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Kama Rani

Studies suggest that almost half of women in the United States suffer from one or more of four types of sexual dysfunction: low libido (hypoactive sexual desire), sexual arousal disorder, orgasmic disorder, and sexual pain disorder. Low libido is the most prevalent.

According to the Female Sexual Medicine Center at UCLA Medical Center, low not allowed drive may stem from emotional issues, relationship problems, inability to orgasm, decreased vaginal and clitoral sensitivity, lack of lubrication, hormonal imbalance, stress, lack of sleep, and many other reasons. The consequences of not treating this problem can be severe.

Ongoing friction in relationships due to sexual problems can lead to separation, unfaithfulness, and prolonged emotional duress for both partners. Many women fear sexual intercourse so much that they avoid male companionship and possible relationships. As the problem becomes ingrained in the psyche, possibilities for love and satisfying not allowed life are lost and replaced by loneliness, low self-esteem, and depression.

Thus far, Western medicine has not offered successful treatments for female sexual dysfunction. The psychological symptoms are being treated with aggressive prescription drugs. Unfortunately, this does not solve the problem and often results in unwanted and even dangerous side effects.

Ayurveda, the science of life, prevention and longevity, is the oldest and most holistic and comprehensive medical system available. Its fundamentals can be found in Hindu scriptures called the Vedas - the ancient Indian books of wisdom written over 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda uses the inherent principles of nature to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual's body, mind, and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature.

India Herbs has a seasoned group of Ayurvedic doctors specialized in Vajikarana, one of the eight major specialties of Ayurveda. Vajikarana is "a process or a drug, which make a woman sexually as strong as a horse and able to copulate for long and frequently with many husbands and partners." Vajikarana prescribes the therapeutic use of various aphrodisiacs and tonic preparations for enhancing the reproductive capabilities and vigor of women while strengthening the body and overall well-being.

India Herbs' Vajikarana doctors combine a proprietary herbal formula based on centuries' old wisdom with advice on diet, exercise, mental training, and relaxation to help women reach their peak and overcome sexual concerns through safe, natural means.

more information:
http://www.kamarani.com/index.htm?aff=dreddyclinic
http://www.india-herbs.com/index.php?aff=dreddyclinic

Radiancio

Just as human instinct drives us toward survival, physical beauty is programmed into our brains as a means of staying alive and furthering our family line.

Nature has given us impulses that drive us towards procreation. Every creature, from the lowest organism to the most complex, desires not allowed. Dogs are attracted to each other’s smells.

Peacocks are attracted to each others’ plumages. Human beings are attracted to many things about each other – one of which is physical beauty.

Physical attractiveness can have very real effects. When a person is seen as attractive or unattractive, a whole set of assumptions are brought into play.

Many have asserted that certain advantages tend to come to those who are perceived as being more attractive, including the ability to get better jobs and promotions, receiving better treatment from authorities and the legal system, having more choices in romantic partners and therefore more power in relationships, and marrying into more successful families.

A survey conducted by London Guildhall University of 11,000 people showed that those that subjectively describe themselves as physically attractive earn more than others that describe themselves as less attractive. Less attractive people earned, on average, 13% less than more attractive people, while the penalty for being overweight was around 5%.

Both men and women use physical attractiveness as a measure of how 'good' another person is. Men often tend to value attractiveness more than women.

In Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) brain scans published in 2004 by Rutgers University, evolutionary anthropologist Helen Fisher discovered that there were clear differences in male and female brains, during the early intense stages of falling in love.

Men, on average, tended to show more activity in two regions in the brain: one was associated with the integration of visual stimuli, and the second was with penile erection. Conversely, women in these early stages exhibited increased activity in several regions of the brain associated with memory recall.

Although it is said that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", studies have shown that there are many universal or near-universal qualities which make men and women attractive. These qualities usually fit into one or more of three categories: Indicators of general good health. Indicators of reproductive fitness.

Healthy nails and thick, "lustrous" hair. Features that include a clear complexion and healthy, youthful-looking skin. A hair and its follicle make up one of the most complex and interesting systems in the body. Scientists are just now beginning to identify the key cells, proteins, hormones and genes that control the growth, loss, and regeneration of hair.

While inherent genetic coding is decidedly a factor in hair loss, other factors exist that accelerate the process, including stress, diet, pollution, and hygiene. Gradual buildup of residue from commercial hair care products and environmental toxins, along with a diet high in animal fats, prompts an over-secretion of sebum.

The sebum soon becomes oxidized and is transformed into a waxy substance clogging the follicle entrance. In time, the impacted sebum and other debris makes its way deep within the follicle, inhibiting the absorption of nutrients and impeding the growth of healthy hair. Stress contributes to this problem by causing tightness in the scalp, which inhibits blood circulation to this area. A chemical reaction takes place between an enzyme called 5-Alpha reductase and androgens present in the impacted sebum.

This results in the formation of a powerful hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

DHT binds to the follicle entrance, which eventually sends a message to the hair follicle to shut down. The result: thick and healthy hair begins to grow thin and weak, eventually dying altogether. Nails can be very attractive and serve many important functions. Women, more often than men, place a great deal of importance on how their nails look and spend a considerable amount of time and money on them.

Nails reflect an individual's personal and health habits - good or bad. Aside from their cosmetic appeal, nails serve many important functions. They help us pick up and manipulate objects, and they protect and support the tissues of the fingers and toes. Most importantly, nails often reflect our general state of health.

Nail problems usually increase throughout life and affect a high number of the elderly. This is due to the susceptibility of the nail to fungal infections, its increased thickness with age, circulation problems, and the use of medications. Many diseases and serious conditions can be detected by changes in the nails. Most doctors will check the nails carefully during physical examinations.

Major illness will cause a deep horizontal groove to form in the nails. Discoloration, thinning, thickening, brittleness, splitting, grooves, clubbing (convex), flatness, spooning (concave) can indicate nutrient deficiencies, drug reaction or poisoning, local injury, and other illnesses in the body. Nails can become extremely thick, loose, or degenerated.

They can also be infected with fungus which can come from dirty socks, certain types of aggressive exercise, walking barefoot, and exposing one's feet in a moldy environment. Our largest organ is our skin.

Others see our skin and assess our mood, physical state, and attractiveness. As your skin ages, it becomes thinner and more easily damaged. When this effect intensifies, the skin decreases its ability to heal itself. Sagging skin is caused by the fall in elasticity. Skin also receives less blood flow and lowers glandular activity.

Your skin supports its own ecosystems of microorganisms, including yeasts and bacteria, which cannot be removed by any amount of cleaning. In general, these organisms keep one another in check and are part of healthy skin. When the balance is disturbed, e.g., by antibiotics which kill bacteria, there may be an overgrowth and infection by yeasts. The human skin has many other important functions such as:

Protection: Your skin is an anatomical barrier between the internal and external environment in bodily defense. Sensation: Your skin contains a variety of nerve endings that react to heat, cold, touch, pressure, vibration, and tissue injury.

Heat regulation: Your skin contains a blood supply far greater than its requirements which allows precise control of energy loss by radiation, convection, and conduction. Dilated blood vessels increase perfusion and heat loss while constricted vessels greatly reduce cutaneous blood flow and conserve heat.

Control of evaporation: Your skin provides a relatively dry and impermeable barrier to fluid loss. Loss of this function contributes to the massive fluid loss in burns cases. Storage and synthesis: Your skin acts as a storage centre for lipids and water, as well as a means of synthesis of vitamin D and B by action of Ultra Violet energy on certain parts of the skin.

This synthesis is linked to pigmentation, with darker skin producing more vitamin B than D, and vice versa. Excretion: The concentration of urea is 1/130th that of urine. Excretion by sweating is at most a secondary function to temperature regulation. Absorption: Oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide can diffuse into the epidermis in small amounts. Skin is an important site of transport in many other organisms.

With such diverse roles, it is no wonder that the skin is subject to constant attack and can be afflicted by numerous ailments. The skin is the barrier between the world and our own body, between the outer and inner environment. There are many elements in the outer environment that can cause inflammation or breakouts.

There is now no questions that these accumulated toxins are behind nearly every disease, symptom, injury, and malfunction of the body. Free radicals are highly reactive chemical molecules and participate in unwanted reactions, causing tissue damage, and destructive effects on the human body.

Free radicals attack protein, lipid, and nucleic acids and lead to a reduction in their respective functions, thereby decreasing cell function, and finally causing organ failure. The road to disease can be paved with a slew of toxins and free radicals that can bind to enzymes at a cellular level and inactivate them so that the cell no longer functions optimally. When toxins are not eliminated, they are reabsorbed back into the liver.

The liver works by filtering toxins directly as well as altering them so that they can be removed during the various stages of detoxification. The liver filters toxins from about 1 liter of blood every minute. Some of these endotoxins (produced in the body), exotoxins (from outside the body), and wastes are sent to the kidneys or the colon. Other toxins, made up of compounds that are difficult for the liver to filter, must be broken down with enzymes so that they can be removed.

A properly functioning liver is vital to your health. Western medicine relies on aggressive prescription drugs and surgery to deal with many problems related to health and aesthetics. Unfortunately, these methods often result in unwanted and even dangerous side effects. And natural pills provide fleeting, inconsistent results.

Ayurveda, the science of life, prevention, and longevity, is the oldest and most holistic and comprehensive medical system available. Its fundamentals can be found in Hindu scriptures called the Vedas - the ancient Indian books of wisdom written over 5,000 years ago. Ayurveda uses the inherent principles of nature to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual's body, mind, and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature.

India Herbs has a seasoned group of Ayurvedic doctors specialized in Vajikarana, one of the eight major specialties of Ayurveda. Vajikarana is "a process or a drug, which make a man as healthy as a ox and able to undergo many hours of physical rigors." Vajikarana prescribes the therapeutic use of various herbal and tonic preparations for enhancing the condition of your hair, nails, and skin while strengthening your body and overall well-being.

India Herbs' Vajikarana scientists combine a proprietary herbal formula based on centuries' old wisdom with advice on diet, exercise, mental training, and relaxation to address the native inhibitory causes that affect hair, nail, and skin growth while helping both men and women reach their peak health and beauty through safe and natural means.

Results: The precise combination of ingredients in Radiancio along with a mind-body focus precisely addresses your health and beauty needs!

more information: http://www.radiancio.com/index.htm?aff=dreddyclinic

PMS Lite

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is characterized by uncomfortable physical and mental symptoms that occur before the onset of your menstrual period. An estimated three out of every four menstruating women experience some form of PMS.

About 5% of women experience symptoms that cause severe impairment. PMS may start at any time during the years that a woman menstruates. Once it begins, the symptoms often continue until menopause.

PMS is more likely to trouble women between their late 20s and early 40s and it tends to recur in a predictable pattern. The physical and emotional changes that are experienced with PMS may vary in intensity with each menstrual cycle. Cyclic changes in hormones are believed to be a precursor to PMS because its symptoms appear with hormonal fluctuations and disappear with pregnancy and menopause. Fluctuations of serotonin, a brain chemical (neurotransmitter), are the cause of mood swings during PMS.

Insufficient amounts of serotonin may contribute to other symptoms of PMS, such as fatigue, food cravings, and sleep problems. Occasionally, some women with severe PMS have undiagnosed depression, though depression alone does not cause all of the symptoms associated with PMS. Stress may also aggravate PMS.

Western medicine relies on pharmaceuticals to counteract symptoms related to PMS. Unfortunately, these drugs do not address underlying causes and often result in dangerous side effects. And natural pills only provide fleeting, inconsistent results. Ayurveda, the science of life, prevention and longevity, is the oldest and most holistic and comprehensive medical system available. Its fundamentals can be found in Hindu scriptures called the Vedas - the ancient Indian books of wisdom written over 5,000 years ago.

Ayurveda uses the inherent principles of nature to help maintain health in a person by keeping the individual's body, mind, and spirit in perfect equilibrium with nature. India Herbs has a seasoned group of Ayurvedic doctors specialized in Vajikarana, one of the eight major specialties of Ayurveda. Vajikarana prescribes the therapeutic use of various herbal and holistic medicines to enhance your physiological and psychological capabilities and composition while strengthening the mind and overall well-being.

India Herbs' Vajikarana scientists combine a proprietary herbal formula based on centuries' old wisdom with advice on diet, exercise, mental training, and relaxation to help you reach your peak and minimize the symptoms of PMS through safe, natural means.

Results: The precise combination of natural ingredients in PMS Lite along with a mind-body focus precisely addresses your gynecological concerns!

more information: http://www.pmslite.com/index.htm?aff=dreddyclinic

Pediatricians Say Dairy OK for Lactose-Intolerant Kids

New guidelines stress the need for proper calcium intake for bone health
By Ed EdelsonHealthDay Reporter

(HealthDay News) -- The American Academy of Pediatrics has a new attitude about consumption of milk and milk products by children with lactose intolerance: Hey, give it a try.

New guidelines say the academy "supports use of dairy foods as an important source of calcium for bone mineral health and of other nutrients that facilitate growth in children and adolescents." Specifically, it does not recommend eliminating dairy products to treat lactose intolerance.

In practical terms, said Dr. Melvin B. Heyman, a member of the committee that wrote the guidelines, the new advice is for parents of children with lactose intolerance, in collaboration with pediatricians, to "test the system and see how much milk, cheese and ice cream they can tolerate."

One reason for the new advice, said Heyman, who is a professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, is that "we have more information about what people will tolerate. We know that children who have lactose intolerance have a tendency to tolerate some dairy products."

At least an equally important factor is the need for the calcium in dairy products, he said. "Young people have to get as much calcium as they can to lower the risk of problems with bones as they get older," Heyman said.

The new guidelines were published in the September issue of the academy's journal, Pediatrics.
An estimated 30 million to 50 million Americans have some degree of intolerance to lactose, the main sugar found in milk and other dairy products. They have a shortage of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the sugar, and can experience unpleasant symptoms, including nausea, cramps, bloating, gas and diarrhea if they ingest too much lactose.

The condition is relatively rare in whites, but as many as 75 percent of blacks, 90 percent of Asian-Americans and nearly 100 percent of Native Americans suffer from it. Symptoms generally start appearing after the age of 2.

When symptoms do appear, the first step should be to make sure that they are not caused by another condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, an infection or parasites, Heyman said.

If lactose intolerance is the problem, it's important to remember that the condition does not do bodily damage, however unpleasant the symptoms might be, he said. Careful testing can help determine which products affect an individual and which are a lesser problem. "Some people might tolerate yogurt but have problems with milk," Heyman said.

The important point is that young people get an adequate amount of calcium, he said. The guidelines note that the National Medical Association, an organization of black physicians, "recently recommended that black people consume three to four servings a day of low-fat milk, cheese and/or yogurt."

"If lactose-free diets are used for treatment of lactose intolerance, the diets should include a good source of calcium and/or calcium supplementation to meet daily recommended intake levels," the guidelines state.

More information
Visit the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for more on lactose intolerance.
SOURCES: Melvin B. Heyman, professor, pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco; September 2006 Pediatrics

It's Hip to Live Past 100

(HealthDay News) -- What's the secret of those who survive into the triple-digits? It might be that they are keen on keeping up the latest trends, including iPods, current events and even MTV, a new survey finds.

In its second annual 100 at 100 Survey, Evercare, a health insurance plan that specializes in older people, polled 100 centenarians about their secrets of successful aging.

One of the respondents, George Reed, age 103, attributes his health and longevity to luck. But he has also spent much of his life being active, and remains so today.

Once an avid baseball player and cyclist, Reed still practices T'ai Chi daily, plays bingo and keeps up with news and current events.

"I read the newspaper rather regularly and manage to keep up with what's going on," Reed said.
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that there are now more than 80,000 Americans 100 years of age or older. That number is expected to rise to more than 580,000 by 2040.

Among the main findings of the survey were the tendencies of centenarians to tune into trends and current events, lead healthy lifestyles and hold faith and spirituality in high regard, Dr. John Mach, CEO of Evercare, said in a prepared statement.

The survey found that nearly a third of the respondents have watched a reality TV show, and 27 percent have watched MTV or music videos.

Six percent have spent time on the Internet, and four percent said they have listened to music on an iPod.

When asked who they trust the most to tell the truth, 34 percent of the centenarians said they trusted their spiritual leader (e.g., priest, rabbi, minister). This echoed the results of last year's survey, which indicated the centenarians attribute their longevity to faith and spiritual care more than genes and medical care.

Reed, a practicing Catholic, agreed. "Prayer has gotten to be quite a thing with me," he said.
Eighty-two percent of the survey respondents said their dietary habits had improved or stayed the same, compared with 50 years ago.

While 40 percent of the respondents said they turn to newspapers for news and current events, 68 percent rely on television.

So, what do experts call the keys to successful aging?

While good genes can help you live a longer, healthier life, balancing your genes with a healthy lifestyle is also important, doctors say.

"Maintaining good health behaviors throughout one's life may lead to longer survival and better health," said Dr. Dellara Terry, co-director of the New England Centenarian Study and assistant professor at the Boston University School of Medicine.

Terry lists avoiding smoking, exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet (with reasonable portions) among health behaviors to aim for. She also advocates exercising your mind.
"In the context of 'use it or lose it,' " Terry said, "there is an increasing body of evidence that suggests exercising one's brain may in fact benefit one's health."

Terry and her colleagues are currently following more than 1,000 centenarians to see how genetic and environmental factors contribute to their health and longevity.

While you cannot have complete control over how long you will live, having good health habits, following your health care providers' advice and staying socially and mentally engaged will go a long way in improving the quality and -- perhaps -- the quantity of your life, the experts said.

More information
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about healthy aging.

Tips For An Ayurvedic Lifestyle

Feeling irresolute about wanting to make those New Year's Resolutions? Consider this: During your lifetime, advances in medical sciences will add about two years to your life, but changes in your personal behavior -- read lifestyle -- can add 15+ years. Isn't it about time to make some changes?

Ayurvedic healing, as you know, places the highest value on good lifestyle. Ayurveda describes four types of life: hita-ayu, ahita-ayu, sukha-ayu and dukha-ayu: Hita-ayu is life that is led for doing good to yourself and others. Ahita-ayu refer to actions which are not for the good of yourself or another person. Sukha-ayu refers to those healthful and blissful actions that you do for the good of your physiology, while dukha-ayu is leading a life that harms the physiology. Choose to lead the hita-ayu and sukha-ayu life, and your days will be filled with bounty in every way.

The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians shows you how to lead the hita-sukha lifestyle this year.

