Heart Attach Warning Signs

-Chest Discomfort

Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

-Discomfort in Other Areas of the

Upper Body

Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

-Shortness of Breath with or without chest discomfort

-Other Signs

May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

More about heart attack

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the “movie heart attack,” where no one doubts what’s happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help.

Immediately call 9-1-1 or your emergency response number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can be sent for you. As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Learn the signs, but remember this: Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, have it checked out (tell a doctor about your symptoms). Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1 or your emergency response number.

Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment.

Hand dryers blow germs and bacteria around. Look under the hand dryer next time your in a restroom. There is a filter underneath that is supposed to be cleaned weekly, and are often not for years. If not cleaned, it will have layers and layers of caked on gunk.

The schools and universities that have had the H1N1 (swine flu) outbreak this year are being told by the health department that they have to take out all of their hand dryers and replace them with towel dispensers because the hand dryers are Spreading disease.

submitted by Penny Brock
Read the full story at www.prweb.com/releases/handdryer/hygiene/prweb2196064.htm.

Stop right now!
Health Crime No. 1: Are you eating sugar and processed foods? Sugar decreases the function of your immune system almost immediately, and as you likely know, a strong immune system is a crucial key to keeping you healthy. Be aware that sugar is present in foods you may not suspect, like ketchup and fruit juice.

Health Crime No. 2: Do you fail to get enough rest each night? Just like it becomes harder for you to get your daily tasks done when you’re tired, if your body is overly fatigued, your immune system could be functioning less-than-optimally.

Health Crime No. 3: Is stress running your life? We all face some stress every day, but excess stress could have serious adverse effects on your immune system.

Health Crime No. 4: Do you forget to exercise on a regular basis? A comprehensive exercise program is one of the BEST strategies to improve your immune response. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body. Your immune system has a better chance of performing at its best.

Health Crime No. 5: Do you ever leave the bathroom without washing your hands? Washing your hands is key to helping your immune system to function at its best. Be sure you don’t use antibacterial soap for this—antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good. Instead, identify a simple chemical-free soap that you can switch your family to.

Health Crime No. 6: Do you eat a “balanced” diet without understanding your nutritional type and how to eat for your personal needs? Just as it is obvious that you differ tremendously with respect to your outward physical appearance, you also have a unique biochemistry and genetics. You process foods and utilize nutrients in a way that is unique to you. Therefore, when you adopt a diet based on your specific “nutritional type,” it will help you achieve optimum health

Health Crime No. 7: Are you failing to look after your digestive tract? Scientific research shows 80% of your immune system actually lives right in your digestive tract. The best way to look after your digestive tract is via a high quality probiotic.

These are just a few of the mistakes you can make which can cause your immune system to function less than optimally.

References:

1. www.mercola.com

Written by Michael LeMay, Au.D. |

Myth: Hearing loss affects only “old people” and is just another sign of aging.

Fact: Hearing loss affects all age groups. There are close to 6 million people in the United States between the ages of 18 and 44 with hearing loss and more than one million are school-age. Actually, only 35 percent of people with hearing loss are older than age 64.

Myth: The best way to clean ears is to use Q-tips.

Fact: Ear nose and throat physicians, audiologists, and those in the hearing healthcare field, without exception, do not advise the use of Q-tips for cleaning ears. Using Q-tips is dangerous and can result in damage to the ear canal and eardrum. They simply push the debris further into the ear, making them not effective for cleaning wax from the ears. The old saying, “do not put anything into your ear except your elbow” is good advice.

Myth: I have one bad ear, but the other ear is okay.

Fact: Although possible, this situation is unlikely. Most patients who believe that they have one “good’ ear actually have two “bad” ears. When one ear is slightly better than the other, individuals learn to favor that ear for the telephone and group conversations. This can give the illusion that “the better ear” is normal when it isn’t. Most types of hearing loss affect both ears fairly equally, and most patients are in need of hearing instruments for both ears.

Myth: If I start to use hearing aid technology, my hearing will get worse due to the extra noise exposure from the amplification of loud sounds.

Fact: Modern hearing instruments are individually custom fit to amplify soft sounds that patients need to hear, and they can be adjusted by an audiologist to provide very little if any amplification for loud sounds. An exception to this would be the mail-order hearing devices advertised on the Internet and infomercials which are of poor quality and very easily could cause further hearing damage.

Myth: If I had hearing loss, my family doctor certainly would have told me.

Fact: Not true! Research has demonstrated that only 14 percent of physicians routinely screen for hearing loss during a physical. Looking in the ear canal for excessive wax, infection, or foreign bodies does not provide information about hearing. Most people with hearing impairment hear well in a quiet environment like a doctor’s office so it is virtually impossible for your physician to recognize the extent of your problem. It is important to ask your doctor for a referral to an audiologist for a complete evaluation if you are experiencing a problem.

References:

1. Carmen, Richard E,. Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids a Bridge to Healing,. Sedona, 2009 first printing — advanced release.

2. Courtois, Jean Earwax and foreign bodies in the ear canal. Vaerlodse, Widex, 1995

For more info, contact Michael LeMay, Au.D. at (775) 323-5566, specializing in Audiology.

A Few Get Smart Guidelines

Written by Sally LeDuc, PT |

Having diabetes may be distressing, but learning how to manage diabetes with exercise can help to lessen some of those fears and reservations. However, before starting it pays to get smart so you don’t find yourself having a negative experience or a hypoglycemic reaction.

Disturbing as the realization may be, the number of people with diabetes is growing each year with obesity, the number one reported risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes. On Oct 31, 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the number of new cases in the US nearly doubled in the last decade. Incident rates increased from 4.8 per 1,000 in 1997 to 9.1 per 1000 in 2007.

The benefits of exercise far out-weigh the benefits of not exercising. If you have diabetes those benefits are even more valuable. The benefits are: (a) blood glucose and body weight control, (b) lowered “bad” cholesterol and elevated “good” cholesterol, (c) reduced risk of heart disease, and (d) the improved sense of resilience from an increase in strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance ability.

Get Smart Guidelines for Diabetics:

1. Wear cotton socks and well-fitting athletic shoes unless of course you choose to exercise in the water, then you will need a good pair of water socks. Monitor your feet and hands because you don’t want a sore, blister, or skin irritation. Remember, diabetes can disrupt your ability to sense pressure or pain.

2. Drink plenty of fluids during exercise because blood glucose levels can be affected by dehydration.

3. Check your blood glucose level before exercising and if it is below 100 you need to have a snack. Exercise can cause your level to lower even more and if it becomes too low you might feel shaky, weak, irritable, tired, or overly sweaty. Remember, it is not good to skip meals when you are a diabetic and especially if you are

exercising.

4. Do not exercise if your blood glucose level is above 300, or if your fasting blood glucose level is above 250 and you have ketones in your urine, because exercise could cause it to go even higher.

5. Avoid exercise that demands you to over exert or lift more weight than you are capable because this can be bad for your arteries and your eyes. Remember, diabetes-related nerve damage can make it difficult to sense how much you are doing; you may be injuring yourself and not know it.

6. It is better to engage in 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week than 60 minutes 1-2 times a week. However, you can add a few minutes to an exercise session each week as your tolerance increases, and your understanding of how to manage diabetes during exercise improves.

References:

1. The CDC at www.cdc.gov/diabetes.

2. The American Physical Therapy Association, Physical Therapy November 2008 Issue, 88(11).

For more info, contact Sally LeDuc, PT of Body Wisdom Physical Therapy at (775)827-3777.

How To Get Rid of

Unwanted Direct Mail at Home and at The Office

Is your mailbox cluttered with junk mail? Have you ever asked yourself how some of these companies even got your mailing address to begin with?

Every time you provide your name and address when buying a product you’re signing up to receive direct mail pieces. This occurs when you buy a car or a house, use a shopping card, sign up for a credit card, subscribe to a magazine, buy something from a catalog, give money to a charity, or fill out a product registration form. Once signed up, your name is put into a database for that company. Often companies will

rent out their database lists to other businesses for direct marketing.

There is a way to cut back the amount of direct mail you receive. By contacting the Direct Marketing Association you can register to have your name removed via the Mail Preference Service. This will take your name off most major catalog list rentals. You can register online or by mail. The Direct Marketing Association also allows you to pick and choose what direct mail pieces you receive. Sometimes it’s nice to not have to go the store to see what is on sale.

This year, go green by eliminating excess waste. You can end the annoyance of mail pieces that go straight from your mailbox to your trash.

To register by mail:

Mail Preference Service

Direct Marketing Association Inc.

Box 9008 Box 282

Carmel, NY 10512

To register online:

www.dmachoice.org

Most folks consider their fireplaces and chimneys to be indestructible parts of their home that require little or no maintenance. However, chimneys are a part of your home’s heating system, which must effectively exhaust fumes from your fireplace.

Relatively minor but regular maintenance efforts can help your chimney operate safely for an indefinite period of time. In the U.S., many people are poorly informed about the importance of basic chimney maintenance. This lack of understanding causes a substantial number of preventable deaths and injuries each year.

Beyond the safety issue, neglect of chimneys leads to very expensive major repairs that would not be necessary if the chimney were properly maintained.

Chimney Inspection

The Chimney Safety Institute recommends that homeowners who light fires in their fireplaces during the heating season should have their chimneys inspected and cleaned once a year. If unseasoned wood is burned in the fireplace, twice-a-year cleaning and inspection may be necessary.

One way to tell if your chimney needs cleaning is if soot rains down when you open or close your damper. You can also measure. If you have one-eighth of an inch of creosote buildup you should have your chimney and fireplace inspected and cleaned.

References:

1. www.csia.org

For more info, contact Keith “Skip” Pollman at (775)825-2548, specializing in chimney inspections, cleaning and repair.

By Brittany Russell |

A major part of everyday healthy eating and ensuring that we are ingesting the correct amount of calories, fat, sodium, carbohydrates, etc., is properly reading a Nutrition Fact Label. The following are details to keep in mind every time you gaze at a product’s label before you choose to buy.

Start at the Top:

• Serving Size should be listed in standard measurements – cups, ounces or pieces of items – to allow for easy comparison between similar foods. Serving sizes on Nutrition Facts Labels are loosely based on the amount of a product normally eaten in one sitting or reference amounts. Be sure to compare the listed serving size with how much you actually eat – if the serving size is 10 crackers, but you’ve eaten 20, then you need to double the calories, fat and so forth.

• Servings Per Container helps you calculate calories and nutrients in an entire package; for instance, if there are 9 servings, then you can multiply calories and nutrients by 9 to get a total for the whole box.

• Calories equal the amount of energy in the serving size of the particular food. In order to lose weight, you must take in fewer calories than what you burn off each day (basal metabolic rate). To maintain your current weight, you need to take in an equal number of calories to what you burn off each day.

• The Nutrients portion of a label always lists, as mandated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), total calories, calories from fat, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate, dietary fiber, sugars, protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron. Too much or too little of these nutrients have the greatest impact on your health. Limit all types of fat, cholesterol and sodium, and get more dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, calcium and iron.

• The Percent Daily Value (%DV) indicates how much of a specific nutrient one serving of food contains compared with recommendations for an entire day. Used as a general frame of reference, the %DV is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. The foot note, typically at the very bottom of a label, reminds the consumer of this fact. If space allows, the label may include recommended amounts of certain nutrients based on a 2,000 and a 2,500 calorie diet.

Variations on the traditional label are allowed by the FDA. For example, food for children under 2-years-old may not list information pertaining to the content of saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, cholesterol or calories from fat. Exceptions also exist for smaller packages with less label room.

The FDA has extensive information regarding nutrition fact labels, package labeling and other food label facts pertinent to our health. Accurately reading the nutrition fact label is a very important starting point.

References:

1. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-facts/NU00293

2. http://walking.about.com/cs/calories/l/blcalcalc.htm

3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serving_size

4. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fdnewlab.html#nutri

By Brittany Russell |

In terms of landfill growth and dollars being spent toward bottled water by consumers, one might ask: how big is my footprint? Eight out of ten plastic water bottles become landfill waste (creating 2 million tons of trash), and it can take 700 years before they only begin to decompose.

Bottled water has sustained its position as a booming billion-dollar industry in the U.S. As early as 1767, the waters of Jackson’s Spa in Boston were bottled and sold to satisfy a rapidly growing demand. About 1800, the waters of a mineral spring near Albany,

New York, were bottled commercially, and in 1820, the first Saratoga Springs bottled water was sold. With more than 100 bottled water brands sold in the U.S., the bombardment of options grows, and we continue to buy, buy, buy.

In 2007, the U.S. consumed 8.823 million gallons of bottled water, making us the world’s top consumers. The top ten best-selling brands last year were: Desani (Coca Cola Company – $1.6 billion); Aquafina (PepsiCo – $1.5 billion); Poland Spring (Nestle Waters – $878 million); Arrowhead (Nestle Waters – $585 million); Nestle Pure Life (Nestle Waters – $545 million); Crystal Geyser (Crystal Geyser Water Company – $529 million); Deer Park (Nestle Waters – $499 million); Ozarka (Nestle Waters – $352 million); Ice Mountain (Nestle Waters – $292 million); Zephyrhills (Nestle Waters – $271 million). Other major brands include Déjà Blue at number 12, Fiji at number 14, Evian at number 16 and Glacier Waters at number 19.

As we pay between one and four dollars for a bottle of water, one might wonder where the water comes from. It is estimated that about 25 percent of the bottled waters consumed in the U.S. come from municipal water supplies. Most go through significant processing such as reverse osmosis, deionization, activated carbon filtration and other treatments.

Read the label carefully. If it is packaged as “purified” or “drinking water,” chances are it came from a municipal water supply, and unless the water has been “substantially” altered, it must state on the label that the water comes from a municipal source. Some included on the best-sellers list are described below:

Desani: Derived from a municipal source and undergoes a reverse-osmosis-based purification process. However, Desani adds a blend of minerals after the purification process.

Aquafina: Derived from a municipal source and goes through a purification process that uses charcoal filtration, reverse-osmosis, ozonination and other elements. During purification, virtually all of the natural minerals are removed from the water.

Arrowhead: The original source, to which this brand owes its name, is high in the San Bernardino Mountain – a natural rock formation in the shape of an arrowhead points to the Arrowhead Hot Springs.

Evian: From a source in the northern French Alps. The water is collected from an aquifer that is fed by snowmelt and rainfall. Other than filtration through the ground’s sand and clay, no other purifying process is used to produce this bottled water.

Wholesale dollar sales for bottled water in the U.S. exceeded $11.55 billion in 2007 (a 6.4 percent increase from $10.85 billion in 2006). The Beverage Marketing Corporation anticipates further growth in consumption, a 6.7 percent increase to 9.418 million gallons this year.

With so many campaigns today – “Refill not Landfill” and “Filter for Good” – reaching out to consumers to use other sources of drinking water, it is amazing how the bottled water industry grows steadily each year. We may, then, begin to wonder why do we continue to buy water-filled plastic bottles.

Here are some tips to help you cut down on plastic bottle usage:

• Stop buying plastic water bottles!

• Check into a toxic-free sports bottle, aluminum bottle, or glass bottle. There are a substantial variety of sport bottles made from different materials that can withstand all your hydration needs. Keep refilling those.

• Purchase a jug with a filter to keep in your refrigerator. Filters that attach to your kitchen faucet are also available.

• Look for your nearest water fill-up station.

• Reuse and Refill!

