L-Methionine (L-Met), a.k.a Methionine is an amino acid needed to form protein in the body. It also has, as I have discovered, many other valuable claims attributed to it. What are some of those claims? These are some of those that I’ve come across, and will be tackling: assists with drug withdrawal symptoms, lessons tremors… Continue reading
Clary sage (Salvia sclarea L. Lamiaceae) is an aromatic plant which is cultivated in Europe and North America (1). The list of anecdotal benefits of clary sage is extremely long and includes being used as an antidepressant, anti-convulsive, anti-septic, anti-spasmodic, astringent, antibacterial, uterine tonic nervine and for sore throat, muscular pain, low estrogen, PMS, menstrual… Continue reading
Ginseng is an herbaceous plant that belongs to genus Panax, of the family Araliaceae; panax means ‘all-healing’ or ‘panacea’ (1). The name ginseng comes from the Chinese words “Jen Sheng,” meaning “man-herb,” due to the humanoid shape of the rhizome (root) of the plant (2). The root is the most is the important medicinal part… Continue reading
Introduction to Glucosamine Glucosamine is a supplement that most of us have heard of. A recent report from the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics found that Americans spend around $13 billion per year on natural product supplements (1). Of these, glucosamine is one of the most popular dietary supplements. So why the huge interest in… Continue reading
What Is Spikenard? Spikenard, also known as card, nardin and muskroot, is an essential oil derived from the rhizome (root) of Nardostachys jatamansi (N. jatamansi). N. jatamansi is a plant of the Valerian family and grows from the northern alpine to the sub alpine area of the Himalayan region, at high altitudes of 3,000 to… Continue reading
Pine bark extract must be the secret ingredient in the mythical elixir of life considering the fact that it is touted as an anti-infective, anti-cancer, anti-ageing, anti-hypertensive, anticoagulant, anti-diabetes, anti-erectile dysfunction, anti-allergy, anti-PMT, anti-endometriosis, anti-diabetic foot ulcer, pro-circulation, pro-analgesic, pro-stamina, and AHDH remedy (to name just a few). It supposedly brings us all the benefits… Continue reading
What is Hyperlipidemia? Hyperlipidemia is a key preventable risk factor for the number one cause of death and disability in the developed world – heart disease. Hyperlipidemia refers to high levels of lipids in the blood. Hyperlipidemia (also called dyslipidemia) can be asymptomatic (until you get really sick or it kills you) but can be diagnosed… Continue reading
It can smell sickly (as in, um, vomit), or sweet, even added to perfumes. It can be found in certain foods, produced by our bodies or taken as a supplement. A quick Google search reveals the main claims of benefit for Butyric Acid (BTA), also known as Butanoic Acid, relate to gut health and improving… Continue reading
Palo santo is recommended for a wide range of health issues including immune boosting, muscle and joint aches, allergies, headaches and as a bug repellant. And the list goes on (that is if you indiscriminately believe what you read on the internet). I hate to be difficult but palo santo is a tree so which… Continue reading
The use of shea butter as a beauty aid may date back as far as Cleopatra’s reign in ancient Egypt. Shea butter is also used for cooking, lighting, soap and craft making. It is sometimes used as a cocoa butter substitute in the chocolate industry (1). Prior to the 1980s, shea butter was positioned as… Continue reading
There is great interest in the health benefits of kombu which is an edible form of Japanese brown seaweed kelp (Laminaria japonica). The long list of proported health benefits of kombu includes improved digestion, cancer prevention, improved thyroid function, higher iron stores and hemoglobin levels. And the list goes on. This all sounds very good… Continue reading
Carnosine is a small dipeptide molecule that occurs naturally in the bodies of a wide variety of animals, plays important roles in energy metabolism, anti-oxidation, gene expression, protein integrity and phosphorylation, among others, but scientific research, up to this day, hasn’t come up with an explanation about what, exactly is its biological function. (8) Let’s… Continue reading
Living in today’s fast-paced society can mean our bowel motions slow down to a halt. Literally. We all know the effects of travel, stress and poor eating habits…. Constipation! Constipation, infrequent bowel movements or difficulty in passing stools, is a common and uncomfortable complaint. It is suspected to affect upwards of 15% of all Americans… Continue reading
The flightless emu bird (Dromaius novaehallandiae), native to Australia, is probably best known for being on Australia’s coat-of-arms, opposite the kangaroo. Emu oil is a well-known, commercially available product, notably in countries such as Australia and the United States, and believed to have many therapeutic and medicinal properties. Being from Australia myself, I often come… Continue reading
Why the interest in Sarsaparilla? Remember Sarsaparilla, the fizzy soft drink in a bottle? It may be what first comes to mind when I mention the word. Although now sometimes made with artificial ingredients, the beverage was originally made with the sarsaparilla (SAR) plant. Nowadays, SAR is becoming more widely available in health food stores,… Continue reading
“Air purifier” is a great name for a product: it’s simple, it’s direct and it addresses a major universal concern. It is as universal as it gets. After all, even little kids have been exposed to the idea that the air is not that clean anymore, that there is pollution and “bad things” in it…. Continue reading
Too many people in the natural health world treat phosphoric acid as ‘public enemy number one’. This is simply misinformation that comes largely from tabloid style blogs which sensationalize and manipulate science. So what is the real backstory to phosphoric acid and health? What does the scientific literature have to tell us about the effect… Continue reading
Some of the claimed health benefits of Inositol, that are quickly stumbled upon online, include that it fights depressive symptoms, improves fertility, assists with weight loss, lowers cholesterol, promotes sleep, eases constipation and promotes strong, healthy hair. Hey, how come I’ve never heard of this treatment? I noticed that none of these benefits, at least… Continue reading
It seems that everyone is blogging about piperine these days. There is lots of excitement on the blogosphere about the seemingly endless health benefits of this everyday kitchen spice. Beyond health benefits, piperine is the secret ingredient in the some of the more expensive gins on the market and can even be mixed with cheaper… Continue reading
Claim Vitamin K cuts risk of diabetes in elderly by 50%. Verdict It is inaccurate to suggest that vitamin K intake impacts on the risk of diabetes. Origin Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin best known for its role in clotting. There are two main forms of vitamin K: Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) found in leafy… Continue reading