Chia Seeds: New Super Food for Health
Monday, May 11th, 2009
I have been espousing the wonders of ground flax seeds for breast, heart and bowel health for years. Now I want to help you to explore a new “super food,” Chia seeds. Yes, the same seeds that give us furry green pets can help spring cleanse our bowel, pump us with Omega 3 fatty acids (linolenic acid), provide us with protein and calcium (as much as 2%milk), and hydrate us. This ancient (Aztec) food source is rich in insoluble and soluble fiber, which have been shown to lower risks of breast and colon cancer, lower blood sugar, triglyceride and cholesterol, and boost the immune system.
Chia seeds are tiny, white or black (both are equally beneficial) and found in most whole food stores. They are amongst the highest plant source for essential omega 3 fatty acids, important for stable moods, and hormone function. They are inexpensive and because they swell, like tapioca, have been used as a satisfying food source in weight loss and very helpful for IBS, constipation, and as part of any detox program.
Drink them with warmed almond milk in the morning, add them to cereals, soups, or smoothies. Check out www.eatchia.com for information and recipes.
0 Comments | Permalink | Posted in super foods, Bone Health, Breast Cancer, Cardiovascular
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Feeling Great Is The Goal!
Sunday, April 26th, 2009
I was having breakfast with a friend who proudly confided that she had successfully weaned herself off of all hormone support, less than one year after her total hysterectomy. “Why?” I asked, horrified. “I thought that was the goal,” she replied. “That’s what my doctor said and even you said so in your book.”
She was woefully misinformed. Hormones are not an evil to be avoided and weaned from. Let me clarify: stopping hormone support is not the goal. Feeling great is the goal. Staying healthy as we age is the goal. Having strong bones to dance at your 100th birthday is the goal. Enjoying sex, feeling joy at the sight of your great grandchildren, remembering phone numbers and how to drive your car in your nineties. These are the goals. Using natural hormones, safely, for the rest of your life will make this possible.
Why do we need hormones? Because our bodies are designed to last roughly seventy years, eighty max. If you win the gene lottery you may make it into your nineties- but it won’t be pretty. Tour a nursing home. Ask the ages. See for yourself what lies ahead. Ask how many women there had total hysterectomies without hormone support (they are the ones using walkers).
Studies have shown that women who use estrogen in the first 10 years of menopause have less calcifications (hardening of the arteries) around their heart. Studies have also shown that using hormones reduces memory loss, bone loss, depression, weight gain, and wrinkles. Hormones prevent sexual dysfunction, urinary tract infections, and vaginitis. The references are in my book.
Ask your doctor for estradiol (patch or cream), natural progestereone (pill or cream). Measure your DHEA-S, maintain your DHEA in the midrange- it will support your testosterone and it has been shown to improve sex drive. Keep your eye on the prize. The world needs more healthy women.
0 Comments | Permalink | Posted in Menopause, Progesterone, Natural Hormones, Osteoporosis, Estrogen, Heart Disease, Cardiovascular, Hormones, Uncategorized
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Inflammation Causes Heart Problems Not Cholesterol: Don’t Be Duped by the Crestor Study!
Monday, November 10th, 2008
Today’s headline read “Statins cut risk of stroke, heart attack.” That’s just too simplistic and misleading. The Crestor study is important because it shows that inflammation causes heart disease- not high cholesterol! What’s really interesting in this study is that the people studied did not have high cholesterol, but they had very high levels of inflammation. The study showed that using Crestor, a Statin medication (known to have anti-inflammatory benefits), lowered heart attacks and stroke. So it was the anti-inflammatory actions that lowered heart attacks and strokes, but that does not mean that we should all be taking Crestor. There are natural ways to reduce inflammation.
Fish oil, curcumin, green tea extract, CoQ10, grapeseed, and quercetin are all natural supplements that have been clearly shown to reduce inflammation, without the potentially lethal side effects associated with long-term use of Crestor.
This Crestor study found a significant increase in diabetes in people taking Crestor. Diabetes is known to increase heart disease. Crestor has only been available for 5 years and has been under attack for increasing risks of nerve damage, liver disease, and muscle wasting associated with kidney failure and death.
It is worth noting that this study was funded by the makers of Crestor.
1 Comment | Permalink | Posted in Cardiovascular, Heart Disease
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