Hypertension / High Blood Pressure

Remember sticking your finger over the hose when you were a child and making the water shoot further?  Well that is not necessarily a good thing in the body. High blood pressure or “hypertension” is closely associated with coronary artery closure due to plaque formation and arterial stiffening as the normally elastic vessels require more pressure to fully circulate blood to the body. High blood pressure is also called the silent killer as it makes your heart work too hard, hardens the walls of your arteries, and can cause the brain to hemorrhage or the kidneys to function poorly or not at all. If not controlled, high blood pressure can lead to heart and kidney disease, impotence, stroke, blindness and impaired cognitive ability.

High blood pressure is an epidemic that is currently sweeping across America impacting nearly 30% of all American population. This condition is costing the country 93.5 billion dollars in health care services. Not only is high blood pressure a dangerous condition in itself, the medication and drugs prescribed for it are also dangerous because of the high costs and the side effects where natural remedies and life style corrections are generally sufficient to prevent and control high blood pressure.

Chances are that if you have hypertension, you also have poorly controlled blood sugar levels, because these two problems often go hand in hand. Nearly two-thirds of the patients who are insulin resistant (IR) also tend to have high blood pressure, and that insulin resistance is directly attributable to a high sugar, high grain diet, especially if accompanied by inadequate exercise. Check out our Diabetes Report for related info.

What is Hypertension?

High blood pressure is classified as a systolic pressure of more than 140 and the diastolic pressure of more than 90. It's interesting to note that about 4 years ago, high blood pressure was classified as 160/95. Hypertension is a leading cause of illness caused by unhealth life style and habbits. Of course, there are many etiologies to this common disease including Poor Sleep or Lack of Sleep; however, most cases are because we have gotten fat, old, and out of shape.

MAIN CAUSES: Many factors play an important role in today’s hi-tech world that causes the blood pressure to soar. Main ones affecting the blood pressure are:

* Smoking

* Lack of Physical Activity

* Being Obese

* Too much intake of common salt

* Stress

* Old Age

* Genetics, Hereditary- family History of High Blood Pressure

* Chronic Kidney Diseases

* Adrenal and Thyroid Diseases

* Pregnancy

Diet and exercise is the key to keeping blood pressure low. The fact that you are no longer young and fit is the real problem, and we all inevitably develop hardening of the arteries known as “atherosclerosis”, but it is the leading effect in high blood pressure.

Life Style Changes:

- Get leisure time physical activity at least three times per week to maintain normal body weight with BMI lower than 25. Yoga is perfect for everyone trying to lose weight or reduce arthritis, stress, or just increase agility, balance and peace of mind. Find a few favorite Yoga poses from classes at your gym or favourite video and try to incorporate at least five to twenty minutes of these gentle stretches in to your day. Meditation's impact on the risk of cardiovascular disease including hypertension is phenomenal.

- Reduce Salt/ Sodium Intake. Choose foods that are lower in salt and sodium content. Reducing sodium intake will work better if you increase consumption of potassium. - Avoid processed foods, junk foods and fried foods.

- Delete foods and drinks sweetened with fructose from your diet entirely.

- Go easy on alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure. Limit your alcohol intake to one drink if you are a woman and two drinks if you are a man.

- Decrease/Eliminate Caffeine: Caffeine is just like throwing gasoline on the hypertensive fire. Now the reason why people get those “caffeine headaches” is because they are used to caffeine restricting all their blood vessels…but once the body metabolizes all the caffeine we get the painful rebound headache effect called “vasodilation” which means that our arteries dilate and cause a throbbing headache.

Vitamin & Minerals: It is of utmost importance that you take necessary Vitamin D, B3, A, E & C along with appropriate Magnesium intakes.

Medicinal Herb Remedies: 

- Cordyceps is a Chinese herb which slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure and yet also increases the blood supply to the arteries and heart.

- Reishi mushrooms used in Chinese medicine boost your immune system, fight cancer, ward off heart disease, calm your nerves and relieve both allergies and inflammation.

- Hawthorn Berries have been traditionally used to treat high blood pressure and a variety of heart realted issues.

- Stevia Herb has shown in a number of animal and human studies to reduce hypertension.

- Green tea helps prevent clogged arteries and keeps blood pressure under control.

- Ginger reduces blood pressure and prevents blood clots.

- Garlic reduces the blood pressure by 10-15%. That's about 20 points for many people with high blood pressure.

- Cinnamon helps lower blood pressure as well as circulating blood glucose, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol.

- Cardamom improves antioxidant status while breaking down blood clots without significantly altering blood lipids and fibrinogen levels.

- Oregano contains the compound carvacrol which has been proven to be effective against blood pressure.

- Cayenne Pepper is effective in combating high blood pressure.

Diet:

- Substituting high sugar grains with gluten free Sorghum, Pearl Millet and Finger Millet can neutralize the hypertensive effect of excess sodium.

- Foods with alpha-lipoic acid & calcium like curd, spinach, leafy vegetables, Chick peas, Red Kidney Beans and Moth Bean.

- Brown rice or unpolished rice are natural, side-effect free angiotensin II blocker. Angiotensin II can trigger serious cardiovascular problems.

- Celery contains active compounds named phthalides which serves to calm the nervous system, automatically counterbalancing stress levels.

- Eating payaya on an empty stomach can lower high blood pressure within a month.

- Coconut Water is high in potassium which helps reduce blood pressure as it balances out sodium which promotes hypertension.

- Apple Cider Vinegar is a miracle cure for high blood pressure patients.

- Onions contain quercetin, an antioxidant flavonol found to prevent heart disease and stroke.

- Olives oil contain Polyphenols especially high in extra-virgin olive oil which provide significant reduction in blood pressure.

- Pomegranate, Blueberries & Grapes contain polyphenol resveratrol that protects the blood vessel walls and improves the way these cells respond to metabolic shifts that affect blood pressure.

- Nuts & Seeds provide omega-3 which is essential for vascular tissue/artery maintainance and cholesterol reduction.

- Watermelon helps against narrowing of blood vessels and has a vasodilatory effect.

- Fish has always been considered health food. Fish oils are known to maintain blood pressure.

- Drink plenty of fluids daily to drain out all the unhealthy salts from the body. Drink water equivalent to 50 percent of your body weight in ounce. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, drink 70 ounce of water every day.

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Human Life Record - Li Ching Yuen (A Herbalist)

1677-1933 

Li Ching-Yuen was a Chinese herbalist, martial artist and tactical advisor who lived to the ripe old age of 256 and sired 200 descendants during his life span, surviving 23 wives. Ching-Yuen lived off a diet of herbs and rice wine inculding lingzhi, goji berry, wild ginseng, he shou wu and gotu kola. In a 1930 New York Times article, Professor Wu Chung-chief of the University of Chengdu discovered Imperial Chinese government records from 1827, congratulating one Li Ching-Yuen on his 150th birthday, and further documents later congratulating him on his 200th birthday in 1877 (Wikipedia, 2013).

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Baby Boomers are Sicker Than Their Parents

Baby boomers, the 78 million Americans born from 1946 through 1964, have more chronic illnesses, disabilities and shorter lives than their parents, according to a study released yesterday in JAMA Internal Medicine.

In spite of having access to groundbreaking medical advancements and record amounts of wealth, the baby boom generation is sicker. A whopping 52 percent of them get no regular physical activity, they are also much more likely to be obese (39 percent of boomers versus 29 percent of the previous generation), have high cholesterol (74 percent versus 34 percent), and suffer from diabetes (16 percent versus 12 percent), than their parents.

