Shark Liver Oil

Shark liver oil is as its name implicates derived from the livers of deep-water sharks. Shark liver oil is used to fight cancer and boosts the immune system. The shark liver oil is a by-product of the fishing industry. Sharks are not hunted for their oil alone. The practice of using shark liver oil as a medicine for wounds and to fight flu spans for centuries already. Japanese seamen called shark liver oil as samedawa or ‘cure all’. In the 1950s, it was discovered that a natural immune-boosting compound called alkylglycerols are found in high concentration in the shark liver oil.

Other less concentrated sources of alkylglycerols are found in the bone marrow, liver, spleen and breast milk of both mature cows and humans. This compound is the focus on medical interest on shark liver oil as a possible accompaniment to cancer treatment and an immune booster. It also contains squalamine which is a substance that fight breast, lung, brain and skin cancer by choking off the tumor’s blood supply. Shark live oil also contains squalene in large amounts which is an anti-oxidant and bacteria-fighter. It also has omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin A.

There are several health benefits one can derive from using shark liver oil. These benefits include:

* It adds to the conventional cancer treatment. In Europe, this is widely practiced. Research shows that alkylglyerols in shark liver oil may boost the immune system and prevent the spread of disease. The shark liver oil also strengthens healthy cells to ease the side effects of cancer chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

* It fights infections, inflammations and heal wounds. Its immune boosting properties help speed up the healing of colds, flu and various skin infections.

* It is also believe to be a remedy for asthma, arthritis, skin inflammations of psoriasis. But these claims remain to be proven.

In order to get the most out of shark liver oil, you should purchase shark liver oil products that contain ‘alkylglycerols’ which is a disease-fighting ingredient. 1000 mg capsule could provide at least 200 mg of alkylglycerols. Other healing compounds found in shark liver oil are squalamine and squalene. Do not take more than the recommended dietary allowance or dosages of shark liver oil. More does not necessarily mean better. See your doctor if you take the product more than 30 days. You may require a blood test and a dosage change because long-term use might alter blood consistency.

To accompany cancer treatments, take 1 to 2 capsules, three times a day with meals.
To fight infections, take 1 to 2 capsules a day for 7 days with meals. Food will increase the absorption of the product’s active ingredients. Pregnant women are cautioned not to use this supplement. Consult a doctor first. There are no known drugs or nutrients interaction linked with shark liver oil. Possible side effects when taking shark liver oil include: mild stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, indigestion. These rarely occur however if oil is taken at recommended doses.

Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice that gives flavor and yellow color to the curry powder and mustard. Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a member of the ginger family and is used for healing for quite some time already. The healing properties can be found in the plant’s fingerlike stalk. The stalk is scalded and dried for herbal medicine. This same part is used to flavor, color and preserve foods.

In India and in other parts of China, turmeric has been used to treat indigestion and several other ailments for centuries. It was mainly used as a spice in other parts of the world until 1970s. It was then that researchers discovered that it contains curcuminoids which are compounds that fight inflammation. It was also found that turmeric is rich in antioxidants. It also shows potentials in reducing cholesterol levels and combating artherosclerosis which builds up fatty deposits in the arteries and can lead to heart attack. Preliminary studies indicate that turmeric could possibly block the progress of multiple sclerosis (MS).

The specific health benefits one can derived from turmeric include:

- It relieves carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis and joint inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory compounds.

- It eases indigestion, excess gas (flatulence), bloating and other mild upset stomach symptoms. This is because the curcumin in tumeric combats bacteria that are responsible for infectious diarrhea.

- It prevents cancer. Being an antidoxidant, turmeric prevents damage to cells in turn preventing some types of cancer such as breast, skin, colon and lymphoma.

Turmeric comes in different formulations of tincture, tablet, powder, ointment, lotion, liquid, dried herb/tea, cream and capsule. Formulations that can be taken internally are capsules, fresh juice, boiled tea made from powder and tinctures. Topical formulations are creams, lotions, pastes and ointments. Look for turmeric that contains 95% curcumin since this is effective in treating specific ailment. In order to get the medicinal dose of 1.2 g/day of curcumin, you need to consume 100 grams of turmeric as culinary spice.

To treat carpal tunnel syndrome, indigestion, excess gas and other inflammatory and GI-related ailments, take 400 to 600 mg capsule three times a day. Or, you can take ½ to 1 teaspoon of liquid extract and mixed it with ½ cup of water three times a day. Continue this treatment until symptoms are gone. If you noticed no improvement after a week of use, then discontinue turmeric. To prevent cancer, use turmeric as a spice daily or sip turmeric tea. As of the moment, there are no solid evidences to support the claim that it can prevent cancer.

Once symptoms of inflammation improve, reduce the daily dose of turmeric into half. And if symptoms are gone, stop using the herb. Turmeric is not well absorbed when taken orally so look for extracts that combine it with bromelain, a protein-digesting enzyme found in pineapples. Bromelain will make it easier for the body to absorb active compounds of turmeric.

Turmeric due to its curcumin content could interfere with the proper functioning of breast cancer chemotherapy medicine. Ask your doctor if you are taking chemotherapy drugs such as mechlorethamine, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide. If you have bile duct blockage or blood clotting disorder, do not take turmeric as this could affect these conditions. If you have gallstones or gallbladder problems, do not use turmeric as this could have harmful effects. Prolonged use of turmeric can cause stomach upset and other gastrointestinal upsets.