Health Information
Understanding the Opioid Epidemic
By Dr. Mercola According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 115 Americans, on average, die of an opioid overdose every day.1 The increasing use of opioid painkillers and the rampant rates of addiction to them have become a social issue that transcends all geographic and socioeconomic boundaries. Drug overdoses now affect people of every age, gender and ethnicity. “Understanding the Opioid Epidemic” is a one-hour PBS documentary designed to highlight some of the issues surrounding the disturbing rates of use and...
read moreFind Out Why Black Seed Oil Has Stood the Test of Time
The use of medicinal plants to help treat various diseases is a practice that’s as old as mankind. For example, the Egyptian medical book known as the Ebers Papyrus, written in 1550 B.C., details the use of 700 different plant species for therapeutic purposes. Mentioned plants include pomegranate, garlic, willow, coriander, juniper and onion. During the seventh century, Slavic people used cucumber, nettle and yarrow to help fight against various insect bites.1 Another example that has stood the test of time is black seed, which comes from the...
read moreIs a Humidifier Good for Your Health?
By Dr. Mercola Humidity is the amount of water droplets suspended in the air and is an important variable for your health. It is generally recommended to keep your relative indoor humidity between 40 percent and 60 percent. Relative humidity describes how much water vapor is in the air, compared to how much there potentially could be.1 When the temperature of the air is warmer, greater amounts of water vapor may be present than when the air is cold. While most people find a relative humidity in this range most comfortable, mite populations...
read moreA Curious Reason to Wash Your Hands
By Dr. Mercola Hand-washing is a simple and effective way to reduce your exposure to disease-causing germs, thereby lessening your chances of getting sick. Regular hand-washing may also reduce the risk associated with chemical exposures. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you may decrease your child’s exposure to flame retardant chemicals using simple hand-washing techniques.1 These chemicals are added to your furniture, insulation, construction materials and electronics to make the item less prone to burn....
read moreWhole Foods Withdraws Promise to Label GMOs
By Dr. Mercola While Whole Foods Market, founded in 1980, has been a leading retailer of organic produce in the U.S. for decades, the company has faced its share of criticism; in later years being accused of operating more like an industrial organic company rather than a local distributor of high-quality organic food. In 2007, it bought its chief rival Wild Oats — an acquisition initially challenged by the Federal Trade Commission, which said the merger violated federal antitrust laws and provided Whole Foods unilateral market power that...
read moreLymphatic Massage Helps Immune System
By Dr. Mercola Massage is often considered to be a treat reserved for special occasions, but there’s good reason to make regular massages a part of your health and fitness routine. Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles revealed that massages prompt significant physical changes in your body, including boosting your immune system, your body’s key defense against illness and disease.1 Twenty-nine lucky study participants received 45 minutes of Swedish massage, a relaxing, full-body massage, while another group received 45...
read moreMercury Fillings Leak After Medical Scan
By Dr. Mercola Ultra-high-strength magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 20171 may pose a risk to people with mercury fillings. Also known as a 7-Tesla, or 7T MRI, they offer better image quality, particularly for visualization of smaller structures and subtle pathologies, than the lower strength 1.5T MRIs found in most hospital settings. However, the strong magnets and higher magnetic field strength also carry additional risks, including to those with amalgam fillings, which are composed...
read moreNew York City to Require Flu Shots for Preschoolers and California Moves to Eliminate Vaccine Exemptions for the Poor
By Dr. Mercola Recent events again highlight the need for Americans to stand up for their right to know, and freedom to choose, when it comes to medical risk taking. The New York Court of Appeals not only has given the nod of approval to New York City’s health department requirement that all preschoolers must get annual flu shots, but the California legislature is also moving toward eliminating the personal belief vaccine exemption for families on welfare. Aside from the loss of the human right to informed consent to medical risk...
read moreWeekly Health Quiz: Ketosis, Cannabis and Tea
1 Which of the following combinations is likely to provide the greatest improvements in overall health, based on the evidence? Intermittent fasting in combination with cyclical ketogenic diet Recent research highlights the importance of combining intermittent fasting with cyclical ketosis. While the participants lost weight on an intermittent fasting schedule, by not implementing a cyclical ketogenic diet, important disease parameters remained unimproved. Learn more. Water-only fasting cycled with a high-carb diet Intermittent fasting without...
read moreTea Tonic: Try This Ginger, Apple Cider Vinegar, Bergamot Booster
By Dr. Mercola Ginger water, apple cider vinegar and bergamot oil are all known for their health benefits, so what could be better than combining them all into a tasty tea tonic that can be consumed hot or cold? A simple recipe to try is as follows: Ingredients: 1 cup filtered water 1 heaping tablespoon freshly grated ginger root 2 to 3 drops bergamot oil 1 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar Instructions: Add freshly grated ginger to boiling water (1 tablespoon per cup) and steep for five to 10 minutes. The longer it steeps, the stronger...
read moreCoffee Is Good for Your Heart
By Dr. Mercola Coffee has been identified over recent years as having several health benefits, including lowering the risks of some of the most serious and common diseases, such as stroke, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Scientists haven’t always been able to pinpoint the mechanisms for the beneficial and protective aspects of coffee, but new information has come to light, according to a study published in PLOS Biology.1 Conducted by researchers with Heinrich Heine University and the IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental...
read moreWhy Macadamias, Pecans and Walnuts Should Be on Your Shopping List
By Dr. Mercola While many consider nuts to be nothing more than a snack food, there are several healthy reasons you should considering eating certain nuts a little more often. Three tree nuts I highly recommend are macadamias, pecans and walnuts. Because macadamias and pecans have high fat and low protein and carb levels, they are superior choices, particularly if you eat a ketogenic diet. Walnuts, while slightly less ideal than macadamia and pecans due to their higher protein and carb content, are also an excellent choice mainly because new...
read moreA Critical Look at ‘The China Study’ and Other Diet Plans
By Dr. Mercola Denise Minger is perhaps most noted for her comprehensive rebuttal of “The China Study” some eight years ago. She’s heavily vested in the vegan versus omnivore battle, having cycled through vegetarianism and raw veganism, finally coming full circle to being an omnivore. Minger took to vegetarianism when she was just 7 years old. “I was eating steak one night at dinner and almost choked on it. I developed some kind of phobia surrounding things with meat textures and went vegetarian overnight,” she...
read moreLuscious and Creamy Keto Cacao Milkshake
Recipe From Paleohacks Milkshakes are popular refreshments, but here’s the catch: Traditional milkshakes, especially those that come from fast-food restaurants, usually contain copious amounts of pasteurized milk, refined sugar and artificial flavorings, all of which are detrimental for your well-being. Pasteurized milk is derived from cows raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), making it the perfect breeding ground for bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. Meanwhile, excessive consumption of refined sugar and artificial...
read moreIntroduction to Shin Splints: A Condition Characterized by Pain in Your Lower Legs
Your tibia, also known as the shin bone, is a long bone found between the ankle and the kneecap. It plays a very important role in your posture, movement and everyday activities because it carries the brunt of your body’s weight.1 The fibula, which is a second, thinner shin bone that acts as support for the tibia, can be found on your lower leg as well. It runs parallel to the tibia and supports the tibia in holding your weight.2 If pain develops in this entire area, you may have a condition known as shin splints. The Causes of and Risk...
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