Kristen N. Smith, PhD, RDN, LD
Selenium may have caught your attention, as it’s one among many supplements that has been studied for its potential to treat a variety of conditions ranging from asthma and dandruff to infertility. While it’s true that our bodies need this essential to function properly, it takes very little to do … Read More
Chronic pelvic pain, or chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), is a pain in the pelvic area of men or women that lasts for six months or more. The pelvic area is the area below your belly and between your hips. The cause of CPPS may be hard to find and … Read More
It is well known that a short period of pain – called acute pain – can raise your blood pressure. Several studies show that people with long-term pain – called chronic pain – may develop long-term high blood pressure called hypertension. In more ways than one, pain can cause high … Read More
You may have read about a condition called estrogen dominance. This theory, proposed in a book called What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause, said that the symptoms before menopause are caused by too much estrogen. That theory has not been supported by research, and estrogen dominance is … Read More
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, so all across America, you may have noticed pink as the prevailing color—in grocery stores, restaurants, Internet blogs, Facebook photos, and even NFL games. It's all part of an annual effort to raise awareness about the disease. “Race for the Cure” events alone raise … Read More
You're a reasonable person, and you want to take care of your health. You know this means not ignoring your recent lab test, which showed you have high triglycerides. But... you've heard of the frequent debilitating side effects that prescription fibrates and statin drugs cause—muscle pain, weakness, liver damage, memory loss, … Read More
Post-nasal drip is the accumulation of mucus, usually in your sinuses, that moves down the back of the nose into the throat. It can be an annoying and disruptive condition, but one that's treatable by post-nasal drip remedies, both pharmaceutical and natural. Your body makes about one to two quarts … Read More
When you consider blood pressure, it’s important to keep in mind that not all hypertension is the same. Medical experts recognize several types of high blood pressure, each with different etiologies. Essential Hypertension Accounting for about 90 percent of all high blood pressure, essential, or primary, hypertension has no single … Read More
As the holiday season rolls into full gear, cocktail parties, happy hours, and long celebratory dinners encourage us to partake in a little extra imbibing of alcoholic beverages. And while a few glasses of wine can make the season a little brighter, they can also lead to a nasty hangover. … Read More
Triglycerides are important to our bodies. They're composed of glycerol and three fatty acids, hence the name “triglycerides.” In your body, they combine with blood proteins to form lipoproteins. The liver then sends those lipoproteins (the cholesterols LDL and HDL are lipoproteins) out to transport fats to other tissues to … Read More
