Modern medicine usually offers a prescription to treat our ailments. But hundreds of years ago – before medicine as we know it today – common health problems were addressed with natural remedies, which remain to be viable solutions to this day. In fact, the foods and herbs we use every day to cook our meals can actually help prevent and treat some of today’s common health problems. All it takes is knowing which remedies to pick and how to use them.

In this report, we will share with you natural remedies that can work to prevent or even cure some of today’s common health problems. The best part is, you probably have most of these

remedies at home, you’re just not aware of the wonderful

benefits they can offer. Moreover, most of these natural cures can be easily incorporated into your daily life and used on a regular basis.

Read on to uncover how natural remedies can

help keep you in good health for many more years to come.

1. Natural cure for blood pressure

The humble avocado packs more calories than almost any other fruit on the planet (yes, it is a fruit, not a vegetable). Avocados are good for your heart. Their high potassium levels can help lower blood pressure and protect against heart attack and stroke.

Many people avoid eating avocados because most of their total calories are in the form of fat. However, healthy monounsaturated fats in avocados are actually quite beneficial for maintaining good health and blood pressure. So don’t be afraid to add these amazing, creamy fruits to your diet.

If you are still worried about the fat content, buy the fruit harvested between November and March. These avocados have

7 Natural Cures for Today’s Most Common

Health Problems

Avocado contains omega-3 and

omega-6 fatty acids.

just one-third the fat of those picked in September or October.

To these days, garlic’s healing properties are widely celebrated. Garlic is rich in sulfur compounds, which are potent extractors of toxic heavy chemicals in your body. They bind with chemicals so that they can be excreted instead of taking hold in your organs and causing damage. These sulfur compounds are also effective at protecting against oxidation and free radicals.

Garlic is a natural antiseptic. It can be used both inside and outside the body to fight infection. Diets high in garlic can help lower your blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol levels.

When using garlic, here a few things to keep in mind. Crushed raw garlic contains allicin, a compound that breaks down into a whole host of other healthful compounds. It’s like an amazing chain reaction taking place right in your own body — so eat it raw if you can. If you don’t like the biting taste of raw garlic, you can cook it or use it in a powdered form. You’ll still get most of the health benefits this way. Remember to mince finely. And if you’re going to cook garlic, crush it first, as this will help preserve its healing compounds.

Yoga and meditation have been practiced in India for thousands of

years to attain harmony between the body and mind.

In the last few decades, these two practices have flourished in North America. Yoga studios have popped up between bars and restaurants on main streets, and meditation classes are offered everywhere, from churches to libraries.

There are many health benefits to doing yoga and meditation. In Western culture, the two practices have been particularly valued for reducing stress associated with our fast-paced society. It’s no secret that meditation and yoga can calm the mind and unwind the body, encouraging relaxation.

Researchers have been investigating yoga and meditation for c a r d i o v a s c u l a r benefits and, according to one recent study, both practices are great for lowering blood pressure.

A team of scientists wanted to find out if the short-term practice of pranayama and meditation ushered in improvements in the heart function of healthy individuals. Pranayama consists of breathing exercises

According to one recent study,

both yoga and meditation are

great for lowering blood pressure.

7 Natural Cures for Today’s Most Common Health Problems

to promote good health; it’s often used in conjunction with other yoga practices, including meditation.

Fifty subjects (24 males and 26 females), ranging in age from 20 to 60, were recruited for the study.

The participants underwent two hours of daily yoga practice for 15 days. The classes were taught by a certified yoga teacher. The researchers measured pre- and post-yoga cardiovascular functions. These included pulse rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and mean blood pressure.

The research team found that there was a significant reduction

in resting pulse rate, systolic blood

p r e s s u r e , diastolic blood

pressure, and mean arterial blood pressure

after practicing yoga and meditation for 15 days. These cardiovascular benefits were the same for both male and female

participants, regardless of age.

The researchers concluded that regular yoga and meditation practice had beneficial effects on cardiovascular functions, irrespective of age, gender, and

body-mass index (BMI) in normal, healthy individuals.1

Based on these impressive results, it only makes sense to add some yoga and meditation to your weekly routine.

