Breath of Life

Ionic Footbaths 10% off in February

2012-02-06T08:55:00.000-06:00

Longing for the beach?

For the month of February, we are offering-
10% off single footbath (regularly $45) and 20% off a package of 5 (regularly $200).

How does the Ionic Footbath work?
       A water molecule is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. When the molecule loses a hydrogen atom, the remaining OH molecule takes on a negative charge. Just like when you walk along the beach, your body absorbs millions of these negatively charged ions, which alkalize the blood and tissue. Because of poor diet and high stress, we tend to accumulate and store excessive quantities of waste products , such as lactic, pyruvic, uric, carbonic, acetic, butyric, and hepatic acids.
       According to Dr. Theodore Baroody, author of Alkalize or Die, "acid wastes attack joints, tissues, muscles, organs, and glands causing minor to major dysfunction". In addition Baroody maintains that, "avoiding disease and maintaining vitality as we age, requires the maintenance of an alkaline environment throughout the body - which is virtually impossible to accomplish in our high-tech, high stress, toxic society, unless we can walk on the beach everyday."
       The Ionic Footbath generates the same effect of the walk along the beach, only more effectively, as the feet are placed in direct contact with ions manufactured in the foot bath. Simply put your feet in the water, turn on the machine and within seconds millions of ions enter your body immediately beginning the neutralization of tissue acid wastes.
       During, and after, a forty minute session you will become aware of the constituent parts of fat, along with mucous residue that the body has eliminated. You may, after the first session, feel lighter in your body, have more energy and maintain a greater sense of well-being.

Call us today and take advantage of this February special at 615-400-7034 and read more about footbaths at www.breathoflifeonline.com

Flower Essences for emotional balance

2012-01-30T09:17:00.000-06:00

“I’VE NEVER MET A SICK PERSON WHO WASN’T HIDING THEIR EMOTIONS”

Steven Horne, who helped develop the new NSP Flower Essence line says, “I’ve never met a sick person who wasn’t hiding their emotions. We kill the energy of life by doing this. Unresolved emotions must be dealt with for people to get physically well.” Flower Essences don’t treat disease but instead help people find balance. When you have balance with the mental, emotional and physical aspects of your life, your body can truly move toward total healing. Using the flower essences brings an awareness of what’s around us and what we need to do to correct it.

FLOWER ESSENCES FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
When asked which of the Essences to use for depression and anxiety, Steven gave the following suggestions:

There are three blends that can help anxiety: Distress Remedy (general stress), Be Courageous (acute fear or panic), and Be Response-Able (anxiety disorders).

The two that are likely to be helpful for depression: Find Strength (for being discouraged, withdrawn, etc.) and Release It (for depression associated with grief). A special thanks to National Manager Kay Lubecke for the article above.

MY EXPERIENCES WITH RELEASE IT
Apart from the obvious, this remedy is multi-faceted in its use. Release It may be helpful in weight loss. We can choose to “release” weight rather than “losing” it. The word “lose” has negative connotations. For a person on a limited diet who has just been told that there is yet another food they must eliminate, it helps to have the ability to “just let it go”. I have noted a great change in “obsessive/compulsive” thinking and action where a person can’t seem to “let go” of a thought or habit. I don’t remember Steven mentioning any of these uses in his many seminars and webinars that I have participated in.

We have these essences in stock at our Franklin office, or you may order them at wholesale by going to my website www.breathoflifeonline.com and ordering from the online store. Don't forget we offer a unique service called emotional cleansing that can help you specifically deal with emotions that may be causing you to have ill health. Call our office to schedule an appointment 615-400-7034.

Why you should not stop taking your vitamins

2012-01-20T15:58:00.000-06:00

By Mark Hyman, MD

Do vitamins kill people?
How many people have died from taking vitamins?
Should you stop your vitamins?

It depends. To be exact, it depends on the quality of the science, and the very nature of scientific research. It is very hard to know things exactly through science. The waste bin of science is full of fallen heroes like Premarin, Vioxx and Avandia (which alone was responsible for 47,000 excess cardiac deaths since it was introduced in 1999).
That brings us to the latest apparent casualty, vitamins. The recent media hype around vitamins is a classic case of drawing the wrong conclusions from good science.
Remember how doctors thought that hormone replacement therapy was the best thing since sliced bread and recommended it to every single post-menopausal woman? These recommendations were predicated on studies that found a correlation between using hormones and reduced risk of heart attacks. But correlation does not prove cause and effect. It wasn’t until we had controlled experiments like the Women’s Health Initiative that we learned Premarin (hormone replacement therapy) was killing women, not saving them.
A new study “proving” that vitamins kill people is hitting front pages and news broadcasts across the country. This study does not prove anything.
This latest study from the Archives of Internal Medicine of 38,772 women found that “several commonly used dietary vitamin and mineral supplements may be associated with increased total mortality”. The greatest risk was from taking iron after menopause (which no doctor would ever recommend in a non-menstruating human without anemia).
The word “may” is critical here, because science is squirrelly. You only get the answers to the questions you ask. And in this case, they asked if there was an association between taking vitamins and death in older woman. This type of study is called an observational study or epidemiological study. It is designed to look for or “observe” correlations. Studies like these look for clues that should then lead to further research. They are not designed to be used to guide clinical medicine or public health recommendations. All doctors and scientists know that this type of study does not prove cause and effect.
How Vitamins Save Money and Save Lives
Overwhelming basic science and experimental data support the use of nutritional supplements for the prevention of disease and the support of optimal health. The Lewin Group estimated a $24 billion savings over 5 years if a few basic nutritional supplements were used in the elderly. Extensive literature reviews in the Journal of the American Medical Association and the New England Journal of Medicine also support this view. Interventional trials have proven benefit over and over again.
The concept that nutritional supplements “could be harmful” to women flies in the face of all reasonable facts from both intervention trials and outcome studies published over the past 40 years. Recent trials published within the last two years indicate that modest nutritional supplementation in middle age women found their telomeres didn’t shorten. Keeping your teleomeres (the little end caps on your DNA) long is the hallmark of longevity and reduced risk of disease.
A plethora of experimental controlled studies — which are the gold standard for proving cause and effect — over the last few years found positive outcomes in many diseases. These include the use of calcium and vitamin D in women with bone loss; folic acid in people with cervical dysplasia (pre-cancerous lesions); iron for anemics, B-complex vitamins to improve cognitive function, zinc; vitamin C, E, and carotenoids to lower the risk of macular degeneration, and folate and vitamin B12 to treat depression. This is but a handful of examples. There are many more.
Why Most Vitamin Studies are Flawed
There is another important thing to understand about clinical trials that review the utility of vitamins in the treatment of disease. The studies that show harm are often designed like drugs studies. For example, a study may use a high dose of vitamin E and see what happens. This is actually a prescient example also explored in recent media. Studies recently found that high doses of vitamin E and selenium didn’t prevent prostate cancer and may increase risk. What this study didn’t explore properly was the true biochemical nature of vitamin E and selenium. These nutrients work as antioxidants by donating an electron to protect or repair a damaged molecule or DNA. Once this has happened the molecules become oxidants that can cause more damage if not supported by the complex family of antioxidants used in the human body. It’s sort of like passing a hot potato. If you don’t keep passing it you will get burned. This study simply failed to take this into account.
Nature doesn’t work by giving you only one thing. We all agree that broccoli is good for you, but if that were all you ate you would die in short order. The same is true of vitamins. Nutrients are not drugs and they can’t be studied as drugs. They are part of a biological system where all nutrients work as a team to support your biochemical processes.
Michael Jordon may have been the best basketball player in history, but he couldn’t have won six NBA titles without a team.
Obesity is Linked to Malnutrition
The tragedy of media attention on poor studies like these is that they undermine possible solutions to some of the modern health epidemics we are facing today, and they point attention away from the real drivers of disease.
Take the case of obesity for example. Paradoxically Americans are becoming both more obese and more nutrient deficient at the same time. Obese children eating processed foods are nutrient depleted and increasingly get scurvy and rickets, diseases we thought were left behind in the 19th and 20th centuries.
After treating over 15,000 patients and performing extensive nutritional testing on them, it is clear Americans suffer from widespread nutrient deficiencies including vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, folate, and omega 3 fats. This is supported by the government’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data on our population. In fact 13% of our population is vitamin C deficient.
Scurvy in Americans in 2011? Really? But if all you eat is processed food – and many Americans do— then you will be like the British sailors of the 17th century and get scurvy.
Unfortunately negative studies on vitamins get huge media attention, while the fact that over 100,000 Americans die and 2.2 million suffer serious adverse reactions from medication use in hospitals when used as prescribed is quietly ignored. Did you know that anti-inflammatories like aspirin and ibuprofen kill more people every year than AIDS or asthma or leukemia?
Flaws with the “Vitamins Kill You” Study
So what’s the bottom line on this study on vitamins in older white women in Iowa?
After a careful reading of this new study a number of major flaws were identified.
Hormone replacement was not taken into consideration. Overall the women who took vitamins were a little healthier and probably more proactive about their health, which led them to use hormone replacement more often (based on recommendations in place when this study was done). 13.5% of vitamin users also used hormones, while 7.2% of non-vitamin users took hormones. Remember the Women’s Health Initiative Study I mentioned above? It was a randomized controlled trial that found hormone therapy dramatically increases risk of heart attack, stroke, breast cancer, and death. In this Iowa women’s study on vitamins, the degree of the effect of harm noted from the vitamins was mostly insignificant for all vitamins except iron (see below) and calcium (which showed benefit contradicting many other studies). In fact, the rates of death in this study were lower than predicted for women using hormone therapy, so in fact the vitamins may have been protective but the benefit of vitamins was drowned out because of the harmful effects of hormones in the vitamin users.
Iron should not be given to older women. Older women should never take iron unless they have anemia. Iron is a known oxidant and excess iron causes oxidative stress and can lead to cardiovascular disease and more. This is no surprise, and should not make you stop taking a multivitamin. If you are an older woman, you simply need to look for one without iron. Most women’s vitamins do not contain it anyway.
Patient background was ignored. In this observational study it was not known why people started supplements. Perhaps it was because of a decline in their health and thus they may have had a higher risk of death or disease that wasn’t associated with the vitamins they were taking at all. If you had a heart attack or cancer and then started taking vitamins, of course you are more likely to die than people without heart attacks or cancer.
The population was not representative. The study looked only at older white women – clearly not representative of the whole population. This makes it impossible to generalize the conclusions. Especially if you are an obese young African American male eating the average American diet.
Forms and quality of vitamins were not identified. There was no accounting for the quality or forms or dosages of the vitamins used. Taking vitamins that have biologically inactive or potentially toxic forms of nutrients may limit any benefit observed. For example synthetic folic acid can cause cancer, while natural folate is protective.
A realistic comparison between vitamins and other medications as cause of death was not made. 0ver 100,000 people die every year from properly prescribed medication in hospitals. These are not mistakes, but drugs taken as recommended. And that doesn’t include out of hospital deaths. The CDC recently released a report that showed in 2009, the annual number of deaths (37,485) caused by improper/overprescribing and poor to non-existent monitoring of the use of tranquilizers, painkillers and stimulant drugs by American physicians now exceeds both the number of deaths from motor vehicle accidents (36,284) and firearms (31,228).
In short, this recent study confuses not clarifies, and it has only served up a dose of media frenzy and superficial analysis. It has left the consumer afraid, dazed, bewildered and reaching for their next prescription drug.
Please, be smart, don’t stop taking your vitamins. Every American needs a good quality multivitamin, vitamin D and omega-3 fat supplement. It is part of getting a metabolic tune up and keeping your telomeres long!
For more information on getting a metabolic tune up see www.drhyman.com.

To your good health,
Mark Hyman, MD

WHERE DOES YOUR HEAD HURT?

2012-01-18T19:03:00.000-06:00

· If your head hurts behind the right eye, it can be caused by an iron deficiency. Try liquid chlorophyll or chelated iron.

· Behind the left eye, headache pain can indicate a zinc deficiency.

· A headache in the back of the head can be caused from drinking coffee and indicates a choline deficiency.

· Black Cohosh can cause headaches at the base of the skull as result of too much estrogen. Examine your diet and make changes to eliminate xenoestrogen contamination.

· A headache above the eyes usually is related to sinuses. Tei Fu is useful for quick relief.

· When there is headache pain on the top of the head, it may be from a pineal in need of feeding. Wood Betonycan address this. Sleep in complete darkness.

· If you press the fontanel (soft spot on the top of your head) and feel pain, support the liver. Sensitivity when squeezing earlobes also indicates a need for liver support. Try Milk Thistle for the liver.

· If headache pain is behind the left ear, supplement with potassium.

· A headache behind the left ear may show a need for sodium (not table salt). One of the best sources of sodium is spirulina. NSP sea salt can supply useful trace minerals.

· A headache caused by drinking alcohol may be due to a deficiency of l-glutamine. Kudzu/St. John’s Wort Concentrate can relieve alcohol cravings and break an addiction to alcohol.

· A smoker’s headache can indicate a deficiency of niacin.

January Special 10% off protein powder nutritional beverages

2012-01-11T07:05:00.002-06:00

Having been a nutritional counselor for 10 years, I have run across many products and have been able to find what I believe are some of the best products on the market! Since many of us have made resolutions for improved health, I want to offer 10% off of 2 fantastic protein powder products that I carry in my office-Optima Lean and Nutri Burn-read below for details!

OptimaLean protein powder is a nutritional beverage (chocolate and strawberry banana flavors) that provides macro- and micro-nutrients in proportions carefully chosen to support improved body composition and weight loss or maintenance. OptimaLean should be taken in conjunction with at least one balanced meal per day comprised of fresh whole fruits, vegetables, dairy, protein, and grains.
This advanced formula contains: Chromium to inhibit synthesis of new fat from carbohydrates; Phaseolamin to reduce carbohydrate absorbtion; Green Tea Extract to enhance cellular energy metabolism and to protect cells with its antioxidant properties; and Alpha-ketoglutarate to support muscle protein synthesis.

OptimaLean can be used alone or with diet and exercise as recommended by your healthcare practitioner, and as a balanced part of any weight loss plan.

• Enhance fat loss while preserving lean tissue
• Provide therapeutic levels of B vitamins
• Enhance fat metabolism
• Support the body in maintaining proper sugar balance

Nutriburn
Chocolate Flavored, Lactose-Free, Whey Protein Drink Mix
Athletes, active people and those looking for a meal replacement often desire extra protein in the diet to help build and repair muscle tissue. NSP Nutri-Burn Protein Drink Mix supplies pure whey protein and calcium caseinate protein for a powerful, muscle-building, meal replacement supplement.
Benefits:
• Promotes lean muscle mass and fat-burning.
• Provides 25 grams of lactose-free whey protein per serving.
• Helps boost energy levels.
• Provides 60 percent or more of the Daily Value of 14 essential vitamins and minerals.
• Goes down easily with great-tasting chocolate and vanilla flavors.
How It Works
Nutri-Burn provides essential nutrients to support metabolism while allowing additional energy needs to be met by the body's fat stores. Whey protein and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) enhance the buildup of lean muscle mass while other ingredients, including green tea, help boost energy levels and increase lypolysis.
Nutri-Burn’s protein matrix contains an optimal blend of both whey protein and calcium caseinate protein. Whey protein releases quickly into the body and is best for fast, efficient muscle building and repair. Ideally, you should consume whey protein within 45 minutes of exercise. Calcium caseinate offers a sustained release of amino acids and may help curb appetite longer than whey protein.
Nature's Sunshine Products (NSP) Avantage
Nutri-Burn’s patented whey protein matrix is cross-flow filtered and then filtered twice more. Ultra-filtration removes all lactose and impurities, while maintaining the integrity of the whey protein and preserving its inherent amino acid profile. The result is high-quality, lactose-free whey protein that is easily assimilated and ready for the body to use for muscle repair and energy.
NSP Nutri-Burn contains proprietary plant enzymes that help break down protein molecules into smaller, more easily absorbed amino acids. This helps the body more efficiently use the protein, and helps to reduce gastrointestinal distress sometimes associated with protein supplementation. Nutri-Burn also contains one gram of prebiotic fiber (short chain fructo-oligosaccharides) per serving, which is known to help maintain gut health.
Scientific Support
Whey protein provides essential amino acids and has the highest biological value of any protein supplement. Studies have shown that CLA, an ingredient in Nutri-Burn, helps increase lean body mass. L-carnitine is important for fat burning.

Call or email us today for 10% off of these great protein shakes in our office-through the month of January. Also check out our redesigned website at www.breathoflifeonline.com
Breath of Life 615-400-7034 or breathoflife@comcast.net

Are you too tired to sleep??

2011-12-07T08:09:00.001-06:00

Are you too tired to sleep??

Order these products through my website www.breathoflifeonline.com, click product lines, Nature's sunshine.

Adrenal Exhaustion and Insomnia

by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

Have you ever been so tired that you couldn’t sleep? It sounds like a paradox, but the body need energy to be able to relax and fall asleep and when energy levels are too low, sleep is disturbed.

Most parents have seen this happen with their children. The children get so tired and agitated that they won’t go to bed, but when you finally have a confrontation they drop from exhaustion. They were tired, but their stress level was too high to allow them to fall asleep.

In adults, this state of nervous fatigue is usually brought on by a bout of chronic, unremitting stress, which results in adrenal exhaustion. This state is characterized by fatigue during the day coupled by restless and disturbed sleep. Unlike the agitated child, however, the adult suffering from adrenal exhaustion doesn’t have problems falling asleep; they have problems staying asleep.

This kind of insomnia really compounds a person’s stress level because they know they are tired, they know they need sleep, but they just aren’t able to get the deep sleep they need. This creates more fatigue, greater stress and continued sleep disturbance. It’s a vicious cycle that must be broken to begin the healing process.

Energy Storage and Discharge

To understand this problem better, we need to start by understanding how energy works in the body, and one of the best analogies is a rechargeable battery. When a battery is being recharged, it is building up a store of electrical energy. When a battery is working, it is discharging this stored energy to run a computer, camera, cell phone or other device.

Like the battery, the body stores energy and then discharges it in work and activity. Energy is stored when we relax, rest and sleep. Energy is discharged when we work and play. When we think of having more energy, we generally associate it with expending or discharging more energy, not with storing more energy, and that's where we develop problems.

When people feel tired and want to continue to push themselves, they reach for stimulants, like caffeine and refined sugar. The temporary energy boost a person feels from using stimulants isn't a sign that the stimulants gave us energy. They didn't! Instead, they caused us to dig deeper into the body’s energy reserves. So, the stimulation didn't create (or store) more energy —it simply caused us to discharge more energy. Over time, our biological "batteries" start to become permanently drained so there is no reserve power left.

We can turn again to our analogy of a battery to understand this. With repeated use, rechargeable batteries can reach a point where they no longer hold an energy charge. (I'm acutely aware of this fact, having replaced many dead (and very expensive) laptop batteries. That’s what it's like when your adrenals get exhausted and you start suffering from nervous exhaustion. Your body is so depleted that it can't store enough energy to keep you going. You’re constantly running on depleted biological batteries.

Rest and Relaxation
Recharge Your Batteries

Right now, take note of how relaxed or tense your body is. Tension is a sign of fatigue, while relaxation is a sign of good energy reserves. Here’s why:

Your muscles expend energy when they contract. When you’re physically working, you are contracting muscles. In order to relax again, the muscle must rebuild an energy charge. When the energy of a muscle becomes too depleted, it cramps. It can’t return to the relaxed (energetically-charged) state because it's too nutritionally depleted.

This means that when someone is really tense, nervous, high strung and running around like the proverbial headless chicken, they're really exhausted. It is the relaxed person, whose body is holding onto a high energy charge. They are not discharging as much energy, but they have a more fully charged biological battery.

When you’re so exhausted you can’t sleep, it’s because your internal battery has become so drained it has lost its storage capacity. It can’t hold an energy charge anymore, which is why you’re both tired and unable to relax. The ability to relax and the ability to feel energized go hand in hand.

Stretch and Increase Your Magnesium

In order to rebuild your energy when you’re suffering from nervous fatigue or adrenal exhaustion, you’ve got to help your body relax so it can increase it’s energy storage capacity. One way of doing this is to do tai chi, yoga or simple stretching exercises to elongate your muscles. This immediately increases your body’s capacity to store energy.

You’ll probably also want to supplement your diet with more magnesium. Next to Vitamin D3 deficiency, magnesium is the most common nutrient deficiency in North America. About 70% of the population is magnesium deficient.

Muscles exchange calcium and magnesium ions as they expand and contract. Calcium aids contraction and magnesium aids relaxation. Magnesium is also needed in the mitochondria of the cells for energy production.

When you’re deficient in magnesium, you can’t relax and you can’t rebuild energy. Little things get on your nerves easily and you are more sensitive to noises like dripping faucets, ticking clocks and other small sounds you would normally filter out.

I find that 800 to 1,000 milligrams (4-5 capsules) of Magnesium Complex is what most people need to start getting their tense, exhausted body to start relaxing. This is assuming that they aren't taking any calcium. If they are, then they may need even more magnesium.

A small amount of calcium can be taken when one is tense and exhausted, but this should be taken at bedtime. Liquid Calcium, in particular, helps calm the nerves and can promote sleep when taken before bed. Liquid Calcium contains some magnesium, but you want to make sure that you’re taking at least twice the amount of magnesium with any calcium your are taking.

Nervous Fatigue Formula

When it comes to correcting insomnia caused by chronic stress and adrenal exhaustion, nothing beats Nervous Fatigue Formula. This blend of Chinese herbs is for deficient “fire” in the body, a similar metaphor to the idea of being “burned-out.”

Specifically, Nervous Fatigue Formula treats yin deficiency in the heart. Yang energy is the manifest energy, the energy we discharge. Yin energy is the body's energy stores or reserves. When yin energy is depleted we lack an internal energy charge, making us tired and agitated at the same time.

There are several very specific signs I look for that indicate a person needs Nervous Fatigue Formula. First is the fatigue during the day coupled with insomnia at night. I also ask about problems like confusion, loss of short term memory, reduced sex drive and emotional sensitivity.

Typically the person feels like they “just can’t take it anymore.”

I also look for a tongue that quivers or shakes a lot. This indicates adrenal fatigue. The tongue is often a pale red color or pale with a red tip.

If the person is stressed enough I may use Adrenal Support, instead of Nervous Fatigue Formula. I usually muscle test to see which one will work better for a given individual.

The dose for Nervous Fatigue Formula is four capsules of the regular formula or one of the concentrate two or three times daily. The dose for Adrenal Support is one capsule once or twice daily.

Most of the time I find that taking Nervous Fatigue Formula or Adrenal Support has the person feeling better in a matter of a few days. They are sleeping better and have more energy to cope with life. Of course, it can also help to teach them good stress management skills.

Diffusers 10% off in December!

2011-12-01T16:48:00.001-06:00

In the month of December, we are offering our essential oil diffusers at 10% off the regular price of $95.50. Here is some information about the benefits of essential oils-a diffuser is a great way to disperse the aroma in your home or office!

Essential Oil molecules are the smallest molecules of all matter, less than 500 atomic mass units. They have the ability to penetrate the so called “Blood-Brain Barrier.” When you inhale oil molecules into the back passages of your nose, they go straight to the brain in a central part called the amygdala or diencephalon, in other words: the headquarters of the limbic system.

This system is the area of your brain that manages the storage and filing system for all your emotional experiences, similar to the same way the file manager in your computer manages your computer’s files. When we have an emotional experience, especially a traumatic or painful one, the amygdala assigns a part of your body to remember that experience until you are ready to deal with it. Much like when we get our tax return in the mail, we file it to avoid having to deal with it right away. So, what happens if we keep our tax return filed and do not deal with it? We will get another notice in the mail, more expensive and more painful! In the same way, emotions that are not dealt with will probably keep repeating in our life, more and more painfully, until we become brave and learn to deal with them once and for all.

Although we might not be very selective deciding where we are going to file our Income Tax Return, (we just want to be rid of it), the amygdala has a very efficient filing system. Each organ of the human body has a specific vibrational frequency as does each emotion. The amygdala sends the emotion to be filed to a place in our body that matches the exact vibrational frequency of that specific emotion. That is why we can carry anger blockages in the liver, stress blockages in the stomach, fear blockages in the kidneys and so on. Those emotions that are not dealt with, sooner or later, will resurface to give us another opportunity to learn from it. Furthermore, the blockages stored in our organs, glands and systems, lower our body’s vibrational frequency. When our vibrational frequency drops below a certain point, disease may occur.

Dr. Rachel Sarah Herz, the Assistant Professor of Psychology at Brown University, researches the connection between the sense of smell and memory. She believes that the only way to stimulate the amygdala is with fragrance, or the sense of smell. The olfactory nerve synapses are routed directly into the amygdala, in the limbic system, which is associated with memory and emotion. She stated that her studies led her to believe that emotions are so linked to smell, that if we did not have the sense of smell we would not have emotions.

We know a lot about essential oil characteristics thanks to Tainio Technology (an independent division of Eastern State University in Cheny, Washington). Tainio has developed the first frequency monitor and has done experiments measuring the frequency of different substances. Tainio’s experiment measured the frequency of several essential oils, and the result was just astonishing! For example: Rose oil has a frequency of 320 Mhz, the highest of all known substances, lavender 118 Mhz, ravensara 134 Mhz, thieves 150 Mhz, juniper 98 Mhz and peppermint 78 Mhz.

Tainio’s work has also determined that the average frequency of the human body during the daytime is 62-68 Mhz. (A healthy body frequency is 62-72 Mhz.) In Tanio’s frequency experiments the effects of coffee, were measured. It was found that even holding a cup of coffee lowers one’s bodily frequency by 8 MHz and that taking a sip can lower one’s frequency by 14 MHz. The same experiment also shows that when essential oils are inhaled following the exposure to coffee, the bodily frequencies restore themselves in less than a minute, but if no oils are administered, it can take up to three days for the body to recover from even one drink of coffee.

Great Quote

2011-11-29T19:52:00.000-06:00

“The work of the doctor will, in the future, be ever more that of an educator, and ever less that of a man who treats aliments.” Lord Horder MD

Read about the BioMat

2011-11-17T10:19:00.000-06:00

Check out my personal BioMat website to see why we are SO excited about what the BioMat is doing for our clients!
http://tibishop.thebiomatcompany.com

Emotional Cleansing is 10% off in November

2011-11-05T07:32:00.000-05:00

It is estimated that at least 85 to 90% (if not more) of all physical
problems have psychological roots. We all know that tension can cause
headaches, fear can causing breathing restrictions, nervousness can cause
sweaty palms, etc. It is clear that there is a relationship between our
emotional and our physical self. Our emotions affect the physical body.
Emotional healing has the potential to go a long way towards physical
healing.

Emotional and Physical Connection
The IQS technology is such a wonderful tool for finding out just what is
needed to bring the physical body into balance-if it works so well with our
physical body, why not with our emotional patterns as well? This was a
thought I had while attending a workshop on electrodermal screening. As I
began to pray about it, the protocol began to unfold in my mind-and I knew
just who the perfect person would be to train for this important task!!
Kara Wolfe has been a client of mine for most of the years I have been in
practice and many experiences in her journey have made her particularly in
tune with how emotions in the body may block optimal health. In the summer
of 2009 I trained her in this technique of emotional cleansing. Kara uses
the IQS technology to determine which emotions may be causing her client’s
concerns, she works with the computer to determine specific homeopathic
remedies, essential oil blends and nutritional supplements for a completely
individualized program for each client. After working with clients for
several years, she has developed a variety of protocols for assessing each
person’s unique needs. We have seen AMAZING results and are offering 10%
off this month. Call today to schedule your appointment 615-400-7034.

The information provided here is for educational purposes only, and
is not intended as diagnosis, treatment or prescription for any disease. The
decision to use, or not to use, any of this information is the sole
responsibility of the reader. Please consult with a licensed health care
practitioner if you are dealing with a serious disease or illness

October Special-10% off BioMat sessions-singles & packages

2011-10-01T12:51:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to offer 10% off all of our BioMat sessions in the month of October-I have personally been very blessed by using the BioMat for a period of about 6 months-I feel less tired, have less aches and pains, I sleep better and I feel like my thinking is clearer-I am also pleased to see the results my clients have had-some have immediate pain relief and others have a general greater sense of well being, along with better sleep, less stress, and quicker healing.
Regularly priced at $300 for FIVE 1 hour sessions (single 1 hour sessions $70) and $200 for FIVE half hour sessions (single half hour sessions $50) or ask us about purchasing a BioMat for YOUR home available through our office.
Call or email us today if you would like to schedule an appointment: 615-400-7034 or breathoflife@comcast.net

What is the BioMat??
Remarkable health benefits through advanced technology
Developed by NASA, the core of BioMat technology is a combination of far infrared rays, negative ion effects and the conductive properties of amethyst channels. These three powerful health stimulators are combined in a single, easy-to-use product with remarkable healing properties. The BioMat delivers soothing, deep-penetrating heat while stimulating the regeneration of damaged cells in your body. It’s a safe and natural way to achieve optimal health now and maintain a stronger, more resilient body in the future. This highly effective therapy is now available to anyone who want to improve health and well-being with products based on Nobel prize-winning scientific research pioneered by NASA and developed using pure, natural materials.

BioMat products provide great benefits to absolutely anyone. Whether you need to release stress, detoxify your body or you have health issues, simply lying on the BioMat promotes a feeling of well-being for a healthier mind and body.

Benefits of the BioMat
• Helps reduce stress and fatigue
• Helps relieve anxiety and promotes relaxation
• Often improves sleep patterns
• Aids in reducing inflammation
• Eases joint pain and stiffness
• Provides warm, soothing pain relief
• Assists in eliminating toxins in the body
• Improves blood circulation
• Helps to alleviate migraines and tension headaches
• Improves immune system function
• Improves cardiovascular health
• Burns calories and controls weight
• Improves muscle tone and skin quality

Safe, tested and third-party certified
The technology at the core of all BioMat products has been clinically proven to address a wide range of common health and wellness issues, including stress, insomnia, tissue damage, post-surgical healing and scar reduction, joint and muscle soreness, chronic neck and back pain, toxic deposits and oxidation levels, inflammation and arthritis, and circulatory issues.
Whether you seek soothing relief from chronic pain, prevention of disease and degeneration, or enhancement of your relaxation and meditation activities, the BioMat can take your physical and mental well-being to the next level.

Thermography at our office September 15

2011-09-08T14:01:00.000-05:00

Breast Health Awareness with Thermography Screening

Breath of Life and Thermography Limited are dedicated to providing one of the most
essential tests in breast cancer risk assessment and early detection. June will be in our office again on Thursday September 15-call her now to schedule!

Breast thermography is medical infrared imaging that has the ability to warn women up
to 10 years before any other procedure that a cancer may be forming. It is a sensitive
non-invasive screening that does not involve radiation or compression of the breast. It
is well suited for younger women, women with dense or fibrocystic breasts and those
with breast implants. Breast thermography offers all women a sensitive non-invasive (no
radiation and painless) addition to their regular breast health check-ups beginning with
baseline screening at age 20.

Unlike many after-the-fact imaging technologies in use, breast thermography has
the ability to give a warning signal in advance of invasive tumor growth. Additionally,
instead of just screening for breast cancer, a thermogram can tell you how healthy the
breasts are. It also has the potential to truly detect breast cell anomalies long before
mammography can detect cancer. This allows one to implement lifestyle changes
that can improve the health of the breasts proactively instead of waiting for a cancer
diagnosis later.

Every woman should know her risk for breast cancer. With proper risk assessment that
includes different testing modalities, the patient is able to determine her risk factors and
develop an action plan on how to improve the breast tissue or even reverse the existing
developments. The current accepted “after the fact” strategy of mammogram screening
is not enough to protect women from breast cancer. Thermal imaging should be an
important factor in every woman’s regular breast health care.

Combined with an unprecedented role in risk assessment, breast thermography offers
women information that no other procedure can provide. Studies show that the earliest
detection is realized when a multiple testing approach to screening is taken. This
multimodal approach may include breast self-examinations, physical breast exams by a
doctor, mammography, thermography, and ultrasound.

June Carver Drennon is the founder of Thermography Ltd. She received her certification
as a Clinical Thermographer from the American College of Clinical Thermography.
The website is www.thermographylimited.com Breast screenings are $250 and, upper
body $400. Please contact June Drennon at 423-756-2443 or toll free, 866-991-4714 to
schedule your appointment.

Have you ever considered Reiki?

2011-09-02T10:41:00.003-05:00

Announcing Bari Horton, Reiki Master Therapist. She is practicing in our office. If you’re not familiar with Reiki, I invite you to go to her website: www.FranklinReiki.com or join her on Facebook at Franklin Reiki Bari Horton. She is offering an amazing INTRODUCTORY OFFER THROUGH THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER - $40 per one hour session, a $25 savings from the regular $65 per session. Here’s a little of what Reiki can do for you:
Reiki is a safe and natural method of healing and self-improvement and will benefit anyone. It has been effective in helping with virtually every known human condition. You may use it in conjunction with other medical and therapeutic methods to relieve side effects and to promote healing.
Reiki brings back your natural balance, restores your energy centers, and fosters healing. Reiki helps improve weakened states of your physical, mental and spiritual being by infusing the universal life force energy throughout your entire body.
So if you are experiencing any mental or creative blocks, have any physical ailments, are post-surgery, or are just in need of a boost, Reiki is a great place to find your own peace and balance.
Please contact Bari at Bari@FranklinReiki.com or 615.519.7992 to set an appointment today!

A different look at flu season

2011-09-01T10:01:00.000-05:00

Vitamin D: The Super Supplement

Vitamin D is safe and effective for the prevention and treatment of seasonal and H1N1 flus. The scientific research is clear. Yet CDC, FDA, NIH, and HHS continue to tow the vaccine only line, working in close partnership with vaccine manufacturers who will make billions of dollars and who have been shielded from any liability by Congress.

This obsession with a vaccine approach makes little sense given the lack of time to test the vaccine for safety and efficacy and the challenge of producing enough vaccine on time. It makes even less sense when there are natural ways to prevent and treat the illness that have been thoroughly validated by science.

We are all familiar with the adaptive immune response. Our bodies mount a defense against a new invader and then maintain antibodies against future attacks by the same invader. This is exactly how vaccines are meant to work. But for such an immune response to work, your own immune system has to be primed and ready to do its job. Good nutrition is critical for this. Vitamin D-3 is especially critical. Your immune system will not work without it.

Common sense tells us that what we eat will strengthen or weaken our immune systems. But even the best diet will not give us the amount of Vitamin D needed for the immune system to reach its full potential.

What Exactly Does Vitamin D Do?

When Vitamin D is lacking, we become a prime target for flu. By contrast, those with sufficient levels of Vitamin D are able to fight off or throw off these attacking pathogens. Vitamin D boosts the innate immune response in many ways, but in particular by turning on an antimicrobial protein.

Vitamin D also balances the immune response, preventing inflammation that can lead to flu-related complications such as bacterial pneumonia or lung infection. Inflammation was the leading cause of deaths in the 1918 influenza pandemic.

Our Vitamin-D mediated immune response has been with us through more than 60 million years of pre-human and human evolutionary selection. It must be critical to our survival, according to researchers at Ohio State University .

Flu is at least in part a Vitamin D deficiency disease. But the benefits of this wonder supplement go far beyond the flu. As John Cannell, MD, founder of the non-profit Vitamin D Counsel, has noted: “Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.” We join the Vitamin D Council in urging our government to break its silence about this wonder supplement.

Thermography at Breath of Life

2011-08-30T07:24:00.000-05:00

We had a great response in August and are pleased to offer thermography again on September 15. To schedule, see June's contact info below:

BENEFITS OF THERMOGRAPHY

APPROVED BY THE FDA * NO PAIN OR RADIATION

NO CONTACT WITH YOUR BODY * AFFORDABLE AND NON-INVASIVE

Every woman should know her risk for breast cancer. Early detection can prolong life expectancy, however if cancer has been detected early it would mean that one already has cancer. Prevention should take precedence over detection. Prevention means not getting cancer in the first place
Thermography is a valuable procedure for alerting your health care provider to changes that can indicate early stage breast disease. When changes are detected early, prior to actual tissue disease, the abnormal process can be reversed with holistic treatments resulting in the disease not developing. Thermal imaging should be an important factor in every woman’s regular breast health care. This is the best use of preventative medicine.

Appointments Available At

Breath of Life

September 15th

June Carver Drennon

Certified Clinical Thermographer from the

American College of Clinical Thermography

BREAST $250 – UPPER BODY $400 – REGION OF INTEREST $100-250

For scheduling call June at 866-991-4714 * june@thermographyltd.com * www.thermographyltd.com

Essential Oils Sale

2011-08-28T10:09:00.000-05:00

Come by our office at 1014 Fulton Greer Lane in Franklin for 10% off all of our in stock essential oils now through Sept 30. Call us for more info 615-400-7034

Here's some info on five amazing oils and what to do with them:

One drop of oil = 1 oz of herb-oils are potent medicine!!

LAVENDER - (Lavandula angustifolia) is the most versatile of all essential oils. It is one of the few oils that can be used without diluting.
Therapeutic-grade lavender has been highly regarded for the skin. It may be used to cleanse cuts, bruises and skin irritations. Put a drop of Lavender oil on a bee sting or insect bite to stop itching and reduce swelling. Apply 2-3 drops of Lavender oil to a rash to stop the itching and heal the skin. Put 2-3 drops of Lavender oil on a minor burn to decrease pain. Spritz several drops of Lavender oil mixed with distilled water on a sunburn to decrease pain. Drop Lavender oil on a cut to stop the bleeding, clean the wound, and kill bacteria. Mix several drops of Lavender oil with Vegetable Oil and use topically on eczema. and dermatitis. Rub Lavender oil on dry or chapped skin or lips. To reduce or minimize the formation of scar tissue, massage Lavender oil on and around the area. Rub 2 - 4 drops of Lavender oil over the armpit area to act as a deodorant. Rub several drops of Lavender oil into the scalp to help eliminate dandruff. Put a drop of Lavender oil on a cold sore. Lavender has been clinically evaluated for its relaxing effects. The fragrance is calming, relaxing and balancing - physically and emotionally. Rub Lavender oil on the feet for a calming effect on the body. Rub a drop of Lavender oil on your palms and smooth on your pillow to help you sleep. To alleviate the symptoms of motion sickness, place a drop of Lavender oil on the end of the tongue or around the naval or behind the ears.
To stop a nosebleed, put a drop of Lavender oil on a tissue and wrap it around a small chip of ice. Push the tissue covered ice chip up under the middle of the top lip to the base of the nose and hold as long as comfortable or until the bleeding stops (do not freeze the lip or gum). Rub a drop of Lavender oil over the bridge of the nose to unblock tear ducts. Rub a drop of Lavender oil between your palms and inhale deeply to help alleviate the symptoms of hay fever. Diffuse Lavender oil in the air to alleviate the symptoms of allergies.

PEPPERMINT - (Mentha piperita) is one of the oldest and most highly-regarded
herbs for soothing digestion. Rub 4-6 drops in the palm and rub over stomach and around the navel to relieve indigestion, flatulence and diarrhea. Massage several drops of peppermint oil on the abdomen to relieve nausea. Add a drop of Peppermint oil to herbal tea to aid in digestion and relieve heartburn. Rub 4 drops on chest and stomach to relieve travel sickness.
Massage several drops of Peppermint oil on the area of injury to reduce inflammation. Apply immediately to an injured area (bruised shin, hit on the foot or hand) to relieve pain. If there is a cut, apply the Peppermint oil around (not on) the open wound. Mix Peppermint oil in a footbath to help relieve your sore feet. Rub Peppermint oil on joints to relieve arthritis or tendonitis pain. Rub several drops of Peppermint oil on the bottoms of the feet to reduce fever. Apply a drop of Peppermint oil topically on unbroken skin to stop itching. For poison ivy or poison oak, apply Peppermint oil on location undiluted or dilute with Vegetable Oil.
Inhale Peppermint oil before and during a workout to boost your mood and reduce fatigue. To relieve a headache, rub a drop of Peppermint oil on the temples, forehead, over the sinuses (stay away from the eyes) and on the back of the neck. Place two drops of peppermint oil on the tongue and rub under the nose to improve alertness and concentration. Diffuse Peppermint oil in the room while studying to improve concentration and accuracy. Inhale Peppermint oil while taking a test to improve recall. To stop hiccups, apply a drop of Peppermint oil on each side of the fifth cervical vertebra (up three notches from the large vertebra at the base of the neck). Place a drop of Peppermint oil in a cup of steaming water and inhale into the nose and sinuses to relieve congestion from a cold. Place a drop of Peppermint oil on the tongue to stop bad breath. Remove ticks by applying a drop of Peppermint oil on a cotton swab and swabbing the tick. Wait for it to unhinge its head and remove from your pet.
LEMON - (Citrus limon) has antiseptic-like properties and contains compounds that have been studied for their effects on immune function. CAUTION: Citrus oils should NOT be applied to skin that will be exposed to direct sunlight or ultraviolet light within 72 hours. Lemon oil has many household uses. Use 6 drops of Lemon oil in a squirt bottle mixed with distilled water to use in the bathroom as an air freshener. Use 1-2 drops of Lemon oil to remove gum, oil, grease spots or crayon. To clean and increase the shelf life of fresh fruit, fill a bowl with cool water and 2-3 drops of Lemon oil. Drop your cleaned fruit into the water and stir to be sure all surfaces of the fruit contact the lemon water. Add 2-3 drops of Lemon oil to water and spray counter tops to sterilize them. Rub a drop of Lemon oil on your hands after using a public bathroom. Use a paper towel soaked with several drops of Lemon oil to sanitize bathroom fixtures. Its fragrance is invigorating, enhancing and warming!
Rub a drop of Lemon oil on a corn, callous or bunion mornings and evenings. Place a drop of Lemon oil on cold sores, herpes or other mouth ulcers to lessen pain and aid healing. Put a drop of Lemon oil on bleeding gums caused by gingivitis or tooth extraction. Put a drop of Lemon oil on oily skin or acne to balance sebaceous glands (oil glands). Rub several drops of Lemon oil on cellulite to improve circulation and help eliminate waste from the cells. Rub several drops of Lemon oil on varicose veins to improve circulation and relieve pressure on the veins. Rub two drops of Lemon oil topically to clear athlete's foot. Rub a drop of Lemon oil on a wart morning and night until it disappears. It may serve as an insect repellent and may be beneficial for the skin. Drink a few drops in water daily to help balance your body’s pH.
.

RAVENSARA–(Ravensara aromatica) -another almost universal oil like lavender. Avoid use in pregnancy. Use it diluted with children and babies. Ravensara is very effective against throat and lung infections especially pneumonia and bronchitis. Rub diluted oil on the throat and chest in times of respiratory infection, especially colds. Ravensara is highly anti–viral. Use it to help with mono, shingles, muscle fatigue, asthma, bladder problems, scrapes and wounds. Ravensara is used in anxiety, stress and related illnesses, insomnia, nervous fatigue. It relieves depression, physical, mental distress. anguish and fears. It can be supportive to the adrenal glands so use it after prolonged stress! .
TEA TREE (Melaleuca alternifolia) Tea tree oil MUST be used highly diluted-it is very powerful!
Tea tree oil has been proven to be a powerful yet natural antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal medicine. It is being used as a very effective first aid remedy and against countless skin ailments, infections, cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites and skin spots etc. Tea tree oil is not just soothing and disinfecting, it is capable of penetrating into the lower skin layers with its anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, analgesic (pain-killing) and wound-healing qualities.
Tea tree oil is effective against nail fungus, ringworm, athlete's foot, dandruff, acne, blackheads and many types of infestations including lice, mites, scabies and mosquitoes etc...It has a diaphoretic effect - It promotes sweating - which enhances the body's own natural preventative response when threatened by infection.

Tea tree oil exhibits expectorant characteristics, which are especially beneficial in the case of throat or chest infections, having a generally soothing and clearing (mucus-expelling) effect on the entire respiratory tract. It is also effective against head colds.

BioMat results

2011-08-24T08:44:00.000-05:00

We are seeing amazing results-sometimes instant!, with the BioMat in our office. Here's more info:
BioMat products provide great benefits to absolutely anyone. Whether you need to release stress, detoxify your body or you have health issues, simply lying on the BioMat promotes a feeling of well-being for a healthier mind and body.

Benefits of the BioMat:

Reduces stress and fatigue

Relieves anxiety and promotes relaxation

Improves sleep patterns

Reduces inflammation

Eases joint pain and stiffness

Provides warm, soothing pain relief

Eliminates toxins in the body

Increases blood circulation

Alleviates migraines and tension headaches

Reduces allergy symptoms

Improves immune system function

Improves cardiovascular health

Burns calories and controls weight

Improves muscle tone and skin quality

Call or email us today to schedule an appointment: 615-400-7034 or breathoflife@comcast.net

Thermography August 18

2011-08-10T17:15:00.000-05:00

Thermography at Breath of Life August 18

To schedule call June at 866-991-4714

APPROVED BY THE FDA * NO PAIN OR RADIATION

NO CONTACT WITH YOUR BODY * AFFORDABLE AND NON-INVASIVE

Thermography is a valuable procedure for alerting your health care provider to changes that can indicate early stage breast disease. When changes are detected early, prior to actual tissue disease, the abnormal process can be reversed with holistic treatments resulting in the disease not developing. Thermal imaging should be an important factor in every woman’s regular breast health care. This is the best use of preventative medicine.

Appointments Available At

Breath of Life

August 18th

Sleep problems?

2011-08-09T06:53:00.000-05:00

Turn Out the Lights and
Let Melatonin Lull You to Sleep
by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

Insomnia is widespread in America. About one-half of all Americans suffer from some degree of insomnia and about one-third suffer from life-disrupting insomnia.
There are many causes of insomnia, but one of the reasons why insomnia may be such a big problem in modern society is artificial lighting. To understand why, let's take a look at how we fall asleep naturally.
Your pineal gland is part of an internal "clock" that helps to regulate sleep and wakefulness. The pineal gland is light sensitive, which is why it is sometimes referred to as the third eye. When it gets dark, the pineal gland starts to convert a neurotransmitter called serotonin into the hormone melatonin, which helps you fall asleep.
This means that increasing serotonin and/or melatonin levels in the brain at bedtime can aid sleep. It also means that we fall asleep better when it is dark.
The bad news is that even a 100 watt light bulb generates enough light to inhibit melatonin production and keep you awake. So, in this article, we'll explore the use of 5-HTP, melatonin and darkness in helping you get a good night's sleep. We'll start by looking at tryptophan, the precursor to melatonin.
Tryptophan and Carbohydrates
The creation of melatonin begins with an amino acid called tryptophan. The amount of serotonin in your brain is directly dependent on the amount of tryptophan that enters the brain.
Tryptophan is a very large amino acid, so when it has to compete with other amino acids in a high protein meal, only small amounts of tryptophan enter the brain. So eating heavy protein meals late at night inhibits sleep, although a light protein snack is fine.
What helps is to have a more carbohydrate-rich meal in the evening and a more protein-rich meal at breakfast. Of course, I'm talking about complex carbohdrates like vegetables and whole grains.
Most people do the opposite. They eat cereal and other carbohydrates for breakfast and heavy protein at night. It's clear that this is not the way the body was designed to eat, since hydrochloric acid levels (which are needed to digest protein) are highest in the morning and lowest in the evening.
So, if you want to sleep better eat your higher protein meal at breakfast and save your carbohydrate-laden meals for the evening. (It also helps to make sure you finish your evening meal at least three to four hours before bedtime. If you do eat late at night, take digestive enzymes to ensure that you digest your meal before you try to sleep.)
5-HTP, Serotonin and Melatonin
When tryptophan enters the brain it is converted to 5-HTP (5-hydroxy-tryptophan) and then into serotonin. 5-HTP is available as a supplement and can be used to directly increase serotonin levels in the brain. This makes it helpful for both depression and insomnia. To use 5-HTP for insomnia, you need to take it a couple of hours before bedtime so there is time for this conversion to take place.
In order to get the serotonin to convert to melatonin, you need to get things dark. So, about one-half hour before bedtime, dim all the lights and turn off the computer and the TV. Read with a reading lamp or listen to some music that helps you relax.
When you do go to bed, make your bedroom as dark as possible. Get dark drapes to block out street lights or other outside lights. If you can't do this, you may even want to try wearing a sleep mask. This will help the pineal start to convert the serotonin in your brain into melatonin.
The Pineal Gland and Sleep Cycles
When you go to bed at a regular time, it helps promote the production of melatonin. The body tends to get into a rhythm of sleep and wakefulness, so having a regular bedtime helps "set" your biological clock to start producing melatonin at bedtime.
Of course, when you change time zones, especially in international travel, this disrupts your biological clock and your cycles of sleep and wakefulness. Melatonin as a supplement can come in very handy in this situations because it can help to "reset" your biological clock.
When you arrive at your destination and it is time for bed, take melatonin and again, darken the room as much as possible. This will help you body adjust to the new sleep cycle.
The safety of melatonin for short term use is well-documented, however, since taking melatonin is a form of hormone replacement therapy, I don't recommend it for long term use. It's much safer to increase serotonin levels naturally and use darkness to create melatonin.

