tag:www.naturalawakenings.com,2005:/categories/healing-ways?page=10Healing Ways Healing Ways | Natural Awakenings Magazine Page 10Healthy Living Healthy Planet2020-05-06T12:29:35-04:00urn:uuid:438a4143-e362-4354-a762-3356b6f34a492019-08-16T01:00:06-04:002020-05-06T12:29:35-04:00Try Cordyceps to Strengthen the Lungs: Medicinal Fungus Helps COPD Patients2019-06-28 12:38:00 -0400Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">P</span>eople suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, can breathe easier by taking the Chinese medicinal fungus <em>Cordyceps sinensis</em>, a new meta-analysis shows. Researchers at the Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine conducted a review of 15 high-quality studies that involved 1,238 COPD patients and found that cordyceps significantly improved lung function, exercise endurance and quality of life with no report of any serious adverse effects. Cordyceps, which is said to relax and open the airways, has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as an anti-asthmatic, expectorant and cough suppressant.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the July 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:a9118673-bcef-435b-b943-4fc38bdc58942019-08-16T01:04:02-04:002019-08-26T16:56:57-04:00Sleep Better and Feel Happier With Probiotics: Healthy Bacteria Helps with Mood and Rest2019-06-28 12:38:00 -0400Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">I</span>n further confirmation of the importance of the gut-brain axis, 18 Italian students at the University of Verona from ages 18 to 33 that took a freeze-dried mixture of four probiotics for six weeks experienced less depression, anger and fatigue compared to a control group of 15 that consumed a placebo. The positive effects continued, as discovered in follow-up testing three weeks later. The probiotics group also slept better. The probiotic bacteria blend of 4 billion colony-forming units included <em>Lactobacillus fermentum</em>, <em>Lactobacillus rhamnosus</em>, <em>Lactobacillus plantarum</em> and <em>Bifidobacterium longum</em>.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the July 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:1f34bacc-45ef-4ee5-9463-96dff74926ee2019-08-16T00:42:48-04:002021-03-11T16:49:49-05:00Toning the Vagus Nerve: Relief for Pain, Anxiety and Inflammation2019-06-28 12:37:00 -0400Marlaina Donato<p>Research is helping doctors connect the dots between seemingly unrelated conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, revealing a common denominator: the multitasking vagus nerve, the longest in the autonomic nervous system.</p>
<p>The superpower of this double-branched cranial nerve lies in transporting major neurotransmitters along what is known as the brain-gut axis. “The vagus nerve stems from the brain to the abdomen like a communication superhighway between your gut and brain,” says Hannah Aylward, an Orlando-based certified holistic health coach and gut health expert. “Studies show that the vagus nerve regulates inflammation throughout the body.”</p>
<h3>Promising Research</h3>
<p>Recent studies have shown that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) can improve quality of life for individuals suffering from numerous conditions. One type is a device that can be implanted by a neurosurgeon, which sends electrical impulses to the vagus nerve in children that suffer from seizures and adults with depression as a supplemental treatment when surgery or medications are not possible or effective.</p>
<p>There is also a handheld, non-invasive VNS option called gammaCore, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved device that offers hope for sufferers of cluster and migraine headaches. Its effectiveness for chronic pain management, as well as in cases of epilepsy and depression, was published in the <em>Neuromodulation Journal</em> in 2015.</p>
<p>PTSD researcher Imanuel Lerman, M.D., and his colleagues with the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, found that VNS affects areas of the brain responsible for processing emotional pain. The findings, published in the journal <em>PLOS ONE</em> earlier this year, also show that VNS delays the brain’s response to pain signals in individuals with PTSD.</p>
<h3>Mental Health, Trauma and the Gut</h3>
<p>When it comes to the vagus nerve, anxiety is physical. Post-traumatic stress is rooted in neurobiology and experienced in the body, not just the mind, says Arielle Schwartz, Ph.D., a Boulder, Colorado-based clinical psychologist and author of <em>The Complex PTSD Workbook: A Mind-Body Approach to Regaining Emotional Control and Becoming Whole</em>. “This is why you can’t simply think or talk your way out of your trauma reactions.”</p>
