Essiac Tea I Alternative Cancer Treatment & Misconceptions

Complementary Medicine

October 7, 2023

Essiac Tea I Alternative Cancer Treatment & Misconceptions

What Is Essiac Tea?

Essiac is an herbal mixture, mainly administered as tea, which has been promoted as a cure for cancer for nearly a century. Clinical studies show that Essiac doesn’t cure cancer, and it may even promote the growth of certain types of cancer.

The herbal ingredients of Essiac tea include:

Burdock root
Rhubarb root
Sheep sorrel
Slippery elm bark

Reports of a cancer-curing tea originating in the forests of Ontario, Canada, surfaced in the 1920s. The tea’s ingredients remained secret for decades. Canadian nurse Rene M. Caisse held the only recipe, and she protected it until just before her death.

Caisse said the herbal recipe came from an English miner’s wife. The wife claimed a Native American healer from Ontario had cured her of breast cancer with the tea 20 years earlier. Caisse named the tea Essiac (the reverse spelling of her last name) and reportedly gave it to cancer patients for free.

Not only are its origins and healing properties steeped in mystery, Essiac is also linked to federal restrictions on its use, a report of toxicity and a death.

Despite lack of clinical evidence, thousands of people with cancer consume Essiac hoping it will help them reach remission. A survey from 2000 found 15% of Canadian women with breast cancer use Essiac. In 2006, a separate U.S. survey of 5,051 Essiac users found 22% had breast cancer.

The research conducted on Essiac in humans hasn’t held much clout in scientific communities.

Results of human studies completed in the 1970s were kept hidden. Some studies of the effect of Essiac on cancer cells in test tubes or in animals have been published, but no peer-reviewed journal has published any clinical trial of Essiac in humans. No research involving Essiac has been conducted on people with mesothelioma, either.

Caisse alleges she observed an 80% survival rate among all cancers with Essiac treatment. This claim has never been backed by records or scientific study.

Homemaker’s Magazine article on Rene Caisse from 1977.

What Are the Side Effects of Essiac Tea?

Side effects of Essiac tea include skin problems, nausea and vomiting. The tea’s manufacturers don’t recommend its use in pregnant or nursing women.

Nausea
Vomiting
Frequent urination
Increased bowel movements
Swollen glands
Headaches
Flu-like symptoms
Skin blemishes
Elevated potassium
Heart block (arrhythmia)

A 2022 case report published in Heart Rhythm described a patient diagnosed with a complete heart block caused by drinking a homemade version of Essiac tea containing burdock root, sheep sorrel, Indian rhubarb root and slippery elm bark.

A detailed review of the tea’s ingredients and nutritional value found it high in potassium, which was determined to be the cause of the patient’s complete heart block. The patient required a pacemaker to fix the block.

Couple reviews Mesothelioma Guide together

Alternative Treatment Guide

Access the latest information on alternative medicine for mesothelioma treatment.

What Drugs Interact with Essiac?

Drugs such as birth control pills, diabetic drugs and even chemotherapy may interact with Essiac tea. Make sure you talk to your doctor if you currently take or plan to take medications before ingesting Essiac tea.

Diuretic drugs
Diabetic drugs
Birth control pills
Hormone replacement drugs
Drugs that affect the kidneys and liver
DX-8951f (experimental chemotherapy drug)

Cancer Research on Essiac

Scientific research on Essiac has yielded mixed results, but the consensus is clear that it cannot cure cancer.

All human clinical trials were either stopped by government authorities or kept hidden from the public. An unpublished 1977 report of a Phase II clinical study of Essiac in cancer patients found the tea did not affect survival or shrink tumors.

Nonhuman studies have found evidence that Essiac both slows and promotes the growth of different cancers, according to a 2005 National Cancer Institute review of Essiac research. Some studies found Essiac had no positive or negative impact on cancer.

Mid-1970s: A study conducted by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) tested Essiac on mice with cancer. It found Essiac did not boost the immune system or impact cancer growth.
1980s: MSKCC continued testing Essiac on animals with cancer. They conducted 17 studies in the 1980s and found no anti-cancer effect with Essiac.
1983: The National Cancer Institute tested Essiac in mice with leukemia and found no anti-cancer effect. High doses of Essiac killed test animals in this study.
2004: In a study published in Oncology Reports, Essiac slowed the growth of certain leukemia and breast cancer cells in test tubes.
2004: Another 2004 study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine reported Essiac slowed prostate cancer cell growth in test tubes.
2006: A study published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment showed Essiac stimulates breast cancer growth.
2007: A study published in Nutrition and Cancer found Essiac had no effect on prostate cancer cells.

Research on the Individual Ingredients in Essiac

Research conducted on the herbs in Essiac show they have compounds that protect DNA from damage and can influence the immune system, but they also have the potential to promote cancer growth.

Roots of burdock and rhubarb have shown anti-cancer effects in test tube and rat studies. But these roots also contain carcinogenic compounds that cause and promote cancer.
A 2008 Chinese study published in Lung Cancer showed rhubarb extract significantly reduced pulmonary toxicity and improved lung function among lung cancer patients receiving radiation therapy.
Slippery elm bark contains mucilage, a gelatinous substance that may relieve coughs and throat irritation. It may offer relief to pleural mesothelioma patients coping with pulmonary symptoms.
In 2007, Anticancer Research published a Canadian study that was conducted in a lab with no human test subjects. It revealed Essiac contains more antioxidant properties than red wine or green tea. No antibacterial effects were observed. But Essiac did stimulate several immune system cells and enzymes.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health examined the antioxidant power of Essiac in a 2006 study that was published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. The study found Essiac protected DNA from free-radical damage. This DNA-protective effect won’t repair damage that already led to cancer, but it could have a preventative effect with long-term use.

Claims of Essiac as a Cancer Cure Are Anecdotal

The claims that Essiac cures cancer are anecdotal, meaning self-reported and not proven by scientific research. Clinical studies have not found evidence that Essiac can cure cancer. But research has found it high in antioxidants.

A 2006 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology shows Essiac contains antioxidants that protect against DNA damage. Antioxidants also help to counteract the effects of aging and exposure to carcinogens such as asbestos.
A 2007 study published in Anticancer Research reported Essiac has greater antioxidant properties than red wine, green tea and cocoa.

Overall, scientific research has confirmed Essiac’s antioxidant power and presented no evidence it can cure cancer.

In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cited a brand of Essiac tea on a list of fake cancer cures that consumers should avoid.

The FDA has not approved Essiac or Flor-Essence to treat cancer or any other medical condition. Companies sell Essiac and Flor-Essence as herbal dietary supplements, which the FDA does not regulate.

Secret Recipe Blocked Research

The origins of the recipe are debated because several of the herbs are not indigenous to North America and reportedly hadn’t yet made it to the Americas through trade routes when Caisse first promoted the tea.

Originally, Caisse brewed three of the herbs into a tea and injected the other herb intramuscularly. No one but Caisse knew which herbs were brewed and which one was injected.

The secrecy of the recipe and preparation became a road block to scientific research and a source of controversy in later investigations.

Clinic Closed by Canadian Government

Caisse provided Essiac to cancer patients at the Bracebridge Cancer Clinic in Ontario starting in 1935. Evidence of a reported death and one report of toxicity caused the Cancer Commission of Canada to investigate the clinic in 1938. Although the Canadian government closed the clinic in 1941, Cassie continued to provide Essiac to cancer patients from her home.

