Mixed incontinence is a combination of the two.

RECOMMENDED: A Little Bit of Exercise Can Help Your Bladder Problems Urinary incontinence’s causes are rooted in the brain. Damaged nerves along the passage between bladder and brain make people lose bladder sensation and motor control. In some cases, the underlying cause can be much worse than incontinence: brain or spine tumors; stroke; Alzheimer’s disease; diabetes; multiple sclerosis; Parkinson’s; or multiple sclerosis.

Physical causes include a weak bladder muscle, bladder irritation, bladder stones, or chronic urinary tract infection. For stress incontinence, weakened or damaged muscles on the pelvic floor or urethra are often the cause, making leakage more likely if the bladder feels pressure. The other
major group of causes consists of drug side effects (check the label of any you are taking).

Alternative medicine offers some attractive treatments.
Cranberry juice is great. For women, soy is recommended. Overall, eat fresh, natural foods such as fruits and vegetables, grains, soybeans, olive oil, nuts, and fish. Limit caffeine. For supplements, try soy isoflavones. Other capsules that could help stop inflammation include vitamins C and E,
flaxseed oil, bromelain, the minerals zinc and magnesium, and carotenoids. The herbs “uva ursi” and goldenseal may work for cases where an infection has triggered the urinary incontinence.

Condition your bladder back into a state of control using “kegal” exercises meant to strengthen muscles. They need to be performed regularly, but that’s not a problem because they are very simple. When you’re urinating, try to stop by using the one muscle that will do it. Don’t use any other muscles. Count four seconds, then release the muscle. Experts say to do this for about two minutes at least three times a day. You are basically teaching those muscles to open and close (to relax and constrict) on your command. Incontinence comes from weak muscles and kegal exercises will build strength and lead to greater control.

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doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

in those people with a specific genetic factor, there is a high risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

This has opened the door for some new ideas about how to treat and possibly prevent Alzheimer’s. It turns out that the herpes virus is suppressed when exposed to an environment rich in lysine and poor in arginine. Researchers are now speculating that supplementation with lysine could help in
the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

To boost your levels of lysine, try eating these healing foods: cheese; fish; soybeans and tofu; legumes; eggs; and nuts. As far as supplementing with lysine goes, the amino acid is available as a tablet, capsule, cream or liquid, usually found under “L-lysine.” Most people don’t need to
take lysine supplements, but if you have a recurring herpes problem and/or family history of Alzheimer’s, get your doctor’s advice about taking an extra dose of the amino acid. For nutritional purposes, it’s thought most people need about one gram of lysine a day

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is essential to having a long and productive life and one that will remain ultimately meaningful for you. With that in mind, here are five exercises aimed at protecting and boosting your brain power as you age.

1. Puzzles. You can do a traditional puzzle, but puzzles come in many different forms. There are word, number, visual and logic puzzles. Give each of them a try and figure out which ones are fun for you. If you don’t enjoy one type of puzzle, keep looking until you find one that’s interesting and challenging.

2. Riddles. Remember how Bilbo Baggins in “The Hobbit” saves his life by solving riddles? Well, you can save your brain by giving a few a try. Riddles can be simple or very difficult. Start with some easy ones and progress towards the more challenging ones.

3. Board Games. You played them as a kid, now it’s time to bring them out again. Board games can engage many parts of your brain, including those responsible for reasoning, decision-making, and even memory. No longer do you just have to play checkers or “Monopoly.” There is a huge variety of games to choose from.

4. Don’t like traditional games? How about figuring out some optical illusions? They can be surprisingly
challenging and can engage your brain and visual processing skills at the same time. Optical illusions also
give a workout to the parts of your brain responsible for creativity.

5. Word problems can exercise the parts of your brain responsible for logic, reasoning and creativity. Translating words into numbers that will give you the answer you are seeking can give your brain a real workout.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

“Our findings suggest that the rewards of a vibrant small business sector are multi-dimensional,” Blanchard said. “In addition to job creation, small businesses yield important non-economic rewards to communities that may improve the health of local residents.”

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/an-entrepreneur-in-the-neighborhood-improves-your-health/

 

A newly published study in the Journal of Virology adds additional weight to the case against routine influenza vaccinations. Researchers have found that vaccinating children annually against the flu virus interferes with the development of virus-specific killer T cells. This means that the annual flu vaccine may protect children against the actual viruses in the vaccine; but, at the same time, it makes them more vulnerable to other viruses they are exposed to.

Support Your Immune System Naturally

As an integrative medical doctor, I believe you can support your immune system naturally with a combination of healthy lifestyle choices and targeted supplements for immune support. It is generally not necessary to introduce viruses, chemicals and heavy metals into our bodies in the form of a vaccination. Natural solutions that enhance immune activity while also promoting overall health are always my top recommendation for supporting immunity and vitality in both adults and children.

Common sense and scientific research tell us that one of the most important strategies for staying well is to wash your hands frequently. Washing with soap and running water for 20 seconds is the most effective way to cleanse your hands of all kinds of germs.

It is also important to get enough sleep (more than seven hours per night), get moderate exercise and do not overwork.

Adequate hydration with pure, filtered water is also critical for keeping your immune system healthy and flushing out toxins and harmful invaders. This is one important factor often overlooked in our busy lives.

Nutritional approaches to a healthy immune system include eating plenty of green vegetables; reducing or eliminating consumption of refined sugars and processed/fried foods; and supplementing with immune-boosting vitamins, minerals, herbs and botanicals.

Some of the most widely recommended immune nutrients also offer critical support for overall health and vitality. These include vitamin C, zinc, vitamin D-3, B vitamins with minerals and co-factors, selenium, vitamin A and probiotics. By combining these critical nutrients with other powerful immune-supporting supplements and following a healthy lifestyle, you can protect and support health from multiple angles.

Immune Support Supplements

In addition to immune supporting vitamins and minerals, some of the most powerful immune enhancers are natural formulas and compounds that combine cutting-edge science with traditional botanical wisdom. These powerful immune supplements also offer comprehensive health support and can provide protection against both acute and chronic illnesses, increase vital energy and promote longevity, naturally. Following are some of my top recommended supplements that offer powerful support for immune and overall health, during the winter and year round.

One of my top recommendations is a blend of six medicinal mushrooms with additional immune-boosting beta glucans. The mushrooms in this formula have been used for thousands of years to promote optimal functioning of the immune system and support overall health. However, this formula is unique because the mushrooms are cultivated in the United States on a blend of powerful immune-supporting herbs that enhance the mushrooms’ natural immune-boosting properties. When combined in a comprehensive formula with additional beta-glucans, medicinal mushrooms are an excellent way to boost your body’s natural defenses and combat infection, especially on a long-term basis. Mushrooms are also of great benefit during times of acute stress or infection and they can be taken in frequent doses with no known side effects.

Another recommendation is Padma Basic, which is a Tibetan Herbal Formula, made with a blend of 19 rare and powerful botanicals that contain a multitude of health-promoting tannins, polyphenols, flavonoids and essential oils. This traditional formula has cooling properties that support balanced immune function, increased circulation, healthy responses to inflammation and powerful antioxidant activity.

Last, but most importantly, is modified citrus pectin, the first natural galectin-3 blocker. Scientists are now finding that blocking harmful excess galectin-3 molecules in the body is critical in promoting cellular health and long-term wellness. In addition to binding and blocking galectin-3 throughout the body, research demonstrates that regular use of modified citrus pectin offers powerful immune support and also safely detoxifies harmful heavy metals and environmental toxins without side effects.

Integrative medicine treats the whole person, rather than the symptom or illness. As a result, these and other natural health solutions offer substantiated immune support while simultaneously promoting overall health and protecting against chronic illness over the long term. And that’s an area where many conventional solutions fall short.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/do-you-really-need-a-flu-shot/

Polygonum Multiflorum

Also known as Fo-ti or He shou wu, Polygonum multiflorum is a Chinese herb used for centuries to slow hair loss, promote new hair growth, restore hair to its original color and to slow the aging process. The seemingly miraculous herb is often mixed in with other herbs to create a tonic that stimulates the scalp and hair growth. It’s available from Asian markets and apothecaries that will mix formulas based on one’s individual needs. Caution is advised because Polygonum multiflorum may cause liver problems in some sensitive people. If you develop symptoms, stop using it and contact your health professional for further guidelines.

Topical aromatherapy applications

Using aromatherapy mixtures topically on the scalp may help regrow hair in some cases. A mixture of essential oils including rosemary, cedarwood, lavender and thyme can be applied to the scalp to stimulate blood flow and hair growth. Never apply the essential oils directly to the skin; rather, first mix three to six drops of each oil in a base such as almond, jojoba or olive oil. Apply the oil mixture nightly to encourage an increase in blood flow and strengthen the existing hair shafts.

Reishi mushroom

Reishi mushroom, or Ganoderma lucidum is another well-known Chinese herb with many health benefits. It’s referred to as the mushroom of mortality and is reputed to slow the aging process and strengthen the immune system. Reishi mushroom is often combined in hair tonics along with Fo-ti and other Chinese herbs to promote hair growth and prevent balding. Find it at Chinese herbal shops where you would also buy Fo-ti.

Additional thoughts

Certain herbal products like Ginkgo biloba can cause bleeding due to its ability to thin the blood. If you take blood thinners, speak to your health practitioner before using Ginkgo. In addition, check medications you may be using to see if hair loss is one of the side effects. If so, request that your physician change your medicine. Examine your diet to make sure you are getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals. Good nutrition is necessary for healthy hair.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034914_herbal_remedies_hair_loss_balding.html#ixzz1lvL8eulU

ever been conducted on the chemical  (http://www.neotame.com/pdf/neotame_fda_US.pdf). In fact, an investigation conducted by Feingold.org found only four studies relating to neotame in the MEDLINE database.

Two of these “studies” were not studies at all, and the other two were actually one duplicate study conducted by NutraSweet, the company that produces and sells neotame.

So just like with aspartame, the FDA has once again approved for use a dangerous sweetener chemical that metabolizes into formaldehyde when consumed. Except this time, the chemical contains added 3-dimethylbutyl, which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has listed as one of the most hazardous known chemicals, and it does not have to be labeled on any of the products to which it is added.

“Neotame has similar structure to aspartame — except that, from it’s structure, appears to be even more toxic than aspartame,” writes HolisticMed.com on its page about neotame. “Like aspartame, some of the concerns include gradual neurotoxic and immunotoxic damage from the combination of the formaldehyde metabolite (which is toxic at extremely low doses) and the excitotoxic amino acid” (http://www.holisticmed.com/neotame/toxin.html).

The FDA, the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) all consider neotame to be safe for use, despite the fact that WHO actually published a paper seeking to establish acceptable daily intake levels for neotame. If neotame is so safe that it does not even have to be labeled, according to the FDA, then why do acceptable daily intake levels have to be established? And what is the point of establishing them in the first place?

This dog and pony show of special interest regulatory corruption is a travesty that will have global negative health consequences. Like most other toxins added to foods, neotame will most likely cause chronic damage over a long period of time, which means mainstream health authorities will get away with never having to admit that neotame is a dangerous toxin.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034915_neotame_Monsanto_sweeteners.html#ixzz1lvFT8u9M

neuromuscular and cardiovascular gains in elderly men”.

The results confirm the hypotheses raised in recent decades by various researchers with respect to the capacity of power training to prevent or reduce their loss in older people. As Mikel Izquerdo explains, “It has been established how people between 60 and 70 years of age who participated in a four-month training programme to develop muscular strength and mass regained the functional capacity and muscle power of twenty years previously; in other words, they were the same as their peers who started the same training programme at the age of 40.”

In his view, there are two good reasons why we should encourage people to undertake regular physical exercise from the age of 50 onwards: “Firstly, because it is a cornerstone in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases; and secondly, because it plays a crucial role in preventing and treating the decline in functional capacity, which tends to emerge in a highly significant way at this age.” In this respect, the researcher insists that physical exercise would be a plausible measure for improving the functional capacity of older people and for reducing healthcare expenditure.

The interest in ageing has grown exponentially over the last few decades and some of its aspects, like disability or fragility, have become the centre of attention in basic, clinical and population research. In Spain during the last century the population doubled, the number over 65 increased sevenfold, and the number of octogenarians thirteenfold.

The loss in muscular mass and muscular qualities in ageing is directly related to the reduction in mobility and the capacity to perform the activities regarded as basic or instrumental for daily life. “This loss of muscular mass and qualities (peripheral muscular dysfunction) has manifested itself in cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, within the multifactorial process of these diseases and delimits the participation of the patients in activities in daily life, and also contributes towards mortality risk.”

In this context the interventions that have proved to be the most effective in delaying disability and other situations that arise with ageing are the multi-component physical exercise programmes and, above all, power training. These exercises have also shown themselves to be useful in events frequently associated with falls, cognitive deterioration and depression.

Specific training

Relatively intense physical training has to be adapted to the patient’s functional capacity and is accompanied by significant increases in muscular strength, aerobic physical condition, joint mobility, motor skill, self-esteem and longevity, irrespective of age or sex, as long as the intensity and duration of the training period are sufficient.

The initial increases in strength can be as high as 10-30% during the first weeks or 1-2 months of training, both in middle-aged and elderly people.

A second study has been able to show how in older people the prescribing of a training programme that combines muscular strength and endurance exercises is one of the best strategies for improving neuromuscular and cardiovascular function, while improving functional capacity and promoting the enhancement of health and qualify of life.

Likewise, it has been observed that the carrying out of muscular strength exercises before cardiovascular endurance exercises is the best sequencing for obtaining the maximum benefits from a physical exercise programme.

“These results,” concludes Professor Izquierdo, “are of great practical interest for promoting health and quality of life through the participation of older people in exercise programmes.”