<p>According to Schwartz, “Disruptions in the gut flora, which often occur with overuse of antibiotics, can have a significant impact on mental health. An imbalance in the gut can lead to an inflammatory response in the immune system and a wide range of disruptive symptoms.”</p>
<p>Aylward notes that 95 percent of the body’s mood-boosting chemical serotonin resides in the enteric nervous system, which governs the function of the gastrointestinal tract. “The brain-gut axis is becoming increasingly important as a therapeutic target for psychiatric and GI disorders,” she says.</p>
<p>Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and founding co-director of UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, explains the trauma loop. “Developmental trauma impairs the integrative circuits of the brain and nervous system—the prefrontal cortex. When this happens, the brain will be hyperalert, interpreting some non-threatening situations as threatening.</p>
<p>“Learning to be aware of our internal state and learning calming techniques helps to regulate the autonomic nervous system and can go a long way,” says Siegel. “High ventral vagal tone means having a state of calm.”</p>
<h3>Vagus Power</h3>
<p>Everyone can benefit from increased vagal tone, which goes hand-in-hand with engaging the parasympathetic nervous system for optimum equilibrium at the cellular level. Acupuncture, chiropractic—with a focus on the cranial nerves—massage, meditation, singing, laughing loudly, chanting mantras, gentle yoga and exercise, positive social interactions, belly breathing and chanting all make the vagus nerve a happy camper.</p>
<p>These activities promote relaxation and help to decrease inflammation. “As a certified yoga instructor, I can attest to a wide range of natural vagus nerve stimulation techniques, especially using the breath,” says Schwartz. “Diaphragmatic breathing creates a gentle massage across your digestive organs, releases the diaphragm and stimulates nerve fibers within the lungs. Heart rate is reduced.”</p>
<p>Brief exposure to cold water or cold air improves vagal tone and is a good option when anxiety is high. Eating cold-water fish like wild salmon or other foods high in omega-3 fatty acids such as walnuts, seaweed, hemp, flax or chia seeds provides vagal nourishment.</p>
<p><br>
<em><a href="http://autumnembersmusic.com/">Marlaina Donato</a> is the author of several books, including </em>Multidimensional Aromatherapy<em>.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><strong>Vagus-Nourishing Diet Tips</strong></h3>
<p>Advice from gut health expert Hannah Aylward:</p>
<p>• Eat plenty of vegetables, high-quality proteins, fiber and healthy fats.</p>
<p>• A diet low in sugar and processed carbohydrates supports healthy vagus nerve function by maintaining a healthy gut microbiome.</p>
<p>• Practice intermittent fasting, which stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system (not recommended for people suffering from adrenal fatigue or high stress).</p>
<p>• Take probiotics. <em>Lactobacillus</em> has been shown to increase GABA via stimulation of the vagus nerve. <em>Bifidobacterium longum</em> has demonstrated it can normalize anxiety-like behavior in mice by acting through the vagus nerve.</p>
<p><br>
<em>This article appears in the July 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:cad3556c-130a-49f2-bae8-ec13da3d46002019-08-16T01:19:27-04:002019-08-16T01:19:27-04:00Nature’s Toolbox: The Key to Prostate Health2019-05-31 12:11:00 -0400Melanie Laporte<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>he prostate is about the size of a walnut, yet this tiny gland can be the source of major problems for many men. Most potential health risks are preventable and treatable with proper diet, lifestyle changes—and a new array of natural approaches.</p>
<p>Holistic and integrative practitioners are looking beyond traditional supplements like saw palmetto, lycopene, pygeum and green tea extract to treat common conditions such as enlargement of the prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which can develop as men grow older.</p>
<p>Rob Raponi, a naturopathic doctor in Vaughan, Ontario, sees men struggling with nocturia, an effect of BPH that wakes them during the night with the urge to urinate. “It interrupts your sleep, which accumulates and starts to interrupt your day,” says Raponi, who uses zinc-rich ground flax and pumpkin seeds to ease BPH urinary symptoms and inflammation. He’s also achieving positive results by utilizing combinations of rye grass pollen extract. He says, “It seems to work wonders.”</p>
