Researchers believe that humans, and many other animal species, too, developed the capacity to produce ketones (or ketone bodies) in order to prolong survival during periods of caloric deprivation. (1) Ketones are beneficial for our muscles, brains and other tissues during times of stress — such as when we're intentionally restricting calories because we're fasting,…
Pepsin is considered one of the main digestive enzymes that humans (and many other animals) produce. When is comes to digestive/gut health, what is pepsin needed for? It is essential for us to properly digest the proteins found in the foods we eat. In addition, it helps with functions like nutrient absorption and protection against allergies, yeast…
It happens naturally by our bodies every day — protease in our digestive system, like trypsin, work to break down proteins. Perhaps this sounds like a simple task, but it's actually a multifaceted process called proteolysis. This important process requires trypsin, a proteolytic enzyme that's released by the pancreas and works to break long protein chains…
When someone has low white blood cells present in their blood, this makes them very vulnerable to developing infections, viruses and other illnesses. Leukopenia, or a low white blood cell count, can be the result of a wide range of health problems — for example, aplastic anemia, radiation or chemotherapy, leukemia, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, influenza, tuberculosis or…
The claims are quite bold to be sure: "Lipozene can help you lose weight without ever changing your diet or exercising, and customers can’t stop raving about how great it works in their Lipozene reviews." As you know, I’m not a huge fan of “miracle” supplements, even a fiber supplement, that make grandiose claims and…
Experiencing vaginal burning is a relatively common experience. Sometimes the cause is nothing too alarming and it can clear up quickly, while other times it could be indicative of an infection or something more serious that definitely needs treatment stat! I'm about to cover a lot of questions you may have if you're currently experiencing…
Pickles are great, as long as you don’t find yourself in one! All jokes aside, just what are pickles? They're usually made from cucumbers and a brine of water, vinegar, salt, and dill weed or dill oil. They're commonly found as kosher dill and hamburger dill, though sweet dill is a common southern treat. However, I'm focusing…
Dysuria is the term used to identify pain when urinating. While more common in women, men and women of any age can experience painful urination. It is most often caused by some sort of an infection like a urinary tract infection (UTI) or a sexually transmitted disease (STD), but it can also be the sign…
Do you currently have a lump on your body that feels doughy and moves easily when you touch it? If your answer is "yes," then you may already be familiar with lipomas. They are actually pretty common with approximately 1 in 100 people experiencing a lipoma at some point in their lives. Most of the…
Have you ever heard of the mask of pregnancy? It refers to a skin condition that's triggered by hormonal changes and develops around your forehead, lips, nose and cheekbones. It's actually common for pregnant women to develop dark, blotchy spots on their face — a condition known as chloasma or melasma. Changing hormone levels stimulate…
