Wellness
Cholesterol Levels Can Be Lowered with a Good Diet and Phytosterols
Phytosterols, also called plant sterols, are phytochemicals– substances naturally occurring in fruits and vegetables. According to many epidemiological studies, phytochemicals significantly reduce the risk of cancer, most likely because of their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects on our bodies. A new Canadian research study shows that phytosterol supplements can lower cholesterol levels no matter what we eat.
Published in the journal Metabolism, the study found that even if we consume a high-cholesterol diet — one rich in fried foods, red meat, whole milk cheese and all the other goodies we’re supposed to avoid — and take our daily dose of phytosterols, our LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) will continue to drop. This is good news for those of us who have heard or read about the dangerous side effects and lack of effectiveness of some of the cholesterol-lowering pharmaceuticals such as Zetia and Vytorin.
In other words, the study showed that cholesterol in our diet has no consequence on our cholesterol levels if we include enough of the right kind of fruits and vegetables. And other research has shown that cholesterol levels do decline when we eat a largely plant-based diet.
The trouble with trying to get enough natural phytosterols in our diet without supplementation is two-fold:
- It is difficult for the average American to suddenly switch to a plant-based diet, especially when it needs to be raw for maximum bioavailability of the nutrients.
- Many of us have a serious cholesterol problem that needs to be addressed right away, and only supplementation plus a dietary change can lower our cholesterol levels fast enough.
While we’re enjoying our cholesterol-reduced diet — less red meat, fried foods and dairy, and more vegetables and fruits — and taking our daily phytosterol supplements, we can really deliver a one-two punch to high cholesterol by adding oats to our diet too. Breakfast cereals, oat breads and unsweetened oat-based desserts will do the trick.
Dr. James Anderson, who started the oat bran craze back in the 1980s, just published findings that show how oats not only lower LDL cholesterol, but may reduce smaller LDL cholesterol particles which may be a greater riskier for heart disease than the bigger particles. The soluble fiber in oats binds with cholesterol and limits its absorption in our gut.
Oats can also reduce inflammation through the action of phenolic compounds called ‘avenanthramides’ that exhibit anti-inflammatory properties and alleviate damage to the lining of our blood vessels. Eating oat-based foods on a regular basis can also help reduce the risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and obesity — all concerns for aging Americans looking for the right kind of anti-aging diet. Oats are unlike many other carbohydrates, because they help us feel satisfied and less hungry, and stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels rather than crash them.
Finally, Dr. Anderson says, oats can reduce LDL cholesterol even further when combined with weight loss. As many of us who have embarked on a weight loss and exercise program may know, losing weight and exercising both help lower LDL cholesterol levels.
To sum up, we can lower our cholesterol levels by using a phytosterol complex supplement, adding more vegetables and oats to our diet, cutting out high cholesterol foods, and getting onto an exercise and weight loss program. If we do just this, we’ll be on our way to achieving an effective anti-aging diet with years of healthy living ahead of us.
Finance
PR and SEO Best Practices for Law Firms, Dentists, Wellness Companies, and Chiropractic Offices

These days, your reputation often begins online before a client ever walks through your door. Whether you run a law office, a dental practice, a wellness brand, or a chiropractic clinic, people are searching the web to find answers, compare options, and decide who they can trust. That is where public relations and search engine optimization come together.
PR shapes your story and builds credibility. SEO makes sure the right people actually see it. When the two are aligned, they create a cycle of trust and visibility that fuels growth.
Why PR Matters for Professional Services
Public relations is not just about getting your name in print. It is about shaping perception. A thoughtful media mention, a quote in an article, or a published expert opinion can position you as someone worth listening to. For a lawyer, this might mean explaining a high-profile case in plain language for the public. For a dentist, it could be offering preventative care tips during National Dental Health Month. Chiropractors might focus on wellness and posture awareness, while wellness companies can shine by connecting their products to lifestyle conversations.
“PR is about storytelling,” says Mike Falkow, CEO at Meritus Media. “For industries like law and healthcare, it is often the difference between being just another listing online and being recognized as a trusted voice.”
