"When you are reluctant to change, think of the beauty of autumn." (Unknown)
Five Ways to Welcome Change in the New Year
By Elizabeth Lesser
Raise your hand if you've had a crazy year with lots of changes--good, bad, or otherwise. OK! Just as I thought; we're all in this together. The most difficult change I've been dealing with is my sister's cancer diagnosis and treatment. Sitting by her bed in the oncology unit the other day, I came across words by the great Sufi master, Hazrat Inayat Khan: "Walking on the turning wheel of the earth, living under the ever-rotating sun, man expects a peaceful life."
Reading them, I had an a-ha moment--I let go of demanding that life be predictable, easy, peaceful. Such a relief! I decided to make my New Year's resolution be about welcoming change with a willing heart. If you want to join me in this, here are some helpful ways to proceed.
1. Expect Change
Since we live in a changing universe, expect change. Good change, difficult change, destructive change, transformative change.
2. Make Friends With Change
Try not to fight change. Make unconditional friendship with it, in whatever form it arrives.
3. Relax Into the Mystery
There is so much more to this life than we can ever understand through our tiny brains and fearful hearts.
So in times of big change, it's good to be gentle and kind and patient with yourself. And to relax. The best peacemakers are those who are at peace with themselves.
4. Receive Change's Message
Be still and listen deeply for the truth that is carried on its winds--information about the past, wisdom about the present, and direction for the future.
5. Come Alive
Join forces with the dynamic flow of life. The African-American theologian Howard Thurman said: "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs are people who have come alive."
And so, as the old year changes into the New Year, ask what makes you come alive, and then go do it--for your own sake, and in service of the greater good.
Elizabeth Lesser is the cofounder of Omega Institute and the author of "Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow."
...and I hope that the above bits of wisdom will help bring in 2008 in a more positive, happy, peaceful, healthy and successful way for you! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Your Friend,
Jacques
Monday, December 31, 2007
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Holiday Dinners: Cut Fat & 1,500 Calories!
You better watch out, you better not cry... you better not pig out, we're telling you why! Why? Well, for starters, the high-cal dieting heartaches are coming to town in the form of our traditional holiday meals.
But we're not going to to play Scrooge and tell you to eat lettuce leaves and celery sticks for the Holidays. You can party hearty and still shave up to 1,500 calories off your day's intake if you take dietitian Susan Burke's advice to heart.
Her advice, and a one-pot holiday dinner, courtesy of Elizabeth Yarnell of gloriousonepotmeals.com, are below.
Christmas/ New Year's Dinner: Cut Fat & 1,500 Calories!
by Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE
How can you stay healthy throughout the holidays? It's easy, when you're a little creative, and a little disciplined too. I have come up with holiday suggestions that can save you almost 1,500 calories through a few simple substitutions.
Whether dining out at restaurants and holiday buffets, or serving holiday dinners at home, you are the captain of your ship, so to speak, when it comes to what you eat.
Stay the Main Course: Calorie and fat-wise, all lean meats are perfect... as long as you keep it healthy by not adding fat to the naturally low-fat meal. You may run into trouble if faced with pre-sauced and dressed entrees. Even vegetarian entrees can be hard on your diet if they’re heavily sauced and cheesed.
But as long as you trim the portion size, you’ll be okay. Just say "no" to gravy on the meats and potatoes, (save 100 calories, 7 grams of fat) and instead of the traditional broccoli casserole made with creamy mushroom soup and butter (267 calories and 16 grams of fat), enjoy steamed broccoli topped with slivered almonds and a sprinkle of dehydrated butter granules (60 calories, 0 grams of fat).
Baked sweet potatoes are succulent (55 calories, 0 grams of fat) instead of mashed white potatoes with butter and cream (236 calories and 9 grams of fat). Save 488 calories, 32 grams of fat.
Sweet Endings: Desserts are like appetizers -- they can make or break a holiday meal, calorie-wise. You can gorge on something laden with sugar and fat, or be sensibly satisfied with a sweet-yet-safe dessert. Don’t deprive yourself of dessert, but make it smarter.
Instead of Aunt Nelly's traditional pumpkin pie, made with whole eggs, two kinds of sugar and heavy cream (one-eighth slice has 346 calories, 17 grams of fat) try a deliciously modified recipe from Splenda.com. The website has lots of good information on baking and cooking with SPLENDA Sugar Blend for Baking (a mix of sugar (sucrose) and sucralose) and SPLENDA Brand Sweetener (sucralose). This reduced-fat pie doesn’t sacrifice taste or texture, and has only 150 calories and 7 grams of fat per slice. Save 196 calories, 10 grams of fat.
Drum roll please, Little Drummer Boy. Follow Susan's advice and your total savings for your holiday meal comes to 1,460 calories and 93 grams of fat!
Enjoy your holidays by making them healthy for everyone. Start with one of our favorite holiday recipes.
Reduced-Fat Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
1 prepared pie crust
Filling
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, Granular
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half
1/2 cup egg substitute
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend pumpkin puree, SPLENDA Granular, corn starch, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until set in the center and the crust is golden brown. ---
A One-Pot holiday Dinner for 2
Here is a great solution to getting the meal with all the trimmings without spending hours and hours in the kitchen or facing a week of leftovers. Because it is an "infused one-pot meal," each ingredient maintains its integrity during the cooking process and emerges separate, intact and infused with flavor, rather than merged into a stew or slab as with more familiar types of one-pot meals.
Best yet, you can spend a pleasant half hour or less in the kitchen with your dining companion while you wash, chop and layer the ingredients into the pot. Preparing food offers a great opportunity to chat across the cutting board and gives you each ownership for the holiday dinner success.
Just 45 minutes later, when sitting down to eat together, toast each other, toast the holiday and toast the easy answer to holiday dining: an infused one-pot meal.
Ingredients
1/2-3/4 lb. turkey tenderloin or boneless breast filets
1/3 cup whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 dash white pepper
1/3 cup shelled walnuts
8-10 pearl onions, peeled, halved
1 med. sweet potato or yam, scrubbed, 1/4" slices
2 cups broccoli flore
You can view sample page at: http://app.mediaplex.com/adserver/ui_rotation_test.list?rotation_id_in=559455227353210
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray inside of 2-quart cast iron Dutch oven and lid with canola oil.
Set turkey pieces into base in a single layer, trying not to overlap pieces as much as possible. Lightly sprinkle with salt.
In a food processor or blender, pulse cranberries using chopping blade (shaped like a backwards "S") until berries are in large chunks. Add marmalade, lemon juice and white pepper and pulse two or three times to mix together. Pour in walnuts and continue to pulse until walnuts are roughly chopped and you have a thick, rocky paste.
Drop spoonfuls of cranberry paste onto turkey pieces until only about half is left. Toss in onions and layer in sweet potato slices. Again, lightly salt. Cover with rest of cranberry paste. Top with broccoli florets.
Cover and bake for about 40 minutes. You'll know it's ready three minutes after the aroma of a finished meal escapes your oven.
Notes
In a pinch, substitute pulpy orange juice for the orange marmalade. You'll just end up with more "gravy" at the bottom of the pot to spoon over the food when serving. 1/4 cup broth added to the cranberry-walnut paste will also increase the amount of gravy.
The turkey, cranberries and broccoli can all be used fresh or frozen (without thawing), and it won't change your cooking time or most things about your meal, though realize that frozen broccoli tends to emerge softer than fresh. The larger the broccoli pieces, the crisper they will turn out at the end. ---
Add a kick to your meal with one fresh or roasted jalapeño pepper, de-stemmed, seeded and chopped.
HAPPY, HEALTHY, TASTY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS!
Love,
Jacques
But we're not going to to play Scrooge and tell you to eat lettuce leaves and celery sticks for the Holidays. You can party hearty and still shave up to 1,500 calories off your day's intake if you take dietitian Susan Burke's advice to heart.
Her advice, and a one-pot holiday dinner, courtesy of Elizabeth Yarnell of gloriousonepotmeals.com, are below.
Christmas/ New Year's Dinner: Cut Fat & 1,500 Calories!
by Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE
How can you stay healthy throughout the holidays? It's easy, when you're a little creative, and a little disciplined too. I have come up with holiday suggestions that can save you almost 1,500 calories through a few simple substitutions.
Whether dining out at restaurants and holiday buffets, or serving holiday dinners at home, you are the captain of your ship, so to speak, when it comes to what you eat.
Stay the Main Course: Calorie and fat-wise, all lean meats are perfect... as long as you keep it healthy by not adding fat to the naturally low-fat meal. You may run into trouble if faced with pre-sauced and dressed entrees. Even vegetarian entrees can be hard on your diet if they’re heavily sauced and cheesed.
But as long as you trim the portion size, you’ll be okay. Just say "no" to gravy on the meats and potatoes, (save 100 calories, 7 grams of fat) and instead of the traditional broccoli casserole made with creamy mushroom soup and butter (267 calories and 16 grams of fat), enjoy steamed broccoli topped with slivered almonds and a sprinkle of dehydrated butter granules (60 calories, 0 grams of fat).
Baked sweet potatoes are succulent (55 calories, 0 grams of fat) instead of mashed white potatoes with butter and cream (236 calories and 9 grams of fat). Save 488 calories, 32 grams of fat.
Sweet Endings: Desserts are like appetizers -- they can make or break a holiday meal, calorie-wise. You can gorge on something laden with sugar and fat, or be sensibly satisfied with a sweet-yet-safe dessert. Don’t deprive yourself of dessert, but make it smarter.
Instead of Aunt Nelly's traditional pumpkin pie, made with whole eggs, two kinds of sugar and heavy cream (one-eighth slice has 346 calories, 17 grams of fat) try a deliciously modified recipe from Splenda.com. The website has lots of good information on baking and cooking with SPLENDA Sugar Blend for Baking (a mix of sugar (sucrose) and sucralose) and SPLENDA Brand Sweetener (sucralose). This reduced-fat pie doesn’t sacrifice taste or texture, and has only 150 calories and 7 grams of fat per slice. Save 196 calories, 10 grams of fat.
Drum roll please, Little Drummer Boy. Follow Susan's advice and your total savings for your holiday meal comes to 1,460 calories and 93 grams of fat!
Enjoy your holidays by making them healthy for everyone. Start with one of our favorite holiday recipes.
Reduced-Fat Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:
1 prepared pie crust
Filling
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
3/4 cup SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener, Granular
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half
1/2 cup egg substitute
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend pumpkin puree, SPLENDA Granular, corn starch, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix until all ingredients are well blended. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until set in the center and the crust is golden brown. ---
A One-Pot holiday Dinner for 2
Here is a great solution to getting the meal with all the trimmings without spending hours and hours in the kitchen or facing a week of leftovers. Because it is an "infused one-pot meal," each ingredient maintains its integrity during the cooking process and emerges separate, intact and infused with flavor, rather than merged into a stew or slab as with more familiar types of one-pot meals.
Best yet, you can spend a pleasant half hour or less in the kitchen with your dining companion while you wash, chop and layer the ingredients into the pot. Preparing food offers a great opportunity to chat across the cutting board and gives you each ownership for the holiday dinner success.
Just 45 minutes later, when sitting down to eat together, toast each other, toast the holiday and toast the easy answer to holiday dining: an infused one-pot meal.
Ingredients
1/2-3/4 lb. turkey tenderloin or boneless breast filets
1/3 cup whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 dash white pepper
1/3 cup shelled walnuts
8-10 pearl onions, peeled, halved
1 med. sweet potato or yam, scrubbed, 1/4" slices
2 cups broccoli flore
You can view sample page at: http://app.mediaplex.com/adserver/ui_rotation_test.list?rotation_id_in=559455227353210
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray inside of 2-quart cast iron Dutch oven and lid with canola oil.
Set turkey pieces into base in a single layer, trying not to overlap pieces as much as possible. Lightly sprinkle with salt.
In a food processor or blender, pulse cranberries using chopping blade (shaped like a backwards "S") until berries are in large chunks. Add marmalade, lemon juice and white pepper and pulse two or three times to mix together. Pour in walnuts and continue to pulse until walnuts are roughly chopped and you have a thick, rocky paste.
Drop spoonfuls of cranberry paste onto turkey pieces until only about half is left. Toss in onions and layer in sweet potato slices. Again, lightly salt. Cover with rest of cranberry paste. Top with broccoli florets.
Cover and bake for about 40 minutes. You'll know it's ready three minutes after the aroma of a finished meal escapes your oven.
Notes
In a pinch, substitute pulpy orange juice for the orange marmalade. You'll just end up with more "gravy" at the bottom of the pot to spoon over the food when serving. 1/4 cup broth added to the cranberry-walnut paste will also increase the amount of gravy.
The turkey, cranberries and broccoli can all be used fresh or frozen (without thawing), and it won't change your cooking time or most things about your meal, though realize that frozen broccoli tends to emerge softer than fresh. The larger the broccoli pieces, the crisper they will turn out at the end. ---
Add a kick to your meal with one fresh or roasted jalapeño pepper, de-stemmed, seeded and chopped.
HAPPY, HEALTHY, TASTY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS!
Love,
Jacques
Friday, December 21, 2007
7 Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe
By Robert Roy Britt
LiveScience Managing Editor
LiveScience.Com Thu Dec 20, 7:20 PM ET
Popular culture is loaded with myths and half-truths. Most are harmless. But when doctors start believing medical myths, perhaps it's time to worry.
In the British Medical Journal this week, researchers looked into several common misconceptions, from the belief that a person should drink eight glasses of water per day to the notion that reading in low light ruins your eyesight.
"We got fired up about this because we knew that physicians accepted these beliefs and were passing this information along to their patients," said Dr. Aaron Carroll, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. "And these beliefs are frequently cited in the popular media."
And so here they are, so that you can inform your doctor:
Myth: We use only 10 percent of our brains.
Fact: Physicians and comedians alike, including Jerry Seinfeld, love to cite this one. It's sometimes erroneously credited to Albert Einstein. But MRI scans, PET scans and other imaging studies show no dormant areas of the brain, and even viewing individual neurons or cells reveals no inactive areas, the new paper points out. Metabolic studies of how brain cells process chemicals show no nonfunctioning areas. The myth probably originated with self-improvement hucksters in the early 1900s who wanted to convince people that they had yet not reached their full potential, Carroll figures. It also doesn't jibe with the fact that our other organs run at full tilt.
Myth: You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
Fact: "There is no medical evidence to suggest that you need that much water," said Dr. Rachel Vreeman, a pediatrics research fellow at the university and co-author of the journal article. Vreeman thinks this myth can be traced back to a 1945 recommendation from the Nutrition Council that a person consume the equivalent of 8 glasses (64 ounces) of fluid a day. Over the years, "fluid" turned to water. But fruits and vegetables, plus coffee and other liquids, count.
Myth: Fingernails and hair grow after death.
Fact: Most physicians queried on this one initially thought it was true. Upon further reflection, they realized it's impossible. Here's what happens: "As the body’s skin is drying out, soft tissue, especially skin, is retracting," Vreeman said. "The nails appear much more prominent as the skin dries out. The same is true, but less obvious, with hair. As the skin is shrinking back, the hair looks more prominent or sticks up a bit."
Myth: Shaved hair grows back faster, coarser and darker.
Fact: A 1928 clinical trial compared hair growth in shaved patches to growth in non-shaved patches. The hair which replaced the shaved hair was no darker or thicker, and did not grow in faster. More recent studies have confirmed that one. Here's the deal: When hair first comes in after being shaved, it grows with a blunt edge on top, Carroll and Vreeman explain. Over time, the blunt edge gets worn so it may seem thicker than it actually is. Hair that's just emerging can be darker too, because it hasn't been bleached by the sun.
Myth: Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.
Fact: The researchers found no evidence that reading in dim light causes permanent eye damage. It can cause eye strain and temporarily decreased acuity, which subsides after rest.
Myth: Eating turkey makes you drowsy.
Fact: Even Carroll and Vreeman believed this one until they researched it. The thing is, a chemical in turkey called tryptophan is known to cause drowsiness. But turkey doesn't contain any more of it than does chicken or beef. This myth is fueled by the fact that turkey is often eaten with a colossal holiday meal, often accompanied by alcohol — both things that will make you sleepy.
Myth: Mobile phones are dangerous in hospitals.
Fact: There are no known cases of death related to this one. Cases of less-serious interference with hospital devices seem to be largely anecdotal, the researchers found. In one real study, mobile phones were found to interfere with 4 percent of devices, but only when the phone was within 3 feet of the device. A more recent study, this year, found no interference in 300 tests in 75 treatment rooms. To the contrary, when doctors use mobile phones, the improved communication means they make fewer mistakes.
"Whenever we talk about this work, doctors at first express disbelief that these things are not true," said Vreeman said. "But after we carefully lay out medical evidence, they are very willing to accept that these beliefs are actually false."
Copyright © 2007 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
LiveScience Managing Editor
LiveScience.Com Thu Dec 20, 7:20 PM ET
Popular culture is loaded with myths and half-truths. Most are harmless. But when doctors start believing medical myths, perhaps it's time to worry.
In the British Medical Journal this week, researchers looked into several common misconceptions, from the belief that a person should drink eight glasses of water per day to the notion that reading in low light ruins your eyesight.
"We got fired up about this because we knew that physicians accepted these beliefs and were passing this information along to their patients," said Dr. Aaron Carroll, assistant professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. "And these beliefs are frequently cited in the popular media."
And so here they are, so that you can inform your doctor:
Myth: We use only 10 percent of our brains.
Fact: Physicians and comedians alike, including Jerry Seinfeld, love to cite this one. It's sometimes erroneously credited to Albert Einstein. But MRI scans, PET scans and other imaging studies show no dormant areas of the brain, and even viewing individual neurons or cells reveals no inactive areas, the new paper points out. Metabolic studies of how brain cells process chemicals show no nonfunctioning areas. The myth probably originated with self-improvement hucksters in the early 1900s who wanted to convince people that they had yet not reached their full potential, Carroll figures. It also doesn't jibe with the fact that our other organs run at full tilt.
Myth: You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
Fact: "There is no medical evidence to suggest that you need that much water," said Dr. Rachel Vreeman, a pediatrics research fellow at the university and co-author of the journal article. Vreeman thinks this myth can be traced back to a 1945 recommendation from the Nutrition Council that a person consume the equivalent of 8 glasses (64 ounces) of fluid a day. Over the years, "fluid" turned to water. But fruits and vegetables, plus coffee and other liquids, count.
Myth: Fingernails and hair grow after death.
Fact: Most physicians queried on this one initially thought it was true. Upon further reflection, they realized it's impossible. Here's what happens: "As the body’s skin is drying out, soft tissue, especially skin, is retracting," Vreeman said. "The nails appear much more prominent as the skin dries out. The same is true, but less obvious, with hair. As the skin is shrinking back, the hair looks more prominent or sticks up a bit."
Myth: Shaved hair grows back faster, coarser and darker.
Fact: A 1928 clinical trial compared hair growth in shaved patches to growth in non-shaved patches. The hair which replaced the shaved hair was no darker or thicker, and did not grow in faster. More recent studies have confirmed that one. Here's the deal: When hair first comes in after being shaved, it grows with a blunt edge on top, Carroll and Vreeman explain. Over time, the blunt edge gets worn so it may seem thicker than it actually is. Hair that's just emerging can be darker too, because it hasn't been bleached by the sun.
Myth: Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.
Fact: The researchers found no evidence that reading in dim light causes permanent eye damage. It can cause eye strain and temporarily decreased acuity, which subsides after rest.
Myth: Eating turkey makes you drowsy.
Fact: Even Carroll and Vreeman believed this one until they researched it. The thing is, a chemical in turkey called tryptophan is known to cause drowsiness. But turkey doesn't contain any more of it than does chicken or beef. This myth is fueled by the fact that turkey is often eaten with a colossal holiday meal, often accompanied by alcohol — both things that will make you sleepy.
Myth: Mobile phones are dangerous in hospitals.
Fact: There are no known cases of death related to this one. Cases of less-serious interference with hospital devices seem to be largely anecdotal, the researchers found. In one real study, mobile phones were found to interfere with 4 percent of devices, but only when the phone was within 3 feet of the device. A more recent study, this year, found no interference in 300 tests in 75 treatment rooms. To the contrary, when doctors use mobile phones, the improved communication means they make fewer mistakes.
"Whenever we talk about this work, doctors at first express disbelief that these things are not true," said Vreeman said. "But after we carefully lay out medical evidence, they are very willing to accept that these beliefs are actually false."
Copyright © 2007 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Simpleology
I'm evaluating a multi-media course on blogging from the folks at Simpleology. For a while, they're letting you snag it for free if you post about it on your blog.
It covers:
- The best blogging techniques.
- How to get traffic to your blog.
- How to turn your blog into money.
I'll let you know what I think once I've had a chance to check it out. Meanwhile, go grab yours while it's still free.
Food that can trigger migraine headaches
JACQUES' NOTE:
With the imminent Holiday celebrations upon us, I felt that this article deserves to join other wise precautionary statements and warnings to help make this season safer, healthier, thus: happier. Just as importantly: the following article also contains lists of headaches/migraines "triggers" to avoid throughout 2008 and beyond.
I wish you and yours a Wonderful Holiday Season!
Love,
Jacques
-----
DEAR PHARMACIST
Avoid these head-banging foods - they are migraine makers!
BY SUZY COHEN
Special to the Star-Banner
I suffer with migraines and have to take Maxalt 2 or 3 times a month. My girlfriend says that certain foods trigger these for her, like Parmesan cheese and red wine, but I don't consume either of those. Anything else that can cause them? - GL, Idaho Falls, Idaho
Many foods precipitate disabling headaches, and yes, cheese and wine sit among the foods that I call "migraine makers." Take a look at the following list and see if these could be affecting you:
Caffeine: It actually goes both ways, meaning caffeine can relieve a headache for some people, but in others, it can cause one. If it helps you, then try OTC meds like Excedrin Migraine or brew a cup o' Joe.
Nitrate or nitrite: These are preservatives which open up tiny blood vessels increasing blood flow, which leads to pressure and pain. It's found in processed meats because it produces that fresh, pink color and protects against Clostridium botulinum. It also imparts a 'cured' taste. Avoid bologna, pastrami, pepperoni, corned beef, smoked fish, bacon, sausage and hot dogs.
MSG (monosodium glutamate): It hides the tinny taste in canned foods, and it's often added to Chinese food. MSG is the hardest food trigger to eliminate, and having tried, I know you will drive yourself crazy trying. It's found in soups, diet foods, bouillon cubes, peanut butter, nuts, salad dressing, frozen pizza, donuts, hot fresh baked bread and fast food. It's disguised by many other names such as hydrolyzed protein, calcium caseinate yeast food, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and dozens more.
Tyramine: This amino acid naturally occurs when compounds in foods break down; it's not added to foods. It's a migraine maker because it raises blood pressure in your head, and everywhere. A small amount is found in some chocolates, but larger amounts are found in strong aged cheese like Parmesan, blue, Brie, etc. It's also in beans, red wine and dairy products like yogurt, sour cream, buttermilk. Sauces that contain vinegar deserve mention here: Salad dressing, ketchup, olives, pickles, marinades, sauerkraut and soy sauce.
Alcohol: All forms - including beer, wine, champagne and liqueurs - all expand your blood vessels, increasing pressure in the head; in addition, some alcoholic beverages contain tyramine.
Nightshade vegetables: It's hard to pinpoint if these foods are a problem because headaches (and arthritic flare-ups) could take up to two days to become evident. Tobacco products are on the list of foods to avoid, as well as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, cherries, peppers (sweet peppers and chili peppers but not black pepper) and tomatillos.
Artificial sweeteners: Avoid foods and drinks sweetened with Splenda, NutraSweet and Sweet 'N Low if you get migraines, panic attacks or anxiety. I can't tell you how many people have thanked me for relieving their headaches with this trick.
-----
Did you know?
Nasal irrigation devices can help clear the sinuses of mucus, bacteria and pollutants, naturally relieving congestion, stuffy noses and allergies.
This information is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Suzy Cohen is the author of "The 24-Hour Pharmacist." For more information, visit www.DearPharmacist.com.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Strategies for HANGOVER-FREE Holiday Season
-----
Old-fashioned remedies remain most effective prevention for hangovers
By Elizabeth Heubeck
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-FeatureReviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
'Tis the season to celebrate -- but beware! One too many glasses of eggnog at the office holiday party, or a bit more bubbly than you anticipated on New Year's Eve, and you're likely to find yourself feeling less than cheerful the day after.
Want to prevent a hangover from dampening your holiday spirits? Read on to discover tried-and-true remedies that work, new methods meant to halt hangovers before they strike, and why too much alcohol causes so much misery in the first place.
Hangovers Explained
If, while nursing a horrific hangover, you've ever asked yourself, "How a couple of seemingly harmless drinks could have led to such misery?" consider this: "Alcohol is poison. The hangover is your body recuperating from being poisoned by alcohol and its metabolites," Aaron White, PhD, assistant research professor at Duke University Medical Center, tells WebMD. Symptoms vary, but can include one or all of the following:
Raging headaches. "Alcohol intoxication seems to produce dilation of the blood vessels that surround the brain, which may contribute to the headache in some people. Alcohol also has an effect on some neurotransmitters, increasing levels of serotonin or histamine that may trigger headaches," says Bruce Hetzler, PhD, psychology professor at Lawrence University.
Dehydration. Ever wake up after a night of heavy alcohol consumption and wonder why you're tongue is stuck to the roof of your mouth? Dehydration, also partly to blame for headaches and nausea, is the culprit. It causes excess urination by stopping the release of a hormone that helps the body hold on to fluid. Also sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea that sometimes accompany excess drinking can cause a person to become dehydrated. The signs of dehydration can be dizziness, lightheadedness, thirst, and weakness -- symptoms that are felt during a hangover.
Fatigue. The day after a night of drinking and revelry, you're probably wiped out. That's because alcohol disrupts sleep. Alcohol can work as a sedative to help promote sleep. But alcohol has an effect on sleep quality. "People who drink alcohol tend to have sleep maintenance insomnia -- you wake up too soon and then you can't get back to sleep," White says. That's not the only problem. "You don't spend as much time in 'slow wave', or REM, sleep," White explains. Vital for normal emotional and physical functioning, REM sleep (the dream phase) typically comprises between 20% and 25% of total sleep time.
A breakthrough study this year by Irish researchers Adele McKinney and Kieran Coyle showed that memory and psychomotor (fine motor) performance remain impaired the morning after heavy drinking, even when blood alcohol levels have dropped to zero or near zero.
Other studies have also shown that alcohol can interfere with normal 24-hour rhythms -- such as normal variations in heart rate and blood pressure seen at night. A racing heart can in extreme cases lead to a heart attack. Increased blood pressure and heart rate during a severe hangover can double the risk of a heart attack, reports Jeffrey Weise, associate professor of medicine at Tulane Health Sciences Center in New Orleans.
Prevention
Before the hangover hits, you can do some damage control. Here are some of the old-fashioned remedies you may have heard of that really work.
Choose your beverage of choice wisely. "A couple of studies show that alcoholic beverages that are mainly just alcohol and water, like vodka and gin, produce less severe hangovers, while other compounds that contain congeners -- brandy, whisky, red wine, to name a few -- tend to produce more severe hangovers," Hetzler tells WebMD. What if you're a beer lover? "Beer has a relatively low congener level, although the heavier the beer, the more congener it contains," Hetzler says.
Eat before you drink. "The alcohol is absorbed more slowly when you have food in your stomach," White tells WebMD. Exactly what should you eat? Whatever you want. "It's a myth that one type of food is better than another," he says.
Pace yourself. White suggests having a nonalcoholic drink between each alcoholic beverage, which helps to maintain a low blood alcohol level, and keeps you hydrated.
Replenish lost fluids. Before you put your head on the pillow, guzzle some water or other nonalcoholic drink, but avoid caffeine. Like alcohol, it has a diuretic effect and may contribute to hangover symptoms.
Take over-the-counter pain relief before the headache hits. Experts warn, however, to avoid acetaminophen (Tylenol), a common aspirin alternative. "Too much acetaminophen is toxic to the liver. Alcohol can disrupt the metabolism of acetaminophen, making it even more toxic to the liver," White says. Although the risk of liver damage from the combination is minimal, it's possible, he explains.
New Hangover Prevention Strategies?
You may have seen ads for products that promise a night of excessive drinking with minimal hangover residue, simply by popping some pills or even changing the way you consume alcohol. But do they work?
As for the hangover prevention pills, many in the medical community remain unconvinced of their effectiveness. "They haven't been carefully studied," Hetzler says.
A few "hangover helper" pills contain a single key ingredient designed to ward off the unpleasant aftereffects of alcohol. Artichoke extract is one of them. While the product manufacturer touts this natural substance's effectiveness against hangovers, scientists at the UK's Peninsula Medical School found artichoke extract ineffective at curbing alcohol's aftereffects.
Of all the hangover helper pills, HPF Hangover Prevention Formula, an herbal supplement containing derivatives of the prickly pear cactus, has shown the most promise. Researchers found it reduces three of nine hangover symptoms: nausea, dry mouth, and loss of appetite. It's believed to work by reducing the body's inflammatory response that alcohol causes.
But skepticism remains high.
"The supplement [HPF Hangover Prevention Formula] is designed mostly to address allergic reactions that cause headaches. It does nothing for things like abstract memory impairment linked with learning, nothing for the central nervous system suppression, the diuretic effect, etc.," asserts Patrick Breslin, an alcohol and drug prevention facilitator at Western Wisconsin Technical College.
"The only evidence is their [manufacturers'] own internal reports. To the best of my knowledge, there's no evidence that there's any supplement you can take that will prevent a hangover. These claims have not stood up to scientific scrutiny by unbiased researchers," White tells WebMD. Incidentally, the study that demonstrated the prickly pear derivative's defense against hangovers was supported by the product's manufacturer.
Vaporized Alcohol
If hangover prevention pills don't work, there's also a whole new way to consume alcohol intended to curb the nasty aftereffects of consumption. The alcohol-vapor machine, or "alcohol without liquid" (AWOL) device, works by turning shots of liquor into an inhaled alcohol mist. The vaporized alcohol then mixes with oxygen and is inhaled through a tube, creating an immediate high and, according to product claims, no hangover.
But is it safe? With AWOL, alcohol bypasses the liver, which normally filters the body's toxins, and goes directly into the brain -- even before reaching the bloodstream. That means someone heavily under the influence of AWOL could very likely pass a breathalyzer test if, in fact, the alcohol hadn't yet reached the bloodstream.
That's why Diageo, the world's leading beer, wine, and spirits company and an industry leader in promoting responsible drinking, recently announced that it supports proposed New York State legislation banning AWOL machines until further research clarifies possible risks. And, at least one New York City suburb has banned AWOL due to concerns over possible health risks.
So where does that leave those of us who want to dodge the hangover, despite having imbibed a bit more than planned? Resort to old-fashioned remedies. "Two aspirin, a glass of water, sleep, and a multivitamin in the morning -- if you can stomach it -- are probably the best things to do," Hetzler suggests.
-----
And so, I wish all of you Safe, Happy and Healthy Holidays. It is hoped that the above professional advice will work well for you, "courtesy WebMD".
Start by making this another Great eekend!
Your Friend,
Jacques
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Dr. DEEPAK CHOPRA's "HEALING DUALITY"
Healing Duality
Adapted from The Way of the Wizard by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 1995).
There are two paths in life.
The first path is the acceptance that duality is real, that the good and evil we confront every day are simply fact, and we must do our best to struggle against them.
The second path is to see duality as our choice. Although everything in creation appears to have its opposite, one thing doesn't: Wholeness. The totality of spirit has no opposite because it embraces everything.
To choose the second path, you have to be willing to renounce your struggle against evil. This is the way of the wizard.
There is no doubt that when we see evil we react with fear and anger. From this reaction struggle is born, and because people want evil to go away, the struggle seems to be legitimate. But what if fear and anger are the cause of evil? What if our reactions keep breeding the same cycle, which never ends? With these questions, the second way was born.
SIMPLE SOLUTION: You cannot renounce the duality of good and evil as long as that is what you experience. A deeper experience, one that is beyond words, must replace it. Wholeness and spirit are only words until they become real to you personally.
Reality always means experience; therefore the question is how to experience the realm of light that Merlin spoke of. "Be patient with yourself. The fading away of duality takes time," Merlin said. "And then unity will be born automatically."
Because spirit is always beckoning, there are countless opportunities to come into contact with it. The first steps have already been marked out—be willing to follow the clues of spirit, meditate to find the pure silence within yourself, know that the goal of spirit is true and worth pursuing.
Our free will is what allows us to break out of the cycle of good and evil. The way of the wizard is compassionate, because it solves the problem of suffering as the light of spirit draws nearer.
(I am awaiting Dr. Chopra's permission to repring the above.
(S) Jacques)
Adapted from The Way of the Wizard by Deepak Chopra (Harmony Books, 1995).
There are two paths in life.
The first path is the acceptance that duality is real, that the good and evil we confront every day are simply fact, and we must do our best to struggle against them.
The second path is to see duality as our choice. Although everything in creation appears to have its opposite, one thing doesn't: Wholeness. The totality of spirit has no opposite because it embraces everything.
To choose the second path, you have to be willing to renounce your struggle against evil. This is the way of the wizard.
There is no doubt that when we see evil we react with fear and anger. From this reaction struggle is born, and because people want evil to go away, the struggle seems to be legitimate. But what if fear and anger are the cause of evil? What if our reactions keep breeding the same cycle, which never ends? With these questions, the second way was born.
SIMPLE SOLUTION: You cannot renounce the duality of good and evil as long as that is what you experience. A deeper experience, one that is beyond words, must replace it. Wholeness and spirit are only words until they become real to you personally.
Reality always means experience; therefore the question is how to experience the realm of light that Merlin spoke of. "Be patient with yourself. The fading away of duality takes time," Merlin said. "And then unity will be born automatically."
Because spirit is always beckoning, there are countless opportunities to come into contact with it. The first steps have already been marked out—be willing to follow the clues of spirit, meditate to find the pure silence within yourself, know that the goal of spirit is true and worth pursuing.
Our free will is what allows us to break out of the cycle of good and evil. The way of the wizard is compassionate, because it solves the problem of suffering as the light of spirit draws nearer.
(I am awaiting Dr. Chopra's permission to repring the above.
(S) Jacques)
Thursday, December 6, 2007
THE FUTURE OF NORRIS HALL AT VIRGINIA TECH.
BACKGROUND
On April 16, 2007 , a student at the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia shot and killed 32 people and wounded many more before committing suicide.
The tragedy makes it the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history
Most of the deaths and injuries took place on the second floor of Norris Hall, which houses the Engineering Science and Mechanics program program among others
DECIDING WHAT TO DO WITH NORRIS HALL
Norris Hall was closed for the rest of the 2007 spring semester, and was reopened on June 18, 2007.
The building's second floor , site of the shooting, has been reopened for office and laboratory access. But The second floor rooms where the attacks took placed have remained empty and locked
In September 2007, University officials asked a committee to gather suggestions for what to do with the rooms once used for classes…
Over the next few months the 12-member committee of students, faculty and staff received seven suggestions from the university community.
This month (November 15) the Virginia Tech task force narrowed down the final proposals to two.
PROPOSAL #1: Re-Creating a Student-Centered Community,
PROPOSAL #1 calls for using the space to consolidate operations for the school's engineering department and create videoconferencing, research and laboratory facilities for students.
PROPOSAL #2: the Institute for Transformative Learning,
The SECOND PLAN calls for for creating an Institute for Transformative Learning in a portion of Norris where classes were once held and engineering departments had their offices. The institute would house two centers - the Center for Violence Prevention and Peace Studies and the Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships.
THE FINAL DECISION???
"Both (proposals) do fit the mission," said Mark Owczarski, university spokesman. "One involves teaching and learning and the other involves learning and service. Both do directly relate to the mission; the question is which one would relate the best. The charge of that task force is extremely difficult," said Owczarski. "Obviously the future of Norris Hall has a very emotional element to it."
The task force's goal is to submit the final proposal to President Charles Steger by Dec. 7, but Ozwarski said that if the task force feels that further deliberation is necessary, the date will be pushed back.
"It's something you can't rush," Ozwarski said. "So many human elements are in this that they want to make sure they get the feedback and consider all the various options. It's a decision not to be taken lightly."
RELATIVES AND FRIENDS OF THE VICTIMS SPEAK OUT
Michael and Jeri Bishop, parents of slain professor Jamie Bishop, are joining with other parents, relatives and friends of the those killed, injured or affected in urging that at least a portion of Norris Hall be turned into "The Institute for Transformative Learning"
"There could be no more fitting tribute to those who survived than to acknowledge the horror that occurred in Norris Hall and to redeem that horror by establishing, within its repainted walls, an "Institute for Transformative Learning".
Though no one will ever forget that morning or the lessons implicit in it, people often have to be reminded repeatedly of matters that they would prefer to forget.
That is why it is important to set aside space in Norris Hall to remember, analyze and prevent further acts of the sort that killed their loved ones.
Even if it starts humbly, the center could grow steadily in size and influence until it worked positive change across our nation and the world.
Please join us in urging President Charles Steger and the Virginia Tech Task Force to favor the option to transform Norris Hall "the Institute for Transformative Learning".
PLEASE HELP US
Below are the email addresses of those who will decide the future of Norris Hall. Please email them and let them know that you support converting parts of Norris Hall into "The Institute for Transformative Learning"
You can copy all of the addresses and paste them into your email address bar or click an address to email them one at a time.
Judy.Alford@vt.edu
deaneng@vt.edu
jbixler@vt.edu
kpdepauw@vt.edu
hochella@vt.edu
adeelk@vt.edu
knocke@vt.edu
mcdonalk@vt.edu
jenowak@vt.edu
sottrowlands@vt.edu
jwm@vt.edu
mmcnamee@vt.edu
In the subject heading of your message:
I support the "The Institute for Transformative Learning" option for Norris Hall.
---------
JACQUES' NOTE:
The above is one of two Comments sent me by the Norris Hall proncipals, in response to my post of 11/29/07 ("The Bravest Man"). The above are the datails, FYI. I regret that the graphics they included cannot be viewed here. If interested, please see their Blog: http://norrishall.blogspot.com/
Today is St. Nicolas in my native Belgium: our version of Christmas with "Le Pere Noel". It is also the second day of HANUKKAH, the Feast of Lights for all the Jews in the world: May your Holidays be Blessed with Joy, Good Health and Peace!
And, to the family of the late Dr. Liviu Librescu, my heartfelt sympathy and support go out to you...This year, may your Hanukkah be a celebration of your own Hero!
Warmly,
Dr. Jacques Girard
Monday, December 3, 2007
8 Winter Tips for Healthy Living
A better diet, a little more exercise -- healthy living is easy if you take it one tip at a time.
by Wendy C. Fries
WebMD Medical NewsReviewed by Jonathan L. Gelfand, MD
Holidays, stress, post-holidays, even more stress -- who has time for taking care of ourselves?
You do! Resolve to follow these eight diet, exercise, and lifestyle tips, and you can be good to yourself this winter -- and all year long.
Enjoy the Benefits of Yogurt
It's creamy smooth, packed with flavor -- and just may be the wonder food you've been craving. Research suggests that that humble carton of yogurt may:
Help prevent osteoporosis
Reduce your risk of high blood pressure
Aid gastrointestinal conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and constipation
Prevent vaginal infections
Ready to take home a few cartons of yummy yogurt? When buying think low-fat, make sure the yogurt contains active cultures and vitamin D, and keep tabs on sugar content.
Help Holiday Heartburn
Getting hit with heartburn over the holidays? Help is at hand! Try these hints and you can stop the burn before it starts:
Nibble: Enjoy your favorite foods -- but in moderation. No need to heap on the goodies (or go back for seconds and thirds!). Packing your stomach with food makes heartburn much more likely.
Know Your Triggers: Certain foods feed heartburn's flame. Typical triggers include foods full of sugar and fat -- think pumpkin pie slathered with whipped cream. Instead reach for complex carbs like veggies and whole-wheat breads --or at least share that dessert!
Get Up: Stretching out for a nap post-meal is a great way to guarantee you'll get reflux. Instead, keep your head higher than your stomach -- or keep right on walking, away from the dinner table and out the door. Light exercise is a great way to prevent heartburn.
Kiss Holiday Cold Sores Good-bye
Holidays: That busy time for toasting the coming year, savoring seasonal sweets, staying up late -- and cold sores?
If you find you're more prone to cold sores (also called fever blisters) during the hectic holiday season, you may be your own worst enemy. That's because lack of sleep, too much alcohol or sugar, stress, and close physical contact (think auntie's smooches) can all contribute to outbreaks.
So, to help keep your kisser cold-sore-free this year -- or to keep from passing your cold sores to others -- try these tips:
Don't overdo the holiday goodies -- maintain a healthy diet.
Get plenty of rest.
Wash your hands.
Don't share food or drink containers.
Discard used tissues.
Don't kiss on or near anyone's cold sore -- and don't let them near yours!
De-Stress With Meditation
The bad weather, the seasonal pace, work: If this time of year has your stress meter spiking, it may be time to close your eyes, breathe ... and get a little repetitive.
Repetition is at the heart of meditation's soothing power. The act of banishing thoughts, focusing on your breathing, and repeating a single word or phrase, fires up your body's natural relaxation response.
And meditation can do more than soothe away stress. Research shows it may help lower blood pressure, boost immunity, reduce PMS symptoms, even aid in fertility and the delivery of a new mom's milk.
Start a Winter Tradition: Family Workouts
Grandparents are in town, a flurry of kids is underfoot, and you're wondering where you'll find time for a quick winter workout. Here's a thought: Why not get everyone involved with these simple workouts?
Walking: It's suitable for young or old, with a pace that's sedate or speedy. Try these ideas to get the gang on their feet:
Do laps at the mall. If you shop, cart your own packages and then unload them in the car after every store.
Disguise the walk as something else. Toss a ball as you stroll, fling a Frisbee, or take the dog to the park.
Instead of driving, walk over to your favorite local restaurant.
Take part in a holiday fund-raiser, like the Arthritis Foundation's Jingle Bell Run/Walk
Make the Living Room Your Gym
When everyone's on the couch chatting, or watching TV -- why not sneak in a little calorie burn, too?
Do crunches: Sit on the edge of the couch, hands gripping the edge at your side, then bend knees, lifting them toward your chest.
Leg lifts: Use the same position as above, but lift your legs straight up, instead of bending them.
Trim those triceps by doing dips off the couch edge.
Build your biceps: Grab a bottle of water or a can of soda and do curls.
Eat Locally
Organic may be today's healthy-eating watchword, but don't forget this phrase too: eat locally.
Some nutritionists think eating locally may be even more important than eating organically. That's because a vital factor in a food's nutrient profile is how long it took to get from farm to table: A head of locally grown lettuce, for example, may be more nutrient-dense than one shipped coast to coast.
Does this mean you should forgo pesticide-free foods when they're available? No, but it's a great idea to make room on your plate for locally-grown goods too, even if they haven't been grown the organic way. Better yet: Eat locally and organic, when you can.
An easy way to get local -- and often organic -- food on the table: Join a CSA (community-supported agriculture). CSAs help you form a relationship with a local farm, which then provides you with fresh, local produce, even milk, eggs, or cheese. Some also function twelve months a year. Find a CSA near you at LocalHarvest.org.
Try These 3 Simple Diet & Exercise Tips
Go Slow: You don't need to do a diet slash-and-burn. If you cut just 200 calories a day you'll see slow (and easy) weight loss. Skip a pat of butter here, a cookie there and you're on your way!
Start Small: Banning junk food from the cupboards or boosting fiber may be your goal, but think baby steps. Switch from potato chips to low-fat popcorn, for example, or toss a carrot into your brown bag lunch.
Just Show Up: Don't feel like working out today? Don those exercise clothes anyway. Still not in the mood? Fine. But chances are good that once you're dressed, you're also motivated and ready to go!
Invest in Your Health -- Literally
If you have a high-deductible insurance plan (deductibles of $1,100 for an individual; $2,200 for a family), you're probably eligible to deposit tax-free cash into a health savings account (HSA).
HSAs help you sock away savings now for medical expenses later. Open an HSA and each year you can stash $2,850 for yourself ($5,650 for a family) -- tax-free. And if you don't use up the balance in your HSA this year, it simply rolls over into the next year, and the next -- and continues to grow tax-deferred. Intrigued? Talk to your human resources department to find out if you're eligible.
Whichever healthy steps you take this year -- eating better, exercising more, saving -- remember they're an investment in you and your future. So follow these steps toward better health -- or take your own. Bank a little more sleep this year. Set aside stressful differences. Stock a healthier pantry. Salt away ... a little less salt. It's your body -- and your future!
SOURCES: Medical College of Wisconsin, Healthlink: "Left Alone, Cold Sores Usually Heal by Themselves." WebMD Feature: "Relief of Heartburn: 10 Hints for the Holidays," "Eat Locally: Community Supported Agriculture," "Meditation Balances the Body's Systems." WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Exclusive Feature: "10 Ways to Burn Off Holiday Calories," "Family Fitness Across the Generations." Local Harvest.org. WebMD Tips: "Health Simplified: Tip of the Day Archive." WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature: "The Benefits of Yogurt." U.S. Office of Personnel Management: "High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) with Health Savings Accounts (HSA)," "Benefits Administration Letter." Kiplinger's Personal Finance: "Health Savings Account Answers."
Courtesy: WebMD
by Wendy C. Fries
WebMD Medical NewsReviewed by Jonathan L. Gelfand, MD
Holidays, stress, post-holidays, even more stress -- who has time for taking care of ourselves?
You do! Resolve to follow these eight diet, exercise, and lifestyle tips, and you can be good to yourself this winter -- and all year long.
Enjoy the Benefits of Yogurt
It's creamy smooth, packed with flavor -- and just may be the wonder food you've been craving. Research suggests that that humble carton of yogurt may:
Help prevent osteoporosis
Reduce your risk of high blood pressure
Aid gastrointestinal conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and constipation
Prevent vaginal infections
Ready to take home a few cartons of yummy yogurt? When buying think low-fat, make sure the yogurt contains active cultures and vitamin D, and keep tabs on sugar content.
Help Holiday Heartburn
Getting hit with heartburn over the holidays? Help is at hand! Try these hints and you can stop the burn before it starts:
Nibble: Enjoy your favorite foods -- but in moderation. No need to heap on the goodies (or go back for seconds and thirds!). Packing your stomach with food makes heartburn much more likely.
Know Your Triggers: Certain foods feed heartburn's flame. Typical triggers include foods full of sugar and fat -- think pumpkin pie slathered with whipped cream. Instead reach for complex carbs like veggies and whole-wheat breads --or at least share that dessert!
Get Up: Stretching out for a nap post-meal is a great way to guarantee you'll get reflux. Instead, keep your head higher than your stomach -- or keep right on walking, away from the dinner table and out the door. Light exercise is a great way to prevent heartburn.
Kiss Holiday Cold Sores Good-bye
Holidays: That busy time for toasting the coming year, savoring seasonal sweets, staying up late -- and cold sores?
If you find you're more prone to cold sores (also called fever blisters) during the hectic holiday season, you may be your own worst enemy. That's because lack of sleep, too much alcohol or sugar, stress, and close physical contact (think auntie's smooches) can all contribute to outbreaks.
So, to help keep your kisser cold-sore-free this year -- or to keep from passing your cold sores to others -- try these tips:
Don't overdo the holiday goodies -- maintain a healthy diet.
Get plenty of rest.
Wash your hands.
Don't share food or drink containers.
Discard used tissues.
Don't kiss on or near anyone's cold sore -- and don't let them near yours!
De-Stress With Meditation
The bad weather, the seasonal pace, work: If this time of year has your stress meter spiking, it may be time to close your eyes, breathe ... and get a little repetitive.
Repetition is at the heart of meditation's soothing power. The act of banishing thoughts, focusing on your breathing, and repeating a single word or phrase, fires up your body's natural relaxation response.
And meditation can do more than soothe away stress. Research shows it may help lower blood pressure, boost immunity, reduce PMS symptoms, even aid in fertility and the delivery of a new mom's milk.
Start a Winter Tradition: Family Workouts
Grandparents are in town, a flurry of kids is underfoot, and you're wondering where you'll find time for a quick winter workout. Here's a thought: Why not get everyone involved with these simple workouts?
Walking: It's suitable for young or old, with a pace that's sedate or speedy. Try these ideas to get the gang on their feet:
Do laps at the mall. If you shop, cart your own packages and then unload them in the car after every store.
Disguise the walk as something else. Toss a ball as you stroll, fling a Frisbee, or take the dog to the park.
Instead of driving, walk over to your favorite local restaurant.
Take part in a holiday fund-raiser, like the Arthritis Foundation's Jingle Bell Run/Walk
Make the Living Room Your Gym
When everyone's on the couch chatting, or watching TV -- why not sneak in a little calorie burn, too?
Do crunches: Sit on the edge of the couch, hands gripping the edge at your side, then bend knees, lifting them toward your chest.
Leg lifts: Use the same position as above, but lift your legs straight up, instead of bending them.
Trim those triceps by doing dips off the couch edge.
Build your biceps: Grab a bottle of water or a can of soda and do curls.
Eat Locally
Organic may be today's healthy-eating watchword, but don't forget this phrase too: eat locally.
Some nutritionists think eating locally may be even more important than eating organically. That's because a vital factor in a food's nutrient profile is how long it took to get from farm to table: A head of locally grown lettuce, for example, may be more nutrient-dense than one shipped coast to coast.
Does this mean you should forgo pesticide-free foods when they're available? No, but it's a great idea to make room on your plate for locally-grown goods too, even if they haven't been grown the organic way. Better yet: Eat locally and organic, when you can.
An easy way to get local -- and often organic -- food on the table: Join a CSA (community-supported agriculture). CSAs help you form a relationship with a local farm, which then provides you with fresh, local produce, even milk, eggs, or cheese. Some also function twelve months a year. Find a CSA near you at LocalHarvest.org.
Try These 3 Simple Diet & Exercise Tips
Go Slow: You don't need to do a diet slash-and-burn. If you cut just 200 calories a day you'll see slow (and easy) weight loss. Skip a pat of butter here, a cookie there and you're on your way!
Start Small: Banning junk food from the cupboards or boosting fiber may be your goal, but think baby steps. Switch from potato chips to low-fat popcorn, for example, or toss a carrot into your brown bag lunch.
Just Show Up: Don't feel like working out today? Don those exercise clothes anyway. Still not in the mood? Fine. But chances are good that once you're dressed, you're also motivated and ready to go!
Invest in Your Health -- Literally
If you have a high-deductible insurance plan (deductibles of $1,100 for an individual; $2,200 for a family), you're probably eligible to deposit tax-free cash into a health savings account (HSA).
HSAs help you sock away savings now for medical expenses later. Open an HSA and each year you can stash $2,850 for yourself ($5,650 for a family) -- tax-free. And if you don't use up the balance in your HSA this year, it simply rolls over into the next year, and the next -- and continues to grow tax-deferred. Intrigued? Talk to your human resources department to find out if you're eligible.
Whichever healthy steps you take this year -- eating better, exercising more, saving -- remember they're an investment in you and your future. So follow these steps toward better health -- or take your own. Bank a little more sleep this year. Set aside stressful differences. Stock a healthier pantry. Salt away ... a little less salt. It's your body -- and your future!
SOURCES: Medical College of Wisconsin, Healthlink: "Left Alone, Cold Sores Usually Heal by Themselves." WebMD Feature: "Relief of Heartburn: 10 Hints for the Holidays," "Eat Locally: Community Supported Agriculture," "Meditation Balances the Body's Systems." WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Exclusive Feature: "10 Ways to Burn Off Holiday Calories," "Family Fitness Across the Generations." Local Harvest.org. WebMD Tips: "Health Simplified: Tip of the Day Archive." WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature: "The Benefits of Yogurt." U.S. Office of Personnel Management: "High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP) with Health Savings Accounts (HSA)," "Benefits Administration Letter." Kiplinger's Personal Finance: "Health Savings Account Answers."
Courtesy: WebMD
Friday, November 30, 2007
A New Tool to Address the Needs of Our Aging Population
(ARA) - Americans are aging. According to U.S. Census Bureau, more than 35 million of our nation's citizens are now over the age of 65. That number is projected to soar to 80 million by 2040; and with age will likely come the need for assistance.
When they are no longer able to fully care for themselves, some seniors may seek help in a home care setting, others in assisted living facilities or nursing homes. No matter which option fits their needs, one thing's for sure. As they age, seniors are going to have a lot of doctor's visits.
Denise Pozen of LaGrange, Ill., knows that all too well. When her late father developed heart disease and Parkinson's, she took on the responsibility of handling his care. "Each time he went to the Emergency Room, the doctors and nurses would ask the same questions over and over again. So many times, in fact, that I knew there had to be a more efficient way to answer them," she says.
Among the questions she was asked:
* Who are your father's health care providers and when are his next scheduled appointments?
* What medications is he taking?
* What is your family history of disease?
* What conditions is he currently experiencing?
* What diagnostic tests has he had?
* What diagnoses have been made by other doctors?
Then about four years ago her mother developed health issues that required her to see multiple doctors and often resulted in Emergency Room visits and hospitalizations. "I started going through the exact same experience again, so one day I decided to just write down the answers to all the common questions I was being asked and organize them in a binder, along with photocopies of test results, prescriptions and other medical information I had gathered," says Pozen. "When we arrived at an appointment or the Emergency Room, I'd give the binder to the person asking the questions."
Pozen says the doctors and nurses she encountered were so impressed by what she had done, she decided to start marketing her idea. The product she came up with, The So Tell Me...personal health organizer, is a personal health record that combines such things as emergency contacts, insurance information and health directives with summaries of medical information including doctor visits, medical procedures, medications and lab report, all in one place. It consists of a zippered binder with pre-printed forms and tabs which make recording and finding information easy.
As more businesses and individuals are addressing this change in age demographics, it will be important to stay on top of the tools and services available.
The organizer makes a great entry gift for transient patients at assisted living facilities and a client gift for in-home-care companies and elder-law practioners. Pozen says it's also a good tool for caregivers, like her, who want to make things easier on themselves.
For more information on organizing personal health records or to purchase the So Tell Me...personal health organizer, click here. Businesses and organizations interested in multiple copies are eligible for bulk quantity discounts.
Copyright © 2007, ARAnet, inc.
Jacques' remarks:
While I am in no way connected to MS. Pozen and/or her Company, the above impressed me enough as a viable aid for my fellow-"mature" readers and friends that I decided to share it. For those of you you wish to find out more about "So Tell Me...", their website is: www.sotellme.com and their telephone No. is: (708)- 352-2771.
Wishing you and yours a great weekend and Health!
Your Friend,
Jacques
When they are no longer able to fully care for themselves, some seniors may seek help in a home care setting, others in assisted living facilities or nursing homes. No matter which option fits their needs, one thing's for sure. As they age, seniors are going to have a lot of doctor's visits.
Denise Pozen of LaGrange, Ill., knows that all too well. When her late father developed heart disease and Parkinson's, she took on the responsibility of handling his care. "Each time he went to the Emergency Room, the doctors and nurses would ask the same questions over and over again. So many times, in fact, that I knew there had to be a more efficient way to answer them," she says.
Among the questions she was asked:
* Who are your father's health care providers and when are his next scheduled appointments?
* What medications is he taking?
* What is your family history of disease?
* What conditions is he currently experiencing?
* What diagnostic tests has he had?
* What diagnoses have been made by other doctors?
Then about four years ago her mother developed health issues that required her to see multiple doctors and often resulted in Emergency Room visits and hospitalizations. "I started going through the exact same experience again, so one day I decided to just write down the answers to all the common questions I was being asked and organize them in a binder, along with photocopies of test results, prescriptions and other medical information I had gathered," says Pozen. "When we arrived at an appointment or the Emergency Room, I'd give the binder to the person asking the questions."
Pozen says the doctors and nurses she encountered were so impressed by what she had done, she decided to start marketing her idea. The product she came up with, The So Tell Me...personal health organizer, is a personal health record that combines such things as emergency contacts, insurance information and health directives with summaries of medical information including doctor visits, medical procedures, medications and lab report, all in one place. It consists of a zippered binder with pre-printed forms and tabs which make recording and finding information easy.
As more businesses and individuals are addressing this change in age demographics, it will be important to stay on top of the tools and services available.
The organizer makes a great entry gift for transient patients at assisted living facilities and a client gift for in-home-care companies and elder-law practioners. Pozen says it's also a good tool for caregivers, like her, who want to make things easier on themselves.
For more information on organizing personal health records or to purchase the So Tell Me...personal health organizer, click here. Businesses and organizations interested in multiple copies are eligible for bulk quantity discounts.
Copyright © 2007, ARAnet, inc.
Jacques' remarks:
While I am in no way connected to MS. Pozen and/or her Company, the above impressed me enough as a viable aid for my fellow-"mature" readers and friends that I decided to share it. For those of you you wish to find out more about "So Tell Me...", their website is: www.sotellme.com and their telephone No. is: (708)- 352-2771.
Wishing you and yours a great weekend and Health!
Your Friend,
Jacques
Thursday, November 29, 2007
The Bravest Man of 2007
Dear Friends,
I am honored to share with you the following brief story of this WWII fellow-Nazi Holocaust survivor: Dr. Liviu Librescu...Self-sacrificing professor at Virginia Tech.
Jacques
Article written by Kimberly Winston
It was in Liviu Librescu's nature to stand up to brutality.
Last April, this quiet 76-year-old college professor, a Holocaust survivor who defied Communism, threw his body between his students and a gunman blasting his way through the halls of Virginia Tech. All but one of the students escaped through the classroom windows and survived. Professor Librescu was shot and killed, one of 33 murdered that terrible day.
He is nominated as Beliefnet's Most Inspiring Person of the Year for showing supreme unselfishness in the face of great personal danger.
"Liviu was a believer in Maimonides's principle that 'God is the only one we may serve and praise, there are no intermediaries between us and God," says Marilena Librescu, his widow. "His spirituality emerged from how he saw the significance of life. He always struggled to be the best one can be."
Dr. Librescu was no stranger to struggle. Born in Romania in 1930, Librescu was imprisoned in a labor camp during World War II and then sent to a ghetto with his family and thousands of other Jews. According to a 2004 Romanian government report, as many as 380,000 Jews were killed by Romania's Nazi-allied regime.
Dr. Librescu survived the war, but found himself trapped behind the Iron Curtain of Romania’s post-war Communist regime. He studied engineering and science and eventually became one of the country's foremost aerospace engineers. But in the 1970s, as he rose to prominence in his field, he refused to declare allegiance to Nicolae Ceausescu, the Romanian dictator.
He asked to emigrate to Israel, which cost him his job and brought years of uncertainty and persecution by the Romanian government. In 1978, with the help of Menachem Begin, Israel’s Prime Minister, he and his family were finally allowed to go to Israel.
In Israel, Dr. Librescu took a position at Tel Aviv University. In 1984, he went on sabbatical to Virginia Tech and never left. He and Marlena moved to Blacksburg, Va., to build a new life.
That life came to an abrupt end on April 16, 2007, when Cho Seung-Hui, a troubled 23-year-old English major, barricaded the doors of Norris Hall where Dr. Librescu was lecturing. When the shooting began, students said Dr. Librescu remained calm and went to the door, barricading it with his body. He told students to open the windows, remove the screens, and jump to safety. One of the last students out of the room recalled looking over his shoulder to see Dr. Librescu still braced against the door.
Friends and colleagues at Virgina Tech say Dr. Librescu's actions will outlive the terror of that day. "He was a man of great honor and tremendous integrity," says Dr. Ishwar Puri, head of the Department of Engineering, Science, and Mechanics at Virginia Tech and a colleague of Dr. Librescu. "I am left with a sense of awe. He has become an example for all of us."
I am honored to share with you the following brief story of this WWII fellow-Nazi Holocaust survivor: Dr. Liviu Librescu...Self-sacrificing professor at Virginia Tech.
Jacques
Article written by Kimberly Winston
It was in Liviu Librescu's nature to stand up to brutality.
Last April, this quiet 76-year-old college professor, a Holocaust survivor who defied Communism, threw his body between his students and a gunman blasting his way through the halls of Virginia Tech. All but one of the students escaped through the classroom windows and survived. Professor Librescu was shot and killed, one of 33 murdered that terrible day.
He is nominated as Beliefnet's Most Inspiring Person of the Year for showing supreme unselfishness in the face of great personal danger.
"Liviu was a believer in Maimonides's principle that 'God is the only one we may serve and praise, there are no intermediaries between us and God," says Marilena Librescu, his widow. "His spirituality emerged from how he saw the significance of life. He always struggled to be the best one can be."
Dr. Librescu was no stranger to struggle. Born in Romania in 1930, Librescu was imprisoned in a labor camp during World War II and then sent to a ghetto with his family and thousands of other Jews. According to a 2004 Romanian government report, as many as 380,000 Jews were killed by Romania's Nazi-allied regime.
Dr. Librescu survived the war, but found himself trapped behind the Iron Curtain of Romania’s post-war Communist regime. He studied engineering and science and eventually became one of the country's foremost aerospace engineers. But in the 1970s, as he rose to prominence in his field, he refused to declare allegiance to Nicolae Ceausescu, the Romanian dictator.
He asked to emigrate to Israel, which cost him his job and brought years of uncertainty and persecution by the Romanian government. In 1978, with the help of Menachem Begin, Israel’s Prime Minister, he and his family were finally allowed to go to Israel.
In Israel, Dr. Librescu took a position at Tel Aviv University. In 1984, he went on sabbatical to Virginia Tech and never left. He and Marlena moved to Blacksburg, Va., to build a new life.
That life came to an abrupt end on April 16, 2007, when Cho Seung-Hui, a troubled 23-year-old English major, barricaded the doors of Norris Hall where Dr. Librescu was lecturing. When the shooting began, students said Dr. Librescu remained calm and went to the door, barricading it with his body. He told students to open the windows, remove the screens, and jump to safety. One of the last students out of the room recalled looking over his shoulder to see Dr. Librescu still braced against the door.
Friends and colleagues at Virgina Tech say Dr. Librescu's actions will outlive the terror of that day. "He was a man of great honor and tremendous integrity," says Dr. Ishwar Puri, head of the Department of Engineering, Science, and Mechanics at Virginia Tech and a colleague of Dr. Librescu. "I am left with a sense of awe. He has become an example for all of us."
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Weight Management that works
Hopefully, you successfully exited the Thanksgiving Holidays tables that tend to stuff more than turkeys... And there are more food-and-mega-calories-filled celebratory goodies and libations waiting for you over the horizon... So I decided to share with you the following article - courtesy WebMD again - to help as much as possible give you simple ways to maintain some sense of balance...Wishing you well as always,
Jacques
-----
Use these strategies for long-term success
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert ColumnReviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
There are lots of ways to lose weight. The question is, how do you lose weight and keep it off? Atkins advocates argue that their diet works -- as do many other diets that strictly limit food groups or calories. But is losing weight worthwhile if you go right back to your old eating habits and regain the weight? Most folks who use strict diets regain the lost weight and then some. That's why "diets don't work."
