If you live in a fairly tranquil suburban neighborhood, on a typical day this is what you will hear: leaf blowers, hedge trimmers, lawn mowers, car alarms, reverse-gear alarms, a neighbors television, a barking dog, numerous busses, booming home and car stereos, a steady procession of jet airplanes and various levels of conversations and arguments from those around you.

  Noise pollution is a “modern plague”, declared Louis Hagler, MD, and Lisa Goines in a 2007 Southern Medical Journal paper that summarized different scientific studies on the affects of noise and how it affects our health.

 Noise does not need to be loud to do damage. “Even ear safe sound levels can cause non auditory health affects”, according to Wolfgang Babisch, PhD, a scientist with the German Environmental Agency. Noise can affect sleep, fetal development and the psyche. Studies have shown that school children exposed to high levels of aircraft noise suffer impairment in reading and memory. Elderly people and those with depression are particularly sensitive to noise pollution.

 We process noise subconsciously as a danger signal that triggers a fight or flight response in our sympathetic nervous system. Even if we manage to tune it out or sleep through it, noise works insidiously, raising our blood pressure and heart rate, and causing hormonal changes with potentially far reaching consequences, including anxiety, stress, nervousness, nausea, headache, sexual impotence and mood swings.

 Environmental noise has also been linked to tinnitus, a chronic ringing in the ears that can lead to insomnia, irritability and depression. Noise has also been associated with a small increase in cardiovascular disease. The WHO estimates that in Western Europe, at least a million healthy life years are lost annually due to traffic related noise alone.

 Next week we will give you some suggestions about how to reduce the effects of noise pollution in your environment.

 In the United States, the estimated prevalence of osteoporosis is high, affecting 20-30 million people. The major risk factors for osteoporosis are increased age, female gender, white or Asian race, positive family history of osteoporosis and thin body build. Other risk factors include decreased lifelong exposure to estrogen, low calcium intake (affected also by low stomach acid and Vitamin D deficiency), sedentary lifestyle (lack of weight-bearing exercise), cigarette smoking, chronic alcohol and drug use, and diet.

 The primary goals in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis are to: (1) preserve adequate mineral mass (2) prevent loss of the protein matrix and other structural bone components and (3) assure optimal repair mechanisms to repair damaged areas of bone. 

 Call us at Vitalia to find out how you can strengthen your bones with diet and nutrition, herbal medicine and homeopathic medicines. 

 How to feed your bones:

 •            Avoid sugar, refined carbohydrates, coffee, soft drinks and alcohol.

•            Choose whole foods, especially organic, whenever possible. Eat a variety of them, vegetables and fruits especially, paying special attention to those foods that are high in bone-supporting nutrients: calcium, magnesium, boron and other minerals, Vitamins A, D, E and K, B vitamins, C, etc. The boron in pears, for example, helps to prevent osteoporosis. The vitamin E and calcium in almonds, for example, also make this food a good choice.

•            Fresh foods are always preferable to frozen and frozen foods are always preferable to canned.

•            Avoid excessive intake of animal protein as well as overall protein deficiency. Daily protein goal is 0.8g/kg body weight. Excess protein can lead to a high metabolic production of acids that can leach minerals from the bones.

•            Rely more on plant protein sources such as legumes, nuts and seeds, as opposed to meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. Cold-water fish (halibut, mackerel, salmon, tuna, etc.), in moderation, is still a good protein source and has other nutritional benefits, such as omega-3 essential fatty acids and Vitamin D.

•            A diet high in vegetables and fruits favors an optimal physiological phosphorus/calcium ratio and acid/alkaline balance, preventing the accelerated calcium loss that is observed in individuals who consume a diet high in meat, dairy products and grains.

•            Use organic low-fat or non-fat dairy products and dark green leafy vegetables that are high in absorbable calcium. The vegetables highest in calcium (in order of calcium content) include turnip greens, lambs quarters (herb), collard greens, rhubarb, spinach, broccoli, dandelion greens, mustard greens and kale.

