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October 2009 OHI Newsletter!

DrKilpatrick — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:37:15 +0000

Optimal Health Institute
October 2009 Newsletter

This month’s articles:
Satisfying “Mind Hunger”
Whole Grain Breakfast Has 10-Hour Impact”
Hassle Free Ways to Eat More Vegetables
A Diet Plan that can become a Life Plan
The Importance of Good Fat in Your Diet
Diet and Exercise Reduce Insulin to the Brain

The topics for our regular features are:
Sex: Question and Answer
Just Do It! Hit the Deck and Give Me 10
Food For Thought: Famous Quotations on Aging
Frightening Food Fact: Twisted
Recipe of the Month: Avocado with Black Bean Salad
Supplement of the Month: Milk Thistle
Referral Incentive Program
Happenings

Satisfying “Mind Hunger”
How to Stop When You’ve Had Enough
Geneen Roth

Note from Sandra: I got such wonderful feedback from last month’s article by Geneen Roth (“Love the One You’re With”) that I thought I would include another article this month.
During the peak of my dieting and bingeing days, hunger had nothing to do with how much I consumed–I ate because I was angry, sad, bored, lonely, or tired, or because I was celebrating, grieving, or getting ready to go on another diet. It never occurred to me that eating had anything to do with hunger or fullness. That’s because I didn’t let my body get hungry. I ate from what I call mind hunger.

Most of us confuse mind hunger, which has nothing to do with food, with body hunger, which does. After years of off-and-on dieting, we aren’t even sure we know how to feel true hunger; we no longer trust the innate wisdom of our biology. But being hungry is like being in love: If you don’t know, you’re probably not. Your body lets you know in no uncertain terms when it wants food.

Mind hunger, on the other hand, is endless, bottomless, erratic. You pass a bakery and suddenly you have to have an Èclair, even though you ate breakfast 10 minutes ago. You’re sitting in a restaurant, see a plate of mashed potatoes go by, and want some now, even though you’re in the middle of a very good meal.

The way I learned to listen to true physical hunger was by rating myself on a scale of one to ten. “One” is so hungry that you’re ready to eat what doesn’t eat you first. “Ten” is so stuffed that when you roll over, your stomach stays on the other side of the bed. “Five” is comfortable.

If you start eating at five or above on the hunger scale, you’re eating from mind, not body, hunger. But if you start at two or three, and ask your body what it wants to eat (which is different than what you think you should or shouldn’t eat), you’re eating from true, physical hunger.

When one of my students started using the hunger scale, she realized that she experienced different sensations during each of the phases of hunger. At two–when she was really hungry–she felt empty and hollow. When she was slightly hungry–at three or four–she felt spacey and cranky. These feelings became clues that she needed to eat. She also realized that it was best to start eating at two or three, and not wait until one, so she had time to figure out what her body actually wanted, instead of being so hungry that she would eat anything.

Years ago, a woman confessed to me that food was her main source of pleasure, the only time in the whole day she gave herself permission to have sweetness, tastes of good things, and time to herself. The hunger scale had no meaning for her–she ate when she needed to stop running around, not when she was hungry. Without treats to look forward to when she felt overwhelmed, she believed she was dooming herself to a life of drudgery. I suggested we come up with a variety of nonfood pleasures, ways to treat herself that did not involve cookies: Quiet time. Being in nature. Making contact with a friend. When food stopped being her only source of pleasure, she was able to follow the hunger scale.

Eating when you’re hungry is not what causes weight gain; you put on pounds when your body has no need for food and you eat anyway. To reach your natural weight, you not only need to eat when you’re physically hungry, but to stop when your body has had enough. Yet most of us have no idea what “enough” means. We keep taking more than enough of what we can get (food) because we believe it’s impossible to get enough of what we really want–things such as love, joy, value, happiness, contentment, understanding, friendship.

In a recent workshop, a woman told me, “When I stop eating at seven, I feel deprived. Food still tastes good, even though my body has had enough.” I reminded her that there are many kinds of deprivation. If you eat past seven, you might not be depriving yourself of food, but you will be denying yourself the sensations of feeling light, alive, and energetic.

When you start eating to satisfy your physical hunger, having enough is simply a matter of listening to your body’s signals. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind as you begin to listen.

Being full and having enough are not necessarily the same thing.
You can have enough without being full–or stuffed. As you eat, be aware of the point at which you feel satisfied. And eat slowly enough for that feeling of satisfaction to register. (It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the “I’m feeling satisfied” message from your stomach.)

You can never get enough of what you don’t really want.
If what you crave is time alone or a conversation with a friend, no food in the world will satisfy you. Or if your body wants a piece of chocolate and you eat carrot sticks instead, you can eat enough to turn your skin orange, but you’ll still want, and possibly binge on, chocolate.

To be satisfied, both your mind and body have to be engaged.
If you miss the entire eating experience by talking or watching television, you’ll finish eating and feel as if you didn’t get enough.

When you stop using food to feed the hungers of your heart, you not only discover the pleasure of eating exactly what your body wants, but you also are free to attend to parts of your life you never noticed because your attention was completely taken up with what you should and shouldn’t be eating, wanting, sneaking, or bingeing on. You become aware of quiet needs, unspoken desires, and the thrilling, crazy, unexpected joys of being alive.

Now that’s what I call a feast!
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Whole-grain Breakfast Has 10-Hour Impact

LUND, Sweden (UPI) — Eating the right grains for breakfast such as whole-grain barley or rye can help regulate blood sugar for the rest of day, a Swedish study found.

Experiments also showed that the blood sugar increase following breakfast can be moderated in a similar way by eating the right grain products the night before, said study leader Anne Nilsson, a doctoral student at Lund University.

“It is known that a carbohydrate-rich breakfast with low glycemic index can moderate increases in blood sugar after lunch,” Nilsson said in a statement.

“But my results show that low glycemic index in combination with the right amount of so-called indigestible carbohydrates, that is, dietary fiber and resistant starch, can keep the blood-sugar level low for up to 10 hours, which means until after dinner.”

Barley had the best results of the four types of grain tested.

Glycemic index is a measure of how rapidly the level of blood sugar rises after ingestion of food containing carbohydrates. Foods with low glycemic index offer several health advantages because the blood sugar level rises slowly and the insulin increase is lower.

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Sex: Question and Answer
Note from Sandra: As part of our focus on Healthy Relationships in 2009, we have decided to have a Question and Answer section in each newsletter. Now is your chance to – anonymously, of course, – ask any questions you may have about sex. Just email Sandra and you will get an answer to your question from either Tom or Sandra. We will answer every question, but will select one to appear in each newsletter.
Q: This is embarrassing, but I’ve often wondered if I’m “abnormal” or if other women have the same problem. My breasts are not… well, balanced. One is a bit bigger than the other and gravity has subsequently made the imbalance more noticeable. It doesn’t bother my husband, but it does me.
A: I had to do a bit of research on this one – and it turns out being unbalanced is indeed “normal”! Unless you’ve had a “boob job”, most breasts are not perfectly matched. That’s because they’re made of mammary gland tissue and fat and have naturally different amounts in each, explains Glenn Updike, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Magee Women’s Hospital in Pittsburgh.

For some women, the difference is more pronounced, and it’s usually a cosmetic issue. If it’s embarrassing or affecting your sex life, surgery is an option.
But if one breast suddenly becomes much larger than the other, it could indicate an infection or tumor, so have your gynecologist evaluate it immediately.
Q: I’ve always been hyper-aware of how I smell “down there” – I’ve used douches in the past but have recently read that they are not good for you. Strangely, my partner seems not only not to mind the smell but says he likes it…can that be true?
A: I consulted with Dr. Cable on this one (don’t worry; I never reveal the writer’s identity when I consult with him – at least not without the express permission of the client!) He reports that this is a common concern but most of the time that “smell” is perfectly normal. However, he cautions that if you have a very strong – and different from your normal – smell (especially if accompanied by a discharge), then you probably need a “ride in the stirrups” (men, you have no idea what we have to go through!) and a test to rule out a bacterial infection or other infection, such as an STD.
Dr. Cable also reports that using any “feminine hygiene” spray or douche can actually cause harm – primarily by disrupting the normal flora of your vagina – which can lead to bacterial “overgrowth”. Dr. Cable said that if the smell is bothersome, it is safe to occasionally douche with a vinegar and water solution. However, I have also read reports about a fairly new, over-the-counter product, called Rephresh that rebalances the vagina’s pH and makes you more “fragrant”.
With regard to your husband liking your particular scent, my research indicates that this could be due to pheromones. Many men are aroused by “the scent of a woman” – and over time may become particularly aroused to their partner’s unique scent. As a psychologist, I attribute this in part to Classical Conditioning – when you pair two things together repeatedly (e.g., your scent and the sexual experience), the mind begins to associate those two things together. This effect is even stronger when there is “reinforcement” (e.g., a reward – which in this case would be sex and orgasm) to the “trigger” (your scent). In other words, simply smelling your natural scent can make him ready for a romantic rendezvous.

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Hassle-free Ways to Eat More Vegetables
CHRISTINE DELL’AMORE, UPI Consumer Health Editor
Americans still aren’t eating enough fruits and vegetables, a new U.S. government report says.

A Center for Disease Control and Prevention survey found about 32 percent of adults consumed fruit more than two times a day, and 27 percent ate vegetables three or more times a day — far below the four to five cups a day recommended for most adults. The data was collected in 2005 from 305,504 participants in 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Shocking? No. But the nation’s continued rejection of all things green and good is disheartening, experts say — especially in a country where the leading causes of death are also highly preventable. Chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes can be, in part, derailed by a diet rich in vegetables.

Heard it before? So have most Americans. But apparently, “knowledge doesn’t always lead to actually doing it,” said Lona Sandon, a registered dietician and an assistant professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. “We’re not making a conscious effort to make (eating vegetables) a habit.”

For many people, it’s the arduous task of washing, slicing, boiling and sautÈing those green beans that makes takeout so enticing. But preparing vegetables doesn’t have to become an exercise in gourmet cooking, said Sandon.

Tips for jumpstarting your new veggie-filled diet include:

– Buy premixed salad from the grocery store. You should eat a big salad at least once a day, either at lunch or dinner, Sandon said.

– Snag a premade salad. Even if you’re busy you can find a packaged salad, an increasingly popular option in grocery stores and restaurants. (And it’s usually faster than waiting in line at the drive-thru, Sandon pointed out.)

– Embrace the bite-sized veggie. Go for plum tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots and pre-chopped onion and green peppers you can easily throw on top of your lunch or tuck away in your bag for a snack.

– Choose vegetable-laden pizza. If you’re going to eat pizza, don’t hold the mushrooms, green peppers, olives and onions.

– Make pasta primavera. Keep frozen veggies on hand to sprinkle into plain pasta or rice dishes. A few minutes before the pasta or rice is done, add the veggies and let them steam along with the dish.

– Beans are a vegetable. They’re also high in protein and a good source of vitamins. Two minutes of microwaved kidney beans, and voila. Also, mix together beans with steamed frozen veggies and you have a meal in minutes, Sandon said.
– Use salsa liberally. Salsa — especially fresh salsa from your local deli — counts as a vegetable serving, and it can go on top of salads, spaghetti, rice or baked potatoes. Just hold the chips.

– Make hummus a dip. Hummus is made from chickpeas, so it is technically a kind of vegetable. Dip carrot sticks or green-pepper slices into hummus as a finger food.

– Get to like olive oil. If you hate bland steamed veggies, add some garlic, olive oil and pepper to make your cauliflower or broccoli more enticing.

For more information: www.eatright.org
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A Diet Plan that can become a Life Plan
In a recent study at Pennsylvania State University, researchers tested the effectiveness of four diets: the standard American diet, a diet emphasizing foods with a low calorie density (i.e., fewer calories per pound), a diet emphasizing portion control with common high-calorie foods found in the American diet (pizza, muffins, pasta, etc.), and a diet that combined portion control with lower-calorie foods. Each of the 24 women in the study followed each diet for two days.
The results, which were published in the January 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that the diet that allowed women to fill their plates with low-cal foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and low-fat snacks, was most effective, cutting an average of 575 calories a day. Eating smaller portions of high-calorie foods reduced intake by only 231 calories. When women watched calorie density and portions, however, they saw the biggest cut: a whopping 812 calories a day.
Probably most exciting, say the researchers, is the finding that the women eating the low-cal food didn’t report feeling hungry at the end of the day. They speculate that larger portions may be less likely to make women feel deprived than smaller portions of high-cal foods.
If you want to try this diet at home, the researchers advise enjoying a light vegetable soup or large salad before your main course and also to also beef up the vegetable (or fruit) portions on your plate during your main meal (while slimming down portions from other food groups). Fruits, vegetables, and broth-based soups are watery foods, so they make you feel fuller with fewer calories.
Health & Wellness Monthly Magazine 02/08
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The Importance of (Good) Fat in Your Diet
by Karen Ansel, RD
Remember hearing those news reports a few years ago that a major study found that a low-fat diet doesn’t prevent breast or colon cancer or heart disease in women? Confess – didn’t you want to run out and order Fettuccine Alfredo? Cheesecake? A pint of H‰agen-Dazs Triple Chocolate?

Trouble is, those reports left us with the wrong impression–namely, that we could give up fat free for fat free-for-all. That, alas, is not the case. The study–the Women’s Health Initiative, the largest health assessment ever of postmenopausal women–treated all fats as though they were the same. So, for the purposes of research, adding avocado slices to a salad or snacking on a handful of almonds was considered roughly the equivalent of eating a fatty roast beef sandwich or noshing on pork rinds. That’s like comparing, well, almonds and pork rinds.

“Not all fats are created equal,” says Roberta Anding, RD, a clinical dietitian at Baylor College of Medicine. “Maybe a low-fat diet isn’t the way we need to eat, but a right-fat diet is.”

Like other animal products, pork rinds contain saturated fat, which is linked to increased risk of both heart disease and cancer. The “right” fats mainly come from plants and fish: the monounsaturated fats in almonds and avocados, the polyunsaturated fats in soy and seeds, the omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts (and fish), and the omega-6 fatty acids in nuts and seeds and their oils. Studies have shown that they may lower your odds of a multitude of conditions, including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and depression.

And though all fats, healthy or otherwise, contain a fair amount of calories (about 9 per gram), a little bit may keep you from getting ravenous between meals. Fat as a diet food? Sure, as long as you keep your fat calories to no more than 30% of total calories, or roughly 57 g of fat a day for women. To put that in perspective, one large container of fast-food fries supplies about 28 g of fat; add a steak (23 g in 6 ounces) and that piece of cheesecake (18 g per slice), and you’ve blown it.

So go ahead, follow your initial impulse and fatten up your diet. But make sure you do it with these good-fat foods:
Avocados
Eat them because: They contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Monos help lower total and “bad” LDL cholesterol. Some studies suggest that a high-mono diet may even protect against breast cancer. Recent research at Ohio State University found that when avocado was added to salads and salsa, it helped increase the absorption of specific carotenoids, chemicals linked to lower risk of heart disease and macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.

“Avocados are packed with other heart-protective compounds, such as soluble fiber, vitamin E, folate, and potassium,” says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman’s Diet.

Get more: Avocados aren’t just for guacamole anymore. Start a summer meal with a refreshing bowl of chilled avocado soup (puree an avocado in a blender with 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt and a dash of lime juice and hot sauce, thinning the soup to taste with reduced-sodium chicken broth). Mash a quarter of an avocado to use in place of a tablespoon of mayonnaise on deli sandwiches of turkey or lean ham; you’ll slash total fat (the avocado has 7 g, full-fat mayo has 11 g) and add beneficial monounsaturated fat, which you won’t get by switching to fat-free mayo.

Nutrient Profile 1/5 avocado: 4.6 g fat* (2.9 g monounsaturated, 0.6 g polyunsaturated, 0.6 g saturated), 50 calories

*Fat breakdowns are approximate.

Olives & Olive Oil
Eat them because: Olives and their oil are one of nature’s most abundant sources of beneficial monos. But that’s only the beginning. They also contain phytochemicals like polyphenols. “These protective compounds may prevent both cardiovascular disease and cancer and reduce inflammation that can lead to chronic illness,” says Somer. A recent Spanish study found that among 755 women in the Canary Islands, where the breast cancer rate is higher than in the rest of Spain, those who consumed the most olive oil–more than 8.8 g, or about a third of an ounce, a day–were least likely to get the disease.

Get more: Skewer pitted olives among grilled shrimp, peppers, and onions, or stir chunks into spicy putta-nesca sauce and serve over pasta or fish. Swap mayo for flavorful store-bought olive paste (called tapenade, and a teaspoon will do) on sandwiches or salads. Olive oil is an excellent butter substitute on steamed or grilled veggies: Drizzle 1 or 2 teaspoons over grilled asparagus or steamed broccoli and lightly dust the veggies with grated cheese and a grind of black pepper. Choose extra virgin olive oil–it contains the highest level of healthy phenolic compounds.

Nutrient Profile
Five large olives: 2.4 g fat (1.7 g monounsaturated, 0.2 g polyunsaturated, 0.3 g saturated), 25 calories. 1 tablespoon oil: 13.5 g fat (9.9 g monounsaturated, 1.4 g polyunsaturated, 1.9 g saturated), 120 calories

Peanuts & Peanut Butter
Eat them because: Five of the largest epidemiological studies in the United States found that eating nuts reduces the risk of heart disease. In the Nurses’ Health Study at Harvard, eating at least 5 ounces of nuts a week lowered cardiovascular disease risk by 35%, probably because of their healthy fat.

Peanuts and peanut butter pack a lot of calories–170 per ounce of nuts, 94 for 1 tablespoon of peanut butter–but Pennsylvania State University research found that among more than 14,000 people, those who were regular peanut and peanut-butter snackers actually had a lower body mass index, a measure of obesity, and lower cholesterol intake than those who didn’t eat peanuts. Peanuts also contain beta-sitosterol, a plant chemical that blocks cholesterol absorption from foods and appears to inhibit tumor growth in the colon, prostate, and breast.

