H.Con.Res.58 Will Sharpen the Focus on Health Care

Our nation spends more for healthcare than any other industrialized nation in the world. Yet by every healthcare parameter, the health of Americans doesn’t rank even in the top ten internationally. We don’t live the longest or have the highest quality of life. We do, however, rank disturbingly high in the number of preventable deaths.

Our technology in healthcare is enviable. But that hasn’t made Americans live longer or healthier. It is critical that we embrace a new vision to reform healthcare in this country. The concept of wellness plays an essential role in that vision.

H.Con.Res.58 (last session it was 406) is an important resolution. It will sharpen the focus on the debate to reform U.S. healthcare. With every indication that the current system is not sustainable, and with its heavy toll on business, individual, and government pocketbooks, it is time to support wellness. 

What You Can Do:

Personalize your letter. Tell your story, edit to reflect your points of interest (this is VERY important, please take the extra time!) 

and go to:

https://secure3.convio.net/aahf/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=270

Your message will automatically be sent directly to your state representative(s).

LNH

The Most Powerful Step You Can Take to Improve Your Health

Crystal Cove

Learn how to effectively manage emotional stress.  

There is no other factor that has more influence over your health.  Your body cannot defend itself against the damage that emotional stress quietly creates over time.  Your body pays a heavy physiological price for every moment that you feel anxious, tense, frustrated and angry.

There's really no need to provide a list of health conditions that are partly caused by emotional stress, because every health condition is partly caused by emotional stress. Emotional stress always equals increased output by the sympathetic nervous system, which always equals accelerated aging and breakdown of your tissues.

So what can you do to effectively manage emotional stressors in your life and prevent them from creating health problems?

1. Breathe deeply and regularly

Doing so can actually decrease the tone of your sympathetic nervous system and increase the tone of your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the portion of your nervous system that promotes relaxation and good digestion.

2. Spend some quiet time every day in prayer, meditation, or a purposeful relaxation session

All three have been scientifically proven to facilitate a relaxation response in your body that can decrease blood pressure, decrease pulse rate, and improve blood circulation. Meditation and relaxation sessions can be greatly enhanced by listening to any number of audio CDs that are designed to facilitate optimal relaxation and mental clarity. 

3. Practice visualization

Almost all great athletes practice some form of visualization. As author Wayne Dyer says, "you'll see it when you believe it." Spend some time each day visualizing yourself going about your day in a balanced and emotionally poised manner. You can include visualization in your prayer/meditation/relaxation session.

4. Make sure that you are getting the nutrients that you need for a healthy nervous system

Your nutritional status can make all the difference between being able to handle a certain amount of stress without breaking down vs. quickly suffering health problems when faced with stress.

While it's important to your overall health that you eat a well balanced and nutrient-dense diet, for emotional health specifically, it is important to ensure adequate intake of B vitamins, Vitamin D, and two long chain Omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA.

5. Be honest about your feelings

There's a reason why "know thyself" is a wise proverb/saying in virtually every culture of our world. Striving to know yourself and what you are truly feeling on a daily basis is absolutely essential to preventing unpleasant but genuine emotions from becoming chronic states. Anger, frustration and anxiousness can all help to fuel personal growth and character development if you are honest with yourself and seek to discover their root causes.

One of the best methods I can recommend to increase your awareness of what you are truly feeling is journal writing. The rules are simple: no censorship, no possibility of another set of eyes being able to read your thoughts, just pure flow of thoughts from your mind and heart onto a piece of paper or your computer screen. Regular journal writing in this manner can be extremely beneficial to your emotional health.

6. Move your body

It's a well established fact that regular exercise is one of the best habits you can adopt that will help you avoid depression and stay emotionally balanced. It doesn't matter what kind of exercise you do. What's important is to be active and use your joints and muscles on a regular basis.

Don't make the mistake that many health conscious people make and fret over the percentages of carbs, protein, fat, raw food, and cooked food in your diet while neglecting the emotional stressors in your life.

Yes, eating fresh, nutrient-dense foods is good for your health.  But eating fresh, nutrient-dense foods while feeling emotionally balanced and at peace is even better.

LNH

Banaba Leaf Extract Can Promote Healthy Blood Sugar Levels and Natural Weight Loss

Diabetes and insulin resistance have swept the nation - and with them, a growing list of pharmaceutical drugs that cause as many problems as they solve, if not more. Many diabetes drugs now carry warning labels about their dangerous side effects, which can include an increased risk of heart failure. There's no question as to why so many people are searching for natural alternatives, like banaba leaf extract, that can help them manage blood sugar.

