Sunshine, culture and history all woven together on the shores of this beautiful azure sea, perhaps?

The nations clustered around these shores – Italy, Spain, France, Morocco, Greece, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey and Israel – have all contributed something special to this colorful part of the world, and that’s food.

The Mediterranean diet is renowned as being one of the healthiest of all, and since May is Mediterranean Diet Month, we thought we’d share a recipe with you, especially for the weekend. Not only is it delicious but it’s healthy too.

Healthy hearts

So why is the Mediterranean diet so good for us? Probably because it contains heart-healthy olive oil, protein-rich legumes, fish and whole grains – with moderate amounts of wine and red meat. Flavors are rich and meals are often simple, enjoyed with family and friends and eaten at a leisurely pace.

As a result, peoples from the Mediterranean regions are less likely to suffer from high blood pressure, have dangerous cholesterol levels or become obese. They have healthy hearts – and healthy minds!

So why not have a go at our delicious recipe for Mediterranean Fish Stew with Garlic Toast, invite a few friends to dinner and enjoy!

Mediterranean Fish Stew with Garlic Toast

Serves 8

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
1kg tomatoes, roughly chopped
200ml white wine
350ml fish stock
3 strips orange zest
1kg skinless halibut fillets, cut into large chunks
500g clams
400g large raw prawns
handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 large ciabatta loaf, cut into 1cm slices
5 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, halved

Method

To make the garlic toasts, drizzle the bread with oil, then griddle or grill until golden all over. While the toasts are still hot, rub them with garlic and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wide, deep frying pan. Add the onion and cook over a gentle heat for 5 mins until softened. Stir through the garlic and chilli and cook a couple of mins more. Add the tomato purée and tomatoes. Turn up the heat and cook for 10-15 mins, stirring until the tomatoes are pulpy. Pour over the wine and cook for 10 mins more until most of it has boiled away.

Add the fish stock and orange zest and heat until gently simmering. Nestle the halibut chunks into the liquid and cook for 5 mins.

Add the clams and prawns and cook for 5 mins more until the fish is cooked through and the clams have opened (discard any that haven’t). Sprinkle the parsley over the stew and serve with the garlic toasts.

If you can’t get hold of halibut, any other meaty fish will be suitable. Grouper works well!

Lowering cholesterol

The health benefits of this dish come from the olive oil, which helps lower levels of blood cholesterol leading to heart disease and is also rich in antioxidants, especially vitamin E, long thought to minimize cancer risk.

Garlic is also great for the heart because it contains allicin, a compound which reacts with red blood cells to produce hydrogen sulphide which relaxes the blood vessels, and keeps blood flowing easily, according to a study from The University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Meanwhile, chilli is great for warding off colds and infections and can aid weight loss, while parsley is an amazing medicinal herb because it is a source of both magnesium and calcium, and especially potassium.

Parsley is high in vitamin A, beta-carotene and vitamin C. As a wholesome organic-food it is also a good choice for bone health with vitamin K .

This is one dish you can eat completely guilt free!

Andrea of the site Aromahead shows you how to make this soothing baby powder from just a handful of ingredients – including white clay and German chamomile flowers.

Will you be giving this a go? Let us know in the comments below.

(Reuters) – Merck & Co’s experimental insomnia drug moved a step closer to U.S. approval on Wednesday after a panel of medical experts said it is effective and safe at lower doses.

The advisory panel was convened to help the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decide whether to approve the drug, suvorexant, which would be the first in a new class of sedatives that block chemicals in the brain called orexins that help keep people awake. The drugs are designed to help people fall asleep and stay asleep.

Driving risk?

On Monday, the FDA’s internal reviewers published a report expressing concern about suvorexant’s potential to cause next-day sleepiness and impaired driving. They asked the committee to consider whether patients should be started at a lower dose than that recommended by Merck.

Merck proposed that elderly patients start by taking 15 milligrams of the drug and increase that to 30 if necessary. The company recommended non-elderly adults start on 20 milligrams and increase to 40 milligrams if needed.

On Wednesday, the FDA reiterated its opinion that there was little evidence in Merck’s data to show that the higher dose was more effective than the lower dose, and considerable evidence to show it was less safe.

The FDA’s reviewers pointed to an increase in the risk – especially at the higher doses – of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, impaired driving, and severe sleep disturbances.

Speaking for the FDA, Dr. Ronald Farkas noted cases in which patients had reported sleep paralysis and terrifying hallucinations. He also expressed the agency’s concern about the drug’s impact on driving.

