Stroke we all know is a major health risk. Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive and fatal brain disease, is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. The condition destroys brain cells, leading to memory loss and problems with thinking and behavior that are severe enough to impact work, hobbies and social life, and which get worse over time.

What Strokes and Alzheimer’s have in common is relevant and revealed in depth by Bruce Reed, PhD Associate Director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at UC Davis (as he presented a comprehensive research update on Alzhemier's Disease with correlations to strokes)

About 5.3 million people in the United States are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, and every 70 seconds one more person is added to that list, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures.

Further, it's estimated that 10 million baby boomers will develop Alzheimer's during their lifetime -- and this number is expected to triple by 2050. This devastating illness causes infinite emotional hardship and requires more than $148 billion each year in direct and indirect costs.

The majority of people with Alzheimer's are over the age of 65 -- an age after which the changes of developing the disease double every five years. But, of course, just because you age or get older does not mean that you will develop Alzheimer's, and there are, in fact, known methods to prevent this epidemic disease -- including a newly revealed step that you can get started on today.

Build Your Muscles to Keep Your Brain Strong

A new study from researchers at the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago found that the greater a person’s muscle strength, the lower their risk of Alzheimer’s was over a four-year period. They also had a lower risk for loss of mental function, which often occurs prior to Alzheimer’s.

The study, which was published in the Annals of Neurology, measured the strength of nine muscle groups in the arms and legs of 970 dementia-free people between the ages of 54 and 100 years.

Even after adjusting for age and education level, which can both affect Alzheimer’s risk, they found muscle strength had a strong association with a lowered risk. In fact, those who were in the top 10 percent for muscle strength were 61 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than the weakest 10 percent.

Those with stronger muscles also showed a slower decline in mental abilities over time.

While the study didn’t show for certain that stronger muscles will prevent Alzheimer’s disease, the researchers said staying fit is important for your cognitive function.

"We certainly think that it is important to be physically active and to work to keep our muscles strong. Good physical health is important for good brain function,” Dr. Patricia A. Boyle of Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center in Chicago told Reuters.

Other Exercise Forms May Also Reduce Your Stroke and Alzheimer’s Risk

Numerous studies have shown that exercises beyond strength training, even moderate exercise, reduces the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's.

Aerobic exercise also reduces your risk of stroke in many ways. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise can lower your blood pressure, increase your level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and improve the overall health of your blood vessels and heart. It also helps you lose weight, control diabetes and reduce stress.

"Walking 45 minutes three times a week for six months significantly improved mental ability of older adults with no dementia; a randomly selected control group that did stretching and toning had no change," says Arthur Kramer, a psychologist at the University of Illinois.

Another study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine also found that seniors who did as little as 15 minutes a day of modest exercise three times a week reduced their risk of developing dementia by about 30 percent.

Keeping Your Mind Stimulated is Also Important

"A lifetime of intellectual curiosity and mental stimulation" may help to promote brain health, according to the Alzheimer's Association. In fact, numerous studies suggest that stimulating your brain as you age can ward off dementia and cognitive decline.

And according to the Mayo Clinic, "Some researchers believe that lifelong mental exercise and learning may promote the growth of additional synapses, the connections between neurons, and delay the onset of dementia."

An Exercise Program to Stimulate Your Body and Your Mind?

You should make time to do daily, what others pay thousands for, that you are completely able to do inexpensively right in your own home now.

You can and should incorporate a variety of exercise routines for best results. This includes not only aerobic but also strength-training and core-building exercises. You should also strive to give your mind a mental “workout” regularly.

In addition, we recommend you get a “mind-body” workout, which has benefits for both your physical and mental sides, by trying out a one-of-a-kind program that is used by numerous fitness buffs and professional athletes … a mind-body fitness program that takes the best components of Pilates, Yoga, Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Gyro-Kinesis, Dance and MORE -- guiding you through unique sequences of movements that strengthen, sculpt, build core and increase flexibility!

MySheaNetics.com: A Mind-Body Workout All-in-One! MySheaNetics.com provides a blend of top mind-body-spirit programs into one that realizes your goal is to find total health and fulfillment that is life lasting. This can be achieved by creating harmony in body, mind and self. MySheaNetics.com gives you the practical tools to build your muscles and reduce mental stress at the same time. Each nearly one hour workout is a new blend of the-best-of-the-best from Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Gyro-Kinesis, Dance and MORE -- guiding you through unique sequences of movements that strengthen, sculpt, build core and increase flexibility! What is amazing for those professional athletes and movie stars, who have paid tens of thousands for personal training with Shea Vaughn, is that they and NOW YOU too get the continuous benefits at home for significantly less than the price of one In-Person Training Session: Separately (Each DVD/CD) List Price ($95.95) Your Special Price Now Just $69.95!* NEARLY A 30% SAVINGS Order your 6-PACK SheaNetics DVD/CD workout collection today!

Shea Vaughn’s exclusive program is offered by MySheaNetics.com. It was founded by fitness expert Shea Vaughn, who has blended ancient and contemporary movements with eastern philosophy, creating a stylized approach to fitness designed to improve the quality of today’s western living.

You will see by clicking on all three “PLAY CLIP” buttons on their MySheanetics.com site that the range of students on MySheaNetics.com is impressively diverse from 25- to 75-year-olds, men and women, fitness buffs, movie stars, and athletes, people who want to get in shape, those who wish to maintain their present state of fitness and many who want to take it to a higher level.

MySheaNetics.com has a broad appeal also extending to individuals with special challenges, including physical difficulties, limited range of motion or anyone who just wants to lengthen or stretch muscles and strengthen the body while opening their mind and nourishing their total self.

Shea’s over 25 years of learning and teaching also showed her that “interest alone” is not sufficient to keep a person engaged. Shea believes that "fitness is both a state of the body and of the mind," and this is why SheaNetics is based on the Five Living Principles, which are a positive guide for all you do.

This program is truly unlike any other fitness program. This is "meditation in motion and thought" It reduces stress and allows you to enjoy a lifestyle of fitness, personal balance and well-being.

This is especially important in regard to Alzheimer’s disease, as, according to the Center for Healthy Minds, elderly people who experience a lot of psychological distress (worrying, feeling insecure or nervous) are more likely to show signs of mental decline. In fact, one study found that people prone to high levels of distress were twice as likely to develop symptoms of Alzheimer's disease after five years than those who were prone to low levels of distress.

Most exercise programs are geared only to give you short-term physical improvement. SheaNetics™ has uncovered and reveals the underlying true real goal for us all is to find total health and fulfillment that is life-lasting. This can only be achieved by creating harmony in body, mind, and self.

We encourage you to check out Shea’s new 6-Disc DVD/CD workout set to "get started on your pathway to well-being!"

This uniquely engaging and motivating DVD collection contains:

• 3 core-building, mind-boosting, complete body-charging workouts!

• As a FREE GIFT you will also receive 3 empowering, "original music" CDs specially composed to power up your journey!

• You also receive the SheaNetics Booklet with The Five Living Principles -- a life-changing guide to finding Your Pathway to Well-Being!

And Now Keep Fit and Mentally Strong for Less!

MySheanetics.com has nearly sold out and told us that they will soon no longer offer this value of combined DVDs and CDs once this combo offer is gone. They plan to break this set up into individual DVDs and CDs, each costing as much as one half this price or more, which could make this total package as much as three times the price or more.

So we recommend you buy NOW before this offer is no longer available!

Separately (Each DVD/CD) List Price ($95.95)
Your Special Price Now Just $69.95!*
NEARLY A 30% SAVINGS

Order your 6-PACK SheaNetics DVD/CD workout collection today!

What Else Can Help Lower Your Alzheimer’s Risk?

Giving your mind and body a regular workout is just one way to help you keep your mind strong. You can find out more tips to lower your Alzheimer’s risk in this past article, 10 Steps to Avoid Alzheimer’s.

Recommended Reading

How to Prevent Alzheimer's: The Most Effective Ways to Avoid this Rapidly Increasing Disease

10 Steps to Avoid Alzheimer's

Sources

Annals of Neurology 2009 Nov;66(11):1339-44.

Alzheimer’s Association 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures

Yahoo News November 9, 2009

MayoClinic.com Stroke

Enzymes are specialized proteins made by the cells in your body. Their purpose is complex and varied, as the 2,500 or more different enzymes in your body are responsible for causing biological reactions that sustain life as we know it.

More specifically, enzymes are “catalysts” of biochemical reactions, which increase the rate of a reaction. There are thousands of these reactions that occur in your body every second that could not occur without the help of proper enzymes.

Enzymes in your saliva, for instance, help break apart starches, while those in your stomach help break down protein. Enzymes in your intestines, meanwhile, are responsible for breaking apart all of your food, whether fat, protein or carb. These digestive enzymes are what allow your food to be broken down, and the nutrients absorbed by your bloodstream.

There are other types of enzymes as well, namely metabolic enzymes and food enzymes, which are responsible for initiating, speeding up, slowing down, or otherwise altering about 4,000 different biochemical reactions. Millions of these reactions take place in your body each day, helping you to not only digest food but also to:

• Assimilate and digest nutrients

• Breathe

• Detox certain organs

• Purify your blood

• Move your muscles

• Produce and regulate hormones

• Renew and repair your cells

Enzymes, research shows, may also be a natural treatment for viruses -- a type of infection that currently is not easily treated with pharmaceuticals or any other modern medical tool.

Enzymes as Virus Fighters

Viruses are particles made of proteins and DNA or RNA. When one enters your body, your immune system should be able to attack it and render it harmless. About 70 percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system, however, so if your gut is overrun with bad bacteria or your intestinal mucosa damaged or weakened in any way, there’s a good chance your immune system will not be functioning at its best.

The virus can then become reactivated and spread throughout your gut and to other areas of your body, causing a variety of direct symptoms and complications.

Enzymes, particularly protease, are an excellent defense against viruses, not only by improving the health of your digestive system and your immune system, but also by acting on the virus itself. Many viruses have a protective protein film, which a protease enzyme can break down, leaving the virus unprotected and easily destroyed.

Research Into Enzymes and Viruses Looks Promising

Dr. P. Billingmann pioneered a study in 1995 looking at natural treatments for the herpese zoster virus. In a controlled study of 190 people, Billingmann found that the use of enzymes had the same effect as the drug Acyclovir, and also provided pain relief.

Studies have also shown promise for enzyme therapy in limiting the progression of the early stages of HIV, and delaying the onset of symptoms. There is also evidence that people undergoing enzyme therapy contract fewer colds, flu, cold sores and other illnesses. Some people also say that after several months of enzyme therapy they had more energy, warts cleared up and they had improved mental focus.

A PhD at Nature’s Source’s says “Overall, the tricky nature of viral actions within the body seems to be best handled with enzymes. Further studies need to be conducted in order to determine the most effective course of treatment for certain viruses, yet, in general the continued use of enzymes can only improve the immune response. When adding more to the arsenal against viruses, one might also consider the powerful protection of probiotics.”

How Might Probiotics ALSO Help Fight Viruses?

Probiotics help restore healthy intestinal flora, which may have a beneficial effect on immune system health.

In fact, new research published in the journal Pediatrics has shown that probiotics may be useful for preventing cold and flu viruses.

The study, which involved nearly 250 kids between the ages of 3 and 5, involved one group of children who received a single strain of a probiotic called Lactobacillus acidophilus, one group who received a combination of L acidophilus and Bifidobacterium probiotics, and a final group who received a placebo.

The groups were given the supplements twice daily for six months and results showed that, compared to the placebo group:

• The single probiotic group had reduced fever incidence by 53 percent, decreased coughing by over 41 percent and reduced runny noses by 28 percent.

• The combination probiotics group had reduced fever incidence by nearly 73 percent, decreased coughing by 62 percent and reduced runny noses by nearly 59 percent.

• Both groups also used fewer antibiotics and missed fewer days of school or daycare due to the flu.

A Powerful Duo for General Health Support: “AbsorbAid Platinum” and “AbsorbAid Probiotics” (found at NutritionsFinest.com)

If you want to bolster your immune system and its response to a viral attack, supplementing your diet with a high-quality enzyme and probiotic formula may be a wise step.

There are numerous enzyme supplements available on the market to help increase your levels, but Sixiwse.com highly recommends the plant-based, acid-resistant digestive enzyme formulation, AbsorbAid Platinum from NutritionsFinest.com.

This vegetable-based digestive enzyme system combines its effective ratio of proteases, amylases, lipases and cellulases with two "acid-tolerant" bacteria or a probiotic combination, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum.

This product addresses not only the digestive enzyme system deficiencies recognized in most adults, but it combines two effectively beneficial bacterial strains that are metabolically complementary and help create a symbiosis with the digestive enzyme system complex and helps promote immune system excellence.

Why AbsorbAid “Platinum”?

Why should you choose “AbsorbAid® Platinum” versus original AbsorbAid®? What we found:

“Platinum” does everything that the original does plus IMPORTANTLY much more!

• “Platinum” has 12 enzymes (“AbsorbAid” doesn’t)

• 7 times (700% more) the amount of Lipase

• 4 times (400% more) the amount of Amylase + Amyloglucosidase for complete breakdown of starch groups

• More than 4 times (400% more) the amount of Protease (Plant protease, acid stable protease, bromelain and peptidase)

• 20 times (2,000% more) the Cellulase + Hemicellulase or breaking down xylan and beta glucan

• Includes Invertase for converting sucrose to flucose and fructose (“AbsorbAid” doesn’t)

• “Platinum” has alpha galatosidase for breaking down complex sugars in foods like beans and onions (“AbsorbAid” doesn’t)

• Two heat-stable probiotic blends (“AbsorbAid” doesn’t)

• “Platinum” is a better choice for those people who eat larger amounts of animal proteins

AbsorbAid “Platinum” is also an ideal choice for those who:

• Want the benefit of friendly bacteria to stabilize the gut

• More assurance that all protein molecules are broken down more completely…(allergy sufferers, those who consume protein drinks, etc)

• Have a more compromised immune system

• Younger people who have a more rigorous level of physical activity, and those who are consuming fattier foods

• Are attempting to rehabilitate from illness or injury

• Suffer with age-related conditions and joint concerns

• Metabolism has slowed due to age, illness, injury, lifestyle habits, etc.

• Are showing signs of toxicity (mental impairment, aches, pains, bowel problems, slow transit time, indigestion, etc.)

• Cannot chew their food (or do not chew their food) well enough due to dental problems

• Live a more stressful lifestyle in general

Remember that your digestive enzyme production drops with age; it also declines greatly during times of stress such as when you are too cold, too warm, too tired, ill, recovering from injuries, or suffering from life’s pressures physically, mentally or emotionally, making a high-quality digestive enzyme important for nearly everyone!

In choosing a probiotic supplement for yourself, Sixwise.com highly recommends NutritionsFinest.com AbsorbAid Probiotic -- a superlative probiotic supplement that provides clinical activities supporting systemic health and wellness through immune-system protection, allergy reduction and effective and enhanced nutrient absorption.

AbsorbAid Probiotic has 30 billion organisms per capsule, with two clinically effective and dominant genera Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus: L. acidophilus and L. salivarius in a 2:1 ratio and B. lactis and B. breve, also in a 2:1 ratio. Each bacterial genus-species has its own specific metabolic activities, which lead to their effective inter-species synergism.

Further, this proprietary probiotic blend contains a strain that survives with or without oxygen, unlike others -- one that doubles its population every 20 minutes so you need less of it, and one that binds to the intestinal mucosa to help reduce pathogenic bacteria.

For optimal protection this year, both AbsorbAid Platinum and AbsorbAid Probiotic from NutritionsFinest.com are each a wise choice. And even better together!

Recommended Reading

Six Ways to Avoid Getting Sick

A Secret Weapon for Fighting Off Cold and Flu Viruses

Sources

NutritionsFinest.com “Enzymes and the fight against viruses.” May 2009

EnzymeStuff.com

It’s no secret that food is intricately intertwined with your emotions. Eat a bowl of ice cream and it may make you happy; eat the whole carton and you’ll soon feel sad. Likewise, even a whiff of a home-cooked meal may make you yearn for the days of your childhood while the scent of coffee brewing may make your more mentally alert.

Often times we misplace blame on ourselves or place it wrongly on other things. We’ve all done it -- mostly unknowingly.

Example: Have you ever (or often) thought you were getting sick from some flu bug or virus an hour after eating? Well in fact it likely was simply “a clue”… your body and stomach telling you that something you ate an hour earlier was not good for you! Yes a “clue.”

Our minds often do NOT correlate what we ate one hour or more prior to how we feel now (but if we “listen” to our bodies these are valuable clues). Unfortunately being busy and focused on so many other things, we don’t think about what we ate an hour before so these become lost opportunities and lost “clues” as to why we feel ill.

Instead we often focus on our immediate fears and concerns related to what might have caused us to feel lousy or sick, such as stress or getting sick due to having been around someone who we saw coughing or who was potentially sick.

Now, especially with all the CDC and media hype on the swine flu, our minds are running rapidly to false conclusions. We are all already primed to think at any moment we could be coming down with the flu … believing we might be getting sick from some external virus, etc.

Take the “SixWise.com One Hour Food Clues” self assessment food tests:

The “CLUE” is do you “Feel Good” (or Feel Bad) one hour after eating a specific food (or drink)? This is what we call the “SixWise One Hour Food Clue.”

Listen to your body!

Self-Assess. Just like is done in many allergy tests, isolate and consume one food item. The “clue” is to determine if, one hour after eating, you feel:

• GOOD with more energy …

or

• WORSE with less energy

If worse there is a good potential that this food does not agree with your digestive system. In fact you might be allergic to it or it might just be a food that is not healthy for you that drags down your energy level.

“If” we learn to listen to our bodies we can learn a lot.

Become your body’s “Wellness Whisperer!”

Combine foods and beverages that make you feel good (following multiple one hour clue tests).

Eat these in small amounts, no larger than your fist for a full meal, and all foods that made you feel good and energized. Then see if you again feel good and energized.

Odds are that your personal “clues” can guide you to what your body is truly needing and also reacting negatively to the most.

You are your body’s best advocate!

Food is such a powerful player in your mental health that, according to Food and Behavior Research, a charitable organization trying to advance scientific research into the links between nutrition and human behavior, diet can play a role in preventing and managing the following conditions:

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

• Dyslexia

• Dyspraxia

• Autistic spectrum disorders

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Bipolar (manic-depressive) disorder

• Schizophrenia

So as you prepare for the busy holiday season, using foods strategically to help keep you happy, upbeat and energetic is a wise choice.

Generally speaking, eating foods that are absorbed by your body quickly, such as sugar, white bread and other refined products, will give you a quick blood sugar high followed by a crash. On the contrary, eating foods that are absorbed slowly, such as peanut butter on whole-grain bread or brown rice with chicken, will keep your mood on a more steady level.

However, there much more to a mood-boosting diet than that. By including the following foods in your regular diet, you’ll boost your mood and give your body plenty of healthy nutrients at the same time.

Foods that Will Likely Make You Feel Happy

1. Citrus Fruits: Oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits are rich in vitamin C, which helps lower your stress hormones and keeps you feeling calm.

2. Leafy Green Vegetables: Kale, spinach and other leafy greens are rich in folic acid, which can reduce depression and improve blood flow to your brain.

3. Nuts: The vitamin E, arginine (an amino acid) and magnesium in nuts will help keep your blood sugar steady so you avoid mood swings.

4. Salmon: This healthy fish contains DHA, an omega-3 fat that has been linked to improved mood and lowered risk of depression and age-related memory loss.

5. Dried cherries: Cherries are rich in antioxidants like vitamin C that curb your body’s stress response.

6. Broccoli: Broccoli is rich in stress-relieving B vitamins like folic acid.

Foods to Give You an Energy Kick

7. Lean Beef or Chicken (ideally free-ranged): Lean protein contains tyrosine, an amino acid that helps your brain produce the chemicals norepinephrine and dopamine, which improve your mental function.

8. Black Beans: Complex carbohydrates like those in black beans and other legumes help keep your blood sugar levels balanced throughout the day, providing a steady, slow-burning source of energy to make you feel awake. Plus, black beans are a rich source of iron, an integral part of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen in the body, and key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism.

9. Seaweed: Seaweeds like kelp, wakame, arame and dulse can be found in Asian grocery stores and health food stores. It can be eaten dried, straight out of the bag, or added to soups, salads and vegetables. Seaweed contains the broadest range of minerals of any food--the same minerals found in the ocean and in human blood. It also contains pantothenic acid and riboflavin--two B-vitamins needed for your body to produce energy.

10. Almonds: These tasty nuts are rich in manganese and copper, both of which are essential cofactors of an enzyme called superoxide dismutase. This enzyme helps keep energy flowing by inhibiting free radicals inside cells' mitochondria (the energy-producing area of cells). Plus, they also contain riboflavin, another important component of energy production.

11. Cantaloupe: This melon is an exceptional energy food because of its combination of vitamin B6, dietary fiber, folate, and niacin (vitamin B3). The B vitamins (necessary for the body to process sugars and carbs) combined with fiber (which helps the sugars be distributed gradually) support energy production by keeping blood sugar levels stable.

