Author: Joseph Mercola

By Dr. Mercola Skin is your body’s largest and fastest growing organ, used to protect your body from bacteria and germs, regulate your temperature, get rid of waste products and house a nervous system that allows you to feel and sense your environment.1 Your skin is what others first notice about you, and is an indicator of both internal and external aging. Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the U.S.2 Estimates suggest nearly 20 percent of all Americans will experience some form of skin cancer during their life. Non-melanoma skin cancers affect nearly 3 million Americans each … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola Oftentimes the simplest strategies pay great dividends. Getting sensible sun exposure and grounding to the Earth are two examples. Sleeping on an incline is another. While few have heard of it, and sleeping on a horizontal surface is a well-established norm, raising the head of your bed 6 to 8 inches so that your you’re sleeping on a 5-degree incline may have a number of benefits, including: Improving blood circulation Boosting metabolism Improving glymphatic drainage from the brain Improving immune system function Improving respiratory function Easing symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s, diabetes, glaucoma, migraines, multiple sclerosis, sleep apnea, acid reflux, edema, varicose veins and more … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola The tickle at the back of your nose lets you know that within seconds you’ll be sneezing. A sneeze is also called a sternutation. This explosive release of fluid and air from your lungs, mouth and nose is involuntary and many times your body’s response to irritants in your nasal cavity. During a sneeze your soft palate comes down and the back of your tongue rises to close off your mouth, routing most of the air from your lungs through your nose. But, since you can only partially close of your mouth with the soft palate and … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola If you’re not familiar with nattokinase, you’re not alone. CliffsNotes on the term might describe it as an enzyme that’s purified and extracted from the bacterium Bacillus subtilis (aka natto), a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans and eaten for millennia. How is nattokinase significant for health? The answer is multifaceted, as it’s been found to be significant in both disease treatment and prevention. Benefits include a dramatic effect on blood clots; more recently, research has revealed how the enzyme impacts persistent sinus conditions. Especially during colder times of the year, a common malady is nasal-related problems, … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola According to a recent article in The New York Times, growing distrust in the medical profession poses a threat to public health and safety.1 “Trust is crucial in the relationship between patients and health care providers, but it’s been on the decline in recent decades,” Dr. Dhruv Khullar, a physician at New York Presbyterian Hospital and a researcher at Weill Cornell Department of Healthcare Policy and Research writes, noting that: “Mistrust in the medical profession — particularly during emergencies like epidemics — can have deadly consequences. In 1966, more than three-fourths of Americans had great confidence in medical leaders; today, … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common gastrointestinal disorder in the U.S. An estimated $1.6 billion is spent on treatments each year.1,2 Depending on the source, data suggests anywhere from 10 to 25 percent of Americans struggle with this condition.3,4 IBS is completely different from another condition with a similar name: inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is an autoimmune disease that can have very serious consequences. While it can cause debilitating pain, IBS is a functional bowel disorder, meaning there are no significant physical conditions that contribute to the problem. Common signs and symptoms of IBS include frequent: Abdominal discomfort and/or … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola In the featured video, professor Matthew Walker, Ph.D., founder and director of the University of California Berkeley’s Center for Human Sleep Science and author of the book “Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams,” shares the latest discoveries about sleep and how it impacts virtually every area of your physical and mental health. I read Walker’s book last fall, and share his view that sleep is profoundly important — even more important than diet and exercise. I say this because diet and exercise will have minimal effects on your body if you are constantly … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 2017-2018 flu season appears particularly virulent. Influenza activity increased significantly in December, with influenza A(H3N2) viruses predominating, and in a December 27 notice, the agency noted that “In the past, A(H3N2) virus-predominant influenza seasons have been associated with more hospitalizations and deaths in persons aged 65 years and older and young children …”1 While influenza can indeed be deadly in rare cases, what most health experts fail to tell you is that these deaths are typically the result of secondary infections, not the flu virus itself. … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola Each year, red flags over toxic drinking water are raised across the U.S., with reasons varying from location to location. One major problem is aging water pipes, which have become an increasingly common source of toxic exposure.1 In fact, in a 2013 report,2 the American Society for Civil Engineers warned that most of the drinking water infrastructure across the nation is “nearing the end of its useful life.” The American Water Works Association estimates it would cost more than $1 trillion to update and replace all the water pipes in the U.S. — money that many water utilities do … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola Google, by far one of the greatest monopolies that ever existed, poses a unique threat to anyone concerned about health, supplements, food and your ability to obtain truthful information about these and other issues. And, while not the sole threat to privacy, Google is definitely one of the greatest. Over time, Google has positioned itself in such a way that it’s become deeply embedded and involved in your day-to-day life. It’s important to realize that Google catches every single thing you do online if you’re using a Google-based feature, and that the data is being used to … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola If the popping or cracking sounds of your joints have ever given you cause for worry, you’ll be relieved to know that it is normal for your joints to occasionally “talk to you.” It is common to hear occasional joint sounds when you move in everyday ways, such as bending over to retrieve a dropped item or walking up or down stairs. Dr. William Shiel, chief editor and co-founder of the medical-information website MedicineNet.com, says:1 “The symptom of joint cracking is described differently by different people, while nevertheless representing the same condition. Various descriptions for the same … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola Lack of sleep has been scientifically linked to a wide array of health problems and is so common, it’s been identified as a public health epidemic by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A review of hundreds of sleep studies concluded that, as a general rule, most adults need somewhere between seven and nine hours — or right around eight hours — of sleep per night to maintain good health. Your body, indeed every organ and even individual cells, contains biological “clocks” that regulate everything from metabolism to psychological functioning. Even half your genes have been shown … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola No matter where you live or how old you are, you’re probably interested in living longer. If you’re reading this, chances are you’re in an ever-increasing quest to live better, eat better and generally take better care of yourself. But how might someone’s mental outlook influence their longevity? According to new research1 published in International Psychogeriatrics, living longer is not necessarily just a matter of chance. Approaching life with purpose and optimism has been shown to make a significant difference in a life well lived. It takes intestinal fortitude to live in a world where it feels, in many respects, … Continue reading →

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Together with the cold weather, fall and winter also beckons flu season, with many people coughing and sneezing wherever you turn. Flu, or influenza, affects around 5 percent to 20 percent of the American population per year, which translates to roughly 10.4 billion dollars of medical expenses annually.1 Aside from the medical expenses, influenza season also means missed schooldays and workdays. If you’re currently battling a bout of flu, a couple of questions come to mind: How long does this usually last and what can you do to recover fast? This article will answer these questions, plus provide other helpful facts … Continue reading →

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By Dr. Mercola One of the most straightforward steps you can take to improve your health in the New Year is to give up soda, and with that I’m talking about both regular and diet varieties. The problem with soda stems from its high sugar content — particularly the liquid high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) variety — and, in the case of diet, its artificial sweetener content, among other issues. Research suggests sugary beverages are to blame for about 183,000 deaths worldwide each year, including 133,000 diabetes deaths, 44,000 heart disease deaths and 6,000 cancer deaths.1 Even drinking one or more 250 ml (about 8 … Continue reading →

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