WHAT SHOULD I EAT?

by Bonnie Liebman

What does a healthy diet look like? Despite (or maybe because of) all the diet books, food pyramids, and expert advice, most people are still confused.

Yet we know which diets can lower the risk of heart disease, the major cause of death in the United States. Odds are, those same foods can also promote weight loss and help prevent diabetes and cancer.

The tricky part is summing up an entire diet in simple, easy-to-remember advice. Here’s our try.

START WITH HEART

Want a diet that’s likely to lower your heart disease risk over the next 10 years by 20 to 30 percent?

The OmniHeart Trial tested three variations of a vegetable-and-fruit-rich diet in people who had pre-hypertension or hypertension—that is, anyone with blood pressure above 120 over 80.¹

Not in that group? Odds are you will be. Middle-aged Americans have a 90 percent chance of developing high blood pressure at some point in their lives.

The diets were remarkably effective. After six weeks, they had:

• Lowered systolic blood pressure by 13 to 16 points in people with hypertension (systolic blood pressure —the higher number—over 140). Blood pressure fell by 8 points in people who had pre-hypertension (systolic pressure between 120 and 139). “The diets lower blood pressure more than most drugs,” says Frank Sacks, a cardiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health and one of OmniHeart’s principal investigators.
• Lowered LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by 20 to 24 points in people with high cholesterol. LDL fell by 5 points in people whose levels weren’t high when the study started (they had LDL below 130). That’s not quite what you’d get from a prescription statin drug like Lipitor (a drop of 50 to 100 points), but it’s no small potatoes.
• Lowered damaging triglycerides by 9 to 16 points. Two of the three potent? It wasn’t just the low levels of saturated and trans fat (7 percent of calories), sodium (2,300 milligrams a day), and added sugar (2 to 5 teaspoons a day). It was also the high levels of potassium (4,700 mg a day), magnesium (500 mg), calcium (1,200 mg), and fiber (30 grams) in the diets. Which of those nutrients mattered? “The study wasn’t designed to say,” says Sacks.

AND THE WINNER IS…

Each of OmniHeart’s three diets was higher in one of the following:

• carbs (mostly from foods containing a total of 5 teaspoons of sugar a day),
• protein (more than half from beans, nuts, seeds, tofu, and other non-animal sources), or
• unsaturated fat (mostly from canola and olive oil).

The results: a tie between the diets higher in protein and unsaturated fat. “We think that the health benefits of the protein and unsaturated fat diets are about the same, and that both are a little better than the carb diet,” says Sacks. “Although the protein diet lowered triglycerides better than the unsaturated fat diet, it also lowered HDL.” That’s a minus—HDL is the “good” cholesterol.

Further analyses showed that the protein diet was especially good at lowering Apo B (a key component of LDL cholesterol) and Apo C-III (a key component of triglycerides).²

“In a couple of years we may be giving much more weight to data on Apo B and especially Apo C-III,” says Sacks. “Also, research on how to interpret changes in HDL is in a state of rapid development.”

The bottom line: it’s just too early to choose among the two diets. “At this point, I would award an approximate tie,” says Sacks. “The idea is to encourage flexibility in using unsaturated fat and protein to replace carbs.”

That’s what’s behind the diet we’ve come up with. It’s a mix of the two best OmniHeart diets (protein and unsaturated fat), with a “wild card”—for those who can’t resist—to eat more carbs.

Here’s how it works:

• Start with unsaturated fat. We began with the OmniHeart’s (Mediterranean-style) unsaturated-fat diet, which contains 4 tablespoons of oil per day. We kept 2 of them for salad dressing and for oil to sauté vegetables.
• Add protein. We traded the third tablespoon of oil for an extra serving of protein from beans (½ cup) or nuts (¼ cup), to get some of the benefits of the higher-protein diet.
• Add a wild card. We left the fourth tablespoon of oil as a wild card. You could use it to:

— sauté vegetables or dress salad,

— swap for an extra 2 or 3 oz. of poultry,

— swap for an extra serving of grain, or

— swap for sugar (in your cereal, sweetened yogurt, or a small cookie).

Each tablespoon of oil has 120 calories, so you can’t use your wild card on a fudge brownie sundae or a burrito.

WATCH YOUR WEIGHT

The OmniHeart diets weren’t designed to melt pounds, even though many of the participants were overweight or obese.

“In fact, we made sure they didn’t cut calories or we wouldn’t have known how much each diet mattered,” says Janis Swain, an OmniHeart dietitian at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

In a separate study, Sacks put 800 overweight adults on diets that were high or low in fat, carbs, or protein. After two years, weight loss was about the same.³ “So there is also a tie for weight loss,” he notes.

However, we’ve tweaked the diet to make it easier for people to lose—or not gain—weight by cutting caloric beverages and eating foods that are less calorie dense.

But those are details. Here’s the big picture of what to eat.

RULES OF THE ROAD

1. Make vegetables a main course. Vegetables or fruit are going to fill up at least half of your plate at lunch and dinner. It’s easy to polish off 3 or 4 pieces of fruit as snacks or with breakfast or lunch. But when you’re shooting for 6 to 8 servings of vegetables a day, it makes sense to make them part of a main dish like stir-fried vegetables, vegetable curry, vegetable fajitas, or a main-dish salad—all of which can have chunks of chicken, fish, lean meat, or tofu mixed in. It’s not just that you need to boost the vegetables, but that by eating more of them, you’re eating less of other foods. Used to having chicken or meat as your main dish for dinner? No problem. Just make sure that it’s the size of a deck of cards, and surround it with enough side dish vegetables or salad to reach your total.

2. Keep saturated fat and cholesterol low. That means just a small (¼ lb.) portion of lean meat or poultry per day for a 2,000-calorie diet. (It’s okay to have a more generous serving of fish.) Vegetarians can substitute veggie meats, tofu, or beans. Use eggs and non-low-fat cheeses sparingly. (Egg whites are okay.)

3. Don’t overdo grains. Even whole grains are limited to four servings a day
if you’re shooting for 2,000 calories. And a serving is a thin (1 oz.) slice of bread, not a typical (4 oz.) bagel. Eat a small bowl of cereal for breakfast and a sandwich at lunch and you’re left with just a half cup of cereal, rice, or pasta for dinner. A half cup isn’t much—it’s the volume of two golf balls.

4. Minimize added sugar. A 2,000-calorie diet allows two teaspoons (8 grams) of added sugar a day. There’s no room for more empty calories. That’s about what you’d get in many breakfast cereals, two small cookies, or ¼ cup of ice cream. If you can’t live without more sweets, swap your “wild card” for 120 calories’ worth of dessert.

5. Keep a lid on sodium. In the OmniHeart study, sodium was limited to 2,300 milligrams a day. That means avoiding high-sodium processed foods.

6. Eat beans and nuts. “Of the three OmniHeart diets, the protein diet was the most challenging because it required so much bulk for the vegetable protein sources,” says Sacks. In other words, people felt fuller when they ate a diet rich in beans and nuts.⁴ That meant they might have shed some weight if the study had allowed them to cut calories. If beans seem dull, think Middle Eastern (hummus), Indian (curried lentils), French (cassoulet), Southwestern (black bean soup), or American (vegetarian chili). Or just throw some chickpeas into your salad. Nuts and seeds are easy to eat—too easy. If you can’t stop at ¼ cup, use them as a garnish on salad or cereal or veggies. Otherwise, the calories can add up quickly.

7. Eat real food, not junk. Notice what’s missing (or minimal) in this diet? It’s not just sweets (cookies, cakes, ice cream, muffins, soda, etc.). It’s also big bowls of pasta, big bagels, and big muffins. Most pizzas, Panini sandwiches, wraps, and burritos are too big. Also gone are granola or energy bars, pita chips, and other junk disguised as health foods. Think of them as an occasional splurge.

8. Cut calorie density to lose weight. “People eat for weight or volume,” explains Barbara Rolls of Pennsylvania State University. Her studies show that if you trim the calorie density—that is, the calories per bite—people leave the table feeling full but with fewer calories in their belly (and, eventually, with less belly). Her research team analyzed data from the Premier diet, which was similar to the OmniHeart higher-carb diet.⁵ “People who lowered their calorie density ended up eating fewer calories and losing more weight,” she explains. “The change in calorie density was the biggest predictor of six-month weight loss. And those people ate a pound more food a day.” Rolls got similar results in a one-year trial.⁶ “Both groups were told to eat smaller portions and less fat,” she notes, “but only one group was also told to eat more fruits, vegetables, and broth-based soups.” That group lost more weight. “We tell people to manage portions of calorie-dense foods and eat as much as they want of fruits and vegetables,” Rolls explains. “They’re free foods.” Her advice doesn’t apply to dried fruit or fruit juice. Nor does it apply to French fries, potato chips, or other starchy vegetables. “Non-starchy vegetables like celery are the best way to lower calorie density,” says Rolls. “You’re mostly eating water and some bulk. Fruit should also be unlimited because it’s got a low calorie density. You can only eat so much because you’re going to fill up.”

9. Eat veggies instead. Adding vegetables only curbs calories if you eat less of everything else. Barbara Rolls tried either adding vegetables to a dinner or substituting them for other foods. “On the plate we had a prepared beef dish, a rice dish, and broccoli,” she explains. “When we went from a quarter to half a plate of broccoli and made the meat and grain portions smaller, people ate fewer calories in the meal.” The calories per bite—or calorie density—went down as the veggies went up. “But if we just added broccoli to the meat and grain, people didn’t eat fewer calories,” she adds. “So if your goal is to cut calorie intake, you have to substitute vegetables for other ingredients.”

10. Cut liquid calories. When the Premier study began, most participants got 350 calories—nearly a fifth of their calories for the day—from soda, alcoholic beverages, juice, milk, and other drinks. (And in the OmniHeart study, participants were allowed up to 2 servings of alcohol a day.) Trimming those calories mattered more than cutting calories from solid foods.⁷ “Only a reduction in liquid calorie intake was shown to significantly affect weight loss during the six-month follow-up,” says Benjamin Caballero of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. To boost your odds of losing (or not gaining) weight, it makes sense to cut most liquid calories. That’s why our diet substitutes fruit for fruit juice.

¹ JAMA 294: 2455, 2005.
² Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 87: 1623, 2008.
³ N. Engl. J. Med. 360: 859, 2009.
⁴ Am. J. Epidemiol. 169: 893, 2009.
⁵ Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 85: 1212, 2007.
⁶Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 85: 1465, 2007.
⁷ Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 89: 1299, 2009.

Nutrition Action Healthletter – October 2009

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Improving Your Romantic Relationship

In honor of Valentine’s Day, our feature article is on improving your romantic relationship.  Whether you have been together just a few years – or a few decades – most relationships can benefit from some touch-ups.  However, if you have significant unresolved issues in your relationship, they may need to be addressed before things improve in the bedroom.  Please note that there are some adult-themed parts of this article, so be prepared!

Do you have problems in your relationship?

When things are not going well in a sexual and romantic relationship, it can really help if both partners try to understand why. If you are in a relationship that’s in trouble, ask yourself the following questions:

• What do you each want out of the relationship? Are you getting it?
• Are you about to leave your partner? Or do you still enjoy your life together?
• Are you ready to sacrifice time and energy to make your relationship work again?
• Do you still love each other?

Your answers to these questions will help you pinpoint the extent of the problem and your expectations for change.

While every couple is different, below are some common causes of relationship difficulties and ways to tackle. However, it’s unlikely things will improve if both partners aren’t prepared to work through the issues.

Part 1: How can you improve your relationship?

Stop the blame game:  When things are going badly, couples tend to ask who is at fault and which of them is to blame. Neither of these questions is helpful. It’s better by far for both partners to accept that they share joint responsibility for the relationship, and to agree that when they are having problems they should work at them together.

Find time to work on your relationship:  In today’s busy, modern world, you need to find time for each other. This is not easy if you both have hectic careers, and becomes even more difficult when you have children. But if you have established a will to make things better, then you need to look at your joint schedules and find time when you can be together.  If you don’t find time, improvement will be slow or non-existent.

As a therapist, I often take calls from couples who want to come for therapy to improve aspects of their relationship, but who then cannot find a mutually convenient time to fit in an appointment. This is ludicrous.  It suggests both the relationship and the work needed on it is a low priority.  If you can make time to talk and to be together, you may well overcome your difficulties.

Change the way you communicate:  Frequently, couples stop making an effort with each other. They may insult each other or take each other for granted.  Suppose the door bell rings. One partner may yell at the other: ‘Get that will you?’ It doesn’t take much effort to add the word ‘please’ or to ask in a different way, such as: ‘Would you mind answering the door?’ This may sound a small point, and maybe an old-fashioned one, but when couples bellow demands at each other, it sounds abrasive and disrespectful.  When aggression becomes a habit, it can seriously damage the romance in a relationship.

Dr Jack Dominian is a psychiatrist who has had a long and distinguished career in the treatment of relationship problems. He says a couple should eliminate one phrase from their vocabulary: ‘the trouble with you is…’ (or one of many variants).  I would add that sarcasm is unpleasant and unproductive. It invariably leads to one partner feeling ‘put down’, which isn’t a good emotional state for a healthy relationship.

The key thing here is that you should make sure you show each other the respect that you did when you first met.

Make an effort for each other:  Lack of respect can also be shown in appearances. It’s very sad that couples often stop making an effort with how they look.  A small thing like changing work clothes for something brighter for dinner – and the woman putting on some make-up and the man having a shave – can transform a routine evening into more of an occasion.

Try the 10-minute rule:  Men often say: ‘She just wants to go on and on about things, and it drives me mad.’ While women say: ‘We never talk.’

Both parties cannot be right!  If you and your partner are struggling to discuss the things that matter to you both, it’s a good idea to deploy the 10-minute rule.

• One partner has his or her say for 10 minutes. During this time the other partner listens and does not interrupt.
• After 10 minutes, the second partner takes the floor for 10 minutes. Men, in particular, appreciate the chance to have their say without interruption and with the guarantee that the conversation will not go on all night.
• After both of you have had your say, have a further 10 minutes between you.
• The whole discussion should be over in 30 minutes.
• If both parties agree to carry on with the conversation, that’s fine, but it should never go on for more than an hour.

If you both know that you have limited time, you will be more concise, and hopefully spare each other any histrionic behavior.

So, simple things like talking to each other with respect, trying to look appealing to your partner and using the 10-minute rule can give a big lift to your relationship. But what else is there?

Have a date night:  Try to have one evening out per week, just the two of you. If you have children this is more difficult to arrange, but it’s not impossible. And when you have this ‘date’, avoid talking about your offspring or work.

Socialize as a couple:  Another good thing for many couples is to have other couples that you socialize with on a regular basis, even if it’s just for dinner or a card game around the kitchen table. You’ll have a good laugh, and if these friends have known you since the beginning of your relationship, it will remind you of happier days and you’ll feel younger and more carefree.

Call in the professionals:  If your relationship is in real trouble and none of the above suggestions help significantly, you might want to consider having some relationship therapy.

Part 2: How can you improve your sex life?

Look at the whole relationship:  It is unlikely that a sex life in trouble will improve greatly if work is not put in on the whole relationship. Of course, there are times when both partners may be steamed up and the sex works wonderfully. But apart from these spontaneous and happy times, couples often complain that they don’t make love as much as they did, or that one or both partners have lost the urge.  Increasingly we are seeing couples – men as well as women – who have little interest in sex. Fatigue is often the main culprit here. Many people now work such long hours that they feel permanently exhausted.

Often a loss or decrease in libido may be about resentment or a pervading sense of unhappiness with the relationship itself.  For example, a man may lose interest in sex if the woman is very aggressive in bed or out, nags him to do better sexually, or if she keeps complaining that he doesn’t do his share of the housework.  And a woman may feel a lack of interest sexually for similar reasons; including a perception that her man never says he loves her unless he wants sex.

It needs to be emphasized that before you look at your sex life, you should look more generally at your relationship.  Having done that, there are plenty of ways in which you can liven up your sex life.

• You might want to take turns in “running” the sex session. In other words, the man may make all the suggestions one night and the woman another. This often leads to much greater variety.  It also gives each partner the opportunity to “suggest” something to their partner that they really enjoy or would like to try.  As they say, everything is game – as long as both partners are in agreement.
• A short break away is always a good bet for enlivening a relationship. A recent survey showed that 96 percent of women felt sexier when they were on vacation – even just a short weekend break.
• You might use fantasies, if the same sorts of things turn you on.
• You might read erotica to each other before, or even during, sex.
• Some couples enjoy pornography together – usually videos of attractive couples making love.  There is currently a video series out called “Better Sex” and is available through Amazon.com or a number of other outlets.
• Some couples like to dress up or to use vibrators or other sex toys. They might also enjoy reading sex manuals on different sexual positions, or dressing up in sexy lingerie.

Note from Sandra: The above advice assumes that neither partner has a serious sex problem such as premature or delayed ejaculation, pain during intercourse, or difficulty getting or maintaining an erection.  If you have a problem that makes sex difficult, give either Sandra or Tom a call.

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JUST FOR FUN
The Pope

After getting all of Pope Benedicts luggage loaded into the limo, (and he doesn’t travel light), the driver notices the Pope is still standing on the curb.
“Excuse me, Your Holiness”, says the driver, “Would you please take your seat so we can leave?”
“Well, to tell you the truth”, says the Pope, “they never let me drive at the Vatican when I was a cardinal, and I’d really like to drive today”.
“I’m sorry, Your Holiness, but I cannot let you do that. I’d lose my job! What if something should happen?” the driver protested, wishing he’d never gone to work that morning..
“Who’s going to tell?” the Pope said with a smile.
Reluctantly, the driver gets in the back as the Pope climbs in behind the wheel. The driver quickly regrets his decision when, after exiting the airport, the Pontiff floors it, accelerating the limo to 205 kph. (Remember, the Pope is German…)
“Please slow down, Your Holiness!”, pleads the worried driver, but the Pope keeps the pedal to the metal until they hear sirens.
“Oh, dear God, I’m going to lose my license — and my job!”, moans the driver.
The Pope pulls over and rolls down the window as the cop approaches, but the cop takes one look at him, goes back to his motorcycle, and gets on the radio.
“I need to talk to the Chief”, he says to the dispatcher.
The Chief gets on the radio and the cop tells him that he’s stopped a limo going 205 kph.
“So bust him”, says the Chief.
“I don’t think we want to do that, he’s really important”, said the cop.
The Chief exclaimed, “All the more reason!”
“No, I mean really important”, said the cop with a bit of persistence.
The Chief then asked, “Who do you have there, the mayor?”
Cop: “Bigger”.
Chief: “A senator?”
Cop: “Bigger.”
Chief: “The Prime Minister?”
Cop: “Bigger.”
“Well”, said the Chief, “who is it?”

Cop: “I think its God!”

The Chief is even more puzzled and curious, “What makes you think its God?”

Cop: “His chauffeur is the Pope!”
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Exercise – JUST DO IT!!!
Instant Motivation: Overcome any obstacle on your path to fitness
By The Editors of Prevention Health Books for Women Adapted from Fit Not Fat at 40-Plus,
© 2002 Rodale Inc.

Workout boredom, plateaus, and injuries can all sidetrack your fitness training. But with the right inspiration, you can work through those barriers. When obstacles threaten to keep you from working out, try some of these quick and easy motivational tips to stay on track. These instant motivators will rekindle your passion for working out–the greatest motivator of all.

Problem: You’re Too Tired to Exercise

Make a Date: Set up a standing date with a friend whose fitness level matches yours–your mutual motivation lulls will cancel each other out. Research shows that having a dedicated workout partner makes you more likely to stick with an exercise program.
 
Have a Snack: When you run low on fuel, the extra energy demands of exercise lead your body to decide, “She’s overdoing it–we need to conserve some fuel by slowing down her metabolism,” says Michele Olson, PhD, professor of health and human performance at Auburn University in Montgomery, AL. That’s the last thing you want, so have a protein-and-complex-carbohydrate snack, like a hard-boiled egg and a slice of whole wheat toast, 2 hours before you plan to work out.