<h3>Confronting Cancer</h3>
<p>According to the American Cancer Society, about one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, the second-leading cause of male deaths in U.S. However, it’s also one of the most preventable cancers.</p>
<p>“The key is to make our body inhospitable to mutating cells which could form cancer that ultimately threatens your life,” says Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., professor and director of the Integrative Medicine Program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston. Part of the answer may lie in the human gut, which makes diet central to addressing prostate issues.</p>
<p>According to a recent review of research published in <em>Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases</em>, the microbiome—a community of microbes that supports digestion and the immune system—may influence prostate inflammation and the development of prostate cancer. “The microbiome’s ability to affect systemic hormone levels may also be important, particularly in a disease such as prostate cancer that is dually affected by estrogen and androgen levels,” it concludes.</p>
<h3>The Nutritional Factor</h3>
<p>“A plant-centered diet with low-glycemic-load foods feeds your microbiome, which is at its healthiest and will thrive when it’s fed healthy soluble fibers provided exclusively from the plant world,” says Cohen, the co-author of <em>Anticancer Living: Transform Your Life and Health with the Mix of Six</em>.</p>
<p>Antioxidants and plant nutrients counterbalance oxidative stress and damage, adds Cohen. “Cruciferous and bracken vegetables—raw kale, broccoli, Swiss chard, dark leafy greens and soy—would be very healthy for the prostate. Also, a couple of Brazil nuts per day give a healthy dose of selenium to decrease risk factors.”</p>
<p>Jim Occhiogrosso, a Fort Myers, Florida-based natural health practitioner and author of <em>Your Prostate, Your Libido, Your Life</em>, notes that most incidences of prostate cancer are slow growing and not aggressive. “One of my first clients was in his early 80s, was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and treated it with only herbs. Fifteen years later, in his mid-90s, he still has prostate cancer. He’s still doing fine and getting around, albeit slowly.”</p>
<p>Occhiogrosso says he uses herbal mixtures of saw palmetto, “which is a good supplement for beefing up the immune system—also solar berry, mushroom extracts, vitamin C and full-fraction vitamin E.”</p>
<p>Mark Stengler, a naturopathic doctor and co-author of <em>Outside The Box Cancer Therapies: Alternative Therapies That Treat and Prevent Cancer</em>, recommends a blend of five grams of modified citrus pectin, 200 milligrams of reishi mushroom and 1,000 milligrams of green tea extract taken two to three times per day, plus vitamin D.</p>
<p>The five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with prostate cancer is about 98 percent, and it’s been rising for the last few years. Early diagnosis is critical, says Raponi. “If you stop prostate cancer when it’s still in stage one or early on, the five-year survival rate is 100 percent, but if it’s later on, it starts to drop into the 70s.”</p>
<p>The same measures employed to prevent prostate issues—whole foods, natural herbs and regular exercise—should still be pursued, but more aggressively if cancer should develop. “The intensity becomes more salient after diagnosis,” says Cohen, “but we don’t need a diagnosis to up our game with healthy living.”</p>
<p><br>
<em>Melanie Laporte is a licensed massage therapist and health writer based in Austin, Texas.</em></p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the June 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:61840e37-5a7f-40cc-828d-a3991263b84f2019-08-16T00:25:55-04:002021-03-02T15:31:57-05:00Take Magnesium to Optimize Vitamin D: Levels Out Absorption2019-05-31 11:47:09 -0400Rachael Oppy<p>Magnesium seems to optimize vitamin D, increasing the vitamin’s utilization for those with insufficient levels and decreasing it in those with excessive amounts. In a randomized trial of 250 people between ages 50 and 85 that were considered at risk for colorectal cancer, researchers at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center found that changes in blood levels of vitamin D were significantly affected by the intake of magnesium—a mineral in which 80 percent of Americans are deficient. In addition to supplements, magnesium-rich foods include dark leafy greens, beans, whole grains, dark chocolate, nuts, avocados and fatty fish such as salmon.</p>
