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READEveryone knows that they should exercise. Research has clearly shown that exercise helps us live longer, happier, healthier lives. Aerobic exercise is one of the most common ways for people to get more active, but not all aerobic exercise is the same. High-intensity Interval training has completely transformed the world of sport because it is so much better than regular exercise. Here we will explain this technique and why it is so good for the body.
We can survive for weeks without food and can go days without water, but without oxygen we would not last more than five minutes. Considering how critical it is to our survival on earth, you would think that keeping it clean would be a top priority for the human race. Sadly, this is one of many things we have not yet learned.
Alois Alzheimer was a German neurologist. He described dramatic changes in memory, mood and behaviour in a female patient over a century ago. The disease that carries his name is one of the most important health problems facing our society. Dementia, which literally means the loss of one's mind, affects over 25 million people worldwide - and it is projected to increase fourfold over the next forty years. Most people live with Alzheimer's for over a decade, making it the leading cause of disability in the world.
This is an antioxidant called a carotenoid - in the same family as vitamin E and beta-carotene. But it is much more powerful than any other carotenoid.
Although genetics definitely makes some people more likely to get autoimmune diseases, they also require a trigger. Identifying potential triggers can be critically important to the long-term success of a treatment plan. The most commonly cited trigger for autoimmune disease is infection; many viruses, bacteria and parasites have been linked to autoimmune diseases.
It seems that breast cancer has taken the world by storm. Pink ribbons, fundraisers, television specials, newspaper articles everywhere have put this issue on centre stage for the modern woman. Virtually every modern woman is interested in learning as much as she can about preventing this illness. Those who have breast cancer are willing to go to great lengths to make sure that they are survivors. They are among the highest users of alternative therapies. It is important to find out which options are most likely to exceed - based on science and clinical experience.
Integrative cancer care is very controversial. Oncologists and governments are justified in their skepticism because patients are desperate and very vulnerable to any treatment that may offer hope. That being said, there are a handful of so-called 'alternative' cancer therapies with a rational scientific basis - and many are supported by human clinical trials. These approaches, when used in conjunction with conventional treatment, may improve your symptoms during treatment - and your odds of survival.
Although some people don't pay much attention to what they eat, if you are reading this you are likely not one of them. You know that nutrition is critically important to good health, and it affects how you feel, how you think and ultimately how well you are. This is particularly true about carbohydrates their effect on your body is more powerful than almost anything else you eat. So it is important to know your carbs.
Heart attacks and strokes are the leading causes of death in Canada and the rest of the world. For the most part, they are caused by the same problem. Although a heart attack affects the heart, it is caused by a blocked artery which has nothing to do with the heart itself. The same is true of a stroke although it damages the brain, it is caused by a blocked artery. Most efforts to improve heart health are really all about healthy blood vessels.
There is an epidemic of untreated chronic pain in Canada, and only recently have doctors begun to understand what it is and learn to recognize it. Regardless of why your pain started or where you feel it, when you have pain that persists, it becomes a separate problem.
Not very serious, but very common. There are ways to prevent them and shorten them when they strike.
There are many non-drug therapies that have been proven to improve blood sugar control in clinical trials. Although every tradition in the world has its own bag of medicinal tricks, some of the most prominent are worth mentioning. You should always monitor your blood sugar closely with your doctor when using natural diabetes therapies, because excessive lowering of blood sugar can be dangerous.
Everyone knows that exercise is good for the body. Many studies have also suggested that the more you exercise, the lower your risk of developing cancer. A very exciting body of research is now developing that takes this link one step further: if you already have cancer, exercise can improve your quality of life - and maybe even your odds of survival.
There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding about the benefits of fiber. This is because the dozens of research studies that have been published on fiber have given us mixed messages. Recently, though, a consensus seems to have emerged around a few basic facts. These make it easy to separate the wheat from the chaff.
This syndrome of muscle pain throughout the body is poorly understood by conventional medicine and there is little drug treatment available. This is because every patient reaches this endpoint from a different path of dysfunction. Many of our patients approve when we address the underlying causes and help with a combined approach of natural therapies.
Over the course of several years, I have heard a few people briefly mention fluoride. Their comments suggested that fluoride should never have been put in our water supply, and that there was some kind of conspiracy involved. I recalled the film in which Dr Strangelove said the communists had put fluoride in our water, but I did not pay it much attention. I just made a mental note to look into it myself when I had the chance.
As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. A huge amount of research has been done on diet and cancer risk, and it paints a very clear picture. Studies have consistently shown that over 70% of all cancers are caused by diet and lifestyle. This is much more important than inherited risk factors that come from DNA; they are only responsible for about 15% of cancers. This is important information for people who have already been diagnosed with cancer. If you have cancer, eating foods that fight cancer is a sensible way to help your body and improve your odds.
Gallstone attacks hurt. Prevention is the best medicine - and here's some good science to back it up.
Cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma are some of the more common problems that plague the aging eye. While technology has made modern ophthalmology a truly impressive discipline, there are alternatives to drugs and surgery that are definitely worth considering - because they work.
