Having trouble falling — and staying — asleep? The culprit may be additives in your food. Aspartame, MSG, artificial coloring, nitrates, and even soy contain “excitotoxins.”These chemicals can alter brain chemistry and lead to insomnia. (more…)
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Having trouble falling — and staying — asleep? The culprit may be additives in your food. Aspartame, MSG, artificial coloring, nitrates, and even soy contain “excitotoxins.”These chemicals can alter brain chemistry and lead to insomnia. (more…)
Do you depend on the major media for your health information? If so, you may think osteoporosis affects only women. (more…)
Speaking of making yourself happier and your life easier, there are serious health benefits to both of these good habits. A recent study, for example, has confirmed that stress and anger can be linked to heart disease.
The researchers looked at 150 married couples. None of them had ever been diagnosed with heart disease. Each couple was asked to choose an issue that caused conflict (more…)
It seems like I receive at least one e-mail every day from someone asking about herbs that can treat anxiety and help them sleep.
As a result of the ongoing recession, this problem has become commonplace. According to a poll by the American Psychological Association, 80 percent of respondents reported significant stress because of the economy. And the National Sleep Foundation’s 2009 Sleep in America poll found that nearly one-third of people surveyed weren’t sleeping well due to increased anxiety.
Many are visiting their doctors to get sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medications. However, you don’t have to go the pharmaceutical route. There are plenty of natural alternatives. Exercise, deep sleep, and yoga, for example, have been proven to help many. Meditation and prayer works for others. In addition, there are several over-the-counter supplements to consider.
Kava is one of the most potent anti-anxiety herbs. In a recent study, Australian researchers gave 60 adults with chronic anxiety symptoms either kava or a placebo for one week. The second week, placebo patients were switched to kava and kava patients to the placebo. Anxiety symptoms declined for the patients on the kava extract, as did depression symptoms in some – often within an hour or two after taking it. However, there have been rare reports of liver damage when kava has been used daily. For this reason, I recommend taking kava no more than three days a week.
Another herb I like is passionflower. Its effects (which include relaxation and sleepiness) begin in an hour or two. Passionflower is quite safe, and can be used on the days when kava is not taken.
Ashwagandha is an Ayurvedic herb that many find helpful in easing tension.
Certain amino acids and related compounds are popular for stress relief. These include 5-HTP, GABA, and theanine. I personally have not found GABA to be very effective, although some people really like it. 5-HTP helps to balance mood, reduces tension, and – like theanine – helps with sleep. The timing of these supplements depends on the severity of your anxiety. They can be taken during the day if you are very anxious. But if your symptoms are milder and you just need a natural pill to help you relax after work, they can be taken in the early evening.
If you are still having trouble sleeping, I have formulated an excellent product called Good Night Rx. A capsule is taken 2 to 4 hours before bed on an empty stomach, and the vast majority of users find they get a deeper and more restful sleep with hardly any side effects. Wait at least a half hour after taking Good Night Rx before eating dinner or a late snack.
[Ed. Note: If you are sick of sleepless nights and anxiety because of the recession, now's your chance to do something about it! Start your own Internet business and you could achieve financial freedom once and for all. And you don't have to do it alone. Get expert guidance from some of the top Internet marketers in the industry right here.
For more on Good Night Rx - and dozens of other natural anxiety-fighting and sleep-inducing options - visit the website of Ray Sahelian, MD, at www.raysahelian.com. You can also purchase Good Night Rx straight from Dr. Sahelian by clicking here.]
Years ago, while I was living in California, there was a saying: “Curb your enthusiasm.”
It’s an important saying to know when doing business. Sometimes you can get so excited about what you’re doing or offering that you make foolish decisions.
Happens all the time.
My friend Kim Wood, an NFL strength coach for 27 years, points out: “An animal on the attack is cautious almost to the point of cowardice.”
Fascinating, eh?
Picture a cheetah running 70 mph after a deer or antelope. He doesn’t appear to be cautious at all. Yet prior to that 70 mph burst, the cheetah had very carefully stalked his prey and scoped out the terrain. He does not simply take off on a sprint as soon as he’s hungry.
So the key to enthusiasm is balance. Same with confidence.
There’s confidence and over-confidence. There’s enthusiasm and over-enthusiasm.
Conversely, there is under-enthusiasm and under-confidence. I think most people who are struggling fall into the “under” category. They don’t need to curb their enthusiasm. They need to unleash it.
Enthusiasm for what you do and what you’re attempting to do is a cornerstone of success. Without it, you cannot accomplish much. As Emerson wrote, “Nothing great was ever accomplished without enthusiasm.”
At the same time, being too enthusiastic, too confident, and too positive can hurt you. It’s a matter of balance.
When I was studying shuai jiao kung fu years ago, Dr. Daniel Weng once told me, “A strength overextended becomes a weakness.”
How true.
And lest you think this applies only to martial arts – think again. It applies to everything you do in life. It also applies to every virtue.
Even love.
[Ed. Note: Matt Furey, an internationally recognized expert in self-development, fitness, and martial arts, is president of the Psycho-Cybernetics Foundation, Inc. With Matt's 101 Ways to Magnetize Money, you can learn the REAL SECRETS of financial success known only to the most prosperous men and women who have ever lived. Find out more right here.]
The biggest breakthrough in anti-aging medicine in our lifetime involves telomere biology.
Each time your cells divide, they copy your DNA to make the new cell. But the telomeres – the sections of DNA at both ends of a chromosome – get shorter with every copy. And the shorter your telomeres are, the “older” the cell acts.
Once the telomeres get to their shortest length, your cells can no longer divide, and damaged or diseased cells aren’t replaced. This causes a chain reaction that weakens your tissues and organs. And that can only lead to disease… and, ultimately, death.
Fortunately, there are some ways to start to slow down the rate at which your telomeres are shortening right now…
1. Lower your homocysteine levels. According to a report in the journal Atherosclerosis,high levels of this amino acid can shorten your telomeres as much as 3 times faster.
I help my patients lower their homocysteine levels by having them supplement daily with the following:
You can find these supplements at your local health food store. If you don’t want to take them all separately, you can use the same formula I give my patients.
2. Take vitamin C. This inexpensive supplement is a powerful antioxidant. And recent studies – including one reported in the journal Life Sciences - show it can slow telomere shortening by over 50 percent. I recommend 2,000 mg per day to my patients.
3. Take SOD. Besides protecting your cells from the damage of toxins and stress, SOD (superoxide dismutase) has been shown to slow the rate of telomere shortening. I recommend 500 mg a day. You can find it at your local health food store. Or you can check out my formula, which contains SOD as well as other potent cell protectors.
[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears is a practicing physician and the author of The Doctor's Heart Cure. He is also a nutritional expert, a fitness expert, and is certified by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. Find Dr. Sears's practical solutions and get immediate access to more than 500 of his articles by visiting www.alsearsmd.com.
For more expert recommendations on how to feel better and live longer, check out ETR's FREE natural health newsletter.]
By Don Hauptman
Here’s another compilation of errors, all spotted during my routine reading of various print publications:
Note that the above are most likely not simple typos but rather what I call “errors of ignorance” – mistakes that neither the writers nor their editors caught.
[Ed Note: For more than three decades, Don Hauptman was an award-winning independent direct-response copywriter and creative consultant. He is author of The Versatile Freelancer, an e-book recently published by AWAI that shows writers and other creative professionals how to diversify their careers into speaking, consulting, training, and critiquing.]
Are food manufacturers and government officials so callous that they are actually using children as guinea pigs when it comes to food labeling?
Apparently so, according to the Chicago Tribune’s 2008 investigative report on hidden allergens in popular food products. Hidden food allergens are part of the reason that an estimated 30,000 Americans are rushed to the emergency room each year and another 150 die – most of them children.
The issue was brought to light when three-year-old Patrick Pridemore ate Wellshire Kids’ Dinosaur Shapes Chicken Bites and began having trouble breathing. His mother jabbed his leg with an epi needle and rushed him to the hospital, where, thankfully, he recovered.
Patrick has a severe allergy to wheat, and the packaging label said the product was “gluten-free” (containing no wheat, rye, or barley proteins). Mrs. Pridemore meticulously scrutinizes labels to ensure that Patrick is not exposed to gluten.
Amazingly, when she contacted Wellshire and the USDA to report Patrick’s health crisis, neither organization would test the product to confirm the presence of gluten. The Tribune then sent the chicken bites to a leading food allergy lab on two separate occasions, and both times gluten was found. But this was still not enough for the manufacturer to recall or relabel the product. Whole Foods was the only retail outlet to remove the chicken bites and two other suspected Wellshire products from its stores.
The logical question to ask now is who’s accountable for accurate food labeling? And the shocking answer is no one. Government regulators allow food companies to police themselves when it comes to package labeling and recalls. And while larger manufacturers are more diligent about testing their products for allergens, smaller companies often do no testing, or very little, because it is not required.
When products are recalled, both the manufacturer and the FDA are often lax when it comes to issuing statements and press releases to the public. And when a press release is issued, it’s often watered down to the point where the true health risks are obscured.
Even worse, the Tribune report found that nearly 50 percent of the allergy-related food recalls in the past 10 years were not disclosed to consumers – and 2,800 products were recalled.
So, where does that leave the 11 million adults and children in the U.S. who have food and digestive allergies? For all intents and purposes, pretty much fending for themselves.
And that’s where the ELL Foundation comes in. ELL (Eat, Learn, Live) is a non-profit organization that advocates for more complete and accurate food allergen labeling. Currently, it may be the best resource for consumers who depend on accurate food labeling to prevent severe allergic reactions.
If you log on to their website, you’ll find a list of current FDA recalls. You’ll also be able to check their database of food allergy incidents reported by members. This is important, because the incidents may have been ignored by the manufacturer – meaning high-risk products are still on store shelves.
ELL encourages consumers “to share their mislabeling experiences by submitting a report through its website,” which is then shared with the public. (Your personal information is protected.) They also provide information on the steps to take if you have had an allergic reaction to a mislabeled food – including how to file a complaint with the FDA and the manufacturer. And if you want to have an ingredient analysis done on the suspected product allergen, ELL provides contact information for the University of Nebraska’s Food Allergy Research & Resource Program (FARRP). The service is free if an allergic reaction occurred because of a mislabeled food.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 3 million American children under the age of 18 have a food or digestive allergy – and that number is growing at an alarming rate. From the Tribune’s report, we know that we can’t sit back and wait for food manufacturers and the FDA to protect them from life-threatening allergic reactions due to mislabeling. What we can do as private citizens is get involved by helping one another avoid health disasters on websites such as ELL’s.
[Ed. Note: To keep yourself - and your loved ones - healthy, you need to stay up-to-date on the latest health breakthroughs. Now you can get an expert perspective on what's going on in the world of health for FREE. Sign up for ETR's natural health newsletter right here.]
Corporations are great at keeping secrets. Take Coke, for instance. Coca-Cola is more than 120 years old – and only seven people in the company’s history have known the Coke formula. Then there’s drug giant Eli Lilly. While working as an organic chemist, I was appalled to learn how they methodically kept natural remedies from the watchful eye of the media… remedies that included effective cancer fighters.
Periwinkle, for example, had long been used by practitioners of folk medicine in Madagascar. When Eli Lilly looked closely at the medicinal properties of the plant, they identified about 70 different alkaloids – and they made an unexpected discovery: Periwinkle was effective in treating leukemia, as well as a variety of other cancers.
Remission rates were as high as 50 percent when patients used periwinkle extracts. Despite that evidence, Eli Lilly ended its long-term studies of the plant itself and focused on making more profitable synthetic copycat drugs.
To date, Eli Lilly’s scientists have replicated only two of the 70 anti-cancer compounds found in periwinkle. Unfortunately, the synthetics don’t replicate the highly sought-after remission rates of their nutritive parents.
The final story on periwinkle – according to Big Pharma – is that it’s poisonous (even though its extracts have been used for hundreds of years in Madagascar). If Eli Lilly is half as good as Coke at keeping secrets, this potential natural cancer cure will forever remain under the pharmaceutical drug rug, along with many other less profitable, natural cures.
The lesson: Be wary of what you hear from Big Pharma. Choosing natural treatments is almost always your best, first defense against declining health.
[Ed. Note: Shane Ellison's entire career has been dedicated to the study of molecules - how they give life and how they take from it. He was a two-time recipient of the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Grant for his research in biochemistry and physiology. He is a bestselling author, holds a master's degree in organic chemistry, and has firsthand experience in drug design. Take advantage of his knowledge and insights to look and feel your best in 90 days.]
When they’re 65 years old, most of your friends will be sitting idle in an old folks home, counting the weeks by the number of times they play bingo. But not you. If you learn how to boost one single enzyme in your body, you can defy aging the easy way. You’ll be traveling the world, maybe parachuting for the first time or perhaps starting a highly profitable business.
That enzyme is telomerase.
Telomerase acts as a shield for your genetic blueprint – DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). It protects it from getting shorter and older. The more telomerase you have, the healthier and stronger you are.
One of the best ways to preserve or enhance your body’s telomerase production – and your functional lifespan – is to limit your food consumption to three meals per day. This helps to optimize your “hormonal intelligence” – which, in turn, preserves the enzymes that shield DNA from premature aging.
The trick to limiting your food consumption is to eat foods that are not only satisfying but also have a minor effect on the output of insulin (the fat-storing hormone). This would include avocados, grass-fed beef, coconut oil, seeds, nuts, and eggs.
[Ed. Note: Shane Ellison's (www.thepeopleschemist.com) entire career has been dedicated to the study of molecules - how they give life and how they take from it. He was a two-time recipient of the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Grant for his research in biochemistry and physiology. He is a bestselling author, holds a master's degree in organic chemistry, and has first-hand experience in drug design. Take advantage of his knowledge and insights to look and feel your best in 90 days.]
Nearly 17 million people worldwide suffer from stroke each year. But nearly half of those strokes could be prevented just by eliminating one thing.
The Third National Health and Nutrition Survey found that any level of lead in the blood that exceeds 2 mcg/dL significantly increased the risk for heart attack, stroke, and death. And here’s the really scary part… nearly 40 percent of Americans have lead levels high enough to increase their risk of stroke by 89 percent and their risk of heart attack by 151 percent!
Get your lead levels tested. You can get a do-it-yourself kit for $199 at labsafe.com. And if you’re in the danger zone, consult with a healthcare practitioner trained in chelation therapy who can help you get the lead out.
[Ed. Note: Nutrition expert Kelley Herring - founder of Healing Gourmet - has created a revolutionary 7-part health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate that reveals how you can protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Get all the details and learn how to get 3 bonus books right here.
For advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
The foods you eat can make you overweight and prone to disease. But they can also help you stay lean and trim… and keep serious health problems at bay.
Here are two modifications you can make to your diet to help prevent cancer.
• Balance Your Blood Sugar
One of the most important elements in preventing cancer is keeping your blood sugar stable. High-glycemic foods fuel cancer’s fire by elevating insulin. But that’s not all. Sugar also depresses your immune system, giving cancer cells the opportunity to multiply and divide while the body’s defenses are down.
Protect yourself by sticking with low-glycemic foods.
• Boost Omega-3 Fats
In the U.S., 80 percent of the fats we consume are omega-6s – and omega-6 fats (found in vegetable oils like corn oil and soybean oil) promote inflammation and turn on genes that fuel cancer. Omega-3s, on the other hand, supply the antidote. Not only are these healthy fats (found in coldwater fish like wild salmon and sardines, as well as flaxseed, walnuts, and chia) potent anti-inflammatories, they up-regulate the genes that guard against cancer.
Aim for at least 1 gram of omega-3s daily in the form of a high-quality fish oil supplement (like Carlson’s) or a serving of wild salmon.
[Ed. Note: Nutrition expert Kelley Herring is founder of Healing Gourmet, where you can find dozens of healthful recipes that are low-glycemic for optimum wellness. Kelley has created a revolutionary 7-part health transformation program called Your Plate, Your Fate that reveals how you can protect your health and optimize your weight by maximizing the nutrients in your food. Get all the details and learn how to get three bonus books right here .
For more advice about which foods you should - and shouldn't - be eating to stay in top health, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
The foundation for handling sadness and misfortune, and thus for leading a low-stress life, is what I like to refer to as “living right.” What I mean by that is consistently being conscious of, and vigilant about, trying to make good choices.
We all desire love, understanding, and recognition, but those things aren’t foundational to serenity. The antidote to stress can’t be found through alcohol, pills, sexual pleasure, fame, or wealth either. Millions have tried without conquering their stress, and all too many have lived unnecessarily short lives as a result.
The real key to conquering stress is self-examination – continual, honest self-examination.
Inner conflict causes stress. By contrast, leading a concentric life (i.e., one in which what you do matches up closely with what you believe in and what you say) brings harmony into your world. Harmony is directly related to how often you follow through and do what you know is right. Likewise, harmony is related to how often you demonstrate the self-discipline to refrain from doing that which you know is wrong.
Here are some things to think about that will help you develop the mindset to overcome the stress in your life:
Don’t try to make the world bend to your will.
Trying to get everyone to do things your way goes beyond stress. It’s a frustrating, hopeless exercise that can drive a person mad. I know one wealthy individual, in particular, who long ago lost his ability to think rationally because of his frustration over not being able to force everyone around him to conform to his wishes.
One of the rules of being a good delegator is to tell people precisely what you want them to do, then let them do it their way. President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said that a good executive is someone who, when handed a letter that he knows he could have written better, signs it anyway.
This is an area where you have to be careful, even when dealing with your own children. While it’s the parents’ responsibility to teach and guide their children, wise parents learn early on that their children cannot and will not do everything exactly as their parents want them to. The reality is that your children are different human beings than you are, so it would be unnatural for them to mirror you 100 percent of the time.
Recognize that for every negative, there’s an offsetting positive.
I often refer to a principle that I call the Natural Law of Balance. In pointing out that the universe is in balance, I use such examples as electrons and protons, night and day, male and female, hot and cold, and life and death. The reality is that for every positive, there’s an offsetting negative, and for every negative, there’s an offsetting positive. Balance is the natural order of the universe.
The nice thing about it is that when you understand and believe in universal balance, you automatically look for the offsetting positive in every negative situation. Put another way, think of every negative occurrence as nothing more than an illusion hiding something of value to you. As Richard Bach so eloquently put it in his book Illusions,“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly.”
Control anger and bitterness.
It’s worth repeating Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous words: “For every minute you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness.” The late Jim Blanchard was a great teacher for me in this respect. Jim was one of the most remarkable people I’ve ever known. A paraplegic from the age of 18, he not only built a fortune while working from a wheelchair, he traveled the world extensively and did almost everything “normal” people do – and more.
Jim once told me about a guy who had shafted him out of a lot of money. I asked how he could be so calm about it, and I’ll never forget his response: “I’ve found that it’s disarming to just smile, be polite, and act as though nothing is wrong. Not only do you avoid making enemies by handling things in this manner, you also save yourself a ton of aggravation. All you need to do is avoid having business dealings with that person in the future. And to the extent you are cordial, he’ll probably even sing your praises to everyone – which means you win all the way around.”
I admit that Jim was special when it came to handling people, but his words help me to this day. Whenever I become angry, I give myself time to cool off before saying or doing something I might later regret. For example, if I impulsively write a quick letter in a heated state of mind, I let it sit for a day or two before mailing it. It’s amazing how much of the angry edge you can take off a letter by editing it a couple of days after you wrote it.
One last thing worth thinking about when it comes to achieving peace of mind. In his book Ageless Body, Timeless Mind, Deepak Chopra says that worrying about stress is more damaging than stress itself. Which brings me back to something I said in my last ETR article on this subject: It is not events that shape your world. It is your thought processes.
When you learn to control your thoughts, you establish the boundaries of negative influences upon your life. Remember, no matter how long a list of stress inhibitors you compile, your mental state will always be the most important factor when it comes to achieving peace of mind.
[Ed. Note: To learn how to survive and prosper during the turbulent years ahead, check out Robert Ringer's powerful audio series Succeeding in a World of Chaos.
And be sure to sign up for a FREE subscription to Robert Ringer's one-of-a-kind e-letter A Voice of Sanity in an Insane World. ]
One of the most controversial subjects in the medical world today is hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women going through menopause. Many doctors bitterly oppose synthetic HRT in favor of bio-identical hormones. Others note that bio-identical hormone use hasn’t been around long enough to know if it’s safe.
Keep in mind that there is a physiological reason for hormone levels to drop when you get older. As the body ages, it was not meant to be exposed to high levels of certain hormones. Therefore, any form of hormone replacement – through pills, creams, or shots and whether synthetic or bio-identical – is not something the aging human body is genetically adapted to.
Every woman has to decide for herself whether the benefits – relief of menopausal symptoms and the potential reduction of osteoporosis – outweigh the increased risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke, and other serious conditions.
If you must use hormone replacement to relieve your menopausal symptoms (or because of other health issues you may have), use the lowest dosage that works and for the shortest period of time. And be aware that there are plenty of natural, proven methods for limiting your risks of age-related disease.
Exercise, weight training, calcium, and vitamin D are a few good options for reducing the risk of osteoporosis. The risk of heart disease, stroke, and mental decline can be reduced through diet, exercise, lowering stress , yoga, deep sleep, and by taking certain natural herbs and supplements.
Humans have lived on this planet for a long, long time – but only in the last few decades have doctors been prescribing hormone replacement therapy to a large number of women. If, a decade or two from now, research shows bio-identical hormone use to be safe, I will wholeheartedly promote it. Until then, women who are using these hormones, particularly in high dosages and for prolonged periods, are taking a gamble.
Does HRT increase or decrease mortality? The answer is not yet in.
[Ed. Note: For more on HRT - and dozens of nutritional supplements - visit the natural healing website of Ray Sahelian, MD, at www.raysahelian.com.
You can find plenty of all-natural methods for staying healthy - including the latest breakthroughs in weight-loss programs... healthful recipes... and other ideas for achieving optimal health - all from one of the largest integrative-medicine practices in the country. Learn more here ]
Want guaranteed improved health?
Okay, you got it.
Here’s Tip #1 of my plan for how this can be accomplished: Eliminate high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) from your diet completely.
Not only has this sweetener caused a rapid increase in the number of people with diabetes in this country – but now we have reports that much of the HFCS out there contains measurable amounts of a toxic metal.
What is this toxic metal? Mercury. That’s right. Mercury.
One drop of mercury is supposed to be enough to contaminate an entire lake. And exposure to mercury has been connected with serious neurological disorders, including autism and Alzheimer’s. But I guess it’s okay for the fillings in your teeth – as well as our food supply. NOT!
It’s hard to imagine that HFCS could be made any worse for the human body than it already is, but the FDA – the people in charge of our food supply – have allowed it to happen.
Read the labels on everything you eat and drink. You’ll be amazed.
At my daughter’s school, they give the kids breakfast bars for a treat. The number one ingredient is “filling.” Guess what’s number two? HFCS.
Grab a bottle of your favorite sports recovery drink. Look at the ingredients. Whatever happened to these drinks being a source of electrolytes?
Now you may call me an alarmist for telling you this. Then again, maybe what I’m telling you will lead to one of the most positive changes you will ever make in your life.
[Ed. Note: Matt Furey - a national collegiate wresting champion (1985) and a world shuai-chiao kung fu champion (1997) - is the author of the international bestsellers Combat Conditioning, Combat Abs, and Gama Fitness. Discover how you can increase your strength, endurance, and flexibility without lifting weights or long-distance running right here.
For unbiased information on critical men's and women's health issues... the latest breakthroughs in alternative medicine, fitness, and nutrition... as well as motivational guidance to help you achieve your goals, sign up for ETR's natural health newsletter.]
The effect of stress takes a nasty toll on your life. But it doesn’t just damage your psyche. It harms your body too.
Stress increases dangerous inflammatory factors called cytokines… damages the hippocampus, causing memory loss and mood disorders… reduces the brain’s ability to repair itself… increases abdominal fat… interferes with thyroid function… and even increases the stickiness of the blood (which can lead to dangerous clots).
But there’s something very simple you can do to help alleviate the effects of stress. Stimulate your vagus nerve.
The vagus nerve controls the relaxation response through the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. And this anti-stress machine can be turned on in a matter of minutes.
Here is the exercise.
Take a deep breath into your belly to the count of five. Pause. Breathe out slowly to the count of five. Keep your belly soft. Repeat 5 times.
With this simple and effective exercise, you instantly reduce your levels of cortisol and help your body get back to a peaceful state of balance.
In addition to a few minutes a day of soft-belly breathing, you can bolster your body’s defenses against stress by engaging in regular vigorous exercise, eating a clean diet of healing foods, and enjoying fresh air and sunlight.
[Ed. Note: These days, you've got more stressors than ever before. If stress doesn't kill you outright, it most likely WILL plunge you toward all the diseases of aging, much faster than you deserve! Learn how to make your body more resilient to stress, so you can have the health and energy you need to build a brighter future.
Eating right goes a long way toward making you feel better. Pick up a copy of nutrition expert Kelley Herring's collection of recipes for dozens of delicious and guilt-free desserts. Pick up your copy today.]
Breast cancer. The very words strike fear into women everywhere. And for good reason. In 2008, according to the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 182,460 women were diagnosed with and 40,480 women died of the disease.
With such alarming statistics, it’s tragic that most women just wait until a self-exam or mammogram shows an unusual lump in the breast. By then, the cancer has taken hold and it becomes a life or death battle for survival.
That’s why I did a double-take when I read Dr. James LaValle’s article, “Breast Cancer – Real Prevention,” that appeared in the November 4 issue of Total Health Breakthroughs. His advice could save countless lives if it is read and understood by women everywhere.
As Dr. LaValle explained in the article, “Most breast cancer is determined by how estrogen is metabolized in the body and whether it is balanced by adequate levels of progesterone.“
Knowing this – and taking the appropriate steps – means that you may never be involved in this fight for your life. Because with the proper testing and nutrition, the cancer won’t have the opportunity to develop in the first place.
In brief, here’s what you need to pass on to your mother, your sisters, and your friends…
Have your estradiol, estrogen metabolites, and progesterone levels tested. If you have a progesterone deficiency, you are at least four times more likely to develop breast cancer. If testing shows you are deficient in this hormone, there are several bio-identical – not synthetic – progesterone creams available without a prescription that can be recommended by a healthcare professional.
Estrogen testing will let you know whether your body is breaking down estradiol, your primary estrogen, into safe or dangerous metabolites. For instance, 2OH (one of the metabolites of estradiol) actually inhibits breast cancer. But 4OH and 16OH increase your risks, so you don’t want to see those levels elevated.
The good news is that you can encourage your body to make more good estrogen while getting rid of the bad stuff simply by maintaining healthy gut flora and modifying your diet to include more antioxidant-rich and omega-3 foods and fewer carbs. As Laura LaValle, nutrition counselor and Director of Dietetics Nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute, explains, the insulin resistance and inflammation caused by carbs significantly increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and breast cancer.
You might not be aware that your thyroid plays a role in breast health too. If you have an underactive thyroid or thyroid antibodies (autoimmune thyroiditis), your body may not be making enough NK (natural killer) cells – the immune cells that search out cancer cells and destroy them. That’s why it’s vitally important to have your thyroid checked regularly.
This brings me to an important question: Did you realize that it is in your power to dramatically reduce your risk of breast cancer by balancing your hormones and eating a nutritious diet? If you’re like me, the answer is no. I believed it was fate or genetics that determined whether or not I would be faced with a breast cancer crisis.
And, like millions of women, I thought that a yearly mammogram (and waiting for the bad news) was the most I could do to protect myself from this horrific disease. But not anymore. Thanks to what I learned from Dr. LaValle, hormone and thyroid testing will now be part of my yearly checkup.
I can’t even imagine how many lives could have been saved if women had been properly educated about real breast cancer prevention by the medical establishment and media. But we don’t need to wait any longer. We can carry this message to women everywhere, and together we can reverse the killer statistics.
Let’s put breast cancer behind us, once and for all.
[Ed. Note: Melanie Segala is the Managing Editor of ETR’s natural health newsletter, Total Health Breakthroughs. She invites you to learn more about cutting-edge strategies for healthy living and disease prevention from today’s leading health and wellness experts. Join the fastest-growing health community online by clicking here.]
Feel a cold coming on? You may want to stay away from the pharmacy.
Over-the-counter drugs only relieve symptoms. They don’t get rid of the viral infection causing them.
Instead of relying on over-the-counter drugs, keep yourself from getting sick in the first place. A lot of people think there is nothing you can do to stave off the common cold. But in my practice, we’ve proven that’s not true. You can, for example:
• Take vitamin C. You should take 500 mg a day of this potent antioxidant consistently. If you feel a cold coming on, increase that to 1,000 mg. This old standby really is one of your body’s best immune defenses – if you take enough. The recommended daily allowance of 60 mg a day will do nothing.
• Use Echinacea, an herb that Native Americans have been using for centuries. While it’s a strong immune booster, it’s best not to take it regularly. Drink one to two cups of Echinacea tea a day during cold and flu season. You can also take Echinacea capsules, 500 mg a day – but I prefer the tea.
• Try Goldenseal, another Native American plant. This is a strong bacterial fighter, including the bacteria that cause strep throat. You can find powdered Goldenseal in capsule form at most health food stores. Gargle a solution of Goldenseal and water at the first sign of a sore throat. Use 100 mg three times a day.
[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears is a practicing physician and the author of The Doctor's Heart Cure. He is also a nutritional expert, a fitness expert, and is certified by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. Find Dr. Sears's practical solutions and get immediate access to more than 500 of his articles by visiting www.alsearsmd.com.
For more expert recommendations on how to feel better and live longer, check out ETR's FREE natural health newsletter.]
Most every gal in the gym is familiar with the lunge. You see hordes of women doing lunges. Some trainers even have them walking around outside doing lunges.
Good idea… bad execution.
The right way to do lunges is one leg at a time. Do not alternate between both legs or do walking lunges. It is hard on the knees, and it doesn’t take advantage of the mind/body connection that focusing on one leg at a time can give you.
Not only is this a great exercise for your legs, your butt will be screaming for mercy and will be more toned practically by the time you get to your car… assuming you can walk to your car! I’m kidding, of course. But seriously – this is a great workout for the booty.
[Ed. Note: If you want to build more muscle in less time while you burn body fat, pick up nutrition and fitness counselor Jon Benson's book, 7 Minute Muscle. It's a complete system for dropping fat and building muscle that's guaranteed to work for you. Try it for 60 days and prove it to yourself.
For more easy-to-follow exercises you can do at home - plus dozens of strategies for getting fit and living longer - sign up for ETR's natural health newsletter.]
Have you ever noticed that you tend to get sick or catch a cold during times of stress? Most people underestimate the significance of that. The reason you get sick is because chronic stress lowers the body’s production of natural killer (NK) cells. These are the immune cells that kill viruses – and they are also one of the body’s primary defenses against cancer cells.
The effects of stress on immune function are well known by psychologists. Just browse through the Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine, for example, and you’ll find plenty of proof that stress not only reduces the number of NK cells that you produce, it can hamper the ones you have. It has other effects on immunity, too – none of them good.
Researchers at the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute studied a group of adult men who performed a high-stress task for 30 minutes. Not only did the men report increased feelings of tension, but their blood pressure and heart rate increased… and the effectiveness of their NK cells markedly decreased!
Some people think they thrive on stress, but they’d better think again.
One of the most effective things you can do for cancer prevention is to implement a stress management plan. Of course, it’s not really possible to eliminate everything that causes stress in your life – and that’s where adaptogenic herbs come in.
Adaptogenic herbs have traditionally been used to help prevent the physical imbalances that can result from stress. Some of my favorites are Astragalus, Holy Basil, Rhodiola, and ReloraO (a patented extract of two herbs that have long been used in Chinese medicine for their calming and health balancing effects). Astragalus and Rhodiola, in particular, have been found to increase NK cells. These herbs are not difficult to find. Just about every health food store and pharmacy sells them.
If you find yourself feeling stressed out day after day, don’t underestimate the long-term impact that can have on your health. Take action today, even if it is simply to pick up a good adaptogenic herb.
[Ed. Note: Keeping your stress under control is one key to good health. For expert advice on how to stay stress-free, what to eat to stay fit, how to lose weight, and much more, sign up for ETR's free natural health e-newsletter.
It truly is possible to improve your health just by making wise choices when it comes to diet and lifestyle. James B. LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN - founder of the LaValle Metabolic Institute and a nationally recognized expert on natural therapies - can give you easy-to-understand directions for living the healthy life you've always wanted. Learn how to feel better and live longer right here.]
Numerous studies have proven the health benefits of coffee – ranging from preventing diabetes to reducing inflammation and enhancing physical endurance. Now new research shows that your cup o’ joe may play a role in protecting against one of the most prevalent cancers in women: breast cancer.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Cancer found that women at high risk for breast cancer significantly reduced that risk by drinking three or more cups of coffee daily.
Why? Researchers are calling it the “drink and shrink” dilemma. The coffee drinkers experienced a significant reduction in breast volume, which reduced the women’s exposure to the cancer-promoting hormone estrogen.
While coffee may offer a number of health benefits, be sure to choose organic coffee to reduce your exposure to cancer-promoting pesticides.
[Ed. Note: Keeping on top of the latest advances in the medical world can help you find new ways to extend your life. To get expert advice on the health breakthroughs that can help you live a longer, fuller life, sign up for ETR's natural health e-newsletter.
One of the best ways to stay in peak condition is to eat good foods. Nutrition expert Kelley Herring has collected dozens of her healthiest and most delicious recipes in her e-book Guilt Free Desserts. Pick up your copy today.]
I grew up on the island of Puerto Rico, where it is blazing hot almost all year round. My father used to chop down a young coconut from the palm in front of our house and place it in the freezer so it would get very cold. Then he’d make a hole in the coconut and stick a straw in it so we could drink the thirst-quenching coconut water. Little did I know back then that I would rediscover this refreshing beverage in my search for healthy alternatives to high-sugar sports drinks.
I came across coconut water in a health food store in Delray Beach. I was feeling dehydrated, and I wanted something more flavorful than plain water. Coconut water, as I later found out, contains potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous – electrolytes that keep your system hydrated and balanced. It’s low in carbohydrates and contains no artificial sweeteners. It helps boost your immune system and eases stomach pains. Plus, it’s a natural cure for a hangover. And these are just a few of its many benefits.Note that I am not a licensed nutritionist.
You should always consult your doctor prior to beginning any nutritional program. But if you are a big Gatorade or PowerAde drinker, or if you just want something tastier than water, you should try coconut water. I drink it almost every day, and so do my clients.Drink about eight ounces of coconut water before, during, or after your workout to reduce muscle protein breakdown and allow for more fat loss. You can also drink it after a night of drinking, if you have a stomachache, if you have diarrhea, or in the morning instead of high-sugar fruit juice.
[Ed. Note: Eating and drinking the "right" things can be the missing link to your weight-loss efforts. For more healthful nutritional recommendations, plus workout techniques, sign up for ETR's natural health newsletter.
Yarixa Ferrao is the certified personal trainer and founder of "Get Fit in 6" who has been whipping some Early to Rise staffers into shape. Coach Yari's e-course newsletter series explains the exercise and nutrition secrets that can help you burn fat. Click here to sign up.]
Each of us comes equipped with an amazing pair of optical wonders. Even the Hubble telescope, which looks far out into distant galaxies, pales in comparison to the technology of the eye.
For many, vision fails as they get older. But despite what you may have been led to believe, this is not an inevitable part of aging.
Whether it’s the result of macular degeneration, cataracts, or glaucoma, vision loss is usually the result of not having enough “dye in your eye.” This “dye” not only helps you interpret the world around you, it also contains vitally important antioxidants that protect visual anatomy.
Just as there are many different colors of crayons, there are different types of eye dyes. These pigments fall into a chemical category known as xanthophylls – and cannot be preserved without proper nutrition.
You must get xanthophylls from your diet. Fortunately, food sources of xanthophylls are easy to find. Just load up on eggs, kale, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, corn, garden peas, Brussels sprouts, and liver.
[Ed. Note: Shane Ellison is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Grant for his research in biochemistry and physiology, and is a best-selling author. He holds a master's degree in organic chemistry and has firsthand experience in drug design. Get the benefit of his knowledge and insight with his no-BS practical guide to living young naturally without dangerous, prescription drugs.
For more natural ways to stay healthy and live longer, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
With cold and flu season here, your immune system needs extra TLC. Along with exercise and a low-glycemic, nutrient-rich diet, there’s something else you can do. Stimulate your thymus.
The thymus is a gland located just behind the sternum. And while it’s tiny (weighing no more than 30 grams and shrinking down to only 5 grams by the time you reach the age of 75), this immune organ has a big job: It cranks out T-cells. (The “T” stands for thymus.)
You can wake up your thymus with a simple and effective exercise that has been practiced for millennia. Here it is:
Make a loose fist (with either hand). Using the second row of knuckles, rhythmically tap on your breastbone with a heart-like beat – tap, tap, pause, tap, tap, pause. The tapping should be heavy enough to make a drumming sound, and you should feel a vibration (which is what stimulates the thymus).