2. Natural cure for memory problems

It’s been discovered that drinking grape juice helps prevent the decline of short-term memory. At the same time, it keeps one’s neuromotor skills alive and kicking. It’s not surprising, as juice made with red grapes is a virtual stew of critical nutrients. They are huge antioxidants, first of all, and grape juice has one of the highest levels of these antioxidant nutrients of any fruit or vegetable.

Grape juice also seems to increase the production of dopamine in the brain. It may reverse the sensitivity of certain receptors in the brain, and in so doing enhance the overall cognitive function. Grape juice may act in the same way blueberries do. But many scientists believe that drinking grape juice (especially the juice made from concord grapes) can potentially halt the mental decline that comes with aging.

Inside grapes you find a phytochemical that occurs naturally

It’s been discovered that grape juice helps prevent the decline of short-term memory.

4 7 Natural Cures for Today’s Most Common Health Problems

5

and is found predominantly in grapes. It can reduce the build-up of plaque that is associated with age-related memory loss.

3. Natural cure for vision problems

Being able to see clearly is a tremendous gift – and we should all invest a little time and effort into protecting it.

With that in mind, consider the results of a recent study linking omega-fatty-acid ratios to eye health. Researchers in Croatia investigated the possible connection between the omega-6/omega-3 fatty-acid ratio and the development and progression of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). They looked at 125 patients who were diagnosed with ARMD and divided these patients into five groups. They also had one group without ARMD, which acted as control.

Dietary fatty acid intake was measured using a food-frequency questionnaire. The research team discovered that there was a statistically significant difference between the omega-6/omega-3 ratios in “neovascular” ARMD (a severe form of macular degeneration that they called “stage 5”), compared to all other groups, including the control group.

The researchers concluded that adjusting your nutrition could help

prevent the development of the severe neovascular form of ARMD.2 Which means, eating more foods that contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These include flaxseed oil, hemp seed oil, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, acai berry, cold water high-fat fish, avocado, and certain dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, mustard greens, purslane, and collards.3

4. Natural cure for high cholesterol

According to Danish researchers from the Department of Nephrology at the University of Odense, Denmark, replacing dairy fat with canola oil could help lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol is that stuff that circulates in your blood. It can slowly build up in your arteries if you are consuming too much of the bad type of fat. Eventually, these fatty deposits harden, and a clot may form, blocking the flow of blood in your arteries. HDL cholesterol could actually help remedy this situation. It carries cholesterol from your arteries to your liver, where it is removed from your body.

This is what the Swedish researchers found when they

Cold water fish contains omega-3 and

omega-6 fatty acids.

7 Natural Cures for Today’s Most Common Health Problems

conducted a trial comparing cholesterol levels after the consumption of dairy fat versus canola oil fat. The study was a three-week randomized, controlled, crossover trial involving 20 participants with high levels of lipids in their blood.

The researchers performed tests to measure “lipoprotein” profile, coagulation, and the ability to break down and remove small blood clots. The researchers found that the canola oil diet—but not the dairy fat diet—reduced levels of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol. The canola oil diet also increased the rate at which glucose was utilized. The research team concluded that in a diet that is moderately high in total fat, replacing dairy fat with canola causes a rapid and clinically relevant improvement in serum-lipoprotein profiles, including lowering of triglycerides in “hyperlipidemic” individuals.4

Boost your nutritional health by using canola oil where you might normally use butter. Try putting a little canola oil on toast in the morning, or use it when cooking main dishes. Canola

oil generally retains its nutritional value

when exposed to moderately high cooking heat, although deep-

frying is generally the least healthy way of cooking, so it should be generally avoided.

5. Natural cure for digestive problems

If you suffer from digestive issues you’ll surely want to incorporate yogurt into your diet. Yogurt is a healthy, delicious snack any time of the day. Add some fresh strawberries or blueberries, and you’ll be eating two superfoods at once. Yogurt contains two very unique and special ingredients: probiotics and prebiotics. Probiotics are live organisms that are beneficial to your health when taken in adequate amounts. Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria in your colon. Yogurt also gives you a healthy dose of calcium and is a significant source of protein.

