During the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century a typhoid epidemic was traced to Mary Mallon, a professional cook. "Typhoid Mary" infected many people with the bacteria that caused typhoid fever - a debilitating, often fatal infection. Mary never showed any symptoms of infection herself. However, many of the people who contacted her became seriously ill.
Today we face another source of infection from bacteria and viruses: our children and grandchildren. Our little Typhoid Marys and Johnnys bring us the gift of exposure to potential illness from all of their friends at school and in daycare. How does this actually happen and what can we do to protect ourselves as well as our young ones? "Germ-o-phobia"
There is a medical condition called mysophobia which is the fear of germs. People with this disorder take extreme precautions to avoid touching anything that might be considered "dirty" or contaminated with germs. They have a relentless hand-washing procedure that rivals the sterile-field procedure used by surgeons.
Normally, germs and viruses are harmless and may even be beneficial in educating our immune systems. Some bacteria are even good for you, such as the probiotic, acidophilus. This is because "good" bacteria keep "bad" bacteria away and may even become part of a healthy immune system. However, children that grow up without exposure to normal bacteria called "soil-based organisms" or SBOs, have fewer defensive bacteria. That means pathogenic bacteria have a better chance to breed in them, potentially causing illness and spreading infection.
This effect is multiplied when children are kept in close quarters with other children and their germs. Further, their immature immune systems may allow them to become breeding grounds of infection without producing symptoms themselves. Limiting physical contact and washing our hands with soap and hot water becomes a rational defense strategy instead of a phobia.
The best defense...There is an old saying: The best defense is a good offense. Being proactive in protecting ourselves and our family simply makes sense. How can we build a good defense against infection without becoming isolated? More important, how can we build healthy immunity and resistance in our children and grandchildren? Once again we can turn to Typhoid Mary for clues.
First, isolating people with a fever is very important. Usually an infection is contagious when a person has a fever. When the fever breaks, transmissibility of the infection rapidly declines. (This is not true with H1N1 swine flu, which may continue to be contagious for up to 12 days.)
Stay away from sick people if at all possible.
Frequently wash your hands with hot soapy water and dry them thoroughly to help avoid viruses.
Insulating yourself and educating your immune system with probiotics and Healthy Aging nutrients as well as emotional nurturing is critically important.
After all, it is the health of your immune system that determines whether or not you will get sick. And the severity of the illness is dictated by the state of balance in immunity: symptoms become more severe as the immune system becomes more imbalanced.
Finally, become a source of influence in advocating for healthier children. Both children and adults have fewer and less severe illnesses when they take care of themselves.
For example, getting enough rest and eating properly will reduce the frequency, severity and duration of infections. Growing a garden may provide your loved ones with healthier food and also expose the gardeners to healthy probiotic SBOs at the same time.
Just imagine: Time in the garden may help provide your family with better food, stronger social connections and even immune protection from all those little Typhoid Marys and Johnnys. What a great way to defend yourself from this unexpected source of infection!
Take Control of Your Health
Wash your hands with hot soapy water often
Dry your hands thoroughly
Isolate sick people for three days after a fever (12 days after H1N1 Swine Flu)
Sleep between 7œ and 9 hours nightly
Eat 5 to 9 servings of fruit and vegetables every day
Educate your immune system with probiotics and Healthy Aging nutrients
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Death of a Generation
In medicine we get so used to dealing with statistics that we don't always remember that there are real people behind these facts. I recently quoted the statistic that children born today will not live as long or as well as their parents. Many of you could well be thinking, "That's my children or grandchildren you're talking about!"
Indeed, these are the children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews that belong to all of us. These are the people we love. How did we get this way? What does science tell us about the health of generation Y2K? How can we steer them into better health? Generation lostThe health of the Y2K generation (those born in the New Millennium) is a direct "cause and effect" relationship of the health choices made in the previous 50 years. Since the end of World War II, North American and Western European diets have contained more fat, more sugar and fewer nutrients. At the same time, physical activity has declined and television viewing has increased. People are also getting less sunshine and less sleep - two elements critical for health!The health consequences to our Y2K generation could be compared to planting a seed of "convenience" in the 1940s, nourishing the sapling with inactivity in the 1950s and 1960s, seeing the blossoms on the tree in the 1970s and 1980s (the rapid decline in our own health and the rapid increase in our waistlines), and bearing full fruit of a lost generation beginning in the 1990s until today.
How bad is it?According to popular resources such as The National Post in Canada and esteemed scientific journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, there is a sharp decline of several years in expected longevity and a dramatic rise in disease risk - especially diseases associated with obesity (e.g., heart disease, cancer, diabetes). It is pervasive across all social and economic groups; but of course, the disease rates increase for people in lower economic regions.
Just imagine: The health gains of the past 1,000 years are erased in one generation! It is comparable to a global recession where financial gains and wealth of a lifetime are wiped out in a matter of minutes.Steer a new courseImagine your health is like the voyage of a cruise ship. If that ship is the Titanic you immediately know that it may not have a happy ending. If the captain of the Titanic knew in advance the certainty of losing his ship, he would change his course. Our health and the health of our children, grandchildren and community are on the same dangerous path as the Titanic. Science and our own experience tell us that by staying on a particular course we will have a health catastrophe.
However, by changing that course even a little we can have a successful journey for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren.Proper nutrition and nurturing can help us steer a healthier course.
So, eat a balanced diet with healthy proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Select organic when possible - grow your own garden when possible.
Take Healthy Aging nutrients every day (try replacing Sublingual B-12 with Super Sublingual B-12 if you often experience allergies, insomnia, indigestion or muscle aches). Get your sunshine and your sleep.
Turn off the TV, go for a walk and take those Y2K kids with you!
Be an example and be an educator of the simple but profound health principles found in the 10 Essentials of Health and Wellness.
Plant a seed of hope, knowledge and proper self-care in this generation, and we can be content knowing it will sprout, mature and bear healthy fruit for generations to come.
Indeed, these are the children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews that belong to all of us. These are the people we love. How did we get this way? What does science tell us about the health of generation Y2K? How can we steer them into better health? Generation lostThe health of the Y2K generation (those born in the New Millennium) is a direct "cause and effect" relationship of the health choices made in the previous 50 years. Since the end of World War II, North American and Western European diets have contained more fat, more sugar and fewer nutrients. At the same time, physical activity has declined and television viewing has increased. People are also getting less sunshine and less sleep - two elements critical for health!The health consequences to our Y2K generation could be compared to planting a seed of "convenience" in the 1940s, nourishing the sapling with inactivity in the 1950s and 1960s, seeing the blossoms on the tree in the 1970s and 1980s (the rapid decline in our own health and the rapid increase in our waistlines), and bearing full fruit of a lost generation beginning in the 1990s until today.
How bad is it?According to popular resources such as The National Post in Canada and esteemed scientific journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, there is a sharp decline of several years in expected longevity and a dramatic rise in disease risk - especially diseases associated with obesity (e.g., heart disease, cancer, diabetes). It is pervasive across all social and economic groups; but of course, the disease rates increase for people in lower economic regions.
Just imagine: The health gains of the past 1,000 years are erased in one generation! It is comparable to a global recession where financial gains and wealth of a lifetime are wiped out in a matter of minutes.Steer a new courseImagine your health is like the voyage of a cruise ship. If that ship is the Titanic you immediately know that it may not have a happy ending. If the captain of the Titanic knew in advance the certainty of losing his ship, he would change his course. Our health and the health of our children, grandchildren and community are on the same dangerous path as the Titanic. Science and our own experience tell us that by staying on a particular course we will have a health catastrophe.
However, by changing that course even a little we can have a successful journey for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren.Proper nutrition and nurturing can help us steer a healthier course.
So, eat a balanced diet with healthy proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Select organic when possible - grow your own garden when possible.
Take Healthy Aging nutrients every day (try replacing Sublingual B-12 with Super Sublingual B-12 if you often experience allergies, insomnia, indigestion or muscle aches). Get your sunshine and your sleep.
Turn off the TV, go for a walk and take those Y2K kids with you!
Be an example and be an educator of the simple but profound health principles found in the 10 Essentials of Health and Wellness.
Plant a seed of hope, knowledge and proper self-care in this generation, and we can be content knowing it will sprout, mature and bear healthy fruit for generations to come.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Wellness from the Inside Out
The average person in North America lives about 77 years.Imagine building a skyscraper that was 77 stories tall. How sound would it be at the top floor if a beam were mislaid in the foundation?
Healthy aging means that we build a structure (us!) that is sound, habitable and healthy - right to the very top floor. This life-long building process begins at the foundation: our DNA. How cells workThere may be trillions of cells in the human body. Cells are like tiny factories. Each one has a function and a product to produce. Our DNA orchestrates the production of tiny proteins that are made into enzymes, hormones and other products of the cell.Under extreme circumstances the cell will alter its production of basic, life-sustaining proteins and produce whatever is necessary to meet a crisis. For example, when we are under stress our adrenal glands produce large amounts of adrenaline. They don?t normally produce much adrenaline; they usually produce mineral corticoids that help us build healthy bones. Under stress they change their function.Under stress our cells stop producing the things that build us up (anabolism) and start producing things that tear us down (catabolism). Your body does this because the message of stress is that it must sacrifice healthy function - healthy aging - for a time to produce energy needed to ensure our safety. This is an acceptable trade if we are using the energy to get out of oncoming traffic! It is a poor way to deal with constant, chronic, daily stress.
The DNA is sensitive to signals of stress because it is designed to help us survive. We must be very careful of the physical, emotional and mental signals we send our cells. According to Candace Pert, Ph.D., author of the book, Molecules of Emotion every thought we think, every food we eat or drink, and every breath we take washes over our DNA as information. Our DNA responds by either building us up (anabolism) or tearing us down (catabolism) to sacrifice on the altar of chronic stress. Adaptogens carry information that helps our DNA select anabolism to build us up, even under extreme stress.Building healthy cellsHealthy cells make healthy tissues. Healthy tissues of different types are collected together as organs. For example, your liver consists of many hundreds of different types of cells all collected together to make up your liver. Organs work within systems (for example, your digestive system, immune system, etc.). Systems combine to form a healthy, functioning body. Still, the basic unit of life is the cell and the basic "conductor" - orchestrating the function of the cell - is the DNA.
