For 35 years Dr Taylor has been serving thousands of patients through holistic chiropractic care. As a licensed Doctor of Chiropractic she worked in three U.S. offices and in 2003 established her practice ‘Quantum Leap’ on the island of Dominica. Her board certification has always required taking yearly continuing education courses. Yet with her thirst for knowledge on natural healing practices, it is likely that this ongoing education would have always been a part of her life anyway. In 2010 she decided to take a course entitled Touch for Health. Dr Taylor has now incorporated this healing modality into her own practice and is teaching it to others around the region. I interviewed her to find out more.

A team from Cuba’s Labiofam Entrepreneurial Group, the Cuban Government’s arm of medical and biological research in Cuba, are currently promoting their breakthrough cancer fighting drug, Vidatox 30CH made from the venom of a scorpion indigenous to Cuba.  Research on this drug has been ongoing for the past 15 years, and it is now available in Central & South America, Europe, Asia and Cuba.  The team is on a Caribbean tour to promote the drug in the region.

Amidst the sobering statistics that Chronic Non-Communicable diseases are now responsible for up to 75% of all deaths in the Caribbean region, a Health Summit has been organized to educate up to 250 people on healthy living practices for the prevention, reversal and control of hypertension, heart disease, respiratory illness, cancer and depression.

A new study published by researchers at SUNY Downstate Medical Center's School of Public Health assessed mercury levels in pregnant women and examined dietary and environmental sources of exposure to mercury.  The research, which focuses on an urban immigrant community, examined risk factors that may be associated with elevated mercury levels. The study, published this month in the Journal of Environmental Monitoring, found that foreign-born immigrant women from the Caribbean are at higher risk for elevated levels of mercury in the blood, predominantly from dietary sources such as large fish.

For many years, people in the Caribbean would eat what they grew naturally. It was all Organic even before that word was used to describe a particular method of farming or category of foods.  There was an awareness of natural healing methods and herbs that could be used to alleviate illnesses. Of course there were some diseases that remained a mystery due to the lack of scientific investigation involved in the healing process but generally, equilibrium prevailed.

HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases are increasingly becoming a cause for concern across the region. Jamaican Journalist, Kalilah Enriquez, presents an insightful documentary, where she speaks directly with dancehall artistes such as Beenie Man, Vybz Kartel, Mr Vegas and Dancehall Queen Carlene, exploring the impact of Jamaica's dancehall culture on HIV/AIDS & STI perceptions.

There is news in the medical world that one of the new ways to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic is male circumcision. Proponents of this method point to three studies conducted in Africa arguing that the HIV infection rate was reduced for circumcised males. However more accurate and objective findings show the research methods and results to be at best flawed[i] and at worst a calculated misinformation campaign designed to promote the genital mutilation of males in Africa and other susceptible countries. 

The magic of Relax & Wax has made it to the Caribbean.  With the Relax & Wax line of depilatory products one can experience the benefits of waxing in comfort.  This professional line enhances the hair removal process by reducing pain and revealing the beauty of natural skin.

Health is wealth. Being in good health does not guarantee longevity but it does ensure a positive and enjoyable quality of life. Food is our main source of nutrition and health and so what we eat must be considered on its dietary value as well as taste. Eating a varied diet is a good start but there are a particular groups of foods known as ‘Superfoods’ which are considered especially beneficial due to high concentrations of essential nutrients, many of which have direct effect on diseases.

Alcohol is metabolized extremely quickly by the body before most other nutrients. Unlike foods, which require time to digest, alcohol needs no digestion and is quickly absorbed.  About twenty percent is absorbed directly across the walls of an empty stomach and can reach the brain within one minute. About 10% of the alcohol is expelled in the breath and urine.

The Health and Wellness industry in Dominica will gain even greater exposure on Thursday November 17, as a health and wellness symposium is being held in the Government Financial Centre Roseau, as part of Global Entrepreneurs Week.

One of the complications associated with diabetes is the damage caused to large blood vessels supplying the lower limbs. This condition is called peripheral vascular disease (PVD). It causes poor circulation in the legs which can result in pain and predisposes the diabetic feet to the development of ulcers which can ultimately lead to amputation.

It is a sobering fact that whilst 925 million people in the world go hungry every day, at the opposite end of the scale, about 1.5 billion people globally are overweight or obese. And the Caribbean has its fair share of the fat.

The causes of erectile dysfunction in men with diabetes are complex and can be due to impairments in nerve, blood vessel, and muscle function or a combination of these conditions.

Top health officials from North, Central and South America and the Caribbean have endorsed a series of actions that the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) says could significantly reduce the public health impact of alcohol.