When it comes to taking supplements, it’s important to be informed of who answers for their quality. While supplement manufacturers and retailers are responsible for providing quality products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is ultimately the agency that has oversight of supplement products. As far as supplement quality control goes, the FDA’s role is twofold. On one hand, the agency is responsible for ensuring that supplement labels truthfully represent what is in the supplement bottle. This means that supplement packaging must accurately disclose the ingredients and potential side effects or health risks associated with taking a product. In…

Certain prescription medications are more likely to be abused than others because of their euphoric effects. In other words, they can cause people to feel good, and so many seek them out, in doses that are unhealthy. The three most commonly abused types of drugs are painkillers, stimulants, and central nervous system depressants (a category that includes tranquilizers, sedatives, and hypnotics) used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. People might abuse these drugs by taking them more often than prescribed or in higher doses than recommended. This can lead to tolerance, dependence, and addiction, which means that people will need…

“And though she’s not really ill, there’s a little yellow pill. She goes running for the shelter of her mother’s little helper And it helps her on her way, gets her through her busy day.” The ‘little pill’ in the lyrics from Mother’s Little Helper, a 1966 song by The Rolling Stones, was no euphemism. Mick Jagger and crew were engaging in social commentary, and the specific pill they were singing about was Valium – a type of benzodiazepine then commonly prescribed by physicians, especially to overwhelmed stay-at-home moms. Colloquially known as ‘benzos’, benzodiazepines are a group of prescription drugs…

Brain health is an essential part of our well-being, but one that often gets overlooked. Many people don’t realize the impact their brain health can have on their overall physical and mental health. Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to nurture your brain for optimal performance and long-term stability. Here are 10 ways to keep your brain healthy and functioning at its best: 1. Brain-Smart Foods: Eating a nutrient-rich, balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do to support healthy brain function. Foods such as blueberries, salmon, avocado, spinach, nuts, dark chocolate, and eggs…