Monday, May 31, 2010
Bone Drugs Not Linked to Rare Fractures
Bisphosphonates include blockbuster drugs such as alendronate (Fosamax), risedronate (Actonel) and ibandronate (Boniva).
The conclusions, appearing as a letter-to-the-editor in the May 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, do little to settle an ongoing debate about whether or not these drugs cause this type of rare fracture.
A pharmaceutical-company sponsored study published in March in the same journal concluded that bisphosphonates did not boost people’s risk for this type of fracture, although prior studies had suggested they did.
That “very large study,” said Dr. Kenneth A. Egol, chief of the Orthopaedic Trauma Service at New York University Hospital for Joint Diseases, “certainly can allay some fears regarding the drug.”
And the current study, which is much smaller, should not raise fears or affect how bisphosphonates are used, experts said.
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“We believe these are good drugs in the right patient, and there’s no reason they should not be used,” Egol said.
“We cannot conclude that there’s major enough of a side effect that we should be telling patients not to take the medications, and that’s consistent with what the FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] is saying,” agreed Yuen Ting (Cathy) Lau, an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at Texas A&M Health Science Center Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy in Houston. “There’s no conclusive evidence saying that atypical bone fractures are associated with bisphosphonates and, given the benefits, patients should not stop taking them just because of this concern.”
Having said that, Egol did point out that “those who take care of patients with fractures have definitely been seeing this atypical type of femur [thigh] fracture in a subset of, but not all, patients who have been on medication for a long period of time.”
The next step, he said, would be to figure out which subset of patients may be at heightened risk for the breaks.
Drugs For Treating
The authors of the study, from the University of Sydney in Australia, reviewed records on 152 femoral fractures in 152 patients between 2003 and 2008. Most of the patients were women, with a mean age of 78.
Seventeen of 20 patients who had one of these unusual fractures were taking bisphosphonates (15 were taking Fosamax for an average of five years and two were taking Actonel for about three years).
Two patients who had not had such fractures were taking Fosamax and one was taking Actonel.
There were also other risk factors associated with the type of fracture, such as steroid treatment for more than six months or having rheumatoid arthritis.
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Osteoporosis Prevention
After the age of about 30, bone thinning is a natural process and cannot be stopped completely. Whether you develop osteoporosis depends not only on the thickness of your bones early in life but also on your health, diet, and physical activity later in life. The thicker your bones, the less likely the bones are to become thin enough to break. Young women in particular need to be aware of their risk for developing osteoporosis and take steps early to slow its progress and prevent complications. Plentiful physical activity during the preteen and teen years increases bone mass and greatly reduces the risk of osteoporosis in adulthood. If you eat a diet adequate in calcium and vitamin D and exercise regularly early in life and then continue with these healthy habits, you may be able to delay or avoid osteoporosis.
* Eat a nutritious diet that includes adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D. Both are necessary for building healthy, strong bones. Risk of Osteoporosis The recommended daily calcium intake for adults up to age 50 is 1,000 mg a day. Men and women age 50 and older need 1,200 mg of calcium each day. The recommended daily intake for vitamin D is 400 to 800 IU a day for adults up to age 50. If you are age 50 or older, the recommended amount is 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D a day. The best source of vitamin D is exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is vital for calcium absorption in bones and to improve muscle strength. One study showed that vitamin D may reduce an older person's risk of falling by 22.
* Take supplements if you are not getting enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet. Most doctors suggest daily vitamin D supplements for children and teens, starting by age 2 months. Talk with your doctor about how much and what sources of vitamin D are right for you and your child.
* Get regular exercise. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or weight lifting, keep bones healthy by working the muscles and bones against gravity.
* Don't drink more than 2 alcohol drinks a day if you are a man, or 1 alcohol drink a day if you are a woman. Drinking more than this puts you at higher risk for osteoporosis.
* Don't smoke. Smoking puts you at a higher risk for developing osteoporosis and increases the rate of bone thinning after it starts.
After osteoporosis develops, getting enough calcium and vitamin D, along with other healthy habits, can slow the process and reduce the chances of bones breaking. It's common for a person's diet to supply only half the calcium the bones need, so you probably need to take supplements. Your bones need vitamin D to absorb calcium. One study showed that vitamin D may reduce an older person's risk of falling by 22%.9
Research studies do not agree about whether calcium plus vitamin D supplements can prevent fractures. Some studies show that calcium and vitamin D supplements reduce the risk of fracture.
What is osteoporosis
10 But other studies show little effect of supplements on fracture risk.11 The greatest benefit of supplements appears to be for people who have osteoporosis. Calcium and vitamin D supplements are recommended if you have been diagnosed with osteoporosis.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
What Increases Your Risk of Osteoporosis
In women, more rapid bone loss usually begins after monthly menstrual periods stop, when a woman's production of the hormone estrogen slows down (usually between the ages of 45 and 55). A man's bone thinning starts to develop gradually when production of the hormone testosterone slows down, at about 45 to 50 years of age. Women typically have smaller and lighter bones than men. As a result, women develop osteoporosis far more often than men. Osteoporosis usually does not have an effect on people until they are 60 or older.
Whether a person develops osteoporosis depends on the thickness of the bones (bone density) in early life, as well as health, diet, and physical activity later in life. Factors that increase the risk of osteoporosis in both men and women include:
* Having a family history of osteoporosis. If your mother, father, or a sibling has been diagnosed with osteoporosis or has experienced broken bones from a minor injury, you are more likely to develop osteoporosis.
