Is Your Lifestyle Heart Healthy?

Do you practice heart healthy habits in your lifestyle? Many Americans don't as evidenced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics that around 600,000 people die of heart disease every year in the United States. The most common type of heart disease is coronary heart disease which is responsible for 385,000 deaths a year. This type of heart disease, also known as coronary artery disease or atherosclerosis, is the leading cause of heart attacks. Men typically get this disease earlier than women by about 10 years. It is thought that women receive some protection by having elevated levels of estrogen in their systems during their childbearing years.

Factors of Heart Disease
Factors that can contribute to heart disease include high cholesterol, nicotine from smoking, and high levels of glucose. As a result of these irritants, plaque builds up in the arteries in response to the lining of the arteries becoming inflamed. When the plaque becomes inflamed so much that it ruptures, a clot forms which blocks the artery and cuts off the flow of blood to the heart. This is known as a heart attack.

In the past there have been preventative measures suggested to reduce the risk of heart disease such as hormone therapy, low carbohydrate diet, high protein diet, Vitamin B supplements, and Vitamin E supplements. These are being found now to have no significant impact on reducing heart disease and in some cases can lead to other health concerns.

Prevention is the Best Medicine
The best prevention for heart disease is eating a diet high in Omega 3, low in trans fats and saturated fats, low in cholesterol, and high in fruits, vegetables and fiber. Stay away from fried and greasy foods, limit salt and alcohol consumption, exercise regularly and lower stress. Foods that have been shown to lower the risk of heart disease include fish such as herring, sardines, tuna, salmon and mackerel, and soy protein because it contains fiber, vitamins and minerals and has low levels of saturated fat. Also be aware of chemicals in your food like caffeine, MSG, and other food additives and avoid these. According to studies reported in the Doctors Health Press, when the body stops producing as much CoQ10 later in life, the results can lead to aging, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Supplementing your diet with coenzyme Q10 provides a natural form of support for the heart.

Stress
Stress is recognized as a contributor to heart disease as it creates a rise in blood pressure, increases the heart rate and causes a release of stress hormones. Learning to cope with stress is an important skill to develop to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started on a stress reduction program:

• Eat foods that contain magnesium

• Get enough B vitamins, especially B-12

• Chlorophyll can help you feel more vital and less stressed, which equals less emotional eating. Chlorophyll is found in highest concentrations in green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale, as well as wheat grass and blue-green algae.

• Learn to recognize situations and events that stress you out and avoid them if possible or come up with a plan of how to cope with them if you can't avoid them.

• Schedule times during the day to escape from the stress of everyday living. This might be times to meditate, read, or take a walk. Don't just say you'll do them, actually schedule them into your day like an appointment otherwise it is to easy to put off.

• Engage in physical activity. Bicycling, walking, a fun exercise dance class or any activity you find enjoyment doing. You may need to schedule these into your day or week too.

• Set boundaries. Be realistic about how much time you can devote to community organizations or family. Learn what your limits are before you become stressed and know when to stop committing to do things or when to ask for help. 

• Get plenty of sleep. Lack of adequate sleep can increase the likelihood of being stressed.

The earlier you get started on these heart healthy habits, the better your chances are of beating the statistics of developing heart disease. It's never too late and your heart will thank you for it.


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What's Your Dental Health IQ?

Your dental health contributes to your overall body health more than you may know. Some research even suggests that people with gum disease are at higher risk for heart disease, pneumonia, stroke and problems in pregnancy. Poor dental health can also lead to oral cancer. When measuring your dental health IQ there are several areas to take into consideration including:

1. Gums � look at your gums to see the color. They should be pink and healthy looking. Red and/or swollen gums can be a sign of gum disease which is caused by bacteria. This can lead to other problems especially if the bacteria gets into your bloodstream causing an inflammation in other parts of your body. Rheumatoid arthritis has been linked to gum disease. People who have rheumatoid arthritis are at higher risk of having gum disease and treating the gum disease can reduce pain and inflammation in joints. Basically, when the dentist checks the health of your gums, he checks for spaces between your gums and your teeth. These spaces are measured in millimeters, and the smaller the spaces the healthier are your gums. So a gumline pocket of size 1 is quite good, while a pocket that is size 7 can indicate advanced periodontal disease.

2. Tongue and mouth � Dry mouth can be a sign of poor dental health. This increases the risk of gum disease and cavities. Many types of medications can cause dry mouth. If you are taking antidepressants, antihistamines, decongestants or painkillers then you may be experiencing dry mouth as a result. A tongue that is swollen and smooth and a mouth that is a paler color and possibly sore can be a sign of anemia. The tongue should be pink, slightly moist and not have spots or bumps. It should be fairly smooth, but be able to see the taste buds on it.