So What Does Work?
The bottom line with weight loss is that you have to eat fewer calories than you burn -- regardless of whether the calories come from carbs, protein, or fat. Still, the weight-loss approach that works for someone else may not work for you. It is up to you to find the right fit.
Regardless of the type of weight-loss program you choose, there are some fundamental keys to success. The WebMD Weight Loss Clinic is effective because it is built on these fundamentals for permanent weight management:
Make small changes in your life that work for you. Can you drink 1% or 2% milk instead of whole, and then when you're accustomed to that, eventually switch to skim? How about trying lighter or low-fat versions of your favorite salad dressings, cheeses, snacks, etc.?
Eat with a sense of purpose: Savor the flavors and engage your senses so that you truly acknowledge that you are eating. Forget the mindless munching that happens while you cook, drive, or watch television.
Control your portions. Successful dieters don't supersize their meals.
Eat a diet consisting of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat protein sources, and limit the total amount of fat. Start your day with a healthy breakfast that includes some protein, in the form of low-fat milk, yogurt, lean meats, or an egg. Many overweight people skip breakfast. Start living life like a thin person, and make breakfast a habit.
Find physical activities that you enjoy or sneak exercise into your daily routine. Whichever you choose, do it daily, for the cardiovascular and calorie-burning benefits.
Don't try to manage your stress with food. Many people eat in response to stress. Unfortunately, food does not help you cope with stress; it simply adds calories to your daily total. Find more effective alternatives: exercise, take a walk, call a friend, visit our community boards. Just steer clear of the kitchen!
Keep track of what you eat each day with your food journal. This is an excellent way to acknowledge your accomplishments. Take time to celebrate your achievements and reward yourself for all your hard work.
Read labels to determine the healthiest food options. Nutrition labels offer a wealth of information to help you make good choices.
Stay motivated! It is easy to fall off the wagon. When you do, just brush yourself off and get right back on the eating plan. Visit your friends on the community boards for support to help you through the rough times.
How Do Successful Losers Do It?
There is a group at the University of Colorado that tracks successful losers -- people who have lost at least 60 pounds and kept it off for a minimum of five years. According to researchers involved with the National Weight Control Registry, here is what successful losers do to maintain their weight loss:
* They limit their calorie intake to approximately 1,400 a day.
* They restrict fat to approximately 24% of calories.
* They start the day with breakfast.
* They eat a wide variety of foods and do not follow fad diets.
* They get regular exercise, with walking the activity of choice.
* They journal to help them stay the course.
One thing is for certain. Successful losers get a great deal of satisfaction from their lifestyle of daily exercise, healthy low-fat diets, and trimmed-down bodies.
Registry members who have kept weight off for long periods find that over time, it takes less effort to maintain their weight. It no longer feels like a burden to live a healthy lifestyle.
A Wealth of Benefits
In addition to helping you feel great about yourself, look better, and have zip in your step, losing weight brings enormous health benefits. Losing as little as 5% to 10% of body weight can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Adopting sensible behaviors and sound eating habits that you can live with is weight control that works. You can still have the foods you love -- just eat them in small portions, balance them with other foods, and eat a variety of nutritious foods each day.
Americans spend 6 billion dollars a year on weight-loss products, in search of the magic bullet. Yet health authorities, including the American Dietetic Association, the American Heart Association, the American Medical Association, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agree that the best approach to weight loss is a balanced diet.
So don't waste your money on those sexy-sounding, too-good-to-be true products. Save it for your fruits and vegetables!
Jacques
-----
Use these strategies for long-term success
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic - Expert ColumnReviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
There are lots of ways to lose weight. The question is, how do you lose weight and keep it off? Atkins advocates argue that their diet works -- as do many other diets that strictly limit food groups or calories. But is losing weight worthwhile if you go right back to your old eating habits and regain the weight? Most folks who use strict diets regain the lost weight and then some. That's why "diets don't work."
So What Does Work?
The bottom line with weight loss is that you have to eat fewer calories than you burn -- regardless of whether the calories come from carbs, protein, or fat. Still, the weight-loss approach that works for someone else may not work for you. It is up to you to find the right fit.
Regardless of the type of weight-loss program you choose, there are some fundamental keys to success. The WebMD Weight Loss Clinic is effective because it is built on these fundamentals for permanent weight management:
Make small changes in your life that work for you. Can you drink 1% or 2% milk instead of whole, and then when you're accustomed to that, eventually switch to skim? How about trying lighter or low-fat versions of your favorite salad dressings, cheeses, snacks, etc.?
Eat with a sense of purpose: Savor the flavors and engage your senses so that you truly acknowledge that you are eating. Forget the mindless munching that happens while you cook, drive, or watch television.
Control your portions. Successful dieters don't supersize their meals.
Eat a diet consisting of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat protein sources, and limit the total amount of fat. Start your day with a healthy breakfast that includes some protein, in the form of low-fat milk, yogurt, lean meats, or an egg. Many overweight people skip breakfast. Start living life like a thin person, and make breakfast a habit.
Find physical activities that you enjoy or sneak exercise into your daily routine. Whichever you choose, do it daily, for the cardiovascular and calorie-burning benefits.
Don't try to manage your stress with food. Many people eat in response to stress. Unfortunately, food does not help you cope with stress; it simply adds calories to your daily total. Find more effective alternatives: exercise, take a walk, call a friend, visit our community boards. Just steer clear of the kitchen!
Keep track of what you eat each day with your food journal. This is an excellent way to acknowledge your accomplishments. Take time to celebrate your achievements and reward yourself for all your hard work.
Read labels to determine the healthiest food options. Nutrition labels offer a wealth of information to help you make good choices.
Stay motivated! It is easy to fall off the wagon. When you do, just brush yourself off and get right back on the eating plan. Visit your friends on the community boards for support to help you through the rough times.
How Do Successful Losers Do It?
There is a group at the University of Colorado that tracks successful losers -- people who have lost at least 60 pounds and kept it off for a minimum of five years. According to researchers involved with the National Weight Control Registry, here is what successful losers do to maintain their weight loss:
* They limit their calorie intake to approximately 1,400 a day.
* They restrict fat to approximately 24% of calories.
* They start the day with breakfast.
* They eat a wide variety of foods and do not follow fad diets.
* They get regular exercise, with walking the activity of choice.
* They journal to help them stay the course.
One thing is for certain. Successful losers get a great deal of satisfaction from their lifestyle of daily exercise, healthy low-fat diets, and trimmed-down bodies.
Registry members who have kept weight off for long periods find that over time, it takes less effort to maintain their weight. It no longer feels like a burden to live a healthy lifestyle.
A Wealth of Benefits
In addition to helping you feel great about yourself, look better, and have zip in your step, losing weight brings enormous health benefits. Losing as little as 5% to 10% of body weight can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Adopting sensible behaviors and sound eating habits that you can live with is weight control that works. You can still have the foods you love -- just eat them in small portions, balance them with other foods, and eat a variety of nutritious foods each day.
Americans spend 6 billion dollars a year on weight-loss products, in search of the magic bullet. Yet health authorities, including the American Dietetic Association, the American Heart Association, the American Medical Association, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agree that the best approach to weight loss is a balanced diet.
So don't waste your money on those sexy-sounding, too-good-to-be true products. Save it for your fruits and vegetables!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
HAPPY THANKSGIVING! : A Few Easy Tasty Recipes
Cider-Roasted Turkey with Bacon-Apple Cider Gravy
(Main Course)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For a change of pace, substitute a 9-pound capon for the turkey.
Serves 8
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Marinating: Overnight
1 (11-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
21/2 cups apple cider, divided
11/4 teaspoons black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 thyme sprigs
1 small Granny Smith apple, quartered
2 3/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
2 thick bacon slices, cut crosswise into strips
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remove and discard giblets and neck from turkey. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Place turkey in a heavy-duty, jumbo zip-top plastic bag and add 2 cups cider; seal and marinate in refrigerator overnight, turning bag occasionally.
Preheat oven to 450°.
Remove turkey from bag, reserving marinade. Place turkey, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Pour reserved marinade over turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt on skin and in body cavity. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Place thyme sprigs and apple in body cavity. Insert meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325° (do not remove turkey from oven); bake an additional 45 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups broth and onions to pan; return to oven immediately. Bake, uncovered, an additional hour or until thermometer registers 180°. Place turkey on a serving platter; cover with aluminum foil. Let stand at least 25 minutes. Discard skin, sprigs, and apple.
Remove onions from pan with a slotted spoon, set aside, and keep warm. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measuring cup. Pour turkey drippings into bag. Add remaining 1/2 cup cider to roasting pan; cook over medium-high heat 2 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add to turkey drippings in bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.
Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Add flour to bacon drippings in pan; cook 1 minute. Gradually add remaining 1 cup broth and cider mixture, blending with a whisk. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook over medium heat until thick (about 10 minutes), stirring frequently. Stir in onions and chopped thyme.
Serving size: 6 ounces turkey and 1/4 cup gravy.
Per serving: 319 Calories (24% from fat); Fat 8.3g (sat 2.8g, mono 2.5g, poly 1.8g); Protein 39.5g; Carbohydrate 18.6g; Fiber 0.6g; Cholesterol 114mg; Iron 3.2mg; Sodium 620mg; Calcium 45mg
Cornmeal Angel Biscuits
(Breads)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These biscuits are even better served with honey.
Serves 32
Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes
Rising: 2 hours or overnight
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
11/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons yellow cornmeal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3/4 cup cornmeal, and next 4 ingredients (sugar through baking powder) in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yeast mixture and buttermilk; stir just until moist. Cover; chill dough at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 450°.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 5 or 6 times. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 21/2-inch biscuit cutter into 32 biscuits. Place on 2 ungreased baking sheets. Coat tops of dough with cooking spray; sprinkle tops evenly with 2 teaspoons cornmeal. Let stand 20 minutes. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes.
Serving size: 1 biscuit.
Per serving: Calories 102 (28% from fat); Fat 3.1g (sat 1.8g, mono 0.9g, poly 0.2g); Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 16.3g; Fiber 0.7g; Cholesterol 8mg; Iron 0.8mg; Sodium 194mg; Calcium 12mg
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
(Side Dishes)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Serves 12
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
3 pounds (3/4-inch) cubed peeled Yukon gold or red potatoes
8 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook 15 minutes or until very tender; drain. Return potato mixture to pan; add remaining ingredients; mash with a potato masher.
Serving size: 1/2 cup.
Per serving: Calories 103 (3% from fat); Fat 0.4g (sat 0.2g, mono 0.1g, poly 0.1g); Protein 3.3g; Carbohydrate 22g; Fiber 1.9g; Cholesterol 1mg; Iron 0.9mg; Sodium 229mg; Calcium 42mg
Dilled Baby Carrots (Side Dishes)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Serves 12
Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking: 8 minutes
6 cups baby carrots (about 11/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Place carrots in a saucepan; cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook 8 minutes or until tender; drain. Return carrots to pan; toss with remaining ingredients until butter is melted.
Serving size: 1/2 cup.
Wishing you and yours a Happy, Healthy and Yummy THANKSGIVING Holiday. Bon Appetit!
I THANK YOU ALL for your Friendship and Support!
Cordially,
Jacques
(Main Course)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For a change of pace, substitute a 9-pound capon for the turkey.
Serves 8
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 2 hours, 20 minutes
Marinating: Overnight
1 (11-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
21/2 cups apple cider, divided
11/4 teaspoons black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 thyme sprigs
1 small Granny Smith apple, quartered
2 3/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
2 thick bacon slices, cut crosswise into strips
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Remove and discard giblets and neck from turkey. Rinse turkey with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Place turkey in a heavy-duty, jumbo zip-top plastic bag and add 2 cups cider; seal and marinate in refrigerator overnight, turning bag occasionally.
Preheat oven to 450°.
Remove turkey from bag, reserving marinade. Place turkey, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Pour reserved marinade over turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt on skin and in body cavity. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Place thyme sprigs and apple in body cavity. Insert meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325° (do not remove turkey from oven); bake an additional 45 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups broth and onions to pan; return to oven immediately. Bake, uncovered, an additional hour or until thermometer registers 180°. Place turkey on a serving platter; cover with aluminum foil. Let stand at least 25 minutes. Discard skin, sprigs, and apple.
Remove onions from pan with a slotted spoon, set aside, and keep warm. Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measuring cup. Pour turkey drippings into bag. Add remaining 1/2 cup cider to roasting pan; cook over medium-high heat 2 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add to turkey drippings in bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.
Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Add flour to bacon drippings in pan; cook 1 minute. Gradually add remaining 1 cup broth and cider mixture, blending with a whisk. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook over medium heat until thick (about 10 minutes), stirring frequently. Stir in onions and chopped thyme.
Serving size: 6 ounces turkey and 1/4 cup gravy.
Per serving: 319 Calories (24% from fat); Fat 8.3g (sat 2.8g, mono 2.5g, poly 1.8g); Protein 39.5g; Carbohydrate 18.6g; Fiber 0.6g; Cholesterol 114mg; Iron 3.2mg; Sodium 620mg; Calcium 45mg
Cornmeal Angel Biscuits
(Breads)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
These biscuits are even better served with honey.
Serves 32
Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes
Rising: 2 hours or overnight
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
11/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons yellow cornmeal
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3/4 cup cornmeal, and next 4 ingredients (sugar through baking powder) in a large bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yeast mixture and buttermilk; stir just until moist. Cover; chill dough at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 450°.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead 5 or 6 times. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 21/2-inch biscuit cutter into 32 biscuits. Place on 2 ungreased baking sheets. Coat tops of dough with cooking spray; sprinkle tops evenly with 2 teaspoons cornmeal. Let stand 20 minutes. Bake at 450° for 12 minutes.
Serving size: 1 biscuit.
Per serving: Calories 102 (28% from fat); Fat 3.1g (sat 1.8g, mono 0.9g, poly 0.2g); Protein 2g; Carbohydrate 16.3g; Fiber 0.7g; Cholesterol 8mg; Iron 0.8mg; Sodium 194mg; Calcium 12mg
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
(Side Dishes)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Serves 12
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
3 pounds (3/4-inch) cubed peeled Yukon gold or red potatoes
8 cloves garlic, peeled
1 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook 15 minutes or until very tender; drain. Return potato mixture to pan; add remaining ingredients; mash with a potato masher.
Serving size: 1/2 cup.
Per serving: Calories 103 (3% from fat); Fat 0.4g (sat 0.2g, mono 0.1g, poly 0.1g); Protein 3.3g; Carbohydrate 22g; Fiber 1.9g; Cholesterol 1mg; Iron 0.9mg; Sodium 229mg; Calcium 42mg
Dilled Baby Carrots (Side Dishes)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Serves 12
Preparation: 5 minutes
Cooking: 8 minutes
6 cups baby carrots (about 11/2 pounds)
2 tablespoons fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Place carrots in a saucepan; cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook 8 minutes or until tender; drain. Return carrots to pan; toss with remaining ingredients until butter is melted.
Serving size: 1/2 cup.
Wishing you and yours a Happy, Healthy and Yummy THANKSGIVING Holiday. Bon Appetit!
I THANK YOU ALL for your Friendship and Support!
Cordially,
Jacques
I Can't sleep
WebMD Feature from "Women's Health" Magazine
By Carol Cruzan Morton, Women’s Health
Three women, three sleep problems… resolved!
The Worrier
The Woman
Kristen Nelson, 30, nursing student at the University of California at San Francisco
The Problem: A racing mind.
Nelson frequently lay awake for hours. "My mind would just race," she says. "I'd be like, 'Tomorrow: Do I need to bring my lunch, should I buy it at school, should I bring my laptop with me?'" Exhausted, she felt fuzzy and irritable during the day.
