Healthy Talk

If you have excess homocysteine, you might be at an elevated risk for heart disease, stroke, and other health issues.Homocysteine is a naturally-occurring amino acid found in your blood plasma. Having high homocysteine levels might increase your risk of heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and osteoporosis. What are the newly-identified risks of excess homocysteine? A recent study, published in 2014, looked at people with high homocysteine and uric acid and found that there was a 10.5-fold greater risk of vascular dementia. Other studies show that homocysteine could increase your Alzheimer's risk, worsen diabetic complications, and contribute to an increased rate of brain atrophy. What else do you need to know about homocysteine? Listen in as Dr. Mike discusses homocysteine and the newly-identified risks of having excess homocysteine.

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: I suffer from Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). I take neurontin off and on for some relief, but what about foods for pain (I hate taking pills)? RSD is a condition that is characterized by symptoms including a burning pain, swelling, tenderness, discoloration, sweating, warmth and/or coolness, flushing, and shiny skin. Some foods like dark tart cherries, ginger root, omega-3 fatty acids, curcumin, and hot chili peppers can help ease the symptoms. 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: My dad has glaucoma (open-angle) with increased ocular pressure. What supplements can he take for decreased eye pressure? Some supplements that Dr. Mike recommends are pine bark extract, pycnogenol, lutein, zeaxanthin, EGCG, vitamin A, vitamin E, and forkscolin. I saw a Facebook post by health activist, David Wolfe. He said, "eat colors for your health." He also said white foods are good for the immunity, yellow foods are good for the skin, orange foods are good for inflammation, red foods for the heart, purple foods for the nerves, and green foods for the toxification. What are your thoughts? Dr. Mike thinks this can make some sense. For example, white foods like mushrooms are really great for your immunity. Yellow foods might be considered wheat, grains, yellow squash that benefit your skin. For the color orange, foods like oranges and carrots are great for your skin. For the color red, foods like pomegranates and apples are packed with antioxidants that are great for your heart. Purple foods like blueberries benefit your nerves. Any kind of leafy greens are great for cell health and detoxing. 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.

The spectrum balance protocol diet may help ease your child's ASD symptoms. But, do you have to strictly follow ALL the guidelines and recommendations?Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neuro-developmental disorder that is characterized by repetitive behavior, difficulty in social situations, trouble communicating verbally and non-verbally, and motor coordination. Many doctors believe that autism could be prevented by changing up a mom-to-be's diet while pregnant; or, if your child already has autism, the symptoms of autism can be controlled through a balanced diet. What does the spectrum balance protocol diet include? Listen in as Shauna K. Young, PhD, CTN, shares details on the spectrum balance protocol diet and how it can help children suffering from autism.

Have scientists gotten any closer to finding a cure?According to Autism Speaks, autism affects over three million individuals in the U.S. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neuro-developmental disorder that is characterized by repetitive behavior, difficulty in social situations, trouble communicating verbally and non-verbally, and motor coordination. Symptoms usually begin before your child is three years old. These symptoms can include your child not responding to his or her name, lack of smiling or social responsiveness, loss of language or social skills, and obsessively lining up toys or objects. As your child gets older, there are other symptoms such as an impaired ability to make friends, impaired ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with other people, repetitive or unusual use of language, preoccupation with specific objects, and inflexible adherence to specific routines or rituals. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for autism, but there are approaches like diet modifications, therapy, and educational and non-medical interventions. What's the science behind autism? Shauna K. Young, PhD, CTN, joins Dr. Mike to discuss autism and the science behind the disorder.

Is there a link between the amount of vitamin D in your system and your risk for obesity?Is it possible, that depending on your vitamin D levels, you could be increasing your risk for obesity? Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids, which enhance intestinal absorption of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphate and zinc. In reports from the University of Puerto Rico, researchers recently looked at medical records from a private clinic that included age, gender, serum 25 (OH) D levels, weight, height, and waist circumference. The body mass index and waist-to-height ratio were also calculated and categorized according to standard guidelines. Researchers found that those people who had a higher BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio had a significantly lower vitamin D status. What else did the researchers find? Listen in as Dr. Mike shares this recent report on vitamin D and its link to obesity.

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: I see that Life Extension published an article on liquid vitamin D. Can you review it? Is it best to take liquid formulations of all vitamins? In this study, researchers switched participants from a capsule form of vitamin D to a soft gel liquid formulation. Researchers found a 28.5 increase in blood levels in healthy adults who had previously been taking 5,000 units of a dry powdered form, but switched to the liquid form. For the second part of the question, Dr. Mike is a little unsure if liquid formulations of all vitamins is the best way to get your vitamin intake. Dr. Mike thinks it varies from person to person. Can you list the top three or four supplements for diabetes? Cinnamon Lipoic acid Chromium Soluble fiber Green tea extract Green coffee bean extract 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: With finals coming up, I don't want my daughter taking things like NoDoz to stay up. What can she take for energy that's safe and lasting? Dr. Mike wants you to understand that you can't just take these natural energy boosters and expect to see immediate results. It's better to take these over a period of time. These supplements include CoQ10, carnitine, ribose, vitamin B12, and fermented gingseng. Please discuss the study that showed people taking a multivitamin had a reduced risk of stroke. Nowhere in the mainstream media is this being reviewed. Unfortunately, that's how some media outlets are. That's why it's so important for you to do your own research. Published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke, researchers revealed a reduction in stroke deaths among users of multivitamin 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 message can you give to people who've just been diagnosed with cancer?Cancer is the general name given to more than 100 different types of diseases. Cancer happens when your cells divide abnormally and grow out of control. According to the American Cancer Society, more than one million people in the U.S. get cancer each year. In Bill Aron's book, New Beginnings, 120 cancer survivors share their personal story of battling cancer. What message does this book give to people who've just been diagnosed with cancer? Listen in as Aron discusses his new book and how you or someone you love can face the challenges of cancer head on.

