ginseng keeps disease away

Ginseng is one of the most popular herbal supplements in the US, perhaps most well known for its traditional use of boosting memory and energy levels. However, it has many other uses. For starters, ginseng is considered an adaptogen, which means it helps your body to withstand mental and physical stress.

Delving further into the benefits first requires understanding the different types of ginseng available. There are three major varieties, each with unique attributes, although only two are actually ginseng:

• American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius): This tan, gnarled root contains ginsenosides, which are thought to be responsible for many of its medicinal properties. Chinese medicine, which has used ginseng for thousands of years, considers American ginseng a "cool" calming tonic.1
• Asian ginseng ((Panax ginseng): Sometimes referred to as Korean ginseng, Asian ginseng also contains ginsenosides, although in different proportions than American ginseng, and is considered an adaptogenic herb. According to Chinese medicine, Asian ginseng is a "hot" stimulant.2
• Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus): Siberian ginseng is not a true ginseng and does not contain ginsenosides. Its active components are called eleutherosides, which are thought to stimulate your immune system.

Like American and Asian ginseng, however, Siberian ginseng is an adaptogen that's traditionally been used to increase energy, stimulate the immune system, and increase longevity.3

What Are the Health Benefits of American Ginseng?

American ginseng cannot be used for medicinal purposes until it's at least six years old (the wrinkles around the neck of the root reveal its age). Due to overharvesting, American ginseng is endangered in the wild and quite expensive to purchase, although it's also grown on farms now as well.4

Most research to date has involved Asian ginseng, however the studies that have been done on the American variety suggest it may boost your immune system, function as an antioxidant and also benefit inflammatory conditions. It may also be useful as an all-around stress tonic. According to research published in theJournal of Herbs, Spices & Medicinal Plants:5

"[American] Ginseng is traditionally reputed to regularize bodily functions and relieve many ailments resulting from physiological stress. Beneficial effects are thought to be due to a non-specific influence on production and use of regulatory hormones.

As an 'adaptogen', ginseng exhibits anti-fatigue, anti-stress, and anti-aging activity, as well as general improvement of mental and physical performance, 'recognized in therapeutic claims permitted by a plethora of international regulatory constituencies."

Additional benefits include:

Memory: American ginseng was found to improve working memory and mood in both young individuals and middle-age adults.6 Another study revealed "robust working memory enhancement following administration of American ginseng."7	Diabetes: American ginseng appears to have anti-diabetic properties. In one animal study, extract of American ginseng root lead to weight loss and lower blood sugar levels in mice with type 2 diabetes.8 It's also been shown to increase insulin sensitivity in healthy individuals.9
Cancer: American ginseng has anti-cancer properties that appear to suppress tumor growth. It has shown particular promise in treating colorectal cancer.10	Cold and Flu: Older adults who took an extract of American ginseng had a 48 percent reduction in relative risk, and a 55 percent reduction in duration, of respiratory illness.11 This herb was also found to be "a safe and effective treatment for reducing the absolute risk of recurrent colds and the mean number of colds per person."12
ADHD: A combination of American ginseng and ginkgo biloba may improve symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and teens.13	Immune System Function:American ginseng has also been found to stimulate the immune system, helping your body fight off infections and disease.14

What Are the Health Benefits of Asian Ginseng?

If you're wondering which type of ginseng is right for you, consider this: if you're seeking an herb to calm stress-related problems, American ginseng is the "cooling" or "calming" version of the two. Asian ginseng is regarded as heating and is not generally recommended for stress relief.

Differences in levels of the eight major ginsenosides are thought to account for the plants' varying characteristics. For example, Asian ginseng contain similar quantities of the ginsenosides Rb1 and Rg1, while American ginseng has very little Rg1. Rg1 is regarded as a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant, fatigue fighter, enhancer of mental performance.

For comparison, Rb1 is a CNS depressant with tranquilizing and anti-psychotic properties. As written in the journal Phytochemistry:15

"Since American ginseng has a lower ratio of Rg1/Rb1, it seems to calm the CNS. In contrast, Asian ginseng appears to stimulate the CNS."