The herbal extract known as Banaba leaf (not to be confused with banana leaf) can be a powerful weapon in the fight against high blood sugar. Banaba leaf comes from a tree with thick, waxy leaves and striking purple flowers, typically found in Southeast Asia. Banaba leaf was a popular remedy for blood sugar, kidney and liver health in traditional cultures there, particularly in the Philippines and in India. It was often brewed as a tea, but today can easily be found in supplement form in Western society.

Today, Banaba leaf has caught the eye of medical experts who are interested in finding a natural way to bring blood sugar levels back to normal in patients who suffer from chronically high blood sugar. Scientists have put this traditional remedy to the test in numerous clinical studies. Research has shown Banaba leaf is effective for lowering blood glucose in people with regularly high blood sugar. It may also aid weight loss if high blood sugar has led to obesity.

Experts say the reason Banaba leaf can have a positive effect on blood sugar levels is because it contains a natural concentration of Corosolic acid, which mimics the function of insulin by aiding the metabolism of glucose. Corosolic acid can work like insulin to reduce blood sugar levels by transporting glucose into cells and out of the bloodstream. This can be beneficial to anyone who has trouble with high blood sugar, and especially to those with insulin resistance or diabetes.

The easiest way for most people to take Banaba leaf extract is in supplement form. It is generally administered in small daily doses of 8-48 mg, with a 1-2 percent concentration of corosolic acid. Studies have shown this dose can produce a positive effect on blood sugar levels. Taking an excessive dose of banaba leaf may actually lower blood sugar to the point of hypoglycemia. While this should most certainly be avoided, it speaks for the power of this amazing herb.  

Source:  Natural News  

For more information about natural weight loss, obesity and gaining control over blood sugar, go to:

http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/2008/09/six-ingredients-from-natures-pharmacy-for-healthy-blood-sugar/

http://www.micronutra.com/journal/weight-loss/banaba-leaf-natural-weight-loss-stop-insulin-resistance

http://diabetes-treatment.suite101.com/article.cfm/herbal_remedy

LNH

Why Obama's Heath Care Reform Will Destroy US Jobs and Devastate the Economy

If you want to know why U.S. businesses increasingly outsource jobs to other countries, just add up the cost of doing business in America: As an employer, you have to pay not only higher wages than most other countries, but you also have to pay for the lost productivity and missed days due to the astonishingly poor health of the U.S. workforce.

Now, under the new Obama health care reform bill, you'll have to pay an additional eight percent of your payroll as a new tax to cover the costs of Big Government running its new sick-care system where nobody gets healthy, but everybody gets hammered with new taxes.

For details on how we can cut our health care costs by 90 percent (!), go to:

http://www.naturalnews.com/026643_health_health_care_America.html

LNH

Kick Start Your Body's Natural Energy Production

It seems many of us are tired, almost all the time. That's why we often turn to unhealthy stimulants like sugar, caffeine, energy drinks and nicotine to give us a little boost to get us through the day --but it can leave us jittery and nervous, and it's only a temporary fix. 

Break that slump cycle for good by firing up your body’s neurotransmitters -- the “messengers” of the brain. It takes the perfect combination of nutrients to stimulate your brain's most important energy-makers when under stress.  A carbohydrate*-heavy diet of empty calories and low quality nutritionless refined foods our government has been recommending for years, and a deficiency of some common nutrients (also from sub-optimum nutrition) actually alters our brain chemistry by keeping our bodies from producing the vital "chemical messengers" we need to stay alert, energized, and mentally sharp.

* - high quality carbohydrates are essential to feed the brain and maintain many other functions, eg. blueberries.  Find out more about the carbs your body needs for vibrant health at:

http://lagunanaturalhealth.blogspot.com/2009/05/truth-about-carbohydrates.html

In simplest terms, energy comes from the foods we eat.  This may seem obvious, but consider this: "Food" is not simply the sugars, fibers, proteins, and lipids that our bodies digest and "burn" for energy -- it's also the vitamins, minerals, proteins, etc., that give every cell in our bodies the raw materials they need to extract that energy.

We've discussed Neurotransmitters in previous posts. Neurotransmitters are chemical "messengers" that travel across tiny gaps between neurons in your mind and body. Once sent, they bind to the receptor sites of specific neurons. This determines what electrical message gets sent down the line to the next neuron, and the next, and so on until the signal reaches the intended destination -- perhaps a muscle or nerve.

There are literally hundreds of different types of neurotransmitters in a healthy body. Most of them are specialized. Some help you respond to stress. Some make you euphoric. Some are in charge of memory and mental alertness.

