The FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency co-issued a warning in 2001 that pregnant women should eat less than 12 ounces of fish per week because of the dangers of mercury contamination. This warning was reissued in 2004.
Recently a group of nutrition experts led by the Maternal Nutrition Group And the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition made a recommendation that pregnant women should eat at the least 12 ounces of seafood per week a direct contradiction to the FDA recommendations.
The new recommendation is based on the fact that fish are a critical source of omega-3 essential free fatty assets, most importantly, DHA and EPA, which are critical to the development of the brain in the fetal period. The groups also stated that the scientific evidence suggests that the consumption of these essential fatty and said leads to improved visual, cognitive, motor and behavioral skills that last well into childhood. Others remain adamant that seafood, especially the so-called "top predators" such as tuna and swordfish accumulate high levels of toxins.
While the two sides of the debate argue about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, I will have to state the obvious; high-quality fish oil supplements contain undetectable levels of mercury and are a simple, beneficial, inexpensive method to make sure we have smarter and better children.
Monday, October 8, 2007
MAGIC WAND OR DANGEROUS SWORD?
What if you could go to your doctor's office have a short noninvasive study that would tell you if you had a heart disease? No. It's not the scanner from the starship enterprise, it's a new pocket-sized ultrasound available to doctors and technicians at a reasonable price.
In the past, ultrasound machines cost up to $100,000 and came on a heavy, bulky cart. The use of these devices was limited to hospitals and the specialist's office. This has all changed now, with the avaliablibility of pocket sized scanners such as the Acuson P10 just-released buy Siemens with a list price of only $10,000. They are designed to be readily used in the intensive care unit, he emergency room and your family doctor's office. They provide a quick glimpse inside the body to assist with a diagnosis.
The main artery carrying blood to our brain is called the carotid artery, thickening of the wall of this artery not only increases the risk of stroke, but has been proven to reflect disease in the coronary arteries.
Since the majority of heart attacks occur without previous warning, many specialists myself included, think this is a wonderful way to warn us of impending danger.
However, others to seem to have a vested interest in disease have advised against it's widespread use.
It baffles me to see that the American Heart Association has recommended against widespread screening with these devices.
Indeed I do see some downside, some people will unnecessarily be started on statins, which have been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease in a limited number of people, some people will undergo cardiac catheterization and have ill-advised stenting.
Dr. James Stein, a cardiologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is leading a panel to write guidelines as to who should have the scans and how to use the information.
A great controversy will arise, because almost no one in cardiology or medicine in general, believes that heart disease is preventable or reversible.
The relatively new knowledge that arteriosclerosis is an inflammatory disease, gives us ways to both prevent and reverse heart disease. These are documented in the new book" The Cure for Heart Disease". Dr. William Davis, with his book and web site track your plaque is another voice calling for a change in the way we look at heart disease.
Will you get the scan?
Will you make the changes in your life that will prevent you from getting heart disease?
Will you make the changes in your life that will reverse the disease you have?
Was you take control of your health, or will you continue to listen to the bad advice of petrified institutions?
In the past, ultrasound machines cost up to $100,000 and came on a heavy, bulky cart. The use of these devices was limited to hospitals and the specialist's office. This has all changed now, with the avaliablibility of pocket sized scanners such as the Acuson P10 just-released buy Siemens with a list price of only $10,000. They are designed to be readily used in the intensive care unit, he emergency room and your family doctor's office. They provide a quick glimpse inside the body to assist with a diagnosis.
The main artery carrying blood to our brain is called the carotid artery, thickening of the wall of this artery not only increases the risk of stroke, but has been proven to reflect disease in the coronary arteries.
Since the majority of heart attacks occur without previous warning, many specialists myself included, think this is a wonderful way to warn us of impending danger.
However, others to seem to have a vested interest in disease have advised against it's widespread use.
It baffles me to see that the American Heart Association has recommended against widespread screening with these devices.
Indeed I do see some downside, some people will unnecessarily be started on statins, which have been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease in a limited number of people, some people will undergo cardiac catheterization and have ill-advised stenting.
