Words: Dr Richard FIRSHEIN The evidence of stress-induced chemical cascades that Dr Hans Selye, PhD, known as the founding father of stress studies, proposed in 1936, hold up even today. He suggested that when we’re stressed, neurotransmitters caused a part of the brain known as the hypothalamus to produce a substance called corticotropin-releasing factor [CRF].

Words: Dr Richard FIRSHEIN Glutamine is the most profuse and multipurpose amino acid in the body. The rate of glutamine consumption by immune cells, in health and illness, is similar to, or greater than, glucose. The amino acid’s immune system support mechanism is  closely connected to its ‘bustle’ in the intestines. It not helps to

Words: Dr Richard FIRSHEIN Eye problems are the most feared medical diagnosis. Macular degeneration, a process that obstructs vision by initially damaging fragile capillaries in the eye, is the leading cause of blindness among Americans over age 50. Approximately 25 million adults currently suffer from age-related macular degeneration [AMD]; up to 37 per cent of

Words: Dr Richard FIRSHEIN It may seem incredible that you can safely boost mental clarity by consuming a little-known nutrient with a long-winded moniker. Phosphatidyl serine [PS] has rapidly been gaining notice and credibility over the past 30 years. More clinical trials have been run on PS than on any other nutrient targeting the brain.

Words: Dr Richard FIRSHEIN I have, as a practicing physician, increasingly found that the role of nutrition and nutritional supplementation is a key factor in creating health and preventing disease. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reported a study performed at the Centre for Metabolic Disease and Atherosclerosis, in Italy, that the worldwide incidence of

Words: Dr Richard FIRSHEIN Herbalist James Karon advised customers on the uses and benefits of plants and herbs, working out of his Greenwich Village brownstone and growing his products in his own backyard. James was both an avowed plant lover and a vegetarian, and his nutritional know-how kept him looking much younger than his sixty-seven

Words: Dr Ryan N HARRISON Much of your brain’s tissue is composed of fat, and as the cells that make up brain tissue are replaced, your body requires dietary fats to create new, healthy brain cells. About 20 percent of the human brain is comprised of docosahexaenoic acid [DHA], and eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], an anti-inflammatory

Words: Dr Richard FIRSHEIN A key characteristic of healthy bacteria is their ability to antagonise unhealthy, or pathogenic, bacteria. Pathogenic organisms are dangerous because they either cause infection or release harmful substances as a by-product of their natural digestive processes. Probiotics work in a variety of ways to keep unhealthy bacteria in check. Some crowd

Words: Dr Rajgopal NIDAMBOOR  Do we need nutritional supplements? Do they assure a ‘surge’ in health for individuals who are already healthy? Just like one size does not fit all, nutritional supplements aren’t for everyone. However, older, or elderly, adults and others with health and other issues may benefit from specific supplements. One should also

Words: Dr Rajgopal NIDAMBOOR Vitamins and minerals should be a part of our wellness indemnity — just like life insurance — in health and illness. Here’s why — vitamins are a group of organic nutrients, found in plants and animals. They are called essential vitamins. They are fundamental to regulate the chemical processes that go