Jeff Rooney

The Hidden Benefits of Exercise

2010-01-24T16:24:00.000-08:00

A client friend sent me the link to an article in the Wall Street Journal called the "Hidden Benefits of Exercise". It is definitely worth a look. It is a rather comprehensive survey of the many benefits to a variety of the body's systems. One of Pete Egoscue's mantra's is that movement is key to our health and it is often in short supply in our daily lives.

http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748704350304574638331243027174-lMyQjAxMTAwMDAwNTEwNDUyWj

Some favorite finds the past year

2010-01-10T09:48:00.000-08:00

Here are some things I came across of note this past year worth mentioning.
Favorite movie - Man on Wire
Favorite book - "The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos-Humanity and the New Story" by Brian Swimme
Most played music - probably the soundtrack to "Into the Wild" by Eddie Vedder
Favorite physical activity - doing an Egoscue menu followed by hiking with my hiking buddy Greg
Favorite food this past year - Mostly vegetarian Indian(been going to a place called Sarovar in San Antonio)
Favorite getaway spot - New Years at Padre Island(a full moon on the beach!)
Favorite home garden feature - winter lettuces
Favorite topic to contemplate - health care debate(see previous posts);close second-the horrible economy

Michael Pollan interview on new book: Food Rules - An Eaters Manual

2010-01-10T09:29:00.000-08:00

A nice way to start the new year with a link to a NY Times interview with my favorite food writer Michael Pollan. His new book is called "Food Rules - An Eaters Manual". The "Well blog" at the times solicited tips from readers, nutritionists and people all over the map on their own useful tips that go with his theme from the his recent book "In Defense of Food". The theme is summarized in the statement - eat food, not too much, mostly plants. For some reason I could not get the blog to highlight the link so just cut and paste to your browser.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/08/michael-pollan-offers-64-ways-to-eat-food/?pagemode=print&scp=1&sq=food%20rules&st=cse

Egoscue Tower video

2009-11-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

I noticed this week that the video presentation on the use of the Egoscue tower for the Supine Groin Progressive exercise is up on the home page of Egoscue.com

It is about 13 minutes long. Brian Bradly gives a convincing argument for its use and explains the various reasons why a therapist includes it in an Egoscue regimen. I like how he explains the way the whole body reacts to the exercise so that people can realize the integral benefit to the whole postural frame.

I recommend viewing for those using the exercise and also those who might wonder about the benefit of doing it in relation to their Egoscue program. I think all of us Egoscue practitioners/therapists would love to see all of our clients use this maintaining long term postural integrity. Sometimes clients balk at using it due to the time commitment (one of my clients coined the phrase "hour in the tower"). The use of this exercise is still evolving. More recently it has been discovered that an even more extended use of the tower with added upper body movements can be more effective in many cases. I know that is going to drive the type "A's" really crazy!

Further analysis on interplay between diet and exercise

2009-11-08T07:17:00.000-08:00

I just read an article in the 11-08-09 NY Times magazine about the interplay between exercise and diet with regard to weight loss efforts. The article features some newer thinking on levels of intensity of exercise effort and specifically the burning of fat for fuel vs. carbohydrate. It is a counter intuitive relationship such that relatively lower intensity effort "burns" fat while higher intensity effort "burns" carbohydrate. This much is not really new info but the item in the article that is new regards the idea of "after burn" effect. It has often been touted, including by yours truly, that walking, for example two strategic times a day (separated by 8-12 hours), would effectively keep the metabolism on overdrive for the full day. Hence there would be an after burn effect. Turns out that this appears not to be the case with this newer research.

So the essence of the research in the article then focuses on the need to find dietary and exercise balance in specific efforts for weight loss. Give the article a read and see what you think.

Worthwhile blog entry on posture

2009-10-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

I do a google alert on The Egoscue Method and a blog came up called "Marks Daily Apple" that has a thought provoking take on posture. Worth a look: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/improve-posture/

A friends path to Egoscue - a happy ending!

2009-09-18T16:36:00.000-07:00

I just saw this posting on the Orange County Ca. Egoscue Clinic blog. It is an account of my buddy Tim George who runs the downtown Egoscue Clinic. It is a great story. Tim has often given me the best advice on clients whose needs seem to pass my level of experience. He has always given me very positive and on the mark guidance whenever I call on him. I think he represents the best that the Egoscue Method has to offer. Please take a look:

The one question that almost every client asks me is “How did you find Egoscue?” Unlike many of our therapists, I was not an Egoscue client prior to becoming an Egoscue Therapist.

In college I studied Exercise Physiology, with an emphasis in Athletic Training. For those not familiar with the field of athletic training, it encompasses the prevention, diagnosis, and intervention of emergency, acute, and chronic medical conditions involving impairment, functional limitations, and disabilities. Athletic training is not the same profession as personal training. And certified athletic trainers work with more than just athletes – they can be found just about anywhere people are physically active.

I really enjoyed Athletic Training and was looking forward to a successful career. When I finished grad school I moved back to my hometown of Lake Forest, CA to live with my parents until I landed a job. Finding a job was tough; there wasn’t too much work in Orange County for athletic trainers, so I started to expand my search to San Diego.

The only company that was hiring athletic trainers in San Diego was a company called The Egoscue Method. Like most people, I had never heard of Egoscue, and I had a hard time even saying the name. The job description sounded interesting, and when I checked out the Egoscue website, I saw they worked with athletes, so it seemed like a good fit. I sent in my resume and got a callback to set up an interview.

My interview was with Brian Bradley (Vice-President of Therapy Protocol), and it was probably the first interview where I did most of the listening. I could really tell that Brian had a lot of passion for The Egoscue Method, and overall it seemed like a great place to work. About a week later I got a call from Brian offering me a job at the Egoscue clinic in Del Mar. Again it seemed like a great place to work, and plus it was a way to get out of my parent’s house, so I accepted the job.

