You are the Universe! - E:16 Natures Antibiotics - What your DR doesn’t want you to know?

Episode Date: May 31, 2024

In this episode we will discuss my top 5 favorite healing plants for people and can also be used with animals and how to incorporate them into your daily routine. 1. Garlic 2. Ginger 3. Turmeric 4. Cayenne Pepper 5. Cinnamon www.VictoriaHaffer.com

Welcome to the You Are the Universe podcast. I'm your host, Victoria Hafer, intuitive healer and holistic life and body coach, with over 20 years of facilitating massive transformation for people and animals. And I'm so flipping glad you're here. Today's topic is nature's antibiotics, what your doctor does not want you to know. Let's talk about the healing power of plant medicine. A healing herb otherwise known, as a medicinal plant is either collected from the wild or intentionally grown for its medicinal value. Many people are taking their own health into their hands and growing healing herbs and spices in their own backyard. Know that this information I'm about to share with you does not replace medical advice and you should consult with your functional medicine doctor if you are on meds or have a medical condition. In this episode, we will discuss my top five favorite healing plants for people and animals. Yes, you heard that right. And animals. These are also highly used for maintaining health and also preventative measures as well. And how to incorporate them into your

daily routine. Let's get started, shall we? So number one is garlic. Garlic is a perennial plant native to Central Asia that has grown for its flavorful bulbs. It is now grown worldwide by many cultures. Garlic is valued both for cooking purposes and its medicinal properties. Humans have been using garlic for thousands of years. Garlic is widely known for its powerful antibacterial, antiparacetic, and antimicrobial benefits, as well as lowering blood pressure, treating tuberculosis, parasites, peridontal disease, liver disease, and also reducing fever.

The main sulfur compound found in garlic called Allison has powerful antimicrobial, anti-cancer, anti-parasitic, and anti-inflammatory properties. And garlic can be consumed both cooked and raw. As far as taking the garlic, you know, you could cook it. It's pretty much a staple in all of my cooking. And also you can, depending on, you know, what's going on with your your body, especially if you're dealing with parasites, garlic can be a really

good way to get rid of those those pesky little bugs. The next herb that I want to talk about is ginger. Zingabur, Oficionale has a leafy stem and yellow green flowers. native to Asia. Ginger belongs to the, okay, bear with me here. Zingibarisei family. I know I screwed that up. This versatile spice comes from the underground stem of the ginger plant and is added to foods and beverages.

Ginger has been used extensively since the 1500s and many traditional medicines worldwide. Over 2,000 years ago, ginger was so valued and sawd after for its medicinal properties that a pound of it was equivalent to the cost of a sheep. It is used to remedy common ailments such as nausea, pain, and vomiting. Today, ginger has the distinction of being classified as an herb, food, and medicine. Regarding its medicinal properties, ginger is perhaps best known for its ability to help reduce nausea. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, ginger is also an effective pain reliever. Studies found that ginger helped reduce pain and increased range of motion in individuals with osteoarthritis. Ginger is versatile and used in

many forms, including fresh, dried, pickled, candied, and powdered. It has a strong and spicy smell and taste somewhat sweet and peppery. Ground ginger root is what you typically find on spice shelves in grocery stores. It's commonly used for cooking and baking. There are numerous ways to consume ginger, including in tea. If you consume fresh ginger, make sure you peel the skin with a vegetable peeler before use. Ginger is considered to be safe when taken orally as a dietary supplement, and it may also be safe when used topically on the skin.

Just know that if you are going to use any kind of a ginger oil, it's a very fiery kind of an oil. So I wouldn't recommend that you put it neat on the skin that you, you know, add it perhaps to a carrier oil, like a coconut or jojoba oil or something. The next spice herb is turmeric, kukuma longa. You might also, I think this is a pretty common one that you would hear a lot about. It's native to South Asia. Turmeric is an herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the ginger family. Did you know that? It has been used for its medicinal properties for thousands of years. Turmeric is one of the most widely studied herbs. It is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer properties. And Iroveda and other traditional medicine systems,

it is used for upper respiratory infections, the digestive system, as well as skin problems. The primary curcuminoid in turmeric is curcumin, a phenolic compound that makes up about 70% of turmeric's bioactive compounds. It's touted as aiding in such conditions as allergies, arthritis, digestive disorders, respiratory infections, depression, and liver disease. Turmeric is used around the world as a cooking ingredient, especially in the, you know, Indian area. Turmeric supplements are made from the dried rhizome and are often sold in capsule form. Turmeric paste is made to apply topically to the skin for certain skin conditions. Some people experience significant symptom relief when taking smaller doses. So start small to determine which dose works best for you.

