OK, so January is not the brightest time of the year.
Unless you live in Brazil, it's cold, often overcast, and frequently dreary.
Add those to our not getting enough sun during this time of year, and it's a frequent recipe for depression.
Depression in the sense of a lingering feeling of sadness, of the blues, of being in the dumps for no reason you can think of.
Go to your doctor, and -- unless your doctor's different from most -- you're going to walk out with a prescription for some variety of anti-depressant.
Don't do that.
Here are some things you can do to help those feelings. Without the side-effects of prescription anti-depressants.
First, get some sun. I keep harping on this, but it's true: you need to get some UV exposure. And since it's usually a little brisk outside this time of year, that means a tanning bed. Maybe you've never been in one. That's OK. Tell the folks at the tanning place that you're a newbie, and let them tell you what to do.
Next, if you're having trouble sleeping, go to the vitamin store, and buy some Melatonin. Take one half an hour or so before you're going to bed, and let it work for you.
And while you're at the store, buy a bottle of St. Johns Wort herb. Immensely helpful in lifting mild depression, St. Johns Wort has virtually no downside. And it works, and well.
Depression is a nasty feeling. Using these three suggestions can help get it under control. Especially in January.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Big goals
"If you know what to do to reach your goal, it's not a big enough goal."
Bob Proctor,
author and speaker
Bob Proctor,
author and speaker
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Defining ourselves
"We must not allow other people's limited perceptions to define us."
Virginia Satir
Family Therapist, Lecturer, Trainer and Author
Virginia Satir
Family Therapist, Lecturer, Trainer and Author
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Getting things done
"Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned."
Peter Marshall, 1902-1949
author and minister
Peter Marshall, 1902-1949
author and minister
Monday, January 28, 2008
The habit of persistence
"There is no substitute for persistence! It cannot be supplanted by any other quality! Remember this in the beginning and it will hearten you when the going may seem difficult and slow.
Those who have cultivated the habit of persistence seem to enjoy insurance against failure. No matter how many times they are defeated, they finally arrive up near the top of the ladder. Sometimes it appears there is a hidden guide whose duty is to test people through all sorts of discouraging experiences. Those who pick themselves up after defeat and keep on trying arrive; and the world cries, "Bravo! I knew you could do it!" The hidden guide lets no one enjoy great achievement without passing the persistence test. Those who can't take it simply do not make the grade..
Those who can "take it" are bountifully rewarded for their persistence. They receive, as their compensation, whatever goal they are pursuing."
author Napoleon Hill
Those who have cultivated the habit of persistence seem to enjoy insurance against failure. No matter how many times they are defeated, they finally arrive up near the top of the ladder. Sometimes it appears there is a hidden guide whose duty is to test people through all sorts of discouraging experiences. Those who pick themselves up after defeat and keep on trying arrive; and the world cries, "Bravo! I knew you could do it!" The hidden guide lets no one enjoy great achievement without passing the persistence test. Those who can't take it simply do not make the grade..
Those who can "take it" are bountifully rewarded for their persistence. They receive, as their compensation, whatever goal they are pursuing."
author Napoleon Hill
Sunday, January 27, 2008
What to do when you have a cold
You won't die from a cold, but sometimes you'll wish you would.
Colds tend to hit us during the period from December to February. They are that miserable feeling of nasal irritation and congestion, often combined with a sore throat, coughing, and a generally nasty feeling. Colds seldom have fever with them, and since they are caused by viruses, you don't need antibiotics.
But what to do to help ease the nasty feelings and get them on their way?
First, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Getting a lot of fluids (water in particular) is important year round (I recommend 20 glasses a day) but during a cold, you'll feel better if you up that to 25 a day. This accomplishes 2 things with a cold: a sore throat will feel lots better, and it's a lot easier to bring up any congestion if your body is well-hydrated. If you're feeling lousy, the old chicken soup remedy is a good one.
Secondly, get some sun. Now unless you're living in Miami, that's not always easy, so get to a tanning bed. The benefits from UV rays are important any time, but in a cold, you especially need them. 10 minutes in a tanning bed (15 minutes if you're already doing it regularly) will make you feel a lot better, and some feel it shortens the duration and intensity of a cold.
Third, load up on the vitamin C. I normally take 3 grams (3000 milligrams) of vitamin C a day. If I get a cold, I will up that to 6 or 7 grams a day.
Finally, don't short-circuit your body's abilities to deal with the cold. Avoid cough-suppressants because these keep your body from coughing up any garbage the cold has induced. If you're having trouble sleeping because of a persistent, tickling cough, you might take one at bedtime, but make sure it's a nighttime variety: those are designed to avoid keeping you awake.
And take heart: colds really do go away, and these things will help them go away even faster.
Colds tend to hit us during the period from December to February. They are that miserable feeling of nasal irritation and congestion, often combined with a sore throat, coughing, and a generally nasty feeling. Colds seldom have fever with them, and since they are caused by viruses, you don't need antibiotics.
But what to do to help ease the nasty feelings and get them on their way?
First, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Getting a lot of fluids (water in particular) is important year round (I recommend 20 glasses a day) but during a cold, you'll feel better if you up that to 25 a day. This accomplishes 2 things with a cold: a sore throat will feel lots better, and it's a lot easier to bring up any congestion if your body is well-hydrated. If you're feeling lousy, the old chicken soup remedy is a good one.
Secondly, get some sun. Now unless you're living in Miami, that's not always easy, so get to a tanning bed. The benefits from UV rays are important any time, but in a cold, you especially need them. 10 minutes in a tanning bed (15 minutes if you're already doing it regularly) will make you feel a lot better, and some feel it shortens the duration and intensity of a cold.
Third, load up on the vitamin C. I normally take 3 grams (3000 milligrams) of vitamin C a day. If I get a cold, I will up that to 6 or 7 grams a day.
Finally, don't short-circuit your body's abilities to deal with the cold. Avoid cough-suppressants because these keep your body from coughing up any garbage the cold has induced. If you're having trouble sleeping because of a persistent, tickling cough, you might take one at bedtime, but make sure it's a nighttime variety: those are designed to avoid keeping you awake.
And take heart: colds really do go away, and these things will help them go away even faster.
Hawthorn extract helps with CHF(chronic heart failure)
from:
http://www.newsmax.com/health/hawthorne_heart/2008/01/23/66673.html
"Adding another twist to the ongoing debate over the value of an herbal treatment for patients with heart failure, a new review of existing research suggests that hawthorn extract "significantly" improves symptoms.
"If I had chronic heart failure, I certainly would consider (using) it," said review co-author Dr. Max Pittler, deputy director of complementary medicine at Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, England.
The review does not include results of a large new study - unpublished to date - that suggested hawthorn has only a limited affect on lifespan.
At issue is heart failure, a common condition that is both debilitating and deadly. An estimated five million Americans suffer from heart failure, which is often the result of clogged arteries that put stress on the heart by forcing it to work harder.
As a result, the heart becomes larger while failing to effectively move blood around the body. This causes fluids to build up in the legs and lungs, often causing shortness of breath and other symptoms.
Perhaps the most famous heart failure patient is Vice President Dick Cheney, who has suffered from a long history of cardiac problems and has a defibrillator implanted in his chest.
According to the new review, the hawthorn bush produces one of the most commonly used herbal medicines in the United States. Many believe that hawthorn extract improves heart health, lowers cholesterol and boosts antioxidant levels.
To determine whether hawthorn is actually an effective treatment, Pittler and colleagues searched the medical literature for high-quality studies into the use of the herb in chronic heart failure patients.
The review of the studies appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews like this one draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.
The researchers found 14 studies that met their criteria, several of which looked at the use of hawthorn as an addition to conventional medications.
The review authors combined the results of 10 studies of 855 patients into a meta-analysis. Compared to placebo, hawthorn extract boosted the maximum level of physiological workload - a fact that the review authors described as significant, although they acknowledged they based the finding on small numbers of studies and patients.
The analysis found that hawthorn, as compared to placebo, also decreased the "pressure-heart rate product," a measurement of how much oxygen is used by the heart. In addition, the analysis reports that two other measurements - exercise tolerance, and shortness of breath and fatigue - improved "significantly" in patients who used hawthorn.
Side effects were reported to be "infrequent, mild and transient," and included nausea, dizziness and heart and gastrointestinal complaints. The studies reviewed did not examine death rates in detail, however.
Overall, the review showed a "significant benefit in symptom control and physiologic outcomes" in patients who took hawthorn, Pittler said. According to him, the extract appears to boost the strength of heart contractions, increase blood flow through arteries and reduce irregular heartbeats.
There are some caveats, however. Only seven of the 14 trials specified that patients were taking conventional drugs. In addition, patients included in the studies had mild-to-moderate heart failure. Pittler said hawthorn might cause greater side effects in patients who must take drugs that are more powerful to control their disease.
Dr. Gregg Fonarow, director of the Heart Failure Program at the University of California at Los Angeles, said the larger hawthorn study whose results were released last year impressed him more. The study, which was not included in the review because it thus far remains unpublished, found only limited benefit.
"It does indeed demonstrate that [hawthorn] is not a harmful therapy, but it's one that is not particularly helpful nor that would be recommended," Fonarow said. "It's naturally attractive to think there is something over the counter or naturally occurring that may help improve outcome. Unfortunately, we've not been able to identify that so far."
http://www.newsmax.com/health/hawthorne_heart/2008/01/23/66673.html
"Adding another twist to the ongoing debate over the value of an herbal treatment for patients with heart failure, a new review of existing research suggests that hawthorn extract "significantly" improves symptoms.
"If I had chronic heart failure, I certainly would consider (using) it," said review co-author Dr. Max Pittler, deputy director of complementary medicine at Peninsula Medical School in Exeter, England.
The review does not include results of a large new study - unpublished to date - that suggested hawthorn has only a limited affect on lifespan.
At issue is heart failure, a common condition that is both debilitating and deadly. An estimated five million Americans suffer from heart failure, which is often the result of clogged arteries that put stress on the heart by forcing it to work harder.
As a result, the heart becomes larger while failing to effectively move blood around the body. This causes fluids to build up in the legs and lungs, often causing shortness of breath and other symptoms.
Perhaps the most famous heart failure patient is Vice President Dick Cheney, who has suffered from a long history of cardiac problems and has a defibrillator implanted in his chest.
According to the new review, the hawthorn bush produces one of the most commonly used herbal medicines in the United States. Many believe that hawthorn extract improves heart health, lowers cholesterol and boosts antioxidant levels.
To determine whether hawthorn is actually an effective treatment, Pittler and colleagues searched the medical literature for high-quality studies into the use of the herb in chronic heart failure patients.
The review of the studies appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews like this one draw evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.
The researchers found 14 studies that met their criteria, several of which looked at the use of hawthorn as an addition to conventional medications.
The review authors combined the results of 10 studies of 855 patients into a meta-analysis. Compared to placebo, hawthorn extract boosted the maximum level of physiological workload - a fact that the review authors described as significant, although they acknowledged they based the finding on small numbers of studies and patients.
The analysis found that hawthorn, as compared to placebo, also decreased the "pressure-heart rate product," a measurement of how much oxygen is used by the heart. In addition, the analysis reports that two other measurements - exercise tolerance, and shortness of breath and fatigue - improved "significantly" in patients who used hawthorn.
Side effects were reported to be "infrequent, mild and transient," and included nausea, dizziness and heart and gastrointestinal complaints. The studies reviewed did not examine death rates in detail, however.
Overall, the review showed a "significant benefit in symptom control and physiologic outcomes" in patients who took hawthorn, Pittler said. According to him, the extract appears to boost the strength of heart contractions, increase blood flow through arteries and reduce irregular heartbeats.
There are some caveats, however. Only seven of the 14 trials specified that patients were taking conventional drugs. In addition, patients included in the studies had mild-to-moderate heart failure. Pittler said hawthorn might cause greater side effects in patients who must take drugs that are more powerful to control their disease.
Dr. Gregg Fonarow, director of the Heart Failure Program at the University of California at Los Angeles, said the larger hawthorn study whose results were released last year impressed him more. The study, which was not included in the review because it thus far remains unpublished, found only limited benefit.
"It does indeed demonstrate that [hawthorn] is not a harmful therapy, but it's one that is not particularly helpful nor that would be recommended," Fonarow said. "It's naturally attractive to think there is something over the counter or naturally occurring that may help improve outcome. Unfortunately, we've not been able to identify that so far."
Friday, January 25, 2008
Six Dollar Haircuts
"This is a true story about a third generation barber in a small community in the Mid-west. The shop had been handed down from his grandfather and developed not just a hair salon but more of a community center where the farmers and families would come in not only to get their hair done, but enjoy the coffee and donut bar and spend time with their neighbors sharing the news of their farms and families. This shop had grown to include 10 stylists who cut all the men's hair and all the women's hair in the community.
The owner's son came home from graduate school over spring break, to find his father depressed and reclusive. Finally getting his father to share what the problem was, the father confided that there was a new, national chain that had been moving across the country, bringing in cheap hair salons into all of the different communities and driving everyone out of business. And so, even though the community had loved all of the work that he had done, the perms and the haircuts and the styles over the years, right down the street opened up this new shop. It offered six dollar haircuts. Person after person had left to go to the new low cost shop.
The father told his son, "There is absolutely NO way I can compete with $6.00 haircuts. So much of my clientele has now gone to the new shop that I have no choice but to close our shop. After three generations, we are going bankrupt. I can't pay the stylists or the overhead anymore," he despondently said with his hands covering his face so his son would not see the tears rolling out of his eyes.
The son said, "You know, this last semester I took a "science of success" program that was offered for extra credit in my marketing class. One thing I learned was something that Einstein said. He said that "The significant problems we face can never be solved at the level of thinking of the problem." So, Dad, we have to find another way to think about this. We've got to find another way to see this. Another one of the strategies I learned may help us."
So the son left the room and brought back a notebook and a pen. He told the Dad about "Masterminding", a strategy introduced in the 1930's by Napoleon Hill who had been commissioned by Andrew Carnegie to study the patterns of extremely successful people.
"Here's what we do. We let ourselves think of any idea that comes to mind and we write it down. No editing. We get a flow of ideas for 15-20 minutes and try to get as many as possible. No idea is off limits. Let's go."
The father said, "Well, the only idea I've got is..close the shop!" The son said, "Well, you're right that IS an idea." He wrote it down. Then the son said, "Ok, let's keep going." Before long the son and the father started getting a flow of ideas and writing down every one of them, even every crazy thing that came to mind. When they finished, one of the ideas absolutely jumped off the page and they looked at each other in astonishment and said, "This just might work!" The son left the next day to go back to college.
The father implemented the idea. Within 6 weeks, not only had his drop in clientele completely returned, but the number of customers was now 11% higher than ever in the history of the shop. Do you know what the idea was that turned sure failure into a new course of increasing success?
The idea was, "Place a BIG sign on top of the shop that read,
"WE FIX SIX DOLLAR HAIRCUTS!!"
This story has meant a great deal to me particularly when I am tempted to think that the problem is "out there" in the land of circumstances. Any time I think the problem is "out there", THAT THOUGHT is the problem. As Einstein said, "The significant problems we face can not be solved at the level of the problem." Learning to think in a new way brings Freedom and Power."
Mary Manin Morrissey,
teacher and author
The owner's son came home from graduate school over spring break, to find his father depressed and reclusive. Finally getting his father to share what the problem was, the father confided that there was a new, national chain that had been moving across the country, bringing in cheap hair salons into all of the different communities and driving everyone out of business. And so, even though the community had loved all of the work that he had done, the perms and the haircuts and the styles over the years, right down the street opened up this new shop. It offered six dollar haircuts. Person after person had left to go to the new low cost shop.
The father told his son, "There is absolutely NO way I can compete with $6.00 haircuts. So much of my clientele has now gone to the new shop that I have no choice but to close our shop. After three generations, we are going bankrupt. I can't pay the stylists or the overhead anymore," he despondently said with his hands covering his face so his son would not see the tears rolling out of his eyes.
The son said, "You know, this last semester I took a "science of success" program that was offered for extra credit in my marketing class. One thing I learned was something that Einstein said. He said that "The significant problems we face can never be solved at the level of thinking of the problem." So, Dad, we have to find another way to think about this. We've got to find another way to see this. Another one of the strategies I learned may help us."
So the son left the room and brought back a notebook and a pen. He told the Dad about "Masterminding", a strategy introduced in the 1930's by Napoleon Hill who had been commissioned by Andrew Carnegie to study the patterns of extremely successful people.
"Here's what we do. We let ourselves think of any idea that comes to mind and we write it down. No editing. We get a flow of ideas for 15-20 minutes and try to get as many as possible. No idea is off limits. Let's go."
The father said, "Well, the only idea I've got is..close the shop!" The son said, "Well, you're right that IS an idea." He wrote it down. Then the son said, "Ok, let's keep going." Before long the son and the father started getting a flow of ideas and writing down every one of them, even every crazy thing that came to mind. When they finished, one of the ideas absolutely jumped off the page and they looked at each other in astonishment and said, "This just might work!" The son left the next day to go back to college.
The father implemented the idea. Within 6 weeks, not only had his drop in clientele completely returned, but the number of customers was now 11% higher than ever in the history of the shop. Do you know what the idea was that turned sure failure into a new course of increasing success?
The idea was, "Place a BIG sign on top of the shop that read,
"WE FIX SIX DOLLAR HAIRCUTS!!"
This story has meant a great deal to me particularly when I am tempted to think that the problem is "out there" in the land of circumstances. Any time I think the problem is "out there", THAT THOUGHT is the problem. As Einstein said, "The significant problems we face can not be solved at the level of the problem." Learning to think in a new way brings Freedom and Power."
Mary Manin Morrissey,
teacher and author
Thursday, January 24, 2008
The small joys of life
"I have never been a millionaire. But I have enjoyed a crackling fire, a glorious sunset, a walk with a friend and a hug from a child. There are plenty of life's tiny delights for all of us."
Jack Anthony
Author
Jack Anthony
Author
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
When urban health myths start to scare you ...
Every single possible urban myth relating to health and illness, captured in one evening in an Emergency Room:
A secret to happiness
"Believe there is a great power silently working all things for good, behave yourself and never mind the rest."
Beatrix Potter
1866-1943, Author and Illustrator
Beatrix Potter
1866-1943, Author and Illustrator
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
How broccoli can reduce risk of a heart attack
When I first read and used Laurel's Kitchen -- the flagship of 1980s vegetarian cooking, I remember marveling at the distinction made in the book between ordinary vegetables, and what the authors termed "super vegetables." Broccoli, that star of both taste and nutrition, was one of those "super vegetables."
Not surprisingly, we're discovering more benefits of this wonderful vegetable. I'm not a big fan of those who think that their kitchen cabinets are pharmacy shelves. Eating is for nutrition and fun and fellowship and a whole lot of things. But it's good to remember that some things -- such as broccoli really do deliver both great taste and nutrients that your body needs. Here's an article about what it can do for your heart.
Not surprisingly, we're discovering more benefits of this wonderful vegetable. I'm not a big fan of those who think that their kitchen cabinets are pharmacy shelves. Eating is for nutrition and fun and fellowship and a whole lot of things. But it's good to remember that some things -- such as broccoli really do deliver both great taste and nutrients that your body needs. Here's an article about what it can do for your heart.
Walking free and unafraid
"We were not created to be eaten by anxiety, but to walk erect, free, unafraid in a world where there is work to do, truth to seek, love to give and win."
Joseph Ford Newton
Author
Joseph Ford Newton
Author
Using water to relive stomach pain
This is an anecdote about using water for stomach pain.
I continue to push people to drink more water -- lots more water. Doing so often brings dramatic health benefits, and there's virtually no downside.
"Many years ago a doctor was sentenced to a French jail. While serving his time he had many inmates come up to him and tell him they had stomach ulcers. Not having any medicine to treat them with he told them to drink 2 large glasses of water every few hours several times a day. He said their pain would subside and over time the stomach would heal. Was the water diluting, neutralizing and flushing out the pylori organism or excess HCL or both?
Maybe once every 10 years I will experience stomach pain and I drink two big glasses of water and the pain goes away withing an hour or so. Will it work for anyone else, I can't say.
Just wanted to share this simple remedy that seems to work for me."
Samantha Jones
I continue to push people to drink more water -- lots more water. Doing so often brings dramatic health benefits, and there's virtually no downside.
"Many years ago a doctor was sentenced to a French jail. While serving his time he had many inmates come up to him and tell him they had stomach ulcers. Not having any medicine to treat them with he told them to drink 2 large glasses of water every few hours several times a day. He said their pain would subside and over time the stomach would heal. Was the water diluting, neutralizing and flushing out the pylori organism or excess HCL or both?
Maybe once every 10 years I will experience stomach pain and I drink two big glasses of water and the pain goes away withing an hour or so. Will it work for anyone else, I can't say.
Just wanted to share this simple remedy that seems to work for me."
Samantha Jones
Government health agencies complicit in cholesterol ruse
Statin cholesterol drugs are of little or no benefit. Read this for more details.
Monday, January 21, 2008
How To Set Amazing Goals
Good morning! Well, it's cold here in North Carolina, but I hope it's warm in your heart -- and perhaps outside your door wherever you are today.
Here's some good ideas about resolutions. It's January 21st, a little late on the "new year's resolutions" area, but it's certainly never too late to work on what you want to do with the rest of your life.
How To Set Amazing Goals
Here's some good ideas about resolutions. It's January 21st, a little late on the "new year's resolutions" area, but it's certainly never too late to work on what you want to do with the rest of your life.
How To Set Amazing Goals
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Bill restricts access to safe, helpful supplement
"Your access to DHEA is in jeopardy! In an effort to capitalize on the recent reports of steroid use among athletes, the same opponents of DHEA that proposed S. 762, which classifies DHEA as an anabolic steroid, adding it to the list of controlled substances and removing it from the market, are back. This time they are proposing S. 2470, which would limit sales of DHEA to minors. This is a backhanded attempt to slowly restrict access to DHEA and separate it from other supplements, working towards the goal of banning it from the marketplace. Your immediate help is needed to keep this safe and effective dietary supplement legal and accessible.Take Action Now!
DHEA is not an anabolic steroid. It is a naturally occurring hormone that has a wide range of benefits, including maintaining strong bones, boosting immunity, and improving mood and sleep patterns. Further studies suggest that DHEA may be helpful for such conditions as obesity, cancer and Alzheimer's disease. DHEA dietary supplements, which have been on the market for over 20 years, are derived from a plant in the wild yam family.
We need your help to keep DHEA legal. Send a message to Congress asking your Senators to oppose S. 762 and S. 2470 and any amendment to restrict access to DHEA to minors. Congress should not restrict access to a dietary supplement that has given health to millions of Americans. Take action now!"
DHEA is not an anabolic steroid. It is a naturally occurring hormone that has a wide range of benefits, including maintaining strong bones, boosting immunity, and improving mood and sleep patterns. Further studies suggest that DHEA may be helpful for such conditions as obesity, cancer and Alzheimer's disease. DHEA dietary supplements, which have been on the market for over 20 years, are derived from a plant in the wild yam family.
We need your help to keep DHEA legal. Send a message to Congress asking your Senators to oppose S. 762 and S. 2470 and any amendment to restrict access to DHEA to minors. Congress should not restrict access to a dietary supplement that has given health to millions of Americans. Take action now!"
Friday, January 18, 2008
6 keys to living now
Here are 6 health secrets that will put you in
the present moment - giving you peace of mind.
1. When you go to sleep at night - sleep as if this is
the last time you will ever have the opportunity.
2. When you arise in the morning - push away from
the bed and immediately begin to move your body.
Leave your bed behind the same way you would
discard a pair of worn socks.
3. When speaking to someone - give him or her the
feeling there is no one more important to whom you
will ever speak.
4. When eating, take time to taste each and every
bite.
5. While at work, focus on your breathing, observe
how you do what you do, and think of it as practice.
6. When you exercise, smile into every movement.
If you find a painful expression on your face, lighten
it.
Do these things today and for the rest of your life
and you won't go wrong.
the present moment - giving you peace of mind.
1. When you go to sleep at night - sleep as if this is
the last time you will ever have the opportunity.
2. When you arise in the morning - push away from
the bed and immediately begin to move your body.
Leave your bed behind the same way you would
discard a pair of worn socks.
3. When speaking to someone - give him or her the
feeling there is no one more important to whom you
will ever speak.
4. When eating, take time to taste each and every
bite.
5. While at work, focus on your breathing, observe
how you do what you do, and think of it as practice.
6. When you exercise, smile into every movement.
If you find a painful expression on your face, lighten
it.
Do these things today and for the rest of your life
and you won't go wrong.
How your thinking makes your life happen
Proverbs 23: 7 - "As a man thinketh in his heart, so he is."
The batter hits the ball high in the air towards right field. It arcs majestically against the sky. It is going right towards Sammy. Everybody in the park knows that he's going to drop it. Sammy knows that he's going to drop it. He drops it.
This scene has been replayed time and time again on fields around the world. It doesn't have to be a fielder; it sometime is a batter you know is going to strike out. It doesn't even have to be baseball. It can be anything.
It's called a self-fulfilling prophecy. I wasn't familiar with this term until I took a psychology class in university. Basically it means that what you believe will usually happen.
If you believe you are going to flunk a test, you probably will. If you think the meal you are making for your new in-laws will be a disaster, it probably will. If you think you will be in a car accident, better call your insurance agent. In all these cases, your visualizing the worst-case scenario will greatly increase the possibility of them actually happening.
There are people in the world who sew the seeds of the self-fulfilling prophecy. They are the people who put their fears on you. For example, their fears that something might happen to you make you uneasy and possibly help the unfortunate event happen. They are usually the first ones to say, "I told you so."
So what do you do? First, look at history. There were plenty of people who said humans would never fly, let alone walk on the moon. You have the choice to believe those thoughts. Also, you can replace those thoughts with positive ones. You don't have to believe the nay-sayers. If self-fulfilling prophecy works with negative thoughts, it can also work with positive ones.
George Bernard Shaw said, "You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?' " What message are you playing in your mind?
When I started playing softball, I was like Sammy. I was hoping the batter wouldn't hit the ball to me. Eventually those thoughts were replaced with positive ones and I was begging for the batter to hit it to me. Can you guess which thoughts allowed me to enjoy the game the most and perform the best?
When the game was on the line, Michael Jordan wanted the ball. He already saw the ball going in before he shot.
Pete Rose, who holds the record for the most hits in baseball, was asked how many times in a game he thought he was going to get a hit. He answer was, "Every time." Did he get a hit every time? No, but his belief that he would greatly increased his success.
It's the same with life. Put positive, happy thoughts in your mind and you will tend to be happy. If you are constantly worrying that something MIGHT happen, you will not lead a full life and probably not reach your potential. What does worrying do most of the time anyway? It usually prevents you from doing your best in a situation.
It comes down to the simple saying. If you think you can, you may be right. If you think you can't, you are almost certainly right. Put another way, success comes in cans!
John Stevens
John Stevens is a freelance writer in St. Marys, Ontario. You can read more of his writing at his blog at http://johnnyvfanclub.blogspot.com
The batter hits the ball high in the air towards right field. It arcs majestically against the sky. It is going right towards Sammy. Everybody in the park knows that he's going to drop it. Sammy knows that he's going to drop it. He drops it.
This scene has been replayed time and time again on fields around the world. It doesn't have to be a fielder; it sometime is a batter you know is going to strike out. It doesn't even have to be baseball. It can be anything.
It's called a self-fulfilling prophecy. I wasn't familiar with this term until I took a psychology class in university. Basically it means that what you believe will usually happen.
If you believe you are going to flunk a test, you probably will. If you think the meal you are making for your new in-laws will be a disaster, it probably will. If you think you will be in a car accident, better call your insurance agent. In all these cases, your visualizing the worst-case scenario will greatly increase the possibility of them actually happening.
There are people in the world who sew the seeds of the self-fulfilling prophecy. They are the people who put their fears on you. For example, their fears that something might happen to you make you uneasy and possibly help the unfortunate event happen. They are usually the first ones to say, "I told you so."
So what do you do? First, look at history. There were plenty of people who said humans would never fly, let alone walk on the moon. You have the choice to believe those thoughts. Also, you can replace those thoughts with positive ones. You don't have to believe the nay-sayers. If self-fulfilling prophecy works with negative thoughts, it can also work with positive ones.
George Bernard Shaw said, "You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?' " What message are you playing in your mind?
When I started playing softball, I was like Sammy. I was hoping the batter wouldn't hit the ball to me. Eventually those thoughts were replaced with positive ones and I was begging for the batter to hit it to me. Can you guess which thoughts allowed me to enjoy the game the most and perform the best?
When the game was on the line, Michael Jordan wanted the ball. He already saw the ball going in before he shot.
Pete Rose, who holds the record for the most hits in baseball, was asked how many times in a game he thought he was going to get a hit. He answer was, "Every time." Did he get a hit every time? No, but his belief that he would greatly increased his success.
It's the same with life. Put positive, happy thoughts in your mind and you will tend to be happy. If you are constantly worrying that something MIGHT happen, you will not lead a full life and probably not reach your potential. What does worrying do most of the time anyway? It usually prevents you from doing your best in a situation.
It comes down to the simple saying. If you think you can, you may be right. If you think you can't, you are almost certainly right. Put another way, success comes in cans!
John Stevens
John Stevens is a freelance writer in St. Marys, Ontario. You can read more of his writing at his blog at http://johnnyvfanclub.blogspot.com
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Caring about what you do
"Take pride in what you do. The kind of pride I'm talking about is not the arrogant puffed-up kind; it's just the whole idea of caring - fiercely caring."
Red Aurbach
Professional Basketball Coach
Red Aurbach
Professional Basketball Coach
Fluoridated water and your health
"The establishment media will have to find a new tactic with which to
ridicule those who oppose the fluoridation of water after a major new
Scientific American report concluded that "Scientific attitudes toward
fluoridation may be starting to shift" as new evidence emerges of the
poison's link to disorders affecting teeth, bones, the brain and the
thyroid gland, as well as lowering IQ.
"Today almost 60 percent of the U.S. population drinks fluoridated
water, including residents of 46 of the nation's 50 largest cities,"
reports Scientific American's Dan Fagin.
[ http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=second-thoughts-on-fluoride ]
Fagin is an award-wining environmental reporter and Director of New
York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program.
"Outside the U.S., fluoridation has spread to Canada, the U.K.,
Australia, New Zealand and a few other countries. Critics of the
practice have generally been dismissed as gadflies or zealots by
mainstream researchers and public health agencies in those countries
as well as the U.S. (In other nations, however, water fluoridation is
rare and controversial.)"
Indeed, the zeitgeist for scoffing at those who spoke of the dangers
of mass medicating the public against their will with fluoride was the
deranged and paranoid character of General Ripper in the hit 1964
Peter Selllers movie Dr. Strangelove.
But that stereotype is quickly fading as serious scientific research
uncovers proof that all the horror stories about sodium fluoride told
down the decades are essentially true.
The Scientific American study "Concluded that fluoride can subtly
alter endocrine function, especially in the thyroid -- the gland that
produces hormones regulating growth and metabolism."
The report also notes that "a series of epidemiological studies in
China have associated high fluoride exposures with lower IQ."
"Epidemiological studies and tests on lab animals suggest that high
fluoride exposure increases the risk of bone fracture, especially in
vulnerable populations such as the elderly and diabetics," writes Fagin.
Fagin interviewed Steven Levy, director of the Iowa Fluoride Study
which tracked about 700 Iowa children for sixteen years. Nine-year-old
"Iowa children who lived in communities where the water was
fluoridated were 50 percent more likely to have mild fluorosis... than
[nine-year-old] children living in nonfluoridated areas of the state,"
writes Fagin.
The study adds to a growing literature of shocking scientific studies
proving fluoride's link with all manner of health defects, even as
governments in the west, including recently the UK, make plans to mass
medicate the population against their will with this deadly toxin.
In 2005, a study conducted at the Harvard School of Dental Health
found that fluoride in tap water directly contributes to causing bone
cancer in young boys.
"New American research suggests that boys exposed to fluoride between
the ages of five and 10 will suffer an increased rate of osteosarcoma
- bone cancer - between the ages of 10 and 19," according to a London
Observer article about the study.
[ http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1504672,00.html ]
Based on the findings of the study, the respected Environmental
Working Group lobbied to have fluoride in tap water be added to the US
government's classified list of substances known or anticipated to
cause cancer in humans.
Cancer rates in the U.S. have skyrocketed with one in three people now
contracting the disease at some stage in their life.
The link to bone cancer has also been discovered by other scientists,
but a controversy ensued after it emerged that Harvard Professor
Chester Douglass, who downplayed the connection in his final report,
was in fact editor-in-chief of The Colgate Oral Health Report, a
quarterly newsletter funded by Colgate-Palmolive Co., which makes
fluoridated toothpaste.
An August 2006 Chinese study found that fluoride in drinking water
damages children's liver and kidney functions.
FACTS ABOUT FLUORIDE
- Fluoride is a waste by-product of the fertilizer and aluminum
industry and it's also a Part II Poison under the UK Poisons Act 1972.
- Fluoride is one of the basic ingredients in both PROZAC (FLUoxetene
Hydrochloride) and Sarin nerve gas (Isopropyl-Methyl-Phosphoryl FLUoride).
- USAF Major George R. Jordan testified before Un-American Activity
committees of Congress in the 1950's that in his post as U.S.-Soviet
liaison officer, the Soviets openly admitted to "Using the fluoride in
the water supplies in their concentration camps, to make the prisoners
stupid, docile, and subservient."
- The first occurrence of fluoridated drinking water on Earth was
found in Germany's Nazi prison camps. The Gestapo had little concern
about fluoride's supposed effect on children's teeth; their alleged
reason for mass-medicating water with sodium fluoride was to sterilize
humans and force the people in their concentration camps into calm
submission. (Ref. book: "The Crime and Punishment of I.G. Farben" by
Joseph Borkin.)
- 97% of western Europe has rejected fluoridated water due to the
known health risks, however 10% of Britons drink it and the UK
government is trying to fast track the fluoridation of the entire
country's water supply.
- In Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg fluoridation of water was
rejected because it was classified as compulsive medication against
the subject's will and therefore violated fundamental human rights.
- In November of 2006, the American Dental Association (ADA) advised
that parents should avoid giving babies fluoridated water.
- Sources of fluoride include: fluoride dental products, fluoride
pesticides, fluoridated pharmaceuticals, processed foods made with
fluoridated water, and tea.
Click here to find out if your water supply is poisoned with deadly
fluoride: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/MWF/Index.asp "
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/january2008/011508_fluoride_horror.htm
ridicule those who oppose the fluoridation of water after a major new
Scientific American report concluded that "Scientific attitudes toward
fluoridation may be starting to shift" as new evidence emerges of the
poison's link to disorders affecting teeth, bones, the brain and the
thyroid gland, as well as lowering IQ.
"Today almost 60 percent of the U.S. population drinks fluoridated
water, including residents of 46 of the nation's 50 largest cities,"
reports Scientific American's Dan Fagin.
[ http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=second-thoughts-on-fluoride ]
Fagin is an award-wining environmental reporter and Director of New
York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program.
"Outside the U.S., fluoridation has spread to Canada, the U.K.,
Australia, New Zealand and a few other countries. Critics of the
practice have generally been dismissed as gadflies or zealots by
mainstream researchers and public health agencies in those countries
as well as the U.S. (In other nations, however, water fluoridation is
rare and controversial.)"
Indeed, the zeitgeist for scoffing at those who spoke of the dangers
of mass medicating the public against their will with fluoride was the
deranged and paranoid character of General Ripper in the hit 1964
Peter Selllers movie Dr. Strangelove.
But that stereotype is quickly fading as serious scientific research
uncovers proof that all the horror stories about sodium fluoride told
down the decades are essentially true.
The Scientific American study "Concluded that fluoride can subtly
alter endocrine function, especially in the thyroid -- the gland that
produces hormones regulating growth and metabolism."
The report also notes that "a series of epidemiological studies in
China have associated high fluoride exposures with lower IQ."
"Epidemiological studies and tests on lab animals suggest that high
fluoride exposure increases the risk of bone fracture, especially in
vulnerable populations such as the elderly and diabetics," writes Fagin.
Fagin interviewed Steven Levy, director of the Iowa Fluoride Study
which tracked about 700 Iowa children for sixteen years. Nine-year-old
"Iowa children who lived in communities where the water was
fluoridated were 50 percent more likely to have mild fluorosis... than
[nine-year-old] children living in nonfluoridated areas of the state,"
writes Fagin.
The study adds to a growing literature of shocking scientific studies
proving fluoride's link with all manner of health defects, even as
governments in the west, including recently the UK, make plans to mass
medicate the population against their will with this deadly toxin.
In 2005, a study conducted at the Harvard School of Dental Health
found that fluoride in tap water directly contributes to causing bone
cancer in young boys.
"New American research suggests that boys exposed to fluoride between
the ages of five and 10 will suffer an increased rate of osteosarcoma
- bone cancer - between the ages of 10 and 19," according to a London
Observer article about the study.
[ http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1504672,00.html ]
Based on the findings of the study, the respected Environmental
Working Group lobbied to have fluoride in tap water be added to the US
government's classified list of substances known or anticipated to
cause cancer in humans.
Cancer rates in the U.S. have skyrocketed with one in three people now
contracting the disease at some stage in their life.
The link to bone cancer has also been discovered by other scientists,
but a controversy ensued after it emerged that Harvard Professor
Chester Douglass, who downplayed the connection in his final report,
was in fact editor-in-chief of The Colgate Oral Health Report, a
quarterly newsletter funded by Colgate-Palmolive Co., which makes
fluoridated toothpaste.
An August 2006 Chinese study found that fluoride in drinking water
damages children's liver and kidney functions.
FACTS ABOUT FLUORIDE
- Fluoride is a waste by-product of the fertilizer and aluminum
industry and it's also a Part II Poison under the UK Poisons Act 1972.
- Fluoride is one of the basic ingredients in both PROZAC (FLUoxetene
Hydrochloride) and Sarin nerve gas (Isopropyl-Methyl-Phosphoryl FLUoride).
- USAF Major George R. Jordan testified before Un-American Activity
committees of Congress in the 1950's that in his post as U.S.-Soviet
liaison officer, the Soviets openly admitted to "Using the fluoride in
the water supplies in their concentration camps, to make the prisoners
stupid, docile, and subservient."
- The first occurrence of fluoridated drinking water on Earth was
found in Germany's Nazi prison camps. The Gestapo had little concern
about fluoride's supposed effect on children's teeth; their alleged
reason for mass-medicating water with sodium fluoride was to sterilize
humans and force the people in their concentration camps into calm
submission. (Ref. book: "The Crime and Punishment of I.G. Farben" by
Joseph Borkin.)
- 97% of western Europe has rejected fluoridated water due to the
known health risks, however 10% of Britons drink it and the UK
government is trying to fast track the fluoridation of the entire
country's water supply.
- In Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg fluoridation of water was
rejected because it was classified as compulsive medication against
the subject's will and therefore violated fundamental human rights.
- In November of 2006, the American Dental Association (ADA) advised
that parents should avoid giving babies fluoridated water.
- Sources of fluoride include: fluoride dental products, fluoride
pesticides, fluoridated pharmaceuticals, processed foods made with
fluoridated water, and tea.
Click here to find out if your water supply is poisoned with deadly
fluoride: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/MWF/Index.asp "
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/january2008/011508_fluoride_horror.htm
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
How thought rules the world
"The Law of Attraction attracts to you everything you need, according to the nature of your thought. Your environment and financial condition are the perfect reflection of your habitual thinking. Thought rules the world."
Dr. Joseph Edward Murphy
Surgeon
Dr. Joseph Edward Murphy
Surgeon
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Yes, I can
"Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell 'em, 'certainly I can!' - and get busy and find out how to do it."
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
How to save billions on health care every year
"It's an election year. You can bet the candidates will all give a lot of lip service to health care. But I bet none of them will discuss how alternative medicine could save this country billions of dollars every year.
That's because taking vitamin supplements is a huge bone of contention among orthodox doctors. Many, if not most, will tell you that they will give you nothing more than expensive urine. Sometimes I just can't imagine where their brains are. All they have to do is look at their own literature.
In fact, that's exactly what some researchers did in a new study. They looked at the medical literature to date on just five nutraceuticals. They included calcium, folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine, and saw palmetto.
Here's what the researchers discovered. They found that the population taking 1,200 mg of calcium with vitamin D will suffer 734,000 fewer hip fractures over five years. The savings to society in spared health costs would be almost $14 billion. And that's just from calcium and vitamin D.
Now for folic acid. What would happen if 10.5 million women of childbearing age took just 400 mcg daily? The researchers said there would be 600 fewer babies born with neural tube birth defects. The savings to society would be $322 million.
And, for omega 3s? The review found consistent evidence that it helps prevent heart attacks. Omega 3s also showed "promising" evidence in depression, renal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma.
The authors found evidence that glucosamine is an anti-inflammatory for osteoarthritis. And, saw palmetto alleviates symptoms of benign prostatic enlargement.
The study concluded that use of supplements can save billions in otherwise unnecessary medical costs.
It can't be any clearer than that. Supplements do protect you. And this study did not even touch on micronutrients, such as selenium and zinc, and all the other nutrients I've told you about. That's why most people should take supplements every day, starting with a good quality multivitamin."
Yours for better health and medical freedom,
Robert Jay Rowen, MD
Ref: "Improving Public Health, Reducing Health Care Costs: An Evidence-Based Study of Five Dietary Supplements," DaVanzo J, et al, The Lewin Group, September 22, 2004.
That's because taking vitamin supplements is a huge bone of contention among orthodox doctors. Many, if not most, will tell you that they will give you nothing more than expensive urine. Sometimes I just can't imagine where their brains are. All they have to do is look at their own literature.
In fact, that's exactly what some researchers did in a new study. They looked at the medical literature to date on just five nutraceuticals. They included calcium, folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine, and saw palmetto.
Here's what the researchers discovered. They found that the population taking 1,200 mg of calcium with vitamin D will suffer 734,000 fewer hip fractures over five years. The savings to society in spared health costs would be almost $14 billion. And that's just from calcium and vitamin D.
Now for folic acid. What would happen if 10.5 million women of childbearing age took just 400 mcg daily? The researchers said there would be 600 fewer babies born with neural tube birth defects. The savings to society would be $322 million.
And, for omega 3s? The review found consistent evidence that it helps prevent heart attacks. Omega 3s also showed "promising" evidence in depression, renal disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma.
The authors found evidence that glucosamine is an anti-inflammatory for osteoarthritis. And, saw palmetto alleviates symptoms of benign prostatic enlargement.
The study concluded that use of supplements can save billions in otherwise unnecessary medical costs.
It can't be any clearer than that. Supplements do protect you. And this study did not even touch on micronutrients, such as selenium and zinc, and all the other nutrients I've told you about. That's why most people should take supplements every day, starting with a good quality multivitamin."
Yours for better health and medical freedom,
Robert Jay Rowen, MD
Ref: "Improving Public Health, Reducing Health Care Costs: An Evidence-Based Study of Five Dietary Supplements," DaVanzo J, et al, The Lewin Group, September 22, 2004.
Destroying cancer cells with the acai berry
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - A Brazilian berry popular in health food contains antioxidants that destroyed cultured human cancer cells in a recent University of Florida study, one of the first to investigate the fruit's purported benefits.
Published today in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study showed extracts from acai (ah-SAH'-ee) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested, said Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
"Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants," Talcott said. "This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries."
He cautioned that the study, funded by UF sources, was not intended to show whether compounds found in acai berries could prevent leukemia in people.
"This was only a cell-culture model and we don't want to give anyone false hope," Talcott said. "We are encouraged by the findings, however. Compounds that show good activity against cancer cells in a model system are most likely to have beneficial effects in our bodies."
Other fruits, including grapes, guavas and mangoes, contain antioxidants shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies, he said. Experts are uncertain how much effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because factors such as nutrient absorption, metabolism and the influence of other biochemical processes may influence the antioxidants' chemical activity.
Another UF study, slated to conclude in 2006, will investigate the effects of acai's antioxidants on healthy human subjects, Talcott said. The study will determine how well the compounds are absorbed into the blood, and how they may affect blood pressure, cholesterol levels and related health indicators. So far, only fundamental research has been done on acai berries, which contain at least 50 to 75 as-yet unidentified compounds.
"One reason so little is known about acai berries is that they're perishable and are traditionally used immediately after picking," he said. "Products made with processed acai berries have only been available for about five years, so researchers in many parts of the world have had little or no opportunity to study them."
Talcott said UF is one of the first institutions outside Brazil with personnel studying acai berries. Besides Talcott, UF's acai research team includes Susan Percival, a professor with the food science and human nutrition department, David Del Pozo-Insfran, a doctoral student with the department and Susanne Mertens-Talcott, a postdoctoral associate with the pharmaceutics department of UF's College of Pharmacy.
Acai berries are produced by a palm tree known scientifically as Euterpe oleracea, common in floodplain areas of the Amazon River, Talcott said. When ripe, the berries are dark purple and about the size of a blueberry. They contain a thin layer of edible pulp surrounding a large seed.
Historically, Brazilians have used acai berries to treat digestive disorders and skin conditions, he said. Current marketing efforts by retail merchants and Internet businesses suggest acai products can help consumers lose weight, lower cholesterol and gain energy.
"A lot of claims are being made, but most of them haven't been tested scientifically," Talcott said. "We are just beginning to understand the complexity of the acai berry and its health-promoting effects."
In the current UF study, six different chemical extracts were made from acai fruit pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations.
Four of the extracts were shown to kill significant numbers of leukemia cells when applied for 24 hours. Depending on the extract and concentration, anywhere from about 35 percent to 86 percent of the cells died.
The UF study demonstrates that research on foods not commonly consumed in the United States is important, because it may lead to unexpected discoveries, said Joshua Bomser, an assistant professor of molecular nutrition and functional foods at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
But familiar produce items have plenty of health-giving qualities, he said.
"Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk for many diseases, including heart disease and cancer," said Bomser, who researches the effects of diet on chronic diseases. "Getting at least five servings a day of these items is still a good recommendation for promoting optimal health."
Published today in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the study showed extracts from acai (ah-SAH'-ee) berries triggered a self-destruct response in up to 86 percent of leukemia cells tested, said Stephen Talcott, an assistant professor with UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
"Acai berries are already considered one of the richest fruit sources of antioxidants," Talcott said. "This study was an important step toward learning what people may gain from using beverages, dietary supplements or other products made with the berries."
He cautioned that the study, funded by UF sources, was not intended to show whether compounds found in acai berries could prevent leukemia in people.
"This was only a cell-culture model and we don't want to give anyone false hope," Talcott said. "We are encouraged by the findings, however. Compounds that show good activity against cancer cells in a model system are most likely to have beneficial effects in our bodies."
Other fruits, including grapes, guavas and mangoes, contain antioxidants shown to kill cancer cells in similar studies, he said. Experts are uncertain how much effect antioxidants have on cancer cells in the human body, because factors such as nutrient absorption, metabolism and the influence of other biochemical processes may influence the antioxidants' chemical activity.
Another UF study, slated to conclude in 2006, will investigate the effects of acai's antioxidants on healthy human subjects, Talcott said. The study will determine how well the compounds are absorbed into the blood, and how they may affect blood pressure, cholesterol levels and related health indicators. So far, only fundamental research has been done on acai berries, which contain at least 50 to 75 as-yet unidentified compounds.
"One reason so little is known about acai berries is that they're perishable and are traditionally used immediately after picking," he said. "Products made with processed acai berries have only been available for about five years, so researchers in many parts of the world have had little or no opportunity to study them."
Talcott said UF is one of the first institutions outside Brazil with personnel studying acai berries. Besides Talcott, UF's acai research team includes Susan Percival, a professor with the food science and human nutrition department, David Del Pozo-Insfran, a doctoral student with the department and Susanne Mertens-Talcott, a postdoctoral associate with the pharmaceutics department of UF's College of Pharmacy.
Acai berries are produced by a palm tree known scientifically as Euterpe oleracea, common in floodplain areas of the Amazon River, Talcott said. When ripe, the berries are dark purple and about the size of a blueberry. They contain a thin layer of edible pulp surrounding a large seed.
Historically, Brazilians have used acai berries to treat digestive disorders and skin conditions, he said. Current marketing efforts by retail merchants and Internet businesses suggest acai products can help consumers lose weight, lower cholesterol and gain energy.
"A lot of claims are being made, but most of them haven't been tested scientifically," Talcott said. "We are just beginning to understand the complexity of the acai berry and its health-promoting effects."
