The Benefits of the “Mediterranean Lifestyle”

Unless you’ve been living under rock, you’ve no doubt heard of the Mediterranean diet and its many benefits. Now, a study out of England is illustrating the benefits of that diet extend to a lifestyle modeled on how Mediterranean’s live may reduce the incidence of serious disease and increase potential lifespan.     The study… Continue reading The Benefits of the “Mediterranean Lifestyle”

Are Weight Loss Drugs for You?

Unless you’ve been in a self-imposed news blackout for the last year, you’ve likely read coverage about the new drugs being used—extremely successfully—for weight loss. The drug getting the most press is semaglutide, marketed under the brand names Wegovy and Ozempic. (A similar drug, tirzepatide, is marketed under the brand name Mounjaro.)       Originally… Continue reading Are Weight Loss Drugs for You?

Early Detection for Alzheimer’s

New research suggests a simple clinical interview may be a reliable indicator of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease risk. A study by Florida State University College of Medicine researchers found that a two- to three-hour interview, involving trained interviewers asking memory-testing questions and rating responses on a 1-to-5 scale reliably predicted risk for development of Alzheimer’s… Continue reading Early Detection for Alzheimer’s

The Wisdom of Second Opinions

Doctors are expected to be definitive. Patients want to know that any diagnosis or prescription is absolutely correct. Unfortunately, very little in medical practice is absolute. Medicine is a highly advanced but imperfect science. That’s why it’s often a wise strategy—if sometimes emotionally fraught—to seek a second opinion for any serious diagnosis.     A… Continue reading The Wisdom of Second Opinions

Natural Inflammation Fighters

Inflammation is the body’s response to trauma, whether that takes the form of injury, sickness, or an environmental threat such as a toxin. The condition is a normal part of healing and should be temporary. Unfortunately, a number of factors contribute to widespread chronic and abnormal inflammation among people in today’s world. Chronic inflammation, in… Continue reading Natural Inflammation Fighters

A Promising Chronic Back Pain Treatment

The National Institutes of Health estimates that almost a quarter of adults worldwide experience moderate to severe chronic back pain, with the number of sufferers increasing as people age. The pain can be life-altering, causing patients to curtail activities and movement, which ultimately tends to worsen the underlying condition and increase the pain, in a… Continue reading A Promising Chronic Back Pain Treatment

Gua Sha

Traditional Chinese medicine offers a number of alternatives to pharmaceutical pain killers, primarily because those drugs weren’t available for much of the history of Eastern medical practices. One non-invasive treatment, called Gua Sha, involves dragging the smooth edge of an instrument across the skin, raising a rash-like pattern of red spots (known medically as petechiae). … Continue reading Gua Sha

Essential Health Tests by Decade

People in their teens and twenties tend to play fast and loose with their health. Fortunately, the human body is remarkably resilient in the first two decades of life. Barring some underlying condition or genetic abnormality, most people sail through to their 30s relatively unaffected, with no major health crises.      Unfortunately, accrued damage… Continue reading Essential Health Tests by Decade

New Screening Recommendations for Depression

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended depression screening for all individuals between the ages of 19 and 65. First published in June, in JAMA , the recommendations are an important first step for instituting preventive mental health measures as a part of ongoing primary healthcare.     The task force is a volunteer… Continue reading New Screening Recommendations for Depression

Combatting Alzheimer’s with Hibiscus Tea

Research concluded last year indicates that the compound gossypetin found in hibiscus tea may prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Gossypetin is a flavonoid, one of a group of compounds that give plants their flavors and colors. Researchers conducting the study, funded by the pharmaceutical company NovaMetaPharma Co., found that the compound effectively reversed dementia in mice when… Continue reading Combatting Alzheimer’s with Hibiscus Tea