US and European studies show that tobacco smoking increases risk of psoriasis, as does frequent consumption of alcohol. These correlations appear to be stronger in men than in women. Keratinocytes, the skin cells that produce the characteristic scaling of psoriasis, have receptors for nicotine.
Named for Pegasus, the flying horse of Greek myth, Sea Buckthorn plant (Hippophae rhamnoides) has been mainstay of traditional medicine in Eastern Europe and Asia for centuries. Its orange berries are very rich in Omega 7 fatty acids as well as vitamin E and other compounds speed the healing and support the integrity of the skin and other mucous membranes. It may have an important role in treating irritable bowel syndrome and other gut problems.
Iodine, once a mainstay medical therapy that was largely abandoned after WWII, is experiencing something of a resurgence for treatment of thyroid problems, chronic fatigue, women’s health problems, and even diabetes.
Three simple questions can tell a lot about someone’s nutritional status and diet consciousness. How many daily servings of fruit and vegetables do you eat? Do you drink milk everyday? Do you take a daily multivitamin?
When it comes to managing a broad range of common chronic conditions and quickly improving patients’ overall sense of wellbeing, few things pack as much therapeutic punch as the B vitamins. A look at this family of friendly vitamins and how best to use them.
Data from the long awaited Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), one of the largest nutritional supplement studies ever undertaken, shows that while this combination of natural products did not offer too much help for patients with mild arthritis, it outperformed celecoxib (Celebrex) in people with the most severe disease.
The same low-fat, vegetable and fruit-rich diet that prevents heart disease also reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The good news is that diet appears to have the greatest preventive impact in people at the highest genetic risk for Alzheimer’s.
Glucosamine and chondroitin may be the most popular natural products for treating arthritis, but they’re not the only ones. Zyflamend, LitoZin, Pycnogenol and Limbrel can also provide safe, effective treatment for osteoarthritis.
There are many misconceptions about the relative safety, risk, and efficacy of herbs and nutritional supplements for patients requiring surgery. Drs. Traub and Scheel set the record straight on Ginkgo, Vitamin E, Bromelain, Zinc and others.
A brighter future awaits autistic children, as clinicians learn how to apply the tools of neurotransmitter assessment, detoxification protocols, and nutritional therapies to this increasingly common problem.
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