What did double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials on berries and the first clinical study on the effects of berries on arthritis find? How might berries improve human health, healthy aging, and quality of life? It may be due to their anti-inflammatory effects, since inflammation can be an underlying contributing factor in the “development, progression, and complication”…
Given their oxalate content, how much is too much spinach, chard, beet greens, chaga mushroom powder, almonds, cashews, star fruit, and instant tea? There was a tragic case in which a “green smoothie cleanse” shut down the kidneys of a woman who had had two cups of spinach a day for just ten days. Complicating…
Even though dietary oxalates may have a limited effect on the risk of kidney stones in most people, there are some predisposing factors that can put anyone at risk. Kidney stones affect as many as one in ten people in their lifetime and can cause excruciating pain. (It makes me cross my legs just thinking…
I’m thrilled to announce that preorders are now open for How Not to Age, my new book coming out in December after three years in the making. There was so much juicy research on the many aspects of aging and longevity—more than 13,000 citations’ worth!—that I couldn’t even fit it all in. So, throughout the…
What is the best way to prepare dark green leafy vegetables, the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet? “The main purpose of cooking is to make vegetables more edible, palatable, and digestible…The downside is that cooking may adversely affect the levels of nutrients and bioactive compounds, especially the heat-sensitive and water-soluble ones.” But, as you…
Were the flaxseed studies showing 20 pounds of weight loss just flukes? Canada now allows a health claim on the labels of products with flaxseeds, saying that we know with sufficient certainty that flaxseeds do indeed help lower cholesterol levels. The products must contain at least two tablespoons of ground flax and be relatively healthy…
Why do some experiments show that duct tape is ineffective for treating warts? In 1978, a new approach for the treatment of warts was described, complete with compelling before-and-after pictures, as you can see below and at 0:13 in my video Which Type of Duct Tape Is Best for Wart Removal?. What was it? The…
Duct tape beat out ten other wart treatments for cost and effectiveness, so why isn’t it standard practice? One of the “unusual, innovative, and long-forgotten remedies” noted in a dermatology journal article was the use of duct tape to cure warts. It was finally put to the test. There are all sorts of conventional therapies,…
Duct tape beat out cryotherapy (freezing) for treating warts in a randomized, controlled, head-to-head trial. When I was reviewing “The Science Behind Common Over-the-Counter Remedies Used in Dermatology,” such as tea tree oil for acne or nail fungus, I was surprised to see a section on duct tape on the same page. Duct tape? The…
What are the risks of contracting the brain parasite toxoplasma from cat litter or meat? The brain parasite toxoplasma “is responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality,” that is, disease and death, “in the United States.” It holds second place as the leading cause of foodborne-related death in the United States, after Salmonella. The parasite can…