Please Pass the Milk Thistle

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Please Pass the Milk Thistle

By: Lara Endreszl

Published: Sunday, 21 December 2008

With Christmas a few days away, many young children leave a plate of cookies and

milk near their fireplace as a treat for Santa and his reindeer. Instead of this

traditional snack, maybe on Christmas Eve you might want to serve cookies and

milk thistle, in order to keep Santa at his optimum health.

Milk thistle, also known as thistle or holy thistle, is a plant found

growing naturally in the Mediterranean areas of Europe, the Middle East, and

Northern Africa. A mature plant can grow over a few feet tall with large

protruding leaves toward the top, capped by a purple bloom. It is known in many

gardens as the plant to keep your distance from because the leaves and tall stem

both have lots of tiny sharp thorns. Not just defensive in nature physically,

milk thistle is most often used as an extract to improve the function of the

liver and gallbladder and as a defense against toxins.

With the liver being the second largest organ in your body, its function keeps

the rest of the organs on task by producing bile that helps breakdown fat. When

pollutants enters the bloodstream, the liver secretes the yellowish-green fluid

which detoxifies toxins the body absorbs from cigarettes, alcohol, and other

inhalants like carbon monoxide from the air.

Milk thistle has been proved in clinical trials to be good at helping liver

cirrhosis and inflammation, and also claims to have helped with reducing insulin

resistance for type 2 diabetes, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells in the

breast, cervix, and prostate, and supposedly has magic cholesterol-lowering

qualities.

The main ingredient in milk thistle is extracted from the seeds of the plant and

known to be the most active part of the herb. Called silymarin, the active

ingredient is infused into teas, injected into capsules, and diluted into an

extract. Silymarin is an antioxidant (like blueberries or pomegranates) that

helps protect the liver against free radical damage. The flavonoids (a type of

organic plant compound) in the milk thistle plant are directly beneficial to the

liver because of their antioxidant behavior.

Previous studies inside and outside the United States that have been conducted

touting the benefits of milk thistle have been few and small in size, therefore

raising the probability of failed positive results. The results from the studies

have mostly been mixed when used as a remedy for liver diseases and conditions.

The most positive result of milk thistle within the liver is the potential to

stimulate healthy new cell growth.

In order to maintain good cholesterol levels, herbalists and nutritionists alike

have prescribed milk thistle (as well as dandelion) to cleanse out the liver and

protect it from absorbing as many future toxins and keep your cholesterol

metabolism high.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has

funded research of milk thistle involving its use for chronic cases of hepatitis

C, and liver diseases beyond cirrhosis that are not alcohol-related, while the

National Cancer Institute is also conducting its own research on milk thistle in

conjunction with HIV treatment complications and cancer prevention.

Milk thistle can be an allergen to a certain group of people who are also

allergic to its plant relatives such as ragweed, daisy, marigold, and

chrysanthemum, and side effects have been generally mild during trials with

occasional cases of diarrhea, bloating, and an upset stomach. As with any

natural supplement, it may not be helpful to everyone and you should always

consult your doctor or allergist upon taking any new medicine combinations.

So if your liver needs cleansing, your cholesterol needs lowering, or your

toxins just need to be flushed out to help you (or Santa) fit down that chimney

this year, you may want to look into a milk thistle supplement that’s right for

your needs at your favorite local merchant for herbs and extracts.

[Guest guest]

http://www.healthnews.com/natural-health/herbal-remedies/please-pass-milk-thistl\

e-2308.html

Please Pass the Milk Thistle

By: Lara Endreszl

Published: Sunday, 21 December 2008

With Christmas a few days away, many young children leave a plate of cookies and

milk near their fireplace as a treat for Santa and his reindeer. Instead of this

traditional snack, maybe on Christmas Eve you might want to serve cookies and

milk thistle, in order to keep Santa at his optimum health.

Milk thistle, also known as thistle or holy thistle, is a plant found

growing naturally in the Mediterranean areas of Europe, the Middle East, and

Northern Africa. A mature plant can grow over a few feet tall with large

protruding leaves toward the top, capped by a purple bloom. It is known in many

gardens as the plant to keep your distance from because the leaves and tall stem

both have lots of tiny sharp thorns. Not just defensive in nature physically,

milk thistle is most often used as an extract to improve the function of the

liver and gallbladder and as a defense against toxins.

With the liver being the second largest organ in your body, its function keeps

the rest of the organs on task by producing bile that helps breakdown fat. When

pollutants enters the bloodstream, the liver secretes the yellowish-green fluid

which detoxifies toxins the body absorbs from cigarettes, alcohol, and other

inhalants like carbon monoxide from the air.

Milk thistle has been proved in clinical trials to be good at helping liver

cirrhosis and inflammation, and also claims to have helped with reducing insulin

resistance for type 2 diabetes, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells in the

breast, cervix, and prostate, and supposedly has magic cholesterol-lowering

qualities.

The main ingredient in milk thistle is extracted from the seeds of the plant and

known to be the most active part of the herb. Called silymarin, the active

ingredient is infused into teas, injected into capsules, and diluted into an

extract. Silymarin is an antioxidant (like blueberries or pomegranates) that

helps protect the liver against free radical damage. The flavonoids (a type of

organic plant compound) in the milk thistle plant are directly beneficial to the

liver because of their antioxidant behavior.

Previous studies inside and outside the United States that have been conducted

touting the benefits of milk thistle have been few and small in size, therefore

raising the probability of failed positive results. The results from the studies

have mostly been mixed when used as a remedy for liver diseases and conditions.

The most positive result of milk thistle within the liver is the potential to

stimulate healthy new cell growth.

In order to maintain good cholesterol levels, herbalists and nutritionists alike

have prescribed milk thistle (as well as dandelion) to cleanse out the liver and

protect it from absorbing as many future toxins and keep your cholesterol

metabolism high.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) has

funded research of milk thistle involving its use for chronic cases of hepatitis

C, and liver diseases beyond cirrhosis that are not alcohol-related, while the

National Cancer Institute is also conducting its own research on milk thistle in

conjunction with HIV treatment complications and cancer prevention.

Milk thistle can be an allergen to a certain group of people who are also

allergic to its plant relatives such as ragweed, daisy, marigold, and

chrysanthemum, and side effects have been generally mild during trials with

occasional cases of diarrhea, bloating, and an upset stomach. As with any

natural supplement, it may not be helpful to everyone and you should always

consult your doctor or allergist upon taking any new medicine combinations.

So if your liver needs cleansing, your cholesterol needs lowering, or your

toxins just need to be flushed out to help you (or Santa) fit down that chimney

this year, you may want to look into a milk thistle supplement that’s right for

your needs at your favorite local merchant for herbs and extracts.