Source for Story:

http://www.basqueresearch.com/berria_irakurri.asp?Berri_Kod=3764&hizk=I

As an added bonus, there was a significant decrease in triglycerides and total cholesterol.

Glucose tolerance was improved, and the immune-reaction of pancreatic islet beta cells (beta cells store and release insulin) was boosted. The research team concluded that isoquercetin helped regulate blood glucose level and lipids. They suggested that isoquercetin may be useful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Buckwheat is often sold as flour. It is darker in color than wheat flour and has a distinctive nutty taste. You can find buckwheat included in a variety of types of flour mixes, like pancake and waffle mix. You can also buy plain buckwheat for making bread if you are allergic to gluten.

You might think that buckwheat is a cereal grain, but it is actually a fruit seed that is related to rhubarb. This is one of the reasons for its gluten-free status amongst the grains.

Look for buckwheat in whole or cracked form for use in breakfast cereals or to add some texture (and isoquercetin!) to breads and other baked products. You can even buy cookies and other baked snacks on the go — many specialty stores now have foods made from buckwheat flour to cater to those with gluten allergies.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

and medical experts be wrong about the heart disease-cholesterol myth so long? The answer is MONEY!

Amino Acid Problem

Homocysteine is a renegade amino acid present in our bodies that has been identified as THE cause of heart disease as well as blood clots, stroke and gangrene. What’s more, keeping homocysteine levels in the safe range does not require expensive medication or any drugs at all, only adequate amounts of certain vitamins i.e., B6, B12 and folic acid. This has all been proven.

Since the therapy for high homocysteine requires no drugs, we can begin to see why nobody knows about it. No money. Homocysteine is intimately involved in the aging process, Alzheimer’s, arthritis and cancer. Also, lowering homocysteine causes weight loss, lower blood pressure and, of course, reduced heart disease symptoms and improved general health.

How simple is health, without spending huge amounts of money? I recommend that every one of you read The Heart Revolution by Dr. Kilmer S. McCully, and then read it again.

Take Action

So check your homocysteine level now. Start vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid today.

Further, for those age 60 and over, your B12 intake should be by injection because, as we age, we have no intrinsic factor to enable B12 assimilation. This makes B12 in pill, tablets, etc., useless and unabsorbable. B12 liquid and 100 cc needles are available by prescription. It is very easy to do yourself.

Experts believe that 25 percent of those over age 60, especially vegetarians, are very low in vitamin B12. Plus, the older we get the more likely we are to have a vitamin B12 deficiency because we lose the ability to absorb it. Further, the older we get the more our digestive system breaks down, especially with the standard American diet.

The lining of the stomach gradually loses its ability to produce hydrochloric acid which releases vitamin B12 from our food. The use of antacids or ulcer drugs also lowers stomach acid secretion and decreases the ability to absorb vitamin B12.

In fact, adequate hydrochloric acid in the stomach is critical to life and health. Americans’ hydrochloric acid has been under attack by pharmaceuticals for decades. There is thousands of prescription and non-prescription drugs that Americans consume with wild abandon in order to reduce stomach acid. The final insult is the “purple pill,” which actually shuts down the proton (acid) pump. Wonder how much stomach cancer has been caused by these so-called acid stomach relievers?

By getting off of antacids, paying attention to your homocysteine and getting these vitamins, you can improve your health in a big, big way.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/what-you-know-about-cholesterol-is-wrong/

lead-glazed pottery, contaminated soil, and contaminated drinking water.

Exposure to these metals is known to have a number of effects on human health, but the effects on human fertility have not been extensively studied, especially when studying both partners of a couple.

The study was published online in Chemosphere. The study’s principal investigator was Germaine M. Buck Louis, Ph.D., director of the Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention Research at the NIH’s Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). Other authors of the study were from the NICHD, the Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health, College Station; The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus; The EMMES Corp. in Rockville, Md.; the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta; and the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, Atlanta.

“Our results indicate that men and women planning to have children should minimize their exposure to lead and cadmium,” Dr. Buck Louis said. “They can reduce cadmium exposure by avoiding cigarettes or by quitting if they are current smokers, especially if they intend to become pregnant in the future. Similarly, they can take steps to reduce their exposure to lead based paints, which may occur in older housing, including during periods of home renovation.”

To conduct the study, the researchers enrolled 501 couples from four counties in Michigan and 12 counties in Texas, from 2005 to 2009. The women ranged from 18 to 44 years of age, and the men were over 18. Couples provided blood samples for the analysis of three heavy metals. Women kept journals to record their monthly menstrual cycles and the results of home pregnancy tests. The couples were followed until pregnancy or for up to one year of trying.

