Natural Consulting Clinic - Esther Vrzic - Naturopath

04/11/2025

04/11/2025

04/11/2025

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Contemporary reviews and consensus statements now frame oral health as integral to overall health across the lifespan, with credible links to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, adverse pregnancy outcomes, pneumonia, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, dementia, and even some cancers, especially colon. While the evidence comes from observational studies (association not causation), the associations are generally strong and causality signals are strengthening through Mendelian randomisation, intervention trials and mechanistic data, but do vary by condition. Guideline/consensus bodies now explicitly recommend medical-dental co-management for cardiometabolic risk.

Oral dysbiosis/infection from bacteria appears to be the causal link, driving low-grade systemic inflammation and endotoxaemia, recurrent bacteraemia, immune priming, molecular mimicry and microbiome translocation (oral–gut axis).

In this context, the finding that a Chinese licorice root (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) mouthwash slashed plaque and gum-inflammation scores by around 40–50 % in just five days has implications well beyond just oral health. The herb wiped out several major periodontal pathogens, including Porphyromonas gingivalis and Treponema denticol, and substantially outperformed the speed of improvement seen in green-tea or conventional mouthwash trials. These results spotlight licorice as a fast-acting, natural antimicrobial for gum and oral health.

This was a randomised, double blind, controlled study conducted on 60 patients who visited a dental clinic in South Korea. For the periodontal clinical parameters, the O'Leary index, plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and periodontal-disease-related bacteria in subgingival plaques were examined (at baseline and after 5 days of treatment).

The O’Leary index decreased by 40.43%, the PI decreased by 51.29% and GI decreased by 44%, In terms of bacterial outcomes, the licorice gargle produced antibacterial effects on both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens involved in periodontal disease.

Active treatment was 15 mL of the licorice solution applied once a day as both a gargle and mouthwash for 30 seconds for 5 days. This was prepared as follows: dried Glycyrrhiza uralensis root was extracted (70 % ethanol), filtered, concentrated and freeze-dried into a powder. This concentrated extract was then dissolved in distilled water to make a 0.5 % w/v mouthwash (the test solution). No eating, drinking, or other oral hygiene procedures were allowed for 30 minutes after use to maximise mucosal contact and antimicrobial exposure.

Given the phytochemical similarities, it is highly likely that European licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) will have the same benefit. I recommend a 1 in 10 dilution of a high glycyrrhizin licorice 1:1 extract. This should be considerably stronger than the test mouthwash/gargle used in the trial.

For more information see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40413479/

02/11/2025

https://t.me/c/1763108487/79173

02/11/2025

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26/10/2025

Meet the Mesentery: Your Gut’s Superhero Cape 👌🏻

You’ve heard of the heart, the liver, even the pancreas… but have you ever stopped to appreciate the mesentery?

No? Well buckle up, Lymphie, because the mesentery is the unsung hero of your gut — quietly holding things together, keeping your intestines in line (literally), and even helping your lymphatic system stay squeaky clean.

So… What Is the Mesentery?

The mesentery is a double fold of peritoneum (a fancy word for a silky membrane in your abdomen) that looks like a curtain or web. It holds your small intestine, parts of your large intestine, and even your stomach in place — kind of like a very organized spiderweb for your digestive system. 🕸️🫃

For centuries, scientists thought the mesentery was just a leftover scrap of tissue. But in 2016, it got a major glow-up — reclassified as a full-blown organ. Yep! An organ with its own structure, function, and importance in immune health, inflammation, and lymphatic drainage.

Mesentery: The Multi-Tasking Marvel

Your mesentery isn’t just a passive hammock for your guts. It’s a superhighway of action — here’s what it does:
• Anchors your intestines so they don’t twist or wander 🚧
• Carries blood vessels from your heart to your gut 🩸
• Transports lymph from your digestive system to your thoracic duct 💧
• Supports immune response through GALT (gut-associated lymphoid tissue) 🛡️
• Transmits nerves that help with digestion and movement 🧠
• Regulates inflammation and plays a role in conditions like Crohn’s disease 🔥

Basically, if your intestines were a city, the mesentery would be the electrical grid, plumbing, roads, and waste system all in one.

How Does the Mesentery Help Your Lymphatic System?

Here’s where things get juicy for us lymph lovers: the mesentery is loaded with lymphatic vessels.

As your digestive system breaks down fats and nutrients, the lymphatics in the mesentery absorb those fats and toxins and send them to the cisterna chyli — a large lymph collecting vessel just below the diaphragm.

