I am a slow reader. Veeeerrry slow, actually. I've always been amazed at people who can tear through a 500-page novel in a few days. I think my problem is that I read the words in real time, whereas I think more adept readers are somehow able to speed things up like the Micro Machine Man.

Because of my slow reading speed, even some of the lightest pieces of literature can sometimes feel like a ponderous tome. For this reason, I generally don't go back and read a book a second time. However, on some rare occasions I do, and one such instance involved the book "YOU: Staying Young" by Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen. In rereading it, I was reminded of many important facts (the good and the bad) about some well-known vitamins, herbs, and medications. Here's a few I thought were worth mentioning:

Vitamin E: People who consume the RDA of this vitamin have been shown to have a 43-percent less chance of developing Alzheimer's Disease.

Vitamin B: The authors suggest 400micrograms of folic acid, 800 micrograms of B12, and 40milligrams of B12, stating that B vitamins help your neurotransmitters work more effectively.

Ginko Biloba: Although the authors point to some promising research, there is nothing conclusive yet regarding ginko biloba's alleged brain-boosting benefits.

Aspirin: The authors state that people who take 162mg of aspirin per day have been shown to have a 40-percent decrease in arterial aging, which contributes greatly to memory loss.

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When it comes to health and wellness products, everything seems to fall into one of three categories: 1 - Pharmaceuticals; 2 - Nutritional Supplements; and 3 - Snake Oils. Granted, an argument can be made that these three groups can, at least in some instances, overlap. But, for the most part, a demarcation does exist.

Still, it is not entirely uncommon for someone to simultaneously take products that fall into these different categories. While this may not cause any immediate harm in some cases, in others it may. A good example can be found in aspirin and the popular supplement Ginko Biloba.

Because many nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs -- such as aspirin -- have blood-thinning properties, taking them along with Ginko can potentially lead to intestinal bleeding. Why? Because Ginko Biloba also produces a similar blood-thinning effect. When taken together, serious health ramifications may arise.

This is why it's very important to always check with your doctor before taking any medications or supplements. As for snake oils, I think avoiding them altogether is probably your best bet.

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There are many nutritional supplements on the market that claim to be able to positively effect your mental acuity. Ginko biloba, vitamin E, vitamin B, and even aspirin are supposed brain-boosters, helping to give you somewhat of a mental lift when you need it.

Skeptical? Yeah, me too. Fortunately, a new book called YOU: Staying Young clears things up a bit with regard to this whole brain supplement debate. Here's just a few of the authors' (Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen) opinions:

Vitamin E: Yes. People who consume the RDA of this vitamin have been shown to have a 43-percent less chance of developing Alzheimer's Disease.

Vitamin B: Yes. The authors suggest 400micrograms of folic acid, 800 micrograms of B12, and 40milligrams of B12, stating that B vitamins help your neurotransmitters work more effectively.

Ginko Biloba: Not Really. Although the authors point to some promising research, there is nothing conclusive yet regarding ginko biloba's alleged brain-boosting benefits.

Aspirin: Yes. According to the authors, people who take 162mg of aspirin per day have been shown to have a 40-percent decrease in arterial aging, which contributes greatly to memory loss.

If any of you have ever experienced any benefits (or none at all) from some of these supplements, we'd all be interested to hear about it.

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I don't know how I got so blessed but my entire family all comes down with hay fever and pollen allergies every fall -- everybody except for me. But seeing people like my mom and sister suffer really brings home the fact that having allergies can present a real problem because often the medications that are supposed to help come with side-effects that are almost as bad as the allergies themselves. And although the drug companies are getting better and there are more options out there than ever before, what if you'd rather just do something natural?

Mother Earth Living has come up with this list of natural allergy fighters, including garlic & onions, honey, horseradish, vitamin C, and ginko biloba. You've probably already got several of these in your kitchen cabinet, so have you ever eaten them with allergies in mind?

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