In order for our DNA to accomplish the task of building healthy cells we must provide the necessary nutrients every day. We have specific requirements for health: fats and proteins, carbohydrates and water, oxygen, minerals and vitamins, etc. If we are missing even a single nutrient at the critical moment it is needed, our cells will not be able to carry out their work of creating healthy proteins. Incomplete proteins are produced, cells become toxic and these become the focus for inflammation and disease.We simply must provide our cells with the nutrients they need every day.Toxic DNA
It is important to know that your DNA never produces disease. Instead, it produces proteins with the raw materials it has at that moment and in response to information it receives. That information comes in the form of nutrients and toxins from both inside and outside our body. Healthy application of the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness and daily healthy aging nutrients send positive (anabolic) messages to your DNA. Trauma, toxins, deficiencies and stress send negative (catabolic) messages to your DNA.Trauma, toxins, deficiencies and stress damage your DNA and cause it to produce incomplete, toxic proteins. These proteins become the source of inflammation and disease. Many nutrients help repair the DNA. A special antioxidant polyphenol called ECGC found in green tea and concentrated in Energy Now!® takes the lead in antioxidant DNA repair. CoEnzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) adds fuel to the repair process and works in concert with ECGC.
Conclusion
Like a healthy building, we need a solid foundation. The difference between our health and the health of a building is that our cells renew periodically; they are not fixed when manufactured. Therefore, we can correct any building errors by applying sound, healthy essentials. We can improve our health by building healthy cells at any age. We are literally one choice away from improving healthy cellular function: the choice to live the 10 Essentials.
Healthy aging means that we build a structure (us!) that is sound, habitable and healthy - right to the very top floor. This life-long building process begins at the foundation: our DNA. How cells workThere may be trillions of cells in the human body. Cells are like tiny factories. Each one has a function and a product to produce. Our DNA orchestrates the production of tiny proteins that are made into enzymes, hormones and other products of the cell.Under extreme circumstances the cell will alter its production of basic, life-sustaining proteins and produce whatever is necessary to meet a crisis. For example, when we are under stress our adrenal glands produce large amounts of adrenaline. They don?t normally produce much adrenaline; they usually produce mineral corticoids that help us build healthy bones. Under stress they change their function.Under stress our cells stop producing the things that build us up (anabolism) and start producing things that tear us down (catabolism). Your body does this because the message of stress is that it must sacrifice healthy function - healthy aging - for a time to produce energy needed to ensure our safety. This is an acceptable trade if we are using the energy to get out of oncoming traffic! It is a poor way to deal with constant, chronic, daily stress.
The DNA is sensitive to signals of stress because it is designed to help us survive. We must be very careful of the physical, emotional and mental signals we send our cells. According to Candace Pert, Ph.D., author of the book, Molecules of Emotion every thought we think, every food we eat or drink, and every breath we take washes over our DNA as information. Our DNA responds by either building us up (anabolism) or tearing us down (catabolism) to sacrifice on the altar of chronic stress. Adaptogens carry information that helps our DNA select anabolism to build us up, even under extreme stress.Building healthy cellsHealthy cells make healthy tissues. Healthy tissues of different types are collected together as organs. For example, your liver consists of many hundreds of different types of cells all collected together to make up your liver. Organs work within systems (for example, your digestive system, immune system, etc.). Systems combine to form a healthy, functioning body. Still, the basic unit of life is the cell and the basic "conductor" - orchestrating the function of the cell - is the DNA.
In order for our DNA to accomplish the task of building healthy cells we must provide the necessary nutrients every day. We have specific requirements for health: fats and proteins, carbohydrates and water, oxygen, minerals and vitamins, etc. If we are missing even a single nutrient at the critical moment it is needed, our cells will not be able to carry out their work of creating healthy proteins. Incomplete proteins are produced, cells become toxic and these become the focus for inflammation and disease.We simply must provide our cells with the nutrients they need every day.Toxic DNA
It is important to know that your DNA never produces disease. Instead, it produces proteins with the raw materials it has at that moment and in response to information it receives. That information comes in the form of nutrients and toxins from both inside and outside our body. Healthy application of the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness and daily healthy aging nutrients send positive (anabolic) messages to your DNA. Trauma, toxins, deficiencies and stress send negative (catabolic) messages to your DNA.Trauma, toxins, deficiencies and stress damage your DNA and cause it to produce incomplete, toxic proteins. These proteins become the source of inflammation and disease. Many nutrients help repair the DNA. A special antioxidant polyphenol called ECGC found in green tea and concentrated in Energy Now!® takes the lead in antioxidant DNA repair. CoEnzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10) adds fuel to the repair process and works in concert with ECGC.
Conclusion
Like a healthy building, we need a solid foundation. The difference between our health and the health of a building is that our cells renew periodically; they are not fixed when manufactured. Therefore, we can correct any building errors by applying sound, healthy essentials. We can improve our health by building healthy cells at any age. We are literally one choice away from improving healthy cellular function: the choice to live the 10 Essentials.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Lose a Little Weight... Gain a Lot of Health Benefits
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
Setting and achieving worthwhile goals is the key to lasting happiness. Some goals seem so large that they must be comparable to eating an elephant - just too big to even know how to begin. Weight loss can be that challenging for many. There is good news, though. Losing just a little can have profound health benefits.
I want to make a suggestion that I have seen work countless times: If you are overweight or obese, set a goal to lose only 10% of your body weight. That's all - just 10%. Meeting this goal will give you most of the health benefits and much of the energy you will need to improve your life substantially.It is often said that weight loss is simple, just not easy. Many experts tout the "calories in - calories out" formula as if it were Holy Scripture. I first heard this as the prescription for weight loss when I was a teenager. Now, here I am well over 50 years of age and I still hear it almost daily. In those intervening decades we have experienced an explosion of obesity. So, merely repeating the same formula over and over is clearly not working!What does work?