Put on Your Shoes: Think baby steps–if you truly don’t feel like you can get out the door, just put on your workout clothes. If that feels good, throw on some sneakers. Even if you stay in the house, the clothes will give you an increased range of motion, so you’ll probably put more energy into your chores.
 
Pump More Iron: As a mineral that helps convert food to energy, iron is essential to keeping energy levels high. But dieting, avoiding meat, and having heavy menstrual periods can put you at risk for low iron. Iron supplements are sometimes risky, so make sure your diet includes 18 mg of iron every day–choose lean meats or legumes, leafy greens, and whole grains. Don’t forget citrus fruit and other juice with vitamin C, which improves iron absorption from plant foods.
 
Fuel up Early: Eating the bulk of your calories in the early part of the day will give you the energy you need to make it through daytime workouts. Many women on weight loss plans find it easier to eat less during the day and more at night–exactly the opposite plan for optimal energy and weight loss.
 
Wet Your Whistle: Dehydration can seriously drag your energy down. Research shows that even when you drink eight glasses of water a day, 45 minutes of exercise can put you into a dehydrated state. Don’t rely on thirst as a measure of need–to prevent exercise fatigue, take a sip of water every 15 to 20 minutes while you work out.
 
 Problem: Revive an Old Workout Routine

Make It Fun: “Try to link exercise with happiness, social activity, and escape,” suggests Peg Jordan, PhD, RN, author of The Fitness Instinct. “Free yourself up to think of movement as your birthright every hour on the hour.” Join an African dance class, or try inline skating. Instead of dreading sweat, think of it as calories pleasantly leaking from your body.
 
Pile on the Rewards: Women tend to save rewards for distant, huge goals, like a 20-pound weight loss or three lost dress sizes, says Howard Rankin, PhD, psychological advisor to the national Take Off Pounds Sensibly (TOPS) organization in Hilton Head, SC. Rather than make goals destination-oriented, make them behavior-oriented. Set a goal to work out three times this week, and when you achieve it, give yourself a nonfood reward, like a glossy magazine or new nail polish–little indulgences you wouldn’t ordinarily give yourself.
 
Borrow a Dog or a Toddler: “There’s nothing like chasing after a 3-year-old to keep you running without even realizing it,” says Susan Bartlett, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore.
 
Try Intervals: Interval-style exercise–Spinning classes, for example–raises your metabolism both during and after the exercise. Steady activity–say, 30 minutes on a treadmill–burns about 6 to 8 calories per minute. A brief, 30- to 60-second burst of intense interval activity burns about 10 calories per minute and stimulates your muscles to burn 20 to 30% more calories within the same workout.

Make a Mix Tape: Listening to music eases exercise in three ways: It distracts you from fatigue, it encourages coordination, and it relaxes your muscles to encourage blood flow. If music doesn’t work, try a book on tape. “Anything pleasurable you can link to exercise will help motivate you,” says Rankin.
 
Cover All Your Bases: Do you include each of the triumvirate–cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility–in your workouts each week? A combination of all three keeps your metabolism burning high, your energy level up, and your body injury-free. “It’s best to have a variety of plans so you can do something 5 out of 7 days a week,” says Olson.
 
Create an Exercise Menu: Get to know your rhythms, and have an exercise plan for each mood. Feeling low? Go for a walk in the park. Keyed up from work? Take a high-energy class. Missing your kids? Bundle them into the car and head for the local soccer field.
 
Check out a New Video: The library’s lending period is a great built-in change period. Use one video for 2 weeks, return it, and try a new one. Your muscles will benefit from the variety.

Problem: Your Workout Isn’t Working

Change Anything: Change the intensity, frequency, or duration of your exercise at least once a month–try a harder step class, add one more walk a week, or pause your video and do 5 extra minutes of lunges and jumping jacks. This level of variety challenges your muscles to keep “learning” and meeting new challenges so they can burn more calories and fat, Olson says.
 
Up Frequency First: By increasing frequency, you’ll automatically spend more time burning calories and add another workout time to your schedule. Start with one extra 10-minute walk or weight session per week, and after it becomes a habit, increase the time or the intensity.
 
Check Your Expectations: “Within three workouts, the heart already becomes more efficient,” says Olson. Congratulate yourself for running upstairs without losing your breath; celebrate when your thighs no longer rub together. Changes in weight, fat percentage, and muscle development may take a little bit longer, sometimes up to 2 months.
 
Return to the 1950s: Open the garage door manually, switch the channels on the TV without the remote, and wash your car (and dishes) by hand. Hang your wash outside instead of throwing it into the dryer. It’s estimated that in the past 25 years, laborsaving devices have decreased the number of calories we burn by 800 per day–that’s 1.5 pounds per week.
 
Invest in a Trainer: A certified personal trainer can fine-tune your workout for extra results without wasted time and effort. Find a trainer you like, and then schedule follow-up visits four times a year–those dates will give you built-in goals to strive for. One hour of training costs $50 to $70–buddy up with a friend to share the cost.

Hit the Weights–Right Now: Now that she’s nearing 40, Olson dedicates 70% of her efforts to resistance training. She says many women over 40 could benefit from starting with weight training even before they start cardio–a stronger woman is less likely to be injured in a step class or while walking. Weight training develops the strength of the all-important core muscles in the trunk, lower back, and hip area, making your body better equipped for cardiovascular challenges. To start, substitute strength training for at least one of your regular workouts.
 
Move at Every Chance: Women may unconsciously avoid extra lifestyle activity if they’ve already worked out, thinking, “I got my exercise for the day.” Forget that type of reasoning. Instead, take all opportunities to challenge your muscles. At the grocery store, grab a basket instead of a cart. Move firewood by hand instead of using a wheelbarrow. Help your college-age nephew move into his dorm.

Problem: Bounce Back from Injury

See a Doctor: Sometimes injuries like broken toes or shin splints tempt us to avoid the doctor out of the mistaken belief that “nothing can be done.” This isn’t the time for self-healing–get to the doctor.
 
Request a Scorecard: While you’re at the doctor’s office anyway, have her do some blood work–your earlier weight loss efforts may have resulted in a drop in your cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood-sugar levels, says Jenna Anding, PhD, RD, assistant professor of nutrition at the Texas Cooperative Extension in College Station. Even if your injury tempers your weight loss rate, you can draw motivation from this hard evidence of how your health has already improved. If your doctor can’t squeeze in a quick blood check during your visit, schedule an annual physical exam before you leave the office and you can look forward to having these measurements taken.
 
Get a Referral: Your primary physician may tell you just to rest and “stay off it” for a while; in that case, ask your doctor if a physical therapist can help. She can give you appropriate stretches, show you alternative weight exercises, or introduce you to a new activity, like yoga, that could help your injury heal sooner and may even help prevent a recurrence.
 
Learn from Mistakes: Injuries are our body’s way of telling us we’re doing something wrong–and better to learn your mistakes sooner rather than later. Trying other activities will challenge and shock your body, and you’ll get faster results. After you’ve healed, you’ll jump ahead even faster.

Reclaim Control: Instead of getting stuck in the “poor me” mind-set, focus on something you still have total control over: your eating. Now is an excellent time to evaluate your eating habits and look at ways you can minimize this minor roadblock, says Anding.

Problem: When Nothing Works

Few things are more frustrating than doing all the right things and getting none of the expected results. If you feel like you’re not getting anywhere, ask yourself these questions.
 
Are You Weight Training? Many women hold off on weight training until they lose some weight because they think cardiovascular workouts are faster at burning calories. But depending on how intensely you work out with weights, your metabolism can stay elevated for as long as 48 hours afterward.
 
Are You on Medication? Some prescription drugs, such as antidepressants, hormone replacements, and steroids, list weight gain as a possible side effect. Check with your doctor to see if your medications may be to blame.
 
Are You Getting Enough Sleep? Sleep not only gives you energy, but it also protects your body’s muscle-building and fat-burning efficiency. Trade Leno in for an extra hour of sleep and help your body adjust to an earlier bedtime with a soothing shower, a cup of warm milk, and low lights.
 
Are You Eating Breakfast? Your hectic morning schedule could be robbing you of your easiest metabolic rewards. When you skip breakfast, your metabolism slows by 5%–definitely enough to keep the last 10 pounds clinging on.

Are You Already at a Good Weight? Excited by the initial results of your weight loss plan, you may have readjusted your goal downward to a more ambitious weight, a goal that may now be frustrating you. Ask yourself if you really need to keep losing or if you’re just fixated on a number. Sometimes a plateau is actually a good, comfortable weight.

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THE RIGHT STUFF (to eat)
Grill, Baby, Grill

Note from Sandra: As I mentioned last month I am discontinuing the Frightening Food Facts column in favor of telling you what food is actually good for you (and tastes good!) I would love to hear your comments – whether or not you like it or miss the old column.

KFC has gotten grilligion. Its Kentucky Grilled Chicken has some 24 to 50 percent fewer calories than its fried chicken. A Grilled Breast, for example, has 180 calories, a fraction of the Original Recipe’s 370 and the Extra Crispy’s 490. The Grilled Breast’s saturated fat is just 1 gram, a shadow of the 5 or 7 grams in a fried breast. And sodium – though still too high – is 440 mg, far less than a fried breast’s 1000+ mg.

KFC’s grilled chicken isn’t just better than fried chicken. It’s better than some other chains’ un-fried chicken. Ounce for ounce, Boston Market’s one-quarter White Rotisserie Chicken (a breast and a wing), for example, has 25% more sodium than KFC’s Grilled Breast and Wing. And Boston Market’s pieces are larger, so its breast and wing end up with 900 mg of sodium, versus KFC’s 600 mg.

Of course, 600 mg of sodium isn’t low. And KFC’s sides add more. Our advice: stick with corn on the cob (0 mg), not biscuits, rice, mashed potatoes & gravy, potato wedges, or baked beans (530 to 880 mg). Or bring home a bucket of grilled chicken and add your own sides. Skipping the skin might also trim some salt.

“It’s marinated…then slow roasted to juicy perfection,” says the Web site. That may curb the harmful compounds that can form in grilled chicken.

Now, if KFC would just scale down the salt.

Nutrition Action Healthletter – July/August, 2009
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Recipe of the Month
Pear Bran Muffins

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Serves: 12
These wholesome, satisfying muffins are filled with tender pieces of pear and spiced with cinnamon.
Nutritional Info (per serving)*:

Calories: 130 Carbs: 20 g Sodium: 200 mg Fiber: 5 g
Fat: 4.5 g Sat Fat: .5 g Protein: 5 g Cholesterol: not provided

Ingredients:
One and one-half cups whole-grain pastry flour
One cup wheat bran
Two Tablespoons granular sugar substitute
One and one-quarter teaspoons baking soda
One and one-quarter teaspoons ground cinnamon
One-quarter teaspoon salt
One and One-quarter cups 1 percent or fat free buttermilk
Two large eggs, lightly beaten
Three Tablespoons canola oil
One Bosc pear, cored and cut into one-quarter inch diced pieces
One and one-half teaspoons vanilla extract
Directions:
Heat oven to 350° F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly coat with cooking spray
Combine flour, bran, sugar substitute, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, pear, and vanilla in another mixing bowl.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix just to combine; do not over-mix. Divide batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool and serve.
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Supplement of the Month
L-Theanine – A Unique Anxiety and Mood Enhancer
By Ronald Steriti, ND, PhD

Note from Sandra: We began carrying L-Theanine last year and many of our clients have already learned of the benefits. Dr. Cable recommends taking 1 capsule, 3 times a day for anxiety and/or stress.
What is L-Theanine? L-theanine is a free (non-protein) amino acid found almost exclusively in tea.  It is the predominant amino acid in green tea leaves, giving tea its characteristic umami or “5th taste”. The calming effect of green tea may seem contradictory to the stimulatory property of tea’s caffeine content but it can be explained by the action of L-theanine.
 
L-Theanine and Relaxation: Research on human volunteers has demonstrated that L-theanine creates a sense of relaxation approximately 30-40 minutes after ingestion by at least two different mechanisms. First, L-theanine directly stimulates the production of alpha brain waves, creating a state of deep relaxation and mental alertness similar to what is achieved through meditation. Second, L-theanine is involved in the formation of the inhibitory neurotransmitter, gamma amino butyric acid (GABA). GABA influences the levels of two other neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin, producing a relaxation effect.
 
L-Theanine and Depression: L-theanine has a significant effect on the release or reduction of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, resulting in improved memory and learning ability. L-theanine may also influence emotions due to its effects on the increased release of dopamine. L-theanine reduces brain serotonin concentration by either curtailing serotonin synthesis or increasing degradation in the brain.
 
L-Theanine and Stress and Anxiety: Stress and anxiety are debilitating conditions that upset the balance of our hormones leading to a loss of our well-being, performance, and even lifespan. Stress impairs the immune system, leaving us vulnerable to opportunistic infections, and can cause depression. People under stress can mitigate many of the harmful effects of stress with L-theanine.
 
L-Theanine Does Not Cause Drowsiness: One of the greatest benefits of L-theanine is that you can use it without becoming sedated in the process. L-theanine doesn’t make one drowsy, nor does it promote sleep because this amino acid does not produce theta waves in the brain.
 
L-Theanine approved for use by Japan in 1964:  L-theanine is extremely safe. There are no dietary limits on L-theanine intake by the Japan Food Additive Association. In 1964, the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare approved L-theanine for unlimited use in all foods, with the exception of infant foods.
 
L-Theanine Dosage: L-theanine is most effective in the range of 50-200 mg, with the effect being felt within 30 minutes and lasting for 8-10 hours. Individuals with high stress levels may increase their dosage of L-theanine to at least 100 mg, with no more than 600 mg being taken in a six hour period. FDA recommends a maximum dose of 1200 mg daily, although the reason for this limit is not clear, due to its demonstrated safety.
 
Adverse Effects of L-Theanine: There are no known adverse reactions to L-theanine and no drug interactions have been reported. L-theanine is not affected by food and may be taken anytime, as needed. Because it has a mild taste, capsules may be opened and dissolved in water. Although it is probably safe for pregnant women and nursing mothers, we discourage its use by them pending conclusive research

For the month of January we are offering a 10% discount on L-Theanine. If you have any questions about L-Theanine, please call Sandra or Tom.

References
Juneja LR, Chu D-C, Okubo T, et al. L-theanine a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect in humans. Trends Food Sci Tech 1999; 10:199-204.
Kakuda T, Nozawa A, Unno T, et al. Inhibiting effects of theanine on caffeine stimulation evaluated by EEG in the rat. Biosci Biotechno Biochem 2000; 64:287-293.
Mason R. 200 mg of Zen; L-theanine boosts alpha waves, promotes alert relaxation. Alternative & Complementary Therapies 2001,April; 7:91-95
Yokozawa T, Dong E. Influence of green tea and its three major components upon low-density lipoprotein oxidation. Exp Toxicol Pathol 1997; 49(5):329-335.

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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 January 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 Tuesday of the month (January 12th). 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 and a Happy and Healthy New Year!
Jeff Sandra Tom
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Forward to Monthly Features
 
7 Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips
Looking Younger Than Your Age May Mean Longer Life
A Perfect Smile
13 Simple Tips for Seriously Better Sex (Part II of III)
BPA Tied to Impotence in Men

7 Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips

 Note from Sandra: I received an abbreviated version of this article in a daily email from Dr. Mercola, but recalled that I had read the article in Prevention magazine, in the November 2009 issue. The author is Anne Underwood and the full article can be found at www.prevention.com.

 1. Canned Tomatoes: The expert: Fredrick vom Saal, PhD, an endocrinologist at the University of Missouri who studies bisphenol-A (BPA). The resin linings of tin cans contain bisphenol-A, a synthetic estrogen that has been linked to ailments ranging from reproductive problems to heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Acidity — a prominent characteristic of tomatoes — causes BPA to leach into your food.

2. Corn-Fed Beef: The expert: Joel Salatin, co-owner of Polyface Farms and author of books on sustainable farming. Cattle were designed to eat grass, not grains. But farmers today feed their animals corn and soybeans, which fatten up the animals faster for slaughter. A recent comprehensive study found that compared with corn-fed beef, grass-fed beef is higher in beta-carotene, vitamin E, omega-3s, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), calcium, magnesium, and potassium.

3. Microwave Popcorn: The expert: Olga Naidenko, PhD, a senior scientist for the Environmental Working Group. Chemicals, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), in the lining of the bag, are part of a class of compounds that may be linked to infertility in humans. In animal testing, the chemicals cause liver, testicular, and pancreatic cancer. Studies show that microwaving causes the chemicals to vaporize — and migrate into your popcorn.

4. Nonorganic Potatoes: The expert: Jeffrey Moyer, chair of the National Organic Standards Board. Root vegetables absorb herbicides, pesticides, and fungicides that wind up in soil. In the case of potatoes they’re treated with fungicides during the growing season, then sprayed with herbicides to kill off the fibrous vines before harvesting. After they’re dug up, the potatoes are treated yet again to prevent them from sprouting.

5. Farmed Salmon: The expert: David Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany. Nature didn’t intend for salmon to be crammed into pens and fed soy, poultry litter, and hydrolyzed chicken feathers. As a result, farmed salmon is lower in vitamin D and higher in contaminants, including carcinogens, PCBs, brominated flame retardants, and pesticides such as dioxin and DDT.

6. Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones: The expert: Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility. Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers.

7. Conventional Apples: The expert: Mark Kastel, codirector of the Cornucopia Institute. If fall fruits held a “most doused in pesticides contest,” apples would win. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides with Parkinson’s disease.

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Looking Younger Than Your Age May Mean Longer Life
Study links perceived age to physical and mental functioning

(Health Day News) — People who look younger than their age tend to live longer than those who look older than their years, a new study suggests.

The finding came from research that involved 1,826 Danish twins, aged 70 and older, who were given physical and cognitive tests and then had their faces photographed. Three groups of volunteers looked at the photos and indicated the age they perceived the participants to be. Twins were assessed individually, and on different days.

The researchers, from the University of Southern Denmark, then tracked the twins for seven years and found that perceived age was significantly associated with survival, even after adjustments were made for actual age, sex and the environment in which each pair of twins was raised. The bigger the difference in perceived age, the more likely it was that the older-looking twin died first, they noted.

The researchers also found an association between perceived age and physical and mental functioning. Common genetic factors that influence both survival and perceived age may help explain the findings, the study authors explained.

“Perceived age — which is widely used by clinicians as a general indication of a patient’s health — is a robust biomarker of aging that predicts survival among those aged 70 and older and correlates with important functional and molecular aging phenotypes,” Kaare Christensen and colleagues wrote in their report, which was published Dec. 13 in the online edition of the BMJ.

More information:
The U.S. National Health Information Center offers healthy aging tips.– Robert Preidt
SOURCE: BMJ, news release, Dec. 13, 2009
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A Perfect Smile

National Health & Wellness Newsletter

    
Your body isn’t (quite) Jennifer Aniston perfect. And your hair may not be ready for a shampoo commercial. But with one simple trick, you can knock your dentist’s socks off.

Can you spell xylitol? According to Dr. Ellie Phillips, DDS, author of Kiss Your Dentist Goodbye, this natural sugar substitute is the secret ingredient for perfect teeth and gums. Exposing your teeth to a dose of xylitol three or four times a day, preferably after meals and snacks, is all it takes to starve nasty plaque and cavity-forming bacteria.

The catch: Many sugar-free gums and mints contain xylitol, but most of them do not contain it in quantities big enough to do much good. So, to shorten the distance to perfection, we recommend ordering Phillips-formulated xylitol products directly from Zellies.

Your dentist may have to shave a few days off his Caribbean vacation this year. Don’t let that bust your smile!

