Anti Aging Solutions

Exercise - is it Linked to Memory?

2008-08-19T03:58:00.003+08:00

We've all heard about the benefits of exercise for our hearts and to reduce cholesterol, but what about for happiness, improving intelligence and memory as well as for alleviating addiction, stress and aggression.

These are the findings from Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and The Brain, a book published this year by John Ratey, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Ratey believes that exercise is like medicine and helps depression as well. This is supported by other studies. Depression scores were measured in a German survey where for 10 days people were asked to walk quickly on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Researchers concluded at the end of the survey that exercise significantly reduces depression.

Scientists at Yale University found that regular exercise stimulates the hippocampus which is an area of the brain responsible for mood. Their study of mice showed that exercise activated a gene in the hippocampus called VGF. VGF is linked to a chemical involved in new nerve cell development.

The findings have lead to scientists developing a drug that mimics VGF gene workings in the brain. If so, this would replace conventional antidepressants.

According to Ratey, exercise doesn't make you more intelligent, rather it stimulates the brain making for improved learning capacity thereby optimizing performance. Exercise increases blood flow to the part of the brain which is responsible for memory and learning. The stimulation improves brain functioning in learning situations.

Some schools around the world have taken note and have instituted exercise as part of the school day with teachers at Naperville Central High near Chicago reporting improved exam results.

Other studies have correlated physical activity with improved cognitive processing with the best results amongst people who were the most active. A study in Germany found a relation between the amount of activity in rats during pregnancy and the amount of cells in the hippocampus of baby rats. The more activity, the more cells. We'll have to wait to find out if this applies to humans as well.

Increased blood flow to the brain also improves memory function. From studies with mice at the Columbia University Medical Centre (NY), new brain cells grew in the dentate gyrus area, an area which is affected in old age. With new cell growth due to exercise, memory would improve.

The findings about exercise reducing aggression are not new –- we know that exercise is a good way to let off steam by burning energy. However Ratey says that the reason aggression is reduced is due to changes in the brain due to exercise which removes the feeling of aggression.

Scientists in Britain found that just five minutes of brisk walking can alleviate withdrawal symptoms caused from giving up smoking. They believe that exercise stimulates how much dopamine (a mood enhancing hormone) is produced which reduces the desire for nicotine.

Ratey believes that a brisk 30 minute walk four to five times a week is the minimum to achieve the benefits. He also recommends interval training where you speed it up by sprinting for around 30 seconds then walking for two minutes.

Information for this article was taken from The Sydney Morning Herald June 7-8 2008 Can jogging make you smarter? by Simon Usborne republished from The Independent.

For more information on John Ratey and his book:
(www.johnratey.com) and (http://johnratey.typepad.com/blog/)

About the author

Lynn Berry is passionate about nutrition, natural health care and spirituality. She has a website promoting healthy eating at www.low-calorie-vegetarian-recipe.com, and a learning site at www.spiritual-awareness-course.com.

Western Diet of Meat, Refined Grains and Diet Soda Linked to Heart Disease, Metabolic Syndrome

2008-06-16T10:06:00.003+08:00

(NaturalNews) People who eat a typical "Western diet" or drink diet soda have a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, according to a study published in the journal Circulation.

"This is a red-alert wake-up call," said Suzanne Steinbaum, director of Women and Heart Disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, who was not involved with the study.

Metabolic syndrome is the name for a cluster of symptoms that are known to predispose people to cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. The symptoms include a large waist circumference, high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar levels, low HDL ("good") cholesterol and high triglycerides. A person with three or more symptoms is considered to have metabolic syndrome.

Researchers had nearly 10,000 people fill out food frequency questionnaires on their eating habits, then categorized them as following either a "Western" diet pattern or a "prudent" pattern. Higher scores in the Western category were given for more consumption of refined grains, red and processed meat, fried food, eggs and soda, and for lower consumption of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and fish. A higher score in the prudent category came from a higher intake of cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli and cabbage; carotenoid vegetables, including squash and carrots; fruit; whole grains; seafood; poultry and low-fat dairy.

People with the highest "Western" score had an 18 percent higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome than those with the lowest score. People with high consumption of meat had a 26 percent greater risk than those with a low consumption. Fried food was also linked with metabolic syndrome.

More surprisingly, the researchers found that the consumption of diet soda increased the risk of metabolic syndrome, while drinking sugary sodas or fruit drinks did not. This is the second study to find such a connection.

"The first time this came up, we didn't believe it," Steinbaum said. "Take two, and it's now part of another large study."

Thursday, June 12, 2008 by: David Gutierrez

Words of Wisdom

2008-06-03T15:05:00.003+08:00

I bargained with life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more
However I begged at evening,
When I counted my scanty store.

For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.

I worked for a menial’s hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have willingly paid.

Addictions

2008-05-31T09:15:00.008+08:00

Team Effort
Addictions not only affect the person with the addiction, but most often several of their friends and relatives are also affected. That is why it often takes a team effort to get the addict to a drug rehabilitation center in order for them to be helped.

Substance abuse recovery has to start with an honest assessment of the facts, but because addicts are generally incapable of objective self-awareness, they often need to hear the truth from someone who cares about them. Drug and alcohol abusers are always emotionally fragile, and if the addict you care about is going to get sober, it’s going to be because he feels loved.

It’s exceptionally difficult to keep your own emotions in check during the intervention process, and that is what is needed. The good news is that the professional intervention services offered by exclusive rehab centers can make a world of difference. In fact, the right intervention specialist will be instrumental in helping you deliver your message exactly as it needs to be delivered.

Remember, the decision to conduct an intervention is the most important one you’ll ever make. Addiction interventions save lives.

Once the decision is made for the addict to enter a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center, each person needs to be treated as an individual, as everyone is different, with different needs. At a good facility they will participate in a medical and mental health screening by a physician, a clinical therapist and a psychiatrist. These screenings help you and your therapist design a unique Drug Rehabilitation or Alcohol Rehab plan that reflects the needs identified during this evaluation process. This plan will identify specific challenges you and your therapist believe should be addressed, while also providing a tool for measuring progress.

Individual Effort
Remember, drug detox starts with you, and your decision to seek help. No one can heal you against your will. No one can take you anywhere you aren’t willing to go.

Drug addiction is a personal problem. Drug Treatment can only succeed on a personal level.

The drug treatment center that’s right for you is the one that can help you get sober on your own terms, in a way that’s meaningful to you and no one else.

Rehab can only succeed if it promotes holistic healing. Remember, addiction is a disease with both physical and psychological roots. Addicts are sick both in body and in mind. To get sober, they need to get healed on both fronts. The most effective rehab centers are those which recognize the dual nature of the recovery process, and aim to provide their residents with rehab programs specially tailored to all of their individual needs. In the end, anything less than that simply isn’t good enough.

Facility Effort
The best drug treatment centers are those which respect the individuality of each and every one of their patients. The components of alcohol and drug rehab should at least include detox, individual therapy, group therapy, depression treatment, and alternative medicine.

No one can get better for you - if you’re going to get where you need to go, you’re going to have to make the journey on your own. That doesn’t mean you won’t get help along the way. On the contrary, the right substance abuse treatment center can provide essential support as you pursue meaningful and long-term sobriety.

The catch, though, is that the support can only be as worthwhile as you make it. The day you start substance abuse treatment is the day you take your future into your own hands.

I sincerely hope that if your loved ones consider you need to, you will enrol in a good quality drug and alcohol rehabilitation center and undertake the treatment provided, to enable you to live a happier, healthier life.

Another Side Effect of Heart-burn Medications

2008-05-23T15:12:00.000+08:00

Several popular heart-burn medications may sharply increase the risk of pneumonia, according to a recent study from Denmark.

In a review of medical records of more than 360,000 patients, researchers found that the use of drugs to suppress gastric acid quadrupled the risk of pneumonia compared to patients who didn't use the drugs.

Souce: Health Sciences Institute February 2008

Alternative Therapies Get Rid of Headaches

2008-05-10T16:12:00.004+08:00

Headaches are hard to treat and even harder to prevent, despite their prevalence.

The four drugs commonly used to prevent migraines have proven effective in only about half of patients and all come with serious side effects, ranging from tingling hands to cognitive impairment. Also, overuse of over-the-counter painkillers can lead to "rebound headaches" as the body builds tolerance.

"We have good scientific evidence that some of the alternative therapies often work better than the drugs," says researcher Alexander Mauskop, M.D., director of the New York Headache Center.

Some natural and alternative therapies for headaches and migraines are:-

Magnesium, which has been shown to be deficient in more than half of migraine patients. It is particularly effective in preventing menstrual migraines and migraines with "aura" (visual disturbances). One study had shown that patients who took magnesium daily for 12 weeks saw their migraine frequency cut in half, and the duration and intensity reduced. Some research has also shown intravenous magnesium to quell a migraine in progress.
Recommended dosage is 600 milligrams daily of chelated (slow-release) magnesium tablets (taken with food to prevent diarrhoea).