Still other neurotransmitters make you feel energized. These are the ones that most people don't have nearly enough of -- because nutritional deficiencies (especially as we age) are hampering their bodies' ability to produce them in sufficient amounts. That's why so many of us feel lethargic and run down all the time.

Some natural neurotrasmitter-boosters are:

• Tyrosine (alertness, mood, energy) -- Bridges barriers in the brain to produce energizing neurotransmitters like adrenaline and dopamine. Proven by military testing to boost mental response and physical performance under stress, tyrosine also packs mood enhancement benefits. 

• Rhodiola (stimulation, mental sharpness, mood) -- Not only a boost to levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain, rhodiola has been shown to increase energy and mental acuity. Used by Soviet athletes to enhance performance, this natural wonder also helps boost mood and immunity. 

• Trimethylglycine (heart protection, energy) -- Often lacking in the body as a result of poor nutrition, this naturally occurring substance is crucial for neurotransmitter production. It also helps convert homocysteine into an energy enhancer called dimethylglycine. 

• Magnesium (energy generation, mental acuity) -- Vital for your brainpower and overall health, this mineral is an essential cofactor in the production of neurotransmitters--and in its aspartate (chelated) form, magnesium is much easier for your body to absorb and put to work. 

• B-Vitamins (neurotransmitter production, overall health) -- All essential cofactors in neurotransmitter production, the five B vitamins in my formula -- niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, B-6, and B-12 -- also give you countless healthy benefits above and beyond restoring energy levels and alertness.

Maintaining sugar, hormone and blood pressure are also important to balance the body. Some examples to maintain energy and mental keenness are:

• Reishi Mushroom Extract -- By stabilizing adrenal hormones, this ancient healing secret sharpens thinking while both calming and energizing the entire body. As a fringe benefit, it can also help manage blood pressure. 

• Siberian Ginseng -- By increasing cellular oxygenation while normalizing blood sugar (and blood pressure) levels, this natural stimulant supports the adrenal system, which boosts both physical and mental energy and performance.

If everyone ate organic and hormone/antibiotic free fresh seasonal local foods, there'd probably be no need to supplement. But most don't -- especially with today's abundance of refined and processed foods that we see advertised on TV, giving them more "curb appeal" on the shelves with snappy packaging than actual nutritional value our bodies need to maintain vibrant health. 

In the interest of living a vibrantly healthy life, we suggest you consume the kinds of nutrient-rich raw and unprocessed nourishment our bodies need for optimum energy production. Use supplements to kick start your way out of nutritional deficiencies.  You may not use supplements long term. If you feel better when you use them -- great.  If you stop and feel lethargic, you may need to continue using them and/or look more closely at what you consume and at what time of the day. Journal what you eat for 2-4 weeks and discuss the results with a whole food trained nutritionist you trust.

LNH

So-Called 'Natural' Foods Aren't Always Organic

There's still much confusion regarding foods that are "natural" versus foods that are "organic".

Certified organic food products are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and are produced by farmers and manufacturers under a strict set of rules. But the agency defines the term "natural" only for meat and poultry. In the rest of the food industry, the meaning is largely up to the producer.

Adding to advocates' concerns, a new study shows wide confusion among American consumers about products aimed at the green market. Many mistakenly believe that "natural" is a greener term than "organic."

Sara Loveday, Deans Foods Co. communications manager, said Horizon had created its own definition of "natural." 

"To us, it means it's produced without added hormones, artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives or high fructose corn syrup," Loveday said.

That's a good start, said Kastel, senior farm policy analyst for Cornucopia.

"But Dean Foods will not be able to [say] the products are produced without pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics and other drugs or genetically modified feed crops, or that the cows are required to graze in pastures rather than confined to factory farm feedlots," he said. 

"These are all factors that truly differentiate organic production from natural/conventional agricultural and livestock production." 

For the whole story, go to:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-natural11-2009jul11,0,6783490.story

LNH

New Study Reveals Major Health Problems Linked to Genetically Engineered Foods

Quote of the week:

"We demand the systematic publication of the results of these tests, which we could only obtain on a case by case basis by taking legal action... It [the study] brings to light a significant underestimation of the initial signs of diseases like cancer and diseases of the hormonal, immune, nervous and reproductive systems, among others... The health crises may be more important than the international financial crisis because of the lack of transparency of the regulators."