“What we are trying to prevent is criminal prosecution of patients taking their drug as prescribed,” he said.

The FDA’s views were echoed by those of several patient advocacy groups.

Next-day drowsiness

“Like its predecessors, suvorexant’s marginal benefit in extending overnight sleep time by a few minutes is achieved at the expense of prolonged, next-day drowsiness, with potentially fatal consequences,” said Dr. Sammy Almashat, a researcher with Public Citizen’s Health Research Group who noted that suvorexant stays in the body longer than all but one other sleep drug.

Still, the panel voted 13 to 3, with one abstention, that the drug could be used safely at the 15 and 20 milligram doses. It voted 8-7, with two abstentions, that the drug is not safe at 30 and 40 milligrams.

Merck celebrated the vote, saying in a statement that it was “excited about the potential of suvorexant as a new and different approach to treating insomnia.”

The FDA is not bound to follow the advice of its advisory panels but typically does so.

The FDA had asked the panel to consider whether patients should start with a 10 milligram dose, saying data from a smaller trial showed that amount might work for some people. Merck disputed that, saying 10 milligrams would not be effective.

Dangers of sleeping pills

The FDA also asked the panel if Merck should conduct an additional trial to further evaluate a 10 milligram dose. The panel voted against that. Some agreed that 10 milligrams would not be effective. Others agreed in principal with a lower starting dose, but most said a new trial would not add meaningfully to the information already in hand.

“When you have something new you don’t know everything you would like to know,” said Dr. Christian Guilleminault, a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. However, he added: “I’m not sure that doing another study is going to bring us much more.”

The FDA’s concerns come amid a broader review of the safety of sleeping pills following hundreds of reports of driving accidents involving people taking zolpidem, the active ingredient in Sanofi SA’s Ambien.

About 60 million prescriptions for these drugs were written in the United States in 2011, according to healthcare research firm I.M.S. Of those, roughly 40 million contained zolpidem.

In January, the FDA told drugmakers they should lower the recommended dose of zolpidem in women to 5 milligrams from 10 for immediate-release products including Ambien, Edluar and Zolpimist. The agency said doses for extended-release products should also be cut in half.

Dr. Jason Todd, a panel member and staff neurologist at NorthEast Neurology in Concord, North Carolina, said patients are adjusting to the lower dosing recommendations for Ambien.

“Before the recent changes I almost never saw a patient who would take 5 milligrams and stay with it,” he said. “Now that 5 milligrams is recommended people are OK with 5 milligrams.”

The panel’s ultimate recommendation surprised some analysts who had expected, based on the FDA’s review, that the meeting would be more contentious.

“Based on the overall discussion today and the voting of the panel, we believe that the probability of FDA approval for suvorexant has gone up meaningfully,” Mark Schoenebaum, an analyst at ISI Group, said in a research note.

Having said that, he said: “We admit that predicting a final FDA decision is difficult.”

One in five Americans  affected

Insomnia and chronic sleep disorders affect 20 percent of all Americans and we know how sleep deprivation can have a huge impact on day-to-day living. But wouldn’t you prefer a natural solution to your problem?

Ancient ayurveda recommends applying oil to the feet

Our Natural Cure for Insomnia details all you need for a great night’s sleep.

It tells you which supplements are beneficial, how to change your diet in order to sleep properly, and the natural remedies and complementary therapies and medicines, which can make sleepless nights a thing of the past.

Did you know for example that, for centuries, ayurvedic physicians have been applying coconut, mustard, or sesame oil to their patients’ heads and feet as a cure? And it really works!

Aromatic fragrances such as chamomile, jasmine, rose, and sandalwood are also used to promote deep relaxation and restful sleep.

If you’re a member of NaturalCures you can get our 20 page Insomnia Natural Cure for free. All you need to do is email our customer services’ team at support@naturalcures.com and request it.

We’d also like to hear from you if you have any tips or natural remedies for improving sleep, which you’d like to share. Post your comments below.

Disrupting the body’s natural rhythm, artificial lights affect chemicals in the brain and drive people to use stimulants like caffeine to stay awake longer. This news comes from Harvard academic Professor Charles Czeisler, who in a recent issue of the journal Nature called for research to help develop ‘behavioural and technical’ ways of counteracting the ill effects of artificial light on sleep.

A professor of sleep medicine, Charles Czeisler says the decline in the number of hours sleep we get per night is affecting public health in general, resulting in a greater risk of obesity, and even stroke, depression and heart disease.