In the current UF study, six different chemical extracts were made from acai fruit pulp, and each extract was prepared in seven concentrations.
Four of the extracts were shown to kill significant numbers of leukemia cells when applied for 24 hours. Depending on the extract and concentration, anywhere from about 35 percent to 86 percent of the cells died.
The UF study demonstrates that research on foods not commonly consumed in the United States is important, because it may lead to unexpected discoveries, said Joshua Bomser, an assistant professor of molecular nutrition and functional foods at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
But familiar produce items have plenty of health-giving qualities, he said.
"Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk for many diseases, including heart disease and cancer," said Bomser, who researches the effects of diet on chronic diseases. "Getting at least five servings a day of these items is still a good recommendation for promoting optimal health."
Why Fish Oil is Good for You
"Fish oil is known to play a role in preventing Alzheimer's disease, and UCLA researchers have discovered why.
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil, increases the production of LR11, a protein that destroys a protein that forms the "plaques" associated with Alzheimer's disease.
LR11 is also found in low levels in Alzheimer's patients, and since this protein helps prevent the toxic plaques that are thought to harm neurons in your brain, it is believed to be a factor in causing the disease.
The researchers examined both fish oil in the diet and DHA administered directly to neurons grown in a laboratory.
Even low doses of DHA increased LR11 in rat neurons, and dietary fish oil increased LR11 in brains of rats or mice that had been genetically altered to develop Alzheimer's disease, researchers said.
DHA also had a beneficial impact on human neuronal cells in culture.
The researchers concluded that high levels of DHA lead to abundant LR11, which seems to protect against Alzheimer's. Conversely, low levels of LR11 lead to the formation of beta amyloid plaques that harm your brain.
What's left to be determined, according to the researchers, is what dose is most effective. In areas where dietary DHA is high, a small dose may be beneficial, while in the United States, where there's a deficiency of DHA, a larger dose may be necessary.
Sources:
a.. Eurekalert December 25, 2007
a.. Journal of Neuroscience December 26, 2007, 27(52):14299-14307
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
In my opinion, you can never read too many good things about omega-3 fats, because this is one of the crucial building blocks to health that are often lacking in Americans' diets.
Omega-3 fats like DHA are called "essential" fatty acids because your body doesn't make them on its own. So, you must acquire them through outside sources. Believe me, this is one fat you do NOT want to be deficient in as omega-3 fat can:
a.. Reduce your risk of heart disease
b.. Help prevent cancer, including liver and prostate cancers
c.. Alleviate depression
d.. Fight inflammation in your body
e.. Make your children smarter
As this study mentions, omega-3 fats are also widely known to prevent Alzheimer's disease, which is not surprising when you consider that DHA is the most abundant essential fatty acid in your brain.
Your Best Source of Omega-3 Fat
The most valuable omega-3 fats are the longer-chain fats like DHA and EPA. These are nearly exclusively found in marine sources like fish and fish oils. However, because of pollution concerns I do not recommend that you increase your intake of fish to get your omega-3. And don't for a moment think that farm-raised fish are any better -- they are FAR worse than wild-caught fish and should be avoided.
Instead, I suggest you opt for a high-quality omega-3 supplement -- but not just ANY omega-3 supplement will do. One of the best sources of omega-3 fats that is highly stable and pure is from Antarctic krill oil.
Although I still advocate high-quality fish oils as well, fish oil is a challenge as it highly perishable and can easily become rancid inside of your body if you don't get enough antioxidants.
Krill oil, however, has endogenous antioxidants right in it, which greatly reduces any concerns of rancidity.
Please do realize that flaxseeds are NOT a good source of the omega-3 fats DHA and EPA. While flaxseeds have some merit in improving your health, in terms of omega-3 you should not rely on them for your sole source of omega-3 nutrition, as you will not receive the benefits you read about.
Flaxseeds do not contain DHA and EPA, rather they contain ALA (alpha linolenic acid). And humans have a very limited capacity to convert smaller and less useful omega-3 fats like the ALA found in flax, to the more useful higher order fats EPA and DHA.
Part of getting enough omega-3 fats has to do with optimizing your ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats (which come largely from vegetable oils).
The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is approximately 1:1. This is what your ancestors thrived on for hundreds of generations. Today, largely as a result of consuming far too many omega-6 fats and too few omega-3 fats, our ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 averages from 20:1 to 50:1!
To get your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio closer to the ideal 1:1, simply cut back on all vegetable oils (you'll need to read labels if you eat processed foods) and get a regular supply of high-quality omega-3 fat, like that from krill oil, daily.
Other Natural Tools for Preventing Alzheimer's
Omega-3 fats are an excellent tool for fighting Alzheimer's, but they are far from the only one. Please understand that the experts are predicting that more than 5 million Americans currently have Alzheimer's, and by 2050 that could increase to between 11 million and 16 million people in the United States alone.
Here is another important fact that you need to understand:
"Neither dementia nor Alzheimer's are a normal part of aging."
Your memory and brain functioning do not have to decline simply because you are getting older. This is especially true if you follow these guidelines, which will greatly increase your chances of avoiding dementia and Alzheimer's:
1. Eat a nutritious diet like the one described in my nutrition plan, including regularly consuming a healthy source of animal-based omega-3 fats.
2. Exercise. Studies have shown that it protects your brain (along with being good for a host of other reasons).
3. Avoid and remove mercury from your body. This means not only removing any existing mercury in your body, but also striving not to take in any more (via polluted fish, thimerosal-containing vaccines or flu shots). Dental amalgam fillings are one of the major sources of mercury in many people's bodies (however, you should be healthy before having them removed).
4. Avoid aluminum, as it has been linked to Alzheimer's. It can be found in antiperspirants, drinking water and aluminum cookware.
5. Challenge your mind. Doing activities such as crossword puzzles, brainteasers and learning new things may help build up the brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease."
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil, increases the production of LR11, a protein that destroys a protein that forms the "plaques" associated with Alzheimer's disease.
LR11 is also found in low levels in Alzheimer's patients, and since this protein helps prevent the toxic plaques that are thought to harm neurons in your brain, it is believed to be a factor in causing the disease.
The researchers examined both fish oil in the diet and DHA administered directly to neurons grown in a laboratory.
Even low doses of DHA increased LR11 in rat neurons, and dietary fish oil increased LR11 in brains of rats or mice that had been genetically altered to develop Alzheimer's disease, researchers said.
DHA also had a beneficial impact on human neuronal cells in culture.
The researchers concluded that high levels of DHA lead to abundant LR11, which seems to protect against Alzheimer's. Conversely, low levels of LR11 lead to the formation of beta amyloid plaques that harm your brain.
What's left to be determined, according to the researchers, is what dose is most effective. In areas where dietary DHA is high, a small dose may be beneficial, while in the United States, where there's a deficiency of DHA, a larger dose may be necessary.
Sources:
a.. Eurekalert December 25, 2007
a.. Journal of Neuroscience December 26, 2007, 27(52):14299-14307
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
In my opinion, you can never read too many good things about omega-3 fats, because this is one of the crucial building blocks to health that are often lacking in Americans' diets.
Omega-3 fats like DHA are called "essential" fatty acids because your body doesn't make them on its own. So, you must acquire them through outside sources. Believe me, this is one fat you do NOT want to be deficient in as omega-3 fat can:
a.. Reduce your risk of heart disease
b.. Help prevent cancer, including liver and prostate cancers
c.. Alleviate depression
d.. Fight inflammation in your body
e.. Make your children smarter
As this study mentions, omega-3 fats are also widely known to prevent Alzheimer's disease, which is not surprising when you consider that DHA is the most abundant essential fatty acid in your brain.
Your Best Source of Omega-3 Fat
The most valuable omega-3 fats are the longer-chain fats like DHA and EPA. These are nearly exclusively found in marine sources like fish and fish oils. However, because of pollution concerns I do not recommend that you increase your intake of fish to get your omega-3. And don't for a moment think that farm-raised fish are any better -- they are FAR worse than wild-caught fish and should be avoided.
Instead, I suggest you opt for a high-quality omega-3 supplement -- but not just ANY omega-3 supplement will do. One of the best sources of omega-3 fats that is highly stable and pure is from Antarctic krill oil.
Although I still advocate high-quality fish oils as well, fish oil is a challenge as it highly perishable and can easily become rancid inside of your body if you don't get enough antioxidants.
Krill oil, however, has endogenous antioxidants right in it, which greatly reduces any concerns of rancidity.
Please do realize that flaxseeds are NOT a good source of the omega-3 fats DHA and EPA. While flaxseeds have some merit in improving your health, in terms of omega-3 you should not rely on them for your sole source of omega-3 nutrition, as you will not receive the benefits you read about.
Flaxseeds do not contain DHA and EPA, rather they contain ALA (alpha linolenic acid). And humans have a very limited capacity to convert smaller and less useful omega-3 fats like the ALA found in flax, to the more useful higher order fats EPA and DHA.
Part of getting enough omega-3 fats has to do with optimizing your ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fats (which come largely from vegetable oils).
The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is approximately 1:1. This is what your ancestors thrived on for hundreds of generations. Today, largely as a result of consuming far too many omega-6 fats and too few omega-3 fats, our ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 averages from 20:1 to 50:1!
To get your omega-6 to omega-3 ratio closer to the ideal 1:1, simply cut back on all vegetable oils (you'll need to read labels if you eat processed foods) and get a regular supply of high-quality omega-3 fat, like that from krill oil, daily.
Other Natural Tools for Preventing Alzheimer's
Omega-3 fats are an excellent tool for fighting Alzheimer's, but they are far from the only one. Please understand that the experts are predicting that more than 5 million Americans currently have Alzheimer's, and by 2050 that could increase to between 11 million and 16 million people in the United States alone.
Here is another important fact that you need to understand:
"Neither dementia nor Alzheimer's are a normal part of aging."
Your memory and brain functioning do not have to decline simply because you are getting older. This is especially true if you follow these guidelines, which will greatly increase your chances of avoiding dementia and Alzheimer's:
1. Eat a nutritious diet like the one described in my nutrition plan, including regularly consuming a healthy source of animal-based omega-3 fats.
2. Exercise. Studies have shown that it protects your brain (along with being good for a host of other reasons).
3. Avoid and remove mercury from your body. This means not only removing any existing mercury in your body, but also striving not to take in any more (via polluted fish, thimerosal-containing vaccines or flu shots). Dental amalgam fillings are one of the major sources of mercury in many people's bodies (however, you should be healthy before having them removed).
4. Avoid aluminum, as it has been linked to Alzheimer's. It can be found in antiperspirants, drinking water and aluminum cookware.
5. Challenge your mind. Doing activities such as crossword puzzles, brainteasers and learning new things may help build up the brain, making it less susceptible to the lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease."
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Your 4th "thing to do for your health" for 2008
Did you ever watch a baby sleep?
If you haven't recently, watch one soon, and notice how the baby breathes when asleep: big, deep breathing that moves the baby's abdominal muscles.
Our number 4 is something you can do with your walking: it's deep breathing.
Deep breathing has a number of benefits. First, your body needs the deep, cleansing breaths that are provided. Deep breathing cleans the lungs, cleans out nasty mucus from your sinus cavities, and helps to prevent bad breath. Primarily, your body needs oxygen, and most of us have become accustomed to shallow, "light" breathing that doesn't give us enough oxygen saturation.
Secondly, deep breathing tones the abdomen, given your tummy muscles a workout that they need to prevent that sagging gut that so many people get as they get older.
Third, deep breathing tightens and tones the face and neck muscles. Do deep breathing for a while, and you'll look like you've had a face lift. Not to mention, you'll feel brighter, more alive, and more alert.
This is the routine. Standing, take a very deep breath. Let the breath inflate your abdomen. As you breathe in, pull your neck muscles up into an exaggerated smile. Breathe in as deeply as you can, and finally -- when you think you can't breathe in more -- take a couple of more "sniffs" to make sure your lungs are completely filled with life-giving oxygen.
Then breathe out. Fix your lips into an "o" shape, and let every bit of air out that you can. Your abdomen should "shrink" as you do this. As on the intake, when you think you've let out every bit of air, puff another couple of times to make sure it's all out.
If you're in the bad habit of shallow breathing, you'll probably feel a bit light-headed. That's OK. Keep doing it. I aim for 15 minutes of deep breathing every day, and it has changed my life.
For a very good, low stress program, I highly recommend oxycise.com. It's a good DVD based program which is deceptively simple, easy to do, but most of all, it works.
If you haven't recently, watch one soon, and notice how the baby breathes when asleep: big, deep breathing that moves the baby's abdominal muscles.
Our number 4 is something you can do with your walking: it's deep breathing.
Deep breathing has a number of benefits. First, your body needs the deep, cleansing breaths that are provided. Deep breathing cleans the lungs, cleans out nasty mucus from your sinus cavities, and helps to prevent bad breath. Primarily, your body needs oxygen, and most of us have become accustomed to shallow, "light" breathing that doesn't give us enough oxygen saturation.
Secondly, deep breathing tones the abdomen, given your tummy muscles a workout that they need to prevent that sagging gut that so many people get as they get older.
Third, deep breathing tightens and tones the face and neck muscles. Do deep breathing for a while, and you'll look like you've had a face lift. Not to mention, you'll feel brighter, more alive, and more alert.
This is the routine. Standing, take a very deep breath. Let the breath inflate your abdomen. As you breathe in, pull your neck muscles up into an exaggerated smile. Breathe in as deeply as you can, and finally -- when you think you can't breathe in more -- take a couple of more "sniffs" to make sure your lungs are completely filled with life-giving oxygen.
Then breathe out. Fix your lips into an "o" shape, and let every bit of air out that you can. Your abdomen should "shrink" as you do this. As on the intake, when you think you've let out every bit of air, puff another couple of times to make sure it's all out.
If you're in the bad habit of shallow breathing, you'll probably feel a bit light-headed. That's OK. Keep doing it. I aim for 15 minutes of deep breathing every day, and it has changed my life.
For a very good, low stress program, I highly recommend oxycise.com. It's a good DVD based program which is deceptively simple, easy to do, but most of all, it works.
Brazilian berry destroys cancer cells in lab, UF study shows
An acquaintance has recently become a distributor for a product that contains the Acai berry, and his speaking to me about this has led me to reading about the berry, and potential health benefits from eating them, and drinking their juice.
One of the problems for such products is that some distributors, while meaning well, make unsubstantiated claims about health benefits. This can raise false hopes, as well as getting the company in trouble with the US FDA. So I'm glad when I read of a study such as the one here. This study is 2 years old, and so we should read more recent stuff to see if there are updates to the study, but this is a good beginning.
One of the problems for such products is that some distributors, while meaning well, make unsubstantiated claims about health benefits. This can raise false hopes, as well as getting the company in trouble with the US FDA. So I'm glad when I read of a study such as the one here. This study is 2 years old, and so we should read more recent stuff to see if there are updates to the study, but this is a good beginning.
Saying Your Thank-You's
from our friends at mrfire.com -- your Friday story:
"A year ago, at a get-together of a dozen girlfriends from college, I saw my old friend, Therese Gibson. When I told her I was writing a book called Happy for No Reason, which focuses on the 21 core habits of unconditionally happy people, she told me about the daily gratitude ritual she practices with her 95-year-old father, Charlie, that keeps them smiling and feeling good.
Therese moved in with Charlie, who's still sharp as a tack, during a bad time in both their lives. Charlie's wife had just died, Therese was at the tail end of a painful divorce, and money was tight. They were as glum as any two people could be. But both had heard that gratitude was a great way to feel better, so they decided to sit together for a few minutes each morning before Therese headed off to work and tell each other three things they were grateful for in their lives.
"It was slow going in the beginning," Therese told me. "The first time we did it, I had a hard time thinking of even one thing I was grateful for." Finally, she looked around the room and saw a vase she liked. She told Charlie, "I'm grateful for how pretty that vase is." It sounded silly, but it was the best she could do. Charlie wasn't any better at it, often waiting for Therese to give him a clue about what to say. But she and Charlie both noticed that even a thank-you for something superficial had a good effect.
Soon, their decision to focus on what was right in their lives began to pay off. Both Therese and Charlie started to feel happier, and to notice that more and more things were going their way. Even their money situation improved. Three thank-yous became five, then ten, and soon they had to stop listing the good things in their lives long before they ran out of things to say-or Therese would be late for work.