Get more: Crush them and sprinkle a few tablespoons over coleslaw, rice dishes, shrimp or chicken salad, or a tropical fruit salad. Peanut butter isn’t married to jelly. Spread 2 tablespoons of your favorite full-fat (the good stuff is in the fat) brand on whole wheat bread and add sliced apples, pears, or bananas. Mix 1/4 cup of peanut butter with 1 tablespoon each of reduced-sodium chicken broth and soy sauce to create a rich, exotic sauce for grilled chicken, noodle dishes, or salad.

Nutrient Profile
28 peanuts (1 ounce): 14 g fat (7 g monounsaturated, 4.5 g polyunsaturated, 2 g saturated), 166 calories. 1 tablespoon peanut butter: 8.1 g fat (3.8 g monounsaturated, 2.2 g polyunsaturated, 1.7 g saturated), 94 calories

Edamame (soybeans)
Eat them because: Though recent studies have cast doubt on soy’s ability to independently lower your risk of heart disease, it’s a great substitute for meat in your diet, and that can help lower your cholesterol. A multicenter study, published in the March issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that a diet that substituted soy products for meat and contained specific kinds of fiber (such as that in oats), almonds, and plant-sterol-enriched margarine, lowered cholesterol as much as statin drugs (more than 20%) for one-third of the participants.

Get more: Keep a bag of frozen, precooked edamame on hand and add 1*4 cup to stir-fries, vegetable stews, or whole wheat pasta dishes to boost polyunsaturated fat and protein. Toss them with some corn for an unusual succotash. Use them to replace meat in a stir-fry of broccoli, bok choy, and asparagus. Or substitute them for chickpeas in hummus.

Nutrient Profile
1 cup cooked edamame: 11.5 g fat (2.2 g monounsaturated, 5.4 g polyunsaturated, 1.3 g saturated), 254 calories

Sunflower Seeds
Eat them because: You need to get linoleic acid in your diet: Your body can’t make it (as well as other essential fatty acids), and requires it to help synthesize other fats. Bonus: It’s great for your heart. In the Nurses’ Health Study, women who had the highest intakes of linoleic acid had a 23% lower risk of heart disease than women who had the lowest intakes.

Get more: Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of these delicately flavored seeds to low-fat granola, trail mix, or hot cereal. Or lightly toast and sprinkle them and dried cherries on top of a spinach salad dressed with a citrus vinaigrette. Use a tablespoon as a topping for an open-faced tuna, egg salad, or hummus sandwich on crusty pumpernickel bread. Storage tip: Sunflower seeds easily become rancid, causing them to lose their nutritional benefits and develop off flavors, so store them in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

Nutrient Profile
1/4 cup sunflower seeds: 15.9 g fat (3 g monounsaturated, 10.5 g polyunsaturated, 1.7 g saturated), 10.5 g linoleic acid, 186 calories

Walnuts
Eat them because: “Hands down, walnuts have the highest level of omega-3 fats of any nut,” says Somer. In fact, walnuts are one of the few plant sources of this healthy fat that may protect against inflammation, heart disease, asthma, and arthritis and improve cognitive function. “Just one small handful [14 walnut halves] supplies 2.6 g of omega-3 fats, which surpasses the minimal daily amount recommended by the Institute of Medicine for optimal health.”

Get more: These fragrant nuts lend themselves to both sweet and savory dishes. They’re suited to crisp oatmeal cookies or a rich banana bread, but they also add spark and crunch to a butternut squash risotto, roasted Brussels sprouts, or mashed sweet potatoes. To stave off hunger, add 2 tablespoons of crushed walnuts to your morning cereal, or mix a teaspoon of chopped walnuts with six dried apricot halves for an on-the-go snack.

Nutrient Profile
14 walnut halves (1 ounce): 18.5 g fat (2.5 g monounsaturated, 13.4 g polyunsaturated, 1.7 g saturated), 185 calories

Flaxseed
Eat it because: Flaxseed is famous for its omega-3s, but it’s also an outstanding source of lignans, a type of fiber that acts like a weak form of estrogen in our bodies and may help fight some types of breast cancer.

Researchers at the University of Toronto and Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center in Boston, who analyzed tumor tissue, found that tumor growth slowed significantly and cancer cell death increased by as much as 30% in recently diagnosed postmenopausal breast cancer patients who ate a muffin containing about 3 tablespoons of flaxseed daily for about a month before surgery.

Get more: Its nutty flavor makes flaxseed a natural addition to baked goods and breakfast foods. You must grind the hull from the seed to release all of flax’s nutrients. Add 1/4 cup of ground seeds to pancakes, muffins, cookies, and quick breads (but watch baking times–flaxseed can cause food to brown more quickly). Add a tablespoon or two to cereal, yogurt, soups, or fresh-fruit smoothies. Flax is best stored in the refrigerator, and ground flaxseed must be used promptly because it spoils more quickly than the whole seed.

Nutrient Profile
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed: 5.9 g fat (1.1 g monounsaturated, 4 g polyunsaturated, 0.5 g saturated), 75 calories

Almonds
Eat them because: They’ll do your heart good. In a study at the University of California, Davis, researchers substituted almonds and almond oil for half the fat in the diets of their volunteers: slightly more than 2 1/2 ounces of almonds (about 48 nuts) and nearly 1 1/2 ounces of almond oil daily. At the end of 6 weeks, the 22 men and women had lower total cholesterol (a drop of 4%), lower LDL levels (a drop of 6%), and significantly lower triglycerides (a 14% drop), while their HDL levels went up by 6%.

Get more: Sprinkle a tablespoon or two of slivered almonds over whole wheat couscous or steamed jasmine rice with peas. Tuck them into beef or poultry dishes or use them to top a curried vegetable stew or carrot soup. For a light summer dessert, sprinkle a tablespoon of crushed almonds over grilled figs, nectarines, or peaches drizzled with balsamic vinegar. For a twist on an old favorite, use almond butter on your PB&J.

Nutrient Profile
23 almonds (1 ounce): 14.4 g fat (9.1 g monounsaturated, 3.5 g polyunsaturated, 1.1 g saturated), 164 calories

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
Quotations on Aging
From www.junkfoodforthought.com

Every man desires to live long, but no one would be old.
Jonathan Swift (1667-1745)
“Miscelanies”, 1711
Thoughts on Various Subjects

Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing.
Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894)

To know how to grow old is the masterwork of wisdom, and one of the most difficult chapters in the great art of living.
Henri Frederic Amiel (1821-1881)
Journal Intime, 1883

An individual human existence should be like a river – small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past rocks and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.
Bertrand Russell (1872-1970)
“How to Grow Old”
Portraits from memory: and other essays, 1956

The complete life, the perfect pattern, includes old age as well as youth and maturity. The beauty of the morning and the radiance of noon are good, but it would be a very silly person who drew the curtains and turned on the light in order to shut out the tranquillity of the evening. Old age has its pleasures, which, though different, are not less than the pleasures of youth.
W. Somerset Maugham (1874-1965)
The Summing Up, 1938
Chapter 73

Old age is the most unexpected of all things that can happen to a man.
Leon Trotsky (1879-1940)
Diary in Exile, 1959
08 May 1935

If I’d known I was gonna live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.
Eubie Blake (1883-1983)
On reaching the age of 100
Observer, 13 February 1983

I want to tell people approaching and perhaps fearing age that it is a time of discovery. If they say “Of what?” I can only answer “We must find out for ourselves, otherwise it won’t be discovery.
Florida Scott-Maxwell (1883-1979)
The Measure of My Days, 1968

I know I’m going to get old and be one of those crazy women who sits on balconies and spits on people and screams, ‘Get a haircut!’ I know this, and I don’t really fear it. I’d just like to move toward it with as much grace and dignity as possible.
Carrie Fisher (b.1956)
Postcards From the Edge, 1987

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Exercise – JUST DO IT!!!
Hit the deck and give me 10
Wherever you are … there you are.

And if you have your Hit the Deck package with you, you can stop and do 10 minutes, or even 30 minutes, of interval training … anywhere.

How It Works
There are three different intensity categories you can work from:
1. No Sweat
2. I’m Glistening
3. Sweating Buckets
Each category of 10 cards contains exercises that challenge all major muscle groups for a comprehensive total body strength-training and cardiovascular workout at the same time, using no equipment.
The length of your workout will be determined by how many cards you perform and the duration you set on the programmable interval timer. If you are short on time, keep it quick and only choose a few cards. If you’ve got more time, select more cards and even repeat the cycle over as many times as you can take it!
It is recommended you begin with 30-second intervals, however, if 30 seconds is too long, start with a shorter duration until you build up your capacity.
After setting the timer, you’ll perform the 5 Warm-up & Cool Down cards and then jump in to the heart of your workout. You’ll draw your first exercise card, do as many repetitions as you can during the interval, and when the timer beeps you’ll hit stop, draw your next card, hit start on the timer and get going on your next exercise. You’ll move from one card to the next as quickly as possible and continue on until you are out of cards or have repeated the cycle as many times as desired. Finish with the 5 Warm-up & Cool Down cards and you are done!
Benefits:
· Help you to lose weight, burn fat, and add muscle tone
· Provide you cardio AND weight training exercise at the same time
· Improve your overall levels of fitness and wellness
· Allow for flexibility – workouts can be any length desired
· Offer variety by providing a wide range of effective exercises
· Deliver an excellent workout with no fitness equipment
· Provide a great way to cross-train
· Expand your ability to handle and recover from stress
· Improve the quality of your sleep

You can:
· Get an efficient and effective exercise session when you travel
· Perform it anytime, anywhere — you don’t have to belong to a gym
· Increase intensity by adding time
· Raise intensity by increasing the number of total exercises done
· Increase intensity by repeating the rotation of the selected exercises
· Do it with a workout partner or group
· Make it a family game!
For more info, go to www.powerhousehitthedeck.com (the cost is $19.99 plus shipping)
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Diet and Exercise Reduce Insulin to the Brain

Sensible diet, exercise and weight control extend life by reducing signaling through a specific pathway in the brain, say U.S. researchers. Study leader Morris F. White and his colleagues Akiko Taguchi and Lynn Wartschow at Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School sought to understand the role of the insulin-like signaling pathway in extending lifespan.

Diet, exercise and lower weight keep peripheral tissues sensitive to insulin, which reduces the amount and duration of insulin secretion needed to keep glucose under control when a person eats and the brain is exposed to less insulin, according to the study published in the journal Science.

“We are beginning to appreciate that obesity, insulin resistance and high blood insulin levels are connected to Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease and dementias in general,” White said in a statement. “It might be that, in people who are genetically predisposed to these diseases, too much insulin over-activates Irs2 — insulin receptor substrates — in the brain and accelerates disease progression. Thus, insulin resistance and higher insulin levels might be the environmental influences that promote these diseases.”

FRIGHTENING FOOD FACT:
Twisted

“You know Auntie Anne’s Pretzels are delicious,” says the company’s website. “But they’re nutritious as well. From fiber to your daily dose of grains, here’s proof that our pretzels not only taste good, but they can also do you some good”.

Exactly how much good does, say, an Auntie Anne’s Pepperoni Pretzel do? It’s one of the nine versions sold ad kiosks mostly in shopping malls and airports. Well, the pretzel’s two grams of fiber don’t come from whole grain. They come from refined flour (as much as three slice of white bread). And white flour is just the beginning. Thanks to the three-cheese blend, the butter, and the pepperoni slices, each pretzel racks up 480 calories and eight grams of saturated fat. It’s a Quarter Pounder or 4/5 of a Pizza Hut Personal Pan Pepperoni Pizza disguised as a snack.

What happens when you blow nearly a quarter of a day’s calories, more than a third of a day’s bad fat and half a day’s sodium (860 mg) on a snack? Your daily totals go over-budget – and odds are you have no plans to walk briskly around the mall for two hours to burn off the calories.

Auntie’s Garlic, Jalapeno, Original, Raisin, and Sour Cream and Onion pretzels weigh in at about 350 calories. Only the Sesame and the Almond (around 400) and the Cinnamon Sugar (470) approach the Pepperoni.

And how do 350 calories’ worth of refined flour “do you good”? Who knows? But clearly, charging $3 or $4 for a hunk of salty twisted bread does Auntie Anne’s bottom line a world of good.

Nutrition Action Healthletter – October, 2009
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Recipe of the Month
Avocado with Black Bean Salad
Makes 4 servings
Time Saver: Make the bean salad up to 5 days ahead and store it in the refrigerator. Cut the avocado just before serving to minimize the darkening that occurs when avocado is exposed to air.

Nutritional Info (per serving):
Calories: 224 Carbs: 18 g Sodium: 602 mg Fiber: 8 g
Fat: 15 g* Sat Fat: 2 g Protein: 7 g Cholesterol: 0 mg
*Remember – this is GOOD fat! (See article above)

Ingredients
One Tablespoon lime juice or vinegar
One and one-half Tablespoon olive oil
One can (14-19 ounce) black beans, drained
One-quarter green bell pepper, finely chopped
One clove garlic, minced
One-half teaspoon salt
One-eighth teaspoon ground black pepper
One-eighth teaspoon red pepper (optional)
One and one-half teaspoon cilantro (optional)
One avocado (8 ounces), quartered
Instructions:
Place the lime juice or vinegar in a large bowl, and gradually whisk in the oil. Stir in the beans, bell pepper, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper (if using). Taste, and add more lime juice or vinegar if you like. Stir in the cilantro (if using).
Place the avocado, cavities up, on 4 plates. Spoon the bean mixture into the cavities, so it overflows onto the plate.
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Supplement of the Month
Milk Thistle (aka Silymarin)

Note from Sandra: We have recently started carrying a Milk Thistle supplement because of its importance in liver health. The product is called Hepato-Thera Forte and is also formulated to help meet the liver’s higher demand for nutrients that support antioxidant pathways, detoxification mechanisms, and enzyme regulation during illness or significant exposure to chemical toxins, heavy metals, drugs, hepatitis C, and other viral burdens. The recommended dose is 1 capsule, 3 times a day (each bottle contains 90 capsules). Each capsule contains 200 mg of Milk Thistle (80% silymarin), 135 mcg selenium, N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine USP 200 mg, and Alpha-Lipoic Acid 200 mg.

For the month of October we are offering a 10% discount on Hepato-Thera Forte. If you have any questions, please call Sandra or Tom.

What Is Silymarin? Silymarin refers to the extract from the seeds of the plant Silybum marianum, also called “milk thistle.” It has been used for over 2,000 years. During the Middle Ages the seed of the milk thistle was commonly used to treat liver diseases. The active ingredients of milk thistle are chemicals called flavonoids. The flavonoids in milk thistle are silybin, silydianin, and silychristin. Together, they are called silymarin.
What Are the Benefits of Silymarin? Silymarin protects the liver by acting as an antioxidant and by promoting the growth of new liver cells. Silymarin also helps with the digestion of fats. It appears to help keep harmful substances out of liver cells.
Milk thistle can help prevent or reverse liver damage caused by alcohol, recreational drugs, pesticides, some poisons, or hepatitis. Silymarin has been used (especially in Europe) to treat hepatitis, liver damage due to alcoholism, and poisoning by certain types of mushrooms.
How Is Silymarin Used? Silymarin is an extract of the seeds of the milk thistle plant. A standardized extract should be 80% silymarin (the active ingredient). One study showed that the shelf life of silymarin is only about three months. The usual dosage of milk thistle extract is between 300 milligrams (mg) and 600 mg daily. Milk thistle does not dissolve easily in water, so milk thistle tea is not recommended.
What Are the Side Effects? There are no clearly documented serious side effects of milk thistle. Even very high doses do not seem to have any negative effects. However, some people get an upset stomach, diarrhea, bloating, or more gas when they start using silymarin. If this happens, cut back on your dosage and then increase it slowly. A few people have allergic reactions to milk thistle. This is more common for people who have an allergy to another plant in the same family, like ragweed.
How Do We Know It Works? Milk thistle has been used for over 2,000 years, so a lot has been written about its health effects. There has been over 300 scientific studies of silymarin that document:
· Antioxidant effects
· Treatment of cirrhosis of the liver caused by alcoholism
· Treatment of chronic hepatitis
· Treatment of poisoning due to eating wild mushrooms
· Helping the liver repair itself
Most of the scientific studies of silymarin were published in Europe.
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Referral Incentive Program

As a nontraditional medical practice, we are very dependent on word of mouth advertising. We need your help to get the word out about our philosophy of health care and the services we provide. We pride ourselves on comprehensive assessments and personal treatment plans. If you have found working with us beneficial, we would like to offer the following incentives for you to refer your family or friends to us for a similar experience.

Luncheon referral/tour – For every 5 people you refer to us who attend one of our Thursday luncheons, you can earn:
a microdermabrasion treatment
or
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Microdermabrasion Series – For every referral who signs up for a 6-visit microdermabrasion series, you can earn:
microdermabrasion treatment
or
a 1-hour massage
or
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Hormone Evaluation Package – For every referral who completes our hormone evaluation and enters our monitoring/mentoring program, you can earn a combination of any two of the following:
a microdermabrasion treatment
a 1-hour massage
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Full Evaluation Package – For every referral who completes a full evaluation and enters our monitoring/mentoring program, you can earn all of the following:
a microdermabrasion treatment
a 90-minute massage
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil
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HAPPENINGS!
GROUP WALK: the 3rd Wednesday of the month at noon. The next one will be October 21st. We will meet at OHI for stretching first – feel free to bring your spouse or a friend (and don’t forget your water bottles!).

THURSDAY LUNCHEONS: Every Thursday we offer tours of Optimal Health Institute along with a healthy lunch with Tom and Sandra. We answer all health-related questions – from hormones to supplements. If you feel like you’ve benefited from our services, then please invite a friend or family member to join us for lunch. You are welcome to come and bring a friend or two, or give us the contact information and we will call and personally invite them to learn more about what we do.

