Foot Reflexology: A Healing Touchup

By: Shruti IL.

"Treating yourself to a foot reflexology is by far the easiest way to transport yourself to ‘Cloud 9’ 

That the foot is a mirror image of the body is something that you will agree with after experiencing  therapeutic foot reflexology. The therapy, that traces its origin to China, is based on the principle that there are reflexes in the feet which correspond to every part of the body and thus the massage not only soothes your tired feet but also stimulates the functions of every organ in the body and refreshes you. Looking for more pointers on the therapy and most definitely some mind and body rejuvenation?"

Stevenswood Indigo Eco-Spa is a wonderful resource for this treatment.

Achieving Optimal Health Through Massage

Obtaining and maintaining health is a lifelong pursuit. The first step on the road to health is prevention. Most health insurance companies offer a certain amount of money to be used for preventative care on an annual basis. However, the nature of the procedures is rarely actually preventative in terms of maintaining a good state of health.

For example, colonoscopy, mammogram, prostate exam or pap smear are excellent tools for the early detection of life-threatening illnesses, however, these procedures do absolutely nothing in terms of actually preventing disease.

So what can help to maintain and create health and prevent disease? The obvious answer is to eat right and exercise. The less obvious answer is one of the few things that all people can benefit from — massage therapy.

Massage is most well-known to alleviate pain or to be relaxing for the typically over-stressed person. However, it is not widely known that massage could have prevented both the pain and the effects of stress on the body in the first place. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has spent millions of dollars doing research to back up the long-held belief that massage can boost the immune system, lower stress and shorten the healing time following soft tissue injury.

It has been found that massage can do even more than that. It can help premature babies gain weight, reduce the amount of cortisol (a stress hormone) in the blood, increase the production of mitochondria (cellular organs that produce energy), and decrease the likelihood of muscle cramps. Monthly massages help to prevent sore joints and muscles from turning into chronic pain.

Furthermore, the potential benefits of specific types of massage are numerous. For example, abdominal massage can help to regulate the digestive system. The respiratory system is aided through diaphragm release and “tapotement” (a percussive massage technique) to break up congestion. In fact, massage therapy has the potential to promote the function of every system in the body. Also, the individual receiving the massage has the opportunity to relax and/or sleep for an hour or more without anyone expecting or demanding anything from them which can be rejuvenating all by itself.

At Healing Horizons we believe good health involves addressing health from multiple angles.

We embrace the concept that the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of our being are entwined and that the balance of one system is dependent on balance in all other aspects. Massage therapy is one modality offered at Healing Horizons that encourages wellness through prevention and addresses the individual's physical, mental and spiritual needs.

We also believe that reaching one's ultimate health potential involves a true partnership between provider and client.

Our efforts to provide superior care can only be as successful as the individual's willingness to be actively involved in their own health care plan. Healing Horizons is a place where the practitioners practice integrity with the care of the client being based on individual needs.

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Jackie King, RMT, is a registered massage therapist in the state of Colorado. She can be contacted at Healing Horizons Integrated Health Solutions, 970-256-8449.

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Indigo Eco-Spa commends, supports, and addresses these concepts at our facility at Stevenswood.

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Research Shows Massage Therapy Improves Heart Rate Variability in Pre-Term Infants

Posted:  5/11/2012

From:    MassageMag.com

In new research, massage therapy improved heart rate variability in a homogeneous sample of hospitalized, medically stable, preterm male infants, and may improve infant response to exogenous stressors, according to an abstract published on www.pubmed.gov.

The researchers, from the School of Nursing at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, speculated that massage therapy thus improved the infants' autonomic nervous system function.

For this study, licensed massage therapists provided the massage or control condition twice a day for four weeks. Weekly heart rate variability, a measure of autonomic nervous system development and function, was analyzed using SPSS generalized estimating equations.

The study is running in the Journal of Perinatology.

