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Featured in May's Health issue:
· 1. HEALTH BYTES: Facts and Tips for Better Living!
· 2.
SPECIAL REPORTS:
a. TOP 10 REASONS TO HIRE A PERSONAL TRAINER
b. SOME TIPS TO IMPROVE MACULAR DEGENERATION
· 3. INFORMATION SITES:
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1. HEALTH BYTES:
AIR CLEANING HOUSEPLANTS --
Some common houseplants can help reduce the presence of potentially harmful
chemicals in the air of your home. For the best results, have one of the
following houseplants for every 100 square feet of room - fern, dracaena, and
philodendron. Trimming them back a few times per year will also help the plant
release more of the emissions that counteract harmful air toxins.
MICROWAVING CAN ZAP NUTRITIONAL
BENEFITS --
Researchers have found certain methods of preparation and cooking, such as
microwaving, can cause vegetables to lose some key nutritional benefits. The
study, published in the "Journal of the Science of Food and
Agriculture," analyzed various cooking methods of broccoli. The
researchers found microwaved broccoli had lost 97 percent, 74 percent, and 87
percent of three major antioxidant compounds - flavonoids, sinapics, and
caffeoyl-quinic derivatives, respectively - which are thought to have
cancer-fighting properties. On the other hand, steamed broccoli had lost only
11 percent, none, and 8 percent, respectively, of the same health-promoting
compounds. Co-author Dr. Cristina Garcia-Viguera says most of these compounds
are water soluble so that during heating they leach in a high percentage to the
cooking water, reducing the food's nutritional benefits. She said to cook
veggies in a minimal amount of water to retain their nutritional benefits.
GINGER ALE FOR UPSET STOMACH --
Flat ginger ale to tame a troubled tummy? Apparently, Mom was on to something.
Sipping flat ginger ale has long been considered a folk remedy for stomach
upset, but studies have now proven that ginger may help ease the severity of
nausea and vomiting. To get relief, you can try flat ginger ale, ginger tea, or
ginger supplements (250 milligrams, 4 times per day). No serious side effects -
only minor heartburn - have been reported from using ginger supplements to
settle your stomach.
GLUCOSAMINE HELPS IBUPROFEN --
Glucosamine, which occurs naturally in the body and can be bought as a
supplement, helps boost the pain relieving power of ibuprofen. A study by
Temple University researchers, found in the "Journal of Pharmacology and
Experimental Therapeutics," suggests the combination could allow patients
to take a lower dose of ibuprofen and get the same pain relief with fewer unwanted
side effects. Glucosamine is used to treat osteoarthritis but while it has been
shown to prevent and repair bone and cartilage damage, researchers had not
shown glucosamine actually blocks pain. They ultimately found that
glucosamine's pain-relieving properties are a side effect of its ability to
repair bone damage.
CHILDREN NEED CALCIUM -- Two recent studies confirm that sufficient calcium intake is essential to children's growth and development. An American Medical Association study cites poor calcium intake during peak bone growth periods, as well as change in daily physical activity, as likely causes for an increase in adolescent forearm fractures during 1999 to 2001 compared to 30 years prior. A second study finds nearly 9 out of 10 teenage girls and 7 out of 10 teenage boys fail to get the recommended amount of calcium in their diets. The study found adolescent boys who consume three servings of milk a day have twice the increase in bone density as those who drank juice. The same boys had higher intakes of calcium, as well as vitamins A and D.
NUTRITIONAL THERAPY FOR ALLERGIES
--
Allergy symptoms occur when your body's immune system overreacts to substances
in your environment, such as cat dander, dust, or pollen, and starts fighting
them as if they were bacteria or viruses by releasing a biochemical called
histamine. The tendency for allergies is inherited. But some doctors believe
that a healthy diet and certain nutritional supplements can balance your immune
system, keeping it strong but not over reactive. For the best
allergy-alleviating action, add Magnesium and Vitamin C to your daily dietary
supplementation. Magnesium may ease breathing. This mineral helps relieve
constricted airways in the lungs. If you are going to add a magnesium
supplement to your diet, make sure the amount in your multi-vitamin and
additional supplement of magnesium do not exceed 350 mg combined. Vitamin C
stops histamine. Studies have shown that high levels of vitamin C help reduce
histamine release and make histamine break down faster once it is released.