To order xylitol products, go to Zellies.com. For a complete dental plan from Dr. Phillips, check out CleanWhiteTeeth.com.

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Sex: Question and Answer

Note from Sandra: We started the Sex Q&A as part of our focus on Healthy Relationships in 2009 – but whereas the questions were initially rolling in – I don’t have a single question for this month’s newsletter. So, if you want to see this column continued in 2010 – PLEASE SEND IN YOUR QUESTIONS!!!

Please remember all who submit questions will remain anonymous.

If I do not have any questions by next month (February – the “Love Month”), then I will discontinue the column – at least as a regular feature. So, now’s your chance – ask now or you may miss your chance!

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13 Simple Tips for Seriously Better Sex

(Part II of III)

Never in the mood? These surprising secrets will have you craving more by tonight.

By the editors of Prevention.com

Get Your Sex Drive Back

Can you remember the last time you couldn’t wait to get home and shimmy between the sheets?

Was it last week, last month? Last…year? We get it: Sometimes it’s easier to give into your excuses—I’m too tired, let’s just do it this weekend, it doesn’t even feel that great to begin with. But we don’t need to tell you that sex is essential for a healthy marriage—and also a healthy you. Research shows that a happy sex life can stamp out stress, reduce heart disease risk, and even improve immunity. But enough of the non-sexy talk. Try just one of these libido-lifting tricks today. You can thank us later.

5. Pop a Multi

Too tired to feel sexy? It may be a diet deficiency.

Two overlooked nutrients may be to blame for sex-derailing exhaustion. “Low folate levels can make you feel tired, with no energy for sex,” says Martha Morris, PhD, a Tufts University researcher; national surveys show that many women aren’t getting enough of this B vitamin. And low iron can deplete brain neurotransmitters, which can lead to lethargy, says Swiss researcher Bernard Favrat, MD. The fix for both problems: a daily multivitamin with 100% of the DV for iron (18 mg) and folate (400 mcg).

6. Break a Sweat Beforehand

Exercise primes your body to get in the mood. For some people, exercising too close to bedtime makes it hard for them to sleep. Take advantage of that found energy. “After 35 to 40 minutes of moderate exercise, everything in your body is going right,” says Janet Hyde, PhD, a professor of psychology and women’s studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Your blood is circulating, your nervous system is firing, so scheduling sex right after you exercise makes for good sex.”

7. Smell Your Way Sexy

These surprising scents will move you from the kitchen to the bedroom.

Cucumber, licorice, and baby powder have been shown to turn women on, increasing vaginal blood flow by 13%. Pumpkin pie and lavender increase blood flow by 11%. Try this: To cap a romantic dinner, serve pumpkin pie and keep a cucumber-scented sachet next to your pillow.

8. Ask About Those Little Blue Pills

The same meds that put your partner in the mood may also give your sex drive a lift.

Pills like Viagra increase blood flow to the genital area—something women need for arousal just as much as men do. Though the FDA hasn’t approved the pill for women, doctors can prescribe it off-label. Ask your healthcare provider if these meds might help you too.

So if your sex drive stinks because your whoopee lacks whoop or your hormones are running amok, a physical boost may reignite interest, says Laura Berman, PhD, founder of the Berman Center. However, if you’re slumped because you hate your thighs, resent your husband, or are simply more overworked than worked up, no pill will put you in the mood. It may just give you another headache—a common side effect. Your best bet is to work through those issues with a Clinical Psychologist.

9. Check Your Medicine Cabinet

Any antidepressants in there? They could be stealing your orgasm.

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of drugs that includes Prozac and Zoloft, “are probably the number one cause of anorgasmia [inability to have an orgasm],” says Andrew Goldstein, MD, of the Sexual Wellness Center in Annapolis, MD. They short-circuit your pleasure center by decreasing levels of the brain chemical dopamine (one of the sexual triumvirate, along with estrogen and testosterone). “People on SSRIs can lack that full range of emotion. They don’t get very depressed about anything, but they don’t get very excited about anything, either,” says Goldstein.

If that zombielike feeling is torpedoing your love life, ask your doctor whether you could switch to Wellbutrin, a drug that raises dopamine levels (preliminary studies show it may improve sexual desire in non-depressed women). One con: Wellbutrin can cause anxiety, which is common in depressed people. If you’re taking a shorter-acting SSRI, such as Zoloft or the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor Effexor, you may be able—with your doc’s okay—to take a short drug holiday. “If you don’t take it Friday morning, on Friday night and Saturday you can have intercourse and have an orgasm,” says Goldstein.

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BPA Tied to Impotence in Men
Chinese factory worker study suggests more potential hazards from the plastics chemical

By Jennifer Thomas
HealthDay Reporter

Exposure to high levels of the controversial plastics chemical bisphenol A (BPA) significantly raised the risk of sexual dysfunction, including impotence and low sex drive, among Chinese factory workers, a new study has found.
The researchers stressed that the workers were exposed to BPA levels about 50 times higher than what most Chinese or Americans would be exposed to in everyday life.
Even so, they said the study adds to a growing body of research that shows that the ubiquitous chemical may be harmful to humans. BPA, used to make polycarbonate plastic (hard, clear plastic) and epoxy resin, is found in electronic and medical equipment, cars, sports safety equipment, and food and drink containers, including plastic bottles and the lining of cans.

“We found that male workers who had high exposure to BPA in the workplace had a much higher risk of male sexual dysfunction compared to other workers in the same city who were matched for age and other factors,” said lead study author Dr. De-Kun Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research in Oakland, Calif. “A caveat here is those workers did have a much higher BPA exposure than most Americans or Chinese in the general population.”
The study is published in the Nov. 11 online edition of Human Reproduction.
In the study, Li and colleagues examined 230 workers in four Chinese factories near Shanghai that either manufactured BPA or used BPA to manufacture epoxy resin. The men worked as packagers, technical supervisors, laboratory technicians and maintenance workers.
The workers were compared to 404 workers in factories that made products ranging from textiles to machinery, in which there was no heightened BPA exposure. The workers from the two groups were matched by age, education, gender, and employment history.
Workers in the BPA factories were four times more likely to report erectile dysfunction, reduced sexual desire and overall dissatisfaction with their sex life. They were also seven times more likely to have ejaculation difficulties.
BPA workers were also more likely to report reduced sexual function within one year of beginning employment at the factory, the researchers found.
Researchers measured BPA exposure levels by taking air samples, reviewing factory records and interviewing workers about personal hygiene habits, use of protective equipment and exposure to other chemicals. Levels of BPA in the urine were also tested for a subset of workers.
Among BPA workers, the higher the exposure, the more likely they were to have sexual difficulties.
Most human exposure to BPA occurs when the chemical leaches into food and drink from packaging. Earlier this month, Consumer Reports announced that tests showed BPA in nearly all of 19 brand-name canned foods, including soups, juice, tuna and green beans.
In recent years, concern about the effects of BPA, particularly on fetuses and young children, have been growing. Animal studies have shown that BPA can cause reproductive abnormalities in both males and females by disrupting the endocrine system, according to background information in the study.
Other research has linked BPA to an increased risk of diabetes, cancer and heart arrhythmias. Male sexual dysfunction may be an early indicator of BPA-related problems that take longer to develop, Li said.
One chemicals industry representative took issue with the findings. Steven Hentges, executive director of the American Chemistry Council’s Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group, said the occupational exposure of these factory workers far exceeds what the average person would ingest. Furthermore, the study did not make clear if the factories or the workers were following adequate worker-protection measures, such as wearing gloves and face masks and having proper ventilation.
“It is important to note that the study has little relevance to average consumers who use products that contain trace levels of BPA,” said Hentges.
Dr. Hugh Taylor, director of the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at Yale University School of Medicine, said the findings are “very suggestive” but do not prove cause and effect.
“The results of the study are probably important for people who are working at BPA factories, but the results don’t support condemning BPA based on what people are exposed to at normal levels,” Taylor said.
Yet Taylor recommends that pregnant women and children in particular avoid BPA. Well-controlled animal studies have shown the chemical is linked to reproductive harm that may be irreversible during critical stages of development. In response to such concerns, some countries have banned the sale of baby bottles made with BPA.
“The totality of the literature suggests BPA has terrible consequences for human health,” Taylor said. “I tell my patients to stay away from hard plastics and canned goods while pregnant.”

More information:
There’s more on bisphenol A at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
SOURCES: De-Kun Li, M.D., Ph.D., reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist, division of research, Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, Calif.; Hugh Taylor, M.D., professor and director, division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.; Steven Hentges, Ph.D., executive director, Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group, American Chemistry Council, Arlington, Va.; Nov. 11, 2009, Human Reproduction

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Optimal Health Institute

January 2010 Newsletter

This month’s Lead article:

Happiness is a Matter of Choice

Pat Samples

Note from Sandra: I found this article in an old newsletter (in our early years) and as we have so many additions to our OHI family, I thought it was a perfect choice with which to start the New Year. Hope you agree!

Haven’t we all chanted the “if only” mantra time and again? We tell ourselves that when the current problem is handled or the next dream realized, we’ll finally feel great.

But our contentment is always short – lived. A new set of problems or a new ideal emerges in no time, and we’re off on another happiness safari. The yen for happiness can’t be satisfied externally, say Rick Foster and Greg Hicks, corporate consultants and authors of How We Choose to Be Happy (Perigree, 1999). It’s an inside job, a learned skill we can acquire with practice.

The choices we make day by day, not the new job, partner or home, are what make the difference. In fact, these authors have identified nine choices that they say underlie a consistently high level of happiness.

Neither a scholarly theory nor a Pollyanna promise, the “Nine Choices for Happiness” concept is the outcome of hundreds of interviews that Foster and Hicks conducted with extremely happy people. The two researchers were convinced that happiness was more than genetic predisposition, and they wanted to learn more about the subject from those with experience. They traveled throughout North America and Europe seeking out the happiest people they could find: people who identified themselves as consistently very happy and who were also viewed that way by others. They were out to discover how these ordinary people managed to stay so serene.

What they learned markedly changed their personal lives and also became a model they codified into the wheel of happiness, representing the nine choices of extremely happy people. They have since introduced this model, also called the Heart of Leadership, in public, corporate and medical training programs around the world. They use the model not only to show individuals how to be happier, but also to teach effective leadership and teamwork skills in organizations and to assist medical professionals in improving their effectiveness with patients.

 A happiness makeover

As one of those people with a half – empty genetic preset for happiness, I was intrigued by the idea of choosing my way to happiness rather than hoping to acquire it by luck, hard work, Prozac or additions to my life. When the editor of Today’s Health & Wellness suggested I go for a happiness makeover, I couldn’t resist the offer. Unfortunately, she was not sending me to a salon. This was to be, as Foster and Hicks indicate in their book, an inside job. All I had was the book as a guide, about a month to practice and the opportunity for a little coaching from the authors. What I learned may give you some clues about choices you could make to enlarge your happiness.

Foster and Hicks define happiness as “a profound, enduring feeling of contentment, capability and centeredness.” I have long aspired to this idyllic state and have lots of therapy bills, educational credentials and meditation experience to prove it. While my happiness level was higher than normal when I started the makeover, and far higher than in earlier years when my middle initial stood for determined but depressed, I knew that my mood could easily drop a few notches were I to face a fresh run of adversity. Even the pressure of this article’s deadline amid an already busy schedule was accelerating my stress build-up. So a happiness redo seemed a smart move, and I began to study the nine choices on the Wheel of Happiness.

 Intention

Extremely happy people intend to be happy. That’s what Foster and Hicks learned in their interviews. But doesn’t everybody?

No, said Rick Foster when I spoke with him. Many people are skeptical, even cynical, about the possibility of happiness. They think happy people are just clueless. In fact, says Foster, “We have a lot of encouragement to be unhappy embedded in our culture.” He points out that our whole economic system is based on repeatedly convincing us we are not happy and selling us solutions.

Therefore, to be happy, we have to make a conscious choice to do so, despite the cynics and advertisers. It’s a matter of intention, the choice positioned at the center of the Wheel of Happiness. This isn’t merely positive thinking. It’s a promise we make to ourselves to base our decisions all day long on what will make us happy.

I first opened How We Choose to Be Happy while I was sick with a high fever, fatigue and body aches –a virus, I thought then, that was later determined to be Lyme disease. To distract myself, I picked up the book and read the chapter on intention. The idea made sense, but my brain in its fevered state couldn’t hold the thought and I slipped off into a nap.

Still sick after four days, I woke up with a 103.7 temperature and new symptoms that alarmed me. I lay curled up in a fetal position, a pained expression on my face. I knew this was going to be a miserable day.

But a thought from the book flickered briefly through my mind: Could I somehow manage to be happy today despite my dismal condition?

Immediately I felt my face soften, my body relax a little and a small sense of optimism emerge. Surprised, I decided this intention-to-be-happy business might be worth a try. My happiness makeover had begun.

Shortly, however, I was in a state of panic. I had made an emergency appointment at my health clinic, but how would I get there? No close friends or family were available on a workday to take me. Within minutes, I was nearly swamped by fearful thoughts of never getting help, of being alone and miserable for days, of running out of food and (gulp) dying. But my happiness intention resurfaced, and since those thoughts weren’t making me happy, I turned my attention to figuring out who could help me and quickly made a list of candidates. Before long, a kindly neighbor was escorting me to my appointment.

The next day I set my intention again, this time while lying on a bed in a hospital emergency room. I remembered an exercise in How We Choose to Be Happy that suggests making a list of your intentions or plans for the day and then tagging onto each one, “and I intend to feel happy doing it.” I decided that this would be a good day to give that approach a robust workout.

 Accountability

Being accountable, according to Foster and Hicks, is a matter of taking responsibility for our lives. Happy people refuse to act like victims and don’t waste energy blaming.

“To happy people, blame serves no purpose,” say Foster and Hicks. “It doesn’t ever get us what we truly desire.” And being a victim puts us on the defensive, raising our stress level.

“Happy people gravitate toward openness rather than defensiveness,” they concluded from their interviews. People who intend to be happy look for ways they can improve the situation. They don’t wait for others to make them happy.

Foster points out that some people relish the power they wield by being a victim, exerting tremendous control as people rally around them. The workplace gripers and the sideline whiners about politics are classic examples. So are romantic or business partners who routinely assign fault to the other person.

However, Foster and Hicks don’t suggest being a doormat. Rather, our responsibility is to determine what will lead to our greatest happiness, especially in the long run, and go after it.

I had long ago climbed out of victimhood thanks to years of therapy and self-help measures. But illness tends to prompt its revival. Luckily, my happiness makeover kicked in, even in my hospital room, and prompted me to take charge of my stay there. I decided I would make sure I asked for what I wanted. At one point, when I was feeling better, I set aside my “Minnesota nice” inclination to not bother people and requested a notepad from the nurse. I took the Happy book out of my purse and began making the list suggested in the chapter on Identification.

 Identification

As suggested, I rapidly jotted down what would make me happy. More than 50 items appeared quickly, ranging from biking trips to finding a romantic partner, from intimate conversations with friends to teaching a favorite class.

Identifying what makes you happy is important, say Foster and Hicks. You should take into account the full range of your desires –material, intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual. This exercise offers a great avenue for self-discovery. Your priorities become clearer. You may find that, in the long run, the job promotion or fortune or adventure you’ve been pursuing so hard doesn’t match with your deepest longings.

Foster and Hicks suggest that you pay attention to which items are your genuine desires and which represent what others say you should want. Happiness is a matter of personal preference, Foster and Hicks point out. If you know what you really want, there’s a better chance you’ll devote yourself to getting it.

 Centrality

The most important thing is to keep the most important thing the most important thing. — Anonymous

Foster and Hicks recommend making your dream list the driving force in your life –that is, centralizing it. Become devoted to doing what makes you happy. That doesn’t mean bulldozing over others to get what you want. “It’s about following your heart,” they say.

I followed the book’s suggestion and checked off those items on my dream list that I now have, or do, regularly. To my surprise, only a few remained unchecked. I was a lot happier than I had realized!

This was a major moment of awakening for me, right there as I lay in my hospital bed, linked to oxygen and a heart monitor. I honestly didn’t know my life was as good as it was! I realized I tend to complain way too much about petty things (leaving me feeling unhappy), but that in reality I have most of the things I value: good health most of the time (and by then I had learned that my illness, because it was caught early, could be cured), good friends, work I enjoy and many other things that make my life pleasant. All I need to do is centralize those things I cherish and get busy appreciating and expanding them. I want to let go, at least temporarily, of items on my list that I don’t yet have, can’t take action on or acknowledge as unlikely to happen.

Maybe it was the oxygen, but I decided right then and there that if I was as happy as all that, I might as well enjoy it! I began calling my friends and sharing the good news. They were baffled and amused to find me spouting about how happy I was from a hospital bed, but before long I had lots of people visiting and offering to help. People like to be around happy people!

Of course, life doesn’t always give us what we want. But centralizing gives us a personalized map to our own happiness and reminds us which way to steer our day – to – day decisions.

 Recasting

What if life seems determined to puncture your tires? Everything from minor disappointments in our careers or relationships to catastrophic setbacks in fortune and health can leave us feeling flattened. However, extremely happy people react to painful circumstances by what Foster and Hicks refer to as “recasting.” They look for the lessons and the meaning in each challenging situation.

But first, the authors say, “happy people dive into negative feelings head on and experience them deeply.” They have “a rich emotional palate,” according to Foster, “and once they have felt these feelings deeply, they begin to look for meaning in those feelings. They ask: How will I, and how can I, change as the result of this experience? How will it affect my relationships? What kind of spiritual value does this trauma have for me?” At the same time, he says, they maintain an intention to return to happiness as quickly as possible.

During my illness, I was quite distressed not only by my physical condition, but also by my sense of aloneness in the world and by the loss of time to meet a looming work deadline.

With recasting in mind, I quickly shifted from a state of distress into remembering my intentions– in the latter case, to write a self-help book for caregivers, and “to feel happy about doing it.” Surrounded by caregivers, both professionals and loved ones, I realized I had been given the perfect opportunity to study them in action. Before long, with my hospital-provided notepad, I was scratching out content for the book, and enjoying it.

Another intention prior to my illness was to spend more time with good friends. With recasting, I became aware that I was doing just that during my hospital stay, and having some much-desired, warm-hearted conversations –all the result of my illness (and perhaps of my new, improved mood).

 Options

Many of us feel trapped by jobs, lifestyle, lack of money, age, lack of training and so on. Most of these limitations are in our heads. If we had to change, we would find a way. But we don’t have to wait for a push to see more options, say Foster and Hicks. Happy people make it a habit.

In the hospital, I felt constrained and restless, especially as my health improved. I couldn’t do my usual exercise routines, so I started considering options. One afternoon, I began singing quietly to myself (fortunately, I had no roommate at that point), which prompted me to want to dance. Why not, I thought. I got out of bed, closed the door, and moved to my own beat as much as my oxygen tubes would allow. I actually enjoyed the thought that I might be breaking the hospital rules. And if I got caught, so what? I was happy.

Later, while recovering from my illness, I asked Foster for advice about options for a problem I experience in my day-to-day life: frequent reluctance to make phone calls or go into meetings to market my services or ideas. I fear making a fool of myself, and I fear rejection.

Foster told me what he has learned to do, based on his interviews with happy people. His response turned out to be an applied tour through the Wheel of Happiness and made me realize that all nine choices on the Wheel expand my options.

“When I’m walking into a challenging situation,” says Foster, “I literally check my intention: Okay, Rick, how do you intend to present yourself? How do you intend to react, knowing you might be rebuffed? My intention is to do the best I can, because that will satisfy me.”

Next, he checks his accountability. “I’m primarily accountable to myself in this type of situation. I ask, what is the best thing I can do for myself? Well, I can go easy on myself. I’m also accountable for communicating as well as I can with the people in the room.

“Then I make sure I do it. That’s centrality.”