3. Jaw � Bacteria from gum disease can lead to destruction of bone in the jawbone which can lead to tooth loss. Osteoporosis can also affect the jaw bone. A healthy jaw allows the teeth to fit together to create a healthy bite. If this is not the case, the jaw has to work harder and the result can be headaches, inflammation in the jaw, and pain. More serious complications can result if the muscles around the temporomandibular joint are not working correctly including headaches, dizziness, teeth grinding and ringing in the ears.

4. Teeth � Tooth loss can affect the ability to chew food making it harder on the digestive system to do its job. People without teeth are more likely to develop kidney disease. Teeth that are not taken care of can develop plaque which is a film of bacteria. Leaving sugar on your teeth feeds the bacteria allowing it to grow and spread to gums and wear away tooth enamel and causing tooth decay.

Natural Solutions for Good Dental Health

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Ideally brush 30 minutes after each meal with a sonic toothbrush
• Floss at least once a day. Ideally, floss 30 minutes after each meal.
• Avoid smoking or chewing tobacco
• Avoid eating sugar and brush soon after eating sugary foods
• Use a water pick 30 minutes after each meal, or at least once a day.
• Take at least 2 capsules of high-quality coenzyme Q10 daily. this natural supplement helps rebuild both gum and heart tissue, as well as rejuvenate the metabolic function for every cell in the body. Our bodies need more CoQ10 as we get older, and especially if we suffer from gum or heart conditions.
• Take acidophilus. This probiotic is a naturally-occurring bacteria in our intestines and has a similar action to antibiotics without the side-effects. Taking acidophilus with CoQ10 can help restore gum health and prevent bacterial growth between the gums and teeth.
• Take Ipsab. This Edgar Cayce product helps contract the gums, removes the bacteria and neutralizes the acids that erode enamel. Ingredients include salt, soda, prickly ash bark, and peppermint.
• Avoid brushing your teeth directly after eating anything acidic, as this tends to wear the enamel off your teeth. If you eat or drink something acidic, wait 30 minutes and then brush.

Employing some of these natural solutions can help raise your dental health IQ and get you a good report card at the dentist's office.

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Ready to Get a Daily Energy Boost and Fight Fatigue?

Are you among the 14% to 27% of people who suffer from chronic fatigue? Or are you among the women who are 3 times as likely to have fatigue as men?

If so, then you'll be interested to know that a recent study in the "Canadian Medical Association Journal" showed that taking an oral iron supplement reduced fatigue in almost 50% of women who were low in iron but not anemic. In case you're wondering, if you have anemia it means you have a low level of red blood cells, which causes a lack of oxygen reaching your cells. Anemia can definitely cause a drop in your daily energy. Apparently, so can a deficiency of iron.

Boosting Daily Energy with Iron Supplements
In this study, women who were iron-deficient but not anemic took 80 milligrams of prolonged-release iron (ferrous sulfate) for 12 weeks. The study was double blind and placebo-controlled, which is among the highest quality types of studies. The fact that almost 50% of the women receiving the iron supplement felt decreased fatigue led researchers to conclude that iron-deficiency could cause fatigue in women. Thus taking an oral iron supplement or eating iron-rich foods can provide daily energy to women with fatigue due to low iron.

But ...
There's always a but to every supplement, right? The "but" in this case is that some people have difficulty absorbing iron, so taking iron supplements can lead to iron toxicity rather than providing the needed daily energy boost. The main way to discover whether you have a problem absorbing iron is with hair analysis. Hair analysis can reveal high levels of iron in the body, even toxic levels, which means your body isn't using the iron you take.

One other way to get a daily energy boost without the possible poor-absorption problem is to look at other sources of physical energy. CoEnzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is one of the nutrients your body naturally makes that helps with steady daily energy. CoQ10 is used by every cell in your body, yet your body produces decreasing amounts of this enzyme around mid-life. Taking CoQ10 can help with your daily energy.

But even then your body can have a problem with making use of CoQ10, although less so than with iron. If you have poor digestion, absorption of any nutrients can be a problem. To get the most bang from your buck spent on supplemental nutrients, consider taking probiotics like acidophilus and bifidus, both of which increase your body's ability to absorb nutrients, from both supplements and the food you eat.

Happy eating for good nutrition!

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What Can Lower Blood Pressure? CoEnzyme Q10 and Melatonin

When it comes to keeping blood pressure at a healthy level, there are literally hundreds of pharmaceuticals on the market available. Yet when it comes to the question of what can lower blood pressure, many people seek natural solutions because pharmaceuticals can have undesirable side effects.