Egoscue was not in my career plans; it was a definite change from athletic training. To be honest, for the first few weeks that I worked there I had one foot out the door. To me Egoscue was a way to pay the bills, ultimately my goal was to get back to athletic training, either at the college or professional sports level. Don’t get me wrong, I liked Egoscue, but I will be the first to tell you that I was a bit skeptical about the effectiveness of the therapy. I mean how could correcting someone’s posture cure them from the pain of a herniated disk, or other debilitating musculoskeletal pain. I remember saying to myself “it can’t be that simple.” However as I began to learn and understand the principles behind the Egoscue Therapy, my mindset began to change. I started to see and understand the relationship of posture to pain, and seeing it action while working with clients really began to send the message home. Soon I started to say to myself, “Yes, it is as simple as correcting posture.”

Soon I really started to get a passion for Egoscue, never before had a treatment modality truly answered the question of why someone was in pain. Prior to that, my approach was treating the pain or symptom, not necessarily treating the cause of the pain. That is one of the big reasons I chose to stay with Egoscue and make it my passion and career. For the first time I truly felt like I was helping someone towards a life without pain and limitations.

One of the other big reasons that I stayed, and why I think Egoscue is so revolutionary, is the emphasis on personal responsibility for one’s health. There is no “you need to fix me” mentality with Egoscue. If someone wants to get out of pain, they need to take the responsibility and do the work. This approach I believe is what really separates Egoscue from other movement therapies; it is simple and very effective. Which is why 5 years later I now own my own Egoscue clinic and help people get themselves out of pain everyday. -Tim

More on the health care debate

2009-09-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

There have been a few more items that I have looked at that help round out my views on the health care issues being debated. To my mind I think it is important as I said earlier to look at the general health of the people in the US and determine probable causes. So when we look at the general markers of our "ill health" in comparison to other countries that actually are developed but have a lesser economic perch compared to the US we get a disturbing picture. Our rate of obesity and related chronic conditions (diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and so on) is off the charts and continuing to trend upward. Infant mortality rates compare to the third world. Our food system facilitates processed foods over fresh and vital food. We are generally a sedentary people in a car and technology dependent culture. So in addition to bad food that promotes obesity we are not moving enough to maintain the integrity of our bodies. That, to me, is the context of the debate.

Today I heard Andrew Weil weigh in on all these issues on the Diane Rehm show. Please check it out(click here - then click link to show at 11am Sept 15). I think he places the debate in the proper context in like fashion to the op ed piece by Michael Pollan (see previous post).

Another placed to get a larger context is the piece by Matt Taibbi from Rolling Stone called Sick and Wrong

His piece is a bit on the harsh side and uses some profanity but his points are well taken.

Finally there is a piece I came across by this guy Paul Craig Roberts who was in the Regan administration in the Treasury department. His piece called Health Care Deceit
rakes the insurance companies over the coals.

A Different Take on the Health Care Debate

2009-09-13T08:17:00.000-07:00

Like many of my friends in the alternative health care industry I am befuddled by the narrow terms of the health care debate. I feel most effort has been on how to fund an already broken system and insure more people into that system. I have been more concerned about what are all the factors that have lead the country into the disease abyss. I am talking about diabetes, obesity, stress related disorders, all the different chronic muscular problems and so on.

On that score probably the single most important factor is WHAT WE EAT! So I would encourage you to look at the op ed piece by Michael Pollan where he delves into the disconnect going on between the views on health care reform and food industry reform. He surveys the landscape of what goes into the rise of eating related health issues, how policy can and needs to be affected away from where we have been to where we need to go toward:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/opinion/10pollan.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&emc=eta1

Vaccination debate and swine flu

2009-09-06T11:53:00.000-07:00

I imagine I am not alone in being downright puzzled if not alarmed by the way H1N1 swine flu is being debated and especially in the realm of vaccination policy. Firstly, what is the fear mongering really about? Secondly, what is the nature of the vaccination being deployed to combat it including the inoculation policies in the works? I came across some interesting data at a site called Vaccination Debate that is worth a look. I highly recommend doing some homework on this before submitting to vaccination. There is evidence of central nervous system damage potential with the vaccine that has been developed.

If you are someone who has skepticism or is fearful of the vaccination approach it is worthwhile I think to explore natural alternatives out there. NaturalNews.com posted the top 5 anti-viral herbs or herb combinations that you may want to refer to. Also, a friend of mine, Jackie McLaughlin who is deeper into the use of essential oils recommends Young Living brand as the best bet and has recommended their "Thieves" blend and oregano in particular as a potent anti-viral resources. Additionally it is best to pay attention to really good nutrition, rest, physical movement (if you are doing Egoscue or any other movement discipline keep it up during the flu season) from now through the duration of the flu season.

From Physical Therapy to Egoscue

2009-07-05T09:20:00.001-07:00

I just came across a brief but interesting discussion from two women for PTs who now have a practice using the Egoscue Method in Virginia. They talk about the journey they took from having an active Physical Therapy practice to an Egoscue Method practice, what prompted their journey and the difference it has made in how they work with chronic pain conditions. Worth a look. The video is about 7 minutes long:

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Animal Drills

2009-07-05T08:40:00.000-07:00

I am always on the lookout for movement drills and exercises that promote functional joint interaction, with emphasis on hips. I came across these drills from a site on youtube. There are many different animal movements simulated that offer fun and challenging ways to move the body. By the way, youtube has tons of stuff regarding exercises and movements that are helpful in promoting functional strength. Some the the Egoscue "Patch" routines are available there. In addition the Tibetan 5 Rites sequence is available, another routine I incorporate. Just keyword in the youtube browser.

For the Animal drills:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNJk_OEO5MU

Michael Pollan on "Deep Agriculture"

2009-06-28T06:07:00.001-07:00

This is actually from last year I think, but it is a about an hour long talk given by Pollan on what he proposes as the future of our agricultural system. His thinking is in large part due to the idea that the energy requirements for our current agriculture system are not sustainable. As energy costs soar it has a direct affect on food costs (along with everything else) and further is very detrimental to sustaining productive soil. I he points out that each calorie of food has about 10 calorie inputs from fossil fuel.

Here is the link: http://fora.tv/2009/05/05/Michael_Pollan_Deep_Agriculture

Michael Pollan is the author of "Omnivore's Dilemma"

Diet and Prostrate Cancer

2009-06-28T05:57:00.000-07:00

Your Diet Can Reduce Your Risk of Prostate Cancer

A new review assessed whether certain modifications in diet have a beneficial effect on the prevention of prostate cancer. Results suggest that a diet high in fruits and vegetables is beneficial in preventing and treating the cancer.

