"I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity." - John D. Rockefeller

"Life consists of what a man is thinking of all day." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Journalist: "A writer whose skill is improved by a deadline; the more time he has, the worse he writes." - Karl Kraus (1874-1936), Austrian satirist

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you." - Dale Carnegie

"Don't jump over dollars to save a few pennies!"

"The best methods of investing may not be the most glamorous." - Anonymous

JOB: "Just Over Broke"

"Take the wealth of the world, divide it evenly among everyone, and in 20 years it will be back in the hands of the same wealthy few."

"What would you rather have, $1,000,000 right now or a penny that doubles every day for a total of 30 days?"

"The way to become rich is to have something that makes you money even when you're asleep." - Michael Caine, the actor

"Don't try. Do."

"Just do it!" - from Nike commercial

"From ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggetie beasties,
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord deliver us"

- from an old Scottish prayer

"He that fights and runs away

May turn and fight another day.

But he that is in battle slain

Can never rise to fight again."

- from 18th century poem

"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone."

- G.B. Stern

"Money can't buy happiness, but it can make you awfully comfortable while you're being miserable."

- Clare Boothe Luce

"A mind that is stretched to a new idea never returns
to its original dimension."

- Oliver Wendell Holmes

The Power of One

By Michael Masterson

One of the biggest lessons I've learned about writing came to me after about a year of writing ETR. Like many writers, I often tried to put too much into each essay. I began with a main idea, but when that idea suggested a second one and then a third, I put those in too. That was a mistake. It made the essay too long and cumbersome. And instead of gaining power, the message weakened.

My strongest pieces - the ones that got the most positive responses from ETR readers - were those that focused on one good and helpful thought. By restricting myself that way, I managed to say more in fewer words.

Readers, I realized, didn't want to hear everything I had to say about a particular topic every time I fired up my computer. They were looking for a single, useful idea that could make them more successful.

So I came up with a rule that I asked everyone writing for ETR to abide by. I called it "The Rule of One" - and it was very simple: Write about only one thing at a time. Because one good idea, clearly and convincingly presented, is better than a dozen so-so ideas strung together.

I truly believed that following this rule would always produce better writing... and it did.

Several years later, I introduced the Rule of One concept to Agora writers and copywriters at a creative retreat. Many of them have used it since then, to great effect. Then, last year, I divulged it to more than 600 people at the AWAI/ETR yearly Bootcamp in Delray Beach, FL. I'm sure that many of them, too, have used it to improve their writing.

This rule is not ironclad at ETR. That's because some of our writers just don't buy it and others can't always reduce their pieces to a single idea. I occasionally violate it myself. (If I have six good reasons for this or 12 techniques for that, I sometimes can't stop myself from including them all. The results are always disappointing.) But almost all of ETR's best essays have followed this rule. If you are interested in looking at some of them, here are seven:

• How to Become a Chicken Entrepreneur

The idea: The best (and lowest-risk) way to start your own business is to keep your day job while working on your entrepreneurial venture at night and on weekends. You can quit when your new business is bringing in more than your regular income.

• Do You Own Your Business or Does It Own You?

The idea: Entrepreneurs who want to create a valuable business they can retire from some day must organize it so that it doesn't require their constant presence to be profitable.

• How to Avoid the Conceit of Outside Knowledge

The idea: Just because you have been a longtime customer of a restaurant or another type of business doesn't mean you are capable of running a similar one. There are many hidden "secrets" to every type of business - not visible to outsiders - that are critical to success.

• Don't Let Perfect Ruin Good

The idea: Don't wait for everything to be perfect before launching a new product or business. Put serious effort into getting it right, test it in the real world, and then you'll know what improvements you need to make.

• The Best Way to Surpass Your Peers and Rise to the Top of Any Business

The idea: Working harder than your co-workers and competitors will guarantee your success.

• A Business Question You Must Be Able to Answer

The idea: Before you can sell a product, you need to find out if people will buy it.

• How to Become What You Want to Be

The idea: You can't actually BE a writer unless you write - just as you can't be a pilot if you don't fly planes, a philanthropist if you don't give away money, an entrepreneur if you don't start a business... and so on.

Recently I have been thinking (and writing) about how best-selling books are crafted. Many of them seem to follow the Rule of One. Consider these classic business best-sellers:

• What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles

The idea: Finding a life-changing new job that you love is the key to happiness.

• The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

The idea: There is a pattern to commercial and cultural trends. If you understand the pattern, you can use the knowledge to benefit yourself and others.

• Scientific Advertising by Claude Hopkins

The idea: The purpose of advertising is to sell, not entertain or win creative awards.

• The Long Tail by Chris Anderson

The idea: Extremely low storage and delivery costs for digital information products have made marketing niche products extremely profitable.

• Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton

The idea: The best way to motivate employees (and improve your business) is to focus on their strengths rather than correct their weaknesses.

• Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson

The idea: Change is inevitable. So you must be prepared to change or you'll be left behind.

And here's a very recent example: Suzy Welch, a former editor of the Harvard Business Review (and the wife of Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric) was given a million-dollar contract by Scribner (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) to publish 10-10-10, a book based on a variation of a single good idea that's been around for years: Before you make a decision, consider the impact it will have on you in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years.

We have taught ETR readers to think that way many times since we began publishing in 2000. But we never thought of turning the idea into a book. Shame on us.

If you are planning to write a book, you probably have lots of ideas that you want to include. Figure out which one is the strongest, and focus on it. That's what I did with Ready, Fire, Aim. Though this book contains just about everything I know about starting and growing entrepreneurial businesses, the title zeros in on the one idea I thought was the strongest and most useful. And this may be the reason it got so many positive reviews. Most of the industry people we showed it to - professional businesspeople and writers - said it was the best book I've ever written. My other books have plenty of good ideas in them. But they were designed to be comprehensive and were titled that way. This one took better advantage of the Rule of One.

The best thing about the Rule of One is that it's not just for writing books and articles. You can also apply it to your business goals.

Before you go into a meeting, for example, think about the one thing you'd like to accomplish. Make that one thing your priority, and hammer away at it. You'll be amazed at how often you will end up leaving the meeting with that goal accomplished.

Use the Rule of One at business lunches, too, and even parties. Challenge yourself: "Who is the best person I can network with here?" And "What is the one best thing I can say to that person to capture his interest?"

Spend some time today looking at work you've done - ads you've written, products you've created, goals you've set. How could you make them stronger by applying the Rule of One?

Word to the Wise: Mibster

A "mibster" (MIB-ster) is a marble player. Also, according to the Urban Dictionary, a marble addict, especially one collecting contemporary, huge, art-glass marbles.

Example (as used in The Atlantic Monthly): "Though it's customarily considered bad form to shoot marbles past noon on Good Friday, the rules [for this year's British and World Marbles Championships, held annually on Good Friday] have been relaxed to accommodate all the mibsters."

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise [Issue #2281, 02-18-08], the Internet's most popular health, wealth, and success e-zine. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com/.

