Where does the phrase “sowing your wild oats” came from? The sexually stimulating effects of oats have been known for years.

It has been widely reported that eating porridge oats can balance the hormones and boost testosterone levels, which has a direct effect on the libido.

However, oats are responsible for much more than that, according to “wise woman”, Susun Weed, who states that oats and oatstraw are a modern-day love potion.

It’s claimed that oats and oatstraw clear fatty deposits from the blood, lowering cholesterol levels and easing the beat of the heart. Weed says that that oats will nourish the nerves so that you receive more pleasure from touch, revitalise the glands so that hormones flow more readily and increase the blood flow so that it can circulate freely to the pelvis.

In addition, Oats can stabilise the blood sugar levels so that you’re not dropping off when the action heats up!

In her book, Healing Wise, Weed suggests a daily dose of fresh Oatstraw Tincture, or 1-4 cups of Oatstraw infusion every day, will act as a rejuvenator and love potion. Oatstraw baths are also recommended as a “delicious experience”.

If you don’t fancy that, however, perhaps a nice warm bowl of porridge in bed on a winter morning will do the trick.

Whether you’re a diabetic or not, it pays to balance your blood sugar.

Image from Syntagma Photographic

A high sugar/refined carbohydrate diet will almost certainly ensure you suffer from mood swings at inconvenient times. You may also endure memory lapses, mental fuzziness, acute fatigue and weight issues.

In modern times it’s not so easy simply to restrict sugary foods. Sugar is often disguised in packaged foods with other names like, glucose, dextrose and flour (white flour acts like sugar in the blood stream). It’s hard to avoid the sweet stuff without adopting a very limited diet.

It is, however, possible to balance your blood sugar naturally. A two step strategy is best. You can cut out overt sugar in your meals, and also assist the body in coping with what’s left.

Chromium is said to have an effect in regulating blood sugar and can be bought as a mineral supplement. But two natural products you can add to your food will make a difference.

Camomile may be bought as a tea, or tisane, in tea bags. Apart from its relaxing effect, it gently balances your blood sugar.

Cinnamon has a similar function. It can be taken in many ways. Sprinkling a quarter teaspoon over breakfast cereal is probably the easiest.

Research shows that drinking a glass of cherry juice a day offers the same health benefits as 23 portions of fruit and vegetables.

The catch is that it only applies to American Montmorency tart cherries.

British and European varieties only seem to contain about 20 percent of the antioxidant levels of the U.S. fruit — however, the juice can be bought in the UK in health food stores, under the name of CherryActive.

The research by Dr Robert Verkerk, compared the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of 25ml of diluted cherry juice concentrate with various fruits and vegetables. The result was an overwhelming thumbs-up for the cherries.

A leading British nutritionist, Patrick Holford said, “A recent BBC2 Horizon documentary showed the longest-living people in the world all achieve a very high intake of antioxidants, measured as over 6,000 ORAC units a day.”

One glass of Montmorency cherry juice contains 8,260 units.

Life really is a bowl of cherries, it seems.