I rarely eat salads at home or at restaurants. I have all kinds of excuses as to why this is so. I tell myself that salad dressings are usually loaded with preservatives, sugar and other undesirable ingredients. When dining out, I convince myself that the ubiquitous iceberg lettuce isn’t nutritious enough to merit several minutes of chewing. I even worry about getting tiny pieces of salad stuck in my front teeth and not knowing it until dinner, often with clients, colleagues or friends, is over! But, recently a friend who happens to be a salad fanatic inspired me to take another look at the science behind salads. What I found has, at long last, convinced me that salad lovers may have been right all along.

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A few of my favorite “herbs”, Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Camellia sinesis (green tea), have recently received positive attention in the medical literature with regard to cancer. For starters, two studies published in 2011 have confirmed the efficacy of ginger root in minimizing chemotherapy-induced nausea. A third, and much more surprising trial, reports that “whole ginger extract” possesses potent prostate cancer (PC) fighting activity. This intriguing discovery is based on an in vitro and in vivo experiment conducted in an animal model of PC. Arguably, green tea has an even more impressive track record as a proposed natural chemopreventive agent. Some of the research has examined green tea as a stand alone remedy. Other inquires have tested it in combination with various natural substances such as curcumin and the trace mineral selenium. Now, a population study involving 60,567 Chinese men reveals that those who drank green tea regularly (more than 3 times/week) demonstrated a 46% lower risk of developing colorectal cancer. In fact, the researchers determined that there was a 12% decline in colorectal cancer risk for every cup of green tea consumed daily. However, it’s important to note that the observed protection only applied to non-smokers. These promising findings are part of the reason why a new, 3 year study will evaluate whether taking a concentrated green tea extract can prevent colon polyps in a large group of active seniors. To be clear, nobody is claiming that ginger and green tea present a cure for cancer, but they’re certainly a couple of herbal ingredients worth keeping an eye on.

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New Year’s Day is a time when many people vow to make healthy changes in their diets. Reducing sugar intake frequently tops this to-do list. Beginning the process of dietary change with resolve goes a long way toward accomplishing this end. But for long term success, you’ll also need to plan ahead and pool together as many resources as possible. For instance, how are you going to react when you encounter your first, second or fiftieth craving for something sweet? Will you call upon your inner strength or join a support group to get you through? These are options that work well for some people. Another way to go is to opt for a similar type of treat that adheres to your new nutritional guidelines. In my experience, a combination of these and other strategies usually works best. Read more »

It’s not uncommon for me to have a glass of biodynamic or organic red wine with my evening meal. As I was planning dinner last night, I got to thinking about why I enjoy wine and also about the rather substantial number of people who can’t or choose not to include alcohol in their lives. That thought process lead me to a decision to brew a cup of chamomile tea instead of having my usual glass of Pinot Noir. I remembered a study from last year that described the anti-anxiety properties of chamomile. So I wondered whether this herbal brew could provide a similar soothing effect as I’d come to expect from wine. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did. This experience is the basis for my Healthy Monday tip of the week: Drink more herbal tea! (1) Read more »

If you’ve ever listened to talk radio on the weekends then you’ve probably come across more than a few infomercials selling so-called “nutraceuticals”. Nutraceutical is a term that marries the words “nutrition” and “pharmaceutical”. A common feature of these sales pitches is to offer a money back guarantee. This is an attempt to address the widespread skepticism of many people when hearing programs that pitch products that seem too good to be true.
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It’s part of human nature to overlook the potential of very “ordinary” things and instead seek out more exotic solutions to problems in our lives. This is very often the case in the field of natural medicine. We’re far more likely to hear about a new “superfruit” from a remote location than to read about similarly impressive features found in items available at the local supermarket. I can think of no better example of this than in the case of Zingiber Officinale, otherwise known as ginger root.
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Sometimes the best remedies are the simplest remedies. Today’s topic is certainly an illustration of just that.

There’s a special center at Cardiff University that focuses on all things related to the common cold. Earlier today, The Common Cold Centre released a statement touting the benefits of drinking hot drinks. Hot drinks? Yes, hot drinks! Read more »