Dr. Weil's Fun Facts of the Day

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
Dr. Weil's Fun Facts of the Day
1
Thu, 05-26-2005 - 7:33am

A Natural Energy Booster

Siberian ginseng (Eleutheroccocus senticosus) is often used as a tonic to treat lethargy and fatigue. For a morning boost, for example, ginseng tea might be a good substitute for coffee. Many forms of ginseng are on the market – you can find whole dried roots as well as candies, teas and wines. Educate yourself and read labels – some of these products contain little or no ginseng. Real ginseng products contain ginsenosides. Used regularly for at least two months, ginseng can increase energy, vitality and sexual vigor, improve skin and muscle tone, and increase your resistance to stress of all sorts. Ginseng is usually quite safe, but the Asian variety can raise blood pressure in some individuals, and cause irritability and insomnia - talk with your physician before taking ginseng if you have related health issues. Both Asian and American varieties may have estrogenic activity, so women with hormonal imbalances or with estrogen-dependent ailments (such as uterine fibroids, fibrocystic breasts, endometriosis, and breast, uterine or cervical cancer) should avoid using ginseng.

Nutrition and Lifestyle News: Drink Less Soda to Avoid Heartburn

If the calories they contain haven’t discouraged you from guzzling soft drinks, here’s something that may: Sodas have been linked to an increased risk of severe nighttime heartburn. This finding - as well as the discovery of heartburn risk related to prescription sleeping pills such as Ativan, Halcion, Valium and Xanax - emerged from the Sleep Heart Health Study, an ongoing investigation looking at the connection between cardiovascular disease and disturbed sleep. Researchers found that people who drank one or more soft drinks daily were at a 31 percent higher risk of developing severe nighttime heartburn than those who didn’t drink the carbonated beverages. The acidity and carbonation of soft drinks seem to be the culprits. The researchers advised that to avoid heartburn, give up sodas or drink them early in the day. As for the sleeping pills – they seem to weaken the muscular ring that acts as a barrier between the esophagus and stomach allowing acid reflux to occur. The researchers found that regular use of some types of sleeping pills increased the risk of nighttime heartburn by 65 percent. Of the more than 15,000 adults participating in the study, nearly 25 percent complained of nighttime heartburn. The study was published in the May 2005 issue of Chest.

Science and Supplement News: Vitamin E to Prevent Parkinson’s

A diet rich in vitamin E may protect against or prevent Parkinson’s disease. Canadian researchers recently reviewed eight studies to examine the effects of vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene on the risk of developing Parkinson’s, a degenerative neurological disorder. Parkinson’s affects about 500,000 people in the United States, including actor Michael J. Fox and Muhammad Ali. The study showed that while neither vitamin C nor beta carotene appeared to be useful in addressing Parkinson’s, dietary vitamin E seemed to be protective. Vitamin E is found in nuts, seeds, wheat germ, spinach and other leafy green vegetables. The Canadian team said they didn’t know if vitamin E supplements would have the same effects as a diet rich in “E.” Their findings were published in the June 2005 issue of The Lancet Neurology

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 05-26-2005 - 7:48am
Thanks for the tips Dee.....I should have had some ginseng yesterday-- ;-)

~IslandGirl


*** Moderation Is Key ***


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