Orange Essential Oil May Improve Symptoms of PTSD, Say Researchers – Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Source: Orange Essential Oil May Improve Symptoms of PTSD, Say Researchers – Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Post-traumatic stress disorder affects around 8 million adults in the United States, but treatments for the condition are still limited. Orange essential oil may offer a nonpharmaceutical option to help reduce the stress and fear associated with the disorder, suggests research carried out by scientists at George Washington University.

Early indications show that orange essential plant oil could help to diminish symptoms associated with PTSD.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder often triggered by exposure to stressful, distressing, or frightening events, or the sudden and unexpected death of a loved one.

The person with the disorder tends to relive the traumatic experience through flashbacks and nightmares. The severe anxiety caused by PTSD may last months or even years, and it can have a significant impact on the person’s life.

Chronic stress is thought to play a role in activating and exacerbating inflammation in the peripheral immune system. Research has suggested that peripherally circulating immune cells may be able to cross the blood-brain barrier and cause inflammation in the central nervous system, which may contribute to mental health disorders, including PTSD. However, the link between fear memory and the immune system is not entirely understood.

Furthermore, treatment for PTSD is currently limited to two FDA-approved medications and psychotherapy practices, including cognitive and exposure therapies.

Cassandra Moshfegh, a research assistant in Paul Marvar’s laboratory at the George Washington University, and colleagues sought to investigate the effect of orange essential plant oil on PTSD symptoms. Previous studies have shown that orange essential oil may have a depressant-like effect on the central nervous system.

The team presented the research at the American Physiological Society’s annual meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 conference, held in Chicago, IL.

Essential oils are naturally produced by plants and can be used for therapeutic purposes. The aromatic compounds of orange essential oil are usually extracted from the peel of the orange. Essential oils can be inhaled, applied to the skin, or ingested in foods or beverages.

Orange essential oil significantly reduced fear-associated behavior

Orange essential oil was tested in mice to determine the impact of the compound on fear memory and immune cell activation. The researchers used Pavlovian Fear Conditioning – a behavioral mouse model – “to study the formation, storage, and expression of fear memories as a model for PTSD.”

Pavlovian Fear Conditioning pairs a tone with a negative stimulus, such as a shock to the foot, which provokes fear as a response in the mice. The mice form an associative memory between the tone and the stimulus. When presented with the tone alone, the mice exhibit a fear response and typically freeze. This response diminishes slowly as time goes on.

Moshfegh and team divided the mice into three groups. The first group of 12 mice was exposed to the audio tone alone, 12 mice received water and fear conditioning, and the remaining 12 mice were exposed to orange essential oil by inhalation 40 minutes prior to and after the fear conditioning.

The researchers found that the mice exposed to orange essential oil were significantly less likely to exhibit freezing behavior and stopped freezing altogether earlier than the mice that received water and fear conditioning. Moreover, the mice exposed to orange essential oil experienced a significant decrease in the immune cells linked to the “biochemical pathways” associated with PTSD.

The mechanism behind the differences in behavior between the two groups could be explained by the variations found in gene expression in their brains.

“Relative to pharmaceuticals, essential oils are much more economical and do not have adverse side effects. The orange essential plant oil showed a significant effect on the behavioral response in our study mice. This is promising because it shows that passively inhaling this essential oil could potentially assuage PTSD symptoms in humans.”

Cassandra Moshfegh

Further studies are needed to unravel the specific effects of orange essential oil on the brain and nervous system, says Moshfegh, and to uncover how these effects reduce “stress and fear in people with PTSD.”

Snow White and the Huntsman – secretsoftheserpent

By gserpent

Source: Snow White and the Huntsman – secretsoftheserpent

Snow White and the Huntsman is a spin-off the Brothers Grimm ‘Snow White’. What most people don’t know is that the Brothers Grimm got this story from Egypt. The original story was based on astronomy, Snow White being the moon and the seven dwarves being the seven known planets following the moon in the sky. The creators of this movie knew this and they put a sly little part in the movie to show the original meaning. It also was a slight jab at science.

Like all good movies the characters in this story are aspects of yourself. This movie was covertly showing true history, but what I really like about it is that it’s a story of ‘waking up’ for the feminine. Most movies are showing you the masculine and its wake up process, but this one flips roles. The reason why they have an evil Queen and Snow White being all things good and pure is because they represent Nature. Nature is the sacred feminine. She can be pure and beautiful, but also very destructive. Two expressions of a single reality, Yin Yang. These are summed up into two paths that you can take:
Ascetic- suppression of natural, control or want to be controlled, filter everything.
or
Ecstatic- Open up, learn to cooperate with nature, constructing, expanding.