Birth Control Pills -- Still Hold Risks

By James B. LaValle, R.Ph, ND, CCN

Years ago I started educating health professionals and patients in my practice about birth control pills. If they -- or their wives, daughters, or patients were taking them -- they should make sure to supplement with a multivitamin and mineral containing higher dosages of B vitamins.

The reason? Studies have found that oral contraceptives deplete several nutrients including vitamins B2, B6, and B12, folate, vitamins C and E, magnesium, and even CoQ10.^1-5 These nutrient depletions have far-reaching effects; they can contribute to everything from depression, migraines, and anemia -- to cervical dysplasia -- the precursor to cervical cancer.

Today it is common medical practice to discontinue the use of birth control pills for a few months before trying to get pregnant because the folate depletion they cause can increase the risks of a baby being born with spina bifida.

As recently as 2003, a study found that young women who took birth control pills had twice as much C-reactive protein (CRP) in their blood.⁶ CRP is a product of systemic inflammation and is known to cause narrowing and hardening of the arteries. This was a small study, but it showed that birth control pills promoted inflammation in the body -- part of which is very likely due to the nutrients they deplete.

I emphasized the word "young" because this study showed that the inflammation is happening at a young age. While the authors stated that the study could not determine whether the elevated CRP would increase the risk of heart disease, it only stands to reason that the longer a woman lives with elevated CRP, the greater her risk will be of developing damage from it.

Many gynecologists today still believe the risks from birth control pills were mainly in the past when dosages of the hormones were higher. In fact, most gynecologists still encourage the use of birth control pills because some research suggests that they lower the risk of ovarian cancer and pelvic inflammatory disease.

While this is a very personal decision, I believe women should know that even today's birth control pills can deplete nutrients -- and that any woman using them should protect herself by taking a good multivitamin every day as well as extra CoQ10 (60 to 90 mg per day).

If you or your significant other uses birth control pills, protect yourself with extra nutrients, and measure your CRP levels to see if they are elevated. If they are, you should try to decrease other sources of inflammation to your body like high intake of sugars and other high glycemic index foods.

Taking the nutrients mentioned above plus additional antioxidants will help to reduce CRP levels. If CRP still doesn't come down, you may need to consider other methods of birth control.

References

1. Webb, JL, J Reprod Med 25(4) (Oct 1980) : 150-56.
2. Ahmed, F et al., Am J Clin Nutr 28(6) (Jun 1975) : 606-15.
3. Bermond, P Acta Vitaminol Enzymol 1982;4(1-2):45-54
4. Seelig MS, J Am Coll Nutr, 1993 12(4):442-58
5. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (194, 5:e35-e38, 2006).
6. Dreon D, et al. American Physiological Society Annual Meeting, San Diego, 2003.

[Ed. Note: James LaValle, R.Ph, ND, CCN, is the founding Director of the LaValle Metabolic Institute, one of the largest integrative medicine practices in the country. He was named as one of the 50 most influential pharmacists in the US by American Druggist magazine. Dr. LaValle is the author of more than a dozen books including the bestseller, Cracking the Metabolic Code: 9 Keys to Optimal Health.]

Cutting Edge Fitness: 3 Keys to Fitness Success By Carlo X. Alvarez

The design of a successful fitness-training program should begin with the end in mind. There always needs to be a means to an end. I have met plenty of people in my field that believe due to their training strategy, they can't achieve the results they set out to accomplish. In this article I will cover three simple keys to help you achieve fitness success.

Set Goals

Whether in life or in fitness, having a plan is the most important key to being successful. Always begin a workout plan by having specific goals that will allow you to visualize what it is that you would like to accomplish. This will provide you a specific game plan.

Goals are very motivating and can be divided into two types: intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic goals are external (getting in shape for spring break or a beach vacation). These are temporary and fluctuate. Usually, the commitment and discipline during and after workouts of people who are extrinsically motivated is inconsistent.

Intrinsic motivation and goals on the other hand, come from within. It is your desire to be the best you can be. It is the ability and need to reach your goals and full potential. People motivated intrinsically are more consistent from day to day and month to month -- and they sustain great work habits throughout the entire year.

Be Consistent

Most people look at fitness and the basic components of exercise and diet as the most important factors in getting in shape. But being consistent over a period of time will provide the results you are after.

Being consistent can be accomplished by tweaking your program from week to week or month to month. The best programs are the ones that look at what has been accomplished and find ways to make improvements. This means that even the best thought-out program will not give you the results you want forever.

This is because the body adapts to the stimulus and then stagnates. So making sure that you consistently modify the variables (sets, reps, rest, etc.) will allow you to stay motivated, keep your body in a constant state of influx, and achieve results consistent with your goals.

Attack Weak Areas

Before beginning any exercise program you need to make sure that you learn your strengths and weaknesses. This will provide you with a road map that will help you achieve program success.

Whether you are working out to lose fat or to get rid of low back pain, you should always start with the areas that need the most improvement first. For example, if you are trying to eliminate low back tightness, always start with a non-weight bearing warm-up followed by some low-back specific stretches. This will help to increase blood flow to the muscles in that area, raise the heart rate, and prepare the body for activity.

Once the body is warm and stretched properly, begin performing some activation drills. These drills will stimulate motor recruitment in the glutes, hips, and low back and wake up the muscles through central nervous system activation. By attacking the problem first, you allow the body to function as a unit that is totally warm -- instead of stressing the body at its weakest point from the very beginning.

In our next article, we will cover some hip and low-back specific exercises to improve stability, mobility, and flexibility. For now, make sure that you set high achievable goals, are consistent in your routine, and work on weak areas of the body first. By following this advice, your workout will allow for more successful and efficient results.

[Ed. note: Carlo X. Alvarez is a noted authority in the customized fitness and sports performance field. He is recognized for his integrated and systematic approach to training, based on a foundation of safe and proven methodology that has direct and measurable benefits to performance.]

Healthy Nutrition: EVOO... Is it Always Healthy? By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

Thanks to Rachel Ray and the recent popularity of the Mediterranean Diet, it seems that everyone is on the EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) bandwagon.

Certainly, healthy oils and fats are now known to have many benefits when eaten as part of a low carb, anti-inflammatory diet. But many people are not aware that the biggest trick to keeping our intake of fats healthy, is to know whether they can be heated or not -- and if so, to what temperature.

In pressing nuts, seeds, grains, or olives to make oil, the pressing itself creates heat. This is why cold-pressed oils are more desirable. Keeping the temperatures down during pressing helps prevent the creation of oxidized fats. Oils are more prone to the damaging effects of heat than saturated fats, which are chemically more stable. Heating oils to higher temperatures than they can tolerate, oxidizes them and creates a potent source of free radicals -- highly unstable molecules that can damage our cells.

For instance, because EVOO is from the first pressing of the olives, it has only been subjected to low heat. And because it is not further refined, it has a high concentration of plant phenols. These naturally occurring plant chemicals fight nasty free radicals and decrease inflammation, and therefore protect against heart disease and cancer.

So the last thing we want to do is to squelch the activity of these protective compounds through cooking with high heat. According to the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, heating EVOO to somewhere in the range of 180°C or approximately 356°F, causes a decrease in two beneficial plant phenols.