Fewer baby boomers are smoking, or developing tobacco-related diseases, than the older adults in their parents’ generation. But, they have higher rates of hypertension and high cholesterol, become sicker earlier in their lives, and are more likely to need a cane or walker. All of which can be related to their Indifferent Sedentary Life Style leading to obesity.

Researchers in the study analyzed data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 2007 to 2010, looking at baby boomers, and from 1988 to 1994, evaluating the previous generation. They focused on people ages 46 to 64 years during the survey periods. The researchers compared the two groups’ lifestyle, health status, presence of chronic disease and disability.

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Poly PNIPAAm for Water in Arid Regions

A new treatment for cotton fabrics that allows it to absorb 340% of its weight in water could help dry, arid regions collect water from fog and mist.

Fog and mist harvesting is a good way for desert regions to collect water, but a strong air flow is typically required in order for them to function properly. This new treated cotton works without the help of wind, and can even be used to collect water directly on the ground where it is needed the most.

According to researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, cotton can absorb up to 340% of its own weight when coated with a polymer PNIPAAm treatment. This makes the fabric more hydrophilic, and as the temperature rises, it becomes hydrophobic and releases the absorbed water. This can be repeated time and time again with no additional treatments.

The cotton is cheap and easy to produce, and the polymer is not very costly either, so this is a pretty inexpensive way to increase the availability of water in extremely arid regions. Over time, apparently this could also become a new development for athletic gear as a way to manage moisture and use it to our advantage.

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Clean Wind Energy Downdraft Tower - Well Done!

A new type of clean energy wind power plant has come up claiming to convert hot still air into wind with virtually no carbon footprint, fuel consumption, or waste production. It uses heat from the sun to produce its own wind, which would make this new type of plant desirable in areas with low or inconsistent winds.

The Clean Wind Energy Downdraft Tower is a skyscraper-sized hollow cylinder that uses the natural downdraft tendencies of air by spraying water (as a fine mist) across the top opening of the tower to cool the hot dry incoming air. As the air is cooled, it becomes heavier than the outside air, and then falls through the tower at speeds up to (and above) 50 mph. Once the faster moving air reaches the bottom of the tower, it is channeled through wind turbines in the base of the tower, generating electricity.

In addition, if the Tower is located in areas conducive to direct wind harvesting, the exterior of the Tower could be covered with "vertical wind vanes" to help capture prevailing winds to produce supplemental power.

"One tower is equivalent is to at least one nuclear power plant. But here's the big difference of course. You don't have nuclear issues, you don't have the safety issues, you don't have spent nuclear rods, you don't have the storage issue. These towers apparently they last forever. All you're using is water, evaporation, wind gradients and presto! You do have the energy that's produced through turbines and generators. So what we're talking about is water and wind at free will." - George Elliott, scientist and consultant for the Wind Energy Tower.

Clean Wind Energy, Inc. (soon to Solar Wind Energy Tower, Inc.), also plans to build a pair of demo towers, up to 2,250 feet tall, near Yuma Arizona, potentially powering up to 1.6 million homes in California and Arizona.

"The first Tower in Arizona has a projected output capacity, on an hourly basis, of up to 1000 megawatt hours, gross. Using a 70% capacity factor the Tower’s potential hourly yield would be 700 megawatt hours from which, approximately 17% will be used to power its operations, yielding approximately 600 megawatt hours available for sale to the power grid." - Clean Wind Energy, Inc.

The company is in the running as a semi-finalist for the Future Energy Pitching Event at the upcoming ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit in Washington D.C., which could potentially jumpstart the implementation of their new clean energy technology.

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Nails Indicated Health Conditions

Healthy nails indicate a body that’s likely to be healthy too. If your nails are clubbed, thin, spooned, discolored, easily broken, have thick ridges or color, or the skin around the nails is discolored or unnatural, further investigation is merited. Your nails provide a quick look at your overall health status and are indicative  of serious conditions that can be detected by changes in the nails.

No matter the race, normal nails should be pinkish and have a lighter pinkish-white area near their base called lunula (most prominent on the thumb nail). Nails that don’t appear like that are indicators that something is out of whack internally and a trip to the doctor may be in order.

Nail Appearance & Associated Condition

Excessively flexible nails - Calcium or protein deficiency

White spots - Vitamin or Mineral deficiencies

White nails - Liver diseases, such as hepatitis

Yellowish, thickened, slow-growing nails - Lung diseases, such as emphysema

Yellowish nails with a slight blush at the base - Diabetes

Half-white, half-pink nails - Kidney disease

Red nail beds - Heart disease

Red or brown little streaks - Heart disease

Pale or white nail beds - Anemia, Congestive heart failure, Liver disease, Malnutrition

Pitting or rippling of the nail surface - Psoriasis or inflammatory arthritis

Irregular red lines at the base of the nail fold - Lupus or connective tissue disease

Dark lines beneath the nail - Melanoma

Cracked or Split Nails - Thyroid disease

Spoon nails - Liver condition, heart disease and hypothyroidism

Terry's nails - Liver disease, congestive heart failure or diabetes

Beau's lines - Diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, as well as zinc deficiency

Clubbing nails - Lung or Heart diseases

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Magnesium - The Miracle Mineral

Magnesium has been called the "The Forgotten Mineral" and the "5-Cent Miracle Tablet" by medical researchers. It is an essential mineral for human nutrition and it is the fourth most abundant mineral (Not Macro but Major) in our body. Magnesium is more important than calcium, potassium or sodium and is essentially required to regulate these three plus many many more in the body. Magnesium has a role that permits perpetuity of functions throughout the body and the lack of it impacts our cell’s efficiency and duration of its useful life. It has an effect on overall cell physiology that cannot be equalled by anything else in the world of medicine. It is required for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body and helps genes function properly. Of the total body magnesium, 50 percent is found in the bone and the other 50 percent is found in the body tissues and organs. The highest accumulation of magnesium can also be found in the heart ventricles. So the importance of magnesium in the day-to-day functions of the heart can easily be perceived.

Magnesium is involved in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Some fuels cannot be stored in our muscle cells unless adequate supplies of magnesium are available. The metabolic role of magnesium is so diverse that it is difficult to find a body system that is not affected by magnesium deficiency. Our cardiovascular system, digestive system, nervous system, muscles, kidneys, liver, hormone-secreting glands, and brain all rely on magnesium for their metabolic function.

Over 8 out of 10 people do not take enough daily magnesium for even the minimum daily amounts recommended. The main reason for magnesium deficiency in the human body is stress. Magnesium is flushed out through the urine or bowels when the body is under stress. Deficiency of this mineral causes the body to accumulate toxins, degenerate quickly and premature aging leading to a host of other diseases. The U.S. minimum RDA for magnesium is about 320 mg per day for women and more than 400 mg per day for men, while optimum daily amounts are closer to 500 to 700 mg per day.


HEALTH IMPACTS

Regulates Calcium - Calcium is regulated and controlled by magnesium. Three hormones (PTH, Calcitonin and Vitamin D) that control the level and location of calcium in our body are activated by magnesium. If magnesium isn't available, the mineral ion channels in cells are left wide open and calcium floods in leading to it's calcification. Loss of magnesium leads to a relentless increase of sodium and calcium which ultimately becomes the greatest form of cellular "Stress." Dominance of calcium over magnesium produces symptoms of muscle spasm. Migraines, eyelid twitch, heart flutters, back aches, premenstrual tension, leg cramps and constipation are all linked to calcium overload. Excessive calcium may also result in kidney stones and heart valve calcifications. Therefore, the ratio of calcium to magnesium has to be 1:1, as compared with a 5:1 to 15:1 ratio in present-day diets. The countries that have the highest mortality rates in the world are the Scandinavian countries and New Zealand where more calcium is consumed from dairy products, while for comparison the lowest mortality rates in the world are in Portugal and Japan where calcium-rich dairy products are not consumed regularly.

