Vitamin B12: Cure-all or waste of money?

“B12 injections given here!” Doctor’s offices, chiropractic centers and other wellness-focused operations love to advertise B12. And why not? It’s profitable, and patients swear it gives them an “energy boost.” But while a “quick fix” for irritability or fatigue might be tempting, the notion of B12 as a cure-all, and a fast one at that, has a shaky foundation.

Know the facts on mercury to reduce your exposure

Many of us are old enough to remember mercury thermometers. The silvery liquid slid beguilingly up and down the thermometer, telling mom whether you were faking your sudden test-day illness or not. But mercury thermometers soon disappeared from existence — the incidents of broken glass and exposure to a toxic metal made their use too dangerous. However, mercury is still all around us and in our bodies, and it’s not a good thing.

Aloe vera: more than your summer sunburn salve

Aloe vera. It’s a quirky beverage choice and a kind savior in the hours after a bad sunburn. It’s been used for healing the skin for thousands of years, and has long been a home remedy for constipation. But our reliable summer standby might well be good for even more.

Beating your biological clock: How to increase fertility later in life

More and more women are having babies later in their reproductive years. Though many women are trying to make sure they are fully prepared to take on parenthood, waiting can sometimes lead to fertility issues. To help you make informed health decisions, here are some answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about fertility, followed by some practical tips you can begin using right away.

Naturally prevent, decrease spring allergies

For people who suffer from allergies, spring means bulk purchases of Kleenex and sniffling trips to the medicine cabinet. But while nasal steroids and decongestants might make you feel good temporarily, they have side effects as well. And while allergies might seem inevitable, a healthy dose of prevention may well keep you away from your usual medicines.

If you take vitamin C when you get sick, you’re using it all wrong

“Take some vitamin C.” You’ve probably heard it since you can remember, since your very first cold. As a kid, you probably downed glasses of orange juice at the first sign of the sniffles under your mother’s watchful eye. Later, you graduated to those popular powdered vitamin C drinks, hoping a sudden assault of extra vitamin C would make viruses retreat. But does it work?

Is your sports drink failing you?

At professional football games across America, sports drinks flow like champagne.They remind us that hydration and electrolytes are a natural and necessary finale to vigorous exercise. But what are electrolytes, exactly? Which ones do we need? And is all that sugar in sports drinks really in our best interest?