If the meeting goes poorly, Foster says he moves immediately to recasting, trying to learn from the situation. “I ask myself, how do I feel walking out of that meeting? Dejected, sad, incompetent? Then I go to meaning: What does it mean about my life? It means I could improve how I prepare myself or I could have dressed differently or this was the wrong group for my idea.” From there he considers options, looks for what he could appreciate about the situation, and continues on around the Wheel.

The next meeting I went to, I anticipated displeasure at being with some people who often ignore me. I followed Foster’s lead, decided to enjoy the other people at the meeting, and came away much happier than I would have otherwise.

 Appreciation

Appreciation is more than saying polite thanks. According to Foster and Hicks, “It’s the way we open our emotional floodgates and let our happiness flow into the world.” Even the darkest experiences in life include something worth appreciating. When I was sick, I was very appreciative of everyone from friends who came by to the hospital food service staff –and told them so. Even the illness itself gave me some gifts. For one thing, it increased my compassion for people who suffer.

In their book, Foster and Hicks suggest setting a timer for five minutes and making a list of everything you appreciate. I’ve started using this exercise whenever a bad mood makes an appearance. I feel better when I count my blessings. Foster and Hicks say that “lack of appreciation is one of the major reasons people choose to leave their jobs.” Expressing appreciation for the little things, such as a person’s creativity on a project or prompt response to a request, can be transformative in environments where criticism or even lack of attention is the norm. The giver and receiver both feel better.

 Giving

Happy people are givers, but not because it is expected nor because they expect something in return. They give at what Foster and Hicks call the highest level of giving: “so that others can live better, more independently and more effectively.”

Giving does not focus on obligation or guilt or sacrifice, they emphasize. It’s an expression of an inner fullness of spirit, a desire to share and contribute. They say that “giving in its purest form — as when a father shares something of himself with his son — is powerful in its directness and authenticity, and it has the potential of changing the entire course of a lifetime.”

Oddly enough, giving has been a sticky issue for me. I often hold back. But I wanted to get the full benefits of my happiness makeover, so I gently prodded myself to look for opportunities to give. Being ill, I didn’t think I had much to offer. But allowing others to give to me and genuinely expressing appreciation seemed to be a gift to them. And I noticed my bright spirit was contagious. Maybe this giving thing isn’t so hard after all, I thought.

But what about deliberately making an effort to give?

Early in my illness, I was invited to a healing service at a church. Still feverish and fatigued, I watched as a team of healers laid hands on others, then decided to step forward myself. After a kind person prayed for me, I returned to my seat, feeling loved and peaceful though still sick. The gentle leader of the service then invited audience members to come forward and take a turn offering unconditional love to others desiring healing. As usual, I hesitated at the idea of giving, this time using the excuse that I was ill. But my intention for happiness prompted me to step up and make the effort to offer my love. A sense of energy and aliveness surged through me that I hadn’t felt in days. In the giving, I was receiving, and I went home with a happier heart.

 Truthfulness

Most of us would probably say we’re honest people who don’t normally lie or cheat. But the truthfulness Foster and Hicks talk about is internal authenticity. It’s knowing our own truth –what we as individuals feel, think, observe and want — and then conveying that to others.

Think about it: How often do you disregard your own preferences for fear of what others might think? How often do you cover up for a mistake or exaggerate to win approval? How much do you trust, or even understand, your own instincts?

Happy people make a contract with themselves to always be authentic, say Foster and Hicks. They strive to understand and express their own “truths” in every situation.

After my illness began to ease up, I went to see my chiropractor, who is also a masterful acupuncturist and qi gong healer. He asked why I hadn’t come sooner, noting that his treatments might have minimized my need for medication. My inclination (Minnesota nice again) was to make up some excuse about being too ill to travel the long distance to his office. But my truth was that I had felt disconnected from him for some time because of certain things he had done, and not done, in providing my care in recent years. I couldn’t pretend this time, so I told him the real reason. We ended up having a long, cordial but frank talk. I learned a lot and he thanked me for telling him the truth. Now, I feel very comfortable going to see him again.

Did I get a happiness makeover? Definitely. But I’m also realistic enough to know that the benefits will fade if I don’t maintain my intention daily and attend to the other choices on the Wheel of Happiness. And while not everyone may have the commitment to pursue a full-blown makeover as I did, Foster points out that even making one or two changes in the Wheel choices can lead to a happier life. However, if you pursue them all diligently, you may end up becoming one of those extremely happy people that others seem to envy.

Pat Samples is a freelance speaker and writer on the subject of aging, health and personal development. She is the author of five books, including Daily Comforts for Caregivers and the recently published Self-Care for Caregivers.

 From the November-December, 2000, issue of Today’s Health & Wellness magazine.

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The topics for our regular features are:

Sex: Question and Answer : Pheromones: Fact or Fiction?

Just Do It! Feel Great Naked: Exercises to Feel Head to Toe Sexy

Just for Fun: Why Women Shouldn’t Take Men Christmas Shopping

Frightening Food Fact: Pain in the Angus

Recipe of the Month: Slow Cooker Turkey Chili 

 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. As I only had one question asked in last month that is all I have to answer in this newsletter. Please help me out and send in those questions!

Q:  I’ve been wondering if the hype on pheromones is valid and if so, if you know of a reputable supplier?

A: In answering this question, I had to do my homework. After much research, it appears that – at least in humans – pheromones probably do not work (sorry). I found the following article on LiveScience.com.

Sexual Pheromones: Myth or Reality?

By Jeanna Bryner, Senior Writer

“While many ads purport to have the perfect chemical cocktail to make you irresistible to a mate, scientists say they have yet to identify such chemical signals called pheromones in humans.”

Half a century after the discovery of pheromones in animals, scientists have yet to conclusively identify a single such chemical in humans. Yet the term is bandied about regularly in reference to people and the supposedly silent means by which they communicate.

“Pheromones will improve your sex life”, a common sales pitch goes.

For certain, animals use pheromones to communicate nonverbally, transmitting the chemical signals often through air. The purpose is often related to mating or defense of territory.

Peter Karlson and Martin Lüscher first proposed the word “pheromone” in 1959, referring to a chemical cocktail emitted by an animal and detected and responded to by other creatures of the same species. That same year, researchers reported the identification of the first pheromone (called bombykol) in silk moths.

Since then, such chemical equivalents of text messages have been reported in various animals, including some mammals, writes Tristram Wyatt of the University of Oxford in an essay published in the Jan. 15 issue of the journal Nature.

However, the hunt for a human pheromone has come up short.

“We can demonstrate the effects of what are putatively pheromones, but we haven’t been able to pin down the chemical identity and show this particular compound or small set of compounds are responsible for outcome A, B and C,” said Charles Wysocki, a behavioral neuroscientist at Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia who was not involved in Wyatt’s review essay.

That apparently hasn’t stopped the press and private entities from sounding the horn. 

“If you go onto the Web and put in ‘pheromone’ into Google, you’ll get something like half a million hits, most of them trying to sell you something that will make you irresistible,” Wyatt told LiveScience. “They’re basically trying to sell you a ‘releaser’ pheromone, but none has ever been identified.”

Releaser pheromones trigger a behavioral response (such as wooing a mate), while so-called primer pheromones cause physiological changes. Scientists have observed what they think are the effects of human primer pheromones, including studies showing that some compound in the extract from a woman’s armpit can cause menstrual cycles of nearby women to sync up. And a recent study found that women can smell a guy’s sexual intentions.

Nursing infants have been found to turn toward a lactating mother’s breast, suggesting some scent molecules drive the response.

But without any actual chemicals identified as pheromones, scientists can’t test effects on humans, so the jury is out as to whether we communicate via pheromones.

“As far as releasers, it may be that we simply don’t have them,” Wyatt said. “Certainly courtship and everything else is so complex in humans that it may be that the things that are really important are visual and social signals.”

Recent research showed that at about the same time our primate ancestors gained color vision, they also lost the genes for so-called vomeronasal organ (VNO) receptors, Wyatt said. Non-human animals use the organ to detect pheromones. (Turns out, mice use both their VNO and main smelling system to detect pheromones, so maybe humans don’t need that specialized organ.)

“It may be at that point that we moved from running things mostly by pheromones to doing things much more in the visual fashion,” Wyatt said.

So, the bottom line is that if you are adventurous (and willing to lose some money on a product that doesn’t work), you may want to check out online forums dedicated to pheromone products. Supposedly, these forums are dedicated to people who use and shop for human pheromones products on a regular basis (not so sure – see below). If you think something might be unquestionable or simply want to make sure about products you can try asking on a forum. Your chances of getting a response one way or the other are good (when I asked about reputable products I received about 10 different recommendations – all for different products – which again leads me to believe that the forums may be monitored by employees of the manufacturers). If something is known to be a pheromone scam you might be told. But PLEASE keep in mind that the “writers” may be someone working for a scam company. One site that I repeatedly came across in my research was:

http://www.pheromonetalk.com/

It is extremely hard to know if the supplier is “reputable” supplier until I have some valid reports of success! But, I would look for the following in trying to determine if they are at least trying to be a legitimate pheromone seller: (1) they should have an informative website for you to explore, (2) they should have more than two forms of contact (e.g., email and phone numbers are important), and ask if they offer a “money back guarantee” (although make sure you read any fine print as there may be so many limitations that you will have no chance of getting a refund – like not having used any of the product!).

Also keep in mind that those “customer ratings” you see on any website can be “fixed” so that the product appears to be better than it is (I’ve gotten pretty cynical about online products – websites know that people tend to believe just about anything they read on the Internet). So, if any of our OHI family decides to try any pheromone product, please let me know what product you tried and if it worked for you. If I get enough feedback, I will follow up with another report.

Good luck!

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Exercise – JUST DO IT!!!

Feel Great Naked!

Head to Toe Sexy

Your sexiest body is only 6 exercises away

By Denise Brodey

Prevention.com

Turn up your sex drive with these saucy moves

While other fitness buffs are thinking about toned legs and arms, women doing the following plan can revel in their own little secret: Not only will it give you a flat belly, but it’ll also boost your sex drive–in an hour. Studies show that women’s sexual satisfaction directly correlates to their exercise quotient.

“Working out boosts endorphins that get you in the mood,” says Laura Berman, PhD, founder of the Berman Center, a sexual health clinic in Chicago. She teamed up with Prevention to devise this exclusive libido-boosting routine, based on her book The Passion Prescription.

Her Rx: daily Kegels plus, on alternating days, five more sex-enhancing moves designed to target the pelvic floor and abs. “Increasing the circulation to the pelvic area is a key component of better sex,” she says. Just be forewarned: The aphrodisiac effect of this plan might kick in immediately.

The (Private) Move You Need Daily: Kegels

To locate your pelvic floor muscles, imagine trying to interrupt your urine stream. Slowly tighten and hold for 10 seconds; then relax for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.Next, try a quicker squeeze and release of the same muscles–a faster move that works different muscle fibers. Squeeze and release in rapid succession 10 times. Do one set of fast and one set of slow Kegels each day, working up to three sets of both daily.

Body Benefit: Improves blood circulation to the genitals, which makes you more aroused; increases vaginal response and bladder control.

Pelvic SqueezeThe WindmillThe Belly DancerCouples StraddleHip RelaxerGet Sweaty for Better Sex

“Combining abdominal and Kegel exercises allows you to squeeze your Kegel muscles in and up, in and back, and even side to side–moves that will ultimately help you and your partner experience a broader range of sensations,” explains Berman.

To begin, lie back with knees bent, feet flat on floor. Place a pillow between knees and let hands rest at sides, palms down. Engage Kegel muscles, focusing on squeezing them in, up, and back. Engage abs to lift head and shoulders several inches off floor. Hold for three deep breaths, expanding stomach as you breathe in, contracting as you breathe out. Do 10 reps.

Body Benefit: Works your Kegel muscles, transverse abdominals (deeper ab muscles), and thighs.

You’ll need a scarf or a band to assist with stretching. Lying on back, bring right knee to chest and place scarf in middle of foot. Holding the ends, extend right leg up toward ceiling. Squeeze pelvic floor muscles while lowering right leg out to side toward floor. Hold for 10 breaths, using inner and outer thighs and pelvic floor muscles to keep pelvis anchored on floor. Slowly return to start, then switch sides.

Body Benefit: Increases flexibility and works abs and thighs. (Skip this exercise if you have sensitive hips or knees.)

Kneel so torso and lower legs form a right angle. (Place pillow under knees, if more comfortable.) Place hands on hips and do one set of Kegels, keeping butt relaxed. Next, squeeze butt muscles, tuck tailbone in underneath hips, and do Kegels while tilting pelvis forward. Relax butt and allow pelvis to move backward, letting butt come slightly up toward ceiling. Next, move pelvis side to side, engaging Kegel muscles and lower abs. (To move to right, engage right-side glutes as you do Kegels.)

Body Benefit: This move starts with a set of Kegels to help you engage your pelvic floor, and then works your butt and abs, giving you full range of motion in your pelvis.

For this beginner partner move, sit on floor, facing each other, with legs open in straddle position and feet touching, knees and toes facing up. (If he’s much taller, press your feet against his legs.) Grasp each other’s forearms as you press backs of knees toward floor, lengthen spine, and breathe in and out while holding pose for 1 minute. (To further increase the stretch, scoot slowly toward your partner.)

Body Benefit: Increases flexibility.

Lie on back with knees bent, feet flat on floor, and arms overhead with elbows slightly bent and palms up. Open knees to sides and as they drift toward floor, bring soles of feet together. (If necessary, place a pillow beneath each knee for support. For a deeper stretch, bring feet in closer to groin.) Feel the release in chest, hips, thighs, and pelvis as you take three deep breaths.

Body Benefit: Teaches you to relax your pelvic floor, which helps with pain prevention and muscle control (you should be able to relax and tighten at will), and loosens your hips, which will give you more flexibility during sex.

Besides this libido-boosting workout, try cardio to kickstart your love life.

Forget dinner and a movie. Whether you bike, run, or play tennis, aerobic exercise is a great way for couples to connect, turn on–and get in shape. “Watching your partner get sweaty can ignite sparks,” says Becky Jeffers, fitness director at the Berman Center in Chicago. Choose a cardiovascular activity you can do for at least a half-hour 3 to 5 days a week.

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JUST FOR FUN

WHY WOMEN SHOULDN’T TAKE MEN CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to the Mall.  Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunately, my wife is like most women – she loves to browse.  Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local Mall.

Dear Mrs. Samuel,

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a commotion in
our mall.  We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban him from the store.  Our complaints against your husband, Mr. Samuel, are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras:

• October 22: Set all the alarm clocks in The Clock Shop to go off at 5-minute intervals.

• October 30: In the drugstore, he took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in other people’s carts when they weren’t looking.

• November 2: Walked up to an employee at Dillard’s and told her in an official voice, ‘Code 3 in House Wares.  Get on it right away’.  This caused the employee to leave her assigned station and receive a reprimand from her Supervisor that in turn resulted with a union grievance, causing management to lose time and costing the company money.

• November 4: Went to the Service Desk at Target and tried to put a bag of M&Ms on layaway.

• November 12: Moved a ‘CAUTION – WET FLOOR’ sign to a carpeted area.

• November 21: Set up a tent in the camping store and told the children shoppers he’d invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department at a nearby store.  About twenty children obliged. Naturally, their parents were quite concerned.

• November 27 (Note: this is the day after Thanksgiving and our busiest day of the year): Mr. Samuel darted around the mall suspiciously while loudly humming the theme from ‘Mission Impossible’. Understandably, many shoppers were alarmed and a few made calls to police. This led to the SWAT Team being called in as it was reported that an armed “crazy man was planning something”. This shut down the entire mall for nearly 3 hours while search teams attempted to locate the suspicious individual… your husband. This caused a huge financial loss to most of the stores.

• November 30: While handling guns in the hunting department of one of our stores, he asked the clerk where he could find the antidepressants.

• December 3: When a clerk asked if she could help him he began crying and screamed, ‘Why can’t you people just leave me alone?’  EMTs were called.

• December 6: In the Creative Cook Store, he practiced his ‘Madonna look’
  by using different sizes of funnels. Although several of the customers apparently found this quite entertaining (and some other husbands even joined in), the store owners were not amused.

• December 18: Hid in a clothing rack at Sears and when people browsed through
  whispered, “Pick me.  Pick me.”

• December 21: Throughout many stores in the mall (as well as the Food Court, Children’s Play Area and in ToysRUs, when an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed ‘OH NO! IT’S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!’

• And on Christmas Eve, YOUR HUSBAND went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, and then yelled very loudly, ‘Hey! There’s no toilet paper in here.’ One of the clerks passed out.

Unfortunately, the store cameras were not the only ones that watched your husband’s adolescent antics. Apparently, many other husbands also noticed and we now have an epidemic of this sort of behavior occurring several times a day. We are now offering special discounts to women who leave their husbands/boyfriends at home.

After reading this letter, I felt that I had accomplished not only my own goal of not accompanying my wife on her shopping trips but also feel that I have made a significant contribution to husbands everywhere.

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FRIGHTENING FOOD FACT:

Pain in the Angus

 Note from Sandra: This will be the last in the Frightening Food Fact Series (unless I hear complaints that I’m leaving it behind along with 2009). Beginning in January, we will replace it with the Right Stuff – recommendations from Nutrition Action Healthletter for Healthy, Tasty Eating!

 “The more the meatier.” “You can never have too much of a good thing.” “Have your bacon, eat it too.” Those are a few of the “Angus Axioms” in ads for McDonald’s new Angus Third Pounders.

 Two out of three Americans are overweight or obese. Obesity rates have doubled in children and teens. And McDonald’s wants us to shift from Quarter Pounders to Third Pounders. Why not Half Pounders? Or Full Pounders? After all, adding on pounds seems to be our national pastime.

 Angus Third Pounders come in three flavors: Deluxe, Mushroom & Swiss, and Bacon & Cheese. To your waistline, their 750 to 790 calories look like two Quarter Pounders (410 calories each). That’s because each Angus has more meat and always comes with cheese and it takes a bigger bun to hold it all.

 You shuffle out of the Golden Arches with at least three-quarters of a day’s saturated fat (16 or 17 grams) plus 2 grams of trans fat (it occurs naturally in the beef and cheese). With a boost from American cheese and pickles, the Deluxe tops a day’s sodium (1700 milligrams). The Bacon & Cheese hits 2070 mg or sodium and, if you get it as part of a Value Meal – with fries and a soda – 1380 calories. Yum.

 Over at Burger King, the Steakhouse XT Burger, made with a 7 oz. beef patty, packs 970 calories, 23 grams of sat fat, 1 gram of trans fat, and 1930 mg of sodium. Why not just call it a Steakhouse Fat-T Burger?

 Oh yeah. Want fries with that?

 Nutrition Action Healthletter – December, 2009

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Recipe of the Month

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

This chili will warm you up on a cold day. It’s so easy and good for you too!

Serves: 8 Prep: 15min Cook: 4hr 0min Total: 4hr 15min

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Calories: 286 Carbs: 34 g Sodium: 966 mg Fiber: 11 g

Fat: 5.9 g Sat Fat: 1.5 g Protein: 19 g Cholesterol: 44.8 mg

 Ingredients:

• 1 pound(s) ground turkey

• 1 envelope/packet(s) low sodium taco seasoning

• 1 tablespoon(s) chopped garlic

• 1 can/jar 10 oz organic kidney beans, drained

• 1 can/jar 10 oz organic chili beans

• 1 can/jar 10 oz organic black beans, drained

• 1 can/jar 10 oz pinto beans with jalapenos

• 1 can/jar 20 oz canned tomatoes, diced or chopped

• 1 can/jar 2.25 oz tomato sauce or tomato paste

• 1 onion chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 cup red wine (anything you would drink)

• Alternate: You could use ground beef or chicken instead of turkey.

Instructions:

1. Brown turkey meat, garlic, onion, and taco seasoning in a non-stick skillet.

2. Put beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, wine, salt and pepper into the slow cooker. You can eyeball it, if you want it thicker add tomato paste, for a thinner chilli add more tomato sauce. Aim for the consistency you like.