Purpose!Purpose works because it ignites passion. Purpose defines the reason for effort - for example, the reason we want to lose weight - while passion translates that sense of purpose into motion. Granted, some people want weight loss for reasons that do not require much passion. Cosmetic weight loss may be one example and disease prevention may be another. Purpose requires a plan. In a previous Weekly Wellness Report I detailed how we set "SMART" goals:
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
Take that sense of purpose fueled by your passion and structure a plan that will help you accomplish your mission.
Purpose, passion, plan and mission are successful strategies when it comes to weight loss. We have seen this time and again. Now, this is not as simple as "calories in - calories out." But it is easy. And it works with the way we function as human beings: with purpose!
Even a little helpsTo reach your SMART goals you will likely need better health and more energy. Did you know that even modest amounts of weight loss can provide you with substantial improvements in vitality?
If your BMI calculation is over 25, consider making it a SMART goal to lose 10% of your body weight. Losing just 10% of your body weight as fat can help improve your blood pressure, blood sugar, digestion and metabolism. You will have more energy, better self-esteem and a more optimistic view of life in general.
Remember, the elephant you are trying to eat, so to speak, is not weight loss itself. Trimming down gives you more energy to do the things that matter to you the most. Weight loss is a means to an end: a means to living a life of purpose. So, as a milestone on your goal toward a life of purpose, set a 10% reduction in weight as a SMART goal. Use a body composition scale to make sure that you are losing only fat, not lean tissue like muscles, bones and brain. You will need those as assets in your journey. Our Leanology® body-composition program was thoroughly reviewed in an Arizona State University study. Researchers found that with Leanology, 100% of the weight loss came from fat - none from vital, energy-producing organs.
Maintain balanceSo, do you know how to eat an elephant? The answer is still "one bite at a time," only now we see that there must be a valid reason for eating the elephant in the first place! Don't try to eat the elephant all at once and don't try to do it alone. Purpose, passion, plan and mission are the stuff of life. Yet, life is about balance. As humans, we Love, we Play, we Work and we Worship.
Our manner of life should reflect these priorities.
Setting and achieving worthwhile goals is the key to lasting happiness. Some goals seem so large that they must be comparable to eating an elephant - just too big to even know how to begin. Weight loss can be that challenging for many. There is good news, though. Losing just a little can have profound health benefits.
I want to make a suggestion that I have seen work countless times: If you are overweight or obese, set a goal to lose only 10% of your body weight. That's all - just 10%. Meeting this goal will give you most of the health benefits and much of the energy you will need to improve your life substantially.It is often said that weight loss is simple, just not easy. Many experts tout the "calories in - calories out" formula as if it were Holy Scripture. I first heard this as the prescription for weight loss when I was a teenager. Now, here I am well over 50 years of age and I still hear it almost daily. In those intervening decades we have experienced an explosion of obesity. So, merely repeating the same formula over and over is clearly not working!What does work?
Purpose!Purpose works because it ignites passion. Purpose defines the reason for effort - for example, the reason we want to lose weight - while passion translates that sense of purpose into motion. Granted, some people want weight loss for reasons that do not require much passion. Cosmetic weight loss may be one example and disease prevention may be another. Purpose requires a plan. In a previous Weekly Wellness Report I detailed how we set "SMART" goals:
Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely
Take that sense of purpose fueled by your passion and structure a plan that will help you accomplish your mission.
Purpose, passion, plan and mission are successful strategies when it comes to weight loss. We have seen this time and again. Now, this is not as simple as "calories in - calories out." But it is easy. And it works with the way we function as human beings: with purpose!
Even a little helpsTo reach your SMART goals you will likely need better health and more energy. Did you know that even modest amounts of weight loss can provide you with substantial improvements in vitality?
If your BMI calculation is over 25, consider making it a SMART goal to lose 10% of your body weight. Losing just 10% of your body weight as fat can help improve your blood pressure, blood sugar, digestion and metabolism. You will have more energy, better self-esteem and a more optimistic view of life in general.
Remember, the elephant you are trying to eat, so to speak, is not weight loss itself. Trimming down gives you more energy to do the things that matter to you the most. Weight loss is a means to an end: a means to living a life of purpose. So, as a milestone on your goal toward a life of purpose, set a 10% reduction in weight as a SMART goal. Use a body composition scale to make sure that you are losing only fat, not lean tissue like muscles, bones and brain. You will need those as assets in your journey. Our Leanology® body-composition program was thoroughly reviewed in an Arizona State University study. Researchers found that with Leanology, 100% of the weight loss came from fat - none from vital, energy-producing organs.
Maintain balanceSo, do you know how to eat an elephant? The answer is still "one bite at a time," only now we see that there must be a valid reason for eating the elephant in the first place! Don't try to eat the elephant all at once and don't try to do it alone. Purpose, passion, plan and mission are the stuff of life. Yet, life is about balance. As humans, we Love, we Play, we Work and we Worship.
Our manner of life should reflect these priorities.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Strategies for Protecting Your Eyesight
Vision is freedom.
With good eyesight our world abounds with endless opportunities. With diminished or lost eyesight our world must get smaller as we rely on other senses and other people for mobility. No one can truly understand how much we rely on our vision until they are deprived of this precious gift.
Protection: The first step
Nourishing vision that will last a lifetime requires a combination of nutrients from within our body, and barrier protection from irritants outside our body. The most important of exterior protection is protective eyewear. Glasses, goggles and face shields provide barrier protection from injuries, toxins and poisons, sun and wind (select lenses or coatings that offer both UV-A and UV-B light filters). Protecting our vision from the inside requires:
Appropriate hydration (water) – We should calculate our body weight, cut that number in half and convert this final number into ounces of water we will consume every day. I weigh about 190 pounds. Half that number is 95. So, 95 represents the number of ounces of water I should drink every day for good vision.