<p><br>
<em>This article appears in the June 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:9e7c4335-25f0-4f00-ba3b-952b8e7eb5dd2019-08-16T00:57:36-04:002020-09-26T09:00:17-04:00Brain-Savers: Smart Strategies for Preventing Dementia2019-05-31 11:46:00 -0400Melinda Hemmelgarn<p><span class="dropcap">W</span>ith 5.8 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease, there’s no shortage of advice on how to enhance, preserve and restore brain function. Judging from the assortment of brain training games and apps to the multitude of books promising ways to avoid or even reverse dementia, a growing number of aging Americans want to know the best strategies for preventing and treating cognitive decline and memory loss.</p>
<h3>Prevention: A ‘No-Brainer’</h3>
<p>As with any disease, prevention throughout the life cycle is key, but especially important for Alzheimer’s—the leading cause of dementia worldwide. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the illness is considered a slowly progressive brain disease that begins well before symptoms emerge. Despite predictions that the number of afflicted Americans will reach nearly 14 million by 2050, there are no drug cures.</p>
<p>David Perlmutter, M.D., a board-certified neurologist based in Naples, Florida, and an editorial board member of the <em>Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease</em>, summarizes a recent study evaluating the effectiveness of currently available Alzheimer’s medications. “Not only were Alzheimer’s patients who were taking these drugs not gaining any benefit, but their rate of cognitive decline was worsened when they were on the Alzheimer’s medications,” thus making lifestyle risk reduction even more critical.</p>
<p>Dale Bredesen, M.D., a professor in the UCLA Department of Neurology and author of <em>The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline</em>, has studied the disease’s neurobiology for decades. He believes drug therapies have failed because scientists neglected to focus on why individuals develop the disease in the first place. He emphasizes, “Alzheimer’s is not a single disease,” even if the symptoms appear to be the same. Bredesen says it’s the result of the brain trying to protect itself from multiple metabolic and toxic threats.</p>
<p>Bredesen developed the ReCODE (reversal of cognitive decline) protocol, an ambitious, comprehensive and personalized therapeutic program that includes genetic, cognitive and blood testing, plus supplements and lifestyle improvements, including stress reduction, improved sleep, diet and exercise. With the goal of identifying and treating the individual’s pathway to disease, ReCODE addresses fixing five key areas he believes form the underlying origins and progression of Alzheimer’s disease: insulin resistance; inflammation/infections; hormone, nutrient and nerve growth factors; toxins; and dysfunctional nerve synapses.</p>
<p>The Lancet International Commission on Dementia Prevention, Intervention and Care also advocates multiple points of action. By addressing nine “potentially modifiable risk factors” throughout the lifespan, the commission says, “More than one-third of global dementia cases may be preventable.” These factors include maximizing education in early life; controlling hypertension, obesity and hearing loss in mid-life; and in later life, managing depression and diabetes, increasing physical activity and social contact, and not smoking.</p>
<h3>Food as Medicine</h3>
<p>Martha Clare Morris, Sc.D., a nutritional epidemiologist at the Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago, and author of <em>Diet for the MIND: The Latest Science on What to Eat to Prevent Alzheimer’s and Cognitive Decline</em>, says, “Given that Alzheimer’s disease is known as an oxidative-inflammatory disease, there has to be a dietary influence.”</p>
<p>From two decades of research involving more than 10,000 people, Morris developed the MIND diet, which stands for “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay”. It’s a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets, modified to include specific components from each that offer the most protection against dementia. Morris identifies 10 brain-healthy dietary components: leafy greens, vegetables, berries, whole grains, nuts, seafood, poultry, beans and legumes, olive oil, and one glass of wine per day; plus five unhealthy components to limit: sweets and pastries, red meats, fried and fast foods, whole-fat cheese and butter or margarine containing trans fat.</p>