12. Kiwi: With more vitamin C than an equal amount of orange, kiwi is a potent energy-boosting food. When vitamin C levels are depleted, people often feel tired.

13. Oatmeal: This morning favorite is loaded with soluble fiber, a key to slowing down carbohydrate absorption and keeping blood sugar levels steady.

14. Water. Though not a “food” per se, water is necessary for your body to produce energy, including digesting, absorbing and transporting nutrients. If you don't drink enough of it, your cells will be less able to receive the nutrients they need for energy, leaving you feeling sluggish. If plain water doesn't appeal to you, try spicing it up with a squeeze of lemon, lime or other citrus, or add in Ajmera's Orang-O Energy, Coco Energy and Mang-O Energy.

These drinks are 100% natural with NO caffeine, no preservatives, synthetic food colors or artificial flavors. All three of Ajmera's beverages will keep you hydrated, helping you function better, and are ideal after a tiring day or just when you need a boost. As a bonus, they taste great and come in powder form, so you can take them with you anywhere.

Foods to Boost Your Libido

15. Pomegranate juice: New research on animals shows it may reduce the risk of erectile dysfunction.

16. Oatmeal: Along with giving you energy, eating oats helps to produce a chemical that releases testosterone in your body, which may help increase your sex drive and orgasm strength.

17. Honey: The B vitamins in honey also boost testosterone production, while boron in honey helps your body use estrogen, which is important for arousal.

18. Eggs: Aside from being a symbol of fertility, eggs are high in vitamins B6 and B5, which may help your libido by balancing hormone levels and fighting stress.

19. Bananas: They contain an enzyme called bromelain, which may help increase libido and even reverse impotence in men.

20. Celery: Celery contains androsterone, a hormone released in men’s sweat that's said to be a turn-on for women.

Keep Your Healthy Fruits and Veggies Fresh Longer! Once you invest in produce for the health of you and your family, protect your investment using the MiniMate Refrigerator Unit. The MiniMate deodorizes (replacing baking soda boxes in the fridge) and kills potentially dangerous food-borne bacteria. This extends the freshness and life of many foods 3 to 4 times longer! Plus, the MiniMate: Features an activated oxygen generator to eliminate odors, keep foods fresher longer and kill bacteria in your refrigerator Naturally kills odors without any cover-up scents or fragrance Reduces food spoilage and prevents cross-contamination of food odors Breaks down pesticides and herbicides on produce Find Out More About the MiniMate Refrigerator Unit Now! Was $49.95, Today Only $39.95

Most of all, you should strive to eat a diet full of fresh foods, as these will give you more energy and a brighter outlook than a diet of mostly processed food. Make sure to include plenty of protein as well -- your body needs it to keep organs functioning and energy levels up.

Finally, if you want to keep your healthy foods FRESH longer, you’ve got to get see for yourself how the MiniMate Refrigerator Unit keeps veggies and fruit fresh. The MiniMate is an evolution of that old box of baking soda you probably have in your refrigerator. Using FDA-approved activated oxygen technology, the MiniMate can eliminate most of the germs or mold that may be living on your foods without harming the food or leaving behind any residue.

This is important as these molds and bacteria can make you and your family sick, and they can also spoil food before you have a chance to eat it. This is especially true with organic foods, since there are no preservatives to help ward off the germs.

So the MiniMate not only keeps your food safer and healthier, it also saves you money by cutting down on the amount of food you have to throw out and replace. It easily extends the freshness and life of many foods by three to four times.

The MiniMate even helps to break down pesticides and chemicals on your produce, leaving no residue except clean, fresh oxygen!

This product has been featured by the Food Network's Paula Deen as a "Hot Pick" and was given the National Health and Wellness Seal of Approval. We recommend you pick one up for yourself and also stow a couple away for the holidays … the MiniMate makes a great gift for moms, grandmas, cooking enthusiasts, foodies and health nuts alike!

Remember, you are what you eat!

If you want to be in a GREAT MOOD and/or very productive mood feeling good and full of energy, eat well by assessing and focusing on eating what your body’s “SixWise Clues” are telling you!

Recommended Reading

The Top 10 Slimming Foods

Tough Economy Leads to More Weight Gain for Many Americans

Sources

Yahoo Health

WebMD.com

Caroline Myss: Why People Don't Heal (Excerpt)

What upsetting factors from your past are lurking in your present? Factors that might very well be stopping your healing ... within your subconscious state, physical state, and spiritual state ... withholding your mind, body, and spirit?

1. Where is your personal truth? Personal baggage of loss? Painful yesterdays unknowingly personified?

2. Can FORGIVENESS accelerate the speed by which your wounds heal? (Wounds being physical, mental and/or spiritual challenges and barriers)

3. Do you know anyone who is carrying around subconscious mind and body baggage that is draining them? Baggage that is holding them back from their true potential and purpose?

4. Are you "unknowingly frozen" by your past, in the present?

5. The abyss of lacking insight. As you break through, ideally this very moment, gaining renewed value and insights, will you promise to share these learned steps with loved ones?

"When failure is suddenly not an option" we can live a purposeful life, minus the subconscious drag that otherwise binds us to yesterday.

Most of us will harbor (or are harboring right now) feelings of pain, anger, resentment and hurt against someone we feel did us wrong. If they are not released, by way of forgiveness, these negative notions will slowly drain your energy while fanning the fires of chronic stress.

Caroline Myss’ story about a Navajo Indian could be the sudden awakening that brings you past prior limitations and belief(s), allowing yourself to forgive and release.

Another approach that can be very successful and beneficial to your mind, body, and spirit can be found at MySheaNetics.com, which blends ancient and contemporary movements with eastern philosophy to open your mind and nourish your total self.

SheaNetics is based on the Five Living Principles, which are intertwined with your core mind, body, and spirit: MySheanetics.com

We truly wish you a life of wellness through continuous inner-peace.

Recommended Reading

If You Seek Emotional Health, There is No Greater Nourishment Than Forgiveness

11 Things You Can do That Take 20 Minutes or Less That Will Help You Live Longer & Healthier

Over 44 percent of dogs and 57 percent of cats are overweight or obese, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP). These shocking figures confirm that the United States is indeed facing a pet obesity epidemic, one that is putting a large number of pets at unnecessary risk for chronic illness and premature death.

In fact, pet obesity has now emerged as the leading cause of preventable death in dogs and cats.

"Pet obesity continues to emerge as a leading cause of preventable disease and death in dogs and cats. Our pets are in real danger of not living as long as previous generations and developing serious and costly diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, and other largely avoidable conditions,” said Dr. Ernie Ward, the lead researcher in the second annual National Pet Obesity Day Study.

The study, which was conducted in October 2008 and involved 669 dogs and 202 cats, found that from 2007 to 2008 overweight dogs and cats increased by 1 percent and 4 percent, respectively. Further, the study found:

• Nearly 18 percent of cats and 10 percent of dogs were classified as obese

• Nearly 40 percent of cats and 35 percent of dogs were classified as overweight

In all, this means that 7.2 million dogs are estimated to be obese and 26 million overweight. The numbers for cats came in even higher, with an estimated 15.7 million obese and 35 million overweight.

"These numbers, 33 million dogs and 51 million cats that are overweight, represent a huge problem for everyone. Excess weight causes or contributes to many painful and debilitating conditions. Just as we’ve become a nation of couch potatoes, our pets have become a nation of lap potatoes -- and that’s not good for anyone,” Dr. Ward said in an APOP press release.

While any pet can become overweight, older pets and smaller breed dogs were at a higher risk of becoming overweight. Over 52 percent of dogs and 55 percent of cats over the age of 7 were found to be overweight or obese.

Small breed dogs such as dachshunds, Chihuahuas, and Yorkshire terriers were also more likely to be classified as overweight than Labrador retrievers, Golden retrievers and German shepherds.

Health Risks for Overweight and Obese Pets

As in humans, excess weight can increase the risk for a wide array of health problems in dogs and cats -- health problems that otherwise may be avoidable.

“Extra pounds in older pets amplify any pre-existing conditions and complicate treatment. We’re seeing more and more diabetes, respiratory, and arthritic conditions in older pets as a direct result of obesity. These are often chronic, incurable, and generally preventable diseases. Pet owners need to understand that a few extra pounds on a dog or cat is similar to a person being 30 to 50 pounds overweight,” Dr. Ward says.

According to APOP, common health risks of obesity in pets include:

• Osteoarthritis

• Type 2 diabetes

• Respiratory disorders

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Heart disease

• Many forms of cancer

How to Determine if Your Pet is Overweight: The At-Home Pet Weight Check

If you’re not sure whether or not your pet is at a healthy weight, a trip to your veterinarian will let you know for sure. However, APOP has listed a few signs to look for that you can check right in your own home.

Pet Weight Check

• Ribs are easily felt

• Tucked abdomen (no sagging stomach)

• Waist when viewed from above

Your Pet is Overweight if …

• Difficult to feel ribs under fat

• Sagging stomach (you can grab a handful of fat)

• Broad, flat back

• No waist

Your pet may be overweight without your even knowing it, as The American Animal Hospital Association pet owner survey reported that only 17 percent of pet owners rated their pets as overweight, while veterinarians estimated that 44 percent of their patients were too heavy.

Why are So Many Pets Overweight?

As in humans, pets often become overweight due to poor diet, overeating and lack of activity.

"Pet obesity begins with excessive kindness," said Dr. Carol McConnell, vice president and chief veterinary officer for VPI in a press release. "Food is the primary way some pet owners demonstrate love to their pet. When dog treats and table scraps become signs of affection or behavioral tools, it becomes difficult to effectively regulate a pet's diet."

Further, most indoor cats, and many dogs, do not receive much physical activity during the day.

“Smaller, indoor-only dogs tend to have more trouble maintaining a healthy weight because they don’t get adequate exercise. Unfortunately, these are also the dogs we’re seeing a high number of weight-related disorders in,” says Dr. Ward.

Is Your Pet’s Food Making Him Fat?

Many commercial pet foods are heavy in refined carbohydrates. Neither dogs nor cats are designed to process this overload of excess grains. Further, a high-grain diet can lead to the over-production of insulin in your pet, which in turn can make it difficult for your pet to maintain the proper weight, and may lead to diabetes and other health problems.

If your dog or cat is currently overweight, eliminating grains from their diet is a wise first step on their weight loss program. In reality, one of the best ways to feed your dog or cat is using a species-appropriate diet, similar to the one they would find in the wild.

Many dogs and cats lose weight when they switch to a grain-free, or low-grain, diet.

Fortunately, there are numerous high-quality brands of top-notch dog and cat foods on the market that make going grain-free easy.

An excellent starting point is Sojos Grain-Free Dog Food Mix. This grain-free alternative to kibble is a wholesome pre-mix that you combine with raw meat and water to create a fresh, homemade dog food -- it's optimal nutrition for your dog with minimal effort on your part.

And you can be sure your dog is getting wholesome nutrition when you choose Sojos, as it's made with simple, honest ingredients like dried sweet potatoes, whole eggs and apples -- and absolutely no preservatives and nothing artificial.

Another healthy, grain-free and super convenient option for dogs and cats alike is dehydrated raw food. High-quality dehydrated raw foods are heated just enough to kill any pathogenic bacteria and remove water, but leave almost all other nutrients intact and highly concentrated.

One of the best in this area is the Honest Kitchen line, which makes all of their pet food recipes in a human-food plant to ensure the highest possible quality control and production standards. Their facility is FDA inspected -- and humans actually taste their foods as part of their Quality Control process!

Depending on your pet’s needs, you can try any of these healthy options from Honest Kitchen:

• Embark Grain-Free Dog Food: A turkey-based dehydrated raw food designed for active dogs and puppies.

• Force Grain-Free Dog Food: A chicken-based, dehydrated raw food great for all adult dogs -- especially those with sensitive stomachs.

• Preference Grain-Free Dog Food Mix: A grain-free base to make your own homemade, balanced dog food, fast. Simply add the meat, fish, or other protein of your choice and your dog will feast like a king.

• Prowl Grain-Free Cat Food: A dehydrated raw food with absolutely zero grains, which is just the type of natural diet your kitty will thrive on.

These foods truly make it simple to give your dog (and cat) the food he’s meant to eat, which is the first step toward achieving a healthy weight.

More Tips to Help Your Pet Slim Down

To help your pet lose weight you will need to combine a healthy diet with increased activity. The following tips will help you help your pet reach his or her goal!

• Choose healthy treats! Veggies like baby carrots, broccoli, celery, berries and asparagus make great low-cal treats for dogs. Dehydrated pure meat treats (cats also love these, and we especially recommend Dr. Harvey’s Whisker Smackers, which are pure, freeze-dried chunks of fish, beef or chicken) are also great options.

• Use a variety of toys, balls, laser pointers and other safe objects to get your dog to chase. A good bout of play for 10-15 minutes twice a day or more is a good starting goal.

• Walk your dog briskly. A leisurely stroll with frequent stops may not give your dog enough exercise.

• Cats especially enjoy feather toys, flashlights, paper bags and balls. Try to engage your cat for 10 minutes twice a day.

• Feed your pet at set time periods and feed the appropriate amount. Do not free feed, as this allows your pet to overeat. If your pet is begging for food, try feeding smaller meals more frequently throughout the day, or give them a small healthy treat instead of extra food.

• If you have multiple pets, feed each one separately. This ensures each is getting her fair share, and not stealing the other pet’s food too.

Most dogs and cats will reach their ideal weight in six to eight months. If your pet is not slimming down after this time, you and your veterinarian will need to determine what needs to be changed in their diet or activity levels.

Pass It On! Because YOU Know Loved-ones Who Will Love and Appreciate This Article!

Recommended Reading

What’s Really in Your Dog’s Food? Top Reasons Why Your Pet’s Food Could be Slowly Killing Him

Do You Kiss Your Dog? Are Doggy Kisses Delightful or Dangerous?

Sources

Association for Pet Obesity Prevention February 10, 2009

PetObesityPrevention.com

PRNewswire.com

Getting diagnosed with a chronic illness like diabetes trumped other common fears of Americans such as the uncertain state of the economy, debt, job loss and leaving a loved one, according to a recent survey.

The puzzling part is that despite the survey results, a very small number of people have made any changes to their diet or lifestyle to reduce their risk of diabetes and other chronic illnesses -- even though most people know lifestyle to be the cause of many illnesses.

Today this has become the direct equivalent to such time bombs as continuing to smoke while knowing it causes lung cancer and dramatically reduces life expectancy.

Diabetes afflicts one out of every four Americans and most of those with it don’t even realize they have it. Additionally, there are 57 million Americans with pre-diabetes. This is where the blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to the point where it could be officially diagnosed as diabetes.

“We know Americans view activities like bungee jumping as especially risky and so they avoid them, “ said Richard M. Bergenstal, MD, President-Elect, Medicine & Science, American Diabetes Association. “However these same people are gambling daily by ignoring risk factors for a life-altering disease like diabetes and doing nothing about it.”

The survey conducted by the American Diabetes Association showed a revealing breakdown of fears:

• 52 percent identified developing a chronic illness the worse possible thing that could happen

• 19 percent -- getting buried under heavy financial debt

• 13 percent -- Getting a divorce or living alone

• 11 percent -- Losing a job

And on making changes to reducing the risk of chronic disease it showed:

• 67 percent admitted to following a poor diet

• 62 percent maintained an unhealthy weight

• 83 percent recognized being overweight or obese as a contributing factor to developing diabetes

Chronic illness is taking its toll and impacting the lives of millions of Americans. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, chronic illness afflicts 100 million Americans, causes seven out of 10 deaths and consumes $2 out of every $3 spent on health care. His solution is all about prevention by following a simple lifestyle and engaging in physical activity.

The key to reducing your risk of chronic illness is prevention, focusing on a healthy lifestyle and developing healthy habits by eating nutritious foods and getting regular daily exercise.

Experts say that you can get creative and come up with 2,400 ways to add healthy activities into your daily life. Making small changes to your lifestyle such as adding a 30-minute walk to your daily routine, adding more vegetables to every meal and choosing a piece of fruit over a candy bar could make a significant, positive effect on your health.

You can take charge of your life and reduce your risk factors for developing chronic illnesses by adopting the below behavior and lifestyle changes.

10 Habits to Keep Chronic Disease Away

1. Practice good nutrition

Avoid processed foods and buy whole foods fresh or frozen whenever possible. As you switch over to more fresh foods, we highly recommend you take advantage of the healthy and absolutely delicious recipes in Alive in 5: Raw Gourmet Meals in Five Minutes. When prepared with locally grown ingredients from a source you trust, these are among some of the safest meals you can eat.

Eat REAL Food: Get Tasty, Healthy, Quick Recipes From a Highly Recommended Cookbook, “Alive in 5” In Alive in 5: Raw Gourmet Meals in Five Minutes, acclaimed raw chef Angela Elliott shows you how to whip up mouth-watering lasagna, stuffed mushrooms, broccoli in cheese sauce, apple pie, chocolate shakes, and more -- all in about five minutes, with easy-to-find whole-food ingredients and just a blender or food processor! Order Alive in 5: Raw Gourmet Meals in Five Minutes Now!

Replace drinks and foods made with corn syrup with better choices. Keep only healthy drinks around the house.

Corn syrup is calorie-dense and void of nutritional value.

When you’re looking for a healthy and tasty alternative to soda, try AjmeraIncredibles.com for Ajmera’s line of all-natural delicious beverages. Ajmera's Orang-O Energy, Coco Energy and Mang-O Energy are 100% natural with NO caffeine, no preservatives, no synthetic food colors and no artificial flavors, making them a healthy alternative.

Prepare a mixed green salad as an appetizer before each dinner. This is a great way to add vegetables to your meals and reduce your cravings for more caloric food.

Pack protein foods in your diet combined with high-fiber foods for long lasting fullness. Enjoy small portions of nuts, low-fat dairy, beans, lean meat, poultry, or fish throughout the day.

2. Easy exercises that you can do just about anywhere

When you go to pick something up, bend your knees and do a squat rather than bending over, which places strains on the lower back. Performing a squat forces the use of your leg muscles and will build strength.

While in the car at stoplights, practice tightening your thigh and butt muscles and release until the light turns green. This action will firm the leg and buttock muscles and improve your blood flow.

Take advantage of the time spent waiting in checkout lines at the grocery store by lifting one foot a half-inch off the ground. The extra stress placed on your opposite foot will help firm your foot, ankle, calf, thigh and even your buttocks muscles.

Stop at your local sports store, pick up a pedometer and get walking. Park in a far away spot at the mall, take your dog out for an extra walk and do whatever you can to add more steps to your day and reap the benefits of stress relief, feeling better about yourself all while burning calories.

3. Keep your stress levels in check

The simple act of giving your partner a hug each day will induce a sense of calm when chaos erupts throughout your day.

Take a moment twice a day to practice deep breathing for three to five minutes. Other relaxing activities include journal writing, lighting scented candles, playing with a pet, and working in the garden. You can also clear your mind of the day’s stressors and bring peace to the end of your day by listening to relaxing music. To keep stress levels at bay, the staff at SixWise LOVES Staying Healthy in a Stressful World, the highly praised CD by Dr. Peter Reznik, one of the most respected mind/body integrative therapists of our time. The program will actually help you to embark on a practice for transforming your stress into life-enhancing experiences.

4. Get a restful night’s sleep

Getting a good night’s sleep strengthens your stress-coping abilities and may even help control your appetite as research has shown that not getting enough sleep can send “hunger hormones” out of whack and possibly trigger overeating.

Sprinkle some lavender water on your sheets and pillowcases as a way to induce relaxation and create a better night’s sleep. At SixWise we like to use Vermont Organic’s aromatherapy personal spray misters to invigorate our spirits and relieve stress.

Vermont Organics commitment to making all natural, effective, and environmentally friendly products can now bring peace and calm to your stressful days. Try their Aromatherapy Personal Spray Misters in wonderful scents like Lemongrass Zen, Country Lavender or Peppermint Magic.

Shop around for new pillows and try a “cool” pillow, containing either all-natural fibers or a combination of sodium sulfate and ceramic fibers that work to keep your head cool.

Snack on a handful of walnuts before bedtime to get some important essential fatty acids and a fiber boost. You’ll also enjoy the natural sleep-inducing effects of the amino acid tryptophan from the walnuts.

5. Remember to brush and floss daily

Studies have shown that keeping your teeth and gums healthy and free of disease will reduce the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease from damage to the blood vessels due to periodontal bacteria.

6. Keep a positive attitude

Go about your daily life with “the glass is half-full” outlook. Develop strong support systems and networks of friends that you can turn to in the time of need. Smile often and laugh out loud several times a day to stay grounded and help you deal better with stressful moments during your day.

Read the comics in the paper, watch a sitcom that makes you laugh, tell your favorite joke or share a funny story to maintain happy feelings.