Elevate Rx homeopathy

2011-07-18T06:44:00.000-05:00

Depression can be debilitating. Those who suffer from it struggle to get through daily activities. Many take prescription medications which help relieve symptoms. Now there is a natural way to integrate these prescription medications with homeopathic remedies. Elevate RxS combines the best aspects of integrative medicine into a comprehensive solution that is designed to be taken in conjunction with a patient’s prescribed treatment. It contains ingredients that complement and support prescription antidepressants in four ways:

Reinforce medication action

Elevate RxS contains ingredients chosen to support antidepressants as they work to improve the brain’s neurotransmitter function.

Reduce medication side effects

Elevate RxS contains homeopathic ingredients to support the relief of any negative side effects caused by antidepressant medications.

Relieve underlying symptoms

Elevate RxS was created with homeopathic ingredients traditionally used to treat some of the symptoms typical of depression.

Regulate core body systems

Elevate RxS contains homeopathic ingredients to regulate brain function and support other body functions that have become unbalanced and that may be contributing to the overall issue.

Neurotransmitters and Depression

Antidepressant prescription medications work in one of two ways: They either help the brain release more neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, or norephinephrine, or help the brain reuse (reuptake)

neurotransmitters that have already been released. Elevate RxS reinforces the action of these medications with ingredients that support the body to stimulate, regulate, and modulate neurotransmitter function.

Antidepressants and Side Effects

All medications have side effects, and people who take antidepressants may complain of tiredness, trouble sleeping, digestive problems, weight gain, or low sex drive. Elevate RxS reduces these medication side effects with homoepathic ingredients traditionally used to support the body in relieving these problems.

Symptoms of Depression

The debilitating symptoms of depression keep people from enjoying life. Thoughts of death or suicide, sadness, loss of pleasure, and insomnia are common symptoms for those who suffer from this disease. Elevate RxS includes ingredients that have been historically used to alleviate these symptoms. It may even help relieve symptoms for those who have only mild symptoms or are not taking prescription medications.

Core System Imbalance

Diseases are a result of the body’s core systems becoming imbalanced. Elevate RxS contains ingredients chosen to support the body in normalizing systems related to depression such as brain function and hormone

production so that core body systems function

properly.

Call us today 615-400-7034 for more information!

A different look at sunscreen

2011-06-27T15:36:00.000-05:00

(NaturalNews) Ask somebody about sunscreen and you're likely to receive an earful of disinformation from a person who has been repeatedly misinformed by health authorities and the mainstream media. Almost nothing you hear about sunscreen from traditional media channels is accurate. So here's a quick guide to the 7 most important things you need to know about sunscreen, sunlight and vitamin D:

#1) The FDA refuses to allow natural sunscreen ingredients to be used in sunblock / sunscreen products

It's true: If you create a truly natural sunscreen product using exotic botanicals with powerful sunscreen properties, you will never be able to market it as a "sunscreen" product. That's because the FDA decides what can be used as sunscreen and what can't, regardless of what really works in the real world. And there are really only two natural ingredients the FDA has allowed to be sold as sunscreen: Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

Any other non-chemical sunscreen ingredients, if sold as "sunscreen," would be considered mislabeled by the FDA and result in your products being confiscated... even if they offer fantastic sunscreen protection!

Not surprisingly, this whole monopoly over sunscreen chemicals is designed to protect the profits of the chemical companies while marginalizing the natural product companies which could easily formulate far better solutions. I have personally spoken to the founders of several health product companies who have figured out amazing sunscreen formulations using nothing but natural botanicals, butthe FDA won't let them market their products as sunscreen products!

#2) Nearly all conventional sunscreen products contain cancer-causing chemicals

Read the ingredients list of any sunscreen product sold at Wal-Mart, or Walgreens, or any other mainstream store. I dare ya!

You will not be able to pronounce most of the chemicals found in the ingredients list. That's because most sunscreen products are formulated withcancer-causing fragrance chemicals, parabens, harsh alcohols, toxic chemical solvents and petroleum oils. A typical sunscreen product is actuallya chemical assault on your body. That's why research shows that using sunscreen actually causes more cancer than it prevents (http://www.naturalnews.com/023317_s...).

#3) In a nation where over 70% of the population is vitamin D deficiency, sunscreen actually blocks vitamin D production

Vitamin D deficiency is perhaps the most widespread vitamin deficiency in North America. According to the research, 70 percent of whites are deficient in vitamin D, and up to97 percent of blacksare deficient (http://www.naturalnews.com/030598_v...).

Chronic vitamin D deficiency promotes cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/031560_v...), winter flu and infections, depression, osteoporosis and hormonal imbalances. Depending on whom you believe, vitamin D alone can prevent anywhere from 50% to nearly 80% of all cancers (http://www.naturalnews.com/021892.html).

By blocking vitamin D production in the skin,sunscreen products actually contribute to cancer-promoting nutritional deficiencies.

This doesn't mean you should never wear a sunscreen product, of course. If your skin is really pale and you're planning a day on the beach in Hawaii, you will obviously benefit from some level of sun protection using a truly natural sunscreen product. But an informed health-conscious person would try to allow their skin to achieve a natural, healthy tan (yes, a tan truly is healthy if it's combined with good nutrition, see below) through sensible exposure levels that activate vitamin D production in the skin.

#4) You can boost your internal sun resistance by changing what you eat

Here's the real secret about sun exposure thatno onein conventional medicine is talking about (because, as usual, they are woefully ignorant about nutrition): You canboost your internal sunscreenby eating antioxidant-rich foods and superfoods.

The supplementastaxanthin, for example, is very well known for boosting your skin's natural resistance to sunburn. Its fat-soluble carotenoids are actually transported to skin cells where they protect those cells from UV exposure.

The more natural antioxidants you have in your diet, the more sunlight your skin will be able to handle without burning. Nearly everyone mistakenly believes that a person's sunlight burn response is purely a genetic factor. They're wrong. You can radically improve your resistance to UV exposurethrough radical dietary changes.

I'm a great example of this, actually, as I used to burn in just 20 - 30 minutes of sunlight when I was on a junk food diet years ago. But now, as someone who eats superfoods and high-end nutritional supplements every day, I can spend hours in the sun and will only turn slightly red (which fades a few hours later and does not result in a burn or skin peeling).

Except for one time on an all-day visit to a water park, I have not worn sunscreen in over 8 years. I spend a large amount of time in the sun, and I have absolutely no concerns whatsoever about skin cancer. My skin, most people tell me, looks significantly younger than my biological age. That's not from sunscreen; it's from nutrition. Sun exposure does not make your skin "age" if you follow a high-nutritional density diet.

#5) UV exposure alone does not cause skin cancer

It is a complete medical myth that "UV exposure causes skin cancer." This false idea is a total fabrication by the ignorant medical community (dermatologists) and the profit-driven sunscreen companies.

The truth is actually more complicated:Skin cancer can only be caused when UV exposure is combined with chronic nutritional deficienciesthat create skin vulnerabilities.

To create skin cancer, in other words, you have to eat a junk food diet, avoid protective antioxidants, and then also experience excessive UV exposure. All three of those elements are required. Conventional medicine completely ignores the dietary influences and focuses entirely on just one factor: Sunscreen vs. no sunscreen. This is a one-dimensional approach to the issue that's grossly oversimplified to the point of being misleading.

The medical industry, it seems, does not want people to figure out they can literally eat their way to healthier skin. It's amazing, actually:Your skin is made entirely out of the food you eat, so how could your diet not affect your skin health? Yet no one in conventional medicine -- not the dermatologists, not the doctors and not the health regulators -- has the intellectual honesty to admit thatwhat you eat largely determines how your skin reacts to UV exposure.

#6) Not all "natural" sunscreen products are really natural

Be careful when shopping for so-called "natural" sunscreen products. While there are some good ones out there, many are just examples ofgreenwashing, where they use terms like "natural" or "organic" but still contain loads of synthetic chemicals anyway.

A good guide for checking on sunscreen products is theEnvironmental Working Groupguide (EWG) at:
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/

Some of the products that aretrulynatural includeLoving Naturals sunscreenandBadger All Natural Sunscreen. Read the ingredients labels to see for yourself. Don't use any sunscreen product containing ingredients that sound like chemicals:

• Methyl...
• Propyl...
• Butyl...
• Ethyl...
• Trieth...
• Dieth...
etc.

Always buy unscented sunscreenunless for some reason you just enjoy coating your skin with artificial perfume chemicals. A typical sunscreen product is made with over a dozen cancer-causing fragrance chemicals, and they're absorbed right through your skin. Most sunscreens, when applied as directed, are really justtoxic chemical bathsthat heavily burden your liver and can give you cancer.
#7) Many "chemical free" sunscreens are loaded with chemicals
Search Amazon.com for "chemical free natural sunscreen" and you'll see a listing for:

Jason Natural Cosmetics - Earth's Best Sun Block Chemical Free, 4 oz cream

Click on the product and you'll find a listing of its ingredients which includes:C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sorbitan Isostearate, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Ethyl Macadamiate, Calcium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Stearalkonium Hectorite

So how are those not chemicals? Ethylhexyl Palmitate is NOT a chemical? Who are these people kidding? The Amazon.com description (title) of this product is false and misleading. In all fairness, however, this product title looks like it was added into the Amazon.com system by the vendor and not the Jason company itself. But it's an example of how the information you see from online vendors can often be misleading.

Always read the ingredientsof any sunscreen product before using it. Don't poison yourself with sunscreen!

Beware the disinfo minefield surrounding sunscreen products

Perhaps more with sunscreen than any other personal care product, the "official" information distributed through the mainstream media is hopelessly misleading (if not downright false). Remarkably, no one in the media or the government is even willing to admit that fragrance chemicals are bad for your health. Similarly, no one is willing to admit thatthe chemicals you put on your skin get ABSORBED by your skin.

Without those two truths being acknowledged right up front, the rest of whatever they say about sunscreen is worthless babble. Any honest talk about sunscreen must acknowledge the simple truth that the chemicals you put on your skin get absorbed into your skin, and that most sunscreen products are made out ofa chemical cocktailof cancer-causing substances.

This is the truth about sunscreen that both the sunscreen industry andthe cancer industrydoesn't want you to hear. It's the dirty little secret of sunscreen: The more you use, the more you CAUSE cancer in your body! (And the more money the cancer centers make "treating" your cancer with yet more deadly chemicals known as chemotherapy.)

So buyer beware. Sunscreen products are a minefield of lies, fraud and disinformation designed to keep you ignorant of the importance of sun exposure as well as the health risks associated with using cancer-causing chemicals on your skin.

Stick with truly natural sunscreen products (when needed) and try to build up a healthy tanwhile consuming large quantities of superfoods and antioxidantsin your diet. Consider taking astaxanthin or other fat-soluble nutrients on a regular basis. Engage in dailyjuicingof fresh fruits and vegetables which are loaded with living nutrients. Time your sun exposure to build up a healthy tan so that you don't need sunscreen at all. Contrary to all the misinformation we've all been fed, a healthy tan is actually a good sign that you're achieving adequate vitamin D synthesis in your own skin

The importance of water

2011-06-22T07:52:00.001-05:00

Hydrate Your Way to Better Health

by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

Water is the foundation of life, and next to air, the most important nutrient you need to stay alive. Yet, when it comes to healing the body, people don’t often think of water as a “cure” for disease. Water, however, may be one of the cheapest and most important disease cures you’ll ever use.

While being held as a political prisoner in Iran Dr. F. Batmaghelidj discovered that water alone can help to heal many chronic ailments. Having no medicines to work with, he learned that peptic ulcers could be healed with water alone. Following his release from prison, he continued his research on the healing power of water. In his book, Your Body’s Many Cries for Water, he claims that the body signals its water shortage by producing pain.
He also explains that drinking more water can heal numerous diseases including asthma, arthritis, hypertension, angina, adult-onset diabetes, lupus and multiple sclerosis. In fact, Dr. Batmagheldi has linked dehydration to about 90 different diseases.

Most people think that they don’t need to drink water unless they are thirsty and/or they believe that they can get adequate water from drinking other beverages such as coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, fruit juice and milk. As a result, they don’t consume enough water.

Thirst is not an adequate indicator of dehydration because most of the water loss in your body (66% in fact) takes place inside of the cells. Another 26% takes place in the extracellular fluid or lymphatics and only 8% is lost from the blood. Thirst is regulated by the amount of water in the blood, which means you might drink enough to rehydrate your blood (so you don’t feel thirsty anymore), but this doesn’t mean you’ve replaced the water lost from inside your cells.

Furthermore, many of the beverages people drink are diuretics. This means they cause the body to flush more water than they contain. Coffee, tea, soda pop and alcohol are all diuretic in nature, which means that if you drink these beverages you need even more water than normal to replace the water you have lost.

Beauty and Hydration

After reading several of Dr. Batmaghelidi’s books, I came to realize that aging is largely a process of increasing dehydration. Little children have a lot more water in their cells than adults do. To understand this, think of the difference between a grape and a raisin. A raisin is just a dehydrated grape. Hydrated grapes are plump and juicy and round, while the dehydrated raisins are dry, shriveled and wrinkly. That’s the difference between hydrated cells and dehydrated cells.

Just look at the difference between a young person’s face (round and soft) and the face of someone who is aging (dried and wrinkly), as shown in the photos below. The same effect is taking place. The wrinkles are happening because the body is no longer hydrated and the cells are no longer plump and juicy.
Since I learned this, I’ve noticed that people who consume a lot of dehydrating beverages (coffee, tea, soda and alcohol) wrinkle more and age more quickly than people who drink a lot of water instead. This means water is a beauty as well as a health secret.

Water and Disease

In a survival situation, finding water is far more important than finding food, as you can live for several weeks without food, but can die in just a few days from dehydration. Yet, when people are sick they usually think of food (diet, herbs and supplements) before they consider water as a cure.

A lot of my success in healing has come from the use of herbal hydrotherapy, the combination of water and herbs. If you think about it, before the advent of capsules, tablets and tinctures, herbs were typically administered as infusions (teas) or decoctions, which means they were taken with water! Swallowing herbs (and supplements) without drinking extra water to rehydrate them won’t give you the same results.

Nutrients have to be hydrolyzed (broken down by the action of water) in order for the body to use them. People who are dehydrated simply will not get the expected results from taking herbs and supplements.

In fact, if you think about it, many herbs work by moving water around. Decongestants move water to the lungs to break up thick, hard mucus. Laxatives cause the colon to retain more water to stimulate bowel movements. Diuretics flush water through the kidneys while lymphatic herbs increase water flow through the lymph. So, taking too many herbs and supplements without drinking adequate amounts of water isn’t going to improve any one’s health very much.

Are You Dehydrated?

Most people in America don’t drink enough water. In fact, they drink just about everything except water. Unfortunately, many of the beverages Americans consume regularly, such as coffee, tea, caffeinated sodas, energy drinks and alcohol are diuretics. This means that instead of adding water to the system, they flush water away and contribute to dehydration.

When we don’t drink enough water, the kidneys have to strain harder to eliminate waste. The waste also becomes more concentrated in the urine, which irritates the urinary passages and bladder. Higher acid increases pain and causes headaches, joint pains and more.

Dehydration also adversely affects the brain. The brain is 85% water and much of the energy produced by the brain is dependent on proper hydration. Even slight decreases in brain hydration can create problems with memory and focus, anxiety, depression and other mood problems. Considering the number of kids drinking large quantities caffeinated sodas and energy drinks, it’s no wonder so many of them have learning and behavioral problems.

Histamine is a hormone used to ration water, so dehydration leads to higher levels of histamine and more problems with allergies and asthma. And this is just the beginning. As previously mentioned, Dr. Batmaghelidj has linked over 90 health problems with dehydration.

Water Therapy: A Simple Way to Improve Your Health for Free

Dr. Batmaghelidj says that thirst is not a reliable indicator of dehydration. His message is, “You are not sick, you are thirsty. Don’t treat thirst with medication.”

Most people need about two to three quarts of water each day. A good rule of thumb is one half ounce of water per day per pound of body weight. Furthermore, this should be purified water so that chlorine, fluoride, heavy metals and other containments have been removed. Purified water tastes better, too, which encourages you to drink more.

It is also important to get some natural salt with your water, especially if you suffer from allergies, asthma or digestive problems.

Toxicity and Mental Health

2011-06-14T20:10:00.000-05:00

Heightened anxiety was one of my first clues that something was wrong in our home. Of course I didn't pick up the clues. It's only in retrospect that I see how the growing level of toxicity adversely affected my children.

Suddenly my elementary school age children were obsessed over quizzes, worried about being late, anxiety-ridden over homework. Other symptoms emerged. Paranoia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, personality changes, and depression. Emotional meltdowns became a daily part of our life. We found it difficult to make decisions, even small ones. We had a tough time filtering out various types of sensory stimulation.

Only now am I seeing how clearly toxicity is related to mental health.

Dr. Laura Mark, a Board Certified psychiatrist, writes about this in the book Surviving Mold. Her health began to deteriorate in 1995 at the age of 40, when she joined the staff of a state-run psychiatric hospital. Over the next five years she developed stabbing headaches, itchy rashes, joint swelling, fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands, abdominal pain, mood swings, difficulty concentrating, and memory loss. Others in her workplace complained of similar symptoms. She left the position and experienced improved health, until she took a job at a 200-year-old satellite clinic in a rural town. Her story continues from there. A story of compromised indoor air quality, declining health, and the impact of musty, moldy conditions on the clinic's patients.

Dr. Mark writes,

How much of patients' anxiety, apprehension, irritability, mood swings, explosiveness, cognitive dysfunction, neurologic (i.e. seizure and movement disorder) symptoms may have resulted from pre- or post-admission exposure? In the worst-case scenarios, how many of our long-term folks inevitably became long-term patients, with their life confined to an institution's four walls as a consequence of exposure to the water-intruded, chemically-saturated indoor air quality of the very institution charged with facilitating their recovery in a "safe" setting?

Dr. Mark has a passion to share the medical evidence linking inflammatory responses, and the resulting mental health impairments, with compromised indoor air quality.

She even looks back and sees that her health issues began during her childhood, long before her toxic encephalopathy was diagnosed in July 2007.

Might my genetic susceptibility to a whole host of toxic triggers (particularly musty, moldy, moist places) have contributed to the years of stuttering, crying, shyness, intermittent brain fog, irrational anxieties, and sleep disturbances? Were these things due to an underlying inflammatory response syndrome? Was I a "crybaby," or were those things a result of where I lived and went to school, what foods I ate, or what air I breathed?

Imagine what was happening to my patients' children, so often misdiagnosed and mislabeled, pigeonholed. If a teenager had an episode of suicidal gesture at age 15, that history was the first thing recited in a subsequent psychiatric evaluation. Yet if her gesture was due to frustration, sadness, chronic pain, and cognitive issues from exposure to a moldy bedroom, would we still label her as an adult with depression just because she had ideation of suicide years before?

I'm learning. I see so many themes now, starting from the need to educate physicians, the need to get the word out, the need to protect my patients from moldy buildings, and to preserve my own health. The learning has so many dimensions.

Indeed, education needs to happen at so many levels. It's easy to miss the signs of toxicity and focus on behaviors and mood issues. Who better to help us learn than a psychiatrist with the experience and dedication of Dr. Laura Mark?

Focus Rx

2011-06-08T14:02:00.001-05:00

Amazing new homeopathic: Focus Rx

I am always excited to report on the fabulous results we are seeing with homeopathics-this is a brand new remedy and we are seeing GREAT results with it!

 Use with or without prescriptions:

 Reinforces prescription medications for ADHD (Adderall, Ritalin,

Concerta)

 Reduces side effects of these prescription medications

 Relieves underlying symptoms of ADHD

 Regulates and normalizes overall brain function

Focus Rx compliments traditional medications:

 Adderall is:

 Combination of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine (stimulant)

 Stimulates Stimulates production production ofof norepinephrine and norepinephrine and dopamine

 Prevents quick reabsorption of these hormones

 Slows sympathetic nervous system

 Ritalin/Concerta (extended release)

 Methylphenidate (stimulant)

 Stimulates production of dopamine

 Speeds Speeds up physical and mental

Focus Rx

 Includes ingredients to upregulate dopamine

and norephinephrine:

 Dopamine (6X·12X·30X·200X·12C·30C·60C·200C):

Stimulates body to produce more dopamine to

improve brain’s reward center

 Norepinephrine (6X·12X·30X·200X·12C·30C·60C·200C): Stimulates

body to produce more norepinephrine to improve sending of nerve impulses

 PEA (6X·12X·30X·200X·12C·30C·60C·200C): Precursor to dopamine; stimulates central nervous system; inhibits dopamine transmission

 Tyramine (6X·12X·30X·200X·12C·30C·60C·200C):Precursor to PEA; inhibits dopamine transmission

Reduces common side effects of medications:

 Addiction

 Skin problems

 Digestive problems

 Irritability, restlessness

 Headache

 Sleeplessness

 Growth problems

 Includes ingredients to counter side effects:

 Addiction

 Nux vomica (30C): Eases withdrawal

 Skin Skin problems problems

 Silicea (8X·12X·30X): Builds collagen

 Digestive problems

 Tarentula (30C): Relieves constipation

 Belladonna (30C): Relieves constipation and improves digestion

 Irritability, restlessness

 Phosphorus (6X·12X·30X): Relieves nervous exhaustion

 Sabina (6X·12X·30X): Relieves anxiety

 Silicea (8X·12X·30X): Improves weakness and restlessness

 Valeriania Officinalis (30C): Calms and soothes

 Belladonna (30C): Acts as a sedative

 Headache

 Belladonna (30C): Relieves headache

 Includes ingredients to relieve symptoms:

 Promote attention and concentration

 Dulcamara (6X·12X·30X)

 Phosphorus Phosphorus (6X 12X 30X) (6X·12X·30X)

 Sabina (6X·12X·30X)

 Silicea (8X·12X·30X)

 Hyoscyamus Niger (6X·12X·30X)

 Increase calmness and focus

 Arsenicum Album (30C)

 Belladonna (30C)

 Nux Vomica (30C)

 Veratrum Album (30C)

Summary:

Focus Rx

 REINFORCES medication action: Upregulates dopamine and norepinephrine

 REDUCES side effects

 RELIEVES symptoms: Promotes attention and concentration; calms and focuses

 REGULATES core systems

 Works with every medication and every type of ADHD

Check with us today for a bottle-615-400-7034

June Specials!

2011-06-06T11:04:00.000-05:00

In honor of summer, we are offering 10% off our regular prices for BioMat sessions and for Ionic Footbaths. Call or email today for an appointment 615-400-7034 or breathoflife@comcast.net.

T.I. Bishop
www.breathoflifeonline.com

And what you need to know about sugar...

2011-06-06T07:50:00.002-05:00

124 Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health

By: Elna Botes van Schalkwyk

Contributed by Nancy Appleton, Ph.D., author of the book "Lick The Sugar Habit".

In addition to throwing off the body's homeostasis, excess sugar may result in a number of other significant consequences.

The following is a listing of some of sugar's metabolic consequences from a variety of medical journals and other scientific publications.

