For centuries, Asian countries have concentrated the sap of palm trees to make a sweetener for culinary and medicinal purposes. The sugar is drawn from two types of palm, the palmyra and the familiar coconut palm.

Dietary supplements and herbs provide alternative treatments to several disorders, and can complement conventional medical techniques. However, the active ingredients in some herbs can interact with specific pharmaceuticals, increasing or decreasing the drugs' efficacy and potentially leading to side effects.

Statins are one of the most common and effective medications used to lower cholesterol. In fact, millions of Americans take them each day. Most have no issues, but some people report muscle pain and weakness while on the drug. These symptoms can be an indication of myopathy and muscle damage.

Some home remedies and folk cures have some basis in fact, though not all of them do. Proponents claim apple cider vinegar has all sorts of benefits, from lowering blood pressure to dissolving gallstones.

Your body needs iron to carry oxygen to your red blood cells. Low iron levels can cause fatigue, shortness of breath and difficulty thinking. Very high iron levels can also cause health problems, including liver damage. You can inherit a tendency to absorb more iron than normal from your diet.

Apple cider vinegar is a type of vinegar commonly referenced in home remedies. While most of the benefits associated with apple cider vinegar are anecdotal and untested, some studies have linked its consumption to improved blood sugar regularity in animal studies.

L-citrulline, often referred to as simply citrulline, is an amino acid first isolated in 1930 in watermelon. Your body produces citrulline, so it isn't considered an essential amino acid that you must get from your diet. However, body builders and athletes may take it as a supplement to enhance aerobic performance.

Though genetics plays a role in the shape of your buttocks, you can take steps to enhance its appearance. But before you put money toward any quick fix that is supposed to give you a strong, well-defined booty, consider how well the claims match up with the evidence.

Fish is an important source of omega-3 fatty acids for brain and heart health, but it's also a good source of protein. Like other foods from animal sources, fish provides high-quality or complete proteins that contain all of the necessary amino acid building blocks to build and replace protein in the body.

Korean cuisine includes garlic, spicy red peppers and substantial soups and stews with meat, vegetables and noodles. Seafood is a central part of Korean culture, and dried squid can be a snack on its own or as part of a recipe for lunch or dinner.

Apple cider is a fermented beverage that can also be made into vinegar. Apple cider vinegar, or ACV, has been used safely on food and as a folk remedy for many generations. American doctor DeForest Clinton Jarvis recommended combining ACV with iodine for health benefits starting in the 1930s.

Amino acids are substances in your body that play a role in digestion and absorption in the bowels. Amino acids are the building block of proteins. Supplements may be beneficial for the bowels, but some may cause adverse effects.