7. Meditate

For at least 10-20 minutes each day, meditate as a way to help you cope with everyday demands of life and improve your overall health. Studies have found that regular meditation can increase longevity and quality of life, reduce chronic pain, anxiety, high blood pressure, serum cholesterol level, post-traumatic stress syndrome in Vietnam veterans, increase intelligence-related measures and lower blood cortisol levels initially brought on by stress.

8. Be aware of your posture

By standing up straight and tightening your abdominal muscles, you can look five pounds lighter. When standing, your body should be vertically aligned, with a straight spine and head, and a straight line from your ankles to your knees, hips, shoulders and ears, keeping a slight inward curve in your lower back.

9. Kick the cigarette habit

Cigarette smoking is cited as the primary cause of lung cancer. If you quit smoking now, no matter what your age, your body will thank you. Consider these statistics:

• If you quit smoking before age 50, you have half the risk of dying in the next 16 years compared with people who continue to smoke. By age 54, your overall chance of dying will be similar to that of people the same age who have never smoked.

• If you quit smoking, you also reduce your risk for cancer of the esophagus, larynx, kidney, pancreas, and cervix as well as your risk for chronic lung disease and heart disease.

• If you quit smoking before you get pregnant, you can reduce your risk for premature delivery and having a child with low birth weight.

10. Stretch Your Mind and Body Each Day

Try something new, fresh and fun that keeps you engaged -- and that you can do and will enjoy every day.

We found a new incredible program from MySheanetics.com that combines the best of: Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, some basics from Ballet, and even a touch of martial arts.

A program you can enjoy doing at your own pace at home. Developed to be fun to keep the most particular Movie Stars and Pro-Athletes enticed and engaged.

As Oprah has said, if exercising isn’t both fun and challenging no one wants to do it.

Combining the best and getting rid of the rest is what we gained from MySheanetics.com -- it’s what it’s really all about!

Unique, enticing, progressively challenging yet at your pace… for the beginner or even professional trainers, no matter what level you are currently.

Gaining a focus for getting into a daily practice you look forward to doing is the goal! Find what you are seeking that will nurture your mind, body and spirit along with increasing your strength and flexibility and improving your balance.

Studies have shown that yoga can help lower blood pressure, elevate your mood, and improve your well-being and quality of life. Incorporate what you are comfortable with by stretching to strengthen yourself with a self-motivating program (like MySheanetics.com combined program of Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, possibly even some basic Ballet movements that top football players are now doing, plus if you dare a touch of martial arts … all which will keep you enticed and engaged coming back for more).

As you feel and realize your inner most core improvements it is apt to help your entire daily outlook allowing you to have a new positive perspective even when faced with your most challenging circumstances.

In these times God knows we all need some inner strength and reflection, on the tough days especially… which we seldom can predict but need to prepare for each day in advance.

It’s beneficial to include a form of physical activity such as yoga that addresses your mind-body connection, and we are extremely excited to introduce for you this one-of-a-kind fitness program from MySheanetics.com.

MySheaNetics.com provides a unique fitness and self-help philosophy dedicated to providing you with life-improving ideas and the inspirational motivation needed to achieve complete well-being. You can find out more and view three introductory videos by clicking one or all three “Play Clips” on MySheanetics.com.

Regular exercise is a key way to stay mentally and physically healthy, and MySheaNetics.com program helps you realize your goals by finding total health and fulfillment that is life lasting. This truly can be achieved by creating harmony in body, mind and self. MySheaNetics.com gives you the practical tools to get into continuously better physical and mental positive mindset levels.

Each nearly one hour workout is a new blend of the-best-of-the-best from Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Martial Arts Movements, Gyro-Kinesis, Dance and MORE -- guiding you through unique sequences of movements that strengthen, sculpt, build core and increase flexibility!

Pass It On! Because YOU Know Loved-ones Who Will Love and Appreciate This Article!

Recommended Reading

Too Much Sitting May Increase Your Risk of Chronic Disease …and Premature Death

Nine Lifestyle Changes You Can Make to Help Prevent Cancer

Sources

American Diabetes Association March 24, 2009

Medical News Today October 13, 2008

MedicineNet.com Health Tips

MedicineNet.com Meditation

MedicineNet.com Yoga

MedicineNet.com Posture

WebMd

Helpguide.org

University of Michigan

National Cancer Institute

Babies, who represent what is most innocent and pure about humanity, are being exposed to high levels of chemicals while still in the womb. Sadly, this chemical exposure leads to babies being born toxic with greatly heightened potential to develop chronic diseases much earlier in life.

The findings were revealed by an Environmental Working Group (EWG) study of the umbilical cord blood of 10 newborn babies in the United States. The umbilical cord is a good measure of contaminants because it pulses the equivalent of at least 300 quarts of blood each day back and forth between the placenta and the child.

While it was once thought that the placenta acted as a shield, protecting the baby from most chemicals and environmental pollutants, EWG found this is not the case. Researchers wrote in Body Burden – The Pollution in Newborns executive summary:

“Not long ago scientists thought that the placenta shielded cord blood -- and the developing baby -- from most chemicals and pollutants in the environment.

But now we know that at this critical time when organs, vessels, membranes and systems are knit together from single cells to finished form in a span of weeks, the umbilical cord carries not only the building blocks of life, but also a steady stream of industrial chemicals, pollutants and pesticides that cross the placenta as readily as residues from cigarettes and alcohol.

This is the human "body burden" -- the pollution in people that permeates everyone in the world, including babies in the womb.”

How Toxic are Babies at Birth?

EWG’s study found an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in babies’ cord blood, including pesticides, consumer product ingredients and wastes from burning coal, gasoline and garbage. Also found in the babies’ cord blood samples were:

• Eight perfluorochemicals used as stain and oil repellants in fast food packaging, clothes and textiles

• The Teflon chemical PFOA, which has been called a likely human carcinogen by the EPA's Science Advisory Board, was among the eight perfluorochemicals detected.

• Dozens of widely used brominated flame retardants and their toxic by-products

• Numerous pesticides

Further, out of the 287 total chemicals detected in umbilical cord blood, EWG reports that:

• 180 cause cancer in humans or animals

• 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system

• 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests

“The dangers of pre- or post-natal exposure to this complex mixture of carcinogens, developmental toxins and neurotoxins have never been studied,” EWG’s report stated.

EWG further shared their shocking findings with the data that follows:

Chemicals and pollutants detected in human umbilical cord blood:

• Mercury (Hg) -- tested for 1, found 1

Pollutant from coal-fired power plants, mercury-containing products, and certain industrial processes. Accumulates in seafood. Harms brain development and function.

• Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) -- tested for 18, found 9

Pollutants from burning gasoline and garbage. Linked to cancer. Accumulates in food chain.

• Polybrominated dibenzodioxins and furans (PBDD/F) -- tested for 12, found 7

Contaminants in brominated flame retardants. Pollutants and byproducts from plastic production and incineration. Accumulate in food chain. Toxic to developing endocrine (hormone) system

• Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) -- tested for 12, found 9

Active ingredients or breakdown products of Teflon, Scotchgard, fabric and carpet protectors, food wrap coatings. Global contaminants. Accumulate in the environment and the food chain. Linked to cancer, birth defects, and more.

• Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and furans (PCDD/F) -- tested for 17, found 11

Pollutants, by-products of PVC production, industrial bleaching, and incineration. Cause cancer in humans. Persist for decades in the environment. Very toxic to developing endocrine (hormone) system.

• Organochlorine pesticides (OCs) -- tested for 28, found 21

DDT, chlordane and other pesticides. Largely banned in the U.S. Persist for decades in the environment. Accumulate up the food chain, to man. Cause cancer and numerous reproductive effects.

• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) -- tested for 46, found 32

Flame retardant in furniture foam, computers, and televisions. Accumulates in the food chain and human tissues. Adversely affects brain development and the thyroid.

• Polychlorinated Naphthalenes (PCNs) -- tested for 70, found 50

Wood preservatives, varnishes, machine lubricating oils, waste incineration. Common PCB contaminant. Contaminate the food chain. Cause liver and kidney damage.

• Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) -- tested for 209, found 147

Industrial insulators and lubricants. Banned in the U.S. in 1976. Persist for decades in the environment. Accumulate up the food chain, to man. Cause cancer and nervous system problems.

Dr. George J Georgiou, a clinician, researcher and author of the book titled “Curing the Incurable with Holistic Medicine” with a particular interest in toxicity says:

“It is truly amazing how many chemicals and toxic metals can pass from the mother into the developing fetus -- it really does explain how the prevalence of chronic disease in younger people is escalating quickly as these toxins are capable of damaging many tissues and organs of the body.”

Dr. Georgiou continues:

“One may think that this level of toxicity in infants is only present in developing countries but when one looks at the research it is clear that strong winds and storms can carry these chemicals thousands of miles as they were found in the Inuit eskimo babies, again in cord blood, in the Disko Bay area in the North pole.

It would not be an overstatement to say that there is not a living soul amongst humans and animals on this planet that do not have a certain element of toxicity. This leads us to the conclusion that it is not only the avoidance of toxins that will help our health, but the elimination of the toxins that we already have accumulated. This is what led to my HMD™ research discovery -- a natural, toxic metal chelator with the scientific studies to back it.

In clinical practice I always recommend to mothers-to-be to detoxify their bodies BEFORE getting pregnant -- there are various levels of detoxification, but an important one is to remove a load of toxic metals BEFORE getting pregnant. The less toxic the mother, the less toxic will be the child and this pre-conceptual care is probably going to be a new science in the near future as a big part of preventative medicine.”

Babies are Extremely Vulnerable to Chemical Exposures

A 1993 report from the National Academy of Sciences explained just why children are so at risk from exposures to environmental chemicals:

• A developing child's chemical exposures are greater pound-for-pound than those of adults.

• An immature, porous blood-brain barrier allows greater chemical exposures to the developing brain.

• Children have lower levels of some chemical-binding proteins, allowing more of a chemical to reach "target organs."

• A baby's organs and systems are rapidly developing, and thus are often more vulnerable to damage from chemical exposure.

• Systems that detoxify and excrete industrial chemicals are not fully developed.

• The longer future life span of a child compared to an adult allows more time for adverse effects to arise.

The EPA also concluded in 2003, after reviewing 23 studies of early life exposures to cancer-causing chemicals, that carcinogens average 10 times the potency for babies than adults, and some chemicals may be up to 65 times more powerful in babies.

Potential Health Effects to Early Chemical Exposures

No one knows for sure what the result of these toxic exposures will be, however there are already signs that signal the dangers. For instance:

• Kids who were conceived in June, July or August have, on average, test scores for math and language that are 1 percent to 1.5 percent lower than scores of kids who were conceived during other months. Researchers from the Indiana University School of Medicine found this correlation is due to the increased pesticide exposure the fetus receives during the summer months. Aside from lower test scores, birth defects are also more common between April and July, as are premature births.

• Girls appear to be reaching puberty at younger and younger ages, and studies suggest that environmental chemicals that mimic hormones might be involved in this phenomenon. Specifically, those chemicals include DDE, a breakdown of the pesticide DDT, and compounds used to make plastics, including bisphenol A, or BPA, and phthalates.

• A study by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that babies born to mothers who live near landfills have a greater risk of birth defects.

These findings have implications not only for women who are pregnant right now, but also those who may become pregnant in the future. They also apply to families with young children right now … and any adult who wishes to keep their own chemical body burden to a minimum.

“As a Rule”: What is good for a pregnant mother and her baby is good for us all!

What Can You do to Lower Your Chemical Exposure and Help Detox Those You’ve Already Had?

There are many strategies available to help you keep your chemical exposure to a minimum, both in the immediate future and the long term:

• Buy organic produce, meats, eggs and dairy products as much as possible to reduce pesticide exposure.

• Eliminate chemical cleaners from your home. Opt for natural varieties like the all-natural and highly effective Enviro-Rite line of cleaning solutions instead.

• Use safe, natural brands of cosmetics and other toiletries. Most health food stores carry chemical-free varieties of everything from shave cream to moisturizing lotion. Two favorites here at Sixwise.com are the all-natural Aloe Castile Liquid Soaps -- which can be used for hands, bodywash, shaving, oily hair shampoo and general-purpose cleaning -- and, if you prefer bar soap, Vermont Soap's Organic Country Bars.

• Replace the need and cost for most household toxic chemical cleaners with antimicrobial cleaning products used in hospitals that do NOT require toxic chemicals.

• Use proper precautions, including masks, gloves, protective clothing and adequate ventilation, when exposure to chemicals cannot be avoided.

• Avoid using synthetic air fresheners, laundry detergents and fabric softeners, opting for the Static Eliminator, a 100% safe, non-toxic dryer sheet system, instead.

• Choose glass storage containers for your food and drinks when possible, and avoid heating your food in plastic containers or covered in plastic wrap.

• Be especially diligent in avoiding chemicals, such as paint, new carpeting (which outgases chemicals), pesticides, hair color, etc., while pregnant or breastfeeding.

• Avoid using synthetic pesticides in your home or yard.

• Dispose of chemicals properly to reduce environmental contamination.

• Filter your home's air to remove airborne pollutants. Sixwise highly recommends the PIONAIR Air Treatment System, as unlike most air purifiers, the PIONAIR™ Air Treatment System doesn't wait for pollutants to contact a filter or plate. Instead, the PIONAIR generates air-purifying technology that migrates through the area and neutralizes organic odors, microbes & molds at their source. As a result, the PIONAIR produces fresh clean air throughout your home uniformly, by addressing the pollutant source -- without the use of fans, filters, or plates!

• “On-the-Go Portable Wellness Water Filters” (that replace BPA Toxic bottled water): Great for use in the office, health club, traveling, or even casual or fine dinning. The Way to Save Money and be Healthier by REPLACING “all” your Bottled water with easy to Filter tap water even while you’re on the go.

If you currently rely on tap or bottled water to get you through the day, you can replace expensive and unhealthy bottled water that has Bisphenol-A (BPA) toxins by filtering your water right out of the tap while on the go via one of two safer, and many times less expensive solutions or both:

Wellness Stir Filter Wand The Wellness Wand is a portable stir device that is ideal for use at a restaurant or on vacation, where high chlorine levels can be a health concern and add undesirable tastes and odors. Reduces Chlorine, Chloramines, taste and odors by simply stirring in a glass of water for 15 seconds.

This is also both a great wellness conversation item and gift!

Wellness H2.O Water Bottle is also a “Portable Filter” made of LDPE (low density polyethylene) plastic, which is BPA-free to filter over 1,100 bottles of water a year equaling up to one thousand dollars or more in savings. Price was: $49.00 Now 35% Savings at Only: $29.95

You can get the best of both worlds -- clean water and save money -- when you use a high-quality Wellness Portable Filters.

Combine the best filtration and enhancement technologies to deliver the purest and most natural tasting water available. These portable filters effectively reduces harmful contaminants, while at the same time enhancing the water with adding important yet delicate wellness "ions and minerals" that your body needs.

So instead of buying bottled water, you can filter and get superior water on the go. To take it on the go, simply fill with still tap water and you're set with clean water -- without having to worry about BPA and other toxins.

How to Detox Toxins in Your Body Right Now

There are many ways of removing toxic chemicals such as heavy metals from your body, but most of them involve expensive treatments where a doctor injects you with drugs or vitamins intravenously via a drip. Many of these drugs will also strip the good minerals from your body, something that is not recommended since it is difficult to replenish (or replete) these important substances.

A better and safer way is to take some drops of a natural tincture a few times per day -- it simply goes into water or some juice. This is the beauty of using HMD™ -- it’s literally as simple as drinking a little water, and it’s safe and cost-effective.

Like other chemicals, heavy metals can accumulate in your body from silver dental fillings, contaminated seafood and other foods, cosmetics, pollution, contaminated water, vaccines and other sources, so it would be wise to disarm this potential “time-bomb” now before it causes serious illness in the future.

At Sixwise we highly recommend that you use HMD™ (Heavy Metal Detox), the natural oral formula that helps to effectively eliminate heavy metals from your body, without any side effects.

HMD™ is actually the ONLY chelator that has undergone a $1 million, three-year double-blind placebo-controlled research trials with several hundred people! During these three years over 25 different natural products and combinations were tried but the synergistic components of HMD™ were the only ones that worked for all metals tested. It presently has a worldwide patent-pending.

Dr. George John Georgiou -- HMD™ Inventor and worldwide Patent holder -- has 9 degrees and diplomas, including two doctorates and has been researching natural heavy metal chelators for a number of years, after he discovered that he became ill himself with mercury poisoning after replacing 12 amalgam fillings with composites.

After a number of years of searching, Dr. Georgiou discovered a unique synergistic formula comprising three natural components: Chlorella Growth Factor, Cilantro or the herb Coriandrum sativum and a homaccord of Chlorella. None of these natural products worked when tested individually, but when combined there was a “magic” synergy that eliminated a large number of toxic metals, including the ones mentioned here.

It is not only a very powerful chelator of toxic metals, but a very gentle one too. It has been tried and tested in many thousands of people worldwide, including children with autism, with no side effects when used at the correct dosage. It has therefore been dubbed “The Gentle Chelator.”

Important Note for Pregnant Women and Women Trying to Conceive

Dr. Georgiou advises AGAINST using any type of chelator, even the gentle HMD™, when you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as the mobilization of metals in the mother will go through the placenta into the baby. It is recommended that women detoxify before pregnancy and after breastfeeding finishes -- you can then give the baby a couple of drops of HMD to help the little one detoxify too.

Due to many requests we are providing you more specific links to the DrHMD.com line of products. Click here to learn more about: DrHMD.com ULTIMATE DETOX PROTOCOL.

Pass It On! Because YOU Know Loved-ones Who Will Love and Appreciate This Article!

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While most people visualize their Thanksgiving Day as a warm and loving time surrounded by family, cozy aromas of turkey and stuffing cooking in the oven and feelings of gratitude, it can also induce stress brought on by high expectations, hectic preparation for the big day, family spats and nagging worries of overeating. It’s things like this that build up and many times take the joy out of what could be a beautiful Thanksgiving holiday.

The key is to be prepared in advance before the holiday to create your ideal Thanksgiving, one without stress and chaos.

If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner there are 10 things on your checklist to make it as stress-free and enjoyable as possible.

Your 10-Step Checklist to a Stress-Free Thanksgiving

1. Sit down and write out your plan—Write out your guest list to include the number of guests so you know how much you’ll need to buy to make your meal. Planning ahead is the key to alleviating stress because it helps to avoid everything piling up at once and creating an overwhelming atmosphere.

2. Plan a potluck or ask guests to bring a dish, decorations or paper products—These are great ways to get others involved and spread out the responsibilities of cooking and preparation. By calling guests ahead of time and giving them an idea of what to bring you can avoid having 15 sweet potato casseroles and ensure variety in your meal. For those who don’t enjoy cooking, you can ask that they bring drinks, a special punch, paper products or decorations.

3. Do your shopping -- the earlier the better—Get to the stores and stock up in advance as the grocery stores become mobbed with last-minute shoppers closer to Thanksgiving Day. You may also risk stores running out of certain items if you wait too long to do your shopping.

4. Make as many dishes and desserts in advance that you can—This includes your side dishes, desserts, and breads and also prep time for cutting and storing vegetables, measuring out seasonings and labeling the bags.

5. Experimenting with a new dish? Do a practice test run first. If you’re going to attempt a new recipe or use a special ingredient you haven’t used in the past, practice beforehand so there are no unpleasant surprises at meal time.

6. Encourage the whole family participate in the festivities of the day—Your children can get involved by helping with cleaning the house, folding napkins, setting the table and making decorations such as place cards or pictures to display on the refrigerator. These activities can keep them busy while you tend to the meal preparation.

7. Take your turkey out of the oven and leave it covered for 20 minutes before slicing—This will buy you some time in the last minute stretch to get everything on the table at once. It will also assure that your turkey stays tender. You can always use your microwave oven to reheat other food before serving when all the burners on the stovetop are occupied.

8. Serve your meal buffet-style—This will help both with space and cleanup time and gives guests the opportunity to get up and help themselves to seconds whenever they want.

9. After your meal sit around and share stories, love and knowledge—Stories from grandma and grandpa create the tapestries of the past and family history. It gives children the chance to learn how older family members dealt with problems in their lives and gives them the tools needed to be less fearful of what the future has in store.

10. Put family issues aside, swallow your pride and forgive—Let go of any previous grudges and vow to make a fresh start and new beginning with others.

Most people look forward to mom’s homemade stuffing or a slice of pecan pie along with a glass of eggnog on Thanksgiving Day, but are overridden with guilty feelings about it the next day. To overcome this guilt, some experts recommend relishing the day and getting back on track on Friday.

Another expert encourages enjoying all of the food, in small amounts:

“My approach is to pick and choose,” said Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, who wrote the 2006 book What to Eat. “I taste everything, keep the servings really small, and save room for seconds of the foods I really like. But if family dynamics mean that the cook will never forgive you if you don’t eat the food, it’s best to eat the food, enjoy every bite, and deal with dieting later in the week.”

