Alcohol depresses the central nervous system and disturbs both mental and physical functioning. Even small doses of alcohol will slow a person’s re?exes and concentration; potentially dangerous effects when, for example, driving or operating machinery. Drunkenness causes slurred speech, muddled thinking, amnesia (memory loss), drowsiness, erectile IMPOTENCE, poor coordination and dulled reactions – thereby making driving or operating machinery especially dangerous. Disinhibition may lead to extreme euphoria, irritability, misery or aggression, depending on the underlying mood at the start of drinking. Severe intoxication may lead to COMA and respiratory failure.
Persistent alcohol misuse leads to physical, mental, social and occupational problems, as well as to a risk of DEPENDENCE (see also ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE). Misuse may follow several patterns: regular but controlled heavy intake, ‘binge’ drinking, and dependence (alcoholism). The ?rst pattern usually leads to mainly physical problems such as gastritis, peptic ulcer, liver disease, heart disease and impotence. The second is most common among young men and usually leads to mainly social and occupational problems – getting into ?ghts, jeopardising personal relationships, overspending on alcohol at weekends, and missing days o? work because of hangovers. The third pattern – alcohol dependence – is the most serious, and can severely disrupt health and social stability.
Many researchers consider alcohol dependence to be an illness that runs in families, with a genetic component which is probably passed on as a vulnerable personality. But it is hard to disentangle genetic, environmental and social factors in such families. In the UK there are estimated to be around a million people suffering from alcohol dependence and a similar number who have di?culty controlling their consumption (together about 1:30 of the population).
Alcohol causes tolerance and both physical and psychological dependence (see DEPENDENCE for de?nitions). Dependent drinkers classically drink early in the morning to relieve overnight withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include anxiety, restlessness, nausea and vomiting, and tremor. Sudden withdrawal from regular heavy drinking can lead to life-threatening delirium tremens (DTs), with severe tremor, hallucinations (often visual – seeing spiders and monsters, rather than the pink elephants of romantic myth), and CONVULSIONS. This must be treated urgently with sedative drugs, preferably by intravenous drip. Similar symptoms, plus severe INCOORDINATION and double-vision, can occur in WERNICKE’S ENCEPHALOPATHY, a serious neurological condition due to lack of the B vitamin thiamine (whose absorption from the stomach is markedly reduced by alcohol). If not treated urgently with injections of thiamine and other vitamins, this can lead to an irreversible form of brain damage called Korsako?’s psychosis, with severe amnesia. Finally, prolonged alcohol misuse can cause a form of dementia.
In addition to these severe neurological disorders, the wide range of life-threatening problems caused by heavy drinking includes HEPATITIS, liver CIRRHOSIS, pancreatitis (see PANCREAS, DISEASES OF), gastrointestinal haemorrhage, suicide and FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME; pregnant women should not drink alcohol as this syndrome may occur with more than a glass of wine or half-pint of beer a day. The social effects of alcohol misuse – such as marital breakdown, family violence and severe debt – can be equally devastating.
Treatment of alcohol-related problems is only moderately successful. First, many of the physical problems are treated in the short term by doctors who fail to spot, or never ask about, heavy drinking. Second, attempts at treating alcohol dependence by detoxi?cation or ‘drying out’ (substituting a tranquillising drug for alcohol and withdrawing it gradually over about a week) are not always followed-up by adequate support at home, so that drinking starts again. Home support by community alcohol teams comprising doctors, nurses, social workers and, when appropriate, probation o?cers is a recent development that may have better results. Many drinkers ?nd the voluntary organisation Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and its related groups for relatives (Al-Anon) and teenagers (Alateen) helpful because total abstinence from alcohol is encouraged by intensive psychological and social support from fellow ex-drinkers.
Useful contacts are: Alcoholics Anonymous; Al-Anon Family Groups UK and Eire (including Alateen); Alcohol Concern; Alcohol Focus Scotland; and Alcohol and Substance Misuse.
