Thanks Amber!

This kind of information is always valuable, otherwise how would we learn about something new? :)

Like you, I've had a long interest in alternative therapies.... I think with me, it started when I had to study hard before the exam period as a university student! I read a book about how certain vitamins could help the brain function better, so I purchased some of these vitamins from a local "health food" store, and I thought they probably helped! :)

Then, about six years ago (I was still doing my Ph.D.), I shared an apartment with a guy who had a HUGE collection of books about alternative therapies.... Almost anything you could think of, he had it there.

So I was first exposed to things like traditional chinese herbs, tai chi (which many people feel helps their well-being), and even some kind of therapy where you drink your own urine (he even had a book on that!) I didn't try the last one out myself! My thoughts on the last one are, your body is getting rid of the urine for a reason.... But I'm all for research. :)

Thanks Amber for mentioning Olive Leaf Extract.... I'm sure many will find it useful! It *does* happen (in fact, it's not all that uncommon) that medicine does take from "traditional" therapies.... though you often don't know it, since they just take the extracts, which is often quite a different name from the original herb. (Such as silymarin, which comes from milk thistle, which I mentioned in the reply to John Williams....)

Thanks Amber! If you have a serious medical condition, of course you should first consult with your doctor, however this is a great post about something we wouldn't know about before.... :)

- Dien