The average consumer today is spoiled for choice when it comes to cooking oils. Most stores (including health food stores) in the West tend to be packed with oils of various colors, tastes, and origins, and it can be difficult to distinguish the healthy ones from the unhealthy ones. The most important factor to bear in mind when choosing oils is not just whether an oil is safe and nutritious in its unprocessed state, but…
Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants responsible for absorbing the light necessary for photosynthesis. It is often considered to be the “blood” of plants, since it comprises the basic physiology of the plant and is required for their basic metabolic functions, such as growth and respiration. While most land plants contain chlorophyll to some degree, those with the deepest green colors contain the greatest concentrations of it. Though humans cannot photosynthesize and therefore cannot…
Many people tend to assume that intestinal parasites are a Third World problem, but the truth is that they also affect millions of people in the Western world. In fact, intestinal parasites have risen to epidemic levels in the United States, with an estimated 50 percent of Americans believed to suffer from parasitic organisms in their digestive tract. The most common intestinal parasites in the West include roundworms, pinworms, and the protozoan, G. lamblia, which…
Low carb diets, including the ketogenic diet, have been controversial for decades. The belief that fats are bad while carbohydrates are good, which has its origins in scientifically questionable studies from the 1950s, still assumes a strong hold over public consciousness. However, the tides are gradually turning, and more researchers are beginning to question the 20th century’s incessant demonization of fats. In fact, since 2002 there have been over 20 studies conducted on low carb…
Estrogen is the name given to an important group of compounds that affect the growth and function of tissues throughout the body, including the tissues responsible for reproduction. It plays a significant role in maintaining cardiovascular function, helps keep our bones healthy, and has a strong influence over our mood and behavior. In other words, both men and women need estrogen in appropriate levels to maintain optimum health. Unfortunately, most of us live in a…