•            Other non-dairy foods that contain significant calcium include oatmeal, fortified rice milk/soy milk/nut milk, soybeans and tofu, sesame seeds and tahini, sea vegetables, chick peas, molasses, almonds, filberts, chestnuts, baked beans, oranges, halibut, flounder, clams, oysters, shrimp, canned sardines or salmon with bones.

•            Eat salads and dark green leafy vegetables with lemon juice or cider vinegar to help increase calcium absorption.

•            Some studies indicate that foods such as spinach, chard, beet greens and chocolate contain oxalates that bind with calcium, preventing its absorption.

•            Phytic acid found in wheat and oats will bind calcium and prevent its absorption.

 Steamed vegetables:

• The primary reason for using steamed vegetables is that steaming improves the utilization or the availability of the food nutrients allowing the GI mucosa to repair itself. Use minimal raw vegetables except as a salad. Include at least 1 green vegetable daily.

• Eat a variety of any and all vegetables (except tomatoes, potatoes) that you can tolerate. It is best to try and eat mostly the lower carbohydrate (3, 6%) vegetables. For example:

3% – asparagus, bean sprouts, beet greens, broccoli, red & green cabbage, cauliflower, celery, Swiss chard, cucumber, endive, lettuce (red, green, romaine), mustard greens, parsley, radish, spinach, watercress.

6% – string beans, beets, Bok Choy, brussel sprouts, chives, collards, eggplant, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, onion, parsley, red pepper, pumpkin, rutabagas, turnip, zucchini.

15% – artichoke, parsnip, green peas, squash, carrot.

20+% – yam.

Add your favorite spices to enhance the taste of these vegetables.

 Grains:

• Eat one to two cups of cooked grains per day of those you tolerate, unless you have indications of high insulin levels such as overweight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes.

• Allowed grains include: amaranth, barley, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, quinoa, basmati or brown rice, rye, teff.

• Other grain foods that may be eaten are rice crisps and Wasa crackers.

 Legumes:      

• Eat a variety of any legumes that you are able to tolerate. Soak for 48-72 hours and cook slowly:

               split peas, lentils, kidney  beans,  pinto beans, fermented soy (tempeh or miso), mung beans,

               garbanzo beans, aduki & azuki  beans.

 Fish:

• Poach, bake, steam, or broil deep-sea ocean (vs. farmed) fish (cod, haddock, halibut, mackerel, sardines, summer flounder, wild Pacific salmon) is preferred – no shellfish (shrimp, lobster, crab, clam).

  Chicken/ Turkey:

• Eat only the meat & not the skin of free – range or organically grown chicken/turkey. Bake, broil, steam.

 Meat:

• Lamb, buffalo, venison, elk are OK

 Fruit:

• Eat only 1 or 2 pieces of practically any fruit except citrus. If possible, it is preferred to eat the fruit baked (such as a baked apple or pear). Like the vegetables, try to eat mostly the low carbohydrate fruits. For example:

3% – cantaloupe, rhubarb, strawberries, melons

6% – apricot, blackberries, cranberries, papaya, peach, plum, raspberries, kiwi

15% – apple, blueberries, cherries, grapes, mango, pear, pineapple, pomegranate

20+% – banana, figs, prunes

 Sweeteners:

• Occasionally maple syrup, rice syrup, barley syrup, raw honey or stevia – use ONLY with meals.

• Absolutely no sugar, NutraSweet, or any other sweetener is allowed.

 Seeds and Nuts:

• Grind flax, pumpkin, sesame or sunflower seeds and add to steamed vegetables, cooked grains etc. You may also eat nut and seed butters – almond, brazil, cashew, sesame etc.

 Butter/Oils:

• For butter, mix together 1 pound of organic butter and 1 cup of extra virgin olive

 oil  (from a new dark jar). Whip at room temperature and store in the refrigerator.

• Use extra virgin olive oil for all other situations requiring oil.

 Spices:

• To add a delightful flavor to your food choices, add whatever spices you enjoy.