* Lifestyle factors. These include:
o Smoking. People who smoke lose bone thickness faster than nonsmokers.
o Alcohol use. Heavy alcohol use can decrease bone growth and increase the risk of falling. But moderate alcohol use (no more than 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women) is linked to higher bone thickness. Most doctors recommend limiting, but not eliminating, alcohol use.5
o Getting little or no exercise. Weight-bearing exercises—such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or lifting weights—keep bones strong and healthy by working the muscles and bones against gravity. Exercise may improve your balance and decrease your risk of falling.
o Being small-framed or thin. Thin people and those with small frames are more likely to develop osteoporosis. But being overweight puts a woman at risk for other serious medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and coronary artery disease (CAD).
o A diet low in foods containing calcium and vitamin D.
o Drinking cola soft drinks. Cola, but not other carbonated soft drinks, may be linked to low bone mineral density in women.6
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* Having certain medical conditions, such as hyperparathyroidism, hyperthyroidism, or rheumatoid arthritis, that put you at greater risk for osteoporosis.
* Taking certain medicines. Several medicines cause bone thinning, such as:
o Corticosteroids, used to treat conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). If used for a period of 6 months or longer, corticosteroids can lead to steroid-induced osteoporosis.
o Medicines used to treat endometriosis.
o Aromatase inhibitors, used to treat breast cancer.
o Thyroid replacement medicine, if the dose is more than the body needs. This should be monitored by checking the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) every year.
o Depo-Provera, a birth control medicine given by injection. Longtime use may thin bones.
o Antacids that contain aluminum, if they are overused. Aluminum-containing antacids remove calcium from your body.
o Anticonvulsant medicines such as carbamazepine.
o Hormone treatment for prostate cancer.
o Medicines called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). SSRIs are used to treat many conditions, including depression, fibromyalgia, and premenstrual syndrome. Studies have found that daily use of SSRIs may increase the risk of bone fracture in adults over age 50. Before you take an SSRI, talk to your doctor about this risk.
* Having certain surgeries, such as having your ovaries removed before menopause.
Other risk factors for osteoporosis may include:
* Being of European and Asian ancestry, the people most likely to have osteoporosis. People of African ancestry are least likely.
* Being inactive or bedridden for long periods of time.
* Dieting excessively or having an eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa.
* Being a female athlete, if you have few or irregular menstrual cycles due to low body fat.
Women who have completed menopause have the greatest risk of osteoporosis because their levels of the estrogen hormone drop. Estrogen protects women from bone loss. Likewise, women who no longer have menstrual periods—either because their ovaries are not working properly or because their ovaries have been surgically removed—also can have decreased estrogen levels.
content provided by Healthwise
Thursday, May 27, 2010
What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a disease that affects your bones. It means you have bones that are thin and brittle, with lots of holes inside them like a sponge. This makes them easy to break. Osteoporosis can lead to broken bones (fractures) in the hip, spine, and wrist. These fractures can be disabling and may make it hard for you to live on your own.
See a picture of healthy bone versus bone weakened by osteoporosi.
Osteoporosis affects millions of older adults. It usually strikes after age 60. It’s most common in women, but men can get it too.
What causes osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is caused by a lack of bone strength or bone density. As you age, your bones get thinner naturally. But some things can make you more likely to have the severe bone thinning of osteoporosis. These things are called risk factors. Some risk factors you can change. Others you can't change.
Risk factors you can't change include:
* Your age. Your risk for osteoporosis goes up as you get older.
* Being a woman who has gone through menopause. After menopause, the body makes less estrogen. Estrogen protects the body from bone loss.
* Your family background. Osteoporosis tends to run in families.
* Having a slender body frame.
* Your race. People of European and Asian background are most likely to get osteoporosis.
Risk factors you can change include:
* Smoking.
* Not getting enough weight-bearing exercise.
* Drinking too much alcohol.
* Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D in the things you eat or from supplements.
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To check your risk for osteoporosis, use this Interactive Tool: Are You At Risk for Osteoporosis? Click here to see an interactive tool.
What are the symptoms?
Osteoporosis can be very far along before you notice it. Sometimes the first sign is a broken bone in your hip, spine, or wrist after a bump or fall.
As the disease gets worse, you may have other signs, such as pain in your back. You might notice that you are not as tall as you used to be and that you have a curved backbone.
How is osteoporosis diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and do a physical exam. You may also have a test that measures your bone thickness (bone density test) and your risk for a fracture.
If the test finds that your bone thickness is less than normal but is not osteoporosis, you may have osteopenia, a less severe type of bone thinning.
It’s important to find and treat osteoporosis early to prevent bone fractures. The United States Preventive Services Task Force advises routine bone density testing for women age 65 and older. If you have a higher risk for fractures, it’s best to start getting the test at age 60.
How is it treated?
Treatment for osteoporosis includes medicine to reduce bone loss and to build bone thickness. Medicine can also give you relief from pain caused by fractures or other changes to your bones.
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It’s important to take both calcium and vitamin D supplements along with any medicine you take for the disease. You need both of these supplements to build strong, healthy bones.
You can slow osteoporosis with new, healthy habits. If you smoke, quit. Get plenty of exercise. Walking, jogging, dancing, and lifting weights can make your bones stronger. Eat a healthy mix of foods that include calcium and vitamin D. Try dark green vegetables, yogurt, and milk (for calcium). Eat eggs, fatty fish, and fortified cereal (for vitamin D).
Making even small changes in how you eat and exercise, along with taking medicine, can help prevent a broken bone.
When you have osteoporosis, it’s important to protect yourself from falling. Reduce your risk of breaking a bone by making your home safer. Make sure there’s enough light in your home. Remove throw rugs and clutter that you may trip over. Put sturdy handrails on stairs.
Alkalize and Energize!

Alkalize and Energize!