Right at the very beginning the creators of this movie are showing who their allegiances are with, but also are showing it is a story of the sacred feminine. The rose is a symbol of Goddess worship and has to do with the Goddess Rosemerth. The red rose is symbolizing the red crown of Lower Egypt. Those that know their history know the Lancastrians took the red rose as their symbol because they were of the Lower Egyptian bloodline. The red crown of Lower Egypt. The Yorkists took the white rose as their symbol for the white crown of Upper Egypt. The English Civil War was called the War of the Roses for this reason. That is all that this opening scene is doing. The western world is Egypt and the Upper and Lower crowns are still fighting each other.

Snow White’s mother dies while she is young. The people love Snow White for her strong and defiant heart. Her father’s name is King Magnus. If I had any doubts about the creators of this movie being in the know, they just vanished. If you have read my His Royal Jesus post, you know this is the real name of the biblical Jesus. He was from the bloodline of Lower Egypt. King Magnus is tricked into a battle where he finds Ravenna. He falls in love with her beauty and makes her is Queen. In the Brothers Grimm stories of the princess’, the wicked step mother and sisters symbolize the sister religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. They are jealous of the princess in the stories because the princess represents Mary or Mary Magellan. Ravenna is symbolizing all three religions. In God(s) I showed you that all three of these religions are secretly worshipping Thoth, the moon-god of Egypt. The Raven is the symbol of the Moon. Her killing Magnus is symbolizing the killing of the true history of the biblical Jesus, real name King Magnus.

Snow White’s father being killed is the chaos needed to begin the wake up process. Her being put in prison is symbolizing the self-made prison of your mind. Can you be alone with your thoughts? Your mind will create problems, you have to overcome. Self love and self forgiveness is the key to going forward. When Snow White escapes she gets on a white horse and makes it to the Dark Forest. Horses usually always represent the goddess and forests are the underworld. The Queen hires Eric the Huntsman to go after Snow White. The Huntsman is the sacred masculine. His wife died and he is lost without her. The masculine is lost without the sacred feminine. That is why this world is so screwed up! Everyone is in the masculine and the sacred feminine is nowhere to be found. What we think of as feminine in the world is a messed up version of what the masculine thinks it should be. This world is in is all negative aspects of the masculine. We think the masculine is some sports fanatic that makes a ton of money or some idiot that goes and kills animals for fun. This ‘look at me world’ is sickening! How can it be anything else when this world is built on lies and no man is willing or able to stand up to them?

Snow White and the Huntsman make it through the Dark Forest by working together. As they are exiting the forest they encounter a giant Troll. Trolls are things in your subconscious that need to be dealt with(see Troll). The Huntsman tells Snow White to run and he tries to fight the Troll off. He gets his ass kicked. Snow White steps in and calms the Troll. The Troll seems to give up and walks off. The Huntsman tells Snow White “ I thought I told you to run”. Snow White replies “If I did you would be dead”. This is symbolizing that you have to deal with your Trolls. Anything in your past that makes you feel bad or something you haven’t forgiven yourself for. Again, self-love and self forgiveness is the key. Don’t feed the Trolls. Get rid of the Trolls.

Snow White and the Huntsman make their way to a village of all women who have disfigured themselves, so the Queen will find them useless. The Queen needing the beauty of young women is symbolizing that these patriarch religions need women to keep the lie going. In the past they burned women for not converting, today they shame them. This village is symbolizing the women that have ‘woken up’. Patriarch religions can’t claim their minds, so they have no use for them. Right on cue, the Queens thugs attack.

Snow White and the Huntsman escape and they meet a group of 8 dwarfs. I found this very witty. As I said, the original Snow White is an astronomical tale. The seven dwarfs were the seven known planets following the moon in the sky. The ancients knew about the planets. We did not discover them, we rediscovered them. Once we rediscovered Pluto there were 8 planets following the moon. The extra dwarf sacrifices himself to save Snow White. This is symbolizing Pluto losing it’s planet status. I know I’m right on this because the dwarf’s name was Gus. Right after science dropped Pluto as a planet, a show called Psych came out with a character named Gus who would say to people “Have you heard about Pluto? That’s messed up right”. This was a slight slam on science dropping Pluto as a Planet.

Snow White sees some faeries and she follows them. They eventually lead her to Cernunnos. Cernunnos represents untamed nature. He is the male protector or the sacred masculine of the Goddess. He bows to Snow White(the sacred feminine) showing what I have been saying all along. The sacred feminine is the key! She is the Alpha and Omega! In come the Queen’s thugs again and they shoot Cernunnos causing him to disappear. This is showing that the patriarch religions have no respect for nature or the Goddess for that matter. At this time William, Snow White’s friend from childhood, reveals himself and helps defeat the Queen’s thugs. Now Snow White has two men that represent the sacred masculine. Queen Ravenna disguises herself as William and gives Snow White a poison apple. She takes a bite and falls into a deep sleep making everyone think she is dead. Apples always represent knowledge and a poisoned apples represent false knowledge. That is just what religion gives you, false knowledge. It has put the masses and the sacred feminine to sleep for more than 2,000 years.

William thinking she was dead kisses her then they take her to Duke Hammond’s castle. Here the Huntsman regrets not saving her and kisses her too. I think they did this because of the dual symbolism of astronomy and consciousness. The astronomy is the sun and moon in an eclipse and the consciousness is the working together of the sacred masculine with the sacred feminine. She wakes up, representing her ‘awakening’ or rebirth. She rally’s the Dukes army and they set out to attack Queen Ravenna’s castle. They infiltrate the castle and Snow White confronts Ravenna. Through out the story they keep saying that Snow White is the only one that can kill Queen Ravenna. This is the same as the Lord of the Rings with the Witch-king of Angmar. No man could kill him, but a woman(sacred feminine) could(see The Rings). These are symbolizing it takes the sacred feminine to kill patriarch religions. Snow White gets over powered by Ravenna. Ravenna is about to kill her and take her heart, but Snow White uses a move the Huntsman taught her to kill Ravenna. With Ravenna defeated, the kingdom returns to peace and harmony as Snow White is crowned Queen. You will find peace and harmony when you have the sacred feminine in your life and this world will find peace and harmony when the unadulterated sacred feminine returns. Just like it was in the Golden Age thousands of years ago.

Queen of Sheba – secretsoftheserpent

By gserpent

Source: Queen of Sheba – secretsoftheserpent

The tale of the Queen of Sheba has been embellished by several groups of people or religions that try to claim her as their own Queen. It is not enough to just reject the lie. Everyone has to make up their own version of the lie to get in on the money train. The Queen of Sheba was the title for several ladies in history, but not one of them is outside of Egypt. I’m going to show you who the Queen of Sheba was and why there were other ladies with this title.

If you have read my Patriarch Pharaohs post, you already know who the Queen of Sheba was. In this post I will go into more detail and give a few surprises. Again all the credit to finding Queen of Sheba goes to Ralph Ellis. This post will use his research with some of my own interpretations. We can’t talk about the Queen of Sheba without mentioning King David or King Solomon. King David and King Solomon were identified as Lower Egyptian Pharaohs. King David was Pharaoh Psusennes and King Solomon was Pharaoh Sheshonq(See Patriarch Pharaohs).

King David’s official title was Pa-seba-khen-nuit and it means “My Star Appears or Shines in His City”. King David is known for the Star of David, but what was this star? Researchers will tell you it is the morning star and had to do with the rising of Venus or the sun. Jesus was said to be of the line of David and he has a star in his story too. What is up with all the stars? Just like Pharaohs in Egypt had several names, so did the royal females. The Pharaoh had to have a wife from the bloodline in order to rule. Just like the Pharaohs were considered gods on earth, all royal ladies were considered a version of Isis. Isis was the Queen of the Heavens or Queen of the Stars. The royal wives were considered God’s wife and when they had a son that would become ruler, they were considered God’s mother. In somewhat the same manner, when a daughter was born of the bloodline, one of her titles was Bathsheba. Bathsheba means ‘daughter of Sheba’ or ‘daughter of the star’. When she became Queen she was known as ‘Queen of the Stars’ or ‘Queen of Sheba’. The Star of Isis is the Star of David.