Acupuncture can do wonders in quelling tension headaches by increasing blood flow to hypercontracted muscles in the head and neck, and promoting production of natural painkillers and anti-inflammatory agents.It has not, however, been found to be effective for migraines (which are believed to be caused by abnormal cell activity in the brain).

Myofascial trigger point therapy may help ease chronic tension headaches. The therapy focuses on irritated nodules, or "trigger points" within the muscles (which tend to radiate pain upward), as well as those in the jaw, neck and head. Human touch alone has been shown to release painkilling endorphins.

Diet can seldom be completely to blame for chronic headaches, but it can exacerbate them, doctors say. Some foods cause blood vessels to constrict and restrict blood flow to the brain (such as caffeine) or dilate, causing pain to the lining of the brain (such as nitrates found in processed meat).

Others such as cheese, chocolate, citrus, fatty foods, ice cream, wine and beer, stimulate the brain stem or neuronal pathways, setting the migraine process into motion.

Peanuts and peanut products, foods that contain caffeine, other diary products, yeast, dried meats, chicken livers, pickled foods, foods containing monosodium glutamate (MSG), ripe bananas, sourdough and foods containing nitrates (such as hot dogs, bacon and cured meats) may also be headache triggers.

If the headache food trigger is not known, it is best to remove those most common food triggers described above for at least seven days. If the headaches improve, one food group is reintroduced at a time as a "re-challenge" to see which foods may be common triggers. A new food group is added every three days.

Exercise should be undertaken daily. This relaxes you after a stressful day, improves circulation in your brain, and releases endorphins and other natural painkillers. Examples of good forms of exercise to relieve stress are yoga and tai chi.

Content provided by Revolution Health Group

Fit Over 40

2008-05-03T19:38:00.001+08:00

Mega Fat-Burning System!
Jon Benson, Aged 43
Author/Creator of “Fit Over 40”

Jon tells us how to burn more bodyfat in 10 days than you have in the past 10 months.
He'll show you the “Insider Pro Secrets” that hardly anyone wants you to know.
These are the techniques he used to DROP 70 POUNDS and stay lean...at 43!

If you're even the slightest bit interested in losing weight with someone who has already done it guiding you along the way, go to Jon Benson's website. Click Here!

The news is full of stories about the health dangers of being overweight, not to mention the discomfort of not being as agile as you used to be, so go on over to Jon's site and check out what he is willing to give you to get you started on the road to health and comfort.

Is the Pill Form of a Vitamin Better than the Food Source?

2008-05-02T20:57:00.003+08:00

10. Is the pill form of a vitamin better than the food source?

Even if you managed to down the recommended five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables a day, consider this: The soil in most parts of the country is depleted of selenium and contains marginal levels of zinc, magnesium, calcium and other minerals. And nutrient-rich foods don't grow out of nutrient-depleted soil.

Also, most of our food travels a long way -- on average 1,500 miles -- to our table, and produce begins to lose nutrients from the moment it gets picked.

Do the math. Yes, you can do better by eating organic: A study showed that these fruits and veggies have more antioxidants than their conventional counterparts. But most people don't eat five serving a day of conventional, let alone, organic foods, and so a large number of us miss key vitamins and minerals.

So, yes, multivitamins are good insurance.

Reviewed by: David Rakel, M.D.
Date reviewed: December 2007

©2007 Revolution Health Group, LL C.

Should I Tell My Doctor Which Vitamins I'm Taking?

2008-05-01T20:54:00.004+08:00

9. Should I tell my doctor which vitamins I'm taking?

A recent study found that nearly 70% of participants who took prescription drugs and nonvitamin supplements in the same year said they didn't tell their doctors that they used supplements.

In general, experts recommend sharing your pill habits with your doctor, but get ready to ask for a second opinion.

"In biochemistry classes, we [doctors in training] learned that vitamins are necessary for every biochemical reaction in the body," Dean says. "However, when it came to clinical study, we were never told that if cell processes slow down, vitamins can get them going again."

If your doctor lacks vitamin know-how, seek the advice of an integrative medical professional who keeps up with the latest research.

©2007 Revolution Health Group, LL C.

Are Cheap Vitamins as Good as More Expensive Ones?

2008-04-30T20:51:00.003+08:00

8. Are the cheap vitamins as good as more expensive ones?

All the experts agree: You usually get what you pay for. To maximize absorption, Dean goes for food-based organic vitamins, which are usually pricier. The budget-priced ones tend to include synthetic vitamins and fillers, she says.

