A Natural Herb That Fights Cancer, or Chemotherapy for Your Sick Pet... Which Would You Choose?

Story at-a-glance

• Dr. Nancy Scanlan, Executive Director of both the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVHMF) and the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA) talks with Dr. Becker about holistic therapies in the treatment of cancer in pets, and the role of the AHVM Foundation.
• Major drug companies pay for most of the cancer research (human and animal) in the U.S. Unfortunately, these companies are only motivated to fund studies that facilitate the development of new drugs to sell. Natural anti-cancer agents are of little or no interest to them.
• Raising independent funding for research into holistic and integrative cancer therapies is a very important focus of the AHVM Foundation. The goal is to provide scientific proof to veterinarians and the public of the uses and benefits of alternative therapies to treat animal cancer and its symptoms.
• Between now and March 17, 2013, every $1 donated to the AHVM Foundation will be automatically tripled. That’s right – Mercola Healthy Pets will contribute $2 for every $1 donation to the foundation from March 11 through March 17, 2013.

Video: Dr. Becker Interviews Dr. Scanlan

By Dr. Becker  - Cross-Posted at Just One More Pet

In this week’s third and final video, I’m chatting with another very special guest, Dr. Nancy Scanlan. Dr. Scanlan is the Executive Director of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVHMF) and also the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA).

Dr. Scanlan has been a small animal practitioner for most of her veterinary career. She also spent 10 years teaching veterinary technicians. Dr. Scanlan is an authority on the use of nutraceuticals in veterinary medicine, and was certified as an acupuncturist in 1988. She gradually increased her use of holistic therapies in her practice and ultimately spent 16 years as the sole holistic veterinarian in a seven-person practice in Southern California. Since then, she’s been very involved in a variety of wonderful endeavors for the AVHMA and the Foundation.

Dr. Scanlan currently lives in the woods of northern California. Her home is off the grid, meaning that among other things, she uses solar panels as her source of electricity. I think that’s very cool!

Studies in holistic veterinary medicine – including the prevention and treatment of pet cancers -- get very little funding.

The theme of this year’s AHVM Foundation Be One in a Million fundraising campaign is “Advancing Research and Education in Holistic Veterinary Medicine.” I asked Dr. Scanlan to talk about why cancer research for companion animals is such a vitally important area for the AHVMF to be involved in.

Dr. Scanlan explained that studies in holistic medicine get very little funding. If she has an herb that is beneficial in treating cancer, chances are it will be ignored by the big drug companies, which are the major source of funding for most human and animal cancer research. Drug companies only fund research that results in new drugs they can sell, so natural healing substances like herbs are of no interest to them. And this is truly a shame, because many holistic therapies used for cancer have fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy and radiation treatments. They are less toxic to the patient and the environment, and are generally better for the patient’s overall health.

So raising independent funding for holistic and integrative cancer therapies is a very important focus of the AHVM Foundation. The goal is to provide scientific proof to veterinarians and pet owners of the benefits of alternative therapies. Currently there is no “proof” of the type the medical community relies on. It’s really not enough to say “The Indians used it all the time,” or “In China they’ve used this for thousands of years.” MDs and DVMs want and need this research.

Another reason we need independent studies of holistic remedies is to determine how natural substances can and should be used. For example, what parts of a plant are beneficial to treat different diseases and symptoms … what strengths or dosages are most effective … what type of growth environment is best … should we source only the wild-crafted plants, and so on.

As Dr. Scanlan points out, this type of research would be helpful not just in advancing the field of holistic veterinary medicine, but also for current and future holistic practitioners who want to understand the most effective ways to use natural healing remedies. And in general, good standardized research in holistic treatments is needed.

When it comes to raising funds for research and education in holistic veterinary medicine, there's only ONE resource in the U.S. – the AHVM Foundation.

Next I asked Dr. Scanlan to give her perspective on why there is a need for a foundation for holistic veterinary medicine. She explained that the AHVM Foundation is the only organization in the U.S. specifically dedicated to research into holistic methods of treating animals. No other group currently in existence raises funds for research into holistic or alternative or integrative veterinary therapies exclusively.

