Mayo book underscores doctors' growing interest in folk remedies

Peppermint oil to help irritable bowel syndrome. Chile pepper seed rub to ease aching joints. Lavender to aid sleep. Hibiscus-flower tea to lower blood pressure.Once dismissed by medical experts as grandma's superstition and folklore, herbal and natural cures such as these are getting a double dose of respect by mainstream physicians. Not only are they being recommended with increasing frequency, modern researchers are doing studies that find that many of these cures do in fact possess active biological agents that do just what Grandma told you they would.MICHAEL HOGUE/Staff ArtistOne of the latest signs of how seriously such treatments are being...

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Posted in: EU,home remedies,Mayo Clinic

Glaucoma Awareness: January

Minerals, like magnesium, are absolutely essential to longevity and quality of life. Did You Know?  Your eye muscles may be stronger than any other in your body.In 1995, researchers at the University Eye Clinic in Basel, Switzerland published a study on the effect of supplemental magnesium on glaucoma patients. A dose of 121.5 mg twice daily was administered to 10 glaucoma patients for one month. Results of the study substantiated that magnesium supplementation improved the peripheral circulation in blood vessels around the eye, with the accompanying benefit of an improved visual field. While magnesium is certainly not a cure for glaucoma, the improvement of symptoms could make it worth taking.Even without the potential benefits to glaucoma patients, magnesium is a very useful mineral....

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Posted in: eye health,glaucoma,magnesium

Anemia Drug Risky for People with Diabetes

I'd be very happy if we could go back to the time when medicine was simpler, treatments were simpler, and traditional medical care was more of an art and focused on patients like it used to be.But you see Big PhRMA and Big Insurance just doesn't want it to be so. This is especially true if you estimate the cost of one dose to be in excess of $300 to more than $1,600 for the medicine, depending on dose, with additional fees for administration.This is a great example of why the system is failing.Diabetes: Poor response to anti-anemia drug predicts higher risk of heart disease or deathScienceDaily (2010-12-29) -- Patients with diabetes, kidney disease and anemia who don't respond to treatment with an anti-anemia drug have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease or death, researchers have found....

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Posted in: anemia,Aranesp,chemotherapy,diabetes,Kidney Disease

More Food Folly

While Dr OZ is pushing turkey bacon, you might want to know why I chose uncured pig bacon instead, along with REAL yoghurt.TURKEY BACONPork bacon’s got a bad rap for wreaking havoc on your cholesterol. But is turkey bacon really any better?The Truth: Stick with the pig. As far as calories go, the difference between “healthy” turkey bacon and “fatty” pig is negligible—and depending on the slice, turkey might sometimes tip the scales a touch more. Additionally, while turkey is indeed a leaner meat, turkey bacon isn’t made from 100 percent bird: One look at the ingredients list will show a long line of suspicious additives and extras that can’t possibly add anything of nutritional value. And finally, the sodium content of the turkey bacon is actually higher than what you’ll find in the kind that...

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Posted in: Dr Oz,Eat This Not That,turkey bacon,yogurt

Big Insurance Moves in on Medicaid

An excerpt, DECEMBER 29, 2010Insurers Bid for State Medicaid Plans BY AVERY JOHNSON Health insurers are preparing to capitalize on $40 billion of new opportunities to run privately managed Medicaid plans for the states, which would position insurers to benefit from the health overhaul's expansion of Medicaid in 2014.Medicaid, the state and federal program for the poor, has become a growth area for big insurers such as UnitedHealth Group Inc. and more specialized plans such as Molina Healthcare Inc. Texas and Georgia will solicit new contracts for their private Medicaid plans early next year, while California, Florida...

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Posted in: Big Insurance,health insurance reform,Medicaid

Healthy and Wise

Over at the Everett Herald one of the longtime writers once penned an article about camping.  The thing that caught my eye was her menu because it included things like hot dogs, bacon, ham, and a variety of chips and white bread buns to add to the folly.I contacted here to suggest her menu could be a bit healthier and she replied, “You have to die of something”.  To this I said, “Yes, only a life well lived”.I guess paying a price for a longer life falls in to the “you have to die of something” category, but I continue to support the concepts that help you live long and live healthy.Exercise can be one of those ‘helpers’ as can learning to use non-pharmaceutical methods to keep you healthy and well through the ages and stages of your life. Fit at Any Age: Workout http://www.health.com/health/gallery/thumbnails/0,,20365122,00.htmlEAST...

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Posted in: aging,stay fit

Citrus Season Goodies

Whole food is much better for you, we know.  Today we have to take care to buy organic or to be sure to use an effective system to remove farm chemicals and fungicides used in the citrus business from food like those recommended in our publication “FOOD SAFETY: CLEANSING OPTIONS”.  GMO oranges are suggested to be coming soon too, so taking care to avoid these will become very crucial.It is best to eat all food in season, so let us make good vitamin C products available to you for your best health. I think it is good to understand that for oranges, other foods, and herbs,it is the "powerful combinations of compounds" that make the better...

