With our high level of intelligence and the vast amount of technological innovation that we enjoy today, it’s ironic that excellent health is so elusive to so many people. Without any of the modern technology that we rely on today, our primitive ancestors were able to enjoy exceptional health and rarely encountered the many chronic and debilitating conditions that are so common today. These people had an intimate knowledge of nature and a tremendous appreciation for it which is something that we’ve lost without reliance on technology.

While our primitive ancestors were forced to live in agreement with nature, we seem to do everything we can to outsmart it, and we almost always fail. The following are some of the more notable and devastating mistakes that we’re still making.

(more…)

Despite the fact that processed food is becoming widely recognized as unhealthy, many people still have a flawed understanding of food quality and don’t know how to differentiate the good from the bad.

Unfortunately, many people allow their perception of healthy food to be influenced by the tremendous presence of the food industry. Like any other type of industry, food manufacturers are most concerned with making money and taking advantage of rising trends. As such, even foods that are marketed as healthy are often not.

(more…)

This catchy Dunkin’ Donuts slogan actually has a lot of truth to it. Most Americans rely on coffee to wake up and get their day started, and some people even need it to get through the afternoon. Are you one of them?

According to the National Coffee Association, more than 50% of Americans consume coffee on a daily basis and drink an average of 3 cups per day. Dunkin’ Donuts, arguably the most popular coffee franchise in America, helps to support this habit by serving nearly 1 billion cups of coffee each year. There’s no doubt that the coffee habit is alive and well, but unfortunately, many people are using it to mask a significant problem that they may not be aware of.

(more…)

With the ridiculous and misleading claims that are made on the packaging of many foods, it can be difficult to differentiate the truth from devious marketing. This is important because the failure to make this distinction can have a significant impact on your health and wellbeing.

To help you recognize the deceiving marketing that’s commonly found on food labels, I went grocery shopping and came home with a number of great examples. Aside from the obvious reason of it being unhealthy, I ordinarily don’t buy this type of food because it supports industrial agriculture, and in turn, supports irresponsible and inhumane farming practices. However, if I’m able to help steer you away from these foods, then it will be for a good cause.

The following are some of the most ridiculous and misleading food labels that quickly drew my attention in the grocery store.

(more…)

Most people cringe at the embarrassing thought of stinking from body odor or having visible sweat stains on their shirt. Unfortunately, the deodorants and antiperspirants that you’re most likely using to avoid these problems are associated with a number of health concerns.

The use of deodorant has become so common that most people consider it to be just as important to good hygiene as bathing and brushing your teeth. However, using deodorant doesn’t keep you clean. In addition to being potentially dangerous, deodorant and antiperspirant merely hide the symptoms of a problem that should be more worrisome than the embarrassment caused by foul odors and stained clothing.

(more…)

The Environmental Protection Agency and the American Dental Association strongly recommend that amalgam fillings be treated as a biohazard before being used on a tooth and after being removed. If amalgam fillings are too toxic to be disposed of through normal measures, what could possibly lead anyone to believe that it’s safe to have them in your mouth for the rest of your life?

With all the sources of toxins that exist today, including our water, air, food, and many of the personal care products that we use on a daily basis, we certainly don’t need a constant source of toxins right in our mouths. Amalgam fillings are just that!

(more…)

Fresh the Movie is a documentary about food quality, sustainable farming, and the major flaws of our food system. Based on the excitement surrounding this film, I had high expectations for it and thought it could potentially have a significant impact on the many people who are making misguided dietary decisions. Without a doubt, it’s an excellent documentary that everyone should see, but it in regard to it’s potential to provoke change, it fell short of what I was hoping for.

The average consumer typically doesn’t understand or care about the health or environmental consequences of eating processed food. If they do happen to choose whole foods, they’re even less likely to realize that the conventionally farmed produce and meat in most grocery stores has health and environmental consequences as well. Fresh the Movie provides a great synopsis of these problems, but I question if it’s message is strong enough to inspire the average consumer to make a change.

(more…)

Sometimes it can be a learning experience and a pleasant surprise to do things that fall outside of your typical preferences. This was exactly the case with my vacation last week.

My wife comes from a large family and we all rented a lake house deep within the Adirondacks and about a half hour from the nearest developed town. This is a world apart from the palm trees, hot weather, and easy access to restaurants and entertainment that I typically associate with vacation. As such, I knew this would be a different experience and was unsure about how it would turn out.

(more…)

Although we enjoy many of the great benefits that have resulted from the advancement of modern society, it has significantly changed the way we live, and in many ways, is having very unfortunate effects on our health and quality of life.

With the many conveniences of modern society, most of us have completely lost touch with the basic lifestyle habits that our ancestors followed and evolved on for more than 2 million years. As a result, we also tend to underestimate the intelligence of nature and the important lifestyle factors that allowed many of our ancestors to be lean, strong, happy, and healthy well into their old age.

(more…)

Alcohol is a significant part of the modern lifestyle, and even though most of it’s health risks are well known, many people still drink alcohol in excessive amounts and on a regular basis.

As a byproduct of yeast fermentation, alcohol is classified as a mycotoxin which means that it’s a toxic substance produced by fungus. Other common sources of mycotoxins include mold spores, antibiotics, and hallucinogenic drugs. Many of us have experienced the toxicity of alcohol in the form of a hangover, and as such, the damaging effects of alcohol shouldn’t be much of a surprise.

(more…)