Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Inflammation is your body's defense response to injury, infection, or stress. While helpful when temporary, chronic low-grade inflammation over time damages tissues and raises disease risk Chronic inflammation has become so widespread with age in modern societies that scientists now call this pattern "inflammaging," a slow-burning immune response tied to nearly every major chronic disease Chronic inflammation isn't an inevitable part of aging. A new study found that indigenous adults had high but consistent levels of inflammation that did not worsen with age or lead to chronic disease The findings challenge the idea that inflammation is harmful by default. Instead, they highlight how environmental context determines whether inflammation promotes healing or drives degeneration Strategies to reduce chronic inflammation include removing modern stressors like seed oils, toxins, EMFs, and gut-disrupting foods while reinforcing protective inputs like whole food, sunlight, sleep, and movement

Childhood asthma affects 4.6 million U.S. kids, and research now shows zinc deficiency drives more inflammation, worse lung function, and greater breathing problems Zinc strengthens airway barriers, trains immune cells, reduces allergic inflammation, and helps repair tissues, making it central to protecting children against worsening asthma symptoms A review in Nutrients found zinc deficiency in children consistently linked to more severe asthma and allergic rhinitis, with greater benefits when levels were restored A large U.S. analysis showed overweight children eating more zinc-rich foods had up to 29% lower odds of asthma and fewer attacks compared to peers Zinc works best when sourced from whole foods like beef, lamb, oysters, and eggs, with supplements serving only as a backup when your diet falls short

Repeated dieting followed by binging reshapes your gut bacteria in ways that increase cravings for junk food and make overeating harder to control The more you cycle between restriction and indulgence, the more your microbiome drives binge behavior by altering brain reward pathways People with binge-eating disorder have fewer beneficial gut microbes and higher levels of inflammation, disrupting mood, impulse control, and fullness signals Gut bacteria from yo-yo dieters triggered the same binge-eating behaviors in healthy animals, showing how powerful and transferable gut changes are Healing your gut with easy-to-digest carbs and targeted probiotics calms inflammation, restores microbiome balance, and helps break the restrict-binge cycle for good

Current treatments for heart disease fail to address root causes. Stents and bypass surgery only restore blood flow temporarily without tackling underlying endothelial dysfunction and inflammation driving heart disease Despite their ability to lower cholesterol, statins have limitations. While these drugs lower LDL cholesterol by 25% to 35%, they don't address oxidative damage or rebuild vessel health, leaving underlying inflammatory processes unchanged Excess linoleic acid (LA) from vegetable oils fuels heart disease. Modern diets contain 7.2% LA, as opposed to 2.8% a century ago. This creates mitochondrial dysfunction and dangerous oxidized LDL cholesterol formation Reducing LA intake shows measurable cardiovascular benefits. Limiting LA to under 5 grams daily reduces inflammatory markers like hsCRP by 15% and IL-6 by 10% within weeks Novel approaches like nanoparticle chelation show promise. Targeted delivery systems can address calcified plaques directly, offering more precise treatment than traditional intravenous methods at lower costs

Insomnia affects about 22% of adults worldwide and raises the risk of depression, Alzheimer's disease, and cardiovascular events, while also draining energy, focus, and overall health A review of 22 clinical trials found yoga, tai chi, and walking to be the top three forms of exercise for improving sleep quality, duration, and efficiency in people with insomnia Walking stood out for reducing insomnia severity the most, and moderate-intensity walking is safe to repeat daily without the health risks linked to excessive vigorous exercise Yoga increased total sleep time by nearly two hours per night, while tai chi improved both subjective and objective sleep measures, with benefits lasting months or even years after training Benefits from walking and tai chi were seen in as little as four to 12 weeks, showing that consistent, moderate activity is more effective for long-term sleep improvement than intense, high-volume workouts

Maple-derived compounds, especially epicatechin gallate (ECG), stop cavity-causing bacteria from attaching to your teeth and forming plaque Unlike chemical mouthwashes, maple polyphenols are safe to swallow, making them a better option for children and adults Green and black tea also contain ECG, giving you an easy daily source of natural cavity protection Reducing sugary and acidic drinks cuts off the main fuel that bacteria use to erode enamel and cause decay Homemade eggshell toothpaste and oil pulling with coconut oil provide simple, natural ways to strengthen teeth and reduce harmful bacteria

Old injuries don't just leave physical scars — they rewire your stress system, making everyday situations feel more threatening than they really are Stress hormones act like fuel that keeps fear and pain responses locked in place, which helps explain why anxiety and chronic pain often linger Trauma survivors who recover better use brain networks more efficiently, allowing them to separate safe cues from real danger and avoid living in constant high alert Simple steps like improving sleep, getting morning sunlight, and gradually retraining your brain with safe exposures help reset stress circuits and restore calm Nutrition and energy support, including healthy carbohydrates and creatine, strengthen your brain's resilience and give you a better foundation for healing after trauma

Estrogen accumulates in your tissues even when blood tests show low levels, leading to misdiagnosis and ineffective treatment Hair and nail testing reveal long-term patterns of hormone and mineral buildup, offering clearer insight into chronic symptoms like fatigue, infertility, and fluid retention High prolactin levels often signal hidden estrogen activity and are especially important to monitor if your thyroid function is low Vegetable oils, plastics, and many common household products contain compounds that either mimic estrogen or promote estrogen dominance by disrupting thyroid function, impairing detox pathways, and driving chronic inflammation Natural progesterone and liver-supportive strategies like collagen-rich foods help reduce your tissue estrogen burden and restore balance

Prediabetes raises the risk of death by 64% in adults aged 20 to 54, making it far more dangerous at a younger age than later in life Most people with prediabetes have no obvious symptoms, which means you could be at risk without knowing it unless you get tested Unlike older adults, younger people with prediabetes often face faster disease progression and fewer overlapping health issues to mask the danger Simple lifestyle shifts like cutting vegetable oils, reintroducing the right carbs, reducing toxin exposure, and getting daily sunlight restore your body's ability to make energy The HOMA-IR test is an effective way to track insulin resistance and see if your efforts are truly reversing prediabetes

Grip strength is a quick, noninvasive marker of overall health, linked to aging, resilience, neurological coordination, and risk of chronic disease and early mortality A 2025 study found that weaker grip strength in early psychosis patients correlated with poorer well-being and disruptions in key brain network connectivity patterns Stronger grip strength was linked to better communication between brain regions involved in movement, emotion, and self-reflection, especially within the brain's default mode network Beyond brain health, grip strength also reflects cardiovascular fitness, immune function, cognitive performance, physical independence, and is widely used to detect early signs of frailty Grip strength is easy to track at home with a dynamometer, and exercises like daily dead hangs help support psychomotor coordination and neurological stability