In today’s culture, muscle is frequently regarded as a characteristic of one’s appearance. However, if you describe muscle using the technical term “lean body mass”, the idea of toned bodies tends to exit the picture. Lean body mass (LBM) is often mentioned as a measure of weight gain or loss in scientific studies. For instance, weight loss trials commonly note the total amount of weight lost and the percentage of body fat and LBM loss. Naturally, in overweight individuals, it’s preferable to lose a significant percentage of excess body fat. At the same time, the goal is to preserve as much lean body mass as possible. The preservation of LBM becomes even more important as we age. Even in the absence of intended weight loss, older adults tend to lose muscle and strength as a “normal” part of the aging process. In some instances, age-related muscle and strength loss is even more pronounced and is classified as sarcopenia. This is of great importance because seniors diagnosed with sarcopenia are at greater risk of falls, fractures and a general decline in overall health and independence.

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Very few health conditions are brought about by genetic factors alone. Some people may be prone to elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity or type 2 diabetes. But it’s extremely uncommon that such health concerns are solely influenced by a familial predisposition. More often than not these conditions are influenced by diet and lifestyle choices that are less than optimal. A pertinent analogy for this might be that genes are like a field. If you eat well, exercise regularly, practice stress reduction and supplement wisely, you will, in effect, encourage lush green plant life to grow. However, if you don’t take proper care of yourself, the field will become dry and lifeless. When ash or a spark comes drifting your way, which type of a field would you rather be? Read more »

This past year I’ve devoted a considerable amount of time establishing a presence on Twitter – the premiere social networking website on the Internet. I find that it’s a good way to stay in touch with like-minded people and it also allows me to supplement the more in depth columns I post here with a form of mini or micro blogging. All told, I’m able to reach a wider audience in a format that suits the time constraints that are common in modern life. Another benefit of immersing myself in Twitter is that I’ve learned a great deal from the messages or tweets posted by numerous health experts and non-professionals alike. Here are some of the latest examples that I found interesting.
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This past weekend was a little different than most. Instead of spending it with family or friends, I took a little road trip to Anaheim, California – probably best known as the home of the Angels baseball team and Disneyland. But, my destination was neither a sporting event nor “the happiest place on Earth”. Rather, I was on a mission that would take me deep into the heart of the natural product industry. March 12th through the 14th marked the 30th annual Natural Products Expo West/Supply Expo. I was there along with approximately 56,000 other members of the natural health industry. This is my first report from the field. Read more »

The medicinal portions of plants and trees can come from bark, flowers, leaves and even the rhizomes or roots. There’s a sort of pragmatic beauty in nature. Many of the therapeutic components of plants are parts that humans typically don’t eat. After all, how many of us have snacked on the inner bark of a French maritime pine tree or ordered a fillet of salmon with a side of wilted ginkgo or gotu kola leaves? There are however certain exceptions to this rule. Green tea and turmeric are perhaps two of the highest profile examples of this phenomenon.
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Welcome to my first blog entry. Let’s get this show on the road!

There was a recent review in the journal Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (try saying that ten times fast!) that provides a scientific overview of the benefits of laughing regularly. Laughter and science? You betcha.

So, what are some of the documented medical benefits of “laughter therapy”? Read more »