Turmeric is flavour of the month and with good reason: apart from the fact that it is an ancient culinary ingredient, it has been shown to have some impressive health benefits. It is turmeric that gives curry powder its distinctive yellow colour; it is fragrant and has a bitter, somewhat sharp taste. Turmeric has been used for centuries in both Indian (Ayurvedic) and Traditional Chinese (TCM) medicine as an anti-inflammatory; to treat digestive and liver problems; for skin diseases; and to heal wounds. A relative of ginger, turmeric is a perennial herb that grows in the tropical regions of Southern...

Up to nine in 10 cancers are caused by environmental and external factors such as smoking, drinking, sun exposure and air pollution, a new scientific study has found. Previous research suggested that random cell mutations played a significant role in the development of tumours, a finding dubbed the ‘bad luck hypothesis.’ But scientists now believe that outside influences have a far greater impact, meaning many cancers may be more preventable than previously thought. The finding is likely to prove controversial as it suggests that people could slash their risk of ever getting cancer if they just made lifestyle changes such...