Practice this immune-boosting exercise anytime – every day, if possible. (It is particularly beneficial when you feel like you’re getting sick.) Because the thymus is most active for 90 minutes after you fall asleep, doing this exercise just before bedtime is ideal. Aim for a minimum of 20 sets of 3 for a maximum of 5 minutes.
[Ed. Note: Improving your health doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. You can find more easy-to-follow health techniques - plus get recipes for plenty of wholesome, healthful meals and updates on the latest breakthroughs in health and fitness - in ETR's natural health newsletter. Sign up for free right here.
Survive the holidays with nutrition expert Kelley Herring's brand-new e-books, Guilt-Free Desserts and Healthy Holiday Hors d'Oeuvres. You'll find 60+ recipes you can easily make at home.]
I hate licorice. So when my mother put a steaming mug of tea in front of me that smelled horribly of the stuff, I wrinkled my nose.
“Drink up,” she said. “It’ll make your throat feel better.”
Traveling to Montana to visit my folks, I’d picked up a bad cold – complete with a raging sore throat.
Dutiful daughter that I am, I drank the tea. And after a few sips, my throat felt better. After I’d finished two mugs, it was like I had no sore throat at all.
What is in this? I wondered.
My nose didn’t mislead me. Turns out the tea’s primary ingredient is organic licorice root. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) website concurs that this is commonly used to soothe sore throats.
But that’s not all licorice root can do. According to Dr. Ray Sahelian (www.RaySahelian.com) , an expert in supplements, “Licorice has compounds that can enhance the immune system, provide antioxidant support, support healthy levels of cholesterol, and thin the blood.” He cautions that large amounts of the herb can elevate blood pressure.
If you get a cold this winter, forget sugar-filled lozenges. Instead, try a licorice root brew to ease your symptoms. The tea that worked so quickly for me is called “Organic Throat Coat” by Traditional Medicinals. But if you type “licorice root tea” into Google, you’ll get plenty of other options.
[Ed. Note: If you look around, you can find lots of all-natural methods for staying healthy. Now, you can access the latest breakthroughs in weight-loss programs, healthful recipes, and other ideas for achieving optimal health - all from one of the largest integrative-medicine practices in the country. Learn more here.]
Some people think Senator Kennedy’s cellphone caused it.
He was diagnosed last year with a malignant “glioma,” a kind of brain cancer specifically considered a risk for cellphone users.
Should you be worried?
The truth is, cellphones have not been around long enough to give us the kind of long-term studies we really need to know for sure.
And the research is conflicting. Some studies show no increased risk. So I’m not ready to tell my readers and patients that cellphones definitely cause cancer. The FDA says, “The available scientific evidence does not show that any health problems are associated with using wireless phones.” But they then add, “There is no proof, however, that wireless phones are absolutely safe.”
Some of the most up-to-date research suggests that there is some cause for concern. Here’s what I know:
• Researchers in Israel found last year that people who used cellphones heavily experienced a 58 percent increase in “parotid tumors” – a cancer of the saliva gland near the ear.
• Another study last year, this one out of Sweden, concluded that cellphone users are 10 times more likely to develop benign cancers of the ear and brain.
• Several animal studies have found that the kind of radiation cellphones use can damage DNA in brain cells. Damaged DNA is one of the things that can turn healthy cells into cancer cells.
Cellphones use microwaves called “radio frequency radiation” (RF) to transmit signals. Their antennae emit most of the RF, and since you’re holding the phone right next to your ear most of the time, a lot of it penetrates the brain – as much as 60 percent, according to some studies.
Depending on the size of your head and the amount of radiation coming from the specific type of phone you use, you may be literally “cooking” your brain. RF energy can potentially cause the temperature of your brain tissue to rise slightly.
To protect yourself from any potential risk from cellphone RF, here are a few guidelines:
• Keep cellphone calls short.
• Go with a “hands-free” headset or a speakerphone. These keep the cellphone from direct contact with your head.
• Don’t carry your cellphone in your chest or hip pocket. Even when in “standby” mode, cellphones continue to emit radiation, exposing whichever part of your body is closest.
• When using a hands-free headset, let the wire extend fully between your head and the phone. This distributes RF in small amounts along the length of your body rather than concentrating it in any one location.
• Look for a phone with “voice-activated” features. These enable you to place calls and perform other commands without having to hold the phone close to your head.
• Use a standard “land line” whenever possible.
• Find out the level of RF emissions for your cellphone. If the level is high, replace the phone.
Cellphones come with emissions ratings known as “SARs” (specific absorption rates). These range from 0.5 to 1.6 W/kg (watts of power absorbed per kilogram of body tissue). Avoid any cellphone that falls within range of that upper limit.
The FDA provides SAR ratings for most kinds of cellphones and other wireless devices online. You’ll need to locate your cellphone’s FCC ID number, which is usually located somewhere on the case of the phone or in the battery compartment.
Meanwhile, my Wellness Research team’s tracked down the SAR ratings for some commonly used cellphones:
Make/model |
sar rating |
| Alcatel OT-256 | 0.59 |
| Apple iPhone | 0.974 |
| Blackberry 8100 Pearl | 1.52 |
| Kyocera KX1 (SoHo) | 0.99 |
| LG Prada | 1.29 |
| Nokia 2300 | 1.27 |
| Nokia 2650 | 0.54 |
| Palm Treo 600 | 1.43 |
| Palm Treo 650 CDMA | 1.5 |
| Samsung PM-A840 | 1.29 |
| Samsung SPH-A900 | 0.92 |
| Sanyo M1 | 1.22 |
| Sanyo SCP-5400 | 1.16 |
| Sharp GX20 | 0.7 |
| Sony Ericsson A1228C | 1.34 |
| Sony Ericsson K600i | 0.5 |
| Sprint PM 8912 | 1.27 |
| T-Mobile Dash | 1.34 |
Don’t wait for proof positive that cellphone use can harm you. Using my guidelines, take steps right now to protect yourself.
[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears is a practicing physician and the author of The Doctor's Heart Cure. He is also a nutrition expert, a fitness expert, and is board certified by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. Find Dr. Sears's practical solutions and get immediate access to more than 500 of his articles by visiting http://www.alsearsmd.com/ETR/
For more on the latest health breakthroughs - plus healthy recipes, easy exercise routines, and more - check out ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
A new study on heart health is touting statin drugs as the best thing since the iPod. But before you head off to your doctor asking for a prescription, let’s take a closer look at the facts.