Unpublished Clinical Trials

During the 1960s and 1970s, Caisse worked with American physician Dr. Charles Armao Brusch to modify the Essiac recipe and promote its use. Brusch also served as President John F. Kennedy’s personal doctor.

Brusch and Caisse performed clinical and laboratory studies, but they never published the results. They expanded the recipe with four additional herbs: Blessed thistle, kelp, red clover and watercress.

The pair named the new blend Flor-Essence. This new formula contained the formerly injected herb. With its inclusion, Caisse stopped providing injections.

Secret Recipe Sold

In 1977, a year before her death, Caisse sold the original, four-ingredient recipe for Essiac to a Canadian corporation. That company filed a preclinical new drug submission with the Canadian Department of National Health and Welfare.

The company received approval and began clinical studies of Essiac in cancer patients. But in 1982, the Canadian government learned the study wasn’t being conducted as planned and stopped the research.

The secret Essiac recipe was sold again, this time to Essiac Products Inc., which currently makes and sells a variety of Essiac supplements.

Flor-Essence is manufactured in British Columbia, and Brusch was reportedly involved in its production before his death. Today, several companies manufacture more than 40 different Essiac formulas and sell them worldwide.

Be Cautious of Unfounded Claims

Some promoters of Essiac make unfounded claims that it should not be taken alongside conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy. This promotes Essiac as an alternative medicine rather than a complementary therapy, which could have a negative impact on patient outcomes.

If cancer patients take Essiac as a first-line treatment, they run the risk of their cancer progressing to the point that conventional cancer treatment will no longer be effective.

Dr. Andrew Weil, a widely known supporter of natural medicine, issued a warning about Essiac.

Some Essiac promoters irresponsibly advise against chemotherapy and other conventional treatments when using the tea to help it work effectively. This is a reckless and dangerous recommendation. There is no clinical evidence that either Essiac or Flor-Essence has any anti-cancer activity. My advice? Avoid it.

Consumption of Essiac is unlikely to cause serious side effects among cancer patients when used as directed, but people with mesothelioma should get approval from their doctor before they try any herbal remedy. Report any changes in your health to your doctor after taking herbal supplements.

10 Tips for Changing Your Diet After a Stroke – Cleveland Clinic

Physical Health

Scarlett Murray

October 6, 2023

10 Tips for Changing Your Diet After a Stroke – Cleveland Clinic

Literally everyone can benefit from a healthy diet. But after you’ve had a stroke, making positive changes in the way you eat can help you recover and prevent another stroke.

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Choosing healthy foods can help you manage your blood pressure and cholesterol, which can lower your risk of having another stroke.

“Everything we eat affects our whole entire body, including our heart,” says registered dietitian Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, “so it’s important to make the best choices you can to support all whole-body health.”

Not sure what steps to actually take? Zumpano shares tips for making better food choices and recommends dietary changes that will help you meet your goals and improve your health.

Why change your diet after a stroke?

A healthy diet helps your body fend off risk factors for having another stroke. Choosing healthy foods can help you:

“Everything we eat affects our whole entire body,” Zumpano says. “It’s always important to make the best choices you can to support whole-body health, but this is especially true when you’re recovering from a major health event like a stroke.”

She shares tips for changing your diet after a stroke and making food choices that will help you stay healthy for the future.

1. Cut way back on processed foods

To keep your heart healthy and your stroke risk low, salt (next on the list) isn’t the only thing you’ll need to scale back on. You’ll also have to pay attention to trans fats and saturated fats, which are associated with high cholesterol and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance that your body makes and that’s found in animal products foods. You need some cholesterol to maintain cell health, but having too much of it in your blood increases your stroke (heart disease) risk.

“You can lower your cholesterol by watching how much unhealthy fat is in the food you eat,“ Zumpano says. The best way to do this is by avoiding ultra-processed foods, which have been altered to include lots of fats, starches, sugars and hydrogenated oils, ultimately raise your cholesterol, your blood pressure and your stroke risk.

This includes foods like:

Processed meats like hot dogs, salami, pepperoni and bologna.
Simple/refined carbohydrates, like white breads, crackers, salty snack foods and baked goods.
Sugary foods and drinks, such as desserts, candy and soda.
Fried foods, such as mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, popcorn shrimp, etc.
Fast foods and convenience foods, like canned soup, frozen dinners.

“Replace them with whole foods, which are basically the opposite of processed foods,” Zumpano encourages.

2. Cut back on salt

Eating too much sodium can cause you to retain fluids, which increases your blood pressure — and that’s a stroke risk.

But the average American consumes about twice as much sodium as they should. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, or the amount found in a single teaspoon of salt.

“A low-sodium diet is one with less than 2,400 milligrams of sodium a day,” Zumpano states, “but most heart patients need to restrict their sodium to even less than this.” After a stroke, your healthcare provider may recommend that you eat no more than 2,000 milligrams of sodium each day.

One big way to lower your sodium intake is to remove processed foods from your diet. They often use sodium as a preservative, so even though they don’t always taste super-salty, they’re often loaded with sodium and other unhealthy ingredients that can negatively affect your heart.

“The second step is to eliminate any salt you’re adding to your food,” Zumpano advises. “Look for hidden sources of salt, too, including seasonings like garlic salt, onion salt and meat tenderizer, and high-sodium condiments like salad dressing, soy sauce and teriyaki sauce.”

Of course, all of these salty add-ons were created to give food some extra flavor. So, does that mean your post-stroke diet is doomed to be a bland one? Definitely not, Zumpano says.

“Experiment with adding more herbs and salt-free spices to your cooking,” she suggests. “This will help you add flavor to food without adding unnecessary salt.

3. Eat more whole foods

What you eat is just as important as what you avoid, so start figuring out ways to incorporate one-ingredient foods (known as “whole” foods) into your diet.

“Basically, if it’s found alone in nature, it’s probably a whole food,” Zumpano explains. Heart-healthy whole foods include:

Fruit.
Vegetables.
Poultry.
Lean protein.
Fish (especially oily fish, such as salmon, tuna, herring or mackerel).
Whole grains (like oats, barley, brown or wild rice).
Legumes (like beans and peas).
Nuts and seeds.

Try to work whole foods into every meal and snack. For example, choose baby carrots, sliced apples or plain Greek yogurt for snacks. Try a hearty, nutritious soup (not from a can!) for lunch. And make entrées like chicken breast or salmon the centerpiece for a great dinner.

4. Choose high-fiber foods

As part of a heart-healthy diet, fiber can help reduce your cholesterol and with it, your overall risk for cardiovascular disease.

Dietary fiber is the part of plants the body can’t digest. As it passes through your body, it affects the way your body digests foods and absorbs nutrients.

“Soluble fiber binds to the bile in your gut, which helps eliminate it,” Zumpano explains. “Because bile is made of cholesterol, a diet high in soluble fiber can lower cholesterol.”

Soluble fiber is found in foods like oats, legumes, root vegetables, apples, pears, citrus fruits, chia, flaxseeds and psyllium husk.

