March 2008

Don’t Let Allergy Symptoms Spoil Your Spring

by Sheila McCormick on March 27th, 2008

Most people rejoice at the arrival of spring. But for the 22 million Americans who suffer from seasonal allergies the magic of spring is marred by sneezing, stuffy noses, sore throats and watery eyes. An allergy is the result of your immune system’s overreaction to pollens, grass, airborne fungi and even certain foods and cosmetics. When an allergen is introduced the body fights back by producing an excess of inflammatory chemicals, such as histamine, from mast cells. This is what brings on the familiar and annoying allergy symptoms. Because allergies are poorly understood and inadequately treated by conventional medicine, many

Pudgy Pooches Have Increased Risk Of Health Problems

by Sheila McCormick on March 18th, 2008

When those beautiful and hopeful eyes beam up at you while you are eating dinner it can be extremely difficult to resist giving your pet a table scrap or two. Unfortunately, these “table scrap” treats can add up to obesity which can be a major health threat to your pet. Obesity is fast becoming the number one health problem of domestic animals in this country, with one in four pets fitting the profile of overweight or obese. Unfortunately, most pet owners don’t fully understand the devastating toll that obesity can take on their furry friends. A pet is considered to

Time Change Wreaks Havoc On Our ‘Internal Clocks’

by Sheila McCormick on March 6th, 2008

In a few days most of the country will spring forward into Daylight Savings Time. While the extra hour of daylight will be a welcome boost for many winter weary souls, body clocks may be temporarily baffled, making sleeping (and waking) very difficult. Sleep experts say that the time change comes as a jolt to our internal clocks, and it can take as long as two weeks for our bodies to adjust. Recent European studies show that Daylight Savings Time essentially disrupts our body’s natural tracking of dawn. This disruption affects our moods, our ability to get things done and