The month of May is Celiac Awareness Month and the focus of my column on www.totalhealthmagazine.com
will be on the naturopathic approach to diagnosing
and treating celiac disease and grain sensitivities.
Celiac disease is one of the most commonly overlooked medical conditions in North America. In fact, the average celiac has dealt with the disease for up to 10 years before accurate diagnosis is made. Grain sensitivities are even more likely to be neglected and overlooked. The purpose of this series is to raise awareness for celiac disease and grain sensitivities so that people suffering from these conditions can seek appropriate medical support.
Americans are getting fatter.
Some have called our creeping obesity a virtual epidemic. They
wouldn’t be far off. The figures are staggering: a 60 percent
increase in the prevalence of obesity in the 1990’s alone says
the October 4, 2000 issue of the Journal of the American Medical
Association. According to 1999 data, the average U.S. man now
weighs 187 pounds and the average U.S. woman weighs 151.
The “obesity boom” has also helped fuel an increase in type
2 diabetes. According to researchers at the CDC (Center for
Disease Control), this increase in diabetes was no accident—
type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with obesity. The CDC
researchers feel that this association demonstrates that
“obesity is not just a cosmetic disorder but a major risk factor
for chronic diseases.” The World Health Organization would
seem to agree: by their figures, over 300,000 Americans die
prematurely from obesity related complications.
Is a Calorie a Calorie? This question was posed not long ago
in a column in the New York Times and it is well worth asking.
The answer from the nutrition establishment, with some
notable exceptions, long has been to paraphrase the Second
Law of Thermodynamics (conservation of energy) and then,
with great gravitas, explain that calories are calories and that
reducing their intake while increasing their expenditure leads
to weight loss. It is as simple as that.
Susan and Bob were seated opposite me in my office. They
were there because they could not agree on many family matters,
including child-raising and money management. They
constantly quarreled, engaged in power struggles, and endlessly
blamed each other for trying to win the other over to
their point of view. Consequently, the couple’s fights typically
ended in mutual anger and emotional distancing, with both
parties hurt from feeling misunderstood.
What is Arthritis?
Written by Dr. Brent Barlow
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common degenerative joint disease and one of the most common medical conditions. X-ray studies have shown OA to affect about 50% of the adult population. OA can affect any joint but most commonly affects the weight bearing joints like the knees, hips, and spine. OA often affects other high use joints like the ankles, shoulders, wrists, hands, and digits. OA usually starts to develop in your 20's and becomes symptomatic in your 40's.
As par for the course my life takes, I’ve
often had to be the recipient of a symptom
or condition to truly understand its
causes, effects and solutions — providing
me with a deeper understanding of
what my patients’ experience. Unfortunately,
this investigative report came
about because I recently experienced a
very troubling visual disturbance and dull
headache over one eye and immediately
panicked thinking it was a detached retina
again — one of the most debilitating conditions
I’ve been through!
Supplements That Make You Smile
Written by Flora Stay, DDS
Vitamins and minerals are essential for your body, which of
course, includes your teeth and gums. Oral health disease may
be prevented when vital nutrients are not deficient in your body.
That being said, it’s not unusual to find consumers who misuse
supplements, believing that just by taking a supplement or
herb, they can cure tooth decay or even systemic disease. However,
there are benefits to taking supplements for oral health.
A personalized plan to target your stubborn fat stores.
Based on my original Fat Flush soup recipe, a “new and
improved” Fat Flush Soup Diet is back — right in time for the
2012 weight loss season! The mouth-watering recipe — with
four new delicious variations — was originally featured as a
cover story in a major national women’s magazine and we
have been receiving rave reviews from all over the country ever
since.
Brain Nutrition Support
Written by Dallas Clouatre, PhD
Brain function plays a major role in how much
energy we have , how we handle stress, whether
our immune system is up to par, and, in general,
how much zest we have for life. Concentration, memory and
mood — whether we are fifteen and struggling with math or
sixty-five and looking forward to an active retirement, these
matter. Nutrients which support brain health should be a part
of any supplementation program.
Belly Fat
Written by Lorna Vanderhaeghe, MSc
If there is one thing that is the bane of a good figure
and vibrant health, it is belly fat. I am talking
about that stubborn extra roll around the middle
that does not seem to disappear, no matter how swift your
metabolism, how much you exercise or how many sit ups you
do. For some people, belly weight means the dreaded “muffin
top” that escapes over the top of your jeans. For others,
abdominal weight gain results in a clear round, apple shape.
The fat in those love handles also contribute to increased
blood triglyceride levels, inflammation and insulin resistance.
Carrying extra weight around the middle puts you at higher risk
of heart disease, cancers and diabetes.