Of course, depending on your health and how much you need to lower your blood pressure, natural solutions may or may not be the answer for you. However, the fact remains that there are natural solutions and nutrients out there known to keep blood pressure at healthy levels. In this article, we take a look at CoEnzyme Q10 (also known as CoQ10) and melatonin. Are these natural solutions effective when it comes to the question of what can lower blood pressure? Let's find out.

What Can Lower Blood Pressure: Natural Solutions
Two natural nutrients most commonly used to support healthy blood pressure are melatonin and CoQ10. Let's take a look at the effectiveness of each of these.

Melatonin
If you are at all familiar with the nutrient melatonin, you probably think of it as a sleep aid. That's because it is a hormone, produced in the pineal gland, and released into the body mostly during the evening hours. Many people who suffer from jet lag or other temporary sleep disturbances take melatonin to regulate their sleep cycles. And just as melatonin is released in the evening hours for most people, blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) drops during the evening hours, especially during sleep. However, this isn't true for nearly 50% of people who have high blood pressure. For this group of people, blood pressure does not drop naturally during sleep hours.

Thus, researchers have focused on melatonin to find out whether it is effective at lowering blood pressure when given as a nutritional supplement. Studies reported in the Doctors Health Press indicate that only controlled-release melatonin has a noticeable effect on lowering both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Fast-release melatonin has no noticeable effect at all. So what can lower blood pressure naturally? Controlled-release melatonin only. Now let's take a look at the effect of the nutrient CoQ10.

CoQ10
CoQ10 is a nutrient that is present in every single cell of our bodies, and is particularly concentrated in the heart muscles and gum tissues. This nutrient is essential to a youthful, healthy and vigorous lifestyle. According to studies reported in the Doctors Health Press, when the body stops producing as much CoQ10 later in life, the results can lead to aging, heart disease, and high blood pressure. A number of studies (randomized, crossover, and open label), again reported in the Doctors Health Press, have shown that patients with high blood pressure given supplemental CoQ10 showed significant decreases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

So what can lower blood pressure? CoQ10 has certainly been shown in studies to be an effective natural supplement for this common health issue.

 How to Take Supplements
Although the supplements we describe in this article occur naturally in the body, it's important to take them under the guidance and direction of a health professional. Don't worry. Health professionals are becoming more and more aware of the importance and effectiveness of natural supplements. If your current doctor does not advocate natural solutions for your health issues and you truly want to try some natural solutions, seek a second or third opinion until you find a healthcare professional willing to work with you on a program you desire. That's the goal of patient-centered care and, after all, you ARE the patient! Be a strong advocate for your own health and you will find that the results will keep you healthy and happy!

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Got That Fatigue Feeling? You Need to Feed Your Cells

For many people winter is the season of depression, low energy, or what some people euphemistically refer to as "the blue meanies." In other words, they've got that fatigue feeling. Ick!

If you feel slow and sluggish this winter, it may be the season but it may also be that your cells are running out of fuel.

Add more of the right kind of fuel to feed your cells, and voila, you'll have a bounce in your step again.

What Causes That Fatigue Feeling?
While many factors contribute to our energy level, at the cellular level our energy is determined by how well our mitochondria are working. The mitochondria are the "power houses" in our cells, and when not properly-nourished, can't produce cellular energy ... hence that fatigue feeling.

To be well-nourished, our mitochondria need a substance called adenosine troposphere, or ATP. ATP not only fuels the mitochondria in our cells, but is also important in numerous bodily functions, including muscle contraction and the production of protein.

To produce ATP, our bodies need coenzyme Q10. When we are young, our bodies produce plenty of coenzyme Q10, but aging, stress, and disease can all interfere with the production of this vital coenzyme. The result is low energy, which is the most common health complaint among people of all ages.

How to Fix That Fatigue Feeling
When your body stops making enough coenzyme Q10, the result is that you feel tired. Your heart and immune health can also suffer, as coenzyme Q10 plays a big role in both of these bodily systems as well. Luckily, you can bolster your internal supply of the coenzyme by taking it orally as a supplement. Coenzyme Q10 tends be very low in the average diet, and to get the levels necessary to boost your energy, you need to take it in a form that is dense and easily absorbed by your body.

I've found Simplexity Health's coenzyme Q10 to be one of the best on the market for two reasons:

1. It is mixed with nutrient-rich AFA blue green algae
2. It is emulsified in organic, cold-pressed flax seed oil

Research shows that in this form (oil-based rather than powdered), your body more readily absorbs the coenzyme Q10, which means you get more bang for your buck. Plus, both flax seed oil and AFA blue green algae are excellent sources of essential fatty acids which are crucial for not only a healthy body, but also a healthy mind.

