Pressure, natural remedies

Dark chocolate, the food of the gods

Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant action, improves neuroplasticity and neuronal survival, stimulates concentration and learning, helps to keep blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar under control, increases energy consumption at rest by keeping overweight and obesity at bay, improves mood.

According to ancient Aztec legend, it was the god Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, who gave humans the cocoa plant, stolen from other deities. It was the same god, then, who taught how to crush cocoa and obtain a special drink, useful for counteracting tiredness and sadness. The first hot chocolate was born. Over time the product has been improved and reworked and now, on the shelves of every supermarket, we can find delicious and fragrant chocolate bars, cocoa-based drinks and cocoa powder ...

Spirulina algae, a true superfood, says science

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating properties, counteracts the proliferation of viruses, reduces the accumulation of visceral fat, neuroprotective, cardioprotective and anticancer, helps reduce blood pressure, bad cholesterol and triglycerides, helps in case of allergies.

Spirulina algae is probably one of the best known supplements in the world. It is considered a true superfood, an elixir of life for the body and brain. But are these just beliefs or is there a scientific basis behind these claims? Let's try to find out by analyzing, as always, the most important scientific research published on the subject. Spirulina, what it is - Spirulina is a blue green alga whose fame has grown a lot in recent years after NASA chose it as a supplement for its astronauts ...

Hibiscus, the flower with important protective properties for the stomach, liver and heart

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, digestive, useful to keep blood pressure and cholesterol under control, counteracts obesity and visceral fat.

From the petals of its ruby-red flowers we obtain an exceptional tea, which can be tasted both cold and hot and with incredible properties for health. We are talking about hibiscus and the infusion obtained from its flowers. But what can hibiscus do for our health? Let's try to understand this on the basis of scientific research. Hibiscus for the stomach - Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium capable of colonizing the mucous membrane of the stomach. Infection caused by this bacterium increases ...

Kindness, the lifestyle that prolongs your life

It is always advisable to be kind, both for others and especially for ourselves, as being kind makes us feel better, inhibits the sensation of pain, including joint and muscle pain, instills calm, improves our resilience and neuroplasticity and reduces the blood pressure and even the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Anglo-American writer Henry James once said, three things are important in life. The first is to be kind, the second is to be kind, and the third is to be kind. Kindness as a lifestyle, as a way of approaching others and life, but we are talking about authentic kindness, not the mask that you sometimes see and that immediately catches the eye as a studied and not at all spontaneous attitude. Of course, we grew up hearing that, as indicated by Darwin, in the world the strongest wins, so kindness,...

Flaxseed, a source of health to fight inflammation, obesity, diabetes and viruses

Anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor and immunostimulating properties, enhance the defenses against viral infections, counteract obesity and support cognitive function, help reduce blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure with benefits for the heart.

In the form of oil to season salads or as ground whole seeds added to yogurt and fruit salads, flax seeds are a tasty, and healthy, enrichment for our diet. In fact, these seeds are a precious source of proteins, fibers, fatty acids, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances, mineral salts such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron, vitamin A and group B, which give flaxseeds anti-aging, immunostimulating, anti-obesity and cardioprotective properties (Kajla et al, J Food Sci Technol, 201...

Pomegranate, the superfood with anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, helps to keep blood sugar and blood pressure under control, makes the body more resistant to fatigue, antiviral action, protects the skin from UV damage.

A healthy and tasty way to start the day? With a glass of pomegranate juice. In fact, the juice of this ruby-colored fruit is a precious source of properties for health, protecting the body from damage of free radicals, from inflammation but also from viruses. Let's try to understand better on the basis of the most recent scientific research. Pomegranate juice and photo-aging - Oral intake of pomegranate juice has been shown to protect the skin from UV damage, increasing resistance and reduci...

Walking, almost a medicine for various ailments

Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, helps control body weight, lowers blood pressure, improves sleep apnea symptoms and relieves low back pain.

Walking is the simplest action there is and also the form of gymnastics that is most accessible to all. We have already had the opportunity to focus on the health properties of a walk, talking about the benefits on mood, heart, immune system and visceral fat. Today we focus on the fact that walking can really become a medicine against various diseases, such as diabetes but also hypertension, back pain and even sleep apnea. But let's go deeper, also evaluating how many steps per day are recommend...

Grapes, the fruit loved by Dionysus that rejuvenates body and mind

Improves mood and cognitive function, counteracts cellular degeneration, strengthens the immune system and protects the heart, supports circulation, protects teeth and reduces the risk of caries, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging.

For the ancients, grapes were the fruit of the gods, so much that they adorn, in many representations, the head of Dionysus, the god of wine. And, in a wonderful and fantastic work by Luciano di Samosata, a Greek author, there is an island beyond the Pillars of Hercules, sacred to Dionysus, where a river of wine flows. This river flows from a vineyard full of ripe bunches of grapes, from whose roots drops of wine jump into the river. In short, grapes have always ignited the imagination of poets ...

Watermelon, the fruit of the gods that tastes like summer

Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protects the heart, retina and skin, improves the elasticity of the arteries, helps lower blood pressure and keep cholesterol under control, counteracts weight gain and the accumulation of visceral fat, reduces muscle pain following physical activity.

Ancient papyri and depictions in some tombs of ancient Egypt clearly show this. Watermelons were deposited in Egyptian tombs as a kit for the deceased so that they were a source of sustenance for him or her in the afterlife. And that's not all, the Egyptians attributed a divine origin to watermelon, believing that it was created by the god Seth, the god of the desert and storm, but also the god who, every day, got on the solar boat together with Ra to fight and defeat Apopi, the monster who want...

Cherries, the fruits of health sacred to Venus

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic and anti-obesity properties, reduce blood pressure, help prevent gout attacks, improve sleep and mood.

The cherry tree is the sacred plant of Venus, the goddess of love. And we can also say without fear of making a mistake that bringing its red and juicy fruits, cherries, to the table is a gesture of love towards us and our loved ones. In fact, cherries are a precious source of properties for health, also helping to keep body weight under control, if included in a healthy and balanced diet. But let's understand better. Cherries, nutrients - Cherries are a valuable source of antioxidants, such ...

Hibiscus, the anti-aging drink

Antioxidants, anti-inflammatory substances, hypotensive action, useful to keep cholesterol under control and to counteract overweight, obesity and abdominal fat, for external applications it soothes irritated and burned and sunburned skin.

When they arrive in Hawaii, tourists are greeted with garlands of hibiscus flowers, the symbol of Hawaii but also as a sign of good luck. In fact, the hibiscus is considered the flower of opportunities. But hibiscus does not only bring good luck, as emerges from numerous scientific researches, in fact, hibiscus flowers, used to prepare tasty and thirst-quenching herbal teas, are a precious source of beneficial substances for health. Hibiscus, properties - Hibiscus, scientific name hibiscus ...

Lemon, the juice with many benefits for heart, skin and stomach health

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, useful in case of nausea, stomach pain, difficult digestion and heartburn, fights the formation of urinary tract stones, detoxifies, helps to keep blood sugar, cholesterol and pressure under control.

According to the myth, when Zeus and Hera got married, Gaea, the Earth, donated to the bride a lush garden called the garden of the Hesperides. This garden was located at the end of the then known world, in the West, where the Sun sets. Guarding the garden and its splendid plants were three nymphs, the Hesperides. In the garden, every flower, every bush and every grass was full of life, however, among all that wonderful vegetation, a tree stood out, the tree with golden fruits. And according to ...

Mistletoe

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, acts as an immunostimulant and antitumor, regulates blood pressure, raising it if low and lowering it if too high, reduces blood sugar and LDL cholesterol, cardioprotective action.

At the solstices, the druids, dressed in white, cut with a golden sickle mistletoe branches that were then used to prepare precious infusions, capable of curing any ailment. This ancient wisdom, in which magic and knowledge were mixed until they get confused, has passed the centuries and has arrived to us. Even today, in fact, mistletoe is considered a precious natural remedy, against both hypertension and cellular degeneration. Of course, nowadays the mistletoe is harvested without golden sickl...

Moringa, the miracle tree

Antioxidant and anticancer, protects the heart, helps to keep blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol under control, supports the liver and kidneys, tones the mind, strengthens the immune system from the attack of viruses and bacteria, useful analgesic action against migraines, anti-inflammatory, counteracts asthma and overweight, also useful for the beauty of the skin.

Few things are certain in life, but one thing was sure. Anyone who went to see Fidel Castro, whether he or she was a head of state or a celebrity from the world of sport or show business, had to go through his garden. And above all that person had to listen to him describe in detail the beneficial properties of a particular plant, his favorite, of which he had a personal cultivation, the moringa, or miracle tree. Not only that, it is also said that Fidel Castro used to chew moringa leaves like c...

Kombucha, the emperor's tea

Antioxidant, counteracts free radicals and the development of tumors, helps to keep blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and overweight under control, detoxifies the liver, probable probiotic action and support for the immune system against infections of the respiratory tract.

