How to be Energetic And Healthy: HERBS (GINGER) FOR HEADACHES

How to be Energetic And Healthy: HERBS (GINGER) FOR HEADACHES

HERBS (GINGER) FOR HEADACHES

When your head hurts, a pain pill is an easy way to silence the throbbing. But did you know there are herbs that may help, too?

James A. Duke, PhD, author of The Green Pharmacy, offers five options for you to consider.

* Feverfew and ginger: Research suggests that regularly taking feverfew reduces migraine frequency, while ginger may soothe symptoms.
* Willow: The herb contains salicin, an aspirin-like substance. White willow (S. alba) is rather low in this pain-relieving stuff, so if you want more headache relief per cup of tea, look for species that are more potent, like S. daphnoides or S. fragilis. (Find out why aspirin is also a "brain pill.")
* Red pepper: Studies show that its heat-giving ingredient, capsaicin, may help prevent cluster headaches. (Here’s why you should add the food to an egg-white omelet.)
* Thyme: Thyme can be used in a compress to ease achy muscles in the neck, shoulders, and back that contribute to tension headaches. You can also drink thyme tea. (Check out how this herb can healthy-up a salad, too.)

Ask Your Doc
Remember, just like pharmaceutical drugs, herbs can cause side effects or interact with medications. So before running out to the health-food store, clear your plans with your doctor, and ask about the appropriate dose. Take this quick mini assessment to learn about other uses for herbs.

A Creamy Treat for "Lungevity"

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Step one for preventing lung cancer: Say no to tobacco. Step two: Have a tablespoon of vitamin-E-rich peanut butter.

Although many studies have suggested that taking high-dose vitamin E supplements may cause lung cancer, one new study bucks the trend. It revealed a possible lung benefit from dietary E -- the kind you get from peanut butter, nuts, and seeds.

Foods You Can Use
It's another argument for getting the nutrients you need from foods, not pills. In the study, people who had the highest intake of vitamin E from foods had a 55 percent lower risk of lung cancer compared with the people who got the least amount of vitamin E in their diets. Dietary alpha-tocopherol, the type of E found in peanut butter and oil-based salad dressings, was particularly protective. (Did you know? About 15 percent of lung cancers occur in nonsmokers. Get tips on reducing your risk.)

More E for the Road
Why the difference between vitamin E supplements and dietary vitamin E? Clinical trials involving vitamin E supplements tend to use the synthetic form of alpha-tocopherol. So it may be that there is something unique to natural alpha-tocopherol that produces a health benefit. Or something else in alpha-tocopherol-rich food may be helpful for lungs. Here are some other benefits of getting extra E: