Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common enlargement of the prostate gland as a man ages. Though the prostate continues to grow during most of a man’s life, the enlargement doesn’t usually cause symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their sixties, and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH. These are typically referred to as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), and include incomplete bladder emptying, frequent...

What are they?
The water-soluble B vitamins are collectively referred to as "B-Complex." They include thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin or niacinamide (B3), pyridoxine (B6), folic acid, vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamin), biotin and pantothenic acid (B5). In addition, choline, inositol and PABA (paraaminobenzoic acid) are compounds that are not technically B vitamins but which have related functions and so are often included with B-Complex...

Carrageenan, an extract of red seaweed, is a good source of soluble fiber. It is widely used in the food industry, for its gelling, thickening, and stabilizing properties. Carrageenan is a vegetarian and vegan alternative to gelatin in some applications. It has also been the subject of many long-term dietary studies under defined regulatory conditions en route to its current global regulatory status. While some indicate that carrageenan safely passes through rat GI tracts without...

Green tea has been consumed for more than three thousand years for both its refreshing and health promoting benefits. In fact, a historical perspective¹ on green and black tea reported that they are among the most widely consumed beverages in the world, second only to water. Dogma has it that, for 4,000 years people knew tea might have health-promoting properties since it was frequently used as fluid supply for patients suffering from infectious diseases. This article will...

It wasn’t so long ago that cocoa and chocolate were considered unhealthy. In fact, back in the late 70s and early 80s carob was being touted as a chocolate substitute—albeit a very sad and far less delicious excuse for a substitute. Since then, study after study has been published extolling the health-promoting properties of cocoa and chocolate. Of course chocolate bars also contain sugars, fats and other dietary components whose intake we’re trying to limit, but the cocoa...

When skin is exposed to the sun, the body's protective mechanism against oxidative damage is an increase in skin pigmentation (i.e. increase in melanin production)—also known as getting a tan. In addition to the tan, however, a localized hyperpigmented lesion, also known as age spot, solar, or senile lentigo, may occur, especially in Asian and Caucasian populations.¹ These benign-pigmented lesions are not only considered unattractive on visible areas of the skin, such as...

The prostate is an important male gland that secretes a fluid found in semen.¹ In addition, the urethra (the tube through which urine flows) runs through the prostate, so changes in prostate structure, such as prostate enlargement, can profoundly and negatively affect urinary function. The most common issue that impacts prostate health for most men is benign prostatic hyperplasia. A more serious, common issue is prostate cancer. This article will review these problems, and...

You really shouldn’t…but that piece of cheesecake looks so good, and it’s been so long since you last had a slice — so you go for it. But shortly thereafter, you feel the rumbling of stomach and intestinal discontent, and — groan — you wish you had resisted.

A cast-iron stomach no more
When you were younger it seemed like you had a castiron stomach and could eat almost anything without having to pay the piper — but that’s not the...

As we grow older, we may grow wiser, but we can also experience age-related memory impairment (ARMI). ARMI is relatively common¹ and should not be confused with Alzheimer’s or other dementia, while ARMI is simply mild memory problems associated with normal aging (e.g. “Where did I put my keys?”). Even so, the memory loss and cognitive slowing associated with ARMI can interfere with our daily routines.² In fact, according to a national survey, worries over...

Heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans, and study after study points to elevated cholesterol as a major contributor to the problem. Some authorities have indicated that for every one-percentage point that cholesterol levels are reduced, the risk for cardiovascular disease is reduced by two points.

The current conventional medical treatment is cholesterol-lowering prescription drugs, along with low saturated fat diets. Although these...

Well, it’s the New Year! Perhaps you’ve made a resolution to lose weight. If so, good for you. Of course you know and I know that it’s not that simple. For those of us who have struggled with the battle of the bulge, we know for a fact that losing weight isn’t easy. Furthermore, one of the primary reasons that this is so has to do with appetite control. Simply put, if you’re not hungry it’s easy to lose weight. If you’re not hungry you can keep your calorie...

The term “Vitamin A” actually refers to a number of different but related compounds. The two categories of vitamin A are related to the food source being animal or plant. When from animal foods, we refer to this nutrient as preformed vitamin A. Preformed vitamin A is absorbed as retinol; an active and usable form of vitamin A. In turn, the body can convert retinol into other active forms of vitamin A, including retinal and retinoic acid.¹ Food sources include liver,...

There are two primary types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Both types result in high levels of blood sugar levels, which may manifest itself through any of the following symptoms: increased thirst and an increased need to urinate; feeling edgy, tired, and sick to your stomach; and having an increased appetite (but a loss of weight). In addition, other symptoms may include: repeated or hard-to-heal infections of the skin, gums, vagina, or bladder; blurred vision; tingling or loss of feeling...

The National Cancer Institute estimates that 226,870 women will be diagnosed with and 39,510 women will die of breast cancer in 2012. NCI also report that 12.38 percent of women born today (one in eight women) will be diagnosed with breast cancer some time during their lifetime¹ Yet despite these seemingly grim statistics, there are many treatment options, which have brought new hope in the fight against this disease. In fact, according to Breastcancer.org²...

Losing weight and keeping it off is not a simple process as evidenced by the fact that the majority of persons who lose weight regain the weight within one to five years.¹ The reasons for over 80 percent recidivism rate in gaining back weight previously lost are multifactorial²—it is not simply an issue of calories in/calories out. There are different issues as to why some people have more difficulty losing weight than others—and those issues are not...

What do Enterovirus D68, Ebola and Influenza have in common? The answer is that they are all viruses, and they have all been in the news over the past year. This article will provide a brief discussion of these viruses, and what we can do to strengthen our immune systems—arguably the most effective approach that can be taken in protecting ourselves against these and other viruses once exposed to them.

ENTEROVIRUS D68
Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is...

For many, a common goal is to maintain as youthful an appearance as possible as we enter middle-age and beyond. Certainly there are myriad topical cosmetic products designed to do just that by reducing the appearance of wrinkles. While such products are all well and good, we should remember that what we put inside of us is at least as important as what we put on the outside of us if we want to reduce wrinkling. First and foremost, good nutrition and eating a healthy diet rich in...

Heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease is the number one killer of Americans, and study after study points to elevated cholesterol as a major contributor to the problem. Some authorities have indicated that for every one-percentage point that cholesterol levels are reduced, the risk for cardiovascular disease is reduced by two points. In addition, most people with diabetes have increased risk for heart disease and stroke, due in part to high cholesterol and triglyceride...

Most people who use dietary supplements are probably familiar with Melatonin as a sleep aid —for which it is indeed effective. But not everyone is aware that sublingual Melatonin (a small lozenge type tablet placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve and enter the blood stream through diffusion) is likely more effective than a standard Melatonin capsule or tablet. This article will discuss the research on sublingual melatonin: but first let’s review the general...

Protein supplements are commonly used by people as part of a fitness program, and indeed there is good reason to do so. In fact, protein is one of the most important substances for the maintenance of good health and vitality. It is of primary importance in the growth and development of all body tissues including muscles, blood, skin, hair, nails and internal organs. Protein is also needed for the formation of hormones, enzymes and antibodies. In addition to being the major source of...