Naturopathic Uses of Common Garden Weeds

A holistic approach to chronic-disease prevention and treatment often includes exercise therapy as an essential modality. Exercise is generally considered a healthy activity, with few exceptions, and its application is a logical addition to any health program.

Diabetes will be one of the most challenging health problems in the 21st century. Currently, 8.8% of Canadians live with diabetes and six million Canadians have prediabetes. One in three Canadians is living with diabetes or prediabetes. Since 2000, the rate has increased by an average of 3.3% per year. Estimates suggest that, unless we intervene, one in three children born in 2000 will eventually develop diabetes.

Down syndrome received its name in 1866, when John Langdon Down initially described this disorder. Down syndrome is more recently known as trisomy 21 (T21), which better describes the extra 21st chromosome that is distinctive for 95% of individuals with this genetic disorder.

Seeing others in distress can make us feel sad; however, telling someone to be happy when they are not does not seem to work very well. In fact, trying to be happy is often a recipe for unhappiness! Psychology researchers have even put it to the test: People who were instructed to feel as happy as they can when listening to pleasant music felt lower mood than those who were exposed to the same pleasant music with no instruction.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a long-term disorder of the bladder. The exact cause of IC is unknown. The function of the bladder is to store urine that it receives from the kidneys. You can think of the bladder as acting like a balloon made of muscle. It expands to hold large amounts of urine, and contracts to squeeze it out.

Obesity is a global health concern that affects the health, well-being, and longevity of individuals, and is considered an epidemic of our modern times according to 2014 statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Most women spend their entire lives waiting for their menstrual cycle to end. “No more discomfort!” we cry, thinking that this glorious time will bring cessation of all our hormone imbalances, headaches, skin concerns, bloating, mood swings, and of course risk of pregnancy.

One in five people over the age of 65 have had a substance or alcohol abuse problem at some point. It is one of the most common health conditions and one of the conditions that takes one of the largest financial tolls on society.

Prions refer to abnormal pathogens that are transmissible and cause problems in the brain. Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies are a group of diseases associated with the protease-resistant protein (PrP). The exact function of PrP is unknown, although it is thought to be involved in the transport of copper into cells, neuroprotection and neuronal communication.

The stresses of the last two years have created an epidemic of anxiety. In 2021, the rates of anxiety disorders across the population in the US were estimated at 19.1% in the past year and 31.1% in lifetime prevalence, which refers to the number of individuals ever having had the disease during their lifetime.

We’ve heard it all before: Stress is a normal part of life. Some stress is good for us because it helps us get motivated, be happy, and accomplish our goals.

One of the most important topical products to consider in the realm of mitigating the degree of extrinsic photoaging is that of regular sunscreen use.

As summer wears on, the long hot days fade into warm nights. For those of you who spend a lot of time outside, it can seem like you never really get a break from the heat. Hopefully, when you really get hot you can find some air conditioning, get into a shady spot, or cool off in some water. It is also important that you have plenty of cool water to drink, otherwise you can quickly become dehydrated and risk developing heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

According to Tolstoy, patience and time are the most powerful warriors. When it comes to the pandemic, they certainly seem to have been important allies. The time for vaccines has finally arrived. However, we have also been told to not let our guard down. Vaccines are not the only secure gateway, and encompassing a healthy lifestyle is still needed for effective herd immunity and to protect ourselves and our loved ones

Gingerbread, candy canes, festive holidays… snow shovelling, shivering at the bus stop, and dealing with a dead car battery. People tend to fall into two camps, they are either itching for winter, or are frustratingly itching because of winter!

Over the last number of years, the topic of acid-base balance has become a very popular health topic. The bulk of the focus has been on dietary means to support the body’s internal acid-base environment, so as to promote a more alkaline (base) milieu. Both diet and supplement measures have been theorized and/or explored for general health and in the management of specific concerns, such as osteoporosis.

Interstitial cystitis (IC), also known as bladder pain syndrome, causes a reduced bladder capacity accompanied by symptoms of frequent, painful urination, and may or may not include blood in the urine (either seen by the naked eye or identified by urinalysis). The theory behind IC primarily emphasizes bladderwall inflammation as the root cause of symptoms. On physical examination, individuals with IC often have no physical findings, but a vague suprapubic (an area of the abdomen, just above the top of the pubic bone) tenderness may be present. The urinalysis (urine test) is often negative but may identify small/trace amounts of blood within the urine.[1]

Toxins are all around us. Whether it’s the car fumes you inhale, the frozen dinner you eat, or the negative thoughts you have at work, toxins are everywhere.

Inflammation has become a hot topic in the medical world, and the body of research around it continues to grow. We used to think that arthritis and joint inflammation began and ended in the joints, with no other influences or connections.

Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) is the backwards flow of stomach contents into the esophagus, often referred to as “heartburn” or “acid reflux.” GERD most commonly results from increased abdominal pressure or a dysfunction of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), a bundle of muscles located at the end of the esophagus where it meets the stomach.