One day, they were feeling so light and happy after finishing their lists that Charlie, who'd always liked the musical Oklahoma, started singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning." Therese joined in. It was the perfect expression of how being grateful made them feel. They added this song to their ritual and now "saying their thank-yous" and singing together has become one of the highlights of their day.
I've experienced myself just how powerful gratitude is. Once, after going through a heartbreak, a friend told me to write down five things I was grateful for each night before I went to bed for three weeks straight. I knew that psychologists say it takes 21 days to change a habit, so I agreed. At first I struggled to come up with anything, but I continued doing it every night and over time the pain in my heart eased.
Try doing the gratitude exercise yourself. Every night before you go to sleep, list five things that you're grateful for that day, and notice how you feel when you wake up the next morning. A grateful heart can send your happiness level soaring."
Marci Shimoff
"A year ago, at a get-together of a dozen girlfriends from college, I saw my old friend, Therese Gibson. When I told her I was writing a book called Happy for No Reason, which focuses on the 21 core habits of unconditionally happy people, she told me about the daily gratitude ritual she practices with her 95-year-old father, Charlie, that keeps them smiling and feeling good.
Therese moved in with Charlie, who's still sharp as a tack, during a bad time in both their lives. Charlie's wife had just died, Therese was at the tail end of a painful divorce, and money was tight. They were as glum as any two people could be. But both had heard that gratitude was a great way to feel better, so they decided to sit together for a few minutes each morning before Therese headed off to work and tell each other three things they were grateful for in their lives.
"It was slow going in the beginning," Therese told me. "The first time we did it, I had a hard time thinking of even one thing I was grateful for." Finally, she looked around the room and saw a vase she liked. She told Charlie, "I'm grateful for how pretty that vase is." It sounded silly, but it was the best she could do. Charlie wasn't any better at it, often waiting for Therese to give him a clue about what to say. But she and Charlie both noticed that even a thank-you for something superficial had a good effect.
Soon, their decision to focus on what was right in their lives began to pay off. Both Therese and Charlie started to feel happier, and to notice that more and more things were going their way. Even their money situation improved. Three thank-yous became five, then ten, and soon they had to stop listing the good things in their lives long before they ran out of things to say-or Therese would be late for work.
One day, they were feeling so light and happy after finishing their lists that Charlie, who'd always liked the musical Oklahoma, started singing "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning." Therese joined in. It was the perfect expression of how being grateful made them feel. They added this song to their ritual and now "saying their thank-yous" and singing together has become one of the highlights of their day.
I've experienced myself just how powerful gratitude is. Once, after going through a heartbreak, a friend told me to write down five things I was grateful for each night before I went to bed for three weeks straight. I knew that psychologists say it takes 21 days to change a habit, so I agreed. At first I struggled to come up with anything, but I continued doing it every night and over time the pain in my heart eased.
Try doing the gratitude exercise yourself. Every night before you go to sleep, list five things that you're grateful for that day, and notice how you feel when you wake up the next morning. A grateful heart can send your happiness level soaring."
Marci Shimoff
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Walk a mile a day: your 3rd "thing to do" for 2008
If you're big into staying fit and looking good, you might look down on today's suggestion. After all, maybe you work out, walk 3 miles a day, and do Bowflex.
But for many folks, walking a mile seems like a stretch. It's not.
Most healthy adults can walk a mile in 15 minutes. That's a brisk walk, but not strenuous. 30 minutes for a mile is easy.
And if you get started doing a mile a day, other stuff will come along. In other words, if you start walking, you'll quickly realize how good exercise feels, and you'll probably start to do more. But start with this.
It's best if you can set a time for a brisk walk. Walking in one stretch gets your breathing going well, and gives you a few minutes to clear your mind of mental cobwebs and the irritants of the day.
Find a time when you are least likely to be interrupted. Is morning best for you? How about during a lunch break? Late afternoons? At night? You know your schedule, and you know how you operate. Find the time, set it aside, and make it a goal: 1 mile, every day.
And make sure it's a mile: I clocked some distances in my car. Failing that, use a pedometer.
A pedometer is also good if you just can't set aside a time, but want to make sure you're getting in a mile. Some folks do little tricks like parking at the back of parking lots so that they have to walk further. I don't think that's quite as good as a sustained walk, but it sure beats not walking at all.
But for many folks, walking a mile seems like a stretch. It's not.
Most healthy adults can walk a mile in 15 minutes. That's a brisk walk, but not strenuous. 30 minutes for a mile is easy.
And if you get started doing a mile a day, other stuff will come along. In other words, if you start walking, you'll quickly realize how good exercise feels, and you'll probably start to do more. But start with this.
It's best if you can set a time for a brisk walk. Walking in one stretch gets your breathing going well, and gives you a few minutes to clear your mind of mental cobwebs and the irritants of the day.
Find a time when you are least likely to be interrupted. Is morning best for you? How about during a lunch break? Late afternoons? At night? You know your schedule, and you know how you operate. Find the time, set it aside, and make it a goal: 1 mile, every day.
And make sure it's a mile: I clocked some distances in my car. Failing that, use a pedometer.
A pedometer is also good if you just can't set aside a time, but want to make sure you're getting in a mile. Some folks do little tricks like parking at the back of parking lots so that they have to walk further. I don't think that's quite as good as a sustained walk, but it sure beats not walking at all.
Unconditional happiness
"When you're happy for no reason, you're unconditionally happy. It's not that your life always looks perfect - it's just that however it looks, you'll still be happy."
Marci Shimoff
author
Marci Shimoff
author
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
How to define adulthood
"Adulthood is defined by the willingness to accept full responsibility for where you are at in life; no longer blaming others or circumstances."
Joe Westbrook
Joe Westbrook
Green tea and infections
"This supplement may be the solution to a common fatal illness
A friend's mother was recently hospitalized. Her body was trying to fight a severe infection but was losing the battle. A simple bacterial infection got out of control and became an acute inflammatory response. Her body went into shock and her blood pressure dropped dramatically and she needed prompt medical attention.
This woman had a condition that is more common than you may think. It's the leading cause of death in non-coronary patients in hospitals' Intensive Care Unit, and the tenth most common cause of death overall. The condition is an acute inflammatory response called sepsis.
You need a strong immune system to control this infection, but often a septic person has low immunity. Most doctors treat all stages of sepsis with antibiotics. But if a person has taken too many antibiotics in the past, the bacteria that can lead to sepsis may be resistant to them.
A recent study published in the Public Library of Science may have found the answer. What's more, it's cheap and available in any health food store. Dr. Haichao Wang, PhD, of The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, and his team, were studying the effects of Chinese herbs on sepsis. They found that a substance in green tea called EGCG blocked a substance found in the late stages of fatal sepsis. This stopped sepsis in its tracks. In fact, survival increased from 53% (no EGCG) to 82% (400-500 mg EGCG/day). That's an amazing improvement!
If you or anyone you know has a bacterial infection that could lead to sepsis, you may want to take two or three capsules of high-potency EGCG supplements a day. It could do more than conventional treatment, and it won't interfere with antibiotics or other medications.
For added insurance, add a good quality probiotic to your supplement regime for a few months. And boost your immunity with medicinal mushrooms, like MycoPhyto Plus, or other immune-enhancing products. Get plenty of rest, and stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day. This combination could save your life.
Your voice of reason in women's health,
Dr. Nan
"Green tea proves powerful medicine against sepsis," Science Daily, November 10, 2007."
A friend's mother was recently hospitalized. Her body was trying to fight a severe infection but was losing the battle. A simple bacterial infection got out of control and became an acute inflammatory response. Her body went into shock and her blood pressure dropped dramatically and she needed prompt medical attention.
This woman had a condition that is more common than you may think. It's the leading cause of death in non-coronary patients in hospitals' Intensive Care Unit, and the tenth most common cause of death overall. The condition is an acute inflammatory response called sepsis.
You need a strong immune system to control this infection, but often a septic person has low immunity. Most doctors treat all stages of sepsis with antibiotics. But if a person has taken too many antibiotics in the past, the bacteria that can lead to sepsis may be resistant to them.
A recent study published in the Public Library of Science may have found the answer. What's more, it's cheap and available in any health food store. Dr. Haichao Wang, PhD, of The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, and his team, were studying the effects of Chinese herbs on sepsis. They found that a substance in green tea called EGCG blocked a substance found in the late stages of fatal sepsis. This stopped sepsis in its tracks. In fact, survival increased from 53% (no EGCG) to 82% (400-500 mg EGCG/day). That's an amazing improvement!
If you or anyone you know has a bacterial infection that could lead to sepsis, you may want to take two or three capsules of high-potency EGCG supplements a day. It could do more than conventional treatment, and it won't interfere with antibiotics or other medications.
For added insurance, add a good quality probiotic to your supplement regime for a few months. And boost your immunity with medicinal mushrooms, like MycoPhyto Plus, or other immune-enhancing products. Get plenty of rest, and stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day. This combination could save your life.
Your voice of reason in women's health,
Dr. Nan
"Green tea proves powerful medicine against sepsis," Science Daily, November 10, 2007."
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Why energy drinks may be bad for you
"Marketers would have us believe that superpowers can be had by popping the top and guzzling a colorful can of "energy" with names like Red Bull, Vitamin Water, Monster Energy and Guru. However, while energy drinks flowed fairly easily from gyms to the club scene to the mainstream, new research has linked them to health risks. This is truly ironic given how the beverages are sold to the health-seeking set. I asked Nancy Appleton, PhD, a nutritional consultant based in La Jolla, California, and author of Stopping Inflammation (Square One), whether or not there is any basis at all for claims that these drinks have positive attributes. In a word, "no," she said.
According to Dr. Appleton, energy is about calories and providing nutrients to fuel our bodies. Food and rest take care of both. There's nothing to be gained by turning to artificial, chemical-laden products that are, in fact, actually harmful. Dr. Appleton says the caffeine content of many energy drinks is uncomfortably high. According to a report in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology, energy drinks contain as much as 141 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per serving, often more than an eight-ounce cup of coffee (about 83 mg to 135 mg -- and coffee also contains natural co-factors that counteract some of the stimulating effect of caffeine). Energy drinks also exceed the .02% caffeine content generally recognized as safe by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in its guidelines for colas. In comparison, a 12-ounce Coca-Cola Classic contains 34.5 mg of caffeine... Pepsi contains 38 mg... and Tab has 46.5 mg. And, with energy drinks, as with colas and cups of coffee, many people don't stop with one.
RESEARCH PINPOINTS RISKS
In addition to excess amounts of caffeine, research conducted at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and presented at the American Heart Association's annual conference in 2007 found a link between consumption of energy drinks and elevated blood pressure and heart rate. After abstaining from all caffeine for two days, healthy young adults drank two energy drinks, each containing 80 milligrams of caffeine and 1,000 milligrams of taurine, an amino acid thought to boost alertness that is found in protein foods like meat and fish. Having taken baseline measurements before energy drink consumption, researchers measured blood pressure, heart rate and did an EKG following the drink -- at 30 minutes, an hour, two, three and four hours later. For the next five days, subjects consumed two energy drinks a day. On the seventh day researchers followed the same procedures as on the first day -- baseline measures for days one and seven were compared. After energy drink consumption, heart rates increased five to seven beats per minute, and systolic blood pressure increased by 10 mmHg. Though not raised to a degree that would be dangerous in healthy adults, researchers noted that this effect could be detrimental in people with health problems, including some who aren't aware of their increased risk.
LET THE BUYER BEWARE
Manufacturers of energy drinks are shrewdly pursuing the often sleep-deprived young adult marketplace. However, even though this group is considered relatively healthy and fit, they need to beware of health risks associated with excessive use of these products...
* Exercise and sports. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it promotes the production of urine by the kidneys. Severe dehydration may result when you combine the effect of the caffeine in the drinks with the natural fluid loss that occurs with exercise and sweating. Because of this risk, the American College of Sports Medicine discourages high school athletes from drinking these stimulant-containing energy or sports drinks.
* Energy drinks and alcohol. Some recent entries in the energy drink market contain alcohol. But whether purchased as an all-in-one product or with alcohol added separately, it's important to note that there are particular dangers to imbibing spiked energy drinks since they contain both stimulants and a depressant (the alcohol). The stimulants mask the fatigue that normally serves to signal that you've had too much to drink and it's time to quit. They may also reduce perceived impairment, and lead inexperienced kids (adults too, for that matter) to believe that they are more sober than they actually are. That can lead to poor judgment... and sometimes serious accidents. The fact that these substances are combined can also affect how they are metabolized, leading to the potential for serious medical problems when done in excess, and/or by people who are vulnerable, including those on prescription or OTC medications.
* Posing as "natural." To appeal to health-conscious consumers, many marketers pump their drinks full of vitamins, amino acids or herbs (such as carnitine, guarana, ginseng, bitter orange), and then slap a "natural" label on the bottles. Don't be duped by this ruse, since there's nothing wholesome about these beverages and anything "natural" added to them is in amounts too tiny to have any benefit whatsoever.
* Bloated with sugar and calories. Like soft drinks, energy drinks can make you fat. Dr. Appleton warns that they are loaded with sugar -- equivalent to three or more teaspoons per can or bottle -- and empty calories. They might seem less "bad for you" than sodas... for example, one serving of green tea flavored Vitamin Water contains 50 calories and 13 grams of sugar, while one 12-ounce Coca Cola Classic has 140 calories and 39 grams of sugar. But a more careful reading of the Vitamin Water label reveals that one serving consists of eight ounces and the beverage comes in 20-ounce bottles... so a bottle contains 125 calories and 32.5 grams of sugar. Additionally energy drinks are often made from fructose -- crystalline fructose or high fructose corn syrup. Some experts believe these sweeteners are damaging and may do more harm to your liver and endocrine system than table sugar or glucose.
The best sports energy drink? A cool, clear, clean glass of water. It's more refreshing and it's better for your health."
Source:
Nancy Appleton, PhD, nutritional consultant based in La Jolla, California, and author of Lick the Sugar Habit (Penguin Putnam) and Stopping Inflammation (Square One).
According to Dr. Appleton, energy is about calories and providing nutrients to fuel our bodies. Food and rest take care of both. There's nothing to be gained by turning to artificial, chemical-laden products that are, in fact, actually harmful. Dr. Appleton says the caffeine content of many energy drinks is uncomfortably high. According to a report in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology, energy drinks contain as much as 141 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per serving, often more than an eight-ounce cup of coffee (about 83 mg to 135 mg -- and coffee also contains natural co-factors that counteract some of the stimulating effect of caffeine). Energy drinks also exceed the .02% caffeine content generally recognized as safe by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in its guidelines for colas. In comparison, a 12-ounce Coca-Cola Classic contains 34.5 mg of caffeine... Pepsi contains 38 mg... and Tab has 46.5 mg. And, with energy drinks, as with colas and cups of coffee, many people don't stop with one.
RESEARCH PINPOINTS RISKS
In addition to excess amounts of caffeine, research conducted at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and presented at the American Heart Association's annual conference in 2007 found a link between consumption of energy drinks and elevated blood pressure and heart rate. After abstaining from all caffeine for two days, healthy young adults drank two energy drinks, each containing 80 milligrams of caffeine and 1,000 milligrams of taurine, an amino acid thought to boost alertness that is found in protein foods like meat and fish. Having taken baseline measurements before energy drink consumption, researchers measured blood pressure, heart rate and did an EKG following the drink -- at 30 minutes, an hour, two, three and four hours later. For the next five days, subjects consumed two energy drinks a day. On the seventh day researchers followed the same procedures as on the first day -- baseline measures for days one and seven were compared. After energy drink consumption, heart rates increased five to seven beats per minute, and systolic blood pressure increased by 10 mmHg. Though not raised to a degree that would be dangerous in healthy adults, researchers noted that this effect could be detrimental in people with health problems, including some who aren't aware of their increased risk.
LET THE BUYER BEWARE
Manufacturers of energy drinks are shrewdly pursuing the often sleep-deprived young adult marketplace. However, even though this group is considered relatively healthy and fit, they need to beware of health risks associated with excessive use of these products...
* Exercise and sports. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it promotes the production of urine by the kidneys. Severe dehydration may result when you combine the effect of the caffeine in the drinks with the natural fluid loss that occurs with exercise and sweating. Because of this risk, the American College of Sports Medicine discourages high school athletes from drinking these stimulant-containing energy or sports drinks.
