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Leviticus11.com

Dianne Miller's Health and Strength Products

2005 Health Tips **

Week of December 31, 2005:     Almonds

There are three reasons almonds are a perfect nutritional "boost" to meals and snacks:

1. New research supports almonds' ability to lower cholesterol.

2. Almonds are the most nutritionally dense nut, whether compared calorie per calorie or ounce per ounce. A one-ounce, 164-calorie serving of almonds, or about a handful, is an excellent source of vitamin E and magnesium, and a good source of fiber. It also offers heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, protein, potassium, calcium, phosphorous and iron.

3. Eating almonds may help maintain or even lose weight. A recent study in the International Journal of Obesity found that adding a daily ration of almonds to a low-calorie diet enhanced weight loss, as well as significantly improved risk factors associated with heart disease, when compared to a low-fat, low-calorie diet. Researchers cited almonds' heart-healthy monounsaturated fat as being very satiating, helping satisfy the appetite and prevent patients from overeating.

Almonds are tasty, satisfying and versatile. Whether added to low-fat yogurt, included in a healthy trail mix, or munched on their own, almonds have a toasty crunch that's perfect for any time of day, and for many other foods.

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Week of December 24, 2005:     Increasing Upper Body Strength

Upper body strength is harder to achieve than lower body strength because we use our legs more in everyday living. Have patience when trying to increase upper body strength: increase slowly--both resistance and duration. Using weights that are too heavy can cause injury and hinder your training objectives. If you try to take two or three steps forward, you may wind up four steps back.

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Week of December 17, 2005:     Beans

Eat beans for good health. The flavonoids in beans are effective antioxidants that help protect against heart disease and cancer. These flavonoids are found in the coating of such beans as navy, pintos, kidney, great northern and black beans. To reduce the after-effect of digestive gas from beans, rinse the water containing the beans (from soaking or in the can) off of the beans before cooking them for dinner.

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Week of December 10, 2005:     Think and Be Stronger

Competitive athletes often use a technique called visualization to help give them an edge over their opponents. ''Just thinking about exercise can help maintain muscle strength,'' says Dr. Vinoth Ranganathan, who, with a team of researchers from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio, investigated the strength benefits of imagining exercising a muscle. Of course, actual strength-training exercises, as opposed to imaginary ones, are still the most effective means of building strong, healthy muscles.

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Week of December 3, 2005:     Exercising During TV-Commercial Breaks

Overweight and under-exercised, the human body leaves itself open and vulnerable to a myriad of chronic conditions, including arthritis, back pain, heart disease, diabetes, etc.

During an hour-long television show, there will be around six commercial breaks which would total about 15 minutes.  If you exercise during those commercial breaks, you can do 15-minutes of exercise that you normally would not have found time for.  Do each movement to the rhythm of your breathing.  A few examples of what you can do are these:

• With arms held straight out sideways at shoulder height, do circles forward and backward

• With arms held straight out sideways at shoulder height, twist the torso to the left and to the right

• Side bends

• Standing toe touches (with arms stretched high overhead)

• Push-ups

• Deep knee bends (squats)

Doing this once a day, you can improve your health.  Doing it twice a day, you will get twice the benefit.

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Week of November 26, 2005:     B Vitamins

The B complex is an extremely essential group of nutrients that the body must get through diet or produce in intestinal flora to enable it to: (1) transform food into energy, (2) maintain a strong immune system, (3) balance many of the body's hormones, and (4) perform a wide variety of other tasks.

The B vitamins work together as a complex and are dependent upon each other to perform their individual tasks in the body. Insufficient intake of one B vitamin can create imbalances and deficiencies in others and impair the body's ability to assimilate and metabolize them. If a depletion or excess of one over the other occurs for a period of any duration, there will be a problem in the entire complex. Because of this relationship between the B vitamins, an isolated deficiency of only one B vitamin is rarely seen. This is another good reason for taking the B vitamins as a complex, a whole, and not separately.

An excellent source of B vitamins in their natural proportions can be found in Argentine beef liver powder.

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Week of November 19, 2005:     Stress

Stress is caused by the body's instinct to defend itself. This instinct is good in emergencies, like getting out of the way of a speeding car but it can cause physical symptoms if it goes on for too long in response to life's daily challenges and changes.

When this happens, it's as though your body gets ready to jump out of the way of the car, but you are sitting still. Your body is working overtime, with no place to put the extra energy. This can make you feel anxious, afraid, worried and uptight.

Any sort of change can make you feel stressed, even good change. It's not just the change or event itself, but also how you react to it that matters. What may be stressful is different for each person--one person may not feel stressed by retiring from work and another person may feel stressed.

Other things that may be stressful include being laid off from your job, your child leaving or returning home, the death of your spouse, divorce or marriage, an illness, an injury, a job promotion, money problems, moving, or having a baby.

Signs of stress may include anxiety, back pain, constipation or diarrhea, depression, fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, insomnia, problems with relationships, shortness of breath, stiff neck, upset stomach, and weight gain or loss .

To deal with stress, it helps to exercise on a regular basis, eat well-balanced meals, get enough sleep, meditate, and get away from your daily stresses with group sports, social events and hobbies.

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Week of November 12, 2005:     Old Cough Remedy

If you're having trouble sleeping due to a cough and congestion, an old time remedy worked for most people. It sounds strange, but it does help. Put Vicks Vapor Rub on the bottom of your feet. Then put on a pair of socks.

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Week of November 5, 2005:     Bananas and Plantains

Bananas and plantains strengthen the surface cells of the stomach lining, forming a sturdier barrier against noxious juices. Rats fed banana powder had a visibly thicker stomach lining. Other rats were fed aspirin and other chemicals to see what happened to the barrier in the stomach. The lining decreased with aspirin and even was thinner with Tagamet. In the rats that were fed both banana powder and aspirin, the banana counteracted the drug's erosive effects and the lining was still increased by almost 20%.

Bananas are also great for helping to lower cholesterol because of their high pectin content. One medium banana has as much pectin as a medium size apple. Unripe, green plantains are super potent against ulcers. The bigger the better as they contain more of the active chemical that protects the stomach. Eat unripe green plantains boiled or baked and if you do fry them, use organic, unrefined coconut oil as it does not break down in high heat. Oils that break down in high heat are toxic in the body and cause free radical damage. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that can tear into your cells and start nasty chain reactions that can leave behind extensive damage, including alteration of your genetic code (DNA) and formation of cancer cells. That is one reason why you need to stay away from fried foods if you are serious about fighting the aging process.

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Week of October 29, 2005:     Meat from Grass-Fed Animals

Meat from grass-fed animals has two to four times more omega-3 fatty acids than meat from grain-fed animals. Omega-3s are called "good fats" because they play a vital role in every cell and system in your body. Of all the fats, they are the most heart-friendly. People who have ample amounts of omega-3s in their diet are less likely to have high blood pressure or an irregular heartbeat and they are 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack. Omega-3s are essential for your brain too. People with a diet rich in omega-3s are less likely to suffer from depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder (hyperactivity), or Alzheimer's disease.

Read more about it at: Eat Wild

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Week of October 22, 2005:     Reduced Sugar Cereal

The Associated Press asked a panel of nutrition scientists to examine six major brands of cereal that advertise reduced-sugar versions of their products. Their verdict: The new products have less sugar content, but in terms of nutrition they're virtually the same because the cereals contain more refined carbohydrates. Why are there more carbs? To make the cereals crunchy. The problem is that refined carbohydrates act exactly the same as sugar in the body.

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Week of October 15, 2005:     Metabolic Syndrome

Today's youngsters may be the first generation of children to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents--and the reason is obesity. People don't die just from being overweight. They die from the many things that come with it. The majority of overweight children and teenagers already have at least one additional heart disease risk factor, and 25% have two or more. If they have three out of five major risk factors, they are said to have something called metabolic syndrome, a condition that has been identified as a significant marker for heart disease risk.

The five risk factors are high blood pressure (hypertension), high triglycerides, low HDL ("good" cholesterol), abdominal obesity and high fasting blood sugar. If you've got any three of them, you've got metabolic syndrome.

The best way to avoid metabolic syndrome is to concentrate on eating natural, whole foods. Fresh fruit is better than juice. Grilled chicken is better than breaded and fried chicken tenders. Water is better than soda. Nuts are better than chips. The less processed a food is, the more work the body does to digest the carbohydrate, leading to a less severe rise in insulin.

The best approach to decreasing metabolic syndrome may be prevention. Children should be encouraged to develop a healthy lifestyle that includes a quality whole-foods diet, regular physical activity and less sitting around watching television or playing computer games.

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Week of October 8, 2005:     Electrical Pollution

Everyone living with electricity is being negatively affected. It is only a question of degree. See Dr. Neil Cherry, Evidence that Electromagnetic Radiation is Genotoxic: the implications for the epidemiology of cancer and cardiac, neurological and reproductive effects. Dr. Cherry made his presentation to the New Zealand Parliament in May 2000 and the European Parliament in June, 2000. Check out the web site Electrical Pollution Solutions for more information.

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Week of October 1, 2005:     Food for Health

Antibacterial: asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cranberries, garlic, palm hearts (eat raw only), peppercorns, peppers, pineapple, strawberries

Anti-cancer: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, corn, flaxseed, lemon/lime, papaya, spinach, strawberries

Antioxidant: apricots, blueberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, oats, peppercorns, sesame seeds

Bone health: eggs, oats, romaine lettuce, salmon, spinach

Cleanses: artichokes, beets, blueberries, broccoli, chick peas, flaxseed, grapefruit, kidney beans, leeks, mangos, melon, orange, parsley, parsnip, peaches, whole wheat

Detoxifies: apples, bananas, beets, buckwheat, carrots, figs, nettles, onions, parsnip, pears, sunflower seeds, sweet potato, yams

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Week of September 24, 2005:     Digestive Tract Health

The digestive tract is the way nutrition is delivered to the body. An unhealthy digestive tract leads to a hampered intake of nutrition which is vital for staying well. To keep the digestive tract healthy:

• Eat plenty of fiber. Foods that contain fiber (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) pass more easily and quickly through the digestive tract. Fiber gives stool bulk and also softens it, which helps to prevent constipation, diarrhea and the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. Fiber can decrease pressure in the intestinal tract which reduces the risk of developing hemorrhoids and small pouches in the colon (diverticulitis). A fiber-rich diet may also play a part in lowering the risk of colon and rectal cancer.

• Reduce fat and oils in the diet. Excess fat slows digestion, which can lead to heartburn, bloating and constipation. A high-fat diet may also worsen the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, pancreatitis, and Crohn's disease. A diet high in saturated fat (animal fat) may increase the risk of colon cancer.

• Drink ample fluids. Fluids lubricate food waste so that it passes more easily through the digestive tract. Fluids also soften stool, helping to prevent constipation and dissolve minerals, vitamins and other nutrients, making them easier for your tissues to absorb. Water is best, but milk, juice, and most other beverages are more than 90 percent water, so they also can help meet your daily fluid needs. (Carbonated drinks hamper the digestion of protein.)

• Drink less alcohol, if you drink at all. Anything more than a moderate amount of alcohol (one drink a day for women or two drinks a day for men) can lead to digestive disorders. Alcohol can inflame the stomach lining and relax the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve that prevents stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus). This can cause bleeding or heartburn. Alcohol can also aggravate symptoms such as diarrhea or nausea.

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Week of September 17, 2005:     Alternate Nostril Breathing

Alternate nostril breathing is done by alternating between the two nostrils when breathing. To do this, you breathe through only one nostril at a time. The logic behind this is that normal breathing alternates from one nostril to the other at various times during the day. In a healthy person the breath will alternate between nostrils about every two hours but because most people are not in optimum health, this time period varies considerably between people and reduces their vitality. If the right nostril is used, the result will be a mental and nervous disturbance. If the left nostril is used, the result will be chronic fatigue and reduced brain function. The longer the flow of breath in one nostril, the more serious the illness will be.

There are a couple benefits of doing alternate nostril breathing. First, the exercise produces optimum function to both sides of the brain (optimum creativity and optimum logical verbal activity) and also creates a more balanced person, with both halves of the brain functioning properly. Second, yogis consider this to be the best technique to calm the mind and the nervous system.

Medical science has recently discovered the nasal cycle (known by yogis thousands of years ago) and that one nostril is much easier to breathe through than the other at any particular time and that this alternates about every three hours. The scientists also discovered that the nasal cycle corresponds with brain function. The electrical activity of the brain was found to be greater on the side opposite the less congested nostril. The right side of the brain controls creative activity, while the left side controls logical verbal activity. The study showed that when the left nostril was less obstructed, the right side of the brain was predominant. Test subjects did better on creative tests. When the right nostril was less obstructed the left side of the brain was predominant and the test subjects did better on verbal skills.

One of the ways to do alternate nostril breathing is as follows:

1. Close the right nostril with your right thumb and inhale through the left nostril to the count of four seconds and exhale through this nostril to the count of eight seconds.

2. Inhale through the right nostril to the count of four seconds and exhale through this nostril to the count of eight seconds.

Do the above two steps three times.

Alternate nostril breathing shouldn't be done if you have a cold or if your nasal passages are blocked in any way. Forced breathing through the nose may lead to complications.

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Week of September 10, 2005:     Skipping Breakfast--A Good Way to Gain Weight

Skipping breakfast is not an effective way to lose weight. Researchers investigated the relationship between breakfast type, energy intake and body mass index (BMI). They found that it's not just breakfast but the type of food eaten that is connected with BMI.

Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. From 1960 to 1994 obesity in American adults almost doubled from 12.8% to 22.5%. At the same time, between 1965 and 1991, the proportion of adults skipping breakfast increased from 14% to 25%. Some of the reasons people give for skipping breakfast include lack of time for preparing and consuming food, and concerns about excess body weight.

An inverse relationship has been found between BMI and breakfast consumption. Breakfast eaters tend to have lower BMI than those who skip breakfast, and obese individuals are more likely to skip breakfast. It has been found that moderately obese women lose more weight when they consume 70% of their daily energy intake before noon instead of in the afternoon or evening.

Information from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a large population-based study conducted in the United States, 1988-1994, was analyzed for breakfast type, total daily energy intake, and BMI. There were several categories studied, "skippers" (people who skip breakfast), "meat/eggs", "ready-to-eat cereal (RTEC)", "cooked cereal," "breads," "quick breads" (e.g. waffles, French toast), "fruit/vegetables," "dairy," "fats/sweets," and "beverages." Other factors taken into consideration were age, gender, race, smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity and socio-economic status.

The researchers found those who ate ready-to-eat cereal, cooked cereal, or quick breads for breakfast had a significantly lower BMI compared to the skippers and the meat/eggs eaters. The skippers and fruit/vegetable eaters had the lowest daily energy intake and meat/egg eaters had the highest daily energy intake. The skippers, meat/eggs eaters, and dairy eaters had the highest BMIs.

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Week of September 3, 2005:     Ten-Day Brown Rice Diet

A dramatic step to take to improve your health is a ten-day whole brown rice diet (organic is the recommended type to use). This diet is described in You Are All Sanpaku by George Ohsawa. Eating only whole brown rice, water and salt for ten straight days is not easy. You have to really want to improve your health and have the determination to stick to it.

You can get creative even when limited to brown rice. Besides the normal cooking method of whole brown rice, you can grind the grain in a blender or other device and make creamed brown rice. In most health food stores you can find (with no other ingredients) brown rice noodles, brown rice cakes (with salt added if you want), brown rice crackers, and puffed whole brown rice. You can also roast brown rice and make a tea out of it. Then dry the rice and eat the crunchy remains later. To use up leftover cooked brown rice, fry it (no oil) to heat it.

Your can also modify this diet by doing it for only 2 or 3 days at a time. You will still gain some benefits from doing it.

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Week of August 27, 2005:     Chew, Chew, Chew Your Food

John Tilden, MD (1851-1940) was a medical doctor in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He explained how eating starch too quickly causes gas in the bowels.

"When digestion of starch is not started in the mouth by thoroughly mixing it with the mouth secretions, fermentation results, and gas fills the stomach and bowels, causing much discomfort. The bloating will in time cause constipation. When the bowels are distended with gas, peristalsis (compulsory action) is overcome, and obstinate constipation follows." -- J.H. Tilden

In other words, chew your food thoroughly, especially if you're having a starchy food.

Chewing food thoroughly also helps if you are trying to lose weight.

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Week of August 20, 2005:     Sunlight for Pain and Relaxation

Sunlight may be a key prescription for easing pain. A recent hospital study (University of Pittsburgh, Jeffrey Walch and Bruce Rabin) found that patients in sunnier rooms needed fewer painkillers than patients in darker rooms. They were able to cut their drug costs by 21%. Bright light improves mood and triggers the release of "feel good" brain chemicals such as serotonin.

Researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center found that exposure to ultraviolet light may produce a relaxing effect. The research was reported in the July issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. For six weeks, study participants had tanning sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays in two identical-looking tanning beds. They spent half of each session in one bed and half in the other. Only one bed used ultraviolet light (UV). UV light occurs naturally in sunlight and is responsible for the tanning and burning effects of the sun. Artificial UV light is used in tanning beds and sunlamps. Mood was measured before and after each tanning exposure. The results revealed greater relaxation and lower tension after UV exposure compared to non-UV exposure. The researchers theorize that UV exposure leads to the release of chemicals in the brain called endorphins that are linked to both pain relief and euphoric feelings.

If you can't get natural sunlight, full-spectrum bulbs may have the same effect.

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Week of August 13, 2005:     Walking on Stones

A research team from the Oregon Research Institute did a 16-week study. They divided 108 volunteers over 60 into two groups: One group spent three sessions a week walking on cobblestones like the ones in traditional stone paths in China (walked on for centuries as a healing therapy). The other group spent an equal amount of time simply walking normally. At the end of the study, one of these groups showed measurable improvement in balance, mobility, and blood pressure. And guess what? The stone-strollers got all the benefits, just like the ancient Chinese have maintained forever and a day. The results are in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

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Week of August 6, 2005:     Healthy Skin

Diet and other choices you make are clearly reflected in your face and skin, the body's largest and most protective organ. If you take care of yourself, your skin will show it. If you eat poorly, smoke, or skimp on sleep, your skin won't look so good. Your skin is a barometer of the health of your entire body. Proper nutrition, getting enough sleep, regular exercise, fresh air (but not too much sun), keeping your worries under control, avoiding negative habits, such as smoking and overindulgence in alcohol, will keep you glowing and rosy. It's important to remember that your skin needs proper nourishment to ensure proper function. It isn't just a shell that holds your insides in, it's a functioning body organ.

Sugar upsets digestion, which can lead to inflammatory skin problems such as acne, rashes and rosacea. In older people, sugar makes the skin age faster by changing the structure of collagen, a protein that is the building block of skin. As the structure of the skin changes, wrinkles become increasingly apparent. A high-fat diet may contribute to the development of skin cancer. Over-processed foods, such as French fries and chips, are high in carcinogens and should be eaten very sparingly.

Your skin will benefit from eating a wide range of fruits and vegetables, especially, if you eat them instead of sugary and fried foods. For optimal skin health, plenty of nutrient-rich vitamins and minerals are a must, and a lack of A, B or C vitamins can lead to dry skin and rashes. Fruits and vegetables are also rich in antioxidants, which can prevent the oxidation of free radicals that leads to inflammatory skin problems.

To cleanse your body of toxins, it's important to drink plenty of fluids. The standard recommendation is eight glasses of water (or other healthy liquids such as herbal teas or fresh juices) daily. Fluids flush toxins out of the bowel, kidneys and liver. An essential element of all metabolic processes, water keeps the body's systems and organs performing at peak efficiency, and the skin supple and hydrated. Add a bit of lemon juice to assist in the process.

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Week of July 30, 2005:     Relaxation

Relaxation is an important part of overall health. To relax and achieve the maximum benefit, you should dim the lights (use an eyebag), eliminate noise and interruptions, lie in a position that does not require any tension in the muscles, clear the mind (don't think about things you need to accomplish or take care of), and concentrate on breathing in and breathing out. Yoga websites can provide many restorative poses that enhance relaxation. An example is waterfall:

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Week of July 23, 2005:     Forward Bending

Forward bends restore the elasticity of the cerebral blood vessels, which may become rigid with atherosclerosis. Forwards bends can reduce the risk of strokes. A gentle supported forward bend can be done with a chair. Face the chair and bend over. If your head does not touch the seat of the chair, add pillows and blankets, piling them high enough to support the top of your head. The goal would be to slowly, over time, to reduce the pile until your head can reach the seat and be supported comfortably. (If you do both forward and backward bending, do the forward bending first.)

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Week of July 16, 2005:     Supported Backward Bending

Studies have shown that every minute of supported backward bending provides circulatory enhancement, increasing blood and oxygen flow without force or fatigue, equal to running one mile. There are various yoga poses that you can use to get the benefit. Here are a couple examples (supported dwi pada viparita dandasana and supported setu bandha sarvangasana). There are others that are even easier to do than these. It is best to have an instructor to insure proper positioning.

     

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Week of July 9, 2005:     Brain Power

For good brain function, never skip breakfast. Have food with protein (eggs, yogurt) and some complex carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits, nuts, vegetables). The lecithin found in eggs is rich in choline, which enhances thinking and memory retention. The complex carbohydrates help to maintain a steady supply of glucose required by the brain. Take your supplements at breakfast to give your day a boost. The herb gingko biloba has been found to increase the blood flow to the brain, which helps alertness and memory.

Exercise keeps the brain performing properly. Reading, and crossword puzzles keep your memory and brain sharp as you age.

Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish support healthy neurological function.

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Week of July 2, 2005:     Whole Grains

The less processing a grain product has undergone, the more nutrition it contains--more vitamins and minerals, more fiber, protection from diabetes, heart disease, constipation, and cancer. You can get whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, and oatmeal (not instant).

Some products available with whole grains:

• French Meadow Bakery

• Hodgson Mill

• Lundberg Family Farms

• Nature's Path

• Quinoa Corporation

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Week of June 25, 2005:     Healthy Veins

The health of your veins is an indicator of your overall health. Varicose veins, spider veins, and broken capillaries show up on the legs and can be both embarrassing and uncomfortable. Poor circulation which seems to exacerbate these problems can be helped with exercise, diet, and topical creams.

Yoga is very helpful in enhancing circulation in the body. Vitamin C is important because it supports the connective tissues (veins and capillaries). Flavonoids help protect the inner lining of blood vessels. Horse chestnut, butcher's broom, bilberry, gingko, and cayenne are all herbs that help improve circulation. Special topical creams formulated to improve the appearance of the veins and ease the discomfort can be found in health food stores.

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Week of June 18, 2005:     Aching Joints

Aching joints can occur at any age. Sometimes it may be caused by sensitivity to certain foods--many times white flour, white sugar, dairy products, and vegetables in the nightshade family (tomatoes, white potatoes, and eggplant) are the culprits. Dehydration may also cause joint pain if you don't get enough water.

You can add foods to your diet that can help with relieving the pain--cayenne pepper (can also be used in a cream to rub on the painful area), ginger, and tumeric. Pineapple eaten by itself will help ease inflammation (joints and muscles).

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Week of June 11, 2005:     Fast Food

A 15-year study of 3000 adults, ages 18-30, shows the negative impact that fast food has on the body, regardless of what else people ate and the exercise they did. Those who ate fast foods less than once a week were compared to those who ate fast food more than twice a week. The frequent eaters had gained 10 pounds and had a twofold greater increase in insulin resistance (pre-diabetes). (Mark A. Pereira, Ph.D, et al, "Fast-Food Habits, Weight Gain, and Insulin Resistance (the CARDIA Study): 15-Year Prospective Analysis," Lancet (Jan 1, 2005))

If you need more persuasion to drive by a fast food place rather than drive thru, check out the book, Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal, or the documentary movie, Super Size Me.

If you must eat in a hurry or on the run, consider a smoothie made with fruit with a protein blend added like those offered at Smoothie King or some workout gyms instead of a sandwich and fries. It's more filling than a salad and helps to meet your daily fruit intake requirements. It also gives you energy till your next meal.

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Week of June 4, 2005:     Foods to Improve Your Diet

Some foods for a healthy and balanced diet are: black beans (antioxidants and folate), blueberries (some of the most health-protecting antioxidants), broccoli (detoxifies and contains cancer fighting nutrients), dark chocolate (has a high mineral content--limit to 1 ounce a day because of sugar and fat), oats (high in fiber), onions (nutrients fight heart disease), salmon (omega-3 essential fatty acids), spinach (antioxidants and folate), sweet potatoes (vitamins and beta carotene), tomatoes (lycopene), walnuts (healthy fat content--1.5 ounces daily).

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Week of May 28, 2005:     Apple Cider Vinegar

There are many benefits from taking a daily dose of apple cider vinegar, an old folk remedy. Dr. Jarvis, the author of the book Folk Medicine, prescribes two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of honey in a cup of water for ailments such as arthritis, insomnia, high blood pressure, and food poisoning. Apple cider vinegar can help:

• normalize the body's acid/alkaline balance

• cleanse the digestive tract

• aid in the removal of calcium deposits from joints and blood vessels without affecting the calcium in the bones and teeth

• add potassium to the body

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Week of May 21, 2005:     Homocysteine

Homocysteine is a harmful amino acid your body forms as a by-product of the digestion of certain foods (like well-done steak). Increased homocysteine in the bloodstream is strongly associated with the occurrence of heart disease. This correlation has been common knowledge in alternative medicine circles for years.

Your body, however, has a built-in defense mechanism against homocysteine buildup--it transforms it into a harmless substance called cystathionine, which is flushed from the body in the urine.

Research conducted in the Netherlands points to the likelihood that some people are genetically unable to convert homocysteine at a sufficient rate, contributing to unsafe levels in the body and subsequent increased risk of heart disease. This research also studied the effects of a treatment for homocysteine that alternative medicine has been recommending for years: folic acid. The results confirmed that folic acid supplementation lowers homocysteine levels, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The Netherlands research also concluded that those people with a genetically reduced capacity to process homocysteine were only at increased risk for heart disease when their folic acid levels were low. Which means that even if you're one of those unfortunate souls whose body is ill-equipped to break down homocysteine, folic acid supplementation can "even the playing field" as far as your heart disease risk goes. But taking folic acid isn't the only thing you can do to reduce blood homocysteine--Vitamins B12 and B6 are also critical for the metabolism of this killer amino acid. When you cook steak, prepare it as rare as you can enjoy it, because the closer to "well done" it is, the more homocysteine you'll produce in digesting it.

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Week of May 14, 2005:     Pomegranate and Grape Juice

Recent research has found support for the benefits of pomegranate juice and grape juice. The first study (a joint effort by Italian and American researchers) concluded that two glasses of pomegranate juice reduced the progression of arteriosclerosis in laboratory animals by at least 30%. Pomegranate juice is also a good source of vitamins and antioxidants.

The other study, a human trial of 40 men with high blood pressure, has shown that the consumption of grape juice over an eight-week period correlated with a significant drop in blood pressure. This bolsters the findings of other studies, including some American research that pinpointed Concord grape juice as being a powerful anti-hypertensive, as well as an effective cholesterol lowering agent and inhibitor of arteriosclerosis.

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Week of May 7, 2005:     Onions and Bone Loss

Bioflavinoids are compounds that have amazing healing powers. One of the most powerful of these is quercetin, one of the strongest natural cancer-fighting agents you can find. Two of the best sources of quercetin are yellow and red onions. Garlic is good too, but it doesn't contain any quercetin. White onions have only a minute amount of it. Another main source of quercetin is the apple. But onions also contain potent sulfur compounds that offer other health benefits.

In the latter part of 1999, researchers reported that, when dried onion was fed to animals it could reverse the same type of bone loss seen in those suffering from osteoporosis. Male rats fed 1 gram of onion powder per day for a period of only four weeks increased the mineral content of their bones by over 17 percent, the thickness increased by over 13 percent and the mineral density increased by over 13 percent. Overall, the addition of just onion powder inhibited bone reabsorption by about 20 percent which is higher than any other treatment that we currently have available.

The effect with dried onion powder was greater than that available from the prescription drug Calcitonin. The researchers even did tests on female rats that had their ovaries removed and found that the addition of thirty 1,500 mg of dried onion daily prevented bone loss that would have occurred when estrogen levels normally decrease.

None of these tests have been verified in humans, but it's obvious that the onion has super, natural power. Research is definitely in the early stages, so there is no specific information about the best form to take, but a good guess is that raw is best. Throw them on your salads, cook with them, and eat them anyway you can. If you have allergies to sulfur you may have problems with onions. Also, those with adrenal disease may want to use them sparingly as some people claim that onions stimulate the adrenal glands.

The onion skins contain the most quercetin, but since they are not edible, just cook with them, in soups for example, and toss them before serving like you do with bay leaves. Onion may make your breath stink, but with benefits like those listed above, just carry your toothbrush and some tooth soap with you and don't worry about it.

If you eat raw onions and happen to have a stainless steel spoon, you can rub it all over your mouth and tongue and it will get rid of the odor. A spoon works well because it forms to the roof of the mouth. Chefs use little stainless steel blocks to get rid of garlic and onion smells off of their hands.

Also, remember that whatever affects your bones, also affects your teeth!

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Week of April 30, 2005:     Water Works for Weight Loss

Nothing suppresses the appetite like water--lots of water. Start with two quart bottles in the morning and carry one with you wherever you go. You will have to make more trips to the bathroom, but it's worth it. Try to drink the 64 ounces of water before you eat dinner, so you aren't up half the night going to the bathroom.

Water fills you up and lessens your appetite and prevents those hunger pangs you get when your blood sugar drops and you reach for something sweet--cookies, candy, ice cream, or other treat. Water also flushes out the system, rids the body of bloat and toxins and adds color to your complexion.

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Week of April 23, 2005:     Stress

A small study has revealed that the immune cells of women under chronic stress displayed chromosomal changes characteristic of increased aging when compared with the cells of women leading calmer lives. Doctors examined the telomeres (small pieces of DNA that protect and stabilize the ends of chromosomes) of immune cells in 58 women ranging in age from 20 to 50. Since telomeres shorten with age as the cells divide, telomere length is a measure of aging. Eventually the telomeres reach a point after which no further cell division is possible.

The study, which was published in the November 29, 2004 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggests that chronic stress has the potential to shorten the life of immune cells. The authors note that promoting cellular aging might be one way in which stress influences the onset of age-related diseases and conditions. While the doctors admit they are unsure of the mechanism through which stress affects the immune cells, they suggest that changes in stress hormone levels might be involved. The researchers also plan to investigate whether this effect is seen in other types of cells in the body.

For relief from stress, a yoga class is very helpful. A natural remedy for stress is aromatherapy using essential oils. A convenient way to add aromatherapy to your life is by using Naturopatch Essential Oils Patches.

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Week of April 16, 2005:     Sleep and Obesity

A recent study revealed that the number of hours slept has an influence on the risk of obesity--the less sleep, the higher the risk. The researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and the Obesity Research Center, found a link between the risk of being obese and the number of hours of sleep each night. Other factors, such as physical activity, age and depression, to name a few, made no difference to the weight gain.

Two hormones--leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite, and grehlin, a hormone that increases food intake and is thought to play a role in long-term regulation of body weight--are involved. Sleep deprivation lowers the levels of leptin and raises levels of grehlin.

Getting anything less than the seven (as the least) to nine hours sleep we need is asking for trouble. It could lead to a loss of physical and mental health, to poor memory, poor coordination, and now, to weight gain and obesity.

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Week of April 9, 2005:     Sunflower Seeds

The protein in sunflower seeds can't be beat. And it won't clog up your arteries like beef and pork chops coagulated with grease. Raw sunflower seeds make for a tasty mid-afternoon snack and they're a lot better for you than a Snickers bar or a Dr. Pepper. Wash 'em down by chewing them until they're a liquid. Savor the subtle tastes as your mouth enzymes break them down and prepare the seeds for stomach digestion. Sprouted sunflower seeds on top of a baked potato that you've split down the middle are better for your heart and health than sour cream and a huge dab of butter.

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Week of April 2, 2005:     Muscles and Aging

Even without suffering a major trauma to the body, we lose muscle and strength at an alarming rate as we age. Some studies say the process begins in our early twenties: other studies say by age forty we lose muscle each year. The process particularly significant for women, who tend to have smaller bodies and smaller bones and are not as used as men are to exerting their bodies against resistance.

If you don't use a muscle it weakens rapidly, as the NASA scientists discovered when the first men they sent up into space returned with significant muscle and strength loss. Why? The astronauts didn't use their muscles to get around in their weightless environment.