Strong Antioxident, Healthy Immune System & Cancer Prevention - Protects body from Reactive oxygen species (ROS - Oxygen free radicals, Peroxides, and Singlet oxygen.) On an ongoing basis the cells in our body become old, die and are replaced with new cells. In a diet lacking essential minerals and vitamins, molecules in the body lose electrons and become free radicals. These free radicals attack healthy cells to take back electrons damaging even more cells. As the cell’s efficiency degenerates in long term, the genetic material in the cell gets damaged or changes, its processes go wrong and produce mutations. Magnesium deficiency can lead directly to cancer.

Maintains Normal Muscle and Nerve Function - Magnesium is a muscle relaxant, while calcium is a muscle constrictor. Low magnesium intake is associated with muscle spasm, tremors and convulsions. Athletes sometimes use magnesium to increase energy and endurance.

Strong Bones & Osteoporosis Prevention - In order to develop strong and durable bones, the human body requires 18 different nutrients other than just Calcium. The most important of those elements is magnesium which activates alkaline phosphates, the much needed enzyme that facilitates the best bone cell activity and strong bone formation. Diets that provide recommended levels of magnesium are beneficial for bone health, bone metabolism and osteoporosis.

Regulating Blood Sugars & Obesity prevention- Magnesium plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism. It also influences the release and activity of insulin, the hormone that helps control blood glucose (sugar) levels. Low blood levels of magnesium (hypomagnesemia) are frequently seen in individuals with type 2 diabetes. If there is not enough magnesium to do this job, both insulin and glucose become elevated. The excess glucose gets stored as fat and contributes to obesity.

Prevents Brain Disorders - Magnesium is essential for proper electrical and neurotransmitter function in the brain. It help prevents cognitive decline and improve brain plasticity to better deal with stress and anxiety.

Promote Healthy Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Health - Epidemiologic evidence suggests that magnesium may play an important role in regulating blood pressure. A diet with high magnesium, potassium, and calcium, and low sodium and fat is ideal for loweingr blood pressure. Optimal blood levels of magnesium lowers risk of coronary heart disease, reduce the risk of having a stroke and abnormal heart rhythms.



Magnesium is indicative in playing a role in the prevention and/or treatment of the following health conditions:

Alcoholism
Anxieity & Depression
Angina pectoris
Arrhythmia
Asthma
Autism
Chronic fatigue
Congenital heart disease
Congestive heart failure
Coronary artery disease
Diabetes
Eclampsia
Epilepsy
Glaucoma
Heart attack
HIV/AIDS
Hypertension
Hypertriglyceridemia
Inflammatory bowel disease
Migraine
Multiple sclerosis
Osteoporosis
Peptic ulcers
PMS
Pre-eclampsia
Raynaud's syndrome
Systemic lupus erythematosus


Symptoms due to a lack of magnesium have three categories.
Early symptoms:
Anorexia
Apathy
Confusion
Fatigue
Insomnia
Irritability
Muscle twitching
Poor memory
Reduced ability to learn

Moderate deficiency symptoms:
Heart (cardiovascular) changes
Rapid heartbeat

Severe deficiency:
Continued muscle contraction
Delirium
Numbness
Seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations)
Tingling

Testing
Since 99 percent of magnesium resides inside living cells, blood serum levels are not a good indicator of magnesium deficiency. Ionized magnesium testing is the only effective way of diagnosing accurate magnesium levels in the body.


Who may need extra magnesium?

- Some medicines may result in magnesium deficiency diuretics, antibiotics, and medications used to treat cancer (anti-neoplastic medication).

- Individuals with poorly-controlled diabetes may benefit from magnesium supplements because of increased magnesium loss in urine associated with hyperglycemia.

- Magnesium supplementation may be indicated for persons with alcoholism. Low blood levels of magnesium occur in 30% to 60% of alcoholics, and in nearly 90% of patients experiencing alcohol withdrawal.

- Individuals with chronic malabsorptive problems such as Crohn's disease, gluten sensitive enteropathy, regional enteritis, and intestinal surgery may lose magnesium through diarrhea and fat malabsorption.

- Individuals with chronically low blood levels of potassium and calcium may have an underlying problem with magnesium deficiency. Magnesium supplements may help correct the potassium and calcium deficiencies.

- Older adults are at increased risk for magnesium deficiency as magnesium absorption decreases and renal excretion of magnesium increases in older adults. Seniors are also more likely to be taking drugs that interact with magnesium.

Food Sources
The absolute best source of magnesium is raw organic cacao. Yes, healthy high quality chocolate is extremely rich in magnesium!

Other good sources of this essential mineral are green vegetables because of their content of chlorophyll. The center of the chlorophyll molecule contains magnesium. Foods that are high in fiber are generally high in magnesium. Dietary sources of magnesium include legumes (such as soybeans, baked beans, lentils and peanuts) whole grains (In refined and processed grains, the magnesium-rich germ and bran are removed), vegetables (especially broccoli, spinach, squash, and green leafy vegetables), seeds, and nuts (especially almonds). Many fish (such as halibut and cod) contain magnesium. Other sources include dairy products, meats, and coffee. Water with a high mineral content, or “hard” water, is also a source of magnesium.

A great source of trace minerals, which are important for many of your body's functions, is Himalayan Crystal Salt, which contains all 84 elements found in your body.

Note: Many antacids and laxatives contain magnesium. When frequently taken in large doses, these drugs can inadvertently lead to excessive magnesium consumption and hypermagnesemia, which refers to elevated levels of magnesium in blood.

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Alert: Radioactive Waste leaking in Washington State

Six underground storage tanks at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation along the Columbia River in Washington state were recently found to be leaking radioactive waste. The seeping waste adds to decades of soil contamination caused by leaking storage tanks at Hanford in the past and threatens to further taint groundwater below the site.

The 586-square-mile (1,518-square-km) Hanford Nuclear Reservation was established near the town of Hanford in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project, the U.S. government program that developed the first atomic bombs.Weapons production at the site resulted in more than 43 million cubic yards of radioactive waste and 130 million cubic yards of contaminated soil and debris, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which says that approximately 475 billion gallons of contaminated water have been discharged into the soil.

The newly discovered leaks were revealed by Governor Jay Inslee a week after the U.S. Energy Department disclosed that radioactive waste was found to be escaping from one tank at Hanford."This certainly raises serious questions about the integrity of all 149 single-shell tanks with radioactive liquid and sludge at Hanford," he said.

Suzanne Dahl, the tank waste treatment manager for the state Department of Ecology, told Reuters "It points to the age of the tanks and how there's going to be an increased probability of this happening in the future," "When waste is in the tanks, it's manageable. Once it's out of the tanks and in the soil, it's much harder to manage it, remove it, and down the road you're adding to contamination in the groundwater that already exists."

The Energy Department said a week ago that declining liquid levels in one tank at Hanford showed it was leaking at a rate of 150 to 300 gallons (568 to 1,136 liters) per year. It subsequently informed state officials that a second, larger tank was leaking at about the same rate, while the four smaller tanks were leaking at a rate of about 15 gallons per year, Dahl said.


Michio Kaku, a physics professor at the City University of New York, explains the scope of the problem:

Radioactive waste is a "witch's brew of chemicals," Kaku said, explaining it contains the most dangerous chemicals known to science like plutonium, enriched uranium, nitric acid and solvents. "We have 56 million gallons worth of this toxic stuff," he said. "To get this into perspective, to get your head around this, imagine 80 Olympic-sized swimming pools containing the most toxic substance known to science of which two Olympic-size swimming pools have leaked right into the ground and eventually into the water table and, perhaps, even into people's drinking water."

