Latest Stories

We all get aches and pains, but when it’s your chest we’re talking about… well, that’s always concerning. Could it be heartburn or something serious? The body’s signals can be confusing, but when the signal comes from your chest, the stakes are too high to ignore. How do you know when to seek medical attention?

My mom and I are so similar it’s almost scary. We like the same foods. We share a lot of the same hobbies and mannerisms. We’re a true testament to the power of genes. But there’s at least one area where we’re opposites. Mom’s a slow eater and research shows if I don’t change my ways, I’ll be paying for it…

It’s that time of year again. Over 900,000 Americans get pneumonia every year, usually following a cold or flu bug. And it looks like a lot of those cases could be avoided. In fact, researchers have recently found just how important this one element is in your diet for fighting off pneumonia-causing bacteria…

It’s a moment most of us dread… You bend down to put on a sock, pick up a bar of soap, pet your dog, get into a yoga pose and — youch! — your lower back spasms. Suddenly, you can’t stand up straight. So, you’re out of commission for days, again! What can you do to find real relief from low back pain?

While you can’t change your chronological age, it is now proven that your biological age is influenced by your testosterone and estradiol levels. That’s according to newer studies which measure correlations between these hormone levels and chromosomal telomeres. First let me explain about telomeres and their important relationship to biological age…

We’ve all experienced a stressful event in our lives where we were completely overwhelmed. Our hearts beat faster, our hands started shaking and the world seems to close in around us. But then things got better… or did they?

Balanced blood sugar isn’t just about eliminating foods. It’s also about adding foods that help your body process sugar better. If you’re looking for a few blood sugar-friendly options to add to your grocery list this week, try these five foods.

Raise your hand if you’ve had a medical scan in the past year? We’re lucky to have technology like CTs, MRIs and X-rays. They let us see inside our bodies to figure out what’s wrong… and potentially save our lives. But you know the saying “too much of a good thing”? That applies to medical scans too…

Beyond genetics, most doctors look at your risk of dementia as a crapshoot. But the more research uncovers about its causes, the more you can do to prevent it. That’s why a new study out of Michigan State University was so interesting since it found a significant link between relationship status and dementia risk.

Beta cells are the cells in your pancreas that produce insulin. Your body uses this insulin to manage blood sugar. People with type 2 diabetes have beta cells that don’t produce enough insulin. But based on this latest study, ginkgo biloba could fix that…

Some experts say fasting is great, not only for weight loss but also to enhance overall health. But how do you choose the right technique for you? If weight loss, longevity and avoiding disease are your goals, a study found some pretty amazing results that may give you the answer you need…

Hemorrhagic strokes (bleeding on the brain) are more difficult to treat and more likely to be deadly. Sounds pretty scary. But things got even scarier when news of a study came out warning of a two-fold increase in the risk of these strokes in women with low LDL cholesterol levels. Should you be concerned?

Look at any web article on heart disease or any health-related magazine on the shelf at your local grocery store and you’ll find recommendation upon recommendation for the type of diet you should eat to keep your heart healthy. That’s why you may be surprised at what they found about the top three…

Kombucha. Keifer. Bone broth. There are plenty of drinks that encourage good bacteria to throw a party in your gut. There are also plenty of drinks that cause bad bacteria to crash that party: Soda. Diet drinks. Juices. And alcohol, which causes an unhealthy imbalance in your microbiome. But wait a sec…

Exercising is one of the best ways to lower your blood pressure. In fact, getting more exercise can lower your systolic blood pressure as much as some medications. That’s empowering. But before you rest all your hopes of taming your blood pressure on your exercise regimen, you need to know…

We all know that one person who eats Taco Bell every day for lunch and TombStone frozen pizza every night, but still wears a size two skinny jean. Or that person whose idea of a diet is ordering a Filet-O-Fish instead of a Big Mac, so they get fewer calories. But eating like this could steal something from you…

Despite all our technological and medical advancements, Lyme disease isn’t being diagnosed accurately and efficiently. It takes a few weeks, leaving people untreated and at higher risk of long-term consequences. But a new diagnostic tool is in the works that could prevent all that unnecessary suffering…

Flu season is just around the corner and you know what that means, right? Soon everyone around you is going to be coughing, sneezing and spreading those virulent germs. Not at my house — if I can help it! We’ve already amped up immune-boosting efforts, starting with some essential immune-boosting supplements…

Sometimes warnings to live healthier just aren’t enough to give us the kick in the pants we need to change our habits. Now though, there’s a new warning for everyone who is overweight or obese that just might be the wakeup call that does the trick… Especially if you have concerns about Alzheimer’s.