As Dr. Scanlan points out, there are plenty of organizations out there dedicated to raising money for conventional medicine research (human and animal). But if you as a pet owner, pet caretaker, pet guardian or animal lover believe holistic and integrative veterinary medicine has value, then the organization you want to give your hard-earned money to is the AHVM Foundation.

I asked Dr. Scanlan what projects are on the horizon that the AHVMF is involved with. She responded that one of the Foundation’s biggest supporters is Dr. Greg Ogilvie, a DVM in southern California (you might remember his name from my recent interview with author Ted Kerasote).

Dr. Ogilvie developed the foundational research on the anti-cancer effects of omega-3 fatty acids, especially fish oil, on dogs. He has a long list of projects he would love to do if he had the funding.

I’d like to thank Dr. Nancy Scanlan, Executive Director of the AHVM Foundation, for making time in her busy schedule to chat with me today. I look forward to working with Dr. Scanlan and all the members of the Foundation to raise awareness of their Be One in a Million fundraising efforts.

How you can make a difference.

I’m tremendously excited to announce that now through March 17, 2013, all donations will be automatically tripled. That’s right! For every $1 donated, Mercola Healthy Pets will donate an additional $2. So please, take a moment right now to Be One in a Million and make a donation to the AHVM Foundation.

Related:

Using Alternative Therapies to Fight Cancer How to Check Your Pet for Signs of Cancer

Acupuncture for Dogs (Pets)

Part 3 of Dr. Becker’s Interview with Bestselling Author Ted Kerasote: Fixing America’s Broken Animal Shelter System

Part 2 of Dr. Becker’s Interview with Bestselling Author Ted Kerasote: The Seven Factors that Determine How Long Your Dog Will Live

Pukka’s Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs, by Bestselling Author Ted Kerasote – Available in Bookstores This Week!

Pukka’s Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs

Merle’s Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog

Pukka: The Pup After Merle

StemPets and StemEquine – Stem Cell Enhancers for Pets

If I Should Die Before My Dog…

Alternative Dog Arthritis Treatment Series Part 1 – An Introduction

Do Vaccinations Affect the Health of our Pets?

Natural Pet Remedies For Everyday Problems

Animal Chiropractic Success Stories

Why is This Dangerous Infection on the Rise in Pets?

8 Out of 10 Pet Owners Didn’t Recognize These Signs of Illness – Will You?

Dog Massage? Isn’t Petting Enough?

Never EVER Punish Your Pet for This ‘Accident’…

Dog Chiropractor Helps Dogs Retain Mobility

Pancreatitis in Dogs

Urinary and Fecal Incontinence in Pets

Megacolon: A Terrible Outcome for Constipated Pets

Stress in Dogs (Pets)

Pets Being Left Behind to Starve by Their Families

Pet Food Stamps

A Patchwork of Food Assistance for Pets

How the Pet Food Industry Has Helped Create "Carnivore Metabolic Syndrome"

Laser Therapy is Good Medicine for Humans and Their Companion Animals… Any Animals

Surprise, Surprise… the Best Food for Dogs Is Homemade Food

Pet Age

The Nutrient Your Pet Needs More of As They Age: Protein

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FDA Allows 45% Mold in Ketchup, But Attacks Safe Herbs & Vitamins!

GAIA Health:

The FDA allows 45% mold in ketchup, 30 fly eggs in a hundred grams of tomato sauce, 6% of chips to have rot, and 2 maggots per 100 grams of tomato juice—but attacks natural health products!

by Dr. Mercola

When Consumer Reports speaks, people listen – and this time the consumer advocacy agency is advising you on where to get your care – or not – if you need to go to the hospital. It’s the first time Consumer Reports has investigated hospital safety,¹ and the results show hospital ratings don’t always match public opinions. Some of the most well-known hospitals got the worst ratings.

Except for the Mayo Clinic’s various campuses, which have exceptionally good scores, others like Mass General and Mount Sinai in New York, didn’t rate as well as you might expect. One hospital, Sacred Heart of Chicago, scoring an abysmal 16 on a 100-point safety scale was ranked the most dangerous in the country. A clinic in Billings, Montana scored the highest. Hospitals were ranked according to six critera:²

• Infections
• Communications about safety issues
• The degree to which you come right back in the hospital after you’ve been discharged
• Situations in which too many imaging tests that expose you to radiation are being done
• Common complications in unsafe hospital
• Death rates for several conditions

An Epidemic of Health Care Harm…

“Infections, surgical mistakes, and other medical harm contributes to the deaths of 180,000 hospital patients a year, according to projections based on a 2010 report from the Department of Health and Human Services. Another 1.4 million are seriously hurt by their hospital care. And those figures apply only to Medicare patients.

What happens to other people is less clear because most hospital errors go unreported and hospitals report on only a fraction of things that can go wrong.

‘There is an epidemic of health-care harm,’ says Rosemary Gibson, a patient-safety advocate and author. More than 2.25 million Americans will probably die from medical harm in this decade, she says. ‘That’s like wiping out the entire populations of North Dakota, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It’s a man-made disaster.’

… ‘Hospitals haven’t given safety the attention it deserves,’ says Peter Pronovost, M.D., senior vice president for patient safety and quality at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. Nor has the government, he says. ‘Medical harm is probably one of the three leading causes of death in the U.S., but the government doesn’t adequately track it as it does deaths from automobiles, plane crashes, and cancer. It’s appalling.’”

The above was written in Consumer Reports:³ To review the full listing of their safety scores, you need to be a Consumer Reports subscriber. However, there are also other sources that can help you evaluate the safety of a hospital, such as:

• Hospital Compare
• Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Safety Score

On Calling the Kettle Black…

Statistics like these make safety allegations against alternative forms of health care, including the use of herbal remedies and supplements in lieu of drugs, all the more ludicrous. Natural health modalities have repeatedly come under attack as being inherently risky. Risky compared to what? Clearly, these people do not know what they’re talking about when they claim conventional health care is superior to natural, holistic modalities.

Superior in what way? Putting you out of your misery quicker?

One such misguided person is Dick Durbin, current state senator of my home state, Illinois, which, as we now know is also home to the most dangerous hospital in the United States. I find this to be particularly ironic since Senator Durbin is a staunch pro-pharma supporter who time and again has tried to destroy alternative health and eliminate supplements. Earlier this summer, he tried to sneak in a last-minute anti-supplement amendment into an FDA bill. Fortunately, over 100,000 Americans called their Congressmen within 24 hours to defeat the amendment.

The Alliance for Natural Health reported:⁴

“One of the things we found alarming in this amendment saga was the amount of misinformation in Sen. Durbin’s speech on the Senate floor… Sen. Durbin [said], ‘No one tests dietary supplements… Companies that make these products may test them if they wish, there’s no requirement under law that they test them, and there’s certainly no agency of government that tests dietary supplements… There’s just no testing involved.’

This is completely untrue – supplement companies, by law, must comply with the Dietary Supplement Current Good Manufacturing Practices⁵ (CGMPs) and must conduct testing throughout the production process as well as testing the finished product for quality control. As with the pharmaceutical industry, the burden is on supplement companies to test their own products, because in the end they are liable should FDA choose to take enforcement action against them.

One reason we are so concerned about legislation like Sen. Durbin’s is that it is clearly intended to put us on a slippery slope toward a supplement pre-approval system – similar to the system being used by the European Union, where only those vitamins and minerals on the approved list may be used in food supplements, and only in very limited amounts. For example, if a supplement contains more beta carotene than is present in half a large carrot, it is banned. A regulatory framework like the EU’s is exactly what Sen. Durbin wants.”

