Most cosmetics, as it happens, fall within the FDA’s legal purview. Back in 1977, legislation on labeling cosmetics took effect. But how effective is that labeling legislation?

Most of us have more or less come to trust ingredients labeling. We’ve gotten thoroughly used to it in the labeling of foods. Most take for granted that, on a cosmetics label, the ingredients will be listed in their order of predominance in the product. We assume that the ingredient listed first is the one present in greatest quantity, the second listed is the one having the second largest percentage, and so on. But it isn’t necessarily so. Read the rest of this entry »

Hearing the word “osteoporosis” often brings on fear, especially for middle-aged women who’ve lost weight, whether deliberately or otherwise. But it can affect anyone at any age. The usual advice—Take something for it—in this case is calcium. Take calcium supplements and drink milk, they say. Read the rest of this entry »

If people only knew the healing power of laughter and joy, many of our fine doctors would be out of business. -Catherine Ponder

I have a distant memory of a Russian song, with a chorus that goes something like this: According to the research done in Paris, in order to live long, you’ve got to smile a minimum of 17 minutes a day.

Gosh, those lyrics don’t translate well at all, do they? But the concept does. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s widely believed that raw food doesn’t give enough energy. So how much energy do raw foods provide? Food energy is usually expressed in food calories. So, how many calories are in “unprocessed raw foods” such as bananas, carrots, soaked almonds, pistachios, and the like? Read the rest of this entry »

Every household needs a really deep spring cleaning, wouldn’t you say? That same thorough clean-out is the idea behind colon hydrotherapy—a very helpful tool for removing old, accumulated waste and toxins that have been piling up and decaying inside of you for years, resulting in restored colon health and cleanliness, and better overall health.

Colonics—the what and why

Colonics, also known as colon hydrotherapy or colon irrigations, are administered by a trained professional in a clean and private setting. According to the website of the International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy: Read the rest of this entry »

It is a part of the design of your skin that it has small openings on its surface, called pores, leading into sebaceous glands that secrete oil for skin protection and lubrication. Most skin pores are barely noticeable to the naked eye, and we pay them little attention. Except, that is, when we see them staring back at us in the mirror like so many moon craters. In my late thirties, I used to have this very problem. No more.

What Causes Pores to Enlarge?

While it’s commonly accepted that pore size is genetically determined, several other factors most likely contribute. Hormone imbalance may play a role in excessive oil production, promoting pore enlargement. As skin ages and loses collagen, pores become larger, continually trapping more and more dead skin cells along with oils, which plug and stretch the pores even more—a vicious circle. Enlarged pores almost always go along with an oily skin problem. The odds of having dilated pores are not in your favor if you struggled with acne as a teenager and attacked the problem with your bare hands. Sun damage to the skin can also factor into pores becoming more visible.

Approaching the Large Pores Problem from Within

The way to a beautiful exterior always starts inside. Before you see perfect facial skin, your liver, stomach, colon, pancreas and other internal organs must experience a state of health. Since you are constantly building and re-building your cells with the help of the foods you consume, diet is the number one player when it comes to addressing any health or cosmetic issue. If you are already on a raw food diet, you’re ahead of the game. Make sure you drink fresh, predominantly green juices regularly. Take a look: The skin of frequent juicers is vibrantly alive, healthy looking, and clear. A glass of juice has more potential for your skin healing and rejuvenation than any cosmetic procedure or pharmaceutical product you might be tempted to try. Read the rest of this entry »

I received this email from a reader:

At age 52, I have been using Copper Peptides for almost one year and added Retin A, two months ago…. I don’t believe in store or commercially bought anti-aging products anymore, but find the research and track record of Retin A and the seeming trustworthiness of Dr. Pickart (CP’s) hard to resist. Both claim to “remodel” skin, and I wonder whether I’d be missing out, long term, not to use them. What do you think?

Nowadays many women, like my reader above, are reaching for the latest discoveries such as Copper Peptides and Retin-A, two patented products promising unique, unrivaled benefits. Retin A chemically exfoliates, while copper peptides assist in wound healing and recovery. Both promise to “remodel” your skin, and they do—after a fashion. But once you understand the science behind it, you’ll see there are easier, cheaper, and healthier ways to do the same job. How do I know? Because I’ve been doing it for the last fifteen years with great results.

What is Retin A?

Let’s take a more careful look. As the product’s name suggests, it is a retinoid, a chemical compound derived from Vitamin A, and is only available by prescription. This by itself sends up red flags for me. Read the rest of this entry »

Flakes! You’ve seen them, either on your own head and shoulders, or on someone else’s. They’re skin flakes, to be exact. Big, white, fluffy, clingy. If you’ve ever had dandruff yourself, you’ve hated seeing those flakes fly as you comb your hair. And you remember the itchy, irritated scalp that came with the deal. Dandruff knows no cultural, ethnic, or territorial borders, and seems to affect about one 1 out of 5 people in the world.

What Causes your Scalp to Shed More Skin Cells than Normal?

One of the causes of dandruff is overgrowth of yeast-like fungi. Our scalp, like the rest of our skin, hosts panoply of fungi and bacteria which feed on skin oil (called ‘sebum’). Normally, these wee beasties live in a state of symbiosis with us, and don’t cause us much trouble. But when things get out of whack…that’s when dandruff (or worse) befalls us. Read the rest of this entry »

H2 blockers…proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)…antacids…The last one, at least, surely sounds familiar. Everyone’s popped a Tums or a Rolaids tablet, or their generic equivalents, at one time or another. Not a night of television goes by without an ad for antacid liquid or tablets—pumped by manufacturers as quicker acting and more soothing than the next. Whether you call it heartburn, acid indigestion, or acid reflux, it’s a disorder which every sufferer shares with fully a third of the U.S. population. Read the rest of this entry »

One reader unsubscribed from my newsletter and provided the following comment:

Raw food is very bad for people with a ‘damp’ condition in Chinese medicine and I don’t think it should be promoted across the board as if it is good for everyone. My stomach likes warm food, I have learned, so I have been eating the worst food possible—that is, raw!—for my condition.   Read the rest of this entry »