By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

I’d like to call your attention to a miracle medicine that is probably sitting in the back of your medicine cabinet, long forgotten, gathering dust.

This safe and well-tested medication has been around for literally thousands of years. This simple medication can be considered as one of the greatest contributions to the health of mankind. I am talking about aspirin.

Aspirin, or acetylsalicylic acid, is still one of the most widely used drugs worldwide. Aspirin began as a derivative of willow bark, and was used as both a painkiller and fever reducer by the Egyptians, Sumerians, and other ancient civilizations.

Aspirin has since been used as an anti-inflammatory painkiller, headache reducer, and blood thinning medication. Aspirin also works well on muscle aches, arthritis, toothaches and menstrual cramps.

There is now growing evidence of aspirin’s wide-ranging benefits including fighting cancer, reversing dementia, improving mood, increasing blood flow, and improving metabolic health—to name just a few.

Aspirin is truly a lifesaving, proven, wonder drug with very few side effects.

Let’s dive into some of the amazing, but little-known benefits of this well-known medication.

Heart and Circulatory Support

Aspirin has a longstanding reputation for preventing heart disease. It does this by helping to prevent the blood platelets from clumping to form clots. Clots contribute to the incidence of heart attacks and strokes by blocking blood flow.

Aspirin can also stop a heart attack or stroke as it’s happening by helping to thin the blood and break up a blood clot.

Aspirin is also known as an anti-inflammatory, so its ability to lower inflammation can also be heart protective.

Brain and Nerves

Aspirin’s effects on the brain and nervous system are strikingly potent. Aspirin can be considered a powerful nootropic. Aspirin is especially effective at lowering inflammation in the brain. Inflammation in the brain can cause depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and other mental disorders.

Aspirin not only helps enhance moods and emotional stability, but it reduces stress, generates a feeling of calm, aids in better sleep, and banishes depression—while regulating serotonin and other vital brain chemicals.

And you may find this information truly amazing–Aspirin helps regrow neurons in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the area of the brain responsible for mood, emotion, and judgement. This neurogenesis shows great promise at preventing and even reversing some forms of dementia, encouraging stroke recovery, and enhancing memory and cognition.

Neurogenesis is one of the key factors in longevity and slowing the aging process in the brain.

Aspirin stimulates the release of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, or BDNF. BDNF plays an important role in many physiological and pathological functions of the brain and nervous system. BDNF plays a crucial role in brain circuits and their ability to communicate. Proper functioning of the central nervous system depends on BDNF.

Aspirin’s anti-inflammatory actions also protect the brain, reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, MS, and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Because aspirin has the ability to break up blood clots, aspirin prevents further injury from strokes, aids in stroke recovery, and alleviates post-stroke depression.

Aspirin has long been known as a help for headaches, but it has also shown to be very effective especially in relieving migraines, especially in combination with caffeine. Aspirin can also help with nerve pain anywhere in the body, caused by simple aches and pains, diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy or other health conditions.

Along with aspirin, these foods are shown to help heal the brain, and reduce the risk if mental diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, MS

Cancer Fighting

One of the more amazing unsung health benefits of aspirin is its ability to consistently reduce the incidence and mortality of various types of cancers. This is likely due in part to its gentle anti-inflammatory properties.

Long-term, low-dose aspirin has been linked to a reduced risk of colorectal cancer by inhibiting certain inflammatory compounds, according to the National Cancer Institute. Aspirin also reduces overall mortality of liver, pancreatic, prostate, lung, colorectal, breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers, according to the Journal of Public Health.

Aspirin, when utilized as an adjuvant treatment, along with other more conventional treatments, reduces metastatic spread and increases survival rates of many cancer patients.

Paired with aspirin, these cancer fighting foods will detoxify your body, strengthen your immune system, repair cells DNA, and kill cancer cells to stop the spreading.

Immune Strengthening

Because aspirin has anti-inflammatory, and immune-balancing benefits, it strengthens immune function. This helps prevent overactive immune responses that cause chronic inflammation, and autoimmune diseases.

Inflammation is also a factor when the body is fighting off viruses, which is part of the immune response. However, an overly reactive immune system can cause more serious illness. Aspirin may help modulate the immune reaction so that it boosts its ability to fight viruses and other pathogens.

Studies suggest aspirin can affect the function of immune cells like macrophages, T cells, and dendritic cells, which are essential for recognizing and fighting infections.

