DECEMBER 13, 2012 MEN'S HEALTH: YOUR BALLS

" LIFE is a process , one that is continuously changing"

Life is a process within some progress. I do not want perfection, I want progress. As a perfectionist myself, I had to realize that I cannot be perfect, but I can slowly make progress in my life. I have done that in the last 18 years. I also had to give up on expectations of others and myself. If you have expectations of others, you will only get disappointed. I know this is a difficult ' character defect" to let go of, but it is needed. Without any expectations, you will not get disappointed but sometimes you may even get surprised.


It is important for men to get up close and personal with their testicles. This is especially important for men ages 20-30. Men at this age are at an increased risk for testicular cancer. It is a rare cancer for men over the age 50. White Caucasian are more at risk. There are other risk factors including family history, fertility issues and if the patient developed orchitis secondary to mumps ( rare)

Yet it is important for men--yes you who are reading this  examine your testicle. Men, both straight and gay spend a lot of time talking about their testicles. You refer them as your nuts, balls, or nads. Very rarely does a man discuss his nads with their partner, whether man or woman.
If you have a lump in your testicle, a pulling sensation or some fluid , you need to be seen by your physician.

Testicular Cancer is very curable.If you have cancer and have it removed, you can still have children. You do not get testicular cancer from cycling ( of note: Lance Armstrong)

THIS IS THE MAJOR POINT:   MEN NEED TO GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THEIR TESTICLES.

Until tomorrow...

DECEMBER 10, 2012 CANCER PREVENTING FOODS

We all musty protect ourselves against cancer, whether there is a family history of not. The environment causes cancer. The air we breathe, tyhe food we eat and the environment are risk factors for cancer.Keep eating fish, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Please be careful for the fish that contains mercury. This are tuna, sushi and swordfish. See www.vitalchoice.com for a full list of healthy fish. Two superstar heart disease protectors in these foods may also help fight cancer. Antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids may be more powerful than we knew.

Found in fatty fish and certain nuts and seeds, omega-3 fatty acids help protect your heart. Studies show they help maintain brain function. Experts are also looking at how well omega-3 fatty acids can protect against age-related mental decline, eye diseases, arthritis, and others conditions.
Some experts think omega-3s may help protect against cancer. "Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to reduce inflammation in the body. And a variety of cancers have been linked to chronic inflammation," says Sarah Rafat, RD, a senior dietitian at MD Anderson Cancer Center. I utilize mroe than 4 grams ( 4,000 mg ) of EPA for most patients.

Cancers with a link to inflammation include:
1. Colorectal
2. Liver
3. Lung
4. Prostate

Omega-3s also seem to restrict tumor cell growth, and may cause cancer cells to self-destruct.  Diet and cancer studies show mixed results. Some suggest that a diet that's rich in omega-3s can protect you against certain cancers. Other studies show no benefit.



There's not enough proof to conclude that loading up on fatty fish or taking fish oil capsules will slow down or reverse your condition if you already have cancer. But several studies do suggest that a diet rich in omega-3s helps some cancer patients tolerate chemotherapy better. Fatty acids from fish may also help patients maintain weight and muscle mass. Expert suggestions: The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fatty fish a week. If you don't eat fish, you can get omega-3s from canola oil and flax. Talk to your doctor before you start taking supplements. There is a link between high levels of omega-3s in the blood and an aggressive form of prostate cancer, according to scientists at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Many fruits, vegetables, and other foods that are rich in antioxidants lower the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, some eye diseases, and various forms of cancer. Getting a single antioxidant from a pill, such as vitamin C or beta carotene, isn’t as protective. Supplements don't seem to protect against cancer or help fight it. Some antioxidants may even increase the risk of certain cancers. Experts also worry that high doses of antioxidants may reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

What we know so far: "We tell our patients to focus on food," says Veronica McLymont, PhD, director of food and nutrition services at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. "Foods contain a mix of many different antioxidants, along with other nutrients and fiber. The more colorful your diet is the better, since antioxidants and other phytochemicals are often what give fruits and vegetables their color."



Remember : " You are what you eat " - Marion Nestle
Also rememebr: ROTATE ALL YOUR FOODS


Berries

Leafy green vegetables

Sweet peppers

Tomatoes

DECEMBER 6, 2012 INFLAMMATORY HERBS

" To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die;  a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted"
                                                                                        --King Solomon

Not everyone will like the taste of a herbal tea blend. The herbal tastes can be bitter, sour, sweet and salty. Examples of bitter herbs are bayberry, sweet bay, fenugreek, thyme vervain horehound and lobelia. Examples of sour herbs are rose hips and many other sour fruits; The examples of sweet herbs are anise, slippery elm, fennel and angelica. The salty herbs are chickweed, okra, mullein, plantain and marsh mellow.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) has done extensive studies and research on Curcumin. This is the active component in tumeric. The herb is Curcuma longa. The oral absorption of curcumin is generally poor due to its low solubility and instability in the intestinal environment.
There are many herbs I would use to help regulate the inflammatory response mechanisms and the detoxification enzymes. Both play a crucial role in supporting the cardiovascular , immune, neurological, joint and connective tissue functions.

I use the following the following herbs to maintain a natural balance of the cyclo oxygenase enzymes ( COX 1 and COX 2). I want the body to be in harmony. I want the herbs to scavenge free radicals and save the body.

In addition to Curcumin I would use

1. Rosemary ( Rosmarnus officinalis)
2. Holy Basil ( Ocimum tenuuiflorum)
3. Green tea ( Camellia sinensis )
4. Gunger ( Zingiber officinalis)
5. Barberry ( Berberis vulgaris)
6. Japanese knotwood ( Polygonum cuspidatum)

Until tomorrow...

DECEMBER 5, 2012 MSM

" I consider you the only true genius in the world."
     Salvador Dali to Federico Garcia Lorca

There is one supplement I use for inflammation. I use it for the lungs and general inflammation of the body. It is great for muscle aches and pains. It is MSM. The name is methylsufonylmethane. There are very little research to support the health claims of MSM. Yet clinically in high doses I find it very useful.
It has demonstrated high levels of safety and usefulness as a ready source of sulphur. It is bio available sulphur. If you are ALLERGIC to sulphur drugs you WILL NOT be allergic to MSM. Sulphur is an important mineral for the detoxification pathways, connective tissue metabolism, antibody formation, and the synthesis of other organo sulphur compounds.

For added sulphur metabolism use the trace mineral , molybdenum. For a starting dose I recommend 1500 mg in divided doses, and within 3 days increase to 1500 mg twice a day.

To get higher doses I generally ask my patients to use MSM powders. In a powdered form I can get real high doses as 6 to 9 grams/day in divided doses
Until tomorrow..

DECEMBER 4, 2012 USEFUL NUTRIENTS FOR THE LUNGS

" WE  are meant to be at home and comfortable in the world. "

There are many useful nutrients for the lungs. The most useful are the omega 3 fatty acids. These can be derived from food sources as fish, flax, eggs, walnuts, cod liver oil and chia seeds. You must have your veggies and fruits to get ascorbic acid or Vitamin C.
Get plenty of Vitamin A ( beta carotene and beta carotene) from carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, spinach, papaya and peppers.
If you do not like spinach for the folate ( folic acid) then eat some other dark leafy greens. You can also have asparagus, broccoli, beets, cauliflower, and lima beans
The vitamin of the last decade is Vitamin D. You need to get fish oils in the diet if you do not like fish.
You must also have a good quality fish without mercury.

I would suggest  www.vitalchoice.com 

 Eat sardines, mackerel and herring
As we age we need more dietary calcium from leafy greens, peas, beans, brazil nuts, hazelnuts and sesame seeds.
The only food source for bromelain is the pineapple

Until tomorrow...

DECEMBER 3, 2012 20 TIPS FOR HEALTHY LUNGS

 

 

" Knowledge of what is possible is the beginning of happiness." George Santayana
Just knowing you can happy should be enough. Sometimes it is not, and we each search for happiness. Happiness might be in your own backyard, but then again it might not be. Knowledge is a very powerful tool. Do not waste the knowledge you can acquire in your lifetime. Learning is part of life.    


We all need to keep our lungs healthy during the winter. There are many common respiratory ailments as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema ( also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease- COPD), pneumonia, cancer, sinusitis and  even allergies 

These are some helpful tips for healthy lungs:

1. Get regular exercise, especially aerobic
2. Do exercises to build your abdominal wall
3. Consider yoga, tai chi and belly dancing
4. Deep breathing every day . You can do meditation breathing 4-7-8
5. Avoid exercising in e work polluted air
6. Do not smoke
7. Avoid building or the work area with poor ventilation

8. Use all natural cleaners

9. Change heating/cooling filters monthly
10. Test your home for radon
11. Keep pet clean and brushed to reduce shedding
12. Reduce the humidity of your home
13. Cough occasionally to clear your lungs
14. Do not overeat
15. Improve your diet; check your food allergies
16. Drink plenty of water
17. Keep the bowels moving
18. Do some bodywork
19. Remove old carpeting and replace with wood floors

20. ALWAYS KEEP A CLEAN HOME

DECEMBER 14, 2012 FESTIVE BREAKFAST SYRUP

" There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune"       -William Shakespeare

So, I would to say that I am a cook. I am not. I love to eat wonderful foods. Rick and I had a taste of Jennifer Esposito's new cookie with raspberry jam on the top.See www.jennifersway.org  It seems every week there is a new cookie or bread being made by her. I asked her to put almond butter on the top next time.
So with her new pancake mix , now available at www.longevitynutritionals.com I want a new light syrup to put on the top. I can always blend blueberries and pour them on the top of the pancakes.
I wanted something cool refreshing and medicinal. So I pick Ginger (Zingiber officinalis) and for its bromelain content, pineapple. The is the GINGERED PINEAPPLE SYRUP You can use papaya for the enzyme papain, This would be GINGERED PAPAYA SYRUP.
This will yield 1 cup which can be kept in the refrigerator for one month.

1. 1 cup of chopped fresh pineapple or papaya
2.  1/2 cup of maple syrup
3. 3 teaspoons of finely grated fresh ginger

Place all in a blender. Finely pureed.
Pour contents into a small saucepan. Simmer until the syrup is infused with the ginger and aromatic 2 - 3 minutes. Strain the syrup, pressing on the pulp to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the pulp
and serve at once or refrigerate.
Please reheat before serving if int he refrigerator.

DID YOU KNOW SHE HAS FLOUR AND PANCAKE MIX ?

 NOW AVAILABLE !

You can obtain at www.longevitynutritionals.com or www.jennifersway.org

Until tomorrow...