From:  Mercola.com
By:  Dr. Mercola

Almost Everyone Does This at The Denist's Office - Why It's a Possible Recipe for Brain Cancer

A study in the journal Cancerⁱ shows that people who have had dental X-rays are more likely to develop a type of brain tumor called meningioma than those who have not.
According to CNN Healthⁱⁱ :

"The meningioma patients had more than a two-fold increased likelihood of having ever experienced a dental X-ray test called a bitewing exam. Depending on the age at which the exams were done, those who'd had these exams on a yearly basis, or more often, were 1.4 to 1.9 times more likely to have had a meningioma.
... Panorex exams, which involve images of all of the teeth on one film, were also linked to meningioma risks. If study participants had panorex exams when they were younger than 10 years old, their risk of meningioma went up 4.9 times. One of these around-the-head X-rays carries about twice as much radiation as four bitewing X-rays."

How Often Should You Get Routine Dental X-Rays?

While this study does not necessarily establish causation between dental X-rays and tumors, previous research has also implicated dental X-rays in the development of thyroid cancer, and research clearly shows this type of radiation is not harmless...
Since the average age of the study's participants was 57, researchers said the findings may be a result of X-rays given years ago, with older technology and higher doses than those administered with newer equipment.
However, researchers did express concern that even with the lower dosage, people still get dental X-rays more frequently than recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA).
According to ADA guidelinesⁱⁱⁱ dental x-rays are recommended:

• Every two to three years for adult without cavities and no increased risk for cavities, who is not new to his or her dentist
• Annually or bi-annually for children without cavities who's not at increased risk

According to CNN:

"There's currently a low threshold for dentists to order dental X-rays, says Dr. Keith Black, director of the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, who was not involved in the study. Even if X-rays are not necessary for a procedure, dentists often request them as part an annual exam.
Black hopes dentists will pay attention to this research linking the X-rays to brain tumors. There are important uses for dental X-rays in making decisions regarding certain procedures. But if the teeth are otherwise healthy, Black recommends against the radiation.
There is a latency period - a lag time - of about 20 to 25 years with meningiomas induced by radiation, O'Rourke said. Only about 1% to 5% of meningiomas are cancerous, but in people with known increased radiation exposure, that risk can go up, he said."

It's worth noting the significant weaknesses of this study as well. The study relied on self-reported data, meaning people were asked to share how many bitewing, full-mouth and panorex dental x-rays they'd had throughout their life. This clearly is a major drawback of this study as it leaves plenty of room for reporting errors—for better or for worse. That said, there's plenty of evidence supporting the claim that x-rays and medical imaging tests in general can be, and likely are, a causative factor of future cancers.
My personal recommendation is to find a dentist that uses digital X-ray equipment that does not use film but a sensor to capture the image. This type of equipment typically generates 90 percent less radiation and is far safer. The dentist I see uses this type of X-ray equipment.

Radiation Imaging Tests Increase Cancer and Heart Disease Risks

Diagnostic imaging tests such as X-rays, mammograms, and CT machines have become a routine part of medical care. They're not only used in major hospitals, but in private doctors' offices, chiropractic offices, outpatient facilities and other medical centers. According to the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements^iv, these types of tests are now so common that American's average radiation exposure has increased seven times since 1980.
Unfortunately, many facilities can't (or don't want to) pay for key safety experts like physicists and engineers to keep these machines properly calibrated and maintained to avoid over-exposure, since they do not contribute directly to the financial bottom line.
According to John Gofman, MD, PhD, there is strong evidence that HALF of all cancer deaths, and 60 percent of the death rate from ischemic heart disease are induced by ionizing radiation treatments...
Dr. Gofman is both a nuclear physicist and a medical doctor, and is one of the leading experts in the world on this issue. He presents compelling evidence backing up these assertions in his book Radiation from Medical Procedures in the Pathogenesis of Cancer and Ischemic Heart Disease^v. For decades, x-rays and other classes of ionizing radiation have been a proven cause of virtually all types of mutations, especially structural chromosomal mutations. X-rays are also an established cause of genomic instability, often a characteristic of the most aggressive cancers.
It's tragic beyond belief, but many of our conventional medical tests and treatments contribute to worsening disease states, including cancer; and conventional cancer treatments are oftentimes just as deadly as the disease itself.  Granted, virtually every action carries some level of risk.

