Arthritis, Be Well health tips, Health and Fitness, Keep Moving: Managing Arthritis

Anti-aging

Gentle Reader,

So much determines well-being:  good friends, love and happiness, nourishing food, a sense of spiritual fulfillment, a personal sense of purpose and meaning, deep restorative rest are at the top of the list.  When these ingredients are present over a person’s life, they seem to have an anti-aging effect.  Scientists and explorers have searched the world over for ways to slow down aging.  The story behind Shaklee’s Anti-aging product, Vivix, is one story of this search.

Anti-aging tonic

The Vivix Story

My thanks to Dr. Steven Chaney for this story.


In 2006, Harvard scientist Dr. David Sinclair published research in the highly respected journal Nature that shocked the scientific world. His published research findings showed that a simple molecule found in red wine could switch on our anti-aging gene (Sirt 1) and slow the aging process — on purpose.

This does not mean, of course, that we can live forever. But it does mean that science now has an answer for how we age, and what we can do to slow it down.

Of course, researchers had long understood that severe calorie restriction could slow the aging process, but there was little hope that we could find a way to get the same result without subjecting ourselves to a starvation diet.

You may have seen Dr. Sinclair on 60 Minutes, 20/20 with Barbara Walters, or on PBS with Charlie Rose. You may have learned about this remarkable breakthrough in leading magazines and major newspapers from around the world. It’s big news.

Here’s the story…

To put this discovery into context, let’s turn the clock back to 1991.

Famed French alcohol researcher, Dr. Serge Renault, in a segment on 60 Minutes, (The French Paradox) reported that people in France (on a diet loaded with sugars, fats, creams, and more creams) had 42% less heart disease, and live longer than we do in the U.S.

How could that be?

It’s no secret—the French drink lots and lots of red wine, and Dr. Renault had come to believe that something in red wine fights the negative effect of fatty foods… but he wasn’t sure. Some theorized it was the alcohol. Others were sure it was the antioxidant power of red wine. They were all partially right—but they were missing the most miraculous molecule of all.

Good News Travels Slowly

Years have gone by but we now have irrefutable scientific proof that a simple molecule found in red wine has almost magical healing and anti-aging powers.

When Dr. Sinclair published his research, FORTUNE called it, “Perhaps the greatest discovery since antibiotics.” He had successfully isolated the gene that slows aging… Sirtuin.

The Breakthrough

Dr. Sinclair and his team at Harvard Medical School, tested more than 20,000 natural molecules one by one before he accidentally discovered what he calls the closet thing to a miracle molecule you can find. To his dismay, the molecule that switches on the longevity gene is called resveratrol.

Using resveratrol, Dr. Sinclair found that he could extend the life of yeastat will. This amazing news drew only mild applause from research scientist. After all, this was yeast.

Moving up to higher life-forms, he fed resveratrol to fruit flies. Bingo! It worked again. The applause grew louder and the research more intense.

Other scientists working to prove Dr. Sinclair’s findings has the same success with fish. Extending their life 70%.

Scientists are a tough lot to impress. Even with all this success, they wouldn’t get too worked up unless he succeeded in extending the life of mice.

That’s because mice have essentially the same gene that you and I have. As Dr. Sinclair explained to Charlie Rose—”We are essentially upright mice.”

Finally, the mice studies begin

And in what can only be described as a modern day miracle— mice on a high fat diet plus resveratrol—not only lived up to 30% longer—they turned into mini-olympians.

They never gained weight, and they doubled endurance. They could run twice as far as mice that were not given resveratrol—and here’s the best part… not one of them developed any of the diseases of aging. No heart disease, no cancer, no diabetes, and no strokes.

Resveratrol—the gold rush begins…

Dr. Sinclair had become the first person in history to successfully extend life on purpose. He was instantly, in scientific circles at least, an international celebrity.

His published research proving the merits of resveratrol in life extension has triggered an avalanche of scientific study around the world.

Billions of dollars are being invest by in private labs, universities, and public health agencies like the National Institutes of Health, the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute on Aging, and the United States Department of Agriculture.

It’s safe to say that resveratrol and related polyphenols have become the most widely researched natural molecules in the history of man.

Resveratrol is being shown to have a positive impact on a surprisingly large number of health issues that affect how long and how well we live. But don’t take my word for it…

See the proof for yourself. To discover the miraculous life-saving secrets of resveratrol with just the click of a mouse, (pardon the pun) go to the U.S. Government web site, PubMed.

There you will find at least 2,636 scientific papers referencing resveratrol from the greatest scientific minds of our time.

The Payoff

Because resveratrol has been proven in labs around the world to slow aging—it is a marketers dream. Within weeks after Dr. Sinclair appeared on 20/20, you could find literally hundreds of me-too resveratrol products in health food stores, and on the internet.

If you’re taking any of these products, you may be wasting your money. Even worse, the anti-aging benefits you were hoping for may not be there. Why?

Because research shows these products contain little if any resveratrol, and many even contained sis-resveratrol—a lesser form of resveratrol proven to have no health benefit at all. In other words, most are little more than marketing scams.

Who can you trust?

Shaklee Corporation has been America’s number one natural nutrition company and a true champion of pure, natural supplements for over half a century.

If it was possible to create a natural resveratrol supplement capable of getting the results Dr. Sinclair was having in his lab—Shaklee was the one company that could pull it off.

