Do you have loose, watery stools? Then you are probably experiencing diarrhea. Depending on the severity of the problem, you may or may not require immediate medical attention. However, keeping hydrated should be your topmost concern. Continue reading
I may be giving away a bit about my age here, but I remember when my Mom used to feed us cod liver oil every morning at breakfast. And, I remember it, because it was long before the capsule form was all that popular. Boy, does that stuff taste nasty. Continue reading
A great number of people are now seeking alternative healing treatments since they are deemed to be much safer compared to the traditional medical treatments. In addition to that, most of these treatments do not present side effects. Natural healing methods are now gaining popularity not only in the US but also in other parts of the world. Two of the popular alternative treatments available today include the following: Continue reading
Are you aware of the health benefits offered by Beta Glucan? If this is the first time you are hearing this, then you should take time to read this article. You might even decide to check this one out after finding out how it can help you stay healthy.
Essentially, beta glucan is a fiber type polysaccharide that can be found in oat and barley fiber, cellular wall of yeast and in a number of edible mushrooms (i.e. maitake). It is used primarily to enhance the immune system and lower blood cholesterol levels. Studies showed that Beta-glucan is very effective in activating the body’s first line of defense — the white blood cells (neutrophils and macrophages in particular).
Macrophages and Neutrophils activated by beta-glucan is capable of recognizing and killing tumor cells; speeding up recovery of damaged tissues, removing cellular debris (resulted from oxidative damage), and fully activating other essential components of the immune system. More research regarding beta-glucan as an oral immune booster supplement is still under way. There is no concrete evidence yet proving that taking beta-glucan orally can actually help increase one’s immune system function.
Beta-glucan also has cholesterol lowering capabilities. In fact, it is the key cholesterol lowering component in oat bran. When beta-glucan binds with cholesterol, the resulting process is the elimination of fat molecules through the feces, which then helps reduce the presence of cholesterol in the blood.
Since it is a soluble fiber, beta-glucan can also aid patients with diabetes to control their blood sugar. The intake of beta-glucan can help decrease blood sugar levels. Some studies are also advocating beta glucan for cancer. It shows great promise in fighting cancer cells but more research is needed to prove this.