Source: An alarming study published in the Journal of Biological Science this week points toward serious health hazards from genetically engineered foods and pesticides. The research, conducted by scientists from France, Italy, New Zealand, U.K. and U.S., corroborates the decade-long criticism by public interest organizations such as the Organic Consumers Association, Greenpeace, and Friends of the Earth that European Food Safety bureaucrats and the U.S. FDA have used unreliable tests to assess the safety of food and products containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs are now found in more than 80% of (non-organic) foods sold in conventional grocery stores in the U.S., as well as the majority of animal feed in the EU.

For study details and to learn more, go to:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_18515.cfm

LNH

California Bill AB1401: Transition to Organics Act 2009

Bill Summary:

The Organic Consumers Association favors the conversion of American agriculture to at least 30% organic by the year 2015, including major reforms in agricultural subsidies and appropriations to help family farmers make the transition to organic, develop local and regional markets, and adopt renewable energy practices.  We know that California farmers who wish to transition from conventional farming to certified organic farming face a number of challenges.  In particular, the costs associated with making the transition can be high.  These financial challenges have had the unfortunate effect of discouraging many California farmers from making the transition.  

The Transition To Organics Act seeks to remedy this unfortunate situation by providing a measure of financial assistance to transitioning California farmers.  The Transition To Organics Act would thus assist California farmers in these difficult economic times, help them to transition to more progressive farming practices, and result in the greater availability of organic consumer products.

This bill would establish an organic transition fund to be administered by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture. This fund would be for existing conventional farmers wishing to convert to certified organic production.

For more information, read the Transition To Organics Act News:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_17782.cfm

Please join us in supporting CA Bill AB1401.

LNH

Keep Methyl Iodide Out of California

From Pesticide Action Network:

California should be leading the way in safe and sustainable agriculture -- not losing ground.

For the first time in many years, California's Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) is considering adding a new fumigant to its list of pesticides approved for agricultural use.  Methyl iodide has been approved nationally, rejected by New York, and is now up for review in California.

Methyl iodide is a known carcinogen so dangerous that over 50 scientists -- 5 of them Nobel Laureates -- sent a letter to the EPA expressing astonishment that the US is "working to legalize broadcast releases of one of the more toxic chemicals used in manufacturing into the environment."

As the largest market for this new chemical, California's choice will send a clear signal to methyl iodide's manufacturer, and the EPA has indicated that California's decision will have an impact on national use. Now is the time to stop methyl iodide in its tracks.

Sign the petition today! Join thousands of people asking state officials to hold the line in California by refusing to register methyl iodide in our state. 

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27632
Your name will be added to the following petition letter. Thank you!

LNH

How to Tell Difficult Truths So People Thank You

There is probably something on your mind right now that you feel you need to share with someone important in your life. This truth, and whether or not you choose to share it, is actively playing a role in shaping your life.

This is why it is so important to learn to speak the truth. Yet, most people don’t want to do it in a way that hurts other people and stirs up trouble. This is not an easy task. All truth goes through three stages:

• First, it is ridiculed

• Second, it is violently opposed

• Finally, it is accepted as self-evident 

But perhaps it IS possible to reach stage 3 without going through the first two.

Authors Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D. and Gay Hendricks, Ph.D. are both experts in body-mind therapies. Their approach is useful, although it does require conscious commitment to apply it regularly. They have outlined a technique that will allow you to say a difficult truth in a way that will hopefully fill the receiver with gratitude.

The key to stating the truth in a way that other people will thank you for is to speak in unarguable terms -- because when you speak the unarguable, people don’t argue.

To do this, you need to reveal your inner experience and avoid placing blame. For example, saying “My stomach feels queasy” is an unarguable statement, but if you say “You make me sick to my stomach,” well that’s another story. 

To reveal your “inner experience,” the Hendricks' say to “speak first from your three major feeling zones,” which are:

• Zone 1: Your neck, shoulders and mid-back, and feelings of tension and anger.

• Zone 2: Your throat and chest, and feeling sad and heavy.

• Zone 3: Your stomach and beltline area, and feeling tense and scared.

Using the above “equation” to speak from your inner experience, here is how the authors suggest breaking up with a lover:

“For a long time I’ve been feeling sad and disappointed. I can feel it right now in my chest, and I can hear it in my voice. I don’t think I’m getting what I want in our relationship. I feel angry at you, and although I feel scared about being by myself, I think I’d rather face that fear than continue to feel what I’ve been experiencing the past year.”

This statement does not place blame, and it does not open up an argument -- it simply speaks the truth.

If you feel you’re getting cold feet, remember that if the truth appears to be standing in your way, you’re probably not heading in the right direction.

Sources:  GAIAM May 19, 2007

LNH