Your Life-Your Choice ISSN 1488-0253 August, 2000 Issue 61 Letter From the Editor Many women increase their calcium intake, unaware that the body also requires magnesium. The body keeps the two minerals in balance, therefore increasing one without increasing the other really does not have any real benefit as the body simply disposes of the excess. Optimally one should consume 1,000 milligrams of each per day. However, your intake should increase with age. After menopause the recommended daily allowance is 1,500 milligrams. Remembering always to have that balancing component. McMaster University researchers have recently reported the importance of pregnant women increasing their calcium intake to 1,500 to 2,000 mg per day. The results of their study indicated that this could reduce the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension and pre- eclampsia; two of the highest levels of concern in pregnancies, by 70% and 60% respectively. "60-70 percent of American women are magnesium deficient." Says Barbara from the Cornell Medical Center. "For women who take calcium supplements and eat a calcium-rich diet, it's probably a good idea to take magnesium and eat magnesium-rich foods, too." Some caution should be taken to ensure that the calcium magnesium levels don't get too high. Elevated levels may lead to diarrhea. Whole grain breads, fortified cereals, leafy vegetables, kale, broccoli, tofu, soybeans, low fat chees, milk and yogurt are good choices when trying to achieve a proper balance. In addition to maintaining healthy teeth and bones, calcium has a number of other functions. Blood coagulation, transmission of nerve impulses, muscle contraction and relaxation, normal heart beat, stimulation of hormone secretion, and activation of enzyme reactions all require certain amounts of calcium. The bones in the human body incorporate calcium into their structure and, like all tissues in the body, are continually being reabsorbed and reformed. Until next time... the best of health to you, Brigitte Synesael Editor of Your Life-Your Choice Make it your business to be informed! No one cares more about you than YOU. http://www.Life-Choices.com =========================================== ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE: 1. Breathing and Therapeutic Massage 2. Tea Tips - Green Tea May Reduce Arthritis 3. Top Dog - Proper Dosages To Give Your Pet 4. Mood and Memory Wellness: How to be Spirited and Sharp for 100 Years! (Part 1) ***** Please rate this Ezine at the Cumuli Ezine Finder. http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/info/default.ldml?pub_code=alterh =========================================== Section 1 Breathing and Therapeutic Massage by Laurel Duran, CMT http://www2.amigo.net/bluecord The very first completely independent act each human being performs upon entering this world is taking a breath. When baby emerges from the mother's all-providing womb, his complete physical dependence upon mother disappears and he is suddenly responsible for sustaining his own life by breathing on his own. "The Breath of Life" idea expresses profound truth in that everyone who lives on earth must somehow be able to inhale and exhale. Chinese acupuncturists have understood for centuries that the lungs filter the emotion of grief. Because full breathing is so essential to bodywork, many massage therapists will begin the first session with a client by opening the client's lungs: as the client lies on his back he takes his deepest breath in, then on the client's exhale, the therapist applies gradually increasing pressure with the four fingertips of each hand pressing immediately below the ribcage on both sides. Sometimes such a technique can bring up the client's buried fear or grief and elicit crying. This is very good! Crying does not last forever and it is a very healthy way to release energy from the body. I have found that by working in and around the lungs/upper back/shoulders area, repressed feelings of self-blame, self-criticism and self-disapproval can surface because these specific emotions can also be carried in this chakra (energy center). More times than I can count, when I have gently asked a client "Have you been a bit hard on yourself lately, blaming yourself for your choices?", he will answer "yes", tears will arise and within moments, the tension in this chakra melts away right under my fingertips. It is truly a wonderful, visible example of how FEELING EMOTION puts ENERGY INTO MOTION, and is released right out of the body. Many folks' medical histories include breathing difficulties that relate back to emotional problems in childhood. Many of us were discouraged from expressing normal grief through crying. Mucous is released as a result of crying, but if the individual suppresses his grief, it can be released through mucous-accumulating lung illnesses like pneumonia. Asthma, emphysema, airborne allergies and other breathing restrictions express deep-seated fears of taking life in fully (inhaling) and trusting that more safe life (oxygen) will be available after the full exhale. Some medical history research has drawn a connection between the birth mother's cigarette smoking and her child's asthma. Research utilizing hypnosis has also shown that the psycho/emotional states of a pregnant woman are transferred as "reality" to her fetus. Nicotine is an emotional suppressant, and when a smoking expectant mom is on the verge of feeling a deep emotion, such as fear, she may reach for a cigarette as a method of suppressing the emotion. The smoking harms her own deep and healthy breathing, and this can later translate into her child's restricted fearful breathing called asthma. Receiving therapeutic massage is a wonderful way to help heal lung and upper back problems. The client's health can improve because the energy blockages that underly illness and that restrict body, mind, emotions and spirit can be uncovered and released through therapeutic massage. The massage therapist will inevitably find places in the client's body where tension (excess energy) is held. One of the reasons we experience physical pain in our bodies is that we