Why would all these ladies be considered to be a star? The lower Egyptians were considered the watchers of the Pyramids. This didn’t mean they literally watched the pyramids themselves. It was astronomical. They watched the stars or heavens from them. That is what the platform on the top of the Great Pyramid was for. What the patriarchs don’t want you to know is that it was a priestess who did the observing. Whether is was the actual Queen or a priestess that represented her, it is hard to tell. I think that on really important occasions it was the Queen herself and maybe on lesser important events it was a priestess representing her. Another title the Queen had been was ‘Mother of the Breasts’. The breasts were the Great Pyramid and the Second Pyramid. The Pyramids were the breasts of Isis. The Pyramids were seen to cause the flooding of the Nile and it brought them nourishment. Sheba or Seba in Egyptian had four different meanings: star, oath,seven and door. Every seven days the BathSheba or a priestess would open the door to the Great Pyramid then goto the top. This ceremony was called the Shabbath or Sabbath. Why is a Queen or priestess on top of the Great Pyramid leading the ceremony? Because the sacred feminine is the capstone to the Universal Temple. Even though King David and King Solomon are heroes to the patriarchs, they did these ceremonies. They also built temples to several gods. A priestess or Queen of the Stars on top of the Pyramid is why people put a star on top of a Christmas tree. The tree is the Great Pyramid. It used to have a lighted walkway that spiraled all the way to the top. Just like Christmas tree lights. The star the wise men were following at Jesus’ birth was Mary. She was Egyptian, so she was a Queen of the Stars or a Queen of Sheba.

In Patriarch Pharaohs I showed you the famous Queen of Sheba was the daughter of King David. Her real name was Maakhah Tamar. King David raped this daughter and got her pregnant, so he married her. Her mother must have been too old to have anymore children or maybe something happened to where she couldn’t have anymore kids. The texts only say she became a widow. This is usually what happens when the Queen gets to old to have kids and the Pharaoh takes on another wife of the bloodline, usually one of his daughters. Maakhah Tamar went from Bathsheba(daughter) to Queen of Sheba, just like the legends and texts say. She had a boy and they named him Sheshoq or Solomon. Fourteen years later King David was on his death-bed. They brought a prostitute in named Abishag to try to screw him out of his death, literally. Abishag means ‘to ravish my father’. This is where the term ‘to shag someone’ comes from. They brought another daughter or maybe a son in to do this. Maybe it was Maakhah Tamar herself, the texts are vague. When it was obvious that sex wasn’t going to work, Maakhah Tamar brings Solomon in to King David and pleads for him to make Solomon Pharaoh of Egypt. David agrees and calls for the priests. The priests and family make him King Solomon at age 14. They bring Naamah in from Upper Egypt to be his bloodline Queen. At this time Maakhah Tamar goes back to Upper Egypt to rule at the age of 32 or 33.

This is where the legends of the Queen of Sheba begin. It is said that she was the Queen of the South and she was a dark or dusky maiden. Upper Egypt is south of Lower Egypt. She was coming from Thebes and going to Tanis. So she was the Queen of the South. Being dark or dusky is the same as calling Mary the black Madonna. It is code for the black or dark lands of Egypt. It had to do with the Nile flooding and making the land black or dark(fertile soil) after it receded. Saying that she came from Ethiopia is because of the Kebra Negast. When this book was found the patriarch George had to bring it in line with the Bible. Couldn’t let this book give away all the lies of the last 1300 years. So he made everything that had to do with Upper Egypt into Ethiopia. Ethiopia was a province of Egypt, so he was being loose with the truth. In this manner she was the Queen of Ethiopia.

By now you understand that Maakhah Tamar is the Queen of Sheba. In the legends she wanted to meet this wise king and bring him gifts. It had been seven years since she had seen her son. He was given the crown at 14 and she went back to Thebes. She had heard how well he was doing and wanted to go see for herself. I have a little trouble excepting this because in the Egyptian texts it says that all the gold, silver and spices she was bringing was to pay tribute, so he wouldn’t attack Upper Egypt. I don’t doubt she wanted to see her son, but she wasn’t bringing all the treasures just because he was wise. He wanted to rule all of Egypt and she was in charge of the south. She brought all the treasures to calm him down and seal the deal by marrying him and having sexual relations with him. And people wonder where incest came from. She had a son from this encounter and named him Menelek. Once he was old enough he wanted to go see his father. While he was there he decides to steal the Ark of the Covenant. I showed in the Ark of the Covenant post what the Ark actually was. All Pharaohs had one and Menelek had a right to be the next Pharaoh. Problem was that Solomon had sons all over the place. Menelek stole it and took it back to Upper Egypt to show everyone he was the rightful heir to the throne.

