Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts

Friday, May 9, 2008

Depression

I was in the public school system for 6 years, from 2000-2006. When I got out, I suffered for several months with depression. I never want to go back to those zombie-like days again, and I am so grateful to my husband for helping/putting up with me!
I have felt so much better in the last few months, mostly because of:
I have found that what works for me for the best way to combat (and it is a fight!) depression is the following:

Lots of water
no soda (or at least limit it to once a week!!!)
Lots of Omega-3s (ck out my christopher's egg page) and
I take Carlson's Cod Liver Oil pills
Sunshine - extremely important - I need to walk at least 3 times a week or
I know I will suffer!
Green Tea - lots of anti-oxidants
A really good Multi-vitamin - I like Garden of Life Living Multi and
Nature's Way Alive!
Acidophilus pill - cause 80% of your immune system is in your gut
severely limit caffeine intake

now if only I could wean myself off of sugar........

Here's a couple of websites:
http://www.savvypatients.com/depression.htm
Dr. Mercola

I found this article to be interesting. If you are on medication, you can always do the above and take your pills. If you and your doctor carefully monitor your progess, you can try almost anything!

From the Dr. Mercola website: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/05/22/antidepressant-pregnancy.aspx

Clearly drugs are rarely the best choice for pregnant women who are depressed. There are so many better options.

Antidepressants are the top-selling therapeutic class, with $12.5 billion in retail sales. Depression is an enormously common problem and many people use a drug-based solution to address it.

Second generation antidepressants have traditionally been believed to be safe during pregnancy. However, this report shows that Paxil use may cause a withdrawl symptoms in babies once they are born.

While I am certain many women benefit in some ways from their use, these drugs are in no way shape or form ever responsible for improving the underlying cause of depression.

Sure seems to make a lot more sense to recommend the use of simple therapies which are far more effective and virtually non-toxic.

Now, what would those be?

First and foremost, especially with pregnant women, the use of omega-3 oils is an absolute must. It is also clear that omega-3 fat supplementation and restriction of omega-6 fats will profoundly improve the brain function.

Dr. Stoll is the director of the psychopharmacology research lab at Boston's McLean Hospital and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He discusses this extensively in his book The Omega-3 Connection. He reviews the new evidence supporting the use of omega-3 oils for depression.

I thoroughly enjoyed his book, but disagree with his recommendations to avoid using cod liver oil. It is my experience that as long as the dose is carefully monitored, cod liver oil is far more beneficial than traditional fish oil capsules.

In addition to treating the depression they will also do wonders for improving the intelligence of the child and protecting them from the epidemic of brain injuries such as autism, pervasive developmental delay and ADHD.

Secondly exposure to full spectrum lighting is key. In the summer this is a no-brainer, just spend one hour outside in the sunlight, not behind a window. The window will filter out many of the over 1500 wavelengths that are present in full sunlight. If the problem occurs during the winter then access to full spectrum fluorescent lighting will be very important.

If pregnant women only did the following three steps, the great majority would notice amazing improvement in their depression:

Omega-3 oils, specifically fish oil, is probably the single most important nutrient for a child with ADHD to take.
Next they should only drink water as their beverage, taking care to avoid fruit juices, soda and milk.
Restrict sugars and grains, which cause insulin levels to be elevated.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Urinary Tract Infections

This is what I do for a urinary tract infection:
Take Azo Cranberry
Drink lots of water
Put a teaspoon of baking soda in 8 oz water and drink it all down.
If you don't feel better within 6 hours, take another teaspoon or 1/2 teaspoon.

Update 2009 -
The above is good, but what will really help a urinary infection is the following:
D' Mannose - get it at Vitamin Shoppe or your local health food store - at least 6 pills a day
Probiotic - at least 3 pills a day
3 days of taking the above and the infection will be gone!
I've read that the Dmannose and a probiotic is especially great for pregnancy-related uti!

