November 2007
In This Issue:
Wheeled suitcases and Bluetooth
This Ain't Your Mom's Cod Liver Oil!
Menstrual cramps and Chinese herbs
Wheeled suitcases and Bluetooth
What do these have in common? They’re things I’m thankful for! On that list is also air conditioning, my health, and that my car runs predictably. But really – where would you be if you had to lug your suitcases across DFW? Sounds funny, I know.
Seriously, in this time of the holidays, yes, we’re all grateful for our families, and our health, and the food on the table and all that. What if we ALSO looked
around and actually appreciated the small things in life? Like:
Email – we complain about spam and that email takes so much time, but it’s a luxury to write someone a world away and get a response measured in minutes instead of weeks!
Cell phones – now we just get annoyed when someone doesn’t answer because we know they’ve got it with them; why are they ignoring us? ;-) But remember when your car broke down and you had to flag down help? Or your plane was late and people didn’t know? Not to mention the cool portability of your own personal voicemail! Do answering machines even still exist?
Air conditioning – what a luxury to get into your broiling car in the summer and be able to cool it off! There’s nothing like having that break down to have you really appreciate it!
What about online shopping? E-cards? The ease of finding healthy foods? Insurance? (a curse and a blessing, no?) Gift cards? Google? The list goes on and on...
As you walk through your day, take a look around you, and see what there is to be glad about. It’s easy to find things to complain about – there’s always something wrong if you look for it! Consider looking for what’s right and see what that does to your day!
This Ain't Your Mom's Cod Liver Oil!
Remember hating to take cod liver oil? Well, it’s a whole new world – not to mention the health benefits! Cod liver oil has healthy fish oils (EFA’s) as well as Vitamin A and D. Have you seen the articles on Vitamin D in the news recently? It’s becoming well known that most Americans do not have enough Vitamin D. Vitamin D is important in calcium absorption, moods (Seasonal Affective Disorder), regulation of the immune system and is considered an important link in cancer prevention. Fish oils contain essential fatty acids, which have a myriad of uses. Fish oils can reverse insulin resistance, reduce heart disease, regulate cholesterol, just to name a few uses.
It’s important to have a clean source of Fish Oil, without heavy metal toxicities, etc. Both the Tuna Oil and the Cod Liver Oil we carry are the highest quality available, researched from several different sources to make sure we are carrying the best supply possible.
Here are a few recent studies mentioned in an article on westonprice.org, which is a great source for nutritional information that is practical. Our comments are in bold.
From:
http://www.westonaprice.org/modernfood/codliver-manufacture.html
SOME STUDIES ON COD LIVER OIL
1937: When calcium plus viosterol (synthetic vitamin D2) was given to pregnant women, researchers found definite calcification of the placenta and indications of adverse effects (such as calcification of the kidneys) in newborns. No such effects occurred with calcium plus cod liver oil, a source of natural vitamin D (Ohio State Medical Journal 33(9):990-994). --> The real stuff is safe.
1986: Cod liver oil prevented atherosclerosis in swine fed a highly atherogenic diet for eight months (New England Journal of Medicine 315(14):841-846). --> Prevents damage of arteries.
2003: Supplementation during pregnancy and lactation with cod liver oil resulted in higher IQ in offspring at 4 years of age (Pediatrics 111(1):e39-e44). --> Makes your kids smarter.
2003: Use of cod liver oil during the first year of life is associated with lower risk of type-1 diabetes (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 78:1128-34). --> Healthy babies don’t get diabetes later.
2004: Researchers relate the recent decline in cardiovascular disease mortality in Norway to increased use of cod liver oil, among other factors (Medisin Og Vitenskap 124:1532-6). --> Prevents damage of arteries and protects your heart.
2005: Women who took cod liver oil during pregnancy were 11 times more likely to give birth to normal-weight babies, thus avoiding the many health problems to which low-birth-weight babies are prone (British Journal Gynecology and Obstetrics, April 2005). --> Very important for healthy pregnancies.
Menstrual cramps and Chinese herbs
We have known that Chinese Herbs can treat almost all gynecological complaints very effectively. From infertility to PMS to menopausal hot flashes, Chinese herbs are hugely helpful. Here is testimony from a famous doctor who is not a Chinese herbalist and has seen the difference:
Chinese herbs may relieve menstrual cramps better than drugs, acupuncture, or heat compression, Australia-based researchers found after studying nearly 3,500 women in several countries.
Along with relieving pain, Chinese herbs also reduced the recurrence of cramps over a three-month period.
In the study, women were given herbal concoctions to regulate their "qi" (energy) and blood, warm their bodies, and boost their kidney and liver functions. Herbs in the study included, but were not limited to:
1. Chinese angelica root – Dang Gui
2. Szechuan lovage root – Chuan Xiong
3. Red peony root, white peony root - Chi Shao/Bai Shao
4. Chinese motherwort – Yi Mu Cao
5. Cinnamon bark – Gui Zhi
In one trial, 53 percent of the women who took herbs had less pain, compared with 26 percent in the placebo group.
The Chinese herbs were more effective than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), oral contraceptive pills, acupuncture, heat compressions, placebos, or no treatment at all.
Chinese herbal medicine has been used to treat menstrual pain for hundreds of years. Up to 50 percent of women of reproductive age experience period pain that leads to absences from school and work.
Since relatively small numbers of participants were included in each trial in the study, the researchers recommended further research to confirm their findings.
Sources:
a. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2007, Issue 4
b. Reuters October 17, 2007
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
The drug companies have done a very good job of convincing and manipulating people to believe that if you are faced with pain, such as menstrual cramps, the only rational thing to relieve it is a drug.
This, of course, is not at all in your best interest, but it certainly is in theirs.
Chinese herbs have been used for centuries and have been found to be effective. Even if they haven't undergone scientific testing, they've withstood the test of time and the anecdotal evidence points to their usefulness.
In the case of menstrual cramps and PMS symptoms (anxiety, irritability, tearfulness, tension), dietary changes can be very useful to relieve your symptoms. You can try:
a. Avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks
b. Reducing your sugar intake
c. Avoiding smoked cheeses, meats, and fish (as they can increase your fluid retention)
d. Making sure you're getting enough nutrients in your diet, specifically vitamin B6, manganese, vitamins A and E, and tryptophan.
Getting out in the sun, and making sure your vitamin D levels are optimized, is also important for PMS symptoms, as vitamin D plays a major role in your body's hormone system.
Additionally, both calcium and vitamin E have been found to reduce PMS symptoms. Just make sure you're getting your calcium from healthy sources (such as raw milk or green leafy vegetables, not processed, pasteurized, dairy products), and your vitamin E from dark, leafy, green vegetables, raw nuts, and seeds.
Finally, exercise is another useful tool that helps to relieve menstrual cramps, perhaps because it raises your levels of endorphins, which are chemicals in your brain that are associated with pain relief.