It is said that Qin Chi Huangdi, the first emperor of unified China, was obsessed with becoming immortal. For this reason, it is said, he visited the island of Zhifu three times, where, according to tradition, the mountain of immortality stood. But his search for eternal life also led Quin Chi Huangdi to an alchemist who prepared for the emperor a special drink, dark in appearance and slightly sparkling, which the emperor loved right away, kombucha tea. Unfortunately, however, the search for ete...

Walnuts, little elixirs of long life

Vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure, counteract inflammation and cognitive impairment, improve mood.

Walnuts are the fruit of the Juglans regia tree. Practical to always have with you, tasty and full of energy, walnuts are the perfect snack, they enrich the breakfast muesli and make preparations such as bread and cakes even more delicious. But walnuts are also a precious source of health properties for the well-being of the heart, brain and gut, let's see better. Walnuts, properties - Walnuts are an important source of omega 3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are often lacking in Western diet b...

Healthy in the kitchen, salt

Salt maintains food and its main component, sodium chloride, is indispensable in various biological processes. But don't overdo the quantity. So let's see what are the effects of a diet characterized by excessive salt consumption and how to reduce it.

Homer called salt the divine substance, and in ancient times it certainly was. In fact, more than as a condiment, salt was considered essential to preserve food, meat, fish and vegetables, guaranteeing the necessary sustenance and therefore survival even in times of famine or in winter. Over time, however, salt has become the most used ingredient to flavor foods, so much that we can find salt almost everywhere, even in desserts. The problem, however, is that if on the one hand the sodium chlorid...

Extra virgin olive oil, properties

Antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, capable of protecting the heart and brain, extra virgin olive oil is a real medicine food.

Extra virgin olive oil is considered much more than a condiment and a real medicine food. Extra virgin olive oil is obtained by mechanical pressing of the olives without resorting to chemical treatments. For several years now, science has been interested in the properties of extra virgin olive oil and its health benefits. So let's see what extra virgin olive oil can do to improve our health, what are the differences compared to olive oil and what happens during cooking. Extra virgin olive oil,...

Bixa orellana

Antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumor, hypotensive and hypoglycemic, it can also be used externally to protect the skin from free radical damage and keep it elastic, useful against photoaging and stretch marks.

Bixa orellana, or achiote, is a shrubby plant of the Bixaceae family and is native to South America although nowadays its seeds can be found and purchased almost everywhere. From its seeds, in fact, a red orange dye is obtained, called annatto, widely used in cosmetics, such as lipsticks, or in food. The dye appears on the label with the initials E160b. But ground seeds are also an interesting, and healthy, culinary ingredient, especially when mixed with other spices. So let's try to understand ...

Woods, more than an anti-stress, a real stimulant for the immune system

Anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antioxidant action, supports the immune system thanks to the absorption by our body of the essential oils released by the trees, reduction of blood pressure, helpful in case of anxiety, stress, bad mood and depression.

A silent forest, where everything seems motionless but in reality beats with life. The shoes creak on the path as you make your way through ferns and mosses, the air is fresh and clean, slightly scented with aromas of resin. The forest is a unique experience to be immersed in nature, to detach from stress and to bring benefit to body and mind, so much that even science has been interested in its properties for health and a term has been coined to indicate the immersion in a woods as a regenerati...

Earl Grey, the bergamot tea that is good for health

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, protects the heart, helps lower bad cholesterol and regulates blood pressure, counteracts gastritis and intestinal inflammation, fights obesity.

Earl Grey tea is a black tea flavored with oil extracted from bergamot peel. It is named after Charles Grey, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, who received as a gift a tea mixed with bergamot oil. Nowadays, Earl Grey is very popular all over the world with a lot of variations. In fact, sometimes black tea can be replaced with green, white, oolong and even rooibosh tea, the tea leaves can be mixed with bergamot extract, with its essential oil or with the dried citrus peel and other flavors ca...

Kukicha green tea

Supports the immune system, fights anxiety and stress and high blood pressure, improves cognitive function, anticancer, low in caffeine and therefore lends itself to being drunk even in the afternoon.

Lot of small sticks and twigs, this is kukicha green tea, a very particular Japanese tea that differs from other teas that are in the form of leaves. The aroma of kukicha green tea is sweet and stands out from other Japanese green teas that, on the other hand, have a scent that reminds of freshly picked grass. So let's see the types of kukicha, the properties and the preparation of this particular tea. Kukicha tea, types - Whether it's gyokuro, sencha or kukicha, the plant from which green tea...

Watermelon seeds

Mineral salts, proteins and precious antioxidants, help regulate blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure, support for the immune system.

