38 thoughts on “Reader’s choice”

  3. Great to see that you implemented this page :). Here are some things I’m interested in knowing more about. HCG drops, lemon water, drinking bi-carb soda.

    Like

  6. I’ve been thinking about going to a chiropractor but some friends have suggested that spinal manipulation can be dangerous. Do you think this is something you could help with or is it personal to each individual?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Angela,

      Thanks for the comment. As a practicing physiotherapist I feel I can comment on this.

      If the problem is relatively new, joint manipulation, or mobilisation delivered by a chiropractor, physiotherapist or osteopath can often alleviate the pain. In my opinion, while each profession might offer a different theory as to why it works, the result will essentially be the same.

      In contrast, if the problem is longer lasting (say >3-6 months) then it’s less likely that joint manipulation or mobilisation will work and more of an exercise based, lifestyle modification type intervention will be required. This would more likely be delivered by a physiotherapist or exercise physiologist, although some chiros and osteos will offer this.

      Spinal manipulation can be dangerous, however, if you’re in a western country most physios, osteos and chiros have been trained when to and when not to manipulate, so the risk of an adverse event is extremely low.

      All in all, I think Physio, chiro or Osteo is worth a try. But if you’re only getting short term relief from manipulation it isn’t going to solve your problem like exercise or addressing lifestyle factors will. Just remember the more appointments the physio, chiro or Osteo gets you back for the more money they make.

      Sorry long comment!

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi my healthhunt,

      I think a diet high in fat is a very good thing, however, that fat should still be predominately unsaturated. Most studies link excess saturated fat content with various cardiometabolic diseases. Eating less fat on the whole also appears unhealthy.

      Therefore, eating excess butter is unlikely healthy as it contains saturated fat. The consensus among researchers seems to be that a margarine low in saturated fat and extremely low in trans fat is more beneficial than butter, as its fat profile is most unsaturated. Here’s a link to a great Harvard article surrounding the science on health and butter. Hope this helps.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. I’ve got a cold and it seems to have dissipated much quicker than usual. The only difference is that this time I drank warm honey & lemon juice. Is there any scientific evidence to back it up or is it just a delicious placebo?

    Hot Honey & Lemon:
    Juice of half a lemon
    Enough honey to make it so you don’t pull a face with each sip
    Fill ‘er up with hot (not boiling) water.

    Liked by 1 person

  9. Hello,

    Thank you for a great blog!

    I became a fan of alternative methods like acupuncture and reflexology. They seem to have a good effect on me. After reading your blog I wondered whether you have any thoughts and facts to share about them.

    Thank you.
    Olga

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Olga,

      Thanks for your kind comment. If you find those techniques are working for you, then I’d persist with them. Whether it’s the placebo effect (can be quite high) or those treatments are actually working, who knows?

      Regarding acupuncture it varies from condition to condition. It appears effective in managing symptoms of anxiety and depression. It alleviates low back and neck pain in the short term, but appears to have minimal long term effects in isolation. For painful conditions, like necks and backs, it appears to act in a similar manner to opioid drugs without the negative side effects. All in all, it’s probably a useful adjunct to conventional therapies for various conditions, but it’s unlikely to be the sole solution. However, this likely varies from condition to condition.

      Regarding reflexology, I have minimal knowledge on the topic. A quick glance at the scientific literature, shows there’s much less data than for acupuncture. Doesn’t mean it’s less effective, but may have less scientific merit than acupuncture.

      Like

  10. GMO’s and organic food. Truth about safety and effects. So far the FDA keeps saying “GMO’s are fine” but it’s because they don’t have enough data to support whether or not there is truly cause for concern or cause for consumption. It’s basically “I’m not sure, eat it anyway and we’ll see what happens!” I want to know more.

    Liked by 1 person

  11. Well hello and thanks for the follow 🙂 I’m a newbie blogger so I definitely appreciate it. I’m not sure if you know anything about oil of oreganol but I have used it for years (as have many people I know) with great success. I wonder what you think about it personally? I’d be happy to share my experiences with you in regards to its varied uses if you’re at all interested. Great idea for a blog btw 🙂

    Best,
    Sparrow

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hello again,

      To be honest, I don’t have a great deal of knowledge on the topic. I did a quick search of a scientific database and there haven’t been any studies done on humans, meaning all and all I know nothing!

      What have your experiences been?

      Liked by 1 person

  12. Well I was actually thinking of doing a post on it one day myself since I’m such a fan, but thought maybe I’d ask you first in case you were aware of any scientific studies (which you’re not because sadly there aren’t any I guess.) It’s a long list in terms of your question, but essentially it’s an oil (with only oregano in it) that works as an antioxidant and fights anything bacterial, viral or fungal. So if you feel a cold or flu coming on it can either stop it in its tracks or reduce the amount of time/severity of the illness. (From experience I think it boils down to both strain and individual immunity.) If I get a cold sore and dab a bit on right away the sore is gone in 24 hours, maybe 36 tops. Again, it’s an individual thing. I have also found that it works for HSV 2 better than meds but I’m still testing that. It can rid of fungal infections if used in time. It also works as preventative therapy. So if I feel a cold coming on then I will take more than the prescribed dose (in a very small glass of water) before bed, sweat it out overnight and feel fine the next day. It’s something I’ve used for about 15 years (I think?) and it’s been very helpful. In regards to the possible placebo effects when I compare it to another ‘natural’ product on the market I was lead to believe was effective (and tried several times) there’s no competition. So those are my experiences with it. Frankly, I do believe it actually works but even if it is all in my head, I won’t stop using it since I have experienced only benefits and no side effects. I do know one person who cannot use it because it makes her nauseous but other than her, I have only heard success stories.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Good one. Sounds like it’s very effective. There are a lot of studies analysing its effects on bacteria etc. and they seem to be really positive, so no doubt there will be some human studies soon finding it to be effective. Would love to read the article when you eventually write it!

