Hormones are powerful substances. They pack a big wallop considering the tiny amounts that are produced by the endocrine glands. Most hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid, insulin and melatonin are made in parts per billion or parts per trillion. Even small hormonal fluctuations can create major physiological changes.

As profound orchestrators of all of life’s processes, maintaining hormonal balance is imperative for...

“Aging is inevitable but growing old is optional.”
What an intriguing thought.

We are used to thinking the body will naturally deteriorate with each passing year. There are even impressive health statistics to support that notion. Achieving the status of aged pensioner brings with it long-awaited retirement benefits, which is the good news. But there is also the bad news; increasing aches and pains, thinning bones and departing memories. What if...

Who doesn’t want, radiant, glowing, wrinkle-free skin? Your skin is an incredible organ with an immense ability to be repaired and rejuvenated! Nourish the skin inside and out, and you can create healthy skin and ageless beauty, no matter your age.

However, our modern world is not particularly skin-friendly. Sugar-laden, processed foods; stress and lack of sleep; sun damage; exposure to air pollution and other toxic chemicals, smoking and alcohol are the real villains that...

In August 1928, Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming made a discovery that would change the course of medicine for the better and the worse. Upon entering his lab, he observed a curious thing occurring in a lone petri dish. At the edge of the dish was a colony of mold, and around it, an area that was totally free of any sign of the common staphylococcus bacteria, which was proliferating everywhere else.

The cultured mold, Penicillium notatum, would be become known as...

Does the health of your mouth have anything to do with the overall health of your body? As it turns out, it has everything to do with your health!

When the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Health stated, “You...

Blame it on the genes! For the past 50 years we have been told that our inherited genetic blueprint was the ultimate dice game that Life randomly rolled out for us. For better or worse, we were stuck with those genes.

We have all heard people say: “Cancer [or diabetes or depression or heart disease, etc.] is in my family genes.” We believed that our genetic inheritance put the final stamp not only on our height, eye color, disposition, habits, weight and predisposed...

Xylitol is not only a safe, natural sweetener without the bad side-effects of sugar and artificial substitutes, it’s also good for your teeth, stabilizes insulin and hormone levels, and promotes good health.

Americans have a mighty hankering for sugar. It seems that we just can’t get enough of the stuff. On average, a half a cup of sugar is consumed per person every day. It is estimated the average American eats, drinks, slurps, stirs, and sprinkles about 150 pounds of it...

In my 20 years as a health consultant and naturopathic doctor, I have traveled the world in search of the newest and most-compelling research on women’s health. I’ve seen hundreds of “panaceas” come and go. And in all this time, one thing I’ve learned with certainty is there’s no magical silver-bullet formula for balanced health.

I knew from the tension in Rosie’s voice that something was wrong. She phoned me in a panic after her doctor told her that her heavy menstrual bleeding was caused by uterine fibroids. She was hoping to avoid the only option offered to her by her doctor—a hysterectomy.

Fibroids were a complete mystery to Rosie, as they are to many women. I reassured her there were many ways to reduce, if not totally eliminate, fibroids. Before considering a hysterectomy, I encouraged her to...

If there is one disability that creates the greatest alarm for the baby boomer generation, it would be the loss of memory and brain functions. The concern is justified.

Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia now affect 97,000 Canadians, and by 2031 it is estimated that this number will rise to 750,000. Unfortunately, this is a worldwide trend with an estimated 24 million people presently diagnosed with dementia and an estimated 81 million predicted by 2040.

Are...

One of the secrets to optimal health is cultivating a great relationship with bacteria. While many people will be reaching for their favorite antibacterial soap with just the thought of bacteria, there are, in fact, certain species of bacteria that we literally cannot live without.

In fact, our digestive tract is home to a thriving population of life-promoting gut bacteria that take up residence within us from the moment of birth. These microflora are so critical to our...

In a quiet village in the Galilee area of northern Israel, a renewal of ancient medicinal wisdom is taking root. In 1998 the first botanical garden and plant resource center for traditional medicinal plants in the Middle East was established. Called Al-Maissam Medicinal Plants Center for Research & Education, this was a unique collaboration between a Palestinian and Israeli team of pharmacologists and herbalists.

Being a woman isn’t easy. The world of feminine hygiene is fraught with a plethora of discomforts and health challenges.

The health statistics say it all: 80 percent of women will be exposed to human papillomavirus (HPV); nearly 75 percent of all adult women will have at least one genital yeast infection; bacterial vaginosis (BV), the most common vaginal infection in women, affects 700,000 women; 40 percent of women will have at least one urinary tract infection (UTI) in their...

Like so many women, the midlife middle spread seemed to have sneaked up on me. I knew I had just emerged from two years of major life changes with its accompanying stress. Well, really, to be totally honest, MAJOR STRESS! However, I was not at all prepared for my doctor’s rather blunt comment.

Rather tactlessly he said. “What has happened to you? You look like you are six months pregnant.”

Now I knew I had been carrying some extra cortisol-induced weight...

We all know about beauty rest but did you know about thinness slumber? Getting those zzzs is another important piece of the weight loss puzzle.

Your carbohydrate addiction may be more the result of your sleeping patterns rather than your lack of willpower.

Have you ever noticed that after a night with little sleep, you wake up ravenously hungry and want to devour everything in sight? Why? Because your lack of sleep actually triggers food cravings.

At best of times, understanding the ebb and flow of women’s hormones through the various stages of their life can seem like a daunting task. To make matters even more challenging, the Allopathic medicine perspective tends to medicalize and pathologize women’s hormonal issues. All too often, the first approach is prescribing hormones either as bio-identical hormones or HRT, both options come with risks.

So what is a woman to do?

I invited Angelo Druda, a...

At best of times, understanding the ebb and flow of women’s hormones through the various stages of their life can seem like a daunting task. To make matters even more challenging, the Allopathic medicine perspective tends to medicalize and pathologize women’s hormonal issues. All too often, the first approach is prescribing hormones either as bio-identical hormones or HRT, both options come with risks.

Blame it on your genes . For the past 50 years we have been told your genetic blueprint inherited from your parents is like the ultimate dice game that Life has rolled out for you — for better or worse.

We have all heard people say, “Cancer (or diabetes, or depression or heart disease, etc.) is in my family genes.” Our genetic inheritance seems to put the final stamp not only on our height, eye color, disposition, habits, weight, and predisposed illnesses but even the...

Julianne is a devoted mother to her beautiful and healthy-looking five-year-old daughter. But all is not as it seems-something strange is stirring in Sarah's body.

One night, while putting Sarah to bed, Julianne pulled the pajama top over her daughter's head, when Sarah suddenly exclaimed "Ouch! That hurt when you touched my nipple." Julianne was totally surprised by her daughter's response. Upon taking a closer look, she noticed that her nipples did appear to be different from...

When it comes to women’s search for eternal beauty, not much has changed over the last several millennia. Women have always been on the lookout for potions and healing secrets that promise to help preserve and restore their natural youthfulness.

Of all the famous beauties from the legends of world history, the Egyptian queen, Cleopatra, still remains synonymous with alluring and eternal beauty.

One of Cleopatra’s favorite rejuvenating secrets was to regularly...