HEALTHY CHANGE SUPPORT GROUP: Please join us for a forum to ask questions, provide feedback and get support from your fellow OHI members and Tom, Sandra and Jeff. The group will meet at 5:30 the 2nd Wednesday of the month (October 14th). Please RSVP, as the group will be cancelled if we don’t have at least 3 or 4 attendees.

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK
You can submit your questions (anonymously, of course) to Sandra at slk@optimal-health.net Additionally, we still want you to brag about your successes – whether in the area of healthy lifestyle changes or just life in general. This can be anonymous as well.
As always, we wish you Optimal Health,
Jeff, Sandra, & Tom
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September 2009 OHI Newsletter!

DrKilpatrick — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:15:34 +0000

Optimal Health Institute

September 2009 Newsletter

This month’s articles:

Love the One You’re With

Poor Sense of Smell May Be Early Sign of Parkinson’s

How to Read a Nutrition Label

Keep Your Immune System Strong and Vital

Amazing Facts About Heart Health and Heart Disease

Handbags and Germs

The topics for our regular features are:

Sex: Question and Answer

Just Do It!

Get Out of the Gym – 12 Ways to Play Your Way Fit

Food For Thought

: The Law of the Garbage Truck

Frightening Food Fact

: BellyBowl

Recipe of the Month

: Vanilla Cheesecake with Berry Sauce

Supplement of the Month

: Beetroot Juice

Referral Incentive Program

Happenings

Love The One You’re With

Geneen Roth

People usually read my column or come to my workshops because they want to lose weight. They want to stop suffering. They want to be happy. I talk to them about trusting themselves and about listening to their bodies. Once you do that, I say, everything — your relationship with food, yourself, your body — tends to fall into place.

But to get them to really pay attention to their bodies, I often have to remind them of the good fortune of having a body. I have to point out that they are not just walking heads with various and sundry appendages.

“Huh?” they say. “Do you think we actually forget our bodies? The ripples on our thighs? The second and third chins underneath our chin?” Exactly my point.

We usually look at ourselves from the outside. We notice our imperfections first, and then we zero in on them, obsess about them. We are often so focused on what is wrong with our bodies that we forget to remember what is right. As if we are the sum of what is wrong with us.

A woman in one of my recent workshops said, “My mind is what is special about me. You keep saying to be aware of my body, but I hate my body. It’s fat and ordinary; freckled and lumpy. But my mind! My mind is fast and quick and sharp. I graduated summa cum laude from college because of my mind, not my body. I’d much rather forget that I have a body and live in my mind.”

But here’s the problem with that: Minds don’t exist without bodies. You need a body to be able to take action on the plans that your mind creates. Your body is where life happens to you. Your body is your home. And it’s hard to live in a home that you are constantly trashing.

A longtime student of mine was recently misdiagnosed with a brain tumor. I’d worked with her over a three-year period as she struggled with being 20 pounds above her natural weight. She hated her body with a vengeance. “I want to get rid of my thighs,” she’d say. “I can’t stand looking at them.” Yet in the two weeks between being diagnosed and then re-diagnosed — in addition to going through the cascade of denial, grief, and anger — she never once thought about cellulite, the size of her thighs, or the wrinkles around her eyes. She felt more grateful for the scent of the air, the sight of her child running, the feeling of warm water on her skin than she had ever felt in her life. When faced with the prospect of losing her body, she was suddenly aware that it was a great blessing to have a body at all.

Whenever you hear yourself treating your body — or body parts — with contempt, stop immediately and feel the human body you are sitting in. Think about the fact that you can actually take a breath, and then another one. Think about what it would be like if you had emphysema or lung cancer and couldn’t take a long, cool draft of air. Would you really give up your ability to breathe freely for thinner thighs or less underarm jiggle?

Then think about the people you know who have died, and what most of them would have given to have just one more minute in their bodies, no matter what their size. To speak to a person they love. To notice a yellow crocus poking through the snow in early spring. To walk, to run, to touch, to listen, to taste.

Ahh. To taste. Think about what it would be like not to be able to taste food, about how it would feel to lose your hunger. When my father was dying, he lost his appetite for food. Nothing, not even his favorite rice pudding, could bring back the excitement of eating. I realized then that just being hungry is thrilling.

Think about wanting to eat. Eating. And then tasting the food with those 10,000 taste buds that are miraculously situated on and underneath the tongue so that you can taste anything, everything, especially chocolate, which, as far as I am concerned, is one of the best things about being alive.

Usually, we are so concerned with calories and the glycemic index and whether we should or shouldn’t be eating this or that particular food that we don’t take time to taste it, to let ourselves really have it. Or else we are perennially multitasking: We are talking on the phone, checking our e-mail, putting on makeup, even driving, while eating at the same time. It’s difficult to appreciate the subtle flavors in seven-grain bread when you are intent on making a straight line with your eyeliner, composing that all-important business memo, or not hitting pedestrians on the street. But the upshot of constantly doing everything is that you miss doing any one thing. You miss your life while you are in the midst of it. You miss the joy of having a body while you are well enough to appreciate it. It’s like being at a feast and starving yourself.

Don’t wait until a scary medical diagnosis to take the time to appreciate what you have right now. Instead, give thanks to the body you’re in now. If you think it’s going to get better when you get thin, if you think you are going to suddenly like your body (and therefore your life) when you are 20 pounds lighter, you are wrong. A student of mine once said, “I would die to be as thin as I was five years ago — and five years ago, I would have died to have been thinner.”

All we ever have is now. If you can’t look around now and see the abundance in your life, you won’t be able to notice it in five years either, no matter how thin you are. Happiness is not about changing your circumstances but changing the eyes through which you view your circumstances.

So the next time you’re tempted to start feuding with your thighs, take a moment to thank them for helping carry you from place to place and forming the lap that held your children. When you look in the mirror, don’t grab those love handles roughly and wish them away. Remind yourself that they’re part of the body that allows you to be here to enjoy all life has to offer. When you’re reaching for a cupcake because you think you’re just a bundle of imperfections — isn’t that how it always starts? — stop and focus on the blessing of still having a body despite the years of abuse you’ve probably heaped upon it. You survived the all-red diet, the oat-bran diet, the cabbage diet — all the fad diets that had everything in them except what your body actually needed: a friend, someone to nurture and care for it, to feed it and treat it with kindness.

After all your body has done for you over the years, don’t you owe it at least that much?

Geneen Roth is an international teacher, speaker, and writer of best-selling books on emotional eating. You can visit her at

geneenroth.com.

August 2009 Newsletter

DrKilpatrick — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:14:03 +0000

Optimal Health Institute
August 2009 Newsletter
This month’s articles:
Do We Really Need to Take Nutritional Supplements?
Resveratrol Makes Gains as Health Supplement
Supplements and Weight Loss
More Omega 3 Health Benefits
How to De-Stress a Recession-Riddled Life
Critically Ill Lack Vitamin D

The topics for our regular features are:
Sex: Question and Answer
Just Do It! Walking Downhill Gives Surprising Benefits
On the Lighter Side: The Gynecologist
Frightening Food Fact: Sundae Worst
Recipe of the Month: SautÈed Tuna Steaks with Garlic Sauce
Supplement of the Month: Probiotics and Immune Function
Referral Incentive Program
Happenings
Do We Really Need to Take Nutritional Supplements?

As this is a question we hear frequently at Optimal Health, we decided to answer the question in this month’s newsletter. This article is long, but we’ve included a lot of information that will help you decide if taking that handful of capsules every day is really worthwhile.
Supplement Overview: Over the last decade, people are increasingly turning to nutritional, dietary and herbal supplements to prevent diseases and promote general good health. But many aspects of our modern lifestyles, such as the junk food we eat, the toxic water and air we might be exposed to, conspire to undermine our health. Our bodies are continuously under attack from all kinds of factors that threaten to damage our health.

Therefore, our bodies struggle to get all the basic elements we need to function properly. Nutritional supplements can provide the essential elements our bodies need to thrive, and to achieve optimum health.
One thing we want to emphasize is that although dietary supplements are a great way to complement your diet, they are no replacement for healthy eating. Dietary supplements will help improve your health regardless of what you eat, but taken in combination with a well-rounded diet, our health can achieve even higher levels.

Who needs supplements? According to the Anarem Report, out of 21,500 individuals, “not a single individual consumed 100% of the 10 most needed nutrients in the body.” The U.S. Senate Document #264 states, “99% of the American people are deficient in vitamins and minerals…”
If you visit the FDA’s own web site, you’ll read their new position on nutritional and natural health supplements. It states in part that supplements of vitamins, minerals or fiber also may help meet special nutritional needs. Those with special nutritional needs include people who are older, young children, women who may become pregnant, people with various illnesses and medical conditions that include asthma, diabetes, heart conditions, hypertension and high cholesterol, those who are dealing with stress and those who are taking certain medications that affect the way that food is metabolized.
In other words, nearly everyone but young adult males in excellent health who eat a healthy, varied diet that includes all the food groups in all the right proportions can benefit from taking quality natural health supplements.
Why We Need Quality Health Supplements To Stay Healthy: Once upon a time, the earth was a rich source of nutrients. Mother Nature regulated the balance of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in the foods that grew in the earth. As man became farmer, cultivating the land, he took his cue from nature as well. Without knowing a thing about depletion of nutrients in soil, he learned to rotate crops so that each year’s crop replaced the nutrients that last year’s crop had drained. By contrast, modern farming methods:
Strip the soil of nutrients by over farming it
Use pesticides that add harmful chemicals to the diet
Rely heavily on nitrogen and artificial nutrients to fertilize the soil – to the detriment of our health
Genetically modify food to look good – by stripping it of nutrients that our bodies need
At the same time, industrialization has polluted the earth, water and sky. That pollution has nearly eliminated some of our healthiest food choices from our diets. Fish is heavily contaminated with poisonous mercury. Groundwater from which plants draw sustenance is contaminated with chemicals and other pollutants. The air is filled with smog, smoke and other poisonous chemicals that seep into our bodies through our lungs, our skin and the food that we eat.

Studies and research conducted in nearly every country has proven that many of the nutrients that have been lost or reduced in our diets provide vital protection to our bodies. Vitamins like C, D, E and the B complex family, enzymes like CoQ10 and essential fatty acids that are found in fish and certain vegetable oils all have proven antioxidant properties. Those antioxidants play a vital role in protecting the body from the damage done by pollution and metabolism.

Modern food processing methods strip further nutrients. By the time most foods reach your plate, they have a fraction of the nutrition that the same foods had fifty or a hundred years ago. Add in our own tendency to favor highly processed convenience foods, and it’s no wonder that the rates of illnesses connected to poor nutrition are skyrocketing.
Stress, whether emotional or physical or due to injury or illness, depletes the body of nutrients, especially vitamin C, the B complex and zinc. Vitamin B6 and pantothenic acid are also particularly important in times of stress. Vitamins C and E and zinc promote the healing process. A comprehensive approach to good health includes practices that aid in stress management, regular exercise and proper diet. Diet and nutritional supplements provide the building blocks to form a healthier, more vital organism.
A Note on the RDAs: The Recommended Dietary Allowances are established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council, National Academy of Science. These nutrient levels are supposed to prevent deficiency diseases in most healthy people. Unfortunately, the values have been heavily influenced by the food industry, economic considerations and politics, not just by science.
Many researchers question the value of the RDAs. They make the highly processed American food supply look more nutritious than it is, and they appear to be influenced by the food industry. The RDAs are not useful in establishing optimal health. You are at little risk of developing the deficiency diseases – pellagra, scurvy, or beriberi. Our modern problems are not deficiency diseases but degenerative diseases. Nutrients play an important role in preventing these conditions. The RDAs cannot be used in evaluating the therapeutic and preventive value of large doses of dietary supplements.
The sad truth is, if you look around, you will see many people who do manage to get the RDA levels of most nutrients, but they still go on to develop early heart disease, cancer, arthritis, and diabetes. They have frequent viral infections (colds, the flu, herpes), they are overweight, and they lose their teeth to decay and gum disease. In terms of life expectancy, infant mortality and health care costs, Americans are not in the most favorable position in world statistics. Average Americans have a lower life expectancy than citizens of some third world countries.
In this regard, it is not good to be average – the average American will die early of heart disease, stroke, diabetes or cancer. You can do many things to improve your health and reduce your risk of developing the health problems of the rest of the population. Taking dietary supplements is one of them. And it is an important one. Let’s explore what nutrients may do for your health, energy and general sense of vitality and well-being.
The bottom line is that the food we eat no longer contains all the vital nutrients that our bodies need to stay healthy.
Choosing Health Supplements Wisely: Although we are very proud of our supplement line at Optimal Health, we encourage our clients to take any brand of supplements they are comfortable with. That is why we supply you with a list of ingredients – and the quantities of each ingredient – in each of our supplements. There are an increasing number of products on the market that simply list a huge list of ingredients but no amounts under a “proprietary formula”. Our feeling is that is important information to have. If one is to benefit from a supplement, it must be present in amounts research has shown to be effective. And, quite frankly, there is no way some of these products have sufficient amounts of 100’s of ingredients in just a few capsules.
As the nutritional supplement market grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to find a high quality, safe product that you can trust. A recent study by the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association (Winter, 1999) shows that only 2.5% of consumers will choose a nutritional product that is both nontoxic and effective. In other words, there is a 97.5% chance that without investigating the reliability of the product yourself you could select a nutritional product that might be hazardous to your health.

Selecting the right vitamin supplement is crucial to the maintenance of optimum health, so here are some guidelines that will help you make the best choice.
Vitamins are Only Part of the Story: Vitamins are not the only nutrients that our bodies require in order to maintain optimum health levels – minerals and other trace nutrients are also necessary to maintain our general health, and to give our bodies the tools they need to fight off health problems.

Vitamins also require the presence of these minerals to function correctly in the body, so unless it contains all these nutrients, any vitamin supplement we take will be useless. Look for a multivitamin supplement that includes minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, bioflavonoids, and herb extracts to provide your body with all the tools it needs to maintain good health.
The Importance of Minerals: Minerals are the invisible ingredients that play a vital role in almost every reaction that takes places within the billions of cells in our body. Their functions range from enabling enzymes to activating chemical reactions, and from building good bone structure to promoting healthy brain functions.

Since the body cannot manufacture minerals itself, we have to ingest minerals from the food we eat. The problem begins here, as today the soil does not contain the essential minerals it once did. Recent studies have illustrated this clearly, and also shown the effects this has on our health.
A study from Canada shows that in the last 50 years, foods show a sharp decline in the nutrients they contain including calcium, iron and other minerals.
Another study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that a significant number of Americans cannot get sufficient amount of minerals such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, and manganese from the food they consume.
This means that even if you consume a diet rich in fresh fruits, veggies and meat, your health is still at risk due to one or more vitamin and mineral deficiencies. A mineral deficiency can be even more detrimental to health than a lack of vitamins, as vitamins themselves cannot function without the aid of minerals.
As any nutrient deficiency is an open invitation to health problems, it is crucial to take nutritional supplements that contain not only the minerals but also vitamins and other nutrients that are essential to maintain general well being. Choose a vitamin mineral supplement, which also includes trace minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, bioflavonoids, and herb extracts to help combat all malnutrition issues at once.
Natural vs. Synthetic Vitamins: There is an overwhelming amount of information available on the merits of natural vitamins compared with those synthetically made, but if you have a choice, be sure to select the natural variety. For example, recent research confirms that natural vitamin E is more readily useable by the body than synthetic vitamin E, and that the natural type remains active in the body for a longer period of time. Our bodies seem more receptive to vitamins in their natural state, which increases their efficacy in improving our health.

So why do manufacturers produce synthetic vitamins at all? The answer is simple: because they are cheaper to produce than their natural counterparts.
So make sure that you choose a multivitamin supplement made of natural ingredients in order to balance your body’s health naturally.
The Synergy of Nature: Because nature operates in harmony, producing a high quality, effective supplement does not involve simply adding separate ingredients together. The active ingredients interact in natural ways, and capturing this natural harmony in a supplement is a task that must be performed by skilled scientists and nutritionists. The combination of active ingredients must be undertaken with great care, as many of these ingredients interact with one another, and an incorrect combination can produce harmful effects. Before you purchase a supplement, ensure that the manufacturer has the scientific expertise to produce products that are safe and effective.
Why do I have to take so many pills? You will not get the true vitamin benefits if you just take single vitamins. This is due to the fact that most vitamins and minerals do not work in isolation, and their function is interdependent. Complete vitamin mineral supplementation is the only effective way to get the full vitamin benefits and ensure that all the essential interactions take place, and this is why a high-quality multi vitamin/mineral supplement is necessary.

Bioavailability is a measure of how much of a particular substance can be absorbed by your body. Not all forms of vitamins and minerals are alike, and some are more readily absorbed and others. Very few of the vitamin supplements available today contain ingredients that are more than minimally bioavailable, thus reducing the vitamin benefits you receive.