“How much fiber you eat affects not only your cholesterol level and risk for stroke, but it also has other health benefits,” Zumpano says. “It helps control your blood sugar and helps with weight management, among other things.”

An added bonus: High-fiber foods can actually make you feel fuller so you’re less tempted to overeat.

5. Learn to read labels (and then really start doing it!)

Marketing can be a real bummer: Even though a food’s packaging may claim that it’s “healthy” or “low sodium,” that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you.

“Comparing labels will help you start to better understand which foods are high and low in sodium,” Zumpano says.

In the U.S., law requires most foods to have nutritional information listed in a standard way. Get in the habit of reading the nutrition facts panel on each product’s label, which will tell you how much sodium and saturated fat the food contains. Labels also give you a key piece of information that many people often overlook: serving size.

“One serving may seem to have a low amount of sodium or saturated fats, but the serving size on the label may be much smaller than what you normally would eat at a sitting,” Zumpano warns.

6. Get into meal prepping

In a perfect world, you could take the time to prepare all of your meals using fresh, healthy ingredients. But that isn’t always possible. Still, you can make better choices without spending all of your time in the kitchen.

Learning to meal prep can help you eat healthier without dedicating every spare moment to thinking about what you’re eating.

“Meal prep can really help out when times are busy,” Zumpano notes. “You can prep some core meals on the weekend or on your day off to have ready in the fridge or freezer for you when you’re really pressed for time.”

She also suggests identifying at least four quick, easy meals and keeping all of the ingredients on hand so that you can whip them up quickly.

“Have some prepped meals in your freezer or fridge ready to go, and keep frozen options available, too,” she continues. “Think vegetables, chicken breast, individually wrapped fish, precooked brown rice or oatmeal — things that can be cooked up within five to 10 minutes can make a quick meal.”

In the amount of time it would take you to go out and buy a fast-food cheeseburger, you can have a healthy meal cooked and ready — if you plan ahead appropriately.

7. Be smart about snacks

If you know you’re prone to snacking (umm, who isn’t?), it’s a good idea to set yourself up for snacking success. Sort of like meal prepping, pre-populating your fridge and pantry with healthy snacks can keep you from grabbing not-so-good-for-you choices while on the go.

“Prepackaged snack foods like potato chips, pretzels, crackers and even rice cakes and veggie straws are all highly processed, can often have high amounts of refined flour or refined sugars or sodium added to them,” Zumpano says.

Try to minimize how often you eat these foods, and instead, turn to natural snacks like veggies and fruit. You can swap out chips with carrot or celery sticks with hummus or apple slices and natural peanut butter to get that satisfying crunch, and make homemade popcorn with a olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese instead of butter.

8. Enlist family and friends for support

Don’t be afraid to let your family know why you need to make healthier food choices. You may even be able to get to help plan and prepare meals — and you never know what healthy, delicious recipes they might share.

“Having some form of accountability, like in the form of the buddy system, can be so helpful,” Zumpano says. “They can help you stay on track and reevaluate your goals as you go.”

Who knows: The changes you make in your diet may even encourage healthier eating habits among your family and friends!

9. Give your taste buds some time

If you’re feeling bored in the beginning, here’s a helpful reminder: Your taste buds slough off and regenerate every few weeks, which means they can adapt to new tastes and diets.

“Keep in mind that our taste buds can change over time,” Zumpano reassures. “A low-sodium diet may seem bland at first, but the more you follow it, your taste buds will adjust. Soon, foods you’d been used to eating will taste very salty.”

10. Get help from a dietitian

Let’s address the elephant in the room: Figuring out how to eat healthy foods every day can be really, really hard. In the beginning, at least, it involves careful planning, lots of meal prep and no small amount of self-restraint.

It’s doable, though, we promise. No matter how you ate before your stroke, you can make changes that will impact your health and your whole life.

A dietitian can help you figure it all out and support you along the way. They’ll take into account your current eating habits, preferences and dislikes to tailor a specific plan just for you, which can lead to success and higher satisfaction.

“Making healthy food choices is a major step in the right direction,” Zumpano says. “A registered dietitian can help you choose the right foods and teach you how to plan and prepare them to improve your health for the long run.”

Homemade Herbal Medicines and Their Uses with Pictures – Mother Earth News

Complementary Medicine

Scarlett Murray

October 6, 2023

Homemade Herbal Medicines and Their Uses with Pictures – Mother Earth News

Simple and safe, proven herbal medicines and their uses with pictures for everything from scrapes to infections will help you heal naturally on a shoestring budget.

Somewhat glumly, I celebrated my 61st birthday this past July. In the back of my mind, I’ve been sure for 45 years that God would make an exception to my normal and natural biodegrading process, thus allowing me to remain 35 years old well into my 90s. Somehow, it escaped the Universe’s notice that some fine print in my birth contract negates, in my case, the aging process. A failing I am trying to get across, without success (so far).

In general, however, I am very healthy and I do have one very special thing going for me: I don’t use any pharmaceuticals, unlike nearly everyone I know in my age group. On the rare occasion I do visit a physician, that statement always generates a great deal of surprise. It is, as I have found, a very unusual event in these early decades of the 21st century. (It wasn’t when I was young.)

The reason I don’t take even one prescription pharmaceutical every day is mostly due to my lifestyle — primarily because of my reliance on herbal medicines. I have been using homemade herbal remedies as my primary health care for about 30 years. I’ve successfully treated everything from minor colds, flus, cuts and scrapes, which we all encounter on our journey through life, to irritable bowel syndrome and staph — with visits to many interesting conditions in between. Though herbal medicines may not be right for everyone’s lifestyle, I have found the natural approach life-enhancing, self-empowering, inexpensive and safe.

Herbal Medicines and Their Uses with Pictures

The best treatments I’ve found for common ailments all use herbs you can grow in your garden or likely have in your kitchen cupboards, disguised as condiments and spices. And, of course, these remedies are not the final answer on what works; nearly every plant you see around you can heal something.

Skin Conditions

Burns. I usually just pace around while verbally — and loudly — exploring the world of expletives. But sometimes I also use the following remedies.

1. Honey: This is especially good for severe burns. It will stop infection, stimulate skin regeneration and keep the burned area moist. Honey is better for burns than nearly all medical interventions, even for third-degree burns.

2. Prickly pear cactus pads, filleted: Wear gloves to hold the pads while using a sharp knife to gently fillet the exterior skin off the pads. You will be left with slimy, oval pads of plant matter. Place the pads directly on the burn and bandage the wound. For a sunburn, rub the pads on the affected area.

Cuts and scrapes. Every one of us encounters life’s sharp edges, often over and over again. Here’s how I handle the aftereffects.

1. Wound powder: My homemade wound powder stops the bleeding, dries out the wound, inhibits infection and stimulates healing. I generally use a bandage the first day and then leave the wound open afterward (unless it’s in a hard-to-protect area or is gaping).

