Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

A groundbreaking study of over 300,000 adults found that smoking just two to five cigarettes daily raises your risk of heart failure by 50% and death by 60% They also found that dropping from 20 cigarettes to two per day did not produce a proportional drop in danger, concluding that there is no safe limit when it comes to smoking Smoking damages nearly every system in your body, accelerating disease, weakening immunity, and increasing your risk of cancer, oral disease, inflammation, and chronic lung damage Vaping is just as harmful as cigarettes, as it raises your risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a serious lung condition that makes breathing difficult Quitting smoking can be easier by preparing your body in advance — build resilience through a healthy diet, regular movement, and stress management tools, and seek professional help if needed

Information overload crisis — Today's endless data flood overwhelms the mind, triggering instability and reliance on simplistic narratives — ancient meditation practices build the inner stability needed to navigate this chaos clearly Filters create reality — The mind adopts filters to simplify reality into something the conscious mind can process, inevitably removing many critical details while creating a biased and inaccurate perception of reality Rigid divisions — In politics, this filtering causes people on both sides to be rigidly convinced their truth is correct. Likewise, it makes doctors worship vaccines and be unable to recognize the harms of pharmaceuticals, even when their own patients are injured Patient-focused healing — In medicine, many diagnoses can only be made if a physician works to move beyond the filters they were trained in and instead directly see the complexity that each patient brings to the encounter Path to clear perception — Cultivate intuition for key data, recognize source biases, drill to core truths, and expand awareness through nervous system health — all of which are essential for discerning reality in our hyper-connected, impactful era

Eye washing with preservative-free sterile saline removes pollen from the eye surface, easing itching, tearing, and redness throughout the allergy season People who wash their eyes experience steadier symptom control, more symptom-free days, and better daily comfort compared to those who do not Younger allergy sufferers use eyewash more often than older adults, reflecting higher exposure to digital health guidance and quicker adoption of simple self-care habits Lifestyle factors such as short sleep, smoking, higher stress, and contact lens use increase the likelihood of turning to eyewash for relief Supporting your body with vitamin C, quercetin, whole foods, quality sleep, and stress reduction lowers histamine load and strengthens your defenses against seasonal allergies

Emerging research shows that human egg cells resist mitochondrial aging, challenging the idea that menopause is irreversible Scientists have successfully reactivated dormant ovarian follicles in women with premature ovarian insufficiency using stem cell strategies and metabolic interventions Mitochondrial health, not egg depletion, may be the key to reversing menopause symptoms and restoring reproductive function Hormones like DHEA, T3, and progesterone, along with nutrients like vitamin A and E, are being studied for their role in rejuvenating ovaries These findings suggest menopause may be a reversible metabolic state — not a permanent shutdown

A new JAMA Network Open study found that cutting down social media use to roughly 30 minutes per day had measurable effects on mental health, reducing anxiety by about 16%, depression by about 25%, and insomnia symptoms by 15% Loneliness scores did not change much, which shows that social media can be a lifeline for connection as well as a source of stress Earlier randomized trials from the University of Bath and others also found that a one-week break from platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook improved wellbeing, depression, and anxiety A short reset is not a cure for depression or anxiety, and does not replace therapy, medication, or crisis care. Still, it can be a realistic experiment that helps you see how specific apps affect your mood, sleep, and focus If you already struggle with your mental health, or if you rely on online communities for support, it makes sense to plan your week carefully and to talk with a trusted health professional about how this kind of experiment fits into your overall care