Are raised cholesterol levels really a hazard to health?

Very few of us have intimate knowledge of the biochemical workings of the body. Yet, one blood constituent practically all of us know something about is the waxy, fat-like substance known as cholesterol. Too much cholesterol whizzing around our blood streams, we are told, can clog our arteries and up our risk of falling prey […]

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Natural treatments for hayfever

Most of us welcome with open arms the warmer weather that comes as spring turns to summer. However, the climatic change at this time of year is not necessarily so relished by those afflicted by the condition hay fever. For some, a rise in the pollen count can signal the start of a miserable constellation […]

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Effective natural relief from the pain of osteoarthritis

Like it or not, none of us is getting any younger. While the passage of time may bring with it desirable qualities such as wisdom and maturity, it’s effects on our physical health are generally less desirable. The ageing process can ultimately take its toll on the body, upping our chance of succumbing to all […]

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Why healthy diets for children can’t be had from a tin

Pretty much every parent will be keen to ensure their little ones eat a healthy, balanced diet. A recent campaign by the food company Heinz may give the impression that this task has suddenly got a whole lot easier. According to Heinz, we can now count many of its canned foods as fresh produce. Half […]

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Natural cures for insomnia

In a World where time seems to be in ever-shorter supply, many of us can be tempted to skimp on our sleep. Yet, while sleep is often viewed as a dispensable commodity, the reality is that it anything but. It is when we are asleep that the brain and body recoup energies expended during the […]

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Getting to grips with sugar cravings

Most of us will have a pretty good idea of what constitutes a healthy diet. Despite the protestations of the sugar industry, it appears we’ve sussed onto the fact that sugar-charged treats such as chocolate, biscuits and coffee bar patisseries do little for our waistline or well-being. Yet, while we may be sold on sense […]

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Can sunning yourself actually protect you from cancer?

The spell of half-decent weather we’ve had of late is a sure sign that spring is well into its stride and summer is just around the corner. Personally, I greet this time of year with relish. For as long as I can remember, sunshine has had a strong allure for me, and I generally take […]

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Natural approaches to high blood pressure

It never ceases to amaze me how often doctors use needlessly complex and unintelligible language, when plain English would do just as well. A good example of such medicalese is the term ‘essential hypertension’. Hypertension is just doctors’ parlance for high blood pressure. However, the word ‘essential’ in this context it refers to high blood […]

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The health benefits of folic acid

Of the dozens of vitamins and minerals that are essential to life, only a few have managed to gain widespread renown and acceptance. When a nutrient makes the transition from chemical obscurity to trusted remedy, it usually does so on the basis of some specific action or effect. Vitamin A, for instance, is famous for […]

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Natural cures for cystitis

Antibiotics are widely regarded as one of the great success stories of the last century. And rightly so: since their introduction into medical practice just a few decades ago, they have revolutionised the treatment of conditions such as pneumonia and meningitis, and countless lives have been saved. Despite their undoubted place in modern medicine, there […]

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