Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Rosacea often worsens in midlife because years of inflammation prevent blood vessels from fully recovering between triggers, making redness more persistent An overactive immune response keeps inflammatory signals switched on, which drives flushing, burning, and visible blood vessels even without obvious triggers Gut imbalance fuels facial inflammation by sending immune signals into your bloodstream that keep skin cells reactive and slow recovery Processed foods, including seed oils, increase inflammatory load, while stabilizing digestion and reducing daily stressors lowers flare frequency Addressing root drivers such as diet, gut health, and emotional stress reduces reactivity and helps your skin regain the ability...

Walking 5,001 to 7,500 steps a day slows the buildup of tau, the brain protein linked to Alzheimer's-related decline, helping you stay sharper for years longer Older adults with elevated amyloid — a key early Alzheimer's marker — preserved memory and daily function far better when they consistently reached a moderate step range Even small increases in movement, such as moving from under 3,000 steps to 3,500 to 5,000 per day, deliver meaningful cognitive benefits without requiring intense exercise High-intensity training pushed healthy adults into metabolic dysfunction, reducing mitochondrial energy production by about 40% and disrupting blood sugar stability Finding your personal exercise "sweet spot" — enough movement to avoid...

Eating five or more servings of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) a day nearly doubles your risk of developing Crohn's disease Additives like emulsifiers, thickeners, and artificial sweeteners found in ultraprocessed foods break down the gut's protective mucus barrier and fuel chronic inflammation High intake of UPFs is linked to changes in gut bacteria that reduce diversity and promote the growth of harmful strains associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) flare-ups Common UPFs like white bread, frozen meals, sauces, and breakfast cereals show the strongest links to increased Crohn's risk Removing seed oils, emulsifiers, and UPF-heavy meals while focusing on gut-repairing whole...

A new Nutrients study shows that drinking 12 ounces of 100% elderberry juice daily for a week helped overweight adults activate more genes that regulate how the body uses energy after meals than a placebo Elderberry juice turned on processes that help the body manage energy better — making it easier to switch between burning carbohydrates and fat for fuel Earlier research from Washington State University showed elderberry juice improved blood sugar control, increased fat burning, and shifted energy use during meal challenges Practical tip: Aim for about 12 ounces of unsweetened, 100% elderberry juice daily for seven days. Check labels to avoid added sugars, as...

Winter worsens migraines because cold, darkness, and routine disruption overload your nervous system and reduce your brain's ability to regulate pain signals Seasonal drops in light exposure disrupt melatonin and circadian rhythm, lowering your brain's resilience and increasing headache frequency and intensity Excess LA from seed oils damages mitochondrial energy production, making your brain more reactive to stress and more prone to migraine attacks in any season Stable daily patterns — consistent sleep timing, hydration, meals, and movement — reduce neurological stress and raise your migraine threshold Restoring cellular energy by lowering LA intake and supporting mitochondrial function helps your brain stay calm...

Parkinson's disease is rising rapidly worldwide, and most cases are driven by lifestyle and environmental stressors rather than genetics, meaning daily choices play a powerful role in risk and progression The disease often begins years before diagnosis, with early signs like poor sleep, digestive issues, anxiety, and fatigue signaling stress on your brain long before tremors appear Chronic inflammation, toxin exposure, poor sleep, and metabolic strain weaken dopamine-producing neurons, but improving sleep, movement, diet, and stress regulation slow this damage Supporting gut health, reducing exposure to environmental toxins, and maintaining steady energy through proper nutrition help protect your brain and...

A new trial in The New England Journal of Medicine found that exercise, whether done at home or with a physical therapist, helped reduce knee pain in adults with osteoarthritis and meniscal tears Supervised physical therapy (PT) offered a modest short-term advantage over home exercise. Much of PT's value may come from the attention and interaction with therapists rather than the specific therapeutic interventions Avoiding movement worsens knee arthritis over time by weakening muscles and stiffening joint structures, while regular exercise helps maintain mobility and reduce discomfort Surgery, including arthroscopy and meniscectomy, often fails to outperform exercise and carries long-term...

Soybean oil dominates the U.S. food supply. Americans' intake has increased from about 2% to nearly 10% of calories over a century, alongside sharp rises in obesity and diabetes A recent study published in the Journal of Lipid Research found soybean oil drives obesity independent of calories by generating liver oxylipins that track with weight gain, revealing LA metabolism, not food intake, as the key driver of fat accumulation Soybean oil promotes oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, gut permeability, and long-lasting inflammatory byproducts that continue to affect your metabolism for years due to LA's extended half-life in body fat Soy contains additional...

Women with uterine fibroids face a significantly higher long-term risk of heart disease, meaning fibroids act as an early warning sign of deeper cardiovascular strain rather than a localized reproductive issue The increased risk shows up early, often years before traditional heart disease symptoms appear, giving you a key window to address underlying metabolic and vascular stress Fibroids are linked to chronic inflammation, impaired blood vessel function, and disrupted energy metabolism, all of which contribute to heart disease development over time Addressing root causes such as low cellular energy, poor metabolic flexibility, and vascular stress helps reduce both fibroid progression...

Saffron supports both mood and sexual function, addressing a common problem where depression treatments often blunt intimacy Clinical trials show a daily 30-milligram dose of saffron reduces depression symptoms at a level similar to common antidepressants used for mild to moderate depression Unlike many psychiatric drugs, saffron improves erectile function, arousal, lubrication, and sexual satisfaction instead of worsening them Saffron works best when underlying stressors such as inflammation, poor cellular energy production, and gut imbalance are addressed at the same time Consistent daily use for six to eight weeks, combined with stable sleep, movement, sunlight, and a low-seed oil diet...