1 standard drink =1 unit
=••• pint of beer
=1 measure of spirits
=1 glass of sherry or vermouth
=1 glass of wine
Limits within which alcohol is believed not to cause long-term health risks:... alcohol
Nutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Low Protein: Moderate Fat: None Saturated fat: None Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: High Fiber: None Sodium: Low Major vitamin contribution: B vitamins Major mineral contribution: Phosphorus
About the Nutrients in This Food Beer and ale are fermented beverages created by yeasts that convert the sugars in malted barley and grain to ethyl alcohol (a.k.a. “alcohol,” “drink- ing alcohol”).* The USDA /Health and Human Services Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines one drink as 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.25 ounces of distilled spirits. One 12-ounce glass of beer has 140 calo- ries, 86 of them (61 percent) from alcohol. But the beverage—sometimes nicknamed “liquid bread”—is more than empty calories. Like wine, beer retains small amounts of some nutrients present in the food from which it was made. * Because yeasts cannot digest t he starches in grains, t he grains to be used in mak ing beer and ale are allowed to germinate ( “malt” ). When it is t ime to make t he beer or ale, t he malted grain is soaked in water, forming a mash in which t he starches are split into simple sugars t hat can be digested (fermented) by t he yeasts. If undisturbed, t he fermentat ion will cont inue unt il all t he sugars have been digested, but it can be halted at any t ime simply by raising or lowering t he temperature of t he liquid. Beer sold in bott les or cans is pasteurized to k ill t he yeasts and stop t he fermentat ion. Draft beer is not pasteurized and must be refrigerated unt il tapped so t hat it will not cont inue to ferment in t he container. The longer t he shipping t ime, t he more likely it is t hat draft beer will be exposed to temperature variat ions t hat may affect its qualit y—which is why draft beer almost always tastes best when consumed near t he place where it was brewed. The Nutrients in Beer (12-ounce glass)
| Nutrients | Beer | %R DA |
| Calcium | 17 mg | 1.7 |
| Magnesium | 28.51 mg | 7–9* |
| Phosphorus | 41.1 mg | 6 |
| Potassium | 85.7 mg | (na) |
| Zinc | 0.06 mg | 0.5– 0.8* |
| Thiamin | 0.02 mg | 1.6 –1.8* |
| R iboflavin | 0.09 mg | 7– 8* |
| Niacin | 1.55 mg | 10 |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.17 mg | 13 |
| Folate | 20.57 mcg | 5 |
Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food Bland diet Gluten-free diet Low-purine (antigout) diet
Buying This Food Look for: A popular brand that sells steadily and will be fresh when you buy it. Avoid: Dusty or warm bottles and cans.
Storing This Food Store beer in a cool place. Beer tastes best when consumed within two months of the day it is made. Since you cannot be certain how long it took to ship the beer to the store or how long it has been sitting on the grocery shelves, buy only as much beer as you plan to use within a week or two. Protect bottled beer and open bottles or cans of beer from direct sunlight, which can change sulfur compounds in beer into isopentyl mercaptan, the smelly chemical that gives stale beer its characteristic unpleasant odor.
When You Are Ready to Serve This Food Serve beer only in absolutely clean glasses or mugs. Even the slightest bit of grease on the side of the glass will kill the foam immediately. Wash beer glasses with detergent, not soap, and let them drain dry rather than drying them with a towel that might carry grease from your hands to the glass. If you like a long-lasting head on your beer, serve the brew in tall, tapering glasses to let the foam spread out and stabilize. For full flavor, serve beer and ales cool but not ice-cold. Very low temperatures immo- bilize the molecules that give beer and ale their flavor and aroma.
What Happens When You Cook This Food When beer is heated (in a stew or as a basting liquid), the alcohol evaporates but the flavor- ing agents remain intact. Alcohol, an acid, reacts with metal ions from an aluminum or iron pot to form dark compounds that discolor the pot or the dish you are cooking in. To prevent this, prepare dishes made with beer in glass or enameled pots.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits Reduced risk of heart attack. Data from the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study 1, a 12-year survey of more than 1 million Americans in 25 states, shows that men who take one drink a day have a 21 percent lower risk of heart attack and a 22 percent lower risk of stroke than men who do not drink at all. Women who have up to one drink a day also reduce their risk of heart attack. Numerous later studies have confirmed these findings. Lower risk of stroke. In January 1999, the results of a 677-person study published by researchers at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University showed that moder- ate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of stroke due to a blood clot in the brain among older people (average age: 70). How the alcohol prevents stroke is still unknown, but it is clear that moderate use of alcohol is a key. Heavy drinkers (those who consume more than seven drinks a day) have a higher risk of stroke. People who once drank heavily, but cut their consumption to moderate levels, can also reduce their risk of stroke. Numerous later studies have confirmed these findings. Lower cholesterol levels. Beverage alcohol decreases the body’s production and storage of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), the protein and fat particles that carr y cholesterol into your arteries. As a result, people who drink moderately tend to have lower cholesterol levels and higher levels of high density lipoproteins (HDLs), the fat and protein particles that carr y cholesterol out of the body. The USDA /Health and Human Services Dietar y Guidelines for Americans defines moderation as two drinks a day for a man, one drink a day for a woman. Stimulating the appetite. Alcoholic beverages stimulate the production of saliva and the gastric acids that cause the stomach contractions we call hunger pangs. Moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages, which may help stimulate appetite, are often prescribed for geriatric patients, convalescents, and people who do not have ulcers or other chronic gastric problems that might be exacerbated by the alcohol. Dilation of blood vessels. Alcohol dilates the capillaries (the tiny blood vessels just under the skin), and moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages produce a pleasant flush that temporar- ily warms the drinker. But drinking is not an effective way to warm up in cold weather since the warm blood that flows up to the capillaries will cool down on the surface of your skin and make you even colder when it circulates back into the center of your body. Then an alco- hol flush will make you perspire, so that you lose more heat. Excessive amounts of beverage alcohol may depress the mechanism that regulates body temperature.
