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Does Eating Breakfast Keep You Thin?

Ask the Acupuncturist is back! Mary Saunders, LAc, founder of Boulder Community Acupuncture and Natural Solutions’ guest acupuncture expert gives her 3 Breakfast Basics, inspired by a gastronomic trip to China. Last time, Mary told us how to stay sane in the summertime. Ask the acupuncturist your questions—write “Ask the Acupuncturist” in the subject line.

Mary Saunders, LAc, Natural Solutions guest expert and founder of Boulder Community Acupuncture

The hotel dining room was filled with people, mostly Chinese, surrounding a buffet table filled with aromatic dishes. This was my first morning in China, and I was about to discover how seriously the Chinese take breakfast. Soup, dumplings, stir-fried vegetables and greens, several different kinds of congee (a soupy grain porridge), and fresh doughy bread with garlic chicken were being heartily consumed. Between bites of this delicious fare, I noticed that almost everyone in the room had a healthy appetite, were wide awake without coffee, and were thin. Continue reading Does Eating Breakfast Keep You Thin?

XMRV Virus Confirmed in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Dr. T has helped you overcome your sugar addiction, here he reviews the latest news about what may be causing chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, is Natural Solutions' guest expert on chronic fatigue syndrome

There have been many conflicting studies and a large amount of controversy over the initial study on XMRV virus and chronic fatigue syndrome. Several studies did not link the virus with CFS and raised questions about an initial study that did find an association. However, with an exciting new study, I am now comfortable that the presence of XMRV in CFS patients has been largely confirmed.

The well-done study from the FDA and National Institutes of Health was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Though the politics and controversy around the topic initially caused the study’s publication to be held up, and subjected to even more detailed scientific review and scrutiny, it was worth the wait. The study showed that evidence of XMRV virus (and related viruses called “MLV”) was present in more than 86 percent of CFS patients—versus in less than 7 percent of healthy individual. This corroborates the earlier study. Continue reading XMRV Virus Confirmed in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Salmonella Outbreak Results in Huge Egg Recall

Officials at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said Wednesday that hundreds of people across at least four states have gotten sick from eggs contaminated with the bacteria salmonella. As a result, Wright County Egg company of Iowa has recalled 380 million eggs in the past week, affecting brands carried in Albertsons, Ralph’s, and other markets around the country. According to CNN, the CDC usually receives an average of 50 salmonella reports per week. In June and July, it received about 200 per week. Although the condition can be life threatening, no deaths from this outbreak have been reported. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever, vomiting, and muscle aches.

Don’t know if the eggs in your fridge are contaminated? Check the number on the carton. Here are specific instructions from the Christian Science Monitor. And don’t miss our October feature on food safety!

Use Acupuncture to Stay Sane in Summertime

Acupuncture can help in every aspect of your life—just ask Mary Saunders, LAc, founder of Boulder Community Acupuncture and Natural Solutions’ guest acupuncture expert. Last time, Mary told you how to improve your health for good using acupuncture. Ask the acupuncturist your questions—write “Ask the Acupuncturist” in the subject line.

Mary Saunders, LAc, Natural Solutions guest expert and founder of Boulder Community Acupuncture

Summer is the height of yang activity, of manifesting and doing, and it is the season that corresponds to the Heart meridian in Chinese medicine. We all look forward to the long days of summer to get to our remodeling projects, gardening, summer school classes, vacations, entertaining the kids and out of town guests, and generally socializing much more.

All this activity is natural to this time of year. However, if not balanced through diet and lifestyle, patients complain of insomnia, feeling nervous, sad, worried, unmotivated, or “keyed up.” Possible causes for an imbalance in the Heart meridian are over-consumption of dairy products, eggs, meats, sugar, peanuts, and refined foods such as white flour products (all of which are heavy and create “dampness”), and tobacco, coffee, alcohol (which create “heat”). Mental over-stimulation and excessive thought also damage the Heart meridian.

What to do with your diet during these hot days of summer:

Tip #1 Eat less and lightly on hot days; include lots of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Tip #2 Choose simple meals with only a few ingredients.

Tip #3 Cook lightly, steam or simmer foods as quickly as possible.

Tip #4 Include brown rice and oats, as well as small portions of lean protein.

Tip #5 Drink hot liquids to induce sweating and to cool the body

Many patients who complain of fatigue at this time of year tell me they are eating lots of salads and fruits. These raw and cold foods, combined with summer heat, may weaken the digestion leading to fatigue and possibly loose stools.

The color that corresponds to the Heart is red so look to foods of that color to balance the Heart: red pepper, tomatoes, radish, cayenne, and watermelon in particular. To quench the Fire of the Heart, foods filled with water are also indicated: cucumber, celery, lettuce, and my favorite, watermelon.