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Heart Disease - Detailed Info

Heart disease is the #1 LIFE-STYLE DISEASE in civilized nations. 52 people in USA die due to heart attack every minute making it 1,259 per day, 8,843 per week and 459,840 per year. Over 12.5 million people each year have heart attacks worldwide and 40-75% of all victims die before reaching the hospital. Between 38% of women and 25% of men die within a year after having a heart attack. The risk of second heart attack within six years of the first heart attack is estimated to be 35% in women and 18% in men. And the costs associated with treating Heart Disease are expected to nearly triple by the year 2030.

What is Heart Disease?
Heart disease is a broad term used to describe a range of diseases that affect your heart. The various diseases that fall under the umbrella of heart disease include diseases of your blood vessels caused by atherosclerosis. Healthy arteries are flexible, strong and elastic but in atherosclerosis the walls in arteries thicken and get stiffer — sometimes restricting blood flow to your organs and tissues.
If you are 40 or older, have a family history of diabetes, are overweight, have high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol, ask your doctor to test your heart now. Diagnosis of heart disease is often made by careful history taken by a health care practitioner. Some individuals may have atypical symptoms, and some including almost none at all. The testing strategy to confirm the diagnosis and plan appropriate treatment needs to be individualized for each patient diagnosed with heart disease.

Types of Heart Disease

1. Aneurysm - Bulge or weakness of a blood vessel (artery or vein) wall with a potential to rupture and cause life-threatening bleeding. The most common sites include the abdominal aorta and the arteries at the base of the brain.

2. Arrhythmias - Heart rhythm problems - When the electrical impulses in your heart that coordinate your heartbeats don't function properly, causing your heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. This electrical activity produces electrical waves that can be measured using a heart test called an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG).

3. Cardiomyopathy - Diseases of the heart ‘muscle’.
a. Ischemic - Loss of heart muscle.
b. Dilated – Enlargement of heart chambers.
c. Hypertrophic – Thickening of heart muscles.

4. Coronary Artery Disease - Diseases of the ‘arteries’ with obstructed or reducing blood flow to the heart muscle. Causes chest pain (angina) and heart attack (myocardial infarction).

5. Congenital Heart Disease – ‘Birth defects’ that affect the formation of the heart muscle or its chambers or valve.
a. Coarctation - Narrowing of a section of the aorta.
b. Atrial or Ventricular Septal Defect - Holes in the heart.

6. Congestive Heart Failure - Condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the needs of your body's organs and tissues.

7. Hypertension - Excessive force of blood pumping through your blood vessels leading to other types of cardiovascular disease, such as stroke and heart failure.

8. Pericardial Diseases - Diseases of the ‘sac that encases the heart.’
a. Pericarditis -Inflammation
b. Pericardial Effusion - Fluid accumulation
c. Constrictive Pericarditis - Stiffness

9. Peripheral Arterial Disease and Claudication – Blockage or weakening in arteries supplying blood to your limbs.

10. Stroke
a. Ischemic - Blood flow to the brain is interrupted
b. Hemorrhagic - Blood vessel in the brain ruptures

11. Valvular Heart Diseases - Disease of the heart valves. 4 valves within your heart direct blood in the right direction.
a. Stenosis - Narrowing
b. Regurgitation or Insufficiency - Leaking
c. Prolapse - Improper closing
d. Infectious Endocarditis - Rheumatic fever or Infections


Heart disease does not have to be the inevitable death sentence that many people assume it to be, in fact, you can effectively avoid developing heart disease by understanding what your heart is, what it does and how your habits and lifestyle can directly affect its functionality and therefore, effect you in every way.

1. High blood pressure and Cholesterol:
Hypertension is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major risk factor for heart disease. It is called the "silent killer" as it can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure. It’s important to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range. Normal blood pressure is between 120/80 mm Hg and 129/84 mm Hg. If your blood pressure is between 130/85 mm Hg and 139/89 mm Hg, you have "high-normal" blood pressure, which is more likely to develop into high blood pressure.
High blood cholesterol - Cholesterol is one of the essential fats in your blood. Your body uses it to make cell membranes, vitamin D and hormones. However, it is important to keep it at healthy levels because high blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. There are two main types of cholesterol:
-          Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is often called the bad cholesterol because high levels in the blood promotes the buildup of plaque in the artery walls making it more difficult for blood to flow through your heart and body, putting you at increased risk of circulatory problems, heart disease and stroke.
-          High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is called the good cholesterol because it helps carry LDL-cholesterol away from the artery walls.

2. Stress: Too much stress harms your health and increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. Many life events such as moving, leaving school, changing jobs, and experiencing losses can cause stress. Daily hassles, such as being stuck in traffic, deadlines or conflicts can also be stress-provoking. It's important to identify your stressors so you can learn to deal with them effectively. If you are suffering from high stress levels, you may feel tense or anxious, have headaches, stomach complaints or even symptoms that mimic illnesses. Note: Hostile personalities are at higher risk of developing heart attack. Responding to stress with anger can also be harmful, since it sets off a series of physiological changes including increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure levels that can increase your chance of having a heart attack.

3. Diabetes and your Heart - Diabetes increases the risk of high blood pressure, atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), coronary artery disease and stroke, particularly if your blood sugar levels are poorly controlled. It can also result in circulation problems caused by damage to the blood vessels. Poor blood glucose control is a leading indicator of pending chronic illness, as excess sugars combine with proteins and fats to create advanced glycation end products (AGE's) that damage the lining of arteries throughout the body and block blood flow in the smallest capillaries of the eyes, kidneys.

4. Physical Inactivity & Being Overweight (Obese): If you are struggling with your weight, you are not alone. Over 60% of American adults are either overweight or obese.  This is a growing concern because being overweight or obese are major risk factors for heart disease and stroke. People who are physically inactive are twice more likely to be at risk for heart disease or stroke than people who are physically active.

5. Smoking: Smoking contributes to the build-up of plaque in your arteries, increases the risk of blood clots, reduces the oxygen in your blood, increases your blood pressure and makes your heart work harder. Becoming smoke-free can be difficult, so don't be afraid to ask for help and support from family, friends and your healthcare provider.


Borderline Alcohol: You may have heard that alcohol – particularly red wine – is good for your heart. There is some evidence that moderate drinkers have a somewhat lower risk of heart disease and stroke than those who do not drink or who drink excessively.  But drinking too much of any type of alcohol can increase your blood pressure and contribute to the development of heart disease and stroke. If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to no more than 2 drinks a day, to a weekly maximum of 10 for women & 3 drinks a day, to a weekly maximum of 15 for men.


Heart disease is largely preventable by adopting Healthy Lifestyle Changes

1. Weight Management & Physical Activity: By achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, you can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke.  A healthy weight can also help control other conditions such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes. Physical activity is a great way to maintain a healthy weight. Lose weight slowly. Achieving a healthy weight is a long-term commitment. Being active means something different to everyone, whether it's gardening, walking or running. Always check with your healthcare provider first before starting a physical activity program. Just 150 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, in bouts of 10 minutes or more is best recommended. It is beneficial to spread the activity over several days a week. Cycling twenty miles a week cuts heart disease in half. If you have already suffered a heart ailment, walking routine is the best form of exercise you would want to start with. Walking is probably the simplest heart-healthy activity.
2. Meditation Reduces Heart Disease: Meditating individuals experienced an overall reduction in blood pressure from hypertension as well as a significant reduction in psychological stress with long-term positive effects.
3. Eat a healthy and natural diet filled with vegetables, nuts, seeds and fruits. Avoid fad diets based on popularity and not scientific information. Instead, ask your doctor to refer you to a registered dietician to learn about healthy eating.  Eat a diet that is lower in saturated and trans-fats and includes fresh vegetables and fruit, complex carbohydrates and foods higher in fibre such as whole grain cereals and bread. Use less fat in cooking. Manage portion size. Divide your plate into four sections. Fill half your plate with vegetables and fill the remaining quarters with whole grains, meat or meat alternatives such as beans.
-          Hawthorn berries can treat a long list of cardiac, respiratory, and circulatory conditions. They are especially helpful in combating heart disease, high blood pressure, palpitations, chest pains (angina) and elevated cholesterol levels. Hawthorn berries contain flavonoids such as quercitin, and oligomeric procyanidins (OPCs).
-          An apple a day prevents arterial hardening to reduce heart disease risk.
-          Grapes reduce risk for heart disease and diabetes
-          Strawberries vindicate in the fight against heart disease, diabetes and cognitive decline.
-          Watermelon plays a significant role in lowering heart disease risk and aiding weight management.
-          Eating fish once a week can reduce your chances of a heart attack by 52% as it contains essential omega-3 cholesterol.

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Cleaning Fruits & Vegetables - Chemical Free

Fresh fruits and vegetables are an important and flavourful part of a healthy diet. To ensure produce safety from pesticides, bacteria, fungi, chemicals etc., consumers should handle and wash produce properly.

Petrochemical companies make pesticides with chemicals that are insoluble in water. If they didn’t, farmers would have to apply them after each rain or dew. Stand alone water wash DOES NOT help remove oil-based residues that are not entirely water-soluble, such as pesticides, waxy preservatives and bacteria from the hands of shoppers who search for the most appealing fruits and vegetables.

DO NOT wash fruits and vegetables with detergent or bleach solutions. The FDA advises AGAINST using commercial produce washes. Many types of fresh produce are porous and can absorb these chemicals, making them even more harmful. Instead of using detergents, there is a definite way to reduce debilitating elements significantly for safer consumption.

Here is the Mantra

Washing produce for storing may promote bacterial growth in itself and speed up spoilage, so it is recommended to wait and wash fruits and vegetables just before use, unless until they are covered with soil when you get them, then it is recommended to give them a quick bath in cold water to wash the soil off.

Wash produce before consumption

·         Fill a basin with clean WARM water

·         Dip the produce in the basin

·         Add 2 tea spoons of Salt, Baking Soda, Apple Cider Vinegar & Lemon Juice each

·         Swish the water around for 5 minutes

·         Scrub the produce with a soft brush

·         Then rinse - Watch the water for impurities

·         Voila – Food is ready to be consumed.

Related Info

·         Storing fresh produce in cloth produce bags or perforated plastic bags will allow air to circulate.

·         Do not keep cut, peeled or cooked fruits and vegetables at room temperature for more than two hours and store in the refrigerator in covered containers.

·         Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. This is not only nutritionally beneficial but may help limit exposure to any one type of pesticide residue.

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Lungs & Respiratory Disease Info

One in seven people in the world are affected by some form of chronic lung disease. Lung problems & Respiratory diseases are some of the most debilitating and intractable health issues that a person can be saddled with. In most cases, chronic lung problems are caused by smoking, second hand smoke or environmental pollutants like mold or emissions. Those who live in homes with poor air quality endure worse symptoms. Genetics may also make people susceptible to certain lung diseases such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and reduced lung function.

The most common symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, and wheezing.

Tell your doctor if you experience shortness of breath or if your symptoms worsen. You can go through the tests, hence if diagnosed with any abnormalities. The study of respiratory disease is known as pulmonology. A doctor who specializes in respiratory disease is known as a pulmonologist, a chest medicine specialist, a respiratory medicine specialist, a respirologist or a thoracic medicine specialist.

LIST OF RESPIRATORY & LUNG DISEASES

• -          Bronchiolitis - inflammation that involves the bronchioles (small airways).
• -          Alveolitis - inflammation that involves the alveoli (air sacs).
• -          Vasculitis - inflammation that involves the small blood vessels (capillaries).
•  -          Inflammatory lung disease - Characterised by a high neutrophil count, e.g. asthma, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder or acute respiratory distress syndrome.
• -          Obstructive lung diseases are diseases of the lung where the bronchial tubes become narrowed making it hard to move air in and especially out of the lung.
• -          Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), an example of an obstrutive lung disease, is where the airways become damaged, causing them to narrow.
• -          Asthma is another example of an obstructive lung disease, (and of an inflammatory lung disease).
• -          Restrictive lung diseases (also known as interstitial lung diseases) are a category of respiratory disease characterized by a loss of lung compliance, causing incomplete lung expansion and increased lung stiffness. E.g. in infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS).
• -          Respiratory tract infections - Infections can affect any part of the respiratory system. They are traditionally divided into upper respiratory tract infections and lower respiratory tract infections.
• -          Upper respiratory tract infection - The most common upper respiratory tract infection is the common cold however, infections of specific organs of the upper respiratory tract such as sinusitis, tonsillitis, otitis media, pharyngitis and laryngitis are also considered upper respiratory tract infections.
• -          Lower respiratory tract infection - The most common lower respiratory tract infection in is pneumonia, a lung infection. Pneumonia is usually caused by bacteria, particularly Streptococcus pneumoniae in Western countries. Worldwide, tuberculosis is an important cause of pneumonia. Other pathogens such as viruses and fungi can cause pneumonia for example severe acute respiratory syndrome and pneumocystis pneumonia. A pneumonia may develop complications such as a lung abscess, a round cavity in the lung caused by the infection, or may spread to the pleural cavity.
• -          Respiratory tumours - Tumours of the respiratory system are either malignant or benign. Malignant tumours, or cancers of the respiratory system, particularly lung cancers, are a major health problem responsible for 15% of all cancer diagnoses and 29% of all cancer deaths. The majority of respiratory system cancers are attributable to smoking tobacco.

o   The major types of respiratory system cancer are:

§  Small cell lung cancer

§  Non-small cell lung cancer

§  Adenocarcinoma

§  Large cell undifferentiated carcinoma

§  Other lung cancers (carcinoid, Kaposi’s sarcoma, melanoma)

§  Lymphoma

§  Head and neck cancer

§  Mesothelioma, usually caused by exposure to asbestos dust.

Lung function tests

•Spirometry (spi-ROM-eh-tre). This test measures how much air you can breathe in and out. It also measures how fast you can blow air out.

•Body plethysmography (pleth-iz-MOG-ra-fe). This test measures how much air is present in your lungs when you take a deep breath. It also measures how much air remains in your lungs after you breathe out fully.

•Lung diffusion capacity. This test measures how well oxygen passes from your lungs to your bloodstream.

Lung cancer is the top cancer killer of both men and women. Lung cancer usually manifests in the cells lining your bronchi, or the bronchial tubes that help deliver oxygen to your lungs and bloodstream. Because cigarette smoking is such an overwhelming risk factor and preventable, the importance of family history and genetic susceptibility to lung disease and lung cancer risk has been overlooked. Once people have been diagnosed with lung cancer they might think it’s pointless to stop smoking, but in fact it's not too late to benefit from quitting. Those who quit smoking after the lung cancer diagnosis became less severely impaired by the lung disease than those who kept up the habit.

The nature cure is the best you have around you. We at Cure Nature believe every person has the right to take help of "The Mother Nature" and leave medications, surgeries for the second option. 