Whatever approach you decide to take, there are six simple actions you can follow to achieve a healthy eating outlook on Thanksgiving.

Five Ways to Enjoy Your Thanksgiving Dinner Without Calorie-Counting Guilt

1. Get out and exercise the morning of Thanksgiving Day and after your Thanksgiving meal. One simple and easy way of doing this is going for a brisk walk with some family members.

2. Enjoy the foods you love in small portions.

3. Plan other activities around the day so the focus isn’t solely on food. Before Thanksgiving Day you could also work on reprogramming the way you think about food. As you eat, think about the food, give thanks for it, and really taste each bite. When you savor your food in this way, you will feel full and satisfied on much less food. If you have trouble feeling calm and focused when you eat, try reprogramming these unhealthy habits with the guided meditations on the Pure Relaxation CD.
   
   This CD will calm your mind, soothe your emotions and create a state of deep relaxation in your body, which is essential to keep up with your new healthier habits.

4. If you are preparing the meal or bringing a dish, make something that goes along with your nutritional needs

Learn How to Eat Mindfully by Listening to the #1 Most Recommended Relaxation CD Available With guided meditations by a leading meditation expert, Mary Maddux, and music by a renowned meditation music composer with 20 years experience, The Pure Relaxation CD will calm your mind, soothe your emotions and create a state of deep relaxation in your body. Eliminate Stress Immediately Complete Relaxation in a Natural, Effortless Way Mary Maddux's Voice has been Called "Soothing and Healing" Background Music by Respected Meditation Music Veteran Richard Maddux Over 70 Minutes Long Just $15.49 FREE Shipping Anywhere in the World through SixWise.com Learn More About the Pure Relaxation CD & Order NoW

5. After the big meal is served, get up and clear the table, put the food away immediately and pack leftovers to send home with guests. You don’t have to throw out all of the healthy, unused vegetables and fruits you were going to use for your meal, as there is a way to extend their freshness. At SixWise we highly recommend using the FDA-approved MiniMate Refrigerator Unit, which can extend the freshness and life of many of your foods by three to four times. It works by eliminating most of the germs or mold that may be living on your foods without harming the food or leaving behind any residue.

According to Consumer Reports, "This safe technology has been used for years in the wholesale produce and cut flower industries to extend the life of their products. Why? Because it kills the bacteria and mold that could spoil your food and make you sick.

The MiniMate takes this technology and shrinks it down to an appliance not much bigger than the box of baking soda that is probably in your refrigerator now. But instead of just deodorizing it helps sanitize too, making it a great deal for anyone who is concerned about their health."

On top of using the MiniMate, the following tips will also help your food to stay fresher:

• Keep your refrigerator temperature between 35-40.5 degrees F, and freezer temperatures at 0.5 F or lower.

• Leave space in between refrigerated items so the cold air can circulate.

• Refrigerate foods within two hours of eating them.

Thanksgiving is a time for giving back to others and thanking them for all of the good they have brought to your life. You can start a new tradition in your family by sitting at the dinner table just before the meal is served and have everyone around the table express one thing they are grateful for over the past year. This is especially helpful in teaching gratitude to children.

Additionally, one of the greatest gifts you can give at this time of year is your time to someone in need. There are several ways you can reach out to do this. Here are five ways you can give back and add something special to someone else’s life.

Five Ways to Express Your Gratitude Toward Others in Need

Keep Your Healthy Holiday Fruits and Veggies Fresh Longer! The MiniMate deodorizes (replacing baking soda boxes in the fridge) and kills potentially dangerous food-borne bacteria. This extends the freshness and life of many foods 3 to 4 times longer! Plus, the MiniMate: Features an activated oxygen generator to eliminate odors, keep foods fresher longer and kill bacteria in your refrigerator Naturally kills odors without any cover-up scents or fragrance Reduces food spoilage and prevents cross-contamination of food odors Breaks down pesticides and herbicides on produce Find out More About the MiniMate Refrigerator Unit Now!

1. Donate to a favorite charity, such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill

Go through your closets and cabinets and pick out items such as old toys, clothes or home furnishings that you no longer use, but that can come in handy to others. If you don’t have time to go through your items and still want to give back, you can always write out a check for a monetary donation to the charity of your choice. If you’d like you could personalize it by including a short note on why you chose their charity and support their cause.

2. Visit a hospital or volunteer at a senior center or a veteran's home

The hospital can be extremely lonely place particularly during the holidays when patients can’t be with their families. You can get your kids involved by having them pick out a toy they think a needy child might like and have them go with to deliver it to a local children’s hospital. Elderly people in nursing homes or veteran’s homes love to share stories of their past. By visiting and sitting and listening or playing a game of cards with them, you can bring an hour or two of joy to their lives when they otherwise would be spending it alone.

3. Send a care package to soldiers overseas

Put together a holiday care package for soldiers oversea who won’t be coming home for the holidays. Some of the things you can include are everyday necessities like soap, razors, toothbrushes, and travel-sized toiletries. You can also include some snacks like cookies, Rice Krispies® Treats and gum or games, like a pocket-sized Sudoku or crossword puzzle books they will enjoy to have on hand for their free time.

4. Provide a Thanksgiving dinner for a family in need or donate or volunteer at a women’s shelter

You can make a big difference to one family in need this holiday season by offering to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner through your church or an outreach organization in your community. Your children can participate by helping you make the shopping list and going grocery shopping with you.

You can donate a turkey to your local women’s shelter or take some time to volunteer to serve food at a homeless shelter.

5. Invite Those You Know Will Be Alone This Year to Your Thanksgiving Dinner

If you know of a family member who has recently lost someone or will be alone this Thanksgiving, extend an invitation to your home for dinner. This act will make them feel loved and give them a sense of belonging.

Pass It On! Because YOU Know Loved-ones Who Will Love and Appreciate This Article!

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WebMd

Exercise can help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer, plus it may:

• Lower blood pressure

• Promote healthy blood sugar levels

• Boost the immune system

• Increase levels of HDL (good) cholesterol

• Improve your mood and lower your chances of depression

• Promote healthy bone density

Yet despite knowing this, most Americans -- seven out of 10 of us, in fact -- do not exercise regularly.

If you are one of these 70 percent who are in need of a bit of extra motivation, working out with music may be just the ticket.

Exercising with music feels good intrinsically; it keeps you moving, takes your mind off your efforts and puts your mind in an energetic state. But there is even more to it than that.

Costas Karageorghis, a sports psychologist at Britain’s Brunel University, has been researching exercise and music for two decades and created a half marathon called “run to the Beat.” The event mixes the perfect blend of live bands for runners to listen to while they run, all based on Karageorghis’ research of human reaction to rhythm.

According to Karageorghis, there are two “internal” factors that contribute to a song’s motivational qualities -- rhythm response and musicality -- and two “external” factors – cultural impact and association. Dan Peterson, LiveScience's Sports Columnist, explained:

1. Rhythm response describes the beats per minute (bpm) of the song and how well it matches the cadence or the heartbeat of the runner.

2. Musicality refers to a song’s melody and harmony.

3. Cultural impact describes our own musical background and preferences

4. Association is what we associate with certain songs and artists

The Benefits of Working Out With the Right Music

You likely know which music best gets you up and moving, which songs will push you to keep going and which work best during your slower paced cool down. But what you may not know is just how much of an impact the right music can have on your workouts.

According to one study, exercisers who cycled in time to music (syncing beats per minute with an exercise pace) required 7 percent less oxygen to do so than when music was playing in the background. Research also shows that listening to music may offer you a 10 percent reduction in perceived effort while running on a treadmill, which means you’ll likely be able to keep running, longer.

A new study published in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, involved 30 exercises who synchronized their exercise pace to the tempo of the music. Those who listened to synchronized music had a 15 percent improvement in endurance compared to a no-music group.

"The synchronous application of music resulted in much higher endurance while the motivational qualities of the music impacted significantly on the interpretation of fatigue symptoms right up to the point of voluntary exhaustion," Karageorghis told LiveScience.

Music With Your Workout May Even Make You Smarter

A 2004 study in the journal Heart & Lung found that people who listened to music while they exercised performed more than twice as well on a verbal fluency test than people who listened to no music. The test was designed to challenge the part of the brain that deals with planning and abstract thought.

Said the study's lead author, Charles Emery, " ... Listening to music may influence cognitive function through different pathways in the brain. The combination of music and exercise may stimulate and increase cognitive arousal while helping to organize cognitive output."

Boost Your Exercise Performance and Mental Well-Being With SheaNetics SheaNetics realizes your goal is to find total health and fulfillment that is life lasting. This can be achieved by creating harmony in body, mind and self. SheaNetics gives you the practical tools to get into shape and kick it to ever higher levels. Each nearly one hour workout is a new blend of the-best-of-the-best from Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Gyro-Kinesis, Dance and MORE -- guiding you through unique sequences of movements that strengthen, sculpt, build core and increase flexibility! You’ll get 3 core-building, mind-boosting, complete body-charging workouts, set to the perfect music for optimum performance! As a FREE GIFT you will also receive 3 empowering "original music" CDs specially composed to power up your journey! Separately (Each) List Price ($95.95) Your Special Price Just $69.95!* NEARLY A 30% SAVINGS Order your 6-PACK SheaNetics DVD/CD workout collection today!

An All-In-One Mind-Body Workout With Specially Composed, Empowering Music: SheaNetics

It’s easy to take advantage of music’s beneficial effects on exercise -- just grab an MP3 player, pop on a pair of headphones and let the tunes move you. But to add some variety to your routine, we highly recommend you also try out a form of physical activity that addresses your mind-body connection, and we are extremely excited to introduce for you a one-of-a-kind fitness program called SheaNetics.

SheaNetics, founded by fitness expert Shea Vaughn, blends ancient and contemporary movements with eastern philosophy, creating a stylized approach to fitness designed to improve the quality of today's western living.

The SheaNetics program incorporates the philosophy that "fitness is both a state of the body and mind" and is based on the Five Living Principles.

This program is truly unlike any other fitness program. This is "meditation in motion and thought." It reduces stress and allows you to enjoy a lifestyle of fitness, personal balance and well-being.

Most exercise programs are geared only to give you short-term physical improvement. But SheaNetics™ understands the real goal for us all is to find total health and fulfillment that is life-lasting. This can only be achieved by creating harmony in body, mind and self.

We encourage you to check out Shea's new 6-Disc DVD/CD workout set to get started on your pathway to well-being!

This groundbreaking DVD collection contains:

• 3 core-building, mind-boosting, complete body-charging workouts, set to the perfect music for optimum performance!

• As a FREE GIFT you will also receive 3 empowering "original music" CDs specially composed to power up your journey!

• You also receive the SheaNetics Booklet with The Five Living Principles -- a life-changing guide to finding Your Pathway to Well-Being!

Sheanetics has nearly sold out and told us that they will soon no longer offer this value of all these combined DVDs and CDs. They plan to break this set up into individual DVDs and CDs, each costing as much as one half this price or more, which could make this total package as much as three times the price or more.

So we recommend you buy NOW before this offer is no longer available!

Separately (Each) List Price ($95.95)
Your Special Price Just $69.95!*
NEARLY A 30% SAVINGS

Order your 6-PACK SheaNetics DVD/CD workout collection today!

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We should all show much more respect for elders than the man in this video did … after all we will all  be an elder one day too. Still, we couldn’t resist sharing this hilarious video -- what goes around certainly does come around!

In fact, some elders are heavily armed, as this (below) home video shows, and there are multiple reasons to be more than very worried. In fact, you might get very, very worried about your “toodles” next time you see a white-haired lady in a wheelchair!

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In what is being called the “most conclusive evidence to date,” a study by Johns Hopkins researchers found that low levels of vitamin D lead to a significantly increased risk of death. The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, included a large, diverse sample of 13,000 men and women.

Researchers compared the risk of death between those with the lowest vitamin D levels and those with higher levels. During the course of the study, 1,800 people died, nearly 700 of which died from heart disease. Among them, 400 were deficient in vitamin D.

This data, researchers said, translates into a 26 percent increased risk of death from low vitamin D levels.

"Our results make it much more clear that all men and women concerned about their overall health should more closely monitor their blood levels of vitamin D, and make sure they have enough," study co-lead investigator Erin Michos, M.D., M.H.S. told ScienceDaily.

"We think we have additional evidence to consider adding vitamin D deficiency as a distinct and separate risk factor for death from cardiovascular disease, putting it alongside much better known and understood risk factors, such as age, gender, family history, smoking, high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, lack of exercise, obesity and diabetes," he continued.

Insufficient Vitamin D Linked to Heart Disease

Researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Massachusetts General Hospital evaluated the association between vitamin D levels and death rates of those 65 and older and found the vitamin plays a vital role in reducing risk of death associated with older age.

Specifically, older adults with insufficient levels of vitamin D are more likely to die from heart disease and other causes than those with adequate levels. Those with low vitamin D levels were three times more likely to die from heart disease -- and 2.5 times more likely to die from any cause -- than those with optimal vitamin D.

"It's likely that more than one-third of older adults now have vitamin D levels associated with higher risks of death and few have levels associated with optimum survival," Adit Ginde, MD, MPH, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine's Division of Emergency Medicine and lead author of the study, told ScienceDaily. "Given the aging population and the simplicity of increasing a person's level of vitamin D, a small improvement in death rates could have a substantial impact on public health."

Why Vitamin D is About So Much More Than Just Your Bones

It’s long been said you need to have vitamin D to keep your bones healthy, but vitamin D is important for much more than that.

Vitamin D, which is actually not a vitamin but a secosteroid hormone, targets over 2,000 genes in your body; this is about 10 percent of the entire human genome! According to the Vitamin D Council:

"Current research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the pathology of at least 17 varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects, periodontal disease, and more.”

Many People are Deficient

Because many people no longer spend much time in the sun without sunblock (sunblock blocks vitamin D production) vitamin D deficiency is thought to be very widespread. The elderly are especially at risk of deficiency because of:

• Limited time spent in the sun (even people living in warm, sunny climates are often vitamin-D deficient because they either spend much of their time indoors, wear sunscreen when in the sun (this blocks vitamin D production) or they are only outside during non-peak hours when the sun’s vitamin-D-producing rays are not as strong.

• A reduced ability to make vitamin D, which occurs as we age

• Inability to absorb vitamin D in supplements and from the sun. Vitamin D is an oil-soluble steroid hormone and, according to Dr. Joseph Mercola it can take 48 hours for the vitamin D that forms on your skin after sun exposure to become absorbed by your body. If you shower with soap and water before this time, you’ll wash much of the vitamin D away.

To avoid this, you can avoid using soap on all but the crucial areas of your body for up to two days after sun exposure (avoid soaping the larger areas of your body and just use soap under your arms and your groin area, etc.).

• Further, because vitamin D is oil-soluble it is difficult to absorb in supplement form as well. So if you take a vitamin D3 supplement you will want to take it in an oil-based form, and also make sure you use AbsorbAid Platinum from NutritionsFinest.com, a vegetable-based digestive enzyme, as a transfer agent, as it will aid in the breakdown and absorption of vitamin D (both from supplements and from foods).

The majority of U.S. kids, about 70 percent in all, have low levels of vitamin D as well, according to data collected on more than 6,000 children ages 1-21.

How to Increase Your Vitamin D Levels

Vitamin D experts now believe the minimal acceptable level for vitamin D is 50 ng/ml. The Vitamin D Council explains:

"They [vitamin D researchers] found that the body does not reliably begin storing cholecalciferol in fat and muscle tissue until 25(OH)D levels get above 50 ng/ml. The average person starts to store cholecalciferol at 40 ng/ml, but at 50 ng/ml virtually everyone begins to store it for future use. That is, at levels below 50 ng/ml, the body uses up vitamin D as fast as you can make it, or take it, indicating chronic substrate starvation -- not a good thing. 25(OH)D levels should be between 50–80 ng/ml, year-round."

A blood test from your doctor, called the 25-hydroxyvitamin D, can determine whether your vitamin D levels are high enough, but you should know that typical laboratory reference ranges may indicate a lower level of vitamin D as “healthy,” when newer research has shown the minimal acceptable level for vitamin D to be 50 ng/ml.

If you find your levels are low, you may need to take a vitamin D supplement. According to the Vitamin D Council:

“If well adults and adolescents regularly avoid sunlight exposure, research indicates a necessity to supplement with at least 5,000 units (IU) of vitamin D daily. To obtain this amount from milk one would need to consume 50 glasses. With a multivitamin more than 10 tablets would be necessary. Neither is advisable.

The skin produces approximately 10,000 IU vitamin D in response 20-30 minutes summer sun exposure -- 50 times more than the US government's recommendation of 200 IU per day!”

Enhance Your Body’s Absorption of Vitamin D With AbsorbAid Platinum Vitamin D is meant to be made in your skin after sun exposure, and is not typically well absorbed in supplement form. But because many people do not have access to sunshine year-round, supplementation is often necessary to keep your vitamin D levels in the optimal range. Nature’s Sources AbsorbAid Platinum, a vegetable-based digestive enzyme, helps you to break down food groups and maximize nutrient absorption, so your body is able to better absorb vitamin D in supplement form. AbsorbAid Platinum will aid the breakdown and absorption of vitamin D present in foods such as fortified cereals, milk, juices, and oily fish, as well as the vitamin D in supplement form. Learn More and Order Nature’s Sources AbsorbAid Platinum Now!

The Vitamin D Council continues:

“There are 3 ways for adults to ensure adequate levels of vitamin D:

1. Regularly receive midday sun exposure in the late spring, summer, and early fall, exposing as much of the skin as possible.

2. Regularly use a sun bed (avoiding sunburn) during the colder months.

3. Take 5,000 IU per day for three months, then obtain a 25-hydroxyvitamin D test. Adjust your dosage so that blood levels are between 50–80 ng/mL (or 125–200 nM/L) year-round.”

If You Take a Vitamin D Supplement, Make Sure It’s Being Absorbed

Sun exposure is the best form of vitamin D, but if you cannot get out in the sun regularly, experts recommend supplementing with a vitamin D3 supplement, which is the same natural vitamin D your body makes when exposed to the sun. Avoid vitamin D2, which is synthetic and may be less safe and less effective.

Along with regularly testing your blood levels of vitamin D to make sure you’re in the optimal range -- not too high or too low -- you should make sure your body has the best chances of absorbing the vitamin D.

Because vitamin D is an oil-soluble vitamin meant to be made by your skin, it is not well absorbed. So you will want to take it in an oil-based form, and also make sure you use AbsorbAid Platinum from NutritionsFinest.com, a vegetable-based digestive enzyme, as a transfer agent. AbsorbAid Platinum will aid the breakdown and absorption of vitamin D present in foods such as fortified cereals, milk, juices, and oily fish, as well as the vitamin D in supplement form.

AbsorbAid Platinum combines its effective ratio of proteases, amylases, lipases and cellulases with two "acid-tolerant" bacteria or a probiotic combination, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum to help you break down food groups and maximize nutrient absorption.

Optimizing your vitamin D levels, it turns out, could very well be one of the most important steps you take for your health. As the Vitamin D council says:

“Vitamin D's influence on key biological functions vital to one's health and well-being mandates that vitamin D no longer be ignored by the health care industry nor by individuals striving to achieve and maintain a greater state of health.”

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Sources

Archives of Internal Medicine 2008 Aug 11;168(15):1629-37.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society June 22, 2009

The Vitamin D Council

Mercola.com May 12, 2009

ScienceDaily.com September 22, 2009

Science Daily.com August 12, 2008

Over the past 50 years human exposure to heavy metal toxins has risen dramatically. Each day we are exposed to some kind of heavy metal toxin whether it is the air, the water we drink or the food we eat.

Chronic exposure to these dangerous toxins come from the mercury-amalgam fillings we get from our dental visits, lead in paint and tap water, chemical residues found in processed foods and toxins in personal care products, among others.

Certain professions are also at higher risk for mercury exposure including anyone in the dental occupation, laboratory workers, hairdressers, painters, printers, welders, metalworkers, cosmetic workers, battery makers, engravers, photographers, visual artists and potters.

While some people have the ability to excrete these toxins out of their system, others, particularly those suffering from chronic conditions, are not so lucky and develop a build-up of metals called heavy metal toxicity. Further, heavy metals can accumulate in your body over time, causing symptoms you might not equate with heavy metals.

In many cases, the symptoms brought on by metal toxicity are often misdiagnosed for chronic conditions such as autism, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression and multiple sclerosis.

Symptoms of Heavy Metal Toxicity

There are two types of heavy metal toxicity: acute and chronic. Symptoms of acute toxicity are easy to recognize because they are usually quick and severe in onset. The symptoms include:

• Cramping, nausea, and vomiting

• Pain

• Sweating

• Headaches

• Difficulty breathing

• Impaired cognitive, motor, and language skills

• Mania

• Convulsions

Chronic exposure, on the other hand, produces different symptoms, which can be easily confused with symptoms of different illnesses. Some of the symptoms are impaired cognitive, motor, and language skills, learning difficulties, nervousness and emotional instability, insomnia and nausea.

