1. Exercise your body. Two newly released studies found that regular aerobic exercise, including brisk walking, swimming, and yoga in mid-life not only forestalls memory problems that often come with aging, but can actually improve the brain function of adults with mild cognitive impairment. Six months of 45 to 60 minutes of exercise four days a week did the trick.

2. Exercise your mind. An active brain continues to produce new connections between nerve cells. Play Scrabble, learn a foreign language or to play a musical instrument, do crossword puzzles, read, or learn a new hobby — all will stretch your brain power.

3. Follow a healthy diet. A meal plan low in saturated fats, and rich in colorful fruits and veggies will not only keep your brain sharp and your body slim, but will also help protect you from heart disease and cancer. Fortify your diet with omega-3 fatty acids. Studies show that omega-3s help maintain brain function throughout life and may protect brains from the ravages of aging. Find these brain-boosting fats in fatty fish such as tuna, sardines, wild salmon, and in seeds and nuts such as walnuts, flax and pumpkin seeds.

4. Don’t smoke. Smokers have twice the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, says the Mayo Clinic. Even if you’ve smoked for years, stopping now can reduce your risk of memory problems.

5. Drink in moderation. Researchers at Wellesley College in Massachusetts found that low to moderate amounts of alcohol can help protect against cardiovascular disease, but heavy drinking — more than 14 drinks each week — shrinks brains.

6. Manage your stress. Chill out. When you are stressed, your brain releases damaging hormones. The Mayo Clinic advises looking for solutions such as simplifying your life and getting exercise. Learn to meditate or take Tai Qi or Yoga.

7. Get enough sleep. Good, restful sleep allows your brain to process information, allowing you to think more creatively and have a better long-term memory. The National Sleep Foundation says adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Not getting enough sleep is a major contributor to developing Type II diabetes. Blood sugar dysfunction causes brain fog.

8. Include antioxidants in your diet. According to the AARP, a series of studies showed that a diet rich in antioxidants (which include vitamins C and E and beta carotene) prevented or slowed age-related declines in learning. Also, a study from Tufts University found that antioxidant-rich blueberries improved short-term memory in animals. Antioxidants have actually been found to prevent your DNA from unraveling!

9. Hydrate. Your brain is composed primarily of fat and water. When your brain is not properly hydrated, your brain can not function properly. Make sure chemicals such as chlorine and aluminum, and heavy metals are filtered out of your water.

10. Socialize. Being with other people and talking with them can improve your memory and sharpen your thinking skills. Oscar Ybarra, a psychologist at the University of Michigan found that spending only 10 minutes talking to another person improved memory and was as effective as other mental exercises, such as crossword puzzles.

To understand how bone health can be undermined, we must first understand how healthy bone is created and maintained. Bone cells called osteoblasts are responsible for generating new bone (osteogenesis) in an ongoing process known as remodeling. As the osteoblasts are doing their job, other bone cells called osteoclasts are doing theirs — resorbing old bone to make way for new, healthy bone. Obviously the dance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts must be a carefully choreographed one. Excessive resorption, or insufficient new growth, will result in brittle bones. A naturally-occurring example of this condition is the rare genetic disorder known as ontogenesis imperfecta,

BASIC DIET

1. Drink plenty of water each day: You need water to keep your cells hydrated and protected, to eliminate waste and ensure the health of your mucus membranes. Adequate hydration will improve a number of health problems including sinusitis, constipation, inflammation, allergies, fatigue, joint pain, headaches and many other afflictions. Your body cannot adequately eliminate waste products without enough water. If toxic chemicals or heavy metal poisoning is at the root of your health problems you will have a much easier time getting better when you are properly hydrated. Drink more water and less soda, coffee, tea or juice.

2. Eat plenty of vegetables: Plenty means that at least ½ to ¾ of the food you eat (by volume). Vegetables are very high in fiber, vitamin C, folic acid and minerals. They provide you with many health benefits, including the following:

• Fiber in vegetables slows the absorption of fat and toxins. One of the best ways to lose weight is to eat plenty of fiber. Eating adequate fiber can help normalize cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
• Vegetables nourish normal flora, which in turn nourish the lining of the GI tract, produce vitamins and inhibit yeast and other undesirable organisms.
• Vegetables speed up bowel transit time, which reduces bowel toxicity and prevents irritation of the GI lining.
• Vegetables contain folic acid, which is necessary to produce serotonin (preventing depression and overeating), increases energy and helps reduce the chances for a heart attack.
• The minerals in vegetables help prevent osteoporosis. (Other nutrients besides calcium are important for healthy bone.) Minerals are also important enzyme co-factors, so most major functions of the body are dependent on minerals.
• Eating vegetables can reduce the instance of cancer and heart disease, increase your energy and mental clarity, reduce the problems caused by bowel and liver toxicity, help reduce the symptoms of allergies, asthma, arthritis, skin problems, digestive problems, sinusitis, chronic pain and many other health problems.
• Eating vegetables helps to alkalize the diet. Ideally ½ to ¾ of the volume of the food eaten should be vegetables. Corn and potatoes don’t count as vegetables. As a good source of antioxidants and fiber, fruits are also a healthy food choice. Restrict fruit to no more than 10 % of one’s diet in order to keep blood sugar stable.

3. Avoid deep fried food, trans fats, partially hydrogenated oil and hydrogenated oil: As time passes, we keep finding more bad things about hydrogenated oil and fried foods. Hydrogenation is the food industry’s way of turning liquid oils into solid fats. This gives packaged foods a longer shelf life than if they were made with natural oils. Hydrogenation produces trans fats, which have been linked to a number of health problems such as the following:

• Cancer: Women with higher levels of trans fats in their cells are much more likely to develop breast cancer than women with low levels of trans fats.
• Pain and inflammation increase for people who consume hydrogenated oils. They chemically prevent the formation of natural anti-inflammatory substances that are normally produced by the body. If you suffer from chronic pain or have recently been injured, strictly avoid hydrogenated oil. Many people are amazed at how much better their pain becomes after giving up trans fats.
• Heart disease: High levels of trans fats create platelet aggregation, which is the beginning of the plaque associated with coronary heart disease. Lately a lot has been written linking inflammation with heart disease.
• Trans fats are incorporated into the cells and make them less resistant to chemicals, bacteria and viruses. This could be a source of immune system problems.
• There may be a link between trans fats and ADD, depression and fatigue. Brain and nerve tissue have a high content of fat. Some researches believe that when trans fats are incorporated into the nerve cells they affect function, creating problems like ADD and depression.
• Muscle fatigue and skin problems are also linked to hydrogenated oils. Most chips and fried snacks contain hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenated oils are found in a lot of packaged foods like crackers, cereals and even bread. They are often found in margarine (margarine is much worse for you than butter); mayonnaise; and a lot of bottled salad dressings. Read labels. Not all fats are bad for you. Good fats include raw nuts (not roasted), seeds, virgin or extra virgin olive oil, virgin coconut oil and avocados.4. Avoid refined sugar: The average American eats 150 pounds of refined sugar per year. Compare that to seven pounds per year consumed in England in 1750. Refined sugar increases insulin and adrenal hormone production and can cause the following health problems.
• Increased production of adrenal hormones causes the body to excrete essential minerals.
• Sugar consumption increases the body’s need for vitamins B and C.
• Eating a lot of sugar aggravates many of the problems we associate with emotional stress. Sugar stresses the adrenal glands.
• Sugar feeds yeast and other one-celled organisms found in the bowel, causing them to multiply. These organisms produce toxins, irritate the lining of the GI tract and take the place of normal, more beneficial flora, thus removing the benefits of helpful bacteria.
• Eating sugar causes blood sugar swings. Blood sugar increases immediately after consuming sugar, prompting the body to produce insulin. Excess insulin creates more sugar cravings.
• Eating sugar increases fatigue. People who give up refined sugar are often amazed at how much more energy they have.
• Eating sugar creates insulin insensitivity. More sugar is eaten, more insulin produced, etc. This stresses the pancreas and sets the stage for adult-onset diabetes.
• A connection between sugar consumption and high cholesterol exists. Patients with Syndrome X (high cholesterol, high LDL, low HDL and high triglycerides) often have the problem because of consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates.
• Sugar consumption can increase pain and inflammation.
• Sugar can cause or aggravate allergies, sinusitis, asthma, irritable bowel, Candidiasis, migraine headaches, fatigue, depression and even heart disease.

5. Avoid refined carbohydrates: The average American gets 50% of his or her calories from refined carbohydrates. Refined carbohydrates are grains that have had the fiber, vitamin E, B vitamins, bran and germ removed. In other words, the nutrients have been removed and you are left with the starch. They create all of the same health problems created by refined sugar. Go back and read the problems caused by refined sugar and realize that the list is exactly the same for refined starches Refined carbohydrates fill you up—but not with vitamins and minerals. This stresses your digestive system and your endocrine system. Eating refined carbohydrates uses up precious vitamins and minerals. Often people eat refined carbohydrates because they are low in fat and mistakenly think that because they are “complex carbohydrates” that they are actually good for you. Refined carbohydrates include white bread, white rice, and pasta that are not labeled whole grain. Read the labels on bread. Brown-colored bread labeled wheat bread isn’t usually whole wheat. If the label says enriched, white flour on it, you’re not getting a whole grain. Use brown rice instead of white rice.

6. Avoid chemical additives: Avoid processed foods and chemicals. The average American consumes 10 pounds of chemical additives every year. This has had a devastating effect on our health. The FDA tests single additives, but no one has any idea what combinations of additives do to us. Stay away from packaged foods with chemical additives and you will be much healthier.

7. Eat slowly, chew your food thoroughly: Ideally, chew your food until it is liquid. You will be satisfied with less food and you will have better digestion. Your saliva has enzymes that facilitate digestion. Also, it is easier to digest small particles than large ones. Most people eat too fast. Not chewing well stresses your digestive system and can lead to poor absorption of nutrients, digestive problems like gas and bloating and promote the growth of harmful bacteria in the digestive tract.

8. Never skip meals: Skipping meals stresses your adrenal glands. If you are trying to lose weight, not eating is a poor strategy because your metabolism will slow down to accommodate the reduction in calories. As a result you become fatigued and will ultimately gain weight.

HEALING DIET ESSENTIALS
1. Drink at least 8, eight-ounce glasses of water each day.
2. Eat plenty of vegetables.
3. Avoid deep fried food, partially hydrogenated oil and hydrogenated oil.
4. Avoid refined sugar.
5. Avoid refined carbohydrates.
6. Avoid chemical additives.
7. Eat slowly, and chew your food thoroughly.
8. Never skip meals.
9. Follow the rules for more alkaline eating (For more information, see article Optimize Your Health with the Alkaline Ash Diet). These include the following:

• If you have any chronic health problems eat 80% alkaline ash foods and 20% acid ash foods. In more practical terms, eat four vegetables and two fruits to one starchy food and one protein food.
• If you enjoy good health, maintain it by eating 60% alkaline ash foods and 40% acid ash foods.
• Eat mostly raw produce. It is okay to eat cooked food, but we are going to follow Dr. Reams’ idea that we don’t live off the food that we eat, we live off the energy in the food we eat. It is better to eat live, raw foods than it is to eat cooked foods.
• Do not eat protein and carbohydrate together—this acts to acidify the body.
• Do not eat fruit with grains or other foods—this acts to acidify the body.
• Realize that alcohol, caffeine and soda pop are extremely acidic and should be limited.

When you follow the basic diet you are still able to follow familiar eating patterns. You can have meat and potatoes, a sandwich made with protein and a whole grain bread or fruit in your oatmeal. Adding the disciplines of the alkaline ash diet may change how you think about eating, but eating healthfully provides your body with fuel needed to function well. You will probably have to plan your meals in advance and not just grab food on the run. Try it for 30 days; see if your health and energy improve.

The critics may be right about the diet directly affecting pH. In all likelihood the diet probably affects the body’s ability to buffer acids. In other words, the “acid” diet probably doesn’t change the pH of the body but rather makes the body work harder to maintain its pH.

According to proponents of this diet, eating the wrong foods creates acid systemically. Diets that are high in fat, protein and simple sugars are too acid. To reduce the acid burden the body links acids with alkaline minerals (like potassium, calcium and magnesium) and excretes them.

The excess acid load has a negative effect on energy production in the cells, enzyme function and tissue resilience and repair. This acid burden, when coupled with constant exposure to pollution, food additives, and poor digestion, burdens the immune system and exceeds the body’s reserves. A continuous state of distress can emerge, resulting in the increase of the chemical messengers of distress (such as cortisol, adrenaline, and insulin).

Some practitioners believe that we don’t live off the food that we eat; we live off the energy in the food we eat. They believe that it is better to eat live, raw foods than it is to eat cooked foods. Some confusion in terminology has resulted because of the way that the discussion evolved. In investigating how different foods might affect the acid-alkaline balance, various foods were burned to ash in the laboratory, and the pH of the resulting ash was measured. These foods were then classified as acid, alkaline or neutral ash foods.

In fact, if you read various authors about the alkaline diet you will see lots of inconsistencies. One author will say that nuts are all acid; another will say the almonds and cashews are alkaline. Quinoa is either acid or alkaline depending on whom you read. There are differences in opinion about how pH should be measured. One author will say the urine should be pH 7, another will say that a pH of 6.8 is good.

Various alternative practitioners have referred to acid- and alkaline-forming foods, based on the reaction of foods in the body. One thing that is considered a highly acidic way to eat is the combining of carbohydrate with protein.

In general, alkaline ash foods contain more magnesium, calcium, potassium and/or sodium. These are minerals that form alkaline compounds. Most fruits and vegetables are considered alkaline. Acid ash foods contain more chloride, phosphorus or sulfur, minerals that form acid compounds. These acid ash foods include meat, fish, poultry, legumes and grains, which all contain high levels of phosphorus, and mustard and eggs, which contain sulfur. Some fruits like plums, prunes, cranberries or rhubarb are considered acid-forming since they contain either oxalic or benzoic acid, organic acids which are not completely broken down in the body.

There is some individual variation as to whether foods are treated as alkaline or as acid. Genetics also plays a role; some groups can handle protein better than others. One possible explanation may be that people of different blood types handle protein differently. People who are blood type O seem to do better with more protein. Many groups of people who have not been exposed to civilization and therefore enjoy life relatively free of our civilized chronic degenerative diseases eat a diet that is a little more acidic (according to the model presented) than what is recommended here. Their diets are very nutrient-dense and that is at least as important as pH balance.

For regaining health, eating 80% alkaline foods and 20% acid foods has been recommended. Eating four vegetables and two fruits to one starchy food and one protein food approximates this number. The reason this proportion works well here is that most Americans eat a high-acid diet. We eat a lot of grain and protein and not a lot of vegetables. We also tend to combine starch and protein. Changing these eating patterns often has dramatic results in improving health.

The excess acid load has a negative effect on energy production in the cells, enzyme function and tissue resilience and repair. This acid burden when coupled with constant exposure to pollution, food additives and poor digestion burdens the immune system and exceeds the body’s reserves. A continuous state of distress can emerge, resulting in the increase of the chemical messengers of distress (such as cortisol, adrenaline and insulin).

Whether or not you believe in the effect that food can have on your systemic pH, the alkaline ash diet is a very healthy way to eat. In fact, the issue may be more about our capacity to buffer acids or alkaline foods. A diet that is too high in protein and refined foods may make it harder for you to regulate pH; it doesn’t put you in acidosis. Blood never becomes acidic during life; the critics of this way of thinking are right about that. The diet is, however, effective for restoring health—for whatever reason. Increase the amount of alkaline foods and decrease the amount of acid foods to help to restore your health.

There are those who have taken this information to mean that all acid foods are bad all of the time and that you should never eat animal products, and that all acid-forming foods are akin to poison.

There are some problems with this way of thinking; a diet in which these acid ash foods are absent can lead to deficiencies that undermine the body’s ability to maintain the proper blood pH. Meat and other animal foods provide protein and vitamin B12; red meats provide zinc. Both are needed for the regulation of acid-base balance. Fat-soluble vitamins and protein found in organ meats, shellfish and meat in general help maintain the health of the lungs and kidneys. Good lung and kidney function is necessary for good acid-base regulation.

The concept of alkaline and acid ash is a good one, but you also have to take into account the need to eat natural, nutrient-dense foods. With that in mind, take a look at what kinds of foods improve alkalinity.

Alkaline foods: Fruit (most), vegetables (except peas, beans), lentils (some consider lentil acid, others consider them alkaline), spices, herbs and seasonings, seeds and nuts.

Acid foods: Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains and legumes.

Of course, this is a generality. Some grains, like wild rice, quinoa and oat are mildly alkaline. Quail eggs and duck eggs are mildly alkaline. Nuts are generally alkaline, but walnuts and Brazil nuts are acidic. There are books written on the alkaline diet, or you can ask your health care provider. If you want to get into more accurate detail, Dr. Russell Jaffe has written a book on the subject, The Alkaline Way. In general, alkaline ash foods are those that contain large quantities of magnesium, calcium, potassium and/or sodium—minerals that form alkaline compounds. Most fruits and vegetables are considered alkaline. Acid ash foods are those that contain chloride, phosphorus or sulfur—minerals that form acid compounds. These acid ash foods include meat, fish, poultry, legumes and grains, which all contain high levels of phosphorus, and mustard and eggs, which contain sulfur.

Many foods that seem acidic to us are actually alkaline. Foods like lemons, oranges and tomatoes, for example, are considered alkaline.

It must be stressed that these lists vary and sometimes it is best to follow the general rules: grains and proteins are acid, and fruits, nuts, seeds and vegetables are alkaline. The important thing to do is to eat a lot of produce and to eat whole and unprocessed foods (like the advice given in the Basic Diet).

If you want to restore your health, about 80% of your diet should be alkaline foods. In more practical terms, the recommendation was four vegetables and two fruits to one starchy food and one protein food. This is the proportion of foods for the day. If, instance you have 3 oz. of protein one day, you need 12 oz. of vegetables and 8 oz. of fruit for the day. You are also allowed 3 oz. of grain, but it is not to be eaten with the meat.

Maintaining health is easier. If you do not have any major health problems, you need eat 60% alkaline foods to maintain your health. This translates to one protein, one starch, two vegetables and one fruit. If you have 6 oz. of protein, you then need 12 oz. of vegetable and 6 oz. of fruit for the day. You are also allowed 6 oz. of grain—but it is not to be eaten with the meat. When you eat this way, fruits and vegetables will dominate your diet; if these are fresh and raw, so much the better. If you can get organic produce, that will remove the burden that pesticides place on your body. For more information, see Dr. Jaffe’s book.

Animal products are on the list of acid foods, but you are allowed some of these—unlike those eating a strict vegetarian diet, you can have some meat. It’s like following Thomas Jefferson’s advice to use meat as a condiment, which may be healthier than a strict vegetarian diet.

Grains are on the list of foods that should be minimally consumed. What do Americans eat? They eat sandwiches, chicken and rice, meat and potatoes and other combinations of meat and starch, in other words, an extremely acid-forming diet. Eat more alkaline foods and fewer acid foods and your energy will increase and your health will improve.

To understand how bone health can be undermined, we must first understand how healthy bone is created and maintained. Bone cells called osteoblasts are responsible for generating new bone (osteogenesis) in an ongoing process known as remodeling. As the osteoblasts are doing their job, other bone cells called osteoclasts are doing theirs — resorbing old bone to make way for new, healthy bone. Obviously the dance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts must be a carefully choreographed one. Excessive resorption, or insufficient new growth, will result in brittle bones. A naturally-occurring example of this condition is the rare genetic disorder known as ontogenesis imperfecta,

Is your bone health at risk? Bone health can be jeopardized by a wide variety of factors. Many of them are hormonal in nature, such as an excess of cortisone from stress, deficient amounts of progesterone or testosterone, or the effects of medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera®). Other risk factors include celiac disease, lack of exercise (bone growth is stimulated by weight-bearing activity), poor nutrition, alcohol abuse, and deficiencies of folic acid, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin K.

Childhood and menopause are the two most critical periods for bone health. If you’re a woman approaching menopause, you can expect to face a significant loss of bone density in the near future. Diminished bone density is a natural consequence of aging, but like any condition which weakens the structure of the bone it can cause serious health problems and an increased risk of fractures. It’s no surprise that so many women turn to medical science to treat this condition. But it may surprise you to learn that the prescribed “cure” can be worse than the disease.

Fosomax®, Actonel®, Zometa®, Boniva®, Dirdronel® — these are familiar names in doctor’s offices and pharmacies. These medicines are biophosphonates, a class of drug approved by the FDA and widely prescribed for osteoporosis and other bone-related conditions for over 15 years. According to the April 2009 issue of Health Alert, biophosphonates can cause devastating side effects, including increased rates of both hip fractures and jaw necrosis (jawbone death following dental procedures). Biophosphonates inhibit bone resorption, causing the bone to become thicker and thicker without allowing for the extra blood supply needed to keep the bone alive and well. The bones become denser, but they also become even more brittle and prone to injury than before. Even worse, biophosphonates have a half-life of over 10 years — longer than the entire bone remodeling cycle.

How, then, can you keep your bones strong the natural way? First, look out for environmental factors that have a negative impact on bone health. In addition to such obvious villains as alcohol and smoking, steer clear of sodas and other carbonated drinks. These products contain high levels of phosphorus, which can be very harmful to bone growth. Even fluoride, that ubiquitous additive to our drinking water and toothpaste, can interfere with the formation of collagen necessary for healthy bones. Also, be aware that pesticides, heavy metals, and other poisons are impossible for the body to remove naturally, so they can wreak mayhem on the body’s mechanisms for a very long time.

Proper nutrition definitely plays a major role in bone health, but there’s a lot more to it than just popping a calcium supplement every day. For one thing, the body absorbs different forms of calcium with varying levels of efficiency; in the case of calcium carbonate, available in over-the-counter antacids that many people take as a “supplement,” you might as well be eating chalk for the actual benefit your bones are likely to receive. Calcium citrate and calcium lactate are both better absorbed by the body than calcium carbonate. Also keep in mind that any calcium requires the presence of Vitamin D before the body can absorb it and transport it to bone tissues. Insufficient Vitamin D can also cause your osteoclasts to work overtime, further weakening the bone. Many calcium supplements come with some Vitamin D added. Spending some time in the sunshine every day is a simple, natural solution. Unfortunately, sun block can prevent Vitamin D absorption, so supplementation is essential. While the RDA for Vitamin D is 400 IU per day, a minimum of 1000 IU is the current recommendation of most experts. Make sure you’re getting a wide spectrum of other minerals too, along with the B and K vitamins.

Herbs traditionally have been used with great success to build healthy bones. According to one clinical study of 28 menopausal women, use of Chinese herbs for one year resulted in an average increase of 3.4% in bone density with few or no side effects.

Beyond supplementation, your lifestyle for bone health should include drinking plenty of (non-fluoridated) water, exercising regularly, making healthy dietary choices, and maintaining normal hormonal and pH levels. Our bodies prefer a pH level of around 7.2, but eating too many refined foods can create an overly acidic environment that works against normal body functioning. And be sure to avoid excess stress, proteins, or table salt (unbleached sea salt is the only salt that contains nutrients the body can use).

But what about that old calcium standby, milk? Believe it or not, dairy products have been associated with an increased risk of fractures. A Harvard Nurses study of 77,671 women revealed that fracture rates were higher among those who drank three of more glasses of milk per day. It’s just another compelling reminder that not everything touted to be “good for you” actually is.

Our bones, like so many other components of the human body, have an extraordinary ability to heal, rebuild, and maintain themselves. But it’s up to you to give them the tools and support they need to get the job done.

Inflammation is now understood to be a central factor in conditions as diverse as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, arthritis, eczema, sinus infections, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Support is increasingly growing for the contention that ALL chronic diseases have an inflammatory component. Our ability to age gracefully may well be dependent on our bodies’ ability to manage inflammation.

Is inflammation just a cruel trick of nature to be suppressed with medications such as anti-inflammatories, or is there a more noble purpose?

What is Inflammation?

According to Leon Chaitow, N. D., D. O., inflammation is a natural and potentially beneficial response of the body to factors that are irritating or damaging it. Whether this process is self limited and beneficial or becomes excessive and chronic is dependent on the health of the immune system.

The complex process by which our bodies inflame initiate as a response to halt tissue damage. The process is the same regardless of whether the damage is the result of trauma or an ongoing internal process. Both local trauma and processes such as cellular energy production create organic material. Bacterial microbes, the most common cells in our body, decompose organic material, similar to food left out to rot decomposes. So, when the body senses these bacteria are excessive, inflammation occurs as a way to clear out cell destruction. In other words, our body chooses inflammation over microbial overgrowth. Organic material, generated by natural internal processes or localized trauma can be viewed as garbage.

An old naturopathic saying is that our body either excretes the garbage or it inflames and infects. I commonly quote this in clinic as we seek to increase excretion potential (via the liver, the kidneys or the lungs/skin) or reduce inflammation or infection.

Many people do not realize that before pain or redness comes stiffness. Stiffness in the joints or low back on rising which diminishes with movement is inflammation.

The major agent of inflammation is oxidation.

What is Oxidation?

Popular health information tells us to take lots of anti-oxidants. The reason anti-oxidants are important is to reduce the effects of oxidation.

Oxidation is a biochemical process characterized by the loss of electrons creating “free radicals”. The process of oxidation is used in a wide variety of industries. In the body, this uncoupling occurs as a by-product of normal metabolic processes and xeno-toxic reactions (foreign to the body). The breaking of electron bonds creates molecules which are unstable and highly reactive. In an attempt to become stable these incomplete molecules steal electrons from other molecules. When an attacked molecule loses an electron, a chain reaction results causing neighboring molecules to become oxidized, or unstable. Many chronic diseases are implicated with free radical damage.

Since oxidation is required for energy production to create ATP, it can not be called a “bad” process. The problem is excess oxidation. Other problems occur when metabolic processes create elevated chemicals which can easily combine with these unstable, oxidized particles to create other chemicals (oxysterols, peroxynitrite – search http://scholar.google.com/for research on the damaging impacts of these chemicals).

If someone gave you a cocktail of pesticides, you would think they were nuts, but our bodies create chemicals every bit as dangerous as pesticides every day. With a healthy immune system, healthy metabolic processes and good excretion, our body keeps all these complicated processes in balance.

Factors that Contribute to Oxidation

Factors which contribute to oxidation stress are:

1. Adrenaline changes from too much STRESS (see Focus on Health “Building Health” for more information) Note: Stress, for any reason, is very damaging.

2. Excess sweets and carbohydrates

3. Drugs of all kinds, including medications

4. Fast foods

5. Eating too much or eating too late

6. Heavy metals

7. Pesticides

8. AGE’s (chemicals created from highly heated proteins and sugars – think grilled meats)

9 Viruses/yeasts/bacteria

10. Low anti-oxidant diet

Determining Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress can easily and cost effectively (about $25 ) be checked with a test for free radical activity using a urine sample. This test is the most accurate test on the market. (For additional information seehttp://oxidata.com/).

In order to get a complete picture of the impacts of oxidative stress, urinary electrolytes, used to create energy, and urinary nitrates, a cell signaling molecule which is a mediator in inflammatory responses and which helps blood vessels relax and widen, need to be assessed. These molecules, if elevated, along with oxidation create dangerous internal toxins.

While traditional western medicine is concerned with inflammation and oxidation, few tests or markers exist. A common test, C-reactive protein, measures inflammation in the blood.

Nutritional Support in Reducing Inflammation and Oxidation

Perhaps the most important element in reducing inflammation and oxidation is to reduce the stressors in one’s life. If one’s adrenal system is overstressed or not functioning, one is not able to handle the stressors in one’s life. A simple urinary test can determine the status of one’s adrenal system, and targeted nutrition and relaxation techniques can be implanted to heal one’s adrenals.

To decrease oxidative stress or free radicals, reduce the factors which contribute to oxidation listed above.

Specific dietary changes can reduce the effects of inflammation.

1. Increase Omega 3 Fatty acids (fish oils, seeds like flax and nuts)

3. Increase anti-oxidants foods (blue/purple are the power colors). Examples are blueberries, bilberries, Acai fruit, pomegranates.

4. Increase anti-oxidants vitamins such as bio-flavonoids, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Note: specific vitamins target different area of the body.

5. Reduce foods known to increase inflammation such as red meats. For some people, vegetables of the nightshade family (tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes) can increase inflammation.

4. Increase aerobic exercise. Try yoga, Tai Qi or meditation to increase relaxation.

5. Include therapies such as spinal manipulation, acupuncture and massage.

6. Try natural anti-inflammatory substances such as Willow Bark, Chinese herbs and Proteolytic enzymes, and Rescue Remedy or Traumeel.

The elements to building health, while describing complex processes, are pretty simple. Focusing on core processes first assures your health is being built from the ground up. With a strong foundation, we can all maximize our health potential.

Like building wealth, building health requires a good plan and sound execution. Unfortunately, most people have no idea how to construct “health”. We are bombarded with information, the “truths” constantly changing. Americans now spend almost 20 % of our gross national product on health care. Is this making us healthier?

A recent study, published by the Journal of the American Medical Association highlighted:

• Americans are less healthy than their peers in England despite spending double what England spends per resident
• Americans had higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, cancer, stroke
• Adjusting for education and income, and removing minorities did not affect the outcome.

A previous study comparing health care in the US with other industrialized countries determined we had significantly higher rates of medical mistakes and higher rates of deaths due to medical errors. The bottom line is that even though we spend more we are not healthier. While the experts debate what to do, we are expected to become “experts” in managing our own health care.

Using Functional Medicine as a Model

Functional Medicine is an integrative, science based healthcare approach that promotes wellness. The goal is to restore physiological, psychological and structural balance to the individual. All assessment and treatment is tailored to the individual.

The traditional western model treats diseases, defined as an infection or pathological change to the body. The focus is on treating the disease, not the person. The primary tools are pharmaceuticals and surgery. Symptoms are often “managed” which means a person taking a statin drug for high cholesterol can expect to take it for the rest of his/her life. Where pathology exists, whether from trauma, infection or diseased tissue, the traditional western model is often superior. Seeing an M.D. is usually the first care sought. Unfortunately, it is estimated as high as 90% of all visits to a primary care physician are for functional problems, not pathological or infectious problems. A functional problem can be described as some physiological process that is not working well, but has not progressed to a disease state. Most chronic illnesses have their origin in functional problems.

Functional medicine treats individuals as the unique expression of their life experiences.

From a functional perspective, all health and illness is the result of:

• Environmental inputs including diet, life style, air and water, exercise, trauma, toxic exposure and mental/emotional influences, including stress
• Genetic predisposition
• Fundamental physiological processes

Lifestyle is an important factor; research estimates that 70-90% of the risk for chronic diseases is attributable to lifestyle. The good news is that the body is capable of healing itself if it is functioning! Of course, just like a leaky roof, the sooner one fixes a leak, the easier and less expensive the repair will be.

Fundamental Processes

Fundamental processes are like the foundation in a house. These physiological processes ultimately determine health or disease. If your body is not functioning, imbalances occur. So let’s take a look at these core processes:

• Communication, both inside and outside of the cell
• Transformation of food, air and water into energy
• Structural integrity
• Elimination of waste
• Protection and defense
• Transport and circulation.

Core Clinical Imbalances

In reality, patients go to a doctor complaining of symptoms such as pain (not breakdowns in processes). Pain is just an expression of one’s body imbalance. So the practice of functional medicine is characterized by looking at core clinical imbalances. Imbalances such as these are the precursors to organ system disease.

• Immune Imbalances
• Inflammatory Imbalances
• Digestive and absorptive Imbalances
• Oxidation Imbalances
• Detoxification Imbalances
• Structural Imbalances
• Hormones Imbalances
• Neurotransmitter Imbalances

Focusing on core clinical imbalances is the best way to restore health. The best way to maintain health is to diminish negative impacts from the environmental inputs listed, in other words, modify lifestyle choices.

Our amazing bodies give us messages continually. Learning to recognize and respond to these messages, and not shoot out the “idiot” lights can provide us with the greatest gift of all – our health.

Why are some people more susceptible to colds and the flu?
We are all familiar with the basic treatment principle, “Take 2 aspirin or Tylenol, drink plenty of water, and go to bed”, or with a fever, ”Bundle up and wait till you break a sweat”. Certainly good advice but is there anything else you can do?

According to well-known author Elson Hass, M.D., the “common cold” and the “flu” are primarily signals that the body needs to clean and rest itself. With our hectic lives too often we take our 2 aspirin or Tylenol, perhaps an anti-biotic, cough syrup or decongestant and head off to work. We survive, get better, and wait until the next round of virus hits town, and us again. If this is your story, perhaps its time to heed Dr. Haas admonition to rest.

How does Chinese Medicine treat colds and the flu?
Chinese medicine derived from nature. Healing is primarily a matter of restoring ourselves to harmony. Perhaps this sounds easy, but in our hurry-up, pill-based society, many individuals have lost touch with the rhythms of nature and their own natural cycles.

In Chinese medicine, a virus is thought to invade the exterior of the body. Therefore, the main treatment principle is to ”release the exterior”. This is primarily achieved by inducing diaphoresis or sweating which not only reduces body aches and fever, but prevents the pathogen from going further into the interior to evolve into a more serious illness.

Often an individual does not cleanly “break a sweat” but gets clammy, and the illness lingers on or worsens. Now its time to go to the doctor and get antibiotics. In Chinese medicine when sweating does not “release the exterior”, an individual is thought to be somewhat weakened or compromised, and the treatment principle must take their weakness into consideration in order to effectively rid the body of the pathogen.

What methods are used in treating colds and the flu?
The tools most used by Chinese medicine to “release the exterior” are acupuncture and herbs. Of course, rest, water and proper diet are equally important. Most patients report they recover much sooner and feel less discomfort. In addition, Chinese herbs very effectively treat the accompanying symptoms of nasal congestion, cough, sore throat or headache.

A well-known formula exists which rids the pathogen immediately from the body IF it is taken at the first sign of a cold. I recommend all patients carry this formula in their medicine cabinet. It works!

Can Chinese medicine be used with antibiotics?
Sometimes by the time I see a patient they are already on antibiotics. Perhaps the infection is bacterial, or perhaps it evolved into something more serious. In any case, sometimes antibiotics are necessary. Can or should Chinese medicine be used in conjunction with antibiotics? Yes, absolutely! The above principle of “release the exterior” still applies, and in addition, Chinese herbs can be used mitigate the side effects of antibiotics. Equally important using Chinese medicine will help restore the body to harmony more quickly, thereby increasing energy levels and preventing disease.

No general screening test is more efficient, effective and affordable than a comprehensive blood chemistry panel. It allows the healthcare provider to establish a baseline of biomarkers to track the patient’s health and nutritional needs. Getting a blood test is essential to understanding your current health and your nutritional needs.

What is Blood Nutrition? Blood Nutrition™, is an innovative, science-guided look at nutritional strengths and weaknesses through an individual’s blood test. This new scientific approach can offer a clear plan for your optimum health. As a result, a new generation of healthcare professionals is emerging with the tools and keys that can reveal the more subtle imbalances and assist in correcting them. Blood NutritionTM is a comprehensive approach to health. To address the true cause of symptoms, one should look for their origin from a science-generated perspective by considering:

• Physiological distress or disease conditions
• Nutritional distress or imbalances
• Mental/emotional distress

Any of these factors may be the source or a contributing factor for the symptoms of imbalance. The cornerstone of an effective health strategy is a nutritional and lifestyle plan that is based on your biochemistry. Success here is dependent on the establishment of an accurate nutritional profile guided by scientific approaches such as a comprehensive blood test. Blood Nutrition and Science This advanced scientific approach identifies nutritionally significant information through the careful analysis of the various blood values. Certain indicators can reveal electrolyte, mineral and other nutritional imbalances. Once addressed, one can optimize the metabolic processes and help maintain the healthy performance of the body. A balanced nutritional state is essential for achieving and maintaining health. Nutritional analysis of your Blood Test may indicate the need for:

• Key nutrients such as vitamin A, B6, B12, D
• Fluid and electrolyte balance
• Minerals such as magnesium, calcium and iron
• Tissue hydration
• Antioxidants
• Enzymes
• Nutritional support of key organs
• Nutritional support of metabolic pathways
• The need for lifestyle changes

Nutritional Imbalances If you have nutritional imbalances, you may be experiencing the following:

• Mental/emotional symptoms including mood swings and anxiety
• Structural/musculoskeletal symptoms such as pain or stiffness
• Digestive issues such as bloating, indigestion and elimination problems
• Optical symptoms such as difficulty in night vision or blurry vision
• Symptoms such as weight gain, fatigue, insomnia, food cravings
• Cardiovascular health issues
• Dry skin, brittle nails, hair dryness or loss
• Others

Are you suffering from the effects of nutritional deficiencies or imbalances? Nutrients such as amino acids, enzymes, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and electrolytes are the building blocks of the body. They provide energy, support metabolism and are needed for many biochemical reactions to sustain health. Key nutrients may become deficient for various reasons. These may include:

• Disease processes, which may block metabolism
• Poor dietary habits
• Physical, mental and emotional stress

One of the most scientific ways to identify nutritional imbalances is to have your blood test evaluated by a nutritionally trained doctor or healthcare practitioner who is experienced in Blood NutritionTM assessment. A comprehensive blood test is affordable and results are normally received within a few days. When key nutrients become deficient, many metabolic processes are affected. The body may initially try to compensate for such imbalances. However, if they are prolonged, they may contribute to hormonal issues, metabolic disorders, increase in toxic load, oxidative stress, organ weaknesses and many other health issues. Many symptoms such as tiredness, fatigue and irritability may be effectively addressed with proper nutritional considerations. A blood test is one of the most efficient tests you can get to determine the quality of your overall health. Once you have received your test results, working with a specialist who is experienced in Blood NutritionTM will enable you to achieve the optimum health that is essential to a long life full of vitality.