BodySense Blog

Yoga, Aromatherapy Among New Offerings at Medical Center

Walking into Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City for the first time, you might notice a few things that appear out of the norm for a traditional hospital setting. People stroll down the hallways with dogs; small groups of musicians carry instruments, stopping at patient rooms to play a short medley of music; you might even catch a glimpse of a patient and nurse in meditation or in a yoga pose.

Integrative medicine therapies have been working their way into the mainstream of traditional medicine at Beth Israel Hospital for the past eight years, and Beth Israel is embracing it.

“This area is being driven by demand from patients and doctors,” says Richard Freeman, executive vice president and chief operation officer at Beth Israel Medical Center. “We believe there are various approaches to provide quality care to our patients. As time goes on, more and more people are choosing alternative medicine therapies in conjunction with traditional medicine. We believe that this can be an important adjunct to care that can enhance the healing process.”

Beth Israel offers integrative medicine therapies to all of its cancer patients, in combination with conventional treatments, in a yearlong pilot program to determine whether therapies such as yoga, relaxation, and breathing techniques can help alleviate common side effects of treatment such as pain, nausea, anxiety, insomnia, constipation, and fatigue. The program is being funded by Donna Karan’s Urban Zen Foundation, which is dedicated to incorporating Eastern healing practices of yoga, meditation, and aromatherapy with Western medicine.

The foundation was created after Karan’s husband and several close friends died of cancer. During his battle with the disease, Karan’s husband used several Eastern techniques that Karan says were helpful in relieving treatment symptoms and providing inner peace. Through this pilot program, which includes a research component, the Urban Zen Foundation hopes to demonstrate that integrative therapies can work effectively in combination with chemotherapy and radiation to reduce common cancer symptoms and promote healing.

“We believe integrative medicine can provide more optimal healing than medicine alone,” says Joanne Heyman, executive director of the Urban Zen Foundation. “It has much broader applications than just treating cancer, but we wanted to focus on this disease first because of Donna’s personal connection.”

The program is providing specialized training to 15 yoga teachers who will become experts in providing therapy to non-terminal cancer patients. It focuses on yoga, aroma therapy, healing touch, nutrition, and awareness of death and dying in hospital and private settings. Training is being provided by Karan’s yoga masters, Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman Yee, who also will oversee yoga therapy during the pilot study. Nurses on the oncology floor also are being trained in relaxation techniques including meditation, imagery, aromatherapy, and breathing.

The program also funds a nurse navigator who guides the patient and family through the medical system and orients them to services on the unit; a yoga coordinator and assistant to oversee therapies; and a research director to coordinate the research component.

Heyman says Beth Israel was particularly suited for the program because of its long-standing commitment to integrative medicine. The hospital has been offering alternative therapies to patients for many years, primarily through the Continuum Center for Health and Healing, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive academic integrative medical center. The department is headed by Woodson Merrell, MD, who has been specializing in integrative medicine therapies for more than 20 years and is one of the country’s leading experts on holistic medicine. Merrell believes there is significant evidence to validate its usefulness and that using this approach to empower the patient and provide compassionate, relationship-centered, integrative care is critical for transforming the nation’s ailing healthcare system.

Reflecting an increasing interest and growth in holistic medicine, Beth Israel’s integrative medicine center recently was elevated to departmental status, providing it with more autonomy to grow and expand.

Ed Dailey, RN, a registered yoga teacher, is one of 15 yoga instructors receiving specialized training through the Urban Zen Foundation and is a believer in the healing power of alternative medicine. A nurse for 14 years and a yoga instructor for 10 years, Dailey has seen yoga, meditation, and other forms of relaxation and integrative medicine provide inner strength, calmness, and healing to his patients. Since undergoing formal training, Dailey and other therapists have been offering yoga and relaxation therapies to patients on the head and neck surgical floor at Beth Israel Medical Center with positive results. The therapies are provided at the bedside, using a very flexible definition of yoga. Patients are guided through simple yoga movements and postures while never being touched by the therapist.

“It was believed we could be of service to patients prior to the start of the clinical study,” Dailey says. “We’ve provided therapy to up to 500 patients so far, and I’ve seen patients become calmer and more relaxed, sleep better, [and] experience fewer bed sores, less nausea and constipation, and less anxiety.”

For instance, breathing and relaxation techniques recently brought relief to a young father who had been diagnosed with cancer. “The family was extremely anxious and stressed,” Dailey says. “I provided relaxation interventions to him and his wife, which they now practice at home.” Dailey used the body scan relaxation technique, in which he helps the patient focus on areas of the body that have tension. “It really has a calming effect on the mind, body, and nervous system. It can help relieve stress levels, which can interfere with the healing process. They both became calmer, happier, and much less stressed.”

Dailey says the program also targets staff. “Our goal is to put health back into healthcare,” he says. “Nurses can become depleted [by the demands of their jobs]. How can they provide quality healthcare when they are depleted themselves? Our goal is to encourage staff to take short breaks throughout their day and use yoga and other relaxation techniques to reduce stress levels and re-energize.”

The oncology floor also is undergoing physical changes funded by the Urban Zen Foundation to provide a more healing environment that includes larger spaces for quiet and meditation for patients and staff. The meditation room includes banquette seating, a large flat-screen TV for imagery, and personal MP3 players for music and relaxation sessions. A small kitchenette for families also has been upgraded and expanded. In addition, a small reception area was created so when patients enter the floor, they are greeted by a patient navigator who provides floor tours and guides the patient through the care process.

Integrative medicine is a growing trend, and Heyman says she is seeing growing interest among hospitals in developing integrative medicine services. She says she expects that trend to increase as more research is unveiled that demonstrates the positive benefits of integrative medicine in relieving pain and enhancing healing.

Susan Meyer is a freelance writer.

Spas and Medicine are Becoming Partners

Our time has come. Prevention is “in.” What spas offer is "in." Wellness is "in." Part of the reason we have arrived at this place is because people are understanding the importance and cost savings of reducing stress and staying healthy. Another reason is the global economic crisis which has resulted in a government stimulus plan which has made health care reform a priority in the US.

We shouldn't let this opportunity pass us by.

I just spent two full days in Washington D.C. at the Summit on Integrative Medicine and The Health of the Public as a guest of Deborah Szekely’s. This very important meeting was held at the National Academy of Sciences and included many formidable speakers; Senator Tom Harkin, Dr. Mehmet Oz (of Oprah fame), Dr. Dean Ornish, Jon Kabat-Zinn and about 40 top medical professionals from around the country. It was a gathering of very smart and powerful people and I felt humbled to be able to listen to the ideas, take notes and at one point even share an insight.

Videos of each summit session are available on the summit website. If you have time to listen to only one talk - I suggest you listen to Dr. Dean Ornish. Although he talks very rapidly, he does a great job in explaining the exciting opportunity we have.

Literature describing the summit included this statement, "the summit was designed to explore the science and practice of integrative medicine — health care that addresses together the mental, emotional, and physical aspects of the healing process." Note the similarity to the definition of spa we use in the spa industry, "establishments that promote wellness through the provision of therapeutic and other professional services aimed at renewing the body, mind, and spirit."
I was struck by how often the distinguished speakers spoke about the importance of exercise, diet, stress reduction and mind/body medicine. They used terms such as wellness, integrative health, integrative wellness, behavior modification, and health coaching. There was a lot of reference to patient-centered medicine or people-centered care and mindfulness. These are all terms that we use often in the spa industry! Unfortunately, however, not once did I hear the word spa mentioned.

Susie Ellis, SpaFinder Insider

Meditation, massage winning over doctors

Complementary and alternative medicine such as meditation, massage and acupuncture – some of it centuries old – wins over more mainstream doctors.

CHICAGO For years, Dr. Ali Keshavarzian ignored “alternative” therapies because his Western-trained brain wanted more evidence that they actually worked.

But Keshavarzian also knew conventional medicine often needed some assistance. And when he learned his patients were seeking out natural products, acupuncture, meditation and massage, he dived in.

Ten years later, he straddles both worlds, using Western treatments along with a variety of alternative approaches, a combination known as complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM.

“CAM is looking at a patient as a human being, rather than a disease,” said Keshavarzian, a gastroenterologist at Rush University Medical Center. “Instead of treating ‘ulcerative colitis,' I treat ‘Mr. Jones.'”

The future success of the holistic CAM movement in the U.S. hinges on the people who once viewed alternative medicine with cold skepticism: mainstream, conventionally trained doctors.

Though many, such as Keshavarzian, still believe medical treatments should be backed by rigorous scientific data, they will not rule out adding into the treatment mix mind-body therapies that have been used for centuries in other cultures. Keshavarzian, for example, might suggest relaxation techniques when he thinks stress is a factor, acupuncture for pain or probiotics for acute diarrhea.

“The public has been on board for some time,” said physician Andrew Weil, founder of the University of Arizona's School of Integrative Medicine, which has trained more than 350 physician fellows. “The professionals are harder to win over.”

Cost-effective, backers say

Five chronic conditions – mood disorders, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and high blood pressure – account for more than half of all U.S. health expenditures. But these are the disorders that conventional medicine struggles to treat, according to the institute.

“Studies show that $2.5 trillion is being spent in a system that is not improving the overall health of our citizens,” according to the institute. “Incidents of chronic disease are on a sharp rise and by 2023 will cost our nation $4.3 trillion.”

Proponents say CAM, or “integrative medicine,” is a cost-effective solution. Treatments fall into four categories:

Natural products – vitamins and supplements;

Energy medicine – acupuncture;

Manipulative practices – chiropractic work;

Mind-body medicine – meditation or deep breathing.

For instance, if a patient needs bypass surgery, an integrative doctor would recommend it. But afterward, he or she might suggest fish oil, exercise or nutritional changes to aid healing.

Laura Restaino of Wheaton, Ill., tried integrative physician Charles Dumont, a Loyola University pediatric gastroenterologist, after prescription drugs, creams and steroids failed to treat her daughter Alex's severe eczema. After receiving hand acupuncture (using pellets in place of needles) from Dumont, the condition cleared up almost instantly, Restaino said.

Alex, now 12, sees Dumont every six to eight weeks for maintenance acupuncture. “He's kind, he listens and he doesn't rush,” her mom said.

Some challenges

“Early in my career I felt like we (doctors) were missing the boat because we weren't addressing underlying problems,” said integrative physician Steve Devries, a cardiologist.

“We'd often tell patients after angioplasty that they ‘had the heart of a teenager again.' But it was completely untrue. We'd bought them time to correct the underlying problem, but if we didn't fix that then we'd see them again and again.”

One of the challenges of integrative medicine, however, is that it requires more of a doctor's time. Critics say it also has a relatively small evidence base, but that, too, is changing. “The difference is that 50 years ago Western medicine began to examine its practice more vigorously; the other methods have begun to do it more recently,” Keshavarzian said. “You can't dismiss CAM. It's the result of 1,000 years of experience. But we can vigorously study it.”

By Julie Deardorff
Chicago Tribune

With Depression, Vets Face Higher Suicide Risk

About a third of the veterans treated in Veterans Affairs hospitals suffer from depression, putting them at much greater risk of suicide than non-depressed veterans, University of Michigan researchers report.

But is that risk greater at certain times, and might it be related to their use of antidepressants, the researchers wondered?

Their five-year study of veterans with depression revealed a spike in suicide risk after discharge from a psychiatric hospital and a relatively short-term increase in risk after beginning treatment with an antidepressant. The findings were published in the January issue of the Journal of Affective Disorders.

"The goal of this study was to determine suicide rates during potentially high risk periods for patients with depressive disorders," said lead researcher Dr. Marcia Valenstein, a clinical psychiatrist at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan Health System.

Valenstein's research team collected data on 887,859 VA hospital patients being treated for depression from April 1999 to September 2004. They calculated the suicide rate for several 12-week periods, including after the start of treatment with antidepressants, after treatment changes, and upon discharge from a psychiatric hospital.

"The possibility of increased suicide risks with antidepressant use has received much media attention, and there have been governmental recommendations for close clinical monitoring during these periods," Valenstein said.

The study confirmed what others have shown: that the first 12 weeks after starting antidepressants is a higher risk period for patients, with 210 suicides per 100,000 person-years, but that the risk returns to normal thereafter.

"However, patients were at very high risk for suicide immediately following psychiatric hospitalizations, where the suicide rate was 568 per 100,000 person-years," Valenstein said. The risk for suicide after psychiatric hospitalization does not return to normal for a year, she said.

Veterans 61 to 80 years of age were found to have the highest risk of suicide, the researchers noted.

There are currently no governmental recommendations for close monitoring after someone is discharged from a psychiatric hospital, although one widely used protocol suggests one visit in the first seven days after discharge, Valenstein said.

"To have the greatest impact on suicide, health systems should prioritize suicide prevention efforts following psychiatric hospitalizations," she said. "If resources allow, closer monitoring during the first 12 weeks after an antidepressant start may be warranted."

Valenstein said that to help stem the tide of suicide among veterans, the Department of Veterans Affairs is spending $300 million for suicide prevention and other mental health services.

Simon Rego, associate director of psychology training at Montefiore Medical Center and an assistant professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, agreed that there's a need for better monitoring of depressed patients after they leave the hospital.

"Although the results of this study are limited, in that they are based on a largely male and older VA population of depressed patients, they still provide an important contribution to an area of extreme importance to the entire mental health system in the United States: suicide prevention," Rego said.

The study highlights the importance of moving some of the responsibility traditionally placed on clinicians to the entire mental health care system in order to shift the focus of prevention efforts from individual patients to entire at-risk populations, he added.

"In terms of suicide prevention, the results indicate that there are readily identifiable high-risk periods following specific events, such as being discharged from an inpatient psychiatric stay or starting a new antidepressant medication, and contrary to previously held notions, that these risk periods are not just for younger patients," Rego said.

In addition, the finding that suicide risk is highest in the first 12 weeks after discharge from a psychiatric hospitalization calls into question current policies that require minimal contact after a patient has been discharged, Rego said.

"The data from this study would suggest that the current monitoring is neither intense enough nor long enough in duration, and that the best use of our mental health resources would be to target efforts at frequent reassessment of suicide risk, offering of support, and establishing a connection to outpatient services during the entire 12-week period after discharge from a psychiatric hospitalization," Rego said.

Everyday Health - Emotional Health on 12/30/2008

8 Ways to a Healthy Brain

Maintaining a healthy brain is an important part of overall health. If you feel like your memory is getting worse with every passing birthday, you aren’t alone: it happens to all of us as we age. The good news is there are ways to help prevent or lessen memory loss.

1. Challenge yourself. Medical evidence suggests that lifelong stimulation is the key to building and maintaining brain cells, staving off memory loss and maybe even preventing Alzheimer's disease. Try doing interesting work (paid or volunteer), pursuing hobbies, engaging in an active social life, taking music or language lessons, or learning a new computer program.
2. Take a daily low-dose aspirin. Some studies link the use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) with reduced risk of Alzheimer's.
3. Supplement with vitamins C and E. A study at Johns Hopkins University suggested that vitamins C and E taken together might slow the progression of Alzheimer's.
4. Use a daily multivitamin that provides adequate levels of folic acid and other B vitamins. They help the body reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid formed by the breakdown of animal protein that, at elevated levels in the bloodstream, has been linked with increased risks of Alzheimer's.
5. Use healing spices in your cooking: Turmeric, ginger and red pepper can add zing to meals and are all natural anti-inflammatories.
6. Eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids, including wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, freshly ground flaxseed and walnuts.
7. Incorporate plenty of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables in your meals.
8. Reduce your intake of polyunsaturated vegetable oils (such as sunflower, corn and safflower oils), replacing them instead with a high quality extra-virgin olive oil.

DrWeil.com

Natural Way to Better Sleep

If sleep has become more of a dream than reality, there is a natural remedy that may help. Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) is a safe and effective herbal sleep aid and can help alleviate insomnia. It comes in tincture, extract, or capsule form - use one teaspoon of the tincture in a quarter cup of water, or take one or two capsules at bedtime. Look for valerian products standardized to 1 percent valerenic acid. While no significant side effects are known, to maintain efficacy, it is best used on an occasional basis only.

DrWeil.com

Do Heating Pads Cause Cancer?

In the cold winter months it's tempting to pull out the heating pads and electric blankets to help keep warm and alleviate minor discomforts. But are they safe? Heating pads, used correctly to create moist heat, can provide temporary relief from mild aches and pains such as pulled muscles, menstrual cramps, and stiff joints. However electric heating pads, along with other household appliances such as electric blankets and mattress covers, hair dryers, computers, and coffeemakers, all generate electromagnetic fields (EMFs). These invisible lines of force surround electrical equipment, power cords, and power lines, and their potential effects have been in the center of controversy surrounding a possible link to the development of cancers.

Research has not concluded whether EMFs disrupt the cellular systems that control the normal growth and development of tissues. Interfering with these processes might increase the risk of cancer, and the possibility of an EMF/cancer connection hasn't been definitively ruled out. Because we can't say for sure that EMFs are harmless, I recommend using a non-electric heating pad, such as one that you warm up in a microwave oven, or that uses hot water.

DrWeil.com

2 Ways to Treat an Upset Stomach

Whether you're eating too much rich holiday food, or perhaps aren’t getting as much exercise as you did during warmer months, the gastrointestinal tract can have its own seasonal challenges. Try these two traditional remedies to help keep your stomach healthy and happy:

1. Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) - especially in the form of chamomile tea - is a soothing solution for upset stomachs, heartburn and indigestion.

2. Triphala, an Ayurvedic herbal mixture, is a remedy for constipation and poor bowel tone. Use a capsule form and follow package directions. Triphala is best used regularly to improve bowel function, and should be taken separately from other medications.

DrWeil.com

More Americans Turn to CAM for Pain Relief, Health Problems

Approximately 38 percent of U.S. adults age 18 and older and nearly 12 percent of U.S. children age 17 and younger use some form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), according to a recently-released nationwide government survey. The survey, conducted as part of the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and developed by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), marked the first time questions were included regarding children’s use of CAM.