Also, while American ginseng appears promising for type 2 diabetes, the results are less clear for Asian ginseng. While some research suggests a benefit for diabetes, other studies have found it could raise blood sugar levels, so this is an area that needs further study.16 With that in mind, what else might Asian ginseng be beneficial for?

Heart health:Ginseng shows promise for protecting heart health, including anti-hypertensive effects and protection against heart failure.17Asian ginseng, in particular, may protect against symptoms of heart disease and support healthy cholesterol levels. Heart health is another area where the effects of Asian and American ginseng need to be further explored, as each likely had different heart effects. Some research suggests Asian ginseng increases blood pressure at typical doses but lowers it at higher doses, so be careful with its use if you have high blood pressure.18	Neurodegenerative diseases: Evidence is accumulating that Asian ginseng may have neuroprotective properties, including maintaining homeostasis and anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and immune-stimulatory activities. The herb could potentially be useful for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological disorders.19	Stroke: Asian ginseng's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties appear useful as a promising neuroprotective strategy in stroke. According to a study published in Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience, "It can… prevent neuronal death as a result of stroke, thus decreasing anatomical and functional stroke damage. "20
Cancer-related fatigue (CRF): CRF is the most common symptom in patients with cancer. Those who used high-dose Asian ginseng (800 mg orally daily for 29 days) reported improved fatigue, quality of life, appetite and sleep quality.21	Cancer: According to research published in the Alternative Medicine Review,"The mechanisms whereby Asian ginseng is thought to have a potential role as a cancer preventive and treatment agent include the mitigation of DNA damage, anti-inflammatory carcinogenesis, antioxidant chemoprevention, apoptosis induction, inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, and immunomodulation.  Studies have shown the capability of ginseng to repair and reverse cell differentiation in hepatoma, melanoma, and adenocarcinoma cells …  Asian ginseng has shown promise in the treatment of several specific types of cancer, including leukemia, melanoma, and colon, gastric, hepatic, kidney, ovarian, prostate, and pulmonary cancers."22	Cold and flu: Like American ginseng, Asian ginseng appears to stimulate the immune system. In one study, those who took 400 mg of Asian ginseng daily for four months had fewer colds, and those they did come down with were shorter in duration.23
Erectile dysfunction: Asian ginseng may be beneficial in treating erectile dysfunction,24and it may also improve sperm production, sexual activity, and sexual performance.	Mental performance:Asian ginseng appears to boost alertness as well as thinking and learning. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, "Early research shows that Asian ginseng may improve performance on such things as mental arithmetic, concentration, memory, and other measures."25	Menopausal symptoms: There is some evidence suggesting Asian ginseng may help relieve certain menopausal symptoms, particularly depression and well-being.26

What Is Siberian Ginseng Used For?

As mentioned, Siberian ginseng is not true ginseng, although it is often confused with the herb. The main uses of Siberian ginseng are immune-system stimulation, to increase energy and vitality and also as an adaptogenic herb used during times of stress.

Siberian ginseng has also been found to have anti-viral properties, and reduced the number of herpes outbreaks among people with the herpes simplex virus type 2.27 Germany's Commission E has approved Siberian ginseng "as a tonic for invigoration and fortification in times of fatigue and debility or declining capacity for work and concentration. Ginseng was also approved for use during convalescence."28

Tips for Using Ginseng

Short-term use of ginseng is considered to be safe among adults. Asian ginseng is best taken in cycles, such as every day for two to three weeks, then taking a break for two to three weeks. In choosing a supplement, fermented ginseng may provide faster, more consistent absorption compared to non-fermented varieties. And if you choose Asian ginseng, look for the unpeeled variety (sometimes called red ginseng), as it will retain more of its bioactive compounds.