The Solution
Nelson started going to bed 2 hours later, while forcing herself to rise at her regular time. You'd think this practice — known as sleep restriction — would only make her more tired. And in the short run, it did. But it also meant that she fell asleep faster and slept more deeply. "It squashes all the sleep into one block of time," says Edward Stepanski, Ph.D., director of the sleep disorders center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. "Once we've improved the quality, we work on the quantity." Nelson gradually shifted her bedtime earlier until she was getting 7 hours straight.
Nelson never naps or sleeps past 8 A.M. In bed she relaxes by sequentially tensing and releasing muscles in her arms, legs, shoulders, and face. "Now when a thought comes into my head I say, 'Oh, I had a thought.' I taught myself to just take them as they come," she says. "Since I started this, I have never felt better. I don't get as frustrated or upset about things as I used to."
The Overdoer
The Woman
Pamela Bolanis, 30, senior vice president in sales at Wachovia Securities in Richmond, Virginia
The Problem: Spending too little time in bed.
A six-time marathoner and mother of a 1-year-old, Bolanis is at the office by 7:30 A.M. and often out with clients until 10 P.M. Although she needs 81/2 hours of sleep, she gets more like 6, rising early to spend time with her son. She drinks half a pot of coffee every morning but finds that her concentration and memory are impaired. "Sleep is so important," she says, "but with my current state of affairs, something has got to give."
The Solution
There is no medical treatment for people who are too busy to sleep. Experts say they simply need to make different choices. Eric Olson, M.D., codirector of the Mayo Sleep Disorders Center in Rochester, Minnesota, recommends sleeping in on weekends and taking strategic naps (note: these are verboten for insomniacs because they can make it harder to fall asleep at night). Joyce Walsleben, Ph.D., a psychologist at New York University's Sleep Disorders Center, suggests that overextended people start going to bed consistently 15 minutes earlier. After a week or two, they should move bedtime up another quarter hour. "Nobody can argue they can't give 15 minutes a night," she says.
The Night Owl
The Woman
Jennifer Weihs, 21, occupational therapy student at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska
The Problem: Biological clock needs resetting.
The biological clock is the part of the brain that ensures that we feel tired at night and alert during the day. Darkness directs the clock to start producing the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. Weihs's body releases melatonin later than normal, making her a born night owl. She had trouble falling asleep, especially before midnight, and mornings were torture. Her roommates literally had to shake her or she'd miss class. "I never woke up and felt rested," she says. Weihs's disorder, called delayed sleep phase syndrome, is related to jet lag and the problems experienced by people who work the night shift.
The Solution
Weihs started taking melatonin every night at 8 P.M., and immediately found she could fall asleep earlier. She also started forcing herself awake at 9 A.M. to sit for half an hour in front of a light box — a device that uses a fluorescent bulb to mimic the sun's intensity. Soon she was waking up at 9 A.M. — without her alarm. "That, for me, was extraordinary," says Weihs, who now consistently turns in by 10:30 P.M. and gets up at 7:30 A.M. "The difference is life-changing."
-------
Jacques' remarks:
Just as I like sharing meaningful articles from various well known sources with you on food, dieting, and other Health-oriented issues...
...I also like to add truthful comments which may, at times, contradict or improve the contents of parts of the said articles.
For instance, the latter perpetuate the traditional food restrictions, or other dieting dos and don'ts.
During my long career as a clinical psychologist and Hypnotherapist, I researched, found, developed, tested and taught thousands of overweight and obese individuals, a far simpler lifestyle. It became known as my "S.L.I.M. For Life" Weight Management Trainings...
...Which allows the participants to start with an amzingly daring "Eat anything you like, as often as you like, as much as you like...so long as you listen to my tapes or CDs at least twice a day and do your "Modulations".
I also repeatedly mention that, eversince my teenage years, I have refused to follow any/all "diet plans".
Instead, I learned to listen to my instinctual Inner voice,or Higher Self's "messages" and directions...which have never failed to let me know when I am truly hungry or just craving a favorite snack...
Learning the difference empowered me to naturally, in a relaxed, stress-free way, tame all snack attacks and keep my weight blalance on track. It Works...at any age!
This is one part of what I teach during my Trainings.
Another is how to fall asleep deply, peacefully and reconstructively within five minutes or less, druglessly, even when your mind is racing. (I compare this state of turmoil to a drunken monkey stung by a scorpion...).
Best of all, our Trainings transcend "medical remedies", "biological clocks", "melatonin" and all other standard means, prescriptions and ineffective methods used for this tiresome (pun INTENDED) problem.
The techniques I have developed and used for decades, and share, Work...Every Time...100%! So, cheer up! Best always,
Jacques
By Carol Cruzan Morton, Women’s Health
Three women, three sleep problems… resolved!
The Worrier
The Woman
Kristen Nelson, 30, nursing student at the University of California at San Francisco
The Problem: A racing mind.
Nelson frequently lay awake for hours. "My mind would just race," she says. "I'd be like, 'Tomorrow: Do I need to bring my lunch, should I buy it at school, should I bring my laptop with me?'" Exhausted, she felt fuzzy and irritable during the day.
The Solution
Nelson started going to bed 2 hours later, while forcing herself to rise at her regular time. You'd think this practice — known as sleep restriction — would only make her more tired. And in the short run, it did. But it also meant that she fell asleep faster and slept more deeply. "It squashes all the sleep into one block of time," says Edward Stepanski, Ph.D., director of the sleep disorders center at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. "Once we've improved the quality, we work on the quantity." Nelson gradually shifted her bedtime earlier until she was getting 7 hours straight.
Nelson never naps or sleeps past 8 A.M. In bed she relaxes by sequentially tensing and releasing muscles in her arms, legs, shoulders, and face. "Now when a thought comes into my head I say, 'Oh, I had a thought.' I taught myself to just take them as they come," she says. "Since I started this, I have never felt better. I don't get as frustrated or upset about things as I used to."
The Overdoer
The Woman
Pamela Bolanis, 30, senior vice president in sales at Wachovia Securities in Richmond, Virginia
The Problem: Spending too little time in bed.
A six-time marathoner and mother of a 1-year-old, Bolanis is at the office by 7:30 A.M. and often out with clients until 10 P.M. Although she needs 81/2 hours of sleep, she gets more like 6, rising early to spend time with her son. She drinks half a pot of coffee every morning but finds that her concentration and memory are impaired. "Sleep is so important," she says, "but with my current state of affairs, something has got to give."
The Solution
There is no medical treatment for people who are too busy to sleep. Experts say they simply need to make different choices. Eric Olson, M.D., codirector of the Mayo Sleep Disorders Center in Rochester, Minnesota, recommends sleeping in on weekends and taking strategic naps (note: these are verboten for insomniacs because they can make it harder to fall asleep at night). Joyce Walsleben, Ph.D., a psychologist at New York University's Sleep Disorders Center, suggests that overextended people start going to bed consistently 15 minutes earlier. After a week or two, they should move bedtime up another quarter hour. "Nobody can argue they can't give 15 minutes a night," she says.
The Night Owl
The Woman
Jennifer Weihs, 21, occupational therapy student at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska
The Problem: Biological clock needs resetting.
The biological clock is the part of the brain that ensures that we feel tired at night and alert during the day. Darkness directs the clock to start producing the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. Weihs's body releases melatonin later than normal, making her a born night owl. She had trouble falling asleep, especially before midnight, and mornings were torture. Her roommates literally had to shake her or she'd miss class. "I never woke up and felt rested," she says. Weihs's disorder, called delayed sleep phase syndrome, is related to jet lag and the problems experienced by people who work the night shift.
The Solution
Weihs started taking melatonin every night at 8 P.M., and immediately found she could fall asleep earlier. She also started forcing herself awake at 9 A.M. to sit for half an hour in front of a light box — a device that uses a fluorescent bulb to mimic the sun's intensity. Soon she was waking up at 9 A.M. — without her alarm. "That, for me, was extraordinary," says Weihs, who now consistently turns in by 10:30 P.M. and gets up at 7:30 A.M. "The difference is life-changing."
-------
Jacques' remarks:
Just as I like sharing meaningful articles from various well known sources with you on food, dieting, and other Health-oriented issues...
...I also like to add truthful comments which may, at times, contradict or improve the contents of parts of the said articles.
For instance, the latter perpetuate the traditional food restrictions, or other dieting dos and don'ts.
During my long career as a clinical psychologist and Hypnotherapist, I researched, found, developed, tested and taught thousands of overweight and obese individuals, a far simpler lifestyle. It became known as my "S.L.I.M. For Life" Weight Management Trainings...
...Which allows the participants to start with an amzingly daring "Eat anything you like, as often as you like, as much as you like...so long as you listen to my tapes or CDs at least twice a day and do your "Modulations".
I also repeatedly mention that, eversince my teenage years, I have refused to follow any/all "diet plans".
Instead, I learned to listen to my instinctual Inner voice,or Higher Self's "messages" and directions...which have never failed to let me know when I am truly hungry or just craving a favorite snack...
Learning the difference empowered me to naturally, in a relaxed, stress-free way, tame all snack attacks and keep my weight blalance on track. It Works...at any age!
This is one part of what I teach during my Trainings.
Another is how to fall asleep deply, peacefully and reconstructively within five minutes or less, druglessly, even when your mind is racing. (I compare this state of turmoil to a drunken monkey stung by a scorpion...).
Best of all, our Trainings transcend "medical remedies", "biological clocks", "melatonin" and all other standard means, prescriptions and ineffective methods used for this tiresome (pun INTENDED) problem.
The techniques I have developed and used for decades, and share, Work...Every Time...100%! So, cheer up! Best always,
Jacques
Monday, November 19, 2007
Sleep: More Important Than You Think
Copyright © Jacques Girard, Ph.D.
Reviewed By Stuart Meyers, MD
By Michael Breus
WebMD Feature
Not sleeping enough and not sleeping well is not OK. As a matter of fact, there is quite a price to pay. It may surprise you to learn that chronic sleep deprivation, for whatever reason, significantly affects your health, performance, safety, and pocketbook.
There are many causes of sleep deprivation. The stresses of daily life may intrude upon our ability to sleep well, or perhaps we trade sleep for more work or play. We may have medical or mental-health conditions that disrupt our sleep, and be well aware that we are sleep-deprived.
However, it is critically important to realize that sleep deprivation is very often due to unrecognized sleep disorders. After a typical night's sleep, you may not feel restored and refreshed and be sleepy during the day, but be totally unaware that you are sleep-deprived or have a sleep disorder. You might think, "It's just the stress of work or the kids," or you might have "always felt this way" and had no idea that you should feel differently. This lack of awareness compounds the consequences, because so many people remain undiagnosed for years.
That said, let's look at the consequences of sleep deprivation.
In the short term:
• Decreased Performance and Alertness: Sleep deprivation induces significant reductions in performance and alertness. Reducing your nighttime sleep by as little as one and a half hours for just one night could result in a reduction of daytime alertness by as much as 32%.
• Memory and Cognitive Impairment: Decreased alertness and excessive daytime sleepiness impair your memory and your cognitive ability -- your ability to think and process information.
• Stress Relationships: Disruption of a bed partner's sleep due to a sleep disorder may cause significant problems for the relationship (for example, separate bedrooms, conflicts, moodiness, etc.).
• Poor Quality of Life: You might, for example, be unable to participate in certain activities that require sustained attention, like going to the movies, seeing your child in a school play, or watching a favorite TV show.
• Occupational Injury: Excessive sleepiness also contributes to a greater than twofold higher risk of sustaining an occupational injury.
• Automobile Injury: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates conservatively that each year drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries, and 1,550 fatalities.
The good news for many of the disorders that cause sleep deprivation is that after risk assessment, education, and treatment, memory and cognitive deficits improve and the number of injuries decreases.
In the long term, the clinical consequences of untreated sleep disorders are large indeed. They are associated with numerous, serious medical illnesses, including:
• High blood pressure
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Psychiatric problems, including depression and other mood disorders
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Mental impairment
• Fetal and childhood growth retardation
• Injury from accidents
• Disruption of bed partner's sleep quality
• Poor quality of life
Studies show an increased mortality risk for those reporting less than either six or seven hours per night. One study found that reduced sleep time is a greater mortality risk than smoking, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Sleep disturbance is also one of the leading predictors of institutionalization in the elderly, and severe insomnia triples the mortality risk in elderly men.
Remarkably, sleep loss may also be a contributing factor to obesity.
John Winkelman, MD, PhD, medical director of the Sleep Health Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School sums up this finding up nicely: "What most people do not realize is that better sleep habits may be instrumental to the success of any weight management plan."
And Michael Thorpy, MD, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York adds, "Any American making a resolution to lose weight ... should probably consider a parallel commitment for getting more sleep."
It is also important to realize the huge scope and prevalence of these disorders; more than 85 sleep disorders are recognized by the American Sleep Disorders Association, affecting more than 70 million Americans. Up to one-third of Americans have symptoms of insomnia; however, less than 10% of those are identified by primary-care doctors.
Sleep-related breathing disorders represent a spectrum of abnormalities that range from simple snoring to sleep apnea (repeated episodes of cessation of breathing during sleep). As highly prevalent as they are, most cases remain undiagnosed and untreated.
• Chronic snoring, for example, is associated with an increased incidence of heart and brain-related diseases. It is present in about 45% of the U.S. population; up to half of those have sleep apnea.
• The prevalence of sleep apnea is on par with diabetes and asthma. More than 20 million Americans -- 24% of adult men and 9% of adult women -- are estimated to have some degree of obstructive sleep apnea. Only a fraction have been diagnosed and treated.
• Sleep apnea is a primary risk factor for high blood pressure; as many as 40% of those people are undiagnosed and untreated for high blood pressure. Effective treatment of sleep apnea in patients with high blood pressure leads to a substantial reduction in stroke risk.
• Patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea perform as poorly as drunk drivers and have up to a 15-fold increased risk of motor vehicle accidents.
With the wealth of information and treatment options available for sleep deprivation, much of the suffering, illness from the many related diseases, increase in accident rates, and effects on productivity, performance, concentration, and memory can be avoided.
Increased awareness is the first step, for us individually and the health care community. Some researchers suggest that sleep deprivation should be recognized with the same seriousness that has been associated with the societal impact of alcohol.
Originally published May 2003.
Medically updated March 15, 2006.
________________________________________
SOURCES: Sleep: "We Are Chronically Sleep Deprived," Vol. 18 No. 10. Sleep Medicine, Kryger, Meir, et al., Third Edition. 2000. Sleep: "Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and Risk of Occupational Injuries in Non-shift Daytime Workers," Vol. No. 3. Heart Disease, Vol. 4 No. 5. Sleep "The Cost of Sleep-Related Accidents," Vol. 17, No. 1. National Center on Sleep Disorders Research. Sleep: "Health Care Utilization in the 10 Years Prior to Diagnosis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Patients," Vol. No. 22. Journal of Clinical Hypertentions, Vol. 4 No. 6. Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, Vol. 15 No. 2. Sleep: "Sleepiness-Related Accidents In Sleep Apnea Patients," Vol. 23 No. 3. AM Rev Respir Dis: "Automobile Accidents Involving Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea," Vol. 138. Am J Respir Crit Care Me: "Simulated Driving Performance in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea," Vol. 154. Circulation: "Effect of Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment on Blood Pressure in Patients with Obstructive Sleep apnea," Vol. 107. News release, "Planning to Lose Weight in the New Year? Experts Say, Think Sleep. Studies Show Sleep Loss May Sabotage Success of No.1 Resolution," Sanofi-Synthelabo Inc. Columbia University, Dept.of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.
Copyright 2006 Sound Sleep, LLC.
Reviewed By Stuart Meyers, MD
By Michael Breus
WebMD Feature
Not sleeping enough and not sleeping well is not OK. As a matter of fact, there is quite a price to pay. It may surprise you to learn that chronic sleep deprivation, for whatever reason, significantly affects your health, performance, safety, and pocketbook.