 To Drink:

• A MINIMUM of 6 to 8 glasses of spring, bottled, filtered or reverse-osmosis filtered water every day. Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water daily. Sip the water, try to drink 1 glass per hour. A few drops of chlorophyll will add a pleasant taste. NO distilled water.

• Small amounts of soy, rice, or oat milk are allowed ONLY on cooked grains or in cooking.

 For the time being, avoid the following foods:

all animal milk, all animal cheeses, all corn products,     

commercial eggs (organic OK),  potatoes – red or white                          

tomatoes, all wheat products including breads, white flour      

citrus fruits,  all fruit juices, all dried fruit              

peanuts/ peanut butter, any processed food, fried foods       

meat – red meat (beef, pork), all caffeinated teas, coffee, alcohol

 Inflammation is associated with many disease conditions including allergies, asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, auto-immune disorders, cancer and obesity.

 A simple rule of thumb is to consider the following: If it contains flour, and/or sugar or other sweetener, it will be pro-inflammatory.

Bagels

Breads, rolls, baked goods

Candy

Cake

Cookies

Cereals (except old fashioned oatmeal)

Cornstarch

Corn bread, corn muffins

Corn syrup

Crackers

Croissants

Doughnuts

Egg rolls

Fast food

French Fries

Fruit juice—choose the fruit instead

Fried foods

Flour

Granola

Hard cheese (except for feta and grating cheeses, such as Romano and Parmesan)

Honey

Hot dogs

Ice cream, frozen yogurt, Italian ices

Jams, jellies and preserves

Margarine

Molasses

Muffins

Noodles

Pancakes

Pastry

Pie

Pita bread

Pizza

Pasta

Popcorn

Potatoes

Pudding

Relish

Rice

Sherbet

Shortening

Snack foods, including: potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, rice and corn cakes, etc.

Soda

Sugar

Tacos

Tortillas

Waffles

 Next week we will post an article that provides guidelines of what to eat in order to follow an anti-inflammatory diet.

 ·        Raw juices are concentrated foods – juices extract the vitamins and minerals, leaving out much of the indigestible fiber.  In this way we can take in a larger quantity of nutrients.

·        Raw juices are live foods – when fresh, the raw juice contains the active life giving enzymes which are thought to assist our digestive and assimilative activities.

·        Raw juices satisfy the appetite – and can actually reduce the desire for high calorie, nutrient poor food.

·        Raw juices contain medicinal substances –  these include antimicrobials, hormone supporting nutrients, anti-oxidants, diuretics, chlorophyll, mucus dissolving substances, etc.

 Major nutrients in vegetable juices are:  beta-carotene and other carotenes, B-vitamins (including folic acid), vitamin C and K, bioflavinoids, all minerals including iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, chromium, selenium, etc.

 Minor nutrients include vitamins D and E.  Most large fiber is removed although small pieces of soluble fibers can remain.

 Preparation of Juices

 ·        Select a variety of raw, fresh, unblemished vegetables, organic when possible.  Clean and wash thoroughly, preferably with an organic soap.

·        Use a juicer, not a blender.  The juicer should extract the juice into one container and discharge the pulp into another.  Cost for juicers of this type range from $70-$300.

·        Cut the vegetables into pieces, juice them and mix the various juices together.

·        Drink the juice immediately because the live enzymes can start the deterioration of the juices together.

·        Drink the juice immediately because the live enzymes can start the deterioration of the juices quickly.

·        The pulp makes excellent garden compost.

 Which raw juices do I use?

 Alfalfa – rich in all minerals and chlorophyll

Asparagus – can be a diuretic

Beet (tops & root) – cleansing to the liver, stimulating to digestion

Cabbage, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts – cleansing effect on mucus membranes of the intestine and colon; may produce intestinal gas until this cleansing is complete, can help relieve ulcers and constipation.

Carrot – nutritional, including excellent antioxidant

Celery – satisfies thirst, helps balance intake of inorganic minerals.