Researchers conducted an evidence-based review of dietary recommendations in the prevention of prostate cancer as well as in the management of patients with prostate cancer.

The consumption of tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, green tea, and vitamins including Vitamin E and selenium seemed to lead to a decreased risk of prostate cancer. Consumption of highly processed or charcoaled meats seemed to be correlated with prostate cancer.

Sources:

Science Daily June 3, 2009

Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics June 2009; 22(3):187-99

This is courtesy of Dr. Mercola.com

Balancing the Cortices video from Body Talk

2009-03-30T18:43:00.000-07:00

My friend and Body Talk practitioner Laura recently sent me the link to a video that is out on the BT website by the founder of the BT system. I guess I am a self help slut because I love all of these simple things out there that are simply done to enhance our well being. I think this is one of them. The idea is to do this self help daily (or most daily) practice to support brain health. Please give the 12 minute video a look and see if it resonates with you, give it try if it does:
http://bodytalksystem.com/bodytalk/overview/video.cfm

Ultramind Solution by Dr. Mark Hyman

2009-02-14T18:31:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been reading the work of Dr. Mark Hyman. I am almost through with his latest book "The Ultramind Solution". I highly recommend it if you are trying to sort out a lot of the info out there about various neurodegenerative disorders or "brain diseases". We all hear the names: depression, dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson, ADHD, autism and so on. Hyman calls all of these "disorders" broken brains. He doesn't mean that they are permanently broken, especially if we acknowledge that they have their source in the body as a whole and are not confined to the brain. He is a proponent of what is called Functional Medicine. The idea is that systems theory is applied to biology, meaning that the whole needs to take precedence over the part when it comes to figuring out how to achieve optimal wellness. This contrasts with the current medical model of treating all the parts of the body as separate entities.

A number of my older clients that I treat using the Egoscue Method are dealing with different types of broken brains - dementia, Parkinson's, depression and so on. My mother passed away recently and suffered through years of Alzheimer's. These are all extremely distressing disorders and especially if you are toward the end of life is not the way to spend the last days. In addition, the way these disorders are currently dealt with are very costly, have limited positive results and do not often treat the underlying causes. This is what Dr. Hyman illustrates so well in this book. Please put it on your list if any of these issues are a concern of yours.

Here is something to try that is from the end of the book in the chapter on calming the body and mind. He calls it the ultrabath (personally I get a bit tired of his use of the term ultra for everything) . Take a half cup of baking soda, 1 or 2 cups of Epsom's salts, 10 drops of good quality lavender essential oil and add all to a bath of warm water. Soak for about 20 minutes preferably before bed. It is a great relaxer.

Take a look at the video blog about the new book if you don't have time to read the whole thing now. It is 7 videos on each major part of the book. It is a great summary of his thinking that led to the book.

Read "Spark" for your new years resolution

2009-01-11T07:57:00.000-08:00

The last time I was in San Diego for Egoscue recertification the instructor was highly recommending the book "Spark" by Dr. John Ratey. Please take a look at the link a order it soon or go to your local book store. Most places seem to have it. It really focuses on the interaction of brain health and exercise. Much new research on this topic is brought to light. Some challenging new views on what an exercise program should look like is elaborated. Studies are given in how innovations are taking place in some schools that show higher academic standing is obtained with a new approach to fitness.

You owe it to yourself and your kids to read this book and then get your educators to read it and incorporate the lessons at the schools your kids attend. Also encourage the older folks to read it so that beneficial changes can be made in their health regimens.

2009-01-11T07:47:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! On to a healthier 2009. Just came across a short list of foods you may be overlooking. Next time you shop look for a couple, then the next time a few more and so on.

Happy eating!

The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating

Maybe you should be eating more beets, left, or chopped cabbage. (Credit: Evan Sung for The New York Times, left

(This post was originally published on June 30, 2008, and recently appeared on The New York Times’s list of most-viewed stories for 2008.)

Nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden has created several lists of healthful foods people should be eating but aren’t. But some of his favorites, like purslane, guava and goji berries, aren’t always available at regular grocery stores. I asked Dr. Bowden, author of “The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth,” to update his list with some favorite foods that are easy to find but don’t always find their way into our shopping carts. Here’s his advice.

Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.
Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.
Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.
Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.
Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.
How to eat: Just drink it.
Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.
How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.
Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.
How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.
Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.” They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.
Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,” it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.
Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.
How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.
Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.

You can find more details and recipes on the Men’s Health Web site, which published the original version of the list last year.

In my own house, I only have two of these items — pumpkin seeds, which I often roast and put on salads, and frozen blueberries, which I mix with milk, yogurt and other fruits for morning smoothies. How about you? Have any of these foods found their way into your shopping cart?

The Body Exhibit at Witte Museum

2008-02-03T10:20:00.000-08:00

Here is a notice about the Witte museum exhibit on "The Body - The Universe Within"

I saw it on a recent trip to Orlando when it was in the Science Center down there. It is a sobering and reverent look at the human body from many angles inside and out. For the lay public and many body workers it is an unusual opportunity to appreciate the marvel of our form. Take some time to go through the exhibit slowly and ponder as much as you are able.

The exhibit is on until May 26, don't miss it! Also, there is related programming going on regarding the body. There is a lecture on the history of anatomy and some other stuff I hear. Click the program tab at the Witte website above for more info.

The Story of Stuff

2008-01-06T16:53:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all,

As you can see there is a big ole gap in the time since last post. I had a bout of atrial fibrillation in June that slowed down the works a bit and then I just allowed myself to get out of the rhythm of posting.

In the period ahead I am going to share some of the things I have done outside the medical arena for the heart condition. Actually, one of the first things I discovered is that it is not really just a heart issue. There are broader metabolic dynamics at play. In short, since embarking on a plan with Dr. Abdo, a local nutritionist and naturopath I have been symptom free.

In this first post of the year I want to draw attention to a 20 minute video called "The Story of Stuff". It is a very thought provoking look at where all of our material goods come from and where they end up. The real story is that the actual cost to the planet and many of the peoples producing the "stuff" is never calculated in the price.

The video can be seen at: http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html

As you probably figured out by looking at some of my postings, I am concerned with not only the health of people but the health of the planet as well. Let me know what you think.

Honey and cinnamon have many health benefits

2007-06-02T12:01:00.000-07:00

My friend Carolyn, of welovebambo fame, sent me a couple of great links to health remedies. The first concerns the use of honey and cinnamon combinations that have been used and studied in certain quarters for multiple health benefits. These range from treating stomach cancers, arthritis inflammation, gastric upset, bladder infections and so on. Here is a brief excerpt from the the article that is found at the following link :

http://thewellthcoach.typepad.com/the_wellth_coach/2007/03/facts_on_honey_.html

HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, instead of jelly and jam, and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who have already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heart beat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as you age, the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and veins.

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning, and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before break fast, they found that within a week, out of the 200 people so treated, practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain, and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

You are what you grow - link to article by Michael Pollan on Farm Bill

2007-04-29T14:23:00.000-07:00

You might think that an article about an upcoming farm bill would make for boring reading. Not so! Michael Pollan, the author of "Omnivore's Dilemma" wrote a recent article for the New York Times magazine on why you and I should concern ourselves with the content of the farm bill. It has everything to do with what you find in your local food market and the direction of foods to come.

Please take a look at the article by clicking the following link:

http://www.michaelpollan.com/article.php?id=88

List of negative effects from sugar in diet

2007-02-18T18:56:00.000-08:00

Well I am on the march catching up on some info I have come across and want to draw attention to. In this post is a list of the many negative effects on health excessive sugar can have. This list is taken from the Julia Ross website of which I highly recommend. A few years ago I attended a seminar on a sports massage technique and the presenter was a guy with diabetes who had done extensive research on the effects of processed sugars on the body. One point he made is that it depleted potassium and messed with the potassium pump mechanism at work in the muscle cells. One effect he said was spasm and heightened sense of pain in the body as a whole. That caught my interest. Since then I have repeatedly come across similar information. Julia Ross does a lot of work using nutritional supplements to combat cravings of various sorts including carbohydrate and sugar cravings. Her stuff is worth a look if this is a concern of yours or someone you know.

Here is the whole list compiled by Julia Ross:

1. Sugar can suppress the immune system.
2. Sugar upsets the minerals in the body.
3. Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.
4. Sugar produces a significant rise in triglycerides, a leading cause of heart disease.
5. Sugar contributes to the reduction in defense against bacterial infection.
6. Sugar can cause kidney damage.
7. Sugar reduces high density lipoproteins.
8. Sugar leads to chromium deficiency.
9. Sugar leads to cancer of the breast, ovaries, intestines, prostate and rectum.
10. Sugar consumption is the top cause of type II diabetes, as it increases levels of glucose and
insulin.
11. Sugar causes copper deficiency.
12. Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
13. Sugar raises the level of neurotransmitters called serotonin
14. Sugar weakens eyesight.
15. Sugar can cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels).
16. Sugar can produce an acidic stomach.
17. Sugar can raise adrenalin levels in children.
18. Sugar malabsorption is frequent in patients with functional bowel disease.
19. Sugar consumption can cause aging.
20. Sugar consumption can lead to alcoholism.
21. Sugar consumption is the top cause of tooth decay.
22. Sugar use contributes to obesity.
23. High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn's Disease, and ulcerative colitis.
24. Sugar can cause changes associated with gastric or duodenal ulcers.
25. Sugar can cause arthritis.
26. Sugar can cause asthma.
27. Sugar can cause candida albicans (yeast infections).
28. Sugar can cause gallstones to form.
29. Sugar can cause heart disease.
30. Sugar can cause appendicitis.
31. Sugar can cause multiple sclerosis.
32. Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.
33. Sugar can cause varicose veins.
34. Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraceptive users.
35. Sugar can lead to periodontal disease.
36. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
37. Sugar contributes to saliva acidity.
38. Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
39. Sugar leads to decreased glucose tolerance.
40. Sugar can decrease growth hormone.
41. Sugar can increase cholesterol.
42. Sugar can increase the systolic blood pressure.
43. Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
44. Sugar can cause migraine headaches.
45. Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein.
46. Sugar causes food allergies.
47. Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
48. Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
49. Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
50. Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
51. Sugar can impair the structure of DNA.
52. Sugar can change the structure of protein.
53. Sugar can make our skin age by changing the structure of collagen.
54. Sugar can cause cataracts.
55. Sugar can cause emphysema.
56. Sugar can cause atherosclerosis.
57. Sugar can promote an elevation of low density proteins (LDL).
58. Sugar can increase free radicals in the blood stream,
59. Sugar can cause overeating.

Assorted new things...to me that is

2007-02-17T12:20:00.000-08:00

Well it has been quite a hiatus since last post. A number of things have been in the works and new stuff has come across my plate.

I am still reading more on the whole issue of our food chain. See previous posts on some of my concerns, like the one on "Omnivore's Dilemma". The latest book I am reading on the topic is called Bitter Harvest and is by a chef named Ann Cooper. The subtitle of the book is "A chef's perspective on the hidden dangers in the foods we eat and what you can do about it". Ann is part of the Chefs Collaborative. I think its great that chef's among others are taking a hard look at our food supply, where the current dangers in food processing lay and alternative solutions.

On a whole other front is some information about a technique a client/friend brought to my attention recently. It is called the Emotional Freedom Technique. It appears to be a relatively simply applied technique for emotional and even broader body/mind balancing. It utilizes a series of acupressure points, gentle tapping and the use of simple "affirmation" phrases addressing anything you can imagine - pain, cravings, emotional trauma and so on. The developer Gary Craig says "try it on anything". You can go to his website on EFT and download a free initial kit plus has lots of other stuff in DVD form for further self training.

As you might already know I am a big fan things like this that are part of taking good care of ones self in simple and inexpensive ways. The categories of health are pretty straight forward. To name the basics - nutrition, movement and exercise, proper hydration, and mental/emotional. EFT is in the latter category. In previous posts I talk about meditative approaches to this as well. In addition to the EFT website you might check out Dr. Mercola's EFT guide. It is laid out well and is easy to follow. Both his sight and the main EFT website have practitioner locator's if you want to explore using it that way.

The last thing I want to mention on the issue of emotional health is that my wife Dianne Monroe has been busy of late studying the discipline of Expressive Arts Therapy. It is worth a look at her website to see another way of exploring the relation between the outer world and inner self.

Broken Hips and Nexium

2007-01-13T10:49:00.000-08:00

Recently, a number of reports have come out about the "purple pill" Nexium and the unfortunate side effect that it can weaken bones and is now implicated in a frequency of broken hips among those taking the drug. I would encourage reading Dr. Mercola's article about this and other useful ways to deal with hearburn that don't attack your body's bone making power. In general, I like a lot of his stuff though he is big into self marketing products. Give a look and if you like the info you can sign up for his blog.

A couple of other observations. If you do have trouble with "heartburn" the first thing I would try is upping your water intake. Explore the watercure site on my link list for more on this. Also, ironically many people who complain of heartburn apparently, have less acid in their stomachs and have difficulty retrieving the nutrition from foods eaten. This can often be an aging problem. It seems counter intuitive. Then they are prescribed these drugs that turn off the acid pump. That acid is there for a reason. It is a key part of the initial digestive process. Mercola has some useful ideas on correcting the problem in his article.

Media Matters Film Fest - Good Food

2006-12-10T15:09:00.000-08:00

I have been doing reading and research on the topic of our food chain and our food culture. I did a recent post on the book Omnivore's Dilemma which had a link to the authors site for the book. I have been following some of his links on sustainable food and came across this fun site of short films dealing with various food and farming issues. It is from the Media Matters Organizition. See Media Matters Films link on the right and take a look. I would start with film numbers 13 and 16. They are seven to eight minutes long. I think all the films are shorts and are very creative ways of dealing with weighty subjects.

Health and Healing Consortium

2006-12-07T06:49:00.000-08:00

Today I placed a link to the Health and Healing Consortium. This organization has some tireless and dedicated women working hard to bridge the alternative and traditional medical communities in the San Antonio area. Here is what they have to say about their purpose:

Mission Statement

The Health and Healing Consortium is committed to fostering a sustained dialogue and collaborative relationships among alternative, integrative, traditional and conventional health care providers and users. The Health and Healing Consortium will establish and promote a forum for education, resources, and networking that expands the concept of health and healing.

I was asked a while back to join their advisory council which I did after some thought. Every time I have attended a meeting I have been amazed at the people I have been introduced to all across the health care spectrum! Recently they hosted a free lecture followed by a fee based workshop by Anna Chitty on trauma. The public talk addressed the frequency and types of trauma visited on people. She explored the devistating effects of trauma, the physiology of trauma to the body, spirit and mind, and ways to transform the effects positively. She is a great presenter so keep a watch out for her and her husbands work. Look up their School for Energy Studies in Colorado.

Omnivore's Dilemma

2006-11-22T15:23:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading a book called "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. This is an important book and I highly recommend it. The book was first brought to my attention by my brother Rick who is a chef in Atlanta. I think he reads more than he eats, he is always recommending great books!

This book explores the many issues of just where our food comes from. Remember the Upton Sinclair book "The Jungle" about the meat packing industry way back when. Well in some ways things have gotten "cleaner" but more dangerous over all in how our modern food production system has evolved. For an overview of the book and some excellent links please go to Michael Pollan.

More on the seemingly simple - Body Talk

2006-10-29T07:45:00.000-08:00

Recently I had the opportunity to have a session in Body Talk. This is a discipline I have heard about over the last few years and neglected to look into until now. A new friend is a practitioner and offered a session which I gladly took. Afterward, I looked a little further into it and viewed the above website. In one of the video snippets on facets of the practice, John Veltheim the founder of the Body Talk System, explains the benefits and purpose of it. I would encourage you to take some time and view some of the video modules explaining the approach and ranges of benefits. I would have put more links in this text but they are arranged according the type of modem and computer system you are using.

One of the points he makes is that the system is very simply administered and often amazes people that such a simple system can have such profound effects on the body/mind. This doesn't surprise me at all and is one of the things I am always looking for in any health care system. I think much of our healthcare crisis will eventually be resolved only if we find the wisdom of "simple" healing modalities that rely on enhancing the self healing mechanisms of the human body (and all other living systems). I just read an article about a tour on economics by the US comptroller general where he is sounding the alarm on the brewing fiscal crisis facing the US. He points out that the demographic shift underway whereby baby boomers will begin to retire and start drawing down the SS funds, Medicare funds and the like will dramatically imperil our fiscal house. A lot of this has to do with the fact that our health care costs continue to sky rocket. You might ask are we healthier as a result of this and the answer is a big fat NO! We may be living longer but we are not necessarily healthier. But this is a digression. The main thing I want to stress and impresses me with Body Talk, and other systems I tend to be drawn toward, are those that have a basically simple premise and application. In other posts I have mentioned things of this sort - the role of hydration, deep breathing and meditative techniques, sound and simple nutritional practices (eat the freshest, non processed foods possible, with lots of seasonal veggies etc.), varied forms of movement and exercise and so on.

So a few things about the Body Talk session I would like to share. I think the first thing about a discipline like this is that you should feel an immediate comfort level with the practitioner. I won't make a big deal out of this but I think all forms of body work seem to go better when you feel a comfortable bond with the person administering the practice. This should be an almost instant feeling of ease with that person. I definitely felt this in my case. The Body Talk
practitioner in my case also did a good job of taking a history, observing my body and demeanor and even determining with me what might be the focus of the session. A part of the ingredients of the session involves the intention of the practitioner and client but I think the session ranges quite beyond that as the session unfolds.

I was on a comfortable table and the BT person was at my side. Since she is a chiropractor she used different sorts of muscle and joint testing at the outset to determine different parameters of my body. Once the session got underway it was off to the races! The session is a fantastic interplay of the different forms energy exchange between the client and the practitioner. My first take was that it was zeroing in on my nervous system but in talking further with the therapist she pointed out that we are dealing with resonances and vibrations of different sorts. It is an ongoing and multifaceted dialogue between the two individuals. The BT protocol is seeking to resolve any discord that emerges in the various systems of the body. The sense I get is that many unresolved issues and traumas that are stored in the body can be released through a simple system of tapping the head and parts of the torso (especially over the heart). I think we are all walking around with tons of unnecessary stuff weighing us down. Whether it be physical and/or emotional trauma this stuff can run interference in the systems of the body and the ability of the body to internally communicate. There are some really provocative comments in some of the video modules that explain BT on their website regarding autoimmune diseases. These are increasingly rampant problems I run into with people where the body in one form or another starts "misreading" information in the body and begins to attack it.

