Natural Weight Loss Herbs are the safer option to regaining control of your weight. Typically a male needs 2500 calories and the average female only 2000 calories per day, but the excess weight is the result of diverse factors, including excessive calorie intake that may be controlled with the consumption of certain herbs or products made with them.
Restricting your diet excessively is not a solution, because your body switches to emergency mode and converts most of your food into fat as a safeguard against starvation. This way your body uses its protein stores, for example in your muscles, and the smaller they get the lower your metabolic rate. Continue Reading >>
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weight loss. Show all posts
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Sunday, December 30, 2007
Childhood Diabetes Boosts Risk for Kidney Problems
(HealthDay News) -- As more and more American children are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, another serious problem is threatening their health.
Children and teens diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are five times more likely to develop kidney disease later in life than those who develop diabetes as adults, a recent study found.
The findings underscore the importance of preventing -- or at least delaying -- the onset of type 2 diabetes, doctors say.
"Since the development of diabetic kidney disease is strongly dependent on the duration of diabetes, developing diabetes in youth leads to a high risk of kidney disease in early- to mid-adulthood," said study author Dr. Robert G. Nelson, a staff clinician with the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
"For example," he said, "a 15-year-old person with 10 years of type 2 diabetes has the same risk of kidney disease as a 55-year-old with 10 years of type 2 diabetes."
Diabetes is becoming increasingly prevalent among children and teens, largely due to the obesity epidemic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that among new cases of childhood diabetes, up to 43 percent are type 2 disease.
While type 2 diabetes can affect children of any race or ethnic group, it's more common among non-white individuals, the CDC reports. The Pima Indians of Arizona currently have the highest recorded rates of diabetes in the world, at 50.9 per 1,000 individuals, according to the CDC.
Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure. Initially, small amounts of albumin, a blood protein, begin to leak into the urine. As the amount of albumin in the urine increases, the filtering function of the kidneys begins to decline. It may take 15 to 25 years for kidney failure to occur. Native Americans, blacks and Hispanics have higher rates of kidney failure from diabetes, the NIDDK said.
Nelson and his colleagues examined the relationship between a person's age at the onset of diabetes and the likelihood that they would have "end-stage renal disease," or kidney failure.
The study, published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was based on data collected over four decades from more than 1,800 members of the Pima and closely related Papago Indian tribes. The researchers compared people who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before the age of 20 with those who developed the disease between ages 25 and 55.
Breaking down the numbers by age range, people who developed type 2 diabetes before age 20 were eight times more likely to experience kidney failure between 25 and 34 than those diagnosed after 20. And the younger diabetics were four times more likely to have kidney failure between the ages of 45 and 54 than those diagnosed at an older age.
Dr. Pascale H. Lane is a diabetic neuropathy specialist and associate chairwoman for research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Department of Pediatrics. She believes that patients and parents of children with diabetes need to be aware of the potential complications of type 2 diabetes and ways to minimize the risk.
"Nephropathy [kidney failure] may be prevented by strict control of blood sugar levels and by not smoking," Lane said. "Diagnosing and treating high blood pressure early and aggressively may also prevent or slow the development of this kidney disease."
Efforts also need to focus on preventing type 2 diabetes in children through lifestyle changes that emphasize weight loss and increased exercise, Nelson added.
"The explosion of obesity in children and adolescents is a cause for great concern and must be reversed," he said. "Calorie-dense fast foods must be replaced by healthy alternatives provided in reasonable portions, and hours of TV watching must be replaced by activities that require exercise."
More information
Visit the National Kidney Foundation for more on diabetes and kidney disease.
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Children and teens diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are five times more likely to develop kidney disease later in life than those who develop diabetes as adults, a recent study found.
The findings underscore the importance of preventing -- or at least delaying -- the onset of type 2 diabetes, doctors say.
"Since the development of diabetic kidney disease is strongly dependent on the duration of diabetes, developing diabetes in youth leads to a high risk of kidney disease in early- to mid-adulthood," said study author Dr. Robert G. Nelson, a staff clinician with the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
"For example," he said, "a 15-year-old person with 10 years of type 2 diabetes has the same risk of kidney disease as a 55-year-old with 10 years of type 2 diabetes."
Diabetes is becoming increasingly prevalent among children and teens, largely due to the obesity epidemic. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that among new cases of childhood diabetes, up to 43 percent are type 2 disease.
While type 2 diabetes can affect children of any race or ethnic group, it's more common among non-white individuals, the CDC reports. The Pima Indians of Arizona currently have the highest recorded rates of diabetes in the world, at 50.9 per 1,000 individuals, according to the CDC.
Diabetes is the most common cause of kidney failure. Initially, small amounts of albumin, a blood protein, begin to leak into the urine. As the amount of albumin in the urine increases, the filtering function of the kidneys begins to decline. It may take 15 to 25 years for kidney failure to occur. Native Americans, blacks and Hispanics have higher rates of kidney failure from diabetes, the NIDDK said.
Nelson and his colleagues examined the relationship between a person's age at the onset of diabetes and the likelihood that they would have "end-stage renal disease," or kidney failure.
The study, published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was based on data collected over four decades from more than 1,800 members of the Pima and closely related Papago Indian tribes. The researchers compared people who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before the age of 20 with those who developed the disease between ages 25 and 55.
Breaking down the numbers by age range, people who developed type 2 diabetes before age 20 were eight times more likely to experience kidney failure between 25 and 34 than those diagnosed after 20. And the younger diabetics were four times more likely to have kidney failure between the ages of 45 and 54 than those diagnosed at an older age.
Dr. Pascale H. Lane is a diabetic neuropathy specialist and associate chairwoman for research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Department of Pediatrics. She believes that patients and parents of children with diabetes need to be aware of the potential complications of type 2 diabetes and ways to minimize the risk.
"Nephropathy [kidney failure] may be prevented by strict control of blood sugar levels and by not smoking," Lane said. "Diagnosing and treating high blood pressure early and aggressively may also prevent or slow the development of this kidney disease."
Efforts also need to focus on preventing type 2 diabetes in children through lifestyle changes that emphasize weight loss and increased exercise, Nelson added.
"The explosion of obesity in children and adolescents is a cause for great concern and must be reversed," he said. "Calorie-dense fast foods must be replaced by healthy alternatives provided in reasonable portions, and hours of TV watching must be replaced by activities that require exercise."
More information
Visit the National Kidney Foundation for more on diabetes and kidney disease.
more discussion: Forum
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Thursday, December 06, 2007
Overweight Kids Often Become Obese, Unhealthy Adults
(HealthDay News) -- Overweight children and adolescents are more likely to be overweight or obese adults and more likely to suffer early heart disease and death, two new studies conclude.
The first, out of Denmark, found that large children, especially boys, are at an increased risk of coronary heart disease as adults.
The second, based on a computer model, found that overweight adolescents are more likely to end up with heart disease and even dying in early adulthood.
"Teenage and childhood weight does matter," said Dr. Thomas R. Kimball, a pediatric cardiologist with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. "This is not a problem of middle-aged adults. This is a problem that we have to face as a society in our children."
"When you see a shift at this level across the entire population, it really suggests that this is a major public health problem and requires intervention that really needs to be reinforced at every level of policy makers, every level of institutions," said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, lead author of the computer modeling study.
"This is more than just a problem of overweight adolescents and their parents. It's a problem that requires really a concerted effort at federal, state, local policy levels to reinforce the availability of healthy foods for kids and the availability of physical activity. We really want to prevent obesity before it starts," said Bibbins-Domingo, who is assistant professor of medicine, epidemiology and biostatistics and the Robert Wood Johnson Harold Amos Medical Faculty Scholar at the University of California, San Francisco.
Both studies are published in the Dec. 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The overweight and obesity crisis is reaching epidemic proportions around the world. In the United States, federal statistics estimate that 9 million adolescents (17 percent of the population) are overweight and 80 percent of overweight adolescents grow up to be obese adults. Childhood obesity rates have tripled since 1970.
Worldwide, children are becoming heavier at younger and younger ages. In the United States, 19 percent of kids between the ages of 6 and 11 are overweight.
Being overweight or obese puts you at risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other ills.
The first study looked at a group of almost 277,000 Danish children -- all schoolchildren in Copenhagen -- from 1930 to 1976.
Out of that initial group, more than 10,200 men and 4,300 women were identified whose childhood body-mass index (BMI) data were available and who had received a diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD) or died of CHD as adults.
Boys with a higher BMI at 7 to 13 years of age and girls with a higher BMI from 10 to 13 years of age had a higher risk of a heart disease event in adulthood, the researchers found.
The authors used as an example a 13-year-old boy who weighs 11.2 kilograms (24.6 pounds) more than average boy his age. He now has a 33 percent increase in the probability of having a coronary event before he turns 60, the Danish team said.