Chief scientist, Dr. Carsten Smidt took a close look at Dr. Sinclair’s research. He and his team took a look at all of the leading, so-called resveratrol products on the market and decided—you deserve better.

With the green light and a blank check from our CEO, Roger Barnett, Dr. Smidt assembled a team of more than 30 brilliant scientists with the singular goal of bringing to market, the most potent anti-aging product ever created.

Shaklee science advances Dr. Sinclair’s research

In the early stages, Dr. Smidt and his team worked with Dr. Sinclair’s team from Harvard. As the research moved forward, Dr. Smidt became convinced they could actually advance Dr. Sinclair’s science and create a product even more powerful than resveratrol.

After more almost three years of research—millions invested—and collaboration with the University of Georgia—Shaklee science has even succeeded in creating the first ever totally natural tonic that works at the cellular level to block the mechanisms of aging. It’s called Vivix Cellular Anti-aging Tonic.

 My own interest in Vivix concerns the arthritis in my joints.  It seems to be helping slow down the advancement of arthritis symptoms and may even have contributed to the reversal of some spinal stenosis.  My hope for you is that this information makes enough sense to you to inspire you to give Vivix a try for 3 to 6 months.  Perhaps you will have similar results.

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving,

Betsy

To follow my hike in England along Lady Anne’s Way, tune in to www.EmpoweredGrandma.net

 

Arthritis, Be Well health tips

resveratrol for joints

Gentle Reader,

There is so much I could share about this past weekend at my alma mater, Bryn Mawr College, just outside Philadelphia on the MainLine.  In keeping with the goal of this blog, I will single out arthritic joint issues and focus on possible remedies for joint pain.

Twenty-nine of my classmates came to celebrate our 55th reunion.  Everyone looked great:  not too many wrinkles, lovely hair, sparkling eyes.  But when it came time to walk up a few stairs, joints fail and pain ensues.  The cart is called to drive people where they need to go.  I’m wondering if the anti-aging product I’ve been taking for ten years has helped my joints so the same is not true for me.

Have you heard about Resveratrol?  It is the anti-oxidant found in red wine.  Shaklee started working on producing a pure tonic that combines the resveratrol and polyphenols found in the muscadine grade about ten years ago.  I have been taking my daily dose of this delicious liquid called Vivix since they made it available for sale.

There is no question that my body, like my class mates, suffers from the aging deterioration of cells that is normal for a 77 year old.  It appears we do not all age in the same way or at the same rate.  I have had severe osteo arthritis and spinal stenosis for years, probably brought about by factors such as stress, poor diet, and environmental toxins. I’ve worked hard on the diet part, but you cannot always eat perfectly, now can you.  These factors can weaken cells’ natural defenses, lower cell energy, damage DNA, and decrease cell performance. All of these can contribute to cellular aging.

Clinical Studies show Vivix® ingredients positively impact four key mechanisms of aging at the cellular level.

Shaklee scientists conducted a study to see if Vivix could defend against cell damage.

Cell Defense

 

Blunts Biological Stress
A clinical study published in The Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism showed that key ingredients in Vivix blocked a key marker of biological stress response after the consumption of a high-fat fast food breakfast totaling 930 calories.

The results were exciting, while the study had nothing to do with joints, it showed that Vivix protected cells from damage.  My joints were damaged long before Vivix came along.  Perhaps protection is less important than repair.  Let’s see what happened with repair.

 Cell Repair

DNA Protection & Repair
Laboratory studies show that key Vivix ingredients help protect against DNA damage, supporting DNA replication for healthy cell function.

Shown in laboratory studies, Vivix protects and repairs DNA, which is assaulted millions of times every day. These assaults can damage the cell’s DNA, creating a “typo” that may compromise cell function and longevity.

A recent visit with my sports medicine doctor revealed a smaller than average spinal passageway for the cord to pass through.  Like my father before me, my spinal cord has little wiggle room.  That is the result of inherited DNA.  The data suggest that DNA can be repaired by resveratrol.  I am convinced that my joint health has improved instead of worsened over the last ten years.  The recent MRI indicated improvement.

Could it be that resveratrol reduces joint pain?  This is certainly my experience.

To learn more about Vivix and the ingredients, studies and results, click here.

Vivix is expensive.  It may be worth it if you want to slow down aging at the cellular level.  It certainly seems to help with joint pain and there are only side benefits from drinking a swig from the bottle every day.   I would give the body 90 to 180 days before deciding Vivix has made no difference in your joint function.  It is possible you will feel a positive difference much sooner.  Your blood is all new in 90 days and the joints, because of lower blood flow, will take double that to show results.

There are other resveratrol products on the market, but none have the muscadine grape’s extra anti-oxidants which seems to enhance the punch provided by resveratrol.  In addition, purity of product makes a difference and Shaklee scientists have been able to produce a 95% pure tonic.  Less purity may result in loose bowels.  Get some and see what your results are.

Good luck and keep moving, as moving is always the best single antidote to painful joints.

Be well, Do well and Keep moving,

Betsy

206 406 5940

Arthritis, Be Well health tips, Keep Moving: Managing Arthritis

anti-inflammatory plants

Gentle Reader,

If you hesitate to take aspirin or other over the counter drugs for arthritis pain, you may be interested in anti-inflamatory plants as an alternatives Two plants have been used in the East for centuries.  Their properties have been annalized and verified by Western medicine.  Their potency has been standardized by a few companies and you can now take advantage of the age old usage to treat your own painful arthritis symptoms.

