Health Matters With Paul Rosen

Painful episodes of indigestion or acid reflux are common, and so are medications meant to address them.  It's a classic case of the cure being worse than the disease.   Our systems need acid to function properly.  Medications that reduce acid in the stomach actually make the problem worse.  And failing to address digestive issues can lead to more serious issues, including ulcers. So what's the answer?  How do we fix digestive issues in a way that provides more than a short-term solution?

Americans of all ages are susceptible to arthritis, bursitis and tendonitis.  Millions of sufferers understandably reach for medications for temporary relief from pain. But even over-the-counter medications like aspirin can cause more problems than they solve.  And if that's the case, if arthritis meds are a poor long-term solution, what can you do to lessen or fix the problem?

America's billion-dollar bottled-water industry includes many brands of alkaline water that claim to help lower levels of acid in the body.  Water ionizers costing hundreds or thousands of dollars supposedly provide similar benefits. But are these really benefits at all?  Our bodies need minimum levels of acid to function properly.  Is there a better way of determining your body's particular needs, and how to address them?  

Salt gets a bad rap.  It's not the health-killer it's made out to be, and in fact, it's essential for total health. Sea salt is the best, of course, but why?  What is it about sea salt that makes it superior to processed table salt, and why should it be your first choice as a food seasoning and preservative? 

Our homes are full of toxins like formaldehyde and other building products that pollute the air, in addition to the cleansers, detergents and other common, health-damaging products we rely on every day. Plants can help.  They cleanse the air and make our homes healthier, and specific plants provide specific health benefits.

Tens of millions of Americans are considered obese by the Centers for Disease Control, and the number is growing.  What's going on?  Why are we getting so fat so quick? One myth is that calories are the culprit.  Counting calories is NOT an effective way to lose weight.  In fact, focusing on calorie control can be entirely self-defeating.

If you're tired and in pain, if your head and body ache and you find it difficult to function, the thing to do is get some medical tests, right?  You can't fix a problem until you diagnose it.   But what happens when the tests are no help?  What if they can't find anything wrong?  More problematically, what if the tests appear to making things worse? This conversation between Paul Rosen and a patient answers these questions, and more.  

The first thing to know about any skin condition, large or small, eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea, or any other, is that the cure isn't to be found in ointments or creams or anything else you may choose to apply to your body. It's your diet that counts.  What you eat can help eliminate the skin conditions that may be wrecking your appearance and your self-esteem, and in some cases, subjecting you to chronic pain.  

At any point in your life, you may experience fatigue, mental fog, general pain and fading energy.  You may even reach a point where any of all of these symptoms sap your motivation to get up and get going every day, or they may incapacitate you entirely. So what do you do?  If you've tried everything, and nothing works, is it time to give up?

Over the past couple of decades, hand sanitizers have mutated into a billion-dollar industry.  You may keep hand sanitizers at the ready in your house right now, and many offices and businesses position them for employees to use at will. But you shouldn't be using them at all.  They're often full of ingredients that can do you a lot more harm than good.

So you want to eat healthy, but you don't want to hassle with lengthy preparations and ingredients.  You don't have to, procrastinating chefs of the world. There are many tasty foods you can acquire easily and prepare handily, and your body will thank you for it.  

Who hasn't enjoyed a sandwich with some lunch meat, some bologna or salami, pastrami or ham?  If somebody's told you that lunch meats are full of salts and unhealthy fats, they're not wrong.  But that's not what's most dangerous about them. Lunch meats are often jammed with preservatives and chemicals to make them look and taste better.  Even the packaging is sometimes full of stuff you don't want infecting your food.  And all those added ingredients are toxic to your health.    

If you're tired or depressed, or if you feel antsy and anxious about even the most minor things, maybe the problem isn't the stress of your job, the rude drivers you may encounter everywhere, or any concerns you may have about your financial health. It's your body chemistry.  And your body chemistry can be controlled, just like your moods.

How is the health of your stomach related to the health of your brain?  Chemicals like serotonin and dopamine are produced in the stomach, and these neurochemicals directly impact the functioning of our minds. The foods you choose help ensure a healthy stomach and a healthy mind.  So what foods are right for you?  

In some cultures, the shape of your food was believed to determine the food's nutritional value.  Walnuts are shaped like human brains, so walnuts are good for the brain, right?   Or is that right at all?  

A vegetarian or vegan diet may have some benefits, but they're seriously lacking in essential vitamins like B12, which is readily found in meat and fish. Consumers who choose vegetarianism for health or ethical reasons need to find ways to supplement their diets so that important elements of all healthy diets aren't left out.

Let's assume that sodas, with their huge concentrations of sugar, are bad for you.  So is an alternative possible, a home soda-making system that creates carbonated beverages just as tasty as regular soda, but with far less sugar? Yes...but no.  A soda with less sugar still has a lot of sugar.  Fortunately, those who prefer sparkling beverages have still other alternatives, healthy choices you can whip up right in your own kitchen.  

Our bodies are complicated systems that can react harshly to food, if we've developed a food sensitivity.  Food sensitivities are more common than ever, partly because of the way our food is grown and manufactured, and the way it's jammed with additives and preservatives. So how do you know whether or not you have a food sensitivity?  And even once it's identified, what do you do?

Milk has been a staple of young diets for decades.  But are we giving our kids something that's unhealthy for them?  And if milk isn't necessarily all that good for us, what are the alternatives? Goats and coconuts are among the sources for healthy milk choices.  Soy, not so much.

Whether or not you choose to vaccinate against the flu, the United States Supreme Court has a few things to say about it.  A 2011 court ruling provides protection for vaccine manufacturers in the event a vaccine harms a consumer, based on legislation passed by Congress in 1986.   What do you need to know about liability and protections for the developers of vaccines?