Health

Rich Collection of Spices – Are they Good or Bad for Your Health?

Have you ever heard your science friend talking about the health benefits of spices? Well, if you have, then you need to know that they are right. Spices have been proven to be a great source of essential nutrients that help our body function properly. With the right amount added to your meals, you can enjoy a ton of health benefits that you didn’t believe were possible before.

Most people question whether spices are good or bad for your health. We mean, looking at a powder, what would you expect? But our expectations are wrong because these powdered ingredients do much more than just added flavor to our meals.

Today in this article, we will discuss some of the significant health benefits that spices have to offer to our bodies. These benefits are backed up by research carried out by renowned universities around the globe, so they will, for sure, persuade you to use more spices in your meals.

Best Health Benefits of Spices

More than a hundred different spices are used by individuals around the globe to add flavor and texture to their meals. Studies haven’t been carried out on all of these spices, but it is believed that they all come with several health benefits to offer.

Some commonly used spices have been tested out significantly and prove to be a great source of natural vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Here is how some of them help offer major health benefits.

Cinnamon – Lower Blood Sugar

Cinnamon does much more than add that pleasant musky aroma to your food. Extracted from the cinnamon tree’s bark, this splendid spice has proven to help with high blood sugar levels. Doctors often recommend individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes to add a pinch of cinnamon to their drinks to benefit from it.

The thing about cinnamon is that it adds a sweet taste to your food items without adding sugar to it, which is hard to process for diabetic individuals. Other than that, it also helps in reducing your cholesterol level, which is also a result of high blood sugar. So adding it to your controlled diet plan can be an addition to a healthy lifestyle.

Turmeric – Fight Inflammation

Turmeric is an Indian spice commonly used in almost all their dishes, which is trending as present as one of the superfoods in the market in terms of the number of health benefits it offers to our bodies. The benefits of turmeric are endless. The major benefit of turmeric is its ability to help fight inflammation, which is the reason for discomfort and major illnesses in most cases.

Curcumin is a compound that is found in turmeric in abundance. Studies carried out by Johns Hopkins suggest that a combination of a chemotherapy drug and curcumin was more effective in shrinking drug-resistant tumors as compared to the usage of chemotherapy alone.

Other studies suggest that curcumin helps fight inflammation in the brain, which is the leading cause of multiple neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It has also helped individuals fight against mood disorders such as anxiety and depression.

Ginger – Relieve Nausea

Have you ever heard your grandma tell you to drink ginger tea when feeling nausea? If yes, then you will be surprised to find out that she is right. Ginger is a tropical plant that has been widely used worldwide by our ancestors for centuries to treat stomach upset, diarrhea, and nausea.

Studies suggest that ginger helps calm pregnancy-related nausea, vomiting caused due to chemotherapy, motion sickness, and an upset stomach. The good thing is that ginger products are widely available in all supermarkets. You can get ginger tea, lollipops, candies, or regular dried powder to add to your meals.

Garlic – Boost Heart Health

Most of you out there are well-aware of the usage of garlic in our everyday meals—a small bulb-shaped spice with a pungent smell that isn’t appealing at all. But at the same time, the number of health benefits that little bulb has to offer overrides the smell that one has to bear when adding to your meal.

As we grow older, our arteries tend to get filled up with fatty acids. The overuse of fats in our diets supported by other factors such as smoothing, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure contribute to the deposition of fats in our blood vessels. Over time these deposits create a major blockage in our arteries, which leads to heart diseases.

Studies carried out by health departments at different universities suggest that garlic helps protect you from heart diseases. The compounds found in garlic help add flexibility to your blood vessels to the deposits, move down to the cells instead of staying in place and causing a blockage. You can add it to several savory dishes to increase its intake.

Healthy Ways to Consume Spices

Spices have several surprising health benefits to offer to our bodies. With their rich antioxidant content and other useful compounds, they assist our bodies in carrying out their everyday functions effectively. But the major question is, how should you consume these spices to get the most benefits out of them?