* Energy drinks and alcohol. Some recent entries in the energy drink market contain alcohol. But whether purchased as an all-in-one product or with alcohol added separately, it's important to note that there are particular dangers to imbibing spiked energy drinks since they contain both stimulants and a depressant (the alcohol). The stimulants mask the fatigue that normally serves to signal that you've had too much to drink and it's time to quit. They may also reduce perceived impairment, and lead inexperienced kids (adults too, for that matter) to believe that they are more sober than they actually are. That can lead to poor judgment... and sometimes serious accidents. The fact that these substances are combined can also affect how they are metabolized, leading to the potential for serious medical problems when done in excess, and/or by people who are vulnerable, including those on prescription or OTC medications.
* Posing as "natural." To appeal to health-conscious consumers, many marketers pump their drinks full of vitamins, amino acids or herbs (such as carnitine, guarana, ginseng, bitter orange), and then slap a "natural" label on the bottles. Don't be duped by this ruse, since there's nothing wholesome about these beverages and anything "natural" added to them is in amounts too tiny to have any benefit whatsoever.
* Bloated with sugar and calories. Like soft drinks, energy drinks can make you fat. Dr. Appleton warns that they are loaded with sugar -- equivalent to three or more teaspoons per can or bottle -- and empty calories. They might seem less "bad for you" than sodas... for example, one serving of green tea flavored Vitamin Water contains 50 calories and 13 grams of sugar, while one 12-ounce Coca Cola Classic has 140 calories and 39 grams of sugar. But a more careful reading of the Vitamin Water label reveals that one serving consists of eight ounces and the beverage comes in 20-ounce bottles... so a bottle contains 125 calories and 32.5 grams of sugar. Additionally energy drinks are often made from fructose -- crystalline fructose or high fructose corn syrup. Some experts believe these sweeteners are damaging and may do more harm to your liver and endocrine system than table sugar or glucose.
The best sports energy drink? A cool, clear, clean glass of water. It's more refreshing and it's better for your health."
Source:
Nancy Appleton, PhD, nutritional consultant based in La Jolla, California, and author of Lick the Sugar Habit (Penguin Putnam) and Stopping Inflammation (Square One).
How to grow
"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave."
Mary Tyler Moore,
actress
Mary Tyler Moore,
actress
Monday, January 7, 2008
The second things for '08: fish oil
Fish oil is like vitamin C: it's a done deal, it's not experimental, and it's known to do so much for so many health challenges, that there's no excuse for not taking it.
Basically, what you're taking the fish oil for is to get a sufficient amount of omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. Recommended amounts vary from 2 to 5 grams daily; I take 2 grams, but there's almost no reports of adverse effects from those taking 5 (or even more) grams daily.
An aftertaste is sometimes a problem. If it is with you, keep experimenting until you find one that doesn't give you the aftertaste. Taking your fish oil with a meal will help to minimize this problem as well. (I take all of mine with breakfast because despite my reputation for being a health freak, I'm not, and I tend to forget things like this unless I get it done first thing in the morning).
So here's your second thing to do to make yourself healthy and beautiful in 2008. A mega-dose of vitamin C is what I suggested yesterday. Tomorrow: start walking.
Basically, what you're taking the fish oil for is to get a sufficient amount of omega 3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA. Recommended amounts vary from 2 to 5 grams daily; I take 2 grams, but there's almost no reports of adverse effects from those taking 5 (or even more) grams daily.
An aftertaste is sometimes a problem. If it is with you, keep experimenting until you find one that doesn't give you the aftertaste. Taking your fish oil with a meal will help to minimize this problem as well. (I take all of mine with breakfast because despite my reputation for being a health freak, I'm not, and I tend to forget things like this unless I get it done first thing in the morning).
So here's your second thing to do to make yourself healthy and beautiful in 2008. A mega-dose of vitamin C is what I suggested yesterday. Tomorrow: start walking.
Vasectomy linked to dementia
"My friend recently mentioned that her husband had scheduled a vasectomy for next month. This didn't surprise me... their kids are grown, they don't want more and what's not to like about being free of the hassles of birth control?
It's a common operation. Globally, it's estimated that more than 50 million men have had a vasectomy and it has always seemed there are few, if any, disadvantages to the sterilization procedure. However, a new study has found a surprising and potentially disturbing association between vasectomy and a particular form of dementia.
In and of itself, this kind of dementia is unusual. Called primary progressive aphasia (PPA), this is caused by a neurodegenerative disease of the brain that affects healthy brain cells initially in the left-sided area that houses language ability, called the perisylvian region. PPA follows a predictable course, typically taking about two years to produce enough symptoms for a definitive diagnosis, Sandra Weintraub, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University told me. What's first noticed is that people can't remember words -- initially this may seem like a common symptom, perhaps brought on by stress, but with PPA it continues to progress to the point where they're unable to recall words to express their thoughts. "Ultimately it affects reading and comprehension, and then, like all neurodegenerative diseases, it spreads and affects other areas of the brain, causing other cognitive and behavioral symptoms," Dr. Weintraub explained.
Dr. Weintraub, lead researcher on this study published in the journal Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, said the discovery of a possible link between vasectomy and PPA was serendipitous. While still lucid, a patient of hers insisted that his symptoms began right after his recent vasectomy. Dr. Weintraub initially discounted the possibility the two were linked, she says... that is until the day "he walked into a support group for PPA patients and asked how many of the men in the room had had the operation. Eight out of nine hands shot up. So I decided to investigate."
COMPELLING FINDINGS
What she found was disturbing. In order to compare prevalence of vasectomy, overall, with vasectomy patients who have developed PPA, Dr. Weintraub and her researchers surveyed two groups of men -- 47 men with PPA and 57 men without. They learned that only 16% of the non-impaired group had undergone vasectomies compared with 40% of patients in the PPA group.
GUILT BY ASSOCIATION -- BUT NOT CAUSATION
PPA is associated with -- not caused by -- vasectomy, stresses Dr. Weintraub, noting that women get PPA too -- and that the vast majority of men who have vasectomies do not develop the problem. The reason for the association is not yet known, though Dr. Weintraub did offer one speculative hypothesis: "Vasectomy breaks the blood-testes barrier that protects the testes from possible unfamiliar and harmful compounds in the blood. Some sperm gets released into the bloodstream -- since intact sperm are not normally found in circulation, the immune system may regard them as pathogens and react by creating defensive antibodies. Perhaps those antibodies to sperm cross into and harm this particular part of the brain."
Additional research is planned to further explore the link between vasectomy and PPA. The association could lie in a factor that may predispose some men to be more vulnerable to the effects of vasectomy than others, or another entirely unknown factor may be at play. Although the findings may have significance for PPA, at present they don't provide sufficient evidence to be used in reaching a decision about whether or not to undergo vasectomy. Risk, of course, is associated with many medical procedures, and the size of the risk in this case, although unknown, is presumably small since the prevalence of PPA is very low. In the meantime, however, Dr. Weintraub urges men considering the sterilization procedure to think through the decision carefully. Though the numbers are small, she feels the findings are significant."
Source:
Sandra Weintraub, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University in Chicago.
It's a common operation. Globally, it's estimated that more than 50 million men have had a vasectomy and it has always seemed there are few, if any, disadvantages to the sterilization procedure. However, a new study has found a surprising and potentially disturbing association between vasectomy and a particular form of dementia.
In and of itself, this kind of dementia is unusual. Called primary progressive aphasia (PPA), this is caused by a neurodegenerative disease of the brain that affects healthy brain cells initially in the left-sided area that houses language ability, called the perisylvian region. PPA follows a predictable course, typically taking about two years to produce enough symptoms for a definitive diagnosis, Sandra Weintraub, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University told me. What's first noticed is that people can't remember words -- initially this may seem like a common symptom, perhaps brought on by stress, but with PPA it continues to progress to the point where they're unable to recall words to express their thoughts. "Ultimately it affects reading and comprehension, and then, like all neurodegenerative diseases, it spreads and affects other areas of the brain, causing other cognitive and behavioral symptoms," Dr. Weintraub explained.
Dr. Weintraub, lead researcher on this study published in the journal Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology, said the discovery of a possible link between vasectomy and PPA was serendipitous. While still lucid, a patient of hers insisted that his symptoms began right after his recent vasectomy. Dr. Weintraub initially discounted the possibility the two were linked, she says... that is until the day "he walked into a support group for PPA patients and asked how many of the men in the room had had the operation. Eight out of nine hands shot up. So I decided to investigate."
COMPELLING FINDINGS
What she found was disturbing. In order to compare prevalence of vasectomy, overall, with vasectomy patients who have developed PPA, Dr. Weintraub and her researchers surveyed two groups of men -- 47 men with PPA and 57 men without. They learned that only 16% of the non-impaired group had undergone vasectomies compared with 40% of patients in the PPA group.
GUILT BY ASSOCIATION -- BUT NOT CAUSATION
PPA is associated with -- not caused by -- vasectomy, stresses Dr. Weintraub, noting that women get PPA too -- and that the vast majority of men who have vasectomies do not develop the problem. The reason for the association is not yet known, though Dr. Weintraub did offer one speculative hypothesis: "Vasectomy breaks the blood-testes barrier that protects the testes from possible unfamiliar and harmful compounds in the blood. Some sperm gets released into the bloodstream -- since intact sperm are not normally found in circulation, the immune system may regard them as pathogens and react by creating defensive antibodies. Perhaps those antibodies to sperm cross into and harm this particular part of the brain."
Additional research is planned to further explore the link between vasectomy and PPA. The association could lie in a factor that may predispose some men to be more vulnerable to the effects of vasectomy than others, or another entirely unknown factor may be at play. Although the findings may have significance for PPA, at present they don't provide sufficient evidence to be used in reaching a decision about whether or not to undergo vasectomy. Risk, of course, is associated with many medical procedures, and the size of the risk in this case, although unknown, is presumably small since the prevalence of PPA is very low. In the meantime, however, Dr. Weintraub urges men considering the sterilization procedure to think through the decision carefully. Though the numbers are small, she feels the findings are significant."
Source:
Sandra Weintraub, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University in Chicago.
Using money as a tool
James Arthur Ray
From his upcoming book, Harmonic Wealth
"People ask me, "Does The Law of Attraction work?" Of course it works. But that's asking the wrong question. The right question is: "What's my unique purpose, and how can I use the Law of Attraction to give value to the world? When you've defined your true-life direction and followed it, you're living the true secret.
One of the most brilliant minds that ever lived, Albert Einstein, said, "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." I'd like you to count income in a different way from here on out. There are two types: psychic and material income.
How many times have you been involved in a church activity, volunteering, or if you have children - Little League or the PTA? Maybe you've donated your time to worthy causes, and you've received absolutely no monetary or material income. Let me ask you, why did you invest any of your precious time without financial reward? You know the answer; you did this because you received something in return that told you that you were part of something meaningful. You were contributing, giving at a higher level. That's psychic income, and it's the most important income you'll ever receive.
Every single one of us has a deep need to contribute, to give something back, to be part of something meaningful, and that's how you and I are going to define our psychic income. Your psychic income is the most important income you will ever, ever receive.
Money is nothing more than a neutral tool. It's like a knife; you can use it to cut bread or turn it into a weapon. The tool is neither good nor bad. It just is. And it's only defined by the intention of the user. For this reason, let's talk about how we can actually create a monetary income that allows our psychic income to flourish. I'm going to suggest that you create enough money in your life so that you don't have to worry about it. When money becomes a non-issue, you're able to put your primary focus on the other key areas of life - your relationships, your intellect, your health, and your spiritual life. Sound good?"
From his upcoming book, Harmonic Wealth
"People ask me, "Does The Law of Attraction work?" Of course it works. But that's asking the wrong question. The right question is: "What's my unique purpose, and how can I use the Law of Attraction to give value to the world? When you've defined your true-life direction and followed it, you're living the true secret.
One of the most brilliant minds that ever lived, Albert Einstein, said, "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." I'd like you to count income in a different way from here on out. There are two types: psychic and material income.
How many times have you been involved in a church activity, volunteering, or if you have children - Little League or the PTA? Maybe you've donated your time to worthy causes, and you've received absolutely no monetary or material income. Let me ask you, why did you invest any of your precious time without financial reward? You know the answer; you did this because you received something in return that told you that you were part of something meaningful. You were contributing, giving at a higher level. That's psychic income, and it's the most important income you'll ever receive.
Every single one of us has a deep need to contribute, to give something back, to be part of something meaningful, and that's how you and I are going to define our psychic income. Your psychic income is the most important income you will ever, ever receive.
Money is nothing more than a neutral tool. It's like a knife; you can use it to cut bread or turn it into a weapon. The tool is neither good nor bad. It just is. And it's only defined by the intention of the user. For this reason, let's talk about how we can actually create a monetary income that allows our psychic income to flourish. I'm going to suggest that you create enough money in your life so that you don't have to worry about it. When money becomes a non-issue, you're able to put your primary focus on the other key areas of life - your relationships, your intellect, your health, and your spiritual life. Sound good?"
The truth about saturated fat
from our friends at mercola.com
"The first scientific indictment of saturated fat was made in 1953. Dr. Ancel Keys published an influential paper comparing fat intake and heart disease mortality in six countries: the United States, Canada, Australia, England, Italy, and Japan. The Americans ate the most fat and had the highest death rate from heart disease; the Japanese ate the least fat and had the fewest heart disease deaths.
But while data from those six countries seemed to support the diet-heart hypothesis, statistics were actually available for 22 countries. When all 22 were analyzed, the apparent link disappeared. The death rate from heart disease in Finland was 24 times that of Mexico, although fat-consumption rates in the two nations were almost the same.
This fascinating MSNBC article examines in depth why saturated fat has been unfairly demonized, and the truth about fats and heart health.
Sources:
a.. MSNBC December 13, 2007
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I don't know if you fell for it, but I certainly did -- the low fat myth. I bought it hook line and sinker in the 70s and early 80s, and it was all based on flawed science. Low fat is actually quite good for the 1/3 of people who are carb nutritional types. Unfortunately it wasn't very good for me at all and caused some health challenges.
Fortunately though, I continued to study and learn and eventually realized that fat was not the evil it was being made out to be.
A subset of the low fat myth that persists to this day is the belief that saturated fat will increase your risk of heart attacks. In 2002 the "expert" Food & Nutrition Board gave the following misguided statement: "Saturated fats and dietary cholesterol have no known beneficial role in preventing chronic disease and are not required at any level in the diet."
Folks, this is simply another myth that has been harming your health and your loved ones for the last 30 or 40 years, ever since Dr. Keys managed to convince the establishment that his unproven hypothesis was fact.
Confusing the Facts is Part of the Problem
Part of the scientific confusion relates to the fact that your body is capable of synthesizing saturated fats that it needs from carbohydrates, and these saturated fats are principally the same ones present in dietary fats of animal origin. However, and this is the key, not all saturated fatty acids are the same. There are subtle differences that have profound health implications, and if you avoid eating all saturated fats you will suffer serious health consequences.
There are in fact more than a dozen different types of saturated fat, but you predominantly consume only three: stearic acid, palmitic acid and lauric acid.
It's already been well established that stearic acid (found in cocoa and animal fat) has zero effect on your cholesterol levels, and actually gets converted in your liver into the monounsaturated fat called oleic acid.
The other two, palmitic and lauric acid, do raise total cholesterol. However, since they raise "good" cholesterol as much or more than "bad" cholesterol, you're still actually lowering your risk of heart disease.
Why do You Need Saturated Fat?
Foods containing saturated fats include:
a.. Meat
b.. Dairy products
c.. Some oils
d.. Tropical plants such as coconut and palm trees
These (saturated) fats from animal and vegetable sources provide a concentrated source of energy in your diet, and they provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone like substances.
When you eat fats as part of your meal, they slow down absorption so that you can go longer without feeling hungry. In addition, they act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Dietary fats are also needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption, and for a host of other biological processes.
Humans have eaten animal products for most of their existence on earth and therefore, they have consumed saturated fats for most of that time. If saturated fats were of no value or were harmful to you, why would breast milk produce saturated fats like butyric, caproic, caprylic, capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic and stearic acids, which provide a naturally perfected source of nourishment to ensure the growth, development and survival of your infants?