A good wound powder recipe contains any berberine plant (such as barberry, goldenseal or Oregon grape root); comfrey root or leaf; juniper needles (the older the needles on the tree or bush, the better — old needles contain more tannins and will thus stop bleeding faster than young needles will); and maybe oregano, rosemary or thyme. The berberine plant and juniper needles will disinfect, and the juniper needles will also stop the bleeding. Comfrey will stimulate healing, and oregano, rosemary and thyme are also antibacterials. I usually make the following recipe and keep it in the freezer to retain freshness:

Measure out 1 ounce of the berberine plant root or bark, a half-ounce of the comfrey root, 1 ounce of the juniper needles, and a quarter-ounce of the oregano, rosemary or thyme leaves (optional). Combine the ingredients, mix them in a blender or food processor until well-ground, and then powder the mixture until fine in a clean coffee grinder. I often sieve it afterward to get as flour-like a powder as possible. Sprinkle it liberally on the wound.

2. Honey: Stop using the wound powder after a few days and switch to honey. It’s effective against all known drug-resistant bacteria and really speeds healing. Just cover the wound with honey, bandage, and change the dressing daily.

3. Wound salve: Use a combination of berberine plants, black walnut hulls, comfrey root, oregano leaves, rosemary leaves, Siberian elm bark (Ulmus pumila) and dried thyme. Add a quarter-cup each of the roughly ground herbs to a baking dish and mix. Cover the blend with about a quarter-inch olive oil, cover the dish, and bake overnight in an oven on its lowest heat setting. In the morning, let the mixture cool. Press out and then reheat the oil. Stir in finely chopped or grated beeswax — 2 ounces per cup of infused oil — and let melt. To check hardness, put a drop of salve on a plate and wait until the salve cools. It should remain solid but melt after a second of pressing on it with your finger.

Rashes. Rashes come in many forms, so treatments will vary. Here are a few.

1. For hives: Apply a tincture of Echinacea angustifolia root topically, using a cotton ball to administer it to the affected areas. Take a half-teaspoon of the tincture internally each hour or so as well. (Pass on E. purpurea — I’ve found it useless for hives.)

2. For poison ivy: Jewelweed salve is best. Good additives are calendula flowers, chamomile flowers and Siberian elm bark, all of which will soothe skin. Add any other herbs you want, but use the aerial parts of a jewelweed plant for half of the dried herbs by weight. Then, follow the same process as above for making the wound salve.

Stings and bites. Use prickly pear as you would for burns or echinacea as you would for hives.

Intestinal Upsets

Diarrhea. Any strongly astringent plant will work for ordinary diarrhea. Blackberry root, the main standby used for millenia, is extremely effective. Krameria root, older pine needles just pulled off the tree, and wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) are all very helpful for regulation. To use, roughly chop or grind the dried herb of your choice. Add 1 ounce to a quart jar that can take heat, and fill with hot water. Cover the concoction and let it steep overnight (or for two hours if you really can’t wait). Drink it throughout the next day. Repeat as needed.

Irritable bowel syndrome. Juice 1 beet, 1 piece of green cabbage (about the size of a medium carrot), 3 carrots, 4 stalks of celery and 4 leaves of fresh plantain (Plantago spp.). Plantain is a common plant you can usually find growing in front yards, and is unrelated to the banana of the same name. Cabbage and plantain are the most important ingredients, but they don’t taste very good by themselves. The other ingredients will improve the taste while assisting your adrenal glands, liver and immune system. Drink this juice every morning for breakfast, eat oatmeal for lunch, and have whatever you want for dinner. Irritable bowel syndrome will clear fairly rapidly on this regimen.

Viruses and Infections

Colds and flu. Many plants have antiviral properties — plants get colds just like we do, but because they can’t go to the doctor, they make their own medicines. One of the best antiviral remedies is ginger, but use the fresh juice or it won’t work. When cold and flu season approaches, I buy about a pound of fresh ginger and juice it. Make sure you squeeze out the pulp — a lot more juice will be in there. Put the ginger juice in any handy bottle and keep it the refrigerator. If everyone around me is getting sick or I feel that first onset of illness, I stir together 3 fluid ounces of the juice, 1 tablespoon of honey, a sprinkle of cayenne, the juice of a quarter of a lime, and 6 fluid ounces of hot water. Drink this blend as a hot tea three to six times per day. This tea rarely fails to either stop an infection’s progression or heal it altogether. It’s pretty good for opening up the sinuses as well.

Urinary tract infections. Juniper berries are highly effective for urinary tract infections. Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) is nearly as useful, and berberines are handy, too. I make a tincture of juniper berries — works like a charm. To make the tincture, take 1 ounce of dried juniper berries, grind them as finely as you can, and add 5 fluid ounces of a 50 percent alcoholic beverage, such as vodka. Let the tincture steep for two weeks, decant it, press the berries to drain them of liquid, strain the tincture, and keep it in a bottle. Take 10 drops six times per day until the infection clears. If you use bearberry in place of juniper berries, take 30 drops six times daily. You can do the same if using a berberine plant.

Bidens also works for urinary tract infections. Bidens species constitute a fairly large grouping of plants, and all of the species you’re likely to encounter are very good herbal medicines. They are sometimes called “beggar’s ticks” (and even worse names), so you might be familiar with them under another moniker. Bidens plants are invasive and they grow pretty much everywhere. Bidens is a reliable, broad-spectrum antibacterial herb if you make a tincture from the fresh plant (dried bidens is useless for this). Pick bidens during or slightly before the plants are flowering. Cut up the plant, weigh it and put 6 ounces in a jar. Add 12 fluid ounces of pure grain alcohol. You can use vodka, but the resulting medicine won’t be as strong. Let the mixture steep for two weeks, decant it, strain and press the herbs to drain them well, and bottle the liquid. Use when needed.

Bidens is good for general systemic bacterial infections, but it’s specifically useful for infections in mucus membrane systems. If you have a urinary tract infection and almost get well but then have a relapse, bidens is the perfect plant to use. Take a quarter- to a half-teaspoon of the tincture up to six times per day for two to four weeks. Bidens is safe, and it hasn’t failed me yet. Bidens pilosa is what most people use, but I use B. pinnata from my yard. Any bidens plant will most likely do.

Resources for Homemade Herbal Remedies

To learn more about herbal medicines, I recommend Making Plant Medicine by Richo Cech, The Herbal Medicine-Maker’s Handbook by James Green, and my book Herbal Antibiotics, second edition, which contains a materia medica of more than 200 plants and their medicinal preparation methods. These books explain in-depth how to make nearly all of the herbal medicines you’ll ever need to use.

Wholesome Healing

The plant medicines that grow in our yards or sit in our kitchens can fairly easily heal most common ailments. I have found that after your life is saved by a plant, nothing is ever the same again. Herbal medicines open up a new world to the perceiving self. All of us who read Mother Earth News know we should work to help heal the Earth, but your perspective will change significantly after you’ve experienced the Earth healing you.

Resources

Here are some of my favorite sources for healthful herbs and tinctures.

Stephen Harrod Buhner is a renowned herbalist and the author of 19 books, including Herbal Antibiotics and Herbal Antivirals. He lives in Silver City, New Mexico.

Arnold Schwarzenegger on ‘FUBAR’, His New Book, & Being an Influencer

Men's Health

Scarlett Murray

October 6, 2023

Arnold Schwarzenegger on ‘FUBAR’, His New Book, & Being an Influencer

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER is staring past the row of weight machines, and past the chain link fence that outlines Gold’s Gym’s in Venice Beach, California. He’s been taking me through his five-round morning shoulder circuit, and we’re supposed to be starting the fourth round, moving from exercise to exercise with no rest.