When you support the heart, you also help the lungs because they are close together and have related functions. Repairing the lungs is a process that can take months and years. Don't expect instantaneous results with any pseudo science treatments. Successful lung healing requires committed effort applied over a period of years.

Do's for Good Lungs Health

-          When you have all your nutritional basics covered, and are supporting the body with “right living”, many problems just disappear or are easier to fix.

-          Improving cardiovascular health is the best way to improve lung strength and effectiveness without expensive and dangerous medical treatments. Regular strenuous exercise at least three times a week trains the heart and lungs to become stronger, making them oxygenate the blood more efficiently. This helps the body get the most out of lungs that may have been weakened over time.

-          Eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and fish keep lungs healthy. Those who follow a diet closest to this “Mediterranean" ideal are less likely as their peers with eating habits furthest from this pattern to develop chronic lung disease. A good amount of fresh vegetable juices are a good way to start healing, along with adding a variety of spices such as ginger, onions, and garlic. The emphasis should be on eating as healthy a diet as possible.

Herbs for Lungs

The following herbs are used to enhance the lung function. In addition to taking the herbs internally, they can also be rubbed on the chest and back three to four times per day.

1. BLESSED THISTLE helps regulate menstrual cycle; used in treating liver problems; improves the appetite; lowers fever; helps to stop bleeding.

2. LAPACHO (Also known as Pau D’Arco): This is an immune stimulant and is effective against bacterial, fungal, viral, parasitic, and yeast infections. It also is considered to be an anti-inflammatory agent.

3. MULLEIN: It is a good expectorant and, in the process of clearing out congestion, it also soothes irritation in the throat and bronchial passages. As an antispasmodic, mullein can relieve stomach cramps and help control diarrhea. Mullein is an old-time remedy which is specific for bronchitis with hard cough and soreness.

4. PEPPERMINT: This is used to calm queasy stomachs and to quell indigestion. It is a general stimulant. This herb has a long history as a digestive aid and as a treatment for the symptoms of cough, colds, and fever. It kills microorganisms that can cause food poisoning, relieves the pain of sprains and strains, and helps freshen lingering bad breath. It also is good for nausea and vomiting (colic, food allergies, indigestion, motion sickness, Crohn’s disease, hepatitis, food poisoning, gallstones, headache and stress, irritable bowel syndrome).

5. VITAMIN E: The best skin compound for elasticity and many other bodily functions.

6. YARROW: This is an anti-inflammatory herb useful in the treatment of diarrhea, flatulence, gastrointestinal inflammation, and stomach cramps. This herb can reduce smooth-muscle spasms, which makes it useful for certain gastrointestinal conditions.

7. YERBA SANTA: Quiets a nagging cough; helps clear chest of phlegm; relieves congestion due to allergy.

8. RED CLOVER BLENDED deals with cancer; blood cleanser; tumors; lymphatic; skin disorders; kidneys. It is one of the best mucous clearing sources in nature. It contains the trace element, Molybdenum.

Breathing Tips

-          When you feel short of breath, focus your mind on your breathing. Instead of trying to fill your lungs with air, concentrate on moving the muscles that control your diaphragm and do not breathe by lifting your shoulders. Try breathing through pursed lips and pacing your breaths with your activity.

-          Feeling short of breath can be scary. But fear and anxiety only make it harder to breathe. When you begin to feel short of breath, try to manage the fear by choosing an activity that helps you relax. Listen to music, imagine your favourite vacation spot, meditate or say a prayer.

-          If you're short of breath, you may become tired easily. Cut out the nonessential tasks from your day so that you can save your energy for what needs to be done.

-          Lower the room temperature. A cooler room may make it feel easier to breathe.

-          Sit near a window. Sitting or lying down in a way that allows you to look out a window can help you feel less confined when you're feeling short of breath. Aim a fan toward your face. A fan that blows on your face may make it feel easier to breathe.

-          Eat several small meals each day. Rather than a few larger meals, eat several small meals throughout the day.

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Smoking makes you stupid then Kills You

Cigarette smoking is the most additive habit period. Out of whatever reason - pleasure, habit or a hobbit J, smokers light up a cigarette to catch a little bit of stimulation or relaxation. In US today cigarette smoking causes one-thirds of all cancer fatalities and one fourth of all fatal heart attacks PLUS MANY MANY MORE DEADLY ILLNESSES. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) smoking kills 6 million people every year around the world, and more than half a million non-smokers get affected from second hand smoke. What is also understood in psychological aspect is that in majority of the cases, tobacco habit in a younger age leads up to different types of negative life addictions.

Cigarette Smoking Makes you Stupid

A study conducted by researchers from Tel Aviv University in Israel and published in the journal Addiction confirms that Smoking is directly correlated with a lower IQ.

Researchers tested the IQs of more than 20,000 healthy men between the ages of 18 and 21 who were either serving in the Israeli military or who had recently completed their service. Twenty-eight percent of the men in the sample smoked, while 3 percent were former smokers and 68 percent had never smoked.

The average IQ of the smokers was 94, compared with 101 among the non-smokers. Men who smoked more than a pack of cigarettes a day had an average IQ of 90. Although a normal IQ falls between 84 and 116, the difference observed in the study is still considered significant.

That goes to show in another survey where quitting resolutions for 2013 in the US were 34 percent of smoking population, as compared with 18 percent in 2012 but with majority FAILED attempts every year.

  

Despite all the anti-smoking campaigns, cigarette taxes, novel smoking alternatives, and even smoking bans in some areas, millions of people still smoke cigarettes. What’s funny - a vast majority of the $246 billion rolling settlement awarded to all 50 U.S. states as part of the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement is apparently being spent on things other than the anti-smoking programs and campaigns for which the money was intended, according to a new report.
Instead - What if the Govt. Bans industrial manufacturing of cigarettes? Nooooo BIG Profits! Well If not, what if all cigarette manufacturers today had no choice but to eliminate all of the chemicals from cigarettes? (Before tobacco was polluted with somewhere between 1,000 and 4,000 chemicals, it was not such harmful or dependent) Would that lead to enhanced ability to stop smoking without help? Would the number of cancer cases, public expenditure, drug abuse etc. decline immensely?

Smoking addiction is more "psychological" and less "physical ", so the cure can not only be a proportionate understanding of both. Therefore, before we say quits, it is essential to understand all its aspects correctly leaving no stone unturned. Overcoming the addictions can be an overwhelming prospect, however, in the case of smoking it can be done naturally without substituting other harmful gums or whatnot that can further jeopardize one's health.

Smoking addiction can be divided into two components. Without understanding these two, it is not possible to Quit. Here's the Mantra

All psychological addictions produce a mental high, which naturally also generates physical up’s, and for every up - there is a compensatory low if you do not sustain that up building up a dependency. If not understood well and repeated, it leads to deeper compulsion to the habit.

Physical Dependency (This is the easy part)

• Eliminating that regular fix of nicotine will cause your body to experience physical withdrawal symptoms and cravings. You may also experience headaches, trouble sleeping, and difficulty in concentrating. However, things start to change in 1 or 2 months. Be prepared for that and consult a doctor.
• Don't blame your symptoms on where you're going but on where you've been. See each symptom as a true sign of healing it reflects.

Psychological Dependency (Hard Knock)

• ·         When friends, family, and co-workers smoke around you, it is more difficult to avoid it even if you did not require it.
• ·         People doing drugs and alcohol get CIGGI-JONES.  
• ·         Many people have a habit of smoking after meals and drinks (like, coffee, tea, soda etc.)
• ·         Some need it as soon as they wake up
• ·         Some even to take a dump.
• ·         Some do it to pass time in work breaks.
• ·         Aid for Mood Swings - When you have a bad day, Unpleasant feelings such as stress, depression, loneliness, fear, and anxiety etc.