<p>Morris found those individuals that most closely followed the dietary recommendations lowered their risk for Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 53 percent, while those following the diet moderately well showed a reduction of about 35 percent.</p>
<p>Morris acknowledges a number of common aging-related, yet treatable, conditions that can cause “dementia-like symptoms,” including low thyroid hormones and vitamin B12 deficiency. She also identifies specific brain-protective compounds including vitamins E, B12, folate and niacin, plus lutein, omega-3 fatty acids, beta carotene and flavonoids found in colorful fruits and vegetables, tea and nuts.</p>
<p>She is currently testing the MIND diet, plus a mild calorie restriction on 600 individuals 65 to 84 years old living in Boston and Chicago; results are expected in 2021. The Alzheimer’s Association is also recruiting individuals for a new lifestyle intervention study.</p>
<p>Aarti Batavia, a registered dietitian based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a certified practitioner of functional medicine trained in the ReCODE protocol, says, “Diets that are good for the heart are good for the brain.” But she also warns that many common medications such as statins, antihistamines, some antidepressants and proton pump inhibitors (that reduce stomach acid, which is required for absorbing vitamin B12) can increase the risk for dementia.</p>
<h3>Smart Steps</h3>
<p>As we continue to discover how genetics, environment and lifestyle factors intersect, take the following smart steps to promote longevity and vibrant brain health:</p>
<p><span class="dropcap">1</span> <strong>Monitor and control blood sugar:</strong> Type 2 diabetes increases the risk for dementia. Brenda Davis, a registered dietitian in Vancouver, British Columbia, and author of <em>The Kick Diabetes Cookbook: An Action Plan and Recipes for Defeating Diabetes</em>, advises reducing the glycemic load of the diet by limiting refined carbohydrates and sugars, and eating a high-fiber, plant-based diet.</p>
<p>Dorothy Sears, Ph.D., a member of the executive committee of the Center for Circadian Biology at the University of California, San Diego, says it’s not just what we eat that matters, but when. She discovered multiple metabolic benefits, including reduced blood sugar, with prolonged nightly fasting—13 hours between the last meal at night and the first meal in the morning.</p>
<p>Brenda Davy, Ph.D., a registered dietitian and researcher at Virginia Tech, in Blacksburg, says hydration can influence blood sugar, weight and cognition, especially among middle-aged and older populations. She recommends drinking two cups of water prior to meals to moderate food intake.</p>
<p><span class="dropcap">2</span> <strong>Focus on ‘good’ fats:</strong> Olive oil, nuts, avocados, and omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty, cold-water fish protect both the heart and brain. Michael Lewis, M.D., based in Potomac, Maryland, recommends an “omega-3 protocol” to help his patients recover from traumatic brain injury, which can increase risk for dementia.</p>
<p><span class="dropcap">3</span> <strong>Spice up your diet:</strong> Batavia recommends cooking with brain-protecting herbs and spices such as turmeric, cinnamon, thyme and rosemary, which can help reduce inflammation and risk for dementia.</p>
<p><span class="dropcap">4</span> <strong>Mind your gut:</strong> Western medicine has historically separated the brain from the rest of the body. But research on the “gut-brain axis” shows there’s communication between our gut microbes and brain, plus direct links to neurodevelopmental disorders and dementia. “What goes on in the gut influences every manner of activity within the brain: the health of the brain, the functionality of the brain, the brain’s resistance to disease process and even mood,” says Perlmutter.</p>
<p>Both Perlmutter and Teresa Martin, a registered dietitian in Bend, Oregon, emphasize the importance of high-fiber plant foods that gut microbes need to produce beneficial, short-chain fatty acids to protect against inflammation, insulin resistance and “leaky gut”.</p>
<p><span class="dropcap">5</span> <strong>Prioritize sleep:</strong> All brain (and gut) experts recommend adequate sleep—seven to eight hours each night—to restore body and mind.</p>
<p><span class="dropcap">6</span> <strong>Exercise:</strong> Both Morris and Perlmutter recommend aerobic activities in particular, like walking, swimming and cycling, to improve blood circulation to the brain and increase the production of a hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which is responsible for stimulating neuron growth and protecting against cognitive decline.</p>
