1. Lemon juice aids digestion by cleansing the liver. Drink a glass of tepid water with lemon juice first thing in the morning to reap the cleansing benefits.

2. There are several varieties of lemons each unique in origin and flavor. Eureka and Lisbon lemons are more sour while Meyer lemons taste sweeter.

3. Lemons are high in vitamin C making them perfect for fighting colds and fever.

4. The best quality lemons have thinner skins.

5. Antioxidants in lemons are more abundant the riper the fruit.

6. Lemons have antibacterial and antiviral properties which make them ideal cleaning agents.

7. The smell of lemon can reduce anxiety and increase focus.

8. A small amount of lemon juice can actually quench thirst better than a lot of water.

9. Lemon juice slows down oxidation which can keep metals from tarnishing and fruit from turning brown (many like to squeeze lemon over apples to for this very reason).

10. One lemon tree can produce up to 600 pounds of lemons per year.

Marissa Vicario – Certified Health and Wellness Coach

Marissa Vicario is the founder of Marissa’s Well-being and Health (MWAH!). As a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Marissa works with urban professionals who want to lose weight, control their cravings and feel more energized without dieting, deprivation or calorie-counting. After spending more than a decade as a junk food vegetarian, Marissa navigated her way to health, becoming an expert in balancing wellness with a demanding workload. She regularly lectures on wellness, teaches cooking classes and is a healthy lifestyle blogger and freelance writer. Marissa received her training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, is certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and is a graduate of Northwestern University and New York University. Visit her blog at www.whereineedtobe.com.

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We’re excited to share with you that Green PolkaDot Box recently launched their new service, Harvest Fresh, which delivers organic produce sourced from local vendors. This is currently available to west coast members and will soon be available to east coast members as well.

We’ve been supporters of Green PolkaDot Box since their conception and we’re excited to see the organic delivery service gaining more and more popularity.

The Huffington Post reports:

Anyone who prides themselves on purchasing whole, organic food and products knows very well how costly it can be, and that’s not just on the bill alone. After factoring in sky-high gas expenses, potential babysitter fees, chaotic aisles, long lines and precious personal time, that $300 receipt can feel quite daunting.

Enter The Green PolkaDot Box (GPDB), an online buying collective featuring organic, non-GMO foods and products at a bargain price (at up to 60 percent off retail). The concept is simple: members residing anywhere in the U.S. (including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico) can place the items they want to purchase in their personal shopping cart, and within days it’s delivered straight to their home in a charming green spotted box.

Founded by Rod A. Smith, this family-run business just launched on December 19, 2011 with their headquarters in Square Forks, Utah. While relatively new, GPDB currently features 150 of the nation’s top organic food brands and approximately 1,400 products, and are constantly adding to those numbers each week. In fact, Rod expects to add an additional 100 brands in the next few months, including an array of organic meats, fish, dairy products and vegan/vegetarian meals.

The idea of creating an online wholesale membership club for organic, whole foods came to Rod back in early 2007. According to Rod, there had been nothing similar, and he knew he’d have to prove himself, thus he spent nine months researching the concept and speaking to manufacturers before he gave birth to the brand.

For full story, visit The Huffington Post.

Heat stroke can be caused by exertion in warm outdoor temperatures, but it can also be caused by heat buildup over longer activities or an event that requires the body to be covered by long sleeves, pads and helmets.

While too much sun can cause skin damage over time, heat stroke can quickly turn very dangerous, even becoming fatal. Every outdoor athlete should know the symptoms; some of which are very subtle.

The first symptom of oncoming heat stroke is when the body temperature starts rising faster than heat can be dissipated through the skin or through the cooling effect of sweat evaporation. This is where water becomes an emergency remedy. Dehydration greatly increases the risk of heat stroke. Alcohol doesn’t hydrate the body; it actually increases the risk of heat stroke. Cramps, especially in the legs, can be a warning signal of oncoming heat stroke. As it gets more serious, the heart may begin racing, and the victim may feel dizzy and nauseous. There may be a headache, and the affected person’s behavior may change; they may become irritable or confused. There may be rapid and shallow breathing, almost gasping. If the heatstroke comes from exertion, the skin may feel moist, even though dehydration may prevent enough sweating to remove heat.

In any group activity such as bike rides or runs, always pack a thermometer in the first aid kit. A body temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit or above is a sign that heat stroke is happening, and the person needs immediate medical care.

Meanwhile, here are preventative measures to prevent heat stroke, as well as a few potentially life saving measures to help lessen the severity of an episode. First, hydrate yourself thoroughly before and during your outdoor activity. During the activity, drink water often, more than you think you need. Never wait until you feel thirsty. If your helmeted head feels too warm, take off your helmet and wet your hair, then put the helmet back on. A spray bottle is good; it offers a cooling effect. Spray your face, shoulders, chest and arms frequently.

If someone in your group has heat stroke, take lifesaving measures while waiting for the medics. Yes, heat stroke really IS that serious, medical care should be called for immediately even if there’s a suspicion of the condition. Move the person into the shade and cover them with damp cloth or continually spray them with water. Fan the person with clothing or leaves to increase the cooling effect. Have them drink water, if they’re able to do so. Continue these efforts calmly, even if the person loses consciousness (But don’t force them to swallow any liquid if they aren’t fully conscious.)

The best prevention of serious heat stroke is to continually keep drinking liquid. Energy drinks that replace the electrolytes lost from increased sweating are important, because depletion of electrolytes can help bring on the condition. It’s also a good idea to avoid strenuous activity when it’s warmer than usual outside or extremely humid.

Never ignore the symptoms of heat stroke in yourself or in others. You may never see or experience a case where lifesaving measures are necessary; but it’s a very good thing to be aware of when they definitely are required.

Wina Sturgeon is the editor of the online magazine Adventure Sports Weekly. For the latest in adventure sports and physical conditioning, visit Adventure Sports Weekly at http://adventuresportsweekly.com
@2012, Adventure Sports Weekly. Distributed by MCT Information Services

Note: The quiz was recently created by Senior Helpers, a private in-home senior care provider. Pick one answer for each question. Visit Senior Helpers online for the full quiz.

1. Can you get Alzheimer’s if no one in your family has had it?

a) Yes – Anyone can develop the disease.
b) No – Alzheimer’s is purely genetic.
c) No – a family member on your mother’s side must have had Alzheimer’s to put you at risk of developing it.

2. What’s the most common early sign of Alzheimer’s?

a) Can’t remember new information
b) Can’t remember old information
c) Can’t remember any information

3. What is the difference between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia?

a) Alzheimer’s is progressive (gets worse with time) but dementia is not
b) Dementia is not as serious as Alzheimer’s, it just affects memory
c) They are actually the same thing, just different names
d) Dementia is a general category and Alzheimer’s is a specific type of brain failure
e) Alzheimer’s is treatable, but dementia is not

4. Can you prevent Alzheimer’s?

a) Yes –You can prevent Alzheimer’s with a healthy diet.
b) Yes – You can prevent Alzheimer’s with brain exercises.
c) No – you cannot prevent Alzheimer’s.

5. Do people die from Alzheimer’s?

a) No – those with Alzheimer’s usually die from other causes.
b) Yes – Alzheimer’s is ultimately a fatal disease.
c) No – Alzheimer’s is memory-impairment disease, not life-threatening in almost all cases

6. These are all risk factors for Late Onset Alzheimer’s – which is the greatest known risk?

a) Brain injury
b) Increasing age
c) Genetics
d) Heart attack or stroke
e) Stress
f) Diet
g) Diabetes
h) Obesity

Answer Key:

1. a 2. a 3. d 4. c 5. b 6. b

©2012 the Sun Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) Distributed by MCT Information Services

Such products are incredibly popular, as who doesn’t want their abode to small like a flowery meadow or pine forest? The reality is that these artificial means of scenting our homes may come with a high price – the health of our hearts.

New research published in Environmental Health Perspectives finds that one squirt per day of an air freshener or several hours around a lit scented candle every day might be harming the heart irreparably. What’s more is that even those who only used an air freshener once a week displayed adverse heart effects.

The Swiss research involved 581 adults over the age of 50. Participants were questioned regarding their use of air fresheners, scented household products and cleaning products, and afterwards the electrical activity of their hearts were monitored 24 hours to assess heart rate variability, an indication of cardiovascular health. The most disturbing discovery was linked with air fresheners, finding that women who used them the most frequently had the highest likelihood of having hearts that failed to respond quickly to different demands, such as stress.

Author Amar J. Mehta is uncertain of the reason for this effect but postulates that ingredients in air fresheners react with ozone, a typical indoor air pollutant, to form chemicals that damage the heart. Terpenes, compounds present in a common type of citrus and pine scented products reacts with ozone in the home to form aldehydes, toxic substances associated with heart disease and diabetes.

So what to do? Must we deprive ourselves of homes that small wonderful for the sake of safeguarding our hearts? Not at all. Ditch the air fresheners and candles in favor of these natural alternatives that are effective and smell far better than cloying artificial products.

• Simmer a bowl of potpourri in a pot on the stove using spices, flavorings and other common ingredients from your kitchen. Include cinnamon, cloves and allspice, along with vanilla extract and the peel from an orange or lemon.

• Beeswax candles clear the air rather than pollute it. Additionally, they are available in scents derived from essential oils.

• Unglazed clay bottle diffusers permit you to place a few drops of an essential oil inside, which slowly wafts out into the air. Try a refreshing scent like lavender.

• Some common houseplants are natural air purifiers. Try Aloe Vera, Rubber Plant and English Ivy, as well as Boston Fern, Philodendron and Spider Plant.

References:

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/heart-and-cardiovascular/is-your-air-freshener-killing-you

http://www.rodale.com/indoor-air-pollution

http://www.rodale.com/natural-air-fresheners-0?page=0,1

Mary West is a natural health enthusiast, as she believes this area can profoundly enhance wellness. She is the creator of a natural healing website where she focuses on solutions to health problems that work without side effects. You can visit her site and learn more at http://www.alternativemedicinetruth.com. Ms. West is also the author of Fight Cancer Through Powerful Natural Strategies.

As an exercise program progresses, the body adapts to overcome both symptoms. Our muscles and joints strengthen with greater activity and become conditioned to accept the increased demand for motion, which reduces soreness. Our lungs, heart, blood vessels and other elements of our circulatory system also adapt to the increased demands for energy associated with exercise by improving the efficiency of oxygen and glucose transfer to cells in the body calling for more energy.

But it can be tough to get excited to exercise when you are fatigued and sore before you even start a workout.

You can reduce the likelihood of soreness by starting a new program with low-impact forms of exercise such as walking and stretching. You can also limit the amount of time you work out to 20 minutes or so at the beginning. Then, as you build stamina, you can increase the intensity and duration of your workouts.

But even these measures won’t completely eliminate aches and fatigue early in a new physical activity routine. So, in addition to starting with a low-impact, low-intensity program for a short duration, are there other steps you can take to reduce fatigue?

According to a recently published research study, one such step might be adding 1,200 mg of the dietary supplement N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) to your daily routine.[1]

Why NAC and What Does it Have to do With Fatigue?

NAC is an amino acid that, when ingested in humans, is converted by the body into the powerful antioxidant glutathione. Glutathione has been shown in previous studies to be recruited in the body to offset free radical oxygen molecules that are by-products of burning energy.

The creation of excess free radicals is known as oxidative stress, and oxidative stress contributes to the inflammation of muscles and other tissues. Researchers have found that glutathione levels are depressed during exercise and that supplementing NAC has been shown to delay muscle fatigue in certain populations (such as those with respiratory conditions).

The goal of the current study was to see if supplementing NAC would help untrained, sedentary study subjects maintain glutathione levels post-exercise, i.e., reduce the impact of oxidative stress and inflammation, and then to see if the boost in glutathione levels would appreciably affect exercise performance and fatigue.

Putting NAC to the Test

To test their hypothesis, researchers enrolled 29 sedentary, physically inactive men with an average age of 20 into the study. At the outset of the study, the men were divided into two groups. Sixteen of the men received 1,200 mg of NAC each day over the course of the seven-day study period (600 mg with their morning meal and 600 mg with their evening meal). The remaining 13 men were labeled as the control group and did not receive NAC.

Participants in both groups had blood samples drawn to look for glutathione levels and known markers of oxidative stress and inflammation. Then they participated in a fatigue endurance test and a graded exercise test. Graded in this context means each workout began at a low intensity and, at defined intervals during the workout, the intensity was increased until subjects achieved heart rates equivalent to 85 percent of their maximum heart rate.

Maximum heart rate is typically defined as 220 minus your age. So if you are 50 years old, your maximum heart rate is pegged at 170 beats per minute, and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate is approximately 145 beats per minute.

Twenty minutes after the initial exercise tests, blood was drawn again to provide the researchers with baseline pre- and post-exercise levels of the various markers.

Then, over the next seven days, the NAC group received 1,200 mg daily of NAC while the control group received no supplementation. At the end of the seven-day period, the researchers invited the participants back to provide new blood samples in advance of follow-up exercise tests, and blood was also drawn 20 minutes after the second exercise test.

Researchers compared the pre- and post-exercise levels for the oxidative stress/inflammation markers from the blood draws, as well as exercise capacity and endurance performance.

How Did NAC Stack Up?

With regard to fatigue and endurance, the study team found that subjects in the NAC group experienced a 66 percent greater improvement in endurance in comparison to the control group on the exercise test designed to stimulate fatigue.

Turning to exercise performance, the NAC group recorded a 7 percent improvement in Vo2max (a measure of exercise capacity), while those in the control group saw their Vo2max fall by 4 percent between the pre- and post-exercise evaluation. While the numbers are small in absolute terms, they are statistically significant in terms of relative performance, especially when one considers that the NAC supplementation was only for seven days and there was no formal exercise program to build Vo2max during the seven-day supplementation regimen.

On the inflammation front, researchers also found that supplementing NAC did improve total antioxidant capacity (TAC) post-exercise (a measure of the total circulating antioxidants available to offset free radicals and thereby reduce oxidative stress). This is an interesting and significant finding in that exercise tends to decrease TAC as available, circulating antioxidants attach to free radical molecules created by muscles/organs burning energy.

At the end of the study, post-exercise TAC in the NAC group was the same as the pre-exercise TAC, implying that the supplemental NAC had protected against oxidative stress created by exercise. By comparison, the control group experienced a significant drop in TAC post-exercise, indicating the body’s antioxidant defenses were suppressed.

Other inflammation markers evaluated in the study also showed NAC supplementation dampened the negative impact of exercise; however, only in one marker (lactate response) did the study team believe the impact to be statistically significant.

References:

[1] Leelarungrayub D, et al. N-Acetylcysteine Supplementation Controls Total Antioxidant Capacity, Creatine Kinase, Lactate, and Tumor Necrotic Factor-Alpha against Oxidative Stress Induced by Graded Exercise in Sedentary Men. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2011; Epub 2011 Aug 23.

