Fact or Fiction? Does Supplemental Biotin Really Improve Hair and Nails?
Biotin, which is also known as vitamin H and vitamin B7, is an essential B-complex vitamin.1,2 It can be found in nuts and nut butters, whole grains, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, bananas, oatmeal, and cauliflower. Like other B vitamins, biotin serves a variety of purposes in the human body, such as converting food into energy, rebuilding […]
COVID-19: Reviewing the Basics
There are seven strains of coronavirus capable of infecting humans, four of which were discovered in the 1960s, presenting themselves as the common cold: 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1. The other two strains, SARS-CoV (severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS]) and MERS-CoV (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [MERS]) emerged in 2003 and 2012, respectively. The most recently […]
Common Gastrointestinal Diseases: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) GERD is a digestive condition that occurs when the muscle at the end of the esophagus, called the esophagogastric junction, doesn’t close properly, allowing contents of the stomach to leak back into the esophagus.1,2 GERD is one of the most common digestive diseases worldwide, but is more prevalent in North America […]
A Primer on Properly Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home
1. Clean Use protective gloves (such as reusable rubber dishwashing gloves or disposable single-use latex gloves [single-use gloves are recommended by CDC if there is a COVID-19 infected person in the home]) and old clothing (aprons, worn-out button- down shirts, mate-less socks to cover your shoes) while cleaning and disinfecting your home. Prepare cleaning solution […]
5 Foods that Regulate Blood Glucose Levels
Glucose in the bloodstream is sourced from the metabolization of dietary carbohydrates. What isn’t used for energy is stored as glycogen in cells throughout the body. But the amount of glucose that is broken down varies depending on dietary choices. Foods high in refined sugar and/or simple carbohydrates are metabolized quickly, which causes glucose levels […]
Yoga Heart-opening Poses
Psychosocial stressors encountered during daily life, such as deadlines at work, long, traffic-laden commutes, marital stress, and chronic anxiety and depression are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Chronic stress puts the sympathetic nervous system into constant overdrive, which can lead to inflammation and high blood pressure. Some amount of stress in everyday […]
Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that is active during a particular season of the year. Though clinical depression and SAD have varying longevity of symptoms, they are not an entirely separate mental disorders—SAD just displays a different pattern.1 In fact,one cannot be diagnosed with SAD without fitting the full criteria for […]
What it Means to be a Cancer Caregiver
What is a cancer caregiver? A person who helps the patient with cancer most frequently (and without pay) is considered a caregiver.1 They might be a partner, a guardian, a family member, or a close friend. Specific roles of the caregiver depend on the person with cancer and the treatment course of action, but caregivers […]
The 9 Most Common Types of Cancer
Who’s most at risk? What are the symptoms?Can it be screened for early identification? How is it treated? FEMALE BREAST CANCER RISK FACTORS Alcohol consumption Overweight or obesity Lack of physical activity No pregnancies to birth No breastfeeding Hormonal birth control (e.g., oral contraceptives) or hormone therapy (i.e., for menopause) Breast implants SYMPTOMS A new […]
Reducing Chronic Inflammation
Inflammation marks the beginning of the healing process in our bodies; it’s how we remove harmful foreign stimuli. Harmful stimuli such as the common cold or an infection prompt the body to release white blood cells that protect the affected area(s) by fighting the infection, causing the remote tissue to swell.1,2 The same response can […]
Know Your Nutrients: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Not only does your body need Omega-3 fatty acids to function, these fats also provide some hella’ big health benefits! The main (and most regarded1,2) of the Omega-3 fatty acids are aIpha- linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA), comprising an important group of polyunsaturated fats—in other words, these are the “good” kind […]
Heart Disease: A Fight You Can Win
During the early to mid 20th century, coronary heart disease was at itsheight as a cause of death in the United States (US).1 The death rate from coronary heart disease peaked in the 1960s, with the increase in prevalenceof coronary atherosclerosis (hardening of the heart’s arterial walls) being the primary cause. Atherosclerosis is the most […]
