Medicines derived from the roots of plants have been used since man first walked the earth, but a new discovery promises to speed up wound healing, even in people with compromised immune systems.

Using a novel compound called Picroliv, which is obtained from the roots of a plant Picrorhiza kurrooa, researchers found the substance enhances the rate of wound healing. It does so by enhancing the restoration of the blood supply to the damaged tissue

A recent study found that that people who used multiple supplements for at least 20 years were in over-all better health than both non-supplement users and individuals who only consumed a multivitamin/mineral supplement. The first ever long term study on the common health regimen found users have markedly better health as measured by higher blood levels of key nutrients, more optimal levels of key health biomarkers, and lower prevalence of diabetes and elevated blood pressure.

The study published in Nutrition Journal outlines how the study group of 278 long-term multiple dietary supplement users consumed a broad array of vitamin/mineral, herbal, and condition-specific dietary supplements on a daily basis for at least 20 years. As a group, they were 73 percent less likely to have diabetes and 39 percent less likely to have elevated blood pressure than non-users

Contrary to a popular belief, stretching before or after exercise will not prevent muscle soreness, a new study finds.

A review of mostly lab-based studies showed that stretching before exercise reduced soreness on the day after by just half a point on a 100-point scale

According to new research on weight loss in America, a new survey suggests that Hispanics and African Americans are more likely than whites to use unproven dietary supplements for weight loss. The data adds to the growing body of research that more awareness about recommended weight loss treatments and the associated health risks of overweight and obesity is needed among these populations.

The new data shows that Hispanics and African Americans are less likely to use commercial weight loss programs -- deemed as organized programs where clients attend regular meetings either in person or online -- and more likely to exercise and use dietary supplements for weight loss, such as herbs or plant extracts, as compared to whites

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning parents about apple-flavored Baby's Bliss Gripe Water, a liquid herbal supplement marketed as a remedy for colic and teething pain, after several bottles tested positive for a parasite that can cause diarrhea and intestinal infection.

The FDA says the product has Cryptosporidium, a parasite that is believed to have sickened a 6-week-old infant in Minnesota. It is sold in four-ounce bottles and has an expiration date of Oct. 2008