Reginald B. Cherry, M.D. claims that nutritional supplements can provide optimal health benefits "only if they consist of nutrients in their most complete, natural and bioavailable forms." A case in point is vitamin E. Generally sold in its isolated, alphatocopherol form, vitamin E is actually a family of nutrients consisting of four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma and delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha, beta, gamma and delta), Cherry says. He recommends that the various forms of vitamin E be taken together because they work as an antioxidant team to give maximum protection against disease. read more

10:28AM EDT 6/10/2010

In his book The Bible Cure for Asthma (Siloam) Don Colbert, M.D., says that some food additives might trigger an asthma attack. Read labels carefully and avoid the following:

Preservatives BHA and BHT, found in cereals and other grains

MSG, often used as a flavor enhancer in Asian food

Food coloring, namely tartrazine (yellow dye #5), found in candies, cake mixes, margarine and some soft drinks

Foods that contain salicylates, or aspirin, including apples, cherries, cucumbers, pickles, grapes, raisins, oranges, peaches, plums, prunes, strawberries, tomatoes, etc. read more 9:56AM EDT 6/10/2010

In his recent book, The Jerusalem Diet (WaterBrook), pastor Ted Haggard cites a CBS News report on the link between obesity and sleep deprivation. The report was based on an article in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism and explained that sleep affects the body's production of hormones, including leptin, which helps control appetite.

Leptin levels rise when we sleep, telling the brain that the body has stored up enough food. "If you deprive your body of sleep," Haggard warns, "you may develop a shortage of this hormone. And...your body may start asking for food it doesn't really need." read more

9:49AM EDT 6/10/2010

According to Janet Macarro, Ph.D., CNC, in her book Midlife Meltdown (Siloam), it's time to start "rethinking midlife hormonal health."

She encourages the use of the following natural supplements * to alleviate some of the symptoms brought on by menopause:

Black cohosh capsules

80-160 mg per day
Anxiety, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginaldryness, depression, heart palpitations, headaches, sleeplessness read more

9:44AM EDT 6/10/2010

According to medical doctor Don Colbert, a recent study shows that chocolate--the dark variety, that is--can be good for you. Dark chocolate, Colbert says, contains high levels of flavonoids, an antioxidant that protects the heart and blood vessels from the damaging stress of free radicals. This beloved treat can actually increase the levels of antioxidants in the blood by about 20 percent! Colbert recommends restraint, however, because the high sugar content of most chocolate candy causes more health problems than chocolate can protect you from. So if you get chocolate, get only the dark--and eat it only in moderation. read more 4:42PM EDT 6/9/2010

That many of our modern-day medicines are derived from herbs? That's because "herbal plants are time-tested and approved sources of healing," writes nutritionist and women's health specialist Janet Maccaro in her book, Natural Health Remedies: An A-Z Family Guide. Though some Americans are still skeptical, Europeans have used herbs as medicines for centuries. So the next time you're ill, consider asking your doctor for an herbal alternative to the medicine he prescribes. It may provide the same benefit without the negative side effects! read more

4:40PM EDT 6/9/2010

In his book Hope, Help and Healing for Eating Disorders (Shaw, 2002), Christian psychologist and certified eating disorder specialist Gregory L. Jantz, Ph.D., offers a body-mind-spirit approach to healing from eating disorders.

Jantz advocates proper nutrition as an important and often overlooked aspect of treatment for eating disorders. His nutrition-based rehabilitation program starts with nutrients that support the body systems most compromised by an eating disorder and works toward restoration of a person's complete nutritional health.

As a person recovering from an eating disorder works toward making healthy eating choices, Jantz offers the following guidelines, which he has adapted from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: read more

8:00PM EDT 5/31/2007