<p><span class="dropcap">7</span> <strong>Avoid environmental toxins:</strong> Exposure to pesticides, pollutants and heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic can increase the risk of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Choosing organic food both reduces exposure to toxins and protects water quality and farmworker health.</p>
<p>Virginia Rauh, Ph.D., deputy director of the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, in New York City, spoke at the National Pesticide Forum in Manhattan in April. She explains that of the 5,000 new chemicals introduced each year, “at least 25 percent are neurotoxic,” and even very low-level exposure can harm children’s neurodevelopment.</p>
<p><span class="dropcap">8</span> <strong>Socialize:</strong> In studies of “Blue Zone” populations that enjoy longevity with low rates of dementia, social engagement appears to be the secret sauce for quality of life.</p>
<p><br>
<em>Melinda Hemmelgarn, the “Food Sleuth”, is an award-winning registered dietitian, writer and nationally syndicated radio host based in Columbia, MO. Reach her at FoodSleuth@gmail.com.</em></p>
<p> </p>
<h3><strong>About Wheat and Other Grains</strong></h3>
<p></p><div class="image-with-caption image-align-right">
<img alt="Nerthuz/Shutterstock.com" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/575012/gut-health.jpg"><div class="small">Nerthuz/Shutterstock.com</div>
</div>When considering whether to restrict or include grain in one’s diet, consider the following:
<p>• Individuals with celiac or non-celiac gluten sensitivity should avoid wheat and other gluten-containing grains such as barley and rye.</p>
<p>• According to nutritional epidemiologist Martha Clare Morris, diets rich in high-fiber whole grains, including wheat, decrease inflammation and oxidative stress, and improve cognition. She says, “Diets higher in fiber are linked to lower rates of diabetes and heart disease,” both of which increase risk of dementia.</p>
<p>• Author Brenda Davis’ “grain hierarchy” promotes whole, intact grains as key in controlling blood sugar.</p>
<p>• Whole grains are high in vitamins E and B, which protect against cognitive decline.</p>
<p>• Dr. David Perlmutter, who supports high-fiber diets, but advocates avoiding gluten, warns against shopping in the gluten-free aisle. Foods there might not have gluten, he says, but they’re going to “powerfully raise your blood sugar.”</p>
<p>• Choose organic grains to avoid exposure to pesticide residues.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3><strong>Protecting and Nourishing Gut Microbiota</strong></h3>
<p>Dietitian Teresa Martin suggests:</p>
<p>• Strive to eat a wide variety of plant species and at least 30 grams of fiber every day (some cooked and some raw).</p>
<p>• Limit “microbial assassins”, including refined carbohydrates and added sugar (no more than 25 grams or six teaspoons of added sugar per day); sugar substitutes; food additives such as polysorbate-80 and carboxymethylcellulose; smoking and vaping; chronic stress; antimicrobial soaps and sanitizers; antibiotics; proton pump inhibitors; high-fat diets; and processed meats.</p>
<p>• Move every day for at least 30 minutes; don’t sit for more than 30 minutes and get outside.</p>
<p>• Relax with yoga, meditation or mindfulness.</p>
<p>• Sleep seven to eight hours each night.</p>
<p> </p>
<h3><strong>Learn More</strong></h3>
<p>• <a href="https://www.alz.org/help-support/brain_health/adopt_a_healthy_diet">The Alzheimer’s Association diet study</a></p>
<p>• <a href="https://beyondpesticides.org/">Beyond Pesticides</a></p>
<p>• <a href="https://www.bluezones.com/">Blue Zones</a></p>
<p>• <a href="http://www.brainhealtheducation.org/">Brain Health Education and Research Institute</a></p>
<p>• <a href="https://www.consumerlab.com/">ConsumerLab.com</a>: assesses effectiveness and safety of supplements conducive to brain health.</p>
<p>• <a href="https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/glycemic-index-glycemic-load">Glycemic index and load</a></p>
<p>• <em>Integrative Environmental Medicine</em>, edited by Aly Cohen, M.D., and Frederick vom Saal, Ph.D.</p>
<p>• <a href="https://www.kopn.org/programs/food-sleuth-radio/">Food Sleuth Radio interviews</a>:<br>
- Aarti Batavia: to be posted on Food Sleuth site this month<br>
- <a href="https://share.transistor.fm/s/e199c7d0">Brenda Davis 2014 interview</a><br>
