Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

About 13.4% of U.S. women of reproductive age struggle with infertility, leading many to pursue assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) like in vitro fertilization
ARTs help initiate pregnancy but raise concerns such as multiple births, high financial costs, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, elevated stress, and emerging evidence linking them to long-term heart disease risk
A long-term study that followed women for 12 years found each additional ART cycle was associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk
The increased cardiovascular risk centered on pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, showing that ART-related heart risk involves dangerous clot formation rather than gradual blood pressure or artery disease
Programmed frozen embryo transfer cycles showed stronger heart disease associations, highlighting that hormone protocol choices during fertility treatment can influence long-term cardiovascular outcomes years after pregnancy

Regular energy drink use pushes your heart and blood vessels into a constant stress state that medications and fitness can't override while stimulants remain in your system
Severe blood pressure spikes and dangerous heart rhythm events have occurred in people drinking energy drinks who appeared healthy and had no prior heart disease
Energy drinks stack caffeine with other stimulants and added sugar, creating a combined strain that overwhelms normal cardiovascular control mechanisms
Low cellular energy drives the urge to rely on stimulants, but energy drinks mask the problem rather than restoring real energy production
Removing energy drinks and rebuilding cellular energy through food, movement, and daily structure helps your heart regain stability and lowers real cardiovascular risk

Modern diets hide excessive phosphate additives in ultraprocessed foods, which are absorbed rapidly and efficiently, disrupting natural mineral balance and overwhelming organs far more severely than refined sugar
Industrial phosphate additives enhance texture, flavor, and shelf life, increasing total intake by 40% or more compared to natural sources, leading to widespread hidden overconsumption
Chronic phosphate overload hardens arteries, stresses kidneys, elevates blood pressure, and accelerates aging, even when blood tests appear normal or phosphate levels stay within conventional ranges
Elevated phosphate triggers excess fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), harming the heart, hormones, and metabolism, while weakening bones and increasing fracture risk through calcium imbalance
Avoiding ultraprocessed foods and choosing whole, natural ingredients lowers phosphate load, improves cardiovascular and kidney function, restores mineral balance, and promotes long-term health and vitality

Sleeping fewer than seven hours a night shortens lifespan more than poor diet, lack of exercise, or weak social ties, making sleep one of the strongest predictors of long-term survival
Short sleep accelerates aging by disrupting cellular repair, hormone balance, and energy production, even in people who eat well and stay physically active
Most adults are not metabolically resilient enough to function on limited sleep, which means chronic sleep loss quietly compounds damage year after year
Small, consistent sleep deficits add up over time, increasing vulnerability to disease and reducing your body's ability to recover from stress
Restoring sleep quality by stabilizing light exposure, circadian timing, and nightly routines gives your body the conditions it needs to repair itself and extend health span

Plastic cutting boards shed microplastics during routine food prep, contributing to increased plastic ingestion that accumulates in organs like the brain and reproductive tissues over time
Research shows knife pressure releases hundreds of plastic fragments per cut, many embedding into food tissue and remaining even after rinsing or cooking
Older, heavily grooved boards release more microplastics, as repeated knife strokes and surface wear accelerate abrasion and contamination during everyday meal prep
Replacing plastic boards with wood, bamboo, or glass reduces microplastic exposure, while proper cleaning and timely replacement help limit bacterial and chemical risks
Beyond cutting boards, reducing exposure to microplastics requires filtering water, avoiding plastic packaging, choosing natural fabrics, and addressing hormone disruption caused by estrogen-mimicking plastic chemicals