3. Add turkey mixture.

4. Stir and set to low if you want to cook it all day, 4 hours on high if you want it sooner. It’s already cooked so you are just heating it through and letting the flavors combine….

Recipe Tips: The thing about this recipe is that it is so versatile. You can add or omit anything that you like or don’t like. Don’t like a certain bean? Leave it out. I usually just go through my pantry and throw in whatever I have and it always comes out great!

 Serving Suggestions: Add a little low fat cheese, or sour cream on top with some chopped onion.

 Reviews:

I have used this recipe for several years now, really like how easy it is to ready before work, set to low and go. Great hearty chili to enjoy at the end of the day. I use a couple cans of Rotel hot in place of the 20 oz tomatoes and a can of beer rather than wine. Have used soy crumbs rather than turkey in the past (just as good) and any bean or pea you have sitting around (black-eyes are great) A great guy recipe! Post run meal or hot lunch on a ski day! Jeff B.

I have been searching for a really good turkey chili recipe. This is the best I have ever made. Used 99% lean ground turkey and only a 14.5 oz can of tomatoes and a small can of tomato sauce. Really thick & yummy.

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Supplement of the Month: 5-Loxin, Part II

Referral Incentive Program

Happenings

Supplement of the Month

5-LOXIN, Part II

Prostate Health

 Note from Sandra: We have recently started carrying 5-LOXIN, manufactured by Nutraceutical Sciences Institute (NSI). The recommended dose is 2 capsules a day (each bottle contains 120 capsules or a 60-day supply). Each capsule contains 150 mg of Boswella serrata Extract (standardized for acetyl-11-B-boswellic acid (AKBA), minimum 30% (45 mg).

What is 5-LOXIN? 5-LOXIN is a special extract of the boswellia serrata plant (the plant used to make frankincense).  The boswellia plant has been used for thousands of years in traditional Ayurvedic medicine in India, and recent studies have shown that it not only benefits joint comfort, knee mobility and walking distance – but also prostate health. The following article is rather complex – if you don’t care to wade through the entire article, skip to “Conclusion” to get the basics on how 5-LOXIN and dietary changes can prevent prostate cancer. Additionally, we highly recommend you read Life Extension Magazine – quite literally – in every issue – there is information that can save your life (or at least make you healthier!)

Eating Your Way to Prostate Cancer

Life Extension Magazine February 2007

By William Faloon
Reviewed and critiqued by Stephen B. Strum, MD, FACP (Life Extension Scientific Advisory Board Member)

Cancer cells lurk in the prostate glands of most aging men, yet only one in six men is ever diagnosed with prostate cancer. If one looks at what is required for a single cancer cell to develop into a detectable tumor, it becomes obvious that natural barriers exist to protect people against full-blown cancer.

Unfortunately, the dietary choices of most men living in the modern Western world circumvent the body’s natural protective barriers. The end result is that we unwittingly provide biological fuel for existing prostate cancer cells to grow and spread.

Good news: If you understand the biological roles of diet and specific nutrients, you’ll be able to achieve a considerable amount of control over whether isolated cancer cells in your prostate gland will ever show up as a clinically diagnosed disease.

So keep reading, because what you learn here can make a difference between bad news and good news in your future.

The impact of the food we ingest on cell growth and death is so pronounced that it can be identical to the effects displayed by anti-cancer drugs. Unlike synthetic drugs, however, the proper dietary components produce no side effects and add additional health benefits.

All cancers begin when genes that regulate cellular proliferation become so damaged that they can no longer control normal cell division. For example, scientists are actively engaged in clinical research using selenium because it helps protect specific genes that enable cells to divide normally. The limitation of a nutrient like selenium, however, is that it may not be able to reverse accumulated damage (mutations) to such cell-regulating genes.

Prostate cell genes are especially prone to mutations early in the course of human life. This has been demonstrated by autopsy findings of prostate cancer cells in younger men who never knew they had the disease.

Doctors continue to wonder why so many men with active cancer cells in their prostate glands do not progress to overt disease. One answer may relate to the discovery of a particular enzyme that prostate cancer cells use to create, infiltrate, and spread. A large volume of published research indicates that this enzyme functions via multiple pathological pathways to facilitate prostate cancer at various stages. The encouraging news is that this enzyme can be suppressed via dietary modification and the use of dietary supplements, many of which are already being utilized by health-conscious men today.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids: The First Line of Defense

Diets high in omega-6 fats and saturated fats are associated with greater prostate cancer risk, but increased intake of omega-3 fats from fish has been shown to reduce risk. Based on consistent epidemiological findings across a wide range of human populations, scientists have sought to understand why eating the wrong kinds of fat (saturated and omega-6 fats) provoke a stimulatory effect on prostate cancer.

To understand what happens after we eat bad fats, all one has to do is look at the metabolic breakdown pathways that these fats follow in the body, as shown in the chart below (Figure 1). For example, let us assume that for dinner, you eat a steak (a source of saturated fat) and a salad, along with a typical salad dressing of soybean and/or safflower oils (sources of omega-6 fats).

As can be seen in Figure 1, both saturated and omega-6 fats convert to arachidonic acid in the body, whereas the meat itself contains arachidonic acid. One way that the body rids itself of excess arachidonic acid is by producing a dangerous enzyme called 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX). New studies show conclusively that 5-LOX directly stimulates prostate cancer cell proliferation via several well-defined mechanisms. In addition, arachidonic acid is metabolized by 5-LOX and turned into 5-HETE, a potent survival factor that prostate cancers cells utilize to escape destruction – thereby helping the prostate cancer grow and spread.

Figure 1 clearly demonstrates how consuming a diet of foods rich in arachidonic acid directly provokes the production of the dangerous 5-LOX enzyme, which can promote the progression of prostate cancer. In addition to 5-HETE, 5-LOX also metabolizes arachidonic acid to leukotriene B4, a potent pro-inflammatory agent that causes destructive reactions throughout the body and inflicts severe damage to the arterial wall of the heart.

One reason that fish oil supplements have become so popular is that their beneficial EPA/DHA fatty acids can help reduce production of arachidonic acid in the body. As shown in Figure 1, if arachidonic acid levels are reduced, there would be a corresponding suppression of 5-LOX, 5-HETE, and leukotriene B4 – and subsequently a decreased chance that those few prostate cancer cells turn into a rampant, metastasizing disease.

Once one understands the lethal 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) cascades, it is easy to see why people who excessively consume foods rich in arachidonic acid, and those who do not reduce the production of excessive arachidonic acid metabolites, are setting themselves up for prostate cancer and a host of inflammatory diseases (including atherosclerosis).

Consumption of arachidonic acid-rich Consumption of arachidonic acid

Foods such as egg yolk, red meat precursors/stimulating foods such as poultry, dairy products and organ omega-6 fats and high-glycemic

meat carbohydrates

EXCESS ARACHIDONIC ACID IN THE BODY

 Increased production of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX)

(Facilitates the propagation, infiltration,

And metastasis of cancer cells)

 Increased production of Excess accumulation of

5-HETE (interferes with leukotriene B4

programmed cancer cell (proinflammatory compound

death [apoptosis]) that attacks the joints, arterial

wall, and other tissues

Figure 1. Flow chart showing how the body metabolizes common foods via the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) pathway.

(Note from Sandra – Click on above link for a much better depiction of Figure 1!)

5-LOX Is Over-expressed in Prostate Cancer

Based on studies showing that consumption of foods rich in arachidonic acid is greatest in regions with high incidences of prostate cancer, scientists sought to determine how much of the 5-LOX enzyme is present in malignant versus benign prostate tissues.

Using biopsy samples taken from living human patients, the researchers found that 5-LOX levels were an astounding six-fold greater in malignant prostate tissues compared to benign tissues. This study also found that levels of 5-HETE (a 5-LOX metabolite that prevents prostate cancer destruction) were 2.2-fold greater in malignant versus benign prostate tissues.

The scientists concluded this study by stating that selective inhibitors of 5-LOX may be useful in the prevention or treatment of patients with prostate cancer.

5-LOX Promotes Tumor Growth Factors

As the evidence mounts that ingesting “bad fats” increases prostate cancer risk, scientists are evaluating the effects of 5-LOX on various growth factors involved in the progression, angiogenesis, and metastasis of cancer cells.

One study found that 5-LOX activity is required to stimulate prostate cancer cell growth by epidermal growth factor (EGF) and other cancer cell proliferating factors produced in the body. When 5-LOX levels were reduced, the cancer cell stimulatory effect of EGF and other growth factors was diminished.

In a mouse study, an increase in 5-LOX resulted in a corresponding increase in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a key growth factor that tumor cells use to stimulate new blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) into the tumor. 5-LOX inhibitors were shown to reduce tumor angiogenesis along with a host of other growth factors. In both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent human prostate cancer cell lines, the inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) has consistently been shown to induce rapid and massive apoptosis (cancer cell destruction).

Nutrients that Suppress 5-LOX

Health-conscious people already take nutrients like fish oil that help to lower 5-LOX activity in the body. Studies show that lycopene and saw palmetto extract also help to suppress 5-LOX. The suppression of 5-LOX by these nutrients may partially account for their favorable effects on the prostate gland.

As humans age, however, chronic inflammatory processes can cause the over-expression of 5-LOX in the body. For maturing males, the result of excess 5-LOX may be the epidemic of prostate cancer observed after the age of 60.

Based on the cumulative knowledge that 5-LOX can promote the invasion and metastasis of prostate cancer cells, it would appear advantageous to take aggressive steps to suppress this lethal enzyme. The good news is that a natural 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibitor is now available and has been added to a popular formula used to maintain healthy prostate function.

In addition to potentially suppressing prostate cancer, the successful inhibition of 5-LOX should also slow the progression of atherosclerosis.

Conclusion

A plethora of research documents the role of chronic inflammatory mediators such as 5-lipooxygenase (5-LOX) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-?) in the manifestation and progression of prostate and other cancers.

The typical American diet is high in omega-6 fatty acids, saturated fats, and arachidonic acid. Over-consumption of these foods, and under-consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, contribute significantly to systemic chronic inflammatory states.

Boswellia extracts have been thoroughly studied as natural remedies for inflammatory disorders. A patented extract from boswellia called 5-LOXIN® has potent ability to inhibit the enzyme 5-LOX, preventing the formation of protein-degrading enzymes, and protecting against inflammation-induced events that can promote tumor angiogenesis.

For the month of December we are again offering a 10% discount on 5-Loxin – this is in addition to the 10% off ALL supplement purchases in December! If you have any questions about 5-Loxin, please call Sandra or Tom.

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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 3^rd Wednesday of the month at noon. The next one will be December 16^th 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 2^nd Tuesday of the month (December 8^th). 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, and a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 Jeff Sandra  Tom

 Lorri  Collin

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Optimal Health Institute

December 2009 Newsletter

 This month’s articles:

Coping with Holiday Stress

Grief and the Holidays

Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

10 Easy Ways to Boost Your Immunity

13 Simple Tips for Seriously Better Sex (Part I of III)

Coping with Holiday Stress

Note from Sandra: I recycled this from one of the first newsletters I wrote – back in 2005. But as many of our OHI family have joined us since then, I thought the article was worth including again – as it has excellent advice (especially in these economic times).

A time of festivity, parties, shopping, entertaining, religious observances, family gatherings and decorating, the holiday season can be full of excitement and promise. However, with this time of year inevitably comes stress. For many, the first signs of holiday stress begin around Halloween, when store shelves begin to be stocked with Christmas decorations and candies. People start to feel the clock is ticking and that there is not enough time to fit in everything. We often have higher expectations for this time of year than for any other, which places even more pressure on us and increases the likelihood we may end up disappointed.

Signs of stress may include feeling impatient, worried, and cranky and in some cases depressed. People might experience sleep or appetite disturbances, or other physical complaints such as muscle tension, headache, fatigue or stomachaches.

The following are some tips to help you minimize holiday stress. Major themes in these recommendations include:

• Simplify.

• Let go of unrealistic expectations, particularly the desire for perfection.

• Invest your energies wisely.

Start by thinking about what the holiday season means to you

• What are you celebrating?

• What values do you think of when you think of your holiday? Are you practicing them?

• Consider past holidays. Where did you invest your energy? Was it worth it?

• As a family, consider the traditions and rituals that you practice. Which ones do you and your family enjoy? Which ones bring your family closer together? Sometimes the simplest rituals are the most meaningful. It’s okay to re-evaluate past traditions and let go of some.

Gift giving

• Set a holiday budget.

• Do not equate love with cost and quantity of gifts.

• Consider giving the gift of your time and service – if you have the time to do so.

• Ask people what they want instead of searching for the perfect gift.

• Shop early so there is more of a selection and you have time to really choose.

• Don’t head toward the mall in 5 o’clock traffic or during peak times.

• Shop on the Internet.

Entertaining

• Who says the house has to be perfectly clean or elaborately decorated?

• Who says you need to serve a gourmet meal? Ask others to bring their favorite dish. Use paper plates. Buy prepared foods.

• Cook and freeze foods ahead of time.

• Think simple, and focus on the purpose of the get together!

Getting together with family

• Evaluate past holidays and traditions, and consider any changes in the family structure that may need to be considered (marriages, remarriages, divorces, deaths). Be flexible and willing to let go of ideas of the way things “should be.”

• Share responsibilities so the pressure does not fall on one person (e.g., rotate homes, potluck).

• Plan to visit some friends and family soon after the holidays. There is no need to squeeze everything in before the New Year.

• Don’t get hung up on celebrating on the actual holiday. Time together is what matters.

• Allow enough time to relax and recover after visiting with others. Children need this, too.

• Tell your family about your commitments so you are not struggling against their expectations.

• Travel after rush hour. When driving long distances, make time to stop and rest. Get out, walk around and do some stretching.

Managing your time

• Consider past holidays and where you invested your energy. Decide to rid yourself of the things you dislike about the holidays.

• Don’t spend the holidays just fulfilling obligations. Pick and chose what you want to do rather than what you think others expect you to do.

• Set priorities and let go of impossible goals. Don’t try to complete everything at once.

• Don’t over-schedule yourself and your family. Leave some time unplanned to relax and just be at home with each other.

• Don’t accept every invitation. Chose the events you want to attend.

• Ask others to help you complete chores. (Don’t wait until offered; you may be disappointed.)

• Take breaks.

• Learn to say no. People will understand if you can’t do it all. If you say yes only to the things you really want to do, you’ll avoid feeling overwhelmed and resentful.

Take care of yourself

• Don’t abandon your healthy habits. The holidays are not a dietary free-for-all (see tips for moderation below). Get adequate sleep. Eat regular meals. Don’t abandon your exercise routine.

• Plan pleasurable activities each day.

• Don’t let your “to-do” list control you. Set realistic goals for yourself.

• Spend time with supportive people.

• Take breaks. Rest when your body tells you to. Spending just a few minutes alone may refresh you enough to help you keep going. Take a walk alone; listen to soothing music – whatever helps you feel calm and in control.

• Practice relaxation exercises (i.e., stretching, deep breathing, yoga, meditation)

By far, one of the most important things you can do for yourself is give yourself the gift of reflection and of being in the moment.

One of the best ways to slow down the hectic pace of the holidays is to take advantage of “opportunities” to wait. We have to wait in line in traffic, at malls, in the grocery store, in doctor’s offices. Opportunities to wait are even greater during this time of year. Rather than spending that time feeling irritated and looking at your watch and to-do list, you might try the following:

• Embrace this time as a gift.

• Use this waiting time for reflection on the meaning of life and on the meaning of the holiday season.

• Observe how you are feeling emotionally (e.g., irritable, frantic, impatient) and physically (e.g., tense, hunched shoulders, clenched fists, tapping foot).

• Examine where your thoughts are.

• Challenge yourself to let go of your agenda and appreciate the moment.

• Observe those around you. Interact with someone.

• Practice slow, deep breathing. Focus on your breath and your belly as it rises and falls.

The holiday blues

For some, the holidays can be a depressing time. Feelings of sadness, loneliness, grief and anger can intensify when contrasted with the joy expected of the holidays. Factors that can contribute to holiday depression include:

• Associating the holidays with unresolved family issues or a painful childhood experience

• Having an expectation that you “should” feel happy

• Facing the loss of a loved one with whom you have shared the holidays

• Having unrealistic expectations of family and friends

• Being away from family and friends; feeling isolated from others

• Reflecting on losses or disappointments over the past year

• Coping with changes in family obligations or disruptions of traditions due to recent marriages, remarriages, divorce or death

Coping with holiday depression

• If there has been a recent loss, you may want to do something different like take a vacation with a family member or friend.

• Spend time with people who care about you. Do not isolate yourself. If you feel there is no one available, then reach out to others in need.

• Attend a religious service or community gathering (e.g., candle lighting ceremony, public concerts).

• Allow yourself some time to reflect on your losses, and feel the sadness and loneliness.

• Family and friends may be concerned; let them know what you need from them.

• Rethink resolutions – make sure they are realistic so you are not setting yourself up for failure. Set smaller, realistic goals with a reasonable time frame. Choose resolutions that help you feel valuable and improve your sense of self-esteem and self-efficacy.

• Make some plans for after the New Year to help avoid the post-holiday let down. 

• Forget about being perfect. Expect and accept imperfections – both in yourself and in others.

• If you are lonely, try volunteering some time to help others.

• Find holiday activities that are free, such as looking at holiday decorations; going window-shopping without buying and watching the winter weather whether it’s a snowflake, or a raindrop.

• Limit your drinking, since excessive drinking will only increase your feelings of depression.

• Get help if you need it. If you find that despite your best efforts at putting on a happy face you are feeling sad, anxious, having sleep or appetite problems, feeling irritable or hopeless, you may be clinically depressed. Talk to your doctor, a mental health professional, or minister or rabbi.

(Compiled from The Mayo Clinic and The Cleveland Clinic Foundation © 1995-2005)

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Grief and the Holidays

By Jane Galbraith

Note from Sandra: I promise I won’t continue articles on grief forever, but given the feedback I received last month on dealing with grief during Thanksgiving, and the requests I had for a similar article on how to get through Christmas with grief, I have included this article. If you have lost someone and are experiencing grief, please let me know if this is helpful and if there is anything else I can do to help.

The first Christmas without my mother was agony. Actually the month before was probably worse than the day itself. Because my mother had been sick between December 6 and January 11, I relived the whole month, which included Christmas and New Year’s Day. I tried to do things that I had done with my mother in hopes of making everything ”all right”. But of course, it would never be the same.

Grief causes physical and emotional pain. Baby Boomers have come to expect instant pain relief in this fast paced society. Unfortunately, Baby Boomers will be facing this chapter in their lives in a culture that does not give grief the respect or validation it deserves. Grief is an emotion that our society does not want to discuss.

We have been inundated with expressions such as “get on with life” and “closure” and “getting back to normal”. None of these expressions or attitudes helps the grief stricken.

The holidays create even more pain to those grieving. They are a painful reminder of those who are no longer in our lives on a daily basis. What should be a festive and happy time does not feel like it for the grief stricken.

There is an enormous amount of pressure to act “normal” during these holiday times. This seems like an insurmountable task at this time. It is exhausting.

Here are some things that may help you get through these difficult situations:

• Give yourself permission to feel whatever it is you feel. If journaling or using a support group or special person generally helps, then make sure you take advantage of them during holiday times.

• Keep up any traditions that the deceased person started and you can continue. It helps you feel you are honoring the deceased.

• Try to establish new traditions that make you and your family feel good about the holiday or include activities you enjoy.

• Talk about your loved one with friends and family and encourage them to share favorite stories with you.

• Take care of yourself during this stressful time. Anything that makes you feel better should be done. This could be a long walk, massage, listening to music and getting enough sleep.