The survey contained questions on 36 types of CAM therapies commonly used in the U.S., including 10 types of provider-based therapies, such as acupuncture and chiropractic, and 26 other therapies that do not require a provider, such as herbal supplements and meditation.

Comparison of the 2007 survey with data from 2002 shows that overall use of CAM among adults remained relatively steady—38 percent in 2007, compared to 36 percent in 2002. However, the use of some specific CAM therapies, including massage therapy, meditation, deep breathing and yoga, all showed noteworthy increases.

According to the survey, adults used CAM most often to treat pain, including back pain, neck pain, joint pain or stiffness, arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions. In addition, CAM use in adults was greater in women than men, 42.8 percent compared to 33.5 percent.

The survey also indicated children are five times more likely to use CAM if a parent or other relative uses CAM. Among children who used CAM in the past 12 months, CAM therapies were sought most often for back or neck pain, head or chest colds, anxiety or stress, other musculoskeletal problems and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD).

Echinacea, a medicinal plant that can be used to treat or prevent colds, was the most common of the natural products used by children, the survey revealed.

The most commonly used CAM therapies among U.S. adults were:
• Nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products (17.7 percent)
• Deep breathing exercises (12.7 percent)
• Meditation (9.4 percent)
• Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation (8.6 percent)
• Massage (8.3 percent)
• Yoga (6.1 percent)

The most commonly used CAM therapies among children were:
• Nonvitamin, nonmineral, natural products (3.9 percent)
• Chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation (2.8 percent)
• Deep breathing exercises (2.2 percent)
• Yoga (2.1 percent).

     

MASSAGE eNews posted:12/10/2008

10 Natural Ways to Relax and Rejuvenate

Easy Ways to Manage Stress and Build Immunity

Protecting the immune system and managing stress are vital aspects of living longer, feeling younger, and being healthy. Here are 10 ways to reduce stress, boost your immune system, and slow down the hands of time.

Physical activity. Regular exercise -- whether it's walking or dancing -- strengthens your cardiovascular system, heart, muscles, and bones. It also stimulates the release of endorphins, improves mental functioning, concentration/attention, and cognitive performance, and lowers cholesterol, blood pressure, cortisol, and other stress hormones.

Yoga and stretching. The slow movements and controlled postures of yoga improve muscle strength, flexibility, balance, circulation, mental focus, and calmness.

Hand hygiene. The most effective measure in preventing the spread of germs is good hand hygiene. Washing your hands as soon as you come home, and always before you eat, greatly reduces your exposure to bacterial and viral infections. Carry alcohol-based hand wipes to control exposures away from home.

Laughter and humor. There is truth to the saying that laughter is the best medicine. Laughing reduces stress hormones like adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol and benefits the immune system.

High nutrient diet. Eat foods rich in antioxidants (strawberries, oranges, tomatoes), omega-3 fatty acids (walnuts, salmon, soybeans), and folate (dark green, leafy vegetables). Antioxidants neutralize molecules that can cause heart disease, cancer, and premature aging. Omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular-enhancing, and immune-regulating properties. Folate prevents age-related cognitive decline, ensures DNA integrity (important during
pregnancy), and promotes healthy red blood cells.

Music. Listening to your favorite music is a great method of reducing stress and relieving anxiety.

Sleep. Sound sleep has a profound impact on stress
levels, immune function, and disease resistance. Your body and immune system do most of their repairs during sleep, so strive to get in seven to eight hours each night.

Positive thinking. Optimism can counteract the negative impact stress, tension, and anxiety have on your immune system and well-being. Often it is how you perceive things that determine if you get overwhelmed, both mentally and physically.

Tea. Regularly drinking green and black teas throughout the day can help strengthen your immune system and your body's ability to fight off germs and infections.

Hydrotherapy. Relaxing in a hot bath relieves sore muscles and joints, reduces stress and tension, and promotes sleep. Add music, soft lighting, and scented oils to create a spa experience in the privacy of your own home.

By Monique N. Gilbert
Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals

Health Tip: Blood Pressure Too High?

High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease -- so to help your heart, you should get your blood pressure under control.

While medications can help, the American Academy of Family Physicians offers these additional suggestions to help lower your blood pressure:

• Stop using any tobacco products.
• Boost your diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
• Reduce your consumption of alcohol and caffeine.
• Stick to a low-fat, low-sodium diet.
• Get plenty of regular exercise.
• Maintain a healthy body weight.
• Try relaxation techniques to reduce stress.

Health Day

Preventing Cancer Part 2: Supplements

We all need essential fatty acids for optimum health, but most Americans consume far too many omega-6 fatty acids (mainly from vegetable oils), and not enough omega-3 fatty acids (found in oily fish, walnuts and freshly ground flaxseed). This imbalance can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, inflammatory conditions, cancer and other health concerns.

While eating several servings of oily fish (I prefer wild Alaskan salmon and sardines) per week is a start, you may want to take fish oil supplements, especially if you don't enjoy fish. Available in liquid or capsule forms, fish oil is effective at helping to reduce blood pressure, is beneficial to the nervous system, and can even help alleviate mild to moderate depression. Omega-3 fatty acids may also help support the health of breast tissue by maintaining healthy breast cells, a positive note for women with a family history of breast cancer. Look for capsules or oil that are certified free of contaminants, and begin with small daily doses, building up to the recommended amount.

DrWeil.com

What is Rhodiola?

Feeling blue, fatigued or stressed out? Then you may want to try Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea).  Commonly known as Arctic root or golden root, rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb that has been used for centuries in the traditional medicine of Russia, Scandinavia and other countries. Numerous studies of rhodiola have shown that it helps prevent fatigue and ward off the effects of stress. Evidence also suggests that it has an antioxidant effect, enhances immune system function and can increase sexual energy. In modern Russia, rhodiola is used as a tonic and remedy for low energy, poor attention span, and decreased memory; it is also believed to make workers more productive.

If you are interested in trying rhodiola, look for products standardized to 3 percent rosavins and 1 percent salidroside; follow dosage recommendations on labels. If you like its effect, you can stay on it indefinitely, perhaps giving yourself occasional breaks such as two or three weeks off every four months or so.

DrWeil.com

4 Ways to Beat Bloat

Many of us are familiar with the abdominal bloating and swollen fingers that accompanies water retention. Whether you retain fluid due to hormonal changes or after eating too much salty food, don't reach for prescription diuretics. Even over-the-counter diuretics are likely to be harder on the system than retained fluid. Instead, try the following:

1. Eat sensibly, and watch your salt intake.
2. Get regular exercise.
3. Drink black tea, which is a safe, natural diuretic.
4. Try an herbal diuretic such as cornsilk tea or freeze-dried dandelion leaf. Both are mild and nontoxic. You can get cornsilk tea in health-food stores or make it yourself if you have access to fresh corn by steeping the silks in boiling water for ten minutes. Drink one cup two to four times a day. The dose for freeze-dried dandelion is one or two capsules two to four times a day.

DrWeil.com

Breast Cancer: Seven Nutrition Tips

Diet and nutrition can play a significant role in the chances of developing breast cancer, especially if you have a family history of the disease. The following dietary practices may help to prevent or lessen the risks - I encourage all women to give them a try:

1. Keep your fat content low. Below 25 percent of your daily calories is ideal.
2. Avoid animal fats, polyunsaturated fats (many vegetable oils), and hydrogenated oils (margarines and vegetable shortenings) - all can increase cancer risks.
3. Use healthy fats: monounsaturates such as extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground flaxseed and oily fish such as wild Alaskan salmon and sardines (which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids) may reduce your risk of breast cancer.
4. Include whole soy products in your diet. Soy foods contain many cancer-protective substances, including isoflavones. Try to eat one to two servings of whole soy-based foods a day.
5. Avoid alcohol. Even in modest amounts, alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
6. Minimize your consumption of conventionally raised meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Replace with organic, hormone-free versions and use sparingly.
7. Eat more fruits and vegetables! They contain many different cancer-protective phytonutrients.

DrWeil.com

Seasonal Joint Pain Bugging You?

Like our moods, our bodies can respond to changes in the weather. If you or a loved one suffers from seasonal arthritis, consider arnica (Arnica montana). This daisy-like mountain flower can help relieve the pain and stiffness associated with seasonal arthritis. It is also useful for addressing sprains and bruises as well as the soreness, swelling and muscle spasms from sports activity, and general muscle and joint pain. Available in tincture, homeopathic ointment, cream, salve and pills, arnica should only be used topically (non-homeopathic arnica is toxic if it enters the bloodstream and should not be applied in any form on broken skin or on an open wound). Look for pure arnica extract for topical applications. For arthritis, you may want to make an arnica compress: mix one tablespoon of arnica tincture in one pint of purified water. Dip a gauze pad in the mixture, then put it on the arthritic joint.

DrWeil.com

Physical & Mental Relief

The rehabilitative procedures are both a physical and mental goal in promoting healing.  Physical therapy utilizes joint mobilization, strength training and hold/cold packs to quicken the recovery. 

The returning Vet is aware of what he or she has to face when returning home.  It is not only the physical aspect of healing but the emotional and psychological aspect of being.  Vets need soothing effects to decompress while eliminating movement dysfunction.

During physical therapy treatment the use of hot/cold packs with rice, natural herbs and spices offer analgesic and sedating properties to relieve pain, promote relaxation, and enhance sleep and reduce physical and emotional tension.

Physical healing is inclusive with the mind.  “Mind, Body & Spirit”, are one in the healing process.  The unique healing effects on the Mind, Body & Spirit has been proven through centuries of use in traditional medicine, ayurvedic therapies and modern holistic practice.

The professionals and the paraprofessionals in the rehabilitation field are of a contemporary mindset that is open and inclusive to options. To prepare for a therapeutic exercise session, the warm NeckEase is placed on the shoulders to relax, and relieve tension before exercising.  The individual is feeling the warmth, the moist heat, the aromas are triggering fond memories and the weight of the product is comforting.
Ready to exercise and put forth an effort that is going to make the muscles used sore.
To finish up the therapy session a cold product is used to reduce the swelling from exaggerated exercise.  What is so comforting about the rehabilitative process is that the individual is given the wrap, pack, NeckEase to take with them.  The product is used in a continuing healing manner until the next therapy session.

BodySense products are made with top quality materials that last longer and hold heat and cold better while safely and effectively producing and intense therapeutic result.  Our original two-sided design includes a soft, comforting fleece surface for moist heat application and smooth cordura service for dry transfer of cold therapy.  Each product contains a mixture of organic long-grain rice for its heat and moisture retention qualities, along with a balanced blend of aromatic herbs and spices selected for their calming, relaxing or healing influence on the mind, body and emotions.

Healthy Vision: 3 Supplements

While healthy vision starts with a proper diet and lifestyle choices, prudent supplementation with specific nutrients can also help protect the health of your eyes.

1. Vitamin C. It acts as a water-soluble antioxidant, and is essential to the formation and health of connective tissue.
2. Zinc. This mineral plays an important role in antioxidant reactions and can address the damage caused by free radicals in the eyes.
3. Bilberry and pycnogenol. Both support normal formation of connective tissue, strengthen capillaries in the body, and improve capillary and venous blood flow. They also contain proanthocyanidins, flavonoid compounds that support and maintain the natural regeneration of rhodopsin, the purple pigment used by the rods in the eye for night vision. Studies show that these proanthocyanidins may be especially useful in supporting eye health as the body ages.

DrWeil.com

Natural Way to Ward Off Colds

What should you do when you feel a cold coming on? Dr. Weil recommends reaching for echinacea (Echinacea purpurea). Its antibiotic and antiviral properties make this native American plant an ideal first-line treatment for colds and flu, sore throat, and other simple infections. It can also help you through times of low resistance by enhancing the immune system. Available in tincture, capsule, tablet and extract form, look for combination echinacea products (containing both augustifolia and purpurea species) standardized to 4 percent echinacosides. For best efficacy, begin taking echinacea when symptoms first appear and continue until the illness runs its course. Try one dropperful of tincture in water four times a day, or two capsules of freeze-dried extract four times a day; children under 10 can take half the adult dosage. Echinacea should not be used continuously for more than 10 days.

DrWeil.com

Six Ways to Prevent the Flu

With flu season rapidly approaching in many parts of the world, prevention is your best defense against the fever chills and cough that the virus can bring on. Try the following:

1. Wash your hands, especially when you're out in public places, with hot water and soap. When you travel, it’s a good idea to carry alcohol towelettes with you.
2. Get a flu shot. This is especially important for those over 65 years old, as well as anyone with a weakened immune or respiratory system, nursing home residents, and health care workers who have regular contact with patients. Pregnant women whose last two trimesters fall during flu season (generally November to April) might consider getting the shot as well.
3. Take astragalus. This immune-enhacing herb can help to build resistance to both the flu and the common cold.
4. Take a mushroom extract. Host Defense from New Chapter is a good choice, as it provides a combination of seven proven immune-boosting mushrooms.
5. Get daily vitamins and antioxidants. Berries, tea and dark chocolate all provide natural antioxidants and Dr. Weil's Vitamin Advisor offers a complete daily multivitamin and antioxidant formula.
6. Keep up on fluids. Staying hydrated keeps nasal passages moist, providing better natural defenses against viruses.

DrWeil.com

Music therapy

What is music therapy?

Music therapy is the use of music to gain physical and emotional healing and wellness. A trained and certified music therapist, dance/movement therapist, or creative arts–expressive therapist can provide music therapy. Therapy sessions can involve listening to music, music-making, or both.

Research is beginning to reveal how music works to heal the body and mind.

• The rhythm and tone of music can excite you or relax you. Music therapy can help reduce your heart rate and blood pressure and increase your ability to think, learn, reason, and remember.
• Music-making is a healthy way of expressing yourself.

What is music therapy used for?

You can use music therapy to help your mental and physical health. It helps people express themselves, find new memories, and calm the body and mind through its rhythm, order, and predictability. Music therapy is sometimes combined with movement therapies, such as dance.

Music therapy:

• May improve forgetfulness (dementia) by:
  • Improving your connection to others.
  • Helping the brain produce a calming substance (melatonin).
  • Improving how well you speak.
  • Improving long-term and medium-term memory.
• May help babies born too early to deal with necessary but painful procedures. Crying is often affected by music.
• Is used to reduce the pain of cancer treatment.

Is music therapy safe?

Music therapy is considered safe.

Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative therapy or if you are thinking about combining an alternative therapy with your conventional medical treatment. It may not be safe to forgo your conventional medical treatment and rely only on an alternative therapy.

Jeannette Curtis; Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Content provided by Healthwise

ADHD and Vitamins

Vitamins that may be helpful

Some children with ADHD have lowered levels of magnesium. In a preliminary, controlled trial, children with ADHD and low magnesium status were given 200 mg of magnesium per day for six months.¹⁵ Compared with 25 other magnesium-deficient ADHD children, those given magnesium supplementation had a significant decrease in hyperactive behavior.

In a double-blind study, children with ADHD who received 15 mg of zinc per day for six weeks showed significantly greater behavioral improvement, compared with children who received a placebo.¹⁶ This study was conducted in Iran, and zinc deficiency has been found to be quite common in certain parts of that country. It is not clear, therefore, to what extent the results of this study apply to children living in other countries.

In a double-blind study, supplementation with L-carnitine for eight weeks resulted in clinical improvement in 54% of a group of boys with ADHD, compared with a 13% response rate in the placebo group.¹⁷ The amount of L-carnitine used in this study was 100 mg per 2.2 pounds of body weight per day, with a maximum of 4 grams per day. No adverse effects were seen, although one child developed an unpleasant body odor while taking L-carnitine. Researchers have found that this uncommon side effect of L-carnitine can be prevented by supplementing with riboflavin. Although no serious side effects were seen in this study, the safety of long-term L-carnitine supplementation in children has not been well studied. This treatment should, therefore, be monitored by a physician.

A deficiency of several essential fatty acids has been observed in some children with ADHD compared with unaffected children.^{18 19} One study gave children with ADHD evening primrose oil supplements in an attempt to correct the problem.²⁰ Although a degree of benefit was seen, results were not pronounced. In a 12-week double-blind study, children with ADHD were given either a placebo or a fatty-acid supplement providing daily: 186 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), 480 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), 96 mg of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), 864 mg of linoleic acid, and 42 mg of arachidonic acid. Compared with the placebo, the fatty-acid supplement produced significant improvements in both cognitive function and behavioral problems.²¹ No adverse effects were seen. In a preliminary trial, supplementation with approximately 400 mg of flaxseed oil and 25 mg of vitamin C, each twice a day for three months, was associated with an improvement of symptoms in children with ADHD.²²

In a preliminary study of women in Italy, iodine deficiency severe enough to cause hypothyroidism during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of ADHD in their children.²³ Women who are contemplating pregnancy or who are pregnant should get adequate amounts of iodine in their diet and should discuss with their healthcare provider whether iodine supplementation is appropriate.

Iron status, as measured by the serum ferritin concentration, was significantly lower in a group of children with ADHD than in healthy children. Ferritin levels were below normal in 84% of the children with ADHD, compared with 18% of the healthy children.²⁴ Since iron deficiency can adversely affect mood and cognitive function, iron status should be assessed in children with ADHD, and those who are deficient should receive an iron supplement. In a case report, a young boy with both ADHD and iron deficiency showed considerable improvement in behavior after receiving an iron supplement.²⁵

B vitamins, particularly vitamin B6, have also been used for ADHD. Deficient levels of vitamin B6 have been detected in some ADHD patients.²⁶ In a study of six children with low blood levels of the neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) serotonin, vitamin B6 supplementation (15–30 mg per 2.2 pounds of body weight per day) was found to be more effective than methylphenidate (Ritalin®). However, lower amounts of vitamin B6 were not beneficial.²⁷ The effective amount of vitamin B6 in this study was extremely large and could potentially cause nerve damage, although none occurred in this study. A practitioner knowledgeable in nutrition must be consulted when using high amounts of vitamin B6. High amounts of other B vitamins have shown mixed results in relieving ADHD symptoms.

