More people are turning to herbal medicines in their search for more natural and gentle health care. Herbal remedies are cost-effective and offer relief from an abundance of ailments.

However, self-medication is cautioned, as herbal remedies can have short-term or long-term effects.

Most spices are not consumed in large amounts so the average person will not notice their effect. Large or long-term doses of any spice or herb to achieve a desired health benefit should not be taken without consulting a physician.

As every human has individual needs, the health benefits of all herbs and spices may vary from person to person. Also potencies vary among the many different preparation methods and brands.

Always follow label directions, unless otherwise prescribed by a herbologist, traditional Chinese doctor, Ayurvedic doctor, naturopathic or homeopathic doctor or other certified natural health care provider.

You might not be inclined to reach for a cloudy glass of apple juice over the more common choice of clear apple juice.  But by doing so you may be denying yourself four times the amount of disease-fighting antioxidants.

These are the findings in a Study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, where researchers compared the polyphenol content of cloudy vs. clear juices made from Idared and Champion apples.

Polyphenols are  antioxidants found in plants  believed to provide a variety of healthy benefits including fighting heart disease and cancer. Red wine, dark chocolate, and red berries also contain polphenols.



Findings  showed cloudy juices had up to four times the polyphenols of clear juice, and cloudy juice made from Champion apples had the highest polyphenol content.

If you are over fifty, folic acid supplements could improve your memory while slowing the insidious effects of age on the brain. New Scientist reveals a study done by Jane Durga and colleagues at Wageningen University, Netherlands in which over 800 men and women, between the ages of 50 and 70 took part.

It was found that folate, also known as B9 precipitated good results on memory tests in the participants, who had moderately low folate levels.

As a result of the findings, it is suggested people could use more supplementation than was previously recommended.

Experts warn increasing folic acid can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency especially in older people causing serious health problems, including nerve damage.

Much of the information surrounding organics is conflicting and it involves wading through a lot of information. Studies have revealed fewer chemical and pesticide residues exist in organics although the actual nutrition is not found to be any greater than non-organic.

Prices for organic foods can be 50-100 percent higher in cost. Consumers rely on government regulatory agencies to point out what it safe for consumption. A Globe and Mail Health article by Susan Smith

A high percentage of body fat, may increase inflammation in your body, especially if the percentage is over 30%. Your body can appear thin when you have a higher body fat content.
Body fat may release inflammatory chemicals, note researchers Antonino De Lorenzo, MD, and colleagues, who didn't test that theory in this study. De Lorenzo works at Rome's University of Tor Vergata. Chronically high levels of inflammation have been associated with a host of health problems, including heart disease and arthritis.
Those who were overweight or obese had the highest levels of blood fat(LDL) and bad cholesterol (triglyceridestriglycerides), which are both inflammatory chemicals. Web MD

Ignorance is bliss or is it?   The latest non-invasive scan to measure liver  damage  comes in part to the widespread ignorance of  the risks of  drinking too much alcohol.   And  those  attracting liver disease as a result.

The  Fibroscan  works similar to an ultrasound and takes as little as five minutes to  provide efficient evidence of a patient who will go on to develope serious liver disease. Doctors say this was virtually impossible before.

'The difficulty liver disease specialists have faced is finding a technology that can be used to pick up the early signs of a drinking problem and the effect on the liver,' says Dr Rajiv Jalan, who works at the London Clinic.

Prior to this, the only way to determine liver disease was in its later stages,  an invasive procedure which required a needle to be put  into the liver through the stomach wall.   But that procedure is high risk as it causes damage to the liver and can result in death.   And it hasn't been  used  as screening procedure.

This is the time when we all renew our promise to be healthier and get back in shape. What you eat is always a good start, but hold on you could be sabotaging healthy food with artery clogging fats and  pilling on the calories. Shape up the new year with simple healthy changes everytime you eat.

An article on WebMD, suggests  six simple ways to help avoid sabotaging healthy food  to ensure you get the most nutrients, heart health and control your weight everytime you sit at the table.

Extras such as dips, sauces and what we cook our food can be the culprits in adding unneccessary fats and calories to otherwise healthy foods. But good for you food doesn't have to taste bland.

The FDA is recommending approval be given for meat from cloned animals, cattle, pigs and goats, to be used for human consumption. These recommendations follow a five year study, deeming food from cloned animals "as safe as the food we eat every day".

"No unique risks for human food consumption were identified in cattle, swine or goat clones" says the US Food and Drug Administration. Consumer groups are not impressed with the ruling. The US would be the first country to these products into the food supply.



A BBC News Report states the US may be the first to allow cloned meat products on supermarket shelves.

The presence of Trans unsaturated fatty acids has long been known to be detrimental to your health. Evidence shows trans fats raise LDL bad cholesterol, while decreasing the HDL good cholesterol.

Web MD reports NYC has set a precedent, by being the first to outlaw trans fats in all restaurants. This is a breakthrough.
"The New York City Board of Health voted unanimously to rid the city's restaurants of trans fats. Trans fats must disappear from frying oils by July 2007 and from all foods by July 2008."
Foods containing these fats have long been known to be a health hazard. Despite this knowledge they still remain on the menu in most dining establishments.

The Journal of Immunology, a reputable source, has published an article in their Dec edition which links dietary fat consumption with inflammation. Reporting on these findings Medical News Today points out how healthy bodies may fight disease thereby affecting the immune system. Fat intake in our diets has increased substantially over the last thirty years. Inflammatory diseases such as asthma, autoimmune diseases and atherosclerosis have also increased. Obesity which is linked to many of these illnesses, is becoming an epidemic.


"We have shown that a subset of white blood
cells, called dendritic cells, which initiate