Astragalus is native to most regions in the northern hemisphere with a temperate climate. It is used in Eastern medicine to boost energy, support the immune system and strengthen and repair tissues. Cancer care centers also use it to treat certain...
Fad diets have become more and more ingenious with time, and a recent entrant is the Human Growth Hormone Diet, which is said to result in a 1- to 2-lb. weight loss each day. The Human Growth Hormone Diet, or the HCG diet, as it is called,...
A complete about-face on the importance of complex sugars in the diet has occurred due to researchers now recognizing the importance of those complex sugars called glycans. Glyconutrients have their own specific categorization as a natural...
Beta glucan -- also known as beta glucans, beta glycans, beta 1,3 and lentinan -- is a polysaccharide compound derived from plant sources. Beta glucan is sold in both extract and powdered form as a dietary supplement that manufacturers claim can...
Microbiologists use a staining method, called a gram stain, as one way of classifying bacteria. Any bacteria that keeps the first stain during the gram stain process is called gram positive. Bacteria that do not retain the first stain are referred...
American ginseng belongs to the genus Panas, which also includes Asian/Korean ginseng. American ginseng was originally utilized by Native Americans for headaches, infertility, indigestion and fever because of its stimulating effects. The modern...
The Irish company McCann's produces a wide range of oat products including instant oatmeal, rolled oats and steel-cut oats. All of McCann's oats are grown and milled in Ireland, as they have been since the company began in the early 1800s....
Every human body, even the leanest and smallest, has an abundance of skin. The National Institutes of Health report that the average person has between 6 and 9 lbs, of skin organ, equating to approximately 2 square yards. As the body ages and...
Creams for old stretch marks are designed to help mask and even remove stretch marks that make your skin look old and deformed. While old stretch marks can also be removed with laser surgery, stretch mark creams are a cost effective way to look...
American or Panax ginseng is a tan, gnarled root that resembles a human body with stringy shoots for limbs. Native Americans traditionally used ginseng to treat fever, headaches and infertility, as well as for a stimulant. Ginseng is known as an...
Beta glucan is a form of fiber found in many foods, particularly mushrooms long prized in Asian medicine for their medicinal value. Strong evidence supports the heart-health benefits of beta glucans; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows...
The evolution of the honeybee (Apis mellifera) closely follows the appearance of flowering plants during the Cretaceous period, which began 146 million years ago, at the end of the Jurassic period. The unique social behavior of honeybees is...
The term ginseng is used to refer to various types of ginseng, most commonly Panax quinquefolius and Panax ginseng. Panax quinquefolius is usually called American ginseng, while Panax ginseng is also known as Asian, Chinese, Oriental and Korean...
Scientists classify bacteria by gram stain. This staining method was developed in 1884 by a Danish bacteriologist named Christian Gram. This method is still used in labs today. Bacteria that are called gram negative have this name because they...
Every living cell in your body is a metabolic machine that requires a constant source of fuel to do its work. Even when you are sleeping, your cells are continuously repairing themselves, dividing to form new cells and synthesizing the myriad...
American ginseng, commonly referred to as panax ginseng, is an herb that was traditionally used by Native Americans to help boost the immune system, improve mental performance, and treat headaches, indigestion and infertility. Today American...
Carbohydrates, protein and fat are three macronutrients your body metabolizes into energy to support everyday functions. Some types of carbs, including sugars and polysaccharides, eventually break down and absorb as glucose, the primary energy...
Beta-1,3-glucan, commonly referred to as beta glucans, are polysaccharides, which are a complex type of carbohydrate molecule. Beta glucans are found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae and plants such as oats. Most beta glucan...
Korean ginseng, also called Asian ginseng, is an herbal preparation made from the plant species Panax ginseng. Potential uses for this type of ginseng include improvement of mental reaction times and treatment of erectile dysfunction or diabetes....
Korean ginseng is a name for the plant species Panax ginseng, which has its origins in East Asia and Russia. Roots from this plant have a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine. Korean ginseng appears to have antioxidant properties,...
American ginseng, formally known as Panax quinquefolius, is an herb with common reported uses that include improving well-being and mental performance, as well as increasing immune function. It differs chemically from the distantly related plant...
Arthritis is a serious health condition that affects millions of people. Fortunately, arthritis can be treated and in some cases prevented. In fact, many of the typical habits encouraged for a healthy lifestyle can play a role in the prevention of...
Ginseng exists as four types: Chinese, Korean, American and Siberian. The Siberian variety is not truly ginseng, but rather a distant cousin to the oriental species. All ginsengs are used medicinally, usually in efforts to boost energy and enhance...