Aspirin is also effective against the growth of some bacteria, like H.pylori which causes ulcers in the stomach, and candida albicans, which can infect the gut, causing a variety of symptoms.

Metabolic Health

Poor metabolic health has been discovered as one of the primary causes of inflammation, especially connected to chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and dementia. Having healthy glucose regulation, along with insulin sensitivity is a goal for almost all people.

Aspirin helps to enhance the body’s ability to stabilize blood sugar by enhancing insulin sensitivity. One study with aspirin reported a 25% decrease in fasting glucose, along with a reduction in total cholesterol and C-reactive protein—all risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, and prediabetes.

This same study showed an amazing 50% reduction in triglyceride levels following a high-dose aspirin treatment. Triglyceride levels, a key indicator for heart disease, and other chronic diseases, are a reflection of blood glucose levels.

When too many carbohydrates and sugar are ingested, the body quickly turns that into glucose. The excess glucose is converted to triglycerides by the liver. Aspirin helps to slow that process, keeping blood sugar and triglycerides low.

Longevity

Aspirin should be everyone’s favorite anti-aging medication. As we age, our immune systems become dysregulated, which makes us more likely to have chronic inflammation. Decreasing hormone levels also contribute to increasing inflammation. This often helps to pave the way for diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart disease.

Chronic low-grade inflammation or ‘inflammaging,’ is very common with older people. By lowering overall inflammation, the risk of all-cause mortality is significantly decreased. Studies show that anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin slow aging.

Aspirin is also responsible for inducing autophagy, the process that removes damaged cells and their components, improving cellular function and metabolic health. This cellular housecleaning helps stimulate energy production, while preventing structural and functional breakdown of mitochondria in the cells.

Everyone has a reason to live a long and healthy life. Making these small changes can help you not only live as long as possible, but living the longest, healthiest life possible—free of chronic diseases.

Reproductive Health

For women, low-dose aspirin is used to improve blood flow to the uterus which is helpful especially for women undergoing fertility treatments. Aspirin also shows promise in reducing the risk of preeclampsia and loss of pregnancy. And aspirin has been used for a long time to reduce the discomfort of PMS.

For men, aspirin is an aromatase inhibitor, which helps to lower estrogen levels by preventing the unwanted conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Because aspirin helps to thin the blood and encourage better circulation, it is also thought to improve blood flow to the penis to put an end to erectile dysfunction.

Other Health Benefits of Aspirin

• Aspirin helps to prevent oxidative damage and inflammation in blood vessels from polyunsaturated, vegetable seed oils.
• Aspirin helps reduce symptoms of psoriasis, and aids in healing skin wounds, and gum disease.
• Aspirin helps to manage asthma symptoms and prevent Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).
• Aspirin can help prevent microvascular inflammation in the kidneys which protects the kidneys from damage in people with diabetes.
• Aspirin reduces the inflammation associated with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).
• Aspirin can slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration by improving blood flow and reducing inflammation.

Aspirin is an amazing medication with widespread applications across most body systems. Aspirin may be one of the best longevity medications that reduces inflammation, prevents heart disease, lowers cancer risk, and protects the brain’s cognitive function.

Aspirin has few side effects, however, aspirin does pose a slight risk for bleeding in the gut, although some studies show only 8 out of 1000 had this reaction, while the placebo was 5 out of 1000.

Anyone interested in using aspirin long term should consult with their healthcare provider to determine if aspirin is right for them, based on their individual health.

Aspirin and healthy lifestyle changes can help reduce your chances of a heart attack, but If you want to avoid a devastating heart attack, also don’t miss this simple test…

Heart Attack Test: Touch Your Feet Like THIS (for 7 seconds)

Can you really predict a heart attack? 

According to America’s #1 heart nutrition expert, Dr. Sam Walters… this 7-second “feet test” can reveal if your heart is dying.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Just sit on a chair.

2. Touch your right foot.

If THIS happens… then your heart is desperately starving for oxygen (but most people only realize when it’s too late).

