On this weeks episode of Terra Vim Talks Health, we delve into how the Arabian’s influenced medicine during the Middle Ages. It was a tumultuous time in the Mediterranean with three major religions fighting for supremacy. The Arabian people had no unifying purpose but one day that was brought to them. They went on to conquer all that had once been the Roman Empire.

In the ‘What the Health?!’ segment, Mike talks about why vitamins and minerals are so important for us. He highlights some major examples of deficiencies and how that can impact your health.

Kevin gives us some information about a study done on electronic cigarettes. Turns out they might actually be the perfect alternative!

Click for Direct Podcast Stream: Show #4

Check out some pictures and links related to this show below:

Science Daily: Electronic Cigarette Study

U.S Library of Medicine; Coronary Heart Disease

Vapor Nine Amp XL E-Cig

Terra Vim- Kardovite

Terra Vim- Metagenics EPA/DHA 750 Triglyceride

Terra Vim- Numedica Appe-Curb

Terra Vim- Rewards Program Details

Thanks for tuning in! Have a happy and healthy week!

Check back next week for our show on the European influence during the middle ages!

On this weeks show Mike introduces  ’What the Health?!’. In this first installation he details personal experience along with advice for what can be done to stay on a healthy track. Kevin discusses pesticidal spraying and what you can do to defend yourself from those potentially harmful chemicals. Then we pick up from last week, continuing along the chronological journey that will lead us to our modern day medical model. Today’s focus being Ancient Rome!

Click for Direct Podcast Stream: Show #3

Tune in next week when we will detail Arabian Medicine in the Middle Ages!

Below are some interesting photos we came across during our research. Be sure to check out the links at the bottom, one of which includes the label of a common aerial pesticide called ‘Duet’.

Stay Healthy and Live Happy! (Also, for those of you along the Gulf Coast, when’s the last time you played in the rain?)

Article about West Nile in Texas

Excellent Resource about Pesticides

Fact Sheet about Piperonyl Butoxide

Duet Pesticide Label

Mayo Clinic: Milk Thistle

Medicine in Ancient Rome

Terra Vim- Metagenics Azeo Pangen (enzymes)

Terra Vim- Gaia Liver Health Pro

Terra Vim- Allimax Products

Terra Vim- Kardovite

Second week being live on the air and we are starting to make some head way! Shook some of those butterflies off and are really starting to find a good flow. We intend to make this educational and entertaining — so, what’s new?

This episode, Mike goes into some recommendations about good diet and foundational nutrition. He also has some good recommendations for your pets!

Kevin has some news information about medical healthcare systems from around the globe. He also picks up from last week and goes into the Greek influence on Western Medicine and caps off the show discussing Alexandria.

Click for Direct Podcast Stream: Show #2

Below are some pictures from our research as well as links. (For the book references, refer back to the blog entry for History of Medicine part 1). Be sure to check back next week for another episode which will focus on ROME!

• The History Learning Site – Medicine and Ancient Greece
• Citizens Information Board of Ireland – Medical Cards
• Uniroma.it – The 79 AD Eruption of Vesuvius
• Bibliotheca Alexandrina
• About.com – Are Backyard Barbecues Bad for Your Health?
• Mayo Clinic – Gluten-free Diets
• Terra Vim – Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Pet
• Terra Vim – Wellness Essentials Men’s Vitality
• Terra Vim – Wellness Essentials Women
• Terra Vim – Alpha Lipoic Acid

Thank you for listening!

In our first podcast we discussed a little bit about ourselves and Terra Vim. We also went into the beginning of recorded medicine starting with the Stone Age. From there we go into Ancient Egypt (10,000 to 2,000 BC).

Click for Direct Podcast Stream: Show #1

Thanks for tuning in and if you didn’t get a chance to catch the live show be sure to give it a listen! Stay healthy and stay hopeful!

