healthbriefs


Natural Allergy Relief for Early Summer


by Angela Holmes


or allergy sufferers, the great state of Texas brings enormous challenges. Due to a variety of wet and dry climates plus roving wind patterns, allergens flow abun- dantly. In 24 hours, a person can inhale 7,200 allergen grains in spring or summer. Whether it’s dust, pollen from plants or even the spores of fungi, there’s simply a lot of allergen matter in the air Texans breathe.


F Cascading allergy symptoms can range from sneezing,


itchy and watery eyes, blocked sinus passages, headaches, fatigue and even systemic inflammation. Here are some simple yet effective natural allergy relief options to aid those that suffer.


Air Purification: Consider a home air purifier with a HEPA filter. Nostril filters from WoodyKnows can help with out- door exposure.


Herbal Tinctures: Taken orally, concentrated herbal tinc- tures provide immediate short and long-term relief. Locally owned GreenStar Herbs makes a blend called AllergEase, while Colorado-based WishGarden makes many tinctures based on symptoms and region.


Safety Caution: GreenStar Herbs owner Trina Sims recom- mends seeking consultation. “More and more people are using herbs [today]. Folks need to be working with someone that really knows what they are doing,” says Sims.


Proactive Supplementation: Adding bioflavonoids and antioxidants to one’s regimen can defend against the inflam- mation cascade of airborne allergies. Quercetin with brome- lain capsules, lemon or apple-cider vinegar water and even increased vitamin C can all help.


Practical Daily Care: “Be aware of exposure,” Sims cau- tions. Learn what causes a reaction and avoid it. Next, make the house allergen-free. Keep windows closed and wear freshly laundered clothes when indoors. Rinse face and hands regularly with cold water and take a shower before bed. Also, brushing out one’s hair (and one’s pet) helps re- moves a great deal of allergens close to the nose.


Source: GreenStar Herbs, 512-301-5069. Office@GreenStar Herbs.com. GreenStarHerbs.com.


8 Austin Edition AustinAwakenings.com


Vitamin D Helps Babies Grow Strong Bones and Muscle R


esearchers from McGill University, in Montreal, Canada, have discovered a connection between vitamin D supplemen- tation during infancy and a healthier ratio of muscle and fat in tod- dlers. “We were very intrigued by the higher lean mass and the possibility that vitamin D can help infants to grow both healthy skeletons and amounts of muscle, yet less fat,” says Hope Weiler, one of the study’s authors and director of the Mary Emily Clini- cal Nutrition Research Unit at the university. The original 2013 study, which followed 132 infants


given one of four different dosages of vitamin D daily during their first years, confirmed the connection with strong bones. The 2016 study used the same data to explore the impact of vitamin D supplementation on the toddlers’ body fat levels. The researchers found that children given more than 400 international units per day during the first year of life had an average of 450 less grams of body fat at age 3. They also found a correlation between the supplementation and lean muscle mass in the youngsters during their first three years.


Healthy Eating Can Improve Bone Density in Women T


he importance of calcium for bone health in women is widely known. Now a new study suggests that a diet of foods considered low- inflammatory, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, may help reduce bone loss and fracture risk. Researchers from Ohio State University calculated the dietary inflammatory index (DII) of 160,191 participants using data from the Women’s Health Initiative clinical trials’ baseline food frequency questionnaires. Comparative DII data were then recorded three and six


years later among 10,290 study participants to determine any changes in their individual scores. Results were also com- pared with the number of hip fractures reported annually for the subjects, along with bone mineral density levels from the subgroup. Women with lower DII scores had less bone loss in their hips after six years.


Crevis/Shutterstock.com


Vitalinka/Shutterstock.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32