References

https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/13/5/789
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30391545/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10376986/
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/research/aspirin-cancer-risk?utm_source=chatgpt.com
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4838306/
http://content-assets.jci.org/manuscripts/14000/14955/JCI0214955.pdf
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10341252/
https://synapse.patsnap.com/article/the-benefits-of-pure-aspirin-powder?
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-022-01251-0#:~:text=Furthermore%2C%20thorough%20research%20on%20the%20pathogenesis%20of,in%20turn%20promote%20healthy%20aging%20and%20longevity
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4116353/
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/14/11/e084105
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-9879/3/1/11
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3751197/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661824002676
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7327519/

The post Aspirin – The Forgotten Miracle Longevity Medicine appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling 
Co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Garlic—it’s been around forever,  and quite frankly, kind of taken for granted. We know it’s good for us, but it has a bad reputation for giving everyone stinky breath, so many avoid it. Whether you love garlic or avoid it like the plague, it is the heart of many cuisines all over the world, and many dishes would actually taste quite strange without it. But, besides its unique taste, garlic has amazing medicinal qualities that support your health—and your lovelife!

Garlic’s pungent odor and sharp taste comes from the sulfur-containing compounds, primarily a substance called allicin. Allicin is known for its antibacterial, antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties and is a  powerful component of garlic! Allicin has to be ‘activated’ in garlic in order to have the strongest effect. In fact, allicin is produced only when the garlic clove is crushed or chopped—a long-standing defense mechanism of the plant. Once you crush or mince the garlic, it has to sit for a minute, as the enzymes activate the powerful phytochemicals in the garlic and produce the allicin.

Let’s take a look at some of the amazing ways that garlic can improve your health:

1. Garlic is a Natural Antibiotic

Antibiotic resistance is becoming a serious worldwide concern, as the overuse of antibiotics in large scale meat production has created a whole new group of antibiotic-resistant super bacteria. This makes even minor bacterial infections in humans a serious health issue, if there are no medical antibiotics that can kill the bacteria. Garlic has been shown in scientific studies to kill a variety of common and dangerous bacteria including: campylobacter jejuni (responsible for food poisoning, pseudomonas aeruginoasa (pneumonia, and urinary infections), E.coli (food poisoning) staphylococcus aureus, klebsiella pneumonia (pneumonia, meningitis), shigella sonnei (diarrhea, dysentery), salmonella typhi (typhoid fever), as well as helicobacter pylori responsible for stomach ulcers and cancer.

One scientist wrote, “Crude garlic extract…was superior to that of all conventional antibiotics used, except streptomycin… garlic may also possess immune-stimulatory effects in addition to its antibacterial effect.”

Vancomycin is currently one of the powerful last-resort antibiotic medications that has dozens of serious side effects. However, even vancomycin now cannot kill some resistant strains of enterococcal bacteria (VRE). Garlic has been shown to have inhibitory effects on this superbug as well as anthrax, a killer bacterium.

While there are still some remaining conventional antibiotics that work on superbugs, they kill all beneficial bacteria as well as the harmful bacteria. As we now know, beneficial bacteria are extremely important to our physical, emotional and mental health, and killing them with powerful antibiotics actually weakens our immune systems. Fortunately, garlic knows the difference between good bacteria and bad bacteria, and–better yet, garlic contains prebiotic oligosaccharides, which are non-digestible carbohydrates that feed our healthy bacteria.

2. Kills Candida Safely

Candida albicans is a fungus that can live in the digestive tract. Usually our beneficial bacteria can keep it under control, but candida is an opportunistic fungal infection that thrives off of glucose and starchy foods. If our diet is off, or our immune system compromised by allergies or other illnesses, it can grow out of control. For many women, this can be a problem, as candida can become an uncomfortable vaginal infection as well. For many people, candida can be chronic and cause brain fog, allergies, digestive issues, bloating, weight gain and more. Prescription anti-fungals are available, but they are harsh to our systems and hard on the liver. Garlic can’t be beat! Research shows Allicin is as good as, or more effective than common pharmaceuticals to suppress growth and kill off excess candida.

3. Stabilizes Blood Sugar

Obesity and diabetes have become an overwhelming epidemic worldwide. Refined sugars in most all of our food supply, coupled with sugary soft drinks and fruit drinks have created havoc in our bodies with chronically high blood sugar, weight gain, heart disease, infections, kidney and eye disease and more. Raw garlic has actually been shown to modulate blood sugar, reduce the damage it has on our bodies, and reverse the inflammation and oxidative stress. Garlic improves insulin sensitivity so that blood sugar stays in check better.

