Vitamin D is actually a term for a group of hormones that are stored mainly in the liver, as well as fat and muscle tissue. It is one of three vitamins naturally manufactured by the body, and it is produced by a chemical reaction to the ultraviolet radiation contained in sunlight.
Why do we need it?
Vitamin [...]
Asafoetida gets its name from the Persian aza, for mastic or resin, and the Latin foetidus, for stinking. It is a gum that is from the sap of the roots and stem of the ferula species, a giant fennel that exudes a vile odour. Early records mention that Alexander the Great carried this “stink finger†[...]
A graduate school application can go sour in as many ways as a blind date. The personal essay might seem too eager, the references too casual. The admissions officer on duty might be nursing a grudge. Or a hangover.
Rachel Riskind of Austin, Texas, nonetheless has a good feeling about her chances for admittance to the [...]
At 81, Carmela Hilbert has chronic heart problems and neuropathy in her feet. Yet, she says, in some ways she’s never felt better.
“I think a lot of it has to with attitude,” Hilbert explains. “I think a lot of it has to do with learning — with the fact that you never stop trying something [...]
Men who have only daughters may be at greater risk for prostate cancer than those who have at least one son, a new study reports, and the reason may be an alteration in the Y chromosome, the male sex chromosome.
Prostate Cancer in Fathers With Fewer Male Offspring: the Jerusalem Perinatal Study Cohort (Journal of the [...]
Incontinence should not be summarily dismissed as an inevitable consequence of ageing. Basic tests should be done to rule out any correctable cause Dr Gita Mathai
The urge to urinate is under voluntary control and can be suppressed until a suitable opportunity appears.
Coughing, sneezing and laughing are normal, unavoidable day-to-day activities which cause a transient increase [...]
Momordica charantia is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, widely grown for edible fruit, which is among the most bitter of all vegetables. English names for the plant and its fruit include bitter melon or bitter gourd (translated from Chinese: ??; pinyin: kugua). The original home of the species is not known, [...]
Considering Others
Every thought we think and every action we take has an effect on the world around us. To be aware of this is to be conscious of our impact on the people in our lives. Sometimes we just want to do what we want to do, but considering the full ramifications [...]
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant evergreen needle-like leaves. It is native to the Mediterranean region and in Uruguay. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which also includes many other herbs. Forms range from upright to trailing; the upright forms can reach 1.5 m tall, rarely 2 m. [...]
Whether it’s a middle ear infection, located deep in the ear, or swimmer’s ear, affecting the outer ear canal, an earache hurts. It’s most often a problem in children, but adults get earaches too. Though some conditions clear up on their own, supplements can speed up the healing process.
Symptoms
Throbbing or steady pain in ear; [...]
Alzheimer’s disease, a common form of dementia that currently affects 13 million people across the globe, may start losing the battle because of a new enemy – fruit and vegetable juice. The results of a new study published in the September 2006 edition of The Journal of American Medicine suggest that the antioxidant polyphenols found [...]
Reaffirming Our Integrity
Every thought we think and every action we take has an effect on the world around us. To be aware of this is to be conscious of our impact on the people in our lives. Sometimes we just want to do what we want to do, but considering the full ramifications of our [...]
Eating healthy may be virtuous, but it just doesn’t seem like that much fun.
Truth is, most of us prefer the taste of french fries over that of oat bran. A glass of Burgundy sounds more tantalizing than a cup of wheat grass juice. And while a nice piece of fruit is no punishment, chocolate [...]
In our youth-oriented culture, the process of aging is not honored as it once was. There have been societies that looked to those who were older for leadership, understanding that their life experiences must have brought some wisdom with them. Our society tends to put more value on looking youthful, so [...]
Botanical Name: Turnera diffusa
Plant Family: Turneraceae
Common Names: Turnera aphrodisiaca
Origin: South America, West Indies, Mexico and Texas
Damiana is indigenous to Central America and Mexico. It grows in hot, humid climates such as those found in Texas, the Caribbean and southern Africa. The plant can reach a height of approximately two feet, with smooth, green leaves, yellow [...]
Taking care of your mouth, teeth and gums isn’t just a matter of good grooming. It can prevent infections, and maybe even diseases, throughout your body.
Taking good care of your mouth, teeth and gums is a worthy goal in and of itself. Good oral and dental hygiene can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay and [...]
Doctors call it “borborygmiâ€. Sounds somewhat like the sound you hear, isn’t it?
Growling in the stomach is a common phenomenon all of us would have experienced sometime or the other. “The stomach muscles are in constant peristaltic motion to digest the food ingested and letting it flow into the intestines. In general, increased flow [...]
Gotu kola is a small, ground-hugging plant grown in India, Pakistan, Madagascar and South Africa. It is also found in Eastern Europe. In Sri Lanka, the plant’s leaves are consumed by both humans and animals, especially elephants.
Gotu kola has historically been reported to enhance mental activity and help a variety of illnesses, including rheumatism, fevers [...]
WASHINGTON: Dan Buettner, writer and adventurer, has bicycled around the world, started ventures to teach people about different cultures. He is globetrotting with a team of doctors and demographers, pinpointing places where people live longest.
“I just became obsessed with finding what it is that helps these people,” he said. Buettner’s newest expedition is to the [...]
Italian-food lovers everywhere, rejoice: Tomato sauce is even healthier than previously suspected. Research is showing that tomatoes and tomato-based foods are excellent sources of lycopene, an antioxidant with cancer-fighting abilities; specifically, lycopene is believed to significantly reduce a man’s chances of getting prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is serious: It affects one in four men over [...]