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food Increased risk of breast cancer. In 2008, scientists at the National Cancer Institute released data from a seven-year survey of more than 100,000 postmenopausal women showing that even moderate drinking (one to two drinks a day) may increase by 32 percent a woman’s risk of developing estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) and progesterone-receptor positive (PR+) breast cancer, tumors whose growth is stimulated by hormones. No such link was found between consuming alcohol and the risk of developing ER-/PR- tumors (not fueled by hor- mones). The finding applies to all types of alcohol: beer, wine, and spirits. Increased risk of oral cancer (cancer of the mouth and throat). Numerous studies confirm the American Cancer Society’s warning that men and women who consume more than two drinks a day are at higher risk of oral cancer than are nondrinkers or people who drink less. Note: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans describes one drink as 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits. Increased risk of cancer of the colon and rectum. In the mid-1990s, studies at the University of Oklahoma suggested that men who drink more than five beers a day are at increased risk of rectal cancer. Later studies suggested that men and women who are heavy beer or spirits drinkers (but not those who are heavy wine drinkers) have a higher risk of colorectal cancers. Further studies are required to confirm these findings. Fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a specific pattern of birth defects—low birth weight, heart defects, facial malformations, and mental retardation—first recognized in a study of babies born to alcoholic women who consumed more than six drinks a day while pregnant. Subsequent research has found a consistent pattern of milder defects in babies born to women who consume three to four drinks a day or five drinks on any one occasion while pregnant. To date, there is no evidence of a consistent pattern of birth defects in babies born to women who consume less than one drink a day while pregnant, but two studies at Columbia University have suggested that as few as two drinks a week while preg- nant may raise a woman’s risk of miscarriage. (“One drink” means 12 ounces of beer, five ounces of wine, or 1.25 ounces of distilled spirits.) Alcoholism. Alcoholism is an addiction disease, the inability to control one’s alcohol consumption. It is a potentially life-threatening condition, with a higher risk of death by accident, suicide, malnutrition, or acute alcohol poisoning, a toxic reaction that kills by para- lyzing body organs, including the heart. Malnutrition. While moderate alcohol consumption stimulates appetite, alcohol abuse depresses it. In addition, an alcoholic may drink instead of eating. When an alcoholic does eat, excess alcohol in his/her body prevents absorption of nutrients and reduces the ability to synthesize new tissue. Hangover. Alcohol is absorbed from the stomach and small intestine and carried by the bloodstream to the liver, where it is oxidized to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the enzyme our bodies use to metabolize the alcohol we produce when we digest carbohydrates. The acetaldehyde is converted to acetyl coenzyme A and either eliminated from the body or used in the synthesis of cholesterol, fatty acids, and body tissues. Although individuals vary widely in their capacity to metabolize alcohol, on average, normal healthy adults can metabolize the alcohol in one quart of beer in approximately five to six hours. If they drink more than that, they will have more alcohol than the body’s natural supply of ADH can handle. The unmetabolized alcohol will pile up in the bloodstream, interfering with the liver’s metabolic functions. Since alcohol decreases the reabsorption of water from the kidneys and may inhibit the secretion of an antidiuretic hormone, they will begin to urinate copiously, losing magnesium, calcium, and zinc but retaining more irritating uric acid. The level of lactic acid in the body will increase, making them feel tired and out of sorts; their acid-base balance will be out of kilter; the blood vessels in their heads will swell and throb; and their stomachs, with linings irritated by the alcohol, will ache. The ultimate result is a “hangover” whose symptoms will disappear only when enough time has passed to allow their bodies to marshal the ADH needed to metabolize the extra alcohol in their blood. Changes in body temperature. Alcohol dilates capillaries, tiny blood vessels just under the skin, producing a “flush” that temporarily warms the drinker. But drinking is not an effective way to stay warm in cold weather. Warm blood flowing up from the body core to the surface capillaries is quickly chilled, making you even colder when it circulates back into your organs. In addition, an alcohol flush triggers perspiration, further cooling your skin. Finally, very large amounts of alcohol may actually depress the mechanism that regulates body temperature. Impotence. Excessive drinking decreases libido (sexual desire) and interferes with the ability to achieve or sustain an erection. “Beer belly.” Data from a 1995, 12,000 person study at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill show that people who consume at least six beers a week have more rounded abdomens than people who do not drink beer. The question left to be answered is which came first: the tummy or the drinking.