Dr. James Stein, a cardiologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is leading a panel to write guidelines as to who should have the scans and how to use the information.
A great controversy will arise, because almost no one in cardiology or medicine in general, believes that heart disease is preventable or reversible.
The relatively new knowledge that arteriosclerosis is an inflammatory disease, gives us ways to both prevent and reverse heart disease. These are documented in the new book" The Cure for Heart Disease". Dr. William Davis, with his book and web site track your plaque is another voice calling for a change in the way we look at heart disease.
Will you get the scan?
Will you make the changes in your life that will prevent you from getting heart disease?
Will you make the changes in your life that will reverse the disease you have?
Was you take control of your health, or will you continue to listen to the bad advice of petrified institutions?
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Can Negative Thoughts Be Positive to Your Health?
Our mothers told us as children, "Think positive." Was it good advice?
Okay, there's no denying that positive thoughts can help us all achieve our goals whether they be personal, career driven, relationship driven, financially motived, and health oriented.
However, during a recent conversation with Dr. Lundell, he raised a thought provoking question. "Why is it that we (referring to the American Culture) refuse to see benefits of removing certain aspects of our lifestyles and diets? Why don't we acknowlege that by removing toxins, we can actually cure disease? Instead we think we need to add medications."
I thought about his coments for days. He's right. For some reason the American public views advice to eliminate harmful ingredients from our diets as simply a good recommendation--when in reality these ingredients are actually the cause of our ailments.
"Trans fats, and Omega 6 overload is extremely toxic and dangerous," says Dr. Lundell. "But, instead of following the science that proves how beneficial it can be for our health to eliminate these ingredients, our science looks for solutions to continue consuming these toxins. Instead of eliminating toxins, our pharmaceutical companies try to create medications that we can add to our daily regimens so we can continue making unhealthy choices. Instead of looking for bandages to cover our bad choices, why can't we just stop making bad choices?"
So, maybe it's time to think negative thoughts--let's live our lives eating healthy foods, minus the toxins. Instead of adding pills to our daily regimens, lets eliminate the junk that is causing the problems in the first place.
"If the public receives the truth about disease, instead of getting their information from pharmaceutical commercials, we can cure disease," says Dr. Lundell. "That's our job--to reveal the real science."
Let's start thinking about we can remove from our diets, instead of what pills we may need to add if we continue our unhealthy choices. That's negative thinking turned positive. And, it means that our mothers were right--with a little positive thinking, eliminating toxic ingredients from our diets isn't very difficult after all.
Posted by: Todd R. Nordstrom, Co-Author
The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation
Okay, there's no denying that positive thoughts can help us all achieve our goals whether they be personal, career driven, relationship driven, financially motived, and health oriented.
However, during a recent conversation with Dr. Lundell, he raised a thought provoking question. "Why is it that we (referring to the American Culture) refuse to see benefits of removing certain aspects of our lifestyles and diets? Why don't we acknowlege that by removing toxins, we can actually cure disease? Instead we think we need to add medications."
I thought about his coments for days. He's right. For some reason the American public views advice to eliminate harmful ingredients from our diets as simply a good recommendation--when in reality these ingredients are actually the cause of our ailments.
"Trans fats, and Omega 6 overload is extremely toxic and dangerous," says Dr. Lundell. "But, instead of following the science that proves how beneficial it can be for our health to eliminate these ingredients, our science looks for solutions to continue consuming these toxins. Instead of eliminating toxins, our pharmaceutical companies try to create medications that we can add to our daily regimens so we can continue making unhealthy choices. Instead of looking for bandages to cover our bad choices, why can't we just stop making bad choices?"
So, maybe it's time to think negative thoughts--let's live our lives eating healthy foods, minus the toxins. Instead of adding pills to our daily regimens, lets eliminate the junk that is causing the problems in the first place.
"If the public receives the truth about disease, instead of getting their information from pharmaceutical commercials, we can cure disease," says Dr. Lundell. "That's our job--to reveal the real science."
