried foods, and baked goods. Minimal amounts of trans fat intake are linked to greater risk of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide.”

The author of the report, Dr Brandt said, “Our study highlights the power of public policy to impact the cardiovascular health of a population. Trans fats are deleterious for cardiovascular health, and minimizing or eliminating them from the diet can substantially reduce rates of heart attack and stroke."

Pulses

An April 2017 report by Eureka on the New York Academy of Sciences findings, “stresses how increased pulse consumption could address nutrition issues related to the health of the overall human population, as well as the planet.” And reminds us that, “Pulses are members of the legume family and include dried peas, edible lentils, and chickpeas. They are high in protein and fiber, and low in fat. They are affordable, [and] have a high nutrient density …”

Obesity, Being Underweight and Migraines

In an April 2017 meta-analysis by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, it was found that, “Both obesity and being underweight are associated with an increased risk for migraine.

B. Lee Peterlin said, “age and sex were important variables in the relationship between body mass index and migraine” adding, "This makes sense, as the risk entailed by obesity and the risk of migraine is different in women and men and in younger and older people … Both obesity disease risk and the occurrence of migraine is more common in women and in younger people."

Fresh Fruit and Diabetes

In an April 2017 research article, Oxford University report that in a 7-year study of 500,000 people, “greater consumption of fresh fruit was associated with a lower incidence of diabetes, as well as reduced occurrence of complications in people with diabetes, in a Chinese population.”

Exercise and Diabetes 2

In an April 2017 study, at the University of Turku, Finland it was found that, “high-intensity interval training … increases glucose metabolism in muscles as well as insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes [and] … after a two-week training period, the glucose uptake in thigh muscles returned to a normal level.”

Fasting and Diabetes 1

An April 2017 study published in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics examined the risk of fasting during Ramadan for people with type 1 diabetes compared with a blood glucose control group and the rates of hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia between users of insulin pump therapy versus multiple daily insulin injections.

Dr Alamoudi of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal National Guard Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and others, looked at the differences in glucose control, glucose variability, and rates of hypo- and hyper-glycaemia between the two treatment groups.

Eureka remarks, “Hypoglycaemia is common among patients with type 1 diabetes who fast during Ramadan and is the main cause of having to break the fast.”

Professor Satish Garg of the University of Colorado Denver said, “"In the future, use of an 'artificial pancreas' hybrid closed-loop system during Ramadan may allow patients to reduce or even eliminate hypoglycaemia with increased time-in-range and reduced glucose variability,"

Fruit and Veg to lower Blood Pressure

A University of Southern California article in April 2017 by Professor Alicia McDonough suggests that “Eating potassium-rich foods like sweet potatoes, avocados, spinach, beans, bananas -- and even coffee -- could be key to lowering blood pressure.”.

Night Owls and Depression

An April 2017 study by Mahidol University Faculty of Medicine finds that those with a preference to go to sleep late and wake late and are more active in the evening have increased symptoms of depression that those who are “larks”. This appears to be regardless of the quality of sleep.

Thyroxin and Milk

UCLA research published in April 2017 supports findings in previous research, “showing that calcium supplements can interfere with levothyroxine absorption" with the researchers concluding that, “Taking the common oral thyroid hormone medication levothyroxine with a glass of cow's milk significantly decreases the body's ability to absorb the drug”

Eating lentils to reduce risk of diabetes

Eureka states, “Legumes [such as lentils] are a food group rich in B vitamins, contain different beneficial minerals (calcium, potassium and magnesium) and sizeable amounts of fibre and are regarded as a low-glycemic index food, which means that blood glucose levels increase only slowly after consumption. Due to these unique nutritional qualities, eating legumes regularly can help improve human health.”

A study published in March 2017 by the Universitat Rovira i Virgili concluded that eating legumes is, “associated with a lower risk of diabetes”.

The researchers also found that, “the effect of replacing half a serving/day of foods rich in protein or carbohydrates, including eggs, bread, rice and baked potato, for half a serving/day of legumes was also associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes incidence.”

Ashwagandha

Withania somnifera is more commonly known as ashwagandha, , winter, cherry, Indian ginseng, or poison gooseberry.  Ashwagandha is a Sanskrit word meaning “horse’s smell”.  It’s not clear if that’s a Good Thing.

A March 2017 study by the University of Tsukuba concluded that, “an active component of ashwagandha leaves significantly induces sleep.”

Ingrid Hehmeyer and Hanne Schonig in “Herbal Medicine in Yemen: Traditional Knowledge and Practice, and Their Value for Today's World”, tell us that in Yemen, where it is known as ubab,  the dried leaves of ashwagandha, “… the dried leaves are ground to a powder from which a paste is made and used in the treatment of burns and wounds.”

Image: By Roger Culos - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22724466

Running a Marathon impacts on kidneys in short term

A March 2017 study by Yale University found that, “the physical stress of running a marathon can cause short-term kidney injury. Although kidneys of the examined runners fully recovered within two days post-marathon, the study raises questions concerning potential long-term impacts of this strenuous activity at a time when marathons are increasing in popularity.”

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/yu-mrm032317.php