Cucumber – a diuretic rich in potassium

Lettuce (dark leaves) – many minerals including calcium and magnesium

Leek, onion, garlic – dissolves mucus, anti-bacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal

Parsley – benefits the blood vessels, urinary tract and nervous system

Parsnip – rich in silicon

Peppers (sweet bell) – vitamin C cleansing action on colon

Spinach – iron, cleansing and healing to the colon

Yam – has hormone strengthening compounds; bioflavinoids

 Start with one ounce of each of five or more of these vegetables.  If the taste is unfamiliar, add some apple or tomato.  Gradually increase the amount of combined juices up to one or more pints per day.  Decrease the apple and tomato and add other vegetables as desired.  Plant to vary the juices to have a larger range of nutrients and reduce the chance of developing allergies.

 Fruit Juices

 Use these sparingly as they are higher in sugars and lower in nutrients.  Unsweetened Cranberry juice, in some cases, can reduce the risk of urinary infection.

While most pet owners are clear about the immediate joys that come with sharing their lives with companion animals, many remain unaware of the physical and mental health benefits that can also accompany the pleasure of playing with or snuggling up to a furry friend. It’s only recently that studies have begun to scientifically explore the benefits of the human-animal bond. Studies have found that:

• Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.
• People with pets have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets.
• Playing with a pet can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.
• Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.
• Heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without.
• Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.
• A pet doesn’t have to be a dog or a cat. Even watching fish in an aquarium can help reduce muscle tension and pulse rate.

One of the reasons for these therapeutic effects is that most pets fulfill the basic human need to touch. Even hardened criminals in prison have shown long-term changes in their behavior after interacting with pets, many of them experiencing mutual affection for the first time. Stroking, holding, cuddling, or otherwise touching a loving animal can rapidly calm and soothe us when we’re stressed. The companionship of a pet can also ease loneliness, and some pets are a great stimulus for healthy exercise, which can substantially boost mood.

How pets can help to make healthy lifestyle changes

Adopting healthy lifestyle changes can play an important role in easing symptoms of depression, stress, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and anxiety, Caring for a pet can help with those healthy lifestyle changes by:

• Increasing exercise. Exercise doesn’t have to involve boring repetition at a gym. Taking a dog for a walk, riding a horse, or simply chasing a kitten around are fun ways to fit healthy daily exercise into your schedule.
• Providing companionship. Isolation and loneliness can make disorders such as depression even worse. Caring for a living animal can help make you feel needed and wanted, and take the focus away from your problems. Most pet owners talk to their pets, some even use them to work through their troubles.
• Helping meet new people. Pets can be a great social lubricant for their owners. Dog owners frequently stop and talk to each other on walks or in a dog park. Pet owners also meet new people in pet stores, clubs, and training classes.
• Reducing anxiety. The companionship of a dog can offer comfort, help ease anxiety, and build self-confidence for people anxious about going out into the world.
• Adding structure and routine to your day. Many pets, especially dogs, require a regular feeding and exercise schedule. No matter your mood—depressed, anxious, or stressed—you’ll always have to get out of bed to feed, exercise, and care for your pet.
• Providing sensory stress relief. Touch and movement are two healthy ways to quickly manage stress. This could involve petting a cat or taking a dog for a walk.

Pets and older adults

The key to aging well is to effectively handle life’s major changes, such as retirement, the loss of loved ones, and the physical changes of aging. Pets can play an important role in healthy aging by:

• Helping you find meaning and joy in life. As you age, you’ll lose things that previously occupied your time and gave your life purpose. You may retire from your career or your children may move far away. Caring for a pet can bring pleasure and help boost your morale and optimism. Taking care of an animal can also provide a sense of self-worth.
• Staying connected. Maintaining a social network isn’t always easy as you grow older. Retirement, illness, death, and moves can take away close friends and family members. And making new friends can get harder. Dogs especially are a great way for seniors to spark up conversations and meet new people.
• Boosting vitality. You can overcome many of the physical challenges associated with aging by taking good care of yourself. Pets encourage playfulness, laughter, and exercise, which can help boost your immune system and increase your energy.

