Over 4.5 billion prescriptions are written in the US every year, a staggering number that’s been climbing for over a decade. While many of these medications save lives, they also come with a host of less desirable consequences: sky-high price tags, risk of addiction, and uncomfortable side effects. In hopes of protecting their patients from… Continue reading Trade in Your Meds for Mountains with Forest Bathing
Category: Alternative Health
A Tweet Better than Twitter: Birdsong Therapy
With a new political firestorm breaking on Twitter each day, it can be hard to remember that a “tweet” isn’t just a 280-character quip that instantly reaches millions of followers. Yes, long before a tweet was a cringe-worthy echo from our nation’s capital, it was simply a sound that a bird made, a note in… Continue reading A Tweet Better than Twitter: Birdsong Therapy
Treating Illness at its Root: The Healing Power of Earthing
The simple fix behind a cure for fatigue, insomnia, and more. If you dig back far, far into your brain—a la elementary school and the awkward joys of middle school—you might remember the first time you learned that everything is made of something called matter. And within this matter are tiny, swirling, electrically-charged particles called… Continue reading Treating Illness at its Root: The Healing Power of Earthing
The Health Magic of Thermal & Mineral Baths
Nestled in the snowy Jemez mountains of Northern New Mexico, miles and miles from the nearest paved road, an unlikely crowd gathers…in bathing suits. The hikers, nature lovers, and health enthusiasts have come from far and wide to experience a few of the many natural hot springs scattered across the American West. By soaking in… Continue reading The Health Magic of Thermal & Mineral Baths
A Smartphone Guide to Herbal Supplements
Not sure which herbal supplement to buy – or whether to buy at all? There’s a free app for that. To help consumers navigate information about popular herbs and herbal supplements, the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has developed HerbList™ – an app for research-based information about the safety… Continue reading A Smartphone Guide to Herbal Supplements
The Unexpected Force Driving Medical Marijuana Legalization in the USA
When you envision the movement to legalize marijuana, what do you see? Is it a band of hippies or college students? Free spirits of the American West with long hair and peace symbol bumper stickers? If so, you aren’t alone in your thinking. Though public perception of marijuana and marijuana users has shifted with the… Continue reading The Unexpected Force Driving Medical Marijuana Legalization in the USA
The Pros and Cons of Marijuana as a Mother
Though marijuana is often considered a drug for the young and rebellious, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently reported that middle aged parents are now more likely to use marijuana than their teenage children. This is partly due to the increased accessibility of marijuana with legalization of the drug across the country. Recreational marijuana… Continue reading The Pros and Cons of Marijuana as a Mother
Marital Marijuana: The Key to Wedded Bliss?
Frustrated by poor communication, a fizzling sex life, or lack of intimacy in your marriage? Say goodbye to couple’s therapy and counseling. There’s a new marital guru in town, and she goes by “Mary Jane.” These findings come in part from a recent study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, which found that marijuana users… Continue reading Marital Marijuana: The Key to Wedded Bliss?
Marijuana: A Cure for Hiccups?
We all know the feeling: dread sets in as you’re jolted by one hiccup, then two, then three. Soon enough, you’ve been hiccupping for five minutes straight and are thumbing through your “hiccup cure” thought manual to no avail. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a scientifically proven cure for stubborn hiccups – one… Continue reading Marijuana: A Cure for Hiccups?
The Famous Marijuana Leaf, Explained
The marijuana leaf has been a pop culture symbol for decades. Today, you can find the pointed leaf on so many things: bumper stickers, posters, t-shirts, socks, mugs – you name it. But did you know that this famous leaf isn’t actually what is used when smoking marijuana or manufacturing marijuana products? Here, we break… Continue reading The Famous Marijuana Leaf, Explained
7 Reasons Why More Grandparents than Ever are Using Marijuana
The legalization of medical and recreational marijuana across the country is changing the nation’s perception of what used to be a highly criminalized substance. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just millennials that are taking advantage of increased access to the drug – grandparents are, too. A recent study by Marist and Yahoo found that… Continue reading 7 Reasons Why More Grandparents than Ever are Using Marijuana
Proprietary Chinese medicines and health products can pose severe health risks
Traditional Chinese medicine is widely used as a form of complementary treatment for various indications and for improving general health. Proprietary Chinese medicines (pCMs)–which are composed solely of Chinese medicines and formulated in a finished dose form–are generally believed to be natural and safe, but a new analysis in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology… Continue reading Proprietary Chinese medicines and health products can pose severe health risks
Seasonal Allergies and Complementary Health Approaches
Sneezing? Wheezing? Itchy eyes? If you have seasonal allergies, you may have thought about trying complementary health approaches. Here’s advice from the National Institute of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Saline Nasal Irrigation There is some evidence to suggest that saline nasal irrigation may modestly improve some seasonal allergy symptoms. What Does the Research Show?… Continue reading Seasonal Allergies and Complementary Health Approaches
Chemicals from Two Mediterranean Plants May Combat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
According to scientists from the University of Malta and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS/University of Bordeaux), chemicals extracted from the prickly pear and brown seaweed, two ubiquitous Mediterranean plants, have been elevated to possible drug candidates to combat the neurodegenerative diseases. Brown seaweed is commonly known as Peacock’s tail A release from… Continue reading Chemicals from Two Mediterranean Plants May Combat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s and Complementary Health Treatments
Editor’s note: If you’re struggling with Parkinson’s, or have a loved one who is, it may be tempting to try complementary health treatments in addition to conventional medicine. But how good are these remedies? Here, experts from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, one of the National Institutes of Health, offer an overview.… Continue reading Parkinson’s and Complementary Health Treatments
Alternative Remedies for Inflammation: How Good Are They?
Editor’s note: People who suffer musculoskeletal inflammatory conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and tendinitis may try some alternative health treatments that have purported anti-inflammatory properties. But do these remedies actually work? Here, experts from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health weigh in on the evidence of how effective these treatments are –… Continue reading Alternative Remedies for Inflammation: How Good Are They?
7 Things to Know about Anxiety and Complementary Health
Editor’s note: If your anxiety is overwhelming, or you’d rather avoid prescription medications for the conditions, you may be thinking about using some natural “remedies.” But before you do, read these tips from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, part of the National Institutes of Health. They might surprise you. Occasional anxiety is… Continue reading 7 Things to Know about Anxiety and Complementary Health
Natural Remedies for IBS: Do They Work?
Should you use complementary health remedies to combat Irritable Bowel Syndrome? The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health, offers an overview: Probiotics There is some preliminary evidence that suggests these microorganisms may improve symptoms of IBS; however, benefits have not been conclusively demonstrated, and not all… Continue reading Natural Remedies for IBS: Do They Work?