Fight it though we may, cold season is upon us. And with it comes the hoard of old wives' tales, folk remedies and herbal treatments that have developed by just about every culture that has ever faced the sniffles. Some of them are interesting and quite useful, some of them... aren't.
Disclaimer: The following is not intended to replace medical advice from a qualified doctor. The information provided represents the research surrounding various folk remedies. Herbs can have powerful and potentially dangerous interactions with other treatments and should only be taken under the direction of a qualified health care professional. Consult your doctor if you are sick.
Without further ado and in no particular order:
Echinacea
This native American herb is probably on of the most popular for preventing and treating the cold and other upper respiratory problems. Studies suggest, but do not prove, that the plant chemicals found within echinacea may support immune function, reduce inflammation, reduce pain, support hormone balance, kill viruses and have antioxidant effects. By far, the most popular use of echinacea is to prevent and treat the common cold. And its effectiveness at that is up for debate.
It is incredibly hard to prove or disprove prevention. For example: I have had this computer, upon which I type these very words, for about 4 years now. In that time, I have never been mauled by a bear. Therefore, my computer must prevent bear attacks. And you can never convince me otherwise.
The same logic can be applied to the claim that echinacea shortens the duration of the cold. How do you know how long the cold was planning to stay?
Several studies have shown that drinking echinacea tea can help to reduce the severity of cold symptoms, but several others disagree. An analysis of the entire body of research published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews concluded this way "Echinacea preparations tested in clinical trials differ greatly. There is some evidence that preparations based on the aerial parts of Echinacea purpurea might be effective for the early treatment of colds in adults but results are not fully consistent. Beneficial effects of other Echinacea preparations, and for preventative purposes might exist but have not been shown in independently replicated, rigorous randomized trials."
Translation: It might work, it might not.
Zinc
Zinc has been included in cold remedies for years but the science behind it was always a bit dubious. Until now. A recent review of the research published in the Cochrane Library found that zinc lozenges appear to be beneficial for reducing the symptoms of the cold. But they can also cause nausea so use discretion.
The review did not include zinc-based nasal sprays in the review. These have been known to cause people to lose the ability to smell.
Vitamin C
This little vitamin has gotten some big press over the years and has been touted as doing just about everything, including cure cancer. But even with all it's rabid supporters,there is no concrete proof that vitamin C prevents or treats the common cold.
Chicken Soup
Everybody knows this one. It's a classic. But it seems as though the ingredients in classic chicken soup have anti-inflammatory effects that can help to sooth the throat and nasal discomfort associated with the common cold. Chicken soup is also full of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients which promote overall health. And the psychological comfort derived from it shouldn't be overlooked either.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
The Dr. Oz Ultimate Diet Plan Review
I never anticipated spending so much time discussing diets in this blog but, as I sort through Google to see what people are curious about, diets are a constantly recurring topic. And it's no wonder, really. Obesity is still on the rise despite the seemingly counteractive rise in diet plans and weight loss solutions. Instead of helping, however, all these conflicting theories and plans and gizmos seem to just be confusing people all the more. And being told to simply practice a "balanced diet" doesn't appear to help because, well, what is a balanced diet?
In the new, revised release of his book with Dr. Michael Roizen, Dr. Mahmet Oz (of the Dr. Oz show), details what he calls "The Dr. Oz Ultimate Diet." The diet is also described on his website, in a comprehensive, step-by-step format.
Dr. Oz Ultimate Diet Protocol:
The diet is designed to work on a two week cycle with nine steps.
The first day involves purging your home (and any satellite stashes) of any foods that contain simple sugars and syrups. You are allowed to keep some table sugar, honey and maple sugar for cooking, however. Also doomed by this process are trans fats, saturated fats and any flour that is not 100 percent whole grain or whole wheat. Day one also involves going to shopping to replace all the food you just got rid of and Dr. Oz provides an extremely detailed and complete shopping list. Included in that shopping list is a pedometer to help you reach your new goal of 10,000 steps per day. This number is the number of steps the American Heart Association recommends everyone walk daily and, for the average person comes up to just around 5 miles.
Day two not only introduces the 10,000 steps but also requires to you drop 100 calories from your regular diet.
Days 3 through 7 are about building coping strategies and support systems.