Boswellia serrata

Boswellia serrata
Boswellia serrata

Extracts of Boswellia serrata have been clinically studied for osteoarthritis and joint function, particularly for osteoarthritis of the knee. Positive effects of Boswellia in some chronic inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, bronchial asthma, osteoarthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease have been reported. A Boswellia extract marketed under the name Wokvel has undergone human efficacy, comparative, pharmacokinetic studies. Some see Boswellia serrata as a promising alternative to NSAIDs, warranting further investigation in pharmacological studies and clinical trials. (from Wikipedia)

Boswellia is a tree found in India known for its gum resin which has many pharmacological uses, particularly as an anti-inflammatory. It’s also known as Indian frankincense, salai guggal, and boswellin. Its proper botanic name is boswellia serrata.

As a side note, the Biblical incense frankincense was probably an extract from the resin of the tree, boswellia sacra.

Boswellia has been used for thousands of years to treat many types of conditions. Recent research has determined many of the conditions were caused by inflammation.

Safflower flower

saflower flowerSafflower is a highly-branched annual thistle-like herb that grows to a height of 3 feet producing yellow or reddish flowers. Each branch will usually have several flower heads containing 15-20 seeds per head. The dried flowers of the plant and its seeds are used commercially.

Traditionally, safflowers were grown for their seeds and used for coloring foods and making red and yellow dyes. Its flowers can be used alone or in formulas. They can be prepared as dried powder, tinctures, or decoctions (extracts).

The oil from the seed has been used externally in therapeutic massage and as a natural alternative to mineral oil for use on babies. It’s also beneficial in applications for bruises, sprains and arthritis pain

Safflower is source of several flavonoids

More recently, the plant has been identified as the source of several flavonoids with strong antioxidant compounds.

Flavonoids are any of a group of oxygen-containing aromatic antioxidant compounds that includes many common pigments that help to lower inflammation as well as counteract the damaging effects of oxidation on body tissues.

The well-known antioxidant, guercetin, is one of the flavonoids found in safflower. Quercetin has many health benefits among which it can help reduce the inflammation that results from bursitis, gout, and arthritis.

Side effects

The safflower flower is often used in conjunction with herbs with no reported interactions. There are also no reported interactions of the extract or oil with standard pharmaceuticals.

Its use in dissolving clots, however, suggests that it should not be taken with blood-thinning treatments.

Safflower and boswellia combination effective for joint discomfort

Every day, many of us push ourselves to the limit both occupationally and recreationally. In the end, our bodies, and especially our joints, pay the price. Pain is the common symptom. It’s the body’s natural warning system and it deserves a natural response.

Safflower extract and boswellia extract are proven effective and safe for relief of arthritis pain, joint discomfort, and restricted knee flexion.

When combined in a natural product that contains a patent-pending blend of both extracts. it provides long-term relief within just a few weeks and is especially helpful for relieving chronic pain. Continued use of this natural product keeps pain away or markedly reduces pain daily.  [thanks to Marty Saffell] Thanks to the anti-inflammatory plants Safflower and boswellia combination, so effective for joint discomfort

A web search for other herbs that are helpful with joint pain produced this anti-inflammatory triad:

Turmeric, ginger and bromelain work as effective anti-inflammatory agents. Each works to relieve pain, stiffness and swelling. In combination, they provide a powerhouse of natural medicine. The three substances are synergistic to one another, each boosting the other’s effectiveness…  You can google products containing the three herbs together.  I know of no clinical trials to substantiate these claims, nor can I vouch for standardization or purity of the herbs used.

Personally, I have been using the products Shaklee makes with Boswellia serrata and safflower flower extract for a number of years to manage my arthritis pain.  I can recommend Pain Relief Complex without reservation.  These Cox 2 and 5 Lox pain path inhibitors do no damage to the stomach, can be taken multiple times daily with no side effects whatsoever.  It is a great relief to me to find an arthritis pain reliever that does not have any damaging side effects as I took a great deal of aspirin for years to try to kill the pain in my knees from early onset arthritis.  I have no knee pain today.  It is wonderful to have anti-inflammatory herbs to take.

Fondly,

Be Well, Do Well, Keep Moving

Betsy

Injured at 52. Diagnosed and sentenced to a wheel chair at 55.  Hiking, skiing, dancing and walking at 77.  Read my story

206 933 1889  betsy@HiHoHealth.com   www.GrandmaBetsyBell.com  shopping ? www.hihohealth.com

Resources

Alternative pain relief

Plants for Alternative Pain Relief

Boswellia serrata

Boswellia serrata

Extracts of Boswellia serrata have been clinically studied for osteoarthritis and joint function, particularly for osteoarthritis of the knee. Positive effects of Boswellia in some chronic inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, bronchial asthma, osteoarthritis, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease have been reported. A Boswellia extract marketed under the name Wokvel has undergone human efficacy, comparative, pharmacokinetic studies. Some see Boswellia serrata as a promising alternative to NSAIDs, warranting further investigation in pharmacological studies and clinical trials. (from Wikipedia)

Boswellia is a tree found in India known for its gum resin which has many pharmacological uses, particularly as an anti-inflammatory. It’s also known as Indian frankincense, salai guggal, and boswellin. Its proper botanic name is boswellia serrata.