References:

1. www.finewaters.com/Bottled_Water/Index.asp

2. www.myspringwater.com/SpringWaterInformation/LeadingWaterBrands.aspx

3. www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5467759/

4. www.flex-news-food.com/pages/16536/USA/Water/dasani-aquafina-nestle-water-brands-strengthen-us-bottled-water-market-leadership-2007.html

5. www.foodsafety.gov/~lrd/bot-h2o.html

6. http://earth911.org/recycling/plastic-bottle-recycling/plastic-bottle-recycling-facts/

For more info, contact MillerWater at (775) 673-2152 or info@millerwater.com

In June we discussed the dangers of sunscreens. The list below is a guide to purchasing the best possible sunscreen products (EWG and Nat’l Geogr. Green Guide). Take it with you to the store.

Top 10 Best Sunscreens:

1. Keys Soap Solar Rx Therapeutic Sunblock, SPF 30

2. Trukid Sunny Days Facestick Mineral Sunscreen UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum, SPF 30+

3. California Baby Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+

4. Badger Sunscreen, SPF 30

5. Marie Veronique Skin Therapy Sun Serum

6. Lavera Sunscreen Neutral, SPF 40

7. Vanicream Sunscreen, SPF 35

8. UV Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+

9. Sun Science Sport Formula, SPF 30

10. Soleo Organics Sunscreen all natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+

Top 10 Best Common Brands Recommended by the EWG:

1. Blue Lizard – anything without oxybenzone

2. California Baby – anything with SPF 30+

3. CVS with zinc oxide

4. Jason Natural Cosmetics Sunbrellas Mineral Based Sunblock

5. Kiss My Face “Paraben Free” series

6. Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock

7. Olay Defense Daily UV Moisturizer with zinc

8. SkinCeuticals Physical UV Defense

9. Solar Sense Clear Zinc for Face

10. Walgreens Zinc Oxide for Face, Nose, & Ears

When possible, avoid the following ingredients:

• PABA: Though rarely used now in sunscreens, beware of products that contain the ingredient. Forty percent of the population is sensitive to it, experiencing red, itchy skin.

• Benzophenone (benzophenone-3), homosalate, and octy-methoxycinnamate (octinoxate): These chemicals have shown estrogenic activity in lab tests. Dr. Margret Schlumpf of the Univ. of Zurich’s Inst. of Pharmacology & Toxicology says they disrupt hormones, affecting development of the brain and reproductive organs in laboratory rats. Because people are already exposed to these chemicals by eating fish (where benzophenone accumulates in the fat), using sunscreen containing these chemicals unduly increases the exposure. Based on her studies, Dr. Schlumpf advises people to avoid products containing benzophenone and the related chemicals above.

• Parabens (butyl-, ethyl-, methyl-, and propyl-): Parabens may also mimic estrogen, but because they are very common in sunscreens, avoiding them may prove difficult.

• Padimate-O and Parsol 1789 (2-ethylhexyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoic acid and avobenzone): These two chemicals have the potential to damage DNA when illuminated with sunlight. On the skin’s surface, they  do protect from UV damage; however, once absorbed into the skin, these same chemicals can prove destructive. Dr. Knowland’s research indicates that Padimate-O and Parsol 1789 “are excited by the UV energy which they absorb and become reactive, acquiring the potential to attack cellular components, including DNA.” Knowland cautions that “DNA damage inflicted by an excited sunscreen is much less capable of being repaired by naturally occurring repair mechanisms than the DNA damage inflicted by UV alone.”

References:

1. www.thegreenguide.com/doc/103/sunscreens

2. www.ewg.org

By Martin E Stivers II, CPT, CLET |

A well-kept secret among the new diagnostic and screening technologies being developed almost every day is the Digital Infrared Imaging device, also known as DITI, Thermal Imager, Bio-Optic Scanner, and a multitude of other names. This easy to use, far reaching technology has been with us for over 30 years.

In 1982 and again in 2005, the FDA (Federal Drug Administration) approved thermograms as adjunctive screening devices with mammograms, ultra-sound and other various radiological methods. The DITI technology actually allows the body to tell on itself. By measuring the surface body temperature with a highly sensitive thermal imaging device, a certified, trained medical specialist can determine anomalies below the surface of the skin. Such anomalies are usually related to inflammation, disease and/or vascular irregularities.