Food/Drug Interactions Acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc.). The FDA recommends that people who regularly have three or more drinks a day consult a doctor before using acetaminophen. The alcohol/acetamino- phen combination may cause liver failure. Disulfiram (Antabuse). Taken with alcohol, disulfiram causes flushing, nausea, low blood pressure, faintness, respiratory problems, and confusion. The severity of the reaction gener- ally depends on how much alcohol you drink, how much disulfiram is in your body, and how long ago you took it. Disulfiram is used to help recovering alcoholics avoid alcohol. (If taken with alcohol, metronidazole [Flagyl], procarbazine [Matulane], quinacrine [Atabrine], chlorpropamide (Diabinase), and some species of mushrooms may produce a mild disulfi- ramlike reaction.) Anticoagulants. Alcohol slows the body’s metabolism of anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin (Coumadin), intensif ying the effect of the drugs and increasing the risk of side effects such as spontaneous nosebleeds. Antidepressants. Alcohol may increase the sedative effects of antidepressants. Drinking alcohol while you are taking a monoamine oxidase (M AO) inhibitor is especially hazard- ous. M AO inhibitors inactivate naturally occurring enzymes in your body that metabolize tyramine, a substance found in many fermented or aged foods. Tyramine constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure. If you eat a food containing tyramine while you are taking an M AO inhibitor, you cannot effectively eliminate the tyramine from your body. The result may be a hypertensive crisis. Ordinarily, fermentation of beer and ale does not produce tyramine, but some patients have reported tyramine reactions after drinking some imported beers. Beer and ale are usually prohibited to those using M AO inhibitors. Aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, naproxen, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Like alcohol, these analgesics irritate the lining of the stomach and may cause gastric bleeding. Combining the two intensifies the effect. Insulin and oral hypoglycemics. Alcohol lowers blood sugar and interferes with the metabo- lism of oral antidiabetics; the combination may cause severe hypoglycemia. Sedatives and other central nervous system depressants (tranquilizers, sleeping pills, antidepres- sants, sinus and cold remedies, analgesics, and medication for motion sickness). Alcohol inten- sifies sedation and, depending on the dose, may cause drowsiness, respiratory depression, coma, or death.... beer
Penicillin was the ?rst antibiotic to be discovered and used in the 1940s. The discovery and isolation in 1958 of the penicillin nucleus, 6-amino penicillanic acid (6-PNA), allowed many new penicillins to be synthesised. These are now the largest single group of antibiotics used in clinical medicine. Most staphylococci (see STAPHYLOCOCCUS) have now developed resistance to benzylpenicillin, the early form of the drug, because they produce penicillinases – enzymes which break down the drug. Other types of penicillin such as cloxacillin and ?ucoxacillin are not affected and are used against penicillin-resistant staphylococci.
The cephalosporins are derived from the compound cephalosporin C, which is obtained by fermentation of the mould cephalosporium.
The cephalosporin nucleus 7 amino cephalosporanic (7-ICA) acid has been the basis for the production of the semi-synthetic compounds of the cephalosporin nucleus. The ?rst semi-synthetic cephalosporin, cephalothin, appeared in 1962; it was followed by cephaloridine in 1964. The original cephalosporins had to be given by injection, but more recent preparations can be given by mouth. The newer preparations are less readily destroyed by betalactamases and so they have a much broader spectrum of antibacterial activity. The newer cephalosporins include cephalexin, cefazolin, cephacetrile, cephapirin, cefamandole, cefuroxine, cephrodine, cefodroxil and cefotaxine. Inactivation of beta-lactamase is the basis of bacterial resistance both to the penicillins and to the cephalosporins, so that attempts to prepare these antibiotics with resistance to betalactamase is of great importance. A synthetic inhibitor of beta-lactamase called clavulanic acid has been synthesised; this is used in combination with the penicillins and cephalosporins to prevent resistance. The cephamycins are a new addition to the beta-lactam antibiotics. They are similar in structure to the cephalosporins but are produced, not by fungi, but by actinomycetes.
Overuse and misuse of antibiotics have resulted in many bacteria becoming resistant to them. Hospitals, in particular, have problems with METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS (MRSA). Combinations of antibiotics are needed to combat resistant strains of bacteria, another example being Mycobacterium tuberculosis.... antibiotics
Causes When gas is found in large amount in the bowels, its production is usually due to fermentation set up by bacteria.
Treatment Flatulence in the stomach is treated by relieving the DYSPEPSIA which causes it. It may also be relieved, or eased, by the administration of CARMINATIVES. Flatulence may be aggravated by anxiety. If the ?atulence is due to, or aggravated by, the habit of swallowing air, the patient must try and break the habit. To reduce intestinal ?atulence, a sufferer may require a change of diet to easily digestible foods.... flatulence
Habitat: Ladakh, at 3,000-4,000 m, also cultivated.
English: Yellow Sweet Clover, Melilot.Unani: Iklil-ul-Malik, Asaab-ul- Malik, Naakhunaa.Action: Plant—astringent, wound healer, styptic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, mild analgesic, anticoagulant, spasmolytic. Flower and leaf—diuretic, analgesic, anti- inflammatory, smooth muscle relaxant, vasodilator. Seed—used in cold.
