April is IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome) Awareness Month. Difficult to talk about, so IBS is under-diagnosed. IBS affects nearly 25% of adults. $1.6 billion in health-related spending each year in the US. IBS is not life-threatening but can cause significant pain and distress. No test to definitively diagnose IBS. More common in women than men. Used to be called, colitis, […]

Prescription medicines and vitamins may be a part of your regimen to stay healthy but use comes with responsibilities Take medications as prescribed Store and dispose of medications safely Minimize risk of use and abuse by others *Almost 7,000 overdose and 1,000 deaths in AZ this year! *Arizonans make about 10,000 calls per year regarding possible medication poisoning in children. […]

Flu Basic Facts Influenza (flu) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Serious outcomes of flu infection can result in hospitalization or death. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk of serious flu complications. Most seasons last up to 20 weeks and […]

Antibiotic resistance is a big and growing problem. The main driving factors behind antibiotic resistance are the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. Antibiotics ONLY treat bacterial infections. Most winter colds and sinus infections are caused by viruses, which antibiotics DO NOT treat. Read the Chart! to know which common illnesses are usually viral or bacterial and when antibiotics are necessary. […]

Beware the lemon wedge: Ordering a lemon wedge for your water or soda may be hazardous to your health or at least gross you out. The bad: researchers swabbed the rinds and flesh of 76 lemons from 21 restaurants collected during 43 visits 70%of them produced microbial growth Several of the types of bacteria are known to cause human disease […]

Should you try a diet or change your food choices? Dr. Thompson’s algorithm for whether you need to work on weight loss Are you free from health problems? (Diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, arthritis, chronic pain etc.) Can you do what you want/need to with your body? (Physical activities, playing with kids, work duties, get pregnant etc.) Can you […]

Read the following article on the Real Deal on Vitamins. https://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/health/natural-health/vitamins-are-just-exxy-pee-the-7-vitamins-myths-were-guilty-of-believing/news-story/c29adec08cf300d6e4f0fd66bee7769c  

Obesity and overweight are increasing in the US and the world. About 68.8% of US adults are overweight or obese; about 1/3 men and women. Worldwide obesity has doubled since 1980; 1.9 billion adults over the age of 18 are overweight or obese. Health effects of overweight and obesity Raised BMI is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases such as: […]

Your gut contains some 100 million neurons, more than in either the spinal cord or the peripheral nervous system. This is called the ‘the enteric nervous system (ENS), popularly referred to as the ‘second brain’. Just like the brain, the enteric nervous system uses more than 30 neurotransmitters. In fact 95 percent of the body’s serotonin is found in the bowels. About 90 […]

The opioid epidemic has been building for over twenty years. This article will give an overview of what we mean by epidemic, some of the circumstances that led to this health crisis for the nation and some actions we can take to respond.