Who doesn't want to feel better and live longer? Who's willing to give up sugar immediately and abandon their other ingrained habits to make it happen? The answer to the first question is "everyone." The answer to the second is...complicated. But to get better, to get past medications, to stop treating symptoms and start addressing causes, we have to change the way we think about health. Here's how to begin.
Why is it that more American consumers are suffering from obesity? If the Guiness Book of World Records i s to be believed, the heaviest man who ever lived lost two-thirds of his body weight after being hospitalized. If he can do that, why can't we at least cut down on desserts?
Government agencies like the USDA and the FDA routinely cite studies about food and nutrition to guide our dietary choices. These studies often involve years of research, and they’re expensive, sometimes costing millions. But what if this government research isn’t financed by the government? The fact is, some of the studies meant to inform about us about food, beverages and alcohol are funded by the food, beverage and alcohol industries.
Few tout the health benefits of eating tires. But the steel-belted radials on your car contain some of the same ingredients that go into your food. One foodstuff is found not only in tires, but in cleaning products, industrial solvents, and many other places you're unlikely to seek nutritional value. Why is this food so ubiquitous, and if we want to avoid it, are there other, healthier substitutes?
As a child, the greatest American Olympian ever suffered from ADHD. How did he work past all that? The same way you can, and you can get started today.
An unhealthy immune system means your body is less able to fight invaders. Infections and viruses can not only infiltrate your body, but hide out and spring back to action later, when your system is weak. The consequences can be serious. There are literally dozens of autoimmune diseases, and one serious misconception about all of them.
Menopause isn't just for women. Many of the same symptoms, the irritability, hot flashes and night sweats, are experienced by men of a certain age, just as they are for women. And usually, the causes are the same, too. The solution? Your diet. Change what you eat, and you can make all those changes in your body changes for the better.
Sugar is so bad for us in so many ways, it's tough to create a comprehensive list. Sugar's addictive properties are for real: if you crave it, it's because your body chemistry has been trained to pine for it. The alternative? Healthy, organic foods that sweeten your palate, enhance your diet, and don't turn you into an addict hungering for your next non-nutritional fix.
Every spring and summer, millions of Americans reach for medications they hope will help relieve the sneezing, hacking and pain of seasonal allergies. Many are also convinced that if they can limit their exposure to pollen, they can control the extent of their allergic reactions. Not true. Pollen's not the problem. It's other things in our environment that are causing all the trouble. And yes, we can manage our exposure to hazards and better control our allergies.
The very ground upon which we walk may be toxic, and more importantly, the soil in which our food is grown is toxic, too. Soil polluted by synthetic fertilizers and other pollutants produces foods that are deficient in nutrients and essential vitamins and minerals. These deficiencies can't always be corrected by dietary supplements. So how do we account for tainted soil that produces unhealthy food?
Painful episodes of indigestion or acid reflux are common, and so are medications meant to address them. It's a classic case of the cure being worse than the disease. Our systems need acid to function properly. Medications that reduce acid in the stomach actually make the problem worse. And failing to address digestive issues can lead to more serious issues, including ulcers. So what's the answer? How do we fix digestive issues in a way that provides more than a short-term solution?...
Americans of all ages are susceptible to arthritis, bursitis and tendonitis. Millions of sufferers understandably reach for medications for temporary relief from pain. But even over-the-counter medications like aspirin can cause more problems than they solve. And if that's the case, if arthritis meds are a poor long-term solution, what can you do to lessen or fix the problem?
America's billion-dollar bottled-water industry includes many brands of alkaline water that claim to help lower levels of acid in the body. Water ionizers costing hundreds or thousands of dollars supposedly provide similar benefits. But are these really benefits at all? Our bodies need minimum levels of acid to function properly. Is there a better way of determining your body's particular needs, and how to address them?
Salt gets a bad rap. It's not the health-killer it's made out to be, and in fact, it's essential for total health. Sea salt is the best, of course, but why? What is it about sea salt that makes it superior to processed table salt, and why should it be your first choice as a food seasoning and preservative?
Our homes are full of toxins like formaldehyde and other building products that pollute the air, in addition to the cleansers, detergents and other common, health-damaging products we rely on every day. Plants can help. They cleanse the air and make our homes healthier, and specific plants provide specific health benefits.
