The Internet is my medium of choice. It’s the primary tool I use to reach the very people I hope to affect in a positive way. However, this same platform is also being used by others in ways that can be hurtful. Sometimes the root of the damage stems from greed. I’m sure you’ve seen online advertisements for products that claim to effortlessly reverse Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease and even extend your lifespan. Fortunately, many people recognize that those sales pitches are hyperbolic at best and downright unbelievable at worst. But what happens when you receive an email from a family member or friend that contains health related information that claims a miraculous medical cure? The person who sent the information obviously cares about you and isn’t asking for any financial compensation. In short, the advice given in such emails is coming “from the heart”. What could possibly be wrong with that? Read more »

Within every living flower, plant and seed there is a complex factory fast at work. The goods manufactured have one basic goal in mind - to ensure survival. In this way, human beings are quite similar to the inhabitants of the botanical world. But, when we think of ourselves, we tend to focus on the external characteristics or feelings and thoughts that we experience. Rarely do we contemplate the broad array of natural substances that travel through the bloodstream, reside in organs and otherwise populate the inner metropolis that is our physiology. That specific type of curiosity is almost exclusively the domain of physicians and scientists.

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A recurrent theme in the Healthy Fellow household is a lively debate about whether people are capable of real change. Can a long time liar one day decide to walk the path of truth? Is a habitual criminal at the age of 17 destined to break laws throughout the entirety of his life? Similar questions can be applied to health issues as well. Will chain smokers ever stop their self-destructive habit? How about “rageoholics” or morbidly obese individuals? My general position is that profound change is available to us all. It certainly doesn’t always happen and there are probably countless reasons why. But every morning when I look in the mirror, I see the reflection of someone who’s radically different than he was a year ago. When I look at my wife, I see a beautiful woman who has transformed her life in the past and continues to do so by addressing her own set of challenges. These are but a few of the reasons why I’m convinced that change is indeed possible and that hope is not wasted on believing so. Read more »

The other night I found myself at a local card room. I was sitting at a “No-Limit Texas Hold ‘em” table playing poker with a motley group of strangers. Poker isn’t your standard form of gambling. It does involve a certain measure of luck, but it mostly requires a particular set of observational and social skills. It so happens that these same skills can be extremely beneficial in parts of life that extend far beyond the confines of the felt table, the clattering chips and shuffling cards. About half way through the evening, a rather gruff looking gentleman took a seat at the table. He looked like the kind of guy you wouldn’t want to upset or even look at the wrong way. But if there’s one lesson that poker teaches you it’s that you should never entirely trust the obvious. So I began chatting with this biker-type fellow as he devoured an enormous ice cream sundae with plenty of peanuts on top. In the course of about 15 minutes, he revealed to me that was suffering from terminal cancer. He didn’t much care about dressing well or shaving because he didn’t expect to be around for much longer. Talk about a punch to the gut! Read more »

Vitamins are a lot like movie stars. At certain points in their careers they experience hot streaks where they’re considered exciting and glamorous. During those periods they’re frequently in the news and are top draws at the box office and health food stores. You’ll see commercials promoting their products and you might even hear occasional gossip about them around the neighborhood. “Did you hear that Russell Crowe punched out his acting coach on the set of Gladiator?!”. “It turns out that Nancy didn’t have ‘work done’. She’s just been using that new Vitamin C skin cream sold by that doctor on PBS.” But inevitably, almost all celebrities and nutrients also discover the flip side of fame. Critics and scientists stop singing their praises and people stop buying their wares. It’s a tough time to go through, but it also affords the possibility of a comeback. Read more »

When I was putting together today’s column I envisioned myself sporting an impeccably coiffed hairdo, a designer suit and a flamboyant tie. I’m standing in the middle of a bustling conference room filled with some of the top names in the field of cancer research. I have a microphone in hand and I’m speaking directly into the eye of a television camera. “This is JP, the ‘healthy fellow’, reporting live from The American Association for Cancer Research’s Frontiers in Cancer Prevention. Experts from around the world have converged in Houston, Texas to discuss the latest and greatest news about how we can all reduce our risk of cancer. More on that, at the top of the hour. Back to you in studio, Stacey and Charles”. The reality is that I’m sitting at my usual work desk, trying hard to tune out the sounds of a couple of loud neighbors while reviewing a bunch a studies presented at the previously mentioned AACR conference. It may not be glamorous, but I love it. Read more »

Kids often times wonder why things are the way they are. Parents know this phenomenon all too well. Rarely does a word strike as much dread in a father and mother’s heart as the word “why”. The answer to such a question usually isn’t that complicated. But rather it’s the understanding that any answer given will often prompt the follow up question - “But, why?”. I think I may be able to help out with this. The next time you instruct your daughter or son to eat their broccoli, Brussels sprouts or cauliflower and they ask you why, you can simply tell them that: “Cruciferous vegetables contain glucosinolates that assist the body in detoxifying xenochemicals and discouraging aberrant cellular and hormonal processes that can ultimately result in malignancies”. Works every time! Read more »

