Cardamon and Black Pepper Essential Oil to increase Natural Cell Activity....

[Vineyard1]

Hi Folks...I am wondering if anyone had any thoughts about this brief write up on Pub Med regarding using essential oil of black pepper and cardamom to increase natural killer cell activity.
I have been using essential oil of frankincense for brain inflammation with good effect.
I am trying to interpret if there is any downside from the article... as some of us have such chaotic immune systems.
Thanks for anyone's opinion... which I will not take as being given medical advice.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20210607

 

[alex3619]

Hmmmm, pure anecdote, but I am just about addicted to cardamom and black pepper in cooking. I consume far more black pepper though.

I cannot speak to the accuracy of the science, but taken at face value ti would suggest we need black pepper but not cardamom, at least in general. However we are all so variable that I bet its not that simple. That is the problem with immune modulation ... we need to balance things, not drive them one way or another, and this is hard.

However since both apparently enhanced NK activity, then both might be useful. Or not. Its hard to say from a single study.

My suggestion is that you see if you like the taste of them, and then cook with them, rather than try essential oils. Pepper goes with lots of things, but cardamom is my secret ingredient in most curries. Oops, not so secret then.

 

[L'engle]

Interesting!

As for curry,
Cardamom lends an aromatic full flavor that balances the harshness of other curry spices.

 

[alex3619]

Cardamon can transform a blah curry into magic.

 

[Hutan]

Another tasty spice is nigella seed (black cumin, black seed). Dry roast it and grind it into curries, onto eggs, root veges - use it as you would pepper.

Some sources say it's a cure for everything except death. Among its supposed uses is to improve the immune system and it's been used for millennia for healing.

I don't know about all of that but it tastes very good and my health didn't get worse (and perhaps has improved although that could be due to quite a number of things) since I got a dedicated grinder for nigella seeds to keep beside the pepper grinder and used it often.

I'll have to try cardamom more often. I remember an Indian friend of mine used to put a pod in her tea.

 

[Mij]

I've read that piperine which has a large component of black pepper enhances the absorption and increases the bioavailability of certain drugs. I wouldn't be surprised if it has strong effects on herbs and spices

They warn people not to take piperine with certain medications.

My sister lives in Saudi and when she visits she brings all sorts of fresh spice mixes. I eat a lot of spices now and feel it could have anti inflammatory benefits. They have to be very fresh though.

 

[Vineyard1]

I will research piper in with my meds...thanks for the info!

 

[Hip]

using essential oil of black pepper and cardamom to increase natural killer cell activity.

In the study they did not use essential oil of black pepper and cardamom, but rather aqueous extracts of these spices (ie, water-based extracts).

 

[Richard7]

Another tasty spice is nigella seed (black cumin, black seed). Dry roast it and grind it into curries, onto eggs, root veges - use it as you would pepper.

Some sources say it's a cure for everything except death. Among its supposed uses is to improve the immune system and it's been used for millennia for healing.

I don't know about all of that but it tastes very good and my health didn't get worse (and perhaps has improved although that could be due to quite a number of things) since I got a dedicated grinder for nigella seeds to keep beside the pepper grinder and used it often.

I'll have to try cardamom more often. I remember an Indian friend of mine used to put a pod in her tea.

Oops I was taking it for death.

I guess I must have misread the instructions.

Well at this point it can't hurt.

 

[CFS_for_19_years]

Oops I was taking it for death.

I guess I must have misread the instructions.

Well at this point it can't hurt.

@Richard7, and how is it working so far?

At least you made it to 2016.

Cheers and best wishes for many healthier and happier years ahead.