Health Watchers' News and Views

Multiple sclerosis, protein, fats, and progesterone

In MS [multiple sclerosis], it is clear that the inflammatory process itself is destructive, and that estrogen is a major predisposing factor. Unsaturated fatty acids, and dietary imbalance of amino acids interact closely with hyperestrogenism and hypothyroidism to produce the autoimmune degenerative diseases.

Time to take responsibility for your own healthcare

I am not advocating you get rid of doctors; I’m saying it’s time to change our own personal health paradigm. To accomplish the change we need to stop being afraid that missing the diagnosis of a disease will send us directly to the morgue. As we change from focusing on getting a diagnosis to staying healthy, our health will improve.

Preventing Surgery-induced Cancer Metastasis

The cornerstone of treatment for the great majority of cancers is the surgical removal of the primary tumor. The rationale for this approach is straightforward: if you can get rid of the cancer by simply removing it from the body, then a cure can likely be achieved. Unfortunately, this approach does not take into account that after surgery the cancer will frequently metastasize (spread to different organs). Quite often the metastatic recurrence is far more serious than the original tumor. In fact, for many cancers it is the metastatic recurrence—and not the primary tumor—that ultimately proves to be fatal.

While everyone is worrying about swine flu, let’s make sure you know the difference between common cold or fall allergies

Are you suffering from the swine flu, or just an allergy or cold? Dr. Erika teaches us how to tell the difference, and how to treat allergies and colds.

Why Stress Makes You Fat

Heavy people who are stressed get even heavier, regardless of diet and exercise. Dr. Erika explains why stress packs on the pounds and how to manage stress so that the body can come back into balance.

9 ways to reduce the risk of breast cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but the media focus of this month tends to be about curing breast cancer, with little said about how to prevent breast cancer. The bad news is that we’re no closer to a cure for breast cancer than we were 50 years ago. We have somewhat more effective chemotherapies for treating breast cancer, but they all can have terrible, even deadly, side effects and hardly qualify as a cure.

The good news is that we know a lot more about how to prevent breast cancer than we did 50 years ago.

Suzy’s Top Tips To Protect Against Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages, and most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75. You are smart to think ahead and so I’ve researched and prepared this list of 8 ways to help you and other proactive men protect against prostate cancer.

Many Medicines Spark Nasty Sunburns

Photosensitive reactions are very unpredictable. Some people get severe sunburns and brown splotches in their skin, some get redness, tenderness, a rash, hives, or other types of inflammation (such as swelling or generalized pain), while others, experience no reaction whatsoever. Some skin reactions are permanent. Also, just because you do not have a problem with medication now, doesn’t guarantee smooth sailing every time you take it.

Top Ten List to Protect Your Kidneys

Dear Pharmacist,

I’ve had diabetes for 12 years and now I have kidney disease. My doctor just prescribed lisinopril, but after talking to the pharmacist I’m concerned that there is more I should be doing to protect my kidneys. What else should I consider?

Answer: The kidneys continuously filter your blood to strain out waste products. Without functional kidneys we would die within minutes. Many people, including non-diabetics, have the beginnings of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and don’t even realize it….