Yogurt is made by adding bacterial cultures to milk and keeping it warm in an incubator. The lactose, or milk sugar, turns into lactic acid. The yogurt then thickens and takes on its characteristic tangy flavor. The bacterial cultures have now transformed the original milk ingredient. And it is this process which makes yogurt very beneficial for the elderly.

Boost your nutritional health by using canola oil where you might normally use butter.

7 Natural Cures for Today’s Most Common Health Problems

The live bacterial cultures combined with the calcium in yogurt have been proven to play a role in longevity. They help boost the immune system and make it more resistant to disease.

Yogurt is great for your digestive system. And when you have a healthy digestive system, it is much easier to keep the rest of your body healthy, too. It doesn’t matter if you eat the healthiest food in the world, if your body isn’t absorbing nutrients properly. And not only can yogurt help your digestive system, it also helps soothe the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and keep yeast infections at bay.

In one study conducted in Granada, Spain, healthy volunteers were deprived of fermented foods, including yogurt, for a two-week period. Researchers observed that the innate immune responses of the volunteers decreased. When a probiotic yogurt was added back into the diet, the immune responses returned to their previous levels.5

In another five-year study, which took place in Rome, Italy, 162 very elderly people were recruited. The researchers wanted to evaluate

the connection between the consumption of specific food groups and nutrients and the overall five-year survival of the participants. They found that those who consumed yogurt at least three times a week were 38% less likely to die than those who ate yogurt once a week.6

The super-nutrients found in yogurt include live bacterial cultures, protein, calcium, vitamin B12, vitamin B2, iodine, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus.

Here are a few tips to consider when buying yogurt. First of all, buy it fresh. Yogurt contains about 100 million bacteria in a single gram—when it’s fresh! This number quickly dwindles after a couple of weeks on the shelf at the grocery store. Don’t buy yogurt that has been heat-treated. Heat-treated yogurt doesn’t contain bacteria and won’t give you nearly the same health benefits as yogurt with live bacterial cultures. Read the list of active bacteria cultures on the label—the more, the better. Fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt can have up to seven teaspoons of sugar added, so stick to plain, unsweetened yogurt and add your own fresh fruit at home.

7

Yogurt is great for your digestive

system.

7 Natural Cures for Today’s Most Common Health Problems

6. Natural cure for prostate problems

Tomatoes contain a rare red pigment called lycopene. Lycopene acts as an antioxidant by neutralizing free radicals. New studies suggest that lycopene may have twice the free radical fighting power of beta-carotene. And for men, lycopene seems to concentrate in the prostate and help to protect it from cellular damage.

What else is in tomatoes that can keep you healthy? Tomatoes contain two powerful compounds: coumaric acid and chlorogenic acid. These two compounds have been found to block the effects of the most potent chemicals in tobacco smoke.

And tomatoes also contain a large dose of vitamin

C, which is important for a healthy immune system.

It turns out that you don’t necessarily have to eat your tomatoes

fresh. Researchers now know that

processed tomatoes, like sauce and paste, are more

effective at combatting free radicals. Processed tomato products and cooked tomatoes contain two to eight times the available lycopene of raw tomatoes. And another thing to consider: compared to other carotenoids that are stored in your body, the level of lycopene falls quickly as soon as you stop eating lycopene-rich foods. Try to get a little bit of tomato every day. This isn’t as difficult as it sounds, since ketchup, pasta sauce, pizza, and barbeque sauce all contain some lycopene.

7. Natural cure for bone loss

Soy has gone through a real renaissance in the last five years and has now become part of the American diet in a big way. People with dairy allergies have turned to soy products as a replacement. And vegetarians have been using soy as an alternate protein instead of animal meats. Now clinical trials tell us that soy can help with bone loss, among other ailments.