4. Prevents Heart Disease and Blood Clots

Many physicians still prescribe dangerous statins to reduce cholesterol, unfortunately, statins have had some pretty awful side effects like increasing your chances of getting type 2 diabetes, liver damage, cancer, neurodegeneration, and weakening your muscles (including your heart). If you can take a natural approach to lowering your LDL cholesterol, you should be way better off. LDL numbers can improve with a combination of lower carb/low sugar diet, exercise and garlic. Garlic can regulate cholesterol, lower blood pressure, lower inflammation levels, and prevent arterial plaque buildup, and help prevent heart disease.

One of the biggest contributing factors to heart disease is blood clots. Blood clots move along arteries until there is a narrow spot, and then get stuck, blocking off blood flow and oxygen—this creates either a heart attack, or stroke.  Certain people, based on a variety of factors, including diet, are more likely to have blood clots, but garlic helps to thin the blood in a healthy way. Aspirin has been recommended by the medical establishment as a preventative measure against blood clots, but has recently been rescinded by the Food and Drug Administration. When it comes to anticoagulants, allicin from garlic tops the list.

Another risk factor in heart attacks and strokes is high blood pressure. Often the drugs used to control blood pressure have many adverse side effects, including impotency, making them undesirable. In the Journal of Pharmaceutical Science, study results showed garlic to work better than atenolol, a popular beta-blocker hypertension medication.

5. Prevents Lung Cancer

Garlic breath may be tough to tolerate, but that is one of the ways it supports your lung tissue. The powerful compounds in garlic are very valuable for lung health. This study showed that eating raw garlic twice a week or more, reduces the risk of lung cancer by a whopping 44% ! Allicin also helps ease congestion and irritation in the lungs and helps fight pneumonia.

6. Supports Healthy Pancreas and Insulin Production

Our pancreas helps to produce insulin, which in turn lowers blood sugar. However, in light of the sugar and carb-heavy diets that most people eat today, the pancreas is working overtime to produce insulin in high enough amounts to counteract glucose levels. Over time, the pancrease can become exhausted and quit functioning properly or producing insulin. This is diabetes. Allicin from garlic actually helps to repair the pancreas and allow it to better produce necessary insulin. It works for type 1 as well as type 2 diabetes.

7. Garlic Attracts Women!

While scientists have observed that many animals are more attracted to males who eat a high nutrient, high antioxidant diet—for example blue footed boobys (a bird in the Galapagos) attract mates by the bright blue of their feet—which comes from the antioxidants in their diet. A similar thing may be true in humans, although we don’t look for blue feet, we look for scents and skin colors.

In a series of experiments published in 2016 in Appetite, 42 men snacked on raw garlic or swallowed garlic capsules, then wore cotton pads under their armpits for 12 hours. The pungent samples were later evaluated by 14 women, who collectively rated the body odor of garlic eaters as more pleasant, attractive and masculine compared with that of men who did not ingest any garlic. Because garlic enhances levels of antioxidants in the body and kills harmful bacteria, it could change the way our sweat smells, signaling healthiness to potential mates, the researchers hypothesize. So, while garlic breath on the first date may not score you points, apparently garlic-enhanced body odor will! Garlic is not the only food that might boost a man’s sex appeal. Previous studies have found that carotenoid-induced golden-colored skin is more attractive to potential partners—at least among Caucasians.

Bottom Line

Many, pharmaceuticals are based on naturally-occurring substances—the laboratory tries to imitate nature, but concentrates and isolates active ingredients so that when synthesized into a medicine, they have side effects—in many cases dangerous side effects.

Rather than popping a synthetic version of a natural product, it makes sense to use the natural substance in its whole form. Your body is better able to use the beneficial ingredients, along with all the other natural substances, and use them to actually heal and promote wellness.

Here are a couple other good articles about garlic and the benefits:

Garlic:  the ultimate detoxifier and lots more (by TheAlternativeDaily)

4 reasons to eat MORE garlic (by Danette May)

And here’s an amazing garlic sauce recipe:

Delicious creamy garlic-avocado sauce (can be served with any noodles or meats)

References

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/eating-these-foods-makes-men-more-attractive-to-women/?WT.mc_id=SA_FB_MB_OSNP

https://dailyhealthpost.com/garlic-benefits/?awt_l=GdZ5Kg&awt_m=3XqN1tqww_t9YeN

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