The watery, itchy eyes, stuffy nose, scratchy throat, and sneezing that come with seasonal pollen allergies, or hay fever, affect an estimated 40 to 50 million Americans. While antihistamines, decongestants, and steroids are the conventional treatments for symptoms, they can also have side effects, including drowsiness, heart palpitations, and arrhythmias. Natural remedies exist that may go a long way in reducing symptoms and making the spring allergy season more bearable.

Hypnotherapy can relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for at least five years, according to findings published in the November issue of Gut. While several studies in recent years have proven hypnotherapy provides short-term relief from IBS, which affects nearly 12 percent of the U.S. population, the new study proves long-term benefits — great news for those who experience the diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, lethargy, and bloating associated with the condition.

By Jan. 1, 2006, all nutrition labels will have to include the content of trans fats, an ingredient resulting from the use of partially hydrogenated oil. Trans fats increase shelf life in processed foods, but also increase LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol in humans, which can lead to heart disease, the No. 1 killer in America. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has refused to set a maximum recommended daily allowance, as it has done for saturated fat (25 grams), because most experts assert that any intake at all is dangerous.