Healthnotes

Nurturing techniques to improve learning and attention

The following are suggestions for nurturing your child to help improve his or her learning and attention.

• Give frequent physical contact. Touch and hold your baby as much as possible during the first 6 months of his or her life. You will not spoil your baby. Your baby needs frequent physical contact to grow and develop.
• Limit exposure to television as much as possible before age 2. When your child is age 2 and older, one hour or less of TV a day is plenty. Make sure the programs your child watches are appropriate for his or her age.
• Choose age-appropriate toys, and provide a safe play environment. Toys that stimulate the brain are recommended, such as books, blocks, and puzzles. Use a playpen or gate to ensure the play area is safe from potential hazards, such as stairs or pets.
• Encourage your child to play. Find some time each day to play with your child. Choose games and play activities that encourage conversation, such as reading and board games. Also, allow your child some time to play alone.
• Make sure your child gets enough sleep and rest each day. Don't interrupt your child's sleep unless it is necessary. You may want to use soft music to help your child relax; some people suggest playing soft music that does not contain words for 30 minutes each day.
• Encourage your child to eat healthy foods and to develop healthy eating habits. Limit the amount of sugar and fat in your child's diet. Also, don't allow your child to have juices, sports drinks, or soda pop before a meal.

Healthwise

 

Adaptive Equipment

and

Sensory Tools

Practitioner's Corner -- About Kids and Attention Disorders

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children can be quite challenging for the entire family: Kids who have it have a hard time concentrating, and their kinetic energy tends to exhaust everyone around them. The conventional approach to treatment relies primarily on stimulant drugs like Ritalin, but at our integrative clinic we try to use gentler therapies whenever appropriate.

Before starting down any treatment path, though, it's crucial to have your child thoroughly assessed. (The best place to do this is at a child development center that's part of a children's hospital or academic medical center.) Lots of kids who are thought to have an attention disorder actually turn out to be suffering from depression, anxiety, or a learning disability; when these problems are treated, the symptoms that looked like attention problems often clear up.

An assessment will also pinpoint the particular subtype of attention disorder a child has, so you can tailor treatment accordingly. In the hyperactive form of ADHD, impulsive and hyperactive behavior are the biggest symptoms. Another form, marked by an inability to focus, often doesn't emerge until adolescence. Most children, however, suffer from a combined version of the disorder, which usually shows up between the ages of seven and 11.

Here are some of the questions we're most frequently asked about attention disorders.

Q: My eight-year-old son has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Is there any chance that changing his diet will make a difference?

A: There have been quite a few "gold standard" studies supporting the idea that for certain kids, dietary changes can be a big help.

One type of diet (known as oligo- antigenic) is fairly radical; it eliminates ingredients that are thought to provoke allergies, including dairy, gluten, refined sugars, dyes, preservatives, and additives. A theory as to why this might make a difference has to do with a phenomenon called leaky gut syndrome. Normally, the intestinal lining serves as a good filtering system for proteins like those that trigger allergies. But in some people, the gut seems to have a sort of "leak" that allows these proteins to get into the bloodstream. At that point the immune system reacts, and this can contribute to behavioral problems.

The pure form of this diet is very restrictive and can be difficult to stick to. It allows only two types of meat (lamb and turkey), two types of starches (rice and potatoes), two types of vegetables (cabbage and carrots), and two fruits (apples and bananas).

A more practical approach might be to test potentially troublesome foods one at a time. Eliminate dairy, say, for three weeks to see if any significant changes occur. For most people, this approach is pretty doable, and there's very little downside to trying it.

As a general guideline, I'd also suggest giving the child unprocessed and organic foods, to avoid contributing any additional toxic load to the body.

Q: My daughter has the inattention form of ADHD. Are there any mind-body therapies that might help her focus?

A: Certain forms of relaxation can be very useful. Kids can learn to do diaphragmatic breathing and muscle relaxation, which they can use on their own to help themselves calm down and concentrate better.

Meditation can be helpful, too, but the child would need to practice it on a daily basis to get any lasting benefit.

Kids who receive regular massages often show decreases in hyperactivity and impulsivity. In one study, parents were trained to massage their children, and that worked very well. Biofeedback, in which children learn to control their heart rate or muscle tension, is worth trying, too. To find a good practitioner, your best bet is to check with a child psychologist, behavioral pediatrician, or pediatric nurse-practitioner who specializes in this area.

Q: I've heard neurofeedback can help kids with attention disorders. What exactly is it, and does it really work?

A: It's a new type of biofeedback that trains kids to control their brain waves. There's mounting evidence that it's both helpful and safe, and kids tend to be very good at it. It's like a video game for the body. The practitioner places electrodes on the child's scalp, and the child learns to control the brain waves -- in real time -- by watching them on a computer screen. Many kids with ADHD are deficient in beta waves, the high-frequency brain waves involved in thinking. And they tend to have too much theta wave activity, which happens when the mind is disorganized and not well focused. One training strategy works to decrease theta wave activity and increase beta waves.

The only downside is the time it takes -- usually 30 to 50 sessions of training are required before a child is fully trained. Since insurance typically doesn't pay for it, it can be expensive.

This is something you'll want to do with the guidance of a well-trained professional. Your best bet is to find someone credentialed by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America.

Q: Are there supplements that can calm a child with ADHD?

A: Yes. There's some evidence to support the theory that kids with ADHD are missing normal levels of key vitamins and nutrients, particularly zinc and essential fatty acids. Studies have shown that when you replenish these nutrients, some kids definitely do better. So I like to recommend a good high-potency multivitamin that contains trace minerals, along with 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams per day of omega-3 fatty acids, preferably the DHA and EPA forms. These supplements are safe, and any parent of a child with ADHD would do well to consider them. There are several good EFA supplements made specifically for children; I like DHA Junior, from Nordic Naturals, and Coromega, from ERBL.

One herb you hear a lot about is ginkgo biloba, which may help kids function better by increasing blood flow to the brain. I haven't seen specific research on this, but holistic child psychiatrists often use it. Another commonly used herb is lemon balm, which is thought to have a calming effect and to ease restlessness. These herbs won't work for all kids with ADHD, but they're certainly worth trying.

Q: How much time should I give alternative approaches before putting my child on Ritalin?

A: It depends on the severity of the disorder. If it's the mild-to-moderate form, and the child is keeping up in school, you could give the complementary approach three to six months. During that time, you'll need to track the child's progress carefully with school professionals and the child's doctor.

If a child is more severely affected, I'd begin with the conventional treatment, then start adding in the complementary approaches. Long term, you'll want to try to make a gradual transition to the complementary therapies.

Alternative Medicine Magazine

No More Tears: 6 Top Allergy Busters for Spring

Shaking off your winter woes is a welcome joy this time of year. But for millions of allergy sufferers in the United States, springtime pollen can bring plenty of sneezing, sniffling and sickness to go with the short sleeves, sandals and sunshine.

The good news is that you don't have to take a stuffy nose, watery eyes, fatigue and other often debilitating symptoms lying down. "Allergies can be a very significant medical problem, but you shouldn't accept the idea that your life has to be compromised because of allergies," says David Mazza M.D., an allergy and asthma specialist in New York.

There are plenty of effective options for managing your springtime allergies, says Sheryl Lucas, a board-certified allergist with Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic in Washington, D.C. "I think many different products out there can be helpful, especially for those with pollen, animal or mold allergies," she says.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology estimates that 40 to 50 million Americans have allergic disorders. If you're one of them, our experts say that these 6 products can significantly help to reduce your springtime misery:

• HEPA (high Efficiency particulate air) purifier. It can help eliminate airborne pollen spores in your home, and tends to be more effective (though more expensive) than simple air filters, removing harmful particles as small as 0.1 microns from indoor air. Top-brand purifiers run virtually noise-free and don't need replacement filters.
• Central vacuum system. Though it can be an expensive option, keeping your carpets, drapes, smooth floors and entire house clean with a central vacuum system specifically designed to reduce or eliminate pollen can be worth it. “This can really help anybody who has perennial allergies,” Mazza says. Or consider buying a HEPA vacuum cleaner to reduce pollen spores that concentrate in carpets.
• Furnace filter. In conjunction with an air purifier, installing permanent and washable furnace filters can help reduce airborne allergens such as pollen in your home.
• Wraparound eyewear. Opting for trendy eyewear can help you ward off many allergens (and look hip in the process). Wearing wraparound sunglasses or a similar style of eyewear to cover the sides of your eyes can protect you from exposure to outdoor pollen grains that can lead to conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the outermost layer of the eye and inner surface of the eyelids. And they can also protect you from additional outdoor irritants should you already have conjunctivitis or other eye problems. "You can always treat the nose with local steroids but not the eyes," Platts-Mills says. "So protection is an essential part of staying comfortable." What’s more, shades may be even more effective than over-the-counter eyedrops.
• Air-conditioner filter. Do not use window fans to cool your house. They can bring so much pollen into the house that you might as well be pitching a tent outdoors, says Thomas Platts-Mills, M.D., a professor of medicine and head of the Asthma and Allergic Disease Center at University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. "Use the air conditioner to keep cool and keep outdoor pollen out of the house." Equip your air conditioner with allergen-reducing HEPA filters to help reduce pollen. These disposable adhesive filters capture dust particles and lint. Be sure to clean the air filter regularly and change it often. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America's (AAFA) website recommends looking for both the Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) seal and a statement of the Food and Drug Administration's Class II approval) before purchasing filters. Go to http://www.aafa.org.
• Automobile air filter. Dust, mold, pollens and other particles can enter and build up in your car's ventilation system, blowing directly into your car and aggravating allergy symptoms. To ensure an allergen-free commute or joyride, you can plug a car air filter into your vehicle's cigarette lighter or opt to have one installed. (Make sure it's compatible to your vehicle’s model and make.) A variety of options are available online or at select car dealerships.

While dealing with allergies is essentially an ongoing challenge, using even some of these products can significantly help, Platts-Mills says. "For most people, these kinds of simple steps can be enough to make [the season] bearable."

Revolution Health Group

Natural Cleaning Products for a 'Green' Home

When you think of air pollution, you probably conjure up images of smokestacks and clogged interstates. But recent research shows that air quality is actually the worst where we feel safest — in our homes.

Some toxins are an unfortunate and unavoidable fact of modern life. But others, like those in household cleaning products, are remarkably easy to do without. In fact, you probably have many of the supplies you need to "go green" right in your kitchen cupboard.

And these nontoxic cleaning supplies work just as well as their chemical cousins but without the nasty side effects (which range from irritating the skin to contributing to cancer).

The well-stocked pantry
Another benefit of going green with your cleaning products: You'll free up a lot of shelf space. Instead of having a single cleaner for each purpose (how different is cleaning a tub vs. a sink, anyway?), you’ll only need these five essentials:

• Baking soda. Buy it in bulk, because this wonder powder has about 1,001 household uses. Use it to cut odors in the fridge, mix it with castile soap for a gentle surface scrubber, or pour it down the drain with some vinegar to clear clogs.

• Salt. Say goodbye to your harsh oven cleaner. Instead, pour salt on spills as they happen, allow the surface to cool and scrape up the mess. "If you do that every time you have a spill, you don't need to do anything else," suggests Linda Mason Hunter, co-author of Green Clean: The Environmentally Sound Guide to Cleaning Your Home (Melcher Media, 2005).

• Castile soap. Much gentler than detergent-type cleansers, this basic liquid soap can clean just about anything — from toilets to armpits. Dr. Bronner's is a high-quality, superconcentrated brand.

• Lemon juice. Mix with olive oil for a wood and furniture polish, use it to clean glass and stainless steel or sprinkle it in baking soda to make carpet-cleaning powder. After you've squeezed out the juice, toss the rinds down the garbage disposal to cleanse and deodorize.

• White distilled vinegar. Because of its acidic properties, vinegar can dissolve grease, soap residue and mildew, making it the perfect bathroom cleaner. It's a hit in the kitchen, too. Use it to polish chrome, shine glass and mop tile or linoleum floors.

Ready-made cleaners
Of course, if you take comfort in a bottle that tells you exactly what it’s going to do, you can buy commercial, nontoxic cleaners. Companies like Seventh Generation, Ecover and Bio-Kleen are available at health food stores and many mainstream grocery stores.

Hunter's favorite is Shaklee's new Get Clean product line (www.shacklee.com). Green cleaners can cost more than conventional cleaners, but they're often more concentrated, giving you more bang for your buck.

Out with the old
So are you ready to go green? According to Hunter, if you really want to green your life, cleaning up your cleaning is the best place to start.

"It's manageable, you're working in your own house, you have control and you learn a lot about how to read labels, what's in products and what to look for," she says. "You can use that knowledge when you're doing other things as well — buying cosmetics, furniture and building materials, for example."

Revolution Health Group

5 Ways to Ward Off Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are the most common form of mental illness in America, affecting more than 40 million Americans ages 18 and older, according to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America.

As with most mental health problems, people experience degrees of anxiety ranging from the normal situational variety — which arises from financial, work, health or relationship problems — to more severe panic or post-traumatic stress disorders and specific debilitating phobias. 

Some anxiety is healthy, appropriate and motivating (e.g., when studying for a test or preparing for an athletic competition). This type of anxiety has been called eustress. But anxiety becomes a problem when it is crippling or sends you into a state of distress. If left unaddressed, even milder levels of anxiety can take a physical toll and cause fatigue, insomnia, drug and alcohol problems, and the corrosive effect of the fight-or-flight hormone cortisol.

Here are five things you can do daily to better manage your day-to-day anxiety. If your feelings of anxiety become debilitating or don’t respond to these interventions below, seek help from a trained professional.

1. Have a cup of tea. For centuries, herbalists have touted the calming action of chamomile. This gentle herb soothes the stomach as well as the mind, so brew up a cup and let its warmth and aroma melt away your mild anxiety. Green tea also calms the mind, most likely because it contains significant amounts of L-theanine, an amino acid that increases the brain’s production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). A 2006 study published in the journal Biofactors described GABA as a natural relaxant that diminishes anxiety. Be aware that green tea contains caffeine, albeit in small amounts compared to coffee. So if you’re sensitive to caffeine, look for decaffeinated green tea.

2. Get some aerobic exercise. Raising heart and breathing rates can help people to burn off nervous energy and to reduce generalized anxiety. A study published in the February 2004 edition of Behavior and Research Therapy found that both low- and high-intensity treadmill workouts (20 minutes) reduced anxiety in subjects with elevated anxiety  scores. In this case, more was better — high-intensity workouts brought about more rapid reductions of anxiety and a higher number of positive responses.

3. Practice yoga. Regular yoga practitioners often say that they feel more self-assured and positive about themselves after class, and numerous studies have identified physiological proof (reduced blood pressure, heart rate and respiraton) to these improved emotional and mental states. Studies have shown that yoga can help people with cancer and AIDS to overcome disease-associated anxiety. In fact, Peter M. Wolsko, M.D., M.P.H., of Harvard Medical School has a National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine-funded study underway that is examining yoga’s effect on generalized anxiety disorder. While almost any type of yoga and series of poses can help to relieve symptoms of anxiety, restorative yoga — which uses bolsters, blankets and other props to support the body and encourage relaxation — may offer beginners an easy way to get started. More adept practitioners should try forward bends, supported chest openers or even upside-down poses like headstands.

4. Breathe. As anxiety takes hold, our breathing becomes more rapid and shallow — a natural reaction that is linked to our nervous system’s adaptive “fight or flight” response. This instinctual response helps us to calculate and manage the risk of any potential danger, either real or imagined. A study in the February 2005 issue of The Journal of Complementary Medicine reports that “a sequence of specific breathing techniques … can alleviate anxiety, depression, everyday stress, post-traumatic stress and stress-related medical illnesses.” Similar studies have shown that any kind of rhythmic or conscious breathing — whether it’s linked to yoga (pranayama) or religious ritual (saying the rosary) — can have a beneficial effect on stress and anxiety levels.

Linda Sparrowe, author of A Woman’s Book of Yoga and Health (Shambhala Publishing, 2002), suggests these simple breathing techniques:

•    Breathe to relax. Find a comfortable position (sitting or lying down) and breathe deeply into your belly. As you inhale, say the words “I am” to yourself. As you exhale, silently say the word “relaxed.” Repeat this mantra with each complete breath and feel yourself relax.

•    Count your breaths. Focus on your breath and count each complete cycle (inhale and exhale) until you reach 10. Don’t fret if you lose count. That’s normal. Simply start again.

5. Take your B’s. A number of studies conducted from the 1980s to the present have demonstrated that various B vitamins have a positive effect on anxiety. Naturopathic doctor John Neustadt, medical director of Montana Integrative Medicine in Bozeman, suggests taking 50 milligrams of vitamin B complex one to three times a day. He also says that additional supplementation with the following four Bs may also help:

•    Inositol. In an article published in the June 2001 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Israeli researchers found that inositol (up to 18 grams a day for a month) produced improvements in various anxiety measures that were comparable to fluvoxamine (Luvox), a drug prescribed for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and it didn’t have unwanted side effects.

•    Thiamine. Prolonged vitamin B1 deficiency can produce elevated levels of lactate and symptoms of anxiety. Take 50 milligrams three times a day with meals.

•    Vitamin B6. This is a key nutrient involved in the synthesis of GABA, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate anxiety. Also, the body cannot convert tryptophan to serotonin (another anxiety-related neurotransmitter) without B6. Take 50 milligrams three times a day.

•    Niacinamide. A more bioavailable (absorbent) form of vitamin B3, niacinamide compares with benzodiazepine drugs (Valium, Xanax) in alleviating anxiety, according to a number of studies completed during the last two decades. Recommended doses vary from 100 to 1,000 milligrams three times a day, or just below the amount that produces nausea.

According to Neustadt, the best way to take B vitamins is orally — except for B12, which is best taken under the tongue in an easy-to-dissolve tablet or liquid form.

