Vitamins - The Truth’ gives you over 80 pages of Valuable Information on the Foods that supply the Vitamin. At Last - The Truth About Vitamins. -

The date of September 11, 2001, calls up stark and powerful memories. Lives were shattered, paradigms were altered and hope seemed to dissipate for the whole world. Just one year later, six men chose to honor that very date with a paradigm shift of their own. Dreams ARE safe in fact, they’re […]

How a Stressful State Leads to Chronic Fatigue (Part 2)
(NaturalNews) As discussed in Stress and Chronic Fatigue Part 1, stress is a major culprit that leads to Chronic Fatigue because stress over works your adrenal glands, the glands that specifically deal with all survival responses in relation to any form of stress. Prolonged stress leads to adrenal exhaustion technically called Chronic Fatigue.Let’s Recap Briefly About What Chronic Fatigue IsConstant tiredness with multiple debilitating symptoms that can leave sufferers of this condition struggling with not having enough energy to just get through their day without feeling exhausted or meet the demands of their daily life; put simply, not being able to cope with life! This is because Chronic Fatigue is a condition where there is just not enough available energy in the body to get through the day or enough energy for the body to function properly such as digest food, build muscle tissue, synthesise hormones, think coherently, perform tasks, be productive at work, or even enjoy play. Energy is the currency of life and if we do not have enough energy, we just don’t turn up for our life.So, in balancing Chronic Fatigue you really need to balance energy, by firstly increasing available energy in your physical body. Secondly, preventing further energy drains (Chronic Fatigue is what I would describe as a constant ‘energy drain’). Your energy might leak so fast that it just can’t be replenished enough to make up for this ongoing energy drain.What are some major causes of ‘energy drain’?One of the most obvious ones is unresolved emotional/mental stress that lingers on, causing a huge ‘energy drain’ in your mind/body. As approximately 95% of your mind operates in an ‘unconscious’ mode, where the programs that run your mind/body system literally run themselves 24/7, and your conscious mind is not even aware of these programs running and chances are that we might not eve be aware of our deeper underlying stresses.What are the typical causes ‘energy drains’ underneath Chronic Fatigue?* Anger* Fear* Worry/Anxiety* Depression* Guilt* Overwork, physical or mental strain* Excessive exercise* Sleep deprivation* Going to sleep late* Chronic pain* Toxic exposure* Hypoglycemia Low Blood Sugar (Biochemical Imbalance)* Nutritional Deficiencies* Relationship issues* Emotional trauma* Transitions, moving house, emigrating to another country* Over thinking, study exams.As a clinical kinesiologist, Chronic Fatigue and constant tiredness is a condition most commonly found in people who are suffering multiple symptoms and some of them are chronic. In balancing the Chronic Fatigue condition, two things are most important to address:1. Balancing and supporting the physical body with the right nutrition. Appropriate nutrition becomes a strong biochemical foundation for your mind/body system to cope better with stress.2. Simultaneously acknowledging and neurologically balancing the underlying emotional/mental issues along with patterns of behaviour that are obviously draining to the mind/body system is the next crucial step.If only one or the other is employed in the recovery of Chronic Fatigue, then the condition persists. Yet, when appropriate nutrition is implemented along with emotional resolution in balancing Chronic Fatigue, people recover much quicker — a couple of weeks instead of months or years.From the physical energy building perspective, it is imperative to eat meals that result in balanced Blood Sugar Levels instead of the high/low blood sugar levels that also create adrenal fatigue.To maintain proper adrenal function it is imperative to maintain balanced blood sugar levels throughout the day and the following guidelines will help you do that:1. Eat within the first hour upon awakening. It is important to have high protein meals for breakfast along with some carbs and good fats. Free-range eggs, poultry, even meat and omega-3 rich fish such as salmon and sardines are more appropriate options than toast and butter alone or any cereal.Choose all your meat to be free-range of course, as the added hormones/antibiotics in meats will create toxicity, not a good outcome for an existing adrenal fatigue condition. For vegetarians or vegans, a good source of rice protein powder with some coconut milk/cream is much better than any wheat-free organic muesli for breakfast as it sets the tone for more energy for the day.2. Eat before becoming very hungry. If extremely hungry, you have allowed low blood sugar/ hypoglycemia to set in, which places additional stress on the adrenal glands.3. Avoid having an excessive ratio of carbohydrates to protein, as excess carbohydrates cause over secretion of insulin, which often leads to intervals of hypoglycemia. The body, in an attempt to normalize blood sugar levels, initiates a counter-regulatory process during which the adrenals are stimulated to secrete increased levels of cortisol and adrenalin. Excessive intake of carbohydrates also leads to excessive secretion of cortisol. This contributes to chronic cortisol depletion and consequently, adrenal exhaustion. Avoid this negative biofeedback loop which is commonly promoted in our society as an ideal breakfast.In order to stabilize blood sugar levels, it is important for you to maintain a balance between two hormones, glucagon and insulin, which are produced by the pancreas and released by the pancreas every time you eat. Protein in the diet induces the production of some insulin and more glucagon whereas carbohydrates in the diet induce the production of lots of insulin and no glucagon.Insulin promotes fat storage. Glucagon burns fat for energy.Protein initiates thermogenesis (energy production through heat) in your body. The ideal protein to have during Chronic Fatigue is the one that the body can readily assimilate and use and the more bioavailable the better. As more bioavailable energy is needed for preventing the loss of muscle tissue as well as synthesizing hormones during this stressful period on the body.What does bioavailable protein means?Answer: Protein with a complete amino acids profile that allows your body to utilize it efficiently.Here are some examples of bioavailable proteins:* Eggs = 100% bioavailable* Fish = 70 , 75%* Meat = 70%* Poultry = 60%* Beans/Soy/ Nuts = 40 - 45%* Dairy = 40 , 50%So it makes sense to have more free-range eggs daily for breakfast as they are full of nutrients for adrenals and are considered a perfect protein. As long as they are not overcooked, soft boiled or poached is the best, otherwise people experience gas and difficulty digesting eggs.Another reason it is so important to have more protein is that when insulin is high and glucagon is low, the adrenals are called upon to produce excess cortisol as a back-up response to help raise blood sugar levels in the absence of adequate glucagon. This occurs at the expense of the adrenal glands, contributing to adrenal exhaustion further, remember that the body is craving energy and adrenals are the glands that deal with energy production, so the