It’s been found that exposure to LED lights, like those in phones and computers is ‘typically more disruptive’ than standard electric light bulbs, according to Professor Charles.

What are your thoughts on this recent news? Do you suffer from insomnia or another sleep disorder? If you’re a member of NaturalCures.com, you can gain FREE access to our Find a Cure report for sleep disorders by clicking here.

Perhaps this was so, but now there has been so much intermarriage of races in the world that we likely have a genetic mix of colors. Of course, we usually see the basically blue or brown iris, but there are irises, which we call “mixed” when it becomes obvious that in addition to the basic color there is a strong genetic influence of another color.

There are instances where it becomes very difficult to determine exactly which color is the true basic color. Also, drug settlements in the body can make the iris appear a color, which is different from its true and basic color.

The following are the basic German Iridology types. They are based on eye color. They relate somewhat to the primary colors and to the three aspects of health (physical, mental and spiritual).

1. Blue-Eyed Type (German: Lymphatic)

A. Description

White collaret (autonomic nerve wreath), solid blue or gray/blue color with no discoloration or psora (pigments). Related to the primary color blue and the spiritual aspect of health. Strong tendency towards Western phlegmatic (water) constitution and Chinese water, metal constitutions.

B. Tendencies

This is the “pure” blue eye that is found in peoples of European descent. It usually accompanies a classic phlegmatic disposition, which means the person is prone to lymphatic disturbances and catarrh afflictions. This is probably due in part to the fact that people of European descent are frequently heavy consumers of dairy products. Blue-eyed people are also thought to have a greater tendency to accumulate uric acid in their bodies and to have kidney troubles. The body systems and parts that these people have to pay particular attention to are the following: Mucus membrane areas (upper respiratory tract, bronchioles, villi of lungs, digestive tract and the uro-genital tracts), lymphatic tissues (tonsils, appendix, spleen and lymph nodes) and membranes of the joints.

Health problems commonly found in people with the lymphatic constitution include the following: Sinus troubles, sore throats, tonsillitis, earaches, bronchitis, asthma, swollen lymph nodes, skin catarrh (eczema and dandruff), kidney weakness, arthritis and rheumatism.

Right iris

Left iris

2. Mixed-Eyed Type (German: Biliary)

A. Description

Discolorations or psora (drug spots) on top of a blue background (fiber structure is visible through color). Related to the primary color yellow and the mental aspect of health. Strong tendency towards Chinese wood, earth constitutions and the Western air constitution.

B. Tendencies

The blue/brown mixed eye has been linked by Iridologists with a disposition to biliary or hepatic (liver) troubles. It is believed that the colorations on top of the blue eye are a sign of toxicity in the body due to digestive problems. When the pigmentation is concentrated around the center of the eye, this is especially linked with digestive disturbances. Problems with the liver and other digestive organs can lead to further imbalances in the glandular and circulatory systems. Body systems and organs to pay particular attention to are as follows: The digestive system (stomach, pancreas, gall bladder and especially the liver) and the intestinal tract.

Common health problems Iridologists associate with this type are: Hypoglycemia, PMS, indigestion, gallstones, constipation, gas, toxicity of the digestive tract, anger and/or depression, difficulty getting to sleep followed by difficulty waking up in the morning, nausea, stiffness and achiness, headaches (especially migraines), food allergies, seasonal allergies and Candida.

C. Colors

Colors have strong meaning in this eye type:

1. Straw Yellow: Relates to the kidneys and suggests poor kidney function.

2. Neon Orange: Relates to the pancreas and suggests a tendency to blood sugar imbalances and problems with digesting (metabolizing) carbohydrates.

3. Dirty Orange: May relate to either the pancreas or the gallbladder. Suggests some tendency as neon orange, but may also suggest gall bladder problems. Look for other signs of gall bladder problems (marks in gallbladder zone or fatty deposits in whites.)

4. Dark Brown: Related to liver function.

5. Reddish Brown: Suggests breakdown of the blood and a need to work with blood purification and building. Possible problems with liver, spleen, and bone marrow.

Right iris

Left iris

3. Brown Eyed Type (German: Hematogenic)

A. Description

Pure brown eye with pigments covering iris fiber structure. Related to the primary color red and the physical aspect of health. Probably Chinese constitutional types: fire and earth. Probability related to Western fire and earth constitutions as well.

