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Kefir: A Potent Immune-Enhancing Fermented Food with Promising Cancer Prevention Properties

By Donnie Yance

Kefir is a fermented beverage, usually made from dairy, that has beneficial health effects due to its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.1 Kefir originates from the Caucasus region (between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea), and from Tibet (between China and India). Research also suggests its probiotic content directly influences the immune system’s cancer surveillance capabilities.

Recent research has illuminated kefir’s remarkable immune modulating properties. The fermentation process creates bioactive peptides, exopolysaccharides, and diverse probiotic strains that work synergistically to enhance immune function. Studies have demonstrated that regular kefir consumption may increase natural killer cell activity, modulate inflammatory responses, and strengthen intestinal barrier function.2

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Healthy Carbs Can Help You Lose Weight

healthy carbs for weigth loss

By Donnie Yance

Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates can be powerful allies in your weight loss journey when you understand how to use them properly. There are better carbs and worse carbs, and healthy carbs can actually help you lose weight.

For years, carbohydrates have been villainized in diet culture, portrayed as guaranteed weight-gain culprits. This misconception has been reinforced by the popularity and widely publicized success stories of low-carb approaches like the Atkins and ketogenic diets. However, this oversimplified advice lacks crucial nuance about how carbohydrates actually function in our bodies.

In reality, high-quality carbohydrates, for example from whole grains, play an essential role in fat-burning and metabolic health, and just might be the missing piece in your fitness puzzle.

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Prostate Cancer: The Pitfalls of Conventional Assessments

Protate cancer testing

By Donnie Yance

Questioning Conventional Screening Approaches

According to the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) analysis of two major randomized clinical trials, routine Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening prevents approximately one prostate cancer-related death per 1,000 men screened.¹ This sobering statistic challenges the historical perception of PSA screening as an essential preventive measure. Moreover, recent studies suggest that the psychological burden and financial costs of widespread PSA screening may outweigh its limited mortality benefits. Many of these biopsies turn out to be unnecessary, causing anxiety and discomfort for patients that in some cases plagues a man for the rest of his life.

I am not of the opinion that men should not test their PSA. However, I do believe PSA testing should include more comprehensive testing methods, including PSA total and free percentage, along with several new urine tests that are considered even more accurate than a biopsy. Also keep in mind that healthy PSA ranges differ for each man. In other words, my healthy range may be different from your healthy range, and prostate enlargement and prostatitis both can cause elevated PSAs.

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It’s Surprisingly Nice To Hear You: The Impact of Communication Media on Social Connection and Wellbeing

By Donnie Yance

“I Fear the Day That Technology Will Surpass Our Human Interaction” -Albert Einstein

“We communicate by the tone of our voice, with our eyes, with our body language, with our hands. The influx of our voice. There are so many things that we use to communicate,” notes communication researcher Amit Kumar. This multifaceted nature of human interaction becomes critically important when examining how different communication media affect our social connections and overall well being.

Technology can connect us to the world, but can disconnect us from each other,A person looking at a person AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Cell phones can have a negative impact on close relationships, closeness, connection, and conversation quality.1

Believe it or not, I still used a flip phone until about a year ago, when it finally broke. Now I use my son’s hand-me-down iPhone. I’ve deliberately kept it disconnected from my computer and haven’t set up email on it. Since I spend countless hours on my computer each day, I’ve made a conscious decision that when I step away from my desk, I want to be truly free from the digital world.

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Why Americans Pay So Much for Health (Sick) Care

Healthcare costs

By Donnie Yance

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” 

– Buckminster Fuller

The Evolution of Medicine: Why We Need a Paradigm Shift

The greatest challenge in advancing global health and well-being lies not in incremental improvements, but in recognizing the need for fundamental transformation. This transformation must extend beyond simply enhancing existing healthcare systems—it requires a comprehensive reimagining of multiple interconnected systems that influence human health. 

Research by the Whole Health Institute has identified thirteen distinct yet interrelated systems that significantly impact health and well-being, each requiring revolutionary change. From healthcare delivery and education to social services and environmental factors, these systems form a complex web that determines the overall health outcomes of populations worldwide. Understanding and addressing these systems holistically, rather than in isolation, is crucial for achieving meaningful and lasting improvements in global health.1

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The Science of Laughter: A Path to Longevity and Health

Laughter is the best medicine

By Donnie Yance

Can our behavior influence disease outcomes? The answer may lie in one of humanity’s most natural expressions: laughter.

Ancient wisdom has long suggested a connection between joy and health. The biblical proverb that “a merry heart does good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22) finds modern validation in scientific research. Democritus, the “laughing philosopher” who reportedly lived to 109, may have intuited what today’s researchers are proving: laughter can extend and enhance life.

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