Regardless of cost, the bottom line is that no standard production rules exist for supplements. Look for the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) symbol or the GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) or the Consumer Lab seals in order to ensure the product's purity. These mean that the supplements have passed tests to confirm that they contain the ingredients listed on the label and in the amounts listed.

©2007 Revolution Health Group, LL C.

Do Vitamins Lose Potency Over Time?

2008-04-29T20:48:00.004+08:00

7. Do vitamins suddenly become completely ineffective after the expiration date?

They don't become entirely useless. "Vitamins and minerals are components of food, so they lose potency over time," Lieberman says. Regardless of the expiration date, once you open a supplement bottle and expose it to light and air, you should use the contents within a year or throw it away.

©2007 Revolution Health Group, LL C.

Do I Need Extra Vitamins if I Exercise?

2008-04-28T20:46:00.004+08:00

6. Do I need extra vitamins if I exercise?

Exercise produces free radicals in the body. (Free radicals are believed to play a role in more than 60 different health conditions, including the aging process, cancer and atherosclerosis.)

If you work out more than 30 to 60 minutes a day, you may want to up your antioxidant intake to counteract this stress.

Also, you lose minerals like magnesium and potassium through sweat, so avid exercisers are wise to add a complex multimineral vitamin to their daily program.

©2007 Revolution Health Group, LLC.

Which Vitamin Supplements Should I Take?

2008-04-27T20:40:00.003+08:00

5. I want to take one multivitamin and just a couple of supplements. What should they be?

To round out your nutrition, add a comprehensive multimineral vitamin with calcium, magnesium, zinc and more.

Then put in more detoxifying and stress-sapping vitamin C. Fish oil can provide essential omega-3 fatty acids for healthy heart, skin, hair and nails.

And if you're older than 40, Lieberman thinks coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is worth the investment for its powers against heart disease and cancer.

©2007 Revolution Health Group, LLC.

Can Vitamins Harm My Health?

2008-04-26T20:34:00.004+08:00

4. Can vitamins harm my health?

It's possible to overdo fat-soluble vitamins because the body doesn't flush them. Instead, the extra amounts can build up in fat tissues and the liver. But you'd have to chomp a lot to do any damage.

"You could cause harm if you swallowed an entire bottle of vitamin D," Lieberman says. "If you took too much vitamin A, you'd have toxicity. But the first thing you'd experience is a headache."

The adult RDI for vitamin D is 1000 (international units) IU a day (it used to be 400 IU), and the RDI for vitamin A is 5,000 IU a day.

©2007 Revolution Health Group, LLC.

Are "Natural" Vitamins Better Than "Synthetic" Vitamins?

2008-04-25T20:32:00.003+08:00

3. Are "natural" vitamins better than "synthetic" vitamins?

It depends. Old studies on vitamins C and B6 showed no difference or greater absorption from synthetic ones.

But fat-solubles are different. Natural vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol) is more available to the body than synthetic vitamin E (dl-alpha-tocopherol or all-rac-alpha-tocopherol).

"The body does judge them differently," says Carolyn Dean, M.D., a naturopathic doctor, wellness consultant and author of The Magnesium Miracle (Ballantine, 2006). In other words, the body has evolved to digest natural food, and so it can tell the difference between real and fake.

Dean recommends downing only food-based organic vitamins in order to make the best use of your vitamins.

©2007 Revolution Health Group, LLC.

Are Higher Doses of Vitamins Better?

2008-04-24T20:27:00.003+08:00

2. Are higher doses of vitamins better?

Let the debate begin. According to Lieberman, the government's reference daily intakes (RDI) are minimum-wage nutrition. "They don't take into account that vitamins can treat, mitigate and prevent disease," she says.

Taking high levels of niacin (vitamin B3), for example, can lower cholesterol. The catch? For some people, megadosing on niacin can cause liver inflammation. A more common reaction is flushing -- redness, burning and tingling of the face.

Also, excess fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K don't get excreted like water-soluble vitamins, so they can build up in the body's fat tissues and the liver and potentially cause harm.

In reality, however, toxicity is rare.

Your best bet: Don't take matters into your own hands. Instead, consult with your health care practitioner for your particular needs."Our society thinks more is better," says Jill Place, a Los Angeles-based nutritionist and registered dietitian. "I don't believe in therapeutic doses of vitamins unless someone needs them for specific illnesses."

©2007 Revolution Health Group, LLC.

Vitamins - The Top Ten Questions Answered

2008-04-23T18:57:00.003+08:00

We are told vitamins ward off nutritional deficiencies and, even more, can help prevent dire conditions like cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease. But with the shelves lined with so many options, how do you know which pills are best to pop?

We talked to leading nutrition experts to get answers to your top 10 vitamin questions:

1. Why do vitamins make my urine yellow?

The body flushes out extra water-soluble vitamins, but the bright yellow color comes mostly from B2 (riboflavin), according to certified nutrition specialist Shari Lieberman, Ph.D., author of The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book (Penguin, 2007).

Found naturally in cheese, yogurt, eggs, meat, beans and spinach, vitamin B2 is essential for healthy eyes and helps maintain a strong immune system. B2 deficiencies are also linked to psychiatric disorders.

©2007 Revolution Health Group, LLC.

Color your diet: Fresh fruit 10 ways

2008-04-22T17:16:00.006+08:00

Content provided by MayoClinic.com

Nature offers many sweet choices for eating well: juicy red cherries, plump purple plums, and orange, luscious tangerines, just to name a few. In fact, all fruits fit into a colorful and healthy diet.

You can enjoy fresh fruits as they come: whole or perhaps sliced. But with minimal work, you can transform fresh fruit into lively snacks, side dishes, desserts and meals.

Here are 10 ways to reinvent and
rediscover these sweet options.

* Grilled fruit slices. Cut apples, pears or peaches into chunks, brush lightly with canola oil and sprinkle with cinnamon. Place on skewers or wrap in foil. Grill on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes.

* Peach honey spread. In a bowl, add 1 sliced peach, 2 tablespoons honey and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Mash with a fork until the mixture is the consistency of chunky applesauce. Serve as a topping for pancakes or French toast, or serve it over roast chicken or pork.

* Lemon-lime fruit dip. Mix together 1/2 cup low-fat, sugar-free lemon yogurt, 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice and 1 teaspoon lime zest. Serve with pineapple chunks, strawberries, diced kiwi, sliced bananas and grapes.

* Frozen fruity pops. In a blender, add sliced strawberries and bananas, 1/4 cup orange juice, and 3/4 cup low-fat strawberry yogurt. Blend until smooth. Pour into 2- to 3-ounce molds or paper cups with sticks placed in the centers. Freeze for 3 hours or until completely frozen.

* Romaine and fresh strawberry salad. Combine 2 cups romaine lettuce and 1/2 cup sliced strawberries in a bowl. Drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons raspberry vinaigrette dressing and toss well. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cashews.

* Blueberry-banana smoothie. In a blender, add 2 fresh or frozen bananas, 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, and 1 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt. Blend until smooth.

* Plum salsa. Mix together 1 cup chopped plum, 1 teaspoon dried cilantro, 2 tablespoons chopped onion, 2 teaspoons cider vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Serve with roasted or grilled chicken breasts.

* Broiled (Grilled) fruit kebabs. Place cubed fruit, such as cantaloupe, pineapple, mango or honeydew, onto skewers. Place skewers on a baking sheet and sprinkle with brown sugar. Broil until slightly bubbly, about 2 minutes on each side.

* Berries a la mode. Place 2 cup berries, such as raspberries, blueberries or strawberries, in a baking dish. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/3 cup low-fat granola. Bake at 350 F until fruit is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Top each serving with 1/2 cup fat-free vanilla ice cream.

* Mango salsa pizza. Mix together 1 cup chopped red or green bell peppers, 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped mango, 1/2 cup chopped pineapple, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and 1/2 cup fresh cilantro. Spread over a 12-inch prepared pizza crust. Bake at 425 F until the toppings are hot and the crust is browned, about 5 to 10 minutes.

©1998-2007 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER)

Three Key Steps in the Fight Against Fibromyalgia

2008-04-18T08:30:00.000+08:00

Remove toxins, allergens & stresses from your body.
Reset the autoimmune system (order a cease-fire).
Rebuild the damaged bodily tissues (with high-tech nutrition).

Overcoming Fibromyalgia is a bit like rebuilding a city that has been bombed during an aerial war. The 3 steps are:

1. Negotiate a political decision to stop the bombing - this normally means you have to remove combatants from the city. If the enemy believes that there are still combatants in the city... they will continue to order bombing raids.

2. Recall the bomber planes.

3. Start repairing and rebuilding.

Combatants = toxins or allergens or stresses. When toxins settle into a tissue area... the immune system believes it has an enemy. It will not stop believing that until the foreign elements leave. So, the first step is to detoxify the body of toxins. This includes heavy metals, allergens, etc.

Ordering a cease-fire is only possible because of a substance called Collastin that has been found to help modulate immune system response, essentially telling the immune system to relax and not fight today... and antioxidants that police the town and stop damage from free radicals.

Finally, damaged tissues must be rebuilt by the most effective nutrition possible. This includes a balanced approach of all... not just some of the 25,000 nutrients that the body needs. An approach that is not comprehensive ensures that real healing cannot take place.

Fibromyalgia has been overcome by persons who apply the above tactics.
There is no single magical bullet that conquers Fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia is developed over time as a person becomes toxic and body systems are degraded. It can be overcome by rebuilding these systems through time.
While many of the body systems replicate new cells every five months, nerve cells take two years or longer. So, efforts to overcome Fibromyalgia are going to be long-term efforts (two years).

Fibromyalgia

2008-04-14T08:14:00.004+08:00

This is part of an article I found - go to this link to read the rest of the article.

Fibromyalgia is a stiffness and pain syndrome involving muscles, connective tissues (tendons, ligaments), bursae, and joints. It is also characterized by severe fatigue that is unrelieved by sleep because often Fibromyalgia patients do not get much, if any, stage 4 (or Delta) sleep—the "healing" phase of sleep where repair of bodily tissues takes place.

Risk factors for developing Fibromyalgia are:
* A family history of depression - research has shown that Fibromyalgia is more common in people with a family history of depression.
* Gender - two-thirds of Fibromyalgia sufferers are women
* Low Thyroid Function - studies have shown that Fibromyalgia is more common in persons with low thyroid function.

What is the cause of Fibromyalgia?
Medically speaking, Fibromyalgia does not have a known cause, however, usually Fibromyalgia sufferers:
1 Do not process lactic acid normally
2 Do not sleep well
3 Have lowered pain thresholds
4 Have low thyroid function
5 Have low serotonin levels
6 Have low progesterone levels
7 Have impaired immune system function
8 Have high toxic/allergic levels
9 Have low glutathione/antioxidant levels
10 Have experienced a structural stress such as a whip lash or fall

Although correlation does not denote causation, the most logical approach for anyone is to treat each of the above correlative factors as if it might be a cause.

In other words, treatment for Fibromyalgia might well include, and should using our logic:
1 Participating in low impact exercise routines and diet regimens that facilitate processing of lactic acid.
2 Endeavoring to sleep more soundly and regularly.
3 Reducing stress and increase dietary calcium and magnesium... which leads to lowered pain thresholds.
4 Endeavoring to increase thyroid function.
5 Endeavoring to increase levels of serotonin.
6 Endeavoring to increase levels of progesterone.
7 Endeavoring to improve immune system functioning.
8 Detoxifying our bodies.
9 Increasing glutathione/antioxidant levels
10 Remedying structural damage to nerves (chiropractic or osteopathic intervention, sauna or massage therapy)

Radiation-Related Fatigue

2008-03-30T14:30:00.000+08:00

Fatigue caused by radiation therapy may be alleviated with regular exercise, according to a study of prostate cancer patients who were undergoing radiation.

Oncologists typically recommend rest in response to radiation-related fatigue, but a study of 65 patients with prostate cancer indicated that increased physical activity helped men maintain energy levels compared to just resting.

Souce: Health Sciences Institute February 2008

Restoring Acid-Alkaline Balance

2008-03-27T09:56:00.001+09:00

The most effective way to reduce acids within the body is by enacting dietary changes. A proper diet should be comprised of 60-80% alkalizing foods and 40-20% acid-forming foods.

The Standard American Diet is mostly made up of acid-forming foods including coffee, tea, wine and most proteins (with the exception of milk, butter, soft cheese and almonds) as well as most fats, cereals and sugars.

On the other hand, almost all fruits and vegetables (except for tomatoes, cranberries and blueberries) are alkalizing.

Dietary supplements can also be very effective at restoring an alkaline state to the body. Calcium, magnesium, potassium and pH balancing supplements like pH plus or Mega Greens plus MSM by perfectlyhealthy help to maintain normal pH levels. In doing so they also help regulate sugar metabolism, blood pressure, enhance energy and stabilize hormones.

Restoring proper pH balance can significantly improve and sometimes even completely reverse chronic conditions. With recognition, dietary changes and supplementation, acidosis can safely be reversed, increasing longevity and improving the quality of life.

