Herbal medicine is an integral part of Chinese culture and the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine that has been used for thousands of years, and there are specific Chinese herbs used the most often. The emperor Shennong is said to have tasted 100 herbs, which allowed him to teach the Chinese people how to use…
Alopecia areata affects 2 percent of the worldwide population. And although it doesn't cause physical pain or make you feel sick, it can be a psychologically devastating disease. This autoimmune disease involves the loss of hair around the scalp, face and parts of the body. It can come on at any time, without warning. Alopecia…
If you dislike the taste of seaweed but want to add a nutritional sea vegetable into your diet, then you're in luck. Dulse, a seaweed that's gaining popularity in culinary circles, tastes like — believe it or not — bacon. Dulse has been harvested and consumed for over a thousand years, with early records of…
Most people think of bacteria within the body as a cause of getting sick or developing certain diseases, but did you know that at all times there are actually billions of beneficial bacteria present within all of us? In fact, bacteria make up the microbiome, an integral internal ecosystem that benefits gut health and the…
Have you ever had a goiter (or goitre) or known someone who has? If you aren't sure, the most noticeable sign of a goiter is a bulging in the bottom of the neck. Small to moderate-sized goiters are actually relatively common in the U.S., and they can happen to people of all ages. For some people,…
The hypothalamus is an essential part of the human brain and is often considered the “control center” for most hormones. Its working relationship with the pituitary gland as well as the adrenal glands affects our nervous systems as well as our endocrine systems. What does the hypothalamus do exactly? For starters, it plays a part…
If you’re dealing with frustrating or debilitating autoimmune symptoms — like profound fatigue, aches and pain, numbness and tingling or brain fog — you know how they wreak havoc on your life. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Many people, including me, have healed completely after devastating autoimmune diagnoses. You may be wondering…
Subclinical hypothyroidism — which affects between an estimated 3 to 8 percent of the population, especially women and older adults — can be the cause of symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety and poor memory. Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is considered a type of "mild thyroid failure," and in some cases is an early form of hypothyroidism.…
Thyroid problems can affect anyone of any age from infancy to the latest years of life. According to the American Thyroid Association, over 12 percent of the U.S. population will develop a thyroid condition at some point. Currently, an estimated 20 million Americans have a form of thyroid disease and as many as 60 percent of those…
Thyroid nodules are the most common disorder involving the endocrine system, but when you feel a lump in your throat or it's detected during a routine physical exam, it's normal to feel worried. Although thyroid nodules may seem scary, about 90–95 percent of them are non-cancerous growths that develop in an otherwise normal thyroid gland.…
