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Also published in Raag Delhi, a web magazine. Amla or Indian gooseberry does not need an introduction. It is one of the most studied fruits, and hundreds of research papers have been published on its individual phytochemicals as well as the fruit as a whole.   In Ayurveda and some other traditional medicine systems, amla has been used for ages as a tonic and as a constituent in a number of medicines.  In recent studies, amla and its bioactive chemicals have been found especially potent in promoting good biochemical reactions in the body and hindering the harmful ones. It is one of the best natural sources of vitamin C. Moreover, as compared to other sources this highly perishable vitamin is more stable in amla.  Amla is good for heart, helps fight cancer! Without going into their technical details, let me list some major benefits of this little, bitter-sour fruit to humans: The most useful property of amla’s many phytochemicals is being a strong anti-...

Published also in Raag Delhi, a web magazine. We all know that Ozone is found in abundance in an upper layer of the atmosphere - called the Ionosphere, and plays a crucial role in protecting us from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Without a sturdy Ozone layer, humans and other living beings would develop many deformities and even cancer. Environmentalists are worried that pollution has been hurting this layer so much that sometimes a hole forms in the layer, allowing the UV radiation to enter the earth. However, when high levels of the same life-protecting Ozone gas are present on the surface of the earth (It is called surface Ozone or stratospheric Ozone), which too happens due to pollution, it can lead to a different set of problems for the health of humans, animals and plants.   Just to refresh our knowledge of elementary science, Ozone (formula: O3) is a gaseous substance in which three Oxygen atoms are joined together to form a molecule unlike Oxygen (O2), ...

Published also in Raag Delhi, a web magazine. In today’s fast-paced world, people turn to vitamin and mineral supplements as a quick fix for their nutritional needs.  If careless prescription by doctors is one big reason for excessive consumption of vitamins, people’s misconception that regular intake of vitamins is good for health is an equally big reason. This misconception often takes birth in our minds and gets strengthened due to exaggerated claims about vitamins’ benefits by companies, traditional media and social media.  Add to this, the misplaced belief that since multivitamin capsules and supplements contain most types of vitamins and essential minerals, they are a cure-all against deficiency of all types of micronutrients. You might have seen videos on YouTube in which false information is purveyed on health topics, in which exaggerated claims are made about multivitamins. Worse are the videos by doctors (and fake doctors) who recommend regular use of ...