aim is to give support to the adrenals and not to exhaust them further. Hence excess carbs create more stress and anxiety in people who are already under duress.Choosing Enough Adequate FatsWhen balancing Chronic Fatigue, the right fats in the diet are very important and some people need between 15 , 30% fat at every meal. Some might need up to 30% of fat at this time. The best fats are the ones found in egg yolks, omega-3’s in fatty fish and fish oil, organic butter, avocados and organic coconut butter. For vegetarians it is better to have coconut fat, a healthy fat that promotes energy in the body. Why is fat important? Fat should be part of every meal — when added to carbs and starches it lowers the insulin surges in the bloodstream from carbohydrates.What to avoid and replace with better alternativesThe most difficult thing for most people to give up is coffee, black tea and sugar or energy drinks (containing guarana) in times when they are craving energy. Did you know 1 cup of coffee can keep your cortisol levels high for up to 18 hours in your system? Basically coffee just adds to the stress on your central nervous system because coffee activates the fight/flight sympathetic nervous system (SNS) response; and constant SNS over stimulation is what creates Chronic Fatigue in the first place.SNS stimulation needs to be toned down as to allow the body to experience more balance naturally and activate at the same time the parasympathetic nervous system stimulation (PNS) — rest,relaxation, rejuvenation, recovery state.What to enjoy instead while still gaining energyInstead of coffee, enjoy organic green tea with stevia throughout the day or organic cacao and stevia. Both drinks are very high in antioxidants and help to raise the energy in the body without over stimulating. Avoid sugar, jam, malts, and fruit juice as they all raise blood sugar levels very quickly and exacerbate adrenal gland problems further. Generally the analogy of the effects of caffeine and sugar on the adrenal glands is that of flogging a dead horse, even though in the short term it may be pleasurable. The only way to stop this is a diet much higher in protein/fat and no sugar. That will naturally raise the energy.How to Address Emotional/Mental StressesIn balancing the underlying emotional/mental stresses it is important to create some down-time, simple pleasure fun time in order to fully activate the PNS system. Whether it is finding short solace in a place of quieting the mind, or making a point of being in nature, or even just enjoying simple meditation, this is far more important than trying to cope while relying on too many supplements.Most people take large amounts of ginseng and adrenal support formulas with the aim to keep up with the existing state. This leads to their adrenals crashing even quicker. Ginseng is helpful but can only be taken for 6 weeks to a maximum of 3 months at a time, then the body needs rest from the over stimulation of the ginseng.A little daily rest here and there, even 5-10 minutes is the best remedy for Chronic Fatigue as it is the quickest way to shift the mind into PNS, rest and relaxation, which is what the body is craving in order to regain some more energy.A 20 minute meditation practice whereby your breathing is slowed down, simple yoga where the mind is comfortable not agitated trying to do too much, allows the body to repair itself naturally. This form of relaxation shifts the mind/body system from a SNS state to a PNS state, where self recovery and self-rejuvenation takes place effortlessly. The importance of facilitating this on an ongoing basis is what stops the constant energy drain.In dealing with emotions it is important to just accept them without the need to over analyze, control or fix them, as this creates more tension which adds to more stress. It also creates inner struggle with what one is experiencing, this need to control our feelings and over analyze them is what can create Chronic Fatigue in many people who are not comfortable with their own powerful emotions. Understanding Emotional Intelligence is important — this allows us to feel the emotions.On a physical level, emotions don’t happen in your head, they are actually felt throughout your body as molecules called neuropeptides attach themselves onto cellular receptors that are located in every body part. When the emotion is felt, but not expressed, it’s as if these molecules of emotion get stuck in your system looking for a way out. All that is needed is expression of the emotion and ownership of the experience. No fixing, doing, psychoanalyzing, justifying and certainly no blaming.In conclusion, complete recovery of Chronic Fatigue requires a twofold approach applied simultaneously. Firstly, balancing the energy drain with appropriate nutrition to support the adrenal glands and build energy in the body. Secondly, acknowledging and neurologically balancing the emotions of fear/anxiety/anger which are causing the biggest energy drains in the body.By accessing the stress programs you have, you can gently access the unconscious mind as that is where the stress programs and survival patterns are most active. Energy/Meridian/Brain Integration based modalities may help people get in touch with their subconscious and unconscious mind in a more direct manner. Emotional Freedom Technique, Holistic Kinesiology, BSFF and Spiritual Acupuncture are all examples of this approach.It is also helpful to remember that according to Quantum Physics, a problem and a solution exist on the same time/space continuum that is the same level of existence. That is like 2 sides of a coin and it depends on which one you flip. So accessing the subconscious mind not only presents the opportunity to balance the stress patterns but the solutions to the stress patterns as well.This approach facilitates more available energy on a physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level, the whole lesson of Chronic Fatigue, as Chronic Fatigue is about the energy drain, so its gift is how to increase your energy for life by preventing energy drains in your body from stress.In Wellness!Teya SkaeReferences:(http://www.brainconnection.com/topics/printindex.php)(http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/shamesadrenal.htm)Better Health Channel 2007, Chronic fatigue syndrome, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, viewed 30 March 2007, (http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Chronic_fatigue_syndrome?open)MDA Internet 2005, Reed Group Ltd, Colorado, viewed 27 April 2007, (http://www.mdainternet.com) (secure site).M.E./Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Society of Victoria Inc. 2006, What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?M.E./Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Society of Victoria Inc, Melbourne, viewed 27 April 2007.About the authorTeya Skae M.A., B.A.,Dip Health Sciences, Dip Clinical Nutrition Kinesiologist/Nutritionist/Writer Health/Life Coach and Educator Teya is the founder of Empowered Living www.empowered-living.com.au specialising in Neurologically Balancing busy people for chronic fatigue, corporate burnout, physical/emotional stress, Emotional Freedom Technique to resolve energy blocks, Metabolic Typing Nutrition and Results Fat Loss. Teya writes article for various publications and runs empowering educational courses in the area of balancing your health, physical body,emotions, and how to have more energy to enjoy your Life!

Ischemic stroke risk, smoking, and the genetics of inflammation in a biracial population: the stroke prevention in young women study
Background: Although cigarette smoking is a well-established risk factor for vascular disease, the genetic mechanisms that link cigarette smoking to an increased incidence of stroke are not well understood. Genetic variations within the genes of the inflammatory pathways are thought to partially mediate this risk. Here we evaluate the association of several inflammatory gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with ischemic stroke risk among young women, further stratified by current cigarette smoking status. Methods: A population-based case-control study of stroke among women aged 15 49 identified 224 cases of first ischemic stroke (47.3% African-American) and 211 age-comparable control subjects (43.1% African-American). Several inflammatory candidate gene SNPs chosen through literature review were genotyped in the study population and assessed for association with stroke and interaction with smoking status. Results: Of the 8 SNPs (across 6 genes) analyzed, only IL6 SNP rs2069832 (allele C, African-American frequency = 92%, Caucasian frequency = 55%) was found to be significantly associated with stroke using an additive model, and this was only among African-Americans (age-adjusted: OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.0 5.0, p = 0.049; risk factor adjusted: OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.0 6.5, p = 0.05). When stratified by smoking status, two SNPs demonstrated statistically significant gene-environment interactions. First, the T allele (frequency = 5%) of IL6 SNP rs2069830 was found to be protective among non-smokers (OR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.11 .082, p = 0.02), but not among smokers (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 0.48 5.58, p = 0.43); genotype by smoking interaction (p = 0.036). Second, the C allele (frequency = 39%) of CD14 SNP rs2569190 was found to increase risk among smokers (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.09 3.86, p = 0.03), but not among non-smokers (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.62 1.39, p = 0.72); genotype by smoking interaction (p = 0.039). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that inflammatory gene SNPs are associated with early-onset ischemic stroke among African-American women (IL6) and that cigarette smoking may modulate stroke risk through a gene-environment interaction (IL6 and CD14). Our finding replicates a prior study showing an interaction with smoking and the C allele of CD14 SNP rs2569190.

