Do you experience frustrating “mystery” rashes with no clue as to what’s causing them? You might want to check the labels of your skin or hair care products. This common enzyme causes strong allergic reactions in sensitive people. Papain Could Be Causing Your Chronic Skin Rash I often have patients who consult me for troublesome rashes that show up out of nowhere. They can occur anywhere on the body, but the most common areas are the face and hands. They can range from mild to marked in severity and cause a lot of distress. I usually identify the culprit when […]
While various factors influence skin aging (including stress and environmental pollutants), long-term sunlight exposure is a primary environmental accelerator. As you grow older, your face is the first area to exhibit the visible effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, also known as photoaging, with the manifestation of fine lines, wrinkles, loose and dry skin, and discoloration. These unsightly changes reflect the deteriorating condition of the components that make up the inner layer of the skin, the dermis. This extracellular matrix is a combination of the fibrous proteins collagen and elastin, along with water-binding glycosaminoglycans. Together, these substances form a strong and resilient framework of connective tissue that gives […]
While blueberries and strawberries usually gain recognition for their health-enhancing properties, raspberries have quietly built an impressive resume of vast health benefits that match any berry. The fruit’s potent anti-inflammatory power contributes to fighting obesity, enhancing cardiovascular support, battling cancer, and combating diabetes. Raspberries’ History Although the exact origin of raspberries (Rubus spp.) is unknown, it’s believed they were cultivated in Europe more than 2,000 years ago and introduced to North America from eastern Asia through trading. The edible fruit is one of the most popular berries in the world, with top producers in Russia, the United States, Serbia, and […]
What can good farming teach us about nurturing ourselves? Family physician Daphne Miller, M.D., long suspected that farming and medicine were intimately linked. Increasingly disillusioned by mainstream medicine’s mechanistic approach to healing and fascinated by the farming revolution that is changing the way we think about our relationship to the earth, Miller left her medical office and traveled to seven innovative farms across the country, on a quest to discover the hidden connections between how we care for our bodies and how we grow our food. Farmacology: What Innovative Family Farming Can Teach Us About Health and Healing, the remarkable […]
It’s summer and avocados are at their best. Who doesn’t love this buttery-rich fruit that’s full of nutrients and good fats? I’m just happy to take a ripe avocado and spread it on whole grain toast, but the chef in me can’t resist coming up with new ideas for avocados, too. Here are some facts about avocados that make them one of the healthiest foods you can eat: They’re high in monounsaturated fat, specifically oleic acid, an omega-9 fat that can help lower cholesterol. The monounsaturated fat in avocados is also associated with reduced risk of cancer and diabetes. Avocados […]
Summer is finally upon us! And with it, of course, comes the sun. For many of us, lots of it. If you’re making plans for summer fun and vacations, keep in mind that the sun, while the source of life for our planet, has potentially dangerous effects that should not be overlooked. Below, we’ll explain the basics for helping to keep you and your family safe and healthy in the summer months. Should You Wear Sunscreen? Enough has been said concerning the harmful effects of UV rays. Everyone knows of the risk of skin cancers incurred by sunbathing or tanning […]
In the past few decades, more information has come to light about the role of viruses and bacteria in the development of certain diseases. Now researchers have been able to create type 2 diabetes (T2D) in lab animals just by exposing them to this skin superbug. If you, or a loved one, have type 2 diabetes, you’ll want to know about these new findings… Targeting A Skin Superbug Could Prevent/Treat Type 2 Diabetes In the last few decades, medical researchers have learned that cervical cancer is actually caused by certain strains of the human papilloma virus. Stomach ulcers are now […]
Scientists are discovering significant additional benefits that resveratrol confers in fighting aging and degenerative disease. While much of this research was initiated by a prolific group at Harvard University and in the biotech industry, scientists around the globe are now making unprecedented discoveries that define resveratrol’s multiple preventive and therapeutic potentials. Most exciting are findings showing how resveratrol may help protect against devastating age-related diseases including cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer’s. We’ll start with an in-depth look at just what they’re discovering and then review the most compelling findings about resveratrol’s current and future roles in sustaining human health and […]
If I told you that eating just a handful of walnuts, peanuts, almonds, etc, would lower your risk of several major diseases, and death, would you believe me? As incredible as that may sound, new research has proven it to be true. Here’s even more reason to enjoy your nuts snack everyday… Beat Major Diseases with 10 Grams of Nuts A Day As you get older, you’re risk for developing certain major diseases of aging increases. These include neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, as well as internal medicine issues like diabetes and heart disease. Why? Well, for one reason, […]
You’ve probably seen those T-shirts that say, Keep Calm, or Stay Calm, and whatever other issue they’re promoting. The other day, I saw an older man walking around the mall who had one on. It read, “Keep Calm and Stay Alive”. I wondered if he knew that health researchers have recently proven how true that simple statement really is. That’s why I want to talk to you about how controlling your stress response can save your health and your life. We’ve talked before about how stress impacts your health. Not good. Chronic stress worsens any health condition. But, stress can […]