Digestion
Ginger
The knotty underground stems, called Rhizomes, of the aromatic ginger plant (Zingiber officinale) are treasured for their spicy sweetness and healing properties. ginger quells nausea and vomiting, and is a natural antihistamine and decongestant.
How it Works
The stomach-soothing compounds in ginger—shogaol and gingerol—neutralize stomach acids and counter inflammation. These compounds act directly in the stomach to increase intestinal muscle tone and suppress gastric contractions. Nausea lessens as the flow of saliva, bile and gastric secretions picks up.
The Lowdown
Several major clinical trials are underway to assess ginger's ability to control nausea and vomiting in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. More basic benefits for indigestion are widely accepted.
Expert Testimony
"I don't think there's a big difference in how you take ginger, whether in tea, as a liquid extract or a candy," explains Reed. "Although, if your stomach's already sensitive, ginger tea bags could be a problem because there's often other stuff in them (spices, seasonings, sweeteners)."
Did You Know?
As generations of nursemaids have claimed, ginger ale, America's oldest soda, is an effective stomach soother. But it's not the calories or liquid that matter, it's the ginger. Bubbly is best for burps, however.
Suggested Dose
Take 100 to 200 mg every four hours, or up to three times daily in standardized extract form. Prepare tea by adding liquid extract or steeping one-half teaspoon of grated ginger root in eight ounces of hot water; steep root for 10 minutes. Prepared this way, tea contains 250 mg of ginger.
Acidophilus
The use of Lactobacillus acidophilus and other probiotic bacteria to maintain intestinal health and good digestion is on the rise. Many yogurts, fermented dairy products, and pill and powder formulas contain live cultures.
How it Works
About 400 types of bacteria and yeasts live in the digestive tract. Acidophilus and other probiotics stimulate immunity, beat out "bad" microorganisms in the race for nutrients and produce agents that inhibit or destroy microbes.
The Lowdown
Clinical trials largely confirm that increasing the gut's level of probiotics prevents and alleviates many intestinal problems, from simple indigestion to diarrhea, flatulence and bloating. It may also lower cholesterol and prevent tumor recurrence.
Expert Testimony
"Buy from a reputable brand name supplement company that states they assay the product for viable organisms," recommends Reed. "Even if they correctly label it, it doesn't mean healthy bacteria actually end up living in your gut."
Did You Know?
Nearly a century ago Nobel Prize winner Elie Metchnikoff, a Russian physician and bacteriologist, first suggested that foods containing lactobacilli benefit the stomach. He also cited longevity as an added benefit.
Suggested Dose
Take two pills a day with meals, with at least 1 billion live organisms per pill.
Heart Health And Cholesterol
Coenzyme Q10
CoQ10 is an essential part of the body's energy-producing machinery. This antioxidant is often used for heart health and cancer care.
How it Works
The antioxidant CoQ10 teams with vitamin E to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease. It is believed to protect the heart—a muscle requiring plenty of CoQ10, given its energy demands—from certain types of injury and from chemotherapy toxicity. It also acts as an immune stimulant.
The Lowdown
Well-designed trials in more than 1,000 congestive heart failure sufferers indicate that CoQ10 supplementation often lessens severity of disease, increases exercise capacity and reduces hospitalizations. Other studies have found improvements in skin tone, ankle swelling and shortness of breath.
Expert Testimony
Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may deplete CoQ10. "This likely explains the achy muscles and fatigue that so many statin users feel," explains WholeHealth's Rothfeld. "I recommend CoQ10—which works independently on cholesterol-lowering anyway—along with a statin medication."
Did You Know?
It was only in 1957 that scientists identified CoQ10, a compound present in all living organisms. They named it "ubiquinone" in recognition of its pervasiveness.
Suggested Dose
Take 100 mg twice daily in a pill with an oil base or with fatty food such as peanut butter.
Lycopene
This carotenoid antioxidant—the natural pigment in tomatoes, guava and watermelon—is good for the heart. Lycopene levels often are inversely proportional to the occurrence of prostate and other cancers.
How it Works
The heart-healthy and cancer-countering qualities of lycopene are largely due to its antioxidant might and its positive effect on cholesterol metabolism.
The Lowdown
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