Dr. Mark and Dr. Chip's Healthy Blogs

  Hello, again Natural Health Family. I imagine everyone had a great weekend and did something enjoyable. This month we are talking about men’s health and with that anxiety and depression. With that being said, there are always two sides to everything. Some may look at these conditions as illnesses. You may also look at it as the brain and body not functioning properly. When we are able to see it differently we open up new possibilities for health and well-being.  So first you may wonder what anxiety and depression are.  In general terms, anxiety may be seen as assuming a future event happening in a way that we don’t want to, which may be considered worry or fear. Depression may be referred to as not having something we want or not being somewhere that we want to be. We can also see it in terms of our bodies. When our nervous system is “revved” up too much or for too long we can feel anxious. Much like when you drink too much coffee and you get jittery. When our nervous s...

  Hello Everyone in Natural Health Nation-                 Another beautiful weekend! Everybody should be happy with this weekend as we had all kinds of weather-hot weather, cool weather, nice breeze, a little rain here and there-a really nice weekend for all. I got a little more sun to help my vitamin D levels stay high and hopefully you were able to get outside and enjoy some sunshine too. We are getting many patients coming in who are somewhat dehydrated so I’m harping on that quite a bit, to get lots of good water and getting electrolytes-which is a fancy word for mineral or sea salt. We’re going through a lot of our product called CAL-Amo, which is a calcium salt pill, and helps with that feeling of being very worn out and with leg cramps or muscle spasms. We know how to help you be healthy here at Natural Health.               ...

  STORY AT-A-GLANCE Research presented to the British Cardiovascular Society showed how nitrates in beetroot juice could reduce harmful inflammation in people with coronary heart disease Nitrate is a substrate in the body's production of nitric oxide, long known to be a potent vasodilator that promotes healthy blood flow for efficient oxygenation of your tissues and organs Nitrates improve brain neuroplasticity by participating in the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), required for activation of BDNF receptors and improve muscle function, athletic performance and lung function Other foods with cardioprotective properties include cruciferous vegetables that may promote thinner (healthier) carotid walls, high-fiber, probiotic-rich sauerkraut that reduces inflammation and blood pressure, and high magnesium, dark green leafy vegetables Research funded by the British Heart Foundation and presented to the British Cardiovascular Society showed how beets may reduce har...

  Welcome back Natural Health Family. It seems like things are heating up a bit. Throughout the day we have many things going on. Many of us have different thresholds of what we can tolerate or adapt to. Such as when it gets really hot outside we may be a little more apt to become intolerant of the events happening around us. Or when people are really hungry we may get somewhat irritated a little easier. However, we have the power to control that behavior if we work at it much like growing our muscles for strength. Many times it is how we see things that can make all the difference.  Have you ever wanted to do something like a workout but didn’t feel like it when the time came? Or wanted to work on something but got distracted and didn’t start. Our environment can play a big impact on how we go about doing certain activities and how we behave. Say we are trying to work on our computers and have papers scattered on the table, coffee spills here and there, and crumbs left over...

  Hello Everyone in Natural Health Nation-                 Another beautiful weekend and I hope you were able to enjoy it! Things are still so nice and green and we even got a little rain to help keep that going. The grass is growing well and the tree leaves are getting bigger, as well as all the crops in the farmlands, and of course, the weeds in the garden. Everything’s growing and it’s great to be here in the Midwest and see that happen. We’re having a little heat during the day from time to time but then some cooler nights which makes the mornings so enjoyable. The days have been getting longer but that will soon change and will head back the other way. Time just gets by so quickly, so enjoy every day as you can.                 This month were talking about Men’s Health and in this week’s health shop, we will be talking about...

  STORY AT-A-GLANCE Mushrooms are high in ergothioneine and glutathione, both powerful antioxidants. Ergothioneine may hold the key to linking healthy soil to healthy food and therefore to healthy people Regenerative farming practices produce plants with higher levels of ergothioneine and livestock from regenerative farms had lower ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid Although not everyone eats mushrooms, everyone has ergothioneine throughout their body, which data links to lower incidences of neurodegenerative diseases. Testing also shows crops absorb ergothioneine from fungal mycelium threads Regenerative farming practices avoid sewage sludge, toxic pesticides and GMO seeds, and instead practice strategies that protect soil health, reduce water usage, prevent soil erosion and reduce exposure to foodborne illness and drug-resistant disease Mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine for decades. But it wasn't until 1970 that mushrooms were officially distinguished from flo...

  Hello Natural Health Family. We had an amazing weekend celebrating the wedding of my brother and now wife in California. It was great being able to spend time with family and friends that I haven’t been able to see in a long while. Many times people can get caught up in the business of traveling and doing what needs to be done for all the work needed for a wedding. We all know how it can seem stressful during these times. However, when it is all said and done we look back to wonder why we stressed out so much in the first place. Much of the time it is a matter of being able to relax and let life unfold.  I am sure many of us have heard the phrase, “home is where you make it.” This can seem like a cheesy phrase from a movie but it can have great effects on the way we live. When we are at home we feel safe, more relaxed, and able to do what we need to do. So when we feel at home in other areas such as all the way in California we can start to let events unfold. Of course we ...

  Hello Everyone in Natural Health Nation-                 Well, we’ve got summer now! When it gets hot like this and the humidity is so high, we really start to remind our patients about the need for hydration, and not only water but electrolytes, which is a fancy name for salt. And of course, were talking about mineral salt or sea salt, not the junk white salt that’s processed and has lost all its minerals. It’s so amazing that something as simple as drinking water and consuming sea salt, or our product Cal-Amo, can keep you away from all types of problems in the summer related to the heat. We go through a lot of this product all year, but especially during the summer. It really helps with the feeling of being worn out, and with leg cramps or muscle spasms.                 We were in California last week so did not have a health...

  STORY AT-A-GLANCE There are many ways to improve your sleep, including supplements and addressing certain nutrient deficiencies, such as vitamin D, vitamin C and vitamin B12 deficiencies — all of which can impact sleep quality Certain minerals are also important for sleep, including magnesium, potassium and calcium Amino acids and hormones that play important roles in sleep and can be augmented through supplementation include tryptophan, melatonin and 5-HTP Herbal sleep aids that can help you fall asleep faster and easier include CBD oil, valerian root and chamomile Two commonly overlooked environmental factors that can rob you of sleep — exposure to blue light and electromagnetic fields — are also addressed This article was previously published July 5, 2018, and has been updated with new information. If you intend to live a long and healthy life, sleep needs to be a priority. Anyone struggling with chronic disease — which is at least half the adult population in the U.S. — would...