Anti-fungus: Lavender oil could be the next thing to combat Athlete’s foot, says a study. According to research published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, the essential oil shows a potent anti-fungal effect against strains of fungi responsible for common skin and nail infections. The oil was tested against a range of pathogenic fungi and was found to kill a range of skin-pathogenic strains known as dermatophytes – which cause Athlete’s foot, ringworm and hair and nail infections – as well as various species of Candida. Lavender plants are already used widely in the food and perfume industries, and previous studies indicate they also have sedative, antispasmodic, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Read More…
Nutrition: Drinking tart cherry juice daily could help reduce the severity of insomnia and time spent awake after going to sleep, according to a new study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food. In an experiment, adults who drank eight ounces of tart cherry juice in the morning and evening for two weeks reported significant reductions in insomnia severity and saved about 17 minutes of wake time after going to sleep on average. The researchers suspect tart cherries’ natural benefits could be due in part to their relatively high content of melatonin – a natural antioxidant in cherries with established ability to help moderate the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin is produced naturally by the body in small amounts and it plays a role in inducing sleepiness at night and wakefulness during the day. Cherries may help boost the body’s own supply of melatonin and increase sleep efficiency. Read More…
