Depression affects nearly 350 million people worldwide, and those numbers have continued to rise over the last several decades. As a matter of fact, depression is now the #1 leading cause of disability, replacing chronic back pain and arthritis. Recently, it’s gotten even worse—during the COVID-19 lockdowns it was estimated that US cases of depression nearly tripled! Depression is very difficult to treat because it’s not a “cut-and-dry” illness…and sadly that means many people...

  If you are an adult living in in the US or a similar “Westernized” country, chances are good you already have or soon will develop a sly, silent and rather common disease.  This condition quietly progresses and waits like a spider…then when it rears its ugly head, you quickly find yourself flat on your back (or in surgery). I’m talking about diverticulosis.  Here’s what you need to know about this “silent” condition that is...

  I think it’s fair to say that we should be able to expect the CDC to be rather thorough in its reporting of disease information.  After all, the “Centers For Disease Control and Prevention” implies that they actually have reliable statistics to help control and prevent disease.  Well, I beg to differ. Because there is a huge omission in the CDC’s disease statistics as they pertain to deaths and mortality, based on my recent...

  I have to confess that I get my inspirations for writing sometimes in the strangest, most warped ways. Today I have an appointment for my annual GYN checkup…and while I’m happy to report I’m feeling fine, the same cannot be said for many other women who may be paying a visit to their gynecologist today. Because one of the most common reasons to see a GYN is a vaginal yeast infection! Ah yes, most...

  Benjamin Franklin once said, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." I'll add a third certainty onto that: There is NO "magic pill" that fixes everything for you. I say this because over the last 10 days or so I’ve been inundated with questions about what I call “magic pills”--weight loss gimmicks, wrinkle-erase face creams, belly fat burning pills, super muscle building formulas, you-name-it.  You can tell...

  I recently struck up a conversation with a couple of women at a holiday get-together. When it came up that I’m a nutrition coach, one of the women said, “Oh, that explains why you’re so healthy-looking and thin.  I bet you’ve always been super-healthy, right?” They were shocked when I said, “Nope—not at all!  Thirty years ago I was suffering big time with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).  But that’s all over now.” One of...