Let's start thinking about we can remove from our diets, instead of what pills we may need to add if we continue our unhealthy choices. That's negative thinking turned positive. And, it means that our mothers were right--with a little positive thinking, eliminating toxic ingredients from our diets isn't very difficult after all.
Posted by: Todd R. Nordstrom, Co-Author
The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
THE BIG SECRET ABOUT FISH OIL FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS
People don’t know how effective fish oil can be at reducing pain and inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). I’m starting to understand why. No one is telling them. I’m a scientist who has worked in research and education with nutrition and dietary supplements for over 15 years. Human research has consistently shown that fish oil is both safe and effective at reducing RA pain. In order to get symptomatic relief, however, it is vital that people know how much and how long to take fish oil. I’ve seen people take a little fish oil for a few days and wonder why ‘it doesn’t work’. It’s upsetting to me that people don’t know about fish oil for RA, particularly because the drug alternatives are problematic and they don’t stop progression of the disease.
The first studies showing that fish oil reduced RA pain were published in the 1980s (e.g. Cleland, 1988) and it has been shown several times over that fish oil is effective for reducing joint pain, morning stiffness and other symptoms of RA (e.g. Kremer, 1995). In these studies, people felt better, moved easier and were able to reduce their use of NSAIDs and other COX-2- inhibitor drugs. These studies were completed in humans with arthritis taking fish oil (not rats eating chow).
Fast forward to 2007. Two doctors completed a careful scientific review (called a meta analysis) of studies using omega-3 fats for pain in people with RA. Looking at 17 studies that followed the gold standard of research design, they were able to identify what TYPE, how MUCH and how LONG to take the supplements for real benefit (Goldberg, 2007).
The need-to-know information is this: People with RA have less joint pain, less morning stiffness and have been able to reduce their use of NSAIDS when they took at least 2.7 grams of EPA and DHA from fish oil for at least 3 months. People who took enough for 5 months or more had even better results.
Some key points to keep in mind: 1) This is 2.7 grams of EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA are unique fats found in fish oil. 2) Humans can not make these fats - that's why we need to eat them, that’s why they are called ‘essential’ fats. 3) EPA and DHA work to naturally to reduce inflammation and that’s why you need enough, long enough. We need to provide enough material for the anti-inflammatory job. 5) Flax seeds do not contain EPA or DHA.
It’s easy to do. Pharmaomega LIFE is a concentrated, pure fish oil supplement. 4 capsules provide 2.8 grams of EPA and DHA. With most fish oil products on the market you need to take 9-10 capsules a day to get this amount. I am a scientist and I work for this fish oil company. It’s my job to ensure the science and quality of product. I appreciate being able to share the information and the science. Please write if you have questions.
Gretchen Vannice, MS, RD
Manager, Scientific Affairs
Nourish Life, LLC
The first studies showing that fish oil reduced RA pain were published in the 1980s (e.g. Cleland, 1988) and it has been shown several times over that fish oil is effective for reducing joint pain, morning stiffness and other symptoms of RA (e.g. Kremer, 1995). In these studies, people felt better, moved easier and were able to reduce their use of NSAIDs and other COX-2- inhibitor drugs. These studies were completed in humans with arthritis taking fish oil (not rats eating chow).
Fast forward to 2007. Two doctors completed a careful scientific review (called a meta analysis) of studies using omega-3 fats for pain in people with RA. Looking at 17 studies that followed the gold standard of research design, they were able to identify what TYPE, how MUCH and how LONG to take the supplements for real benefit (Goldberg, 2007).
The need-to-know information is this: People with RA have less joint pain, less morning stiffness and have been able to reduce their use of NSAIDS when they took at least 2.7 grams of EPA and DHA from fish oil for at least 3 months. People who took enough for 5 months or more had even better results.
Some key points to keep in mind: 1) This is 2.7 grams of EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA are unique fats found in fish oil. 2) Humans can not make these fats - that's why we need to eat them, that’s why they are called ‘essential’ fats. 3) EPA and DHA work to naturally to reduce inflammation and that’s why you need enough, long enough. We need to provide enough material for the anti-inflammatory job. 5) Flax seeds do not contain EPA or DHA.
