• Every three minutes a woman in the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer.
• Breast cancer is the leading cancer amoung Causcasian and African American wormen.
• Breast cancer incidence in women has increased from one in 20 in 1960 to one in eight today.

From a statistical view what every we have been doing to curb the disease hasn’t worked, it is getting worse!  The American Cancer Society and National Cancer Institue estimates that roughly on-third of all cancer deaths are related to diet and activity.  But diet alone is unlikely to be the cause or cure of cancer.  However, findings do suggest that physical activity and healthy diet low in certain fats and high in vegetables and fiber, and a healthy weight can help reduce the risk of breast cancer or the cancer returning.

Diet and Cancer

What you eat can hurt you, but it can also help you.  Many vegetables and oils contain important phytochemicals forming antioxidants that neutralize the damage caused by free radicals.  There isn’t a single element in a particular food that does all the work, the combined foods work synergistically when consumed as a whole plant not just active ingredients from the plants.  The best thing to do is eat a variety of whole foods.  The challenge is most people do not eat enough of these unique whole foods to allow your body to process what it needs to combate the effects of oxidation.  This creates a state of oxidative stress that is a hot topic of research today.

Foods to Consider

Studys done recently have shown that the healthful compounds in different foods work together to provide health benefits.  The benefits of any single food must be evaluated as a part of your whole diet.  The following list are some commonly not eaten but necessary foods and oils that are good for your health.

• Black Currant Seed Oil.  This wonderful oil is a natural source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).  GLA is one of two essential fatty acids that are necessary for maintaining normal functioning and growth of cells, nerves, muscles and organs.
• Cruciferous Vegetables.  Specifically less eaten Kale and Brussel Sprouts.  The more commonly used Brocholi and cauliflower are also very helpful to keep in your diet.
• Omega-3 Fats.  Scientific data implicat omega -3 fatty acids as inhibitors of development and progression of a range of human cancers.  The ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in diet is equally as important.  The typical American diet contains up to 20 times as much omega-6 fats as it does omega-3 fats, the optimum ratio is 1:1.  Research has found that women with the highest omega-3 fats in breast fatty tissue were less apt to have breast cancer.
• Fiber.  Research has shown that a high fiber diet works to reduce hormone levels that may be involved in the progression of breast cancer, and that fiber increases the amount of estrogen removed from the body.
• Healthy Weight.  Maintaining a healthy weight may help reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back.  Overweight women were shown to be at a higher risk for all types of cancer in recent studies.  Along with regular body movements (sometimes called exercise) will maintain a healthy body.

Seasonal Clearing.

If you have had Meridian therapy at my office in recent times or years past you will know the importance of keeping the meridian channels clear from blockages. A simple meridian clearing and balancing is important to feeling your best during the upcoming cold and flu season and Holiday’s that include a healthy dosage of STRESS!

Thank You.

Thanks to all the well wishers that knew about my annual chronological marker! I turned 60 this month and will officially only recognize birthdays in decades from here on out. A wonderful surprise I got from my kids was the announcement that my older son and wife are expecting their second child. That will bring our total of grand children to 12 in 2012!

Food Dudes.

Speaking of kids, one of the constant complaints I hear from many of my patients is that they can’t get their kids to eat healthy. Well, I just read in a national news article from the Deseret News that a psychology professor at Bangor University in North Wales, England has created a program for kids to eat and like fruits and vegetables. The program is called Food Dudes and is geared for kids from 6 to 11 years old. It gets kids to try fruits and vegetables and then become a peer group seen eating and liking the food. After about a year into the program the consumption among English kids jumped as high as 90 percent. A pilot program is starting in the U.S. to see if our kids will take to the healthy stuff like their English counterparts.
Of course, you don’t have to wait for the results of programs and tests to see the results of eating healthy. It can be almost immediate. Proverbs says train up a child in the way he should go and he will not depart from it. I saw the beginnings of that with the recent family gathering we had. With all my ten grand children enjoying food and “goodies” customary at a birthday gathering an interesting thing happened. One of my grand son’s has been carefully raised to avoid sugars and hollow carbs from processed food. When he got hungry he went over to our fruit bowl and grabbed a small apple and began to eat it. He is two and a half. When the other older grand kids saw him eating the apple they all wanted one too! It is amazing how much an example can play in how and what we eat.

Dinner Time can Prevent Drug Abuse in teens.

In another article I read about food and its effect on our lives told about a study done at the National Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The Chairman of the center Joseph A. Califano, Jr. stated, “Parental engagement fostered around the dinner table is one of the most potent tools to help parents raise healthy, drug-free children.” The research is showing that compared with teens who have frequent dinners with family, defined as five to seven times a week, and those who have dinner with family fewer than three times a week are almost four times more likely to smoke and twice as likely to use alcohol. They are also two and a half times more likely to use marijuana and four times a likely to say they expect to use drugs in the future.
Califano wrote, “When asked about the best part of family dinners, the most frequent answer from teens is the sharing, talking and interacting with family members; the second-most frequent answer is sitting down or being together.” So, if you have kids still at home make sure you spend time with them and an great place is around food, whether it is at breakfast, dinner or what ever fits your schedule, eat healthy food and get talking.

