Bruxism – it’s the clenching of the jaw and grinding of the teeth sometimes to the point of actually breaking a tooth. When you’re awake and conscious the force your body can produce by grinding your teeth together is around 250 psi (pounds per square inch) in the back molars and 85 psi in the front teeth. That may seem like a lot but many are able to easily triple that pressure, achieving around 800-900 psi while they’re sleeping. This of course is when bruxism, (officially referred to as sleep or nocturnal bruxism), becomes more of a problem. And if you think it’s amazing that the body can provide that much pressure during what should be a restful period, it can even double that force to around 2,000 psi if you’re on certain antidepressant (mood-altering) medications. Pressure that high is teeth-breaking, tissue-damaging force along with a whole lot of pain and discomfort to the head, neck, and jaw region. read more…
Holiday & Winter Health Starts Now
The holidays are here and for most of us they come with added physical and emotional stress, weight gain, compromised health, and a colds and flu season. With the shorter daylight hours, many people suffer sleep problems, low energy, and even depression. This is a vicious cycle that I see each year, where a person’s health, fitness, and overall quality of life suffers from October through March and then swings back (hopefully) into positive territory over the spring and summer months – year and year again. read more…
“Everything In Moderation”
“Everything in moderation” is a common line often used by those trying to support their decision to eat and live a certain way while at the same time feeling as though they need to justify to others their lack of discipline and dedication to their health. You don’t need to live in a air-purified bubble and eat only raw food to be healthy, though there are some (actually many) products that have no place in your diet of “moderation” if you wish to be as healthy as you possibly can. read more…
Another flu season is upon us and just like every year we’re advised to get the flu vaccine or suffer the terrible consequences we hear about on TV or at the drug store. The CDC wants pretty much everyone to be vaccinated. So should you get the shot – or not? Do you know there are several types of vaccines, all with various risks, and there’s plenty you can do naturally to help prevent and/or treat the influenza virus. read more…
It’s always easier to prevent a problem rather than treat it, and this is especially true when it comes to the gallbladder problems. But how do you know if your gallbladder isn’t functioning up to snuff? You don’t want to wait for a gallbladder attack to tell you something isn’t right. In Part I, I discussed some of those more subtle signs and symptoms that many people have that aren’t normal – but a warning that the gallbladder isn’t all too happy. Now here in Part II, we’ll look at how to lower your risk factors for a gallbladder problem. We’ll also consider some natural treatments that may help you out whether you’re at the point of just not feeling perfect or at the other end of the spectrum – about to have your gallbladder removed because you’re just sick of all the trouble it’s giving you. read more…
Gallbladder problems including gallbladder attacks are very common reasons for which people seek medical care. The pain and discomfort can unfortunately result in the removal of the little green organ followed by dietary restrictions (often low fat). But of course, all of our organs are there for one reason or another and although we can live without the gallbladder, removing it is simply removing a symptom of a problem, not the actual cause. read more…
Probiotics have always been a hot topic in the natural “alternative” world of health care. These microorganisms which live in a healthy human’s gut are beneficial bugs that outnumber the total tissue cells present in the same body. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it. This healthy bacteria, along with what is known as the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), make up over half of a person’s immune system. Knowing that, you’d think that more mainstream doctors would focus on digestive health whenever treating a sick patient, not just one with a digestive problem but also someone with the common cold or flu. But this type of treatment, along with many other aspects of today’s health care, remains for the most part, untouched. read more…
Fiber is one of those necessary components of a healthy diet along with proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and water. But fiber is also very misunderstood and misrepresented. It’s often thought of as “the stuff you need to have a good bowel movement” and nothing more. People are often told to get enough fiber in their diet and eat foods high in fiber to create a feeling of fullness to aid in weight loss and keep their cholesterol low. Actually that high fiber diet could be contributing to their health problems. read more…
In this informative podcast/slide show with Barefoot Moe of Barefoot Canada, we discuss the many benefits of living barefoot – running, walking, driving, and just hanging out. We also discuss the barefoot “movement/fad”, minimalist footwear, “Earthing”, and a whole lot more. I had a great time talking to Moe as he is very knowledgeable and asked some great questions. Since the Skype video feed failed during editing, he put together some nice slides to go along with our talk. Enjoy! read more…
Naturally Treat & Prevent Knee Pain
This post is a video, one I recently posted on the Sock Doc site, but it’s as important to have here because a lot of people have knee pain and either live with it every day, take medication to deal with the pain, or resort to surgery when it’s unnecessary. So – check it out. It’s a bit long, (15 minutes), but the length is necessary to describe how the knee is affected by other areas of the body and how different areas of the knee can refer pain elsewhere. read more…