The researchers ranked the study participants on the basis of their blood levels of lead and cadmium. The researchers also measured the participants’ blood mercury levels, but found they were not associated with the length of time couples required to become pregnant. Nearly every study participant had some exposure to these common metals, although blood levels of the metals varied across participants.

Researchers calculated the probability that a couple would achieve pregnancy by levels of blood cadmium and lead with a statistical measure called the fecundability odds ratio. The measure estimates couples’ probability of pregnancy each cycle, by their blood concentration of metals. A ratio less than one suggests a longer time to pregnancy, while a ratio greater than one suggests a shorter time to pregnancy. Females’ blood cadmium concentration was associated with a ratio below 1 (0.78), which means that the probability of pregnancy was reduced by 22 percent with each increase in the level of cadmium. Males’ blood lead exposure also was associated with a ratio below 1 (0.85) with increasing levels, or about a 15 percent reduction in the probability of pregnancy for each increase in the level of blood lead concentrations.

The researchers also calculated a fecundability odds ratio based on both partners’ combined lead, cadmium and mercury concentrations. The researchers found a ratio of 0.82 for male lead exposure, representing approximately a 28 percent reduction in the probability of pregnancy for each menstrual cycle, with increasing male blood lead concentration.

“The findings highlight the importance of assessing couples’ exposure jointly, in a single, combined measure,” Dr. Buck Louis said. “Males matter, because couples’ chances of becoming pregnant each cycle were reduced with increasing blood lead concentrations in men.”

Source for Story:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/nioc-nsl020812.php

and it helped reduce LDL levels by a whopping 42% and raise HDL levels by 26%. Patients here also had a reduced number of heart attacks, strokes, and death.

Finally, a 2004 study examined 167 patients with heart disease, who had low HDL levels. One gram of niacin a day added to statin treatment increased HDL levels by 21%, and improved their hardened arteries as well.

2. Raynaud’s Disease, Intermittent Claudication: For this, the preparation of niacin is called “inositol hexaniacinate”, as it contains both nicotinic acid and inositol. Most studies show that this is an effective treatment in the aforementioned two conditions. Raynaud’s causes poor blood flow in fingers, toes, ears, nose, nipples or knees. Pain and skin discoloration ensue. Claudication is a symptom of blocked arteries, causing leg pain during exercise.

A good study on 23 Raynaud’s patients treated with four grams a day found that they had significantly improved symptoms.

In a three-month study of 100 patients with intermittent claudication, those getting four grams a day of inositol hexaniacinate showed major improvement in being able to walk pain-free.

3. Type 1 Diabetes: Many quality studies have tried to see if niacin can prevent or delay this condition. The results are mixed. Good news came out of two studies that showed niacinamide alone, or with vitamin E, could prolong the “honeymoon period”” in newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. Thus, it delays it for some time.

And there you have the three-pronged disease-fighting nature of niacin.

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doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

The study is published in the “International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health.” It highlights fruit, vegetables, whole-grain foods such as muesli and porridge, and the entire bean family as foods rich in dietary fiber. And foods we should all strive to get more of in our daily diets. (Not surprisingly, these are also the healthiest foods to eat, period.)

Dietary fiber is sometimes referred to as “roughage.” It means the non-digestible parts of the fruit and vegetables. Soluble fiber is readily broken down or fermented in the colon. Insoluble fiber absorbs water as it passes through the digestive system, providing bulk for the intestinal muscles to work against and making digestion slow and healthy.

Research has shown that modern food habits have led to an increase in obesity, heart diseases, and type 2 diabetes. This is a common refrain in Doctors Health Press. Western eating habits are even flowing into developing nations, where processed foods high in sugars and saturated fat, beef, and dairy products are replacing more traditional options that are naturally high in fiber.

A loss of dietary fiber is a major risk factor for health problems — but one of the simplest to solve. It is not hard to choose foods wisely, particularly when grocery stores have so much available to us.

Fiber has a vast array of actions in the body. Among them are lowering cholesterol, moderating blood glucose levels, keeping your gastrointestinal tract healthy, boosting your immune system, and ensuring calcium is properly absorbed and used. Getting more fiber could single-handedly protect you from heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes, weight gain, and many more serious health concerns.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com

DMBA is a powerful toxin which is commonly used to initiate cancer tumors in laboratory animals for cancer research purposes. Four different concentrations of holy basil leaf extract were fed to rats over a five day period, then were injected with DMBA. When cancer symptoms were positively identified, the scientists measured the ability of holy basil to combat cancer. At a dosage of 300mg per kilgram of body weight, holy basil leaf extract significantly reduced the formation of cancerous micronuclei, enzymes which metabolize toxins in the body, and oxidation in both proteins and fats. Antioxidant and healthy enzymatic activity was increased.