Kevin P. Donoghue is the Chief Executive Officer of Vitamin Research Products. He is also the publisher of Breathe Better for Life, a guide to better breathing for COPD patients, smokers and others who suffer from chronic shortness of breath. Kevin has 20 years publishing experience, the majority spent providing critical information to help people live better, healthier and more secure lives.

For tips, tools and strategies to address your most pressing health concerns and make a positive difference in your life, visit Peak Health Advocate.

Silver has been used medicinally throughout the ages, with great success. And now some very promising research is being done on silver as a cancer treatment. Patients have previously been treated with chemotherapy drugs containing another metal, platinum. In a head-to-head comparison against a leading platinum-based chemo drug, cisplatin, a silver-based drug was found to be just as effective—and far less toxic to normal cells than platinum. Dr. Charlotte Willans, the lead researcher, calls the research an important step in the quest for effective, non-toxic cancer treatments.

Silver also happens to be the world’s oldest known antibiotic. There’s written evidence that the ancient Egyptians made use of it; the ancient Greeks and Romans stored their water, wine, and other liquids in silver vessels to prevent spoiling and contamination; ancient Chinese emperors ate with silver chopsticks, and wealthy Europeans in the Middle Ages used silver utensils to protect themselves from illness (we still call our eating utensils “silverware” despite it being made from other metals these days).

In the 1800s and early 1900s, colloidal silver compounds were widely used to fight infections, though silver fell out of favor in the 1930s with the development of the first modern antibiotics. Even so, silver is still popularly used today to treat water, purify air, and is used in medical dressings prevent infection in burn victims. Very importantly in today’s world, germs cannot develop a resistance to silver.

The big problem with antibiotic drugs, we now know, is that bacteria can become resistant to them, adapting into “superbugs” that are very difficult to treat. The problem, as we noted in January, is exacerbated by overuse of antibiotics—particularly in animals raised for food, where 80% of US antibiotics are used.

Despite the long history of successful silver usage, including its current use in wound dressings and burn salves, the FDA’s official position is that silver is “not safe or effective for treating any disease or condition.” A 1996 FDA rule declared all over-the-counter silver products to be unsafe and “misbranded.”

The government and other skeptics often claim that colloidal silver can cause argyria—a condition in which the skin turns bluish gray. However, argyria has only been found to occur in response to prolonged exposure to or ingestion of silver compounds, especially silver salts, which are not present in true colloidal silver but are found in cheap imitations.

This was demonstrated rather dramatically in 2008 by Paul Karason, the fellow whom the news media dubbed the “Blue Man.” Although the news media continually reported that he was taking colloidal silver, interviews with Mr. Karason indicated that was apparently making his own silver compounds at home and ended up making silver chloride—a silver salt—which he both consumed in excessive quantities and regularly smeared on his skin before using tanning beds! Silver salt compounds are great for making photographic paper—but not for taking internally or applying to the skin.

A study published earlier this year demonstrated that bacteria are now mutating to evade vaccines for childhood pneumonia and meningitis. So we not only have antibiotic-resistant superbugs, we have vaccine-resistant ones as well. This is just the latest indication that the “miracle drugs” and vaccines of the mid-to-late 1900s are not standing the test of time.

Contrast this with colloidal silver, which has been used as a bactericide for over a millennium—and has never produced silver-resistant bacteria! The recent research into silver as an anti-cancer agent is exactly the kind of research that today’s medical experts should be exploring—and would be, but for FDA opposition.

Why is the FDA so stubbornly opposed? Presumably because the agency does not like competition for its approved patented drugs which are derived from natural sources. People dying from resistant bugs does not seem to move the FDA—they’re only interested in new patented drugs that might quell the superbugs, even though such drugs are not being produced much, and even when they are, they often prove to be too toxic to use.

This article is republished with permission from the Alliance for Natural Health USA, May 15, 2012. Go straight to the source.

You probably don’t have a defibrillator in your house, nor one inside your chest either that would shock your heart back to life if it went into irregular heartbeats and sudden cardiac arrest.

But don’t worry. That bottle of fish oil on your table is more apt to prevent sudden cardiac death, says a new study by cardiologist Thomas Kottke, at the Heart Center, Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Dr. Kottke and colleagues used a computer model to show that raising body levels of omega-3 fatty acids would save 8 times more lives than having access to an external defibrillator and about twice as many lives as having a defibrillator implanted.

Remarkably, many of the lives saved in the computer-simulated community of 100,000 people, came from raising omega-3 fish oil levels in healthy people without symptoms of heart disease.Sudden cardiac arrest kills around 300,000 Americans a year, many of whom have  no previous warning signs. Death is the first and last symptom.

However, a heart attack or other cardiac event  can boost susceptibility to sudden cardiac death and such patients also would be saved by fish oil, the researchers concluded.

And fish oil is less expensive. The researchers figured that taking fish oil supplements to raise omega-3 levels in a population similar to that used by the computer would cost only $5.8 million a year compared with $201 million to equip every household with an automated extrernal defibrillator.

Fish oil helps stabilize the electrical activity of the heart, restoring normal hearbeats if potentially fatal arrhythmias develop. A recent Australian study in heart patients suggests that taking 850 mg of omega-3′s DHA and EPA daily for a month can cut risk of sudden cardiac death by 71%.

Bottom Line: Since a defibrillator may not be available at the last minute to save your life, taking fish oil or eating fish so you don’t need one is a far better bet for staying alive.

In their study, the Japanese research team examined seven fruits that are known to have high antioxidant content: gold kiwis, green kiwis, navel oranges, mandarin oranges, white grapefruits, ruby grapefruits and apples (the researchers did not specify the type of apple tested).

In particular, the study team desired to know which of the fruits had the highest concentration of polyphenols (powerful antioxidants that offset the effects of molecules known as free radicals), which were most effective in reducing lipid oxidation (the process whereby fatty acids are turned into free radicals that damage cells), and which were most effective in eliminating free-ranging hydrogen peroxide (another type of free radical produced as a byproduct of the body’s process to create and use energy at the cellular level).

People with high levels of unhealthy lipids (LDL cholesterol) in their blood serum (oxidized LDL in particular) are considered to be at high risk for cardiovascular conditions such as atherosclerosis, heart attacks, strokes and other maladies. By reducing the amount of oxidized lipids and the number of other free radicals in blood serum, physicians believe people can significantly reduce their risk of heart disease. A common way to reduce free radicals and oxidized lipids is to consume more antioxidant-rich food, hence the researchers’ interest in these fruits.

The short takeaway: Gold kiwi crushed the competing fruits on all measures. In fact, apples came in dead last on every metric!

For example, to assess polyphenol content, the researchers cut equal weight pieces of each fruit flesh and blended in a mixer for about 30 seconds. The blended fruit juices were then processed through a centrifuge for 10 minutes and subsequently strained through a filter. The strained juice was centrifuged again — this time for one hour — and then samples were taken of the remaining, centrifuged juice.

Using this method, the researchers found that gold kiwi’s polyphenols content was approximately 1.04 milligrams (mg) per milliliter (ml), green kiwi was second with 0.85 mg/ml, navel oranges were third at 0.80 mg/ml, while apples were dead last at 0.13 mg/ml.

To assess the antioxidant properties of these polyphenols, the researchers then mixed a 1% concentration of the fruit juice solutions with lipids from egg yolk and irradiated the mixture for various time intervals (irradiation via UV rays causes the lipids to oxidize). After irradiation, the study team examined the counts of oxidized lipid molecules remaining in the respective fruit juice mixtures. They found gold kiwi and navel orange both inhibited oxidation of 60% of the lipids. Again, apples were dead last at 23%.

