O PEK BOK Nie ( Drug Stoppage Artery )

This TAKE me based on my experience of my new natural 6 Months ago, and may be useful for our friends who have experienced the same thing as me and can heal with a very affordable cost.

At 6 months ago I examined on a cardiologist at the hospital Medistra, this I do remember I have reached the age of 55 yr. Where a lot of friends in junior high already on the disease, the Creator, because I experienced the same, and they all called tragic average in the office are working.

Examination results on the laboratory examination blood, all red, just a few that are still green. Trigliserin, SGPT, SGOT, Tendon acid, Cholesterol, Blood Pressure 180/120 all topsy turvy red.EKG so I recommended to check for heart valve and thick wall of the heart, have been good to me and send Scanning the heart, the result is very surprising and I in - Vonni's blood vessel in the heart blocked of 70%, and suggested the cathetrizationfor any Ring / Stand of 3 pcs, where per Ring / Stand at IDR. 30 million not including labor costs.

Consequently due to fraudulent check the heart, even a thought, where children are still studying, cared fo many dog and a wife who I think is too bad to be abandoned .... I start to disassemble drawer-drawer late beloved mother who ... meet ripped (of paper size paper with any posts in the folder with neat letters important, I start looking for people who can read it ... was translated after the intravenous drug plug FUNGUS BLACK WHITE.

Materials prescription O PEK BOK Nie:

Mushroom of black and white: 45 Gram
Ang Cho: 10 seeds
Ginger slices: 8 Iris (2mm thick)
Pig meat (Is In) / Chicken chect : 60 Gram
Water: 8 Glass

Materials to be washed clean and in boiled fire with small (It's better with the slow Cooker) and the use of clay pot (POT USE NO METAL!). Until the remaining 2 Glass. Raw material be removed only taken water.

How to drink:

Wake up in the morning sleeping in the empty stomach, drink 1 Glass
The night before bed drink 1 cup again.

Number of days:

Drinking every day for 24 days (24 Set)

After drinking for 24 days (24 Set), can be repeated once every 2 hours 12 set, for maintenance.

After I set my lap 24 by phone Hospital that I must have been in cathetrization , and a schedule has been provided, with a very careful not known I check my blood back in the hospital laboratory truly surprising results, where the red and 2 live that slightly above the threshold limit of the above.

After that I to calm myself, and I go back to the hospital and in the Medistra cathetrization wrist, entered the lapse to the heart, and a similarsyringe liquids that can change colors, so we can see where the clog through the TV as a monitor. Suddenly the Professor said: Why not have a blocked yes! .... Praised God, said in my heart, apparently owing to the prescription O PEK BOK Nie impasse in the vein I work smoothly again, and the thickness of blood, I also overcame.

Now, once every 2 monthI check my heart with result normal EKG, blood normal thickness. Blood pressure 120/90, results of blood checks have everything back to normal.

With the hope that this paper can help friends who have experienced similar things, and for those who are in the Ring / Stand can also drinking to maintain.

In Addition Pre-Mentruation Syndrome (PMS) & Painful Menstruation According To Natural

Menstruation was bleeding from the womb with mucous discharge womb that occurs periodically and monthly. Every healthy women who are not pregnant and do not get menopause will menstruation on a regular basis each month.

Disruption of normal experience of women around the menstruation including pain and pre-menstruation syndrome (PMS).

A. Pre-Menstruation syndrome (PMS) pre-menstruation syndrome is a collection of symptoms that appear between 1 and 14 days before the menstruation and usually stops when menstruation start. Symptoms may include a complaint that the physiological system of the body and psychological symptoms that cause mental and emotional problems.

STDs are common, especially in the age range of women in pregnancy, between 25 - 45 years old. The percentage of people with STDs higher in women who use the pill and the birth KB. Clarity about the causes of PMS is not yet known exactly, but any relationship with hormonal changes. There was an increase in the hormone estrogen causes sudden imbalance progesterone-hormone estrogen in the body.

Levels of illness and a variety of PMS symptoms can vary in every woman who suffering, the symptoms of mild to disrupt that and worse. The variety of symptoms of PMS can include a combination of the following:

Psychological symptoms: change in behavior includes / personnel like feeling sensitive, easily offended or angry, anxious, restlessness, easy to cry, not comfortable mood, fatigue, depression, irritation, less confident, nervous, confused, difficult concentration, sleep disturbances, desire sexual changes.

Physical symptoms: breast pain and swell, flatulence, nausea and stomach cramps, back pain, joint pain, stiff neck and tense, headache, arising whelk, tap the heart and not regular pulse, shortness of breath, diarrhea or constipation, food craze of the food is usually salty / savory and sweet.

Pre-menstruation syndrome (PMS) is actually only a physical problem, people must learn to mitigate symptoms alone. Here are some tips that can be done to overcome the pre-menstruation syndrome (PMS):

- Make a light sports such as walking, cycling or swimming. Do regularly 3 times a week for 20-30 minutes each time you exercise. This is useful to relax muscles and joints and reduce the liquid hoarding.

- Diet low fat, salt and sugar but high protein and fiber to help reduce the excess estrogen and to reduce swelling breast.

- The consumption of foods rich in anti-compound STDs, such as rough Fiber (fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains); Vitamin B6 (fresh fish, tuna, liver, beans, rice, avocado, banana); Seng (liver, shellfish, salmon, chicken, lobster); Calcium (soybean, tempe, know, havermuts, teri, canned sardine), Magnesium (lalap raw green vegetables, apples, mede peanut, soybean, tempe, seafood).

- Avoid foods and drinks containing caffeine, alcohol and nicotine for 2 weeks before the menstruation.

- Drink fluids to 8 glasses each day

- Sleep well at night. If PMS disrupt sleep tonight try siesta

- Make rileksasi techniques such as in-breathe in, yoga, meditation or be sub merger in hot water.

Natural therapy:

- 200 grams, 150 grams of cucumber leaf green mustard greens, washed clean blended ago, and then drink. (To reduce tension and breast pain associated with PMS)

- 6 grains angco (dates china) + 10 + lotus seed grains 10 grams, 20 grams of ginger ginger, boiled with water up to 500 cc remaining 200 cc, filtered, drunk warm-warm, and angco seed teratainya eaten. (To increase energy, the tired, the flatulence, nausea and stiff / sore muscles).

- Note: Angco and lotus seeds can be purchased at Chinese medicine shops or supermarkets.

B. Sick Menstruation (Dysmenorrheal)

Soreness when menstruation gynecology complaint is the most common and experienced by many women. Pain is not known for certain causes, but hormone imbalance factors and psychological factors can influence. Pain is likely the result of the increased seekers hormone prostaglandin that causes increased contraction uterus, this type of pain menstruation attack many teenagers and adults to take place.

In addition, painful menstruation can also relate to the interference gynecologist as mimosa, endometriosis, pelvic inflammation disease, and the tumor from the pelvis, usually occurs in older women who previously did not experience pain menstruation. To menstruation pain-related interference gynecologist it must be fixed first.

Symptoms of painful menstruation among which are: the pain does not come regularly, and sharp cramps in the bottom of the stomach. Menstruation pain is often followed by a pre-menstruation syndrome (flatulence, breast pain, headache, nausea, vomiting, and irritabilities).

Here are some tips to overcome the pain when menstruation:

- Paste compress hot / warm or hot water bottle on the stomach.

- Massage soft abdomen slowly

- Bedroom sprawl and support the knee pad

- Make a light sports such as calisthenics, walking, cycling or made before and during menstruation to expedite the flow of blood to the muscles around the uterus, so that pain can be reduced or overcame.

Next herbal therapy to overcome painful menstruation:

Recipe 1.

Ingredients: 30 grams ginger buffoonery 25 grams 15 grams 25 grams ginger black tamarind and palm sugar sufficient.

How to use:

The material to be washed clean and cut-cut, boiled with water up to 600 cc remaining 300 cc, filtered drinking water for 2 times a day, every time you drink 150 cc.

Recipes 2.

Materials:

3 rosebud merah15 gram turmeric leaf dewa25

How to use:

All materials to be washed clean and cut-cut, then boiled with water up to 600 cc remaining 300 cc, filtered, drink 2 times a day, every time you drink 150 cc.

Note: select one of the prescription, in the boiling pot use or enamel pot soil .***

Grapeseed Extract, Prophylactic Accurate for Free Radicals

So far we only know the wine as one of the fruit dessert, or drink as a basic class luxury. But more than that, it seems that behind the sweet wine that has a womb antioxidants naturally high enough work to help protect the skin from free radicals *). Grapeseed extract or grape seed extract is a bioflavonoid, the natural materials that can strengthen and protect the cells alive. Gynecology grape seed extract on the OPC or Olygomer Procyanidolic Complex 50 times more powerful than vitamin E and 20 times than Vitamin C. Because of the high bioflavonoidnya womb, grape seed extract and effective for antialergi, antipembengkakan, and antioxidants. If consumed through oral (supplement), grape seed extract can strengthen the blood vessel and to help facilitate the circulation of blood. Meanwhile, in the skin, grape seed extract to help maintain skin health through antioksidannya. In Europe, the doctors have started meresepkan wine seed extract to help prevention and recovery of various diseases such as heart trouble, varises, collagen damage and arthritis. When we grow, the ability in the body against free radical decrease, especially with the lifestyle and eating patterns are not regular, and also that the dirty air and berpolusi, causing our bodies continuously attacked by free radicals almost anywhere we are. Gynecology bioflavonoid extract from grape seeds called proantocyanidin can also help strengthen and protect the cells from Membrane oxidation reactions caused by free radicals. Oriflame in September 2007 presents a series of GRAPE-based extract natural organic grape seed, obtained from the vineyards planted without pesticides and chemical fertilizers, so that the resulting high quality and purity that is also safe for the environment. GRAPE series consists of 3 products daily and 1 weekly care products, suitable for normal to combination skin. All formulated with 100% natural extracts that contain organic wine property's pristine nature, are directly on your skin.

Would Everyone Stop S#!t-Talking Larabars Already?!

How I wish that I could have some prepackaged real food right about now.

Although I'd like to admit otherwise, I have not been enjoying packing lunches lately. Everyday seems to be some alternating version of ham, salami or AB and J with some chopped up veggies and whole fruit, perhaps the occasional pickle. Thing 1 does not have access to a microwave to heat up dinner leftovers, but even if he did he wouldn't necessarily eat them. School lunch is included in the cost of his tuition and he would rather eat the junkier nutrition-light fare that the school serves. Since we end up wasting alot, I wish (at the very least) that lunch was easier to prepare. I wish there were more ready to eat, individually sized foods that met my high standards.