Intense nutrition – Nutrients must include vision-specific antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin. Other nutrients may be added depending on specific needs. For example, poor night vision responds well to anthocyanins – nutrients found in berries such as bilberries and schizandra berries. As the ancient physician Maimonides once said, “To heal an eye you must heal the head and even the entire body.” In keeping with this ancient wisdom, we need Healthy Aging nutrients as a foundation for eye health and a healthy body.
Sleep – Is sleep really that important for healthy vision? Yes! Your eyes heal from all the stress and strain of the day. Also, as with any other body system, your eyes run on the nutrients mentioned above. These nutrients accumulate at a slow rate and are expended at a fast rate. Sleeping allows nutrients to accumulate so you can awaken with bright eyes! This is the reason I suggest taking TriVita’s VisionGuard™ at bedtime.
Maintenance and prevention
Imagine for a moment that you have perfect 20/20 vision (you see objects 20 feet away from you as if they are actually 20 feet away). You have no family history of vision problems at all. You drink enough water, get enough rest, take the appropriate nutrients and employ the best eye protection. Should you still get your vision tested? Yes, you absolutely should!A healthy person should get their vision and eye health tested every decade of their life until they reach age 40. As you enter your 40s you should have your vision tested about every two years. This is appropriate maintenance.
If yours is not the fairy-tale world described above, then a solid, aggressive program of prevention is essential to help protect against these common eye conditions:
Presbyopia is the inability to focus and clearly see objects that are within reading distance or closer. See a skilled optometrist for eye exercises which can help prevent or treat it.
Cataracts form when the outside of the eye is damaged. Protect your eyes from smoke, injury and UV-light rays with appropriate eyewear and by simply staying away from dirty air. Insulate them from within with antioxidants known to slow the progression of cataracts. Hydroxytyrosol is a good example of a protective antioxidant, and it is contained in VisionGuard.
Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up inside the eyes and distresses the optic nerve. If the nerve dies, your vision dies. Get regular eye-pressure tests to detect glaucoma and use nutrients that encourage normal pressure in your eyes such as Vitamin C and Alpha Lipoic Acid. Remember, glaucoma is a medical emergency and you must seek out the very best medical care to preserve your vision.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in North America. The eyes simply wear out. Some of the premature aging of the eyes in AMD is because of poor interaction with genetics. For example, a person with a family history of AMD should take better care of their eyes than a person without that family history. They should apply these recommendations more aggressively instead of accepting vision loss without a fight! The most common contributors to AMD are overuse and undernourishment of the eyes. Many people with AMD are exposed to environmental factors such as the bright lights of a welding torch. Again, aggressive protection can delay vision loss from external sources while appropriate water intake, sleep and nutrition can increase the health of the eyes. Conclusion
Healthy vision means freedom. Being aware of the little things – and the big things – you can do every day to guard your vision is a step toward ensuring you have the mobility you need to meet the many purposes in your life!
With good eyesight our world abounds with endless opportunities. With diminished or lost eyesight our world must get smaller as we rely on other senses and other people for mobility. No one can truly understand how much we rely on our vision until they are deprived of this precious gift.
Protection: The first step
Nourishing vision that will last a lifetime requires a combination of nutrients from within our body, and barrier protection from irritants outside our body. The most important of exterior protection is protective eyewear. Glasses, goggles and face shields provide barrier protection from injuries, toxins and poisons, sun and wind (select lenses or coatings that offer both UV-A and UV-B light filters). Protecting our vision from the inside requires:
Appropriate hydration (water) – We should calculate our body weight, cut that number in half and convert this final number into ounces of water we will consume every day. I weigh about 190 pounds. Half that number is 95. So, 95 represents the number of ounces of water I should drink every day for good vision.
Intense nutrition – Nutrients must include vision-specific antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin. Other nutrients may be added depending on specific needs. For example, poor night vision responds well to anthocyanins – nutrients found in berries such as bilberries and schizandra berries. As the ancient physician Maimonides once said, “To heal an eye you must heal the head and even the entire body.” In keeping with this ancient wisdom, we need Healthy Aging nutrients as a foundation for eye health and a healthy body.
Sleep – Is sleep really that important for healthy vision? Yes! Your eyes heal from all the stress and strain of the day. Also, as with any other body system, your eyes run on the nutrients mentioned above. These nutrients accumulate at a slow rate and are expended at a fast rate. Sleeping allows nutrients to accumulate so you can awaken with bright eyes! This is the reason I suggest taking TriVita’s VisionGuard™ at bedtime.
Maintenance and prevention
Imagine for a moment that you have perfect 20/20 vision (you see objects 20 feet away from you as if they are actually 20 feet away). You have no family history of vision problems at all. You drink enough water, get enough rest, take the appropriate nutrients and employ the best eye protection. Should you still get your vision tested? Yes, you absolutely should!A healthy person should get their vision and eye health tested every decade of their life until they reach age 40. As you enter your 40s you should have your vision tested about every two years. This is appropriate maintenance.
If yours is not the fairy-tale world described above, then a solid, aggressive program of prevention is essential to help protect against these common eye conditions:
Presbyopia is the inability to focus and clearly see objects that are within reading distance or closer. See a skilled optometrist for eye exercises which can help prevent or treat it.