Clinical studies worldwide demonstrate that coenzyme Q10 is essential for energy production at the cellular level, and strongly supports both heart and immune health. That's good enough for me ... and for anyone who regularly suffers from that fatigue feeling! At age 73, I take 4 gel caps of Q10 per day, and my doctor has confirmed that my heart health continues to improve after my open-heart surgery six years ago.

So if you want heart and immune health as well as the ability to beat that awful fatigue feeling, I've got two words for you:

Coenzyme Q10

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Body Building at Age 73 - Natural Solutions for the Aches and Pains

A few months ago I celebrated my 73rd birthday and I decided to give myself a birthday present:

A new body!

Over the last decade or so, I have noticed that I have lost a considerable amount of muscle mass on my body.

Plus, a different kind of mass seems to have settled around my gut in an unflattering pot belly. Yuck!

So I decided to become a body builder. I bought myself a pass to the local Rec. Center and began working out in earnest. I've been a member of various workout facilities before and have always kept up on my yoga, but it's been decades since I really pumped iron with free weights. I dove into a new workout regimen, which includes 2 hours of aerobic activity and free weights, along with my usual yoga routine. After 3 months, I'm starting to notice a difference.

Unfortunately, there are some days when I can hardly walk! Ouch!

3 Forms of Natural Support for the Born-Again Body Builder
Back in my college days I could bench press 25% more than my own body weight. These days, I'm doing well if I can press the bar, which weighs 45 pounds, with a couple of 10 pound weights on each end. I'm going slow, but the years have not been kind to this body, especially since I used to be a professional ballet dancer. I wrecked my knees doing that, which explains why I am practically lame on some days. Other days, I wake up and everything hurts.

But I'm not giving up. What I am doing, though, is supporting my body with an array of natural supplements and healing techniques. These approaches work great whether you are a born-again body builder like me, or you your body just hurts for whatever reason. I do three things to support my body:

Feed it, support it, and unkink it!

#1: Feeding My Body
Increasing muscle mass, which is what most body builders do, involves a certain amount of tearing of the muscle tissue, which the body then rebuilds and thickens. Thus you end up with more muscle mass. That sounds good to me. Unfortunately, this process doesn't work unless you provide your body with the right nutrients to rebuild muscle. To ensure my body has the right building blocks to do so, I feed it with:

- AFA blue green algae

- coeznyme Q10

The AFA blue-green algae is a nutrient-rich supplement, which means I don't have to swallow tons of pills (4 capsules a day does it for me) or drink nutritional smoothies, which I hate. The coenzyme Q10 is necessary to support muscle rebuilding on a cellular level, and is especially beneficial to the heart muscle. Coenzyme Q10 also supports my energy level, which I definitely need on some days when I feel tired.

#2: Supporting My Body
When my body says "ouch!" I reach for the antioxidants. Heavy exercise can actually produce a high level of free radicals in the body, and that's what causes the aches and pains, and can eventually leading to chronic health conditions. To counteract this, I take concentrated wheat sprouts, one of the most powerful antioxidants around. Specifically, highly concentrated wheat sprouts contain super-oxide dismutase, also known as SOD.

SOD goes around the body and neutralizes free radicals, specifically the superoxide free radical, and other destructive antioxidants. In fact, SOD is such an important first line of defense that whenever we are stressed, our brains immediately signal our bodies to produce more SOD to deal with all the free radicals. SOD basically protects the body from free radicals on all levels, from the cellular level to organ systems.

So when the aches and pains of body building catch up with me, I pop 10-15 capsules of concentrated wheat sprouts to get all the SOD my body is screaming for. I go with capsules because I'm too lazy to germinate and juice wheat sprouts myself, and it would take way too much wheat sprout juice to get the amount of SOD I need,

#3: Unkinking My Body
Working out sometimes produces some serious kinks and cramps in muscles that haven't been used in a long time. To unkink them, I use castor oil packs, an old-time Edgar Cayce approach. Basically, I soak a wool flannel pad in castor oil, warm it slightly, and slap it over the kinked area. A heating pad goes over the wool flannel, and a towel gets wrapped around the whole mess. Then I sit in blissful relaxation for about an hour-and-a-half. After that, I scrub the whole area with baking soda to transform the released toxins into harmless salts, which my body pushes out through the lymph system.

Get the full instructions on how to use castor oil packs here.

Castor oil is said to get rid of anything in the body that doesn't belong, from adhesions to bone spurs. I use it religiously and it keeps me going in my new, somewhat crazy, but very fun body building endeavor.

So there you have it. A 73-year-old born-again body builder, having the time of his life, aching all over, but getting it done with a little help from some natural solutions. These natural solutions apply to anyone who has aches or pains.

