September is Fruits & Veggies—More Matters Month, a nutrition awareness program sponsored by the USDA.
The program is mostly targeted at parents of young children. After all, if we teach kids from an early age to enjoy healthy foods and understand how what they eat affects their health, they are much more likely to grow up to be healthy adults.
But any adult can benefit from the information … read on
There have been recent news reports that the over-the-counter heartburn drug, Zantac (ranitidine), contains trace amounts of a carcinogen, NDMA. That sounds scary, but the drug HAS NOT been recalled, and patients are not being told to stop taking it. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is working to figure out why NDMA is present in ranitidine, and whether or not it’s a health risk.
In the meantime, I’m … read on
I just ran across another article in a health magazine touting the benefits of tart cherry supplements or juice.
This particular article suggested tart cherries “significantly” reduced systolic blood pressure (the upper number). The author also wrote that tart cherries were linked to arthritis relief and exercise recovery.
Are they? Or are you better off saving your money?
Tart cherries … read on
Kids recently started another School Year. Most parents, I hope, made sure their children’s vaccinations were up to date.
But adults need vaccinations, too. So it’s a great time for all parents—and all adults—to double check that you’ve had the recommended vaccinations for your age group.
Here is a list of 7 vaccinations adults should get, or at least talk to a care provider about.
A … read on
I’m lucky to live in a city nicknamed the Emerald City because of its abundance of evergreen trees and other greenery.
Year after year, Seattle is included in the top 10 healthiest cities in America.
Coincidence? No. A mild climate and lots of opportunities for urban hiking, kayaking, and biking keep us active. But I read more and more studies that associate green spaces with better overall health.
And … read on
I think one of the easiest ways to save healthcare dollars is at the drugstore (including online stores).
There are so many over-the-counter products for every mundane ailment, and it can get really expensive if you buy and toss items until you find what works.
Information is power! Know the ingredients that work best for your problem, and then find the products with the best price.
Acne is such a … read on
August is National Immunization Awareness Month.
I’m very much pro-vaccines, and I’ve written many posts on the topic. I’ll link to some at the bottom of the post.
But first I want to share this video of one of my favorite medical vloggers, Doctor Mike, as he comments on the debate between pro-vaxxers and anti-vaxxers on YouTube’s Middle Ground series.
What I like … read on
A few days ago I heard a commercial on the radio advertising gummy sleeping pills for kids. The gummies were lauded as containing a mix of soothing herbs and a “safe” dose of melatonin.
There is so much wrong with that ad, I don’t know where to start!
I actually posted about this topic several years ago, so I decided it was time to update the post. Perhaps the American … read on
OK, this title is a little misleading. I don’t think we should eat these foods just for their alleged anti-inflammatory properties.
Inflammation, after all, is part of a healthy body’s healing process. It’s what helps us fight infection and heal wounds.
The real culprit to poor health is chronic inflammation, which has been associated with all kinds of diseases including diabetes, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, allergies, and cancer.… read on
So many Americans, myself included, struggle to get a good night’s sleep.
Sometimes sleep problems are transient. Illness, a new baby, shift work, anxiety, grief, or many other life events can cause us to lose sleep.
But if the occasional night of wakefulness turns into weeks or months of sleepless misery, that’s insomnia. Insomnia is a physical condition that should be taken seriously and treated with the help of a … read on