Below are some interesting photos we came across in our research. You can also take a look at some of the books where we got our historic information from. Feel free to check those out yourself as there is tons of great information that we just didn’t have time to cover in detail.

Book Reference: The Story of Medicine

Book Reference: Hippocrates Shadow

“Some studies have reported that low dietary selenium intakes are associated with increased risk of prostate cancer.”

via Oregon State University (It may not be 50% but it’s a darn important element!)

Micronutrient Information Center; Selenium

More on the Benefits of Cocoa¹

Cocoa contains large amounts of polyphenols, in particular a sub-class call flavanols or flavan-e-ols.  It is the flavonols in cocoa that give it the bitter taste found in dark chocolate.  The main flavanols are catechin and epicatechin which give cocoa its antioxidant properties.

In addition to their antioxidant activity, cocoa increases the levels of nitric oxide.  Nitric oxide acts to cause dilation of arteries and prevents leukocyte adhesion and migration, smooth muscle cell proliferation and platelet adhesion and aggregation.  Low nitric oxide levels leads to hardening of the arteries and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

In the last ten years, several studies have been done with patients who have cardiovascular disease, diabetes and no disease.  Those eating the highest levels of cocoa had significant lower levels of all-cause mortality, cardiac death, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, heart attack, stroke and diabetes.  One of the thoughts of how cocoa reduces the risk of cardiovascular problems is by reducing the inflammatory response within the body which that leads to the development of these diseases.

The adhesion of platelets can also contribute to the increase risk of cardiovascular disease.  A review of twenty-five studies which looked at the effects of polyphenol-rich foods showed that cocoa was the only food with consistently positive finding of inhibiting platelet aggregation.

Although there have been few human studies there is evidence that cocoa may reduce insulin resistance.  Insulin resistance is known to lead to type II diabetes.  This benefit may be a result of either antioxidant or nitric oxide properties of cocoa.

There is promising preliminary evidence for decreased inflammation of nerves (as in Parkinson’s disease), improved cerebral blood flow(important in memory function and in preventing dementia and stroke), and protection of neurons ( a factor in stroke and Alzheimer’s disease).

Because of the antioxidant properties of cocoa, redness of the skin may be prevented when exposed to sunlight and improvement of microcirculation occurs when cocoa is ingested.

Obesity may also benefit from the ingestion of cocoa or chocolate in small amounts, they do not cause weight gain.  The increase of nitric oxide improves the uptake of glucose and inhibits fat synthesis.  It has also been shown that just the smell of chocolate can suppress the appetite.

1. Taken from HerbClips of the American Botanical Council

Using Cocoa in Reducing Hypertension¹

Fruits and vegetables have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular health due to their flavonoid contents.  Flavonoids influence nitric oxide which regulates vascular hemostasis and is helpful in reducing blood pressure by the relation of smooth muscle that lines our arteries.

Cocoa contains large amounts of flavonoids, the most important ones are epicatechin, catechin, and procyanidins.  Studies have shown that epicatechins can be measured in the blood following the consumption of chocolate or cocoa products.

Epidemiological studies of groups with lower blood pressure which could be attributed to their intake of cocoa and chocolate. The blood pressure-lowering effect is connected to the increase in nitric oxide in plasma and urine.  In addition there is improvement of flow-mediated dilation which indicates improved vascular function and reduced oxidative stress.

Sufficient amount of Nitrous Oxide bio availability is associated with normal vasodilation and blood pressure, while lowered Nitrous Oxide concentration lead to improved vasodilation and elevated blood pressure.

The Safety of Using Sage in Treating Hyperlipidemia¹

Hyperlipidemia (abnormally high cholesterol or triglycerides) can cause cardiovascular disease.  Because some people are resistant to conventional treatment, alternative treatment is necessary.