Try them out ... you'll be surprised how effortless they are. After all, how hard can it be to pop a few pills and sit on your heiney wrapped in castor oil?

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MSG by Any Other Name is Still MSG, and Then Some

Get this: the amount of MSG added to packaged foods in this country doubles every 10 years.

This is according to Russell Blaylock, M.D., who has written extensively about food additives that make food taste really good and are really bad for our bodies. This is bad news, since MSG has been linked to everything from heart disease to brain degeneration and cancer. The list of its ill effects is quite long.

Not only that, but the amount of MSG being added to our foods isn't going to be changing anytime soon. In fact, in one of his books Dr. Blaylock recounts an interchange with the owner of a food additive business. In effect, the person told Blaylock,

"It doesn't matter what you say or do, we will figure out a way to put these additives in foods."

And it's true. Did you know that the FDA does not require food manufacturers to include MSG in their list of ingredients so long as the food isn't made of mostly MSG? So read all the labels you want ... you might not be reading the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

Does Good Tasting Food Have to be Bad for You?
Don't get me wrong. I'm all about food that tastes good, really good. My wife calls me a hedonist and a libertine because I so enjoy good tasting food. And while I agree that many food additives like MSG are very harmful to the body, I don't believe in totally removing packaged foods from my diet.

For one thing, this approach isn't practical. With most people's current busy lifestyles, never eating another bite of packaged food would mean we would spend all of our time growing veggies, canning, and cooking. It's just not going to happen.

For another thing, most people don't have either the space or the time to grow their own food. We live in the boonies so we have this luxury to a certain extent, but very few people do. Not only that, many people don't want to get their hands that dirty, and I don't blame them.

3 Simple Steps for Limiting the Bad Effects of Tasty Food
So what can you do if you want to eat tasty food that comes in a package? Like anything else, it all boils down to moderation. My 3 recommendations for limiting the harmful effects of food additives on your body are simple:

1. Eat moderate amounts of packaged food
2. Increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables (organic if possible)
3. Boost your antioxidant protection

The first two recommendations are easy to figure out, though this may cause you to do a little more cooking. The third recommendation includes a few more details. The best forms of antioxidant protection include:

- coenzyme Q10 (protects your brain)
- omega-3 fatty acids (protects your cells and brain)
- B-vitamins (very versatile; protects various parts of your body)
- vitamins E and C
- superoxide dismutase (read more about SOD here)

In terms of supplements, some of the best sources of these antioxidants include blue-green algae, wheat sprouts, and coenzyme Q10. This combination of supplements works well because it is rich in the listed antioxidants and prevents you from having to take too many pills!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or subscribing to the feed to have future articles delivered to your feed reader. Also, check out the free health resources or order blue-green algae products at wholesale prices on our website.

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Eat Like a King and Die Young or Eat Like a Pauper to Live Long

What do rats, monkeys, and humans have in common?

It turns out that all three groups live longer when they eat less. For instance, studies show that lab rats live 10-33% longer when fed low-calorie diets, and tend to suffer from fewer late-life disease. Ditto with monkeys, who have fewer problems with glucose and insulin balance when on a low-calorie diet. The same goes for people.

In fact, studies show low-calorie diets that are rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins, and essential fatty acids can postpone a variety of diseases associated with aging, such as cancer, immune system impairment, and gastro-intestinal problems.

The moral of the story is:

Eat like a king if you want to die young or eat like a pauper on healthy low-calorie diet to live long.

How to Eat Like a Pauper to Slow Aging
Eating like a pauper means more than just eating fewer calories. Having a low-calorie diet is important, but at the same time, to slow the signs of aging, you body needs access to a rich array of vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, and essential fatty acids. You need these nutrients because while decreasing your caloric intake puts less pressure on your body and slows the process of aging, you still need these essential nutrients to prevent aging caused by the stresses of living a modern life.

One of the areas of the body most damaged by the stress and toxicity of modern living is the mitochondria that live in every single cell in your body. In case it's been a long time since you sat in your high school biology class, the mitochondria is the part of the cell that generates the fuel for our cells.

When the mitochondria in cells become damaged by free radicals, our bodies suffer because the mitochondria are producing less energy. In addition, as cells try to repair the mitochondria that have been damaged, they use up even more energy. This process means that we have less and less fuel for our bodies everyday, and so we eventually wind down like a tired clock. This is the process of aging.

The good news is that we can add supplements to our diet to protect our cellular mitochondria from free radical damage. Antioxidants and foods rich in the nucleic acids necessary to repair mitochondria can help a great deal. Supplements rich in these substances include highly-concentrated wheat sprouts, blue-green algae, and coenzyme Q10.