- <a href="https://beta.prx.org/stories/274463">Brenda Davis 2019 interview</a><br>
- <a href="https://share.transistor.fm/s/981a1350">Brenda Davy</a><br>
- <a href="https://share.transistor.fm/s/3ca588a4">Teresa Martin interview, part 1</a><br>
- <a href="https://beta.prx.org/stories/268679">Teresa Martin interview, part 2</a><br>
- <a href="https://share.transistor.fm/s/44bf9896">Martha Clare Morris</a><br>
- <a href="https://beta.prx.org/stories/225407">Dorothy Sears</a></p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the June 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:a97487f1-bcdb-4d7b-8103-b93c091aa96a2019-08-16T00:39:17-04:002019-08-16T00:39:17-04:00Toxic Legacy: Breast Implant Warriors Unite2019-04-30 14:45:11 -0400Linda Sechrist<p><span class="dropcap">T</span>he U.S. Surgeon General’s warning on cigarettes hasn’t prevented individuals from smoking, nor has the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) list of risks and complications associated with breast implants kept women from undergoing voluntary breast augmentation. Since 1997, the number of saline- and silicone-filled breast implant surgeries has tripled. According to the National Center for Health Research (NCHR), more than 400,000 women and teenagers undergo breast implant surgeries every year, with 75 percent for augmentation of healthy breasts and 25 percent for reconstruction after mastectomies.</p>
<p>The marked increase in surgeries implanting these Class III “high risk” medical devices includes many women that undergo procedures to replace old implants that have broken or caused other problems. An estimated 40,000 U.S. women a year have the surgery to remove the implants entirely. These “explants” stem from a variety of issues, from rupture or delayed wound healing to broken implants that have caused breast pain, capsule contracture, spontaneous deflation, breast lesion, infection, wrinkling/scalloping and necrosis.</p>
<p>Another reason for removal is the growing concern about the reported incidence of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), a treatable T-cell lymphoma, and breast implant illness (BII) associated with both silicone and saline implants.</p>
<p>The FDA first sounded the alarm about the rare lymphoma in 2011, linking it to implants with textured, Velcro-like outer shells. In February, the federal agency issued a letter to healthcare providers seeking to increase awareness “about an association between all breast implants, regardless of filling or texture,” and BIA-ALCL. On the issue of BII and other problems reported by women with implants, the FDA has remained largely silent, suggesting that “studies would need to be larger and longer than these conducted so far.”</p>
<p>However, the number of women with implants reporting health problems has prompted the FDA to demand that two manufacturers of the devices conduct proper long-term health studies. The agency sent out letters in March warning of deficiencies in FDA-required research and the possibility that their products could be taken off the market.</p>
<p>The move is considered to be a victory for patient activism. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/HealingBreastImplantIllness">The Facebook group Breast Implant Illness and Healing</a> has become a sanctuary for more than 68,000 women that report a range of symptoms associated with BII. Nicole Daruda, of Vancouver Island, Canada, says she created the group to support women that visited her website, <a href="https://healingbreastimplantillness.com/">HealingBreastImplantIllness.com</a>, where she told her personal BII story that began with implant surgery in 2005. “I never anticipated an avalanche of women’s stories about the symptoms that I endured before having my explant surgery in 2015.”</p>
<p>After hearing from other women, Daruda felt affirmed in her suspicions that implants had caused her fatigue, brain fog, memory loss, headaches, joint and muscle pain, hair loss, recurring infections, swollen lymph nodes, rashes, irritable bowel syndrome and problems with thyroid and adrenal glands. “I believe that various doctors pigeonholed my symptoms into the category of autoimmune disorders because few general practitioners are aware of BII.”</p>
<p>Diana Hoppe, M.D., a board-certified OB/GYN in Encinitas, California, never heard of BII until earlier this year. “Doctors rely on published, evidence-based study results, and while there are none linking connective tissue disorders and breast implants, I suspect that the outcomes of studies conducted by breast implant manufacturers are equally as suspicious as the outcomes of studies done by the manufacturers of cigarettes.”</p>