Here are some interesting sites on UTI:
http://homemade-remedies.com/remedy/urinary-tract-infection-uti/
http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/utis.html
http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/remedy/Urinary-Tract-Infection-(UTI).html
http://www.henriettesherbal.com/archives/best/1995/uti.html
http://health.howstuffworks.com/home-remedies-for-urinary-tract-infections1.htm

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Allergy Article

Allergy Alert: Breathe Easy, Naturally Posted Mon, Mar 10, 2008,

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/13022/allergy-alert-breathe-easy-naturally/

Itchy, watery eyes, running nose, an aching head, and sinus congestion. Sound familiar? You may be among the 37 million people in the United States who suffer from allergic rhinitis or sinusitis. Consider combating your springtime woes naturally with these time-tested self-healing techniques.

Allergens in the Air
When your sinuses, the air-filled hollow cavities around your nose and nasal passages, become inflamed, fluid can accumulate and interfere with normal drainage of mucus in the sinuses. This condition is known as acute sinusitis. The result? You may have trouble breathing through your nose and feel your eyes and facial tissue swell up.

Your symptoms may include a headache, fever, a nagging cough, post-nasal drip, thick green or yellow discharge, and a feeling of facial "fullness" that gets worse when you lean forward; during a severe sinus infection, some people even experience a toothache.

This uncomfortable condition has many possible causes, including bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, allergies, or a deviated septum. Synonymous with spring, allergic rhinitis, commonly called hay fever, is the inflammatory result of your immune system's overreaction to allergens in the air.

Pollen is one famous offender. Other allergens include dirt, pollution, animal hair, food particles cloth fibers, and mold.

Surprising Secrets for Sinus Health
Here are some all-natural ways to gain freedom from sinus suffering.

• Clear your sinuses and your mind with a steamy stovetop spa. Add a few drops of wintergreen oil to a pot of boiling water and inhale the steam. Take care not to be burned by the vapor.

• Herbs and spices like ginger, scallion, basil, garlic, oregano, cayenne peppers, white pepper, horseradish and turmeric will have your sinus passageways unblocked in no time!

• The supplement bromelain - a papaya and pineapple-based enzyme - helps reduce histamine release, the body's natural allergic response.

• Clear your nasal passageway daily for healthy, happy sinuses. Add 1 tsp of sea salt, 1 drop of oregano oil, and 1 drop of wintergreen to a cup of warm water. Fill a small-spouted squeeze bottle with this warm solution. Squirt into one nostril at a time and blow out through the nose. Alternate nostrils.

• Press one clove of garlic, mix with 1 tsp of olive oil and soak a clean cotton ball with the oil mixture and place in nostrils after having washed the nostril with warm salt water. Leave in for 20 minutes and repeat three times a day until the symptoms clear up.

• These two simple self-massage practices that follow are incredibly effective for relieving sinus congestion. For both, sit at the tip of a sturdy chair with your back erect, spine stretched, and your head tilted slightly forward.

1. Inhale and gently press your forehead just inside the temples with your palms. Exhale and release. Repeat three times.

2. Cross your middle and index fingers by placing the tips of your middle fingers on top of the fingernails on your index fingers. Rub the sides of your nose 36 times in a circular motion, warming your fingers first if they're cold.

What you eat affects your sinus health
Avoid the foods that produce mucous and dampness: dairy products, cold and raw foods, corn (including corn syrup), and simple sugars. Choose whole grains like quinoa, amaranth and brown rice instead of wheat, rye and barley, which are typically high allergy grains. Opt for papaya, cranberries, pear, pineapple, cherries, mango, and citrus fruits. Eat more green vegetables such as artichoke, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and spinach.

Both alcohol and smoking should be avoided during a sinus flare-up as they irritate the respiratory tract and worsen nasal inflammation. Also, sinus congestion is often worse with lack of quality rest so be sure to get plenty of sleep and keep your stress level low.

I hope that you find the ways to keep your sinuses clear and freely flowing. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you live long, live strong, and live happy!