It’s easy to do. Pharmaomega LIFE is a concentrated, pure fish oil supplement. 4 capsules provide 2.8 grams of EPA and DHA. With most fish oil products on the market you need to take 9-10 capsules a day to get this amount. I am a scientist and I work for this fish oil company. It’s my job to ensure the science and quality of product. I appreciate being able to share the information and the science. Please write if you have questions.
Gretchen Vannice, MS, RD
Manager, Scientific Affairs
Nourish Life, LLC
Monday, October 1, 2007
STOP KILLING YOUR KIDS
Something is slowly killing our kids! It is hurting their IQ, contributing to the increase of obesity, asthma, ADD and all kinds of behavior problems. It is causing heart disease in teenagers.
We are guilty of giving them this thing everyday, and we sit idly by and watch television commercials urged them to consume it.
What is this poison?
Ironically, it is a necessary nutrient called Omega 6 essential free fatty acid, " essential" meaning that the body cannot make it and it must be obtained from the diet.
The biggest source of Omega-6 in our diet is soybean oil. In fact, all of the vegetable oils that we have been instructed to use contribute to the overdose of Omega-6.
Omega 6 is an almost all the food our children eat: snacks, school lunches, salad dressing, baked goods, chips, and all of fast foods. Even meat and poultry now contain more omega six. Then before, because we feed them grain, corn and soybean meal instead of grass.
Overdose of Omega 6 harms kids and adults by competing with omega-3 for critical metabolic pathways that cause an increase of inflammation. Omega-6 promotes inflammation Omega-3 reduces inflammation.
Inflammation is the root cause of heart disease, and ADD, depression, obesity, diabetes, arthritis, and many more disorders prevalent and increasing in our society. We are literally setting a fire inside our kids, inflammation means" fire inside".
One of the leading experts on food and behavior, Dr. Joe Hibbeln Of the National Institutes of Health states that he and other sciences have firmly established. Why our population is seeing increases in heart disease, asthma, developmental disorders, depression, bipolar disorders and even suicide.
The Cause?
Too much Omega 6 (soybean oil)
Too little Omega-3 (fish oil)
What can we do to help our kids? Cut back on all foods that contain Omega 6; chips, cookies, baked goods, commercial foods, and especially fast food.
Manufactured food almost always has too much Omega 6
Switch to grass fed meat and poultry
Encourage eating more fish, especially fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, etc.
Consider a fish oil supplement, one to 2 g a day has been proven to be beneficial in children and adults. Choose a high quality fish oil from an established source.
Take the TV out of your kids room. Eighty percent of American children have a television in their rooms. Get rid of its negative influence and make your positive influence felt.
Use your power to change the world!
If you don't buy products containing Omega 6 manufacturers will quit making it!
Dennis Embry Ph.D. speaks about and is writing a book on what he calls "Youthanasia", killing our kids with too much Omega 6!
Diet, does it affect behavior! Nourish your children for a healthier life.
VITAMINS C AND E AND BETA CAROTENE DO NOT PREVENT CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS IN WOMEN
Screams, the headline of a study just published in the Archives of Internal Medicine August 2007. This is another paper, in what seems a lot of papers recently attempting to discourage people from taking antioxidant vitamins.
The conclusion from this study is so blatantly ridiculous that it should never have been published in a prestigious medical journal, much less quoted by medical reporters in the media.
The study consisted of 8171 women, mean age of 60, who had a mean follow-up of nine years after being started on vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene every other day.
To be included in this study, the women were required to have a documented history of cardiovascular disease or at least three major risk factors. This is a very select group of sick women; almost 18% had a heart attack, stroke, surgical intervention or death from heart disease. There is no evidence that any prescription medication would have benefited this group. Much to their chagrin, and not included in the headline was the fact that there was a significant reduction in heart attack in the group of women taking vitamin E. who had a history of previous cardiovascular disease. In addition, the group of females who took vitamin E. and vitamin C had a statistically significant reduction in the rate of strokes.
In spite of this, the conclusion of the paper was that there was no benefit to vitamin E. C. or beta-carotene in reducing cardiovascular events in women who are high-risk.