It works like this. The body has built–in signals that react when a tumor is starting to grow (or exists) in the region of the breast. A by-product known as “Nitric-Oxide” is emitted when a cell is pre-cancerous. Nitric oxide continues to be produced after the tumor has developed, and causes the vascular system in the area of the growth to dilate (vaso-dilation), allowing for more blood to flow unrestricted. This shows up as a “hot” vascular pattern, different than normal vessels. While this is going on, another medical phenomenon happens, called “Neo-angiogenesis.”  In simple terms it means that “new blood supply vessels” are formed and how the body responds to satisfy the growing demand by the tumor for more blood. The new veins are created without nerves and do not constrict (slow down blood flow) like regular veins do. Thermography uses the body’s own autonomic nervous system to trick the vascular blood flow into constricting (vaso-constriction) meaning less blood flow, less heat. This is called a “challenge.”

The technician collects an image of the patient and then re-images the same area after the challenge to the autonomic system is made; this is done by immersing the hands in a cold-water bath for about 1 minute.

Another medical specialist reviews the digitally captured images and with the aid of a computer program, can read in detail the individual temperatures anywhere on the imaged areas of the body. By comparing the first set of images (baseline images) to the second set of identical images (challenge images), a clear pattern of thermal signatures will be seen.

The areas in the breast or breast area that show an increase in thermal heat or that have remained the same temperature, become red flags and are examined very closely. This is followed by a review of the temperatures from known points on the breast, the tail of the breast, and the underarm region, from which a comprehensive report is compiled and reviewed by a medical doctor.

A recommendation is then made based on the final thermal rating of the patient in relation to the probable risk of tumors or breast disease being present. If problems are demonstrated, a secondary confirmation from an independent source is always recommended.

Because your body has the ability to provide thermal proof of the condition of the vascular system in and around the breast, this easy, safe and highly accurate method of breast screening is a clear and viable alternative to the mammogram. Moreover, because this is a physiological screening and not an anatomical exam, the possibility of early detection is much greater since the spin off of nitric oxide begins in the pre-cancerous stage, and it is temperature sensitive. The “angiogenesis” begins once the cells have mutated and are forming, but still very small; this also can be measured by its distinct temperature pattern very early.

This makes the use of Thermograms one of the earliest possible forms of tumor detection available to the vast majority of women and the few rare men. It’s never too soon for a woman to begin to pay attention to her breast health. Waiting until age 40 or older can be an unnecessary gamble with your life. Thermograms work as well on twenty, thirty and forty year olds and through the fifties, sixties and seventies. Size and shape of breast make no difference in the results of the imaging. This very beneficial method of medical screening for breast health is worth finding out about.

References:

1.  Jones, C.H. Thermography of the Female Breast. In Parsons, C.A. (Ed), Diagnosis of Diseases; University Park Press, Baltimore, MD, 1983.

2.  Guidi, Anthony J. M.D., Stuart J. Schnitt M.D.. “Angiogenesis in Preinvasive Lesions of the Breast .” The Breast Journal 2 issue 6(1996).

3.  Lawson RN and Chughtai MS: Breast cancer and body temperatures. Can Med Assoc. 1963.

4. Rodenberg DA, Chaet MS, Bass RC, Arkovitz MD and Garcia BF. “Nitric Oxide: An Overview.” The American Journal of Surgery 170(1995).

5.  Louis K., Guthrie, M., Walter, J.: Breast Thermography. Prediction and Risk.1980

For more info call ThermaDiagnostics 775-828-1200.

6 Good Eating Habits That Will Help Prevent Cancer

The American Institute of Cancer

Research Finally Gets on Board

By Sarah Baicker |

Excess body weight, even just a little, increases your risk of cancer, according to a study released this week by the American Institute for Cancer Research. But staying active and following six rules for good eating can turn the odds back in your favor, researchers say.

Researchers analyzed more than 7,000 large-scale studies over five years and are now convinced, said Philip James, a member of the report’s panel of experts, that excess body fat increases risks for cancer of the colon, kidney, pancreas, esophagus and uterus, as well as breast cancer in post-menopausal women.