These substances help protect the cellular mitochondria from breaking down as we age, and thus slow the process of aging. Combined with a low-calorie diet, these substances can definitely help you live a longer and healthier life.

If you are not sure what constitutes a low-calorie diet, consult a physician to discover the right caloric intake for your height and weight. The National Weight Control Registry, a group of 4,000 women who lost 30 pounds and kept it off for more than a year, ate an average of 1,400 calories a day. This might be a handy guideline for a low-calorie yardstick, especially if you need to lose weight. As always, though, a healthcare professional can give you an individual assessment to suit your needs.

So what do you think? Is it more prosperous to eat like a king or a pauper? I'm going the pauper route, personally!

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How to Have the Healthy Gums of a 15-Year-Old

It is definitely possible to have the strong, vibrant, healthy gums of a 15-year-old, even if you are a 72 year old. I'm living proof! I just got back from the dentist's office with an excellent report card. The dentist, after examining the "pockets" in my gum line, reported that most of the pockets were sizes 1 and 2, with just a pocket or two that were size 3. This ain't bad for me. I've been told by more than one dentist that I was born with an expensive mouth!

Now in case you're clueless about the pockets in the gumline to which I refer above, let me fill you in. Basically, when the dentist checks the health of your gums, he checks for spaces between your gums and your teeth. These spaces are measured in millimeters, and the smaller the spaces the healthier are your gums. So a gumline pocket of size 1 is quite good, while a pocket that is size 7 is bad, bad news indeed. It indicates advanced periodontal disease.

How to Have Youthful Healthy Gums
I am a relatively new patient of this dentist, and he was quite amazed that my gums were so youthful. He asked me how I kept my admittedly expensive mouth so healthy (he noticed that I have more than a pirate's ransom of gold fillings in my mouth!). I shared my regular dental routine with him. I developed this routine on the advice of my past dentists and based on my knowledge as a Doctor of Chinese Medicine. The routine is simple:

1. Brush and floss 30 minutes after each meal with a sonic toothbrush.
2. Use a water pick 30 minutes after each meal, or at least once a day.
3. Take at least 2 capsules of high-quality coenzyme Q10 daily

It's as simple as that. Using this regimen I have changed the size of the pockets in my gumline from 7s and 8s to mostly 1s and 2s. I've seen the same thing happen for many of my patients, too.

The first two steps of the regimen are fairly simple and common sense. By removing food particles from your mouth after a meal, you don't allow harmful bacteria to grow. You also don't allow food to stay between your teeth and gumline.

The third step is very important from a nutritional stand point. The body needs coenzyme Q10 to maintain the health of both gum and heart tissue. By ingesting this vital supplement, you ensure that your body has the building blocks it needs to maintain and rebuild any damaged gum tissue. I use high-potency coenzyme Q10 from Simplexity because the high potency of this brand means I take fewer capsules. Another brand that is also highly recommended, especially for animals, is Comal.

So there you have it ... a simple regimen you can use to have the gums of a 15-year-old, no matter your current chronological age!

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How Do You Know When Supplements Are Good for You?

You painstakingly grow an organic garden, and eat fresh greens from that garden every single night. You know the greens are good for you, but how can you tell? Perhaps you feel good about yourself after you've eaten your salad -- a job well done, and all that. But how do you know that the garden greens really are good for you? Can you feel your body actually becoming healthier by the minute?

Probably not.

But over time, you might notice that you feel healthier. Maybe the results of your blood tests from your annual physical exam are better, Maybe you have an easier time ramping up your workouts at the fitness center. The point is that while you may notice the results of a better diet over time, you probably won't notice anything at the moment you are eating the "good for you" food.

"Good for You" Supplements
The same is true of taking supplements. Many people take supplements that are good for them but feel no noticeable difference in the moment. They can take supplements for a day, a week, a month, or even several months before they notice a difference. But that doesn't mean that the supplements are not creating a healthier body in the meantime. It just means that most people don't notice the healthy results for a while. In fact, some people may never actually "feel" healthier, but will only see the results in lab work.

Whenever you change your diet or add supplements to your daily regimen, chances are that you will experience one of three possible outcomes. It's good to know about all three of these outcomes so that you can decide whether the supplements you are taking are really helping you.

Three Possible Outcomes from Taking Supplements
The three results people usually see from taking supplements are:

1. Nothing is happening.
2. I feel better right away.
3. I feel worse right away.

Nothing is Happening
For a lot of people, this is the common result of taking supplements. They might take supplements--like coenzyme Q10, blue green algae, or even Vitamin C--for months and notice no real changes. To them, that means that "nothing is happening." In actuality, something is probably happening but they can't feel it. Depending on the state of your health, true healing that you can notice may take as long as three, six, or nine months. If you want to know the effects of taking supplements sooner than that, you may need to visit your doctor for some blood work.

