In Sri Lanka: Coconuts Battle the Bulge

iVillage: Best Natural Remedies From Around the World

The average Sri Lankan eats 116 coconuts every year -- yet folks living in this tropical paradise are just half as likely as Americans to get pudgy. The reason: Coconut oil is packed with medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) that prod the liver to burn body fat 50 percent faster than normal. When women eat two tablespoons of coconut oil, six ounces of fresh coconut meat or 10 ounces of coconut milk daily, they can effortlessly shed up to three pounds every month, says Mary Enig, Ph.D., author of "Eat Fat, Lose Fat."

Try these easy recipes tonight: Indonesian Chicken with Coconut Fried Rice, Chicken Noodle Soup, Asian Meatballs with Peanut Sauce

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In Sri Lanka: C...

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In Austria: Yoga...

Yoga is a wildly popular stress-buster and insomnia cure in Austria (folks there don’t just practice at home and in classes -- they also go on yoga retreats and holidays!). And according to University of Pennsylvania researchers, practicing yoga for as little as 20 minutes daily banishes insomnia as effectively as sleeping pills, plus it dampens anxiety, chronic stress and blue moods for 60 percent of women within two weeks.

Yoga’s gentle stretches and controlled breathing aids production of GABA -- a brain hormone that lulls the central nervous system into a calm, relaxed state, the study authors say.

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In Indonesia: Gi...

Indonesia grows, and consumes, more ginger than almost any other country in the world. And the locals don’t just toss this flavorful root into stir fries -- they use it to make ginger tea, candy, bread and a host of other tasty treats. They’ve always consider this herb a potent heart tonic -- and now studies back them up. According to Stanford researchers, a daily dose of ginger can cut your production of artery-clogging fats called triglycerides by 27 percent. Plus, it’s twice as effective as aspirin at preventing dangerous blood clots -- ginger dampens inflammation, which is a key step in stopping the formation of clots, Stanford researchers say. The study-proven dose: 1/2 tablespoon daily.

Try these easy recipes tonight: Shanghai Ginger and Scallion Cold Tossed Noodles, Roast Squash with Ginger, Apple-Ginger Chicken

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In India: Turmer...

In India, turmeric isn’t just a flavorful spice -- it’s a medicinal staple and one of their go-to herbs when blood sugar problems flare. And now research at India’s Gujarat University confirms that turmeric’s active ingredient, called curcumin, switches on the genes that keep blood glucose levels in check. This compound also helps the pancreas’ ability to make insulin when sugar levels creep up. You must take at least half a teaspoon daily in order to see the benefits so start thinking about adding them to your meat and veggie dishes. A little dash also tastes great on eggs and rice.

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In Japan: Mushro...

These edible fungi are considered to be both food and medicine in Japan, and the average Japanese woman noshes at least eight pounds of them every year. Adding at least half a cup of mushrooms to your daily diet could cut your cholesterol levels as much as 30 percent, according to Penn State studies. The reason? Mushrooms are packed with antioxidants that dampen the liver’s production of artery-clogging fats, the study authors say.

Bored of button mushrooms? Criminis (which look like coffee-colored button mushrooms) have a richer, earthier flavor. Portobellos are great grilled, stuffed, or used as a meat substitute in burgers and sandwiches. And maitakes and shiitakes have a stronger, smoky flavor that can jazz up veggie and pasta dishes beautifully.

Try these easy recipes tonight: Slow-Roasted Wild Mushrooms, Mushroom Strudel, Chestnut Pappardelle with Wild Mushrooms and Leeks

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In England: Must...

Soaking in a hot mustard bath is a traditional English remedy for tight, achy muscles. Think that’s a weird (and smelly) proposition? Mustard actually has healing plant compounds that draw toxins out through pores, improve circulation, relax tight muscles and speed healing of damaged tissues, says James F. Balch, M.D., co-author of "Prescription for Natural Cures."

To do: Mix 2 cups epsom salts, 1/4 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup dry mustard powder in a jar, then add 1/4 cup of this healing mix to the hot running water as you fill your tub. Soak 20 minutes, then rinse.

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In Germany: Cham...

It started as a simple German folk remedy, but science now proves its effectiveness. According to Stanford University researchers, sipping two cups of this soothing brew daily helps ease bloating and belly pain within 24 hours. Chamomile calms the adrenals, reducing their production of cortisol -- a stress hormone that’s notorious for sabotaging digestion and triggering gas formation, belly spasms and painful spasms, explains Dr. Balch.

According to a study in the "Journal of Pharmacological Sciences," sipping chamomile tea can rev up your brain’s production of enkephalins -- painkilling hormones that also help chase away blue moods.

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In Russia: Garli...

Russians reach for this tasty herb when they want to stamp out colds, the flu or pretty much anything. Turns out it’s not just hocus pocus! Research at the University of Florida in Gainesville suggests just jazzing up your diet with a daily clove of garlic could cut your risk of viral infections as much as 43 percent -- even if you’re surrounded by sniffling, sneezing loved ones. Garlic is packed with allicin -- an immunity-boosting sulfur compound that sabotages the growth and spread of invading germs, study authors say.

Try these easy recipes tonight: A Garlic Dinner Party

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In China: Acupre...

As many as 80 million Chinese now use this ancient healing therapy to prevent headaches. According to a study Taiwan’s Kaohsiung Medical University, daily acupressure treatments (which feel like massages, but which target specific nerve clusters in the skin) outperform prescription muscle relaxants for folks struggling with chronic tension headaches.

“Acupressure prompts the release of powerful painkilling hormones called endorphins, plus it relaxes scalp muscles and soothes overactive pain nerves,” explains Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., co-author of "You: The Owner’s Manual."

Can't make it to the accupuncturist every day? Give yourself a five-minute, all-over foot and hand massage (using a firm kneading motion) -- then focus on massaging just your toes and the webbing between your fingers and thumbs (areas that contain key acupressure points for your head) for an additional three minutes.

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In Finland: Coff...

People in Finland are the biggest coffee consumers worldwide -- they chug an average of 1,640 cups per year each (and that’s the full-strength stuff). When java was first introduced to Finland in the 18th century, it was only sold in pharmacies and was praised as a great cure for depression. Harvard research now backs up that claim. Their studies suggest sipping two cups of caffeinated coffee daily can cut your risk of blue moods by 34 percent -- and enjoying three or more cups daily cuts your risk of depression 42 percent or more. According to the study, coffee’s mix of caffeine and antioxidants stimulates the brain to produce more powerful, natural antidepressant hormones such as serotonin and dopamine.

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