Hyvin
A Natural Health and Wellness Blog

As the weather warms up, we head outdoors. Health Day online recently posted some warning signs that children are becoming dehydrated (“If your child complains of dizziness, lightheadedness or dry mouth, or notice that your child is not urinating as often as usual”). It can happen much more quickly and easily than we realize.

I am SO glad to have discovered an electrolyte replacement drink that does an even better job of hydrating than water, tastes great, has NO artificial ingredients and is very low in “sugars.” The kids love it! And it gives me great peace of mind.

And remember, if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

We’ve been hearing the words epidemic and pandemic a lot lately. Here’s a context in which I would not have expected to hear these words: skin cancer! An American Academy of Dermatology report in the April 2006 issue of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter warns that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer. The Reuters Health report of this news item states “there is an unrecognized epidemic of skin cancer underway in the United States…”

Of course we all know the most common, effective way to prevent skin cancer: use sunscreen when out in the sun. But so many of us don’t do it! Why is that? Yes, it’s kind of a hassle, but hassle vs. cancer should be a no-brainer. And yes, it can be a gooey, sticky mess, but it doesn’t have to be! I love my sunscreen because it contains natural nutritional compounds that make it super effective with less of the sunscreen ingredients that make the lotion sticky and unappealing.

This is one epidemic we can surely halt!

National economic growth and stability is a good thing, right? Welllll, that depends. It also increases the risk of a fatal heart attack, according to research recently reported by Reuters Health. More overtime work hours, lack of exercise, an increased likelihood of smoking, and eating more “convenience foods” were all identified as potentially being associated with economic growth and therefore explaining the negative health consequences.

Makes sense to me. But I wonder if the stress of unemployment might have similar effects! Striving to keep a balance in life, in all circumstances, would seem to be the take-away lesson here: financial and physical, mental, and spiritual balance.

Easier said than done, but SO important to be hyvin [well]!

A study just reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association concludes that we can live longer!… IF we eat less. This was the first human study assessing whether calorie restriction impacted signs of aging. The news item on this study explained:

All of those who cut down on their calories showed a fall in average core body temperature and reduced fasting insulin levels, both linked to living longer.

The rate at which their DNA decayed – a natural process – also slowed, reducing their chances of developing mutations and degenerative diseases related to ageing such as cancer.

And — oh, yes — the study participants did lose weight too.

It seems a fitting time to acknowledge the health benefits of fewer calories, as the Lenten season, and our family’s corresponding fasting, draws to a close. As we celebrate the holy days leading up to and including Easter, the blog will take a small break. I look forward to being back sharing natural health and wellness information with you next week.

UK scientists writing in The Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine recently say that, based on existing research, relatively low levels of chemicals in pesticides and plastics could cause cancers in babies and young children.

These chemicals, called organochlorines, can accumulate in the body through contaminated food, water and air. They are believed to affect hormone production, which has raised concerns about links to hormone-related cancers, such as breast, prostate and testicular cancers.

The Guardian report of this warning attributes the conclusion “…that the dangers of pesticides for children have been underestimated” to the scientist authors.

One of the best ways to avoid these chemicals on food is (obviously) to buy and eat food that has not been treated with pesticide. Go organic.

Another suggestion is to peel produce, but then you lose the fiber and nutrient content of the skin . At the least, wash fruits and veggies thoroughly. I love my produce wash. Just a few drops in a bowl of water helps remove dirt, waxes, and pesticide.

Think you can get by skimping on sleep? In my younger years, I did this quite a bit, and I regret it now. A friend and I were discussing once the incredible benefits of sleep. She opined that you could bottle it up and sell it as a new wonder drug for all the positive effects it has on your body.

Research seems to concur: The May 2006 edition of the medical journal Hypertension reports that regular sleep deprivation is linked to high blood pressure.

According to the Reuters Health report of this research finding: “The new findings are based on an analysis of data for 4810 subjects, between 32 and 86 years old, who participated in the first National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Hypertension was diagnosed in 647 subjects during the follow-up period from 1982 to 1992. Among the subjects between 32 and 59 years of age, sleeping less than 6 hours per night more than doubled the risk of developing hypertension, the report indicates. Moreover, this association remained significant even after taking obesity and diabetes into account.”

Taken with another post earlier this week, we now have two very practical ways to reduce the risk of high blood pressure (and, most likely, provide many, many other total health and wellness benefits): get enough sleep and take steps to combat loneliness.

According to a recent AP article, there is a movement afoot to scientifically link the high consumption of soda in the U.S. with the alarming obesity rate, to identify this liquid intake as a cause of this health concern.

Why, you may wonder? Why “prove” soda intake helps make you fat?

Well, apparently doing so opens the door for sales restrictions, and governmental oversight such as additional taxes (to discourage consumption) and maybe even label warnings.

As you might imagine, there are leading players on both sides of this “discussion.”

I do find it alarming that, according to the article, soda is the nation’s single biggest “food”!! Aye-yi-yi! It seems quite obvious to me that it’s a sweet “treat” food, like a dessert, only in liquid form.

Someone has done an incredible marketing job, I’d say. We, as a nation, bought into it, and now we’re paying.

The online edition of Time Magazine reported last week on a study in the Psychology and Aging journal that found an association between loneliness and high blood pressure in people aged 50 to 68.

The magazine reports, “The difference in blood pressure readings was much greater than the researchers expected. While this is still an associational study — and therefore doesn’t prove cause and effect — it does fit with previous data suggesting that greater social involvement plays at least some role in promoting good heath as we age.”

Ah, yes, one more common sense link in the total wellness picture… to be hyvin [well].

OK, we learned earlier this week that work stress can contribute to the risk of heart disease. Now, it seems, the stress of noise might do the same thing! This stress business is serious… it seems to be coming in all shapes and sizes.

The study, found in the February 2006 edition of the European Heart Journal, was reported by Reuters Health:

Researchers in Germany found that urban middle-aged adults who lived near high-traffic roads were 46 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack than those who lived in more peaceful neighborhoods.

Similarly, men whose jobs exposed them to high noise levels were about one-third more likely to have a heart attack than their peers in quieter workplaces.

The reason for these associations is not completely clear, but the stress of dealing with chronic noise may be involved, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Stefan N. Willich of Charite University Medical Center in Berlin.

Did you know you can blunt the physiological effects of stress using natural compounds? Seems like we better be doing all we can to minimize its impact, since it’s coming at us from so many different directions!

It’s spring!! Time for green growth. Time for spring cleaning. Time for beautiful color. Time for sunshine. Time for…allergies?!

Fox News reported last week on five spring allergy triggers:

1. Pollen
2. Mold
3. Dust mites
4. Animal dander
5. Stinging insects

I used to suffer from pollen allergies, and am very sensitive to mold. I’ve tested highly allergic to dust mites and animal dander, and I swell up like a red hot balloon when the bugs bite. Great — that’s five out of five.

However, I am very happy to report that I have eliminated any problems with four out of these five in my home with an amazing air purifier that does not rely on filters. It is SO nice to have a “safe” zone at home where these allergens are neutralized.

Now, if only I could insulate myself from bites and stings!