Health By Design

Dr. Greene on Multiple Backups

2011-11-20T11:58:00.000-08:00

Parents, I believe that, even though we feed our kids well, it is hardly possible for them to get all the nutrients they need from diet alone. See what Dr. Greene has to say on this topic.

http://www.drgreene.com/article/multiple-back-ups?tid=145

After reading the article, if you are looking for a high-quality product for your infants, toddlers and kids, please let me know.

ATTENTION CHILDREN: DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST

2011-08-28T12:13:00.000-07:00

...or your grades could pay a price.

Evidence suggests that eating breakfast really does help kids learn. After fasting all night, a developing body (and brain) needs a fresh supply of glucose — or blood sugar. That's the brain's basic fuel.

"Without glucose," explains Terrill Bravender, professor of pediatrics at Duke University, "our brain simply doesn't operate as well. People have difficulty understanding new information, [they have a] problem with visual and spatial understanding, and they don't remember things as well."

Dozens of studies from as far back as the 1950s have consistently shown that children who eat breakfast perform better academically than those who don't. In a recent study of 4,000 elementary school students, researchers measured the effects of eating breakfast by administering a battery of attention tests. Across the board, Murphy says, the breakfast eaters performed better than those children who had skipped breakfast.¹

Other studies show that children who skip breakfast have slower memory recall, make more errors and are more likely to be absent or tardy. Eating breakfast helps children perform better academically, reduces behavioral problems in class, and sets the stage for healthy eating for life. Research studies find that children who eat breakfast perform better on standardized tests, make fewer mistakes in math, and show a general increase in math and reading scores. They also have fewer discipline problems and visit school nurses’ offices less often.

So now that we know breakfast is important, here’s the next question:

DOES IT MATTER WHAT KIDS EAT FOR BREAKFAST?

The answer? Most definitely YES!

Foods with a high sugar content, simple carbohydrates and processed foods are absorbed quickly and cause a peak in blood sugar. But the levels then fall dramatically in a few hours. So the kids come into school all bubbly and lively and about 10:30 they “crash.” Whole grains (think oatmeal or whole grain toast) are absorbed slowly so blood sugar rises slowly and gives kids enough energy to last all morning. That’s the goal.

In addition, experts believe that a good breakfast should be packed with protein. The combination of protein and good carbohydrates powers up the brain and keeps kids feeling full until lunch time.

Good nutrition is important for good learning.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD BREAKFAST FOR CHILDREN?

First let’s talk about what foods to avoid at breakfast: things like sugary breakfast cereals, white-flour pancakes and syrup, bagels, donuts, coffee cake, and pop tarts. Fruit juice is okay if it is consumed with a whole-grain carbohydrate source.

Here are several ideas that I like to call the Breakfast of Scholars:

1-2 slices of whole-grain toast or whole-wheat English muffin or toasted whole-grain waffle topped with peanut butter, milk and fresh fruit

Breakfast burrito: whole-wheat tortilla or pita pocket stuffed with scrambled egg mixed with salsa

Whole-grain cereals, hot or cold, with low-fat milk or yogurt and 1-2 tablespoons of slivered nuts on top. If the cereal box label says there are 3 grams of fiber or more a serving, that means there is significant fiber.

Whole-wheat toast, 1 or 2 eggs, milk, fresh fruit

Whole-grain cereal like oatmeal or shredded wheat with low-fat milk, topped with fresh or dried fruit and honey.

And last but not least...One of my favorites is a sliced apple sprinkled with cinnamon, topped with vanilla yogurt, oatmeal (right out of the box - it’s OK to eat it uncooked) and some chopped walnuts...yummy!

It's Your Turn: What do you serve for breakfast? We'd love you to tell us your favorites for a healthy start to the day. Share your ideas in the comments box below.

1. NPR.org: A Better Breakfast Can Boost a Child’s Brain Power by Allison Aubrey

Raising Healthy Kids

2011-08-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

Our Children’s Health is Suffering: Allergies & asthma, chronic ear & sinus infections, obesity, learning disabilities, blood sugar disturbances, and high levels of cholesterol – these are all on the rise in children today.

According to the CDC, approximately 17% (or 12.5 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years are obese. Since 1980, obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has almost tripled.

The prevalence of asthma is increasing, especially in children. Approximately 500,000 annual hospitalizations (34.6% in individuals aged 18 years or younger) are due to asthma.

Between 3% and 7% of school-aged children currently have a diagnosis of ADHD, according to the American Psychiatric Association. However, nearly 1 in 10 children (9.5%) aged 4 to 17 have had an ADHD diagnosis at some point in their childhood and rates of ADHD diagnosis are rising, especially in older teenagers.

Children Are Exposed to More & More Toxins:
We are frequently told "A little bit won't hurt you" when it comes to chemicals in our food and environment. That may be true, however a little bit here and there eventually adds up to a lot.

Let's look at the potential sources of chemical contamination that our children are bombarded with on a daily basis. There is chlorine in our water supply and often fluoride as well. Fluoride is added to tooth pastes and mouthwashes. Many imported fruits and vegetables have been sprayed with pesticides and herbicides that are illegal in the US.

Meat and dairy products are loaded with residues of antibiotics and hormones from factory farming operations. Look at the ingredients on the label of nearly any prepared food in the grocery store, and you will see a list of chemicals as long as your arm.

Add to this list the chemicals in topical preparations such as body lotions and shampoos. Did you know that your skin will absorb up to 60% of anything you put on it? And then there are environmental toxins such as lawn chemicals and pesticides and household insecticides. The American journal of Public Health has reported a link between bug killers and childhood cancer. In a study of children in Colorado, those who lived in homes where the lawns had been treated with herbicides had a four-fold increase in the risk of developing a tumor.

Cancer is the leading cause of disease-related deaths in children under the age of 20. Leukemia, which is the most common childhood cancer, increased by more than 15% over the last 20 years.

Parents need to become proactive and lobby against the use of dangerous pesticides and chemicals in this country. And at the same time, they need to do everything they can to eliminate toxins in the home and in the schools their children attend. Two great resources regarding children and toxic chemicals are Healthy Child Healthy World and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families.

Our Kids Immune Systems Need Help
One of the most important jobs parents have is to help their kids develop healthy immune systems. A strong and healthy immune system enables a child to fight off anything that invades the body or threatens it from without or within, including bacteria, viruses and cancer.

The key to a healthy immune system is optimal nutrition. Dr. Leo Galland says in his book, Superimmunity for Kids, “Optimal nutrition in childhood is a gift that lasts a lifetime.”

How To Build A Healthy Immune System

1. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life and that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months. The advantages of breastfeeding are numerous. Breast milk is ultimately the best source of nutrition for a new baby. Many components in breast milk help protect your baby against infection and disease. The proteins in breast milk are more easily digested than in formula or cow’s milk. The calcium and iron in breast milk are also more easily absorbed.

Breast milk has the perfect combination of proteins, fats, vitamins, and carbohydrates. There is nothing better for the health of your baby. Some of the nutrients in breast milk help the immune system mature into a fully effective fighting machine. Leukocytes are living cells that are only found in breast milk. They help fight infection. It is the antibodies, living cells, enzymes, and hormones that make breast milk ideal. These cannot be added to formula.

2. Provide a wholesome, balanced diet focusing on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid sugar, processed foods and partially-hydrogenated oils. Eat organic when possible.

3. Supplement daily with immune-building vitamins, minerals, trace minerals essential fatty acids and antioxidant supplements.

4. Remove the toxins from your child’s food, water, air, home and school. Replace cleaners & personal care products with non-toxic alternatives.
5. Encourage regular physical exercise and plenty of good sleep

Do You Really Need To Supplement Your Child’s Diet?
In a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, it was stated that most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone. Because of such things as over-processing, early harvesting, soil depletion, chemicals, preservatives and hormone usage, food today isn’t what it used to be. Additionally, in this fast-paced world, we are eating on the run (and it’s not home-made). Our kids’ are not consuming the recommended daily servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy, and thus their diets fall short of many critical nutrients. The solution is to supplement.

How Do You Know You Are Getting a Good Quality Supplement?
Several years ago, I learned the hard way that vitamins are not all alike. I took lots of different supplements which I purchased at the local drug store. And still I suffered with seasonal allergies and several sinus infections a year. It wasn’t until I changed brands to a better quality line that my health improved. That line was Shaklee and it is what I recommend to my clients today.

There are a few things you want to look for in a good quality supplement:

Bioavailability – a big word for “am I digesting and absorbing my vitamins?” Be sure the company you buy from does these tests. Otherwise how will you know if you are even benefitting from your supplements?

What’s in my vitamins? Can I trust the label? – Unfortunately there is very loose regulation in this area. Some companies formulate to only 60% or less of the label claims. That means that what you see isn’t necessarily what you get, and poor quality products may contain ingredients and impurities never listed on the label.

What should I look for in a multivitamin? Above all look for a reputable company. “Reputable” means they have their products analyzed and tested by third-party independent labs and that they have developed their products with quality and optimal health (vs. high profit margins) in mind. Don’t assume that just because a supplement is a bestselling brand and shows 100% of most Daily Values that it is a good product. Believe it or not, some of the very expensive brands offer poor quality formulations and use cheap ingredients.

Shaklee products pass all of the above criteria. Your best bet is to buy from a company you trust and educate yourself about the products you buy. Watch out for marketing hype vs. solid and useful information. And don’t believe everything you read on the internet.

I hope you have found this information helpful. I would love to hear your comments below. If you have any questions or would like to learn more about the Shaklee products please feel free to contact me.

Childhood Asthma - An Epidemic

2011-07-13T10:01:00.000-07:00

Asthma is a chronic and inflammatory disease of the lung. Your airways are tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs. If you have asthma, the inside walls of your airways become sore and swollen. That makes them very sensitive, and they may react strongly to things that you are allergic to or find irritating. When your airways react, they get narrower and your lungs get less air. This can cause wheezing, coughing, chest tightness and trouble breathing, especially early in the morning or at night.

When your asthma symptoms become worse than usual, it's called an asthma attack. These attacks may start slowly, with increasing signs of respiratory distress and tightness in the chest. In a severe asthma attack, the airways can close so much that your vital organs do not get enough oxygen. People can die from severe asthma attacks.

Asthma is the most common chronic disorder of childhood. According to the NIH, nine million children under the age of 18 are currently diagnosed as asthmatic—a more than 200% increase over the last 30 years. Roughly six million—or nearly one in every 10—school-aged children suffers from asthma, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And if yours is one of those children, then you know the terror of watching them gasp for breath in an asthma attack. Children have smaller airways than adults, which makes asthma especially serious for them. One in 12 Americans of all ages is affected.

No one knows why some people get asthma and others don’t, but, hereditary factors do play a role. People with asthma usually have “triggers” which make them wheeze. Knowing your triggers can help you control your disease. Some of these triggers include

Allergens - mold, pollen, animals
Irritants - cigarette smoke, air pollution
Weather - cold air, changes in weather
Exercise
Infections - flu, common cold, respiratory infections
Food allergies

Environmental pollution may be one of the leading causes of this growing epidemic. Exposure to a wide variety of chemicals has also been linked to increased risk of asthma. Food allergies and sensitivities are identified in three-fourths of asthma sufferers.

The most common asthma symptoms in children are coughing and wheezing. Other asthma symptoms in children include shortness of breath (difficulty breathing) and chest tightness

We have known for a long time that asthma is the most common chronic disease in children, the primary reason why kids with chronic diseases miss school days and among the top three reasons why children end up in emergency rooms or are admitted into hospitals. Floyd J. Malveaux, M.D., Ph.D.

According to the Mayo Clinic staff respiratory infections such as colds and the flu are one of the most common causes of asthma flare-ups, especially in young children. A stuffy nose, sore throat, cough, fever or other signs and symptoms caused by a cold or flu (influenza) virus can be a nuisance. But if you have asthma, even a minor respiratory infection can cause major problems. Asthma signs and symptoms such as wheezing and chest tightness may not respond as well to regular asthma medications. Also, asthma symptoms caused by a respiratory infection may last for several days to weeks.

There's no sure way to keep yourself or your child from getting a cold or the flu. But taking steps to avoid getting sick — and taking the right steps when you do — can help.

Antibiotic Use In Infants Linked To Asthma

Research indicates that children who receive antibiotics before their first birthday are significantly more likely to develop asthma by age 7. The study, published in the June (2007) issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), reports that children receiving antibiotics in the first year of life were at greater risk for developing asthma by age 7 than those not receiving antibiotics. The risk for asthma doubled in children receiving antibiotics for nonrespiratory infections, as well as in children who received multiple antibiotic courses and who did not live with a dog during the first year.

Nutritional Support for Asthma

Based on the above study, my first recommendation is to keep your child’s immune system strong to ward off colds and infections. Another important suggestion is to clear the home of all toxic cleaners and laundry products and replace them with safer, non-toxic alternatives.

To build up the immune system, in addition to a healthy diet I would recommend the following supplements:

Multivitamin
Soy protein
Chewable Vitamin C
Probiotics (key)
Garlic

After taking all sorts of different supplements, I finally found that the supplements from Shaklee were the only ones that improved my health. That’s why I made the decision to market them 14 years ago. So those are the products I would recommend for a natural approach to asthma. If you decide to try this program, just be sure that you select supplements from a reputable company that does a lot of research and testing. And if you have any questions, please be sure to contact me.

To your health,

Marti

Know The Ingredients In Your Personal Care Products

2011-03-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

From the Environmental Working Group (EWG)

Better products are truthful in their marketing claims and free of potentially worrisome ingredients. Some products might make claims like "gentle" or "natural," but since the government does not require safety testing, personal care product manufacturers can use almost any chemical they want, regardless of risks.

HOW TO READ A LABEL
Every personal care product must list its ingredients. Here's how to navigate the label:
1. Start at the end, with preservatives. Avoid:

Words ending in "paraben"
DMDM hydantoin
Imidazolidinyl urea
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Methylisothiazolinone
Triclosan
Triclocarban
Triethanolamine (or "TEA")

2. Check the beginning of the ingredients lists, where soaps, surfactants, and lubricants show up. Try to avoid ingredients that start with "PEG" or have an "-eth" in the middle (e.g., sodium laureth sulfate).

3. Read the ingredients in the middle. Look for these words: "FRAGRANCE," "FD&C," or "D&C."

FOR GROWN UPS

Many parents pay more attention to their kids' environmental health than their own, but adult bodies can be affected by toxic chemicals, too. EWG's Safer Shopping List has nine common-sense tips to reduce everyone's exposures. For instance, buy fragrance-free, skip the nail polish and use fewer products.

JUST FOR KIDS

Extra caution is in order for kids because, pound for pound, they are exposed to more contaminants in everyday products than adults. Their immature metabolism and organ systems are typically less capable of fending off chemical assaults. Even subtle damage to young bodies can lead to disease later in life.

Follow EWG's top five tips for kids:

1.Use fewer products and use them less often.

2.Don't trust ad hype. Check ingredients.

3.Buy fragrance-free products.

4.Avoid the use of baby powder.

5.Always avoid EWG's top six chemicals of concern for kids:

•2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3 Diol

•BHA

•Boric acid and sodium borate

•DMDM Hydantoin

•Oxybenzone

•Triclosan

Ear Tubes: Should You or Shouldn't You?

2011-02-26T15:08:00.000-08:00

Children between the ages of six months to two years of age commonly get middle ear infections also known as otitis media. These infections involve the space on the inner side of the eardrum and can occur initially as a result of a cold or upper respiratory infection.

When this area is infected, it fills up with fluid which pushes upon the eardrum or tympanic membrane. Infections can be either bacterial or viral. Usually viral infections do not respond to antibiotics, and with time, they will usually resolve on their own.

If the infection is bacterial, the middle ear space will fill up with fluid, putting pressure on the eardrum, thus causing pain. During this period of infection, the child may have a temporary loss of hearing, but usually it is not permanent, unless there is structural damage.

Doctors will suggest ear tubes for children under these circumstances:
• If a child has had fluid behind the eardrum in both ears for more than 3 months and has significant hearing loss in both ears.
• If a child has repeat ear infections and antibiotics aren’t working

A specialist called an otolaryngologist places the tubes through a small surgical opening made in the eardrum (myringotomy or tympanostomy). The child is unconscious under general anesthesia for this surgery.

Tubes can help with ear infections because they:
• Allow air to enter the middle ear
• Allow fluid to flow out of the middle ear through the tube into the ear canal.
• Clear fluid from the middle ear and restore hearing.
• Prevent future buildup of fluid in the middle ear while they are in place.
• Decrease the feeling of pressure in the ears, which reduces pain.

Tubes normally remain in the ears for 6 to 12 months. They often fall out on their own. If the tubes don't fall out on their own, surgery may be required to remove them. After the tubes are out, the child should be watched for signs of ear infection or fluid behind the eardrum.

How Well Do Tubes Work?
Ear tubes often restore hearing. While the tubes are in place, they often prevent buildup of pressure and fluid in the middle ear. And they can reduce pain.
Tubes may keep ear infections from recurring while the tubes are in place. But infections may return after the tubes are gone.

Risks
Minor complications occur in up to half of the children who have tubes inserted. Usual complications include:
• A thickening of the eardrum over time. These changes in the eardrum may affect hearing in a very small number of children.
• Discharge of pus (otorrhea) from the ear. This is common and can become an ongoing problem in some children.

Other possible complications:
• The tube may become blocked, allowing ear fluid and infections to return.
• The tube may slip out of place, possibly falling into the middle ear (rare).
• Tissue may form behind the eardrum (cholesteatoma). This is also rare.

In addition, tubes may scar the eardrum which may then lead to minor hearing loss.

(Information above compiled from Web MD and Dr. Leia Melead)

Now, I would like to add my two cents:
There are other avenues that can be pursued that are much less invasive than antibiotics and ear tube surgery. (Putting a baby under general anesthetic if it isn’t necessary?) The goal is to build up your child's immune system and get rid of the infection once and for all.

You might want to try the elimination of highly allergenic foods such as wheat, corn, milk, and soy from your child’s diet. Dairy can be very mucous forming. Also, avoid sugar.

Other factors that can contribute to ear infections include taking the bottle to bed and second hand tobacco smoke.

FACT: There are 4000 or more chemicals in cigarette smoke, and research shows that secondhand smoke increases a child's risk of developing ear and respiratory infections, asthma, cancer and sudden infant death syndrome.

I would also suggest the addition of certain high quality supplements. In the fourteen years I have been with my company I have seen many children’s ear infection clear up completely just by making some of the lifestyle changes noted above and adding the following nutrients:

Vitamin C, garlic, and probiotics for the infection

Multivitamin/mineral supplement and a daily protein drink to maintain good health.

Moms, let me know what your experience has been with ear tubes. I'd love to hear from you.

And, as always, I can’t promise that the above suggestions will be the answer for your child, but these are all positive, healthy steps...and what if it does work?

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Health By Design disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.

The Building Blocks of Health

2011-01-29T14:51:00.000-08:00

Source: Health Quest Newsletter
Dr. Frank M. Painter, Editor

It’s sad but true – most Americans fail to meet the basic requirements of good health. Statistics gathered by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) are frightening:

Only 27% of adults eat three servings of vegetables per day (3 – 5 are recommended)

Only 13% of students meet the vegetable goal

Only 33% of adults eat two servings of fruit day (2-4 are recommended)

Only 32% of students meet the fruit goal

Even worse, these numbers are artificially inflated, because foods like sugared fruit drinks and French Fries are still counted as servings.

The next nutritional issue comes from the fact that industrial farms force-grow crops, with synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The measured vitamin levels in “conventional” crops are continuing to decline. And it gets worse. More and more American staple crops are grown from genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), which have no established track record of health effects or benefits. European clinical trials, that only fed animals GMO foods, have under-reported subject deaths, damage found in their intestinal tracts, and second- and third-generation sterility.

All the problems in the food chain, and the dietary habits of most Americans, emphasize why it’s important to adopt a basic nutrition program that provides all the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants we require to maintain our health.

When selecting health products, you want to look for ones that are made from non-GMO crops that are completely free from pesticides, heavy metal residue or other toxic contaminants, and are guaranteed to be bacteria and virus free.

Selecting vitamin supplements can be a daunting task. There are so many out there, how does one know which brand is going to be effective and actually work? You may want to refer to my blog post on selecting good quality supplements for guidance.

The Basic Nutrition Program:

1. The core of any nutrition program starts with a multi-vitamin. We require vitamins everyday to maintain our immune system, energy levels, detoxification systems, and for managing billions of cellular processes, from producing hormones to cell repair and reproduction. Many diseases occur when we lack a particular vitamin, mineral or amino acid. These are referred to as nutrient deficiency diseases. Researchers are discovering that suboptimal levels of these nutrients, along with exposure to xeno-toxins (chemicals that are foreign or poisonous to the body) seem to be associated with the onset of many disease processes.

2. The second building block of health is protein. The average healthy person requires at least 180 grams of protein per day (1800 calorie diet). The ideal, fat-free source of plant-based protein is soy. A word of caution – most soy powder manufacturers use the alcohol extraction process, which leaches out the two most important isoflavones – (Genistein and Daidzein). You want to find a company that uses the water-wash method, because it retains the critical soy isoflavones most associated with soy’s reported health benefits.

3. The third building block of health is antioxidants. The classic antioxidants are vitamins A, C and E. Every time scientists discovered a new photochemical in plants, it invariably displayed powerful antioxidant properties, sometimes ten to hundreds of times more powerful than the classic antioxidants. Phytochemicals (also called phytonutrients), are non-nutritive plant chemicals that have protective or disease preventing properties. It is understood that plants produce these chemicals to protect themselves. Recent research suggests that they also protect humans against various diseases. Some of the best known phytochemicals are lycopene, (think tomatoes), isoflavones from soy, and the flavenoids from fruits. There are many health databases that clearly demonstrate that those individuals who eat the most fruits and vegetables also have the lowest incidence of the deadly diseases: cancer, vascular disease, and diabetes.

These are the three basics of a sound nutritional program. There are many other types of products that can boost your immune system, increase energy or memory, improve stamina in sports, etc. But they should all rest upon these three basics. To your good health!

De-stressing Through The Holidays

2010-11-02T09:08:00.000-07:00

The holidays are coming...eek! Here are a few ideas on how to breeze through them.

Can Food and Supplements Help You De-stress??

Mental stress is a normal reaction to upheaval, emotional upset or just too many demands on your time. Whether it’s a result from something good, like getting married or a big promotion or from something negative, like a divorce, death in the family or losing a job – stress can wreak havoc on your physical well being.

In the body, chronic stress kicks the hormone cortisol into high gear. Cortisol then triggers a hike in insulin levels. (Wonder why you crave sweets when under stress??) At the same time, blood levels of serotonin drop. Serotonin is the mood regulator manufactured in the brain from tryptophan and those wonderful B vitamins.

The end result? Stress can make you fat and sick. Stress, all by itself, can cause overeating of the not so good foods and exacerbate conditions such as high blood pressure, insomnia, chronic pain and gastrointestinal diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome.

SO – What can you do to ease the stress???
The most important thing to do when under stress is remove the stressor from your life. Try to manage stress by adapting or adjusting to the cause of the stress. Some good ideas:

Exercise regularly
Get plenty of sleep
Try meditation or yoga (I just started a yoga class - it's great!)
Get the right nutrients in your diet

Taking a good-quality multivitamin/mineral daily just makes sense. Stressed people tend to have poor diets, so a multivitamin/multimineral supplement is a great insurance policy for getting the nutrients you need.

Another great option for stressed out lives is a product from Shaklee aptly called Stress Relief Complex. The primary ingredients are:

L-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea that helps to promote a relaxed, yet alert mental state;
Ashwaganda, an ayurvedic herb that enhances the body’s ability to adapt to stress;
L-tyrosine, an amino acid used by the body to make norepinephrine
Beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol, helps to blunt the response of cortisol.

My favorite supplement for chronic stress is B-Complex. Remember, B-Vitamins help transport and move nutrients throughout the body. They also help to produce serotonin. I like to call the “Bs” the happy vitamins. Come on – get happy and get yourself a bottle of B-Complex!

Just remember this – reduce your stress and you’ll feel (and look) a whole lot better! And you will enjoy the holidays a whole lot more, too.

If you would like further information on a natural approach to stress management, please fill out the information form on the upper right of this page, indicating your areas of interest.

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

2010-10-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

This is a terrific article that talks about the ghosts and goblins (i.e. toxic chemicals) lurking in our families' food and water; what they can do to our health; and tips to keep your family safer. Please take the time to read it and then share it with your friends. I always say "knowledge is power."

Learn How to Avoid the Real Goblins

Low Fat vs. Low Carb...again

2010-09-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

Dr. Chaney takes another look at the Low Carb vs. Low Fat diet debate:

By Dr. Stephen Chaney, Phd

You would think the question of low carb versus low fat diets would be settled by now. Literally dozens of studies have been published on the subject and they are all in pretty much agreement that initial weight loss (mostly water) is faster on the low carb diets but that weight loss at one or two years is essentially the same on the two diets.

The unique feature of the study just published in Annals of Internal Medicine (153: 147-157, 2010) was that it included an intensive behavior modification program to optimize the weight loss over the two year period of the study.

Here is how the study was conducted:
The low-carbohydrate group was instructed to eat no more than 20 grams of carbohydrate per day for 3 months and then to increase the carbohydrate by no more than 5 grams per day each week until they achieved their desired weight.

The low-fat group was instructed to decrease calories and restrict fat intake to no more than 30% of calories. All of the patients were enrolled in a lifestyle program designed to help them improve their physical
activity and other lifestyle factors.

The program met weekly for 20 weeks, every other week for another 20 weeks, and then monthly for the rest of the 2-year study. In short, this was a very good behavior modification program. Weight, blood pressure, blood lipid levels and side effects were measured at the beginning of the program and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months.

Considering the enormous effort put into behavior modification, the results of this study were somewhat
disappointing. The participants lost an average of only 22 pounds and the end of year one and had gained back 7 of those pounds by the end of year two. And that only included the ~50% who stayed with the
program for the whole two years. Who knows how much weight was gained by the people who dropped out of the study?

Since the behavior modification program used in this study did not significantly impact either weight loss or weight maintenance, it's perhaps not surprising that the other findings of this study are pretty much the same as the findings from previous studies. Weight loss was slightly greater in the low carb group at 6 months, but did not differ significantly between the two groups at either 1 year or two years. Triglyceride levels and blood pressure were lower for the low carb group at 6 and 12 months, but were the same for both groups at 2 years.

The only significant differences between the two groups at 2 years were LDL (bad) cholesterol levels - which
were significantly lower in the low fat group - and HDL (good) cholesterol levels - which were significantly
higher in the low carb group.

Ironically, I've already seen blogs from proponents of the low carb diets trumpeting the increase in HDL levels as "proof" that low carb diets are better for your heart. But, it's not just HDL or LDL that's important, it's the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol that determines your risk of heart disease. And at two years the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol was virtually identical on the two diets.

As for side effects, the patients on the low carb diet reported more constipation and more problems with bad
breath. If you've beeen on a low carb diet before, that's probably not news to you.

So what is the take home message from this study?
1) The laws of thermodynamics still work. It's all about calories in versus calories out. Low carb and low fat diets work equally well for weight loss.

2) If you just focus on blood lipid levels and blood pressure there is also no significant difference between the two diets.

However, I still recommend against high fat (low carb) diets as a long term lifestyle strategy. We know that high fat diets are much more likely to cause inflammation - which is a risk factor for
multiple diseases. We also know that long term consumption of high fat diets is associated with increased risk of heart disease, certain types of cancers & diabetes.

To Your Health!

Dr. Stephen G Chaney

Effectiveness of Statins Called into Question

2010-08-15T13:38:00.000-07:00

Who really benefits from taking statins? There are natural approaches for lowering cholesterol that may be much safer for certain people. The information revealed in this article is alarming and should be shared with anyone you know who is currently on a statin.

Effectiveness of statins is called into question - latimes.com

If you are currently taking a statin and have not already had a heart attack, you might want to explore other possibilities. Always be sure to discuss these issues with your doctor.

Do You Know What You're Drinking?

2010-08-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

“Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink.”
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

THE SCOOP ON WATER
Water has become a popular topic these days on many levels; bottled water - is it really pure? What about all the plastic? Tap water - what’s really in it? Should I drink it or not? I am so confused!!

The Water In You:

Water is of major importance to all living things; Up to 60% of the human body is water, the brain is composed of 70% water, and the lungs are nearly 90% water. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water by weight; body fat contains 10% water and bone has 22% water. About 83% of our blood is water, which helps digest our food, transport waste, and control body temperature.

The cells in our bodies are full of water. The excellent ability of water to dissolve so many substances allows our cells to use valuable nutrients, minerals, and chemicals in biological processes. The carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as food are metabolized and transported by water in the bloodstream. No less important is the ability of water to transport waste material out of our bodies. Every body system depends on water. We also need it for:

Mental function and clarity
To moisten eyes, mouth, nasal tissue
Temperature regulation
Appetite/hunger management
Joint lubrication
Increase nutrient bioavailability
Promote regularity
Protect body organs

HOW MUCH DO WE NEED? Experts pretty much agree that we can go by the 8 x 8 rule: 8-8 ounce glasses per day. Plus extra for hot weather and exercise.

So what’s wrong with tap water? We assume it’s safe, but is it? The Environmental Working Group (EWG) found more than 300 industrial and agricultural contaminants in the tap water of 45 states. We can’t see them and often can’t taste them, but these are chemicals that can be harmful to our health.

Heavy Metals: (lead, mercury, cadmium) - behavior and learning disabilities

Disinfection By-Products: (ex - chloroform, bromoform) - variety of cancers; also affect liver, kidney & nervous system

Agricultural Pollutants: (ex - Lindane, atrazine, alachlor) - cancer; also affect eye, liver, kidney, spleen, blood & nervous system

Industrial Pollutants: (ex - benzene, toluene, styrene & many others) - cancer; also affect blood, nervous system, liver, kidneys

According to the EPA our tap water is responsible for up to 20% of lead exposure in humans

And then there’s bottled water. It may not be contaminant free either, and we pay considerably more for it than our tap water! The bottled water industry is not required to publicly disclose the results of any contaminant testing it conducts. The EWG found a total of 38 contaminants in the water of 10 popular brands. In 2007, out of 1.64 million tons of water packaging materials produced, only 34% were recycled.

So what are we supposed to do? The best way to be sure you are getting the purest water possible is to purify at your tap. A water-filtration pitcher system is an inexpensive way to accomplish this. There are several products out there; but Shaklee has just introduced a multipatented system that is worth a look.

Clean Drinking Water is no longer a luxury. It's a matter of health. Cheers!

Creating Healthy Skin

2010-07-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

Skin is our largest organ. We should want to take good care of it—wouldn’t you agree?

What chemicals are you wearing?
There are many ways we take in toxins, and one of them is by absorption through our skin. So it’s important to know what ingredients are in the products we use on our skin day-in and day-out. If you are using products that contain questionable ingredients you may be putting yourself at great risk.

Rachel Carson first introduced the possibility that chemicals may have a detrimental effect on human health when she wrote the book, Silent Spring in 1962. Theo Colborn in her book Our Stolen Future furthered the premise that synthetic chemicals that mimic natural hormones (also called hormone disruptors) are upsetting normal reproductive and developmental processes. And then in the year 2000 the book Hormone Deception by D. Lindsey Berkson was called “a wake-up call for the 21st. Century” by Ann Louise Gittleman.

We cannot make the assumption that a product is safe just because it comes from a well known company. Also, with so much information available on the internet, we must be careful that we are dealing with reputable sources when doing our researche. I am going to discuss a few of the many questionable ingredients commonly found in drug store and department store brands, but ultimately, it is up to each of us to due our own due diligence before choosing any products.

Ingredients we should avoid:

Formaldehyde: a highly toxic substance. It is a known cancer-causing agent. It damages the neurological connectors in the body. It is an irritant to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.
Parabens: used primarily as a preservative in skin care. A chemical that can disrupt hormones and possibly a link to breast cancer and heart problems.
Triclosan: can disrupt hormones and remain stored in the body and eventually damage the lungs and kidneys. It is used widely in a number of household products. Also causes thyroid concerns.
1,4-dioxane: a contaminant produced during manufacturing, so the FDA does not require it to be listed as an ingredient on product labels. Found in products that create suds, like shampoo, liquid soap and bubble bath.

Some of the other questionable chemicals that are routinely found in personal care products are:
Polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, sodium laurel sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, fragrance...and the list goes on.

To add to the confusion of reading labels - many of these chemicals are listed under other names. For instance you will not find “formaldehyde” on a label, but maybe methylene oxide.

How Does Skin Age?
First of all, there is chronological aging or the natural aging process where skin gets older with the passage of time—Cellular functions simply slow down, skin elasticity declines, pigment becomes irregular. The result is wrinkled and sagging skin with uneven skin coloring.

There is also a component of aging called accelerated aging. This occurs in part because of increased exposure to the sun and environmental pollutants, which create free radicals on the skin. Simply put: pollution plus UV radiation equals free radicals. When free radicals reach the skin a chemical reaction occurs that creates inflammation and genetic mutations at the cellular level. It is estimated that 80% of visible aging is from sun and environmental exposures.

Every day 73,000 free radical attacks on each skin cell trigger damaging enzymes...Skin you don’t even see already looks older!

So What’s The Answer?

Scientists have discovered that the same nutrients that keep us healthy on the inside also keep us healthy on the outside. To create a successful skin care line, each and every one of the biochemical reactions involved in the free radical damage process had to be identified and blocked – we are talking about antioxidant protection.

You might be wondering “If I’m taking a lot of antioxidant supplements, wouldn’t that protect my skin?”
Good question. But it doesn’t work like that. Good nutrition is indeed essential for overall health, including the health of the skin. But there are free radical assaults from the outside of our bodies. Scientists know that effective amounts of antioxidants are very difficult to formulate into skin care products. There are plenty of products out there with vitamin C, E and B6 on the label but many of these ingredients are in forms that the skin can’t utilize and they’re often present at very low levels. At best they only address certain parts of the biochemical chain reaction and only the visible problems. They don’t address all of the causes.

There's only one company that I know of who has successfully been able to look at each destructive link in the chain of damage and then block that part of the reaction with the appropriate antioxidant. To do this took a unique complex of 7 ingredients which they called Vital Repair +®. This signature complex now has three patents on it.

It is important to note that extensive research went into the formulation of this anti-aging skin care system, and after the products were developed, the company spent over one million dollars in independent clinical testing to insure safety & effectiveness.

The company who developed these products is Shaklee - recognized as pioneers in the development of nutritional supplements for over 50 years; and the line, introduced in 1998, is called Enfuselle. In all Shaklee has 8 patents on Enfuselle - a rarity in the skin care industry.

Whether you choose Enfuselle or another line of anti-aging skin care, the most important thing is that you are sure the products contain no toxic ingredients and that the vitamins in the products actually penetrate into the skin layers to reverse past damage and prevent against future aging. Your skin will thank you, AND you won’t have to worry about the chemicals you might be wearing.

Here’s to your healthy skin! (And don’t forget your sunscreen).

Do you want 1,4-dioxane in your personal care products?

2010-06-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

This is an eye-opening article. Especially when you read that "concerns about exposures at key points in development (such as pregnancy, infancy and puberty) are cause for concern." AND, that you won't see 1,4-dioxane on the label. Does that make you angry? Please read the entire article and be sure to share it.

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics : 1,4-dioxane

I personally prefer these safe & natural baby products.

9 Tips for Cancer Prevention

2010-06-24T07:09:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent article and one that should be copied and posted on the refrigerator. It should also be shared with everyone you know.

When you read that "Four of every 10 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes, and two of every 10 will die from it" this should raise some eyebrows and motivate all of us to take action.

Cancer Prevention Tips Environmental Working Group

More BPA Woes

2010-06-23T06:55:00.000-07:00

Early-life exposure to BPA may affect testis function in adulthood

ScienceDaily (2010-06-22) -- Exposure to environmental levels of the industrial chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, in the womb and early life may cause long-lasting harm to testicular function, according to a new study conducted in animals. ... > read full article

BPA Blues

2010-06-15T11:48:00.000-07:00

This is an excellent review of some of the latest studies on BPA and their results. Dr. Chaney makes a good case for a preventative appraoch to health management.

By Dr. Stephen Chaney, PhD

You've heard the saying "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" - and sometimes we don't really know what we are preventing until after the fact.

Toxic chemicals such as BPA are a case in point! Bisphenol A or BPA is a chemical additive that has been added to clear plastic bottles for years, but we are just now starting to learn how toxic it is.

Recent studies have suggested that BPA increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and liver disease...
...and the news keeps getting worse!

One recent study showed that BPA prevents the formation of nerve connections in the portion of the brain that controls formation of memories and control of moods (Leranth et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 105:14187-191, 2008) - in short that BPA may negatively affect brain function.

That had been previously shown in mice, but what makes this study so concerning was that the authors demonstrated the same effect in monkeys - and at doses that the EPA considers to be "safe" for humans.

The second study in the August 14, 2008 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives showed that BPA suppresses a hormone called adiponectin which is responsible for maintaining normal weight and preventing the development of metabolic syndrome - a precursor to diabetes.

Those data suggest that BPA may increase the risk of both obesity and diabetes.

All of these potential health consequences of BPA exposure are especially concerning in light of a recent study showing that 90% of the US population has BPA in their urine.

So does that mean that it is too late - that there is nothing that we can do to prevent the damage caused by an environmental toxin that we were all exposed to but did not know about until recently?

The answer is no.

As I pointed out in a previous "Health Tips From the Professor" (Bad Effects Of Additives In Plastics, archived at: http://www.socialmarketingconnection.com ) those of you who have been taking a preventative approach and making sure that you had plenty of folic acid and genistein (a phytonutrient found in soy protein) in your diet may have protected yourself from the bad effects of BPA.

So, my word of advice to all of you is follow a holistic approach to health that includes weight control, exercise, good diet and supplementation.

It will help protect you from the dangers that you know about and the ones that you don't.

To Your Health!

Dr. Stephen G Chaney

Infections, Fractures Linked to Acid Reflux Drugs

2010-05-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

It saddens me when I read articles like this one. The first line of action is usually a drug approach. But there are natural remedies that are much safer and often times equally as effective. Taking good quality digestive enzymes and acidophilus (probiotics) have been known to work well and with no negative side effects. It would be great to get people off these nasty medications and onto a program of prevention and better health.

What do you think?

Infections, Fractures Linked to Acid Reflux Drugs

Help! Allergy Season is Here!

2010-04-30T11:41:00.000-07:00

Allergic disorders affect an estimated 1 in 5 adults and children (40 to 50 million people) and are the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States, according to the Allergy Report from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAI).

What Are Allergies?

Allergies are the immune system's inappropriate response to a foreign substance, called an allergen. Exposure to what is normally a harmless substance, such as pollen, causes the immune system to react as if the substance were harmful. Being exposed to allergens when the body's defenses are low or weak, may also contribute to the development of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) symptoms. Sneezing, congestion, itchy, watery nose and eyes and/or asthma symptoms such as wheezing, chest tightness, difficulty breathing and coughing, are no fun. We’ve all seen the many commercials for various prescription drugs, but is that the only answer?

Factors That Weaken Your Immune System:
Sugar/Alcohol        Over exposure to toxins
Poor diet                Lack of rest
Aging                     Genetics
Stress - emotional, physical (depletes B, C, Zinc)
Nutritional deficiencies (B, C, Zinc)

Are there Natural Solutions to Allergies?
Yes. By strengthening your immune system, you can replenish your body’s own arsenal of defenses.

Factors That Strengthen Your Immune System:

Healthy diet … lots of fresh vegetables ( 50% of diet ), fish and poultry and as little sugar, wheat and baked goods as possible
8 hours of sleep
Exercise
Nutritional Supplementation

Most people who suffer with allergy and sinus problems feel they must resort to using medications that have unpleasant and even dangerous side effects. For those who may be interested in safer, more natural alternatives, some of the following premium products by Shaklee may be of interest. (Or the brand of your choice - but they must be good quality products to be effective)

Premium Garlic Complex
Retaining all the potency of l clove of fresh raw garlic without the odor. Garlic is traditionally used for its
anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. People often take it to reduce symptoms of allergy, asthma, colds, flu, sinus infections, yeast infections, diarrhea & flatulence. It also has heart protective properties of lowering elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels.*

Sustained Release Vita C
For continuous antioxidant protection against environmental assaults, this unique all-natural sustained formula
slowly releases Vitamin C into your blood stream over a 5-hour period and provides nutrients from the entire
vitamin C complex including bioflavonoids. Vitamin C has been found to protect against smog, smoke, and poor diet, stress, bruising, varicose and spider veins, chronic infection, allergies, asthma, colds, flu, swollen glands, anemia, colon polyps and slow healing.*

Nutriferon
Developed and extensively tested by immunologists in Japan, this proprietary blend of natural plant extracts is
derived from pumpkin seeds, safflower flowers, plantago seeds and Japanese honeysuckle flower buds. Nutriferon supports and stimulates the immune system by increasing the activity of macrophages (white blood cells) and inducing natural interferon production. It optimizes the body’s immune response against environmental irritants and airborne substances (as with allergies and asthma). Completely safe – no adverse reactions to these plant extracts recorded.*

Optiflora: Two-Product Daily Colon Care System
There appears to be a surprising correlation between symptoms of upper respiratory congestion and sinus discomfort and poor elimination in the lower intestines… often associated with an overgrowth of the Candida yeast organisms. An increasing number of Americans suffer from Candida when the essential friendly microbes nature intended to reside in our intestines get destroyed by medications such as antibiotics, steroid-based drugs (e.g. asthma medications), oral contraceptives and more. Couple this with a culture so entrenched in sweets, breads, baked goods, chips and snacks that are the favorite foods of the Candida organisms…..Scientists now believe 70% of the immune system is located in the gut … a good place to start to strengthen our immune system against allergic reactions.

Start with just the Optiflora capsule … a patented technology that allows the very fragile probiotics to pass through the highly acidic stomach protected by a triple encapsulation so they arrive exactly at the right location in the lower intestines.*

The Optiflora powder (prebiotic formula) is a specialized food that will enhance the growth of the friendly microbes.*

Zinc Complex—essential for the immune system,, zinc is often deficient in American diets. It is lost with perspiration and stress. Classic zinc deficiency symptoms are loss of taste, smell and appetite ( common after illness or chemotherapy), slow healing, prostate problems, delayed sexual maturity, infertility, cataracts and acne ( one study showed an 85% reduction in acne scars in 4 weeks.*

Alfalfa –With deep roots extending 10 to 20 feet into the soil, this amazing plant is rich in trace minerals, protein and contains 8 digestive enzymes. Recognized as a natural anti-histamine, allergy sufferers report good results from taking 3 or 4 of the little compressed sun-dried leaf tablets … containing no pesticides, fungicides, growth regulators or synthetic hormones. Other popular uses for alfalfa are swelling, pain and stiff joints, ulcers, stomach ailments, hiatal hernia, water retention, gout, body odor, and bad breath.*

Defend & Resist Complex
Contains Echinacea,.. . which activates the immune system, promotes production of white blood cells, enhances resistance to infection, viral and bacterial, anti-inflammatory, promotes wound healing, reduces mucous, relieves boils, gangrene, ulcerations, bites, abscesses, fights candida. Also contains larchtree extract and elderberry to surround viruses and help prevent their reproduction. Best taken at onset of a virus… Can be sucked as a zinc lozenge or made into a tea. Very soothing to sore throats.*

Reduce Exposure to Toxins
In addressing allergy and sinus problems, a two-fold approach is usually recommended: 1) strengthening the immune system (as discussed above), and 2) avoiding products that could aggravate allergy and sinus conditions such as certain foods and cleaning products. Many cleaning products not only irritate the skin, but their odors can aggravate upper respiratory problems.

Because the brain is the most sensitive organ in the body, many experts recommend eliminating foods and environmental irritants that could create brain allergies. (Doris Rapp, M.D. “Is This Your Child’s World?”) Using Shaklee cleaning and personal care products may be helpful as they are based on a philosophy of “Living in Harmony with Nature.”

Get Clean Starter Kit – Step one in reducing toxins in and around our living space is to remove all toxic cleaning products from the home ..and replace them with the non-toxic, earth-friendly Get Clean Product line. These are remarkably effective yet inexpensive cleaners. They can be purchased individually or in the most popular Get Clean Starter Kit.

The kit includes products for the kitchen, the bathroom and the laundry; in particular, fragrance-free dryer sheets made from vegetables and biodegradable… a pint of Basic H2 that makes 48 gallons of all purpose cleaner for about $10 and Scour Off cleanser for pots and pans and stove tops in the kitchen and tile cleaning in the bathroom. Kosher certified.

Basic-G Highly Concentrated Germicide

Disinfectant, no cresol (easily absorbed by the skin, causes digestive disturbances, nervous disorders, mental changes, skin eruptions and jaundice). Kills parvovirus, feline leukemia, distemper virus and the AIDS virus on surfaces. Note: for allergy and sinus relief in the winter when it’s dry, remember to use a humidifier with a few drops of Basic-G to inhibit bacterial growth.*

Enfuselle Nutrition Therapy for the Skin Products

Combine advanced technology with herbal and botanical extracts and antioxidants …especially formulated for sensitive skin. Hypoallergenic, pH balanced, no artificial colorants or heavy mineral oils, noncomedogenic (won’t clog pores). Plus a comprehensive highly derma-available complex designed to actually break each link in the chain of free radical damage. Literally reverses the accelerated aging of the skin caused by computer screens, fluorescent lights and the sun.*

If you are interested in tackling you allergy issues using a natural approach, please contact me to set up a consultation.

(Special thanks to Lagoni Health Associates who compiled some of this information)

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Our Bodies’ Chemical Burden: Little Doses Matter a Lot

2010-04-27T08:14:00.001-07:00

Our Bodies’ Chemical Burden: Little Doses Matter a Lot

Posted using ShareThis

5 Reasons To Switch to Eco-friendly Cleaners

2010-04-17T12:43:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is right around the corner – April 22nd. Every year I like to challenge my friends and followers to make one change toward healthier, eco-friendly living. There are many things we can do: wash the clothes with cold water (I do, and my clothes still get clean!), take shorter showers (it really doesn’t take very long to get the soap on and off), use cloth grocery bags (I love them, they hold a lot!), recycle (all you need is a recycle bin)…and the list goes on.

But one of the changes we can all make that has multiple benefits, is switching to non-toxic cleaning and laundry products. And here are some of the reasons why:

1. They are much SAFER – this is the big one for me. Green cleaners don’t contain harmful, toxic chemicals. Why is that important? Well, it has been discovered that many of the chemicals filling our homes are contributing to the development of asthma, liver damage, cancer and many other health issues that are much more prevalent today compared to 20 years ago. In addition some are endocrine disruptors which are affecting reproduction issues in us and in our children. It has been discovered that pregnant moms can pass these chemicals on to their developing babies through the umbilical cord. That is very scary to me. And, babies and pets live much closer to the floor. Do you want them getting cleaning chemicals on their hands and paws?

2. They are more POWERFUL - Many of the products actually rival or outperform national brands

3. Because they are GREEN – they are biodegradable & don’t contain borates, phosphates, or nitrates that eventually end up polluting our rivers, lakes and streams.

4. They are CONCENTRATED – what’s the big deal about that? Well, the containers are usually recyclable, so there’s less going to the landfills. Also, because they are concentrated there are fewer bottles to recycle and all of that saves energy.

5. They are a SMART investment – again, because they are concentrated, a little goes a long way so you save thousands of dollars versus conventional cleaners. And they are smart because of all of the above.

Have I convinced you yet? Well, if not, let me dangle the carrot just a little more. I am offering a 15% rebate on the Get Clean® Starter Kit – you get all the cleaners you need for household, laundry and dishes plus lots of accessories for an unbelievable price.

I hope you will make the move to keep your home safer, your health healthier, the earth cleaner, and your pocketbook fuller.

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Color Them Hyper(active)

2010-04-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

By Dr. Stephen Chaney, PhD
Each year between 3 and 10% of school aged children are diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also known as hyperactivity. Most of these children are currently being treated with drugs. And these drugs have side effects - ranging from relatively minor (loss of appetite, weight loss, insomnia and mood swings) to major (suicidal thoughts, psychotic behavior and drug abuse).

So it is only natural for parents to ask whether there is a more natural approach that they could follow and, more specifically, whether diet could make a difference.

To answer that question lets start by looking at just one aspects of children's diets - the increasing prevalence of artificial food colors and preservatives in the diet. The average child today is consuming over 10 pounds of food additives every year!

The idea that food additives - specifically artificial colors and preservatives - might be responsible for hyperactivity was first raised by Dr. Ben Feingold over 30 years ago. He devised the Feingold Diet - a diet that was free of artificial food colors, preservatives and other artificial food additives.

Some small scale clinical studies suggested that the diet might be successful and millions of parents used the diet for their hyperactive children with great success. But the medical authorities pooh-poohed the Feingold Diet. They pointed out that when parents are putting their child on a special diet they are also giving that child more attention - and it might be the parent's increased attention that decreased the child's hyperactive behavior.

They also pointed out when you eliminate food additives from the diet you are decreasing the "junk" food and increasing fresh fruits and vegetables - in short the child's diet is much healthier. So eventually the Feingold Diet lost popularity - but the idea that artificial food colors & preservatives might trigger hyperactivity has refused to go away. In fact, a couple of recent studies have substantially strengthened the link between artificial ingredients and hyperactivity.

The first study was a meta-analysis of 15 previous studies looking at the effect of artificial food colors and preservatives on hyperactivity (Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 25: 423-434, 2004). This meta-analysis concluded that artificial food colors & preservatives caused an increase in hyperactivity in 28% of the children tested. Almost all of the children in those previous studies were selected for the study because they had been diagnosed as hyperactive (ADHD).

However, a more recent study looked at 297 children from Southampton England who had not been diagnosed as hyperactive (Lancet, 370: 1560-1567, 2007). After an 8 week elimination phase in which artificial food colors and preservatives were removed from their diets, they were given a one week challenge consisting of fruit juice containing one of two different mixtures of four artificial food colors and the preservative sodium benzoate or a placebo.

The amount of artificial food colors and sodium benzoate in the fruit juice drinks was designed to match the average amount found in the English diet (which isn't all that different from the American diet).

Once again, the results were clear. The amount of artificial food colors and preservatives found in the typical child's diet is enough to trigger hyperactivity in many children.

So what does that mean to you if you have a hyperactive child?

Could the simple act of eliminating artificial colors, flavors & preservatives from your child's diet eliminate hyperactivity and give you back that calm, sweet child that you love?

The available data suggest that removing artificial food additives from your child's diet can make a difference in their behavior, but I tend to side with experts who suggest that a holistic approach is best.

Eliminating food additives from your child's diet is important, but also make sure the diet is a healthy one, that your child is getting all of the nutrients that they need and that they are getting all of the attention and support that they need.

To Your Health!
Dr. Stephen G Chaney

Marti’s note: If you would like my free information on a natural approach to ADD/ADHD please fill out the form at the right. Thanks!

The Vitamin Scam

2010-04-09T15:11:00.000-07:00

In the Reader’s Digest April 2010 issue an article appeared which implied that vitamins are a scam. (The Vitamin Scam). I have reprinted a response to that article from Dr. Stephen G. Chaney

Steve Chaney PhD Dr. Chaney holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Duke University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UCLA.

Currently he’s a professor in the Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina where he teaches first year medical students and has headed an active cancer research program for 30 years.

Dr. Chaney has published over 95 papers in peer reviewed scientific journals, plus 12 reviews and two chapters on nutrition for one of the leading biochemistry textbooks for medical students today. He’s also been named “Teacher of the Year” several times by the first year medical students and currently holds a Medical Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professorship.

Lots of you have asked me to comment on the recent Reader's Digest article called "The Vitamin Scam". If you believed that article you'd think that, except for vitamin D, all supplements were worthless - and they might even kill you.

The sad thing is that I've written about this many times before...yet the myths keep resurfacing. It's sort of like "Whack a Mole". You whack one and another pops up somewhere else!

But let me start at the beginning: The author is a journalist - not a dietitian, a scientist or a doctor! And the role of journalists is to sell magazines, papers or TV ads. The more controversial the article the better. If it draws attention, it sells.

Some critics have said that journalists "never let the truth get in the way of a good story". But that is, perhaps, not entirely fair. It's just that journalists seldom have the time or inclination to write about the subtleties of the science or point out that there are two sides to the story.

So let me make a few comments about each of the so-called myths that were "exposed" by the Reader’s Digest article.

Myth #1: A multivitamin can make up for a bad diet:

The author quotes one study that suggests that multivitamin use did not decrease the risk of cancer, heart disease or stroke. There are several other studies that have come to the opposite conclusion, but the author failed to mention those. However, none of the studies are definitive by themselves, so I think that it is fair to say that the jury is still out on this one.

I also think that it is asking a lot of a multivitamin tablet to believe that it could significantly reduce the risk of disease by itself. For example, in the Landmark study the multivitamin user group had the same or higher risk of disease than the non-supplement user group. It was only the Shaklee group, who were taking a more comprehensive approach to supplementation, that had a significantly decreased incidence of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Myth #2: Vitamin C is a cold fighter.

The author says that vitamin C is ineffective in preventing the common cold, but does decrease the severity of the common cold. That is actually correct, but the author worded the findings in such a negative light that you might think "Why bother?"

Vitamin C is actually often fairly effective at decreasing the symptoms of the common cold. If the cold symptoms are mild enough that you hardly know you have it, that's good enough for me.

Myth #3: Vitamin pills can prevent heart disease:

The author quoted several studies in concluding that vitamin E and B vitamins were ineffective at decreasing the risk of heart disease. But the bottom line is that supplementation makes little or no difference in cardiovascular disease or deaths if you are at low risk of heart disease – but makes a significant difference if you are at high risk.

I'm not sure that we really needed a lot of high powered clinical studies to prove that. It's just common sense! By the way, are you really sure that you are at low risk of heart disease? The first symptom is often sudden death!

Myth #4: Vitamin pills can protect against cancer:

Again the author would have you believe that supplements were worthless in reducing cancer risk. Once again supplementation had little benefit in women at low risk of breast cancer, but made a big difference in women at high risk.

Myth #5: Hey, It Can't Hurt:

Here the author dredges up those old reports that claim that vitamin E, beta-carotene or folic acid might even do more harm than good.

I've covered this topic in some past articles like"What Can We Believe About Vitamin E?", "Folic Acid: Friend Or Foe?" and "Folic Acid Recommendations – Who Decides?"

There are several take home points here:

1. Most of those reports were single studies and were outweighed by many other studies showing no detrimental effects of those supplements.

2. Even if we take the supposed risks at face value, they are far outweighed by the other beneficial effects of those supplements.

3. Finally, if there are any detrimental effects they were probably due to use of high purity individual nutrients such as alpha-tocopherol alone, beta-carotene alone or folic acid alone.

In theory that can be a problem because they could interfere with the absorption of related nutrients like gamma-tocopherol or alpha-carotene - which have health benefits of their own.

Those risks would not apply to supplements that contained all of the vitamin E family, all of the carotenoids or all of the B vitamins in balance.

It is unfortunate that articles like this come out from time to time because they confuse and worry those people who might really benefit from supplementation. Of course, it's not just the anti-supplement group that writes misleading articles. There are just as many articles in the magazines hyping the latest "snake-oil" remedies.

The truth, as always, is hard to find.

To Your Health!

Dr. Stephen G Chaney

Thank you, Dr. Cheney for your wonderful incites.
If you have any further questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me by filling out the request form on the right side bar.

Water Is Just Water

2010-03-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

Here is Dr. Stephen Cheney's enlightening discussion about the bogus claims of "super" bottled waters:

It's bad enough that some people are paying a premium price for bottled water that isn't required to be any better than tap water...
...but the latest fad appears to be things like "alkaline" water and "ionized" water...
...and these "super" waters come with a really hefty price tag.

If you believed the hype behind these products you would think that they were revolutionary advances that will cure all sorts of ills. But the truth is that those enticing claims are completely bogus. They contradict the basic laws of chemistry and biochemistry. More importantly, there are no good quality clinical studies showing that they work!

Let's start with alkaline water - but first a bit of background information.

Pure water has a pH of around 7, which is neutral. However, if the water is exposed to air for any length of time it picks up CO2 from the atmosphere. The CO2 dissolves in the water and is converted to carbonic acid making most sources of pure water slightly acidic.

On the other hand, if metal salts are dissolved in the water it generally becomes slightly alkaline.

Now the questions that we might ask are:

1) Does alkalinizing the body have any health benefits?

In the 1930s Otto Warburg, one of the founders of modern biochemistry, showed that cancer cells were much more dependent on glucose (blood sugar) as an energy source than were most other cells in the body and that cancer cells metabolized that glucose in a way that made the cancer cells very acidic.

That information languished for many years, but interest in the "Warburg Hypothesis" has been revived in recent years by studies showing that cancer cells can be selectively killed by limiting their source of glucose.

In theory, making the body more alkaline would also slow the growth of the cancer cells. There is some evidence to support that hypothesis, but the evidence is still relatively weak.

It is the same with the other proposed health benefits of alkalinizing the body. There is some evidence out there, but it is not yet convincing.

As a scientist I'm keeping on open mind, but I'm not ready to "bet the farm" on it.

2) Can alkaline water alkalinize the body?

Here the answer is a clear cut NO!

The body has a very strong buffer system and some elaborate metabolic controls to maintain a near- constant neutral pH. Water is such a weak buffer that it has almost no effect on body pH!

If you really want to alkalinize your body you can do that by eating more of the alkaline foods (most fruits (including citrus fruits) and most vegetables (except the starchy vegetables), peas, beans, lentils, seeds & nuts) and less of the acidic foods (grains (especially refined grains), meat (especially red meat), fish, poultry and eggs).

I've seen some experts recommend 60% alkaline foods and 40% acidic foods. I can't vouch for the validity of that recommendation in terms of the benefits of alkalinizing the body, but there are lots of other good reasons to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and less red meat and refined carbohydrates.

Ionized water is an even sillier concept from a chemical point of view. It is very difficult to ionize pure water and the ions that you do create quickly recombine to give you pure water again without any change in pH or physical properties.

If you add sodium chloride (table salt) to the water you can get electrolysis that creates a slightly alkaline pH at one electrode and a slightly acidic pH at the other electrode.

However, as soon as you turn off the current these pH changes rapidly disappear. And even if you were somehow able to capture some of the alkaline or acidic water remember that water alone has almost no effect on body pH.

But, what about all of those glowing testimonials that you heard? You need to remember that the placebo effect is near 50% when it comes to pain or a feeling of well being.

You can't repeal the laws of chemistry and biochemistry. Water is, after all, just water!

Good science trumps good testimonials any day.

Marti Gilchrist, Mother and Health Coach

2010-03-19T05:04:00.000-07:00

Read my story about why I am a proponent of toxic chemical reform.

Marti Gilchrist, Mother and Health Coach

Savin' O' The Green

2010-03-14T16:01:00.000-07:00

In honor of St. Paddy’s Day I have a special gift for you.
I will give you a FREE Shaklee membership with a 50 point order.
This offer is good from now until March 31, 2010.

What are some of the benefits of membership?

15% discount off retail on all products
Newsletters and emails on health related topics
Easy ordering on line or toll-free
Order whenever you want - no minimum requirements
Products delivered right to your door
A toxin-free home
Quality products from a 54-year-old company rated the #1 natural nutrition company

Here are a few product suggestions that would qualify for the free membership:

Vitalizer ™

A daily vitamin strip that supplies 80 nutrients clinically proven to create a foundation for a longer, healthier life.* Comes in men's, women's and over-50 formulations

Vivix ™ Cellular Anti-Aging Tonic - resveratrol and a unique blend of polyphenols that is 10x more powerful than resveratrol alone and exclusive to Shaklee.*

Enfuselle® Anti-Aging Skin Care products: The same nutrients that help keep you healthy on the inside also play a huge roll in how you look on the outside. Everything you need for healthy skin with none of the harmful ingredients.*

One package option: Cleansing Product + Toner + Time Repair AM w/ SPF 15 (normal/oily or normal/dry formulations)

Get Clean® Starter Kit - the equivalent of $3400 in conventional products without the toxic chemicals.

Always safe - always works - always green

You can browse the catalog on the right side of this page, check out my web site or contact me to help you put together a qualifying order suited to your specific needs.

Please also note - you will receive a rebate check for the price of the membership ($20) after your order has been placed.

“May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.”

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Prenatal exposure to phthalates could affect infant behaviour

2010-03-11T13:30:00.000-08:00

Phthalates are used to make plastics more flexible and durable. They are the most abundant man-made environmental pollutants and have been found to disrupt the endocrine system.

Where will you find phthalates? Everywhere! Upholstery material, shower curtains, children's toys, metal foils (like those found on yogurt containers), aluminum foil, cosmetics, perfumes, hairspray, nail polish, and food packaging material. And this is just the short list.

Phthalates have long been suspected in connection with rising infertility rates, particularly among men. These substances are considered highly hazardous to human health because they disrupt the hormonal balance and impair reproduction and development. New research has found significantly high levels of phthalates in almost 70 percent of girls with early onset of puberty.

Prenatal exposure to phthalates could affect infant behaviour

Survey Data on Lead in Women's and Children's Vitamins

2010-02-25T15:04:00.000-08:00

When I talk to people about supplements, one of the things I mention is the importance of knowing who makes them. For one thing, you want to be sure that they are using quality ingredients. If you click on the link below, you will see a long list of supplements that contain lead. If yours is on that list, you may want to consider trying something else. My vitamins are from a 54 year-old company with a stellar reputation in the industry, and I can assure you, they do not contain lead.

Survey Data on Lead in Women's and Children's Vitamins

I hope you will share this information with your friends too. No one needs extra lead in their bodies!

America's Most Wanted Toxic Chemicals: PBTs

2010-02-23T13:48:00.000-08:00

America's Most Wanted Toxic Chemicals: PBTs

Toxins in the Home: Pollution from Inside

2010-02-10T10:46:00.001-08:00

Toxins in the Home: Pollution from Inside

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A Natural Approach to ADD/ADHD

2010-02-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

There is increasing concern about the growing number of children on Ritalin and similar drugs, and many parents are looking for more natural alternatives. The following is a summary of some of the nutrients and herbs that many parents are using with good results to offer nutritional support for learning and brain function.

To give a good nutritional foundation to the brain and nervous system and to the whole child, a good program should always begin with a high quality multi-vitamin/mineral. The B vitamins are really important for the brain…parents have reported that they makes children not only smart, but pleasant!

Calcium-magnesium: These essential minerals are often referred to as natural nerve tranquilizers and muscle relaxants. Pediatric Allergist Dr. Doris Rapp and other authorities feel many learning and behavioral problems are related to allergies and brain sensitivities. Therefore, many recommend limiting milk and dairy products as well as artificial dyes, flavorings, preservatives, etc.

Zinc: In addition to its reputation for improving our immune systems, especially viruses and sore throats, zinc is essential for the brain and helps protect the eyes from aging.

Bifidus and Acidophilus (Probiotics): Essential friendly bacteria that ideally live in our lower intestines. These good bacteria help prevent over growth of bad bacteria and Candida yeast – often associated with attention deficit disorder.

Probiotics are especially important for a child who has ever been on an antibiotic or steroid-based medications (common with asthma). These medications kill off much of these essential “friendly microbes” that live in the lower intestine. Without adequate amounts of these microbes, research now shows the body is more susceptible to infection (especially sinus and upper respiratory) because 70% of the immune system resides in the intestines.

It is very difficult to find an acidophilus/bifidus product that guarantees live delivery of microflora to the intestine. Tests show that many of them do not make it live to your door, much less to your colon. 90% of the microflora alive in these products at the time of manufacture are killed off long before they reach the intestine. So please choose wisely—I know of only one product that guarantees delivery of 500,000 live microorganisms to the intestines without being destroyed by the highly acidic environment of the stomach.

In addition to the above recommendations, for hyper activity, allergies or asthma consider replacing your cleaning and laundry products with non-toxic alternatives. Here’s an excerpt from a powerful testimony: “In your homes, laundry soap stays in the fabric, cleaning chemicals under the sink give off fumes in the air (remember the smell of the cleaning isle in the store!!)…. I wanted to get "as much as possible" out of my son's environment...so we went completely Shaklee!! BIG difference !!!! After we cleared out the chemicals and started to clean and do laundry with Shaklee, his rash on his face cleared, all of our sinus infections cleared up, my husband now comments on the smell of homemade bread, and best of all my son has calmed down a great deal !!!”

The best and most affordable health insurance is a diet based on 6 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and a basic supplementation program combined with regular exercise… and lots of love and laughter.

Feel free to contact me to request information on nutritional programs for ADD/ADHD.

Babies Recently Treated With Lotion, Shampoo, And Powder More Likely To Have Phthalates Chemicals In Urine

2010-02-08T09:39:00.000-08:00

Babies Recently Treated With Lotion, Shampoo, And Powder More Likely To Have Phthalates Chemicals In Urine

Autism explosion starts to look like “It’s the environment, stupid” (not the vaccinations) :: InvestigateWest

2010-02-03T09:50:00.001-08:00

Autism explosion starts to look like “It’s the environment, stupid” (not the vaccinations) :: InvestigateWest

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Do Toxic Homes Cause Asthma?

2010-02-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

Note: Today’s blog entry was written by Dr. Stephen Chaney. Dr. Chaney is a professor of biochemistry, biophysics and nutrition at UNC Medical School in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He is also a prominent cancer researcher with a well established research lab he directs at UNC.

Everybody is going green. Biodegradable cleaners are finally in fashion.

But did you realize that many of the cleaners that you buy in the supermarket - and some of the biodegradable cleaners that you buy in the health food store - release toxic fumes in your home that can adversely affect the health of you and your children?

I'm going to focus on just one aspect of this topic - household chemical exposure and childhood asthma. But first a bit of background information: The prevalence of childhood asthma increased 74% between 1980 and 1994 and has continued to increase in the years since.

The causes of this rapid increase in asthma prevalence are likely to be complex, but evidence has accumulated in recent years that some of the increase may be caused by early exposure to toxic chemical fumes in the home.

Why is that?

The American consumer keeps demanding cleaners that work better (It's considered a big plus if they require no effort) and are easy to use (Don't bother with messy liquids and pastes - just spray it on). And manufacturers have been willing to oblige by adding ever more exotic chemicals to household cleaners and putting them in aerosol spray cans.

And of course no one opens their windows any more. That would be wasting energy and contributing to global warming.

The result is that these toxic chemicals accumulate in the air that we breathe in our own homes. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency has stated that the air inside our homes is often more polluted than in Los Angeles or New York on a smoggy day.

A number of studies have pointed to an association between these toxic household fumes and childhood asthma, but I'd like to focus on one particularly good study on this topic that was published recently in the European Respiratory Journal (31: 54-57, 2008).

This study measured the household chemical exposure of 7,162 pregnant women in England and looked at the incidence of asthma in their children at age 8.5 years.

A maternal composite household chemical exposure (CHCE) score was derived by measuring the pregnant mother's exposure to a number of common household products known to contain toxic chemicals.

The household products used most frequently were disinfectants (87.4%), bleach (84.8%), aerosols (71.7%), air fresheners (68%), window cleaners (60.5%), carpet cleaners (35.3%) and pesticides/insecticides (21.2%). (For information on the toxic chemicals in these and other common household products visit: http://www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/products.htm)

Asthma was quantified based on persistent wheezing (reported by the parents) and several lung function tests that were administered at age 8.5 years.

To make sure that the asthma was not caused by simple allergies the children were also given a skin prick test against a panel of 6 common childhood allergens (house dust mites, cats, mixed grass, mixed nuts, peanuts and milk). The study also controlled for confounding variables such as exposure to tobacco smoke, damp housing, pets in the home and maternal history of asthma.

In short, this was a very large and particularly well controlled study.

And the results were clear. Higher household chemical exposure during pregnancy was associated with a 41% increase in childhood asthma in children with no known allergies.

What does that mean to you and me? It means that it is not enough to select household products that are safe for the environment. We also need to select products that we use in our homes on the basis of their safety for us and our family - not just on the basis of cost and convenience.

To Your Health!

Dr. Stephen G Chaney

P.S. Shaklee, the company that brought us one of the very first biodegradable cleaners and the very first company in the world to be certified as climate neutral, makes a "Get Clean" line of household cleaners that are not only biodegradable but also contain no toxic fumes that could be harmful for your health.

For an additional viewpoint check out Toxic Brew:

Growing Up in a Chemical World

2010-01-29T06:10:00.001-08:00

Growing Up in a Chemical World

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The Health Case for Reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act: Executive Summary

2010-01-25T10:16:00.000-08:00

This a compelling new report put out last week by Safer Chemicals Healthy Families. It created quite a stir in the media so I wanted to be sure my readers had a chance to read it for themselves and take action. If you are tired of the governments lack of concern regarding the dangers of toxic chemicals in our homes, speak up on behalf of chemical reform by adding your name to the Safer Chemicals Healthy Families campaign.

The Health Case for Reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act: Executive Summary

There is growing agreement across the political spectrum that the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 does not adequately protect Americans from toxic chemicals. In the 34 years since TSCA was enacted, the EPA has been able to require testing on just 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals produced and used in the U.S., and just five chemicals have been regulated under this law. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson has asked Congress to provide her agency with better chemical management tools for safeguarding our nation’s health.[1]

Much has changed since TSCA became law more than 30 years ago. Scientists have developed a more refined understanding of how some chemicals can cause and contribute to serious illness, including cancer, reproductive and developmental disorders, neurologic diseases, and asthma.

The Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition believes that, by reforming TSCA, we can reduce our exposure to toxic chemicals, improve our nation’s health, and lower the cost of health care. This report documents some of the scientific findings and economic analysis underlying our position.

Chronic disease is on the rise

More than 30 years of environmental health studies have led to a growing consensus that chemicals are playing a role in the incidence and prevalence of many diseases and disorders in our country, including:

•Leukemia, brain cancer, and other childhood cancers, which have increased by more than 20% since 1975.[2]

•Breast cancer, which went up by 40% between 1973 and 1998.[3] While breast cancer rates have declined since 2003, a woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is now one in eight, up from one in ten in 1973.[4]

•Asthma, which approximately doubled in prevalence between 1980 and 1995 and has stayed at the elevated rate.[5][6]

•Difficulty in conceiving and maintaining a pregnancy affected 40% more women in 2002 than in 1982. The incidence of reported difficulty has almost doubled in younger women, ages 18–25.[7][8][9]

•The birth defect resulting in undescended testes, which has increased 200% between 1970 and 1993.[10]

•Autism, the diagnosis of which has increased more than 10 times in the last 15 years.[11]

The health and economic benefits of reforming TSCA

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 133 million people in the U.S.—almost half of all Americans—are now living with these and other chronic diseases and conditions, which now account for 70% of deaths and 75% of U.S. health care costs.[12]

Estimates of the proportion of the disease burden that can be attributed to chemicals vary widely, ranging from 1% of all disease[13] to 5% of childhood cancer[14] to 10% of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and neurodevelopmental deficits[15] to 30% of childhood asthma.[14] Whatever the actual contribution, effective chemical policy reform will incorporate the last 30 years of science to reduce the chemical exposures that contribute to the rising incidence of chronic disease. And any decline in the incidence of chronic diseases can also be expected to bring health care cost savings. Even if chemical policy reform leads to reductions in toxic chemical exposures that translate into just a tenth of one percent reduction of health care costs, it would save the U.S. health care system an estimated $5 billion every year.

The U.S. now spends over $7,000 per person per year directly on health care.[12] This sum does not include the many other kinds of costs, such as the costs of raising a child with a severe learning disability or coping with a young mother’s breast cancer diagnosis. Chemical policy reform holds the promise of reducing the economic, social and personal costs of chronic disease by creating a more healthy future for all Americans.

For more information and to take action now, please visit Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families.

Citations:

1.^U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, “EPA Administrator Jackson Unveils New Administration Framework for Chemical Management Reform in the United States,” http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/D07993FDCF801C-2285257640005D27A6 (accessed November 8, 2009)

2.^Tracey J. Woodruff, et al., America’s Children and the Environment, (Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2008)

3.^Holly L. Howe, et al., “Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer (1973 through 1998), Featuring Cancers with Recent Increasing Trends,” Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 93, no. 11 (June 2001): 824–42

4.^Janet Gray, ed, State of the Evidence: The Connection Between Breast Cancer and the Environment, (San Francisco: Breast Cancer Fund, 2008)

5.^Tracey J. Woodruff, et al., “Trends in Environmentally Related Childhood Illnesses,” Pediatrics, 113, no. 4 (April 2004): 1133– 1140

6.^Jeanne E. Moorman, et al., “National Surveillance for Asthma, United States 1980–2004,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5608a1.htm (November 1, 2009)

7.^Anjani Chandra and Elizabeth Hervey Stephen, “Impaired Fecundity in the United States: 1982–1995,” Family Planning Perspectives, 30, no 1, (1998): 34–42

8.^Anjani Chandra, et al., “Fertility, Family Planning and Reproductive Health of US Women: Data from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth,” Vital and Health Statistics, 23, no. 25 (2005)

9.^Kate Brett, “Fecundity in 2002 National Survey of Family Growth Women 15–24 Years of Age”, Hyattsville, MD, National Center for Health Statistics (2008)

10.^Leonard J. Paulozzi, “International Trends in Rates of Hypospadias and Cryptorchidism,” Environmental Health Perspectives, 107, no. 4, (1999): 297–302

11.^National Institute of Mental Health, “NIMH’s Response to New Autism Prevalence Estimate,” http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/updates/2009/nimhs-response-tonew-autism-prevalence-estimate.shtml (November 4, 2009)

12.^ abNational Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, The Power of Prevention: Chronic Disease...the Public Health Challenge of the 21st Century, (Washington, DC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009)

13.^Commission of the European Communities, “Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council Concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restrictions of Chemicals (REACH), establishing European Chemicals Agency and Amending Directive 1999/45/EC and Regulation (EC) on Persistent Organic Pollutants: Extended Impact Assessment.” (October 29, 2003): 30

14.^ abPhilip J. Landrigan, et al., “Environmental Pollutants and Disease in American Children: Estimates of Morbidity, Mortality, and Costs for Lead Poisoning, Asthma, Cancer, and Developmental Disabilities,” Environmental Health Perspectives, 110, No. 7 (July 2002): 721–8

15.^Tom Muir and Mike Zegarac, “Societal Costs of Exposure to Toxic Substances: Economic and Health Costs of Four Case Studies That Are Candidates for Environmental Causation,” Environmental Health Perspectives Supplements, 109, No. S6 (December 2001): 885–903

Health Benefits of a Good Laugh

2010-01-19T14:45:00.000-08:00

Watch Out! It's Contagious!
A joke can be good in more ways than one. Laughter is actually powerful medicine that my even help prevent heart attacks, according to a study performed by cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Their study evaluated healthy individuals and people with heart disease. They found that the people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations than their healthy counterparts of the same age. Humor alleviates stress and tension, and patients with mental stress often have other impairments of their blood vessel linings. The cardiologists speculate that the resulting inflammatory reactions may lead to a fat and cholesterol buildup in the arteries and ultimately to heart disease.

The benefits of laughter extend far beyond the heart, too. Laughter releases endorphins, causing a feeling of elation. Laughter also increases blood oxygen levels, which is beneficial for healing, improving circulation and easing headaches. Hearty laughter massages the heart, lungs and digestive system.

For a healthy heart, body and soul, eat right, exercise and...laugh!

Information from HAP Wise Woman

Required, Desired, Inspired!

2010-01-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

This blog post is from my friend and business associate, Jennifer Harvey. She has some wonderful insights about setting daily goals that I thought you might enjoy. Jennifer also makes a plug for exercise and improving health. If I can help you in those areas, please let me know. Happy New Year!

My 2010 mantra – Required, Desired, Inspired!

I was on the elliptical the other day. It took all I had just to get on the darn thing. I just was not in the mood. I said to myself just get 15 minutes in. That’s all I require today – just 15 minutes. I can do that. About 10 minutes in I felt better and felt I could make it more than just the 5 minutes I had required of myself. So I reset my expectations to 18 minutes and increased my pace. Ah, I can make it past my required time to my new desired time I thought. At 17 minutes I was feeling inspired and felt I could push it up a notch and go to 20 minutes. I did it. I took that work out from required to inspired.

I have now started setting my day with a REQUIRED goal, a DESIRED goal and an INSPIRED goal. Now the idea hear is not to make INSPIRED too easy so if I am hitting INSPIRED too regularly it’s time to make that the new REQUIRED.

Obviously I would like to push to INSPIRED as often as possible but some days I just don’t feel inspired and ‘required’ is an accomplishment in and of itself.

Everyone has their own motivation techniques. This is a new one I developed and am trying out. Since I just thought it up while working out a few days ago I felt with the new year it would be a perfect way to implement this new plan.

I’m not really setting a New Year’s resolution. I’m already on a path of improving my health by exercising and making better food choices. All I want to do is stay on the path, take each day as it comes and make time to enjoy the journey.

Exercise makes me feel great mentally and physically. It improves my appearance and therefore, self esteem. It relieves stress and releases toxins from the body. I can enjoy the occasional bad food choices without guilt because I know I can burn it off through exercise. I believe exercise is the magic bullet, the key to long lasting health and happiness.

I will turn 40 in 2010 and my oldest son will graduate from high school and start college. It’s going to be a big year and I can’t wait.

Bring it on!

Jennifer can be reached at Get Up Get Moving

Tune Up Your Immune System

2009-11-03T12:30:00.000-08:00

Many of you have been saying to me: "All I hear about in the news is shots and drugs. Is there a holistic approach for strengthening my immune system?"

My answer is yes! Here are my suggestions:
1) Start by eating a balanced diet composed of whole, unprocessed foods without a lot of fat and simple sugars. A great place to start designing a balanced diet that is perfect for your age, gender and activity level is www.mypyramid.gov.

2) Get plenty of sleep. The experts recommend 8 hours of sleep a night, but a majority of Americans get far less than that.

3) Exercise on a regular basis. Both too little and too much exercise can weaken the immune system (You might have guessed that the problem for most of us is the "too little", not the "too much"). The experts recommend at least 30 minutes every day.

4) Maintain ideal body weight. Those excess pounds really zap our immune system.

5) Minimize your reliance on medications. Many common medications weaken the immune system (Just listen to the disclaimers in the TV commercials for examples).

But you must work with your physician on this. Once your physician knows that you are willing to take personal responsibility for your diet and lifestyle, they will generally be willing to minimize the number of medications that they prescribe.

6) Focus on the positive. Studies show that optimists are healthier and live longer than pessimists. And the good news is that anyone can cultivate an attitude of optimism. For most of us it is a lifestyle choice - not something that we were born with.

7) Add a supplement program to assure that your immune system is functioning optimally. In the ideal world supplements wouldn't be necessary, but there are very few "saints" who do a great job in all 6 of the areas that I mentioned.

A well designed supplement program fills in the "gaps". We want to make sure that we are getting adequate:

B vitamins and protein because our immune cells need to divide very rapidly when we have immune challenges.
Antioxidants because our immune cells create lots of free radicals.
Trace minerals, especially iron and zinc, because they are required by important enzymes of the immune system.
Vitamin D because it is vitally important for a strong immune system and most of us are not getting enough.
Probiotics (healthy bacteria) because "bad" bacteria and yeast in our intestines can weaken the immune system.
Omega-3 fatty acids to modulate the immune system once it has taken care of the invading bacteria or viruses.

We don't need megadoses. We just need enough.

One final thought: A holistic approach to strengthening our immune system is not an "either - or" proposition.

The flu shot is 66% effective in preventing the flu for people with a strong immune system and only 33% effective in preventing the flu for people with a weak immune system.

To your health!
Dr. Stephen Chaney, PhD
Shaklee Master Coordinator

If you would like a free 30-minute health consultation, please fill out the form at the right.

A Natural Approach to Infertility

2009-10-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

Infertility is a health issue that I seem to be encountering more and more these days. I have read that 1 in 6 couples experiences infertility issues. In my experience, I have come across many couples today who are having trouble conceiving. So what’s the problem?

For men, infertility is most often associated with a decrease in the number, quality or motility (are they strong swimmers?) of sperm. Underlying conditions affecting sperm health are smoking, exposure to toxins and chemicals, and urinary tract infections.

For women, infertility could be caused by an allergic reaction to sperm, ovulatory issues, endometriosis and uterine fibroids. These are the most common, but there are many others, including psychological issues and age.

Many of these underlying issues are the result of xenoestrogen toxicity which results in endocrine disruption. I did a 4-part series on this serious topic and would encourage you to go into my archives to read about endocrine disruption – especially how it affects us and what we can do about it.

The good news is that there is HOPE.

For couples who are struggling with infertility, a medical evaluation is definitely in order. Depending on the outcome and before venturing into costly fertility procedures I would suggest that you consider making some lifestyle changes.

Both men and women can improve their fertility by doing such things as avoiding toxins of all kinds – found in household cleaners, poultry, dairy & meats, on fruits & veggies, in personal care products & tap water (bottled water isn’t necessarily the answer), and pesticides. The list is much longer, but these are some of the more common areas of exposure.

You should also strive to reduce stress, get plenty of rest and get in some daily exercise. Of course you want to eat a healthy diet: fresh fruits and veggies (preferably organic), lean protein (soy is an excellent protein source), lots of fiber & whole grains and plenty of purified water.

And caffeine, tobacco and alcohol should be avoided.

Another aspect of a natural approach to infertility is the addition of certain nutritional supplements. Some of the more important ones would be a well-balanced multivitamin/mineral, alfalfa, B-complex, milk thistle, soy protein, Vita-E and zinc. These should be taken by both partners.

This all may sound way too simple, but I have seen it work! What a joy it is when a couple is able to conceive after making a few lifestyle changes and without having to undergo the stress and expense of more extensive fertility processes.

I can’t stress enough the importance of having the specific cause of infertility diagnosed by a natural physician before more serious solutions are considered. And I cannot say that these suggestions will work for all couples. But nothing I have mentioned is risky and…what if it did work!

The success I have experienced has been with the line of products I have marketed for over 12 years. So I don’t know what kind of results you would get with other products. You might want to check my blog on how to select good quality supplements before taking this route. And if you would like a free 30-minute consultation, please fill out the box on the right.

I wish you all the best in your journey to conception.

Endocrine Disruptors Part 4...What Can We Do To Protect Ourselves?

2009-10-08T16:20:00.000-07:00

Well, first I must apologize for taking you down a rather dismal road and then leaving you hanging. Sometimes life just gets in the way, but I am back and ready to wind up this discussion on endocrine disruptors by sharing with you some of the ways we can avoid them.

1. Buy organic. Yes I know it is more expensive, but meat and dairy consistently have the highest levels of persistent hormone disruptors. If you can’t go totally organic, than at least limit the amount of dairy (especially cheese and butter) that you consume. And be sure to wash your fruits and vegetables to remove as much pesticide residue as possible. FYI—strawberries, apples, peaches and grapes are among the fruits with the highest level of residue of endocrine disruptors and reproductive toxins from pesticides.

2. Use filtered water for drinking and cooking. You can have your tap water tested, but it is likely that it will contain chlorine and/or trihalomethanes. Also, beware of bottled water—this industry is not well-regulated and so you could be paying for tap water. See NRDC for more information.

3. Consider purchasing an air purifier for your home. According to the EPA indoor air is 5 to 70 times more toxic than the air outdoors. See EPA for more information.

4. Replace your cleaners & laundry products with toxic-free products.

5. Do not microwave in plastic

6. Do not use pesticides

7. Remove the plastic from dry-cleaned clothes and air them out in the garage before bringing into the house.

8. Replace personal care products—lotions, soaps, shampoo, cosmetics, toothpaste, etc—with chemical-free brands that are free of parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde and other extremely harmful chemicals. These are in baby products too! (Keep in mind that it is the repeated use of these products, day in and day out, that causes the health risks.)

This list is far from exhaustive, so as always, I encourage you to do your own due diligence. And I don’t want to overwhelm you with this information. Even one positive change is better than doing nothing. So, start slowly, continue to educate yourself and tell others what you learn. Together we can truly make a difference for ourselves, our families and the planet.

If you have any questions concerning endocrine disruptors please contact me. It has been my pleasure to share this information with you.

Endocrine Disruptors: How Do They Affect Us?

2009-09-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

Well, this is another huge topic. And so to keep this blog as concise as possible, I will give you the abridged response. But again, I urge you to please do your own due diligence and learn as much as you can about endocrine disruptors.

How do they affect us? It starts before birth in the womb. What a mother has been exposed to throughout life as well as what she takes in during her pregnancy become the legacy of the next generation. Many exposures during pregnancy don’t even manifest themselves until the child reaches sexual maturity or beyond.

Children are exposed to more chemicals today than ever before. As a result we are seeing a more rapid maturation process. Doctors are seeing eight-, nine-, and ten-year-olds exhibiting signs of early puberty.

Endocrine disruption has also been linked to an increase in childhood cancers & asthma, abnormal development of sex organs; in addition, birth defects, preterm births and low birth weight babies are increasing in number. Lower IQ’s, behavior and attention issues also may be linked to endocrine disruptors.

Problems related to men’s health range from reproductive issues like low sperm count and testicular cancer to other types of cancers such as leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease; and an increase in heart disease has been seen in several dioxin-exposed populations.

There are a number of women’s health conditions that are possibly related to hormone-disrupting chemicals in the body: endometriosis, uterine fibroids, benign breast disease, PMS, ovarian cysts, infertility and increase in reproductive cancers. And this is just a partial list.

Think for a minute – I bet you have friends or family members who have experienced some of the above mentioned issues. I can tell you that I personally have encountered many of them among my clients and friends, and I truly believe that this is a topic that we must treat seriously.

The information that I have been sharing with you may be alarming to some. But because it is a serious issue that historically has not gotten a lot of press, I am determined to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can. There are things we all can do to alleviate our exposures to endocrine disruptors, but people have to know that they have been exposed to them in order to be proactive about make changes. Spreading awareness is the essence of what I do…I hope you have been enlightened but what I have shared with you.

Next time we finally get to the good news: Ways to protect ourselves and our families.

Healthy Back-to-School Ideas for Your Kids

2009-09-09T07:47:00.000-07:00

It’s that time again- the yellow school busses have hit the roads, school doors are open and the kids are back to filling their brains with knowledge. They’ve been equipped with new clothes, new shoes, new notebooks, pencils, and backpacks.

But, what about their health? Have they been equipped with vitamins and minerals to avoid illness? Do they head off to school with good protein to help their bodies and minds stay energized all morning? My sister used to tutor kids with dyslexia and would often ask, “What did you have for breakfast this morning?” Most often the reply was Frosted Flakes, Pop Tarts, or donuts. With these refined carbs, energy spikes and then quickly plummets. Two hours later the kids are sluggish and distractible.

Lo-fat yoghurt, fruit smoothies with some added soy protein powder, natural peanut butter on a piece of whole wheat toast and lo-fat cottage cheese are just a few ways to get some good protein in them.

This year parents are especially concerned about the H1N1 virus. One of the best things we can do is be sure that our kids are as healthy as possible. A strong immune system is a good defense against viruses, colds and the flu. So adding some supplements to a good diet is not a bad idea. All kids should take a good-quality multivitamin/mineral supplement. Recent studies have shown that lactoferrin supports a healthy immune system in kids. So look for a supplement which contains lactoferrin.

Additional Vitamin C will help strengthen the immune system. And a chewable calcium-magnesium product contains essential minerals to support bone development; plus it’s a natural nerve and muscle relaxant. It’s especially helpful for allergies and brain sensitivities caused by milk and dairy.

Here are a few other suggestions to help avoid illness or spreading colds:
• Stay home from school if you are sick
• Cover your cough with a tissue
• Sneeze or cough into your sleeve or elbow
• Wash your hands often

Besides nutritional support, children also need to get adequate sleep and lots of exercise. I always encourage drinking plenty of water and be sure to avoid sodas at all costs. FYI-Soda pop leaches calcium from bones which has lasting effects into adulthood.

I’m passionate about giving kids all the advantages we can to support their bodies and brains. Switching to non-toxic household cleaners & laundry products is a great idea, especially if you are concerned about hyperactivity, allergies or asthma. Also choosing personal care products – shampoo, toothpaste, bathing products – that are free of harmful toxins and chemicals, is another wise decision. (for further info on this topic please visit my blog post).

If you would like to know more about how you might implement some of these suggestions, please feel free to contact me.

Will fasting jumpstart my weight loss efforts and boost my health?

2009-09-05T13:31:00.001-07:00

The answer is NO. Check it out here: Will fasting jumpstart my weight loss efforts and boost my health?

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Endocrine Disruptors: Where do we find them?

2009-08-29T15:16:00.001-07:00

In the first installment I defined endocrine disruptors as exogenous substances (coming from outside the body) that act like hormones in the endocrine system and disrupt the physiologic function of endogenous (inside the body) hormones.

So the next logical question would be where are these hormone-like substances found? Some man-made chemicals found in household products that we use daily – cleaners, laundry products, personal care products – are likely suspects. These chemicals are also found in many of the foods we eat. We are exposed through the air we breathe, the food and water we take in, and the products we absorb through our skin (think shampoo, body lotion, cosmetics, etc).

Here is a sampling of chemicals thought to be endocrine disruptors:

Phthalates – used to make plastics more flexible and durable. It is used in PVC plastic found in upholstery material, shower curtains, floor tiles & children’s toys. It is also found in toiletries (especially nail polish), toothbrushes and insect repellents. (This is just a very small sampling.)

Bisphenol A (BPA) – is a component of plastic used in the lining of food cans & bottle tops. It is also in polycarbonate plastics like soft drink containers, water jugs and baby bottles.

Dioxins – not intentionally produced, dioxins are released into the environment as a by-product of chemical processes involving chlorine. Most dioxin is emitted into the air and then deposited on grass and trees and consumed by cows and other animals; or it goes into lakes and streams and ingested by fish. Ninety-five percent of our exposure is through meat, fish, and dairy products.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) aka vinyl – one of the most common plastics. Manufacturing and burning PVC creates dioxins. It has been used widely in upholstery, home furnishings, children’s toys and hundreds of other products.

Detergents – a class of chemical surfactants that dissolve and remove oils and grease and make products more water soluble. They are found in ordinary household products like laundry detergents, all-purpose cleaners, personal care products like soaps, shampoos shaving foams, cosmetics and spermicides.

Other Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds: Pesticides, lead, cadmium and mercury.

Pesticide are used on food crops and home gardens, and are also found in flea collars, lice shampoo and even under the foundation of your home.

I just want to say that this is a daunting subject and cannot possibly be covered thoroughly in a few blog posts. I would encourage each of you reading this to please do your own due diligence and learn what products you should remove from your homes and replace with safer alternatives.

Next time: How do endocrine disruptors affect us and what can we do to support our health and our bodies?
Primary source of information: Hormone Deception by D. Lindsey Berkson

Endocrine Disruptors: What Are They?

2009-08-05T14:30:00.000-07:00

In 1962 Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring was published, creating an outcry that forced the banning of DDT. Since then there has been growing concern that chemicals in the environment might exert profound and disasterous effects on wildlife populations, and that human health is inextricably linked to the health of the environment.
Although researchers had studied the endocrine effects of chemicals for some time, the term endocrine disruptor was coined in 1991 by Theo Colborn at a conference at the Wingspread Conference Center in Racine, Wisconsin. Theo Colborn is co-author of Our Stolen Future, published in 1996. Her extensive research and that of many others firmly establishes that environmental chemicals disrupt the development of the endocrine system, and that effects of exposure during development are permanent.

Although hormone disruption isn’t new, the growing incident of it that we are experiencing today is such that we must consider it a modern-day epidemic. In her book Hormone Deception, D. Lindsey Berkson takes up where Theo Colborn left off by extending the evidence into the realm of human health. If this subject concerns you as much as it concerns me, I would highly recommend that you purchase Dr. Berkson’s book.

So what are endocrine disruptors anyway? According to Wikipedia this term refers to exogenous substances (coming from outside the body) that act like hormones in the endocrine system and disrupt the physiologic function of endogenous hormones (inside the body).

Simply put, our cells have receptor sites which allow hormones to attach to the cell. When we are exposed to environmental chemicals (that mimic hormones) the receptor site doesn’t know if it is the real hormone or an imposter. So, these imposters are reeking havoc with our cells and thus with our overall health.
As Dr. Berkson says in her book “All this points to what can go awry. If something is wrong with the signal, the body will respond to the wrong message. In other words, an unnatural signal may create an inappropriate response. What science is discovering is that hormone disruptors can bind with receptors and send messages the same way our natural hormones can. But these particular messages can significantly alter normal cell function and growth.” [Hormone Deception, pg.13]

Next time: Endocrine Disruptors: Where do they come from and how do they affect us?

Tips To Keep Your Ticker Ticking

2009-07-17T10:14:00.000-07:00

(Information courtesy of AARP Magazine)

The old saying that a wounded heart never heals just doesn’t apply anymore. Diet, exercise and a positive mental outlook can help prevent and even reverse years of poor heart habits. In fact, small lifestyle changes can go a long way towards attaining and maintaining a healthy heart. Start today with these tips:

STAY CALM
A recent study by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology finds that the chronically anxious may see a significant increase in the risk of a heart attack. Lower stress by starting a daily meditation practice or simply work on a puzzle or hobby that helps you relax.

LIMIT FAT INTAKE
Trans fats and hydrogenated oils raise blood levels of LDL (bad cholesterol), increasing your risk of coronary heart disease. But eating healthier doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite snacks. Many potato, corn, and tortilla chips and even cookies are now made with healthier oils that don’t affect taste.

GET MOVING
Regular exercise prevents heart attack and stroke by lowering inflammation, reducing blood pressure, maintaining weight, and reducing stress. Even 90 minutes to 2 hours spread out over a week can lower risk, according to a 2007 Harvard University study.

CONTROL BLOOD PRESSURE
High blood pressure forces your heart to work harder, which is why it’s a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Get your blood pressure checked often and, if it’s high, talk to your doctor about ways to bring it down.

SUPPLEMENT
Adding natural, food-based supplements to a healthy diet may allow you to avoid medications. Learn how to choose a good supplement here.

Eczema: A Natural Approach

2009-07-09T10:42:00.000-07:00

I read a disturbing article in USA Today last week which said that a study conducted by Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine found that giving children with moderate to severe eczema diluted bleach baths reduced the severity of the disease. Source: USA Today

BLEACH ?? “Did you know that a pesticide is added to your washing machine to help keep your white clothes white? This pesticide is also found in many household cleaning products that contain a "disinfectant" to kill germs. And it is found in household products used to clean mold and mildew from your shower or tub. Can you guess what this pesticide is? Chlorine Bleach!

You wouldn't think that ordinary chlorine bleach is a pesticide - but it is. Because it kills bacteria- and viruses it is called a disinfectant or an antimicrobial pesticide. And because it kills fungi and molds it is also known as a fungicide.”
EPA.gov

“Breathing in the fumes of cleaners containing a high concentration of chlorine can irritate the lungs. This is particularly dangerous for people suffering from heart conditions or chronic respiratory problems such as asthma or emphysema. And the risks are compounded when the cleaners are used in small, poorly ventilated rooms, such as the bathroom. Chlorine is also a highly corrosive substance, capable of damaging skin, eyes, and other membranes. Chlorine was listed as a hazardous air pollutant in the 1990 Clean Air Act, and exposure to chlorine in the workplace is regulated by federal standards. (Source: care2)

Knowing that bleach isn’t something we really want to mess with, I started researching other safer means for dealing with the intense itching that can accompany eczema and also a natural approach to dealing with eczema in general. I thought about Epsom salts soaks and found the following information:

Relieve Eczema Skin Symptoms With An Epsom Salt Bath
By Evelyn Lym

It is hard not to go crazy with all that intense itching and scratching of your irritated eczema skin. Short of using strong steroids, there is one treatment that you can try to alleviate the itchy symptoms. You may wish to consider taking an Epsom salt bath.

An Epsom salt bath is not just any salt bath. There are actually different kinds of bath salts in the market today and you really need to choose the correct ones to treat your eczema. Solar salt, koshers salts are just like any rock salts that you use in your kitchen and offer no helpful benefits to your skin. Be careful not to use them as normal salts contain sodium chloride that can actually cause a drying out of your skin. A bath using normal salts is therefore not a good idea for an already dry skin prone to eczema outbreaks.

Epsom salts are basically made up of magnesium sulphate, a type of naturally occurring mineral. Magnesium is responsible in regulating the body enzymes. Since it is an electrolyte, magnesium sulphate can improve the function of the muscles and nerves. It also ensures the proper usage of calcium in our body's cells. As an eczema treatment, it helps to reduce skin inflammation and alleviate pain.
An Epsom salt bath is a great way to acquire magnesium in the body because the skin can easily absorb it. More importantly, an Epsom salt bath is becoming popular in treating eczema because it assists in removing unwanted acids out of your skin. Soaking yourself in the bath is therapeutic as it also helps reduce stress and muscular pains.

Here is a simple recipe on getting started with your own soothing Epsom salt bath:
450 grams Epsom salts, 1 tsp. Calendula oil, 5 drops patchouli oil,
7-10 drops lavender oil

You can actually do without the oils if you are unable to find them. Simply add a cup of Epsom salts in to a tub with warm water. Avoid using soaps when taking an Epsom salt bath or else it would obstruct the healing action of the salts. You can soak for about 15 minutes and gently give your skin a good gentle rub. (Take note: Gentle rub not scrub!) Try not to get chilled and over dried. A warning to people who are diagnosed with edema, heart problems or high blood pressure- soaking in a bath salt may prove to be harmful. Frail people, like aged people, are advised not to use salt baths at all.
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Shaklee has introduced a wonderful line of Baby Care products that you might be interested in too.

Four Simple Ways To Clean Up At Home

2009-05-21T13:19:00.000-07:00

1. Educate yourself about what you're bringing into your home. For more information, check out the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Household Products Database. http://www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/

2. Out with the old... Once you know what's safe & healthy for your home and your environment, it's time to get rid of the harmful stuff. You'll want to be careful with cleaning agents containing harmful chemicals and compounds, though... your local waste collection service should be able to advise you on how to properly dispose of these hazardous wastes from abrasive cleaning agents to batteries, paint, and other household chemicals.

3. Before bringing an item into your home, consider the impact it will have on you, your family, your home, and your planet. A good rule of thumb is to keep your home environment as natural as possible-- this will also help keep your house- AND THOSE YOU LOVE- safe and healthy. Keep fresh air abundant by opening windows, using indoor plants, and freshening with essential oils instead of chemical-containing air fresheners. Use organic, recycled, and renewable home furnishings, furniture, and other household goods whenever possible. And, of course, when cleaning your home look for products that are all natural, non-toxic, biodegradable, and hypo-allergenic. If these products are also concentrated, they'll save you money and last longer.

4. Save your energy bill - and the planet! Saving energy won't just impact you and your family but the whole planet. If everyone did all they could in their home to save energy, the changes would really add up. Unplug appliances when they're not in use to prevent use of "phantom energy," and turn off lights when you're not in a room. Save water by using low-flush toilets, low-flow toilets and shower heads, and a tank-less water heater in your home.

There is so much we can do right at home to make a difference. Even if you made just one change, the long-term effects would be tremendous!

Earth Day Tip #3

2009-03-27T12:48:00.000-07:00

#3 START USING NON-TOXIC CLEANERS AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS. How soon can you switch brands to safe alternatives? I am talking about cleaners & laundry products, skin care, cosmetics, shampoo & conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste, baby care products…all the things you use every day. Switch to products that will give you and your family peace of mind.

Earth Day Tip #2

2009-03-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

#2 GO THROUGH YOUR BATHROOM, KITCHEN, LAUNDRY, GARAGE, AND YARD. As you go, dump Febreze, Clorox, Listerine and other toxic products.

This information may shock you! This is not from a "kook" source! To find out what's lurking on your shelves, click here: the National Institutes of Health Library of Medicine Household Products Database.

You can search almost any brand of product you use daily, find out what's in it, and uncover its links to health effects.

Or search by chemical ingredients (see list below for some examples) and discover what brands contain it. Chemical ingredients to look out for: (Click on each) Sodium Hydroxide, Hydrochloric acid, Butyl cellosolve (2-Butoxyethanol), Formaldehyde, Bleach (sodium hypochlorite), Ammonia, Sulfamic Acid, Petroleum distillates, Sulfuric acid, Lye (potassium hydroxide), Morpholine.

One or even a thousand exposures may not be "that" harmful...but millions of exposures over time from hundreds of products is. Did you know that women at home have a 54% higher risk of cancer? And that a study linked that statistic to harmful household cleaners? Let's turn that around NOW!

SAVE THIS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE: http://www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/products.htm

Earth Day Tips

2009-03-20T10:55:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is just around the corner (April 22).
Over the next few days, I am going to share with you some quick and simple things you can do right away to make your surroundings healthier for you and those you love.

Remember just ONE SMALL ACTION can make a REALLY BIG DIFFERENCE!

#1 Watch TOXIC BREW. Invest just 20 minutes of your time for this Canadian "MarketPlace" TV show. It's shocking to see name brand cleaners full of harmful hidden chemicals--which especially affect the health of kids and pets in your home. Go to, Watch Toxic Brew then scroll down and on the right side you will see “Watch the Story.” Click on RealVideo.

5 Things Women Can Do For A Healthy Heart

2009-02-11T10:30:00.000-08:00

This morning Good Morning America had a wonderful segment about women and heart health. This is stuff we all, as women, need to know. February is heart health month, so please go to this link: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=6850404&page=1 and then do whatever it takes to make sure YOU have a healthy heart! Everyone who loves you will say THANKS!

ABC News: Oz's Top 5 Healthy Tips for Women

2009-02-06T11:17:00.001-08:00

ABC News: Oz's Top 5 Healthy Tips for Women

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2009-01-24T15:31:00.000-08:00

HOW DO YOU SELECT GOOD QUALITY SUPPLEMENTS?

We are living in a health-crazed society. There are so many different companies out their selling so many different vitamins and supplements. So how do you know which brands are good and which are just a waste of money?

Here are some questions and answers to guide you:

Q. How do I know what is in my vitamin; can I trust what the label says?
A. Unfortunately, some manufacturers’ labels do not accurately reflect their supplements’ contents and there is very little legal pressure for them to do so. Nobody is proactively watching out for consumer safety, much less monitoring label claims or ensuring efficacy. Manufacturers are legally obligated to formulate their supplements to only 90% of their label claim (Do you find that shocking?). Since they know they probably won’t get caught, some formulate to only 60% (or less) of claim. That means that what you see is not necessarily what you get, and poor quality products may contain ingredients and impurities never listed on the label.

Your best bet is to buy from a company you trust and educate yourself about the products you buy. For instance, call your supplement company and ask them questions about their formulation standards, ingredient sources and bio-availability tests. If you get lots of marketing hype and little useful information look elsewhere. (You have to listen carefully because they can make it sound really good when it’s not).

Q. How can I be sure I am digesting & absorbing the vitamins I take?
A. Individual supplement manufacturers may conduct their own dissolutions and bioavailability tests, or may pay to have them conducted by third-party labs. Good manufacturers will also take care to supply nutrients in dosages, combinations and ratios that encourage their proper absorption and interaction. Know your supplement company - their philosophy, formulating, testing and quality-control methods - that’s your best guide.

Q. What should I look for in a multivitamin?
A. ABOVE ALL look for a a reputable dietary supplement company. “Reputable” means they have their products analyzed and tested by third-party independent labs and that they have developed their products with quality and optimal health (vs. just high profit margins) in mind.
Don’t assume that just because a multi is a best-selling brand and shows 100% of most Daily Values that it is a good product. Some of the leading brands, and yes, even some very expensive ones, offer poor quality formulations that ignore important nutrients and use cheap ingredients. A good product will contain natural vitamin E (d-tocopherol vs. synthetic dl-tocopherol), won’t skip on expensive ingredients like biotin, and won’t overlook important trace minerals and amino acids.

There are good quality supplements out there. You just have to do your own due-diligence and not depend on marketing hype as your method of selection. GOOD LUCK!

2009-01-19T08:36:00.000-08:00

Is it possible to live longer and look younger? Maybe!!

Eating Organic

2008-11-04T15:57:00.000-08:00

Here's a great web site and video that complement my previous post:

http://healthychild.org/resources/video_library_comments/eating_organic/

Why Supplement?

2008-11-04T14:24:00.000-08:00

There are many reasons why we should consider adding nutritional supplements to our daily diet and I would like to talk about a few of them.

1. Our food isn't like it used to be. My grandparents were farmers. We ate true free-range chickens, pork and beef. And the eggs were straight from Mother Nature, too. Today, ever-increasing amounts of pesticides, fertilizers, hormones, antibiotics, additives and perservatives are being added to our food supply.

2. Our food isn't like it used to be....there are ever-decreasing amounts of nutrients in our foods today. Nutrient content is lost first of all due to nutrient depletion of the soil. Secondly, early harvesting, transporting, storage, cooking, overprocessing and pasteurization further decrease the nutrient content of our food supply. I remember several years ago I was in south Florida and noticed trucks in the fields loaded to overflowing with round, green things...tomatoes! No wonder they are hard and tasteless - and nutrient poor.

Many people use the excuse that they get all they need from their diet. Do they really? Studies have been done which say that we don't. 96% of the US population dies of a disease. We are NOT getting proper nutrition. The American Medical Association says "...it appears prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplements."

Today's foods may fill our stomachs, but they do not feed and fortify our cells. Is it worth the risk not to supplement?

OK, so now you have decided you want to start taking vitamins. How do pick a brand? Stay tuned...

Good Health: It All Starts In The Cell

2008-10-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

All living things begin as a cell. The human body has trillions of cells. Each one of these cells works 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to keep the body functioning. The basic needs of a cell are water, oxygen, protein (a large part of each cell) and carbohydrates, essential fats, vitamins and minerals.

I like to compare our bodies to a house. If you build the house with inferior materials, you are going to have drafts, leaks, cracks in the foundation, etc. Our bodies are no different. Feed them proteins laden with animal fat, fast food carbs with very little or no nutritional value, fruits and veggies covered with pesticides...get the picture? You aren't going to build strong healthy cells. Unhealthy cells = disease.

Next time: Why supplement?