Supplements Industry has an Unmatched Safety Record

Durbin is still on the war path against supplements, despite the fact that recent investigations in the US and the UK have concluded that supplements and herbal remedies have a sterling safety record. The UK-based, international campaign group, the Alliance for Natural Health International (ANH-Intl) recently revealed data⁶ showing that compared to supplements, an individual is:

• Around 900 times more likely to die from food poisoning
• Nearly 300,000 times more likely to die from a preventable medical injury during a UK hospital stay, which is comparable to the individual risk of dying that active military face in Iraq or AfghanistanAdditionally, the data shows that adverse reactions to pharmaceutical drugs are:
• 62,000 times more likely to kill you than food supplements
• 7,750 times more likely to kill you than herbal remedies

The data, which was collected from official sources in the UK and EU, demonstrate that both food supplements and herbal remedies are in the ‘super-safe’ category of individual risk – meaning risk of death from their consumption is less than 1 in 10 million.

Similarly, the latest data from the U.S. National Poison Data System (2010 report),⁷ NO deaths were attributable to vitamin and mineral supplements that year. And, as noted by Orthomolecular Medicine News Service last year,⁸ Americans easily take more than 60 billion doses of nutritional supplements every year, and with zero related deaths this is an outstanding safety record:

“Well over half of the U.S. population takes daily nutritional supplements. Even if each of those people took only one single tablet daily, that makes 165,000,000 individual doses per day, for a total of over 60 billion doses annually. Since many persons take far more than just one single vitamin or mineral tablet, actual consumption is considerably higher, and the safety of nutritional supplements is all the more remarkable.

Over 60 billion doses of vitamin and mineral supplements per year in the USA, and not a single fatality. Not one. If vitamin and mineral supplements are allegedly so ‘dangerous,’ as the FDA and news media so often claim, then where are the bodies?”

Senators Durbin, Blumenthal “Deeply Concerned” about Poor Manufacturing Standards

While supplements may be one of the safest industries, there’s certainly room for improvement, especially when it comes to quality standards. The good news is that even when quality is lacking, the risk you take relates more to the fact that the product will not provide you with the same benefits as a high-quality product might, as opposed to posing a life-threatening risk to your health – like drugs do. Still, the fact that you’re more likely to die from drowning in your bathtub than from a supplement or herbal remedy, supplements are still being attacked as “dangerous.”

If Senator Durbin truly cared about the safety of individuals, then he should be spending more time addressing the abysmal safety record of our hospitals, and the rampant prescriptions of dangerous drugs. Especially since the most dangerous hospital in the US is right in his backyard. But no. He’s got smaller fish to fry.

Senators Durbin and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) recently sent off letters to the Natural Products Association (NPA), the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), stating:

“We are deeply concerned about the poor manufacturing standards that expose consumers to potentially serious health risks. To ensure consumer safety, we are eager to hear of the industry’s plans for improving the successful adoption of current manufacturing practices.”

The hubbub stems from a June 30 article in the Chicago Tribune, which claims:⁹

“Federal inspections of companies that make dietary supplements – from multivitamins and calcium chews to capsules of echinacea and bodybuilding powders – reveal serious and widespread manufacturing problems in a $28 billion industry that sells products consumed by half of all Americans. In the last four years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found violations of manufacturing rules in half of the nearly 450 dietary supplement firms it has inspected, according to agency officials.”

The article goes on to describe how supplements are produced in “unsanitary factories.” One New Jersey-based protein powder manufacturer is alleged to have been mixing powders and supplements in “a facility infested with rodents, rodent feces and urine.”

Serious supplement adverse events are so rare that media and supplement critics repeatedly roll out Total Body Formula’s problems from back in 2008 (as Dateline NBC did in its March 18, 2012, broadcast) to beat the anti-supplement drum. The Tribune‘s reporter has a history of launching attacks against “alternative” medicine. The reporter’s inclusion of deaths linked to cough syrup made by a Panamanian pharmaceutical company in 2006 adds further proof of bias.

Beware the Double Standards

I’d like to remind everyone that the FDA allows all manner of contaminations in the processed foods you consume every day, and it thinks nothing of it.