The manufacturers of most vitamin mineral supplements think that consumers will go for the biggest numbers and assume that they will not know any different.
Most of the quality ingredients that are highly bioavailable take a more physical space in the pill. This means that supplements of higher quality will actually be much bigger pills, and will require that you swallow more than one pill per day in order to receive the adequate amounts of the nutrients and the full vitamin benefits.
How Do I Choose a Reliable Manufacturer? The supplement industry in the U.S. is only loosely regulated, and choosing a good supplement can be difficult. Some products do not even contain the active ingredients they should, and others do not the correct amounts needed to ensure optimal health. Worryingly, some of them contain substances that might actually be harmful to your health. Look for a manufacturer that follows GMP guidelines, as these are the highest standard available, and will ensure manufacturing and quality control procedures have been carefully followed.
So What Is In The Bottle? Since what is on the label is no guarantee of what is actually in your supplement bottle, request a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for the product, which is available from the manufacturer. This will give a good indication of the quality and purity of the active ingredients. If the manufacturer does not supply this with every product they sell, simply choose another brand.
If you have any questions about the Optimal Health Institute line of supplements (e.g., how they were designed, synergy of ingredients, effectiveness of dosages, etc.) please call us at 423.778.9470.
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Resveratrol Makes Gains as Health Supplement
Dr. Ralph Moss
Cancer Decisions.com
July 26, 2009

ITHACA, NY. Most of my research involves long hours on the computer or in the medical library. So it’s a pleasure to literally do some fieldwork here in the Finger Lakes. I’m making my annual tour of wine country, visiting some of New York State’s most innovative wineries. My special interest, aside from sampling some amazing wines, is in assessing the progress in organic wine cultivation, especially those containing a natural compound called resveratrol. Some of the Finger Lakes wines have been found, in a Cornell University study, to have the highest resveratrol content in the world.
Resveratrol is a natural compound found in the skin of grapes and in various red wines. It may be that its presence, even in minute quantities, can help explain the “French paradox.” This refers to the fact that the French people have a diet much higher in saturated fats than most Americans (four times as much butter, for instance) but also less heart disease. Some scientists attribute this paradox to the resveratrol that the French get from drinking wine on a daily basis.
There is also some animal experimentation from 2008 showing that mice fed resveratrol live longer than mice that are deprived of this chemical (Pearson 2008). It may be that resveratrol triggers production of sirtuins, a class of proteins that regulate metabolism. The trouble with all these experiments is that they use a level of resveratrol that is impossible to attain in humans: you’d have to drink between 35-100 bottles of red wine a day. This would be a bit much even for the most determined tippler.
But a lot of scientists are betting that they can design look-alike drugs that can be made on the model of resveratrol and that can have a positive impact on health and longevity. In one of the most astonishing business stories of last year, Sirtris, a startup company that develops drugs with effects similar to resveratrol, was sold to GlaxoSmithKline for $720 million. Sirtris is working on other drugs that can activate sirtuins.
Teetotalers needn’t write in (as they did the last time I wrote in praise of wine) to remind me of all of alcohol’s many downsides. I get it. If you don’t drink, you shouldn’t start just in order to boost your consumption of resveratrol. And, yes, it’s also true that red or purple grape juice also contains resveratrol (about half as much as wine). But if you already do take a glass of wine now and then, and don’t intend to stop, your best bet is to cultivate a taste for Pinot Noir. Because of the complicated relationships between these grapes, the fungi that attack them, and the cool lakeside temperatures in which they flourish, Pinots are particularly rich in resveratrol. I will put in a plug for one of my favorites, the Fleur de Pinot Noir of Konstantin Frank, cultivated in a biodynamic manner high above Keuka Lake, about an hour from where I write these words.
I can’t leave the subject of wine and cancer without point to the intriguing findings of Elizabeth T. Eng and colleagues at City of Hope hospital, Los Angeles. A few years ago they found that a Pinot Noir extract was an effective inhibitor of aromatase (Eng 2002). Aromatase, as many patients know, is an enzyme that converts the hormone androgen to estrogen. It is expressed at a higher level in breast cancer tissue than in surrounding non-cancerous tissue. That is why many estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer patients are given adjuvant doses of synthetic aromatase inhibitors. And although it is still too soon to say, perhaps someday oncologists will no longer prescribe Arimidex (anastrazole), Aromasin (exemestane) or Femara (letrozole), but a glass or two of Pinot Noir with your dinner.
Eng ET, Williams D, Mandava U, Kirma N, Tekmal RR, Chen S. Anti-aromatase chemicals in red wine. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2002 Jun;963:239-46.

Pearson KJ, Baur JA, Lewis NK, et al. Resveratrol delays age-related deterioration and mimics transcriptional aspects of dietary restriction without extending life span. Cell Metab. 2008 Aug;8(2):157-68. Epub 2008 Jul 3.

Wade, Nicholas. New Hints Seen That Red Wine May Slow Aging. New York Times, June 4, 2008.
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A: The turn off is understandable. Sex toys – while a lot of fun – are by no means necessary to having a good (or great) sex life. But if you like them, hopefully the turn off will pass, and maybe some information on what we know, and don’t know, about the safety of sex toys will help.
Unfortunately there is very little scientific data on the safety of sex toys, and I have come across websites that, in my opinion, make too many generalizations about the potential danger of sex toys (sometimes for reasons that seem a little self-serving – like selling their own toys). For example, there is simply no data that can confirm that “most sex toys have cancer-causing ingredients”. Also, it is untrue to say that silicone is the only material that is “safe” to use. It’s possible that ten years from now we’ll discover something in the manufacturing of silicone that poses a health risk. Scientists are constantly learning more about how the chemicals we come in contact with impact our health and the best we can do is keep up to date on what the research can tell us. The bad news is that scientists often leave sex out of their research, with the obvious exception of sexually transmitted disease research. As such finding information on the safety of sex toys can be difficult. Here are a few things to consider…
The vast majority of sex toy manufacturers do not disclose what they put in their toys. This “mystery material” may pose health risks, but we have no way of knowing for sure. Sex toys are not approved, tested, or regulated by the FDA. They are sold as novelty items, not medical devices.
We do know that many soft rubber toys are made using phthalates , which have been linked to several environmental and individual health issues, in a variety of other consumer products. The most common sex toys that are made with phthalates are called jelly rubber but many other kinds of soft rubber toys also contain phthalates.
We also know that manufacturers often add an artificial scent (to mask the smell of phthalate off gassing), and these scents, along with the dyes they use, and the material itself, could lead to allergic reactions in some people.
There is no doubt that higher quality, hypoallergenic, materials, such as silicone and elastomers, are the better choice. But they are expensive and out of reach for many of us. Using a latex condom on an inexpensive toy will reduce the risk of reacting to it, but may not eliminate risk entirely. And, if you have latex allergies you may want to be especially careful. Usually if you email a manufacturer, they can tell you whether or not any given toy has latex in it. Should you ever have a reaction to a sex toy, it is obviously a good idea not to take a risk by using it again.

Q: My partner is insisting that semen has been found to be an antidepressant – which I think is crazy – there is a dinner (and “after-dinner” activities) riding on your answer to this one.

A: Okay, I admit it – I thought that there was no way this was true and that your partner might be trying to increase his chances of “getting lucky”. BUT – I did find an abstract of a study from 2002 published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior. We have previously heard that semen is good for your skin, a good source of protein, and now, possibly, it’ll turn that depressive frown upside down. Read, and marvel… (this is the actual study abstract):
In a sample of sexually active college females, condom use, as an indirect measure of the presence of semen in the reproductive tract, was related to scores on the Beck Depression Inventory. Not only were females who were having sex without condoms less depressed, but depressive symptoms and suicide attempts among females who used condoms were proportional to the consistency of condom use.

For females who did not use condoms, depression scores went up as the amount of time since their last sexual encounter increased. These data are consistent with the possibility that semen may antagonize depressive symptoms and evidence which shows that the vagina absorbs a number of components of semen that can be detected in the bloodstream within a few hours of administration.
So having sex with men, and without condoms, may decrease your depressive symptoms? It opens up a host of new pick up lines. Other findings in the study included: women research subjects who didn’t use condoms (or used them rarely) had twice as much sex as subjects who used condoms, and women who abstained from sex altogether had more depressive symptoms than women who were regularly having sex.
To be fair to the researchers, they do raise (but then quickly discount) several possible alternative explanations for the relationship between frequency of intercourse, condom use, semen, and depression. They also clearly state that the study is preliminary and correlational (as opposed to causational – which would mean having more sex causes less depression – whereas correlational means that women who have a lot of sex without condoms also just happen to be less depressed). But this study really just raises more questions than answers. The reality is that this was a poorly designed study and there could be a myriad of reasons why women who have more sex are reporting less depression. Furthermore, the study does not even address the negative consequences of not using condoms (um, like unplanned pregnancy, HIV or death?)
As far as your dinner (and after-dinner “treats”)– I would recommend going 50-50 (or 6-9). J
Gallup, G.G. Jr., Burch, R.L., & Platek, S.M. (2002). Does semen have antidepressant properties? Archives of Sexual Behavior. (31) 3, p. 289
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New Research on the Role of Supplements and Weight Loss
CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) has been making news headlines for the past few years as a promising supplement for promoting healthy body mass index (BMI) and preserving lean muscle. Found in high concentrations in meat and dairy products from grass-fed animals, CLA may be lacking in diets devoid of these foods. Most of the meat and dairy you consume today is unfortunately from grain fed cattle and lacking CLA. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently published a study about weight management that compared a dietary supplement containing CLA with a diet containing safflower oil (the control group). The participants were 55 overweight, menopausal women who had unhealthy blood sugar levels. The women took either 8 grams of CLA or safflower oil per day for 16 weeks. After a 4 week break, they were switched to the other oil. The results showed that while supplementing with CLA, body mass index (BMI) and total fat mass decreased significantly in the women. Safflower oil had no effect on either of these measures.

Mice receiving daily supplements of CLA showed higher muscle mass than control animals, according to findings published in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. Due to changes in the Western diet and the invention of factory farming where cattle are grain fed, average intake of CLA has fallen. Additionally, if the fat is removed from a dairy product to make a low fat version that will be acceptable to consumers, CLA is removed along with it. Dr. Gabriel Fernandes, one of the study’s authors, and his co-workers divided 12-month old mice into four groups, one of which received a diet with 10% corn oil, while the others were supplemented with CLA. After six months the researchers note that the CLA group showed “significantly higher muscle mass, as compared to the other groups”. The authors concluded that CLA may prevent age-related muscle loss during aging.”

Additionally, an interesting study was published in the August 2009 edition of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The study looked at ninety subjects with unhealthy weight in the abdominal region, but without known unhealthy blood sugar or poor cardiovascular health. The participants were split into two groups. Both groups were instructed to follow a Mediterranean style diet for two months. The first group (the intervention group), was closely monitored by a dietician to ensure all participants strictly adhered to the diet. The second group (the control group) was not closely monitored. At the conclusion of the study, it was established that those who strictly adhered to the diet increased their intake of total fat because of an increased consumption of mono-unsaturated fats, as well as an increased intake of dietary fiber, vitamin C and alcohol when compared to the control group. It was found that those who closely adhered to the Mediterranean style diet experienced benefits involving favorable blood pressure and blood vessel flow.

Rallidis L, Lekakis J, Kolomvotsou A, et al., Close adherence to a Mediterranean diet improves endothelial function in subjects with abdominal obesity, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, August 2009, Pp 263 – 268.

Norris L, Collene A, Asp M, et al., Comparison of dietary conjugated linoleic acid with safflower oil on body composition in obese postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, June 2007.

Rahman M, Halade G, Jamali A and Fernandes G, Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) prevents age-associated skeletal muscle loss, Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, June 12, 2009, Pp 513 – 518.
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Low Omega-3 and High Trans-Fat Levels Predict Nonfatal Heart Attack Better Than Established Risk Factors
Life Extension Update, July 31, 2009

An article published online on June 9, 2009 in the British Journal of Nutrition reported the conclusion of a study conducted by South Korean researchers that red blood cell fatty acid profiles may prove to be a better predictor of who is at risk of heart disease than Framingham risk factors. Framingham risk scores are calculated from values for the following traditional risk factors: age, gender, smoking status, total cholesterol levels, HDL-cholesterol levels, diabetes history and hypertension history. While an individual’s Framingham score is 70 to 80 percent accurate in predicting coronary heart disease risk, it fails to take into account more recently recognized risk factors that could improve its predictive value.
The researchers, from the Hanyang University in Seoul, matched 50 men and women with acute nonfatal myocardial infarction (heart attack) with 50 age and gender-matched controls who did not have a history of heart attack. Red blood cells were analyzed for levels of trans-fatty acids (undesirable fatty acids found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oil), and the beneficial omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (found in fish and the algae they feed on).
The omega-3 fatty acid index, which is the sum of red blood cell EPA and DHA, was significantly lower in heart attack patients compared with controls, while total trans-fatty acids were significantly higher. Those whose omega-3 fatty acid index was among the top third of participants had a 92 percent lower risk of heart attack than those whose levels were in the lowest third. For those whose total trans-fatty acids were in the top third, the risk of heart attack was 72.67 percent higher than subjects in the lowest third.
The authors note that omega-3 fatty acids are associated with decreased blood viscosity, and have anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, anti-arrhythmic, lipid lowering and vasodilatory effects. Conversely, trans-fatty acids have been associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. “To the best of our knowledge, the recent study is the first to demonstrate that the fatty acid profile (lipidome) of erythrocytes can allow discrimination between acute non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) cases and controls,” the authors write. “Furthermore, the fatty acid profile significantly and substantially improved acute non-fatal MI case discrimination compared with traditional CHD risk factors, suggesting that the erythrocyte fatty acid profile is more powerful than the Framingham risk score for identifying patients with acute non-fatal MI.”
“Although prospective validation and a larger study are required, fatty acid profiles may have clinical utility for non-fatal MI risk assessment,” they conclude.
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How to De-Stress a Recession-Riddled Life
Simple strategies should help in staying calm and moving on
By Kathleen Doheny
(HealthDay News) — Recessions are bad for the stress level, as many in the midst of the current economic situation know and surveys prove. Perhaps not surprisingly, nearly half of the 1,791 adults polled for the American Psychological Association’s latest Stress in America survey said that their stress had increased in the past year. As a result, more than half reported fatigue, 60 percent said they were irritable or angry, and more than half said they lie awake at night because of stress. Other researchers have found that stress adds years to a person’s life but that those who cope with it effectively have higher levels of what’s known as “good” cholesterol.

But for those who say it’s impossible to cope because of a lost job, a retirement account that’s virtually disappeared and a house that’s plummeted in value, consider the advice of two veteran stress-reduction experts. Dr. Paul J. Rosch is president of the American Institute of Stress and a clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry at New York Medical College. Deborah Rozman is a research psychologist and chief executive of Quantum Intech, the parent company of the HeartMath Institute in Boulder Creek, Calif., which conducts research on stress management.

As coping strategies, they advise people to:

Volunteer. This might sound counterproductive or even crazy: If you’re worried about your job or already laid off, shouldn’t you be looking for another? But Rozman insists it’s a great strategy.
“Volunteering actually opens you up to possibilities,” she said. Volunteering most anywhere — at the church picnic, the local 5K run, the food bank — can help get your mind off your problems, she said. It also will “reopen the heart,” she said, “because the heart gets shut down when you worry.”

Practice appreciation and gratitude. This isn’t as difficult as it might sound, Rozman said. “If you still have a job, appreciate that,” she said. Just like volunteering, this “helps the heart stay open.” And she believes it will also help you reconnect with feelings of hope.

Follow traditional de-stress advice, but tweak it. To de-stress, people are supposed to exercise, eat right, and find a way to calm down. But it’s crucial to find the technique or techniques that work for you, Rosch said. “You have to find out what works for you so that you will practice and adhere to it because it relieves tension and makes you feel better,” he said. “Jogging, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga and listening to music are great for some but dull, boring and stressful when arbitrarily imposed on others.”

Decrease the drama in your life. Rozman said that it’s typical for people who’ve been laid off or fear losing their jobs to sit around and complain. But that only adds to the stress and drama, she said. “Drama is when we amp up anger, anxiety or fear,” she said. So if you find yourself in the midst of a woe-is-me conversation, she said, don’t add to it by complaining more. Rather, try to change the subject or the tone. She suggests talking about how to improve things, not how bad things are.

Ration your news diet. The news can be full of bad economic tidings, 24/7. So limit your viewing, Rozman suggested. Decide what amount you can watch and still keep a balance between being informed and being dragged down.

Stop the comparisons. “Don’t compare the present with the past,” Rozman said. It’s natural but depressing. Instead, give yourself time to heal after a job loss or other major setback and then move on. And rather than thinking, “I’ve lost my nest egg,” try: “Here’s what I’ll do to get it back,” she said. “It’s about shifting focus to something that doesn’t bring you down,” Rozman added.

More information: The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on managing stress.
SOURCES: Deborah Rozman, Ph.D., research psychologist and chief executive, Quantum Intech Inc., Boulder Creek, Calif.; Paul J. Rosch, M.D., president, American Institute of Stress, and clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry, New York Medical College, Valhalla, N.Y.; American Psychological Association, Washington, D.C.

