ANTIOXIDANT VALUES POSTED The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has posted online its 2007 report on the antioxidant ratings for various fruit juices and foods. The research places blueberry juice at the top of the list of juices, above more than a dozen other juices tested such as the juice of pomegranate, apple, prune, cranberry […]

CANCER’S SECRETS REVEALED Canadian scientists say they’ve discovered that cancer cells spread by releasing protein “bubbles,” a finding that might alter our concept of how cancer works. Janusz Rak, PhD, and colleagues at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center in collaboration with Ab Guha, PhD, of the University of Toronto, found that […]

Ginkgo Protects Memory Taking the herbal supplement ginkgo biloba may delay the onset of cognitive impairment in elderly adults, according to a three-year Oregon study posted, ahead of print publication, on the website of the journal Neurology. During research on more than 100 people aged 85 and older who had no memory problems, half took […]

INSTANT BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION Drinking 500 ml of beetroot juice a day can significantly reduce blood pressure, UK research suggests. The key beneficial ingredient appears to be nitrate, which is also found in green, leafy vegetables. The researchers found that in healthy volunteers blood pressure was reduced within an hour of drinking the juice. The […]

PLANT REMEDIES FACING EXTINCTION Hundreds of medicinal and herbal supplement plants are at risk of extinction, threatening the discovery of future cures for disease, according to a report released in January 2008 by Botanic Gardens Conservation International. Over 50 per cent of all prescription drugs are derived from chemicals first identified in plants. Many herbal […]

WHEAT GERM EXTRACT BEATS ANTI-CANCER DRUGS A Hungarian study has found that a fermented wheat germ extract inhibits human breast cancer cells more effectively than the top three breast cancer drugs. The study adds weight to earlier research suggesting the chemical compound may inhibit other cancers, such as those of the lung, skin, pancreas, blood, […]

VITAMIN DEFICIENCY LINKED TO DIABETES PROBLEMS A simple vitamin deficiency may be the cause of many of the side effects of diabetes, new research suggests. It is the first time a deficiency of the vitamin – which is found in meat, yeast and grains – has been identified in people with diabetes. In a study […]

A ‘GROWING’ RISK FROM CHINA – AND WAL-MART? China is rapidly becoming the world’s greatest exporter of vegetables, other foods, medicines, food additives, pet foods and other consumables. And in view of China’s recent history of shoddy quality control (contaminated products, counterfeit ingredients, foods laced with synthetic and long-banned pesticides, toxic pet food and risky […]

PRENATAL LINK TO IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION Two researchers have conducted the first comprehensive review of the various later-life diseases that develop specifically in people who were exposed to environmental toxins or drugs either in the womb or as infants. Their finding? Most of the diseases among these people have two things in common: They involve an […]

DAIRY­-PARKINSON’S LINK? According to a new study, there appears to be a relationship between consuming large amounts of dairy products and an increase in the rate of Parkinson’s disease in men. The research does not necessarily equate to a cause-and-effect link and the reason for this relationship remains a puzzle. However, researchers found that among […]

POSSIBLE TREE BARK CANCER CURE Writing in the March 15, 2007 issue of the journal Eye, researchers from the University of California, San Francisco, reported on a study that found a rainforest tree bark extract may cure cancer. Retinoblastoma affects 1 in 15,000 children, causing about three per cent of all child cancers. Developing cells […]

FOLATE AND ALZHEIMER’S Higher intake of the nutrient folate may reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, but vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 did not yield the same benefit, found a study published January 8. The study, led by Jose Luchsinger, PhD of Columbia University Medical Center in New York, looked at 965 people aged […]

Magnesium Helps Control Blood Sugar A new study has thrown more support behind magnesium as a way to help control blood sugar. Past research has shown that nutrition interventions, including calcium, whole grains and low-fat dairy, help control blood sugar. And magnesium has been found in one previous study to lower the risk of diabetes […]

Cinnamon Lowers Blood Sugar Diabetics might be able to reduce their blood sugar by using a cinnamon extract, according to a study in the October 2006 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Investigation. People with diabetes have high blood sugar levels because their cells don’t respond to insulin, the hormone that signals when glucose […]

Berberine Lowers Blood Sugar Levels A traditional Chinese herb may be beneficial for people suffering from Type 2 diabetes. Berberine – found in the roots and barks of some plants – has been documented in Chinese literature to lower glucose levels in diabetics. Now western scientists have found that studies on rodents support this claim. […]

Four Pine Bark Studies A study published in the June 17, 2006 edition of the Journal of European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry found a reduction of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children after supplementing with Maritime pine bark extract. Amount used was one milligram for every kilogram of body weight every day for […]