The Heart is said to “house the mind.” This includes all mental activity, emotions, consciousness and thinking. The warmth of the summer days added to the heat generated by all our activity can be balanced by actions that cultivate a deeper awareness and calm the mind: prayer, meditation, devotional singing, and silent contemplation.

I have been needling a specific point on the Heart meridian a lot these past weeks to clear heat and regulate Heart qi. Heart 8 is on the palm of the hand, between the 4th and 5th metacarpal bones, where the tip of the little finger rests when a fist is made. It helps to balance the Heart, enabling us to feel the joy of connection to our true self as well as to others and the world.

Type 4 Sugar Addiction — Depressed and Craving Carbs

Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, Natural Solutions guest expert on fibromyalgia

In a series of blogs I’ve posted over the last several months, I’ve been discussing how to beat sugar addiction. I summarized the four types of sugar addicts and discussed the importance of identifying which type you are before beginning a treatment program, so that the approach addresses the specific addiction type. So far, I’ve described being hooked on “Loan Shark” energy drinks (Type 1), “Feed Me Now, or I’ll Kill You!” (Type 2), and The Happy Twinkie Hunter (Type 3). Today I’ll talk about Type 4 — Depressed and Craving Carbs.

Type 4 Sugar Addiction — Depressed and Craving Carbs

For women who feel worse around their menstrual cycle, or whose problems increased when they entered perimenopause in their 40s, estrogen and progesterone deficiency may be driving sugar cravings. In a woman’s earlier years, these cravings are more likely to manifest as premenstrual syndrome (PMS, with associated progesterone deficiency) with severe irritability around their periods. In your mid-40s, as estrogen levels drop, estrogen or progesterone deficiency often produces increased sugar cravings, fatigue, moodiness, and insomnia around your periods, as well as decreased vaginal lubrication.

For men, testosterone deficiency associated with andropause can also cause sugar craving along with other severe problems. Depression, decreased libido, decreased erectile function, high blood pressure, weight gain, diabetes, or high cholesterol can suggest testosterone deficiency. Interestingly, supplementing with bioidentical natural testosterone (by prescription) has been shown to help all of these problems.

Standard blood testing for hormonal deficiencies will not reveal the problems until they are very severe, sometimes leaving people deficient for decades. Eliminating the sugar addiction and other problems caused by low estrogen, progesterone or testosterone is essential. (I discuss this type of sugar addiction in chapter 4 of my book Beat Sugar Addiction NOW!)

Quiz: How to Tell If You’re a Type-4 Sugar Addict Continue reading Type 4 Sugar Addiction — Depressed and Craving Carbs

A Sexual Development Timeline

Loveologist and Natural Solutions’ guest expert, Wendy Strgar has schooled you on the secrets to a healthier sex life. Today, she share’s new wisdom on what it means to be a sexual being at every age. Send her your questions.

Loveologist Wendy Strgar, Natural Solutions' guest expert and founder of Good Clean Love

Most things in life are developmental. Human lifespan has programmed continuous growth and maturation into our genetic code, which acts as an imperative that makes skill building one of the richest aspects of daily living. Nowhere is this truer than in our foundational relationship to our sexuality. Last weekend, I shared a multigenerational afternoon at the lake. There were four of us there: my daughters—one is 12, the other is 21—a good friend who is 34, and me (48).

As I sifted through conversations about our physical relationships, a developmental hierarchy emerged that I had never before noticed in the magazine reports on sex. Although sexual development may not always fit the below chronological time spans, I do believe that, like any hierarchy of knowledge, we pass from one level to the next by mastering the phase we are in. As obvious as that seems, the lack of real information and the diverse experience of sexual pleasure confound the process for many. So I am taking a leap here by outlining the basic levels of development that need to happen through our first five decades.

Children experience their sexuality at different ages and in different intensities through their first decade. Most discover their genitals and how it feels to touch before they hit adolescence. If they have already been shamed by their emerging recognition of sexuality, or if there is no safe place to learn about the powerful and mysterious feelings their body holds, adolescent years become a power struggle internally and with family. Sexual discovery is critical during these years, so mastery at this age is about free access to information and the assurance that sexual curiosity is normal and healthy. Continue reading A Sexual Development Timeline

All contents © Copyright 1999-2010 Natural Solutions: Vibrant Health, Balanced Living/Alternative Medicine/InnoVision Health Media. All rights reserved. Information presented is of a general nature for educational and informational purposes only. *Statements about products and health conditions have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Products and information presented herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Your use of this site indicates your agreement to be bound by our Terms and Conditions.

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