Most of us use a general practitioner as our primary health provider. It doesn’t make much sense to go to a specialist such as an endocrinologist or neurologist when you’re simply having your periodic check up. Generally speaking, a good G.P. can manage most general health needs. At the same time, doctors and patients alike realize that such physicians have their limitations. They can’t possibly be up-to-date on every new development in every field of medicine, so they refer patients to specialists whenever needed. The same is true of how consumers can approach their own health care. If you’re basically healthy, you may want to focus on staying informed on how to maintain good general health. However, if you’re trying to address specific health issues, then you’ll need to become a “patient specialist”. 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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Last Friday came and went without any major calamity occurring in my life. I mention this because Friday’s date was November 13th. Or, for those who tend to be superstitious - Friday the 13th. This is a date that has become synonymous with bad luck. The modern association of Friday with the number 13 appears to trace back to a book published in 1907 entitled Friday the Thirteenth. It’s a tale about a villainous businessman who tries to destroy the stock market on that specific date. A popular silent film version of the novel ensued in 1916. Later, the unrelated Friday the 13th horror film series reawakened this fear inducing urban myth. This may be laughable to some of you, but others actually alter their lives in anticipation of this date - they postpone business meetings, family gatherings, travel, etc. However, myths are not the exclusive territory of scary films and novelists. Quite a few superstitions have made their way into the field of nutrition as well. Read more »

How you prepare food and the manner in which you consume it can make all difference. A healthy vegetable can easily be rendered into a health hazard by dipping it in batter and deep frying it in hydrogenated oils. On the other hand, marinating meat with aromatic herbs and spices and cooking it at the right temperature can prevent certain food-borne illnesses. These are a few of the more obvious examples. But looking a little deeper into the scientific literature reveals lesser known tips about how to get the most out of your dietary choices. 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 »

Soy is one of the most controversial foods in both the conventional and natural health communities. Because current research on soy is still not conclusive, many conventional doctors take the position that moderation is the best policy. The holistic community is generally split on this topic. Some alternative practitioners claim that soy is a virtual super-food. Others warn of serious side effects associated with its use. My goal today is to provide a balanced update on the newest findings regarding soy consumption and women’s health.
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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 »

Bone loss, sometimes known as osteoporosis, is a very common health concern in older women. Not only can it cause changes in physical appearance (a loss of height, curvature of the spine and stooped posture), but it can also bring about back pain from compression fractures and even broken bones. In addition to these terrible symptoms, it’s also important to note that healing time is often sluggish in our later years. Because of this reality, the best possible plan of action is to try and prevent bone loss before it occurs. But what if you’ve already lost some bone density? Are you only left with the conventional options of hormone replacement therapy and/or prescription medications? Perhaps not. Read more »