Almost everyone has experienced heartburn. It can feel like a dull ache, a steady burning or even a sharp pain that can be very uncomfortable. Twenty percent of the population regularly gets heartburn symptoms1, and they can be more than just a nuisance. It can be dangerous; people with severe reflux have are 40 times more likely to develop cancer of the esophagus.2 It can also be frightening - emergency rooms around the world are very familiar with heartburn that can mimic a heart attack.
High Blood Pressure – or hypertension – is one of the most common medical conditions in the western world. If you don’t have it, you probably know someone who does. It is one of the most underdiagnosed and misunderstood chronic diseases of aging – which is a shame, considering how common it is. Although lowering blood pressure with medication is very important and saves lives, it may be possible to correct the cause of the problem. What is more, there are many ways to lower blood pressure naturally.
It is estimated that these disorders affect 170,000 Canadians. Their impact on everyday living is major and the health problems they can cause are serious. Although there are differences between the two, they share a lot in common and are likely related. The basic problem in both is that the immune system has gone awry, and begins to attack the tissues lining the intestine itself. This is why they are called autoimmune diseases.
It is estimated that these disorders affect 170,000 Canadians. Their impact on everyday living is major and the health problems they can cause are serious. Although there are differences between the two, they share a lot in common and are likely related. The basic problem in both is that the immune system has gone awry, and begins to attack the tissues lining the intestine itself. This is why they are called autoimmune diseases.
Most people who are given a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome - or IBS - eventually become frustrated. Given enough time, their doctors usually become frustrated too. That is because IBS is not really a disease at all. It is a label given to people who don't feel well but don't seem to have anything wrong with them.
You probably did not know much about lead until Chinese toys made headlines. This metal is in more than just toys – it is in most of our bodies. It is so toxic to the heart, kidneys, brain and blood vessels that there is no safe amount of lead in the body. Even small amounts of lead have been shown to lower IQ, raise blood pressure and may cause a host of other health problems. The good news is that there is a way to remove it.
To many people, the liver is a mystery. You may not be sure exactly what it does, but if you have a problem with your liver, you should definitely not ignore it. There is a frightening epidemic of liver disease taking place - it is absolutely stunning in scope and it has grown at an unprecedented rate. Eventually this will be making headlines, but in the meantime it is important for you to understand what is going on and what you can do about it.
Low-dose naltrexone has been used by a growing number of physicians in the treatment of cancer. By increasing endorphin levels in the body, naltrexone affects the immune system, and this is an important in many kinds of cancer.
Sperm counts are falling. This should be a concern to us all, but it is a more immediate problem if you are trying to have children. Many couples who have trouble getting pregnant are not sure what to do about it. A great deal of emotional stress can be created by issues of blame, conflicting values and uncertainty about what is going wrong and what to do about it. Infertility is much easier to identify in men than in women, and it is possible to treat it simply and safely.
The beneficial effects of melatonin have been known to some physicians for many years, but research evidence for this fascinating hormone is relatively new.
The Ancient Greeks called it hydrargyros, meaning silver water. It comes from cinnabar, an elemental part of the Earth’s crust that was used to adorn the tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs in 2000 B.C. – and in cave paintings for thousands of years before that. The healing traditions of India and China used it as a potent medicine for infections, skin wounds and many other illnesses. The idea that mercury could be dangerous is relatively new.
If you suffer from migraine headaches, you have had to learn to be strong. They can be so debilitating for some people that normal life becomes impossible. The word migraine comes from the French for "half the head", because they are usually one-sided. They are extremely common; it is estimated that they affect 18% of the population and cost society billions of dollars every year in medical care and lost productivity.
Everyone knows that our bones get weaker as we get older. There is no shortage of information out there about the risks of osteoporosis but there is more to the message. Most people at risk have already taken some steps towards keeping their bones healthy and to prevent osteoporosis, but very few people are getting the best protection they can. There are some important risks that have not yet gotten much attention from the media. One of the most important of these is Vitamin K.
This illness is named after James Parkinson, a British physician who described the shaking or tremor that is classically seen in patients with the disease. Parkinson's affects a part of the brain called the substantia nigra, and it destroys neurons that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine. Unfortunately, up to 80% of these neurons are gone by the time symptoms appear. It can be a very discouraging diagnosis, but a few therapies have been generating a lot of excitement among integrative neurologists.
Many people don’t like the gym. They don’t like the testosterone, the attitude, the spandex or the whole idea of artificial exercise. It seems much healthier to go for a walk in the woods or just go for a run. For millions of years, although we have had to use our muscles in order to survive, our ancestors never really lifted weights. All of this is true, it is clear that lifting weights has very powerful effects on our bodies that no other form of exercise can do.
Organic food is better. People in the organic movement have long believed this passionately, and research is starting to prove them right. While most government and health experts will agree that it matters what kind of food you eat, it also matters how that food was grown. Food that is grown without industrial fertilizers and pesticides is more nutritious and contains fewer toxins. More and more research is demonstrating that organically grown food affects our health and the health of our environment. As the industry becomes more organized, it is becoming easier to get organic food you can trust.
There has been a lot of talk about vitamin D in the news lately – and the talk is all about cancer. A large study from Nebraska recently found that women who took vitamin D for four years got 77% fewer cancers. This breathtaking finding could point to a huge potential problem, since up to 97% of Canadians do not get enough vitamin D for at least part of the year. Cancer is not the only health problem that might result from not enough vitamin D.