The experts at the World's Healthiest Foods, a website originated by the former owner of Health Valley foods, note that the more refined the oil, the more heat it can withstand. Since cold-pressed EVOO comes from the initial pressing, it is in the most unrefined state, and therefore most vulnerable to heat. They recommend heating EVOO to temperatures no higher than 250°F or what we would call "low heat". This translates to light sautéing for short periods of time.

The best-case scenario to obtain the maximum phytochemicals with the least oxidation, would be to consume EVOO in unheated form -- in other words using it in salad dressings versus cooking with it. One strategy is to play it safe by steaming vegetables in some broth or water and then drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables just before eating. This can be done with most foods and is a sure way to guard the precious phytochemicals in this health-promoting oil.

If you want to use olive oil for cooking, it is best to use an extra light olive oil, which is more refined, but can tolerate temperatures up to about 400°F. Or try other healthy oils and fats that can be used for cooking. Grapeseed oil, butter, ghee butter, coconut oil, and macadamia nut oil are all good choices.

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute). She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention.]

Healthy Recipes: Red, White, and Blueberry Salad By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

Turkey and cranberry gets a summertime makeover with this cool, refreshing salad that's loaded with vitamins, minerals, and healthy antioxidants. The addition of juicy, sweet blueberries and creamy goat cheese makes this a flavorful, eye-pleasing treat when it's just to hot to cook.

Serves: 4
Time to Table: 15 minutes

Healing Nutrient Spotlight
Excellent source of vitamin B-12, niacin, folate, selenium, manganese
Good source of vitamin A, vitamin B-6, zinc, copper, vitamin C, iron, thiamin, magnesium

Ingredients*

4 cups arugula lettuce
4 cups frisée lettuce
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4cup dried cranberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 lb. roasted turkey breast
1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles

*Select organic ingredients for optimum nutrition.

Preparation
Wash lettuces and pat dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner. Tear into bite site pieces and divide onto four plates. Top each plate with 1/4 of remaining ingredients: red onion, cranberries, blueberries, pine nuts, roasted turkey, and goat cheese. Serve with your favorite balsamic vinaigrette.

Nutrition
270 calories, 13 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 3 g monounsaturated fat, 4 g polyunsaturated fat, 60 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 11 g sugar, 25 g protein, 700 IU vitamin A, .2 mg thiamin, .14 mg riboflavin, 5 mg niacin, .6 mg pantothenic acid, .4 mg vitamin B-6, 35 mcg folate, 1.6 mcg vitamin B-12, 11 mg vitamin C, .3 mg copper, 65 mg calcium, 70 mg magnesium, .9 mg manganese, 385 mg potassium, 3.4 mg iron, 21 mcg selenium, 400 mg sodium, 2 mg zinc

Source: LMI dietitian, Marta Graham, MS, RD, LD.

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 07-15-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/

The Nine Habits of Highly Healthy People

By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS

For years, business and motivational gurus have known that there are basic habits that seem to predict professional success and excellence. Books like The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by motivational speaker and business guru Stephen Covey, which has sold over 15 million copies alone, shows that people are hungry for the secrets of success.

We don't yet have the perfect formula for long life, happiness, and physical health, but a little careful distillation of the massive amount of research on health and longevity reveals that cultivating nine basic habits will significantly increase the odds of your living long, well, and happily -- in a robust, healthy, weight-appropriate body.

1. Eat your vegetables. No kidding --and I'm talking at least 9 servings a day. Unless you're following the most stringent first stage of the Atkins Diet, you should be able to consume 60-120 grams of carbs a day (depending on your weight and exercise level), and you'd have to eat a stockyard full of spinach to get to that amount. Every major study of long-lived, healthy people shows that they eat a ton of plant foods. Nothing delivers antioxidants, fiber, flavonoids, indoles, and the entire pharmacopeia of disease fighting phytochemicals like stuff that grows in rich soil.
   
   
2. Eat fish and/or take fish oil. The omega-3's found in cold-water fish like salmon deserve the title of "wellness molecule of the century." They lower the risk of heart disease, they lower blood pressure, they improve mood, and they're good for the brain. And if you're pregnant, they may make your kid smarter!
   
   
3. Connect. And I'm not talking about the internet. In virtually every study of people who are healthy and happy into their 9th and 10th decades, social connections are one of the "prime movers" in their life. Whether church, family, volunteer work, or community, finding something you care about that's bigger than you, that you can connect with and that involves other people (or animals) -- will extend your life, increase your energy, and make you happier -- always.
   
   
4. Get some sun. At least 10-15 minutes three times a week. Interestingly, a recent study showed that the four healthiest places on earth where the people were longest-lived, were in sunny climates.¹ Sun improves your mood and boosts levels of cancer-fighting, performance-enhancing, bone-strengthening vitamin D -- a vitamin most people don't get nearly enough of.
   
   
5. Sleep well. If you're low in energy, gaining weight, grumpy, and looking haggard, guess what? Chances are you're not sleeping long enough or well enough. By sleeping "well," I mean uninterrupted sleep, in the dark -- without the television on, in a relaxing environment. Nothing nourishes, replenishes, and restarts the system like 7-9 hours sleep. Hint: start by going to bed an hour early. And if you've got a computer in the bedroom, banish it!
   
   
6. Exercise every day. Forget this 20 minutes three times a week stuff. Long-lived people are doing things like farm chores at 4:30 in the morning! Our Paleolithic ancestors traveled an average of 20 miles per day. Our bodies were designed to move on a regular basis. New studies show that merely 30 minutes a day of walking not only reduces the risk of most serious diseases, but can even grow new brain cells!²
   
   
7. Practice gratitude. By making a list of things you're grateful for, you focus the brain on positive energy. Gratitude is incompatible with anger and stress. Practice using your under-utilized "right brain" and spread some love. Focusing on what you're grateful for -- even for five minutes a day -- has the added benefit of being one of the best stress-reduction techniques on the planet.
   
   
8. Drink red wine or eat grapes. The resveratrol in dark grapes is being studied for its effect on extending life, which it seems to do for almost every species studied. (So does eating about one third less food, by the way.) If you've got a problem with alcohol, you can get resveratrol from grapes, peanuts, or supplements. (And if you're a woman, and you choose the alcohol option, make sure you're getting folic acid every day.)
   
   
9. Get the sugar out. The number one enemy of vitality, health, and longevity is not fat, it's sugar. Sugar's effect on hormones, mood, immunity, weight, and possibly even cancer cells is enormous -- and it's all negative. To the extent that you can remove it from your diet, you will be adding years to your life and life to your years.

This list may not be perfect and it may not be complete, but it's a start. As my dear grandmother used to say, "Couldn't hurt." Not one of these "habits" will hurt you, all will benefit you, and some may make the difference between life and death.

And it's never too late to start cultivating them.

Enjoy the journey!

References

1. Buettner, D, The Blue Zones, National Geographic Books, 2008; ISBN 1426202741.
2. http://biomed.gerontologyjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/61/11/1166.

[Ed. note: Dr. Bowden is a nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition and health. He's a board certified nutrition specialist with a Master's degree in psychology and the author of five books including The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. His latest book is The Most Effective Cures on Earth.For more information, click here.

Nutrients & Health: The Green Tea Super Substance By Ray Sahelian, MD

EGCG. In the future you're going to see these initials quite often. EGCG is short for epigallocatechin gallate, a substance found in certain herbsand in high amountsin green tea. Many of the benefits of drinking green tea are ascribed directly to EGCG.

You can obtain EGCG from drinking green tea or taking a green tea extract supplement which lists the amount of EGCG per capsule. On average, a cup of green tea will have roughly 100 mg of EGCG per 8 ounces. The amount of EGCG present in green tea varies with different brands of the product, the region the green tea is grown, the amount of brewing time, and the age of the green tea leaves. A cup of green tea may have as much as 20 mg of caffeine. (As a comparison, the average cup of coffee has 100 mg of caffeine.)

Let's look at some of the published research to see if EGCG measures up to the claims you may have heard or read.

There have been few human studies directly evaluating EGCG. However, laboratory and animal studies are plentiful. In lab studies, EGCG has been found to be a potent antioxidant and to have anti-cancer abilities.¹ In animal studies, EGCG has been found to be potentially helpful in blood sugar control.² In human studies, EGCG has been shown to be helpful in reducing infection from HPV (human papilloma virus) in the cervix.³

Cancer Research

EGCG induces apoptosis in human cancer cell lines. Apoptosis means the death of a cell, and in the case of a cancer cell, apoptosis is a good thing. In test tubes, EGCG thwarts the growth of several cancer cells including prostate, breast, lungs, ovaries, and liver.^4-8

Cervical Dysplasia with the HPV Virus

EGCG, when given to women with cervical dysplasia at a dose of 200 mg per day for a period of 12 weeks, showed a positive response.3 EGCG may be a potential therapy regimen for patients with HPV infected cervical lesions.

Weight Loss

Research with EGCG and weight loss in humans is still quite early. At this time it appears that green tea and EGCG may help slightly with weight loss when used in high amounts.⁹ However, the long-term benefit versus potential risk of high EGCG consumption has yet to be determined.

Alzheimer's Disease

In rodent studies, EGCG is able to prevent the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaque in brain tissue.¹⁰ Beta-amyloid is the substance believed to damage neurons in the brains of people with Alzheimer's. Hence, it is possible that drinking green tea or taking an EGCG supplement could potentially reduce the risk for AD.

Summary

EGCG may have health benefits as a nutritional supplement for cancer, heart disease, certain viral infections, and neurodegenerative conditions, and perhaps weight loss. However, at this time we don't know the long term safety of taking a high dose EGCG supplement by itself. It is clear from published studies involving Japanese green tea drinkers that long term drinking of green tea is safe and healthy.

References

1. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 1999 Nov;125(11):589-97
2. J Herb Pharmacother. 2005;5(3):55-65.
3. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2003 Oct;12(5):383-90.
4. http://www.prostate-cancer.org/education/nutrprod/greentea.html
5. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407114633.htm
6. http://carcin.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/21/5/915
7. Int J Cancer, 112:465-469(2004).
8. J Biomed Sci. 2003 Mar-Apr;10(2):219-27
9. Br J Nutr. 2005 Sep;94(3):432-6.
10. Neurosci. 2005 Sep 21;25(38):8807-14.

[Ed. Note: Ray Sahelian, M.D. is a practicing physician and the best-selling author of Mind Boosters. He is a leading authority on natural supplements and nutrition. For the latest research on organic ways to improve your health and well-being, click here.]

Healthy Recipes: Cedar-Planked Salmon with Whole Grain Mustard Glaze By Kelley Herring

This is a fish dish you won't soon forget! Results from a recent Tufts University study found that getting 180 mg of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) daily can cut the risk of Alzheimer's disease by 47%!^1-2This fish dish provides a hefty 1000 mg -- more than five times that amount.

Time to Table: 1 hour
Serves: 4

The Benefits
Excellent source of protein, thiamin, riboflavin, potassium, selenium, and omega-3
Good source of folate, iron, magnesium
Low-Carb

Ingredients
4 cedar planks
1/2 cup organic, whole grain mustard
2 tsp fresh, organic lemon zest
1 Tbsp organic tamari
1 Tbsp organic dry mustard
24 ounces wild Alaskan salmon (4-6 oz fillets)
3 Tbsp organic mayonnaise
2 tsp buckwheat honey

Preparation
Light a grill. Soak cedar planks for 30 minutes in water. Once coals get a light gray ash, push them to the opposite side of the grill and set a disposable drip pan in the center. Meanwhile, mix mustards, tamari, honey, mayonnaise, and lemon zest. Drain planks, pat dry. Place salmon, skin side down, on the planks. Spread sauce over salmon. Place the planks on the grate above the drip pan, away from coals. Cover and cook salmon until just cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Nutrition Information
359.43 kcal Calories, 5.8 g Carbohydrate, 92.4 mg Cholesterol, 21.14 g Total Fat, 1.51 g Fiber, 35.7 g Protein, 716.26 mg Sodium, 3.24 g Sugars, 2.95 g Saturated fat, 0 g trans Fat, 6.75 g Monounsaturated Fat, 9.71 g Polyunsaturated Fat

References

1. Schaefer, J. et al. Archives of Neurology, Vol. 63, November 2006, pp. 1545-50.
2. Morris, MC. Archives of Neurology, Vol. 63, November 2006, pp. 1527-28 (editorial).

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the Founder & CEO of Healing Gourmet. She is also the creator of Healing Gourmet's Personalized Nutrition Software and Editor-in-Chief of the Healing Gourmet book series published by McGraw-Hill, including Eat to Fight Cancer, Eat to Beat Diabetes, Eat to Lower Cholesterol and Eat to Boost Fertility. For more information, click here.]

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 07-11-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/

The 12 Life Secrets

1: The Secret

"Your thoughts control your life."

"To invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights or inside information. What's needed is a sound intellectual framework for making decisions and the ability to keep emotions from corroding that framework." - Warren Buffett

"Our life is what our thoughts make of it." - Marcus Aurelius

2: Values

"The loftiest edifices need the deepest foundations." - George Santayana, philosopher

Philosophy - "a system of values by which one lives." - dictionary

"Men suffer all their lives under the foolish superstition that they can be cheated. But it is impossible for a man to be cheated by anyone but himself...." - Emerson

"Food is fuel. I focus on eating foods that increase my energy and my ability to compete." When stressed "I immediately go out for some exercise, like walking or jogging. That's a great thing about exercise. It reduces stress." - woman competitive athlete

"Happiness depends on ourselves." - Aristotle

"Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response." - what someone said later

"To act without clear understanding, to form habits without investigation, to follow a path all one's life without knowing where it really leads - such is the behavior of the multitude." - Meng-Tse, Chinese philosopher over two thousand years ago

3: Being Successful

"Failing to plan is planning to fail." - what someone said

"Keep the faith" - a popular expression

"What do you see yourself doing three to five years from now?"

"If you could have any job in the world, what would be the perfect job for you?"

"Our duty as men is to proceed as if limits to our ability did not exist. We are collaborators in creation." - Teilhard (tay-yar') de Chardin (d'shar-dan'), French philosopher

4: Improving Your Life

"Love not what thou art, only what thou may become." - Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha

"Never cease to be convinced that life might be better - your own and others'." -André Gide (jheed)

"When I do not practice one day, I know it. When I do not practice two days, my voice teacher knows it. When I do not practice three days, the whole world knows it." - Luciano Pavarotti

5: Becoming Financially Independent

"I don't invest in anything I don't understand." And follow these two rules: "Rule number one: Never lose money. Rule number two: Never forget rule number one." - Warren Buffett

6: Knowledge

"Education is not a product...it is a process, a never-ending one." - Bel Kaufman, American educator

"What sculpture is to a block of marble, education is to the soul." - Joseph Addison, English essayist

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." - John Wooden, UCLA basketball coach

"Let no youth have the anxiety of his education...He can with perfect certainty count on waking up one morning to find himself one of the competent ones of his generation." - William James

"Knowledge is power." - Francis Bacon

"The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of past centuries." - René Descartes (day-kart'), French philosopher

"There is more treasure in books than in all the pirates' loot on Treasure Island...and best of all, you can enjoy these riches every day of your life." - Walt Disney

"If you know all the answers, you haven't asked the right questions." - old proverb

"Curiosity is one of the most permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect." - Samuel Johnson

"Never regard study as a duty, but as the enviable opportunity to learn - to know the liberating influence of beauty in the realm of the spirit - for your own personal joy and to the profit of the community to which your later work belongs." - Albert Einstein

7: Overcoming Problems or Challenges

"No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear." - Edmund Burke, English statesman

"He has not learned the lesson of life who does not every day surmount fear." - Emerson

"To bear failure with courage is the best proof of character anyone can give." - W. Somerset Maugham, writer

"We have more ability than will power, and it is often an excuse to ourselves that we imagine that things are impossible." - words of a sage

"Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve." - Benjamin Franklin

"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained." - Marie Curie, Polish-born French scientist, winner of two Nobel prizes

8: Integrity

"In the future, everyone will have 15 minutes of fame." - Andy Warhol

"It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself." - Thomas Paine

"Always do what you say you will do." - businessman

"Whatever games are played with us, we must play no games with ourselves, but deal in our privacy with the last honesty and truth." - Emerson

"The final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands." - Anne Frank, from her diary

"[A person] has honor if he holds himself to an ideal of conduct - though it is inconvenient, unprofitable, or dangerous to do so." - Walter Lippman, from A Preface to Morals

9: Expanding Time

Parkinson's Law: "Work expands to fill the time available for its completion" - C. Northcote Parkinson, English political scientist in the 1950s

"When you are courting a nice girl - an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot stove - a second seems like an hour. That's relativity." - Albert Einstein

"There is no limit to what a [person] can do or where a [person] can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit." - Benjamin Jowett, English educator of the 19th Century

"A place for everything, and everything in its place." - familiar saying

"What is the true picture of your life? Imagine that there is an hourglass on your desk. Connecting the bowl at the top with the bowl at the bottom is a tube so thin that only one grain of sand can pass through it at a time." - James Gordon Gilkey

10: The Master Law of Success

"As we sow, so shall we reap" - old adage

The Master Law of Success: "Our service determines our rewards."

"Human service is the highest form of self-interest for the person who serves." - Elbert Hubbard, writer

"Live for others if you would wish to live for yourself." - Seneca, Roman philosopher

"Satisfaction Guatanteed - or your money back!" - originated with Sears and Ward

"The customer is always right." - Field

The Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." - promoted by J. C. Penney

"There's no such thing as a free lunch." - a corollary truth

"We should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours and this we should do freely and generously." - Benjamin Franklin

"Find a need - or a want - and fill it."

"You have not lived a perfect day, even though you have earned your money, unless you have done something for someone who will never be able to repay you." - as someone said

11: Leadership and Future Vision

"The buck stops here." - familiar saying

"Hindsight is always 20/20." - ironic saying

"We need leaders of inspired idealism, leaders to whom are granted great visions, who dream greatly and strive to make their dreams come true, who can kindle the people with the fire from their burning souls." - Theodore Roosevelt

"If people are coming to work excited...if they're making mistakes freely and fearlessly...if they're having fun...if they're concentrating on doing things, rather than preparing reports and going to meetings - then somewhere you have a leader." - Robert Townsend

"Greatness consists not in the holding of some future office, but really consists in doing great deeds with little means and the accomplishment of vast purposes from the private ranks of life." - Russell Conwell, clergyman and founder of Temple University

"When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other." - Eric Hoffer, philosopher

"The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind...in other men the conviction and will to carry on." - Walter Lippman, late columnist and political commentator

12: Health

"A wise [person] ought to realize that health is [the] most valuable possession." - Hippocrates, ancient Greek physician and father of medicine

"You have the mind but not the body, and without the help of the body the mind cannot go as far as it should. You must make your body...I know you will do it!" - concerned father to his 12-year-old son Theodore Roosevelt, who later at age 42 became the 26th President of the United States, after years of practicing "the strenuous life", as he called it.

"The first wealth is health." - Emerson

"Health is better than wealth." - old proverb

"Those who think they do not have time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness." - what someone said

"A sound mind in a sound body, is a short, but full description of a happy state in this World: [a person] that has these two, has little more to wish for..." - John Locke, 17th century British philosopher

Reference: The 12 Life Secrets, Robert Stuberg, © 1997, Nightingale Conant audio program

Simple Methods for Detoxification

By Michael Cutler, M.D.

Simple methods of cleansing the body help support the immune system, speed up healing, rid the body of toxins, and even promote healthy circulation. In this article we will explore effective, low-cost ways to detoxify the body in the privacy of your own home.

Juice Fasting

Simple juice fasts are a great way to quickly purify the body and prepare it for healing. The three-day juice fast will clean mucus out the body and provide you with nutritious, vibrant foods and supplements that rebuild the system and facilitate healing.

Freshly extracted, raw, organic juices are ideal because they contain high amounts of valuable enzymes that not only help you digest the juice, but also exert a powerful healing influence on the body. If, however, you do not have access to a juicer you may use pure, organic, bottled juices that are purchased from local health food stores.

Do not use frozen concentrates or juices with added sugar. Use one juice for at least three days. Choose a favorite juice (apple, carrot, citrus, tomato, barley grass, grape etc.), but use only one for at least three consecutive days.

Do not eat anything during the three days if possible. If absolutely necessary, the matching fruit or vegetable from which you are making juice may be eaten. For instance, if you are drinking apple juice, then eat only apples if you feel the need to eat.

Take steps to prevent constipation. When you stop eating foods that contain bulk and fiber, the bowel may stop moving. Toxic mucus being eliminated from your system can also cause constipation. To prevent these issues from occurring, take 16 ounces of prune juice first thing upon arising in the morning. You may also take an herbal bowel cleansing formula each night before bed and throughout the day as needed.