Join us Thursday, March 8th at 6pm for a free, informative lecture on how to balance your hormones naturally and get relief from hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain and sleep issues.  

 Dr. Wolf will discuss the various underlying causes of hormonal imbalance and give you strategies to correct them.  

 Location:

PHARMACA Integrative Pharmacy

6985 El Camino Real

Carlsbad, CA

92009

 Please call to register at 760-444-3800.

Each guest will receive a complimentary gift bag!

 Preventing the spread of the cold

Contamination studies have demonstrated that viral infections are spread much more readily by direct contact than through the air.  Therefore cleanliness and not sharing utensils, toothbrushes, etc. should be observed.  This is especially important with babies and young infants as they have a greater tendency to be held and touched.

 Here are some vitamins and minerals that support immune function

A properly functioning immune system requires adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals. Typical adult dosages for use DURING an infection are as follows:

·  Vitamin A – 25,000-50,000 IU per day

·  Beta Carotene – 200, 000 IU per day

·  Zinc – 30 milligrams per day

·  Bioflavonoids – 1 gram per day

·  Vitamin C – 1-3 grams per day

 Vitamin C has been shown to decrease the duration of a common cold if given in large amounts (up to 8 grams per day) at the initial onset

 Botanical (herbal) medicines

Here are some herbal medicines that are effective for their immune stimulating and antiviral properties:

·  Echinacea

·  Astragulas

·  Licorice

·  Hydrastis

 Hydrastis is also considered to have antimicrobial properties which can be effective against bacterial infection.  Dosages depend on the form in which they are taken – i.e. tinctures, raw plant or solid extract.

 Dietary changes to make when you are sick

Diet  modifications necessary to support the immune system:

·  Decrease consumption of solid foods.

·  Increase consumption of water and fluids.

·  Eliminate completely all simple sugars and fruit juices.

 Rest and decreased activity cannot be overemphasized. Let your body rest so it can heal!

 Soaking the grains activates enzymes that help you digest them better.  If you follow a gluten-free diet, please see notes at the end of the article. 

 When purchasing ingredients, in all cases, fresh (especially organic) is preferred to frozen and frozen is preferred to canned. When purchasing seeds, buying organic is especially important, since many non-organic seeds are coated with an anti-fungal agent, Captan, that is especially toxic and usually appears as a pink-colored residue on the seeds.

 4 cups              Rolled Grains                      

Begin by using the following proportions, adjusting as necessary: 2 cups  Rolled oats (flakes) plus 2 cups of some other available grain (rye, barley,  rolled rice flakes, etc.). Use 4 cups rolled oats if other grains are unavailable. Choose grains that are edible after soaking only—no cooking of the foods in this recipe is done, on purpose.

 2 cups            Oat Bran (use rice bran if gluten-sensitive)

 ½ cup             Fruits (fresh, dried, frozen. Raisins, dates, blueberries, strawberries, etc. (without preservatives only)

 1 cup               Sunflower and/or Pumpkin Seeds (can be ground)                  

1 cup               Nuts (raw, chopped, unsalted.  Begin with walnuts and almonds

 1 cup              Lecithin Granules

 1 cup               Ground Flax Seed *

 1 cup               Milk Thistle Seeds * (Silybum marianum)

 ½ cup              Chia Seeds (optional) or Sesame Seeds

 To taste        Spices

 Try coriander, fennel, and/or turmeric according to taste. Begin with 1 teaspoon of each. Other favorites include ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, “apple pie” or “pumpkin pie” blends.

 *Flax and milk thistle seeds are available at most health food stores. Grind them in a coffee grinder, blender, meat grinder or mortar and pestle.

 Combine all ingredients and keep in refrigerator. Soak the mixture for 30 minutes or longer before eating (i.e. overnight). For soaking, use water, soy milk, rice milk, nut milk (see recipe below), apple juice, etc.

•   To make almond milk, blend ½ cup almonds with 2 cups water.
•   Prior to using fruit juice for soaking, dilute the fruit juice with an equal amount of water (in order to limit simple sugar intake).
•   To increase protein value, eat with yogurt, cottage cheese or tofu.

 NOTE: This diet is intended to strengthen the immune system and is not designed to be hypoallergenic. It may contain foods to which some individuals have food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities and, in those cases, those foods should be avoided. (For example, individuals with gluten (gliadin) intolerance or sensitivity need to avoid wheat, spelt, rye, triticale, oats, barley and kamut, while other grains for them are safe to consume. Dairy products can also provoke or exacerbate their condition and are best avoided. Individuals with Herpes simplex should routinely avoid peanuts, nuts, seeds, chocolate, wheat germ, granola and coconut. During active outbreaks, these individuals should also avoid whole grains, legumes, sprouts, carob, vegetables with edible seeds and citrus fruits.)

 Resources

1.     Cavanaugh, Christopher (Editor-in-Chief). Strengthen Your Immune System. 2001. The Reader’s Digest Association.

This conclusion has been disputed by many scientists. But careful analysis of the best studies to date indicate that people who log the most cell phone minutes are more likely to develop tumors on the same side of the head that they hold the cell phone, compared with those who use cell phones less often.

 Disturbing Research:

The largest study of cell – phone use, known as Interphone, was conducted in 13 countries over a 10 – year period. The study, published in International Journal of Epidemiology, found that people who used cell phones for at least 1,640 hours over the 10 – year period, which is about 30 minutes a day, had a 40% higher risk of developing a glioma, a deadly type of brain tumor. 

The development of a brain tumor to the point that it can be detected often takes 20 to 30 years. The fact that these tumors are showing up after 10 years of exposure is disturbing because it is much faster than expected.

 The Interphone study defined “heavy use” as using a cell phone for about 30 minutes a day. How many minutes are you on your cell phone each day?

 While the debate rages on about whether cell phones are dangerous or not…Here are some ways to be safer about your use:

 The fine print in cell phone manuals usually advises users to hold the phone at least 7/8 of an inch away from the ear. Farther is better. Try to use speakerphone mode.

 Wait for good reception. Cell phones emit much higher levels of radiation when the antenna is sending out signals to search for a tower or satellite. These signals can travel hundreds of miles and the poorer the reception, the greater the radiation emitted by your cell phone.

 Use a hollow – tube headset. This is the safest type of headset because the last few inches, those closest to the ear, consist of a hollow tube. This hollow tube transmits sound like a stethoscope. Wired headsets need to be kept away from the body because the continuous wire that runs from the phone to the earpiece will expose you to some unnecessary radiation. Hollow – tube headsets can be purchased at www.Mercola.com www.WaveShield.com/products

 Use “airplane mode.” Even when you’re not talking on a cell phone, the phone is sending out signals every few minutes to search for the nearest tower. Turn off the phone when you’re not using it. Or switch it to airplane mode so that it can’t send or receive signals, but you still can use the phone to listen to music, watch videos and check your calendar.

 Keep the phone on your desk when working. When the phone is switched on, don’t keep it in your pocket or attached to your belt. This is particularly important for men. Preliminary research indicates that men who keep their phones close to their bodies (often in holsters or pockets) have lower sperm counts and poorer sperm quality than those without this exposure. We do not know the effects on egg cells because they are more difficult to harvest.

 Text instead of talk. There’s a burst of radiation when you send or receive a text message, but the intensity and duration of the radiation are lower than when you talk. Texting is a better alternative to talking on your cell phone, but keep the phone as far away from your body as possible. Normal clothing, including leather, will not reduce your exposure.

 Don’t use your phone in a car, train or bus. Using a cell phone inside a metal vehicle can increase levels of radiation due to reflection and the fact that your cell – phone signal has to be higher to exit the vehicle. The best practice is to keep the phone off or in airplane mode and to check it periodically for messages. Then return messages by text or use a landline phone later.   

Reference: www.drmercola.com