We will soon be able to see watermelon, the fruit with a sweet and juicy flesh, on the greengrocer's shelves. However, today we are not talking about the properties of watermelon pulp, but about those of its seeds! Oh yes, watermelon seeds, those small black seeds contained in the red pulp and that often are left aside, not only can be eaten but are also characterized by interesting healthy properties, too. Let's see better! Watermelon seeds, properties - Watermelon seeds are rich in oils, uns...

Strawberries, the fruits of health

Vitamins, mineral salts and powerful antioxidants that counteract aging processes, protect the heart and brain, help to control body weight, blood sugar and cholesterol.

Strawberries are the fruits of the plants of the genus Fragaria, family of the Rosceae. Actually, it is a false fruit as the real fruit is given by the seeds that can be seen on the surface of the strawberry. Fragrant and juicy, the strawberry starts appearing on the shelves of the grocery stores since March and can be found until June, for the joy of adults and children. So let's see the properties of strawberries! Strawberries, properties - Strawberries provide vitamins C, E and group B, but...

Wild garlic

Antioxidant, antimicrobial and immune support properties, deep detoxifying action, helps to keep pressure and cholesterol under control, antithrombotic.

Wild garlic, scientific name Allium ursinum, is a plant belonging to the Liliaceae family. The name, wild garlic, derives from the Latin word ursus, which means bear, based on the popular belief that bears, once they come out of hibernation, consume this plant to purify themselves of accumulated toxins and to regain their strength. Wild garlic is characterized by broad leaves that smell of garlic due to the presence of sulfur compounds. And it is precisely this aroma that makes wild garlic a rea...

Passion fruit or maracuja, a real superfood for the body and the immune system

Vitamins, mineral salts, carbohydrates and antioxidants, counteracts chronic inflammations, supports the immune system, helps to lower blood pressure and improves digestive processes thanks to the presence of fiber.

Passiflora edulis is a plant of the genus Passiflora, family of Passifloraceae, but is also known by the Portuguese name maracuja. The fruit of the plant, the maracuja or passion fruit, is a berry characterized by a hard zest, a very soft pulp rich in seeds and by a very intense scent that makes the passion fruit an ideal ingredient for the preparation of juices and ice creams. There are many types of passion fruit but the two main varieties are the purple passion fruit, or passiflora edulis, wi...

Soy

Digestible proteins, important intake of vitamins and mineral salts, such as iron and calcium, antioxidant substances with anti-tumor action, able to protect heart health.

Soy, scientific name glycine max, is a plant of the Leguminosae family like beans, peas or lentils. The fruit of the plant are pods that have inside the seeds, the soy beans that we commonly find on supermarket shelves either in dried form or, after a manufacturing process, in form of milk, tofu, yogurt, tempeh or miso. Soy has been studied in recent years to verify its health properties, let's try to understand better what science says about it. Soybean, nutritional properties - What emerges ...

Tibetan singing bowls

Calming action, help to lower blood pressure and counteract anxiety and stress.

Tibetan singing bowls are a very ancient musical instrument. They look like bronze bowls, although the alloy, with which they are made, can include up to 12 metals, they do not have a clapper but are played using a stick that generates a deep and fascinating sound. Tibetan singing bowls are at the center of numerous scientific studies since it is believed that the vibration generated by them is able to act on mood and anxiety. But let's understand better. Tibetan singing bowls, what science sa...

Pear

Vitamins, mineral salts and antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and diuretic action, useful against stones, protects the heart by lowering blood pressure and the risk of type 2 diabetes, helps control weight and reduces the waistline.

The pear is the fruit of the Pyrus trees of the Rosaceae family, one of the oldest plants cultivated by humans. The pear is delicious and versatile, it can be taken both as fresh fruit and in the form of candied fruit, jams or juices. But the strength of the pear is that it is also a powerful source of health! Let's see its properties, proven by scientific studies. Pear, properties - The pear is rich in fiber, therefore useful for the proper functioning of the intestine. But a healthy intestin...

Garlic, supplements, properties and benefits

From garlic, different types of herbal remedies are obtained, such as powdered extract, aqueous or oily extract and aged garlic, each with different properties, such as strengthening the immune system, protecting the heart or fighting inflammation.

Garlic, scientific name allium sativum, is an essential ingredient for cooking, it is excellent rubbed on slices of toasted bread and really delicious minced and added to the preparations of sauces and fillings. But garlic is also a powerful source of important substances for health. In fact, it is useful in reducing cardiovascular risk and tumors, has an antioxidant and antimicrobial effect, helps detoxification processes and is protective for the liver (Bayan et al, AJP, 2013). These propertie...