8 Incredible Benefits of Camphor: Pain Killer, Sleep Inducer and More

Camphor, scientifically known as Cinnamomum Camphor, is a combustible, translucent white solid which has a piquant smell and sour taste, though some people quite like its menthol-like, nose tingling fragrance. Camphor is obtained from the bark of the tree Cinnamonun camphora. Only 50-years old trees produce a waxy substance which is used as camphor oil. The process of steam distillation is used to extract camphor oil from the stems of the tree. The camphor tree is said to be a native of Hiroshima, Japan. It is evergreen and now grows…

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10 Powerful Benefits of Vitamin E Oil for Your Skin

Vitamin E oil is both a nutrient and an antioxidant. According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, it helps neutralise free radicals, which damage cells and might contribute to cardiovascular disease, cancer and other ailments. Dr. Manoj K. Ahuja, Fortis Hospitals, says, “Vitamin E oil is a powerful fat-soluble antioxidant that can rejuvenate your skin and overall health. It encompasses a group of eight compounds that include both tocopherols and tocotrienols. Vitamin E oil in its purest form is extremely versatile. You can slather it on…

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Insight: Nutella Maker Fights Back on Palm Oil After Cancer Risk Study

The $44 billion palm oil industry, under pressure in Europe after authorities listed the edible oil as a cancer risk, has found a vocal ally in the food sector: the maker of Nutella. Italian confectionery firm Ferrero has taken a public stand in defence of an ingredient that some other food companies in the country are boycotting. It has launched an advertising campaign to assure the public about the safety of Nutella, its flagship product which makes up about a fifth of its sales. The hazelnut and chocolate spread, one…

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Daily Stress May Put You at Heart Disease, Stroke Risk

Sounding an alarm bell for those who take unnecessary stress at workplace or at home, researchers have now linked chronic psychosocial stress with an heightened risk of developing heart disease and stroke. According to the team from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, heightened activity in the amygdala — a region of the brain involved in stress — can lead to cardiovascular disease in humans apart from established causes like smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes. Previous research has also shown that the amygdala is more active in people…

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Weight-Lifting Exercises May Cut Risks of Heart Disease, Diabetes

Your new year resolution of hitting the gym to indulge in some weight lifting exercises may not only help you tone those muscles, but also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as Type 2 diabetes, researchers say. The findings showed that resistance-based interval training exercise – a simple leg exercises, involving weights — improved blood vessel function of individuals with and without diabetes. “Individuals with Type 2 diabetes are up to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those without,” said Jonathan Little, Assistant Professor at…

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Yoga Can Benefit Lower Back Pain Patients: Study

Good news for people suffering from chronic non-specific lower back pain, yoga can help alleviate the condition. Yoga asanas, if performed under proper guidance and supervision, can help reduce pain and allow movement in patients. The trials for the study were conducted in India, the UK and the US. All participants had chronic non-specific lower back pain. “Our findings suggest that yoga exercise may lead to reducing the symptoms of lower back pain by a small amount,” said lead author Susan Wieland from Centre for Integrative Medicine at University of…

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