The first thought that comes to mind is by using it to add flavor to our meals. It sounds like a great idea and works in most cases, but the problem is that most of us add spices to our food while cooking. In most cases, the direct heat, such as during grilling or frying, removes or lowers the autoxidizing power and renders them less useful for our bodies. Therefore it is best to practice microwave cooking with spices because it helps enhance the antioxidant levels.

If you are not much of an eater but still wish to add the health benefits offered by spices to your diet, supplements are the way to go. Certain strictly regulated and tested commercial supplements are packed with the same benefits as spices. But we recommend that you always consult your doctor before using any supplements because there is no way of knowing which might be inside the pill.

Takeaways

Spices tend to offer several health benefits to human bodies. But that doesn’t mean that you should start consuming them in excess to prevent all the diseases and become healthy. That is not how it works. Excess of everything is bad, so you need to consume them in a controlled manner to benefit the most from it.

Health

Report Causes Pfizer Stock to Climb Approximately $1 Billion Acquired by Starboard

(VOR News) – According to a rumor that activist investor Pfizer Starboard Value has taken a holding in the struggling pharmaceutical business that is expected to be worth around one billion dollars, the stock of Pfizer (PFE) is on the increase in premarket trading on Monday.

This comes after the report was made public. The report was made available to the general public following this. Starboard Value was successful in moving forward with the acquisition of the position.

Starboard is said to have approached Ian Read, a former chief executive officer of Pfizer, and Frank D’Amelio, a former chief financial officer, in order to seek assistance with its goals of boosting the performance of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read and D’Amelio are both former Pfizer executives.

The purpose of this is to facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, which include enhancing the overall performance of the firm.

In their previous jobs, D’Amelio and Read were chief financial officers.

It is stated in the report that the hedge fund is of the opinion that Pfizer, which is currently being managed by Albert Bourla, who succeeded Read as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2019, does not demonstrate the same level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) discipline that Read did. Bourla took over for Read in 2019. Read was succeeded by Bourla in the year 2019.

Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, has made substantial investments in the acquisition of more companies that are involved in the research and development of cancer medicines.

These businesses have been acquired for billions of dollars. The biotechnology company Seagen, which was acquired by Pfizer in the previous year for a price of $43 billion, is included in this category. One of the businesses that can be classified as belonging to this category is Seagen.

In spite of the fact that the S&P 500 Index experienced a 21% increase in 2024.

No major trading occurred in Pfizer stock that year.

Due to the fact that the demand for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines fell after the firm reached its pandemic peak in 2021, the share price of the corporation has decreased by over fifty percent since that time.

This drop has occurred ever since the company’s shares reached their maximum peak, which was during the time that this decline occurred. Not only have they not changed at all, but they have also remained essentially stable. This is in contrast to the S&P 500, which has gained 21% since the beginning of this year.

Recently, the corporation was forced to take a hit when it decided to recall all of the sickle cell illness medications that it had distributed all over the world.

Fears that the prescription could lead patients to experience severe agony and possibly even death were the impetus for the decision to recall the product. In spite of the fact that Pfizer’s stock is increasing by almost three percent as a result of the news that followed the company’s decision, this is the circumstance that has come about.

SOURCE: IPN

Health

New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke

If you drink too much soda, fruit juice and coffee, beware!

A recent report from global research indicates that excessive consumption of coffee or soda pop is associated with an increased risk of stroke, although the intake of black and green tea is correlated with a reduced risk. Excessive consumption of soda pop or coffee warrants caution!

Recent research indicates that it may substantially elevate the risk of stroke.

Consuming four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke, according to studies, although ingesting 3-4 cups of black or green tea daily typically offers protection against stroke. Additionally, consume more coffee; it may reduce your risk of mortality.

