Is organic food worth the cost?Organic foods do come with a higher price tag. Many shoppers wonder if the higher cost is really worth it, or if "buying organic" is just another politically correct fad comparable to buying designer clothing.

Signs of ADD/ADHD and Holistic SolutionsBy Pragati B. Patel, MA

According to the Centers for Disease Control and the American Psychiatric Association, 3 to 7% of school-aged children have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  ADHD is diagnosed when a child meets the criteria set forth in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR); this criterion includes developmentally inappropriate inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Children with ADHD can present with attention seeking, interruption, destructiveness, difficulty in social relationships, and behavioral problems, all of which can lead to the perception of a difficult child. Within the diagnosis of ADHD, there are three subtypes: combined type, predominantly inattentive type, and predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type.

Premature Ejaculation: A Common, Yet Treatable ProblemBy Laura Perkowski

   Premature ejaculation is a topic that is often joked about in movies and sitcoms, but it is a very common problem that is no laughing matter to those personally affected. Premature ejaculation is the most common sexual dysfunction among males under the age of 30. A universal definition for premature ejaculation does not exist, but it can be described as ejaculation that occurs shortly after, or even before, penetration. One or both individuals involved must be unsatisfied with the timing of ejaculation. It is estimated that premature ejaculation affects up to 75% of men at one point in their lifetime. 

Help, my tween is crazy!Every child will experience the transition of puberty, and most every parent during this tranisition will think that thier child has been possessed or has lost thier mind. In truth, puberty does not need to be a confusing experience for kids nor thier care takers. Talking about the changes that accompany puberty with your tween can help to determine thier experience, and can possibly make your interaction with your child a bit easier.

An Update on Using Prostate Specific Antigen to Screen for Prostate CancerBy Laura Perkowski

Besides skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in the world. Seventy percent of all cancer in men is prostate cancer, and it is the second leading cause of cancer related death in men, behind lung cancer. For the last several years, prostate specific antigen (PSA) has been used to screen for prostate cancer, but in July of 2011, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) changed its recommendation by recommending against using PSA to screen for prostate cancer in all age groups. The reasoning behind this change is that PSA-based prostate screening does not significantly decrease the number of deaths due to prostate cancer.

Approaching Urinary Tract Infections the Natural WayBy Dominique Ewing

Every year, millions are affected by urinary tract infections (UTIs), occurring in kidneys, ureters, urethra, or bladder (urinary tract). When bacteria enter the urethra and proliferate, a UTI develops. If untreated, they may even enter the kidneys causing a life threatening infection called pyelonephritis. UTIs in the lower urinary tract have a rapid onset, usually recognized by frequent, painful urination. Recognizing an upper UTI (i.e. pyelonephritis) is more complicated because the symptoms are similar, but more serious.

Hormone Replacement Therapy-Uses, Dangers, and Preparations By Laura Perkowski

   Women experiencing menopausal symptoms will often begin hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Menopause is often viewed as a “disease” or something that needs fixing, when in reality, it is a natural, biological process that all women go through as they age. The development of HRT has played a large part in the medicalization of menopause. A quote from an article in the journal “Science and Medicine,” explains, “In many non-Western cultures menopause is seen as a positive event that frees women from social restrictions and reproductive pressures.” How different this is compared to the way many women in the United States view menopause!

Creative Ways to Get Your Children to Eat Fruits and Vegetables By Jessie Carroll

We all want our kids to be healthy, and research has shown that consuming high quality fruits and vegetables can help prevent chronic disease. However, fruits and (especially) vegetables probably don’t even make a blip on the radar of what kids want to eat. I am here to tell you how to change that! Here are three things that I have found helpful in encouraging children to make healthier food choices...

Ear HealthMy ear hurts! Be it whined, screamed, whimpered or pantomimed through a tug on the ear by an infant, most parents or care takers of young children have witnessed the symptoms of otitis media (OM), also known as a middle ear infection. OM is quite common in kids 6 months to 3 years old. Boys have a slightly higher chance of developing OM, and certain ethnicities like American Indians and Inuits have a higher risk of developing OM. After five years of age, the occurrence of OM decreases.

Each ear contains a tiny tube called the Eustachian tube which helps to drain fluids from the nasal cavities and throat. When this tube becomes blocked the fluid builds and ear pressure builds, which is what creates the feeling of pressure and pain for children. Fluid trapped in the ear can also become a wonderful environment for bacteria, especially when associated with an upper respiratory infection. OM is often not adequately or thoroughly diagnosed by clinicians. There are two types of OM: with effusion and without effusion. OM with effusion is associated with fluid build up without bacterial infection. OM without effusion is associated with bacterial infection. It is important to ask your doctor to distinguish which condition is present. Antibiotics are usually given by conventional and naturopathic doctors to treat OM without effusion (bacteria associated). Some forms of OM are assoicated with the shape of the Eustacian tube. In these cases MDs may recommend a surgery called Myringotomy when OM is chronic.

Coprophagia in dogsDogs often eat stool when they are missing something in their diet. Usually, supplementation with pet-specific probiotics or enzymes suffices to end the habit. Probiotics are the good bacteria that normally live in the gut. They are important for keeping bad bacteria from getting out of proportion, and sometimes need to be supplemented if a pet has been taking antibiotics. Antibiotics can kill not only the bacteria causing an infection, but also the good bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. It is estimated that about seventy percent of our immune function is made in the gut, so if the flora is unhealthy there, leaky gut syndrome can contribute to a slow decline in health. Enzymes are the proteins that help digest and assimilate food. Enzymes help to break down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins so that the body can absorb and utilize them for energy.
Other times, basic vitamins or minerals are what is needed in the pet’s diet to keep them from eating stool. In some cases, it is just a bad habit. For example, “kitty truffles” or litter box treats are often enticing to dogs to eat. This may be due to the higher protein content in cat food compared to dog food. Make sure to keep litter pans clean. Get an automatic cleaner or put up a gate to limit the dog’s access to the pan if necessary. Keep yards picked up of stool. This is also recommended to decrease zoonotic potential for people to catch bacteria and parasites from pets’ stool.
Some remedies that exist in the vet world for coprophagia (eating stool) are merely monosodium glutamate, aka MSG. This is recommended to be given to whoever’s stool is being eaten, and then the directions actually recommend that the stool be consumed. It will apparently taste so miserable that it will deter the pet from doing it again. While this and other types of MSG products do tend to help, it seems like a backwards way of treating the issue, in my opinion.
Other forms of pica, or eating unusual things, such as dirt, have also been shown to point to nutritional deficiencies. Give your pet the benefit of the doubt that they may not be trying to be disgusting. Consider what foods they have been eating. It may be time to supplement with real foods or a better quality brand. If you are considering supplementing vitamins or minerals, be careful to avoid products that list corn syrup or wheat in the ingredients, as there are other, palatable mixes available without those fillers.