In fact, because toxic metals block the absorption and utilization of essential minerals, this in itself can set up a whole cascade of symptoms that gradually get worse over time.

Below is a more specific checklist of symptoms of metal toxicity poisoning:

• Chronic pain throughout the muscles and tendons or any soft tissues of the body

• Chronic malaise -- general feeling of discomfort, fatigue, and illness

• Brain fog -- state of forgetfulness and confusion

• Chronic infections such as Candida

• Gastrointestinal complaints, such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, heartburn, and indigestion 

• Food allergies  

• Dizziness

• Migraines and/or headaches

• Visual disturbances

• Mood swings, depression, and/or anxiety

• Nervous system malfunctions -- burning extremities, numbness, tingling, paralysis, and/or an electrifying feeling throughout the body

Arsenic, Lead and Mercury: A Potentially Deadly Heavy Metal Toxin Combination 

The most common heavy metals that can be harmful to your health in large amounts are aluminum, cadmium, arsenic, lead, and mercury with the last three contributing to the most cases of heavy metal toxicity.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) confirmed this when they compiled a Priority List for 2001 called the "Top 20 Hazardous Substances." The first three heavy metals to appear on their list were arsenic, lead and mercury.

Heavy Metal Toxicity -- Dr. B.J. Hardick's own story

Arsenic

According to the ATSDR, arsenic is considered the most common cause of heavy metal poisoning. Humans are exposed through environmental pollution (arsenic is released from the smelting process of copper, zinc and lead and through the manufacturing of chemicals and glass), ingestion (found in insect poisons), skin contact (some linseed oils) and our worldwide water supply, which has contaminated shellfish, cod and haddock that are later eaten.

An arsenic-based additive is also used in chicken feed to promote growth, kill parasites and improve pigmentation of chicken meat. So if you eat commercial, non-organic chicken you can also be exposed to arsenic through the meat.

Some other sources include paints, rat poison, fungicides, and wood preservatives. Arsenic targets specific organs such as the blood, kidneys, central nervous system and skin systems.

Symptoms of arsenic metal toxicity include:

• Nausea or vomiting

• Abdominal pain

• Diarrhea

• Garlic odor on  breath

• Excessive salivation

• Headache

• Vertigo

• Fatigue

• Paralysis

• Kidney failure

• Progressive blindness

• Mental impairment such as apathy, dementia and anorexia

Arsenic metal toxicity precautions you can take:

• Maintain a high-fiber diet -- Fiber binds with arsenic to eliminate it from your body

• Eat foods high in sulfur such as eggs, onions, beans, legumes, and garlic -- Sulfur helps get rid of arsenic in your body

Lead

Lead is listed as number two on the ATSDR's "Top 20 List” and is behind most of the cases of pediatric heavy metal poisoning. Lead is a very soft metal that was used in pipes, drains, and soldering materials in the construction of millions of homes built before 1940. Chronic exposure results from weathering, flaking, chalking, and dust.

Approximately 2.5 million tons of lead is also produced throughout the world each year for batteries, cable coverings, plumbing, ammunition and fuel additives, paint pigments and use in PVC plastics, x-ray shielding, crystal glass production, and pesticides.

Nearly half a million U.S. children between the ages of 1 and 5 have blood lead levels greater than the CDC recommended level of 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, according to the CDC.

The heavy metal toxicity of lead targets the bones, brain, blood, kidneys and thyroid gland and can affect the nervous system, gastrointestinal system, cardiovascular system, blood production, and reproductive system.

Lead poisoning precautions you can take:

• A surefire way to know whether or not you’re being exposed to lead is to have your home tested. This is crucial if your home was built before 1978, when lead-based paints were used in homes. If you get back positive results on your home, you can contact a reputable company to remove it.

• Be very careful if you partake in hobbies you are likely to come in contact with lead such as stained glass window work.

• Use glassware for drinking or eating instead of ceramic-ware if you are unsure if they contain lead-based paints and glazes

Symptoms of lead poisoning include:

• Gastrointestinal complaints

• Hypertension

• Fatigue

• Abdominal pain

• Nausea

• Constipation

• Weight loss

• Peripheral neuropathy

• Cognitive dysfunction

• Headache

• Weakness

• Convulsions

• Impotence or loss of libido

• Depression of thyroid and adrenal function, chronic renal failure, gout

• Mental symptoms include restlessness, insomnia, irritability, confusion, excitement, anxiety, delusions, and disturbing dreams

Mercury

Mercury ranks number three on ATSDR's "Top 20 List”. Mercury is naturally transmitted into the environment from volcanic emissions that come from the degassing of the earth’s crust. There are three forms of mercury: elemental, organic and inorganic.

Mercury has found its way into the aquatic food chains and fish through being dispersed into the atmosphere by winds, returning to the earth in rainfall and finding its way into the water. Mercury compounds continue to be used in medicines such as mercurochrome and merthiolate, algaecides and certain vaccines. Another route to exposure is through inhalation, targeting the brain and kidneys.

Another route of mercury exposure is via dental amalgams, which include mercury. In one Norwegian study, 47 percent of patients with dental amalgam fillings reported suffering from major depression -- a symptoms of metal toxicity -- compared with only 14 percent in the control group.

And another study, published in Neuroendocrinology Letters, found that removal of mercury fillings resulted in improvements in 70 percent of those who suffered from mercury-related health problems like depression.

Mercury has also recently been found to contaminate many sources of high-fructose corn syrup.

Mercury toxicity symptoms:

• Metallic taste in the mouth

• Excess salivation

• Gingivitis

• Tremors

• Stomach and kidney troubles

• Mental symptoms include shyness, irritability, apathy and depression, psychosis, mental deterioration, and anorexia

Mercury toxicity precautions you can take:

• Stay away from amalgam (silver) fillings, look into a holistic dentist that practices mercury-free dentistry

• If you already have “silver” fillings, look into a mercury-free dentist who specializes in the safe removal of mercury amalgams

• Sit down with your doctor and discuss the use of vaccines, particularly the ones that contain thimerosal, a mercury preservative linked to autism, behavioral, and learning disorders in children

• Purchase thermometers without mercury to avoid toxic spills in the event of breakage

• Avoid eating bottom crawler seafood and deep-sea fish that contain high levels of mercury such as oysters, clams and lobster, tuna, mackerel and swordfish

Treatment and Prevention of Heavy Metal Toxicity

There are two important steps to take in the treatment of heavy metal toxicity in your body -- identifying the toxin and then removing it from your system.

One way to identify the metal(s) in your body is through chelation treatments, which involve using chelating drugs along with 24-hour urine collection that is later tested for metals. These tests are expensive and invasive. A better test that is simple and can give a lot of information about the levels of essential minerals as well as toxic metals in circulation in your blood is using Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis.

There are many ways of removing toxic metals from the body, but most of them involve expensive treatments where a doctor has to inject drugs or vitamins intravenously into your body via a drip. A lot of these drugs will also strip the good minerals from your body, something that is not recommended.

A simpler way is to take a few drops of a natural tincture a few times per day -- it simply goes into water or some juice. This is the beauty of using HMD.™

If you suspect heavy metals have already accumulated in your body from silver dental fillings, contaminated seafood and other foods, cosmetics, pollution, contaminated water and other sources it would be wise to disarm this potential “time-bomb” now before it potentially causes serious illness or death.

At Sixwise we highly recommend that you use HMD™ (Heavy Metal Detox), a natural oral formula that helps to effectively eliminate heavy metals from your body, without any side effects.

HMD™ is actually the ONLY chelator that has undergone a $1 million, three-year double-blind placebo-controlled research trials with several hundred people! During these three years over 25 different natural products and combinations were tried but the synergistic components of HMD™ were the only ones that worked for all metals tested. It presently has a worldwide patent-pending.

Dr. George John Georgiou -- HMD™ Inventor and worldwide Patent holder -- has 9 degrees and diplomas, including two doctorates and has been researching natural heavy metal chelators for a number of years, after he discovered that he became ill himself with mercury poisoning after replacing 12 amalgam fillings with composites.

After a number of years of searching, Dr. Georgiou discovered a unique synergistic formula comprising three natural components: Chlorella Growth Factor, Cilantro or the herb Coriandrum sativum and a homaccord of Chlorella. None of these natural products worked when tested individually, but when combined there was a “magic” synergy that eliminated a large number of toxic metals, including the ones mentioned here.

It is not only a very powerful chelator of toxic metals, but a very gentle one too. It has been tried and tested in many people worldwide, including children with autism, with no side effects when used at the correct dosage. It has therefore been dubbed “The Gentle Chelator.”

A great combination with HMD™ in reducing your risk of heavy metal toxicity is taking control of what you eat and creating an overall healthy lifestyle that reduces your exposure to heavy metals in the first place.

The following are healthy diet guidelines you can follow to achieve a toxin-free (or as close to it as possible) life.

• Add antioxidant-rich foods to your diet to build a wall against metal toxicity:

  • Vitamin C: Citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruit, tangerines)

  • Vitamin E: Sprouted nuts and seeds, fish oil

  • Beta carotene: Carrots, sweet potatoes, peaches, apricots

• Fill your diet with foods rich in zinc -- red meat, beans, and dairy products -- and magnesium -- broccoli, spinach, Swiss chard, and pumpkin seeds

• Eat a high-fiber diet by adding ground flax meal to promote regularity in your digestive functioning

• Incorporate foods that are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids--ground flax meal, wild-caught salmon, low-mercury fish, avocados, fish oil and sprouted walnuts

• Add fresh cilantro to your meals to help mobilize mercury and other neurotoxic metals

• Make your own healthy raw food recipes. The staff at Sixwise.com truly enjoys the recipes in Alive in 5: Raw Gourmet Meals in 5 Minutes to help keep their families eating healthy.

Acclaimed raw chef Angela Elliott shows how to whip up mouth-watering lasagna, spaghetti marinara, stuffed mushrooms, broccoli in cheese sauce, apple pie, decadent whipped cream and strawberries, chocolate shake, and more -- all in about five minutes, with easy-to-find ingredients and just a blender or food processor.

According to the EPA, children who eat healthy diets absorb less lead, so this may potentially hold true for other metals as well.

Of course, the key to avoiding heavy metals in your foods lies to some extent in choosing your food with care -- although toxins are so ubiquitous nowadays that it may be impossible to avoid them completely.

As it stands, the best way to ensure that the food you eat is as safe and healthy as possible is to educate yourself about potential contaminants -- and avoid those foods.

Eating organic produce, meats and other foods, or those you know have been grown locally with care, will also go a long way toward reducing your exposure to these toxins. If you don't have access to organic foods, you can reduce your exposure to one type of toxin, pesticides, by avoiding the most-contaminated produce listed in this article.

If you’re worried that you may already have accumulated metals in your body, certain supplements such as chlorella (a type of green algae) and green or red clay may help you to detoxify along with HMD.

Recommended Reading

How to Remove Toxins From Your Home and Other Natural Cleaning Tips

Are Metals in Food Harming Your Child’s Behavior?

Sources

Becomehealthynow.com

Diagnoseme.com

Life Extension

ScienceDaily April 10, 2007

Every year consumers across the world spend $230 billion on beauty products, with $40 billion of that going toward shampoo purchases. And in North America people are opening their wallets to spend nearly $11 billion on shampoo and conditioner products each year.

Shampoo manufacturers make many promises such as getting rid of greasy hair, giving hair shine, thickening it and overall making your hair more beautiful. But what the manufacturers aren’t going to tell you is that the ingredients and chemicals used to make some of these shampoos can be dangerous.

No Safety Testing?

Most of the chemicals that make up the ingredients in shampoos and other personal care products have never been tested or adequately assessed for safety by either the federal government or the manufacturers. The FDA is the regulator behind cosmetics, however there are no regulations, guidelines or mandatory testing required of these products nor does the FDA control what goes onto the market or beauty shelves.

“Companies are free to use almost any ingredient they choose in personal care products, with no proof of safety required. Consumers are not properly warned of possible dangers because of a “lack of standards and labeling loopholes,” said Jane Houlihan, director of research for the Environmental Working Group in a report on the dangers of cosmetics and personal care products to a House subcommittee.

Similar health concerns were raised from the results of a study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine on prolonged exposure to low levels of methylisothiazolinone, a common shampoo ingredient often added to shampoos to prevent bacteria growth. The results showed that methylisothiazolinone dramatically restrict the growth of neurons.

Checkout the Products in Your Bathroom(s) Before Your Next Store Checkout:

How Safe is Your Baby Shampoo?

Even shampoos meant for the most vulnerable among us, babies and children, may not be safe.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently targeted a contaminant and cancer-causing petrochemical called 1,4-dioxane that has been found in dozens of children’s bath products and adult personal care products in an amount exceeding twice the maximum FDA recommendation.

Although FDA recommendations state that products shouldn’t contain any more than 10 parts per million (ppm) of this contaminant, 15 percent of the products tested exceeded that amount.

A breakdown of the adult products showed that the following products had the highest 1,4-dioxane levels:

• Clairol Herbal Essences Rainforest Flowers Shampoo, 23 ppm

• Olay Complete Body Wash with Vitamins (normal skin), 23 ppm

Among the children's products, those with the most of this toxic contaminant were:

• Hello Kitty Bubble Bath (Kid Care), 12 ppm

• Johnson's Kids Shampoo Watermelon Explosion (Johnson & Johnson), 10 ppm

Further concern over the use of 1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde /newsletters/05/04/05/toxic-formaldehyde-lurking-in-all-these-secret-household-locations.htm, a skin, eye and respiratory irritant, was raised by environmental and consumer groups, which requested the removal of these chemicals from Johnson & Johnson Baby shampoo and other products.

"There's really no excuse for a baby shampoo marketed as the No. 1 choice of hospitals to contain chemicals suspected of causing cancer," Lisa Archer, the campaign's national coordinator, told The Associated Press in an interview.

Toxic Cancer-Causing Carcinogens Found in Children’s Bath Products

Laboratory tests on Johnson’s baby shampoo revealed that it contained 210 parts per million of formaldehyde. About two dozen other products, out of 48 tested, had similar or higher levels.

Example Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo (as listed on cosmeticsdatabase.com):

Ingredients in this product are linked to:

• Cancer
• Developmental/reproductive toxicity
• Violations, restrictions & warnings
• Allergies/immunotoxicity
• Other concerns for ingredients used in this product:
  Neurotoxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Miscellaneous, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Enhanced skin absorption, Contamination concerns, Occupational hazards

Ingredients from packaging: WATER, PEG-80 SORBITAN LAURATE, COCAMIDOPROPYL BETAINE, SODIUM TRIDECETH SULFATE, GLYCERIN, LAUROAMPHOGLYCINATE, PEG-150 DISTEARATE, SODIUM LAURETH-13 CARBOXYLATE, FRAGRANCE, POLYQUATERNIUM-10, TETRASODIUM EDTA, QUATERNIUM-15, CITRIC ACID, D&C YELLOW 10, D&C ORANGE 4.

Directions from packaging: Wet hair, apply shampoo, lather, and rinse,Repeat.

Warnings from packaging: Keep out of reach of young children.

Organic Products Found to Contain Carcinogen

Going Organic Isn’t Always a Fool-Proof Way to Avoid Chemicals

Are your organic shampoos any safer than the conventional varieties? Not necessarily.

The industry for organic products doesn’t fall under any regulations so use caution when purchasing these products. Studies have shown that several major cosmetic companies are engaging in the widespread practice of using floral waters, hydrosols and other organic “infusions” to artificially inflate the “organic” content of their products.

When shopping for organic shampoos there are specific ingredients that shouldn’t be on the shampoo label. These are:

• Grapefruit Seed Extract – Referred to as a “natural” preservative, studies have shown it is anything but. It derives its antimicrobial properties not from grapefruit seed, but from toxic chemicals, primarily benzethonium chloride, and to a lesser extent from triclosan and parabens.

• Cocamidopropyl Betaine – Just because it is derived from coconuts doesn’t make this a natural ingredient. It is a skin sensitizer made of highly processed synthetic chemicals. It is toxic to the immune system and can cause dermatitis and other allergic reactions.

• Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein – Anytime you see something that is hydrolyzed there is a hidden source of MSG that is absorbed into your bloodstream when it comes in contact with your skin.

• PEG – Studies have shown that any ingredient that contains PEG in its name can be contaminated with the cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane.

The Most Toxic Adult and Baby Shampoos

The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database, designed to keep you informed of toxic chemicals in consumer products, listed some of the worst offenders among adult and baby shampoos:

Adult Shampoo

1. Halo Hydrating Shampoo
2. Michael Kors for Men Body Shampoo
3. Bumble & Bumble Curl Conscious Shampoo, Nordic Angel
4. Bumble & Bumble Curl Conscious Shampoo, Wild Child
5. L'Oréal Kid's 2 in 1 Shampoo, Extra Gentle, Burst of Fruity Apricot

Baby Shampoo

1. Johnson & Johnson Johnson's Soothing Naturals Gift Set
2. Mustela Bebe Baby Shampoo
3. Mustela Bebe Foam Shampoo for Newborns
4. Baby Magic Hair & Body Wash with Vitamins
5. Baby Magic Gentle Hair & Body Wash

Check Your Shampoo and Soap Labels Today

Get “Deliciously Clean” With Food Grade USDA Organics Vermont Soaps Bath/Shower Gels All Natural, No Chemicals USDA Certified Organic Mild, Rich with Lots of Foamy Lather All Natural- leaves you squeaky clean and smelling great!! All natural ingredients Healthy, non-toxic alternative Detergent Free Contains no SLS or DEA Absolutely NO artificial colors, fragrances and preservatives Available in convenient 8oz or Economical, Money Saving Gallon Size! Order Vermont Soap Organics Bath/Shower Gels Now!

It’s important to take stock of your shampoo inventory by going to your bathroom and taking a close look at the ingredients on your shampoo bottles. Below are the top 10 dangerous chemicals found in many shampoos, released from a study conducted by the EPA:

10 Toxic Chemicals to AVOID in Your Shampoo and Personal Care Products

1. COCOAMIDE DEA (diethylalomine) TEA, MEA,-- detergent in most shampoos, moisturizers and more Studies also show that DEAs (including cocamide DEA) directly inhibits fetal brain development in laboratory studies by blocking the absorption of choline, a nutrient required for brain development and maintenance.

2. PROPYLENE GLYCOL -- industrial antifreeze -- in deodorant, shampoos, shaving gels, and moisturizers

3. SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE-AND FLUORIDE garage floor cleansers, detergents -- in shampoos and toothpastes

4. BENZALDEHYDE (in: perfume, cologne, hairspray, laundry bleach, deodorants, detergent, Vaseline lotion, shaving cream, shampoo, bar soap, dishwasher detergent)

   • Narcotic

   • Sensitizer

   • Local anesthetic

   • CNS depressant

   • Irritates the mouth, throat, eyes, skin, lungs and GI tract

   • Causes nausea and abdominal pain

   • May cause kidney damage

5. BENZYL ACETATE (in: perfume, cologne, shampoo, fabric softener, stickup air freshener, dishwashing liquid and detergent, soap, hairspray, bleach, after shave, deodorants)

   • Carcinogenic

   • Linked to pancreatic cancer

   • Can be absorbed through the skin causing systemic effects

6. BENZYL ALCOHOL (in: perfume, cologne, soap, shampoo, nail enamel remover, air freshener, laundry bleach and detergent, vaseline lotion, deodorants, fabric softener)

   • Irritates the upper respiratory tract

   • Causes headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and drop in blood pressure

   • CNS depression

   • Death in severe cases from respiratory failure

7. ETHANOL (in: perfume, hairspray, shampoo, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid and detergent, laundry detergent, shaving cream, soap, vaseline lotion, air fresheners, nail color and remover, paint and varnish remover)

   • Is on the EPA Hazardous Waste list

   • Irritates the eyes and upper respiratory tract

   • Causes initial stimulatory effect followed by drowsiness, impaired vision and ataxia

   • Causes central nervous system disorder

8. ETHYL ACETATE (in: after shave, cologne, perfume, shampoo, nail color, nail enamel remover, fabric softener, dishwashing liquid)

   • Is on the EPA Hazardous Waste List

   • Narcotic

   • Irritates the eyes and respiratory tract

   • May cause headache and narcosis

   • May cause anemia with leukocytosis and damage to the liver and kidneys

9. LINALOOL (in: perfume, cologne, bar soap, shampoo, hand lotion, nail enamel remover, hairspray, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, vaseline lotion, air fresheners, bleach powder, fabric softener, shaving cream, after shave, solid deodorant)

   • Narcotic

   • Causes respiratory disturbances in some cases leading to death

   • Causes central nervous system disorder

10. METHYLENE CHLORIDE (in: shampoo, cologne, paint and varnish remover)

    • Banned by the FDA in 1988

    • Is on the EPA Hazardous Waste list

    • Carcinogenic

    • Causes headaches, irritability, fatigue and tingling in the limbs

    • Causes central nervous system disorder

We Use and Recommend Two All Natural Shower and Bath Products:

Vermont Soap USDA Organics

Vermont Soap (tested as being food grade) USDA Organics were created and do provide high quality, natural nurturing personal care products -- nurturing for you and the environment.

Seeking an alternative to commercial formulas, Vermont Soap began working with saponified (soap based) foaming concentrates, creating their own natural Aloe Castile Liquid Soap formula.

Their Castile Bath and Shower Gel is a blend of the unique Aloe Castile liquid soap along with a special extract of vegetable gum in glycerin. This process adds extra emollients to create a shower gel that is a natural, organic, rich alternative to many of the artificial, synthesized commercial formulas on the market today.

Their all natural bath and shower gels are available in five deliciously soothing all natural scents, which will leave your skin feeling soft, moisturized, clean and refreshed. We recommend trying all five:

Unscented: Saponified Organic Oils of Coconut, Olive & Jojoba, Vegetable Gum / Glycerin Extract, Organic Aloe Vera, Rosemary Extract

Sweet Orange: Saponified Organic Oils of Coconut, Olive & Jojoba, Sweet Orange Essential Oil Blend with Organic Orange Oil, Vegetable Gum / Glycerin Extract, Organic Aloe Vera, Rosemary Extract

Country Lavender: Saponified Organic Oils of Coconut, Olive & Jojoba, Natural Lavender Essential Oil Blend, Organic Lavender Oil, Vegetable Gum / Glycerin Extract, Organic Aloe Vera, Rosemary Extract

Peppermint Magic: Saponified Organic Oils of Coconut, Olive & Jojoba, Peppermint Essential Oil Blend, Vegetable Gum / Glycerin Extract, Organic Aloe Vera, Rosemary Extract

Tea Tree: Saponified Organic Oils of Coconut, Olive & Jojoba, Tea Tree Essential Oil, Vegetable Gum / Glycerin Extract, Organic Aloe Vera, Rosemary Extract

White Grapefruit: Saponified Organic Oils of Coconut, Olive and Jojoba, White Grapefruit Essential Oil, Vegetable Gum/Glycerin Extract, Organic Aloe Vera, Rosemary Extract

Enviro-Rite Hair-Body Wash

Enviro-Rite Hair-Body Wash is a non-irritating, soy-based personal cleansing product suitable for use on both body and hair. Soy -- nature's versatile, renewable harvest -- is the cream of the crop among cleansers, natural or otherwise.

Hair-Body Wash cleans beautifully, gently and is a wonderful all natural moisturizer!

Reasons to Choose Hair-Body Wash:

• Free of petroleum-based ingredients, fragrances, dyes and other common triggers for respiratory or skin irritations.

• Designed by and for people with allergies, asthma and chemical sensitivities.

• Very economical -- dual use for both hair and body!

• Gives extra body to fine hair

• Makes a great bubble bath

• So gentle -- it's great for children too!

• Earth friendly -- safe to take camping, non-toxic, breaks down safely and rapidly.

• No animals were used in the testing of this product.

• Available in both convenient 16oz or Economical, Money Saving Gallon Size!

We take baths and wash our hair to get dirt and chemicals off -- so why would you clean yourself with more potentially toxic chemicals? EnviroRite doesn't use harmful perfumes or dyes in their personal care products, so you can enjoy your bath or shower without having to worry about irritating chemicals and fragrances. Plus, Further, Hair-Body Wash will rinse completely, leaving nothing behind!

Don't buy into the misconception that earth-friendly, and user-safe means less effective products at double the price of national brands. When first introduced, alternative products were not as effective as their petrochemical counterparts. But many years have passed, and health conscious companies like EnviroRite have done their homework -- independently testing their products to ensure that they are not only user safe and environmentally responsible -- but just as effective without the dangerous chemicals!

Learn More and Order Enviro-Rite Hair-Body Wash Now!

Recommended Reading

The Most Toxic Soaps and Shampoos Well Worth Avoiding

All Soap is Not Created Equal: The Health and Beauty Benefits of Natural Vs. Synthetic Soap

Sources

Environmental Working Group May 26, 2009

Environmental Health Network

Green Tot

Environmental Working Group February 21, 2007

Environmental Working Group November 21, 2003

Environmental Working Group December 26, 2004

Self-Growth.com

Environmental Protection Agency

Salon.com August 13, 2009

Skin Deep Database

Who can forget Lucy’s reaction when Snoopy gives her a big, wet smack on the lips?

“I’ve been kissed by a dog! I have dog germs! Get hot water, get some disinfectant, get some iodine!”

Lucy, it seems, is in the minority … as far as pet lovers go, anyway. A poll by PDSA, the UK's leading veterinary charity, found two-thirds of dog owners kiss their pets. Another survey, this one commissioned by Del Monte Food and involving 1,000 dog owners, found that 32 percent smooch their pooch!

Still other surveys have found that more than half of pet owners let their pets lick their face, and wouldn’t have it any other way.

And when it comes to their pet being in danger, 58 percent of pet owners said they’d be willing to go “mouth to muzzle” and give their cat or dog CPR in an emergency. In fact, the recent Associated Press-Petside.com poll found that 63 percent of dog owners and 53 percent of cat owners said they’d be at least somewhat likely to perform CPR on their pets.

For those of you who fall into the growing group of pet owners who happily take a lick on the face or plant a smooch on your pooch … should you be worried? Should we all really be following Lucy’s lead and, instead of nuzzling up to our furry friends be running for the disinfectant?

Are Canine Kisses Safe?

It’s a question many pet lovers scoff at, but the truth is it is possible to get germs from your pet, and vice versa.

Recent research by Dr. Richard Oehler and colleagues at the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa found that dogs and cats can transmit the drug-resistant bacteria known as MRSA along with at least 30 other potentially disease-causing organisms.

"Pet owners are often unaware of the potential for transmission of life-threatening pathogens from their canine and feline companions," the researchers told ABC News.

In most cases, however, the researchers pointed out that transferring germs just from routine contact is relatively rare. Instead, most bugs are transmitted by bites or scratches.

About 20 percent of dog and cat bites can result in serious infection, with hands being the body part most likely to develop infections; up to 40 percent of dog bites to the hands become infected.

Licks to Your Face May Not be So Bad After All

A separate study by Dr. Kate Stenske, a clinical assistant professor at K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine, also found that regular bonding behaviors between pets and their owners are not a significant cause for concern.

"I became interested in the topic because there is such a strong bond between dogs and their owners," Stenske said. "If you look at one study, 84 percent of people say their dog is like a child to them."

Close to half of dog owners share food with their dogs, and more than half sleep with their dogs in their bed and let their dogs lick them on the face, Stenske said.

"We also know diseases can be shared between dogs and people," Stenske said in a K-State press release. "About 75 percent of emerging diseases are zoonotic, meaning they are transferable between humans and other animals. With these two pieces of knowledge, I wanted to examine the public health aspects of such activities."

So Stenske studied fecal samples from dogs and owners, checking for E. coli strains. She found that 10 percent of dogs and their owners shared the same E. coli strains.

What does this mean?

Bonding behaviors like sharing the bed or allowing licks on your face were not likely to increase shared E. coli. However, Stenske did find an association between antibiotic-resistant E. coli and owners who didn’t wash their hands after petting their dogs or before cooking meals.

Before Your Pooch Puckers Up, Freshen Up with Bluto’s Yummy Gum 5354…jpg This all-natural blend is exceptional for pet oral hygiene, bad breath and periodontal disease. Bluto's Yummy Gum contains hydrosols of peppermint and helichrysum, combined with anti-inflammatory (thyme linelol) and antibacterial (niaouli) ingredients to provide an effective and natural oral hygiene treatment. This is one of the most effective and natural oral treatments to keep your dog's gums healthy and breath fresh! It even comes with a pop-up brush, making it an all-in-one oral hygiene system for your dog. Learn More and Order Bluto’s Yummy Gum

Can the Kisses Continue?

The research is fairly unanimous that petting and bonding with your pets is not likely to cause illness, as long as you’re healthy. Still, practicing good hygiene by keeping your pet clean and healthy is important.

Sixwise.com highly recommends using only gentle and natural pet shampoos on your dog, and one of our favorites is Aromadog Healthy Shine Herbal Dog Shampoo. Aromadog Healthy Shine Shampoo has a completely herbal base with absolutely NO chemical additives, and is made of essential oils to clean and encourage the healthy growth of your dog's coat.

For a treat, you can also try Derma Pooch Spa Therapy Bar. It’s a luxurious soap that soothes itchy, flaky skin and enriches dry fur, leaving a soft, silky, shiny coat and light scent. Derma Pooch Spa Therapy bar soap is also all natural, using only the finest blend of ingredients.

And before you pucker up, we highly recommend giving your pooch a quick brush with Bluto’s Yummy Gum -- one of the most effective and natural oral treatments to keep your dog's gums healthy and breath fresh.

Finally, washing your hands after interacting with your pet -- especially before eating, cooking or handling food -- is a good common sense approach to follow.

Recommended Reading

What’s Really in Your Dog’s Food? Top Reasons Why Your Pet’s Food Could be Slowly Killing Him

Seven Top Autumn Safety Tips for Dogs and Cats

Sources

American Journal of Veterinary Research, November 2009;70(11):1401-6.

Lancet Infectious Diseases, July 2009;9(7):439-47.

K-State Media Relations January 27, 2009

Yahoo News October 21, 2009

ABC News June 22, 2009

K-State Bites July 10, 2009

Del Monte Foods October 13, 2005

Thank goodness for church ladies with computers and publishing software! These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.

The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on Water.' The sermon tonight:
'Searching for Jesus.'

Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8 p.m. in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.

Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.

The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.

Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.

Don't let worry kill you off -- let the Church help.

Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing: 'Break Forth Into Joy.'

Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice.

Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.

The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.

Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM -- prayer and medication to follow.

The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.

This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 a.m. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. is done.

The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.

Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.

The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 p.m. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan: ''I Upped My Pledge -- Up Yours'

Bonus: A charming and talented older couple ... even if you've seen them perform before, it’s definitely worth seeing again:

Recommended Reading

Hilarious New Art Form: Scenes of Chaos and Joy by “Improv Everywhere”

What is Your Mental Age? Take This Quick Test to Find Out!

What the FDA, EPA, and Big Corporations
DON’T Want You to Know!
by www.SixWise.com

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a widely used industrial chemical that has been directly “linked” to reproductive abnormalities and an increased risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes and heart disease.

More than 100 peer-reviewed studies have found BPA is toxic even at low doses, yet it continues to be used in:

• Plastic water bottles

• Plastic gallon milk bottles

• Plastic microwavable plates, ovenware, and utensils

• Tooth sealants

• Glasses

• Baby toys, bottles, pacifiers, and sippy cups

• WARNING: If plastic container does not state “made with LDPE (low density polyethylene) plastic”, which is BPA-free… it likely has BPA.

But there is another source of BPA that is very commonly used, yet not associated with the “plastic” products common to BPA: Canned foods and beverages also often contain BPA, as most have a plastic lining inside the can.

New Research Finds BPA in Canned Foods, Soups, Juices and More

Consumer reports tested for BPA in a variety of canned and non-canned products such as soup, vegetables, tuna, infant formula and more, from 19 brand names such as Campbell’s, Chef Boyardee, Del Monte, Nestle, and Progresso.

Their tests found BPA in almost all of the foods, ranging from trace levels to 191 parts per billion. Specifically:

• The highest levels of BPA were found in canned green beans and canned soup.

• Consumers eating just one serving of the canned vegetable soup Consumer Reports tested would get about double what the FDA considers typical average dietary daily exposure.

• A 165-poud adult who eats one serving of canned green beans from Consumer Reports’ sample (which had an average of 123.5 ppb), could ingest about 0.2 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight per day, which is about 80 times higher than their experts' recommended daily upper limit.

• Children eating multiple servings per day of canned foods with BPA levels similar to those tested would ingest BPA levels close to those that have caused adverse effects in animal studies.

Further, organic brands tested did not always have lower BPA levels than non-organic brands, and BPA was even found in some canned foods labeled “BPA-free.”

How Bisphenol-A (BPA) Is Contaminating Your Food

Two-Year Old Study Also Raised Serious Concerns About BPA in Canned Foods

A 2007 study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found some concerning findings about BPA in canned foods … findings that are now being echoed two years later.

The group contracted a national analytic laboratory to test 97 cans of food purchased at three major chain supermarkets in the United States. Thirty brands of food were tested, including varieties such as soda, canned tuna, peaches, pineapples, green beans, corn, infant formula and tomato and chicken noodle soups. What did they find?

• One in 10 cans of food tested -- and one in three cans of infant formula -- contained enough BPA in a single serving to expose a woman or infant to BPA levels more than 200 times the government's traditional safe level of exposure for industrial chemicals.

• Among the worst foods tested -- chicken soup, infant formula and ravioli -- just one to three servings of the food contained levels of BPA that caused serious adverse effects in animal tests.

“The bulk of BPA exposure definitely comes from food," says Jovana Ruzicic, a spokesperson for the Environmental Working Group.

The FDA estimates that 17 percent of the U.S. diet is composed of canned foods, yet there are currently no government safety standards limiting the amount of BPA in canned food.

Deceptions by Corporations, US Gov’t and Tens of Millions in Tax Dollars
Studies of Bisphenol-A: Food Containers, Effects on Humans, Gov't Regs

As a matter of fact, the last time the FDA examined BPA exposures from food at all was in 1996, but no safety standard was set at that time.

Currently, federal guidelines based on decades-old research put the daily upper limit of safe exposure at 50 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight. However, this level has not been updated to reflect the new research that’s come out in recent years, showing adverse health effects from BPA even at low levels.

Is There a “Safe Level” of BPA?

Given the numerous health concerns that have been linked to BPA, and its widespread presence in the United States (more than 90 percent of the U.S. population has detectable levels of BPA in their blood), many are asking, what is a safe level?

According to Consumer Reports, animal studies have shown abnormal reproductive development and other adverse effects at exposures of 2.4 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight per day. Consumer Reports writes:

“[Based on these findings,] our food-safety scientists recommend limiting daily exposure to one-thousandth of that level, or 0.0024 micrograms per kilogram of body weight, following established practices to ensure an adequate margin of safety.”

National Geographic obviously appalled by FDA due to dismissing BPA - Bisphenol A Dangers (Studies, report micro levels, warns “30 parts per trillion”)

As it stands, the FDA’s special scientific advisory panel reported last year that current FDA safety standards for BPA are inadequate and a congressional subcommittee determined in 2009 that the FDA has relied too heavily on studies sponsored by the American Plastics Council (BPA is a building block of plastics).

Duke University Research: BPA – Bisphenol-A Study on Mice (More Proof)

"The FDA's reliance on industry studies in determining BPA's safety must be re-evaluated in light of clear signs industry is willing to mislead the American people on this public-health issue," said Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, on ConsumerReports.org.

Currently, there are bills pending in Congress that would ban the use of BPA in all food and beverage containers.

How to Reduce Your Reliance on Canned Foods

If you choose to limit canned foods in your diet because of the potential of toxic BPA, there are many other options. The top tips include:

• Choose fresh produce that's locally grown. This way the produce is just-picked and the nutrients are still at their peak.

If you’re not used to fresh produce, the one downside is that it can spoil before you get a chance to use it.

To keep your produce fresher, longer, simply put a MiniMate Refrigerator Unit in your fridge (it keeps food fresh for three to four times longer than normal, and even helps break down pesticides and herbicides on produce!).

The MiniMate deodorizes (replacing the backing soda boxes in the fridge), plus more importantly it also kills potentially dangerous food-born bacteria.

Using FDA-approved technology, the Minimate can eliminate most of the germs or mold that may be living on your foods without harming the food or leaving behind any residue.

This is important as these molds and bacteria can make you and your family sick, and they can also spoil food before you have a chance to eat it. This is especially true with organic foods, since there are no preservatives to help ward off the germs. So the MiniMate not only keeps your food safer and healthier, it also saves you money by cutting down on the amount of food you have to throw out and replace.

The MiniMate Refrigerator Unit is an essential gadget for anyone who is trying to eat fresher and avoid the BPA in many food packages (both plastic and canned). It also makes a perfect gift for the holidays and is one of our top recommended healthiest gifts under $50!

• Choose glass instead of cans. Many popular canned foods, such as soup, beans, soda and more, are available in glass jars or bottles.

• Choose frozen veggies instead of canned varieties. They're just as convenient, without the plastic tin-can linings.

A Simple Tip to Drastically Reduce Your BPA Exposure

WARNINGS!
Plastic containing BPA may be called:

• Polycarbonate

• Lexan

• Polysulfone

Plastic that contains BPA carries the #7 recycling symbol, as well, so you can cut down on your exposure by avoiding plastic that is made from these materials or contains the #7 recycling symbol.

If you currently rely on bottled water to get you through the day, you can replace expensive and unhealthy bottled water with a safer, and many times less expensive solution by getting high-quality filtered water right in your own kitchen!

You can get the best of both worlds -- clean water and save money -- when you use a high-quality Wellness Water Kitchen Filter for your home.

The Wellness Kitchen Water Filter reduces Chlorine, Chloramines, Cysts, VOCs, pesticides, and herbicides -- including DEET -- below detectable levels for the life of the filter.

The Wellness Kitchen combines the best filtration and enhancement technologies to deliver the purest and most natural tasting water available. It effectively reduces harmful contaminants, while at the same time enhancing the water with adding important yet delicate wellness "ions and minerals" that your body needs.

So instead of buying bottled water, you can get superior water in your own kitchen. To take it on the go, simply fill up a glass bottle of your own and you're set with clean water -- without having to worry about BPA.

Also consider trying the Wellness H2.0, a personal reusable water bottle that is BPA-free -- and contains its own built-in filter! The Wellness H2.0 features a unique filtration system that not only purifies ordinary tap water, but also enhances the water for better absorption and hydration.

Even More Essential Tips to Minimize Your BPA Exposure …

1. Bottle your own water (in glass or BPA-free plastic) from a Wellness Kitchen Filtration System.

2. Buy your own Wellness H2.0, a personal reusable water bottle made of HDPE (high density polyethylene) plastic, which is BPA-free! It contains its own built-in filter!

3. Purchase glass baby bottles instead of plastic.

4. Buy milk and juice in glass containers (NOT plastic).

5. Use baby bottles and sippy cups made of polyethylene plastic (#1, #2, #4 recycling symbols) or polypropylene (#5) (these are usually colored, not clear)

6. Replace plastic food and drink containers and utensils with glass, ceramic or metal varieties.

7. Avoid using canned foods (as they mostly have plastic linings) or foods wrapped in plastic.

8. Avoid soda cans (as they mostly have plastic lining). If you drink soda, choose the glass bottles instead.

9. Avoid letting children put plastic toys in their mouths, or give them natural fabric toys instead of plastic ones.

10. Be careful with BPA-containing plastics, if you choose to use them. This means not exposing them to heat (microwave, dishwasher) or harsh detergents (bleach, etc.), throwing them away if they're scratched or worn, and not letting food or beverages sit in the containers for too long -- all of which increases the amount of BPA that may leach into your food.

11. Dental sealant may leach BPA. Although this is being debated, you may want to avoid dental sealants on your children's baby teeth, or ask your dentist if the sealant is BPA-free.

Can You Remove BPA From Your Body?

At present there is no natural product or drug that has shown to eliminate bisphenol-A and phthalates from the body. However, Dr. Georgiou, who is the inventor of HMD,™ the natural heavy metal chelator that we have mentioned in previous newsletters, has been doing pilot studies and says:

“We have been researching the effectivness of HMD in chelating xenobiotics such as bisphenol-A and phthalates as we were seeing women with irregular periods for years regulating while using HMD.

Even though heavy metals can play a role in hormonal imbalances, we identified that is very possible that HMD is also chelating these xeno-oestrogens (hormone mimicking molecules) such as BPA and other chemicals from plastics and cosmetics.

When we ran small pilot studies we indeed found that this was the case and are now seeking funding to pursue this avenue of research with a larger sample of people.”

If you are really concerned about the effects of all these chemicals, then you should not hesitate to take HMD, which will certainly get rid of a variety of toxic metals and possibly other xenobiotics as well. Use it with all the family – it is considered a gentle and natural chelator that can be used by all.

Complete Dosage Recommendations are found in prior SixWise article: Gardasil Controversy: Is the HPV Vaccine Safe … or Effective?

Another potentially helpful option to rid your body of BPA is using AbsorbAid® digestive enzymes, especially the Platinum Formula.

This may afford protection by increasing the amount of vital nutrients, including antioxidants and friendly bacteria, that your body would normally derive from foods.

By having adequate enzymes and nutrients readily available, your organs and bodily systems (especially the pancreas, liver, kidneys and intestines) will be less stressed, allowing for more adequate detoxification to occur.

The human body continually attempts to detoxify itself; however, due to overtaxed systems from malnourishment due to poor nutrient absorption (lack of essential enzymes and intake of valuable nutrients), poor quality air, water and general stress, the average American is overloaded with toxins.

