Almost all of us go out of the way to avoid harmful toxins and poisons: We wouldn’t leave bleach near a toddler, for instance, and most of know about the dangers of Monsanto Roundup. But what if the toxin is something that’s quite hard to escape … and we’re consuming it unwittingly, without knowing exactly what…
Never heard of homocysteine before and wondering what causes someone to have elevated homocysteine levels? Homocysteine is a specific type of amino acid that's created in the body during metabolic processes, as opposed to consumed in food. It's produced in the body as a byproduct of methylation, the process of producing an essential protein called…
Is your skin overly sensitive to sunlight? Don't worry, you aren't a vampire. However, you may have "vampire disease," a nickname given to a form of porphyria. Porphyria is the term for a group of disorders caused from an abnormal accumulation of porphyrins in the blood, which are chemicals that normally help hemoglobin bring oxygen throughout the…
Chronic back pain is a major problem for millions of adults. It's now estimated that around 75 percent of all people will experience a period of persistent back pain at some time in their lives, and 1 percent to 2 percent will suffer from serious compression of a nerve root — and another 3 percent…
Have you heard of superbugs? No, they’re not a new horror movie franchise — they’re even more frightening. Superbugs are bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics, and when treated with the medicines, instead of being wiped out and stopping superbugs, they multiply and thrive. And these superbugs aren’t just a nuisance — they’re on the…
Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes poor sleep quality due to uncontrollable pauses in breathing, taking shallow breaths during sleep and suddenly waking up startled. During the night, someone with sleep apnea might repeatedly stop breathing up to 30 times every hour, often for very brief moments of time and without the person being…
Uterine fibroids (also called uterine leiomyomas) are extremely common. In fact, about 75 percent of women experience them at some point in their lives. (1) Ranging in size from a few millimeters, or about the size of a pea, to the size of a grapefruit, fibroids are "the most frequent indication for major gynecologic surgery," according to a report…
Wondering if your recurring digestive issues might mean you have irritable bowl syndrome (IBS)? As you'll learn, IBS symptoms vary a lot from person to person and tend to come and go with stress and other lifestyle changes. Each person's experience with IBS is a bit different, and certain symptoms often seem to be stronger or…
While the phrase, "don't be so OCD," gets thrown around in everyday conversation, many forget that it's a serious disorder that affects many more than one would think. Approximately 2–3 percent of the adult population in the U.S has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), an anxiety disorder that is characterized by unwanted fears, obsessions and beliefs that drive…
Did you know that about 6 percent to 12 percent of the adult population in the U.S. (roughly 10 million people) experiences some sort of TMJ symptoms regularly? (1) Furthermore, it’s estimated that 17.8 million workdays are lost each year due to disabling TMJ pains and lost sleep. TMJ stands for the “temporomandibular joint.” Also…
