We’re all aware that a nutritious diet and exercise are vital components of a healthy lifestyle. You can benefit from one without the other, but you’ll get the best results by combining them. Modern research is demonstrating that the manner in which we incorporate these two elements into our lives can have a powerful impact on the results. Today’s blog looks at a simple strategy that may help you to burn more fat, improve your work-outs and curb your appetite.
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I have an online friend who lives in Japan. He recently asked me about a product that he has been seeing in stores in his part of world. The product label claims that it’s a natural, low calorie alternative to sugar. My first thought was that he must be referring to stevia. I know that stevia is commercially available in Japan and has been used there for several decades now. But as it turns out, the product that caught his eye was something quite different. It’s an exotic fruit extract known as luo han guo.
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One of the primary differences between holistic and conventional medicine is that they often have different objectives. In conventional medicine, you’re often given prescription medications or surgical interventions to help address problematic symptoms. In the holistic medical model, your physician will often want to discover the root cause of your “dis-ease” and try to help heal the imbalance. The difference may seem ambiguous, but it essentially boils down to actual healing as opposed to simply masking or getting rid of troublesome symptoms. Read more »

Dr. Bertram Pincus doesn’t like people very much. Actually, he doesn’t mind them, provided that they stay quiet, avoid annoying him in any way and steer clear of engaging him in any form of genuine human interaction. He’s a dentist with a mission: to live his life on his own somber terms without being bothered by his neighbors and patients.

But a funny things happens to Dr. Pincus during the course of a routine colonoscopy. While under general anesthesia, he dies for “almost 7 minutes”. When he comes back to life, a major shift occurs in they way he views the world around him. He is able to see ghosts roaming the streets of New York! But the ghosts are even more surprised that someone can finally see them. Did I mention that this is a comedy?
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I’m always on the look-out for ways to make my healthy lifestyle as interesting and mentally stimulating as possible. One way I do it is by listening to podcasts while exercising. It’s a great way to be entertained and learn something while conditioning my body.

A few days ago I came across a particular podcast by my friend, Jimmy Moore, that really got my wheels spinning. I listened with utter fascination and wondered what additional information I could find on the subject matter discussed. The topic of the program was the role that a much maligned fat could possibly have in reversing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of brain dysfunction.
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Cachexia is a weight loss condition that is often found in the latter stages of advanced cancers. It can present itself with or without an accompanying lack of appetite. The real problem is generally not a lack of hunger, but rather that the body cannot absorb nutrients properly. It’s also unlike starvation states because with cachexia the body doesn’t slow down its metabolism. Ultimately these changes can lead to physical wasting, severe weakness and contribute to the morbidity factor.

Fortunately, there is some good news to report in the natural treatment of this potentially deadly condition – a type of fish oil that may offer real hope in the battle against this insidious affliction.
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The ancient practice of yoga is as popular as ever. You’re as likely to find it in the trendiest parts of any given city as you are at remote Asian temples. Perhaps because yoga is often associated with both philosophy and religion, it hasn’t received a lot of scientific attention until recent years. But much like meditation, yoga is now being modified into more accessible forms that are starting to make their way into our modern system of health care. Here’s a brief overview of some of current findings about how yoga may be applied to improve your mental and physical health.
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A very dangerous complication that accompanies “normal” aging is the widely accepted loss of bone mineral density. The advice that’s often given to counter this process is to simply take an adequate amount of calcium and a little vitamin D for good measure. Both of these nutrients are essential for the promotion of a healthy skeletal system. But if those are the only resources you’re utilizing, then you’re missing part of the picture.
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Throughout history mankind has sought to find novel techniques for improving the way the brain works. In more recent times, this quest was often a direct response to test taking in the academic arena and job performance in our professional lives. In both instances, we are often asked to mentally function at a peak level while under a certain degree of stress. There is new research about a common food that just may provide an added mental edge when we need it most.

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In the past many people believed that alcohol, a spicy diet and stress were the primary causes of gastric ulcers. But the truth is that the leading cause of stomach ulcers is an infection caused by a bacterium called Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori for short. This same bacterium is also implicated in a higher risk of stomach cancer. According to the American Association for Cancer Research, stomach cancer is the second most common form of cancer worldwide and offers a very grim survival rate. Read more »

In the opening scene of Seven Pounds we catch an unsettling glimpse of the popular actor Will Smith speaking words that are most unexpected. He’s in a dark motel room talking to someone on the phone. “There’s been a suicide”, Smith says. The 911 operator on the other end of the line replies, “Who’s the victim?”. The chilling reply – “I am”.
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Right now I’m sitting in my office sipping a large mug of my favorite “anti-cancer cocktail”. It’s an afternoon ritual for me. But like all beliefs and rituals, it wise to occasionally reassess them to make sure the reason for practicing said rituals is still valid. So, that’s exactly what I’m going to do today.
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If you visit health food stores on a regular basis you’ve probably begun to see products that feature black currant juices and extracts. It’s important to clarify that black currant seed oil is not the same as black currant extract or juice. The oil has been commercially available for many years and is known for containing a therapeutic fatty acid called GLA. But it’s the juice and concentrated extracts from the berry that are now being widely promoted throughout the natural health industry. They’re but one contender for the “hot new product of the moment” award.
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