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Posted in: Food Science,orange,vitamin C

Why 98.6 May Be Good For Your Body

A mathematical model finds that a temperature of about 98.6 F is high enough to ward off the majority of fungal infections, but still low enough to only require a manageable level of food intake.As a bitter winter storm rages on the east coast, it’s hard to knock being warm-blooded. But what about the metabolic cost of maintaining a high body-temperature? Well, a new study finds that we and many other mammals keep up such a torrid temp because it’s a Goldilocks situation—98.6 is just right.Albert Einstein College of Medicine researchers previously showed that every one degree Celsius rise in body temperature wards off about 6 percent more...

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Posted in: body temperature,thermography

Homeopathy Does Help

Just before this negative article was published on BBC News a very good report on homeopathy was published showing strong scientific basis for this form of both medicine and lay care. Generally speaking I would not consider homeopathy to be "alternative medicine", but a form of health care that has proven extremely beneficial to tens of thousands of people around the world over several hundred years. Of course, when people benefit from something other than "mainstream, drug based medicine" we hear the attacks, not based on the naysayers reviewing any of the science behind the art.I was often given homeopathic remedies as a child and I used them...

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Posted in: homeopathy

Better Ways to Save on Drugs: Beyond Plan D

With the Medicare Plan D only giving those in the "doughnut hole" a 50% reduction in Big PhRMA's retail prices perhaps, if you are a drug user, you might be better off with these optional plans, or those offered by the drug manufacturers. Here is a really good related article, very much worth your time to read and watch...Walmart and Target $9 Generic Prescription Drugs Levitra, Fosamax, Sprintec, Tamoxifen, ClomidMarilisa Kinney Sachteleben Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben Mon Dec 27, 2010 You may know about Walmart and Target pharmacies' $4 (30-day) and $10 (three-month) generic prescription drugs. Both stores carry $9/$24 Levitra, ReliOn Ventolin, Fosamax, Clomid, Proscar, Tamoxifen, Sprintec and other generic drugs. The $4 for 30-day, $10 three-month and the $9/$24 prescription lists...

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Posted in: Ken Berry MD,Plan D

Environmental Effects and Your Health

It has been decades that I've been promoting what just recently so many report as anti-cancer Superfoods.  The same goes for all the education I have done since the late 90s on EMF and cell phone-cordless phone-wifi impact.As far as food goes, I encourage berries as a top food; the reason being the presence of proanthocyanidins (cyanide compounds from seeds).  Garlic of course is exceptional as we now know brassicas and fiber to be.We now have a new high ORAC value berry compound in capsules or liquid from Aronia (chokecherry), about 3 times more beneficial than blueberries.The first and most important point is that most cancer is not born but made. By that I mean, that only one in ten cases of cancer comes about because you have inherited a defective gene by your mother or father. ...

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Posted in: cancer,Devra Davis,environment,foods for preventing cancer

Plan Now for Feb 2011: End Diabetes, The Longest Walk

Get UPDATES and More Informat...

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Posted in: end diabetes,Longest Walk

Cordless Phones, like WIFI, Boost Heart Risk

Cordless Phone EMFs Trigger Heart Rhythm AbnormalitiesBy Erik Goldman / Editor in Chief - Vol. 11, No. 4. Winter, 2010The controversy continues over the possibility that frequent exposure to electromagnetic fields from cell phones and other cordless devices increases the risk of brain tumors and cognitive dysfunction. That’s been hard to prove definitively, and many mainstream researchers dismiss the risk as alarmism.But an international collaborative team of Canadian, US, and European researchers recently discovered something that may prove harder to dismiss: in some individuals, the 2.4 GHz pulsed signals emitted by a cordless phone system reliably produce measurable and clinically significant disruptions in cardiac rhythm.  Complete articleDevra Davis on C-Span Selected articles...

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Posted in: cordless phone health risk

The Importance of Accuracy in Health Reporting

Over the years I have been in the health professions I have noticed real change in the way health information is reported.  This applies to medical journals, TV and other broadcast media, newspapers, and other venues.Now too we have now the on-line purveyors of what lay people turned health expert believe to be factual.I think it has become pretty difficult to wade your way through all that is out there in the info universe to make some sense of it all for your health and that of those for whom you care.Even though one site I favor is focused on mainstream health, I continue to learn more about the issues that have been important to me for decades from his sites: Integrity and truth in coverage.Recently this was the focus of some very good information - SHOULD YOU BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU...

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Posted in: ethics,Health News Review,integrity in reporting,natural health news,truth in reporting

Boys Now Targeted by Big Pharma's Vaccine Campaign

23 December, 2010:  Natural Health News first reported on boys and Gardasil in 2008.  Now FDA has gone ahead and approved this very risky vaccine for boys and men.One MD saysDec 23, 2010According to this report, This FDA approval is NOT BASED on SCIENCE but on a VOTING PROCEDURE by the FDA Advisory Committee, which in turn is based on a BELIEF and not on the gold standard of DOUBLE BLIND PLACEBO CONTROLLED TRIAL. I am flabbergasted. Honestly, does the FDA Advisory Committee know what it is doing? How long was the randomized trial conducted and were the numbers and duration of the trial robust enough to come to this conclusion? Was the randomized trial conducted by an independent research team or was it industry funded? I cannot accept it and I will not recommend it.from...

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Posted in: 2010 vaccine guidelines for children,Gardasil,Gardasil dangers,Gardasil for boys

Veggie Might: Eat Tamari Almonds!

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about all things Vegetarian.Almonds are my go-to healthy, everyday snack that picks me up when I’m fading in the afternoon and gives me a boost without filling me up before a workout. Does that sound like copy for an Almond Board ad? Forgive me; I’ve been pulling some crazy hours at an ad agency these past few weeks.However, it’s true what I said about almonds. I love them and eat them all the time, in teeny little handfuls of 24 almonds because 24 almonds is an ounce, and an ounce is a serving, and a serving is what a Reasonable Person shoves in her mouth when she needs...

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Posted in: Desserts and Snacks,Vegan,Vegetarian,Veggie Might

Go For A Walk In The Snow!

Today's Health Tip!Go for a walk in the snow - Exercise improves sleep!  Studies from the University of Arizona show that women who even walked short distances at a normal pace during the day found their sleep significantly improved. Exercise reduces the time it takes to get to sleep by 12 minutes, and it increases total sleep time by 42 minutes.Getting enough sleep has so many benefits!  To list a few...Sleep Keeps Your Heart Healthy,  Sleep Reduces Stress, Sleep Reduces Inflammation, Sleep Makes You More Alert, Sleep Bolsters Your Memory, Sleep Helps You Lose Weight, Naps are known to make you smarter, and Sleep Helps the Body...

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Posted in: health tips

Mustard Crusted Potatoes (Potato Review)

I am in love with these little potatoes!  They are not only tasty but so good for you too!  These potatoes are already pre-washed and ready to cook.  No peeling or prep, just season and cook!  So nice for busy moms!Tasteful Selections has eight varieties to choose from.Ruby Sensation: A light fresh flavor with creamy flesh & tender skinWhite Delights: Mellow with hints of sweet flavor and a firm, yet fine textureGolden Temptation: A hint of butter flavor with a soft & creamy flesh and soft skinPurple Passion: Slightly sweet, yet nutty with a plump texture and firm skinHoney Gold: Buttery sweet flavor with velvety golden...

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Posted in: Potato.,review,vegetarian

Guest Post: New Year's Spiced Chickpeas with Avocado

Jaime Green writes our bi-weekly Green Kitchen post. She's guesting for Wednesday. Happy holidays!Last New Year's Eve, my boyfriend and I had been dating for about two months. Not big fans of subway rides home in the wee hours alongside the inevitable puking revelers (though I guess that's better than facing drunk drivers on the roads), we decided to stay in. I showed up at his apartment that night with two bottles of very cheap champagne (I love you, Andre) and a sparkly paper top-hat. I blew a noisemaker when he opened the door. I'd gotten the hat and noisemaker at the dollar store on my block about an hour before.We didn't have any big...

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Posted in: Mains,Vegan,Vegetarian

Ask the Internet: Canned Tuna Ideas?

Today's question comes from reader Jessie:Flickr's aMichiganMomQ: I was wondering what to do with my cupboard full of canned tuna besides tuna salad or casserole. Thoughts?A: Jessie, that is a most excellent question. The Kitchn had an excellent post about canned tuna options back in 2009, though my personal favorite is Herbed Tuna in Tomatoes, an easy, no-cook alternative to those omnipresent sandwiches.Readers, what do you do with canned tuna?Want to ask the interweb a question? Post one in the comment section, or write to Cheaphealthygood@gmail.com. Then, tune in next Tuesday for an answer/several answers from the good people of the World...

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Posted in: Ask the Internet

Guest Post: Chestnut and Bulgur Stuffing, a.k.a. Holiday Time with the Man Who Discovered Food Has Calories

Miriam Isserow is a fundraising consultant based in Silver Spring, Maryland. In her misspent youth, she loved to make dessert. Now she likes to cook delicious and healthful meals.This time of year, we seem to go from one food-centric event to another. This is a particular challenge for my dear husband, otherwise known as The Man Who Discovered Food Has Calories. I know my new nickname for him is a mouthful, so from here on in, I'll call him TMWDFHC.I recently mentioned to TMWDFHC that for our own holiday meal, I would make a bulgur stuffing instead of our traditional bread stuffing. Years ago, my cousin whipped up a similar dish that I still...

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Posted in: Sides,Vegan,Vegetarian

Winter's Holiday

At this time of year I take a winter holiday for rest and reflection. We truly thank you for all of your support over the many years we have been providing Natural Health News in its various forms. In 2011 we will begin the 8th year of the blog, and the 12th year of Natural Health News.  I hope you'll join me when I return in January with the many new things planned to come from Creating Health Institute and The Oake Centre for natural health education, Simply4Health. To borrow words from a friend:    Sing Joy, Live Peace  I wish you all, in whatever way you celebrate this season, the very best of everything.  Peace...

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Posted in: Medicine