Emotional Health and Well-Being, Natural Health Solutions, Healthy Eating Resources, Natural Health Care, Health Warnings, Children's Health Issues, Stretching and Foam Rolling, Healthy Pregnancy, Personal and Environmental Wellness

Most parents don't realize that not getting enough food can be the cause of unexplained vomiting in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning.

Where there is no fever, stomach flu, or any other common cause of vomiting in younger children, vomiting is often caused by low blood sugar. Most typically, this happens to children between 8 months and 4.5 to 5 years of age. Read more »

In a previous article on acrylamide, I wrote that potato chips and French fries are best avoided for their high acrylamide content. What follows are answers to a few questions on acrylamide that were submitted by readers:

What other foods are high in acrylamide and should be avoided? - Tyler G. Read more »

For me, the most fascinating segment of Morgan Spurlock's documentary on McDonalds, called Super Size Me, involved the man who has become famous for eating almost nothing but Big Macs since 1972. Don Gorske is the Guinness world record holder for number of Big Macs eaten, having passed 19,800 Big Macs as of June, 2004. Read more »

In July of 2006, the United States Food and Drug Administration released the results of its latest research on the acrylamide content of common foods.

The top 20 foods by average acrylamide intake by the U.S. population are as follows:

1. French Fries (made in restaurants)
2. French Fries (oven baked)
3. Potato Chips
4. Breakfast Cereals
5. Cookies

Shiitake mushrooms have long been used in traditional East Asian medicine as a tonic to promote longevity. Rich in healthy protein, a number of B vitamins, and dietary fiber, shiitake mushrooms add significant nutrient value, a chewy texture, and naturally smoky flavor to any dish that you add it to.

I've long believed that the words we choose in everyday conversation and correspondence play a significant role in shaping our relationships.

For example, from the time that our boys began asking questions to which some parents might answer "because I said so," Margaret and I have tried to preface our answers with "because from my experience, that would lead to..." Read more »

A study published in the American journal Cancer found that people who frequently had some types of dental X-rays in the past had an increased risk of a meningioma, the most common type of brain tumor.

It should be noted that their data was from a time when radiation doses with typical X-rays were higher than they are today, given that many dentists are moving from traditional film to digital images. Read more »

Originally published in March 2009

In the wake of the tragic passing of actress Natasha Richardson, I'd like to share a few details on head injuries that everyone should know about.

Based on what I've read in several newspaper reports, Natasha Richardson died from an epidural hematoma, which medical professionals will tell you is one of the most frightening conditions around because it can be caused by a low force blow to the head, and also because initially, there may be no signs to indicate that a serious injury has occurred. Read more »

Over the holidays, we had a chance to visit some old friends at their new Mixed Martial Arts facility just north of Toronto. We had a great time catching up while our boys tore up their massive gym (there's just something that works about letting kids loose in a wide open space covered with premium gym mats). Read more »

Is it true that the foods and beverages you consume cause your blood to become more alkaline or acidic?

Contrary to popular hype, the answer is: not to any significant degree.

The pH of your blood is tightly regulated by a complex system of buffers that are continuously at work to maintain a range of 7.35 to 7.45, which is slightly more alkaline than pure water. Read more »