Saturated fats are also:
a.. The preferred fuel for your heart, and also used as a source of fuel during energy expenditure
b.. Useful antiviral agents (caprylic acid)
c.. Effective as an anticaries, antiplaque and anti fungal agents (lauric acid)
d.. Useful to actually lower cholesterol levels (palmitic and stearic acids)
e.. Modulators of genetic regulation and prevent cancer (butyric acid)
f..
However, There IS Still a Link Between Fat and Heart Disease!
Now, it is clear that there is some association between fat and heart disease. The problem lies in the fact that most studies make no effort to differentiate between saturated fat and trans fat. I believe this is the missing link.
If researchers were to more carefully evaluate the risks of heart disease by measuring the levels of trans and saturated fat, I believe they would find a completely different story.
Trans fat is known to increase your LDL levels, or "bad" cholesterol, while lowering your levels of HDL, known as "good" cholesterol, which, of course is the complete opposite of what you need in order to maintain good heart health. It can also cause major clogging of arteries, type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems.
Unfortunately, many food companies use trans fat instead of oil because it reduces cost, extends storage life of products and can improve flavor and texture.
Your body needs some amount of saturated fat to stay healthy. It is virtually impossible to achieve a nutritionally adequate diet that has no saturated fat. What you don't need, however, are trans fats.
One point you should be aware of is the loophole used by many food companies to get around the labeling requirements for trans fats. See, they can still claim their product is trans fat-free if it has less than 500 mg trans fat per serving. So many have decreased their serving size to the point that the ratio of trans fat falls below 500 mg.
Therefore, if a serving size seems ridiculously low, it's probably hiding trans fat content.
Contradictory Results SUPPORT Nutritional Typing
Studies also clearly show that despite great compliance to low saturated fat diets, there is a wide difference in biological responses. What could this mean? Is it just poor science or flawed studies?
Not necessarily, because for one, it absolutely supports nutritional typing, which predicts that one-third of people will do very well on low saturated fat diets (which supports the studies showing that they work), but another one-third of people need high saturated fat diets to stay healthy. I happen to be one of those who need a high saturated fat diet to stay healthy and warm.
I would agree with the final conclusion of this MSNBC article, that bad habits, such as lack of exercise and not eating the right foods for your biochemical needs cause more heart disease than any specific "bad food." As Dr. Volek stated, "If you consistently consume more calories than you burn and you gain weight, your risk of heart disease will increase - whether you favor eating saturated fats, carbs, or both."
"The first scientific indictment of saturated fat was made in 1953. Dr. Ancel Keys published an influential paper comparing fat intake and heart disease mortality in six countries: the United States, Canada, Australia, England, Italy, and Japan. The Americans ate the most fat and had the highest death rate from heart disease; the Japanese ate the least fat and had the fewest heart disease deaths.
But while data from those six countries seemed to support the diet-heart hypothesis, statistics were actually available for 22 countries. When all 22 were analyzed, the apparent link disappeared. The death rate from heart disease in Finland was 24 times that of Mexico, although fat-consumption rates in the two nations were almost the same.
This fascinating MSNBC article examines in depth why saturated fat has been unfairly demonized, and the truth about fats and heart health.
Sources:
a.. MSNBC December 13, 2007
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I don't know if you fell for it, but I certainly did -- the low fat myth. I bought it hook line and sinker in the 70s and early 80s, and it was all based on flawed science. Low fat is actually quite good for the 1/3 of people who are carb nutritional types. Unfortunately it wasn't very good for me at all and caused some health challenges.
Fortunately though, I continued to study and learn and eventually realized that fat was not the evil it was being made out to be.
A subset of the low fat myth that persists to this day is the belief that saturated fat will increase your risk of heart attacks. In 2002 the "expert" Food & Nutrition Board gave the following misguided statement: "Saturated fats and dietary cholesterol have no known beneficial role in preventing chronic disease and are not required at any level in the diet."
Folks, this is simply another myth that has been harming your health and your loved ones for the last 30 or 40 years, ever since Dr. Keys managed to convince the establishment that his unproven hypothesis was fact.
Confusing the Facts is Part of the Problem
Part of the scientific confusion relates to the fact that your body is capable of synthesizing saturated fats that it needs from carbohydrates, and these saturated fats are principally the same ones present in dietary fats of animal origin. However, and this is the key, not all saturated fatty acids are the same. There are subtle differences that have profound health implications, and if you avoid eating all saturated fats you will suffer serious health consequences.
There are in fact more than a dozen different types of saturated fat, but you predominantly consume only three: stearic acid, palmitic acid and lauric acid.
It's already been well established that stearic acid (found in cocoa and animal fat) has zero effect on your cholesterol levels, and actually gets converted in your liver into the monounsaturated fat called oleic acid.
The other two, palmitic and lauric acid, do raise total cholesterol. However, since they raise "good" cholesterol as much or more than "bad" cholesterol, you're still actually lowering your risk of heart disease.
Why do You Need Saturated Fat?
Foods containing saturated fats include:
a.. Meat
b.. Dairy products
c.. Some oils
d.. Tropical plants such as coconut and palm trees
These (saturated) fats from animal and vegetable sources provide a concentrated source of energy in your diet, and they provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone like substances.
When you eat fats as part of your meal, they slow down absorption so that you can go longer without feeling hungry. In addition, they act as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Dietary fats are also needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption, and for a host of other biological processes.
Humans have eaten animal products for most of their existence on earth and therefore, they have consumed saturated fats for most of that time. If saturated fats were of no value or were harmful to you, why would breast milk produce saturated fats like butyric, caproic, caprylic, capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic and stearic acids, which provide a naturally perfected source of nourishment to ensure the growth, development and survival of your infants?
Saturated fats are also:
a.. The preferred fuel for your heart, and also used as a source of fuel during energy expenditure
b.. Useful antiviral agents (caprylic acid)
c.. Effective as an anticaries, antiplaque and anti fungal agents (lauric acid)
d.. Useful to actually lower cholesterol levels (palmitic and stearic acids)
e.. Modulators of genetic regulation and prevent cancer (butyric acid)
f..
However, There IS Still a Link Between Fat and Heart Disease!
Now, it is clear that there is some association between fat and heart disease. The problem lies in the fact that most studies make no effort to differentiate between saturated fat and trans fat. I believe this is the missing link.
If researchers were to more carefully evaluate the risks of heart disease by measuring the levels of trans and saturated fat, I believe they would find a completely different story.
Trans fat is known to increase your LDL levels, or "bad" cholesterol, while lowering your levels of HDL, known as "good" cholesterol, which, of course is the complete opposite of what you need in order to maintain good heart health. It can also cause major clogging of arteries, type 2 diabetes and other serious health problems.
Unfortunately, many food companies use trans fat instead of oil because it reduces cost, extends storage life of products and can improve flavor and texture.
Your body needs some amount of saturated fat to stay healthy. It is virtually impossible to achieve a nutritionally adequate diet that has no saturated fat. What you don't need, however, are trans fats.
One point you should be aware of is the loophole used by many food companies to get around the labeling requirements for trans fats. See, they can still claim their product is trans fat-free if it has less than 500 mg trans fat per serving. So many have decreased their serving size to the point that the ratio of trans fat falls below 500 mg.
Therefore, if a serving size seems ridiculously low, it's probably hiding trans fat content.
Contradictory Results SUPPORT Nutritional Typing
Studies also clearly show that despite great compliance to low saturated fat diets, there is a wide difference in biological responses. What could this mean? Is it just poor science or flawed studies?
Not necessarily, because for one, it absolutely supports nutritional typing, which predicts that one-third of people will do very well on low saturated fat diets (which supports the studies showing that they work), but another one-third of people need high saturated fat diets to stay healthy. I happen to be one of those who need a high saturated fat diet to stay healthy and warm.
I would agree with the final conclusion of this MSNBC article, that bad habits, such as lack of exercise and not eating the right foods for your biochemical needs cause more heart disease than any specific "bad food." As Dr. Volek stated, "If you consistently consume more calories than you burn and you gain weight, your risk of heart disease will increase - whether you favor eating saturated fats, carbs, or both."
Sunday, January 6, 2008
8 things for '08
I'm one of those people who think that new year's resolutions are a good thing.
It's a good thing to have a time every year when you look back, reflect, think about what you've done, look forward to the future, and think about things that will help you make that future a reality.
So for the next few days, I'm going to offer 8 things you can do in 2008. These are not complicated things, but they will change your life.
I'm starting with the "concrete" things. The first: start taking vitamin C.
Vitamin C is good for your health, bolsters your immune system, is indicated to help with a large number of health challenges, and there's no downside.
I take 3 grams a day when my health is normal. If I get a cold or other minor health challenge, I take another couple, usually around 5 grams a day. And because I'm lazy, and tend to forget, I take it in the form of 5 1000 mg. (1000 mg. = 1 gram) tablets in the morning with breakfast.
Just start. Make vitamin C a habit. And do it every day.
It's a good thing to have a time every year when you look back, reflect, think about what you've done, look forward to the future, and think about things that will help you make that future a reality.
So for the next few days, I'm going to offer 8 things you can do in 2008. These are not complicated things, but they will change your life.
I'm starting with the "concrete" things. The first: start taking vitamin C.
Vitamin C is good for your health, bolsters your immune system, is indicated to help with a large number of health challenges, and there's no downside.
I take 3 grams a day when my health is normal. If I get a cold or other minor health challenge, I take another couple, usually around 5 grams a day. And because I'm lazy, and tend to forget, I take it in the form of 5 1000 mg. (1000 mg. = 1 gram) tablets in the morning with breakfast.
Just start. Make vitamin C a habit. And do it every day.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Whole milk and prostate cancer
Despite the drumbeat of people who tell you that we should be drinking skim milk, the evidence isn't there.
The reality is, for example, that low fat and skim milks are higher glycemic foods, and thereby make us fatter than whole milk.
Now another study: this one indicating that low fat and skim milk is associated with prostate cancer. Read it here.
The reality is, for example, that low fat and skim milks are higher glycemic foods, and thereby make us fatter than whole milk.
Now another study: this one indicating that low fat and skim milk is associated with prostate cancer. Read it here.
How not to dig your grave with your fork: fasting and health
From our friends at bottomlinesecrets.com
"Fasting to enhance your health is an ancient practice, supposedly recommended by Socrates, Plato and Hippocrates. Going without food for a prescribed period also has a rich spiritual tradition, while on a far less profound level assorted fasts or "detox programs" are popular in certain fashionable circles. It's a controversial issue, so when I encountered a research study examining the effects of calorie restriction, I set off on my own quest for enlightenment on the health benefits of fasting. Here's what I learned...
ENERGY THROUGH DETOXIFICATION
"Fasting is the single greatest healing therapy I know -- with detoxification, it is the missing link in Western nutrition," I was told by Elson Haas, MD, a specialist in family medicine, nutrition and detoxification and author of The New Detox Diet (Celestial Arts). Dr. Haas is founder and director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin, an integrated health care facility in San Rafael, California. Dr. Haas says these practices help people feel more vital, creative and open to emotional and spiritual energies.
We discussed the different types of diets, including the fast, and talked about how they work. Most stringent, said Dr. Haas, is the "water fast," which is exactly what it sounds like: no food, no juice, nothing but water -- and he doesn't recommend it. More than a day may in fact prove dangerous, though some spiritual disciplines continue to use it. Safer and more common is to diet by limiting yourself to the juices of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as herbal teas, said Dr. Haas, noting this regimen has been popularized as calorie restriction and liquid-only diets. "Fresh juices are easily digested so the nutrients they supply are quickly absorbed," he explained. "This kind of fast stimulates the body to clear wastes. Juice fasting is safer than water fasting, since it supports the body nutritionally while cleansing."
MICE ON DETOX DIETS
Where previous animal studies have shown that calorie restriction boosts longevity, a recent series of research studies adds a bit of additional weight to the health claims by fasting advocates. Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley tested different kinds of fasts on mice, alternating between fast days and the non-fast ("feast") days, when they could eat however much they wanted. Lead researcher Krista Varady, PhD, told me that certain fasting male mice showed reduced cell proliferation rates, including prostate cell proliferation, and reduced insulin-like growth factor IGF-1, which has been linked to various forms of cancer, including breast and prostate cancers.
There were four groups of mice, including a control group. One group was given nothing but water on alternate days... a second group got 50% of their normal caloric intake... and a third group ate 25% of their usual calories. The control group ate normally. Benefits correlated to fasting, with the most notably reduced cell proliferation rate seen in the most restricted -- the water-fasters. But since all three test groups showed some reduction over four weeks, Dr. Varady concluded that "the research showed that you can consume about 25% of your food on alternate days -- about one meal a day -- and still get some benefit."
FASTING MENUS
Dr. Varady's fasting mice did not eat any special food on their calorie-reduced days but humans on a "detox" program usually do -- and should, Dr. Haas emphasizes. Like most other health professionals, Dr. Haas starts a detox plan by having his patients eliminate sugar, nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and chemicals (he calls it the "SNACC" program). After a week of this, he suggests following a simple diet consisting of one piece of fruit, one daily bowl (about a half-cup dry) of cooked whole grains (millet, brown rice, amaranth, quinoa or oatmeal), plus two to four heaping bowls of steamed vegetables eaten throughout the day -- he calls this the "Detox Diet." "People who are fatigued or just feel they need protein can add three or four ounces of fish, poultry or beans without any reduction of benefits," he noted. This phase typically lasts a week or even two, and then people may slowly begin to add back more of their normal daily foods.
Other kinds of detox programs are variations of a juice fast, often involving a mix of vegetable juices and fruit juice smoothies, with optionally added protein powder. "Adding protein powder to your smoothies is especially important for those who don't want to lose weight, for athletes who don't want to lose muscle mass and for anyone with hypoglycemia or low blood sugar issues," Dr. Haas said. It's also okay to use milk made from rice, almonds or oats as a base for your smoothie, instead of fruit juice. Dr. Haas' book features a basic formula for smoothies -- one cup of liquid plus one cup of fresh or frozen fruit, plus whatever supplements you want or need to add, including ground flaxseed, wheat germ or fish oil. Also, he says he often adds green powders with grasses and algae.
THIS JUST IN
As we were going to press, a paper was presented at the 2007 annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando that seems to place another feather firmly in the fasting cap. Researchers examined the heart X-rays (called angiograms) of more than 4,000 male and female patients who participated in an ongoing study from 1994 through 2002, called the Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study. They found that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon faith) were significantly less likely to have coronary artery disease. Researchers have long known that Mormons are less likely to die of heart disease than the general population, but that's generally been attributed to the fact that they don't smoke. In this study, however, researchers controlled for the smoking factor and still found less coronary heart disease among Mormons. They devised a questionnaire to identify other healthy habits among the subjects and found that fasting was the strongest predictor of lower risk for heart disease. Mormons traditionally fast at least one day a month as part of their religion.
PROCEED WITH CAUTION
Fasting for the purpose of detoxifying is not without its risks -- and should never be undertaken without medical supervision. This recommendation becomes all the more important as health challenges become more complex or profound. For instance, naturopathic physician Sonja Pettersen, NMD, told me that people who have been exposed to extremely toxic chemicals such as Agent Orange, for example, in Vietnam War veterans, may encounter difficulties with stringent detoxification since toxins remain stored in fat until they are pulled out by such a program. "These should only be released under medical supervision," she warned. She also cautions that fasting is not appropriate for people with insulin-dependent diabetes, since it is so critical to keep blood sugar even.
While maintaining that commercial detox products are profit driven and are of limited general value, Daily Health News contributing medical editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, agrees that "there are benefits of incorporating some principles of a restricted diet into your daily life." His opinion is that strict and structured regimens are usually unnecessary, since maintaining a healthy system is really as simple as merely cutting back on a regular basis. "Reducing your caloric intake every other day -- or even for a week or so -- may allow your body to unburden itself a bit," he said. He says that water-only and juice-only regimens should not be instituted unless medically necessary and supervised.
Because fasting, whether in the form of calorie restriction or for detoxifying, represents such a dramatic change from the way most of us eat, it can be a challenge. Best advice: If you want to give it a go, try it for a day or so and work up to a longer period. "Detoxification can be intense and it may temporarily increase symptoms of sickness for some people," noted Dr. Haas. "But it can also be immediately helpful and uplifting."
Source(s):
Krista Varady, PhD, a research associate in the department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California at Berkeley.
