Polyphenols are a group of micronutrients that are abundant in plant-based foods and play a significant role in the prevention of degenerative diseases, such as cancer, according to research by scientists at Unite des Maladies Metaboliques et...
An element necessary for cognitive development and metabolic function, iodine exists in soil and water and occurs naturally in certain plant-based foods. Among the richest sources of dietary iodine, spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that is...
According to a 2008 article in the journal "Vaccine", influenza strains are constantly evolving and mutating through two processes known as "antigentic shift" and "antigenic drift" genes. Therefore, laboratories around the world routinely collect...
Influenza, known as the flu, is a common virus that causes illness in ducks, chickens, whales, horses, pigs, seals and humans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Influenza is technically part of the orthomyxovirus...
Some of the most common viral infections are colds and flu. Other viruses affect the skin, causing warts, or the digestive system, causing stomach flu. Many childhood diseases are also caused by viruses. A weak immune system increases...
Not enough research has been conducted on supplements that will prevent or cure the swine flu. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration warns consumers about products that claim to prevent or cure the swine flu. Until more research is available,...
Influenza, commonly referred to as flu, is a viral infection that lasts for about a week and is characterized by fever, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and weakness. N-acetylcysteine, or NAC, may be used as an adjuvant therapeutic drug for...
"Flu" is a generic term for a syndrome of respiratory infection produced by several distinct influenza viruses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 200,000 people are hospitalized and about 36,000 people...
It takes approximately six months to make an effective flu vaccine. In every case, the first step is to identify the virus or viruses the vaccine is intended to target. This is a complicated process. According to the World Health Organization,...
Herbalists have used elderberry extract and other elderberry parts for centuries to treat illnesses, especially those related to feverish colds, flu and excessive phlegm. Herb lore of the 15th century claimed elderberry could cure the bite of an...
The first step in making a vaccine is identifying the virus it is intended to target. In the case of influenza, there are several strains, each of which mutates frequently. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), laboratories around the...
Black currants are edible berries that contain important vitamins and antioxidant flavanoids called anthocyanins. Native to Europe and Asia, black currants are often made into jellies and wines as well as teas, according to Botanical.com....
Raccoons, also known as procyon lotor, are common animals widely distributed throughout the United States and North America. In a 2009 article in the journal "Avian Diseases," the authors describe the role of wild raccoons in spreading the H3N6...
Swine flu is an upper respiratory infection caused by a subtype of the influenza A virus, such as H1N1 and H3N2, which usually infects pigs. You can catch it from other infected people or through contact with infected animals. You may experience...
Pomegranate fruit comes from a deciduous shrub or small tree with waxy leaves. Each pomegranate is about the size and shape of a large apple and contains a labyrinth of juice-filled cells, classified as berries, beneath its leathery exterior....
Kelp, sometimes called kombu, is a nutrient-rich type of brownish-green seaweed in the Laminaria species. People of Japan, Hawaii and Alaska have traditionally eaten raw or cooked kelp as part of their regular diet. Kelp also comes in other forms,...
Native Americans have used cranberry as medicine for urinary infections for centuries, but cranberry may be beneficial for your lungs, according to Medline Plus. Cranberry could have a protective effect against influenza, a virus that affects the...
The flu, also known as influenza, is a contagious illness that primarily targets the respiratory system. It is caused by influenza viruses.The symptoms may be mild to severe and even cause death. Individuals at risk for more severe symptoms...
Ayurvedic massage involves the stimulation of Indian pressure points, or marmas, and the use of herbal massage oils. Although Ayurvedic massage therapy does not generally provide a complete cure, it can help you receive nutrient material, expel...
Hyssop, a perennial plant that goes by the scientific name of Hyssopus officinalis, grows in full sun and blooms from late spring to early fall. This fragrant, edible herb has a variety of uses, from culinary to medicinal. It also provides...
With colder weather comes an influx of influenza, or flu, cases. Although exposure to seasonal germs cannot be completely eliminated for anyone not living in a bubble, there are some steps you can take to limit your risk of catching the flu, such...
The respiratory infection commonly known as swine flu spreads quickly and easily according to the Mayo Clinic. The infection became prevalent in the final months of the 2009 flu season and was declared a pandemic for more than a year by the World...
Administering the influenza vaccination to pregnant women has been a controversial practice within the medical profession. Most vaccinations have been strongly discouraged when it comes to giving it to pregnant women due to the associated...
Visit your doctor if you experience any of the warning signs of pre-eclampsia, eclampsia or HELLP syndrome: fatigue, upper abdominal pain, nausea with or without vomiting, severe headache, dizziness or double vision, hypertension, excessive...
Drinking tea as a health benefit dates back to China in A.D. 770 where it was first dispensed as powdered medicine for drinking, according to a National Institutes of Health publication in the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Flower tea is made...
Asafetida is a gum resin obtained from the roots and rhizomes of the Ferula assa-foetida plant native to Iran and Afghanistan. Just before the greenish-yellow flowers appear on the plant, the stems close to the ground and roots are slashed to...
Mullein has several medicinal properties. It is commonly found throughout the United States, and has a long history as an herbal remedy for congestion, burns and bruises and other conditions. Plant preparations have been consumed, applied...
Black currant, or Ribes nigrum, is a shrub that grows two to four feet off the ground and has leaves similar to a maple leaf, with toothed edges. It produces black currant berries that grow in clusters of four to six. Black currant oil is created...
Native to Europe and Africa, elderberry flowers and berries have been used for medicinal purposes dating back to prehistoric times. North American Indians valued the entire elderberry for its medicinal properties and used the stems and branches to...
