Happy Atheist Forum

General => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Dave on September 01, 2017, 01:07:36 PM

Title: Health matters
Post by: Dave on September 01, 2017, 01:07:36 PM
Wasn't sure whether to out this in science but then thought a general health topic might be useful.

Item on radio regarding one of my favourite spices - turmeric. Mainly dealt with the idea of "turmeric lattÄ—", an idea I am not sure of which includes black pepper and coconut milk powder . . .

But it also included a bit of the lore around this spice, how it may help present cancer etc. Then they talked to a uni researcher, they did a trial on turmeric and its most important ingredient, curcumin. The measure for this was a new test that detects changes in genes. The main effect was in a gene that affects suscetibility to depression, athsma, (another disease I forget) and . . . cancer.

So, maybe, all those ads on Google for turmeric capsules etc may not be so "alternative" after all.
Title: Re: Health matters
Post by: Arturo on September 01, 2017, 05:49:06 PM
People find things good all the time. Then sometimes they find out it does not do what they thought. There is no super healthy food.

All food you need reminda me more of a video game and trying to max out all your stats. With your stats being nutrients. Or another way to put it is trying to be well kept and rounded in all areas.

Nutrients are basically parts of your body that you can't create on your own and they create what your body can on it's own.
Title: Re: Health matters
Post by: Dave on September 01, 2017, 06:32:22 PM
Quote from: Arturo on September 01, 2017, 05:49:06 PM
People find things good all the time. Then sometimes they find out it does not do what they thought. There is no super healthy food.

All food you need reminda me more of a video game and trying to max out all your stats. With your stats being nutrients. Or another way to put it is trying to be well kept and rounded in all areas.

Nutrients are basically parts of your body that you can't create on your own and they create what your body can on it's own.

True, there are no "super foods" but lots of medicines come from plant sources, so there is a chance that turmeric contains an "active ingreduent" in the same way that willow contains salicin from which aspirin was developed. I am not a fan of "alternative medicine" but look carefully at "herbal" preperations and compounds before dismissing them.

Since starting to drink mint infusion instead of tea or coffee two years ago I have had far, far, far fewer gastric problems - saved a fortune in loo paper! Tea and coffee are two "psychoactive" drinks of plant origin. Then there are the smokables, sniffables, injectables, swallowables. . .

So, why not something useful in spices?
Title: Re: Health matters
Post by: Arturo on September 02, 2017, 05:33:33 AM
Research is on going. Never know, something that you take might have undesirable effects.
Title: Re: Health matters
Post by: Dave on September 02, 2017, 06:08:50 AM
Quote from: Arturo on September 02, 2017, 05:33:33 AM
Research is on going. Never know, something that you take might have undesirable effects.

True, with unknown compounds or those being used in a new way. But in the case of herbal compounds that have been used or consumed for centuries? OK, most smokables are negative examples of that thought! Wonder if anyone has compared chronic disease, cancer especially., types and rates in countries that eat lots of curry compared to those who do not? Though India has another problem, in some parts, from too much use of clarified butter and polished white rice in their diet.
Title: Re: Health matters
Post by: OldGit on September 02, 2017, 09:48:42 AM
The roots of fox turnip are a sovereign remedy for the mungling itch, if picked under a new moon with a prayer to Saint Postula.
Title: Re: Health matters
Post by: Dave on September 02, 2017, 10:27:11 AM
Quote from: OldGit on September 02, 2017, 09:48:42 AM
The roots of fox turnip are a sovereign remedy for the mungling itch, if picked under a new moon with a prayer to Saint Postula.
Dunno 'bout that but dock leaf sure relieves stinging nettle itch. Prayers, saints or moons (new, full, old, dog's or hunter's) not required.

:grin:

Anyway, I did not intend this thread to be about the mumbo jumbo of alternativists but more general stuff, or bits that sort of touch on the scientific and might prove interesting in the future. The greater part of medicine originates from herbal remedies and just trying things out (carefully) to see what happens. That and taking dead bodies apart and carefully inspecting the bits - once a forbidden practice.