Scientists prove that holy basil heals neuropathy caused by surgery

The October 2008 issue of the Journal of Ethnopharmacology reports a clinical study which was performed on rats that had sciatic nerve neuropathy. The researchers severed the sciatic nerve in the rats’ paws, then measured the resulting neuropathy. Ocimum sanctum (holy basil) extract was then administered for ten days following the surgeries. The scientists observed that holy basil extract reduced the effects of nerve degeneration, helped to make nerve receptors more sensitive to stimuli, and aided in motor control after the surgery. The herb also curbed a rise in TBARS, an indicator of oxidative stress, and increased the amount of calcium and glutothione in the body of the rats.

Holy basil oil may be useful in the treatment of acne

The International Journal of Cosmetic Science published a 2006 study performed in Thailand which evaluated the effectiveness of three different kinds of Thai basil oil in the treatment of acne. Researchers wanted to study the anti-bacterial activity of oils made from sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), holy basil (Ocimum sanctum), and hoary basil (Ocimum americanum). Hoary basil had no anti-microbial effects against acne at all in vitro. However, both sweet basil oil and holy basil oil did. While sweet basil oil was found to be more effective against acne than holy basil oil, both herbs were found to be suitable for a skin care treatment of acne.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034870_Holy_Basil_tulsi_antioxidants.html#ixzz1ljTN459a

which means the more soft drink one consumes, the higher the chance of having these diseases.

Overall, 13.3% of participants with asthma and 15.6% of those with COPD reported consuming more than half a liter of soft drink per day.

The odds ratio for asthma and COPD was 1.26 and 1.79, comparing those who consumed more than half a liter of soft drink per day with those who did not consume soft drinks.

Furthermore, smoking makes this relationship even worse, especially for COPD. Compared with those who did not smoke and consume soft drinks, those that consumed more than half a liter of soft drink per day and were current smokers had a 6.6-fold greater risk of COPD.

“Our study emphasizes the importance of healthy eating and drinking in the prevention of chronic diseases like asthma and COPD,” Zumin concludes.

Source for Story:

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-02/w-dla020712.php

The researchers found that the level of 35 decibels could result not only from a plane overhead but also from a bed partner snoring or automobile traffic outside. Plus, this hypertensive threat occurred even if the noise did not wake the sleeper.

The study, which was published in the European Heart Journal, discovered, as you might expect, that the louder the noise, the larger the increase in blood pressure. For every 5dB increase in aircraft noise, there was an increase of 0.66 mmHg in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading).

Another study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, demonstrated that people who live for at least five years near an international airport, under a flight path, have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure than people who live in more peaceful surroundings.

Losing Your Hearing

But airport noise may only be a minor player in today’s epidemic of noise exposure. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that nine of 10 city dwellers may experience enough noise exposure to risk hearing loss. And much of the exposure is self-inflicted because people listen to their iPods, MP3 players and stereos at ear-busting volumes.

“That two out of three people get the majority of noise exposure from music is pretty striking,” says Rick Neitzel, one of the researchers. “I’ve always viewed the workplace as a primary risk for noise exposure. But (our findings) suggest that just focusing our efforts on the workplace isn’t enough…”

Stroke Risk

Stroke is another risk associated with noise. A study that appeared in the European Heart Journal showed that for those over the age of 65, every increase of 10 decibels in daily traffic noise raises the stroke risk by a shocking 27 percent.

“Our study shows that exposure to road traffic noise seems to increase the risk of stroke,” says Dr. Mette Sorensen, senior researcher at the Danish Cancer Society in Copenhagen, Denmark. “Previous studies have linked traffic noise with raised blood pressure and heart attacks, and our study adds to the accumulating evidence that traffic noise may cause a range of cardiovascular diseases.”

Tumors In The Ear

Years of loud music can also increase your risk of developing tumors in your ears that cause hearing loss. While these tumors are not cancerous, research at the School of Public Health at Ohio State University shows that these growths, called acoustic neuromas, press on the cranial nerve that is responsible for sensing sound. They also impinge on nerves that help with balance. The tumors can cause tinnitus (unceasing ringing in the ears) along with hearing loss.

The scientists found that the two types of loud noise that posed the greatest risk of acoustic neuroma development were exposure to machines, power tools and construction equipment and exposure to loud music. People employed in the music industry were 2.25 times more likely to develop these tumors.

