Giardiasis is a fairly common infection of the small intestines caused by the organism Giardia intestinalis (also known as Giardia lamblia). Giardia is a protozoan parasite that thrives in the intestinal tract of mammals and that reproduces by forming cysts, which are transmitted from host to host through the feces of an infected person or animal being ingested by another. The cysts …
So many diseases and conditions in America are automatically treated with a prescription pad. But what if pills won’t help? “The mind and the body are linked, physically, neurologically, as well as emotionally, and that things that affect the mind can affect the gut and vice versa. If you do something to alleviate mind stressors, you can improve body functions.” …
Required reading for everyone who lives in the United States, or who is thinking about doing so: Steven Brill delivered an amazing piece of investigative journalism in February 2013 on the U.S. health care system in Time Magazine. Hopefully everyone will read it before they develop a serious illness, but regardless it lays bare some of the reasons why the health …
Sodium butyrate is a short chain fatty acid by-product of gut microbes and the primary energy source for cells lining the colon. Since it is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States, it is not regulated by the FDA as a medication. Sodium butyrate may be a beneficial supplement for those suffering from mild-to-moderate Crohn’s disease, especially since …
A recent article in the New York Times: “How Carbs Can Trigger Food Cravings” discussed the mechanisms by which high-glycemic index foods based on processed carbs trigger similar brain reward responses as highly addictive drugs like cocaine. While the author mainly concluded that people wanting to lose weight should avoid processed carbs and sugar, which is obvious, I think the …
How often does a doctor say “you need to gain weight?” We’re all used to medical professionals (and the media) focusing on weight loss and other ways to prevent diabetes and cardiovascular disease. What’s often overlooked is that a surprising number of otherwise healthy people actually suffer from being underweight, sometimes with devastating consequences. One group of such people is …
You might have been thinking about it for a while now. You might be motivated by the recently published statement from the American Heart Association (backed up by multiple studies) about how having a dog might reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and improve your health. Whatever the reason, you want to share time and maybe even a home with …
The American Heart Association released a surprising statement this month: Owning a dog is associated with a lower risk in heart disease, and maybe blood pressure, cholesterol levels, obesity and the response to stress. Of course finding a correlation does not prove causation. But there is a mounting body of evidence that does point toward pet ownership being a good …
Right up there with the very well-marketed Paleo diet, intermittent fasting (IF) has achieved popular attention in the past year for its potential role in achieving rapid weight loss. But now there is mounting evidence that this approach to eating may have specific benefits for those with diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Intermittent fasting can be implemented in various ways. Common …
Poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac are common plants in the genus Rhus, found throughout the United States and in Africa, often near hiking trails. Four in five people are allergic to urushiol, a compound found in the plant’s sap that causes a itchy and painful allergic rash on the body in any spot that it comes into contact with.
