Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is a group of genetic disorders that cause loose joints and skin. The condition can also affect tissue, organs, bones and blood vessels. There are 13 types of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and the condition can greatly range in severity from person to person even among the same subtype. Once a formal diagnosis is known,…
Osteogenesis imperfecta is a genetic condition that causes the bones to break easily. It is also known as “brittle bone disease.” The condition can range from mild to severe. It is fairly rare and thankfully people with this condition heal normally. The disease may affect as many as 50,000 people in the United States. (1)…
For years we’ve heard about the health benefits of eating eggs. Eggs are a cheap, versatile source of protein, and we’ve scrambled, poached, baked and whipped them into everything from soups to custards. But what about the eggshell? Studies suggest that we may be missing out on a valuable source of calcium when we toss…
If you've heard about the opioid epidemic — which is one of the major contributors to the deaths of despair we're seeing today — but haven't had it personally affect you in any way, take a look at this recent study. It found that fentanyl was detected in the toxicology reports of nearly two-thirds of the 196 people…
Sjögren's syndrome is one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases in the United States, affecting an estimated 7,000,000 people, with only 4,000,000 of those being diagnosed. While it primarily affects the salivary glands and tear ducts, it can also affect other cells and tissues in the body. (1) The vast majority of cases are women,…
Elemental is defined as "primary or basic, related to or embodying the powers of nature." The elemental diet is a medical dietary strategy that uses very simple food solutions to provide essential nutrients, without adding a lot of stress to someone's already-overloaded digestive system. Variations of the elemental diet have been used safely by doctors since…
With the new year comes a host of health-related resolutions: exercise more frequently, perhaps cut out unhealthy ingredients like artificial sweeteners or maybe even reduce screen time and nomophobia. There’s one resolution, however, that’s often overlooked, can have a direct impact on your health and is easy to do: cook more at home! In fact,…
The vast majority of adults have been "on a diet" at some point in their lives, usually with the hopes of losing extra weight. One look into the plethora of diet advice and dietary plans available today, and it's easy to feel instantly overwhelmed by information, much of which is contradictory. From diet pills to…
Your skin is a very complex organ and its appearance has the power to express a lot about your overall health. In fact, your skin is the biggest and heaviest organ of your entire body. It provides protection and structure for your veins, tissue, other organs and bones. It’s not only those of us who…
I had been a professional food writer — as in, it was literally my job to eat my way around the world, reporting on the most delicious foods for magazines — for half a decade, and a bona fide food lover for 25 years before my “iron stomach” began to fail me. It started with…