The published commentary by other physicians, said that physicians should warn people that there is no benefit to antioxidant vitamins.
Yet those same physicians would not hesitate to prescribe an expensive medication with multiple side effects.
Sadly, most physicians would only look at the title of the study and then the conclusions to make their treatment decisions rather than actually going into the details of the paper.
This is just another vivid reminder that we should not be swayed by the latest headline. And that we should take control of our own health, as we each are the most responsible and get the most benefit from being healthy.
The conclusion from this study is so blatantly ridiculous that it should never have been published in a prestigious medical journal, much less quoted by medical reporters in the media.
The study consisted of 8171 women, mean age of 60, who had a mean follow-up of nine years after being started on vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene every other day.
To be included in this study, the women were required to have a documented history of cardiovascular disease or at least three major risk factors. This is a very select group of sick women; almost 18% had a heart attack, stroke, surgical intervention or death from heart disease. There is no evidence that any prescription medication would have benefited this group. Much to their chagrin, and not included in the headline was the fact that there was a significant reduction in heart attack in the group of women taking vitamin E. who had a history of previous cardiovascular disease. In addition, the group of females who took vitamin E. and vitamin C had a statistically significant reduction in the rate of strokes.
In spite of this, the conclusion of the paper was that there was no benefit to vitamin E. C. or beta-carotene in reducing cardiovascular events in women who are high-risk.
The published commentary by other physicians, said that physicians should warn people that there is no benefit to antioxidant vitamins.
Yet those same physicians would not hesitate to prescribe an expensive medication with multiple side effects.
Sadly, most physicians would only look at the title of the study and then the conclusions to make their treatment decisions rather than actually going into the details of the paper.
This is just another vivid reminder that we should not be swayed by the latest headline. And that we should take control of our own health, as we each are the most responsible and get the most benefit from being healthy.
WHY IS EXERCISE GOOD FOR US ?
Those of us that do exercise know that good feeling (most of the time) that comes during and Science is just now beginning to open the door on this immensely interesting arena. That people who get more exercise have fewer heart attacks, was established in 1953 by a classic study from England, demonstrating that in 31,000 bus drivers and conductors, on London's double deck buses. The bus drivers had three times the heart attack rate, and more than twice the death rate from heart attack than did the conductors who were required to move about constantly and climb the stairs to the second deck of the bus.
Prior to this study there were almost no publications in the literature on physical fitness and cardiovascular disease but now they're almost 10,000 publications per year.
Reasons for the beneficial effect of exercise are just beginning to be understood.
In the last decade those of us that do exercise know that good feeling (most of the time) that comes during and Science is just now beginning to open the door on this immensely interesting arena. That people who get more exercise have fewer heart attacks, was established in 1953 by a classic study from England, demonstrating that in 31,000 bus drivers and conductors, on London's double deck buses. The bus drivers had three times the heart attack rate, and more than twice the death rate from heart attack than did the conductors who were required to move about constantly and climb the stairs to the second deck of the bus.
Prior to this study there were almost no publications in the literature on physical fitness and cardiovascular disease but now they're almost 10,000 publications per year.
has been firmly established that cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, stroke, type II diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and Alzheimer's disease are to a major extent inflammatory disorders. These disorders are characterized by an environment of sedentary lifestyle and excess body weight. Systemic low-level inflammation is a consequence, and cause of this environment.
Abundant, recent research has demonstrated that excess body fat contributes to the inflammatory burden by the production of pro inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines are signaling molecules that trigger the inflammatory pathways that are the basis for these chronic diseases. Elevated levels of pro inflammatory cytokines are present in all the diseases previously mentioned as well as acute and chronic depression.
The new and exciting research now being done, demonstrates that the contracting muscle fiber produces cytokines (named myokines because they are derived from muscle) that are profoundly anti-inflammatory and have a beneficial effect on metabolism mood and brain function. These myokines counter act, the pro inflammatory cytokines, derived from fat or adipose tissue (adipokines) and does have a positive effect on the heart, brain, bones, arteries, and the immune system.