If you are still having problems, you may introduce colon cleansing through the use of enemas. Chew your juice for proper digestion. Dr. John R. Christopher, noted herbalist, taught that we must eat our drink and drink our food. Chewing juice ensures proper digestion by mixing it with enzymes found in the mouth. Swish each mouthful thoroughly.

On the fourth day, introduce vegetable organic juices and raw fruits and vegetables. After the fourth day, you may also introduce steamed foods.

You will experience cleansing symptoms on your juice program. You may notice aches and pains, headaches, weakness, and other symptoms as your body eliminates toxins and poisons. Be strong since these symptoms result in faster cleansing and healing.

If these symptoms are unbearable, eat a small amount of food to slow the cleansing process.

Sweat Therapy -- A Healing Bath

This detoxification process is for people with strong constitutions who want to deepen their cleansing experience. When you become ill, you often develop a fever. This sweating technique combines hydrotherapy with herbal therapy to induce an artificial fever that helps rid your body of toxins and also boosts your immune function.

Prepare a hot bath with added herbs that are known to help a person sweat. Yarrow flowers and ginger are ideal choices. Fill a cloth bag or cheesecloth with dried or fresh yarrow flowers and leaves and a three-inch piece of grated ginger. Drop the bag into a bath tub and fill with water as hot as can be stood without burning the skin.

This hot bath will induce fever-like symptoms, including sweating. Stay in the tub for at least 20 minutes, but ideally 45 minutes. Make sure there is someone in the house who can help you out of the tub, as this type of therapy often causes the body to feel weak.

As you soak in the hot water, you will sweat. This sweating will greatly increase thirst. Refrain from drinking cold drinks as this will inhibit perspiration and the necessary increase in body temperature. Instead, drink hot herbal teas. This will help to open your pores even more to eliminate toxins. If you feel faint, have a helper place a cool washcloth on your forehead.

After getting out of the tub, quickly dry off. Get into bed and sweat all night. Prepare the bed by putting a plastic sheet on the mattress. Cover the plastic with a cotton sheet. Cover yourself with natural cotton sheets and blankets. Do not use synthetic fibers since they do not allow the body to breathe.

Lie as still as possible. Sweating will continue as long as you remain covered. The sweating will eliminate many toxins that cause chronic conditions.

You can expect to sleep soundly all night. Upon arising in the morning, you will feel refreshed and invigorated. The sheet covering your body may be stained with toxic residue secreted from the body. Be sure to shower thoroughly.

After this cleanse, eat only fruits and vegetables and drink pure distilled or spring water for a day or two. This may be a good time to start your three-day juice cleanse.

Healing Additions for a Therapeutic Bath

Variations of relaxing and healing baths are created by adding different ingredients to the bath. All are added to water as hot as possible without causing excessive discomfort. Stay in the tub as long as you can stand it. Choose one, or create a mix from the following ingredients that best suit your individual needs, or as directed by your health care provider.

Celtic Sea Salt: Most Powerful Detox--1 lb in the bath feeds and nourishes cells with sea minerals; induces sweat and is very healing.
Epsom Salts: Powerful Detox -- 1 cup in the bath helps open pores to release toxins; improves circulation.
Plain Chlorox: Increases Circulation -- 1 cup in the bath is very refreshing; (no additives or perfumes).
Hydrogen Peroxide: Releases Toxins -- 1 cup in the bath oxygenates the cells.
Natural Apple Cider Vinegar: Most Gentle Cleanse -- 1 to 2 cups in the bath aids in releasing lactic acid buildup; excellent after strenuous exercise or work.

A Natural Detox Treatment for Your Overworked Liver

Ancient Romans and Greeks often used the herb, milk thistle as a remedy for liver problems. Many modern medical practitioners also believe milk thistle is one of the most effective herbs for relieving liver disorders and related problems.
Your liver is like a "traffic cop" for many activities that occur in your body. For example, it eliminates or neutralizes toxins in the blood. It also plays a role in controlling infection.

Milk thistle contains a chemical substance called silymarin, which is believed to help:

• Cleanse and detoxify your liver
• Relieve inflammation of liver cells (hepatitis)
• Treat symptoms of a scarred liver (cirrhosis) from excess alcohol consumption

Research suggests milk thistle may also help protect your kidneys from damage caused by chemotherapy medications.¹ It can even play a role in protecting your prostate from abnormal cell growth!²

References

1. http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin/NCI_Cancer_Bulletin_100405/page6
2. http://www.cancer.gov/ncicancerbulletin/NCI_Cancer_Bulletin_100405/page6

[Ed. Note: Michael Cutler, M.D. is a Board-Certified family physician with more than 17 years of clinical experience. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and Tulane Medical School. Dr. Cutler's practice focuses on integrative solutions to health problems, and behavioral and nutritional medicine. For more information visit www.truehealth.com.]

Positive Thinking: How Psychology has De-Souled the World By Matthew Anderson, D.Min.

As a minister, I have always had great interest in soul. As a child, I was told that my soul needed to be saved. I took that message to heart and though I expanded and deepened my idea of what soul meant and means, I never lost my belief in its central importance to my life. Therefore, I want to continue my series of articles on the subject of soul by focusing on how it has been treated by the "new religion" of psychology. (More about "new religion" in later articles.)

When making radical claims, it is best to begin by quoting an expert. Here is a statement by Dr. James Hillman, author of 50 books and renowned Jungian analyst (Re-Visioning Psychology, 1974).

"Psychology, whose very name and title derives from soul, (psyche), has stopped soul from appearing in any place but where it is sanctioned by this modern world view....Psychology does not even use the word soul: a person is referred to as a self or an ego. Both the world out there and in here have gone through the same process of depersonalization. We have all been de-souled....and so we must free the vision of the psyche (soul) from the narrow biases of modern psychology."

My own interpretation of what Hillman is saying is that modern psychology has become a victim of materialism and scientism -- and has invalidated the appearance and experience of soul. By reducing all phenomena to physicality (brain waves, neurons, etc.) psychology has gutted soul of all its spiritual meaning and power, and made it the property of the ego.

How does this psychological de-souling of the world affect each of us? To de-soul the world makes this universe a place of dead matter. It takes away our belief in and connection to Divine Presence in every area of our lives. Love, the most powerful and life-transforming of all Divine attributes is reduced to chemistry. Dreams, for millennia a source of Divine guidance and healing, become the brain's reactions to activities of the prior day. Synchronicity (the meaningful, non-rational connection of special events) is downgraded and ultimately trivialized to coincidence.

In spiritual reality (which I believe is essential to healthy lives), soul draws us to love, to the wisdom of dreams, and to an awareness that all that happens to us has meaning and purpose.

We are not merely rats rushing through a maze, as we all learned in Psychology 101 in college. We are soul-filled and led beings who are here on a soul's journey to growth, full expression of our gifts, and a celebrative acknowledgment of the wonder of life.