Other studies have shown that vitamin C deficiency can send blood levels of
histamine soaring. The recommended daily amount is 100 to 500 mg. Bioflavonoids
help too. These chemical compounds, which are closely related to vitamin C, may
help reduce the body's release of symptom-producing histamine. The chemical
structure of bioflavonoids is similar to that of a drug used in asthma
inhalers. Experts recommend eating bioflavonoid-rich foods such as citrus
fruits, cherries, dark grapes, broccoli, and red and green peppers, and
drinking herbal teas.
TOMATOES BENEFIT HEART -- Adding tomatoes to your diet can benefit your ticker. According to researchers at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, downing a serving a day of a tomato-based product such as a glass of V8, some marinara sauce, or even a slice of pizza could lower your risk for heart disease by as much as 30%. To get going, start breakfast off by topping eggs with salsa or tomato slices on your English muffin with cream cheese.
CURING NIGHTTIME HEARTBURN --
Lots of people suffer from heartburn at night. Laying horizontally makes it
easier for acid to work its way up the thorax, causing great discomfort and
robbing the person of needed sleep. There are some things you can do to help
ease nighttime heartburn. One of the most common that doctors suggest is to
raise the head of the bed. There are adjustable beds available that allow the
person to set the elevation of the head of the bed. A cheaper way to do the
same thing is to buy a "bed wedge" that is a triangle of firm foam.
The person lays on the triangle to support the body from the waist up in an
incline. This is a great solution to not disturb anyone who may sleep in the
same bed with the person who suffers from nighttime heartburn. Be sure to allow
at least 2 hours between eating a meal and bedtime, and avoid alcohol, fatty
foods, citrus, and caffeine at least 2 hours before bedtime.
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2. SPECIAL REPORTS
Report 1: TOP 10 REASONS TO HIRE A PERSONAL TRAINER
Many people automatically equate personal training with gyms full of hard-core strength trainers and bodybuilders. This is only part of the picture. More and more people, novice and veteran exercisers alike, are working with personal trainers because they offer a practical and affordable means of getting and staying healthy. ACE, America's authority on fitness - http://www.acefitness.org - suggests the following top ten reasons why you should hire a personal trainer:
1. Motivation. Personal trainers wear many hats, serving not only as coach, but also as an educator, confidant, role model and a major source of motivation and encouragement.
2. Consistency. Do you find it difficult to stick to your program? Scheduling regular appointments with a personal trainer helps eliminate any excuses you may come up with for not exercising.
3. Safety. Are you unsure about how to use the chest-press machine at the gym or how to perform walking lunges without hurting your knees? A personal trainer will show you how to exercise safely (including which exercises to avoid), and instruct you on the proper and safe use of exercise equipment.
4. Individualized instruction. An exercise program that works for one person may not work for another. A personal trainer will develop the most effective program for you based on your fitness evaluation results and personal goals.
5. Effective workouts. Today's hectic lifestyles mean you do not have time to waste on ineffective exercise routines. Personal trainers help maximize your time by providing workouts designed to meet your goals quickly and efficiently.
6. Supervision. Personal attention during exercise is the primary function of personal trainers. Need someone to spot you while you do pull-ups? Looking for feedback on your running form? That is what your personal trainer is for: to observe, assist and, if necessary, correct as needed.
7. Sports-specific training. Many amateur and professional athletes work with a personal trainer during the off-season to prepare themselves for regular season competition. Whether you want to shave some strokes off your golf score or beat your brother-in-law at tennis, a personal trainer can tailor your program to your sport of choice.
8. Injury rehabilitation. Injuries and accidents can prevent you from participating in your favorite activities. An experienced personal trainer, however, can make the road to recovery a smooth one by recommending exercises that emphasize overall muscular balance to prevent future injuries.
9. Special-needs training. Research confirms that individuals with health challenges such as diabetes, asthma, osteoporosis, or heart disease benefit greatly from regular physical activity. These conditions, however, can make exercising safely a challenge. Many personal trainers are experienced in designing programs that address the special needs of these and other conditions.
10. Ego boost. It is a fact - feeling good makes you look good, and vice-versa. Not only can personal trainers help you achieve your health and fitness goals, they provide you with positive feedback on your performance and bolster your confidence to take on new challenges.
Report 2: SOME TIPS TO IMPROVE MACULAR DEGENERATION
Until recently, macular degeneration was considered a discouraging eye disorder. Most patients are told there is nothing that can be done to improve their vision. Then one lone researcher, Dr. Stuart Richer, OD, PhD, at the North Chicago Veterans Medical Center, painstakingly documented that macular degeneration can be reversed with nutritional supplements and dietary changes.
The human retina is about the size of a postage stamp and the macula only about the size of a pencil tip. Yet hundreds of millions of light-receptor cells are employed. Cone cells produce color vision and are located in the macula. Rod cells produce black and white for night vision. The cone cells are located in the center of the retina and are used for reading and fine central vision. The rods are in the periphery of the retina and are used for night and side vision. Degeneration of the rods results in night blindness (retinitis pigmentosa). Degeneration of the cones results in macular degeneration.
From back to front, the macula is nourished by the choroid or blood layer of the retina. Poor circulation would then affect vision. The choroid has extensions into the retina. If the capillaries (connectors) become leaky, then the chorio-capillarus will ooze some blood serum behind the retina, called subretinal swelling. If the capillaries become even more leaky, then red blood cells will ooze behind the retina and become a sub-retinal hemorrhage.
Vitamin C and bioflavonoids (bilberry, cranberry, blueberry, others) helps to support nutritional needs for keeping the capillaries strong.
Furthermore, the back of the retina is protected from sunlight damage by brown melanin pigment. As melanin pigment dissipates with age, macular degeneration accelerates. Plant pigments like bilberry mimic the light-absorption of melanin.
The blood and its nutrients (oxygen, vitamins, lutein) must pass a membrane, called Bruch's membrane, which may become calcified over time, blocking nutrient entry and the exit of cellular debris. This can be remedied by taking magnesium, a calcium-antagonist (natural calcium blocker).
Once nutrients have passed Bruch's membrane, they go through a single-cell layer of cells called the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The RPE are garbage-cleaning cells. They digest used-up portions of vitamin A shed from the rod cells every morning. The RPE accomplishes this by producing an antioxidant called glutathione peroxidase, which is generated from vitamin E and selenium.
Without vitamin E and selenium, the RPE will build up cellular garbage deposits.
If nutrients pass through the choroid, Bruch's membrane, and the RPE, then they finally reach the retinal light-receptor cells, the rod and cones. These cells are lined with fat, omega-3 fat called DHA. Studies show that people who consume more fish, which is rich in DHA-fish fat, are less likely to develop macular degeneration. Vitamin B12 is the glue that keeps the DHA in place. Vitamin E protects the DHA-fat from turning rancid.
In front of the photoreceptors is the nerve layer of the retina. These nerve cells transmit visual signals via the optic nerve to the brain. It is in this nerve layer that lutein and zeaxanthin reside. These are two yellow dietary pigments that work like sunglass filters to protect the underlying macula from solar radiation. Blue-eyed adults have far less lutein and zeaxanthin in their retinas.
A recent study shows that 60-year olds who had adequate retinal levels of lutein and zeaxanthin retained the ability to see faint light as well as 20-year old adults! Lutein and zeaxanthin are acquired from spinach and kale, and from food supplements as extracts of marigold flower petals. At least 6 milligrams of lutein and zeaxanthin should be consumed daily.
Therefore, a nutritional regimen for macular degeneration may benefit greatly by including the following in a health regimen:
1. Habitual wearing of UV-blue blocking sunglasses when outdoors in daylight.
2. Consumption of spinach and kale.
3. A daily food supplement regimen that includes lutein (6 to 12 mg), vitamin E (200 to 400 IU), selenium (organic, not selenate or selenite) 200 mcg; vitamin B12, 300 mcg; magnesium 400 mg; vitamin C 500 to 2000 mg; bilberry 120 to 240 mg; DHA-rich fish oil providing 1000 mg of DHA; sulfur-bearing nutrients (glutathione, lipoic acid, N-acetyl cysteine or taurine).
4. Avoid high-dose calcium supplements without balancing magnesium.
5. Avoid hydrogenated fats that interfere with the omega-3 fats.
6. Avoid very low-fat diets that rob the retina of omega-3 fats.
7. Eat sulfur-rich foods, such as garlic, eggs, asparagus, and onions.
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The Culbreths
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Please note: the information contained herein has been compiled from various sources. The above statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. We make no claims, either expressed or implied, that any products mentioned in this newsletter will cure disease, replace prescription medication, or supersede sound medical advice.
T. Culbreth, The Olive Branch, P.O. Box 1421, Lawrenceville, Ga. 30046