First things first

We need to discuss a few things first before we get into a diet or lifestyle change or even start an exercise program.

Let me explain right here at the start that if you are suffering from any illness you need to run any changes you planning to make by your doctor. Do not leave out any of the treatment that the doctor has put you on until it is not needed any more. The doctor should tell you that you could stop the treatment. I am not a doctor.

1 Supplements being the first not because it is the most important necessarily but after a lifetime of neglect the body needs to be given the nutrients that is lacking to function at its optimal level.

2 We need to tackle digestive problems in order for your body to optimize the nutrients that are taking. You can call it a body cleansing if you wish.

1 Supplements;

All things being perfect you should not need supplements, you should be able to derive all the nutrients that your body needs from the variety of food that you eat but I hasting to say that things are not perfect any more. The soil has become poor of nutrients and thus cannot transfer nutrients to the plants, as it was, therefore the need for supplements. If you eat a wide variety of foods, your need for supplements will be less. It has become clear; the easiest way to remember is to eat by colour. By that, I mean group your fruit and vegetables in the colours that they exist in nature and make sure you eat from all the colours at least once or twice a week. If you have not done that, you need to take supplements.

It will also be depending what you are trying to cure.

I have done some suggestions regarding the heart and for clarity sake, I will repeat them here.

Most of these are natural and can be incorporated in your diet.

For lowering cholesterol levels, I suggested that you take appelcider vinegar. It is available in capsule form also. This vinegar combined with olive oil and some herbs could be used instead of ordinary vinegar to make salad dressings or you could put a few drops in your tea and have it black with a teaspoon of honey. Honey contains vitamin B. Appelcider vinegar has fat burning properties.

Turmeric is another herb or spice, I do not know which, that is mentioned to be very good to lower cholesterol levels. On top of that, it also fights against cancer.

Green tea also has cholesterol lowering abilities and a very strong anti oxidant. It flushes out poisons from your body. Green tea is taken black, I have not tried having it with honey, I suppose you can try, if you find it unpleasant as is.

Guggulipid extract; this one I do not know so if any of you know, please let me know.

Walnuts: I do not know why but it is said to be good for your heart maybe it contains omega 3 oils.

Omega 3 oils is a must. You will find in fish, in tuna and in nuts. If you want to make sure that you get enough, rather add the capsules, available from chemists. Omega 3 should also be taken when you try to lose weight.

Other vitamins are; B complex, C, and E.

Lowering Homosysteine levels we have discussed under heart attack. You should find the combination of these vitamins in your chemist under the name of “Cardio dual pack”

If you are trying to rid yourself of an Arthritic condition, the apple cider vinegar, and green tea also apply here. Ginger has been proofed to have anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin A,D and omega 3 should be taken. A new supplement for sufferers of arthritis is a breakthrough in the treatment of this dreadful disease and is called ULTIMATE JOINTFLEX.

I am sure the subject is not exhausted and that must more can be said but I believe you get the idea.

2 The digestive system.

Good health starts in the mouth. How to brush your teeth is taught in schools, by dentists and carried over to parents but It cannot be over emphasized how important it is to look after your teeth and mouth. Change your toothbrush every 3 months at least and if you suffered from a sore throat, throw that toothbrush away and get a new one. Plague builds up several days before it can be seen by the naked eye. Oral hygiene is a huge personal health issue. Although fruit juices are good for you it is not as friendly to your teeth it is too acidic, so dilute them but in any case clean your mouth afterwards.

Another issue of uttermost importance is to have your bowels open. If your bowels are not open at least once daily you are constipated and needs treatment. Please do not run off to the chemist and get the appropriate medicine. I suggest you go to your super market and get that yoghurt that regulates you or get some prunes or both. Soak the prunes in hot water overnight to make them soft and have some prunes daily. Prunes are good for your bones as well. Yoghurt is a very good source of the friendly organisms that is needed to keep your digestive tract healthy. Read the enclosed documents on that subject.

You need fibre in your diet to make you regular and keep your colon healthy, very, very important. Water is needed to keep you regular and to wash out toxins apart from keeping the cells hydrated. A detox diet is needed from time to time, at least once a year, to get rid of toxins, which builds up and is harmful to your body.

I always use this diet when I start to feel that I need a cleansing

I chop together English cucumber, carrots and celery and add an apple for the taste. Beetroot is cooked until tender and taken by itself as a meal. I would have paw-paw as alternate meal. Pears and pineapple are also good to burn fat. Try and stick to this for three days, drink lots of water and black rooibos tea. Have your supplements especially omega 3.

Stress release and breathing exercises are two other important aspects that should be in place before anything else but more about that later.

From a caring friend,

Marieta Viljoen.

When you exercise, your muscles contract and relax, contract and relax. The repeated contraction can lead to shortening up of the muscles. Stretching helps prevent this. Many injuries are caused by poor flexibility.

Stretching should be done before and after exercises. When you stretch before exercising, you need to warm up the muscles first, follow this with stretching, and then proceed with your exercise routine.

Here is your complete guide to a range of stretching exercises.

SPECIFIC

Abdomen
Abdominal stretch

Arms
Tricep stretch
Bicep stretch
Arm extensions

Back
Back stretch on all fours
Upper-back stretch
Spine rotation
Lower-back stretch

Buttocks
Glute stretch

Chest
Chest stretch

Legs
Calf stretch
Outer-thigh stretch
Inner-thigh stretch
Hip stretch 1
Hip stretch 2
Hamstring stretch, lying
Hamstring stretch, standing
Quadricep stretch, standing
Quadricep stretch, lying

Neck
Side-to-side neck stretch 1
Side-to-side neck stretch 2
Forward-backward neck stretch

Shoulders
General shoulder stretch
Back-of-shoulder stretch
Front-of-shoulder stretch
Torso stretch

PROGRAMMES

Weight training stretches
Weight-training stretches

Quick stretch
Quick stretch

Lower body stretch
Lower-body stretch

Total body stretch
Total body stretch

MORE ABOUT STRETCHING

The science of stretching

The 12 best stretches

Stretching: the truth

Take a Close Look In The Mirror Tonight... <?

DO YOU SEE ANY OF THESE URGENT WARNING SIGNS
WRITTEN ACROSS YOUR BODY?

• Forehead wrinkles           
• Varicose veins 
• Weak fingernails
• Cracked lips
• Pale tongue
• Earlobe creases

Discover how to read your body's secret language...and prevent - even cure - lurking illness with the latest information from one of the world's leading alternative medicine doctors!

Dear Health-Conscious Friend,

When's the last time your regular doctor took a close look at your fingernails or asked about your varicose veins or examined your earlobes?

When your body needs food, you get hungry--and when it needs water, you get thirsty. But your body is constantly signaling you in other, less obvious ways, to attend to its other needs, too. Look in the mirror tonight and you may see secret clues all over your body. And they may help you start to wipe out ailments that have puzzled you for years.

Varicose veins, broken fingernails, "skin tags" on your neck or under your arms, forehead wrinkles, bursitis, rosy cheeks, psoriasis...they can all have a deeper meaning. They're often just the "tip of the iceberg" for hidden problems that can cause heart disease, crippling arthritis, senility, premature aging, and more. And, your remedy could be as simple as one or two vitamins or minerals.

The good news is, it's actually quite easy to read your body's hidden signals, once you know what kinds of things to look for.

Read your body's secret warning
signs and start healing today!

Dr. Wright's New Secrets for Reading Your Body's Hidden Warning Signs, the latest addition to his collection of nutritional cures, reveals the secret warning signs that may be threatening your health. As well as how you can eliminate those risks--starting today.

Here's how it works...

There are warning signs written all over your body that point directly to a larger problem with your health. But all too often we shrug off changes to our skin, hair, fingernails, and other parts of our bodies as a natural part of growing older.

With this special report, you'll learn exactly how to recognize your body's secret signals undefined and understand what they're trying to tell you. . You'll begin to look more closely at your skin, hair, eyes, tongue, and other parts of your body to find vital clues for lurking illnesses.

Rosy cheeks and/or broken
capillaries on your nose?

There's often a strong correlation between red faces and low stomach acid production. If left untreated, low stomach acidity leads to unintentional malnutrition, which ultimately leads to the familiar "diseases of aging." Your brain dulls down, your bones start leaking calcium, your immune system caves in... Fortunately, the underlying problem can be solved with a couple of dirt-cheap pills. Not drugs, just the actual, natural substances your stomach normally produces. See page 2 for details.

Forehead wrinkles? Just a part
of getting older, right?

If your wrinkles run vertically on your forehead and are accompanied by abdominal pain, there's a good chance you have a duodenal ulcer. Find out what Dr. Wright recommends on page 4.

Cracked, callused feet?

Most men, and many women, don't pay much attention to their feet. But we all should...rough skin on our feet can signal serious nutritional deficiencies. If you've gotten cracked feet and heels, your body lacks the essential fatty acids it needs. Find out what they are on page 5.

These are just a few of the secret health signals you'll discover in Dr. Wright's New Secrets for Reading Your Body's Hidden Warning Signs. You'll also uncover simple strategies to combat common ailments and prevent illness and disease before they start. In most cases, you'll find there are natural, inexpensive, and non-prescription remedies for your most worrisome problems.

On each page, you will uncover clues for conquering illness and disease. By the end of your quest, you will have found the true path toward optimum health.

Don't wait for your doctor to take
notice- it might never happen!

Discover for yourself how to read the warning signs that may be written all over your body with Dr. Wright's New Secrets for Reading Your Body's Hidden Warning Signs. For a limited time only, you can get this latest addition to the Nutrition & Healing collection of nutritional cures for just $10.95 plus $3.95 S&H. It's a small price to pay when you consider all the money you'll save in doctor's visits in the years to come. Please, don't hesitate another moment. Let Dr. Wright show you how to protect yourself today!

Alternative Health Guru Dr Jonathan Wright Slams Soy Consumption

Read this BEFORE you:

q Eat one more veggie burger

q Take one more soy supplement

q Drink one more glass of soy milk…………

Discover the truth about YOUR HEALTH and the FOODS YOU EAT from Harvard-trained alternative medicine pioneer

Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, M.D.

Dear Health-Conscious Friend:

Nowadays you’ll have no problem finding soy products at your local grocery store. Soy milk, soy cheese, soy meat balls, soy infant formula, even soy ice cream line the shelves. And, while 10 short years ago it would hardly have seemed possible, today soy products have nearly achieved mainstream acceptance.

And it’s healthy right?

Actually, the answer is more complicated than you think. And the truth? It might just shock you.

Did you know……

An infant fed formula is getting the hormonal equivalent of five birth control tablets per day.

Until the 1930’s, the only place in the USA where you could find soybeans was at your local hardware store – in your paint and varnish.

Even after rigorous chemical processing, soy contains substances that can possibly cause breast cancer, serious nutritional deficiencies, and even accelerated brain aging.

Two of the FDA’s own experts warn that the safety concerns regarding soy are still “largely unanswered.” 

Is soy protein a kind of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?

Here’s the truth. There are some undeniable benefits to eating soy. It’s high in protein. Low in saturated fat. It’s easy on the stomach for some folks – especially babies. And, it’s a tasty meat and dairy substitute.

But like Dr. Jekyll’s flip personality, soy has a dark and possibly dangerous side that few people know about.

To start, unlike other legumes, soybeans aren’t safe to eat when picked fresh. They’re actually toxic. And in laboratory tests in animals, soybeans have been shown to cause everything from cancer to birth defects.

In order to remove the harmful toxins mentioned above, manufacturers must use harsh chemical processing. The beans are subject to acid baths and extreme heat, then they’re spray dried to produce a high protein powder. Next, to improve the taste of the soy powder, artificial flavourings such as MSG, preservatives, sweeteners, emulsifiers and synthetic nutrients are added.

But manufacturers don’t stop there……

Carcinogens called nitrites are also added to soy products during the spray drying process. These harmful chemicals are found in hot dogs and other fast foods….. and they’ve been known since the dark ages to cause cancer. Plus after all that….

Despite nearly a 1/2 billion dollars in funding, nobody’s figured out how to remove all the toxins from soybeans

That’s right. There’s not enough money in the world that can make soybeans as safe to eat as black beans.

The problem is, manufacturers can’t get rid of all of the soybean’s natural toxins. One especially dangerous toxin, called trypsin inhibitor, can interfere with digestion and could theoretically cause cancer in humans. And, it has been proven to slow the growth of rats in laboratory tests.

The big question still looming for experts is…does it inhibit growth in children?

Scientist can’t say for sure yet. But it makes you worry doesn’t it? And, as a parent, I imagine you want “both sides” of the soy story – all the available hard facts – before pouring that soy milk onto your kid’s cereal!”

Post menopausal women who eat soy

may be at greater risk of osteoporosis

Processed soy powder also contains residual phytic acid; a substance experts know blocks the absorption of calcium, magnesium, zinc and other essential minerals in the intestinal tract.

In feeding experiments, a soy-based diet requires supplementation with vitamins E, K, D, B12, and creates significant DEFICIENCIES in copper, iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium. This revelation is especially important for post-menopausal women. By eating quantities of soy, you could be putting yourself at risk for serious nutritional deficiencies and osteoporosis. But that’s not the only concern for women eating soy………

Researchers have linked soy to an early form of breast cancer

You may have heard that eating soy can protect you from developing breast cancer. There’s research to say that’s so! But, to quote a famous commentator: “Here’s the rest of the story!”

In one significant study completed in 1996, researchers found that women who ate soy protein had an increased incidence of epithelial hyerplasia, an early form of malignancy. A year later, a chemical found in soy was shown to encourage breast cells to metastasize.

Does that mean that soy causes some breast cancers? Well, again, no on can say for sure. But until scientists figure it all out, it’s important for women to know about the potentially serious downsides.

And believe it or not, that’s not all there is to know about soy…..

You can get as much “estrogen” eating soy protein

as taking the birth control pill

You may have heard that soy contains beneficial substances called isoflavones. They’re thought to improve symptoms associated with menopause. But isoflavones can also wreck havoc on your hormonal system.

Here’s how…..

One hundred grams of soy protein daily – the amount recommended by a national soy organization – provides the estrogenic equivalent of taking the birth control pill. If you’re having symptoms of menopause, you’ll likely reduce them with this hormonal boost from “soy estrogen.”

But not so fast. You might be getting more that you bargain for……

In 1991, Japanses researchers found that as little as two teaspoons of soy protein a day caused goiter and hyperthyroidism in some patients. Isoflavones were believed to be the culprit.

Isoflavones are also thought to cause all sorts of problems in infants. In fact, an infant who is fed soy formula is getting the estrogenic equivalent of five birth control pills a day. Some experts believe this excess estrogen can lead to thyroid problems, learning disabilities and even premature sexual development.

That’s a disturbing possibility, considering that nearly 1/2 of all bottle fed babies in the U.S receive soy formula. 

Recent research ties two or more servings a week of tofu

with “accelerated brain aging”

One of the most shocking discoveries about soy came to light at the Third International Soy Symposium in 1999. On the last day of the symposium, one researcher presented his three-decade long study of Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii.

It showed a significant statistical relationship between eating two or more servings of tofu a week and “accelerated brain aging.” Individuals who ate this amount of tofu in mid-life had lower cognitive function later in life and a greater incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Again, researchers believed the isoflavones were the offenders.

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A hot cuppa helps melt hearts
It may seem unlikely, but simply clutching a warm cup of coffee can bring on a flood of warm feelings, US researchers said in a finding that suggests a strong link between physical and emotional warmth.

"Physical warmth can make us see others as warmer people, but also cause us to be warmer - more generous and trusting - as well," said John Bargh, a professor of psychology at Yale University in Connecticut, whose research appears in the journal Science.

Bargh and Lawrence Williams of University of Colorado at Boulder ran a series of experiments to test the ties between physical temperature and emotional warmth. They asked people to briefly hold a hot or iced coffee. Then they were given a packet of information about another person and asked to assess his or her personality traits.

Those who had held the warm cup of coffee were far more likely to assign "warmth" as a personality trait than those who held the icy beverage.

In the second study, volunteers held ice packs or therapeutic heating pads as part of a product evaluation study. Then they were told they could receive a gift certificate for a friend or a gift for themselves.

Those who had held the hot pad were more likely to ask for the gift certificate, while those who held the frozen pack tended to keep the gift.

Not random why we like hot things
"These very subtle and relatively simple cues are capable of having a meaningful impact on people's behavior," Williams said, and added that imaging studies suggest temperature information - both physical and interpersonal - are processed in a region of the brain known as the insular cortex.

And he said these associations are likely formed in early childhood, noting that when an infant learns about love and physical closeness it typically happens while snuggling up to a parent's warm body.

"Taking a warm bath. Drinking a cup of tea or coffee. Chicken soup. It's not haphazard that we have a preference for these types of experiences," he said.

Williams said it is no accident that people in Western cultures looking to build new relationships often do it over coffee. "It's better than going out for ice cream," he said. � (Reuters Health, October 2008)

Read more:
Incense calms anxiety, depression

Definition

Fasting is voluntarily not eating food for varying lengths of time. Fasting is used as a medical therapy for many conditions. It is also a spiritual practice in many religions.

Description

Origins

Used for thousands of years, fasting is one of the oldest therapies in medicine. Many of the great doctors of ancient times and many of the oldest healing systems have recommended it as an integral method of healing and prevention. Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, believed fasting enabled the body to heal itself. Paracelsus, another great healer in the Western tradition, wrote 500 years ago that "fasting is the greatest remedy, the physician within." Ayurvedic medicine, the world's oldest healing system, has long advocated fasting as a major treatment.

Fasting has also been used in nearly every religion in the world, including Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam. Many of history's great spiritual leaders fasted for mental and spiritual clarity, including Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed. In one of the famous political acts of the last century, the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi fasted for 21 days to promote peace.

Fasting has been used in Europe as a medical treatment for years. Many spas and treatment centers, particularly those in Germany, Sweden, and Russia, use medically supervised fasting. Fasting has gained popularity in American alternative medicine over the past several decades, and many doctors feel it is beneficial. Fasting is a central therapy in detoxification, a healing method founded on the principle that the build up of toxic substances in the body is responsible for many illnesses and conditions.

The principle of fasting is simple. When the intake of food is temporarily stopped, many systems of the body are given a break from the hard work of digestion. The extra energy gives the body the chance to heal and restore itself, and burning stored calories gets rid of toxic substances stored in the body.

The digestive tract is the part of the body most exposed to environmental threats, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and toxins. It requires the most immune system support. When food is broken down in the intestines, it travels through the blood to the liver, the largest organ of the body's natural detoxification system. The liver breaks down and removes the toxic by-products produced by digestion, including natural ones and the chemicals now present in the food supply. During fasting, the liver and immune system are essentially freed to detoxify and heal other parts of the body.

Many healers claim that fasting is a particularly useful therapy for Americans and for the modern lifestyle, subjected to heavy diets, overeating, and constant exposure to food additives and chemicals. Some alternative practitioners have gone so far as to estimate that the average American is carrying 5-10 pounds of toxic substances in their bodies, for which fasting is the quickest and most effective means of removal.

Physiology of fasting

Through evolution, the body became very efficient at storing energy and handling situations when no food was available. For many centuries, fasting was probably a normal occurrence for most people, and the body adapted to it. It is estimated that even very thin people can survive for 40 days or more without food. The body has a special mechanism that is initiated when no food is eaten. Fasting is not starvation, but rather the body's burning of stored energy. Starvation occurs when the body no longer has any stored energy and begins using essential tissues such as organs for an energy source. Therapeutic fasts are stopped long before this happens.

Many physiological changes occur in the body during fasting. During the first day or so, the body uses its glycogen reserves, the sugars that are the basic energy supply. After these are depleted, the body begins using fat. However, the brain, which has high fuel requirements, still needs glucose (sugars converted from glycogen). To obtain glucose for the brain, the body begins to break down muscle tissue during the second day of the fast. Thus, during fasting some muscle loss will occur. To fuel the brain, the body would need to burn over a pound of muscle a day, but the body has developed another way to create energy that saves important muscle mass. This protein-sparing process is called ketosis, which occurs during the third day of a fast for men and the second day for women. In this highly efficient state, the liver begins converting stored fat and other nonessential tissues into ketones, which can be used by the brain, muscles, and heart as energy. It is at this point in the fast that sensations of hunger generally go away, and many people experience normal or even increased energy levels. Hormone levels and certain functions become more stable in this state as well. The goal of most fasts is to allow the body to reach the ketosis state in order to burn excess fat and unneeded or damaged tissue. Thus, fasts longer than three days are generally recommended as therapy.

Weight loss occurs most rapidly during the first few days of a fast, up to 2 pounds per day. In following days, the figure drops to around 0.5 pound per day. An average weight loss of a pound a day for an entire fast can be expected.

Performing a fast

Fasts can be performed for varying lengths of time, depending on the person and his or her health requirements. For chronic conditions, therapists recommend from two to four weeks to get the most benefits. Seven-day fasts are also commonly performed. A popular fasting program for prevention and general health is a three-day fast taken four times per year, at the change of each season. These can be easily performed over long weekends. Preventative fasts of one day per week are used by many people as well.

Juice fasts are also used by many people, although these are not technically fasts. Juice fasts are less intensive than water fasts because the body doesn't reach the ketosis stage. The advantage of juice fasts is that fruit and vegetable drinks can supply extra energy and nutrients. People can fit a few days of juice fasting into their normal schedules without significant drops in energy. Juice fasts are also said to have cleansing and detoxifying effects. The disadvantage of juice fasts is that the body never gets to the ketosis stage, so these fasters are thought to lack the deep detoxification and healing effects of the water fast.

Medical supervision is recommended for any fast over three days. Most alternative medicine practitioners, such as homeopaths, naturopathic doctors, and ayurvedic doctors, can supervise and monitor patients during fasts. Those performing extended fasts and those with health conditions may require blood, urine, and other tests during fasting. There are many alternative health clinics that perform medically supervised fasts as well. Some conventional medical doctors may also supervise patients during fasts. Costs and insurance coverage vary, depending on the doctor, clinic, and requirements of the patient.

— Douglas Dupler

Christianity

The "acceptable fast" is discussed in the biblical Book of Isaiah, chapter 58:3-7, and is discussed metaphorically. In essence, it means afflict the soul through abstaining from fulfilling the needs or wants of the flesh. The blessings gained from this are claimed to be substantial. Christian denominations that practice this acceptable fast often attest to the spiritual principles surrounding fasting and seek to become a testament to those principles.^{[citation needed]} The opening chapter of the Book of Daniel, vv. 8-16, describes a partial fast and its effects on the health of its observers. Fasting is a practice in several Christian denominations or other churches. Other Christian denominations do not practice it, considering it an external observance, but many individual believers choose to observe fasts at various times at their own behest, and the Lenten fast observed in the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church is a forty-day partial fast to commemorate the fast observed by Christ during his temptation in the desert. This is similar to the partial fasting within the Ethiopian Orthodox church (abstaining from meat and milk) which takes place during certain times of the year, and lasts for weeks.

Biblical accounts of fasting

• Moses fasted for forty days and forty nights while he was on the mountain with God. (Exodus 34:28)
• King David fasted when the son of his adulterous union with Bathsheba was struck sick by God, in punishment for the adultery and for David's murder of Bathsheba's husband, Uriah the Hittite. Nevertheless, the son died, upon which David broke his fast (2 Samuel 12:15-25).
• King Jehosaphat proclaimed a fast throughout Judah for victory over the Moabites and Ammonites who were attacking them (2 Chronicles 20:3).
• The prophet Isaiah chastised the Israelites in Isaiah 58 for the unrighteous methods and motives of their fasting. He clarified some of the best reasons for fasting and listed both physical and spiritual benefits that would result (Isaiah 58:3-13).
• The prophet Joel called for a fast to avert the judgement of God.
• The people of Nineveh in response to Jonah's prophecy, fasted to avert the judgement of God (Jonah 3:7).
• The Jews of Persia, following Mordechai's example, fasted due to the genocidal decree of Haman. Queen Esther declared a three-day fast for all the Jews prior to risking her life in visiting King Ahasuerus uninvited (Esther 4).
• The Pharisees in Jesus' time fasted regularly, and asked Jesus why his disciples did not. Jesus answered them using a parable (Luke 5:33-39, Matthew 9:14-15, Mark 2:18-20, see also Mark 2).
• Jesus also warned against fasting to gain favor from men. He warned his followers that they should fast in private, not letting others know they were fasting (Matthew 6:16–18).
• Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights while in the desert, prior to the three temptations (Matthew 4:2, Luke 4:2).
• "Lord, do pity and have mercy on my son, for he has epilepsy (is moonstruck) and he suffers terribly; for frequently he falls into the fire and many times into the water.

And I brought him to Your disciples, and they were not able to cure him.

And Jesus answered, O you unbelieving and perverse generation! How long am I to remain with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to Me.

And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly.

Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked privately, Why could we not drive it out?

He said to them, Because of the littleness of your faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, Move from here to yonder place, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.

But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17:15-21)

• "And he (Jesus) said unto them (disciples), This kind (of demon) can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting." (Mark 9:29)
• The prophetess Anna, who proclaimed the birth of Jesus in the Temple, fasted regularly (Luke 2:37).
• There are indications in the New Testament as well as from the Apocryphal Didache that members of the Early Christian Church fasted regularly.

Fasting consists of voluntarily going without food for a period of time in order to sharpen the spiritual senses or prepare for religious ritual.

American Indian boys of some tribes would fast for four days as part of their vision quest, the ritual that earned them a new name and an adult's place in the tribe. Shamans of many indigenous traditions fasted before a particularly difficult healing or an important ritual involving the security of the tribe.

The Hebrew Day of Atonement is a prominent occasion for a public fast (Leviticus 16:9), and fasting (sawm) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. During the month of Ramadan, Muslims are urged to refrain from food, drink, smoking, and sex during daylight hours.

Giving up something for Lent (See Christianity, Calendar of) is a time-honored Christian tradition designed to be a daily reminder to pray or meditate every time the urge arises for what was sacrificed.

Although Jesus spent a long time fasting in the wilderness in preparation for his public ministry, he spends very little time talking about the practice. In some cases he even seemed to discourage it (Matthew 6:16-18). This may account for the fact that the early Church doesn't seem to place nearly as much emphasis on fasting as the later Church does. (See Acts 13:2, 3 and 14:23 for the only examples of early Church fasting given in the Bible.) Undoubtedly the early Egyptian Monastic movement, with its emphasis on Christian asceticism (See Ascetic) gave fasting a jump-start in the developing Christian tradition.

(See also Islam)

Sources: Douglas, J. D., ed. The New International Dictionary of the Christian Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing, 1974.

Celtic Mythology: fasting

Home > Library > Religion & Spirituality > Celtic Mythology

Ritual fasting or hunger strike [Old Irish troscad] is a frequently used device in Old Irish narrative, reflecting early Irish custom. According to the Brehon Laws, ritual fasting is an established means of compelling justice and establishing individual rights. It was an infallible method of opening the fortress gates of a great warrior. Christian saints, according to tradition, fasted at the grave of Fergus mac Róich before he rose from the dead and recited the Táin Bó Cuailnge [Cattle Raid of Cooley] to them. Even persons of lower station might compel redress of grievance by sitting before the door of the accused, refusing food until justice was paid. Not uniquely Celtic, ritual fasting is known as dharnia in Hindu tradition; it has been, however, a recurrent feature in Irish political life in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Columbia Encyclopedia: fasting,

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partial or temporary abstinence from food, a widely used form of asceticism. Among the stricter Jews the principal fast is the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur; in Islam the faithful fast all the daytime hours of the month of Ramadan. Fasting is general in Christianity. The most widely observed fasts are Lent and Advent. Both of these are preliminary to seasons of great rejoicing, and traditionally the vigils of several feasts were also kept as fasts, e.g. (in the West), those of Christmas, Easter, Whitsunday, the Assumption, and All Saints. Ember days were also fasts in the West. Protestants have generally abandoned fasting, but in New England an annual Fast Day was proclaimed (in Massachusetts until the 20th cent.). In the late 1990s there was renewed interest among evangelical Christians in the United States in fasting and prayer as a means of spiritual revival. The Roman Catholic Church differentiates between fasting (eating only one full meal and little else in a day) and abstinence (eating no flesh meat). In 1966, Pope Paul VI issued Poenitemini, an apostolic constitution reorganizing the discipline of the Catholic Church. Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are now the only required days of fast. The observance of Fridays as days of abstinence is now urged rather than, as formerly, made a matter of obligation. Roman Catholics are asked to abstain from food and drink for one hour prior to receiving communion. Fasting and hunger strikes have also been used by various political and social activists to bring attention to the causes they support.

Going without food. The metabolic fasting state begins some 4 hours after a meal, when the digestion and absorption of food is complete and body reserves of fat and glycogen begin to be mobilized. In more prolonged fasting the blood concentration of ketone bodies rises, as they are exported from the liver for use by muscle and other tissues as a metabolic fuel.

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Food and Fitness: fasting

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People may go without food for religious reasons, to lose weight, or in the belief that it is good for health, although there is no evidence of health benefits. Religious fasting usually involves going without food at certain times (e.g. between sunrise and sunset). It is rarely harmful to health and may be spiritually and psychologically beneficial. On the other hand, indiscriminate prolonged or repetitive fasting (i.e. going without food for more than 12 hours) to lose weight is generally regarded as unwise. Although a severe restriction of food intake has been used successfully to treat extreme obesity, this type of fasting should be used only under medical supervision. Weight loss during fasting is often in the form of water, and is quickly regained. If fasting is prolonged, muscle, vitamins, and minerals can be lost. Many people who fast say they experience a sense of heightened mental awareness. This may be related to the fact that the brain switches from using glucose as a fuel to ketones (chemicals that result from the breakdown of fat). The American College of Sports Medicine states, however, that prolonged fasting is scientifically undesirable and can be medically dangerous. It may cause loss of hair, dizziness, fainting, muscle cramps, and more serious problems that lead to permanent injury, such as kidney malfunction, and heart irregularities that can cause heart failure.
As well as being potentially harmful, prolonged fasting may also be ineffective as a means of losing weight. The body responds to prolonged fasting in the same way as to starvation. It adopts a kind of ‘siege economy’; basal metabolic rate is lowered, the ability to store fat improved, and protein within muscles is broken down to yield energy. All these processes mean that when a person resumes a normal diet, body weight is likely to increase beyond the pre-fasting level.

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Alternative Medicine Encyclopedia: Fasting

Home > Library > Health > Alternative Medicine Encyclopedia

Definition

Fasting is voluntarily not eating food for varying lengths of time. Fasting is used as a medical therapy for many conditions. It is also a spiritual practice in many religions.

Origins

Used for thousands of years, fasting is one of the oldest therapies in medicine. Many of the great doctors of ancient times and many of the oldest healing systems have recommended it as an integral method of healing and prevention. Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, believed fasting enabled the body to heal itself. Paracelsus, another great healer in the Western tradition, wrote 500 years ago that "fasting is the greatest remedy, the physician within." Ayurvedic medicine, the world's oldest healing system, has long advocated fasting as a major treatment.

Fasting has also been used in nearly every religion in the world, including Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam. Many of history's great spiritual leaders fasted for mental and spiritual clarity, including Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed. In one of the famous political acts of the last century, the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi fasted for 21 days to promote peace.

Fasting has been used in Europe as a medical treatment for years. Many spas and treatment centers, particularly those in Germany, Sweden, and Russia, use medically supervised fasting. Fasting has gained popularity in American alternative medicine over the past several decades, and many doctors feel it is beneficial. Fasting is a central therapy in detoxification, a healing method founded on the principle that the build up of toxic substances in the body is responsible for many illnesses and conditions.

Benefits

Fasting can be used for nearly every chronic condition, including allergies, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, depression, diabetes, headaches, heart disease, high cholesterol, low blood sugar, digestive disorders, mental illness, and obesity. Fasting is an effective and safe weight loss method. It is frequently prescribed as a detoxification treatment for those with conditions that may be influenced by environmental factors, such as cancer and multiple chemical sensitivity. Fasting has been used successfully to help treat people who have been exposed to high levels of toxic materials due to accident or occupation. Fasting is thought to be beneficial as a preventative measure to increase overall health, vitality, and resistance to disease. Fasting is also used as a method of mental and spiritual rejuvenation.

Description

The principle of fasting is simple. When the intake of food is temporarily stopped, many systems of the body are given a break from the hard work of digestion. The extra energy gives the body the chance to heal and restore itself, and burning stored calories gets rid of toxic substances stored in the body.

The digestive tract is the part of the body most exposed to environmental threats, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, and toxins. It requires the most immune system support. When food is broken down in the intestines, it travels through the blood to the liver, the largest organ of the body's natural detoxification system. The liver breaks down and removes the toxic by-products produced by digestion, including natural ones and the chemicals now present in the food supply. During fasting, the liver and immune system are essentially freed to detoxify and heal other parts of the body.

Many healers claim that fasting is a particularly useful therapy for Americans and for the modern lifestyle, subjected to heavy diets, overeating, and constant exposure to food additives and chemicals. Some alternative practitioners have gone so far as to estimate that the average American is carrying 5-10 pounds of toxic substances in their bodies, for which fasting is the quickest and most effective means of removal.

Physiology of Fasting

Through evolution, the body became very efficient at storing energy and handling situations when no food was available. For many centuries, fasting was probably a normal occurrence for most people, and the body adapted to it. It is estimated that even very thin people can survive for 40 days or more without food. The body has a special mechanism that is initiated when no food is eaten. Fasting is not starvation, but rather the body's burning of stored energy. Starvation occurs when the body no longer has any stored energy and begins using essential tissues such as organs for an energy source. Therapeutic fasts are stopped long before this happens.

Many physiological changes occur in the body during fasting. During the first day or so, the body uses its glycogen reserves, the sugars that are the basic energy supply. After these are depleted, the body begins using fat. However, the brain, which has high fuel requirements, still needs glucose (sugars converted from glycogen). To obtain glucose for the brain, the body begins to break down muscle tissue during the second day of the fast. Thus, during fasting some muscle loss will occur. To fuel the brain, the body would need to burn over a pound of muscle a day, but the body has developed another way to create energy that saves important muscle mass. This protein-sparing process is called ketosis, which occurs during the third day of a fast for men and the second day for women. In this highly efficient state, the liver begins converting stored fat and other nonessential tissues into ketones, which can be used by the brain, muscles, and heart as energy. It is at this point in the fast that sensations of hunger generally go away, and many people experience normal or even increased energy levels. Hormone levels and certain functions become more stable in this state as well. The goal of most fasts is to allow the body to reach the ketosis state in order to burn excess fat and unneeded or damaged tissue. Thus, fasts longer than three days are generally recommended as therapy.

Weight loss occurs most rapidly during the first few days of a fast, up to 2 pounds per day. In following days, the figure drops to around 0.5 pound per day. An average weight loss of a pound a day for an entire fast can be expected. Studies show that cutting back just once a month can jump-start healthier eating and help rid one's body of a lifetime of extra calories.

Performing a Fast

Fasts can be performed for varying lengths of time, depending on the person and his or her health requirements. For chronic conditions, therapists recommend from two to four weeks to get the most benefits. Seven-day fasts are also commonly performed. A popular fasting program for prevention and general health is a three-day fast taken four times per year, at the change of each season. These can be easily performed over long weekends. Preventative fasts of one day per week are used by many people as well.

Juice fasts are also used by many people, although these are not technically fasts. Juice fasts are less intensive than water fasts because the body doesn't reach the ketosis stage. The advantage of juice fasts is that fruit and vegetable drinks can supply extra energy and nutrients. People can fit a few days of juice fasting into their normal schedules without significant drops in energy. Juice fasts are also said to have cleansing and detoxifying effects. The disadvantage of juice fasts is that the body never gets to the ketosis stage, so these fasters are thought to lack the deep detoxification and healing effects of the water fast.

Medical supervision is recommended for any fast over three days. Most alternative medicine practitioners, such as homeopaths, naturopathic doctors, and ayurvedic doctors, can supervise and monitor patients during fasts. Those performing extended fasts and those with health conditions may require blood, urine, and other tests during fasting. There are many alternative health clinics that perform medically supervised fasts as well. Some conventional medical doctors may also supervise patients during fasts. Costs and insurance coverage vary, depending on the doctor, clinic, and requirements of the patient.

Preparations

Fasts must be entered and exited with care. To enter a fast, the diet should be gradually lightened over a few days. First, heavy foods such as meats and dairy products should be eliminated for a day or two. Grains, nuts, and beans should then be reduced for several days. The day before a fast, only easily digested foods like fruits, light salads, and soups should be eaten. During the fast, only pure water and occasional herbal teas should be drunk. If you exercise, keep your workouts during fasting light and relatively brief, stopping immediately if you feel dizzy, lightheaded or short of breath.

Fasts should be ended as gradually as they are entered, going from lighter to heavier foods progressively. The diet after a fast should emphasize fresh, wholesome foods. Fasters should particularly take care not to overeat when they complete a fast.

Precautions

Fasting isn't appropriate for everyone and, in some cases, could be harmful. Any person undertaking a first fast longer than three days should seek medical supervision. Those with health conditions should always have medical support during fasting. Plenty of water should be taken by fasters since dehydration can occur. Saunas and sweating therapies are sometimes recommended to assist detoxification, but should be used sparingly. Those fasting should significantly slow down their lifestyles. Taking time off of work is helpful, or at least reducing the work load. Fasters should also get plenty of rest. Exercise should be kept light, such as walking and gentle stretching.

Side Effects

Those fasting may experience side effects of fatigue, malaise, aches and pains, emotional duress, acne, headaches, allergies, swelling, vomiting, bad breath, and symptoms of colds and flu. These reactions are sometimes called healing crises, which are caused by temporarily increased levels of toxins in the body due to elimination and cleansing. Lower energy levels should be expected during a fast.

Research & General Acceptance

The physiology of fasting has been widely studied and documented by medical science. Beneficial effects such as lowered cholesterol and improved general functioning have been shown. Fasting as a treatment for illness and disease has been studied less, although some studies around the world have shown beneficial results. A 1984 study showed that workers in Taiwan who had severe chemical poisoning had dramatic improvement after a ten-day fast. In Russia and Japan, studies have demonstrated fasting to be an effective treatment for mental illness. A few years ago, fasting was featured on the cover of the New England Journal of Medicine, although mainstream medicine has generally ignored fasting and detoxification treatments as valid medical procedures.

The majority of research that exists on fasting is testimonial, consisting of individual personal accounts of healing without statistics or controlled scientific experiments. In the alternative medical community, fasting is an essential and widely accepted treatment for many illnesses and chronic conditions.

Training & Certification

The International Association of Professional Natural Hygienists (IAPNH) is an organization of healthcare professionals who specialize in therapeutic fasting. It certifies doctors who have completed approved residencies in therapeutic fasting, including conventional medical doctors, naturopaths, and osteopathic doctors.

Resources

Books

Cott, Alan. Fasting: The Ultimate Diet. Chicago: Hastings House, 1997.

Fuhrman, Joel, M.D. Fasting and Eating for Health. New York: St. Martin's, 1995.

Page, Linda, N.D. Healthy Healing. CA: Healthy Healing Publications, 1998.

Periodicals

Kallen, Ben."The Slow Fast: Fasting May Not be for You, but a Few 1,000–Calorie Days can Launch You into Better Health." Men's Fitness (April 2002): 34.

Organizations

Fasting Center International. 32 West Anapurna St., #360, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. http://www.fasting.com.

[Article by: Douglas Dupler; Teresa G. Odle]

Tea is good for you

Last updated: Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Drinking five cups of tea a day boosts the immune system and gives the body a better chance of fighting off infections, scientists say.

An ingredient in the drink helps repel invading bacteria, viruses and fungi, according to a study in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences".

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One experiment showed that immune system blood cells from tea drinkers responded five times faster to germs than the blood cells of coffee drinkers. The studies used ethylamine, produced when the tea ingredient L-theanine is broken down in the liver.

Tea – the magic elixir
Previous research suggests that ethylamine, found in black and green teas, may also target other pathogens, including parasites, viruses, and perhaps tumours.

Dr Jack Bukowski, a researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and Harvard Medical School, said the results were proof that five cups of tea a day sharpened the body's disease defences.

He said while tea was not a magic cure, there were clear benefits to drinking it, especially for older people.

Tea has multiple benefits
Penny Kris-Etherton, a nutrition specialist at Penn State University in the US said the study added to a growing body of evidence that tea was an effective disease fighter.

"This is potentially a very significant finding. We're seeing multiple benefits from tea," she said.

Tea has also been linked to lower heart disease and cancer risk through the action of flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Other studies have linked tea to helping combat osteoporosis, the brittle bone disease, and to relieving some allergy symptoms. – (Sapa)

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All about tea
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Depression

• Depression is a medical illness which affects one’s mood, body, thoughts and feelings
• There are several types and sub-types of depression
• Although the exact cause is unknown, several biological, genetic and psychosocial factors have been identified as playing a role
• With appropriate treatment 80 percent of sufferers will improve and 60% will recover fully

What is depression?

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Depression, which must be distinguished from sadness or “the blues”, is a common and legitimate medical illness. Everyone feels down or low at some stage, but when these lows last for long periods and affect general functioning and behaviour, the person may be suffering from a Depressive Disorder.

Although depression is defined as a disorder of mood, it affects more that just one’s mood, and includes symptoms affecting the body (e.g. low energy, sexual dysfunction), thoughts (difficulty concentrating, indecisiveness) and feelings (depression, irritability). It is a medical illness like high blood pressure, diabetes or heart problems and is not a sign of personal weakness. Depression cannot be wished away and sufferers cannot simply pull themselves together. However, with appropriate treatment 80 percent of sufferers will have relief of symptoms, and up to 60 percent may recover fully.

Who becomes depressed?

The average age for a first diagnosed episode of major depression is about 40 years, while that for bipolar disorder is 30. Fifty percent of patients have onset between ages 20-50 years. Depression can begin in childhood or in later life, but this is less common and it tends to present differently in different age groups (e.g. childhood (2%) - apathy; adolescence (5%) – behavioural problems; elderly (25 to 50%) – physical complaints).

Depressive disorders are more likely in those individuals who are socially isolated and have no close interpersonal relationships,or who are divorced or separated.

Types of depression

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) – defined as a depressed mood or loss of interest and pleasure in almost all activities for at least a two week period. Several other symptoms must also be present. These include sleep disturbances, appetite disturbances, changes in energy levels, difficulties with thinking and concentration and sexual difficulties. These symptoms interfere with usual behaviour and functioning.
• Dysthymia – many of the same symptoms as those for a MDD are present, but they tend to be less severe and interfere less with immediate functioning. They are, however, chronic and may continue for years so that the sufferer seldom feels really happy and that they are enjoying life. Due to the long-term impairment of functioning, many do not realise their full potential. Dysthymia can therefore have severe long-term consequences and can be severely disabling.
• Bipolar Disorder – This used to be called manic depression. This is much less common than the two previously mentioned depressive disorders and only 2% of the population is affected over a lifetime. Males and females are affected equally. This type of depressive disorder involves episodes of depression and episodes of mania/euphoria. The switches between these two states may be fairly sudden and dramatic, but are more commonly gradual in onset. Both mood states may co-exist – mixed bipolar disorder. During episodes of mania judgement is often impaired and this can result in socially embarrassing behaviour, sexual indiscretions, excessive spending and unwise business decisions. Bipolar disorder tends to be a chronic, recurring condition and is generally considered to have a poorer long-term outcome than Major Depressive Disorder.