Key application: In chronic venous insufficiency. For supportive treatment of thrombophlebitis, haemorrhoids and lymphatic congestion. (German Commission E.) As venotonic, vulnerary. (The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)The herb contains coumarin derivatives; flavonoid glycosides, including kaempferol and quercetin. Di- coumarol (melitoxin) is produced when fermentation takes place in me- lilot. Seeds gave canavanin and trigo- nelline. Reported poisonous to horses. The flowers contain the flavonoids, quercetin and myricetin besides kaem- pferol.The herb has shown increase in venous reflux and improvement in lymphatic kinetics. Animal experiments show an increase in healing wounds. Flower and leaf extracts have shown analgesic activity, prolongation in pento-barbital-induced hypnosis time and smooth muscle relaxant activity in mice; also exhibited hypotensive and vasodilatory activity in rabbit. Dicoumarol is a potent anticoagulant.In Europe and China, the plant extract is used for inflammations, arthritis, rheumatism, phlebitis, venous insufficiency, haemorrhoids, brachialgia and bronchitis.The Red Clove is equated with Tri- folium pratense.... melilotus officinalisSee: FLATULENCE. ... meteorism
Nutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate Protein: Low Fat: Low Saturated fat: Low Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: High Fiber: Low Sodium: Low Major vitamin contribution: Vitamin A, vitamin C Major mineral contribution: Phosphorus
About the Nutrients in This Food Grapes are high in natural sugars, but even with the skin on they have less than one gram dietary fiber per serving. The most important nutrient in grapes is vitamin C. A serving of 10 green or red Thompson seedless grapes has 5.3 mg vitamin C (7 percent of the R DA for a woman, 6 percent of the R DA for a man). The tart, almost sour flavor of unripened grapes comes from natu- rally occurring malic acid. As grapes ripen, their malic acid content declines while their sugar content rises. R ipe eating grapes are always sweet, but they have no stored starches to convert to sugars so they won’t get sweeter after they are picked.
The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food Fresh and ripe.
Buying This Food Look for: Plump, well-colored grapes that are firmly attached to green stems that bend easily and snap back when you let them go. Green grapes should have a slightly yellow tint or a pink blush; red grapes should be deep, dark red or purple. Avoid: Mushy grapes, grapes with wrinkled skin, and grapes that feel sticky. They are all past their prime. So are grapes whose stems are dry and brittle. Characteristics of Different Varieties of Grapes Red grapes Cardinal Large, dark red, available March–August Emperor Large red with seeds. September–March Flame Seedless, medium to large, red. June–August R ibier Large, blue-black, with seeds. July–February Tokay Large, bright red, seeds. August–November Queen Large, bright to dark red, seeds. June–August White grapes Almeria Large, golden. August–October Calmeria Longish, light green. October–February Perlette Green, seedless, compact clusters. May–July Thompson Seedless, green to light gold. June–November Source: The Fresh Approach to Grapes (United Fruit & Vegetable Associat ion, n.d.).
Storing This Food Wrap grapes in a plastic bag and store them in the refrigerator. Do not wash grapes until you are ready to use them.
Preparing This Food To serve fresh grapes, rinse them under running water to remove debris, then drain the grapes and pick off stems and leaves. To peel grapes (for salads), choose Catawba, Concord, Delaware, Niagara, or Scup- pernong, the American varieties known as “slipskin” because the skin comes off easily. The European varieties (emperor, flame, Tokay, Muscat, Thompson) are more of a challenge. To peel them, put the grapes into a colander and submerge it in boiling water for a few seconds, then rinse or plunge them into cold water. The hot water makes cells in the grape’s flesh swell, stretching the skin; the cold bath makes the cells shrink back from the skin which should now come off easily.
What Happens When You Cook This Food See above.
How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food Juice. Red grapes are colored with anthocyanin pigments that turn deeper red in acids and blue, purple, or yellowish in basic (alkaline) solutions. As a result, red grape juice will turn brighter red if you mix it with lemon or orange juice. Since metals (which are basic) would also change the color of the juice, the inside of grape juice cans is coated with plastic or enamel to keep the juice from touching the metal. Since 2000, following several deaths attributed to unpasteurized apple juice contaminated with E. coli O157:H7, the FDA has required that all juices sold in the United States be pasteurized to inactivate harmful organ- isms such as bacteria and mold. Wine-making. Grapes are an ideal fruit for wine-making. They have enough sugar to pro- duce a product that is 10 percent alcohol and are acidic enough to keep unwanted micro- organisms from growing during fermentation. Some wines retain some of the nutrients originally present in the grapes from which they are made. (See wine.) Drying. See r aisins.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits Lower risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Grape skin, pulp, and seed contain resveratrol, one of a group of plant chemicals credited with lowering cholesterol and thus reducing the risk of heart attack by preventing molecular fragments called free radicals from linking together to form compounds that damage body cells, leading to blocked arteries (heart disease), glucose-damaged blood vessels (diabetes), and unregulated cell growth (cancer). The juice from purple grapes has more resveratrol than the juice from red grapes, which has more resveratrol than the juice from white grapes. More specifically, in 1998, a team of food scientists from the USDA Agricultural Research Service identified a native American grape, the muscadine, commonly used to make grape juice in the United States, as an unusually potent source of resveratrol.... grapes
Preparation of milk Milk may be prepared for food in various ways. Boiling destroys the bacteria, especially any Mycobacteria tuberculosis which the milk may contain. It also partly destroys vitamin C and thiamine, as does pasteurisation. Curdling of milk is e?ected by adding rennet, which carries out the initial stage of digestion and thus renders milk more suitable for people who could not otherwise tolerate it. Souring of milk is practised in many countries before milk is considered suitable for food; it is carried out by adding certain organisms such as the LACTIC ACID bacillus, the Bulgarian bacillus, and setting the milk in a warm place for several hours. Sterilisation, which prevents fermentation and decomposition, is usually carried out by raising the milk to boiling temperature (100 °C) for 15 minutes and then hermetically sealing it. Condensed, unsweetened milk – usually known as evaporated milk – is concentrated in vacuo at low temperature; the milk is then placed in tins, which are sealed, and is sterilised by heat at a temperature of 105 °C. This destroys 60 per cent of the vitamin C and 30–50 per cent of the thiamine. Sweetened condensed milk is not exposed to such a high temperature. The sugar, which prevents the growth of micro-organisms, is added before the condensing, and ?nally reaches a concentration of about 40 per cent.
Dried milk is prepared by evaporating all the ?uid so that the milk is reduced to the form of powder. Humanised milk is cow’s milk treated to render it closely similar to human milk.... milk
Candida utilis is a highly active wild yeast able to synthesise its own vitamins. More than 90 selected plant species from 14 countries are used in Biostrath preparations. The Company has pioneered an important advance in the preparation of herbal medicines. Results have in some instances led to completely new discoveries. ... biostrath a. g.
Habitat: Throughout North India, rather scarce in South India.
English: Fire-flame Bush, Shiran- jitea.Ayurvedic: Dhaataki, Dhaatri, Kun- jaraa, Taamrapushpi, Bahupushpi, Vahnijwaalaa.Siddha/Tamil: Velakkai.Action: Dried flower—purifies blood, heals ulcers, astringent, prescribed in haemetemesis, erysipelas, dysentery, diarrhoea, menorrhagia, leucorrhoea. Flowers are used in alcohol-based tonics for fermentation (a yeast strain, saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been isolated). Bark—uterine sedative.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the flower in acute diarrhoea, haemorrhages, ulcerations and erysipelas.The dried flowers are powdered and sprinkled over ulcers and wounds. The flowers also enter into an ointment used on pustules of smallpox.In small doses the plant stimulates, while in large doses depresses the central nervous system.The flowers and leaves gave polyphe- nols—ellagic acid, polystachoside and myricetin-3-galactoside. Flowers also gave anthocyanins—pelargonidin- 3,5-diglucoside and cyanidin-3,5-di- glucoside; octacosanol, chrysopha- nol-8-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and beta-sitosterol. Hecogenin, mesoinos- itol and flavone glycosides—quercetin- 3-rhamnoside, naringenin-7-glucoside and kaempferol, have been reported from flowers.The bark contains C-glucoside, ber- genin.The flowers, leaves and bark contain tannins—24.1, 12-20 and 20-27% respectively. Dimeric hydrolyzable tannins—woodfordins A, B and C, and trimeric tannins woodfordin D and oenothein A and B have been isoalt- ed from dried flowers. A new tannin monomer, isoschimawalin A and five oligomers—woodfordin E, F, G, H and I, have also been isoalted.Oenothein A and B exhibited remarkable host-mediated antitumour activity. Woodfordin C and D also showed antitumour activity. Woodfordin C showed inhibitory activity toward DNA topoisomerase II.Dosage: Flower—3-6 g powder. (API, Vol. I.)English: Pala Indigo Plant.Ayurvedic: Shveta Kutaja. (white- flowered), Punkutaja, Indrayava (seeds).Unani: Inderjao Shireen.Siddha/Tamil: Irum-paalai, Nila- paalai.Action: Bark—antidysenteric. Also used in piles and skin diseases. Seeds—antidysenteric, astringent, febrifuge, anthelmintic. Bark and seeds—prescribed in flatulence and bilious affections.
Pods, without seeds, contain the cycloartanes, cycloartenone and cy- cloeucalenol along with alpha- and beta-amyrin, beta-sitosterol, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid and the terpene, wrightial. The leaves contain beta- amyrin. Stem bark gave beta-amyrin, beta-sitosterol and lupeol.The seeds, leaves and roots have been shown to contain an indigo- yielding glucoside.The flowers gave 3-O-rhamnogluco- side which exhibited significant anti- inflammatory activity in carrageenan- induced hind paw oedema.The bark is commonly used as an adulterant of Kurchi Bark (obtained from Holarrhena antidysenterica).... woodfordia fruticosaBitters increase the appetite, assist assimilation, and are indicated for perverted or loss of the sense of taste (zinc). They reduce fermentation in the intestines and are of value in hypoglycaemia and diabetes mellitus. Bitters are not carminatives. Some, such as Gentian, Calumba and Chamomile are also sialogogues (increasing the flow of saliva). Another effect, little understood, is an increase in white corpuscles in the peripheral circulation.