hold excess tension, and receiving therapeutic massage is an excellent way to download tension. However, there may be places in the client's body that are densely loaded with tension and may require the therapist's prolonged focus. A skilled massage therapist will often suggest the client fully inhale, expanding his lungs to maximum capacity, then fully exhale through the mouth to help the tension ride out of his body, much like riding an ocean wave into shore. The therapist will watch as the client inhales, then upon the client's exhale, begin to apply increasing pressure to the tight spot. (I have found that it's best to help diffuse the intensity of such pressure-pointing by using one hand to surround the tight spot while the other hand applies deep pressure directly to the spot. This technique makes deep pressure-pointing much more manageable to the client.) It is quite possible that if the client has suffered from breathing difficulties in the past or present, he may need to cough and expel mucous into Kleenex. During my career I have observed clients with formerly restricted breathing achieve healing success over time. Many have increased their chest/shoulder measurements, improved the uprightness of their posture, left seasonal airborne allergies behind, quit smoking, enjoyed fuller breathing during physical exercise and even forgiven the emotional wounds of childhood. I am pleased to have played a supporting role in these clients' healing progress, but I believe they have succeeded because they have chosen to take full responsibility for healing themselves. ----- Read about Laurel Duran on our Meet the Team page; http://www.Life-Choices.com/team.html ****************************************************** Our sponsors make this newsletter FREE to subscribers. Please take a moment to visit them. **************************************************** You have heard about the healing qualities of magnets. Magnets have been shown to relieve discomfort from these symptoms and more: Arthritis** Diabetes** Depression** Joint Pain** Wound Healing* * Insomnia** Hormonal Imbalances** and other ailments: GO TO http://www.MagnetTherapy.com For all your MAGNET THERAPY product needs, SHOP ONLINE at MagnetTherapy.com ********************************************* Our all natural herbal diet & nutritional supplements all come with a full money back guarantee! Better nutrition is the key to better health and weight management. This is the foundation upon which our products are based. Whether you are looking for a way to safely lose weight or nutritional insurance, we have a product for you. Visit: http://www.befit4ever.com today and feel better and look better tomorrow! ********************************************* Section 2 Tea Tips Study Shows Green Tea May Reduce Effects of Arthritis Ongoing studies by a research team at Case Western, reported in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, are suggesting a link between consumption of green tea and reduced incidence and severity of rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers, who have been conducting the study on laboratory mice, have focused their inquiry on the polyphenols (antioxidants) present in green tea. The study also provides evidence "that mice fed green tea polyphenols were significantly less susceptible to the development of collagen-induced arthritis, and if they developed arthritis, the disease was late in onset and mild in comparison to mice not given green tea polyphenols," reports the Journal of Chinese Medicine. Source: Journal of Chinese Medicine, October 1999 Discover the finest loose leaf Teas and explore New Worlds of flavor! http://www.life-choices.com/lar/cjassoc.html *************************************** Section 3 Top Dog Proper Dosages To Give Your Pet There is always confusion as to how much medication or herbs to give your pet. There are two very important things to remember here: 1. Just because the medication may be herbal or "natural" doesn't mean that too much can't harm your pet. 2. Different brands may have varying degrees of efficacy. So our primary advice is to follow the directions on the bottle, or contact your vet for exact dosages. For a general rule of thumb use 1 drop per pound of body weight up to 50 pounds. Add ½ drop (average) per pound thereafter. DOSAGE CONDITIONS: MAINTENANCE DOSAGE, Usually once a day , with evening feeding is best. Examples: MULTI-MIN, GINKGO BILOBA, SENIOR TONIC ACUTE DOSAGE. Initially taken 6 to 8 times a day, with the frequency of the dose gradually reduced to three times a day as the symptoms improve. This level should be maintained three to four days past when your pet begins to feel well. Examples: Kidney bladder problems: KIDNEY PLUS; Nerves and stress: STRESS-EX, CARDO. CHRONIC CONDITIONS DOSAGE Take 3 to 4 times a day for a four to six week period, followed by a one to two week break. They generally need to be taken for a number of months. Examples: ATR for Arthritis, BCL for cancer, Senior Tonic for older animals. WORMS and PARASITES Take WORM-EX three times a day for ten days. Repeat at least twice a year and in some envirorments an animal make have to be de wormed every month. ----- Do you have a specific question about your pet's health that you would like to have an answer to? Talk to our TOP DOG. http://www.life-choices.com/lar/pet.html *************************************** Our sponsors make this newsletter FREE to subscribers. Please take a moment to visit them. *************************************** Your Weekly Message...The Baum Group - a FREE weekly e-newsletter to help you stay focused, on purpose and much more! Subscribe by clicking mailto:DrRae@prodigy.net?subject=subscribe_ezineYLYC ************************************************ Receive your free list of 20+ ezines that accept free ads along with other great marketing ideas, tips & resources when you subscribe to "ideas2try" mailto:ideas2try-on@mail-list.com?subject=xxx Your email address will never be given out to others ********************************************* Section 4 Mood and Memory Wellness: How to be Spirited and Sharp for 100 Years! (part 1) By Dr. John H. Maher http://www.rxforwellness.com Oliver Wendell Holmes, the American writer and physician, wrote to a colleague poet on her seventieth birthday: 'To be seventy years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful than to be forty years old.' 