I Feel Better Right Away
This response is, of course, highly positive and tells you that you are on the right path. Many people get this response when they add supplements to their diet that fill big nutritional "holes." For instance, if you suffer from indigestion, taking enzymes with each meal will probably result in less indigestion--a pleasant result that you will notice right away.

I Feel Worse Right Away
This response is tricky because it can mean one of two things: either the supplement is truly not good for your body or you are experiencing detoxification. For instance, a person with heart problems might experience a negative reaction from taking high doses of coenzyme Q10, such as heart palpitations or heart pain. On the other hand, another person might experience acne, tiredness, or bad breath as a result of taking acidophilus and blue-green algae. The way to figure out which response you are experiencing is to start the new supplements slowly, and back off if you start to feel worse. Reduce your intake of the new supplement and see if the symptoms improve. After a while, slowly increase the dosage to the recommended amount and see if you feel better rather than worse.

Confused About Supplements?
Are you confused yet? It can take some time to figure what kind of response are getting from adding new supplements to your daily regimen. Being aware of these three possible responses can help you diagnose your response. As always, consult a professional if you have questions or are unable to figure out your body's reaction on your own.

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Natural Solutions for Altitude Sickness

We just returned from our wonderful annual jaunt up into the mountains here in Colorado, just a few hours from where we live. We go to Lake City every year for a little R&R. While we were there, we encountered several other vacationers who suffered from altitude sickness, which is not surprising since Lake City has an altitude of over 8,500 feet.

These vacationers were from Florida, and suffered the usual symptoms of altitude sickness, including shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, a little nausea, and general tiredness. These symptoms make for a less-than-pleasant vacation. Luckily, we always carry some natural supplements that help with these symptoms, including Coenzyme Q10 and blue-green algae, and our new friends were able to enjoy the rest of their vacation without further trouble.

What Causes Altitude Sickness?
The obvious causes of altitude sickness, especially for people accustomed to living in lower altitudes, is the "thin air," or lack of oxygen at higher altitudes. The thin air causes the body to get less oxygen. To make up for this lack, the body compensates by increasing the heart rate and respiration, which helps to a certain extent, but not totally. The lack of oxygen to different parts of the body then causes symptoms like dizziness, headache, sluggishness, and so forth.

Natural Methods for Preventing Altitude Sickness
Taking certain measures while at high altitudes can prevent symptoms. Here are a few that we have found work really well.

- Take CoEnzyme Q10: Coenzyme Q10 plays an important part in cellular energy production, and has been shown to help cells use the available oxygen more efficiently.

- Increase High-Chlorophyll Foods: Foods high in chlorophyll, such as blue-green algae or leafy greens, increases the body's level of hemoglobin as well as increasing the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.

- Eat Small Meals Frequently: Digestion takes a lot of energy, which can worsen symptoms. Eating small frequent meals high in complex carbohydrates can prevent feelings of tiredness and nausea.

To prevent altitude sickness, you start following these guidelines a few days before you go into the high country. In addition, you can also try breathing deeply to increase oxygen intake, moving more slowly, and sipping rather than gulping large quantities of water. If all else fails, descend to a lower altitude for a few days until your body adjusts before returning to the higher altitude.

Order blue-green algae and coenzyme Q10 online at wholesale prices.

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Photo credit: Yosemite National Park, California

3 Simple, Silly, Serendipitous Ways to Create Joy in Your Life

"Nagflation: The incessant gloom-and-doom predictions from economic analysts who feel compelled to issue updates even if nothing has changed." (from Buzzwhack.com)

Tired of the all the nagflation going on these days? Sick and tired of being sick and tired? Then stop it! Turn off the television, stop reading the news, and start creating some joy for yourself. Here are 3 simple ways you can do that.

1. Check Yourself: You Still Alive?
If you are not sure if you are still standing, living, and breathing, give yourself a good pinch. Ouch! Does that hurt? Good. It means you are still alive and breathing. That means you are ahead of all those people who are 6 feet under. That means you can still move, work, and do something with your life. Maybe it's not what you were used to doing, but just remember this: a rut is only a few inches shallower than a grave. Any changes in your life, forced or not, may be just the kick the pants you need make a life change. What have you always wanted to do in your life that you have never had time to do? Do it now. Create some joy in your life. Now is your big chance!

2. Pop a Pill (or Two)
We do live in a day and age where pill-popping is a solution to just about every problem. No, don't reach for the Valium or Prozac. Instead, reach for bifidus and coenzyme Q10. Why?