1.Sugar can suppress the immune system

2.Sugar upsets the mineral relationships in the body

3.Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children

4.Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides

5.Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection (infectious diseases)

6.Sugar causes a loss of tissue elasticity and function, the more sugar you eat the more elasticity and function you loose

7.Sugar reduces high density lipoproteins

8.Sugar leads to chromium deficiency

9.Sugar leads to cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostrate, and rectum

10.Sugar can increase fasting levels of glucose

11.Sugar causes copper deficiency

12.Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium

13.Sugar can weaken eyesight

14.Sugar raises the level of a neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine

15.Sugar can cause hypoglycemia

16.Sugar can produce an acidic digestive tract

17.Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline levels in children

18.Sugar malabsorption is frequent in patients with functional bowel disease

19.Sugar can cause premature aging

20.Sugar can lead to alcoholism

21.Sugar can cause tooth decay

22.Sugar contributes to obesity

23.High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis

24.Sugar can cause changes frequently found in person with gastric or duodenal ulcers

25.Sugar can cause arthritis

26.Sugar can cause asthma

27.Sugar greatly assists the uncontrolled growth of Candida Albicans (yeast infections)

28.Sugar can cause gallstones

29.Sugar can cause heart disease

30.Sugar can cause appendicitis

31.Sugar can cause multiple sclerosis

32.Sugar can cause hemorrhoids

33.Sugar can cause varicose veins

34.Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users

35.Sugar can lead to periodontal disease

36.Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis

37.Sugar contributes to saliva acidity

38.Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity

39.Sugar can lower the amount of Vitamin E in the blood

40.Sugar can decrease growth hormone

41.Sugar can increase cholesterol

42.Sugar can increase the systolic blood pressure

43.Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children

44.High sugar intake increases advanced glycation end products (AGEs)(Sugar bound non- enzymatically to protein)

45.Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein

46.Sugar causes food allergies

47.Sugar can contribute to diabetes

48.Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy

49.Sugar can contribute to eczema in children

50.Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease

51.Sugar can impair the structure of DNA

52.Sugar can change the structure of protein

53.Sugar can make our skin age by changing the structure of collagen

54.Sugar can cause cataracts

55.Sugar can cause emphysema

56.Sugar can cause atherosclerosis

57.Sugar can promote an elevation of low density lipoproteins (LDL)

58.High sugar intake can impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in the body

59.Sugar lowers the enzymes ability to function

60.Sugar intake is higher in people with Parkinson’s disease

61.Sugar can cause a permanent altering the way the proteins act in the body

62.Sugar can increase the size of the liver by making the liver cells divide

63.Sugar can increase the amount of liver fat

64.Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney

65.Sugar can damage the pancreas

66.Sugar can increase the body's fluid retention

67.Sugar is enemy #1 of the bowel movement

68.Sugar can cause myopia (nearsightedness)

69.Sugar can compromise the lining of the capillaries

70.Sugar can make the tendons more brittle

71.Sugar can cause headaches, including migraine

72.Sugar plays a role in pancreatic cancer in women

73.Sugar can adversely affect school children's grades and cause learning disorders

74.Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves

75.Sugar can cause depression

76.Sugar increases the risk of gastric cancer

77.Sugar and cause dyspepsia (indigestion)

78.Sugar can increase your risk of getting gout

79.Sugar can increase the levels of glucose in an oral glucose tolerance test over the ingestion of complex carbohydrates

80.Sugar can increase the insulin responses in humans consuming high-sugar diets compared to low sugar diets

81.High refined sugar diet reduces learning capacity

82.Sugar can cause less effective functioning of two blood proteins, albumin, and lipoproteins, which may reduce the body’s ability to handle fat and cholesterol

83.Sugar can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease

84.Sugar can cause platelet adhesiveness

85.Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance; some hormones become underactive and others become overactive

86.Sugar can lead to the formation of kidney stones

87.Sugar can lead to the hypothalamus to become highly sensitive to a large variety of stimuli

88.Sugar can lead to dizziness

89.Diets high in sugar can cause free radicals and oxidative stress

90.High sucrose diets of subjects with peripheral vascular disease significantly increases platelet adhesion

91.High sugar diet can lead to biliary tract cancer

92.Sugar feeds cancer

93.High sugar consumption of pregnant adolescents is associated with a twofold increased risk for delivering a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infant

94.High sugar consumption can lead to substantial decrease in gestation duration among adolescents

95.Sugar slows food's travel time through the gastrointestinal tract

96.Sugar increases the concentration of bile acids in stools and bacterial enzymes in the colon

97.Sugar increases estradiol (the most potent form of naturally occurring estrogen) in men

98.Sugar combines and destroys phosphatase, an enzyme, which makes the process of digestion more dificult

99.Sugar can be a risk factor of gallbladder cancer

100.Sugar is an addictive substance

101.Sugar can be intoxicating, similar to alcohol

102.Sugar can exacerbate PMS

103.Sugar given to premature babies can affect the amount of carbon dioxide they produce

104.Decrease in sugar intake can increase emotional stability

105.The body changes sugar into 2 to 5 times more fat in the bloodstream than it does starch

106.The rapid absorption of sugar promotes excessive food intake in obese subjects

107.Sugar can worsen the symptoms of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

108.Sugar adversely affects urinary electrolyte composition

109.Sugar can slow down the ability of the adrenal glands to function

110.Sugar has the potential of inducing abnormal metabolic processes in a normal healthy individual and to promote chronic degenerative diseases

111.I.Vs (intravenous feedings) of sugar water can cut off oxygen to the brain

112.High sucrose intake could be an important risk factor in lung cancer

113.Sugar increases the risk of polio

114.High sugar intake can cause epileptic seizures

115.Sugar causes high blood pressure in obese people

116.In Intensive Care Units: Limiting sugar saves lives

117.Sugar may induce cell death

118.Sugar may impair the physiological homeostasis of many systems in living organisms

119.In juvenile rehabilitation camps, when children were put on a low sugar diet, there was a 44% drop in antisocial behavior

120.Sugar can cause gastric cancer

121.Sugar dehydrates newborns

122.Sugar can cause gum disease

123.Sugar increases the estradiol in young men

124.Sugar can cause low birth weight babies

What you need to know about High Fructose Corn Syrup

2011-06-03T17:28:00.003-05:00

If you can't convince them, confuse them.
--Harry Truman

The current media debate about the benefits (or lack of harm) of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in our diet misses the obvious. The average American increased their consumption of HFCS (mostly from sugar sweetened drinks and processed food) from zero to over 60 pounds per person per year. During that time period, obesity rates have more than tripled and diabetes incidence has increased more than seven fold. Not perhaps the only cause, but a fact that cannot be ignored.

Doubt and confusion are the currency of deception, and they sow the seeds of complacency. These are used skillfully through massive print and television advertising campaigns by the Corn Refiners Association's attempt to dispel the "myth" that HFCS is harmful and assert through the opinion of "medical and nutrition experts" that it is no different than cane sugar. It is a "natural" product that is a healthy part of our diet when used in moderation.

Except for one problem. When used in moderation it is a major cause of heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia, liver failure, tooth decay and more.

The Lengths the Corn Industry Will Go To

The goal of the corn industry is to call into question any claim of harm from consuming high fructose corn syrup, and to confuse and deflect by calling their product natural "corn sugar". That's like calling tobacco in cigarettes natural herbal medicine. Watch the slick ad where a caring father walks hand in hand with his four-year-old daughter through a big question mark carved in an idyllic cornfield.

In the ad, the father tells us:

"Like any parent I have questions about the food my daughter eats - like high fructose corn syrup. So I started looking for answers from medical and nutrition experts, and what I discovered whether it's corn sugar or cane sugar your body can't tell the difference. Sugar is sugar. Knowing that makes me feel better about what she eats and that's one less thing to worry about."

Physicians are also targeted directly. I received a 12-page color glossy monograph from the Corn Refiners Association reviewing the "science" that HFCS was safe and no different than cane sugar. I assume the other 700,000 physicians in America received the same propaganda at who knows what cost.

In addition to this, I received a special "personal" letter from the Corn Refiner's Association outlining every mention of the problems with HCFS in our diet - whether in print, blogs, books, radio or television. They warned me of the errors of my ways and put me on "notice". For what I am not sure. To think they are tracking this (and me) that closely gives me an Orwellian chill.

New websites like www.sweetsurprise.com and www.cornsugar.com help "set us straight" about HFCS with quotes from professors of nutrition and medicine and thought leaders from Harvard and other stellar institutions.

Why is the corn industry spending millions on misinformation campaigns to convince consumers and health care professionals of the safety of their product? Could it be that the food industry comprises 17 percent of our economy?

But are these twisted sweet lies or a sweet surprise, as the Corn Refiners Association websites claim?

What the Science Says about HFCS

Let's examine the science and insert some common sense into the conversation. These facts may indeed come as a sweet surprise. The ads suggest getting your nutrition advice from your doctor (who, unfortunately, probably knows less about nutrition than most grandmothers). Having studied this for over a decade, and having read, interviewed or personally talked with most of the "medical and nutrition experts" used to bolster the claim that "corn sugar" and cane sugar are essentially the same, quite a different picture emerges and the role of HCFS in promoting obesity, disease and death across the globe becomes clear.

Last week over lunch with Dr. Bruce Ames, one of the foremost nutritional scientists in the world and Dr. Jeffrey Bland, a nutritional biochemist, a student of Linus Pauling and I reviewed the existing science, and Dr. Ames shared shocking new evidence from his research center on how HFCS can trigger body-wide inflammation and obesity.

Here are 5 reasons you should stay way from any product containing high fructose corn syrup and why it may kill you.

1. Sugar in any form causes obesity and disease when consumed in pharmacologic doses.

Cane sugar and high fructose corn syrup are indeed both harmful when consumed in pharmacologic doses of 140 pounds per person per year. When one 20 ounce HFCS sweetened soda, sports drink or tea has 17 teaspoons of sugar (and the average teenager often consumes two drinks a day) we are conducting a largely uncontrolled experiment on the human species. Our hunter gather ancestors consumed the equivalent of 20 teaspoons per year, not per day. In this sense, I would agree with the corn industry that sugar is sugar. Quantity matters. But there are some important differences.

2. HFCS and cane sugar are NOT biochemically identical or processed the same way by the body.

High fructose corn syrup is an industrial food product and far from "natural" or a naturally occurring substance. It is extracted from corn stalks through a process so secret that Archer Daniels Midland and Carghill would not allow the investigative journalist, Michael Pollan to observe it for his book, The Omnivore's Dilemma. The sugars are extracted through a chemical enzymatic process resulting in a chemically and biologically novel compound called HFCS.

Some basic biochemistry will help you understand this. Regular cane sugar (sucrose) is made of two-sugar molecules bound tightly together - glucose and fructose in equal amounts. The enzymes in your digestive tract must break down the sucrose into glucose and fructose, which are then absorbed into the body.

HFCS also consists of glucose and fructose, not in a 50-50 ratio, but a 55-45 fructose to glucose ratio in an unbound form. Fructose is sweeter than glucose. And HCFS is cheaper than sugar because of the government farm bill corn subsidies. Products with HFCS are sweeter and cheaper than products made with cane sugar. This allowed for the average soda size to balloon from 8 ounces to 20 ounces with little financial costs to manufacturers but great human costs of increased obesity, diabetes and chronic disease.

Now back to biochemistry. Since there is there is no chemical bond between them, no digestion is required so they are more rapidly absorbed into your blood stream. Fructose goes right to the liver and triggers lipogenesis (the production of fats like triglycerides and cholesterol) this is why it is the major cause of liver damage in this country and causes a condition called "fatty liver" which affects 70 million people. The rapidly absorbed glucose triggers big spikes in insulin - our body's major fat storage hormone. Both these features of HFCS lead to increased metabolic disturbances that drive increases in appetite, weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia and more.

But there was one more thing I learned during lunch with Dr. Bruce Ames. Research done by his group at the Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute found that free fructose from HFCS requires more energy to be absorbed by the gut and soaks up two phosphorous molecules from ATP (our body's energy source). This depletes the energy fuel source or ATP in our gut required to maintain the integrity of our intestinal lining. Little "tight junctions" cement each intestinal cell together preventing food and bacteria from "leaking" across the intestinal membrane and triggering an immune reaction and body wide inflammation.

High doses of free fructose have been proven to literally punch holes in the intestinal lining allowing nasty byproducts of toxic gut bacteria and partially digested food proteins to enter your blood stream and trigger the inflammation that we know is at the root of obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, dementia and accelerated aging. Naturally occurring fructose in fruit is part of a complex of nutrients and fiber that doesn't exhibit the same biological effects as the free high fructose doses found in "corn sugar".

The takeaway: Cane sugar and the industrially produced, euphemistically named "corn sugar" are not biochemically or physiologically the same.

3. HFCS contains contaminants including mercury that are not regulated or measured by the FDA.

An FDA researcher asked corn producers to ship a barrel of high fructose corn syrup in order to test for contaminants. Her repeated requests were refused until she claimed she represented a newly created soft drink company. She was then promptly shipped a big vat of HFCS that was used as part of the study that showed that HFCS often contains toxic levels of mercury because of chlor-alkali products used in its manufacturing.(i) Poisoned sugar is certainly not "natural".

When HFCS is run through a chemical analyzer or a chromatograph, strange chemical peaks show up that are not glucose or fructose. What are they? Who knows? This certainly calls into question the purity of this processed form of super sugar. The exact nature, effects and toxicity of these funny compounds have not been fully explained, but shouldn't we be protected from the presence of untested chemical compounds in our food supply, especially when the contaminated food product comprises up to 15-20 percent of the average American's daily calorie intake?

4. Independent medical and nutrition experts DO NOT support the use of HCFS in our diet, despite the assertions of the corn industry.

The corn industry's happy looking websites www.cornsugar.com and www.sweetsurprise.com bolster their position that cane sugar and corn sugar are the same by quoting experts, or should we say mis-quoting ...

Barry M. Popkin, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has published widely on the dangers of sugar-sweetened drinks and their contribution to the obesity epidemic. In a review of HFCS in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,(ii) he explains the mechanism by which the free fructose may contribute to obesity. He states that:

"The digestion, absorption, and metabolism of fructose differ from those of glucose. Hepatic metabolism of fructose favors de novo lipogenesis [production of fat in the liver]. In addition, unlike glucose, fructose does not stimulate insulin secretion or enhance leptin production. Because insulin and leptin act as key afferent signals in the regulation of food intake and body weight [to control appetite], this suggests that dietary fructose may contribute to increased energy intake and weight gain. Furthermore, calorically sweetened beverages may enhance caloric overconsumption."

He states that HFCS is absorbed more rapidly than regular sugar, and that it doesn't stimulate insulin or leptin production. This prevents you from triggering the body's signals for being full and may lead to overconsumption of total calories.

He concludes by saying that:

"... the increase in consumption of HFCS has a temporal relation to the epidemic of obesity, and the overconsumption of HFCS in calorically sweetened beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity."

The corn industry takes his comments out of context to support their position. "All sugar you eat is the same."

True pharmacologic doses of any kind of sugar are harmful, but the biochemistry of different kinds of sugar and their respective effects on absorption, appetite and metabolism are different, and Dr. Popkin knows that.

David S. Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, and a personal friend has published extensively on the dangers and the obesogenic properties of sugar-sweetened beverages. He was quoted as saying that "high fructose corn syrup is one of the most misunderstood products in the food industry." When I asked him why he supported the corn industry, he told me he didn't and that his comments were taken totally out of context.

Misrepresenting science is one thing, misrepresenting scientists who have been at the forefront of the fight against obesity and high fructose sugar sweetened beverages is quite another.

5. HCFS is almost always a marker of poor-quality, nutrient-poor disease creating industrial food products or "food-like substances."

The last reason to avoid products that contain HFCS is that they are a marker for poor-quality, nutritionally depleted, processed industrial food full of empty calories and artificial ingredients. If you find "high fructose corn syrup" on the label you can be sure it is not a whole, real, fresh food full of fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants. Stay away if you want to stay healthy. We still must reduce our overall consumption of sugar, but with this one simple dietary change you can radically reduce your health risks and improve your health.

While debate may rage about the biochemistry and physiology of cane sugar vs. corn sugar, this is in fact beside the point (despite the finer points of my scientific analysis above). The conversation has been diverted to a simple assertion that cane sugar and corn sugar are not different.

The real issues are only two.

1. We are consuming HFCS and sugar in pharmacologic quantities never before experienced in human history -- 140 pounds a year vs. 20 teaspoons a year 10,000 years ago.

2. High fructose corn syrup is always found in very poor quality foods that are nutritionally vacuous and filled with all sorts of other disease promoting compounds, fats, salt, chemicals and even mercury.

These critical ideas should be the heart of the national conversation, not the meaningless confusing ads and statements by the corn industry in the media and online that attempt to assure the public that the biochemistry of real sugar and industrially produced sugar from corn are the same.

For more information on the effects of high fructose corn syrup see www.drhyman.com.

Know I'd like to hear from you ...

Do you think there is an association between the introduction of HFCS in our diet and the obesity epidemic?

What reason do you think the Corn Refiners Association has for running such ads and publishing websites like those listed in this article?

What do you think of the science presented here and the general effects of HFCS on the American diet?

Please leave your thoughts by adding a comment below.

To your good health,

--Mark Hyman, MD

References

(i) Dufault, R., LeBlanc, B., Schnoll, R. et al. 2009. Mercury from chlor-alkali plants: Measured concentrations in food product sugar. Environ Health. 26(8):2.

(ii) Bray, G.A., Nielsen, S.J., and B.M. Popkin. 2004. Consumption of high-fructose corn syrup in beverages may play a role in the epidemic of obesity. Am J Clin Nutr. 79(4):537-43. Review.

Mark Hyman, M.D. is a practicing physician, founder of The UltraWellness Center, a four-time New York Times bestselling author, and an international leader in the field of Functional Medicine. You can follow him on Twitter, connect with him on LinkedIn, watch his videos on YouTube, become a fan on Facebook, and subscribe to his newsletter.

Eating mistakes that Age You

2011-05-23T10:43:00.001-05:00

Eating Mistakes that Age You

Posted By Dr. Mercola | May 23 2011

Yahoo Shine notes that eating the wrong foods -- or not eating the right foods -- can result in symptoms that most people tend to assume are due to aging. Here are four tips they've assembled to steer you in the right direction:
Mistake #1: You avoid all animal protein
Vitamin B12, which is essential for energy, is found only in foods that are derived from animals. This nutrient helps regulate your metabolism, and it is an important part of maintaining a healthy brain and nervous system. Fatigue is a classic sign of B12 deficiency
Mistake #2: You're not getting enough manganese and copper
Manganese and copper prevent joint pain, and are both essential for maintaining joint cartilage and flexibility. In many cases, getting enough of these nutrients reverses joint deterioration and eliminates joint pain.
Mistake #3: You avoid healthy fats
Omega-3 fats are part of your brain's building blocks. If you're not getting enough in your diet, the architecture of your brain becomes weak, and brain function, including memory, deteriorates.
Mistake #4: You favor packaged foods over whole
Most processed foods do not have enough potassium, which can result in high blood pressure. Eating better can correct the problem.

Sources:

Yahoo Shine May 11, 2011

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

Most of the time conventional media health commentaries are fairly seriously flawed so I was surprised to see this one that actually was on target for the most part. So I thought it might help if I provided my perspective on their important notion of diet mistakes as I do believe they left out the MOST important one and included one that is relatively irrelevant. It really doesn't take a giant leap of intellectual understanding to realize the glaring omission, but like most "experts" they simply fail to appreciate the obvious even though it is staring them in the face.
So what is it?
The number one source of calories in the US.
That would be fructose, but more generically all sugars which are, in my view, the single most important dietary variable that needs to be addressed. Please understand that this is a numbers game though and the only thing that is intrinsically toxic with fructose is the quantity that is being consumed. If you take less than 25 grams per day you are in the safe range, but the AVERAGE intake is 300% more than that and the typical American consumes 75 grams every day.
Fortunately, the research that is now starting to see the light of day in every way, what I've been warning about for over a decade.
Interestingly enough, while sugar, and fructose in particular, acts as a toxin in and of itself, and as such drive multiple disease processes in your body, excess grain carbohydrates, which are broken down into glucose, has been found to detrimentally affect your genetic expression and contribute to accelerated aging that way!

The Role of Insulin in Health and Longevity

I have long said that the key to optimal health and longevity is reducing your insulin resistance, and this has been proven true again and again.
Unfortunately, for the past 30 years or so, the primary official health recommendations have been to reduce your fat intake and eat plenty of long-lasting complex carbohydrates (starches) to keep your body supplied with energy. This has been a prescription for health disaster, and we have skyrocketing disease statistics to show for it. By advocating heavy carb consumption, our health officials have made insulin resistance the norm rather than the exception, which in turn is driving a huge, expensive pharmaceutical machine...
Insulin resistance is in fact a MAJOR contributor to chronic disease and accelerates the aging process, all of which can impact your longevity.
For example, insulin:
Alters the expression of numerous hormones
Stimulates your sympathetic nervous system
Promotes vasoconstriction
Too much sugar, grains and processed foods in your diet, combined with insufficient exercise is a lethal combination, the "side effects" of which include:
High blood pressure
Obesity
Diabetes
High cholesterol

How Carbs Cause Insulin Resistance and Diabetes

Here's a quick refresher on how carbs affect your insulin levels and how you develop insulin resistance, which sets you up for the health problems just mentioned.
When you eat carbohydrates (starchy foods such as grains, rice, pasta, bread and cereal), your digestive system breaks them down to simple sugars which cause an acute increase in your blood sugar. If your blood sugar where to continue to rise you would die of a hyperglycemic coma.
But your body wisely reduces this level with insulin and this works just fine. However, when you do it every day for many years, as most of the population does, this progresses into insulin resistance, especially if you are not engaged in appropriate exercises.

Switch on Your "Youth Gene" by Avoiding Carbohydrates

According to Professor Cynthia Kenyon, whom many experts believe should win the Nobel Prize for her research into aging, carbohydrates (glucose) directly affect the genes that govern youthfulness and longevity! So, you may actually be able to extend your life and stay fit throughout your old age with a simple dietary change that switches on your "youth" gene.
Most people are seriously confused about the importance of exercise in optimizing weight and body fat. It only has a 20% role, a vitally important 20% but nevertheless it plays a far subsidiary role to the importance of diet and the exclusion of sugars and grains. When you optimize your body weight and % of body fat you dramatically decrease your risk of chronic disease and radically improve your chance for living longer.
Aging is the result of a number of processes, including telomere shortening, which I've discussed before in depth. However, Kenyon's groundbreaking research has found that specific genes also play a significant role. I've previously written about how your diet can over-ride genetic predispositions to disease, and this research further strengthens those claims, as the two key genes in question can be turned on or off as a consequence of eating carbohydrates.
Her research shows that decreased carb intake can lead to significant life extension and improved long-term health.
Professor Kenyon worked with C. elegans roundworms, but her findings have been successfully repeated in other labs around the world using other animals, including rats, mice, and to some extent, monkeys. Humans also have these genes, indicating these results should apply to us as well.
One of the most interesting details of her findings is that not only did the roundworms live up to SIX TIMES longer than normal, but they kept their health and youthful vigor until the end—and isn't that what "healthy aging" is really all about?
Previous research has shown that you can extend your lifespan by reducing your caloric intake, and I've written about this technique in the past. The problem is that most people do not understand how to properly cut calories, because in order to remain healthy, you have to cut out calories from a specific source – namely, carbohydrates!

Other Research Confirms Low Insulin is Imperative for Longevity

Previous studies have found that diets high in sugar and grains are the primary culprit of obesity, and that leanness itself is a key contributor to a long life. One such study was published in 2003 in the journal Science. This elegant study from Harvard confirms that insulin is the major mechanism through which this result is mediated.
Another study, published just last year, also illustrates how longevity is intimately tied to your insulin and leptin levels. It examined the effects of food on typical biological signs of advancing age. Typical signs of aging include elevated levels of glucose, insulin, and triglycerides. (Hence, your physical age may be younger or older than the calendar dictates.)
In this study, the participants were given a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet with an adequate amount of protein. This diet improved all of the measured factors related to the aging process, decreasing:
Insulin by 48 percent
Fasting glucose by 40 percent
Triglyceride by nearly 8 percent
Serum leptin by 8 percent on average
It's highly unfortunate that so few physicians have embraced this knowledge, because a firm appreciation of insulin's role in human health and disease is one of THE most important factors that can make or break your health!

