Herbs That Heal 
BY ANITA BARTHOLOMEW 
PHOTOGRAPHED BY EARL RIPLING 

Pycnogenol and Grape Seed Extracts 
What they are:  While these two herbal products are made from differeat plants – Pycnogenol (pik-NAH-jeh-nal) is a registered brand name made from French Maritime pine bark; the other comes from grapes - each is a rich source of flavonoids, antioxidants protecting against free radicals that damage cells and tissue. 

What they do: Flavonoids, which occur naturally in fruits and vegetables, work to keep cells healthy. Some doctors say that Pycnogenol and grape seed extracts seem to ease the symptoms of inflammatory disases and relieve allergies. Grape-seed extracts may also offer the cardio-protective benefits associated  with red wine - but without the alcohol. And in a yet-to-be published study of the effects of Pycnogenol on young smokers, the extracts reduced blood-platelet clumping, a dangerous artery-clogging effect of smoking. 

Who should take them?  If you don't always eat the recommended five servings a day of fruits and vegetables, you might consider one of these extracts. 

Selenium 
What it is: A trace mineral and antioxidant essential to human health, selenium is found in soil and water. Plants grown in selenium-rich areas, such as the Midwest, provide all the selenium a person needs. Soils along the coasts, however, have inadequate selenium content. The best food sources are grains, shellfish and meats. 

What it does: A ten-year study published in the Journal of  the Medcal Association reported that the incidence of colon, lung and prostate cancers was significantly lower in patients given a daily 200 microgram supplement of selenium and yeast than in those given a placebo. There were also 50 percent fewer cancer deaths in the selenium group. The supplement had no effect on skin cancer, however. Selenium is essential to the proper functioning of the heart. In areas of China where the soil is selenium-deficient, people are prone to a heart condition known as Keshan disease. Another study showed selenium supplements stimulated the production of immune cells in elderly people. 

Who should take it?  If your diet is  low in selenium, you might try a high-selenium yeast supplement. "Yeast contains B vitamins, protein and trace minerals," says Dr. Alan Gaby, professor of nutrition at Bastyr University in Seattle. "High-selenium yeast reduces the risk of certain cancers in humans. We don't know if selenium alone will do it." The supplement works best as an antioxidant when taken with daily doses of vitamin E. Daily supplements should not exceed 200 micrograms, as too much selenium can be toxic. 

Reader’s Digest – December 1997