FREE Nutritional Information

In a recent Weekly Standard news magazine, an article by Wesley J. Smith offers this insight.
Commenting on a government report just issued "Taking Care: Ethical Care Giving in Our Aging Society" he states:

" America is a fast-aging society. There are already 4.9 million of us who are 85 or older. By 2030, there will be 9.6 million. Between 2000 and 2050, the population of people aged 65-74 will nearly double to 35 million, and those between the ages of 75 and 84 will increase from 12 million to 26 million. This means that in 2050, more than 60 million Americans will be senior citizens - a population equivalent to France today.

For some, this will work out just fine. As the report notes, many of our elderly are actually "young old" - that is, they are younger and healthier at their age than were members of any previous generation - a trend likely to continue. At the same time,
our extended life expectancies - about a third of us already live to age 85 -will likely result in vastly increasing numbers of demented and dependent people who will need to be cared for."

He goes on to say that this will lead to a "care giving crisis," which raises urgent and pressing questions: Who will care for the millions of people who can't care for themselves? How will we care for them? "

A more urgent question in my opinion would be: Will you be part of the "young old" population or the growing number of " demented and dependent people who will need to be cared for"? You do have a choice and we are all ultimately
responsible for our own health. Yes? Read on...educate yourself...take responsibility...so you can be the care-GIVER.

The following information is just part of what I have found by my own research. I hope it will help you in your search for health. Keep coming back for updated information.

EATING FOR A SHARPER MIND

By Psychology Today.com

Crossword puzzles alone won’t save your brain and protect it from aging, though they will help. So will the right foods. Some edibles are especially good at protecting the brain’s delicate nerve cells and blood vessels from the damage that accompanies aging. Most of them squelch free radicals, the renegade oxygen molecules spun off as the brain goes about the business of the mind. Most of the foods that are smartest for the brain are also good for the heart because both rely on a steady oxygen supply. The risks for cardiovascular disease correlate with risks for cognitive decline.

Blueberries
Sweet wild blueberries are bursting with antioxidants, which mop up nasty free radicals. Studies of rats show that a blueberry-rich diet improves memory and motor skills and reverses age-related declines in balance and coordination. Chemicals in blueberries affect the contractile machinery of arteries, and therefore have a good affect on blood pressure. Elevated blood pressure can damage delicate blood vessels in the brain and can lead to strokes.

Dark Leafy Greens

Chemicals called homocysteines are a normal part of protein metabolism, but high levels are linked with cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (as well as heart disease), which accounts for most cases of dementia in the U.S. According to Katherine Tucker, director of the dietary assessment research program at the Human Nutrition Research Center of Aging, “homocysteine has a toxic effect on arterial walls, and oxidation corrodes the arterial walls too, which makes them a bad combination.” In order to break themselves down, homocysteines require folate and B12 or B6, vitamins found in vegetables like collard greens and swiss chard.

Spinach research has finally caught up with mom’s advice: Spinach turns out to be full of antioxidant power. James Joseph, chief of the Neurosciences Laboratory of the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, finds spinach beneficial in slowing down age-related problems in the central nervous system and cognitive deficits. A salad with spinach has more than three times the amount of folate than one with iceberg lettuce.

Whole Grains and Brown Rice

One of the best things you can do to improve intake of nutrients is to switch to brown rice. It’s filled with vitamins and magnesium, which seems to be important to cognitive health. Whole grains contain vitamin B6, which aids in reducing homocysteine levels. Americans often don’t get enough vitamin B6, because they mostly eat processed foods.

Nuts, Notably Almonds and Walnuts

Adding to their party-mix appeal, nuts are rich in antioxidants and have been found to lower blood cholesterol levels. A Harvard study showed that women who ate more than five ounces of nuts per week had a significantly lower risk of coronary heart disease than those who ate an ounce or less. And, they don’t contribute to weight gain as much as other kinds of fatty foods. Walnuts are rich in omega-3s.

Olive Oil

A staple of the highly touted “Mediterranean Diet,” olive oil contains the potent antioxidants called polyphenols, Olive oil has been shown to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The extra-virgin variety is best.

Garlic

This pungent herb fends off aging via its antioxidant properties. It also contains strong antibacterial and antiviral compounds that help shake off stress-induced colds and infections. Raw, crushed garlic is best; cooked garlic is less powerful but still benefits the cardiovascular system.

Dr. Blaylock: Cholesterol Drugs Linked to Cancer

Dr. Russell Blaylock writes in his Blaylock Wellness Report:

For the past several years there has been a propaganda blitz not seen since the government poisoned our drinking water with fluoride.

This latest blitz began with misinformation implying that dietary cholesterol is the cause of arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and that only drugs can prevent heart attacks and strokes by lowering this cholesterol.

The fact that 50 percent of all strokes and heart attacks have absolutely nothing to do with elevated cholesterol levels has been kept from the public eye and from physicians' medical education.

Based on the buzz, you could conclude that if you solve your cholesterol problem, you won't suffer heart disease or a stroke.

That is a big lie.

But if you visit your doctor and have even slightly elevated cholesterol, he is quick to fill out a prescription for a statin drug such as Lipitor™, Mevacor™, Pravachol™ and Zocor™.

