One of the hottest trends in the alternative health community is raw foodism. This term encompasses many different practices and philosophical beliefs but, for the purpose of today’s column, I’ll focus on a segment of this lifestyle commonly known as “raw veganism”. Vegans make it a point not to include any animal products in their diets – no chicken, dairy, eggs, meat or seafood. Those practicing a raw lifestyle take it one step further and attempt to primarily eat uncooked and unprocessed foods. It’s a challenging diet that some outsiders view with admiration, while others see it as a fanatical way of living. Read more »

If I asked you to invent a form of physical activity that supports the body, mind and spirit, you’d be hard pressed to come up with something better than dancing. Let me start by telling you that I am not a dancer. When I do dance, the only benefit that I’m aware of is the laughter that it incites in others. It’s just not something that comes naturally to me. But that’s really beside the point. There are very good reasons to consider incorporating dance into your life. As odd as it may seem, scientists from all over world are asking their patients to put on their dancing shoes. Read more »

There’s a seemingly never-ending list of controversies in the natural health movement. All of the conflicting proclamations can either drive you mad or stimulate curiosity and a desire to get to the bottom of the prickly issues involved. Believe it or not, one the most intense battlegrounds in the nutritional field has to do with the role of the humble soy bean in the modern day diet. Some authorities claim that soy is harmful to babies and children. Others warn of soy’s role in affecting thyroid function and women’s health issues. Then there’s the issue of how soy impacts men, which is the focus of today’s column. Read more »

Some vitamin and mineral deficiencies are more obvious than others. This is both a blessing and a curse. Nobody looks forward to feeling or seeing the effects of poor nutrition. On the other hand, if obvious signs of nutrient deficiencies or malabsorption can be identified, proactive steps can be taken to address the problem. Anemia is a rather common nutritionally influenced condition. It is often caused by an iron deficiency which plays an essential role in transporting oxygen throughout the body. If there isn’t enough iron and hemoglobin (an oxygen carrying protein) present, symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, hair loss, irritability, muscle weakness and spasms, poor cognitive and immune function, and skin problems often manifest. The obvious solution for many people is to simply supplement with therapeutic levels of iron. But on occasion, iron absorption is compromised and/or gastrointestinal side effects prevent good adherence to this vital therapy. Read more »

There’s an extract of French lilac (Galega officinalis) that’s been attracting a lot of attention lately in the field of oncology. Perhaps the news of yet another “natural” cancer fighting compound is no longer a surprise to readers of this site. But would it surprise you to discover that the particular substance I’m referring to is actually a prescription medication that’s generally used to help manage diabetes? The drug in question is metformin. It’s a medication that was developed over 50 years ago and is often used to combat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It also supports cardiovascular health and promotes weight loss/maintenance in those with blood sugar abnormalities and metabolic disorders. It’s estimated that over 35,000,000 prescriptions for metformin were written in 2008 alone. This figure is likely to increase in the future for a few very important reasons. It’s cheaper and more effective than many of the newer medications in its class, and this is one drug that may actually help save lives. Read more »