Most of us have heard of fish oil. If a co-worker or friend isn’t surreptitiously popping the capsules with their lunch, then magazine ads have showcased the product, or radios have blared testimonials. What is all of the hype about? Fish oil is, simply put, oil that is derived from fish. Some comes from the… Read more »

“Dear Dr. Katie, A co-worker gave me a jar of kombucha tea and it looks pretty weird ? almost like It’s not safe to drink! What is kombucha? She said It’s a mushroom with amazing anti-cancer benefits. Is this really true?” Sarah Dear Sarah, Recently, there has been much interest in kombucha in the natural… Read more »

In the last instalment of ?Health Matters,? we met a certain group of friendly bacteria that inhabit normal human digestive tracts (including, hopefully, yours!). These bacteria, called probiotics, help keep our digestive systems healthy. When they’re present, say goodbye to gas, bloating, diarrhea, and ulcers. When they’re not, you can guess what happens: multiple problems… Read more »

Move over, E.coli, listeria, and salmonella. we’re talking friendly bacteria here. Specifically, we’re talking about those good, or probiotic, bacteria that reside in the human digestive and vaginal tracts. What are these micro-organisms? The word probiotic means ?for life?; in other words, they are important for human life and health. And in the light of… Read more »

?Dear Dr. Katie, A magazine ad showed amazing health benefits and testimonials of using açaí berry juice. What is the açaí berry, and is it truly beneficial for weight loss?? Rachel Dear Rachel, Yes, there has been quite a buzz about açaí berries! Native to both Central and South America, açaí berries (pronounced ?ah-sah-EE?) are… Read more »

?Dear Dr. Katie, I recently spoke to a friend of mine about magnesium. She says that It’s imperative to get enough magnesium daily to maintain good health?health in terms of prevention of heart problems, leg cramps, insomnia, and all kinds of other things! Is everything she claims about magnesium really true?? Unsure About Magnesium Dear… Read more »

Jet lag. We’ve probably all experienced this less-than-pleasant phenomenon before: the insomnia, fatigue, and lack of coordination and focus. And although jet lag might be temporarily suspended for some by flight hold-ups due to Eyjafjallajökull’s activity, what can we do to alleviate jet lag when it does get a hold on us? Why It Happens… Read more »

They’ve been advertised on TV. They’ve been written about in magazines. They’ve been talked about over coffee. They’ve been stockpiled on health food store shelves. They are goji berries. A Little History What are these strange little red raisin look-alikes? Also referred to as the wolfberry, goji berries (Lycium barbarum) are the fruit of a… Read more »