Every day my email box gets bombarded with healthy topics that made news this week (yes, I know I signed up for all of this information), and of course we have newspapers sitting around the house (my husband likes these more than I do.. maybe because they really do ’sit around’ too long).  You may have heard a headline in passing, or maybe you had a busy week and didn’t get much news.  Either way, maybe you will see something that interests you or you would like to further research.

Let’s start with some anti-aging newsmakers:

I must say that it is fascinating to me to learn of the links between diet and illness, about nutrients in the body and how lack of them can cause disease, and how natural nutrition can build good health.  I have always been one to seek out the natural alternatives to address non life-threatening health challenges.  I believe that nature can heal the body, or just get it to function like it is intended to work.

One example is inflammation.  There are many scientists who believe that inflammation in the body is the root of many diseases that we get.  There are different causes of inflammation and one can be related to diet.  What we eat, and nutrients we add to our diets, can also manage inflammation.  It is a two-way street and there are answers to help us get the outcomes we want.

Arthritis

Arthritis is one such ailment that is associated with inflammation.  It is a chronic disease that results in pain, stiffness, swelling, and did I mention pain?  There may not be a cure, but there is help.  Losing weight is suggested, dietary changes are recommended, and there are natural remedies as well as pharmaceutical drugs that are used to manage symptoms.  The USA Weekend (print version) for January 22-24, 2010 included an article, ‘Getting Older & Better.  It noted a study where after dental problems that arthritis sufferers had were treated, their arthritis symptoms improved (another link to treating root of inflammation?).

Vitamin C

Vitamin C gets a boost for its help with aging skin in the same USA Weekend edition.  It talks about how there have been claims for a long time about Vitamin C benefits for skin.  Now researchers say that Vitamin C can not only promote skin healing but also protect against free-radicals that age skin.  The opportunity to undo DNA damage should put Vitamin C on close watch for aging baby boomers.

It never ceases to amaze me when I read something like this.. that we are always ahead of the industry!  We have talked about the fact that Dr. Shaklee (and now the Shaklee scientists) were many years ahead of their time.  We have had a unique, aging skin repair system WITH VITAMIN C for years now.  And Shaklee science found a way to stabilize the Vitamin C present in the product so that high levels will be available to the skin in order to provide such fantastic results.  And of course, like all products from this brand, there is a 100% money back guarantee (that’s how sure we are that you will get results!).

Vitamin D

Are you deficient?  There is an astounding 8 million American women and 2 million men who have osteoporosis, and 34 million more at risk (USA Weekend).  Wow.  Having enough Vitamin D in your body can help prevent osteoporosis, and also heart disease.  Many folks are finding out through regular blood work that they have low levels of Vitamin D.  It might be worth getting it checked out if you have symptoms like .  A supplement is recommended in many cases because it is hard for people to get enough from their diet, especially if they are already deficient.

Disease

Some new links to disease:  Cancer association with cholesterol?  New research links having high HDL (good) cholesterol to a 14% lower risk of cancer in men over 50; and for guys over 55 there was a 59% lower risk of prostate cancer when total cholesterol was less than 200 mg/dL.

Diet

Salt intake needs to be minimal for a number of reasons and studies show that one in particular is linked to heart disease and stroke.  People are salting their foods more than is recommended and simply cutting back by 5 grams per day – that is a little less than one teaspoon – can reduce the risk of having a stroke by 23% and lower cardiovascular disease risk by 17%.

Resveratrol

Book review on Aging Getting Better with Wine (resveratrol).

And last.  There was doubt posted this week about the benefits of resveratrol.  It was in reference to the ongoing research on a pharmaceutical product.  You have companies in competition with each other and one is saying that the research of the other is not holding up.  When you look closer, they are not doing the same studies and you always have to wonder what the agenda is when one company attacks another.

I choose to stick with the science and research of the supplement brand resveratrol that I use every day because 1) I trust the science and integrity of this brand, 2) I am getting great health results, and 3) there is no pharmaceutical product out yet – and maybe there never will be.  It might be just enough resveratrol in natural supplement form to help us live longer and healthier.

It is encouraging to read more in newspapers, magazines, and other printed materials, and to hear on television news programs, more information on wellness. Building good health makes a difference in the way that we feel every day, how we fight the germs and illnesses we are exposed to, and what our future holds for us in terms of quality of life and longevity.

Allergies

Today, I thought I would share some recent health topics that I have read or heard. First is a story about managing allergies in school aged children. It came from the USA Today Weekend supplement. It talked about how classrooms can be a source of exposure to allergens. That’s just what we needed to hear! Dust, mold, classroom pets, airborne particles that come from chalkboards and chemicals used to clean the buildings can all contribute to allergy symptoms in children (and adults).

Of course suggestions were given such as notifying the school personnel of your child’s allergy symptoms, checking the lunch menu for potential allergy triggers, having a treatment plan established at the school for your child, and providing current emergency contact info.

Also part of the article was the recommendation to teach the child about the potential problems that can affect allergy symptoms, and how to make smart decisions in regard to the allergy condition. What I would add to this, as I have been talking about for months, is to have a plan to build the immune system because that has been shown to help allergies in both children and adults.

Limit Sugar and Flour

My next topic also came from USA Weekend and it was an article about skipping sugar and flour. Information from the article was centered around Dr. Andrew Weil’s book, Why Our Health Matters. I think that we have seen and heard a lot about how sugar and white flour not only have little nutrition value for us, they can actually cause or worsen health problems. Dr. Weil teaches that we should eat for optimal health. Many of us eat for taste more than for our health.

It makes sense that what we put into our bodies is what we are going to get back. Sugar and flour are primary links to overweight and obesity. They are linked to diabetes and other health problems. It’s not only how much we eat that is a factor, but also what we are feeding our bodies. Fresh fruits and vegetables are recommended over processed foods that are high in sugar and flour. But it is the mindset that I feel needs to change. We have to choose to eat for our good health, and that comes from the brain and not the stomach.

Raisins for Pain Relief?

I found this story interesting in our local newspaper. There was a question written for the doctor that talked about how the writer’s grandmother used gin-soaked raisins and how it helped her mobility as she aged. The writer claimed the same helped his painful knees more so than any pain relief medication he has tried.

The doctor responded that while we don’t know why these raisins seem to help joint pain, there are many people who have experienced it. The recommendation is to put golden raisins in a shallow container and pour just enough gin over them to cover. The gin should evaporate and the serving size of the raisins is 9 per day. If you have a sulfite sensitivity, you should use black raisins. This is another home remedy that you may be familiar with or have used. If so, leave a comment.

(If you are looking for a very effective pain relief cream, I have personally used Joint & Muscle Pain Relief Cream and have referred it many times as well.)

Green Pregnancy

And finally, the last article goes back to the USA Weekend paper and discusses how to have a green pregnancy. I like this article because I feel that if women start to think more about being green, it will have long lasting effects on the family she is starting or growing as well as the environment. The focus on eliminating toxins, chemicals, and fumes from the air in the home helps the baby while it is developing inside of his or her mother and then later when born into the healthier home. Cleaning products, personal care products (hair dyes, nail polish, shampoos, cleansers, lotions), construction dust, and paint are all potentially irritating or harmful.

Taking calcium can be a green thing to do because it can help reduce the amount of lead in breast milk going to the baby. Also discussed were organic baby clothing, and taking organic baby wash and baby lotion to the hospital so that you don’t have to use their supplies that may contain harmful plastics. Did you know that newborn skin is significantly thinner than adult skin and absorbs toxic chemicals more easily.

You may want to check out safe, high quality, organic baby lotion and baby wash.