No matter. Two women beyond the fence just snapped iPhone pictures of him—and Arnold noticed. “Hello! How are you doing?” he says. They ask if they can take pictures. “Of course,” he says. “You’re in a public place. It’s a sidewalk. You can do whatever you want.”

Schwarzenegger pauses. “Did you take the picture? How did I look?” The reply: “Awesome.” “You just made my day,” he says. The women smile. Arnold wedges himself into a shoulder-press machine and pounds out 11 reps.

Immediately after that, he beckons actor friend Doug Farrell to flex for the cameras. When Farrell tightens his biceps, Arnold shakes his head: “No, flex again.” Farrell flexes his chest instead. Arnold nods.

And when a powerlifter from Ohio, Cory Gregory (better known as @corygfitness on Instagram, with 400k followers) stops him, he shakes hands. Minutes later, during his finishing arm circuit, Arnold stops doing dips so he can stand behind me during preacher curls, hands on my biceps. “Think, ‘biceps,’” he says loudly. Then he leans in closer. “Make this,” he whispers, “your best set ever.”

I crush 12 reps, and here Arnold say “perfect.” I freeze for a moment. Did he say that about me?

It’s a frenzied one-hour workout—and a glimpse into the latest iteration of a man who’s made a career of reinventing himself. At age 75 (he turns 76 on July 30), he’s no longer the effervescent ball of muscle who jumped from Olympia stage to Hollywood to politics. But Updated Arnold still demands attention, and if Gold’s doesn’t prove that, his 24 million Instagram followers and 5.9 million TikTok devotees do.

It’s all because of his ability to adapt. He’s four decades removed from his bodybuilding prime and 20 years removed from his last big-screen Adonis moment (when he materialized out of thin air in a desert to open Terminator 3). He mills around Gold’s like a rusted T-800, with lumbering steps and an ever-so-slightly hunched back. His ostrich-egg biceps have deflated a bit, and his elbows ache. He’s aware that the body that set the original action-hero standard is no more. When I ask him if he still hits classic bodybuilding poses, he smirks. “Yes, but only in the bathroom,” he says, “because sometimes it makes me cry.”

But this latest evolution doesn’t rely on abs or chest or biceps. To achieve his goals, he’s adopted the role of influencer, using social media to foster a community and good vibes. Tune in to his Instagram right now and you’ll catch videos of Whiskey and Lulu, his pet pony and donkey, or you’ll see him filling the potholes that California forgot. All of that has set up bigger ventures: The Netflix release of FUBAR,an eight-episode spy dramedy, in May was the start, and that was followed by Arnold, a three-part personal docuseries (also on Netflix), in June. And in October, he’ll fix everyone’s problems through Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life.

“Be useful, meaning go and do something for other people” he says, explaining his foray into motivational self-help. “One of the rules of success is to give something back.”

WE’VE ALL BEEN influenced by Arnold, whether we realize it or not.

Decades before TikTok and YouTube, Schwarzenegger used old-school platforms like books, TV, and radio to make oversized muscle cool. Pre-Arnold superheroes were often average guys in spandex. (Think the ’50s series Adventures of Superman.) Then came Conan the Barbarian in 1982. “People were going crazy,” Schwarzenegger says, “that there was a guy that actually looked like Conan the way Frank Frazetta painted it.” Movies like Commando and TheTerminator sparked an ’80s filled with jacked heroes, and that era helped set the stage for Marvel’s takeover.

Meanwhile, a generation of trainers (myself included) fell in love with bodybuilding. “He was influencing me and all the other young guys who wanted to work out,” says YouTuber Athlean-X, aka Jeff Cavaliere, C.S.C.S. (who has 13.3 million YouTube subscribers). “He was influencing what young men did.”

Everyone who’s circled a bench press has a favorite Arnold moment. Celeb trainer Don Saladino loves the Commando scene in which Schwarzenegger hoists a tree onto his shoulder. Cavaliere wanted to look like Arnold in Predator. If not for Terminator 2, I’m not penning this story—or telling my parents, “Hasta la vista, baby” daily for a month straight.

Years after T2,I’d uncover Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding at a New Jersey library. Written by Schwarzenegger (and Bill Dobbins) and published in 1985, it covers a host of lifting fundamentals, such as power training and range of motion—and it’s a musclehead must-read. (Cavaliere has two copies.) It also has a host of Schwarzenegger photos, and as I thumbed through it, my life’s goal was forged: Grow. Big. Biceps. Schwarzenegger’s blend of jacked physique and action hero inspired guys to try to become their most well-muscled selves.

Not that Prime Arnold’s influence was perfect. By spotlighting bodybuilding culture and openly admitting that he took steroids, he drew attention to PEDs. And with each blockbuster film, he gave all guys a compelling reason to consider them: If you could build the ideal muscular aesthetic, you could follow in Arnold’s footsteps and reach megastardom and riches.

This wasn’t the fitness legacy he’d imagined. Arnold would prefer if his legacy were more defined by his morning workouts at Gold’s. The routines are like today’s: He does 25 to 30 total sets, often in Terminator sunglasses. The focus isn’t raw muscle; he spends time talking and posing for photos. He trains to “stay alive, to be able to do my movies.”

He comes to Gold’s partly for the atmosphere, which reminds him of his youth in Thal, a village in Austria, 60 years ago. He remembers his first time doing pullups, as a 15-year-old with friends, repping out on tree branches. He did two reps, but the older weightlifters promised he’d be able to do 20 reps eventually—if he kept working. Days later, they asked him to join their weightlifting club, Athletik Union Graz. From then on, he always had a partner.

He brought that approach to the original Gold’s in Venice, a tiny box of a gym, in the 1970s. Back then, he trained with fellow Olympia competitors like Franco Columbu, Frank Zane, and Dave Draper. All would go on to have illustrious bodybuilding careers. “There’s a certain energy in the gym that we used to have,” he says. “And I wanted everyone to feel that joy.”

Arnold and Franco Columbu, 1974.
George Long//Getty Images

But when Arnold realized that few bodybuilders were doing TV interviews and growing the sport, he began “influencing,” ’70s style. “I never looked at myself as the term influencer, because it’s a new word. But I always tried to use the media to spread my message.”

Watch Pumping Iron, the 1977 documentary on bodybuilding, and you’ll see the likes of Columbu and Zane lifting in silence. Lou Ferrigno, the doc’s other star alongside Schwarzenegger, trains at home, stone-faced. Schwarzenegger, meanwhile, jokes throughout, delivering one particularly legendary soliloquy that compares the “pump” you feel after an exercise to “cumming.”

“I was much more casual, much more fun,” he says, before making a statement that’s proved true in everything from bodybuilding to Hollywood to politics. “How do you make the people know about your product? Schwarzenegger.”

Arnold’s breakthrough role was in Conan the Barbarian (1982).
Rolf Konow//Getty Images

He channels that casual, fun attitude during our entire workout. I lag behind him into the second round of shoulders, used to training with people who want to focus. But as Arnold approaches the lateral-raise machine, he yells at me to hurry up, then tells me to put away my phone. (I was trying to sneak a few pics.) Only then does he begin his set—with a request. “Why is my training partner not counting out my reps,” he wonders aloud, “like Franco used to do?”

