Integrated Form

92 Year Old Woman Finishes Marathon!

2011-04-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

HONOLULU -- Gladys Burrill wasn't thinking about breaking a world record when she power-walked and jogged through the Honolulu Marathon at age 92.

But Burrill, a part-time Hawaii resident nicknamed the "Gladyator," learned soon after finishing the Dec. 12 race with a time of nine hours and 53 minutes that she likely qualified for the recognition. Her advice for others wanting to live a long and healthy lifestyle? "Just get out there and walk or run," she said Monday. "I like walking because you can stop and smell the roses, but it's a rarity that I stop."

Alternative Therapies for Back Pain

2011-04-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

Musculoskeletal Pain: The most common and shortest-term back pain is often caused by the out-of-condition back doing normal things, or the conditioned back doing extraordinary things. If you've strained a muscle or aren't properly aligned, alternative therapies such as physical therapy (PT), Feldenkrais, pilates and yoga will gradually soothe you. Feldenkrais (which is minimal movement, analogous to minimal music) promotes proper use of the proper muscles. Massage may also be a good idea, but be careful; if you have a neurological problem, massage may make you worse.

Herniated Disk: The McKenzie technique of physical therapy works to draw the offending material from behind the vertebrae, where the nerves are, and out of harm's way over 75 percent of the time. Even large disk herniations that may suggest a need for surgery can respond to physical therapy within a few weeks. By properly arching the back, a partial vacuum develops in front of the herniation. The disk reacts by moving the herniated material toward the vacuum, lowering pressure on the nerve. While you're waiting for McKenzie physical therapy to work its magic, acupuncture can reduce the pain.

Piriformis Syndrome: This is a combination of muscles and nerves. The piriformis muscle in the buttock contracts and compresses the sciatic nerve, so the symptoms are neurological -- sciatica -- but the cause is in the muscle. After a steroid injection, yoga and physical therapy are quite effective in stretching the muscle and teaching you to relax it yourself. Acupuncture can sometimes expedite the healing process.

Sacroiliac Joint Derangement: The last lumbar vertebra fits into the sacrum, and the sacrum fits into the iliac bones, the two bones that wrap around the pelvis. When there is misalignment, there is lots of severe pain. Most establishment doctors aren't as good at diagnosing and treating this as osteopaths, chiropractors and PTs., so it might be a good idea to go to these professionals. Acupuncture, Feldenkrais and yoga can augment injections, pain patches and non-steroidals.

Spondylolisthesis: In Greek: 'listhesis' means slipping. In your back, one vertebra slides out of alignment. It usually slips forward, but sometimes back or to one side or the other. It's a radiological diagnosis, and state-of-the-art EMG techniques can determine if that's your problem. PT to strengthen abdominal muscles (front back and sides) and possibly an abdominal binder are good treatments, but some yoga also helps, as does Alexander Technique, which can work wonders with posture.

Spinal Stenosis: This is where the canal inside the spine gets too narrow, compressing nerves. You may need an MRI to be sure of the diagnosis. Posture is the best conservative solution -- Alexander Technique is probably the single best treatment, though PT is helpful too. Stenosis may worsen inexorably over time, and then it's one condition where surgery may be the best option.

Arthritis: The little joints in the spine -- the facets -- have the components that are structurally like knees and shoulders, which are other favorite sites for arthritis. And like knees and shoulders, facet joints are also vulnerable to intense pain. You can't stop arthritis, but you can slow it down. Conventional non-steroidals and more sophisticated anti-inflammatories are a great help, as is acupuncture. There are physical therapists who specialize in this condition. Yoga will improve your range of motion, and there are some good studies that suggest yoga is an effective anti-inflammatory.

by: Dr. Loren Fishman

Spring Clean Your Brain

2011-04-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

There's something about the ritual of spring cleaning -- whether it's reorganizing your closets and drawers or giving your house a good sweep -- that is both comforting and reinvigorating. Likewise, giving your brain a spring makeover will not only help you think clearer, but it will keep you looking younger and more radiant. The reason is that aside from its other duties, our brain directly impacts our mood and physical appearance. Did you know, for example, that your face mirrors the chemical activity taking place in your brain? This activity produces micro-facial expressions -- those tiny, involuntary reflections of our thoughts that exude from within and give us that healthy glow. In other words, when your brain is at your best, you will look and feel your best.

Here are three ways to give your brain a makeover this spring:

1) Enjoy spring's bounty.

Take advantage of the fresh produce cropping up at your local supermarket this time of year. Studies show that people who consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables are not only leaner but have sharper memories. Aim for a rainbow of colors in your meals so that your body and brain will reap the benefits of phytonutrients, nature's powerful beautifying agents. These compounds create the distinctive bright colors you see in apples, oranges and red or green peppers.

2) Go for the glow.

Now that the weather is warmer, go outside and get your heart pumping by engaging in some outdoor activity. Getting your blood flowing will put that rosy glow back in your cheeks, and moderate sunlight will give you that much-needed rush of vitamin D. This increased blood flow rejuvenates our skin, making it smoother and suppler. Physical activity that spikes our heart rate also bathes our brain in a cascade of growth factors that promote the rebirth of brain cells and stronger neural connections. Studies show that aerobic exercise actually increases the size of our brain, which improves our mental capacity. It is the most natural way to improve your mood and self-confidence after months of hibernating from the cold. In fact, regular exercise has been shown to be as effective as antidepressants for mild to moderate depression.

3) Get your beauty rest.

Once we turn the clocks forward, the days get longer, which often prevents us from getting enough sleep. We tend to stay up later in the evenings, and sunlight wakes us up earlier in the mornings. Light exposure, both natural and artificial, inhibits the release of the sleep hormone melatonin that is known for its powerful antioxidant and beautifying effects.

Work Hours and the Correlation to Heart Disease

2011-04-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

Could the number of hours spent at work predict an individual's chance of developing coronary heart disease?

One group of European researchers thinks it's a possibility.

Based on the group's findings, presented in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, people who worked more than 11 hours per day had a 1.5-fold increased risk of developing coronary heart disease when compared to other subjects working seven to eight hours per day. Coronary heart disease, a condition that causes the blood vessels to the heart to narrow, is the leading cause of mortality in the United States. Other heart conditions such as angina and heart attacks contribute to the disease, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

www.discovery.com

Smoking Causes Gene Damage in Minutes

2011-02-23T07:06:00.000-08:00

Those first few puffs on a cigarette can within minutes cause genetic damage linked to cancer, US scientists reported. In fact, researchers said the "effect is so fast that it's equivalent to injecting the substance directly into the bloodstream," in findings described as a "stark warning" to those who smoke.

The study is the first on humans to track how substances in tobacco cause DNA damage, and appears in the peer-reviewed journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, issued by the American Chemical Society.Using 12 volunteer smokers, scientists tracked pollutants called PAHs, or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, that are carried in tobacco smoke and can also be found in coal-burning plants and in charred barbecue food.They followed one particular type -- phenanthrene, which is found in cigarette smoke -- through the blood and saw it form a toxic substance that is known to "trash DNA, causing mutations that can cause cancer," the study said.

"The smokers developed maximum levels of the substance in a time frame that surprised even the researchers: just 15-30 minutes after the volunteers finished smoking," the study said. Lung cancer kills about 3,000 people around the world each day, and 90 percent of those deaths are attributable to cigarette smoking.

The research was funded by the National Cancer Institute.

The MTA & Your Health

2011-02-23T06:58:00.000-08:00

Consider your shiny new $104 Metro Card your express pass to... poor health.

According to a new British study, public transit riders are six times more likely to suffer from acute respiratory infections. Only take the subway sometimes? Well occasional riders aren't safe either, in fact the study showed they are most at risk. Those who ride public transit everyday may build up an immunity to viruses, making the occasional straphanger the one to get sick more often.

The study followed 138 patients at a doctor's office, and compared their public transit habits with their frequency of getting sick. While the study was conducted at the University of Nottingham, far from our own MTA, it's a safe bet that it translates to every public transit system in the world... except Sweden, of course.

Daily News

Fewer Big Fish in the Sea

2011-02-23T06:54:00.000-08:00

Fewer big, predatory fish are swimming in the world's oceans because of overfishing by humans, leaving smaller fish to thrive and double in force over the past 100 years, scientists said Friday.Big fish such as cod, tuna, and groupers have declined worldwide by two-thirds while the number of anchovies, sardines and capelin has surged in their absence, said University of British Columbia researchers. Meanwhile, people around the world are fishing harder and coming up with the same or fewer numbers in their catch, indicating that humans may have maxed out the ocean's capacity to provide us with food.

"By removing the large, predatory species from the ocean, small forage fish have been left to thrive." The researchers also found that more than half (54 percent) of the decline in the predatory fish population has taken place over the last 40 years.

"Humans have always fished. Even our ancestors have fished. We are just much much better at it now," said UBC scientist Reg Watson.

Our Growing Population

2011-02-23T06:46:00.000-08:00

A growing, more affluent population competing for ever scarcer resources could make for an "unrecognizable" world by 2050, researchers warned at a major US science conference Sunday. The United Nations has predicted the global population will reach seven billion this year, and climb to nine billion by 2050, "with almost all of the growth occurring in poor countries, particularly Africa and South Asia," said John Bongaarts of the non-profit Population Council.

To feed all those mouths, "we will need to produce as much food in the next 40 years as we have in the last 8,000," said Jason Clay of the World Wildlife Fund at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). It takes around seven pounds (3.4 kilograms) of grain to produce a pound of meat, and around three to four pounds of grain to produce a pound of cheese or eggs, experts told AFP. "More people, more money, more consumption, but the same planet," Clay told AFP, urging scientists and governments to start making changes now to how food is produced.

Food/Sex/Music: All the Same to the Brain

2011-01-11T09:33:00.000-08:00

Whether it's the Beatles or Beethoven, people like music for the same reason they like eating or having sex: It makes the brain release a chemical that gives pleasure, a new study says.

Previous work had already suggested a role for dopamine, a substance brain cells release to communicate with each other. But the new work, which scanned people's brains as they listened to music, shows it happening directly.

While dopamine normally helps us feel the pleasure of eating or having sex, it also helps produce euphoria from illegal drugs. It's active in particular circuits of the brain.

The tie to dopamine helps explain why music is so widely popular across cultures, Robert Zatorre and Valorie Salimpoor of McGill University in Montreal write in an article posted online Sunday by the journal Nature Neuroscience.

The study used only instrumental music, showing that voices aren't necessary to produce the dopamine response, Salimpoor said. It will take further work to study how voices might contribute to the pleasure effect, she said. Music isn't the only cultural experience that affects the brain's reward circuitry. Other researchers recently showed a link when people studied artwork.

Nature Neuroscience

What's in Your Drinking Water?

2011-01-11T09:23:00.000-08:00

Hexavalent Chromium Found in Drinking Water of 31 US Cities

(Erin Brockovich made Hexavalent Chromium popular back in 2000-you remember the movie)

An environmental group that analyzed the drinking water in 35 cities across the United States, including Bethesda and Washington, found that most contained hexavalent chromium, a probable carcinogen.

The federal government restricts the amount of "total chromium" in drinking water and requires water utilities to test for it, but that includes both trivalent chromium, a mineral that humans need to metabolize glucose, and hexavalent chromium, the metal that has caused cancer in laboratory animals.

Last year, California took the first step in limiting the amount of hexavalent chromium in drinking water by proposing a "public health goal" for safe levels of 0.06 parts per billion. If California does set a limit, it would be the first in the nation.

Hexavalent chromium was a commonly used industrial chemical until the early 1990s. It is still used in some industries, such as in chrome plating and the manufacturing of plastics and dyes. The chemical can also leach into groundwater from natural ores.

More Info Found at Environmental Working Group

Do Barefoot Running Shoes Really Work?

2011-01-11T09:15:00.000-08:00

By: Dr. Robert A. Kornfeld

Barefoot running shoes are designed to re-create a "natural," barefoot running dynamic on "unnatural" surfaces like concrete, asphalt, red top, black top, etc. How can we have a barefoot running shoe? Doesn't barefoot denote without shoes?

Choosing to run on non-yielding surfaces without the protection afforded by proper running shoes can be harmful to the foot and ankle and cause even more problems downstream from compensation patterns. So what really are these pedal marvels and why is everyone running to take their shoes off?

Barefoot running shoe manufacturers believe that the human foot, unimpeded by synthetic surfaces and restrictive running shoes, should function at its best. That is a correct assumption, save for the fact that the human foot was designed long before the paving of roads. In fact, uneven, grassy surfaces are the most natural surface for the human foot because it helps the body navigate and respond to uneven terrain, while at the same time absorbs shock, stabilizes weight and propels the body forward. In order for this to occur successfully, most of us are born with a flexible forefoot and a rigid or stable rearfoot. In other words, at heel strike -- when your heel hits the ground -- your leg from the hip down is aligned for optimal function and is stabilized during normal walking.

So who should be using barefoot running shoes? The answer is very few people should. Only those people with stable (not flexible) first metatarsals will do well with these shoes, as well as those with very powerful lower leg musculature (although even those with powerful lower leg function will ultimately go on to some type of pathology).

For the full article click here

Americans Falsely Believe Their Diet is Healthy

2011-01-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

Nine in 10 Americans say their diet is healthy but only a quarter limit the amount of fat or sugar they eat, and two-thirds don't eat enough fruit and vegetables. "Americans tend to give themselves high marks for healthy eating, but when we asked how many sugary drinks, fatty foods, and fruits and veggies they consumed, we found that their definition of healthy eating was questionable," said Nancy Metcalf of Consumer Reports Health, which conducted a recent poll.

Of the 1,234 American adults polled, 89.7 percent said their diet was "somewhat" (52.6 percent), "very" (31.5 percent), or "extremely" healthy (5.6 percent). But 43 percent of the survey respondents said they drank at least one sugary soda or other sweetened drink every day, and just one in four said they limited sweets, sugars or fats in their diet, the poll conducted in early November found. Four in 10 Americans said they ate "pretty much everything" or "mostly everything" that they wanted. A third said they were at a healthy weight when they actually had a body mass index (BMI) of an overweight or obese person, while eight percent thought they were overweight or obese, but their BMIs suggested they were not. One in three adults is obese.

www.discovery.com

48th is Not a Good Place

2010-11-15T07:01:00.000-08:00

The National Academies, the country’s leading advisory group on science and technology, warned in 2005 that unless the United States improved the quality of math and science education, at all levels, it would continue to lose economic ground to foreign competitors.

