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 MOTION SICKNESS HELP -- A
scientific study from Britain says that ginger is more effective
than Dramamine in stopping motion sickness. You can buy candied
ginger in Asian food markets and chew on it while traveling.
Or you can buy ginger supplements at a health food store, then
take two 500-milligram capsules about an hour before leaving on
your trip and one or two more capsules every four hours while you’re
traveling.
FYI -- PSA test leads to more successful treatment of prostate
cancer: A study published in the May issue of the journal Mayo
Clinic Proceedings found that an early detection test for prostate
specific antigen (PSA), elevated levels of which can indicate prostate
cancer, helped increase survival rates. The study found that 80
percent of men whose cancers were treated at a stage when the disease
was confined to the prostate survived at least 5 years with no
new signs of cancer.
WHY IS PRODUCE WAXED? -- Wax is used on fruits and vegetables
to reduce moisture loss and keep produce fresh longer.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which oversees the safety
of the food supply in the United States, allows the following waxes
to be used on foods: paraffin and mineral oil (from petroleum),
bees wax, shellac (lac resin), wood rosin, carnauba wax (from palm
leaves), and a variety of vegetable oils and fats. With the exception
of paraffin and mineral oil, the waxes are considered organic if
they are free of preservatives and fungicides. Strict vegetarians
(vegans) do not allow bees wax.
The FDA requires that cartons containing waxed fruits and vegetables
carry identification that the produce has been waxed, as well as
listing the type of wax used. Grocers also must display this information.
The amount of wax on produce is minimal and is edible. However,
if desired, you may remove it by peeling the produce. Scrubbing
the produce with a brush under warm running water also helps.
INSECT STING REMEDIES -- When bitten by a stinging insect, you
should act fast. Without squeezing the stinger, remove it by scraping
it out with your fingernail or the edge of something such as a
nail file. Cleanse the area with soap and water or an antiseptic.
Ease the pain by either applying an ice pack to the area, or moistening
the sting and rubbing an aspirin on it. To help neutralize the
venom, apply a paste of either baking soda, meat tenderizer (Adolph's
or McCormick's), or activated charcoal, and cover with a bandage.
Leave in place until swelling and pain is gone. Taking an antihistamine
will also help to lessen the symptoms. Those who are allergic to
insect stings should seek medical help immediately.
HANGOVER HELP -- To ease the pain of a hangover, drink two or
three large glasses of water before going to sleep. It helps relieve
dehydration and make the next morning a little more bearable.
COFFEE BENEFITS -- Drinking coffee may help protect
men from getting gallstones. That's the finding of a study published
in the June 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham
and Women's Hospital in Boston found that men who drank regular
coffee had a significantly decreased risk of symptomatic gallstone
disease. Men in the study who drank decaffeinated coffee or tea
did not have a decreased risk, which led researchers to conclude
that caffeine intake may help prevent gallstone formation.
HERBS: GROWING RECOGNITION
European and Asian countries have long
histories of using herbs. Slowly, the U.S. has been coming up
to speed. Representative Peter DeFazio, addressing the Government
Reform and Oversight Committee in 1998, lamented the slow rate
of progress relative to our foreign counterparts. As most herbal
materials are not patentable in the U.S. and corporate sponsorship
of major studies is consequently minimal, herbal supporters have
advocated a stronger effort from the U.S. government. Under the
jurisdiction of the National Institutes of Health, the National
Center for Complementary & Alternative
Medicine has received funding and is sponsoring a limited number
of trials regarding herbal and other alternative medicines. One
example is a current three-year study on Saint Johns wort. On another
front, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has established numerous
support and research groups, including the Natural Products Utilization
Research Unit, whose mission is in part to support development
of medicinal plants as alternative farm crops.
The U.S. FDA, an agency in a position separate
and parallel to the National Institutes of Health, will be meeting
with industry, consumer, and health advocates, in continuing efforts
to place tighter restrictions on claims and on broadening the public's
access to information regarding herbs. Pursuant to the Dietary
Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, these are generally
classified in the U.S. as dietary supplements.
More and more consumers
are becoming aware of dietary supplements and their own need
for self-education, spending, by some estimates, close to $4 billion
in 1998 on herbs and related botanicals. Recent polls show over
90 percent of physicians and pharmacists have also been made
aware of this consumer interest in herbal supplements over the
past several years. Aiding physicians in responding to patient-initiated
questions regarding herbs, there is now a PDR (Physicians' Desk
Reference) for Herbal Medicines providing brief summaries of descriptions
and usages for many domestic herbs.
FIBER HELPS LOWER HARMFUL CHOLESTEROL
More and more researchers are becoming believers in the importance
of dietary fiber and its role as our first line of defense against
high cholesterol. Now, a new study from Mexico suggests that adding
two well-known fibers, oat bran or psyllium, to your diet may help
lower levels of harmful cholesterol.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition
(1998;17:601-608), included sixty-six men ages twenty to forty-five.
Each of them consumed cookies containing one of three different
fibers: oat bran, psyllium or wheat bran. In addition, the researchers
counseled all the men on ways to reduce the amount of fat in their
diets and encouraged them to eat less meat.
After eight weeks, those who ate the oat
bran cookies had reduced their LDL, or "bad" cholesterol
levels by an average of 26 percent. Those in the psyllium group
experienced an almost 23-percent drop. And, although wheat bran
is not regarded as a fiber of much value in lowering cholesterol
levels, even those in the wheat bran group saw a lowering of
about 8 percent in their blood stream levels of LDL. Other than
fiber, the researchers found no significant differences in the
eating habits of the three groups of men.
Reference:
http://www.cybervitamins.com/fiber.htm
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