Aletris, Angostura, Avens, Balmony, Barberry, Betony, Bogbean, Boneset, Calumba, Centuary, Chicory, Condurango, Feverfew, Gentian, Goldenseal, Holy Thistle, Hops, Quassia Chips, Rue, Southernwood, White Horehound, Wormwood.
Not used in presence of gastric ulcer. ... bitters
“There are as many different bloods as there are different people,” wrote Dr Alonzo J. Shadman. In his practice as a physician and surgeon he claimed he never lost a case for lack of blood and never employed blood transfusion or drugs. For bloodlessness he advised normal saline to give the heart sufficient fluid- load to work on.
Normal saline solution he used was with 2 teaspoons table salt to one of sodium bicarbonate in two quarts (approximately 2 litres) water. Normal saline keeps the blood vessels “open”.
Dr Shadman continues: “Where infection has occurred, expressed fresh juice from the flowering Marigold (Calendula) is mixed with sufficient alcohol to prevent fermentation. It should not be used full strength but diluted one part to ten parts water. Any left after the emergency should be thrown away.” (The Layman Speaks, April 1963, p. 137-139)
Garlic. Study showed a marked reduction in platelet aggregation over a 5-week period in a group of patients with normally increased tendency to aggregation. (Dr F. Jung, Department of Clinical Haemostasiology and Transfusion Medicine, Saarland University) ... blood transfusion
Action. Antimicrobial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, tonic, detoxicant, parasiticide, antibiotic (non- toxic), vasodilator, lymphatic. Does not act directly upon a virus but exerts an antiviral effect by stimulating an immune response. Raises white blood cell count and increases the body’s inherent powers of resistance. Has power to stimulate ‘killer’ cells that resist foreign bacteria. T-cell activator. Vulnerary. Uses. Boils, acne, abscesses, sore throat: streptococcal and staphylococcal infections generally. Ulcers of tongue, mouth, gums, tonsils, throat (mouth wash and gargle). Duodenal and gastric ulcer. Systemic candida. Putrefaction and fermentation in the alimentary tract. Skin disorders: eczema. Infection of the fallopian tubes. Ill-effects of vaccination. A cleansing wash and lotion for STDs and varicose ulcers. Vaginal candidiasis.
Tonsillitis and infective sore throat: “In all cases do not forget the value of Echinacea. I rely on it to restore a poisoned system.” (I.F. Barnes MD, Beverley, Mass, USA)
Appendicitis. “Seven cases of fully diagnosed appendicitis were completely cured by 5 drops liquid extract Echinacea, in water, every 1-3 hours.” (Henry Reny MD, Biddeford, Maine, USA)
Gangrene. “Echinacea retards and prevents gangrene.” (Finlay Ellingwood MD)
Shingles. Genital herpes. Echinacea purpurea. Self-medication by “T.S., London” for neuralgic pains caused by the virus ‘moving down the nerves’ preceding appearance of a herpetic lesion. “Each time an attack has been aborted – pains subsiding within six or so hours.”
Phytokold capsules. Arkopharma.
Listeria. Complete protection against. (Dr H. Wagner, Munich University)
Preparations: Thrice daily.
Decoction. 1g dried root or rhizome to each cup water simmered 15 minutes. Dose: 1 cup.
Powder. 250mg (one 00 capsule or one-sixth teaspoon).
Liquid extract: 3-15 drops in water.
Alcoholic and aqueous extract from 360mg root. 1 tablet.
Tincture, BHC Vol 1. (1:5, 45 per cent ethanol). Dose: 2-5ml.
Formula. Tincture Echinacea 2; Tincture Goldenseal 1. Dose – 15-30 drops in water every 2 hours (acute) thrice daily (chronic).
Echinacea and Garlic tablets/capsules. Echinacea 60mg; Garlic 20mg; powders to BHP (1983) standard. Versatile combination for minor infections: colds and influenza. (Gerard House)
Historical. “Many years ago American Indians observed that by tantalising the rattlesnake it would in its wrath bite itself. The creature was seen to become immediately restless and sought to retreat. On following the snake it was observed that it went straight to a certain shrub and there became a veritable ‘sucker’. When it finished sucking the plant it would seek a hole in which to hide, but not to die. It would recover. This led to the discovery of the plant, Echinacea. It was from the medicine-men of the Mohawk and Cherokee Indians we obtained our first knowledge of this remarkable herbal remedy.” (J.H. Henley MD, Enid, Oklahoma, USA)
Often positive results may not follow because too small a dose is given. For desperate conditions, Dr L.W. Hendershott, Mill Shoals, Illinois, USA, advised frequent 1 dram (4ml) doses. (Ellingwood, Vol 10, No 4)
Echinacea has an ‘interferon’ effect by enhancing body resistance to infection. (Wagner and Proksch) GSL, schedule 1 ... echinacea
Symptoms. Dry mouth, thirst, increased output of urine, fatigue, irritability. Alcohol increases REM (rapid eye movement) during sleep. Brain cell excitability is followed by depression.
