Swink's Wellness Health Spot

Perfumed Poison: The Hidden Dangers of Fragrances

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:15:00 PDT

After getting out of the shower, dressing up, and fixing your appearance, you’re all set to go to school, work, or a night out. You then put on your favorite perfume for good measure. But have you ever questioned if what’s inside your perfume bottle is completely safe?

Fragrances are all around us. It’s difficult to avoid taking a whiff of someone’s perfume in the office, at a movie theater, on the train, or other closed spaces. Besides colognes and perfumes, scents are found in air fresheners, candles, dryer sheets, laundry products, shampoo, and other personal care products.

Most scents are pleasant; some are irritating or overpowering. Dr. Swink is quick to point out that these fragrances do not come from flowers and other natural sources.

The Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1973 requires cosmetic ingredients to be listed on product labels, but explicitly exempts fragrances. This means that the fragrance industry can put in anything they want--even if those ingredients are harmful to your health.

Fragrance makers use more than 5,000 different ingredients. Dr. Swink shares several alarming facts about these fragrance ingredients:

•    Only about 1,300 fragrance ingredients have actually been tested and evaluated.
•    16 percent of the colognes, fragrances, and perfumes reviewed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) use carcinogenic ingredients. 18 percent contained penetration enhancers that increase the exposure to carcinogens and other harmful ingredients.
•    About 95 percent of the chemicals used as fragrance ingredients are petroleum based chemicals.
•    The EWG found that there are 38 secret chemicals found in 17 brand name perfumes, including those by American Eagle, Armani, and Chanel.

Smell Good at Your Health’s Expense

Two of the most common ingredients are phthalates and synthetic musk. Phthalates are plasticizing ingredients classified as endocrine disrupters. They are probable reproductive or developmental toxins linked to birth defects and low sperm count in men. These chemicals have been linked to cancer, organ damage, and immune suppression.

Synthetic musk, on the other hand, is not listed on perfume labels. Musk chemicals like AHTN, ketone, and xylene have been found deposited in human breast milk and fat tissue. A study conducted by two Stanford researchers showed that synthetic musks may inhibit your body’s natural defenses against toxicants.

The harmful chemicals in fragrances are either inhaled or absorbed through the skin and can accumulate in your body. Dr. Swink warns that the more perfume and personal care products you use, the greater the risk of polluting your body with multiple dangerous ingredients. This pollution begins in the womb and continues through life.

You don’t need to use artificial fragrances for the opposite sex to notice you. The latest research shows that your natural scent is more seductive than perfume. Simply sniffing the shirt of an ovulating woman is enough to significantly increase a man's testosterone levels. Men may be able to sense the time a woman is most fertile based on her natural scent.

This "scent," however, may stimulate your senses at an unconscious level through pheromones. Pheromones are small organic molecules that influence biological processes to stimulate your sex drive.

To protect yourself and those around you, avoid all artificial fragrances. Switch to natural scents made from high-quality, 100 percent pure essential oils instead, Dr. Swink advises.

Take note that essential oils come from plants. They are different from fragrance oils, which are artificial and often contain synthetic chemicals. Fragrance oils may smell good and are typically less expensive. But they do not provide the therapeutic benefits of organic essential oils, and may not be as safe.

Pregnant women should exercise caution when using essential oils, as small amounts can produce potent changes. Consult an expert in aromatherapy before experimenting with these oils.

Harmfull Antibiotics in Your Meet

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 09:19:00 PDT

By Dr. Mercola

Few would deny that you simply cannot achieve health without a well-functioning immune system.
Your immune defenses are key in protecting you from all disease, including cancer, toxic poisons, infections, inflammation, and even aging.
Many do not realize that an important part of your immune system actually begins in your gut — long before your blood or bone marrow become involved. In fact, 80 percent of your immune system lies in your gastrointestinal tract, which houses 100 trillion bacteria—about two to three pounds worth of bacteria!
So the expression, “He’s got a lot of guts” has some literal truth to it.
The army of bacteria that occupy the nooks and crannies of your intestine are the “DEFCON 1” of your defense system. There is even evidence that your appendix serves as a virtual military barracks for these critical defenses.
You should have about 85 percent “good” bacteria and 15 percent “bad”, but unfortunately, most people are upside down with that ratio. For this reason, I always recommend a diet rich in cultured or fermented foods, as well as a good quality probiotic supplement to restore your ratio to a healthful balance.
Probiotics have been shown to:

Modulate your immune response and reduce inflammation

Digest and absorb certain carbohydrates

Produce vitamins, absorb minerals, and eliminate toxins

Prevent allergic reactions

Keep bad bacteria in check

Another major task of probiotics is to help restore your immune system after it has been damaged by antibiotics.

Antibiotics: A Prescription for Trouble

Under the right circumstances, antibiotics are very effective and necessary. That said, I believe they are vastly overused.
About 95 percent of the time, antibiotic prescriptions are totally unnecessary, and can be harmful.
According to Doug Kaufmann, author of The Fungus Link:

“Simply put, antibiotics are poisons that are used to kill ... I contend that poisons that kill small organisms in small doses—organism-specific varieties notwithstanding — can also kill big organisms, when they are taken in big doses. You, my friend, are a big organism.

Every time you swallow antibiotics, you kill beneficial bacteria in your intestines, upsetting the delicate balance of your intestinal terrain. This can lead to a syndrome called “Leaky Gut Syndrome” whereby your intestinal wall is damaged, interfering with how your body absorbs nutrients and filters out waste and toxins.
Leaky Gut Syndrome can lead to a whole host of illnesses.
However, taking the antibiotics your physician prescribes is not the ONLY way you are getting them. Antibiotics may be the mystery ingredient in your Chicken Kiev and a common and typically vastly underappreciated way in which you can be exposed to them..

Most Antibiotics in the US Used for Farm Animals

As much as 70 percent of all antibiotics sold in the U. S. are fed to chickens, cattle and hogs — not to treat disease but to make them grow faster. This increases profit margins for livestock producers, but it puts YOUR health at risk.
Animals are fed low doses of antibiotics, killing off some of the animals’ bacteria. Meanwhile, the stronger, more resistant bacteria survive, multiply, and pass on their strength and resistance to future generations.
A report by the Union of Concerned Scientists estimates that 70 percent of antibiotics used in this country are given to animals for growth promotion and other non-medical uses. This negligent practice is largely responsible for the potent strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria we are seeing today.
According to a 2009 University of Iowa study, 70 percent of hogs and 64 percent of workers in industrial animal confinements tested positive for the antibiotic resistant strain of MRSA. The study pointed out that, once MRSA is introduced, it could spread broadly to other swine and their caretakers, as well as to their families and friends.
Not only are antibiotics embedded in your meats, but they have made their way into your produce as well.
Antibiotics are being transferred, via the manure used as fertilizer, into your corn, lettuce, potatoes, and other crops.
Eating organically may not entirely alleviate this problem, since organic crops, which cannot be fertilized with synthetic fertilizers, are the ones most often fertilized with manure.
As it stands, manure that contains antibiotics is still allowed under the organic label. So it all depends on where the organic farmer gets his manure from. Some organic crop farmers may be getting their manure from organic cattle farms, but there’s no guarantee that’s taking place.
The only way to find out is to ask the farmer first-hand. Taking all of these factors into consideration, is it any wonder that the ratio of good-bacteria-to-bad is upside down in most people in our society?

Government Agencies Finally Taking a Stand — Sort of ...

The rise of antibiotic-resistance in livestock is so alarming that government officials have finally admitted you can become infected when you eat or simply handle infected meat. In a remarkable move by the current administration, the FDA is proposing to phase out antibiotics used to promote animals’ growth.
They also warn that the microbes can contaminate kitchen counters, utensils and other food.
Even the USDA, which usually defends agribusiness interests, proclaimed at a congressional hearing that there is indeed a link between antibiotic use in animals and drug resistance in humans.
But the FDA hasn’t gone far enough.
The FDA has “recommended” that producers limit use of these drugs to medically necessary instances, under the guidance of a veterinarian, but they haven’t issued stricter regulations.
Do you really want to rely on “the honor system” with regard to how industry grows your food?
Do you really think industrial lobbyists are going to take the high road here?
Unlikely!
We need to implement measures to ensure antibiotics are used responsibly — and that needs to go beyond mere suggestion. An overhaul of regulation is in order.
This sort of revamping is not unprecedented — Denmark did it in1998.

The Danish Experiment: A Success Story about Antibiotic-Free Farming

Denmark took the bull by the horns in a bold maneuver that 17,000 Danish farmers proudly call the “Danish Experiment.”
In 1998, after European studies showed a link between antibiotic-fed livestock and antibiotic-resistant infections in humans, Denmark launched a ban on the use of routine antibiotics in farming. Antibiotics were reserved for animals that were actually sick.
Since the ban, the Danish pork industry has grown by 43 percent, making them one of the top pork exporters in the world.
The rest of Europe followed suit in 2006.
But, not so with the American Pork Industry, which was spooked by the potential increased cost of raising a pig. They calculated that it would cost $5 more for every 100 pounds of pork brought to market without the use of antibiotics, and this $5 was not worth it to Big Porky.
No, $5 was too much to invest for improved public health, safer foods, and fewer drug resistant infections in people.
And it isn’t just the American Pork Industry that lists your health last on its list of priorities.

FDA Picks on Cherries While Drug Manufacturers Get Away With Murder

Since 2009, there have been FOUR bills introduced that would end or severely limit your access to food supplements!
So, at the same time as Big Pharma is resisting the movement to rid the livestock industry of the inappropriate use of antibiotic drugs, some members of Congress are trying to restrict your access to the things that will actually protect your health—vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other natural agents.
This is complete nonsense since food supplements used appropriately are not causing deaths, whereas more than 100,000 people are killed every year by pharmaceutical drugs taken legally and correctly prescribed.
In fact, pharmaceutical drugs are the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Journal of the American Medical Association (April 15, 1998). NSAIDS alone cause more than 16,000 deaths each year, yet the FDA continues to protect NSAID manufacturers and even allows ads on television offering free samples for the taking.
Instead of the FDA hauling NSAID-makers out to the woodshed, they are spending their time threatening cherry growers for mentioning peer-reviewed studies about how cherries are far better than NSAIDS in controlling pain and inflammation.
How many people do you know who’ve been harmed or killed by cherries?
This issue is nicely summarized by the Dr. Rath Health Foundation:

“The survival of the pharmaceutical industry is dependent on the elimination by any means of effective natural health therapies. These natural and non-patentable therapies have become the treatment of choice for millions of people, despite the combined economic, political and media opposition of the world’s largest investment industry.”

I wholeheartedly agree.

What You Can Do

Of the four pieces of legislation mentioned above, only the “Food Safety Bill” remains an immediate threat.
The other three bills were defeated BY YOU!
Here are two specific actions you can take to light a fire under government officials on these issues:

Food Democracy Now! has created a petition against the overuse of antibiotics in livestock production. If you care about this issue, I suggest you use this petition to make your voice heard. In the same way numerous prior bills have been shot out of the water as a direct result of public outcry, your action can put the kibosh on this one as well.

Tell the FDA and the White House to stand up for human health by changing their policies about the reckless use of antibiotics in animal feed.

The Alliance for Natural Health USA has put together a letter addressed to Congress in an effort to educate them that “supplements should not be regulated like drugs, and that the regulations already in place are completely sufficient.” All that is required of you is to fill out your contact information and click “send.”

For the purpose of supporting your own health, you might want to consider adding a high quality probiotic to your dietary regimen. There are a number of good ones on the market. I suggest you ask your local health food store for a recommendation.

What’s Wrong with Milk?

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:51:00 PDT

Do you remember your mother telling you when you were a kid to drink milk because it was good for you?

It turns out that she may have been unknowingly stretching the truth, because pasteurized milk is not the health food that nearly everyone thought it was.

Milk is not bad per se, but once it is pasteurized, it is essentially “dead”-- whether you are intolerant to it or not. Pasteurization destroys valuable enzymes and beneficial bacteria, depletes the levels of vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and vitamin C, and transforms proteins into unnatural amino acid configurations that are harmful to your health.

Dr. Swink recommends raw milk as a healthy alternative to pasteurized milk because it is an excellent source of calcium, enzymes, beneficial bacteria, and vitamins. It also is generally not associated with the issues related to pasteurized milk. Typically, people who have been allergic to pasteurized milk for many years can safely consume, and even thrive on raw milk.

Some people, however, may still be unable to consume raw milk and experience problems such as upper respiratory congestion, depending on the breed of cows that produce the milk.

Why the Breed of the Cow is Crucial When Looking for Raw Milk

There are distinct differences in the milk produced by various breeds of dairy cows. A1 cows are the “newer” breeds that experienced a mutation of a particular amino acid about 5,000 years ago, while A2 cows are the older breeds that did not undergo this mutation.

Milk is composed of three parts: butterfat, whey, and milk solids. Milk solids consist of a variety of proteins, lactose and other sugars. One of these proteins is called beta-casein. Proteins are composed of long chains of amino acids, with beta casein being a chain of 229 amino acids. A2 cows produce beta casein with a proline at number 67, while A1 cows have a mutated proline amino acid, which converts it to histidine.

The proline in A2 milk has a strong bond to another protein called BCM 7, which helps keep it from being released. On the other hand, histidine (the mutated protein), weakly holds on to BCM 7 and is released in the gastrointestinal tract of animals and humans who drink A1 cow milk.

BCM 7 is a powerful opiate that can have a number of harmful effects on your body. It is believed to increase the production of phlegm in your digestive and respiratory tract, which can worsen upper respiratory problems. BCM7 has also been associated with other serious health conditions, such as autoimmune disease, autism, cardiovascular disease, impaired immune function, schizophrenia, and Type 1 diabetes.

The U.S., unfortunately, raises mostly A1 cows, including the familiar black and white breeds like Holsteins and Friesians. But it’s not that difficult to find milk from A2 cows. If you know a local dairy farmer who raises cattle organically and lets his cows graze on fresh grass, ask him what kind of breed he takes care of. A2 cow breeds include Jersey, Guernsey, Asian, and African cows. You can start your search for raw milk retailers in the US by going to the RealMilk web site.

13 Foods to Help Boost Your Immunity

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:14:00 PDT

Good health will help you start the year right. A healthy immune system will make you more productive by keeping you disease-free and protecting your body from foreign invaders like bacteria, toxins and viruses.

Having a healthy diet composed of real food will help enhance your immune system better than taking a cocktail of health products and supplements, or relying on potentially dangerous vaccines.

Here are 13 foods that will help boost your immune system:

1.    Unpasteurized grass-fed organic milk is a rich source of vitamin A, healthy fats, enzymes, zinc and beneficial bacteria, which helps prime your immune system and can reduce allergies. In addition, raw organic milk is not associated with rheumatoid arthritis, skin rashes, diarrhea, cramps or any of the health problems linked to pasteurized milk.
2.    High quality whey protein will provide you much of the same health benefits of raw organic milk if you can’t find any in your area. Whey protein also contains beta-glucans and immunoglobulins, which strengthen your immune system and support your body’s natural detoxification processes.
3.    Fermented foods like kefir, natto, kimchi, miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, unsweetened yogurt and olives are full of beneficial bacteria which have a powerful effect on your gut’s immune system, your first line of defense against pathogens, and aid in the production of antibodies.
4.    Raw organic eggs from free-range chickens are an inexpensive and rich source of high-quality nutrients that many people are deficient in, especially high-quality protein and fat.
5.    Grass-fed beef is rich in vitamins A and E, omega-3 fatty acids, beta carotene, zinc and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), an immune system-enhancing fatty acid which is three to five times higher in grass-fed animals than grain-fed animals.
6.    Coconuts and coconut oil are rich in lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid which your body to monolaurin, the compound found in breast milk that strengthens a baby’s immunity.
7.    Locally grown organic vegetables, preferably raw, contain more vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes than conventionally grown and canned produce.
8.    Blueberries and raspberries have a very high in antioxidant capacity compared to other fruits and vegetables. Wild blueberries in particular are potent immune boosters and contain powerful phytochemicals, such as anthocyanin, the pigment responsible for their color. Blueberries are also lower in sugar than many other fruits.
9.    Mushrooms help strengthen your immune system because they are rich in protein, fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, calcium and other minerals, and vitamin D. Like whey protein, mushrooms also contain immune-enhancing beta glucans.
10.    Chlorella, a freshwater algae, contains chlorophyll, making it an efficient detoxification agent. Chlorella binds to toxins, such as mercury, and flushes them out of your system. Chlorophyll helps your body process more oxygen, cleanse your blood and promotes the growth and repair of your tissues.
11.    Propolis is a bee resin and is considered as one of the most broad-spectrum antimicrobial compounds in the world by herbal expert Donnie Yance. Propolis is also the best source of caffeic acid and apigenin, two very important phenolic compounds that aid in immune response.
12.    Green tea and Tulsi tea are the two best tea types for protecting your body from microinvaders. Green tea contains natural chemicals called catechins, including epigallocatechin, which was found in one study to be 25 to 100 times more potent than antioxidant vitamins C and E. Tulsi, on the other hand, has been used for thousands of years in India due to its many health benefits with antioxidants, including boosting immunity and enhancing memory, heart health and vision.
13.    Herbs and spices are among the foods with the highest ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) scores. The higher the ORAC score of a food, the more effective it is at neutralizing free radicals. The less free radicals you have, the healthier you will be.

Why Lack of Omega-3 Fats is Harmful to Your Health

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:00:00 PDT

Omega-3 fat deficiency is killing more Americans than eating too much trans fats, according to a Harvard study.

Looking at 2005 data from the National Health Center for Health Statistics, researchers mathematically determined that between 72,000 to 96,000 deaths could be prevented each year if people would be consuming more omega-3 fats, such as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

The study also looked at other dietary, lifestyle and metabolic factors like tobacco smoking and high blood pressure.

This news comes as no surprise to Dr. Ryan Swink. As a doctor of chiropractic, Dr. Swink focuses on helping people prevent illnesses and one of his top recommendations is a healthy diet with optimal omega-3 fat intake.

He has long warned that omega-3 deficiency is a common underlying factor for two deadly diseases: cancer and heart disease.

Omega-3 fats can help treat children suffering from learning disabilities and short bowel syndrome and help prevent premature death from diseases such as:

·         autoimmune diseases such as lupus and nephropathy

·         breast, colon and prostrate cancers

·         Crohn’s disease

·         coronary heart disease and stroke

·         essential fatty acid deficiency in infancy (retinal and brain development)

·         mild hypertension, and

·         rheumatoid arthritis

Aside from physical health benefits, omega-3 fats can also be beneficial for your mind. Studies show that omega-3 supplements have therapeutic benefits for depressed patients because those suffering from depression were found to have lower levels of omega-3 than non-depressed individuals.

Fish, flaxseed, grass-fed beef, grass-fed organic butter and health products such as krill oil are good sources of omega-3 fats. Be careful when consuming fish, though, due to the dangers of mercury contamination. The safest fish to consume are wild red Alaskan salmon, croaker, flounder, haddock, sardines and tilapia.

Eating Healthy On A Budget

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 13:10:00 PDT

If you have problems serving healthy foods because of the prices, you'll find these tips to be just what you need to eat healthy on a budget.

1. Eliminate junk food
Doing your shopping on your own is the easiest way to shop, as children and sometimes spouses are usually the ones requesting junk food. Shopping alone will prevent this, and ensure that you only buy the foods you need.

2. Water or milk instead of soft drinks
You can still enjoy your favorite drinks at a sporting event or night out, although you should stick with the smallest size when shopping to save money and calories. Children and even adults need milk or milk products on a daily basis. Milk will also help you get strong and provides calcium for healthy bones and healthy teeth.

3. Buy fruits in quantity
When they are in season, buy fruits in quantity and freeze any extras. You can buy several pounds this way, and freeze extras to have them when the fruit goes out of season. Wash the fruit well, remove any spoiled pieces, dry thoroughly, then freeze in plastic zipper bags.

4. Meats and beans
Meats and beans are the best sources for protein. Lean meat is more expensive than meats with a lot of fat. Canned beans are a great deal as well, as they give you protein at a great price.

5. Beans as a substitute
You should use beans a substitute for meat on a frequent occasion. There are several varieties, so you can prepare them in a crock pot, so when you return home they are ready to consume. The USDA recommends eating beans at least 4 times per week. If you experience gas after eating beans you should try washing them, covering them with water, bringing the water to a boil, then draining it off and refilling the pot.

6. If you live in a coastal area or an area where fish are around, make that an integral part of your diet. You can catch them from the lakes or rivers, saving money in the process.

7. Peanut butter is great for those on a budget as it's popular with almost everyone. You can use it for sandwiches instead of eating hot dogs. It does need to be refrigerated, although bigger jars can last you for weeks.

8. You should fill up with foods that have a high content of water. Watermelon, salads, and even sugar free gelatin are all great examples.

Eating healthy is always something you can't go wrong with. You can eat healthy for just a few bucks, which makes it perfect for those on a budget. Now, you don't need a lot of money to have the lifestyle and health you've always wanted.

The Real Reason For Our Recession

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 16:03:00 PDT

The Stella Awards

It's time again for the annual 'Stella Awards'! For those un fam iliar with these awards, they are named after 81-year-old Stella Liebeck who spilled hot coffee on herself and successfully sued the McDonald's in New Mexico , where she purchased coffee. You remember, she took the lid off the coffee and put it between her knees while she was driving. Who would ever think one could get burned doing that, right? That' s right; these are awards for the most outlandish lawsuits and verdicts in the U.S. You know, the kinds of cases that make you scratch your head. So keep your head scratcher handy.

Here are the Stellas for the past year:

*SEVENTH PLACE*

Kathleen Robertson of Austin, Texas was awarded $80,000 by a jury of her peers after breaking her ankle tripping over a toddler who was running inside a furniture store. The store owners were understandably surprised by the verdict, considering the running toddler was her own son.

Start scratching!

* SIXTH PLACE *

Carl Truman, 19, of Los Angeles , California won $74,000 plus medi cal expenses when his neighbor ran over his hand with a Honda Accord. Truman apparently didn't notice there was someone at the wheel of the car when he was trying to steal his neighbor's hubcaps.

Scratch some more.

* FIFTH PLACE *

Terrence Dickson, of Bristol , Pennsylvania , who was leaving a house he had just burglarized by way of the garage. Unfortunately for Dickson, the automatic garage door opener malfunctioned and he could not get the garage door to open. Worse, he couldn't re-enter the house because the door connecting the garage to the house locked when Dickson pulled it shut. Forced to sit for eight, count 'em, EIGHT days and survive on a case of Pepsi and a large bag of dry dog food, he sued the homeowner's insurance company claiming undue mental Anguish. Amazingly, the jury said the insurance company must pay Dickson $500,000 for his anguish. We should all have this kind of anguish. Keep scratching. There are more......

Double hand scratching after this one...

*FOURTH PLACE*

Jerry Williams, of Little Rock, Arkansas, garnered 4th Place in the Stella's when he was awarded $14,500 plus medical expenses after being bitten on the butt by his next door neighbor's beagle - even though the beagle was on a chain in its owner's fenced yard. Williams did not get as much as he asked for because the jury believed the beagle might have been provoked at the time of the butt bite because Williams had climbed over the fence into the yard and repeatedly shot the dog with a pellet gun.

Pick a new spot to scratch, you're getting a bald spot..

* THIRD PLACE *

Amber Carson of Lancaster, Pennsylvania because a jury ordered a Philadelphia restaurant to pay her $113,500 after she slipped on a spilled soft drink and broke her tailbone. The reason the soft drink was on the floor: Ms. Carson had thrown it at her boyfriend 30 seconds earlier during an argument. What ever happened to people being responsible for their own actions?

Only two more so ease up on the scratching....

*SECOND PLACE*

Kara Walton, of Claymont , Delaware sued the owner of a night club in a nearby city because she fell from the bathroom window to the floor, knocking out her two front teeth. Even though Ms. Walton was trying to sneak through the ladies room window to avoid paying the $3.50 cover charge, the jury said the night club had to pay her $12,000....oh, yeah, plus dental expenses. Go figure.

Ok. Here we go!!

* FIRST PLACE *

This year's runaway First Place Stella Award winner was: Mrs. Merv Grazinski, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who purchased new 32-foot Winnebago motor home. On her first trip home, from an OU football game, having driven on to the freeway, she set the cruise control at 70 mph and cal mly left the driver's seat to go to the back of the Winnebago to make herself a sandwich. Not surprisingly, the motor home left the freeway, crashed and overturned. Also not surprisingly, Mrs. Grazinski sued Winnebago for not putting in the owner's manual that she couldn't actually leave the driver's seat while the cruise control was set. The Oklahoma jury awarded her, are you sitting down?
$1,750,000 PLUS a new motor home. Winnebago actually changed their manuals as a result of this suit, just in case Mrs. Grazinski has any relatives who might also buy a motor home.

The Right and Effective Home Remedy for Acid Reflux

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 09:15:00 PDT

Are you fond of eating junk food, protein-rich food and processed foods? If you do, well, this is bad news for you. You are certainly a candidate for an acid reflux problem in your stomach and esophagus.

Acid reflux is a condition that is a prelude to ulcer. It is caused by a disturbance in the acid-alkaline condition in the stomach.

Eating specific acid foods that are hard to digest induces stomach spasms or twitching which causes the cardiac sphincter, opening between the esophagus and stomach to open for gases to form that should not.
This is an indigestion problem that has gotten out of hand and created acid wastes to flow up to your esophagus causing an irritation. This irritation, if not controlled can result to ulcers and other infections. The acid reflux diet that you have been eating should now be changed.

Once you have the symptoms of acid reflux, you need not resort to medications at once to cure the problem. You can start with home remedies that are surely less expensive.

You may start with changing your diet. You have to say goodbye to the following food and beverages: tea, coffee, radishes, garlic, onion, spices (pepper), oils, alcohol, sugar, soft drinks, diet soft drinks, asparagus (Brussels sprouts), high protein foods, pasta noodles, corn starch, eggs, plums, prunes, cranberries, and all processed foods including junk foods. Now, you may want to cry. All your comfort foods are gone.

If you think, you cannot abruptly eliminate them in your diet; start with taking just small amounts. Then start substituting them with the following: fruits, citric fruits in small amounts though due to their acidic content, all kinds of vegetables and almonds.
If you feel that you are not feeling the acid reflux symptoms anymore, you may go back to your previous diet in moderation though to prevent recurrence of the acid reflux.

Aside from proper diet, there are practical home remedies to avoid the acid reflux symptom. They are:
·    Avoid smoking before or during meals.
·    Eat in an upright sitting position.
·    Do not lie on the bed immediately after eating.
·    Take small walks after eating. It stimulates the digestive system.
·    Avoid exercise after a large meal.
·    Avoid wearing tight clothes.
·    Do not drink alcohol while eating.
·    Chew food slowly and thoroughly.

One of the home remedies for treating acid reflux is the ginger alternative. Ingesting ginger with a meal helps to reduce an upset stomach. The ginger is grounded and added to foods and taken in tea or capsule form. Most herbalists recommend consuming 500mg. of ginger with a full glass of water after meals.

We are often told by our physicians to drink more water, if possible at least 8 glasses each day. The water helps eliminate body toxins and allow the body to expel acid naturally.

Green tea has been used for centuries in Japan and other oriental countries as an after dinner drink. Green teas assist the body in the digestion process, and help soothe the stomach's sensitive tissue.

Herbal teas containing peppermint, chamomile, ginger, licorice root and catnip even in just small traces help the stomach lining repair itself. Often, one cup of tea following dinner is enough to reduce future acid reflux symptoms.

So, kiss acid reflux symptom goodbye!

5 Dangerous Tap Water Contaminants

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 10:22:00 PDT

Water is one of your body’s basic needs. Water is a component of all the fluids in your body, including blood, digestive juices, lymph, sweat and urine. It also supports chemical reactions that regulate life processes.

But water could also quickly turn on you. The United Nations reported on World Water Day that contaminated and polluted water kills more people than violence or war, and that 60 percent of potable water supplies are lost because of leaky pipes and poorly-maintained sewage networks.

As a result, about 2.2 million people succumb to diarrhea, mostly from dirty water. Water-borne diseases have claimed the lives of some 1.8 million children aged under five, or one infant every 20 seconds.

While these deaths come mostly from developing countries, this doesn’t mean that Americans don’t have to worry about the quality of drinking water, Dr. Joseph Mercola warns. You simply can’t tell if your water is free from tap water contaminants just by how it looks, smells or tastes.

Here are 5 dangerous contaminants that may be lurking in your drinking water:

1. Chlorine and Disinfection Byproducts
Drinking water disinfected by chlorine in pregnancy can increase the child’s risk of heart problems, cleft palate or major brain defects. On the other hand, disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are formed when the disinfectants used to purify your water, like chlorine, react with natural organic matter like decaying vegetation in water, Dr. Mercola explains. DBPs are more than 10,000 times more toxic than chlorine, making them the worst type of contaminants.
Chlorine has been linked to health problems associated with drinking water but new studies suggest that DBPs, not chlorine, are responsible for almost all of the toxic effects of chlorinated water. The two most common disinfectant byproducts formed when chlorine is used are trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. Trihalomethanes have been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals and have also been associated with spontaneous abortion, stillbirths and congenital malformations.

2. Drugs and Hormonally Active Chemicals
A comprehensive survey of drinking water in the U.S. reveals that your drinking water may also contain a number of pharmaceuticals and hormonally active chemicals, Mercola points out. The drugs that you take, or those that are given to livestock, do not necessarily become inert in your body. Some of the active components that are not absorbed are deposited into sewage treatment centers that are not always testing for, or removing, pharmaceuticals. Also, unused prescription drugs are sometimes flushed down the toilet or deposited into landfills by individuals, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies, where they ultimately end up back in the environment.
Among the drugs and chemicals found in tap water were atenolol, a beta-blocker used to treat cardiovascular disease; atrazine, a herbicide banned in Europe linked to the decline of fish population and in changes in animal behavior; meprobamate, a psychiatric tranquilizer; phenytoin, an anticonvulsant, and sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic.

3. Fluoride
Fluoride is one of the toxic chemicals still at large in America. It was actually one of the toxic components evaluated for use in the production of the atomic bomb during World War II. For Dr. Mercola, water fluoridation is absurd and unethical because studies show that this chemical can damage your brain, and your immune, gastrointestinal system and skeletal systems. Fluoride is so dangerous that a family-sized tube of fluoridated toothpaste is toxic enough to kill a 25-lb child.

4. Heavy Metals
Heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury and nickel can seep into your water, are inorganic, have relatively high densities and are toxic even at low concentrations. Heavy metal poisoning can cause blood disorders, and brain, kidney and nerve damage. These heavy metals usually accumulate in your water supply through human activity, such as industrial and consumer waste. In homes built before the late 1980s, copper and lead can leach into passing water from water pipes and soldered joints on the way to your tap.

5. Rocket Fuel
Perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel which is also used in fireworks and road flares, was found in the water supplies of 36 states. This chemical can inhibit the production of thyroid hormones, which are essential for pre- and postnatal development. The Environmental Protection Agency has also found that perchlorate exposure led to the development of thyroid tumors in rats.

Because of the dangers of tap water contaminants, water filtration systems are no longer considered a luxury; they’re health products. For most people a countertop water filter that effectively removes chlorine, fluoride and inorganic and organic contaminants is the best, most practical and cost-effective choice. A reverse osmosis filter helps remove virtually all tap water contaminants but it is costly, inefficient and requires extensive installation.

Written by natural health guru

Gluten Sensitivity, Intolerance, Syndrome, and Celiac Disease Favorite

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:07:00 PDT

Information provided from Dr. Peter Osborn.

Keep Your Brain Sharp - Methods That Feed Your Minds

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:50:00 PDT

As we grow old, we may fall into a time of brain decline with people becoming more forgetful, less inclined to seek new experiences and more comfortable with their “set in their ways” lifestyle. Though certain brain machinery tends to decline with age, we still have some methods, or some exercise that can exercise our brain to return our brain to healthier function. So first, let’s take a brief look at the activities that can help our brain.

What can be done to exercise our brain?

1. Physical Exercise - Exercising will not only help your heart and lungs, but also helps brain function. Aerobic walking, riding a bike or using a stationary bike, or swimming (really anything that sustains your heart rate at 65 percent of its maximum capacity or greater for up 30 minutes) stimulates and exercises your brain.

2. Social Connections - Having social connections helps protect against the negative impacts of aging. Joining a group, taking a class, or scheduling regular visits and phone calls with friends and family can all help build these social connections.

3. Reflexive Brain Activity - Taking part in activities that increase the speed and accuracy of the part of your brain that processes auditory and visual information, will help you be more effective at increasing memory, information processing, reasoning, attention, and problem solving skills. Use brain training books and puzzles, play quick response sports like racquetball or even just play some video games. Any activity utilizing quick hand eye coordination will keep you sharp.

As well as nourishing the brain through proper diet and exercise, it's also important to consider factors that contribute to premature aging and brain deterioration. If properly cared for and given the fuel it needs to keep running smoothly, your brain should serve you well into old age.

1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Omega-3 fatty acids works as a natural anti-inflammatory, maintaining brain function and improved blood circulation. Obtain this nutrient using fish oil supplements, or consume three servings of fish, especially wild salmon, whitefish, tilapia, freshwater fish, catfish, flounder and mahi-mahi per week.

2. Leafy Greens - Eat more green vegetables and take vitamins, especially vitamins E and C. The darker, leafier the vegetable, the more nutrients they possess. In addition to keeping the system alkaline, they oxygenate the body, keeping the brain sharp and promoting mental focus and clear thinking.

3. Sleep - Get a good night's rest. Sleep is needed to regenerate the body, especially the brain, so it can function optimally.

4. Nuts and Seeds - Eating an ounce of nuts or seeds per day, for monounsaturated fats, helps stabilize serotonin levels and boost your mood. You can also eat one ounce of real chocolate, to increase dopamine that just makes you feel good.

5. Lightly Caffeinated Teas - A little caffeine first thing in the morning can help stimulate mental activity and clear thinking. White and green teas—particularly matcha, which is a powdered green tea—are high in polyphenols, which can boost brain power, and antioxidants that counteract the effects of oxidative damage to the brain.

It's important to find ways you can switch off and tune in to your inner calm place, such as meditating, listening to calming music, walking in nature, gardening or lying on a beach and listening to the sounds of the ocean. Find what works for you and take at the minimum of an hour per week to spend on your brain.

4 Reasons Diets Fail

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:06:00 PDT

So many of the weight loss clients I've worked with one-on-one in my New York City practice admit to being professional dieters. They've tried every weight loss plan, scheme, and promise under the sun and failed miserably over and over again. And 9 times out of 10, their attempts flop because of one--or some combination--of the four reasons I discuss below. That being said, awareness is key and if you know what mistakes to watch out for, you're already a step ahead of the pack. Here's what you need to know--and can do--to immediately boost your chance of long-term success.

Reason #1: You're not fully committed.
I always tell clients at our first session together: Weight loss is at least 50 percent attitude. If you're not truly ready to make a full-time commitment to losing weight, chances of long-term success are pretty slim. That's because when efforts are half-hearted from the get-go, people typically lose interest in their diet soon after they start. The sad truth is, it's not really worth starting a weight loss program if your head isn't in the game.
How to Prevail:
My best advice is to do some serious soul-searching and identify a significant and enduring source of personal motivation for finally shedding the extra weight. Maybe it's to better manage health conditions... or to be around for your kids and grandkids... or to finally feel more comfortable in your own skin and boost your energy level.
The bottom line is that this motivation has to come from within YOU. Then, strengthen your resolve and recharge your motivation every single day with positive self talk and daily or weekly goals. I think long term goals are terrific, but short term goals can be even more powerful because they reinforce success every step of the way.

Reason #2: You expect miracles.
Individuals who launch a new diet with unreasonable expectations regarding how much weight they're going to lose each week--or who have an unrealistic goal weight in mind--are signing themselves up for trouble. If you can't match your desired pace of weight loss, you'll more than likely end up terribly disappointed and quickly jump ship.
How to Prevail:
Though you'll probably see a dramatic drop on the scale during the first few weeks on a new diet, most people eventually average out at a loss of one to three pounds per week for the duration of their plan. And if they do shed pounds more quickly than that--say, by fasting for long stretches of time--they're more likely to gain the weight back... and then some.
I know television shows and infomercial success stories lead you to believe that you can melt off fat in a matter of weeks, but the truth is, successful weight loss is a slow and steady process. If you can accept this fact and buckle down for the long haul, you will ultimately be handsomely rewarded with better health, a smashing figure, and newfound confidence.

Reason #3: Your plan isn't sustainable.
If you're following an extreme weight loss plan that doesn't even slightly resemble "normal" eating, there's a good chance your efforts won't last. And, in my opinion, subsisting entirely on shakes, smoothies, cookies, or tonics isn't normal eating. When you view a diet as a short-term deviation from your typical eating habits, rather than a long-term lifestyle change, you will almost certainly have a hard time maintaining your weight loss.
How to Prevail:
A diet should be based on appropriate amounts of healthy foods that keep you feeling satisfied and energized--not cranky and deprived. Most importantly, a diet should be viewed as a launching pad for a long-term lifestyle change. That's because to lose weight and keep it off forever, you really will have to permanently change your eating habits. With that in mind, it's important to choose an eating plan that you can easily transition into lifetime maintenance.
And while I can appreciate how provocative some of these quick-fix, restrictive diet plans can be, they truly are a set-up for failure and yo-yo dieting. Without fail, every restrictive plan has a calorific binge waiting right around the corner. Not the way to go for long term success. Instead, a food plan you can stick with for life is key.

Reason #4: You can't forgive your slip-ups.
This is an incredibly common diet pitfall. When people inevitably give into temptation and subsequently "fall of the wagon" for one meal or one day, they tell themselves they've blown their diet and throw in the towel for good. To be successful, you have to learn to overcome these temporary setbacks. You can't let one binge or one "off day" turn into a full week, or month, of splurging. Unfortunately, it can be incredibly difficult for some individuals to break this cycle of negative thinking.
How to Prevail:
Don't dwell on your mistakes. Instead, shake it off and get right back on track at your very next meal... or the very next day. And always remember, nobody gains weight from one rich dinner or a single slice of cake. The real trouble starts when you allow that one "splurge" to snowball into an all-out eating frenzy. Take it one meal at a time and learn to forgive yourself; every dieter has slip-ups, but the successful ones know how to keep those occasional lapses contained.

Written by Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.

Becoming A Healthy Eater

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 10:50:00 PDT

Being a healthy eater requires you to become both educated and smart about what healthy eating actually is. Being food smart isn't about learning to calculate grams or fat, or is it about studying labels and counting calories.

Healthy eating is all about balanced and moderate eating, consisting of healthy meals at least three times per day. Healthy eaters eat many different types of foods, not limiting themselves to one specific food type or food group.

Eating healthy requires quite a bit of leeway. You might eat too much or not enough, consume foods that are sometimes more or less nutritious. However, you should always fuel your body and your brain regularly with enough food to keep both your mind and body strong and alert.

A healthy eater is a good problem solver. Healthy eaters have learned to take care of themselves and their eating with sound judgement and making wise decisions. Healthy eaters are always aware of what they eat, and know the effect that it will have on their bodies. When someone is unable to take control of their eating, they are also likely to get out of control with other aspects of life as well. They could end up spending too much, talking too much, even going to bed later and later.

There are a number of different books telling you how to eat, what not to eat, and what diet you should be on. The truth is that those diets work for a lot of people they don't work for everyone. The important thing is to find something that works for you and stick with it.

You should always remember that restricting food in any way is always a bad thing. Healthy eating is a way of life, something that you can do to enhance your body or your lifestyle. If you've thought about making your life better, healthy eating is just the place to start. You'll make life easier for yourself, those around you, and
even your family.

Are You Part of the Wellness Revolution?

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:57:00 PDT

Welcome to the Wellness Revolution

The wellness revolution is here and is here to stay. Are you going to be part of it? We are experiencing a dramatic shift in the social consciousness in regards to health and wellness. More Americans than ever are looking to chiropractic, meditation, nutrition, yoga and exercise to improve their health. The Washington Post stated than more than 84 million Americans are choosing alternative care. But why are they choosing Alternative care?

Wellness is more than the absence of illness. Wellness is an optimal expression of the human experience. It is when you are expressing your optimal potential and when you are performing at peak performance mentally, physically and spiritually. Wellness is a process where there is no endpoint and the possibilities are endless. Wellness is a dynamic state of integration with your environment in which the human potential is allowed to thrive.

Wellness care is not the treatment of disease with alternative choices. It is apparent that wellness is more than just reacting to problems and illness. It is a matter of "right and wrong." Disease care is a focus on what is wrong with you or what could go wrong. Wellness is a conscious decision to focus on what is right, what you want and developing your potential. We are talking about seeking a full expression of life not treat¬ing or preventing disease. Wellness care is a way of life, a lifestyle choice. We take active responsibility for our life and develop wellness fundamentals into our lifestyle.

The Six Fundamentals of Wellness:
1. Responsibility: It is up to you to take responsibility for your state of wellness
2. Journey: There is no endpoint or absolute level to wellness, there is always another level to grow into. Attaining wellness is a process.
3. Choice: The lifestyle choices you make today will determine your state of wellness tomorrow
4. Balance: Integrate your, mind, body and spirit into your wellness lifestyle
5. Innate Expression: Your level of wellness is limited to the level that you allow your innate wisdom to run, regulate, adapt, and express the human experience. This can only happen with a nervous system free from interference.
6. Action: Begin your road to wellness by starting today and making each day better than the last.

Why Drink Water?

noreply@blogger.com (poster) — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:49:00 PDT

Most people agree that drinking water is common sense. We also know many people who report they never drink pure water, and literally live on liquids that dehydrate the body. Examples of such dehydrating liquids include coffee, pop, and tea all of which contain caffeine. Switching from these dehydrating beverages can be the first step towards the health you desire.

Did You Know?:
1. The human body is composed of 75% water.
2. Adults we can only survive three to four days without water.
3. Only nerve function and oxygen are more important for life than water.
4. Hydrated people perform better on tests than dehydrated people.
5. We often turn to food when in fact we’re only really thirsty. Drinking water can fill you up, replenish fluids and even give you energy allowing your body to function properly and reduce weight.
6. Water prevents damage to kidneys by helping dissolving the waste the kidneys remove. Without water people would be poisoned by their own waste products and toxins resulting from their body’s metabolism.
7. Stay tall and maintain nerve integrity with age. The loss of height and nerve function seen in some individuals can be linked to dehydration.
8. Rationing by the body is activated when one does not drink enough water.
9. Water in the morning before food replenishes the fluids in the gut, so that proper digestion can take place once food is eaten.
10. Recent research shows women who drank more than 5 glasses of water/day had a 45% lower colon cancer risk than those who drank 2 or fewer glasses.

The Action Steps: How much water is enough?
DAILY water requirements can be calculated by dividing your body weight in pounds by two. That number is the number of ounces of water that you should have. Water requirements come from clear fluids. Add 2 glasses of water per day for each cup of coffee, tea, pop, or serving of alcohol.

Getting quality water is becoming harder and harder. With pollution dirtying our streams and lakes water purification is of utmost importance. There is a number of different ways to get purified water. The easiest is to connect one to your kitchen faucet. Pitcher water filters work great as well.

No matter how you filter it, make sure you're drinking enough of it.