• Holidays are a difficult time but there are ways to get through them without hiding from the pain. Even though the holidays may not be as celebratory as last year, the days pass and you do survive!!!

Jane Galbraith, BScN, R.N., is the author of “Baby Boomers Face Grief – Survival and Recovery”. Her work in the community health field included dealing with palliative clients and their bereaved families and has also assisted facilitating grief support groups. She speaks to many organizations about the subject. Her book is available through the author directly at jane.galbraith@sympatico.ca or www.amazon.ca . More information about the book can be found at www.trafford.com/05-2319. © 2008 Jane Galbraith

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Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

1. Stick closely to your exercise routine during the holiday season. A brisk walk, a visit to your gym, seasonal sports such as ice skating, skiing or swimming – depending on where you are – are all great choices for burning calories, reducing stress and boosting your metabolism.

2. Be careful before parties! Don’t let yourself get too hungry before you join the fun. If you get hungry in between meals during the day, eat a small snack every 2 -3 hours. Yogurts with active cultures, string cheese, a power bar (one lower in sugar, higher in fiber), a few slices of fresh sliced turkey, or a small handful of walnuts, are all good mid-meal snacks.

3. When eating out with the family, avoid the breadbasket. Have a proper appetizer, preferably a salad or a side of steamed vegetables, which is filled with fiber. Always pass on the butter and reach for healthy olive oil instead.

4. Don’t skip breakfast – always have a well-balanced breakfast packed with protein. Most people mistakenly want to save room for the best holiday meal – dinner – and think skipping breakfast will help them lose weight. However, having a good breakfast stabilizes blood sugar and appetite so you eat less and stay more balanced throughout the day. You won’t over stuff yourself.

5. In addition to drinking your eight daily 8 oz. glasses of water, when socializing, drink one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage consumed. Stick to red wine whenever possible for additional health benefits. Avoid alcoholic mixed drinks as often as you can, because they have high sugar content. Save them for a rare, special occasion.

6. Stay away from rich desserts. Opt instead for fruit or fruit-based desserts. Berries with a spot of cognac can hit the spot. Fruit sorbet or small amounts of semi-sweet dark chocolate are both delicious treats that can do the trick.

7. From holiday shopping, to party planning, to the kids’ evening play rehearsal, you can still find some time and place to fit in physical activity. Try to make it a habit, but be flexible. Instead of sitting while watching winter play practice, march in place – keep your knees high. Or try speed shopping. Lace up those sneakers and move! Before you know it your shopping will be done.

8. Be mindful of hidden sugars and fats and watch out for the extra calories in gravy, sauces, salad dressings and dessert toppings.

9. Weight control doesn’t mean you have to feel deprived. Did you know that the average meal is consumed in less than six minutes while it takes 15 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain it is full? Take the time to thoroughly enjoy your dinner by eating slowly and savoring each bite. Remove your plate or leave the table before you’re stuffed to avoid feeling bloated and tired later. And remember – use portion sense. Don’t heap on the double servings.

10. Remember: The point of holiday gatherings is to celebrate, not to eat. Mingle with friends and loved ones instead of hovering around the buffet table.

11. Be selective…don’t load up at the buffet table. Keep portion sizes small by putting your snacks on a small plate instead of a large one and limiting your trips to the buffet.

12. Scan the buffet for shrimp with cocktail sauce – virtually fat free and high in protein, iron, and the antioxidant lycopene.

13. Switch out of holiday mode as soon as the party’s over; don’t turn Thanksgiving through New Year’s into one long binge.

14. Save calories for only new, interesting foods; have one taste of each.

15. Indulge in a single serving of your favorite holiday treat at a restaurant with a friend, instead of testing your willpower by keeping it around the house.

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10 Easy Ways to Boost Your Immunity:

    
      From what you eat to where you sleep, simple lifestyle changes can help your body develop defenses that are not too weak, not too strong, but just right

Mary Ellen Strote

If someone asked you what kind of immune system you wanted, you’d probably say one that’s tough as nails, a real fighting machine. But be careful what you wish for. “You don’t want to strengthen your immunity as much as you want to optimize it,” says Lee Berk, Dr.P.H. M.P.H., an assistant professor of family medicine at the University of California, Irvine, College of Medicine.

In other words, your self-defense system needs to be strong enough to keep bacteria and viruses from entering your body and multiplying, and to reestablish health when disease does gain a foothold. But your immune response can be too powerful. When that happens, your immune system can mistake your own tissues for invaders, causing autoimmune illnesses like allergies or lupus. So rather than picturing your immune system as a mighty battalion of warriors fending off disease, picture it instead as a 911 dispatcher whose job is to communicate with your body’s other watchdog systems, especially the hormones from your endocrine system and the brain chemicals from your nervous system.

You probably know that avoiding stress can improve immunity, but there are also plenty of less obvious ways. “We’re still in the horse-and-buggy era of understanding how the immune system works,” Berk says, “but we do have a few pieces of the puzzle. Research shows that when you do simple, everyday activities that make you feel good, you also stay healthier. This is a case of science catching up with intuition.” Here are 10 of those ways:

1.  Go out and mingle: Your immune system likes it when you spend time with friends. “We have phenomenal data showing the value of nurturing, social support and camaraderie,” says neurologist Barry Bittman, M.D., CEO of the Mind-Body Wellness Center in Meadville, Pa. In one such study, researchers exposed people to a cold virus and then monitored how many contacts those people had with friends, family, co-workers and members of church and community groups. The more social contacts the people had – and the more diverse the contacts – the less likely they were to catch the cold. Touch is important too: Giving or getting hugs or other forms of touch can boost the activity of the natural killer cells that seek out and destroy cancer cells or cells that have been invaded by viruses. 
2. Listen to Beethoven (or Beatles): Listening to music can boost your immunity, but it has to be music you love. “Something that calms one person might rile another,” Berk says. “The trick is finding music that soothes your soul.” Scientists at McGill University in Montreal found that listening to music that sent “shivers down the spine” or that gave people chills stimulated the same “feel-good” parts of the brain that are activated by food and sex. “Even better than listening to music is making it,” says Bittman, who found that people who took part in an amateur group-drumming session had greatly enhanced natural killer-cell activity afterward.
3.  Turn down the volume: Noise hurts more than your ears. Any unwanted and intrusive sound can trigger muscle tension, speed heartbeat, constrict blood vessels and cause digestive upsets – the same response your body has to being startled or stressed. Chronic exposure to noise can lead to even longer-lasting changes in blood pressure, cholesterol levels and immune function. Cornell University research found that women who work in moderately noisy offices produce more of the stress hormone adrenaline and may be more vulnerable to heart disease than women who work in quiet offices. Even worse are unwelcome sounds you perceive as uncontrollable, such as car alarms, barking dogs and P.A. systems. Try to take control over the noise in your environment, even if it means wearing earplugs or asking the restaurant owner or gym manager to turn down the music.
4.  Look on the bright side: The immune system takes many of its cues from our thoughts and feelings, so try to keep your outlook upbeat. Years ago, Mayo Clinic researchers found that people who were optimists in their youth tended to live 12 years longer than pessimists. A recent study by Anna L. Marsland, Ph.D., R.N., a psychologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, found that people who were negative, moody, nervous and easily stressed had a weaker immune response to a hepatitis vaccination than their more positive peers. Negativity is a personality trait that’s difficult to change, but if wearing rose-colored glasses can improve your immunity, why not try on a pair?
5.  Eat right: Any kind of nutritional deficiency may lead to more frequent and prolonged illnesses. If you starve yourself, your body will think it’s under siege and pump out stress hormones. Also, dropping more than 2 pounds per week is hard on the T cells that detect diseased or foreign cells. Best advice: Choose fats carefully (omega-3s are great), get enough protein, eat your fruits and vegetables and drink plenty of fluids. “Dehydration lowers resistance,” Berk says.
6.  Laugh out loud: While painful emotions like anger and grief can impair health, laughter does the opposite. A real belly laugh increases infection-fighting antibodies and boosts natural killer-cell activity, says Berk, who has shown students funny videos and measured their immune systems’ response. “Even anticipating a humorous encounter can enhance immunity,” he says. “It happens at the molecular level.” Laughter also increases circulation, stimulates digestion, lowers blood pressure and reduces muscle tension.
7.  Use your brain: Certain kinds of thinking may boost immunity. University of California, Berkeley, neuroscientist Marian Diamond, Ph.D., found that playing bridge stimulated women’s immune systems. Her research is the first to show a connection between the immune system and the part of the brain that handles planning, memory, initiative, judgment and abstract thinking. Says Diamond: “Any mental activity that uses one or a combination of these intellectual functions might benefit immune activity.”
8. Move your body: Regular, moderate exercise can boost several aspects of your body’s self-defense system. “Physical activity not only strengthens your cardiovascular system,” Berk says, “It improves your mood and reduces stress as well.” Many studies show that long-term training also elevates natural killer-cell activity. But don’t push too hard: If you’re already under emotional stress, you might want to avoid exercising beyond your usual level. And if your training is unusually prolonged and intense, your risk for illness and infection goes up (see “How to Stay Healthy,” below, for suggestions).
9.  Learn how to relax: Stress jacks up your body’s production of cortisol and adrenaline, hormones that lower immune response. No wonder you’re more likely to come down with a cold or the flu when faced with stressful situations like final exams or relationship problems. Stress-induced anxiety also can inhibit natural killer-cell activity. If practiced regularly, any of the well-known relaxation techniques — from aerobic exercise and progressive muscle relaxation to meditation, prayer and chanting — help block release of stress hormones and increase immune function.
10. Douse the night light: Only when it’s really dark does your body produce melatonin, a hormone that helps prevent certain diseases. Not sleeping enough, or being exposed to light during the night, decreases melatonin production and boosts estrogen levels, increasing breast-cancer risk. In fact, recent studies have found a higher risk of breast cancer — up to 60 percent greater — among women who work the graveyard shift, and possibly an even greater increase among women with the brightest bedrooms. Not surprisingly, blind women have an approximate 20-50 percent reduction in breast-cancer risk. Even a dim source like a bedside clock or a night light may switch melatonin production off, so keep your bedroom as dark as possible.

Mary Ellen Strote is a Southern California free-lance writer.

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13 Simple Tips for Seriously Better Sex

(Part I of III)

Never in the mood? These surprising secrets will have you craving more by tonight.

By the editors of Prevention.com

Get Your Sex Drive Back

Can you remember the last time you couldn’t wait to get home and shimmy between the sheets?

Was it last week, last month? Last…year? We get it: Sometimes it’s easier to give into your excuses—I’m too tired, let’s just do it this weekend, it doesn’t even feel that great to begin with. But we don’t need to tell you that sex is essential for a healthy marriage—and also a healthy you. Research shows that a happy sex life can stamp out stress, reduce heart disease risk, and even improve immunity. But enough of the non-sexy talk. Try just one of these libido-lifting tricks today. You can thank us later.

1. Take a Lunchtime Stroll

Research shows that the more fit you are, the more sex you’ll crave.

In a study of women ages 45 to 55, sexual satisfaction correlated directly to fitness. “The less exercise they got, the lower their desire and sexual satisfaction,” says study author Judith R. Gerber, PhD, a psychologist at the University Of Vermont College Of Medicine.

2. Book a Rubdown

A pampering massage not only relieves stress …

…but “the skin-on-skin contact stimulates the sex hormone oxytocin,” says Ian Kerner, PhD, author of She Comes First. “The more oxytocin released, the more desire a woman will feel.” If you don’t want to spring for a full hour-plus session (which can cost $100 or more), tack on a 10-minute session at the nail salon after a manicure. Note from Sandra (an hour massage at OHI is NOT $100 or more!)

3. Read Something Hot

Skip the evening news and flip through a sexy novel instead.

Erotic literature “can quickly jump-start arousal,” says Carol Queen, PhD, a sexologist who works at Good Vibrations, a female-owned sex shop in San Francisco. She recommends the Herotica series, written by women, and The Diary of Anais Nin. “Perfect for anyone who’s not ready to get into bold four-letter words,” says Queen.

4. Get Really Relaxed

Just a few meditation sessions can jack up your sex drive and speed arousal.

Researchers at Canada’s University of British Columbia and Israel’s Hadassah University Hospital measured reactions among 24 women watching an erotic film, then again after the subjects had attended three mindfulness meditation courses. Watching the same movie, the women were markedly more turned on than during the first viewing. “Mindfulness can directly change brain processing and allow women to experience arousal more acutely,” says study coauthor Lori Brotto, PhD.

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Forward to Features!

This month’s articles:
Thanksgiving Blessings
The Empty Chair
Think Twice Before Getting the Swine Flu Vaccine:
Swine Flu Cases Overestimated? CBS News Exclusive
Dr. Russell Blaylock on Swine Flu
What to do to Avoid Complications from the Swine Flu Vaccine
Beware Taking Tylenol with the Flu Vaccine
14 Ways to Avoid Colds and Flu

The topics for our regular features are:
Sex: Question and Answer
Just Do It! Exercise and Cold Weather: Keeping it Fun and Safe
Just for Fun: The Irish Sex Fairy
Frightening Food Fact: Burial Grands
Recipe of the Month: Pumpkin Cheesecake
Supplement of the Month: 5-Loxin
Referral Incentive Program
Happenings

Note from Sandra: For the last few years, I have tried to have a focus on Gratitude in the November newsletter, in honor of Thanksgiving. This year, writing something on gratitude seemed like an insurmountable task. I have sat in front of my computer for hours, trying to come up with something – anything. But I have had difficulty feeling gratitude – especially with the Holidays approaching.
For those of you who don’t know, my father was diagnosed with end-stage small cell lung cancer on New Year’s Day. He died just five weeks later, on February 10. I was very much a “Daddy’s Girl” – even at 47. And although those five weeks were absolutely wonderful – and he had what was a “good death”, there still has not been a single day in 2009 where I have not cried, where I have not felt that deep ache that only grief can bring. Although through my faith I know I will be with my Dad again, that thought does not fill the deep hole that was once my special relationship with my father. I just miss him so very much.
I had decided to skip the whole “Gratitude” thing as I didn’t have it in me. Like many others who are grieving, I just wanted to skip the Holidays completely this year (something I know I cannot do because of my children). It then struck me that others in our OHI family are grieving losses themselves – and so I knew the direction that I needed to take this year. In my search to provide something of comfort to others who have lost a loved one, I came across the website “Thanksgiving Blessings” – which is devoted to those who have lost a loved one through suicide. I read their Intro (below) and then found a story that affected me profoundly, “The Empty Chair”. I am now looking forward to setting a place at the table for my father (in “his” chair, at the head of the table) and laying a red rose of remembrance on his plate…it will match the red sweater vest he always wore on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Welcome to Thanksgiving Blessings
Not all countries celebrate Thanksgiving. Everyone, the world over, has a reason to be thankful. Thanksgiving does not only have to be on the fourth Thursday in November. It can be any day; you feel the beauty of the good things in life. Whatever “higher power” you believe in, you may want to thank them for your blessings. Regardless of where we live or our religious beliefs, with these special pages, we will come together and share our blessings.
Thanksgiving is the first holiday of the season for many. It is a time for family and friends. Together, they give thanks for a bountiful year and all that they have.
For most, it is a joyous time of wonderful foods and sharing their joy with those they love.
Those of us who are remembering the loss of a loved one, Thanksgiving is the beginning of the most difficult time of the year. It is hard to think of blessings and happiness when there is a member of our family missing.
We must remember that our loved ones may be gone from our sight, but they are still with us. They live on in our hearts. They did not want us to live in such deep sadness. They would want us to go on living, loving, and even laughing. In their name, we can enjoy the season.
Thanksgiving Blessings was created as a way for us to share the blessings we have received throughout the year. It is a tool to help us keep things in perspective. Some blessings may be so routine or small, that we don’t always recognize them. With all the pain we endure, it is healing to see that there are good things in our lives, no matter how minuscule.
Thinking about what our blessings are seems like a futile task. After all, the worst has happened. What do we have to be thankful for? Someone dear to us is not here!
We can be thankful that we shared time with the one we are missing. Thankfulness is ours because we had the opportunity to know them. Some people will never know the beautiful person that we did. The happiness and laughter we shared with our loved one, is another reason to be thankful. We have our family and friends, another blessing to be thankful for.
We should be thankful for another day, for with each new day, there is hope of a brighter tomorrow.
We hope that this holiday season will hold many healing moments, new traditions, the love of family and friends, and many blessings.
Have a peaceful holiday season.
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The Empty Chair
There’s an empty chair in our house and I am not sure what to do with it. It’s been empty a long time, and though we’ve moved more than a few times since it became empty, we still haul it around with us.
It’s not a particularly classic chair or even a very pretty one, and it is empty all the time. Whenever we move, I never really know which room to put it in, but once it has found its place, I’ve noticed that it simply stays there. No one moves it; no one suggests putting it away. No one sits in it. It’s just an empty chair.
We have been a military family for many generations, and we are used to having members of the family off in faraway places for what often turns out to be long periods of time. My father would sometimes be gone for up to a year, or even two. His chair was often empty at the table. My husband’s military career took him away for many months at a time, and his chair was often empty. Then, when our daughter was commissioned in the military, we knew her chair would also be empty sometimes. So empty chairs at our house are not an uncommon thing, but this chair—this chair should never have been empty.
As the holidays approach, I am always faced with the task of deciding what to do with our empty chair. Should we put it away for the season? Should we decorate it or should we just ignore it? One year we did decide to put it away, but even though it was an empty chair, it left an even bigger empty space when we moved it to another, less occupied place. How can that be? How can something that is empty leave a bigger empty space when it’s gone?!
We’ve tried to ignore it, but its emptiness is very loud, and it is hard to miss an empty chair in a room filled with people sitting in all the other chairs. And even when we could manage to ignore it, others could not, and they always commented on it. An empty chair is not invisible.
Then, one year, we decided to simply include it in our holiday decorating scheme and that was the cause of some interesting discussions. Should we put a special holiday pillow in it? What about tossing a colorful quilt or afghan over the back? Should we put something in the chair so it wasn’t empty? Now that was a novel idea! But nothing we tried could fill the emptiness of that chair. It just sat silent like a sentinel, waiting for something . . . or someone.
It took us many years of living with that empty chair, day in and day out, to finally figure out what to do with it. When we serve our meals, those chairs that would have been occupied by the assigned person (yes, we do assigned seating at our house) can be filled by other family members or guests. You get to use the sterling silver napkin ring with that person’s name on it, and if you are lucky, that person has not lost a knife or fork or spoon over the years, so you will have a complete place setting of silverware. You must endure listening to tales about the person whose chair you are occupying.
It makes for some lively conversations and that way, even though you may not be with us for this occasion, your presence is still in our life. That works for our empty chair as well. It is a military custom to always set a place at the table for those who are not with us at this time, but whose lives are still within our hearts. So, we have a place setting, complete with silverware (all 6 pieces), dishes, crystal goblet, and napkin ring. Our empty chair is pulled up to the table and a single rose is placed on the plate, a symbol of everlasting love.
We join hands in thanksgiving, completing the circle with the empty chair within our family circle, for even though death may have come, love never goes away. That empty chair now represents all of us who ate not with us for this occasion but who live within our hearts forever. It is not a sad sight, because we know that empty chair represents a love we have known and shared, and with that gift, our family is forever blessed.
So, if your holiday table will have an empty chair this year, remember that it is not truly an empty space. That place is still occupied by the love and joy of the one who sat in it. Don’t hide that chair away. You may not wish to bring it to the table as we do, but take time this holiday season to remember the laughter, the joy, the love, the light of those who are no longer within hug’s reach, but whose love still fills us with gratitude. Join hands around your table, however small, and say a prayer of thanksgiving . . . for the love you have known and still hold deep within your heart. You are rich beyond measure for having had a chair fulfilled. Don’t let death rob you of the heart space that love keeps.
No one has sat in our little empty chair for twenty-five years . . . until this season. The table is still set with a place for all of those who are not with us on this occasion, but the empty chair at our house has been tilled with the tiny spirit of a new life as she found that chair to be, “just the right size, Grandma.”
We are a family circle, some chairs filled and others not, broken by death, but mended by love.
© Darcie Sims

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Think Twice Before Getting the Swine Flu Vaccine

Note from Tom and Sandra: We rarely comment on something that is considered so mainstream and “safe” as a flu vaccine. However, after reading dozens and dozens of articles by researchers, we want to caution you to carefully weigh the risks and benefits of getting the “Swine Flu” vaccine (more appropriately called the H1N1 flu virus). We are not suggesting that you not get the H1N1 vaccine, but we do feel an obligation to make you aware of the concerns that exist and to do your own research and make an informed decision. Although some may consider some of the sources as “extremists” or “alarmists” they include:
· Dr. Russell Blaylock (a board-certified neurologist who serves on the editorial staff of the Journal of the American Physicians and Surgeons and the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association); website: www.RussellBlaylockMD.com )
· Dr. Joseph Mercola, a licensed physician and surgeon in the state of Illinois, whose website, Mercola.com, is purportedly the #1 Natural Health site in the world.
· CBS New Investigative reports (see story below).
Again, please educate yourself so you can choose whether or not to be vaccinated.Return to Top

Swine Flu Cases Overestimated?
CBS News Exclusive: Study of State Results Finds H1N1 Not As Prevalent As Feared
CBS News, October 21, 2009, By Sharyl Attkisson

(CBS) If you’ve been diagnosed “probable” or “presumed” 2009 H1N1 or “swine flu” in recent months, you may be surprised to know this: odds are you didn’t have H1N1 flu.
In fact, you probably didn’t have flu at all. That’s according to state-by-state test results obtained in a three-month-long CBS News investigation.