For example, up to six percent of chips are allowed to have rot from pre- or post-harvest infection. Acceptable levels of mold go as low as 15 percent in canned tomatoes to as high as 45 percent for ketchup. Up to 30 fly eggs per every 100 grams of tomato sauce is okay, as is two maggots per every 100 grams of tomato juice. The FDA also will not mandate action unless 10 or more whole or equivalent Drosophila flies and 35 of its eggs are found per 8 ounces of raisins.

Ground turkey is allowed up to 49.9% positive testing for salmonella under USDA guidelines, with ground chicken allowed up to 44.6%. When it comes to food, a certain amount of bugs and other contaminants is considered safe by the FDA. I absolutely agree that the supplement industry needs to work hard to ensure high-quality products of high purity.

However, there’s no need to try to shut down the entire industry as unsafe, as all available data attests to the contrary! Can you get ill from a supplement or herb? Yes. But your chances of suffering a serious side effect or death from a drug is astronomically higher. Again, your risk of dying from an adverse drug effect is 62,000 times higher than that of a supplement. Your chances of dying from food poisoning is also FAR greater than having a lethal reaction to a supplement.

In the end it comes down to keeping things in perspective. If Congress wants to protect us from health care harm, they need to get their priorities in order. In response to Senator Durbin’s letter, the Natural Products Association replied, in part:¹⁰

“As the leading representative of the dietary supplement industry with over 1,900 members, including suppliers and retailers of vitamins and other dietary supplements, NPA has been the leader in educating the dietary supplement industry about current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPs). GMP compliance is a serious issue and NPA has taken major steps to ensure our members are in compliance. NPA agrees consumers should have access to products that are safe and wholesome and we do not make excuses for any instances of non-compliance.

However, NPA believes the FDA’s reckless comments in the Chicago Tribune article distort the full picture of our membership’s overall safety record. In fact, supplements have an excellent safety record, but we appreciate this opportunity to provide more information to you…”

Although I do not promote the use of many supplements in general, believing it is far better to get your nutrition from food, there are exceptions to this rule, and if you choose to use them in lieu of drug therapy, you’re certainly reducing your risk of serious side effects. It is prudent, however, to make sure you’re using a high-quality product. Not only will this protect you from any potential harmful effects from contaminants, but such products will also offer the greatest possible benefits so that you’re not wasting your money on an ineffective product.

Big businesses have been buying up emerging supplement manufacturers similar to what we’ve witnessed in the organic industry. Nearly 70 percent of American adults are now taking supplements, and you can bet the drug industry and a few politicians will work hard to make this another model of control and profits for a few elite businesses. I’d recommend keeping close tabs on CT Sen. Richard Blumenthal and IL Sen. Dick Durbin. If you live in Illinois, please ask him about his inaccurate statements on the senate floor.

You can reach them here:

Sen. Richard Blumenthal:

90 State House Square, 10th Flr.
Hartford, CT 06103
Phone: (860) 258-6940
Fax: (860) 258-6958

Sen. Dick Durbin:

230 South Dearborn Street Suite 3892
Chicago, IL 60604
Phone:(312) 353-4952
Fax: (312) 353-0150

Sources:

• ¹ Consumer Reports August 2012
• ² CBS News July 7, 2012
• ³ See ref 1
• ⁴ Alliance for Natural Health May 29, 2012
• ⁵ Current Good Manufacturing Practices
• ⁶ Alliance for Natural Health International, ANH Exclusive! Natural health products ultra-safe and drugs as dangerous as war
• ⁷ 2010 Annual Report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison Data System (NPDS): 28th Annual Report
• ⁸ Orthomolecular December 28, 2011
• ⁹ Chicago Tribune June 30, 2012
• ¹⁰ Natural Products Association, Letter response to Senator Durbin

Technorati Tags: ketchup,mold,Dr. Mercola,natural supplement,natural vitamins,herbs,FDA,watch the other hand,Consumer Report

Dark Times for Herbal Medicine in Europe

Our affiliate, ANH International, is preparing for a legal challenge against EU herb laws.