Number four. And this is, I have to say, it's probably, I would have to say it's, it's nature's best kept secret. And it's something that I have incorporated into my day to day pretty recently. And it's helped me with a lot of my conditions, my autoimmune. And that is cayenne pepper. It is a shrub that originated in central and South America and now grows in subtropical and tropical climates. Its hollow fruit grows into long pods that turn red, orange, or yellow when they ripen.

Paya and pepper is typically added to food in either its natural or powdered form, and some people use it as a cream or a capsule in order to take advantage of its detoxifying properties. from seeds found on the floors of caves that were ancient human dwellings and from ancient fossil feces, scientists have found that people have been eating peppers as early as 7,000 BC. Chyam peppers were even growing in the Hawaiian islands as early as 1897. These smaller and more pungent fruits were called Hawaiian chili peppers. Did you know that? You may have heard of the popular master cleanse, which is a cleanse that flushes toxins from the body.

And that cleanse, it consists of lemon, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. And it's typically consumed six times a day and you can do it for up to 10 days for your detox or longer. Cyan pepper benefits are numerous. I actually had to cut out a lot of stuff here, but let's get to the gist of it. It's used for conditions of the heart and blood vessels, including to improve poor circulation, reverse excessive blood clotting, lower high cholesterol, and prevent heart disease. Many of these cayenne pepper benefits are possible because of the plant's active compound. Capsacin.

This molecular works by, I'm sorry, this molecule works by binding to a vanillaid receptor known as TRRPV1 which triggers a mild inflammatory reaction that repairs injured cells. Some other major benefits of cayenne pepper are absolutely a support to you in digestion. One of the major cayenne pepper benefits is the positive effect that it has in our digestive system. cayenne pepper helps produce saliva, which is important for excellent digestion, as well as preventing bad breath. Research suggests that consuming cayenne pepper stimulates our salivary glands, which is needed to begin the digestive process.

Chian pepper also stimulates the flow of enzyme production, which is essential for the digestive system to work properly. It also stimulates gastric juices that aid the body's ability to metabolize food and toxins. Another benefit of cayenne pepper is, you may not know this one. This was a new one for me. It relieves migraines. This is a big one. Researchers suggest that cayenne pepper due to its spice is able to stimulate a pain

response in a different part of the body. Once this happens, the brain puts his attention on that new site and no longer concentrates on the pain in the head, which causes the migraine headache. After this initial pain reaction from the cayenne pepper, the nerve fibers have a depleted substance P or pain chemical and the sensation of pain is lessened. With cayenne compounds, you're basically tricking your body to feel pain somewhere else so the head is no longer the main focus for pain chemicals. Who would have known?

Another major benefit of cayenne pepper is it helps prevent blood clots. blood plots are blockages in your arteries and blood vessels that limit blood flow through your circulatory system. Cyanne encourages fibrenolytic activity and helps prevent blood clots. This is also the reason why Cyan Pepper may be effective in helping prevent heart attacks. Studies indicate that the Capsacinin in Cyan pepper helps to clear away artery narrowing lipid deposits and dilates arteries and blood vessels to clear away clots. How awesome.

Another major benefit. It provides detox support. Cyan pepper benefits include its ability to stimulate circulation and eliminate acidity. Now, we know that acidity versus alkalinity is one of the major reasons for inflammation in the entire body. And then inflammation is a major reason. for so many of the ailments that we have, including arthritis. According to research, published in critical reviews in food science and nutrition, cayenne pepper restores the circulatory

system by opening the capillaries and regulating our blood sugar. It also helps the digestive system that moves bacteria and toxins out of the body. Another major benefit of cayenne pepper is it relieves joint and nerve pain. Chian pepper has very powerful pain relieving properties when applied to the skin. It reduces the amount of substance P, a chemical that carries pain messages to the brain. When there is less substance P, the pain messages no longer reach the brain and you feel relief. It also alleviates pain from nerve damage in the feet or the legs from diabetes, lower back injuries, neuropathy, osteoarthritis, as well as rheumatoid arthritis.