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On the Lighter Side:
The Gynecologist

A gynecologist had become so fed up with malpractice insurance and HMO paperwork and was burned out. Hoping to try another career where skillful hands would be beneficial, he decided to become a mechanic.
He went to the local technical college, signed up for classes, attended diligently, and learned all he could. When the time for the practical exam approached, the gynecologist prepared carefully for weeks, and completed the exam with tremendous skill.
When the results came back, he was surprised to find that he had obtained a score of 150%. Fearing an error, he called the instructor, saying, “I don’t want to appear ungrateful for such an outstanding result, but I wonder if there is an error in the grade.”
The instructor said, “During the exam, you took the engine apart perfectly, which was worth 50% of the total mark. You put the engine back together again perfectly, which is also worth 50% of the mark. This equaled an A.”
After a pause, the instructor added, “I gave you an extra 50% because you did it all through the muffler, which I’ve never seen done in my entire career”.
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Exercise…JUST DO IT!!!
Walking Downhill Gives Surprising Benefits
It Lowers Blood Sugar!
Researchers have found that hills are good both ways. Uphill gives you a cardiovascular workout and lowers triglycerides, but downhill has now proven superior for lowering blood sugar levels. Do either to reduce LDL cholesterol. Dr. Heinz Drexel reported his findings to the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in November, 2004.
Downhill or Downstairs May be a Good Start
Dr. Drexel says that those who find walking uphill difficult can get many benefits by beginning with downhill walking. His study took 45 healthy but sedentary people and had them hike either up or down a steep mountain in the Austrian alps each day for two months, then switch for another two months. He checked their blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides 36 hours after each hike. He didn’t expect to see as much benefit from those walking downhill, but they showed a lowering of blood sugar levels not seen in those hiking only uphill. Lower blood sugar may reduce the risk of Type II diabetes.
Downhill vs. Uphill
Downhill walking uses eccentric muscle contraction. It also can place strain on the knees and be difficult for those with knee problems or iliotibial band friction syndrome.
How to Walk Downhill
Uphill walking uses concentric muscle contraction and raises the heart rate more than walking dowhill or on the level. The huffing and puffing and sweating from a raised heart rate is an exercise deterrent for some people.
How to Walk Uphill
Hills for Flatlanders
While fewer of us live in the Alps, most people have access to stairs which are as steep as any hillside. If you hate going up, you can still get good health benefits by taking the stairs down and the elevator up.
Treadmill Hills
Many treadmills adjust to simulate hills, but generally only for uphill, not downhill. If you only go up, you may want to add in some downhill walking on stairs.
Reference: AHA 2004 Scientific Sessions: Abstract 3826. Presented Nov. 10, 2004.
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Critically Ill Patients Lack Vitamin D
Almost half of those in ICU had deficient levels, study shows
By Serena Gordon

In a small study, Australian researchers found that almost half of people in an intensive care unit were deficient in vitamin D. “Vitamin D deficiency is likely to be common in seriously ill patients,” said study author Dr. Paul Lee, an endocrinologist and research fellow at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia. “In our study, 45 percent of critically ill patients were vitamin D-deficient. It appears that the sicker they were, the lower their vitamin D. However, it is uncertain whether it is just an association, or whether vitamin D deficiency itself contributes to disease severity.” Results of the study were published as a letter in the April 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that the body manufactures after exposure to sunlight, according to the U.S. government’s Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS). Few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Those that do include fatty fish; such as salmon and tuna, cheese, egg yolks and some mushrooms. Vitamin D is also found in fortified milk and cereals.

The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 200 international units (IU) for adults under 50; 400 IUs for adults between 51 and 70, and 600 IUs for those 71 and older, according to the ODS. However, most experts believe these recommendations are too low, as vitamin D deficiency is increasingly being linked to adverse health outcomes.

Lee said that vitamin D is involved in controlling blood sugar levels, calcium levels, heart function, gastrointestinal health, defending against infection and more.

In the latest study, the researchers measured vitamin D levels in 42 people being treated in an intensive care unit. Almost half were vitamin D-deficient. Three patients died during the study, and the researchers found that they had the lowest levels of vitamin D in the study group.

Lee said the researchers don’t know the exact cause of the vitamin D deficiency. A lack of sun exposure could play a role, as could a lack of dietary intake of vitamin D. But, Lee said, “It may be postulated that the tissue demand for vitamin D is increased during infection, metabolic disturbances and inflammation. Vitamin D may therefore be used up during critical illness. However, it is a hypothesis, and the relationship between vitamin D and critical illness requires further studies in the future.”

Dr. Kirit Tolia, chief of endocrinology at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Mich., said his sense is that replacing vitamin D in such critically ill patients may be too late. “If you go into illness with a significant vitamin D deficiency, it makes whatever the underlying cause of the hospitalization worse,” he said. For example, if someone is being treated for sepsis — a serious infection — if their vitamin D levels are low, it makes it harder for them to fight the infection, he explained.

Tolia added that he wasn’t surprised by the findings, because he sees a lot of vitamin D deficiency, but that he was “alarmed at the severity of the deficiency and the prevalence of it.” Additionally, he said he believes that healthy adults should get about 1,000 IUs of vitamin D daily, and that those who are elderly or in poor health should get about 1,500 IUs daily. “That gives them a fair chance of maintaining vitamin D in the normal range,” he said.

SOURCES: Paul Lee, M.B., endocrinologist, research fellow, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; Kirit Tolia, M.D., chief, endocrinology, Providence Hospital, Southfield, Mich.; David Weinstein, M.D., nephrologist, Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Mich.; April 30, 2009, New England Journal of Medicine

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FRIGHTENING FOOD FACT:
SUNDAE WORST

“Baskin-Robbins strongly believes in our customers maintaining a balanced diet,” says the company’s website. “We hope you enjoy our treats together with a healthy diet and routine exercise”.

How nice. Baskin-Robbins strongly believes in a balanced diet. That must be why it sells Oreo, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Snickers Premium Sundaes along with a new line of 31-Degree Belows. What better way to balance a healthy diet and exercise? Take the Oreo Premium Sundae.

Thanks to “3 scoops of our delicious Oreo Cookies ‘n Cream ice cream layered with hot fudge and marshmallow, then topped with crushed Oreo cookies and whipped cream,” it’s got 1,290 calories and 33 grams of saturated fat. That’s like eating three Quarter Pounders, except the burgers have “only” 21 grams of sat fat.

A large (24 ounce) Fudge Brownie 31-Degree Below (“vanilla soft serve blended with brownie chunks and hot fudge”) packs 1,900 calories and 39 grams of sat fat (two days’ worth). It should take only a brisk seven-hour walk to burn off the day’s worth of calories in that “treat”.

Baskin-Robbins does offer “Bright Choices.” Go for a scoop of Fat-Free Vanilla Frozen Yogurt or a Sorbet for just 130 to 150 calories. Second brightest are the Premium Churned Light and Reduced-Fat No Sugar Added ice creams, with 150-230 calories and 4-5 grams of sat fat – about half what you’d get in a scoop of regular ice cream.

If they’re bright, what does that make the Sundaes and 31-Degree Belows?
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Recipe of the Month
SautÈed Tuna Steaks with Garlic Sauce
Makes 4 servings
Flavor Tip: Substitute salmon for the tuna. If there are leftovers, store them in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For a quick and delicious tuna salad, break the fish into large flakes, and toss with yogurt or (low-fat) mayonnaise dressing.

Nutritional Info (per serving):
Calories: 295  Carbs: 1 g  Sodium: 214 mg Fiber: 0 g
Fat: 13 g  Sat Fat: 3 g  Protein: 4o g  Cholesterol: 65 mg

Ingredients
2 large cloves garlic, minced
One Tablespoon + one and one-half teaspoon olive oil
One Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
One-quarter teaspoon salt
One-eighth teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tuna steaks (6 ounces each), each 1 inch thick
One and one-half teaspoon chopped parsley or fresh basil
Instructions:
In a large, heavy nonstick skillet, cook the garlic in 1 Tablespoon of the oil over very low heat, until the garlic’s aroma is apparent, 30-60 seconds, stirring frequently. Immediately add the vinegar, one-eighth teaspoon salt, and half of the pepper. Remove to a bowl, and cover with foil to keep warm.
Season the fish with the remaining one-eighth teaspoon salt and the remaining pepper. Heat the remaining one and one-half teaspoon olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the fish, and cook until browned on the first side, 4-5 minutes. Turn, and cook until the fish is just opaque throughout, 3-4 minutes. Serve topped with garlic sauce and parsley or basil.
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Supplement of the Month
Probiotics and Immune Function
By Dr. Allen S. Josephs
7/30/2009

Although we are in the midst of summer, September is right around the corner. With September and the start of a new school year, the onslaught of fall and winter colds is not far behind. In a large family of children, it is not uncommon to see colds being passed from one sibling to the next.

A study1 published in the August 2009 edition of the prestigious journal Pediatrics examined the use of probiotics. A total of 326 children from China, between the ages of three to five years old, participated. The children were randomly assigned to three different groups. One group was given milk with a bacterium called lactobacillus acidophilus, another group was given the lactobacillus along with another strain of bacterium called bifidobacterium, and the third group was just given milk (placebo). The children were given these formulas twice daily from November 2005 to May 2006. Researchers found that compared to the placebo group, the lactobacillus group had 53% fewer fevers, 41% decreased incidence of cough episodes, and 28% less nasal congestion and runny noses.

The group that was given the combination of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium had even larger improvement in symptom rates. This group had 72% fewer fevers, 62% fewer cough episodes and 59% fewer runny noses. Additionally, it was found that those children given the friendly probiotics, aside from having fewer symptoms, also recovered significantly faster. Compared to the placebo group, the length of illness decreased by 32% with the lactobacillus, and decreased by 48% with the combination of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. The researchers noted that antibiotic use was 68% less in the lactobacillus group and 84% less in the lactobacillus/bifidobacterium group compared to placebo. Finally, it was noted that the children who were given the probiotics had less lost time from daycare by about 30% compared to those in the placebo group.

There was an article2 published in the September 2009 edition of the International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents in which researchers evaluated a total of fourteen randomized controlled trials using probiotics to study their benefits for upper or lower respiratory tract infections. Various forms of lactobacillus strains and bifidobacterium strains were utilized. The authors concluded that probiotics may have a beneficial effect on the severity and duration of symptoms related to poor respiratory tract health, but do not appear to reduce the incidence of poor respiratory tract health.

The authors of a study3 on probiotics published in the August 2009 edition of Current Gastroenterology Reports noted that the human intestinal tract system contains more than 100 trillion micro-organisms. They reviewed some studies which demonstrated that certain mixes of gut micro-bacteria may protect or predispose the host to unhealthy weight.
I recall about fifteen years ago when I first became interested in the field of nutrition, I did not think much of probiotics. However, over the years, the data had become increasingly compelling to the point that I take a probiotic every day as a foundational supplement to promote good health. The value of probiotics cannot be overstated. Amazingly, a good portion of our immune system is actually contained in our gut. Over time, as we age and with the use of antibiotics, health concerns and so on, our intestinal flora can become seriously depleted. If you decide to take a probiotics supplement, it appears, as the studies indicate, the more strains and higher dosages seem to have more benefits. Look for products with billions to tens of billions of activity per serving and at least several synergistic strains.
1. Leyer G, Li S, Mubasher M, et al., Probiotic Effects on Cold and Influenza-Like Symptom Incidence and Duration in Children, Pediatrics, August 2009, Pp 172 – 179.

2. Vouloumanou E, Makris G, Karageorgopoulos D and Falagas M, Probiotics for the prevention of respiratory tract infections: a systematic review, International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, September 2009, Pp 197 – 292.

3. Tsai F and Coyle W, The Microbiome and Obesity: Is Obesity Linked to Our Gut Flora?, Current Gastroenterology Reports, August 2009, Pp 307 – 313.

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Referral Incentive Program
As a nontraditional medical practice, we are very dependent on word of mouth advertising. We need your help to get the word out about our philosophy of health care and the services we provide. †We pride ourselves on comprehensive assessments and personal treatment plans. †If you have found working with us beneficial, we would like to offer the following incentives for you to refer your family or friends to us for a similar experience. †

Luncheon referral/tour – For every 5 people you refer to us who attend one of our Thursday luncheons, you can earn:
a microdermabrasion treatment †
††††††††††††††††††††††††or
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Microdermabrasion Series – For every referral who signs up for a 6-visit microdermabrasion series, you can earn:
microdermabrasion treatment
††††††††††††††††††††or
a 1-hour massage
††††††††††††††††††††or
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Hormone Evaluation Package – For every referral who completes our hormone evaluation and enters our monitoring/mentoring program, you can earn a combination of any two of the following:
a microdermabrasion treatment
a 1-hour massage
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Full Evaluation Package – For every referral who completes a full evaluation and enters our monitoring/mentoring program, you can earn all of the following:
a microdermabrasion treatment
a 90-minute massage
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil
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HAPPENINGS!
GROUP WALK: the 3rd Wednesday of the month at noon. The next one will be August 19th. We will meet at OHI for stretching first – feel free to bring your spouse or a friend (and don’t forget your water bottles!).
THURSDAY LUNCHEONS: Every Thursday we offer tours of Optimal Health Institute along with a healthy lunch with Tom and Sandra. We answer all health-related questions – from hormones to supplements. If you feel like you’ve benefited from our services, then please invite a friend or family member to join us for lunch. You are welcome to come and bring a friend or two, or give us the contact information and we will call and personally invite them to learn more about what we do.
HEALTHY CHANGE SUPPORT GROUP: Please join us for a forum to ask questions, provide feedback and get support from your fellow OHI members and Tom, Sandra and Jeff. The group will meet at 5:30 the 2nd Wednesday of the month (August 12th). Please RSVP, as the group will be cancelled if we don’t have at least 3 or 4 attendees.

June 2009 Newsletter

DrKilpatrick — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:18:24 +0000

Optimal Health Institute
June 2009 Newsletter
This month’s articles:
Reality Check
Vitamin D Helps with Chronic Pain and Fatigue
Four Myths About Healthy Sex
Advances Made Against Alzheimer’s Disease
Broccoli that Taste Better
Doctors’ Gender Affects Heart Diagnoses
Sleep Apnea May Predict Depression

The topics for our regular features are:
Sex: Question and Answer
Just Do It! Slow Exercise Better For Older Women
Food for Thought: Points to Ponder (silly but amusing)
Frightening Food Fact: Pans Down
Recipe of the Month: Zucchini-Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
Supplement of the Month: ameal bp
Referral Incentive Program
Happenings

Reality Check:
Looking at real women’s bodies will help you learn to love yours
Geneen Roth
I have a confession to make: A few years ago, when I was getting my picture taken for the cover of one of my books, I had a pimple on my forehead the size of Mount Everest. Chagrined at the prospect of having this unsightly blemish recorded for posterity, I asked the photographer if he could eliminate it from the finished product. In less time than it took to say Botox, the mountain was removed and my complexion was clear.

I then asked if he could remove the crow’s-feet on either side of my eyes. “And while you are at it,” I said, “could you please take away the rolls under my chin? And, oh yeah, might as well take away the creases on the sides of my nose, and the tiny lines underneath my eyes.” I was giddy with power, ecstatic at the possibilities. Amid visions of adding a massive quantity of curls to my stick-straight hair, I caught myself. What kind of message would I be sending to women everywhere if I re-touched my photograph?
So with deep reservations and a slight edge of bitterness at losing my only chance to have a perfect face, I consented to having nothing but Everest removed. It was a tough decision: I was utterly torn between the intense longing to meet the cultural ideal of beauty and the longing to honor myself as I was, with the effects of having lived the only life I could live–my own–etched into my features.

What Do You “Miswant”?
Most women I know have a completely unrealistic picture of what they are supposed to look like: a composite image based on 5-foot-9-inch models (with 5-foot-7-inch legs), movie stars sashaying down the red carpet, criticism from others that they’ve absorbed and now turned on themselves, and an unrelenting blast of insane information from our culture. Think of the Extreme Makeover TV show. Its message: Happiness depends on what you look like, and with enough cuts of the knife, you, too, can be happy.

As if.

Daniel Gilbert, PhD, a Harvard psychologist, says that Americans do a tremendous amount of “miswanting.” We keep wanting things that will never make us happy. Being rich and thin are values that are shared by practically everyone and rarely questioned. Yet, he points out; studies show that having enough money for the basic necessities of life–food, clothing, and shelter, which cost maybe $40,000 a year–is all we really need for happiness. The effect of the next $10 million is negligible. This tells us that although we fervently believe that something we can touch, like piles of cash or cellulite-free thighs, is going to light up our hearts, the truth is that we usually don’t know what will make us happy. Worse, we don’t know that we don’t know, so we ardently pursue the wrong things.

Faulty Comparisons
It’s time to challenge long-held beliefs about what will make us happy. This means questioning the harsh litany of self-criticism–about our thighs, arms, facial features–that plays in our heads all day long. It means catching ourselves every time we compare ourselves to people younger, thinner, or richer. And it means understanding that the image we’re relentlessly pursuing is based on the values of a youth-obsessed, airbrushed, adrenaline-driven culture, and that there is no way we could ever look like that. Even fashion models don’t look like their images. Their sags, blemishes, and cellulite magically disappear with a few clicks of a mouse wielded by a talented photo re-toucher. I once read that the supermodel Cindy Crawford, after hearing that people wanted to look like pictures of her, said, “I wish I looked like Cindy Crawford.”

Normal women have wrinkles, sags, and stretch marks. But because we don’t compare ourselves to normal women, we end up feeling as if our bodies are wrong. As if our imperfect bodies are an indication that we are not working hard enough, don’t care passionately enough, and have let ourselves go. Worse, we assume that our imperfect bodies say something about our souls. We ascribe inherent, fundamental meaning to the size and shape of our bodies, and when they don’t live up to our impossible standards, we feel damaged and doomed and worthless.

Next time you have the chance (at a grocery store, a mall, a health club); take a good look at a real woman’s body. Pick someone who passed through puberty more than 10 minutes ago. Notice the wrinkles, the lumps, the bumps. And repeat after me: This is what living looks like. This is what loving and losing and hoping and caring do to bodies. The goal of life is not to get through to the end and wind up looking like you just began. The goal is to allow yourself to have your life–”your one wild and precious life,” as the poet Mary Oliver says–and in doing so, to discover that you are the prize, the celebration, the only place where happiness can ever be found.

Change Your Attitude
Once you’ve perused real women’s bodies for a while, find a full-length mirror and look at yourself naked for at least 3 minutes. Do this once a week for 6 weeks. (That’s how long it will take to transform your attitude.) Look at all the sags, stretch marks, and wrinkles, and tell yourself, “This is what living looks like. This is what loving looks like”.

Then remind yourself that you’re speaking the absolute truth.
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Vitamin D Helps with Chronic Pain and Fatigue
GLENVIEW, Ill. (UPI) — An analysis of 22 clinical studies of patients with varied chronic pain and fatigue syndromes found almost all patients lacked vitamin D, U.S. researchers said. Stewart B. Leavitt, editor of Pain Treatment Topics and author of the report, said when sufficient vitamin D supplementation was provided, the aches, pains, weakness and related problems in most of the patients either vanished or were at least helped to a significant extent.
The peer-reviewed report by a panel of eight experts also said:

– A surprising majority of people in many parts of the world do not get adequate vitamin D from sun exposure or foods. Why such deficiencies are associated with pain in some persons but not others is not always known.