One such product that I continually buy is Larabars. Larabars are ground date, dried fruit and nut combinations that are easy to carry for snacks, always get eaten and can be thrown into a lunch box at 9:30 PM with virtually no thought. Larabars are a product I trust. They use only Non-GMO ingredients, contain no sweeteners at all and they always get eaten no matter what the school is serving.

There are many foodies and bloggers who LOVE Larabars because they are all real food and they taste great. But I continue to read those that just s%!t-talk Larabars. The main complaints ate that the bars are prohibitively expensive and too calorie dense.

Yes, Larabars are pricey when you consider what they are. At $1.69 or more per 200 calorie bar, it can really add up, especially when you have more than one child. We do not eat Larabars every day. They are a special treat. So I will buy 4 or 5 a week and we will all have one or two. The Things will even accept Larabars as dessert which is proof that they really do see them as a treat.

I have made Almond Date Truffles, as I like to call them, before. My version is heavier on nuts than Larabars but essentially they are the same thing. My almond-date balls took almost an hour to make and roll and, because I used organic everything, cost probably as much or more than an equal amount of Larabars. Normally I would assume that any homemade version of a prepackaged item would cost more, because we would use better quality ingredients. But I don't worry about the quality of the nuts and fruits in Larabars and we do not eat 100% organic. I have made the truffles a couple of times, but I didn't feel that the extra money and all the extra work involved were justified when Larabars are so easy and right there.

And of course, people downplay Larabars because they are calorie dense, i.e.- fattening. Now that really is some s#!t talk! Yet I can't really deny it. For their size, Larabars have alot of calories. However this is where we have to use our brains. Just because something is real food doesn't mean that you can pig out on it and eat 12 with no consequences! Yes, dates (the main ingredient in all Larabars) are extremely high in sugar. However dates are also a source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin B6 and they contain countless other vitamins and minerals in smaller quantities. Dates are also an excellent source of dietary fiber. (Check out the nutrition data for dates.) Usually I break a bar in half and split it between the kids. They are so sweet that they never ask for more. And because they are made from real food, there are no manipulating added favors or sugars to make them feel addicted.

Because they are pricey and high in calories, Larabars are not an every day snack for me or my children. BUT, I am not so sure there is any one food that we eat every single day. We strive for varied balanced diets. And Larabars certainly fit into that balance. I am happy that they do not contain wheat, since my kids seem to be bombarded with wheat wherever we turn. If you haven't tried Larabars for either of these reasons, consider cutting them in half. Try them for that 4 PM slump. Stick them into your kids lunchbox to know that they'll be full until school let's out. And definitely try the chocolate ones, because what other chocolate-y bar on the market can boast all the antioxidant benefits of unsweetened cocoa with truly zero added sugar? And to the Larabar company, if you like what you read, would you mind sending me a free box? Please??? Haha, just kidding!

Enjoy!!

Native Vines Grow on You

While I have a number of native vines in the natural area of my yard, it was several years before I decided to add new ones to the landscaped areas.  Perhaps I was a little afraid that a vine would be too aggressive.  Eventually, their beauty overcame any fear – I wanted to see the large and colorful blooms of crossvine (Bignonia capreolata), to support hummingbirds with the red tubal flowers of our native honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), to delight my visitors with the delicate bells of our native leather-flower (Clematis viorna), and to be wowed by the springtime show of Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens).

Pale passionflower, Passiflora lutea

I also learned more about how they support native wildlife: from hummingbirds and insect pollinators to birds that eat their berries and insects that feed on their foliage.  I was inspired by Doug Tallamy’s story about growing Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) just so that he could observe the larvae of the Pandorus sphinx moth (Eumorpha pandorus).  I decided that planting more vines would increase the diversity of host plants to support insects that feed on foliage.

The first thing to consider about vines – as it would be for any kind of plant – is how they grow.  For vines that means considering HOW they climb.  Each vine has its own way of climbing:

Twine – a vine that twines will physically wrap itself around small branches or trunks of other plants or around supports provided by the gardener.  Trying to grow such a vine next to a solid wall without any twine-able support would be an exercise in futility.  Honeysuckle (Lonicera spp.) and Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) are two that twine.

Lonicera sempervirens

Cling – a vine that clings will physically attach itself to a wall, a fence or another plant.  This same vine may cause damage to structures when you try to detach it!  Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) and wood vamp (Decumaria barbara) are both clingers; the creeper clings with little adhesive discs while the vamp clings with aerial roots.

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Decumaria barbara

Tendril – a vine with tendrils anchors itself to another plant or thin support via curly tendrils.  Vines like grape (Vitis spp.) have very thick tendrils while clematis (Clematis spp.) have thin tendrils.

A grape latches onto a nearby oak sapling

Ramble – a vine that rambles is really a shrub with long branches and usually requires physical support (e.g., tying it to an arbor or structure) initially.  Roses are ramblers.

Knowing the difference in how they grow helps me quickly identify two evergreen vines in the wild: Gelsemium sempervirens (a twiner) and Bignonia capreolata (a clinger).  But as I said, the real reason to know is so that the environment that you place them in will be one where they can thrive.  Unfortunately, I speak from experience!

Passiflora lutea waltzing through my plumleaf azalea

If you select a vine that twines or has tendrils, be sure to provide some support for the vine or it will twine all over itself and make a bit of a mess.  You can use a fence with slender rails, a metal trellis, or you can even supplement the area with sturdy twine or rope stretched out in a vertical fashion.  I've seen the native coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) twine throughout a chain link fence beautifully - the fence was almost obscured.  Of course you can let the vine scramble over other shrubs or small trees if you like.  Passionflower (Passiflora spp.) is perennial but not woody so it takes a different path through my shrubs every year as it grows.

If you select a vine that clings, be sure to consider where it is going to cling.  Allowing a vine to cling to a wooden house is not recommended as it could collect and hold moisture, permitting some rot over time.  But a clinging vine can happily climb up a tree if you like.  I recently trained Virginia creeper to climb up my store-bought landscape blocks.  I'm looking forward to having it improve the looks of those boring concrete blocks.

That's all there is to understand - now you can consider what native vines you might like to grow!  Most vines do love sun.  They will tolerate some shade but you may not get the amount of blooms that you want. Here are some of the ones that I would recommend:

Crossvine - Bignonia capreolata: clings, evergreen, large and colorful trumpet-shaped flowers in spring.
Coral honeysuckle - Lonicera sempervirens: twines, semi-evergreen, bright red flowers for hummingbirds in summer.
Carolina jessamine - Gelsemium sempervirens: twines, evergreen, early flowering spring vine, can be aggressive.
Passionflower - Passiflora incarnata (purple) or P. lutea (yellow): tendrils, host plant for Gulf Fritillary butterfly.
Leather-flower clematis - Clematis viorna: tendrils, unusual flowers. Good reference here.
Virgin's bower clematis - Clematis virginiana: tendrils, white flowers, can be aggressive.
Virginia creeper -  Parthenocissus quinquefolia: clings, decorative blue berries, outstanding fall color.
Wood vamp - Decumaria barbara: clings, semi-evergreen in protected areas; also known as climbing hydrangea.
Rose - Rosa setigera: rambles, has rose hips for wildlife.
Wisteria - Wisteria frutescens: twines, blooms at a young age, not as aggressive as the Asian species, but also not very fragrant. Generally sold as a cultivar like 'Amethyst Falls'.

Cultivars are available now for many native vines, and I've heard that even some of the trumpet creeper cultivars (Campsis radicans) are not as aggressive as the species.  I'll believe that when I see it - that's a vine that really should just be grown on telephone poles!

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Passiflora incarnata

Campsis radicans

Lonicera sempervirens

Rapid Aging and EMF Exposure

Selections from Natural Health News

Natural Health News: Real EMF Danger

Jul 15, 2010

Real EMF Danger. Vatican radio waves blamed for high cancer risk ... Posted by herbalYODA at 15:49 · Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook. Labels: cancer and EMF, EMF. 1 comments: West Coast Family ...

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/

Natural Health News: Real EMF Danger: Your Brain on a Cell Phone

Jun 05, 2010

(CNN) -- San Francisco, California, likely will become the first U.S. city to require cell phone companies to disclose how much radiation their gadgets emit. The city's board of supervisors voted 10-1 on Tuesday in favor of a law ...

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/

Natural Health News: Cell Phones, Other EMF Exposure and Your ...

May 01, 2010

MAY IS ELECTROSENSITIVITY MONTH, many states are promoting this as a health education event. Cell Phone Radiation Levels · FCC Consumer Resources: Wireless Devices Even though some people who submit ...

http://naturalhealthnews.blogspot.com/

Natural Health News: More on health risks of EMF

Feb 14, 2009

Quite a few years ago I presented a program to some nurses in Lewiston, Idaho focused on the health impact of EMF and a coming storm of health problems that would be - more likely than not - unable to be diagnosed by ...

Later This Week, I Promise

Snow...Football....Giants...I will be back later this week. I PROMISE!!

The Promise of Spring

The grey days of January can be a discouraging time for the gardener.  The once bright and crisp leaves of fall have faded to brown and lie crushed and torn on the ground, belittled by winter rains, freezing temperatures, and time itself.  Deciduous tree limbs are bare, and perennial flower stalks rattle in the wind, their seeds mostly gone now.  Native plants need this time to develop their roots and resources.  But in Georgia, if we look hard enough, we can still spot the promise of spring.

Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa

Last weekend I spied my first Hepatica americana bloom (now Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa) – right on schedule.  I was sorry to note that this was the second bloom, the first had already faded and was forming a seed capsule.  I went walking to see what else I could find.

Antennaria plantaginifolia

As my feet moved along the path, the decomposing leaves fluttered to the side, revealing the grey-green foliage of Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia).  These and other semi-evergreen plants like fairywand (Chamaelirium luteum) and green and gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) patiently tolerate the loose leaf cover; if you look closely, you can see the buds of new leaves already formed, waiting for the longer days and warmth of spring.

Evergreen gingers like Heartleaf (Hexastylis arifolia) and Shuttleworth (H. shuttleworthii) are getting the last bit of use out of their leaves. New leaves will replace these fading ones which are a bit tattered and droopy now.  As spring gets closer, sometimes I pull away the leaf duff to see if the flowers are visible yet. It’s a demonstration of my impatience – I love the hidden flowers of our native gingers. Perhaps I should keep a journal to remember which day they will bloom.