To further evaluate the antioxidant properties of the various fruits, the researchers mixed a 5% concentration of the fruit juice solutions with hydrogen peroxide and let the mixture sit for two hours. Then the researchers measured the amount of hydrogen peroxide eliminated by the fruit juices. Once again, gold kiwi significantly outperformed the other fruits, eliminating over 60% of the hydrogen peroxide. No other fruit achieved greater than 30% elimination, and apples lagged the field at less than 10%.

The study authors concluded: “We propose the novel possibility that daily consumption of kiwifruit is effective on decrease of oxidative stress and further prevention of disease by excessive oxidation … All these indicators showed the highest activity for gold kiwi, demonstrating that gold kiwi has strong anti-oxidant effects. Overall, green kiwi had lower anti-oxidant effects than gold kiwi, but had stronger effects than the other fruits.”[1]

So, if you’d like to add an easy, tasty and heart healthy fruit to your daily diet, consider gold kiwi. It’s a little more challenging to find in a retail grocery store (and a little more expensive), so you may need to look for it in a specialty or gourmet food store.

According to the prime producer of gold kiwi fruit, a New Zealand company called Zespri, the biggest difference between the green and gold kiwi is taste: “While green kiwifruit has a tangier, more tart flavor, gold kiwifruit is mellow and tropical, a mixture of mango, melon and citrus flavors. People who find green kiwifruit too tart usually love gold. As for other differences, the color is gold, instead of green, and it is tear-drop shaped, with a smooth skin and a crown on the top. Finally, while you might need to wait a few days for green to ripen, gold kiwifruit is always ready to eat.”[2]

A ready-to-eat heart healthy fruit that tastes great! How do you like them apples?

In addition to heart healthy gold kiwifruit, you should supplement your daily diet with an antioxidant-rich, high-potency multi-nutrient.

References:

[1] Iwasawa H, et al. Anti-oxidant Effects of Kiwi Fruit in Vitro and in Vivo. Biol Pharm Bull. 2011;34(1):128-34.

[2] Zespri Kiwifruit North America web site, http://www.zesprikiwi.com/faqs.htm, accessed January 12, 2011.

Kevin P. Donoghue is the Chief Executive Officer of Vitamin Research Products. He is also the publisher of Breathe Better for Life, a guide to better breathing for COPD patients, smokers and others who suffer from chronic shortness of breath. Kevin has 20 years publishing experience, the majority spent providing critical information to help people live better, healthier and more secure lives.

For tips, tools and strategies to address your most pressing health concerns and make a positive difference in your life, visit Peak Health Advocate.

2. Increase your consumption of whole foods, especially vegetables and fruits. This will help displace some of the processed foods in your diet, and will make your food selections in general very simple. No more counting calories, fat grams, or carbs when your only concern is selecting whole foods that are, as Michael Pollan says in his book “In Defense of Food”, more the product of nature than “the product of industry.”

3. Buy your bread from a local bakery. I used to eat white bread, but what I bought for my husband from the grocery store was what I thought was whole-wheat bread. When we finally checked the ingredients and found 40 different items on the list, including sugar and white flour, we decided it was time for a change. Why would there be so many ingredients on the list if it only takes a handful like whole-wheat flour, water, yeast, and salt to make bread at home?

4. In addition to your bread choice, when selecting foods like pastas, cereals, rice, and crackers always go for the whole-grain option. And don’t just believe the health claims on the outside of the box. Read the ingredient label to make sure the product is truly made with only 100 percent whole grains – not a combination of whole grains and refined grains, which is how a lot of so-called “whole grain” products are made. The white flour or other refined grain alternative is simply high in calories and low in nutrition.

5. Avoid store-bought products containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and those “that have some form of sugar (or sweetener) listed among the top three ingredients,” Pollan says. Despite the mixed research on whether HFCS is really worse for you than white sugar, it happens to be “a reliable marker for a food product that has been highly processed.”

6. Don’t order off the children’s menu. The next time your family is out to dinner, avoid the kids’ selections, which are usually things like chicken nuggets, French fries, pasta made with white flour, and so on. Instead, try assembling a side-item plate with a baked potato and whatever vegetables your kid will eat, and also try sharing some of your meal.

7. Visit your local farmers market the next time you need to restock your refrigerator. Pollan says that not only will you find “food that is in season, which is usually when it is most nutritious,” but you will also find a selection of pesticide-free produce and properly fed meat products. It is also better for the environment to purchase locally grown products as opposed to supermarket produce, which on average travels 1,500 miles from the farm to your plate.

8. Pollan says to “eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself.” If you had to peel, chop and deep fry potatoes every time you wanted French fries, you might not eat them very often. Eating “junk food” such as cakes, sweets, and fried foods only as often as you are willing to make them yourself will reduce your consumption.

For more information about the “100 Days of Real Food” pledge, including over a hundred recipes and meal ideas, go to www.100daysofrealfood.com.

———
© 2012, www.100DaysofRealFood.com. Distributed by MCT Information Services

HealthyStuff.org, an offshoot of the Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., is an environmental nonprofit that has tested just about everything under the sun for the presence of toxic chemicals. Recently, the group extended its reach into the garden shed and the results may have you think twice before giving your dog a sip from the garden hose on a hot summer day.

For the study, the Ecology Center tested 179 run-of-the-mill gardening products — 90 garden hoses, 53 garden gloves, 23 gardening tools, and 13 knee pads — for lead, chlorine, bromine, cadmium, phthalates, and bisphenol A (BPA). The results found that slightly more than 70 percent of the products tested contained chemical levels of “high concern.”

The presence of both lead and phthalates, particularly in garden hoses, proved to be the most alarming. All of the garden hoses tested (all made from PVC) contained phthalates, the notorious plasticizer that’s been linked to hormone disruption, genital birth defects in boys, breast cancer and other maladies. Two hoses contained the flame retardant 2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (TBPH), and 30 percent of all products tested contained lead levels well over 100 parts per million, the Consumer Product Safety Commission standard for lead in children’ products.

“Even if you are an organic gardener, doing everything you can to avoid pesticides and fertilizers, you still may be introducing hazardous substances into your soil by using these products, Jeff Gearhart, research director at the Ecology Center, said in a press release. “The good news is that healthier choices are out there. Polyurethane or natural rubber water hoses, and non-PVC tools and work gloves, are all better choices.”

The PVC industry in on the defensive. Allen Blakey, a spokesman for the Vinyl Institute, told tells the Los Angeles Times: “Phthalates have never been shown to be a problem in garden hoses. Garden hoses are not made specifically for drinking water. Some people do that, but they don’t drink that hot water that’s been roasting in the sunlight. The report lacks common sense.”

In addition to pushing a few PVC-free garden hoses, HealthyStuff.org recommends letting your hose run for a few seconds before using it, storing your hose in the shade (leaving it on the sun will increase the leaching of chemicals from the PVC into the water), testing your soil for lead, and, avoiding drinking from a garden hose. Additionally, HealthyStuff.org recommends washing your hands after handling a garden hose, because as lead can be transferred from the hose to your hands.

It’s also worth noting that while the brass found in residential water fixtures is regulated by the Safe Drinking Water Act and must contain less than 2,500 ppm of lead, the brass components of garden hoses are not regulated. In the study, 29 percent of brass garden hose connectors were found to have more than 2,500 ppm lead. HealthyStuff.org recommends investing in a garden hose with non-brass fittings such as stainless steel, nickel or aluminum. As pointed out by the group, lead-free hoses are more likely to be found at marine supply and RV stores than at gardening centers or home improvement retailers.