Days 8 through 14 require you to take daily waist measurements and weigh yourself. Keep a journal of the results.
Repeat.
Pros, Cons and Everything in Between
The biggest plus for the Dr. Oz Ultimate Diet is that it is sensible. Cutting only 100 calories a week is easy and, although 10,000 steps sounds daunting, when you consider that it's your total steps for the day as opposed to a single bout it seems more feasible. The emphasis on building a support system from both your doctor and family/friends will help you to stick to the diet and changing harmful eating patterns will contribute to lifestyle change. Which is really what a good diet should be about.
The shopping list is full of healthy, flavorful food with only a few odd ingredients that might require some familiarization with their use and flavor. The shopping list even allows for pizza and wine. If that's not a balanced diet then I don't know what I'm doing with my life.
Unfortunately, the sensibility of the diet may be the reason for drop-out. The recommended weight loss by countless health organization is around 2 pounds per week and this diet is likely to achieve that. But the average dieter wants to lose weight much faster than that.
The plan also makes no recommendations for exercise apart from the 10,000 steps. That goal is great and will contribute to cardiovascular health but to lose a significant amount of weight and get in shape, your exercise routine also needs to be balance. Strength, flexibility and cardiovascular training should all be included.
Overall, the Dr. Oz Ultimate Diet is a healthy weight loss guide that doesn't rely on difficult tactics or "magic bullet" foods. If you decide to give the plan a try, be patient and realistic about your exercise goals. Talk to your doctor about your goals and involve him or her in the process. They can help you monitor vitals such as cholesterol and blood pressure which can be markers of fitness levels and give you encouragement.
In the new, revised release of his book with Dr. Michael Roizen, Dr. Mahmet Oz (of the Dr. Oz show), details what he calls "The Dr. Oz Ultimate Diet." The diet is also described on his website, in a comprehensive, step-by-step format.
Dr. Oz Ultimate Diet Protocol:
The diet is designed to work on a two week cycle with nine steps.
The first day involves purging your home (and any satellite stashes) of any foods that contain simple sugars and syrups. You are allowed to keep some table sugar, honey and maple sugar for cooking, however. Also doomed by this process are trans fats, saturated fats and any flour that is not 100 percent whole grain or whole wheat. Day one also involves going to shopping to replace all the food you just got rid of and Dr. Oz provides an extremely detailed and complete shopping list. Included in that shopping list is a pedometer to help you reach your new goal of 10,000 steps per day. This number is the number of steps the American Heart Association recommends everyone walk daily and, for the average person comes up to just around 5 miles.
Day two not only introduces the 10,000 steps but also requires to you drop 100 calories from your regular diet.
Days 3 through 7 are about building coping strategies and support systems.
Days 8 through 14 require you to take daily waist measurements and weigh yourself. Keep a journal of the results.
Repeat.
Pros, Cons and Everything in Between
The biggest plus for the Dr. Oz Ultimate Diet is that it is sensible. Cutting only 100 calories a week is easy and, although 10,000 steps sounds daunting, when you consider that it's your total steps for the day as opposed to a single bout it seems more feasible. The emphasis on building a support system from both your doctor and family/friends will help you to stick to the diet and changing harmful eating patterns will contribute to lifestyle change. Which is really what a good diet should be about.
The shopping list is full of healthy, flavorful food with only a few odd ingredients that might require some familiarization with their use and flavor. The shopping list even allows for pizza and wine. If that's not a balanced diet then I don't know what I'm doing with my life.
Unfortunately, the sensibility of the diet may be the reason for drop-out. The recommended weight loss by countless health organization is around 2 pounds per week and this diet is likely to achieve that. But the average dieter wants to lose weight much faster than that.
The plan also makes no recommendations for exercise apart from the 10,000 steps. That goal is great and will contribute to cardiovascular health but to lose a significant amount of weight and get in shape, your exercise routine also needs to be balance. Strength, flexibility and cardiovascular training should all be included.
Overall, the Dr. Oz Ultimate Diet is a healthy weight loss guide that doesn't rely on difficult tactics or "magic bullet" foods. If you decide to give the plan a try, be patient and realistic about your exercise goals. Talk to your doctor about your goals and involve him or her in the process. They can help you monitor vitals such as cholesterol and blood pressure which can be markers of fitness levels and give you encouragement.
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