As we reported to you last November, thousands of products associated with traditional medicine will become illegal throughout the European Union. And more and more, European Union (EU) legislation influences US domestic policy, especially where health-related laws are concerned. The EU threat to herbal medicine is real, and we urge you to take stock of what’s going so we can collectively jump in the minute anything similar emerges from US regulators. After all, it was that joint action from consumers and health organizations back in 1994 that has kept US regulations over dietary supplements relatively sane. But let’s not forget that this kind of freedom needs to be fought for every step of the way.

Here’s what our colleagues in the ANH Europe office are able to relay to you.

The EU has passed a stunning 139,338 directives, regulations and decisions since 1980. While it allowed European countries (now referred to as EU “member states”) to make up their own rules controlling natural healthcare products, there has been a push since around 2000 to control this area by rules formulated primarily by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels.

One of the laws that is set to devastate herbal medicines and products EU-wide, the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD, also known as Directive 2004/24/EC) successfully passed into European law back in 2004. The law will be implemented fully on May 1 this year, and ANH-Intl has exhausted all options other than legal challenge in its efforts to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of European citizens.

Under this Directive, all herbal medicinal products are required to obtain an authorization to market within the EU. Those products marketed before this legislation came into force can continue to market their product until April 30, but as of May 1, all herbal medicinal products must have prior authorization before they can be marketed in the EU.

Their criteria for authorization don’t sound particularly alarming at first blush, although they do exclude herbal extracts completely—so green tea extract, for example, would not be allowed. But then very specific technical requirements are added which make registering most herbal products very difficult—and expensive.

All products that are not able to be successfully registered according to these guidelines will be banned on May 1, 2011. No license, no sale—simple as that!

If it wasn’t too difficult to get a license, it of course wouldn’t be a problem. And here’s the problem: the THMPD only applies to a narrow range of herbal products. It specifically regulates manufactured herbal medicines that are bought off the shelf in health food stores or online, and then it sets very specific technical requirements that mean that the vast majority of products, especially multi-herb ones, are excluded.

The prime beneficiaries are the large European phytopharmaceutical companies who are getting a relatively small number of licenses for their alcohol extracts. Only a very small proportion of the around 200 products licensed so far across all twenty-seven EU member states contain whole plant material, and many are stuffed full of synthetic excipients that most of us would choose not to put in our bodies! These include additives as unpleasant as benzoate preservatives, sweeteners like sodium cyclamate (banned in the US) and aspartame, detergents like sodium lauryl sulphate, and polymers like polyvinyl pyrrolidone and polyvinyl alcohol, the latter having question marks over its potential carcinogenicity.

Under the THMPD registration scheme, Napoleonic law rules. That means, in effect, you’re guilty until proven innocent.

Only a tiny fraction of the total number of medicinal herbs are getting through the EU door. Currently, fewer than 50 species of medicinal plants are included in registered products, and that’s out of considerably more than 1000 that are regularly used by humans medicinally! Since the rules have been set up to benefit the European phytopharmaceutical companies, it’s no surprise that not a single authentic herbal product from any of the non-European traditions has yet been registered. That equates to zero products from Ayurveda (India), Tibetan, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Amazonian, or southern African traditions, these being among the most well established in the world.

ANH-Intl is preparing to challenge these herb laws in court. It has nearly raised the money it needs for the first stage of its challenge in the UK courts, where the objective is to have the case referred to the European Court of Justice. We passionately believe that, as citizens and advocates of natural health, we must use all the means we have at our disposal to ensure justice is brought to bear.

This European law has a host of problems. Among these, it doesn’t do what it originally set out to do, which was to provide a suitable framework for all herbal traditions. To axe the most important, non-Europeans ones by setting an obstacle course that can’t be negotiated except by a few, is not justice. It is also in breach of a whole gamut of European laws that aim to promote fairness, proportionality, and transparency while also preventing discrimination.