About the author
Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D. has specialized in Integrative Medicine for over twenty years, using conventional and natural methods to determine and discover the "root of the cause" in her clinic, South Coast Medical Center for New Medicine in Irvine, California, each and every day. Many people come in to the clinic from all over the world with severe chronic illnesses that conventional medical protocols have been unsuccessful treating. She realized early on that she can truly change lives through education as well as treatment protocols. Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D. and her medical staff strives to look at the whole person while exploring the effects and relationships among nutrition, psychological and social factors, environmental effects and personal attunement. Out of frustration of trying to find the right products to help her patients she formulated the perfectlyhealthy brand of products. All perfectlyhealthy products are clinically tested. For more information on recommended products, please visit http://www.perfectlyhealthy.net/ or http://www.perfectlyhealthy.com/.

(NaturalNews)

The Problem with Chronic Acidosis

2008-03-23T09:32:00.000+09:00

Acidosis begins when the body cannot properly dispose of excessive acids building up in the bloodstream. The body attempts to maintain proper pH balance by eliminating the excess acids through the kidneys, lungs and skin or by neutralizing the acids during the processes of digestion and cellular metabolism. However, when too much acid is produced, the body cannot keep pace. The excess waste overwhelms the system, polluting the blood and impairing the ability of the body's cells to communicate.

In an effort to protect vital organs, the body diverts the harmful acids to store in tissues, joints and bones. This might make the organs temporarily safe, but the diversion can cause joint and skeletal problems such as osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis; skin conditions such as dermatitis and eczema; and tissue problems such as chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia.

Over time, the acids build up in the organs where they begin to disrupt normal functioning. This produces more waste, which further lowers the body's pH level. The decreased pH level means that the body is inundated with more dangerous acids and the problem becomes even more severe. Without restoring balance, cell walls harden and solidify. Our organs deteriorate as the cells die off, which further exacerbates our acidic condition. Now the body's state of acidosis is a prime breeding ground for pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, molds and parasites, which feed off of the diseased tissues and organs. Acidosis literally destroys the body from the inside out, paving the way for disease to take over.

In an attempt to neutralize excess acids, the body draws on its store of alkalizing minerals. Calcium, magnesium and sodium are drawn into the bloodstream at the expense of the bones and organs that these minerals were taken from. The bones are often the hardest hit, as they are drained of their necessary calcium reserves, leading to bone thinning and an increased risk of osteoporosis, rheumatism and fractures. The teeth also suffer as a result of the demineralization, making them more brittle and cavity-prone.

Keeping the body in an acidic state for a prolonged period of time can dramatically accelerate aging. Cellular structures become altered. Cell membranes become narrower and weaker. The cells eventually begin making "mistakes" as they try to repair and regenerate themselves. Acidosis inhibits the production of collagen and elastin. Collagen is the principal protein of our bones, cartilage, tendons and skin and provides rigidity. Elastin is a protein that gives our skin, blood vessels and organs elasticity. Without collagen and elastin, the body loses its youthful appearance, as it is no longer able to sustain moisturized and wrinkle-free skin. Internally, the body is also aging more rapidly. The premature cell death impairs brain function as the neurons can no longer properly conduct impulses. We begin to experience memory loss and the abilities to learn and reason decline.

With untreated acidosis, excess acids within the body attack the tissues and organs, resulting in inflammation, lesions and hardening of organ tissues.
The skin and kidneys are especially sensitive to the harmful acids. Hives, eczema, blotching and itching can occur from acidic sweat passing through the skin's pores.
The kidneys can become inflamed, which can lead to frequent urinary tract infections.
Hardening of tissues and inflammation are also contributors to cardiovascular disease, and the resultant increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

In a state of acidosis, there is less oxygen available to the body. Many pathogens live in oxygen-deprived environments. Acidosis, then, makes the body a prime breeding ground for harmful microorganisms to live. Acid buildup also takes a nasty toll on the body's immune function by seriously diminishing the production of white blood cells. The white blood cells that are generated are of reduced strength, making it even easier for disease and infection to take hold within the body. Dangerous microorganisms can now spread throughout the body, seeking out weakened areas. They break down tissues and interfere with biological processes, leaving behind a deadly wake of waste, which further perpetuates the acidic state.

Chronic acidosis also contributes to a state of insulin resistance within the body by interfering with glucose delivery to the cells. Normally, ordinary levels of insulin will escort glucose into the cells. With acidosis, the cell receptors fail to recognize the insulin hormone and deny it access to deposit the glucose, causing sugar to build up within the bloodstream. The pancreas, unaware of the insulin resistance, steps up insulin production in an effort to pump out enough of the hormone to remedy the situation. The body interprets the lack of glucose within the cells as starvation and begins to convert every calorie into fat. As a result, obesity and diabetes ensue.