The situation remains grim. According to a follow-up report published last month, the academies found that the United States ranks 27th out of 29 wealthy countries in the proportion of college students with degrees in science or engineering, while the World Economic Forum ranked this country 48th out of 133 developed and developing nations in quality of math and science instruction.

More than half the patents awarded here last year were given to companies from outside the United States. In American graduate schools, nearly half of students studying the sciences are foreigners; while these students might once have spent their careers here, many are now opting to return home.

A version of this editorial appeared in print on October 26, 2010, on page A28 of the New York edition.

Natalie Rae Recipes

2010-11-15T06:56:00.001-08:00

The Way to a Man’s Heart aka Layered Fajita Pizza

This recipe is very easy, but very yummy. This is my fiance’s favorite meal that I cook and I like to think of it as a turning point in our relationship! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1lb lean ground beef

1 red bell pepper

1 green bell pepper

½ small white onion

½ lime

1 roma tomato

Shredded cheese

Fresh Cilantro

1 pkg taco seasoning

Taco sauce

Soft tortillas

*tortilla size can vary depending on if you want to make family style or individual servings
(individual serving pictured using soft taco size tortillas)

Sour cream and green onions optional

Cooking:

Start by slicing the peppers and onion julienne style (fajita style) and sauté them slowly in the juice of half of a lime and 2 Tbs fresh cilantro. Dice the tomato and set aside. While the vegetables are softening brown the beef in a skillet. Once browned add the taco seasoning and ¼ cup of water. Stir until well seasoned and absorbed. Next take your tortilla and place in your preferred baking dish. Spread 1 Tbs of taco sauce on the tortilla and add a layer of beef, a layer of sautéed vegetables, diced tomatoes, and a layer of shredded cheese. Add another tortilla on top and repeat these layers. Place in the oven for 12-15 minutes, just long enough to melt the cheese and crisp the tortillas. Drizzle with taco sauce. Top with sour cream and green onions! Enjoy!

Manhattan you are TOO LOUD!!

2010-11-15T06:56:00.000-08:00

Columbia Study Shows 98% of Manhattan Is Lethally Loud

You've got to shout to be heard in this town -- and it's killing us.

Noise in 98 percent of Manhattan's public space exceeds healthy levels, says a study co-authored by Columbia University researchers to be released today.

Honking cars or quarreling neighbors raise our stress, but background noise like truck traffic that New Yorkers take in stride may be even worse, said Robyn Gershon, a Columbia professor.

Read the whole story: nypost.com

Less $=More Fat

2010-11-15T06:51:00.000-08:00

In a society where fast food is more affordable and accessible than nutrient-rich greens, it comes as no surprise that obesity rates are higher for poor adults than for the well-off. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that a study conducted by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health revealed that obesity rates for poor adults were 9 percent higher than for the well-off, and the gap was even greater for children. One of our biggest misconceptions is that it's poor people's fault. The poor, without access to healthy foods, are making the best possible choices under difficult circumstances. The Inquirer highlights the struggle for the destitute to eat healthy, as they profile a resident of the First Congressional District of Philadelphia -- the "second-hungriest" sector in the United States.

Read more at the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Tips to Decrease Your Sugar Cravings this Holiday Season

2010-11-15T06:34:00.000-08:00

• Eat regularly. Eat three meals and two snacks or five small meals a day. For many people, if they don't eat regularly, their blood sugar levels drop, they feel hungry and are more likely to crave sweet sugary snacks.

• Choose whole foods. The closer a food is to its original form, the less processed sugar it will contain. Food in its natural form, including fruits and vegetables, usually presents no metabolic problems for a normal body, especially when consumed in variety.

• Have a breakfast of protein, fat and phytonutrients to start your day off right. The typical breakfast full of carbs and sugary or starchy foods is the worst option since you'll have cravings all day. Eating a good breakfast is essential to prevent sugar cravings

• Try incorporate protein and/or fat with each meal. This helps control blood sugar levels. Make sure they are healthy sources of each.

• Add spices. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings.

• Move your body. Exercise, dance or do some pilates. Whatever movement you enjoy will help reduce tension, boost your energy and decrease your need for a sugar lift.

• Get enough sleep. When we are tired we often use sugar for energy to counteract the exhaustion.

• Keep sugary snacks out of your house and office. It's difficult to snack on things that aren't there!

• Don't substitute artificial sweeteners for sugar. This will do little to alter your desire for sweets. If you do need a sweetener, try Stevia, it's the healthiest.

• Learn to read labels. Although I would encourage you to eat as few foods as possible that have labels, educate yourself about what you're putting into your body. The longer the list of ingredients, the more likely sugar is going to be included on that list. So check the grams of sugar, and choose products with the least sugar per serving.

• Become familiar with sugar terminology. Recognize that all of these are sweeteners: corn syrup, corn sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, dextrose, honey, molasses, turbinado sugar and brown sugar.

• Sugar in disguise. Remember that most of the "complex" carbohydrates we consume like bread, bagels and pasta aren't really complex at all. They are usually highly refined and act just like sugars in the body and are to be avoided.

• Drink lots of water. Sometimes drinking water or seltzer water can help with the sugar cravings. Also sometimes what we perceive as a food craving is really thirst.

• Have a piece of fruit. If you give in to your cravings, have a piece of fruit, it should satisfy a sweet craving and is much healthier.

Carcinogenic Compounds In Gulf

2010-10-14T07:07:00.000-07:00

Researchers testing the waters off Louisiana in June found hugely elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, some of which are known carcinogens. The researchers from Oregon State University say that a device taking samples just off the shore of Louisiana's Grande Isle registered a 40-fold increase in PAHs between May and June.

What's worse is that the sampling device was specifically designed to measure the fraction of PAHs in the environment that could make their way through a biological membrane. "This is a measure of what would enter into an organism," said Kim Anderson, an OSU professor of environmental and molecular toxicology. "There was a huge increase of PAHs that are bio-available to the organisms -- and that means they can essentially be uptaken by organisms throughout the food chain."

link to article

Understanding Food Labels

2010-10-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

WHAT, EXACTLY, IS “NATURAL?"

Who can use it: Anyone can put the term “natural” (or “all natural”) on most foods, since the Food and Drug Administration has no formal definition of the term and doesn’t regulate it or really police it. So far, according to the agency, it has “not objected to the use of the term if the food does not contain added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances.” The one exception: meats and poultry, which are regulated by a different organization, the US Department of Agriculture.

What it means: According to the USDA, meat and poultry that has “no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed may be labeled natural.”
The term “naturally raised” is a voluntary (read: unregulated) label that means livestock have been raised without antibiotics and growth hormones and have not been fed animal by-products.

The benefits: Foods labeled “natural” should not contain synthetic food dyes. Recent studies have linked synthetic food dyes with hyperactivity in children and even with cancer—enough to cause CSPI to call for a ban on synthetic dyes (ones that appear with a number after them, such as Blue 1 and 2 or Yellow 5 and 6) recently. This doesn’t mean all our food will become duller: plenty of natural colorants abound.

What it doesn’t mean: Since there is little policing on the term “natural” it’s best to read the label to see what is really in your food. For instance, the Tostito’s claim “All Natural” (shown here) is true—Tostito’s Natural Corn Chips are made with only organic (non-GM) corn, corn oil and salt. However “natural” in no way implies any product is organic, local, or humanely-raised.

WHAT DOES “ORGANIC” REALLY MEAN?
Who can use it?: “Certified organic” is one label that is strictly regulated. To be “certified organic” a farm must have been pesticide- and herbicide-free for at least three years. Livestock producers have even more stringent requirements regarding the feed and care of their animals. Certification is an expensive and time-consuming process, which means many very small farms that may be following organic practices don’t bother getting certified.

What it means: The product was made without using pesticides or herbicides, antibiotics, hormones, irradiation or bio-engineering (i.e. GMO). It means the farm has been inspected, farm animals given a chance to range in the open air, and that sustainable agricultural practices are in place. For farmed fish, it means that less than 25% of their feed comes from other fish and did not come from forage fish that have been depleted in the wild. Wild fish are not labeled organic.

The benefits: Organic produce has fewer trace residues of pesticides and more nutrients, some studies claim. Organic farming—both for produce and meats—means fewer pesticides, herbicides and antibiotics impact the groundwater and that environmentally sensitive practices are in use. Last, organic farms are regularly inspected and organic meats are more easily traced back to their farm, so if a food-safety issue occurs, it’s easier to find out where the food comes from.

What it doesn’t mean: An organic label indicates that 95% of the product is organic (there is also a “100-percent organic” label). And a food with at least 70% organic ingredients can be labeled “made with organic ingredients.” Organic also does not guarantee that it was produced on a small farm, is healthy, or that animals were treated humanely.

HOW LOCAL IS “LOCAL?”
Who can use it: Anyone can say their food is “local” and there are no regulations on the term. But local to where? The country? The state? The town? Federal regulations require “country of origin labeling,” or COOL, for meats fish, fresh and frozen produce, peanuts, pecans and macadamia nuts. Congress has also passed an act that defines the “local” label as “the locality or region in which the final product is marketed, so that the total distance that the product is transported is less than 400 miles from the origin of the product; or the State in which the product is produced.”

What it means: Unless you visit the farm, it’s truly hard to know what “local” really is. In Vermont, the term is regulated to mean “local” to Vermont or made within 30 miles of where the product is sold. Some states certify farmers’ markets to make sure that you are buying directly from a local farmer. California, for instance, requires that the farmer actually grows the produce he or she is selling at a California Certified Farmers’ Market (as opposed to selling through a packager) and that the produce is grown in state—but that too could be 400 miles away.

The benefits: Buying local supports a local economy and helps ensure that open land will remain in agriculture. It can also be better for your health, since local fruits and vegetables are often allowed to ripen longer and thus often taste better and carry more nutrients. And it could benefit the environment: one study by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture shows that if Iowans purchased only 10 percent of their food from their home state, it would reduce carbon emissions by 7.9 million pounds a year.

What it doesn’t mean: Just because it says “local” doesn’t mean that the food wasn’t produced on a factory farm, or that it is organic, sustainable or even… ahem… “natural.”

Fall Recipes 2

2010-10-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

Butternut Squash Soup

(with love from Judy)

1. Chop 2 onions and 3 garlic cloves - put in large pot with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Cook covered for 20 minutes (it sort of steams).

2. Peel (I used a carrot scraper) and chunk butternut squash (and discard seeds). Add to onions/garlic and cook covered for about 2-3 minutes.

3. Add 5 cups of chicken stock. Cook covered on med/high heat until it boils, then turn down and cook covered on low for about an hour until the squash is soft enough to easily put a fork into it.

4. Puree.

5. Enjoy.

Fall Recipes!!

2010-10-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

Two-Ingredient Maple Soufflé

INGREDIENTS:

2 eggs1/3 cup maple syrup (I use Grade A Dark Amber)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Separate egg whites and yolks. In a small bowl, whisk together the two egg yolks and maple syrup until evenly distributed. In a stainless steel bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form (I often beat them to hard peaks and that’s fine too). Fold the maple syrup mixture into the whipped egg whites. Pour into four ramekins and place ramekins on a baking sheet.

Place baking sheet in the oven and immediately turn temperature to 375 degrees.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until puffed up.
Serves 4.

Muscles Remember Their Strength

2010-08-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Exercising is easier for people who have worked out earlier in life. A new study shows that muscles retain a memory of their former fitness even as they wither from lack of use. Musucles seem to have both long and short term memory.

The memory is stored in the cells of the muscle. Muscle cells are huge. Because the cells are so big more than one nucleus is needed to supply the amount of protein needed for muscular strength. When you exercise muscle cells get even bigger by merging with satellite cells. Previously researchers thought that when muscles atrophy, the extra cells that had merged would be killed off. A new study suggests that the nuclei do not die-which means.

Headphone Use Increases Hearing Loss in Teens

2010-08-22T11:55:00.000-07:00

1-in-5 U.S. Teenagers has Slight Hearing Loss

Some experts are urging teenagers to turn down the volume on their digital music players, suggesting loud music through earbuds may be to blame. Researchers analyzed data on 12- to 19-year-olds from a nationwide health survey. They compared hearing loss in nearly 3,000 kids tested from 1988-94 to nearly 1,800 kids tested over 2005-06. The prevalence of hearing loss increased from about 15 percent to 19.5 percent.

Most of the hearing loss was "slight," defined as inability to hear at 16 to 24 decibels – or sounds such as a whisper or rustling leaves. A teenager with slight hearing loss might not be able to hear water dripping or his mother whispering "good night." Extrapolating to the nation's teens, that would mean about 6.5 million with at least slight hearing loss.

ADHD Linked to Pesticide Exposure

2010-08-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

Chemicals on our produce may contribute to behavior problems in our kids, suggest three new studies. The studies, which looked at a class of pesticides called organophosphates (OP), linked exposure to the chemicals with attention disorders in children, with perhaps the most dramatic impacts to kids who are exposed in the womb and those who are genetically most susceptible. Because pesticide residues linger on fruits and vegetables, the findings suggest that people either buy organic or take the time to wash their produce well.

Organophosphates are a set of common pesticides that work by attacking the nervous systems of insects. When people are exposed to high levels of the chemicals, they can develop anxiety, confusion impaired concentration, and other serious symptoms. More recently, scientists have started to wonder how chronic exposure at low levels might be affecting people, especially kids, whose nervous systems are still developing.

www.news.discovery.com

How to Prevent Osteoporosis

2010-06-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some essential and specific ways to protect your bones:

Diet. Bones are dynamic organs that thrive in a mineral-rich environment. If you eat a lot of refined foods, you are likely to have weak bones and poor teeth. Follow the dietary programs outlined in Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, which are low-acid diets that support the health of your entire body.

Exercise. Two 40-minute sessions per week of weight training have been shown to increase bone density as much as estrogen, according to research by Miriam Nelson, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Tufts University and author of Strong Women, Strong Bones (Perigee Trade, updated edition 2006). Proper alignment of the skeleton is also crucial for maintaining healthy bones and hips throughout life. Pilates and yoga are excellent for alignment.

Reduce phosphate consumption. Phosphate consumption directly interferes with calcium absorption. Eliminate cola and root beer drinks, which have a high phosphate content.

Quit smoking and cut back on alcohol. Since smokers, along with women who consume two or more alcoholic drinks daily, are at the highest risk for osteoporosis, women should refrain from smoking and limit alcohol intake.

Limit caffeine. Caffeine increases the rate at which calcium is lost in the urine. Daily intake should be limited to no more than the equivalent of the amount of caffeine found in one to two cups of coffee.

Decrease stress hormones. If you are depressed or under chronic stress, get help. Depression increases the risk for osteoporosis. The stress hormone known as cortisol is higher in depressed or chronically stressed individuals, and over time, this hormone results in bone (and skin) breakdown.

Boron. Boron is a trace element found in fruits, nuts and vegetables. It has been found to reduce urinary calcium loss and to increase serum levels of 17-beta estradiol (the most biologically active estrogen); both of these effects help bone health. The minimum daily dose of boron needed (2 mg per day) is easily met with a diet rich in fruits, nuts and vegetables; supplements can be taken up to 12 mg per day.

EAT: Fresh for Spring!

2010-06-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a list of fresh fruits/vegetables that are fresh right now:

-apricots
-artichokes
-asparagus
-avocados
-beets
-cherries
-radishes
-rhubarb
-spinach
-strawberries

click on the link to find a recipe

USDA is Slacking-Find Out What's in Your Meat

2010-05-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

USDA's Office of Inspector General issued a report on the department's "National Residue Program for Cattle." It found gaping holes in the safety of American beef production, including residue of drugs, poisons and heavy metals in the meat we eat.

Information from: Audit Report 24601-08-KC

"Based on our review, we found that the national residue program is not accomplishing its mission of monitoring the food supply for harmful residues." The audit revealed that USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), along with the FDA and EPA, "have not established thresholds for many dangerous substances (e.g., copper or dioxin), which has resulted in meat with these substances being distributed in commerce." Even worse, the federal government does not attempt to recall meat, "even when its tests have confirmed the excessive presence of veterinary drugs," the audit said.

Currently regulations allow the feeding of beef products to cattle (a potential way to transmit "mad cow disease") in three ways: calve formula containing bovine blood, restaurant scraps in cattle feed, and the feeding of chicken manure to beef cattle - the manure contains spilled pieces of chicken feed, which can include beef byproducts.

And now we learn that some US beef is contaminated with heavy metals like copper and arsenic, antibiotics like Flunixin, penicillin, and Ivermectin, and a host of pesticides - all of which are used in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), better known as factory farms.

What is Pilates?

2010-05-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you've heard of or wanted to try the Pilates Method (now often referred as Pilates). Pilates, for those properly able to participate, has tremendous physical and mental benefits: stronger muscles, more flexibility, better posture and balance. Through Pilates, you can experience a stronger abdomen, back, neck, shoulders and pelvic region, to name a few—not to mention the improved mobility and flexibility reported often from participants.

Pilates combines both eastern and western thought toward a program that delivers great overall results without all the repetition of weight training, sit-ups, etc. And with the focus of Pilates on proper mental focus, technique and breathing, it's a great workout for reducing stress and anxiety, while increasing an overall sense of wellness and well-being. All in all, Pilates is very effective overall in terms of its mind-body benefits.

And like walking or running, Pilates done on the mat can be a great " anytime, anywhere" exercise—all one needs is comfortable clothing and a soft surface (carpeting works just fine). Many people practice Pilates in their hotel room on a business trip. Finally, there are simply a great variety of exercises that form Pilates, and they can easily be utilized and modified for a range of experience and challenge, from beginner to expert.

Some principles of Pilates:

In Pilates, the focus is on " the core"—your trunk, including the abdomen and pelvic region. A variety of generally slower, deliberate movements are performed (not unlike yoga, but the "poses" are performed in very different ways). The movements in Pilates are done in a very controlled fashion. There is an emphasis on entire body movements, but Pilates will often emphasize and isolate particular groups of muscles: the abdomen, glutes and thighs, shoulders and triceps.

The controlled movement is key, and proper breathing is essential. It requires concentration, and in an on-the-mat class, this is often helped and encouraged by an instructor who gently reminds participants of proper alignment, breathing, and focus. Some Pilates classes will include or utilize a stretchband in some portions of the class or a video for added variety, stretching or resisistance.

For more information about Pilates or how to integrate it into your workout routine feel free to contact me: jldowd@gmail.com

Another Reason Flexibilty is Important

2010-05-14T12:24:00.001-07:00

The flexibility of your body correlates with the flexiblity of your artieries. Flexibility is one of the main aspects of physical fitness along with cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance. As we get older it is normal for our arteries to begin to become stiff. No one knows the exact cause of this stiffening but it begins to occur in middle age. It has been shown that higher levels of physical fitness seem to delay the the development of the age-associated stiffening of our arteries. We know that this stiffening of the walls of our arteries has been found to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease like heart attack and strokes as well as death. None of us want stiff arteries for it is just logical that blood will not flow as well in a stiff artery. It is also shown that people with lower flexibilty have higher blood pressure.

A recent study found that stretching exercises, but NOT strength training or aerobic exercise, improved (by 23 percent) the flexibility of the carotid artery, the main artery in our neck that carries blood to our brain. These are some of the first scientific studies I have seen that actually shows that flexibility exercises, such as yoga and/or pilates might help keep us healthy longer and reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease. This is very exciting information! Since heart disease is the number one cause of death in our country, this could be life-saving.

For more information click here

Floating Garbage Found in the Ocean

2010-05-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Researchers are warning of a new blight at sea: a swirl of confetti-like plastic debris stretching over a remote expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. The debris is harmful for fish, sea mammals – and at the top of the food chain, potentially humans – even though much of the plastic has broken into such tiny pieces they are nearly invisible. Since there is no realistic way of cleaning the oceans, advocates say the key is to keep more plastic out by raising awareness and, wherever possible, challenging a throwaway culture that uses non-biodegradable materials for disposable products. Plastics have entangled birds and turned up in the bellies of fish: A paper cited by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says as many as 100,000 marine mammals could die trash-related deaths each year.

Glacier National Park Loosing its' Glaciers

2010-04-12T09:20:00.000-07:00

Glacier National Park has lost two more of its namesake moving icefields to climate change, which is shrinking the rivers of ice until they grind to a halt, the U.S. Geological Survey said Wednesday. Warmer temperatures have reduced the number of named glaciers in the northwestern Montana park to 25, said Dan Fagre, an ecologist with the agency.

The latest two to fall below the 25 acre threshold were Miche Wabun and Shepard. Each had shrunk by roughly 55 percent since the mid-1960s. The largest remaining glacier in the park is Harrison Glacier, at about 465 acres. Some glaciers, such as in the Himalayas, could hold out for centuries in a warmer world. But more than 90 percent of glaciers worldwide are in retreat, with major losses already seen across much of Alaska, the Alps, the Andes and numerous other ranges, according to researchers in the United States and Europe.

The area of the Rocky Mountains now within Glacier National Park once boasted about 150 glaciers, now around 37. A handful of the park's largest glaciers could survive past 2020 or even 2030, but by that point the ecosystem would already be irreversibly altered. Geological evidence points to the continual presence of glaciers in the area since at least 5000 B.C. Glaciers have been on this landscape continually for 7,000 years, and we're looking at them disappear in a couple of decades.

Meatless Monday Recipe

2010-04-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

Mushroom Ragout with Baked Goat Cheese Polenta

For goat cheese polenta:
3 cups water or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup yellow corn meal or polenta

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste

1 cup fresh parsley, chopped1 cup ricotta

2 eggs

1/3 cup goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan. Alternately, you can use an 8- or 9- inch pie pan or casserole and serve polenta from there without unmolding.

Bring water or broth and olive oil to boil in a large stock pot. Add corn meal all at once and gang way, because it may well splatter. Reduce heat to medium. Stir thoroughly and briskly until mixture is smooth and very thick, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes and sea salt. Remove from heat.
In a separate bowl, whisk together ricotta, eggs, goat cheese and fresh parsley. Stir into polenta.
Pour polenta into prepared springform, pie pan or casserole. Bake for 55 minutes to one hour, or until puffed and set.

For mushroom ragout:
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine

1 pound white mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

3/4 cup red wine

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add chopped onion, garlic and rosemary. Saute until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue cooking another 10 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add tomato paste and stir in wine. Stir well to combine.
Slice polenta in wedges or squares and serve with mushroom ragout.
Serves 6 to 8.

2 Steps to Sleep Better

2010-04-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

Before Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, the average American was sleeping 10 hours per night. Today, the national sleep foundation reports that the average time people spend in bed to sleep is 6 hours and 55 minutes -- with 6 hours and 40 minutes spent actually sleeping. They recommend getting at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Approximately 70 million Americans are sprouting up with sleep problems from insomnia, hypersomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy, to restless leg syndrome and a majority of these are left undiagnosed and untreated.

1. No technology after 9pm. Our minds need to rest and when we are overconnected to technology it keeps the mind buzzing.

2. Body Scan-which is a way of progressively moving our attention from our toes to our head. Trying to relax each area of the body and paying attention to tension held in certian areas (shoulders, jaw, neck ect..)

Exercising while Pregnant

2010-04-12T08:38:00.000-07:00

For most pregnant women, exercise is the last thing on their minds. After all, keeping slim while you're expecting isn't exactly the top priority — rather, it's making sure your baby gets enough nutrients to grow. But in a small new study, researchers at the University of Auckland in New Zealand report that a mother's regular aerobic exercise may be good for a growing fetus' health — and may even help a baby get a healthier start in life.

Researchers asked some women to exercise on a stationary bicycle for at least 40 minutes per session, up to five times each week, starting in the 20th week of pregnancy; the other women were not specifically asked to exercise. When the two groups and their babies were compared, the team found that women who bicycled regularly gave birth to babies who were on average 150 g (about 5 oz.) lighter than those born to the nonexercising mothers. In both groups, however, the babies were of healthy weight, and there was no difference in the mothers' weights.

http://www.time.com/

Oil Tanker Slams into Great Barrier Reef

2010-04-05T16:15:00.000-07:00

BRISBANE, Australia — A salvage team could take weeks to remove a grounded coal-carrying ship from Australia's Great Barrier Reef, where it is leaking oil in a pristine marine environment. The Chinese Shen Neng 1 ran aground on Douglas Shoals, a favorite pristine haunt for recreational fishing east of the Great Keppel Island tourist resort. The shoals – off the coast of Queensland state in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park – are in a protected part of the reef where shipping is restricted by environmental law. Authorities fear an oil spill will damage the world's largest coral reef, which is off northeast Australia and listed as a World Heritage site for its environmental value. This is a very delicate part of one of the most precious marine environments on earth and there are safe authorized shipping channels and that's where this ship should have been. The ship hit the reef at full speed, nine miles (15 kilometers) outside the shipping lane. Authorities fear the ship will break apart during the salvage operation or spill more of its 1,000 tons (950 metric tons) load of heavy fuel oil.

for more information:

reuters

huffingtonpost

Meditation Exercise

2010-03-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

Try this simple meditation:

Sit comfortably on a chair or the floor. Breathe naturally and close your eyes. Each time a thought appears, put it inside a balloon and let it fly up into the sky and disappear. Do this until the thoughts are exhausted. After a bit, your body will feel very light, and your mind will become still. The first few times it may take a while, but it will get easier and faster with practice.

10 Kids' Foods to Avoid & Their Healthy Alternatives

2010-03-15T10:00:00.001-07:00

1. Kid's yogurt

Is the equivalent of sprinkling lots of sugar and candy on top of a cup of steamed broccoli. "All the sugar that's in many brands turns something that's full of calcium, protein, vitamin D, and magnesium into dessert." The biggest offenders: yogurt "fun foods." Read the labels of yogurt in plastic tubes that are meant to be frozen and thrown into kids' lunchboxes. After the first ingredient, which as hoped for, is milk, come high fructose corn syrup and sugar, artificial flavorings and colors.

Alternative-organic yogurt with fruit added for sweetness

2. Instant oatmeal

You already know that many kids' cereals are sugary to the extreme. Read the ingredient label-one teaspoon of sugar equals four grams -- some of the 'maple' or other favors have more than 12 grams per serving.

Alternative-Microwave whole oats in a glass dish (following the directions using low-fat milk or water). Stir in a quarter-cup of raisins and, voila, a naturally sweet breakfast.

3. Fruit juice

Many juices advertised as "natural" contain artificial sweeteners. Some contain only fruit juice concentrates, and are little more than sweetened water, enhanced with extra vitamins.

Alternative- Pack an orange, an apple or a cup of applesauce. And if you do serve juice, go for 100% natural fruit juice, not concentrate, and limit kids to one 8-ounce serving a day.

4. Kid's meals

On the menu at just about any restaurant, these are often higher in fat and calories than items on the adult menu. They're high-sodium and high-fat foods like fried chicken nuggets, fried chicken, cheese pizza or mac 'n cheese -- all foods that have very little nutritional value.

Alternative-Insist your kid be able to order a half-size portion of adult foods.

5. Fish sticks

Some labels advertise them as a better-for-you fish, but frozen fried fish is fat-laden and loaded with artificial ingredients. No matter what you call them, fish 'tenders,' 'sticks,' or the like are all battered and fried.

Alternative-Grilled or baked fish.

6. Peanut butter

While peanut butter can be a good source of protein and calories, several have sugar, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat. And steer clear of the jars of peanut butter and jelly. They're loaded with high fructose corn syrup, dextrose and other unwelcome additives.

Alternative-Look for brands with one or at most two ingredients: peanuts and maybe salt.