<p>One longtime BII combatant says, “My body mounted an all-out war, in the form of a foreign body immune response.” She learned about BII from <a href="https://draxe.com/breast-implant-illness/">Breast Implant Illness + 6 Other Breast Implant Dangers</a>, but is unable to afford the explant surgery that would remove the apparently toxic invaders.</p>
<p>NCHR reports that at the time of explant surgery, approximately three out of five women have had implants and their unhealthy symptoms for 10 years or more. After explant surgery, 89 percent of the women report improvement. However, explant surgery is just the first step.</p>
<p>Daruda used chelation and the protocols of Gerson Therapy, a natural treatment that activates the body’s ability to heal itself through an organic, plant-based diet, raw juices, coffee enemas and supplements. “It took me four years to recuperate,” she says. “It didn’t take that long to know the lesson I wanted to share with other women: Self-love and self-worth are more important than society’s false concepts of beauty. The essence of who we are is not tied to any body part.”</p>
<p><br>
<em><a href="http://www.itsallaboutwe.com/">Linda Sechrist</a> is a senior staff writer for </em>Natural Awakenings<em>.</em></p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the May 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:feeec2cf-71d5-4aa5-ba7f-2399f438e8f72019-08-16T01:01:58-04:002019-08-16T01:01:58-04:00U.S. Heart Disease on the Rise: News Numbers on Americans With Cardiovascular Disease2019-04-30 11:46:51 -0400Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">F</span>orty-eight percent of American adults have some form of cardiovascular disease, reported the American Heart Association (AHA) in its annual update. The increase is partly due to 2017 updated guidelines redefining high blood pressure as greater than 130/80 millimeters of mercury rather than 140/90, which raised the number of Americans with diagnosed hypertension from 32 percent to 46 percent. American heart disease deaths rose from 836,546 in 2015 to 840,678 in 2016. Studies show that about 80 percent of all cardiovascular disease can be prevented by controlling high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol, along with healthy practices like not smoking, says the AHA.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the May 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:6868de61-0b6b-41c4-a4d4-69daf20733252019-08-16T00:53:45-04:002019-08-16T00:53:45-04:00Mindfulness May Ease Menopausal Symptoms: Reduces Irritability, Anxiety and Depression2019-04-30 11:46:50 -0400Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">W</span>omen in menopause that are mindful and nonjudgmental of their thoughts are less irritable, anxious and depressed, reports a Mayo Clinic study recently published in <em>Climacteric</em>, the journal of the International Menopause Society. Researchers gave questionnaires to 1,744 menopausal patients 40 to 65 years old and found that those with higher mindfulness scores struggled less with common menopausal symptoms. Mindfulness didn’t lower hot flash and night sweat symptoms, however.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the May 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>urn:uuid:91b8245d-96e9-4591-b827-aa36b647db9d2019-08-16T01:20:03-04:002020-08-29T08:32:52-04:00Selenium and CoQ10 Provide Lasting Benefits: Reduced Cardiovascular Mortality Risk2019-04-30 11:46:00 -0400Anonymous<p><span class="dropcap">S</span>wedish seniors that took coenzyme Q10 and selenium during a four-year study were still benefiting 12 years later with a reduced cardiovascular mortality risk of more than 40 percent. In the original study, Linköping University researchers gave 443 independently living seniors over 70 years old either a placebo or 200 milligrams of CoQ10 and 200 micrograms of selenium per day. Those on the supplements showed a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, improved heart function, less hospitalization, more vitality and a better quality of life. Twelve years later, the researchers examined autopsies and death certificates, and found the supplement-takers had a lower risk of death compared to the placebo group, even if they had diabetes, high blood pressure or ischemic heart disease.</p>
<p class="fineprint"><br>
<em>This article appears in the May 2019 issue of </em>Natural Awakenings.</p>
<hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakenings.com">Natural Awakenings National</a></small></p>