How SEO Brings People to You
PR helps you look credible. SEO makes you visible. If you want new clients to find you when they type into Google, you need smart SEO strategies. That includes clear keywords, easy-to-navigate websites, local business listings, and reviews.
A law firm in Los Angeles that wants more personal injury clients has to show up when someone searches for “Los Angeles personal injury attorney.” A Tampa chiropractor has to be easy to find when someone types in “back pain relief near me.” It is not just about ranking higher, it is about meeting people right at the moment they need you.
Blending PR and SEO
Here is where the magic happens. When you land a feature in a credible publication, that mention often includes a link back to your website. Google sees that link as a vote of confidence, which boosts your search rankings. On the flip side, a blog post that is written with SEO in mind can get picked up and shared if it is timely and tied to bigger conversations in the media.
According to Meritus Media, “The mistake many professionals make is treating PR and SEO as separate projects. The truth is they amplify each other. Press mentions bring credibility and backlinks, and optimized content helps that coverage travel further.”
Best Practices for Each Industry
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Law Firms: Build authority through thought leadership. Comment on relevant legal issues and create content around the cases and topics people are searching for.
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Dentists: Focus on education. Share preventative care tips, encourage reviews, and make sure your practice shows up in local searches like “dentist near me.”
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Wellness Companies: Lean into education-driven PR. Announce new research, highlight expert voices, and optimize for lifestyle searches such as “natural ways to boost energy.”
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Chiropractic Offices: Become the go-to local expert. Host workshops, engage with local press, and use SEO to highlight treatments tied to specific conditions and locations.
The Takeaway
A strong digital presence requires more than just a website. It requires being seen, being trusted, and being remembered. For law firms, dentists, wellness companies, and chiropractic offices, the smartest approach is one where PR and SEO are not competing, but working together.
As Meritus Media puts it, “It is not enough to have an online presence. You need to be discoverable, credible, and memorable. That is the sweet spot where PR and SEO intersect.”
Wellness
Andropause: The Silent Hormonal Shift Men Can’t Afford to Ignore

Men do not have a menopause moment. There is no dramatic, all-at-once hormonal cliff like women experience in midlife. Instead, there is a quieter, slower change, a gradual decline in testosterone that can take decades to unfold. For many men, it creeps in so subtly that it is brushed off as “just getting older.” But this stage of life has a name, and it can carry serious consequences: andropause.
Testosterone levels naturally drop about 1% a year starting in a man’s 30s or 40s. That might sound insignificant, but over time it can mean a major difference in energy, mood, strength, and overall health.
Dr. Anju Mathur, Medical Director at Angel Longevity Medical Center and a specialist in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, says the misconception around “male menopause” keeps too many men from seeking help. “Andropause is real, but it is not the male equivalent of menopause. It is a gradual process that can span decades, which is why so many men suffer in silence. They notice they are not feeling like themselves: less energy, decreased motivation, changes in body composition, but they are told it is just part of getting older. The truth is, optimal hormone levels are crucial for men’s health and vitality at every age.”
Beyond the Bedroom
While loss of sex drive is often the headline symptom, andropause affects much more than libido. Men may experience:
- Decreased muscle mass and strength
- Increased belly fat
- Lower bone density
- Fatigue and poor sleep
- Mood changes, depression, or irritability
- Brain fog and memory issues
Some men even get hot flashes and night sweats, symptoms they never expected to share with women in menopause.
Why It Matters for Long-Term Health
Untreated low testosterone is not just uncomfortable. It is linked to higher risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and even premature death. A large Veterans Affairs study found that men who restored testosterone to normal levels had a lower risk of heart attack or stroke, while those left untreated faced a 56% higher mortality rate.
The Diagnostic Gray Zone
Pinpointing andropause can be tricky. Symptoms overlap with stress, depression, poor sleep, and chronic illness. Blood tests help, but testosterone levels fluctuate throughout the day and can be affected by illness, medications, and lifestyle. The best evaluations go beyond total testosterone to include free testosterone, SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin), and other hormone markers that influence function.