Venous thromboembolism prevention post neck of femur fractures does it make a difference?
Neck of femur fractures predispose patients to venous thromboembolism (VTE). NICE has issued guideline 46 to reduce this risk through the use of antithrombic agents. We audited our department’s VTE practise by reviewing the clinical notes of 123 consecutive patients with no exclusions. We found our compliance to be a low 6%. We also found that patients were likely to be given low molecular heparin (LMWH) only during their hospital stay. Reasons for the low adherence were probably secondary to confusion caused by the multiple thromboprophylaxis protocols used in our department. The correlation between duration of heparin administration and length of hospital stay was due to logistical difficulty in administering VTE prophylaxis out of hospital setting.

The value of D-dimer in the detection of early deep-vein thrombosis after total knee arthroplasty in Asian patients: a cohort study
Background and purposeThe relationship of D-dimer and deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to assess the value of D-dimer in the detection of early DVT after TKA. Methods: The measurements of plasma D-dimer level were obtained preoperatively and at day 7 postoperatively in 78 patients undergoing TKA. Ascending venography was performed in 7 to 10 days after surgery. The plasma D-dimer levels were correlated statistically with the venographic DVT. Results: Venographic DVT was identified in 40% of patients. High plasma D-dimer level >2.0 g/ml was found in 68% of patients with DVT and 45% without DVT (P < 0.05). Therefore, high D-dimer level greater than 2.0 g/ml showed 68% sensitivity, 55% specificity, 60% accuracy, 50% positive predictive rate and 72% negative predictive rate in the detection of early DVT after TKA. Conclusion: High plasma D-dimer level is a moderately sensitive, but less specific marker in the detection of early of DVT after TKA. Measurement of serum D-dimer alone is not accurate enough to detect DVT after TKA. Venography is recommended in patients with elevated D-dimer and clinically suspected but asymptomatic DVT after TKA.