Most of your life, you’ve used aspirin to minimize everyday ailments… To fend off a splitting headache. To ease aching joints. To make a bad back bearable. But word on the street is, aspirin has much grander talents than that.

If you live in a major metropolitan area like New York or Los Angeles, you’d expect to pay more for many consumer goods. I found this out (in reverse) when I moved from New York City to a small town in Maine. But should the same rules apply to a blood test, MRI or even life-saving surgery?

You know those people who can sleep for a few hours a night and wake up refreshed? They roll out of bed energetic and bright-eyed after four hours of sleep and hit the ground running. And weirdly enough they escape the health-related downsides of sleep deprivation that most of us won’t. Here’s why…

If you have diabetes, you understand what a dangerous disease it is. If your blood sugar stays too high for too long, it can lead to heart disease, kidney failure, and even blindness. But, did you know that low blood sugar can be just as dangerous?

Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss for people over the age of 60. While, the medical community has known for some time that wet AMD is caused by the development of leaky blood vessels in the eye, the initial cause behind dry AMD has remained a mystery, till now.

Humans are social creatures. So it’s not surprising that people who feel isolated get sick more often. Ongoing loneliness is a very real risk factor for chronic health conditions like heart disease and stroke. These are a few reasons why breaking out of loneliness is important, but this one might matter most…

Your BMI calculates the relationship between your height and your weight to determine if you are overweight or obese. And, the medical community has increasingly used the calculation to determine whether or not you’re at risk for health issues like diabetes, metabolic syndrome and heart disease. But, what if your BMI is lying?

Even if you grow your own medicinal herbs in your five-acre backyard, get most of your medical care from a naturopath and buy your groceries from food co-ops, farmer’s markets and CSAs, you’ve probably had a dose of prescription antibiotics in the past decade or so. Here’s why it matters…

In the American Journal of Medicine, there’s talk of establishing a new sub-specialty in medicine. That’s all you need — another doctor, right? At first, it may seem like a great idea with more Americans suffering inter-related conditions, like obesity, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. But it highlights a troubling trend…

It’s no secret that the FDA is no friend to the natural supplement industry. The Agency is still going to great lengths to squeeze natural supplements right off the market, passing and manipulating laws that favor the sale of questionable drugs. But what happens when these drugs taint your supplements?

Exceptional longevity means living past 85, something my grandmas and great-grandmas achieved. Clearly, there might be something genetic happening here. But even if your family line isn’t filled with examples like these, research shows the secret to longevity may be in your mind more than your genes, diet or workout…

A, B, C, D, E, K… It may sound like a strange version of the alphabet song, but by now you probably recognize it as the list of vitamins your body needs. I want to share with you what I’ve learned about an often forgotten and misunderstood vitamin that protects the heart…

One isn’t only the loneliest number, it’s also the unhealthiest. Whether you’re alone by choice or circumstance, there’s no way around it — social isolation is bad for your health.

Antioxidants fight against the oxidative process that age the body. Otherwise, caustic substances called free radicals attack the body and wear out its organs. So unless you want to get old before your time, you need to know how to use antioxidants to keep the forces of time in check.

Prescription drugs have been seeping into your water supply for years, and now they’re even in your vegetables. You may be wondering how the heck prescription drugs make it from your neighbor’s medicine cabinet to your steamed broccoli, so let me explain: water is scarce these days…

If you love fish but also love being vibrant and healthy, this is bad news: pollutants are preventing your body’s immune system from doing its job and protecting your cells from potentially deadly diseases… like cancer. However, there’s still hope for fish-lovers….

Nobody wants to grow old and weak, yet many people assume that with advancing age, muscles are doomed to be smaller and less powerful. But studies show that with the proper lifestyle and a paleo diet, you can retain most of your strength.

The ‘incurable’ diseases are not as incurable as you think. I expected to bedridden by now due to my “incurable” disease – secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. Yet just one year later I completed an 18-mile bicycle ride with my family. How did that miraculous transformation happen?