BEST GAME PLAN

• ·        Cold Turkey Approach – 91% Success Rate (Will Power Rules) – No Such Things As Just One Puff or A Magic Chiclet
• ·         Avoid Invigorating Environment
• ·         One Day At A Time Philosophy - Forget about quitting "forever."
• ·         Join A Support Group (IF YOU HAVE TO)

LIFESTYLE BENEFITS AFTER QUITTING

• ·         You will feel healthier and have more energy, whiter teeth, and fresher breath.
• ·         You will lower your risk disease and aging.
• ·         You will have a healthier baby (If you or your partner is pregnant).
• ·         You will have more money to spend.

MYTH

Smoking makes you lose weight. As nicotine is an alkaloid and the important digestion acids are suppressed and you feel less hungry but the effect is temporary and leads to lack of essential nutrients and bodily processes which are extremely harmful.

ADDITIONAL INFO

·         ·         "Loading up on fruits and vegetables even before quitting might help cigarettes seem less appealing," says F. Joseph McClernon, Ph.D., director of Duke's Health Behavior Neuroscience Department.

Don't play games with yourself. Once in the heat of battle, it is normal for your mind to quickly forget many of the reasons that made you smoking.

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Cellphone Hazards - Detailed info

More than 80% of the world citizens are in possession of cell phones or similar (EMR) electro-magnetic radiation producing devices and in some cases more than one per individual. Pretty much every student, starting at the age of about 12 in US, starts using a smart phone. The worst thing is that most people are unaware and some even selectively ignorant of their risks. A recent survey revealed that 94 per cent feared losing accessibility to their mobile devices and 73 per cent felt “panicked” when it happened. This fear has been coined as “Nomophobia”.

Electro-magnetic radiation is both hazardous to the brain as by design one has to attach a phone to the ear (closest to the brain) and to other organs as it lays in close proximity to our body for easy accessibility. Researchers have found conclusive evidence that mobile phone radiation causes biological changes in human cells. The biological impact of your cell phone is not related to its power, which is quite weak, but rather to the erratic nature of its signal and its ability to disrupt resonance and interfere with DNA repair.

Scientific Findings

-In May 2011, experts classified cell phones as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" in a report to the World Health Organization (WHO).

-In October 2012 the Italian Supreme court ruled that a businessman’s brain tumour was caused by his use of a cell phone for 12 years. That ruling is not reversible and stands.

-In December 2012 the American Academy of Pediatrics, a medical organization of around 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical specialists and surgeons called for action to protect children and teenagers from possible cell phone hazards.

-In December 2012 a study of cell phone users in Saudi Arabia, where cell phone use is one of the highest in the world, found that prolonged use of cell phones was associated with a number of health problems, including fatigue, headaches, dizziness, tension and sleep disturbance.

-In January 3, 2013 a Swedish meta-analysis of previous data on brain tumour risk and the use of cell phones concluded that the existing radiofrequency exposure standards are not adequate to protect public health.

-Unlike a computer, a cellphone is smaller than the size of your hand. Those tiny fonts in bright screens can make you squint and strain your eyes, a problem that affects almost 70 per cent of American adults according to a new survey by the Vision Council. This can lead to computer vision syndrome, an eye condition that can lead to dry eyes, difficulty focusing, and even double vision.

-Numerous studies have shown that excessive mobile phone use promotes psychological disorders.

Pregnancy, Infancy & Early Childhood

• Avoid using cell phones if pregnant as much as possible. If you do have to, use a wireless headset instead.  The developing organs of the fetus or child are the most sensitive to any possible effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) exposure.
• Keep cell phones well away from newborns. EMR travel through children’s brains much more easily due to thinner skulls and hence increases the risk of cancer.
• Cell phones are a big NO for Children under 15 years as currently brain tumors are the second leading cause of death in children.

Tips

• When buying a cell phone – look for one with a low SAR or Specific Absorption Rate. Lower the SAR number the better. (The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) sets the safe SAR limit at 2watts per kilogram. SAR reading given by manufacturers is usually given at maximum emission levels but SAR can still change dramatically over a single phone call.)
• A surge of up to 2W/kg occurs when the connection is made.
• A call with a poor signal or low batteries can subject you to 100 times more radiation than one with good reception or high batteries.
• Use a Cellsafe case to further reduce the SAR level.
• Smart phones emit more EMR than other phones.
• Keep the handset if possible at least 2 to 7 inches away from your head or use loudspeaker mode. Therefore, do not keep the cell phones close to your head when sleeping. Switch it off in the night or keep it 1.80 meters or 6 feet away from your head.
• If a phone is laid horizontally, for example-talking while in bed, it will need to emit significantly more radiation to work. 
• Avoid using the wired headsets. If you do use headsets use an air tube headset with ferrite beads. Blue tooth are better as they emit 1/100th the EMR of a normal cell phone. With regular headsets you get 3 times more EMR than if you hold the cell phone against your ear.
• Avoid cell phones usage in ‘metal containers’ like Vehicles, Elevators, Airplanes, Trains and any other type of metal container as it increases the EMR.
• Take off metal-rimmed glasses and earrings while talking, as these can increase radiation by up to 20per cent.

Cell Phone keeping In Apparel Pockets

o   If you must keep a cellphone in clothing keep keypad towards your body you so that antenna faces away from you.

o   Avoid using cell phones in your side pant pocket as radiation can affect your fertility.

o   Avoid it in breast pocket if you have a pacemaker.

o   Ladies, please don’t tuck your cellphones in your bra as it leads to breast cancer.

o   Best pocket to keep your cell phone is a knee pad pocket as in cargo pants or in a knee strap pod case.

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Diabetes - Detailed Info

According to recent statistics, diabetes is the fastest growing illness in the US and Americans are at risk for developing this disease more now than ever before. Medical researchers project that as many as one in three Americans will be affected by some stage of diabetes by the year 2030, making this an undeniable epidemic.

What is Diabetes?

Today diabetes mellitus (commonly referred to as just "diabetes") is a blood sugar disease . . . a disease in which the body either does not produce or does not properly utilize insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for our daily life. One such group of cells, the beta cells, produce insulin in response to blood glucose. These beta cells are tiny insulin factories that sense the level of glucose in the blood stream, and produce insulin in precise proportion to that level. Insulin will cause body cells to take up the sugar, causing blood sugar to quickly return to its normal range.

Diabetes ravages virtually every organ system, as the normal glucose-insulin balance is disrupted and excess amounts of sugar damage the fine capillaries of the eyes and renal system, causing blindness and kidney failure.

Diabetes is divided into two main types;

·         In type 1 diabetes, the islets (clusters of cells scattered throughout the pancreas which sense sugar in the blood and release the necessary amount of insulin) are destroyed by the person's own immune system, which mistakenly identifies these essential cells as foreign invaders. Once the islets are killed, the ability to produce insulin is lost, and the overt symptoms and consequences of diabetes begin.

·         Type 2 diabetes is associated with insulin resistant cells. It is much more common and usually develops in older adults. Insulin is a chemical messenger. It signals proteins called GLUT-4 transporters to rise up to the cell's membrane, where they can grab on to glucose and take it inside the cell. In patients with insulin resistance, the cells don't get the message. They simply can't hear insulin "knocking" on the door, which results in elevated blood levels of both insulin and glucose. We do know that insulin resistance is correlated to obesity particularly the type where your weight collects around your middle (like an apple). We also know that physical inactivity contributes to insulin resistance, as does eating too much.