Mammography May Cause More Harm than Good

At some point, we really should stop and admit we're doing more harm than good, by the fact that the tests or treatments are harming more people than they're helping... By some accounts, we're at that point already.
Take mammography for example.
The toxic effects of mammogram radiation are finally being acknowledged as a significant factor in the development of breast cancer, and several recent studies have clearly shown that breast cancer screenings may be causing women more harm than good. In September 2010, the New England Journal of Medicine^vi, one of the most prestigious medical journals, published the first study in years to examine the effectiveness of mammograms. The data showed that mammograms seem to have reduced cancer death rates by only 0.4 deaths per 1,000 women—an amount so small it might as well be zero. Put another way, 2,500 women would have to be screened over 10 years for a single breast cancer death to be avoided!
Past research has also shown that adding an annual mammogram to a careful physical examination of the breasts does not improve breast cancer survival rates over physical examination alone.
The latest report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) also calls into question the role environmental exposure may be playing in the development of breast cancer, and recommends more research into the risks of various environmental exposures—such as medical x-rays and mammography—over the course of a woman's lifetime. Isn't it ironic that the mammogram—the principal diagnostic test given to women to help detect and prevent breast cancer—is actually responsible for increasing your risk for developing it in the future?

Why is the War on Cancer Such a Miserable Failure?

There are many reasons, but one important one that needs to be changed if we are to ever move forward, is the issue of basing treatments on fraudulent and/or inaccurate research. According to NBC News, recent studies on the "War on Cancer" show that almost 90 percent of "landmark" early stage cancer research looking for improved treatments is just plain wrong^vii. The allegations about the questionable research appear in the prestigious journal Nature^viii, in which the authors describe instances where they couldn't replicate studies reported by major drug companies. In fact, out of 53 studies widely cited by other researchers as "significant progress" in the battle against cancer, only a measly 11 percent of the conclusions were replicable. As stated by NBC News:

"In science, replication is proof. If a study can't be reproduced reliably, it is wrong."

The reason the studies couldn't be replicated, they said, is because scientists often ignore negative findings in their results that might raise a warning. Instead, they opt for cherry-picking conclusions in an effort to put their research in a favorable light.
According to NBC News^ix :

"As Begley and Ellis detail it, "To obtain funding, a job, promotion or tenure, researchers need a strong publication record…Journal editors, reviewers, and grant review committees... often look for a scientific finding that is simple, clear and complete—a 'perfect' story. It is therefore tempting for investigators to submit suspected data sets for publication, or even to massage data." Whatever the motivation, the results are all too often wrong.
Begley and Ellis call for nothing less than a change in the culture of cancer research. They demand more willingness to admit to imperfections and an end to the practice of failing to publish negative results. "We in the field," they say, "must remain focused on the purpose of cancer research: to improve the lives of patients."

Overused Medical Procedures that Needlessly Waste Billions of Dollars

Sadly, all these errors in judgment end up costing us—both in lives lost due to inaccurate medicine, and in dollars and cents paid. Every dollar adds up, as any shopping trip will show you, and wasteful medicine costs the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $700 BILLION a year!^x
Using rigorous scientific approaches, a team of specialty physicians recently identified no less than 45 tests and procedures that are commonly used but have no proven benefit for patients—and sometimes cause more harm than good. The team included nine different U.S. medical special societies representing 374,000 physicians. The 45 evidence-based recommendations are posted on the website ChoosingWisely.org^xi, created to educate both doctors and patients about working to improve medical care while reducing costs. Among the items on this list are:

Use of unproven diagnostic tests	Unnecessary use of CT scans and routine X-rays	Pap smears on women younger than 21 or on women who have had a hysterectomy
Routine cancer screening for dialysis patients with limited life expectancies	Stress cardiac imaging or coronary angiography in patients without cardiac symptoms	Brain imaging scans after fainting
Antibiotics for uncomplicated sinus infections that are caused by viruses	Imaging of the lower spine within the first six weeks after suffering back pain	Bone scans for early prostate and breast cancer patients at low risk of metastasis

How Drug Companies Manipulate Research Evidence to Fool You

While part of the problem currently plaguing our medical system relates to human errors, another part of the problem is outright fraud, deception, and manipulation of science for profit alone. A new series featured in an online forum offers insight into how the pharmaceutical industry manipulates research, from what you hear in the news to the actual medical journals this medical fiction is published in.
According to The Conversation^xii, transparency in medicine—if it even exists—is clouded by the way marketing departments control and distort information in the medical literature.
Jon Jureidini is a professor of psychiatry at the University of Adelaide (Australia), and he got an inside look at this murky mess while examining drug company internal documents as an expert witness in a case against a pharmaceutical company. Provided with access to a huge number of internal documents, he learned that various drug companies gave millions of dollars not only to academic institutions to fund research, but also to individual researchers.
The documents also showed "serious misrepresentation" of both the effectiveness and safety of certain drugs, with published articles making the research appear positive and negative secondary outcomes deleted. When you consider that THIS is the type of research data that then ends up being used to make treatment decisions for years to come, is it any wonder we're in such an expensive and ineffective mess—and further than ever from winning the war against cancer?