Risky Business

Other health problems linked to noise include:

• Insomnia: A study published in the journal Sleep found that if you suffer noise-related hearing loss, you have a greater risk of having difficulty falling asleep, being sleepy during the daytime, waking up at night and not being able to go back to sleep, snoring and being subject to excessive restlessness at night.
• Impaired work performance: If your bedroom fills with nighttime traffic noise, your morning work performance suffers. Research in Germany showed that noise at night affects how well your muscles and nerves function the next morning.
• Hearing loss: While it’s no surprise that excessively loud music hurts your hearing, researchers have been surprised to find that 30 million Americans are exposed to dangerous noise levels daily.

Ear Protection

The simplest way to protect yourself from noise is to turn the volume down on your portable music player and on your stereo. In addition, wearing ear plugs in noisy places like the subway or in heavy traffic can also help.

Scientists have also discovered that taking supplements of beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E, as well as magnesium may also help save your hearing. Lab tests at the University of Florida found that giving these supplements to animals before exposing them to loud noises prevented both temporary and permanent hearing loss.

“Ear protection, such as ear plugs, is always the best practice for the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss, but in those populations who don’t or can’t wear hearing protection… these supplements could provide an opportunity for additional protection, notes researcher Dr. Colleen Le Prell.

If you don’t want to be a victim of noise, preventive precautions against a loud world are your best bet. Antioxidant supplements and keeping your music at a manageable level can not only preserve hearing, it may be just as important for the health of your heart and the rest of your body.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/turn-down-the-volume-to-lift-your-health/

People in the middle range ran a lower risk. Also, the same researchers noted that the risk of a heart problem didn’t occur until sodium levels reached J curve, and/or exceeded 6,500 mg a day. This seems to indicate that we need more sodium than has been generally accepted. But we should limit the type of salt we get in processed foods like potato chips and canned soups.

Across The Great Divide

However, there seems to be a huge scientific divide: Consumers have been told for what seems like ages that daily sodium intake should be no more than 2,000 mg a day according to the World Health Organization (WHO); 1,500 mg a day according to the U.S. American Heart Association (AHA); and 1500 to 2300 mg, depending upon age, per the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Personally, and as a retired natural nutritionist, I think the WHO, AHA and HHS figures are — and have been — off the mark for several reasons.

First and foremost, there are subtle differences between plant-based sodium and table salt that the medical and pharmaceutical industries and health agencies don’t make clear to  consumers. Said differences influence whether body chemistry works efficiently or detrimentally. Sodium is essential to life processes, and that’s why nature includes it in all food.

Salt Observation

Sodium (Na for the Latin Natrum) is in the alkali metals group of elements possessing number 11 on the Periodic Table of the Elements and is the sixth most-abundant element. The most familiar or common sodium compound is halite (sodium chloride, NaCl) also known as table salt, which is refined salt that is overused — if not abused — by the food processing industry.

Sodium is a key mineral element in maintaining fluid balance in and between cells in the body, plus it plays a vital electrical role critical for nerve function.

Here’s where it may get a little confusing: Humans evolved over thousands upon thousands of years eating plant foods that basically were balanced by nature with correct ratios of sodium to potassium for cellular functions. That apparently unrecognized factoid was not valued, either was forgotten or deliberately ignored, and consequently not factored in when the food processing industry began adding huge amounts of salt to food. In addition, food additives deposited in processed foods often include sodium in their composition.

Minerals In Vegetables

Contrast this unbalanced emphasis on sodium to the mineral balance in vegetables. Fresh asparagus, which is a great aid to kidney health, contains almost six times as much potassium as sodium. Bananas are also rich in potassium. Nature embedded various nutrients within all plant foods that automatically balance nutrient status if and when we eat a varied diet of organically grown food, as raw or unprocessed as possible, without chemicals or genetically modified organisms.

Additives to table salt can include — depending upon country — iodine in the form of iodide salts (United States); fluoride (a protoplasmic poison) in countries where water fluoridation does not occur (France); numerous chemical anti-caking agents; iron; folic acid; and even a form of sugar (usually dextrose supposedly to stabilize iodide).

In the JAMA study I mentioned at the beginning, heart problems only seemed to be linked to excess salt when daily sodium levels reached 6,500 mg. Because what is truly important is the balancing of the four cationic electrolytes: sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.

But conventional medicine is trying to pigeonhole everyone’s sodium/potassium ratios into a one-size-fits-all model that over-prescribes blood pressure medications. But these medications may be doing more harm than good, by taking minerals out of the body and harming the kidneys.

Sea Salt

According to conventional wisdom, I should have been on high blood pressure meds for years. But my diet contains sea salt. Consequently, my most recent blood pressure reading was 106/60. Of course, I don’t eat processed foods or allow chemicals in my food or water and haven’t for 40 years.

The way electrolytes function in the body, sodium usually works outside cells while potassium functions inside the cells. This placement functions in the maintenance of a bodily balance of these minerals.