From there, lymph is pumped up through the thoracic duct, helping clear waste, fight infection, and keep your internal waters clean. Think of it as your gut’s detox conveyor belt. ♻️🛒

Medical Fun Facts About the Mesentery
• The small intestine is over 6 meters long, and the mesentery keeps it neatly folded like a ribbon inside your belly 🎀
• Over 70% of your immune system lives in your gut — much of it within the mesentery’s GALT 🦠
• It’s being studied for its role in chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and even cancer spread
• Surgeons are now exploring “mesenteric-based” approaches to improve outcomes in IBD and colon surgery 🏥

How Can You Support Your Mesentery?
• Deep diaphragmatic breathing to pump lymph upward 🫁
• Gentle abdominal massage to move lymph and relieve tension 🤲
• Stay hydrated so lymph can flow freely 💧
• Eat anti-inflammatory foods to support gut immunity 🥦
• Do lymphatic drainage therapy to encourage detox flow and organ support 🌿

The Mesentery Deserves a Standing Ovation

It might not get the attention of the heart or brain, but the mesentery is crucial for circulation, immunity, detox, and digestion. It’s like the backstage crew at a big production — you may not see it, but nothing works without it.

So next time your belly gurgles or you’re focusing on your gut health, give a little thanks to this marvelous, multitasking membrane.

Because behind every healthy gut… is a mesentery doing the most.

Written by:
Bianca Botha, CLT, RLD & MLDT
Lymphatica – Lymphatic Therapy & Body Detox Facility

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, exercise, or health regimen.

©️

26/10/2025

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It’s easy to believe that the colder months trigger cold and flu, but Ayurveda points to a deeper cause: your body’s internal balance. When stress levels rise, sugar consumption increases, and vitamin D decreases, your immunity weakens. These factors make it easier for viruses to take hold, causing the symptoms we commonly associate with the season. By focusing on maintaining a healthy immune system, you can reduce your risk of falling sick.

Ayurveda teaches us to nurture our body’s defenses through food, sleep, and stress management. Prioritize a diet filled with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins, particularly those that boost your immune function, like vitamin C and zinc. When you balance your body’s internal energy, it’s better equipped to handle external threats, even during the winter months.

Instead of turning to over-the-counter medications right away, why not focus on natural remedies to support your health? Fresh herbs, warm teas, and restorative practices can keep your body resilient. Keep your immunity strong with good habits, and you'll feel more prepared, no matter the season. 🍵💪

23/10/2025

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23/10/2025

Our eyes reveal many things — but not everything.

Iridology isn’t about diagnosing disease; it’s about interpreting patterns that guide our journeys toward balance.

By understanding what the iris can and can’t tell us, we deepen both the science and art of seeing health through the eyes.

23/10/2025

Results from a small clinical trial suggest that curcumin might boost the efficacy of conventional therapy in multiple myeloma patients by modulating molecular pathways tied to inflammation and tumour survival. However, results are preliminary and larger, better-controlled studies are needed.

In this pilot randomised clinical trial from Indonesia, 33 patients with multiple myeloma were assigned to receive either standard therapy (melphalan plus prednisone) or the same therapy plus 8 g of curcumin daily as an adjuvant. These patients were ineligible for bone marrow transplant. The study found that the curcumin group achieved a much higher remission rate (75% versus 33.3%, P=0.009, per-protocol analysis of 24 patients) and showed significantly greater reductions in inflammatory/pro-tumour markers such as NF-κB, VEGF and TNF-α. TNF-α levels were significantly correlated with remission (Odds Ratio, OR=1.35; P=0.03). There were early deaths and dropouts in both arms (infection, cytopenia, adverse events); 12/17 vs 12/16 patients in the respective groups completed 4 cycles of treatment.

What was encouraging from the trial were the biologically coherent effects: NF-κB/VEGF/TNF-α shifts all aligned with the proposed mechanism. However, there were several limitations such as the few participants, the high dropout rate, the short follow-up and the outdated conventional treatment.

Also worth noting is the curcumin was not given with any technology to enhance its bioavailability, hence the very high dose.

Of course, curcumin is widely regarded as an ‘antioxidant’, and we have the “antioxidants are contraindicated during conventional cancer therapy” mantra that has been widely repeated in oncology. However, it is increasingly being questioned (at least by biomedical scientists), especially in the light of clinical trial data such as this and nuanced biochemical evidence. Specifically, many natural compounds like curcumin are not merely antioxidants; they act as redox modulators—context-dependent regulators that can enhance oxidative stress in cancer cells while protecting normal tissue through selective activation of adaptive pathways such as Nrf2, AMPK and p53.

Curcumin, in particular, has been shown in multiple preclinical studies to sensitise malignant cells to chemotherapeutic agents and enhance apoptosis. Human data, including the above pilot trial, support the possibility that it can improve remission rates rather than blunt therapy responses. In other words, the “antioxidant = interference” dogma fails to account for biological complexity and context specificity.

For more information see: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35919637/