How personal lubricants can affect fertility
Sarah King, ND Personal lubricants are commonly used for sexual comfort. For women it can help decrease the discomfort and pain associated with dyspareunia and can also be used to enhance sexual pleasure. There are several different brands and formulas available on the market today, from standard water-based lubricants, to those which offer warming or […]
Better diet = bigger brain
Node Smith, ND A recent study was published in the online publication of Neurology, the American Academy of Neurology’s medical journal, that correlated people eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables, nuts and fish as having bigger brains.1 It’s generally understood that eating a healthier diet increases cognitive function and many other health markers, […]
Vitamin B12 May be More Available to Vegans Soon
Node Smith, ND A major discovery about vitamin B12 may have significant impact to improve the vitamin content of some vegetarian and vegan diets.1 Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is typically supplemented in vegan and vegetarian diets (or consumed through fortified products) because it is not readily available from plant sources. Plants don’t make B12 because they […]
SLEEP: The Great Regulator of Health
A new study on linking quality of life to sleep duration in a population with chronic kidney disease speaks loudly to the importance of sleep for maintaining our mental and physical health.1 While the study states that sleep disorders are common in individuals with chronic kidney disease, it is well understood that sleep problems are […]
Immune Modulating Effects of Red Chili Peppers May Help Protect Brain After TBI
Node Smith, ND An ongoing research study has shown that a receptor that is principle in regulating the immune response in the brain following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is also activated by capsaicin, a compound found in hot peppers.1 The receptor is located on immune cells, and actually can be activated by extreme physical […]
Overeating Changes How We Think and Behave
Node Smith, ND Obesity is major concern in many countries worldwide. The easy access to caloric-dense food that triggers pleasure centers in the brain creates a “obesogenic environment” that promotes eating in manners that are not conducive to a healthy life. But more than merely weight gain, overeating may be supporting cognitive and behavioral changes […]
“Facebook Detox” May Be a New Treatment for Stress Reduction
Node Smith, ND Technology has developed much faster than our ability to study its effects on our lives. An example of this is social media, such as Facebook, twitter, Instagram, and others. The impact of social media on mental and physical health has only just begun being studied over the past few years, and its […]
Brain Cells Regenerate Even in Elderly Adults
Node Smith, ND There is still a debate on whether or not brains are able to change once they are fully developed. Many scientists and doctors still maintain that no new brain cells, or neurons, are created once an adult is fully developed. This is supported through the observation that with age, neuron number and […]
Previously ignored Ultra-slow Brain Waves Directly linked to Consciousness
Node Smith, ND A new study, published in the journal Neuron, this month suggests that ultra-slow waves of brain activity may be the underlying foundation of consciousness.1 Seen on MRI scans, these ultra-slow waves create a rhythm that was recognized decades ago but thought to be an artifact of the MRI data, which is inherently […]
New Organ Discovered in Human Body?
Node Smith, ND In a study titled, “Structure and Distribution of an Unrecognized Interstitium in Human Tissues,” the interstitium has been suggested to actually be a discrete organ system.1 This would be one of the largest in the body, based on structure and distribution. The interstitium is a known space in the body that is […]