Healthy Talk

A recent survey found that men who consumed 85-170 mg of caffeine had a lower risk of erectile dysfunction (ED).Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to get and keep and erection. The reasons why this happens vary, but it is considered abnormal for a man of any age. According to the National Institutes of Health, around 15 percent of 40-year-old men, and between 15-25 percent of 65-year-old men have experienced ED on a long-term basis. There are treatment options, but most include medications that can have unpleasant side effects. However, recent findings show that by drinking caffeine, you might be able to treat your ED. According to the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES), researchers found that those who had a greater intake of caffeine had a lower risk of ED. Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston looked at data from 3,724 men aged 20 and older that enrolled in NHANES from 2001-2004. They found that men who consumed 85-170 mg of caffeine a day had a 42 percent lower risk of reporting ED than men who only consumed 0-7 mg daily. What else did researchers find in this study? Listen in as Dr. Mike shares this study (published in the journal PLOS ONE) and how drinking caffeine can lower your risk of ED.

Listen in as Dr. Mike provides the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions.Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans. Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know: Why do we build resistance to antibiotics? Some bacteria strains, that were previously controlled (like staph infection), have reappeared and become harder to treat. Dr. Mike wants you to understand that it's not you who is becoming resistant to antibiotics, it's the bacteria. Within hours, bacteria can divide into new bacteria depending on the environment. Since they are able to multiple quickly, new strains are more likely to form and become resistant. What are the latest developments in antibiotic resistance? Brilacidin, created by Cellceutix, is a new class of antibiotics called defensin-mimetics that are modeled after your own immune defense proteins. Currently, it's in phase three trials, which means it could be available relatively soon. If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

Listen in as Dr. Mike provides the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions.Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans. Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know: Is it true that type-2 diabetes is caused by staph infection? Diabetes is ultimately an insulin resistance disease and there are lots of different factors that contribute to diabetes, such as heredity and lifestyle factors. It's not as simple as correlating staph infection to the disease. Should I give my dog the dog flu vaccine? The canine influenza (also known as dog flu) is a contagious respiratory disease in dogs that causes symptoms similar to the flu in humans (sneezing, cough, runny nose, fevers, loss of appetite, and lethargy). Puppies and older dogs (just like babies and older adults) are more likely to get the dog flu. There was a recent flare-up in the Chicago area that caused more than 1,000 dogs to fall ill. Dr. Mike isn't against vaccines, but unless you're in a city and an area where your dog is exposed to other dogs (like a dog park) he doesn't think your dog needs it. If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

What substances should you be avoiding to help reduce your chances of inflammation?Inflammation is your body's natural response to an injury, pathogen or irritant. Chronic inflammation can occur when something engages your immune system and inhibits your body's ability to shut this response off. There are some surprising and not-so-surprising substances that create a high internal inflammatory state. What are some of the top things should you avoid that may be increasing your inflammation? Dr. Daniel Twogood shares specific pro-inflammatory substances and why you should be avoiding them.

Learn which healing nutrients you can use to eliminate chronic pain.According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, roughly 100 million Americans are suffering from chronic pain. The most common forms of chronic pain are headaches and joint pain like arthritis. Chronic pain is usually the result of an injury or trauma, but it can also be from an autoimmune disease or infection. How can you reduce your pain within 90 days? Dr. Daniel Twogood joins Dr. Mike to discuss what chronic pain is and how you can find relief in 90 days.

A recent study found a three-way link between antibiotic use in infants, changes in gut bacteria, and disease later in life.Researchers from the University of Minnesota have found a three-way link between antibiotic use in infants, changes in gut bacteria, and disease later in life. Researchers discovered that the imbalances in dysbiosis (gut microbes) have been tied to infectious diseases, allergies and other autoimmune disorders, and even obesity. What else did the researchers find? Listen in as Dr. Mike explains this recent study, as well as if there is a way to protect yourself.

Listen in as Dr. Mike provides the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions.Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans. Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know: What is life? I'm asking this because billionaire inventor, Craig Venter, gave an answer about DNA software systems and am curious what you think. Here's something that Dr. Mike finds interesting... something that has always been amazing to him, in all his research on medicine, is how the reactions and cellular processes require the use of proteins that almost resemble machines. It's almost like we are specifically designed by a designer with DNA. For Dr. Mike, life isn't just a process or a chemical reaction. Dr. Mike is a Christian and would take a more faith-driven approach of this question. What are the safest ways to whiten teeth? Baking soda is a safe way to whiten your teeth, and is even used in certain toothpastes. Dentists have also recommended using carbamide peroxide as a natural way to help whiten your teeth. However, you might also want to consider staying away from foods and drinks that stain your teeth, like coffee. If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

Listen in as Dr. Mike provides the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions.Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans. Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know: Is the HPV vaccine really necessary? There's a widespread belief among many people that vaccines are a fraud. HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is a viral infection that contains over 100 different strains, with at least 30 known strains that can cause cancer. Dr. Mike can't really say if it is necessary or not. HPV has always been around and been linked to cervical, neck and throat cancers. Dr. Mike does want to mention that we are living in a different environment with a lot more people. Studies have shown that teenagers are having sexual intercourse more frequently and younger. Because of the combination of those factors, doctors and researchers should be studying HPV more. Are coffee enemas as good as experts say they are? Coffee enemas have been used in the holistic community for years. They are known to help constipation, fatigue, insomnia, and cognitive problems, and have been used in cancer therapies. However, the debate is still out there of whether or not the benefits of coffee enemas are true. If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