Fructose—Even Worse than Grains

As I mentioned in the beginning, there are two primary dietary factors that contribute to insulin resistance and subsequent disease progression:
Grain carbohydrates. This includes ALL grains, including organic ones, rice, pasta, bread, etc
ALL sugars, including refined sugar, fructose (whether from corn, in the form of high fructose corn syrup, or whole fruits), honey, and agave.
Fructose, typically in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), is perhaps the absolute worst dietary culprit as it:
Radically increases insulin resistance , which is not only an underlying cause of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, but also most cancers
Metabolizes into fat far more readily than other sugars, which significantly increases your risk of obesity, decreased HDL, increased LDL, elevated triglycerides, elevated blood sugar, and high blood pressure
Causes glycation and inflammation, which promotes chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and speeds up the aging process
Raises your uric acid levels, which increases your risk for a host of diseases, including:

Hypertension
Kidney disease
Fatty liver
Elevated triglycerides, elevated LDL, and cardiovascular disease

Fructose Recommendation

As a standard recommendation, I strongly advise keeping your TOTAL fructose consumption below 25 grams per day. The average American is consuming THREE times this amount, so this is a fairly substantial reduction for most people.
For most people it would also be wise to limit your fructose from fruit to 15 grams or less, as you're virtually guaranteed to consume "hidden" sources of fructose if you drink beverages other than water and eat processed food. Remember, the average 12-ounce can of soda contains 40 grams of sugar, at least half of which is fructose, so one can of soda ALONE would exceed your daily allotment.
Fifteen grams of fructose is not much -- it represents two bananas, one-third cup of raisins, or two Medjool dates. In his book, The Sugar Fix, Dr. Johnson includes detailed tables showing the content of fructose in different foods -- an information base that isn't readily available when you're trying to find out exactly how much fructose is in various foods. I encourage you to pick up a copy of this excellent resource.
Here's a quick reference list of some of the most common fruits that you can use to help you count your fructose grams:

Fruit Serving Size Grams of Fructose
Limes 1 medium 0
Lemons 1 medium 0.6
Cranberries 1 cup 0.7
Passion fruit 1 medium 0.9
Prune 1 medium 1.2
Apricot 1 medium 1.3
Guava 2 medium 2.2
Date (Deglet Noor style) 1 medium 2.6
Cantaloupe 1/8 of med. melon 2.8
Raspberries 1 cup 3.0
Clementine 1 medium 3.4
Kiwifruit 1 medium 3.4
Blackberries 1 cup 3.5
Star fruit 1 medium 3.6
Cherries, sweet 10 3.8
Strawberries 1 cup 3.8
Cherries, sour 1 cup 4.0
Pineapple 1 slice
(3.5" x .75") 4.0
Grapefruit, pink or red 1/2 medium 4.3

Fruit	Serving Size	Grams of Fructose
Boysenberries	1 cup	4.6
Tangerine/mandarin orange	1 medium	4.8
Nectarine	1 medium	5.4
Peach	1 medium	5.9
Orange (navel)	1 medium	6.1
Papaya	1/2 medium	6.3
Honeydew	1/8 of med. melon	6.7
Banana	1 medium	7.1
Blueberries	1 cup	7.4
Date (Medjool)	1 medium	7.7
Apple (composite)	1 medium	9.5
Persimmon	1 medium	10.6
Watermelon	1/16 med. melon	11.3
Pear	1 medium	11.8
Raisins	1/4 cup	12.3
Grapes, seedless (green or red)	1 cup	12.4
Mango	1/2 medium	16.2
Apricots, dried	1 cup	16.4
Figs, dried	1 cup	23.0

The Four Cornerstones of "the Fountain of Youth"

Is there such a thing as a "fountain of youth"? I believe there is, symbolically speaking, and the four cornerstones of it are:
Avoid sugar/fructose
Avoid grains
Exercise regularly and effectively
Tailor your diet to your nutritional type
These four cornerstones have one thing in common, and that is helping you improve your insulin sensitivity.
Aside from avoiding grains and sugars, exercise is one of the most effective ways to regain insulin sensitivity. And studies repeatedly show that regular exercise can help prevent or delay your onset of hypertension, obesity and heart disease, just to name a few of the diseases that significantly contribute to premature death.
Not to discourage you as in my mind it is impossible to ever be healthy without exercising, but exercise has a relatively minor role in health and it is only responsible for 20% of your improvement. Most people believe the opposite and believe that exercise produces 80% of the benefit. They work out like a maniac in the gym and are not as careful with their diet and they wonder why they don't see any progress.
The KEY to exercising for optimal health and longevity in particular, is incorporating anaerobic high-intensity, interval training like Peak 8. These types of exercises also promote human growth hormone (HGH) production, which is yet another important aspect of the longevity puzzle.
Nutritional typing helps you modify your food choices to ensure you're supplying your body with the exact fuel it needs to thrive, and in so doing, you give yourself the best chance of optimal health and naturally prevent diseases related to improper nutrition. This is such an important aspect of optimal health, I now offer my nutritional typing program for FREE so that everyone can benefit.
Nutritional typing is also becoming increasingly recognized as a foundational factor in the successful treatment of disease, including cancer.

The Anti-Aging Lifestyle

Of all the healthy lifestyle strategies I know of that can have a significant impact on your longevity, normalizing your insulin and leptin levels is probably the most important. There is no question that this is an absolute necessity if you want to slow down your aging process, and that means modifying your diet to avoid excessive amounts of fructose, grains, and other pro-inflammatory ingredients like trans fats.
That said, longevity is the result of an overall healthy lifestyle, so in addition to the four cornerstones just mentioned, these additional strategies can further help you stay young and vibrant, longer:
Learn how to effectively cope with stress – Stress has a direct impact on inflammation, which in turn underlies many of the chronic diseases that kill people prematurely every day, so developing effective coping mechanisms is a major longevity-promoting factor.

Meditation, prayer, physical activity and exercise are all viable options that can help you maintain emotional and mental equilibrium. I also strongly believe in using energy psychology tools such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to address deeper, oftentimes hidden emotional problems.
Optimize Your Vitamin D Levels to between 60 and 80 ng/ml.
Animal based omega-3 fats – Correcting the ratio of omega-3 to healthful omega-6 fats is a strong factor in helping people live longer. This typically means increasing your intake of animal based omega-3 fats, such as krill oil, while decreasing your intake of damaged omega-6 fats (think trans fats).
Get most of your antioxidants from foods –Good sources include blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, beans, and artichokes.
Get your resveratrol naturally – Because resveratrol appears to be so effective at warding off many diseases associated with aging, it is often referred to as a "fountain of youth" that can extend lifespan. Good sources of naturally-occurring resveratrol include whole grape skins and seeds, raspberries and mulberries.
Use coconut oil – Another excellent anti-aging food is coconut oil, known to reduce your risk of heart disease and Alzheimer's disease, and lower your cholesterol, among other things.
Naturally increase your glutathione levels with high quality whey protein concentrate – Another exciting anti-aging discovery is related to the process of slowing down telomere shortening, as discussed in more detail in this previous article. There's some evidence that this can be done nutritionally, by consuming high quality whey protein.
Avoid as many chemicals, toxins, and pollutants as possible – This includes tossing out your toxic household cleaners, soaps, personal hygiene products, air fresheners, bug sprays, lawn pesticides, and insecticides, just to name a few, and replacing them with non-toxic alternatives.
Avoid prescription drugs – Pharmaceutical drugs kill thousands of people prematurely every year – as an expected side effect of the action of the drug. And, if you adhere to a healthy lifestyle, you most likely will never need any of them in the first place.
Incorporating these healthy lifestyle guidelines will help set you squarely on the path to optimal health and give you the best shot at living a much longer life.

More information on Emotional Chemistry

2011-05-19T07:22:00.000-05:00

Remember-we offer a technique that helps balance emotions and neurotransmitters-call or email us for more information on Emotional Cleansing 615-400-7034 or breathoflife@comcast.net

NeuroEndocrine Healing

by Theresa Dale, Ph.D., CCN., ND

I look at neurotransmitters as the regulator of the biological computer, affecting thoughts, moods, hormones and overall mental, emotional and physical well being in humans. My challenge was to formulate a new homeopathic remedy, which would download new information that the biological computer uses to repair itself and balance all neurotransmitters.

When the body is under stress, the brain uses large quantities of certain chemicals called Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters induce or inhibit impulses in your brain. At some point, the amount of stress we endure causes the brain to run out of these chemicals. Many apparently unrelated the effects of neurotransmitters influence symptoms and optimizing neurotransmitters can improve many patient symptoms.

Neurotransmitter Related Symptoms
• Fatigue and chronic muscle/joint pain
• Adrenal cortisol burnout
• Alzheimer's/ memory problems
• Autism
• Inappropriate hunger/food cravings
• Irritability/hostility
• Inability to focus/concentrate
• Depression or agitation
• Excessive body fat
• Obsessive/compulsive behaviors
• Sleep disturbances
• Physical or emotional stress
• Recurrent diarrhea /constipation
• Headaches
• ADD
• ADHD
• Parkinson's Disease
• Bipolar Conditions

The laboratory evaluation of neurotransmitter levels has shown that approximately 70% of the population has some degree of neurotransmitter imbalance. An alarming figure confirmed by the increase in the number of patient visits regarding these conditions, as well as the number of prescriptions written for antidepressants and the growing number of obese people who cannot control their weight due to a lack of appetite control, adrenal burnout and endocrine breakdown.

Chemicals released by the brain damages our bodies because the body responds to emotional stress exactly as it responds to physical danger or stress. Your body produces chemicals for extra strength or energy. This chemical reaction to stress is a physiological process that has evolved over millions of years.

Moreover, the brain is reacting to today's problems with yesterday's primitive responses. In our history books we get the picture of times where our stressors related to engaging in physical battle to stay alive, to eat, to provide for oneself and family. Then stress was primarily physical - when cavemen actually fought wild animals to survive. Today we have a modern jungle of stressors of a different nature, as discussed in the Spiritual Renewal section below. We don't do physical battle with wild beasts; we multitask and do mental battle with freeway traffic, unending meetings, or jobs that have no future.

Our desires and lifestyle cause the body to pump high-energy chemicals (those needed in running or fighting) into our bodies and yet, our fight or flight is quite different. We sit in our cars or at our desk, actually boiling in the chemicals our own body has released. These chemicals, called adrenaline and dopamine, which power the "fight or flight" alarm reaction, can do great damage to all the internal organs, especially the heart.

Our brain can become deficient in these precious chemicals. The feelings of anger, love, frustration, and fear are all chemically induced from the brain from our reactions to situations.

When our brain runs out of these chemicals or when different chemical levels decrease or increase, we experience feelings such as anger and fear, perhaps a lack of sleep, irritability, anxiety, depression, insecure feelings. Not to mention the constant release of adrenaline, which can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, gastrointestinal disease and dozens of other problems. (Over 75% of all medical appointments made in America are directly related to stress caused illnesses.)

There are five main chemicals or neurotransmitters in the brains emotion center. They are Opioids, GABA, Serotonin, Dopamine and Norepinepherine. When these chemicals are low, a dangerous cycle begins within our bodies. This is called the Stress Cycle and the damage it causes is deadly.

Grief causing chronic illness??

2011-05-14T07:14:00.000-05:00

We offer a service called Emotional Cleansing in our office. We use the electrodermal screening process to identify what you may need. Call us at 615-400-7034 or email breathoflife@comcast.net for more information!!

Could grief be causing your chronic illness?

Thursday, May 12, 2011 by: Larry Malerba, DO

(NaturalNews) Aside from the many self-inflicted and medically induced causes of illness such as smoking, poor nutrition, alcohol and drug abuse, pharmaceutical side effects, allopathic suppression, and surgeries gone awry, perhaps the most common "natural" cause of chronic illness is unresolved grief.

Grief is natural in the sense that everyone is faced with the issue at some point in his or her life. It is a normal human response, which when handled effectively should lead to psycho-spiritual growth and greater awareness.

The problem is that handling grief is easier said than done. The successful processing of grief is a function of numerous factors, including one's psychological maturity and understanding of the nature and purpose of grief and loss. Other factors include the degree of emotional support from friends and family, one's own personal state of physical/emotional/spiritual health and well-being, and our prevailing cultural attitudes toward grief.

When the grieving process is short-circuited and grief is not allowed to have its way it can lead to health issues as varied as the individuals that it afflicts. Unprocessed grief is commonly a source of anxiety, irritability, depression, other emotional disturbances, and even mania and psychosis. Conversely, it is quite common for grief to become somaticized. The classic symptom of difficulty swallowing with sensation of a lump ("globus hystericus") is literally a somaticization of emotion that has become stuck in the throat -- an obvious body metaphor for unexpressed feelings and unshed tears.

Likewise, grief can become lodged in the neck and back as muscle tension, in the chest as a cough or bronchitis, in the gut as nausea or intestinal cramps, or in the head as tension headaches or migraines. When grief is particularly traumatic as in the death of a child, or when a person's health is already compromised, it is not unusual to see somatic manifestations on a deeper level. Thus, grief can lead to rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, Crohn's disease, high blood pressure, and even heart disease. Again, each manifestation can be as unique as the vital force of the person struggling with grief.

The sources of grief are varied and each situation is unique in the sense that grief is always in the eye of the beholder. The loss of one person's pet can be just as devastating as the loss of another person's parent. We tend to equate grief with the death of a friend or loved one, but it can just as easily result from broken relationships, divorce, job loss, or a personal perception of failure. There are no rules; each instance of grief is a subjective experience that must be taken at face value if it is to be respected and handled compassionately by those attempting to comfort and assist the grieving individual.

I recently saw a woman in her 50s who sought help for her depression and chronic intestinal problems. Upon inquiring as to the source of her depression, she said that it was from not having fulfilled her dream of being the mother of a large number of children. When I suggested to her that the so-called depression could more accurately be characterized as unresolved grief, I could see her mind light up as a look of realization came across her face. The healing process had begun the moment she came to a new understanding of her condition. In the course of working with her over the next few months, years of depression and digestive disturbances began to fade into the distance as she gave herself permission to grieve the family that she knew she would never have.

Although individual responses to grief are unique and diverse, my own medical experience has taught me that there are a number of common response patterns or stereotypes, if you will, that can be identified. One such pattern is that of the distraught person who repeatedly cries and sobs for prolonged periods of time, for days, weeks, or even months on end, with no relief in sight. This type of "hysterical" grief can be devastating and exhausting. The polar opposite pattern is represented by the individual who vows to stay strong, shows no "weakness," and sheds not a tear for months or even years after the original painful loss that caused the grief. These individuals seek to quickly put their grief "behind them," not realizing that there is no free lunch and that they will someday be forced to deal with it, whether it be in the form of an emotional or physical crisis.

Grieving children commonly exhibit headaches or stomachaches that lead to calls home from the school nurse. Some individuals become worn down by their grief and their emotional state begins to resemble that of a person suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, with its attendant malaise, emotional indifference, and lack of motivation. Some people become stuck in anger, blaming themselves and/or others for their loss. For such individuals, anger is usually a defensive form of denial that protects them from the more painful underlying feelings of grief. Other unfortunate individuals can be thrown into an existential crisis, questioning their very existence, losing their faith in something greater than themselves, and even losing their will to live.

While antidepressants, anxiolytics, and/or sleep aids may temporarily dull symptoms, they will not help to resolve the underlying issues of grief. In fact, pharmaceuticals will tend to enable the person to avoid emotions that must sooner or later be faced. The longer grief is postponed, the more likely it will contribute to chronic disease. The American obsession with productivity is not conducive to the successful processing of grief since the demands of the workplace often take precedence over issues of mental health. There is no set timetable for grief to run its course, and there is no statute of limitations. Fortunately, there are a variety of non-pharmaceutical approaches that can enhance the healing process.

First and foremost, patience, kindness, love, and understanding are prerequisites for a successful outcome. Most people simply need someone to listen to them. Secondly, the person affected by grief must come to understand that grief is a normal and necessary function of the human psyche, and the needs of the psyche will not be denied. Grief must be felt and experienced to the extent necessary to bring about a resolution, and this differs from one person to the next depending upon who that person is and the nature of the loss involved. For somaticized grief, it can be as simple as asking patients to trust their instincts and to name what it is that they believe is the real source of their ostensibly physical illness. Most people intuitively know the answer. It can be surprising how a person will respond when questioned and, frequently, the simple act of verbalizing one's personal truth will be enough to initiate the healing process.

Good old fashioned counseling or psychotherapy can be invaluable in situations of grief, but for more stubborn cases that persist or that have become somaticized, there are additional methods that can be employed to great benefit. Various forms of bodywork can be particularly helpful in cases that manifest as chronic headaches, neck or back pain. Most massage therapists can relate stories of clients who finally relaxed, "let go," and had a therapeutic emotional meltdown right there on the massage table. Such "healing crises" are cathartic events that can help break the logjam of unexpressed grief.

Dreams can be very important, especially for those who are grieving the death of loved ones. It is quite common for the deceased to pay a visit to surviving friends and family in theirdreams. Sometimes the deceased brings a crucial piece of information that can help the living to understand the circumstances surrounding his or her death. And sometimes departed loved ones seek to reassure survivors that they are doing fine on the other side. To dismiss such an event as just a dream is a serious mistake and a lost opportunity to communicate with the departed. The ingrained materialistic outlook of American culture is a strong deterrent to recognizing that such dreams can assist in the resolution of grief and may also lead to spiritual growth.

When all else fails, a difficult and unresponsive case of grief will often respond quite nicely to a well-chosen homeopathic medicine. Some of the patterns of grief described above correspond to homeopathic medicines that are capable of releasing one from the grips of grief and its effects. It is best to consult a qualified homeopathic practitioner when dealing with long-standing grief.

Many of the lessons that I have learned regarding grief are by virtue of the patients that I have had the privilege to assist in the grieving process over the years. Our own friends, family, and patients can teach us a great deal about grief, an issue that often lies at the center of health, illness, life, and death.

Additional Information for the Homeopathic Management of Grief:
Dr. Ajit Singh, Grief and Its Homeopathic Approach, Homeopathic Journal, Vol 2, Issue 7, May 2009, Homeorizon.com

About the author:
Larry Malerba, DO, DHt has been a practitioner, educator, and leader in the field of holistic medicine for more than twenty years. He is the author of Green Medicine: Challenging the Assumptions of Conventional Health Care. Dr.Malerba is board certified in Homeotherapeutics, Clinical Assistant Professor at New York Medical College, and a visiting lecturer at Albany Medical College. He is past president of the Homeopathic Medical Society of the State of New York. He received his medical degree from Des Moines University and his undergraduate degree from Michigan State University. Dr. Malerba has a private practice in upstate New York.

Reducing health care costs...

2011-05-09T18:46:00.000-05:00

How Dietary Supplements Reduce Health Care Costs

SPENDING JUST PENNIES a day on healthcare can reduce our expenditures by $24 billion over five years.

New research from the Lewin Group has shown that spending pennies a day on a few key nutritional supplements can dramatically reduce sickness and chronic disease — and greatly decrease healthcare expenditures as a result.(i) How did they come to this conclusion? And why haven’t we heard about it?

The Lewin Group looked only at rigorous scientific studies that documented the benefits of nutritional supplements. They used the Congressional Budget Office’s accounting methods to determine the economic impact of supplements. And they kept their analysis specifically to Medicare patients and women of childbearing age.

Today I will review the Lewin Group’s research, explain the remarkable conclusions they came to, and outline the supplements I recommend you take every day if you want to optimize your health and possible reduce health care costs in the process.

Reviewing the Research: Supplements Have Dramatic Health Benefits

Although nutritional therapies can help a broad range of illnesses, the group only looked at four supplements and disease combinations because of the rigor and validity of the scientific evidence available for these nutrients and diseases.

While there are many other beneficial nutritional therapies that have been proven helpful in studies, the ones in this particular study are only those that are unquestionable, beyond scientific doubt, well-accepted, and proven to help. Yet they are also under-used and not generally recommended by healthcare providers. The study looked at:

1. Calcium and vitamin D and their effect on osteoporosis
2. Folic acid and its ability to prevent birth defects
3. Omega-3 fatty acids and their benefits for heart disease
4. Lutein and zeaxanthin and their benefit in preventing major age-related blindness, or macular degeneration

In this study, the researchers were extremely strict and only looked at nutrient interventions that met three criteria.

1. The supplement had to produce a measurable physiological effect.
2. This physiological effect had to create a change in health status.
3. The researchers only looked at health problems where a change in health status is associated with a decrease in healthcare expenditures.

…a whopping 92 percent of us are deficient in one or more nutrients at the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) level, which is the minimum amount necessary to prevent deficiency diseases like rickets or scurvy…

Now, most of us hear the refrain from our physicians that nutritional supplements just produce expensive urine, that you do not know what you are getting, or that there is no scientific proof to support their claims. Based on this study and many others like it, my advice to these doctors is to do their scientific homework. Let’s start by looking at the effects of calcium and vitamin D.

First, I want to point out the vitamin D research referred to in The Lewin Group study is older research. Newer research, as I discussed in my vitamin D blog, suggests that higher doses of vitamin D3, such as 1,000 to 2,000 IU a day, have even greater benefit.

Yet even by focusing only on the older research, this study’s authors determined that providing Medicare-age citizens with 1,200 mg of calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D would result in reduced bone loss and fewer hip fractures. The researchers estimated these supplements could prevent more than 776,000 hospitalizations for hip fractures over five years and save $16.1 billion.

Next let’s look at omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fatty acids help prevent cardiac arrhythmias, improve cell membrane function, reduce inflammation, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and have many other benefits.

The Lewin Group found that giving the Medicare population about 1,800 mg of omega-3 fats a day would prevent 374,000 hospitalizations from heart disease over five years. The Medicare savings from reduced hospital and physician expenses would be $3.2 billion.

This is pretty convincing data, but it doesn’t stop there. The Lewin Group also analyzed the economic effects of lutein and zeaxanthin–carotenoids that are found in yellow and orange vegetables. I recommend taking them in combination with the hundreds of other carotenoids found in yellow and orange foods.

Taken as supplements, these have been shown to treat macular degeneration, which is the loss of central vision, a major reason people over age 65 require nursing home care. The study found that taking 6 to 10 mg of lutein and zeaxanthin daily would help 190,000 individuals avoid dependent care and would result in $3.6 billion in savings over five years.

Lastly the Lewin Group looked at the effects of taking folic acid. 44 million women of childbearing age are not taking folic acid. If only 11.3 million of them began taking just 400 mcg of folic acid on a daily basis before conception, we could prevent birth defects called neural tube defects in 600 babies and save $344,700,000 in lifetime healthcare costs for these children. Over 5 years, this would account for $1.4 billion in savings.

Taken together, these four simple interventions, which cost pennies a day, could produce a combined savings of $24 billion over five years. This does not even include benefits to people younger than 65 or any of the other benefits of nutritional supplementation, such as improved immunity, cognitive function, and mood.

The Lewin Group’s study is intriguing. The economic impact of investing a few pennies a day in nutritional supplements is compelling. But what’s downright frightening is that studies by the US Department of Health and Human Services prove that the typical American diet does not always provide a sufficient level of vitamins and minerals — meaning we are at greater risk for conditions like those outlined above.

Because of our consumption of low-nutrient, high-calorie foods that are highly processed, hybridized, genetically modified, shipped long distances, and grown in nutrient-depleted soils, many of us are nutritionally depleted.

In fact, a whopping 92 percent of us are deficient in one or more nutrients at the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) level, which is the minimum amount necessary to prevent deficiency diseases like rickets or scurvy — diseases that are the result of not getting enough vitamins and minerals. The RDA standards do not necessarily outline the amount needed for optimal health.

What’s more, our government’s nutrient guidelines ignore the fact that many Americans, because of genetic variations and unique needs, may need higher doses of vitamins and minerals than the RDA. Vitamin deficiency does not cause acute diseases such as scurvy or rickets, but they do cause what have been called “long-latency deficiency diseases.” These include conditions like blindness, osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, dementia, and more.

What all this adds up to is clear. Nutritional supplements do not just make expensive urine. Based on mounting evidence and confirmed by the Journal of the American Medical Association (ii) and The New England Journal of Medicine (iii), I strongly believe that we should all be taking certain basic supplements.

Supplements You Should Take Every Day

Here are the supplements I recommend for everyone:

1. A high-quality multivitamin and mineral. The multivitamin should contain mixed carotenoids, which include lutein and zeaxanthin as part of their mix, as well as at least 400 mcg of folate and a mixed B-complex vitamin.
2. Calcium-magnesium with at least 600 mg of calcium and 400 mg of magnesium. The calcium should be calcium citrate or chelated versions of minerals. Do not use calcium carbonate or magnesium oxide, which are cheap minerals that are poorly absorbed.
3. Vitamin D3, 1,000 to 2,000 IU a day (people who are deficient in vitamin D will need more).
4. Omega-3 fatty acids that contain the fats EPA and DHA, 1,000 to 2,000 mg a day.

The cost is low, the benefit is high, and the risk is non-existent for these nutritional supplements. Not only will you feel better, have better immune function, and improve your energy and brain function, but you will also prevent many problems down the road. So, eat a healthy diet — and take your nutritional supplements every day. It is essential for lifelong vibrant health.

Now I’d like to hear from you…

What supplements do you take every day?

How does your doctor feel about nutritional supplements?

Which of these nutrients do you typically get from your diet?

Please let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below.

To your good health,

Mark Hyman, M.D.

References

(i) The Lewin Group. (2006). An evidence-based study of the role of dietary supplements in helping seniors maintain their independence. Prepared for: The Dietary Supplement Education Alliance.

(ii) Fairfield K.M., and R.H. Fletcher. (2002). Vitamins for chronic disease prevention in adults: Scientific review. Journal of the American Medical Association. 287:3116-3126.

(iii) Willett W.C., and M.J. Stampfer. (2002). What vitamins should I be taking doctor?New England Journal of Medicine. 345 (24):1914-1916.

Foods for Moods

2011-05-05T08:47:00.000-05:00

MOOD-BOOSTING FOODS

From eatingwell.com

Boost your mood with these uplifting foods. We’ve all turned to food after a bad day. But instead of reaching for whatever seems soothing, eat something that science shows may truly lift your spirits.

Pick fruit, vegetables, fish and other whole foods. In a recent study of close to 3,500 men and women published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, those who reported eating a diet rich in whole foods in the previous year were less likely to report feeling depressed than those who ate lots of desserts, fried foods, processed meats, refined grains and high-fat dairy products. Previous studies have shown that antioxidants in fruits and vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids in fish are associated with lower risk of depression. Folate, a B vitamin found in dark green vegetables like spinach, beans and citrus, affects neurotransmitters that impact mood. It’s possible that the protective effect of the whole-food diet comes from a cumulative effect of these nutrients, says lead study author Tasnime N. Akbaraly, Ph.D.