He says he tests for vitamin B deficiencies “when stress starts manifesting itself clinically with insomnia, fatigue or depression,” but that he also looks at amino acids, minerals and fats “because biochemistry is a web of interaction, and you need more than just B vitamins.”

Not everyone needs testing, however. Neustadt says it’s OK if someone experiencing anxiety or stress takes a high-quality and high-dose B complex supplement to see if it helps bring relief. Besides, he says: “My assumption is that the majority of people need a good multivitamin with high doses of B’s just as an insurance policy.”

What now?
What if the above interventions do not work, or if they only provide temporary relief?  Symptoms of anxiety are multidimensional and can range from shortness of breath and nausea to a feeling of dread, panic or losing one’s mind. Anxiety is like the mind’s fever, an indication that something is not well.

In order to treat a fever correctly, the doctor must determine the underlying cause of the condition, and the same principle holds true for anxiety. Some fevers go away on their own relatively quickly or with anti-inflammatory medication — while some do not. If your anxiety persists, you will do well to seek the appropriate help.

A good place to start always is with your primary care doctor.  He or she will be able to evaluate you and make sure that you are in good physical health and not suffering from an underlying thyroid problem or an undiagnosed medication reaction or medical  condition that has anxiety as a primary symptom. If you have not had a checkup in a while, it’s a good idea to do this anyway.

If you are medically healthy, your primary care doctor will be able to refer you to see a psychiatrist or a therapist. Sometimes taking an antidepressant medication that also treats anxiety can help in the short term, as can an immediate-acting  anti-anxiety medication or sleeping aid. 

However, more than anything else, taking the leap of faith to see a trained professional can endow you with a sense that you are taking this problem seriously and are trusting someone safe with a burden you may have been carrying for some time. If this is so, talking therapy might do wonders for you — with or without any kind of anxiety medication. When in doubt, play it safe and go see a trained professional.

Revolution Health Group

Acupuncture may be effective for menstrual pain

Acupuncture can help relieve menstrual pain and improve the quality of life for some women, a new study from Germany shows.

Because the acupuncture patients were compared with a control group who received no therapy, rather than a "sham," or fake, version of the treatment, the placebo effect could have played a role, Dr. Claudia M. Witt of Charite University Medical Center in Berlin and her colleagues acknowledge.

"Nevertheless, our study showed that acupuncture was beneficial for women if offered as part of the health insurance system," the researchers write in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are standard treatment for menstrual pain, but they carry the risk of side effects, Witt and her team note in their report. Acupuncture and acupressure have been found helpful in treating other types of pain, so the researchers tested whether acupuncture delivered by doctors -- as it typically is in Germany -- would help with dysmenorrhea.

Since 2000, the researchers note, the nation's health insurers have recommended that acupuncture to relieve pain only be covered by insurance if it is delivered as part of a study to investigate its effectiveness.

The researchers enrolled 201 women who agreed to be randomly assigned to acupuncture or no treatment.

After 3 months of treatment, which included an average of about 10 sessions, the average pain score was 3.1 in the acupuncture group, compared with 5.4 in the control group, using a pain scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst pain.

Among women given acupuncture, 63.4 percent reported at least a 33 percent improvement in their symptoms, while 24 percent of women in the control group did.

Based on these findings, the researchers conclude that "acupuncture should be considered as a viable option in the management of these patients."

Reuters

Using Yoga to Relieve Stress

To combat stress, many people turn to meditation or other mental stress reduction tools. But stress also creates physical response in the body and, as such, can be managed with exercise -- in particular, with yoga.

"Stress sends the entire physical system into overdrive," says Garrett Sarley, president and CEO of the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Lenox, Mass. "The muscles tense, the heart beats faster, breathing patterns change, and if the cause of stress isn't discontinued, the body secretes more hormones that increase blood sugar levels, raising blood pressure. Yoga is one of the few stress-relief tools that has a positive effect on all the body systems involved."

Recognizing the detrimental effects of stress, especially in the area of heart disease, the preventive and rehabilitative cardiac center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles began offering yoga to their patients more than 10 years ago.

"Over the years, yoga has become one of our primary therapies for stress management," says C. Noel Bairey Merz, M.D., director of the preventive and rehabilitative cardiac center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Understanding yoga

In the past 5,000 years, yoga has undergone various adaptations and now is practiced in four major ways:

• As a method of maintaining physical fitness and health
• As therapy to restore health or relieve ailments
• As a lifestyle
• As a spiritual discipline

All share several important fundamental practices. The first is cultivation of awareness: the ability to focus on exactly what you're doing in the present moment. The second, relaxation, encourages the release of unnecessary tension in the body. Conscious breathing is another vital part of yoga; the breathing exercises build lung strength and capacity and unite the body and mind.

"Without these elements, yoga would be simply exercises," says Mr. Sarley.

Getting started

There are several ways you can give yoga a try. Attending a yoga retreat for several days will teach you how to practice and what style suits you best. Numerous centers throughout the country offer a sampling of different types and levels of yoga. To find a center near you, try doing a Web search for "yoga retreat."

Or, locate a suitable yoga class or teacher in your area. Even if you intend to practice on your own, it's important to start with some basic training. Adult education centers, YMCAs, health clubs, hospitals and yoga studios all offer group classes. But ask how much training the instructor has had; a few hours isn't adequate.

Beginners should look for beginner or "gentle" yoga classes. Expect the classes to be relaxing and noncompetitive. Wear loose, comfortable clothing and take along a mat or blanket to sit on. Don't be intimidated by pictures you may have seen of people twisted into difficult poses. There are dozens of gentle, easy poses, and all students are encouraged to do only what's comfortable for their bodies. If a class you try doesn't feel like a good fit, try a different one.

You also can learn yoga from audio or video programs or books and magazines, but getting personal instruction first tends to result in a better experience, and you're more likely to continue. At all levels, yoga is about taking care of and being good to yourself.

"By being more sensitive to your body and mind, you learn to see stress coming and can take preventive measures," says Mr. Sarley. "Yoga teaches nurturing of one's body, mind and spirit, which leads to a healthier way of being."

Staywell Custom Communications

Beat Stress, Live Longer

Over the past decade or so, it's become increasingly clear that stress can harm our health. But now a study shows the damage is even more profound than we'd thought: Stress, it seems, can actually make your cells age quicker.

The study, from researchers at the University of California at San Francisco, shows that prolonged high stress speeds up age-related cellular changes by a decade or more. These changes have been associated with serious health problems, including heart attacks and increased vulnera-bility to infection.

All 58 women in the study were mothers between 20 and 50 years old -- certainly a group that knows stress. But the 39 women in the highest-stress group were also caring for a chronically ill child, and the scientists found a direct correlation between the number of years the child had been ill and the extent of premature aging in the mother's cells.

While researchers look for "treatment interventions" -- doctorspeak for ways to chill out -- do yourself a favor and start taking breaks now.

Alternative Medicine Magazine

Yoga Program May Help Prevent Falls in Elderly

A specific type of yoga may help improve stability and balance in women over age 65, possibly helping them to avoid falls, a preliminary study reports.

After nine weeks of participating in an Iyengar yoga program designed for senior citizens, 24 elderly females had a faster stride, an increased flexibility in the lower extremities, an improved single-leg stance and increased confidence in walking and balance, according to the findings of researchers at Temple University's Gait Study Center.

The researchers, scheduled to present their findings Friday at the Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society's annual meeting in Richmond, Va., suggested that improving balance and stability through yoga could help reduce the risk of falling.

"We were very impressed at the progress our participants made by the end of the program," principal investigator Dr. Jinsup Song, director of the Gait Study Center, said in a prepared statement. "Subjects demonstrated improved muscle strength in lower extremities, which helps with stability. There was also a pronounced difference in how pressure was distributed on the bottom of the foot, which helps to maintain balance."

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said that falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma among people aged 65 and older. Almost a third of older adults suffer some type of fall each year, the CDC reported.

The program was crafted specifically for elderly people who have had little or no yoga experience. The Iyengar technique, which is known for the use of props such as belts and blocks, was chosen to help participants gradually master the poses while building their confidence.

"In the past, similar studies have been done that look at gait and balance improvement in elderly females using a more aggressive form of yoga," Song said. "For this study, we worked to create a very basic regimen that taught participants proper ways to breathe, stand and pose."

Researchers also found that some participants who had unrelated back and knee pain were pain-free by the end of the study.

Song said he hoped the work will pave the way for a larger study on how Iyengar yoga affects the function of the foot to improve balance and stability and prevent falls.

Health Day

Feng shui your way to health

Can your home’s layout influence your well-being? Definitely, says Brooklyn-based chakracologist™ and feng shui expert Nancy SantoPietro. In vivid contrast to conventional interior design with concepts based on function, form and aesthetics, feng shui, with its 4,000-year-old metaphor-rich design system, reaches deeper to embrace the flow of energy or chi through your home and environment. With feng shui the goal is to create surroundings energetically aligned with the healing forces of nature because this environment will, in turn, nurture you. 

Energy or chi flows internally through you and externally through your surroundings, according to feng shui philosophy. Depending on how this energy moves, these two energetic patterns can support harmony or disharmony, health or disease. Everyday life patterns emanate from your internal energy field, explains SantoPietro, and are mirrored and anchored in place by the environmental energy field known as your feng shui. Reciprocally, the feng shui of your environment impacts your internal energy. It is this interplay between the two energetic systems that either supports illness or enhances health. When implemented well, she says, feng shui principles positively influence the chi in your body by disarming aspects of illness supported by unhealthy energy patterns and design layouts.

Begin in the Bedroom

Feng shui cannot replace conventional or other alternative healing modalities. It can, however, augment them. A thorough feng shui assessment of your home and modifications implemented by a qualified expert yields the greatest benefits, yet you can make some core changes on your own.

Different areas of your home exert influence over different aspects of your life (such as family, career and finances) and ultimately they all affect your well-being (see SantoPietro’s book Feng Shui and Health: The Anatomy of a Home, Three Rivers Press, 2002 for more). But the aspect of your abode most aligned with overall health (thus the one that will make the most significant impact) is your bedroom. Our lives are full of energetically draining encounters so there must be somewhere to reconnect and refuel, says SantoPietro. Your bedroom should be that place for rejuvenation and intimacy — no more, no less. Yet how many of us take daytime energy into the bedroom by typing away on a laptop, talking on the phone or watching television ? No wonder we struggle to get a good night’s sleep, and then start each day exhausted.

You can change that, though. Here are SantoPietro’s top suggestions for transforming your bedroom into a restorative sanctuary:

• Place your bed so it faces the doorway but is not directly aligned. Ch'i force enters rooms via doorways (known as the mouths of ch'i) and you want to face and welcome that life energy. Yet ch'i is powerful and too taxing for the body when encountered directly.   
• Remove all telephones, televisions, computers and clock radios, which emit powerful electromagnetic fields that interfere with sleep and depress immunity.
• Clear away clutter of any kind, including under your bed and in the closet. Even if they’re not in plain view, areas of clutter block energy flow like cholesterol clogs arteries.
• Hang a 40 to 50-millimeter round and faceted Swarovski or other manmade crystal from a 9-inch red string in the center of your bedroom (the center of any room is the health area). Crystals amplify ch'i, but natural gems like amethyst, garnet or quartz come with their own energetic frequency so choose a synthetic stone that you can program with your healing intention.

Revolution Health Group

Migraines and the Chiropractor's Touch

The pain of a migraine can be so searing you may as well drill a hole through your head. Then again this was the remedy of choice 3,000 years ago when evil spirits were thought to be the culprit behind migraines. While modern-day treatments have changed, the mystery behind the condition remains.

One popular theory: Migraines result from a chemical imbalance in the brain. Often a trigger, such as certain foods or hormones, can cause blood vessels to dilate in the brain. The vessels become inflamed, thus irritating surrounding nerve fibers. The nerve fibers then send messages back to control centers in the brain, which continues vessel dilation, thus kicking off a vicious cycle of violent pain.

There are plenty of drugs that combat migraines, though no magic bullet exists. Some studies, however, show that alternative treatments can complement mainstream medicine. A study from Northwestern College of Chiropractic in Bloomington, Minnesota, compared chiropractic manipulation with amitriptyline, an antidepressant commonly used to treat migraines. The study found that chiropractic healing was about as successful as the drug.

Chiropractors believe that some migraines originate in the spine. Often a misalignment of the vertebrae, or subluxation, can irritate the nerves that travel the length of the spine to the brain. This misalignment makes a person more prone to chemical imbalances in the brain. Some researchers say that realigning the vertebrae--a chiropractor's specialty--relieves the pressure against inflamed nerves and can in turn relieve the headaches.

For migraines caused by subluxation, chiropractors recommend gently stretching the neck--rolling and sudden movements should be avoided. To prevent subluxations, pay attention to your posture. For example, if you sit for long periods in front of a computer, move your body around frequently. Also, sleep on your side or back, and use a firm pillow that supports your neck.

Psychology Today

Humor Therapy

What is humor therapy?

Humor therapy (sometimes called therapeutic humor) uses the power of smiles and laughter to aid healing. Humor therapy helps you find ways to make yourself (or others) smile and laugh more. When you think of humor therapy, picture clowns in the children's ward of a hospital cheering up sick children. Some hospitals now have humor carts that provide funny materials for people of any age. Many nurses have learned the value of providing a good laugh to those they care for.

Scientists have been researching the relation between the mind and the body, especially in connection with the body's ability to heal (a field called psychoneuroimmunology). Laughter appears to change brain chemistry and may boost the immune system.

Humor may allow a person to feel in control of a situation and make it seem manageable. It allows people to release fears, anger, and stress, all of which can harm the body over time. Humor improves the quality of life.

What is humor therapy used for?

Anyone can use humor therapy, either preventively or as part of treatment for any disease. People commonly use it in the treatment of long-term (chronic) diseases, especially those that are made worse by stress (such as heart disease and asthma). Chronic diseases can often have a negative effect on mood and attitude, which can make the disease worse. Humor therapy helps decrease the negative effects of feeling unhealthy, out of control, afraid, or helpless, which are common problems for those with cancer or chronic diseases.

Humor therapy is also valuable as a preventive measure for the caregivers of people with chronic diseases. Caregivers are at high risk of becoming sick themselves, and humor therapy can help release the stress that comes from being a caregiver. Caregivers and those they care for can practice humor therapy together, and they both are likely to have better health as a result.

Is humor therapy safe?

Humor therapy is completely safe. Your doctor is likely to approve of any efforts you make to use humor therapy, even if he or she is not aware of any medical benefits that may result. Since it is also inexpensive, risk-free, and readily available, there is little reason not to try practicing humor therapy.

Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative therapy or if you are thinking about combining an alternative therapy with your conventional medical treatment. It may not be safe to forgo your conventional medical treatment and rely only on an alternative therapy.

Healthwise

Massage Eases Pain of Knee Arthritis

A regular massage may do more than just relax your body: It also appears to reduce pain and improve function in people suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee, a new study suggests.

The authors of the study, the first of its kind, are now embarking on larger studies to confirm the findings and see if massage is a viable alternative or adjunct to drugs and other existing treatments.

"This is a very happy outcome, but it's a pilot study in that the duration is short and the population is small," said senior author Dr. David Katz, associate adjunct professor of public health and director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine. "We think that the primary role for massage therapy will be to reduce dependence on pharmacotherapy, rather than replace it outright, and to delay any functional decline rather than reverse the disease. So, the question then becomes, what is the bang for the buck?"

Katz and his colleagues are now researching the cost of massage, in the hopes of convincing insurance companies that it can take its place as a legitimate therapy for this disease.

Osteoarthritis is caused by a progressive degeneration of bone cartilage and is the most common type of arthritis in the United States. The condition affects some 21 million people and is associated with aging.

Conventional treatments include pain medication, exercise, hot and cold therapy, corticosteroid injections and, possibly, surgery.

The medications used for osteoarthritis, however, are problematic. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, can cause serious gastrointestinal side effects. The cox-2 inhibitors such as Vioxx that were developed to bypass those side effects are now known to cause cardiovascular problems, and some, including Vioxx, have been taken off the market.

"Primarily therapy is NSAIDs, but the target population is the very group that is least tolerant of those drugs," Katz said. "The cox-2s were developed as alternatives to NSAIDs to offer less toxicity, and look at how that turned out. We've kind of left folks high and dry."

While massage has been shown to relieve chronic lower back pain and musculoskeletal disorders, there has been no research on massage to help osteoarthritis sufferers. At least until now.

For this study, appearing in the Dec. 11 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, 68 adults with osteoarthritis of the knee were randomly assigned to receive either standard Swedish massage therapy or to a wait-list control group that started massage eight weeks after the first group. All participants were encouraged to continue with their previous treatments and medications.

Individuals in the massage group received a one-hour Swedish massage twice a week for four weeks, then once a week for the following four weeks.

After the first eight weeks, participants receiving massage had improved flexibility and range of motion and reduced pain.

Those in the control group showed no changes in symptoms until they, too, started receiving massage. Then, during weeks nine through 16, they experienced benefits similar to the first group.

Interestingly, the benefits did not go away even when the massages were stopped.

"The very significant therapeutic response over eight weeks of therapy persisted eight weeks later," Katz said. "Two months after the last massage, they were still significantly better than baseline and significantly better than the control group. That exceeded our expectations."

There are two possible explanations for the improvements.

In the immediate time frame, Katz explained, "sensory input [the massage] competes with pain input in the spinal cord, travels faster and blocks pain symptoms."

Massage may also enhance blood flow to the region affected by osteoarthritis. "Since the acute pain of osteoarthritis is related to inflammation, increased perfusion brings an influx of cells to clean out the debris and facilitates, to whatever extent possible, bone and cartilage remodeling," Katz explained.

More studies are needed before doctors, patients and insurance companies can be persuaded to accept this as common practice, he said.

"The end game would be that this would be something people with osteoarthritis would be able to access routinely," Katz said. "We ultimately want to change the standard of practice, but we don't do that with one study."

