According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 800,000 people in the United States experience a stroke each year. In addition, one person in the United States will die from a stroke every four minutes. Even if an individual survives a stroke, it may cause long term or permanent damage. The good news? Most strokes – nearly 80 percent – are preventable. And a large percentage of the ones that happen are treatable with the right care, right away. It’s a matter of knowing what to do, taking action and spreading the word. What is stroke? Stroke is […]
So you’ve been tracking your daily caffeine intake, and it has quickly progressed from “a little on the heavy side” to “Oh…my.” However, all those years of averaging less-than-satisfactory sleep has made an extra caffeine kick an integral part of your workday (if you want to see it all the way through, that is). Needless to say, cutting back on caffeine is no easy feat. And if you’re in it for the long haul, it may help to cushion the loss of excess caffeine with a longer-lasting alternative. Here are a few of the options we had in mind: 1. […]
Think acne appears just on teenagers? Or eczema is common only on a baby’s bottom? Turns out , acne, eczema, psoriasis and other skin conditions can crop up regardless of age and have a host of culprits, including the environment, diet, hormones and chemicals in everyday products. “Toxic overload is the cause of all of these skin conditions,” says Laeh Benyamin, a lead practitioner at Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy in Boulder, Colorado. Luckily, managing—or even eliminating—symptoms is not impossible. The first step? Diet. “All people that have these issues need to go on an anti-inflammatory diet and avoid sugar, white refined […]
Researchers at Oregon State University have discovered that a subset of genes involved in daily circadian rhythms, or the “biological clock,” only become active late in life or during periods of intense stress when they are most needed to help protect critical life functions. The findings, made in research done with fruit flies and published today in Nature Communications, are part of a unique stress response mechanism that was previously unknown. These genes may help to combat serious stresses associated with age, disease or environmental challenges, and help explain why aging is often accelerated when the biological clock is disrupted. […]
Do you suffer from a sore mouth, fatigue, anemia, constipation, loss of appetite, numbness or tingling in
Wrinkled faces may not always be an inevitable part of ageing thanks to a ground-breaking new discovery. Scientists have identified a natural way to regenerate the fatty cells that keep skin looking smooth and young. Not only could this lead to spectacular anti-ageing treatments, it may also pave the way to scar-free healing of wounds. Fat cells called adipocytes are normally found in skin but are lost when scars form and as a result of ageing. Lack of adipocytes is one of the main reasons why permanent wrinkles become etched on the faces of older people. Laboratory studies showed how […]
When I ask my patients how many ORACs they take in a day, they give me a kind of lost look. One patient humorously asked me once, “Is that some kind of fruit?” Well, yes and no. ORACs are in fruit – but they’re not a food per se. Let me share with you what I tell my patients about the ORAC value of foods and its importance to your health. What’s ORAC and Why Is It In My Food? ORAC is the acronym for Oxygen Radical Absorbency Capacity – an antioxidant measurement system developed by researchers at the National […]
I’m always counseling my patients on a heart-healthy diet. They’re often surprised to learn that the worst offender is not what they’ve always thought – fat. No, in fact, more and more research has shown that the amount of refined, unnatural sugar in your diet is the real culprit of damaging heart health. So, I’d like to share with you what I tell my patients about the damage that their love of sweets is doing to their heart – and the rest of them. Your Love of Sweets Is Souring Your Heart Health We all like a sweet treat once […]
Are you getting enough fiber? Even if you’re eating “healthy,” you may be a part of the population that falls into the “fiber gap” and falling short of the suggested intake, which can wreak havoc on your digestive and immune function. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends a daily fiber intake of 28 grams for men and 22 grams for women over 51 years old. However, the average American takes in only around 16 grams of fiber per day. Not everyone enjoys the foods that are rich in fiber. Luckily, there’s an endless array of fiber supplements on the […]
Our teeth get a lot of attention. Whether we’re having a conversation or smiling for a picture, most of us want our teeth to be strong, healthy, and sparkling white. However, many of us overlook something essential. In addition to a healthy oral routine of brushing, flossing, and regular dental checkups, nutrition also plays a large role in the health of our teeth. Teeth not only respond to our nutrition, but they also are an important determinant of our nutritional intake. Their importance is evident in elderly populations, among whom gum disease, ill-fitting dentures, and other painful dental conditions can […]