THE CUP THAT CHEERS

This year, discover the cup that really cheers: Kicking the coffee habit can be hard -- in fact some researchers today say that taken in moderation, caffeine can actually help fend off Parkinson's disease, increase alertness and improve moods. So if you're among the 160 million Americans who love coffee, that's grounds for celebration.
But… remember that all the research underlines coffee-consumption in moderation -- that is, not more than 2 cups a day. What when the urge for the 3rd cup hits?

Try Raja's Cup: a precise blend of four potent herbs -- Clearing Nut, Kasmard, Licorice and Winter Cherry -- this time-tested beverage helps promote well-being and vitality. Published research shows that Raja's Cup has hundreds of times the antioxidant power of vitamin C or vitamin E. And it tastes delicious too! In a blind taste test, coffee drinkers thought that Raja's Cup was actually coffee. Caffeine-free, with no grains, Raja's Cup can be enjoyed any time of day -- after meals, at breakfast or before bed.

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE

Make this year the year of spice: The confusion about what to eat is getting worse every day. The fashion and entertainment industry urges you to be thin, and commercials promote junk food. What's found to be healthy one day is proved by research to be unhealthy the next.

But one thing is for sure. Whatever other surprises research might throw up, it is never likely to prove that artificial, chemical-laden foods are good for you. This year let your resolution be to discard all those over-processed, milled, greasy foods from your kitchen cabinets. Eat fresh, organic, whole foods that are alive with nature's intelligence.

Learn to use spices and herbs in your daily cooking for more flavor, aroma and healing benefits. You'll derive maximum benefit from spices if you blend them to make sure you get all six flavors ayurveda recommends -- that is, sweet, salty, sour, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Sounds like too much trouble? Try Maharishi Ayurveda Churnas, which are blended precisely to make sure you get balanced flavor.

USE GHEE

One of Maharishi Ayurveda's best kept secret's is the virtues of Ghee (Clarified butter) -- a time-honored alternative to ordinary cooking oil. Ghee is all-natural, salt-free and lactose-free. Chefs know that you can use half as much Ghee as ordinary oils. And it stays fresh for weeks at room temperature.

Ghee helps bring out the lipid-soluble portion of spices so you can gain the full benefit of the spices. Plus, ayurvedic doctors report that Ghee aids digestion and absorption of nutrients while reducing excess stomach acid.

Don't visit your doctor too often: A recent study that surveyed hundreds of American men found that 4 out of 5 men feel sick at least once in a month, and 1 in 5 goes to a doctor for some health problem. Don't be an unhappy statistic this year. Learn why disease happens, then strive to keep it away. Ayurveda believes that accumulated toxins or "ama" are the reason why all disease takes root.

Keep your body ama -free by following five simple steps:
Sip plain hot water frequently throughout the day. This helps the body digest food and eliminate ama efficiently.

Eat a warm, full meal at lunchtime, with all the six tastes on your platter -- sweet, bitter, salty, sour, pungent and astringent.

Take at least 20 minutes to eat, and sit quietly for a few minutes after you've finished your meal.

Eat a light, early dinner and drink only liquids after 8 p.m.
Build your immunity: Discover the power of Amrit. Amrit is a powerful, holistic nutritional supplement for mind and body. It provides comprehensive nourishment at fundamental levels, helping to strengthen each cell for optimum functioning. Forty-four rare whole herbs and fruits are combined in precise proportions in this powerful formula to keep the body functioning at peak efficiency and filled with vitality.

GET YOUR ZZZs

Get 365 nights of great sleep: Sleep apnea, narcolepsy, insomnia: these are just a few of the recognized disorders that keep their afflicted from getting enough sleep. Nearly half of all Americans have difficulty sleeping.

Don't be one of them this year.

Turn to ayurveda for simple and practical solutions to help you sleep well. Herbs have long been known to calm the mind and improve the quality of sleep. Indian Valerian, Muskroot and Winter Cherry (Ashwagandha) are some of the star sleep-friendly herbs that Maharishi Ayurveda's Blissful Sleep herbal formula contains. The herbs in this synergistic formula produce a calming, balancing effect on the body, mind and emotions.

Blissful Sleep can be used in conjunction with the Worry Free formula if you tend to worry about being able to sleep well.
Besides the herbs, there's time-tested advice. Ayurvedic physicians have, for instance, always recommended a glass of warm milk before bedtime. Modern research explains the scientific reason for this: milk taken at this time helps the body absorb tryptophan, a sleep-promoting amino acid that releases melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep well.

THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING

Heal the Self: The most important relationship in the world is that you have with your own self. In sickness and in health, for better or for worse. The stresses of daily life, however, make it a struggle to keep in touch with your natural reservoir of creativity, nurturance and intelligence. Result: your efforts to love and care for others become a struggle, leaving you empty and cold inside.

This year, resolve to get back in touch with the reservoir of love inside, so you can give without being exhausted, care without wanting to cling. A great way to achieve this is by learning Transcendental Meditation™, which is an effortless, proven way to take you back to the field of natural calm and peace. TM™ makes you more productive, energetic and positive-and when you're feeling so good about yourself, it's easy to feel loving towards other people.

HOW TO KEEP YOURSELF MOTIVATED

READ UP: Making a resolution is essentially about changing established unhealthy patterns-right from sleeping late to eating the wrong kind of foods. A superb way to motivate yourself is to read up on how lack of sleep damages your physiology and psychology; or how the wrong food combinations taken at the wrong time of day can play havoc with your entire system. Thanks to the internet, all this information is just a click away.

SHARE YOUR GOALS: Tell someone about your fresh resolutions, and seek their co-operation. Invite your friend/mother/boss to do what you are going to do. This way, you not only ensure that you are motivated, but also inspire others to live more healthfully.

BE REALISTIC: Don't go into your resolution with an all-or-nothing attitude. It's okay to slip up. What's more, think of ayurvedic lifestyle guidelines as bonus points: you benefit tremendously if you pick up more points, but not picking them up once in a while won't harm you in any way.

RECORD YOUR PROGRESS: A calendar with stars, or better still, a personal journal is an excellent incentive for tracking your successes and failures. A journal does more than keep records-it puts you back in touch with yourself, improving the way you feel about the whole world.

REWARD YOUR SUCCESSES: But don't punish yourself for failures. Although following a new healthful routine is in itself a reward, you will do better by rewarding yourself externally too. Promise to buy yourself a good book or a new dress at the end of a healthy week. When you have something good to look forward to, keeping up with that nightly glass of milk or timely lunch becomes a pleasure.

UNDERSTAND THE SPIRIT OF WINTER: Winter's dark, cold, slow-moving nature makes it the worst time of year to begin a vigorous workout schedule or stringent weight-loss program, like many of us do as New Year's resolutions. It is a time to conserve strength, to rest, and to build energy, not expend it. Just as plants reemerge in the spring, so should you. So whatever your resolve, make sure it is in tune with the season.

Modern technology does make life seem simpler-but the increasing evidence is-it can also make life shorter, by reducing the need to interact with othe

Modern technology does make life seem simpler-but the increasing evidence is-it can also make life shorter, by reducing the need to interact with other human beings. Recent research studies prove that people who have a lot of human contact can live twice as long as those who are isolated.

A groundbreaking study of some 7,000 people in Alameda County, CA, showed that those with the fewest friends, family, community, and religious institutions were three times more likely to die over the 9 years in which the study was conducted.

Further, researchers who monitored 276 people between the ages of 18 and 55 found that those who had six or more connections with people were four times better than others at fighting off viruses that cause colds.

Ayurveda has never needed laboratory research studies like these to understand this truth its healers have observed and understood it quite literally for ages now. Here is the A-to-Z ayurveda guide on how to reconnect with your spouse, significant other or a special family member or friend so you both live long and joyful lives.

Apply the brakes. Don't be a time-struggler. The human body is not well suited to time struggle. Research strongly suggests that impatient clock watching is linked to hostility, resentment and relationship-breakdowns. Remember Lord Chesterfield's immortal words: "Take care of the minutes, and the hours will take care of themselves. That's exactly what ayurveda advocates. Some tools to help you slow down: Maharishi Ayurveda's wide range of relaxing massage oils, all-natural Aroma candles and time-tested herbal supplements like Blissful Joy.

Balance is a keyword in Ayurveda, be it in physical health or emotional issues. Ayurveda believes that inner disharmony and imbalance cause stress, a leading cause of failed relationships. What causes this imbalance in the first place? Overuse or misuse of the mind and/or body.

Stress vitiates Prana Vata, which governs the activity and energy of the brain. Once the pivot point is weakened, your ability to cope with stress is badly compromised. Restore your emotional balance with herbal healers like Blissful Joy and Worry Free.

Cook together. It's therapeutic. Besides nutrition, there's affection in cooking for another. In his e-magazine The Bridge, journalist Angshuman Dasgupta writes of herbs and spices thus: "They (herbs and spices) are hoary heritage from times long past, places afar. They waft through the breeze across continents, transcend barriers, borne on the backs of wayfarers. Let the spices you have grown up on be your new adventure. They can become flavorful blends in innovative hands. Give them a chance. New to the world of spices?

Kick-start your quest with the help of Maharishi Ayurveda's gourmet Churnas, precisely blended to balance the three doshas."
Drive thoughts of jealousy from your mind. These are toxic, and pile up negative "ama" inside you, leading to not only mental but also physical ailments.

Empty your kitchen cupboards of all milled, processed, preserved and fermented foods. Food in ayurvedic healing has a direct relationship with your consciousness. You are what you eat" is a maxim very dear to the ayurvedic healer's heart. To be a loving, caring person, you ought to eat foods that have been prepared with love and care-not instant and indifferent pre-packaged foods. When the urge to binge on "junk" foods strikes, give your body-and mind-a treat with drinks like Maharishi Ayurveda's Almond Energy drink. The Winter Cherry in this drink aids resistance to stress. Brahmi nourishes the mind. Poppy Seeds are a natural sleep aid and help relaxation. Almonds provide energy. What more can you ask for?

Follow your heart. Basically, we all want to be happy. And happiness comes when your heart, mind and body are all doing the same things. Picture this: your body is tired, but your mind says you have to finish your work by morning so you stay up all night. This fills the heart with resentment, and at the end of the night, you're anything but happy.

Gift your partner some good health. Maharishi Ayurveda products include personal care, foods and beverages and nutritional supplements. Choose your gift with care, and present it with flair. Our recommendations: well, they are too many to list, but you can choose from among scores of creams, lotions, oils, aromas and herbal supplements.

Halt your tongue as soon as you begin to feel your temper rise. Ayurveda recommends everything in moderation: be it love or anger.
Increase the quota of time you spend on yourself. Start your day with a warm all-body massage before your shower, and you will emerge feeling relaxed and vitally alive. A good self-image always makes you feel generous and loving towards others, and that helps build strong relationships. Massage is only one of the many ways in which you can look after yourself. Try a little bit of all of these: yoga, deep breathing, drinking plenty of water, taking frequent breaks from work. All of these will make you feel special and happy.

Joy is not in things-it is in us, said a wise man. Healers who followed ayurveda have expressed this sentiment in a variety of ways. To them, this thought mattered a great deal because they knew relationships can become victims of object-referral living. A vaidya, therefore, would whole-heartedly agree that "the real things in life aren't things at all.

Know the difference between loving and clinging. Laugh together as often as you can. Laughter really is the best medicine.
Meditate: Transcendental Meditation® is a wonderful way to connect with yourself, and subsequently with other people. The basic principle is this: when you make contact with your deepest needs, your inner self, you release the knotted-up tension from your heart. Through regular meditation, you can shed these pressures on a daily basis-which will make you feel more energetic, more positive and more loving.

Nature knows best. Follow this simple mantra, and your harried life will begin to flow smoothly. Be it hunger or sleep, listen to the rhythm of nature: appetite peaks at noon and the mind requests rest in the evening-that's the way nature has designed us, and going against its laws causes disturbances in our daily lives, and affects our relationships with others too.
Omit meat from your diet if you can. Ayurveda believes that the vegetarian diet is complete in itself, and foods that are not derived from animal slaughter are rich in "chetna" or consciousness. Such foods give rise to positive thoughts, build "satoguna", the highest-quality dosha of the mind.

Prevent disorders from taking root in the physiology with the greatest rasayana of all. Amrit is truly the golden cup of longevity, as its name means. It is a wonderfully effective formulation of 40 rare herbs and fruits. Not only does this incredible anti-oxidant rejuvenate the body, but also brings calm and peace to the person as a whole.

Quell your desire to eat a late-night meal or stay in bed till late in the morning. An old saying, "eat half as much in twice the time" makes a lot of sense to ayurvedic physicians. Similarly, sleep early and rise before 6 a.m.-this way, you will balance all your doshas. When the doshas are in harmony, one feels joyous, filled with bliss. When you are humming inside, you'll make others want to sing, too.
Resolve to pay more attention to the little things in a relationship: a kind gesture, a thank-you note, or even just a smile.

Sniff sesame oil (nasya) to lubricate and protect your nose and sinuses, which are the ventilation system for your brain. The oil helps clear mucus out of the sinuses. Just dip your little finger in the sesame oil you use for your massage and rub the oil inside of each nostril. Then pinch and release your nostrils rapidly while inhaling sharply. This not only clears the nasal passages but also your brain, making you think clearer and make the right choices with regard to yourself and others.

"Tend to the needs of your digestive system. Now good digestion wait on appetite-and health on both," Shakespeare's Macbeth is said to have exclaimed. Not for no reason. Ayurveda considers the health of the digestive system to be the key to overall well-being. Can you imagine being relaxed, friendly, and creative when last night's heavy dinner is still groaning in your stomach?

Understand the importance of touch. Ayurveda's prime diagnostic tool is nadi pariksha or pulse diagnosis, which connects the physician to the patient -anyone who has had a pulse diagnosis done knows how soothing and healing that touch feels. Not only that, the pulse can tell a physician what complex laboratory tests can sometimes fail to reveal. Similarly, people around us need to be healed with touch: a baby needs hugging, a friend needs a gentle squeeze of the hand.

Value the need of your body to rejuvenate and detoxify with each change of season. Ayurveda offers the pleasurable and highly beneficial Panchakarma therapy that can, every time the season changes, restore you in body and mind.
Work hard, but don't let your work overshadow other areas of your life that are equally important. Short breaks during periods of intense activity, planning and not allowing deadlines to rule your entire life can make work pleasurable and productive.

"Youth is unhappy because it is faced with this terrible choice: love without peace, or peace without love," wrote Beaumarchais. True, isn't it-that youth and peace often seem to be in conflict? It needn't be that way, if you listen to some simple ayurvedic advice. Youth, according to ayurveda, is the season ruled by dynamic Pitta. Keeping your Pitta balanced by eating calming foods, dressing according to the weather, and staying away from violent books and movies are small but effective steps toward a happy, peaceful and loving youth.

Zoom away together to a place where natural beauty abounds. Getting close to nature every now and then heals and restores the whole being.

A Powerful Approach to Prostate Health

Most men hardly know they have a prostate until they reach middle age, when prostate health becomes a serious issue. Prostate enlargement is found in 50 percent of American men in their sixties, and up to 90 percent of men in their seventies and eighties.

Worse, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death by cancer in men, with about 80 percent of all cases of prostate cancer occurring in men over sixty-five.

Even though the prostate seems to be an older man's health problem, these imbalances begin much earlier in life. The good news is that most prostate problems can be prevented by making simple lifestyle and dietary changes to restore balance. In this interview, our ayurvedic expert provides an in-depth analysis of prostate health from the perspective of Ayurveda, and gives practical and effective advice for keeping the prostate healthy throughout life.

Q: Let's start at the beginning. What exactly is the prostate gland, and what does it do?

A: The prostate is part of the male reproductive system. The interesting thing is that even though it is called a gland, it is actually an organ made up of 70 percent glandular and thirty percent fibro-muscular tissue. About the size and shape of a walnut, it is located directly beneath the bladder and surrounds part of the urethra, the tube that drains the bladder. The prostate secretes a thin, milky substance contained in semen that protects and nourishes the sperm and lubricates the urethra. In ayurvedic terms, the prostate's secretion supports the flow of Shukra Dhatu, the reproductive tissue.

Q: How would you know if you had a prostate problem?

A: One major symptom is prostate enlargement, which is caused by imbalances that accumulate over time but become manifest with age. The initial symptoms include excessive urination at night, a weak urine stream, stopping and starting while urinating, a feeling that the bladder is never empty, difficulty in starting to urinate, and dribbling at the end of urination.

If a man has these symptoms, he should consult his doctor immediately. Often, when the symptoms are mild, the physician will say, "Wait and watch. This is the ideal time to get help from Ayurveda, when the problem is mild to moderate. At this point, there is still an opportunity to correct the imbalance that has caused the problem. Of course aging is the main etiological factor, or cause of the problem, but Ayurveda also identifies the lifestyle or dietary factors that act as a trigger, and if unchecked, can turn a mild problem into a serious one.

Q: Every man would naturally want to keep the problem from becoming serious. What are some of the causes, or triggers, of prostate problems?

A: There are several. One is overuse of Shukra Dhatu, or overuse of the sexual organs. Another is lack of adequate fluids in the body, due to not drinking enough water during the day.

Habitually suppressing the natural urge to urinate also can, over time, cause the urine to become more concentrated and, in turn, irritates the prostate.

Drinking too much alcohol or caffeinated beverages can also cause an imbalance. Alcohol, for instance, creates an abnormal increase in urine production, which aggravates Pitta and Vata doshas.

Another cause is taking too many over-the-counter antihistamines and decongestants. These can cause the muscle that controls urine flow to tighten, making urination difficult.

Even your job can be a source of imbalance. If you have to sit for long periods of time without taking a break or stretching, this can create an imbalance in the reproductive area of the body. Not getting daily exercise, or eating a diet that creates impurities (ama) in the body, are other causes of prostate problem. If your diet does not contain spices that purify the urine daily (such as turmeric, cumin and fennel) that can also cause toxins to build up that lead to imbalances or infection.

Finally, if you don't have a healthy daily routine, for instance if you watch TV late at night or for other reasons don't sleep enough, or if you don't eat meals on time or your routine is very irregular, that can also cause ama to build up and disturb the immune system.

Q: It sounds like a wide number of factors can cause prostate problems.

A: Yes, they do sound like they are widely disparate on the surface, but actually there is an underlying principle that ties them all together.

One main factor is ama. Ama refers to the sticky impurities that are created when digestion is weak and food is not digested completely. Now, aging itself can create some weakening of the digestion, but most ama is created by poor dietary and lifestyle habits already mentioned -- eating foods that are old and heavy or eating meals at irregular times of the day.

If this kind of diet becomes a habit, then ama eventually mixes with the nutrient fluid (Rasa Dhatu) and even the blood (Rakta Dhatu). The urine, which is part of the body's purification system, also becomes overloaded with ama and thus more prone to infection. It becomes a fertile ground for bacteria, and can create additional problems of urinary tract infections, and that impacts the prostate. Weakened immunity also creates a problem for the prostate.

If the ama problem is not corrected, and ama reaches the muscle and fat tissue, then it creates an additional factor -- imbalance in cell production. This, compounded with testosterone levels declining due to age (or due to overuse of the sexual organs), is a major factor in prostate enlargement.

If the person also has an imbalance in Shleshaka Kapha (the subdosha of Kapha that governs lubrication of the joints, body fluids, and moisture balance in the skin), and ama is accumulating in the body fluids due to dietary mistakes, then Shleshaka Kapha and ama gets mixed with urine, creating a more irritated situation and further weakening the immune system.

Also, when Shleshaka Kapha is mixed with ama, it creates shleshma (a sticky, toxic mixture of Shleshaka Kapha and ama ). This condition is a common factor in imbalanced cell production. When combined with the problems of ama spreading to the tissues mentioned earlier, then the cell production becomes abnormal, and the prostate grows abnormally large.

Ayurveda tries to support health on all fronts: by balancing Apana Vata, the subdosha of Vata related to the downward flow of energy such as occurs with urination, stopping ama from being produced, strengthening the immune system, and cleansing the urine and nutrient fluid, and cleansing the blood, muscle and fat tissues of ama, and cleansing Shleshaka Kapha of amavisha.

Q: It certainly sounds like Ayurveda takes a holistic approach to prostate health and functioning. Can you tell us why age is such a critical factor in prostate health?

A: Again, this comes back to the doshas. Vata dosha increases as we age. The later part of life is actually known as the Vata Kala (or Vata time of life) in Ayurveda. Because Vata dosha is irregular, dry, and moving by nature, it can cause the digestion to become more irregular. This contributes to more ama being produced and spreading to the tissues.

Also, you have to consider that the prostate is located in the area of the body that is governed by Apana Vata, which includes the colon, lower abdomen, elimination and reproductive areas. Because the prostate is governed by Apana Vata, anything that aggravates Apana Vata creates pressure on the prostate.

Not everyone has to have problems with Apana Vata, of course, and some people will maintain balanced Vata even in old age. But if the person has been keeping an irregular routine, eating foods that are difficult to digest, and sitting for long periods of time at their job, the stage is already set. With the added factor of aging then the downward flow of energy in the body will become obstructed, affecting the organs in the reproductive system, including the prostate.

As the flow of energy and nutrients to the area gets blocked by ama, and the flow of impurities out of the area gets obstructed (as found in more concentrated urine), the prostate gets weaker and more and more imbalanced.

Q: So far we've only been talking about enlarged prostate. But is there a connection here to even more serious problems?

A: Yes. You see, initially, the imbalance in Shleshaka Kapha, called amavisha, causes enlargement of the prostate. But if the imbalance becomes more serious, and the person never adopts an ama -reducing diet or makes lifestyle changes to create more balance, then the common kind of amavisha becomes an even more toxic type of ama called amavisha.

Then the imbalance has become very serious. In other words, what if ama continues to be created, and mixes with Shleshaka Kapha, blood, muscle and fat tissue, and that occurs conjointly for a long period of time? If the person is not taking corrective measures to dissolve the ama, pacify Apana Vata, and restore balance to the entire area, then amavisha, the most toxic stage ama, spreads and really takes hold. Amavisha breeds free radicals and obstructs the natural flow of intelligence between cells, breaking down the connection between nature's intelligence and that area. This is how cancer tends to begin -- when the cell forgets its own nature and starts to grow uncontrollably.

Q: That is certainly a scenario we all want to avoid. So then an enlarged prostate or prostate imbalance could lead to cancer if the situation is not checked?

A: Yes, and that is why the doctor recommends that you keep checking, and keep testing on a yearly basis once you have an enlarged prostate. It's also why you should see a doctor immediately if you notice any of the symptoms that we mentioned earlier. But as you wait and watch, you can be using the Ayurveda approach, which is preventive and holistic in nature.
The role of Ayurveda is really prevention -- ideally to prevent a problem from starting in the first place, or to prevent a mild problem from becoming worse.

Q: What about stress, does stress play a role?

A: Stress can also create some problems. Because Vata dosha governs the nervous system, stress has a greater impact on Vata dosha, and therefore on anyone who is entering the Vata time of life. For instance, if you have a job that requires overuse of the mind, or jars the senses, this can aggravate Prana Vata, the subdosha of Vata that governs the brain, head, chest, respiration, sensory perception and the mind. When Prana Vata is out of balance, it easily brings the other aspects of Vata out of balance, including Apana Vata, creating disturbances in the prostate as well as other parts of the body.

Q: What are some dietary and behavioral recommendations to correct these problems?

A: First of all, it's important to understand that the right diet is very necessary to improve the health of the prostate.In choosing the right diet, there are several factors to consider. First of all, it's a good idea to eat Pitta pacifying foods, because the problem involves an imbalance in the blood tissue, which is governed by Pitta dosha. But at the same time, Kapha dosha must also be pacified, because Shleshaka Kapha is involved. And Vata dosha must also be brought into balance because this disease occurs during the Vata stage of life, and the prostate is located in the area governed by Apana Vata.

So prostate problems involve the combination of Pitta, Kapha, and Vata -- as without the Kapha imbalance there would be no abnormal growth, without the Pitta imbalance there would be no inflammation, and without the Vata imbalance there would be no discomfort. So all three doshas are involved, and therefore all the dietary and behavioral recommendations have to take all three doshas into account.

Q: What sort of diet would pacify all three doshas?

A: In balancing the three doshas simultaneously it's important to avoid any extremes. You don't want to eat anything that is too cold, too spicy, too dry, too bitter, too sweet, or too salty, as any taste taken in excess can create an imbalance in one of the doshas. You'll want to eat a diet that is moderate in every way.

To keep from aggravating Vata dosha, don't eat foods that are too dry and lack nourishment, such as too many crackers or dry cereals. Avoid long, leafy greens such as chard or spinach when they are cooked whole, as they are hard to digest and obstruct the natural movement of the intestine. If you chop the chard and spinach into small pieces and cook them well with spices, then they are easy to digest, help elimination and immunity, and do not aggravate Vata dosha. Avoid eating ice-cold drinks or cold foods such as cold salads, as these aggravate Vata dosha.

for Pitta, avoid extremely spicy foods that heat the blood tissue (such as hot chili peppers and cayenne found in some Mexican and Indian foods). Too much horseradish, garlic, onions and mustard seeds are other examples. Vinegar is another food that pollutes the blood tissue, and it is found in mustard, ketchup, salad dressings, and pickles.

To keep from aggravating Kapha dosha, avoid cold and heavy foods such as fried foods, ice cream, and other rich desserts. Aged cheeses and yogurt should also be avoided, as they are heavy and difficult to digest.

Q: That covers the extremes to be avoided. What are some foods to improve prostate health?
A: For prostate health, a diet of warm, cooked, easily digestible, light yet nourishing foods are best. Organic vegetables cooked in mild spices, whole grains, light proteins such as mung dhal soups, and sweet, juicy fruits will nourish the body and pacify all three doshas.

It's important to cook with mild spices that improve digestion, burn away ama, and pacify Vata dosha, but don't create heat in the blood tissue. Include a mixture of fennel, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and small amounts of turmeric (see recipe in box). Small amounts of black pepper and small amounts of fresh ginger also are healthy for maintaining prostate health and balance.
You may think that just adding these spices to your diet may not be that significant, but they are very powerful. Let me just explain a small amount of research on these common spices.

Turmeric is strongly anti-inflammatory, and intensifies the anti-cancer activity of other phyto-nutrients. Ginger and turmeric both have been found to have cancer-preventing qualities.

Turmeric is one of nature's most powerful antioxidants, has more DNA protective qualities than Vitamin E and betacarotene. It helps clear away amavisha, the breeding ground of free radicals, thus supporting the liver in its effort to clear itself of free radicals. By stopping the production of ama and amavisha, it balances Ranjaka Pitta, thus purifying the blood and urine.

Black pepper is another common spice whose effects in the diet have been well documented.

Research published in Cancer Letter in the August 16, 1993 issue reported that 20 days after adding black pepper to the diet, the subjects' liver detoxification systems were strengthened, aiding in purification of the blood tissue and enhancing the overall immune system.

The mixture of black pepper, long pepper and ginger (trikatu) is famous in ayurveda, because it is the most effective combination of spices to prevent ama and amavisha, and to clear them away. You can add small amounts of black pepper and ginger to your foods to help clear the channels and micro-channels of the body, which carry away waste and supply oxygen and nutrients to the cells.

Q: That's fascinating, how helpful the right spices are for prostate health. What kinds of vegetables do you recommend?

A: Squashes cooked with these mild spices are excellent for prostate health. The best squashes for prostate health are the types that are white inside, such as zucchini or loki (for more information on buying and cooking loki, visit the recipe section of our web site). Avoid the dark yellow ones such as pumpkin; however, squashes with a mildly yellow color are fine.

Asparagus is another vegetable that is recommended, because it helps support balanced hormones. Daikon is a mild type of white radish root that purifies the urine. Because it is spicy, it should be cooked with other vegetables more as a seasoning than as the main vegetable. You could combine it with squashes such as zucchini or shred it and add it to mung dhal soup.

Light dairy products such as milk, lassi (a drink made with one part freshly-made yogurt and three parts water), and occasional fresh cheeses such as panir or cottage cheese should be included in the diet, but avoid the hard-to-digest aged cheeses, such as Monterey Jack, mozzarella, cheddar, brie, blue cheese, and Gruyere.As for grains, quinoa is best because it is rich in zinc. Zinc supports seminal health, and because seminal health and prostate health are connected, zinc also supports prostate health.

Recipes for mung dhal soup, lassi and many vegetables are available in the recipe section of our web site.

Q: That doesn't seem so complicated after all. It seems like the whole idea is to avoid extremes that can aggravate the doshas.

A: Yes, and to eat wholesome, fresh foods that won't create ama. It's important to avoid the foods that create ama or impurities in the body because they are lifeless and hard to digest.

These include canned, frozen, packaged and processed foods, as well as leftovers. Buy your fruits and vegetables fresh, and if possible, buy organic foods. Non-organic foods contain pesticide and chemical residues that can irritate the blood tissue and pollute the body with toxins. This, in turn, overloads the elimination systems such as the urine and irritates the prostate. Warm, cooked, light, and mildly spiced foods, on the other hand, are easy to digest and thus help cleanse the body of ama.

Q: What about lifestyle, doesn't that affect the doshas as well?

A: Absolutely. Here, it's the same principle: avoid extremes in lifestyle and routine. Moderate habits and daily routine help remove ama and pacify all three doshas.

Lifestyle habits that aggravate Vata dosha include eating at different times of the day from one day to the next. You'll want to eat your meals at the same time every day, and eat your largest meal at noon, when the sun is at its zenith, as that is when your digestive powers are also the strongest. Take time to eat nourishing, appetizing meals.

Avoid staying up late (past ten o'clock), as night wakefulness aggravates all the doshas, but especially Vata. Go to bed at the same time every night, before ten o'clock, and rise before six o'clock in the morning.

Sleep is necessary to pacify Apana Vata and all aspects of Vata. It is also important in enhancing the immune hormones, eliminates ama and creates more ojas, the product of good digestion that promotes lightness, bliss, immunity, health, and longevity.

Be sure to exercise regularly, and be sure that the exercise you choose is suitable for your age and body type. Daily ayurvedic massage, called abhyanga, is another important part of the daily routine. You can do it in the morning to help improve circulation and digestion, remove ama from the body, tone the muscles, and increase energy.

Avoid too much mental pressure, such as a job that requires you to work long hours. Take time to enjoy life, and to maintain healthy relationships with your family and friends. Practice a technique to reduce stress, such as the Transcendental Meditation® technique. Dozens of research studies show that it reduces stress, increases inner happiness and creates more balance in the mind, body, and emotions. It is an important part of the daily routine to eliminate mental and physical ama and to balance all three doshas.

Q: This is certainly a holistic plan for improving the health of the prostate. The beautiful thing about such a prevention program is that your overall health and vitality will improve, and you'll start feeling younger. Are there any specific recommendations for men who are already feeling some mild symptoms of prostate problems.

A: Yes, here are some tips, which also summarizes what we just talked about:
Drink lots of water throughout the day, in between meals. This will keep the urine from becoming too concentrated. If you add some herbs to the water, it will flush out toxins, dissolve ama in the blood tissue and help purify the urine. Here's a recipe: Boil two quarts of water and put the water in a thermos flask. Add three leaves of holy basil, 1/3 t. fennel seed, 1/4 t.
coriander seed, and six white pumpkin seeds or six fresh cucumber seeds. Keep drinking this water throughout the day, but stop drinking it after 7:00 p.m. Stay away from fluids at night if you have a prostate problem, as a full bladder at night can cause pressure on the prostate and disturb your sleep with the need to get up frequently to urinate.

Each time you urinate, take the necessary time to empty your bladder completely. Because the urethra (the passageway through which the urine drains from the body) is already narrow, when there is some enlargement of the prostate, the urinary channel becomes even narrower. If you are in too much of a hurry, all of the urine might not be drained from the bladder. This is not a good thing, because the urine becomes more concentrated if it is not drained from the bladder each time you urinate. So take the time to empty the bladder completely.

Avoid drinking alcohol, because it creates imbalances in the blood tissue, as does caffeine. Both of these create abnormal urine production and irritate the bladder as well.

If you have to sit all day at your job, take short breaks frequently and try to stretch or take a short walk. This will restore the normal flow of energy, blood, and nutrient fluid to the prostate area.

When the weather is cold, take care to keep your head, neck, and body warm. If your body temperature drops, it leads to urine retention, which aggravates the prostate. So keep your body temperature in a moderate range.

Make sure that your bowel movements are regular. Constipation creates an obstruction in Apana Vata, in turn creating pressure on the prostate, increasing ama in the blood tissues, and creating excessive dryness in the whole area. To help with regular elimination, try having a stewed apple in the morning for breakfast with stewed figs, raisins, or prunes. You can also add more fiber and cooked vegetables to your diet, and have 2–4 teaspoons of psyllium seed husk with warm milk or water at night before going to bed. If these measures don't work, take 2–4 Herbal Cleanse tablets before bed with water.

Daily abhyanga or oil massage pacifies Apana Vata, and that is always good. Massage the hands and feet, in particular, as an effective preventative. Use Rejuvenation Oil for Men, which contains herbs and oils to rejuvenate the male physiology.

If you are having trouble sleeping at night, be sure to correct the underlying imbalance. If you are not able to fall asleep, take Blissful Sleep for Vata imbalance that causes this problem. If you wake up between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m. with lots of energy, this is a Pitta imbalance, and Deep Rest can help.

Eat foods that are tri-doshic, which means that they pacify all three doshas. These include soaked walnuts and soaked almonds. Avoid foods that aggravate any one of the doshas: food that is too dry, too oily, too greasy, too cold or too hot, too spicy or not spicy enough. Avoid extremes.

Include lots of sweet, juicy fruits in your diet, as these help nourish the Rasa Dhatu (the nutrient fluid), purify the urine and help maintain a healthy flow of urine. They also create ojas, improving immunity and enhancing cellular intelligence. If stewed or cooked until they are soft, they are not only pacifying to Apana Vata, but also to Pitta dosha. They make an ideal breakfast when combined with prunes, figs, and raisins. If you have a Kapha imbalance, you can eat sweet, juicy fruits raw, but even then you should avoid eating raw fruit after sunset, as the digestion is not as strong after the sun goes down.

Q: That's quite a list. The man who adoptss these recommendations will be taking a giant step for his overall health, not just for his prostate. You had mentioned earlier that Ayurveda is really for prevention of disease. What would a man do if he didn't have any symptoms of prostate irregularity, but just wanted to avoid having any problems?

A: He should follow the same recommendations. In fact, this list of tips is really is more for prevention of prostate problems, but it can also help if the man is noticing some mild symptoms of prostate imbalance. But even if there are no symptoms there, I think that any man from 40 on up, especially if he has a body type that is Vata predominant, could benefit from this plan, as it is holistic and will create more good health, vitality, and balance when entering the Vata stage of life.

If a man has noticed some imbalance and tries this regimen, he should not expect a change overnight. He should give himself some time to make these dietary and lifestyle changes, and then give his body a chance to respond. It will take some time. That's why it's better to start out with a healthy diet and habits and in that way avoid the problem from starting in the first place.
Q: Ayurveda has formulated an herbal compound called Prostate Protection, based on the ayurvedic texts, to enhance prostate health. Can you tell us about its ingredients and benefits?

A: There are two main herbal ingredients in the Prostate Protection formula. These are Kachnar (Bauhinia variegata) and Guggul (Indian Bedellium). Kachnar is a famous herb for maintaining prostate health and function in Ayurveda. Both have a specific effect in clearing ama from the blood, muscle, and fat tissue, and help maintain the normal size of the prostate gland by supporting balanced cell production.

Other herbs enhance the flow of urine, and ease irritation and burning. White Sandalwood, Small Caltrops, Heart-leaved Moonseed (Guduchi), and Spreading Hogweed (Punarnava) are the herbs that support and balance the healthy flow of urine and reduce irritation.To enhance immunity in the prostate area is the role of Heart-leaved Moonseed, Turmeric, and Zinc Bhasma. The combination of Guggul and Zinc Bhasma is a traditional ayurvedic remedy for balancing the size and health of the prostate. Turmeric and Guggul are both effective anti-inflammatory herbs.

Mineral Pitch (Shilajit) and Barley Ash also help in maintaining the purity of the urine. Guduchi, Zinc Bhasma and Turmeric enhance immunity in the genito-urinary tract.

Another group of herbs supports the Shukra Dhatu and maintains testosterone production, including Small Caltrops, Country Mallow (Bala), and Shilajit. Bala, and Zinc Bhasma help balance the amount of testosterone and improve sexual desire. Research has shown that Small Caltrops has the overall effect of supporting the man's testosterone level.