Colorectal cancer is rising in younger adults, with U.S. rates increasing 2.4% per year since 2012. New evidence points to dietary changes as a contributing factor A recent study in JAMA Oncology found that those consuming the most ultraprocessed foods had a 45% higher risk of developing precancerous colorectal tumors before age 50 Risk increased with higher ultraprocessed food intake, then plateaued beyond seven to eight servings daily. Sweetened beverages, sauces, spreads, and condiments showed the strongest links You can reduce ultraprocessed food intake by planning real meals, replacing snack foods with whole ingredients, tracking triggers, and making unprocessed options more visible and...

Your gut microbes determine how foods affect your health, meaning identical diets produce very different outcomes on people depending on microbial enzymes, balance, and overall gut condition Large-scale research shows plant compounds require specific gut microbes for benefits, explaining why plant-heavy diets improve energy for some people yet trigger bloating, fatigue, or food reactions in others Gut dysbiosis reflects cumulative daily habits, not isolated meals, with ultraprocessed foods, irregular eating, poor sleep, stress, and medications consistently disrupting microbial stability and gut barrier integrity Sustained lifestyle changes over weeks to months restore healthier microbial activity, improve digestive comfort, reduce inflammation, and...

Osteoarthritis (OA), the leading cause of hip pain, affects an estimated 240 million people worldwide. It occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of your bones gradually breaks down, causing pain and stiffness A study published in The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery found that patients with a gait speed of at least 1 meter per second (m/s) before hip replacement recovered significantly better than those with slower gait In another study published in BMC Geriatrics, researchers found that older adults who walked regularly before a hip fracture, at least 30 minutes or most days weekly, regained better walking...

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) now affects about 788 million adults worldwide, more than double the number in 1990, making it one of the most widespread and underrecognized health threats A recent systematic analysis published in The Lancet revealed that CKD is now the ninth leading cause of death globally, responsible for roughly 1.48 million deaths in 2023 alone High blood sugar, elevated blood pressure, and excess body weight are the leading drivers of CKD worldwide, together accounting for most of the disease's overall health burden Early-stage CKD affects over 13% of the adult population globally, yet most cases remain undiagnosed because symptoms often don't appear...

Young people who use pre-workout supplements face more than double the risk of sleeping five hours or less per night, a level of sleep loss that undermines mood, learning, and physical recovery High-dose stimulants in pre-workout products keep your nervous system in a stressed, alert state, making it harder for your brain and body to shift into deep, restorative sleep Short sleep doesn't just cause fatigue; it pushes your body to adapt to exhaustion rather than strength, slowing progress even when training effort stays high Teens and young adults are especially vulnerable because their brains, nervous systems, and hearts are...

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced by gut bacteria that ferment dietary fiber. It serves as essential fuel for colon cells and maintaining overall systemic health Adequate fiber intake — around 30 grams daily — is crucial for butyrate production. Without it, your body burns stored fat and protein, creating disease-causing byproducts Butyrate strengthens your gut barrier, preventing intestinal permeability that allows harmful substances to enter the bloodstream and trigger autoimmune responses Research shows butyrate improves insulin sensitivity, reduces diabetes risk, lowers bad cholesterol, prevents colorectal cancer, and supports brain health Boost butyrate by eating fiber-rich foods, resistant starches, fermented foods and...

Almost 80% of Americans take supplements — and that number keeps growing. It's no surprise supplements are everywhere. Herbal products alone bring in more than $12 billion a year The U.S. supplement industry is raising safety standards without banning trusted herbs. Experts advocate for clearer rules, improved testing, and consumer protection while maintaining access to beneficial natural products Europe is reversing course, with new European Union (EU) rules possibly requiring reformulations, restricting online sales, and limiting access to ingredients like ashwagandha Supplements have an exceptional, long-standing safety record, with serious adverse effects being rare compared to many medications In contrast to pharmaceuticals, wh...

Americans are rediscovering calisthenics — simple, equipment-free exercises like squats, pushups, and planks — as an effective way to build strength, endurance, and mobility without relying on a gym Bodyweight training activates multiple muscle groups at once, improving balance, flexibility, and cardiovascular health while also supporting joint stability and posture Calisthenics delivers measurable gains in strength and power, often matching conventional gym workouts when done consistently and with proper form Real-world examples highlight dramatic transformations — some gaining 40 pounds of muscle in a year — proving that progressive calisthenics and discipline build a lean, powerful, and functional physique The revival of the Presidential Fitness Test and...

Heavy alcohol use accelerates bleeding strokes by more than a decade, causing brain hemorrhages to occur around age 64 instead of 75 and leaving survivors with greater disability and cognitive decline MRI scans show that heavy drinkers develop more severe white matter damage, a sign of accelerated brain aging and small vessel disease, even before a stroke occurs Alcohol and seed oils both damage your mitochondria through toxic aldehydes that weaken blood vessels, increase inflammation, and raise the risk of brain bleeds and liver disease Eliminating alcohol and seed oils, while rebuilding your diet around nutrient-dense, low-linoleic acid foods, helps restore vessel...

Early smartphone ownership at age 12 is linked to higher risks of depression, obesity, and insufficient sleep, placing your child on a riskier long-term developmental path Each year earlier a child receives a smartphone increases the odds of obesity and insufficient sleep, showing just how much the timing of that first phone shapes their health Children who acquire a smartphone between ages 12 and 13 face sharply higher rates of emotional symptoms and poor sleep compared to peers who remain phone-free Receiving a smartphone before age 13 is linked to lower self-worth, weaker emotional resilience, and greater psychological distress in young adulthood Simple steps...