Is the Price Americans Pay for Cancer Treatment Worth the Results?

In an analysis of the cancer industry, a public policy researcher has published a paper^xiii suggesting that when it comes to cancer care, the higher price paid by Americans for their cancer care is "worth it," the LA Times reports^xiv .

"First, the team examined the costs — and found that Americans spend much more on cancer care than Europeans, with U.S. spending increasing 49%, from $47,000 per case to $70,000 per case (in 2010 dollars,) between 1983 and 1999. In the European countries, spending grew 16% over the same period, from $38,000 to $44,000.
Then they looked at survival data for patients with types of cancer, including breast, prostate, colorectal and blood cancers, among others. Comparing length of time from diagnosis to death, as well as differences in survival gains over time, they discovered that among patients diagnosed from 1995 to 1999, average survival in the U.S was 11.1 years and in the European countries studied was 9.3 years.
Finally, the team used a standard method to put a "conservative" monetary value on the extra longevity of $150,000 per year. Crunching all the numbers, they found that the extra years Americans enjoyed amounted to $598 billion worth of benefit over the period studied — about $61,000, on average, per patient."

I don't know about you, but I think there are multiple ways of evaluating whether it's "worth" paying nearly 50 percent more for cancer treatment than people with cancer in other countries are being charged, and only getting an extra two years of survival out of it...

Cancer's Greatest Enemy: Your Immune System

So, if conventional medicine isn't moving in the right direction, what's the answer? How can you avoid becoming another statistic? Well, recent discoveries suggest that your immune system is actually designed to eliminate cancer naturally. However, when you implement caustic medical interventions (such as radiation and chemotherapy) that damage your immune system so that it cannot respond appropriately, you are destroying your body's best chances for healing. There is now a great deal of scientific evidence supporting the theory that your own immune system is your best weapon against cancer:

• Individuals with liver or ovarian cancer survive longer if their killer T cells have invaded their tumors.
• A 2005 study showed that colon cancers that most strongly attract T cells are the least likely to recur after treatment.^xv
• Another study found that 60 percent of precancerous cervical cells (found on PAP tests) revert to normal within a year, and 90 percent revert within three years.^xvi
• Some kidney cancers are known to regress, even when highly advanced.

Thirty Percent of Breast Tumors Go Away on their Own

The presence of white blood cells in and around a tumor is often an indication that the cancer will go into remission—or even vanish altogether—as this New York Times article explains^xvii . And breast cancer is no exception. According to breast surgeon Susan Love of UCLA, at least 30 percent of tumors found on mammograms would go away if you did absolutely nothing.^xviii These tumors appear to be destined to stop growing on their own, shrink, and even go away completely.
This begs the question—how many cancer cures that are attributed to modern interventions like chemotherapy and radiation, are actually just a function of the individual's immune system ridding itself of the tumor on its own? And how many people get over cancer in spite of the treatments that wreak havoc on the body, rather than because of them?
It is impossible to definitively answer these questions. But it is safe to say that the strength of your immune system is a major factor in determining whether or not you will beat cancer, once you have it. Nearly everyone has cancerous and pre-cancerous cells in their body by middle age, but not everyone develops cancer. The difference lies in the robustness of each person's immune system.
Dr. Barnett Kramer of NIH^xix says it's becoming increasingly clear that cancers require more than just mutations to progress. They need the cooperation of surrounding cells, certain immune responses, and hormones to fuel them. Kramer describes cancer as a dynamic process, whereas it used to be regarded as "an arrow that moved in one direction" (e.g., from bad to worse). What does this mean for you?
The better you take care of your immune system, the better it will take care of you.
One way to strengthen your immune system is to minimize your exposure to mammograms and other sources of ionizing radiation. But you can also build up your immune system DAILY by making good diet and lifestyle choices. One of the best ways to do this is by optimizing your vitamin D level.

Vitamin D: Cancer Fighter Extraordinaire

Vitamin D, a steroid hormone that influences virtually every cell in your body, is one of nature's most potent cancer fighters. Receptors that respond to vitamin D have been found in almost every type of human cell, from your bones to your brain. Your liver, kidney and other tissues can convert the vitamin D in your bloodstream into calcitriol, which is the hormonal or activated version of vitamin D. Your organs then use it to repair damage and eradicate cancer cells.
Vitamin D is actually able to enter cancer cells and trigger apoptosis, or cancer cell death.
When JoEllen Welsh, a researcher with the State University of New York at Albany, injected a potent form of vitamin D into human breast cancer cells, half of them shriveled up and died within days. The vitamin D worked as well at killing cancer cells as the toxic breast cancer drug Tamoxifen, without any of the detrimental side effects and at a tiny fraction of the cost.
I strongly recommend making sure your vitamin D level is 70 to 100ng/ml if you've received a breast cancer diagnosis. You can achieve this through direct, safe exposure to ultraviolet light, or if this is not possible, by taking an oral vitamin D3 supplement. Vitamin D works synergistically with every cancer treatment I am aware of, without adverse effects. Please watch my free one-hour lecture on vitamin D for more information. For a comprehensive guide to breast cancer prevention and treatment, refer to this previous article. Some of the other research-based breast cancer fighters include the following:

• Eating plenty of fresh, whole, organic vegetables, especially fermented vegetables
• Avoiding all processed foods, and minimizing sugar, grains and starchy foods
• Vitamin A plays a role in preventing breast cancer; your best sources are organic egg yolks, raw milk and butter, and beef and chicken liver (from organically raised, grass pastured animals)
• Curcumin (the active agent in turmeric) is one of the most potent tumor-inhibiting foods; black cohosh, artemisinin, green tea, kelp, cruciferous vegetables and evening primrose oil also show promise in helping to prevent breast cancer
• Exercising regularly

References:

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• ⁱ Cancer April 10, 2012 [Epub ahead of print]
• ⁱⁱ CNN Health April 10, 2012
• ⁱⁱⁱ FDA Guidelines for Prescribing Dental Radiographs
• ^iv The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements
• ^v Radiation from Medical Procedures in the Pathogenesis of Cancer and Ischemic Heart Disease by Dr. John Gofman
• ^vi Effect of Screening Mammography on Breast-Cancer Mortality in Norway, New England Journal of Medicine, September 23, 2010: 363(13); 1203-10, Mette Kalager, MD, et al.
• ^vii NBC News March 28, 2012
• ^viii Nature March 28, 2012;483(7391):531-3
• ^ix NBC News March 28, 2012
• ^x The Washington Post April 4, 2012
• ^xi ChoosingWisely.org
• ^xii The Conversation April 5, 2012
• ^xiii Health Affairs April 2012: 31(4); 667-675
• ^xiv LA Times April 9, 2012
• ^xv Effect of Screening Mammography on Breast-Cancer Mortality in Norway, New England Journal of Medicine, September 23, 2010: 363(13); 1203-10, Mette Kalager, MD, et al.
• ^xvi Regression of Low-grade Squamous Intra-epithelial Lesions in Young Women, The Lancet, November 6, 2004: 364(9446); 1678-1683, Anna-Barbara Moscicki, M.D., et al.
• ^xvii Cancers Can Vanish Without Treatment, but How?, The New York Times, October 26, 2009: Gina Kolata
• ^xviii Could This Be The End of Cancer?, Newsweek, December 12, 2011: Sharon Begley
• ^xix Cancers Can Vanish Without Treatment, but How?, The New York Times, October 27, 2009: Gina Kolata

Only on SkinInc.com: April is Rosacea Awareness Month

Posted: April 18, 2012

Although rosacea has become increasingly recognized as a common and conspicuous red-faced disorder, mounting evidence has shown that it can cause far more emotional stress and physical pain than previously known. April has been designated as Rosacea Awareness Month by the National Rosacea Society (NRS) to alert the public to the warning signs of this chronic and often progressive condition now estimated to affect more than 16 million Americans.
“Emotional stress frequently exacerbates or induces rosacea symptoms, creating a tailspin for many patients,” says Richard Granstein, MD, chairman of dermatology at Cornell University. “Combine this with the physical discomforts and the social impact of the disorder, and there are many aspects of rosacea that go well beyond its effects on personal appearance alone.”
Rosacea usually first strikes individuals between the ages of 30–60, and may initially resemble a simple sunburn or an inexplicable blush. Suddenly, without warning, a flush comes to their cheeks, nose, chin or forehead. Then, just when they start to feel concerned, the redness disappears.
Unfortunately, it happens again and again, becoming ruddier and lasting longer each time--and eventually visible blood vessels may appear. Without treatment, bumps and pimples often develop, growing more extensive over time, and burning, itching and stinging are common.
In severe cases, especially in men, the nose may become enlarged from the development of excess tissue. This is the condition that gave comedian W.C. Fields his trademark red, bulbous nose. In some people the eyes are also affected, feeling irritated and appearing watery or bloodshot. Severe cases of this condition, known as ocular rosacea, can result in reduced visual acuity.

Among the most famous rosacea sufferers is former President Bill Clinton, whose doctors disclosed that he has this condition in The New York Times. Others reported to have suffered from the disorder include Princess Diana, financier J.P. Morgan and the Dutch painter Rembrandt.
In new NRS surveys, 69% of rosacea patients said they experienced a flare-up related to emotional stress at least once a month, and more than 90% of the respondents said they had suffered some form of physical pain from their condition. A burning sensation was the most commonly reported discomfort, named by 75%, followed by itching, cited by 65%, and stinging, mentioned by 62%. Other types of pain associated with rosacea included swelling (44%), tightness (42%), tenderness (40%), tingling (31%), prickling (23%) and headache (20%).
Perhaps even more ravaging than its physical effects, rosacea often inflicts significant damage to people’s emotional, social and professional lives.
"It would be hard to invent a more embarrassing disease than rosacea," says Ted Grossbart, PhD, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School. "It affects the one part of the body that cannot be hidden—the face—and tends to strike people at a time in life when they may be increasingly self-conscious about changes in their appearance. Moreover, especially because this condition is not widely understood, it can leave its victims feeling isolated and even alienated from society."
In NRS surveys of more than 1,200 rosacea patients, 76% said rosacea's effect on their facial appearance had lowered their self-confidence and self-esteem. Sixty-nine percent of the survey respondents said they had experienced embarrassment as a result of the disorder, and nearly 63% reported difficulty in establishing new relationships. Forty-one percent said they had avoided or canceled face-to-face contact because of their condition, and 58% said the effect of untreated rosacea on their appearance had made them the subject of stares, misconceptions, rude comments or jokes.

Eighty-eight percent of those with severe symptoms said this disorder had affected their professional interactions, and nearly 51% reported they had missed work because of their condition. Thirty-nine percent said it might even have prevented them from being chosen for a new job.
Adding insult to injury is a common myth that rosacea sufferers, who often have a red face and nose, may be heavy drinkers. In fact, while alcohol may aggravate rosacea, these symptoms can be just as severe in a teetotaler. Another common misconception is that rosacea is caused by poor hygiene, while in reality it is unrelated to personal cleanliness.
Although the cause of rosacea is unknown, a vast array of lifestyle and environmental factors can trigger flare-ups of signs and symptoms in various rosacea sufferers. Common rosacea triggers include sun exposure, emotional stress, hot or cold weather, wind, heavy exercise, alcohol, spicy foods, heated beverages, humidity, certain skin-care products and many others.
“Although rosacea is a long-term disorder and there is no cure, the good news is that it can be effectively controlled with medical therapy and lifestyle modifications,” Granstein says. “This can substantially improve the quality of people’s lives.”
Only on SkinInc.com: Exclusive commentary from the NRS about how skin care professionals can identify and help relieve client depression due to rosacea.

Emotional stress is one of the leading rosacea triggers, and skin care professionals may detect signs of psychological issues by asking questions about clients’ emotional responses before or after a rosacea flareup.
In addition to medical therapy from a physician, skin care professionals may suggest clients keep a diary of daily activities to help them identify and avoid causes and types of stress that may trigger flareups in their individual cases.
If appropriate, it may be helpful to suggest that clients consult a psychologist to learn how to deal with emotional stress. Ideally, you should have a relationship with a local therapist that you trust so you can refer clients with confidence, and further solidify your role as a wellness resource for them. According to a recent study, individuals with severe rosacea appeared to benefit from cognitive-behavioral techniques, including relaxation training, which helped them reduce heightened heart rate, shift attention to other parts of the body and feel an overall sense of control.
Other helpful techniques may include yoga, Tai Chi, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, hypnosis, meditation, self-talk and square-box breathing.
During April and throughout the year, people who suspect they may have rosacea can visit the NRS website, or call its toll-free number at 888-NO-BLUSH to obtain comprehensive information on the disorder. Information and educational materials are also available by writing the National Rosacea Society, 196 James St., Barrington, Illinois 60010, or via e-mail at rosaceas@aol.com.

The Truth About Garlic

Here are the claims that you can trust…

Garlic is one of the most exhaustively researched herbs—the National Library of Medicine’s Web site lists more than 3,700 studies addressing garlic’s effect on everything from elevated cholesterol and various types of cancer to fungal infections.
So why is there still so much confusion about the health benefits of garlic?
Even though garlic has been used medicinally by some cultures for thousands of years, much of the contemporary research on garlic is mixed—some studies show that it has positive effects, while others indicate no significant benefits.
Here’s what the research shows…

HEART HEALTH

Over the years, scientists have investigated garlic’s ability to reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure and act as an anticlotting agent to prevent blood platelets from being too sticky—a main cause of heart attack.
Key scientific finding: A recent meta-analysis in China looked at 26 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials—the “gold standard” in scientific research. In that meta-analysis, researchers concluded that garlic reduces total cholesterol by 5.4% and triglyceride levels by 6.5% compared with a placebo. Garlic powder and aged garlic extract were found to be the most effective at lowering total cholesterol, while garlic oil had a greater effect on lowering triglyceride levels.
When it comes to high blood pressure, some credible research shows that garlic can help lower it.
Important scientific findings: Two meta-analyses showed that garlic reduced systolic (top number) blood pressure by 8 mmHg to 16 mmHg and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure by 7 mmHg to 9 mmHg in people with high blood pressure.
As for garlic’s antiplatelet effect—that is, its ability to make blood less sticky and therefore less prone to clotting—a meta-analysis of 10 trials showed a modest, but significant, decrease in platelet clumping with garlic treatment when compared with placebos in most of the studies.
Bottom line: Garlic does help reduce risk for cardiovascular disease, with positive effects on both total cholesterol and blood pressure. It also has enough of an effect on clotting that I recommend patients discontinue garlic supplements seven to 10 days before surgery because it may prolong bleeding.
My advice: If you have a personal or family history of heart disease, ask your doctor about using garlic (in food or supplements) as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Be sure to consult your doctor first if you take a blood pressure or statin drug.

CANCER

Large population studies have shown that people who live in countries where a lot of garlic is eaten—as well as onions and chives—are at lower risk for certain cancers.
Key scientific findings: In China, high intake of garlic and other alliums, including onions, was associated with a reduced risk for esophageal and stomach cancers. Specifically, the study found that people who ate alliums at least once a week had lower incidence of both forms of cancer than people who ate these foods less than once a month.
Meanwhile, the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, which involves 10 different countries, found that higher intakes of garlic and onions lowered the risk for intestinal cancer.
My advice: If you are concerned about cancer—especially if you have a family history or other risk factors for stomach or esophageal cancer—include one to two cloves of garlic in your diet each day.

INFECTIONS

Historically, garlic has received attention as a potent antibacterial agent. In 1858, Louis Pasteur touted garlic as an antibiotic. Garlic was later used in World War I and World War II as an antiseptic to prevent gangrene.
Bottom line: There have been few contemporary studies looking at the use of garlic to treat infections. However, preliminary research suggests that it may reduce the frequency and duration of colds when taken for prevention and may speed the healing of a fungal infection or wart.
My advice: For most people, garlic is worth trying as a preventive/treatment for these infections (see options described below).

SHOULD YOU USE GARLIC?

