Hyvin
A Natural Health and Wellness Blog

Have you seen the October 2006 edition of National Geographic? It highlights the prevalence of every-day chemicals in our blood streams! PBDEs, phthalates, pesticides, PFAs, dioxins, bisphenols, metals and PCBs…this is not alphabet soup, but a toxic brew of chemicals, some well-known and some newer ones with unknown effects, that are building up in our bodies. The author of the article, “The Chemicals Within Us” on pages 116 – 135, had a battery of tests done on himself to identify his own toxic load and describes his findings as “unsettling”. You can visit an online interactive graphic of our Toxic Homes from National Geographic here.

Maybe big business can be blamed for some of the “pollution within”, but many of these substances are in the products we willingly bring into our homes every day. Whenever possible, avoiding products that contain these substances has been part of my wellness routine. I was very happy to learn that there ARE alternatives out there – personal care products, household cleaners, air quality and water quality products that work and do not contain these harmful ingredients.

Nutritional support for optimal learning can make a huge difference to a child in the classroom. Here’s a little quiz: Did you know that if a person’s blood sugar level is too low, it can cause the brain to act sluggish, making it difficult to learn and even behave appropriately? Did you know that B-Complex is essential for the brain and nervous system? Did you know that Lecithin is necessary for brain neurotransmitters and has been shown to improve memory and brain function?

Did you pass the quiz? Well, these are only a few of the nutrients that are important for learning support. And it makes sense, doesn’t it? The body and brain work as a unit and they both need nutrients to function as designed. It’s up to us as parents to learn what the kids need so they can learn!

The American College of Clinical Pharmacology recently heard that the use of the herb echinacea reduces the incidence by more than a half and the duration by almost two full days of the common cold, according to the Reuters Health report of the news. This effectiveness of echinacea is recorded when the herb is used before the onset of full-blown symptoms. So, when the throat first begins to tickle, or you feel the first twinge of ache or the nasal passages just start to seem full.

Now, the manufacture and production of over-the-counter herbal supplements is not subject to the same regulations as drugs, even if we purchase them from the pharmacist or at a drug store. What that means to us, as consumers, is that we have to be able to rely on the company offering the product. Believe it or not, what it says on the label is NOT always what’s in the bottle. There may be more or less of the active herbal ingredient that produces the desired effect. There may be extra contaminants that came along for the ride when the herbs were imported. I look for a company that guarantees 100% purity, potency, and label truth.

Pancreatic cancer is deadly. According to the American Cancer Society, only 5 percent of patients will survive more than 5 years after diagnosis. Easy, inexpensive preventative measures are a welcome piece of good news amidst this picture.

And new research suggests one such measure: People who took supplements containing the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin D (400 IU a day) had a 43-percent lower risk of pancreatic cancer! Writing in the journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, researchers explained why they took a look at the role of Vit. D: “Vitamin D has shown strong potential for preventing and treating prostate cancer, and areas with greater sunlight exposure have lower incidence and mortality for prostate, breast, and colon cancers, leading us to investigate a role for Vitamin D in pancreatic cancer risk.” Being sure to take a multi-vitamin/mineral with the RDA of Vit. D seems to be a VERY wise component of your program to be hyvin (well).

If you’re thinking the body produces Vit. D itself, that is true, but as the Reuters Health report of this research explains, “Vitamin D is produced by the body when sunlight hits the skin, but most Americans do not get enough sunlight to produce the needed amount. “

If you’re exercising to combat borderline high blood pressure (and you should be!) new research suggests that smaller spurts of activity throughout the day, such as walking, are even more beneficial than one longer episode of exercise. Published in the September 2006 Journal of Hypertension, the study compared the effectiveness of four ten-minute exercise sessions on a treadmill throughout the day to a single 40 minute workout in 20 people.

According to the Reuters report of the research, “The shorter workouts compared to the single longer workout may have done better job of restoring the balance of the nerves that control how blood pressure responds to daily demands, the researchers suggest.” And thus, both the systolic and the diastolic blood pressure of the participants stayed lower longer after the series of shorter sessions.

Ten minutes four times a day? You can do this!

There was a day when I never would have thought that my household cleaning products could be making me sick. That day, fortunately, was enlightened by an allergy clinic. I discovered that my cleaners WERE making me sick (and I thought I just didn’t like to clean!) Since then, I have learned a great deal about these commonly used products and their effects on our health.

Health Day News recently issued a health tip reminding consumers that bleach-based cleaning products can cause lung damage.

According to a May 2006 study by researchers at the Univ. of California Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, many common household cleaners emit toxins at levels that may lead to health risks.

To date, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than 75,000 synthetic chemicals are registered. Only a fraction of them have been tested for human health concerns. We’re beginning to learn just how harmful exposure can be. One recent study, for example, conducted over 15 years, found that women who work at home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than those who work outside the home. Scientists concluded this was a direct result of increased exposure to toxic chemicals, many of which are found in common household products.

And if these toxic chemicals are having this affect on adults, just think of the consequences to children! In fact, many household toxins have been linked to mental and physical developmental problems in children.

Scientists at the National Toxicology Program found 150 chemicals present in the home are associated with allergies, birth defects, cancer, and psychological disorders. Some of these chemicals may be in common household cleaners. They include:

* Ammonia: Glass Cleaners may contain ammonia. The fumes from ammonia can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory system.
* Aromatic hydrocarbons (naphthalene, organic solvents, trichloroethane): Used in degreasers, deodorizers, air fresheners, all-purpose cleaners, liquid laundry detergent and pesticides. Many are likely human carcinogens.
* Alkyphenols: Found in multisurface cleaners, liquid laundry detergent. May have hormone-disrupting effects.
* Butyl cellosolve: Found in metal polishes and grease removers, a petroleum-based solvent that can irritate nasal passages and cause liver and kidney damage.
* Phthalates: Found in air fresheners, multipurpose cleaners. May cause birth defects and reproductive disorders.
* Petroleum distillates: Found in floor waxes, furniture polishes, degreasers, all-purpose cleaners. Can damage lung tissues and dissolve fatty tissue around nerve cells.
* Chlorine: Found in sanitizing and bleaching agents, tub and tile cleaners, and pesticides. Ranks high in the causes of child poisonings in the U.S. and may cause reproductive, endocrine and immune disorders.

I cringe when I smell these chemicals in the homes or on the bodies and clothes of friends or their children! I am SO grateful to have found really effective, economical, safe cleaning products that are non-toxic. They are a huge part of my quest to be hyvin (well).

There are a number of factors that play into natural health and wellness, into being hyvin (well)…we’ve looked at exercise, diet, social components and supplements. There is also a relationship between faith and well-being, according to the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University.

According to Center codirector Harold Koenig, M.D., featured in the September 2006 issue of Guideposts magazine, “Over the past twenty years, we’ve found that people who have deep spiritual commitments are mentally healthier and need fewer health services.”

Acknowledging the mind – body – spirit connection as I do, this doesn’t surprise me one bit. How about you?

Do you know what a supercentenarian is? I learned that it is someone who has reached the age of 110! Seem hard to believe? Well, it’s easier to believe when you read that this young-at-spirit Floridian “takes Shaklee vitamins every morning with a powdered protein drink sprinkled on her cereal”! It would appear Shaklee truly does create healthier lives. You can read the full interview with this delightful lady here.