      Liked by 1 person

  13. What about the causes of over heating in the upper body, from the chest up to the ears and neck? Is this muscular related, hormonal, a rare condition similar to blushing without blushing, or is there such a thing as chi (prana, Ki, etc.) and yin and yang? Although they are concepts found in things like Traditional Chinese Medicine, what is your feeling about heat and cold in the body, and why? Thanks!

    Like

    1. Hi Mike,

      Thanks for the comment. This is by no means my area of expertise. I believe it is quite rare in males and the western medical explanation seems to be a significant lack of testosterone, issues pertaining to the parathyroid gland and temperature regulation, or it could potentially be stemming from the cervical or thoracic spine. Regarding the Chinese medicine explanation, that would also make sense. In saying that, it might be best to check with your GP if it’s bothering you.

      Like

  14. Hey!
    What a great idea to include this page. Actually, I wonder if you could help me with something; I read this article on Green Med Info which confuses me about how much water we should really drink. It would be really interesting to hear your thoughts on this article and your opinion on how much water is optimal to consume and why. Thanks!
    Lisa
    Here’s the link: http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/water-energy-and-perils-dehydration

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Lisa,

      Thanks so much! It’s an interesting article.

      In my opinion, chronic, subclinical dehydration could well exist and contribute to various chronic health conditions. However, in this article there appears to be no scientific proof of this. Rather, the author proposes several theories and testimonials, that are yet to be proven.

      Furthermore, the author states that Coffee, tea etc. will lead to subclinical dehydration, whereas water will not. Multiple studies have proven that coffee and tea intake have similar effects on hydration status to water. So I don’t agree with that part of his argument.

      All in all, I would follow the guidelines provided by the National Dietitian bodies (e.g. http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Nutrition-A-Z/Water/Why-is-water-so-important-for-my-body-Know-when.aspx). The author of that current article could be right, but he has no strong scientific evidence to support that.

      Like

    1. That’s a pleasure. It generally cites scientific articles, which is great. Although, it does seem to only post the positives about natural substances – there’s probably both positive and negative studies in existence.

      In summary, not bad (better than most), but not completely unbiased.

      Liked by 1 person

  16. I noticed you visited my new site and would love to see you cover e-cigarettes and vaping.

    Including during pregnancy. From what I’ve researched so far it seems agreed both sides of the board that it would be considered safe if the ingredients consist of just pg, vg, water and flavour (all food grade) and that it is agreed that nicotine in any form would be considered unhealthy, including prescribed medications to help quit smoking, but that these are considered acceptable whilst doctors advise against ecigs on the basis that they are unregulated.

    I personally feel this is to do with big pharma and government not profiteering from ecigs like they do other nicotine replacement products.

    Happy to share your findings article regarding the matter on my website. Thank you

    Liked by 1 person

  17. I am really enjoying your blog – thanks for your work and your writing! I was wondering if you would do a post on raw vegan diets? I went raw vegan for several months while recovering from a herniated disc in my back and found it helped me to have more energy and put weight on, and I have also read a bit on how it helps with diabetes management. I would love to hear your take on the research! Thanks 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Carrie,

      Thanks so much for the lovely comment. There isn’t a great deal of high quality data on the topic. However, from what exists I’ve found the following:
      1. Raw vegan diets are associated with a decreased risk of cardiometabolic diseases.
      2. Raw vegan diets appear to improve markers of immunity
      3. There has been found to be an increased incidences of decreased bone mass in those that follow a raw vegan diet.

      All in all, it’s likely much healthier than the average western diet and may be effective in chronic issues and issues of inflammation such as a herniated disc. Although care should be taken to ensure nutrient adequacy: calcium, zinc, etc.

      Like

  18. Hi,

    I would love to see a review on waist trimmers. Is it really healthful or a waist of time (bad pun lol)? I’ve been reading mixed reviews on it. I heard there’s no way to choose where you lose fat, if that’s true, then what’s the benefit of a waist trimmer?

    Thank you 🙂
    Dre

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hi Dre,

      Thanks for the comment. Funny you say that, I was going to do an article on this, but there appears to be no direct scientific study analysing waist trimmers.

      What I can tell you, based on current data:
      1. You cannot spot reduce. Many, many studies have demonstrated this. Wearing a trimmer may modestly increase core temperature, but it’s unlikely to have any significant localised “fat burning” effect.
      2. Wearing those corset type things that Kim Kardashian seems to promote are unlikely to anything in the long term. Might move things in the short term, but the fat will return.

      Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment