You may never need Viagra -
Just clean out the poison from under your sink.
Host of common chemicals damaging maleness
Evolution is being distorted by pollution, which damages genitals and the ability to father offspring, says new study. Geoffrey Lean reports
The male gender is in danger, with incalculable consequences for both humans and wildlife, startling scientific research from around the world reveals.
The research is the most comprehensive report yet published – shows that a host of common chemicals is feminising males of every class of vertebrate animals, from fish to mammals, including people.
Backed by some of the world's leading scientists, who say that it "waves a red flag" for humanity and shows that evolution itself is being disrupted, the report comes out at a particularly sensitive time for ministers. On Wednesday, Britain will lead opposition to proposed new European controls on pesticides, many of which have been found to have "gender-bending" effects.
It also follows hard on the heels of new American research which shows that baby boys born to women exposed to widespread chemicals in pregnancy are born with smaller penises and feminised genitals.
"This research shows that the basic male tool kit is under threat," says Gwynne Lyons, a former government adviser on the health effects of chemicals, who wrote the report.
Wildlife and people have been exposed to more than 100,000 new chemicals in recent years, and the European Commission has admitted that 99 per cent of them are not adequately regulated. There is not even proper safety information on 85 per cent of them.
Many have been identified as "endocrine disrupters" – or gender-benders – because they interfere with hormones. These include phthalates, used in food wrapping, cosmetics and baby powders among other applications; flame retardants in furniture and electrical goods; PCBs, a now banned group of substances still widespread in food and the environment; and many pesticides.
The report – published by the charity CHEMTrust and drawing on more than 250 scientific studies from around the world – concentrates mainly on wildlife, identifying effects in species ranging from the polar bears of the Arctic to the eland of the South African plains, and from whales in the depths of the oceans to high-flying falcons and eagles.
It concludes: "Males of species from each of the main classes of vertebrate animals (including bony fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) have been affected by chemicals in the environment.
"Feminisation of the males of numerous vertebrate species is now a widespread occurrence. All vertebrates have similar sex hormone receptors, which have been conserved in evolution. Therefore, observations in one species may serve to highlight pollution issues of concern for other vertebrates, including humans."
Fish, it says, are particularly affected by pollutants as they are immersed in them when they swim in contaminated water, taking them in not just in their food but through their gills and skin. They were among the first to show widespread gender-bending effects.
Half the male fish in British lowland rivers have been found to be developing eggs in their testes; in some stretches all male roaches have been found to be changing sex in this way. Female hormones – largely from the contraceptive pills which pass unaltered through sewage treatment – are partly responsible, while more than three-quarters of sewage works have been found also to be discharging demasculinising man-made chemicals. Feminising effects have now been discovered in a host of freshwater fish species as far away as Japan and Benin, in Africa, and in sea fish in the North Sea, the Mediterranean, Osaka Bay in Japan and Puget Sound on the US west coast.
Research at the University of Florida earlier this year found that 40 per cent of the male cane toads – a species so indestructible that it has become a plague in Australia – had become hermaphrodites in a heavily farmed part of the state, with another 20 per cent undergoing lesser feminisation. A similar link between farming and sex changes in northern leopard frogs has been revealed by Canadian research, adding to suspicions that pesticides may be to blame.
Male alligators exposed to pesticides in Florida have suffered from lower testosterone and higher oestrogen levels, abnormal testes, smaller penises and reproductive failures. Male snapping turtles have been found with female characteristics in the same state and around the Great Lakes, where wildlife has been found to be contaminated with more than 400 different chemicals. Male herring gulls and peregrine falcons have produced the female protein used to make egg yolks, while bald eagles have had difficulty reproducing in areas highly contaminated with chemicals.
Scientists at Cardiff University have found that the brains of male starlings who ate worms contaminated by female hormones at a sewage works in south-west England were subtly changed so that they sang at greater length and with increased virtuosity.
Even more ominously for humanity, mammals have also been found to be widely affected.
Two-thirds of buck Sitka black-tailed deer in Alaska have been found to have undescended testes and deformed antler growth, and roughly the same proportion of white-tailed deer in Montana were discovered to have genital abnormalities.
In South Africa, eland have been revealed to have damaged testicles while being contaminated by high levels of gender-bender chemicals, and striped mice from one polluted nature reserved were discovered to be producing no sperm at all.
At the other end of the world, hermaphrodite polar bears – with penises and vaginas – have been discovered and gender-benders have been found to reduce sperm counts and penis lengths in those that remained male. Many of the small, endangered populations of Florida panthers have been found to have abnormal sperm.
Other research has revealed otters from polluted areas with smaller testicles and mink exposed to PCBs with shorter penises. Beluga whales in Canada's St Lawrence estuary and killer whales off its north-west coast – two of the wildlife populations most contaminated by PCBs – are reproducing poorly, as are exposed porpoises, seals and dolphins.
Scientists warned yesterday that the mass of evidence added up to a grave warning for both wildlife and humans. Professor Charles Tyler, an expert on endocrine disrupters at the University of Exeter, says that the evidence in the report "set off alarm bells". Whole wildlife populations could be at risk, he said, because their gene pool would be reduced, making them less able to withstand disease and putting them at risk from hazards such as global warming.
Dr Pete Myers, chief scientist at Environmental Health Sciences, one of the world's foremost authorities on gender-bender chemicals, added: "We have thrown 100, 000 chemicals against a finely balanced hormone system, so it's not surprising that we are seeing some serious results. It is leading to the most rapid pace of evolution in the history of the world.
Professor Lou Gillette of Florida University, one of the most respected academics in the field, warned that the report waved "a large red flag" at humanity. He said: "If we are seeing problems in wildlife, we can be concerned that something similar is happening to a proportion of human males"
Indeed, new research at the University of Rochester in New York state shows that boys born to mothers with raised levels of phthalates were more likely to have smaller penises and undescended testicles. They also had a shorter distance between their anus and genitalia, a classic sign of feminisation. And a study at Rotterdam's Erasmus University showed that boys whose mothers had been exposed to PCBs grew up wanting to play with dolls and tea sets rather than with traditionally male toys.
Communities heavily polluted with gender-benders in Canada, Russia and Italy have given birth to twice as many girls than boys, which may offer a clue to the reason for a mysterious shift in sex ratios worldwide. Normally 106 boys are born for every 100 girls, but the ratio is slipping. It is calculated that 250,000 babies who would have been boys have been born as girls instead in the US and Japan alone.
And sperm counts are dropping precipitously. Studies in more than 20 countries have shown that they have dropped from 150 million per millilitre of sperm fluid to 60 million over 50 years. (Hamsters produce nearly three times as much, at 160 million.) Professor Nil Basu of Michigan University says that this adds up to "pretty compelling evidence for effects in humans".
But Britain has long sought to water down EU attempts to control gender-bender chemicals and has been leading opposition to a new regulation that would ban pesticides shown to have endocrine-disrupting effects. Almost all the other European countries back it, but ministers – backed by their counterparts from Ireland and Romania – are intent on continuing their resistance at a crucial meeting on Wednesday. They say the regulation would cause a collapse of agriculture in the UK, but environmentalists retort that this is nonsense because the regulation has get-out clauses that could be used by British farmers.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/its-official-men-really-are-the-weaker-sex-1055688.html
What’s the big deal about toxins you ask? You’d be surprised. Find out where they are in your home and, more importantly, how to replace them.
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/prodHou
Saturday, August 29, 2009
VIVIX: The science behind this breakthrough product
VIVIX: The science behind this breakthrough product
Vivix™Vivix™ Cellular Anti-Aging Tonic - 10 times more powerful than Resveratrol alone:
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/vivix
Unlocking the secrets of biological aging is perhaps the ultimate scientific quest—and significant progress has occurred in the last decade in the understanding of the aging process. Scientists and the general public have become aware of the compelling research on a compound found in red wine called resveratrol, and its ability to extend lifespan in many different laboratory studies. Indeed, resveratrol has been referenced in over 2,000 research citations by the National Library of Medicine, including studies conducted by Harvard University, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institute on Aging.
Launched in August 2008 ,* Vivix™ cellular anti-aging dietary supplement has captured the attention of people across America in just a few short months. Vivix was specifically designed to address 4 key mechanisms of cellular aging and Shaklee has the scientific substantiation to back up all claims for the ingredients in Vivix: “In laboratory studies, Vivix™ ingredients have been shown to impact four key mechanisms of cellular aging.”
This laboratory study surfaced the potential of resveratrol, a compound in red wine, to address two key mechanisms of cellular aging including improving mitochondrial biogenesis and activating genetic regulators of longevity pathways. Numerous laboratory studies including those cited below confirm an effect of resveratrol on helping to protect against a third mechanism of cellular aging, the protectionand repair of DNA damage.
But Shaklee scientists went beyond resveratrol in the creation of Vivix by creating a unique and patentpending polyphenol blend that adds to the power of resveratrol. While resveratrol addresses 3 of 4 of the key mechanisms of aging, it is not very effective in addressing the formation of AGE proteins which can compromise cellular integrity and longevity. So Shaklee scientists identified and created a proprietary Rejuvetrol™ polyphenol blend that has been shown to be 10X more powerful thanresveratrol alone at addressing this 4th mechanism of cellular aging.
So, to help review the science supporting Vivix claims, we’ve included the citations of key studies that have been used to validate and support the most important claims we make, including:
Helps protect and repair cellular DNA (citations)
1. Usha, S., Irudayam, M.J., Malathi, R., “Interaction of Resveratrol and Genistein with Nucleic Acids”, Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vol 38, No. 2, March 2005, pp. 198-205
2. Niture, S., Velu, C., Smith, Q, Bhat, J., Srivenugopal, K, “Increased Expression of the MGMT repair protein mediated by cysteine prodrugs and chemopreventive natural products in human lymphocytes and tumor lines,” Carcinogenesis, Vol 28, no. 2, pp 378-389, 2007
3. Yang, S., Irani, K., Heffron, S., Jurnack, F., Meyskens, F., “Alterations in the expressions of the apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease-1/redox factor-1 (APE/Ref-1) in human melanoma and identification of the therapeutic potential of resveratrol as an APE/Ref-1 inhibitor” Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, 4(12), December 2005
4. Zahid, M., Gaikwad, N.W., Rogan, E.G., Cavalieri, E.L., “Inhibition of depurinating estrogen-DNA adduct formation by natural compounds,” Chemical Research in Toxicology, 20 (12): 1947-53, December 2007
5. Chakraborty S, Roy, M, Bhattacharya RK, “Prevention and repair of DNA damage by selected phytochemicals as measured by single cell gel electrophoresis,” Environmental Pathology, Toxicology, and Oncology, 2004; 23(3): 215-26
6. Gatz SA, Keimling M, Baumann C, Dörk T, Debatin KM, Fulda S, Wiesmüller L, “Resveratrol modulates DNA doublestrand break repair pathways in an ATM/ATR-p53- and –Nbs1-dependent manner” Carcinogenesis, 2008 Mar; 29 (3):51927. Epub 2008 Jan 3.
Positively impacts genetic regulators (citations)
1. Pearson, K., Baur, J., Lewis, K., Peshkin, L. et al., “Resveratrol Delays Age-Related Deterioration and Mimics Transcriptional Aspects of Dietary Restriction without Extending Life Span,” Cell Metabolism, 2008
2. Barger J.L., Kayo, T., Pugh, T.D., Prolla, T.A., Weindruch, R., “Short term consumption of a resveratrol-containing nutraceutical mixture mimics gene expression of long-term caloric restriction in mouse heart,” Experimental Gerontology (2008), doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2008.06.013
3. Barger, J., Kayo, T., Vann, J., Arias, E., Wang, J., Hacker, T., Raederstorff, D., Morrow, J., Leeuwenburgh, C., Allison, D.,Saupe, K., Cartee, G., Weindruch, R., Prolla, T., “A Low Dose of Dietary Resveratrol Partially Mimics Caloric Restriction and Retards Aging Parameters in Mice,” PLoS ONE, 3(6): e2264, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002264
4. Howitz, KT, Bitterman KJ, Cohen, HY, Lamming, DW, Lavu, S, Wood JH, Chung P, Kisielewski A, Zhang LL, Scherer B, Sinclair DA, “Small molecule activators of sirtuins extend Saccharomyces cerevisiae lifespan,” Nature 2003 nov 11;425(6954): 191-6. Epub 2003 Aug 24
Promotes mitochondrial biogenesis (citations)
1. Lagouge, M., Argmann, C., Gerhart-Hines, Z., Meziane, H., et al. “Resveratrol Improves Mitochondrial Function and Protects against Metabolic Disease by Activating SIRT1 and PGC-1α,” Cell, Vol 127, 1109-1122, December 15, 2006
2. Dasgupta, B., Milbrandt, J., “Resveratrol stimulates AMP kinase activity in neurons,” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol 104, no. 17, April 24, 2007
3. St-Pierre, J. Drori, S., Uldry, M., Silvaggi, J., Rhee, J., Jäger, S., Handschin, C., et al., “Suppression of Reactive Oxygen Species and Neurodegeneration by the PGC-1 Transcriptional Coactivators,” Cell, Volume 127, 397-408, October 20, 2006
4. Civitarese, A., Carling, S., Heilbronn, L., Hulver, M., Ukropcova, B., Deutsch, W., Smith, S., Ravussin, E., “Calorie Restriction Increases Muscle Mitochondrial Biogenesis in Healthy Humans,” PLoS Medicine, Vol 4, Issue 3, March 2007
5. Lopez-Lluch, G., Irusta, P., Navas, P., de Cabo, R., “Mitochondrial biogenesis and healthy aging,” Experimental Gerontology, Vol 43, 813-819, 2008
Slows AGE protein formation (citations)
1. Farrar, J., Hartle, D., Hargrove, J., Greenspan, P., “Inhibition of protein glycation by skins and seeds of the muscadinegrape” BioFactors, Vol 30, 193-200, 2007
2. Hudson, T., Hartle, D., Hursting, S., Nunez, N., Wang, T. Young, H., Arany, P., Green, J., “Inhibition of Prostate Cancer Growth by Muscadine Grape Skin Extract and Resveratrol through Distinct Mechanisms,” Cancer Research 2007, 67: (17), September 1, 2007
3. Bralley, E., Greenspan, P., Hargrove, J., Hartle, D., “Inhibition of Hyarluronidase Activity by Vitis rotundifolia (Muscadine) Berry Seeds and Skins, “ Pharmaceutical Biology, Vol 45, No. 9, pp 667-673, 2007
4. Ramasamy, R., Vannucci, S., Shi Du Yan, S., Herold, K., Yan, S., Schmidt, A., “Advanced glycation end products and RAGE: a common thread in aging, diabetes, neurodegeneration, and inflammation,” Glycobiology, vol. 15 no. 7 pp. 16R–28R, 2005
Guidance on Resveratrol Dosage and Safety (citations)
1. Reagan-Shaw, S., Nihal, M., Ahmad, N., “Dose translation from animal to human studies revisited” The FASEB Journal, fj.07-9574LSF, published online October 17, 2007
2. Baur, J., Pearson, K., Price, N., Jamieson, H., Lerin, C., Kalra, A., et al. “Resveratrol improves health and survival of mice on a high calorie diet,” Nature, Volume 444, November 16, 2006
3. Juan, M., Vinardell, M., Planas, J., “The Daily Oral Administration of High Doses of trans-Resveratrol to Rats for 28 Days is Not Harmful,” The Journal of Nutrition, 132: 257-260, 2002
4. Crowell, J., Korytko, P., Morrissey, R., Booth, M., Levine, B., “Resveratrol-Associated Renal Toxicity,” Toxicological Sciences, 82, 614-619, 2004
5. Boocock, D., Faust, G., Patel, K., Schinas, A., Brown, V., Ducharme, M., et al., “Phase 1 Does Escalation Pharmacokinetic Study in Healthy Volunteers of Resveratrol, a Potential Cancer Chemopreventive Agent,” Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention 2007, 16(6), June 2007
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A conversation with Dr. David Sinclair of The Harvard Medical School and Nicholas Wade, the science reporter for "The New York Times" about a groundbreaking new health study involving a molecule called resveratrol. The molecule, found in grapes and therefore wine, offsets the effects of high caloric intake in obese mice and also extends their longevity. (55 min) well worth the time!
http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2006/11/02/1/a-conversation-with-dr-david-sinclair-and-nicholas-wade
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vivix™ Cellular Anti-Aging Tonic - 10 times more powerful than Resveratrol alone:
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/vivix
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How Resveratrol & Red Wine activate genes for a longer and healthier life by Joseph Maroon, M.D.
Video clip of Dr. Maroon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJxfZInO7xI
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is the Best Self USA Shaklee web site where you can contact us or order all Shaklee products.
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself
Vivix™Vivix™ Cellular Anti-Aging Tonic - 10 times more powerful than Resveratrol alone:
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/vivix
- Help protect and repair cellular DNA
- Positively impact genetic regulators
- Promote mitochondrial biogenesis
- Slow advanced glycation end products (AGE) protein formation
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A conversation with Dr. David Sinclair of The Harvard Medical School and Nicholas Wade, the science reporter for "The New York Times" about a groundbreaking new health study involving a molecule called resveratrol. The molecule, found in grapes and therefore wine, offsets the effects of high caloric intake in obese mice and also extends their longevity. (55 min) well worth the time!
http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2006/11/02/1/a-conversation-with-dr-david-sinclair-and-nicholas-wade
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vivix™ Cellular Anti-Aging Tonic - 10 times more powerful than Resveratrol alone:
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/vivix
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How Resveratrol & Red Wine activate genes for a longer and healthier life by Joseph Maroon, M.D.
Video clip of Dr. Maroon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJxfZInO7xI
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This is the Best Self USA Shaklee web site where you can contact us or order all Shaklee products.
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself
Natural Molecule Increases Lifespan and "Healthspan"
Natural Molecule Increases Lifespan and "Healthspan"
"Live 25 years longer and feel 25 years younger"
Natural Molecule Increases Lifespan and "Healthspan" of Obese Mice
Risk of Death Cut By 31 Percent for Obese Mice Treated with Compound, and Treated Mice Seen Living as Long as Lean Mice
In Obese Mice, Molecule Reversed Nearly All Pathways Activated In Mice By High Calorie Diets
Findings Suggest Broad Implications for the Treatment of Age-related Diseases, Including Diabetes and Heart Disease
BOSTON-Researchers have used a single compound to increase the lifespan of obese mice, and found that the drug reversed nearly all of the changes in gene expression patterns found in mice on high calorie diets--some of which are associated with diabetes, heart disease, and other significant diseases related to obesity. The research, led by investigators at Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Aging, is the first time that the small molecule resveratrol has been shown to offer survival benefits in a mammal. The study is reported in the November 1 advanced online edition of Nature.
"Mice are much closer evolutionarily to humans than any previous model organism treated by this molecule, which offers hope that similar impacts might be seen in humans without negative side-effects," says co-senior author David Sinclair, HMS associate professor of pathology, and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Labs for the Biological Mechanisms of Aging.
"After six months, resveratrol essentially prevented most of the negative effects of the high calorie diet in mice," said Rafael de Cabo, Ph.D., the study's other co-senior investigator from the National Institute on Aging's Laboratory of Experimental Gerontology, Aging, Metabolism, and Nutrition Unit. "There is a lot of work ahead that will help us better understand resveratrol's roles and the best applications for it."
Resveratrol is found in red wines and produced by a variety of plants when put under stress. It was first discovered to have an anti-aging properties by Sinclair, other HMS researchers, and their colleagues in 2003 and reported in Nature. The 2003 study showed that yeast treated with resveratrol lived 60 percent longer. Since 2003, resveratrol has been shown to extend the lifespan of worms and flies by nearly 30 percent, and fish by almost 60 percent. It has also been shown to protect against Huntington's disease in two different animal models (worms and mice).
"The "healthspan" benefits we saw in the obese mice treated with resveratrol, such as increased insulin sensitivity, decreased glucose levels, healthier heart and liver tissues, are positive clinical indicators and may mean we can stave off in humans age-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, but only time and more research will tell," says Sinclair, who is also a co-founder of Sirtris, a company with an author on this paper and which is currently in a phase 1b trial in humans with diabetes using an enhanced, proprietary formulation of resveratrol. [Harvard has license and equity interests with Sirtris, which is not a public company.]
Investigators identified resveratrol while looking for compounds that activate Sir2, an enzyme linked to lifespan extension in yeast and other lower organisms. For the last 70 years, scientists have been able to increase the lifespan of a variety of species by reducing their normal food consumption by 30 to 40 percent - a diet known as calorie restriction. Through this research, scientists identified Sir2 as a key contributor to life extension. Without Sir2, for example, fruit flies see none of the benefits from either calorie restriction or treatment by resveratrol. The mammalian version of the Sir2 gene is SIRT1, which has the same enzymatic activity as Sir2, but modifies a wider variety of molecules throughout cells. Indicators in this study show that resveratrol might also be activating SIRT1 in mice, as well as other known longevity pathways.
"This work demonstrates that there may be tremendous medical benefits to unlocking the secrets behind the genes that control our longevity," says Sinclair, "No doubt many more remain to be discovered in coming years."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
VIVIX: The science behind this breakthrough product
http://shaklee.custhelp.com/rd?1=AvcS~wrRHP8SOrb~Guoe~yL~Jvkq~~X~&2=6643
Vivix™ Cellular Anti-Aging Tonic - 10 times more powerful than Resveratrol alone:
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/vivix
How Resveratrol & Red Wine activate genes for a longer and healthier life by Joseph Maroon, M.D.
Video clip of Dr. Maroon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJxfZInO7xI
This is the Best Self USA Shaklee web site where you can contact us or order all Shaklee products.
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself
"Live 25 years longer and feel 25 years younger"
Natural Molecule Increases Lifespan and "Healthspan" of Obese Mice
Risk of Death Cut By 31 Percent for Obese Mice Treated with Compound, and Treated Mice Seen Living as Long as Lean Mice
In Obese Mice, Molecule Reversed Nearly All Pathways Activated In Mice By High Calorie Diets
Findings Suggest Broad Implications for the Treatment of Age-related Diseases, Including Diabetes and Heart Disease
BOSTON-Researchers have used a single compound to increase the lifespan of obese mice, and found that the drug reversed nearly all of the changes in gene expression patterns found in mice on high calorie diets--some of which are associated with diabetes, heart disease, and other significant diseases related to obesity. The research, led by investigators at Harvard Medical School and the National Institute on Aging, is the first time that the small molecule resveratrol has been shown to offer survival benefits in a mammal. The study is reported in the November 1 advanced online edition of Nature.
"Mice are much closer evolutionarily to humans than any previous model organism treated by this molecule, which offers hope that similar impacts might be seen in humans without negative side-effects," says co-senior author David Sinclair, HMS associate professor of pathology, and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Labs for the Biological Mechanisms of Aging.
"After six months, resveratrol essentially prevented most of the negative effects of the high calorie diet in mice," said Rafael de Cabo, Ph.D., the study's other co-senior investigator from the National Institute on Aging's Laboratory of Experimental Gerontology, Aging, Metabolism, and Nutrition Unit. "There is a lot of work ahead that will help us better understand resveratrol's roles and the best applications for it."
Resveratrol is found in red wines and produced by a variety of plants when put under stress. It was first discovered to have an anti-aging properties by Sinclair, other HMS researchers, and their colleagues in 2003 and reported in Nature. The 2003 study showed that yeast treated with resveratrol lived 60 percent longer. Since 2003, resveratrol has been shown to extend the lifespan of worms and flies by nearly 30 percent, and fish by almost 60 percent. It has also been shown to protect against Huntington's disease in two different animal models (worms and mice).
"The "healthspan" benefits we saw in the obese mice treated with resveratrol, such as increased insulin sensitivity, decreased glucose levels, healthier heart and liver tissues, are positive clinical indicators and may mean we can stave off in humans age-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, but only time and more research will tell," says Sinclair, who is also a co-founder of Sirtris, a company with an author on this paper and which is currently in a phase 1b trial in humans with diabetes using an enhanced, proprietary formulation of resveratrol. [Harvard has license and equity interests with Sirtris, which is not a public company.]
Investigators identified resveratrol while looking for compounds that activate Sir2, an enzyme linked to lifespan extension in yeast and other lower organisms. For the last 70 years, scientists have been able to increase the lifespan of a variety of species by reducing their normal food consumption by 30 to 40 percent - a diet known as calorie restriction. Through this research, scientists identified Sir2 as a key contributor to life extension. Without Sir2, for example, fruit flies see none of the benefits from either calorie restriction or treatment by resveratrol. The mammalian version of the Sir2 gene is SIRT1, which has the same enzymatic activity as Sir2, but modifies a wider variety of molecules throughout cells. Indicators in this study show that resveratrol might also be activating SIRT1 in mice, as well as other known longevity pathways.
"This work demonstrates that there may be tremendous medical benefits to unlocking the secrets behind the genes that control our longevity," says Sinclair, "No doubt many more remain to be discovered in coming years."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
VIVIX: The science behind this breakthrough product
http://shaklee.custhelp.com/rd?1=AvcS~wrRHP8SOrb~Guoe~yL~Jvkq~~X~&2=6643
Vivix™ Cellular Anti-Aging Tonic - 10 times more powerful than Resveratrol alone:
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/vivix
How Resveratrol & Red Wine activate genes for a longer and healthier life by Joseph Maroon, M.D.
Video clip of Dr. Maroon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJxfZInO7xI
This is the Best Self USA Shaklee web site where you can contact us or order all Shaklee products.
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself
Household Toxins and the Natural Solution
Real Dirt on Clean: Household Toxins Dossier
http://www.shaklee.net/pws/library/business/Typical_Household_Cleaners.pdf
Hazardous Waste Disposal Chart
http://www.shaklee.net/pws/library/products/wastedisposalchart.pdf
Information at above links includes:
Exposure to Household Chemicals
Vulnerability to Children
Asthma Population Statistics
Household Cleaners and Asthma
Toxicity of Household Cleaners
Environmental Impact of Chemicals in Household Products
Phosphate damage to aquatic life
Hazardous Waste Statistics
EPA tips on providing household hazardous waste
Poisoning Statistics
References
http://www.shaklee.net/pws/library/business/Typical_Household_Cleaners.pdf
Hazardous Waste Disposal Chart
http://www.shaklee.net/pws/library/products/wastedisposalchart.pdf
Information at above links includes:
Exposure to Household Chemicals
Vulnerability to Children
Asthma Population Statistics
Household Cleaners and Asthma
Toxicity of Household Cleaners
Environmental Impact of Chemicals in Household Products
Phosphate damage to aquatic life
Hazardous Waste Statistics
EPA tips on providing household hazardous waste
Poisoning Statistics
References
Friday, August 28, 2009
Economist lectures - starting a wellness business
Excellent information to convey to people
evaluating the Shaklee Opportunity .
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://bestself.myshaklee.com/us/en/welcome.html
239/591-4565
email: bunnysam@bestselfusa.com
Products in harmony with nature!
Sam and Bunny Sewell
For a quick overview of how to earn income with Shaklee part-time from your home… http://content.shaklee.com/shaklee/flash/napkin-presentation
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Natural Wisdom - Don’t believe everything you hear!
Want to live longer & feel better?
Don’t believe everything you hear!
The drug companies deliberately skew science.
There has been a controversy swirling around the world about nutritional supplementation for decades. It seems like nearly every week you read stories in the news claiming a particular vitamin demonstrates NO effect on the prevention of a certain disease…
Even worse, news stories inundate us with the “dangers” of taking nutritional supplements. Recent headlines scream warnings, like beta-carotene increases risk of lung cancer. One headline tried to link vitamin E to in-creased deaths in elderly heart patients. Another says that even good old Vitamin A is down right dangerous.
There are various ways scientific researchers commit deliberate scientific “errors” when reporting on these “ineffective” vitamins!
Like how they deliberately use vitamin forms known to be inferior in the studies they conduct — cheaply compounded, poorly absorbed, low quality..
Like how they knowingly study single vitamins (even when biochemistry has demonstrated the dramatic benefits of certain vitamins working together, in concert)...
Or like how they fail to take into account major factors affecting participants, such as their diet or exposure to other health risks...
And I’ll bet you can guess the major role pharmaceutical industries play in these vitamin horror stories! So don’t be duped by media and big business-driven lies & half-truths!
Why would big drug companies be interested in the outcome of vitamin studies? Well, common sense tells us that there is much more money to be made pushing drugs one must take for a lifetime, than in addressing real health deficiencies. You can't get a patent on one of God's molecules.
The average person 50 to 65 has taken 7.6 prescriptions.
The Shaklee user for 20+ years has taken 0.6 prescriptions. (avg. age 62)
How can I find out what is natural, safe, and effective?
What healthy alternatives do you have? Especially when prescription – and even non-prescription – medications carry so much extra baggage in the form of dangerous side effects, not to mention the fact that these drugs don’t really address the cause of the problems, just the symptoms.
We share the SCIENTIFIC TRUTH on the effectiveness of nutritional supplementation!
Recently, the University of California at Berkley did a long-term (20 year) study of the effectiveness of supplements.
The scientists who conducted this research are the leaders in their field.
The study was published in a peer reviewed scientific journal: see the abstract at: http://www.landmarkstudy.com/
We will reveal and discuss this research and shed some light on such questions as:
* What supplements can I use that have the highest safety & effectiveness?
* Is there a significant difference between the health of high quality supplement users & non users?
* Are there certain kinds of vitamins that can actually damage my health?
* How can I get started on a simple, easy-to-manage, scientifically validated supplement regimen?
Feeling Good? Here’s how to stay that way!
(239)591-4565
Live Longer, Feel Better:
Don’t believe everything you hear!The drug companies deliberately skew science.
There has been a controversy swirling around the world about nutritional supplementation for decades. It seems like nearly every week you read stories in the news claiming a particular vitamin demonstrates NO effect on the prevention of a certain disease…
Even worse, news stories inundate us with the “dangers” of taking nutritional supplements. Recent headlines scream warnings, like beta-carotene increases risk of lung cancer. One headline tried to link vitamin E to in-creased deaths in elderly heart patients. Another says that even good old Vitamin A is down right dangerous.
There are various ways scientific researchers commit deliberate scientific “errors” when reporting on these “ineffective” vitamins!
Like how they deliberately use vitamin forms known to be inferior in the studies they conduct — cheaply compounded, poorly absorbed, low quality..
Like how they knowingly study single vitamins (even when biochemistry has demonstrated the dramatic benefits of certain vitamins working together, in concert)...
Or like how they fail to take into account major factors affecting participants, such as their diet or exposure to other health risks...
And I’ll bet you can guess the major role pharmaceutical industries play in these vitamin horror stories! So don’t be duped by media and big business-driven lies & half-truths!
Why would big drug companies be interested in the outcome of vitamin studies? Well, common sense tells us that there is much more money to be made pushing drugs one must take for a lifetime, than in addressing real health deficiencies. You can't get a patent on one of God's molecules.
Scientific research tells us that there is more compelling reason for drug companies to discourage the use of high quality nutritional supplementation.
The average person over age 65 has taken 19.1 prescriptions.
The average person 50 to 65 has taken 7.6 prescriptions.
The Shaklee user for 20+ years has taken 0.6 prescriptions. (avg. age 62)
How can I find out what is natural, safe, and effective?
What healthy alternatives do you have? Especially when prescription – and even non-prescription – medications carry so much extra baggage in the form of dangerous side effects, not to mention the fact that these drugs don’t really address the cause of the problems, just the symptoms.
We share the SCIENTIFIC TRUTH on the effectiveness of nutritional supplementation!
Recently, the University of California at Berkley did a long-term (20 year) study of the effectiveness of supplements.
The scientists who conducted this research are the leaders in their field.
The study was published in a peer reviewed scientific journal: see the abstract at: http://www.landmarkstudy.com/
We will reveal and discuss this research and shed some light on such questions as:
* What supplements can I use that have the highest safety & effectiveness?
* Is there a significant difference between the health of high quality supplement users & non users?
* Are there certain kinds of vitamins that can actually damage my health?
* How can I get started on a simple, easy-to-manage, scientifically validated supplement regimen?
Feeling Good? Here’s how to stay that way!
(239)591-4565
Live Longer, Feel Better:
Shaklee, Products in Harmony with Nature!
Please contact us for free nutritional counseling bunnysam@bestselfusa.com
and browse our Shaklee website at: www.shaklee.net/bestself
Please contact us for free nutritional counseling bunnysam@bestselfusa.com
and browse our Shaklee website at: www.shaklee.net/bestself
Preventing and Reversing Disease Naturally
Please Share!!
ANNOUNCING!
Sam and Bunny Sewell
Invite you to listen in, online to:
THE NATURAL ADVOCATE
A call in, Talk Radio program for Sentinel Radio
Friday, August 28 (8-10 PM ET)The focus of this week’s program will be:
Preventing and Reversing
Disease Naturally
Sam and Bunny will be discussing how natural molecules are often a better choice than drugs
“I Fired My Doctors and Saved My Life”
The book that saves lives and inspires healthy living will be the primary source material for this program
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To listen to this program online, go to:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Sentinel_Radio
To listen by phone or to call in with questions & comments: (646) 727-2652(We’re always eager for your feedback!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We hold this truth to be self-evident; Our creator has endowed us with a laser straight path of natural thinking, feeling and behaving that has its origins in a sacred absolute reality. If we stray from that path we will experience pain. If we stay on that path we will be happy, healthy, and whole. “The Natural Advocate” will show you the guideposts and help you navigate along the centerline.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ANNOUNCING!
Sam and Bunny Sewell
Invite you to listen in, online to:
THE NATURAL ADVOCATE
A call in, Talk Radio program for Sentinel Radio
Friday, August 28 (8-10 PM ET)The focus of this week’s program will be:
Preventing and Reversing
Disease Naturally
Sam and Bunny will be discussing how natural molecules are often a better choice than drugs
“I Fired My Doctors and Saved My Life”
The book that saves lives and inspires healthy living will be the primary source material for this program
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To listen to this program online, go to:http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Sentinel_Radio
To listen by phone or to call in with questions & comments: (646) 727-2652(We’re always eager for your feedback!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We hold this truth to be self-evident; Our creator has endowed us with a laser straight path of natural thinking, feeling and behaving that has its origins in a sacred absolute reality. If we stray from that path we will experience pain. If we stay on that path we will be happy, healthy, and whole. “The Natural Advocate” will show you the guideposts and help you navigate along the centerline.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Natural way to look younger and live longer
The Natural Way to look 25 years younger and live 25 years longer!
We do not have to wait for a pharmaceutical product, nor rely on a pill, when we already have all natural Vivix anti-aging extract. We can enjoy all the benefits with just one delicious teaspoon a day.
(note the comments on Vivix by Dr. Joseph Maroon below)
We can confidently and enthusiastically present to the public the world's best anti aging tonic:
Vivix, which research has proven to address all four mechanisms of aging. Our Vivix is Resveratrol Plus the unique blend of polyphenols that make Vivix 10 times more powerful than resveratrol alone. Resveratrol is miraculous and we have gone beyond Resveratrol. The purity and percentage of resveratrol in a product is also an important consideration. With The Shaklee Corporation's heritage of integrity and the most extensive clinical research, we are once again number one with the best, and it's Vivix out in front all the way.
The book: “The Longevity Factor”, How Resveratrol & Red Wine activate genes for a longer and healthier life by Joseph Maroon, M.D.
Video clip of Dr. Maroon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJxfZInO7xI
On Page 193 Dr Maroon writes this on Vivix:
“There is growing evidence that a combination of resveratrol and other potent polyphenols might provide improved health benefits due to the synergistic properties of different polyphenols from different plant sources. Shaklee Corporation, a direct selling nutrition company has recently released a product called Vivix, which is described as a cellular anti-aging tonic. It contains a multi-source polyphenol blend. In conversations with the company, they state that the blend includes 100 mg of 98 percent pure resveratrol from Polygonum cuspidatum long with a proprietary extract derived from the fresh pomace of muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) The company recommends 5ml per day of Vivix, which they state is equivalent to the amount of resveratrol found in 100 glasses of red pinot noir red wine. The muscadine polyphenols in this blended product along with the added resveratrol, European elderberry extract, and purple carrot extract will increase the total overall polyphenol content of this product. A month's supply will cost a member $85.00. In Shaklee's accompanying literature for Vivix, they state that the Vivix ingredients were shown in a laboratory study to be 10 times more powerful in slowing a key mechanism of aging than resveratrol alone."
Also, on Page 70, the author expands on the value of the muscadine grapes and the advantages over European grapes.
"Muscadine grapes are native to North America, and may be the only fruit that originated in the United States and nowhere else. They grow almost exclusively in the southeastern United Sates. They thrive under adverse conditions, perhaps due to their thicker and tougher skins compared to European grapes....muscadines have an extra chromosome (twenty instead of the nineteen other grapes have). These additional genes allow muscadine grapes to produce a unique phytochemical, ellagic acid. The ellagive acid polyphenol compounds that are in muscadine grapes are virtually absent in other grapes. Ellagic acid is used by the muscadine grape skin to make tannin called ellagotannins, whichis used as an antimicrobial by the plant. Ellagic acid also has powerful antioxidant and anticancer properties....the polyphenols in muscadine grape skins have been shown to have positive effects in heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and other inflammatory conditions. One of the more interesting effects of muscadine products appears to be their inhibition of AGE protein formation."
" Recently, a large nutrition, direct selling company, Shaklee Corporation, working with scientists from the University of Georgia, has created a product containing an extract made from muscadine pomace which is the remaining fruit solids after the water content is extracted. Specifically, they are working with muscadine grape growers in order to secure grapes with large amounts of protective polyphenols including ellagic acid and resveratrol. By selecting muscadine grapes and by using a whole grape extraction process, they have reported that their extract has a significantly higher concentration of healthy polyphenols than found in the skins themselves."
The above are excerpts from the book "The Longevity Factor" The author Joseph Maroon, M.D. FA.C.S. studied medicine at Indiana University, and Oxford University. Dr Maroon is a world renowned neurosurgeon and former president of the Congress of Neurological surgeons, the largest society of its kind in North America. He is currently a professor and Heindl Scholor in Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Interesting to note: he is a lifelong athlete, competed in more than fifty triathlons, and three Hawaiian Ironman Championship competitions.
The book is heralded as a groundbreaking examination of new scientific research that holds the secret to weight loss, increased strength, endurance, memory, and a healthier, longer life.
The author, Joseph Maroon, M.D. has no connection with Shaklee Corporation, and the references in the book to Shaklee Corporation and our product Vivix, serve as an excellent third party reference.
View VIVIX Video
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/vivix
Purchase Vivix today
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/product/21000
Please contact us for free nutritional counseling bunnysam@bestselfusa.com
and browse our Shaklee website at: www.shaklee.net/bestself
We do not have to wait for a pharmaceutical product, nor rely on a pill, when we already have all natural Vivix anti-aging extract. We can enjoy all the benefits with just one delicious teaspoon a day.
(note the comments on Vivix by Dr. Joseph Maroon below)
We can confidently and enthusiastically present to the public the world's best anti aging tonic:
Vivix, which research has proven to address all four mechanisms of aging. Our Vivix is Resveratrol Plus the unique blend of polyphenols that make Vivix 10 times more powerful than resveratrol alone. Resveratrol is miraculous and we have gone beyond Resveratrol. The purity and percentage of resveratrol in a product is also an important consideration. With The Shaklee Corporation's heritage of integrity and the most extensive clinical research, we are once again number one with the best, and it's Vivix out in front all the way.
The book: “The Longevity Factor”, How Resveratrol & Red Wine activate genes for a longer and healthier life by Joseph Maroon, M.D.
Video clip of Dr. Maroon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJxfZInO7xI
On Page 193 Dr Maroon writes this on Vivix:
“There is growing evidence that a combination of resveratrol and other potent polyphenols might provide improved health benefits due to the synergistic properties of different polyphenols from different plant sources. Shaklee Corporation, a direct selling nutrition company has recently released a product called Vivix, which is described as a cellular anti-aging tonic. It contains a multi-source polyphenol blend. In conversations with the company, they state that the blend includes 100 mg of 98 percent pure resveratrol from Polygonum cuspidatum long with a proprietary extract derived from the fresh pomace of muscadine grapes (Vitis rotundifolia) The company recommends 5ml per day of Vivix, which they state is equivalent to the amount of resveratrol found in 100 glasses of red pinot noir red wine. The muscadine polyphenols in this blended product along with the added resveratrol, European elderberry extract, and purple carrot extract will increase the total overall polyphenol content of this product. A month's supply will cost a member $85.00. In Shaklee's accompanying literature for Vivix, they state that the Vivix ingredients were shown in a laboratory study to be 10 times more powerful in slowing a key mechanism of aging than resveratrol alone."
Also, on Page 70, the author expands on the value of the muscadine grapes and the advantages over European grapes.
"Muscadine grapes are native to North America, and may be the only fruit that originated in the United States and nowhere else. They grow almost exclusively in the southeastern United Sates. They thrive under adverse conditions, perhaps due to their thicker and tougher skins compared to European grapes....muscadines have an extra chromosome (twenty instead of the nineteen other grapes have). These additional genes allow muscadine grapes to produce a unique phytochemical, ellagic acid. The ellagive acid polyphenol compounds that are in muscadine grapes are virtually absent in other grapes. Ellagic acid is used by the muscadine grape skin to make tannin called ellagotannins, whichis used as an antimicrobial by the plant. Ellagic acid also has powerful antioxidant and anticancer properties....the polyphenols in muscadine grape skins have been shown to have positive effects in heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and other inflammatory conditions. One of the more interesting effects of muscadine products appears to be their inhibition of AGE protein formation."
" Recently, a large nutrition, direct selling company, Shaklee Corporation, working with scientists from the University of Georgia, has created a product containing an extract made from muscadine pomace which is the remaining fruit solids after the water content is extracted. Specifically, they are working with muscadine grape growers in order to secure grapes with large amounts of protective polyphenols including ellagic acid and resveratrol. By selecting muscadine grapes and by using a whole grape extraction process, they have reported that their extract has a significantly higher concentration of healthy polyphenols than found in the skins themselves."
The above are excerpts from the book "The Longevity Factor" The author Joseph Maroon, M.D. FA.C.S. studied medicine at Indiana University, and Oxford University. Dr Maroon is a world renowned neurosurgeon and former president of the Congress of Neurological surgeons, the largest society of its kind in North America. He is currently a professor and Heindl Scholor in Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Interesting to note: he is a lifelong athlete, competed in more than fifty triathlons, and three Hawaiian Ironman Championship competitions.
The book is heralded as a groundbreaking examination of new scientific research that holds the secret to weight loss, increased strength, endurance, memory, and a healthier, longer life.
The author, Joseph Maroon, M.D. has no connection with Shaklee Corporation, and the references in the book to Shaklee Corporation and our product Vivix, serve as an excellent third party reference.
View VIVIX Video
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/vivix
Purchase Vivix today
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/product/21000
Please contact us for free nutritional counseling bunnysam@bestselfusa.com
and browse our Shaklee website at: www.shaklee.net/bestself
Doctors Are the Third Leading Cause of Death
Doctors Are the Third LeadingCause of Death in the U.S
Do you actively strive to achieve and maintain health?
Or do you wait for something to go wrong and then go to the doctor?
Do you know that being under a doctor’s “care” is the third leading cause of death?
That’s right! Solid fact! Right behind heart disease and cancer is death at the hands of the medical establishment. Dr. Barbara Starfield of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, "250,000 deaths per year are caused by medical errors, making this the third-largest cause of death in the U.S., following heart disease and cancer."
Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Dr. Starfield has documented the tragedy of the traditional medical paradigm in the following statistics:
Deaths Per Year -
106,000 Negative effects of drugs
80,000 Infections in hospitals
45,000 Other errors in hospitals
12,000 Unnecessary surgery
7,000 Medication errors in hospitals
Total deaths per year from iatrogenic* causes250,000·
The term iatrogenic is defined as : induced by a physician or surgeon, or by medical treatment or diagnostic procedures
There are other studies that estimate the death toll from iatrogenic causes to be as high 700,000 but one quarter of a million is enough to get most people's attention.
So, do you want to prevent the need for a doctor by pro-actively striving for good health?
Or do you want to turn yourself over to the people who are the third leading cause of death in America because you haven’t done what you can to stay healthy?
Good, you have decided to stay healthy to avoid doctors!
The proven, scientifically validated, plan to stay healthy is very simple.· Exercise daily! As little as 30 minutes a day will significantly protect your good health· Eat sensibly and be aware that good choices (salad rather than ice cream) will pay good health dividends· Use high quality nutritional supplementation (see study below)
Finally a “landmark” (20 year) nutritional study has been done that compares the dietary supplement usage patterns, health, and nutritional status of:·
Long-term multiple dietary supplement users, (persons who consume several high quality, organically sourced, cold processed nutritional supplements, Shaklee)
to persons who use multivitamin/mineral vitamins (products sold at the grocery store, drug store and usually taken as one capsule a day)
to non-users of nutritional supplements
Probably the most striking result of the study is that person who used no nutritional supplementation at all were actually healthier than the person who used the one capsule a day products.
The persons who used several high quality nutritional supplements (Shaklee products) over a long period of time were much less at risk for disease than non supplement users and the “one capsule a day” users.
BROCHUREDownload the study brochure (English).
CITATION View the study citation in PubMed,
a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
Please contact us for free nutritional counseling bunnysam@bestselfusa.com and browse our Shaklee website at: www.shaklee.net/bestself
Do you actively strive to achieve and maintain health?
Or do you wait for something to go wrong and then go to the doctor?
Do you know that being under a doctor’s “care” is the third leading cause of death?
That’s right! Solid fact! Right behind heart disease and cancer is death at the hands of the medical establishment. Dr. Barbara Starfield of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health, "250,000 deaths per year are caused by medical errors, making this the third-largest cause of death in the U.S., following heart disease and cancer."
Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Dr. Starfield has documented the tragedy of the traditional medical paradigm in the following statistics:
Deaths Per Year -
106,000 Negative effects of drugs
80,000 Infections in hospitals
45,000 Other errors in hospitals
12,000 Unnecessary surgery
7,000 Medication errors in hospitals
Total deaths per year from iatrogenic* causes250,000·
The term iatrogenic is defined as : induced by a physician or surgeon, or by medical treatment or diagnostic procedures
There are other studies that estimate the death toll from iatrogenic causes to be as high 700,000 but one quarter of a million is enough to get most people's attention.
So, do you want to prevent the need for a doctor by pro-actively striving for good health?
Or do you want to turn yourself over to the people who are the third leading cause of death in America because you haven’t done what you can to stay healthy?
Good, you have decided to stay healthy to avoid doctors!
The proven, scientifically validated, plan to stay healthy is very simple.· Exercise daily! As little as 30 minutes a day will significantly protect your good health· Eat sensibly and be aware that good choices (salad rather than ice cream) will pay good health dividends· Use high quality nutritional supplementation (see study below)
Finally a “landmark” (20 year) nutritional study has been done that compares the dietary supplement usage patterns, health, and nutritional status of:·
Long-term multiple dietary supplement users, (persons who consume several high quality, organically sourced, cold processed nutritional supplements, Shaklee)
to persons who use multivitamin/mineral vitamins (products sold at the grocery store, drug store and usually taken as one capsule a day)
to non-users of nutritional supplements
Probably the most striking result of the study is that person who used no nutritional supplementation at all were actually healthier than the person who used the one capsule a day products.
The persons who used several high quality nutritional supplements (Shaklee products) over a long period of time were much less at risk for disease than non supplement users and the “one capsule a day” users.
BROCHUREDownload the study brochure (English).
CITATION View the study citation in PubMed,
a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health.
Please contact us for free nutritional counseling bunnysam@bestselfusa.com and browse our Shaklee website at: www.shaklee.net/bestself
Natural Supplements Work - landmark study key findings
landmark study key findings
Shocking Revelation - If you are not using natural supplements the supplements you are taking may actually put you more at risk for disease than taking nothing at all.
Quote from Landmark Study:
"In general, disease prevalence was lower in multiple dietary supplement users as compared to single multivitamin users and nonusers. Long-term supplement users also had a lower risk of elevated blood pressure and diabetes compared to single multivitamin users and nonusers."
The groundbreaking study of long-term dietary supplement users showed that people who took Shaklee supplements had markedly better health than both multivitamin and non-supplement users alike. The attached study at the link below is long, but could make a huge difference in your health! Please note that persons who took low quality supplements were at higher risk for disease than those who took nothing. Shaklee supplement users had significantly lower incidences of disease.
http://www.nutritionj.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-6-30.pdf
Nutrition Journal 2007, 6:30 doi:10.1186/1475-2891-6-30
If you're like nine out of 10 Americans, you don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, which can really affect your health down the line. That's a great reason to supplement what you eat. But the important question is, how do you feel today?
The average person over age 65 has taken 19.1 prescriptions.
The average person 50 to 65 has taken 7.6 prescriptions.
The Shaklee user for 20+ years has taken 0.6 prescriptions. (avg. age 62)
View the Vitalizer Video
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/prodVitalizer00
S.M.A.R.T Delivery system
S.M.A.R.T.™ Shaklee Micronutrient Advanced Release Technology™
The right nutrients, to the right place, at the right time.
12 patents and 2 patents pending on the S.M.A.R.T. delivery system means you can't find it anywhere else.
Warning: There is much misinformation and lack of knowledge about vitamin supplementation. Below is a helpful summary of research done by Dr. Michael Pazdon, at the University of New Hampshire. His report is as follows:
Of the vitamin supplements being marketed in the United States today, we found that there are basically three types (1) Synthetic (chemical), (2) Crystallized (heat processed) and (3) Lyphoilized (low temperature dehydration).
These three types were tested by chromatograms prepared by the method of Pfeiffer (BioDynamics 50, 2t), with slight modification.
SYNTHETIC: A chemical vitamin isolate made from inorganic materials, i.e., petroleum by-products. Sold mainly in drugstores and grocery stores, these vitamins act as drugs in the body. They may set up toxic reactions, and thereby rob the body of its own storehouse of antibodies.
CRYSTALLIZED: Commonly labeled “organic” or “natural”, these vitamins are isolates derived at least partly from a whole food (organic) source by a High Temperature process (products need be only 10% organic to legally carry the label “natural ingredients”). Most of the live enzymes necessary for absorption into the body have been destroyed in this type of vitamin. (Example: If we labeled a dead horse “natural and organic”, our label would be correct. If we wanted to ride him to town, however, we would be out of luck. “Organic and Natural” do not necessarily mean “alive”.) This is the type of vitamin sold in some drug stores and most health food stores.
LYPHOILIZED: Whole food is dehydrated by a cold process (similar to freeze-drying), preserving the complex of vitamins, bioflavinoids and enzymes found in nature. Enzymes necessary for absorption into the body remain intact. The only company we could find marketing this type of supplement is Shaklee Corporation. Shaklee products are sold by independent distributors and are not available in retail stores.
Shocking Revelation - If you are not using natural supplements the supplements you are taking may actually put you more at risk for disease than taking nothing at all.
You’ll see that taking no multi-vitamin may is safer than taking other company brands. Shaklee Corporation came out of the study with bragging rights that it’s users had markedly lower incidence of coronary heart disease, angina, congestive heart failure, diabetes, stroke and emphysema not to mention lower homocysteine, LDL,(bad cholesterol), Triglycerides and higher HDL (good cholesterol).
Quote from Landmark Study:
"In general, disease prevalence was lower in multiple dietary supplement users as compared to single multivitamin users and nonusers. Long-term supplement users also had a lower risk of elevated blood pressure and diabetes compared to single multivitamin users and nonusers."
The groundbreaking study of long-term dietary supplement users showed that people who took Shaklee supplements had markedly better health than both multivitamin and non-supplement users alike. The attached study at the link below is long, but could make a huge difference in your health! Please note that persons who took low quality supplements were at higher risk for disease than those who took nothing. Shaklee supplement users had significantly lower incidences of disease.
http://www.nutritionj.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-6-30.pdf
Nutrition Journal 2007, 6:30 doi:10.1186/1475-2891-6-30
If you're like nine out of 10 Americans, you don't eat enough fruits and vegetables, which can really affect your health down the line. That's a great reason to supplement what you eat. But the important question is, how do you feel today?
The average person over age 65 has taken 19.1 prescriptions.
The average person 50 to 65 has taken 7.6 prescriptions.
The Shaklee user for 20+ years has taken 0.6 prescriptions. (avg. age 62)
View the Vitalizer Video
http://www.shaklee.net/bestself/prodVitalizer00
S.M.A.R.T Delivery system
S.M.A.R.T.™ Shaklee Micronutrient Advanced Release Technology™
The right nutrients, to the right place, at the right time.
12 patents and 2 patents pending on the S.M.A.R.T. delivery system means you can't find it anywhere else.
www.shaklee.net/bestself 239/591-4565
Products in harmony with nature! Sam & Bunny Sewell
For a quick overview of how to earn income with Shaklee from your home http://content.shaklee.com/shaklee/flash/napkin-presentation
Products in harmony with nature! Sam & Bunny Sewell
For a quick overview of how to earn income with Shaklee from your home http://content.shaklee.com/shaklee/flash/napkin-presentation
Warning: There is much misinformation and lack of knowledge about vitamin supplementation. Below is a helpful summary of research done by Dr. Michael Pazdon, at the University of New Hampshire. His report is as follows:
Of the vitamin supplements being marketed in the United States today, we found that there are basically three types (1) Synthetic (chemical), (2) Crystallized (heat processed) and (3) Lyphoilized (low temperature dehydration).
These three types were tested by chromatograms prepared by the method of Pfeiffer (BioDynamics 50, 2t), with slight modification.
SYNTHETIC: A chemical vitamin isolate made from inorganic materials, i.e., petroleum by-products. Sold mainly in drugstores and grocery stores, these vitamins act as drugs in the body. They may set up toxic reactions, and thereby rob the body of its own storehouse of antibodies.
CRYSTALLIZED: Commonly labeled “organic” or “natural”, these vitamins are isolates derived at least partly from a whole food (organic) source by a High Temperature process (products need be only 10% organic to legally carry the label “natural ingredients”). Most of the live enzymes necessary for absorption into the body have been destroyed in this type of vitamin. (Example: If we labeled a dead horse “natural and organic”, our label would be correct. If we wanted to ride him to town, however, we would be out of luck. “Organic and Natural” do not necessarily mean “alive”.) This is the type of vitamin sold in some drug stores and most health food stores.
LYPHOILIZED: Whole food is dehydrated by a cold process (similar to freeze-drying), preserving the complex of vitamins, bioflavinoids and enzymes found in nature. Enzymes necessary for absorption into the body remain intact. The only company we could find marketing this type of supplement is Shaklee Corporation. Shaklee products are sold by independent distributors and are not available in retail stores.
Shop Now For Vitalizer
Full Spectum Health Protection
Sign up now for the Shaklee Rx FOR A HEALTHIER LIFE™
Friday, August 21, 2009
ALWAYS GREEN-ALWAYS POWERFUL -ALWAYS SAFE
ALWAYS GREEN
✔ Sustainable ingredients from
natural sources
✔ Biodegradable surfactants
✔ Recyclable packaging
✔ Recyclable wipes
✔ Recyclable dryer sheets
✔ No chlorine bleach
✔ No phosphates
✔ No nitrates
✔ No borates
✔ No volatile organic cleaning
compounds
✔ No animal testing
ALWAYS POWERFUL
✔ Outperforms or matches
22 national brands
✔ 100% money-back guarantee
ALWAYS SAFE
✔ Nontoxic
✔ No harmful fumes
✔ Hypoallergenic
✔ No volatile organic cleaning
compounds
✔ Contains no:
• Kerosene
• Phenol
• Cresol
• Lye
• Hydrochloric acid
• Sulfuric acid
• Sulfamic acid
• Petroleum distillates
• Ammonia
• Sodium hydroxide
• Butyl cellosolve
• Phosphoric acid
• Formaldehyde
• Morpholine
✔ Sustainable ingredients from
natural sources
✔ Biodegradable surfactants
✔ Recyclable packaging
✔ Recyclable wipes
✔ Recyclable dryer sheets
✔ No chlorine bleach
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• Hydrochloric acid
• Sulfuric acid
• Sulfamic acid
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• Ammonia
• Sodium hydroxide
• Butyl cellosolve
• Phosphoric acid
• Formaldehyde
• Morpholine
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Save Thousands of Dollars with the Get Clean® Starter Kit
Get Clean products are superconcentrated, saving you money—ounce for ounce!
You would have to spend more than $3,400 on conventional, ready-to-use
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in the Get Clean Starter Kit.†
†Based on comparing number of uses on labels of conventional, ready-to-use cleaners.
Basic H2 Can Save You Over $13,500
The one and only Basic H2® is a versatile, superconcentrated cleaner with
a thousand uses. Ninety-nine percent natural and 100% powerful, Basic H2
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all-purpose cleaners, degreasers, floor cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, and
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Get Clean Basic H2 is the ultimate superconcentrated cleaner! Look how much
you would have to spend to get the equivalent cleaning uses!
To get the same amount of clean you get with one 16-ounce bottle of Basic H2,
you would have to spend:
• $480 for the equivalent amount of all-purpose cleaner
• $13,500 for the equivalent amount of window cleaner
• $128 for the equivalent amount of degreaser
A Little Goes a Long Way - Example
Shaklee Basic H concentrate costs $10.35 for 16 oz
Shaklee All-Purpose Cleaner
¼ teaspoon Basic H per
16 oz water cost $0.03
Retail all purpose cleaner
16 oz cost $1.25
One bottle of Basic H makes 384 bottles of Retail all purpose cleaner for a total retail cost of $480.00 - Plus cost to the environment of 384 plastic bottles in the trash
Retail all purpose cleaner per 16 oz * $1.25
Shaklee all purpose cleaner per 16oz $0.03
* * * * * * * * * * * * * Savings to you $1.22
and 384 plastic bottles less in the trash
Based on Shaklee Member Price
For more examples of how you can save money and save the environment contact us at the email address at the top of the right column
Get Clean products are superconcentrated, saving you money—ounce for ounce!
You would have to spend more than $3,400 on conventional, ready-to-use
products from major name brands to get the same amount of clean you’ll find
in the Get Clean Starter Kit.†
†Based on comparing number of uses on labels of conventional, ready-to-use cleaners.
Basic H2 Can Save You Over $13,500
The one and only Basic H2® is a versatile, superconcentrated cleaner with
a thousand uses. Ninety-nine percent natural and 100% powerful, Basic H2
replaces many of the cleaners you’re probably buying now—window cleaners,
all-purpose cleaners, degreasers, floor cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, and
more—saving you money and space.
Get Clean Basic H2 is the ultimate superconcentrated cleaner! Look how much
you would have to spend to get the equivalent cleaning uses!
To get the same amount of clean you get with one 16-ounce bottle of Basic H2,
you would have to spend:
• $480 for the equivalent amount of all-purpose cleaner
• $13,500 for the equivalent amount of window cleaner
• $128 for the equivalent amount of degreaser
A Little Goes a Long Way - Example
Shaklee Basic H concentrate costs $10.35 for 16 oz
Shaklee All-Purpose Cleaner
¼ teaspoon Basic H per
16 oz water cost $0.03
Retail all purpose cleaner
16 oz cost $1.25
One bottle of Basic H makes 384 bottles of Retail all purpose cleaner for a total retail cost of $480.00 - Plus cost to the environment of 384 plastic bottles in the trash
Retail all purpose cleaner per 16 oz * $1.25
Shaklee all purpose cleaner per 16oz $0.03
* * * * * * * * * * * * * Savings to you $1.22
and 384 plastic bottles less in the trash
Based on Shaklee Member Price
For more examples of how you can save money and save the environment contact us at the email address at the top of the right column
Cost Comparison Chart "Green" Cleaners
CLICK TO ENLARGE
Copies Available - email address on top right
Copies Available - email address on top right
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Cancer rate higher in home than at work
ANNOUNCING!
Sam and Bunny Sewell
Invite you to listen in, online to:
THE NATURAL ADVOCATE
A call in, Talk Radio program for Sentinel Radio
Friday, August 21 (8-10 PM ET)
This week’s program will focus on
Natural Ecology for Rational People
* Tips for Removing Toxins from Your Home *
Sam and Bunny Sewell
Invite you to listen in, online to:
THE NATURAL ADVOCATE
A call in, Talk Radio program for Sentinel Radio
Friday, August 21 (8-10 PM ET)
This week’s program will focus on
Natural Ecology for Rational People
* Tips for Removing Toxins from Your Home *
To listen to this program online, go to:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Sentinel_Radio
We welcome YOUR calls with questions & comments at (646) 727-2652
(We’re always eager for your feedback!)
“We hold this truth to be self-evident; Our creator has endowed us with a laser straight path of natural thinking, feeling and behaving that has its origins in a sacred absolute reality. If we stray from that path we will experience pain. If we stay on that path we will be happy, healthy, and whole. “The Natural Advocate” will show you the guideposts and help you navigate along the centerline.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Sentinel_Radio
We welcome YOUR calls with questions & comments at (646) 727-2652
(We’re always eager for your feedback!)
“We hold this truth to be self-evident; Our creator has endowed us with a laser straight path of natural thinking, feeling and behaving that has its origins in a sacred absolute reality. If we stray from that path we will experience pain. If we stay on that path we will be happy, healthy, and whole. “The Natural Advocate” will show you the guideposts and help you navigate along the centerline.
Support blog for this program is at: www.thenaturaladvocate.blogspot.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * *
According to a 15-year study presented at the Toronto Indoor Air Conference, women who work at home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than those who work away from home.
The study concluded that this was a direct result of the increased exposure to toxic chemicals, many of which are found in common household products.
More than 9 out of every 10 suspected poison exposures occur at home with household products.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Studies have found that levels of certain pollutants are far greater indoors than outdoors. With volatile organic chemicals, indoor personal exposures were typically two to five times outdoor levels. The EPA's Total Exposure Assessment Methodology ( TEAM ) studies have shown that for 18 chemicals, median indoor air concentrations ranged from two to twenty times higher inside homes than outdoors. Persons wearing or storing freshly dry-cleaned clothes had significantly higher exposures to tetrachloroethylene, and persons using mothballs and bathroom toilet deodorants had greatly increased exposures to paradichlorobenzene. Another TEAM study showed that exposure to chloroform is mainly due to the chlorination of drinking water and that inhalation exposure during a shower is comparable to drinking two liters of tap water a day. In an additional study, the EPA found that toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air pollution. Of 2,983 chemicals analyzed that are found in personal care products:
* 884 are toxic
* 146 can cause tumors
* 218 can cause reproductive complications
* 778 cause acute toxicity* 314 can cause biological mutations
* 376 can cause skin and eye irritations
[Source: United States House of Representatives Report through NIOSH, 1989]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * *
17 astonishing facts concerning indoor air pollution;
1. According to the National Safety Council, more children under the age of 4 die of accidental household poisonings than are accidentally killed by guns at home
2. Ingestion only accounts for about 10% of household poisonings. 90% of poisoning happens through inhalation and skin absorption.
3. Women who work in the home have a 54% higher risk of dying from cancer than women who work outside of the home because of their increased exposure to household chemicals. [Toronto Indoor Air Conference of 1990 from a 15+ year study]
4, 150 chemicals found in the home have been connected to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders. [The Consumer Protection Agency )
5. In an EPA report to the US Congress regarding the Indoor Air Quality Act of 1989, they stated that indoor air quality is one of the nation’s most important environmental health problems.
6. “Chemicals have replaced bacteria and viruses as the main threat to health. The diseases we are beginning to see as the major causes of death in the latter part of ( the 1900's ) and into the 21st century are diseases of chemical origin.” [Dr. Dick Irwin, Toxicologist, Texas A&M University]
7. Diseases that used to occur later in life are now appearing at younger ages. Diseases that used to be rare are more frequent. For example:
8. There has been a 28% increase in childhood cancer since the addition of pesticides into household products. Cancer is now the #2 killer of children – second only to accidental poisonings. Since 1977 the rate of cancer among American children has been steadily rising at a rate of nearly 1% each year. [National Cancer Institute]
9. Some products release contaminants into the air right away, others do so gradually over a period of time. Some stay in the air up to a year. These contaminants, found in many household and personal care products can cause dizziness, nausea, allergic reactions, eye/skin/respiratory tract irritations and some cause cancer. [American Lung Association]
10. In 1901, cancer was rare: 1 out of 8,000. Since the Industrial Revolution, the cancer rate today has risen to 1 in 3 and is not improving. [The American Cancer Society]
11. In one decade, there has been a 42% increase in asthma ( 29% for men, 82% for women ). The higher rate for women is believed to be due to women’s longer exposure times to household chemicals. [Center for Disease Control]
12. Just by reducing ( not eliminating ) environmental carcinogens alone, we could save at least 50,000 lives taken by cancer annually. [Dr. Lee Davis, former advisor to the Secretary of Health]
13. Even small doses of neurotoxins, which would be harmless to an adult, can alter a child’s nervous system development. [Environmental Health Perspectives 106 Supplement 3:787-794 ( June 1998 )]
14. Out of 2,435 pesticide poisonings in a one-year period, over 40% were due to exposure to disinfectants and similar cleaning products in the home. [State of California Study]
15. Today, children have chemical exposures from birth that their parents didn’t have until they were adults. Because children are exposed to toxics at an earlier age than adults, they have more time to develop environmentally triggered diseases, with long latency periods, such as cancer. [Environmental Policy and Children’s Health, Future of Children, Summer/Fall 1995; 5( 2 ): 34-52]
16. Household bleaches which claim to disinfect are classified as pesticides under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Inadvertently mixing bleach with other cleaners that contain ammonia produces a toxic chloramines gas. These toxic gases can cause coughing, loss of voice, a feeling of burning or suffocation, and even death. [Source: Guide to Hazardous Products Around the Home, Household Hazardous Waste Project, 1989]
17. There is an increased risk for leukemia in children where parents have used pesticides in the home or garden before the child’s birth. [Journal of the National Cancer Institute]
According to a 15-year study presented at the Toronto Indoor Air Conference, women who work at home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than those who work away from home.
The study concluded that this was a direct result of the increased exposure to toxic chemicals, many of which are found in common household products.
More than 9 out of every 10 suspected poison exposures occur at home with household products.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Studies have found that levels of certain pollutants are far greater indoors than outdoors. With volatile organic chemicals, indoor personal exposures were typically two to five times outdoor levels. The EPA's Total Exposure Assessment Methodology ( TEAM ) studies have shown that for 18 chemicals, median indoor air concentrations ranged from two to twenty times higher inside homes than outdoors. Persons wearing or storing freshly dry-cleaned clothes had significantly higher exposures to tetrachloroethylene, and persons using mothballs and bathroom toilet deodorants had greatly increased exposures to paradichlorobenzene. Another TEAM study showed that exposure to chloroform is mainly due to the chlorination of drinking water and that inhalation exposure during a shower is comparable to drinking two liters of tap water a day. In an additional study, the EPA found that toxic chemicals in household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air pollution. Of 2,983 chemicals analyzed that are found in personal care products:
* 884 are toxic
* 146 can cause tumors
* 218 can cause reproductive complications
* 778 cause acute toxicity* 314 can cause biological mutations
* 376 can cause skin and eye irritations
[Source: United States House of Representatives Report through NIOSH, 1989]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * *
17 astonishing facts concerning indoor air pollution;
1. According to the National Safety Council, more children under the age of 4 die of accidental household poisonings than are accidentally killed by guns at home
2. Ingestion only accounts for about 10% of household poisonings. 90% of poisoning happens through inhalation and skin absorption.
3. Women who work in the home have a 54% higher risk of dying from cancer than women who work outside of the home because of their increased exposure to household chemicals. [Toronto Indoor Air Conference of 1990 from a 15+ year study]
4, 150 chemicals found in the home have been connected to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological disorders. [The Consumer Protection Agency )
5. In an EPA report to the US Congress regarding the Indoor Air Quality Act of 1989, they stated that indoor air quality is one of the nation’s most important environmental health problems.
6. “Chemicals have replaced bacteria and viruses as the main threat to health. The diseases we are beginning to see as the major causes of death in the latter part of ( the 1900's ) and into the 21st century are diseases of chemical origin.” [Dr. Dick Irwin, Toxicologist, Texas A&M University]
7. Diseases that used to occur later in life are now appearing at younger ages. Diseases that used to be rare are more frequent. For example:
8. There has been a 28% increase in childhood cancer since the addition of pesticides into household products. Cancer is now the #2 killer of children – second only to accidental poisonings. Since 1977 the rate of cancer among American children has been steadily rising at a rate of nearly 1% each year. [National Cancer Institute]
9. Some products release contaminants into the air right away, others do so gradually over a period of time. Some stay in the air up to a year. These contaminants, found in many household and personal care products can cause dizziness, nausea, allergic reactions, eye/skin/respiratory tract irritations and some cause cancer. [American Lung Association]
10. In 1901, cancer was rare: 1 out of 8,000. Since the Industrial Revolution, the cancer rate today has risen to 1 in 3 and is not improving. [The American Cancer Society]
11. In one decade, there has been a 42% increase in asthma ( 29% for men, 82% for women ). The higher rate for women is believed to be due to women’s longer exposure times to household chemicals. [Center for Disease Control]
12. Just by reducing ( not eliminating ) environmental carcinogens alone, we could save at least 50,000 lives taken by cancer annually. [Dr. Lee Davis, former advisor to the Secretary of Health]
13. Even small doses of neurotoxins, which would be harmless to an adult, can alter a child’s nervous system development. [Environmental Health Perspectives 106 Supplement 3:787-794 ( June 1998 )]
14. Out of 2,435 pesticide poisonings in a one-year period, over 40% were due to exposure to disinfectants and similar cleaning products in the home. [State of California Study]
15. Today, children have chemical exposures from birth that their parents didn’t have until they were adults. Because children are exposed to toxics at an earlier age than adults, they have more time to develop environmentally triggered diseases, with long latency periods, such as cancer. [Environmental Policy and Children’s Health, Future of Children, Summer/Fall 1995; 5( 2 ): 34-52]
16. Household bleaches which claim to disinfect are classified as pesticides under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. Inadvertently mixing bleach with other cleaners that contain ammonia produces a toxic chloramines gas. These toxic gases can cause coughing, loss of voice, a feeling of burning or suffocation, and even death. [Source: Guide to Hazardous Products Around the Home, Household Hazardous Waste Project, 1989]
17. There is an increased risk for leukemia in children where parents have used pesticides in the home or garden before the child’s birth. [Journal of the National Cancer Institute]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Listen to "The Natural Advocate" to discover a dependable, inexpensive way to protect you and your family from indoor air pollution.
Always Safe - Always Green - Always Works
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Friday, August 14, 2009
Non-Drug Mood Therapy Techniques Scientifically Validated
Count Your Blessings
“A major task of adulthood is to balance striving to do your best while accepting your limits,”
Dr. Burns says. “Cognitive therapy has helped me accept my limits without feeling ashamed.”
“Cognitive therapy is simply a more organized way to implement traditional psychological
self-care advice,” says New York psychotherapist Alan Elkin, Ph.D. “It boils down to
counting your blessings. Most depressing or anxiety-producing events are not inherently
awful. What makes them feel distressing is the way we react to them. Counting your blessings
forces you to step back, get some perspective, and see challenges in a larger context. The problem with ‘count your blessings’ is that it’s vague. Cognitive therapy is a step-by-step program, and when you feel depressed or stressed by negativity, an organized program helps.”
Selected Sources:
NIH Depression Awareness, Recognition, and Treatment (D/ART) Program. Cooper, Robert. Health and Fitness Excellence
The Feeling Good Handbook by David D. Burns, M.D.
Exercise as Therapy
Exercise helps treat depression in four ways:
1.It releases endorphins, the body’s own mood-elevating, pain-relieving compounds.
2.It reduces levels of the stress-depression hormone, cortisol, in the blood.
3.It helps provide perspective on life.
4.It provides a feeling of accomplishment, which enhances self-esteem.
Many, many studies demonstrate that exercise helps treat depression. Here are summaries of just afew:
• At the University of Illinois, researchers surveyed 401 adults about their health, mental health, andlifestyle. The more time the respondents spent in strenuous exercise, the less depression, anxiety,and insomnia they reported.
• At Harvard University, researchers divided 32 mildly-to-moderately depressed individuals over age60 into two groups. Half continued to live as they had. The other half enrolled in a weight-liftingclass. At the end of 10 weeks, everyone in the control group was still mildly-to-moderately depressed. But among the exercisers only two of 16 still were.
• At the University of California, at Berkeley, School of Public Health, researchers have been periodically assessing the health, mental health, and lifestyle of 6,000 residents of the San FranciscoBay Area since 1965. The ongoing survey clearly shows a strong association between a sedentarylifestyle and depression, and an equally strong association between becoming physically active and relief from depression.
• University of Nebraska researchers tested 180 college students for depression and then divided them into three groups. A control group continued to live their lives as they had. One test group enrolled in a swimming class that met twice a week for an hour. The other test group enrolled in an hour-long weight-training class that met twice a week. Seven weeks later, the researchers re-tested all the students for depression. Compared with the controls, both exercise groups were significantly less depressed, and showed improved self-esteem.
• At LaTrobe University in Bundoora, Australia, researchers tested 33 people’s mental health, and then enrolled them in a two-month tai chi class. Tai chi is a gentle, non-strenuous, dance-like, Chinese exercise program. After the class, the people were tested again. They were less depressed, anxious, tense, and fearful.
• Other studies have shown that for mild-to-moderate depression, regular aerobic exercise helps about as much as talk-based psychotherapy.
Which kind of exercise is best? Whatever you like. Do something that appeals to you personally. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you do something physical for a half hour or so three or more times a week, ideally every day: take walks, ride a bike, swim, play volleyball, garden, go bowling, play golf—anything. Just do something. If no physical activity appeals to you, think back to when you were a kid. What kind of physical play did you enjoy? Bicycling? Roller skating? Jumping rope? Try your childhood favorites again. You might still enjoy them.
The most accessible exercise program is walking. You already know how to do it, and there’s no outfit or equipment to buy, no gym to join. Just open your front door and put one foot in front of th eother. In recent years, walking has become Americans’ most popular form of exercise.It takes about a month of regular exercise to notice a significant mood-elevating effect. Be patient. Stick with it, and you’ll feel better.
Also, be patient about your workout ambition. This isn’t a competition. Your exercise program should be enjoyable. Take it nice and easy. Don’t increase the strenuousness or duration of your workout more than 10 percent a month. Exercise shouldn’t be a chore. It should be fun.
Selected Sources:
NIH Depression Awareness, Recognition, and Treatment (D/ART) Program.
Nicoloff, G. and T.L. Schwenk. “Using Exercise to Ward Off Depression,” The Physician and
Sportsmedicine. 9-95, 44-56
Ross, C.E. and D. Hayes. “Exercise and Psychological Well-Being,” American J. of Epidemiology (1988)
127:762.
Jin, P. “Changes in Heart Rate, Noradrenaline, Cortisol, and Mood During Tai Chi,” J. Psychosomatic Research (1989) 33:197
Support Groups
Support groups turn life around wonderfully. They take depression, or any other illness or
challenge, things that usually leave people feeling sad, frustrated, and isolated—and turn them
into the sole criterion for membership. In this powerful way, people can come together with
dignity, compassion, and cooperation to lighten the burdens of depression, disability, bereavement—whatever. Typically, the results are better information about surviving the situation, and profound healing.
“Doctors and psychologists can’t be all things to all people,” says Edward Madara, M.S.,
director of The American Self-Help Clearinghouse in Denville, New Jersey. “When you sit
down with others who have shared your experience—no matter whether it’s depression, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or an unfaithful spouse—you feel a sense of comfort and closeness no professional relationship can match.”
Many scientists were skeptical of support groups until the 1970s and the development of
pyschoneuroimmunology, the study of how emotions influence the central nervous system and
the immune system. Now we know that social support has profound psychological benefits
that can help anyone who feels depressed.
Over the last 25 years, many studies have shown that social isolation releases a flood of
stress hormones into the blood that trigger many psychological and physiological changes,
including: feelings of depression and anxiety, increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, and
impaired immune function.
“These hormones normally ebb and flow,” says David Spiegel, M.D., a professor of
psychiatry at Stanford University and director of the Psychosocial Treatment Laboratory
there. “But when social isolation becomes chronic, they remain consistently high, impairing the
body’s ability to cope with depression, emotional stress, and physical illnesses.”
On the other hand, well-developed social networks dam the flood of depression-stress
hormones, minimizing their presence in the bloodstream, and allowing the body to heal more
efficiently and cope with stress more effectively.
“The relationship between social isolation and early death, including suicide, is as strong
statistically as the relationship between dying and smoking or having high cholesterol,” Dr.
Spiegel says. “It’s as important for mental health to have a strong network of family and
friends as it is for physical health to quit smoking. Unfortunately, medical science has greatly
underestimated the value of social support.”
In previous generations, social support came largely from family and the communities where
most people spent their entire lives. But in mobile America, family and old friends may be
thousands of miles away. To replace the support they provide, hundreds of thousands of support groups have mushroomed across the United States.
Beyond fellowship, support groups can provide important information about depression: the
names of good psychiatrists and psychotherapists, first-hand accounts of antidepressant medication side effects, and self-care tips about surviving the depression.
The camaraderie, laughter, and back-and-forth bantering support groups encourage help
banishes feelings of isolation. When you ask, “Has anyone every felt--?” Or, “Has this ever
happened to you?” The answer is almost invariable “Yes.” Support groups legitimize members’ feelings and experiences. They provide a welcome framework for coping.
Since the helper and beneficiary are peers, everyone can be both. This exchange of support
has a special meaning, and some believe it’s therapeutic in itself, especially for those who feel
depressed, because helping others boosts self-esteem. “There are a lot of selfish reasons to be altruistic,” says David Sobel, M.D., the San Jose-based director of preventive medicine for the Kaiser Permanente Health Maintenance Organization of Northern California. “You get the personal satisfaction of making a real contribution to someone else’s life. But you also get other benefits—emotional uplift, perspective on your own problems, significant stress reduction, and as a result, better physical and mental health yourself.”
“Support groups reduce isolation,” Madara explains. “They’re empowering and comforting.
They teach practical coping skills. Sometimes they change laws and public perceptions. And
usually, they’re low cost.”
Selected Sources:
NIMH Depression Awareness, Recognition, and Treatment (D/ART) Program
American Self-Help Clearinghouse. The Self-Help Sourcebook. St. Charles-Riverside Medical
Center, Denville, NJ.
Spiegel, David. Living Beyond Limits. Fawcett-Columbine, NY, 1993.
Herbal Medicine
Several medicinal herbs have antidepressant effects. The most powerful is St. John’s wort, a
natural MAO inhibitor. In addition, ginkgo, and caffeine may also help.
St. John’s wort.
“Wort” is Old English for “plant.” St. John’s wort was named for John the
Baptist, whose birthday, June 24, falls around the time this plant produces its yellow flowers.
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) has been used in traditional herbal medicine for
centuries, primarily for wound healing. Some years ago, German scientists discovered that the
plant is also a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, one class of antidepressant medication.
A major recent study shows that St. John’s wort is an effective antidepressant. The 1996
report published in the British Medical Journal, was compiled by researchers at the Audie
Murphy Veterans Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, and colleagues in Germany, who
conducted a meta-analysis of the herb’s effectiveness. Meta-analysis is a sophisticated
statistical technique that allows studies with small numbers of subjects to be mathematically
combined as if they were all part of one big study. Size is important because the larger the
group tested, the more reliable the results. The researchers combined 23 methodologically
sound studies of St. John’s wort that had a total of 1,751 participants. Among those who
took the placebo, 22 percent reported mood elevation. Among those who used St. John’s
wort, the figure was 55 percent, a highly significant difference. Among those who responded
to St. John’s wort, the relief obtained was similar to that experienced from pharmaceutical antidepressants.
In Germany, where herbal medicine is more mainstream than it is in the U.S., doctors often
prescribe St. John’s wort for mild-to-moderate depression.
On the plus side, the herb costs only about $10 a month, considerably less than
pharmaceutical antidepressants, and it does not appear to cause the side effects of other
MAO inhibitors, notably hazardous interactions with foods containing tyramine, among them:
cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, liver, sausage, bologna, pepperoni, salami, game meats, meats
prepared with any tenderizer, caviar, salted or pickled herring, shrimp paste, beer, ale, red wine, sherry, vermouth, distilled spirits, avocados, bananas, figs, raisins, sauerkraut, soy sauce, miso soup, tofu, fava beans, coffee, tea, colas, chocolate, and ginseng.
On the minus side, MAO inhibitors have been largely replaced by newer drugs, and some
people find these newer medications more effective. In addition, St. John’s wort may cause
side effects: upset stomach, dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness, rashes, and itching. Finally, anyone
taking St. John’s wort should err on the side of caution and observe the food restrictions required of those who use other MAO inhibitors.
Do not take St. John’s wort if you are already taking a pharmaceutical antidepressant. Do not
use the herb if you are pregnant or nursing, or planning to become pregnant while taking it.
Ginkgo.
Ginkgo improves blood flow through the brain, accounting for its major uses as an
aid to stroke recovery and mental acuity in the elderly. But it also appears to normalize
neurotransmitter levels, and as a result, can help treat depression. In one study, European
researchers recruited 40 elderly individuals who had both depression and poor cerebral
blood flow. After a few months of taking 80 mg of ginkgo extract three times a day, their
depression lifted and their mental faculties improved significantly. If you use gingko, don’t
take more than 240 mg/day or you might develop diarrhea, restlessness, and irritability.
Caffeine (coffee, tea, colas, chocolate).
Coffee is the nation’s most popular “pick-me-up.” In addition to waking people up in the morning, it also has a mild, but noticeable antidepressant effect. Caffeine’s mood-elevating action plays a role in two of its proven, but lesser-known effects—pain relief and weight loss. The addition of caffeine to aspirin has been shown to produce better pain relief than aspirin by itself. Caffeine is not known to have any pain-relieving action, so researchers believe its mood-elevating action accounts for its pain-relieving benefit. (Excedrin is a combination of aspirin and caffeine.)
Caffeine has also been used in some physician-supervised weight-loss programs with modest, but statistically significant success. The drug has no known appetite-suppressing action, so scientists attribute its action to its mood-elevating effect. If you use caffeine, do not exceed your own individual tolerance or you may experience insomnia, agitation, restlessness, and irritability.
Selected Sources:
Linde, K. et al. “St. John’s Wort for Depression: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials,”
British Medical Journal (1996) 313:253.
Castleman, M. The Healing Herbs. Bantam Books, 1995.
Duke, J. The Green Pharmacy. Rodale, 1996.
Dietary Supplements
Certain vitamin deficiencies can cause depression:
Vitamin B6. Even a minor B6 deficiency can reduce the availability of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in depression, according to Karl Goodkin, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Several studies show that depressed individuals tend to have low blood levels of this nutrient.
As little as 10 mg of supplemental B6 a day can relieve depression. In one study, 19 depressed women with low B6 levels were given a supplement. Sixteen of them reported improved mood.
Other B vitamins. At the University of Arizona, researchers divided 14 elderly people
taking antidepressant drugs into two groups. In addition to their regular medication, one took
a placebo, while the other took 10 mg each of vitamins B1, B2, and B6. The supplement group showed greater relief from depression.
Folic acid. Folic acid, another B vitamin, also helps elevate a depressed mood. Several
studies have shown that depressed individuals tend to have low blood levels of this nutrient.
Other studies have shown that supplementation helps relieve their depression. In one, 24
people with major depression and low blood levels of folic acid were divided into two
groups. One received a placebo, the other, 15 mg a day of folic acid. After three months, the
folic acid group was significantly less depressed.
The Weil regimen. Andrew Weil, M.D., is a professor at the University of Arizona College
of Medicine. He is also a noted advocate of non-drug therapies. Here’s what he recommends
for depression: Upon waking, take 1,500 mg of DLPA (DL-phenylalanine), an amino acid
available at health food stores that increases synthesis of neurotransmitters. In addition, take
500 mg of vitamin C, 100 mg of B6, and a small piece of fruit or glass of juice. In the evening
take another round of vitamins C and B6. Dr. Weil says his supplement regimen can be used
by people taking antidepressant medication.
Selected Sources:
Bal, I.R. “Vitamins B1, B2, and B6 in Augmentation of Tricyclic Antidepressant Treatment,” J. Am.
College of Nutrition (1992) 11:159.
Andrew Weil’s Self-Healing, 1-97.
Godfrey, P.S.A. et al. “Enhancement of Recovery from Psychiatric Illness by Methylfolate,”
Lancet (1990) 336:392.
Werbach, M. Nutritional Influences on Illness. Third Line Press, 1991.
Acupuncture
The United Nations World Health Organization endorses acupuncture as a treatment for
depression. At the University of Arizona, John J. Allen, Ph.D., an assistant professor of
psychology studied 34 women diagnosed with major depression who were not being treated
with antidepressant medication. One-third met with the researchers but received no
acupuncture. The second received acupuncture, but not on points recommended for treating
depression. The third received acupuncture on the depression points. Compared with the two
control groups, the women receiving acupuncture on the depression points showed significantly greater mood elevation.
Source:
Steefel, L. “Treating Depression,” Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 1-96, 1-4.
Music as Therapy
In the Bible’s Book of Samuel, King Saul shows classic symptoms of depression: persistent
sadness, listlessness, and irritability. To ease his melancholy, the future King David plays music for him.
David had the right idea. In one study, people suffering serious depression received one of
the following: weekly visits from music therapists who played music and taught them stress
management techniques; taped music to play on their own, with weekly phone calls from
music therapists; or no music. Compared with the control group, participants in both music
groups showed significantly improved mood.
Source:
Hanser, SB, et al. “Effects of a Music Therapy Strategy on Depressed Older Adults.”
Gerontology (1994) 49:P265.
Massage as Therapy
Touch is the only sense human beings cannot live without. Children born blind or deaf can
lead normal lives. But infants deprived of touch become withdrawn, listless, and stop smiling,
classic symptoms of depression. If touch deprivation continues unchecked, it may prove fatal.
At the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School in Florida, psychologist Tiffany Field, Ph.D., had massage therapists give 20-minute Swedish massages twice a week to women hospitalized for serious post-partum depression. Their blood levels of stress hormones decreased, and they reported improved mood.
Source:
Steefel, L. “Treating Depression,” Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 1-96, 1-4.
Relaxation Response, Meditation, and Visualization as Therapy
People who meditate (or who practice the very similar Westernized, secular relaxation response) often report mood elevation and feelings of enhanced well-being.
In a study of 154 women who felt depressed because they were being treated for breast cancer, British researchers met with one-third, the controls. They taught another third a combination of the relaxation response and visualization therapy using pleasant, relaxing imagery. The final third were taught progressive muscle relaxation, another meditative technique. Before and after tests showed that the control group remained depressed, but both relaxation therapies significantly improved the women’s mood.
“Many studies have shown mood elevation in depressed people who regularly elicit the
relaxation response,” notes Herbert Benson, M.D., the Harvard researcher who popularized
the relaxation response, and introduced meditation into American medicine.
Selected Sources:
Bridges, LR et al. “Relaxation and Imagery in the Treatment of Breast Cancer,” Br. Med. J. (1988) 297:1169.
Benson, H. “The Relaxation Response,” in Mind-Body Medicine, Consumer Reports Books, NY,
1993, p. 250.
Phototherapy
Phototherapy is the use of bright artificial light to treat winter depression, or seasonal affective
disorder (SAD). It was discovered in the early 1980’s, when researchers noticed that SAD
sufferers who went south for winter vacations experienced relief that persisted for a week or
so after they returned home.
This observation led to the development of devices that produce bright artificial sunlight
(full-spectrum minus the ultraviolet, which causes sunburn and increases risk of skin cancer).
You sit in front of one of today’s bright light appliances as you have breakfast, and by the time you’ve finished, you’re protected from SAD for the day.
SAD symptoms typically begin to lift about a week after the start of phototherapy. But they
return shortly after discontinuing treatment, which is why authorities urge SAD sufferers to
use their bright light appliances daily from October through April.
In the mid-1990’s, scientists discovered that for some people with winter blues, ultrabright
light might not be necessary. Devices that simulate dawn often work just as well. Dawn
simulators are night lights fitted with timers and dimmers. At 4 a.m. the timer turns the light on, bathing the sleeping winter-blues sufferer in the faint glow of an artificial dawn. The light
brightens over two or three hours until the person awakens. In one early study, six of eight
SAD sufferers experienced substantial relief after two weeks of awakening to simulated sunrises. Since then, other studies have confirmed the effect.
Light therapy’s success in treating SAD has led to studies of its effectiveness for nonseasonal
depression—with promising preliminary results. At the University of California at San Diego,
psychiatry professor Daniel F. Kripke, M.D., divided 50 men with severe nonseasonal
depression into two groups. Half spent seven consecutive evenings in a room illuminated with
1,600 watts of bright light. The other half spent the time in a room with the lights turns low.
Compared with the dim-light group, symptoms in the bright-light group improved 18 percent.
Bright-light boxes and dawn simulators may be necessary for some seasonal blues sufferers,
but if you feel blue, experts in phototherapy offer other suggestions as well:
Get more natural sunlight. Trim the bushes around your windows and keep your curtains and blinds open. Use bright colors on walls and upholstery.
Sit near windows whenever possible. Do this at school, at work, on public transportation, and when dining out. If you exercise indoors, work out near a window.
Take a walk. People with SAD often spend unusually little time outdoors in winter. A Swiss
study showed that a one-hour walk in midday winter sunlight can significantly lift the spirits.
For winter blahs and winter doldrums, a daily outdoor winter walk may be all that’s necessary.
Take a winter vacation. Head for a sunny destination. “With a diagnosis of SAD,” Dr.
Freeman quips, “it might even be tax-deductible.”
Selected Sources:
Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms, P.O. Box 478, Wilsonville, OR 97070.
NOSAD, the self-help group for people with SAD. P.O. Box 40133, Washington, D.C. 20016.
The SunBox Company, 19127 Orbit Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20879.
Apollo Light Systems, 352 West 1060 South, Orem, UT 84058.
“A major task of adulthood is to balance striving to do your best while accepting your limits,”
Dr. Burns says. “Cognitive therapy has helped me accept my limits without feeling ashamed.”
“Cognitive therapy is simply a more organized way to implement traditional psychological
self-care advice,” says New York psychotherapist Alan Elkin, Ph.D. “It boils down to
counting your blessings. Most depressing or anxiety-producing events are not inherently
awful. What makes them feel distressing is the way we react to them. Counting your blessings
forces you to step back, get some perspective, and see challenges in a larger context. The problem with ‘count your blessings’ is that it’s vague. Cognitive therapy is a step-by-step program, and when you feel depressed or stressed by negativity, an organized program helps.”
Selected Sources:
NIH Depression Awareness, Recognition, and Treatment (D/ART) Program. Cooper, Robert. Health and Fitness Excellence
The Feeling Good Handbook by David D. Burns, M.D.
Exercise as Therapy
Exercise helps treat depression in four ways:
1.It releases endorphins, the body’s own mood-elevating, pain-relieving compounds.
2.It reduces levels of the stress-depression hormone, cortisol, in the blood.
3.It helps provide perspective on life.
4.It provides a feeling of accomplishment, which enhances self-esteem.
Many, many studies demonstrate that exercise helps treat depression. Here are summaries of just afew:
• At the University of Illinois, researchers surveyed 401 adults about their health, mental health, andlifestyle. The more time the respondents spent in strenuous exercise, the less depression, anxiety,and insomnia they reported.
• At Harvard University, researchers divided 32 mildly-to-moderately depressed individuals over age60 into two groups. Half continued to live as they had. The other half enrolled in a weight-liftingclass. At the end of 10 weeks, everyone in the control group was still mildly-to-moderately depressed. But among the exercisers only two of 16 still were.
• At the University of California, at Berkeley, School of Public Health, researchers have been periodically assessing the health, mental health, and lifestyle of 6,000 residents of the San FranciscoBay Area since 1965. The ongoing survey clearly shows a strong association between a sedentarylifestyle and depression, and an equally strong association between becoming physically active and relief from depression.
• University of Nebraska researchers tested 180 college students for depression and then divided them into three groups. A control group continued to live their lives as they had. One test group enrolled in a swimming class that met twice a week for an hour. The other test group enrolled in an hour-long weight-training class that met twice a week. Seven weeks later, the researchers re-tested all the students for depression. Compared with the controls, both exercise groups were significantly less depressed, and showed improved self-esteem.
• At LaTrobe University in Bundoora, Australia, researchers tested 33 people’s mental health, and then enrolled them in a two-month tai chi class. Tai chi is a gentle, non-strenuous, dance-like, Chinese exercise program. After the class, the people were tested again. They were less depressed, anxious, tense, and fearful.
• Other studies have shown that for mild-to-moderate depression, regular aerobic exercise helps about as much as talk-based psychotherapy.
Which kind of exercise is best? Whatever you like. Do something that appeals to you personally. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you do something physical for a half hour or so three or more times a week, ideally every day: take walks, ride a bike, swim, play volleyball, garden, go bowling, play golf—anything. Just do something. If no physical activity appeals to you, think back to when you were a kid. What kind of physical play did you enjoy? Bicycling? Roller skating? Jumping rope? Try your childhood favorites again. You might still enjoy them.
The most accessible exercise program is walking. You already know how to do it, and there’s no outfit or equipment to buy, no gym to join. Just open your front door and put one foot in front of th eother. In recent years, walking has become Americans’ most popular form of exercise.It takes about a month of regular exercise to notice a significant mood-elevating effect. Be patient. Stick with it, and you’ll feel better.
Also, be patient about your workout ambition. This isn’t a competition. Your exercise program should be enjoyable. Take it nice and easy. Don’t increase the strenuousness or duration of your workout more than 10 percent a month. Exercise shouldn’t be a chore. It should be fun.
Selected Sources:
NIH Depression Awareness, Recognition, and Treatment (D/ART) Program.
Nicoloff, G. and T.L. Schwenk. “Using Exercise to Ward Off Depression,” The Physician and
Sportsmedicine. 9-95, 44-56
Ross, C.E. and D. Hayes. “Exercise and Psychological Well-Being,” American J. of Epidemiology (1988)
127:762.
Jin, P. “Changes in Heart Rate, Noradrenaline, Cortisol, and Mood During Tai Chi,” J. Psychosomatic Research (1989) 33:197
Support Groups
Support groups turn life around wonderfully. They take depression, or any other illness or
challenge, things that usually leave people feeling sad, frustrated, and isolated—and turn them
into the sole criterion for membership. In this powerful way, people can come together with
dignity, compassion, and cooperation to lighten the burdens of depression, disability, bereavement—whatever. Typically, the results are better information about surviving the situation, and profound healing.
“Doctors and psychologists can’t be all things to all people,” says Edward Madara, M.S.,
director of The American Self-Help Clearinghouse in Denville, New Jersey. “When you sit
down with others who have shared your experience—no matter whether it’s depression, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, or an unfaithful spouse—you feel a sense of comfort and closeness no professional relationship can match.”
Many scientists were skeptical of support groups until the 1970s and the development of
pyschoneuroimmunology, the study of how emotions influence the central nervous system and
the immune system. Now we know that social support has profound psychological benefits
that can help anyone who feels depressed.
Over the last 25 years, many studies have shown that social isolation releases a flood of
stress hormones into the blood that trigger many psychological and physiological changes,
including: feelings of depression and anxiety, increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, and
impaired immune function.
“These hormones normally ebb and flow,” says David Spiegel, M.D., a professor of
psychiatry at Stanford University and director of the Psychosocial Treatment Laboratory
there. “But when social isolation becomes chronic, they remain consistently high, impairing the
body’s ability to cope with depression, emotional stress, and physical illnesses.”
On the other hand, well-developed social networks dam the flood of depression-stress
hormones, minimizing their presence in the bloodstream, and allowing the body to heal more
efficiently and cope with stress more effectively.
“The relationship between social isolation and early death, including suicide, is as strong
statistically as the relationship between dying and smoking or having high cholesterol,” Dr.
Spiegel says. “It’s as important for mental health to have a strong network of family and
friends as it is for physical health to quit smoking. Unfortunately, medical science has greatly
underestimated the value of social support.”
In previous generations, social support came largely from family and the communities where
most people spent their entire lives. But in mobile America, family and old friends may be
thousands of miles away. To replace the support they provide, hundreds of thousands of support groups have mushroomed across the United States.
Beyond fellowship, support groups can provide important information about depression: the
names of good psychiatrists and psychotherapists, first-hand accounts of antidepressant medication side effects, and self-care tips about surviving the depression.
The camaraderie, laughter, and back-and-forth bantering support groups encourage help
banishes feelings of isolation. When you ask, “Has anyone every felt--?” Or, “Has this ever
happened to you?” The answer is almost invariable “Yes.” Support groups legitimize members’ feelings and experiences. They provide a welcome framework for coping.
Since the helper and beneficiary are peers, everyone can be both. This exchange of support
has a special meaning, and some believe it’s therapeutic in itself, especially for those who feel
depressed, because helping others boosts self-esteem. “There are a lot of selfish reasons to be altruistic,” says David Sobel, M.D., the San Jose-based director of preventive medicine for the Kaiser Permanente Health Maintenance Organization of Northern California. “You get the personal satisfaction of making a real contribution to someone else’s life. But you also get other benefits—emotional uplift, perspective on your own problems, significant stress reduction, and as a result, better physical and mental health yourself.”
“Support groups reduce isolation,” Madara explains. “They’re empowering and comforting.
They teach practical coping skills. Sometimes they change laws and public perceptions. And
usually, they’re low cost.”
Selected Sources:
NIMH Depression Awareness, Recognition, and Treatment (D/ART) Program
American Self-Help Clearinghouse. The Self-Help Sourcebook. St. Charles-Riverside Medical
Center, Denville, NJ.
Spiegel, David. Living Beyond Limits. Fawcett-Columbine, NY, 1993.
Herbal Medicine
Several medicinal herbs have antidepressant effects. The most powerful is St. John’s wort, a
natural MAO inhibitor. In addition, ginkgo, and caffeine may also help.
St. John’s wort.
“Wort” is Old English for “plant.” St. John’s wort was named for John the
Baptist, whose birthday, June 24, falls around the time this plant produces its yellow flowers.
St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) has been used in traditional herbal medicine for
centuries, primarily for wound healing. Some years ago, German scientists discovered that the
plant is also a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, one class of antidepressant medication.
A major recent study shows that St. John’s wort is an effective antidepressant. The 1996
report published in the British Medical Journal, was compiled by researchers at the Audie
Murphy Veterans Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, and colleagues in Germany, who
conducted a meta-analysis of the herb’s effectiveness. Meta-analysis is a sophisticated
statistical technique that allows studies with small numbers of subjects to be mathematically
combined as if they were all part of one big study. Size is important because the larger the
group tested, the more reliable the results. The researchers combined 23 methodologically
sound studies of St. John’s wort that had a total of 1,751 participants. Among those who
took the placebo, 22 percent reported mood elevation. Among those who used St. John’s
wort, the figure was 55 percent, a highly significant difference. Among those who responded
to St. John’s wort, the relief obtained was similar to that experienced from pharmaceutical antidepressants.
In Germany, where herbal medicine is more mainstream than it is in the U.S., doctors often
prescribe St. John’s wort for mild-to-moderate depression.
On the plus side, the herb costs only about $10 a month, considerably less than
pharmaceutical antidepressants, and it does not appear to cause the side effects of other
MAO inhibitors, notably hazardous interactions with foods containing tyramine, among them:
cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, liver, sausage, bologna, pepperoni, salami, game meats, meats
prepared with any tenderizer, caviar, salted or pickled herring, shrimp paste, beer, ale, red wine, sherry, vermouth, distilled spirits, avocados, bananas, figs, raisins, sauerkraut, soy sauce, miso soup, tofu, fava beans, coffee, tea, colas, chocolate, and ginseng.
On the minus side, MAO inhibitors have been largely replaced by newer drugs, and some
people find these newer medications more effective. In addition, St. John’s wort may cause
side effects: upset stomach, dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness, rashes, and itching. Finally, anyone
taking St. John’s wort should err on the side of caution and observe the food restrictions required of those who use other MAO inhibitors.
Do not take St. John’s wort if you are already taking a pharmaceutical antidepressant. Do not
use the herb if you are pregnant or nursing, or planning to become pregnant while taking it.
Ginkgo.
Ginkgo improves blood flow through the brain, accounting for its major uses as an
aid to stroke recovery and mental acuity in the elderly. But it also appears to normalize
neurotransmitter levels, and as a result, can help treat depression. In one study, European
researchers recruited 40 elderly individuals who had both depression and poor cerebral
blood flow. After a few months of taking 80 mg of ginkgo extract three times a day, their
depression lifted and their mental faculties improved significantly. If you use gingko, don’t
take more than 240 mg/day or you might develop diarrhea, restlessness, and irritability.
Caffeine (coffee, tea, colas, chocolate).
Coffee is the nation’s most popular “pick-me-up.” In addition to waking people up in the morning, it also has a mild, but noticeable antidepressant effect. Caffeine’s mood-elevating action plays a role in two of its proven, but lesser-known effects—pain relief and weight loss. The addition of caffeine to aspirin has been shown to produce better pain relief than aspirin by itself. Caffeine is not known to have any pain-relieving action, so researchers believe its mood-elevating action accounts for its pain-relieving benefit. (Excedrin is a combination of aspirin and caffeine.)
Caffeine has also been used in some physician-supervised weight-loss programs with modest, but statistically significant success. The drug has no known appetite-suppressing action, so scientists attribute its action to its mood-elevating effect. If you use caffeine, do not exceed your own individual tolerance or you may experience insomnia, agitation, restlessness, and irritability.
Selected Sources:
Linde, K. et al. “St. John’s Wort for Depression: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials,”
British Medical Journal (1996) 313:253.
Castleman, M. The Healing Herbs. Bantam Books, 1995.
Duke, J. The Green Pharmacy. Rodale, 1996.
Dietary Supplements
Certain vitamin deficiencies can cause depression:
Vitamin B6. Even a minor B6 deficiency can reduce the availability of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in depression, according to Karl Goodkin, M.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Several studies show that depressed individuals tend to have low blood levels of this nutrient.
As little as 10 mg of supplemental B6 a day can relieve depression. In one study, 19 depressed women with low B6 levels were given a supplement. Sixteen of them reported improved mood.
Other B vitamins. At the University of Arizona, researchers divided 14 elderly people
taking antidepressant drugs into two groups. In addition to their regular medication, one took
a placebo, while the other took 10 mg each of vitamins B1, B2, and B6. The supplement group showed greater relief from depression.
Folic acid. Folic acid, another B vitamin, also helps elevate a depressed mood. Several
studies have shown that depressed individuals tend to have low blood levels of this nutrient.
Other studies have shown that supplementation helps relieve their depression. In one, 24
people with major depression and low blood levels of folic acid were divided into two
groups. One received a placebo, the other, 15 mg a day of folic acid. After three months, the
folic acid group was significantly less depressed.
The Weil regimen. Andrew Weil, M.D., is a professor at the University of Arizona College
of Medicine. He is also a noted advocate of non-drug therapies. Here’s what he recommends
for depression: Upon waking, take 1,500 mg of DLPA (DL-phenylalanine), an amino acid
available at health food stores that increases synthesis of neurotransmitters. In addition, take
500 mg of vitamin C, 100 mg of B6, and a small piece of fruit or glass of juice. In the evening
take another round of vitamins C and B6. Dr. Weil says his supplement regimen can be used
by people taking antidepressant medication.
Selected Sources:
Bal, I.R. “Vitamins B1, B2, and B6 in Augmentation of Tricyclic Antidepressant Treatment,” J. Am.
College of Nutrition (1992) 11:159.
Andrew Weil’s Self-Healing, 1-97.
Godfrey, P.S.A. et al. “Enhancement of Recovery from Psychiatric Illness by Methylfolate,”
Lancet (1990) 336:392.
Werbach, M. Nutritional Influences on Illness. Third Line Press, 1991.
Acupuncture
The United Nations World Health Organization endorses acupuncture as a treatment for
depression. At the University of Arizona, John J. Allen, Ph.D., an assistant professor of
psychology studied 34 women diagnosed with major depression who were not being treated
with antidepressant medication. One-third met with the researchers but received no
acupuncture. The second received acupuncture, but not on points recommended for treating
depression. The third received acupuncture on the depression points. Compared with the two
control groups, the women receiving acupuncture on the depression points showed significantly greater mood elevation.
Source:
Steefel, L. “Treating Depression,” Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 1-96, 1-4.
Music as Therapy
In the Bible’s Book of Samuel, King Saul shows classic symptoms of depression: persistent
sadness, listlessness, and irritability. To ease his melancholy, the future King David plays music for him.
David had the right idea. In one study, people suffering serious depression received one of
the following: weekly visits from music therapists who played music and taught them stress
management techniques; taped music to play on their own, with weekly phone calls from
music therapists; or no music. Compared with the control group, participants in both music
groups showed significantly improved mood.
Source:
Hanser, SB, et al. “Effects of a Music Therapy Strategy on Depressed Older Adults.”
Gerontology (1994) 49:P265.
Massage as Therapy
Touch is the only sense human beings cannot live without. Children born blind or deaf can
lead normal lives. But infants deprived of touch become withdrawn, listless, and stop smiling,
classic symptoms of depression. If touch deprivation continues unchecked, it may prove fatal.
At the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School in Florida, psychologist Tiffany Field, Ph.D., had massage therapists give 20-minute Swedish massages twice a week to women hospitalized for serious post-partum depression. Their blood levels of stress hormones decreased, and they reported improved mood.
Source:
Steefel, L. “Treating Depression,” Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 1-96, 1-4.
Relaxation Response, Meditation, and Visualization as Therapy
People who meditate (or who practice the very similar Westernized, secular relaxation response) often report mood elevation and feelings of enhanced well-being.
In a study of 154 women who felt depressed because they were being treated for breast cancer, British researchers met with one-third, the controls. They taught another third a combination of the relaxation response and visualization therapy using pleasant, relaxing imagery. The final third were taught progressive muscle relaxation, another meditative technique. Before and after tests showed that the control group remained depressed, but both relaxation therapies significantly improved the women’s mood.
“Many studies have shown mood elevation in depressed people who regularly elicit the
relaxation response,” notes Herbert Benson, M.D., the Harvard researcher who popularized
the relaxation response, and introduced meditation into American medicine.
Selected Sources:
Bridges, LR et al. “Relaxation and Imagery in the Treatment of Breast Cancer,” Br. Med. J. (1988) 297:1169.
Benson, H. “The Relaxation Response,” in Mind-Body Medicine, Consumer Reports Books, NY,
1993, p. 250.
Phototherapy
Phototherapy is the use of bright artificial light to treat winter depression, or seasonal affective
disorder (SAD). It was discovered in the early 1980’s, when researchers noticed that SAD
sufferers who went south for winter vacations experienced relief that persisted for a week or
so after they returned home.
This observation led to the development of devices that produce bright artificial sunlight
(full-spectrum minus the ultraviolet, which causes sunburn and increases risk of skin cancer).
You sit in front of one of today’s bright light appliances as you have breakfast, and by the time you’ve finished, you’re protected from SAD for the day.
SAD symptoms typically begin to lift about a week after the start of phototherapy. But they
return shortly after discontinuing treatment, which is why authorities urge SAD sufferers to
use their bright light appliances daily from October through April.
In the mid-1990’s, scientists discovered that for some people with winter blues, ultrabright
light might not be necessary. Devices that simulate dawn often work just as well. Dawn
simulators are night lights fitted with timers and dimmers. At 4 a.m. the timer turns the light on, bathing the sleeping winter-blues sufferer in the faint glow of an artificial dawn. The light
brightens over two or three hours until the person awakens. In one early study, six of eight
SAD sufferers experienced substantial relief after two weeks of awakening to simulated sunrises. Since then, other studies have confirmed the effect.
Light therapy’s success in treating SAD has led to studies of its effectiveness for nonseasonal
depression—with promising preliminary results. At the University of California at San Diego,
psychiatry professor Daniel F. Kripke, M.D., divided 50 men with severe nonseasonal
depression into two groups. Half spent seven consecutive evenings in a room illuminated with
1,600 watts of bright light. The other half spent the time in a room with the lights turns low.
Compared with the dim-light group, symptoms in the bright-light group improved 18 percent.
Bright-light boxes and dawn simulators may be necessary for some seasonal blues sufferers,
but if you feel blue, experts in phototherapy offer other suggestions as well:
Get more natural sunlight. Trim the bushes around your windows and keep your curtains and blinds open. Use bright colors on walls and upholstery.
Sit near windows whenever possible. Do this at school, at work, on public transportation, and when dining out. If you exercise indoors, work out near a window.
Take a walk. People with SAD often spend unusually little time outdoors in winter. A Swiss
study showed that a one-hour walk in midday winter sunlight can significantly lift the spirits.
For winter blahs and winter doldrums, a daily outdoor winter walk may be all that’s necessary.
Take a winter vacation. Head for a sunny destination. “With a diagnosis of SAD,” Dr.
Freeman quips, “it might even be tax-deductible.”
Selected Sources:
Society for Light Treatment and Biological Rhythms, P.O. Box 478, Wilsonville, OR 97070.
NOSAD, the self-help group for people with SAD. P.O. Box 40133, Washington, D.C. 20016.
The SunBox Company, 19127 Orbit Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20879.
Apollo Light Systems, 352 West 1060 South, Orem, UT 84058.