Recent findings from global research studies co-led by the University of Galway and McMaster University, alongside an international consortium of stroke researchers, indicate that soda, encompassing both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened variants such as diet or zero sugar, is associated with a 22 percent heightened risk of stroke. The risk escalated significantly with the consumption of two or more of these beverages daily.

Stroke Risk Fizzy Drinks and Soda Pop

The correlation between fizzy drinks consumption and stroke risk was most pronounced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women exhibit the most elevated risk of stroke from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage) associated with fruit juice beverages. Consuming over 7 cups of water daily diminishes the likelihood of stroke due to a clot.

Researchers observed that numerous items advertised as fruit juice are derived from concentrates and have added sugars and preservatives, potentially negating the advantages often associated with fresh fruit and instead elevating stroke risk.

Fruit juice beverages were associated with a 37 percent heightened risk of stroke resulting from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). Consuming two of these beverages daily increases the risk thrice.

Consuming over four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke by 37 percent, although lower consumption levels do not correlate with stroke risk. Conversely, tea consumption was associated with an 18-20 percent reduction in stroke risk. Additionally, consuming 3-4 cups daily of black tea, such as Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, excluding green and herbal teas, was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke.

Consuming 3-4 cups of green tea daily was associated with a 27 percent reduction in stroke risk. Notably, the addition of milk may diminish or inhibit the advantageous effects of antioxidants present in tea. The lower risk of stroke associated with tea consumption was negated for individuals who added milk.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational reasons and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical counsel. Consistently consult your physician regarding any inquiries pertaining to a medical problem.

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Health

Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, What Else Should You Know?

(VOR News) – Even though breast cancer affects one in eight American women, receiving a diagnosis can make a woman feel isolated.

Experts in breast cancer from the American College of Physicians (ACS) advise patients on how to manage their disease so that they may better cope with this awful information.

First, the kind and stage of breast cancer dictates the course of your care.

In addition to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, there are various surgical options available for the treatment of breast cancer.

Women of African descent are disproportionately affected by triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of the disease that has never proven easy to treat.

According to the American Cancer Society, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy, has been shown to be helpful when combined with chemotherapy and is currently the recommended course of treatment for certain combinations of triple-negative breast cancer.

In her presentation, Dr. Katharine Yao said, “It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team.”

She is currently responsible for developing breast cancer treatment recommendations for more than 575 hospitals and institutions nationwide in her role as chair of the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Institutions (NAPBC).

Yao, vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, pointed out that each decision made about a patient’s treatment plan should take her preferences and diagnosis into consideration.

She ought to think about whether she would prefer a mastectomy—a surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast with or without reconstruction—or a lumpectomy, which involves a surgical procedure that spares part of the breast tissue.

She stated that “the breast cancer you have may be very different from the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague, or friend” in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Consider that while discussing breast cancer with others.”

Throughout your journey, it is critical that you look after your emotional health because having breast cancer may have a detrimental impact on your mental health.

“Getting a cancer diagnosis does not mean that everything in your life stops to be normal.” Director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas and state head of the American Cancer Society Commission on Cancer for Arkansas, Dr. Daniela Ochoa She thinks adding the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to all the other pressures in life may be taxing.

“Managing stress and emotional health is vital component of a treatment plan.”

Ochoa recommends clinically trained psychologists and social workers who have assisted people in coping with cancer to anyone receiving treatment. Learning coping techniques might also be facilitated by joining cancer support groups or cancer wellness initiatives.

Breast cancer specialists say your care team is crucial.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines comprehensive care as having support at every stage of the procedure from surgeons, oncologists, patient navigators, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other specialists.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, women should see a surgeon or medical oncologist to explore their options; nevertheless, treatment shouldn’t be discontinued after just one appointment or after surgery is over.

Additionally, you can ask trustworthy friends or family members to accompany you to appointments and aid you with research or notes. They could serve as a network of support for you.

Yao stated in his talk that “one of the most important things is that patients should search out a team they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need.”

SOURCE: MP