How can you resist the de-souled perception of life and find soul-filled meaning in all that you do? A thorough answer to this question would take an entire series of books. However, you can begin with this simple advice: Look for soul and trust it when you find it.

Soul will appear when you open your mind and heart to its presence. It always has and always will. That is the most soulful truth I can imagine.

[Ed. note: Dr. Matthew Anderson is an author (The Prayer Diet), counselor and national columnist/expert on weight loss, motivation, self-management and relationships.]

Healthy Recipes: Spicy Chicken Salad In Cabbage Wraps By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

Sandwich wraps have been an American favorite for years thanks to the popularity of Greek and Mexican cuisine. These cabbage wraps provide a low-carb way to enjoy a warm, healthy sandwich with a South of the Border flavor.

Serves: 6

Time to Table: 60 minutes

Healing Nutrient Spotlight

• Excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, niacin, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, selenium, manganese
• Good source of calcium, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, zinc, copper, iron, thiamin

Ingredients*

1 lb. ground chicken breast (or process 1 lb. cubed chicken breast in food processor until consistency of ground beef)
1 T. light olive oil
1 1/2 T. fresh ginger root, minced
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
8 medium green onions, thinly sliced
2 T. Asian fish sauce (or to taste)
1 tsp. lime rind
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, chopped (seeds added to taste)
2 tsp. sesame oil
3/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1/2 cup raw or roasted unsalted cashews, chopped
1 small head green cabbage, cored and leaves separated
6 small red radishes thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup chopped cucumber
Soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos, to taste

*Select organic ingredients for optimum nutrition.

Preparation
Cook chicken in olive oil in a non-reactive skillet over medium-low heat until done, stirring often. Drain and place in a large bowl. Stir ginger, red onion, half of the green onions, fish sauce, lime rind, lime juice, serrano or jalapeno pepper, sesame oil, and ground red pepper into chicken. Stir in cashews just before serving. Spoon chicken onto cabbage leaves, sprinkle with soy sauce and top with shredded vegetables as desired before gently rolling them.

Nutrition
290 calories, 12 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 6 g monounsaturated fat,
3 g polyunsaturated fat, 65 mg cholesterol, 20 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber,
8 g sugar, 30 g protein, 5500 IU vitamin A, .2 mg thiamin, .2 mg riboflavin,
11 mg niacin, 1.2 mg pantothenic acid, .7 mg vitamin B6, 120 mcg folate,
2.1 mg vitamin B12, 75 mg vitamin C, .4 mg copper, 120 mg calcium, 95 mg magnesium, .45 mg manganese, 840 mg potassium, 3 mg iron,
25 mcg selenium, 560 mg sodium, 2 mg zinc

Adapted from Southern Living magazine.

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute). She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention.]

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 07-08-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/

The # 1 Secret of Brain Longevity

Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D.

Did you know that you can boost your brain power right now and prevent memory loss later?

This notion of creating a lifetime of peak mental performance is what I call "Brain Longevity," and has been the focus of my medical practice and research for over 15 years. In fact, because of my pioneering work in this area, I'm often referred to as "The George Washington of Brain Longevity," the father of the field.

So I'm very excited to have you join me as we embark on a voyage to the essence of your being: your brain, your mind, and your memory. The journey of brain longevity will perhaps be the most fascinating and enlightening of your life, as you discover new, heightened levels of brain fitness.

During this extraordinary adventure, I'll be revealing all the latest medical research, which you can apply right now to be at your best.

Yes, you'll have the brain and memory of a much younger you.

You may even feel like a kid again.

When you experience that renewal, you'll probably feel like a new person. You'll no longer feel as you do now -- like your old self. But you won't be a different self. You'll be your real self -- the one you know is there deep inside of you, and the one that has been with you since the day you were born.

That self may have been beaten and bruised by stress, exhaustion, abuse, toxins, or painful emotions such as frustration, fear, or anger. Nonetheless, after all of this punishment, it's still there waiting.

And you'll be able to use what you learn in this ongoing column to absolutely shine again.

My own medical journey hasn't always been smooth sailing. In the beginning, my work was actually ridiculed by ordinary doctors and the conventional medical establishment.

"This is absurd," they'd say.

"Nothing can be done for the brain."

But of course they were wrong. There are many things that can be done to boost your brain power, starting right now. The reason why many ordinary doctors were in a fog, and why many still are, is that they didn't know the # 1 secret of brain longevity.

What's the secret?

Your brain is flesh and blood, just like the rest of your body.

Now, for a few of you this idea may seem mundane. But for many others it will be a revolutionary epiphany. Why? Because I know from experience that many people think of the brain as a mysterious computer. But remember, your brain isn't a computer; it's a flesh and blood organ just like your heart, for example.

And just as there are many scientifically proven, health-giving measures that benefit your heart, there are many ways to benefit your brain as well.

Because your brain is flesh and blood like the rest of your body:

• Poor nutrition hurts your brain.
• Chronic, unbalanced stress ruins your memory
• Lack of physical exercise ages your brain and your body.
• Lack of stimulating mental activity accelerates brain aging.¹

The other day I was reading an article in a leading medical journal.² They were discussing the predicted, rapidly emerging epidemic of Alzheimer's disease. Ten million baby boomers will develop this horrible mind-robbing illness, they revealed. But when it came time to discuss something hopeful, they drew a blank. All they could do was sing that same old tired song about genetics and the search for a magic bullet drug.

Well, let me tell you right here and now: the era of magic bullet drug therapy is over. When it comes to a flesh and blood organ like your brain, there never has been and never shall be one magic bullet drug.

And what about genetics?

While you certainly can't ignore your genes, the most recent research, which was just revealed at a leading-edge conference I attended at the UCLA Center on Aging, showed that genetics accounts for only 30% of all cases of cognitive decline. The other 70% is related to your life-style.³

Yes, you read correctly. How you live your life today will go a long way towards determining the state of your mind and memory tomorrow.

As my cutting edge work reveals, and as I'll be sharing with you in this and future articles, you can protect and repair your brain with your lifestyle choices. Memory loss can even be reversed using what I call, The Four Pillars of Brain Longevity

Here they are:

1. Diet and supplements: The food you eat makes a big difference in your memory function. Certain high fat foods, such as grain-fed beef clog up your brain cells, while fish such as fresh frozen Alaskan salmon and some vegetables and fruit actually protect it. Moreover, there are a number of memory-specific supplemental nutrients that can make a big difference as well.
2. Stress Management: This is critically important, because, as we'll see in future articles, chronic, unbalanced stress kills brain cells in the hippocampus, your brain's memory center. The practice of regular relaxation techniques and social activity can help.⁴
3. Exercise: The latest research clearly shows the fundamental imperative of physical, mental, and mind/body exercise in maximizing your memory. Exercise may even grow new brain cells, recent research denotes.⁶
4. Anti-aging hormone replacement therapy. There may be a place for the artful replacement of certain hormones to help maintain not only optimal physical health, but brain health as well.⁵

That's what it's all about: creating ultimate cognitive vitality now and preventing memory loss later. We'll be covering a lot more of this timely subject in the coming months. Topics will include the latest immediately useful information on diet, supplements, meditation, physical and mental exercise, and much more.