Cataracts form when the outside of the eye is damaged. Protect your eyes from smoke, injury and UV-light rays with appropriate eyewear and by simply staying away from dirty air. Insulate them from within with antioxidants known to slow the progression of cataracts. Hydroxytyrosol is a good example of a protective antioxidant, and it is contained in VisionGuard.
Glaucoma occurs when pressure builds up inside the eyes and distresses the optic nerve. If the nerve dies, your vision dies. Get regular eye-pressure tests to detect glaucoma and use nutrients that encourage normal pressure in your eyes such as Vitamin C and Alpha Lipoic Acid. Remember, glaucoma is a medical emergency and you must seek out the very best medical care to preserve your vision.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in North America. The eyes simply wear out. Some of the premature aging of the eyes in AMD is because of poor interaction with genetics. For example, a person with a family history of AMD should take better care of their eyes than a person without that family history. They should apply these recommendations more aggressively instead of accepting vision loss without a fight! The most common contributors to AMD are overuse and undernourishment of the eyes. Many people with AMD are exposed to environmental factors such as the bright lights of a welding torch. Again, aggressive protection can delay vision loss from external sources while appropriate water intake, sleep and nutrition can increase the health of the eyes. Conclusion
Healthy vision means freedom. Being aware of the little things – and the big things – you can do every day to guard your vision is a step toward ensuring you have the mobility you need to meet the many purposes in your life!
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Regain Energy with Healthy Habits
A full 85% of the people I saw in clinical practice shared the same complaint: fatigue. People feel tired. What are the reasons for the epidemic of fatigue? What are some strategies for coping with low energy? What mindset may help us change the course of relentless fatigue before it is too late?
The message of fatigue
Feeling tired is a communication sent by our body to our consciousness telling us we need to rest – just as hunger is the feeling we get when we need to eat. Learning to listen to these messages will help us achieve and maintain optimum health. Listening to fatigue by resting is at the heart of Essential #3: Sleep Peacefully. Typically, a good night’s sleep will erase fatigue (it may take several nights). Cultivating the habit of sleeping 7 ½ to 9 hours every night – depending on our level of fatigue – will ensure that we feel fresh at almost any time and also help us have a healthier immune system.
We especially need rest:
If our immune system is fighting an infection or trying to balance itself in an autoimmune condition
After an injury or exposure to a toxin from outside or inside our body
If we have deficiencies of water, oxygen or certain nutrients such as Vitamin B-12
When experiencing the overwhelming tiredness that comes with emotional distress We experience chronic fatigue when resting doesn’t relieve our feelings of exhaustion. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is diagnosed when symptoms persist for more than six months. CFS is often a sign that we have pushed ourselves too hard for too long: we have been so deficient, so toxic and so stressed that we have collapsed our ability to cope with even daily demands. Our immune system and our nervous system are so damaged in CFS that they may take years to repair – if healing is even possible.
Coping strategiesWe have a marvelous function inside us called homeostasis. This interesting word describes the struggle of maintaining balance. Just as an acrobat on the high wire appears to be still or motionless (stasis), our internal chemistry appears to be balanced every single moment of every single day with amazing consistency. We can’t see the effort the acrobat must contribute to maintain balance but we know intuitively that it must be extreme. Now, imagine the extra stress of wind, temperature, humidity, air quality, light and noise from the outside world. Next, imagine the added stress of low oxygen, dehydration, poor sleep, incomplete nutrition and lack of appropriate fitness. There are many, many elements trying to pull the acrobat off the wire just as there are many, many elements pulling you down as well. Homeostasis describes the extreme effort of your body, mind and spirit every moment to keep you balanced. Fatigue is a sign of failure of the homeostasis mechanism. It is the message to stop what you are doing and attend to yourself for fear of falling off the high wire, so to speak.
The 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness are the tools that put you back in balance. They combat fatigue and help you develop a rhythm of energy that can be sustained every day. Set a pace in life that can be maintained indefinitely. Nourish and nurture yourself with the 10 Essentials to support homeostasis and erase fatigue.
Change your mindset
The era we live in is called “post-industrial revolution.” It describes a cadence in life that is more appropriate for machines, not for humans. Machines don’t get tired – people do! If we are to hear the message of fatigue and respond appropriately, we simply must learn to listen as humans, not machines. We need to resist many of the stresses of modern life. We need to embrace the mindset that people are more important than things. People matter! Learn the rules of nourishment and nurturing that govern human health and place these as a priority in your daily life. Make sure you are cared for first and then you will be in a position to care for all of your duties, responsibilities, obligations and commitments. Learn to listen to the message of fatigue before you run out of energy. Value the amazing gift of homeostasis by living a life of balance. This change of mindset is the first step to erasing fatigue.
The message of fatigue
Feeling tired is a communication sent by our body to our consciousness telling us we need to rest – just as hunger is the feeling we get when we need to eat. Learning to listen to these messages will help us achieve and maintain optimum health. Listening to fatigue by resting is at the heart of Essential #3: Sleep Peacefully. Typically, a good night’s sleep will erase fatigue (it may take several nights). Cultivating the habit of sleeping 7 ½ to 9 hours every night – depending on our level of fatigue – will ensure that we feel fresh at almost any time and also help us have a healthier immune system.