It’s wise to make garlic part of a healthful diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fiber.
Caution: Consuming large quantities of garlic—either in the diet or as a supplement—may cause body odor and/or bad breath. Chewing a sprig of fresh green parsley, mint or cardamom can work as a breath freshener. Hot tea also can help by rinsing away garlic oil still in your mouth. Drinking a glass of milk—full-fat or fat-free—may be effective as well. Garlic, especially on an empty stomach, can cause gastrointestinal upset and flatulence.
Because garlic may also interact with certain prescription drugs, such as warfarin (Coumadin), consult your doctor before significantly increasing your intake of the herb if you take any medication or have a chronic medical condition.
Options to consider…
Raw garlic. If you prefer raw garlic, try eating one or two cloves a day. You can chew and swallow it or use it in pesto, guacamole or a salad dressing. Cooked garlic is less powerful medicinally—heat inactivates the enzyme that breaks down alliin, the chemical precursor to allicin.
Aged garlic extract (AGE). If you prefer liquid, AGE is available in this form, which is popular in Europe. Follow label instructions.
Powdered garlic supplements. These are typically sold as capsules or tablets and standardized to contain 1.3% alliin. They usually contain 300 mg. Typical dose: Two or three capsules or tablets a day.

FACTS ABOUT GARLIC

Garlic has been used since ancient times as a medicinal remedy. It is a member of the allium family of plants, which also includes onions, chives and leeks. Garlic’s medicinal powers are attributed to its sulfur compounds, including a substance called allicin, which is formed when garlic is crushed or chopped. Besides fresh cloves, garlic is available in supplement form made from fresh, dried, or freeze-dried garlic, garlic oil and aged garlic extracts.
Source: Ellen Tattelman, MD, director of the faculty development fellowship at the Residency Program in Social Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. She is an assistant professor of family and social medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, also in New York City, where she organizes the integrative medicine curriculum. Dr. Tattelman specializes in a variety of integrative modalities, including herbal therapy and nutrition.

Listing Details

Publication:

Bottom Line Health

Original publication date:

April 1, 2012

Research Done on Benefits of Graviola

Published by:  Tempe, AZ -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/20/2012 -- According to statistics, over 12 million people in the United States are currently living with some type of cancer.

While many cancer patients are going through treatments like chemotherapy and/or radiation and surgery, a great number of them are also looking for alternative, more natural ways to combat the disease.

For years, medical researchers have been studying compounds found in a fruit called graviola. Amazingly, they have found that graviola contains natural agents called annonaceous acetogenins, which can actually attack cancer cells. This discovery has led to a wide variety of graviola extract, capsules and other related products being sold in stores and online.

But for people who are interested in trying the possible graviola cancer cure, it can be confusing and even overwhelming to know which products are best.

A website has been getting a lot of attention lately for its in-depth and helpful reviews of many of the most popular graviola supplements.

The staff at Graviola Review and Health Benefits understands that there are many graviola products that are currently available. Unfortunately, they are not all created equally; some of them include synthetic ingredients that will dilute the potency of the graviola and may cause it to not work as well.

Graviola Review and Health Benefits also features educational articles that help explain in easy-to-understand terms why and how graviola works to fight off cancer, information about possible graviola side effects, and details about some of the scientific studies that have shown how taking graviola for cancer can be extremely beneficial.

“In 1976, the National Cancer Institute began research on this herbal remedy and the findings concluded with astonishing results,” an article on the website noted, adding that the leaves of the graviola tree were found to be successful in destroying malignant cancer cells.

In 1998, another interesting experiment was conducted at Purdue University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmacal Services. Researchers discovered that two of the compounds from the leaves and fruit of the graviola led to significant anti-cancer activities in six types of human cancer cells.

In addition to the helpful reviews and factual articles about graviola, the website also tackles many other health and wellness-related topics including depression, the need for extra vitamins and minerals, and raspberry ketone weight loss products.

About Graviola Review and Health Benefits
Graviola Review and Health Benefits is a website that is devoted to educating readers about the cancer-fighting properties of the graviola fruit. The site also offers comprehensive and helpful reviews about many of the graviola supplements and other products that are on the market today. The free online resource also features other health-related articles about many other topics like weight loss, depression and more. For more information, please visit http://www.buygraviolabenefits.com

Images of Graviola