What's the best way you can deal with your cancer-induced emotional and physical pain?After finding out you have cancer, your whole life might flash in front of your eyes. Not only are you experiencing intense and overwhelming emotions, but you also might be feeling some physical pain. What advice does cancer survivor and famed photographer of cancer patients, Bill Aron, have for someone who might be going through this emotional and physical pain? Listen in as Aron shares his personal story of the physical and emotional pain of cancer, as well as things that might help you get through the same.

A recent study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology gives some new hope for celiac sufferers.Celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients whenever gluten is ingested. Gluten is a protein that's found in wheat, barley, rye, and triticale. According to National Foundation for celiac Awareness, about one in 33 Americans, or one percent of the population, has celiac disease. The only treatment for those who suffer from celiac disease is avoiding gluten in foods. However, a new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology might shine a little hope on new treatments. Scientists recruited 12 people with celiac disease and gave each individual 20 hookworm larvae to ingest. Over the course of 52 weeks, the scientists gave varying amounts of gluten to the participants. These amounts included: 10-50 mg for 12 weeks 25 mg daily plus one gram twice weekly for 12 weeks three grams daily (60-75 straws of spaghetti) for two weeks Scientists took tissue and blood samples to see if this therapy worked (please note that only eight out of the 12 individuals completed the trial). Scientists found that gluten toxicity levels did show improvement, and by the end of the trial, participants were able to eat about a bowl of pasta without any symptoms. Does this mean a new treatment will soon be available? Listen in as Dr. Mike shares the findings of this noteworthy study and what this means for those who have celiac disease.

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: My Aunt underwent surgery and had had a hard time waking up from the anesthesia. It's been months, but there are still times when she will have bouts of no recollection of the surgery. Are there any supplements she can take? This phenomenon -- when you're unable to recall any events that took place before your surgery -- is known as retrograde amnesia. Before suggesting any supplements, Dr. Mike suggests getting an MRI or speaking to a neurologist to make sure there's not a bigger health risk at hand. That being said, Dr. Mike says that supplements like fish oil, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, ashwagandha, blueberry extract, phosphatidylserine, DHEA, and choline can help.  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: Are there any supplements someone with an autoimmune disease can take? An autoimmune disease occurs when your immune system attacks healthy cells within your body by mistake. There are over 80 different types of autoimmune diseases, and doctors are still unsure why people suffer. They do know, however, that autoimmune diseases run in families. Dr. Mike wants you to first speak with your doctor first before taking any supplements. Here are four supplements that are true immune modulators: Vitamin D White peony extract Shark liver oil Plant sterols I was diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis after the fatigue I was suffering started to affect my vision. Is there anything natural I can take to lessen the symptoms? Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder that causes extreme fatigue and overall weakness of the skeletal muscles. The muscles that are mostly affected are those in your legs, neck, face, and arm. Dr. Mike suggests vitamin D, astragalus, green tea extract, cat's claw, and omega-3 fatty acids. If you have a health question or concern, Dr. Mike encourages you to write him ataskdrmikesmith@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.

Why can some people remember their dreams and others can't?Sometimes after you wake up from a deep sleep, you may feel an overwhelming sense of an emotion, confusion, and potentially a lack of memory. Even though you dream, you may not always be able to recall them. Why is this? Doctors have a few theories on why you may be able to remember your dreams and your best friend can't. It could be as simple as not fully paying attention to dreams while sleeping, or it can be as complicated as your brain's neuro-chemicals being out of balance when you're sleeping versus when you are awake. How can you come to understand the meaning of your dreams? Justina Lasley, MA, joins Dr. Mike to share some tips on how you can remember your dreams, and what they might mean in terms of what's going on in your life.

There could be several different analyses for each kind of dream you have.Any time after you have a weird, emotional, or insightful dream, you may try to research what exactly those dreams mean. Even though doctors have been studying dreams for years, there could be several different analyses for each kind of dream you have. Many doctors also believe that by dreaming you can connect better with your emotional, mental, and spiritual health. Why do you need to pay more attention to your dreams? Founder and director of the Institute for Dream Studies, Justina Lasley, MA, explains why your dreams are so important and how you can start paying better attention to them.