We especially need rest:
If our immune system is fighting an infection or trying to balance itself in an autoimmune condition
After an injury or exposure to a toxin from outside or inside our body
If we have deficiencies of water, oxygen or certain nutrients such as Vitamin B-12
When experiencing the overwhelming tiredness that comes with emotional distress We experience chronic fatigue when resting doesn’t relieve our feelings of exhaustion. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is diagnosed when symptoms persist for more than six months. CFS is often a sign that we have pushed ourselves too hard for too long: we have been so deficient, so toxic and so stressed that we have collapsed our ability to cope with even daily demands. Our immune system and our nervous system are so damaged in CFS that they may take years to repair – if healing is even possible.
Coping strategiesWe have a marvelous function inside us called homeostasis. This interesting word describes the struggle of maintaining balance. Just as an acrobat on the high wire appears to be still or motionless (stasis), our internal chemistry appears to be balanced every single moment of every single day with amazing consistency. We can’t see the effort the acrobat must contribute to maintain balance but we know intuitively that it must be extreme. Now, imagine the extra stress of wind, temperature, humidity, air quality, light and noise from the outside world. Next, imagine the added stress of low oxygen, dehydration, poor sleep, incomplete nutrition and lack of appropriate fitness. There are many, many elements trying to pull the acrobat off the wire just as there are many, many elements pulling you down as well. Homeostasis describes the extreme effort of your body, mind and spirit every moment to keep you balanced. Fatigue is a sign of failure of the homeostasis mechanism. It is the message to stop what you are doing and attend to yourself for fear of falling off the high wire, so to speak.
The 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness are the tools that put you back in balance. They combat fatigue and help you develop a rhythm of energy that can be sustained every day. Set a pace in life that can be maintained indefinitely. Nourish and nurture yourself with the 10 Essentials to support homeostasis and erase fatigue.
Change your mindset
The era we live in is called “post-industrial revolution.” It describes a cadence in life that is more appropriate for machines, not for humans. Machines don’t get tired – people do! If we are to hear the message of fatigue and respond appropriately, we simply must learn to listen as humans, not machines. We need to resist many of the stresses of modern life. We need to embrace the mindset that people are more important than things. People matter! Learn the rules of nourishment and nurturing that govern human health and place these as a priority in your daily life. Make sure you are cared for first and then you will be in a position to care for all of your duties, responsibilities, obligations and commitments. Learn to listen to the message of fatigue before you run out of energy. Value the amazing gift of homeostasis by living a life of balance. This change of mindset is the first step to erasing fatigue.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Many Medications Can Cause Side Effectsor Nutritional Deficiencies
The average person in North America is on about six different prescription medications by age 65. Each of these medications is designed to complete a specific body function that does not work or that no longer works as well as it needs to for health. These body functions require specific nutrients as fuel.
Here's what we know about medications:
Medications create side effects
These side effects represent depletion or even exhaustion of the nutrients needed for complete functioning.
Medications create nutrient deficiencies
These nutrient deficiencies are seen as signs and symptoms for which more medications are often prescribed. Doesn't it make sense to get the nutrients and nurturing you need to stop this cycle? Below are some common medications and the nutrients needed to keep them from creating deficiencies and side effects.
Cholesterol drugs (Statins)
People make hormones from cholesterol. When the enzyme that facilitates this conversion begins to fail, hormone levels go down and cholesterol goes up. Given the relationship between cholesterol and heart health, many people choose to take statin medications to reduce their cholesterol numbers. Taking statins actually has only a slight effect on heart attack frequency because fully half of the people having heart attacks have normal levels of cholesterol.
Statins deplete CoEnzyme Q-10 and accessory nutrients. If you take statins, you definitely need to take CoQ-10 to balance CoQ-10 levels. People taking statins also benefit from heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and the B vitamin niacin. Take pure niacin in low doses and always consult a health care provider when combining niacin with statins.
Stomach acid blockers (Proton pump inhibitors - PPI)
People take antacids called PPI to reduce stomach acid. These medications block the pumps that create acid. Hydrochloric acid is supposed to bind with pepsinogen to create the digestive enzyme pepsin. Pepsinogen production is impaired by stress.Not chewing well enough, eating too quickly and eating greasy or unhealthy foods will cause indigestion. Mostly though, stress causes indigestion. As we age we become more susceptible to stress and much less resilient. Our stomach produces less pepsin as a response to stress, and an excess of hydrochloric acid remains.
If you take PPI antacids you definitely need to take Vitamin B-12 as studies have shown that PPIs can interfere with your body's ability to absorb B-12. You should also consider taking folic acid and the mineral zinc. Women of childbearing age should also take iron. These critical nutrients are building blocks for health. Depleting these nutrients will result in a number of adverse side effects. No wonder B-12 deficiency depression is listed as a major concern with PPI medications!Antidepressants (Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors - SSRI)Antidepressant drugs are among the most widely prescribed medications in history. They are not just used for severe depression; they may also be prescribed for everything from PMS to injuries. They are used for headaches, muscle pain and sinus allergies. Medical science is really just beginning to understand what these medications do inside the human body.
Regardless of why a person takes an SSRI, they need to take certain nutrients.Vitamin B-12 is part of a family of nutrients that helps combat the effects of SSRI. Folic acid, Vitamin B-6 and biotin are major members of this family of nutrients. Also, amino acids such as methionine and S, adneosyl methionine (SAMe) complete the process of Vitamin B-12 metabolism. You definitely need these nutrients if you take an SSRI. If you are over 50 or have poor circulation, ginkgo biloba can also help the medications work better. However, these nutrients (including ginkgo) will not reverse the sexual side effects of the drug.The long-term benefits of SSRI medications are very much in doubt. However, two forms of "therapy" are rated as much more successful concerning long-term benefit: exercise and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Frequent, vigorous exercise improves the chemical balance of the brain and nervous system. CBT is a form of active listening that facilitates life changes based on what works best for each individual.