By Shelley Redford Young LMT
Were you like me when you were a young girl? Did you gaze at the glossy magazine covers at the end of the check-out stands when you went grocery shopping with your mom? Didn’t we all learn from this that women HAD to be pretty with perfectly contoured bodies, chiseled knees, and China-white teeth? Do you remember studying the latest fashions which were draped ever-so-teasingly on these luscious role models of ours? Do you remember thinking, “I want to look like THAT and have killer abs like that bikini model. That’s what I remember. Back then I figured that THIS is what I needed to look like to be considered BE-autiful and DE-sirable. My hair had to be perfect with shimmering highlights. My thighs had to be firm and svelte--without dimples of any sort. I had to have thick eyelashes which beckoned “Come Hither!” Looking at these magazine covers each week steeped a huge, self-inflicted homework assignment within my youthful, girlish psyche--making sure I felt the pressure of attaining an AWEsome Appearance!
Regardless of age, the pressures which are placed on women in our society do affect our belief systems about what we need to do to be attractive and successful in life. This pressure not only can motivate us to strive for that Cover Girl look, but it can also instill feelings of inadequacy, not quite measuring up, or even giving up before we start! Goals which seem so unreachable can defeat us before we ever enlist to become our best selves. From my experience, I would have to say that appearance is the best way to make a good first impression. And let’s remember one of my favorite sayings:
“You never have a second chance to make a first impression”.
I live by this motto. I really do! When people meet you for the very first time, they have split-second judgments regarding how you come across. Do you look vibrant, rested, healthy, athletic, studious, intelligent, or well groomed? Or do you exude lackluster energy, depression, fatigue, negativity, stress, or worse yet—profound self-neglect? People will make their initial impressions within the first three minutes of meeting you. What do you want them to know about you from your appearance? Do you feel you have the proper tools and skill sets to become the most radiant you, or are you somewhat resigned to the limited look and feel of your genetic predispositions. Other things like your vocabulary and general communication skills also have a bearing on how you are received by others. But truly, your appearance, like the cover of a book, will give people their first clues about the rest of you--what’s inside you.
I want to share with you some treasures of truth which I’ve collected along the way. To be at our very best, we need to understand our physiology—our internal chemistry of our bodies. The truth of the matter is that your physiology affects your health, and your health affects your appearance and energies. This being so, it stands to reason that we should all seek the best way—the most conducive way to healing and regeneration. Only then can we live the most abundantly blessed life with true JOY, healthy self-interest, and self-esteem.
As BraveHeart women, we can truly affect our appearance and our ultimate states of health and well being by making lifestyle choices that contribute to the pH balance of our blood and tissues. I know you’ve probably heard of the pH factor when it comes to shampoos or skin toners. You might remember that the pH of your Jacuzzi, swimming pool, or fish tank is something that has to be correctly balanced. We all know that our body temperature is set at 98.6. We don’t vary from that number very much unless we get sick with a fever, or get too cold and go into hypothermia. To remain healthy and comfortable, we must keep our body temperature around 98.6.
Our body pH (pH stands for the power of hydrogen) is also engineered with a specific setting. It is balanced at 7.365, which is alkaline. The pH scale goes from 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral. Anything below 7 is acidic, and anything above 7 is called base or alkaline. The fact that we can make conscious, health-minded choices which will keep our bodies in a more perfect state of pH balance is an exciting discovery, especially when we consider how this also affects our appearance, health, and energy levels. I want to tell you my story so you can appreciate the journey I went on to find “my Cover Girl” look, and optimum health.
Like I said earlier, I wanted to achieve my best womanly appearance. I wanted to remain slim and athletic because I liked how clothing hung on the mannequins in the mall--not to mention the lacy lingerie in
Once I understood the pH scale and which foods and drinks were more alkaline, like the human body, it became easy! Unwanted pounds melted off almost magically and I rarely or never got sick. Not even when everyone else was sniffling and sneezing during the holidays. I noticed an energy level which was boundless, and to me-- that was priceless. To look how I wanted and feel vibrantly healthy was such an exciting prospect. Once I grooved into this way of pH balanced living, eating, and thinking, it became second nature to me, and it has remained so--even today. Now I automatically make good alkaline, dietary choices because they always guarantee my desirable weight and best energy reserves. I also keep a regular exercise program as a compliment to alkalizing. I run three miles every other day and then do Kundalini Yoga on the alternate days to keep myself limber and flexible. I am 56 years young, the mother of 4, the grandmother of 3, and I’ve never felt better than I do now! To me, this is miraculous, and it’s part of why our book publications are called The pH Miracle.
How did I first become interested in this pH phenomenon? It all started when I decided to marry a
After Rob finished his college tennis days, our lives got wrapped up in raising 4 kids. Eventually, he decided to study more about the blood and tissues, becoming a microbiologist, a Naturopathic MD, and a nutritionist. He perfected a way to view live blood cells (from German research) and started to develop ideas and theories about what diet would be best to maintain pH homeostasis. We also learned during this period that the body has an alkalinizing buffering system to assure the pH of the blood and tissues remains alkaline. As a self-preservation mode, the body will go to great lengths to maintain its slightly alkaline fluid environment. If the body or tissues becomes too acidic through diet or stress, it will tap into alkalizing buffering reserves-- like calcium from the bones and magnesium from the muscles to neutralize acidity and maintain its delicate balance of 7.365. Our body is so intelligent that it will do this in an effort to keep us alive and well. You may know people who have been able to eat and drink anything they wanted with no ill effect. This would most probably be due to their strong constitutions, including a strong alkalinizing buffering system, a good lymphatic system, and good genetics.
