'Let all the
black seed upon you,
these contain
cure of all
diseases except
death'
Attributed
possibly to Rasool Allah
I have let all the black seed (aka Nigella
Sativa, or black cumin) upon me in the form of whole black seeds, ground
black seeds, or black seed oil for at least five years. I was pleased to come
across a research paper published June, 2021 in the journal Pharmaceutical
Biology suggesting that N. Sativa could have significant therapeutic
effects against COVID-19.
There are many scientific studies lauding the
health virtues of this seed and its primary component thymoquinone (TQ). In
Islamic literature, it is considered one of the greatest forms of healing. The active ingredients of N. Sativa
are concentrated in the oil of the seeds, and the oil (available on Amazon, of
course, as are the seeds) is therefore used for most health benefits. It is notably beneficial
for respiratory illnesses including asthma, allergic rhinitis, bronchitis, and
influenza along with a long list of other maladies.
Besides easing the inflammation, congestion,
and constriction of airways of the illnesses listed above, various studies have
demonstrated its efficacy in controlling or eradicating viruses including HIV,
hepatitis C, cytomegalovirus, and influenza. An article in the Journal of
Herbal Medicine published late last year suggested that if N. Sativa
was used in conjunction with zinc, the combo could potentially stop COVID viral
replication in COVID patients.
Zinc, a non-fat-soluble mineral, is essential for regulating immune
function, but it can't move through lipid-based cell membranes without an
ionophore buddy that can open a passage through the cell wall. Ionophores are natural
plant products such as quercetin (from onions and apples), epigallocatechin
(green tea), and bromelain (pineapples), and components of N. Sativa
seem capable of acting as an ionophore as well. There also indications in this study the black seed
derivatives can stop virion replication in infected cells.
Unfortunately,
TQ has poor solubility and bioavailability in aqueous solutions, and until that
problem is solved, it won’t be useful as a therapeutic drug. I, however, will
keep will continue to add black seeds to my cereal and black seed oil in my tea
or coffee.
Here’s to
Hemp
Odoribacteraceae
“In people over
the age of 100, an enrichment
in a distinct
set of gut microbes generate
unique bile
acids.”
Professor Kenya
Honda
New research on the gut microbiome of old folks in Japan was
reported in the latest issue of Nature Research. The scientists analyzed the gut bacteria of more
than 300 adults in Japan, including 160 over 100 years-old, 112 between
85 and 89, and 47 under 55 years-old. Principal investigator Honda and colleagues
found that bacterial isolates in fecal samples from centenarians were
often enriched with microbes capable of synthesizing potent bile acids that
were not present in the younger groups. Odoribacteraceae strains in particular came out as star
producers of isoallo-lithocholic acid (LCA). LCA is a potent
antimicrobial against gram-positive, multidrug-resistant strains such as Clostridioides
difficile and Enterococcus faecium.
The
conclusion of this study, per Prof. Honda: “There are centenarian-specific
members of the gut microbiota which, rather than representing a mere consequence of
aging, might actively contribute to resistance against pathogenic
infection and other environmental stressors.”
There
are a host of responses to this study.
Many readers had their own theories of aging well. One young lady declared that skinny was the
perfect answer, and her daily intake, delivered in anorectic detail, made me
cringe. Another woman, struggling with
C. diff unresponsive to various medications, took matters into her own
hands. She announced to her daughter
that she needed a stool sample from her. The daughter, first appalled, then
complied. The sample was inserted into one end or another (we got no info over
which), and mom felt increasingly normal in a gut sort of way within four days!
I’d like to get ahold of a distinct set of those Odori-bugs,
but alas, no search on Amazon or Google offered hope for bottles of such
supplements just yet.
______
Oh Yuck
We’re not even safe in our beds! A Medical Microbiology lecturer at the
University of Westminster, Manal Mohammed gives us too much information when it
comes to bedtime. She notes:
1. We shed around 5 million
skin cells each night in bed. (How can they know this?) The microscopic dust
mites have a field day eating those old dead cells. The mite droppings can
cause itching, allergies, and asthma.
2. Those dead cells,
along with saliva, sweat, and dandruff, is the perfect environment for
bacteria, viruses and fungi.
3. Gram negative
bacteria like Staph aureus and E. Coli can find their way into your bed!
Ick, ick, ick. Care
to know more? You can find her complete article at:
https://theconversation.com/your-bed-probably-isnt-as-clean-as-you-think-a-microbiologist-explains-163513
_____