As a side note, the Biblical incense frankincense was probably an extract from the resin of the tree, boswellia sacra.

Boswellia has been used for thousands of years to treat many types of conditions. Recent research has determined many of the conditions were caused by inflammation.

Safflower flower

saflower flowerSafflower is a highly-branched annual thistle-like herb that grows to a height of 3 feet producing yellow or reddish flowers. Each branch will usually have several flower heads containing 15-20 seeds per head. The dried flowers of the plant and its seeds are used commercially.

Traditionally, safflowers were grown for their seeds and used for coloring foods and making red and yellow dyes. Its flowers can be used alone or in formulas. They can be prepared as dried powder, tinctures, or decoctions (extracts).

The oil from the seed has been used externally in therapeutic massage and as a natural alternative to mineral oil for use on babies. It’s also beneficial in applications for bruises, sprains and arthritis pain

Safflower is source of several flavonoids

More recently, the plant has been identified as the source of several flavonoids with strong antioxidant compounds.

Flavonoids are any of a group of oxygen-containing aromatic antioxidant compounds that includes many common pigments that help to lower inflammation as well as counteract the damaging effects of oxidation on body tissues.

The well-known antioxidant, guercetin, is one of the flavonoids found in safflower. Quercetin has many health benefits among which it can help reduce the inflammation that results from bursitis, gout, and arthritis.

Side effects

The safflower flower is often used in conjunction with herbs with no reported interactions. There are also no reported interactions of the extract or oil with standard pharmaceuticals.

Its use in dissolving clots, however, suggests that it should not be taken with blood-thinning treatments.

Safflower and boswellia combination effective for joint discomfort

Every day, many of us push ourselves to the limit both occupationally and recreationally. In the end, our bodies, and especially our joints, pay the price. Pain is the common symptom. It’s the body’s natural warning system and it deserves a natural response.

Safflower extract and boswellia extract are proven effective and safe for relief of arthritis pain, joint discomfort, and restricted knee flexion.

When combined in a natural product that contains a patent-pending blend of both extracts. it provides long-term relief within just a few weeks and is especially helpful for relieving chronic pain. Continued use of this natural product keeps pain away or markedly reduces pain daily.  [thanks to Marty Saffell] Thanks to the anti-inflammatory plants Safflower and boswellia combination, so effective for joint discomfort

A web search for other herbs that are helpful with joint pain produced this anti-inflammatory triad:

Turmeric, ginger and bromelain work as effective anti-inflammatory agents. Each works to relieve pain, stiffness and swelling. In combination, they provide a powerhouse of natural medicine. The three substances are synergistic to one another, each boosting the other’s effectiveness…  You can google products containing the three herbs together.  I know of no clinical trials to substantiate these claims, nor can I vouch for standardization or purity of the herbs used.

Personally, I have been using the products Shaklee makes with Boswellia serrata and safflower flower extract for a number of years to manage my arthritis pain.  I can recommend Pain Relief Complex without reservation.  These Cox 2 and 5 Lox pain path inhibitors do no damage to the stomach, can be taken multiple times daily with no side effects whatsoever.  It is a great relief to me to find an arthritis pain reliever that does not have any damaging side effects as I took a great deal of aspirin for years to try to kill the pain in my knees from early onset arthritis.  I have no knee pain today.  It is wonderful to have anti-inflammatory herbs to take.

Arthritis, Be Well health tips

Tai-chi for fibromyalgia

Gentle Reader

Tai-Chi for Fibromyalgia: Should You Try It?

If you have fibromyalgia and experience musculoskeletal pain, poor sleep quality and depression, you might try tai-chi — a martial art form combining meditation with slow, gentle, graceful movements. A small but important study in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) suggests that tai chi may help relieve symptoms of fibromyalgia. 

After 12 weeks, the tai-chi group had a greater reduction in pain and more improvement in mood, quality of life, sleep, confidence in their abilities and ability to exercise than the control group. People in the tai chi group were encouraged to continue their tai chi practice after the classes ended using an instructional DVD, and they were still feeling better 24 weeks after the study began. What’s more, no adverse effects were reported.

Bottom-line advice:  Keep in mind that this is just one small study. Larger, longer studies are needed to confirm the results. Researchers still don’t fully understand the mechanism by which tai chi eases the symptoms of fibromyalgia or whether tai chi might help everyone with fibromyalgia. Still, if you’re seeking a form of exercise that may help improve your fibromyalgia symptoms, tai chi appears to be safe, and along with standard treatments such as medication, psychotherapy and education, it just may help you feel better.

Johns Hopkins Health Alerts 12.26.11

My own experience with Tai-chi was positive.  For several years, I met weekly with others to practice.  I do not suffer from fibromyalgia, but I was over stressed, experiencing severe menopause symptoms and having difficulty sleeping. Tia-Chi requires full concentration, slows down the heart rate and calms the nerves.  For a person who has a hard time quieting the mind in sitting mediation, tai-chi is an excellent moving mediation.  Perhaps it is the improvement of posture; perhaps the strengthening of the core that comes from controlled movement; perhaps it is the descipline of slowly moving through a series of poses.  All of these produced results for me and many others I have known.  You can reduce stress and even pain with tai-chi.  Whether you have fibromayalgia or not, it is a wonderful way to reduce any pain that is exacerbated by stress and repetitive physical movements that cause stress on joints.  Sitting for long periods bent over the computer is a good way to increase your arthritis and fibromayalgia pain.  Tai chi could help.