One of the feelings I came out of the session was an unusual sense of self confidence. Some of the things that came up in the session involved my own work and it seemed to resolve some sense of troubling issues. Also there is a real sense of mental clarity coming out of the session and even a heightened sense of mental and physical interaction that is hard to define. In days following there was also a fair amount of awareness of different personal issues coming to the forefront of my mind that seemed to pop out of nowhere.

If you have any kind of physical trouble going on or even some sort of unresolved trauma that keeps getting in the way I would encourage looking into Body Talk. The website has a list of practitioners in different cities and parts of the world. Again it is a non-intrusive way to get your body to internally communicate with itself and more fully enable self healing along with higher integration of mind, body and spirit.

Farm Aid Newsletter

2006-10-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

My brother Rick sent me a note that included excerpts from the Farm Aid organization. It is of course the movement noted for the concerts that bring awareness of the thousands of struggling to make it on their family farms. Check out the Farm Aid news letter. I have said in earlier posts that the whole movement toward relocalization of farming toward the urban areas is an important issue as is making family farming viable. Many more people are starting to long for the connection as a food consumer to the actual people raising the food.

Article on Egoscue in San Antonio Express News

2006-10-22T12:27:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since the last post and much is going on these days. One of the things I have been working on in the last period is to get a bit more recognition of the Egoscue Method in the local community. Last year I did a number of talks to people who in most cases were brand new to the concepts of Egoscue. Over the last couple of years I have noticed that probably the majority of people that have prior knowledge have come across the book Pain Free by Pete Egoscue. It is available locally at The Twig and other outlets as well as online.

Lately as another part of getting the word out and offering a means for bit more in depth exposure to the essential philosophy and approach of the therapy I have been offering 3 hour workshops. The next one is on Saturday Nov. 4 from 9am-12noon at Body Focus - 8318 Jones Maltsberger Suite 111 in San Antoinio. The fee is $35. The format includes explanation of the basic features of Egoscue and also a lot of practical use of the exercises that address common misalignment problems. Though it won't afford individualized therapy it will give people a sense of what the therapy entails.

But the most recent occurrence of getting the word out was the publication of an article on the Egoscue Method in SA in the Wednesday Neighbors section Oct 18. In the article they interview me and a client who did a great job of expressing her views on the therapy. OK, so much for all this self promotion business.

San Antonio Accordian Fest Oct 13-15

2006-10-11T08:44:00.000-07:00

If you live in the SA area and have never attended the San Antonio International Accordian Festival you are missing one of the more unique events for the area. Most of it is free. This year it seems opening night is a $5 entrance fee. Look on the above website and pick out some of the artists to check out. The range of influences and countries represented is always surprising. It is especially fun to see the stuff at the Arneson Theatre right on the Riverwalk. Last year I remember seeing some fancy dancers tangoing right on the walkway. Don't miss it!

Oil Pulling Method of Oral Health and Detoxing

2006-10-04T06:44:00.000-07:00

You learn something new every day! I received an email this morning from my friend Carolyn (welovebamboo) about the Ayurvedic practice of Oil Pulling. It is essentially the practice of swishing and swilling a tablespoon of Sesame oil or Sunflower oil in the mouth for ten to fifteen minutes. It is best done on an empty stomach and definitely avoid swallowing the swill. The Dr. explains the method, cautions, and benefits to this simple practice, click link above. Please check it out and try for yourself. Though the proposed immediate benefit is to oral health (gums and teeth), it has a deeper more subtle detoxing effect for the entire body, by stimulating the release of metabolic and other toxins via the saliva. I do know that oral and heart health are closely related now I can explore this ancient practice and see what other benefits it might hold. There is actually a fair amount on this topic if you keyword it on the web. Have fun swishing and swilling.

Hawks in Flight

2006-10-01T12:34:00.000-07:00

Hey, know this is off the usual topic for Jeff's Blog but go check out the hawk migration in Corpus Christi. This is of course an annual natural event so if you miss this year, then maybe next year you can catch it. I am doing a massage event (the MS Valero 150) next weekend in Beeville so I might go down to Corpus from there and check it out. Some really cool people that come into where I work, the Cantrell's, told me about it this past friday. The link with more info about the times and location for best viewing is a the following location, birding in Corpus.

So just click on the above link, make plans and have fun!

Importance of Vitamin D

2006-09-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

I have been hearing about the importance of vitamin D and just came across a very useful tract about it on an internet site. You can access the interview and where it says to download just click the button. It is free now. I think the report usually costs $9.95. Here is a summary of the authors points:
Fifteen Facts You Probably Never Knew About Vitamin D and Sunlight Exposure: (Compiled by Mike Adams, based on an interview with Dr. Michael Holick, author, The UV Advantage) Vitamin D prevents osteoporosis, depression, prostate cancer, breast cancer, and even effects diabetes and obesity. Vitamin D is perhaps the single most underrated nutrient in the world of nutrition. That’s probably because it’s free: your body makes it when sunlight touches your skin. Drug companies can’t sell you sunlight, so there’s no promotion of its health benefits. Truth is, most people don’t know the real story on vitamin D and health. So here’s an overview taken from an interview between Mike Adams and Dr. Michael Holick.
1. Vitamin D is produced by your skin in response to exposure to ultraviolet radiation from natural sunlight.
2. The healing rays of natural sunlight (that generate vitamin D in your skin) cannot penetrate glass. So you don’t generate vitamin D when sitting in your car or home.
3. It is nearly impossible to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from your diet. Sunlight exposure is the only reliable way to generate vitamin D in your own body.
4. A person would have to drink ten tall glasses of vitamin D fortified milk each day just to get minimum levels of vitamin D into their diet.
5. The further you live from the equator, the longer exposure you need to the sun in order to generate vitamin D. Canada, the UK and most U.S. states are far from the equator.
6. People with dark skin pigmentation may need 20 - 30 times as much exposure to sunlight as fairskinned people to generate the same amount of vitamin D. That’s why prostate cancer is epidemic among black men -- it’s a simple, but widespread, sunlight deficiency.
7. Sufficient levels of vitamin D are crucial for calcium absorption in your intestines. Without sufficient vitamin D, your body cannot absorb calcium, rendering calcium supplements useless.
8. Chronic vitamin D deficiency cannot be reversed overnight: it takes months of vitamin D supplementation and sunlight exposure to rebuild the body’s bones and nervous system.
9. Even weak sunscreens (SPF=8) block your body’s ability to generate vitamin D by 95%. This is how sunscreen products actually cause disease -- by creating a critical vitamin deficiency in the body.
10. It is impossible to generate too much vitamin D in your body from sunlight exposure: your body will self-regulate and only generate what it needs.
11. If it hurts to press firmly on your sternum, you may be suffering from chronic vitamin D deficiency right now.
12. Vitamin D is “activated” in your body by your kidneys and liver before it can be used.
13. Having kidney disease or liver damage can greatly impair your body’s ability to activate circulating vitamin D.
14. The sunscreen industry doesn’t want you to know that your body actually needs sunlight exposure because that realization would mean lower sales of sunscreen products.
15. Even though vitamin D is one of the most powerful healing chemicals in your body, your body makes it absolutely free. No prescription required.