Bifidus
It's never too late to have a happy childhood, even now. Bifidus is the beneficial bacteria that lives in our gut during the first 1.5 years of our life. Studies show that bifidus is what protects our health during that time, and also provides a sense of nourishment, protection, and support. It's what helps us feel safe as babies and toddlers. In fact, in healthy mothers the birth canal coats the baby with bifidus during delivery. Bifidus is hugely important to a sense of well-being early in life. If you didn't get this early in life, then later in life you may feel less than confident and abundant. The good news is that it's not too late to change that. By adding bifidus to your daily regimen now you can begin to restore that sense of well-being.

Coenzyme Q10
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the heart shen is the source of joy. If your heart isn't as healthy as it should be, then you are probably not as joyful as you could be. Clinical studies show that people with heart conditions are often depressed, moody, and despondent. Coenzyme Q10 is a crucial nutrient for heart health, and as we age our bodies produce less and less of this vital nutrient. By adding Conezyme Q10 into your daily regimen you can support your heart health and boost your heart shen, which in turn equals joy. Coenzyme Q10 also boosts your energy level because every cell in your body uses Q10 for energy production.

3. Crawl Your Way Back to Joy
Did you know that getting down on your hands and knees and crawling around can actually restore your feeling of well-being. Cross-crawling, where your opposite hand and knee strike the ground at the same time, actually rebalances the two sides of your brain. And, since your brain is the "hardware" for your mind, a rebalanced brain means a rebalanced mind, which ultimately leads to more joy. People like John Paul Getty have used cross crawling and similar techniques to maintain clarity, focus and attention under pressure. If John Paul Getty can crawl, so can you. Your joy is at stake. Isn't that worth getting down on your hands and knees?

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Photo credit: The Earth is God's Canvas.

Daily Energy � Get Yours from 3 Simple Sources

Did you know that according to a study published in "USA Today" 26% of Americans claim to get a good nights sleep only a few days a month? A further 24% of those surveyed claim to get a good nights sleep only a few days a week. Many sources report that Americans are sleep-deprived and lacking in daily energy. Most of those Americans reach for coffee in the morning and energy drinks in the afternoon. If you do the same, then you know all about the crash that happens in the late afternoon or evening. It's not a pretty picture.

Luckily there are simple and natural supplement sources you can use to boost your daily energy that can help you avoid an energy crash by the end of the day. Most people don't know about these sources or overlook them as they reach for the caffeine. These sources include Coenzyme Q10, DHEA, and glycogen.

** Coenzyme Q10 **
Most scientists estimate that you have about 100 trillion cells in your body, and every one of those cells needs to be fed if you want to have a high level of daily energy. To feed your cells you need Coenzyme Q10. According to an article in "M. D. News," Coenzyme Q10 works with our cells to produce 95% of the energy our bodies use. So when you don't have enough Coenzyme Q10 in your body, which happens as you age, you feel tired. The same article points out that when you buy Coenzyme Q10 make sure you are getting Q10 and not the lesser versions, such as Coenzyme Q1 through Q9 (which are often found at your local drugstore). Finally, most people need 10 to 30 mg of Coenzyme Q10 daily to get benefit.

** DHEA **
Most people associate DHEA, which is dehydro-epiandrosterone, with menopausal women since it is the precursor of the hormones estrogen and testosterone. But recent research (and there have been more than 5,000 articles published on the positive health effects of supplemental DHEA in the last 5 years) indicates that DHEA plays a vital part in cellular energy production. As we age, our bodies produce less and less DHEA, which means that we feel less and less energetic. Translation? If you need more daily energy, don't reach for the caffeine. Instead, reach for a bottle of DHEA. Most adults feel an increase in energy with just 100 mg per day.

** Glycogen **
Last but not least on the list of daily energy supplements is glycogen. Glycogen is the fuel that is stored in our livers and converted to glucose when we need a quick burst of energy. In a cave man, the liver would use glycogen any time the "fight or flight" response was triggered. In modern times our bodies need glycogen any time we are under stress or need a quick energy fix. The best sources of glycogen are meats including liver and most cuts of meat available in your grocery store. Another alternative is properly processed blue-green algae from Klamath Lake. This algae's cell wall is made up of glycogen that your body can use right away. So if you're on the run and don't have time to stop by the cafeteria for liver and onions, pop a couple of capsules of blue-green algae and you'll have daily energy to spare!

You don't have to give yourself the caffeine jitters or sleep around the clock to get more daily energy. The natural sources of daily energy described in this article are simple and effective ways you can use to help you make it through your day. When adding any of these items to your daily regimen, always start with a small quantity first and increase the amount as necessary until you get the desired results. With any of the pill-based supplements, taking them with food may decrease the effect but may also help you gauge the effects gradually and safely.

Cheers,
Alan