The overall impact of this nutritional supplement is to prevent imbalances in the prostate, and to support the body's natural intelligence in maintaining prostate health and enhance overall functioning in that area. It helps break the cycle of pathogenesis for prostate imbalance.

Q: That is an amazingly well-rounded formula, with all aspects of prostate health being supported. It seems like this holistic, balanced herbal compound provides a lot more healing power than if you took one single herb. Could you tell us how Prostate Protection compares with a single herb such as Saw-toothed Palmetto in restoring prostate health?

A: That is a good question, and it is important to understand the distinction. Prescribing just one isolated herb to treat the prostate is a fragmented rather than holistic approach, and reflects a limited vision of the body and nature's intelligence. Saw-toothed palmetto is prescribed to enhance or modulate testosterone production, but as we've seen, that is only one small element in a rather complex physiological structure and function. It does not take into account the underlying imbalances of the doshas, tissues, and ama, and does not remove the underlying cause of the problem by recommending changes in diet, lifestyle, and stress management. You could say that such an approach does not take the whole picture into account.

Prostate Protection includes a sophisticated combination of herbs to not only balance testosterone production, but also to maintain the size and health of the prostate purify the urine, reduce inflammation and irritation, enhance immunity, and normalize cell production.

Prostate Protection also contains zinc, which is an important mineral for prostate health. The prostate needs ten times more zinc than any other organ. In fact, one of the reasons that American men suffer from prostate enlargement in such great numbers is because the food they eat is over-processed and lacking in essential minerals such as zinc. That is why Ayurveda recommends organic vegetables, and also why I mentioned quinoa in the dietary recommendations. A half-cup of cooked quinoa, for instance, contains three milligrams of zinc.

Yet important as zinc is, the recommendation is not that you take high doses of zinc, as that would be a simplistic, isolated approach that would only create further imbalance. Zinc is included in Prostate Protection, but it is combined with other herbs to help support the body's normal healing response.

As in every Ayurveda formula, Prostate Protection also includes secondary herbs to balance the primary herbs that are targeted for the prostate. Thus, there is no possibility that the formula targets one problem but creates an imbalance elsewhere. Everything is carefully balanced to create only a positive effect.Also, the entire herb is contained in every formula, not just the active ingredient. This is because nature packaged all the necessary elements to create balance, whereas if you extract the active ingredient, you can create an imbalance elsewhere in the body.
Q: The Ayurveda approach appears to be quite unique, in a time when most herbal formulas contain the active ingredient of one plant, which can create harmful side effects. Are there any other safe but effective herbal formulas that might be useful to men who wish to improve their prostate health?

A: If a man feels that he needs extra help in maintaining Shukra Dhatu and enhancing semen production, he could take Rejuvenation for Men, one tablet twice a day after eating. If you need extra help for the flow and purity of the urine, you could take Genitrac in addition to Prostate Protection. Take one tablet morning and evening. If you need an additional antioxidant to fight free radicals, take one tablet of ReGen Vitality with each tablet of Genitrac.

As mentioned earlier, ongoing stress can be an important factor in prostate health, and especially mental stress -- in the form of overuse or misuse of the mind -- can disturb the immune system and aggravate Apana Vata. For this, you could take Worry Free tablets and Tea along with Prostate Protection.

But if you feel that you need more than three of these products, you should consult a physician trained in Ayurveda, to make sure that you need that many products. The ayurvedic physician will also guide you in a personal dietary and lifestyle program to restore balance to the prostate and your mind, body and emotions.

© Maharishi Ayurveda Products International, Inc.

AYURVEDA: THE ANCIENT ART OF CURE AND A BEAUTIFUL ART OF LIVING

Ayurvedam is a gift of God from heaven as the answer to the frequent prayers of our ancestors. It has not been given just to cure diseases but it has shown a way of living which is healthy and fruitful.
These days, life is a burden for all. It does not matter if you are rich or poor. For the poor, it means suffering, as they have to work hard to make both ends meet and also to attain a desired standard of living. The affluent persons have to work hard in order to keep up the style of living (social status) they are accustomed to. In the midst of all these worries, tension and hard work, your mind will not have peace nor body get proper rest. This can lead to disease.
Here ayurveda gives you an advice on proper style of life. Get up early in the morning and pray to God.
" Bramhe muhurthe uthishte swastho rakshartheam ayusha"----
Our God almighty is the only answer to all our miseries. We should pray for our daily bread. Forgive others, so that we get forgiveness from God. This divine love of God help us to love all our friends, neighbors, elders and vanishes all hatred from our minds. Thus our mind becomes clear to see the beauty of the world, which god has given to us. This will enable us to be satisfied with our earnings and to see the gifts of our life. The clear contented mind helps to think properly and free us from anxiety, tiredness and idleness. With full energy and peace of mind we have the full day to live.
Think about body appetite, digestion and sleep. This will give an idea of " doshe vriddikshaya". If something goes wrong, we should seek necessary medical care. Recognizing and identifying the messages our body conveys us at various stages is very important for a healthy living.
"Suthrasthana" instructs to have fresh and tasty food with a good appetite. Work with utmost sincerity that you fear nothing, God gives you the reward. Good sleep is essential for good health. There is clear and proper instructions about sexual life as it is very important. Food, sleep and sex are the three pillars of life. "Rithucharya" talks about changes in climate. The strains due to overwork is caused by external elements. "Nidana parivarjanam chikithsa"---says to avoid the cause to cure the illness. "Suthrasthan, Nidanesthana, Chikithsasthana " talks about medicines that cure the disease. Thus both prevention as well as cure is discussed.

Ayurveda - the ancient art of cure can be a modern art of living for better life and good health.

by Dr. ANNIE M JOHN

The Exercise Cure

By Anne Krueger
Visit Sally Dick, a naturopath and physician in Windber, Pennsylvania, and you’re more likely to get a prescription for exercise than one for a pill.

She’s among a maverick group of physicians who not only are convinced that regular exercise may be the most important thing you can do for your health, but who make that belief a cornerstone of their practice.

“I tell all of my patients that without a lifestyle that includes exercise, nobody can truly be well,” says Dick, who is staff physician at Windber Medical Center’s integrative medicine department. She sits down with every single patient who comes to see her and, after diagnosing any particular problems, comes up with a lifestyle plan in which exercise is a major component. “I try to get a feel for what each patient is all about and how they can incorporate some form of exercise into their life,” she says. “Then I send them off with a plan and we reconnect in a week or two to see how it’s going.”

An exercise plan? Reconnect in a week or two? My own doc recently sent me off with a Lipitor prescription for my high cholesterol without even mentioning the word exercise. And the only time I will be reconnecting anytime soon is to see if the drug he prescribed is wreaking havoc with my liver.

My experience with mainstream medicine is not unusual in a country where 3 billion prescriptions were dispensed last year, up from 2 billion a decade ago. As Steven Findlay, a health policy analyst in Washington, says, “We love our medicines.” So much so, he says, that we use them as a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. “Most of us don’t routinely eat wholesome foods, manage our weight, or stay active.” This, even though reams of studies have piled up to show that such choices can help prevent or treat most of the biggest causes of disease, disability, and death in this country.

Exercise, in fact, can stave off heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, for starters, not to mention less dire but still troublesome conditions like arthritis, PMS, depression, and memory problems. When you exercise, everything works better: Your heart pumps faster and you breathe more rapidly, delivering oxygen-rich blood throughout your body and toning up your organs for optimum performance. Weight-bearing exercise not only builds muscle, it jump-starts metabolism, which can help keep weight and blood sugar in check. It can also stimulate bone growth and strengthen connective tissue, thus reducing the chances of osteoporosis.

“Exercise is, hands down, the single best thing you can do for your health,” says Sally Dick. If it’s so important, why aren’t more doctors pushing us to do it? After all, studies have shown that a nudge from someone in a white coat can make a big difference.

Unfortunately, most mainstream doctors are just as harried as the rest of us. “During any patient visit, most of us are really pressed just to address what the patient came in for,” says Rebecca Meriwether, a physician in the department of family and community medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans. “It’s often the preventive advice, like exercise, that gets left out.” Then, too, doctors get weary of recommending something that many patients have a hard time following through on.

If your doctor is alternative-minded, like Sally Dick, you’re much more likely to get help in making exercise a priority. But in the absence of such a physician, you have to take matters into your own hands. Easier said than done, of course. But if you talk to people who’ve managed to make exercise a regular part of their lives, over and over you’ll hear the same story: The key isn’t to suddenly join a gym or invest in thousands of dollars’ worth of exercise equipment and hope for the best. You have to do some hard thinking about why you haven’t been able to make exercise a habit, and what you could do to address your particular obstacles.

Any five people who asked themselves these questions would likely come up with different answers—and that’s the point. As the “Profiles in Sweat” on these pages make clear, no single approach does the trick for everyone. “Everybody has his or her own prescription for exercise,” says Dick. “Some people need a friend, some need the exercise to be competitive, and some need a solitary walk around the block. Finding the right activity for you is half the battle.”

I’ve seen this firsthand with my daughters, both of whom exercise regularly in spite of their sedentary mom. For my 13-year-old, who is an introvert, walking on the treadmill is just what she needs to refuel after a day spent navigating the social pressures of middle school life. On the other hand, my 11-year-old spends six days a week in the company of 25 other children who are part of a dance ensemble that performs all over the world. She thrives on the camaraderie, the connections, and the energy of it all.