There are many causes of sleep deprivation. The stresses of daily life may intrude upon our ability to sleep well, or perhaps we trade sleep for more work or play. We may have medical or mental-health conditions that disrupt our sleep, and be well aware that we are sleep-deprived.
However, it is critically important to realize that sleep deprivation is very often due to unrecognized sleep disorders. After a typical night's sleep, you may not feel restored and refreshed and be sleepy during the day, but be totally unaware that you are sleep-deprived or have a sleep disorder. You might think, "It's just the stress of work or the kids," or you might have "always felt this way" and had no idea that you should feel differently. This lack of awareness compounds the consequences, because so many people remain undiagnosed for years.
That said, let's look at the consequences of sleep deprivation.
In the short term:
• Decreased Performance and Alertness: Sleep deprivation induces significant reductions in performance and alertness. Reducing your nighttime sleep by as little as one and a half hours for just one night could result in a reduction of daytime alertness by as much as 32%.
• Memory and Cognitive Impairment: Decreased alertness and excessive daytime sleepiness impair your memory and your cognitive ability -- your ability to think and process information.
• Stress Relationships: Disruption of a bed partner's sleep due to a sleep disorder may cause significant problems for the relationship (for example, separate bedrooms, conflicts, moodiness, etc.).
• Poor Quality of Life: You might, for example, be unable to participate in certain activities that require sustained attention, like going to the movies, seeing your child in a school play, or watching a favorite TV show.
• Occupational Injury: Excessive sleepiness also contributes to a greater than twofold higher risk of sustaining an occupational injury.
• Automobile Injury: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates conservatively that each year drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries, and 1,550 fatalities.
The good news for many of the disorders that cause sleep deprivation is that after risk assessment, education, and treatment, memory and cognitive deficits improve and the number of injuries decreases.
In the long term, the clinical consequences of untreated sleep disorders are large indeed. They are associated with numerous, serious medical illnesses, including:
• High blood pressure
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Psychiatric problems, including depression and other mood disorders
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Mental impairment
• Fetal and childhood growth retardation
• Injury from accidents
• Disruption of bed partner's sleep quality
• Poor quality of life
Studies show an increased mortality risk for those reporting less than either six or seven hours per night. One study found that reduced sleep time is a greater mortality risk than smoking, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Sleep disturbance is also one of the leading predictors of institutionalization in the elderly, and severe insomnia triples the mortality risk in elderly men.
Remarkably, sleep loss may also be a contributing factor to obesity.
John Winkelman, MD, PhD, medical director of the Sleep Health Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital and assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School sums up this finding up nicely: "What most people do not realize is that better sleep habits may be instrumental to the success of any weight management plan."
And Michael Thorpy, MD, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore Medical Center in New York adds, "Any American making a resolution to lose weight ... should probably consider a parallel commitment for getting more sleep."
It is also important to realize the huge scope and prevalence of these disorders; more than 85 sleep disorders are recognized by the American Sleep Disorders Association, affecting more than 70 million Americans. Up to one-third of Americans have symptoms of insomnia; however, less than 10% of those are identified by primary-care doctors.
Sleep-related breathing disorders represent a spectrum of abnormalities that range from simple snoring to sleep apnea (repeated episodes of cessation of breathing during sleep). As highly prevalent as they are, most cases remain undiagnosed and untreated.
• Chronic snoring, for example, is associated with an increased incidence of heart and brain-related diseases. It is present in about 45% of the U.S. population; up to half of those have sleep apnea.
• The prevalence of sleep apnea is on par with diabetes and asthma. More than 20 million Americans -- 24% of adult men and 9% of adult women -- are estimated to have some degree of obstructive sleep apnea. Only a fraction have been diagnosed and treated.
• Sleep apnea is a primary risk factor for high blood pressure; as many as 40% of those people are undiagnosed and untreated for high blood pressure. Effective treatment of sleep apnea in patients with high blood pressure leads to a substantial reduction in stroke risk.
• Patients with moderate to severe sleep apnea perform as poorly as drunk drivers and have up to a 15-fold increased risk of motor vehicle accidents.
With the wealth of information and treatment options available for sleep deprivation, much of the suffering, illness from the many related diseases, increase in accident rates, and effects on productivity, performance, concentration, and memory can be avoided.
Increased awareness is the first step, for us individually and the health care community. Some researchers suggest that sleep deprivation should be recognized with the same seriousness that has been associated with the societal impact of alcohol.
Originally published May 2003.
Medically updated March 15, 2006.
________________________________________
SOURCES: Sleep: "We Are Chronically Sleep Deprived," Vol. 18 No. 10. Sleep Medicine, Kryger, Meir, et al., Third Edition. 2000. Sleep: "Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and Risk of Occupational Injuries in Non-shift Daytime Workers," Vol. No. 3. Heart Disease, Vol. 4 No. 5. Sleep "The Cost of Sleep-Related Accidents," Vol. 17, No. 1. National Center on Sleep Disorders Research. Sleep: "Health Care Utilization in the 10 Years Prior to Diagnosis in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Patients," Vol. No. 22. Journal of Clinical Hypertentions, Vol. 4 No. 6. Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, Vol. 15 No. 2. Sleep: "Sleepiness-Related Accidents In Sleep Apnea Patients," Vol. 23 No. 3. AM Rev Respir Dis: "Automobile Accidents Involving Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea," Vol. 138. Am J Respir Crit Care Me: "Simulated Driving Performance in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea," Vol. 154. Circulation: "Effect of Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment on Blood Pressure in Patients with Obstructive Sleep apnea," Vol. 107. News release, "Planning to Lose Weight in the New Year? Experts Say, Think Sleep. Studies Show Sleep Loss May Sabotage Success of No.1 Resolution," Sanofi-Synthelabo Inc. Columbia University, Dept.of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery.
Copyright 2006 Sound Sleep, LLC.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?
Copyright © Jacques Girard, Ph.D.
Reviewed By Stuart Meyers, MD
By Michael Breus
WebMD Feature
Although many factors influence how much sleep you really need, most young adults report sleeping about seven and a half hours on weekday nights and eight and a half hours on weekend nights. And the common recommendation is eight hours a night. But individual needs vary greatly. There are so-called short-sleepers and long-sleepers -- those who need as little as five and a half hours to as much as about nine and a half hours.
How much sleep you require depends on several factors including:
• Your inherited genetic need
• Your sleep hygiene (those daily activities you control, from drinking coffee or alcohol to smoking and exercise)
• The quality of your sleep
• Your 24-hour daily cycle known as the circadian rhythm
For example, smoking, drinking, and exercise can affect your sleep dramatically. What you actually do in bed (like reading or watching TV) and how much exposure to light you have (looking at that bright computer screen 'til midnight) will also significantly alter both the quality and quantity of your sleep. They all interact to determine how long you need to sleep to wake up feeling refreshed and remain alert throughout the day.
How did we get the age-old recommendation that we need a solid eight hours of sleep? In a classic study, researchers placed a volunteer in windowless, light-controlled room for 30 days. The light was on for 16 hours and off for eight hours, but the study participant could also turn the lights on and off at will.
Before the experiment began, the subject routinely got about six and a half hours of sleep. During the first night of the experiment he slept eight hours, the second night 10 hours, the third night 12 hours, and the fourth night 14 hours. Over the next several days, he began to reduce the number of hours slept, eventually falling to a steady eight hours and 13 minutes. This experiment was performed repeatedly with all types of people, with similar results, and this is where the recommendation of eight hours comes from.
Your Sleep Debt
OK, so how do you determine how much sleep you really need?
First, let's look at your bank account -- your sleep bank account, that is -- and see if you have a debt to pay. Throughout the day, you take out about eight hours from this account, generating a sleep debt. Over the course of the night, as you snooze, you replenish your account. If you sleep only, say, six and a half hours, you still owe one and a half hours. If you do this for five nights in a row, you have lost an entire night's sleep! You will then need extra sleep over the next few days to replenish your sleep debt.
How much sleep do you get -- do you have a sleep debt? Do this simple test: Starting on a Sunday, do not drink alcohol or caffeine; do not smoke; go to sleep about the same time every night; and get an uninterrupted seven to eight hours of sleep for the next six nights. Then, on Saturday morning, sleep in. See how long your body will let you sleep. If you sleep longer than you did during the week -- then you have a sleep debt. So you should consider getting more sleep each night to replenish that sleep debt. Hey, not so easy, you say. Well, give it a try and do the best you can. Why?
Not getting the proper amount of and the best quality sleep may have serious consequences. Many studies have shown that sleep deprivation adversely affects performance and alertness. Reducing sleep by as little as one and a half hours for just one night reduces daytime alertness by about one-third. Excessive daytime sleepiness impairs memory and the ability to think and process information, and contributes to a substantially increased risk of sustaining an occupational injury.
The bottom line is that you should wake up feeling relatively refreshed, and you should generally not feel sleepy during the day. If this is not the case, you may have an unrecognized sleep disorder and should see your doctor or a sleep specialist.
Originally published April 1, 2003.
Medically updated Sept. 10, 2004.
________________________________________
SOURCES: Sleep Medicine, Kryger, Meir, et al., Third Edition, 2000. Sleep: "Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and risk of Occupational Injuries in Non-shift Daytime Workers," Vol. no. 3. Sleep: "Dose-response Relationship Between Sleep Duration and Human Psychomotor Vigilance and Subjective Awareness," Vol. 22, No. 2. Sleep: "We Are Chronically Sleep Deprived," Vol. 18 No. 10. The Promise of Sleep, by William Dement.
Copyright 2004 Sound Sleep, LLC.
The above was posted on our S.L.I.M. For Life Blog on July 14, 2007, so I ended it with: Happy Bastille Day! (On St. Patrick's Day, "Everyone is Irish"---Today: French!) :o)
Jacques
About the Author:SEE PROFILE
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Reviewed By Stuart Meyers, MD
By Michael Breus
WebMD Feature
Although many factors influence how much sleep you really need, most young adults report sleeping about seven and a half hours on weekday nights and eight and a half hours on weekend nights. And the common recommendation is eight hours a night. But individual needs vary greatly. There are so-called short-sleepers and long-sleepers -- those who need as little as five and a half hours to as much as about nine and a half hours.
How much sleep you require depends on several factors including:
• Your inherited genetic need
• Your sleep hygiene (those daily activities you control, from drinking coffee or alcohol to smoking and exercise)
• The quality of your sleep
• Your 24-hour daily cycle known as the circadian rhythm
For example, smoking, drinking, and exercise can affect your sleep dramatically. What you actually do in bed (like reading or watching TV) and how much exposure to light you have (looking at that bright computer screen 'til midnight) will also significantly alter both the quality and quantity of your sleep. They all interact to determine how long you need to sleep to wake up feeling refreshed and remain alert throughout the day.
How did we get the age-old recommendation that we need a solid eight hours of sleep? In a classic study, researchers placed a volunteer in windowless, light-controlled room for 30 days. The light was on for 16 hours and off for eight hours, but the study participant could also turn the lights on and off at will.
Before the experiment began, the subject routinely got about six and a half hours of sleep. During the first night of the experiment he slept eight hours, the second night 10 hours, the third night 12 hours, and the fourth night 14 hours. Over the next several days, he began to reduce the number of hours slept, eventually falling to a steady eight hours and 13 minutes. This experiment was performed repeatedly with all types of people, with similar results, and this is where the recommendation of eight hours comes from.
Your Sleep Debt
OK, so how do you determine how much sleep you really need?
First, let's look at your bank account -- your sleep bank account, that is -- and see if you have a debt to pay. Throughout the day, you take out about eight hours from this account, generating a sleep debt. Over the course of the night, as you snooze, you replenish your account. If you sleep only, say, six and a half hours, you still owe one and a half hours. If you do this for five nights in a row, you have lost an entire night's sleep! You will then need extra sleep over the next few days to replenish your sleep debt.
How much sleep do you get -- do you have a sleep debt? Do this simple test: Starting on a Sunday, do not drink alcohol or caffeine; do not smoke; go to sleep about the same time every night; and get an uninterrupted seven to eight hours of sleep for the next six nights. Then, on Saturday morning, sleep in. See how long your body will let you sleep. If you sleep longer than you did during the week -- then you have a sleep debt. So you should consider getting more sleep each night to replenish that sleep debt. Hey, not so easy, you say. Well, give it a try and do the best you can. Why?
Not getting the proper amount of and the best quality sleep may have serious consequences. Many studies have shown that sleep deprivation adversely affects performance and alertness. Reducing sleep by as little as one and a half hours for just one night reduces daytime alertness by about one-third. Excessive daytime sleepiness impairs memory and the ability to think and process information, and contributes to a substantially increased risk of sustaining an occupational injury.
The bottom line is that you should wake up feeling relatively refreshed, and you should generally not feel sleepy during the day. If this is not the case, you may have an unrecognized sleep disorder and should see your doctor or a sleep specialist.
Originally published April 1, 2003.
Medically updated Sept. 10, 2004.
________________________________________
SOURCES: Sleep Medicine, Kryger, Meir, et al., Third Edition, 2000. Sleep: "Excessive Daytime Sleepiness and risk of Occupational Injuries in Non-shift Daytime Workers," Vol. no. 3. Sleep: "Dose-response Relationship Between Sleep Duration and Human Psychomotor Vigilance and Subjective Awareness," Vol. 22, No. 2. Sleep: "We Are Chronically Sleep Deprived," Vol. 18 No. 10. The Promise of Sleep, by William Dement.
Copyright 2004 Sound Sleep, LLC.
The above was posted on our S.L.I.M. For Life Blog on July 14, 2007, so I ended it with: Happy Bastille Day! (On St. Patrick's Day, "Everyone is Irish"---Today: French!) :o)
Jacques
About the Author:SEE PROFILE
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, November 17, 2007
On SLEEP…Its importance...
Copyright © Jacques Girard, Ph.D.
'Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.' (Ovid)
...Positive effects and benefits on Health and Weight Management…Sleeping pills and potions VS. Drugless, Natural SLEEP.
NBC-TV’s ‘Nighline’ Reports: Special series on SLEEP
(‘ Sleepless in America’ - Week 5/15-19/2006)… a few highlights of interest:
• It has been conclusively determined that the adult human body requires and average of 7-1/2 to 8 full hours of restful, peaceful, reconstructive SLEEP daily (nightly)..
• At another Sleep Clinic in PA. Dr. Sigrid Nissi states that the number of hours required to function ‘sharply’ varies with individual characteristics, including: age, weight, height, color and intellect…The more intelligent amongst the latter are said to rank amongst the more successful members of our society…
Ben Franklin said ‘Early to bed and early to rise’, and slept 3-4 hours on the average...Jay Leno and many others survive very well on just a few hours’ sleep…oftentimes broken up in several naps of 20 or more minutes each... while others claim that 8-9 hours is a minimum for them…
Apparently, more time-tested results are forthcoming on this important topic…
* Poor sleeping habits and sustained sleeplessness within the U.S. work force is costing business and industry an everage of 15 Billion Dollar$+ yearly in lost productivity due to absenteeism...Related medical costs exceed $16 Billion Dollar$...
• The Big Winners are the members of the Pharmaceutical Indsutry, whose components pocketed $43.1 Billion Dollar$ in profits from sales last year (an increase of 30% over the previous year for heavily advertised ‘LUNESTA’ and ‘AMBIEN’...in spite of strong negative reports of dangerous effects upon many ‘AMBIEN’ users: loss of memory...balance...car accidents, arrests for ‘Driving UnderT he Influence’ etc.!)…
More than ever, I feel privileged to have developed very Effective, Safe, Totally Drug-Free Modulations and techniques that ensure Fast, Deep, Sound, Rejunevating SLEEP…taught during The I.D.S and S.L.I.M. For Life © Trainings!
In weight management, it is important to note that a good night’s sleep helps your body process carbohydrates…
A recent study revealed that people with a sleep debt had lower glucose tolerance compared to when they were well rested… glucose tolerance may increase the risk of carbohydrate metabolism disorders, such as hypoglycemia…since, when you’re sleep deprived, sugars tend to linger in the blood and trigger insulin production...thus elevating body fat storage, which can contribute to type 2 diabetes problems...
