Carindale Hills Natural Therapies

29/08/2025

Improve your mood with these tips 😊

25/08/2025

Thyroid nodules are common and affect half of the general population by the age of 60 years. The causes are believed to be due to hypothyroidism, mutational changes or autoimmunity. They can be associated with over- or underactivity of the gland and may sometimes be malignant.

Dill (Anethum graveolens L.) has been used in Turkey to self-treat thyroid dysfunction such as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Now a controlled clinical study has evaluated the impact of dill on patients with thyroiditis and benign thyroid nodules. They were divided into two groups: placebo (n =35) and dill group (n = 33). Dried and ground dill (300 mg) was put into capsules and patients on active treatment were given three capsules per day for 90 days. Various tests were conducted at the beginning and end of the study, including thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO), anti-thyroglobulin (anti-Tg), and C-reactive protein (CRP), and thyroid nodule dimensions were measured by ultrasound.

After 90 days, compared to the control group, the dill group exhibited significantly decreased TSH (by an average of 19% from a mean starting value of 2.69 compared to a 16% increase in the control group, P = 0.009), fT4 (P < 0.001), anti-TPO (P = 0.001), CRP (P < 0.001) and nodule size (by an average of 7.3% compared to a 4.5% increase in the control group, P < 0.001).

The authors concluded that dill suppressed inflammation of the thyroid gland, reduced nodule size, and lowered TSH levels in patients with thyroiditis and nodular goitre. The daily dose used was relatively low and higher doses might deliver a greater magnitude of clinical effects.

For more information see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40329862/

17/07/2025

1 daily capsule for optimal digestion 💊

16/07/2025

13/04/2025

08/04/2025

Explore Metagenics NeuroCalm® tablets for mild anxiety, to reduce nervous tension, calm the mind and support a healthy response to stress.

04/04/2025

03/04/2025

Although osteoarthritis (OA) is primarily diagnosed by structural changes in the articular cartilage, subchondral bone and ligaments, its pathology can also be observed in the surrounding joint-associated tissues, accompanied by inflammation. In progressive OA, a cytokine imbalance enhances proinflammatory cytokine levels, which subsequently induce cartilage degradation, resulting in inflammation, pain and deterioration of the joint structure. In modern medical thinking this cartilage degradation is an irreversible process. Indeed, no conventional drugs are available to date that stop or reduce cartilage degradation, improve the joint architecture or prevent or delay the progression of pathology (that is, current drug treatments are not disease modifying). Even worse, many of the currently used drugs have only modest symptomatic efficacy and carry a significant burden of serious side effects.

In this context, a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical study (n = 80, 180 days) aimed to evaluate cartilage morphology using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), pain and joint function, and long-term safety of a Boswellia serrata gum resin extract in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA).

At the end of treatment, Boswellia significantly reduced symptoms (p < 0.001; vs. baseline and placebo) on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Visual Analogue Scale and Lequesne's Functional Index evaluations. These effects were substantial, for example Boswellia reduced the total WOMAC score by 71%, compared to 19% for placebo. Significant and substantial improvements were also noted for the six-minute walk and stair climb tests.

Particularly noteworthy was the finding that post-trial MRI assessments of the tibiofemoral joints revealed that cartilage volume, thickness and joint space width were all increased (p < 0.001; vs. placebo) after Boswellia treatment. The inflammatory and tissue degradation markers high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), matrix metalloproteinase-3, Fibulin-3, type II collagen degradation peptide in serum, and cross-linked C-terminal telopeptide of type II collagen in urine were all also significantly reduced (p < 0.001; vs. baseline and placebo). Haematology, complete serum biochemistry, urine analysis and the participants' vital signs did not alter between the groups.

The dose of Boswellia used was 100 mg per day after breakfast of an extract containing 20% AKBA (3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid). The AKBA content of Boswellia serrata resin is typically around 1%, so this dose correlates to about 2 g per day of resin.

This study is the first to objectively show that treatment of KOA with Boswellia is likely to be disease modifying, a finding that has been implied by other clinical trial results for the herb.

For more information see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39700461/

05/03/2025

A randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled trial (n=120; 12 weeks) investigated the effect of Withania (Ashwagandha) root extract (standardised to 1.5% total withanolides; 200 mg twice daily) in overweight middle-to-older age adults experiencing high stress and fatigue

Levels on the Perceived Stress Scale (primary outcome) fell significantly in the Withania group; however, these decreases were not significantly different to placebo (p=0.867). But on the Chalder Fatigue Scale there was a large and statistically significant decrease in fatigue symptoms within the herbal group vs placebo (p=0.016)

Participants taking Withania also had a significant elevation in heart rate variability (p=0.003), suggesting better autonomic nervous system regulation. This HRV data analysis suggests that Withania was specifically associated with increased parasympathetic activity, which is typically associated with reduced stress levels. There were no significant between-group differences in other self-reported outcome measures.

For the men taking Withania, there was a significant increase in blood concentrations of free testosterone (p=0.048) and luteinizing hormone (p=0.002) vs placebo

For more information see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37740662/

16/12/2024

Start adding EVOO to your plate!

Extra virgin olive oil is loaded with antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals (unstable molecules that can harm them). It contains vitamin E, which supports your heart, immune system, vision, skin, and brain function.

Phytonutrients, aka the beneficial compounds produced by plants, are also found in extra virgin olive oil. They can help the body by reducing the risk of complications from chronic disease!

05/12/2024

Scientists have discovered a simple brain circuit that controls when we eat. Researchers identified a neural circuit connecting hunger signals to jaw movements, showing that BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) neurons in the hypothalamus regulate eating behaviour and suppress compulsive chewing, acting much like a reflex.

The study found that a simple brain circuit involving BDNF neurons controls jaw movements and eating behaviour, acting like a reflex. This discovery could shed light on obesity and other eating-related behaviours by showing how signals regulating appetite directly influence chewing.

It turns out that the neural circuit behind the jaw movement most essential to survival—eating—is surprisingly simple, as researchers from Rockefeller University recently described in a new paper in Nature. They have identified a three-neuron circuit that connects the hunger-signaling hormone leptin to the jaw movements of chewing. The intermediary between these two is a cluster of neurons in a specific area of the hypothalamus that, when damaged, has long been known to cause obesity.

Strikingly, inhibiting these so-called BDNF neurons not only leads animals to consume more food but also triggers the jaw to make chewing motions even in the absence of food or other sensory input. And stimulating them reduces food intake and puts a halt to the chewing motions, acting as an effective curb against hunger.
“It’s surprising that these neurons are so keyed to motor control,” says study first author Christin Kosse, a research associate in the lab. “We didn’t expect that limiting physical jaw motion could act as a kind of appetite suppressant.”

The causes of obesity are complex, the result of a dynamic interplay of diet, environment and genes. For example, mutations in several genes, including leptin, the hunger-suppressing hormone, and BDNF lead to gross overeating, metabolic changes, and extreme obesity, suggesting that these factors normally suppress appetite.

By mapping the inputs and outputs of the BDNF neurons, the researchers discovered that BDNF neurons are in fact the linchpin of the three-part neural circuit linking the hormonal signals that regulate appetite to the movements required to consume food.

It is interesting to speculate whether the four key herbs that clinically boost BDNF might also help to regulate appetite. See my YouTube channel for the video on these herbs and BDNF: https://youtu.be/WwRpZwKDYDY?si=VLsZ59beTyWiNgDQ

For more information on the studies:
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-have-discovered-a-simple-brain-circuit-that-controls-when-you-eat/

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08098-1