"It's scary," Kimball said. "We knew that if you're an overweight kid, you're at a higher risk to be an overweight adult. This study goes a step further. It's proving that you have an increased risk of cardiovascular events as early as 25 years of age."
The second study projected the number of overweight adults based on the number of overweight adolescents in 2000.
Using a computer model, it predicted that up to 37 percent of men and 44 percent of women will be obese when these people -- now teenagers -- turn 35 in 2020.
This could result in up to 5,000 additional deaths from heart disease and 45,000 heart attacks, cardiac arrests and related events by 2035 among this group of young adults. It would raise the death toll from obesity-related coronary heart disease by 19 percent.
"To some extent, we're not surprised. We know it's not good to be overweight at any age but we were really struck by the magnitude of this increase," said Bibbins-Domingo. "We're modeling a young adult population 35 to 50 years. These are people who should be working and raising families, not worrying about heart disease, and we're suggesting more will be hospitalized for heart attacks, will need chronic medication to manage high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and many more will actually die before the age of 50."
More information
To learn more about the government's We Can! Program regarding childhood obesity, visit the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
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The first, out of Denmark, found that large children, especially boys, are at an increased risk of coronary heart disease as adults.
The second, based on a computer model, found that overweight adolescents are more likely to end up with heart disease and even dying in early adulthood.
"Teenage and childhood weight does matter," said Dr. Thomas R. Kimball, a pediatric cardiologist with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. "This is not a problem of middle-aged adults. This is a problem that we have to face as a society in our children."
"When you see a shift at this level across the entire population, it really suggests that this is a major public health problem and requires intervention that really needs to be reinforced at every level of policy makers, every level of institutions," said Dr. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, lead author of the computer modeling study.
"This is more than just a problem of overweight adolescents and their parents. It's a problem that requires really a concerted effort at federal, state, local policy levels to reinforce the availability of healthy foods for kids and the availability of physical activity. We really want to prevent obesity before it starts," said Bibbins-Domingo, who is assistant professor of medicine, epidemiology and biostatistics and the Robert Wood Johnson Harold Amos Medical Faculty Scholar at the University of California, San Francisco.
Both studies are published in the Dec. 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The overweight and obesity crisis is reaching epidemic proportions around the world. In the United States, federal statistics estimate that 9 million adolescents (17 percent of the population) are overweight and 80 percent of overweight adolescents grow up to be obese adults. Childhood obesity rates have tripled since 1970.
Worldwide, children are becoming heavier at younger and younger ages. In the United States, 19 percent of kids between the ages of 6 and 11 are overweight.
Being overweight or obese puts you at risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other ills.
The first study looked at a group of almost 277,000 Danish children -- all schoolchildren in Copenhagen -- from 1930 to 1976.
Out of that initial group, more than 10,200 men and 4,300 women were identified whose childhood body-mass index (BMI) data were available and who had received a diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD) or died of CHD as adults.
Boys with a higher BMI at 7 to 13 years of age and girls with a higher BMI from 10 to 13 years of age had a higher risk of a heart disease event in adulthood, the researchers found.
The authors used as an example a 13-year-old boy who weighs 11.2 kilograms (24.6 pounds) more than average boy his age. He now has a 33 percent increase in the probability of having a coronary event before he turns 60, the Danish team said.
"It's scary," Kimball said. "We knew that if you're an overweight kid, you're at a higher risk to be an overweight adult. This study goes a step further. It's proving that you have an increased risk of cardiovascular events as early as 25 years of age."
The second study projected the number of overweight adults based on the number of overweight adolescents in 2000.
Using a computer model, it predicted that up to 37 percent of men and 44 percent of women will be obese when these people -- now teenagers -- turn 35 in 2020.
This could result in up to 5,000 additional deaths from heart disease and 45,000 heart attacks, cardiac arrests and related events by 2035 among this group of young adults. It would raise the death toll from obesity-related coronary heart disease by 19 percent.
"To some extent, we're not surprised. We know it's not good to be overweight at any age but we were really struck by the magnitude of this increase," said Bibbins-Domingo. "We're modeling a young adult population 35 to 50 years. These are people who should be working and raising families, not worrying about heart disease, and we're suggesting more will be hospitalized for heart attacks, will need chronic medication to manage high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and many more will actually die before the age of 50."
More information
To learn more about the government's We Can! Program regarding childhood obesity, visit the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
more discussion: Forum· Addiction Forum · Ask the Doctors Forum · Ayurveda Forum · Ayurvedic & Thai Herbs Forum · Colon Cleansing Forum · Dental Forum · Diabetes Forum · Diet Forum · General Cleansing Forum · Hepatitis A, B. C Forum · Integrated Medicine Forum · Live Blood Analysis Forum · Ozone-Oxygen-Forum · pH - Alkaline - Acidity Forum · Weight Loss Forum
Saturday, December 01, 2007
Diets May Raise Cancer Risk for Poor, Urban Women
(HealthDay News) -- It can be difficult for women in America's inner cities to eat in ways that may help prevent cancer.
That's the conclusion of a Johns Hopkins University study that looked at the dietary habits of 156 black women living in 11 public housing communities in Washington, D.C.
The researchers found that about 61 percent of the women failed to meet more than one of the five dietary goals suggested to reduce the risk of developing cancer: adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables; low percentage of fat intake; moderate caloric intake; no alcohol consumption; and adherence to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Healthy Eating Index, a measure of overall quality of diet.
Less than 1 percent met all five dietary goals, and only 15 percent reported eating at least five servings of fruits or vegetables a day.
"Many women drank soda, and ate convenience and prepared foods, even when they sat down with their families for a meal. Younger adults, especially, seem to lack the skills to build a well-balanced diet -- skills that our survey shows that older generations of women still possess," Ann C. Klassen, an associate professor in the department of health, behavior and society at Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health, said in a prepared statement.
The study was scheduled to be presented Wednesday at the American Association for Cancer Research conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved, in Atlanta.
"African-American women, in general, face a worse cancer incidence and mortality rate than most other ethnic groups, and poor African-American women are at an even greater disadvantage. Improving diet is one effective way to help women lower their risk for developing cancer," Klassen said.
More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about cancer prevention.
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That's the conclusion of a Johns Hopkins University study that looked at the dietary habits of 156 black women living in 11 public housing communities in Washington, D.C.
The researchers found that about 61 percent of the women failed to meet more than one of the five dietary goals suggested to reduce the risk of developing cancer: adequate consumption of fruits and vegetables; low percentage of fat intake; moderate caloric intake; no alcohol consumption; and adherence to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Healthy Eating Index, a measure of overall quality of diet.
Less than 1 percent met all five dietary goals, and only 15 percent reported eating at least five servings of fruits or vegetables a day.
"Many women drank soda, and ate convenience and prepared foods, even when they sat down with their families for a meal. Younger adults, especially, seem to lack the skills to build a well-balanced diet -- skills that our survey shows that older generations of women still possess," Ann C. Klassen, an associate professor in the department of health, behavior and society at Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health, said in a prepared statement.
The study was scheduled to be presented Wednesday at the American Association for Cancer Research conference on The Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved, in Atlanta.
"African-American women, in general, face a worse cancer incidence and mortality rate than most other ethnic groups, and poor African-American women are at an even greater disadvantage. Improving diet is one effective way to help women lower their risk for developing cancer," Klassen said.
More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about cancer prevention.
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Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Health Tip: Build Healthy Bones
(HealthDay News) - Osteoporosis doesn't have to be an inevitable part of aging -- if you begin practicing healthy habits when you're young.
Here are some facts about osteoporosis, and suggestions to help prevent brittle bones, courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
Here are some facts about osteoporosis, and suggestions to help prevent brittle bones, courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
- Women who are or have been pregnant, who are breast-feeding, or who have had a hysterectomy are more likely to lose bone mass, putting them at higher risk of osteoporosis.
- Women who are menopausal or postmenopausal produce less estrogen than before, which weakens bones.
- Ideally, weight-bearing exercises should begin during the teen years, when the bones grow rapidly.
- It's never too late to start protecting your bones, which may continue to grow throughout your 20s, and even into your early 30s.
- Avoid smoking and excess alcohol, which weaken bones.
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Saturday, November 24, 2007
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Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Health Tip: Before a Wart is Removed
(HealthDay News) - Before your doctor removes a wart, often by a freezing process called cryosurgery, there are things you can do to prepare for the procedure.
The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions:
- For two weeks, thoroughly clean the wart with soap and water each night. Once it is dry, apply a salicylic acid gel to the wart.
- Once the gel has been applied, cover the wart with a salicylic acid pad. Be sure the pad is large enough to cover the wart completely.
- Keep the pad on the wart for 24 hours. Repeat this process once daily until the removal procedure.
- If the wart becomes red and sore, discontinue using the gel and see your doctor.
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Sunday, November 18, 2007
Health Tip: Sledding Safely
(HealthDay News) - Sledding may be a long-anticipated part of a child's winter fun, but it also can lead to injuries.
Follow these safety tips to prevent accidents, courtesy of the National Safety Council:
Follow these safety tips to prevent accidents, courtesy of the National Safety Council:
- Before use of any sled or toboggan, parents should carefully inspect them for any broken parts or sharp pieces.
- Children who are 8 years old or younger shouldn't sled unsupervised.
- Dress warmly and in layers, including a hat and gloves.
- Sled only in wide-open areas that are far from lakes, roads and traffic.
- Don't sled down extremely steep hills.
- Don't sled in areas with trees, rocks, shrubs and other potential obstacles.
- Don't sled down a hill head-first -- always feet-first.
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Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Health Tip: Preventing Dry Eyes
(HealthDay News) - Dry eyes can be triggered by aging, eyestrain, exposure to sun, wind or smoke, or injury.The U.S. National Library of Medicine offers these suggestions to help soothe dry eyes:
Use artificial tears, or other moisturizing eye drops or ointments.
Avoid smoking, and exposure to secondhand smoke.
Avoid direct exposure to wind or air conditioning.
Use a humidifier in your home, particularly during the dry winter months.
Rest your eyes, and blink often.
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Saturday, November 10, 2007
Health Tip: When a Stomachache Requires Medical Attention
(HealthDay News) - While stomachache or abdominal pain are quite common and often harmless, these conditions sometimes can signal a more serious problem.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine says the following symptoms require a trip to the emergency room:
The U.S. National Library of Medicine says the following symptoms require a trip to the emergency room:
- Very sharp, severe and sudden pain.
- Fever along with your stomach or abdominal pain.
- Vomiting blood, or having bloody diarrhea.
- Soreness or tenderness in the abdomen.
- An abdomen that is hard and rigid.
- Inability to have a bowel movement, particularly if you are also vomiting.
- Pain in the chest, neck or shoulder.
- Dizziness or lightheadedness.
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Monday, October 22, 2007
Fall Time Change Could Be Boon for Sleep
(HealthDay News) -- When the clocks go back an hour on the first Sunday in November, you should use that extra hour to make a small payment on your sleep debt, experts say.
Too often, work and family responsibilities take precedence over sleep in our society, noted Dr. Clete Kushida of the Sleep Disorders Clinic at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, Calif., and a member of the board of directors at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).
"It's important to make sleep a priority, particularly since the lack of it results in daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, short-term memory problems, and mood changes, any of which can decrease productivity at work and increase family stress," Kushida said in a prepared statement.
"In addition, there is some scientific evidence that sleep loss may be linked to impairment of the immune system as well as to increased appetite and weight gain. Fortunately, the switch to standard time provides a good opportunity to obtain additional sleep. The key to taking advantage of the time switch is to go to bed earlier," he said.
The extra hour of sleep offered by the time change can help mental and physical rejuvenation, according to Ralph Downey III, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California.
"With the fall time change, we get an extra hour to do with as we please. If we sleep the extra hour, our mind and body will thank us. While we can't save time, we can spend it wisely be spending the extra hour sleeping," Downey said in a prepared statement.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about sleep.
Too often, work and family responsibilities take precedence over sleep in our society, noted Dr. Clete Kushida of the Sleep Disorders Clinic at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, Calif., and a member of the board of directors at the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).
"It's important to make sleep a priority, particularly since the lack of it results in daytime sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, short-term memory problems, and mood changes, any of which can decrease productivity at work and increase family stress," Kushida said in a prepared statement.
"In addition, there is some scientific evidence that sleep loss may be linked to impairment of the immune system as well as to increased appetite and weight gain. Fortunately, the switch to standard time provides a good opportunity to obtain additional sleep. The key to taking advantage of the time switch is to go to bed earlier," he said.
The extra hour of sleep offered by the time change can help mental and physical rejuvenation, according to Ralph Downey III, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at Loma Linda University Medical Center in California.
"With the fall time change, we get an extra hour to do with as we please. If we sleep the extra hour, our mind and body will thank us. While we can't save time, we can spend it wisely be spending the extra hour sleeping," Downey said in a prepared statement.
More information
The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about sleep.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Fried Food Compounds May Harm Heart
(HealthDay News) -- Foods high in compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs) -- such as hamburgers, french fries and other fatty foods cooked at high temperatures -- cause a short-lived but significant dysfunction in blood vessel dilation that can lead to heart disease, a new study suggests.
"Although the effect was temporary, it suggests that AGEs could, over time, pose a significant risk to the vascular integrity of both diabetic and healthy persons," lead researcher Dr Jaime Uribarri, of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.
His team published its findings in the journal Diabetes Care.
High levels of AGEs are formed when foods rich in protein and fat are cooked at high and dry heat, including broiling, grilling, frying or roasting. Foods that are steam-cooked or stewed tend to have lower AGE concentrations, the researchers explained.
Previous research has found AGEs to be associated with a number of diabetes-associated chronic conditions, such as heart disease. This study found that consuming an AGE-rich beverage caused significant endothelial dysfunction in both people with diabetes and in people without diabetes.
Endothelial dysfunction is an early indicator of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which leads to heart disease, the study authors noted.
More information
The MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia has more about heart disease and diet.
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"Although the effect was temporary, it suggests that AGEs could, over time, pose a significant risk to the vascular integrity of both diabetic and healthy persons," lead researcher Dr Jaime Uribarri, of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.
His team published its findings in the journal Diabetes Care.
High levels of AGEs are formed when foods rich in protein and fat are cooked at high and dry heat, including broiling, grilling, frying or roasting. Foods that are steam-cooked or stewed tend to have lower AGE concentrations, the researchers explained.
Previous research has found AGEs to be associated with a number of diabetes-associated chronic conditions, such as heart disease. This study found that consuming an AGE-rich beverage caused significant endothelial dysfunction in both people with diabetes and in people without diabetes.
Endothelial dysfunction is an early indicator of hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which leads to heart disease, the study authors noted.
More information
The MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia has more about heart disease and diet.
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Monday, September 24, 2007
Cataract Surgery: A Bargain, Despite the Price
(HealthDay News) -- Everyone, if they live long enough, will suffer from a cataract that clouds the vision in one or both eyes.
Because of that, doctors expect spending on cataract surgery to surge in the coming decades as the population ages, part of an overall increase in vision costs among older Americans.
However, it's money well spent, experts say.
Cataract surgery is one of the most cost-effective surgical procedures to address vision problems in seniors, said David B. Rein, a researcher with RTI International in Research Triangle Park, N.C., who authored a recent study of the economic costs of vision disorders.
"It gives a great amount of benefit in terms of years of unimpaired vision, compared with dollars spent," Rein said.
In fact, it's one of the only therapies that actually cures the condition, rather than simply holding the line against future deterioration.
"You're removing a lens that is clouded, a dirty lens, and you're replacing it with a lens that's clear," Rein said.
A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye, which affects a person's ability to see clearly. Most cataracts are related to aging. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery, according to the U.S. National Eye Institute.
Major vision problems cost the U.S. economy about $35.4 billion a year, including $16.2 billion in direct medical costs. And because cataracts are frequent and inevitable, they make up the biggest chunk of those direct costs -- about $6.8 billion, according to Rein's research.
The primary way to treat cataracts is to remove the eye's lens and replace it with an artificial one.
These surgeries have been around for decades, and doctors have become remarkably adept at performing them, said Dr. Marco Zarbin, professor and chairman of the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science in New Jersey.
"During the past quarter century, there have been remarkable advances," Zarbin said. "Ninety-five percent of patients report impressive improvement in their vision."
Most cataract surgery removes the lens through phacoemulsification, in which a probe inserted through a small incision in the side of the cornea breaks the lens into tiny pieces using ultrasonic waves. The surgeon then removes the pieces using suction.
This technique has gone through countless refinements, Zarbin said, and is far evolved from traditional cataract surgery. In that procedure, the lens was simply cut away.
"Back in the 1960s, people were kept in the hospital for two weeks following cataract surgery," he said. "Their heads were held in place with sandbags. Now, people have the surgery with topical anesthesia and go home the same day. It's just what you'd hope for in medicine. It's really true progress."
The replacement lenses are also improving.
In early days, patients were fitted with a lens that only provided one range of focus. Near could be in focus, or far, but not both.
But improvements in intraocular lenses are producing results that are coming closer and closer to mimicking the human eye, allowing people to change their focus from near to far.
"There's a real push to develop intraocular lenses that give people focus at distance and near," Zarbin said. "There's a real interest in improving those capabilities. I'm very sure that one day that's the lens that everyone will get, an accommodative lens."
These improvements mean that, even though more money is being spent on cataract surgery, the American people are getting a bigger bang for their buck, Rein said.
"Compare the cost for cataract extraction surgery to the treatments that address age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy," he said. "The costs are much lower, and the results are much better."
Patients can actually expect improved vision, rather than vision that simply won't get worse.
"When you're treating glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy, you're trying to prevent further visual impairment from occurring," Rein said. "With cataracts, you can restore their vision to what it was before."
Cataract surgery also helps keep older people entertained and more engaged, Zarbin said. "I think when you're older and have a less active lifestyle, things like reading and watching television gain a greater importance," he said.
"You also have to consider the cost of taking care of those patients if you didn't have the therapy to treat them. We are way ahead as a society by paying for those treatments, because they cost less than caring for all these debilitated and blind people," he added.
More information
To learn more about cataracts, visit the U.S. National Eye Institute.
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Because of that, doctors expect spending on cataract surgery to surge in the coming decades as the population ages, part of an overall increase in vision costs among older Americans.
However, it's money well spent, experts say.
Cataract surgery is one of the most cost-effective surgical procedures to address vision problems in seniors, said David B. Rein, a researcher with RTI International in Research Triangle Park, N.C., who authored a recent study of the economic costs of vision disorders.
"It gives a great amount of benefit in terms of years of unimpaired vision, compared with dollars spent," Rein said.
In fact, it's one of the only therapies that actually cures the condition, rather than simply holding the line against future deterioration.
"You're removing a lens that is clouded, a dirty lens, and you're replacing it with a lens that's clear," Rein said.
A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye, which affects a person's ability to see clearly. Most cataracts are related to aging. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery, according to the U.S. National Eye Institute.
Major vision problems cost the U.S. economy about $35.4 billion a year, including $16.2 billion in direct medical costs. And because cataracts are frequent and inevitable, they make up the biggest chunk of those direct costs -- about $6.8 billion, according to Rein's research.
The primary way to treat cataracts is to remove the eye's lens and replace it with an artificial one.
These surgeries have been around for decades, and doctors have become remarkably adept at performing them, said Dr. Marco Zarbin, professor and chairman of the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science in New Jersey.
"During the past quarter century, there have been remarkable advances," Zarbin said. "Ninety-five percent of patients report impressive improvement in their vision."
Most cataract surgery removes the lens through phacoemulsification, in which a probe inserted through a small incision in the side of the cornea breaks the lens into tiny pieces using ultrasonic waves. The surgeon then removes the pieces using suction.
This technique has gone through countless refinements, Zarbin said, and is far evolved from traditional cataract surgery. In that procedure, the lens was simply cut away.
"Back in the 1960s, people were kept in the hospital for two weeks following cataract surgery," he said. "Their heads were held in place with sandbags. Now, people have the surgery with topical anesthesia and go home the same day. It's just what you'd hope for in medicine. It's really true progress."
The replacement lenses are also improving.
In early days, patients were fitted with a lens that only provided one range of focus. Near could be in focus, or far, but not both.
But improvements in intraocular lenses are producing results that are coming closer and closer to mimicking the human eye, allowing people to change their focus from near to far.
"There's a real push to develop intraocular lenses that give people focus at distance and near," Zarbin said. "There's a real interest in improving those capabilities. I'm very sure that one day that's the lens that everyone will get, an accommodative lens."
These improvements mean that, even though more money is being spent on cataract surgery, the American people are getting a bigger bang for their buck, Rein said.
"Compare the cost for cataract extraction surgery to the treatments that address age-related macular degeneration or diabetic retinopathy," he said. "The costs are much lower, and the results are much better."
Patients can actually expect improved vision, rather than vision that simply won't get worse.
"When you're treating glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy, you're trying to prevent further visual impairment from occurring," Rein said. "With cataracts, you can restore their vision to what it was before."
Cataract surgery also helps keep older people entertained and more engaged, Zarbin said. "I think when you're older and have a less active lifestyle, things like reading and watching television gain a greater importance," he said.
"You also have to consider the cost of taking care of those patients if you didn't have the therapy to treat them. We are way ahead as a society by paying for those treatments, because they cost less than caring for all these debilitated and blind people," he added.
More information
To learn more about cataracts, visit the U.S. National Eye Institute.
more discussion: Forum
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Friday, September 21, 2007
Childhood Obesity Epidemic a Long-Term Challenge
(HealthDay News) -- In the 1980s and '90s, Americans tried to control their weight by watching their cholesterol by cutting dietary fat and substituting carbohydrates. They paid little mind to total calories and physical activity. And guess what happened to their waistlines -- and their children's?"It was just an end run around the issue of health maintenance," said Dr. Henry C. McGill Jr., senior scientist emeritus at the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research in San Antonio, Texas. "And, of course, it crept over into kids, especially kids subjected to all of the advertising and offerings of high-density caloric food -- opportunities to avoid physical activity, attractions to television viewing and net surfing."
Today, more than one in three children and adolescents in the United States -- some 25 million kids -- are overweight or obese, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which recently announced an unprecedented effort to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015.
The Princeton, N.J.-based philanthropy said it plans to spend at least $500 million over the next five years on public health efforts focusing on kids and families in underserved communities.
It's the foundation's largest commitment ever. While the foundation has spent roughly as much in the area of tobacco over the years, "we never made the scale of that commitment up-front and public like we have with this," said Dr. James S. Marks, senior vice president and director of the foundation's health group.
"If we don't deal with children," he added, "this could be the first generation that will live sicker and die younger than its parents."
Scientists, physicians and public health advocates know that efforts to prevent obesity must start in childhood, because the problem leads to increased risk of coronary heart disease and other health hazards in adulthood. In fact, there's substantial evidence that obesity and related diseases, including diabetes and hypertension, can begin to exact damage during the teenage years.
In one landmark study, a group of researchers from across the United States analyzed post-mortem blood samples and evaluated atherosclerosis in coronary artery and aorta specimens from roughly 3,000 15- to 34-year-old men and women who died from causes such as accidents, homicide or suicide. One of the surprising results of the study, according to McGill, was that an elevated blood sugar -- as measured by levels of "glycohemoglobin" -- was associated in the late 20s and early 30s with about an 8-fold increase in advanced lesions in the coronary arteries. "It was a whopper of an effect," he said.
In another study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers documented a significant upward shift over the past 16 years in blood pressure levels of children and teens aged 8 to 18. Lead author Paul Muntner, an epidemiologist at Tulane University School of Medicine, and colleagues said the increase in blood pressure levels is partially due to the increased prevalence of overweight in the United States.
And British researchers recently reported that children who are overweight at age 11 continue to have weight problems through their teenage years. Rates of overweight and obesity were highest among girls and children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. The authors said the study highlights the need to target efforts to prevent obesity in the early years.
But even as more money and manpower are devoted to obesity prevention, McGill said it may take many years to erase the epidemic. And, he added, it will take action on many different fronts, from educating children and physicians to improving the health-care financing system to include more preventive medicine.
"It was 1964 when the first U.S. Surgeon General's report came out, and just now, there's talk about the tide turning on cigarette smoking," he observed. "Obesity's perhaps going to take that long to get the tide turned."
More information
For more on childhood obesity, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Gene May Influence Breast Cancer-Estrogen Link
(HealthDay News) -- U.S. researchers say they've found a gene that plays a crucial role in the ability of breast cancer cells to respond to estrogen.
The finding that transcription factor AP2C (TFAP2C) controls multiple pathways of estrogen signaling may lead to improved therapies for hormone-responsive breast cancer and may help explain differences in the effectiveness of current treatments, said a team from the University of Iowa.
The study was published in the Sept. 15 issue of the journal Cancer Research.
"Estrogen binds to estrogen receptors and triggers a cascade of events including gene regulation," study leader Dr. Ronald Weigel, professor and head of surgery at the university's college of medicine, said in a prepared statement.
"We found that elimination of TFAP2C from the cell causes all of those cascades that we associate with estrogen to go away," he said. "The treated cancer cells were not able to respond to estrogen by any normal pathway."
Silencing TFAP2C inhibited tumor growth in mice. It also halted expression of another estrogen receptor called GPR30, found at the cancer cell membrane.
"Targeting this gene may be a better way to develop drugs to treat hormone-responsive breast cancers, because it targets multiple different pathways," Weigel said.
More information
The American Cancer Society has more about breast cancer.
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The finding that transcription factor AP2C (TFAP2C) controls multiple pathways of estrogen signaling may lead to improved therapies for hormone-responsive breast cancer and may help explain differences in the effectiveness of current treatments, said a team from the University of Iowa.
The study was published in the Sept. 15 issue of the journal Cancer Research.
"Estrogen binds to estrogen receptors and triggers a cascade of events including gene regulation," study leader Dr. Ronald Weigel, professor and head of surgery at the university's college of medicine, said in a prepared statement.