Further into the actual interview Dr. Holick makes basic recommendations for how much sensible exposure to sunlight is necessary on average. Apparently his book has charts for how much sun is necessary depending on location relative to the earth's equator. For example, many people would benefit from about 5-10 minutes of direct sunlight 2-3 times a week as an average. This would be exposure without sunscreen. The remaining exposure beyond that time would include use of some sunscreen.

If you are a new reader of this blog you know that one of my interests in people being made aware of the measures they can take either free or at low cost to really improve their quality of life and health. This is one of the reasons this interview and summary caught my attention.

Interview with Dr. Ray Strand - On his new book about the pharmaceutical industry

2006-09-23T14:02:00.001-07:00

I just read an interview online with the Dr. who wrote the book called "What You Dr. Doesn't Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You!" This is an interview from last year about the pharmaceutical industry. The interview focuses on his book, "Death by Prescription." He has a knack for the foreboding title doesn't he? I have not read the book yet but the interview covers a lot of the ground represented in the book. A couple of points --- pharmaceuticals properly prescribed are the 4th greatest reason for death in the U.S. And further, improperly prescribed drugs would account for 3rd leading cause of death! He talks about the problems with FDA oversight. He talks about the controversy he has caused by advocating lifestyle changes as first resort and use of prescriptions as last resort in treating patients. I really want to emphasize his analysis of the role of cholesterol and the inflammation process inherent in cardio-vascular disease. I think he and others like him are hitting on a big piece of the puzzle that is confounded by the drug industry. He is critical of the overuse of statins for cholesterol reduction. He advocates that patients get a homocysteine blood test to determine the level as an indicator of inflamation. For a more indepth book on the strategies of the drug industry see my first September post.

A conversation with a friend on cancer

2006-09-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

At Body Focus, the place where I work, I was talking to a really neat spunky fellow who is now over 4 years into being free from pancreatic cancer. I told him I was reading the Deepak Chopra book "Quantum Healing." I decided to pick it up again because I have a friend dealing with breast cancer and she is exploring aspects of self-healing.

This fellow is really beating the odds. He told me that often a patient who is diagnosed with his kind of cancer is dead within four months or so. He said he agreed that we are not even close to appreciating the role of the mind in combating disease. He said when he was diagnosed that he had an unusual calmness and a firm positive attitude to live fully whatever time he had left. I see him working out diligently two times a week. He is thin but not frail. And he is still calm and positive.

One comment from Chopra's book that impressed me early on is a point he makes about relaxation and healing. "In Ayurveda, a level of total, deep relaxation is the most important preconditon for curing any disorder." My friend who is in a struggle with breast cancer is finding that this point is both a necessity but also very difficult to accomplish as the anxieties pile up. She is finding that some of the ideas my previous post are becoming all the more essential --- deep relaxation breathing and meditative practices. Something that impresses me about both these individuals is that they are not passive bystanders to their condition but are active mentally to find their own way in response to illness. Both have explored their own sense of calmness. I'll keep you posted on their progress.

On a positive note!

2006-09-17T08:27:00.000-07:00

We are having our second (really first) spring in San Antonio after a thirst quenching rain. Flowers are blooming everywhere. Quite a respite from the months of drought.

OK, so I look at my very first post in this internet landing and realize it is rather on the negative side of things.

Well in keeping with balance today's post is about simple and positive things that can enable people to begin to take control of their health. These are all freebies...hey that's positive.

These are just a few areas of interest that I have found to be useful to myself, friends and clients. So anything in this post that is linked will take you to a site that delves more into these areas. There is much info on all these areas that is free. There are also references to books that can be checked out from the library or purchased, websites that can be joined and the like.

These areas are really the essentials of life ---water, breath, nutrition, movement and spiritual health. BIG topics all of them. They ALL intersect each other but they also have their own definition as well. But I want to keep it simple. Once upon a time I used to work on my own car. Yeah that used to be possible to all you youngsters out there. Anyway one of the principles I learned in those days was to always start with the simplest thing (a loose battery terminal was a biggie) and progress to the more complex. I also learned about the principle that prevention was mightier than the cure. We can't easily fix our cars these days but we can take control of the preventative maintenance (if we've got the bucks that is).

So we are starting with the issue of water, hydration. Quite a while back I read an amazing book called "The Body's Many Cries for Water" by Dr Batmanghelidj. Our body's internal environment is dictated by water and it's many metabolic functions. This guys discovery was that many, if not most, people are walking around dehydrated. This has many consequences such as gastric problems, muscle and joint pain, effects on weight gain/loss and so on. Definitely check out his website. Incidentally, he died a while back and his wife is still maintaining the site and the research institute I believe. The short of it is that our body will communicate with us in many ways that it is thirsty. Often the sense of thirst in the mouth is the last resort. Gastric disturbance or muscle pain can also be "thirst indicators."