Below is a chart of common drugs and the nutrients you should take with them. I've also listed TriVita products that provide these nutrients:
Drug
Nutrients needed
Found in:
Cholesterol drugs (Statins)
CoEnzyme Q-10
CoEnzyme Q-10
Omega-3 fatty acids
OmegaPrime®
Stomach acid blockers (PPI)
Vitamin B-12, Folic Acid
Sublingual B-12, HCY Guard®
Zinc
VitaDaily AM/PM™,Daily Women™,Prostate Health Formula™
Iron
Daily Women™
Anti-depressants (SSRI)
Vitamin B-12, Folic Acid, Biotin
Sublingual B-12, HCY Guard
Methionine
HCY Guard
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo Biloba
Take Control of Your Health
As always, the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness are time-tested keys to well-being and have no side effects except improved wellness!
Breathe deeply
Drink water
Sleep peacefully
Eat nutritiously
Enjoy activity
Give and receive love
Be forgiving
Practice gratitude
Develop acceptance
Develop a relationship with God
Take your nutrients; if you are taking medications, take more nutrients!
Here's what we know about medications:
Medications create side effects
These side effects represent depletion or even exhaustion of the nutrients needed for complete functioning.
Medications create nutrient deficiencies
These nutrient deficiencies are seen as signs and symptoms for which more medications are often prescribed. Doesn't it make sense to get the nutrients and nurturing you need to stop this cycle? Below are some common medications and the nutrients needed to keep them from creating deficiencies and side effects.
Cholesterol drugs (Statins)
People make hormones from cholesterol. When the enzyme that facilitates this conversion begins to fail, hormone levels go down and cholesterol goes up. Given the relationship between cholesterol and heart health, many people choose to take statin medications to reduce their cholesterol numbers. Taking statins actually has only a slight effect on heart attack frequency because fully half of the people having heart attacks have normal levels of cholesterol.
Statins deplete CoEnzyme Q-10 and accessory nutrients. If you take statins, you definitely need to take CoQ-10 to balance CoQ-10 levels. People taking statins also benefit from heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and the B vitamin niacin. Take pure niacin in low doses and always consult a health care provider when combining niacin with statins.
Stomach acid blockers (Proton pump inhibitors - PPI)
People take antacids called PPI to reduce stomach acid. These medications block the pumps that create acid. Hydrochloric acid is supposed to bind with pepsinogen to create the digestive enzyme pepsin. Pepsinogen production is impaired by stress.Not chewing well enough, eating too quickly and eating greasy or unhealthy foods will cause indigestion. Mostly though, stress causes indigestion. As we age we become more susceptible to stress and much less resilient. Our stomach produces less pepsin as a response to stress, and an excess of hydrochloric acid remains.
If you take PPI antacids you definitely need to take Vitamin B-12 as studies have shown that PPIs can interfere with your body's ability to absorb B-12. You should also consider taking folic acid and the mineral zinc. Women of childbearing age should also take iron. These critical nutrients are building blocks for health. Depleting these nutrients will result in a number of adverse side effects. No wonder B-12 deficiency depression is listed as a major concern with PPI medications!Antidepressants (Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors - SSRI)Antidepressant drugs are among the most widely prescribed medications in history. They are not just used for severe depression; they may also be prescribed for everything from PMS to injuries. They are used for headaches, muscle pain and sinus allergies. Medical science is really just beginning to understand what these medications do inside the human body.
Regardless of why a person takes an SSRI, they need to take certain nutrients.Vitamin B-12 is part of a family of nutrients that helps combat the effects of SSRI. Folic acid, Vitamin B-6 and biotin are major members of this family of nutrients. Also, amino acids such as methionine and S, adneosyl methionine (SAMe) complete the process of Vitamin B-12 metabolism. You definitely need these nutrients if you take an SSRI. If you are over 50 or have poor circulation, ginkgo biloba can also help the medications work better. However, these nutrients (including ginkgo) will not reverse the sexual side effects of the drug.The long-term benefits of SSRI medications are very much in doubt. However, two forms of "therapy" are rated as much more successful concerning long-term benefit: exercise and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Frequent, vigorous exercise improves the chemical balance of the brain and nervous system. CBT is a form of active listening that facilitates life changes based on what works best for each individual.
Below is a chart of common drugs and the nutrients you should take with them. I've also listed TriVita products that provide these nutrients:
Drug
Nutrients needed
Found in:
Cholesterol drugs (Statins)
CoEnzyme Q-10
CoEnzyme Q-10
Omega-3 fatty acids
OmegaPrime®
Stomach acid blockers (PPI)
Vitamin B-12, Folic Acid
Sublingual B-12, HCY Guard®
Zinc
VitaDaily AM/PM™,Daily Women™,Prostate Health Formula™
Iron
Daily Women™
Anti-depressants (SSRI)
Vitamin B-12, Folic Acid, Biotin
Sublingual B-12, HCY Guard
Methionine
HCY Guard
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo Biloba
Take Control of Your Health
As always, the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness are time-tested keys to well-being and have no side effects except improved wellness!
Breathe deeply
Drink water
Sleep peacefully
Eat nutritiously
Enjoy activity
Give and receive love
Be forgiving
Practice gratitude
Develop acceptance
Develop a relationship with God
Take your nutrients; if you are taking medications, take more nutrients!
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