7. Rice cakes

Parents concerned about their children's weight look to rice cakes as snacks. But there is little nutritional value in these white rice snacks. No matter how many calories they have, they're empty calories and won't fill kids up, so a child is hungry soon after eating one and back in the cupboards looking for something to eat.

Alternative- Whole-wheat pita chips with hummus or peanut butter. To make your own, slice a whole wheat pita into quarters and lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake until lightly crunchy.

8. Breakfast bars

The first ingredient listed on cereal bar, granola bar, and breakfast bar packages is usually refined flour (even enriched). Sugar is often second or third. Not only does that make this a fattening meal, it'll have your kid's tummy grumbling in about an hour. Empty calorie foods like this do not fill a child up. So they wind up eating more than if they would have had a 'real' meal.

Alternative-A cup of yogurt with a cup of crunchy low-sugar cereal stirred in.

9. Fruit snacks

Once and for all ... there is no fruit in fruit roll-up-type snacks. Even though the front of the package shows pictures of fruit, the ingredients tell the tale. They're loaded with high fructose corn syrup, sugar, dextrose, artificial flavors, fruit flavors, artificial colors, etc.

Alternative-An apple.

10. Fat-free foods

Just because something is fat-free, that doesn't make it calorie-free, or healthy. When fast food apples come with 'low fat caramel dipping sauce,' the apples are still being served with a 70 calorie portion of low-fat caramel dip. So low-fat doesn't mean low-calorie or low-sugar. And since sugar can turn into fat in the body, fat-free foods that are high in sugar aren't really fat free after all.

Alternative-Read the labels and look at the calories and sugar per serving. Although it might feel counterintuitive, fat-free just might be more fattening.

http://www.susanburkemarch.com/

5 Activities for Longevity

2010-03-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

1. Laugh out loud! Research shows that laughter and joy boost immune functions, especially the production of the natural killer cells that help protect the body from illness and cancer. Laughter also increases the release of endorphins, compounds that give you a sense of well-being, in your brain. Without a doubt, joyful people live longer and healthier lives.

2. Drink it up--tea, that is. Besides being anti-cancerous and cholesterol lowering, the antioxidant-rich tea leaves also protect your brain from free-radical damage, strengthen your bones against osteoporosis and according to studies published in the Journal of American Medical Association, lowers risks of death from all forms of cardiovascular diseases. So drink tea to your heart's content!

3. Unwind with meditation (not medication). Stress is the root cause of most of the diseases that shorten our life span. In our modern society stress will continue to increase - unless you find techniques to manage it. Meditation is the best way to release tension and revitalize your being. It also quiets your mind, lowers your stress hormones, and teaches self-discipline, which is a necessary attribute to achieving your health and longevity goals.

4. Massage. Countless studies have shown benefits of massage to include relieve pain and stiffness, boost immunity, reduce anxiety and depression, lower stress and blood pressure, and increase circulation that you wouldn't want to skip out on a good thing.

5. Climb the stairs instead of using elevator. The health benefits of a daily exercise program cannot be stressed enough. Regular exercise can help promote physiological well-being, strengthen the immune system, maintain joint mobility, increase energy - and the list goes on. Look for opportunities all through your day to work in physical activity. Power-walk, run, or ride your bike instead of driving.

Truth on Agave

2010-02-17T14:23:00.000-08:00

Agave syrup (nectar) is basically high-fructose corn syrup masquerading as a health food. Agave nectar is an amber-colored liquid that pours more easily than honey and is considerably sweeter than sugar. The health-food crowd loves it because it is gluten-free and suitable for vegan diets, and, most especially, because it's low-glycemic (we'll get to that in a moment). Largely because of its very low glycemic impact, agave nectar is marketed as "diabetic friendly".

Agave nectar has a low-glycemic index for one reason only: it's largely made of fructose, which although it has a low-glycemic index, is probably the single most damaging form of sugar when used as a sweetener. With the exception of pure liquid fructose, agave nectar has the highest fructose content of any commercial sweetener.

Fructose -- the sugar found naturally in fruit -- is perfectly fine when you get it from whole foods like apples (about 7 percent fructose) -- it comes with a host of vitamins, antioxidants and fiber. But when it's commercially extracted from fruit, concentrated and made into a sweetener, it exacts a considerable metabolic price. Fructose has also been linked to non-alcoholic, fatty-liver disease. Rats that were given high fructose diets developed a number of undesirable metabolic abnormalities including elevated triglycerides, weight gain and extra abdominal fat.

What is a Sugarholic to do?

2010-02-17T14:03:00.000-08:00

If you want to use a sweetener occasionally use:

1. Use the herb stevia.

2. Use organic cane sugar in moderation.

3. Use organic raw honey in moderation.

4. Avoid ALL artificial sweeteners, which can damage your health even more quickly than fructose.

5. Avoid agave syrup since it is a highly processed sap that is almost all fructose. Your blood sugar will spike just as it would if you were consuming regular sugar or HFCS. Agave's meteoric rise in popularity is due to a great marketing campaign, but any health benefits present in the original agave plant are processed out.

6. Avoid so-called energy drinks and sports drinks because they are loaded with sugar, sodium and chemical additives. Rehydrating with pure, fresh water is a better choice.

High Fructose Corn Syrup...

2010-02-17T13:50:00.000-08:00

Study after study are taking their place in a growing lineup of scientific research demonstrating that consuming high-fructose corn syrup is the fastest way to trash your health.

And fructose in any form -- including high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and crystalline fructose -- is the worst of the worst!

Fructose is a major contributor to:

• Insulin resistance and obesity
• Elevated blood pressure
• Elevated triglycerides and elevated LDL
• Depletion of vitamins and minerals
• Cardiovascular disease, liver disease, cancer, arthritis and even gout

If you received your fructose only from vegetables and fruits (where it originates) as most people did a century ago, you'd consume about 15 grams per day -- a far cry from the 73 grams per day the typical adolescent gets from sweetened drinks.
There are two reasons fructose is so damaging:

1. Your body metabolizes fructose in a much different way than glucose. The entire burden of metabolizing fructose falls on your liver.

2. People are consuming fructose in enormous quantities, which has made the negative effects much more profound.

Today, 55 percent of sweeteners used in food and beverage manufacturing are made from corn, and the number one source of calories in America is soda, in the form of HFCS. As the truth comes out about HFCS, the Corn Refiners Association is scrambling to convince youthat their product is equal to table sugar, that it is "natural" and safe.

Of course, many things are "natural" -- cocaine is natural, but you wouldn't want to use 142 pounds of it each year. The food and beverage industry doesn't want you to realize how truly pervasive HFCS is in your diet -- not just from soft drinks and juices, but also in salad dressings and condiments and virtually every processed food. The introduction of HFCS into the Western diet in 1975 has been a multi-billion dollar boon for the corn industry.

For more information click here

Running Barefoot is Better

2010-02-04T19:07:00.000-08:00

Mother Nature has outpaced science once again: the bare human foot is better for running than one cushioned by sneakers. What about those $125 high-tech running shoes with 648 custom combinations? Toss 'em, according to a new study published online January 27 in the journal Nature(Scientific American is part of Nature Publishing Group). "Most people today think barefoot running is dangerous and hurts," Daniel Lieberman, a professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, said in a prepared statement. "But actually you can run barefoot on the world's hardest surfaces without the slightest discomfort and pain…It might be less injurious than the way some people run in shoes."

Lieberman and his group used 3-D infrared tracking to record and study the running and strike style of three groups of runners: people who had always run barefoot, people who had always run with shoes, and people who had switched from shoe to shoeless. They found that when runners lace up their shmancy sneakers and take off, about 75 to 80 percent land heel-first. Barefoot runners—as Homo sapiens had evolved to be—usually land toward the middle or front of the food. "People who don't wear shoes when they run have an astonishingly different strike," Lieberman said.

Without shoes, landing on the heel is painful and can translate into a collision force some 1.5 to 3 times body weight. "Barefoot runners point their toes more at landing," which helps to lessen the impact by "decreasing the effective mass of the foot that comes to a sudden stop when you land," Madhusudhan Venkadesan, an applied mathematics and human evolutionary biology postdoctoral researcher at Harvard who also worked on the study, said in a prepared statement. But as cushioned kicks have hit the streets and treadmills, that initial pain has disappeared, and runners have changed their stride, leading to a way of high-impact running that human physiology wasn't evolved for—one that the researchers posit can lead to a host of foot and leg injuries.

Cancer & Lifestyle Choices

2010-02-04T18:56:00.000-08:00

This year, the message for World Cancer Day, 4th February, is "Cancer can be prevented too", with experts suggesting that 40 per cent of the 12.4 million cancersdiagnosed and 7.6 million cancer deaths worldwide could be prevented if we applied what we know about avoiding infections and changing lifestyles. The International Union Against Cancer (UICC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) who are marking World Cancer Day, said such reductions could be within our reach were we to apply "evidence-based cancer prevention strategies".

If someone came up with a single vaccine or drug that was proven to cure 40 per cent of all cancers we would all be dancing in the streets, yet in effect this is what we have says the UICC, except it isn't in one tablet, it's in lots of different bits of knowledge and strategies, we just need to apply them effectively and comprehensively.

The UICC said cancer prevention strategies include simple things like:

Quitting use of tobacco and avoiding second-hand smoke,
Limiting consumption of alcohol,
Avoiding too much sun,
Keeping to a healthy weight through healthy diet and exercise, and
Protecting against infections that cause cancer.

To coincide with World Cancer Day, the UICC has prepared a report titled "Cancer can be prevented too: protection against cancer-causing infections" that highlights 9 infections that can lead to cancer: including cervical and liver cancers, which can be prevented by vaccines. The nine infection areas covered in the report are: Hepatitis B virus (causes liver cancer); Hepatitis C virus (a growing threat that also causes liver cancer); HPV (certain strains cause cervical cancer); Epstein Barr virus (causes Burkitt'slymphoma, especially high incidence in children in equatorial Africa); HIV (Kaposi's sarcoma and AIDS-related lymphomas); Helicobacter pylori (a bacterium that can cause stomach cancer); Liver flukes and cancer of the bile ducts; Schistosomiasis and bladder cancer; and HTLV-1 and adult T-cell leukaemia.

The report explains that over the last three decades infections have emerged as an important risk for cancer, and suggests that current cancer research should focus on their prevention, detection and treatment.

Co-author Harald zur Hausen, who won the Nobel prize for his discovery of human papillomaviruses (HPV) causing cervical cancer, wrote that:

"Globally, efforts to identify agents involved in human cancers and to study the mechanisms of how they lead to cancer are still remarkably underrepresented."

information taken from:

Medical News Today

Hormones in Meat

2010-02-04T18:39:00.001-08:00

Based on the scientific literature, besides World Health Organization (WHO) reports, there is explicit evidence that the use of sex hormones to increase meat production poses serious dangers to consumers. Of particular concern are the increased risks of hormonal cancers since 1975: breast by 23 percent, prostate by 60 percent, and testes by 60 percent.

Some three decades ago, Dr. Roy Hertz, then Director of Endocrinology of the National Cancer Institute and world authority on breast and other hormonal cancers, warned of cancer risks due to the use of estrogenic cattle implants, particularly for the breast. Dr. Hertz emphasized that these implants increase normal hormonal levels, and that such imbalance cause reproductive cancers. Hertz also warned of the essentially uncontrolled and unregulated use of these extremely potent biological agents, no levels of which can be regarded as safe.

For More Information:

Samuel S. Epstein, M.D.
Professor emeritus Environmental & Occupational Medicine
University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health
Chairman, Cancer Prevention Coalition
email: epstein@uic.edu
www.preventcancer.com

Sitting Kills

2010-02-04T18:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a new warning from health experts: Sitting is deadly. Scientists are increasingly warning that sitting for prolonged periods – even if you also exercise regularly – could be bad for your health. And it doesn't matter where the sitting takes place – at the office, at school, in the car or before a computer or TV – just the overall number of hours it occurs.

Research is preliminary, but several studies suggest people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to be fat, have a heart attack or even die. In an editorial published this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Elin Ekblom-Bak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences suggested that authorities rethink how they define physical activity to highlight the dangers of sitting. "After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send harmful signals," Ekblom-Bak said. She explained that genes regulating the amount of glucose and fat in the body start to shut down. Figures from a U.S. survey in 2003-2004 found Americans spend more than half their time sitting, from working at their desks to sitting in cars.

Cigarette Butts Toxic to Fish

2009-11-21T12:37:00.000-08:00

Need another reason to quit smoking?

Cigarette butts, one of the most ubiquitous forms ofgarbage in the world, have been found to be toxic to saltwater and freshwater fish.

Even with a small amount of unburnt tobacco clinging to it, a
single cigarette butt soaked for a day is enough to turn a liter of
water a sickly yellow brown and kill 50 percent of fish swimming
in it. Without tobacco, it takes about 4 smoked filters to do the
same job.Still, humans are inadvertently carpeting the planet in cigarette butts.

According to one estimate, some 4.5 trillion filters
from spent smokes make their way into the environment every
year.When immersed in water, each one becomes a time-released
capsule of compounds like nicotine, cancer-causing benzenes, heavy metals and
other dangerous compounds.

Richard Gersberg, of San Diego State University, said that some states and municipalities have begun moving toward legislation that would ban smoking on beaches, where butts are
commonly discarded.

Birth Control Recall-Yaz and Yasmin

2009-11-19T12:18:00.000-08:00

The FDA released a warning letter this week sent to Bayer Pharmaceuticals over Yaz and Yasmin problems at the drug makers manufacturing plant in Germany. The letter indicates that Bayer hid out-of-specification test results for key ingredients in the birth control pills and said that several batches of the drugs should have never been released to the public. In what could be a forerunner to a Yasmin and Yaz recall, the FDA has asked for detailed lists of the batches shipped to U.S. customers.

Yaz and Yasmin are two popular birth control pills manufactured by Bayer that combine the active pharmaceutical ingredient drospirenone with ethinyl estradiol to prevent pregnancy. According to the FDA letter sent to the drug giant, several problems with the manufacturing process were identified at a plant in Germany where drospirenone was produced.
Instead of identifying batches of drugs that may be bad and preventing them from being released to the public, the FDA indicates Bayer took the results of these out-of-compliance drugs and hid them by averaging the numbers with good results. The FDA indicates that this is an “unacceptable practice” and stressed that each of the results should be treated independently.

Are you Super Stressed? Take this quiz and find out

2009-11-19T12:09:00.000-08:00

Respond to each question, using the following 4-point scale:

0 = Never 1 = Rarely 2 = Sometimes 3 = Often

1. How often do you feel like you are getting sick? ____

2. How often are you eating on the run (at your desk working, while driving or walking)? ____

3. How often during meals and meetings do you respond to emails/text messages on your PDA or cell phone? ____

4. How often do you skip meals because you are too busy to eat? ____

5. How often do you feel that watching TV is the most relaxing activity you do? ____

6. How often are you forgetful? ____

7. How often do you feel tired during the day? ____

8. How often do you feel that your life is out of control? ____

9. How often do you have trouble focusing? ____

10. How often do you lie awake at night ruminating? ____

11. How often do you have a difficult time sitting still? ____

12. How many times do you feel exhausted and can't seem to recover -- no matter how much rest you get? ____

13. How many times do you find yourself reading the same paragraph over and over and feeling increasingly frustrated that you just "don't get it"? ____

14. How often do feel like you are close to tears or sensitive to the criticism of others? ____

15. How often do you try to do everything yourself? ____

16. How often do you feel you are fighting a losing battle trying to keep up with your kids' sports schedule, French lessons, dental appointments and homework or your own work deadlines?____

17. How often do you have two or more major problems that you can't seem to resolve? ____

18. How often do you feel as if your stomach is tied up in knots? ____

19. How often are you canceling social engagements or family outings

to finish a work project? ____

20. How often do you find yourself angry and annoyed with

others-including those at home? ____

THE RESULTS Are you stressed?

Tally your answers to all 20 questions. Based on your total, see how you fall into the following categories:

Not stressed: 4 or less

Somewhat stressed: 5-8

Stressed: 9-12

SuperStressed: 12+

What stress type are you?

Could be your type: 1- 2

Probably your type: 3-4

Total for questions 12 and 16 ___Type I

Total for questions 13 and 17 ___Type II

Total for questions 14 and 18 ___Type III

Total for questions 15 and 19 ___Type IV

Total for questions 11 and 20 ___Type V

Type I: Burned Out, Exhausted, Numb, Depressed This SuperStress type is often categorized by the sense that you are fighting a losing battle trying to keep up with an ever-growing to-do list: your kids' needs, your own job, and so much more. You are likely experiencing extreme fatigue when you get up in the morning and repeatedly throughout the day. You've reached the point where stress has been present for so long that you can no longer mount much of a reaction and you have started to "check out" emotionally. Take heart: eating right will go an especially long way toward helping to moderate type I SuperStress. High-antioxidant, whey-based, breakfast shakes should become part of your diet, as should at least an ounce of chocolate every day!

Type II: Agitated, Can't Concentrate, Overwhelmed by Life Type IIs often report that they have days when their agitation is so great that they're distracted by their own restlessness; sleep no longer comes easily. If this describes you, for starters - and long-term - you'll want to consume a diet that works against inflammation and you will also want to start taking several specific supplements to support good sleep. Also, try this: drink five cups of tea a day - either green tea or chamomile tea, sweetened with honey if you choose - spaced out over the course of the day and evening.

Type III: Emotionally sensitive If your questionnaire score suggests you're a Type III then you have likely lost your sense of humor and are sometimes weepy or melancholy, despite your best efforts to be your old self. Every little stressor hits at your digestion: you are often bloated, gassy, and crampy. You will do well to stay with small amounts of low-fat animal protein and seafood and lots of greens and ripe fruits. Increase your turkey consumption. Walk 20 minutes a day to help regulate your nervous system.

Type IV: Driven, Controlling The Type IV SuperStress personality is a first rate goal-setter and goal-achiever and that's admirable. But the flip side is that over-attention to detail and micromanagement have become the only way you can handle situations that feel out of control. If you're one who approaches your life in this manner, I'm willing to bet you have symptoms that reflect this tension, such as constipation, neck pain, back pain, and stomach problems. You need to stick to a Mediterranean style eating plan and you should likely start on a probiotic supplement. "Burn off steam" through exercise - a half hour a day if you can find the time, and make time for family and friends again regularly - this will trigger the release of oxytocin, the "feel good" hormone.

Type V: Explosive, Can't Slow Down This type describes you if you use every means possible to keep things going at an ultrafast pace, living on caffeine and sugar-laden foods. You probably have little tolerance for mistakes and have been known to overreact or explode when mistakes are made (yours or someone else's). If so, there are steps toward tranquility that you can begin to take right now. You're going to need to wean yourself off so much caffeine (but don't go cold turkey; follow my progressive one-less-cup-a-day plan) and begin to choose foods with natural sweeteners instead of sugar. To stabilize moodiness and support relaxation, take magnesium glycinate. As for exercise, for Type Vs, what's more important than the amount of time you spend at any activity, is that you do something every day.

Take the longer quiz online at SuperStressSolution.com.

1 in 100 Children Have Autism

2009-10-05T09:41:00.000-07:00

Two new government studies indicate about 1 in 100 children have autism disorders – higher than a previous U.S. estimate of 1 in 150.

The new estimate would mean about 673,000 American children have autism. Previous estimates put the number at about 560,000.

President Barack Obama has made autism a priority for research, Insel said. Federal stimulus money has been earmarked for autism, and a 2006 law pumped millions of dollars of new federal money into autism research, screening and treatment.

American Academy of Pediatrics

Why We Eat to Much

2009-10-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

1. You're Not Getting Enough Sleep

Fix It-When we're exhausted, we hunger for just about everything in sight, especially if it's sugary or high in carbs. That may be because these foods give us both an energy boost and comfort (since lack of sleep is a stressor). To quell the urge for fattening foods and still get the energy kick you need, reach for a combination of complex carbs and protein.

2. Stress

Fix It-Sure, real-life pressures can put you in nonstop-nibble mode. But working stress- reduction techniques into your busy days can really help. Yoga, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises are powerful tools that keep tension in check. And spending 20 minutes doing progressive muscle relaxation--alternately tensing and relaxing muscle groups--significantly lessens stress, anxiety, and cortisol, according to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders.

3. You've got fatty foods (literally) on the brain

Fix It-Pay attention to what you're thinking when temptation strikes. Once the brain is activated [by a craving], having that inner dialogue of, 'No, I shouldn't have that,' only increases the wanting. Instead, focus on something you want more than that slice of cheesecake--from being healthier for your kids to feeling less winded when you walk to work.

Things to Keep in Mind:

-Lack of sleep affects hormones that control appetite and satiety: leptin and ghrelin

-For a food-free way to perk up during the day, take a 10-minute walk outside.

-Cortisol, together with insulin, causes your body to store more visceral fat

-Your brain forms long-term memories of the experience of fat-rich foods

www.cnn.com

EAT-October

2009-10-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

What's Fresh: October

squashes

cabbage

apples

pears

wild mushrooms

plums

lettuces

artichoke

beets

broccoli

sweet corn

edamame

eggplant

pumpkins

tomatoes

Homosexulaity in Nature

2009-09-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

Homosexuality in yeast (pp 890-893; N&V)

The human pathogen Candida albicans can reproduce by a previously unappreciated route, a Nature paper reveals. Until recently, the infection-causing yeast was thought to be strictly asexual, but then sexual reproduction was observed between cells of different sexes. Richard Bennett and colleagues now show that, in certain circumstances, sexual reproduction can also occur between cells of the same sex. This mode of reproduction occurs when a gene encoding a secreted protease enzyme is lacking. The study indicates a role for specialized sexual cycles in the survival and adaptation of disease-causing fungi.

Great Barrier Reef

2009-09-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest living organism, is under grave threat from climate warming and coastal development, and its prospects of survival are "poor," a major new report found on Wednesday.

"Even with the recent management initiatives to improve resilience, the overall outlook for the Great Barrier Reef is poor and catastrophic damage to the ecosystem may not be averted," a government reef management body said in the report.

The five-yearly reef outlook report, aimed at benchmarking the health of the reef, found climate change, declining water quality from coastal runoff, development and illegal fishing were the biggest dangers to the reef.

The study echoed findings by scientists belonging to the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that the Great Barrier Reef could be "functionally extinct" within decades, with deadly coral bleaching likely to be an annual occurrence by 2030.

Full article at:
Reuters

EAT-September

2009-09-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

I am going to start a new blog feature :)

Every month I am going to research what vegetables/fruits are fresh that month and an easy recipe to make with them. The highlighted items will be a link to that recipe. I will do my best to overlap ingredients to maximize meals.

This should lower the cost of the groceries and increase the nutrients of the produce.
These items will also be readily available at your local farmers market
Hope you enjoy.

September

What's fresh:

Lettuce

Red Currants

other items found in a lot of these ingredients:

arugula

goat cheese

Four Healthy Choices to Change Your Life

2009-09-02T15:55:00.000-07:00

This article was sent to me from my friend Marcy (thank you Marcy)

Enjoy.

You can lower your risk of several chronic diseases by 80% if you do these four things:

-Engage in regular physical activity

-Eat a healthy diet

-Not smoke

-Avoid becoming obese

For full article go here:

http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-sci-lifestyle11-2009aug11,0,148496.story

Obesity & Brain Degeneration

2009-09-02T12:33:00.000-07:00

A new study finds obese people have 8 percent less brain tissue than normal-weight individuals. Their brains look 16 years older than the brains of lean individuals, researchers said today. Those classified as overweight have 4 percent less brain tissue and their brains appear to have aged prematurely by 8 years.

"That's a big loss of tissue and it depletes your cognitive reserves, putting you at much greater risk of Alzheimer's and other diseases that attack the brain," said Paul Thompson (ACLU). "But you can greatly reduce your risk for Alzheimer's, if you can eat healthily and keep your weight under control."

The findings are detailed in the online edition of the journal Human Brain Mapping.

More than 300 million worldwide are now classified as obese, according to the World Health Organization. Another billion are overweight. The main cause, experts say: bad diet, including an increased reliance on highly processed foods.

Obesity is measured by body mass index (BMI), defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters. A BMI over 25 is defined as overweight, and a BMI of over 30 as obese.

Live Science

The Cost of Obesity

2009-08-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

No matter what health care delivery system this country adopts, no matter what plan or series of plans are enacted, it will be bankrupted in no time by the ongoing obesity epidemic if we don't act now.

Spending on obesity-related medical issues jumped 82 percent from 2001 to 2006, with the current price tag $147 billion a year. But these startling stats really aren't that startling when you also learn that two-thirds of American adults and one-third of the children in this country are either overweight or obese.

Fighting obesity is really a public health issue that must be centered in individual communities, workplaces, and schools and involve grassroots action and education. And the initiative must get into high gear now.

We need to create communities where fresh and healthier food, not just fast food, is within easy access, where there are paved sidewalks and bike paths that encourage physical activity, where the opportunity to exercise is more widely available in the workplace. We need schools where physical education is mandatory and playgrounds are plentiful. We need schools that teach our children about healthy eating at an early age (with hands-on vegetable garden "science labs" that excite kids about eating what they grow). And in those same schools we need healthier cafeteria meals and nutritious snacks in the vending machines. Furthermore, we need to encourage busy families to sit down at the dinner table together, even if it's only once a week.

If you find yourself or your family overweight or obese-please take action now for a healthier and happier life!!

Cost of Obesity

Tanning Beds

2009-08-05T10:00:00.001-07:00

Sunbeds pose a similar cancer risk as cigarettes and asbestos, according to an international cancer research agency. The agency is now recommending that tanning machines should be moved to "the highest cancer risk category" and be labeled as "carcinogenic to humans". It followed a review of research that concluded that the risk of melanoma -- the most deadly form of skin cancer -- was increased by 75 percent in people who started using sunbeds regularly before the age of 30.

Melanoma is the second most common cancer in women aged 20 - 29.5, according to the America Melanoma Foundation.

www.cnn.com

Small Can Be Big

2009-08-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

I know this is a difficult time for everyone and money is tight. But I have come across this lovely organization that takes small donations to help specific families at a time. The amount you donate can be any denomination you would like. They actually encourage $1, $3 donations.

(and we all have that)

If charity and giving is something you often do, but find that you don't have the money you used to, this is a great organization for smaller amounts that still go a long way.

http://smallcanbebig.org/

Antidepressant Usage Doubles for Americans

2009-08-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

The number of Americans using antidepressants doubled in only a decade, while the number seeing psychiatrists continued to fall, a study shows.

About 10% of Americans — or 27 million people — were taking antidepressants in 2005, the last year for which data were available at the time the study was written. That's about twice the number in 1996, according to the study of nearly 50,000 children and adults in today's Archives of General Psychiatry. Yet the majority weren't being treated for depression. Half of those taking antidepressants used them for back pain, nerve pain, fatigue, sleep difficulties or other problems, the study says.

In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration issued a "black box" warning that the medications could increase the risk of suicidal thoughts in children. Use of antidepressants by children fell nearly 10% the next year, according to Olfson's 2008 study of the subject. Antidepressant use had been rising so quickly in the years before the warning, however, that the rate of use in 2005 was still higher than in 1996.

To aid this increase, spending on direct-to-consumer antidepressant ads increased from $32 million to $122 million.

Antidepressants do not cure depression they simply mask the symptoms. If you are on antidepressants I encourage you to seek counseling, find the root of the problem, try to fix it, and talk to your doctor about going off the medication.

USA Today

10 Natural Antidepressants

2009-07-16T10:29:00.000-07:00

1. Get your hands in the dirt. Gardening has long been known for its meditative, relaxing, and grounding effects. Medical News Today reports that UK scientists have discovered friendly bacteria in soil that reportedly affects the brain in a way similar to antidepressants by increasing the release of serotonin.

2. Meditate. Many of us have all heard that meditation reduces stress. Scientists are now beginning to uncover evidence that meditation has a tangible effect on the brain. Professor Mark Williams, from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford conducted a trial study reported by the BBC News, indicates that meditation reduces the likelihood of depression by over 50%.

3. Burn Incense. In a new study (that can be found at The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal an international team of scientists have discovered how burning frankincense (resin from the Boswellia plant) activates poorly understood ion channels in the brain that alleviate depression. Floracopeia provides high quality, organic frankincense available as incense and essential oil.

4. Ingest a yellow flower. St. John's Wort is a wild yellow flower that has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. There is some scientific evidence that St. John's Wort is helpful in treating mild to moderate depression. Two large studies, one sponsored by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), showed that the herb may be helpful for treating mild depression, however it may not be effective for treating major depression.

5. Eat Sushi. Research has shown that fatty fish oil can actually improve wellbeing. People suffering from depression have lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood. One study (Nemets & Belmaker - American Journal of Psychiatry) showed that the lower the level of EPA, the more severe the clinical depression. In addition, fish oil supplementation reduced suicidal tendencies and improved the well being when 40 people were given fish oil or placebo for 12 weeks (Hallahan, Hibbeln, Davis - British Journal of Psychiatry).

6. Move your body. Talk a walk, ride a bike, hit the gym, or go dancing. Science indicates that people who regularly exercise benefit from positive boosts in mood and reduce the risk of depression. When you exercise, the body naturally releases chemicals called endorphins that trigger positive feelings in the body and mind.

7. Use natural sweeteners such as Agave Nectar or Maple Syrup. Some studies have linked the use of refined sugar to depression. Author William Dufty creates a strong argument for avoiding sugar in his book Sugar Blues. Another interesting book on the subject is Sugar Shock, by Connie Bennett with Stephen Sinatra, M.D.

8. Get in the sunshine. Vitamin D has been shown to increase levels of serotonin in the brain. Researchers from the University of Toronto noticed that people who were suffering from depression, particularly those with seasonal affective disorder, tended to improve as their levels of vitamin D in the body increased over the normal course of a year. The recommendation is to allow yourself limited, unprotected sun exposure in the early morning and late afternoon (no more than 15 minutes for light-skinned individuals, 40 minutes for darker skin).

9. Have a good laugh. Have you ever noticed the physical response you sometimes have after a good laugh? Studies show that laughter fights the onset of depression by reducing stress hormones.

10. Use depression to make you stronger. Can depression actually make you healthier? A recent article from the BBC News features Dr Paul Keedwell, an expert on mood disorders at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London. Keedwell says that depression is not a human defect at all, but a defense mechanism that in its mild and moderate forms can force a healthy reassessment of personal circumstances. "Don't beat yourself up about being depressed, in most cases it will run its course provided you take yourself out of the situation that caused it." Depression can actually serve a purpose, deepening and enriching the human experience. By overcoming challenging times in our lives, we can actually become stronger evolutionarily speaking.

Eco-Freindly Solutions for Daily Living

2009-07-15T06:23:00.000-07:00

great site, especially for brooklynites
(i'm a poet and didn't know it)

http://www.greeninbklyn.com/green-tips/

Australians Ban Bottled Water

2009-07-09T11:33:00.000-07:00

Residents of a rural Australian town hoping to protect the earth and their wallets have voted to ban the sale of bottled water, the first community in the country _ and possibly the world _ to take such a drastic step in the growing backlash against the industry.

First popularized in the 1980s as a convenient, healthy alternative to sugary drinks, bottled water today is often criticized as an environmental menace, with bottles cluttering landfills and requiring large amounts of energy to produce and transport.

Over the past few years, at least 60 cities in the United States and a handful of others in Canada and the United Kingdom have agreed to stop spending taxpayer dollars on bottled water, which is often consumed during city meetings, said Deborah Lapidus, organizer of Corporate Accountability International's "Think Outside the Bottle" campaign in the U.S.
But the Boston-based nonprofit corporate watchdog has never heard of a community banning the sale of bottled water, she said.

"I think what this town is doing is taking it one step further and recognizing that there's safe drinking water coming out of our taps," she said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/09/australians-ban-bottled-w_n_228678.html

Feature Product from Nicole

2009-07-09T07:05:00.000-07:00

I enjoy your blog and wanted to make a "product feature" recommendation. A healthy snack that satisfies the crunchy cravings:

GeniSoy Soy Crisps.
I recommend the Garlic Onion and Apple Cinnamon flavors.
420 cal per bag: 120 cal =17 crisps, 14 carbs, 2 fibers, 1 sugar, and 7 protien grams per serving. Not bad! I prefer their consistency to rice cakes.

http://www.genisoy.com/

-Nicole M.

Alzheimer's & Diabetes

2009-07-09T06:23:00.000-07:00

Researchers found possible link between nitrates and development of Alzheimer's and Diabetes.

Led by Suzanne de la Monte, MD, MPH, of Rhode Island Hospital, researchers studied the trends in mortality rates due to diseases that are associated with aging, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes and cerebrovascular disease, as well as HIV. They found strong parallels between age adjusted increases in death rate from Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and diabetes and the progressive increases in human exposure to nitrates, nitrites and nitrosamines through processed and preserved foods as well as fertilizers.

We receive increased exposure through the abundant use of nitrate-containing fertilizers for agriculture." She continues, "Not only do we consume them in processed foods, but they get into our food supply by leeching from the soil and contaminating water supplies used for crop irrigation, food processing and drinking."

These nitrate compounds are found in many food products, including fried bacon, cured meats and cheese products as well as beer and water. Exposure also occurs through manufacturing and processing of rubber and latex products, as well as fertilizers, pesticides and cosmetics.

De la Monte states, "If this hypothesis is correct, potential solutions include eliminating the use of nitrites and nitrates in food processing, preservation and agriculture; taking steps to prevent the formation of nitrosamines and employing safe and effective measures to detoxify food and water before human consumption."

Medical News Today

Recipes from Whole Foods

2009-07-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Whole Foods has a lovely search engine where you can specify any dietary restrictions, style of food, or main ingredient and they give you a ton of recipes to choose from.

Here is the link, check it out for great healthy recipes-easy and affordable

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/advanced-search.php

ps-they also have this as an application for your iphone

Nuts and Nutrition

2009-07-01T08:14:00.000-07:00

ALMONDS: Top nut source of vitamin E, to protect the heart, slow aging, and bolster immunity.

WALNUTS: Top nut in heart-healthy, brain-boosting omega-3 oils. The omega-3 oils in walnuts could help calm and moisten dry, irritated skin. Walnuts also contain a unique form of vitamin E thought to suppress prostate and lung cancer cell division.

PECANS: Top nut in antioxidants. This means they can help neutralize the free radicals that can accelerate aging and cause DNA damage. Pecans may also lower cholesterol.

PEANUTS: Though not strictly a nut (they are in fact a legume), peanuts contain more protein than tree nuts. They also contain the potent antioxidant resveratrol -- famously found in red wine.

PISTACHIOS: Top nut in potassium, needed to maintain healthy blood pressure. Also top nut in phytosterols (plant compounds that inhibit cholesterol absorption).

CASHEWS: Top nut in zinc, a mineral needed to support vision and immunity.

PINE NUTS: Top nut in manganese, essential for bone health and wound healing.

BRAZIL NUTS: Top nut in selenium, a mineral needed for proper thyroid and immune health. Selenium may also protect against cancers of the prostate, liver and lungs. Don't eat more than four a month.

MACADAMIA NUTS: Often shunned because they have more saturated fat than other nuts. However, researchers have found that a handful of macadamia nuts a day reduced total cholesterol by about 9%.

David Murdock

Meatless Mondays

2009-07-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

I think this is a great idea!

Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, in association with the Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health. Their goal is to help reduce meat consumption 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.

Check it out and work it into your weekly routine :)

Prepare Quick & Nutritious Meals

2009-06-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

Breakfast options: Hard-boiled eggs, high-fiber cereal bars (aim for at least 3 grams of fiber), fruit, single-serving cups of low-fat cottage cheese (to save money, buy a big container and put ½ cup to 1 cup in Tupperware the night before or in the morning), instant oatmeal packets.

Lunch options: Leftovers, peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole-grain bread, whole-grain turkey pita pocket with mustard, low-fat frozen meal, a can of minestrone soup or low-fat turkey chili (beans are an excellent source of fiber and nutrients).

Snack options: ¼ cup of nuts + fruit, low-sugar/low-fat yogurt + ½ cup high-fiber cereal (aim for about 5 grams per serving), carrots and hummus, energy bar, ½ peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole-grain bread, string cheese + 1 serving whole-grain crackers.

Mix and match to make sure that you get at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, try to get a little protein and fiber at every meal, and snack to keep energy levels and blood sugar stable throughout the day.

The key to success for busy people is planning. If you spend a little time on Sundays (or whatever your day off is) shopping and planning out your week so that you don't have to spend a lot of time during your busy week trying to make healthy choices, those choices will already be built into your life.

Dr. Melina Jampolis

Stretch Marks...

2009-06-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Cover up. Because stretch marks tend to show up around the upper arms, thighs, hips and breasts, try clothing that will hide the lines. Swimwear such as board shorts, swim skirts and surf shirts may do the trick in the summertime. Also, body makeup or sunless tanning lotions can help.

Soothe the skin. There are a number of creams and oils containing various ingredients such as alpha hydroxy acid, cocoa butter, vitamin E and plant extracts that may help get rid of stretch marks. While their efficacy may vary from person to person, and the products are sometimes costly, their use is probably not harmful. Check with your doctor to see if they may be worth trying in your situation.

Medicate. Your doctor may prescribe a topical retinoid cream to help remove stretch marks. Sometimes topical steroids may be used in combination with other creams or ointments.
See a dermatologist. Skin treatments such as laser therapy, microdermabrasion and chemical peels can help, especially if the stretch marks are relatively new.

Rule out other causes. Certain medical conditions (including Marfan syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, and prolonged use of oral or topical corticosteroids) are associated with the presence of stretch marks.

Dr. Jennifer Shu

TV and Your Child

2009-06-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

Scientific evidence suggests that using the boob tube as a babysitter has its price: the more time babies spend sitting in front of the screen, the more their social, cognitive and language development may suffer. Recent studies show that TV-viewing tends to decrease babies' likelihood of learning new words, talking, playing and otherwise interacting with others.

Many studies have suggested that television impedes learning by inhibiting youngsters' ability to interact with others, and according to Dr. Dimitri Christakis, a University of Washington pediatrician, that effect may be compounded when parents get drawn into TV-watching too.

Television by nature is a passive medium that hampers rich social interaction. When the TV is switched on, youngsters spend more time in silence and solitude than they do in active social interaction. In 30% of American households, the television is on most of the day, regardless of whether anyone is watching.

www.time.com

Obesity Spike

2009-06-03T07:23:00.000-07:00

A new study (Gallup-Heathways) shows that the U.S. obesity rate has gone up 1.7% or 5.5 million people!

Now more than 1 in 4 Americans (26.8%) of our population has a body mass index higher than 30 (which is the threshold for obesity)

If you find yourself in this category I urge you to take action and get your health back in order

Foods & What They Do For You

2009-05-20T11:18:00.000-07:00

Pineapple
Speeds post-surgery
Promotes joint health
Reduces asthma inflammation

Blueberries
Restore antioxidant levels
Reverse age-related brain decline
Prevent urinary tract infection

Spinach
Helps maintain mental sharpness
Reduces the risk of cancers of the liver, ovaries, colon and prostate
Top nutrient density

Red Bell Pepper
Reduces risk of lung, prostate, ovarian and cervical cancer
Protects against sunburn
Promotes heart health

Broccoli
Reduces diabetic damage
Lowers risk of prostate, bladder, colon, pancreatic, gastric and breast cancer
Protects the brain in event of injury

Tomato
Reduces inflammation
Lowers risk of developing esophageal, stomach, colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancer
Reduces cardiovascular disease risk

Apple
Supports immunity
Fights lung and prostate cancer
Lowers Alzheimer’s risk

Artichoke
Helps blood clotting
Antioxidant Superfood
Lowers “bad” cholesterol

Arugula
Lowers birth defect risk
Reduces fracture risk
Protects eye health

Asparagus
Nourishes good gut bacteria
Protects against birth defects
Promotes heart health

Avocado
Limits Liver Damage
Reduces oral cancer risk
Lowers cholesterol levels

Blackberries
Build bone density
Supress Appetite
Enhance fat burning

Butternut Squash
Supports night vision
Combats wrinkles
Promotes heart health

Cantaloupe
Bolsters immunity
Protects skin against sunburn
Reduces inflammation

Carrot
Antioxidants defend DNA
Fights cataracts
Protects against some cancers

Cauliflower
Stimulates Detoxification
Supress breast cancer cell growth
Defends against prostate cancer

Cherries
Alleviate arthritic pain and gout
Lower “bad” cholesterol
Reduce inflammation

Cranberries
Alleviate prostate pain
Fight lung, colon and leukemia cancer cells
Prevent urinary tract infection

Green Cabbage
Promotes healthy blood clotting
Reduces risk of prostate, colon, breast and ovarian cancers
Activates the body’s natural detoxification systems

Kale
Counters harmful estrogens that can feed cancer
Protects eyes against sun damage and cataracts
Increases bone density

Kiwi
Combats wrinkles
Lowers blood clot risk and reduces blood lipids
Counters constipation

Mango
Supports immunity
Lowers “bad” cholesterol
Regulates homocysteine to protect arteries

Mushrooms
Promote natural detoxification
Reduce the risk of colon and prostate cancer
Lower blood pressure

Orange
Reduces levels of “bad” cholesterol
Lowers risk of cancers of the mouth, throat, breast and stomach, and childhood leukemia
Pectin suppresses appetite

Papaya
Enzymes aid digestion
Reduces risk of lung cancer
Enhances fat burning

Plums & Prunes
Counter constipation
Antioxidants defend against DNA damage
Protects against post-menopausal bone loss

Pomegranate
Enhances sunscreen protection
Lowers “bad” cholesterol
Fights prostate cancer

Pumpkin
Protects joints against polyarthritis
Lowers lung and prostate cancer risk
Reduces inflammation

Raspberries
Inhibit growth of oral, breast, colon and prostate cancers
Antioxidant DNA defense
Lower “bad” cholesterol levels

Strawberries
Protect against Alzheimer’s
Reduce “bad” cholesterol
Suppress growth of colon, prostate and oral cancer

Sweet Potato
Reduces stroke risk
Lowers cancer risk
Protect against blindness

Watermelon
Supports male fertility
Reduces risk of several cancers: prostate, ovarian, cervical, oral and pharyngeal
Protects skin against sunburn

Banana
Increase Fat Burning
Lowers risk of colorectal and kidney cancer, leukemia
Reduces asthmas symptoms in children

Chocolate Chip Cookies!

2009-05-06T13:07:00.001-07:00

Non-Dairy, Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
(and yes they are good!)

Ingredients:
1 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
6 tablespoons applesauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice
2 cups gluten-free all-purpose baking flour
1/4 cup flax meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 325
2. Mix oil, applesauce, salt, vanilla, and cane juice in bowl. whisk flour, flax meal, baking soda, xanthan gum. add dry ingredients to wet. gently fold in chocolate chips.
3. Scoop out 1 inch balls onto baking sheet
4. Bake 15 min
5. Let cookies stand for 10 min

ENJOY GUILT FREE DESSERT!!

What You Eat Can Improve Your Appearance

2009-04-08T12:13:00.000-07:00

The best way to have healthy hair, eyes, and skin is to take good overall care of yourself.

That means eating well.

For Silky Skin and Hair

Antioxidants like lycopene and vitamin C, as well as soy protein and omega-3 fatty acids, help keep skin glowing. Vitamin C, found in citrus fruits, facilitates collagen production, a critical component for vibrant skin. Another antioxidant, lycopene, found in foods like canned tomatoes and red grapefruit juice, also promotes skin health. Tofu is a good option since its omega-3 fatty acids help regenerate new skin cells and reduce inflammation, while its soy protein has been shown to boost collagen.

Shiny, healthy hair starts with the vitality of cells in the hair follicle, where hair is manufactured. Eat foods high in calcium and quality protein like eggs, dairy, or fish. Eggs also provide biotin, a structural component of both bone and hair. Vitamins B6, B12, and folate nourish follicle cells, too.

Eat For Your Eyes

People who ate two servings of fish weekly benefited from an almost 50 percent decrease in the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Eggs, leafy greens, broccoli, winter squash, and Brussels sprouts all contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin (both associated with eye health), as well as vitamins C and E, zinc, and beta-carotene.

Build Better Bones

Calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus work together to build strong bones. Even though green leafy and cruciferous vegetables (like spinach and broccoli) contain calcium, the body absorbs it best from dairy products. Dairy products offer a package deal: they are abundant in phosphorous, and vitamin D added to milk and dairy products aids in calcium absorption. Some nondairy foods high in calcium include canned salmon, sardines, and calcium-fortified firm tofu. Greens are still good bone foods, however. Broccoli, kale, and bok choy may provide little calcium, but they offer plenty of vitamin K.

Heart Helpers

Whole grains, fatty fish, and fresh fruits and vegetables are the keys to keeping your heart in prime condition. A recent review of seven studies showed that two and a half servings of whole grains per day reduced heart attack and stroke risk by 21 percent.

Brain Boosters

Omega-3 fatty acids and whole grains are good for your heart -- and they're good for your brain and mental health, too. Additionally, vitamins B12, C, E, and folate may play a direct role in keeping your mind sharp. Research shows that B12 (found in lean protein like turkey) and folate (found in many grains fortified with the vitamin) help improve memory and lower the risk of Alzheimer's. They may also help people over age 60 with learning, attention, and response speed, according to study results from Tufts University.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/08/cl.body.boosters/index.html

10 Best Foods for Your Heart

2009-04-03T14:00:00.000-07:00

Oatmeal Start your day with a steaming bowl of oats, which are full of omega-3 fatty acids, folate, and potassium. This fiber-rich superfood can lower levels of LDL (or bad) cholesterol and help keep arteries clear. Opt for coarse or steel-cut oats over instant varieties -- the coarse and steel-cut contain more fiber -- and top your bowl off with a banana for another four grams of fiber.

Salmon Super-rich in omega-3 fatty acids, salmon can effectively reduce blood pressure and keep clotting at bay. Aim for two servings per week, which may reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack by up to one-third. Not a fan of salmon? Other oily fish like mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines will give your heart the same boost.

Avocado Add a bit of avocado to a sandwich or spinach salad to increase the amount of heart-healthy fats in your diet. Packed with monounsaturated fat, avocados can help lower LDL levels while raising the amount of HDL cholesterol in your body.

Olive Oil Full of monounsaturated fats, olive oil lowers bad LDL cholesterol and reduces your risk of developing heart disease.

Nuts Almonds, walnuts, and macadamia nuts are all full of omega-3 fatty acids and mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Almonds are rich in omega-3s, plus nuts increase fiber in the diet.

Berries Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries -- whatever berry you like best -- are full of anti-inflammatories, which reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.

Legumes Fill up on fiber with lentils, chickpeas, and black and kidney beans. They're packed with omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and soluble fiber. Spinach Spinach can help keep your ticker in top shape thanks to its stores of lutein, folate, potassium, and fiber.

Flaxseed Full of fiber and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, a little sprinkling of flaxseed can go a long way for your heart. Top a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal with a smidgen of ground flaxseed for the ultimate heart-healthy breakfast.

Soy Soy may lower cholesterol, and since it is low in saturated fat, it's still a great source of lean protein in a heart-healthy diet. Look for natural sources of soy, like edamame, tempeh, or organic silken tofu. And soy milk is a great addition to a bowl of oatmeal or whole-grain cereal. But watch the amount of salt in your soy: Some processed varieties like soy dogs can contain added sodium, which boosts blood pressure.

Insomnia

2009-04-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

Insominia is proving to be more serious than we once thought. Two new studies suggest that insomnia may have harmful affects on both the body and mind, including a rise in blood pressure and an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. People with long-term insomnia (a year or longer) and a short sleep time (less than five hours a night) were five times as likely to have high blood pressure as people without insomnia who slept six or more hours per night.

Researchers have found that people with sleep problems -- such as difficulty falling asleep or maintaining sleep, or early-morning awakening -- nearly every night were about twice as likely to report suicidal thoughts, suicide planning, or an actual suicide attempt as those with no sleep problems.

One in three adults experience insomnia at some point, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In addition to difficulty falling or staying asleep, the symptoms can include not feeling well-rested the next day, tension headaches, and worrying about sleep. A lack of sufficient sleep is associated with a slower reaction time and poor job performance, and, in the long term, an increased risk of diabetes, obesity, and poor immune system function.

Women are twice as likely to experience insomnia then men, which may be due to hormonal shifts during menstruation. Other risk factors for insomnia include age (being older than 60) and mental-health disorders like anxiety, depression, and stress.

Prescription sleeping pills such as Ambien and Lunesta can be prescribed for sleepless nights, but do not treat the underlying cause of insomnia.

If you suffer from insomnia here are some ways you can better prepare your body for sleep.

Benefits of Cutting Back on Meat

2009-04-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. would save:
● 100 billion gallons of water, enough to supply all the homes in New England for almost 4 months;
● 1.5 billion pounds of crops otherwise fed to livestock, enough to feed the state of New Mexico for more than a year;
● 70 million gallons of gas--enough to fuel all the cars of Canada and Mexico combined with plenty to spare;
● 3 million acres of land, an area more than twice the size of Delaware;
● 33 tons of antibiotics.

If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. would prevent:
● Greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 1.2 million tons of CO2, as much as produced by all of France;
● 3 million tons of soil erosion and $70 million in resulting economic damages;
● 4.5 million tons of animal excrement;
● Almost 7 tons of ammonia emissions, a major air pollutant.

Other Points:

Globally, we feed 756 million tons of grain to farmed animals. If we fed that grain to the 1.4 billion people who are living in abject poverty, each of them would be provided more than half a ton of grain, or about 3 pounds of grain/day--that's twice the grain they would need to survive.

Researchers at the University of Chicago concluded that switching from standard American diet to a vegan diet is more effective in the fight against global warming than switching from a standard American car to a hybrid.

Calculate Your BMI

2009-03-20T12:17:00.001-07:00

Body Mass Index

http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

10 Steps to Bringing New Life to Your Liver

2009-03-20T10:32:00.000-07:00

1. Drink plenty of water. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, M.D. is one of the world's foremost experts on the therapeutic value of water. He suggests that half of your body's weight is the number of ounces of water to aim for each day. For example, if you weigh 120 pounds, 60 ounces of water is your goal. I have seen the beneficial effects of this formula in the clinic with many patients over the years. Also, drinking a glass of warm water with lemon first thing in the morning will support your liver's natural detoxification processes. By the way, dehydrating beverages such as coffee and alcohol don't count towards your total water intake.

2. Eat vegetables every day, especially greens. In TCM, the color green is associated with the liver. When choosing your salad fixings, go for the organic spring mix instead of the iceberg. Your liver will love a variety of greens such as kale, spinach, and collard greens. The color green in these vegetables comes from chlorophyll, a substance plants use to trap the energy of the sun. Go ahead--eat some sunshine!

3. Add sour-tasting foods to your diet. These include citrus fruits (sprinkle lemon in your water and on foods such as fish and vegetables), raw apple cider vinegar (good for balancing pH--try two tablespoons in a glass of water, or use with olive oil on your salad), and sauerkraut (which contains beneficial bacteria). With our over-sugared, over-salted palates, we often overlook sour-tasting foods. According to TCM, the sour flavor is associated with the liver, and it enhances bile flow.

4. Avoid toxic fats, eat beneficial ones. Decrease your consumption of trans fats and partially-hydrogenated oils. Toxic fats put an unnecessary burden on the liver, further stagnating qi flow. Emphasize organic, unprocessed oils (such as olive oil and flax oil) in your food preparation. Increase the use of fish that is low in mercury, avocados, nuts, and seeds in your diet. Consider supplementing your diet with an Omega-3 supplement to boost your essential fatty acid intake. Omega-3 supplementation has been shown to decrease cardiovascular disease risk, and it can reduce symptoms of arthritis, depression, cognitive decline, and a seemingly endless list of health challenges.

5. Reduce your sugar consumption. On average, Americans eat 137 pounds of sugar a year! It's the hidden sugars that often add up. Watch what you add to foods like cereal and coffee. Read food labels and avoid overly sugary choices. Know that "fat free" foods can be loaded with sugar, and actually increase triglycerides, a fat in your blood. Eat whole fruits rather than drinking fruit juice.

6. Eat close to nature. Often simpler is better. Select the best of what comes from Mother Nature, and avoid artificial ingredients and toxic sweeteners by eating less packaged foods. Go organic as much as possible. You might be surprised that peaches, apples, and bell peppers top their list of the "dirty dozen"―foods recommended especially to be purchased in their organic version.

7. Incorporate more conscious breathing and exercise into your routine to boost circulation and enhance overall liver function. Choose a form of exercise that you enjoy, and remember to breathe. In traditional Chinese cultures, you can see people doing qi gong, which emphasizes breathing and movement specifically designed to promote the smooth flow of qi.

8. Choose to be joyful by cultivating a spirit of gratitude, and regularly forgive others as well as yourself. In TCM, the emotion that contributes to stagnant liver qi is anger, especially repressed anger. The virtues that free the liver qi are forgiveness and a release of judgment towards self and others. In China, when someone is angry, they are said to have a toxic liver. In fact, a morning greeting there translates to "How is your liver?"

9. Reduce or eliminate your use of alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine. These substances can become very addictive, masking a greater imbalance in our physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Taking these suggested steps to give our liver some TLC can be part of a comprehensive program to heal our reliance on potentially harmful chemicals.

10. Schedule time for self-care. Get a massage, take a yoga class, etc. I say schedule because I've noticed something in our 24/7 culture. This is that if we don't put taking care of ourselves on our own list, it often doesn't happen.

How Happy Is...Your Body Reveals How You Feel

2009-03-18T11:43:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that when you get anxious or nervous you get an upset stomach, find yourself with a headache or become accident-prone? Are you the sort of person that eats more when depressed or stops eating altogether? When you're really happy, balanced and unchallenged you probably notice that you have enormous amounts of energy and are way less likely to catch any virus that is going around. The unity of body and mind is reflected in your state of health and really does give you an indication of how you are coping with the challenges in your life.

Here are a couple tell-tale signs your body might be giving you.

Your back represents your support system and where you put feelings that have created pain and confusion that you don't want to look at. If you do have back pain ask yourself if feel supported by others who are close to you. If you've had it over a long period of time and it has become a chronic problem, you might want to look at where you haven't felt supported in your past. If this is the case, sorting out these old issues might really help your back heal and release some of the stuck energy held in your cells.

Your arms express your inner most feelings and expression. If you think of all the things you do with your arms including holding, hugging, pushing away, giving out or folding your arms to protect your heart from anyone coming near. Injuring your shoulder, elbow, wrist or hands can often be an indication of an emotional conflict and that you might be having problems reaching out to others.

Your neck gives you the ability to see on all sides, all aspects of your world. When it becomes stiff, it limits your movement and vision. A stiff neck can indicate that you are becoming narrow in your views or do not want to look back, or perhaps forward, depending on which way you are having difficulty turning it. (Usually the right is forward and the left is back, unless you are left-handed then it could be the other way round.) If you do injure your neck, you might want to ask yourself, what you don't want to look at?

Your legs. If you hurt your legs, whether it's your thighs, knees, ankles, feet or toes often there can be a conflict in the direction you are going in, or a fear of moving forward. You might notice that a twisted ankle, for example, can come at a time when you are about to start something new and there is a bit of fear or even at the end of an endeavor. If you have any doubt or resistance in your direction, then problems in the legs will have the ability to hold you back.

Your stomach is about digesting your reality, as well as obviously digesting your food! If your reality is indigestible then indigestion can follow, although, you could have just eaten too much as well!! However, if you have a pattern of stomach issues i.e. acid in the stomach, stomach ulcers, constipation etc, you might want to notice if you are feeling emotionally nourished and if your reality is in conflict with what you really want.

