Thursday, August 28, 2008

The Power of Consititutional Hydrotherapy

The body is largely comprised of water – so it makes sense that for thousands of years, water has been used to treat ailments of many varieties. The practice of hydrotherapy was revolutionized in the late 1800s by Dr. Otis G. Carroll, who found that combining hot and cold packs with mild electrical stimulation proved twice as effective in half the time of a traditional treatment. He called this “constitutional hydrotherapy,” a practice that is still as successful today as it was in Dr. Carroll’s time.

Constitutional hydrotherapy is named such because it changes the constitution of the cells, prompting them to rid themselves of waste products and work more effectively, thereby detoxifying the body and bringing it back into its proper balance. Alternate applications of hot and cold improve circulation, boost the body’s white cell count, increase the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream, and promote blood flow to the organs. The electrical current – which isn’t painful, just feels like a slight “buzzing” or tickling sensation – stimulates the muscles. In combination, the water and electricity work very well together, encouraging the body to heal itself naturally.

This type of treatment is useful for chronic conditions such as asthma, autoimmune conditions (fibromyalgia, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, etc.), migraines, even cancer. It can also be used to treat acute conditions: a sinus infection or bronchitis, for example. And if you aren’t ill, it can help keep you that way – since constitutional hydrotherapy helps the body to rid itself of waste and increases the amount of white blood cells, it’s a fantastic means of strengthening the immune system.

Water and electricity may normally be best kept apart, but in the case of constitutional hydrotherapy, they’re a perfect pair.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Lowering Cholesterol with Guggulipid

It may have a funny-sounding name, but Guggulipid is nothing to laugh at: it’s a seriously effective cholesterol-lowering supplement. Best of all, it’s 100% natural. Guggulipid, whose Latin name is Commiphora mukul, is a substance with origins to northern India where it is extracted from the gummy resin of the thorny mukul myrrh tree. Its use has been widespread and dates back at least 2,000 years, for various ailments from arthritis to hemorrhoids.

It was animal studies that initially recognized Guggulipid’s cholesterol-lowering properties. It was also found to protect the arteries against atherosclerosis, the hardening that leads to heart attacks. This prompted further studies, on humans, specifically to deduce what benefits Guggulipid had on cholesterol levels.

So how does it work? Guggulipid blocks the activity of a receptor that slows down the elimination of excess cholesterol. When the receptor is inhibited, the “flushing out” of cholesterol can continue. In addition, Guggulipid has been found to possess blood thinning and antioxidant properties as well, which also aid in the treatment and prevention of heart disease and elevated cholesterol levels.

If you would like to add Guggulipid to your health care regimen, be sure you’re choosing the proper supplement; not all are created equal. Here are some things to keep in mind.

• Beware of fillers and additives such as starch, gluten, silica, or artificial colors and flavors.

• Choose only a supplement that comes from a standardized extract. The resin that Guggulipid comes from contains several toxic substances, and only supplements from standardized extracts have had these removed.

• The nutritional supplement industry is largely unregulated, so do your homework on the manufacturing facility, its product standards, and quality control.

Though it is considered safe and effective, consult your physician if you are considering the replacement of your cholesterol-lowering drugs with Guggulipid.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Dangers of Parabens in Skin Products

It’s the time of year when we pay especially close attention to slathering ourselves with sunscreens and lotions. But as you’re squeezing your favorite skin care product out of the tube, have you ever stopped to examine what’s on the label?

Most body care products – including shampoos and conditioners, lotions, deodorants and antiperspirants, sunscreens, and cosmetics – include parabens, synthetic chemicals which act as preservatives. There are six primary types of parabens: benzyl, butyl, ethyl, isobutyl, methyl, and propyl. These petroleum-based chemicals prevent the growth of bacteria, and often two or more of the types are combined to further aid in extending the product’s shelf life. For quite a while, it seemed the only problem with these preservatives was the occasional allergic reaction. But more recent studies have forced consumers to take a closer look at the effects of parabens.