Mainstream archeologist will say that the Queen of Sheba came from Saba in modern Yemen. They have it wrong. It is the other way around. The story of Jeremiah in the bible is how the people got to Saba. Nebuchadnezzar invaded Israel and Judaea in 597 BCE. A group of people left Judea and headed toward modern Yemen to a town they called Marib. Marib means wisdom of Maakhah. It was not named Saba till much later. Jeremiah was blaming this group of people for the fall of Jerusalem. They worshipped the Queen of Heaven, Maakhah Tamar or Isis. All are the same. When they got to Yemen they built the Marib damn, so they could grow their spices and became very rich. Spices in these ancients texts usually refers to hemp or marijuana. They got rich off of the left-handed cigarette. This group of people had the Tanakh with them. The Tanakh was an ancient book that Joseph Flavius couldn’t get his hands on because it had left Jerusalem with these Sheba worshippers. About 630 CE the Marib damn breaks and this group of goddess worshippers head back to Jerusalem. They are met by Mohammed and his thugs. He kills all of them and takes the Tanakh. He uses it to write the Koran. Mohammed, real name Lothar Schmalfus, was a pope reject. All he wanted was revenge on Christianity. He took the Tanakh and filled it with hate to get people to fight for him. This is why there is historical truth in the Koran. Other than that it is a book of hate to get people to fight a war. Make no mistake, I am not taking up for Christianity. As far as I am concerned, this planet would be better off if all religions were thrown off of it.

The rulers of this world make sure the masses stay in ignorance, superstition and fear. All this history was hidden and lost. Very few people know the true history of this world. That is why I started this blog. If people can be shown the truth, ignorance goes away and hopefully superstitions will follow. Getting rid of fear is up to you. Realize the power that you have as an individual. I have found that knowledge is power. Ignorance is the darkness of chaos and knowledge is the light of the Cosmos.

A Tour Of The Charleston Capitol Market – A Gorgeous Farmers Market Like No Other! – Good Witches Homestead

The beauty, activity and sheer size of the Charleston Capitol Market are simply stunning. Take a tour of this West Virginia showplace.

Source: A Tour Of The Charleston Capitol Market – A Gorgeous Farmers Market Like No Other! – Good Witches Homestead

FDA | Toxins – TheBreakAway

Photo post by @ZyMarquiez.

Source: FDA | Toxins – TheBreakAway

Nestle Paying Next to Nothing to Extract Water from San Bernardino National Forest – TheBreakAway

Source: RT
April 22, 2017

Mike Papantonio is joined by Farron Cousins, Executive Editor of the Trial Lawyer Magazine, to discuss Nestle’s water extraction efforts in the San Bernardino National Forest.

Source: Nestle Paying Next to Nothing to Extract Water from San Bernardino National Forest – TheBreakAway

Seven Herbs and Supplements for Type 2 Diabetes – Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Source: Seven Herbs and Supplements for Type 2 Diabetes – Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Diabetes is a widespread disorder affecting the blood sugar and insulin levels in the body. Managing the long-term consequences and complications of diabetes are as much of a challenge as the disease itself.

There are two main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is where the pancreas produces no insulin. Type 2 diabetes is more common. With type 2, the body either does not produce enough insulin or produces insulin that the body does not use properly.

There are many treatment options for people with type 2 diabetes. Growing research suggests that some herbs and supplements may help with the condition.

Useful herbs may be great to combine with more traditional methods to find relief from many type 2 diabetes symptoms.

Seven herbs and supplements

Here are seven herbs and supplements that may be of benefit to people with type 2 diabetes.

Aloe vera

Studies suggest an antidiabetic potential for aloe that may lower blood sugar levels.

Aloe vera is a common plant with many different uses. Most people are aware of the plant being used to coat the skin and protect it from damage caused by too much sun exposure.

However, the plant has many lesser-known benefits as well. These range from helping digestive issues to possibly even relieving type 2 diabetes symptoms.

One review analyzed many studies using aloe vera to treat symptoms of diabetes. Their results strongly suggested an antidiabetic potential for aloe. Subjects given aloe showed lower blood sugar levels and higher insulin levels.

Further tests showed that aloe helps to increase how much insulin is produced by the pancreas. This could mean that aloe helps to restore bodies with type 2 diabetes or protect them from further damage. The researchers called for more studies to be done on aloe and its extracts to be certain of these effects.

There are many ways to take aloe. The juice pulp is sold in many markets and added to drinks, and extracts are put into capsules to be taken as supplements.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a fragrant herb created from the bark of a tree and is commonly found in kitchens. It has a sweet and spicy fragrance and taste that can add sweetness without any additional sugar. It is popular with people with type 2 diabetes for this reason alone, but there is much more to cinnamon than just flavor.

A review found that subjects with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes who were given cinnamon showed positive results in many different areas such as:

blood sugar levels
insulin levels
insulin sensitivity
blood fat levels
antioxidant levels
blood pressure
body mass
time to process food

These are important markers for people with diabetes. From this research, it may be said that cinnamon is important for everyone with type 2 diabetes to take.