Sophie Keller
www.huffingtonpost.com

Finding Peace in Your Life

2009-03-18T11:39:00.000-07:00

#1-Find quiet time every day to be still.
The busier your schedule, the more essential quiet time is—whether it’s only 10 minutes or an hour a day. Use this time to pray, meditate, or just listen to the truth in your heart.

#2-Keep a written record of your thoughts and feelings.
You don’t have to keep a daily journal. It may just be a notebook that you only write in once a week or twice a month. The point is, writing your thoughts and feelings down will help you look back and see your spiritual growth over time.

#3-Talk to yourself—lovingly.
We all talk to ourselves, consciously or subconsciously. The key is to make sure we’re talking with love. The way you talk to yourself greatly impacts the way you see and treat yourself, and subsequently the way you see and treat others.

#4-Listen with your heart to strengthen your compassion.
When people are speaking to you, try to put yourself in their shoes so that you can better understand their point of view and react in a more loving way.

#5-Forgive yourself and others.
Forget the pain of the past, but remember and apply the lessons.

#6-Be grateful.
Count your blessings every day, and remember where they came from.

#7-Honor yourself with the truth.
Be honest with yourself about everything in a loving way so that you can be more lovingly honest with others.

#8-Take care of yourself.
Remember, your body is sacred. Always treat it with respect.

#9-Be a cheerful giver.
Give of yourself and your possessions to others as often as you can. Giving helps you focus more on others in a loving way, and it makes room for more blessings in your life when you least expect them.

#10-Be patient with yourself.
There’s still a lot you need to learn about life and love, and that’s okay.

By Cynthia Legette Davis
www.intent.com

Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

2009-03-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

"Metabolism" is the name of the bodily system that converts food calories to the energy needed to perform various tasks. Having a high functioning metabolism means you are burning calories more efficiently, whether you are resting or training.

Here are a few ways to quicken your metabolism:

Exercise More: when your run, walk, of lift weights, you increase the energy required of your body, which raises your metabolism.

Work out with Weights: during weight training muscle tissue is stressed; afterward it's repaired-which raises metabolism. A woman who strength trains 3 times a week for six months can build enough muscle to burn 10-32 extra calories a day.

Practice Portion Control: Don't overload your body with a surplus of energy (food). Be specific with your portions and what your body actually needs.

Smaller Meals More Often: "grazing" is recommended by many experts, it helps normalize blood sugar levels and gives the body energy consistently throughout the day.

Laugh it Off: Laughing can help raise your metabolic rate by 10-40 calories, it's a small increase, but every bit helps.

Signs You Are too Sick to Work Out

2009-03-12T15:45:00.000-07:00

The Neck Rule

Above the Neck: Stuffy nose, scratchy throat, headache-OK to work out

Below the Neck: fever, congestion in your chest, feel achy-NO work out

-never exercise with a fever it can cause dehydration

No matter what if you are not feeling 100% and still continue a workout regimen, take it easy, decrease your level of activity and increase the fluids you take in.

7 Habits of Workaholics

2009-03-11T11:29:00.000-07:00

There's no doubt that times are tough. But if you're tempted to try and show your value by working harder and longer, be sure to include a healthy dose of self care - otherwise success may come with an expensive price tag - your health.

"Many people feel like they have to push themselves to unhealthy levels in order to succeed. But high-pressure jobs and long hours take a real toll on your immediate and future health," says George Griffing, M.D., professor of internal medicine at Saint Louis University. Here, according to Griffing are the seven worst habits to watch out for in these workaholic times.

1. Forgetting to relax: While some stress can be good because it keeps you alert and motivated, too much stress or chronic stress will take its toll on your body contributing to headaches, upset stomach, sleeping problems, muscle tension, weight gain/loss, high blood pressure and chest pains.

2. Eating on the go: A healthy, balanced meal of complex carbohydrates, protein, fruits and vegetables is exactly what you need to stay mentally sharp throughout the day. Beware of frozen meals, fast food and processed food; they can be high in sodium, calories and fat.

3. Putting off sleep for work: Even busy professionals need seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Skimping on sleep can cause irritability, difficulty concentrating, memory problems and poor judgment. It has also been linked to obesity.

4. Not making time for exercise: Humans were not designed to sit at desks for eight hours or more a day. Getting at least 30 minutes of exercise most days is very important to your immediate and future health. In addition to reducing the risk for nearly every major disease, exercise has been shown to help fight anxiety and depression.

5. Working even when sick: Everyone has heard, "Don't come to work if you're sick," yet that's exactly what many do. Whether you're worried about jeopardizing your job in an unstable economy or just anxious about getting behind, there are three common sense reasons to stay home: Nobody wants your germs, you'll be less productive and you need your rest to get better.

6. Drinking (too much): Research has shown that moderate alcohol consumption can reduce your risk for everything from heart disease to rheumatoid arthritis, with "moderate" being the key word. In general, men should have no more than two drinks per day (1.5 oz. of spirits, 5 oz. of wine or 12 oz. of beer) and women who are not pregnant should limit themselves to one drink per day.

7. Skipping annual medical checkups: In order to detect problems early, you need to know what's going on in your body. Depending on your age, family history and lifestyle, consider a comprehensive medical checkup and special screenings every one to five years. Consult with your doctor for more information.

"Eventually, something's going to give. If you keep burning the candle at both ends, the flame will burn out," Griffing said. "But if you maintain a healthy balance, you will be happier and healthier overall."

Karen Leland
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

The Skinny on Weight Gain

2009-02-25T11:54:00.001-08:00

The average American gains about 2 pounds a year. This translates to a little more than 100 excess calories each week.

Adjusting the calorie imbalance

100 Less 'Calories In'

-Eat fresh fruit instead of juice or dried fruit

-Put mustard instead of mayo on a sandwich

-Order your coffee 'skinny'-with skim milk instead of cream

-Drink club soda with lime instead of regular soda

-Eat tuna packed in water instead of oil

100 More 'Calories Out'

-Go to your co-workers desk instead of sending an email

-Go for a 15 minute walk on you lunch break

-Get off the subway or bus a stop earlier and walk the extra distance

-Take the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator

Apply these tips to save 100 calories each day and after 6 months, the result is a 5 pound weight loss and 10 pounds after 1 year!

The Skinny on Weight Gain

2009-02-25T11:54:00.000-08:00

The average American gains about 2 pounds a year. This translates to a little more than 100 excess calories each week.

Adjusting the calorie imbalance

100 Less 'Calories In'
-Eat fresh fruit instead of juice or dried fruit
-Put mustard instead of mayo on a sandwich
-Order your coffee 'skinny'-with skim milk instead of cream
-Drink club soda with lime instead of regular soda
-Eat tuna packed in water instead of oil

100 More 'Calories Out'
-Go to your co-workers desk instead of sending an email
-Go for a 15 minute walk on you lunch break
-Get off the subway or bus a stop earlier and walk the extra distance
-Take the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator

Apply these tips to save 100 calories each day and after 6 months, the result is a 5 pound weight loss and 10 pounds after 1 year!

http://www.b-nutritious.com/

Workout Snacks

2009-02-25T11:25:00.000-08:00

Pre Workout:
1-2 hours prior to workout you need a complex carbohydrate for energy and to maintain your blood sugar. Avoid high fat options bacause they take longer to digest.

For each hour of exercise, try to aim for 100-250 calorie snacks. Here are some options:
-banana
-snack bar (luna, balance bar, lara, gnu)
-high fiber cracker and low fat cheese
-low-fat yogurt and raisins
-small bowl of cereal with skim milk
-string cheese and dried fruit

Post Workout:
It's important to replenish your body, especially if your workout was longer than 1 hour. Carbohydrates are important to refuel and protein is needed if you did strength training.

You should snack within 1 hour of finishing exercising. Here are some options:
-high fiber cracker with peanut butter or sliced turkey
-handful of almonds and raisins
-8 ounces of skim milk
-shake made with banana, orange juice, and skim milk
-half sports drink and some cottage cheese
-small vegetable soup

Fluid Needs
-Before: 15-30 minutes prior to exercise: 15-20 ounces of water
-During: 10-15 ounces every 15-20 minutes
-After: 15-20 ounces

http://www.b-nutritious.com/

Foods That Worsen Allergies

2009-02-20T11:18:00.000-08:00

Symptoms of itching or swelling in the lips, mouth or throat can occur within minutes of eating a food containing a protein similar to pollen.

These are some of the most common seasonal allergens and their cross-reactive foods:

Ragweed:
Bananas, melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew), zucchini, cucumber, dandelions, chamomile tea

Birch:
Apples, pears, peaches, apricots, cherries, plums, nectarines, kiwi, carrots, celery, potatoes, peppers, parsley, coriander, hazelnuts, almonds, walnuts

Grass:
Peaches, celery, melons, tomatoes, oranges

Source: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
related link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29036809/

Boost Brainpower

2009-02-20T06:10:00.000-08:00

"The adult human brain is surprisingly malleable: it can rewire itself and even grows new cells."

- Emily Anthes

Our behavior and environment can cause substantial rewiring of the brain or a reorganization of its functions and where they are located. In fact one of the most active regions of the adult brain is the hippocampus, a structure vitally important for learning and long term memory.

Exercising can improve the brain's executive functions: planning, organizing, multitasking, and more. Physical and mental activity can improve the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to brain cells while boosting the neuron development and survival.

6 Ways to Boost Your Brainpower

1. Exercise-not only does it improve brain function it can also help you sleep better and build up your body's immune system

2. Diet-a diet loaded in saturated fat can lead to a lack of memory and learning capability, it has also been shown to have an increased risk in dementia. Omega-3 fats are healthy fats for the brain and allow for proper function and growth. It can also lead to a resistance against Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and other central nervous system disorders.

Foods to try and eat: fish, nuts, seeds, blueberries, spinach, walnuts

3. Stimulants-moderate to small doses of caffeine, and other substances that rev up the nervous system, can boost mental functioning and alertness.

4. Video Games-research has shown that playing video games a couple hours a week can improve mental dexterity, hand-eye coordination, depth perception, attention span, and pattern recognition.

5. Music-can activate your brain's reward centers and depress activity in the amygdala, reducing fear and other negative feelings.

6. Mediatation-turning the mind inward on contemplation and relaxation can help relieve the body of anxiety, reduce pain, help high blood pressure, insomnia, diabetes, depression, and skin conditions.

6 Ways to Boost Brainpower

Emily Anthes

Scientific American Mind

Born to Run

2009-02-19T12:39:00.000-08:00

"Biomechanical research reveals a surprising key to the survival of our species: Humans are built to outrun nearly every other species on the planet over long distance." -Ingfei Chen

The standard explanation among anthropologists has long been that early hominids left life in the trees to forage on the increasingly open savanna and that walking upright was key to surviving in the new environment. This biped gait led to a new means of travel, running. Homo erectus was most likely a long distance runner, either to escape predators or hunt prey to exhaustion. During this transition in our evolution our physical features changed quite a bit.

Most scientists reason that Lucy, the 3.2 million year old ape, with her chimp like build, could not have been a good distance runner. Her short legs, wide waist, long arms, and curvy fingers and toes, suggest a tree climbing lifestyle. More than a million years later Homo erectus roamed Africa with a much longer, leggier build and supporting many different attributes.

Development of abundant sweat glands and less fur allowed the body to keep cool over extended periods of exertion. Most animals pant to cool their body temperature, a cheetah for example, while extremely fast, will refuse to move once its' internal body temperature reaches 105 Fahrenheit. Our sweat glands and exposed skin allows us to control our body temperature while continuing exercise. We also developed an Achillies tendon. This tendon allows the body to absorb the impact of the body and spring us back into the air. To aid in the gait of running we developed a gluteus maximus and big knee joints, which gives the hip and knee joint the swinging motion. All of these attributes are specific to running, not walking. It is a very strong possibility that early humans ran up to 100 miles within 24 hours to hunt prey or avoid being killed.

Born to Run

Ingfei Chen

Discover Magazine

Watch Out 20 Somethings...

2009-02-19T10:19:00.000-08:00

It seems doctors are finding that the "invincible" teenager stage has extended into this generations 20's. More and more 20 something's are living a lifestyle which could have serious health consequences later.

A third of 18-29 year olds are cigarette smokers.
A quarter are obese.

(this rate has tripled in the last three decades)
2/3 of young adults do not have regular physical leisure time.
45% of women between the ages of 20-24 have HPV.
One-third do not have health insurance.

Currently this age group tends to be 'healthy' but are taking it for granted.
For example diabetes and heart disease are occurring at much earlier ages along with serious illnesses. Doctor's tend to believe that as this generation ages the outcomes of our actions are going to be serious.

'Young Invincibles' Have Serious Health Concerns
By: Madison Park
CNN

The Serious Need for Play

2009-02-19T09:13:00.000-08:00

"Free imaginative play is crucial for normal, social, emotional, and cognitive development. It makes us better adjusted, smarter, and less stressed." -Melinda Wenner

Studies have shown a direct correlation with the lack of free play in childhood to adult anxiety and stress. While you might play a soccer game or sudoku on the train, free play is defined as play without an agenda, priory rules, or time constraints. This type of unstructured play promotes mental and physical well being in adults the same as in children. Play instills a new sense of happiness and encourages flexibility and creativity in everyday situations. Having play time might allow you to better function on the job, be more clear headed throughout the day, and give you added motivation to be healthier.

This idea might seem completely impossible to some adults. How do you play after not playing for over 20 years? Here are a couple easy ways to start.

-Try to do an active movement, with no time pressures and no expected outcomes.
EXERCISING TO BURN FAT IS NOT PLAY
-Create Something...Anything. Not for any specific outcome.
-Spend time around children.
-Engage in purposeless social activities or conversations.
-Go outside.

Better late than never...time to have playtime again.
"Curiosity, imagination, and creativity are like muscles, if you don't use them you loose them."
-David Elkind

The Serious Need for Play
Melinda Wenner
Scientific American Mind
February/March 2009