Once we learned the significance of pH balancing for the blood and tissues, we had to discover and research which foods and drinks were acidic and which were alkaline. We could then create a new food pyramid which would contribute to health and vitality instead of sickness and degeneration. Everything we eat or drink metabolizes down into an ash residue which can be neutral, acidic, or alkaline. Acidic diets high in animal proteins, dairy products, carbohydrates, and fermented foods like alcohol, vinegar, and soy sauce can cause the body to manifest with symptoms of sickness and disease. Other foods which create an acid residue ash are coffee, black teas, soft drinks, baked goods, and even high sugar fruits, like bananas, apples, and oranges. As the blood becomes saturated by these types of food and drink, excess fermentation takes place, giving rise to acidic residues in the blood which need to be neutralized. Weight gain is a sure sign of being over acidic, as is water retention. As a protective mechanism, our bodies create fat to bind and hold acid residues away from our vital organs. This is why we pack on pounds just under the skin on our hips, thighs and stomachs. An acidic person can actually look puffy as the body retains water to dilute acids in the system. Edema and puffy bags under the eyes are typical acidic traits. Skin conditions like acne, ruddiness, and blotchiness are also signs that over acidification in the body, causes acids to come to the surface. Even more serious conditions like eczema and psoriasis are manifestations of acids that take a strong hold and erupt through the skin which is sometimes called the “third kidney”, because of its filtering ability. The body can also rob the skin of precious moistures leaving a person looking parched or dehydrated. Premature wrinkling and aging are more prevalent in people who choose an over acidic lifestyle. Many other serious symptoms can appear in the internal environment of our body’s rivers and streams. Eventually they can become sluggish and polluted. If a person doesn’t make changes in their diet and lifestyle and they continue to bombard their systems with acidic foods and drinks, organs and tissues become affected. Diagnoses such as diabetes, cancer, fibro myalgia, and CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) are common. Acidic diets and lifestyles are so hard on the body that it’s like making an energy withdrawal from our body bank accounts instead of an energy deposit. We always come up with a deficit!
Otto Warburg, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in Medicine in 1932, stated the following:
When the pH is wrong, oxygen falls, cells respire in an anaerobic environment by fermentation giving rise to increased acidity - cancer is a result of an ACID environment. - Otto Warburg, Nobel Prize in Medicine, 1932
The main thing to consider here is that everything we eat and drink affects the way we look, think, act, and feel. If a person chooses a highly acidic diet and lifestyle they set themselves up for proliferation of certain types of microbes which thrive in an acidic terrain. These are referred to as endotoxins and mycotoxins which have yeast and fungal base forms that can wreak havoc in our systems. Many of you have experienced or heard of yeast infections. Sometimes they are re-occurring. Headaches can also be a signal that the brain is somehow connected to a toxic bowel. Just like our earth’s environmental pollution, this needs to be cleaned up in order to bring relief from inflammation and pain. General aches and pains such as in arthritis, bursitis, and even carpal tunnel syndrome involve acidic saturations of the blood, lymph, and affected tissues.
I want to introduce an analogy here so you can think about your cells and how they are suspended in an alkaline fluid. Think of a fish bowl and the fish swimming around in the water. If the fish were to get sick what would be your first inclination? Would you treat the fish, or change the water? Most people would choose to change the fish’s water--the environment he functions in. We realize that the fish needs a properly balanced environment to remain healthy. All of us have witnessed what happens when toxic calamities occur in the ocean. The fish are immediately affected by the change to their alkaline, pH-balanced ocean. Scientists claim that even small changes in the pH of the ocean will affect all life found in it. Think of your own cells as the fish in the fishbowl. Your cells are suspended in an aqueous solution which needs to be maintained as an alkaline environment. The cells can remain healthy as long as this pH factor is maintained. Once that inner terrain is compromised by unhealthy choices or extreme stressors, the cells can morph into unhealthy forms. Then we get sick and tired.
Another great discovery we made was that our bodies are alkaline by design, but acidic by function. This means that while our blood and tissues need to be kept in a delicate balance of 7.365, every function of our bodies, such as running, thinking, eating, and breathing produces acidic, metabolic waste products. There is also a scientific ratio which exists concerning how our body neutralizes these acid by- products. It takes 20 parts alkalinity to neutralize 1 part acidity in our systems. More specifically for you chemistry buffs; it takes 20 parts sodium bicarbonate to neutralize 1 part carbonic acid in the body. With this guiding information at our disposal, we then set out to create an “alkalinizing” lifestyle program that anyone with the desire for optimum health and radiance can follow. You simply eat and drink 80/20: 80% high-water-content, high-fiber, chlorophyll-rich, alkalinizing foods and drinks (like fresh vegetables from the garden), and 20% more grounding or mildly acidic foods such as sprouted wheat tortillas, cooked legumes/grains, or some oily fish or tofu. When you start changing your diet and lifestyle to this 80/20 ratio, you can achieve the ideal weight and radiant energy you’ve always desired. Before you commit to this healthy regimen, however, it’s good to know more reasons why it would be so beneficial.
1. Our bodies break down to:
70% water
20% fat (give or take depending on your body type)
7% protein
1-2% vitamins and minerals
½-1% sugar. (ONLY ½-1% sugar)
To simplify, we could state that our bodies are 70% water and 30% matter. This is similar to our earth’s composition, and also a good way to visualize each plate of food we eat. The majority of the food and drinks we ingest should replace our internal rivers and streams (our blood and lymph fluids) with fresh, alkalinizing hydration. This means food predominantly from the garden and the more chlorophyll-rich, the better. Try to think of your blood as a living streaming organ in your body that feeds and brings nutrients and oxygen to every other organ and system. Then realize that chlorophyll-- the “blood” of green plants, is molecularly structured almost identically to our own hemoglobin, an iron-containing protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen around the body. This would mean that chlorophyll might be considered one of the best blood transfusions we could ever get. Some even tout chlorophyll as a blood purifier. Even recently in the new Iron Man 2 movie, you see him was swigging on chlorophyll to slow down the toxicity in his degenerating blood.
In the chlorophyll molecule there is a center atom of magnesium which is an electromagnetic sync, or more simply put, the sun-sensitive element in the process of photosynthesis.
Dr. Klinik Bircher-Benner has said:
“Absorption and organization of sunlight, the very essence of life, is almost exclusively derived from plants. Plants are therefore a biological accumulation of light. Since light is the driving force of every cell in our bodies, that is why we need plants.”
With this understanding, we found that the best way to alkalize was to first drink 3-4 liters a day of alkaline water with a pH of 9 or above. Our choices of the most alkalizing foods was the next step. Moving towards an alkalinizing lifestyle was a process, not an event. I started to implement more alkaline choices while phasing out acidic options. Some of those decisions were as simple as substituting fresh lemon or lime juice for something as highly acidic as vinegar. At this point you may be thinking, “Well, isn’t lemon juice acidic too?” It’s actually true that if you took some pH paper and tested lemon juice it would test acid, but once the lemon juice is metabolized in the body, the inherent alkalizing mineral salts contained in the lemon juice leaves a residue of alkaline ash in the bloodstream. Also because of their low sugar content, lemons and limes do not ferment in the blood.
Other substitutions took place. I started using avocado and healthy oils like flax seed, hemp seed oil, and coconut oil in place of butter and margarine. A huge mixed green salad became our main entrée and we doctored it up with goodies like sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, pine nuts, and garbanzo beans. I started to use many more dark green leafy vegetables in our diet: kale, spinach, and collard greens. Onions, garlic, and ginger became our natural antibiotics. Our morning smoothies went from sugary fruit and yogurts to english cucumbers, spinach, avocado, red ruby grapefruit, fresh coconut meat, some ice, and a little raw green stevia, (an herbal sweetener that is 100 times more sweet than sugar!) It’s “delish”, and so easy! We still could have sides of pasta, fish, or cooked grains, but we found that steamed buckwheat and quinoa were better than white rice, baked potatoes, or yeasty breads. We also added the benefits of good mineral salts. The proper salt is vital for your health, and helps keep you alkalized. Once we got rid of most of the acidic foods and drinks from our diet, we noticed improvement in our health and appearance. Those last 10 vanity pounds disappeared almost immediately. My son’s sinusitis which he’d been struggling with for years cleared up. Headaches became more of a rare occurrence. Clarity of thought, better sleeping patterns, and much more energy were also noticed. We still splurged on a dessert once in a while, but not every week like we used to. Hay fever and other allergies disappeared completely. Like Benjamin Button, we felt like we were “youthing”, instead of aging.
It’s been absolutely one of the richest blessings in our lives to find this treasure of truth. And it makes so much sense. Just eat and drink those foods which are best suited to your body’s pH chemistry and watch the dividends appear! What a pay out! We hardly ever get sick. We have energy levels that match what we had back in high school, and we’re the same size we were back then, too! As Brian Regan states: “Can life get any better?... I submit that it cannot!”
You can even learn to do this out in your busy working world. The menus in most restaurants can be navigated to create a beautiful alkaline meal. Here are some examples:
If you eat at an Italian restaurant:
Order minestrone vegetable soup as an appetizer
A big green salad with avocado, tomato, lemon juice and olive oil
A side of pasta with marinara or pesto sauce, or some fish.
Also, if you’re still hungry, order a side of steamed veggies like broccoli or spinach
If you’re eating at a Mexican restaurant:
Order a large Taco Salad without the meat and cheese.
Use fresh salsa stirred up with guacamole, lemon juice and some salt for your dressing.
Order a side of beans (preferably black beans and some rice for your 20%) or a tortilla
If you’re eating in an Asian/Chinese or Thai restaurant:
Order a vegetable-based soup if available. Some Thai restaurants have a good veggie soup with coconut milk broth.
Order a large stir fry or steam fry (with water, if possible) of a mixed veggie medley,
(leaving out the mushrooms and corn if possible.)
Add tofu to the entrée as part of your 20%.
Use a good salt like Real Salt or Liquid pHlavor Salt instead of Soy Sauce
Order a couple of side veggies like spicy green beans and broccoli or asparagus.
You can even eat at a place like The Cheesecake Factory!:
Order avocado and tomato egg rolls with cilantro sauce for an appetizer
Order a roasted artichoke and use lemon and oil as a dipping sauce.
Get a large mixed veggie salad and use oil, lemon, herbs, and spices for the dressing.
Order beautiful sides of steamed broccoli and other available veggies of choice.
Bonappetit!
If you’re flying on an airplane, try to pre-order a special vegan meal if it’s available. This will ensure you don’t get an acidic meal like an egg omelet with mushrooms.
When you’re willing to make some simple changes in the way you feed your body, and realize that everything you eat or drink affects your body’s delicate chemistry, appearance, and energy levels, then alkalinizing makes perfect sense. It’s not a program of deprivation, but rather freedom to choose and eat (as much as you want) the kinds of foods and drinks that will be best assimilated in the 9 yards of your intestinal tract. You also need to think of that intestinal tract as your literal root system--similar to how plants have roots to absorb their nutrients from the soil. You wouldn’t think of pouring chocolate milk into the soil of your favorite house plant, right? You’d kill it! It’s a fact that everything you eat or drink finds it place into your millions of intestinal villi and micro villi which are tiny, hair-like structures with the total surface area of a tennis court! Within each of these intestinal villi there exists a vein, an artery, and a lymphatic vessel. It is of utmost importance that you always provide the best possible nutrition so that your root system can absorb the minerals and vitamins that build your blood and tissues, and keep you fit and healthy.
