Research Archive

Back pain? Three herbs that work!

Low back pain afflicts eight out of 10 people at some point in their lives, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. It is the second most frequent cause of lost work days, and is the most common cause of disability in...

Easing stress safely and naturally

Most of us consider mild or occasional stress a “fact of life” in our fast-paced society, and to some degree, our bodies are built to handle it. However, when stress is extreme and prolonged, our adrenal glands run in overdrive and produce hormones, such as adrenaline...

B-12: Food for the bones

New research on diet and osteoporosis has revealed that vitamin B-12 deficiency may be an important modifiable risk factor for osteoporosis. After gauging bone quality and B-12 levels in more than 2,500 men and women, researchers found that people with low B-12 levels...

Kelp shows cancer promise

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that kelp lowered levels of the potent sex hormone estradiol in rats, and raised hopes that it might decrease the risk of estrogen-dependent diseases such as breast cancer in humans. “Brown kelp seaweed...

Calcium lowers colon cancer risk

A University of Minnesota Cancer Center study found that women consuming more than 800 mg of calcium each day reduced their risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 26% to 46%. A 26% reduction in risk of colorectal cancer occurred regardless of whether the calcium...

Mineral helps prevent, ease diabetes

In a long-term study at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, researchers examined a possible link between low magnesium intake and increased risk of type 2 diabetes. They monitored the health and diet of 85,060 women and 42,872 men with no history of...

Antioxidants improve kids’ asthma

According to the World Health Organization, Mexico City has some of the worst air quality in the world. So two local hospitals were motivated to research alternatives to help alleviate asthma symptoms in young children, focusing on how antioxidants may influence the...

Ginkgo gives seniors energy boost

At the University of Surrey in England, researchers found that a Ginkgo biloba extract could improve mood and activity levels of independent seniors. Participants first underwent a four-month treatment with either ginkgo extract or a placebo capsule. Then in a second...

Could iron supplements help ADHD?

Supplementing with iron may benefit children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), say researchers from the European Pediatric Hospital in Paris, who found a link between ADHD and iron deficiency. Iron is an essential mineral used to transport oxygen...

Ease gas and bloating with enzymes

When we understand the important role of digestive enzymes in the body, we know why some experts have changed “You are what you eat” to “You are what you absorb”! When the body cannot properly use the food its given, it doesn’t matter how good the diet is — it still...

Nutrition Notes: Potassium protection

Although potassium is a mineral found in almost every food group, poor eating habits can leave you short of this nutrient, which serves many vital functions in the body. To help control blood pressure, the National High Blood Pressure Education Program strongly...