--excerpt from Strength Training on the Ball by Colleen Craig

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Week of March 26, 2005:     Gum Disease

Gum disease afflicts millions of Americans. It is largely due to nutritional deficiency caused by the consumption of processed nutrient-deprived foods of civilized societies. Once the gums degenerate, they are easily infected by microbes. Nutrients that help maintain normal gums and prevent recession include folic acid, riboflavin, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, vitamin A, vitamin K, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D. Healing and regenerating the gums involves taking the appropriate nutritional supplements as well as improving the diet. Improving the diet is a major step in treating gum disease. You can also rub oil of oregano on all gum surfaces twice a day and use a small amount on a toothbrush to brush the teeth.

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Week of March 19, 2005:     Eggs

Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods. They come in their own package, full of protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals. When purchasing eggs, look for eggs labeled organic or from vegetarian cage-free chickens. Eggs have all the essential amino acids the body needs. Eggs are one of the few foods that have vitamin D and 13 essential vitamins and minerals. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, eating up to one egg a day has no substantial impact on the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke for people with normal blood cholesterol levels.

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Week of March 12, 2005:     Probiotics

The probiotics (beneficial bacteria) found in yogurt, cultured soy, and cottage cheese support overall health. Besides aiding digestion, they are helpful in other important ways. L. acidophilus has been shown to prevent substances in the digestive tract from developing into cancer-causing carcinogens. Probiotics can lower total cholesterol levels in addition to LDL (bad) cholesterol. The severity and duration of diarrhea can be decreased by probiotics. Yeast infections can be prevented by probiotics.

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Week of March 5, 2005:     A Positive Attitude is a Key to Good Health

"Happiness is the way you decide to live your life. It isn't something someone else gives to you. When you are happy with life in general, you are much healthier because you send a positive message to your body. This is how we learn to become our best friend instead of our worst enemy."

"You have more power over your outlook on life and your feelings than you ever realized."

"Do you want to become an angel on Earth and develop your soul to its fullest potential by seeing the best in each situation?"

"Do you want create hell on Earth in your own mind by choosing to see the worst in each situation?"

"It's up to you through your power of choice! Developing our soul is our main purpose on Earth, and each experience has a lesson for us to learn."

"We have a tendency to want to fix everyone else except ourselves. With our eyes we see what is wrong with the world and everyone else. How can we develop our souls if we are looking in the wrong direction? The only person that we can control is ourselves. The only person that we are responsible for developing is ourselves. Our focus should be on ourselves and not someone else!"

--excerpt from Chapter 11 of:

The Art of Falling in Love with your Time on Earth by Mannie Billig

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Week of February 26, 2005:     Food Additives

Over 10,000 additives are put into the food we eat. They are used to flavor, color, preserve, acidify, alkalize, and emulsify. They are also used for leavening and to enhance the nutritional value. The abundant, spoilage-free food supply is touted by the food industry and credited to the use of the food additives. Health practitioners have condemned these same additives as the source of many of our health problems.

These additives are not food. Most of them are man-made chemicals which the body is not programmed to handle. I.e., they are toxins. It has been estimated that the average American consumes 14 pounds of additives every year. The symptoms of chemical toxicity slowly creep up on us and manifest themselves as arthritis, failing vision, aches and pains, poor digestion, poor immunity, and other ailments attributed to "aging."

Some of the additives to avoid are as follows:

• Alginate (derived from kelp, used for texturing in dairy products and thickening acidic foods; may cause skin eruptions)
  

• Artificial colorings (numerous problems with these have caused some to be banned)
  

• Carrageenan (from seaweed and possibly linked to ulcers and cancer in the digestive tract)
  

• Calcium (or sodium) propionate (anti-mold preservative in bread, possibly linked to migraines)
  

• High fructose corn syrup (sweetener that is cheaper than sugar and found in almost everything; may be a leading factor in the increasing number of diabetics in USA)
  

• Hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil (chemically altered oils that contribute to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, MS, and many other health problems)
  

• Mannitol (sweetener with half the calories of sugar that may cause abdominal pain and diarrhea)
  

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) (a flavor enhancer that may cause nerve cell destruction)
  

• Sodium nitrate; sodium nitrite (preservative and coloring agent that can form cancer-causing nitrosamines, used in processed meats, smoked fish, and corned beef)
  

• Sulfur dioxide, sodium bisulfite (prevents discoloration and bacterial growth and used in dried fruit, processed potatoes, and wine; allergic reactions are abundant)

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Week of February 19, 2005:     Morgellons Disease

Physicians treating patients with Morgellons Disease believe that it involves a new organism. This organism has been difficult to identify, but appears to infect individuals whose immune systems have been altered by Lyme Disease. The Morgellons Research Foundation is working to identify this organism and determine the source of the disturbing crawling, stinging, and biting sensations experienced by people with this disease.

Most individuals with this disease report non-healing skin lesions, which are associated with highly unusual structures that can be described as fiber-like or filamentous, and are the most striking features of this disease. In addition, many people consistently report finding objects described as black specks, and granules associated with their skin and skin lesions. The granules have also been described as sand or seeds, but are often seen to have fibers emerging from one end. The elongated fibers are often twisted into balls or what appear to be bundles of fibers, as they grow within the skin. Many people refer to these bundles as fiber balls, fuzz balls, or lint balls. The fibers are clearly hyphae-like structures, and but do not fall within the description of known hyphae or pseudohyphae. The fibers are most often white, but are also consistently seen as blue, black, and sometimes red. The fibers exhibit a high degree of autofluorescence and are not derived from textiles.

Additional organisms may be found on the skin of those with Morgellons Disease, but are considered incidental findings. The only consistencies observed by laboratories affiliated with this foundation, have been the fibers, black specks, and granule-like structures. These consistencies are the main focus of the investigation of the primary cause of Morgellons Disease.