Sometimes the best way to draw attention to a specific issue is to simply lay out the stark facts and figures. It is estimated that nearly 50,000 people will die in 2009 from colorectal cancer in the United States alone. If you look at the combined incidence of colorectal cancer in both men and women, it is the second leading cause of cancer related mortality. In the US, that means that over 106,000 people will be diagnosed with colon cancer and about 41,000 will learn that they have rectal cancer this year. What’s more, governmental statistics estimate that the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is about 1 in 19 or 5.3%. These numbers may seem shocking because these forms of cancer simply do not receive as much attention as breast or prostate cancer for instance. But the news about colorectal cancer isn’t all negative. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, the “death rate” from colorectal cancer is on the decline, perhaps due to better screening and removal of pre-cancerous colon polyps. But, as always, I believe the most promising avenue in the field of cancer research involves the safe and judicious use of “preventive medicine”. Read more »

One of the things I enjoy most about studying natural medicine is that it constantly exposes me to concepts and cultural details that I otherwise might not learn about. Throughout the world there are scientists who choose to devote their lives to very specific aspects of health. Some focus on the causes and prevention of cancer. Others examine how certain diet plans affect body weight. Perhaps my favorite area of research is the investigation of foods and therapeutic practices that are deeply ingrained in a particular part of the world. For instance, it’s no accident that much of the research on olive oil is conducted in Mediterranean countries or that experiments involving acupuncture are predominantly carried out in the Far East. Read more »

The medicinal portions of plants and trees can come from bark, flowers, leaves and even the rhizomes or roots. There’s a sort of pragmatic beauty in nature. Many of the therapeutic components of plants are parts that humans typically don’t eat. After all, how many of us have snacked on the inner bark of a French maritime pine tree or ordered a fillet of salmon with a side of wilted ginkgo or gotu kola leaves? There are however certain exceptions to this rule. Green tea and turmeric are perhaps two of the highest profile examples of this phenomenon.
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There are few things in life that are more devastating than being diagnosed with a malignancy. Over 12 million new cancer cases were recorded worldwide in 2008. According to the World Health Organization, those numbers appear to be growing. In 1975, nearly 6 million people were diagnosed with cancer. In 2000, that number grew to 10 million. By the year 2030, it is estimated that more than 20,000,000 people will have to deal with this reality. On this site, I regularly report on natural therapies that will hopefully offer protection from this unwelcome fate. But it’s also important to have resources available if cancer becomes a personal issue for ourselves or someone we love. (1) Read more »

At this very moment in the United States there is a monumental debate going on about health care reform. Some citizens and politicians are proposing significant changes to the current paradigm while others are generally in favor of maintaining the system that’s already in place. I think there’s at least one issue that all sides can hopefully agree on - health care can and should be improved, in part, by the efforts made by individuals. One way to accomplish this is to take steps to improve personal health. Another important strategy is to help others enjoy better health. It may seem far-fetched, but simple acts of compassion and kindness can sometimes be a profound and essential adjunct to virtually any medical treatment. Read more »

This Monday is Labor Day in the United States. Among other traditions, barbecuing and grilling frequently play a prominent role in the celebration of this holiday. But little known guests called “heterocyclic aromatic amines” (HCAs) almost always tag along and try to spoil the festivities. HCAs are toxic substances commonly produced during the cooking of beef, chicken, fish and pork. So today, I’ll tell you how to keep HCAs from crashing the party and get rid of the HCAs to which we can’t help but be exposed. Read more »

Some types of foods are easier to incorporate into one’s diet than others. If your doctor advises you to eat more fruits or vegetables, you can quite easily select the varieties that you like best and up your intake. The same can be said for other commonly recommended health foods such as fish, nuts and seeds. But adding more fiber into your daily routine requires some planning because not all fruits and vegetables contain much and animal based foods are completely devoid of it. In my opinion, being reminded of the importance of fiber, while becoming more aware of foods that are abundant in this dietary component is the key to making it a priority. Read more »

It’s a happy occasion when I can recommend something that is not only genuinely health promoting, but also pleasurable and simple to enact. Too often, eating a healthy diet can seem complicated and, even worse, not very enjoyable. When we remove all the “bad” things from our diets, sometimes a void is left. One solution is to turn up the volume on flavor by incorporating natural seasonings that are actually good for you. Adding fresh (or even dried) herbs and spices is one of best ways to increase levels of protective antioxidants in our daily routine. There’s also a little known secret contained in many of these savory plants: they’re actually powerful “phytomedicinals” (plant medicines) in disguise. 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 »