Dr. Weil's Healthy Living

Canola Oil for Popcorn?

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:45:37 -0800

I often state that olive oil should be used as the principle source of fat in a healthy diet. Given my olive oil preference, I was recently asked if a daily habit of eating popcorn popped with canola oil is unhealthy.

The short answer is, not necessarily. Canola oil is primarily a monounsaturated fat and, as such, is healthier than saturated fats or polyunsaturated oils. It is extracted from rapeseed, a plant in the cabbage family. ...

Thin Skin From Topical Steroids

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 06:50:24 -0800

I was recently asked what can be done about thinned skin in the groin, which came about due to using steroid creams in that area to combat eczema. Eczema is an allergic skin condition that produces itchy, thickened, red areas on various parts of the body. It tends to come and go and often occurs in conjunction with other allergic conditions such as asthma. ...

Natural Scabies Relief

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:12:52 -0800

Scabies is an infestation with microscopic mites called Sarcoptes scabei, eight-legged creatures that burrow under the skin and cause intense itching. You can pick up scabies by prolonged contact with a person already infested -- children get them from other kids, sexual partners from each other.

Scabies spread most readily when people are crowded together, in hospitals, childcare facilities, nursing homes and other institutions. ...

Graviola: Magic Cancer Fighter?

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:48:32 -0800

I've seen Internet sites touting graviola, which is being widely promoted as a cancer-fighting herb. Some Web sites claim that it is 10,000 times stronger than the chemotherapy drug Adriamycin, and that it is effective against prostate, lung, breast, colon and pancreatic cancers. None of this is true.

I asked Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., director of education at the Program in Integrative Medicine here at the University of Arizona, about graviola. Dr. ...

Battling Eyelid Inflammation

Wed, 28 May 2008 06:54:24 -0800

Blepharitis is an inflammation of the eyelids. It can cause watery and red eyes, a burning sensation, itchy or swollen eyelids, blurred vision, frothy tears, and loss of eyelashes. Your eyelids may stick shut in the morning because of crusting or scales on the eyelashes or on the edges of the lids.

Blepharitis can be caused by dandruff, a bacterial infection, malfunctioning oil glands in the eyelid, or acne rosacea, a skin disorder that causes redness and inflammation. ...

Music Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease

Sat, 17 May 2008 05:08:04 -0800

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative neurological process affecting the "substantia nigra," a small area of cells in the mid-brain. Loss of these cells results in a reduction in levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine and upsets the balance between dopamine and another brain chemical, acetylcholine. ...

Can Skin Salves Treat Tumors?

Thu, 15 May 2008 05:39:21 -0800

"Black salve" and "drawing salve" are terms that often refer to purported cancer remedies that frequently contain bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), a small woodland herb that grows in the north central United States and Canada.

I have used bloodroot preparations successfully for removal of moles and skin tags. (Skin tags are benign, skin-colored, rubbery growths that typically hang by a little stalk -- common on the neck, armpits, groin, eyelids, and other body folds). ...

Need Nausea Relief?

Tue, 13 May 2008 11:34:22 -0800

Recurrent nausea is a truly vexing condition. It can be a symptom of anything from persistent "stomach flu" to food poisoning, motion sickness, overeating, blocked intestine, drug overdose, concussion, and migraine.

Nausea is also the main feature of morning sickness, common during the first trimester of pregnancy. ...

Coffee: Can It Keep Your Brain in Shape?

Sat, 03 May 2008 06:24:23 -0800

Coffee's ability to forestall mental decline has been the subject of some very interesting research lately. First, a study from France showed that women who drank three or more cups of coffee daily were 30 percent less likely to have memory problems at age 65 than women who drank a single cup of coffee or less. ...

Fighting a Feminine Infection

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:38:00 -0800

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection among women of childbearing age. It develops when bacteria that normally live in the vagina multiply. We don't know why this happens, but we do know that it isn't an infection you pick up from sex partners.

However, it frequently occurs with changes to routines in this part of the anatomy, and it is associated with having a new sex partner or multiple sex partners. ...