The researchers did note that the type of cinnamon and the amount taken does have an effect on the results, however. Only the highest quality cinnamon or cinnamon extracts in capsule form should be used as a complementary treatment method.

An experienced health care practitioner should always be consulted before starting to use cinnamon heavily as a supplement.

Bitter melon

Bitter melon is a traditional Chinese and Indian medicinal fruit. Research suggests that the seeds may help to reduce blood sugar levels.

Momordica charantia, also known as bitter melon, is a medicinal fruit. It has been used for centuries in the traditional medicine of China and India. The bitter fruit itself is cooked into many dishes, and the plant’s medicinal properties are still being discovered.

One discovery being backed by science is that bitter melon may help with symptoms of diabetes. One review noted that many parts of the plant have been used to help treat diabetes patients.

Bitter melon seeds were given to both people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes to reduce their blood sugar levels. Blended vegetable pulp mixed with water also lowered blood sugar levels in 86 percent of the type 2 diabetes patients tested. The fruit juice of the bitter melon also helped to improved blood sugar tolerance in many cases.

Eating or drinking the bitter melon can be an acquired taste. Luckily, similar effects were noted with extracts of the fruit taken as supplements as well.

There is not enough evidence to suggest that bitter melon could be used instead of insulin or medication for diabetes. However, it may help patients to rely less on those medications or lower their dosages.

Milk thistle

Milk thistle is a herb that has been used since ancient times for many different ailments and is considered a tonic for the liver. The most studied extract from milk thistle is called silymarin, which is a compound that has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It is these properties that may make milk thistle a great herb for people with diabetes.

A review notes that many of the studies on silymarin are promising, but the research is not strong enough to begin recommending the herb or extract alone for diabetes care.

Many people may still find that it is an important part of a care routine, especially since the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties can help protect against further damage caused by diabetes. Milk thistle is most often taken as a supplement.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is another seed with the potential to lower blood sugar levels. The seeds contain fibers and chemicals that help to slow down the digestion of carbohydrates like sugar. The seeds may also help delay or prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

A recent study found that people with prediabetes were less likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes while taking powdered fenugreek seed. This was caused by the seed increasing the levels of insulin in the body, which also reduced the sugar in the blood.

Researchers found that the seed helped to lower cholesterol levels in patients as well.

Fenugreek can be cooked into certain dishes, added to warm water, or ground into a powder. It can also be added to a capsule to be swallowed as a supplement.

Gymnema

Gymnema is a relatively new herb on the Western market. In the plant’s native home of India, its name means “sugar destroyer.” A recent review noted that both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients given Gymnema have shown signs of improvement.

In people with type 1 diabetes who were given the leaf extract over a period of 18 months, fasting blood sugar levels were lowered significantly when compared to a group that received only insulin.

Other tests using Gymnema found that people with type 2 diabetes responded well to taking both the leaf and its extract over various periods of time. Using Gymnema lowered blood sugar levels and increased insulin levels in the body of some patients.

Using either the ground leaf or leaf extract may be beneficial for many people with diabetes.

Ginger

Ginger has been used for many years to treat digestive and inflammatory issues. Recent research suggests that it may reduce insulin resistance.

Ginger is another herb that science is just discovering more about. It has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine systems.

Ginger is often used to help treat digestive and inflammatory issues. However, a recent review posted to shows that it may be helpful in treating diabetes symptoms as well.

In their review, researchers found that supplementing with ginger lowered blood sugar levels, but did not lower blood insulin levels. Because of this, they suggest that ginger may reduce insulin resistance in the body for type 2 diabetes.

It is important to note that the researchers were uncertain as to how ginger does this. More research is being called for to make the claims more certain.

Ginger is often added to food raw or as a powdered herb, brewed into tea, or added to capsules as an oral supplement.

Important considerations for people with diabetes

It is always best to work with a healthcare professional before taking any new herb or supplement. Doctors usually have patients start out on a lower dose and gradually increase it until a comfortable dose is found.

Some herbs can interact with other medications that do the same job, such as blood thinners and high blood pressure medications. It is very important to be aware of any interactions before starting a new supplement.

It is also important for people to get herbs from a high-quality source. Herbs are not monitored by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Products may contain different herbs and fillers, recommend an incorrect dose, or even be contaminated with pesticides.

Herbs and supplements should be seen as a complementary treatment option, and should not replace medications.

Working closely with a knowledgeable healthcare professional, herbs can be a great addition to many care programs for diabetes.