Go ahead: order the bagel. In a new study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, people who for a year followed a very-low-carbohydrate diet—which allowed only 20 to 40 grams of carbs daily, about the amount in just 1⁄2 cup of rice plus one piece of bread—experienced more depression, anxiety and anger than those assigned to a low-fat, high-carb diet that focused on low-fat dairy, whole grains, fruit and beans. Researchers suspect that carbs promote the production of serotonin, a feel-good brain chemical. Also, the challenge of following such a restrictive low-carb diet for a full year may have negatively impacted mood, says study author Grant D. Brinkworth, Ph.D.

Have a little chocolate. Eating dark chocolate (1.4 ounces of it) every day for two weeks reduced stress hormones, including cortisol, in people who were highly stressed, a study done at the Nestlé Research Center in Switzerland recently found. “Polyphenols (antioxidants) in chocolate, and also in fruits and vegetables, may have contributed to the changes [in stress] in this study,” explains Douglas G. Mashek, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul. Psst: Be sure to account for the 235 calories that 1.4 ounces of chocolate delivers—or you may be stressed to see extra pounds creeping on.

Notes : In addition to the nutrients named above that lower the risk of depression and impact mood, there are herbs and herbal combinations that can be helpful. ConsiderChinese Mood Elevator, Sam-E, Chamomile, Trigger Immune and St. John’s Wort; also, Depressaquel Homeopathic, Pink Grapefruit Aromatherapy and 5-HTP.

Nature’s Sweet Life Dark Chocolate (55% Cacao) contains fine dark chocolate sweetened with xylitol, a naturally occurring sweetener commonly derived from certain vegetables and trees. Xylitol tastes similar to sugar with a glycemic index (7) that has little effect on blood sugar levels. The dark chocolate in this bar provides antioxidants and flavonoids that help neutralize harmful free radicals. This chocolate is gluten-free, contains no artificial flavors, preservatives or colors and is diabetic friendly. Each bar is 1.27 oz and has 170 calories. It is a healthy guilt-free alternative.

Radiation concerns??

2011-04-23T10:48:00.000-05:00

RADIATION EXPOSURE – WHAT TO DO

A question I am hearing a lot these days is "How do I protect my family from radiation?" In truth, we should have been concerned about radiation all along considering our exposure to high power lines, cell phone towers, microwave ovens, radio waves, color television, air travel, and cell phone and computer use. However, the disaster in Japan which caused damage to their nuclear power plants has brought this concern home in a really big way, because we know radiation from nuclear fallout and nuclear reactor accidents may cause Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, thyroid nodules and cancer as well as hypothyroidism.

You are exposed to radiation when you have a CT scan, MRI, full-body scan or dental or medical X-rays or treatments. During a news interview recently, a scientist stated that the radiation from one CT scan is equal to that from hundreds of x-rays; five to six CT scans deliver radiation equal to the exposure Hiroshima residents experienced when the atom bomb was dropped during World War II. Scientists at Columbia University have determined that the radiation dose from the exposure to a single full body scan is 100 times the radiation dose of a typical mammogram, only slightly less than the average dose received by survivors of atomic bomb blasts. If you get scanned every year for 30 years, your risk of developing a radiation-related tumor would jump 2% to about 1 in 50, an extra death for every 50 tested. The scientist interviewed for the newscast recommended people should do anything they can to avoid having a CT scan, instead using ultrasounds, regular x-rays, or having a thorough physical exam.

To counteract some of the misinformation on the internet, here are my recommendations on ‘what to do' to protect yourself against the radiation we are bombarded with as a result of living on earth.

I RECOMMEND DO THESE THINGS TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AGAINST RADIATION:
Step 1. Clean out your biliary tree! Clear out the bile ducts of the liver where the toxins generally accumulate. Since the liver and gallbladder respond best to liquid therapy, make a tea by opening 4 capsules of Gallbladder Formula and adding hot water. Sip a cup of this tea once daily on an empty stomach for 30-90 days. (It’s a little gritty, but the taste is not bad. The taste of fennel and mint come through.) This should not cause a cleansing crisis. It can be safely used by anyone, whether or not you have a gallbladder.
Step 2. Make sure your bowels keep moving! As the liver and gallbladder dump toxins, they are delivered to the colon, which must be moving! Use 1 tablespoon of Psyllium Hulls Combination and 2 Cascara Sagrada to move the toxins. Some prefer to use Nature's Three, LOCLO or Everybody’s’ Fiber in place of the Psyllium Hulls Combo and that is fine. Cascara Sagrada is added to make sure the gelatinous mass is moving along as it pulls toxins from the body. Cascara can be replaced with LB extract or Liquid Cleanse, both liquids, or LBS II, which has Cascara Sagrada plus other colon stimulant herbs. Whatever you choose, use 1 tablespoon of the fiber with as many bowel stimulants as needed to produce 2-3 bowel movements per day.
Step 3. Iodine protects the body from radiation. Good sources of iodine from Nature's Sunshine are Algin, Kelp, Black Walnut, Dulse, Heavy Metal Detox, Thyroid Support and Thyroid Activator. While Chlorophyll and Super Algae are good chelators, they are not as high in the iodine as Black Walnut and sea vegetables so they are not good choices here.

What about potassium iodide? Dr. Jack Ritchason, ND, our upline in NSP says, "We do not recommend you immediately take synthetic (manufactured) potassium iodide pills. Taking these pills prior to radioactive exposure is not a preventative measure and can actually cause more harm than good."

My recommendation is you take Nature’s Sunshine ALGIN for at least 2 weeks after any radiation exposure. We can take it as a precaution or to get radiation out of the body no matter what the source. Heavy Metal Detox would be my second choice, followed by Kelp. You can read the details about these products and all the others mentioned in this newsletter on my new website www.herbsinstead.com.

Do you believe you are allergic to iodine? A common misconception is that we can be allergic to iodine. In truth our bodies are loaded with chlorine and bromine. Iodine displaces these harmful toxins, causing a noticeable reaction. The reaction to iodine is a bromine detoxification and not a true allergy. If you have been told you're allergic to iodine and you wish to be cautious with the iodine formulas, rely on Heavy Metal Detox instead!

To protect against radiation: Kelp, Liquid Dulse, Bee Pollen, Vitamin E Complete, Super Antioxidants, Thai Go, Grapine, Gingko/Hawthorn, Cordyceps and CieAura EMF Chips on cell phones (see below).

To prevent skin damage: Use Silver Shield Gel or mix Jojoba Oil with Tea Tree Oil and apply topically.

To prevent diarrhea from radiation therapy: 4-5 Slippery Elm taken all at once each day.

Bath to pull out radiation: 1 cup of NSP sea salt or Epsom salts, 1 cup baking soda, 3 tablespoons (12 capsules) of Ginger. Soak for 15 minutes, submersing as much of the body in the tub as possible. Be sure there is someone in the home to help you leave the tub if you are weak after doing this bath. Follow the bath with one Yarrow and Vitamin E Complete with Selenium 1200 IU daily used internally.

Do you use a cell phone daily? Researchers and public health experts are engaged in a vigorous debate about whether cell phone radiation can lead to brain cancer. While earlier, short-term cell phone use did not find increased risk of brain cancer, studies of long-term cell phone use published over the last four years, have found an increased risk of developing two types of brain tumors (Glioma and Acoustic neuroma) on the side of the brain on which the cell phone is primarily held among people who have used a cell phone for more than 10 years. Besides brain tumors, new research has linked other central nervous system diseases to the radiation from cell phone usage.

Regarding reproductive health, studies conducted in two U. S. research centers, the Cleveland Clinic Center for Reproductive Medicine and the Medical College of Wisconsin, as well as 4 other studies from Australia, Japan and Europe reported that exposure to cell phone radiation can lead to a significant decrease of sperm numbers, motility and vitality. The Swiss Federal Office of Radiation Protection recommends avoiding keeping a cell phone in the front trouser pocket.

I have sources for the research and studies I have mentioned if you would like to see them. In the studies that will be released over the next several years, WE are the research subjects.

As scary as this is, researchers in the U. S., France and Japan have reported that children’s brains absorb twice as much radiation as adult brains, because of children’s thinner skulls and because of their brains’ higher water content and ion (charged particle) content, all factors which enhance radiation penetration.

What can be done to prevent constant radiation bombardment from your cell phone? Here are some safety tips:
Using the speakerphone reduces radiation to the head as do headsets which emit significantly less radiation than cell phones.

When possible, text instead of talk. It takes less power to send a text message than to send a voice message (talk) which means less radiation. Also texting keeps radiation away from your head.
Fewer signal bars on your phone means that it emits more radiation trying to get the signal to the tower. Take or make calls when your phone has a strong signal. If you have a poor signal, STAY OFF THE PHONE.
Limit your child’s cell phone use to protect his brain.
Radiation shields such as antenna caps or keypad covers reduce the connection quality and force the phone to transmit at a higher power with higher radiation. At the moment, public health agencies in the U. S. and other countries unanimously recommend against the use of such devices since they are untested and don’t undergo government review.
Cordless phones give off radiation too. Similar to cell phones emitting signals to a tower, a cordless home phone handset emits signals to the base station in your home.

Is it time for a stress intervention??

2011-04-14T07:14:00.000-05:00

Is it time for a “stress intervention”?

April is Stress Management Awareness Month, which means it’s the perfect time to take a moment to assess the effects that stress may be having on your life.
Many of us continue to underestimate these effects, and we refuse to make the connection between our levels of stress and the work, relationship and health issues that we just can’t seem to resolve.
Essentially, we are in complete denial.
Yet we are staring in the face of an epidemic. A full 80 percent of us feel stress on the job, for instance, and this has a direct effect on our health: 75-90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems!

Unfortunately, stress doesn’t just go away if we refuse to acknowledge it. In fact, the only way to reduce levels of stress to manageable levels is to recognize that stress plays a significant role in our lives, and then consciously begin a program to reduce stress and introduce greater calm and relaxation into our daily lives. In other words, we need to stage a stress intervention.

Stress intervention—step #1: Admitting the problem

The first step in our stress intervention should involve admitting to ourselves that stress is affecting our quality of life. Take a moment to think about it. How many of these symptoms have you experienced recently?
A fast heartbeat
A headache
A stiff neck and/or tight shoulders
Back pain
Fast breathing
Sweating, and sweaty palms
An upset stomach, nausea, or diarrhea
A short temper or irritability
Inability to focus or concentrate
Fearfulness about the future
If any of these symptoms sound familiar, you are probably dealing with moderate to high levels of stress. And although you may think you’re “coping” for the time being, if left untreated, stress can have a deeply negative effect on every aspect of your life, including your health, relationships and career.

Stress intervention—step #2: Recognizing the causes

The next step in addressing stress is to identify sources or triggers for your stress. Some of the most common sources of stress include:
Changes in your work schedule or responsibilities
A move to a new neighborhood, city or country
Family changes, such as poor health in a family member, or changes in the amount of time you spend together
A change of school, or the beginning or end of a school term
A change in type or level of social activities
Change to income levels or sources
Loss or damage to personal property
A foreclosure or investment/credit problems
A major purchase
Illness, injury or even major dental work
A change in your eating or sleeping habits
If one or more of these stressors is present in your life, they may be having more of an effect on your mental and physical health than you think.

Stress intervention—step #3: Finding peace and calm

The final step in dealing with stress is to find ways of eliminating it from your life for good. Although you can’t always control the issues that cause stress in the first place—such as job loss, illness, and other crises—you can learn to manage stress and minimize the short- and long-term damage to your physical and mental health through proven relaxation techniques.
The BioMat can play an effective role in your stress reduction regimen. Try to set aside 30 minutes several times per week to lie full-length on the BioMat. The soothing warmth and negative ion therapy will help improve and stabilize your mood.
Call us to schedule an appointment 615-400-7034

Introducing the BioMat at Breath of Life

2011-04-10T17:56:00.000-05:00

Introducing the BioMat

In an effort to offer the BEST of natural health technologies, I have decided to offer the BioMat at Breath of Life. My hope is that this technology will greatly improve your health and speed your healing process as you seek a greater quality of life. The clients who have been trying this modality have been reporting amazing results!! I have included a lot of information in this email because there is so much research on this FDA approved device. If you want to schedule a session, call or email us for a ½ hour or 1 hour. The introductory pricing is $50 for ½ hour (pkg of 5 $200), $70 for 1 hour (pkg of 5 $300). As with any healing modality, there is a greater benefit in doing a series of treatments.

The Richway Amythest BioMat is an FDA approved device(Establishment #2954299 and Device # B064498). The Amethyst BioMat™ harnesses a unique biotechnology. The power of Far Infrared Rays, Negative Ions, Amethyst Quartz and Electro-Magnetic Frequency Reduction. Far Infrared Rays (FIR) was discovered by NASA to be the safest, most beneficial natural light wave. FIR infrared ray energy is a part of the natural light spectrum of sunlight minus the skin damaging UV, which is why NASA spacecraft and spacesuits have utilized this heat. In Asia and Europe it has already revolutionized health and beauty products as FIR has the ability to penetrate, refract, radiate & reflect. When FIR penetrates through the skin to the subcutaneous tissues, it transforms from light energy in to heat energy. This thermal effect within the deep layers of tissues cause different events in the body to take place so healing starts to happen at a cellular level.

FIR is considered "Nature's Miracle Light" and has been shown to:

Reduce pain, stiffness, swelling and inflammation
Improving lymph flow and the endocrine system.
Increase blood circulation and strengthens the cardiovascular system.
Activate healthy molecular vibration with long-lasting, life-sustaining activity by initiating enzyme activity.
Found to penetrate deeply into the innermost parts of the body, stimulating healing and regenerating of cells, nerves and meridians hidden beneath surface, adipose (fat) and muscle tissue layers.
Balance pH by decreasing acidity.
Help remove toxins and detoxifying the body.
Improve the Immune System
Reduce Stress and Fatigue
Improve Skin and Muscle Tone
Help control Weight & Burns Calories
Reduce Cholesterol
Normalize Blood Pressure
To attain a Deep Delta State of Relaxation

Negative Ions are a major natural element that provides energy to the human body and has been shown to:

Naturally create a fast-moving electrical particle, which cleanse and purify the air we breathe. They are found in highest amounts in lush nature such as beaches, waterfalls and forests. Negative ions are found in lowest amounts indoors, in polluted areas and traffic areas.
Deliver a molecular level massage that accelerates and deepens all healing and cleansing processes.
To be the "Master Power Switch" which activates the body's entire cellular communication system and makes every single body function work better. (Nobel Prize in Medicine 1991 - Reviving the Cell - When the amount of Negative Ions in the blood increases, the function of the cell is activated. Thus increasing nutrient absorption, waste elimination, metabolism and cell function. ) The reverse holds true if there is a lack of negative Ions, and too many positive Ions within a cell. Thus, absorption of nutrition and elimination of waste material cannot be done effectively.
Alleviate allergies, migraines, and sinus problems.
Increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness, and more mental energy, (Pierce J. Howard, PhD, author of "The Owners Manual for the Brain : Everyday Applications from Mind Brain Research" and director of research at the Center for Applied Cognitive Sciences in Charlotte, N.C.)

To produce biochemical reactions that increase levels of the mood chemical serotonin, helping to alleviate depression, relieve stress, and boost our daytime energy.

Research

BIO MAT CRYSTAL INFRARED RAY ANTI-BACTERIAL TEST

Escherichia coli Bacterial reduced 64.5% on the Bio mat after 24hours.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteria reduced 60.7% on the Bio mat after 24hours

ANTI-BACTERIAL TEST on the Bio-Mat PICTURE-1

Escherichia coli Bacteria Picture before put on the Bio Mat (Right side Picture)

Escherichia coli Bacteria Picture put on the Bio Mat after 24 hours. (Left side Picture)

Reduced Bacteria 64.5%

BIO MAT ANTIBACTERIAL TEST PICTURE-2

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteria Picture before put on the Bio Mat

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteria Picture put on the Bio Mat after 24 hours.

Reduced Bacteria 60.7%

Sweat it out!!

2011-04-03T17:03:00.002-05:00

Sweat it Out: It's a Good Practice for Health

By Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

We often hear people say, "Don't sweat it." Sweating isn't considered a wonderful think in modern society as it is associated with stress and fear. However, when it comes to our health, and especially in fighting off colds and flu, sweat is good. In that case, we should "sweat it" if we want to be healthy.
I’m sure that many people have been to the doctor (or taken a family member to the doctor) for a round of antibiotics this winter. I’m no stranger to this practice, because for the first twenty years of my life I was constantly taken to the doctor for antibiotics.
Most of you probably know that antibiotics kill the friendly bacteria in the colon that function as part of the immune system. This contributes to yeast infections, which further weaken the immune system, but I don’t think that that’s the worst problem with antibiotics. The biggest problem is that they inhibit the natural healing process. Here’s why.
When microbes, particularly bacteria, gain a foothold in the body they throw off toxins in the course of their metabolism. It is these toxins that make us feel sick.
The body responds by trying to flush these toxins from the system. This may result in a runny nose, coughing, diarrhea, fever or sweating. This is the immune system at work, throwing off the disease.
Many naturopathic healers, and even some allopathic doctors, understand that childhood diseases actually train the immune system. The body “learns” how to generate the symptoms, which throw off the disease.
When I was using antibiotics, I wasn’t getting healthier. Instead, my immune system got weaker. I’d feel better on the antibiotic, but after I quit taking the antibiotic I’d get sick again in a few weeks, which suggests that the body never really recovered in the first place.
One of my friends told me that if he nursed his kids through the first cold or flu of the season with some vitamin C and other natural remedies, they seemed to stay healthy through the rest of the winter. If he took them to the doctor for an antibiotic they were sick all winter long. I’ve seen this in other people too. It’s sort of like the antibiotic “short-circuits” the body’s natural healing process.
The "Antibiotic" Approach to Herbs
When I started using herbs instead of antibiotics I didn’t get very dependable results, but that was because I was still thinking in terms of fighting germs. So, I tried popular infection fighters like Goldenseal and Echinacea for colds and flu, but was disappointed in the results. What I latter learned was that this is not a traditional way to approach the herbal treatment of colds and flu. It is a modern approach, based on the modern “germ” theory.
The traditional approach to these diseases was to use daphoretics (herbs that promote sweat) to help open up the channels of elimination and "sweat out" the disease. I got better results with colds, flu and other acute disease with herbs that don't have a strong antimicrobial action, such as yarrow, capsicum, ginger and elderflowers. All of these herbs are promote perspiration, especially when taken with warm liquids.
My good friend, Matthew Wood, gave a talk on the use of diaphoretics as an aid to the immune system at the recent AHG convention. He said that this traditional use of diaphoretics for contagious disease was developed by watching the normal process of disease and recovery. He suggested that the thermoregulation of the body through the sweat glands is actually the body's first line of immune defense and that the use of diaphoretics was based on watching fevers and illness "break" after a person started to sweat.
As Matthew stated in his workshop, modern medicine made us abandon traditional approaches to infectious disease when it told us, “The germs are the enemy, kill the germs." So, people started to look for herbs that would kill germs instead of support the natural process of recovery. While antimicrobial remedies may be appropriate in some situations, this does not mean that the older methods of supporting the natural process of healing with diaphoretics were invalid. Science may eventually "catch up" and learn that the body really does "sweat out" colds and other acute disease as traditional practitioners observed.
Matthew Wood said, “Too often modern herbalists merely copy biomedicine, rather than maintain an effective, holistic and natural practice. The use of ‘natural antibiotics’ may be a fantasy rather than an effective method of treatment.”
Training the Immune System
Many naturopathic healers understand that childhood diseases actually help train the immune system how to fight off infection. The symptoms the body generates, fever, coughs, runny noses, etc., are all the immune system at work kicking out what is irritating the tissues.
Diaphoretics support this process. As Matthew points out, “The sweat also unloads the toxins that have been feeding the disease. Stopped elimination has provided fuel for the fire of the fever to burn and for bacteria to feed off.”
You see, it isn’t just the microbes that are the problem in infection, it’s the microbial endotoxins (the metabolic byproducts produced by the microbes) that make us feel sick. Furthermore, it is the body’s clogged waste that provides the “food” for microbial invasion. When the body flushes its own waste and the microbial endotoxins, we not only feel better, we have removed the environment that would allow the disease to reassert itself.
For this reason, I reach for remedies like capsicum, ginger, HCP-X and other sweat producing remedies when I start to feel the first signs of a cold or flu. I drink lots of fluids and take lots of spicy herbs (and perhaps a hot bath) and try to work up a good sweat. Since I started doing this, my immune system has become stronger and I seldom get sick.
Using diaphoretics to open up elimination in the skin is also a treatment for skin disorders in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). Unfortunately, it aggravates the skin condition before it clears it up, so it’s not a practice most people in the West will put up with.
Still, Matthew says that he has found the practice of giving “one remedy after another until a sweat is produced” to be valuable in the treatment of illness. So have I.
Antiperspirants are Bad!
If we recognize that sweating is good for our health, we also have to realize that antiperspirants are bad for our health. Years ago, Dr. Jack Richason taught me that antiperspirants contribute to the development of breast cancer because they inhibit detoxification of the lymph in the chest area.
Whether that's true or not, blocking the natural elimination of toxins through sweat is a bad idea. So, use a natural deodorant that doesn't block sweating. Many people have found Nature's Fresh (with a few drops of essential oils) makes a good natural deodorant. Pau d'Arco lotion can also be used as a natural deodorant.
The bottom line is that sweating is a good therapy. I've done sweat baths, sweat lodges, cold sheet treatments and have worked up a sweat through exercise and I always feel better when I do. So, when you start to feel sick, try to work up a good sweat! You'll be healthier if you do.

Who needs supplements??

2011-03-28T12:09:00.000-05:00

This question is often asked by skeptics who think that most people get all the vitamins and minerals they need in their food. They think that vitamins are simply sold so big corporations can make more profits. All you get from vitamins, they have heard, is expensive urine! The lack of minerals in foods grown on depleted farm soil has added to our need for supplements. Test yourself on the factors below for a new perspective on whether or not you are getting all essential nutrients in your diet. Then ask your health advisor for recommendations.

If you answer yes to 8 to 16 of these statements, you have a moderate need for supplements.

If you answer yes to 16 or more of the statements, you have a great need for supplements.

Even If you answer yes to fewer than 9 of these statements, you may still need supplements.

1. I eat mostly "grocery store food" rather than foods “fresh from the farm”

2. I primarily use canned or frozen fruits or vegetables

3. I eat white bread and other white flour products

4. I use white sugar and products containing white sugar

5. I drink pasteurized, homogenized milk

6. I use a lot of salt

7. I drink coffee, tea, or soft drinks

8. I cook my vegetables until they are soft

9. I have very little appetite

I0. I often eat quickly, not chewing my food well

11. I am tired most of time

12. I am on a special diet because of a medical condition

13. I eat out a lot

14. I live in an area with significant air pollution

15. I have skin problems

16. I smoke

17. I drink alcoholic beverages frequently

18. I am dieting to lose weight

19. I am taking medication

20. I use birth control pills

21. I lack normal sex drive

22. I am in a stressful family situation

23. I am having financial problems

24. I don't exercise regularly

25. I don't get enough rest

Head Lice??

2011-03-21T17:25:00.002-05:00

Simple Instructions for Making Paw Paw Shampoo To Kill Head Lice

Open 10 capsules of Paw Paw Cell-Reg and mix into about 2 tablespoons of your shampoo. This will be gritty but will still be effective. Add 7 drops of Thyme Essential Oil and 4 drops of Tea Tree Oil.

Follow these instructions exactly for removal of head lice.*

1. Lather 2 tablespoons of shampoo into dry hair and scalp.
2. Place shower cap/hair net on head to contain shampoo and to protect the eyes.
3. Leave shampoo lather on hair for 60 minutes.
4. Rinse shampoo thoroughly from hair and scalp.
5. Dry and comb hair thoroughly with lice comb and remove nits/lice.

Repeat steps 1 - 5 in eight days and again in 16 days to insure thorough and complete removal. These intervals are necessary for any eggs that remain and hatch. Use regular shampoo in between times.

* Long or thick hair will require one additional tablespoon of shampoo and will need to remain on head an additional 15 minutes.