AbsorbAid® Platinum may make your system more able to detoxify itself from many types of toxins, including BPA.

Recommended Reading

Why is BPA -- a Known Toxin -- Still Allowed in Your Plastic Bottles and Food Containers?

Are Canned Foods Safe? What are Their Potential Risks and Healthier Options Instead?

Sources

Consumer Reports Magazine December 2009

Environmental Working Group March 5, 2007

A stuffy nose, sinus pressure, chills and sweats, aches and pains … nobody likes getting sick, but as we head into winter in the United States it’s prime time for colds, flu and other nasty viruses to go around.

Is there anything you can do to help stave off germs and stay healthy all winter long?

Fortunately, yes. The tips that follow will help you to avoid getting sick so you can enjoy the holiday season and the New Year feeling at the top of your game!

1. Drink Plenty of Fresh, Pure Water

Water is crucial for survival -- it's the base of all your body fluids, like blood and digestive juices, it helps nutrients from your food get absorbed and be transported, and it helps eliminate waste. Even becoming mildly dehydrated (when you lose as little as 1 percent to 2 percent of your body weight) can seriously impact your body's ability to function.

If you're thirsty now, you're already mildly dehydrated. That's because, contrary to popular belief, thirst is not a reliable indicator of proper hydration. Ideally, you should drink enough water so that you don't become thirsty, not wait until you're feeling parched and then drink enough water to quench your thirst.

A word of caution: not all water is good for you. Tap water can be potentially contaminated with chemicals, pesticides or even pharmaceutical drugs. And bottled water, which is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has weaker regulations than the Environmental Protection Agency requires for tap water.

Plus, the bottles themselves often contain bisphenol-A (BPA), a chemical that mimics the female hormone estrogen, impacting fertility, reproductive health and potentially promoting cancer, heart disease, diabetes and liver problems.

To put your mind at ease and get safe, superior quality water that will promote your health rather than harm it, Sixwise.com highly recommends The Wellness Kitchen Water Filter. It reduces chlorine, chloramines, cysts, VOCs, pesticides, and herbicides below detectable levels for the life of the filter.

The Wellness Kitchen combines the best filtration and enhancement technologies to deliver the purest and most natural tasting water available. It effectively reduces harmful contaminants, while at the same time enhancing the water with adding important yet delicate wellness "ions and minerals" that your body needs to stay healthy.

2. Eat Healthy, Fresh Foods

A healthy diet can play a role in your immune system’s ability to fight of illness.

"Nutrition plays an important part in maintaining immune function," explains George L. Blackburn, M.D., Ph.D., associate director of the division of nutrition at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, on CNN.com. "Insufficiency in one or more essential nutrients may prevent the immune system from functioning at its peak."

A balanced diet is key, focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy protein sources like lean meat, seafood, eggs and beans, and good fats, including omega-3 and monounsaturated like olive oil.

Flavonoids, a type of antioxidant that's especially concentrated in fruits and vegetables, may also boost your immune system, so be sure you’re eating plenty of these.

Want to boost the flavonoids in your diet? Eat more raw food. Alive in 5: Raw Gourmet Meals in Five Minutes has all the simple, and great-tasting, recipes you need.

3. Maximize Your Nutrient Absorption and Immune System Health With a Digestive Enzyme

Digestive enzymes are what allow your food to be broken down, and the nutrients absorbed by your bloodstream, however if you eat a mostly processed, cooked food diet you may be lacking in these crucial catalysts to nutrient absorption.

So if your diet consists primarily of cooked foods it’s important to take an enzyme supplement. There are numerous enzyme supplements available on the market to help increase your levels, but Sixiwse.com highly recommends the plant-based, acid-resistant digestive enzyme formulation, AbsorbAid Platinum from Nature’s Sources.

This vegetable-based digestive enzyme system combines its effective ratio of proteases, amylases, lipases and cellulases with two "acid-tolerant" bacteria or a probiotic combination, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum.

This product addresses not only the digestive enzyme system deficiencies recognized in most adults, but it combines two effectively beneficial bacterial strains that are metabolically complementary and help create a symbiosis with the digestive enzyme system complex and helps promote immune system excellence.

Remember that your digestive enzyme production drops with age; it also declines greatly during times of stress such as when you are too cold, too warm, too tired, ill, recovering from injuries, or suffering from life’s pressures physically, mentally or emotionally, making a high-quality digestive enzyme important for nearly everyone!

4. Optimize Your Levels of Good Bacteria With Probiotics

New research published in the journal Pediatrics has shown that probiotics may be useful for preventing cold and flu viruses.

Your key defense against viruses like colds and flu is your immune system -- and 70 percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system. This means that if your gut is overrun with bad bacteria, there’s a good chance your immune system will not be functioning at its best.

"Introducing friendly bacteria into the digestive system improves how we absorb vitamins, nutrients and co-factors, so overall, immunity is boosted," Dr. Tasneem Bhatia, medical director of the Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine, told ABC News.

In choosing a probiotic supplement for yourself, Sixwise.com highly recommends Nature’s Sources AbsorbAid Probiotic -- a superlative probiotic supplement that provides clinical activities supporting systemic health and wellness through immune-system protection, allergy reduction and effective and enhanced nutrient absorption.

AbsorbAid Probiotic has 30 billion organisms per capsule, with two clinically effective and dominant genera Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus: L. acidophilus and L. salivarius in a 2:1 ratio and B. lactis and B. breve, also in a 2:1 ratio. Each bacterial genus-species has its own specific metabolic activities, which lead to their effective inter-species synergism.

Further, this proprietary probiotic blend contains a strain that survives with or without oxygen, unlike others -- one that doubles its population every 20 minutes so you need less of it, and one that binds to the intestinal mucosa to help reduce pathogenic bacteria.

5. Cleanse Your Nasal Passages With Nasal Irrigation

Nasal cleansing, also known as nasal irrigation, involves using a neti pot to pour a lukewarm saline solution (pure water mixed with natural salt) inside one side of your nostril while tilting your head sideways so the water runs out of your other nostril.

It’s quick, easy and soothing (not painful in any way) as it opens up your sinuses as it softly flushes out much of any sinus congestion.

Dr. Mehmet Oz recommends regular use of a neti pot to flush your sinuses. He says:

“Regular use of a Neti pot can keep sinuses and passages clear.”

And according to Susan Smith Jones, PhD, in her article “The Healing Poser of Neti -- Nasal Cleansing”:

“Dr. Andrew Weil, among others, is a strong proponent of nasal cleansing on a regular basis. Research and articles have appeared in a number of professional journals such as the Academy of Otolaryngology. Also, research conducted at the Harvard Medical School shows that nasal cleansing can aid in various chronic and acute conditions, including allergic rhinitis and acute sinusitis.

Doctors and alternative health practitioners around the world recommend the regular practice of nasal cleansing using a saline solution as part of a regular regimen of health and well being.”

Nasal cleansing using a well-designed Neti pot can help you:

• Clear your nasal passages

• Remove excess mucus

• Reduce dust and pollen by cleansing nasal passages

• Relieve nasal dryness

There are many Neti pots on the market, however Sixwise.com highly recommends Ancient Secrets Nasal Cleansing Pot. It is made from sturdy, lead-free ceramic and coated with a food-grade sealant. Its unique design also makes it very easy and effective to use, plus it’s dishwasher safe.

Ancient Secrets Neti pot has a truly advanced design with easy-grip handle and better nozzle seal. It’s also balanced for ease of use with a concave grip for more assured control, and a better water chamber for less mess and easier cleaning.

Ancient Secrets Neti Pot is also available in a plastic travel model crafted from sturdy food-grade HDPE lead-free plastic. We highly recommend using the ceramic Neti pot at home and taking the plastic version along with you when you travel.

Right now, for a very limited time, we’re able to offer Ancient Secrets Neti Pot and Cleansing Salts at a reduced price, just in time for the winter.

“Very Reduced Prices” -- Ancient Secrets Limited to Flu Season Offer:
(for your ease to compare prices, just click each: Bed Bath & Beyond link below)

	Nasal Cleansing Ceramic (Neti) Pot
	Retail (Bed Bath & Beyond)	$19.99
	Our Special until Dec	$15.00
(25% Savings)
	Nasal Cleansing Travel Plastic (Neti) Pot
	Retail (Bed Bath & Beyond)	$14.99
	Our Special until Dec	$12.00
(25% Savings)
	Combo Savings Nasal Cleansing Ceramic & Travel (Neti) Pots
	Retail (Bed Bath & Beyond)	$34.98
	Our Special until Dec	$25.00
(35% Savings)
	Ancient Secrets Salt Packets 40 per Box Includes 40 pre-measured packets containing .07 ounces each.
	Retail (Bed Bath & Beyond)	$5.95
	Our Special until Dec	$5.00
(20% Savings)
	Nasal Cleansing Salt 8 oz Bag
	Retail Price	$3.00
	Our Special until Dec	$2.00
(30% Savings)

6. Use Antimicrobial Hand Wipes to Keep Your Hands Germ-Free

Considering that Americans touch about 300 different surfaces every 30 minutes, it's pretty much impossible to avoid all germs. However, there are ways to dramatically reduce your risk of spreading, and getting sick from, these pesky invaders.

The best continuous alternative to soap and water (before and after you wash your hands) -- ideal for use when you can't get to a sink or have been washing your hands to the point they are getting dry and cracked -- are exclusive PerfectCLEAN Wipers: Terry Cloths and Super Silks.

PerfectCLEAN Wipers: Terry Cloths and Super Silks are made to meet the rigorous standards of the commercial health care market in support of infection control programs that are required in ultra-clean environments.

They are capable of "trapping and removing" 99.99% of bacteria from hard surfaces throughout your home, workplace and those surfaces you have to touch in daily life (doors and door knobs, grocery carts, countertops, etc.).

PerfectCLEAN Wipers: Terry Cloths and Super Silks penetrate invisible surfaces in your skin, then "trap and remove" contaminants, absorbing and concentrating them in the wipes.

• Hypoallergenic: great way to help reduce asthma and allergy triggers

• Absorbs 8 times its weight in water/fluid and absorbs it faster

• Patented Built in Antimicrobial PRODUCT protection: PerfectCLEAN Wipers are distinguished by patented ‘Built-in Antimicrobial Product protection'

Independent laboratories and Fortune 500 companies have rigorously tested their efficacy and proven through in-service validation that PerfectCLEAN Wipers offer unrivaled performance and quality. Independent testing demonstrates that PerfectCLEAN Wipers support Class 10 (and lower) commercial clean room classification.

PerfectCLEAN Wipers: Terry Cloths and Super Silks remove many pathogens in their path ... that is because at an astonishing 4-6 microns (bacteria range from 2 – 8 microns) the "polyester-polyamide conjugated filament" are even smaller than most bacteria.

The microscopic size combined with the high percentage of fiber used dramatically increases the surface area of the Hand Wipes (each 12" cleaning hand wipe cloth contains over 300 miles of actual cleaning surface!).

Unlike ordinary cleaning rags that simply push dirt around, PerfectClean's revolutionary ultramicrofiber construction enables them to reach deep into microscopic crevices (NO other cleaning tool available even comes close!) and remove everything in their path, including biological contaminants too small to see with the naked eye. Even better, the terry cloths are ideal to carry with you, and can be used without cleaning agents or even water, and are still incredibly effective.

In fact, we recommend carrying PerfectCLEAN Wipers in your pocket and wiping your hand discreetly any time you shake hands or touch a public surface (especially door knobs, shopping cart handles, light switches and other heavily contaminated but rarely cleaned surfaces). You can also use them to wipe done public surfaces, such as shopping cart handles or hotel room remote controls. Because germs are also easily spread around schools, we recommend you tuck one in your child's backpack and teach him or her to wipe his hands regularly throughout the day.

• Place in your pocket or purse. Wipe and rub your hands and fingers thoroughly after you come into contact with people through handshakes or when you touch surfaces that others have touched.

• Clean surfaces using antimicrobial hand wipes: from your car steering wheel and doorknobs, to all the various surfaces throughout your home and office.

• Use these wipes to clean anywhere others touch: on your desktop, telephone, keyboard, door knobs & door frames, chair-arms/back, mirror surfaces, file cabinets, other office furniture and other large surfaces. Can be used dry or lightly dampened.

• Wipe frequently touched areas once per day, as we do more frequently during flu season or anytime others visit your office and/or use your office equipment.

PerfectCLEAN Wipers: Terry Cloths and Super Silks are a simple way to remove germs from your hands and other objects you and your family are likely to touch, and will go a long way toward keeping you well all winter long!

Recommended Reading

How to Keep Your Asthma Under Control This Flu Season

Want to Improve Your Immune System? Then Here's What You Need to Know about Flavonoids

Sources

CNN.com November 14, 2007

Pediatrics Vol. 124 No. 2 August 2009, pp. e172-e179

ABC News July 27, 2009

FreedomPressOnline.com Nasal Washing -- The Cure for Sinusitis?

FreedomPressOnline.com The Healing Power of Neti

Many people do not look forward to getting older, and will instead do everything in their power, including resorting to plastic surgery, to escape the hands of time. But what if all our fears of aging -- and our preconceived notions that it means we will be dependant on others, lonely and unfulfilled, slower mentally and crumbling physically -- are actually unfounded?

What if getting older would actually make us happier?

As it turns out, the “golden years” are aptly named as numerous studies show people do get happier as they get older.

New research presented at the American Psychological Association’s 2009 annual meeting found that people in their 80s and 90s generally report being happier than younger people, and feel less negative emotion such as sadness, anxiety and anger.

Susan Turk Charles, a psychologist at the University of California, Irvine, pointed out several reasons why happiness may increase with age, including that older adults:

• May better regulate their emotions, avoiding negative experiences and limiting their exposure to stressful situations

• Interact mostly with close friends and family members, which may lead to more positive social experiences and increased well-being compared to interactions with new acquaintances.

• Typically do not have exposure to work stress.

• Are generally treated with respect, and may be less likely to be confronted with an argument.

• Limit the time they spend thinking about negative things and focus on positive aspects instead.

• May think of memories in a more positive light.

This is far from the first study to suggest that age may lead to a brighter outlook.

Research by Yang Yang, a University of Chicago sociologist, published in American Sociological Review, involved 28,000 people between the ages of 18 and 88. The findings were based on face-to-face interviews that took place periodically from 1972 to 2004.

While overall happiness levels fluctuated during the study period, at every stage older Americans were the happiest. Further:

• The likelihood of being happy increased 5 percent with every 10 years of age.

• About 33 percent of Americans said they were very happy at age 88, compared to just 24 percent of those aged 18 to early 20s.

"The good news is that with age comes happiness," Yang told USA Today. "Life gets better in one's perception as one ages."

How to Make Aging a Graceful Process for You

“It's never too late to change the two most important ingredients to graceful aging -- attitude and lifestyle,” says meditation expert Mary Maddux, whose guided meditations are featured on the Pure Relaxation CD.

You can choose to accept aging with gusto and embrace it as a natural and joyful part of your life, a choice that becomes easier when you let go of some common myths surrounding the aging process. Here Maddux debunks some common aging myths once and for all:

• Myth #1 - The older I get, the worse my body will feel. The increasing stiffness and aches & pains that often come with age are not a result of age, but are due to lack of movement (if you don't use it, you'll lose it). Although there are some changes in our tissues as we age, we can continue to remain remarkably flexible and free of pain through something as simple as regular stretching.

• Myth #2 - It's too late to start taking care of myself ... it won't do any good at this age. A healthy lifestyle has been found to be one of the most important factors in how we age. Improvements in lifestyle (with the 3 key areas being good food, exercise and regular relaxation and rest) will bring improvements at any age.

• Myth #3 - I'm getting too old to learn new things ("You can't teach an old dog new tricks") Research shows that older people can, and do, learn new things. Attitude plays an important role here - if you think you can't, you won't try. People who believe they can learn new things do!

• Myth #4 - Sex is only for the young. People can, and do, continue to enjoy sex well into their senior years. We are sexual beings throughout the life cycle, but sexuality is experienced differently at different ages. Changes in hormones will affect our experience of sex, and we may need to find different ways to be intimate. Relaxation is key here so that we don't panic when things don't happen the way they used to. We're not "over the hill", but simply need to give ourselves some "breathing room" to become familiar with our changing physiologies.

• Myth #5 - The older I get, the less attractive I become. There is nothing more attractive than someone who has "aged well." Haven't you ever noticed that special "radiance" of an elderly person who is at peace with themselves and life? Attractiveness has absolutely nothing to do with age!

Three Steps to Living Healthy at Any Age

SheaNetics: Your Pathway to Well-Being at Any Age Combine the benefits of stress relief and regular exercise into one with SheaNetics. SheaNetics realizes your goal is to find total health and fulfillment that is life lasting. This can be achieved by creating harmony in body, mind and self. SheaNetics gives you the practical tools to get into shape and reach ever higher levels of fitness and well-being. Each nearly one hour workout is a new blend of the-best-of-the-best from Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Gyro-Kinesis, Dance and MORE -- guiding you through unique sequences of movements that strengthen, sculpt, build core and increase flexibility! Separately (Each) List Price ($95.95) Your Special Price Now Just $69.95!* NEARLY A 30% SAVINGS Order your 6-PACK SheaNetics DVD/CD workout collection today!

As Maddux points out, leading a healthy lifestyle is also key to keep enjoying your life well into your golden years.

Some easy ways to take charge of your lifestyle in a positive way right now include:

1. Eat a Healthy Diet, With Lots of Antioxidants. Antioxidants can be vitamins, minerals or enzymes, and they exist in foods (fruits, vegetables, nuts and other whole foods) and certain supplements. Want some help to fortify your diet with antioxidants? Check out our past article for a list of the top 20 antioxidant foods and six disease-fighting super antioxidants.

2. Exercise Regularly. Exercise at a level that's comfortable for you, and do it regularly, rather than overdoing it by exercising too often or too strenuously.

An excellent addition to any exercise routine, simple as it may sound, is stretching. A few well-performed stretches can do wonders for your body and your mind. If you want to learn 15 stretches that stretch all the key muscles groups throughout your entire body, get the top-recommend Stretching for a Healthy Life DVD (with FREE shipping for a limited time).

3. Relax and Find Ways to Relieve Stress. Trying to fit too many tasks into a day, or filling your time with too many stressful activities, will wear you down, no matter how many fruits and vegetables you eat. Organize your life so you have time to appreciate little enjoyments, spend time with family and friends who make you feel good, and take time for yourself when you need it.

You can also incorporate exercise and stress relief into one with the mind-body fitness routine called SheaNetics.

SheaNetics, founded by fitness expert Shea Vaughn, blends ancient and contemporary movements with eastern philosophy, creating a stylized approach to fitness designed to improve the quality of today’s western living.

The range of SheaNetics™ students is impressively diverse from 25- to 75-year-olds, men and women, fitness buffs and athletes, people who want to get in shape, those who wish to maintain their present state of fitness and many who want to take it to a higher level.

This program is truly unlike any other fitness program. This is "meditation in motion and thought." It reduces stress and allows you to enjoy a lifestyle of fitness, personal balance and well-being.

We encourage you to check out Shea’s new 6-Disc DVD/CD workout set to "get started on your pathway to well-being” no matter what your age!

This groundbreaking DVD collection contains:

• 3 core-building, mind-boosting, complete body-charging workouts!

• As a FREE GIFT you will also receive 3 empowering, "original music" CDs specially composed to power up your journey!

• You also receive the SheaNetics Booklet with The Five Living Principles -- a life-changing guide to finding Your Pathway to Well-Being!

Sheanetics has nearly sold out and told us that they will soon no longer offer this value of combined DVDs and CDs. They plan to break this set up into individual DVDs and CDs, each costing as much as one half this price or more, which could make this total package as much as three times the price or more.

So we recommend you buy NOW before this offer is no longer available!

Separately (Each) List Price ($95.95)
Your Special Price Now Just $69.95!*
NEARLY A 30% SAVINGS

Find Out More and Order SheaNetics at MySheaNetics.com: Your Pathway to Well-Being Now!

Recommended Reading

5 Behaviors That Promote Healthy Living Past Age 90

Aging Gracefully: Enjoy a Vital, Fulfilling Life Regardless of Age

Sources

CNN.com August 11, 2009

USAToday.com April 18, 2008

ABC News June 21, 2006

Gardasil vaccine, which protects against the sexually transmitted HPV (human papillomavirus) and is recommended for 11-12-year-old girls, along with those aged 13 to 26, was recently approved for use in boys by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

We have found a Natural Heavy Metal Detox from such Vaccination Issues!

A natural way for your children and yourself to Detox from the heavy metal concerns many highly informed Parents fear most … from the broad array of heavy metal sources: Vaccines, eating fish, silver dental fillings, contaminated seafood, cosmetics, invisible air pollution, contaminated water and many other sources!

The premise for giving the vaccine, which protects against the four types of HPV that cause 70 percent of cervical cancers and 90 percent of genital warts, to boys was that it would lead to greater HPV, and therefore cervical cancer, protection for girls and women.

