Inflammation Drives Depression
Move over serotonin, inflammation is the new target of depression treatment Is inflammation a bad thing? Not necessarily: Inflammation helps the cells of the immune system fight infections and repair injuries. Like many things, however, the key to inflammation is balance – not too much, and not too little. Too little inflammation allows infections…
Niacin for Alcoholism
What vitamin B3 has to do with addiction Taking a vitamin B3 (niacin) supplement may help treat alcohol use disorder and ease the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Alcohol use disorder (AUD, or alcoholism) is a medical condition in which it is very difficult to control one’s alcohol use – even in the face of…
Lactobacillus plantarum DR7: A Probiotic For Stress Relief
When I was a young athlete, I would get sick to my stomach before every big game, race, or match. The stress I felt always manifested in my gut. Many people experience feelings of a “nervous stomach” because our brain and our gut are so intricately intertwined. Sayings like “trust your gut”, “feel it…
A Deep-Sea Remedy for Stress Relief
The fish extract that combats anxiety “What would I give, if I could live out of these waters?” So begins the lament of the mermaid princess Ariel, who dreams of someday living on land and “strolling along on the – what’s that word again? – street.” Clearly, nobody has told The Little Mermaid protagonist…
Easing Pain, Naturally
Drug-free, natural remedies for pain Just about nobody likes to be in pain. That may be why there are so many drugs out there nowadays that effectively treat it, and why we so consistently seek them out. While synthetic analgesics like opioids, NSAIDs, and acetaminophen can be effective in quieting pain, these drugs also…
How Vitamin C Can Kick Addiction
The versatile vitamin’s mechanisms of action This article serves as Part 3 in our series on vitamin C, pain, and opioid use disorder. Check out Part 1 to learn about the vitamin’s use in the management of pain. In Part 2 we dive into its potential for easing opioid withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings….
Vitamin C for Opioid Addiction
What we know about ascorbate for withdrawal and cravings Part 2 in our three-part series on vitamin C, pain, and opioid use disorder. I first heard that vitamin C could help with opioid use disorder when I was asked to write an article on vitamin C, mood, and addiction for Nutrition in Focus. The…
Vitamin C to Ease the Pain
Nutritional support for acute, chronic, surgical, and cancer-related pain Part 1 in our three-part series on vitamin C, pain, and opioid addiction. What do humans have in common with other primates, bats, and guinea pigs? (No, not a love of cheese!) We cannot make L-gulonolactone oxidase (GLO), the enzyme needed to biosynthesize ascorbate (vitamin…
Improving Erectile Health – Part 2 of 2
Nitric oxide support for sexual health In Part 1 of this series, we looked at the physiology of a type of erectile dysfunction (ED) known as endothelial ED and explained the importance of blood vessel health on male sexual function. This week, we will explore some natural strategies, that have good scientific evidence for…
How Stress Hurts the Immune System – And What to Do About it (Video)
Stress: it isn’t just in your head. In this video, Dr. Erica Zelfand explains how our bodies respond to stress and how those reactions can wreak havoc on our immunological function, weight, blood sugar, heart health, and overall wellbeing. Topics covered include: the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the adrenal glands, cortisol, adrenaline, and the effects…
Biohacks for a Calmer, Happier, More Focused You (Video)
Meet your new best friend – your vagus nerve. Through simple biohacks, we can use our bodies to affect our mood, focus, and productivity. In this video, naturopathic physician Dr. Erica Zelfand introduces the vagus nerve – a nerve that travels from the head to the throat, heart, lungs, kidneys, digestive tract, and even…
Pine Bark for Blood Vessels Big and Small, Part 1 of 2
A natural solution for high blood pressure, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins At first glance, the ailments of high blood pressure, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins seem to have little in common. As any holistically trained healthcare provider knows, however, these conditions all share one common cause: poor vascular health. Also known as the circulatory system,…
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