Food & Drink Remedies
Thousands of years ago, Hippocrates said Let food be your medicine. Foods and beverages provide relief from an amazing number of common ailments.
Can Beet Juice Really Lower High Blood Pressure?
If you have hypertension, your doctor has probably prescribed medicine to lower high blood pressure. You may have gone through quite an extensive period of trial and error to find a drug that works wi…
Show 1291: Which Cooking Spices Are Contaminated…
Do you add thyme to your chicken soup? Basil and oregano to your pasta sauce? These herbs are staples in most kitchens, and they help good cooks make their meals extra-tasty. We love using herbs and s…
Do Sunflower Seeds Keep You Alert Behind the Whe…
How do you stay alert when you are driving? Some people listen to the radio or to audiobooks. Others sip on a travel mug full of coffee. One interesting tactic that some readers use is munching on sun…
Too Much Potassium Poses Danger
We refer to potassium as the "Goldilocks" mineral. That's because too much potassium or too little can cause serious health problems. Potassium needs to be "just right." Normally, the body handles p…
Will You Age More Slowly If You Eat a DASH Diet?
Several decades ago, the popular nutrition writer Adelle Davis said: “You are what you eat!” Her message warned Americans against highly processed foods full of sugar and white flour. As a celebri…
Will Certo and Grape Juice Help Your Sore Knees?
People with sore joints face a terrible dilemma. Pain interferes with quality of life. On the other hand, medications like diclofenac and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can make p…
Coconut Cookies Help Control Diarrhea from Colit…
Ulcerative colitis can be a devastating disease. Symptoms can include pain and cramping in the abdomen, a sudden urge to rush to the bathroom, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, nausea, fever, sor…
Should You Drink Cherry Juice for Your Brain?
Tart cherry juice has a reputation for fighting inflammation. Readers of our syndicated newspaper column have been singing the praises of tart cherries for decades. They have been using this sour frui…
Are Plant-Based Spreads Better Than Butter?
Ask a nutritionist if you should be eating a plant-based diet, and the answer is likely to be yes. Consuming more vegetables, more fruits, more nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains–it's all good fo…
Power of Pomegranate to Promote Health
The clock is counting down! That’s because pomegranate season is almost over. In the US, this ancient fruit is available roughly between October and December. That means we may have another week or …
Onion Cough Remedy
Every winter, we hear from people who'd like to share their favorite family remedies for coughs, colds and flu. We haven't conducted research on any of these, but one that keeps cropping up year after…
Can Grape Juice with Pectin Ease Your Joint Pain…
Arthritis and joint pain are extremely common problems as we grow older. The pain itself can interfere greatly with your quality of life. On the other hand, because people suffer from joint pain frequ…
Just How Scary Is Saturated Fat?
Have you ever heard the saying "you can't teach an old dog new tricks"? It's not true. Many old dogs learn new tricks with the right training and motivation. It turns out that it could be a lot harder…
What Is It About Coffee That Protects Your Brain…
Java lovers appear to enjoy a variety of health benefits, including a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. Most recently, Australian scientists discovered that coffee dri…
Certo and Grape Juice Loosened Stiff Knee
People with arthritis know that most remedies have a trade-off. Pain relievers like naproxen (Aleve) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB) might help a stiff knee, but they could also boost blood pressure o…
Pomegranate Juice For Chronic Diarrhea
Chronic diarrhea is debilitating. Even if there is no serious medical condition causing liquidity, this condition can interfere with both work and leisure activity. In fact, people often tell us they …
For Preventing Stroke, Type of Fat Matters More …
The type of fat in your diet is far more important than the amount, according to a new analysis of data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (AHA Scientific Ses…
Does Eating Avocados Actually Strengthen Your Fi…
Our readers alert us to a lot of potentially terrific remedy. We don't always know how–or even if–they work, especially at first. But we are intrigued by this reader making a connection between ea…
Are the Health Benefits of Buttermilk Like Those…
Do you consume dairy products, or do you try to avoid them? Many people find that the lactose in milk makes them uncomfortable. Scientists report, however, that probiotic products can reduce those sig…
What Is the Story on Nuts and Health?