In our minds, food is no longer just a choice about fat grams or calorie. It’s about the life force of the food and how it energizes us with electrons. Acidic food choices do just the opposite. They introduce more protons into our systems which take our energy levels down. The pH Miracle is an invitation to change. Change the way you look, feel, and set out to be the best you! Think about the way you take car of your car. You probably try to put the best fuel in it to keep it running for the longest season you can. Your body is the same! And depending on how many miles you already have on you, alkalinizing just might be your best bet for a long, healthy road ahead! Try it, and don’t be surprised if you get a few miracles of your own! Who knows! You may hit the cover of Cosmopolitan!
Bio:
Shelley Redford Young, LMT (licensed massage therapist) is the co-author, along with her husband, Robert O. Young, of The pH Miracle trilogy of books: The pH Miracle, The pH Miracle for Diabetes, and The pH Miracle for Weight Loss. (Time Warner publications.)
She has also published two cookbooks entitled Back to the House of Health 1 and 2, and along with her son, Adam Young has published a children’s book on alkalizing,
The
She has appeared on The Early Show with Dr. Young and other TV appearances where she shares the alkalarian lifestyle and recipes with the public. She has been a keynote speaker at Life Mastery with Tony Robbins and has produced many DVD’s such as Shopping with Shelley, Hot Rox Lymphatic Massage, and several cooking DVD’s. (available at the Young’s website: www.pHmiracleliving.com)
Please go to their website to order any books, tapes, DVD’s, or products that will aid you in starting your own pH Miracle program. The Youngs also hold pH Miracle Retreats and microscopy courses at their Rancho Del Sol in
The pH
Phone: 760-751-8321
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
They may include:
* Pain: Your joints may ache, or the pain may feel burning or sharp. For some people, the pain may come and go. Constant pain or pain while you sleep may be a sign that your arthritis is getting worse.
* Stiffness: When you have arthritis, getting up in the morning can be hard. Your joints may feel stiff and creaky for a short time, until you get moving. You may also get stiff from sitting.
* Muscle weakness: The muscles around the joint may get weaker. This happens a lot with arthritis in the knee.
* Swelling: Arthritis can cause swelling in joints, making them feel tender and sore.
* Deformed joints: Joints can start to look like they are the wrong shape, especially as arthritis gets worse.
* Reduced range of motion and loss of use of the joint: As your arthritis gets worse, you may not be able to fully bend, flex, or extend your joints. Or you may not be able to use them at all.
* Cracking and creaking: Your joints may make crunching, creaking sounds. This creaking may also occur in a normal joint, but in most cases, it doesn't hurt and doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with the joint.
Arthritis of the spine can also narrow the openings that make space for the spinal cord and for the nerves that branch off the spinal cord (spinal nerves). This is called spinal stenosis. It can lead to pressure on the spinal cord or spinal nerves. This pressure can cause pain, weakness, or numbness.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Good News About Stress
Channel it to: Strategize
Research from The Rockefeller University in New York City and the University of Buffalo suggests that stress can enhance learning and memory, thanks to the effect of small bursts of cortisol in the brain. So when you’re too wired to go to sleep, don’t force it. Sit down with that report or spreadsheet, and catch up on your rest when you’re calm again.
Stress makes you: Nicer
Channel it to: Reaffirm relationships
When you’re stressed, your body pumps out oxytocin, a hormone that facilitates bonding—making this is an ideal time to call your college roommate or connect with friends on Facebook. And you’ll probably feel like doing that anyway.
“Women are more apt to seek social support when they feel stressed,” says Paul Rosch, MD, FACP, clinical professor of medicine and psychiatry at New York Medical College. Oxytocin and a good old-fashioned gabfest—can calm you, helping to make sure your stress levels don’t go through the roof.
Stress makes you: Heartier
Channel it to: Heal your body
Bursts of stress may prime your body to battle future ailments. They can boost the immune system, with long-term effects, a study from the Stanford School of Medicine found. And you don’t have to do anything—enjoy the protective benefits of short-term stress, and know that as long as you take some downtime later to breathe, your body’s got you covered.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
When Heart Patients Discharge Themselves, Hospital Bills Increase
The finding, set to be reported this week during the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research meeting in Atlanta, comes from work conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland school of Pharmacy (UM).
The UM team, led by Eberechukwu Onukwugha, an assistant professor in the school’s department of pharmaceutical health services research, analyzed the records of more than 347,000 heart patients who had been cared for at Maryland hospitals between 2000 and 2005.
Nearly 20,000 of those patients had been readmitted to the same hospital for more heart care following their initial stay.
The authors found that self-discharged patients ended up costing hospitals upwards of 9 percent more in treatment expenses than doctor-discharged patients.
Motivations for self-discharge against medical advice include a range of patient considerations, including the need to take care of children, concern about employment, needing to pick up a paycheck, wanting to see their own physician, or being made to wait for a long time to see medical personnel. For those with a history of substance abuse, needing to get a fix was another reason to leave prematurely.
But in the end, those who left against medical advice were more likely to come back in the short run, Onukwugha noted in a news release.
More information
For more on hospital discharge issues, visit the Family Caregiver Alliance.
– Alan Mozes
SOURCE: International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research, May 19, 2010, news release.
8 Natural Remedies That May Help You Sleep
By Karen Asp
Provided by AOLHealth
If sleep has plunged to the bottom of your to-do list, you're not alone. Although the National Sleep Foundation recommends getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night, the average American logs only six hours and 40 minutes.
What gives? Blame crazy schedules and, of course, sleeping woes. Before you rush to the drugstore to buy an over-the-counter (OTC) sleep medication, try one of the following natural sleep remedies. "These are safer and have fewer side effects than OTC medications," says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of From Fatigued to Fantastic and medical director of the national Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers. Many of these can not only help you fall asleep and stay asleep, but they may also promote muscle relaxation.
