Tag Archives: anti-inflammatory

Honey boosts your health

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HONEY is a unique blend of 200 or so constituents including pollen, enzymes, fragments of beeswax and propolis, the resinous mixture bees collect from the bark and leaf buds of trees.

A popular folk remedy, studies demonstrate it can be anti-inflammatory, cholesterol-lowering, immunity-boosting and digestion-enhancing.

Use honey to tackle these common complaints.

Arthritis

Anti-inflammatories and antioxidants in honey help collagen in the joints.

Honey can lower raised homocysteine levels, thought to cause heart problems and linked to rheumatoid arthritis.

Raw honey is useful as it is an alkali-producing food.

ACTION: Eat raw honey three times a day and massage over painful joints.

Cough

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of honey can soothe throats. In a study at Penn State College, US, 105 children with a cough had buckwheat honey, a honey-flavoured cough drug, or no treatment. Honey did best.

Honey

Honey

ACTION: Take one or two teaspoons of raw honey three times a day.

Fatigue

Consuming honey before, during and after exercise reduces fatigue. Studies suggest it also reduces the stress hormone cortisol during exercise.

In a study at the University of Memphis, 39 athletes ate protein, sugar, maltodextrin or honey.


Only honey maintained optimal blood glucose for two hours which would aid muscle recovery and glycogen restoration.

ACTION: Take one teaspoon three times a day, including the hour just before sleep.

Gastroenteritis

The anti-inflammatories and antimicrobials in honey make it useful for tummy bugs. Its simple sugars make it easier to digest and aid growth of probiotic gut bacteria.

Researchers at the University of Natal, South Africa, treated 36 children with gastroenteritis.

Those given an oral rehydration solution containing honey recovered in 58 hours on average, those given oral rehydration solution containing sugar recovered in 93 hours.

ACTION: If unable to keep food down, drink at least three litres a day of oral rehydration solution made from b teaspoon of salt, b teaspoon bicarbonate of soda and two tablespoons of honey.

New drug to treat rheumatoid arthritis

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A single dose of a new drug could ‘reboot’ the immune system of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, say researchers.

They have developed a protein agent modelled on the body’s own natural defences to combat the inflammation that can destroy joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis affects around 400,000 adults, causing joint pain and swelling, stiffness, fatigue, and disability. At least 1,000 Britons a year have to give up work because of the condition.

Researchers from King’s College London and clinicians from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, are to start the first human trial of BiP – binding immunoglobulin protein – involving up to 50 patients.

The protein is part of the body’s normal anti-inflammatory response, but it is found in insufficient quantities in the joints of people with rheumatoid arthritis to have a therapeutic effect.

Previous work by the team indicates that giving an intravenous dose will quickly boost a patient’s anti-inflammatory response.

A single infusion appears to ‘reset’ their immune system and may give a long lasting effect.

Gabriel Panayi, professor emeritus of rheumatology at King’s College London, and honorary consultant rheumatologist at Guy’s and St Thomas, said: ‘If BiP works as we expect then a single dose should be sufficient to put patients into remission for months.

‘The most important thing is that our patients will have a better quality of life for longer. As a bonus, they should need fewer appointments which will free up valuable healthcare resources.’

Each year approximately 800,000 appointments are needed for existing patients, and about 80,000 for new patients.

arthritis

Arthritis

Dr Valerie Corrigall of King’s College London said: ‘This trial is the culmination of 15 years of work – it’s very exciting to be at this stage.

‘Using patients’ own immune system to help protect against the disease is a new approach to treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.


‘As well as being a very promising therapy, we’ve purposefully designed BiP to be more cost effective than biologic therapies which work well but are extremely expensive.’

Professor Alan Silman, medical director of Arthritis Research UK charity, which is funding the two-year trial, said: ‘We’re very excited that the culmination of several years of support has resulted in a potential new treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

‘This work is an example of where research funded by Arthritis Research UK has been translated into a possible new treatment that could come into clinical care within a reasonable time frame.’

Although rheumatoid arthritis is more common in older people it also affects many people of working age.’