Health 03 (Apr 09 - Feb 10)

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Managing Stressful Conditions For Inner Peace by Amy Twain

Stress management could produce inner peace within when you become a neutral caring observer of the challenges in your own life. (The term neutral caring observer was coined by someone during his doctoral research on spiritual intention.) As a neutral caring observer of stressful conditions, situations and life in general, you could gain objectively a clearer, sharper and more focused point of view.

With a clearer perspective, you would most likely have more alternatives and choices for problem solving which would help you reclaim and renew your peace of mind. Being a neutral caring observer includes 3 easy ways which gets naturally easier through constant practice.

1.) Decide to be neutral--Be objective, even systematic in your observing. As you begin to observe, choose to remain unbiased. Do not criticize or judge easily. Assess without taking inventory and neutrally observe others. You can also neutrally observe yourself, your losses, your wins, your strengths as well as your failures with equal acceptance.

2.) Decide to be caring with yourself and those people around you. See through the eyes of love and kindness. Foster care and compassion. Loving and caring is your roots for optimism, resilience and acceptance. Without the attitude and attention of caring, you could simply become judgmental and critical, thus losing the many key benefits of neutrality and its practices.

3.) Decide to be an observer--watch closely and look around you. See what is presently happening and let yourself see it as it really is. Watch everything and the dynamics in action. As a watchful observer, you might build lively curiosity about how different stressful events and conditions are happening and displaying in your life. By observing, you can have two ‘tracks’ playing in your thoughts. On track is yourself as an observer, quite removed from the action even while participating in it. And the other track is of yourself participating in your decisions and actions of your own life.

As you get involved and participate in every stressful circumstance, you might feel shaken. Yet being the neutral caring observer of yourself could resume in observing from your central of peace. However, when you function as a neutral caring observer, you are peaceful, balanced, calm, relaxed, unshaken and in harmony with those around you even though things around you are shaking. With patience and persistence as a neutral caring observer, you create and cultivate an inner core of loving yourself, accepting yourself in spite of your faults, and eventually you will develop a keen and clear observation of your surroundings.

You are in a much better and more advantageous position to make wise decisions and solve problems relating to stress. You prevent the stressful and disorderly frustration and chaos with this simple and effortless yet powerful tool of reducing stressful situations for inner peace. As an active participant in situations relating to stress, pressure and hassles of everyday life, you would probably be able to relax more and move in to a peaceful center immediately because of the practice of being a neutral caring observer.

[winston]

How Much Protein Do You Need? By Craig Ballantyne

I'm all for getting a little more protein in your diet, but enough is enough. Some of the protein shakes you can buy have 40 or 50 grams.

Do you really need that much protein after you exercise? Of course not.

Resistance training causes muscle breakdown, and to repair those muscles over the course of a few days, you need amino acids from protein. But some so-called experts have taken this info to extremes. They recommend an extreme protein intake of 200 grams per day and over 50 grams of protein per meal. (The average chicken breast has about 35 grams of protein. A single egg has 7 grams.)

According to researchers from my alma mater, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, we only need to consume a moderate amount of protein after exercise to begin the rebuilding process.

The scientists put six young men through an intense leg workout on five separate occasions. After the workout, they received 0, 5, 10, 20, or 40 grams of whole egg protein. The 20-gram protein dose caused maximum muscle protein synthesis. More important, when the subjects consumed any more than 20 grams, their bodies simply used the excess protein for energy (just as the body uses carbohydrates and fat), and part of the amino acids got excreted in their urine.

In other words, when you consume excessive amounts of protein, whatever you don't need literally gets flushed away. Eating more protein than you need does NOT force your muscles to repair and rebuild faster.

Look at it this way. Imagine that your muscles are a factory, and the amino acids delivered to your muscles are parts. Inside the factory, little workers are building more muscle. But the factory has a limited rate of production.

It doesn't matter how many extra parts get delivered. Those little muscle-factory workers can only work so hard and so fast. So those excess parts just sit there... and eventually get removed by the factory's clean-up crew and turned into waste. (If the factory is paying a pretty penny for those parts, it's a waste of money too.)

I just grab a 500 mL carton of chocolate milk after each workout (delivering 18 grams of protein) to start the recovery process. However, if you want to lose fat, you don't need that much sugar. Instead, you could consume a 20-gram protein shake or simply eat a regular meal that contains 20 grams of protein.

Source: ETR

[winston]

A Great Diet for Your Heart By Craig Ballantyne

One of the easiest and most effective things you can do to improve your health is to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Researchers from Iran's Obesity Research Center examined fruit and vegetable intake in 840 men and women from Tehran - and the results were dramatic. The subjects who ate a lot of different fruits and vegetables were significantly and inversely associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Specifically, it appears that eating a variety of fruits and vegetables leads to lower LDL cholesterol in a dose-responsive manner. That means you'll get more benefits from eating an apple, an orange, a banana, and some broccoli than you will from just eating an apple and an orange.

So every time you are at the grocery store, add at least one new fruit and one new vegetable to your cart. You can choose from kiwi fruit, avocados, asparagus, pears, spinach, and so many other amazing foods.

Try to be a little better every week with your fruit and vegetable intake and you'll reduce your risk of heart disease in one of the simplest possible ways.

Source: ETR

[winston]

Chocolate - No Longer Junk Food! by Laura S. Garrett, RD

Enough is known about chocolate now to justifiably make the following statement, "Chocolate is good for you and no longer just an empty calorie junk food!" Did you know chocolate has been linked to lower blood pressure? Lower cholesterol? Increased insulin sensitivity? Improved blood flow to the brain? Reduced inflamation? Improved texture of the skin? Happiness -- well, that last one is no surprise to a chocolate lover!

What is it that makes chocolate so wonderful, not just to the taste buds, but all the health benefits just listed? The positive health benefits can be attributed to flavonol antioxidants (flavonols). Flavonols come from ground, fermented cocoa seeds. Take out the cocoa butter and sugar from chocolate and flavonols are what's left. Dark chocolate has more flavonols than milk chocolate and forget white chocolate which is not a true chocolate. White chocolate is made from cocoa butter and sugar containing no flavonols. The darker the chocolate, the better it is for your body because there are more of those wonderful flavonols. However, not all dark chocolate is created equal. Flavonols can be destroyed during processing, i.e., dutched and alkalized cocoa products.

Moderation is, of course, a must for healthy chocolate consumption. Cocoa powder itself is virtually fat-free. Chocolate, however, contains a significant amount of sugar and fat thus calories. Just one ounce of chocolate contains abut 200 calories and 10 grams of fat .. BUT 1 oz. is an adequate amount to reap the benefits noted in this article! So, eat smart. If you are going to begin including an ounce of chocolate in your diet, counteract the extra calories by eliminating it somewhere else in your diet.

Last note -- If you want the health benefits of cocoa without the calories added to make chocolate, try adding cocoa powder in a smoothie made from banana, yogurt, milk, frozen berries and a touch of honey - yum!

[winston]

Baby broccoli may help prevent stomach cancer: study

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Eating two and a half ounces of baby broccoli daily for two months may protect against a common stomach bug that is linked to gastritis, ulcers and even stomach cancer, a study in Japan has found.

Fresh broccoli sprouts contain plenty of sulforaphane, a natural biochemical that appears to trigger the production of enzymes in the gut that protect against oxygen radicals, DNA-damaging chemicals, and inflammation.

In an article published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, scientists found that eating two and a half ounces of baby broccoli daily may help stave off some serious health problems.

"We identified a food that, if eaten regularly, might potentially have an effect on the cause of a lot of gastric problems and perhaps even ultimately help prevent stomach cancer," wrote Jed Fahey, nutritional biochemist in the Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Cancer Chemoprotection Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

It has long been known that sulforaphane is a potent antibiotic against Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that causes gastritis, ulcers and stomach cancer. But this is the first trial showing the effects of the compound on people.

"Broccoli sprouts have a much higher concentration of sulforaphane than mature heads (broccoli)," Fahey explained.