Friday, May 21, 2010
How Exercise May Boost Your Mood
Exercise seems to be particularly important for some people. In a 2007 study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine, depressed people who were engaged in an exercise program recovered about as well as people who took medication. Both groups did better than a third group that got only a placebo.
What kind of exercise will lift your mood?
While regular exercise may be as effective for mild or moderate depression as antidepressants, there is a big catch, one that triathlete Peatick has figured out: It has to be intense, for at least 30 minutes, according to Madhukar Trivedi, MD, professor of psychiatry and head of the Mood Disorders Research Program and Clinic at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He has authored several studies that show regular exercise can reduce depressive symptoms—in one case by up to 47%.
At least one German study showed that exercise worked in patients who had not responded to antidepressants.
Theories as to how exercise works abound. Dr. Trivedi has suggested that it may change levels of chemicals in the brain (such as serotonin), just as antidepressants might.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Find Simple Solutions for Relief
“Most of the things they did were appropriate,” said Carlo Marra, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of British Columbia. He is lead author of the report in the April issue of Arthritis Care & Research that followed 190 people who were told they had knee osteoarthritis.
“Most tried to lose weight, most initiated an exercise program,” he added.
And most of those efforts were self-initiated, the study found. “They just took it upon themselves and invoked the self-care model,” Marra said. “Maybe they felt that the person best able to manage the condition was themselves.”
Not all of the self-treatment was helpful or of maximum effectiveness. Some 36 percent of the people in the study took natural supplements such as glucosamine, “which are not thought to be helpful,” Marra said. But often, those supplements were taken with effective painkillers, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which include aspirin and ibuprofen and are available over the counter.
The study participants — mostly overweight women with a mean age of 63 — would have been better off with acetaminophen, an over-the-counter medication that is regarded as the treatment of choice for osteoarthritis knee pain, Marra said. “But mostly they did the right things, and their quality of life improved quite a bit,” he said.
Marra acknowledged “a little disappointment that pharmacists didn’t get involved with their care.” A newer study, whose results will be published soon, compared outcomes of people who were given a multidisciplinary program of exercise and lifestyle recommendations from pharmacists and doctors to those who were simply handed a pamphlet outlining such steps. Those in the multidisciplinary program had “far superior” results, he said.
Osteoarthritis of the knee isn’t difficult to diagnose, Marra said. “If your knees hurt and you’re over 50, there is a good chance that you have arthritis,” he said. “You should then see your doctor or another health provider.”
What should follow is weight loss, advice from a pharmacist on safe and effective medications, and an exercise program overseen by a physical therapist, Marra said.
But the results of the self-guided program followed by most of the study participants were impressive, said Dr. Susan M. Goodman, an assistant attending rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
“What came through is that most people end up trying to do the right thing,” she said. “The contribution of weight and lack of exercise was recognized in this large group.”
Self-help is a natural course of action because “people don’t regard osteoarthritis as a disease as much as they consider it wear and tear, something they can take care of themselves,” Goodman said. So the study results can be considered a mark of plain common sense, she said.
More information
Learn more about osteoarthritis and its treatment at the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
By Ed Edelson
HealthDay Reporter
SOURCES: Carlo Marra, Pharm.D., Ph.D., associate professor, pharmaceutical sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Susan M. Goodman, M.D., assistant attending rheumatologist, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City; April 2010, Arthritis Care & Research
Last Updated: March 30, 2010
Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Dr Young's pH Miracle Lifestyle and Diet Validated With Scientific Research
References:
(1) Ian F. Robey, Brenda K. Baggett, Nathaniel D. Kirkpatrick, Denise J. Roe, Julie Dosescu, Bonnie F. Sloane, Arig Ibrahim Hashim, David L. Morse, Natarajan Raghunand, Robert A. Gatenby and Robert J. Gillies (2009). "Bicarbonate Increases Tumor pH and Inhibits Spontaneous Metastases". American Association for Cancer Research 69: 2260. http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/69/6/2260.
(2) Robert A. Gatenby, Edward T. Gawlinski, Arthur F. Gmitro1, Brant Kaylor, and Robert J. Gillies (2006). "Acid-Mediated Tumor Invasion: a Multidisciplinary Study ". American Association for Cancer Research 66: 5216-5223. http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/full/66/10/5216.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Flu Shot Suspended in Australia After Adverse Reactions

Low pH Indicaes Low Blood Oxygen May Cause Brain Damage

Friday, May 14, 2010
Change Lives and Save Lives That Is Our Mission
eMail=rms7888@esu.edu
Dear Shelley and Dr. Young,
My name is Rachel M. Smith and I became acquainted with the pH Miracle Lifestyle and Diet through my mother, Nancy McKowen, back in 2001. Since my mother's finding of your first book, The pH Miracle, she immediately extended her ecstatic insight to all of our family members, including me, her only daughter. She became a distributor and was immediately consumed. She became extremely passionate and committed to the mission of extending this information to everyone she met. She was at times a bit fanatical and even obsessive, but upon hindsight, I recognize that this was her pure undoubted belief in your mission.
By my mother's persuasion, I attended an Innerlight seminar in New Jersey, at a hotel I cannot recall, and listened to testimony from two particularly rememberable accounts. The ailments were severe, including an insulin dependent diabetic that no longer required drug management and a morbidly obese woman that had lost close to 600 pounds in a year.
I specifically remember you Shelley dicussing the voyage, commitment, and safe haven offered, that would literally engorge an individual in this world of pH balanced lifestyle and food. I thought it was all too Utopian. I still get chills. I listened diligently to the testimonies and was convinced and enthused to give this revolutionary product a try, with the financing and encouragement of my mother. Upon hindsight, it seemed so obvious, but I wasn't an easy sell. I came to the seminar skeptical, afraid, and laden with social conventionalism. After the testimony's and the passion of both of your speeches, data analysis and reflection, I felt empowered and eagar to transform my life. I did exactly that.
At 20 years old and 6'1, 230 pounds, with a cholesterol evaluation at 230 as well, I submitted. My first dose left me feeling a sensation that the super greens literally were scrubbing my insides. I lost about 25 pounds in three months. However, what this particular weight loss did for me, forever changed my perceptions about health, well-being, disease, and living. I drank my "Supergreens" everywhere. Despite controversy and suggestive discouragement from my peers, because of it's strange appearance, I confidently persisted because of how it made me feel (consistent with the cleansing of a fish tank). It was undeniable that this notion about cleaning your body from the inside out was truth! It wasn't easy and I felt ostracized and alienated more often than not, especially by my father's side. But in this way, I developed a deep seeded connection with my mother and our solidity toward the Innerlight brand defined so much of our young adult daughter/mother dynamic. The benefits translated into an undeniable bond and strength in our relationship.
Every conversation involved a reference or reminder to take my Supergreens. And through this she nurtured me. So, here we are almost ten years later and I have terribly troublesome news. My mother, one of your diligent and incredibly loyal supporters found herself caught in the crossfire of what seemed to be endometrial cysts (a lifelong condition). Her last breakout of cysts was actually stage three ovarian cancer, which developed blindly. She has since passed as of last May, 2009, at 48 years old. But, you must know that despite this catastrophic demise, she maintained the conviction to continue her Innerlight regiment. She took the fiber and the Supergreen tablets, not the drops so much, just because they were hard to get beyond the radar of the hospital staff, which was always monitoring.
She was afraid they would be regarded as contraband, which is unbelievably ridiculous. I must say, that my mother died with her identity fully in action. In some ways, I feel that I've absorbed her convictions. The truth is, I've always been an extension of her, and in this loss, I've become my own mother. Many of her investigations and proclamations may have been too extreme for me. And this may be due to my collegiate, evidence based, practical, academic pursuits (I've been going to school to be an elementary and special education teacher for about 8 years. It's taken a long time to decide that this was my calling). Which makes me so different from her.
I need to exclaim that you both have served our growth as individuals and as mother and daughter. You are part of our story, and even though I can't find the box with the Supergreens in it, amongst all of her things that I need to go through, I desperately want to take my Supergreens to restart another, stronger chapter of healing. I have been caught in disarray, but I crave the security that came from the regiment, order, and benefit of the Supergreens that so definitively changed my identity. I haven't been consistent with my personal regiment, but I've always gone back to it, when I've needed cleansing and a new lease on life. Your product has single handedly prevented me from any debilitating sickness over the last ten years. Whenever I got down, I drank em'. My mother was not so fortunate. Cancer is another story. Had it come along sooner, who knows what could have come of it. But, you both must know her conviction, passion, and devotion to this research.
Shelley, I have to say, you actually look a bit like her and I doubt that you remember her, but she admired your grace and disposition. Like you Shelley, she was the epitome of beauty. I apologize for the candid nature of this letter. It is so crucial to your work that you both know the impact that you've made. You have affected our family with such a wealth of health and knowledge, despite my mother's passing. I will forever hold the memory of that seminar and the time I shared with my mother, disputing and being skeptical, in the presence of, forgive me, what at the time seemed like a cult. Now I am a believer. Ultimately, I have leaned on the undeniable healing power that the Supergreens and Innerlight products you created have provided. And for that safe guard, I'm forever grateful.
Thank you Dr. Young for your life's work, Shelley for your wisdom, sacrifice, devotion, loyalty, conviction, passion, and to both of you for your equal effort of promise to change this world for the better.
You certainly have affected me.
I hope this letter reaches the both of you well.
Please feel free to contact me in return, either through email or phone. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Rachel M. Smith
Monday, May 10, 2010
Jamba Juice All Natural Smoothies
The product: Jamba Juice All Natural At-Home Smoothies. ($3 to $3.49 for a package; available at grocery stores in May 2010)
The taste factor: The smoothies are available in three refreshing flavors: Razzmatazz, Mango-A-Go-Go, and Strawberries Wild. The drinks are rich in fruity flavor, yet not too sweet, and we welcomed the seeds from the fresh fruit. They pack a taste identical to ones whipped up in Jamba’s smoothie cafés, and if you’re feeling creative, add additional ingredients for a more unique taste.
The health factor: Each 8-ounce serving contains 120 calories or less and provides about 2 grams of protein. The smoothies are made with fat-free yogurt and contain one full serving of real fruit. The best part: It’s infused with Jamba’s antioxidant boost, supplying 100% of the daily value of vitamin C.
Editors’ pick: Razzmatazz. We loved the flavorful combination of fresh blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries.
Why we love it: With only two ingredients to worry about, these frozen concoctions are quick and easy. Just add half the package, 1/2 cup of apple juice, blend, and enjoy—no ice necessary! Each package contains two servings if you just can’t resist blending up another!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
How to Lose Weight with a No-Diet Plan
I was five months pregnant with my second child when I stepped on the scale—and it read 233. Seeing that number shocked me into action, so that same afternoon I walked into an Equinox gym and asked for help.
A trainer started me on an elliptical, which I worked out on for 30 minutes a day, five times a week.
lose weight
I also wrote down everything I ate. Those two changes made my blood pressure drop and my pregnancy healthier. After my son was born, I continued to exercise and also used measuring cups to control portions.
diet weight loss
One morning while pouring cereal, it hit me how convenient it would be to have a bowl premarked with portions. So I created dishware called Measure Up Bowls. Today, I’m 83 pounds lighter—and I’m so excited to help other women succeed, too.