Laurel on Health Food

Cold and flu season is in full swing and you or your family may be plagued with a nasty cough. Reuters wrote about a new study from Pennsylvania State University that found honey helps ease a nighttime cough and improves sleep. The researchers compared buckwheat honey to the cough syrup ingredient dextromethorphan, and honey was [...]

MSN Health & Fitness reports that a simple strategy to alleviate and prevent allergies/asthma is to eat a nutritious diet.  Eating the right foods will help decrease inflammation and open up air passages, thin mucus in the lungs, and prevent food-allergy reactions. Include the following foods in your diet to get allergy relief [...]

Women’s Health Magazine reports that some food and drinks will boost your immune system and help you avoid getting sick.

Chamomile tea - polyphenols in the tea increase antibacterial blood activity
Steel-cut oats - packed with beta-glucans (fiber) that activate white blood cell activity
Salad dressing w/healthy fats (ex. olive oil & balsamic vinegar) - fat is essential [...]

EatingFabulous.com reports that a study from the online journal Thorax showed that women who eat apples and fish during their pregnancies may help prevent asthma and allergies in their children.  The research showed that the phytochemical content in apples (flavonoids) may be the reason for the improved lung function.  Also, the researchers found that, “maternal [...]

CNN.com reports that a study from Britain’s Royal Brompton Hospital and the National Heart and Lung Institute showed that the Mediterranean diet can help alleviate respiratory allergies and asthma in children.  In the study of 690 children (ages 7-18) living on the Greek island Crete, those who ate the largest amount of fresh fruits and [...]