But the report also found that “there are changes you can make in the way you live that will reduce your risk of getting cancer,” said Jeffrey Prince, AICR’s vice president for education.

Among the eight steps the 517-page report recommends are six that relate directly to diet. Top of that list: two-thirds of every meal should be made up of plant-based foods, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans.

Other dietary recommendations include limiting intake of “energy-dense foods,” foods that contain high amounts of fat, sugar or calories, such as fried foods, hamburgers and soft drinks.

Consumption of alcohol, red meat and processed meats were also linked to elevated cancer risk. The report advocates eating no more than 11 ounces of red meat per week, and no more than one alcoholic drink per day for women, and two per day for men.

The panel specifically advocated abstinence from all processed meats, such as bacon, ham and other lunchmeats. They were unable to find a level of consumption that could be considered safe.

In addition to dietary restrictions, the report also recommended being physically active at least 30 minutes every day. Tobacco should be avoided altogether.

“Eat less and exercise more,” Frank said. “Everything else is a variant of just that — you cannot violate the laws of thermodynamics.”

WASHINGTON — Medill News Service, Nov. 1, 2007

It’s always been a good thing to quit smoking, but why is it emphasized so much NOW? Because the ingredients in cigarettes have changed so much. They may look the same, but they’re most definitely not that cigarette of old. The cigarette grandpa smoked is long gone and has been replaced by a toxic brew referred to, by the cigarette companies themselves, as a “nicotine delivery device.”

Dr. Tony George of Yale University explains that cigarette smoke now contains over 4800 chemicals, including forty-three known cancer-causing compounds and over 400 other toxins. These include nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide, as well as formaldehyde, ammonia, cyanide, arsenic and DDT. Very few of these additives were used before 1970. The “new” chemicals are there to increase nicotine delivery effectiveness and to reduce harshness. However, they have a devastating effect on the human body. The irony is that many of the poisons found in cigarette smoke are strictly regulated by federal laws…laws  which shamefully exempt tobacco products. So you can see that the tobacco industry lobbyists have been busy for many decades, and they weren’t lobbying Congress for your benefit. If you tried to get away with dumping these additives on land anywhere, -you’d be arrested. And yet it’s okay for you to smoke them?

Most of the chemicals inhaled in cigarette smoke stay in the lungs. The more you inhale, the greater the damage to your lungs. A chemical very similar to rocket fuel is infused into the paper to help keep the tip of the cigarette burning at an extremely hot temperature. This allows the nicotine in tobacco to turn into a vapor so your lungs can absorb it easily.

The ammonia is added to raise the dose of nicotine. By adding ammonia to cigarettes, nicotine in its vapor form can be absorbed by the lungs more quickly. This resembles what happens while smoking crack…allowing the brain to get a higher dose with each puff.

A total list of all the additives in a cigarette is difficult to find even though the companies have provided lists of ingredients to the Feds for more than a decade. However, it’s against the law for government officials to release that information to the public. Is it any wonder that public confidence in Congress now stands at 16%?

Let’s look at how much of these poisons are in a cigarette. Dr. Cheryl Oncken of the Yale University School of Medicine explains that in 1989 millions of cases of imported fruit were banned because a small amount of cyanide was found in two grapes. There’s THIRTY-THREE times more cyanide in a single cigarette than there was in those two grapes. In 1990, 72 million bottles of a popular mineral water were recalled because of small traces of benzene. Yet you’d have to drink 169 BOTTLES of that water in order to get the amount of benzene you inhale from only one pack of cigarettes.

A study conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Health tested a hundred brands of cigarettes and discovered an average ten percent increase in cigarette nicotine levels between 1998 and 2004. This was not an accident. Tobacco companies were hoping to increase addiction by increasing the nicotine level. This happened gradually, but Americans are finally recognizing cigarettes for what they are. The result of inhaling this witch’s brew of toxic chemicals is to deteriorate and contaminate every organ and tissue with which it comes in contact, to lessen vitality, to benumb the senses, to shorten life, to kill.

