Most of my columns are inspired by material that’s pieced together from numerous medical journals. Today, the exact opposite is true. The majority of studies referenced below can be found in recent editions of the Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research. What’s more, almost all of the original studies I link to can be reviewed in their entirety for free. This may be invaluable to patients and physicians who are interested in the finer details and nuances of a medical trial.

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Effective and safe solutions to chronic health conditions are frequently sought after, but hard to come by. On a recent fact finding mission, I uncovered five natural options that fit this description. If you or anyone you know is living with lower back pain, depression, menopausal symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder or work related “burnout”, take special notice of the following research.

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One of the dynamics in modern medicine that I hope will change in the near future is how patients and physicians interact. I’d love for most doctor’s appointments to begin with a question such as this: Doctor: “Do you have any information that you’d like to share with me before I begin my examination?” Patient: “I’ve done some research about my condition and I’ve printed out some specific details I’d like to discuss with you.” In order for this type of exchange to be successful a few common sense steps are necessary. The first is that physicians embrace the concept of patients being partners in their own health care decisions. But patients will need to do their part as well. It’s not fair or practical to deluge time-pressed doctors with piles of paper work. Instead, it’s best to be as concise as possible and reserve added details if they’re requested.
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Natural medicine provides real solutions for health issues that literally span a lifetime. In today’s column, I’ve collected several items from the scientific literature that will illustrate this quite clearly. As you probably know, my goal is to have you all share at least one of these news items with someone in your sphere of influence. But some of today’s content involves rather prickly topics such Alzheimer’s Disease, constipation, menopause and Parkinson’s Disease. I realize that it may not be possible to just come right out and offer up advice about these somewhat sensitive conditions. However there’s almost always a creative way to disseminate such information. Read more »

Several weeks ago I posted a link on Twitter about the benefits of drinking water on weight loss. One response I received essentially asked, “Doesn’t everyone know that drinking water helps you lose weight?”. Well, I suppose many people do. But this reader’s question may reflect similar thoughts you’ve had while reading my daily blogs. You may detect familiar ground in some of the issues I cover. In fact, at times I even point out that I’m updating a particular health issue. The reason I do this may not be entirely clear. Scientists generally like to re-test widely held beliefs in order to clarify and verify them. Even the most widely accepted concepts in medicine benefit from further investigation. The result of such inquiries often add to the knowledge base and allow for a more accurate application of the information in question. Read more »

It’s interesting how certain aspects of the past are glamorized while others are considered “dated”. We can easily find examples in the worlds of architecture, fashion, slang/speech and transportation. The same is true of the history of nutrition. Particular foods and beverages, such as a midday tea or a bowl of stewed prunes, are generally associated with a period that’s time has long passed. Read more »

Menopause is a time when many women begin to think about health issues that extend well beyond “hot flashes”. Every woman experiences this time of life in a different way. For some, the hormonal shift that occurs can profoundly influence quality of life in waking hours and even during sleep. Others are more fortunate and get through this period with only mild “reminders”. But what all women have in common are the physiological changes that are taking place, whether they feel them or not. Read more »

While searching through an upcoming edition of the esteemed journal Nutrition, I came across a rather curious study from Spain. The research assessed the impact of different types of alcohol on bone density in a group of middle-aged women. About half of the female participants were premenopausal, while most of the others were postmenopausal. The scientists conducting this population study examined questionnaires provided by the women and attempted to find patterns between alcohol consumption and the results of bone ultrasound tests. No correlation was found between wine drinking and bone density. However, the researchers did note stronger bones in women who drank beer regularly. Read more »