Fitness And Health

Archive for November, 2008

This is exciting, Dr. Bruce Ames of the University of California, Berkley, has done some ground breaking research in aging. Dr. Ames posted a lecture on the subject and we are pleased to present it here.

Life expectancy went from the 40s in the early 1900′s to nearly 80 now. Thanks to break throughs in healthy aging Dr. Ames expects to blast through that barrier again in this century. In these two videos Dr. Ames talks about studies with aged rats. The rats were lethargic, became fatigued easily, and couldn’t find cheese in a maze.

In the study the rats were given Caratine and alpha-lipolic acid (ALA) (these supplements are available in health food stores). Overnight, the rats became like young rats, running the mazes, finding the cheese, and doing all the things that young rats do. These supplements might be an important factor in longevity and quality of life during old age.

Dr. Ames found the same compounds work to help people get the same type of tune up. Below you’ll find part A and part B of a discussion Dr. Ames did on the experiments.

Together the videos run about 20 minutes.

Bruce Ames Lecture on Aging part A

Bruce Ames Lecture on Aging, Part B

We have several posts now about affirmations and their importance in any area of your life that you are working to improve.

• Affirmations
• Affirmations And Health – Well Being – Success
• How To Write And Record Your Own Affirmations

We are adding a new affirmation to our ITunes Affirmations Podcast and if you subscribe you will automatically get it.

We are pleased to announce a partnership with wwwTheRealMikeGriffin.com (Mike Griffin is the voice on our affirmation recordings) and they have included our affirmations in their tool bar. If you get the tool bar you’ll also get a convenient way to listen to the success classic: “The Science Of Getting Rich” <– download the ebook by clicking the link. With the tool bar you can pick the particular chapter of the book you want to hear and likewise dial up the particular affirmation you’d like. Find our about the tool bar by clicking the Real Mike link above or if you know enough and just want to install it click here –> Get The RMG ToolBar.

The affirmation is: ‘I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy.’ It’s from Charles Haanel’s “Master Key System.” It’s an affirmation he used as a boy to overcome health problems. Here is how he described it:

“I built up an affirmation for myself, taking the qualities I most needed, and affirming for myself over and over again, ‘I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy.’ I kept up this affirmation, always the same, never varying, till I could wake up in the night and find myself repeating, ‘I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy.’ It was the last thing on my lips at night and the first thing in the morning.

“Not only did I affirm it for myself, but for others that I knew needed it. I want to emphasize this point. Whatever you desire for yourself, affirm it for others, and it will help you both. We reap what we sow. If we send out thoughts of love and health, they return to us like bread cast upon the waters; but if we send out thoughts of fear, worry, jealousy, anger, hate, etc., we will reap the results in our own lives.

“It used to be said that man is built completely anew every seven years, but some scientists now declare that we build ourselves entirely over again every eleven months so we are really only eleven months old. if we build the defects back into our bodies year after year, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Just a little late for Thanksgiving, but a story that needs to be shared over and over.

By Mark Bromson, MD

Many patients come to me seeking pain relief. Whether it is back pain, neck and shoulder pain, or arthritis pain, my patients need solutions. Sometimes, the solution involves treating an underlying condition and putting an end to the pain. Sometimes, it means learning to manage chronic pain over the long term. Often, it simply means offering quick relief so people can get on with daily life. It’s this third solution that we’ll be discussing today.

Pain and Your Nerves

A back injury may be very different from chronic arthritis, but these conditions are similar in one aspect: both trigger a series of exchanges between the three major parts of your nervous system. These exchanges or messages are relayed through the body by neurons, the billions of cells that make up the nervous system. The result is the sensation you know as pain.

Here’s how it works: Pain begins with the peripheral nerves. They extend from your skin, muscles and internal organs to your spinal cord. These nerves may be sensitive to touch, movement and temperature changes. When these nerves are stimulated, they send pain messages in the form of electrical impulses to your spinal cord. In the spinal cord, which is the second major part of the nervous system, chemicals called neurotransmitters are released. These activate yet another group of nerve cells, which relay the message to the brain.

In the brain, which is the third area of the nervous system, the message is received by the thalamus. From there, specific messages are sent to the parts of the brain responsible for physical, emotional and intellectual reactions. As a result, you feel the pain in your body, you react emotionally based on your past experience, and you understand the idea of pain and begin, no doubt, to think of ways to alleviate it.

Getting Fast Relief

Now that you know pain begins with the nerves, you can target them directly to get relief. As I mentioned above, your peripheral nerves are responsive to the sensations of hot and cold. If you take advantage of this, you can prevent the pain message from reaching the brain by masking it with a different message.

The key is to use topical treatments with ingredients that can distract your nervous system from the pain you are experiencing. Sometimes called “counterirritants,” these substances are effective at providing temporary relief. Some highly potent ingredients to look for are menthol, camphor, eucalyptus oil, juniper berry oil and pine oil. The active ingredients listed on a product’s label will be present in the largest quantity in the medicine. Ideally, a mix of menthol and camphor should appear on this list.

These pain-masking ingredients can penetrate the skin and trigger a response in the nerves. Menthol, for example, will result in a cooling sensation when the nerve impulses reach the brain. Other substances produce hot sensations. Capsaicin creams, in particular, are made from chile peppers and deprive nerve cells of a substance needed for sending pain messages.

I often recommend topical pain relievers like I described above to my patients. These highly effective counterirritants will not permanently alleviate pain, but they provide temporary relief that is vital to those suffering from chronic conditions. Often, people use these products when they are waiting for other medications to begin working.

There are many ways to deal with pain. Only you and your doctor can determine the best plan to suit your individual needs. If topical counterirritants become part of your treatment plan, they should provide a welcome dose of relief just when you need it most.

Sources

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/pain-management-symptoms-types

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pain/PN00017

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/guide/pain-relievers

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/PN/00041.html

http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/on-line/brain/2.asp

[Mark Bromson, MD, is a nutritional consultant for Vitalmax Vitamins. He is presently a practicing orthopedic surgeon in South Florida. His extensive medical education includes a biology degree from Harvard College, a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the University of Miami. Dr. Bromson is actively involved in the advancement of alternative medicine and its role in nutrition, exercise and the musculoskeletal system. To learn more, click here.]

This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs which offers alternative health solutions for mind, body and soul.

By Kelley Herring

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 article appears courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs which offers alternative health solutions for mind, body and soul.