Are You at Risk for Stroke?
By Jennifer Morganti, ND, NEEDS Education Director

One of the most dreaded health issues concerning Americans is suffering physical debilitation or death from stroke, partially because it can happen suddenly and without warning. Mainstream medicine may say that high cholesterol, diabetes, and hypertension are the primary risk factors for stroke, but in truth, there is a deeper cause behind each of these conditions that must be addressed in order to assess your risk.

There are two primary types of stroke: 1) hemorrhagic stroke, accounting for less than 20% of strokes, where the blood vessel bursts, causing bleeding in the brain, and 2) ischemic stroke, which entails blockage of a crucial vessel that delivers blood and oxygen to the brain. The focus of this article is on the more prevalent ischemic type, and the steps you can take to lower the risk and put your mind at ease.

In reviewing the research, it appears that systemic inflammation is one of the primary causes for ischemic stroke. Inflammation causes white blood cells to aggregate and secrete chemicals that initiate platelet aggregation and clot formation. One of the causes of inflammation can be infection, because it triggers an immune response, which in turn brings white blood cells to the area to fight the pathogen. Read More

Did Holiday Splurges Get to Your Gut?

If you over-indulged in holiday treats this past season, you may find it's catching up with you with candida symptoms of gas, bloating, carb craving, yeast infections, or worse. Intestinal overgrowth of Candida albicans is an extremely common condition and one that is difficult to treat. This type of yeast form has long, root-like tentacles that can penetrate the intestinal wall and destroy the membrane system. This allows for toxins to leak into the bloodstream, causing the aforementioned symptoms and aggravating pre-existing conditions. Also, a compromised intestinal wall allows undigested dietary proteins to absorb, which can cause allergies and environmental hypersensitivities.

Candida overgrowth is becoming more prevalent due to a multitude of factors including: the over-prescription of antibiotics, which wipes out the good bacteria and allows Candida to flourish; overexposure to heavy metals and toxins; hormonal imbalances caused by xenoestrogens, phthalates, and other hormone-mimicking chemicals; excessive use of antacids; stress; impaired immune function; and dietary indiscretion (too much processed food and sugar).

Candida's virulent nature combined with these factors makes eradicating yeast difficult, however, there are many effective anti-Candida products on the market, including two NEEDS favorites, Fungal Defense and Tanalbit. Read More