A double blind placebo controlled pilot study has been done that evaluated the efficacy and safety of sage leaf extract in treating primary hyperlipidemia. Male and female outpatients with newly diagnosed with primary hyperlipidemia participated in this study in Iran.  Patients were excluded if they were taking antihyperlipidemic agents, estrogen, steroids, beta-blocker or thiazide.  Patients were also excluded if they had cardiac disease, renal disease, hepatic disease, hematological disease, hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, tachycardia, vertigo, seizure, or a history of gallstones or gall bladder surgery.

Sage was harvested in August from the western Mazandaran province, Iran and its identity was authenticated.  The leaves were dried and made into a powder.  The dried leaf powder dose of 500mg in a capsule or a placebo capsule was taken every 8 hours for 2 months.  Blood was collected at baseline and at the end of the study.  Cholesterol, HDL, LDL triglycerides, creatinine and liver function tests were evaluated.

The sage treatment group reduced total cholesterol by 19%, triglycerides by 22.8%, LDL by 19.7% compared to baseline.  Sage increased HDL levels by 20.2% compared to baseline.  There was no significant effect on liver function and creatinine levels.

1 Taken from Herb Clips from the American Botanical Council

Earlier this month I was fortunate enough to attend The Medicines of the Earth conference at the Blue Ridge Assembly YMCA in Black Mountain, North Carolina. As part of this conference, I had the privilege to spend 4 hours on a tour at the farm and processing plant of Gaia Herbs.

Gaia Herbs is located in Brevard, North Carolina, in an idyllic valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains.   The energy felt here is one of peace and calm.  This is an ideal place to have a farm since it rains 80 to 90 inches a year, providing a lush and abundant vegetation throughout this area.

Our tour was led by owner Richard Scalzo who is a very affable person and like the rest of his staff, is very passionate about Gaia Herbs.  He explained to us that Gaia maintains a certification from the Certified Organic Grower determined by the Oregon Tilth, which is the strictest and most stringent organic certifier in the country.  They use only organic fertilizers and pest control.

The growing process starts in the green houses where thousands of plants are growing from seeds harvested from last year’s crops.  From there they go to “hot houses” where they acclimate to the local climate and are transplanted from here to the fields.

Gaia has 250 acres of the most fertile land I have ever seen, you could literally sink your hand through the soil.  They are currently cultivating about 195 acres, which supplies 25 percent of the herbs used to make all of their products.  The rest of their herbs come from an organic farm they own in Costa Rico and from other organic farms throughout the world.   Products which come from other organic farms must past stringent tests in order to be accepted by Gaia.   After the products have been processed, the left over plant material is composted and used on their farm, this is truly the circle of life from seed to compost.

Gaia uses outstanding quality control to product their products.  They have a team of chemists with PHD degrees, along with Naturopathic Physicians and herbalists to round out their research team.  Gaia does multiple checks on their products including raw material validation, microbial and heavy metal testing, microscopy analysis and too many more to list them all.

Gaia has a feature that is unique only to Gaia.  It’s called “Meet Your Herbs”, by entering a code that is on the product labeling you can find out how the herbs were grown, harvested, extracted and validated.  This is one of the many examples of how Gaia Herbs stands out in the dietary supplement market and should be given serious consideration when choosing a dietary supplement.

Despite millions of dollars spent on fad diets and diet medications there has been a dramatic increase of the number of people who are overweight and obese in the US.  According to a 2009 report by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Colorado and Washington DC are the only areas in the US with less than 20 percent of their population who were obese.  The severe restriction of calories often seen in yo-yo diets, instinctively the body stores energy (since it is in a starvation mode) as fat since fat has higher calorie content.  The body will continue to store a little more fat when you go off the diet because it remembers the starvation period.  That is why after a period of time off the diet you can gain the weight back.

Eating sensible starts with us helping to appropriate digest food correctly by completely chewing your food.  Slowing down and chewing our food in a relaxed atmosphere helps in the breakdown of the food and helps in the absorption of the nutrients.

