What Doctors Don't Tell YouFinally, after all that bad news, settle down to a nice cup of tea – but make sure it’s camomile. Scientists from London’s Imperial College have found that five cups of the tea over a fortnight can fight the common cold and stop menstrual cramping.
The tea increases levels of glycine, which can ease muscle spasms, and hippurate, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory. And even after the volunteers stopped their five-cups-a-day intake, levels of glycine and hippurate remained high for another two weeks.
The scientists made the discovery after testing 14 recruits whose urine was monitored every day.
Maureen Robertson from the Scottish School of Herbal Medicine has said that camomile removes heat from the body, and it also works well as an antiseptic when used as an essential oil. But she warned against pregnant women using camomile.
Of course, the Italians have been drinking camomile tea for years before heading for a good night’s sleep. They are the same guys who eat health-giving pizzas and who slather their salads in extra virgin olive oil (see last week’s broadcast), so we guess they must live forever.
Maryon Stewart
Jim Strohecker
Tom Ferguson MD