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Health Concerns

Why Wearing High Heels is Bad for Your Health

What do toe pain, mid-foot pain, heel pain, ankle pain, knee pain, hip pain, lower back pain, mid-back pain, upper back pain, and headaches all have in common?

You guessed it - they can all be caused by wearing high heels on a regular basis. Read more

 

Brain Tumors Claim More Children's Lives Than Any Other Type of Cancer

The headline is correct - brain tumors now claim more children's lives than any other type of cancer. There aren't any published studies in the medical literature that all epidemiologists can point to and offer as proof that regular use of a cell phone can increase a child's risk of developing a brain tumor. And there never will be such a study, as definitive proof in the research world requires a double-blind, randomized control trial; how can you conduct a trial in which you ask a group of children to use a cell phone for 'x' number of hours per week? Read more

 

Why You Should Try to Avoid Shift Work and Irregular Sleep

According to a study published in the August 1, 2007 issue of the journal Sleep, rotating shift workers have significantly lower levels of serotonin (precursor to melatonin) than people who work regular day shifts. A total of 683 men of European ancestry were evaluated for this study; 437 were day workers, and 246 were rotating shift workers.

Serotonin is a hormone that circulates throughout your body. It is also a neurotransmitter in your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). A chronically low level of serotonin is associated with many health challenges, the most common of which are: Read more

 

Heart-Healthy Chocolate Smoothie Recipe

If you want to have a healthy heart and good blood circulation throughout your body, you need to regularly supply your body with flavonoids, which are natural nutrients that have antioxidant properties.

Raw, organic chocolate is one of nature's most flavonoid-rich foods. When eaten on its own or with other healthy foods, raw, organic chocolate can help keep your cardiovascular system strong and healthy. Read more

 

Experience the Health Benefits of Mint

Peppermint and other mints are among the healthiest herbs that you can include in your diet. What if your body doesn't react well to ingesting mint-flavored foods and beverages? Before you say no to mints forever, I encourage you to consider that some mint-flavored products (especially candies, chocolates, and low quality teas) use synthetic menthol to create mint flavor and scent.

Synthetic menthol is created by using a crystallization process that generates contaminants, and these contaminants can affect the scent and quality of synthetic menthol. Read more

 

Why it's Important to Get a Second Opinion Before Undergoing Joint Replacement Surgery

Since 1997, I've evaluated and worked with about two dozen people who have had knee or hip replacement surgeries. A few have reported having better quality of life following joint replacement surgery, while the majority have reported experiencing more difficulties than they did before having surgery.

If you have a severely deteriorated joint that prevents or significantly hinders basic activities of daily living, I think that joint replacement surgery is an option worth considering. But I think it's critical to do two things before undergoing surgery: Read more

 

The Best and Worst Foods For Your Heart

Before we take a look at some of the best and worst foods for your heart, let's make one point clear: a healthy heart is useless without several other well functioning organ systems.

A strong heart can only keep you healthy if the following parts of your body are functioning properly:

  • Nervous system (cerebrum, midbrain, spinal cord, vagus nerve, and sensory fibers)
  • Respiratory system (nasal passageway, nasopharynx, oropharynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli)
  • Digestive system (digestive tract, liver, gall bladder, and pancreas)
  • Blood vessels (arteries, arterioles,capillaries, venules, and veins)

Assuming that all of the above components in your body are functional, some of the best foods for your heart and blood vessels are: Read more

 

How to Improve Sperm Count and Quality

As a follow-up to my article on Natural Ways to Increase Your Chances of Getting Pregnant, this article describes what men should and shouldn't do to improve sperm count and quality.

According to Dr. Bernard Robaire, a professor in obstetrics and gynecology at McGill University, men produce about 100 million sperm per day - about 1,000 sperm for every heartbeat. So in the vast majority of cases, improving sperm count and quality is all about providing healthy nutrients to make sperm, and making sure that one's lifestyle choices aren't damaging one's sperm. Put another way, men don't have to do much to increase overall sperm production; the focus should be on providing the right materials to produce healthy sperm, and then keeping those sperm healthy. Read more

 

Do You Hate The Way You Look?

In March of 2006, I received the following letter from someone who consulted with me for a skin condition:

Dear Dr. Kim,

I wondered if you would have any advice because I'm having a very hard time emotionally. I'm having a problem with low self esteem and self confidence, mainly because of my (health condition).

I don't have any friends or acquaintances (in my local area), and I've had a huge problem with loneliness over the past year.

I feel too embarrassed to meet other young people because of the (health condition), and I feel my emotional state has taken a large toll on me. It seems like a catch 22 situation. Read more

 

How to Reduce Junk Mail and Save Natural Resources

If you're interested in reducing the amount of junk mail you receive via snail mail, you should know that there are free and inexpensive services available in most countries that can significantly reduce the amount of junk mail you receive.

If you live in Canada, simply post a "No Junk Mail" or "No Ad mail" sign in your mail box - your Canada Post delivery person should honor this request. If, by chance, you continue to receive junk mail, you can follow the instructions found here: RedDotCampaign.ca. Read more

 

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