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When you first start eating a healthy diet, you feel fantastic. You have more energy. Maybe you even resolve long-standing health issues. But despite the amazing benefits (or perhaps because of them), healthy eating can easily become an obsession. This obsession even has a name — and it’s considered an eating disorder.

Jim was a patient of mine years back. He had come to me for holistic advice on heart health. His doctors were recommending statins to control his cholesterol. When Jim came to see me later in the year, I was struck by his decline. That’s when we discussed easing him off drugs and starting a recovery program…

Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s. Its causes and risk factors are different from AD, its symptoms show up differently, and it’s much more under our control. Symptoms of vascular dementia can vary. Here’s what to watch for and how to identify your risk…

Because obesity is a factor in so many health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer, it’s estimated that the extra weight Americans carry is responsible for one in five deaths. But a compound found in a certain green fruit could help not only kick obesity to the curb but diabetes with it!

I recently read about a U.S. Army veteran who went through years of misdiagnosis and was even accused of faking his health problems by the Army before finding chronic lead poisoning was making him so ill. I’d like to share his story with you and new findings about lead and heart disease…

Getting back in shape after you’ve let your physical fitness slide for years (or decades) isn’t easy. But if you can break through the wall of negative thoughts and get your butt moving, you’ll find some pretty amazing benefits waiting for you. And the older and more out of shape you are, the better these benefits are.

Menopause symptoms can be miserable. Some women turn to hormone replacement therapy (HRT). But a lot of women don’t feel comfortable with the potential side effects, including a higher breast cancer risk. So, what else can you do? Check out herbs that work just as well…

As you get older, your brain ages with the rest of the body. If you want to keep a better-working brain, here are seven steps you can take to keep your wits about you as you grow older.

Lung cancer is an incredibly scary disease… Not only is it the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women — beating out colon, prostate, ovarian and breast cancers combined — it’s also very sneaky, generally showing no symptoms until it has reached an advanced stage.

This time of year, I start wondering what flu season is going to be like. So I started digging and found my answer: a report from Harvard Medical School confirmed my worst suspicion. In fact, they say that we are likely to have an “active and possibly severe flu season.” Let’s get ready to beat this…

If you’re a smoker who’s tried to quit, you know it’s a hard addiction to fight. But what if you only smoke “once in a while?” Are you safer than those pack-a-day smokers? Well, reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke daily may be the first step to quitting entirely, but you’re far from out of the woods…

You’ve probably heard that trans fat is the unhealthiest kind of fat you can eat. It increases your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. In fact, they’re so bad they were banned… but you’ll be surprised to learn you may still be eating them and they could increase dementia risk by 50 percent…

The keto diet is a big thing these days. No wonder, since it’s been shown to have the potential to boost weight loss, improve heart health and brain function, and maybe even reduce the risk of cancer. But not everyone should just jump into the keto diet headfirst…

Living with diabetes puts you at greater risk of infection, including skin and respiratory infections. Why? High blood sugar weakens your immune system, leaving you a wide-open target for infectious bacteria. That means you must be vigilant about more than your blood sugar. You must know these signs of infection…

You may know that hypertension in middle age is also associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s later in life. Long-term blood pressure damages vessels in the brain creating “white matter lesions” which can be seen on brain scans. But the good news is that this damage can be reversed…

Once you turn 50, things in your body start to change. We expect some changes in appearance and abilities, but a few of these are just plain weird. If you know they’re coming, you’ll be better prepared for them. You may not be able to reverse them, but there are ways you can continue to feel like yourself and enjoy what’s to come.

For a long time, healthy living and coffee drinking were at odds. But by and large, the perspective on coffee and health has changed a lot in the past 20 years. Why? Because science keeps proving that coffee is good for you. Case in point: A recent study shows coffee brews better gut bacteria…

In 2018, there was a big hullabaloo about the heart health benefits of fish oil. The major news outlets reported on a research review of existing clinical trials on the heart health benefits of fish oil — and found that there really weren’t any. But a bigger, better and higher quality review has all those naysayers eating crow.

