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Bet you’ve never thought of this one! Neither had science until now. A first of its kind study finds peppermint oil reduces blood pressure. High blood pressure is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease. It is also one of the most in your control. One way to do it is diet: eating more fruit and vegetables has been definitively shown to lower high blood pressure. Another way is supplements. Until this new study, there has never been a

Kids are especially susceptible to respiratory infections. Tons of studies have established vitamin C’s ability to protect against respiratory infections in adults. But not much research has been done on vitamin C for kids. Until now. The common cold, sore throat, sinusitis, pneumonia and bronchitis are all respiratory infections. Because kids have immature immune systems, they are especially susceptible. 14% of all deaths in kids under 5 are due to pneumonia. This new study

80% of diabetics are affected by diabetic retinopathy. New research suggests that low levels of magnesium could be an important contributor to this important problem. Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness. This new meta-analysis gives an important clue for how to prevent it. This meta-analysis of studies on magnesium and diabetic retinopathy included 17 studies of 1100 diabetics with diabetic retinopathy and 1132 diabetics without diabetic

This meta-analysis included 10 studies of aromatherapy on people over 60 who suffered from sleep disorders. All 10 studies showed a positive effect of aromatherapy on sleep. The combined meta-analysis revealed that the effect was significant compared to control groups. There was also significant benefit for anxiety and depression. The most commonly used aromatherapy was lavender, sometimes in combination with sweet orange and bergamot. Medicine (Baltimore). 2024 Dec 6;103(49)

This massive new study shows that two healthy, plant-based diets can help keep your brain healthy and young. Cognitive decline with aging follows a trajectory that starts with subjective cognitive decline and can progress as far as dementia and Alzheimer’s. Diet is emerging as a promising way to prevent that from happening. Two of the most promising are the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet. They have a heavy focus on plant food in common. The Mediterranean diet leans on f

Hormonal changes at menopause lead to many well-known symptoms. A common, but less discussed one, is sexual function. A surprising solution may come from probiotics. Female Sexual Dysfunction encompasses changes in sexual desire, arousal, orgasm and pain. It is experienced by 68%-86.5% of menopausal women. Recent research has revealed surprising evidence that probiotics influence estrogen metabolism and can actually alleviate menopause symptoms without the adverse effects of

Sport and exercise are important. But strenuous exercise can damage and even injure your muscles. Muscle regeneration can be a slow process. New research is suggesting that a duo of B vitamins can speed it up. After muscle damage, muscle regeneration is driven by muscle stem cells. A just published double-blind, placebo-controlled study asked 39 men with an average age of 26.7 years to do a single session of damaging high intensity muscle contractions. It then gave them eithe

Nausea and vomiting are common problems of anesthesia from surgery, chemotherapy for cancer, and pregnancy. Whatever the cause, the research shows that peppermint essential oil can help. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter best known for preventing depression and insomnia. Less known is that there are serotonin receptors in your digestive tract. Even less known is that peppermint essential oil has been shown to block the serotonin receptors in your gastrointestinal tract that tri

Can something as simple as smelling thyme essential oil help people hospitalized with COVID? This open-label study included 140 people who were hospitalized for COVID. They all received conventional treatment, but half of them added thyme essential oil aromatherapy. 2mL of essential oil was applied to a cotton wick inside an inhaler stick. People in the aromatherapy group closed one nostril and inhaled 8 times through the other, 3 times a day for 5 days. The thyme aromatherap

An innovative new study provides a mechanism by which getting more vitamin D earlier in life might help prevent Alzheimer’s disease later in life. A protein named tau is essential for the health of nerve cells. But if tau molecules begin to bunch up into neurofibrillary tangles, they begin to damage the very cells they were meant to keep healthy. Tau tangles are an important marker of cognitive impairment: the more neurofibrillary tangles inside the brain cells, the worse the

Elevations in blood sugar, insulin and inflammation after eating is increasingly being linked to elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cognitive impairment. This new single-blind study hints that raspberries can help. This study included 36 overweight people who were between 55 and 70. They were consuming a meal that was high in carbohydrates. Each of them took either 25g of freeze-dried raspberry powder or a placebo. At the half hour mark, the raspberry powde

Low energy and stress can have a detrimental impact on cognition. Ashwagandha is a powerful adaptogenic herb that has been shown to help energy, stress and cognition. This new double-blind study gave 115 people with low energy who were also experiencing attention or memory issues either a placebo or 300mg of ashwagandha extract twice a day for 8 weeks. Compared to placebo, ashwagandha safely led to significant improvement in memory, working memory, attention and learning. The

Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis lead to joint destruction, pain and disability. A new meta-analysis suggests that supplementing pomegranate may help. This meta-analysis of controlled studies found that supplementing pomegranate extract or juice helps people with arthritis. In rheumatoid arthritis, it significantly reduced disease activity scores and markers of inflammation while increasing antioxidant activity. Given that arthritis is characterized by chronic inflamma

Macular degeneration is a product of free radical damage and declining antioxidant protection. It can cause difficulty seeing things directly in front of you. In the U.S., it is the leading cause of visual impairment in people over 60. A well known traditional herb from South and Southeast Asia can help, according to a new study. Your retina is especially sensitive to oxidative damage. Macular pigment filters damaging light and protects your retina from oxidative damage. It i

Could something as simple and delicious as drinking green tea reduce your risk of cancer? According to new research, the answer is yes! A new meta-analysis of 43 studies has shown that drinking green tea reduces the risk of cancer by 9% and taking EGCG in a green tea extract reduces it by 28%. EGCG is the most abundant antioxidant found in green tea. As exciting as these results are, they were more spectacular for certain cancers. The risk of prostate cancer was reduced by a

Premenstrual syndrome affects nearly half of all women in the world during their reproductive years. The discomfort can profoundly affect quality of life. This novel natural combination can help, according to a new study. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) usually occurs in the week before menstruation and can include bloating, breast tenderness, headaches, palpitations, depression, irritability, fatigue, poor concentration, mood swings and even suicidal thoughts. Conventional medic

A promising new study provides evidence that spirulina can improve symptoms and quality of life in people with irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects 5-10% of all people. It affects women more than men. Because of the pain, and because 38% of people with IBS experience depression and 40% experience anxiety, IBS can seriously affect quality of life. Recent research is expanding our knowledge of IBS. It appears that gut permeability allows immune cells

Migraine headaches are ridiculously common. They can cause intense, throbbing pain; nausea; vomiting and sensitivity to light and sound that can seriously affect your quality of life. This new study suggests that getting more of one simple vitamin could help. This study compared levels of vitamin B12 in people who suffered from migraines to the levels in people who didn’t. The migraine group was further divided into people who suffered chronic migraine and people whose migrai

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the world. Diet is a key factor that is in your control. This meta-analysis of 17 studies of 639,539 people found that people who eat the most cruciferous vegetables are a significant 17% less likely to get colon cancer. Significant benefit begins at 20g a day. At an optimal 40- 60g a day, the benefits rises to a 26% reduction in risk. BMC Gastroenterology. 2025;25,575.

It’s hard to believe, but a billion people suffer from migraine headaches. It’s also hard to believe that a safe, simple, inexpensive vitamin can help. Both are true. Could something as simple as vitamin D change life for millions of people with migraines? That’s what this meta-analysis of 5 studies that compared vitamin D to a placebo set out to see. The answer is yes! Vitamin D significantly reduced the number of days with headaches, the frequency of headaches and the sever