All at once, he keeps me loose and energized and imparts the gym wisdom I crave. I count his reps, then he counts mine—and sees that I’m cutting my range of motion just short, because he doesn’t hear the weights clanking as I lower on each rep. “Why rob it of one tenth of the movement?” he asks. “Which could be—we don’t know—but which could be one tenth of the growth?”

SCHWARZENEGGER HAS always been a master of identifying opportunities that others miss. And the way he sees it, that makes him responsible for more than simply fixing my lateral raise. “I didn’t plan to be the action star in movies,” he says. “I didn’t plan to be governor of the state of California. I didn’t plan on being the warrior for a clean environment—or any of those things. When I see there’s a vacuum . . . what the fuck’s the matter with these people? Then I jump in.”

That includes jumping in to solve problems he helped create, which is why Schwarzenegger has spent the past few years working hard to shift the fitness narrative away from mirror muscles and toward long-term wellness (although it’ll always be about the pump, too). This process actually began 34 years ago, with his Arnold Sports Festival. The yearly event is highlighted by a bodybuilding competition (because of course), but Arnold says its true purpose is to celebrate more than just muscle, hosting more than 50 different sports.

Commando (1985).
Sunset Boulevard//Getty Images

It offers a chance for Schwarzenegger to undo one of fitness’s greatest myths: that the ultimate barometer of your fitness is your physique. The more Prime Arnold flicks you’ve watched, the more you might think biceps solve everything. That was never Arnold’s belief. “In the beginning,” he says, “my message was ‘Hey, everyone, wake up. We all have to do something.’ ” His festival includes disabled divisions that have invited a variety of athletes, such as the late Karen Skalvoll, who set a deadlift world record with an oxygen tank in 2020.

But the Arnold fest can’t fix the enduring problem of PED use. Among bodybuilders, it’s well-known that you stand little chance of competing if you’re not using. Influencers routinely detail their PED regimens on YouTube. And as testosterone-replacement therapy marches toward mainstream acceptance, more and more lifters are openly aligning with TRT clinics on Instagram and Facebook.

In clips from his bodybuilding days, Schwarzenegger doesn’t deny using steroids—and he is even more open when I ask. He explains what he took: testosterone and Dbol (a steroid still popular among bodybuilders). “One hundred milligrams a week,” he says of his testosterone usage, “and then three Dianabol a day, so that was 15 milligrams a day.”

He insists his usage was completely unlike today’s steroid abuse. Steroids weren’t illegal until Congress passed the Anabolic Steroids Control Act of 1990. Secondly, Schwarzenegger says, he only took them under a doctor’s supervision. That, he says, is different from how lifters acquire PEDs today. “Bodybuilding always, always was considered a safe sport. But now it’s not. Now people are dying—they’re dying because of overdoses of drugs and they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing. They’re listening to charlatans. If I want to get medical advice from a doctor, I go to UCLA or I go to the Cleveland Clinic.”

He’s trying to say the right things but knows he’s a flawed messenger. “Don’t go there,” he says. “Yes, we are at a time now where we always look for the easy way to make money, the fast way to get rich, the easy way to be an influencer. Anytime you abuse the body, you’re going to regret it. So I just want young people to know that I have seen people getting kidney transplants and suffering tremendously from it.”

He gets that you don’t want to listen, comparing himself to a rock climber who takes major risks, then tells others not to. “I recognize the fact that, who am I to say this? This is the guy who climbed without a rope.”

SCHWARZENEGGER’S LATEST evolution positions him to try to solve some of these fitness problems—and perhaps some other social media problems too. It starts with his transparency on PED use. Whatever Young Arnold did can’t be changed, but Today’s Arnold is all about that influencer buzzword: authenticity.And it continues with a heavy dose of Motivational Arnold across multiple platforms. There’s Be Useful, which he hopes will help with the “crisis of utility” that he believes is wrecking humanity. (He’s open to a Marvel movie, too. “If the role is right!” he says.)

FUBAR is an 8-episode dramedy on Netflix.
Netflix

The Arnold doc excites him more than any other project. He’s barely interested in talking about FUBAR, saying only that the script reminded him of True Lies. The three-part docuseries, which chronicles his three distinct careers (athlete, actor, and politician), marks the first time he’s been interviewed for a project on his life. “I said no to projects like this for years,” he says, “but I’ve seen how many people are inspired by my story. I hope it inspires millions of people to find their vision.”

He’s borrowing from the modern playbook of influencerism, too, advancing past TikTok and Instagram to deliver daily fitness wisdom to his audience with a free email newsletter. His Pump Daily, started in January, already has 431,000 subscribers. Email newsletters are an increasingly popular way for influencers to bypass social-media algorithms and connect with their most fervent followers.

The newsletter overflows with quick workouts and mindset advice from Arnold, as well as the occasional rant on society. He kicked off May by slamming influencer culture for being full of “bullshit artists and charlatans and outrage salespeople,” and various websites wrote about his diatribe. He didn’t mind. He recalls a weightlifter, Yury Vlasov, who inspired him in his youth. “You have to become the Yury Vlasov for the millions of people who come up to you,” he says, “because it has an effect on all of them. Then they eventually will be somebody, and then they will do the same for somebody else.”

Arnold is a three-part documentary from Netflix.
Courtesy of Netflix

The goal, I’m starting to understand, has always been about more than biceps. It’s been about impact. And I can’t help wondering if maybe that’s why Arnold let me join him in his morning workout, pushing me hard on that final set of biceps curls and showing me his secret to developing strong rear delts. (His tip: Keep your chest off the pad during machine rear-delt flies.)

But Arnold had other reasons. “It’s teamwork,” he says. “You inspire me. I inspire you.”

Just like those old Gold’s Gym days, when Arnold’s influence reached only his workout buddies.

This story appears in the July/August 2023 issue of Men’s Health.

Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., is the fitness director of Men’s Health and a certified trainer with more than 10 years of training experience. He’s logged training time with NFL athletes and track athletes and his current training regimen includes weight training, HIIT conditioning, and yoga. Before joining Men’s Health in 2017, he served as a sports columnist and tech columnist for the New York Daily News.

What Colin Kaepernick Has Taught the World About Strength

Men's Health

By
Scarlett Murray
-

October 6, 2023
0

For our 35th anniversary issue, we’re spotlighting 35 men who embody strength in all of its forms. To see the full list, click here.

DEAR KAEP,

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Needed you aware of my immense gratitude for your sacrifices, for what you’ve done for our collective consciousness, for how you’ve transformed my thinking and seeing. For instance, the time I was riding a NJ Transit train with a horde of Jets fans (poor souls) returning from MetLife Stadium. Dozens and dozens decked in Jets jerseys and hats, no few recapping game highlights:

That dude’s an animal, some said, their breath a brewery.

Such and such is a beast, they said.

Did you see that hit? That guy’s a savage!

This was around the time the King of White Audacity threatened, “You shouldn’t be playing,” that “maybe you shouldn’t be in the country.” Which means you’d already gone from sitting to kneeling, were—unbeknownst to you, I suspect—becoming the target of perhaps the most infamous blackballing in sports history, were damn near 40-yard-dashing down a path that would transform you from a superstar Super Bowl–starting quarterback into a civil rights icon, which is also to say: a symbol.

