Nosebleeds (medically known as epistaxis) can be caused by a number of factors including sneezing, trauma, dry air, nose picking, high blood pressure, and anticoagulants. Blood vessels found in the nasal passages are close to the mucosal surface while helping warm and humidify the air you breathe, also make them susceptible to bleeding. Continue reading "How to Stop a Nose Bleed"

A natural substance found in cartilage, glucosamine is manufactured from shellfish shells. Glucosamine therapy is especially promising because it may treat the underlying disease by improving cartilage health. It strengthens and slows the breakdown of cartilage by stimulating production of proteoglycans used in the synthesis and repair of cartilage. Although providing more immediate pain relief, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDS) such as Motrin and Advil may actually accelerate progression of arthritis by inhibiting cartilage repair. Continue reading "Glucosamine Sulfate for Arthritis"

For acute minor abrasions and small shallow wounds, polysporin and neomycin ointments speeds wound healing by several days (8.2 and 9.2 days vs 13.3 days for no treatment). Wounds treated with hydrogen peroxide and iodine delay healing (14.3 and 15.7 days) and use of these agents is not recommended. Be sure to consult your physician or seek medical attention before starting any treatment. Continue reading "Wound Care"

Warts can be an unsightly embarrassment for many. Standard medical therapies for the treatment of warts include excising the wart with electrocautery, freezing it with cryotherapy, or applying topical medications. However, interesting new natural cures such as duct tape for warts, and now garlic have shown some promise against this common ailment. Continue reading "Garlic For Warts"

Think drinking “diet” cola is a guilt-free pleasure? Think again when it comes to osteoporosis. Carbonated beverages and colas, including diet sodas, have been linked with increased bone fracture rates in teenage girls. While carbonated beverage consumption was associated with a 300% increased risk of fracture, cola beverages fared worse. They were associated with an almost 500% increased risk of fracture in physically active girls. Another study of 2500 women, whose average age was 60 years old, showed that the more cola consumed, including diet cola, the lower their bone mineral density. No such link was found in men. Unlike the previous study, only cola sodas were linked with lower bone density and not other carbonated drinks.  While some have speculated that soda’s link with osteoporosis  can be explained by a lower milk intake, this study did not show a higher bone density with milk consumption. Continue reading "Soda and Osteoporosis"

We all know how difficult it is to deal with jet lag. Increased daytime fatigue, irritability, and loss of mental alertness are familiar symptoms for all of us. Your body’s internal clock, regulated by your circadian system, becomes out of synch with the new day-night cycle at your travel destination. For a flight across six or more time zones, it generally takes 4-6 days to re-establish a normal sleeping pattern. Westbound travel is generally more easily tolerated since it is easier to lengthen rather than shorten our natural circadian rhythm. Continue reading "Melatonin for jet lag"

Niacin is the most effective intervention for raising HDL or good cholesterol. Not only will niacin (nicotinic acid) raise HDL cholesterol by 8-35% and lower LDL cholesterol by 10-25%, it has been shown to lower the risk of stroke and heart disease. Nicotinic acid should not be confused with another water soluble B vitamin, nicotinamide, which does not lower cholesterol levels. Continue reading "Niacin for cholesterol"

HDL or good cholesterol is considered “good” because it helps transport cholesterol from your arterial walls, back to the liver for excretion in your gastrointestinal tract. HDL also possesses antioxidant activity which prevents LDL or bad cholesterol from oxidizing and creating atherosclerotic plaque in your heart arteries (hardening of the arteries). Continue reading "Raising HDL"

Warts are caused by a virus called the human papilloma virus, spread through contact with other people who have warts. They typically appear on hands and feet and often go away on their own after several months; 50-70% of non-genital warts will resolve without any treatment after 3 months. Standard therapies include over the counter topical medications that contain salicylic acid and cryosurgery where a physician uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the wart. Duct tape as a home remedy for removing warts has shown promise in some studies. Continue reading "Duct Tape and Warts"

Several recent studies suggest cutting back on dairy may help with teenage acne. Teenagers who drank 2 or more glasses (8 ounce servings) of milk were 20% more likely to develop acne. The fat content of milk does not appear to be related to acne development since the strongest link was found with those drinking skim milk; teenagers who consumed more than 2 glasses of skim milk per day were 44% more likely to develop acne. Continue reading "Dairy Products and Acne"