Reducing the caloric intake by 250 to 500 calories a day will assist you in losing 1-2 pounds a week, losing more than this a week isn’t healthy.  Counting calories and fat grams are important, however concentrating on foods that are low energy foods (like fruits and vegetables) instead of higher energy foods like meat, dairy or refined foods can be a great option to lose weight.

Fifty percent of our diet should consist of fruits and vegetables, 2 servings of fruit and 7-10 servings of vegetables.  A serving is one cup of raw or cooked vegetable or fruit or the amount of fruit that will fit in the palm of your hand.  Twenty-five percent of diet should come from carbohydrates found in whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oatmeal and barley).   Protein (grass feed beef, wild fish, poultry and legumes) should be the final twenty-five percent of your diet.  A serving of meat is equivalent to the size of a deck of cards in your hand.

Dairy products in your diet should come from cultured products like whole milk yogurt, defer, sour cream or blue cheese.  Avoid drinking milk, not only does this lead to weight gain, but it can cause gas and bloating along with allergy symptoms including sneezing, eczema, hives and asthma.  The cultured products are easier to digest and are beneficial to our bowel bacteria.

Having a diet rich in fruit and vegetables will insure that we are consuming an appropriate amount of fiber.  Fiber helps in reducing the absorption of carbohydrates, which reduces the peaks and valleys of sugar levels.  It is when our sugar levels fall that gives us the symptoms of hunger and craving for sweets.

Exercise should be part of healthy life style to lose or maintain a healthy weight.  You should have a goal of fifty minutes a day, five days.  Walking is still one of the best forms of exercise without the risk of injuring your joints.  In addition adding light weights twice a week will increase lean body mass, which will help you to burn more calories.

This information was a compilation of articles from Medicines from the Earth compendiums.

The word garlic comes from gar meaning a lance, referring to its leaves and lac meaning a plant. Garlic is known as one of the oldest cultivated plants dating back more than 5,000 years.  Native Americans used garlic as a treatment for earaches, scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) and flatulence.  Garlic has been used in cooking as a food and to add flavoring along as medicine.

The active constituents found in garlic are sulfur containing compounds.  The major component of these compounds is alliin.  An enzyme called allinase reacts on alliin to form the allicin.  This reaction doesn’t take place until garlic is crushed or cut and this is when the familiar aroma of garlic is appreciated.

Cardiovascular Benefits

Garlic can be protective to the cardiovascular system.  It has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels by blocking the production of cholesterol in the liver.  In addition to lowering total cholesterol it can increase HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) and help to reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides.  Garlic helps in reducing the risk for atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) not only by reducing cholesterol levels, but also by reducing the platelets ability to stick to them.  Because garlic has antioxidant properties and is helpful in lowering blood pressure, these are two other factors that reduce the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.

Cancer Prevention Benefits

Studies have shown that populations who regularly incorporate garlic in their daily diet have significant fewer number of gastric and colon cancer.  Garlic inhibits the formation and growth of a tumor.  In addition, garlic activates enzymes that reduce the ability of toxic substance that cause cancerous growths.

Antimicrobial Benefits

Throughout the years, garlic has been used in a multitude of infectious diseases. Small studies have shown that garlic has activity against bacteria, viruses and fungus.  Garlic’s effectiveness against microbes appears to work best when it has direct contact with the pathogen.  This could explain why people who have high intake of garlic have a reduction in the risk of stomach cancer.  This occurs by the direct contact of garlic on the bacteria H. Pylori which is found in our stomachs. The presence of H. Pylori in our stomachs has a direct correlation with stomach ulcers and cancer.

Dosage and Precautions

The dosage of garlic should be 1 clove or 2 grams of fresh garlic or the equivalent 650/mg/day of garlic powder (capsule or tablet) standardized to contain 6mg allicin.   Allimax and Alliultra offer great choices of the most absorbable form of garlic supplements.

Because of garlic’s ability to reduce the stickiness of platelets, it should be used cautiously with people taking aspirin or blood thinning products.  As always, prior to taking any herbal product you should consult your primary care provider.