Dr. Stuart Hetrick never planned to open New Image Med Spa in Ahwatukee Foothills.

If your goal is to lose weight, look and feel your best and live a healthy, vibrant life, be aware of the damaging additives and synthetic chemicals in the foods you buy and eat. Seventy-five percent of the average American diet is from processed and packaged foods, which equates to approximately 10 pounds of additives eaten annually.

From the moment chocolate was discovered it was considered a valuable, divine and decadent treat. The first chocolate candies were invented in the 1860s by Cadbury, who was also the first to market them in a heart-shaped box for Valentine’s Day that same decade.

‘Will Work for Food!” You have probably seen signs like this as you drive to and from your office. Reality is that everyone is working for food unless they are independently wealthy. In the hierarchy of needs, food and shelter are among the first elements you require. A benefit of working is that you are able to secure these comforts. You can then reach higher and attain other benefits.

The headache, sometimes handy as an excuse, more often than not, a very real, annoying discomfort. For some, it is a pain that is debilitating and in some rare instances a headache could signal an emergency medical situation.

Are you constantly struggling to reach or maintain healthy weight? Do you experience cravings for specific foods? What about unexplained joint pain, skin problems or headaches? If so, the cause is highly probably related to the food(s) you’re eating.

More than 300 million people worldwide experience severe or debilitating headaches. Migraines alone affect 9 percent of the U.S. population and cost $1 billion a year in direct medical expenses. The incidence of individuals who suffer migraine headaches has increased by 50 percent within the last 20 years with 75 percent of migraine sufferers being women.

Ever meandered through the pharmacy aisles of Whole Foods, Sprouts, or even Trader Joe’s and wished you knew more about the various supplements and which ones could possibly benefit you? Herbal/dietary supplements (also called botanicals) are plants used for their therapeutic properties, and the roots of herbalism go back to the beginning of humanity. The following list contains some of the more popular herbs that are generally accepted to have psychoactive and/or medicinal properties with positive effects in humans:

Researchers at the University of Arizona report they've found precious little credible research that shows marijuana is effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder.

A parade of Arizonans hoping to expand the use of medical marijuana told state health officials Friday how much better their lives are since they have been using the drug, legally or otherwise.

A parade of Arizonans hoping to expand the use of medical marijuana told state health officials Friday how much better their lives are since they have been using the drug, legally or otherwise.

Arizonans who say they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder are hoping to get the same medical options as those with glaucoma or seizures: the right to use marijuana for medical purposes.

Arizonans who say they suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder are hoping to get the same medical options as those with glaucoma or seizures: the right to use marijuana for medical purposes.

Ahwatukee Foothills resident Don Fiore, 75, started practicing T’ai Chi as a way to relax away from his stressful real estate job.

Ahwatukee Foothills resident Don Fiore, 75, started practicing T’ai Chi as a way to relax away from his stressful real estate job.

Being pregnant and having a cold or the flu is miserable.

Being pregnant and having a cold or the flu is miserable.

On the eighth of its 10-play script used to begin last Friday's game, Higley's season and postseason goals were crippled.

Gluten is a protein found in the endosperm of grains, especially wheat, rye and barley. It constitutes about 80 percent of the proteins in wheat, and is composed of the proteins gliadin and glutenin. Gluten is also used as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent, often hidden as dextrin, maltodextrine and dextrose found in ice cream, ketchup and many other items. Gluten provides elasticity to dough, which gives breads and bagels their chewiness.

Gluten is a protein found in the endosperm of grains, especially wheat, rye and barley. It constitutes about 80 percent of the proteins in wheat, and is composed of the proteins gliadin and glutenin. Gluten is also used as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent, often hidden as dextrin, maltodextrine and dextrose found in ice cream, ketchup and many other items. Gluten provides elasticity to dough, which gives breads and bagels their chewiness.

On my way out of the book store the other day, I encountered a prominently positioned, large table stacked to the heavens with diet and weight loss books (it is the New Year after all). There were piles of "flat belly this" and "boost your metabolism that." You name it; every diet-craze topic was on that table somewhere.

The majority of processed foods contain ingredients that are harmful and cause an abundance of adverse health conditions and complaints. If you include packaged foods in your diet, get in the habit of reading the label, more specifically, the list of ingredients. Become familiar and be aware of these ingredients:

The majority of processed foods contain ingredients that are harmful and cause an abundance of adverse health conditions and complaints. If you include packaged foods in your diet, get in the habit of reading the label, more specifically, the list of ingredients. Become familiar and be aware of these ingredients: