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February 9, 2011

Cure for cold

Common cold

I stumbled on this article in the Parade magazine and was shocked.

Millions of dollars are spent on a very scientific research. By very scientific people. Like this one.

Dr. Birgit Winther, an otolaryngologist and part of a cold-research team at the University of Virginia, is one of the top experts on the subject. For 30 years, this tidy, petite scientist has studied the untidy subject of sneezes, coughs, and runny noses. She’s the kind of fearless researcher who weighs dirty tissues, harvests mucus from swollen nostrils, and smears it on phones and light switches.

She suggest a few “simple” remedies. Dr. Winther calls drugs “simple remedies”!

Treat the individual symptoms that bother you most,” Winther advises. Her step-by-step plan: At the first sign of symptoms, take ibuprofen to ease sore throat, headache, and malaise. If a stuffy nose is a problem, add an OTC nasal spray. For a runny nose, use a prescription spray (especially useful if you must be around people the first three days of a cold, the most contagious time). Old-style antihistamines, such as Benadryl or Chlor-Trimeton, can also alleviate congestion and sneezes but may make you drowsy

Great!

common cold

Tea and honey

Meanwhile the distinguished learned doctors are forgetting about very simple way to prevent cold and to get rid of cold quickly. My grandmother taught me a few tricks.

Like dress warm when it is cold outside! Like several layers of clothes, warm socks and shoes. Don’t forget the gloves. Put the heat on.

Don’t drink cold drinks. Forget the ice cream!

My own advise: stay fit and healthy. Then your immune system will do the job.

But if you get the cold forget the pills!

Hot tea with lemon and honey tastes better than ibuprofen that ruins your liver!

And chicken soup is much better for you and more pleasant than nasal spray.

For a runny nose, use a prescription spray”

Prescription spray? Why don’t you use the spray, doctor and I will get by with facial tissue for a day or two!

Old-style antihistamines, such as Benadryl or Chlor-Trimeton, can also alleviate congestion and sneezes but may make you drowsy”

I honestly would prefer to get drowsy with the help of some good Bourbon!

“Whatever you do, Winther cautions, do not take antibiotics. They kill bacteria, not viruses. Doctors prescribe them more than 40 million times a year, which has led to more lethal, drug-resistant strains of bacteria.”

A agree about the antibiotics

And finally my advise: go to this site and thousands of other sites to get some GOOD advise.

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/cold-remedies

Just use common sense and forget the drugs!

And forget Dr. Birgit Winther!

January 31, 2011

The debate is raging on how to help sick people. I do not hear a lot about how to help people not to get sick.

In the long run this is the way to cut cost.

About health care…. again. And about personal responsibility.

Obesity in America
Healthcare

Here is the plan.

Get educated in what you eat, when to eat and how often you eat. Watch what you drink.

Information is available – watch the movies: Sicko, Food. Inc, Sweet Misery, World according to Monsanto

Exercise regularly. Why do some people take pills every day but neglect to exercise?

I would ban the escalators in the USA for the first three floors. Use your legs. You legs are designed for it.

I have noticed that when I go to the gym, people go up the escalator, work out and go down the escalator.

Only in America.

Watching too much TV

Alone with the TV

Caring, well-meaning parents drive their kids a half a block to the school bus stop, kids sit in the bus, sit in school, go back home sitting on a bus, and their caring parents drive them to the TV or computer.

Bus exhaust pollutes the air we breathe. We can stop buying Arab oil if we just use common sense and use our body’s abilities to move by itself. And we would save a bunch on health care because, if we would not be so lazy, we would have health not sickness. And because we would get healthier, we will not be stressed out so much about health insurance cost.

Trust yourself more then your doctor. I meet my doctor in the gym. Every time he seems to be surprised that I am in a better shape then he is. Why is he surprised? Have you seen doctors that look worse then their patients? Next appointment, pay attention to what shape your doctor is. Does your doctor look healthy? If not – change your doctor.

How can doctors help others if they cannot help themselves?

Eat in moderation

Do not “pig out”. You are supposed to enjoy your meal, not destroy it. Do not worry – you will have food to eat when you will get hungry.

Vote with your wallet. Do not buy junk, especially for kids. Sugar drives them crazy. It is not ADD or ADHD. It is sugar and lifestyle. Kids need to exercise. They need to use their energy. It is OK if they get a few bumps and bruises. Our kids get sick all the time by being around other kids – colds, ear infections, pink eye, etc. We understand the dangers and are used to it.

But why are we afraid of bumps and bruises? Bumps and bruises do not create chronic diseases, constant colds and infections do.

Take control of your life and your health. Do not count on doctors, government and insurance companies to do it for you.

Because if we do, we are not any better then chickens in one of the industrialized farms.

The difference is, we have a choice.

Not much to add here.

January 20, 2011

A new lifestyle – a new you! Transitions is a comprehensive lifestyle system designed to help you achieve your weight loss goals and be healthy!

Transitions is an extensive plan that covers everything you’ll need to get fit and trim, not just a set of foods you can or cannot eat. In fact, a big part of the Transitions Lifestyle System is helping you make healthy choices while still eating a normal, diverse diet!

The plan doesn’t focus just on food like many other systems. The Transitions Lifestyle System™ provides a total-system approach that promotes healthy food choices, behavior modification and menu plans.

The Transitions Lifestyle System includes: low-glycemic index (GI) meal plans, a daily journal to guide you, weight-management supplements to accelerate weight loss, entrees, bars and shakes to keep you on track, behavior modification and support materials to ensure your success, an interactive Web site to track your progress and more!

January 6, 2011

 doctors are scrambling to become better nutrition and exercise coaches

Wellness not drugs

As insurers focus on lifestyle, doctors are scrambling to become better nutrition and exercise coaches

Has your doctor ever given you an Rx for exercise? June Chapman got one last summer, a first for the 87-year-old retiree in San Marcos, Calif. “You sit on a chair, arms at your side,” she says of the exercise her internist prescribed, “then rise up and sit back down on it. Every day. Repeat as often as you can.”
Chapman’s doctor was a little ahead of the curve in recommending this kind of chairobic activity. Starting Jan. 1, all 46.6 million Medicare beneficiaries become eligible for wellness visits.
The essence of the Time article is about the change in Medicare reimbursement practices mandated under Title IV of the new Affordable Care Act that allows physicians to be reimbursed for Annual Wellness Visits (AWV’s) and Personalized Prevention Plan Services (PPPS) for their Medicare patients.
Starting January 1, 2011 all 46 million Medicare recipients are eligible for annual Wellness visits. A Wellness visit is different form the regular Doctor’s appointment where the senior talks about illness, sickness and chronic disease. The focus here is not on getting on yet another medication, but changing behaviors that make those medications necessary.
The Wellness appointment will be about lifestyle changes, making better dietary choices and just taking the time to stress health instead of disease. This will be a chance to really sit down with your doctor and talk about your nutrition, how much exercise you get and identify bad habits.
The article questions whether most physicians are equipped to create ‘personalized prevention plans’ for their patients: “There is no question Americans need to stop smoking, eat less junk food and get more exercise. But can physicians – may of whom have little training in nutrition or exercise coaching – succeed in altering behaviors?”
Virginia Garberding, R.N.
Director of Education, The Wealshire, Lincolnshire, Illinois
Because preventive services are part and of CMS’ initiative to administer the Medicare program in a cost-effective manner, this benefit is being rolled out effective January 1, 2011.  The AWV is a preventive physical exam that includes personal prevention plan services (PPPS).
A variety of preventive services, from immunizations to colonoscopies, is due to be covered without cost to consumers under new insurance plans as part of the health care reform bill.
Under the new rules, if you enroll in a new health plan on or after Sept. 23, 2010, the plan must provide recommended preventive care services without cost-sharing such as co-pays or deductibles.
Preventive Care: The Impact

No pills!

The new regulations represent a fundamental shift in how health care is addressed. “We are shifting form health care coverage meaning coverage for the sick to meaning coverage to keep you well.”

The aim is “to create a healthier country.”
”Chronic disease such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and others are responsible for seven of 10 deaths among American each year and account for 75% of the nation’s health care spending,” Cutter says.
The co-pays and other out-of-pocket costs to help prevent these problems are a stumbling block. For instance,  ”12% of children have not had a doctor’s visit within the last year and receive recommended care less than half the time.”
Over time, between today and 2013, the new preventive care provisions will help an estimated 88 million Americans get preventive care, including those in group and individual plans, according to government estimates. Under many large employer plans, these services have been covered for some time.
There are leaders who established an organization to train medical professionals such as nutraMetrix Educational Institute.
nutraMetrix is the principal corporate sponsor of the nutraMetrix Educational Institute (nEI), a non profit, 501 c3 organization providing accredited continuing health professional education in nutrition, and nutraceutical applications.
The mission of the nutraMetrix Educational Institute is to educate and enlighten all health professionals on the role of nutrition and nutraceutical applications for clinical practice.

December 25, 2010

Your DNA and aging

Telomere shortening

Just as those plastic nibs keep your shoelaces from fraying, cellular tips called telomeres protect your DNA from fraying when cells divide. When telomeres are tattered, they’re harder to use. That’s what causes cells to stop dividing and growing and replenishing your body — which means more aging for you.

Lengthier telomeres are associated with longer life. In addition, they keep chromosomes intact. Telomeres are known to shorten with age. The major aging markers are oxidation, inflammation and sugar.
The 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded for telomere research.
“The question of how cellular aging relates to abnormal cell division, such as cancer, and the aging of organisms continues to be the focus of rigorous study, thanks to the insights of Drs. Greider, Blackburn and Szostak, ” said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.
Modern medicine, pharmacology, nutrition and exercise are known to extend life. Examples of  life extension products and processes are, antioxidants, diet, gum hygiene, clean water, hazardous chemical cleanup, air purification, refrigeration, nutrition, exercise and reduced smoking.
20 telomere foods are described. These foods have a strong association with longer life. Examples are blueberries, grapefruit, almonds, avocado, cabbage, veggies, beets, arame, wakame, tomato, tea (white, green, black), salmon, garlic and broccoli .
In people older than 60, those with the shortest telomeres have been shown to be three times more likely to die from heart disease and eight times more likely to die from an infectious disease than those with longer telomeres.
Shorter-than-usual telomeres have also been found in many cancers, including those of the pancreas, bone, prostate, bladder, lung, kidney and head and neck.

Aging and lifestyle

Healthy lifestyle

The most stressed-out women have enough telomere shortening to make themselves 10 years older; moms of disabled children also tend to have shortened telomeres. So do pessimists.

Researchers have shown that meditation, coupled with walking and a diet change — toward healthy choices only — lengthens your telomeres. Other researchers are studying whether mindful meditation alone can preserve telomere length.
Get an attitude.
Worrying about pounds, food choices and calories is associated with shorter telomeres, according to a University of California San Francisco study of constant dieters.
Step off the diet roller-coaster and achieve a consistent lower weight, and longer telomeres, with exercise and a meal plan packed with vegetables, fruit, whole grains,  lean protein and good fats from foods including fish, nuts and avocados.
Telomeres, in one study, were longest in those eating the most vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruit, strawberries and red bell peppers, and vitamin E-rich foods, such as whole grains.
Antioxidants in green tea

Drink green tea

Add salmon, trout, olive oil and a cup of tea — or two or three. Researchers in Hong Kong found the longest telomeres in men who drank three cups of green tea or sometimes black tea a day.

Almonds

Author: Nate
December 12, 2010

Are almonds good for you?

Raw almonds

Health benefits of Almonds

Almond nuts are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals and packed with numerous healths promoting phyto-chemicals; This kind of well balanced food offers protection against diseases and cancers.
These nuts are rich source of energy and nutrients. They are especially, rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic and palmitoleic acids that help to lower LDL or “bad cholesterol” and increase HDL or “good cholesterol”.  Research studies suggest that Mediterranean diet which is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids helps to prevent coronary artery disease and strokes by favoring healthy blood lipid profile.
The nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E; contain about 25 g per100 g (about 170% of RDA). vitamin E is a powerful lipid soluble antioxidant, required for maintaining the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin by protecting it from harmful oxygen free radicals.
Almonds are free of gluten and, therefore are a popular ingredient in the preparation of gluten free food formulas.  These formula preparations are in fact healthy alternatives in people with wheat food allergy and celiac disease.
These nuts are packed with many important B-complex group of vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, and folates.
Almonds are also rich source of minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium.
Are almonds safe for you?
Almonds are one of the most useful and wonderful of seeds (it is not a nut as many people would have you believe). It has a unique taste and its excellent suitability for use in cooking have made it one of the most popular ingredients in pastry kitchens for centuries.
The most flavorsome almonds are bitter almonds (as opposed to “sweet” almonds). They have the strongest scent and are the most popular in many countries.
But there is one problem: they are full of cyanide. Before consumption, bitter almonds must be processed to remove the poison. Despite this requirement, some countries make the sale of bitter almonds illegal  Heating destroys the poison. In fact, you may not know that it is now illegal in the USA to sell raw almonds – all almonds sold are now heat-treated to remove traces of poison and bacteria. The almonds are labeled as raw because the steam pasteurization of almonds is an industry standard and all almonds that have been steam pasteurized will be labeled in this manner not just Trader Joe’s. If you are looking for almonds that have not been pasteurized please look in our stores for a country of origin labeling,
Ther is a controversy about pasterising almonds. Here is one opinion: Pasteurization not only kills the micro-organisms in the nut, but also the nut itself. A nut is a seed, and if you plant it, it will grow – it has life-force. Cooking the nut kills the life-force, so if you plant it it will not grow. The enzymes that make the seed viable also help our bodies digest it. Furthermore, heating the nut destroys those delicate polyunsaturated fatty acids in them, making them rancid, and therefore what was once a nutritious food now becomes at best questionable, at worst, harmful.
Also..
The almond is one of the oldest known aphrodisiacs and fertility symbol. It’s even mentioned in the Bible as Samson courted Delilah with fragrant almond branches. In India they use the kernel of the almond in healing premature ejaculation. The nutrients and scent of the almond is one of the all time favorites for many pursuits of love and seduction, not to mention plain healthy eating.
The aroma of the almond is known arouse women particularly. Ancient Persians used to put almonds in with flower petals to perfume them before adding them to desserts to gain the sensual benefits this wonderful smell provides. You can find a large variety of almond scented bath and body products. Almond scented candles can help set a romantic ambience that can be hard to resist.

December 9, 2010


 

prevention of diabetes

Run from Diabetes!

The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) was a major multicenter clinical research study aimed at discovering whether modest weight loss through dietary changes and increased physical activity or treatment with the oral diabetes drug metformin (Glucophage) could prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in study participants. At the beginning of the DPP, participants were all overweight and had blood glucose, also called blood sugar, levels higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes—a condition called pre-diabetes.
 
The DPP found that participants who lost a modest amount of weight through dietary changes and increased physical activity sharply reduced their chances of developing diabetes.
Taking metformin also reduced risk, although less dramatically. The DPP resolved its research questions earlier than projected and, following the recommendation of an external monitoring board, the study was halted a year early. The researchers published their findings in the February 7, 2002, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The study of two groups.
The first group, called the lifestyle intervention group, received intensive training in diet, physical activity, and behavior modification. By eating less fat and fewer calories and exercising for a total of 150 minutes a week, they aimed to lose 7 percent of their body weight and maintain that loss.
The second group took 850 mg of metformin twice a day.
The third group received placebo pills instead of metformin. The metformin and placebo groups also received information about diet and exercise but no intensive motivational counseling. A fourth group was treated with the drug troglitazone (Rezulin), but this part of the study was discontinued after researchers discovered that troglitazone can cause serious liver damage. The participants in this group were followed but not included as one of the intervention groups.
The first group—those receiving intensive individual counseling and motivational support on effective diet, exercise, and behavior modification—reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent. This finding was true across all participating ethnic groups and for both men and women. Lifestyle changes worked particularly well for participants aged 60 and older, reducing their risk by 71 percent. About 5 percent of the lifestyle intervention group developed diabetes each year during the study period, compared with 11 percent of those in the placebo group.
The second group taking metformin reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 31 percent. Metformin was effective for both men and women, but it was least effective in people aged 45 and older. Metformin was most effective in people 25 to 44 years old and in those with a body mass index of 35 or higher, meaning they were at least 60 pounds overweight. About 7.8 percent of the metformin group developed diabetes each year during the study, compared with 11 percent of the group receiving the placebo.
Metformin possible side effects (drugs.com)

Prevention works better than pills

Would rather go for a walk

Possible side effects using Metformin:

Diarrhea; gas; headache; indigestion; nausea; stomach upset; temporary metallic taste; vomiting.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Metformin:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); chest pain or discomfort; dizziness or lightheadedness; fast or difficult breathing; feeling of being unusually cold; fever, chills, or persistent sore throat; general feeling of being unwell; muscle pain or weakness; slow or irregular heartbeat; unusual drowsiness; unusual or persistent stomach pain or discomfort; unusual tiredness or weakness.
So again eat right and exercise! And don’t use pills if you don’t have to! But you can try natural supplements.

My advise: no pills if at all possible.

How to protect yourself during flu season

Here we go again!

Here is some more information.

Vitamin D
In a study published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, children who took daily vitamin D supplements (1,200 IU) were 40 percent less likely to get a common flu virus than kids who took a placebo. Laboratory studies indicate that the nutrient may help immune cells identify and destroy bacteria and viruses that make us sick, says Adit Ginde, M.D., M.P.H., a public health researcher at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver.
Eat fish. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish and in other foods such as walnuts, flaxseeds and canola oil are known to boost the immune system and reduce inflammation in the body.
Green tea
Polyphenols, potent plant antioxidants, are what’s believed to give green tea its immune-boosting effects. One laboratory study suggested that a particular type of polyphenols called catechins may kill influenza viruses. To maximize benefits and minimize bitterness, use just-below-boiling water and steep green tea no more than a minute or two. A little lemon and honey can also help blunt the bitterness. But don’t add milk, because the proteins will bind to the polyphenols, making them ineffective.
Soluble Fiber
Mice that ate a diet rich in soluble fiber for six weeks recovered from a bacterial infection in half the time it took mice that chowed on meals containing mixed fiber, according to a recent study in the journal Brain, Behavior and Immunity. Soluble fiber—abundant in citrus fruits, apples, carrots, beans and oats—helps fight inflammation, says lead author Christina Sherry, Ph.D., R.D., of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Insoluble fiber—found in wheat, whole grains, nuts and green leafy vegetables—is still important for overall health, but it doesn’t seem to have the same impact on immunity. Strive for 25 to 38 grams of total fiber a day, Sherry says, paying extra attention to getting the soluble kind.
Monounsaturated fats in foods such as olive oil and wheat germ also protect our bodies from microorganisms, bacteria and viruses. In fact, researchers have found that diets low in fat weaken the immune system and increase depression.
Antioxidants
Brightly colored greens and other vegetables also contain large doses of immune-enhancing antioxidants that help fight wintertime illnesses. So, load up on strawberries, cantaloupe, blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and sweet potatoes – all a boon for your immune system.
Vitamin C is one of the safest and most effective nutrients, experts say. It may not be the cure for the common cold (though it’s thought to help prevent more serious complications). But the benefits of vitamin C may include protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling.
ost of the studies Moyad and his colleagues examined used 500 daily milligrams of vitamin C to achieve health results. That’s much higher than the RDA of 75-90 milligrams a day for adults. So unless you can eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, you may need to take a dietary supplement of vitamin C to gain all the benefits, Moyad says. He suggests taking 500 milligrams a day, in addition to eating five servings of fruits and vegetables.
Another suggestion from me:
Even in the winter try to get some sun exposure!

December 8, 2010

1. Milk is good for you.

Milk is good for your muscles

Good for you?

by David Zinczenko
Plenty of new research says that we should be drinking more milk, not less. In fact, swapping soda, juice, sweetened iced teas, and other beverages for milk might be one major reason why Americans are gaining weight at such a rapid pace. Milk not only helps boost protein intake and cut down on sugar, but consuming calcium through dairy foods such as milk may actually reduce the fat absorption from other foods. Who wouldn’t want that?
Milk is one of the best muscle foods on the planet. Milk is full of high-quality protein: about 80 percent casein and 20 percent whey. Whey is known as a “fast protein” because it’s quickly broken down into amino acids and absorbed into the bloodstream—perfect for post-workout consumption. Casein, on the other hand, is digested more slowly—ideal for providing your body with a steady supply of smaller amounts of protein for a longer period of time, such as between meals or while you sleep.
It is true that hormones and antibiotics have never been part of a cow’s natural diet, and they have been shown to have adverse effects on the animals. Canadian researchers, for example, discovered that cows given hormones are more likely to contract an udder infection called mastitis.
2. Milk is bad for you

Lactose intolerance

Got milk?

In our most recent past, American women have been consuming an average of two pounds of milk per day for their entire lives, yet thirty million American women have osteoporosis. Does this make sense?
In short, drinking milk does not prevent bone loss. The shocking part is that bone loss is actually accelerated by ingesting too much protein which forces the body to leech calcium from the bones to lower the acid level in the body. It’s not how much calcium you eat. It’s how much calcium you prevent from leaving your bones.
“Osteoporosis is caused by a number of things, one of the most important being too much dietary protein.”
Science 1986;233(4763)
“Countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis, such as the United States, England, and Sweden, consume the most milk. China and Japan, where people eat much less protein and dairy food, have low rates of osteoporosis.”
Nutrition Action Healthletter, June, 1993
“There is no significant association between teenaged milk consumption and the risk of adult fractures. Data indicate that frequent milk consumption and higher dietary calcium intakes in middle aged women do not provide protection against hip or forearm fractures… women consuming greater amounts of calcium from dairy foods had significantly increased risks of hip fractures, while no increase in fracture risk was observed for the same levels of calcium from nondairy sources.”
12-year Harvard study of 78,000 women American Journal of Public Health 1997;87
“Consumption of dairy products, particularly at age 20 years, were associated with an increased risk of hip fractures…metabolism of dietary protein causes increased urinary excretion of calcium. “
American Journal of Epidemiology 1994;139
Another factor is milk(lactose) digestion ability.
Human Biology, Oct 1997
“In most of the world’s population the ability to digest lactose declines sharply after infancy. High lactose digestion capacity in adults is common only in populations of European and circum-Mediterranean origin and is thought to be an evolutionary adaptation to millennia of drinking milk from domestic livestock.”
The physiological cause of high lactose digestion capacity (LDC) in adulthood is the retention of high levels of lactase in the small intestine beyond infancy (lactase persistance), which contrasts with the standard mammalian developmental pattern of a steep decline in small intestine lactose levels after infancy (Flatz 1987).
In other words to drink a lot of milk is not normal!
Milk can also be consumed in a processed form, such as cheese or soured milk, which has a reduced lactose content.
It appears milk may be good for your muscles but bad for your bones.
So my conclusion: If you like to drink milk-buy organic and drink it in moderation.

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