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Immune / Lymphatic

The Common Cold: Immune Support With Zinc

As discussed in this author’s last post, the common cold (rhinovirus) was covered as well as its negative affects upon children and adults. The prevalence of cold viruses was understood to maintain their presence throughout all seasons and accounted for 40% of time lost from jobs and approximately 30% of absenteeism from school.1 Quercetin was…

Dementia: Support With Sauna Therapy

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a condition characterized by the development of two abnormal proteins in the brain known as β-amyloid and tau, which are toxic to nerve cells within the brain.1 The build-up of such proteins inexorably leads to neuron death, degraded brain function, and manifestations of dementia; a general term, which describes a decline in mental abilities…

Benefits of Diaphragmatic Breathing

Mounting evidence is suggesting that deep belly breathing, otherwise known as diaphragmatic breathing (DB), can induce beneficial and relaxing effects that support physical and mental health.1 Although DB is slowly gaining attention amongst exercise professionals, medical professionals, and the general public, specific benefits have remained largely elusive.1(1) Considering the anecdotal benefits of DB, the following…

Managing Osteoarthritis and Inflammation With Saunas

Knee osteoarthritis (KO) is one of the most common conditions affecting approximately 30-50% of individuals over 65 years of age.1 KO is a chronic and degenerative process which is characterized by articular cartilage degeneration, injury, narrowing of articular space, and inflammation.1(1-2) In recent years, researchers have placed particular focus upon the inflammatory cascades associated with…

Indoor Air Pollution: Air Filtration and Health

Indoor environmental air pollution can have unfavorable physiological effects upon home owners, largely because individuals tend to spend 90% of their time at home.1 Although natural ventilation can help evacuate harmful particulate matter, outdoor air can often contain more xenobiotics than inside the home.1(1) Such instances demand interventions that can filter indoor air in an…

Strengthen Your Immune System with Sleep and Nutrition

Sleep quality/duration and nutrition are cornerstones of health and overall quality of life. Sleep is a vital, yet often, underappreciated component of homeostasis and in many westernized nations individuals tend to experience less hours of sleep per night.1 Sleep restriction of seven hours or less has been associated with longer work schedules and greater time…

Inadequate Sleep and Health Outcomes

Sleep is a vital, yet greatly overlooked, component to health. In many industrialized societies, there is a trend towards less hours of sleep per night (Gallicchio & Kalesan, 2009). Losses in sleep of seven hours or less are attributed to factors such as longer work schedules, and greater time associated with leisure activities (Gallicchio &…

Organic Acid Markers and Intestinal Health

Gut dysbiosis is a condition characterized by a disruption in the ratio and number of microorganisms (known as the microbiome) in the small and large intestine to include bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungus (Huang, Gao, Yu, Zhu, Ding, & Qin, 2019). Such aberrations in gut function are linked to altered nutrient digestion/absorption, reduced immune/barrier function,…

Saunas, Detoxification, and Managing Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a condition accounting for 30% of all cause mortality and 10% disability worldwide (Zhang & Chang, 2019). Underlying causes of CVD can include congenital abnormalities, infectious agents, nutritional, and environmental factors (Reisner & Reisner, 2017; Sears, Kerr, & Bray, 2012). As such, interventions to manage said factors are paramount in maintaining…

Cannabis and Sleep

Canada has now legalized the sale and use of cannabis. As time passes and proper education and public awareness is provided regarding medical application, some individuals may consider using said plant derivatives to mitigate the effects of insomnia. It is possible that, in conjunction to addressing micronutrient deficiencies and improving sleep hygiene (developing a consistent…