More chemicals were added to make it possible for us to tolerate the toxins in the smoke, in other words, to keep us smoking more. They were added without regard to health and with the intent to keep us addicted. As the tobacco industry saying goes, “An addicted customer is a customer for life.”  And they should add, “no matter how short that life is.”  Tobacco use is the single most preventable health problem facing us today – in fact, tobacco annually kills more people than alcohol, AIDS, car accidents, illegal drugs, murders and suicides – COMBINED.

Patrick Reynolds, son of the owner of R.J. Reynolds Company (makers of Camel and Winston) is one of America’s most outspoken critics of tobacco. He gives talks to high schools all over the country explaining how his father and older brother died of tobacco use, and why you should never start smoking. But if you did, stop today.

November is the Great American Smokeout month. November 15th is the day when millions of Americans will stop smoking for one day and because of that, many will decide to quit permanently.  Americans have learned the hard way about the dangers of smoking, so tobacco use is gradually decreasing here in the U.S. But in order to keep their sales high, the American tobacco companies are targeting the rest of the world. Anyone traveling across Russia, India, Southeast Asia, Africa or Eastern Europe can see giant billboards advertising American made cigarettes. For tobacco companies, the bottom line is far more important than the deadly effects, no matter where you live in the world. So Butt Out today.

For more info go to: www.tobaccofree.org,  www.cancer.org, www.quitsmoking.com or search “Great American Smokeout.”

Fore more information, please contact June Milligan at (775) 786-9111 or visit www.joyfulchanges.com.

According to a report published in the March/April edition of General Dentistry, phosphoric acid in soda causes tooth enamel erosion, even with minimal exposure. While some consumers may believe that sugar is the only culprit of soda’s adverse effects on dental health, enamel erosion occurs whether the soda is sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners.

“Drinking any type of soft drink poses risk to the health of your teeth,” said Kenton Ross, a dentist and spokesman for the Academy of General Dentistry.

“My patients are shocked to hear that many of the soft drinks they consume contain 9 to 12 teaspoons of sugar, and have an acidity that approaches the level of battery acid,” Ross said.

Americans drink more than 50 gallons per capita of carbonated soft drinks each year, according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, which tracks beverage consumption in nine areas: bottled water, coffee, fruit beverages, milk, tea, beer, wine, spirits and “CSDs” or carbonated soft drinks. Of the nine, carbonated soft drinks make up the largest segment of beverages consumed. The United States has the highest per-capita CSD consumption in the world.

Soft drinks are infused with phosphoric acid to add a tangy flavor. In nature, this type of flavor can be found in ginger or lemon. Inexpensive and widely available, phosphoric acid is also used in fertilizers and detergents, including industrial cleaners. Even “food grade” thermal phosphoric acid is known to sometimes contain arsenic.

“Phosphoric acid is used in shipyards to remove rust from aircraft carriers and transport ships,” explained Mike Adams, author of The Five Soft Drink Monsters, a book that teaches consumers how to beat their addiction to sugary sodas. “Consuming highly acidic substances is not only bad for your teeth but also terrible for bone health and can promote a deterioration of the jawbone, pelvis and femur. Essentially, drinking phosphoric acid dissolves away your skeletal system,” Adams said.

NewsTarget.com. Originally published April 5, 2007

by NewsTarget staff. All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. Newstarget.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NewsTarget.com/terms.shtml

The average person takes about 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day.  That is about 100,000 miles over a lifetime, or about 4 trips around the earth!  Your feet carry 100% of our weight.  They work all day every day.  They are the business end of our locomotor system, but are also intimately associated with our overall comfort, and well being.

Problems with the feet can arise in time from use, over use, or injury, from ill fitting or poor quality shoes, or standing on your feet for long hours at work — concrete being especially detrimental.

Your feet can also have a direct effect on the function of your knees, hips, and back.  It makes good sense to take care of your feet!  Walking is universally recognized as one of the best exercises you can do for your feet, so get moving and make your whole body smile!