More Fake News in Nevada about Wild Horses | Straight from the Horse’s Heart

Source: More Fake News in Nevada about Wild Horses | Straight from the Horse’s Heart

Wild horse & burro advocate Bonnie Kohleriter gives her opinion below about an article in Range Magazine written by Rachel Dahl, a sixth generation Nevadan. Dahl worked as a campaign manager for the former Sen. John Ensign and served on his Senate staff by managing his Carson City office. (Sen. John Ensign later resigned after an ethics investigation.)

The Queen of Fake News in Nevada

by Bonnie Kohleriter

Rachel Dahl is a writer for the Range magazine in Nevada, a pro cattle magazine, and is a resident in Mesquite, Nevada.

Grabbing a twisted tidbit from here and a twisted bit from there, Rachel Dahl attempts to impress her readers as a journalist. Having read her winter rant in the Range magazine, I feel compelled to retort with the following comments.

As Ms. Dahl reported, in the fall of 2016, at the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board Meeting, the Board did not vote to remove excess horses nor did it vote to sell the animals with no limitations or to euthanize the sick and the aged. The Board, on the other hand, voted to euthanize 47,000 wild horses and burros in holdings off the range.

The horses, according to Ms. Dahl, are to blame for the ruinous condition of our public lands. All hope is rested in removing them. Or is all hope rested in removing cattle from the 27 M acres where the horses only are able to be and allowing cattle to be on the other 155 M acres of our public lands where they are currently. It is understood cattle grazing on our public lands is a privilege and not a right as some ranchers want the public to believe. Then, in addition, perhaps all hope is rested in the ranchers not being allowed to divert and cut off water from the horses. Oh, horrors, Ms. Dahl, that there should be another way to look at managing our resources.

Again as Ms. Dahl reported, in the fall of 1916, the Board spent the day viewing where horses forage and viewing dead horses. The Board spent the day viewing no dead horses and viewing where horses drink. Dead horses were dramatically reported by Goicoechea who is a known horse hater and multi-generational cattle rancher. The devastated land, according to the permittee, was done when overgrazing was done by animals other than horses and burros and not by the horses themselves.

According to Ms. Dahl, Ben Masters, a member of the Board, said the viewing that day was “one of the worst disasters he had ever seen.” Ben is a young man who made a “movie” using Mustangs who were abused in the movie. It is an absurdity that Ms. Dahl should use him as a source to substantiate her argument that horses have devastated our public lands. Masters is no expert on our public lands. He is also new to the wild horse and burro issues on our public lands.

Then Ms. Dahl brought up the name of Boyd Spratling to substantiate her argument as well. Boyd Spratling had been on the National Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board and is from Elko, where the Board was currently conferring. Boyd is primarily a cattle veterinarian, represents cattlemen on the State Agricultural Board, promotes harvesting our wild horses, and presents falsified pictures to tug at the heartstrings to convince the public of those poor, poor horses on the range. But he can’t tell you where he gets his pictures and the dates they were taken. Boyd Spratling is a traitor to wild horses and burros. He does not have their best interests in mind.

Ms. Dahl sounds the alarm wild horses and burros are dying everywhere on the range and in private sanctuaries in Nevada and even in WOW! South Dakota. Wild animals die in times of environmental disaster just as humans are dying due drought and famine in Kenya, South Sudan, and Niger. Is the answer to kill them?

Ms. Dahl has pulled out all stops to degrade horses using Mrs. Pickens and Mrs. Sussman, who have taken care of wild horses, but have nothing to do with our herd management areas for wild horse and burros on our public lands. Can she find any other areas in which to attack horses or the people who have and/or care for horses. Her article is like “Let’s talk about dinner foods, now think about Cheerios.”

“Every ranch kid learns you are responsible for taking care of an animal when you take custody of them,” says Ms. Dahl. So Ms. Dahl, you are a part of the public who by law, has custody of our wild horses and burros? Are you simply going to kill them for meat because some ranchers and politicians have manipulated their allowable numbers on the range to be less than genetically viable numbers for perpetuity? Or are you going to try to come up with solutions for them to keep them on the range as healthy horses, celebrating their place on our public lands as part of our cultural, historical heritage?

Censorship

“Censorship is telling a man he can’t have a steak because a baby can’t chew it.” – Mark Twain*

Censorship

Source: Censorship

Horny Goat Weed: Health Benefits, Use – Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Source: Horny Goat Weed: Health Benefits, Use – Crooked Bear Creek Organic Herbs

Horny goat weed is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It is also known by its many botanical names, including Epimedium, and its Chinese name, yin yang huo.