There’s been a lot of talk over the last decade about so-called superfoods that have the power to ward off disease, slow aging, and help you stay healthier and more active longer. But one of the really super ones is a drink — tea. And now we know more about its amazing effects on the brain…

You’ve probably read about the benefits of drinking red wine. As long as you stick to a glass or two a day, you can get those protective benefits. However, there are certain times when drinking wine, or any other alcoholic beverage, will do more harm than good. Here are three everyone should be aware of…

It’s no secret that vegetables are good for your health… but exactly which are the best vegetables for your heart health — and why are they so beneficial? No worries… here are some rules to follow when cruising the grocery aisles.

As we get older, exercise becomes even more important than it was in our 20s and 30s. The tough part is that our bodies won’t, or shouldn’t, do the same things they did decades ago. We have to be more selective about the type of exercise we engage in.

Say you start taking a new blood pressure medication and suddenly feel nauseous and dizziness all the time. What would you do? Probably call your doctor. But if you’re suddenly feeling down or anxious, you may not immediately connect it to your blood pressure medication. Especially, if no one warned you…

We’ve all heard high blood pressure called the “silent killer.” And, unfortunately, I’ve seen how deadly it can be in my own family. But, sometimes, it’s not just the hypertension you have to worry about… Two common factors can compound the threat to triple the risk of cardiovascular death.

It’s easy to get conflicted about the importance of vitamins, especially when the mainstream tells us there’s no reason to supplement. But then a 20-year study comes out that proves for some, like diabetics, a simple deficiency could quadruple the risk of death from disease complications…

Since I took a prolonged course of heavy-duty antibiotics several years ago, my gut has never been the same. Acid reflux, IBS — I’ve had all sorts of problems that impacted how I Iive my life. So I was excited to find a recent study revealed a diet that can improve gut health… even after it’s gone seriously awry.

With the season’s falling temperatures comes an increased risk for upper respiratory infections… If you find yourself coughing, sneezing or wheezing anytime soon and your doctor places an antibiotic prescription in your hands, make sure you’re not trading an infection for a heart problem…

It’s no exaggeration to say that Vitamin B12 is crucial to life. B12 helps make red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body. It also creates and regulates DNA. B12 is essential for proper nerve function. So a deficiency can leave you wide open for serious problems. Here’s how to avoid them…

Before the widespread use of modern-day antibiotics in the 1960s, honey was used around the world as a wound dressing. It’s antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties made it the perfect substance for treating wounds and skin infections.

As winter comes on, there’s good news for those of us who enjoy the occasional glass of wine, or even a nightly drink before dinner. Apparently, wine contains powerful antibacterial agents that could keep you clear of a sore throat and maybe even improve the results of your next dental visit…

In your younger days it seemed important to boost muscle growth for larger, defined muscles. But after 40, it’s more important to exercise your muscles just to keep from losing them. And there’s one exercise that can produce big results…

Summer is one of the most rewarding seasons. But as your appetite for adventure increases, so does your risk for a number of health issues. Here are some common warm weather hazards to look out for, and the best ways to keep them from ruining your summer…

How do we develop and benefit from gratitude as a habit in our lives? Here are 5 proven practices that net amazing results in the hearts and minds of those who practice them..

If there’s one constant about viruses, they’re constant. Always there, usually always mutating to infect us in harsher ways and always striking when you least expect it. That’s why prevention makes sense…

Patients often ask why they’re gaining weight. If you’re eating reasonably and getting some exercise, you have to dig deeper, because there are hundreds of factors that contribute to unwanted weight gain. Here’s how to tackle them…

Ghee is 100 percent butterfat. Butter contains primarily butterfat, but also milk proteins and water. It has a nutty flavor and lots of people consider it a superfood. When you see the benefits, you may too…

Before I provide any diet advice, you can rest assured I’ve researched it, followed it, and experienced the effects of it. And that’s what I’ll share. The rest is up to you.

Your shoulders are such a necessary part of daily life. But over the years they become tight, injured, and immobile. Luckily, there is a simple exercise you can do at home that can keep the shoulders loose and mobile, or return them to that place.

