We continue to make our way through the alphabet in highlighting an assortment of natural remedies/supplements and major constituents. This time we stop the wheel at the letter D and give a summary of natural remedies beginning with D, two of which have were not featured in either of the D-oriented blogs presented in this alphabetical series of years past.
Dandelion root. Such pretty little flowers, too, which bringing a virtual sunshiny disposition to a spring day in bloom. Dandelion, known scientifically as Taraxacum officinale, also brings a nice variety of potential health benefits to the table. Long looked down as nothing more than a glorified weed, dandelion’s leaves, roots, flowers, and seeds – the sum of its parts, essentially – dandelion possesses robust antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and these carry a lot of healthful clout in your body.
Dandelion’s abundance in antioxidants feature beta-carotene, which helps guard our cells from oxidative harm, while polyphenols can help reduce inflammation associated with some chronic diseases. Other of dandelion extracts’ benefits included reducing unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as elevated blood pressure levels; bolster liver health by offering protection against liver damage and disease, and functioning as a natural diuretic, helping to flush out toxins; potentially offer assistance to weight-management strategies; and contribute to antiviral and antimicrobial activity, useful in fending off infection. Bringing its healthy attributes to the surface, dandelion’s constituents can also support skin health.
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). This chemical compound works in the world of health sciences on two levels, both as a prescription drug and in the over-the-counter realm as a dietary supplement. Beneath the skin’s surface and inside the body, DMSO can perform a wide variety of roles, such as reducing abnormally high blood pressure within the brain when given intravenously. It is also known for treating a painful bladder condition known as interstitial cystitis. As for outside the body, at skin surface level, DMSO shows another side to its health-inducing versatility. Often used in tandem with aloe vera, DMSO is used typically to alleviate pain on the skin and accelerate healing for conditions such as wounds, burns, and muscle and skeletal injuries. It can also help treat headaches, rheumatoid arthritis, and intense facial pain associated with tic douloureux.
D-Mannose. This is a type of sugar, a cousin, if your will, to glucose. It occurs naturally in your body as well in some plants as a type of starch. D-mannose’s suitability for treating and preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs) comes by virtue of its ability to block the specific type of bacteria linked to the occurrence of these aggravating infections. Multiple types of bacteria and fungi can produce a UTI, with about 85% of those infections attributable to E. coli. These bacteria enter the urinary trac and grasp onto cells, where they flourish and cause infection. Fighting such infections is usually the province of antibiotics, but with concerns about overuse of antibiotics in a world increasingly beset with drug-resistant bugs, an alternative supplement such as D-mannose can be the ideal antidote. It attaches itself to the E. coli bacteria, blocking the latter’s path to the targeted cells.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Does this look familiar to you? It should. Along with EPA and ALA, DHA is one of the three predominant long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (“healthy fats”) that are found in Omega-3s. In the case of DHA, it is located in our brain and in our eyes and is critical throughout all life stages. Its most important responsibilities include supporting fetal brain development, cognitive function, and structures of the eyes and cell membranes. As an omega-3 fatty acid found in supplements, DHA also pitches in by helping to lower elevated triglyceride and blood pressure levels, while boosting HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
That brings us to the end of this edition of our alphabet soup in which we took a quick look at four natural remedies beginning with the letter D. Should you feel compelled to try out any of them, we strongly suggest that you seek the counsel of your personal physician before Diving in on any of them.