We all know that we need oxygen to live. In fact, oxygen is what we euphemistically call "the breath of life." But research has now established an astounding fact. The very thing that keeps us alive is the very same thing that's killing us. Are you properly shocked now?

Oxidation is the process by which we are continuously burning calories to produce energy for our cells to use in order to function. It is a necessary process and it is life-giving. However, scientists have now proved that this very process that enables us to live also releases dangerous and highly active molecules known as free radicals.

Researchers in Denmark observed in 1930s that chicks on a fat-free diet had bleeding problems. In 1939, they were able to isolate an alfalfa-based compound that stopped the bleeding. This compound helps blood clot or coagulation hence the substance was named vitamin K for Koagulation. As time progressed, scientists discovered that 'friendly' bacteria in the intestinal tract can create enough quantities to be able to supply the body's needs. This function is improved with cultured milk in the diet. Another 20% of vitamin K can be acquired from foods which are specifically found in green leafy vegetables. Vitamin K is known to prevent excessive bleeding and supports strong bones. Vitamin K is available in two forms: the natural forms - K1, which is also called phylloquinone and is found in plants and Vitamin K2 also called menaquinone and can be synthesized by bacteria. The second form is vitamin K3, menadione, which is synthetic and is man made. This vitamin can be destroyed by freezing, air pollution and radiation.

They are mostly found in fresh fruits and vegetables. We've been eating them for centuries and it's only now that scientists are beginning to discover exactly what makes them healthy for the body.

Antioxidants. What exactly are they?

The term is familiar to us. We hear them mentioned all the time whenever there's a new scientific study being released in the American Health Journal or some such explaining how antioxidant juice from berries can aid in liver function or how antioxidant juice from red wine is the scientific reason behind the French paradox.

The merits of the substances in tea leaves have been recognized and used by the Chinese for hundreds of years. In England, tea is almost the national drink, and the people in England usually choose tea over coffee. Many Americans were slower to choose tea as a beverage for they preferred coffee to tea in general. Some of the reluctance to choose tea stemmed from the days of the American Revolution when a tax was placed on tea. More recently, green tea has become a popular drink because of the evidence that shows green tea has many substances with positive benefits.

Nearly all of us have grown up with the same kind of medical treatments, and go to the doctor when we have a sore throat or a sore foot. American doctors, and in general, western medicine, have always been interested in the structure of the body, and how each individual organ structure should look when it is healthy. The tools western medicine have developed have been to see these structures better: the microscope, MRIs, and the x-ray camera. In contrast, Chinese medicine, the basis for acupuncture, has been interested in how natural forces, functioning both externally and internally, have affected people. Chinese medicine developed an understanding about how the circulation of blood and energy (called Qi) affect the state of health, and how seasons, emotions, and weather may disturb these flows. The result of this is that western medicine has developed a remarkable array of solutions based on anatomy, whereas the science behind acupuncture has developed many applications of a few basic principles based on physiology.

The aromatherapy candle making business has long been there to serve as a nice option for those who are looking for a little bit extra cash to go on a cruise or buy a new car. The concept of aromatherapy candle making had actually all started when the a French chemist named Rene-Maurice Gattefosse performed studies on the cosmetic properties of plants and coined the term "aromatherapy" when he learned that plants contained organic antiseptic elements that worked better than inorganic ones.