Soy is an inexpensive, high-quality source of plant protein. It is vitamin- and mineral-rich, it contains plant-

8

Tomatoes contain a rare red pigment called lycopene.

7 Natural Cures for Today’s Most Common Health Problems

Tea is another great beverage which can

lead to strong bones...

based omega-3 fatty acids, and it has a whole host of disease-fighting phytonutrients. Soy is the highest source of health-promoting phytoestrogen. Asian diets typically high in soy have resulted in lower rates of heart disease, as well as less cancer and osteoporosis.

Try adding tofu or other soy products to a meal that you are making. Cooking soy at high heat for extended periods of time may reduce or eliminate many of the nutritional benefits. If you’re in a hurry and you decide to have a ready-made soy product for a meal, try to buy products that contain soy protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or textured vegetable protein. Stay away from soy protein concentrates, which have had most of the beneficial nutrients extracted. Drink full-fat soy milk, as it contains 50% more phytoestrogen than the low-fat kind.

Another great beverage which can lead to strong bones is something you probably are already drinking – tea! One study performed at the University of Cambridge School of Medicine examined the relation between tea drinking and bone mineral density in older women in

Britain, where tea drinking is very popular. Bone mineral density was measured in the participants, and then each one was categorized as either a tea drinker or a non-tea drinker. There were 1,134 tea drinkers and 122 non-tea drinkers. Compared with non-tea drinkers, tea drinkers had significantly greater bone mineral measurements. The researchers concluded that older women who drank tea had higher bone mineral density measurements than those who did not drink tea and that tea drinking may protect against osteoporosis in older women.7

To make a good cup of tea, steep for three minutes to release all the health-promoting compounds. Researchers say that tea packed in teabags actually releases more polyphenols than loose leaves. Apparently, the tea in bags tends to be broken down into smaller particles, helping more polyphenols to be dissolved in the hot water.

Living a healthy life with natural remedies

We hope you find these natural cures a helpful addition to your efforts in maintaining good health. As you can see, the very foods that you have in your fridge can go a long way in protecting you against common health problems. And the best part is, incorporating these natural cures into your everyday life is so easy.

Whether you’re cooking a meal using health-promoting foods or taking some time out of your day to unwind in a yoga class, what matters is that you’re taking charge of your health, naturally.

1. Ankad, R.B., et al., “Effect of short-term pranayama and meditation on cardiovascular functions in healthy individuals,” Heart Views 2011 Apr; 12(2): 58-62.

2. Mance, T.C., et al., “The role of omega6 to omega3 ratio in development and progression of age-related macular degeneration,” Coll Antropol 2011 Sep; 35 Suppl 2: 307-10.

3. “Best food choices for omega 3 and omega 6 and omega 9 essential fatty acids.” Daily Perricone. December 3, 2008. http://www.dailyperricone.com/2008/12/best-food-choices-for-omega-3-and-omega-6-and-omega-9-essential-fatty-acids/

4. Iggman, D., et al., “Replacing dairy fat with rapeseed oil causes rapid improvement of hyperlipidaemia: a randomized controlled study,” J Intern Med 2011 Oct; 270(4): 356-64.

5. “Diet and survival in a cohort of very elderly people.” PubMed, accessed July 19, 2007;http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=10874552&ordinalpos=50&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

6. Ibid.

7. “Tea drinking and bone mineral density in older women.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, accessed July 20, 2007; http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/71/4/1003?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=tea&searchid=1&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&resourcetype=HWCIT

7 Natural Cures for Today’s Most Common Health Problems is published by Bel Marra Health, Harvard Square, One Mifflin Place, Suite 400, Cambridge, MA 02138; in Canada, P.O. Box 77001, RPO Martin Grove, Woodbridge, ON L4L 9S3. Contents Copyright by Bel Marra Health. No part of this report may be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any means or media without written permission of the copyright holder. All rights reserved. 7 Natural Cures for Today’s Most Common Health Problems is presented for information purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. On any matter relating to your health or well-being, please check with an appropriate health professional. The opinions herein are exactly that, they are opinions of the author. 1016