Physical Health

Your thyroid gland plays a very important role in your body. It is a butterfly-shaped gland in your neck, just above your collarbone. It is one of your endocrine glands, which make hormones that control many activities in your body. There are a number of possible thyroid diseases and disorders, and the two of the most common thyroid disorders are hyperthyroidism (when your thyroid gland makes more thyroid hormones than your body needs) and hypothyroidism (when your thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormones). Other diseases include goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland), thyroid cancer, thyroid nodules (lumps in the thyroid gland) and thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland).

Many people do not understand the importance of magnesium in the same way they understand calcium or iron, for instance. Nonetheless, adequate magnesium levels are crucial for brain, cardiac and muscle function and it is needed, along with silica and Vitamins D and K to promote bone health. Magnesium deficiency is more common than many people suspect, and below are 5 warning signs that could indicate a deficiency in this important mineral.

You may enjoy eating processed, supermarket-bought foods because they taste good, but what if you find out that these products contain a dangerous sweetener that may have long-term effects on your health? This sweetener is none other than high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), the leading source of calories in the United States today. HFCS lurks in many so-called "healthy" food products – even some which are not naturally sweet.

If you are interested in being tested for iodine deficiency, ask your health care provider about the urine iodine challenge test. Another simple way to ensure you're getting enough iodine is to get an inexpensive prescription from your physician for SSKI, which is a super-saturated potassium iodine. You simply apply three drops to your skin and rub it in, once a day. If when you touch something with slightly wet fingertips it leaves a yellowish stain, then the iodine is coming out of your skin, indicating your body is saturated, i.e. you're getting enough iodine.

Can taking a relaxing bath really help you lose weight? According to some sources, it can. Epsom salt, widely known for its use with muscle soreness and pain, could assist you to lose some unwanted weight.

Lung cancer is among the most common types of cancers in both men and women worldwide. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, approximately one out of every 14 men and women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer at some point in their lifetime. In the U.S., lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer as the most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women. But being aware of the risk factors and paying attention to warning signs and symptoms can save life.

Alkaline ionized water is a powerful antioxidant. Alkaline ionized water is a plentiful source of antioxidants which help to neutralize free radicals. But what exactly are free radicals and antioxidants? In short, free radicals cause oxidation in our body and antioxidants prevent oxidation.

Environmental toxins are everywhere, and pregnant women and their unborn child are especially vulnerable to their pernicious effects. These chemicals do not only come from the environment, but may already be inside your home, car, purse – or worse, on your dinner plate!

The reality is, there are about 75,000 distinct chemicals that are produced here in America or imported from abroad. Many of these toxic agents have not been regulated properly. At this very moment, you may be holding in your hand a chemical cocktail, and your unborn child is especially at risk because of his or her underdeveloped system.

Skull on fire, writhing in pain, one journalist tells his own story about the onset of searing headaches and the feeling of being "hit over the head with a rod of steel." That's how journalist Adam Estes described the mysterious "bolts of pain" that shot from the top of his neck and across his skull.