Does spinach alleviate asthma symptoms?

Spinach does not exert only antioxidant properties; it also alleviates inflammation intensity. Inflammation of the respiratory tract is a crucial process in immune diseases, including asthma, and atopic rhinitis.
A recent trial showed that aqueous extract of Spinacia oleracea Linn (SoL) ameliorates asthmatic symptoms effectively, in a mouse ovalbumin-challenge model. 

To establish whether the SoL extract has a beneficial influence in terms of anti-asthmatic activity, researchers examined its effects on an ovalbumin-induced asthmatic animal model. Mice sensitized to ovalbumin were orally administered the SoL extract, and their lungs examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining to determine IL-4/13 cytokine expression.
The SoL extract exerted strong anti-asthmatic effects by inducing a decrease in the CD4+ cell number, IL-4/13, and other molecular markers in the lung. Thus, it alleviates inflammation and ameliorates asthmatic symptoms.

Source:
Heo JC, Park CH, Lee HJ, Kim SO, Kim TH, and SH Lee. Amelioration of asthmatic inflammation by an aqueous extract of Spinacia oleracea Linn. Int J Mol Med. 2010; 25(3): 409-14

Artichoke and cholesterol

Artichoke leaf extract (ALE) – has been implicated in lowering cholesterol levels। Note down that hypercholesterolaemia – defined as mean total cholesterol levels of at least 5.17 mmol/L (200 mg/dL) – is directly associated with an increased risk for coronary heart disease and other sequelae of atherosclerosis. Three randomised control trials RCTs (262 participants) support this assumption. In one trial the total cholesterol level in participants receiving ALE decreased by 4.2% from 7.16 (0.62) mmol/L to 6.86 (0.68) mmol/L after 12 weeks and increased from 6.90 (0.49) mmol/L to 7.04 (0.61) mmol/L in patients receiving placebo, the total difference being statistically significant (P = 0.025). In a further trial ALE reduced total cholesterol levels by 18.5% from 7.74 mmol/L to 6.31 mmol/L after 42 +/- 3 days of treatment whereas the placebo reduced cholesterol by 8.6% from 7.69 mmol/L to 7.03 mmol/L (P = 0.00001). Another trial did state that ALE significantly reduced blood cholesterol compared with placebo in a sub-group of patients with baseline total cholesterol levels of more than 230 mg/dL (P <>

Source:Wider B।, Pittler M.H., Thompson-Coon J. and E.Ernst. Artichoke leaf extract for treating hypercholesterolaemia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2009;(4): CD003335

Add Summer Salad™ on your steak

According to a recent in vitro trial, herbal extracts (sage or oregano) have potential as possible functional ingredients in meat products. Ryan et al [1] tried to determine the bioactivity of cooked beef patties that were enriched with or without sage or oregano extracts (1.200 mg/g).
Cooked beef patties were subjected to an in vitro digestion procedure, and the resulting micelles isolated from the digested meats were added to human intestinal Caco-2 cells.
Micelles derived from digested sage-enriched beef patties (10% vol/vol) significantly increased cellular reduced glutathione (GSH) content. In addition, micelles derived from both sage- and oregano-enriched beef patties (10% vol/vol) significantly protected against H2O2-induced GSH depletion.
Thus, it appears that sage and oregano exhibit some bioactivity within a meat system, whereas they exert significant antioxidant properties.

1. Ryan E, Aherne SA, O'Grady MN, McGovern L, Kerry JP, O'Brien NM. Bioactivity of herb-enriched beef patties. J Med Food. 2009; 12(4):893-901.

Health Facts

Certain Studies show that herbs such as spirulina, hippophaes, lentinus mushroom, gano derma mushroom, have exceptional effect for the health. They strengthen the immune system, they detoxify the human body, they intercept and maybe reverse cancer, they adjust the cholesterol and the blood pressure (because they are adaptogenic ) while they overall provide a sense of increased strength and well being.