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Science reports that recent analysis of an Inca recordkeeping device in the collection of the University of St. Andrews is upending what archaeologists previously thought about the pre-Columbian South American civilization. Hundreds of years ago, the Incas developed a unique system, using knotted cords known as khipus to record information such as dates, numbers, and transactions. These were typically made from long strands of llama or alpaca hair. It had been thought that the job of creating and maintaining these complicated tools was held by highly educated and elite administrative men who were among Inca society's upper echelon. A new...

A new research case series presents food as medicine as a potential treatment for autoimmune diseases, describing three patients with chronic autoimmune disease who showed remarkable improvement after following a predominantly raw dietary pattern high in cruciferous vegetables and omega 3 fatty acids. The research focused on three women with systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome who adopted a nutrition protocol that emphasized leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, flax or chia seeds for omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, and water and included predominately raw foods. All three women reported that nearly all their symptoms of both diseases resolved after just four weeks...

Increasing the amount of folate through our diet or taking supplements could help to reduce bowel cancer risk. These are the findings of new research. It suggests that increasing the intake of folate—which can be found in leafy greens, such as spinach, cabbage and broccoli—could help to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by up to 7%. In line with previous studies, they found that people consuming higher levels of dietary folate, the odds of developing CRC (including proximal colon, distal colon, and rectal cancer) were reduced by 7% for every 260 micrograms higher consumption of dietary folate, which corresponds...

Given all that we know about the benefits of diet and exercise, we should not be surprised that adding a daily serving of green leafy vegetables to your diet is a simple way to foster positive brain health. The important takeaway from these findings is what we are talking about is within your power – and budget – to do to slow cognitive decline that comes with aging, a decline that could lead to dementia. Another is exercise. Study after study has shown the positive connection between improved health and physical exercise. Exercise is beneficial in the prevention of cognitive...

A new study is further burnishing copper’s reputation as an essential nutrient for human physiology. A research team led by a scientist at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and at UC Berkeley has found that copper plays a key role in metabolizing fat. Long prized as a malleable, conductive metal used in cookware, electronics, jewelry and plumbing, copper has been gaining increasing attention over the past decade for its role in certain biological functions. It has been known that copper is needed to form red blood cells, absorb iron, develop connective tissue and support the...

ost people think that Springtime is the time to start growing that vegetable or herb garden. But there are many types of plants that should mainly be grown during the cooler months. Fall is a great time to try your hand at growing leafy greens, and that makes this a great way to save some money on produce. If you end up with a good harvest, you'll have a bountiful source of vegetables while other people are paying higher prices for greens at the grocery store. Here are 6 cooler weather plants you may want to try your hand at...

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a self-proclaimed consumer advocacy group, came out with a list of the “The Ten Riskiest Foods Regulated By the U.S. Food And Drug Administration,” and frankly, Caroline Smith DeWaal, who is the Director of Food Safety for the group and who serves on the Board of Advisors of the Center for Produce Safety and thus knows better, should be ashamed of herself.