If you have experience with tai-chi and fybromayalgia or other pain, arthritis or joint issues, please let us know your results.

Fondly,

Be Well, Do Well, Keep Moving

Betsy

Injured at 52. Diagnosed and sentenced to a wheel chair at 55.  Hiking, skiing, dancing and walking at 77.  Read my story

206 933 1889  betsy@HiHoHealth.com   www.GrandmaBetsyBell.com  www.EmpoweredGrandma.net

Arthritis, Be Well health tips

tennis elbow and fatty acids

Gentle Reader,

Fatty Acids, Antioxidants May Help “Tennis Elbow”

Are you plagued with tennis elbow?  Other inflammed joints?  Perhaps this Danish study on the use of fatty acids to reduce tennis elbow inflammation will be of interest.

natural anti inflammatory for tennis elbow
natural anti inflammatory for tennis elbow

FREDENSBORG, DENMARK (Reuters Health) – A combination of essential fatty acids and antioxidants appears to be an effective treatment for the inflammatory injuries commonly known as ‘tennis elbow’ and ‘golf elbow’.

Soren Mavrogenis, a physiotherapist with Denmark’s Olympic Committee, tells Reuters Health that he has effectively treated several hundred cases of recurrent inflammatory injuries. He and his colleagues recently conducted a study in order to document the anti-inflammatory properties of this new treatment, which was tested for the first time in 1996 on a group of rowers from Denmark’s National Rowing Team. The study will be published in a scientific journal of sports medicine in the near future.

Typically the injuries are treated with rest, physiotherapy, and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat pain and inflammation.

“The results of this research confirm our clinical observations and leave us with the clear impression that inflammatory injuries can be treated without the use of NSAIDs. I see this as a regular breakthrough in modern physiotherapy. For the first time we are able to offer our patients a safe and reliable treatment for stress injuries with chronic inflammatory response. In fact, it is our experience that with this new treatment, as opposed to conventional treatment, athletes are able to train actively while receiving treatment,” Mavrogenis explains.

The nutritional supplement used by Mavrogenis and colleagues to treat the athletes contains omega-3 (fish oil), omega-6 (borage oil) and vitamins A, B6, C and E plus selenium and zinc. According to Mavrogenis, most patients respond positively to the treatment in a matter of 2-3 weeks, depending on the severity of the injury, but in more serious cases it may take several months.

Pure fish oil, DHA, EPA
Pure fish oil, DHA, EPA

“The bad cases require the use of intensive ultrasound and certain massage techniques in addition to the antioxidants and essential fatty acids, but in the milder cases the use of nutrients alone is adequate,” Mavrogenis says.

Generalist Dr. Claus Hancke also supports the use of essential fatty acids and antioxidants in treating inflammatory injuries.

“Strenuous exercise is known to produce an overload of harmful free radicals that damage healthy cells by oxidizing the phospholipids in the cell membrane. Antioxidants neutralize the free radicals and limit their destructive impact, which is why athletes must make sure to get adequate amounts of antioxidants to protect themselves against stress injuries. In addition, essential fatty acids are important since they support the body’s production of beneficial type 1 and type 3 prostaglandins, those which counteract pain and inflammation,” Hancke tells Reuters Health.

“Personally, I see the nutritional approach to inflammation as a big advantage, and I am convinced that essential fatty acids and antioxidants taken in combination have the same, or maybe an even greater, anti-inflammatory potential than NSAIDs,” he added.

In Norway, where inflammatory injuries in shoulders, elbows, knees and Achilles tendons account for 25% of all job-related absences, the new anti-inflammatory regimen is presently being tested by NIMI (Norsk Idrettsmedisinsk Institut), one of Scandinavia’s leading treatment facilities for sports injuries and rehabilitation.

I can personally vouch for the success of this approach.  I take 800 mg of Vita-E Plus, Vita-Lea, and 4 each of the GLA and EPA on a daily basis.  When I get tennis elbow or bursitis in my shoulder, I increase my GLA and EPA to 10 each/day.  The inflammation is gone in two to three days!

Shaklee's fish oil: Omega Guard
Shaklee’s fish oil: Omega Guard


                                                                                
Dr. Steve Chaney

In my own case, I supplement with GLA and OmegaGuard, Vita-E, Vita Lea Gold and am able to avoid flare-up cases of inflammation.  It is unlikely that the medical profession in the US will prescribe fatty acids for tennis elbow any time soon, but that doesn’t prevent you from experimenting to see if the “Danish effect” is available to you.  I cannot vouch for any other brand except Shaklee, which I know works.

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving,

Betsy

206 933 1889

PS I know my readers would love to hear your fish oil/inflammation stories, so please share.

 

Scientific resources

One woman’s asthma story

I am the woman who spoke about asthma at the Diane Petosky seminar.  Here are the changes I made that alleviated my asthma symptoms:

1) Get rid of commercial fabric softeners

2) Use Shaklee Basic-L laundry product, as well as Nature Bright fabric brightener and Softer-than-Soft fabric softener. This eliminated all of the irritants in the other laundry products I had been using.