Sonja Pettersen, NMD, a naturopathic physician and frequent Bottom Line contributor. She is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Elson M. Haas, MD, a specialist in family medicine, nutrition and detoxification and author of The New Detox Diet (Celestial Arts). Dr. Haas is founder and director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin, an integrated health care facility in San Rafael, California. www.elsonhaas.com.
"Fasting to enhance your health is an ancient practice, supposedly recommended by Socrates, Plato and Hippocrates. Going without food for a prescribed period also has a rich spiritual tradition, while on a far less profound level assorted fasts or "detox programs" are popular in certain fashionable circles. It's a controversial issue, so when I encountered a research study examining the effects of calorie restriction, I set off on my own quest for enlightenment on the health benefits of fasting. Here's what I learned...
ENERGY THROUGH DETOXIFICATION
"Fasting is the single greatest healing therapy I know -- with detoxification, it is the missing link in Western nutrition," I was told by Elson Haas, MD, a specialist in family medicine, nutrition and detoxification and author of The New Detox Diet (Celestial Arts). Dr. Haas is founder and director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin, an integrated health care facility in San Rafael, California. Dr. Haas says these practices help people feel more vital, creative and open to emotional and spiritual energies.
We discussed the different types of diets, including the fast, and talked about how they work. Most stringent, said Dr. Haas, is the "water fast," which is exactly what it sounds like: no food, no juice, nothing but water -- and he doesn't recommend it. More than a day may in fact prove dangerous, though some spiritual disciplines continue to use it. Safer and more common is to diet by limiting yourself to the juices of fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as herbal teas, said Dr. Haas, noting this regimen has been popularized as calorie restriction and liquid-only diets. "Fresh juices are easily digested so the nutrients they supply are quickly absorbed," he explained. "This kind of fast stimulates the body to clear wastes. Juice fasting is safer than water fasting, since it supports the body nutritionally while cleansing."
MICE ON DETOX DIETS
Where previous animal studies have shown that calorie restriction boosts longevity, a recent series of research studies adds a bit of additional weight to the health claims by fasting advocates. Researchers at the University of California at Berkeley tested different kinds of fasts on mice, alternating between fast days and the non-fast ("feast") days, when they could eat however much they wanted. Lead researcher Krista Varady, PhD, told me that certain fasting male mice showed reduced cell proliferation rates, including prostate cell proliferation, and reduced insulin-like growth factor IGF-1, which has been linked to various forms of cancer, including breast and prostate cancers.
There were four groups of mice, including a control group. One group was given nothing but water on alternate days... a second group got 50% of their normal caloric intake... and a third group ate 25% of their usual calories. The control group ate normally. Benefits correlated to fasting, with the most notably reduced cell proliferation rate seen in the most restricted -- the water-fasters. But since all three test groups showed some reduction over four weeks, Dr. Varady concluded that "the research showed that you can consume about 25% of your food on alternate days -- about one meal a day -- and still get some benefit."
FASTING MENUS
Dr. Varady's fasting mice did not eat any special food on their calorie-reduced days but humans on a "detox" program usually do -- and should, Dr. Haas emphasizes. Like most other health professionals, Dr. Haas starts a detox plan by having his patients eliminate sugar, nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and chemicals (he calls it the "SNACC" program). After a week of this, he suggests following a simple diet consisting of one piece of fruit, one daily bowl (about a half-cup dry) of cooked whole grains (millet, brown rice, amaranth, quinoa or oatmeal), plus two to four heaping bowls of steamed vegetables eaten throughout the day -- he calls this the "Detox Diet." "People who are fatigued or just feel they need protein can add three or four ounces of fish, poultry or beans without any reduction of benefits," he noted. This phase typically lasts a week or even two, and then people may slowly begin to add back more of their normal daily foods.
Other kinds of detox programs are variations of a juice fast, often involving a mix of vegetable juices and fruit juice smoothies, with optionally added protein powder. "Adding protein powder to your smoothies is especially important for those who don't want to lose weight, for athletes who don't want to lose muscle mass and for anyone with hypoglycemia or low blood sugar issues," Dr. Haas said. It's also okay to use milk made from rice, almonds or oats as a base for your smoothie, instead of fruit juice. Dr. Haas' book features a basic formula for smoothies -- one cup of liquid plus one cup of fresh or frozen fruit, plus whatever supplements you want or need to add, including ground flaxseed, wheat germ or fish oil. Also, he says he often adds green powders with grasses and algae.
THIS JUST IN
As we were going to press, a paper was presented at the 2007 annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando that seems to place another feather firmly in the fasting cap. Researchers examined the heart X-rays (called angiograms) of more than 4,000 male and female patients who participated in an ongoing study from 1994 through 2002, called the Intermountain Heart Collaborative Study. They found that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon faith) were significantly less likely to have coronary artery disease. Researchers have long known that Mormons are less likely to die of heart disease than the general population, but that's generally been attributed to the fact that they don't smoke. In this study, however, researchers controlled for the smoking factor and still found less coronary heart disease among Mormons. They devised a questionnaire to identify other healthy habits among the subjects and found that fasting was the strongest predictor of lower risk for heart disease. Mormons traditionally fast at least one day a month as part of their religion.
PROCEED WITH CAUTION
Fasting for the purpose of detoxifying is not without its risks -- and should never be undertaken without medical supervision. This recommendation becomes all the more important as health challenges become more complex or profound. For instance, naturopathic physician Sonja Pettersen, NMD, told me that people who have been exposed to extremely toxic chemicals such as Agent Orange, for example, in Vietnam War veterans, may encounter difficulties with stringent detoxification since toxins remain stored in fat until they are pulled out by such a program. "These should only be released under medical supervision," she warned. She also cautions that fasting is not appropriate for people with insulin-dependent diabetes, since it is so critical to keep blood sugar even.
While maintaining that commercial detox products are profit driven and are of limited general value, Daily Health News contributing medical editor Andrew L. Rubman, ND, agrees that "there are benefits of incorporating some principles of a restricted diet into your daily life." His opinion is that strict and structured regimens are usually unnecessary, since maintaining a healthy system is really as simple as merely cutting back on a regular basis. "Reducing your caloric intake every other day -- or even for a week or so -- may allow your body to unburden itself a bit," he said. He says that water-only and juice-only regimens should not be instituted unless medically necessary and supervised.
Because fasting, whether in the form of calorie restriction or for detoxifying, represents such a dramatic change from the way most of us eat, it can be a challenge. Best advice: If you want to give it a go, try it for a day or so and work up to a longer period. "Detoxification can be intense and it may temporarily increase symptoms of sickness for some people," noted Dr. Haas. "But it can also be immediately helpful and uplifting."
Source(s):
Krista Varady, PhD, a research associate in the department of Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology, University of California at Berkeley.
Sonja Pettersen, NMD, a naturopathic physician and frequent Bottom Line contributor. She is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Elson M. Haas, MD, a specialist in family medicine, nutrition and detoxification and author of The New Detox Diet (Celestial Arts). Dr. Haas is founder and director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin, an integrated health care facility in San Rafael, California. www.elsonhaas.com.
The myth of security
"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature nor do the children of man as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing."
Helen Keller
Helen Keller
Bad sleep and blood glucose levels
From a study published Wednesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Thanks to our friends at the Life Extension Foundation for bringing this to my attention:
"Just three nights of bad sleep is enough to dramatically reduce the body's ability to process glucose and raise the risk of diabetes, a study released Monday found.
Suppressing deep sleep for three nights in a row decreased the glucose tolerance of young, healthy adults as much as if they had gained eight to 13 kilos (20 to 30 pounds), researchers at the University of Chicago's medical school found.
And while it is possible that the body's ability to process glucose would adjust to chronic sleep deprivation, it is likely that poor sleep patterns in the elderly and obese play a role in the development of diabetes, the authors concluded.
Deep sleep, or "slow wave sleep," is considered the most restorative form of sleep and has been shown to be important for mental clarity. This is the first study to show its significance for physical well-being.
"Previous studies from our lab have demonstrated many connections between chronic, partial, sleep deprivation, changes in appetite, metabolic abnormalities, obesity, and diabetes risk," said study author Eve Van Cauter.
"These results solidify those links and add a new wrinkle, the role of poor sleep quality, which is also associated with aging."
Nine lean, healthy volunteers between the ages of 20 and 31 spent five nights in a sleep laboratory where they went to bed at 11 pm and got out of bed at 7:30 am.
They were undisturbed for the first two nights but on the following three nights, speakers near the bed emitted low-level sounds whenever their brain patterns indicated they were drifting into deep sleep.
While not loud enough to wake them, the sounds reduced deep sleep by about 90 percent by shifting them out of the onset of deep sleep back into a lighter sleep.
This mimicked typical sleeping patterns of those over the age of 60 who generally get only 20 minutes of deep sleep a night compared with 80 to 100 minutes for young adults.
When tested after having had their sleep disturbed, the insulin sensitivity of the volunteers had decreased by 25 percent, which meant they needed more insulin to dispose of the same amount of glucose.
But insulin secretion did not go up in eight of the subjects and, as a result, they showed a 23 percent increase in blood glucose levels.
"Since reduced amounts of deep sleep are typical of aging and of common obesity-related sleep disorders ... these results suggest that strategies to improve sleep quality, as well as quantity, may help to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in populations at risk,"
"Just three nights of bad sleep is enough to dramatically reduce the body's ability to process glucose and raise the risk of diabetes, a study released Monday found.
Suppressing deep sleep for three nights in a row decreased the glucose tolerance of young, healthy adults as much as if they had gained eight to 13 kilos (20 to 30 pounds), researchers at the University of Chicago's medical school found.
And while it is possible that the body's ability to process glucose would adjust to chronic sleep deprivation, it is likely that poor sleep patterns in the elderly and obese play a role in the development of diabetes, the authors concluded.
Deep sleep, or "slow wave sleep," is considered the most restorative form of sleep and has been shown to be important for mental clarity. This is the first study to show its significance for physical well-being.
"Previous studies from our lab have demonstrated many connections between chronic, partial, sleep deprivation, changes in appetite, metabolic abnormalities, obesity, and diabetes risk," said study author Eve Van Cauter.
"These results solidify those links and add a new wrinkle, the role of poor sleep quality, which is also associated with aging."
Nine lean, healthy volunteers between the ages of 20 and 31 spent five nights in a sleep laboratory where they went to bed at 11 pm and got out of bed at 7:30 am.
They were undisturbed for the first two nights but on the following three nights, speakers near the bed emitted low-level sounds whenever their brain patterns indicated they were drifting into deep sleep.
While not loud enough to wake them, the sounds reduced deep sleep by about 90 percent by shifting them out of the onset of deep sleep back into a lighter sleep.
This mimicked typical sleeping patterns of those over the age of 60 who generally get only 20 minutes of deep sleep a night compared with 80 to 100 minutes for young adults.
When tested after having had their sleep disturbed, the insulin sensitivity of the volunteers had decreased by 25 percent, which meant they needed more insulin to dispose of the same amount of glucose.
But insulin secretion did not go up in eight of the subjects and, as a result, they showed a 23 percent increase in blood glucose levels.
"Since reduced amounts of deep sleep are typical of aging and of common obesity-related sleep disorders ... these results suggest that strategies to improve sleep quality, as well as quantity, may help to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in populations at risk,"
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Making progress
"Behold the turtle: He only makes progress when he sticks his neck out."
James Bryant Conant
1893-1978, Educator and Diplomat
James Bryant Conant
1893-1978, Educator and Diplomat
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Everyday Vitamins May Prevent Common Hearing Loss
from bottomlinesecrets.com
"How about a "morning after" pill for loud concerts? Researchers recently identified supplements so helpful at preventing and healing noise-induced hearing loss that we may very well see pills and snack foods marketed with that premise in the not-too-distant future. Long viewed as a hazard for people exposed to prolonged high-decibel sound (such as workers around jet engines or jackhammers, battlefield soldiers and rock stars), excess noise contributes to more than one-third of the 28 million Americans suffering from some degree of hearing loss.
RESEARCH RESULTS SOUND PROMISING
I spoke with scientist Colleen Le Prell, PhD, associate professor, department of communicative disorders, University of Florida in Gainesville, to find out more about the research her team recently conducted, which showed that a simple blend of common nutrients may help reduce hearing loss. In the study, four groups of guinea pigs were exposed to five hours of 120 decibel sound, which is as loud as a jet engine at takeoff. One hour before exposure, each group received either a nutrient blend or placebo. Thereafter, each group continued receiving the treatment regimen once daily for five days. One group was fed the synergistic blend of vitamins A, C and E with magnesium... a second group received magnesium alone... a third group was given A, C and E without magnesium and a fourth group received a placebo. The result: Using electrodes to test the animals' threshold hearing sensitivity before and after noise exposure, the group receiving the blend of vitamins A, C and E with magnesium had significantly less hearing loss than any of the three other groups.
Why should these extremely common supplements make such a big difference in hearing protection? Loud noise causes the over-stimulation of inner ear sensory cells, which drives the production of free radicals even after noise exposure. The free radicals and a resulting constriction of blood flow ultimately damages the outer hair cells. The blend of vitamins A, C and E with magnesium binds with the free radicals in the inner ear, helping to prevent this damage.
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST...
According to Dr. Le Prell, the upper limit for intake of vitamins A, C and E and magnesium has been well defined by the US Institute of Medicine (IOM), and should not be exceeded. As with any dietary supplement, moderation and supervision by a physician trained in natural medicine is important. Clinical trials to confirm safety and efficacy of this micronutrient blend for humans, at levels that adhere to IOM limits are underway and soon, says Dr. Le Prell, we may see products marketed to be taken around the time of noise exposure or daily as a preventive measure. For now though, Dr. Le Prell suggests checking with your physician to maintain (but do not exceed) recommended daily doses of vitamins A, C, E and magnesium -- and turning down the volume."
Source(s):
Colleen Le Prell, PhD, department of communicative disorders, University of Florida, Gainesville.
"How about a "morning after" pill for loud concerts? Researchers recently identified supplements so helpful at preventing and healing noise-induced hearing loss that we may very well see pills and snack foods marketed with that premise in the not-too-distant future. Long viewed as a hazard for people exposed to prolonged high-decibel sound (such as workers around jet engines or jackhammers, battlefield soldiers and rock stars), excess noise contributes to more than one-third of the 28 million Americans suffering from some degree of hearing loss.
RESEARCH RESULTS SOUND PROMISING
I spoke with scientist Colleen Le Prell, PhD, associate professor, department of communicative disorders, University of Florida in Gainesville, to find out more about the research her team recently conducted, which showed that a simple blend of common nutrients may help reduce hearing loss. In the study, four groups of guinea pigs were exposed to five hours of 120 decibel sound, which is as loud as a jet engine at takeoff. One hour before exposure, each group received either a nutrient blend or placebo. Thereafter, each group continued receiving the treatment regimen once daily for five days. One group was fed the synergistic blend of vitamins A, C and E with magnesium... a second group received magnesium alone... a third group was given A, C and E without magnesium and a fourth group received a placebo. The result: Using electrodes to test the animals' threshold hearing sensitivity before and after noise exposure, the group receiving the blend of vitamins A, C and E with magnesium had significantly less hearing loss than any of the three other groups.
Why should these extremely common supplements make such a big difference in hearing protection? Loud noise causes the over-stimulation of inner ear sensory cells, which drives the production of free radicals even after noise exposure. The free radicals and a resulting constriction of blood flow ultimately damages the outer hair cells. The blend of vitamins A, C and E with magnesium binds with the free radicals in the inner ear, helping to prevent this damage.
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST...
According to Dr. Le Prell, the upper limit for intake of vitamins A, C and E and magnesium has been well defined by the US Institute of Medicine (IOM), and should not be exceeded. As with any dietary supplement, moderation and supervision by a physician trained in natural medicine is important. Clinical trials to confirm safety and efficacy of this micronutrient blend for humans, at levels that adhere to IOM limits are underway and soon, says Dr. Le Prell, we may see products marketed to be taken around the time of noise exposure or daily as a preventive measure. For now though, Dr. Le Prell suggests checking with your physician to maintain (but do not exceed) recommended daily doses of vitamins A, C, E and magnesium -- and turning down the volume."
Source(s):
Colleen Le Prell, PhD, department of communicative disorders, University of Florida, Gainesville.
Seeing the earth filled with glory
A wonderful thought for the new year. A happy 2008 to you all!
"Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory."
Betty Smith, novelist
"Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory."
Betty Smith, novelist
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