But when you take diuretic drugs for your blood pressure and don’t get adequate sea salt, you throw this balance out of whack. Studies like the one in JAMA show that we are long overdue for a re-evaluation of the medical hypertension paradigm.

In addition, there’s no telling how many seniors who are on hypertension meds become dehydrated. Often, in these cases, doctors provide an intravenous drip to re-supply fluid and electrolytes. Eating plenty of leafy greens and high potassium foods, plus losing some weight, could bring blood pressure into normal range.

An imbalance in sodium and potassium may also be responsible for heart arrhythmias or, perhaps, dementias linked to strong diuretics that drain the body of fluids and essential nutrients. And too many people forget to drink plenty of pure water.

To give you an idea of where sodium is in your diet, here are some examples of salt content from the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference:

One cup drained snap green beans canned……… 354 mg sodium [mostly NaCl]
One cup cooked without salt fresh green beans….   1 mg [natural-occurring] sodium
One cup drained broccoli cooked without salt ……64 mg [natural-occurring] sodium
One tablespoon salted butter…………………….  82 mg sodium [mostly NaCl]
One tablespoon unsalted butter…………………     2 mg [natural-occurring] sodium
12 oz carbonated ginger ale soda………………     26 mg sodium
One cup drained carrots canned………………… 353 mg sodium [mostly NaCl]
One cup drained cooked fresh carrots…………..   90 mg [natural-occurring] sodium

In these values, you can readily see how food processing changes sodium content. To find the natural sodium and table salt contents of foods listed from A to Z on a total of 26 pages, you can study this U.S. Department of Agriculture website.

Source for Story:

http://www.easyhealthoptions.com/alternative-medicine/dont-have-faulty-ideas-about-salt/

The agency is basically now recommending that all young men and women get the Gardasil vaccine.

The CDC announcement comes just days after Canadian health officials made a similar announcement recommending that all boys between the ages of nine and 26 in that country be jabbed with Gardasil. Together, the two announcements could potentially double profits for the vaccine, that is if enough members of the public are foolish enough to actually comply with these new recommendations.

ACIP heavily influenced by Big Pharma

Many of ACIP’s members are nominated directly by the drug industry, and often have significant financial ties to vaccine manufacturers. So it is really no surprise that ACIP has made such egregious recommendations without considering the fact that Gardasil has been shown to be medically useless for its stated purpose, and a significant threat to health in many cases.

Dr. Carol Baker, executive director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Awareness and Research, and huge proponent of vaccines, is head of ACIP, which made the recommendation. And Dr. Larry Pickering, executive secretary of ACIP and senior advisor to the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, also has an extensive history working for groups that promote vaccines.

Thousands of young girls around the world have suffered debilitating, permanent neurological damage from getting the Gardasil series of shots. Many of them are now paralyzed as well, and suffer from chronic autoimmune disorders, extreme fatigue, and incapacitating muscle weakness, and at least 100 girls have died. If boys start getting the shot as well, you can expect a massive upswing in serious negative side effects and deaths among this segment of the population as well.

The fact of the matter is that Gardasil is a dangerous, unproven vaccine that has no place in medicine. And yet health officials are all too eager to recommend it to practically everyone as if it was some type of miracle treatment.

Source for Story:

http://www.naturalnews.com/034886_CDC_Gardasil_boys.html#ixzz1ldn1e74V

 

They measured skin elasticity and skin fatigue at the beginning, at six weeks, and at the end.

Here are the key results to take away:

• Pycnogenol elevated one type of collagen by 29% and another by 41%. It also increased the production of hyaluronic acid in the skin by 44%. (This acid is known to moisturize the skin and help prevent wrinkles.)
• Pine bark enhanced skin elasticity by 25%, in addition to skin hydration by eight percent. This was especially noticeable in women who had dry skin from the start, with an increase of 21%.
• The supplement lowered skin fatigue considerably.
• It also reduced skin wrinkles by three percent and increased skin smoothness by six percent.

The researchers claim it is the only natural supplement to stimulate hyaluronic acid production in human skin. The molecular evidence confirmed in this study helps show that Pycnogenol benefits our skin and helps us look younger.

It seems one of the keys is the hyaluronic acid angle. This substance binds large quantities of water in the skin and in other tissues, such as cartilage. An increased amount of hyaluronic acid explains the increased skin hydration, higher elasticity and overall smoother skin appearance found in women taking pine bark supplements.

The supplement Pycnogenol has had several positive benefits in the skin field. Its most noticeably beneficial results were seen in the treatment of varicose veins. This anti-aging ability shows that its impact on our skin is at the very least, worth looking into.

Source for Story:

doctorshealthpress@lombardipublishing.com