The warm weather does not only signal that summer is on its way, but that the pollen is out! Allergy sufferers worldwide understand this love-hate relationship with spring and summer. My personal experience with allergies as an adolescent drew me to naturopathic medicine. Through the use of nutrition, supplements, herbal medicine and other lifestyle strategies, I no longer rely on antihistamines like I once did.

Statin Side Effects It is no surprise to us that cardiovascular disease tops the list of killers in the world. Every one of us knows at least one other person in our families that has been affected by a heart condition. In 2013, Stats Canada estimated this second leading cause of death to affect more than 2.4 million Canadians (1). This number is expected to increase over the next few decades as the effects of sedentary office jobs and unhealthy eating patterns takes its toll.

Spring has finally arrived and with it has come lots of sunshine, birds coming out to play, and unfortunately, also a lot of sneezing, runny noses, and congestion. For allergy sufferers, this time of year can be both a blessing and curse. While the most effective way to deal with your allergies is to prepare your body 2-3 months BEFORE "allergy season", there are still ways you can help reduce symptoms.

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]

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.

It is one of the first flowers to pop up in the spring. It can, quite quickly, become the bright, cheerful yellow that takes over a neatly manicured lawn. It is abundantly available and is usually easily recognized. Once it has planted itself, it can be very hard to remove.

A lot of buzz has been generated about the ketogenic, or “keto,” diet. This nutritional plan consists of eating a diet that is low in carbohydrates and high in quality fat, preferably from quality sources.

The sun rises, you open your eyes, let out a big yawn, and finally decide to get out of bed. Your day has started. Breakfast is consumed… or not (but hopefully has been). E‑mails and social media feeds are all checked. Now it’s finally time to “get ready.” Ladies, before you step out the door, through to the time you go back to sleep, you are estimated to use 12 personal‑care products, containing over 180 ingredients. For the men, you are estimated at 6 personal‑care products containing roughly 85 ingredients.[1]

The New York Times had a headline a few years ago that read: “Butter is Back.”[1] Time magazine’s cover page stated: “Eat Butter.” As a result, people are embracing bacon, cheese, butter, and steaks as healthy. They are saying “saturated fat is good,” and “low-fat is bad.” Ironically, extensive research and scientific evidence from the last 50 years have shown that saturated-fat consumption is a predictor of LDL (low-density lipoproteins) and triglyceride levels in the body, which are also known as “bad cholesterols.” So, which message is true?

The most common condition of the bones, by far, is osteoporosis. As you likely know, osteoporosis is characterized by a decreased bone mass and deterioration of the bone tissues. You can think of your bones like a bridge over a body of water: They are both supported by a fine crosshatched matrix that keeps them strong. If there is any compromise to this structure of the bridge, it is likely to break due to stress. And thus, osteoporosis or loss of bone density is a problem because it can lead to an increased risk of fracture. The most common areas of fracture are the spine, the wrist, and—most dangerously—the hip.

The question “Do I need to take a multivitamin?” is asked by people time and time again. The answer to that question depends on a few factors such as diet and nutrition, lab testing, gut function, medical history, family history, stress levels, and more.

Many of us are aware that exercise is an important part of creating a healthy and balanced life. And yet, many more of us are so quick to create excuses and avoid the effort it takes to get our bodies moving. The truth of the matter is, there is no pill that can replicate what exercise can do for the human body. And like everything else that we do to occupy our time, if it is important enough to us, we will make it a priority. Exercise is an important part of managing every health concern, and here are three of my favourites.

We know that exercise is good for us. It helps with our heart health, our blood sugar, our thyroid, our sleep, and our ability to manage stress. It helps with almost everything relating to our health and is probably one of the most important factors for good health, if not the most important.

The structure of the pelvic floor creates a support system for the pelvic organs. These muscles, composed by the pelvic diaphragm and elevator ani complex, form a sling around the urethra, distal vagina, and rectum.

Acne vulgaris is one of the most common, chronic skin conditions. Up to 80–90% of the population will experience some degree of acne.[1]