Gestational (pregnancy-related) diabetes can occur in some women during pregnancy usually toward the end of pregnancy. Almost all women have some degree of impaired glucose intolerance as a result of hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy. It affects approximately 3 to 5 percent of all pregnant women. That means that their blood sugar may be higher than normal, but not high enough to have diabetes. Usually the mother's pancreas is able to produce more insulin (almost three times the normal amount) to overcome the effect of the pregnancy hormones on blood sugar levels.

DIABETES AND OXIDATIVE STRESS

Oxidative stress is implicated as a cause of insulin resistance and diabetes - Obesity and insulin resistance are associated with elevated oxidative damage. Abnormally high levels of free radicals and the simultaneous decline of antioxidant defence mechanisms can lead to damage of cellular organelles and enzymes and increased lipid peroxidation. These changes in oxidative stress can also be correlated with increased fat accumulation, obesity, and consumption of high-calorie/high-fat diets.  Findings have shown that genetic antioxidant mutation has limited effect on insulin resistance in lean mice. Antioxidant over-expression protects mice from obesity-induced insulin resistance. Antioxidants are beneficial in prevention of glucose metabolism dysfunction.

Diabetes prevention by improving one's diet and incorporating exercise into daily routine is very important. For those who already have developed diabetes, however, there are important natural ways to manage the illness.

HERBS

There are several herbs which are found to be very effective in treating diabetes and lowering blood sugar level without any side effects.
Dandelions (Taraxacum)

Ginseng (Panax)

Bael (Aegle marmelos)

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum)

Gurmar Leaves (Gymnema sylvestrae)

Holy basil leaf (Ocimum basilicum)

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum)

Gur-mar (Gymnema Sylvestre)

Turmeric (Curcuma longa)

Maidenhair tree (Gingko biloba)

Onion (Allium cepa)

Nopal leaves (Opuntia Ficus-Indica)

Nayantatra (Vinca rosa)

Neem (Azadirachtha indica)

Garlic (Allium sativum)

Sagar gota (Ceasalpinia crista)

 DIABETIC DIET

1. Avoid any foods containing high amounts of sugar.

2. Avoid foods that are full of fat.

3. Avoid foods containing refined flour as they raise sugar levels in the blood.

4. Avoid Red meats. Meats that are low in fat i.e. lean meats like fish and chicken should become part of your daily diet instead.

8. Take plenty of green vegetables, black gram, soy, fish etc.

5. Avoid Foods that are rich in salts. They should be alternated by using herbs like garlic, rosemary, ginger and turmeric.

6. Avoid sugar in any form - rice, potato, banana, cereals & fruits containing high percentage of sugar content. However, eating apples, blueberries & strawberries is greatly helpful in diabetes.

7. Include at least one bitter dish in every meal.

9. Vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, broccoli, okra(Lady Finger), bitter Gourd, string beans, cucumber, onion and garlic, fruits such as Indian Gooseberry, Jambul Fruit and Grapes and grains like Bengal gram and black gram should be included in the diet.

10. Raw vegetables & herbs play a part in stimulating the pancreas and enhancing insulin production.

DIEBETES FOOT CARE

Foot problems are a big risk. All people with diabetes should monitor their feet. If you don't, the consequences can be severe, including amputation. Minor injuries become major emergencies before you know it. With a diabetic foot, a wound as small as a blister from wearing a shoe that's too tight can cause a lot of damage. Diabetes may also decrease your blood flow, so your injuries can be slow to heal. If your wound is not healing, it's at risk for infection.

Caring for the diabetic foot is an extremely important part of the diabetic's daily care and this can be achieved naturally and holistically. Many studies have demonstrated that honey has antibacterial activity in vitro, and a small number of clinical case studies have shown that application of honey to severely infected cutaneous wounds is capable of clearing infection from the wound and improving tissue healing. Research has also indicated that honey may possess anti-inflammatory activity and stimulate immune responses within a wound. The overall effect is to reduce infection and to enhance wound healing in burns, ulcers, and other cutaneous wounds.

Other tips:

• Wash your feet every day with mild soap and warm water.

• Test the water temperature with your hand first.

• Don't soak your feet.

• Don't use antiseptic solutions, drugstore medications, heating pads or sharp instruments on your     feet

• Always keep your feet warm

• Don't get your feet wet in snow or rain.

• Wear warm socks and shoes in winter

• Don't smoke or sit cross-legged for long periods as both decrease blood supply to your feet.

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFORMATION

•             Results of a systematic analysis in the journal BMJ Open revealed that the prevalence of Type II diabetes is low in countries where consumption of black tea is high. Black tea flavonoids improve insulin sensitivity to protect against diabetes. The study analyzes black tea consumption in 50 countries across all continents to arrive at this result.

•             The improvements in diabetic conditions coincide with better weight loss and fitness the Journal of the American Medical Association.

•             Studies have been done which show significantly strong evidence that auto-antibody reactions against the A1 beta-casein particles in cows' milk, may contribute to beta cell (pancreas) dysfunction and Type I diabetes. Our body breaks the dairy down into both whey and casein proteins. In cross reactivity or micro-mimicry reactions, the body attacks the casein molecule as a foreign invader, and it also begins to attack beta cells in the pancreas because they look very similar. The correlation has been shown through multiple studies worldwide.

•             Vitamin K is one such agent, as it is shown to lower the risk of developing diabetes in an elderly cohort by more than 50 percent by promoting the removal of calcium from the blood to prevent heart disease and diabetes. Researchers publishing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

•             Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Department of Psychiatry have published that increasing the amount of sleep that teenagers get could improve their insulin resistance and prevent the future onset of diabetes.

•             Research published by Austrian scientists in the Journal of Clinical Investigation suggests an unhealthy balance of gut flora could cause obesity and metabolic syndrome which have long been linked to type 2 diabetes.

•             Researchers from the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have published that fasting can decrease diabetes progression.

•             According to a research summary published by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC) suggests that people who drink three to four cups of coffee each day have 25 percent lower risk of developing Type II diabetes. The key ingreadients linked are the chemicals chlorogenic acid and trigonelline which are both found in caffeinated coffee.

•             A study published in the journal Global Public Health shows that countries that consume greater amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) have a 20 percent higher incidence of diabetes compared to countries that use none or low amounts. Corn syrup (fructose) when eaten in excess causes negative metabolic effects including excess weight gain with accumulation of fat and insulin resistance.

•             Published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, a recent study out of Rhode Island Hospital (RIH) confirms that Alzheimer's is marked by brain insulin resistance and corresponding inflammation, a condition that some researchers are now referring to as type-3 diabetes. According to it Alzheimer's progresses as a result of the brain developing resistance to insulin, which in turn prevents proper lipid (fat) metabolism. Over time, these lipids build up in the brain rather than properly absorb, which results in increased stress and inflammation, as well as the symptoms commonly associated with dementia.

•             A study published in the journal Diabetes Care explains that increase in blood levels of vitamin D results in a roughly 24 percent reduction in diabetes risk, while another study similarly reveals that Vitamin C, Magnesium and Zinc deficiencies are also being linked to diabetes.
•            CoQ10 is a biochemical required for cellular energy production and antioxidant protection. CoQ10 is a crystalline powder that is insoluble in water. Absorption follows the same process as that of lipids and the uptake mechanism appears to be similar to that of vitamin E, another lipid-soluble nutrient. This process in the human body involves the secretion into the small intestines of pancreatic enzymes and bile that facilitate emulsification and micelle formation that is required for the absorption of lipophilic substances. Food intake (and the presence of lipids) stimulates bodily biliary excretion of bile acids and greatly enhances the absorption of CoQ10. Exogenous CoQ10 is absorbed from the small intestinal tract and is best absorbed if it is taken with a meal.

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