Breath. It really starts here doesn't it? When a baby takes it's first breath it is a big leap into realm of living. This too is a big subject that I had to understand as a massage therapist. Most people are coming to you as a therapist with one thing or another where stress is playing a big role. Over the years I noticed the correlation between shallow or dysfunctional breathing and the issue of the stressors in that persons life. There are many resources on this issue. I started with Andrew Weil's cd "Breathing - the master key to health". It is a good basic lecture on the physiology of breath and the consequences of "ill breathing". Of course, the Indian practices of Pranayama are the focus of most of the restorative breathing exercises. Just keyword simple breathing practices and tons of useful stuff will come up. As we'll see later this issue intersects heavily with spiritual connectedness.

Now talk about a huge subject, nutrition is in the stratosphere. But here I will try really hard to stay on the positive tip...but oh heck. By and large the US approach to food and eating is really whacked. We are known throughout the world for bad movies that everyone loves to hate and fast food that is taking the world by a the storm. OK, I am deep breathing...trying to stay positive here.

Well a few basic thoughts. A couple of years ago I began to hear about the "slow food movement", that's right, it is the opposite of fast food. The premise is that we really need to be much more appreciative of our food. Get more connected to it's many sources. Learn to enjoy cooking and then eating in a relaxed pace with friends and family. Cultures all over the word really excel in this respect and our culture has much to learn I believe. In addition and closely connected to slow food is the idea of getting foods as local as possible. Have you heard about the "100 Mile Diet". I ran into this concept on our vacation in Vancouver BC a year ago. This couple decided to try for a year to eat only foods that they could find by local food producers within a hundred mile radius of their home. They have really started something that I think is a portent of the future. As transportation energy resources dwindle the belief is that there will be a movement to "relocalize" food production closer to the urban areas.

All of this relates to the issue of our foods vitality. The longer the distance things like produce travel the less vital it is when you put it on your table. Also industrial farming requires more toxins for production whereas many of the local farmers are more apt to use organic or less toxic approaches to growing their food and feeding their animals.

In general I advocate getting the freshest most colorful foods, moderate animal protein and supplement with vegetable protein like various beans and lentils, stay away from processed foods, and no trans fats. Learn which vegetables and fruits are more pesticide prone.

I believe in vitamin supplementation. I know the next title I am going to suggest is rather negative but give the book and the website a try. It is called "What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You" by Dr. Ray Strand. Told ya! I have learned a good bit from his this guy. There are many other resources out there on this. Another kind of odd location for some really interesting interviews on nutrition and other alternative health stuff is Franklin Sanders' The Money Changer website.

Now we enter the area of physicality, movement. Another area that our society struggles with for sure. Movement is and should be our human mode of existence. However in a culture like ours there are many short circuits to movement. We are a car culture and a high tech culture so many of our opportunities for movement absent or very small. It is almost like the thing with nutritional supplements. We have to find ways to supplement movement in our lives. An area that I have pursued is called the Egoscue Method. I started using it for myself and clients a number of years ago and eventually got certified to use the discipline in my practice. The basic idea is that we are largely living in a deficit of movement that prevents nourishment to our postural framework. When that goes awry lots of negatives start piling up. So this discipline specifically developed to address the body wide distortions occurring due to inadequate postural reinforcement. The website is a big resource of free and informative stuff and also options for pursuing further if need be. Look at the area on the home page called "Free Menu Updates." It is also a discipline that works even better with personalized attention as you will see from the website.

I am also a big fan of just plain old walking for adding movement to my life often with my life partner Dianne. One thing I have noticed is that we are often led to extremes as we try to supplement movement into our lives. I think there may be some problems with extreme forms of physical fitness that can lead to what is called oxidative stress. Really this process is going on all the time but extreme attempts at fitness can escalate this phenomena and cause problems down the line.

Last but not least is the whole issue of spiritual development and attention. Some people may accomplish this through their religious practice others not. I think the short of it is that many of us can benefit from practices that help to connect us to our inner selves and give us a break from the pressures of the external world. Take me, I am a news junkie. Well I think that stuff takes a toll. I am always looking for a valve I can use to turn off that stuff. I use music, walking as I said earlier or simply taking a day without looking at the news, like on our recent vacation.
Many of you may be ahead of me on this but I think forms of simple meditation are worth the effort to include in your daily regimen. Sometimes I do this with brief use of deep breathing exercises. But increasingly I feel the need to really check in with my inner self and try to detox the mind and spirit a bit. I hear a lot from people that meditation is one of the hardest things to do. It is hard to have a singular focus on the present without letting all that other garbage infiltrate. But the very practice of meditation is a constant shooing away extraneous thoughts and focusing on your breath perhaps or a pleasant image or phrase that is meaningful. Hopefully other readers will comment in the future on what works for them.

Oh well, time for my morning walk.

Selling health not as profitable as selling sickness

2006-09-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

Had a great vacation in San Francisco and then to Big Sur. That was when I decided I wanted to get into the blogging realm. While in SF we went to our favorite bookstore in the mission area called Modern Times along with many trips to Pakwan, a really great Indian/Pakistani restaurant. We took down tons of titles as we were not able to buy all the ones we saw of interest. One book they had was called "Selling Sickness." Since getting back to town I went and checked it out at the library. Here is the opening point in the prologue -- "...Merck's aggressive chief executive Henry Gadsden told Fortune magazine of his distress that the company's potential markets had been limited to sick people...it had long been his dream to make drugs for healthy people. Because then Merck would be able to "sell to everyone.""

What a dream! Obviously more money can be made if you can make drugs for everyone. So the book goes into lots of areas where "illnesses" have been created to justify new production of drugs. Worth a read if only for the stuff in there about cholesterol. They keep lowering the bar on what the acceptable level of total cholesterol such that it can be reached by most people only if you take statin drugs. One of the biggest blockbuster drugs ever is Lipitor.

The whole deal about cholesterol is a big controversy. Maybe my next post will give some alternative thoughts on that subject that I have come across in recent years. Here is an interesting factoid. The brain has tons of cholesterol. It is like a fat sponge. What are the implications of having drugs that short circuit the body's ability to produce it's own cholesterol? Ironically, one of the claims of the statin producers is that they may be good for preventing Alzheimer's Disease. I wonder if in the end we might find out that they contribute to it instead.