The ramifications of this finding are important. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Britain’s National Health Service, once you have H1N1 flu, you’re immune from future outbreaks of the same virus. Those who think they’ve had H1N1 flu — but haven’t — may mistakenly presume they’re immune. As a result, they might skip taking a vaccine that could help them, and expose themselves to others with H1N1 flu under the mistaken belief they won’t catch it. Parents might not keep sick children home from school, mistakenly believing they’ve already had H1N1 flu.

Why the uncertainty about who has and who hasn’t had H1N1 flu?

In late July, the CDC abruptly advised states to stop testing for H1N1 flu, and stopped counting individual cases. The rationale given for the CDC guidance to forego testing and tracking individual cases was: why waste resources testing for H1N1 flu when the government has already confirmed there’s an epidemic?

Some public health officials privately disagreed with the decision to stop testing and counting, telling CBS News that continued tracking of this new and possibly changing virus was important because H1N1 has a different epidemiology, affects younger people more than seasonal flu and has been shown to have a higher case fatality rate than other flu virus strains.

CBS News learned that the decision to stop counting H1N1 flu cases was made so hastily that states weren’t given the opportunity to provide input. Instead, on July 24, the Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists, CSTE, issued the following notice to state public health officials on behalf of the CDC:

“Attached are the Q&As that will be posted on the CDC website tomorrow explaining why CDC is no longer reporting case counts for novel H1N1. CDC would have liked to have run these by you for input but unfortunately there was not enough time before these needed to be posted (emphasis added).”

When CDC did not provide us with the material, we filed a Freedom of Information request with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). More than two months later, the request has not been fulfilled.
(Note from Sandra: On October 27, this news story’s author reported that she had received a reply from the CDC: “Two months after my FOI request, the CDC has yet to produce any of these easily retrievable materials. Sadly, this is of little surprise. This has become standard operating procedure in Washington. Today, I received a letter from the CDC Freedom of Information office, which even by the normal baffling standards, borders on the absurd. The letter is to inform me that my request for “expedited” treatment of my FOI request has been denied because CDC has determined the request is “not a matter of widespread and exceptional media and public interest.” First, it seems ill advised to allow the responding agency (which often doesn’t want the info released) to determine whether an issue is of media and public interest and, therefore, subject to expedited treatment. Further, the CDC may be the only agency on the planet to argue that testing and counting of swine flu cases is “not of widespread and exceptional media and public interest.” As for the CDC’s response to my Freedom of Information request? Their letter denying expedited treatment assures me they are “continuing to process” my request on a non-expedited basis.
Tick, tick, tick…” Attkisson Blogs: Freedom of Information Stalled at CDC )
We also asked CDC for state-by-state test results prior to halting of testing and tracking, but CDC was again, initially, unresponsive. While we waited for CDC to provide the data, which it eventually did, we asked all 50 states for their statistics on state lab-confirmed H1N1 prior to the halt of individual testing and counting in July. The results reveal a pattern that surprised a number of health care professionals we consulted. The vast majority of cases were negative for H1N1 as well as seasonal flu, despite the fact that many states were specifically testing patients deemed to be most likely to have H1N1 flu, based on symptoms and risk factors, such as travel to Mexico.

(CBS)
It’s unknown what patients who tested negative for flu were actually afflicted with since the illness was not otherwise determined. Health experts say it’s assumed the patients had some sort of cold or upper respiratory infection that is just not influenza.

With most cases diagnosed solely on symptoms and risk factors, the H1N1 flu epidemic may seem worse than it is. For example, on Sept. 22, this alarming headline came from Georgetown University in Washington D.C.: “H1N1 Flu Infects over 250 Georgetown Students.” H1N1 flu can be deadly and an outbreak of 250 students would be an especially troubling cluster. However, the number of sick students came not from lab-confirmed tests but from “estimates” made by counting “students who went to the Student Health Center with flu symptoms, students who called the H1N1 hotline or the Health Center’s doctor-on-call, and students who went to the hospital’s emergency room.”

Without lab testing, it’s impossible to know how many of the students actually had H1N1 flu. But the statistical trend indicates it was likely much fewer than 250.

CDC continues to monitor flu in general and H1N1 through “sentinels,” which basically act as spot-checks to detect trends around the nation. But at least one state, California, has found value in tracking H1N1 flu in greater detail.

“What we are doing is much more detailed and expensive than what CDC wants,” said Dr. Bela Matyas, California’s Acting Chief of Emergency Preparedness and Response. “We’re gathering data better to answer how severe is the illness. With CDC’s fallback position, there are so many uncertainties with who’s being counted, it’s hard to know how much we’re seeing is due to H1N1 flu rather than a mix of influenza diseases generally. We can tell that apart but they can’t.”

After our conversation with Dr. Matyas, public affairs officials with the California Department of Public Health emphasized to CBS News that they support CDC policy to stop counting individual cases, maintaining that the state has the resources to gather more specific testing data than the CDC.

Because of the uncertainties, the CDC advises even those who were told they had H1N1 to get vaccinated unless they had lab confirmation. “Persons who are uncertain about how they were diagnosed should get the 2009 H1N1 vaccine.”

That’s unwelcome news for a Marietta, Georgia mom whose two children were diagnosed with “probable” H1N1 flu over the summer. She hoped that would mean they wouldn’t need the hastily developed H1N1 flu vaccine. However, since their cases were never confirmed with lab tests, the CDC advises they get the vaccine. “I wish they had tested and that I knew for sure whether they had it. I’m not anxious to give them an experimental vaccine if they don’t need it.”

The CDC recommendation for those who had “probable” or “presumed” H1N1 flu to go ahead and get vaccinated anyway means the relatively small proportion of those who actually did have H1N1 flu will be getting the vaccine unnecessarily. This exposes them to rare but significant side effects, such as paralysis from Guillain-Barre syndrome.

It also uses up vaccine, which is said to be in short supply. The CDC was hoping to have shipped 40 million doses by the end of October, but only about 30 million doses will be available this month.

The CDC did not response to questions from CBS News for this report.

H1N1 Misdiagnoses Could Have Consequences

CBSNews.com report on H1N1
Weighing Possible H1N1 Vaccine Risks

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1206807/Swine-flu-jab-link-killer-nerve-disease-Leaked-letter-reveals-concern-neurologists-25-deaths-America.html

©MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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DR. RUSSELL BLAYLOCK ON SWINE FLU

Dr. Blaylock has stated that there are two opposing forces feeding us information about the Swine Flu. On the one side are FEMA, Homeland Security, and the Government working in conjunction with the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture the vaccines and on the other side are the virologists, epidemiologists, and the CDC.
Dr. Blaylock said: “We are getting two different stories. On one side we are getting a lot of panic talk using statistics like 50% of the American population or 150 million people will become infected. That 1.8 million people will end up in the hospital. … But when we talk to medical experts like virologists and epidemiologists we get a completely different story.” What the Center for Disease Control is saying is that swine flu is a rather mild seasonal flu. It is not as damaging as the previous seasonal flus and has a lower death rate and communicability (spreading through the community). Yet, the U.S. Government is reporting that 50% of the population may get infected-more than twice the number of the 1918 flu. Dr. Blaylock stated that the hospitalizations and deaths from swine flu are less than previous flu seasons.
The 1918 flu took place at the very end of WWI. These troops were concentrated, had poor nutrition, stressed from battle, had a high susceptibility, and many died from pneumonia. There were few antibiotics available then and virology did not exist in 1918 and no way to identify viruses. The big question now is whether mandatory vaccinations will be instated and whether Americans are becoming overly concerned.

Dr. Blaylock said that there is strong evidence that vaccinations offer no better protection than not having one. In a review of more than 51 studies involving more than 294,000 children it was found there was “no evidence that injecting children 6-24 months of age with a flu shot was any more effective than placebo. In children over 2 yrs, it was only effective 33% of the time in preventing the flu. Reference: Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy children.” The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2 (2008). Another 30-year study reported that vaccines do not reduce hospitalization or death rates in adults. “We are finding in the neurological community an explosion of neurological brain diseases and the doctors not know why they are occurring,” said Blaylock. “Asthma and Type-1 Diabetes are increasing dramatically. We believe that powerful vaccine adjuvants–substances added to a vaccine to improve the immune response so that less vaccine is needed, like the oil-based squalene, may be the cause of the rise in asthma, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases.
According to Meryl Nass, M.D., an authority on the anthrax vaccine, “A novel feature of the two H1N1 vaccines being developed by companies Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline is the addition of squalene-containing adjuvants to boost immunogenicity and dramatically reduce the amount of viral antigen needed. This translates into much faster production of desired vaccine quantities.” Novartis’s proprietary squalene adjuvant for their H1N1 vaccine is MF59. Glaxo’s is ASO3. MF59 has yet to be approved by the FDA for use in any U.S. vaccine. Less actual swine flu virus is needed when you add adjuvants. Squalene is safe based on topical and oral tests, but Blaylock said it is dangerous when you inject it in muscle and vaccination is the most abnormal way to replicate natural infection. When the vaccine is injected it can cause brain inflammation, and loss of memory and coordination.
Another adjuvant is mercury, used as a preservative in vaccines that causes slow degeneration in the brain. Aluminum, the only approved adjuvant in the U.S. accumulates in the brain for a lifetime and can cause not only inflammation in the brain, but is thought to play a role in Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS)-a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. ALS increased dramatically in soldiers forced to take the anthrax vaccine. Another concern is developing Guillain-Barre syndrome. GBS is an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves. The peripheral nerves convey sensory information like pain and temperature from the body to the brain and motor (i.e., movement) signals from the brain to the body. GBS is characterized by weakness and numbness or tingling in the legs and arms, and possible loss of movement and feeling in the legs, arms, upper body, and face. Vaccines containing mercury and those containing aluminum can interact and worsen toxicity. Dr. Blaylock asks, “Can you imagine infants taking the MMR vaccine, which causes immune-suppression for weeks, and then the swine flu vaccine? This can increase the risk of dying from vaccine toxicity”.
The death rate from H1N1 has been less that 1%, but the Government says 10 to 20% will die or be hospitalized as Novartis continues to produce millions of doses of swine flu vaccine. “Millions of children will be guinea pigs,” said Dr. Blaylock, “They have no idea what will happen when they mix adjuvants. The worst case scenario is if they force vaccines.”

Note from Sandra: In my research of these issues, I found the following information:

· A study published in the October 2008 issue of the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine found that vaccinating young children against the flu had no impact on flu-related hospitalizations or doctor visits during two recent flu seasons. The researchers concluded that “significant influenza vaccine effectiveness could not be demonstrated for any season, age, or setting” examined.
· A study published in the Lancet several few months ago found that influenza vaccination was NOT associated with a reduced risk of pneumonia in older people. Vaccination coverage among the elderly increased from 15 percent in 1980 to 65 percent now, yet there has been no decrease in deaths from influenza or pneumonia.
· That Lancet study supports a similar study done five years ago, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, which concluded that vaccination against pneumonia does not reduce your risk of contracting the disease.
· Research published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine last month also confirms that there has been no decrease in deaths from influenza and pneumonia, despite the fact that vaccination coverage among the elderly has increased from 15 percent in 1980 to 65 percent now.
· Last year, researchers with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the National Institutes of Health published this conclusion in the Lancet Infectious Diseases: “We conclude that frailty selection bias and use of non-specific endpoints such as all-cause mortality have led cohort studies to greatly exaggerate vaccine benefits.”
· A large-scale, systematic review of 51 studies, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in 2006, found no evidence that the flu vaccine is any more effective than a placebo in children. The studies involved 260,000 children, age 6 to 23 months.
If you decide you would like additional information I have provided some links below. Please be aware that OHI is supplying this information for your review, we are not able to confirm that the contents are, in part or whole, based upon scientific evidence (the first 3 are from Dr. Blaylock, and the fourth one from Dr. Mercola):

www.pandemicfluonline.com/?p=1351

http://socioecohistory.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/dr-russell-blaylock-on-1976-swine-flu-and-current-outbreak/

http://www.infiniteunknown.net/2009/08/20/dr-russell-blaylock-harmful-effects-of-swine-flu-vaccine/ (Note: contains 3 videos)

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/26/Flu-Vaccine-Exposed.aspx

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What to do to avoid complications from the swine flu vaccine
Note from Sandra: President Obama’s announcement of a “National Public Health Emergency” on October 24 has increased fears that mandatory vaccination programs may be put in place. His declaration authorizes Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to bypass normal federal regulations so health officials can respond more quickly to the outbreak, which, allegedly, has killed more than 1,000 people in the United States. “As a nation, we have prepared at all levels of government, and as individuals and communities, taking unprecedented steps to counter the emerging pandemic,” Obama stated, which the White House announced Saturday. It should be noted that Massachusetts has already passed a state law that allows the State to “quarantine” those who refuse to get the vaccination in “confinement camps” and charge a fine of $1000 per day (http://thebirdflupandemic.com/archives/1000-per-day-fine-and-30-days-in-jail-for-refusing-the-swine-flu-vaccine-in-massachusetts ).
In the course of doing research on the H1N1 vaccine – including information on the CDC’s website and CBS news – I learned that the Public Health Emergency Declaration announced October 24 was not legally initiated then. In fact, it was initiated months ago. There was no new legal action that occurred over the weekend, only an announcement about what some skeptics say is a questionable and unsubstantiated 1000 deaths in the US from H1N1 (see links above and below). The HHS Secretary has actually renewed that declaration twice, once on July 24, 2009, and more recently on October 1, 2009.
I also came across many skeptics who report that it appears to them that the US government has full intention of administering as many doses of swine flu vaccine as possible this season – despite many researchers’ reports that this influenza virus strain is milder than the seasonal influenza strains that have been circulating in the past few decades. If true (and again, OHI is not endorsing these statements, just passing them along!), one can only wonder the motivation behind this intention. Could it be that $7 BILLION dollars will be earned by the drug companies for the vaccines?

http://swineflu.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/27/Obama-Declares-Swine-Flu-Emergency.aspx

The Following was composed by Dr. Russell Blaylock as a method to reduce autoimmune reactions to the flu vaccines only. Do not use this if you have the flu itself. PLEASE NOTE: These are just general observations and not medical advice. I am including this information as I have received many requests for suggestions to decrease your risk of a toxic side-effect if you do receive the vaccine. You should work with your doctor for a specific program. I could not find any scientific data to support the use of these measures, but some are common sense for good general health (e.g., using fish oil, zinc, Vitamin D).
1. Place a cold compress on the site of the injection immediately after the injection and continue this as often as possible for at least two days. If symptoms of fever, irritability, fatigue or flu-like symptoms reoccur — continue the cold compresses until they abate. A cold shower or bath will also help.
2. Take fish oils — I recommend the Norwegian fish oil made by Carlson Labs — it has the correct balance of EPA and DHA to reduce the cytokine storm. The dose is one tablespoon a day — if severe symptoms develop — two tablespoons a day until well and then switch to one tablespoon a day. Children — one teaspoon a day.
3. Curcumin, quercetin, ferulic acid and ellagic acid as a mixture — the first two must be mixed with extravirgin olive in one teaspoon. Take the mix three times a day (500 mg of each)
4. Vitamin E (natural form) 400 IU a day (high in gamma-E)
5. Vitamin C 1000 mg four times a day
6. Astaxanthin 4 mg a day
7. Zinc 20 mg a day for one week then 5 mg a day
8. Avoid all immune stimulating supplements (mushroom extracts, whey protein) except beta-glucan — it has been shown to reduce inflammation, microglial activation and has a reduced risk of aggravating autoimmunity, while increasing antiviral cellular immunity.
9. Take a multivitamin/mineral daily (one without iron — Extend Core)
10. Magnesium citrate/malate 500 mg of elemental magnesium two capsules three times a day
11. Vitamin D3:
1. All Children — 5000 IU a day for two weeks after vaccine then 2000 IU a day thereafter
2. Adults — 20,000 IU a day after vaccine for two weeks then 10,000 IU a day thereafter
3. Take 500 mg to 1000 mg of calcium citrate a day for adults and 250 mg a day for children under age 12 years.
4. Vitamin D was also reported to help improve immunity and therefore decrease the likelihood of getting the flu, as well as helping with the symptoms if you contract the flu*
12. Avoid all mercury-containing seafood
13. Avoid omega-6 oils (corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean, canola and peanut oils)
14. Blenderize parsley and celery and drink 8 ounces twice a day
15. Take Jatoba tea extract (add 20 drops in on cup of tea) one day before the vaccine and the twice a day thereafter. (you can get it at http://www.iherb.com/Amazon-Therapeutics-Jatoba-1-oz-30-ml/14429?at=0) It is inexpensive.
Note from Sandra: As we are learning more and more about the useful benefits of Vitamin D, we are offering a 10% discount on both the 1000 and 5000 unit bottles – this is in addition to the 10% off ALL supplement purchases in November!
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BEWARE: Taking Tylenol with Flu Vaccine:
It May Actually Make You Worse

