I'm interrupting our skin tips to discuss air quality. I live in Washington state, near the Oregon forest fires, and my city is covered in an ash cloud right now. So I suppose this topic is top-of-mind for me and any of you in California, Oregon, or Washington state are probably reading this with burning…...

"Water, water, everywhere, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink." ― Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Hurricanes Harvey and Irma have recently flooded Texas, Florida and surrounding states, causing an estimated $200 billion in damage (similar to the costs of Katrina in 2005). Images…...

The immune system is a complex system of specialized cells, tissues, and organs designed to defend the body from germs and other invaders.  Central to the normal function of the immune system is its ability to distinguish between what is part of our own healthy bodies from a potentially harmful agent. The part of the…...

Did you know that up to 56,000 Americans die of the flu each year, and as many as 710,000 are hospitalized because of it? The flu is a dangerous viral illness that can be lethal, or cause complications that range from pneumonia to inflammation of the heart, brain, and muscles. The good news is that…...

I was with some friends the other day who were bemoaning the fact that they were generally in good health, but their joint aches and pains were significantly impacting their daily lives. They asked me what I recommended for osteoarthritis. I winced a little bit because I knew that there is no perfect cure, and…...

If I asked you how to improve the size or shape of your muscles, you would probably say 'lifting weights,' and you'd be right. Muscles grow when they are first broken down with forceful exercise, and then they repair themselves in an effort to meet the repetitive challenge. Interestingly, the skin operates on the same…...

For regular health tip readers, you may have noticed that I introduced a topic (anti-aging strategies for facial skin) and then never completed parts II and III. Sorry for the delay. As I was saying in my original health tip Anti-Aging Strategies For Facial Skin, Part 1  (you might want to re-read this), that our…...

We are now completing the third in a series about how to reduce the signs of aging in facial skin. As we have discovered, aging skin is thinner and the cells do not turn over as quickly. Dark spots may emerge in response to a lifetime of sun exposure, and wrinkles form as laugh lines…...