Another one of The Lawyer’s favorite health discoveries is how antioxidants, like those found in the resveratrol in red wine, are heart-healthy. I, on the other hand, much prefer the benefits of dark chocolate. Not to burst your bubble here, but both share unhealthy attributes when taken in quantity. That’s why more and more companies are manufacturing supplements that provide concentrated and/or purified forms of the essence of these foods and drinks. You can find freeze-dried pills and even acidophilus liquid to provide a maximal culture-building environment to help rebuild the needed levels. New to this field are products that provide coca flavanols– the heart of chocolate’s health benefits without the sugar, fat and possible resulting weight grain! The following are a few other interesting concentrated herbal offerings:
- Tumeric (Curcuma longa)– the root often used in Indian cuisine to give curries their flavor and color. Its active ingredient, curcumin, the subject of 16 studies including 10 human clinical trials, is thought to be both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory and has shown astounding results in pain reduction, cognitive function, and depression, as well as treating arthritis.
- Golden Seal– The root is often used for all digestive problems and as a blood purifier.
- Comfrey makes a soothing herbal compress for sprains and bruises.
- Parsley, corn silk, and shave grass are all-natural diuretics.