It feels like we’re rushing head-first toward a man-made major public health catastrophe. And unfortunately, recent research shows that common medical practices may aggravate the situation. According to a two Czechoslovakian studies, published in the journal Lancet on October 17, giving your child an analgesic to prevent fever when getting a vaccine could render them more prone to secondary infections.
Their studies showed that after vaccination, the immune response was lower among babies who were given acetaminophen (such as Tylenol), right after they received the shot.
The vaccines used in the study were for pneumococcal disease, Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib), diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, polio and rotavirus. No flu vaccines were included. However, it’s likely the effect would still be the same.
MSN.com quotes infectious disease expert Dr. Marc Siegel as saying that: “… the conclusion that Tylenol not only suppresses fever, but also decreases immune response is plausible. After all, what is an immune response? It’s an inflammatory response.”
The researchers also found that although fewer infants developed a fever after getting acetaminophen, they also developed significantly fewer antibodies against the disease they were vaccinated against. They believe the acetaminophen’s anti-inflammatory activity might interfere with your body’s immune system antibody response, which could explain why the vaccine was rendered less effective.
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14 Ways to Avoid Colds and Flu
Stephanie Silk
Are you avoiding your co-worker with that hacking cough, cold, or flu in the cubicle next to you? Do you draw your hand back from every doorknob? Have cold-and-flu phobia? Get a grip before the grippe gets you. We’ve consulted dozens of medical experts to bring you 14 ways to avoid colds and flu this season.
Every time you shake someone’s hand, wash yours: But don’t stop there. Wash them as much as possible, says Mark Mengel, MD, chair of community and family medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Running lots of water over your hands will dilute any germs and send them down the drain.
Keep your hands off: Touching your nose and your eyes may hurt you, Mengel says. Those are the most common places for germs to get in.
Go to bed: As if getting enough sleep on a normal basis isn’t hard enough, you need more Zs when you’re feeling under the weather. When you’re tired, your body isn’t fighting as hard, so Mengel suggests getting 8 to 10 hours a night.
Build up with healthy food: You may think it’s hard to eat healthy on a regular basis, but eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables supports your immune system, Robertson says. And that’s a lot easier than fighting off the flu.
Work out: Get those sweats on and exercise, says Ann G. Kulze, MD, CEO and founder of Dr. Ann and Just Wellness. Working out regularly enhances immune function, she explains.
Stay away: Keep your distance from people displaying symptoms like sneezing and coughing. While that strategy may seem obvious, it applies to more than just strangers and colleagues. Stay away from sick friends and family when possible, Robertson says.
Sanitize yourself: Keep sanitizing gel or alcohol-based hand wipes on you at all times. But read the label before you buy, says Robertson: Some wipes are not alcohol-based and won’t be as effective.
Another reason to quit: Smoking increases the risk of infections by making structural changes in the respiratory tract and decreasing immune response, according to a study of smokers and infection published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2004. In particular, Mengel says, smoking destroys cilia, the little hair-like fibers inside our noses; this can help increase infection risks.
Did you just double dip that chip? Beware of the dip. It may be harboring more than savory salsa. Double-dippers may be passing germs to those who eat after them, Mengel says.
Another reason to shop: Our purses pick up germs like we do, according to Joseph Brasco, MD, author of The Great Physician’s Rx for Colds and Flu, so you could be re-infecting yourself every time you pick up your handbag. His suggestion: Put away your cloth purse during the winter months and carry one made of easier-to-wipe-down vinyl or leather. Of course, you could always just buy more purses.
I hear your mother calling: Biting your nails may be hurting you, Brasco says. Germs get under your nails and nibbling is a fast way to ingest them.
Try to smile: New research has found that happiness may help you. Carl Charnetski, MD, professor of psychology at Wilkes University, found that sex, positive thinking, playing with a pet, and other pleasurable behaviors will boost your immune system.
You want me to sneeze where? It may sound strange, but when you have to cough and sneeze, do so into the crook of your elbow, not into your hands. Since your hands are a common source of germs, doing that will prevent them from spreading, Kulze says.
Already sick? Here are four things you can do to get better, according to Jeff Robertson, MD, and chief medical officer for health insurer Regence:
1. Take some alone time: This is the when you’ll want to shy away from company. Stay home and take care of yourself.
2. Watch your symptoms: If it goes from simple sniffles to raging sickness, contact your doctor. Your cold may have escalated to the flu.
3. Drink, drink, drink: Dehydration can easily occur (especially if you are running a fever or vomiting). If you’re unable to keep fluids down, contact your physician.
4. Now’s not the time to save up: Dispose of all used tissues. As easy as it is to grab whatever is on the nightstand (including crumpled Kleenex), don’t! You may be furthering the cold.

Find this at: http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20250939,00.html
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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. As I only had one question asked in last month that is all I have to answer in this newsletter. Please help me out and send in those questions!
Q: Dr. Cable has me using the testosterone gel and I wondered if applying it directly to the source (my testicles) would increase the physiological response.
A: I initially warned the client that pubic hair may interfere with absorption, and he responded that he chose to keep the area shaven. As such, I turned to Dr. Cable for the answer. He stated that there is no research that would suggest a greater response by applying the gel directly to the testicles as the gel is absorbed through the skin and the location is not relevant (although he does recommend applying it to thinner skin – such as the inner part of the arm). I also warned that applying the gel directly to the genitals (in either gender) could increase the chance of your partner absorbing the gel directly, creating excessively high levels. So – shave if you so desire (and can stand the itching!) – but please apply elsewhere!
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JUST FOR FUN

Note from Sandra: Given the serious tone this newsletter started out with – and the fact that we are all adults (and this is certainly tamer than our Sex Q&A), I thought I would include it! Just understand that I do NOT have data to support all the “facts” given below! (I received this as an email – with the usual warnings of dire consequences for not forwarding – however since these warnings are also humorous, I have included them). Enjoy!

The Irish Sex Fairy
Be sure to read the warning at the bottom. I didn’t change a word! I’m not messing with the Irish Sex Fairy!

1. Sex is a beauty treatment. Scientific tests find that when women make love they produce amounts of the hormone estrogen, which makes hair shine and skin smooth.

2. Gentle, relaxed lovemaking reduces your chances of suffering dermatitis, skin rashes and blemishes. The sweat produced cleanses the pores and makes your skin glow.

3. Lovemaking can burn up those calories you piled on during that romantic dinner.

4. Sex is one of the safest sports you can take up. It stretches and tones up just about every muscle in the body. It’s more enjoyable than swimming 20 laps, or jogging 20 blocks and you don’t need special sneakers!

5. Sex is an instant cure for mild depression. It releases endorphins into the bloodstream, producing a sense of euphoria and leaving you with a feeling of well-being.

6. The more sex you have, the more you will be offered. The sexually active body gives off greater quantities of chemicals called pheromones. These subtle sex perfumes drive the opposite sex crazy!

7. Sex is the safest tranquilizer in the world. IT IS 10 TIMES MORE EFFECTIVE THAN VALIUM.

8. Kissing each day will keep the dentist away. Kissing encourages saliva to wash food from the teeth and lowers the level of the acid that causes decay, preventing plaque build-up.

9. Sex actually relieves headaches. A lovemaking session can release the tension that restricts blood vessels in the brain.

10. A lot of lovemaking can unblock a stuffy nose. Sex is a natural antihistamine. It can help combat asthma and hay fever.

This message has been sent to you for good luck in sex. The original is in a room in the basement of the Dwight House Pub in Ireland. It has been sent around the world nine times. Now sex has been sent to you. The “Irish Sex Fairy” will visit you within four days of receiving this message, provided you, in turn, send it on.

If you don’t, then you will never receive good sex again for the rest of your life. You will eventually become celibate, and your genitals will rot and fall off. This is no joke! Send copies to people you think need sex (who doesn’t?). Don’t send money, as the fate of your genitals has no price.

Do not keep this message. This message must leave your e-mail in 5 hours. Please send ten copies and see what happens in four days. (I sent it to 122 people so, if you don’t hear from me for a few days you will know why . . .)

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Exercise – JUST DO IT!!!
Exercise and cold weather: Stay motivated, fit and safe
Cold weather doesn’t have to mean putting outdoor exercise on ice. Here’s how to exercise safely — even when it’s 20 below.
By Mayo Clinic staff
Winter can frustrate the most motivated exercisers. And if you’re not so motivated, it’s all too easy to pack your workout gear away with your summer clothes. But keeping up your exercise routine in cold weather can be rewarding.
For one thing, outdoor exercise is a sure cure for cabin fever and the winter blues. And it increases energy, which can be sapped by gloomy weather. Exercise also bolsters your immune system — studies show that moderate exercisers get 20 to 30 percent fewer colds than non-exercisers do. And, you won’t have to scramble to get in shape for swimsuit season.
If you’re not looking forward to another winter of pounding endless miles on the treadmill or power walking the malls, the good news is that you don’t have to. With the right clothing and a little planning, cold-weather exercise can be safe, effective and, yes, fun.
Taking it outside
Here’s how to get the most out of your cold-weather workout:
· Check with your doctor. Experts say that almost everyone can exercise safely in the cold, including people with asthma and heart problems. If you have health concerns, get your doctor’s OK.
· Layer it on. One of the biggest mistakes cold-weather exercisers make is dressing too warmly. Exercise generates a considerable amount of heat — enough to make you feel like its 30 degrees warmer than it really is. At the same time, once you start to tire and the sweat dries, you can get chilled. The solution? Dress in layers that you can remove as soon as you start to sweat and then put back on as needed. Start with a thin layer of synthetic material such as polypropylene, which draws sweat away from your body. Avoid cotton, which stays wet next to your skin. Next, try fleece for insulation. Top this with a waterproof, breathable outer layer. A heavy down jacket or vest will cause most people to overheat. If you’re naturally lean, though, you’ll need more insulation than someone who is heavier. If it’s very cold (about 0 F or -17.8 C) or you have asthma, wear a face mask or a scarf over your mouth.
· Protect your extremities. When it’s cold, blood is shunted to your body’s core, leaving your hands and feet vulnerable to frostbite. Try wearing a thin pair of gloves under a pair of heavier gloves or mittens lined with wool or fleece. You might want to buy exercise shoes a half-size larger than usual to allow for thick thermal socks or an extra pair of regular socks. And don’t forget a hat or headband — 30 to 40 percent of your body heat is lost through your head.
· Choose appropriate gear. If it’s dark, wear reflective clothing. To stay steady on your feet, choose footwear with enough traction to prevent falls. Wear a helmet for skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling.
· Remember sunscreen. It’s as easy to get sunburned in winter as in summer — even more so if you’re exercising in the snow or at high altitudes. Wear a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of at least 15 or higher. Use a lip balm that contains sunscreen, and protect your eyes from snow and ice glare with dark glasses or goggles.
· Head into the wind. You’ll be less likely to get chilled on the way back if you end your workout — when you may be sweaty — with the wind at your back.
· Drink plenty of fluids. Drink water or sports drinks before, during and after your workout — even if you’re not thirsty. You can become just as dehydrated in the cold as in the heat from sweating, breathing and increased urine production.
· Pay attention to wind chill. The wind can penetrate your clothes and remove the insulating layer of warm air that surrounds your body. Fast motion — such as skiing, running, cycling or skating — also creates wind chill because it increases air movement past your body. When the temperature is 10 F (-12.2 C) and the air is calm, skiing at 20 miles an hour creates a wind chill of minus 9 (-22.8 C). If the temperature dips well below zero (-17.8 C), choose an indoor activity instead.
· Know the signs of frostbite and hypothermia. Frostbite is most common on your face, fingers and toes. Early warning signs include paleness, numbness and loss of feeling or a stinging sensation. If you suspect frostbite, get out of the cold immediately and slowly warm the affected area without rubbing. If numbness continues, seek emergency care. If you suspect hypothermia — characterized by intense shivering, slurred speech, loss of coordination and fatigue — get emergency help right away. To help prevent problems, warm your hands and feet every 20 to 30 minutes, and know when to head for home.
· Stay motivated. When it’s cold outdoors, there’s no need to hit the couch. With a little knowledge and fortitude, you can meet the challenges — and reap the rewards — of winter exercise. For many people, the solitude and quiet alone are reason enough to brave the elements.

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FRIGHTENING FOOD FACT:
Burial Grands

Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls with Icing are “Made with Cinnabon Cinnamon,” boasts the label.

If you have a Cinnabon nearby, you may be familiar with its cinnamon rolls on steroids. Each humongous 7.8 ounce Cinnabon Classic Cinnamon Roll has roughly 800 calories, 8 grams of saturated fat, and 55 grams (13 teaspoons) of sugar. Plus there’s a bonus for your hardworking arteries: 5 grams of trans fat, the worst kind you can eat.

Pillsbury Grands! don’t quite measure up. Each 3.5 ounce roll has 310 calories and 2 grams of sat fat plus 2.5 grams of trans fat and 23 grams of sugar. It’s essentially a third of a Cinnabon with more than a third of the icing. Isn’t that grand?

Companies are dumping their partially hydrogenated oils left and right, yet Pillsbury still makes most of its rolls and biscuits with partially hydrogenated (soybean oil and cottonseed oil) shortening. Did the company get the oils at a fire sale?

No one thinks of cinnamon rolls as health food. To see what their refined white flour, oils, and six teaspoons of sugar do to your belly, just peel off the wrapper and watch the contents of the tube.

But 2.5 grams of trans fat in each roll? That may not sound like much, but in 2004, a panel of scientists advising the Food and Drug Administration considered recommending 2 grams of trans fat for an entire day.

“My heart to yours,” says the package. How sweet of the Pillsbury Bypass Boy to share.

Nutrition Action Healthletter – November, 2009
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Recipe of the Month
Low-Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin cheesecake can make a nice change from pumpkin pie. This version is richly spiced. The crust is thicker than the regular low-carb cheesecake, but if you want a thinner crust, the other one can be used. If you want a cheesecake that isn’t as rich, you can use lower fat cream cheese, though I haven’t specifically tested it with more than 1 package of the cream cheese being low fat.
Nutritional Info (per serving)*:

Makes 16 servings:

Calories: 285 Carbs: 4 g Sodium: ? mg* Fiber: 2 g
Fat: ? g* Sat Fat: ? g* Protein: 5 g Cholesterol: ? mg*

*Note from Sandra: The Nutritional Information is for full fat cream cheese and the fat and sat fat grams were not included (nor sodium or cholesterol grams). If you want to reduce the fat and sat fat grams, use either low-fat cream cheese, fat-free cream cheese, or a combination (I usually use 2 packages of fat-free and one package of full fat). To calculate the grams of fat and sat fat, add up all the fat gram and sat fat grams in each of the 3 packages (whatever combination you choose) and then divide by 16 (the number of servings). Beating the cream cheese until very soft will make for a smoother texture. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature, as well.

Ingredients:
Crust:
· One and one-half cups almond meal (can find in specialty food stores or make your own by grinding in the blender)
· One-half teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon
· Four Tablespoons melted butter
· Four Tablespoons sugar substitute such as Sweetzfree*
Filling:
· Three 8-oz packages cream cheese at room temperature
· Two and one-half teaspoons cinnamon
· One teaspoon nutmeg
· Three-fourths teaspoon ginger
· One-fourth teaspoon allspice
· One-fourth teaspoon cloves
· One-half teaspoon salt
· One and One-half cups sugar substitute, or to taste (such as Sweetzfree)*
· One can (about 15-oz) pumpkin
· One Tablespoon vanilla
· 5 eggs, preferably room temperature
· One-half cup heavy cream
*Sweetzfree is a zero carb liquid sweetener made with sucralose (Splenda).
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Prepare springform pan: It is recommended that you put a piece of parchment paper over the bottom of the pan — no need to cut it to size, just snap it into place when you put the tighten the sides. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan in heavy-duty foil. You’ll be baking the cheesecake with the springform pan set in a baking pan half-full of boiling water, so you want to protect from leaks.

1) Combine ingredients for crust, and press into the bottom of a springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and beginning to brown.

2) Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl and beaters. This step will be repeated several times and is important. The mixture will gradually become lighter, and the denser stuff has a tendency to cling to the bowl. You won’t be able to incorporate it as well later, so keep scraping.

3) Add spices and sweetener. Beat again, scrape again.

4) Add pumpkin and vanilla. Beat well, scrape.

5) Add 3 eggs. Beat well (about a minute), scrape.

6) Add the other 2 eggs and cream and beat another minute. Pour mixture into pan over baked crust.

7) Place pan in a baking pan and pour boiling water around the sides, about halfway up. Lower the oven temperature to 325 F. and bake for 60 to 90 minutes, checking often after an hour. When the cake is firm to touch but slightly soft in the center, or the center reaches 150 to 155 F, remove from oven.

8) Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature, or up to 3 hours. THEN remove sides from pan (if you remove from springform pan too early, the cake may collapse). Cover and chill, ideally for another 3 to 4 hours.

This recipe was found at: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbthanksgiving/r/pumpkncheescake.htm
Reviewers of the recipe suggested the following:
· Try using ground, roasted, pumpkin seed in the crust for a nuttier flavor
· Using powdered Splenda worked fine (in place of the liquid form)
· Graham cracker crumbs can also be used – just be aware of the change in nutritional profile (I would recommend low-fat graham crackers) – and you will lose the extra health benefits of almonds or pumpkin seeds
· One reviewer baked it without the crust and reported that it turned out fine (and obviously saved some calories)
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Supplement of the Month
5-LOXIN

Note from Sandra: We have recently started carrying 5-LOXIN, manufactured by Nutraceutical Sciences Institute (NSI). The recommended dose is 2 capsules a day (each bottle contains 120 capsules or a 60-day supply). Each capsule contains 150 mg of Boswella serrata Extract (standardized for acetyl-11-B-boswellic acid (AKBA), minimum 30% (45 mg).
What is 5-LOXIN? 5-LOXIN is a special extract of the boswellia serrata plant (the plant used to make frankincense). The boswellia plant has been used for thousands of years in traditional Ayurvedic medicine in India, and recent studies have shown its benefits in promoting joint comfort, knee mobility and walking distance. It has been referred to as “the botanical version of Celebrex” (but without the side-effects). By applying modern science with historic knowledge, the most powerful boswellia compound, called AKBA was identified. Researchers have now developed a method to produce a boswellia extract that provides 30% AKBA, ten times more concentrated than ordinary boswellia.
5-LOXIN was shown to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) in a recent study published in Arthritis Research and Therapy. In the study, 5-LOXIN supplementation conferred clinically and statistically significant improvements in pain scores and physical function scores in OA patients at doses of 100mg and 250mg daily. Interestingly, significant improvements in pain score and functional ability were recorded in as early as 7 days after the start of treatment. Corroborating the improvements in pain scores in treatment groups, a significant reduction in synovial fluid MMP activity, enzymes which damage connective tissue, was noted. 5-LOXIN was found to be well-tolerated, with no safety concerns. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2008, 10:R85doi:10.1186/ar2461.

The study was led by Siba Raychaudhuri, a faculty member of the University of California, Davis, in the United States. According to an interview with the journal, Dr. Raychaudhuri said, “The high incidence of adverse affects associated with currently available medications has created great interest in the search for an effective and safe alternative treatment.” Raychaudhuri continued, “AKBA has anti-inflammatory properties, and we have shown that a Boswellia serrata extract with concentrated AKBA can be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee.”

Seventy-five OA patients were included in the study. Divided into three groups of 25, the patients were given daily either 100 mg 5-LOXIN, 250 mg 5-LOXIN or a placebo for 90 days. Each patient was evaluated for pain and physical function by using standardarized measurement tools (e.g., VAS – visual analog scale, Lequesne’s Functional Index, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) at the baseline (day 0), and at days 7, 30, 60 and 90. Additionally, the cartilage degrading enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3) was also evaluated in synovial fluid of the knee from OA patients. There was no change in MMP3 concentration in the fluid from the knee in the placebo group. However, 5-Loxin significantly reduced MMP3 concentration (by 31% at the low dose and 46% at the high dose). The reduction in MMP3 with high-dose 5-Loxin was also significantly greater than with the low dose. There was no difference in adverse effects seen in the treatment or control groups.

According to the authors, “In this study, the compound was shown to have no major adverse effects in our osteoarthritis patients. It is safe for human consumption and even for long-term use.”And new studies show 5-LOXIN also helps inhibit the action of enzymes that break down cartilage and joint tissues.

During the course of the 90-day study period, some minor adverse events were noted: diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, mild fever (up to 99.5°F) and general weakness. The patients who reported these minor events were distributed evenly throughout the placebo and active treatment groups.

For additional information, see:
A double blind, randomized, placebo controlled study of the efficacy and safety of 5-Loxin for treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. (study abstract)
http://arthritis-research.com/content/10/4/R85 (full text)
Human genome screen to identify the genetic basis of the anti-inflammatory effects of Boswellia in microvascular endothelial cells.
For the month of November we are offering a 10% discount on 5-Loxin – this is in addition to the 10% off ALL supplement purchases in November! If you have any questions about 5-Loxin, please call Sandra or Tom.
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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 November 18th 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 (November 11th). 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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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.”

Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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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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