Health Day

The Low-Down on Natural Cold & Flu Treatments

You know that the common cold can be one of the most fatiguing features of winter, often lasting weeks. The flu is another debilitating infection, often more serious and accompanied by a high fever, body aches, and chills. Here are some natural treatments that may help you shorten the life of a cold or flu and get you back on your feet:

1. Curb your cold or flu with supplements
Immune-boosting supplements may be helpful in fighting off a virus and strengthening your body’s defense system. A short list includes:

• Homeopathic remedies for the cold and flu—Products such as Oscillococcinum may decrease severity and duration of flu symptoms.

• Vitamin C—A higher-than-normal dose of 1,000 to 4,000 mg per day may make your cold shorter and milder.

• Echinacea—At the onset of a cold or flu, 3 to 4 ml of echinacea in a liquid preparation or 300 mg of a powdered form in capsule or tablet can be taken every two hours for the first day of illness, then three times per day for a total of seven to ten days.

• Zinc lozenges—Use lozenges containing zinc gluconate, zinc gluconate-glycine, or zinc acetate, providing 13 to 25 mg every two hours, to help stop the cold virus and shorten the illness.

2. Get your Zs and your fluids
Dr. Woodson Merrell of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City advises staying home if you are ill. “You are more likely to rest and drink more fluids in an unstructured home environment,” she says.

• Stay hydrated—Noncaffeinated drinks, including water and low-sugar juices, may help loosen and clear out mucus, soothe a sore throat, and replace fluid loss due to a fever or runny nose. Warm liquids, like herbal teas or soups, not only hydrate but their heat may also help fight off the infection and relieve congestion.

• Take it easy—Lie down, stay warm, and sleep if you feel tired. This keeps all the body’s energy available for combating the virus. If you have trouble relaxing, dim the lights, watch your favorite movie, or take a bath.

3. Don’t dry out—humidity helps
Because the cold and flu thrive in cold, dry environments, you can help boot out the virus infection by staying warm and raising humidity levels. Also, at very low levels of humidity, the nose mucus dries up and isn’t able to defend as well against harmful viruses and bacteria.

• Use a nasal mist to keep your nose mucus moist.

• Use a humidifier at work and home.

• Warm your hands and put your face over the rising steam as you sip your herbal tea.

Healthnotes

Healing Herbs -- Medicinal Teas for Colds & Flu

Long before the advent of antihistamine tablets and specially formulated cold remedies, cold and flu sufferers turned to herbal teas to relieve their symptoms. Those homemade infusions were rich in vitamins, minerals and medicinal compounds. You can find commercial versions of these old-time remedies in most health food or natural grocery stores, or you can take a page out of the past and make your own. In the herbalist's pharmacopoeia, specific herbs address particular symptoms, so we asked the experts to share their favorite blends.

Soothe a Sore Throat
A dry, scratchy throat often signals the onset of a cold, and over-the-counter syrups and lozenges just seem to sugarcoat the problem. Fortunately, nature provides some safe and easy-to-use alternatives. "Sore throats are greatly relieved by herbal tea," says Brigitte Mars, herbalist and author of Healing Herbal Teas (Basic Health Media, Winter 2006). As a first line of defense, Mars prescribes marshmallow root (Althea officinalis), an anti-inflammatory herb that's "wonderfully soothing on the throat." Unrelated to the gooey little campfire confections, this herb has a long, well-documented history of successfully treating irritated mucous membranes.

James Duke, author of The Green Pharmacy (Rodale, 1997), recommends two other herbs for throat discomfort: slippery elm (Ulmus rubra), an antiseptic and anti-allergic agent that literally slips down the throat, and licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra). Antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory, licorice has been scientifically documented to break up phlegm, ease coughs and fight infections. A study at Bastyr University found that tea combining licorice, slippery elm and marshmallow is highly effective for reducing throat pain.

For sore throats accompanied by cold and flu symptoms, Mars suggests drinking stomach-soothing peppermint (Mentha x piperita). "It can lower a fever by helping you to sweat and release toxins naturally. It's antiviral and user-friendly," she explains. Mars also likes ginger (Zingiber officinale), which is "good for chills and aching muscles, and relieves nausea." For extra measure, she adds elder (Sambuca nigra), shown by research to keep flu viruses at bay.

Breathe Easy
"When I have a difficult time breathing, I go for oolong because it opens up my lungs," says Sara Martinelli, tea blender and owner of The Boulder Dushanbe Tea House in Boulder, Colorado. Indeed, black tea like oolong contains powerful expectorant compounds that help clear mucus from deep within the chest. The caffeine it packs is also a powerful bronchodilator. To take the edge off the caffeine, Martinelli mixes in calming chamomile (Matricaria recutita), touted for its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic and antispasmodic properties. She also adds liberal portions of rose hips (Rosa canina), which, she says, "are high in vitamin C and taste great."

For a respiratory remedy that relies just on herbal ingredients, Martinelli concocts a brew of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) and eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globules). Thyme has antiseptic properties that help heal infections, while rosemary contains disease-fighting compounds and eucalyptus cools inflamed tissues and eases congested lungs. She suggests sipping the tea or making a vapor tent by placing a towel over your head and breathing in the healing vapors.

Do-It-Yourself Blends
Want to create your own cold and flu teas? To get a sense of a herb's individual flavor, begin with a "simple" -- a tea steeped from a single herb such as echinacea (Echinacea var.), which Martinelli notes "is best used as a preventive before a cold strikes." Place two teaspoons in a tea ball or strainer and add to one cup of hot water; steep for 10 to 15 minutes and stir in honey. For more of Martinelli's tea blends, check out www.boulderteahouse.com.

Recipes

Cold & Flu Fighter
(formulated by Brigitte Mars)
This spicy tea relieves swollen nasal passages and calms an upset stomach. Place an inch of the herbs in a quart jar. Fill with hot water and steep for two hours. Strain and refrigerate. Reheat whenever you need relief. 2 parts peppermint leaf
2 parts elder flower
1 part elder berry
1 part ginger root

Respiratory Rescue
(formulated by Sara Martinelli)
Congested lungs will love this aromatic breath of fresh air. Place two teaspoons of the mixture in a strainer, add one cup hot water and steep for 10 to 15 minutes.

2 parts oolong tea
1 part rosemary
1 part chamomile
1 part rose hips

Sore Throat Soother
(formulated by Deborahann Smith)
Steep two teaspoons of this soothing herb blend in a cup of hot water for quick throat relief. Licorice root also adds a sweetening effect.

1 part slippery elm
1 part licorice root
1 part marshmallow root
1 part anise (Pipinella anisum)
1 part wild cherry (Prunus virginiana)

Sweeten Your Tea... Naturally

Looking for a safe alternative to white sugar? Smart idea! Natural sweeteners often contain important nutrients that refined sugar lacks, plus they have fewer calories and may help you lower the risk of disease associated with high-sugar diets. One of these sweeteners may be just your cup of tea.

Agave syrup. Also called "nectar" or "honey water," this syrup is tapped from the heart of the agave cactus -- a plant long cultivated in Mexico and considered sacred by the Aztec. Fifty percent sweeter than table sugar yet with fewer calories per serving, it has a more neutral flavor than honey and dissolves easily in hot or cold beverages. It's also low-glycemic, which means it gets absorbed into the blood stream slowly rather than producing a "sugar rush."

Blackstrap molasses. Rich in minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium and
magnesium, blackstrap molasses has been considered a health food since pioneer days. Originally a product of the Caribbean Islands, it's derived from sorghum (an Old World grass).

Honey. Made from flower nectar by the honeybee, honey takes on the color and flavor of the plant from which it was gathered -- with alfalfa and clover honey being the most common. Like blackstrap molasses, honey is considered a nutritive sweetener because it contains vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids. Plus, it has antibacterial properties and is soothing to the throat. Note: Honey is contraindicated for children less than one year old because it may contain harmful bacterium not easily assimilated by infants.

Stevia. Used for centuries as a sweetener in South America, this herb is more than 100 times sweeter than sugar yet is calorie-free. Research shows that stevia may help lower blood sugar, which suggests that it may be a good sugar alternative for diabetics.

Xylitol. This white crystalline substance is extracted from plants and is even produced in the human body. It looks and tastes like sugar (but with 60 percent fewer calories), and studies have shown it to have antibacterial effects against dental plaque and caries, and possibly to be diabetic-safe.

Alternative Medicine Magazine

Study explains how protein keeps hunger at bay

Diets high in protein may be the best way to keep hunger in check, U.S. researchers said on Thursday in a study that offers insight into how diets work.

They found that protein does the best job at keeping a hunger hormone in check, while carbohydrates and fats may well deserve their current nasty reputation.

The study, which will appear in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, looked at the effectiveness of different nutrients at suppressing ghrelin, a hormone secreted by the stomach that stimulates appetite.

"Suppression of ghrelin is one of the ways that you lose your appetite as you begin to eat and become sated," said Dr. David Cummings of the University of Washington in Seattle, who worked on the study.

The researchers gave 16 people three different beverages, each with varying levels of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. They took blood samples before the first beverage, then every 20 minutes for six hours afterward, measuring ghrelin levels in each sample.

"The interesting findings were that fats suppress ghrelin quite poorly," Cummings said in a telephone interview. They fared the poorest overall.

"Proteins were the best suppressor of ghrelin in terms of the combination of the depth and duration of suppression," he said. "That is truly satisfying because high proteins are essentially common to almost all of the popular diets."

They also found that eating carbohydrates resulted in strong ghrelin suppression at first, but ghrelin levels rebounded with a vengeance, rising to an even higher level.

Basically, the carbohydrates eventually made people even hungrier than before they had eaten.

Cummings said the findings may aid in future research on the effectiveness of different diets.

And the study likely means that nightly bowl of ice cream is out. "That is a bad idea no matter what," he said.

Content provided by Reuters

Awaken Your Ultrametabolism

We've all heard the fiendishly simple axioms that abound in our culture about losing weight: Just eat less and exercise more; it's all about willpower; overweight people are lazy, undisciplined, and self-indulgent. Most of you trying to lose weight have internalized this cultural message: It's your own fault you're fat. And that's what I too believed when I first started my medical practice two decades ago. Now I know better. Not only is this myth completely unsupported by scientific literature, it develops a blame-the-victim mentality that tells people struggling with their weight that if they only tried harder they would lose their excess pounds. There is only one problem with this point of view: It's not true.

The truth is nobody wants to be fat. Even if you had enough willpower to keep yourself from eating when your body tells you to, you may still not be able to lose weight. Why? Because our bodies are genetically wired to make us gain weight and keep weight on. But even though you can't avoid this basic biological, evolutionary truth, you can do something about your weight.

The trick is learning how to tune up your metabolism and use your body's natural calorie-burning capabilities to help you lose weight and get healthy. What makes us thin, fat, or somewhere in between does indeed have something to do with how much we eat and exercise. But the oversimplification stops there.

UltraMetabolism, a new science of metabolism and weight loss based on our genetic makeup, carries us far beyond the old ideas about losing weight. In fact, telling someone who's overweight that all he has to do is eat less and exercise more is like telling someone who's poor that all he has to do is make more and spend less.

One of the factors left out in such a simple equation is what I call the starvation syndrome. When you buy into the idea that eating less will make you lose weight, you convince yourself that you need to restrict calories from your diet. Clearly, most of the popular diets on the market recommend that you do just that. The problem is that calorie restriction almost always backfires. The reason? Your body thinks it's starving to death and sets off chemical processes that force you to eat more. The most fundamental parts of who we are as biological creatures are designed to keep us from starving ourselves. It is a very basic survival mechanism.

Blame it on your lizard brain
All seems backwards doesn't it? If we are indeed genetically engineered to gain weight, then it would seem that we're wired incorrectly. Why would we evolve to overeat and grow fat?

It all comes down to the oldest and most primitive part of our brain, our limbic, or "lizard," brain, so called because it's the same as a reptile's brain. It governs our survival behaviors, creating certain chemical responses over which we have no conscious control. Our lizard brain controls three basic survival behaviors: our fight-or-flight response, our feeding behavior, and our reproductive behavior. The fight-or-flight response is a set of chemical, physical, and psychological responses that allows us to cope with dangerous or life-threatening circumstances. It developed so we could escape attacks from ravenous, wild beasts. This same part of your brain also controls how you eat. You might think you exercise complete control of your mind, but in truth you have very little influence over the unconscious choices your lizard brain makes around food. The key to a healthy metabolism is learning what those choices are, how they get triggered, and how you can stop them.

The reason most diets fail
Diets backfire almost all the time because people restrict too much. They allow the calories they consume to drop below their resting metabolic rate -- the basic amount of energy or calories the body needs every day without ever getting out of bed or expending any energy. An average person's rate is about 10 times his or her weight in pounds (I tip the scales at 180, so my resting metabolic rate is roughly 1,800 calories). If you eat less than that, your body instantly senses danger and slows your metabolism. Once you stop dieting, your body stores the fat you eat more efficiently than it did pre-diet because it's still in starvation mode -- and the classic rebound weight gain occurs.

Does that mean we're weak-willed, morally corrupt, and self-destructive? Do we need years of therapy? No, the answer is none of the above. Instead it lies in our genetic programming. This stuff is just too deep inside us to get away from. We are built to put on weight and our body doesn't like it very much when we don't let it eat the calories it needs. To make matters worse, when you lose weight on a diet, only about half of it is actual fat loss; the rest is valuable, metabolically active muscle! Yet the weight you regain is nearly all fat. Muscle cells burn 70 times more calories than fat cells, so you lose a big part of your metabolic engine while yo-yo
dieting. In short, dieting makes you fat.

So what can you do?
Lest you think you can't do a thing about your waistline or your eating habits, a new approach to weight loss, called nutrigenomics (upon which UltraMetabolism is based) can help you work with your genes, not against them. The key mechanism in achieving -- and maintaining -- a healthy weight is your appetite control system -- a complex set of chemical interactions between your brain, nervous system, metabolic hormones, special fat cells, and your immune system -- or what I call the gut-brain-fat-cell connection.

When these chemical interactions get out of balance, your appetite control system malfunctions. You get hungry after you have just eaten, you store fat when you should burn it, and your body starts ignoring the normal gut-brain-fat-cell signals for appetite and metabolism regulation. The result: weight gain and disease. You can directly influence the way your appetite control system works by composing perfect meals, eating early and often, choosing foods that turn on appetite control messages, and avoiding those that trigger hunger messages.

Compose the perfect meals
The single most important thing to keep in mind when planning meals is to include as many real, whole, unprocessed foods in your diet as possible. Go for whole fruit, fresh vegetables, wild fish, whole grains, grass-fed beef, and nuts, seeds, beans or legumes that have not been fried or salted.

Include healthy fats with your meals because they provide satisfying, slowly absorbed energy that will make you feel full faster and keep you feeling full longer. Olive oil, nuts, coconut, and fish oil containing the omega-3 fats help form healthy cell membranes, and this helps your cells communicate better. The omega-3 fats, in particular, communicate with your DNA to turn on special genes to help you increase fat burning, improve your blood sugar control, correct insulin resistance, and reduce inflammation. Ideally you should be able to get all the omega 3s you need from your food, but you probably need to supplement with purified, metal- and pesticide-free fish oil capsules.

Choose foods with a low glycemic load and those rich in phytonutrients to help you control your appetite and weight. Foods in this category tend to be higher in fiber, which slows down your digestive process. The higher the fiber content of a meal, the harder your body has to work to digest it. And this work burns calories. You're actually burning calories while you eat! You stay full longer, since you're digesting your food longer, and you reduce your appetite. Slowing down the rate at which you absorb your food means you slow down the rate at which your blood sugar rises and falls. All this helps you reduce the insulin spike, which in turn reduces your appetite.

Avoid sugars at all costs, including carbohydrates with a high glycemic load. When you eat sugar, you unconsciously trigger a vicious cycle of sugar cravings, increased insulin production, increased appetite, more sugar intake, and more insulin production, until you are in a cycle of cravings, bingeing, and crashing all day long. Eventually this leads to insulin resistance, which is a major contributor to weight gain and rapid aging. Read labels carefully to identify sugar in its many disguises. Look for corn syrup, sucrose, glucose, maltose, dextrose, lactose, fructose, and even white grape juice. Also watch out for barley malt, maple sugar, sucanat, natural cane sugar, and dehydrated cane juice.

Stay away from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is found in just about every sweetened or processed food, such as sodas, canned foods, cookies, baked goods, and frozen foods. The body absorbs HFCS more quickly than it does regular sugar. Once the fructose gets inside the cell, it becomes an uncontrolled source of carbon that is then made into cholesterol and triglycerides. Basically that means eating HFCS makes your cholesterol shoot straight up and causes problems with your liver that slow down your metabolism even more. On top of that, none of the normal appetite controls are triggered when you eat foods or drink beverages containing HFCS. The brain doesn't get the message that you are full, so you stay hungry. HFCS has been shown to lead to increased appetite and calorie intake, as well as weight gain, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Steer clear of artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame (NutraSweet), neotame, acesulfame potassium, saccharin, sucralose, and dihydrochalcones, all of which are found in packaged foods, artificially sweetened foods, gum, candy, sodas, drinks, and mints. A number of studies have shown that aspartame ingestion may actually lead to increased food/calorie intake, most likely because artificial sweeteners make your body produce insulin, thinking real sugar is on the way. As a consequence, your insulin level rises and your body then tells you to eat more sugar to lower it -- which artificial sweeteners can't do. So, you end up eating other foods to take care of this excess insulin spike.

Eat early and often
Not only is the composition of your meal critical, but when and how often you eat are essential in regulating your weight. Studies have shown that eating regular meals throughout the day, grazing rather than gorging, and not skipping meals improves your chances of losing weight and reduces many risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, and aging in general.

Eat often and roughly at the same time every day. This will help you eat less, burn more fat, and lower your cholesterol and insulin levels. To achieve this, you will need to eat frequently -- three meals and two snacks a day. If that seems like a lot, don't worry. When you eat this often, the portions will naturally be smaller and your metabolism will function better, so you will feel less hungry and thus eat less. In addition, eating regular meals will heat up your metabolic fire, causing you to burn more calories after eating.

