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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Circumstances and genetics undoubtedly affect many of the changes associated with growing older. But, there are countless ways to interfere with the so-called “normal” aging process. Here are several practical steps you can take to kick start this type of anti-aging momentum. 1) A new study in the journal Menopause reports that supplementing with a natural, soy derivative known as S-equol (10 – 30 mg/day) can safely reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles in postmenopausal women. 2) Researchers in Paris, France recently revealed that seniors who learn new skills such as contemporary dance can improve “flexible attention” – a form of cognitive processing that typically declines with age. 3) In Canada, a new trial confirms prior evidence showing that the mind-body practice of Tai Chi improves “balance, gait and fear of falling” in adults over the age of 65. 4) Aspirin is commonly prescribed to middle-aged patients in the hope of preventing cardiovascular events. Unfortunately, emerging evidence from the Netherlands and UK explains that frequent aspirin use may also be associated with a higher risk of early and “wet” age-related macular degeneration or AMD.

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Throughout history there have been many wise and witty sayings about growing older. Here are a few of my favorites: “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” Mark Twain; “Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.” Benjamin Franklin; “The minute a man ceases to grow, no matter what his years, that minute he begins to be old.” William James. Some of the changes that occur with advancing age cannot be avoided entirely. But I believe there’s such a thing as “quality of aging” as well as “quality of life”. What’s more, we can all affect the manner and pace by which our bodies reflect our biological years. Read more »

Staying physical active is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself. But there are numerous reasons why some people avoid exercise altogether. Chief among them is a lack of conviction. At times this is a result of over-rationalization. “I just saw on the news that so-and-so died. He was an avid runner. That just goes to show you that we’re all going to die anyway.” Another common excuse is the belief that exercise has to be complicated. Spend some time at a book store or watching infomercials late at night and you may get the impression that you need to buy a best-selling training manual, a trendy DVD or take a specialized course in order to “do it right”. The truth is that for the vast majority of people, getting healthier is as simple as moving around more. However, it never hurts to peer into the scientific literature from time-to-time to see what’s new in the world of exercise research. That’s where the real advancements are presented. My Healthy Monday tip of the week is to stay active while staying informed to get the most out of your work-out routine.
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No matter what area of medicine you study, you’re bound to find some degree of controversy or debate. Do you think exercise is good for cardiovascular health or improving mood? Much of the evidence supports that position, but some studies dispute that as well. How about eating fresh fruits and vegetables? That’s got to be healthy, right? A preponderance of the evidence points to that conclusion but, again, there are always findings to the contrary in scientific literature. It’s important to know that there are always opposing points of view. So a study with negative findings should not cause one to lose faith in a perfectly viable remedy. Read more »

Have you ever seen a group of people practicing the ancient art of Tai Chi? The first time I was exposed to it, I recall thinking that it seemed like a combination of slow motion martial arts and a rather stationary form of dance. It struck me as being beautiful, but also quite exotic. A kind secret ritual that I couldn’t possibly understand. Read more »