"We found that elimination of TFAP2C from the cell causes all of those cascades that we associate with estrogen to go away," he said. "The treated cancer cells were not able to respond to estrogen by any normal pathway."
Silencing TFAP2C inhibited tumor growth in mice. It also halted expression of another estrogen receptor called GPR30, found at the cancer cell membrane.
"Targeting this gene may be a better way to develop drugs to treat hormone-responsive breast cancers, because it targets multiple different pathways," Weigel said.
More information
The American Cancer Society has more about breast cancer.
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Saturday, September 15, 2007
Tomato Diet Can't Guarantee Prostate Health: Study
(HealthDay News) -- Men who've been adding vitamin E or the tomato nutrient lycopene to their diets to cut their risk of prostate cancer may need to think again.
According to a new study, neither carotenoids (such as lycopene), retinol, nor tocopherols (forms of vitamin E) appear to reduce the odds of prostate malignancy -- findings that are in line with two other recent publications.
"Our overall findings are null," said lead researcher Timothy Key, deputy director of the Cancer Research UK Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford, U.K.
"This large study does not support the hypothesis that consuming large amounts of these nutrients will reduce prostate cancer," he added. "That is disappointing, but that is the overall message."
The findings are published in the September issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
His team examined the effect of the blood levels of 10 micronutrients on the risk of developing prostate cancer for almost 2,000 males from eight European countries.
The research, which the authors call "the largest prospective study to date of plasma carotenoids, retinol, tocopherols, and prostate cancer risk," was part of the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study, which includes more than half a million men and women.
The authors did find evidence to suggest that, once a cancer forms, high levels of lycopene (or of carotenoids in general, including lycopene) may reduce by about 60 percent the risk of the tumor progressing to an advanced-stage prostate cancer. Carotenoids appeared to have no effect on the rate of localized, earlier-stage disease, however.
According to Dr. Peter Scardino, head of the Prostate Cancer Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the developed world. A Western male, he said, has about a 42 percent risk of developing cancerous cells in his prostate over his lifetime, a 16 percent risk of being diagnosed with the disease, and about a three percent risk of dying as a result. In other words, nearly one-quarter of Western males have a subclinical form of prostate cancer, which will never progress to more advanced disease.
Stopping progression is crucial. According to Scardino, for those whose disease does progress, the risk of death is much higher -- nearly 50 percent.
"I think it's an important study," Scardino said. That lycopene and bulk carotenoids reduced the risk of progressing to advanced disease without impacting the risk of developing prostate cancer overall, he said, "suggests maybe these micronutrients are not as important in [stopping] carcinogenesis as they are in [slowing] progression of a very small early tumor to one that becomes invasive and larger and develops the ability to metastasize."
"The study provides supportive evidence that lycopene and the carotenoids may have an effect on delaying the progression of prostate cancer, so, from that point of view, it is an interesting study," Scardino added.
But Alan Kristal, associate head of the Cancer Prevention Program at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, remained more skeptical. Though he called the study "well-executed," Kristal noted, for instance, that the authors were unable to control for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing among the men. These blood tests often detect clinically irrelevant tumors, he explained.
"You can never do an observational study of prostate cancer without rigorously controlling for whether or not the person got PSA screening," Kristal said. "The more times you take the test, the more likely you are to get the disease."
He also noted that the finding for lycopene contradicts a report published in May in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. That study did account for PSA testing, and it found no effect of lycopene whatsoever on prostate cancer risk -- including the risk of advanced disease.
"To my mind, that study is definitive," said Kristal. "It's a big study, extremely well executed, properly analyzed, and not biased by PSA screening."
A review of lycopene's effect on cancer by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, published in July in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, likewise found "no credible evidence to support an association between lycopene intake and a reduced risk of prostate, lung, colorectal, gastric, breast, ovarian, endometrial, or pancreatic cancer and very limited evidence to support an association between tomato consumption and reduced risks of prostate, ovarian, gastric, and pancreatic cancers," according to that study's authors.
So, with tomatoes, ketchup and pizza sauce crossed off the list of prostate-protecting foods, Key and others continue the search. Kristal, for instance, is on the executive committee of a randomized trial examining the effects of selenium and/or vitamin E on prostate cancer risk in 35,000 men. Results are expected in 2012, he said.
Said Key, "I am optimistic we will find something. This paper is an important piece of work, but it doesn't look like this is the answer."
More information
For more on vitamins and cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.
more discussion: Forum
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According to a new study, neither carotenoids (such as lycopene), retinol, nor tocopherols (forms of vitamin E) appear to reduce the odds of prostate malignancy -- findings that are in line with two other recent publications.
"Our overall findings are null," said lead researcher Timothy Key, deputy director of the Cancer Research UK Epidemiology Unit at the University of Oxford, U.K.
"This large study does not support the hypothesis that consuming large amounts of these nutrients will reduce prostate cancer," he added. "That is disappointing, but that is the overall message."
The findings are published in the September issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
His team examined the effect of the blood levels of 10 micronutrients on the risk of developing prostate cancer for almost 2,000 males from eight European countries.
The research, which the authors call "the largest prospective study to date of plasma carotenoids, retinol, tocopherols, and prostate cancer risk," was part of the EPIC (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition) study, which includes more than half a million men and women.
The authors did find evidence to suggest that, once a cancer forms, high levels of lycopene (or of carotenoids in general, including lycopene) may reduce by about 60 percent the risk of the tumor progressing to an advanced-stage prostate cancer. Carotenoids appeared to have no effect on the rate of localized, earlier-stage disease, however.
According to Dr. Peter Scardino, head of the Prostate Cancer Program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the developed world. A Western male, he said, has about a 42 percent risk of developing cancerous cells in his prostate over his lifetime, a 16 percent risk of being diagnosed with the disease, and about a three percent risk of dying as a result. In other words, nearly one-quarter of Western males have a subclinical form of prostate cancer, which will never progress to more advanced disease.
Stopping progression is crucial. According to Scardino, for those whose disease does progress, the risk of death is much higher -- nearly 50 percent.
"I think it's an important study," Scardino said. That lycopene and bulk carotenoids reduced the risk of progressing to advanced disease without impacting the risk of developing prostate cancer overall, he said, "suggests maybe these micronutrients are not as important in [stopping] carcinogenesis as they are in [slowing] progression of a very small early tumor to one that becomes invasive and larger and develops the ability to metastasize."
"The study provides supportive evidence that lycopene and the carotenoids may have an effect on delaying the progression of prostate cancer, so, from that point of view, it is an interesting study," Scardino added.
But Alan Kristal, associate head of the Cancer Prevention Program at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, remained more skeptical. Though he called the study "well-executed," Kristal noted, for instance, that the authors were unable to control for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing among the men. These blood tests often detect clinically irrelevant tumors, he explained.
"You can never do an observational study of prostate cancer without rigorously controlling for whether or not the person got PSA screening," Kristal said. "The more times you take the test, the more likely you are to get the disease."
He also noted that the finding for lycopene contradicts a report published in May in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. That study did account for PSA testing, and it found no effect of lycopene whatsoever on prostate cancer risk -- including the risk of advanced disease.
"To my mind, that study is definitive," said Kristal. "It's a big study, extremely well executed, properly analyzed, and not biased by PSA screening."
A review of lycopene's effect on cancer by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, published in July in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, likewise found "no credible evidence to support an association between lycopene intake and a reduced risk of prostate, lung, colorectal, gastric, breast, ovarian, endometrial, or pancreatic cancer and very limited evidence to support an association between tomato consumption and reduced risks of prostate, ovarian, gastric, and pancreatic cancers," according to that study's authors.
So, with tomatoes, ketchup and pizza sauce crossed off the list of prostate-protecting foods, Key and others continue the search. Kristal, for instance, is on the executive committee of a randomized trial examining the effects of selenium and/or vitamin E on prostate cancer risk in 35,000 men. Results are expected in 2012, he said.
Said Key, "I am optimistic we will find something. This paper is an important piece of work, but it doesn't look like this is the answer."
More information
For more on vitamins and cancer, visit the American Cancer Society.
more discussion: Forum
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Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Health Tip: Dealing With Dandruff
(HealthDay News) -- Dandruff, also known as seborrheic dermatitis, occurs when flakes of skin develop on the scalp or inside the ear.
The skin condition, which can run in families, may be triggered by stress, fatigue, oily skin, acne or using hair or skin products that contain alcohol, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.
Infrequent showering or shampooing may also trigger dandruff.
To treat the condition, over-the-counter dandruff or medicated shampoos should be used daily.
Active ingredients in these shampoos include salicylic acid, coal tar, zinc, resorcin, ketoconazole or selenium.
The hair and other affected areas should be washed for about five minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
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The skin condition, which can run in families, may be triggered by stress, fatigue, oily skin, acne or using hair or skin products that contain alcohol, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.
Infrequent showering or shampooing may also trigger dandruff.
To treat the condition, over-the-counter dandruff or medicated shampoos should be used daily.
Active ingredients in these shampoos include salicylic acid, coal tar, zinc, resorcin, ketoconazole or selenium.
The hair and other affected areas should be washed for about five minutes before rinsing thoroughly.
more discussion: Forum
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Friday, November 10, 2006
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Menopause Relief
Ayurveda offers a new line of products for menopausal symptoms that are not only effective but safe. When research on hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) was suddenly discontinued by a federally-funded research program this summer, it made headlines.A combination of artificial estrogen and progestin, HRT has been used by millions of women as a solution to a wide range of menopausal problems from hot flashes to wrinkle-free skin.
The reason for discontinuing HRT research: despite the fact that HRT has been promoted by doctors and researchers as a way to protect women against heart disease for the past thirty years, the study proved that the opposite is true.
Long-term use of HRT actually increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and clotting, and thus the 16,000 subjects involved in HRT research were at too high a risk to continue. In addition, the study definitively proved what was already indicated in 30 previous studies--that HRT also increases the risk of breast cancer.
The HRT study was conducted by the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), one of the largest research programs ever undertaken, involving over 160,000 women subjects. The WHI was begun in 1991 by the National Institutes of Health and is considered the definitive word on women's health by most doctors due to its rigorous design.
So what is a woman to do? Millions of women now feel abandoned, adrift in a sea of symptoms without relief. Many are turning to Maharishi Ayurveda for help.
Maharishi Ayurveda Products has recently developed a complete line of products to treat specific menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, memory loss, mood swings, urinary tract infections, and reduced sexual desire. These products effectively treat these symptoms without harmful side effects. Even more importantly, the wisdom of Maharishi Ayurveda offers practical and effective ways to prevent these disorders from happening at all.
What is Soma?
Soma has to do with the finest relative or celestial value that exists in all of nature including the human physiology.
Soma has a cooling, nourishing influence on the physiology, and is associated with lunar energy. In fact, soma is another word for "essence of the moon. Soma, or lunar energy, must be balanced with agni, or the solar energy that is associated with the sun in nature and with the digestive fire in the human body.
Here's one example of how these two forces work together in the body. When you eat an apple, the apple gets crushed by agni in the digestive process, and becomes the liquid nutritive fluid (rasa dhatu). As the nutritive fluid is further metabolized by the body, it becomes more and more refined. At some point, in the gaps between the dhatus (tissues), it becomes soma.
Ideal health means maintaining a balance between the cooling, nurturing, lunar energy of soma and the warm, metabolic and cleansing energy of agni. Women naturally have more soma in their physiology than men, and thus it is very important to maintain a good quantity of soma in the female physiology in order to maintain women's health.
Q: In the West menopause is likened to a disease, with women often under a physician's care for treatment. Is the ayurvedic approach similar or does a planned program of self-care help you go through menopause relatively without discomfort?
A: In the ayurvedic tradition, menopause is viewed not as a disease but as a transitional imbalance. Just as imbalances in the body arise due to the change of seasons, changes in weather, and the changing influence of the sun, moon and planets, menopause is a natural transition in a woman's life.
And just as Maharishi Ayurveda explains how to avoid imbalances in other transitional periods of life, it explains how to avoid imbalances during menopause.These transitions from one stage of life to the next are natural, and menopause itself is manageable through Maharishi Ayurveda. To use an analogy, there may be bumps in the road due to changing from one sort of pavement to another, but if you know the bumps are coming, you can take precautions to slow down so you don't blow out your tires.
In the same way, in daily life change is unavoidable. Maharishi Ayurveda offers concrete lifestyle and dietary guidelines to make those transitions smooth. This is the value of the seasonal routine (ritucharya), and this is the value of the special ayurvedic guidelines for the other changes in a woman's life: puberty, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause. They make the transitions happen smoothly, without discomfort or disease.
So the answer to your question is yes, the knowledge of Maharishi Ayurveda offers a complete self-care program for avoiding menopausal discomfort.
Q: Why do so many women in the West experience menopause-related symptoms such as hot flashes, loss of memory, emotional imbalance, and loss of sexual drive?
A: That is a good question. The main thing to understand is that menopause takes place during the transition between the Pitta stage of life and the Vata stage of life. Maharishi Ayurveda outlines three stages of life (called Kala in Sanskrit) for both men and women: Kapha Kala forms the first trimester, when Kapha dosha predominates and the body's structure is developed to maturity. Next is Pitta Kala or the adulthood trimester, when Pitta dosha is predominant and most people achieve their peak in terms of productivity and creativity. Vata Kala, the third trimester, occurs at the end of life, and is predominated by Vata dosha.
Because menopause occurs towards the end of Pitta Kala and the beginning of Vata Kala (the exact age a woman experiences these transitions varies), it is common for a menopausal woman to experience both Vata and Pitta related imbalances. For instance, menopausal complaints such as insomnia, memory lapses, anxiety, vaginal dryness, and aging skin are all related to an imbalance in Vata dosha. Pitta-related imbalances are experienced in menopause as hot flashes, urinary tract infections, anger, irritability, hyperacidity, and skin breakouts and rashes.
If a woman already has a significant Pitta or Vata imbalance in the years before menopause, her symptoms are likely to be much, much worse.
Another factor leading to menopausal imbalances is the accumulation of the digestive impurities called ama in the physiology, often caused by eating a diet of fast foods, foods with chemicals and preservatives, and packaged, canned, frozen or left-over foods. Ama blocks the channels that transport nutrition to the cells and remove waste from the body, and thus ama contributes to disease and aging, including menopausal problems.
Basically if a woman has had problems in the years before menopause with accumulation of ama then the symptoms of menopause are likely to be worse. A third factor is the misuse and overuse of the mind, body, emotions, or senses. Basically, this happens when a woman strains her mind too much, is under too much ongoing stress or pressure, or is doing work that is too "heavy" for her body, or is under tremendous emotional stress.
So if a woman enters menopause with a Vata or Pitta imbalance, or with the accumulation of ama, or having strained her emotions, mental faculties, physical body or senses through misuse or excessive use--then these pre-existing imbalances will combine with the natural fluctuations in hormones that take place during menopause. The result will be the symptoms that we recognize as hot flashes, loss of memory, emotional imbalance, weight gain, urinary infections, vaginal dryness, loss of sexual desire, and sleep problems.
Unfortunately, these causal factors are found more often in the West, or in women who are living a fast-paced lifestyle as in the West. When I was practicing in India, the women in the villages did not have the same problems of menopause that I am seeing in my practice in the West. There is an interesting story that illustrates this difference. In the village where I lived in India, there were two identical twin sisters.
One stayed in the village all her life, and the other moved to New Delhi, the Indian capital, with her husband. When these women reached menopausal age, the sister who stayed in the village had a smooth transition with no symptoms. The sister who had moved to New Delhi eventually consulted my father because she was suffering many complications of menopause, due mainly to her faster-paced, more stressful lifestyle and lesser attention to a proper diet and daily routine.
Q: This is fascinating, that menopausal symptoms are a symptom of the imbalances of our culture as well as the time of life itself. What's the best way to prepare for menopause and prevent these imbalances from happening?
A: The most important thing is to prevent Pitta and Vata imbalances and to keep the body free of ama before menopause begins. First of all, it's important to understand that not all women will get the same symptoms. Some will have more hot flashes, some more mood swings, others a memory problem, and others a loss of libido. Very few will have all the symptoms. And some women will have no symptoms at all.
The reason for this variation, even though all women experience the same reduction in estrogen at the time of menopause, is that there are other factors in play, as we have already mentioned. If someone is of Pitta constitution, or if they are eating foods that cause a Pitta imbalance or living a lifestyle that creates those imbalances, they are going to experience more Pitta-related symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings. On the other hand, if the person has a Vata imbalance due to having more Vata in their constitution or eating more Vata foods and living a Vata-aggravating lifestyle, then they will experience more Vata-related symptoms, such as memory loss and vaginal dryness.
So it's important to identify the etiological (causal) factors behind the symptoms. You could say that the main cause is the drop in hormones due to menopause, and certainly this is a major transition in a woman's life. But if the cause is only a drop in hormones, why isn't every woman getting the same symptoms? An intelligent woman can see that there also has to be some imbalance there in order for specific symptoms to manifest. And that is what you need to identify, whether it's a Vata or Pitta imbalance, and you need to stop doing those things that are causing the imbalance.So if you start to have any of the Pitta-based problems of menopause, be sure to follow a Pitta-pacifying diet. Avoid foods that are spicy, such as chilies, cayenne and black mustard seed. Salty foods and foods that are sour, such as yogurt (unless it is diluted and sweetened in a drink called lassi) and sour fruits such as ketchup, mustard, and other salad dressings and condiments made with vinegar should also be avoided.