Have a great Fall and get prepared for the Holiday season by doing your part to keep healthy and keep your gutters clean.

Healthfully yours,

Dr. Tim

Vaccination clinics abound in the community. Should you visit one?

With the weather turning unseasonably colder in northern California the flu season is in full swing.  The annual influenza is taking its annual toll on the population and with the addition of the Swine flu that has accounted for a few deaths locally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with local county health agencies have begun an advertising campaign geared toward motivating the masses to get the flu vaccine.

 This year, that campaign has been even more urgent due to outbreaks of the H1N1″swine flu” virus, which have spread from one country to the next in the past six months or so. Local H1N1 vaccine centers have been set up around the Sacramento County making the new Swine Flu vaccine available to most anyone that wants it.

 Should you get yourself and your children vaccinated against the flu? Just like all vaccines and medications, there are potential side effects associated with the flu shot. Minor side effects can include but are not limited to soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site, low-grade fever and other aches and pains. More severe, life-threatening complications have proven to be rare, but the danger still exists that someone can suffer severe effects from this alleged beneficial vaccine.

 The most common dangerous side effect is an allergic reaction. Since the vaccine is grown in eggs, it is more dangerous for those who have had an allergic reaction to other vaccines in the past. These reactions can include breathing problems, hoarseness or wheezing, hives, paleness, weakness, and a fast heartbeat or dizziness.

 The most serious side effect is Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). This is a disease in which the body damages its own nerve cells, resulting in muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis. While most people eventually recover, some have permanent nerve damage and 5 percent to 6 percent of those who develop GBS will die. The CDC would remind you that only six of every 1 million people injected with the flu shot will develop GBS. That’s small comfort if you’re one of the six, of course.

 The CDC talks about the benefits of being vaccinated, but are those benefits backed up with the facts? The flu vaccine is always changing because the flu strains change from one year to the next. (The swine flu is one such variation.) The manufacturers of the vaccine take a shot in the dark and hope they’ll hit the right strain each year, but the fact is the flu shot is only 70 percent to 90 percent effective.

 The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics advocate simple health habits to prevent the spread of illnesses like the flu. Taking these steps can help people avoid the flu without having to get a flu shot in the first place:

 Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough/sneeze; throw the used tissue away.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water as soon as possible after coughing or sneezing.
• Keep yourself and any babies and children in your care away from people who are coughing or sneezing.
• Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth if you in close contact with people who are sick or have been sick.

 Consider these suggestions, along with the above information regarding risks vs. benefits, before getting a flu shot this year after all, it’s your health and the health of your children at stake.

Clear drainage is better than yellow sticky snot

How do you know if a runny nose should be of concern depends on the type of drainage.  If you have a clear and watery discharge it is likely the result of an allergic reaction to something in the environment causing a histamine reaction.  If the discharge turns yellow or green in color and becomes thick and sticky that indicates a potentially more serious condition and a probable viral or bacterial infection underway in the sinuses.

 Regardless of the cause, sinusitis is a common problem with frustrating symptoms: congestion, cough, sore throat, fatigue, fever, pain and pressure around the eyes, cheeks nose or forehead. What can you do to prevent sinusitis? Harvard Women’s Health Watch offers a few simple suggestions for reducing your risk or relieving early symptoms of the condition.

 First, keeping your nasal membranes moist is a great way to avoid/reduce sinus symptoms. Stir 1 teaspoon salt into 2 cups of lukewarm water; use a squeeze bottle to stream the solution through your nose. Do this 1-2 times daily to keep your nasal passages from drying out and clear excess mucus before it has a chance to cause congestion and/or infection.

 Drinking lots of water every day is another great way to keep mucus from building up; water keeps mucus thin, loose and easy to dissipate with the saltwater solution or simply by blowing your nose.

 If you have sinus symptoms, inhaling steam also can help to reduce congestion and other symptoms. You can do this several ways: by spending a little extra time in a hot shower or steam room; or by boiling water in a pan and then inhaling the steam. (Place a towel over your head to maximize the effect.)

 Finally, sleeping with your head elevated helps prevent mucus from pooling. When mucus builds up in your nasal passages, it’s a veritable breeding ground for infection. It might mean you spend a few days and nights with a runny nose, but it’s better in the long run than the alternative – congestion and infection.

