Have you ever watched a movie and seen an actor who looks really familiar, but you just couldn’t place him or remember his name? You think to yourself, “I’ve seen this guy before in lots of films, but which ones”? Such performers are often referred to as “character actors”. One of the best contemporary character actors is Richard Jenkins. At the tender age of 61, he’s finally getting some much deserved attention and a leading role. Read more »

Happy Valentine’s Day to you all! Since today is a time to reflect on all things romantic, I thought I’d lighten the usual tone of my blog and focus on a few decidedly non-medical topics: Kissing and Love! Today’s research is from the sector of academia that I refer to as “happy science”. It provides us with accurate information that we love to hear. Read more »

In yesterday’s blog, I described one possible strategy to help reduce the risk of heart disease. My hope is that the information I present here will help keep your cardiovascular system healthy and symptom-free. But I understand very well that there are no guarantees in life.  Unfortunately, some of us will have to deal with the stark reality of a heart attack or stroke. It may happen to us personally or to someone close to us. So today, I’d like to offer a brief overview of the most common symptoms that should warn us that a heart attack or stroke is occurring. Read more »

Did you know that cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death in women 25 and up? There’s not even a close second in the mortality race. You’d have to add up all the deaths from every form of cancer and multiply that number by almost two in order to equal the number of heart related deaths. Pretty shocking, isn’t it? Read more »

The concept that aging inevitably brings about negative changes in our bodies and minds is widespread. Many people simply accept the “fact” that the physical body will weaken, eyesight will become blurry and the brain will no longer cooperate like it used to. To that I say: fight it! Accept what can’t be changed, but do whatever is possible to improve the things that are pliable. For example, we can and should adopt a philosophy that an aging brain can learn new tricks. Read more »

It is estimated that canker sores affect over 25% of the general population. This painful condition usually manifests itself in the form of small ulcers that develop inside the mouth. The size of the ulcers and the severity of pain varies from simply being an irritating nuisance (minor canker sores) to a seriously life affecting condition (major canker sores). The impact of this recurrent health issue is heightened by the fact that we use our mouths all day long. Read more »

New research out of Australia combines the use of cutting edge technology with old-school nutrition. Today’s headline comes from the Genomic Research Center (GRC) of Griffith University. The GRC’s purpose is to identify genes that are involved in diseases and other health conditions. Based on their findings, they attempt to find ways of modifying disease risk and, possibly, even combating various health threats ranging from high blood pressure to cancer. Read more »

They just don’t make many westerns anymore, and that’s a shame as far as I’m concerned. The old west played an important role in the development of the United States, and I believe that tales from that era have much to teach us. Read more »

Let’s be honest. Having bad breath stinks. It’s makes everyone uncomfortable. The person with bad breath suffers. The people who are exposed to the bad breath suffer. It’s just an annoying problem that leads to feelings of self consciousness for everyone involved. Read more »

We all know what it feels like to have a restless nights sleep. The next day we feel like we’re dragging. Our mood is lousy. We can’t think straight. It’s something we all hope to avoid. But there are many people out there that go through this process on nightly basis. One of the most common reasons for this type of destructive pattern is a condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Read more »

We all know that politics make for strange bedfellows. But I’ve got to say that science also brings together some pretty interesting parties. In today’s blog, I’m going to share research that was intended for one purpose, but can be used for a very different reason. Read on and you’ll see what I mean. Read more »

Viagra has rapidly become one of the best known pharmaceutical drugs in the history of modern medicine. Cialis is very high up on that list as well. The reason for their popularity is two-fold: 1) these drugs provide an effect from which many men benefit, and 2) both of these drugs are “quick fixes”. You can still smoke, eat horribly and live a sedentary life, but as long as you use these powerful medications, you can still function “normally”. Read more »

In natural medicine, there is often a tendency to apply research results in too broad a fashion. In today’s blog, I want to share some encouraging news about the link between nutrition and cancer. But in addition to that, I’d like to temper those positive findings with a bit of practical information as well. Stick around and you’ll see what I mean. Read more »