The language used that day on the train was nothing I hadn’t heard before, but in that moment it was a caustic that scraped the inside of my ears and ramped my pulse. Because my impressionable son was with me. Because I’d been writing about race in America. Because your nascent crucible was on my mind, a struggle that forced me to consider the ways the jargon used to describe football players—animal, beast, savage, brute—echoed words that’d been used to cast our people as inhuman.

We are human and should be treated as such—that’s what I’ve gleaned as the crux of your message.

And here you are still delivering it. In speeches. On the screen. In books. At your camp. Here you are still pressing toward your dream of a return to the NFL.

To keep it 100, that last part hurts, bro. Every time I read a headline announcing another workout, watch a clip of you throwing a sublime spiral wearing not football pads but Nike gear, every time I encounter a TV or magazine interview with you proclaiming, “That’s not something I will ever let go of, regardless of the actions of 32 teams and their partners to deny me employment” or “The same way I was persistent in high school is the same way I’m gonna be persistent here,” it’s painful. Not because I disbelieve in your gifts or grit, your supreme confidence or unwavering wherewithal, your dogged belief in achieving the impossible. It pains me because I can’t help but mind proof of their shamelessness, their infidelity to fairness and equality, to honor and integrity, to the hallowed principles they swear are represented in their beloved flag and revised anthem.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave . . .

The league colluding to refuse your labor is a wound because, in it, I see the legal woes foisted upon Ali for his conscientious objection; them people usurping the glory and spoils due Smith and Carlos; the machinations that robbed Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf of a prime career. In your long public (and who knows the measure of private) struggle, I’m reminded of the physical and psychic torture they doled to the enslaved they deemed literate or hopeful or obstinate or some other quality they perceived as a threat to their supremacy. Your plight reveals yet more proof of whiteness and its unyielding will to power, to endure by any means.

Still, I have no doubt you’ll press on however you can for however long you can. And though you owe me nothing—absolutely, positively, unequivocally nothing—I do wonder, dear brother, at this stage, does it all feel worth it?

Sincerely, Mitch

Joshua Kissi

This story originally appears in the October/November 2023 issue of Men’s Health.

Mitchell S Jackson is a contributing writer for Esquire, the winner of a Pulitzer Prize and a National Magazine Award as well as the acclaimed author of the memoir Survival Math, and the award-winning novel The Residue Years.

When Is the Best Time to Take Vitamins? Experts Explain

Men's Health

By
Scarlett Murray
-

October 6, 2023
0

VITAMINS ARE EXPENSIVE—there’s no denying that. If your doctor or dietician told you to start taking one, you’ll want to make sure you’re taking them effectively so you’re not wasting your money. That means taking them at the right time, in the right way.

So, when, and how, is the best way to take your vitamins? The answer is a bit more complicated than you’d think. In fact, the more ideal time to take your vitamins depends on what kind of vitamin they are. There are a few different kinds—water soluble, fat soluble, and multivitamins. The type determines how they’re absorbed, and gives us some hints as to best practices when it comes to taking it.

“The best time to take vitamins can vary depending on the type of vitamins you are taking and your individual preferences and needs,” says Erin Kenney, R.D..

That’s all to say, though, that the absolute best time to take them is when best fits your schedule. At the end of the day, it’s more important to ensure you’re actually taking them rather than when is most optimal. Consistency is key—if you find yourself skipping out on taking them entirely, you won’t reap any benefits at all.

Below, dietitians advise when’s best to take the different kinds of vitamins.

When’s the Best Time to Take Water Soluble Vitamins?

Water soluble vitamins, include vitamin C and B complex including thiamine, biotin, folate, and riboflavin. Water soluble vitamins are not easily stored in the body, and washed out if not absorbed, which makes them generally safe to take at any time of the day, says Kenney.

“Fluid intake is important for optimal absorption so wash down these supplements with a tall glass of water, and they can be taken with a meal or snack for best tolerance,” says Perri Halperin, M.S., R.D., clinical nutrition coordinator at Mount Sinai Health System.

When’s the Best Time to Take Fat Soluble Vitamins?

Fat soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. As the name suggests, the presence of fat dissolves these vitamins, Kenney says, so you’re going to want to take these with some kind of fat for proper absorption.

Halperin suggests taking these vitamins with a meal or snack that contains at least 5 grams of fat, “ideally unsaturated, for optimal health.” That could look like nuts or nut butter, olive oil, avocado, eggs, or fatty fish.

When’s the Best Time to Take Multivitamins?

Multivitamins contain both fat and water soluble vitamins. Because of that, multi-vitamins are usually best taken with a meal or a snack, accompanied by plenty of fluids. “Doing so has the added benefit of minimizing potential stomach upset,” Halperin says.

Digestion generally slows down at night, which might cause suboptimal nutrient absorption if you choose to take it before bedtime.

Should You Take Vitamins?

“Nutritious foods are the best way to get vitamins and minerals,” Halperin says. “Supplements can be used as a complement to help correct any potential deficiencies,” but they are not a replacement for food.

If your registered dietician or doctor has told you to take a supplement of some kind, taking it at an ideal time for that type of vitamin is going to optimize absorption. Talk to your healthcare provider about potential interactions between these vitamins and your medications—this could impact the time you take your vitamins, Kenney says. Some vitamins should be taken together, and some should be taken separately, so it’s important to formulate these things with your doctor, says Halperin.

Other things may affect the absorption of your vitamins, too. “Avoid taking supplements with minerals with coffee and tea. The compounds in these products can compete for absorption rendering them less effective and making for very expensive urine,” says Kenney. If you’re also taking a fiber supplement, it’s best to take that at a separate time, as it can affect absorption.

But, the absolute best time to take it is when you’re going to consistently remember to take it. If you don’t take your supplement, you’re not reaping any of the benefits at all.

Cori Ritchey, NASM-CPT is an Associate Health & Fitness Editor at Men’s Health and a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. You can find more of her work in HealthCentral, Livestrong, Self, and others.

Leslie is a sports dietitian based in Pittsburgh, PA. Her clients include the Kansas City Chiefs. She also works with the XFL and USFL. Her company Active Eating Advice—be fit, fed and fearless—provides performance nutrition consulting.

An inside look at body fat

Men's Health

By
Scarlett Murray
-

October 6, 2023
0

As men age, their metabolism naturally declines and they burn calories more slowly. Testosterone levels drop, and they may be less active, leading to potentially less muscle mass and making calorie burning even more challenging. In addition, many men consume more daily calories than they need. The typical outcome: too much body fat.

“When you take in extra calories and don’t burn them off, they eventually get stored as fat, and over time can accumulate,” says Dr. Caroline Apovian, co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

But the real problem is where this fat ends up. Many people think of “bad” fat as the kind they can pinch around their waist. But the fat that collects just under the skin — called subcutaneous fat — appears to cause few health issues.

A more dangerous type of fat, called visceral fat, is stored at waist level, but inside the abdominal cavity and around vital organs like the pancreas, liver, and intestines.

Visceral fat makes up only about 10% of a person’s total body fat. Still, research has found that high amounts can raise several heart disease risk factors, such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and total cholesterol levels.