3) Get rid of all household cleaners such as Comet, Sani- Flush, Pine-Sol, or any other commercial cleaning products.

4) Use the Shaklee cleaning products, including Basic-H, Basic-G, Basic-I , Biodegreat, At-Ease, etc.

5) Use Basic-D and Satin-Sheen for dishes. (It is nearlyimpossible to rinse off all traces of other detergents and you end up eating the chemicals on the plates!)

6) I started with the Basics: 2 Vita-Lea w/iron, 2 B-Complex, 1 Vita-C, 1 Vita-E and the Energizing Soy Protein. Later I added 10 alfalfa tablets and Super Cal-Mag Plus, Still later I added Omega-3 Complex, Garlic and Lecithin. I don’t take huge doses of any of the supplements.  The Basics helped me so much that I have not felt the need to take tons of them.

7) Drink lots and lots of good water.

8) Exercise daily  to keep your lungs and everything else working properly. Do what you can, and build up gradually.

I don’t do any other homeopathy or  other programs for my asthma. Oh! Don’t forget the Airsource air purifier. No matter where I go during the day, I always know I can breathe fresh air at home, and that really gives my lungs a chance to heal.  I used to use my Albuterol inhaler every 3-4 hours and never really felt good. I also used Azmacort, 4 puffs twice a day, and occasionally a nebulizer . Now I use the Albuterol occasionally, like 1 puff every 4-6 weeks!
Therefore, I don’t need the Azmacort anymore. And the nebulizer is somewhere in the back of a closet.  I am a gardener and love to be outside. I can bring fresh flowers in the house and stick my nose right in them to smell them. In the winter, I can cross-country ski on the coldest of days and come in to a wood fire in the fireplace. Part of it is from eliminating chemical irritants, part from the supplements giving my body what it needed to heal, and partly the Airsource giving me pure air to breathe. After so many years of suffocating and having to be on guard all the time, I am so grateful to have found a solution that for me has been incredibly easy to do.
Good luck to you.

Gail Beuning

Scientific resources

Asthma

Asthma

Worldwide, the incidence of asthma is increasing rapidly, almost certainly a result of worsening air pollution from cars and industry.  Nearly one in five of Chicago’s children suffer from asthma. A recent study estimated that 17 percent of students in public and private schools have been diagnosed with asthma.  This is one of the highest rates in the nation.  It is the #1 cause of school absenteeism across the country. Cases have more than doubled between 1982 and 1994; more than 14 million Americans now experience these frightening—and sometimes fatal—attacks of wheezing and breathlessness.  The immediate cause of an asthmatic attack is tightening of the muscular bands that regulate the size of bronchial tubes. Traditional drugs used to treat asthma are often “very toxic, addictive and sadly ineffective” according to Dr. Andrew Weil in Natural Health, Natural Medicine.  Drugs used for asthma don’t cure the disease; they simply stop the symptoms.  I have always said asthma and allergies are signs of a failed immune system.

The natural approach to asthma involves 1) strengthening the immune system, 2) eliminating toxins in the environment (Shaklee cleaning products) and 3) adding the following anti-inflammatory nutrients.

Natural Anti-inflammatories
OmegaGuardOmegaGuard Complex supplements are the most efficient source of the omega-3 oils, which helps to modulate inflammation.  Hippocrates discovered this is 450 BC when he found that flax seed oil helped reduce asthma attacks.  Omega-3 in capsules is more practical than flax-seed oil and keeps better.
GLA ComplexReduces symptoms of eczema, PMS, menopause, arthritis, diabetic neuropathy, alcohol withdrawal and lowers blood pressure.
To Strengthen Immune System
Sustained Release Vita-Câ, 500 mgHelps the body product white blood cells to fight infection and prevent illness, natural antihistamine, anti-oxidant to protect cells from degenerative disease, depleted by stress.  Research suggests that vitamin C is especially useful in fending off the carcinogenic effects of dirty air, cigarette smoke and other pollutants.

Dr. Gary E. Hatch of the Environmental Protection Agency recently stated that “a review of the available research shows that there’s mounting evidence that vitamin C may protect against the wheezing, chest tightness and recurrent coughing of asthma.”  Dr. Hatch notes that vitamin C is the “main antioxidant in the fluid lining of the lung, thus the main protector against free radical chemicals, such as air pollutants, that worsen asthma symptoms.”

Garlic ComplexNatural decongestant and natural antibiotic.  The Shaklee Garlic Complex product has all the potency of fresh raw garlic without the odor.  Also increases white cell count, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.
NutriFeronThis capsule contains a powerful blend of natural plant extracts all found to be essential for the immune system, excellent for people with allergies and weaker immunity or high stress.  This exclusive combination of natural ingredients was developed and extensively tested by eminent immunologists in Japan and clinically proven to support and stimulate the natural immune response process, right at the cellular level.
Defend & Resist Complex (Echinacea)This popular herb activates the immune system, promotes production of white blood cells, promotes wound healing, reduces mucous, relieves boils, gangrene, bites and abscesses.  Make a tea with 2-3 tablets and drink one or two cups every two to four hours as needed.
Alfalfa ComplexNatural anti-histamine, improves digestion, natural diuretic; often recommended for sinus congestion, hay fever, allergies, gout, body odor, bad breath, stomach ailments, hiatal hernia and gas pains.