B. Tendencies

Pure brown eyes are difficult for Iridologists to read because a layer of pigment completely covers up the fiber structure of the eye. However, Iridologists have noted some general characteristics of brown-eyed people. First, they appear to be pre-disposed to imbalances in blood composition and hence to blood disorders. It has been suggested that they have a possible inherent inability to store adequate supplies of minerals. They may especially have problems with calcium metabolism. Specific systems and organs to pay particular attention to are: The circulatory system (heart, blood, blood vessels), the organs that make blood (liver, spleen, bone marrow), the digestive system and the endocrine glands.

Common health problems experienced by brown-eyed people include: Anemia, hardening of the arteries, all types of blood diseases, constriction and hardening of lymph tissue, possible reduced leukocytes in the blood, digestive troubles, mineral deficiencies and early breakdown of the endocrine glands.

Right iris

Left iris

Just this week, NOAA, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration forecasted sustained heat over the central United States.

And 100+ degree temperatures have already been recorded in the Southwest and the Southeast.

This can only mean one thing – turning up that air conditioning to the highest setting – and that could mean trouble in store for allergy sufferers.

Allergy proofed homes

You may think that you have “allergy proofed” your home but according to research, there’s always a good chance that air with allergens is going to come into the house and then be spread through the heating and air conditioning ducts.

Home duct systems are often chock full of dust from drywall, sawdust, concrete dust, as well as pollens and air particulates that are deposited during construction. Many of these particulates could be an allergen for a child, adult, or senior.

Allergies are definitely something to think about – especially during this month, which is Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month – so what can we do about improving the air in our homes?

Here are a few little tips that can make immediate improvements:

1. Keep your floors sparkling clean. Mop, mop and mop! It’s amazing what people tread into the home. Using a vacuum with a HEPA filter on carpets will also help blitz those allergens.

2. Make your home a no-smoking home. Ban cigarettes from your house. Tell guests they will have to go out into the yard if they want to smoke. But better still, encourage them to stop altogether.

3. Everyone likes a fresh-smelling home but beware of those plug-in fresheners with their chemicals and toxins. Instead use slices of fresh lemon and baking soda in the kitchen and bathroom.

Purify the air

Have you ever considered using an air purifier? More and more studies have shown that air purifiers can significantly reduce the many harmful contaminants found indoors by filtering them from homes and workplaces. Installing these machines can eliminate pollutants that cause some of the most common upper respiratory illnesses, colds, allergy irritation and asthma.

If you hop over to the NaturalCures store, you’ll see we have a range of air purifiers to suit all homes, with some designed to cover larger living spaces (up to a whopping 3,000 square feet) and some perfect for smaller spaces – right down to 350 square feet. So you’re sure to find the right size for you.

Did you know that not only will these purifiers eliminate food odors throughout the house, but they’re also capable of handling pet dander and a whole range of other allergens such as pollen. Even the most difficult environments will be left healthy and fresh-smelling as a result.

Coughing, sneezing and itchy eyes

We know we wouldn’t be without one. We use one here in the NaturalCures office and the difference is amazing. No more sneezing, coughing and itchy eyes.

So check out the range and make sure you are prepared this allergy season.

For NaturalCures members we also have an in-depth, up-to-the-minute Natural Cure for Allergies, which details the causes and the natural and complementary remedies you can take to stop your suffering.

Did you know for example that leaky gut syndrome can lead to food allergies, and that many common, everyday items are irritants? But allergies can be quickly cured by looking at diet, the products in your home, and what supplements are beneficial.

Acupuncture has great results for helping allergy sufferers. In one study 102 patients with allergic rhinitis were treated with acupuncture needles containing allergen extracts for two sessions.

On the third session the patients were exposed to the allergen. Allergic reactions were significantly reduced compared to before the treatment. The researchers monitored these patients for two years, at which time it was determined that 72% of the patients no longer reacted to the allergens, while 24% had improved significantly.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is also used, and in particular, the oil of Amni Visnaga, which has been used in the Arabic materia medica to treat asthma and heart problems since the time of the Pharaohs. It stabilizes mast cell response to allergens, prevents histamine release and decreases allergic reactions.

Hyssop Decumbens is another popular oil, known for its antiseptic and antispasmodic qualities. It is traditionally used for respiratory and digestive complaint and especially useful for allergic rhinitis.

You can also use German chamomile, which is analgesic, anti-allergenic, anti-spasmodic, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and a great natural antihistamine. It helps by reducing inflammation of the breathing passages.

If you are a member and would like a copy of the Natural Cure for Allergies, email our customer services team at support@naturalcures.com

But don’t forget to check out our store and get yourself an air purfier, which really can make all the difference

The first systematic investigation of national mental health surveys showed psychological disorders are 20 to 40 per cent more common in women than men, says Professor Freeman.