Go to http://www.healthystuff.org/ to see how all 179 of the products tested fared.
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© 2012, Mother Nature Network. Distributed by MCT Information Services.

As a result, we are hitting the gym, watching out diet, and often looking for ways to boost our metabolism while simultaneously curbing our hunger. Tough order! Fortunately, recent research has found that one solution may be sitting in the spice cabinet.

Sip Your Way to Skinny?

According to researchers, ginger may hold the answer to your weight loss prayers.[1] Previous research has shown that ginger reduces inflammation and promotes glucose sensitivity,[2] two factors associated with healthy weight. It has even been shown to boost serotonin levels, the neurotransmitter associated with appetite control.[3] However, much of the research on ginger and weight management and metabolic syndrome has been animal studies.

To determine what effect ginger consumption would have on humans in terms of metabolism and feelings of satiety, as well as biomarkers of metabolic syndrome, researchers performed a randomized, crossover study with 10 overweight men 19 to 50 years of age.

The men were tested on two separate days. Meals and testing were identical for each day, with one exception. On the control day, they were given hot water to drink. On the ginger day, the hot water was mixed with two grams of dried ginger powder.

For two days prior to each test day, the participants were asked to refrain from alcohol, spices and energy drinks. They were also asked to eat the same dinner the night before each test day.

On test days, they rested for 30 minutes upon arrival, then were checked for their resting metabolic rate. They were then given breakfast, which consisted of five mini corn muffins, orange juice, and either hot water or hot water with ginger, depending on the day.

Immediately before and again every hour for three hours, participants were asked to complete a visual analog scale (VAS) questionnaire about their feelings of satiety and appetite. They were also tested hourly for six hours for energy expenditure and thermic effect of food (TEF), which is determined by calculating the difference between the energy expenditure and the resting metabolic rate. Finally, researchers tested a variety of metabolic and inflammation biomarkers.

Spicy Results

At the end of the two test days, researchers learned that the ginger had a significant thermic effect, meaning that it likely boosted metabolism. Participants also reported less hunger and prospective food intake on their VAS questionnaires after ginger consumption. And there was a trend toward greater feelings of fullness after the ginger drink.

When it came to the biomarkers, ghrelin levels tended to be higher in the ginger test than the control. This is critical, as ghrelin is a hunger-stimulating hormone. Higher levels often indicate increased feelings of hunger.

After reviewing the results from both test days, researchers learned that ginger did, in fact, enhance satiety and reduce hunger, though it did not reduce biomarkers related to inflammation or metabolic syndrome.

Based on this, researchers concluded, “The present study has provided intriguing preliminary evidence that 2 grams of powdered ginger dissolved in hot water can induce a small but significant increase in TEF in healthy overweight men and influence feelings of satiety without any adverse side effects.”

Heat Up Your Weight Loss

Talk about a simple and tasty weight loss tip! And cost effective as well. To see if ginger can boost your weight loss efforts, plan to brew up a cup of steaming ginger.

Simply add 1/2 teaspoon of powdered ginger to 4-6 ounces of hot water and stir until dissolved. If you want to sweeten it a bit, you can add stevia, a zero-calorie, natural alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners.

Then sip, savor and let the ginger work its magic! Just don’t rely on the magic too much. Ginger is only a boost. You still need to rely on good, old-fashioned diet and exercise to get the most out of your weight loss efforts.

References:

[1] Mansour MS et al. Ginger consumption enhances the thermic effect of food and promotes feelings of satiety without affecting metabolic and hormonal parameters in overweight men: A pilot study. Metabolism. 2012, doi:10.1016/j.metabol.2012.03.016.

[2] Nammi S et al. Protective effects of ethanolic extract of Zingiber officinale rhizome on the development of metabolic syndrome in high-fat diet-fed rats. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2009;104:366-73.

[3] Goyal RK et al. Beneficial effects of Zingiber officinale on gold thioglucose induced obesity. Fitoterapia. 2006;77:160-3.

Kimberly Day has spent the past 15 years uncovering natural and alternative health solutions. She was the managing editor for several of the world’s largest health newsletters including those from Dr. Susan Lark, Dr. Julian Whittaker and Dr. Stephen Sinatra. She has also penned several health-related newsletter and magazine articles, co-authored the book the Hormone Revolution with Dr. Susan Lark, contributed articles to Lance Armstrong’s consumer site livestrong.com, and created a number of health-related websites and blogs.

For tips, tools and strategies to address your most pressing health concerns and make a positive difference in your life, visit Peak Health Advocate.

An alphabet soup of federal bureaucracies prevents winemakers from keeping pace with other food purveyors in labeling their products “organic.” The result is a lose-lose scenario: vintners using all manner of eco-friendly practices get little or no credit on labels, and consumers who want to embrace organic wines have few tasty options.

About 30 percent of Oregon’s vineyard acreage is certified organic, biodynamic or “salmon safe,” but just try finding an Oregon wine with “organic” stamped on the bottle.

The culprit: sulfites. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Standards Board’s says that to be labeled organic, a wine cannot have any added sulfites, only naturally occurring ones, and a total level of less than 20 parts per million. Even the normally stringent European Union isn’t so strict.

The intent is primarily to protect the two-tenths of 1 percent of Americans with sulfite allergies. But because sulfites prevent oxidation and help control bacteria, wines without them are unstable, often do not travel well and have wide bottle variation.

“I worry that the window for public acceptance of organic wine is closing,” said Jason Haas, general manager of Tablas Creek, a California winery. “The result is that most of the producers who farm organically or biodynamically don’t say so, or are prohibited from saying so, on the label. And most of the producers who make organically labeled wines aren’t making great wine.

“So you have to know your producers and do your homework, but it’s worth doing, since the rewards of responsible farming can be dramatic in the bottle.”

Consumers have noticed. Mitch Zavada, wine buyer at South Lyndale Liquors in Minneapolis, said that while sales of certified organic wines “are flat or possibly down … we are absolutely selling more wines made from organically grown grapes than in the past.

“I think that is a result of producers, retailers and restaurateurs making known how many wines produced from organically grown grapes are available.”

The best course is to trust one’s palate. It up to us to decide what tastes pure or “honest,” and what level of importance we place on such priorities. That’s what grape growers and winemakers have done.

Michael Honig, owner of Honig Vineyard & Winery in Rutherford, Calif., said: “Organic certification is primarily about herbicides and pesticides, not things like water and the way you treat your employees.”
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©2012 The Star Tribune. Distributed by MCT Information Services

Most people with high blood pressure take prescription medications to lower it. Some of these medications include diuretics, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), beta blockers and alpha blockers. While generally effective, these medications have numerous side effects, such as erectile dysfunction, fatigue, leg cramps, insomnia, headache, dizziness and heartburn, to name just a few.

These unpleasant side effects have prompted many patients to look for more natural ways to reduce blood pressure. Fortunately, mild to moderate high blood pressure can often be decreased naturally by following a healthy diet (like the Mediterranean diet), exercising regularly, and taking specialized heart-friendly nutrients like CoQ10 and magnesium.

Magnesium, in particular, seems to be an unsung hero when it comes to heart health and lowering blood pressure naturally.

One recent meta-analysis examined 23 studies (1,173 individuals) that observed magnesium’s effects on systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure.[1]

The mean duration of treatment was 11.3 weeks, and the mean daily dosage was 410 mg. Researchers found that the average reduction for systolic blood pressure was 3–4 mmHg and 2–3 mmHg for diastolic.

This may not seem like a huge reduction, but researchers noted, “The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) found, when comparing antihypertensive treatments, that a [systolic blood pressure] reduction of between 0.8 and 2 mmHg, depending on drug intervention, was clinically significant in reducing the incidence of coronary heart disease, heart failure, and stroke.”

Are You Magnesium Deficient?

So, research shows people with high blood pressure could greatly benefit from magnesium supplementation, and many people are deficient in this mineral without even knowing it.

Many factors can deplete magnesium levels in the body:

1. Chronic stress causes your body to have increased levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. If your bloodstream is flooded with these hormones, it causes magnesium to be released from your cells and removed from the body via urine.

2. Diuretics — ironically, a common blood pressure medication — can cause magnesium depletion in the body.

3. Poor diet is also a culprit. In the early 1900s, people were regularly consuming 500 mg of magnesium through their diets. Now, that value is closer to 175 mg a day, which is not enough.

4. Taking too much calcium can cause your kidneys to excrete magnesium. Ideally, calcium and magnesium should be taken in a 2:1 ratio. For instance, if you take 1,000 mg of calcium, you should take 500 mg of magnesium.

Boost Magnesium for Heart Health

You can boost your levels of magnesium — and decrease your blood pressure naturally — by reducing stress, consuming foods rich in magnesium, and by taking a magnesium supplement.

Foods rich in magnesium include whole grains, seafood, leafy green vegetables, tofu, kelp, brown rice, figs, bananas, apricots, seeds and nuts.

If supplementing with magnesium, take up to 500 mg a day. Remember, as mentioned earlier, you should take twice as much calcium as magnesium.

References:

[1] Kass L, Weekes J, Carpenter L. Effect of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2012 Apr;66(4):411–418.

Larissa Long has worked in the health care communications field for more than 13 years. She co-authored a self-care book titled Taking Care, has written countless tip sheets and e-letters on health topics, and contributed several articles to Natural Solutions magazine. She also served as managing editor of three alternative health and lifestyle newsletters — Dr. Susan Lark’s Women’s Wellness Today, Dr. David Williams’ Alternatives, and Janet Luhrs’ Simple Living.

For tips, tools and strategies to address your most pressing health concerns and make a positive difference in your life, visit Peak Health Advocate.

This simple, fresh and crunchy salad is a delicious way to enjoy the health benefits of carrots, apples and walnuts.

Makes 2 generous servings.

Salad
1 Granny Smith apple
2 large carrots
¼ c. chopped walnuts
1-2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Vinaigrette
1 T. cold-pressed safflower oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. water
2 tsp. cranberry mustard
½ tsp. sugar

•    In a small bowl, whisk vinaigrette ingredients together.
•    Wash or scrub carrots and apple, but do not peel. Cut both into matchstick-size pieces. To prevent browning, mix apple pieces with lemon juice.
•    In a medium-sized bowl, toss apples, carrots and walnuts together.
•    Drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately or chill.

Nutritional Information per Serving: 250 calories, 3 g protein, 24.5 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat (1.4 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol,  5.2 g fiber, 95 mg sodium.

Last year on Mother’s Day, I wrote a tribute to my mother, and you know what? If felt great to write the things I don’t always have the time to say, and really reflect upon the important role she serves in my life, and now, in the lives of my children. That’s why I thought I would make this an annual feature, since one can never say enough kind words about their mom.

My mom taught me how to “live in the now” by living by example. At 77 years young, she continues to enjoy great health and totally embodies the “no time like the present” attitude we advocate on this site. She makes the most of every day and doesn’t take her physical or mental health for granted. Rather, she challenges herself to learn, explore and achieve, and it’s these very virtues that keep her looking and acting so young. Perhaps most importantly, she hasn’t fallen into the trap of thinking that getting old means you have to feel old. Adding to what she calls the “sweetness of life,” she recently celebrated her 50^th wedding anniversary and also learned that she can soon expect her 13^th grandchild.

Since I often write about nutrition, I think Mother’s Day is an appropriate time to reflect on the inextricable role that our mothers play in ensuring our nutritional wellness – before we’re even born. Not surprisingly, more and more research is proving the importance of nutrition in utero. We’re now learning that how a baby is fed in the womb can have long lasting impacts (both positive and negative) on that baby’s physical health, intellect and overall well-being.

This Mother’s Day, I would like to thank my mom for bestowing on me not only a lifelong appreciation of the importance of nutrition, but also an understanding of the significance of actually sitting down and taking your time to enjoy a meal. Even though she was busy raising six children and could have taken the easy way out when it came to feeding us, we rarely had junk food in the house. She not only made all of our meals from scratch, but also insisted that we all sit down at the table to eat our meals – and not just dinners but breakfasts and lunches when possible. My dad was a hardworking man and wasn’t always around, so she did this all on her own, which makes it all that more of an amazing feat.

I’ll conclude simply by saying that being a mother is, without a doubt, one of the hardest jobs in the world. And let’s not let the importance of Mother’s Day be watered down by the notion that it’s just another one of those “Hallmark holidays.” That’s a cop out. Rather, as you enjoy each day of life, it is very important to dedicate at least one of these days to really sit down and reflect on the very person who gave you life to begin with.

We’re thrilled to announce that Kevin Passero, ND has recently joined the Live in the Now Editorial Team as our Medical Editor. Dr. Passero will be contributing articles more frequently and working with us on some exciting new video and other projects in the coming months.

Dr. Passero is a practicing naturopathic physician who focuses on restoring harmony to both the body and mind using advanced protocols that incorporate herbal therapy, homeopathy, vitamin therapy and nutritional programs. Through education and guidance, he helps patients unlock their natural healing power. On Live in the Now, Dr. Passero will share valuable information with you so that you can find natural solutions to your health concerns and begin the process of taking back your health.

Dr. Passero completed four years of post-graduate medical education at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon after receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Biology from the University of Colorado. He is the immediate Past President of the Maryland Association of Naturopathic Physicians and is an active member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

We asked Dr. Passero to answer a few questions about his practice and philosophies so you could get to know him a little better.

What is a naturopathic doctor? And how does an ND differ from an MD or a DO?

Dr. Passero: Naturopathic doctors, or naturopathic physicians, are clinicians that have been trained as primary care doctors with an emphasis on utilizing natural means of healing and focus on the prevention of disease states.

At this time, the term “naturopathic doctor” is used loosely and may refer to a variety of practitioners. I represent the type that has been trained at a four-year naturopathic medical school recognized by the Department of Education and is eligible for licensure as a Naturopathic Doctor/Physician in 16 states and the District of Columbia. In the states where NDs are licensed, we operate as primary care physicians with the rights of most medical doctors (MDs) and doctors of osteopathy (DOs), including the ability to order any type of diagnostic test or image, perform physical examinations, perform minor surgical procedures and prescribe an array of prescription medications.

Our process of case evaluation may be similar to an MD’s or DO’s approach, with regards to blood tests, diagnostic imaging and physical exams, but often differs in several other areas. Most notably, this difference is seen when looking at the treatments we utilize. Although NDs are able to prescribe certain medications in licensed states, it is our preference to first utilize natural methods of healing, including nutrition, herbs, homeopathy, bio-identical hormones, vitamins and minerals.

Another major difference between what to expect from an ND vs. an allopathic doctor is the degree of time spent listening to patients and trying to understand their unique health challenges. Also, NDs frequently utilize cutting-edge functional tests that are not typically done in a traditional medical setting to identify a person’s unique set of circumstances contributing to their health problems.

Some practitioners who use the term naturopathic doctor have acquired their education via online correspondence programs. They are not required to have the same pre-medical prerequisites as medical doctors or an undergraduate degree and are not trained to the standards necessary to provide comprehensive case management. They are also not eligible for licensure in any state or jurisdiction in North America. If these education differences are important to someone seeking care from a naturopathic doctor, it is important to check the doctor’s credentials prior to scheduling an appointment.

Why did you decide to become a naturopathic doctor?

Dr. Passero: The core philosophy of naturopathic medicine had great appeal to me. It operates under the principle that the body is a self-healing, self-regulating organism, and that the job of the doctor is to identify the underlying causes that have contributed to health imbalances and work to remove those causes while at the same time supporting the self-healing mechanism.

For me, this concept was groundbreaking. For many people, illness is a mystery. We don’t know why our body has manifested with a set of symptoms and we are simply given a diagnosis and medicated in a way to cover up those symptoms. It was fascinating to me to study a philosophy of medicine that works to understand the healing mechanisms in our body and create strategies to maximize them so that the body can express health on its own. It is hugely gratifying for the practitioner and hugely empowering for the patients. It restores faith in the human form and results in truly vibrant health and not just the suppression of symptoms.

I was also fascinated with the world of natural remedies. Vitamins, minerals, herbs and homeopathics all interested me as tools for assisting health. I had a deep conviction that these tools provided to us by nature surely needed to play some role in relieving suffering and assisting people in their journey to restore health and vitality. My undergraduate training in environmental biology taught me about the dynamic relationships between plants and animals that have evolved over human history, and I felt that this connection to the natural world must certainly offer some valuable tools for healing.

What do you enjoy most about practicing naturopathic medicine?

Dr. Passero: There are many things I enjoy about the naturopathic discipline of medicine. I truly enjoy the collaborative relationship that is established with my patients. A unique partnership is formed as a result of spending so much time with each patient working to understand all aspects of their life and health challenges. For many people, this is the first time they have experienced such openness and willingness to listen from a medical professional and it is something that is valued and respected.

Another aspect of my work I greatly enjoy revolves around my role as a teacher. It is my goal with every patient to not only help them improve their health, but also to help them understand their health. Understanding your health condition, and understanding how the tests and tools I use are going to help you overcome it, helps to empower people and enhance the process of healing.

It amazes me how many people who have had a health condition treated for years by other doctors do not know the slightest things about their condition, the tests they are given, or the medication they take. I feel that as a doctor, I must also be a teacher. If you understand your body, your illness, your medicines, and your test results, you now have a new power over your health and the health decisions you make in the future. No matter what doctor’s office you enter, you will know the basics of how to direct your care and what aspects of care are the most important for you. An empowered, educated patient ALWAYS has better outcomes and I feel it is my job to make sure each person is empowered through education.

Another thing I find deeply satisfying about being a naturopathic doctor is the wide range of choices I have when it comes to helping patients. I am not limited to only pharmaceutical options. I have at my disposal thousands of herbs, thousands of homeopathic remedies, vitamin therapies, minerals and many other healing modalities to rely upon. Each person is an individual and each individual (even if they have the same health condition) may need a unique, individualized approach to healing. What might work in one person for depression might not work in another, and the same is true for thyroid disorders or autoimmune disease or gastrointestinal problems. I have so many tools to choose from that I can customize every single person’s treatment regimen based on what is right for their body. There is no cookie-cutter approach to naturopathic medicine. Each person is treated uniquely and we, as naturopathic doctors, have ample tools to do this. For me, this prevents any aspect of boredom that might come from doing the same thing day in and day out. Each case has dynamics unique to that person and requires critical thinking and analysis.

How do you feel about the limits placed on practitioners of naturopathic medicine in the US?

Dr. Passero: The most frustrating part of being a naturopathic doctor has to do with how little recognition naturopathic medicine currently has in the US. Many people have not heard the term and have no idea that there are primary care doctors trained in holistic medicine out there practicing.

Like osteopaths, chiropractors, and acupuncturists in the past, our profession has had to fight for recognition in each state to achieve legitimate licensure, which is why our ability to practice to our full scope is limited to 16 states and the District of Colombia.

As the immediate past president of the Maryland Association of Naturopathic Physicians, this issue hits very close to home for me as I have been diligently working for the past four years to have naturopathic doctors recognized and licensed in my home state of Maryland. I have learned that the politics of medicine does not line up with what is best for patients. The state medical society and traditionally trained physicians have worked very hard to limit healthcare choices for the residents of Maryland and many other states. They fight a turf battle that hopes to exclude other health care practitioners from gaining access to their patients. They do this in spite of the volumes of literature documenting a Naturopathic Physicians rigorous training, national board examinations, clinical experience and record of safety. In some states, naturopathic doctors have been fully licensed since the mid-1900s and have displayed the most impeccable standards of safety and the ability to significantly lower health care expenditures based on our primarily preventative approach to healthcare.

I have learned that medical societies have enormous financial resources and typically have huge influence over politics. The desire of a few to block access to safe holistic care prevents millions from having access to a form of medicine that could help save the healthcare disaster going on in America. It is truly the fight of David vs. Goliath.

On a positive note, we are making progress. In Maryland, for example, we’ve been able to convince many legislators that the people of Maryland deserve access to well-trained holistic physicians. This year we made massive progress in both the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates. In fact, our bill passed a critical Senate subcommittee vote 9-2. We as a profession are unrelenting in our mission and believe that our training, our integrity, and the desire people have for healthcare choices will overcome our obstacles. We have had thousands of Maryland residents devote their time and efforts to make this a reality and have had many Maryland-based medical doctors come to our defense and testify to the extensive level of training and skill naturopathic doctors bring to the healthcare setting.

In a general sense, what is your philosophy when it comes to treating health problems?

Dr. Passero: First and foremost, one must recognize that the body’s systems operate in balance with one another, not in isolation. Dysfunction in one area will affect the others. As an example, imagine a triangle. If you tip one end of the triangle, you will cause a resultant tip at the other ends of the triangle. This is a simple way to understand how an imbalance in one area will affect the other areas. All body systems are intimately interrelated and it is critical to create balance in all areas to achieve optimal health outcomes.

Additionally, my philosophy as a whole also reflects the heart of my naturopathic training, which emphasizes a core belief that the body has a profound ability to heal and restore balance from within. My tools and therapies are intended to support that process and remove the obstacles blocking that healing process from occurring.

How do you feel about patients who come in to your office with ideas about what they want, in terms of treatment?

Dr. Passero: Empowered patients are typically the people who are very well educated about their health concerns. These are very rewarding relationships for me. They already understand the process happening in their body and have ideas, often times based on personal experience, regarding what will work best for them. They simply need someone with the proper training and the right set of tools to help guide them through the process. I pride myself on being very open-minded with patients regarding treatment options and am willing to explore many different scenarios until we find the one that is just right.

What is your favorite kind of patient?

Dr. Passero: My favorite kind of patient is someone who is committed to making meaningful changes to improve their overall health. I greatly enjoy my work and have spent years acquiring information and education in an effort to help people thrive. Patients who are truly committed to the process of healing are the ones who are able to fully utilize the information I share with them and therefore, typically have the most positive outcomes. For me, there is no greater gratification than being the person who helped facilitate a significant improvement in someone’s life.

The most productive visits are those in which the patient comes ready to learn and to be engaged in the process. I will spend two hours with a new patient making sure I understand their health concerns and how they are affected by them, in addition to educating the patient about their condition, reviewing nutritional considerations and laying out a clear plan to guide them back to health.

What do you hope to bring to the Live in the Now community?

Dr. Passero: As an expert in health and wellness and a contributing writer to Live in the Now, my articles, comprehensive recovery guides and videos, will provide you with the tools necessary to bring your body back to a state I call “ultimate vitality.” (More on what that means later.) My goal is to deliver to you the clinical and scientific knowledge that I have personally used in my naturopathic medical practice to transform people’s lives and restore them to optimal health.

I am here to empower you to take control of your health and to help you find natural solutions to your health concerns. Although I may not be your personal doctor, I will share much of the same valuable information that I would with someone who came into my office for a visit.

Dr. Passero has offices in Maryland and DC. Visit his website at www.GreenHealingWellness.com. If you have a question about your health that you would Dr. Passero to address in an upcoming article, we encourage you to email editor@liveinthenow.com.

1. Try to find a grower’s only farmers market in your area. This guarantees that all products are local. Otherwise some markets sell produce from third party vendors that could even be from another country. So if you can’t find a grower’s only market or fruit stand it’s important to ask questions about where the food is from.

2. Arrive as close to the opening time as possible because the “good stuff” can run out fast. I also prioritize my shopping list. For example, if it is the first weekend that greenhouse tomatoes or field-grown corn are available, I go to those vendors first because I know they’ll be gone in no time.

3. On the flip side if you show up at the end of the market you might find some smashing deals because I guarantee no farmer wants to take their produce back to the farm.

4. Map out which farmers are certified organic or are not necessarily certified but follow organic practices and be sure to give them most of your business. All you have to do is ask if they use chemical pesticides/fertilizers or more natural methods instead, and if you’re at a growers only market they will surely know the answer. If you find yourself struggling between the choice of local/conventional produce vs. organic/well-traveled produce…I hate to tell you there is no perfect answer.

5. Ask if the market manager sends out an email or newsletter showing what items you can expect to find at the upcoming market because it can be a big help with meal planning.

6. If you have kids let them tag along and give them a buck or two to buy something. My daughter would never eat cucumbers at home, but for some reason she likes to buy one herself at the market and take a couple big bites out of it while we are shopping!

7. If you are looking for something specific ask questions like “Does anyone sell ground beef around here?” or “Do you know where I can find goat cheese?” Just because you don’t see a sign for something doesn’t mean they don’t sell it.

8. Don’t be fooled by the baked goods. Sure the muffins for sale are a far better option than the highly processed ones you’ll find at the supermarket, but chances are some of them are still full of refined grains and sweeteners (like white flour and sugar) so just know what you are buying. It all goes back to asking questions!

9. Don’t forget to bring cash and reusable shopping bags or a cooler with ice packs if it is a hot day.

10. Enjoy the sense of community and get to know the hands that grow the food you feed your precious family!

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For more information about the “100 Days of Real Food” pledge including over a hundred recipes and meal ideas check out http://www.100daysofrealfood.com.

© 2012, www.100DaysofRealFood.com. Distributed by MCT Information Services

In their quest to explore the results of a Harvard study suggesting yogurt is superior to any other food in preventing age-related weight gain, they discovered that aside from its slimming effect it might also enhance several aspects of sexuality and fertility. Additionally, the food may foster silky luxuriant hair, as the fur of the yogurt-fed mice was noticeably shinier, softer and thicker.

Cancer biologist Susan Erdman and evolutionary geneticist Eric Alm led the study’s team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The subjects were 40 male mice and 40 female mice who were fed either a simulated junk food diet or standard mice meal. Researchers then added vanilla-flavored yogurt to the diets of half of each group. The first surprising observation was that the fur of the yogurt-eating mice was amazingly shinny and had an active follicle density 10 times that of the other group. They were also slimmer, verifying earlier studies indicating the weight-related benefit of probiotics.

Next, the investigators noted the males had outward projected testes, which caused them to exhibit a certain “mouse swagger.” Upon measurement, the testicles proved to be 5 percent heavier than the mice eating the standard diet and 15 percent heavier than the group eating the junk food diet.

These changes in sexual appearance translated into increased sexual function. The yogurt-fed males mated faster and produced more offspring, indicating physiological differences. An interesting benefit of the female mice on the yogurt-augmented diet was that they tended to be better mothers to their larger liters.

Alm attributes all these effects to the probiotics within the yogurt. The results could have implications for fertility, obesity and even hair health.

References:

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/05/07/yogurt-makes-mice-slimmer-sexier/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/06/testicles-yogurt-mice-probiotics_n_1489701.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2141178/The-Probiotic-Yoghurt-effect-research-makes-mice-sexy-slim-fertile-gives-swagger.html

Mary West is a natural health enthusiast, as she believes this area can profoundly enhance wellness. She is the creator of a natural healing website where she focuses on solutions to health problems that work without side effects. You can visit her site and learn more at http://www.alternativemedicinetruth.com. Ms. West is also the author of Fight Cancer Through Powerful Natural Strategies.

In addition to following weight management practices including calorie restriction with optimal nutrition (CRON), middle and advanced aging adults will want to ensure they consume a diet packed with marine derived Omega-3 fats and vitamins B, C, D and E to dramatically lower the risk of reduced brain volume, memory loss and risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Key Vitamins and Marine Derived Fats Slow Brain Shrinkage and Cognitive Decline

Dr. Gene Bowman from the Departments of Neurology and Public Health and Preventive Medicine at the Oregon Health & Science University and his team of researchers recruited 104 elderly people with an average age of 87 who had few risk factors for impaired memory and thinking. They performed blood tests to quantify and compare 30 different nutrient biomarkers considered important to support brain health and volume. All the participants also completed tests of memory and thinking, while 42 of them also underwent MRI scans that measured their brain volume.

An analysis of the results found that the participants ate an otherwise healthy diet, yet 25% were lacking in vitamin D and 7% were deficient in vitamin B12. Dr. Bowman noted that the results showed a significant amount of the variation in brain volume and scores on the thinking and memory tests were tied to levels of nutrient biomarkers.

Lifestyle Factors Including Weight and Blood Pressure Management Improve Memory

Researchers determined the nutrient levels accounted for 17% of the variation in the scores, while 46% of the variation was tied to other factors such as age, number of years of education and blood pressure. For brain volume, the nutrient levels accounted for 37% of the variation. The study found that the vitamins and nutrients you get from eating a wide range of fruits, vegetables and fish can be measured in blood biomarkers and have a direct impact on brain shrinkage, memory and cognition.

Dr. Bowman concluded “it is very exciting to think that people could potentially stop their brains from shrinking and keep them sharp by adjusting their diet… I’m a firm believer these nutrients have strong potential to protect your brain and make it work better.” In addition to eating a natural, organic diet full of fresh vegetables, fish and fruit, some health-minded individuals may want to consider supplementing with vitamins B, C, D, E along with fish oil capsule to ensure optimal bioavailability of these critical nutrients.

References:

http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2011/12/28/WNL.0b013e3182436598.abstract
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111229092036.htm
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/239762.php
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-12/osu-dnl122711.php
http://www.wellnessresources.com/studies/nutrient_status_and_brain_aging

John Phillip is a diet, health and nutrition researcher and writer with a passion for understanding weight loss challenges and encouraging health modification through natural diet, lifestyle and targeted supplementation. John’s passion is to research and write about the cutting edge alternative health technologies that affect our lives.

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