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Elderberry juice may be a potent tool for weight management and enhancing metabolic health, according to a recent study. A clinical trial found that drinking 12 ounces of elderberry juice daily for a week causes positive changes in the gut microbiome and improves glucose tolerance and fat oxidation. Elderberry, a small dark purple berry found on elder trees native to Europe, is commonly used as a medicinal plant and supplement to promote immune function. The researchers tested the effects of elderberry on metabolic health in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial with 18 overweight adults. Participants consumed either elderberry juice or...

One day you’re feeling fine, the next, your nose is running, you’re sneezing and your throat feels like you’ve swallowed broken glass. Welcome to the annual cold season. Most of us will get between one and three colds each year, usually in autumn and winter, caused by one of more than 200 different cold viruses. And there is little you can do about it — a cure for the common cold remains one of the Holy Grails of medicine — but better understanding of how these viruses spread could be the key. What we do know for sure is that...

My friend Jerry works for the Fish and Game. I guess they teach fish how to play Monopoly or something. He's had some interesting jobs. One time, he had to shock fish. I saw that movie about the Cuckoos Nest, so the fish must have been wiseacres and deserved it. I went along as an unpaid volunteer. Dad always said, "The workman is worth his wages". I had to carry this metal pole out into the river. Normally, as I found out later, they use a car battery for electricity when they shock fish. Jerry figured that if a little...

I have had what seems like the flu or 2 or 3 weeks. It is a killer sore throat, moderate cough. But it is the sore throat that is killing me. Anyway, I just dragged myself out to Trader Joe's to buy something tempting and thought I would check out their tiny medicine section. I saw and bought Oscillococcinum which was hiding on the bottoms half. I know nothing about it except what I just learned in Wikipedia. Does anyone have experience with this stuff. The Amazon page with photos http://www.amazon.com/Boiron-Oscillococcinum-Flu-like-Symptoms-Pellets/dp/B0078W0QOI

Federal authorities have seized bottles and drums of elderberry juice concentrate from a Kansas winery, contending that the company's claims of its benefits for treating various diseases make the product a drug. (snip) The government contends the juice concentrate is an unapproved and misbranded drug because the winery claims it is used to treat diseases such as the flu, cancer and AIDS. "Products with unapproved disease claims are dangerous because they may cause consumers to delay or avoid legitimate treatments, Dara Corrigan, the FDA's associate commissioner for regulatory affairs, said in a news release. "The FDA is committed to protecting...

At first glance, world-renowned Israeli virologist Dr. Madeleine Mumcuoglu does not seem like the sort of person you expect to come up with what could turn out to be a cure for one of humanity's biggest threats today - the avian flu. She seems comfortable and grandmotherly, not the type to be on the frontline of research into a potential pandemic. On the other hand, however, Mumcuoglu's treatment, Sambucol, which is already a clinically proven treatment for regular flu and in new in-vitro tests proved effective against avian flu, is based on elderberries, an old folk remedy for influenza passed...