Hexastylis arifolia

As I make my way around the back of the house I notice that elderberry leaves (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis) are emerging already along the pale stems.  One of my St. John’s wort species also has tiny new leaves already. The blue-green foliage of the columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) soaks up the sun; it never really disappears either.  Above it, the flower buds on the blueberries (Vaccinium sp.) are plump in expectation of flowering in the next month or so; their flowers are some of the earliest, timed to nourish the bumblebees emerging from hibernation.

Blueberry, Vaccinium sp.

I see the berries are ripening on the wax myrtle (Morella cerifera) – turning a beautiful shade of blue-grey. Juniper berries (Juniperus virginiana) are ready for the birds that love them - birds like cedar waxwings, bluebirds, and robins.  And while I was looking at the berries, I saw that the new cones are forming on the juniper, no different than the flower buds already waiting on the tips of the dogwood (Cornus florida) branches.

Berries on Morella cerifera

New cones on Juniperus virginiana

And on the deck, stashed in rows of 1 gallon pots, is one of my favorite promises: the tender foliage emerging from the seed of a red buckeye, Aesculus pavia.  Yes, spring is on the way, but it does need every moment of winter to get ready for it -- I'll wait right here.

Seedling Aesculus pavia

Money: Who Gets Healthcare at What Cost

5% of Americans Made Up 50% of U.S. Healthcare Spending


And the top 1%? They made up one fifth of medical expenditures.


from The Atlantic


"When it comes to America's spiraling health care costs, the country's problems begin with the 5%. In 2008 and 2009, 5% of Americans were responsible for nearly half of the country's medical spending.

Of course, healthcare has its own 1% crisis. In 2009, the top 1% of patients accounted for 21.8% of expenditures.

The figures are from a new study by the Department of Health and Human Services, which examined how different U.S. demographics contributed to medical costs. It looked at the $1.26 trillion spent by civilian, non-institutionalized Americans each year on health care.
The top 5% of spenders paid an annual average of $35,829 in doctors' bills. By comparison, the bottom half paid an average $232 and made up about 3% of total costs.
Aside from the fact that such a tiny fraction of the country was responsible for so much of our expenses, it also found that high spenders often repeated from year to year. Those chronically ill patients skewed white and old and were twice as likely to be on public healtcare as the general population.
The graph below looks at how many people remained in each tranche of healthcare spending in both 2008 and 2009. One fifth of the top 1% of healthcare spenders in 2008 also were in the top 1% a year later. More than a third of those in the top 5% stayed there both years.
According to this follow-up chart, elderly patients, aged 65 or older, made up 13.2% of the population in 2009. But they were 42.9 of the patients among the top 10% of spenders in both 2008 and 2009. Middle-aged Americans made up another 40.1% of that category.
America's healthcare spending crisis is a concentrated phenomenon. The challenge isn't just about making everybody's insurance cheaper (although that would be nice). It's about figuring out how to cut costs, wisely and fairly, for the disastrously ill and preventing diseases before they become chronic. This is America's 5% problem."

My view is that we have moved so far from prevention that it will take years before this urgently needed philosophy returns to US health care process.

Doctors Required to Report Payments from Drug and Device Firms

UPDATE: 26 January
Dialing for Doctors - 

Financial Ties Bind Medical Societies to Drug and Device Makers

18 January

To head off medical conflicts of interest, the Obama administration is poised to require drug companies to disclose the payments they make to doctors for research, consulting, speaking, travel and entertainment.

Many researchers have found evidence that such payments can influence doctors’ treatment decisions and contribute to higher costs by encouraging the use of more expensive drugs and medical devices.

Consumer advocates and members of Congress say patients may benefit from the new standards, being issued by the government under the new health care law. Officials said the disclosures increased the likelihood that doctors would make decisions in the best interests of patients, without regard to the doctors’ financial interests.  

Read complete article

Energy Drinks

UPDATE:15 January 2012

Once again energy drinks are in the news and it appears that it isn't good (no surprise!).
Agence France-Presse reports that "Australia experts call for energy drink warnings".


We encourage you to check out the almost two dozen articles we have posted on Natural Health News about this subject .  We also invite you to consider our organic natural herbal blend, herbalYODA's sportZtea, in place of these drinks over loaded with caffeine, artificial flavoring, artificial coloring, and worst of all artificial sweeteners like aspartame, acesulfame K, and Splenda.  The sports food bars are not far off with too much sugar and too many GMO ingredients.

Learn more here and here.

Researchers in Australia called for health warnings on caffeine-loaded energy drinks following a spike in the number of people reporting medical problems after drinking them.
Health professionals from the University of Sydney's Medical School and the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre said reports of adverse reactions to drinks like Red Bull and V jumped from just 12 in 2004 to 65 in 2010.
Over the seven years to 2010, 297 calls for assistance were recorded with at least 128 people hospitalised with symptoms including heart palpitations, agitation and stomach upsets.
Of these, 20 people had more serious issues, such as seizures and hallucinations.
The study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia on Monday, said the average person affected was 17 years old and that they often mixed energy drinks with alcohol.
"Our study demonstrates the extent of the growing problem in Australia with energy drink consumption and toxicity, particularly among adolescents," the study's authors wrote.
"Given the clear evidence of toxicity and the growing number of hospitalisations associated with consumption of energy drinks... health authorities should increase awareness of the problem, improve package labelling and regulate caffeine content."
They recommended that "labelling and any marketing of these products should include appropriate health warnings and the national poisons hotline number". A can of energy drink may contain up to 300 milligrams of caffeine -- compared to an average 65-120mg for a cup of drip coffee -- and Poisons Centre medical director Naren Gunja called for more thorough regulation.
"Things to look at would be... how much caffeine do these drinks contain, how many can you buy at once, what age should you be when you buy them, should there be an age limit to being sold the drinks," he said.