-Dr. Mao

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Why eat organic foods?

Click on the link: Why eat organic foods?

more to come......

update:
another site -
http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/Dirty-Dozen-Foods?click=main_sr

Not all of us can afford to go 100% organic. The solution? Focus on just those foods that come with the heaviest burden of pesticides, chemicals, additives and hormones. Whenever possible, deploy your organic spending power to buy organic versions of the following foods (in no particular order). Can't find organic versions of these foods? In some cases, we've listed safer alternatives that contain similar valuable vitamins and minerals.

1. Meat. Contrary to a widely reported "fact," meat typically contains less pesticide residue than plant-based foods, according to Debra Edwards, the director of EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs.

That said, raising animals with conventional modern methods often means using hormones to speed up growth, antibiotics to resist disease and pesticides to grow the grain fed to the animals. As the EPA puts it in an Ag 101 feature, "Antibiotics, pesticides, and hormones are organic compounds which are used in animal feeding operations and may pose risks if they enter the environment."

Consumers looking to avoid meats raised with these substances can seek out certified organic meat. To meet USDA standards, this meat can come only from animals fed organic feed and given no hormones or antibiotics.

Publications as varied as the Wall Street Journal, in its 2007 When Buying Organic Makes Sense and When It Doesn’t, and Consumers Union, in its 2006 Tips on Buying Organics Without Breaking the Bank, recommend seeking out organic meats when possible.

2. Milk. Pesticides and other man-made chemicals have been found in human breast milk, so it should come as no surprise that they have been found in dairy products. While any residues detected have been rare, and of low concentration, milk is of special concern because it is a staple of children's diets.

Organic dairies cannot feed their cows with grains grown with pesticides, nor can they use antibiotics or growth hormones like rGBH or rbST.

3. Coffee. Many of the beans you buy are grown in countries that don't regulate use of chemicals and pesticides. Look for the Fair Trade Certified Organic label on the coffee package or can; it will give you some assurance that chemicals and pesticides were not used on the plants. It will also mean that fair prices were paid for the end product in support of the farm and that farm workers are treated fairly.

4. Peaches. Multiple pesticides are regularly applied to these delicately skinned fruits in conventional orchards. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: watermelon, tangerines, oranges and grapefruit.

5. Apples. Scrubbing and peeling doesn't eliminate chemical residue completely so it's best to buy organic when it comes to apples. Peeling a fruit or vegetable also strips away many of their beneficial nutrients. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: watermelon, bananas and tangerines.

6. Sweet bell peppers. Peppers have thin skins that don't offer much of a barrier to pesticides. They're often heavily sprayed and victim to pesticides commonly used to keep them insect-free. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: green peas, broccoli and cabbage.

7. Celery. Celery has no protective skin, which makes it almost impossible to wash off the chemicals that are used on conventional crops. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: broccoli, radishes and onions.

8. Strawberries. If you buy strawberries out of season, they're most likely imported from countries that use less-stringent regulations for pesticide use. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: blueberries, kiwi and pineapples.

9. Lettuces. Leafy greens are frequently contaminated with what are considered the most potent pesticides used on food. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts.

10. Grapes. Imported grapes run a much greater risk of contamination than those grown domestically. Vineyards can be sprayed with different pesticides during different growth periods of the grape, and no amount of washing or peeling will eliminate contamination because of the grape's thin skin. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: blueberries, kiwi and raspberries.

11. Potatoes. America's popular spud ranks high for pesticide residue. It also gets the double whammy of fungicides added to the soil for growing. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: eggplant, cabbage and earthy mushrooms.

12. Tomatoes. A tomato's easily punctured skin is no match for chemicals that will eventually permeate it. Can't find organic? Safe alternatives: green peas, broccoli and asparagus.

If the cost of buying all organics isn't within your budget, fear not. Check out The Daily Green's top ten list of fruit and vegetables you don't need to buy organic, with tips for buying and how to clean, store and use them in delicious recipes.