A second helping, anyone?

Recently, I was glad to hear in a BBC broadcast about yet another great health benefit to be garnered from salicylic acid. A quick Wikipedia look-up will tell you that its name is derived from Salix, Latin for willow, a plant we all know, and one which has been helping our suffering human cause for many years.
 
Decades ago, at a health conference, I listened to Dr. William Ellis (who was 70 years old then, but looked about 45) speaking about aspirin (whose main active ingredient is acetylsalicylic acid, a closely-related compound) with quite a few positive points -- apart from its tendency to ulcerate the stomach if taken in tablet form. Since then, and probably on account of this unwanted effect, most pharma companies have marketed specially coated (so called "enteric-coated") versions of the same drug. I am not sure if the problem was completely solved, or just moved a little further downward along the digestive tract.
 
In any case, you will be glad to know that there appears to be a noticeable protective effect to the absorption of a small quantity of salicylic acid every day, and that it seems to reduce the risk of many types of cancer. Good news for many, and an easy preventative step for most, as salicylic acid is naturally present in good quantity in a number of easily available foods, including curries, which I absolutely love, and ... apples. Neato. Remember the old saying?.. 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away?' You can add to that, that a plateful of Aloo Ghobi or Kashmiri Pulao every day also keeps the doctor on the golf course, and out of your house.
 
Cheap medicine, delightful and tasty at the same time. A second helping, anyone?
 
Denis Guiet