If you watch one of those Lipitor commercials, you'll think that you'll be taking a walk down the red carpet at a Hollywood premiere or still be diving into pools at 70 if you take

Lipitor, so even if you don't need a statin, you may beg your doctor to write that prescription.

What the public is not told is that the statin drugs are associated with major complications and side effects.

These include depletion of the body's essential energy molecule coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which can lead to congestive heart failure, extreme muscle weakness, neurological disorders and even death.

And all statin drugs have been associated with causing or promoting cancer in experimental animals. This is especially important since millions of Americans have been advised to take these drugs for the rest of their lives.

It will take 20 years before the connection between the statins and a dramatic rise in cancer deaths becomes widely acknowledged - too late for many people!

5 Questions Men Don't Ask Their Doctors

by Rich Maloof for MSN Health & Fitness

Everyone has questions that go unasked and unanswered at the doctor's office. Whether out of embarrassment or the underlying fear that something may be seriously wrong, men may try to avoid asking about unusual pains or irregular symptoms. From hernia exams to tender testicles, here are answers to 5 questions you may have wondered about.

Q. Why do I have to turn my head and cough during a hernia exam?

A. Notice that when you cough, the muscles in your abdomen tighten and flex. That increase in abdominal pressure can make a hernia pop out, making it easier for a doctor to detect. Though hernias usually present as a bulge, you could easily have a hernia and not know it.

Another reason is to diagnose varicoceles, which are varicose veins of the testicles. With a good cough, the veins will protrude much like the veins in your neck do. Varicoceles are the most common cause of infertility in men.

The doctor asks patients to turn their heads to avoid being coughed on all day.

Q. Is it true that you never really get rid of herpes?

A. There is not a cure for herpes nor is there a vaccine to prevent it yet.

The herpes simplex virus (HSV1 is oral herpes; HSV2 is genital) remains in nerve cells for life. When active, which can be several times a year, HSV travels along nerves to the skin, where sores become apparent. After a recurrence, the virus travels to the bottom of the spine and remains dormant there until the next outbreak.

But herpes is manageable. Controlling outbreaks is vital both for your comfort and for preventing contagion. Talk to a health-care professional about taking care of sores and the medications available to speed healing.

Women who have had genital herpes and intend to get pregnant should consult their ob-gyn to learn what measures will ensure the baby’s safety and health. Also, the annual Pap smear is a must.

Herpes is a sexually transmitted disease, and a popular one at that. Government statistics from 2003 estimated that one out of five Americans over the age of 12 was infected with genital herpes.

Q. Is it true that there is a male birth control pill?

A. No. There is no male birth control approved for use, and it’s unlikely one will be developed. The best options for men are wearing a condom, having a vasectomy, or abstinence.

Interestingly, testosterone—the hormone that gives men sex drive and erections—has contraceptive side effects. When it’s taken as a hormone supplement the testicles get the message that there’s already enough testosterone in the bloodstream, and sperm production is halted. Long-term testosterone therapy will lead to zero sperm count. (This is why steroids make men sterile.)

Testosterone supplements, which come as a gel or by injection, are FDA-approved only for hormone treatment—not for contraception. Also note that the testosterone pills available outside the U.S. can damage the liver and should not be used.

Q. Can stress cause body odor?

A. Indirectly, stress can contribute to BO. But don’t blame it all on your boss, your bills or even your overactive sweat glands.

The body uses different sweat glands for stress than for physical exertion. Anxiety stimulates the glands in the armpits, in the groin and on the scalp, palms and feet. Unlike the salty sweat that covers our chest and back when we need to cool down, stress sweat is fatty—which makes it an especially fine meal for bacteria.

Perspiration is itself odorless. But when bacteria on skin and clothes begins breaking down fatty sweat, that stinks.

The solution? Minimize the bacteria on your body by showering regularly and wearing clean clothes. Use deodorant, which not only masks odor but makes the skin acidic and therefore less inhabitable to bacteria.

It’s not complicated. Perhaps your co-workers will even chip in for soap.

Q. What causes tenderness in the testicles, besides injury?

A. Any noticeable soreness or tenderness in the testes should be brought to the attention of a urologist immediately. It may very well be nothing, but here are some things that could be wrong:

Epididymitis is an infection of the epididymis, the long tube coiled up behind each testicle that acts as a veritable “swimming school for sperm”—sperm enter relatively immobile and exit the other end doing a flutter kick. It’s the most common infection of the testicular area, and the usual suspect is the sexually transmitted disease chlamydia.

Testicular cancer typically presents as a lump on a testicle. Though usually painless, the area will sometimes be tender. TC is the most common but also one of the most treatable cancers in males ages 15 to 45.

Torsion sounds a lot like “torture,” and that’s regretfully accurate. Each testicle hangs on a thin stalk called the spermatic cord, and when no ligaments attach the cord to the scrotum (a condition known as bell clapper deformity), the testicle can spin freely. The cord gets twisted and cuts off blood to the testicle. As you might guess, it’s accompanied by acute pain. Torsion is a surgical emergency because the testicle can die within hours.

Gentlemen, you may be seated.