And it can also a support in fibromyalgia symptoms. Number six, you're going to like this one. It also, cayenne pepper is a huge supporter of weight loss. Studies have found that adding cayenne pepper to your breakfast, or really any meal, creates less appetite so people eat less calories during the day. It's why cayenne is a common ingredient in many of the thermogenic weight loss supplements. It also burns excess fat because it's a metabolic booster. As one of the key anti-inflammatory foods, cayenne pepper benefits also include weight loss.

Cyan pepper has the power to soothe inflammation and bloating that comes from allergies, food sensitivities, and infections. Ooh, the list just goes on and on. Cayenne pepper also works as an anti-irritant. Cyan pepper benefits include its anti-erritant properties, making it potentially effective for easing ulcers. Yes, you heard right. Ulcers. Cyan pepper, spicy foods, don't necessarily create ulcers that can actually help to heal them.

Upset stomachs, you know, digestive issues, cough, and even stopping of diarrhea. Yes. It also may treat skin disorders such as psoriasis, which I think the reason why it helps it psoriasis is because cayenne peppers is such an amazing antimicrobial and antiparasitic. So I believe that bacteria and parasites can create skin disorders for us. You know, leaky gut. When the gut is not, the gut biome is not super healthy, all of that's going to be affected. You know your skin is your largest organ.

cayenne pepper also aids in fighting off cold and flu. Chiant pepper benefits include being full of beta carotene and antioxidants that support your immune system. It aids in breaking up and moving congested mucus. And once this nasty mucus leaves the body, the symptoms of the flu or the cold will diminish. Besides helping as a natural remedy for the flu, cayenne pepper also raises your body temperature, which makes you sweat. That creates that detox effect and increases the activity and boosts your immune system. As a vitamin C food, cayenne pepper may also help you kick that nasty cold.

And this is one of my favorite benefits right here and why I have been using cayenne pepper much so in my daily routine. It helps to heal and relieve leaky gut because cayenne is an anti-inflammatory agent. It has the power to potentially prevent allergies and the symptoms related to allergies. A food allergy, for example, is a measurable response to consuming a specific food. Food allergies or intolerances can be caused by a condition known as leaky gut, intestinal permeability, when proteins and food particles pass through the gut and cause systemic body inflammation.

Leaky gut is like having the gates broken from your, intestines to your bloodstream so that toxins, microbes, and undigested food particles can now get through. When this happens, it causes inflammation throughout the body leading to a variety of autoimmune diseases. Cayenne pepper also has massive evidence around anti-cancer and antifungal properties and they're actually connected. They've actually said that cancer is a fungal. Cayenne pepper has the ability to kill fungus and prevent the formation of fungal pathogens. Cyanpepper was investigated to determine its in vitro antifungal activity and the results found that it was active against 16 different fungal strands, including candida.

Candida is a fungus that aids with nutrient absorption and digestion when improper levels in the body. when it's overgrown, it overproduces, these symptoms can occur. These include hormone imbalances, joint pain, digestive problems, as well as a extremely weak immune system, which means it sets you up to be open to, you know, not being able to fight off the infection and disease or anything that comes into your body, the invaders. And the last herb. There's a lot of good stuff here on this one as well. Another one of my favorites that I use on a daily basis. And this is good old cinnamon.

Who in an own? Cinnamon is a powerful spice that has been used medicinally around the world for thousands of years. Interestingly enough, researchers have found that the spice. ranks number one out of 26 of the most popular herbs and spices in the world in terms of its protective antioxidant levels. It also boasts a wide range of other health benefits, including antibacterial, antifungal, and antidiabetic properties. Cinnamon is actually made from the bark of the cinemoman, verum tree. The bark contains several special compounds that are responsible for its many health-promoting properties.

