Hemp has been cultivated as food for more than 5,000 years and, like soy, is a staple in Asian diets. Touted by many for its diverse uses, the nutrition found in hempseed is hard to beat. They are essential because the human body cannot make them, so they must come from food or supplements. It lowers eye pressure through a combination of decreasing fluid production and improving the outflow of aqueous humor. It also improves collagen metabolism that may be one of the underlying reasons for the development of glaucoma.
Antioxidants are critical in lowering the incidence of cardiovascular disease and many cancers.
But even for the minor aches and pains you would handle at home, it's a good idea to have a medical reference book in your library, especially if you treat yourself with herbs, vitamins, supplements, and the like. While we're more enthusiastic about using alternative medicine than ever before, there's still so much hype surrounding many herbs and supplements that it can be tough to figure out what's helpful, what's harmful, and what's plain useless. The Natural Healing Companion, a compendium of remedies written by naturopathic physician Deborah A. Wiancek, makes choosing among them a whole lot easier. More important, the book is well organized and easy to navigate. Wiancek's coding system tells you at a glance which remedies are preferred for a given condition and which can be taken together for even better results.