I am often astonished when I observe people who give no thought to applying synthetic mosquito repellant on their bodies. DEET, or N, N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide, is probably the most common (and effectively marketed) insect repellant on the planet. It has been shown to repel mosquitoes for over three hours and has

In an effort to improve their own environmental policies, China warned us in July 2017 that they would be making sweeping environmental policy changes and as of January 2018 would no longer be accepting foreign recycling material. Other countries such as Vietnam and Indonesia have followed suit. Not having either

At least once a year I like to offer recipes that first, appeal to children and second, offer kids important nutrients without overloading them on sugar or carbohydrates. The breakfast recipes I propose here will likely take 20-30 minutes of preparation time which might be a wee intimidating on a

  It’s that time of year again. Pollen season in the northwest has arrived; if you suffer from seasonal allergies it can really be a miserable time of year. In sensitized individuals, allergens in our environment such as pollen trigger the production of IgE antibodies. These immune molecules cause mast

February is American Heart Month, which provides a great opportunity to discuss the most clinically effective ways to prevent cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in the U.S. Heart disease and cancer combined account for almost 50 percent of all deaths each year and affect nearly

Coming into the holidays, we’re often doing a lot of things that can negatively impact our immune system—eating more sugar, drinking more alcohol, and potentially feeling stressed because of schedule or company, or because it’s a hard time of year for other reasons. Also, with the chillier days and loss

2017 has been one of the worst fire seasons in terms of air quality due to smoke precipitate. Wildfire smoke is a combination of particles and gases, both of which can cause damage to sensitive mucosa. For those who suffer from respiratory illnesses, the irritation due to the smoke may

According to the statistics of the American Thyroid Association, over 20 million Americans have been diagnosed with and treated for hypothyroidism. It is likely that an additional 20 million people are suffering with poorly functioning thyroid glands but have received no treatment. The vast majority of patients who seek out

I discuss with my patients the benefits of changing their eating habits.  However, patients often become overwhelmed by the process of reviewing and selecting specific recipes. I have found that offering recipes is the best way to help them through this process. Here are three recipes I have found to

Gout is an extremely painful condition characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis. Usually one joint becomes swollen, red, tender and warm. About 50% of the time, it is the big toe, but other joints may be involved. Gout occurs when uric acid (a natural waste product of protein