This is because women are expected to function as ‘carer, homemaker, and breadwinner’, says Professor Freeman, and may even be paid less.

In a new book – ‘The Stressed Sex: Uncovering the Truth about  Men, Women, and Mental Health’ – it is disclosed that women have higher rates of depression, panic disorder, phobias, insomnia, eating disorders, and post traumatic stress disorder. Meanwhile, men are shown to have higher rates of alcohol, drug and anger problems, says Professor Freeman and his co-author Jason Freeman.

What’s your take on this recent news? Will you be more likely to take some time to relax when things are getting on top of you?

Are you suffering from a mental health disorder? Members of NaturalCures.com can access our Find a Cure Mental Health Disorders report absolutely FREE by clicking here.

According to scientists at King’s College London, vitamin D has the potential to significantly reduce sufferers’ asthma symptoms.

The vitamin – known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’ resulted in lower levels of a natural chemical which is found in the body and is known to aggravate the symptoms of asthma.

Helping asthma patients breathe more easily, vitamin D may even be prescribed by doctors, alongside conventional medicines.

Currently, severe asthma is currently treated with steroid tablets which can have harmful side effects.

But in the study, which was funded by the Asthma UK charity, scientists identified a mechanism through  which Vitamin D can reduce asthma symptoms, providing a potential target for future treatments.

Are you suffering from asthma? Do you take vitamin D supplements and has this news brought you some hope?

Have you discovered camomile’s benefits?

Containing a chemical – apigenin, which can halt the spread of cancer cells - camomile tea, parsley and celery could help ward prevent the onset of the life-threatening condition.

Researchers at Ohio State University found apigenin can block the ability of breast cancer cells to live far longer than normal cells, halting their spread, and apigenin (which takes away some of cancer cells’ ‘superpowers’) can also be found in various fruit and vegetables.

The chemical has also been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory and helps proteins correct the abnormalities in RNA – molecules carrying genetic information – that are responsible for around 80 per cent of cancers.

What do you think of this recently revealed news? Are you a regular camomile tea drinker?

Scientists have discovered that Vitamin C kills multidrug-resistant TB in laboratory tests.

As a result, the surprise discovery may point to a new way of tackling this increasingly hard-to-treat infection, say the US study authors from Yeshiva University. The findings have been published in Nature Communications.

Free radicals

In the laboratory studies, vitamin C appeared to be acting as a “reducing agent” – something that triggers the production of reactive oxygen species called free radicals. These free radicals killed off the TB, even drug resistant forms that are untreatable with conventional antibiotics such as isoniazid.

Now further studies will be needed to see if the results are as encouraging outside the laboratory.

Lead investigator Dr William Jacobs, professor of microbiology and immunology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University, said: “We have only been able to demonstrate this in a test tube, and we don’t know if it will work in humans and in animals.

“This would be a great study to consider because we have strains of tuberculosis that we don’t have drugs for, and I know that in the laboratory we can kill those strains with vitamin C.

“It also helps that we know vitamin C is inexpensive, widely available and very safe to use. At the very least, this work shows us a new mechanism that we can exploit to attack TB.”

Drugs no longer work

An estimated 650,000 people worldwide have multidrug-resistant TB. TB is caused by infection with the bacterium M. tuberculosis. Increasingly, doctors are discovering that the drugs they normally use to treat the infection no longer work because TB has developed resistance.

Good natural sources of the vitamin include oranges, blackcurrants and broccoli and most people get all they need from their diet.

Dr Ibrahim Abubakar, head of TB at Public Health England, said: “We welcome any new research which will widen our understanding of how to treat TB. While the findings of this study appear promising, further research to confirm the observations would be essential before Vitamin C can be used to supplement TB treatment.”

Our Natural Cure for Tuberculosis details the complementary therapies used to tackle this disease, including the ancient practice of ayurveda, where medicines such as suvarna vasanta malati rasa, praval pishti and Amritasatva are used.

Traditional Chinese medicine uses medicinal mushrooms such as reishi and cordyceps.Reishi has been found to have a healing effect on the lungs because it has anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant properties.

If you are a member, you can request a free copy of our Tuberculosis Natural Cure by contacting our customer services team by emailing them at support@naturalcures.com 

If you’re not yet a member, then no worries. Joining up is just a click away and then you can start to take advantage of some great offers and have access to a wealth of natural health information. Just click here to begin your natural health journey!