Favor foods that are bitter, astringent and sweet, as these are cooling to Pitta dosha. Bitter and astringent foods include most vegetables. Sweet foods include rice, milk and cream, sweet lassi, wheat products, pasta. Sweet, juicy fruits such as pears and plums also pacify Pitta dosha. Cook with Pitta-reducing spices, such as cinnamon, coriander, cardamom, fennel and small amounts of cumin seed.
If you start to have some Vata-related symptoms of menopause such as memory loss or vaginal dryness, you'll want to work at bringing Vata dosha back into balance. For this, you'll want to eat foods that are cooked, warm, and unctuous (meaning that they have a small amount of good fats such as ghee and olive oil). Eat foods that are sweet, sour and salty, as this balances Vata dosha.
Apana Vata, which governs the genito-urinary tract, elimination, and menstruation, is a key area to attend to when preparing for menopause. Drink plenty of warm water throughout the day. Eat plenty of cooked, leafy greens, as this helps elimination and is also a good source of calcium. For both Pitta and Vata imbalances, a breakfast of cooked apples and prunes and figs is a good way to start the day, as it balances the doshas and cleanses the digestion.
In addition to balancing Pitta and Vata dosha, it's important to keep your digestion strong and free of ama. All of the above suggestions will help with this, In addition, avoid eating foods that are packaged, processed, frozen, canned or left over. Eat organic foods that are cooked fresh each day. The bulk of your diet should consist of whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and legumes and light dairy products such as milk, lassi or panir for protein. This type of light but nourishing diet will aid your digestion and avoid the build-up of ama. Avoid heavy foods such as meat, cheese, yogurt and frozen desserts like ice cream, especially at night.
Q: And are there any lifestyle tips for preparing for menopause?
A: Yes. Sleep is an important area of concern for the woman entering menopause, because both Vata and Pitta imbalances can cause sleep problems that will only make menopausal imbalances worse. To keep both doshas in balance and to sleep more deeply at night, be sure you're in bed before 10:00 p.m. and that you arise before 6:00 a.m. This is the time of night when sleep comes easier and is more restful. If you stay awake past 10:00, it will be harder to fall asleep, and you'll also increase any Pitta imbalance, because 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. is the Pitta time of night, when the body needs to be at rest in order to cleanse and purify itself.
The morning abhyanga or ayurvedic oil massage is extremely important for preventing menopausal problems. Use the Youthful Skin Oil for Women. This oil is designed to increase circulation, calm Vata dosha, and prov ide needed moisture to the skin. For both Pitta and Vata dosha, it's important not to skip meals, and to eat your main meal at noon, when digestion is the strongest. Try to eat at the same time every day, and go to bed and wake up at the same time. And be sure to get lots of rest during your menstrual cycle as you approach menopause, because this will keep Apana Vata in balance and avoid more serious complications of menopause. Daily exercise (gentle for Vata and not too overheating for Pitta) is also important for keeping all doshas in balance. F inally, practice of the Transcendental Meditation® program is an effective way to keep the doshas in balance, to keep the mind clear and focused, and to calm the emotions and dissolve stress.
Q: You've given us a clear picture of what to do to prevent menopausal problems. What should a woman do during menopause?
A: All of these dietary and lifestyle suggestions that I just described to help prevent menopausal problems will also help keep Pitta and Vata dosha in balance once menopause begins.
Q: I understand that you have developed a completely new line of products for menopause called the Graceful Transition line of nutritional supplements. Can you tell us about this targeted line of products for menopause?
A: The Graceful Transition line as a whole is designed to prevent and address the imbalances related to menopause. It provides both general support and targets specific imbalances that women experience before, during and after menopause. The Graceful Transition line includes these products: Hot Flash Relief, Midlife for Women 1, and Midlife for Women2. In addition, the program includes dietary and lifestyle recommendations to correct specific imbalances during menopause.
The entire program is targeted especially for women of the West: who have the Western physiology, live in that environment, or work in that culture. It addresses the dietary needs, lifestyle and stress levels of women who live a fast-paced life. This program is designed to promote the overall emotional, physical and mental health of women. It helps keep the body free of ama and maintains the balance between soma (lunar energy) and agni (solar energy).
Q: That sounds like an amazingly comprehensive program. Can you tell us first of all what causes each type of imbalance and how each formula from the Graceful Transition line can help?
A: Certainly. Let's start with hot flashes. Hot flashes are caused when too much Pitta dosha accumulates in the body and at the same time ama blocks the channels (srotas). This causes the circulation of heat to become uneven, which women experience as hot flashes. Hot flashes, you could say, are the body's attempt to release heat that has accumulated due to blocked channels.
There is another factor that is highly important here, and that is the influence of soma on a woman's physiology. Soma is the cooling, nourishing substance related to lunar energy that is more predominant in a woman's physiology (see box for more detailed explanation). When, due to Vata and Pitta imbalances, the cooling soma decreases, this contributes to chronic hot flashes. Hot Pitta burns soma and high Vata dries it. When the channels are clogged and the release of heat in the body gets obstructed, then heat builds up and eventually gets released through uncomfortable hot flashes or night sweats.
Once there is this level of Pitta imbalance, and the damage has been done, so to speak, then what is needed is an herbal product to reduce Pitta in the deeper tissues of the body, such as the muscle and fat tissues. In addition, the microcirculatory channels of all the tissues (dhatus) and the waste products (malas) need to be cleansed. It's necessary to regulate the heat throughout the body and the brain as well. Most importantly, the connection between the the mind and body and the mind and the heart need to be re-established. In ayurvedic terms, this relationship between mind and heart is governed by Sadhaka Pitta, the subdosha that regulates the emotions and their effect on the heart, and Prana Vata, the subdosha that regulates the mind and senses. Finally, in chronic situations, soma must be increased, because the burning effect of hot flashes has reduced it to critical lows.
Hot Flash Relief is designed to repair all of these imbalances in order to cool the body and reduce hot flashes during menopause.
Q: That's remarkable, that Hot Flash Relief has been designed to take into account all these different causes of hot flashes. Can you tell us something about the herbs in the formula and how they achieve these effects?
A: Let's look at the first benefit this formula imparts: to reduce Pitta in the deeper tissues of the body. To reduce Pitta imbalance in the deeper tissues, the fat (medha) and muscle (mamsa) tissues, we added the ayurvedic herbs Shatavari, Indian Asparagus, Indian Sarsaparilla, Khus Khus Grass, Water Lily, Sandalwood, Indian Tinospora, Cabbage Rose, and Mica Bhasma. These herbs, when combined, perform an important task. They go deep into the fat and muscle tissues and remove the heat that has been stored there.
There's a very interesting story related to one of these ingredients, Water Lily, which to me illustrates how this wisdom of Maharishi Ayurveda is so profound. In ancient times, the great seers were aware that there were many herbs to increase soma and reduce heat in the deep tissues of the body. But they also knew that there was only one herb that is ideal to increase soma production in women, and that herb is the Water Lily.
Now, every herb has its own intelligence, its own purpose. Some plants are receptors for solar energy (agni), and thus have a heating effect on the human physiology. Other plants are receptors for lunar energy (soma), and thus have a cooling, nourishing effect. To understand how this works, think of a chili pepper. Nature has given it a receptor, you could say, that allows it to store solar energy. If you allow a green chili to mature until it is red in color, it will store more solar energy and we experience this as a hotter taste.
I learned a valuable lesson about the intelligence of herbs when I was interning with my father. We lived near a pond in which the Water Lily and the Red Lotus grew. The Red Lotus is large and red, and its petals are open during the day and closed at night. The Water Lily, on the other hand, opens its petals at night and closes them during the day.
My father pointed out that both lilies are cool by nature because they live in the water and derive their nourishment from the water. So both are good for pacifying Pitta on the deeper tissues, as is needed in the Hot Flash Relief formula. But if you also need an herb that increases soma, then the best choice is the Water Lily, because its petals are open during the night and closed during the day. The fact that it is open to the moon and closed to the sun makes it a receptor of lunar energy, and the best herb to increase soma in the feminine physiology.
You can see from this illustration that if you follow the traditional, proven guidelines of Maharishi Ayurveda, the formulation ends up being unique and highly effective.
Q: That's a fascinating story. What other herbs are used in this formula?
A: Other herbs such as Long Pepper, Indian Sarsaparilla, Turbinella rapa Bhasma and Cumin seed cleanse ama from the microchannels. Indian Tinospora, Shatavari, Coral (Corallium Rubrum) and Licorice nourish the connection between mind and body and mind and heart. Khus Khus Grass (Vetiver), Sandalwood and Mica Bhasma maintain proper heat regulation.