Aids to detoxification

2011-03-16T18:38:00.000-05:00

Techniques to Assist Detoxification

Skin Cleansing

Detoxification should include some type of skin cleansing, because our skin is one of our best eliminative organs. Heavy metals are actually released through the skin's pores when we sweat. Sauna baths and steam rooms are great for removing toxins from the skin and regenerating one's health and energy. It is very important to support our skin for detoxification to be maximal. If our kidneys are damaged, then helping the skin will help the kidneys ...indirectly, but effectively.
Good skin care is in order, if one's health is to benefit, also. Using chemicalized skin care products is not wise, even though they are cheaper. These chemicals may be absorbed into our circulation and provide more "toxins" for our liver to deal with. We are not made out of cast iron, and even the chemicals in our soaps and shampoos will make a difference with our health. Most people do not "see" the ill effects of these subtle chemicals, because their liver is able to metabolize them. But, individuals who are environmentally toxic will see a great change in their health when using natural soaps and shampoos.
Cleansing our skin is rather simple. First, we need to bathe daily using natural soaps. Then we need to care for the skin by using only natural oils and products of natural origin. Even the clothes we wear can make a big difference in our health. Synthetic fibers do not absorb sweat (toxins), while natural fibers, like cotton, will absorb toxins.
Good skin care also requires good nutrition Since our skin is mainly fat, we need high quality fats and oil from natural sources to give our skin health. Butter and olive oil are two excellent natural oils, which keep the skin in good condition. As always, the fats/oils should be natural ... only.

Baths to Assist the Detoxification Process:

You may experience flu-like symptoms during the detoxification because your body is ridding itself of
poisons. These baths can be taken 2 (two) to 3 (three) times per week. Soak for 20 to30 minutes(more than this may fatigue you). Baths should be taken on a daily basis during detox and rotated,switching to a different type of bath each day. After detoxing, use whichever bath seems appropriate to meet your current needs.

Epsom Salts and Ginger Bath:

This bath opens pores, eliminates toxins and pain. Boil freshly sliced or grated ginger root, and then
let steep for 10 minutes. (You can also dilute the ginger water in a cup, mix it with 1/2 squeezed lemon juice, and a touch of raw honey to soothe aches and calm the digestive system.) Mix ginger water with one cup of Epsom salts, and add to a tub of water. This bath works really well to relieve the aches that accompany the flu or exercise.

Salt and Soda Bath:

This bath counteracts the effects of radiation, whether from x-rays, cancer treatment radiation, fallout
from the atmosphere, or television/computer screen radiation, as well as detoxification in general. Add one cup of baking soda and 1-2 cups of Epsom salts to a tub of water. Epsom Salts, Sea Salt, and Sesame Oil:
This bath helps with dry skin and stress. Take 1 cup of Epsom salt, 1 cup of sea salt (from the health
food store), and 1 cup of sesame oil and put into a warm to hot tub of water and soak for 20 minutes.
Pat yourself dry.
Vinegar Bath:
This bath is used when the body is too acid. This is a quick way of restoring the acid-alkaline balance.
Use 1 cup to 2 quarts of 100% apple cider vinegar to a bathtub of warm water. This is excellent for
excess uric acid in the body and especially in the joints: arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, gout, and heavy
metal toxicity.

Skin Brushing

Skin brushing can be very beneficial, because the skin is a primary avenue for detoxification - along
with the lungs, kidneys, liver, and colon. Use a vegetable brush. You can purchase this at a health food
store. You need to brush all parts of the body toward the heart. Then follow with a sesame oil massage. Massaging with sesame oil brings relief. This oil can be purchased from the health food store. Massage the whole body for 5 minutes before bathing or showering. Another good method of skin brushing is with vigorous toweling off after bathing. Towel roughly until the skin is slightly red. Change towels often because they will contain toxins.

Lymphatic Drainage:

This can be accompanied by daily walks, bouncing (not jumping) on a mini trampoline or bouncing on
the edge of the bed for twenty minutes daily.
Detoxification may produce symptoms of headaches, nausea, malaise and vomiting due to the toxins being released (Herxheimer Reaction). If this occurs, one should back off the program and proceed slowly. Proceeding too fast with detoxification can have disastrous results when toxins are released into the circulation. Our body should be primed and ready to eliminate toxins before they are released. We do this by getting the bowels working, keeping the skin clean and getting the kidneys and lungs operating. Only by having all organs of elimination in proper operating order can our body begin to dump toxins efficiently and maximally. Keeping the skin clean and healthy is of prime importance also.
Detoxification is essential for good health to exist. Our body must eliminate toxins daily or we would die immediately. Since our environment is more toxic today, our livers are over stressed with environmental toxins to deal with daily. Processing other toxins, when the liver is stressed, may be delayed.
Detoxification is also a lifestyle change. For it is by the way we live that determines our health and how our liver processes toxins. Detoxification is easy if we eat a wholesome natural organic diet and live life in a natural way. But for those who want their cake and eat it too,detoxification may be compromised. A change your lifestyle may be needed and detoxification will be forthcoming. Nature has afforded us the chance to live in a toxic environment and not be affected by it. Of course, we have to live right to get that chance. Without detoxification we may not get a second chance.
Good health is within our reach, but first we must cleanse this "temple" and eat a wholesome
natural diet that provides us with maximal nutrients and fiber. Herbs can help us stimulate the liver, lungs, kidneys and bowels when needed, but diet is the first priority in any detoxification program. Don't become overly dependent on herbal laxatives. When toxins are released one may feel bad for a day or two, but when our good health is restored we will have renewed energy. Many people living today have never known what good health "feels" like. They survive with an abundance of toxins and an existence less than healthy.

Essential oils to the rescue!

2011-03-13T20:01:00.000-05:00

In 1985 Dr Jean C. Lapraz, a famed French researcher, reported that he couldn't find a single bacteria or virus that could live in the presence of the essential oils of cinnamon or oregano. Pretty common stuff - cinnamon and oregano - we use them every day in cooking and baking. Who would think that their essential oils would be anti-bacterial and anti-viral, killing those germs we generally believe require chemical antibiotics to overpower.
In research done at Weber State University, therapeutic grade essential oils were sprayed in an enclosed atmosphere under controlled conditions to measure their effectiveness against various airborne life-threatening pathogens. They discovered that spraying essential oils in micro-fine vapor (within an enclosed atmosphere like a home) effectively destroyed infectious pathogens, while at the same time boosting one's immune system. Microscopic photos taken during the tests dramatically recorded the massive breakdown of pathogenic life forms.
The Weber State study proved conclusively that essential oils are even more effective and reliable than such antibiotics as Penicillin and Ampicillin. A virus or bacteria will mutate to defend itself against vaccines and antibiotics, but no pathogen has ever been known to mutate when confronted with essential oils.
How exotic are these essential oils that destroy infectious pathogens? Consider the lowly lemon. Research done in France in the late 1800s produced the following description. The essence of lemon is second to none in its antiseptic and bactericidal properties. Vapors of lemon essence neutralize the meningiococcus in 15 minutes, the typhus bacillus in less than an hour, pneumococcus in 1-3 hours, staphylococcus aureus in 2 hours, and hemolytic streptococcus in 3-12 hours. The essence itself neutralizes typhus bacillus and staphylococcus in 5 minutes and diptheric bacillus in 20 minutes. Pretty powerful stuff for the essence of a drink we think of as a mere thirst quencher for a hot summer's day.

Or - consider thyme, another household regular. The essence of thyme is an excellent antiseptic, on account of the thymol it contains. The aqueous solution a 5% kills the typhus bacillus (typhoid fever), and Shiga's bacillus (agent of epidemic dysentery) in 2 minutes. It can kill the colon bacillus in 2-8 minutes, streptococcus and diphoretic bacillus in 30to 60 minutes. At a strength of 0.1%, the peroxidized essence of thyme in a diluted solution of soapy water destroys the mouth's microbial flora within 3 minutes.

In 1960, Dr Bidault used a mixture of Pine, Thyme, Peppermint, Lavender, Rosemary, Cloves, and Cinnamon as a preventative for infectious childhood diseases (whooping cough, coryza of nasal catarra, influenza), and acute or chronic diseases of the respiratory tract in adults (influenza, tuberculosis, and pneumonia). His clinical observations proved that the disinfection of the air surrounding the patient had a therapeutic preventative effect.

Mother Nature has provided us with a bounty of essences designed to protect us from the air-borne and surface pathogens that cause most of our common, and some not so common diseases. At this time, when physicians a warning us not to use antibiotics as preventatives because the pathogens adapt in time and no longer die when they encounter the antibiotic, we have at our finger tips healthy, natural essences that are antibiotic without causing the pathogens to adapt. Essential oils, properly blended, can disinfect, and deodorize your home, your work place, and your own body with no negative side effects.

Here are some suggestions:

Put a few drops of lemon oil, and pine oil in a humidifier or an atomizer and let it run for a couple of hours a day in your home.

If you are concerned about breathing pathogens while outside your home, spray an all natural blend of disinfectant essential oils on your handkerchief, and breath deeply every hour or so.

Introducing Perfect sleep

2011-03-07T08:53:00.003-06:00

Introducing Perfect Sleep homeopathy

It is said that there is a sleeplessness epidemic—three out of four American adults need more or better sleep. Rx and OTC drugs for sleep are not the best answer!! Our new homeoopathic sleep support product—Perfect Sleep is a much better choice. Perfect Sleep works with all body systems to support sleep:

Helps regulate release of hormones, particularly those necessary for sleep

Optimizes energy production to help body perform functions necessary during sleepHelps to alleviate other problems that interfere with sleep such as depression, anxiety, and hyperactivity
Compatible with any other medications, including other sleep aids
(need for other sleep aids may diminish)

Perfect Sleep is a new approach to sleep support that is not intended to cause drowsiness or to induce sleep unnaturally. It addresses all common causes of insomnia and restless sleep, and it

contains ingredients to support all phases of the body’s natural sleep cycles.

There are many dangers of too little sleep including heart disease and diabetes:

A University of Chicago study reports that too little sleep promotes calcium buildup in the heart arteries, causing plaques that break apart and cause heart attacks and strokes.

Blood pressure doesn’t lower during the night without good sleep pattern, leading to heart problems and strokes. ( JAMA. 2008;300(24):2859‐2866. doi: 10.1001/jama.2008.8)

In a University of Chicago study showed that after 6 nights of only 4 hours of sleep, blood sugar levels were higher than normal and glucose tolerance was impaired.(Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:1768‐1774)

Perfect Sleep is not a sleeping pill instead it optimizes body systems that help achieve and maintain sleep so it may be used throughout the day to regulate production of melatonin (not actually produced until dark). You can still drive, operate heavy machinery, and function normally while taking Perfect Sleep! It contains homeopathic melatonin, a key ingredient for good sleep, as well as pineal gland suis to stimulate the body’s own melatonin production. It also includes ingredients that optimize body’s energy production and complementary ingredients that help combat other problems that interfere with sleep, such as anxiety, hyperactivity, and depression. It is recommended to remain on this homeopathic for a minimum of 30 to 90 days to achieve the best results.

Call or email us today if you would like to try this amazing product=its cost is just $21.95.

Healthy Living

2011-02-17T10:54:00.000-06:00

TEN TENETS OF WHOLE LIVING

1. Happiness is a choice. Make that choice today and every day.
2. Good health isn't a gift; it's a habit you cultivate.
3. A healthy, fit body is not enough--true fitness engages the spirit.
4. Think more about what you should eat than what you shouldn't.
5. Laugh at yourself. You're funny.
6. Nurture your spirit. It's your source of strength.
7. Stay connected to the natural world. It will feed your soul.
8. Believe in yourself. Your intuition is rarely wrong.
9. It's never too late to take the first step toward your aspirations.
10. What you pay attention to will thrive.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. - Albert Einstein

Super Algae's amazing properties

2011-02-15T06:33:00.000-06:00

Super Algae

Written By: Steven Horne

If you've ever looked at algae growing in a pond, it doesn't look all that appetizing, but algae is actually a very nutritious food. The Aztecs gathered algae from the great lakes of Central Mexico, dried it and made cakes from it. The Kanembu’s, a group from Africa, used algae from the lake Johann as a spicy soup or bread. In times of drought, people have always turned to alga as a food source.
Today, clean forms of algae are grown as nutritional supplements, providing one of the best sources of protein (amino acids) in the plant kingdom. Algae is also rich in vitamins and minerals. No wonder science fiction writers often depict algae as a basic source of food in their futuristic worlds.
Super Algae is a blend of three different forms of algae that are widely recognized for their nutritional value. Super Algae is a great source of amino acids for brain and muscle, enhances the immune system, stabilizes blood sugar levels and is an excellent food for nourishing weak and sickly people. It has been used for hypoglycemia, ADD and ADHD, improving memory and concentration and providing energy. It may also help promote the detoxification of heavy metals.
Here is more detailed information about each of the three algae species in Super Algae.
Spirulina (Spirulina platensis) is a microalgae considered a whole, highly nutritious and easily assimilated food. It is a rich source of protein, highest per gram than most foods. It also contains chlorophyll, carotenoids, minerals and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). The algae gets it’s bluish-tinged color from a group of pigments called phycobilins. Phycobilins are similar in structure to bile pigments such as bilirubin.
Studies continue to show what many traditions have benefited from and that is that Spirulina has antiviral, antioxidant, hypocholesterolemic, hepatoprotective, anti-allergic and immune-modulatory activities.
Research has shown that a unique polysaccharide, only found in Spirulina, enhances cell nucleus enzyme activity and DNA repair synthesis. Polysaccharides have been shown to improve digestion, increase energy, and helps promote the growth of good intestinal bacteria.
Spirulina accelerates production of the immune system cells (bone marrow stem cells, antibodies, cytokines macrophages, T-cells and Natural Killer cells), increasing their numbers in organs like the liver, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, adenoids, tonsils and bone marrow improving the body’s ability to function properly in spite of stresses from environmental toxin or infectious agents.
Chlorella (Chlorella regularis) is a freshwater green algae noted for its chlorophyll content and as a rich source of vitamins A, E, B2 and B12. Chlorophyll has a stimulating action on the bone marrow, which produces hemoglobin. It enables the body to digest and utilize food, bowel movements become regular, nursing mothers have more milk, and healthy tissue growth is stimulated. Chlorophyll increases the function of the heart, affects the vascular system, the intestines, the uterus and the lungs.
It also stimulates the immune system and has the ability to inhibit the growth of bacteria, tumors and cancer. It has a long history of relieving chronic sinus conditions and common head colds and for cleansing open wounds and deep-lying infections. In 1994, The American Association for Cancer Research found that chlorophyll has the capability to ward off cancer-causing agents within the body and reduce the incidence of cancerous growths, with no irritating or toxic effects.
Blue Green Algae. Klamath Lake in Oregon is a pristine source of Klamath Lake blue-green algae. Klamath Lake blue-green contains chlorophyll, protein and amino acids, neuropeptides and fatty-acids. B vitamins and beta-carotene. It is one of the highest vegetable sources of B12. This commonly consumed food has antiviral properties and can help detoxify the body and improve skin condition.
It benefits digestion, helps eliminate food cravings and maintains regular bowel function. It has been found to lower blood cholesterol and reduces blood clotting. It can help support better sleep in the evening and provide more energy during the day as well as having a beneficial effect on mental awareness and stress
Suggested Use
Take 2-4 capsules with a meal three times daily.
Selected References:
Herbs that Heal by Michael A. Weiner and Janet Weiner.
Seaweeds by Michael Guiry.
The Alternative Health and Medicine Encyclopedia by James Marti and Andrea Hine.
The Doctors’ Vitamin and Mineral Encyclopedia by Sheldon S. Hendler.
The Energetics of Western Herbs by Peter Holmes.

Valentines Massage Specials!

2011-02-09T08:51:00.000-06:00

Hello Everyone!

A reminder: Special Massage rates for Valentine's Gift Certificates and for Sessions scheduled in February!

$40-30 min.,$70-60 min., $105-90 min. Call me to get your loved one a massage for Valentines day! Or

schedule a massage for yourself this month @Breath of Life office! Look forward to hearing from you soon!

Blessings, Rondolyn M Thorold,
LMT-615.300.4669

Effective Calcium Supplementation

2011-02-07T09:11:00.000-06:00

Effective Calcium Supplementation: Not as Easy as Advertised

A current television commercial states that a particular brand of antacid not only relieves upset stomach, but also delivers something else that a body needs: Calcium!

This inexpensive calcium carbonate antacid is high in calcium content, and the U.S. government does not differentiate one source of calcium from another so it is much easier to sell consumers 1,000 mg. of antacid calcium in a couple of tablets...but is it effective calcium supplementation?

Tools of the Trade

Calcium Chloride
With the exception of Amino acid bound calcium (chelate), all ingested forms of calcium are combined with the Hydrochloric acid in the stomach and converted into this harsh mineral salt. 27% of Calcium Chloride is absorbed. Harsh side effects include G.I. Upset, and constipation.

Calcium Carbonate
This popular form of calcium may take the form of Oyster Shells, Limestone, Dolomite, Chalk, or antacids. 24% of Calcium Carbonate is absorbed. It reduces ones ability to digest other food. It is associated with acid rebound and milk alkali syndrome. While it may temporarily decrease G.I. Upset, it often produces constipation in young adults and diarrhea in the elderly.

Milk
Milk is advertised as nature's perfect food. As with other forms of Calcium, Milk calcium is digested into Calcium Chloride under the acid conditions in the stomach. 27% of Milk Calcium is absorbed. Allergies and sensitivities are associated with milk.

Bone Meal
Bone meal can take several forms on dietary supplement labels. DiCalcium phosphate, TriCalcium phosphate and hydroxyanpatite are the most common. Bone meal is converted to Calcium Chloride in the stomach, since hydrochloric acid is a stronger acid than phosphoric acid. 27% of Bone Meal Calcium is absorbed. Supplementation with bone meal provides free phosphate ions to our bloodstream, a nutrient often in excess in our diets.

Calcium Citrate
Calcium citrate is advertised as the source of calcium in citrus fruits. Calcium citrate is a chelate, but is not stable in the acid conditions of the stomach. Like the phosphates, it succumbs to the stronger hydrochloric acid and forms calcium chloride. 24% of calcium citrate is absorbed.

Calcium Glycinate (glycine amino acid chelate)
Calcium glycinate is a chelate stable enough to withstand the acids and enzymes in the stomach. It is absorbed intact from the duodenum. 44% of Calcium Glycinate is absorbed. Bowel tolerance is good, and G.I. Upset is minimal.

Are you low in Potassium??

2011-02-02T15:01:00.000-06:00

ARE YOU LOW IN POTASSIUM?

Crucial to kidney and heart function, healthy potassium levels help keep your blood pressure in check. In a study published earlier this year, researchers found that low potassium may be as harmful as excess sodium when it comes to raising your risk of blood pressure. Meanwhile, several other studies show that upping your intake of this mineral could strengthen your bones as well as cut your risk of stroke (the third leading cause of death each year among American women).

Symptoms of LOW potassium include dry skin, muscle weakness, fatigue, constipation and slow reflexes. If the deficiency develops rapidly (sudden loss of potassium), heart problems may result. Remember the three (3) main minerals the heart needs to pump are Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium. When sudden loss of potassium occurs, a condition known as hypokalemic paralysis may develop and that is an emergency situation. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) is also known to cause potassium deficiency. If you are taking prescriptions like diuretics, cortisones and high blood pressure medication, they all cause loss of potassium. Other causes are alcoholism, severe vomiting or diarrhea, overuse of laxatives, anorexia, nervosa or bulimia, magnesium depletion and congestive heart failure.

Some more symptoms that indicate a need for high-potassium foods are these: Muscle weakness, confusion, irritability, fatigue, heart problems, chronic diarrhea and regular INTENSE exercise. Most American’s diets are high in sodium due to processed foods. Skimping on mineral-rich fruits and vegetables can prevent you from getting enough potassium in the first place. Overcooking your vegetables also depletes them of potassium. Overusing your muscles due to excessive physical activity is a factor that increases your need for potassium. Perspiring, caffeine beverages, poor water intake or a high protein, low carbohydrate diet can increase your need for potassium. Low potassium may be the reason for atherosclerosis, cataracts, dehydration, diabetes, hepatitis, high blood pressure, inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), and osteoporosis.

To reach your recommended 4,700 mg of potassium daily, turn to foods that are rich in the mineral such as bananas (422 mg each), baked potato with skin (926 mg each), prunes (637 mg per ½ cup), acorn squash (448 mg per ½ cup), cooked spinach (420 mg per ½ cup) and almonds (200 mg per ounce). Parsley, Blessed Thistle and Barley Grass are herbs that are especially high in potassium. Nap’s Combination Potassium is an excellent source of herbal potassium. Sources: Herbal News from Loring Hammer, Nutritional Herbology by Mark Pedersen and Body+Soul Magazine.

IMPORTANT: You must not increase the average amount of potassium in your diet when you are using certain blood pressure medications either in food or supplements. If you are using blood pressure medication, check with your health advisor before supplementing with potassium.

Seizure risk with flu vaccine?

2011-01-31T07:40:00.000-06:00

FDA Investigates Seizure Risk of Flu Vaccine
January 21, 2011, 04:01 pm
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating a potential link between Fluzone, a flu vaccine, and febrile seizures in children, according to a recent press release issued by the administration.
The move was prompted by an increase in reports of febrile seizures to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System following vaccination with the drug. The febrile seizures primarily occurred in children under the age of 2, and 38 of the seizures occurred within a day of vaccination with Fluzone.
The FDA has not seen a similar increase in febrile seizures in patients receiving another flu vaccine known as FluMist.
Febrile seizures are seizures set off by a fever. Approximately 4 percent of all children experience a febrile seizure during their lifetime, and they usually occur between 14 and 18 months of age. Most children who experience a febrile seizure recover and experience no long-term effects.
The FDA has emphasized that it is not changing the recommendations for flu vaccination in children. "The risk of severe influenza illness is higher among young children," the administration said in its press release, and "flu vaccine is the best way to protect against becoming ill with the flu."
Fluzone is currently the only FDA-endorsed vaccine for use in infants and children 6 to 23 months old during the 2010-2011 flu season.
Additional information about drugs and drug side effects may be found on DrugWatch.com..

15 ways to get healthier

2011-01-30T14:06:00.000-06:00

#1 - Replace sodas or soft drinks with tea or water.

#2 - Commit to eating one raw fruit (or serving of vegetables) at every meal.

#3 - Add just 5 minutes a day to your exercise routine. Don't have an exercise routine? Start with 5 minutes a day!

#4 - Get more sunshine!

#5 - Buy more indoor plants: They purify the air in your home.

#6 - Take a quality, wild-harvested fish oil supplement that contains vitamin D.

#7 - Eat more quinoa: It's a high-protein, low-carb "grain" that can easily replace rice or couscous.

#8 - Instead of trying to find a parking spot so close to the grocery store, park farther away. You'll get a little more walking exercise and a little more sunshine.

#9 - Get a good water filter so you can stop drinking tap water (or bottled water).

#10 - Take a relaxing hot bath with epsom salts and soothing herbs like lavender. It will do wonders for your mind and your muscles.

#11 - Get a professional massage! Massage therapy is really, really healthy, and it's a great way to reward yourself for some of the other accomplishments you're making.

#12 - Prepare for a Spring garden. Make a commitment to start a garden next Spring, and you'll reap many health benefits in the months ahead.

#13 - Make a point to get at least eight hours of sleep for 2-3 nights a week (or more, if you can). Most people are sleep deprived, and the health cost is enormous.

#14 - Start visiting local farmer's markets so that you eat more local food this year. You'll be healthier and happier as a result.

#15 - Make a decision to think of food as nourishment instead of entertainment. Eat what your body needs, not what your taste buds desire.

How to keep your brain from being "fried"

2011-01-18T13:16:00.000-06:00

Tips to Prevent You from Losing Your Mind
OR, How to Keep Your Brain from Being "Fried"
by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

“What a terrible thing to have lost one's mind. Or not to have a mind at all. How true that is.” —Dan Quayle

Dan Quayle was noted for his "bloopers" like the one cited above. He is, of course, referring to the famous statement, "a mind is a terrible thing to waste," which was actually an advertising line used to promote the United Negro College Fund about twenty years ago.

It's pretty obvious it's not desirable to lose or waste your mind, but millions of Americans do every year. I'm not talking about failing to get educated, I'm talking about developing dementia, a disorder where you lose memory and cognitive function as you age.

As of 2008, there were about 30 million people in the world suffering from dementia. The most common and well-known form of dementia is Alzhiemer’s disease, which accounts for about 50% of the cases among Caucasion people.

Alzhiemer’s affects over five million people in America. Thirteen percent of people over 65 have it and half of all people over 85 suffer from this disease.

Furthermore, the number of people suffering from brain-destroying illnesses is increasing world-wide, especially in developing countries. This shows that these diseases aren’t natural by-products of aging, but problems brought on by the toxins in modern industrial society.

Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells. Alzheimer’s involves a destruction of neurons that produce acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter associated with memory. Parkinson’s is associated with the destruction of neurons that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in co-ordination.