Much more knowledge will come in the future as this complicated system is further studied.
But for now, get out and get some exercise!!!
Prior to this study there were almost no publications in the literature on physical fitness and cardiovascular disease but now they're almost 10,000 publications per year.
Reasons for the beneficial effect of exercise are just beginning to be understood.
In the last decade those of us that do exercise know that good feeling (most of the time) that comes during and Science is just now beginning to open the door on this immensely interesting arena. That people who get more exercise have fewer heart attacks, was established in 1953 by a classic study from England, demonstrating that in 31,000 bus drivers and conductors, on London's double deck buses. The bus drivers had three times the heart attack rate, and more than twice the death rate from heart attack than did the conductors who were required to move about constantly and climb the stairs to the second deck of the bus.
Prior to this study there were almost no publications in the literature on physical fitness and cardiovascular disease but now they're almost 10,000 publications per year.
has been firmly established that cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, stroke, type II diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and Alzheimer's disease are to a major extent inflammatory disorders. These disorders are characterized by an environment of sedentary lifestyle and excess body weight. Systemic low-level inflammation is a consequence, and cause of this environment.
Abundant, recent research has demonstrated that excess body fat contributes to the inflammatory burden by the production of pro inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines are signaling molecules that trigger the inflammatory pathways that are the basis for these chronic diseases. Elevated levels of pro inflammatory cytokines are present in all the diseases previously mentioned as well as acute and chronic depression.
The new and exciting research now being done, demonstrates that the contracting muscle fiber produces cytokines (named myokines because they are derived from muscle) that are profoundly anti-inflammatory and have a beneficial effect on metabolism mood and brain function. These myokines counter act, the pro inflammatory cytokines, derived from fat or adipose tissue (adipokines) and does have a positive effect on the heart, brain, bones, arteries, and the immune system.
Much more knowledge will come in the future as this complicated system is further studied.
But for now, get out and get some exercise!!!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Where's Your Hole in "Whole Health"
What does "Whole Health" mean anyway?
A variety of companies and organizations seem to be engaging in a concept that encompasses every form of wellness—creating a circular spectrum of health. I guess when you really stop and think about it, any area of your life that isn't so robust and vibrant could be deemed as unhealthy. And, the obvious questions I think most of us ask are: should we care about everything? And, is it possible to achieve complete wellness?
Let's say my relationships are strong, my physical health is envied, my spiritually is glowing, and my emotional health is robust—yet, I'm the guy who somehow turned out to be happy with only a slightly infectious disease called personality. If all of this is in tact, I should be great. But, what if my pocket book is suffering? Or, what if I hated my job?
One of the most intriguing tidbits of scientific brilliance I've learned from working side-by-side with Dr. Lundell on our book, The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation is that our physiology is completely biological—we're simply moving masses of interconnected living cells.
What does that mean? Why should we care that we're not just a bunch of machine-like parts?
Well, it means that if we don't practice a philosophy of "whole health," sooner or later our weaknesses will catch up with our strengths. It's impossible to have diabetes without the disease, at some point in its progression, leading to heart disease. It's impossible to be overweight without the excess body fat slowly planting a flag of disease somewhere else in the body. And, all this havoc is really caused by the same thing—inflammation.
So, what does inflammation—the heat, swelling, and physical irritation that can cause disease—look like in a spectrum of "whole health?"
Well imagine that all things I mentioned earlier in this post were interconnected like the cells of our body. Just like inflammation, if you allow any injury or foreign object to continue to irritate and progress, it can proceed to creat a much larger problem—a small infection can overrun your entire body. And the same is ture with your"whole health." Maybe your physical health depends on keeping your stress levels in check, and your stress was created by financial strife, and your financial strife affected your relationship, and your relationship issues lowered your self esteem, and your self esteem affected your productivity to a greater extent at work—at a job that you already despised, which got you fired, which further enhanced your financial difficulties, and so on...
Tired yet? See the downward spiral?
Physical health is the foundation to complete health. When you achieve physical wellness, your healthy body can better manage all the other aspects of your life.
Ta-Da! Maybe you're now realizing where your hole in "whole health" is located.