Tai Chi is an ancient and amazing mind-body exercise and energy building practice. But you don’t have to do an entire Tai Chi session … doing only portions of it also bear excellent healthful fruit.

There is no blood test to see if you have enough … no way to know until you’re tired, muscle fatigued, lacking testosterone, have increased inflammation in your heart, or losing your hearing. Only then will you know that you’re deficient.

You’ve heard your whole life how important it is to eat your vegetables. But getting the recommended daily amount can be difficult. If you’re falling short, can supplementing with greens powder be considered a viable alternative to eating whole vegetables?

There are many benefits to the martial arts, especially the arts that focus on deep stances to train and strengthen the legs. Not only can stance training condition your legs, it also develops overall stamina, endurance, cardiovascular conditioning and spiritual fortitude.

Food, herbs and spices have been used for thousands of years for their powerful health-building and curative effects by Traditional cultures the world over. Science has helped confirm that adding spices into your daily eating habits can go a long way toward natural healing, even effective pain relief without the side effects..

Sit-ups have been the old standby of abdominal strength exercises for years, but the jury is still out on whether all those crunches are really giving you the body of your dreams. However, the classic exercise could set you up for serious injury…

If you’re looking to boost your athletic performance you could start a rigorous training schedule that includes cardio, strength training and agility exercises… or you could eat some dark chocolate.

One thing is for sure — whatever time of year you get a cold, it’s just plain uncomfortable. But whatever you do, don’t reach for over-the-counter medicines — unless you want to trade in your sore throat and stuffy nose for something much more serious. Instead…

Do you know how to choose the best omega-3 supplement for you? It’s a bad idea to just buy some “fish oil” and call it a day. You must be certain the supplement you have chosen is the safest and most beneficial product available.

Furniture, electronic devices, footwear, plastics, fabrics… even today’s processed food … They’re all in your house, they’re all man-made, and they all break down over time so that their chemicals leach out and get into you.

Whether or not you’ve traded in your bread and rice for lettuce wraps and cauliflower, there is no denying that low-carb diets have some major health benefits. This is why the low-carb craze has been going strong for years…

Have you ever considered abandoning city life for greener pastures? If you want to live longer, this might be a good idea.

Cosmeceutical creams can help rejuvenate your skin. But did you know there are anti-aging methods a doctor can employ right in the office, and some you can use at home, that can produce more immediate results?

Phthalates are bad for you — like linked to breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, asthma, endocrine disruption, attention deficit disorder (and more!) kind of bad. So you may be wondering what they’re are doing in your burger…

The more diverse your microbiome is, the easier it is for your body to resist invasive bacteria like Salmonella or Clostridium difficile. Without diversity, you’re wide open to dangerous infection. That’s where fiber comes in.

The immune system is a remarkable multi-level defense mechanism that protects you from bacteria, viruses, cancer and a host of other conditions. In a very real sense, a healthy immune system is as important to your survival as a healthy heart or liver. But how do you get there? It’s a job mushrooms are perfect for…

If you’ve ever traveled internationally or worked a second or third-shift job, you know that when your biological clock is out of whack, your whole body suffers.

Antibacterial soap has a dirty little secret… it contains chemicals that increase the risk of infection, disrupt hormones, cause cancer, liver fibrosis and more. But, fortunately for you, the secret’s out.

One town is home to 300 people all over the age of 100. And for the most part, they’re free of heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease. How are they living so long — and in such apparent good health? The secret is…

With roots going back thousands of years to ancient China, it’s safe to say that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has stood the test of time. And with good reason. TCM offers an approach to health that covers every facet of your life — diet, exercise, acupuncture, massage and herbal medicine.

One of the chief objections people raise to the paleo diet centers on the fact that our food has changed irretrievably since paleo times. They don’t believe that you can eat a real paleo diet since our meats and produce aren’t identical to what was available during paleo times.

Your first line of defense for erectile problems should be natural solutions that also improve your health and energy. Here’s a must-read guide to the four top foods for supporting sexual health. Their possible side effects? Blood pressure improvements, weight loss, better heart health and a reduced risk of cancer.

I made this mistake for most of my professional career. So do nearly all my physician colleagues. My guess is that means most of you are unknowingly falling victim to it too, and that’s why I’m writing to you today.