'Few people know how to be old', wrote La Rochefoucauld in his Maximes. Successful aging becomes increasingly an important issue, as in our 'grey world' the segment of the elderly population is on the rise. In Germany, the number of centenarians was over 4000 in 1993 and is estimated to reach up to 23,000 this year (2000). In the US, the over 85 group is the fastest growing segment of the population. Mental activity is of paramount importance for maintaining the ability to cope adequately with stress, with health problems, limitations and handicaps, and particularly for the persisting capability to enjoy life. It is becoming more and more clear that aging is not necessarily equivalent with decay and decrepitude. Factors such as diet, nutrition, physical and mental exercise have been underestimated or ignored as potential moderators of the aging process. There are risk factors that are known to increase morbidity in the elderly and which can be prevented. They include cigarette smoking, heavy alcohol consumption and inadequate water, mineral and B vitamin intake. There are studies indicating that much of the cognitive loss in late middle life that has been considered to be intrinsic to aging, is caused in part by extrinsic factors and may therefore be preventable or reversible. Practical Hints to Keep Your Brain Healthy Maintaining the health of your brain and body is not only important for you but also for your family and friends. Although the brain ages in parallel with other organs of our body, an increasing number of productive and creative elderly persons bear testimony to the brain's remarkable capacity to function at an exceptional level even at an advanced age. Are there ways to keep the brain functional? Absolutely! First, be on guard. A significant change in your personality, mood, or behavior (sometimes noted by others) could be a sign for a disorder that should be treated. Consult your physician, especially if the simple recommendations herein do not improve your mood and memory. 1)Keep your brain busy. Engage in mental exercise such as reading, puzzle solving, playing an instrument, playing games, learning new skills (e.g. take a language course, enroll in courses offered by the university for senior citizens), taking part in discussion groups. 2)A healthy brain lives in a healthy body. Regularly perform physical exercise to maintain muscle strength, endurance, and mobility. By exercising your body, you also exercise your brain because the control and coordination of your limbs is controlled by the brain. Keep your body in good shape by an adequate diet. Stay well hydrated with plenty of water. Endeavor to get the deepest sleep you can, as deep sleep is the great rejuvenator. 3)Avoid risks to the health of your body. Do not smoke, do not consume excessive amounts of alcohol and caffeine. Be careful and sensitive to the possible side effects of medications. 4)Prepare for the future. When you retire from your job, have an alternative social structure ready to keep you stimulated and challenged. Margaret Mead, the well-known anthropologist, said: 'If you associate enough with older people who do enjoy their lives, who are not stored away in any golden ghettos, you will gain a sense of continuity and of the possibility for a full life'. Avoid becoming isolated and lonely! 5) Feed your head. As we get older it becomes even more important that we endeavor to keep our antioxidants and the hormones of youth optimal, while keeping the hormones of age, insulin and cortisol, under control. We also want to consider herbs, amino acids, vitamins and other nutrients that can help keep our mood and memory young. Brain Power at an Advanced Age There are undeniable effects of age on brain function. The vast majority of people become somewhat forgetful, particularly in forming memories of recent events and remembering everyday items such as names and phone numbers. Yet, it is not unusual that persons of advanced age produce exceptional work in art and science. Claude Monet was eighty years old when he painted his famous series of water lilies, and Giuseppe Verdi was the same age when he composed the opera Falstaff. Sigmund Freud made seminal contributions to psychoanalysis in his eighties. George Bernard Shaw was 91 when he wrote the play 'Buoyant Billions'. He lamented, '... if only I could live longer to properly benefit from life's experience. Youth is wasted on the young!' Mood Wellness and 'Grumpy Old Men' It is true that for many the aging brain does have a tendency to become less full of the 'joy of life'. As the brain and body ages, less blood flow, less oxygen, less nutrients, less hormones and less neurotransmitters (brain messenger chemicals), or at least less sensitivity to the last two, all can be the basis for a physiological cause of moodiness, lack of joy and even depression. Yet the above examples show it is not necessarily so! Nonetheless, depression can sneak up on us. If we wait too long to act, we can find ourselves stuck in the hopelessness of despair. If you find that you might be suffering from mild depression, we suggest you try following the advice provided herein. More severe cases need prescription medication, but there is no drug that can replace a healthy lifestyle! [End of part one. See our next issue for a continuation of this article.] ----- Read about Dr. John H. Maher on our Meet the Team page; http://www.Life-Choices.com/team.html //////////////////////////////////////////////////////// Disclaimer All material appearing in this newsletter is provided for educational purposes only. It is provided with the understanding that authors and contributors are not offering medical advice or services. We strongly encourage you to consult with your own physician regarding any recommendations with respect to your own medical condition. 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