The healthy human is the whole human. And, sadly, we all have at least a few potholes in our life that need to be mended from time to time.
Posted By Todd R. Nordstrom, Co-Author, The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation
A variety of companies and organizations seem to be engaging in a concept that encompasses every form of wellness—creating a circular spectrum of health. I guess when you really stop and think about it, any area of your life that isn't so robust and vibrant could be deemed as unhealthy. And, the obvious questions I think most of us ask are: should we care about everything? And, is it possible to achieve complete wellness?
Let's say my relationships are strong, my physical health is envied, my spiritually is glowing, and my emotional health is robust—yet, I'm the guy who somehow turned out to be happy with only a slightly infectious disease called personality. If all of this is in tact, I should be great. But, what if my pocket book is suffering? Or, what if I hated my job?
One of the most intriguing tidbits of scientific brilliance I've learned from working side-by-side with Dr. Lundell on our book, The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation is that our physiology is completely biological—we're simply moving masses of interconnected living cells.
What does that mean? Why should we care that we're not just a bunch of machine-like parts?
Well, it means that if we don't practice a philosophy of "whole health," sooner or later our weaknesses will catch up with our strengths. It's impossible to have diabetes without the disease, at some point in its progression, leading to heart disease. It's impossible to be overweight without the excess body fat slowly planting a flag of disease somewhere else in the body. And, all this havoc is really caused by the same thing—inflammation.
So, what does inflammation—the heat, swelling, and physical irritation that can cause disease—look like in a spectrum of "whole health?"
Well imagine that all things I mentioned earlier in this post were interconnected like the cells of our body. Just like inflammation, if you allow any injury or foreign object to continue to irritate and progress, it can proceed to creat a much larger problem—a small infection can overrun your entire body. And the same is ture with your"whole health." Maybe your physical health depends on keeping your stress levels in check, and your stress was created by financial strife, and your financial strife affected your relationship, and your relationship issues lowered your self esteem, and your self esteem affected your productivity to a greater extent at work—at a job that you already despised, which got you fired, which further enhanced your financial difficulties, and so on...
Tired yet? See the downward spiral?
Physical health is the foundation to complete health. When you achieve physical wellness, your healthy body can better manage all the other aspects of your life.
Ta-Da! Maybe you're now realizing where your hole in "whole health" is located.
The healthy human is the whole human. And, sadly, we all have at least a few potholes in our life that need to be mended from time to time.
Posted By Todd R. Nordstrom, Co-Author, The Cure for Heart Disease: Truth Will Save a Nation
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
75 percent of Americans overweight by 2015
A recent study published by researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, indicates that if the rates of obesity and overweight continues at the current pace by 2015 75% of adults and nearly 24% of children and adolescents will be overweight or obese.
Currently, 66% of adults in the United States are overweight or obese. An alarming 80% of black women, 44 over are overweight and 50% are obese.
Obesity is a public health crisis, if nothing is done, it will soon become the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.
Obesity creates a state of chronic low-grade inflammation that is the cause of heart disease, Alzheimer's, stroke, depression, and a long list of other chronic conditions that plague Americans.
Can Type 1 Diabetes be Prevented
Can Type 1 Diabetes be prevented?
Type 1 Diabetes, the third most common chronic disease in children, occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly targets the pancreas, killing the cells that make insulin.
A study published in the September 26 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) concludes that children who were at high risk for developing type 1 diabetes, because a sibling or parent had diabetes, dramatically reduced that risk by consuming Omega-3 fatty acids.
Children who ate a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids had a 55% less chance of developing antibodies to their own insulin producing cells. To make sure that diets were accurately reported omega-3 levels were measured in the red blood cell membranes.
Dr. Lundell's comments:
While we still don't know what triggers the auto immunity that destroys the pancreas. The possibility of preventing this devastating disease is exciting.
Omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce inflammation, the fact that they seemed to prevent the antibodies from forming in the first place is further indication of the broad anti-inflammatory activity of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Seven Principles Of Healthy Living:
1) Maintain a healthy weight. Excess body fat cells produce chemicals that cause heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, and many more. Aim for a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or less
2) Exercise. Be more physically active. Working muscle cells produce chemicals that reduce heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, diabetes and obesity. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily, included resistance exercise and intense intervals to build muscles for better health.
3) Relax. Learn to control stress. Chronic stress leads to poor mental and physical health. Get involved in productive, and pleasant activities involving family, friends, community and spirituality.
4) Get Proper Nutrition. Balance calories consumed with calories burned. Cut back on simple carbohydrates, especially chips, cookies and commercial baked goods. Eat more lean protein. Eat healthy fats, Fish and fish oil, Oils from fruits and nuts and seeds. Avoid vegetable oil, especially if hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated (as most are). Take a high quality supplement with antioxidant vitamins and minerals
5) Maintain Dental Hygiene. Chronic calm and tooth disease are associated with heart attack. Chronic infections in the mouth and elsewhere produce chemicals that cause heart disease.
6) Don't smoke, use drugs or excess alcohol, don't engage in risky behaviors.
7) Be informed, be prepared. The informed consumer as ultimate power, know what you want and demand it. Learn all you can about proper human nutrition, then share it. Know where to go for professional help if you are sick or injured. Resolve conditions as soon as possible.
Friday, September 21, 2007
World Alzheimer's day, September 21st should cause us to reflect on this terrible disease that effects 5 million americans and costs over $100 billion.
Just like Heart disease, Alzheimer's is caused by chronic low grade inflammation. This month's issue of Neurology contains a study which showed that Alzheimer's patients were 76% less likely to die if they adhered to a Mediterranean Diet. This diet is rich in fruits, nuts, whole grains, fish, red wine and olive oil.
Key components thought to be beneficial are polyphenols, antioxidants and Omega 3.
If it is good for treatment it should be better for prevention!
Get off the SAD (Standard American Diet) with it's low fat-high carbohydrate toxic mess, eat more like the Mediterranians, get antioxidants and Omega-3 in suppliments if needed.
Just like Heart disease, Alzheimer's is caused by chronic low grade inflammation. This month's issue of Neurology contains a study which showed that Alzheimer's patients were 76% less likely to die if they adhered to a Mediterranean Diet. This diet is rich in fruits, nuts, whole grains, fish, red wine and olive oil.
Key components thought to be beneficial are polyphenols, antioxidants and Omega 3.
If it is good for treatment it should be better for prevention!
Get off the SAD (Standard American Diet) with it's low fat-high carbohydrate toxic mess, eat more like the Mediterranians, get antioxidants and Omega-3 in suppliments if needed.
The United States spends more on health care than any other country in the world, still we rank poorly in almost every measure of health status. This paradox results from our emphasis on high technology and polypharmacy with no emphasis on prevention. Over 80% of health insurance claims and over 40% of premature deaths are a result of lifestyle choices. Behaviors such as alcohol and drug abuse are obvious, but the largest factor is obesity. Smoking is on the decline but we are being overwhelmed with the twin epidemics of diabetes and obesity.
We are now raising the first generation of Americans who cannot expect to live longer than their parents.
Full and free access to health insurance will not solve this problem!
Having spent a career as a Cardiac Surgeon I was a provider of high tec solutions. As dramatic as each individual operation was it is not the cure for heart disease.
The Healthy Humans Foundation is dedicated to improving human health by:
1) Empowering people to take control of their health through education about nutrition and activity choices that impact good health
2) Improve our food supply by the power of educated consumers.
3) Building a database of scientific information about health and nutrition that is current and free from bias.
We are now raising the first generation of Americans who cannot expect to live longer than their parents.
Full and free access to health insurance will not solve this problem!
Having spent a career as a Cardiac Surgeon I was a provider of high tec solutions. As dramatic as each individual operation was it is not the cure for heart disease.
The Healthy Humans Foundation is dedicated to improving human health by:
1) Empowering people to take control of their health through education about nutrition and activity choices that impact good health
2) Improve our food supply by the power of educated consumers.
3) Building a database of scientific information about health and nutrition that is current and free from bias.
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