Potassium loss may be severe, as also loss of Vitamins B, B6 and C. Bananas are rich in potassium. Alternatives. Tea. 1-2 cups Chamomile tea. Ginger. Gin-and-tonic with juice of lemon, plus teaspoon honey.
Morning-after tea. Meadowsweet (antacid) 1; Centuary (bitter) 1; Black Horehound (antiemetic) 1; Gentian (tonic) quarter; Ginger (stomach settler) quarter. Mix. 2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water; infuse 10 minutes. Drink freely.
Diet. Honey for energy. Slippery Elm gruel. Avoid coffee.
Supplements. B-complex, C, E. Essential fatty acids. Potassium, Magnesium, Selenium, Zinc.
Note: Alcohol is a strong diuretic which drains the body and brain cells of vital fluids. Alcohol also contains congeners, the chemical by-products of fermentation which have a poisonous effect upon the body. The most important treatment is water – long drinks to rehydrate the body and brain. Water also helps the kidneys and liver to wash out the poisons. ... hangover
Herbs should be collected in dry weather after the dew has lifted. Where not possible to cull by hand, a sharp knife or scythe should be used. In general, aerial parts should be gathered before flowering. Rhizomes and roots are gathered in the autumn when the leaves decline for maximum therapeutic action. Wash and clean roots, and ensure they do not touch when drying. Flowers are picked just before breaking into full bloom. Barks and twigs are collected in the spring when the sap is rising.
Spread out fresh material to dry in a thin layer, without delay. Use trays, wire racks, even lengths of string netting. Packed into bundles without circulation of air encourages bruising, fermentation and mould that destroy medicinal properties.
Almost any shed can be adapted as a drying shed, provided there is adequate ventilation. Artificial heat may be required for complete drying. Leaves should not be dried to the point where they powder when rubbed between the palms. Most herbs and roots lose about four-fifths of their weight on drying. When the hand is plunged into a bag of well-dried herbs they should feel warm and crisp to the touch. Roots are dried to the point of brittleness, breaking easily.
Present-day growers achieve high standards of drying. Since passage of the Medicine’s Act, 1968, the quality of herbs on sale has been good. Dried herbs should be stored away from direct sunlight, or they will lose their colour and efficacy. ... harvesting of herbs
FAMILY: Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
SYNONYMS: P. patchouly, patchouly, puchaput.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A perennial bushy herb up to 1 metre high with a sturdy, hairy stem, large, fragrant, furry leaves and white flowers tinged with purple.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to tropical Asia, especially Indonesia and the Philippines. It is extensively cultivated for its oil in its native regions as well as India, China, Malaysia and South America. The oil is also distilled in Europe and America from the dried leaves.
OTHER SPECIES: Closely related to the Java patchouli (P. heyneanus), also known as false patchouli, which is also occasionally used to produce an essential oil.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: The oil is used in the East generally to scent linen and clothes, and is believed to help prevent the spread of disease (prophylactic). In China, Japan and Malaysia the herb is used to treat colds, headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and halitosis. In Japan and Malaysia it is used as an antidote to poisonous snakebites.
ACTIONS: Antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, anti-emetic, antimicrobial, antiphlogistic, antiseptic, antitoxic, antiviral, aphrodisiac, astringent, bactericidal, carminative, cicatrisant, deodorant, digestive, diuretic, febrifuge, fungicidal, nervine, prophylactic, stimulant (nervous), stomachic, tonic.
EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation of the dried leaves (usually subjected to fermentation previously). A resinoid is also produced, mainly as a fixative.
CHARACTERISTICS: An amber or dark orange viscous liquid with a sweet, rich, herbaceous earthy odour – it improves with age. It blends well with labdanum, vetiver, sandalwood, cedarwood, oakmoss, geranium, clove, lavender, rose, neroli, bergamot, cassia, myrrh, opopanax, clary sage and oriental-type bases.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Patchouli alcohol (40 per cent approx.), pogostol, bulnesol, nor patchoulenol, bulnese, patchoulene, among others.
SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin care: Acne, athlete’s foot, cracked and chapped skin, dandruff, dermatitis, eczema (weeping), fungal infections, hair care, impetigo, insect repellent, sores, oily hair and skin, open pores, wounds, wrinkles.
Nervous system: Frigidity, nervous exhaustion and stress-related complaints.
OTHER USES: Extensively used in cosmetic preparations, and as a fixative in soaps and perfumes, especially oriental types. Extensively used in the food industry, in alcoholic and soft drinks. It makes a good masking agent for unpleasant tastes and smells.... patchouli
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