One of the trickiest balances of exercise is maintaining (and growing) muscle strength while losing weight.If you've been trying to lose weight, you might have also noticed that you're losing muscle. One of the trickiest balances of exercise is maintaining (and growing) muscle strength while losing weight. Research has shown the importance of weight lifting, as it helps you burn calories, speeds up your metabolism, and aids in weight loss. An study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that whey protein supplementation protects against some of the loss of muscle that happens while dieting and exercise. Researchers randomized 40 people to receive a 14-day, low-calorie diet that was supplemented with whey protein, soy protein, or an addition of carbohydrates. Researchers assessed myofibrillar protein synthesis (a measure of muscle maintenance), during fasting and following a meal, before and after the two-week diets. Researchers found that all groups experienced a decline in myofibrillar protein while fasting. How can this help preserve muscle mass as you're trying to lose weight? Listen in as Dr. Mike explains this study and suggests ways that you can lose weight but still have muscle.

Is there a way to feel energized while traveling through several different time zones?Jet leg occurs when your internal clock is disrupted when you travel across time zones, causing extreme fatigue, insomnia and irritability. You might think the only way to prevent jet lag is to either stay up late by drinking copious amounts of caffeine to keep up with the new time zone that you're in, or to take frequent naps throughout the day by supplementing with a sleeping aid. Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland, a tiny gland in your brain. This hormone is mainly in charge of regulating your sleep and wake cycles and can be found throughout your body: in your gastrointestinal and reproductive tracts, as well as produced in your tissues (skin, gut, liver, white blood cells and kidney). How can melatonin help prevent your jet lag? Dr. Mike shares the importance of melatonin for your overall health and how it can help prevent jet lag.

How can vitamin D and metformin work together to protect your colon health?Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the U.S., and 100,000 individuals develop this cancer each year. It's recommended that at the age of 50 you have your first colonoscopy, or age 40 if you have a family history of colon cancer. Genetic testing and screening are the two most important ways to prevent colon cancer. However, recent research is suggesting that vitamin D and metformin could help prevent colon cancer as well. Researchers gave rats varying doses of vitamin D3, metformin, both compounds, or an anti-inflammatory control drug for 18 weeks. In a separate experiment, mice were given a substance that causes colitis, and were given the same treatment for 20 weeks. Researchers found that vitamin D3 and metformin did, in fact, work together. What else do you need to know about preventing colon cancer with vitamin D and metformin? Listen in as Dr. Mike shares the findings of this latest study and how you might be able to reduce your chances of developing colon cancer.

Listen in as Dr. Mike provides the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions.Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans. Listen in because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know: What are the latest theories on ALS? ALS, often referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a rare disorder that affects a person's nerves and muscles, leading to paralysis and death within a few years. Most theories suggest a viral infection or an autoimmune disease as the cause of ALS. However, there have been a few other theories that have come up within the past decade, including a genetic mutation that allows build-up of free radicals, damaging your neurons and your genes. If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

Listen in as Dr. Mike provides the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions.Here you'll find the answers to a wealth of health and wellness questions posed by Healthy Talk fans. Listen in, because what you know helps ensure healthy choices you can live with. Today on Healthy Talk, you wanted to know: What are the top supplements for prostate cancer? This is a question that Dr. Mike gets a lot. The top supplements he recommends are saw palmetto, boron, vitamin D3, and lycopene. What are the top supplements for migraines? Magnesium threonate, butterbur, ginger root, ginkgo, and melatonin. What are the top supplements for Alzheimer's disease? If you're at risk for Alzheimer's or have early onset Alzheimer's, you should consider taking anti-inflammatory supplements, antioxidants, and immune supplements. If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him at askdrmikesmith@radiomd.com or call in, toll-free, to the LIVE radio show (1.844.305.7800) so he can provide you with support and helpful advice.

What if you don't know anything about plants?Foraging is the act of looking for and rummaging for wild food resources. You may think this would be hard to do depending on where you live, but you just have to know what you're looking for. One misconception you may have about foraging is that you need to know everything about different types of plants and herbs. However, knowing what's growing in the area you live in and whether or not it's safe to eat are the two details to pay attention to before getting started. What else do you need to know about foraging? Wild edibles forager, JJ Murphy, shares everything you need to know about foraging and some simple recipes you can use.

How does foraging save money?Whether you're shopping for yourself or for an entire family, your grocery receipts can really add up. This may make foraging, or learning to grow some of your food, more appealing than spending so much money on your weekly groceries. Foraging, by definition, is the act of looking for and rummaging for wild food resources. You may think this can only be done in rural areas, but it is possible in urban areas as well. You just need to know where to look. How can you forage all year round and cut your grocery bill by 30 percent? Wild edibles forager, JJ Murphy, joins Dr. Mike to discuss foraging and you can use it to reduce your grocery bill.