In their study, the researchers gave 25 people in Japan who were infected with Helicobacter pylori 70 grams per day of broccoli sprouts for two months.

Another 25 infected people consumed an equivalent amount of alfalfa sprouts which don't contain sulforaphane.

"We know that a dose of a couple ounces a day of broccoli sprouts is enough to elevate the body's protective enzymes," Fahey said. "That is the mechanism by which we think a lot of the chemoprotective effects are occurring."

"But the fact that the levels of infection and inflammation were reduced suggests the likelihood of getting gastritis and ulcers and cancer is probably reduced."

The World Health Organization classifies Helicobacter pylori as a carcinogen. It thrives in the lining of the stomach.

It afflicts several billion people, or half the world's population. Shaped like a corkscrew, it has long been associated with stomach ulcers, which are frequently cured by antibiotics.

Source: Reuters

[winston]

Find Out If You Are At Risk By Jon Benson

Want to know what your real odds are of having a heart attack? How about a stroke? Diabetes?

I think most "doctors' tests" are worthless. But some are vital.

It's important to know the difference.

I'm going to give you the three tests you absolutely must take if you want to help ensure your future health.

Statistically, the first test is far more accurate than any blood test. And get this: You can do it at home for free.

Test number one: Simply measure your waistline. Use a tape measure and do not pull it tight. Measure right below the navel.

Write down that number in inches.

Then measure your height (without shoes) in inches. Write that down too.

Multiply the results of your waist measurement by 2. If this number is greater than your height, you are FOUR TIMES more likely to get heart disease.

Four times. That's more predictive than cholesterol tests by far. And a lot less expensive to boot.

Test number two: Know your SED rate. This is an inflammatory marker in the blood.

Test number three: Know your hsCRP and LP(a) levels. Both of these usually can be done with one test. Both are inflammatory markers, as well as key indicators of heart health.

It's virtually impossible to have a normal SED rate, a normal hsCRP level, and a normal LP(a) level and be at imminent risk for a heart attack, a stroke, or diabetes.

Go to your doctor and ask for these three blood tests. They are all crucial.

Source: ETR

[winston]

The Lance Armstrong Problem By Jon Benson

Lance Armstrong and Jim Fixx looked like two of the healthiest men on the planet. Armstrong beat testicular cancer, but came within an inch of his life. And Fixx died of a heart attack after taking a short jog.

Looks can be deceiving.

So even if you look healthy and feel like a bazillion bucks, you still need to know your levels of inflammatory markers - your SED rate and your hsCRP and LP(a) levels. Because both the fit and the unfit can be at dire risk and not even know it.

Now, here's the solution: A low-inflammatory nutrition and training plan, along with plenty of stress-free time.

I can help you with the first two things. The third one - de-stressing - is up to you. You may want to spend 30 minutes a day doing yoga, walking, meditating, praying, or whatever calms your mind and body.

Armstrong and Fixx were both doing insane amounts of exercise... and eating insane amounts of high-inflammatory foods. Processed carbohydrates, for example. They had sky-high inflammatory levels as a result of eating inflammatory foods and engaging in high-stress exercise for too long of a time.

And they both got sick. One of them died.

My good friend Dr. Steven Chase believes that 85 percent of cancer is preventable. Re-read that: 85 percent. And he's an oncologist - a cancer doctor.

And heart disease may be 95 percent preventable.

But it requires a low-insulin, low-inflammatory nutrition and exercise plan:

1. Short workouts that are intense, effective, and enjoyable. Weights and cardio both, or in-home resistance workouts work fine.

2. Longer "soft" workouts (like brisk walking) that help de-stress the body and burn more body fat.

3. A low-glycemic, high-protein diet packed with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Source: ETR

[winston]

The Dose Doesn't Make the Poison By Kelley Herring

If I got paid every time someone said "Oh, a little won't hurt me," I'd be a very rich woman. Unfortunately the only thing anyone gets from that misguided idea is poor health.

Arsenic, lead, and trans-fats immediately come to mind. And mercury.

