A new study warns that use of certain Chinese herbal products may be linked to increased risk of urinary tract cancer. The study focused on aristolochic acid, a carcinogen found in Chinese herbs such as mu tong (an ingredient in some formulas said to alleviate urinary tract infections). Researchers analyzed data on 179,295 people, examining the association between use of mu tong and incidence of urinary [...]

Considered by many to be one of nature’s healthiest beverages, green tea is rich in antioxidants that could help fight off heart disease and cancer. Made from unfermented leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant, green tea is also low in caffeine (offering about 8 to 30 mg per cup, compared to 100 to 350 mg per cup of coffee) and contains the amino acid L-theanine (shown to induce relaxation and [...]

Do you know one of those people who never get sick? This person could be forced to stay outside for ten hours on an extremely cold January day – soaking wet – with nothing on but a pair of shorts and a tank top with no repercussions. Or, better yet, he or she is on a crowded plane full of people with highly contagious flu symptoms and they manage to stroll off completely unscathed – [...]

To hear opponents of natural medicine say it, vitamins and herbs are extremely dangerous for your health. They should be regulated, we’re told, because they’re so dangerous! Statistics from the U.S. National Poison Data System prove otherwise. According to a 174-page report just published, the number of people killed in 2009 across America by vitamins, minerals, amino acids or herbal supplements [...]

A plant-based diet protects against chronic oxidative stress-related diseases. Dietary plants contain variable chemical families and amounts of antioxidants. It has been hypothesized that plant antioxidants may contribute to the beneficial health effects of dietary plants. Our objective was to develop a comprehensive food database consisting of the total antioxidant content of typical foods as well [...]