Treatment: More Than a Prescription
For some men, lifestyle changes such as more exercise, better sleep, and improved nutrition can make a meaningful difference in hormone balance. When testosterone therapy is necessary, it is available as gels, injections, patches, or pellets.
Dr. Mathur stresses a whole-body approach. “I do not just prescribe testosterone and send men on their way. I look at adrenal function, thyroid health, insulin sensitivity, vitamin D levels, and lifestyle factors. Sometimes optimizing those areas can naturally improve testosterone production. When replacement is needed, I use bioidentical hormones and monitor closely to ensure we are achieving optimal levels safely.”
The Functional Medicine Edge
Addressing andropause from a functional medicine perspective means getting to the root of hormone decline and addressing overall wellness. That can mean correcting nutrient deficiencies, improving sleep, reducing inflammation, and managing stress. Zinc, vitamin D, and magnesium play a particularly important role in testosterone production.
Reclaiming Vitality
Andropause does not have to signal the beginning of decline. With proper diagnosis, targeted treatment, and smart lifestyle shifts, men can maintain strength, focus, and energy well into later life.
If you are feeling unusually tired, unfocused, or unlike yourself, do not chalk it up to age. It could be your body’s way of telling you something important. Addressing andropause is less about turning back the clock and more about making the years ahead some of your best yet.
Wellness
The Shift Toward Holistic Medicine: Why Preventative Care Is Gaining Ground

The modern patient is changing. Walk into any health clinic today, and you’re just as likely to hear questions about inflammation, hormone balance, or gut health as you are about blood pressure and cholesterol. What’s driving this shift? A growing desire for healthcare that doesn’t just treat symptoms, but aims to prevent illness altogether.
Holistic medicine, once seen as alternative or fringe, is now finding its place in mainstream conversations. More and more people are asking not just, “What’s wrong with me?” but “How can I stay well in the first place?”
Dr. Anju Mathur, founder of Angel Longevity Medical Center in Los Angeles, sees this change every day in her practice. “People are tired of quick fixes and long-term prescriptions that don’t get to the root of their health concerns. They want a path that looks at the full picture: lifestyle, nutrition, stress, and environment. Not just a pill for the problem,” she says.
Functional and integrative medicine clinics are growing in number, and with them, a shift in mindset. Patients are prioritizing sleep, hormone balance, stress management, and immune support. They’re investing in regular lab work and diagnostic screenings not because something feels wrong, but because they want to make sure things stay right.
It’s not just a personal health decision. It’s a financial one too. Preventative care has the potential to reduce the long-term costs of chronic conditions that develop silently over time, like diabetes, heart disease, or autoimmune disorders. And with more wearable tech, at-home tests, and functional health platforms available than ever before, people have the tools to take control of their health in a way that wasn’t possible a decade ago.
One standout area drawing increased attention is peptide therapy. Peptides, short chains of amino acids that act as signaling molecules in the body, have become a key tool in regenerative and preventative wellness. Medical-grade peptides are used to support muscle growth, improve cognitive function, repair tissues, and modulate immune response. At the same time, plant-based peptides are being explored for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and even anti-aging properties.
Dr. Mark Bartlett, Chief Science Officer at MAKE Wellness, sees peptides as a natural evolution in the holistic health movement. “Peptides offer highly targeted support for the body’s own healing mechanisms,” he explains. “Whether derived from natural sources or produced synthetically, they can play a powerful role in optimizing performance and restoring balance, especially when combined with foundational practices like proper nutrition, sleep, and movement.”
This isn’t about turning away from traditional medicine. It’s about expanding the definition of what care looks like and when it starts.
As Dr. Mathur puts it, “The best medicine is proactive. If you wait until your body is yelling at you, you’ve already missed the quiet signs it was giving all along.”
The future of health isn’t just in the treatment room. It’s in the choices we make every day, and in a growing number of people, those choices are leaning toward a more holistic path.
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