 

Energizing Soy ProteinProtein is essential for growth and repair of cells.  Because milk products can be a very mucous producing, our soy protein drink mix is usually a better choice for children who are prone to upper respiratory infections.
CarotomaxNeeded for tissue repair and immunity.  Essential for healthy mucosal membranes in respiratory (including sinuses and lungs), digestive and reproductive tracts.  Reduces susceptibility to infection.
B-ComplexStimulates the immune system. B vitamins are really the workhorse of the vitamin family for they are needed for such a variety of critical functions. Other functions include formation of protective antibodies, formation of mature, healthy red blood cells, normal growth, and they contribute to healthy skin and hair.
Best Water Perfect Pitcher, CarafeDrink 8 to 10 glasses of pure water to keep the respiratory tract secretions fluid.  Avoid dehydration—it causes your body to product histamine (an asthma-inducing agent) in an effort to prevent water loss through the lungs.  Drinking plenty of water also speeds the process of eliminating irritants and toxins from the body.
Vita-E 400 IU and Vita-E ComplexVitamin E may also improve lung function.  Over a ten-year period women in the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study who consumed the most vitamin E were less likely to develop asthma than women who consumed the least.  Researchers believe the vitamin helps decrease airway inflammation.  Vitamin E helps lungs repair themselves and restore the complex fluid which bathes the alveolar.  This fluid, rich in vitamin E, helps neutralize irritants that promotes asthma attacks.
OsteoMatrix and Chewable Cal Mag PlusA side effect of steroid use for asthma is bone loss.  Steroids wash calcium from the bones. Researchers believe that lower magnesium uptake or a magnesium deficiency may play a role in certain types of asthma.Magnesium may stop the severe asthmatic episode.

 

Non-toxic Cleaners and Laundry Products

Basic H2This amazing organic cleaner is extremely economical.  One quart makes 64 gallons of all-purpose cleaning solution.  No toxic fumes—no corrosive chemicals—no phosphates.  Use for floors, walls, windows, handwashing delicate garments, pets, diaper changing…and even mosquito repelling!
Basic GA highly effective disinfectant. Basic-G both cleans and deodorizes. You need only 1 tablespoon to make one 1 gallon cleaning fluid disinfectant to rid home of common household germs…economically. One quart makes 64 gallons of germicide with no toxic odors.
Fresh Laundry LiquidNo Ammonium Hydroxide, No Phosphates. Detergent vapors are highly irritable to skin, eyes and respiratory passages.  Detergents are found to be responsible for more household poisonings than any other substance.  Many cause dermatitis, flu-like and asthmatic-like conditions, and severe eye damage.

These products represent a huge change for someone new to the natural approach to asthma and allergies.  There are only side benefits and none of the negative side effects from medication.  If you have questions and want to discuss any or all of these products and their use to alleviate your symptoms by correcting the root cause, please get in touch.

To your good health,   Betsy

Betsy Bell’s Health4U             206 933 1889             betsy@HiHoHealth.com              www.HiHoHealth.com

 

Be Well health tips

Vitamins plus Lifestyle

Gentle Reader,

Vitamins plus Life style, two topics that come up often.it isn't a diet

I was hiking with my friends on Wednesday, enjoying spring in the nearby foothills of the Cascade range.  We just wait patiently for the high mountains to clear of the late spring snows.  We had a rather heated discussion about vitamins and supplements for weight loss and maintaining good health as we all age.  My three companions debunk the value of vitamins, echoing the media by calling them useless.  I have written about this before. I love these ladies, but I found myself getting frustrated and unable to defend my heavy use of supplements.  I honestly believe I would not be hiking (maybe even dead) if it weren’t for the Shaklee supplements I have been taking for the past 27 years.

 

Taking vitamins (spending lots of money on them) changed my life style when I first began in 1985.  I had help from a nutrition expert soon after I began.  I trusted my results.  Later I started learning more about supplementation.

In doing some research this morning, I came across this little study done by Diane Petoskey, a nutritionist I heard several times in my early learning  Here are some notes from a talk I attended.

  Supplementation:  how many calories do you need to ingest to get the optimal nutrition? In other words, can you get your nutrition from your food? This is a tough question to answer.

You need to burn off 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. This translates into a reduction of 500 calories per day to lose 1 pound in a week, or 1000 calories per day to lose 2 pounds in a week. From the CDC web site.

IF YOUR BODY DOESN’T RECOGNIZE THE SOURCE THAT THE NUTRIENT CAME
FROM, IT CAN’T GET INTO YOUR CELL.

Calcium:  if it doesn’t have magnesium and other nutrients with it, (as it occurs in nature)  the body can’t break it down.

Shaklee does research on how well its supplements are absorbed. If it can’t be assimilated by the system, it’s useless.

Spectrograph:  an instrument to see the “finger-print” or “blueprint” of a nutrient.   Synthetic Vita C (ascorbic acid—from mail-order, health food store, Wal-Mart, drug store)-picture a rectangular box with one line in the middle.  Or a circle with one smaller circle inside it.   Natural Vita C (from Shaklee)-picture a rectangular box with 25 lines in it-because 25 different nutrients make up natural Vita C.   Or picture a circle with one smaller circle inside it with 25 loops coming out of the center like flower petals.

 

This is the “blueprint” of natural Vita C.