Eat breakfast so you won't overeat later on in the day. Researchers from the University of Texas evaluated the effect of circadian and diurnal rhythms (your body's internal clock) on food intake and found that eating more calories earlier in the day is more satiating than eating the same quantity later in the day and reduces overall calorie consumption. The study also found that eating food with a high nutrient density and fewer calories leads to a lower intake of total calories no matter what time of day it occurs. Of course, if you eat empty calories from refined foods (doughnuts or sugar cereals, for example), you will tend to eat more overall, so while eating breakfast is always a good idea, eating a good breakfast (one that is slowly absorbed and contains protein -- eggs, nut butters, protein shakes, or whole grains with nuts) is an even better one and is perhaps more effective in preventing metabolic fluctuations later in the day.

Don't eat before you sleep. Eating within two to three hours of bedtime is a guaranteed way to slow your metabolism and cause you to gain weight. Instead, eat earlier and try to eat a lighter meal. In fact, if you really want to prevent that slowdown at night, take a short stroll after dinner -- it will help reduce your blood sugar and boost your metabolism.

Foods to enjoy, foods to avoid
Focus on nourishing whole foods, including vegetables, fruits, legumes and beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, oils, and lean animal protein. Choose organic whenever possible and include high-quality protein such as fish, especially fatty, cold-water fish like salmon, small halibut, and shellfish. Add detoxifying foods to your diet, such as broccoli, kale, collards, brussels sprouts, bok choy, artichokes, watercress, and pomegranate. Drink lots of green tea. And use herbs such as turmeric and ginger that have powerful antioxidant properties.

Refrain from eating foods containing hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, refined vegetable oils, sugar, white flour (bagels, pastries, and pastas), HFCS, or artificial sweeteners. Steer clear of processed fruit juices, which are laden with sugars; processed canned vegetables, which are high in sodium; and junk foods. Minimize your intake of dairy and caffeine (except green tea) as much as possible and limit alcohol consumption.

This all may seem daunting, but remember, you are trying to reset your metabolism and establish a pattern of eating and self-care that nourishes you. Once you have done that, your body will tell you what feels good and what doesn't, and you'll be drawn to those foods. From time to time that may include almost anything. Staying in balance and finding a rhythm is the key to lifelong health and a healthy metabolism.

Content provided by Alternative Medicine Magazine

Using Chinese medicine to treat depression and anxiety

From an interview with Joseph Acquah, L.Ac., O.M.D. (licensed acupuncturist, doctor of Oriental medicine), integrative medicine specialist at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

In Chinese medicine, we see depression as a constraint condition, or shen disturbance. Often it’s caused by a blockage in your liver chi (energy) from an emotional source. To counter this, I’d suggest using acupuncture at various points along several acupuncture channels (known as meridians) like the pericardium (organ right next to the heart) energy, as well as the liver and gallbladder energies, in order to calm the heart and spirit. There’s also one meridian at the crown of the head that brings up the yang energy — the most external, defensive energy — and sometimes having that yang energy come up (as opposed to the sinking-down feeling you have when you’re depressed) can really help.

Initially, I’d want to see you at least 3 times a week until you get stabilized with your medications and other therapies. At that point, if you’re open to herbal medicine, we have a whole pharmacopeia at our disposal. Ginseng can help fortify the yang and give you a lift, for example, while bupleurum dredges the liver and gets rid of any constraint chi. And schizandra calms the shen and quiets the spirit. Combinations of these types of herbs typically work best.

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Humor Therapy

What is humor therapy?

Humor therapy (sometimes called therapeutic humor) uses the power of smiles and laughter to aid healing. Humor therapy helps you find ways to make yourself (or others) smile and laugh more. When you think of humor therapy, picture clowns in the children's ward of a hospital cheering up sick children. Some hospitals now have humor carts that provide funny materials for people of any age. Many nurses have learned the value of providing a good laugh to those they care for.

Scientists have been researching the relation between the mind and the body, especially in connection with the body's ability to heal (a field called psychoneuroimmunology). Laughter appears to change brain chemistry and may boost the immune system.

Humor may allow a person to feel in control of a situation and make it seem manageable. It allows people to release fears, anger, and stress, all of which can harm the body over time. Humor improves the quality of life.

What is humor therapy used for?

Anyone can use humor therapy, either preventively or as part of treatment for any disease. People commonly use it in the treatment of long-term (chronic) diseases, especially those that are made worse by stress (such as heart disease and asthma). Chronic diseases can often have a negative effect on mood and attitude, which can make the disease worse. Humor therapy helps decrease the negative effects of feeling unhealthy, out of control, afraid, or helpless, which are common problems for those with cancer or chronic diseases.

Humor therapy is also valuable as a preventive measure for the caregivers of people with chronic diseases. Caregivers are at high risk of becoming sick themselves, and humor therapy can help release the stress that comes from being a caregiver. Caregivers and those they care for can practice humor therapy together, and they both are likely to have better health as a result.

Is humor therapy safe?

Humor therapy is completely safe. Your doctor is likely to approve of any efforts you make to use humor therapy, even if he or she is not aware of any medical benefits that may result. Since it is also inexpensive, risk-free, and readily available, there is little reason not to try practicing humor therapy.

Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative therapy or if you are thinking about combining an alternative therapy with your conventional medical treatment. It may not be safe to forgo your conventional medical treatment and rely only on an alternative therapy.

Content provided by Healthwise

Making Sense of the World

According to Ayurveda, the sensory packets we encounter each day become the building blocks of our minds and bodies. In the same way that delicious, nutrient-rich food contributes to good health, appetizing and interesting auditory, tactile, visual, and olfactory experiences support physical and emotional well-being.

During the past decade, medical scientists have begun looking more closely at how the sensory world can influence our health.

Sound When it comes to the world of sound, we now know that noise toxicity may be as important to our health as air or water pollution.

Reports have shown that replacing toxic sounds with nourishing ones can be therapeutic. Several studies have found that soothing music can reduce anxiety and the need for pain medication in people preparing for and recovering from surgery.

At The Chopra Center, we find that in addition to the beneficial effects of music, sounds of nature can contribute to healing and balance. Waves crashing, wind rustling the leaves, and birds singing can calm the mind and soothe the body. Create your own sound pharmacy and use music to awaken your inner healer.

Touch As mammals, we thrive on touch. Feelings of relaxation after a massage result from our nervous system's generation of natural pleasure-enhancing and anxiety-reducing chemicals. Being touched in ways that bring us safety and comfort not only feels good, it promotes health.

Recent studies show that massage reduces anxiety and depression, while increasing immune function. It can reduce pain in people suffering with cancer and arthritis and lower blood pressure in racecar drivers and air traffic controllers. Being touched is powerful medicine.

Sight Harvard psychologist David McClelland performed one of the most interesting studies on the role of visual information and health. He monitored immune function in college students while they viewed different videos and found that images of violence depressed immune function, whereas images of compassion enhanced immunity.

As with sound, the sights of nature are often the most balancing to body and mind. Take time to watch a sunset, look into the stars, or walk through a garden. Ingest a dose of nourishing images on a daily basis.

Smell The olfactory part of our brain is closely connected with memory and emotion. Smelling a lilac bush may remind you of your childhood home and feelings associated with your upbringing. A whiff of the cologne worn by a past lover may trigger deeply buried memories and emotions.

From an Ayurvedic perspective, different fragrances have different effects. Sweet, earthy scents, such as vanilla or lavender, can be calming to the mind.

Cooling aromas like mint or jasmine can soothe irritability. Create your personal aromatic pharmacy by experimenting with different natural aromas and noticing their effects on your mind and body.

Experiment with your sensory world, consciously experiencing how information is transmitted from your environment to you through sound, sensation, sight, taste, and smell. See what happens when you reduce sensory experiences that diminish your state of well-being and choose those that enliven it. Through the doors of perception, you can awaken your inner healing pharmacy.

Content provided by Alternative Medicine Magazine

10 simple ways to strengthen digestion

In Ayurveda, the body is seen as a single integrated system in which all the parts work in tandem to create balance and health. The body's ability to heal itself is its most significant quality, with healing defined as the process of the body returning to its natural functions. According to Ayurveda, the smooth operation of these functions forms the pillars of good health: effortless menstruation, regular elimination, restful sleep, and strong digestion.

Digestion plays a crucial role in healing, because our physiology depends on digestion for constant renewal. A holistic interpretation of digestion is to see it as the means of extracting intelligence from food and then processing it in a way that supports the inherent wisdom of the body as a whole.

Try these Ayurvedic tips to help ensure that your digestion is comfortable and efficient.

1. Eat in a settled and quiet atmosphere.
Try to set everything else aside at mealtimes to allow your body to concentrate on eating and digesting. When you put your attention solely on your meal, you are able to savor all the flavors with discernment.

2. Take a few minutes to rest quietly after your meal.
When you are finished eating, relaxing kick-starts the digestive process in an effortless way. A sense of calm before, during, and after mealtimes can be a major benefit to digestion and general health.

3. Always sit down to eat.
Sitting down relaxes the digestive tract, focuses awareness on the act of eating, and enhances your enjoyment of food.

4. Don't eat when you're upset.
Eating when you are emotionally unsettled can trigger gastrointestinal discomfort. If you're upset at mealtimes, postpone eating until you feel more composed.

5. Avoid overeating.
Ayurveda suggests we eat only to about three-fourths of our actual capacity. Eating beyond this point doesn't allow the stomach to function properly.

6. Avoid cold foods and iced drinks.
Cold foods and drinks put out the digestive fire, inhibit our digestive enzymes, and numb our taste buds.

7. Don't talk while chewing your food.
The acts of chewing and swallowing are what really allows us to deeply extract the flavor of our food. Talking while there is food in your mouth distracts you from what you are tasting.

8. Eat at a moderate pace.
This means eating neither too quickly nor too slowly. Getting into the habit of putting your fork or spoon down between bites helps set a steady pace.

9. Don't eat until your previous meal has been digested.
Eating only when your stomach is calling for more requires a high level of body consciousness. For most people, complete digestion takes from three to six hours. If you have to snack, keep it simple -- a piece of fruit or a warm beverage.

10. Favor meals made with freshly cooked foods.
Fresh foods are intelligent foods and contain the greatest life force. A delicious, freshly prepared meal stimulates the appetite and gets the secretion of digestive enzymes going even before you start to eat.

Content provided by Alternative Medicine Magazine

Feng shui your way to health

Can your home’s layout influence your well-being? Definitely, says Brooklyn-based chakracologist™ and feng shui expert Nancy SantoPietro. In vivid contrast to conventional interior design with concepts based on function, form and aesthetics, feng shui, with its 4,000-year-old metaphor-rich design system, reaches deeper to embrace the flow of energy or chi through your home and environment. With feng shui the goal is to create surroundings energetically aligned with the healing forces of nature because this environment will, in turn, nurture you. 

Energy or chi flows internally through you and externally through your surroundings, according to feng shui philosophy. Depending on how this energy moves, these two energetic patterns can support harmony or disharmony, health or disease. Everyday life patterns emanate from your internal energy field, explains SantoPietro, and are mirrored and anchored in place by the environmental energy field known as your feng shui. Reciprocally, the feng shui of your environment impacts your internal energy. It is this interplay between the two energetic systems that either supports illness or enhances health. When implemented well, she says, feng shui principles positively influence the chi in your body by disarming aspects of illness supported by unhealthy energy patterns and design layouts.

Begin in the Bedroom

Feng shui cannot replace conventional or other alternative healing modalities. It can, however, augment them. A thorough feng shui assessment of your home and modifications implemented by a qualified expert yields the greatest benefits, yet you can make some core changes on your own.

Different areas of your home exert influence over different aspects of your life (such as family, career and finances) and ultimately they all affect your well-being (see SantoPietro’s book Feng Shui and Health: The Anatomy of a Home, Three Rivers Press, 2002 for more). But the aspect of your abode most aligned with overall health (thus the one that will make the most significant impact) is your bedroom. Our lives are full of energetically draining encounters so there must be somewhere to reconnect and refuel, says SantoPietro. Your bedroom should be that place for rejuvenation and intimacy — no more, no less. Yet how many of us take daytime energy into the bedroom by typing away on a laptop, talking on the phone or watching television ? No wonder we struggle to get a good night’s sleep, and then start each day exhausted.

You can change that, though. Here are SantoPietro’s top suggestions for transforming your bedroom into a restorative sanctuary:

• Place your bed so it faces the doorway but is not directly aligned. Ch'i force enters rooms via doorways (known as the mouths of ch'i) and you want to face and welcome that life energy. Yet ch'i is powerful and too taxing for the body when encountered directly.   
• Remove all telephones, televisions, computers and clock radios, which emit powerful electromagnetic fields that interfere with sleep and depress immunity.
• Clear away clutter of any kind, including under your bed and in the closet. Even if they’re not in plain view, areas of clutter block energy flow like cholesterol clogs arteries.
• Hang a 40 to 50-millimeter round and faceted Swarovski or other manmade crystal from a 9-inch red string in the center of your bedroom (the center of any room is the health area). Crystals amplify ch'i, but natural gems like amethyst, garnet or quartz come with their own energetic frequency so choose a synthetic stone that you can program with your healing intention.

Content provided by Revolution Health Group

Surgery Goes Alternative

I'm sharing an operating room in Manhattan's prestigious Columbia University Medical Center with two other invited interlopers, Jeffrey Zimmerman, a doctor of Oriental medicine specializing in Qigong energy work, and Rochelle Aruti, a massage therapist with self-described intuitive gifts. We each have our reasons for being here.

Zimmerman wants to show that a Qigong master such as himself can unblock and harmonize the energetic life force that runs through us -- what the Chinese call chi -- to speed healing in an unwell patient. "We need to demonstrate that the effect of Qigong can be measured, that it can influence actual biological processes," he says. "Otherwise it all sounds like hocus-pocus."

Aruti is taking the empathic abilities she's honed as a massage therapist and offering them up to patients undergoing surgery. "I can support them through the surgery even if they're under anesthesia," she says. Once, Aruti says, she watched her own four-year-old son being operated on "and saw him peering down from the ceiling -- and knew he was okay."

As for me, I'm a journalist interested in the collusion of (and occasional collision between) high-tech surgery and alternative medicine, including what most people would regard as its outer reaches, the "energy medicine" world of Zimmerman and Aruti. In other words, we're all waiting for Oz.

That would not be the wonderful, if ultimately hapless, Wizard from the movie (though, God knows, talking to Zimmerman and Aruti, I know I'm not in Kansas anymore), but Mehmet Oz, 43, a nationally prominent cardiac surgeon at Columbia University Medical Center. In the realm of mainstream high-tech medicine, Oz is an indefatigable superstar, "healing with steel," as the surgeons like to say, on the order of 400 surgeries a year, mostly coronary bypasses and valve repairs and replacements. For the past decade, he's been the driving force behind Columbia's influential mechanical heart program, refining and implanting the Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) that piggyback onto patients' own hearts, buying them time until a donor organ becomes available.

But Oz's boldest career move has been to leverage his considerable mainstream reputation in the service of alternative medicine. As he explains in his book Healing from the Heart, he got the idea for another program at Columbia -- the Integrative Medicine Program -- ten years ago after he witnessed the rejuvenating effects of a massage that Aruti gave his wife just after childbirth. Today, the program oversees therapeutic massages for some 90 percent of the hospital's cardiac surgery patients and conducts research on a wider and more exotic range of complementary medical therapies. That would include a study just getting under way starring Jeffrey Zimmerman, who will be moving his trained hands over the bodies of volunteer cardiac patients to see if he can lower their levels of BNP, a hormone produced by the heart and brain, high levels of which are associated with poor cardiac health. The idea is that by pushing the edge of alternative medicine, Oz might someday be able to offer his patients better recoveries from surgery, and better overall prognoses.

On this early morning in November, as the gray uptown Manhattan streets begin to lighten outside, Zimmerman, Aruti, and I are more than ready to greet the bridge-building surgeon. And whether he knows it or not, so is the unconscious patient, a 78-year-old retired PR man by the name of Bob Goldwater, who at this moment looks like a piece of ravaged Halloween candy.

Goldwater's torso is wrapped up in what looks like orange cellophane, his chest is sawed open and retracted to expose his troubled beating heart, and a vein from his leg and a mammary artery from his chest have been harvested to replace his God-given coronary arteries, all of which are 80 percent blocked with cholesterol-laden plaque. As Oz delicately stitches the replacement vessels onto the heart (they look like strands of spaghetti), Zimmerman and Aruti make their own less tangible contributions. "I can feel some stagnation in Bob's energy, so I'm working to support the kidneys," Zimmerman says, weakness in the kidney's energy, or chi, being central to the traditional Chinese conception of heart disease. Aruti is simply concentrating on being a friend to this man she's never met to help him better weather the operation.

Goldwater has also been outfitted with a set of headphones and a guided imagery cassette tape that Oz believes can help patients withstand the stresses of surgery. (Oz recently coauthored a study demonstrating that patients have some subliminal awareness of their surroundings even under heavy anesthesia.) Still, we all hold our breath when Goldwater comes off the heart-lung machine that's pumping blood through his body. His own heart just sits there in the chest cavity, beating irregularly, until Oz touches it with the defibrillator paddles and it lurches back to life. "It's like a wild python beating in there," Oz says with satisfaction. From his machine-gun conversational style to his habit of powering down the hospital halls at an Olympic race-walker's pace, Mehmet Oz is a can-do surgeon down to his toes. "Heart surgery was created for me," he crows. "It's immediate gratification, high pressure, high risk but high reward." How he of all people should have found his way into the often intuitive, ambiguous world of alternative therapies is a matter of genealogy and serendipity.

His father, a Turkish immigrant turned Delaware surgeon, made sure that Mehmet spent every summer of his childhood in the old country. In his book, Oz recalls how shocked he was to discover that his relatives in the Turkish countryside didn't have toilet paper, so they used the time-honored left-hand-then-wash technique. After a debate about proper hygiene, young Oz had to concede that his family, living in an area that lacked modern sewage facilities, had a point.

From such homely lessons came an education in cultural relativism that would later leave him impatient with the orthodoxies on both sides of the medical divide: the hippieish conception of high-tech medicine as toxic overkill, and the lofty scientific dismissal of Eastern therapies like yoga and acupuncture as a refuge for wishful thinkers. "If I had to pick one thing," Oz says, "I hope I'm remembered for being a translator between those two worlds."

To that end, he sees his role not as that of a cheerleader -- the alternative field has plenty of those, he says -- but as a quality control expert, someone with the analytical rigor to "cull the wheat from the chaff," and the professional clout to push for promising therapies, like massage and yoga, in the face of an indifferent or even hostile medical establishment.

"Heart surgery has this macho quality, and alternative medicine has a touchy-feely reputation," says cardiologist Dean Ornish, an Oz admirer and alternative medicine guru in his own right. "Mehmet shows that it doesn't have to be one way or the other."

Unlike the cardiologists who spend most of their time trying to prevent cardiac disasters, Oz enters the picture primarily after the horse is out of the barn. His natural laboratory for measuring the efficacy of various alternative therapies is his operating room. "If it works for a heart patient looking at the abyss," he says, "then that wisdom can be shared with others."

The largest study under way at Oz's Integrative Medicine Program takes as its starting point the fact that as a group, women tend to have poorer recoveries after heart surgery than men, perhaps because they have more frequent and more severe postoperative depression. Oz seems to take the problem personally, not only as a heart specialist but as an ex-college jock (Harvard varsity football and water polo) who can't abide losing.

"We know from the data that one-fifth of heart surgery patients have depression, which increases their chances of dying," he explains. "I don't want to give up that kind of advantage to the opposition. So I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that doesn't happen to my patient, and that includes guided imagery, massage, yoga, and meditation."

While no one has done rigorous studies showing that yoga and massage can reduce the incidence of heart disease (or depression), there's a mountain of epidemiological data linking stress and negative emotions to an increased risk of heart attack. So over the course of the next year, 150 women recovering from heart surgery will receive various tools designed to help them reduce the stressors that can hinder recovery: yoga videos and mats, alternative-health booklets, guided imagery tapes, and every noncoercive blandishment the staff can think of to induce them to give these therapies a try. The women will then be monitored and compared with a control group receiving standard medical care minus the alternative medicine.

The whole project also gets the doctor's MBA juices flowing. (Oz earned his business degree along with his M.D.) "This program is cheap, and we can mass-produce it and give it to other hospitals," he says.

As Oz enthusiastically sketches out his vision of the future, the neat little boxes that are habitually drawn around high-tech and alternative medicine disappear. In ten years, he says, shopping malls will have kiosks where you'll pop in for a coronary readout. "The machinery inside will check C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and cholesterol, as well as test for disease markers we don't even know about yet," he says. "You'll walk out of there with a precise calculation of your risk of having a heart attack, and you'll also be given a list of mind-body therapies that are of particular value to people like you: yoga, meditation, biofeedback. We'll catch the people who are walking time bombs before they go off."

All well and good. But Oz also has a vision of the future of surgery, one I got a glimpse of during the operation I witnessed on Goldwater. It's much less concrete than one-stop shopping-mall diagnostics, but it's Oz's nature to go out on a limb. In fact, that's probably why he was attracted to energy medicine in the first place: It's about as far out there as you can get.

Traditional Eastern medical and spiritual systems assume the human body is animated by an energetic life force, be it the chi that masters of Chinese Qigong like Jeffrey Zimmerman believe they are tapping into, or the prana that collects in seven chakras running up and down the body that healers in the Indian yogic traditions say they can manipulate.

Western science isn't oblivious to this notion of a human energy field. Our hearts pump in a rhythmic pattern of electrochemical impulses, for example, and even heart disease has an electrical component, Oz says: "As plaque becomes unstable, it grows more charged, attracting other particles. That increases the likelihood that it will break off and cause a clot to form, which triggers the heart attack. It's like magnets interacting."

Still, the idea that a healer could somehow direct his or her own energy field to interact with another person's seems, to the Western mind-set, like fantasy. But if the idea pans out, Oz thinks energy healers could have a significant effect on heart patients or, for that matter, on people undergoing any type of surgery.

"Patients often retain fluid after surgery," he says. "But I've had people tell me that after an energy treatment, they were peeing all night long." Theoretically, a therapy with that kind of power could affect other metabolic processes as well: It might reduce the amount of anesthesia a patient would need, for example, and perhaps even lower levels of stress hormones and create more relaxed respiration -- all of which could possibly help people recover more quickly and easily.

Despite raised eyebrows from some of his colleagues ("I like Mehmet, but sometimes his enthusiasm outpaces the data," says Richard Sloan, the head of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center), Oz presses on. To date, his studies of energy healers working over petri dishes of bacteria and cancer cells have gotten what might be described as provocatively ambiguous results. (In the cancer cell study, one of his five practitioners scored as well as a standard dose of chemotherapy in thwarting cell mutations; the others, however, had no such effect.)

But the winner in the bunch is a study he coauthored in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine two years ago, in which he demonstrated that four out of five energy healers could alter the shape and color of an energy "corona" captured by placing a fingertip on photosensitive paper, a process known as Kirlian photography. The control subjects, on the other hand, couldn't affect the image produced by their fingertips at all.
History will judge whether Oz has come up with a photographic novelty act or the beginnings of a theoretical explanation for energy healing that makes sense to Western science. I confess I'm rooting for the latter.

I recall my morning in surgery with Bob Goldwater. After Oz had done the bypass and the surgical resident was stitching up, Zimmerman, Aruti, and I traipsed after Oz into the adjoining OR. One of his protégés was performing a transplant, removing the patient's old heart and sewing in the donated new one. Oz had us don surgical gloves so we could feel the original heart, an organ that is, as he says in his book, "the closest physical thing to the ethereal soul." But even he looked surprised when the disconnected heart began to warm and twitch in Zimmerman's cupped hands. "It's the Qigong!" Zimmerman exclaimed.

"It's not supposed to do that," Oz said calmly. But he was, he later admitted, "intrigued." Another piece of the energetic mystery to chip away.

Staying Out of the Operating Room

Most of Oz's work is with people whose hearts have already landed them in the hospital. But to keep them from coming back, and for anyone looking to avoid heart disease, he recommends this basic prevention program.

Eat Right
Oz's prescription for a healthy heart and long life relies heavily on diet. For his patients, he recommends Dean Ornish's rigorous low-fat, high-carb diet, the only diet, he says, that has been demonstrated to halt or even reverse heart disease. But for himself and his family, and anyone not suffering from heart disease, the doctor advocates the so-called Mediterranean diet with its emphasis on fish, healthy monounsaturated fats like olive oil, and fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods contain heart-protecting phytochemicals and antioxidants, and most important, he says, "they're not fried or processed with trans fat."

Take a Few Pills
As for supplements, Oz says he always asks his patients how many pills they're willing to take, then customizes his recommendations accordingly. But everyone gets the advice to take a multivitamin with vitamin B complex. The Bs -- notably B-6, B-12, and folic acid -- offer valuable heart protection because of their role in controlling the production of homocysteine, a substance that corrodes arteries.

He also advises most people to take omega-3 fatty acids. They reduce inflammation and significantly reduce the incidence of fatal arrhythmia after the onset of a heart attack. Oz recommends 2 grams a day, either from oily fish like salmon or from flaxseed oil, or in supplements.

"There's a justifiable concern about mercury in fish," Oz says, "but salmon are young fish and therefore less likely to have high levels." And for men over 40 and women over 45, he suggests a baby aspirin a day. It reduces inflammation and serves as valuable anti-clot insurance.

Get Moving
Oz rides his bike vigorously 20 to 40 miles on weekends because he enjoys the physical release and the feeling of being aerobically fit. But you don't need to work that hard: Thirty minutes a day of brisk walking has been shown to reduce heart disease risk.

Oz is particularly keen on the stress-reducing benefits of yoga. "Even if my patients don't want to do the physical poses," he says, "I'm pretty firm about them learning to do yoga breathing: relaxing the stomach so the diaphragm drops down." And if it's affordable, the doctor suggests a weekly hour-long massage. "Most people enjoy it, and there's evidence that it improves lymphatic drainage," he says.

Cultivate Your Spirit
Recently, Oz served as an investigator on the well-publicized Duke University Mantra trials that found that cardiac patients who received music, guided imagery, and touch therapies, and were prayed for by a variety of believing strangers, suffered 30 percent fewer complications over a six-month period.

"I don't know if we'll ever know exactly what these studies are measuring," says Traci Stein, director of Columbia's Integrative Medicine Program. Still, Oz has seen enough in the cardiac trenches to believe the human spirit plays a key role in preventing and recovering from illness. "Maybe it's because you deal better with anxiety and loneliness when you have some kind of spiritual outlook," he says. "It's hard to define, but I do know that you need to give your heart a reason to keep beating."

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Stabilizing Blood Sugar: 4 of the Most Effective — and Least Effective — Complementary Remedies

Candy, croissants and chocolate bars send your taste buds on a wild ride — and they make your blood sugar levels go up and down like a roller coaster, too. Since refined or simple carbohydrates get quickly broken down into glucose in your gut, your blood sugar and insulin levels rise rapidly and then crash rapidly when the glucose is taken into cells.

Such dramatic fluctuations can eventually lead to insulin resistance (when your cells become less responsive to insulin and, hence, less capable of moving glucose from the blood to inside the cell) and insulin deficiency (when the pancreas burns out and stops producing as much insulin). Both are hallmarks of diabetes and prediabetes.

Numerous medications regulate blood sugar, whether by increasing insulin secretion, heightening cells’ sensitivity to the hormone or inhibiting carbohydrate absorption. Although medications may be necessary, they can have side effects like gastrointestinal discomfort, weight gain and hypoglycemia. More importantly, they focus on damage control rather than prevention — bailing water (or in this case, glucose) from the boat rather than fixing the leak.

“Medication alone can’t maintain strict sugar control,” writes Francine Kaufman, M.D., former president of the American Diabetes Association, in her book Diabesity (Bantam Dell, 2005). “It’s critical for people with either type of diabetes to follow a nutrition plan, to get regular physical exercise and to maintain a healthy weight.”

Toward that end, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) can significantly help regulate blood sugar. To help you navigate the myriad CAM options, here are four of the top proven CAM treatments — as well as four that are either unproven or overhyped.

Four of the top proven CAM treatments

• Strength training. Along with about an hour of aerobic exercise four to six times a week, lifting weights two to three times a week can dramatically improve blood sugar regulation. Not only does muscle absorb sugar and lower glucose levels, but it also increases your metabolism and overall insulin sensitivity. “Loss of muscle mass is almost as harmful as gaining excess fat,” says Michael Lyon, M.D., medical and research director of the Canadian Center for Functional Medicine in British Columbia. In fact, a small but provocative study, published in 2005 in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, compared a four-month strength-training program with a four-month aerobic exercise program in 22 people with type-2 diabetes. The researchers found that strength training improved glycemic control more than the aerobic training. That’s not to say you should shirk your aerobic workout — just lift some iron, too.
• Low-glycemic index, low-fat diet. Rather than swearing off carbohydrates altogether to regulate blood sugar, opt for carbs that are low on the glycemic index. This handy tool ranks carbohydrates on how quickly they raise blood sugar, with 100 raising it as fast as pure glucose and zero raising it not at all. Refined, sugary foods usually fall high on the index and whole-grain ones on the low end. (See www.glycemicindex.com for a searchable food database.) With low-glycemic (or “slow”) carbs, sugar gets released gradually into your blood for sustained energy and improved insulin responses. 
  
  Neal Barnard, M.D., an adjunct associate professor at George Washington University School of Medicine and author of Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes (Rodale, 2007), says that people with diabetes and prediabetes should not only switch to a low-glycemic diet, but to a low-fat vegan one as well. New research suggests that type 2 diabetes may be caused in large part by fat buildup in the cells. “Insulin acts like a key, and the cell like a lock,” Barnard explains. “Normally, insulin attaches to the surface and opens tiny channels to admit glucose. But when fat fills the cells, this triggering mechanism no longer works.” He suggests a vegan diet to eliminate animal fat from the menu as well as a diet low in fat from nuts, seeds and other oils. “A vegan diet alone decreases the fat inside your cells by 30%,” he says.
  
  In a recent study conducted by Barnard (funded by the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., and published in the journal Diabetes Care), 99 people were assigned either to a low-fat vegan diet or to a diet based on the recommendations of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), which allows meat and dairy. After 22 weeks, 43% of those in the vegan group were able to reduce their use of diabetes medication, while only 26% in the ADA group were able to do so. Plus, “the low-fat, low-glycemic vegan diet had a three-times-more-powerful effect on blood sugar than … the ADA diet,” he says.
• Fiber. High-fiber foods like vegetables, fruits and whole grains benefit blood sugar regulation because they are low-glycemic and high-volume (hence, satiating) and “cause hormonal changes important for diabetics and prediabetics,” Lyon says. But for the greatest therapeutic effect, people with diabetes would need to eat 75 grams of fiber a day. Fiber supplements like psyllium seed can relieve you from chomping on nothing but carrots all day. And if taken before meals, fiber can lower the glycemic index of the meal’s carbohydrates, reduce the absorption of cholesterol and absorb water, causing one to feel full. This can help with weight loss by reducing the total calorie intake of the meal.
• Herbs: Gymnema sylvestre. The rage in Japanese chewing gum, Gymnema sylvestre helps do what you may have thought was impossible: defeat sugar cravings. This herb, which is native to India, suppresses the sweet sensation so that “you basically lose the taste for sweet,” Lyon says. Not only do you not crave sugary treats, but if you eat them, they taste weird or flavorless. Along with taking the bite out of your sweet tooth, G. sylvestre helps lower blood sugar (without any reported side effects). Lyon suggests 200 milligrams twice a day.

Four remedies to approach with caution

• Magnesium and chromium picolinate. Two supplements that often pop up in the treatment of diabetes are magnesium and chromium picolinate. While these supplements may help regulate blood sugar, hard evidence showing their efficacy — such as clinical, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies — is scarce, and the help may be minimal. It doesn’t hurt to try them. But if you want to get the most significant results, try some of the more proven remedies first.
• Cinnamon. The secret ingredient behind many delicious dishes, cinnamon also may moderately lower blood sugar by increasing insulin sensitivity. Although several studies have shown positive results with the spice, others have shown no significant effect, Lyon says. “And considering the potentially toxic effect of large amounts of cinnamon in the long term — nausea, cramping and other gastrointestinal issues — I don’t recommend people taking large doses. Or at least, they should choose water-based extracts,” he says. The water-based options lack the oils that can have toxic effects. Of course, the small amount of cinnamon you sprinkle on oatmeal and other foods won’t harm you, but it won’t greatly regulate your blood sugar either.
• Low-carb diets. You may think carbohydrates are the enemy because they spike blood sugar. But really, your body depends on them as a source for energy, nutrients and fiber. Nonetheless, “so many people with blood sugar problems are eating low-carb diets like Atkins and South Beach, and that’s a big, big mistake,” Barnard says. “While it’s true your blood sugar doesn’t rise as much, the huge amounts of fat and excess protein in those diets do bad things to your body.” For one thing, they raise your cholesterol and can increase the fat content of your cells, further exacerbating insulin resistance. Your kidneys also have to work overtime to process the huge quantities of protein, leading to potential kidney problems, he adds. So think slow-carb, not no-carb.
• Cure-alls. Finally, “be wary of anything hyped as a diabetes cure because diabetes requires a variety of approaches to treat,” Lyon says. Although it may be tempting to think you can just pop a few pills and be done with it, health experts stress that supplements are just that — supplemental to exercise and diet. There is no magic pill or herb that allows you to remain sedentary, eat poorly and maintain your health — let alone maintain balanced blood sugar levels. You need to address the big picture with a healthful whole-foods diet, regular exercise and potentially some CAM help. It’s possible that you may be just a few lifestyle and supplement changes away from stabilizing your blood sugar and taming that internal carb monster once and for all.

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The Anti-Inflammation Diet

As the CEO of a supplement company in Los Angeles, Andy Pham eats, breathes, and dreams nutritional supplements. In fact, he downs roughly 80 pills a day. Pham knows he's far from the norm. Heck, most people pat themselves on the back if they remember to swallow a single dietary booster, much less six dozen. So when asked to think like the average time-pressed American and choose just one nutrient to take every day, he doesn't hesitate. "Fish oil," he declares. "I take it for the omega-3 fatty acids. They're a great all-around inflammation reducer."

Whether he realizes it or not, Pham's advice is in lockstep with the latest medical buzz. Researchers are uncovering an insidious new medical reality: Inflammation, the body's most primitive weapon against infection and injury, may be at the root of some of the deadliest diseases of the 21st century, including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer's.

The typical 65-year-old with arthritis, an ulcer, and heart disease goes to see three different doctors: a rheumatologist, a gastroenterologist, and a cardiologist, says Jack Challem, author of The Inflammation Syndrome. And he may walk out with three different treatment plans. "No one stops long enough to connect the dots and see the underlying inflammatory current," Challem says. As a result, what's missing is a unified voice offering patients nuts-and-bolts advice about how to stamp out inflammation before it burns out of control.

That's where the alternative approach comes in. Many practitioners say they've been connecting the dots between inflammation and disease for years, only to have their warnings go unheeded. They've been particularly ahead of the curve in suggesting what they claim is the best defense against inflammation-related diseases: eating the right foods. Leo Galland, an internist and founder of the Foundation for Integrated Medicine in New York City, says he's been writing and lecturing about the benefits of anti-inflammatory foods since the early 1980s. "Things I talked about 20 years ago that were considered out in left field are now so mainstream they're almost boring," he says. "I feel vindicated on a daily basis."

Here's how the inflammatory cycle can go awry. Under normal circumstances, inflammation is part of the immune reaction that helps the body heal when injured. When you slice your finger cutting onions, for example, blood vessels near the accident scene expand. That clears the way for the entrance of white blood cells, good guys who annihilate any bacteria that sneak in on the knife blade. They also mend ragged tissue by ordering in new cells to seal the cut. By the time the signs of inflammation kick in -- heat, soreness, and swelling -- the wound is well on its way to healing.

Still, like an inconsiderate houseguest, inflammation can overstay its welcome. Medical researchers discovered long ago that certain diseases, such as lupus, Graves' disease, and fibromyalgia, emerge when the immune system flips on and refuses to turn off. And a new theory paints an even broader picture of how other killers gain a foothold when inflammation runs amok.

It all started with the heart. Until the early 1990s, experts believed that heart disease, specifically atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), resulted when sticky plaque glommed on to smooth artery walls, causing the arterial passageway to narrow. A heart attack was thought to be the end-case scenario, a blood clot finally plugging the last remaining opening in the dam. But as it turns out, the process is more complex than that.

Experts now know that arteries aren't smooth pipes lined with white globs of gluey fat. Instead they are dynamic, multilayered tissue structures. Arteries do absorb LDL (bad) cholesterol from the bloodstream. But instead of sticking to the artery wall, LDL seeps between the tissue layers and festers, like an angry plaque-filled blister. The body triggers an inflammatory response to contain the damage and the artery swells, constricting blood flow to the heart. Disaster finally strikes when the plaque bursts and debris barricades the artery.

With Alzheimer's, a backward glance uncovered the inflammation connection. Numerous studies show that people who use ibuprofen, a popular anti-inflammatory, lower their risk of acquiring the disease. Although the mechanism isn't fully understood, neurologists believe the brain's immune cells rally to attack a form of plaque that signals Alzheimer's. The ensuing skirmish creates inflammation that may spur progression of the disease.

As for diabetes, it's often related to how much fat a person carries around on his or her frame. Fat cells ooze inflammation-boosting proteins called cytokines, so more fat equals more inflammation. Over time, too many circulating cytokines dampen the body's ability to monitor insulin production. Eventually the body's efforts falter, and the gate swings open for Type 2 diabetes. (It's no coincidence that rates of the disease are nudging upward in unison with America's belt size.)

Chronic inflammation in the body also causes cells to oxidize, which may trigger a cascade of cancerous mutations. In fact, Bruce Ames, a biochemist at the University of California at Berkeley and former board member of the National Cancer Institute, thinks inflammation is responsible for up to 30 percent of all cancers.

Scary stuff for sure, but fortunately, experts are also learning more about some simple, even pleasurable, ways to reduce inflammation. Exercise and stress relief are important, but the best defense, most researchers agree, is through diet.

Most foods either fuel the fires of inflammation or tamp them down, Galland explains. And fat is the crux of the issue. The goal is to eat a good balance of inflammatory fats (mainly omega-6s, as found in safflower, sunflower, and corn oil) and anti-inflammatory fats (like omega-3s, found in fish, and omega-9s, which olive oil has). But most people chow down on up to 30 times more inflammatory fats than anti. "The typical American diet is priming people for inflammation," says Challem. "It's like sitting in a parked car with your foot on the gas. Eventually you'll overheat."

The good news is that dozens of foods, herbs, and spices are proven to rev up the body's ability to stomp out inflammatory hot spots. For evidence, one need look no further than studies of rheumatoid arthritis. In one published last January in Rheumatology International, patients who followed an anti-inflammatory diet had a 14 percent decrease in joint tenderness and swelling compared to those who ate a typical Western diet. Fish oil supplements goosed the results even further, bringing the final tally of those feeling an improvement up to 31 percent.

Small studies suggest that an anti-inflammatory diet may also hold Alzheimer's disease at bay. In a French study of cognitive decline, scientists followed the diets of 1,600 seniors for seven years. In the end, those who ate fish at least once a week were less likely to develop the disease.

Because the concept of eating to curb inflammation is still relatively new, most of the existing evidence is anecdotal. Jacob Farin, a naturopath in Portland, Oregon, has seen patients with everything from chronic back pain to pancreatitis improve after adopting an anti-inflammatory diet.

The bottom line? This new eating plan, laid out in these pages, may be the most efficient diet you've ever seen. In one fell swoop, you'll hedge your bets against some of the biggest health threats facing Americans today.

1. Get Friendly With Fish
Eat fish at least twice a week. Why? Because it overflows with two key omega-3 fatty acids -- eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic (EPA and DHA for short) -- that are potent anti-inflammatories. Good sources are fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, trout, sardines, and tuna. Canned tuna is fine, but make sure it's packed in water. Otherwise, the omega-3s leach into the surrounding oil.

You do need to watch out for toxins in fish, though, especially if you're in a high-risk category. Women who are either pregnant or hoping to be should avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel (a different species from regular mackerel), and tilefish, all of which harbor potentially dangerous levels of mercury, which can be damaging to their developing fetus. (Nursing mothers and young children should avoid these fish, too.)

If you don't want to mess with mercury, you're not so fond of fish, or you just want to hedge your bets, try fish oil supplements. Look for a supplement with EPA and DHA and take 2,000 milligrams every day.

Whatever fish-oil delivery system you choose -- fresh, canned, or supplement -- don't let this one get away. "There is an absolute need for fish oil if you're going to quell inflammation," says Jim LaValle, an integrative physician and clinical nutritionist at the Longer Living Institute in Cincinnati, Ohio.

There are options for vegetarians, too, though they're not perfect. The body can make its own EPA and DHA from the omega-3 fat found in plant sources such as flaxseed, wheat germ, and walnuts. But the body's mechanism for converting plant-based omega-3s isn't particularly effective.

Although flaxseed is often touted as a substitute for fish oil, it just can't compete, says LaValle. "That's one of the biggest misconceptions in the natural products industry."

One solution is to take flaxseed supplements, but you'll need to down four times as many of these as you would of fish oil pills.

2. Choose Fats Wisely
Replace trans fats with those high in omega-3s. Good fats include fatty fish, extra-virgin olive oil, canola oil (expeller-pressed), walnuts and their oil, hemp oil, and flaxseed or flaxseed oil.

Trans fats are the worst offenders because they're high in omega-6s, fatty acids that gum up the body's ability to regulate inflammation. "If your diet is rich in trans fats, you're going to drive your body to make more inflammatory chemicals," says LaValle. The worst culprits are vegetable shortenings and hard margarines, but most processed foods house a trans fatty acid or two, usually in the form of partially hydrogenated oil. (Soon, trans fats will be easier to spot thanks to new legislation requiring food makers to list them on ingredient labels by 2006.) Other fats to avoid (also because of their omega-6s) include safflower oil, sunflower oil, and corn oil.

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Top 10 Acupuncture Questions and Answers

Just the mention of “needle” can make some people flinch. But having an acupuncture treatment is nothing like getting a shot. The needles rarely hurt or draw blood, and they usually induce a state of deep relaxation. Acupuncture has been around for at least 5,000 years, with its roots in Chinese medicine. In the U.S., acupuncture is one part of a larger system called traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which is also called Oriental medicine. 

Qualified TCM practitioners are called “licensed acupuncturists” and receive training in acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, nutrition and movement therapies such as tai chi. Research on acupuncture suggests it might help as an adjunct treatment for conditions as diverse as infertility, chronic or acute pain, nausea, vomiting and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).  Here are answers to 10 frequently asked questions about acupuncture.

1. Do I have to get naked?
Not usually. Most of the time, the main needle-insertion points are on the lower legs, ears or arms, so wearing loose-fitting clothing is fine. Similar to medical doctors, sometimes an acupuncturist will ask you to disrobe and put on a gown if he needs to work on your back, upper legs or torso. 

2. How big are the needles and how deep are they inserted?
The stainless steel needles, normally about as thin as a human hair, are presterilized and disposable. Unlike the hollow needles used for giving injections, acupuncture needles are solid. The acupuncturist will insert them to a depth of anywhere from a quarter of an inch to 3 inches, depending on the amount of subcutaneous fat that the needles need to penetrate. 

3. Will it hurt me?
Acupuncture should be painless, although some people experience a slight sharp sensation depending on how sensitive they are and where the needles are inserted. Once the needle is in place,  it’s normal to initially feel a tingling sensation, numbness, mild pressure or warmth. If these sensations became too strong or are uncomfortable, alert your acupuncturist and she will adjust the needles. 

4. What exactly should I expect to happen during an acupuncture session?
The first treatment starts with a thorough medical history followed by a physical exam that notes skin tone, tongue condition and the qualities of your wrist pulse. According to TCM theory, these observations provide an indication  of what’s going on in your body. After making a diagnosis, the practitioner will ask you to lie down and  insert needles into key points. You’ll be allowed to rest with the needles in place, typically for up to 40 minutes.

5. How can it help me?
Acupuncture is mostly known in the West as a pain relief technique, but is also proven to be useful in numerous other indications. In 1979, the World Health Organization cited 104 conditions that acupuncture can treat — either alone or in conjunction with contemporary conventional medicine. In 1998 the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a Consensus Statement on Acupuncture and cited conditions that acupuncture is effective for. Acupuncture also plays a huge role in preventive care, particularly as a form of stress management. “The underlying cause of most of the conditions I treat is chronic stress, which affects multiple systems in the body, including the immune and endocrine systems,” says Mary Saunders, a Boulder, Colo.-based licensed acupuncturist.

6. How much does a session cost and can I get my insurance to cover it?
Prices can range from $45 to more than $100 per session. Community acupuncture clinics, available in many U.S. communities, offer lower rates and sliding scale payments. Although coverage is still not the norm, acupuncture is one of the alternative therapies most frequently covered by insurance.

7. How do I find a good acupuncturist and which qualifications should they have?
Look for one who is a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac.) or a doctor of Oriental medicine (O.M.D. or D.O.M.). Although word-of-mouth referrals often produce the best results, the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) has standards that have been adopted by most states, and you can search the group’s database (NCCAOM.org) by state to see who is licensed. Roughly 40 states have training standards for acupuncture certification, and some states have additional requirements for obtaining a license to practice.

8. How does it work?
TCM teaches that the quality of energy or life force in the body — what acupuncturists call qi (pronounced “chee”) — determines our health. This qi circulates along energy pathways called meridians, many of which are linked to specific organs. Disease results when the qi becomes blocked and can’t circulate freely. In order to rebalance the energy flow and restore health, acupuncturists insert needles into key points on the body. (They work with approximately 360 acupoints.)

9. Is it OK for me to eat before or after a session? What about exercise?
It’s good to eat a little bit before a session because low blood sugar could increase sensitivity to the treatment and cause you to feel faint. Don’t, however, eat a heavy meal. For exercise, the reverse holds true.  Prior to your session you can exercise as strenuously as you want. However, most acupuncturists advise only mild exercise within several hours after treatment. Eating too much or vigorous exertion can disrupt the corrective flow of energy that follows an acupuncture session. “You’re trying to shift energy into a new pattern,” Saunders says. “If you do something really intense, you can alter the new pattern we are trying to create in your body.”

10. How many sessions do I need in order to start feeling the benefits?
That depends on the severity of the condition. For some people, the effect of acupuncture can be quite dramatic — they may feel the benefits after one session. For others, the response may be more gradual. In general, you should notice at least small changes in your condition within four to six treatments. If you are not seeing benefits, keep in mind that there is variability in the quality of acupuncturists. So before deciding whether acupuncture works for you, you could also consider trying a different practitioner.

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Naturopathic Medicine

What is naturopathic medicine?

Naturopathic medicine (or naturopathy) is based on the belief that the body can heal itself naturally. Naturopathic medicine attempts to improve health, prevent disease, and treat illness by promoting the use of organic foods and exercise; encouraging a healthy, balanced lifestyle; and applying concepts from other areas of complementary medicine (such as ayurveda, homeopathy, and herbal therapies).

Naturopathy was developed in the late 1800s in the United States. Today, a licensed naturopathic doctor (ND) attends a 4-year, graduate-level naturopathic medical school and studies the same basic sciences as a medical doctor (MD). However, the ND also studies alternative approaches to therapy, such as herbal medicine, acupuncture, and bodywork.

Most traditional naturopathic physicians (naturopaths) believe in natural therapies, such as nutritional and lifestyle counseling. They generally avoid prescribing medicines or performing surgery. However, some naturopaths prescribe herbal medicines, homeopathic dilutions, nutritional supplements, or perform minor surgeries. The disagreement over specific practice guidelines and licensing requirements in different states has led to some public confusion about the role of the naturopath.

What is naturopathy used for?

People use naturopathic medicine for promoting good health, preventing disease, and treating illness. Most naturopaths can treat earaches, allergies, and other common medical problems. Naturopathic medicine tries to find the underlying cause of the condition rather than focusing solely on treating symptoms. A properly trained naturopathic physician works with other health professionals, referring people to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when appropriate.

Is naturopathy safe?

Two of the biggest concerns about naturopathic medicine are the use of dietary fasting and a bias against immunization (vaccinations).

• Talk with your medical doctor before fasting (not eating or drinking, or consuming only liquids for a period of time). Fasting can be dangerous, especially if you have a disease such as diabetes.
• Some naturopaths do not believe that immunization is necessary. Before immunizations became available, childhood illnesses caused large numbers of deaths and long-term health problems and provided survivors with natural immunity. The benefits of immunization greatly outweigh the risks.¹

Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative therapy or if you are thinking about combining an alternative therapy with your conventional medical treatment. It may not be safe to forgo your conventional medical treatment and rely only on an alternative therapy.

Naturopathy licensing varies from state to state. Not all states require naturopaths to be licensed. Also, not all naturopathic educational programs are the same. Some schools grant degrees that are not accepted by state licensing boards. In the United States, the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) is the only agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit naturopathic programs and colleges.

Before you choose a naturopath, find out whether the person graduated from an accredited college. Also check to see whether your state has licensing laws that govern the practice of NDs. If your state licenses NDs, ask your prospective ND whether he or she is licensed.

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Good Food -- The Magic of Mushrooms

I've always loved mushrooms -- not just for their rich, smoky flavor but also for their mystery, their spring from the dark, and their reach back to ancient cultures. Some scholars believe that the ambrosia of Greek literature was actually intoxicating mushrooms, the secret behind the Eleusinian Mysteries. Egyptian pharaohs prized the fungi so much they declared them exclusively royal food. And for thousands of years, the Chinese have used them not only to enhance meals but also to heal bodies, a wisdom Americans are finally picking up on. Since the early 1990s, sales of exotic mushrooms -- which experts believe offer the biggest health boost -- have doubled in the U.S.

Nutritionists have long known that many types of mushrooms have plenty of health perks to recommend them. They're full of B vitamins, which are important for brain and nervous system connections and for healthy skin and hair, says nutritionist Felicia Busch, author of The New Nutrition. A single cup of the raw vegetable packs the fiber of a whole-grain slice of bread. And mushrooms offer a healthy dose of selenium, an antioxidant linked to reduced risks of cancer and heart disease. To top it off, they're easy on the waistline -- about 20 calories in five medium-sized ones.

But recently, studies have begun to show that some of the exotic varieties -- shiitake, maitake, reishi, oyster, and enoki -- can do much more. These fungi have been shown to boost immune activity, lower blood fats, and halt the growth of cancer cells, changing the mushroom's status from that of mere steak décor to one of our diet's most powerful health-promoters.

"The gold is in the beta glucans," says Harry G. Preuss, professor of physiology, medicine, and pathology at Georgetown University Medical Center and author of Maitake Magic. Hidden in the cell walls of the more unusual mushrooms, these sugar molecules boost immune activity in a variety of ways and with different effects. In one Japanese study last year, for instance, an extract of maitake mushrooms activated helper T cells, thought to fight both cancer and infection, and upped the output of interferon and interleukin, chemical substances that help regulate immune responses. And in a study of cancer patients, beta glucans were shown to suppress tumor growth and soften the effects of radiation and chemotherapy.

Preuss is also discovering that maitakes have beneficial effects on blood pressure and insulin levels in diabetic mice and rats. Within six hours of sipping an extract, the test rats responded with a 25 percent drop in blood pressure, and within days, insulin levels fell by the same amount. Preuss speculates that the mushroom extract works by increasing the number and sensitivity of insulin receptors or by sharpening the message from the receptors to the cells.

Mushrooms also impress Shiuan Chen, a professor of biological science at the City of Hope Cancer Center in Los Angeles. When Chen and his colleagues studied seven common vegetables, including white button mushrooms (portobellos are part of this family), the mushrooms showed great success in suppressing estrogen production. That's important, says Chen, since estrogen suppression in post-menopausal women appears to protect against breast cancer. And in Chen's studies of mice with cancerous breast tumors, those given mushroom extracts had a 20 to 30 percent reduction in tumor size within five to six weeks.

So just how much of these delicious disease-fighters do we need to eat to protect our health? "That's such a Western question," says Karen Koffler, director of integrative medicine at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in Evanston, Illinois. "We can't really say, but just the act of buying mushrooms is a declaration that you are taking a step to care for your health."

The Chinese hedge their bets by mixing different types in stir-fries and soups, as does Koffler. Her favorite stir-fry: shiitakes and portobellos with kale, broccoli, red cabbage, and sun-dried tomatoes served over brown basmati rice and topped with almonds.

David Grotto, director of the nutrition education department at the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Care in Evanston, Illinois, favors grilled shiitakes and portobellos marinated first in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic: "Put those on a whole-grain bun and you've got a cancer- and heart-disease-fighting sandwich," he says. He also freezes puréed cooked mushrooms in ice trays, then pops a cube or two into soups or marinara sauce.

I, for one, have resolved to eat mushrooms as often as I can. I now buy them at least once a week -- and not just for their mystery. As I stir dried shiitake and oyster mushrooms into the winter stew I make on a cold Sunday, the broth darkens within 20 minutes and turns more fragrant, exotic. Opening a bottle of red wine, I ask my husband to stoke up the fire. I'm ready for crusty bread and smoky mushrooms -- the earth coming to my plate.

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