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 »

As a big fan of movies, quotations from films are often in the forefront of my mind. One line of dialogue that’s made an indelible impression on me is from the 2005 box-office bomb, The Weather Man. In the film, the esteemed actor Michael Caine offers some prescient words of wisdom to his adult son, played by Nicolas Cage. “Do you know that the harder thing to do and the right thing to do are usually the same thing? Nothing that has meaning is easy. ‘Easy’ doesn’t enter into grown-up life”. That advice was given with regard to a failing marriage, but it I think it applies to almost every aspect of life and, quite specifically, to natural medicine. 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 »

When I was growing up I imagined that the absolute greatest job in the world was to be a film critic. What could possibly be better than making a living watching movies and then telling people all about them? But, as time went on, my perspective changed somewhat. I think it’s partially because my desire to create surpassed any interest I had in critiquing the work of others. When I started writing films myself, I began to understand how very difficult it is to write a good, let alone great screenplay. What’s more, it dawned on me that the writing process is but one small piece in a much larger production. I think this is why I’ve ultimately phased out movie review columns on this site. My original intent was to recommend obscure but noteworthy films that I hoped would entertain and inspire. But writing (and reading) exclusively positive reviews tends to be rather boring and, frankly, my initial reservations about motion picture critiquing began to haunt me once again. Read more »

Last week I described how Vitamin D was quickly becoming a major player in the landscape of modern medicine. Green tea is likewise gaining popularity in the medical literature. Exploring the benefits of Camellia sinensis provides a rather unique opportunity. Millions upon millions of people drink this beverage on a daily basis. This affords researchers fertile ground upon which they can conduct large population studies, in addition to more controlled experiments. Read more »

Being “green”, as in environmentally sensitive, is a big part of the social consciousness these days. It’s nearly impossible to read a newspaper or watch the evening news without noting some mention about the ecology and what can be done to improve the current state of things. But there’s another way to be “green” that I wish would also get some attention. My mission for today is to start a different kind of green revolution. It’s a lifestyle movement that requires only one change – eating and drinking more green foods. Read more »

Anti-aging products are big business these days. This isn’t a new trend, but it’s an understandable one. The fact is that, statistically, we’re living longer than ever. Unfortunately, we’re not necessarily living healthier. It’s nearly impossible to avoid the ubiquitous toxic elements present in the environment. In addition, most studies tell us that psychological angst and stress levels are on the rise. But, no need to despair. We simply need to understand which lifestyle choices promote longevity and focus on making them a bigger part of our daily routine. One practical way to do this is to regularly drink (or supplement with) green or white tea. Read more »

Leukemia is a form of cancer that effects bone marrow, the soft tissue inside the bones that produces blood cells. People with leukemia manufacture large amounts of abnormal white blood cells (leukemia cells). These cells differ from standard white blood cells, which the body uses to combat infections. Leukemia cells overpopulate the marrow, and thereby limit the space in which normal blood cells would typically reside. These changes can lead to anemia, bleeding problems, increased risk of infection, pain and swelling in the lymph nodes and beyond, if the leukemia cells spread.
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Hair loss and thinning hair are common problems in both men and women. We’ve known for some time that male pattern baldness is largely due to genetics and a hormonal process that typically accompanies aging. But, the American Academy of Dermatology estimates that approximately 30 million women in the USA are also dealing with some form of alopecia.

Currently, there are several conventional options for dealing with hair loss in both sexes. The choices range from over-the-counter topical treatments such as Minoxidil (Rogaine) to prescription medications like Finasteride (Propecia) and in some instances, surgical options and hair transplantation.
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It’s not always easy to adopt new healthy habits. Sometimes we read about the benefits of a natural food or remedy and start implementing it. But, over time, it’s easy to become lax. Eventually the new healthy practice fades away. Part of the reason may be that we need reminders about why it’s important to be vigilant in our pursuit of wellness through the use of natural approaches.

Green tea is one example that fits into this category. It’s like a really good friend that lives thousands of miles away. The benefits of tea are always there for the taking, but are often neglected. Fortunately the scientific community continues to scatter reminders throughout medical journals that can help rekindle interest in this extraordinary tonic. It’s no accident that green tea is one of the most popular and historically significant beverages in human history.
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One of the first things you notice about someone is their smile. It gives you an indication about their mood, personality and quite frankly, their hygiene. But even more importantly, the mouth is the gateway to good nutrition. If we can’t chew properly, then we can’t fully digest our food. Modern science is also building case for the connection between poor periodontal (gum) health and heart disease. So it’s more important than ever to practice good oral care. In today’s blog, I’m going to share some information that can help keep gums and teeth in prime shape. Read more »