How to measure

How can you measure visceral fat? The most accurate way is with an MRI, but that can be expensive (and the test is not covered by health insurance if ordered solely to assess visceral fat). Body mass index (BMI) provides a reasonable estimate using a person’s height and weight. (Find your BMI at /bmi.) But BMI does not account for ethnic differences, nor does it consider extra weight from muscle and bone mass.

One of the best (and easiest) ways to gauge visceral fat is your waistline, according to Dr. Apovian. “In general, a man whose waist measures 40 inches or more has excess visceral fat.” (See “Waist management.”)

But what if you have only put on an extra three to five pounds that moves the belt buckle over one hole? Is that a problem? Not necessarily—but be careful, warns Dr. Apovian. “It’s easy for five pounds to quickly turn into 10 pounds, and the more extra weight you carry, the greater the risk for high amounts of visceral fat.”

Waist management

A tape measure is a simple way to keep tabs on visceral fat. Place the bottom of the tape at the top of your right hipbone, then pull the tape around at navel level (not the narrowest part of your torso). Do not suck in your gut or pull the tape tight enough to compress the area. A waist circumference of 40 inches or more is considered a sign of excess visceral fat for men. Also monitor whether your pants get snug, which also can be a sign you have gained visceral fat.

Going deep

The best way to fight the fat you cannot see is the same as for fat you can see—aerobic exercise, strength training, and a healthy diet. But keep in mind that visceral fat can be slow to come off. “You first gain visceral fat, and then you gain subcutaneous fat,” says Dr. Apovian. “But when you lose weight, only about one-third is visceral fat.”

Dr. Apovian recommends a combination of 30 minutes to an hour of moderate-intense aerobic exercise, two or three days a week, plus two sessions a week of weight or resistance training to add muscle mass. “The combination helps to burn calories and tap into stored visceral fat,” she says.

The kind of aerobic exercise doesn’t matter as long as the intensity raises your heart rate enough that it is difficult to have a conversation. Some of your aerobic workouts should include high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, Dr. Apovian adds.

With HIIT, you run or walk at a higher intensity for a brief time, followed by a period at a slower pace to catch your breath. You repeat the cycle for the entire workout. You can enlist a personal trainer to help design a HIIT program and teach you how to perform the exercises correctly and safely.

Besides following a healthy, plant-based diet, make sure you eat enough daily protein to help build muscle mass. The recommended daily intake is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. (You can convert your body weight from pounds to kilograms by dividing by 2.2.

So, for instance, 160 pounds is 72 kg; multiplying this by 0.8 equals about 58 grams of protein a day.) Fish, poultry, beans, and yogurt are good protein sources. You can also mix protein powder into smoothies, oatmeal, or a glass of water or milk.

Image: © Elena Pimukova/Getty Images

What Is It, and Does It Help Your Mental Health?

Men's Health

By
Scarlett Murray
-

October 6, 2023
0

THERE’S BEEN A LOT of talk about microdosing psychedelics lately as a way to improve mental health.

While research is ongoing, some early studies have shown that the substances could be as effective as some traditional treatments for anxiety and depression. But experts say more research is needed on the subject to truly establish its mental health benefits.

Psychedelics are also illegal in much of the U.S., but some states have started to decriminalize their use.

Still, people are interested in trying them. More than half of Americans say they’re open to trying psychedelic medicine, according to a survey by Mindbloom, a ketamine treatment provider.

“This is just the beginnings of a very exciting field of work,” says Vivian Tsang, M.D., a psychiatrist, adjunct professor at Vancouver Island University, and a research lead at Roots to Thrive, a nonprofit healthcare practice in Canada that’s devoted to ketamine- and psilocybin-assisted therapy. “There are great teams of researchers doing a lot of work on this.”

Microdosing refers to taking a smaller amount of a typical dose of a psychedelic, such as psilocybin (or magic mushrooms), LSD, ketamine, or MDMA, Dr. Tsang explains. However, mushrooms tend to be the most common psychedelic used in microdosing, since much of the research has been done on them.

Microdosing mushrooms is generally safe for most people and doesn’t have addictive qualities, she says. But it’s best to do it under the guidance of an experienced health professional.

Here’s an overview of what’s considered a microdose, the potential mental health benefits of microdosing, and other things you should know about it.

What Is Microdosing?

There isn’t really a standard microdose measurement, but Dr. Tsang says it’s usually about one-tenth of what would be considered a typical dose (that might be used for recreational purposes).

“This can allow you to take advantage of the potential benefits of psychedelics without experiencing their full psychedelic effects, like hallucinations,” says Stacia Woodcock, PharmD, a pharmacy editor at GoodRx.

The mushrooms used in microdosing contain psilocybin, a natural chemical that can have mind-altering or hallucinogenic effects. Woodcock says psilocybin has been used for recreational or religious purposes for centuries.

Unless you’re working with a healthcare professional to take psychedelics, it can be tough to know how much you’re actually taking, she adds. Since these substances are illegal in the U.S., they’re not regulated and may contain more than a microdose—and, that could bring some side effects.

How Microdosing Works

Psilocybin mushrooms can be consumed dried, in capsule form, or infused in teas or other products, Dr. Tsang says.

Because the dose is so small, you usually won’t experience any hallucinations or sensory changes, she explains. Those effects often come with macrodosing.

However, many people who microdose report feeling a heightened sense of awareness, focus, energy, or creativity, Dr. Tsang adds.

“At the microdosing level, you should be able to move about your day in a safe way and be able to go to work or school,” she says.

Under medical supervision, you might be advised to microdose every three days or a few times a week, depending on how you respond, Woodcock says.

The Benefits of Microdosing

Research on the mental health benefits of microdosing mushrooms is still in the early stages, and some of the findings have been mixed.

A 2021 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that psilocybin therapy was just as effective as traditional antidepressant treatments for moderate to severe depression. But, some participants reported higher anxiety and lower mood after microdosing.

Other research suggests psilocybin may also help treat substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and OCD.

More research is needed to provide more evidence on the potential benefits of microdosing mushrooms—especially randomized controlled trials, which are the “gold standard in research,” Dr. Tsang says.

Some researchers suggest that psychedelics like mushrooms work best when they’re part of a comprehensive treatment plan that includes therapy and guidance from a trained mental health professional, Woodcock says.

Many of the benefits of microdosing psilocybin have been from small anecdotal studies, but suggest it can improve mood, attention, and creativity. It may also improve cognitive function or help reduce excessive drinking.

Is Microdosing Legal?

Psychedelics are illegal in the United States, Woodcock says. But, there’s a growing movement to legalize or decriminalize psychedelics.

In 2022, Colorado voters approved a measure to legalize psilocybin, and the state has already taken steps to decriminalize it. Oregon has legalized the use of psilocybin via licensed service centers.

It might be possible to purchase psilocybin online or elsewhere, but these products may not be safe, Woodcock says. It’s tough to know how much of the psychedelic or other ingredients the products contain.

What Are the Risks?

True microdosing is generally safe for most healthy people, Dr. Tsang says.

But sometimes you might unknowingly be taking more than what’s considered a microdose, especially if you’re using psychedelics without supervision or guidance from a medical expert, she adds.

If you take a full dose of psilocybin, you could experience hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or high blood pressure, Dr. Tsang says.

Erica Sweeney is a writer who mostly covers health, wellness and careers. She has written for The New York Times, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Parade, Money, Business Insider and many more.

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