There are many criticisms of the paleo diet and they all overlook a simple fact: It is not meant to exactly replicate what our ancestors ate. Instead, it is meant to take the general concepts and apply them to our modern food supply, in an effort to reverse the epidemic of chronic diseases.

Even though the symptoms of an enlarged prostate (aka benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) are not life-threatening, they can put a significant cramp in your lifestyle. And who needs that?

Good metabolism doesn’t mean you don’t gain weight, it means you feel good every day, have plenty of energy for daily activities and are in good overall health. But watch out for these 8 things that drag it down…

Most modern warm-up exercises only focus on the muscles and joints. But this ancient exercise of simple stretches can relax your body, stretch your muscles, elongate your spine and invigorate your energy.

Oats are also a great food if you’re trying to eat less. The fiber content can help you feel fuller longer so maybe you’ll snack less between breakfast and lunchtime.

You already know that alcohol can have dire consequences on your health. But how bad is it really? Until now that hasn’t been completely clear. But if you’re looking for a concrete answer about the impact of a cocktail or two, you finally have it.

How often do you tell yourself that you don’t have enough time to do important things for yourself, like eating healthy or meditating? You’re not alone. It seems like we’re all high on healthy aspirations but low on time. Here’s how to do two at once…

It’s a tough world out there, and often the things that seem to be beneficial on the outside are insidiously chipping away at your health on the inside. You don’t even realize how they are changing your relationship with beneficial microorganisms and actually weakening your immune system.

Omega-3 fatty acids aren’t just important to your health, they’re essential. In fact, the impact omega-3 fatty acids have on your body is nothing short of miraculous. And if you take your omega-3 intake seriously, your health will thrive…

Having a healthy long life may just be a matter of consuming the right foods.With that one change, you can lower blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol and reduce the burden on your cardio system. Get started with this list…

There’s no doubt that a satisfying sex life not only makes you happier and less stressed, but it also lowers your blood pressure, boosts your immune system and reduces your risk of heart disease. Make it work better for you…

As a doctor who only wants to relieve my patients’ suffering, it can be frustrating working at getting to the root cause of an allergy — especially one causing chronic health issues.

If you eat without thinking about what you’re eating, you’re missing out on an unsurpassed chance to improve your well-being. Functional foods are just that: foods that can help your body function at its best. If you’re not eating these, you’re starving your body of the nutrients it needs to be healthy.

Curry is not only tasty, but is also reported to have medicinal properties. Used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine, it contains turmeric, a root known as a potent anti-tumor agent.

Gratitude begins with a thought. If believed, it grows into that wonderful feeling of “well-being” that begets balance and wholeness in the entire body. The really good news is that you can experience gratitude whenever you wish…

In the U.S. alone, more than 60,000 chemicals are used in industry, agriculture and household products, none of which require real safety testing. Despite their widespread use, these chemicals pose real harm, and none of us are immune…

If you only turn to cranberries for bladder help, you’re missing out. The benefits of this underrated berry are so great, researchers believe they are just beginning to understand the superpowers cranberries can bestow on the human body.

You already know it can help you lose weight. But calorie restriction has some amazing health-boosting benefits that go far beyond your waistline. And this common-sense trick will give you the will power to reap them all…

Interstitial cystitis can seem like a chronic urinary tract infection. But unlike a UTI, no bacterial infection is present. All the other annoying symptoms are however, especially the frequent and often painful urination…

Would you give up one snack a day if it meant you could live a disease-free life? Because that could be all that’s standing between you and the ticking cancer-causing time bomb in your body…

Remember the ephedrine weight loss craze of the 90s? Since it was natural it had to be safe right? Wrong. Fortunately another natural compound has come forward that may give dieters the fat-burning boost they’re looking for with no ill effects.

When planning your meals, if you follow a specific diet, sometimes it seems easier to determine what you shouldn’t be eating than what to include. But one thing I’ve learned is to be a little skeptical about the food advice you find online.