Year: 2020

Make Tosca the ancient health drink that energised the Armies of Rome

On By Yvonne

Make Tosca the ancient health drink that energised the Armies of Rome.

It was a popular tonic drink in antiquity  and taken for its strengthening and refreshing qualities. The Babylonians brewed it 600 years BC and the Bible describes Ruth and Boaz taking a tipple together after a busy day in the harvest fields at around the same time.  100 years later Hippocrates, the founder of modern medicine recommended it for many ailments.   It is, of course, apple cider vinegar, commonly known as cider vinegar.

Cider vinegar is made from fermented apple juice and its attributes are many.   Its detoxifying and purifying properties are reported to improve the working of kidneys, bladder and liver.  It thins the blood  and lowers blood pressure.  It contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and dietary fibre and these are just a few of the claims made by enthusiasts, both ancient and modern who have …

Snacks that Are Healthy in Moderation

On By Yvonne

Are you looking for a snack to hold you over until dinner that won't threaten your diet? Are baby carrots and celery sticks not quite cutting it? Below you will find 9 other snack ideas that will satisfy your taste buds, and keep you on track.

Dark chocolate 
According to WebMD, dark chocolate is full of antioxidants, helps lower your blood pressure, improves cognitive functions, helps control blood sugar levels, and is rich in important vitamins. Eating three small pieces of dark chocolate can curb a sweet tooth without harming your health.

Raisins
According to the Diet Health Club, raisins contain antioxidants, are rich in iron, and help to remove toxins from the body. They also contain an amino acid named Arginine which increases libido and induces arousal. Raisins therefore may even have an influence on increased physical activity.

Pistachios 
According to the Pistachio Health Institute, pistachios are …

Study: Taking Herbs and Medication Dangerous

On By Yvonne

Those suffering from any sort of malady may have consulted both prescription medication and pursued natural herbal treatments as well. A press release from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, announced today that taking both prescription medication and herbal supplements at the same time can have adverse consequences. This study has been published in the July 2007 version of The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.

A literature review and comprehensive survey of 132 pharmacists revealed that 47% of the pharmacists surveyed had come in contact with an individual who had experience an adverse event by taking an herbal supplement. However, only 1.5% of these pharmacists reported those negative side effects to authorities. By contrast, 19% of adverse side effects resulting from the use of prescription or non-prescription medications were reported to authorities.

The study asserts that adverse herbal consequences are either not being reported or are being drastically underreported. A doctor …

The Different Varieties of Tea

On By Yvonne

You’re probably already quite familiar with black tea. Your grandmother might have made you a glass of sweet iced tea when you were a child or your father might have taken his hot tea in the morning with a little bit of creamer.

Within the last decade, there has been a huge influx of healthy, green tea alternatives to the black tea that most Americans had long been consuming.

The Alternatives to Black Tea

There are four main types of actual teas. These are: black, green, white, and oolong. There are also a myriad of herbal tea products that aren’t actually teas at all. Actual teas are all processed from the plant Camellia sinensis, commonly known as the tea plant or tea tree.

While herbal teas may contain infusions from the tea plant, they are not considered true teas and the majority of their ingredients tend to come from …

Madison Tea Party Protest, Thousands Rally For and Against Walker

On By Yvonne

The birthplace of progressivism, Madison, Wisconsin, is the crucial battleground in a fight that has ramifications from coast to coast. Some 60,000 to 70,000 people descended upon Wisconsin's capitol Saturday in the fifth day of protest, both for and against a plan to break up the state's public workers unions, all while the war over budget cuts simmers across the United States.

Gov. Scott Walker (R) is touting a proposal that would require government workers to contribute more to their health care and pension costs and essentially do away with public worker collective bargaining powers. Walker is promoting a plan to parity a $3.6 billion budget deficit in part by demanding labor concessions and stripping certain labor privileges.

The Capitol grounds became the hot spot for feuding rallies, as buses brought in Tea Party followers to express support for these proposed union pay cuts. At the same time, throngs of …

In Kenya, Tea Time is any Time

On By Yvonne

Tea time in some parts of the world is 4 pm, while in others, tea is simply not a part of the daily schedule. In Kenya, however, any time is a great time for a cup of tea. Most Kenyans will admit to drinking no less than three cups of tea a day.

Tea in the Kenyan Tradition

According to Kenyan tradition, strong friendship ties are forged over a cup of tea. Any visitor to a Kenyan home will be offered a cup of tea, at any time and in any weather. “Any time is tea time,” is a common saying in Kenya. Be warned that refusing the offer can be viewed as an insult to the host, in the absence of an excellent excuse.

Generally the tea offered will be prepared in the traditional style, mixed with plenty of milk and a mix of spices locally known as tea …

Acai Berry Powder: Scam or Superfood?

On By Yvonne

History of the Acai Berry

The acai berry is a fruit native to the Amazon rainforest where it has been enjoyed for thousands of years by indigenous peoples of the region.  Acai berries are similar in appearance to blueberries, and are harvested from the acai palm, a tall, thin tree with branches that carry streamer-like leaves and clusters of acai berries.  Among the healers of indigenous Amazonian peoples, acai berries are well known as a medicinal plant that improves energy, stamina, and mental focus.  It wasn’t until the 1990s that acai berry began gaining popularity in North America, and the acai berry has recently been gaining favor as a weight loss aid and dietary supplement, especially after being featured on the Oprah Winfrey show and being touted by Oprah's frequent guest physician, Dr. Mehmet Oz.

Properties of the Acai Berry

Though indigenous peoples have known for centuries that the acai …

A Holistic Approach to Health

On By Yvonne

Why medicine may not be the best option?Medicine has long been taking corrective rather than preventive action. It is a whole world of chance. There are no hard and fast rules and everything is just a hit-and-try. Every medicine causes some effects. But it comes along with a lot of side effects. Some common side effects include drowsiness and upsetting of stomach. Others weaken you slowly but steadily. Thankfully, these days, holistic health is gaining importance.

The concept of Life Energy:It has now been realized that treating the different organs of the body separately is not as effective as the treatment of the entire mind and body combined. There is something called life energy, that can be generated, increased and that has amazingly effective healing powers. There is an old saying that a doctor can only dress your wound, but it is God who heals it. This …

The Republican Party Should Be Renamed The Tea Party

On By Yvonne

The Tea Partiers, a small percentage of the Republican Party, is running the show.

The Republican Party was created in 1860 when its first presidential candidate was Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Lincoln won that election and from then until 1932, the Republican Party dominated American politics. The Republican Party tended to be a relatively conservative party during this period. The one noteworthy exception was the administration of President Theodore Roosevelt which was quite progressive. He was the first president to advocate national health insurance. (like several of his successors, he failed to obtain that goal.) Historians rate him as “near great”.

In 1932, as a result of the Great Depression and Franklin Roosevelt’s highly effective campaigning style, the nation’s political alignment changed dramatically. For the next 20 years, the Democratic Party controlled the presidency and usually the Congress. The electorate shifted from heavily Republican to predominately Democratic. In 1952, the nation’s …