The JUPITER (Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin) study is not a clinical trial. It’s a ruse to promote drugs as vitamins. Dr. Timothy J. Gardner, president of the American Heart Association, was so excited by the study that he insisted, “this one is pretty clearly a winner for statin therapy.”
The New York Times gave us the infomercial, scripted response of, “Taking the statin Crestor, also known as rosuvastatin, slashed the risk of heart attack by more than half according to the JUPITER results.”
But most popular media missed the truth. Here are three important points that you need to know:
Dr. Mark Hlatky of Stanford told the New England Journal of Medicine that “absolute differences in risk are more clinically important than relative reductions in risk in deciding whether to recommend drug therapy, since the absolute benefits of treatment must be large enough to justify the associated risks and costs.”
I’ve said it before – you don’t need drugs to be healthy. For a healthy cardiovascular system, take hawthorn and folic acid, both available at Walmart.
[Ed. Note: Shane Ellison is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute Research Grant for his research in biochemistry and physiology and is a best-selling author. He holds a master's degree in organic chemistry and has firsthand experience in drug design. Get the benefit of his knowledge and insight with his no-BS, practical guide to living young naturally without dangerous, prescription drugs.
For more natural ways to stay healthy and live longer, sign up for ETR's free natural health newsletter.]
Do you want people to do a double-take when you reveal your real age? Then do this: Eat cinnamon and cloves.
Recent research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that these spices – which are often used in holiday goodies – not only provide antioxidants but also significant protection against the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).
And “AGE” is certainly an apt acronym. You see, AGEs trigger the body’s defense arsenal and lead to inflammation and tissue damage. This results in lines on your face, inflexible arteries, and a host of other metabolic consequences.
So, how do you get the most out of these age-defying spices?
The first rule is this: The fresher the flavor, the more benefits. The researchers found a direct correlation between the phenol content in the spices and their ability to block AGEs. And since phenols are destroyed by light, heat, and exposure to air, keep your spices in a cool dark place for maximum potency.
Plus when you bake with these spices, make sure you use a safe sweetener too (i.e., one that does not spike blood sugar and promote AGEs), like erythritol or stevia.
[Ed. Note: Healthy agents don't have to come in a prescription bottle. In fact, you can find plenty of all-natural methods for staying healthy. Now, you can access the latest breakthroughs in weight-loss programs... healthful recipes... and other ideas for achieving optimal health - all from one of the largest integrative-medicine practices in the country. Learn more here.
Survive the holidays with nutrition expert Kelley Herring's brand-new recipe e-books, Guilt-Free Desserts and Healthy Holiday Hors d'Oeuvres. You'll find 60+ healthy recipes you can easily make at home.]
This is the time of year when many of my patients struggle with keeping their weight and blood sugar under control. It starts with Halloween, when we buy those delectable treat-size candy bars to pass out to trick-or-treaters – and eat many of them ourselves. It continues throughout Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day with the sugar-laden treats and leftovers from holiday meals contributing to our already flourishing spare tires.
The resulting insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar has been linked to an increased risk of developing Type II diabetes.
Medical guidelines don’t start labeling blood sugar a problem until it reaches at least 100 to 124 mg/dL, the current cutoff for pre-diabetes. But a study conducted within the Kaiser Permanente Health System and published in the American Journal of Medicine has determined that even lower levels are cause for worry.
Patients were sorted according to blood sugar levels of <85, 85-89, 90-94, or 95-99 mg/dL. Each one-point increase in blood glucose (BG) was paired with a 6 percent increase in the risk of developing diabetes. Those with BG levels from 90 to 94 mg/dL increased their risk by 49 percent, and those with levels from 95 to 99 mg/dL were 2.33 times more likely to develop the disease.
The results of this study don’t surprise to me. For years, I have been preaching that once your blood sugar starts climbing, unless you do something about it, you are going to become diabetic. But I’m happy to have a study that now quantifies that risk and backs up what I’ve observed clinically.
If you haven’t already done so, develop a strategy for limiting your intake of high-carb, high-sugar foods in the coming weeks. For instance, before going to a party, curb your appetite with a higher-protein snack, a bowl of soup, or a cup of hot tea. Whenever possible, opt for higher-volume, lower-calorie foods, such as vegetables with bean dip and lower-sugar fruits and vegetables. Go ahead and enjoy your favorite dessert – but take a small piece and share it with your spouse or friend. Better yet, volunteer to bring a healthy holiday dish to the party so you know you’ll have at least one healthy choice. Meanwhile, try to increase your exercise to rev up your insulin receptors and help your body better deal with the excess sugar you’re almost certainly going to be eating.
[Ed. Note: Facing the holiday season and all its unhealthy food choices can be overwhelming. Let ETR's health experts help. You can get advice from fitness and nutrition experts - and their interpretations of the latest breakthroughs - in ETR's free natural health e-letter. Sign up today.
It truly is possible to improve your health just by making wise choices when it comes to your diet and lifestyle. James B. LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN - founder of the LaValle Metabolic Institute and a nationally recognized expert on natural therapies - can give you easy-to-understand directions for living the healthy life you've always wanted. Learn how to feel better and live longer right here.]
While some of us love the taste of broccoli, most of the time it’s eaten for its health benefits. But new research suggests that if you cook it, almost all of the cancer-fighting nutrients are lost.
A recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that sulphoraphane – the primary cancer-fighting nutrient in broccoli – is significantly reduced during cooking. In fact, the bioavailability of sulforaphane was calculated to be 37 percent from the raw vegetable and only 3.4 percent from cooked broccoli.
So what option does that leave you with… raw broccoli crudites? On the contrary! There are plenty of delicious ways to enjoy raw broccoli. Make chopped salads with broccoli, buy broccosprouts and add them to your sandwiches, and fold tiny fresh florets into omelets to add delicious crunch and powerful protection.
[Ed. Note: For more advice on the best foods to eat - and those you should avoid - as well as how you can apply the latest health breakthroughs to your own life, sign up for ETR's natural health newsletter. Get your free roadmap to feeling better and living longer right here.
Who says dessert can't be healthy? Nutrition expert Kelley Herring's brand-new recipe e-book, Guilt-Free Desserts, reveals 40 easy-to-make, mouthwateringly delicious, 100% healthy dessert recipes you can make at home. Order today, and you'll receive the e-book Healthy Holiday Hors d'Oeuvres for free.]