As one of the oldest spices in the world, cinnamon has long been used for its healing properties as a staple in many forms of holistic and traditional medicine. Here are some of the top benefits of this powerful spice. It's high, number one, high in antioxidants. Cinnamon is packed with a variety of protective antioxidants that reduce free radical damage and slow the aging process down,

Did you hear that? In fact, researchers have identified at least 41 different protective compounds found within this spice to date. According to the ORAC scale, which is used to measure the concentration of antioxidants in different foods, cinnamon ranks number seven. It has been shown to have greater antioxidant power than commonly consumed herbs like thyme, garlic, and rosemary. Cinnamon health benefits are attributed to its content of a few specific types of antioxidants, including polyphenols, phenolic acid, and flavonoids. These compounds work to fight oxidative stress in the body and have been found to aid

in the prevention of so many chronic diseases. The different antioxidants present in the spice help neutralize harmful, free radicals in the body and prevent oxidative stress. It also helps limit nitric acid, build up in the blood and prevents fat peroxidation, both of which can increase the risk of brain disorders, cancer, heart disease, and other chronic conditions. Cinnamon also supports and assists us in relieving inflammation. The antioxidants and cinnamon can help relieve inflammation, which may help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, and more.

Researchers have identified many different types of flavonoids in the spice, all of which are highly effective at fighting dangerous inflammation levels throughout the body. Because this powerful spice lowers swelling and prevents inflammation, it can also be beneficial in pain management. In fact, studies show that it helps reduce muscle soreness, decrease menstrual pain, less than the severity of allergic reactions, and relieve other age-related symptoms as well. Cinnamon is also a huge protector of heart health. Studies show that one of the top cinnamon health benefits is its ability to improve heart health.

In fact, it has been shown to reduce several of the most common risk factors for heart disease, including high cholesterol, high triglyceride, and high blood pressure. How about that? It has also been found to reduce high blood pressure, which is another risk factor for heart disease or stroke. Research shows that it has helpful blood coagulant and can stop excess bleeding by helping the body to form blood clots. Cinnamon also decreases circulation and improves tissue repair, which may be especially helpful for regenerating heart disease, heart tissue, in order to help fight heart attacks, heart disease, and stroke. Oh, my goodness. So many amazs.

How often, I'm curious, how often does your medical doctor recommend cinnamon for you for? as part of your daily routine. Hmm. Another major benefit of cinnamon. And my favorite is it stabilizes blood sugar. Cinnamon is well known for its anti-diabetic effects, which is why it's considered one of the best spices for diabetics. Research indicates that it can lower blood sugar levels

and improve sensitivity to the hormone insulin, which helps transport glucose from the bloodstream to the tissues, right, to keep blood sugar levels balanced. Another major benefit of cinnamon is that it preserves brain function. Who can't use some more brain function or efficiency in their brain? Because it is rich in antioxidants, research shows that this spice may boost brain function and can help defend against the development of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Although human studies are lacking, and vitro studies show that cinnamon helps block the buildup of a specific protein in the brain to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's. It's also been shown to protect neurons against oxidative stress to reduce the risk of inflammation and cell damage.

And other major benefit of cinnamon is, because of its antioxidant abilities, Cinnamon may protect against DNA damage, cell mutation, and cancerous tumor growth. Studies have revealed that the health benefits of cinnamon come from a compound called cinameldehyde, which can inhibit tumor growth and protect DNA against damage while also killing off the cancer cells. Hmm. Very interesting. This is especially true in the colon. Studies show that it can help improve the health of the colon.

in which could reduce the risk of colon cancer. Wow. Those are some powerful benefits, wouldn't you say? Cinnamon also helps to fight off infections and viruses. There are many potential benefits of cinnamon when it comes to defending the body from illness. It contains natural antimicrobial, antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral properties. And its essential oils contain powerful immune boosting compounds as well. So it's for this reason that, you know, many cultures actually use this in protecting against

bacterial infections, which can cause conditions like your common cold, strep throat, and pneumonia. Another benefit, major benefit of using cinnamon on the daily, it optimizes oral hygiene. This is, again, a neat healing off my periodontal disease. This was very helpful for me. Research shows that cinnamon benefits our oral hygiene and can protect us against certain strands of bacteria that cause bad breath, tooth decay, and mouth infections as well as gum disease. The essential oils from cinnamon possess potent antibacterial properties and can be used to naturally combat bacteria in the mouth.

Acting as a natural mouthwash. I actually make my own mouthwash where I use an organic aloe vera, uh, um, um, drink juice and then I put in a about 20 drops of a organic therapeutic grade cinnamon oil. And then I shake it up. You can also add peppermint to that as well. Similar to peppermint, one of the health benefits of cinnamon is that it can be used as a natural flavoring agent in chewing gums. Yeah.