While generally safe, if taken in high doses, ginseng may lead to nervousness or insomnia. You should also use caution using ginseng if you're pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you're taking certain medications, including:29

• Diabetes medications
• Blood-thinning medications such as warfarin
• Antidepressants called MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors)
• Anti-psychotic medications or stimulants
• Morphine

chasing villa

After Pancho Villa and his bandits raided Columbus, New Mexico, and the troops stationed there on March 9, 1916, Brig. Gen. John “Black Jack” Pershing received orders to: “...proceed promptly across the border in pursuit of the Mexican band...the work of [your] troops will be regarded as finished as soon as Villa’s band or bands are known to be broken up.”

Within six days of the attack, Pershing led about 4,800 troops across the Rio Grande into Mexico to launch what would be an 11-month campaign. A raid into Texas on May 5 further incited President Woodrow Wilson to dispatch the National Guard from Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to seal the border.

The Punitive Expedition was primarily a cavalry operation, with several regiments seeing active service, including the 5th, 7th, 10th, 11th and 13th Cavalries. Accompanying the horse soldiers were two batteries of field artillery, several units of infantry, two companies of engineers and a contingent of Apache scouts. Support units of the Signal, Quartermaster and Medical Corps joined the march.

This expedition marked America’s first tactical use of mechanized vehicles and airplanes in war. Out of eight Curtiss “Jenny” biplanes that began the campaign, to provide aerial observation, only two remained in service by the end of the first month. The 1st Aero Squadron ended up field testing airplanes rather than contributing much to locating the enemy.

The automobiles fared better in the harsh Mexican deserts. Both Brig. Gen. Pershing and George S. Patton, then a young lieutenant, traveled in touring cars made by Dodge Brothers (today’s Dodge). Villa was apparently so impressed that he obtained his own Dodge Brothers car in 1919.

During Pershing’s pursuit of Villa, U.S. troops found themselves not only fighting Villa’s Villistas and bandit armies, but also the Mexican government soldados of President Venustiano Carranza.

The U.S. cavalryman and infantryman were armed with the Model 1903 Springfield, a .30-06 caliber, bolt-action rifle. Their sidearms were the Model 1911 .45 ACP Colt semi-automatic pistol and the Model 1913 Patton saber, although some 1860 and 1906 blades were still in use. They also carried several other small arms, including older Model 1905 and Model 1909 .38 Colt and .45 Colt caliber revolvers, respectively.

During the many mounted pistol charges that marked the expedition, machine gun troops provided deadly support fire from Model 1909 Benét-Mercié Machine Rifles. The .30-06 caliber rifle was particularly suitable for the cavalry, since it was easy to break down for transportation on pack animals.

At least one 1873 Colt Single Action Army revolver was not only carried, but also used successfully, by Lt. Patton, in his daring shoot-out against three of Villa’s lieutenants on May 14, 1916. This Peacemaker helped kill the bandits and went on to be packed by Gen. Patton in WWII.

While Pershing’s troops made numerous contacts with the Villistas, killing two generals and some 160 men, the U.S. campaign failed in its major objectives—stopping border raids and capturing Villa.

The campaign did, however, succeed in bringing new concepts to the mode of warfare for the U.S. Army, while serving as a training ground for its entry into WWI.

If you eat Taco Bell’s new breakfast, you may not live to see lunch

We have a great time writing about fast food, which is why we were delighted to see that the Center for Science in the Public Interest has put out a list of the most unhealthy chain restaurant meals it could find. While our personal pick for the least healthy meal didn’t have the most calories of all the meals surveyed, it more than made up for this with massive sodium and saturated fat counts that are simply off the charts.

MORE FAST FOOD: If you eat Taco Bell’s new breakfast, you may not live to see lunch

Steak ‘n Shake’s amazing 7×7 Steakburger ‘n Fries (pictured at the top of the page) features an artery-assaulting seven beef patties and seven pieces of American cheese to go along with a side order of fries. And because this is Steak ‘n Shake, we just have to order a milkshake to wash this monster burger down — in this case, we’ll go with the Chocolate Fudge Brownie Milkshake that alone accounts for nearly half of your daily caloric intake.