Originally posted September 2008


Five years ago I released one of my long used herbal formulas on two college campuses to try to provide help to reduce college binge drinking. My formula makes it so you just don't drink too much, and certainly not enough to get drunk.

Learning that many people mix energy drinks with alcohol is also a concern to me.

In addition to the herbs to help stem the tide of drinking, and in relation to developing my sports enhancement formula (ADVENTURX), I revived the sports drink herbal blend I used to mix up for my kids and others years ago.

You can use my organic, herbal 'sportZtea' blend as the basis for your sports drinks while saving money and avoiding stimulants and caffeine. Using the 'tea' with ADVENTURX makes a lot more sense.

Energy drinks: What you need to know
By David Liu, Ph.D.
Sep 28, 2008
Editor's note: Please note that the statement "Energy drinks are soft drinks (meaning with alcohol) that ---" is incorrect. The author meant to say "Energy drinks are soft drinks (meaning without alcohol) that ---." By definition, soft drinks are non-alcoholic beverages! We apologize for the error.
Common Questions and Answers about energy drinks

What are energy drinks?

Energy drinks are soft drinks (meaning without alcohol) that contain caffeine and other stimulants such as ephedrine, guarana, and ginseng. The beverages may not contain more calories than normal soft drinks, but they are often believed to help enhance performance and boost alertness as some studies showed. Energy drinks are often marketed to people under 30, particularly to college students.

Is it true that energy drinks boost alertness and enhance performance?

At least two studies showed significantly improvements in mental and cognitive performance and increase subjective alertness in those who drank an energy drink. In repeated cycling tests in young healthy adults, an energy drink drastically increased upper body muscle endurance.

Are there any dangers to drinking energy drinks?

High doses of caffeine are known to pose a range of short-term side effects. The problem with energy drinks is probably that there is no regulation in the US about caffeine, which is a natural stimulant. Energy drinks may contain caffeine at a level anywhere between from 50 mg to 505 mg per can or bottle, according to a recent Johns Hopkins study. Without paying attention, people may over-ingest caffeine leading to unintentional caffeine intoxication. Normal adverse reactions induced by high doses of caffeine, particularly in those who are sensitive to the compound, include increased heart rate and blood pressure, in severe cases dehydration, and inability of falling into sleep.

One study showed side effects associated with caffeine in energy drinks include insomnia, nervousness, headache, and tachycardia. Four caffeine-related deaths and four seizures have been reported.

When should energy drinks not be used?

Energy drinks should not be used when exercising as fluid loss from sweating and the diuretic activity of caffeine can cause severe dehydration. Energy drinks should not be used in an attempt to offset the effect of alcohol on one's capability of operating a vehicle.

What would happen when energy drinks are combined with alcoholic drinks?

The real danger of caffeine to someone who is drinking is that caffeine could mislead him to believe that he is drinking the right amount of alcohol without realizing that actually he could have been drinking too much.

It is true that caffeine provide alertness. But it does not change the level of alcohol in the blood. Once the stimulant disappears, the depressant effect of the blood alcohol at high concentration would manifest leading to vomiting in one's sleep or respiratory depression.

Both energy drinks and alcohol can be very dehydrating and thus inhibiting the body's ability to metabolize alcohol and boosting the toxicity of alcohol and the hangover.

How safe is it to use energy drinks?

Energy drinks in itself are relatively safe. Most ingredients including ginseng, maltodextrin, inositol, carnitine, creatine, ginkgo biloba, taurine, vitamins and herbs appear to be safe. The only concern is probably caffeine, which varies in its content greatly from brand to brand.

A recent report authored by Reissig CJ, Strain EC, and Griffiths RR at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and published in the Sep 20, 2008 issue of Drug and Alcohol Dependence calls for warning labels for energy drinks.

Recipe: Harissa Deviled Eggs

Over the holiday break, I came to Jesus a little bit.

Okay, I realize that may provoke more questions than it answers. Basically I came to the realization that I cannot eat eggs fried in butter for breakfast every day. It is too rich for me. But hard boiled eggs? They have long been a go to for me. I get all the good stuff from the egg without quite so much fat, which can upset my stomach and weigh me down if I eat too much of it.

But on New Year’s morning I was looking for something more interesting than just a hard-boiled egg. And so Harissa Deviled Eggs were born. These deviled eggs are about as easy to make as drinking too much on New Year’s Eve while letting your kid stay up until midnight. I actually served these as a breakfast/ brunch main dish, and they were perfect. But the best part? Thing 2 wandered over to the table and took two hefty bites without being asked. All this from a child who has not tried a new food in easily 6 months. Perhaps there is a light at the end of the tunnel yet.

Harissa Deviled Eggs

5 hardboiled eggs, peeled and cut in half
1-2 tablespoons of harissa mayonnaise that you forgot to serve at your dinner party the night before (i.e.-about ½ cup mayonnaise mixed with about a tablespoon of dry harissa, a shake of garlic powder and a hefty pinch of salt, let sit for at least 30 minutes) I encourage you to use homemade mayo, mayo made from something besides soybean oil or organic mayo. This will help you aoid GMOs and overly processed industrial fats.
Bacon, if your children haven’t eaten every last piece in your house



Remove the yolks and place in a bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons of the harissa mayo. Mash the yolks and the mayo together until it forms a paste. Add crumbled bacon if you live on the edge. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the paste back into the hard-boiled egg halves. No need to sprinkle with paprika, unless you are a traditionalist.


Enjoy!

Female Hair Loss

The scalp contains approximately 100,000 strands of hair and on average we lose about 50 to100 strands per day. Aging and medication use, among others can cause visible changes in the hair's structure which can lead to hair loss.

A Single Strand of Hair
A single hair is composed of two parts: the hair shaft, or the visible part of the hair, and the hair root. The hair root is found below the skin and contained within a tube-like structure called the hair follicle--where hair growth occurs.

Each hair follicle goes through four phase cycle:

1. Anagen: During the phase, which lasts about three to four years, hair is actively growing.
2. Catagen: During this transitional phase, the hair follicle begins to shrink and wrinkle.
3. Telogen: During this resting phase, which lasts a relatively short period of three to four months, the hair has reached the end of its life cycle and falls out. These hairs are easily removed by the act of brushing, combing, and shampooing.
4. Mesanagen: Hair growth returns.

Generally, the time span for a full cycle varies from two to five years per hair follicle, with 10-15% of the hair on the scalp being found in the telogen phase. Stalled growth and hair loss occurs when a larger percentage of hair is found in the telogen phase. If a bald spot develops, it is often due to a large batch of telogen hair follicles.

Causes of Hair Loss

There are many causes of hair loss and curing the problem may be simply a matter of changing a diet or reducing stress. However, disease and genetics are issues not easily circumvented, as are problems related to those discussed below.

Diet and Supplements

Hair (as well as nails and skin) is composed of keratin, which is a type of protein. Therefore, low-protein diets can compromise the integrity of the hair. In addition to protein, our hair requires the benefits derived from a variety of vitamins and minerals, such as B-complex, Vitamin D, calcium, copper, and zinc.

DHEA - A  Dietary Supplement

More is not always better when it comes to the nutritional needs of the body. Take for example DHEA—it is a precursor to both male and female sex hormones, and naturally produced by the adrenal glands. DHEA levels begin to decline after age 30 and have been related to complaints of low sex-drive in women. Unfortunately, the long term effects of DHEA have also been associated with significant hair loss.

Hormonal Changes

Every woman, at one time or another will experience hair loss as the effects of aging and decreasing levels of estrogen associated with menopause can trigger such events. Other hormonal shifts from birth control, menstruation cycle, perimenopause, and even pregnancy have been associated with hair loss.

More serious hormonal imbalances related to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), thyroid disorders, insulin resistance, testosterone levels, and adrenal disorders can manifest itself in dramatic changes in the hair structure.

Infection and Inflammatory Conditions

A rash-like extremely itchy condition called folliculitis results from inflammed hair follicles. It is triggered by ingrown hairs, allergic reactions, yeast infections, or skin disorders.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition characterized by patchy bald spots on the head. Alopecia, skin infections, and inflammatory conditions are best diagnosed and treated by a dermatologist.

Medication

It is common knowledge that one of the many side effects of chemotherapy drugs is major hair loss. But did you know that many commonly prescribed drugs also have the potential to cause hair loss? This can include medications such as:

• Antidepressants
• High blood pressure medications, specifically beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors.
• Mood stabilizers
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Weight control medication
• Lupus medications
• Parkinson's drugs

Drug-induced hair loss can occur in one of two ways:

1.  By causing the hair to prematurely enter the telogen (resting) phase and fall out, or
2.  By preventing the cells from dividing and growing normally during the anagen (active) phase.

Also problematic is the fact that the outward signs of hair loss may not be visible for several weeks to even months of taking the medication.

In conclusion, hair loss can be caused by a variety of conditions, some of which are easy to treat and cure while others are more serious and require more stringent methods of care. The bottom line is, see a doctor before you self-diagnose and treat hair loss. The condition that you see on your hair (or skin) may signal something more serious going on inside your body.

BIO: Dr. Mundorff is the author of several books, Memories of My Sister: Dealing With Sudden Death, Medical Terminology: A Student Workbook, and her latest, Take Control: A Guide to Holistic Living, is an innovative health guide, which helps the reader learn how to regain control of their health by discovering the practical effectiveness of combining alternative and modern medicine. You can reach her at bridges2hlth@aol.com or visit her blog at http://live-the-natural-life.blogspot.com/

Disclaimer: Dr. Mundorff is a Registered Nurse and Board Certified Naturopath, and not a medical doctor. The information in this column is for educational purposes only and should not be used to self-diagnose and treat diseases. Naturopathy is a complementary practice to health care and should be used in conjunction with a competent health care practitioner. Many herbal and homeopathic remedies can actually be contraindicated in many health conditions, with certain prescriptions, and over-the-counter medications. Please consult your physician before starting any alternative modalities.