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Week of February 12, 2005:     Keep Moving

Find ways to move your body on a daily basis. Climb stairs when you have a choice between stairs and escalators or elevators. Walk the dog, chase your children, mow the lawn, vacuum the house--anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think "keep moving" in small doses. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym, a 45-minute aerobic class, or kickboxing, although those activities a few times a week will help. In the meantime, keep moving.

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Week of February 5, 2005:     Cataracts

Eating greens nourishes your eyes with important carotenoids--lutein and zeaxanthin--that may help reduce the risk of cataracts, a recent study revealed. Cataracts are a leading cause of vision loss in older people. Good sources for lutein and zeaxanthin are bok choi, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, and spinach. Several research studies show that the antioxidant properties of vitamins C and E may protect against the development and progression of cataracts. Good sources of vitamin C are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, kale, red cabbage, and snow peas. Good sources of vitamin E include wheat germ, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes, and almonds. Canned and fresh tomatoes are good sources of both vitamins C and E.

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Week of January 29, 2005:     When Your Body Tells You Something, Listen

"Many books have been written about how to be a healthy individual, from eating right to getting enough exercise and the sleep that your body requires. One way to improve our health is to develop our mind and body to a point that we can feel the effect that each action has upon our being.

"For example, if you went out last night to a bar and had too much to drink, the message from your mind and body would develop into what is called a hangover. You would probably feel terrible. More than likely, you would experience a terrible headache and feel bad. What message is your mind and body sending? It's probably saying, 'I don't like this very much. Please don't do it again because it's not good for me.'"--excerpt from Chapter 13 of The Art of Falling in Love with Your Time on Earth by Mannie Billig.

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Week of January 22, 2005:     Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH)

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus is a neurological condition which normally occurs in adults 55-years and older. NPH is an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) causing the ventricles of the brain to enlarge, in turn, stretching the nerve tissue of the brain causing a triad of symptoms. A quarter million Americans with some of the same symptoms as dementia, Alzheimer's, or Parkinson's may actually have NPH but it’s difficult to tell the difference because the symptoms of NPH are in many ways similar to those of Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. However, the feeling of feet glued to the floor, or difficulty walking is the first symptom to appear in NPH. And it’s different from, for example, Parkinson’s tremors. In Alzheimer’s, memory loss and confusion tend to be early symptoms, whereas in NPH these appear later. Fortunately, once NPH is confirmed, chances are it can be treated.

If you have a friend or family member that appears to have "old-age" problems, please read more about Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus at this website: Life NPH

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Week of January 15, 2005:     The Healing Power of Prayer

Prayer is the most commonly used form of alternative medicine according to a National Institutes of Health survey. A researcher at Yale found that bereaved people who used religion to cope needed fewer doctor visits than those who did not. Other research has shown that prayer improves heart disease, hypertension, and cancer. Several studies have shown that people who have religious faith had fewer symptoms of depression. Another study found that those who pray showed improved heart and lung function. Even heart patients who have others praying for them do better than those who did not. Numerous studies have shown that prayer promotes healing after surgery.

Read more about the power of prayer:

The Power of Prayer in Medicine By Jeanie Lerche Davis

Healing power of prayer revealed (BBC News: Health)

Prayer as a Healing Force by Dr. Larry Dossey M.D

The Healing Power Of Prayer By Harold G. Koenig, M.D.

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Week of January 8, 2005:     Tea

Research results from the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicates that drinking black tea can help lower blood levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the cholesterol associated with increased heart disease risk. Drinking black tea did not reduce the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the "good" cholesterol.

Researchers at Newcastle University's Medicinal Plant Research Centre studied the properties of coffee and green and black tea and found both green and black tea inhibited the activity of the enzyme associated with the development of Alzheimer's. Coffee had no significant effect. The tea also hindered the activity of an enzyme which has been discovered in protein deposits found on the brain of patients with Alzheimer's. Green tea went one step further by obstructing the activity of a constituent which plays a role in the production of protein deposits in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease. Green tea continued to have its inhibitive effect for a week, whereas black tea's enzyme-inhibiting properties lasted for only one day.

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Week of January 1, 2005:     Carob (St. John's Bread)

Carob is native to the Mediterranean regions but cultivated in other warm climates. The large red pods have been used for food for animal and man since prehistoric times. The pods and their extracted content have numerous common names: locust bean gum and St. John's Bread. The name of St. John's Bread came from the belief that they may have been the "locust" eaten by John the Baptist in the wilderness for 40 days (Mark 1:6). It has been claimed that the seeds were the origin of the carat, the measure of weight for precious jewels and metals.

100 grams of the edible portion of the carob pod (about a cup of the entire pod, minus the seeds) contains 352 mg of calcium, making carob one of the richest nonmeat calcium sources. Using the same volume compared to milk (considered a good source of calcium) carob is nearly three times richer in calcium. Carob is also a good source of B vitamins, though not a complete protein.

The pods can be eaten (spit out the seeds). The pods can be cracked and the seeds removed then ground into a flour, which can be added to bread and pasty recipes or blended into liquids like rice or soy milk.

Throughout southern California and the Southwest, there are tens of thousands of carob trees, mostly along streets and in parks. The brown leathery pods ripen from September through February.

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Week of December 25, 2004:     Aromatherapy

Essential oils are highly concentrated aromatic oils from plant leaves, flowers, seeds, barks, roots, and the rinds of some fruit. These oils have been used since ancient times for aromatherapy, for healing and satisfying the senses. The benefits of essential oils can be acquired through inhalation or external application.

Aromatherapy stimulates the part of the brain dealing with emotions and memory and can affect the mind, mood, and feelings and actually cause physiological changes in the body.