Persistent insomnia: prolonged lack of sleep, of reposing, refreshing, restorative rest can cause Sleep Deprivation with potential consequential health problems of varied kinds, oftentimes severe…
Nights of sound, restful sleep are of the utmost importance in all weight management programs for better control of metabolic control and other pivotal excess fat burning processes... while lack of restful sleep interferes with the secretion of cortisol , a hormone that regulates appetite…If their levels are off balance, you may still feel ‘false hunger pangs’ although you may actually be ‘full’!...
Conversely, 7-8 hours of deep, restful, reconstructive sleep helps the body’s immune system as well as moods, outlook on life, concentration, clear thinking, blood pressure, heart health and many more wellness factors which we cover in another one of our Seminars dealing exclusively with this issue...
If this is getting a bit too serious for you... remember the old saying, whenever you go to bed : ‘one good turn…takes most of the covers!’….:o)
As has been mentioned throughout this Introductory work (of which this post is but a small fraction: the Simplest...Best... Safest...Healthiest option is to Relax and let your S.L.I.M. For Life Modulations © empower you to harness the widest variety of Life Problems…
…in this case, that of restful, revitalizing, reconstructive, rejuvenating SLEEP.
On March 8, 2006...another in a long series of alarming news items was aired…
A ‘marvelous little sleeping pill’ extensively advertised, especially on TV, as being ‘safe...effective...and non-narcotic’ : LUNESTA was named as being the culprit involved in the arrest and incarceration for DUI (driving under the influence) of individuals displaying dangerously eratic patterns while operating a vehicle on our roadways.
Multiple traffic tickets were issued...and arrests made where accidents were involved. Amongst the tell-tale danger signals detected by the arresting officers were: weaving...apparent absence of proper coordination...lethargy... confusion...too-slow reaction time…
The ensuing blood tests revealed no illegal alcohol content but chemicals found in LUNESTA...which the apprehended individuals stated having taken the night before…Those who had also imbibed alcohol came out looking the worst…
This latest event on the alcohol and drugs scene resulted in adding a notch on he gun of the Law…labeling prosecutions involving users of LUNESTA (and other sleeping pills and potions) as ‘Sleep-Driving’... and they just coined ‘DUI-A’…
For what it’s worth, and in all fairness to these pill-pushers’ alluring statements, such as: ‘Turn Off Your Restless Mind…’ and several more convincing ones…
they did also issue a few warnings and disclaimers which will ultimately serve to get them off the hook legally and criminally...and save them a small fortune, should the above LUNESTA-caused problems catapult into big buck law suits, class-action or others resulting in large awards…
We are indeed living in history-making times…sad to say, in cases such as this…
So, do not have any nightmares, but drug-free Happy, Peaceful Dreams and SLEEP on this Daturday the 17th. night!
Your Friend,
Jacques
About the Author:SEE PROFILE
'Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.' (Ovid)
...Positive effects and benefits on Health and Weight Management…Sleeping pills and potions VS. Drugless, Natural SLEEP.
NBC-TV’s ‘Nighline’ Reports: Special series on SLEEP
(‘ Sleepless in America’ - Week 5/15-19/2006)… a few highlights of interest:
• It has been conclusively determined that the adult human body requires and average of 7-1/2 to 8 full hours of restful, peaceful, reconstructive SLEEP daily (nightly)..
• At another Sleep Clinic in PA. Dr. Sigrid Nissi states that the number of hours required to function ‘sharply’ varies with individual characteristics, including: age, weight, height, color and intellect…The more intelligent amongst the latter are said to rank amongst the more successful members of our society…
Ben Franklin said ‘Early to bed and early to rise’, and slept 3-4 hours on the average...Jay Leno and many others survive very well on just a few hours’ sleep…oftentimes broken up in several naps of 20 or more minutes each... while others claim that 8-9 hours is a minimum for them…
Apparently, more time-tested results are forthcoming on this important topic…
* Poor sleeping habits and sustained sleeplessness within the U.S. work force is costing business and industry an everage of 15 Billion Dollar$+ yearly in lost productivity due to absenteeism...Related medical costs exceed $16 Billion Dollar$...
• The Big Winners are the members of the Pharmaceutical Indsutry, whose components pocketed $43.1 Billion Dollar$ in profits from sales last year (an increase of 30% over the previous year for heavily advertised ‘LUNESTA’ and ‘AMBIEN’...in spite of strong negative reports of dangerous effects upon many ‘AMBIEN’ users: loss of memory...balance...car accidents, arrests for ‘Driving UnderT he Influence’ etc.!)…
More than ever, I feel privileged to have developed very Effective, Safe, Totally Drug-Free Modulations and techniques that ensure Fast, Deep, Sound, Rejunevating SLEEP…taught during The I.D.S and S.L.I.M. For Life © Trainings!
In weight management, it is important to note that a good night’s sleep helps your body process carbohydrates…
A recent study revealed that people with a sleep debt had lower glucose tolerance compared to when they were well rested… glucose tolerance may increase the risk of carbohydrate metabolism disorders, such as hypoglycemia…since, when you’re sleep deprived, sugars tend to linger in the blood and trigger insulin production...thus elevating body fat storage, which can contribute to type 2 diabetes problems...
Persistent insomnia: prolonged lack of sleep, of reposing, refreshing, restorative rest can cause Sleep Deprivation with potential consequential health problems of varied kinds, oftentimes severe…
Nights of sound, restful sleep are of the utmost importance in all weight management programs for better control of metabolic control and other pivotal excess fat burning processes... while lack of restful sleep interferes with the secretion of cortisol , a hormone that regulates appetite…If their levels are off balance, you may still feel ‘false hunger pangs’ although you may actually be ‘full’!...
Conversely, 7-8 hours of deep, restful, reconstructive sleep helps the body’s immune system as well as moods, outlook on life, concentration, clear thinking, blood pressure, heart health and many more wellness factors which we cover in another one of our Seminars dealing exclusively with this issue...
If this is getting a bit too serious for you... remember the old saying, whenever you go to bed : ‘one good turn…takes most of the covers!’….:o)
As has been mentioned throughout this Introductory work (of which this post is but a small fraction: the Simplest...Best... Safest...Healthiest option is to Relax and let your S.L.I.M. For Life Modulations © empower you to harness the widest variety of Life Problems…
…in this case, that of restful, revitalizing, reconstructive, rejuvenating SLEEP.
On March 8, 2006...another in a long series of alarming news items was aired…
A ‘marvelous little sleeping pill’ extensively advertised, especially on TV, as being ‘safe...effective...and non-narcotic’ : LUNESTA was named as being the culprit involved in the arrest and incarceration for DUI (driving under the influence) of individuals displaying dangerously eratic patterns while operating a vehicle on our roadways.
Multiple traffic tickets were issued...and arrests made where accidents were involved. Amongst the tell-tale danger signals detected by the arresting officers were: weaving...apparent absence of proper coordination...lethargy... confusion...too-slow reaction time…
The ensuing blood tests revealed no illegal alcohol content but chemicals found in LUNESTA...which the apprehended individuals stated having taken the night before…Those who had also imbibed alcohol came out looking the worst…
This latest event on the alcohol and drugs scene resulted in adding a notch on he gun of the Law…labeling prosecutions involving users of LUNESTA (and other sleeping pills and potions) as ‘Sleep-Driving’... and they just coined ‘DUI-A’…
For what it’s worth, and in all fairness to these pill-pushers’ alluring statements, such as: ‘Turn Off Your Restless Mind…’ and several more convincing ones…
they did also issue a few warnings and disclaimers which will ultimately serve to get them off the hook legally and criminally...and save them a small fortune, should the above LUNESTA-caused problems catapult into big buck law suits, class-action or others resulting in large awards…
We are indeed living in history-making times…sad to say, in cases such as this…
So, do not have any nightmares, but drug-free Happy, Peaceful Dreams and SLEEP on this Daturday the 17th. night!
Your Friend,
Jacques
About the Author:SEE PROFILE
Friday, November 16, 2007
Drug- and Alcohol-Related Sleep Problems
Copyright (c) Jacques Girard, Ph.D.
Sleep problems have been associated with drug use, drug abuse and withdrawal from drug abuse. Sleep disturbances also have been linked to the use of alcohol and to chronic alcoholism.
Drugs and Sleep
Many prescription and nonprescription medications can cause sleep problems. The severity of sleep problems caused by a medication will vary from person to person.
Prescription drugs that may cause sleep problems include:
High blood pressure medications
Hormones such as oral contraceptives
Steroids including prednisone
Respiratory inhaled medications
Diet pills
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications
Some antidepressants
Nonprescription medicines that can cause sleep problems include:
Pseudoephedrine, including the brand Sudafed
Medications with caffeine. These include the brands Anacin, Excedrin, and No-Doz as well as some cough and cold medications.
Illegal drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, and methamphetamines.
Nicotine, which can disrupt sleep and reduce total sleep time. (Smokers report more daytime sleepiness than do nonsmokers, especially in younger age groups.)
Alcohol and Sleep
Alcohol often is thought of as a sedative or calming drug. While alcohol may induce sleep, the quality of sleep is often fragmented during the second half of the sleep period when the alcohol's relaxing effect wears off. As a result, alcohol induced sleep prevents you from getting the deep sleep you need since alcohol keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep.
(Reviewed by The Sleep Medicine Center at The Cleveland Clinic.)
-----
Have a restful weekend!
Jacques
Sleep problems have been associated with drug use, drug abuse and withdrawal from drug abuse. Sleep disturbances also have been linked to the use of alcohol and to chronic alcoholism.
Drugs and Sleep
Many prescription and nonprescription medications can cause sleep problems. The severity of sleep problems caused by a medication will vary from person to person.
Prescription drugs that may cause sleep problems include:
High blood pressure medications
Hormones such as oral contraceptives
Steroids including prednisone
Respiratory inhaled medications
Diet pills
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications
Some antidepressants
Nonprescription medicines that can cause sleep problems include:
Pseudoephedrine, including the brand Sudafed
Medications with caffeine. These include the brands Anacin, Excedrin, and No-Doz as well as some cough and cold medications.
Illegal drugs such as cocaine, amphetamines, and methamphetamines.
Nicotine, which can disrupt sleep and reduce total sleep time. (Smokers report more daytime sleepiness than do nonsmokers, especially in younger age groups.)
Alcohol and Sleep
Alcohol often is thought of as a sedative or calming drug. While alcohol may induce sleep, the quality of sleep is often fragmented during the second half of the sleep period when the alcohol's relaxing effect wears off. As a result, alcohol induced sleep prevents you from getting the deep sleep you need since alcohol keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep.
(Reviewed by The Sleep Medicine Center at The Cleveland Clinic.)
-----
Have a restful weekend!
Jacques
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Overcoming Overeating - Conclusion
What Makes a Food Satisfying?
Research during the past decade suggests there are three factors that help make a meal more satisfying: the weight of the food, the amount of protein, and the amount of fiber.
A revolutionary study done by researchers at the University of Sydney in 1995 noted that of the 38 foods tested, certain foods scored higher in satiety. Top-scoring foods included whole-meal bread, grainy bread, cheese, eggs, brown pasta, popcorn, all-bran cereal, grapes, porridge, baked beans, apples, beefsteak, ling fish (a type of cod), and oranges. All of these foods are high in fiber, water, or protein.
And which foods tend to have low satiety scores (making them much easier to overeat)? These would be foods with large amounts of fat, sugar, and/or refined carbohydrates, like potato chips, candy bars, and white bread.
'Satisfaction Score' for 20 Common Dishes
So is there a way you can determine how satisfying your favorite foods are likely to be? A mathematical formula calculates a satisfaction score for a food. First we give a serving of a particular food points for its weight divided by calories (multiplied by 4 to give it significant point value). Secondly we add the number of grams of protein it contains. Finally we add the number of grams of fiber. Using this point system, this is how 20 popular American dishes would rate:
Food Weight divided by calories and multiplied by 4 Protein grams, Fiber grams...
Satisfaction Score: Very satisfying
Turkey sandwich on wheat bread
Oatmeal made with 3/4 cup oats + 1 1/2 cups 1% milk
Bean burrito
Grilled cheese on whole-wheat with 1.5 oz reduced-fat cheese
Veggie omelet with 1 egg, 1/4 cup egg substitute, 1/2 cup broccoli+ 1 oz cheese
Minestrone soup, 2 cups
2 whole-wheat pancakes with 2 strips turkey bacon + 1 tablespoon lite syrup
1 cup whole-wheat blend pasta with 2/3 cup marinara + 2 tbsp Parmesan
Moderately satisfying
Lite nonfat yogurt, 1 cup
Raisin Bran, 1 cup with 1/2 cup 1% milk
Sour cream & chive potato
Fresh fruit salad, 1 1/2 cups
Caesar side salad with reduced-fat ranch dressing
Cheese pizza, 1/12 of large pie
Chocolate shake,
Not so satisfying
Snickers, 2-ounce bar
Potato chips, 2 oz
French fries, small order from fast-food chain
Cheese puffs, 2 oz
Twinkie
--------
Courtesy WebMD
--------
Jacques' remarks:
...and, if the above list does not quite match your own favorite foods (which is the case with me)...at least it is hoped that this article increased your awareness on the subject...As you already know from my previous Posts, I get my guidance from "within"... :o)
Be well! Love,
Jacques
Research during the past decade suggests there are three factors that help make a meal more satisfying: the weight of the food, the amount of protein, and the amount of fiber.
A revolutionary study done by researchers at the University of Sydney in 1995 noted that of the 38 foods tested, certain foods scored higher in satiety. Top-scoring foods included whole-meal bread, grainy bread, cheese, eggs, brown pasta, popcorn, all-bran cereal, grapes, porridge, baked beans, apples, beefsteak, ling fish (a type of cod), and oranges. All of these foods are high in fiber, water, or protein.
And which foods tend to have low satiety scores (making them much easier to overeat)? These would be foods with large amounts of fat, sugar, and/or refined carbohydrates, like potato chips, candy bars, and white bread.
'Satisfaction Score' for 20 Common Dishes
So is there a way you can determine how satisfying your favorite foods are likely to be? A mathematical formula calculates a satisfaction score for a food. First we give a serving of a particular food points for its weight divided by calories (multiplied by 4 to give it significant point value). Secondly we add the number of grams of protein it contains. Finally we add the number of grams of fiber. Using this point system, this is how 20 popular American dishes would rate:
Food Weight divided by calories and multiplied by 4 Protein grams, Fiber grams...
Satisfaction Score: Very satisfying
Turkey sandwich on wheat bread
Oatmeal made with 3/4 cup oats + 1 1/2 cups 1% milk
Bean burrito
Grilled cheese on whole-wheat with 1.5 oz reduced-fat cheese
Veggie omelet with 1 egg, 1/4 cup egg substitute, 1/2 cup broccoli+ 1 oz cheese
Minestrone soup, 2 cups
2 whole-wheat pancakes with 2 strips turkey bacon + 1 tablespoon lite syrup
1 cup whole-wheat blend pasta with 2/3 cup marinara + 2 tbsp Parmesan
Moderately satisfying
Lite nonfat yogurt, 1 cup
Raisin Bran, 1 cup with 1/2 cup 1% milk
Sour cream & chive potato
Fresh fruit salad, 1 1/2 cups
Caesar side salad with reduced-fat ranch dressing
Cheese pizza, 1/12 of large pie
Chocolate shake,
Not so satisfying
Snickers, 2-ounce bar
Potato chips, 2 oz
French fries, small order from fast-food chain
Cheese puffs, 2 oz
Twinkie
--------
Courtesy WebMD
--------
Jacques' remarks:
...and, if the above list does not quite match your own favorite foods (which is the case with me)...at least it is hoped that this article increased your awareness on the subject...As you already know from my previous Posts, I get my guidance from "within"... :o)
Be well! Love,
Jacques
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