Archive for June, 2009

In today’s economy it’s hard to find a company that in reality looks out for children. Nordic Naturals is one company that does. Along with their omega-3 EFAs for adults they have a whole line of vitamins and omega-3 essential fatty acids for children.

I remember when I was a child my mother would give my brother and I cod liver oil. It tasted terrible but we were told it was good for us. Now Nordic Naturals has come out with a new product for children, the “ultimate fish oil gummie” for two year olds and above. It’s a gourmet treat made with purified fish oil from anchovies and sardines, sources of high quality EPA and DHA, and has a natural tangerine flavor.

Nordic Naturals was founded with an interest in children’s products because U.S. children were not receiving adequate levels of the essential omega fats in their diet.

Nordic Naturals distributes 150 plus products in over 20 countries on all 7 continents and is the international leader in omega-3 fish oils and EFA blends. To ensure the health of your children go to your health food store or visit www.nordicnaturals.com.

Dr. Joseph Maroon in his book THE LONGEVITY FACTOR has some interesting information about eating an apple a day. There are many scientific studies today supporting the benefits of eating an apple a day as the old adage goes.

The health benefits:

·         Lowers blood cholesterol

·         Inhibits triglyceride absorption

·         Has an antiobesity affect

·         Enhances fat metabolism and insulin sensitivity

·         Protects the colon from free-radical damage

The Longevity Factor, Dr. Joseph Maroon, p. 181

I recently read this wonderful passage on hormones in Suzanne Somers book BREAKTHROUGH that I would like to share with my readers. (1)

“Because hormones do so much for the body. Your body contains more than one hundred different types of hormones, and they pour into your bloodstream at the rate of thousands of billions of units a day. Hormones regulate your heartbeat and your breathing. Hormones make men men and women women. Hormones put you to sleep at night and they wake you up in the morning. They control your blood pressure, build up bone, maintain muscle tone, and lubricate joints. Hormones govern growth; they make the body produce energy and heat. Hormones burn fat. Hormones govern the menstrual cycle and allow pregnancy (and birth) to occur. They fight stress, prevent fatigue, calm anxiety, and relieve depression. Hormones make and keep memories. Hormones maintain the correct level of sugar in the blood and tissues. They resist allergic reactions and infections. They soothe pain. Hormones control your sex drive, virility, and fertility. They stimulate your brain and your immune system. For all these reasons I am passionate about the subject.” Dr. Thierry Hertoghe, the most respected doctor in his field and known all over Europe as the “father of bioidenticals”.

I am learning so much more about health as I steer away from pharmaceuticals and look at the world of opportunities for real health care and not living on synthetic drugs and poisoned food. I would encourage all my readers to read Suzanne Somers book BREAKTHROUGH.

1)      Suzanne Somers, Breakthrough, p. 130

“Dramatic new scientific discoveries have unlocked the genetic secrets to a longer healthier life.” (1) So begins Dr Joseph Maroon’s chapter on polyphenols compounds among them resveratrol in his book The Longevity Factor.

The story of resveratrol is unfolding dramatically as we find out more of its benefits as a life lengthening polyphenol.

Dr Maroon outlines in his book four ways to access the secrets of genetics to live longer and healthier.

1.      Eat and drink natural foods with the highest polyphenol antioxidant content, such as red wine, grape juice, green tea, dark chocolate, and apples.

2.      Take supplements containing superconcentrated polyphenol and resveratrol from natural sources.

3.      Take resveratrol with or without additional polyphenols, as a dietary supplement.

4.      Use a prescription resveratrol-like drug. ( p.168)

Some people feel that this is “new age” alternative medicine. But the earliest recorded use of polyphenols to cure disease dates back to the French explorer Jacques Cartier when he was in North America in 1534. The Native Americans revived him and his crew who were near death with a concoction of pine bark and needles that were extremely rich in a particular polyphenol called procyanidin. Today this potent antioxidant is marketed as pycnogenol for its effect on the heart and blood vessels. This belongs to the family of polyphenols that provide health benefits that are found in red wine, chocolate, blueberries, cranberries and more.

 1) Dr. Joseph Maroon, The Longevity Factor

Whenever I start with a new client I talk about four basic principles. First is breathing, second is meditation, third is nutrition and fourth is exercise, and not necessarily in that order.

As I read Chunyi Lin, who has a master’s degree in holistic healing and a certified International Qigong Master, he is saying that these four principles are the four basic elements to qigong.

Chunyi Lin says breathing is the most important and following the proper breathing technique helps to restore health and vitality.

Most people breathe at a resting rate of 12 to 20 breaths a minute. Dr. Greg Plotnikoff told me the ideal is eight breaths a minute for a resting rate. Shallow breathing only fills about 60 percent of your lung capacity. Taking just 15 minutes a day (longer is better) you begin to improve your health. Practicing slow, deep breathing everyday will help your body relax more and relieve your body’s negative reactions to stress.

Are you stressed out at times? Take slow deep breaths that fill your lungs for 15 minutes a day and see how it improves your life.

A recent Harvard study reported that women who drank one or more fructose-sweetened soft drinks per day were 83 percent more like to develop type-2 diabetes than women who drank less than one a month. Correspondingly they also gained more weight.

The liver performs over 500 vital functions, including:

·         Producing cholesterol and  special proteins to carry fats throughout the body

·         Converting excess sugar into glycogen for storage

·         Regulating blood levels of amino acids, which form building blocks of proteins

·         Clearing the blood of drugs and other poisonous substances

·         Regulating blood clotting

·         Producing immune factors and removing bacteria from the bloodstream

Excessive drinking of alcoholic drinks can lead to fatty liver, hepatitis, or cirrhosis.

In studies with mice giving resveratrol along with alcohol produced the same effect as if not drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. More studies need to be done but this may help recovering alcoholics lead a more normal life.

Dr. Joseph Maroon, THE LONGEVITY FACTOR, pp. 137-8

Good news= more people are going to organic food

Bad news= the U.S. organic sector is becoming more dependent on imported ingredients

Good news= the current roll of organics was up 15.8 percent in 2008

Bad news= in 2004, 13 percent of organic handlers failed to meet market demand for at least one of their products

Good news= certified organic acreage has doubled since 1997; organic food sales have quintupled over the same period, from 3.6 billion to 21.1 billion last year

Bad news= food handlers look to foreign markets which are often cheaper due to lower labor costs

Good news= in 2007 USDA certified 27,000 producers or handlers worldwide to the U.S. organic standard: 16,000 U.S. and 11,000 in 100 foreign countries

Bad news= USDA wants to lower the standards for the term “organic”

(That’s why some small organic farmers don’t bother to lower their standards to the U.S. standard)

According to the Hartman Group, a market research organization, 69 percent of Americans bought organic in 2008.

In 2008 Congress included provisions to provide direct financial support to farmers to convert to organic production. (I don’t know how this is working for the small farmer.)

As Dr. Joseph Maroon points out it is crucial that we understand the role of genes and aging and longevity: two different processes. Genes govern the cellular repair of damaged cells and regulates new cell growth. In this way they determine the longevity of life. If we lose our ability to repair damaged cells we age prematurely. When we exercise, diet and reduce our stress levels, our genes maintain healthy repair mechanisms and ensure longevity.

It sounds simple enough but it is very important to our overall health.

For more on this subject check out Dr. Maroon’s book THE LONGEVITY FACTOR.