Nuts are not the dietary demons doctors once thought. There was a time when we were warned to stay away from nuts because they are high in both fat and calories. But nutrition researchers have found …
Diet with Mushrooms May Protect You from Depress…
Mushroom lovers, rejoice! A diet with mushrooms appears to offer you a lower risk of developing depression and other mental illness. Advantages of a Diet with Mushrooms: Penn State scientists evaluate…
Eating Fruits and Veggies Boosts Children’…
A study published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health analyzed the impact of nutritional factors on mental wellbeing in kids (BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, Sept. 27, 2021). The researc…
How to Make Your Blood Fats Healthier
Total cholesterol has probably been overemphasized as a single risk factor for heart disease. On the other hand, the fats that circulate in our blood vessels do have an impact on our heart health. Whi…
Will an Elimination Diet Help You Avoid Migraine…
The FDA has approved several medications, starting with Aimovig (erenumab), to prevent migraine headaches. Readers are also curious about other approaches to prevention. One reader asked about t…
Will Gin-Soaked Golden Raisins Help Your Joint P…
Have you heard of using gin-soaked golden raisins to ease joint pain? People have been sharing this home remedy with their friends and family members for decades. We have no idea where it comes from o…
What Is Granuloma Annulare And How Can I Get Rid…
Don't you love it when doctors characterize a condition as "idiopathic?" That is a fancy medical term for "we haven't got a clue as to what causes this." That's the case with granuloma annulare. If yo…
Green Tea Calmed Psoriasis
Psoriasis is an often uncomfortable condition in which the immune system attacks the skin. As cells turn over more quickly, they may stack up on the skin as itchy silvery plaques over tender reddish a…
Why Should You Eat Colorful Veggies?
Your mother and possibly your grandmother probably told you to eat your vegetables. But did they tell you to relish colorful veggies most? We now have more information on their benefits and exactly ho…
Are Pecans Good for Your Heart?
Have you ever wondered whether your favorite food is good for your heart? If your favorite foods include ice cream and cookies, you don't have to wonder. The answer is a clear no. If you love oatmeal …
What Is the Best Diet for Cancer Survivors?
Does it matter what you eat after you’ve been treated for cancer? A new study of 1400 German people who had survived colorectal cancer treatment has clarified the best diet for cancer survivors. Fin…
Does a Daily Cup of Coffee Reduce Your Risk for …
Last summer, you were probably wondering how to reduce your risk for COVID. What we could offer back then were the most obvious tactics: stay at home as much as possible, don't be indoors with lots of…
How to Choose Whole Grains for a Longer Life
Nutrition experts have long been advising us to eat whole grains, and epidemiologists have evidence that getting three servings of whole grains daily can reduce the chance of an early death. In fact, …
Mustard For Cramps Has Amazing Scientific Explan…
We have been writing about strong flavors for combatting muscle cramps for more than 30 years. Initially, we were told that the quinine in tonic water was the best strategy for overcoming these painfu…
Will a Mediterranean Diet Help Your Psoriasis?
Following a Mediterranean style diet with lots of vegetables, extra-virgin olive oil, whole grains and fruit is good for your heart and your metabolism. A French study suggested this way of eating mig…
Will Curry Alleviate Alzheimer’s?
Could natural foods have an impact on cognitive capacity? Most specifically, could curry alleviate Alzheimer's disease? There are numerous spices in various curry dishes, but turmeric is a constant. S…
What Is the Benefit to Eating Black Walnuts?
Have you ever seen black walnuts? When they fall off the tree, they are surrounded by large green fruit husks that are very tough. Both those green balls and the leaves have a pungent aroma. Is it wor…
Can Tonic Water Banish Your Muscle Cramp Pain?
What do you do for muscle cramp pain? Some people use massage, and others swallow a spoonful of yellow mustard. By far the most popular preventive used to be quinine tablets. At one time, doctors woul…
Will a Diet of Mostly Plants Help Your Kidneys?
Chronic kidney disease has been increasing in the United States and now affects 14 percent of adults. This might be explained by the widespread use of medications such as NSAIDs or PPIs that can cause…
Will A Banana Peel Ease Inflammation and Itching…
People are sometimes surprised that they can go decades without developing a skin reaction to poison ivy. Then one day out of the blue they develop red, itchy blisters after exposure to this nasty pla…
Will Natural Sugar Substitute Xylitol Raise Bloo…
If you have been told your blood sugar may be too high, whether or not you have diabetes, you may be looking for foods that could lower it. Sugar, honey and maple syrup all raise blood sugar. What abo…