As far as dietary tips for reducing hot flashes, follow a Pitta pacifying diet. Don't eat anything that aggravates Pitta. Favor more sweet, juicy fruits, Rose Petal Preserve, and start the day with a stewed apple.
Keep your home environment cool, pleasant and loving. Fill your garden and home with roses. For daily abhyanga (ayurvedic oil massage), use 50% Youthful Skin Oil and 50% Cool Sensation Oil. This will calm and balance the emotions and support coordination of body, mind and heart.
Q: Can you tell us what causes other Pitta-related imbalances, such as mood swings?
A: Changing hormones can contribute to emotional ups and downs during menopause, and this physiological change can be magnified by special problems such as work pressures, children leaving the home, the burden of caring for ailing parents, and financial and marital problems. When emotional stress becomes chronic, even the brain chemicals can be affected, leading to feelings of depression.
Sadhaka Pitta, which governs the emotions and their effect on the heart, is often thrown out of balance when Pitta dosha becomes aggravated, creating sudden mood swings and a critical attitude towards loved ones.
To counteract mood swings, I'd recommend taking Stress Free Emotions along with a Pitta pacifying diet. If you feel critical or upset, try eating a sweet, juicy pear or take a teaspoon of Rose Petal Preserve. It's very important to take care of emotional imbalances when they first appear, because if left untreated they can cause major problems and even lead to early menopause. So it's very important to keep Sadhaka Pitta in balance at all times.
The various herbs in Stress Free Emotions combine to do three things: enhance coordination between mind and emotions, cleanse the channels between heart and mind, and nourish the heart and mind.
Q: What is the best way to approach multiple symptoms? Can a woman take all of these formulas at one time?
A: If a woman has multiple symptoms, she should try to find out which symptom occurred first. Then she should try to address that problem first, and make the recommended lifestyle and dietary changes along with taking the formulation.
What often happens is that one imbalance creates additional imbalances, with the root imbalance causing other symptoms to manifest. So as a general rule in Maharishi Ayurveda, we address the symptom and underlying imbalance that occurred first, since it is often the cause of later problems. For instance, if someone is hungry and then gets a headache, it would be wise to eat a meal first, instead of just popping a pain-relieving pill. The secondary symptom is often related to the first symptom, in the same way that the headache is related to hunger.
In general, take only two of the Graceful Transition formulas at one time, and in special cases up to three. But if you feel you have three or more symptoms, it's best to consult a physician trained in Maharishi Ayurveda, who can determine the primary cause through nadi vigyan (pulse diagnosis). This is also a good idea if you are taking other herbal formulas or medications.
An important part of this program is knowledge, and I'd highly recommend the newly released book, A Woman's Best Medicine for Menopause: Your Personal Guide to Radiant Good Health Using Maharishi Ayurveda, by Nancy Lonsdorf, M.D. This book gives a deep understanding of menopause, its imbalances, and the causes of specific symptoms. It also outlines a complete self-care program for taking care of those symptoms and removing the imbalances at their source.
Q: How do Midlife for Women I and II fit in with these Graceful Transition targeted menopause formulas? And what about taking Maharishi Amrit Kalash with these products?
A: I'm glad you asked because this is important to clarify. Midlife for Women I and II should be taken along with the new targeted formulas from the Graceful Transition lines. Midlife for Women I (for preparing for menopause) and Midlife for Women II (for during menopause) provide overall support. A woman needs both types of nourishment and support--general and specific.
Many women won't have any symptoms, and will be able to stay in balance by just taking Midlife for Women I or II. For women who have specific imbalances, such as hot flashes, mood swings, urinary tract disorders, vaginal dryness or memory loss, they should take both the Midlife for Women I or II plus up to two of the specific formulas.
Maharishi Amrit Kalash is the supreme rasayana, or herbal compound, for overall balance and youthfulness, so it can be taken in addition to two other herbal formulas.
Q: Osteoporosis is, of course, another problem often associated with menopause. Can you tell us something about the Calcium Support formula?
A: The Calcium Support formula is a vegetarian source of calcium that is easily absorbable and safe. Since one of the problems with calcium supplements is that they are often not absorbed by the body, this formula focuses on absorption, and contains herbs that enhance absorption of calcium. It also enhances the metabolic mechanisms between fat and bone tissue, so the bone tissue can actually utilize the calcium and other nutrients supportive to the bone. This high absorbability makes Calcium Support a unique product on the market today. Many commercial varieties are digested but not absorbed by the body, which creates a strain on the kidneys to remove the excess calcium through the urinary tract.
Another important feature of Calcium Support is that it is lead-free. Many commercial calcium supplements today contain lead, which is harmful to the body. Calcium Support contains Pearl Bhasma, which is one of the richest sources of calcium mentioned in the traditional ayurvedic texts. It and the other natural sources of calcium are easily absorbable and natural.
Q: Should you take the Calcium Support along with the Graceful Transition supplements?
A: Women of any age can take Calcium Support on an ongoing basis as you would a food, one tablet twice a day, without counting it as one of the Graceful Transition formulas that you take.
Because Herbal Calcium Absorb contains herbs to enhance utilization, and because the herbs also increase the absorption of calcium from the food you eat, it is much more effective in supplying needed calcium to menopausal women than the large quantities normally recommended for other types of calcium supplements.
Q: Menopausal women sometimes complain about skin and hair problems such as acne. What are the reasons for these symptoms?
A: One reason is that the decrease in estrogen and the onset of Vata time of life associated with menopause causes the glands to produce less oil and the deeper fat layers to become thinner.
This drying effect of Vata dosha causes the skin to wrinkle and lose its softness.
The surface layer of the skin also thins, and thus many women find that their skin is more sensitive to sunburn, windy and dry conditions, and allergens. That's why women in their fifties are sometimes dismayed to find that they have a case of acne, something they haven't faced since adolescence.
Aging also causes a decrease in circulation and blood flow, so the skin is no longer nourished on deeper levels. This, along with the drying of natural emollients, can cause the skin to look pale and pasty. Fluctuations in hormones also cause collagen to decrease, making the skin less firm and youthful looking.
Q: Do women just have to accept these changes, or is there something that they can do to increase the natural vitality and beauty of their skin?
A: Maharishi Ayurveda offers a wide range of remedies to keep a woman's skin healthy and youthful as she ages. The most important thing is to identify your skin type. Vata skin is delicate, thin, fine-pored and cool when you touch it. When out of balance, it is more prone to dryness, roughness, a gray or wan color, wrinkles and early aging. Pitta skin is usually fair and sensitive, with a tendency to freckles, moles, pinkish or reddish color. When out of balance it can develop sunspots, rashes, and breakouts. Kapha skin is usually soft, oily, thick, and darker in color. When out of balance, it can develop enlarged pores, blackheads and pimples, moist types of eczema and water retention.
For Vata skin, you'll want to moisturize your skin from the inside and out. Drink several glasses of pure water a day. Eat plenty of sweet, juicy fruits. Follow a Vata pacifying diet. Because Vata skin is delicate, you'll want to avoid harsh cleansers or products with chemical ingredients. The Youthful Skin Massage Oil is especially soothing to Vata, and helps nourish and soothe the skin.
For Pitta skin, which tends to be extremely sensitive, you'll also want to avoid harsh chemical ingredients. Cooling foods and tastes are best for your diet. Include Ghee and Rose Petal Preserve in your diet.
The Youthful Skin products are ideal for rejuvenating dry and aging skin and making it youthful again, and are completely free of harmful additives and preservatives. In fact, the Youthful Skin Cream is comprised of 9.5% herbal extract, which is truly an unheard of percentage. Most skin creams that are labeled "herbal" or "natural" contain only .025-1% herbal extracts.
Youthful Skin Cream has been tested in an independent laboratory with impressive results.
After two months, skin thickness increased by an average of 14.59%, which is a remarkable result from an all-natural cream. Wrinkles were reduced an average of 33% in the first month, and by 40% in just three months. Firmness, clarity and radiance, and moisturizing of the skin all were also substantially improved.
One reason that Youthful Skin Cream is so effective in moisturizing the skin is that the herbs open the channels and allow moisture to be conveyed to the deepest layers of the skin. Youthful Skin Cream, even though applied from the outside, actually improves the metabolism of the skin and opens the channels so it can show the results of being moisturized from the inside (by drinking water) and from the outside with the application of the cream.
The Youthful Skin Herbal Tablets are also a big help for menopause-related skin problems, because they promote contentment and serenity even in the face of stressful challenges. This formula also nourishes the deepest layer of the skin, the rohini layer, which means that it helps replenish and rebuild the tissues and fluids necessary for healthy skin.
Maharishi Ayurveda Products International, Inc.
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