Together, these two items account for  2,530 calories, 68 grams of saturated fat and an astonishing 5,060 milligrams of sodium, which represents more than three days’ worth of your daily recommended salt intake.

This is only one of America’s least healthy fast food meals. To learn about the rest, because sure to read the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s full article here

ANTIBIOTICS Be very careful

While antibiotics are given to combat bacteria responsible for illness, these drugs indiscriminately kill off beneficial bacteria in your gut as well, dramatically altering your gut microbiome.

Gut bacteria, we now know, have an extensive repertoire of functions in your body. They even play a role in obesity. And, while your microbiome can change rather quickly based on your diet, exposure to antibiotics early in life may have serious long-term ramifications.

According to recent research, infants given penicillin are at increased risk of obesity later on in life due to this early alteration of their gut flora. According to The Guardian:1

“The findings emerged from a series of experiments in mice, but build on earlier work that found children who had antibiotics before six months of age were more likely to be overweight as seven-year-olds.

‘This is part of a growing body of evidence that antibiotics have a biological cost,’ said Martin Blaser, a microbiologist who led the study at New York University. ‘Our study shows that there can be permanent consequences.’

'If a kid is very ill, there is no question that they should get antibiotics, but if it's marginal perhaps the doctor should be saying 'let's wait a day or two' before taking another look. Doctors give out antibiotics thinking they won't do any harm, but this provides evidence that they might,' Blaser added.”

Early Disruption of Gut Flora May Have Long-Term Consequences

The research, published in the journal Cell,2 points to there being a window of time when changes to the microbiome can have a serious and long-term impact on your body’s metabolism.

This window was the first month of life in mice. Translating that to a human time scale—provided the effect fully applies to humans—it would correlate to a time frame of the first six months, potentially up to the first three years.

Mice given antibiotics for the first four weeks of life grew up to be 25 percent heavier, and had 60 percent more body fat than the controls. Understanding the role of the microbiome in obesity—especially childhood obesity—is important for a number of reasons, an increased cancer risk being at the top of the list.

In one recent study,3 which analyzed data from more than five million people over the age of 16, every 11-pound increase in body weight was associated with an increased risk for 10 types of cancer, including leukemia, uterine, gallbladder, kidney, cervix, and thyroid cancer.

Getting back to the featured mouse study, the researchers identified four specific species of gut bacteria that appeared to be of particular importance with regards to metabolism: Lactobacillus, Allobaculum, Rikenelleceae, and Candidatus arthromitus (the last one is not found in humans).

Eradicating these four species of bacteria in the mice’s guts triggered metabolic changes that led to obesity. The problem stems from the fact that when you kill off certain bacteria, it allows other, more resilient ones to take over and thrive.

Several studies have documented differences in the composition of gut bacteria in obese versus non-obese people (see below), but what’s interesting here is that when this alteration occurred early in life, it turned out to have a permanentimpact. According to the lead author, Dr. Martin Blaser:

"We found that four weeks of antibiotics was enough to perturb the microbiome, and even though it returned to normal after a few weeks, the mice still became fat."

Earlier animal research by Dr. Blaser4 also showed that mice fed antibiotics (in dosages similar to those given to children for throat or ear infections) had significant increases in body fat despite their diets remaining unchanged.

Antibiotics Also Affect Hunger Hormones

In 2011, Dr. Blaser co-authored a study5,6 in which they assessed the effect antibiotics have on ghrelin and leptin—two hunger hormones. Both ghrelin and leptin are found in the mucous membranes of your stomach. Ditto for helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a bacteria associated with stomach ulcers.

The researchers wanted to see whether ghrelin and leptin might be affected when you eradicate H. pylori with antibiotics. Interestingly, they found that 18 months after antibiotics are used to eradicate H. pylori, there was a:

• 6-fold increase in the release of ghrelin (the "hunger hormone") after a meal
• 20 percent increase in leptin levels (leptin is a hormone produced by fat tissue)
• 5 percent increase in BMI

Levels of ghrelin should ordinarily fall after a meal. This drop in ghrelin signals your brain that you're full. An increase, on the other hand, tells your brain to continue eating, which will tend to lead to weight gain due to overeating.