 Remember; always consult with your health care provider to make sure your symptoms aren’t indicative of something more serious. There are other natural methods of treating your sinus problems without having to rely on decongestants or other over-the-counter medications

According to the US National Center for Health Statistics over two million deaths occur each year with over 62% directly attributed to tobacco use and smoking. According to the American Cancer Society cigarettes kill more Americans than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide and illegal drugs combined. In terms of life expectancy smoking decreases a person’s life by nearly 7 years.

So what is the best way to quit? Natural health providers have used hypnosis, herbs and cleansing programs, acupuncture to help people stop smoking. Clinical experience will tell that the success of any behavioral modification program is always dependant on the sincere desire of the individual to want to accomplish a change. One of the most unique programs is described as follows; these steps must be done without exception.

1. It is OK to smoke! That surprises most “quitters however, you must do the following steps exactly.
2. When smoking change the brand to a non-filtered cigarette brand that you are not familiar with.
3. Do not carry the cigarettes on your person. The cigarettes must be stored in the trunk of your car or someplace you are not use to.
4. Smoking is to be done outside only. In California that should be common place. The place must not be covered except for an umbrella in wet weather.
5. When smoking hold the cigarette with both hands.

So what are you waiting for, go ahead and find a way to quit and stick to it your lungs will thank you. If you want additional information about ways to quit smoking go to quitsmokingsupport.com.

How to reap the benefits of gratitude if it’s not a usual trait? Count your blessings, says Michael McCullough at University of Miami and Robert Emmons at University of California, Davis. Both psychology professors have collaborated in a study that shows gratitude is not only an inborn train, but also a state, which can be changed and even cultivated.

“Count your blessings” was a 10 week study where participants were asked each week to list things they were thankful for, another group was to list things that were a hassle and a third group was to write down neutral events. The results showed the people who kept gratitude journals not only felt better about their lives as a whole, they also exercised more regularly and had fewer physical symptoms like headaches, stomach upset and muscle stiffness.

In another study by McCullough and Emmons they discovered that an intensity effect could be achieved from the previous study by recording positive and grateful things every day. People who participated in this study where shown to feel significantly more energetic, joyful and strong.

Other researchers have made a life’s work out of quantifying what is taught in most religious institutions as basic ethics to live by. Stephen G. Post Director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics in the School of Medicine, Stony Brook University (SUNY) said, “At a time when there are synthetic compounds that tap into the same brain chemistry that giving does, it may seem that we are perhaps substituting happiness pills for the happiness that flows from pro-social opportunities. The convergence of evidence is striking in support of the hypothesis that benevolent emotions, attitudes and actions centered on the good of others are contributory to happiness, health, and even longevity in the agent of such giving. Benevolence is chiefly about the well-being of recipients, but that said, it can be added that it nourishes the giver as well.”

Saying Thank You is one way to express Gratitude

Large grocery chains in the Sacramento area like Raley’s and Safeway have significant sections devoted to “natural” or organic foods and supplies. Specialty health food stores in the area like Elliott’s, Sunrise and Sunshine Natural foods have carried a variety of herbs and supplements for years. GNC and the Vitamin Shoppe are chain stores near or in the major mall shopping centers that carry a full array of herbal supplements.

“Customers commonly enter a store looking for an herbal remedy for a given problem,” said Dr. Kyle Christensen a Chiropractor, Master Herbalist and owner of Western Botanicals. “It is important to understand the mindset of this behavior: People are looking for an herbal supplement to function like a pharmaceutical medication,” Christensen said from Utah where his wholesale herbal business moved a few years ago. According to Dr. Christensen this has spawned new words to describe the use as ‘herbal medicine and nutraceuticals.’
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Dr. Christensen commented that we often make a critically wrong assumption when using either pharmaceuticals or herbs that are pitched as drug replacements: It goes something like this: “If I take this drug or herb, it will negate the poor dietary habits that almost certainly caused my health condition in the first place.” No medication or herb can do that, particularly if you don’t change your dietary habits.

According to recent research at several US universities chronic inflammation functions as the fuel that lights the fire to some disease development and progression. These studies show numerous inflammatory signaling molecules play a role in promoting disease activity, one of which is called nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-kB). Many conditions are known to be promoted by NF-kB, including arthritis, allergies, multiple sclerosis, obesity, atherosclerosis, heart attacks, cancer, Crohn’s disease, psoriasis, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.

Herbs such as ginger, garlic and turmeric are known to reduce the activity of NF-kB, which suggests they are useful in preventing and treating multiple diseases. Research supports this use of herbs. Ginger, turmeric, boswellia, and garlic are some of the most commonly supplemented herbs, and a strong body of research evidence demonstrates their anti-inflammatory abilities. They can be taken every day in a food source or in supplements.

What the research seems to be saying is the overall goal should be to create a solid anti-inflammatory foundation with proper diet and herbal support. It seems important according to the research to embrace this foundation as the approach to disease prevention and health improvement.

herbs in the natural form are great to enliven food