A CDC advisory panel, however, has just come out saying it does not recommend Gardasil for routine use in boys, though it said it’s OK to give to males who want it.

This latest approval for boys is adding to the growing controversy over the shot, which costs upwards of $300 for the three-shot series and has been linked to a rash of side effects and deaths.

Gardasil Side Effects Raise Serious Safety Questions

A report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed the HPV vaccine has been linked to 32 unconfirmed deaths along with a higher rate of fainting and blood clots than other vaccines.

In fact, thousands of Gardasil-related adverse reactions have been reported to the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS). Along with the 32 unconfirmed deaths, adverse reactions including Bells Palsy, Guillan-Barre syndrome, seizures, blood clotting, heart problems, and even miscarriages and fetal abnormalities among pregnant women have occurred in those who received the vaccine.

Is the Gardasil Vaccine Necessary or Effective?

The risks seem steep to many concerned parents and physicians, particularly because the vaccine is intended to prevent a disease that’s already largely preventable. In the United States, cervical cancer causes about 4,000 deaths each year, which experts say are largely preventable with routine pap smears.

While HPV is common, most infections occur without any symptoms and go away on their own within a few years, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Meanwhile, of the more than 100 HPV viruses (around 30 of which can be transmitted sexually), Gardasil protects against just four. So it is possible to get cervical cancer even if you've been vaccinated. And even among the "high-risk" types of HPV that Gardasil prevents, NCI says, "It is important to note, however, that the great majority of high-risk HPV infections go away on their own and do not cause cancer."

Further, the shot may actually be missing the key years during which it is intended to provide benefit. Said Dr. Joseph Zanga, chief of pediatrics at the Columbus Regional Healthcare System in Columbus, Ga., in an ABC News article:

"Perhaps the most important, currently missing 'warning' is that the vaccine may not be forever. We know that it protects for 5-7 years so that a girl getting the series [of shots] at [age] 11-12 will enter the time of her most likely sexual debut unprotected but believing herself to be."

What they failed to mention is the fact that Heavy Metals injected that build up are difficult for the body to detoxify -- yet over time can cause major health problems.    

So, while over time, all the possible benefits are less and less likely, the side effects remain.

You, yourself could be experiencing some of these “heavy metal symptoms”!

In an accompanying JAMA editorial, Charlotte Haug, MD, PhD, Msc writes:

“The theory behind the vaccine is sound: If HPV infection can be prevented, cancer will not occur. But in practice the issue is more complex. First, there are more than 100 different types of HPV and at least 15 of them are oncogenic [capable of causing tumors]. The current vaccines target only 2 oncogenic strains: HPV-16 and HPV-18.

Second, the relationship between infection at a young age and development of cancer 20 to 40 years later is not known. HPV is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection, with an estimated 79% infection rate over a lifetime. The virus does not appear to be very harmful because almost all HPV infections are cleared by the immune system.

In a few women, infection persists and some women may develop precancerous cervical lesions and eventually cervical cancer. It is currently impossible to predict in which women this will occur and why.

Likewise, it is impossible to predict exactly what effect vaccination of young girls and women will have on the incidence of cervical cancer 20 to 40 years from now. The true effect of the vaccine can be determined only through clinical trials and long-term follow-up.”

Now that Gardasil has also been approved for boys, it raises even further questions about its relevance, efficacy and safety.

Cervical Cancer and Vaccination

Dr. George J Georgiou, Ph.D.,N.D.,DSc (AM), a holistic medicine practitioner at the DAVINCI NATURAL HEALTH CENTRE who has worked in the field of holistic cancer treatment (www.docgeorge.com) says:

“Cancer is multi-causal and is never a result of one factor alone, least of all one specific virus. Even if it is a virus, one has to think outside the box and try to determine why the specific virus has taken hold – usually one has to look at the internal milieu – the pH of the body tissues, the level of toxicity, heavy metals, Candida, mineral and vitamin deficiencies, food intolerances, electromagnetic stress and a myriad of other factors too many to mention here.

All these factors and more can cause the ideal conditions for anaerobic cancer cells to grow and proliferate. One vaccination is not going to eliminate all these factors, but is likely to exacerbate these conditions in favor of the cancer.”

Does the Benefit Outweigh the Risk?

When considering any type of medical intervention, one must always assess whether the benefit outweighs the risk. The real question that Dr. Haug points out is:

“So how should a parent, physician, politician, or anyone else decide whether it is a good thing to give young girls [and now young boys] a vaccine that partly prevents infection caused by a sexually transmitted disease (HPV infection), an infection that in a few cases will cause cancer 20 to 40 years from now?”

She continues:

“Whether a risk is worth taking depends not only on the absolute risk, but on the relationship between the potential risk and the potential benefit. If the potential benefits are substantial, most individuals would be willing to accept the risks. But the net benefit of the HPV vaccine to a woman is uncertain. Even if persistently infected with HPV, a woman most likely will not develop cancer if she is regularly screened. So rationally she should be willing to accept only a small risk of harmful effects from the vaccine.

When weighing evidence about risks and benefits, it is also appropriate to ask who takes the risk, and who gets the benefit. Patients and the public logically expect that only medical and scientific evidence is put on the balance. If other matters weigh in, such as profit for a company or financial or professional gains for physicians or groups of physicians, the balance is easily skewed. The balance will also tilt if the adverse events are not calculated correctly.”

What is the BEST Way to Prevent HPV?

For now, the choice of whether to get vaccinated with Gardasil is a voluntary one that every parent and young woman needs to make on their own.

For those who decide to forgo the vaccine, NCI states that the surest way to eliminate your risk of HPV infection is to either refrain from sexual activity or, if you are sexually active, to maintain a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner. We recommend sharing this article with your children (literally or conversationally): “What You Really Need to Know About Your Partner Before You Commit!”

For women, a pap test can also be used to detect abnormal cells in the cervix. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines recommend that women have a Pap test at least once every 3 years, beginning about 3 years after they begin to have sexual intercourse, but no later than age 21.

If You do Opt for the Gardasil Vaccine… or have had any vaccine “SHOTS”

We highly recommend that if you have been vaccinated at any time in your life or if you’re going to get your child a Gardasil vaccine (or have already) -- or if they will have any vaccinations -- you right away get and use HMD™ (Heavy Metal Detox), a natural oral formula that helps to effectively eliminate heavy metals from your body, without any side effects.

Prior to using HMD, many people have had various symptoms -- headaches, fatigue, bloating feeling, irritability, depression, mood swings, low energy and lack of desire.

HMD™ is actually the ONLY chelator that has undergone a $1 million, three-year double-blind placebo-controlled research trial with several hundred people! During these three years over 25 different natural products and combinations were tried but the synergistic components of HMD were the only ones that worked for all metals tested. It presently has a worldwide patent-pending.

Dr. George John Georgiou -- HMD™ Inventor and worldwide Patent Holder -- has a Bachelor of Science honors degree in Biology/Psychology from Oxford Brook’s University, Oxford, England, a Master’s of Science degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Surrey, Guildford, England, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Clinical Sexology from The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, San Francisco, USA.

He also holds a Doctor of Science degree in Alternative Medicine from the International Open University of Alternative Medicine. His main research interests at present are studying the use of natural compounds in the detoxification of heavy metals.

Dr. Georgiou has put extensive research into the creation of this very powerful and very unique formula, and using HMD is a simple way to help yourself and your child detoxify some of the harmful effects of heavy metals in your environment, and from vaccines.

To optimize results, it is best to take the Ultimate Detox Protocol, which comprises of the HMD™ along with drainage remedies to help remove the toxic metals from your body.

This would include an organic herbal remedy called Organic Lavage (Lavage is the French for "drain") that will help to open up the detoxification channels of your body such as the liver, kidneys and lymphatics as well as clean the blood, as well as organic Chlorella to help clear any metals in your gut and prevent them from being reabsorbed.

You also get a 10% saving on these when ordered together, and this is definitely the best way to chelate / detoxify your body.

Learn More About DrHMD.com Products Including Why to Order HMD Now!

Recommended Reading

Heart-Wrenching Parental "Shot Dilemma" ... Should Your Children Get Vaccinated?

Should Young Girls Get the HPV Vaccine? An Update of the Issues

Sources

JAMA. 2009;302(7):795-796.

JAMA. 2009;302(7):750-757.

BaltimoreSun.com October 23, 2009

LiveScience.com October 20, 2009

ABC News August 19, 2009

National Cancer Institute: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and Cancer

A national health care debate on reducing obesity* has resulted in mandatory postings of calories on some of the menus in fast-food chain restaurants. A recent study tracked what people ate at four popular fast-food restaurants -- McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken -- and found that customers consumed even more calories after they were posted on menus.

*Obesity… Three points of measure:

1. “If the waist measurement doubled (x2) is same or greater than height” (a simple point of measure according to Dr. Oz)

2. According to the CDC, For adults, overweight and obesity ranges are determined by using weight and height to calculate a number called the "body mass index" (BMI). BMI is used because, for most people, it correlates with their amount of body fat.

   • An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.

   • An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.

3. For children and teens, BMI ranges above a normal weight have different labels (at risk of overweight and overweight). Additionally, BMI ranges for children and teens are defined so that they take into account normal differences in body fat between boys and girls and differences in body fat at various ages. For more information about BMI for children and teens (also called BMI-for-age), visit BMI for Children and Teens.

Yet, after calories were posted on the menu boards of the popular restaurant chains, around 28 percent of the customers said that the calorie count information influenced what they chose from the menu, and 9 out of 10 of the customers said that they opted for healthier items after reading the calorie posting.

But what the customers said didn’t match up to the receipts that were reviewed afterward. As a matter of fact, it was just the opposite. It was discovered the typical customer ordered even more calories after a calorie labeling law went into effect in July 2008. The details of the study shed light on these discrepancies:

• Study focused on poor black and Hispanic fast-food customers in neighborhoods of New York City experiencing high rates of diabetes and obesity

• Researchers collected 1,100 receipts two weeks prior to the calorie posting in chain restaurants then again four weeks after

• Customers in New York City placed orders on the average of 825 calories before the calorie label law took effect and proceeded to order 846 calories after it was in effect

Customer Feedback Versus What the Experts Say

When asked about the findings of the study, fast-food customers revealed taste and cost led their decision-making process when it came to ordering.

One customer who was in Harlem for a job interview ordered two cheeseburgers, about 600 calories, for $2 and said that he bought it because it was cheap.

Another customer who bought a Happy Meal with chicken nuggets for her son and a Snack Wrap for herself said that she’s not interested in counting calories because life is short and because she’s pregnant she could eat everything she wants now.

Most experts agree that fast-food decisions made by low-income families are primarily based on cost and items that they perceive as filling.

“Low-income families may use calorie postings to get more for their money. I tend to do that too. When I go to Subway for lunch, I often order what can get me more calories [to fill me up], not what’s healthiest. To people who don’t have a lot of money, it may seem like getting the 95 calorie salad would be throwing money away,” said Adam Drewnowski, Ph.D., director of the UW Center for Obesity Research on why people are eating more despite the posting of calories.

Drewnowski believes the answer to this dilemma is two-fold -- identifying affordable nutrient-rich foods and supplying an affordable nutrition index, which calculates nutrients per dollar, not calories per dollar.

In order of importance, taste, cost, convenience, health and variety were cited as the main factors surrounding the psychological process that goes into eating, added Drewnowski.

How to Eat Healthy During Challenging Economical Times

During these tough economic times, it is still possible to shop for and prepare healthy meals without breaking the bank.

How to get the most out of the least …

Get More Nutrients From the Food You Eat With AbsorbAid Platinum: Super Digestive Blend AbsorbAid Platinum is a vegetable-based digestive enzyme system that combines its effective ratio of proteases, amylases, lipases and cellulases with two "acid-tolerant" bacteria or a probiotic combination, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum. AbsorbAid Platinum: Breaks down all food groups Maximizes nutrient absorption from consumed food Helps alleviate digestive disturbances such as gas, bloating and acid indigestion Learn More and Order AbsorbAid Platinum Now!

When you eat a meal, your body does not automatically absorb all the nutrients it contains. The term "bioavailability" refers to how many nutrients are actually absorbed by your system, and uncovering just how much of different nutrients are bioavailable in the foods we eat is no easy task.

If a substance is ingested, as foods are for example, its bioavailability is determined by the amount that is absorbed by your intestinal tract. So how do you know how much that is? The problem is you really don’t.

Nutrition experts are fond of saying that to get the most benefits, eat a varied diet, one that includes an array of fruits and vegetables, lean meat and whole grains. This is good advice but there is more to it than that.

Digestive enzymes are what allow your food to be broken down, and the nutrients absorbed by your bloodstream, however if you eat a mostly processed, cooked food diet you may be lacking in these crucial catalysts to nutrient absorption.

So if your diet consists primarily of cooked foods it’s important to take an enzyme supplement. There are numerous enzyme supplements available on the market to help increase your levels, but Sixiwse.com highly recommends the plant-based, acid-resistant digestive enzyme formulation, AbsorbAid Platinum from Nature’s Sources.

This vegetable-based digestive enzyme system combines its effective ratio of proteases, amylases, lipases and cellulases with two "acid-tolerant" bacteria or a probiotic combination, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium bifidum.

This product addresses not only the digestive enzyme system deficiencies recognized in most adults, but it combines two effectively beneficial bacterial strains that are metabolically complementary and help create a symbiosis with the digestive enzyme system complex and helps promote immune system excellence.

Why AbsorbAid “Platinum”?  

Compare and Be Aware: Why should you choose “AbsorbAid® Platinum” versus original AbsorbAid®? What we found:

“Platinum” does everything that the original does plus IMPORTANTLY much more!

• “Platinum” has 12 enzymes (“AbsorbAid” doesn’t) 

• 7 times (700% more) the amount of Lipase

• 4 times (400% more) the amount of Amylase + Amyloglucosidase for complete breakdown of starch groups

• More than 4 times (400% more) the amount of Protease (Plant protease, acid stable protease, bromelain and peptidase)

• 20 times (2,000% more) the Cellulase + Hemicellulase or breaking down xylan and beta glucan

• Includes Invertase for converting sucrose to flucose and fructose (“AbsorbAid” doesn’t) 

• “Platinum” has alpha galatosidase for breaking down complex sugars in foods like beans and onions (“AbsorbAid” doesn’t) 

• Two heat-stable probiotic blends (“AbsorbAid” doesn’t) 

• “Platinum” is a better choice for those people who eat larger amounts of animal proteins

AbsorbAid “Platinum” is also an ideal choice for those who:

• Want the benefit of friendly bacteria to stabilize the gut

• More assurance that all protein molecules are broken down more completely…(allergy sufferers, those who consume protein drinks, etc)

• Have a more compromised immune system

• Younger people who have a more rigorous level of physical activity, and those who are consuming fattier foods

• Are attempting to rehabilitate from illness or injury

• Suffer with age-related conditions and joint concerns

• Metabolism has slowed due to age, illness, injury, lifestyle habits, etc.

• Are showing signs of toxicity (mental impairment, aches, pains, bowel problems, slow transit time, indigestion, etc.)

• Cannot chew their food (or do not chew their food) well enough due to dental problems

• Live a more stressful lifestyle in general

Remember that your digestive enzyme production drops with age; it also declines greatly during times of stress such as when you are too cold, too warm, too tired, ill, recovering from injuries, or suffering from life’s pressures physically, mentally or emotionally, making a high-quality digestive enzyme important for nearly everyone!

Further, by stocking up on the following four food groups, you can eat nutritious meals and feel good about the amount of money you are spending on groceries by getting more nutritional intake (vs. spending same or more for nutritionally less).

1. Brown Rice

Brown rice offers a lot of versatility in meal planning and contains numerous health benefits, including weight loss, increased satiety, blood sugar stabilizing effects and prevention of cancer and heart disease. It can also be used to create a variety of meals such as soups, stews, stir-fries, beans and rice, rice salad, rice pilaf, rice and bean cakes, rice pudding and healthy fried rice.

Brown rice is a whole grain and is high in the following antioxidants and vitamins:

• Manganese: helps with energy production

• Selenium: helps prevent colon cancer

• Thiamin and Niacin: B vitamins that support production of hydrochloric acid for the digestive system and play a critical role in carbohydrate metabolism and energy production

2. Frozen Produce (Can be Just as Nutritious as Fresh Fruits and Vegetables)

Frozen fruits and vegetables retain their soluble vitamins because they are processed at their peak ripeness state and then flash-frozen just hours after being picked.

One report revealed that fresh produce may lose their nutrients and deteriorate during the time spent in the chain of wholesalers and producers before they reach the retail stores.

Frozen vegetables are inexpensive and nutritious, and can be added to soups, stews, stir fries and side dishes and frozen fruit can be dropped in muffin mixes, used in smoothies or as a topping in your yogurt or oatmeal.

3. Eggs

Buying a dozen eggs is an inexpensive way to make many easy meals. Not only are eggs high in protein and low in carbohydrates, but they are also a source of brain-boosting choline, a chemical similar to B 1 vitamins.

Some creative egg dishes are frittatas, omelets, egg salad, hard-boiled and sliced on top of crackers or hard-boiled eggs with salt and pepper for a quick and healthy snack.

4. Beans

If you’re looking for a healthy, inexpensive meat substitute, stock up on beans. Keep in mind you’ll reap a great savings if you buy them in bulk when they are on sale. Beans also help keep you at a healthy weight because they are low in calories and high in fiber, protein and iron.

Other healthy benefits from beans include:

• Helps lower your cholesterol

• Keeps your system regular

• Removes cancer-causing substances from your digestive tract

• Helps stabilize your blood sugar levels

• Can lower your risk of cancer

• Heart-healthy

In addition to purchasing these four types of foods to have on hand you can take on the challenge of eating healthy and save money by planning your meals ahead of time and making a few, simple lifestyle changes.

Seven Tips to Eating Healthy, Saving Money and Staying at an Ideal Weight

• When you go shopping, be sure it’s on a full stomach as there is a tendency to buy more when you are hungry

• Prepare big-batches of food -- you’ll then have leftovers for lunch and dinner the next day(s)

• Take a pass on prepared or pre-cut foods such as vegetables -- these items often cost twice as much as whole ingredients

• Avoid buying pricy boxed cereals: instead buy rolled oats, steel cut oats, millet or other grains to prepare hot cereal for breakfast in the morning

• Eat mainly fresh, whole foods, rather than processed varieties. As you switch over to more fresh foods, we highly recommend you take advantage of the healthy and absolutely delicious recipe book “Alive in 5”: Raw Gourmet Meals in Five Minutes

When prepared with locally grown ingredients from a source you trust, these are among some of the safest meals you can eat.

SheaNetics: Your Pathway to Well-Being SheaNetics realizes your goal is to find total health and fulfillment that is life lasting. This can be achieved by creating harmony in body, mind and self. SheaNetics gives you the practical tools to get into shape and kick it to ever higher levels. “Always engaging… never boring!” says SixWise.com  Each nearly one hour workout is a new blend of the-best-of-the-best from Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Martial Arts, Gyro-Kinesis, Dance and MORE -- guiding you through unique sequences of movements that strengthen, sculpt, build core and increase flexibility!  Get FREE Shipping Until November 1 by Ordering your 6-PACK SheaNetics DVD/CD workout collection today!

Create Your Own Stylized Fitness Plan With SheaNetics From MySheanetics.com

• Grow your own food when you can. This is one way you can ensure that your food is pesticide-free. It’s also a great way to save money even if you start by putting together a small window garden for growing fresh herbs. If you don’t have the time to grow your own food, the next best thing is LocalHarvest.org, an excellent Web site to find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of safe and sustainably grown food in your area.

• Don’t forget your exercise plan! Daily exercise is a healthy behavior that compliments your eating habits. For a complete mind-body workout to add to your exercise routine, we highly recommend SheaNetics.

Most exercise programs are geared only to give you short term physical improvement. But SheaNetics™ understands the real goal for us all is to find total health and fulfillment that is life-lasting. This can only be achieved by creating harmony in body, mind and self.

We encourage you to check out Shea’s new 6-Disc DVD/CD workout set to get started on your pathway to well-being!

And Now You Can Keep Fit for Less!

Sheanetics has nearly sold out and told us that they will soon no longer offer this value of combined DVDs and CDs. They plan to break this set up into individual DVDs and CDs, each costing as much as one half this price or more, which could make this total package as much as three times the price or more.

So we recommend you buy NOW before this offer is no longer available!

Separately (Each) List Price ($95.95)
Your Special Price Now Just $69.95!*
NEARLY A 30% SAVINGS

Recommended Reading

How to Eat Out at a Restaurant: 12 Tips to Save Money, Eat Healthy & Still Enjoy

All the Health Risks of Processed Foods -- In Just a Few Quick, Convenient Bites

Sources

The Faculty Lounge February 23, 2009

Health Supplements Nutritional Guide

Telegraph.co.uk September 11, 2009

Trusted MD March 29, 2009

CBSNews.com November 18, 2008

The New York Times October 6, 2009

iVillage October 12, 2009