(NaturalNews)

Your Health Depends on Your pH Level

2008-03-20T09:25:00.003+09:00

With the aging population of the United States, the incidence of so-called age-related diseases should be expected to rise. In fact the incidence of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and a host of other diseases have been steadily rising for all age groups until it has reached epidemic proportions. That is because the factors of stress, lack of physical activity, environmental pollutants and a diet high in acid-producing foods collectively create the underlying cause of most degenerative diseases: acidosis.

Proper Acid/Alkaline Balance is Fundamental
What is acidosis? It is the reduced alkalinity of our blood and tissues. Why is this so important? Our body stays alive and healthy only because all of its 100 trillion cells communicate with each other. They do this through electrical, chemical and hormonal processes. In order for these signaling mechanisms to work, the body's internal environment must be in a slightly alkaline state.

If our body becomes too acidic, it adversely affects the functioning of all its parts: heart cells, blood cells, brain cells, nerve cells, muscle cells, bone cells, even skin and hair cells. Obviously, this leaves us vulnerable to all sorts of health problems.

The acidity or alkalinity of a substance is usually expressed as a number on the "pH" scale. The pH scale goes from 1 to 14, with 1 being most acidic, 7 being neutral and 14 most alkaline, (The symbol "pH" is the abbreviation for "power of hydrogen," a measurement of the concentration of hydrogen ions). For blood, a pH level of 7.43 - just slightly alkaline - is optimal. Levels lower than 7.0 indicate an overly acidic state (acidosis) while levels above 7.5 indicate an overly alkaline state (called alkalosis).

(NaturalNews)

Why Sunbathing (in moderation) Is Good For You

2008-03-18T09:30:00.004+09:00

This article was published in the New Zealand Herald on Wednesday April 18, 2007
By Jeremy Laurance

"Sunbathers needn't feel guilty any more - they're boosting their vitamin D levels.
Twenty minutes' lying in the sun could provide your best chance of avoiding colds and flu, according to new research which demonstrates that vitamin D, not vitamin C, provides the most efficient protection against cold viruses.

Vitamin D is created by the action of sunlight on the skin. The malign consequences have been revealed in a study from the United States which shows that boosting vitamin D may be the most effective way of warding off infections that cause winter colds.

The authors, from Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York, who publish their findings in the journal Epidemiology and Infection, say vitamin D stimulates "innate immunity" by activating peptides in the body that attack bacteria, fungi and viruses. "Vitamin D supplementation, particularly with higher doses, may protect against the typical winter cold and flu ... Since there is an epidemic of vitamin D insufficiency in the US, the public health impact of this observation could be great," they write.

Traditional advice has been to swallow large doses of vitamin C at the first sign of a sniffle. But the latest findings suggest we may have been turning to the wrong vitamin. The revelation is the latest addition to a long list of scientific studies highlighting the beneficent qualities of a previously underrated health resource.

Vitamin D has been described as "the wonder vitamin" after a 40-year review of research found a daily dose could halve the risk of breast and colon cancer. It has also been shown to play a vital role in heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis as well as being essential for bone health.

Widespread deficiency in the vitamin among populations in the northern hemisphere suggests it may account for several thousand premature deaths from cancers alone, American scientists from the University of San Diego said in the American Journal of Public Health in December 2005. They reviewed 63 scientific papers and concluded "public health action" to boost vitamin D levels was needed.

High rates of heart disease in Scotland have been blamed on weak sunlight and short summers. Some experts believe the benefits of the Mediterranean diet have as much to do with the sun as with the regional food. The evidence of its role in fending off two of the commonest infections in the Western world - colds and flu - has come from research by US scientists who gave supplements of the vitamin to 208 women over three years. Half the women were given a 20-microgram dose of vitamin D, increased to 50 micrograms after two years, and the other half were given a placebo. Those who took the vitamin reported a 70 per cent reduction in colds and flu, from 30 episodes to nine over the three-year study.
All the women were Afro-Caribbeans who were being tested with vitamin D supplements to see if they prevented bone loss, which is a common problem following the menopause. People with dark skins make less vitamin D when exposed to the sun and consequently tend to have lower levels.

The startling results offer a new motive to seek, in moderation, the sunlight.
Twenty minutes in the sun, with the hands, arms and face exposed, is all that is needed to get an adequate dose, but it needs to be regularly topped up through the summer. In winter the only way of maintaining levels is by taking cod liver oil or supplements.

Many countries have modified their warnings about the dangers of sunbathing in the light of the growing evidence for the benefits of vitamin D. Australia preached avoidance of the sun with its "slip, slop, slap" campaign. But the Association of Cancer Councils of Australia acknowledged two years ago that some exposure to the sun was necessary to achieve adequate vitamin D levels.