In Dr. Mark Hyman's brilliant new book The UltraMind Solution, he notes that almost all of us have some level of mercury poisoning. If you eat tuna and/or have amalgam ("silver") fillings in your mouth, that means you.

In mentally reviewing my meals, I recall hundreds of tuna sandwiches and sushi rolls. Do you?

Actor Jeremy Piven certainly does. The star of the HBO show Entourage - with a twice-a-day sushi habit - started to suffer from fatigue, dizziness, neuro-muscular dysfunction, and problems lifting his arms and legs. His doctor found his body's mercury level "almost six times the upper limit of normal and allowable."

Mercury is nothing to meddle with. Here's how you can protect yourself:

1. If you're still eating tuna... stop. There are plenty of delicious, low-contaminant seafood options like wild salmon and sardines that you can enjoy without risk.

2. If you have amalgam fillings, get them safely removed.

3. Have your mercury levels tested, and work with a healthcare practitioner who uses chelation therapy to rid your body of heavy metals.

Source: ETR

[winston]

Large waist may boost heart failure risk By Anne Harding

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Both body mass index (BMI) and waist size influence a person's risk of being hospitalized with heart failure or dying of the condition, new research shows.

"This study reinforces the importance of maintaining a healthy body weight through diet and exercise," Dr. Emily B. Levitan of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, a researcher on the study, told Reuters Health.

In heart failure, the organ becomes too weak to pump blood efficiently through a person's body, leading to fatigue, swelling of the legs, and difficulty breathing. Heart failure is the top cause of hospitalization among Americans 65 and older, Levitan and her colleagues note in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.

To investigate further, Levitan's team looked at 36,873 women aged 48 to 83 and 43,487 men 45 to 79 years old who were participating in long-term studies of the general Swedish population. During six years of follow up, 382 of the women and 718 of the men were hospitalized for heart failure or died from the disease.

For both men and women, Levitan and her team found, the risk of being hospitalized with or dying from heart failure rose with BMI and waist circumference.

For every additional BMI point, the risk of heart failure hospitalization or death increased by 3% in women and 7% in men, while a 10-centimeter increase in waist size boosted risk by 19% in women and 30% in men.

"Obesity has effect on blood pressure and lipids and all of the other things that we know increase the risk of heart disease, but it also will just increase the workload on the heart," she added. "The bigger someone's body, the harder the heart has to work to pump the blood around."

The strength of the association tended to decline among older people. Because people tend to get frailer with age, the researcher noted in an interview, it's possible that body weight and fat become a less important determinant of risk as people get older.

SOURCE: Circulation, April 7, 2009.

[winston]

Let a Little Sunshine Into Your Life By James B. LaValle, RPh, MS, ND, CCN

When our eyes don't take in enough sunlight, we can "experience a serious mood change... sleep too much... have little energy... crave sweets and starchy foods... [and] feel depressed," according to the National Library of Medicine. Studies link those symptoms to low levels of brain chemicals like serotonin and melatonin. Not only do we need sunlight in our eyes to produce those neurotransmitters, we need sunlight on our skin to produce vitamin D.

We've long known that vitamin D is critical for building and maintaining strong bones. But a big surprise in recent years has been that vitamin D also plays a critical role in insulin regulation, making it important for the prevention of diabetes and heart disease. It's also important for the regulation of your immune system, with studies linking low vitamin D levels to an increased risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancers, as well as to multiple sclerosis (an autoimmune condition).

It's hard to get enough sunshine during the winter months. And in summer, many avoid exposure to direct sunlight because they're concerned about skin cancer. In addition, drugs used to treat heartburn, acid indigestion, and ulcers can deplete the body's stores of vitamin D.

What this means is that you have a good chance of being deficient in this critical vitamin.

It's easy to restore the vitamin D your body needs. You can get it by spending a few minutes in the sun each day. You can also get it from food sources, especially eggs, fatty fish, and fish liver oils. And if you don't like fish, there are supplements.

When taking supplements, avoid the old form of vitamin D (ergocalciferol). Vitamin D 3 (cholecalciferol) is the best form to use. Experts are now recommending that we get at least 1,000 IUs per day.