You know that because it removes oral bacteria. The spices the ability to fight gum disease without adding any chemical. to the body. Yes, yes. It also supports an aides in fighting off candida as well. It can benefit our skin health. I don't know if you've heard about this as well. Another one of my favorites,

I'm not really going to talk about it today, but maybe in a future podcast, is raw local honey. Raw honey will heal everything. If you have an infection or a wound or a scar or a pimple, it's great to use as a mask on your face. And so what you could do is in the honey, you could sprinkle in some organic cinnamon into that, mix it up and then use that as a mask on your face,

which would be great. Right. So it's beneficial for acne, roséya, and any skin allergies that you might have. Like I said, psoriasis and or eczema. You can use either raw honey or manuka honey also has a very, very high medicinal value there. cinnamon has also been known to support us in reducing allergy symptoms.

It sweetens up recipes without sugar. It acts as a natural preservative in food. Yeah, feel free to put it on there. I love to shake it on all my stuff when I make my coconut pancakes and I love to put some organic cinnamon on there. And remember, a little bit of cinnamon goes a long way. and its antioxidant properties are what makes it especially beneficial to include into your diet. As little as a half a teaspoon daily can have positive effects on blood sugar levels, digestion, immunity, and more.

Woo! Well, that was a mouthful. So what do we have here? We've got, again, I told you, I have my top five. And again, there's so many more. Oh my goodness. I didn't have enough time on this podcast to go over all that. but I just picked the top five that I use on a daily basis and that you could easily, you know, connect with. Remember, garlic, we had ginger, we have turmeric, we've got cinnamon and we have cayenne pepper. Yeah. So there are some really good ones. And so, you know, how you can ingest them, I literally make my own tea in the morning.

I'm not a big fan of tea bag. So I like to do fresh. I buy, you know, I have all of these herbs. I don't put the garlic in my tea. Now, you certainly can. You absolutely can do that if you're okay with it, but I do not. I, you know, I do a lot of the garlic with my cooking. And as far as the spices go, I, you know, you want to definitely get organic, high quality organic option. And then I just shake it in there. Now, fresh is, of course, could be great as well. I'm honestly a lazy, holistic practitioner.

So I'm always looking for the easiest, more, most efficient ways that I can do things and that I'll do them quickly. So again, I have, in my, I make a, you know, a cup of hot water in the morning and then I just shake, shake, shake, shake, shake, shake. You've got to start low on the cayenne pepper and see what you can tolerate.

I don't shake as much with the cayenne pepper. If, you know, the other thing is if you, if you're making hot cereal, oh, it's so great to put into that. I make a smoothie on most days. So in my smoothies, you know, I put in fresh organic berries and coconut milk and all kinds of amazing herbs and tinctures in there as well as fresh coconut, shredded coconut. I do raw pumpkin seeds. And then I just, again, cayenne pepper, ginger, cinnamon, right?

It's all good stuff. really, really, really good stuff to put in there. And so as you're doing it, it's just easy-peasy. Once it becomes a habit, once you have the things in the house, and then you work on them. Now, that's for prevention when you're getting hit hard. If you're getting hit with a cold or a virus, then you definitely want to up your levels for prevention. There's a lot of really great supplements out there that you could actually buy.

So for cayenne pepper, if you need a higher level than just a few shakes, then there's lots of great supplements on the market. You can check them out and look at what the dosages are for them. So in summary, humans have used plants for thousands of years to treat ailments, pain, and disease. Healing herbs are available in several forms, including supplements, tinctures, teas, and essential oils. Scientific evidence on popular herbal remedies varies widely. For some, there is a lot of information while there may be just a little for others. So do you your own due diligence, do your research, talk with your holistic medical providers about any remedies before taking them, right, so that you totally understand the potential side effects

along with their benefits. So again, as long as you're, if you're on medication, like I said before, I highly recommend you check in with your MD and just make sure that there's no counter, contraindications, combining some of these herbs with your, if you are in medication. So I hope you got some information out of today's podcast. I would love to hear what you think about it. It would mean the world to me if you haven't already to follow the podcast. You are the universe. And remember, you've got to take your health into your own hands, right?

Ignorance is not bliss. And basically, the more educated we are, you know, power, you know, knowledge, is power. And when we're knowledgeable and we have the information, we can start to sort of, you know, prevent a lot of the common health conditions that we see around the world. Remember to see and be the magic in everyday life. I love you so much. And have a great day.