In Gulliver’s Travels, Gulliver visits the land of the Luggnaggs, where he meets the Immortals, who ask him what he would do were he granted immortality. Gulliver fantasizes about gaining great wealth, learning, and knowledge. He imagines communing with other immortals in a group of wise ones, setting a virtuous, grand example for the rest of mankind. Like many people, Gulliver links immortality with perpetual youth, health, wealth, and wisdom. However, he soon discovers that, although the Immortals live forever, they continue to age and are eventually stripped of their health and wealth. Instead of becoming wise and understanding, they become jealous of youth and the ability to die. Unlike the protagonist in Jonathan Swift’s classic novel, not all of us pine for immortality. What we really want is youthful vigor over the entire course of our lives. We want to feel great and look fantastic into our 70s, 80s, […]
Mold exposure can cause sleep problems, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and confusion. Do you suspect mold in your home or office? Having mold in your home and mold exposure won’t necessarily make you sick, but it does have the potential to cause specific health issues. Is it time to have a mold exposure treatment? If you follow our blog, you may recognize a familiar theme in the title of this post. In 2019, we wrote about mold outbreaks at the MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa and at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center in St. Petersburg. We wrote that these were “chronic, recurring mold outbreaks that are literally making military personnel and their family members, patients, and treatment providers sick.” Then just last year, we posted an update about five military families that filed a class-action lawsuit against owners and managers of private housing at MacDill. Like mold
If you count yourself a member of the 15 to 20 percent of the U.S. population suffering from chronic itching — itching that occurs for six weeks and longer — then you’ll be happy to learn that effective treatment is available, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all cure. According to a recent study, chronic itching (called pruritus in medical circles) accounts for more than 7 million outpatient visits per year. And it has a negative impact on quality of life with respect to mood, concentration, eating habits, sleep, and sexual function. In this blog post, we look at a patient we successfully treated for chronic itching here at BioDesign Wellness Center. Meet Jessica, a Chronic Itch Patient Jessica came to see us reporting of itchy skin on her sides and back. The itch was persistent, and while there were no observable signs of rash or dermatitis, she did have visible marks
While few people would consider burnout to be a medical condition, we at BioDesign Wellness Center know it to be a root cause of far too many doctor visits. Unfortunately, when visiting a traditional medical practice and general practitioner (GP), these visits rarely provide patients with the relief they seek. According to the American Psychological Association, burnout is “physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lower performance, and negative attitudes towards oneself and others.” If these symptoms describe how you’re feeling, you’re not alone. More and more people are suffering from burnout than ever before, and it is no surprise. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing political and social unrest, intensifying international conflicts, concerns over climate change, and rising inflation, along with personal and work-related challenges, people have far more stress to deal with than in even the recent past. Unfortunately, conventional medicine does not consider burnout to
Understanding Your Treatment Options for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) If you or a loved one are experiencing insomnia, anxiety, and/or severe fatigue before your period starts, and those symptoms come with vomiting, acne, or heart palpitations, among other things, you may be suffering from premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and considering to try functional medicine approach in Tampa, FL. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a health condition similar to, but more serious than, premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Symptoms of PMDD — which tend to occur one to two weeks before a period starts and end two to three days after a period starts — fall into broad categories, including psychological, gastrointestinal, respiratory, dermatological, vascular, and neurologic. Conventional medical treatments for PMDD include antidepressants, birth control pills, pain relievers, and, believe it or not, hysterectomies. However, these typically provide only partial or temporary relief at best and often cause other health issues, including sexual
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 14 percent of women ages 15 to 49 are currently using oral pills (OCPs, commonly known as “the pill”) for contraception. However, the pill isn’t restricted to women who are currently sexually active, or even to women who have never had sex. According to a 2011 study conducted by Rachel K. Jones and sponsored by the Guttmacher Institute titled “Beyond Birth Control: The Overlooked Benefits of Contraceptive Pills,” (note: link opens a PDF file) approximately 18 percent of women age 15 to 44 currently use OCPs, some of whom use them for reasons beyond birth control: 86 percent of OCP users use the pill for birth control 58 percent of OCP users rely on it, at least in part, for purposes other than birth control, including cramps, menstrual regulation or pain, acne, endometriosis, or other unspecified reasons While the