#quercetin

It's helping.

This is the first sustained relief I've had from my malaise in at least three years if not thirty.

I usually would have one good day every three or four months and it was so precious and exciting and I'd always overdo it, but now I'm hitting about 75% of that on a semi regular basis for the last two weeks 😭🤗

I already discovered from having MCAS/doing research that:

Mast cells are more active at night

Diabetes and blood sugar are directly tied to mast cells

I have MCAS flairs if my blood sugar goes too low

So I realized my mom only had issues with blood sugar spikes at night. Ozempic worked but made her sick and the other diabetes meds don’t work at all. I read up on Ozempic and it claims to be anti-inflammatory, which means there was a good chance it was working on mast cells.

So I told my mom to start Quercetin as based on the research, Cromolyn has been used to treat diabetes with success and I knew I couldn’t get my mom to take Cromolyn but she would take Quercetin (Quercetin is basically the supplement equivalent to Cromolyn. There’s a supplement equivalent to most mast cell stabilizing meds since some MCAS patients do better on supplements than medications based on what they react to). Knowing her medical history, I looked for any known counterindications and couldn’t find any.

A compound common in pickled capers, quercetin, activates proteins required for normal human brain and heart activity, researchers report.

In a new study in Communications Biology, the researchers report that quercetin can directly regulate proteins required for bodily processes such as the heartbeat, thought, muscular contraction, and normal functioning of the thyroid, pancreas, and gastrointestinal tract.

They found that quercetin, a plant-derived bioflavonoid, modulates potassium ion channels in the KCNQ gene family. These channels are highly influential in human health and their dysfunction is linked to several common human diseases, including diabetes, cardiac arrhythmia, and epilepsy.

The study revealed that quercetin modulates the KCNQ channels by directly regulating how they sense electrical activity in the cell, suggesting a previously unexpected mechanism for the therapeutic properties of capers.

The immune system consists of different cells, tissues, proteins, and chemicals that work collectively against foreign harmful pathogens and viruses. The immune system work constantly to keep us healthy. Here are some of the well-known antiviral supplements and herbs that consist of immune-boosting properties. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7575721/

·        Green tea extract 

Green tea is a great antiviral plant that consists of antimicrobial agents and strong antioxidants. It majorly contains a compound known as catechin that possesses antiviral capacities. Green tea is also linked with the body’s ability to prohibit expected viral infection. Let’s enjoy the green tea and give your health an extra boost. 

·        Quercetin 

Another immunity-boosting antiviral supplement is quercetin. It consists of potent anti-inflammatory and immunity-boosting properties. The main sources of quercetin are elderberry, berries, and red onion. The researches suggest that it blocks the entry of virus in the body and prevent possible infections. However, some quercetin-containing foods such as red onion help relieve the congestion in the lungs and remove stuck mucous. 

·        Baicalin 

It is a poly nutrient with excessive use in traditional Chinese medicines for boosting immunity and improving circulatory function. Baicalin can neutralize pathogens which ultimately strengthen the immune system.  

·        Other herbs 

Here is the list of immune-boosting herbs; let’s have a look at them. 

a)    Thyme is a powerful antimicrobial herb that is good for stomach upset. 

b)    Ginger enhances digestion, strengthens immunity, and kills pathogens. 

Black crowberry    (Empetrum nigrum)

crowberry, black crowberry,  Krækiber, voronika ,variksenmarja or , in western Alaska, blackberry, 

“is a flowering plant species in the heather family Ericaceae with a near circumboreal distribution in the northern hemisphere. It is also native in the Falkland Islands. It is usually dioecious, but there is a bisexual tetraploid subspecies, Empetrum nigrum ssp. hermaphroditum, that occurs in more northerly locations and at higher altitude.

Evolutionary biologists have explained the striking geographic distribution of crowberries as a result of long-distance migratory birds dispersing seeds from one pole to the other.

(Crowberry growing beside reindeer moss)

The metabolism and photosynthetic parameters of Empetrum can be altered in winter-warming experiments.

The leaves are 3–6 mm (0.12–0.24 in) long, arranged alternately along the stem. The fruits are drupes, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) wide, usually black or purplish-black but occasionally red.

E. nigrum can be grown in acidic soils in shady, moist areas. It can be grown for the edible fruit, as a ground cover, or as an ornamental plant in rock gardens, notably the yellow-foliaged cultivar 'Lucia'. The fruit is high in anthocyanin pigment, and can be used to make a natural food dye.

(crowberry pie)

In subarctic areas, E. nigrum has been a vital addition to the diet of the Inuit and the Sami. The Dena'ina (Tanaina) harvest it for food, sometimes storing in quantity for winter, and like it mixed with lard or oil. The fruits are usually collected in fall, but if not picked they may persist on the plant and can be picked in the spring. “

High in antioxidants  * see research link  PMC4841884/ , 18522397

Rich in Quercetin, more than onion, kale or broccoli *see research link  PMC6272966/

The best temperatures for crowberry  juice to remain stabile: crowberry juice is t1/2 = 2.2 weeks at 21 °C; 7.3 weeks at 9 °C; and 12.3 weeks at 4 °C, respectively. * also link PMC6272966/

Potential for a good aftersun moisturizer as it suppresses UV  damage by restoring  antioxidant activity  * also link  PMC6272966/

Antibacterial  * see also link  PMC6272966/ header  4

A hardy plant which tolerates heavy metal environment , but accumulates a lot of copper and nickel in the stems  and growth is reduced by pollution * see research link  15092893 , /11291448 , 18329145 , 11234528

Decreases in  total phenolics by heavy grazing and warming *see research link  24287946

Research links and recipes :