If you don’t absorb Vita C, it is excreted in the urine.  Diane’s professor said that all supplements (synthetic and natural) were absorbed by the body-it was a waste of money to buy natural Vita C. So she devised a test with 2 groups of women.  Each group recorded everything they ate and collected their 24 hour urine.  (test lasted 2 weeks)

The first group of women received 1000 mg. of synthetic Vita C /day:  80% was excreted.

Vitamin C is more than ascorbic acid
Vitamin C is more than ascorbic acid

 

The 2nd group of women received 1000 mg. of natural Vita C/day:  1 woman excreted 20% and the rest of the women didn’t excrete any Vita C.  In other words, it was all absorbed.

The professor didn’t believe Diane’s results and made her repeat the experiment.  The results from the 2nd experiment were the same and the professor changed his thinking.

 

Recently I met a naturopath who works as a life style coach with her patients over the phone!  We talked.  Her name is Dr. Jody Stanislaw, ND.  She gets to the bottom of a patient’s problems by analyzing their blood, hair, and perhaps stool and urine depending on the issues.  Once the patient is on a program, Dr. Jody contracts with them for a full three months of weekly phone calls.  She helps the person make the life style changes that are foundational to a healthier future.  Some of her patients sign up for a second and third 3 month weekly phone call regimen. Dr. Jody sells supplements, the prescription kind, but that is not her primary income.

Dr. Jody appreciated my reminder that household and personal care products can contribute to causing asthma and allergy symptoms, as well as increase the overall toxic burden on the body.  She was intrigued by the Shaklee Get Clean products and happy to be able to offer them to her patients.

Dr. Jody is not the first practitioner I have known who works over the phone for diagnosis and treatment.  Dr. Richard Brouse, chiropractor and nutritionist, has been working with people in a similar way for many, many years.  Since he uses Shaklee supplements and products (occasionally augmented with some prescription-only supplements, he has several hundred patients who use Shaklee.  He will not work with people who refuse to use Shaklee, as he does not get results except with the Shaklee supplements.  Dr. Brouse sells Shaklee from his office, but if a person already has a Shaklee distributor helping them with their buying decisions, he respects that.  Selling product is not his primary source of income.

I have used Dr. Brouse for help with my vitamin plus life style routine.  He is the person who recommended reversing osteoporosis by climbing 200 steps every day (carrying 10 pounds or more of weights as you go.)  His analysis of my blood, stool sample and hair resulted in the supplement regimen I take today, with a few modifications I have made on my own.  I did reverse osteoporosis even without daily stair climbing.  I do climb stairs often and seek them out.  Dr. Brouse has twice weekly open phone lines for clients to check in free of charge.  The client must take the initiative.Commonwealth Basic10-2013_2

It turns out that my own business of supplying healthy products made by Shaklee to a wide variety of clients (from the Herb Lax users to the Basic H users and many in between) is about getting Shaklee into the hands of people who decide they want them.  Sales of the products Shaklee makes provide my primary source of income.  I do not charge for consultation or coaching.  I am more of an educator and distributor and less of a wellness coach.  I work by providing you with information, answering questions with the help of the experts and giving you the tools to order the Shaklee products on line as my customer.

The above health care practitioners have set up their practice to get paid for the time they spend with their client coaching them to make better choices and health giving changes in their lives.  They get paid to be accountability coaches.  I am happy to recommend Dr. Brouse to you for hands on guidance because I have been his patient myself and like the results I have had.  I am getting to know Dr. Jody and encourage you to get in touch with her if you think she is the right life style coach for you. www.DrJodyND.com

If you want to change your health through natural means, chances are the life style and vitamin changes you need to make are difficult.  They were very difficult for me.  If you are used to having a glass of wine and some nuts before dinner and you are trying to lose weight, you might want to look at that habit and figure out a way to change it.  This was one of my challenges as my husband and I enjoyed the ritual of a glass of sherry while we cooked.  It helped me to put water and a slice of lemon in stemware and a bowl of carrot nibbles where I could reach them, so the ritual remained but the contents were consistent with long term healthy weight maintenance. A little thing.  Little changes add up.  Vitamins plus life style bring health for the future.

Be well, Do well and Keep Moving,

Betsy

PS: if you contact either Dr. Brouse or Dr. Jody, I’d love to know how it went and how I can support you from the product end of things, plus more education.

PPS:  pass this along to people who might benefit.

http://www.grandmabetsybell.com/shop-shaklee-products/

Scientific resources

Memory loss test

A self-test for dementia…

 

Are you struggling to find the right words in a conversation? Do you get confused while balancing your checkbook? Are you forgetting things that used to be easy to remember? Are you worried that these memory “slips” might be a sign of dementia?

Memory loss
Memory loss

Now there’s a simple screening test for memory loss, cognitive impairment or dementia that you can take anywhere, using just paper and pencil. It takes only about 10 minutes to complete, and it provides your doctor with the information he or she needs to determine whether more thorough testing is needed. This screening tool is called the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Examination (SAGE). Developed by researchers from Ohio State, SAGE was designed to identify mild cognitive impairment to full-blown dementia. SAGE has been shown to accurately detect cognitive problems, correctly identifying nearly 80% of people with cognitive impairment and excluding 95% of those without impairment.

 

You can download the test at:

http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcare_services/alzheimers/sage-test/Pages/index.aspx