Tens of millions of Americans are considered obese by the Centers for Disease Control, and the number is growing. What's going on? Why are we getting so fat so quick? One myth is that calories are the culprit. Counting calories is NOT an effective way to lose weight. In fact, focusing on calorie control can be entirely self-defeating.
If you're tired and in pain, if your head and body ache and you find it difficult to function, the thing to do is get some medical tests, right? You can't fix a problem until you diagnose it. But what happens when the tests are no help? What if they can't find anything wrong? More problematically, what if the tests appear to making things worse? This conversation between Paul Rosen and a patient answers these questions, and more.
The first thing to know about any skin condition, large or small, eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, or any other, is that the cure isn't to be found in ointments or creams or anything else you may choose to apply to your body. It's your diet that counts. What you eat can help eliminate the skin conditions that may be wrecking your appearance and your self-esteem, and in some cases, subjecting you to chronic pain.
At any point in your life, you may experience fatigue, mental fog, general pain and fading energy. You may even reach a point where any of all of these symptoms sap your motivation to get up and get going every day, or they may incapacitate you entirely. So what do you do? If you've tried everything, and nothing works, is it time to give up?
Over the past couple of decades, hand sanitizers have mutated into a billion-dollar industry. You may keep hand sanitizers at the ready in your house right now, and many offices and businesses position them for employees to use at will. But you shouldn't be using them at all. They're often full of ingredients that can do you a lot more harm than good.
So you want to eat healthy, but you don't want to hassle with lengthy preparations and ingredients. You don't have to, procrastinating chefs of the world. There are many tasty foods you can acquire easily and prepare handily, and your body will thank you for it.
Who hasn't enjoyed a sandwich with some lunch meat, some bologna or salami, pastrami or ham? If somebody's told you that lunch meats are full of salts and unhealthy fats, they're not wrong. But that's not what's most dangerous about them. Lunch meats are often jammed with preservatives and chemicals to make them look and taste better. Even the packaging is sometimes full of stuff you don't want infecting your food. And all those added ingredients are toxic to your health....
If you're tired or depressed, or if you feel antsy and anxious about even the most minor things, maybe the problem isn't the stress of your job, the rude drivers you may encounter everywhere, or any concerns you may have about your financial health. It's your body chemistry. And your body chemistry can be controlled, just like your moods.
How is the health of your stomach related to the health of your brain? Chemicals like serotonin and dopamine are produced in the stomach, and these neurochemicals directly impact the functioning of our minds. The foods you choose help ensure a healthy stomach and a healthy mind. So what foods are right for you?
In some cultures, the shape of your food was believed to determine the food's nutritional value. Walnuts are shaped like human brains, so walnuts are good for the brain, right? Or is that right at all?
A vegetarian or vegan diet may have some benefits, but they're seriously lacking in essential vitamins like B12, which is readily found in meat and fish. Consumers who choose vegetarianism for health or ethical reasons need to find ways to supplement their diets so that important elements of all healthy diets aren't left out.
Let's assume that sodas, with their huge concentrations of sugar, are bad for you. So is an alternative possible, a home soda-making system that creates carbonated beverages just as tasty as regular soda, but with far less sugar? Yes...but no. A soda with less sugar still has a lot of sugar. Fortunately, those who prefer sparkling beverages have still other alternatives, healthy choices you can whip up right in your own kitchen.
Our bodies are complicated systems that can react harshly to food, if we've developed a food sensitivity. Food sensitivities are more common than ever, partly because of the way our food is grown and manufactured, and the way it's jammed with additives and preservatives. So how do you know whether or not you have a food sensitivity? And even once it's identified, what do you do?
Milk has been a staple of young diets for decades. But are we giving our kids something that's unhealthy for them? And if milk isn't necessarily all that good for us, what are the alternatives? Goats and coconuts are among the sources for healthy milk choices. Soy, not so much.
Whether or not you choose to vaccinate against the flu, the United States Supreme Court has a few things to say about it. A 2011 court ruling provides protection for vaccine manufacturers in the event a vaccine harms a consumer, based on legislation passed by Congress in 1986. What do you need to know about liability and protections for the developers of vaccines?
