Kitchen Cures for Common Ailments

Use saffron to fight PMS, cooking oils against cholesterol and beets to lower blood pressure. Here’s how...

Dear Pharmacist,
I love saffron, but I’ve stopped buying it because it’s expensive. Are the health benefits worth the price?

–T.S., Ocala, Fla.

Hi T.S.,
I love saffron too! This centuries-old flower extract is the most expensive spice on the market. It’s made from three tiny red stamens plucked by hand from the center of the Crocus sativus plant.

Saffron has a distinctive taste and aroma, along with a lovely yellow color. I add it to rice, soups and teas.

Iranian researchers found that saffron lifted depression in 25% of people, which was as effective as fluoxetine (Prozac). So if you have mild depression, why not give it a try? It shouldn’t interact with medicine, but you’ll need to consult your physician.

Saffron is a super-strong antioxidant that has numerous health benefits. It has anti-cancer effects, enhances male fertility, helps relieve anxiety and tension, and eases premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Texas researchers reported that saffron improves circulation to the retina, which makes it a promising treatment for macular degeneration, a major cause of blindness. One clinical trial found that saffron extract may have a therapeutic effect in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease.

See why I think saffron is one of the best-kept health secrets?

If you take it in supplement form, make sure you buy from a reputable company, such as Exir, to ensure you’re getting 100% saffron. Pure, authentic saffron is expensive but worth it. You may need to ask your local health-food store to order it, or buy it online at www.epicuregarden.com.
Dear Pharmacist,
You wrote that vegetable oil was your least favorite oil to cook with. It’s all I’ve ever used! So what oils are better?

–R.E., Austin, Texas

Hi R.E.,
You should opt for oils rich in nutrients known to advance your health. And avoid yellow-colored lard alternatives to butter – you’re better off with natural butter or ghee.

Here’s my list of recommended oils:

Flaxseed – Packed with essential fatty acids such as linoleic acid and omegas, it’s known to lower toxic forms of estrogen in the body, thereby reducing your risk of breast cancer. It has a subtle nutty flavor. High-quality flaxseed oil is “cold-pressed,” which means it has fewer impurities but shouldn’t be heated beyond the smoke point.

Hemp seed – Pressed from the seeds of legally grown cannabis flowers, this gorgeous green, nutty-flavored oil has regenerative properties from vitamin E, gamma-linolenic acid and omega-3 fatty acids. It helps heart, immune and digestive function, and may relieve symptoms of eczema. It’s cold-pressed, so don’t fry with it.

Almond – Refined almond oil is great for cooking because it can be heated without destroying too many nutrients or creating harmful compounds. It’s rich in vitamins E and D.

Sunflower – Low in saturated fats and rich in vitamin E, sunflower oil contains oleic acid, which increases a gut peptide called GLP-1. This hormone makes you feel fuller faster, increases insulin sensitivity and protects pancreatic cells. Don’t overheat.

Avocado – This oil is the best source of powerful antioxidants like glutathione and vitamins A, E and D. Use it in salads or apply it to your skin; it helps with eczema and psoriasis. Glutathione in avocados can clean out your digestive tract, especially the liver and pancreas. OK to heat.

Coconut – It fights candida (yeast that can cause infection), helps digestion, and may chase away viruses. Use it to sauté veggies or to cook at higher temperatures; you can also add it to smoothies.

Grape seed – This is one of my favorites because of its mild taste and heavy antioxidant load. It raises HDL (“good”) cholesterol and lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

Olive – Use only extra-virgin, cold-pressed oil, which is high in essential fatty acids and vitamins E and K. It can promote smooth digestion and protect you from heart disease and circulation problems.

Dear Pharmacist,
I’m taking blood-pressure drugs, but the side effects are intolerable. Are there natural ways to lower blood pressure?

–T.E. Salt Lake City, UT

Hi T.E.,
I want to elaborate on one impressive option: beets. They contain powerful compounds that may reduce blood pressure, ease digestive disorders, improve heart disease and prevent cancer. I can’t name one drug from my pharmacy with a bio like that.