– The currently recommended dose of vitamin D — up to 600 IU per day — is outdated and too low. Most children and adults need at least 1000 IU per day, and people with chronic musculoskeletal pain would benefit from 2000 IU or more per day of supplemental vitamin D3, also called cholecalciferol.

– Vitamin D supplements interact with very few drugs or other agents and are usually not harmful unless extremely high doses — such as 50,000 IU or more — are taken daily for an extended period.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International

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Sex: Question and Answer
Note from Sandra: As part of our focus on Healthy Relationships in 2009, we have decided to have a Question and Answer section in each newsletter. Now is your chance to – anonymously, of course, – ask any questions you may have about sex. Just email Sandra and you will get an answer to your question from either Tom or Sandra. We will answer every question, but will select one to appear in each newsletter.
Q: Sex with my husband is starting to feel like a routine. How can I get him to try new things?
A: First, realize that men have delicate egos and never want to hear that they’re not God’s gift to women in bed. Still, you should talk to your husband—just do it outside the bedroom and in a loving way. Take a look at the role you play, too. Have you tried initiating more surprising sex?
Once you have a dialogue going (and assuming he does not have a medical condition and is not on medication that can affect his sexual desire or response, both of which he should consult a doctor about), think of ways to pique his interest outside the bedroom. For example, next time you take a shower, wear just the towel around for a while. Titillation will spur him to be more spontaneous. You can build up tension during the day with suggestive emails and phone messages, so that he’s raring to go at night. To explore new territory, write down your fantasies and put them in a “fantasy jar.” Then take turns picking out of the jar and act out the fantasies. This can build intimacy, trust—and great sex. Let me know how it works!
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Four Myths about Healthy Sex
Ever wonder if everyone is having lots of perfect sex…except you and your partner? Most of us question how our sex lives stack up. But the reality is, the two of you don’t have to experience Earth-shattering orgasms to have healthy intimacy. In fact, chances are your sex life is in better shape than you think—even with the occasional off-night or dry spell. Here, four top myths you shouldn’t buy into.
Myth #1: You both need to be in the mood
It’s normal for sex to be a little ho-hum for one or both spouses up to 15% of the time. Any number of factors can throw things a bit off-kilter: timing, your mood or his, the amount of foreplay, life stresses, you name it. Rather than postponing until the planets align, have sex when you can—and don’t interpret an off night as a sign of a failing relationship. If your man seems disengaged, just be affectionate and look forward to next time. To keep things exciting, make a point of venturing out of your comfort zone occasionally with new positions, locations, and sexy videos. However, if one or both of you is never, ever in the mood anymore, consider seeing a therapist or medical doctor to rule out any underlying health problems.
Myth #2: The best sex is spontaneous
It’s a fact of modern life: What we don’t schedule, we don’t do—and sex is no exception. Expecting it to just happen spur-of-the-moment could lead to long dry spells, whereas penciling it in on your calendar is a show of commitment; plus, it gives you both something to anticipate.
I advise my clients to establish a weekly time for intimacy, meaning anything from sex to cuddling. Choose a time you can both commit to easily, without exhaustion or daily responsibilities getting in the way. Devoting that time should take you back to those eagerly anticipated first dates.
Myth #3: You must have sex three times a week
Having sex regularly nourishes a relationship, sure, but don’t get too caught up in the counting. Most happy couples don’t have sex every day or even two or three times a week. What’s important is that you both are satisfied with the frequency. If that’s not the case, start a discussion outside the bedroom by saying something like, “We don’t have sex as often anymore, and it worries me.” And remember: There’s more to a healthy sex life than just sex. Get your RDA of intimacy by cuddling, holding hands, and spontaneously hugging and kissing.
Myth #4: Good sex is long and slow
Few of us can afford the luxury of leisurely sex. (Frankly, most of us secretly think it sounds like more work after an exhausting day.) And holding out for the ideal moment can lead to infrequent or, even worse, vacation-only sex. The solution? Embrace the quickie. Think of it like a sex snack, sure to boost your energy and put you back in the mood. For extra excitement, break out of the bedroom: Five-minute romps are perfect for unusual locations, even if that just means your shower or sofa.
Jennifer Berman, MD, is director of the Berman Women’s Wellness Center and author of For Women Only.
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Advances Made Against Alzheimer’s Disease:
Antihistamines, immune therapy among ideas that could lead to new treatments
By Ed Edelson

(HealthDay News)– New reports on very different approaches to treating Alzheimer’s disease could one day lead to better therapies for the mind-robbing condition, experts say.
A trio of studies that were presented Wednesday at the Alzheimer’s Association 2008 International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease in Chicago noted progress made on three different treatment fronts.

The first involves a drug called Dimebon, with positive results being reported from tests in Russia. Dimebon is an antihistamine, and data from the Russian trials indicated that Dimebon might have value in treating Alzheimer’s. This buttressed American research reported earlier this year that showed improvements in Alzheimer’s patients given Dimebon in a controlled study. The drug is believed to prevent the death of brain cells.

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, studied 183 people who had mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. Mental function remained stable in those taking the drug, while it declined in those given a placebo. Mental function also stabilized in people who were first given a placebo after they began taking Dimebon.

Another trial used the body’s immune system to prevent the mental deterioration suffered by people with Alzheimer’s disease. The immune attack is aimed at the deposits of beta-amyloid protein that accumulate in the brains of patients.

“The idea has been around for almost a decade now,” Nixon. “The initial notion was to use the vaccine approach to prevent amyloid deposition, injecting amyloid so the body would attack the deposits. Now we are into phase two, injecting the antibody itself.”

Researchers at Eli Lilly & Co. reported on 52 people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s. Some were given weekly injections of a monoclonal antibody that binds to beta amyloid, while others were injected with a placebo. Detailed measurements showed an increased level of beta amyloid in both blood and cerebrospinal fluid after 12 weeks in those getting the antibody, an indication that the beta amyloid in the brain might be starting to dissolve, the researchers said. New studies of the therapy are planned.

Nixon viewed the results with “tempered optimism.” One interesting finding was the response to the therapy was greatest in people who did not have a known genetic marker for Alzheimer’s risk, he said. “What is the significance of this? Why do carriers not respond?” Nixon asked. The answer might help explain Alzheimer’s disease better, he said.

A third study using a broad spectrum of antibodies was reported by a team at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. The treatment, originally developed by Baxter International to treat autoimmune conditions, was given to 24 people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease in a set of trials extending as long as 18 months. Statistically significant increases in mental function were seen in those getting the treatment, the researchers said. A large-scale, 18-month follow-up trial will be done.

Learn more about Alzheimer’s from the Alzheimer’s Association.
SOURCES: Ralph Nixon, M.D., professor, psychiatry and cell biology, New York University; July 30, 2008, presentations, Alzheimer’s Association 2008 International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease, Chicago
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Broccoli that tastes better
Cruciferous veggies. You know you should eat them. They’re packed with vitamins. They fight cancer. But you have to admit … when it comes to flavor, broccoli just isn’t your fave.

Thank goodness for modern technology. Now you can get the benefits of eating three ounces of broccoli from a cup of Brassica Tea. Each cup has 15 milligrams of sulphoraphane glucosinolate, a long-lasting antioxidant from broccoli that remains active in your body for days, not hours. Plus you get all the usual nutrients found in green and black tea … antioxidants, flavonoids and polyphenols that offer additional protection against cancer, heart disease and stroke.

It’s so easy and tasty—and good for you. How can you resist? Choose from eight varieties of gourmet Chinese Sencha green and black tea, caffeinated or naturally decaffeinated. All are GMO- and chemical-free.

Check out the details at Baltimore Coffee. Your mother would be so proud.
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Food for Thought:
Points to ponder
Note from Sandra: Okay, I admit. These are stupid and silly. I also admit I actually laughed at some – so here’s to sharing!
How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?
Why do you have to ‘put your two cents in’… But it’s only a ‘penny for your thoughts’? †Where’s that extra penny going to?
Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
What disease did cured ham actually have?
How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
Why are you IN a movie, but you’re ON TV?
Why do doctors leave the room while you change? They’re going to see you naked anyway.
Why is ‘bra’ singular and ‘panties’ plural?
Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him?
Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the carpool lane?
If the professor on Gilligan’s can make a radio out of a coconut, why can’t he fix a hole in a boat?
Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours?
They’re both dogs!
If Wile E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn’t he just buy dinner?
Why do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?
Why did you just try singing the two songs above?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog’s face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
†††
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Exercise…JUST DO IT!!!
‘Slow exercise’ better for older women
SALZBURG, Austria — Slow exercise — not fast — may be better for menopausal women, University of Salzburg researchers said.

Study leader Dr. Alexandra Sanger investigated two particular methods of physical training. Hypertrophy resistance training is a traditional approach designed to induce muscle growth, while “SuperSlow” is a more recently devised system which involves much slower movement and fewer repetitions of exercises and was originally introduced especially for beginners and for rehabilitation.

“Our results indicate that both methods increase muscle mass at the expense of connective and fatty tissue, but contrary to expectations, the SuperSlow method appears to have the greatest effect,” Sanger said in a statement. “These findings will be used to design specific exercise programs for everyday use to reduce the risk of injury and thus significantly contribute to a better quality of life in old age.”

The study focused on groups of menopausal women 45 to 55 years old, the age group in which muscle deterioration starts to become apparent. Groups undertook supervised regimes over 12 weeks, based on each of the training methods.

The findings were presented at the Society for Experimental Biology’s annual meeting in Marseilles, France.
Copyright 2008 by United Press International

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DOCTORS’ GENDER AFFECTS HEART DIAGNOSIS
WARWICK, England (UPI) — A disparity exists in the early detection of coronary heart disease between men and women, British researchers found, with women having more “silent” attacks.

Twice as many women as men ages 45 to 64 have undetected or “silent” myocardial infarctions, suggesting a general diagnosis problem; however, Warwick University Medical School researchers say doctor’s gender may hinder early diagnosis of heart disease in women.

Dr. Ann Adams used data from a large United Kingdom/U.S. study to analyze the decision-making processes of 112 primary care doctors — 56 from the United States and 56 from Britain — split equally male/female, who were shown videotapes of actors portraying patients with coronary heart disease.

Despite the fact that all the patients gave case histories that should have resulted in a clear diagnosis of coronary heart disease, the results showed that doctors were significantly less certain about the diagnosis amongst women, particularly those age 55.

Many of the doctors showed a clear bias in favor of male patients when considering age as a diagnostic factor, but this bias was more pronounced amongst female doctors, reported the study published in The Sociology of Health and Illness.
Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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FRIGHTENING FOOD FACT:
PANS DOWN

“Grilled white meat chicken with sun dried tomatoes and spinach in a creamy Asiago cheese sauce on wheat bread.” That’s how Stouffer’s describes its frozen Corner Bistro Chicken Asiago Panini, which you “grill” in the microwave using the “Revolutionary Grilling Tray” inside the box.

A Panini may sound elegant, but it’s usually just a cheese-and-meat sandwich that’s cooked on a grill, so it’s loaded with added greases. Just what you need. Stouffer’s Chicken Asiago, for example, packs 460 calories – more than a Quarter Pounder. And the creamy Asiago cheese sauce dumps 7 grams of saturated fat into your arteries just as they’re trying to cope with the dish’s 930 milligrams of sodium.

Don’t let the “wheat” bread fool you. It’s ordinary white with a smidgen of wheat bran and oat fiber. And if you’re depending on this sandwich for your spinach, don’t bother. A half-cup serving of frozen spinach has 11,000 IU of vitamin A. The Panini has none.

Stouffer’s Grilled Chicken Italian, Philly-Style Steak & Cheese, Southwest-Style Chicken, and Smoked Turkey Crab paninis aren’t as bad as the Chicken Asiago. The Classic Italian Deli is worse.

And the paninis at Panera are really worse. How do 750 to 900 calories and 7 to 14 grams of sat fat plus 1300 to 2650 mg of sodium grab you? (We already know where they grab you). Luckily, many people order only half. That’s better than whole. And none is better than half.
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Sleep Apnea May Predict Depression
By JACOB RUSSELL
WASHINGTON (UPI) — People who have a sleep-related breathing disorder may be more at risk for depression that those without a disorder, according to a recent longitudinal study. “Up until this point, the studies were all clinical and dealt with patients experiencing the most severe of cases. Nobody had ever done a study like ours, looking at predictions in a population,” said co-author Mariana Szklo-Coxe, a scientist at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. The study appeared Sept. 18 the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Sleep-related breathing disorders, also known as SRBD or sleep apnea, are characterized by pauses in breathing, labored breathing or reduced breathing throughout the night. A number of health problems are associated with sleep apnea: cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, insulin intolerance and diabetes, said Dr. David Rapoport, who is on the board of directors for the American Sleep Apnea Association. An estimated 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea.

Depression “is a major cause of poor quality of life,” according to lead author Paul E. Peppard, an epidemiologist at the University of Wisconsin. “It raises many healthcare problems.” Each year approximately 13 million to 18 million Americans struggle with depression.

The experiment, conducted by Peppard and colleagues, observed a population and the coinciding patterns of depression. Since the study was observational, the researchers as of yet can’t say with certainty whether sleep apnea predicts depression.

It included 1,408 adults, 788 men and 620 women, between the ages of 30 and 60 who spent a night in a facility once every four years, from 1988 to 2005. At each study, the researchers recorded important physical attributes such as body mass index, as well as conducted interviews regarding patient medical history, lifestyle, demographics, and other factors such as difficulty falling asleep at night or perceived sleepiness during the day.

Among the 3,202 recorded cases, 334 showed no signs of sleep apnea, 1,911 were categorized as minimal — experiencing fewer than five instances in an evening — 606 were mild, at five to 14 instances, and 351 were moderate or worse, at more than 15 instances.

A statistical analysis showed that those with minimal cases of sleep apnea were 1.6 times more likely to be depressed; those with mild cases were twice as likely; and those with moderate or worse were 2.6 times more susceptible. There was also evidence that those whose conditions worsened had an 80-percent chance of showing symptoms of depression.

“It is certainly not surprising that depression is associated with a health problem. I am surprised by how strongly and consistently the two were related — particularly if the symptoms got worse,” Peppard said.

The results showed a dose-response effect; that is, the degree of prediction of depression worked exponentially with the severity of apnea. “We saw that even mild sleep apnea in a population could predict depression. … We tested many other factors, such as alcohol intake or amount of exercise, and we found repeatedly that they are not the reason we are seeing this,” Szklo-Coxe added.

For example, researchers found approximately twice as many men had sleep apnea, but, on the same scale, twice as many women experienced depression.

If a man or a woman develops sleep apnea, there is about an 80-percent chance that he or she will develop depression. There are many causes of depression and sleep apnea, so there are probably as many causes for depression in women as there are causes for sleep apnea in men.

This important discovery could guide screening for depressive symptoms in patient populations with sleep-related breathing disorder and suggest strategies for managing sleep-related breathing disorder, the authors wrote. “In my work treating patients, depression frequently comes up. Sleepiness can look like depression and it is often associated with depression, so the real question is whether there are actually more depressed or seemingly depressed apneacs,” Rapoport said.

The researchers hope to apply their findings in intervention work — treating individuals facing mild sleep apnea before depression or apnea can worsen. “We want to look at the impacts of treating it or not treating it,” Szklo-Coxe says, “and how, if it is not treated, it may lead to more adverse outcomes such as absenteeism, injuries, performance impairment and other health conditions that may affect quality of life.”
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
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Recipe of the Month

Zucchini-Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
Makes 16 servings
Flavor Tip: For a spicier cake, replace _ teaspoon of the cinnamon with _ teaspoon ground allspice and/or cloves. For fewer carbs per serving, replace the brown sugar with 1/3 cup Splenda.

Nutritional Info (per serving):
Calories: 146  Carbs: 18 g  Sodium: 127 mg Fiber: 2 g
Fat: 8 g   Sat Fat: 2 g  Protein: 3 g  Cholesterol: 27 mg

Ingredients
One and three-quarters cup whole grain pastry flour
One and one-half teaspoon baking powder
One-half teaspoon baking soda
One and one-half teaspoon ground cinnamon
One-quarter teaspoon salt
Two eggs
One-third cup packed brown sugar
One-half cup plain yogurt
One-third cup canola oil
Two teaspoons vanilla extract
One and one-half cups shredded zucchini
Three-quarter cups semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8” x 8” baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving extra foil over 2 opposite edges to use as handles after the cake is baked. Coat the foil with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
In a medium bowl, with a wire whisk, beat the eggs, brown sugar, yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chips.
Add the zucchini mixture to the flour mixture, and stir until just blended. Scrape into the prepared pan. Bake 40 minutes, or until the cake is springy to the touch, and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Remove from the pan using the foil handles. Discard foil, and cool completely on the rack.
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Supplement of the Month
AmealPeptide
Note from Sandra: After having blood pressure readings in the “pre-hypertension” range (most likely due to chronic pain), Tom recommended that I try “ameal bp”. It is an over-the-counter product which not only means you do not need a prescription for it – but your insurance company won’t blacklist you as having hypertension and then forever label it as a “pre-existing” condition. To treat my blood pressure “under the radar”, I decided to shell out the roughly $30 a month to see if it would help (each bottle contains two capsules and you take two a day). The company that sells ameal bp (Calpis USA) makes it clear that you may not notice results for up to 30 days, and after reading several online reviews that does appear to be the case in most people. I have now been on the product for approximately 5 weeks and I am seeing results – slowly but surely. As such, I thought I would share the information with all of you. If any of you decide to try the product, please let us know if it works for you.
The following information comes from the company’s website: www.amealbp.com
About ameal bpÆ
ameal bpÆ is a dietary supplement clinically shown to help maintain healthier blood pressure levels in prehypertensive patients. Unlike other natural remedies which usually do not undergo extensive clinical testing, ameal bpÆ has been tested in 14 double-blind and placebo-controlled studies. These studies show that ameal bpÆ is a safe, effective, and well-tolerated way to maintain healthier blood pressure levels.
ameal bpÆ comes in the form of an easy-to-swallow capsule and a citrus-flavored chewable tablet. Studies have shown that patients should start to see results after taking ameal bpÆ daily for 3 to 4 weeks. In addition to diet and exercise, ameal bpÆ can help your patients achieve and maintain healthier blood pressure levels.*
About prehypertension
In 2003, the JNC 7 issued new guidelines for what is considered a healthy blood pressure range based on a review of hundreds of studies and new evidence of greater risk associated with slightly elevated blood pressure. As a result, many patients who were previously considered to have “normal” blood pressure levels now fall into the new category of prehypertension. If not treated, prehypertension is almost guaranteed to develop into hypertension. According to an article published in JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association), nearly 70 million Americans are prehypertensive.1 Visit the JNC 7 Guidelines
Current national blood pressure guidelines 2

1 Mitka M. Experts ponder treating prehypertension. JAMA 2006 May 10;295(18):2125-2126.
ameal FAQs:
What are the benefits of ameal bpÆ?
Fourteen double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical studies have shown the effect of AmealPeptideÆ, the active ingredient in ameal bpÆ, on blood pressure levels. View our clinical studies.†

How does ameal bpÆ work?
AmealPeptideÆ, the active ingredient in ameal bpÆ helps control biochemical reactions that cause the constriction of blood vessels triggered by angiotensin II. In the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) reaction, angiotensin I is converted to angiotensin II, which causes blood vessels to constrict, or narrow, raising blood pressure. ameal bpÆ acts as a natural inhibitor of this reaction. When the constriction is inhibited, elevation of blood pressure can be prevented and kept at a healthier level.
What is AmealPeptideÆ?
AmealPeptideÆ, the naturally-derived, active ingredient in ameal bpÆ, is derived from the milk protein casein. It is an extract composed of the two tripeptides Valyl-Prolyl-Proline and Isoleucyl-Prolyl-Proline.

How quickly does ameal bpÆ affect blood pressure levels?
Clinical studies have shown that ameal bpÆ starts to affect blood pressure levels in as little as 2 weeks. We recommend continuing for at least a month to gain the full health benefits of ameal bpÆ. Results may vary from patient to patient.

Is there any risk for lactose intolerance or milk protein allergy?
No. The main ingredient in ameal bpÆ is hydrolyzed milk casein (nonfat milk). After fermentation and purification, the remaining amount of lactose is extremely low (below 0.01%). Therefore, there are no milk proteins and virtually no lactose in ameal bpÆ, making it safe for anyone with milk allergies or lactose intolerance. Those interested in ameal bpÆ should confer with their physician.

Is it safe for my patients to take ameal bpÆ ?
Studies have shown that ameal bpÆ has no side effects. Since 1997, Calpis has sold more than 400 million doses of AmealPeptideÆ worldwide, the naturally-derived, active ingredient in ameal bpÆ, and there have not been any reports of side effects.

Can my patients take ameal bpÆ even if their blood pressure is normal?
Studies have shown that ameal bpÆ does not lower blood pressure levels below a normal range and poses no danger of causing patients to become hypotensive.

Can my patients take ameal bpÆ as a supplement to my prescription?
There have not been any reports of ameal bpÆ negatively interacting with prescription medications.

Is ameal bpÆ an FDA approved drug?
ameal bpÆ is not a drug. It is a dietary supplement.

Do my patients have to take ameal bpÆ all at once, or can they spread it throughout the day?
ameal bpÆ has been shown to be just as effective if it is taken all at once or spread throughout the day.

Is AmealPeptideÆ kosher?
AmealPeptideÆ has kosher certification and is manufactured under the supervision of the London Beth Din Kashrut Division (KLBD).

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Luncheon referral/tour – For every 5 people you refer to us who attend one of our Thursday luncheons, you can earn:
a microdermabrasion treatment †
††††††††††††††††††††††††or
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Microdermabrasion Series – For every referral who signs up for a 6-visit microdermabrasion series, you can earn:
microdermabrasion treatment
††††††††††††††††††††or
a 1-hour massage
††††††††††††††††††††or
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Hormone Evaluation Package – For every referral who completes our hormone evaluation and enters our monitoring/mentoring program, you can earn a combination of any two of the following:
a microdermabrasion treatment
a 1-hour massage
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Full Evaluation Package – For every referral who completes a full evaluation and enters our monitoring/mentoring program, you can earn all of the following:
a microdermabrasion treatment
a 90-minute massage
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil
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HAPPENINGS!
GROUP WALK: the 3rd Wednesday of the month at noon. The next one will be June 17th. We will meet at OHI for stretching first – feel free to bring your spouse or a friend (and don’t forget your water bottles!).
THURSDAY LUNCHEONS: Every Thursday we offer tours of Optimal Health Institute along with a healthy lunch with Tom and Sandra. We answer all health-related questions – from hormones to supplements. If you feel like you’ve benefited from our services, then please invite a friend or family member to join us for lunch. You are welcome to come and bring a friend or two, or give us the contact information and we will call and personally invite them to learn more about what we do.
HEALTHY CHANGE SUPPORT GROUP: Please join us for a forum to ask questions, provide feedback and get support from your fellow OHI members and Tom, Sandra and Jeff. The group will meet at 5:30 the 2nd Wednesday of the month (June 10th). Please RSVP, as the group will be cancelled if we don’t have at least 3 or 4 attendees.

May 2009 Newsletter

DrKilpatrick — Sat, 02 May 2009 19:21:10 +0000

Optimal Health Institute
May 2009 Newsletter
This month’s articles:
The Problem May Not Be Your Memory
Insomnia Linked to Suicidal Thoughts and Attempts
Mars & Venus? New Research Challenges Theories
Omega 3 Supplementation Improves Surgical Recovery
Helpful Tip to Reduce Junk E-Mail

The topics for our regular features are:
Sex: Question and Answer
Just Do It! Arm Yourself! Tone Your Triceps
Food for Thought: Building Your Bank Account
Frightening Food Fact: Shakedown
Recipe of the Month: Protein Pancakes
Supplement of the Month: Supplements to Help Lower Urinary Tract Infections
Referral Incentive Program
Happenings

The Problem May NOT Be Your Memory
What’s worse: memory loss or fears about memory loss?
Sure, memory loss is bothersome. Who likes losing keys and forgetting appointments or directions? But, bad as they are, these moments when our memory seems to be mired in molasses may not necessarily mean we are spiraling down toward dementia.
There can be many common causes of forgetfulness – other than you losing your memory: stress, too much alcohol, too little sleep, boredom, thyroid diseases, poor nutrition, and head injury, to name some.
In “Achieving Optimal Memory”, Aaron P. Nelson, Ph.D., of the Harvard Medical School writes of six other reasons why we forget:
Distraction. Multi-tasking may make your day, but doing a dozen things at once can make you daffy. Details are bound to be forgotten.

Depression. Classic symptoms of depression include having a hard time remembering, focusing, or making decisions. This is especially true when the depression goes with grief over a loss of a loved one or at retirement.

Hormones. For women, hormonal fluctuations following childbirth and around menopause can make them feel forgetful. Men also go though a hormonal change as they age. A drop in testosterone level has been linked with age-related memory problems.

Hypertension. You’re more prone to memory impairment if you have high blood pressure, according to Nelson. “We think,” he writes, “that hypertension impairs memory by damaging tiny blood vessels that terminate in the brain’s white matter ….”

Diabetes. High blood sugar can impair the function of – even damage the structure of – the hippocampus, the brain structure that consolidates memories. In 2003, researchers at New York University School of Medicine reported that people with suboptimal glucose metabolism achieved lower scores on short-term memory tests that people with normal blood sugar.

Smoking. A 2004 study published in the journal Neurology, 9,209 people ages 65 and older were evaluated annually using a standard test of cognitive functions. “Scores declined slightly for most participants during this period,” writes Nelson, “but the decline was five times greater for smokers than for people who never smoked. The decline was most pronounced among people who smoked the most cigarettes over the longest period of time.”
Exercise your mind
You can keep your memory sharp by working it. Challenging yourself to learn new skills causes an increase in the connections between nerve cells, helping your brain to store and retrieve information more easily. Here are a several ways you can challenge your mind:
Singing or playing a musical instrument.
Doing crossword puzzles and board games.
Switching careers or starting a new one.
Socializing.
Starting a new hobby, like magic.
Volunteering.
Reading and writing.
Learning about computers or a foreign language-and then traveling.
Gary Legwold National Health and Wellness Monthly Magazine June 2008
Note from Sandra: If you have concerns about your memory, we can assess if there is a real problem by giving you an-Internet-based neurocognitive assessment (The Cognitive Stability Index or CSI). Some of you (who completed the full initial assessment) have already taken this test as part of your initial evaluation. Others (e.g., those who just had a hormone evaluation) probably have not had this done. Whether or not you have previously been tested, we can administer the test if you have concerns about your memory or changes in your memory. The test takes approximately 45 minutes (including time for me to review the results with you) and not only measures memory, but also processing speed (how quickly you can pull the information you need out of your brain), response speed and attention. Give me a call (or email) if you are interested in taking (or re-taking) the test.
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Insomnia Linked to Suicidal Thoughts, Attempts
But researchers say it’s not clear if one causes the other
By Randy Dotinga, HealthDay Reporter
New research provides more evidence of a link between sleeplessness and suicidal thoughts or attempts, although it’s not clear whether insomnia actually makes people want to kill themselves.

Still, the findings suggest that “persistent sleep problems might be an important contributor to suicidal thinking,” said study author Dr. Marcin Wojnar, a research fellow at the University of Michigan and an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Warsaw in Poland.

Researchers have connected insomnia to suicide before. But the new study, said to be the most comprehensive of its kind, looks at the population as a whole, not mentally ill people in particular.

The findings were to be released Wednesday at the World Psychiatric Association International Congress on Treatments in Psychiatry in Florence, Italy. The study was funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse, the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.

The researchers looked at the results of a national survey of 5,692 adults taken between 2001 and 2003. Overall, about a third of those surveyed reported sleep problems, but only a small number said they’d been suicidal. Fewer than 3 percent reported thinking about suicide in the previous year. Less than 1 percent said they’d planned suicide, and the number was nearly the same for those who had attempted it.

People who had trouble getting to sleep were 5.1 times more likely than those who didn’t to have had thoughts about suicide. They were also 9.1 times more likely to have planned suicide and 7.5 times more likely to have attempted suicide within the past 12 months.

Other kinds of sleeplessness — waking up too early and having trouble sleeping through the night — were also linked to suicidal thoughts and attempts. The links remained even when researchers adjusted their figures to account for the influence of mental illness and chronic health conditions.

Wojnar acknowledged that the study didn’t take into account the timing of sleeplessness to determine whether it came before suicidal thoughts or attempts. The study also didn’t look at people who committed suicide, nor did it prove a cause-and-effect relationship between suicide and insomnia. Mental-health experts estimate that many more people — perhaps 10 to 40 times more — try to commit suicide than actually kill themselves. However, suicide is still a huge problem, taking an estimated 877,000 lives a year, according to the World Health Organization.
Research links anxiety to trouble falling asleep and difficulty sleeping through the night, while early awakening is connected to depression, said Alan Berman, executive director of the American Association of Suicidology. “For people who are suffering from insomnia over some period of time, it affects all aspects of daily functioning — the ability to think clearly, to focus and problem solve and synthesize information and make decisions,” he said. Also, insomnia “basically lowers the threshold for impulsive behavior and for being reactive to an emotional event.”

What to do? Step in and try to resolve the problem, Berman said. “Effective intervention is really important,” he said. “Insomnia is something we can observe. People know about it when they’re experiencing it and can respond to it.”

SOURCES: Marcin Wojnar, M.D., Ph.D., Medical University of Warsaw, Poland, and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Alan Berman, executive director, American Association of Suicidology, Washington D.C.; April 1, 2009, presentation, World Psychiatric Association International Congress on Treatments in Psychiatry, Florence, Italy
Note from Sandra: If you are having difficulties with insomnia, please let us know. There are a number of supplement and behavioral treatments that can help.
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Sex: Question and Answer
Note from Sandra: As part of our focus on Healthy Relationships in 2009, we have decided to have a Question and Answer section in each newsletter. Now is your chance to – anonymously, of course, – ask any questions you may have about sex. Just email me and you will get an answer to your question from either Tom or me (if you would prefer to keep it between just you and I, then I can anonymously talk with Tom about the medical issues that may be involved and get back with you). I will answer every question, but will select one to appear in each newsletter.
Q: (from a female, age range 40-45): Help! I can’t find my G-spot. Where is it?
A: Don’t worry: Your G-spot is in there—on the upper wall of your vagina, about a third of the way in—but it can be hard to pinpoint. In order to locate and stimulate the G-spot, you first need to be sexually aroused. Once you are well into foreplay, lie on your back and lift up your knees. Gently insert one or two fingers (or have your partner do this) two to three inches inside your vagina and make beckoning moves with your fingers, pressing up toward the belly button on the anterior vaginal wall (anterior is the front of the body, posterior is the rear…of the body).

Press gently at first, and then add more pressure. You’ll know you’ve found your G-spot if you feel like you have to pee. Also, the area will feel firmer and a little rubbery. Just remember: Not all women have the same reaction to G-spot stimulation. Some find it leads to a more intense orgasm; others feel nothing at all. So don’t worry if your G-spot doesn’t lead you to bigger orgasms, you’re perfectly normal.
Q: (from a female, age range 50-55): I feel like I wet myself when I have sex. Is that possible?
A: Many women produce large amounts of vaginal fluid during sex, especially during heightened arousal and menstruation. It’s completely normal. Some women even “ejaculate” this liquid during sex when aroused or at the time of orgasm. Unlike urine, this vaginal fluid is clear and odorless, so relax; you don’t need to start wearing diapers to bed. The fluid comes from two glands inside the urethra called the Skene’s glands: It’s the female counterpart to the male prostate, which produces the fluid in male ejaculate.
That said, if you feel pain when the wetness begins, have bleeding during or after intercourse, or the discharge is yellow and/or has an odor, see your doc, as these could signal something more serious.
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MARS AND VENUS?
New research challenges the theories presented in John Gray’s Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus and Deborah Tannen’s You Just Don’t Understand
From Today’s Health & Wellness
New research challenges the theories presented in John Gray’s Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus and Deborah Tannen’s You Just Don’t Understand.

These books, which are largely based on anecdotal evidence, claim that men and women have fundamental communication differences. But according to research done by Erina MacGeorge, an assistant professor of communication at Purdue University, that theory doesn’t hold water.
Based on her research of 738 men and women, she found that both men and women are far more likely to prefer stereotypically feminine ways of communicating than the stereotypically masculine ones.
Of her first of three studies examining this topic, she says, “Overall, men and women were both likely to express sympathy, share similar problems with distressed friends or discourage their friends from worrying. Men did give a bit more advice more often than women, and women were slightly more likely to provide support by affirming their friend or offering help. However, men and women were only 2 percent different.”

MacGeorge is concerned about the ideas that books such as the ones mentioned above are perpetuating. “In earlier studies, my colleagues and I found that men tend to be somewhat more dismissive of others’ feelings and problems, even though both men and women dislike this approach,” she explains. That isn’t good for either men or women, she says.
“If we tell men that rejecting the feelings of others is just as good, only culturally different, then we excuse them from becoming good support providers.” And she notes, “We all need people in our lives that are supportive. Research shows that people who feel comforted and have a strong emotional support system benefit tremendously. Among other things, they live longer, are healthier, are happier and have better relationships.”

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Omega 3 fatty acid supplementation improves surgical recovery
Life Extension Update
April 18, 2009

In the March, 2009 issue of the Annals of Surgery, researchers at Trinity College Dublin and St James’s Hospital report that supplementing with the omega-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) helps preserve muscle mass in patients recovering from esophageal cancer surgery.
“There are almost 450 new cases of esophageal cancer diagnosed every year in Ireland and Ireland has one of the highest rates of esophageal cancer in Europe,” noted lead researcher and John V Reynolds, who is a professor of surgery at Trinity College Dublin. “An increasing number of patients are treated with chemotherapy alone or in combination with radiation therapy before they undergo surgery. The surgery is a serious operation lasting several hours, and can take weeks to recover from and up to six months to recover pre-illness quality of life. Weight loss is extremely common both before and especially after this type of surgery, and any approach that can preserve weight, in particular muscle weight and strength, may represent a real advance.”
Dr Reynolds and colleagues randomized 53 patients to receive a calorie-rich nutritional supplement with or without 1.1 gram EPA twice daily before and after surgery. Participants consumed the supplement orally starting five days prior to surgery and through a feeding tube for two to three weeks after the operation.
While subjects who received EPA maintained their weight and muscle mass, those that did not receive the fatty acid lost an average of 4 pounds of muscle mass after their surgeries. “The results were extraordinary in the sense that no previous nutritional formulation had revealed such an outcome, with supplemented patients maintaining all aspects of their body composition in the three weeks following surgery,” coauthor Aoife Ryan stated. “Patients given the standard supplement without omega-3 lost a significant amount of weight comprising 100% muscle mass. In fact 68% of patients suffered ‘clinically severe’ weight loss post surgery in the standard group (without omega-3) versus only 8% in the omega-3 group. The significant finding was that the patients did not lose just fat, as one would expect with weight loss, but instead they depleted their muscle stores significantly.”
“Omega 3 enriched nutrition appears to prevent loss of muscle mass by reducing the amount of inflammatory markers in the blood – this means the metabolism is not as stressed as it usually is post surgery,” Dr Reynolds added. “We also saw that the omega-3 group was less likely to have a fever in the first week post surgery which points to the ability of omega-3 to suppress inflammation. Looking at their blood tests omega-3 fed patients had much lower inflammatory compounds circulating in their blood which points to the ability of omega-3 to reduce inflammation.”
“This study has provided an interesting insight into how nutritional therapy can positively impact on the major stress of cancer surgery,” he concluded. “Throughout cancer care, many patients undergoing therapy nowadays have a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and studies addressing whether nutritional supplementation with omega-3 for the entire duration of treatment should be considered. Finally, we do not expect these findings are unique to cancer surgery, and similar benefits may accrue to patients needing complex surgical care for non-cancer problems, for instance liver transplantation or major cardiac surgery.”
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Food for Thought:
Building Your Bank Account
A Good Rule to Live By…

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.