As a form of alternative medicine, the herb has been used to treat conditions from hay fever to atherosclerosis, nerve pain fatigue, osteoporosis, and erectile dysfunction.

Human research data to support the use of horny goat weed is limited at best. However, there is some anecdotal evidence for using the herb to treat certain medical conditions.

Uses and research

Epimedium is a flowering plant that is also known as horny goat weed and is used in traditional Chinese medicine.

There have been studies conducted on cells in laboratories that report evidence of several beneficial properties of horny goat weed. Early research suggests that it may have properties that can keep bones strong, protect the nerves, and support the immune system.

Other cell research has revealed the following possible effects:

anticancer effects
anti-HIV activity
radiosensitizing effects
reversal of multidrug resistance in some tumor cells
postmenopausal bone loss prevention

Atherosclerosis is a condition where the arteries in the neck harden. For people with atherosclerosis, a mixture containing horny goat weed may be beneficial and result in improved symptoms and clinical tests.

People with hay fever may experience symptom relief and a reduction in white blood cells that tend to increase with allergies.

Horny goat weed and erectile dysfunction

One study looked at rats with injured nerves and nerve cells grown in a lab. The researchers reported that icariin, the active component of horny goat weed, might show positive and promising effects in treating erectile dysfunction (ED) caused by nerve injury.

ED is a common problem affecting men, especially those aged 40-70 years old. Nearly 20 million men in the United States are affected by the condition, which can have many causes. At times, men may experience psychological conditions, such as depression or anxiety, that may cause or contribute to ED.

ED has 2 categories:

Primary ED: Men affected by this rare condition have never been able to have or sustain a penile erection. Primary ED is often due to a physical abnormality or a psychological cause.
Secondary ED: This form is typically caused by a physical condition. Causes range from conditions such as diabetes, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and physical injuries. This group of men will likely have had erections in the past.

Certain medications, such as those to treat high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, cancer, and long-term pain, may contribute to the condition. Some of these medications include:

beta-blockers
clonidine
spironolactone
thiazide diuretics
alcohol and drugs such as cocaine
opioids
SSRI and tricyclic antidepressants
anxiolytics
monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
amphetamines
5 alpha-reductase inhibitors
anticholinergics
cimetidine
hormonal therapies

Although there is some evidence that horny goat weed may offer symptom relief in certain medical conditions, additional research is necessary.

Dosing

Before taking any herbs or supplements, it is important to speak to a healthcare professional who can assess an individual’s needs.

As with any medications, herbs, and supplements, it is important for people to speak to their doctor before using horny goat weed. A doctor can work out its safety and dosage based on an individual’s needs and medical history.

For the treatment of atherosclerosis and ED, the University of Michigan recommends taking 5 grams 3 times per day. For the treatment of hay fever, it is recommended to simmer 500 milligrams in 250 milliliters of water for 10-15 minutes and consume 3 times daily.

People should check with their doctor to see if seeping in water is required when treating themselves with horny goat weed. Typically, the herb is mixed in a tonic to decrease the risk of side effects.

Alternative medicine should not take the place of traditional medicine or be used in the place of recommendations from a doctor.

High doses of horny goat weed have been associated with breathing difficulty, vomiting, and nausea.

Side effects and interactions

As with any medication or herbal supplement, some people may experience side effects or adverse reactions when using horny goat weed. Possible side effects may include:

mood changes such as irritability and aggression
racing heart
increased energy
sweating
feelings of being hot
decreased thyroid function
nausea

It is important for people to speak to a doctor about these or any other side effects that occur with the use of horny goat weed.

Interactions

Horny goat weed may interact with certain medications that include:

cortisone
prednisone
prednisolone
methylprednisolone
dexamethasone
cytochrome P450 substrates
aromatase Inhibitors, such as anastrozole, exemestane, and letrozole

People should not take horny goat weed if they:

have hormone-sensitive cancer, as the herb has been shown to promote estrogen production
have heart disease as it can potentially lead to a rapid irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, and excitability
have a known sensitivity to Epimedium
are taking aromatase inhibitors such as anastrozole, exemestane, and letrozole
have been recommended not to do so by a doctor

Anyone who is considering using horny goat weed should discuss it with their doctor first. Health experts can determine if horny goat weed is right for someone and what the appropriate dosing would be.

There have not been enough studies to recommend the use of this herb and to ensure its safety.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other government agencies do not monitor the quality, purity, or safety of herbs and extra caution is recommended.

More studies are needed to guarantee safety and identify potential side effects. If anyone does purchase herbs, they should be sure to buy from a known and reputable source.