Beets can:

Lower blood pressure by increasing levels of nitric oxide in blood vessels

Reduce risk for blood clots through anti-platelet action

Dissolve inorganic calcium deposits that clog arteries

Lower total cholesterol and triglycerides by 30% and 40%

Raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol

They’re also rich in folic acid and betaine, which neutralize inflammatory chemicals such as C-reactive protein, homocysteine and interleukin 6. That means fewer strokes and heart attacks.

A 2008 study in Hypertension found that drinking two cups of beetroot juice reduced blood pressure by up to 10 points for 24 hours, with no major side effects. (Blood pressure medications can cause dizziness, weakness, body aches, muscle cramps, arrhythmias, heart attack or stroke.)

Wait, it gets better.

That beautiful purple-reddish color comes from a compound called betacyanin, which has been demonstrated to be a powerful cancer-fighter, especially against colon cancer. In one study, when animals with colon cancer were fed beet fiber, researchers noticed an increase in the activity of glutathione, which helps rid your body of toxic cancer-causing poisons. In another study, beets reduced pre-cancerous changes and increased the number of cancer-destroying CD8 cells in the colon.

Beet juice may also negate the effects of eating processed meats laden with dangerous nitrosamines, reducing risk of stomach cancer.

Beets may color your urine or stool slightly pink – that’s harmless. If you have oxalate kidney stones or gallstones, limit intake of leafy beet greens, because they contain oxalates. (Beets themselves are probably fine, but ask your doctor.)

While I prefer you eat fresh beets and drink fresh juice, beetroot juice and oral supplements are sold at most health-food stores.

Check out these 7 Beet Recipes.

Dear Pharmacist,
Recently, when I had some dental work done, the dentist gave me a prescription for antibiotics. By the end of the week, my stomach really hurt. Could antibiotics cause that?

–M.S. Sanibel, Florida

Hi M.S.,
Pretty darned likely! Antibiotics do a great job of killing off just about all the bacteria in your body, including the beneficial ones.
Your gut is full of bacteria that serve several important functions, including helping you digest food and producing nutrients such as vitamin K and B12.

Once the antibiotic sweeps your intestines clean of beneficial bacteria, any stray yeasts that happen to be living in your intestines suddenly have more room to grow and thrive. This can result in a yeast infection.

If the yeast is candida, you could be dealing with the unpleasant effects for years to come.

That’s one reason I’m so opposed to unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions. The one for your dental work may have been necessary – but, please, never ask your doctor for antibiotics to deal with cold or flu viruses.

Antibiotics zap bacteria, not viruses. Well-meaning doctors sometimes give in and prescribe antibiotics to flu patients who hint for it. But antibiotics are hard on your body for a number of reasons – so unless you really need one, don’t take it.

If you do need it, make sure you completely finish your entire prescription. Don’t stop taking the antibiotic as soon as you’re feeling better.

Antibiotics typically kill off the weaker germs first, so if you stop too soon, the only survivors will be the tough guys – the ones that fight back with a fury. You could wind up with a dangerous antibiotic-resistant infection, and that spells trouble, possibly even hospitalization.

If antibiotics cause nausea, diarrhea or abdominal pain, you should let your doctor know. You may be given an alternative medication that your system tolerates better.

Stop your antibiotic if you experience symptoms such as itching, hives or breathing difficulties. These are signs of a dangerous allergic reaction.

People who take antibiotics should also take a dietary supplement called a probiotic in between doses of the medication. Good brands contain multiple strains of beneficial bacteria that replace the ones the antibiotic kills off.
You can find over-the-counter probiotics at your health-food store. Follow directions on the label and continue for several weeks afterward, if not indefinitely. Some of the more effective formulas include Dr. Ohhira’s Probiotic Plus Saccharomyces Boulardii and New Chapter All-Flora.

Want to know more? Get your own copy of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Drug Muggers: How To Keep Your Medicine from Stealing the Life Out of You! Plus, meet Dr. Suzy Cohen.