Nearly 114 million Americans—roughly half the adult population—take at least one nutritional supplement. Scientific investigations conducted have failed to confirm that supplements, particularly multi-vitamins, work. So, if multi-vitamins are not effective, are there any supplements that are effective? The answer is yes! About 70% of Americans don’t get enough vitamin D. Typically, we get vitamin D by producing it in our skin from sun exposure. Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium from the intestines, making it a very important vitamin, but it’s found in very few foods and is hard to obtain... Read More

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health technology as “the application of organized knowledge and skills in the form of devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures and systems developed to solve a health problem and improve quality of lives.” We live in an era where technology touches our lives almost everywhere, but in terms of healthcare, we have more access than ever to our healthcare providers and tools to guide our personal health strategy.  For example, mobile apps give us access to price comparisons for prescription medicines. Fitness devices and apps can give us feedback on... Read More

Feeling a little stuffy?  Congestion is a common problem, as anyone who has had a cold or suffers from allergies can attest.  Congestion refers to a feeling of stuffiness in the nasal or breathing passageways. Nasal congestion, stuffiness, or a runny nose is generally caused by increased blood volume to the vessels that line the passages inside the nose. There are a number of causes of congestion that we all know: sinus infection, cold or flu, and allergies.  There are a few other reasons you may be snotty that fall into the category of “none of the above.” You might be able to breathe easier... Read More

Brain fog: it’s a thing. Especially during a busy workweek, where too many to-do items have a tendency to sneak up on you. Maybe you’ve been staring at the computer screen for far too long and are starting to get that glazed-over feeling of your mind going numb. We all go through it, especially me, and during the times when my morning cup of coffee simply isn’t cutting it, more often than not I rely on something else. Something much stronger in potency, yet healthier, to dust out the mental clutter and enhance my concentration on tasks ahead. That something is lion’s mane mushroom. It wouldn’t... Read More

For pale faces like me, sunscreen is an absolute necessity. I would not be able to enjoy my outdoor lifestyle without serious protection for my skin. Recent research found that some ingredients from sun protection products are being absorbed into your body. Is this a risk to your health? Researchers say these sunscreen ingredients– avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene and ecamsule – are present in the blood after sunscreen application at levels that would, under current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines, trigger a requirement for further safety testing. Unfortunately, sunscreen... Read More

Do you continuously wake up at 5AM and feel thoroughly rested—officially ready to start your day? If you do, it’s likely that you’ve established strong sleep-wake routines that keep your circadian rhythm(s) in check. For those that answered a firm no, it might be time to reconsider switching up or completely replacing some of your daily rituals. Why? How much sleep we get and when we get it correlates directly with our metabolic health and overall liveliness in the long run. If you want to feel and perform at your best (But really, who would say no to that?), read on for some circadian rhythm... Read More

Are you a glass half-full person? In other words, are you hopeful and confident about the future?  If so, you might be healthier than your friends who believe that the worst will happen. Many studies have reported that optimism influences health. Among the findings:   Highly pessimistic men were three times more likely to develop hypertension. People with positive emotions had lower blood pressures. The most pessimistic men were more than twice as likely to develop heart disease compared with the most optimistic.   It is hard to know if optimism is the result of good health, or if... Read More

Wellness methods have, over the past few years, evolved into a booming industry. Several renowned websites and online magazines—such as wellandgood.com, Mantra Wellness Magazine, or mindbodygreen.com, to name a few—take pride in offering news and advice on the latest trends. Thanks to technology and the internet, it seems the do-it-yourself approach to wellness is here to stay. You can find information on practically anything, all within reach of your fingertips and computer screen. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for personal self-care (yep, I’m a millennial), but how do I know what I read... Read More

Coconut is a unique fruit because it is available year-round rather than during a season. While loosely referred to as a fruit, a coconut is actually a drupe.  A drupe is a fruit that contains a seed. Also called a stone fruit, other drupes include plums, cherries, almonds, and olives. Botanically speaking, a coconut can be a fruit, a nut, and a seed. Coconut has been denoted with many benefits, some controversial.  For example, coconut oil has been touted as a good fat for cooking.  It is high in healthy fats that can boost fat burning and provide your body and brain with quick energy. They... Read More

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men. Until 2012, the screening for prostate cancer, called the Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, was the standard for predicting prostate cancer for men 55 and older. Because PSA is a protein produced by both cancerous and noncancerous tissue in the prostate, it was determined to be inaccurate in detecting prostate cancer.  Normal PSA is 4 nanograms per milliliter of blood, but a high PSA levels doesn’t always mean cancer and low levels don’t always mean a healthy prostate. In 2012, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended... Read More