What Most Doctors Won’t Tell You About Colds and Flus
(NaturalNews) The next time that you experience a cold or the flu, remember this: giving your body plenty of rest while allowing the cold or flu to run its course is good for your health. Conventional medicine and the pharmaceutical industry would have you believe that there is no “cure” for the common cold, that you should protect yourself against the flu with a vaccine that is laden with toxic chemicals, and that during the midst of a cold or flu, it is favorable to ease your discomfort with a variety of medications that can suppress your symptoms.Unfortunately, all three of these positions represent a lack of understanding of what colds and flus really are, and what they mean to your body.Colds and flus are caused by viruses. So to understand what colds and flus do at a cellular level, you have to understand what viruses do at a cellular level.Do you remember learning about cellular division in grade seven science class? Each of your cells are called parent cells, and through processes of genetic duplication (mitosis) and cellular division (cytokinesis), each of your parent cells divides into two daughter cells. Each daughter cell is then considered a parent cell that will divide into two more daughter cells, and so on, and so on, and so on.Viruses are different from your cells in that they cannot duplicate themselves through mitosis and cytokinesis. Viruses are nothing but microscopic particles of genetic material, each coated by a thin layer of protein.Due to their design, viruses are not able to reproduce on their own. The only way that viruses can flourish in your body is by using the machinery and metabolism of your cells to produce multiple copies of themselves.Once a virus has gained access into one of your cells, depending on the type of virus involved, one of two things can happen:1. The virus uses your cell’s resources to replicate itself many times over and then breaks open (lyses) the cell so that the newly replicated viruses can leave in search of new cells to infect. Lysis effectively kills your cell.2. The virus incorporates itself into the DNA of your cell, which allows the virus to be passed on to each daughter cell that stems from this cell. Later on, the virus in each daughter cell can begin replicating itself as described above. Once multiple copies of the virus have been produced, the cell is lysed.Both possibilities lead to the same result: eventually, the infected cell can die due to lysis.Here is the key to understanding why colds and flus, when allowed to run their course while you rest, can be good for you:By and large, the viruses that cause the common cold and the flu infect mainly your weakest cells; cells that are already burdened with excessive waste products and toxins are most likely to allow viruses to infect them. These are cells that you want to get rid of anyway, to be replaced by new, healthy cells.So in the big scheme of things, a cold or flu is a truly natural tool that can allow your body to purge itself of old and damaged cells that, in the absence of viral infection, would normally take much longer to identify, destroy, and eliminate.Have you ever been amazed by how much “stuff” you could blow out of your nose while you had a cold or the flu? Embedded within all of that mucous are countless dead cells that your body is saying good bye to, largely due to the lytic effect of viruses.So you see, there never needs to be a cure for the common cold, since the common cold is nature’s way of keeping you healthy over the long term. And so long as you get plenty of rest and strive to stay hydrated and properly nourished during a cold or flu, there is no need to get vaccinated or to take medications that suppress congested sinuses, a fever, or coughing. All of these uncomfortable symptoms are actually ways in which your body works to eliminate waste products and/or help your body get through a cold or flu. It’s best to avoid medications that aim to suppress helpful processes such as fever, coughing, and a runny nose.It’s important to note that just because colds and flus can be helpful to your body doesn’t mean that you need to experience them to be at your best. If you take good care of your health and immune system by getting plenty of rest and consistently making health-promoting dietary and lifestyle choices, your cells may stay strong enough to avoid getting infected by viruses that come knocking on their membranes. In this scenario, you won’t have enough weak and extraneous cells to require a cold or the flu to work its way through your body to identify and lyse them.Curious about how to differentiate the common cold and the flu? Here is an excellent summary of the differences from (www.cbc.ca) :A cold usually comes on gradually — over the course of a day or two. Generally, it leaves you feeling tired, sneezing, coughing and plagued by a running nose. You often don’t have a fever, but when you do, it’s only slightly higher than normal. Colds usually last three to four days, but can hang around for 10 days to two weeks.Flu, on the other hand, comes on suddenly and hits hard. You will feel weak and tired and you could run a fever as high as 40 C. Your muscles and joints will probably ache, you will feel chilled and could have a severe headache and sore throat. Getting off the couch or out of bed will be a chore. The fever may last three to five days, but you could feel weak and tired for two to three weeks.One final note on this topic: because the common cold and the flu are both caused by viruses, antibiotics are not necessary. People who take antibiotics while suffering with a cold or flu often feel slightly better because antibiotics have a mild anti-inflammatory effect. But this benefit is far outweighed by the negative impact that antibiotics have on friendly bacteria that live throughout your digestive tract.About the authorBen Kim is a chiropractor and acupuncturist who lives in Ontario, Canada with his wife and two sons. He provides information on how to experience your best health as you age at his website, http://drbenkim.com.

Glimpse Filming, On Location
The central building at xango Headquarters has only been open for a few months, yet inside it we have already hosted countless distributor leaders, nurtured dozens of exciting new xango concepts, housed many progressive corporate initiatives and, right now, we are busy entertaining a large production company. We are in the midst of filming […]

Glimpse Filming, On Location
The central building at xango Headquarters has only been open for a few months, yet inside it we have already hosted countless distributor leaders, nurtured dozens of exciting new xango concepts, housed many progressive corporate initiatives and, right now, we are busy entertaining a large production company. We are in the midst of filming […]

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