In the face of such inspiring role models, I find that I can’t stay a slug any longer. I have decided not to wait for my doctor to discover the health benefits of exercise and to write my own prescription instead.

My biggest hurdle is a lack of time, followed closely by my own laziness. But modern life also conspires against me. Being the mother of two busy kids puts me behind the wheel of the car for a big chunk of each day, and unfortunately, my neighborhood has no walking-friendly sidewalks.
After much searching, I have found two promising possibilities. The first is that I’ve decided to join Curves, a national chain of women’s health clubs. The “no men, no mirrors” atmosphere is very appealing, and the 30-minute workout is a quick combination of strength training and individualized aerobics that’s interesting and challenging enough that I might even be able to stick with it.

I’m also starting to count the number of steps I take during my regular daily activities. This is one time I can be thankful that my washer and dryer are in the basement, because the trip up and down makes my pedometer keep on clicking. I’ve already walked 6,000 steps today and I haven’t even left the house! (A sedentary person takes an average of 3,000 steps a day; 10,000 steps, which is about five miles, is considered moderate to vigorous exercise.)

I am concentrating on Dick’s advice to start small and let things go from there. I’m hoping that as I continue, exercising won’t feel like such a huge effort on my part, that it will become self-sustaining.

What’s motivating me? My active daughters don’t know it, but my vision is to become one of those annoying mothers who later in life is often mistaken for their sister. Well, older sister. It’s a dream anyway. And there’s nothing wrong with a little fantasy if it keeps you counting the steps.

How Much Exercise Is Enough?As with many good things, more is better than less, and a little is much, much better than none at all.

To reduce your risk of many chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers, most experts agree that you need to move around for 30 minutes most days of the week. Whichever aerobic activity you choose—brisk walking, swimming, cycling—it should be vigorous enough to make you a little breathless, so that it’s an effort to talk. Happily, you don’t have to do it all at once to reap the health benefits: Three ten-minute bouts a day yield equally positive results.

The Surgeon General also recommends you do some sort of strength training at least twice weekly, including one or two sets of 8 to 12 repetitions for the major muscle groups. Stretching should also be part of your regimen, to stave off injury and keep you supple.

As you get fitter, you’ll be able to push your limits. A daily 60-minute workout that mixes aerobic, strength, and flexibility exercises is recommended for optimal health by the Institute of Medicine. But there’s really no upper limit. You may be surprised at how far your body can take you.

Study That Discredited HRT Was Flawed, Experts Say

(HealthDay News) -- The Women's Health Initiative was a landmark study involving 27,000 participants that caused many women to discontinue their use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Researchers halted the study in 2002 after they found the regimen entailed more health risks -- most notably an increased risk for breast cancer and stroke -- than benefits.
But an expert who has conducted a new critique of the study contends it had major methodological flaws.

"I looked at the way they designed the study, and they did make some major mistakes," said Dr. Edward L. Klaiber, a consultant endocrinologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. He is the lead author of the article, published in the December issue of Fertility and Sterility.

The estrogen/progestin arm of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) was halted when researchers found the regimen increased the risk of invasive breast cancer and blood clots in the legs and lungs, in addition to not protecting women from heart disease and strokes.

Then, in 2004, the estrogen-only phase of the study was stopped because it was linked to an increased risk of stroke, with no reduction in women's risk for heart disease.

In the wake of the WHI study, the American Heart Association recommended that long-term hormone therapy not be used for cardiovascular disease prevention and that its use for other reasons "should be cautiously considered with the advice of a physician."

According to Klaiber, in the estrogen/progestin arm, 73 percent of the women -- who averaged 63 years of age -- had never taken HRT before. In the estrogen-only group, 52 percent of those women (also averaging 63 years of age) had not taken hormone therapy before.

Klaiber's major criticism of the WHI: "They were putting women in their 60s and 70s who hadn't been on hormones on hormones for the first time," he said. Because these women were older, they were already at greater risk of cardiovascular problems, he reasoned.

Another flaw? One of the two regimens in the study "used daily progesterone," said Klaiber, who prefers non-continuous administration of progesterone.

"That hormone pattern had never been tested at that time for its effect on breast cancer and heart disease," Klaiber said. The other regimen, administered to women who had had a hysterectomy, used only estrogen.

Klaiber argues that hormone replacement therapy in other doses or delivery forms is not only safe, but still has a positive health effect. He pointed to previous findings from the large-scale Nurses' Health Study, in which women were placed on hormone therapy earlier -- in their 40s and 50s -- and did not take the combination continuously. That study found a heart-protective effect, he said.

"The women in the Nurses' Study were not taking progestin daily," Klaiber said. "They took it cyclically, usually 10 to 12 days a month instead of daily."

The new review is basically a rehash of previous criticisms, said Dr. Nieca Goldberg, chief of women's cardiac care at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

"It's a critique," she said. "It has no new information."

"Many of these issues were brought up a couple years ago," she added. "In order for them to prove any of these other things -- such as other forms [of HRT] would be better -- they need to do a study." Goldberg said Klaiber's article won't change the way she practices.

Klaiber agreed that more study is needed. He said one study, currently underway, is evaluating the worth of earlier intervention with hormones as a way to protect the heart.

The Massachusetts expert said he's convinced that transdermal estrogen, given in patch form, is superior to oral estrogen. "Oral estrogen passes through the liver and stimulates the blood-clotting factors too much, leading to heart attacks," he said. Not every woman who uses oral hormones will get a heart attack, he emphasized, but women who already have cardiovascular problems might be at raised risk.

Until more studies are done on other forms of therapy, Klaiber said, "the best evidence we have comes from the earlier studies." And those include regimens of estrogen and non-continuous progestin, he said.

More information
To learn more about hormone therapy, visit the Mayo Clinic.

Beyond HRT is a product designed to promote healthy hormones in both men and women.

FRIDAY, Sept. 16 (HealthDay News) -- The increased risk of breast cancer known to be associated with the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) applies to all ethnicities, a new study finds.
Ever since the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study was halted in 2002, after investigators found that the women taking HRT had a higher incidence of heart attacks, strokes, blood clots and breast cancer, experts have known about the increased health risks.
But one of the unresolved issues has been whether women of all races were equally affected, since the majority of the WHI participants were white, explained study co-author Malcolm Pike, a professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. His report appears in the Sept. 16 online issue of the International Journal of Cancer.
However, based on the new study, Pike said, the firm conclusion is that "every one of these ethnic groups has the same risk of breast cancer from HRT."
Pike's study evaluated more than 55,000 menopausal American women taking part in the Multiethnic Cohort Study. That study included more than 215,000 men and women, aged 45 to 75 at the start of the study who were living in Hawaii or California in 1993. The women included whites, blacks, Hawaiians, Japanese-Americans and Latin Americans. "The women told us their contraceptive history, their pregnancy history, what hormones they took post-menopause," Pike said.
Current use of the estrogen-progestin therapy was associated with a 29 percent higher risk of breast cancer after five years of use, he found. The association held for women in all ethnic groups. Current use of estrogen-only therapy was associated with a 10 percent higher risk of breast cancer after five years of use, and this was found in all ethnic groups except for blacks.
The researchers also found that leaner women -- those with a body mass index (BMI) below 25, had a slightly higher relative risk of getting breast cancer than the heavier women, although the heavier women were also at increased risk. Although the researchers couldn't pinpoint the reason for the finding, Pike did have a theory.
"The bigger you are postmenopausally, the more estrogen you [continue] to make," he said. That's because the more fat cells a woman has, the more estrogen she produces.
A woman who weighs 180 pounds, for example, is probably making as much estrogen herself as the breast positively reacts to, Pike said. "These women are at a saturation point."
But the woman who weighs, say, 130 pounds or less gets more of an effect from supplementary estrogen, he said, perhaps accounting for their increased risk.
Studies following the halting of the WHI have been plentiful, all evaluating different aspects of risk. A study published last month in the British Medical Journal found that the risk of breast cancer declines with age if a woman is not taking HRT. But if she does take HRT, that risk starts to climb. If therapy is stopped, however, the risk returns to that of a woman of the same age who has never used HRT, the researchers found.
Another expert, Roshan Bastani, associate dean for research at the University of California Los Angeles School of Public Health and Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, praised the new research.
"I think it's a well-done study," she said. "And it is important, particularly because they were able to include data from large numbers of people from many ethnic groups."
For women, the study provides more valuable information, but each woman must still take into account her own symptoms, medical history and family background when deciding whether to take hormones after menopause, Pike and Bastani agreed.
"What they need to do," Bastani said, "it to understand the risks and then assess whether they are willing to take the risk."
For instance, she said, if a particular woman is told taking hormones increases her risk of breast cancer or other disease by, say, 10 percent, she should ask what her "baseline" risk is, which depends on factors such as family background and medical history. If the baseline risk is just 1 percent or 2 percent, an increased risk is not a lot compared to a baseline risk of 50 percent or 80 percent.
"If you want to take HRT to deal with problems at menopause, it's perfectly reasonable," Pike said, as long as the treatment is limited. It's difficult, he said, to put an absolute number of years on that advice.
The best course, said Pike, is to keep the amount of progestin "to an absolute minimum."
"What a woman wants to do is discuss with her physician -- can she use the minimum amount of estrogen to control her hot flashes, and how frequently does she need to take progestin?" he said.

More information
To learn more about breast cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.
Last reviewed: 09/16/2005 Last updated: 09/16/2005