I love it,’ he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.

Mr. Jones, you haven’t seen the room; just wait.’

‘That doesn’t have anything to do with it,’ he replied. ‘Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. †Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged… it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.

‘It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!’

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.

Note from Sandra: Those clients who have worked with me in therapy know my “Choices Lecture” – which is pretty much summed up by the thoughts above (the article was sent to me by one of our OHI family members – thank you!).
When faced with any hardship, any dilemma, any bump in the road on this journey we call “life”, you have a choice. You can choose to be happy and seek joy in the small things that are present in our lives every day (you may have to look for them – but they’re there). You can choose to be confident that whatever the difficulty that you are going through at the moment will result in a lesson learned, a stronger you, and the simple knowing that “I CAN”. Or you can choose to give in to the part of your mind that tells you, “I can’t do this” or “It’s just too much” or “It’s not fair” or “I’ll never be happy”.
Your mind does not know the difference between truth and non-truth – it will simply believe what you tell it. So, if you tell yourself that you are miserable, that life is unfair, that things will never get better – then that will indeed become your reality. Have you ever woken up in the morning and told yourself that it’s going to be a bad day – you just know it? Your mind then pays selective attention to the things that are not so good (and the things that are good never make it onto your radar screen) – and by day’s end, you will quite likely have a list of all the horrible, awful things that happened to you that day to confirm your belief. That’s called “self-fulfilling prophecy” – you tell yourself that something will be a certain way and your brain obligingly complies.
Conversely, if you tell yourself that you can do anything – not necessarily that you will enjoy it – but that you can survive it and make it through – then that, too, becomes your reality. One of my all-time favorite quotes comes from a book by Richard Bach (he wrote Jonathan Living Seagull – which, if you haven’t read, you need to). The book I’m referring to is called, “Illusions”. The quote is simply, “You will never be given a problem without a gift for you in its hands”. Another favorite from that book is, “You are never given a wish without also being given the power to make it true…You may have to work for it, however”.
Life is about choices and the most fundamental choice is whether you choose to be happy. It sounds simple, but it can be a difficult skill to learn. But like any skill, the more you practice it, the better you get.
So which path do you choose?†††
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Exercise: JUST DO IT!!!
Arm Yourself – Tone Your Triceps

By: Kimberly Husband
National Health and Wellness Club
Note from Sandra: Our new First Lady has created a renewed interest in having well-defined arms – which are truly beautifully sculpted and which allow her to wear all those sleeveless outfits! So, if your arm continues to flap back and forth even after you’ve stopped waving, these exercises are for you!
Your triceps are the muscles on the underside of your upper arm, opposite the biceps. The triceps are involved any time you straighten your arm or twist your wrist upward. You engage them when reaching for things, pushing yourself up from a chair or out of bed.

Since the triceps are difficult to isolate, they can be tough to tone and therefore prone to flabbiness. However, personal trainer Dennis Gudim recommends these exercises to firm up the triceps so you can avoid injury — and wear summer’s barest fashions with pride.

Do two or three sets of 8 to 10 repetitions each. If you can no longer lift the weight at the end of a set, it’s too heavy. If your muscles aren’t fatigued by the end of a set, the weight is too light. Try starting with 2 to 5 pounds for the triceps kick back and 5 to 10 for the overhead extension.

Triceps kickback: Rest one hand and knee on the bench (or chairs). With your upper arm parallel to the floor, bend your dumbbell-holding arm at 90 degrees. Extend the lower arm until it is at full extension. Once you reach full extension, contract the triceps as hard as possible without locking your elbow. Then slowly lower the dumbbell back to the 90-degree angle. Keep your upper arm stationary, pressed against your body, throughout the exercise. Don’t use momentum to swing the weight; move it slowly with your muscles.
Triceps overhead extension: Start with the dumbbell in the overhead position. Begin lowering it slowly while keeping elbows pointed to ceiling. Lower it to a point where your forearms are slightly below parallel to the ground. Without resting, immediately begin pressing the weight back up. Contract the triceps muscles as hard as you can while avoiding locking out the elbow joints. Hold the contraction for 1 to 2 seconds, and then begin another rep. Don’t use the weight’s momentum to “bounce” it as you reverse direction; make the change with smooth control.
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HELPFUL TIP TO REDUCE JUNK EMAIL
Note from Sandra: It seems like we have less privacy every day – whether it’s traffic cameras catching you running that yellow (well, okay…orange) light, security breaches of our personal data or simply getting “spammed”. I received this and thought I’d pass it along to you – it’s a simple way to protect you and those you email from getting on some spammer’s email list (or worse – getting a computer virus). You may have noticed that I follow this advice when sending out the newsletter….

Do you really know how to properly forward e-mails? 50% of us DO NOT.

Do you wonder why you get viruses or junk mail? Do you hate it?
Every time you forward an e-mail there is information left over from the people who got the message before you, namely their e-mail addresses & names. †As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds, and all it takes is for some poor person to get a virus, and his or her computer can send that virus to every e-mail address that has come across his or her computer. †Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail to them in the hopes that you will go to the site and he will make five cents for each hit. †That’s right, all of that inconvenience over a nickel!
How do you stop it? †Well, there are several easy steps:
(1) When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message (at the top). †That’s right, DELETE them. †Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, or hit the tab key whatever it is you know how to do. †It only takes a second but you MUST click the ‘Forward’ button first and then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message. †If you don’t click on ‘Forward’ first, you won’t be able to edit the message at all.
(2) Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use the “To:” or “Cc:” fields for adding e-mail addresses. Always use the “BCC:” (blind carbon copy) field for listing the e-mail addresses. †This way the people you send to will only see their own e-mail address. †If you don’t see your “BCC:” option click on where it says “To:” and your address list will appear. †Highlight the address and choose BCC: and that’s it, – it’s that easy. †When you send to BCC: your message will automatically say ‘Undisclosed Recipients’ in the ‘TO:’ field of the people who receive it.
(3) Remove any ‘FW:’ in the subject line. You can rename the subject if you wish or even fix spelling.
(4) ALWAYS hit your Forward button from the actual e-mail you are reading. †Ever get those e-mails that you have to open 10 pages to read the one page with the information on it? †By forwarding from the actual page you wish someone to view, you stop that person from having to open even more e-mails just to see what you sent.
(5) Have you ever gotten an e-mail that is a petition? †It states a position and asks you to add your name and address and to forward it to 10 or 15 people or your entire address book. †The e-mail can be forwarded on and on and can collect thousands of names and e-mail addresses. †A FACT: The completed petition is actually worth a couple of bucks to a professional spammer because of the wealth of valid names and e-mail addresses contained therein. †If you want to support the petition, send it as your own personal letter to the intended recipient. †Your position may carry more weight as a personal letter than a laundry list of names and e-mail address on a petition. †(Actually, if you think about it, who’s supposed to send the petition in to whatever cause it supports? †And don’t believe the ones that say that the e-mail is being traced, it just ain’t so!)
(6) One of the main ones I hate is the ones that say that something like, ‘Send this e-mail to 10 people and you’ll see something great run across your screen.’ †Or, sometimes they’ll just tease you by saying something really cute will happen. IT AIN’T GONNA HAPPEN! †(Trust me; I’m still seeing some of the same ones that I waited on 10 years ago!) I don’t let the bad luck ones scare me either, they get trashed.
(7) Before you forward an Amber Alert, or a Virus Alert, or some of the other ones floating around nowadays, check them out before you forward them. †Most of them are junk mail that have been circling the net for YEARS!
You can check just about everything you receive in an e-mail that you are not quite sure about at a website called Snopes. It is a great site that does research on all sorts of rumors and myths. Just go to www.snopes.com – but be prepared – it is kind of addicting to read all the different categories. They rate each “rumor” by stating the data (or lack thereof), and whether it is true, false or unverified.
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FRIGHTENING FOOD FACT:
SHAKEDOWN
“Like It.” “Love It.” “Gotta Have It.” Those are the small medium and large sizes of ice creams, shakes, smoothies, and sorbets sold at Cold Stone Creamery, and upscale ice cream chain with more than 1400 stores nationwide. “Not Worth It” might be a better name, at least when it comes to the Oh Fudge! Shake.

Sure, few people buy an ice cream shake expecting it to shrink their waist. But Oh Fudge! is more of a quake than a shake. It starts at 1,250 calories for the “Like It” (16 ounce) size. That’s more than the 1,160 calories in a large (32 ounce) McDonald’s Triple Thick Shake, which used to seem outrageous. But Oh Fudge! leaves the Triple Thick in its dust.

The “Love It” (20 ounce) Oh Fudge! has 1,660 calories, and the “Gotta Have It” (24 ounce) has 1,920 calories. Along with a day’s calories come 69 grams of saturated fat from the chocolate ice cream, milk, and fudge syrup. That’s 3 and a half days’ worth, but who’s counting?

It’s not just a mouthful. It’s a bellyful…for those planning on full-size bellies. Its two 16 ounce T-bone steaks plus a buttered baked potato, all blended into a handy 24 ounce cup.

Shakes can be worse for dieters than ice cream because liquid calories don’t make you feel as full.

If you’re at a Cold Stone and determined to drink your calories, try the Lower Calorie Signature Smoothies – Berry Lemony, Berry Trinity, Citrus Sunsation, and Strawberry Bananza – which have less sugar than the shakes (and no artificial sweeteners). Each has only about 150 to 250 calories (for a small) and flavor to spare…not padding for the spare around your waist.
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Recipe of the Month
High Protein Pancakes
Prep Time = 5 minutes, Cooking Time = 5 minutes Makes 2 servings (8 pancakes total)
These cottage cheese-filled pancakes are easy to make and good to eat!
Note: The texture is different from traditional pancakes in that they are not as light and fluffy.
Time-saving tip: Can make extra batter, refrigerate for 2 to 3 days for use in future meals.

Nutritional Info (per serving):
Calories: 294 Carbs: 30.2 g Sodium: 229 mg Fiber: 4.6 g
Fat: 3.1 g Sat Fat: 0.7 g Protein: 34 g Cholesterol: 5.0 mg

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats, dry
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
8 egg whites*
1 teaspoon cinnamon**
Instructions: Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until fully blended. Then pour 1/4-cup pancakes onto a heated grill which has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until brown enough for your taste.
Variations: * To spare the egg yolks, replace egg whites with equivalent amount of Egg Beaters.

** Other suggestions for flavorings and fresh fruit toppings:
1) lightly-microwaved sliced apples with a dash of cinnamon (along with the cinnamon in the pancake mix)
2) for sliced bananas, can add a little banana flavoring in pancake mix
3) for other sliced fresh fruits, replace pancake cinnamon with vanilla

PLEASE NOTE: Above variations are not included in the nutritional analysis.
Note: I found this recipe on www.CalorieKing.com. Out of the 22 people who made the dish, all of them gave it 5 stars – the highest rating. Hope you enjoy!
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Supplement of the Month
Supplements for Lower Urinary Tract Infections
Note from Sandra: This information came from the American Botanical Council (website below). It originally including the botanical names for the various herbs and foods but I have deleted those to make for an easier-to-read article. The article in its original form can be found using the link below.
Lower urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the second most common infection in both men and women and the most common infection in pregnant women. Symptoms include frequent urinary urge, pain upon urination, bladder pain when not urinating, difficult urination, fatigue, and men may feel rectal fullness. Urine may be cloudy; pink if blood is present. Fever, flank pain, nausea and vomiting indicate kidney involvement. Risk factors include female gender, sexual activity, mode of birth control, menopause, diabetes, catheterization, vaginosis, history of UTIs, or urinary obstruction (mostly in men over 50). During pregnancy, UTIs raise risks for mother and child. UTIs occur twice as often in diabetic menopausal women as in non-diabetic. Escherichia coli causes 80% of all UTIs. UTIs are often treated with antibiotics. Chronic sufferers use antibiotics as prophylaxis. Frequent antibiotic use can cause resistance, and vaginal and intestinal dysbiosis that helps E. coli adhere.
Cranberry is used in many folk medicines for UTIs. Juice, juice cocktails, and capsule and tablet extracts produce statistically significant UTI and antibiotic use reduction in women of all ages and in UTIs in male and female elderly. However, in neurogenic bladders, including pediatric patients, cranberry has shown to be ineffective in reducing UTIs or bacteriuria. It is most effective in those with recurrent UTIs. When compared to Lactobacillus rhamnosus or no intervention as preventive treatment in 150 women who had UTIs cleared by antibiotics, a combined cranberry-lingonberry juice reduced UTIs 20% over six months, more than the other study arms. In some studies, cranberry reduced urinary pH; in others, it did not. Bilberry competitively binds to the same cells as bacteria. Although not as effective as cranberry, bilberry has an anti-aggregation effect on oral bacteria. While safe in pregnancy, cranberries’ high oxalic acid is best avoided by any who form calcium-oxalate kidney stones.
Berberine is an alkaloid long used in many medical traditions, from root, rhizome, and bark of goldenseal, coptis, Oregon grape, barberry, Indian barberry and others. The alkaloid is strongly antimicrobial, inhibiting sensitive and resistant E. coli and other organisms, and targets a bacterial protein used in cell division. It prevents E. coli adhesion completely in vitro. In vivo, it completely protected rat bladders from induced hemorrhagic cystitis. In a clinical study, berberine significantly reduced stool E. coli content, diarrhea, and UTI risk.
Uva ursi may increase microbial cell hydrophobicity, decreasing adherence. No studies have examined it as a UTI remedy. It has been shown to be effective in prevention, in a standardized extract with dandelion root and leaf.
Other long-used UTI herbs include buchu, a diuretic with possible activity against urinary pathogens; and sage. Saw palmetto and stinging nettle aid urination in older men. Several other herbs used successfully in UTIs have not been studied, including marshmallow, slippery elm, and corn silk among them.†
Nutritional interventions for UTIs include vitamins A and C, for prevention; potassium or sodium citrate salts to alkalinize urine, improve symptoms and boost berberine’s or uva ursi’s effects; and D-mannose, a simple sugar that prevents bacterial adhesion. Dietary interventions include consuming fresh juice and fermented dairy products with probiotics. Frequent poultry, pork, and alcohol intake have been linked to higher rates of antibiotic-resistant UTIs. Studies of probiotic vaginal suppositories have yielded mixed results. Oral probiotics may particularly benefit children with UTIs caused by bacterial migration. Finally, intravaginal estriol cream significantly reduced UTIs in postmenopausal women compared to placebo, and in 60% of the active group, stimulated reappearance of Lactobacilli.
Mariann Garner-Wizard
Head KA. Natural approaches to prevention and treatment of infections of the lower urinary tract. Altern Med Rev. 2008;13(3):†227-244.
American Botanical Council, 6200 Manor Rd, Austin, TX 78723
Phone: 512-926-4900 | Fax: 512-926-2345
Website: www.herbalgram.org | Email: American Botanical Council
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Referral Incentive Program
As a nontraditional medical practice, we are very dependent on word of mouth advertising. We need your help to get the word out about our philosophy of health care and the services we provide. †We pride ourselves on comprehensive assessments and personal treatment plans. †If you have found working with us beneficial, we would like to offer the following incentives for you to refer your family or friends to us for a similar experience. †

Luncheon referral/tour – For every 5 people you refer to us who attend one of our Thursday luncheons, you can earn:
a microdermabrasion treatment †
††††††††††††††††††††††††or
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Microdermabrasion Series – For every referral who signs up for a 6-visit microdermabrasion series, you can earn:
microdermabrasion treatment
††††††††††††††††††††or
a 1-hour massage
††††††††††††††††††††or
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Hormone Evaluation Package – For every referral who completes our hormone evaluation and enters our monitoring/mentoring program, you can earn a combination of any two of the following:
a microdermabrasion treatment
a 1-hour massage
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil.
Full Evaluation Package – For every referral who completes a full evaluation and enters our monitoring/mentoring program, you can earn all of the following:
a microdermabrasion treatment
a 90-minute massage
2 bottles of omega 3 fish oil
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HAPPENINGS!
GROUP WALK: the 3rd Wednesday of the month at noon. The next one will be May 20th. We will meet at OHI for stretching first – feel free to bring your spouse or a friend (and don’t forget your water bottles!).
THURSDAY LUNCHEONS: Every Thursday we offer tours of Optimal Health Institute along with a healthy lunch with Tom and Sandra. We answer all health-related questions – from hormones to supplements. If you feel like you’ve benefited from our services, then please invite a friend or family member to join us for lunch. You are welcome to come and bring a friend or two, or give us the contact information and we will call and personally invite them to learn more about what we do.
HEALTHY CHANGE SUPPORT GROUP: Please join us for a forum to ask questions, provide feedback and get support from your fellow OHI members and Tom, Sandra and Jeff. The group will meet at 5:30 the 2nd Wednesday of the month (May 13th). Please RSVP, as the group will be cancelled if we don’t have at least 3 or 4 attendees.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND FEEDBACK
You can submit your questions (anonymously, of course) to Sandra at slk@optimal-health.net Additionally, we still want you to brag about your successes – whether in the area of healthy lifestyle changes or just life in general. This can be anonymous as well.
As always, we wish you Optimal Health,
Jeff Sandra Tom

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