Category: Food as Medicine

Coffee: Medicine for the Body and Soul

Could coffee do more than just stimulate alertness and stress out the adrenals? What if there was more going on to this ritualistic beverage consumed by billions around the world than just caffeine addiction? What if it was medicine for both the body and soul?  That coffee possesses ‘drug-like’ properties, we know quite well. Some…


Plan Your Plate

What’s the eating style that’s best for health? Is it a Mediterranean eating plan? Vegetarian? Low carb? With all the eating styles out there, it’s hard to know which one to follow. Healthy eating is one of the best ways to prevent or delay health problems. Eating well, along with getting enough physical activity, can…


Curcumin Supplementation May Impart Cognitive Benefits

And those who took this small dose for 18 months also had less brain plaques associated with Alzheimer’s. Its mode of action? STORY AT-A-GLANCE Curcumin, a bioactive ingredient in the spice turmeric, has over 160 potentially therapeutic activities, including anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and anticancer benefits Research suggests curcumin may have long-term effects on your cognitive function…


Unpopular Vegetables Top Clot-Busters, Research Says

Researchers in Australia have found that some of the most unpopular vegetables may help reduce the risk or even reverse the effects of stroke. Sydney-based Heart Research Institute (HRI) has found that isothiocyanates, a group of chemicals found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, and cabbage, could reduce bad blood…


AHA News: What Goes Into a Mediterranean Diet, and How to Get Started

By American Heart Association If you know anything about healthy eating, you’ve probably heard that the benefits of Mediterranean-style eating are as clear as the crystal sea at a Greek island getaway. But for someone just testing the waters of heart-healthy eating, the specifics of such a diet can get a little murky. That’s because…


How to Boost Your Immune System with Wakame Seaweed

Eating seaweed salad may boost the efficacy of vaccinations and help treat cold sores, herpes, Epstein-Barr virus, and shingles. Billions of pounds of seaweed are harvested each year, the “consumption of [which] has been linked to a lower incidence of chronic diseases,” both physical and mental. For example, women who eat more seaweed during pregnancy…


Natural Plant Compound in Grapes Protects Brain Health, Research Reveals

Over the past few decades, resveratrol, a polyphenol found in grapes and berries, has generated a lot of “buzz,” with numerous – and well-publicized – studies attesting to the cardiovascular benefits of resveratrol-rich diet. But what else can this natural plant compound do?  Claims for the health-promoting benefits of resveratrol have been coming thick and…


Can Black Cardamom Prevent Lung Cancer?

Black cardamom contains potent bioactive compounds that could be used in the treatment or prevention of lung cancer, according to a new study. The main challenges associated with existing lung cancer drugs are severe side effects and drug resistance. There is a constant need to explore new molecules for improving the survival rate and quality…


Daily Dose of Baking Soda May Help Combat Autoimmune Disease

According to the National Institutes of Health, over 23 million Americans currently live with some type of autoimmune disease – which can encompass such potentially debilitating conditions as rheumatic arthritis, lupus, irritable bowel disease, type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Autoimmune diseases – which arise when the immune system mistakenly attacks the…


How Rhubarb Might Ward Off Colon Disease

Emodin, a compound found in Chinese rhubarb (Rheum palmatum), may help prevent colorectal disease due to impressive therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties. STORY AT-A-GLANCE As a revered medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese rhubarb, also known as rhei or dahuang, has long been prized for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic properties One…