So, simply by altering the gut microbiome with antibiotics (to eradicate H. pylori), these two hunger hormones were dramatically affected as well... This again highlights the importance of maintaining a healthy gut if you’re struggling with your weight.

The increase in leptin levels is particularly concerning because overexposure to high levels of the hormone can lead to leptin resistance, which means your body is unable to properly hear leptin's signals.

The way your body stores fat is a highly regulated process that is controlled, primarily, by leptin. If you gain excess weight, the additional fat produces extra leptin that should alert your brain that your body is storing too much fat and needs to burn off the excess.

To do this, signals are sent to your brain to stop being hungry and to stop eating. When you become leptin-resistant, your body can no longer hear these messages, so it remains hungry and stores more fat.

It’s important to realize that while antibiotics will certainly upset your microbiome, you can also easily become leptin-resistant by eating a diet full of sugar (particularly fructose), refined grains and processed foods, as these too will upset the balance of bacteria in your gut. 

Sugar feed pathogenic yeast and fungi, and processed foods tend to have a very detrimental effect on beneficial bacteria—together, they create the perfect environment for health-harming microbes to thrive.

More Evidence Showing the Tandem Dance Between Your Gut Bacteria and Your Waistline

As mentioned earlier, a number of studies have shown that obese people have different intestinal bacteria than slim people, and that altering the microbial balance in your gut can influence your weight. Here are four more such studies:

• British Journal of Nutrition, 2011:7 Rats given lactic acid bacteria while in utero through adulthood put on significantly less weight than other rats eating the same diet. They also had lower levels of minor inflammation, which has been associated with obesity.
• European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010:8 Obese people were able to reduce their abdominal fat by nearly five percent, and their subcutaneous fat by over three percent, just by drinking a probiotic-rich fermented milk beverage for 12 weeks.
• American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2008:9 Babies with high numbers of Bifidobacteria and low numbers of Staphylococcus aureus -- which may cause low-grade inflammation in your body, contributing to obesity -- appeared to be protected from excess weight gain. This may be one reason why breast-fed babies have a lower risk of obesity, as Bifidobacteria flourish in the guts of breast-fed babies.
• Nature, 2006:10 Two separate but related studies found that obese individuals had about 20 percent more of a family of bacteria known as Firmicutes, and almost 90 percent less of a bacteria called Bacteroidetes than lean people. Firmicutes help your body to extract calories from complex sugars and deposit those calories in fat. When these microbes were transplanted into normal-weight mice, those mice started to gain twice as much fat.

How to Optimize Your Microbiome

The best way to optimize your gut flora is through your diet. Most people need to drastically reduce grains and sugar. Avoid genetically engineered ingredients, processed foods, pasteurized foods, and chlorinated tap water. Pasteurized foods can harm your good bacteria, and sugar promotes the growth of pathogenic yeast and other fungi. Grains containing gluten are particularly damaging to your microflora and overall health.11,12 Chlorine in your tap water not only kills pathogenic bacteria in the water but beneficial bacteria in your gut.

A gut-healthy diet is one rich in whole, unprocessed, unsweetened foods, along with traditionally fermented or cultured foods. Examples of healthy fermented foods include sauerkraut, kimchee, and other fermented vegetables; fermented dairy products, such as yogurt and kefir made from raw (unpasteurized) organic dairy; miso; tempeh; and olives. Fermented foods are also a key component of the GAPS protocol, a diet designed to heal and seal your gut.

Your goal should be to consume one-quarter to one-half cup of fermented veggies with each meal, but you may need to work up to it. Consider starting with just a teaspoon or two a few times a day, and increase as tolerated. If that is too much (perhaps your body is severely compromised), you can even begin by drinking a teaspoon of the brine from the fermented veggies, which is rich in the same beneficial microbes. You may also want to consider a high-potency probiotic supplement, but realize that there is no substitute for the real food.