Parabens can have an effect on the body that closely mimics estrogen, which can lead to diminished muscle mass, extra fat storage, and even male breast growth. What’s more, a 2004 study published in the Journal of Applied Toxicology found a clear link between parabens and breast cancer; tissue samples from 20 different breast tumors contained traces of the preservative. The risk is especially high in leave-on products such as lotion and sunscreens, due to the prolonged amount of time that the body is exposed to the chemicals.

Luckily, more products are going “paraben-free.” If you’re looking for a lower-risk body care product, check the label for the following (safe!) preservatives:

Grapefruit seed extract
Potassium sorbate
Sorbic acid
Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
Retinyl (Vitamin A)
Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Testing for Vitamin D deficiency jumps by 80% over the past year!

Finally, conventional medicine is recognizing the importance of Vitamin D since a number of recent studies have shown that many Americans are deficient. Vitamin D is important for many different reasons. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, Vitamin D is important for absorption of calcium, modulation of the immune system, insulin secretion, blood pressure regulation, and for the prevention of muscle weakness, autoimmune disease and cancer.

So what is the best source of vitamin D for the human body? If you are like many, you would be surprised to learn from the sun! That’s right, good ole’ Mr. Sunshine. But the irony is that many of us do not get ENOUGH sunshine because we live in a society that is infatuated with dousing on sunscreen. One application of SPF 8 decreases absorption of Vitamin D by 95%. Now, sunscreen definitely has it place for use, especially, if you are going to be out in direct sunlight for long periods of time. However, too many people are applying this stuff all over their body day in and day out when the only sun exposure they get is walking from their car to the office and back into the car to go home. This is just ludicrous! The state of Arizona, land of the sun, is actually leading the US in the number of children who are deficient in vitamin D. EVERYONE should be getting at least 10-15 minutes of sun exposure 3-4 times a week to major body parts. Also, why are we not talking about other preventative ways like how our diet makes us more susceptible to skin cancer? After all, there are numerous studies illustrating how a diet high in Omega 6 oils and low in Omega 3 oils increase the chances of developing melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) and most Americans are not getting enough Omega 3s which, by the way, helps make a stronger heart and brain! Lastly, we must look at the long-term use of certain prescription drugs and how they can affect vitamin D levels. Phenytoin (Dilantin), fosphenytoin (Cerebyx), Phenobarbital (Luminal), carbamazepine (Tegretol), rifampin (Rimactane) and ketoconazole all have been shown to decrease Vitamin D levels.

There are many people who get melanoma that have never been sun worshippers. Maybe we need to be looking at other possible contributors besides Mr. Sunshine and remember that approximately 10,000 deaths occur due to skin cancer every year in the United States but around 13,000 deaths occur due to some sort of Vitamin D deficiency!

Friday, August 1, 2008

U.S. Health Care spending is out of control....

When we say that longevity is a positive thing, we fail to specify that we mean healthy longevity: as in, an extended life free of the trappings of medications and hospital beds – and the exorbitant costs associated with those things.

Currently, the United States spends more per patient on health care than any other country, and the costs are steadily rising. Such increases create a major economic problem, impeding the financial security of those dependent upon medical care. Necessary household expenses such as food and utilities are being pushed to the back burner in order to pay for medical bills. Businesses are having a harder time providing adequate funding for employees’ health coverage, and if they are able to keep up with the higher costs, it is usually at the expense of business developments such as employee training, equipment, or research.

A 2008 report released by PricewaterhouseCoopers indicates that of the $2.2 trillion spent annually on health care, a whopping $1.2 trillion of it is “wasteful spending” – including the “behavioral waste” category, which is money spent on preventable health issues such as obesity (an estimated $300 billion per year).
If you needed yet another reason to keep yourself fit, here it is: investing more in your health means investing less in your health care.

What’s the point of living longer if, in order to do that, we’re saddled with bills we’ll never be able to pay?