If any readers are interested in this case and want to offer any support, be it financial or moral, ANH-Intl would be very glad to hear from you. You can find out more or you can email info@anhinternational.org and put “Herb law” in the subject line.

You can also donate online, and any amount would be gratefully received. All funds are being used exclusively to fund legal costs and not the running expenses of ANH Europe’s ten concurrent campaigns.

Source:  Alliance for Natural Health USA

20 Anti-Aging Herbs and Spices to Add to Your Diet

The typical American diet that is high in simple carbohydrates--white flour, white salt, and processed food--is aging us. We are getting all the bulk without the nutrients, plus adding to our propensity for developing real food cravings. So whether you are a vegetarian or an omnivore, you can start to reverse aging by simply choosing to eat the right foods to keep you full of vim, vigor, and vitality, especially over the holidays.

The easiest way to make sure you are getting more nutrients into every meal.

Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are literally "upgrading" your food without adding a single calorie. You are taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary by adding color, flavor, vitamins, and often medicinal properties.

Here's why:

* Spices and herbs maximize nutrient density. Herbs and spices contain antioxidants, minerals and multivitamins. At the cocktail party, choose the Thai chicken satay stick over the tried and true fried chicken strip.

* Spices and herbs create a more thermogenic diet. Because spices are nutrient dense, they are thermogenic, which means they naturally increase your metabolism. 

* Some spices and herbs increase your overall feeling of fullness and satiety, so you'll eat less. One study conducted at Maanstricht University in the Netherlands showed that when one consumes an appetizer with half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes before each meal, it decreased their calorie intake by 10-16 percent. 

* Spices and herbs have real medicinal properties. Study after study shows the benefits of distinct herbs and spices. For example, one 2003 trial of 60 people with type 2 diabetes reported that consuming as little as two teaspoons of cinnamon daily for six weeks reduced blood-glucose levels significantly. It also improved blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, perhaps because insulin plays a key role in regulating fats in your body. 

Choose flavor over blandness every time, and try to incorporate these specific herbs and spices into your diet if you have the following health concerns:

• rosemary and basil for their anti-inflammatory power
• cumin and sage for their dementia-fighting power
• cayenne and cinnamon for their obesity-fighting power
• coriander and cinnamon for their sugar regulating powers
• lemon grass, nutmeg, bay leaves and saffron for their calming effects on your mood
• turmeric for its cancer fighting power
• oregano for its fungus-beating power
• garlic, mustard seed and chicory for their heart-pumping power
• basil and thyme for their skin-saving power
• turmeric, basil, cinnamon, thyme, saffron, and ginger for their immune-boosting power
• coriander, rosemary, cayenne, allspice and black pepper for their depression-busting power

Sources:

• The Huffington Post December 20, 2008

Tulsi - Part of India'a Spiritual and Wellness Culture

In India, the Tulsi herb has been widely known for its health-promoting properties -- for body, mind, and spirit for over 5000 years.

Commonly called "sacred" or "holy basil," Tulsi is a principle herb of Ayurveda, India's ancient holistic health system. Ayurveda means "knowledge of life" -- with herbs lying at the very heart of Ayurvedic practice.

Ayurvedic knowledge grew out of the wisdom of ancient rishis (sages) and yogis of India, and initially passed by word of mouth.

Herbs like Tulsi are at the heart of India's holistic health system.

Apparently, this tradition continued for many generations until the earliest known written texts around 5000 BC.

The Rigveda became the first documented scientific record of Ayurveda. Rig means "in verses" and veda means "book of infinite knowledge."

The Rigveda emphasized the importance of herbs for optimal health and well-being.

The ancient rishis ensured the integration of Tulsi into daily life by incorporating it into religious rituals. In this way, people at all levels of Indian society routinely consumed Tulsi for health benefits during worship in their temples and homes.*

Today, Indians worship Tulsi as a sacred plant. It is a part of Indian households, typically grown in earthen pots in the family home or garden.