From Hindu Press International...

3. Regularly Eating Herbs and Spices Provides Health Boost
Source: http://usaweekend.com/02_issues/021110/021110eatsmart.html

UNITED STATES, Nov 11, 2002: Recent research shows that it's health-
savvy to
sprinkle herbs and spices in your food all year long. "We now know
they act
as potent antibiotics, blood thinners, anticancer agents,
anti-inflamatories, insulin regulators and antioxidants," says Harry
G.
Preuss, Ph.D., physiologist at Georgetown University Medical Center
and a
top researcher in the field. "In tiny doses, eaten regularly in food,
common
herbs and spices are unique health boosters." (HPI adds: Indian
Ayurvedic
physicians came to the same conclusion thousands of years ago.) For
example,
researchers have found that ginger compounds (gingerols) reduce pain
in
animals and act as Cox-2 inhibitors, similar to the anti-arthritis
drug
Celebrex. Gingerols also thin the blood "just like aspirin,"
suggesting that
gingerols also fight heart disease. Research has proven that ginger is
anti-inflammatory and patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, who
took 255
milligrams of ginger extract twice a day for six weeks, had less knee
pain
than those not getting ginger. Another spice with health benefits is
the
yellow spice turmeric, a constituent of curry powder, which contains
high
concentrations of the potent antioxidant curcumin. New tests suggest
curcumin helps stifle cancer. Researchers speculate that curcumin
blocks the
activation of genes that trigger cancer. In addition, curcumin's
anti-inflammatory activity reduces arthritic swelling and progressive
brain
damage in animals. Cinnamon, another spice used commonly in Indian
cooking,
helps control spikes of blood sugar. This is important as avoiding
high
circulating levels of blood sugar and insulin may help ward off
diabetes.
Research also indicates that onion, garlic, cumin, cloves and bay
leaves are
strong antibiotics.