Other types of depressive illness include:

• Minor Depressive Disorder (same duration but less severe symptoms than MDD)
• Recurrent Brief Depressive Disorder (same symptoms as MDD but episodes last less than two weeks)
• Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (experiencing for at least one year depressive symptoms that occur during the last week before menstruation)
• Post-partum Depression (depression following childbirth that is more severe and of longer duration than transient "Baby Blues")

Depressive Disorders may also be related to drug and alcohol abuse as well as to prescription drug usage (Substance Induced Mood Disorders) and to medical illnesses (Mood Disorder Due to a General Medical Condition).

Cause

Sometimes a specific trigger may be identified, but at other times people seem to become depressed for no reason at all. This is more likely when the person has experienced previous depressive episodes.

Biological factors

• Neurotransmitters: Studies have shown that brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) play a mediating role in the development of depression. When the functioning of brain chemicals is disturbed, depression can occur (e.g. following the use of recreational drugs such as Ecstasy). Several different neurotransmitter systems may be involved but the two that have been more frequently implicated are serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE). Studies have also shown a third brain chemical, dopamine, to play a role in both depressed and elevated mood.
• Hormonal factors: Increased secretion of cortisol from the adrenal gland during stress is associated with depression. Hypercortisolaemia has been shown to damage the hippocampus (an area of the brain associated with hormonal and behavioural regulation). Thyroid gland disorders are often associated with mood disorders. All patients suffering from a MDD should be tested for hypothyroidism (i.e. underactive thyroid). Studies have shown about 10 percent of patients, especially those with a Bipolar Disorder, have detectable concentrations of anti-thyroid antibodies (produced by the body in order to fight disease which in this instance turns upon the body itself). There is also an association between anti-thyroid antibodies and post-natal depression. Alterations in the pattern of growth hormone release have also been observed.
• Neuroanatomical/Neurophysiological considerations: CT Scans and MRI studies, although inconsistent, have shown differences in the size of some of the brain structures (e.g. caudate nucleus) in depressed patients as well as alterations in blood flow to certain areas. Mood disorders involve pathology of the limbic system (emotional centre, memory function). The basal ganglia (stooped posture, motor slowness) and the hypothalamus (changes in sleep, appetite and sexual behaviour) have also been implicated.
• Genetic factors: Inherited factors are an important component in the development of mood disorders. Having a close relative who has suffered from a depressive disorder, especially Bipolar Disorder increases the likelihood of developing depression. People with a genetic susceptibility are more vulnerable to depression in the face of various stressors.
• Recreational drugs/medication: Some drugs (recreational and prescription) and alcohol can cause or exacerbate depression. This is possibly because they interfere with the regulation of brain chemicals or the physical structure of the brain (excessive alcohol and sleeping tablets cause shrinkage of the brain).
• Medical illness: Illness including strokes, Parkinson’s disease, Cushing's disease and thyroid disease, among others, may be a contributory physiological factor.

Psychosocial factors

A family’s style of interacting with different members, the family environment (e.g. a broken home) as well as its coping patterns may increase a vulnerability to a depressive disorder. An individual’s underlying personality type (e.g. dependent, obsessive compulsive) may also be a contributory factor.

Symptoms

These many different presentations can sometimes make it difficult to recognise and diagnose a depressive disorder. A sufferer may not seek medical help because they may not realise that they are suffering from depression and that it is a legitimate medical illness.

The most commonly reported symptoms are as follows:

• a depressed or low mood or feeling of sadness
• increased irritability
• increased anxiety or a feeling of nervousness
• loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyed
• tearfulness or a feeling of wanting to cry, but possibly an inability to do so
• decreased sexual interest or other sexual problems
• changes in appetite resulting in either weight gain or weight loss when not dieting
• changes in sleep pattern
• changes with either difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking during the night or waking up unusually early in the morning and not being able to return to sleep. Sleep may also be increased with a desire to be asleep most of the time
• a feeling of being chronically tired and energy-less or amotivated.
• a slowing down or speeding up of physical activity (including speaking very softly or slowly)
• feeling worthless, useless and helpless
• feeling inappropriately excessively guilty (and possibly blaming oneself for being depressed or unable to “snap out of it”)
• difficulty thinking, concentrating or remembering
• difficulty making decisions, even over simple matters
• a feeling that life is not worth living and frequently thinking about death and/or suicide
• becoming increasingly socially withdrawn and feeling reluctant to entertain or go out visiting
• not bothering to dress properly/self-neglect
• multiple physical complaints e.g. frequent headaches; backaches/stomach aches or constipation
• alteration in menstrual cycle

Anxiety symptoms are also often experienced by persons suffering from a depressive disorder (in up to 90 percent of cases) and these include nausea, dizziness, breathlessness, heart palpitations, feeling worried and fearful, being tremulous or shaky, feeling sweaty, experiencing pins and needles in the hands and around the mouth or frequently having a runny tummy and passing urine often.

If you have been feeling low or irritable together with several of the above listed symptoms for at least two weeks you may wish to complete a self-evaluation questionnaire to see whether or not you are depressed.

Course

An untreated depressive episode lasts from 6 – 13 months with the average duration being around 9 months. Most cases will improve although a significant minority go on to develop a chronic depressive illness. Most treated episodes last about three months. However, medication should be continued for longer (six to nine months for a first episode) because withdrawal from medication too early is almost always associated with a relapse in depressive symptoms.

As mentioned previously, it is believed that the first episode in a mood disorder brings about long lasting changes, which increase susceptibility to subsequent episodes. It is also thought that if the initial episode is treated early enough, with adequate medication, for long enough some of these changes may be prevented.

About 5 – 10 percent of patients who have initially been diagnosed with a MDD will experience a manic episode 6 – 10 years after the first depressive episode. The average age for that switch is 32 years and it usually occurs after two to four episodes of depression.

Prognosis

Recurrences of major depressive episodes are also common and for a patient who has required hospitalisation for the initial episode (i.e. severe depression) there is a 30 – 50 percent chance of recurrence within the first two years and a 50 – 75 percent chance of recurrence within five years. The likelihood of relapse or recurrence is much less in those who continue to use prophylactic psychopharmacological treatment (i.e. either continue with antidepressant medication or make use of a mood stabilising drug).

Usually as more depressive episodes are experienced, the time between episodes decreases and the severity of the depression increases. Men are more likely than women to experience a chronically impaired course. A poor prognosis is also more likely with a co-existing anxiety, dysthymic or substance abuse disorder

When to call a health professional

All thoughts of suicide, threats or attempts should be taken seriously and professional help sought as soon as possible. People who are planning suicide often talk about it either directly or indirectly and they may make arrangements to get their affairs in order e.g. settling debts, altering or making a will, getting rid of personal items or letters. People who feel suicidal are often reluctant to seek help and may need a great deal of encouragement and ongoing support.

Some possible warning signs to take note of:

• increased anxiety or agitation
• increased use of drugs or alcohol
• expressing suicidal thoughts or intent
• slowing down physically
• extreme feelings of worthlessness or guilt

Those most at risk manifest the following risk factors:

• male sex, age over 45 years
• a history of alcohol dependence
• an unwillingness to accept help
• displays of rage, violence or irritation
• recent loss or separation
• unemployment or retirement
• single, widowed or divorced
• prior hospitalisation for psychotic illness

Diagnosis

Specific diagnostic criteria have been set down in the DSM–IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, 4th edition) to diagnose a Major Depressive Episode. These are described below:

The presence of five of the following nine symptoms occurring for most of the time during the same two week period resulting in a change in the level of functioning. The symptoms cause significant distress or obvious changes in social and occupational functioning.

One of the first two symptoms following must be present in order to make the diagnosis:

• a depressed mood (may be irritability in children)
• loss of interest or pleasure in previously enjoyed activities
• appetite changes with significant weight loss (when not dieting) or weight gain
• increased sleep or insomnia
• slowing or speeding up of physical activity
• fatigue or loss of energy
• feeling of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt
• decreased ability to think or concentrate or indecisiveness
• recurrent thoughts of death or recurrent suicidal ideation

Treatment

The first aim of treatment is to ensure the safety of the patient for which hospitalisation may be required (i.e. suicidal/unable to care for self). Secondly, a complete diagnostic evaluation must be carried out. This includes a full personal and family history as well as a history of illnesses, medication and recreational drugs/alcohol used, activities, personality type and support system.

A physical examination may also be required to evaluate underlying physical illness, which may cause or worsen depression e.g. thyroid illness. It is important to detect medical problems, as these require separate, appropriate treatment.

Thirdly, a treatment plan has to be formulated which takes into account both immediate symptoms and the patient’s future well being. This would include medication, psychotherapy, life-style changes and the addressing of stressors. Stressful life events are associated with an increased relapse rate in mood disorder sufferers.

Psychotherapy

Research has shown that some forms of psychotherapy are as effective as medication in treating mild to moderate depression. Medication tends to bring about results more rapidly, but the benefits of psychotherapy may be more enduring. It is generally agreed that the best form of treatment is a combination of both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (originally developed by Aaron Beck)

Those who become depressed tend to see themselves negatively, believe that others see them in a similar light, except to fail or experience continued difficulties, feel hopeless and have negative expectations of life and the future. The therapist uses various techniques to identify and demonstrate the negative thought processes, which are then challenged, and together, patient and therapist work on changing negative thought patterns and beliefs so that a more realistic and positive mindset may develop. Overall therapy is relatively short, lasting up to 25 weeks.

Interpersonal psychotherapy (developed by Gerald Klerman)

Psychodynamic psychotherapy (developed by Freud, Kohut, Jacobson and Abraham)

Family therapy

Antidepressants

Antidepressants do not act rapidly. A certain dosage and concentration has to be reached before they become effective. This usually takes about a month but may take six to eight weeks in the elderly. It is important to persevere and to use the prescribed drug at the correct dosage for long enough.

Patients often feel significantly better after two to three months on antidepressants, but it is important that medication be continued for as long as your doctor advises. For a first episode of depression this usually means taking medication six to nine months on optimal dosage after symptom relief has been achieved, two to five years for a subsequent episode and possibly life-long if episodes recur frequently and are severe. Stopping medication too soon increases the likelihood of relapse and the development of a chronic recurring illness.

The different types of antidepressants

1. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’S)
These are among the newer antidepressants, which have been available from 1988. They act on the neurotransmitter (brain chemical) serotonin. Some of the trade names in this class include Aropax (paroxetine), Prozac, Lorien, Nuzak, Lily-Fluoxetine (fluoxetine), Cipramil (citalopram), escitalopram (Cipralex), Zoloft (sertraline) and Luvox (fluvoxamine). This group of drugs, together with the other newer agents, is the most widely prescribed due to the favourable side-effect profile and relative safety if taken in overdose. Different drugs in this class are also registered for treatment of anxiety disorders, panic disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and social phobia.

Side effects may be present during the first few weeks of therapy, but usually disappear after a while. These are often diminished by starting medication in low dosages and gradually increasing until a therapeutic dosage is reached.

Common side-effects include:

• nausea – (take after food)
• headache – (improves after a while; start with low dosages)
• agitation/anxiety
• sleep disturbances
• decreased appetite
• sexual disturbances (sexual problems may change, but if worrisome discuss with your doctor as treatment options are available)

2. SNRI (Serotonin and Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitors)
This class of medications is closely related to the SSRI’s, but have an additional mechanism of action in that they also affect noradrenaline reuptake. There are two medications in this class available at present, namely venlafaxine (Efexor, Venlor) and duloxetine (Cymbalta). There is some evidence that this class of medications may be more effective in preventing relapse episodes of depression. They are also used when the depression is accompanied by painful physical symptoms such as headaches and muscle pain. Their side-effect profile is similar to that of the SSRI’s.

3. Tricyclics
This is an older group of drugs, which has been in use since 1957. These drugs affect predominantly noradrenaline. Some of the drugs in this class include Tryptanol, Trepiline (amitriptyline); Tofranil, Ethipramine (imipramine); Anafranil (clomipramine); Emdalen (lofepramine); Aventyl (nortriptyline) and others. Tricyclics are also used for the treatment of anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, pain relief, migraine prophylaxis and bedwetting (imipramine). Some patients, particularly the elderly, find the side effects of these drugs more difficult to tolerate. Tricyclics are not safe in overdose, and in the event of more tablets being taken than prescribed, medical advice should be sought urgently. Despite the side-effect profile, tricyclics are extremely effective antidepressants.

Common side-effects include:

• dry mouth
• dizziness (due to decreased blood pressure – alleviated by standing up slowly)
• constipation
• blurred vision (this will usually go away with time so new glasses or lenses are not necessary)
• drowsiness (less of a problem with imipramine and lofepramine)
• weight gain

3. Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI’s)
This is an older group of antidepressants, which is used less frequently today. These agents act by inhibiting an enzyme called monoamine oxidase which usually breaks down serotonin, noradrenaline and dopamine in the brain. This results in an increase in these neurotransmitters, the deficiency of which is associated with depressive illness. However, certain foodstuffs containing tyramine (e.g. cheese, red wine, processed meats and many others) also require monoamine oxidase for their metabolism. The inhibition of this enzyme results in an excess of tyramine which acts upon the blood vessels to cause a rise in blood pressure. This rise may sometimes be fatal and hence patients taking MAOI’s need to observe dietary restrictions. The danger of any food or drug reaction persists for about 14 days after stopping treatment with a MAOI. A washout period is therefore required before starting a different antidepressant.

The only MAOI as described above that is available in South Africa is Parnate (tranylcypromine). There is a newer MAOI available, which does not completely inhibit the monoamine oxidase enzyme and dietary restrictions are thus not that important. A severe hypertensive episode is much less likely and these drugs are only contra-indicated if the patient already suffers from uncontrolled high blood pressure. This drug is called Aurorix (moclobemide).

MAOI’s are thought to be particularly useful in treating atypical depression. They are also useful when depression is not responding to other drugs and in phobia and panic disorder.

Common side-effects include:

• headache – may be a warning sign of a severe increase in blood pressure
• dizziness
• agitation/nervousness
• insomnia
• sexual problems
• drug interactions - discuss all medications, including over-the-counter drugs, with your doctor before taking
• interactions with certain foods

Other antidepressants

These antidepressants do not fit into the aforementioned groups and many of them are newer agents.

• Edronax (reboxetine) – launched in South Africa during 2000. This inhibits noradrenaline reuptake and there is more neurotransmitter available in the synaptic cleft. It is generally considered to be an energising antidepressant. It may cause insomnia, dry mouth, vertigo, sweating and some sedation initially. Not a good choice if there is a high level of anxiety associated with the depression.
• Lantanon (mianserin) – classified as a tetracyclic. Affects noradrenaline but via a different mechanism to the tricyclics. This is a sedative antidepressant, which is taken at night – useful if insomnia is a prominent complaint. Also useful if low blood pressure is a problem as it tends not to exacerbate this, unlike the tricyclics. May cause weight gain.
• Molipaxin (trazodone) – a triazolopyridine antidepressant unrelated to any of the aforementioned antidepressants. It affects the serotonin neurotransmitter system working on pre- and postsynaptic neurones (SSRI’s exert their effects on presynaptic neurones only). The main side effect is sedation. Priapism (sustained penile erection) has been reported and may result in irreversible impotence, but this is not a common side effect.
• Remeron (mirtazapine) – belongs to a new class of antidepressant called NaSSA’s (noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants) which are particularly useful if anxiety and insomnia are problems. Side effects include sedation and weight gain.

Some general points regarding antidepressants

• any known illness, especially cardiac problems, epilepsy, diabetes, thyroid disease, liver disease, prostrate problems, glaucoma and high blood pressure
• any other medication which you may be taking. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about potential drug interactions before taking any other prescribed or over-the-counter medication e.g. cough syrup, beta-blockers, anti-histamines, antacids.
• pregnancy or plans to fall pregnant in the near future and also if you are breast-feeding. Some medications can affect your baby.

It is also a good idea to try and avoid alcohol while taking antidepressants. Alcohol acts as a central nervous system depressant and can worsen depression or undermine the benefits of the medication. It also increases the likelihood of drowsiness and hence the risk for accidents while driving or operating machinery.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)

ECT is a treatment which involves electrical stimulation of the brain while under a general anaesthetic. A muscle relaxant is also given before treatment is initiated. Because of bad publicity (films such as “One flew over the cuckoos nest”) and general anxiety about using electricity near the brain it is a much underused therapy.

As a general anaesthetic is required, it is only reserved for severe depression or treatment-resistant depression or when a rapid improvement is important (as in post-natal depression which responds particularly well to ECT) and where physical health is good enough for an anaesthetic. ECT is also useful for patients who cannot tolerate the side effects of medication (such as the frail, elderly and pregnant women). Several ECT sessions are required for full therapeutic benefit, usually at a rate of three per week.

Self-help

Self-help includes:

• Reading books/acquiring information. This helps to provide an understanding of the illness which can be important for both the sufferer and the family.
• Eating an adequate diet so as to maintain blood sugar levels. Foods, which promote serotonin production, can be increased e.g. bananas, pumpkin pips and Horlicks. Stimulants which increase anxiety should be avoided e.g. coffee, colas and chocolate. Vitamin supplements/tonics may be useful if you are very run down or if life is normally lived in the “fast lane”.
• Sleeping sufficiently – but not too much.
• Exercise – begin gradually and slowly increase the intensity and amount of time spent exercising. There is considerable evidence to show that exercise can have a profoundly positive effect on mood in people with depression. Being out in the fresh air also helps to put a different perspective on problems.
• Relaxation – to decrease tension and anxiety and to improve sleep. E.g. meditation, yoga, aromatherapy and massage.
• Hobbies/interests – which help to occupy the mind and decrease pre-occupation with negative thoughts.
• Regular breaks/holidays
• Life-style changes – expecting less of oneself; maybe lowering standards a little; delegating; asking for assistance.
• Avoid alcohol/recreation drugs and cigarettes – these often worsen depression and anxiety.

Prevention

Reviewed by Dr Piet Oosthuizen, Dept. Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch.

Updated January 2008

COPD meds may raise stroke risk

Last updated: 19 March 2008

The lung drug Spiriva, marketed by Pfizer Inc and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceutical Inc, may increase the risk of stroke, the US Food and Drug Administration said.

The FDA said the risk assessment was not yet conclusive, but it was issuing a statement as part of an effort to tell doctors and patients about potential problems as soon as possible. The agency said it was working with Boehringer to evaluate the possible risk.

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Known chemically as tiotropium, Spiriva HandiHaler is used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, and is co-promoted worldwide by Pfizer and Boehringer Ingelheim, a privately held German company.

A preliminary company analysis of about 13,500 patients from 29 clinical studies found that risk of stroke was 8 in 1,000 patients taking the inhaled drug, compared with 6 in 1,000 who took a placebo, the FDA said. The agency has not confirmed the results, it added.

Four of the studies involved a version of Spiriva approved in Europe called Spiriva Respimat.

FDA under fire
The FDA has come under fire in recent years for its failure to quickly notify the public about safety problems with drugs and devices.

Agency officials have defended their actions but also agreed to make public any potential problems sooner before fully reviewing the concerns. Critics have said this new tack could scare patients and doctors away from needed treatment.

The agency said patients should not stop taking Spiriva, but should continue to report problems to the agency.

Representatives for Pfizer referred calls to Boehringer. A Boehringer spokeswoman could not be immediately reached. – (Reuters Health)

Read more:
COPD Centre

March 2008

First day on the job

Last updated: Friday, January 09, 2009

Starting a new job is one of the most stressful things you can do. What to wear? Who's the boss? Where's the coffee? Where's the loo? Will I cope? What will my colleagues be like? What if I can't do what they ask me to?

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This is something everyone's been through, unless you are the sole recipient of a huge inheritance or you won the lottery at age 18.

So what are the things you should and shouldn't do on your first day at work?

Be on time. Rather be half an hour early than not be there at starting time. This creates a very bad first impression and might make your new employer wonder about the wisdom of appointing you – even before you've started.

Report to the boss. On arrival, go to the person who interviewed you. They will tell you where to go and who to report to.

Ask for help. Ask people how things are done here. You are entitled to ask, because you are new. Don't be scared to look stupid – you will look even more stupid if you fluff something up three months down the line because you didn't have the guts to ask when you got there.

Dress: formal and inconspicuous. Don't wear anything that will attract attention. Dress in dark colours and rather too formal than too informal. No Garfield ties, no bare midriffs, no teetering heels, no garish jewellery.

Get your bearings. You need to find out where the toilets are, whether everyone brings their own cups, whether the coffee is free, and whether there are canteen facilities available. Check out the canteen food carefully before you make a habit of this, as it's often stodgy and/or oily, although usually inexpensive.

Don't make waves. Keep a low profile and do not speak unless you are spoken to. You are the new kid on the block, and even if you are in a managerial position, you still have to earn your wings. Accept that you will initially be at the low end of the pecking order.

In my last job we did things like this. Nobody cares about your last job and how things were done there. Don't rush in where angels fear to tread, giving advice to people who have been doing the job in that place for a lot longer than you have. This is the fastest way to make yourself unpopular.

Steer clear of the office gossip. This person is usually easily identifiable on the first day. This is the person who warns you against other staff members. Be wary of anyone who will trust a complete stranger with information about colleagues to whom he/she is supposed to feel a certain loyalty. What will she/he be saying about you to the next person who starts working there?

Remember names. You may not be able to remember everyone's name, but make a special effort with the people with whom you will be working. It could be embarrassing if you have to ask their names again and again. (Susan Erasmus Health24, updated January 2009)

What exactly is stress?

Last updated: Monday, October 09, 2006

Stress is the physiological, psychological, emotional and behavioural response of a person seeking to adapt and adjust to internal and external pressures or demands. It is basically a physical survival response leading to a ‘flight-or-fight’ reaction. All living organisms - from plants, to animals, to humans - have a stress response. That’s why certain species have survived to this day.

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Stress is not a condition made up in the 20th century. Stress is powerful because it’s been around so long. It is our stress reaction that allowed us as a species to survive. The humans who responded best to the stress of survival, are the ones still around today.

Flight or fight?
The acute adaptation of the ‘flight-or-fight’ reaction was great for prehistoric man who fought mammoths, meteors and man-eating sabre-toothed tigers. Cavemen lived on the physiological edge. Today, we get the same unconscious reaction to stress. The response is engraved deep inside the old reptilian part of the brain we share with amphibians and reptiles.

Confronted with a real physical threat to survival, the response is great. But faced with psychological threats often created in our own minds, is not so great. We take all these frequent little (and often not so little), daily stresses and we internalise them. There they accumulate, stew and erupt in destructive volcanoes of ‘dis-ease’ after months or years of unrelieved stress buildup.

We need to learn how to use our ‘new’ brain or neo cortex (actually also a few billion years old) more effectively to help us manage our stress and use it appropriately.

While many people associate the term ‘stress’ with psychological stress, scientists and medical doctors use the term to describe anything that impairs the stability and balance (homeostasis) of the body.

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Lose the booze blues

Cutting down on alcohol intake is often an item on New Year's resolution lists. It is usually made after you realise this is the second time in a week that you have a hangover at work, or family members complain about your drinking.

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If your problem is serious, it may be an idea to seek professional help, but if you merely want to cut down, instead of cutting it out completely, there is a lot you can do to limit your alcoholic intake.

Drinking is often a social activity and often the pressure is on to drink with others. Unless you go completely teetotal, it often happens that you stagger from a party at the end of the evening, having had three too many, despite your resolutions - and hating yourself for it.

So what can you do to cut down on your drinking?

Don't do the rounds. Go out with your friends, by all means, possibly even pay for the first round, but don't drink round for round with them. That means that the amount you drink will depend on how much the others are drinking. Say something about an important early-morning meeting and don't let yourself be bullied.

Always have a drink handy. Get one drink and nurse it all evening. When someone offers you another, point at your half-full glass and say something like, "When I've finished this one". Point blank outright refusal and expressed intention to have only one, will possibly result in others putting pressure on you to have another one.

Stay out of the spotlight. Don't draw attention to yourself by either refusing loudly to have even one drink, or by loudly shouting in an order for an orange juice. Get a drink, preferably a large one, like a beer, and put it down on front of you and nurse it all evening. People will register that you have a drink, not that it's been the same one all evening.

If you can't join them, trick them. Drinks like lime and soda, or tonic without the gin, both look like alcoholic beverages, but aren't. Have several of these. Everyone will think you're drinking with them.

Accept invitations with a non-drinking proviso. If you're on medication, such as antihistamines or antibiotics, you should not drink at all. You don't have to turn down an invitation, because of this, but do tell people in advance that you are not allowed to drink anything for a few days. People probably won't bug you.

Drink low alcohol drinks. There are light beers on the market. You can also mix white wine with soda and have a spritzer. In this way you can have a drink in your hand all evening, without consuming more than the alcoholic equivalent of one glass of wine.

Ice is nice. Put lots of ice in your drink –essentially this waters it down and you can linger over it longer.

Pop the peanuts. Line your stomach with bar snacks, like pretzels or peanuts or chips. The emptier your stomach, the more immediate will be the effect of your alcoholic consumption. Alcohol and aspirin are the only two substances absorbed into the system directly through the stomach lining.

Water, water everywhere. Drink two glasses of water before you go, so that you don't find yourself downing two beers because you are thirsty. And anyway, as it is alcohol dehydrates you . Drinking a glass of water in between drinks is also a good idea and gives your liver a bit of a break.

Eat out rather than go to the pub. If you want to socialize with friends, it may be an idea to go out for a meal rather than going to a pub.

Singles not doubles. Order single drinks, not doubles. A double tot of anything already puts you over the legal limit for driving. Two doubles, and most people will be fairly far gone.

Limit your spending money.Take a limited amount of money with you instead of a couple of hundred rands. If you have only R30 or R40 with you, it limits the amount you can drink quite effectively. – (Susan Erasmus, Health24, updated February 2008)

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Vinegar

"Nature's secret weapon"

by Maxwell Stein

You'll find vinegar in just about every kitchen in the country but most of us only ever use it on chips or as a salad dressing. Did you know there are hundreds of other uses for vinegar? In his incredible new book, Maxwell Stein looks at how vinegar has been used around the home and as a traditional remedy. If you thought vinegar was just used for salad dressing then you’re in for a big surprise!

Dear Health-Conscious Friend,

Vinegar: Natures secret weapon is a new book in which the author looks at over 325 tried and tested uses for vinegar. For example, Maxwell checks out how vinegar has been used to:

· Polish the chrome on cars

· Clean work surfaces, mirrors and glass

· Repair scratches in wood

· Whiten whites, brighten colours and fade sweat stains

· Ease the pain of insect bites

· Lift stains on carpets

· Remove ink stains

· Clean brass, copper and pewter

· Banish unpleasant odours

· Dissolve chewing gum

· And much, much more.

Maxwell also tells us why he thinks vinegar can be used to:

· Soothe tired and aching feet

· Relieve headaches

· Lift painful corns and calluses

· Clear embarrassing dandruff

· Help treat burns

· Help fade age spots

· Prevent infections

· Ease nausea and stomach upset

· Relieve coughs and tickly throats

· Cure hiccups fast

· Relieve a sore throat

· Guard against food poisoning

· Disinfect almost anything its used in many hospitals

· Soothe painful sunburn

Over 325 different uses in total. But that’s not all, Maxwell also covers Honey and Garlic and tells you why he believes they are both powerful natural allies of vinegar.

Honey and Garlic too!

As a special bonus and for a limited time only, we have included two completely free sections to the Vinegar book so, not only do you get a Vinegar book, but you also get a Honey book and Garlic book too that’s three of natures secret wonders all for just R129.50.

You'll see how Maxwell put these three natural wonders to the test as he looks at many common ailments. He talks about how honey and garlic have been used as simple, yet cost effective home remedies alone or mixed with vinegar and at a fraction of what you’d pay for commercially prepared products.

In these two special BONUS sections of Vinegar: Natures secret weapon, Maxwell looks at many health problems and whether simple treatments can be used to tackle them, such as:

· An easy poultice that has been used to treat painful joints

· A simple drink used to ease muscle pain fast!

· An easy to prepare mixture to prevent burns from scarring

· A tasty recipe, used to help keep cholesterol at a healthy level

· A fast remedy used to treat cold sores

· A morning treat to ease the discomfort of asthma

· An ancient Indian broth, used for blood pressure

· Delicious tea used to add sparkle to dull sex lives

· A tasty brew that has been used to help lose weight

· A method used to stop toothache by relieving pain naturally

· A Russian folk remedy, used to treat colds

· A fast method for clearing spots and blemishes

· A simple method to ease gas and indigestion problems fast

· A preparation that has been used to combat the flu

And many, many more health questions answered.

These special bonus sections on Honey & Garlic are only available for a limited time, so to avoid disappointment, please send your order now and you’ll begetting three for the price of one. All with a full, one month money back guarantee.

To order Vinegar, Honey & Garlic nature's secret weapons,
simply click on the order button below, complete and fax or post to us.

Copyright (c) 2008 Fleet Street Publications.

All material in this publication is provided for information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents of this publication; instead readers should consult their family doctor and other qualified professionals on any matter relating to their health and wellbeing. The information and opinions provided in this publication are believed to be accurate and sound, based on the best judgment available to the authors. Readers who fail to consult with appropriate health authorities assume the risk of any injuries. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. We may monitor and record any telephone calls in order to maintain and improve our service.

Disclaimer
Updated 9 January 2009 

Milk keeps men healthy

Last updated: Monday, July 16, 2007

Men who consume milk and other dairy products may have a lower risk of diabetes and heart disease, concludes a 20-year British study that included 2 375 men, ages 45 to 59.

The University of Cardiff team found that men who drank a pint or more of milk a day were 62 percent less likely to develop metabolic syndrome, BBC News reported.

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People with metabolic syndrome have two or more health conditions - such as high blood glucose, high blood fats, high blood pressure, and high body fat - that increase the risk of diabetes and coronary artery disease.

The study appears in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

But people shouldn't consume large amounts of full-fat dairy products in an attempt to prevent diabetes, Jemma Edwards, care advisor at Diabetes UK, told BBC News. Edwards recommended two to three daily servings of low-fat dairy products as part of a balanced diet. – (HealthDayNews)

Read more:
Are we running out of milk?
Cows yield low-fat milk

July 2007

Print this article on

Dear Savvy Friend,
This year I plan to try fencing (as in the sword-play type and not the palisade kind),  go for monthly back massages (if the interest rate on my bond comes down - finally) and finish studying through UNISA (that's right - your editor is a wanna-be archaeologist on the side).
It's an ambitious list. But it's achievable. I've made sure of that.
You see, when I sat down to write my resolution list - I took some advice from the experts. I didn't want to make the mistakes most people do when they set their goals for the New Year. And here's how I avoided them...
1. Write down your resolutions
A written resolution is more powerful than just a mental note. You will increase the chance of achieving your goals if you write them down.
2. Analyse your resolution
Write down all the positive impacts the change will bring to your life if you reach the set goal. Then write all the negative impacts you will have if you don’t achieve the goal.
3. Visualise the outcome
Imagine that you have already achieved your goal. Feel the difference. Feel the positive emotion of success. Imagine what your close ones are saying about your success.
4. Fix a deadline
No matter what you resolve to do, set a date for when you would like to achieve your goal. This will help to keep you motivated.
5. Write an action plan for each of your resolutions
First write down all the obstacles you might encounter in achieving this goal. Then list everything you will need to surmount them. Create a detailed and thorough action plan of how you will achieve this goal.
6. Take action
Constantly work on achieving your goal. Once you have made a list of tasks that need to be done in order to cross a significant hurdle, take action immediately,  no matter how small it is.
7. Treat yourself
Your hurdles are your milestones. Once you overcome one of them, congratulate yourself ritually. Give yourself a treat.
8. Get a partner
Some goals are easier to achieve if you work together with a friend or partner. If you feel that for reaching this goal you should get a partner, do so!
9. Stay motivated
No matter how hard you work, once in a while you will feel disappointed and this is the time when you will need to keep yourself motivated. Reading motivational books, listening to and reading inspirational stories works wonders in difficult times.
10. Review your progress
Every once in a while read the written statements about the goal you listed when you resolved to achieve it.  Add your present vision to the statements. Keeping a blog is a great idea if you want to follow your progress.
I'll keep you updated on I how I get on with my resolutions - but I'd love to know what yours are too. Please pop me an email (pascale@fsp.co.za) and let me know.
You know what?
I have a feeling this is going to be a great year for us!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

* Highly Recommended *

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Using specific combinations of foods you eat everyday, China's Great Healing Master shows you how you could virtually treat any health problem with easy to make recipes. Learn exactly which foods to eat - and avoid – to help fight heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, obesity and more! This family legacy could help you or a loved one heal at last. And now you can try it risk free.
Click here now to learn how you can begin unlocking the treating power of foods...

Discover how to boost your brain power by suppertime… No matter your age!

What if you could suddenly become smarter, and also…

* Control the effects of stress

* Resist the blues and insomnia…

* Be razor sharp with ‘near photographic’ memory…

* Become smarter

* And more…

Dear Smart Friend,

We live in a time when we are constantly overloaded with information. So even the young and healthy feel overwhelmed trying to keep up! Mental strain is not an unusual phenomenon these days. The continual expansion of our mind and memory capacity is crucial to us successfully adapting to the ever-changing, information-focused world we live in. By enhancing our mental capacity, we could increase our chances of advancing our careers, our potential to earn more, achieve greater work satisfaction and experience less stress.

Most of us fear losing our mental abilities as we get older. In fact, we fear this more than anything else. We lose our capability to easily remember tele­phone numbers and names, do simple calculations and learn new concepts. Some people experience faster cogni­tive decline than others, but for all of us the mental slow-down can be extremely frustrating and disturbing. Especially if you still juggle a demanding career, in an age when people are retiring later, working well into their late 60s and 70s.

This "normal" loss of brain function that happens with ageing is called Age Related Cognitive Decline (ARCD). But that doesn’t mean you have to settle for a lesser agile mind, no matter what your age! Fortunately natural medicine has come a long way and now offers us safe and effective ways to improve our mind, memory and mood as we get older. By feeding our brains the nutrients it needs, and applying simple lifestyle changes, it can function at its peak performance level.

Discover the safe and natural supplements that could:

• Boost your memory and learning capabilities, no matter your age.
• Increase your mental alertness.
• Perk up your mood, energy and vitality.
• Think on your toes again.
• Enhance your focus and concentration levels.
• And improve your problem-solving abilities.

Bring your brain back into balance and sleep better than you have in years

If you are one of the millions of South Africans affected by insomnia, you know how it feels to wake up in the morning totally exhausted. You can’t concentrate during the day, and your ability to think clearly and remember things is deeply impacted. However, when you get into bed every night, you simply stare up at the ceiling for hours, unable to doze off for more than short periods at a time.

Perhaps you depend on sleeping pills to help you cope with the insomnia. But these can be associated with unpleasant and potentially dangerous side effects, such as nightmares, blurred vision, dizziness and a ‘hung over’ feeling in the morning.

The electronic report - Boost your Brain Power - uncovers the most effective natural therapies that can dramatically improve the quality and duration of your sleep. During deep sleep, the brain gets a chance to consolidate memory and rebalance hormones and brain chemicals to get us ready for a new day. Discover this amino acid that was found to increase rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. And then try these seven relaxation techniques to help you drift away to ‘slumber land’.

Remember a long shopping list without writing it down, plus other memory techniques

Learning is an art that improves with time. There are several practical steps you can take to acquire more knowledge and improve your memory. When you do, your mind will start thinking faster. You’ll be amazed how you’ll soon be remembering jokes and saying something witty off the cuff!

Find out in the Boost your Brain Power Report how to apply simple techniques to:

· Develop ‘near photographic’ memory.

· Remember a long shopping list, without writing it down!

· Recall people’s names, years after you’ve met them.

· Use this system to help generate clear ideas, plan routes, make decisions and solve problems more easily.

· Apply this method to remember speeches and facts logically and clearly.

Discover these ‘smart foods’

Who thought the reason for mental decline could be as simple as this?

· Why bread could be the cause of your ‘brain fog’.

· How this berry could improve brain function, including co-ordination, memory, learning and resistance to fatigue.

· Why you should avoid canned foods.

· And how this type of fat can help improve mood, enhance clear thinking, encourage mental stability, concentration and focus, and even improve vision.

Discover the better, natural alternatives for beating depression

All the drugs in the world can’t change your past. But restoring healthy levels of brain chemicals could make life’s unavoidable traumas much less daunting.

How good we feel is largely dependent on the levels and interactions of a number of neurotransmitters in the brain, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Low mood or clinical depression is mostly due to an imbalance or shortage of some of these neurotrans­mitters in the central nervous system. Fortunately, now there are a few supplements that could prove to be just as effective as antidepressants, but without the side effects. Find out in the Boost your Brain Power Report:

Astonishing natural treatments - safer than antidepressant drugs.

• Don’t rely on temporary stimulants like coffee to give you the boost you need to complete a task, discover the nutrients that actually nourish your brain cells, so they won’t rebound and leave you worse off than before…
• Find out if your body is producing enough cortisol, which helps you cope in times of stress.
• Discover how you can function all day without feeling frayed - and banish the blues, safely.
• Improve your sleep quality, so you can wake up in the morning energised and ready-to-go.

Prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease – naturally!

Alzheimer’s is a cruel and progressive disease, which affects memory, emotion and thought processes. It is estimated that there are about 18 million sufferers worldwide – some 5% of the world’s elderly population. Worryingly, experts claim that the condition is on the increase and predict that by 2020, Alzheimer’s will affect up to 30 million people.

Although there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s, there are many conventional treatments that can help slow down the progression of the disease and stabilise symptoms if the condition is caught early enough. Complementary treatments are also proving to be an extremely effective way of managing the condition.

In people with Parkinson's disease, specific groups of brain cells called neurons progressively degenerate or die with time. Discover new options to help battle the effects of Parkinson’s.

But a preventative approach is always the best defence. You could reduce your risk of falling victim to this degenerative disease by taking some simple steps straight away. Find out what these are in the Boost your Brain Power Report.

Enhance your brain’s performance by suppertime!

Nature has a plan to keep you smart... No matter what your age, you are equipped with the brain ‘mechanics’ for powerful mental energy and vitality, as long as you provide your brain with the nourishment it needs. By following the recommendations outlined in this electronic report, you could achieve maximum memory functionality and clear thinking.

As you will discover, there are a number of tremendous benefits you'll get by having this report in your home:

But more importantly you'll know how to protect your most valued possession in the world - your mind and your health!                                                                                                       
Why not give the Boost your Brain Power electronic report a try today, at the special price of R129.95, that’s R50 off the normal selling price of R179.95.

There is no risk because you're always covered by our risk-free, 7-day money back guarantee. The report either works like I describe or you get every cent of your purchase price back. But I'm betting that once you begin using the information...and feel the tremendous healing benefits... that I couldn't pry this report away for ten times it's price!

Warmest regards,

Antoinette Pombo
Health Publisher

Fleet Street Publications

P.S. Click here now, before the moment passes. Lay claim to the Boost your Brain Power electronic report and the better life that awaits you!

Disclaimer
Upda

Early prostate cancer is curable

Last updated: Wednesday, September 29, 2004

Former President Nelson Mandela had been diagnosed with prostate cancer in July 2001. He received radiotherapy for seven weeks, but his lifespan is unlikely to be reduced, his doctors said.

Mr Mandela’s cancer was not of a high grade and should not decrease his life span, his doctors told News24 in July last year after the diagnosis.

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How was it diagnosed?
Mandela had been monitored regularly for the prostate specific antigen (PSA) that indicates cancer. Although the clinical picture revealed no alteration in his status, there has been a slight rise in the blood level of the PSA. In view of this, a decision was made to biopsy the prostate gland, which confirmed the presence of microscopic cancer within the prostate, his doctors confirmed at the time.

Mr Mandela received hormonal treatment (anti-androgens) for a while, and underwent a seven-week course of radiotherapy with curative intent. This treatment was localised to the prostate gland. He did not require any surgery or chemotherapy.

Most of Mandela's prostate gland was removed in an operation in 1990.

Facts about prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in all men in South Africa.

One in ten men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Early prostate cancer is often completely asymptomatic, making detection difficult. For this reason, regular screening for prostate cancer needs to be done, especially in men over 50.

Prostate cancer is exceedingly rare before the age of 40, but 1 in 8 men between the ages of 60 and 80 years suffer from the disease.

Early prostate cancer curable
Men over 50 (and black men over 40) should undergo yearly prostate checks with serum PSA and digital rectal examination.

Cancer localised to the prostate gland – as diagnosed in Mr Mandela - is curable by radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy. Metastatic prostate cancer can be controlled by hormonal treatment.

Proven risk factors for prostate cancer include old age, a positive family history of cancer (and breast cancer in a man’s mother of sister) and black race. Probable risk factors include a high intake of dietary fat and high levels of serum testosterone.

Early prostate cancer is often completely asymptomatic. By the time the disease becomes symptomatic it is usually beyond cure.

Prostate cancer that is confined to the gland itself can be cured by radical surgery or radiotherapy, but the benefit of cure only becomes apparent after 10 years. This paradox is due to the slow growing nature of the disease.

Radical prostatectomy provides the best chance of cure but carries a high risk of complications. Metastatic prostate cancer cannot be cured. Most patients with metastatic disease will respond to hormonal treatment that deprives the cancer of male hormones. Prostate cancer is not sensitive to current chemotherapy regimes.

Symptoms
Symptoms related to the primary tumour include: problems with urinating, poor stream, retention of urine, urgency and frequency, and blood in the urine. Symptoms related prostate cancer after it has spread include bone pain (back and pelvis), bone fractures, enlarged lymph glands and kidney failure.

Other general effects of the cancer might include: Weight loss, Tiredness, Anemia, Loss of appetite.

Autopsy data indicate a 70% incidence of prostate cancer in 80 year old men. The vast majority of these men died with rather than from prostate cancer.

Slow growing
Prostate cancer is very slow growing. The natural history of the disease is long and variable. From early cancer at a cellular level to eventual death from metastatic disease may be as long as 20 - 25 years. The course of the disease will be influenced by the general health and immune status of the host, as well as by the treatment modalities that the cancer is subjected to.

Many patients only develop prostate cancer late in life. Due to the very slow growth rate of the disease many of these patients will outlive their prostate cancer and die from other causes before the cancer has had time to run its course. The implications of early prostate cancer are completely different for a healthy 50 year old as compared to an 80 year old man with other co-morbid disease.

Read more:
Screening tests for men
Are you at risk for prostate cancer