All of these disorders are very difficult to treat once they have started because it’s not easy to rebuild damaged brain cells. It isn't impossible; it's just extremely difficult. So, it’s much wiser to keep your mind in the first place rather than have to hunt for it after you lose it.

Don’t Poison Your Brain

Some years ago there was a commercial where some eggs were dropped into a hot frying pan. Showing the eggs the narrator said, "This is your brain." As the eggs were dropped into the frying pan, he said, "This is your brain on drugs." It was an effective message.

However, drugs aren't the only thing that can "fry" your brain. You see any toxin or irritant that sets up an inflammatory response in your brain is going to "fry" it. That's basically what happens in diseases like Alzhiemer's and Parkinson's. The oxidative damage from the inflammation "burns up" your brain cells.

Besides drugs, alcohol is very good at doing this. So, if you want to avoid "burning out" your brain it's wise to minimize the consumption of alcohol (or not drink at all). But the commercial could have also said, "This is your brain on toxic chemicals," because there are also many environmental toxins that "fry" your brain cells.

Toxins That "Waste" Your Mind

When it comes to damaging your brain, heavy metals, such as mercury, aluminium and lead, are the first big concern, followed by petrochemical solvents such as paint, gasoline, dry cleaning and carpet cleaning solutions and spot removers. The combination of both is particularly deadly to your brain cells.

Lead and mercury are both known to cause retardation and mental deterioration. The “mad hatter” in Lewis Carrol’s famous Alice in Wonderland story (who was played by Johnny Depp in a recent Hollywood movie) was mad (or insane) from exposure to mercury. In Lewis Carrol’s day hatters (men who made hats) often went crazy from the mercury used in making the hats.

Mercury can be introduced from many sources, including fungicides, pesticides, dental fillings, contaminated seafoods, thermometers and a host of products, including various cosmetics, fabric softeners, inks, tattoo ink, latex, medications, paints, plastics, polishes, solvents and wood preservatives. If you have “silver” dental fillings, they are actually mostly mercury, so get them removed by a competent dentist. Amalgam fillings are a major source of mercury poisoning.

Some scholars believe that the fall of the Roman empire may have been due to the use of lead pipes to carry water for the upper class. This exposure to lead basically destroyed the brains of the ruling elite. Lead isn’t as big a problem as it used to be, but it is still a concern. For instance, if you have an older home, you may have lead-based paint which needs to be removed.

High levels of aluminium have been found in the brains of Alzhiemer’s patients and while this has not been established as a cause of the disease, it’s still wise to avoid exposure to aluminium. Don’t use aluminium cookware, unless it’s stainless steel cookware with an aluminium core. In particular, don’t cook acidic foods, like tomatoes, in aluminium. It’s also wise to avoid antiacids and antiperspirant deodorants that contain aluminium.

"Cleaning Up" Your Mind

Having a "clean mind" isn't just about having good thoughts. You also have to clean up the chemical toxins that can "get into your head."

Heavy Metal Detox is a good formula for helping to get heavy metals out of the body. Take one to two capsules per day along with about six to eight capsules of algin (a water soluble fiber that absorbs heavy metals). Oral Chelation with Mega-Chel is also helpful for getting rid of heavy metals and has slowed the progress of many cases of Alzheimer’s and dementia. In some cases it may even produce some cognitive improvement.

Petrochemical solvents are a problem for the brain because they dissolve oils and fats. Since the brain is 50% fat (by dry weight), these chemicals are particularly damaging to the nervous system. Combined with heavy metals, they act as a carrier to transport the heavy metals through the fatty membranes of the cell. This sometime happens with vaccines, which usually contain both heavy metals and solvents.

Good fats and liver detoxifiers like Milk Thistle Combination and Enviro-Detox can help rid the body of these chemicals and protect your mind. They work best when taken with plenty of water and a fiber supplement like Nature’s Three.

Cooling the "Fire" in Your Brain

As we previously indicated, toxins promote inflammatory responses that lead to oxidative damage to tissues. An increasing body of evidence implicates most problems associated with aging to inflammation and oxidative stress, including deteriorating mental conditions.

The brain is particularly sensitive to damage from inflammation and free radicals, so one way to keep your mind from being burning out and becoming “fried” by toxins is to eat plenty of antioxidant-rich fresh fruits and vegetables, organically-grown where possible. Most experts recommend 5-9 servings of these health-protecting foods every day.

When we can’t get adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables, Thai-Go is a convenient, easy and tasty way to get more antioxidants into the diet. Thai-Go is a blend of fruit juices and other botanical ingredients that are rich in naturally occurring antioxidants including polyphenols, flavonoids, xanthones and vitamin C. This powerful formula also reduces inflammation, relieves pain and enhances energy production.

Another way to combat inflammation and reduce free radical damage is to take Super Trio. This convenient nutritional packet contains Super Supplemental, a quality multivitamin and mineral supplement, Super ORAC, a powerful antioxidant formula and Super Omega-3. Besides being part of brain structure, Omega-3 essential fatty acids help control chronic inflammation. (We’ll talk more about the importance of fats to the brain next week.)

A third option for protecting the brain is Brain Protex. This formula is designed to enhance acetylcholine production and inhibit free radical damage to the brain cells responsible for memory. Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter involved in memory. Alzheimer’s disease involves the destruction of brain cells that produce acetylcholine.

Brain Protex contains an extract of Chinese club moss which contains a substance called huperzine A. Huperzine A has been shown to help prevent and slow the progress of both Alzheimer’s and dementia. Brain Protex also contains antioxidants that cross the blood brain barrier to protect brain cells from oxidative damage and nutrients that support acetylcholine production.

We’ve posted an article on Brain Protex on our website this week. We’ve also featured the herb rosemary, which is an antioxidant herb that has been historically used for "remembrance." These are just a few of the herbs and nutrients that can keep you from "frying" your brain and losing your mind.

Are you too tired to sleep??

2011-01-11T11:41:00.000-06:00

Are You Too Tired to Sleep?
Adrenal Exhaustion and Insomnia
by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

Have you ever been so tired that you couldn’t sleep? It sounds like a paradox, but the body need energy to be able to relax and fall asleep and when energy levels are too low, sleep is disturbed.

Energy Storage and Discharge

Rest and Relaxation
Recharge Your Batteries

Right now, take note of how relaxed or tense your body is. Tension is a sign of fatigue, while relaxation is a sign of good energy reserves. Here’s why:

Stretch and Increase Your Magnesium

Nervous Fatigue Formula

Typically the person feels like they “just can’t take it anymore.”

I also look for a tongue that quivers or shakes a lot. This indicates adrenal fatigue. The tongue is often a pale red color or pale with a red tip.

If the person is stressed enough I may use Adrenal Support, instead of Nervous Fatigue Formula. I usually muscle test to see which one will work better for a given individual.

The dose for Nervous Fatigue Formula is four capsules of the regular formula or one of the concentrate two or three times daily. The dose for Adrenal Support is one capsule once or twice daily.

The Cadmium Connection to Disease

2011-01-10T10:46:00.000-06:00

The Cadmium Connection to Disease
Sherry Rogers, MD

I keep hearing about more people with prostate cancer or osteoporosis or kidney disease requiring dialysis or colon cancer or breast cancer or kidney cancer. What could the link be? The same thing could cause them all: cadmium. It turns out that a vast amount of these mini epidemics are merely the result of the steady low-level accumulation of environmental toxins.

Cadmium now is unavoidably everywhere and government studies
show we all have it in us, for it is in the soils and is taken up into foods. It used to take folks about 50 years before they finally accumulated enough to deteriorate, but now they are younger because of the combination of other pollutants along with escalating nutrient deficiencies. The average daily cadmium intake now is 30ug a day, but for example, a cigarette provides 2 micrograms. So a smoker more than doubles his level and hastens his
launch into disease and death.

How does cadmium cause something like osteoporosis? By several mechanisms. For one, heavy metals are stored in the bones and when cadmium gets in there it kicks out other minerals, like calcium and zinc that are needed for strong bones. As well, cadmium poisons the kidneys, interfering with renal vitamin D3 synthesis. So you have two reasons for osteoporosis from one unavoidably ubiquitous heavy metal. No wonder the
government's leading scientific journal shows the polar bears in the Artic have osteoporosis from our pollutants. We have poisoned even their food sources. Our industrial and vehicular emissions are taken up in streams or clouds that drift, raining out over the land and oceans. Fish and sea vegetation take up the chemicals, as do the animals that eat them.

In terms of cancers, cadmium has been used in the laboratory for years to directly cause prostate cancer. Kidneys concentrate cadmium, poisoning their ability to make vitamin D, which has been found to protect against colon and other cancers. So no wonder we now have rising rates of cancers and vitamin D deficiency, both in part due to cadmium. Folks with higher levels of vitamin D3 happen to have lower levels of prostate cancer, but certain genetic types have different vitamin D3 receptors, giving them an even higher 4.6 risk of prostate cancer. Obviously, their vitamin D3 levels should be measured and can be with the ION Panel. You want to be on the high side of normal for this nutrient, for current research shows that not only is there a silent epidemic of vitamin D deficiency in the US, but research proves that the cut-off used to define "normal" is much too low. But as with most medical discoveries of this nature, it will take 23-50 years to change the
medical education and make this known. That's why most folks can safely add Vitamin D3 2000 mg to their daily nutrients.

In the meantime, get all your nutrient levels in good order so that you can eventually move ahead and do the heavy metal detoxification protocol in The High Blood Pressure Hoax. For the key to reversal of diseases caused by cadmium is to remove the stuff from the body. Although the Far Infrared Sauna is indispensable for health, there is a limit to how much you can remove of other things, like pesticides, plasticizers, hydrocarbons, preservatives, etc. That is why the heavy metal detoxification protocol is also needed for speedier removal of heavy metals. Frankly, most of us would not live long enough to try to detox all we need to get rid of by just limiting ourselves to the sauna. This unprecedented toxic era demands multiple tools for a more aggressive detox.

You saw in the previous articles how low vitamin D3 contributes to the diabetes epidemic. Furthermore an undiagnosed deficiency damages the immune system which leads to increases infections and allergies. I don't worry about such idiocy as the bird flu when I know my vitamin D level, for example. As far as heavy metals are concerned, they are ever increasing; it just doesn't end. I've shown you how arsenic accumulation is behind treatment-resistant metastatic cancers, like prostate, plus diabetes, while mercury can initiate just about any symptom and disease you can imagine. Unfortunately, the levels of heavy metals are increasing in the world and in our bodies. That's why I'm more convinced than ever that we all, from children to the elderly, need to detox our heavy metal load via the protocols in The High Blood Pressure Hoax. It is the only proven way to reverse diseases that make medicine throw up its hands and proclaim them
as life-long deficiencies of the latest drug, laden with side effects. It makes perfect sense to put our toxic load back where it was 20-40 years ago. For children, we now have tiny doses of non-prescription chelation adjuncts as well as foods and nutrients that boost detoxification of heavy metals.

Excerpted From "Total Wellness" May 2006
Dr. Sherry Rogers, MD

Need to chill out??

2010-12-17T11:53:00.002-06:00

Uptight? Tense? Upset? Can't Sleep?
Take a Lesson from the Polynesians and
Use Kava Kava to Relax and Sleep Better
by Steven Horne, RH(AHG)

Today, almost everyone is subjected to conditions that cause far too much stress and anxiety. One possible answer for reducing nervousness, insomnia, anxiety, muscle tension and other symptoms of stress is the Polynesian herb, kava kava.

This plant is native to the South Pacific islands where it has been cultivated for over 2,000 years. If you think of the “laid back” energy of the Polynesian people, kava kava may play a role in creating that mellow and relaxed “island” feeling.

Ceremonial Beverage

In the warm moist environment of the South Pacific where kava grows, it has been cultivated for over 2,000 years. The rhizomes of specific varieties of kava have been used by these people both as a medicine and as a cultural exchange of goodwill in ceremonies, festivals and negotiations.

Once reserved as the beverage of chiefs and noblemen, it was and is still used to welcome visiting dignitaries or other important guests at formal gatherings, initiations and in negotiating agreements. Pope John Paul II, Queen Elizabeth, President Lyndon B. Johnson, Lady Bird Johnson, and Hillary Rodham Clinton are all known to have drunk kava upon being welcomed to Fiji and Samoa.

Kava kava has also been used to honor births, marriages, and deaths, in making preparations for a journey, as well as for honoring the gods, removing curses, and as a preparation for battle in tribal wars. Kava bars in Fiji are as common as coffee shops in America. In parts of Polynesia and Indonesia, it is consumed every day as a relaxing, recreational beverage.

Relaxed But Alert

Kava’s botanical name, Piper methysticum, means, “intoxicating pepper.” Kava is a relative of black pepper, but it is not stimulating like pepper, coffee, tea or cola nuts. Instead, it is relaxing, helping a person to feel a sense of calmness, relaxation and even euphoria.

Unlike alcohol, commonly used in the west for similar purposes, kava kava does not dull the senses or cause one to lose control of oneself. People do not become angry, noisy, unpleasant or quarrelsome when drinking kava.

Kava allows the mind to remain sharp, while the body feels relaxed. It promotes restful sleep which replenishes energy, making it a better remedy for fatigue than stimulants like caffeine.

Kava also enhances communication, which is why it is used when treaties or other important issues are being negotiated. Kava does not cause the drinker to lose consciousness and does not result in after affects like the hangover that follows alcohol consumption. Kava also increases empathy and is used to help negotiations and marriage counseling.

Medicinal Uses

Kava has been used in native medicine for its relaxing qualities, for urinary tract infections, asthma and as a topical anesthetic. The primary interest in the West has been its well-documented anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects. Numerous clinical studies and laboratory testing carried out in Germany have shown that kava extracts safely reduce symptoms in patients with anxiety disorders.

Kava contains a blend of several kavalactones that work together to give this herb its remarkable psychoactive effects. Kava affects the central nervous system, influencing the emotional command center of the brain producing both psychological and physical relaxation effects.

Kavalactones have been shown to relieve anxiety and pain. Medicinally kavalactones have muscle relaxant, analgesic, sedative, anti-spasmodic and tranquilizing activities. It is also quite helpful for difficulties in concentrating and memory loss.

Human testing has shown that kavalactones change brain activity without sedation. One study showed that people taking measured doses of kava extract did better in word-recognition tests than those taking a synthetic tranquilizer (benzodiazepine).

A 1993 report in the British Journal of Phytotherapy referred to kava as one of few herbs that can safely relax skeletal muscles, while maintaining clear mental functions. The author of this report prescribed it for nervous tension and conditions associated with skeletal muscle spasms, such as headaches caused by a tense neck.

Another study showed that those taking kava had an improved sense of well-being and marked reduction in nervousness and tension compared to those on a placebo.

Suggested Use

For anxiety, mild depression, pain, muscle tension or tension headaches, take 1 capsule with a meal twice daily. Take 1–2 capsules 30 minutes before bedtime for insomnia. It can be combined with Valerian or Herbal Sleep for insomnia. Do not exceed 4 capsules per day.

Safety Concerns

Considering the many benefits of kava kava and it’s long history of safe use, it is unfortunate that it has had some bad press in recent years. Reports from Europe of kava causing liver damage resulted in the product being pulled from the market in many countries. However, this problem was due to an improper preparation of the plant.

European manufacturers made standardized extracts of kava from the stems (instead of the roots) or from varieties natives do not use. These parts of the plant were not used by natives, who considered them toxic. Given the long history of safe use for kava kava in the South Pacific, you don't have anything to worry about kava extracts sold in the United States because they are made from roots of the correct species.

Still, it is wise to observe the following precautions. Do not use kava kava while driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery, or if you are pregnant or nursing. Avoid kava if you have liver problems, frequently use alcohol or take any medication that can damage the liver. However, the liver is far more likely to be damaged by alcohol, acetaminophen (Tylenol) and prescription drugs (like cholesterol-reducing statins) than it is from kava.

Reasons to avoid Aspartame

2010-12-12T12:29:00.000-06:00

Reasons to Avoid Aspartame
Posted By Dr. Ben Kim

When Tim Gullickson, former professional tennis player and coach to Pete Sampras, died in 1996 from complications related to brain tumors, I distinctly remember reading about Tim's fondness for diet Coke; according to one close friend, Tim was addicted to the stuff - he always seemed to have a can in hand.

When I began private practice a year later, within a few months, I encountered three patients who had brain tumors and drank several diet sodas a day. These findings were easy to notice and group together in my mind, as I took a detailed dietary survey during each new patient evaluation.

From that point on, I shared my suspicions about aspartame with family, friends, and patients. And over time, I learned about the ways in which aspartame injures nervous tissue on a cellular level - most of my education on this issue has been from the work of Dr. Russell Blaylock, a retired neurosurgeon who has long maintained that aspartame and MSG are harmful to human health.

Aspartame, the technical name for popular brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure, has been documented by the United States FDA to be a cause of the following symptoms:

   * Inability to concentrate
   * Short-term memory loss
   * Headaches
   * Dizziness
   * Trouble sleeping
   * Depression and irritability
   * Seizures
   * Nausea
   * Numbness
   * Muscle spasms
   * Fatigue
   * Difficulty breathing
   * Heart irregularities
   * Joint Pain

Why is Aspartame Harmful to Your Health?

To put it simply, aspartame is toxic to your nervous system. Enough exposure to aspartame can lead to nerve cell death.

Aspartame - also know as 1-aspartyl 1 phenylalanine methyl ester - is made up of the following components:

   * Wood Alcohol (methanol) - about 10%
   * Phenylalanine - about 50%
   * Aspartic acid - about 40%

Problems with Wood Alcohol

The United States Environmental Protective Agency says that the average person can consume 7.8 milligrams of wood alcohol per day without negative effects - some cans of diet soda have been found to have double this amount.

Although wood alcohol naturally occurs in some of the foods that we eat, it doesn't come naturally bound to amino acids as it does in aspartame. Rather, in nature, wood alcohol typically comes attached to fiber that allows it to pass through the digestive tract without being absorbed into the bloodstream.

Since wood alcohol that comes with aspartame doesn't have fiber to keep it out of your bloodstream, just about all of it gets absorbed into your blood, where it can spontaneously convert to formaldehyde, a poisonous substance that is an established carcinogen.

Metabolism of formaldehyde in your body can lead to the production of formate, a waste product that, if accumulated in large amounts, can cause metabolic acidosis and ensuing blindness, kidney damage, and even death. Clearly, this could only potentially happen if you consume extremely large quantities of aspartame and your body's buffering mechanisms fail to prevent metabolic acidosis.
Problems with Phenylalanine

When exposed to high temperatures or simply stored for a long period of time, aspartame breaks down into a few different compounds, one of which is aspartylphenylalanine diketopiperazine (DKP).

There is some evidence to suggest that DKP can undergo a nitrosation process in the stomach, which can lead to the production of a chemical that may cause brain tumors.

Since many food products and beverages are exposed to extremely high temperatures during distribution and storage, especially in areas of the world where the climate is hot year-round, the presence of and potential harmful effects of DKP become more worrisome in regions and countries that are closer to the equator.

Also, it's worth noting that whenever your body is exposed to a sudden surge in phenylalanine, the break down of phenylalanine to a larger-than-normal supply of neurotransmitters (L-dopa, norepinephrine, and epinephrine) may create imbalances in nerve signaling that may cause any number of symptoms, including:

   * Anxiety attacks and nervousness
   * Seizures
   * Headaches
   * Heart palpitations

Problems with Aspartic Acid

Like phenylalanine, aspartic acid is an amino acid that naturally occurs in foods. When your body obtains these amino acids along with other naturally occurring amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals, your cells can put phenylalanine and aspartic acid to use for normal metabolic activities.

When you introduce abnormally large amounts of phenylalanine and aspartic acid (synthetically bound together by an ester bond) into your bloodstream - which is exactly what happens whenever you drink a can of soda that is sweetened with aspartame - your cells can be overwhelmed.

Specifically, a surge in aspartic acid can lead to over-stimulation of nerve cells and sometimes even nerve cell death - this overstimulation is what Dr. Blaylock refers to as excitotoxicity.

The risk of experiencing nerve cell death from ingesting too much aspartame is higher in people who smoke, have high blood pressure, or have diabetes, as all of these factors potentially increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier that is supposed to protect your nerve cells against excitotoxins. It's safe to assume that the more your overall health is compromised, the more susceptible your nerve cells are to the toxic effects of aspartic acid.

Pregnant and nursing moms should know that babies in the womb and newborns are particularly susceptible to having aspartic acid cross the blood-brain barrier, so it's especially advisable to avoid aspartame during these times.

If you'd like to avoid aspartame, please keep in mind that it's a common ingredient in many packaged foods and beverages, particularly those that are marketed as being sugar-free or low in calories. Examples include sugar-free or low calorie:

   * Yogurt
   * Chewing gum
   * Soft drinks
   * Cookies and candy bars that are made for diabetics
   * Frozen desserts
   * Artificial sweeteners
   * Cough candies, drops, and syrups
   * Chewable vitamins

Be sure to read through the list of ingredients on all packaged foods and avoid those that list aspartame, NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure.

If you're relatively healthy, your body can likely handle some exposure to aspartame without experiencing irreversible damage. Still, it's hard to justify hurting your health, even just a little, by knowingly ingesting aspartame.

The great danger with aspartame is in regularly consuming it - the most common example is the person who drinks a few or more diet sodas every day. If you know anyone who belongs in this category and is open to looking into this matter, please consider sharing this post.

If you happen to be one of those people who just can't do without the "bite" that sodas provide, one healthy alternative is to combine fruit juice with sparkling water. Too much fruit juice isn't good for your blood sugar-regulating mechanisms, but every once in a while, a glass that combines three-quarters fruit juice and one-quarter sparkling water should satisfy your need for a biting beverage.

Breath of Life

Ionic Footbaths 10% off in February

Longing for the beach?

For the month of February, we are offering-10% off single footbath (regularly $45) and 20% off a package of 5 (regularly $200).

Flower Essences for emotional balance

Why you should not stop taking your vitamins

WHERE DOES YOUR HEAD HURT?

January Special 10% off protein powder nutritional beverages

Are you too tired to sleep??

Are you too tired to sleep??

Diffusers 10% off in December!

Great Quote

“The work of the doctor will, in the future, be ever more that of an educator, and ever less that of a man who treats aliments.” Lord Horder MD

Read about the BioMat

Emotional Cleansing is 10% off in November

October Special-10% off BioMat sessions-singles & packages

Thermography at our office September 15

Have you ever considered Reiki?

A different look at flu season

Thermography at Breath of Life

Essential Oils Sale

BioMat results

Thermography August 18

Sleep problems?

Elevate Rx homeopathy

A different look at sunscreen

#1) The FDA refuses to allow natural sunscreen ingredients to be used in sunblock / sunscreen products

#2) Nearly all conventional sunscreen products contain cancer-causing chemicals

#3) In a nation where over 70% of the population is vitamin D deficiency, sunscreen actually blocks vitamin D production

#4) You can boost your internal sun resistance by changing what you eat

#5) UV exposure alone does not cause skin cancer

#6) Not all "natural" sunscreen products are really natural

Beware the disinfo minefield surrounding sunscreen products

The importance of water

Hydrate Your Way to Better Health

Toxicity and Mental Health

Focus Rx

June Specials!

And what you need to know about sugar...

124 Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health

What you need to know about High Fructose Corn Syrup

Eating mistakes that Age You

Sources:

The Role of Insulin in Health and Longevity

How Carbs Cause Insulin Resistance and Diabetes

Switch on Your "Youth Gene" by Avoiding Carbohydrates

Other Research Confirms Low Insulin is Imperative for Longevity

Fructose—Even Worse than Grains

Fructose Recommendation

The Four Cornerstones of "the Fountain of Youth"

The Anti-Aging Lifestyle

More information on Emotional Chemistry

Grief causing chronic illness??

Reducing health care costs...

How Dietary Supplements Reduce Health Care Costs

Foods for Moods

Radiation concerns??

Is it time for a stress intervention??

Introducing the BioMat at Breath of Life

Sweat it out!!

Who needs supplements??

Head Lice??

Aids to detoxification

Essential oils to the rescue!

Introducing Perfect sleep

Healthy Living

Super Algae's amazing properties

Valentines Massage Specials!

Effective Calcium Supplementation

Are you low in Potassium??

Seizure risk with flu vaccine?

FDA Investigates Seizure Risk of Flu Vaccine

15 ways to get healthier

How to keep your brain from being "fried"

Are you too tired to sleep??

The Cadmium Connection to Disease

Need to chill out??

Reasons to avoid Aspartame

For the month of February, we are offering-
10% off single footbath (regularly $45) and 20% off a package of 5 (regularly $200).