Author: Ireneusz Adamczyk

Probiotics, the beneficial bacteria commonly found in yogurt cultures, are popularly thought of as an aid to good digestion. But scientists are discovering that probiotics and the resulting healthy balance of gut bacteria confer a broad spectrum of previously unrecognized health benefits.As we age, take antibiotics, or eat an unhealthy diet, the delicate balance between beneficial and bad gut bacteria becomes disrupted.

MSM (methyl-sulfonyl-methane), also known as dimethyl sulfone, is a naturally occurring sulfur compound, found in human diets and those of virtually all other vertebrates. In its purified form, it is an odorless, slightly bitter tasting, water soluble, white, crystalline powder containing 34% elemental sulfur. Its chemical formula is (CH3)2SO2.

The role that selenium plays in combating various forms of degenerative disease has been known for several decades. More recent data have intensified scientific interest in its specific anti-cancer mechanisms. Researchers have found that selenium favorably modulates gene expression to suppress a protein involved in tumor onset, growth, and metastasis.

Named for the moon goddess Selene, the mineral selenium deserves to be treated with reverence. Perhaps no other mineral can match selenium’s versatility and wide array of health benefits. Selenium is crucial for antioxidant defenses, boosts the immune system, and helps prevent cancer in several distinct ways.

Typical Western diets are low in iodine. When iodized table salt is reduced, people can easily become iodine insufficient or deficient. Inadequate iodine not only impairs thyroid function, but is also linked to increased risks of breast cancer and fibrocystic breast disease, along with fatigue and weight gain.

Vitamin D does far more than promote healthy teeth and bones. Its role in supporting immunity, modulating inflammation, and preventing cancer make the consequences of vitamin D deficiency potentially devastating. A growing number of scientists who study vitamin D levels in human populations now recommend annual blood tests to check vitamin D status.

Do you ever wish you could just recharge your batteries? Most of us do, especially as we grow older. Fatigue is a major problem in American adults, accounting for millions of office visits each year. The complaints are similar: groggy for much of the morning, can’t sleep well or long enough at night, lack the energy for daily tasks and even enjoyable diversions.

Millions of people take calcium supplements to maintain healthy bone. Yet few patients or physicians realize that optimizing bone integrity involves more than taking a single mineral supplement. A critical additional component for bone and cardiovascular health is vitamin K2.

Even if you eat a healthy diet, you may not be absorbing vital fat-soluble nutrients and amino acids needed for optimal health. That's because with age, we experience a decline in the enzymes our bodies produce to break down foods into absorbable nutrients.

An exciting new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that coffee drinking may add years to your life span. Evidence is rapidly accumulating about the ability of coffee to reduce vascular disease, slash cancer risk, preserve cognition, and mitigate diabetes/obesity.

To slow the natural progression of BPH and its symptoms, the Life Extension Foundation suggests that you have annual screenings, including a PSA test and a DRE. Neither of these tests can rule out prostate cancer; however, they can alert a physician to the need for further testing.

The majority of men older than 60 years will be affected by benign (noncancerous) enlargement of the prostate gland. An enlarged prostate can be caused by either one of two conditions—benign prostatic hyperplasia or benign prostatic hypertrophy (both abbreviated BPH).