Native Evergreen Conifers in North Georgia

As a companion piece to my posts last year on Winter Twigs and Leaf Identification, this post gives some tips for learning how to identify some of the more common native evergreen conifers that grow in north Georgia.  As you may know, not all evergreens are conifers (think of hollies and rhododendrons), and not all conifers are evergreen (think of bald cypress). But since most conifers ARE evergreen, we've got a few things to work with here.

Blue-green foliage of white pine

Tsuga, hemlock

In the great kingdom of Plantae, conifers in Georgia are found in the Division Coniferophyta, in the Class Pinopsida, and in the Order Pinales, which has five families.  And within the Pinales Order, only two families are represented in Georgia: Cupressaceae and Pinaceae.  That is to say, there aren’t many conifer families in Georgia!  Of note: we are just outside the natural range of Abies (fir) and Thuja (arborvitae).

Tsuga canadensis foliage

The Pinaceae family is where most of Georgia’s evergreen conifers reside yet it is represented by just 2 out of the nine genera here: Pinus and Tsuga.  Tsuga, known as hemlock, has two species: Tsuga canadensis is more prevalent than Tsuga caroliniana.  Hemlock is very shade tolerant and is generally found in mountain communities, but it does fairly well in gardens as well.

Hemlock is easily noted by its flattened, short needles; it's graceful, drooping form; and by the tiny, flexible cones it produces. The needles are single and are two-ranked along the stem, meaning they reside in a horizontal plane.



Pines have round needles that surround the stem (not two-ranked), often lose their lower branches over time, and have stiff cones that sometimes have prickles.  The needles are arranged in bundles along the stem.

With the common pines of north Georgia I find that looking at the needles is the quickest way to make an identification.  If you were to look at a list of the pines (Pinus spp.) that are native to Georgia, this might seem a little daunting. But if you live in north Georgia like I do, there are really only four and, with just a little help, I think you can learn to tell them apart.  If you live elsewhere, perhaps you can pick some tips on how to identify them in general.

The four pines that you are likely to find in north Georgia are: Pinus echinata (shortleaf pine), Pinus strobus (eastern white pine), Pinus taeda (loblolly pine), and Pinus virginiana (Virginia pine).  The needles are arranged in bundles within a fascicle at the base of a bundle, so you need to examine how many there are, how long they are, and if they are straight or twisted.

From top to bottom, the picture above shows:

loblolly (usually 3 needles per bundle, length is 5-8 inches); 

eastern white pine (5 needles per bundle, color is bluish-green); 

shortleaf pine (2-3 needles per bundle, length is 3-4 inches); 

Virginia pine (2 needles per bundle, needles are short and twisted).

Below are some pictures of the cones:

Pinus taeda: large cones with prickles

Pinus strobus: long cones, no prickles

Pinus echinata, short cones stay on
tree; small prickle

Pinus virginiana, short cones stay on
tree but prickle is long and sharp

White pine branches

White pine does have one interesting growth characteristic - the branches tend to encircle the tree, like spokes on a wheel. So, if the branches are intact, you might be able to confirm it by looking at the trunk.

By the way, pines do lose their leaves (that is, their needles), just not all at once.  The loblolly pines in my yard drop some needles in the fall, about the same time that deciduous trees are dropping theirs too.






The Cupressaceae family is represented by 3 genera in Georgia: Chamaecyparis, Juniperus, and Taxodium.  Taxodium, a genus perhaps most familiar to people by the species Taxodium distichum (bald cypress), will not be covered here because it is deciduous (a trivia question for your family: "Name a deciduous conifer"). Chamaecyparis is represented in Georgia by Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic white cedar) but that is not indigenous to north Georgia (although people do grow it here). That leaves us with Juniperus virginiana which is found throughout Georgia; however, it is best known by its common name, eastern redcedar.  People are often surprised when you tell them it is a juniper.

I learned something when I was researching Juniperus virginiana for this article.  I was certainly familiar with the plant - it grows everywhere around here, and I've dug up many a small one. However, I had not seen one with fruit so I decided to try and find one.  I looked at a lot of trees before I found one, but I was puzzled when I did.  The foliage didn't look right.  As I dug into my references a little deeper, I found the answer.  The mature foliage is different!  Juvenile foliage is needle-like and prickly - what I was used to seeing; the mature foliage is "awl-like" and scaly with overlapping sections - not prickly.

Berries and mature foliage, Juniperus virginiana

Juvenile foliage, Juniperus virginiana

It is also curious to think that junipers have berries - why would a conifer have berries instead of cones?  Well, the "berries" are actually cones with fleshy scales that have fused together, creating the appearance of a berry.









So now that you know a little bit more about identifying these plants, spend some time outside practicing your identification skills.  Those fragrant green trees with needles are not all alike; the differences are there for you to discover.

Good tree identification references for the southeastern U.S.:

Native Trees of the Southeast: An Identification Guide by Kirkman, Brown and Leopold

Woody Plants of the Southeastern United States by Ron Lance

Guide to Southern Trees by Harrar and Harrar (Dover publication) – you can get this used on Amazon for as little as $1.50 plus shipping; it’s a great starter for young people and the line drawings are excellent.