It's going to be a "how to" mind-expanding experience.

Best of Blessings,

Dr. Dharma

References

1. Oberg, E, Mischley, L. Integrative Medicine, 2008; 7 (3): 54-58.
2. Alzheimer's Association. Alzheimer's and Dementia, 2008; 4 (2): 1.
3. Small, G., Conference on Brain Aging, UCLA Center on Aging, June 2008.
4. Doraiswamy, PM, Xiong, GL. Ann NY Academy of Science, 2007.
5. Khalsa, DS., Alzheimer's Disease in Integrative Medicine, edited by David Rakel, M.D. 2007, pp. 133-141.
6. Small S. et al. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (on line edition): March 12-16, 2007.

[Ed. Note: The author of seven best-selling books, Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D., often referred to as Dr. Dharma, is America's # 1 Brain Longevity Specialist. To be part of his on-line community, receive his free newsletter, The Healing Minute, and claim a free e-book go to www.drdharma.com. You may contact him at info@drdharma.com.]

Healthy Recipes: Summer Berry Soufflés By Kelley Herring

It's hard to believe these berry beauties have less than 100 calories and only 4 grams of sugar. But the benefits don't stop there. They're also rich in a powerful antioxidant called ellagic acid that has been found to slow the growth of some tumors and help cancer cells self-destruct.¹

Time To Table: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

The Benefits

Healing Nutrient Spotlight: anthocyanins, ellagic acid.
Good source of fiber; gluten-free, low sodium, low carb, low sugar.

Ingredients
2 cups organic raspberries
1 cup organic blackberries
2 tsp organic arrowroot
3 large organic egg whites
1 cup organic erythritol (try ZSweet)
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
1 tsp fresh organic lemon juice
1 ounce organic, unsalted pistachios, chopped
1/4 cup spring water

Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a medium saucepan, combine raspberries and blackberries with 1/2 cup erythritol, vanilla, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Add arrowroot and continue to stir until thickened, about 1 minute. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add in the remaining erythritol, 2 Tbsp at a time, and continue to beat for about 3 minutes. Gently swirl in 3/4 cup of the berry mixture -- leaving streaks in the egg whites. Spoon remaining berry mixture into six 1/2 cup ramekins. Top with the soufflé mixture, sprinkle with pistachios, and bake until golden on top, about 6 minutes.

Nutrition Information
71.2 kcal Calories, 9.48 g Carbohydrate, 0 mg Cholesterol, 2.49 g Total Fat, 4.44 g Fiber, 3.59 g Protein, 28.16 mg Sodium, 3.71 g Sugars, 0.27 g Saturated Fat, 0 trans-Fat, 1.13 g Monounsaturated Fat, 0.85 g Polyunsaturated Fat

Reference

1. Labrecque L et al. Carcinogenesis. 2005;26(4):821-826.

[Ed. Note: Kelley Herring is the Founder & CEO of Healing Gourmet. She is also the creator of Healing Gourmet's Personalized Nutrition Software and Editor-in-Chief of the Healing Gourmet book series published by McGraw-Hill, including Eat to Fight Cancer, Eat to Beat Diabetes, Eat to Lower Cholesterol and Eat to Boost Fertility. For more information, click here.]

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 07-04-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/

The Straight Facts on Carbs

By James LaValle, RPh, ND, CCN

If you're a carb lover, now's the time to get a handle on how many carbs you should be eating every day. This information is not just important for your waistline. It's also important to control the potential for disease-causing inflammation that increases with high levels of circulating insulin and blood sugar -- and that may cause cancer.

That was the result of a recent analysis of 39 studies that found that the greater a person's intake of high glycemic index and high glycemic load foods, the greater the risks of certain types of cancer (endometrial and colon).¹

Every time you eat a carbohydrate-rich food like pasta, rice, potatoes, table sugar, pure glucose, cereals, or even whole grain bread it raises both your blood sugar and insulin levels. The potential for inflammation, insulin resistance, and obesity increases when these foods are eaten in quantities beyond those our bodies can use.

Total daily activity, current body weight, and nutrient status all influence how well our body can process these foods. When you eat high carbohydrate foods, the amount of carbohydrate it contains is either used immediately for energy or stored as fat, depending on those factors.

If you're sitting in a meeting eating bagels or donuts, chances are that most of your energy-rich breakfast is circulating in your bloodstream looking for a home. If you're overweight, the scenario turns bleaker. In overweight people, insulin, the hormone needed for glucose entry into the cells for energy, is less efficient and causes blood glucose to rise and remain elevated for a longer duration.

Physical activity helps you utilize extra blood sugar, but for those of us who sit at a desk for most of the day or who get only a half hour on the treadmill per day, there is not nearly enough activity to utilize excess blood sugar. In fact, it would take days of hard physical labor to process the amount of carbohydrates consumed by much of the American population.

To make matters worse, reduced intake and body stores of nutrients like magnesium, chromium, zinc, and alpha-lipoic acid that aid the body in carbohydrate metabolism also contribute to insulin resistance and even a reduced ability to burn carbs during exercise. We have seen patients exercise intensely with the help of a personal trainer for 1 to 2 hours, five or six days a week and still not lose weight. Once we can replete them with these nutrients, they often lose weight with less exercise.

So how many carbs should you eat? At LMI, we have used a guideline of no more than 20 to 30% of calories as carbs for years. This is not too restrictive and is successful in most of our clients. The best way to determine how well your body is handling carbs is a post-prandial glucose and insulin test which measures blood glucose and insulin levels after eating a specified high carbohydrate food.

If one or both of these values are elevated, glycemic load intake should be immediately reduced. Taking the nutrients mentioned above has also helped many of our patients to eventually increase their carbohydrate intake somewhat without negative effects on their weight, blood glucose, or insulin levels.

Eating a diet rich in non-starchy vegetables like lettuce and kale, high-fiber legumes like lentils and beans, organically raised meats, and high-quality fats will help you burn fat, lose weight, and reduce your risk for many inflammatory conditions.

So swap your pasta, sweets, and excessive fruit for a few extra servings of vegetables and know that you're making a difference not only in your weight but in your overall health. As an easy reference, you can visit the University of Sydney's database to look up the GL/GI values of foods.²

References

1. Gnagnarella et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2008;(87):1793-1801.
   
2. http://www.glycemicindex.com.

[Ed. Note: Jim LaValle is an educator, clinician and industry consultant in the field of integrative healthcare. He is a licensed pharmacist, board certified clinical nutritionist and doctor of naturopathic medicine with more than 20 years clinical practice experience in the field of natural therapeutics and functional medicine. Named one of the "50 Most Influential Druggists" by American Druggist for his work in natural medicine, LaValle has authored 13 books, including his latest, Cracking the Metabolic Code. For more information, click here.]

Cutting Edge Fitness: Vibration Plates for Fat Loss? By Carlo X. Alverez

Some of you may have heard of a new piece of equipment that is popping up in gyms and fitness centers across the US...Whole body vibrational plates are devices that you stand on and as the name suggests, they vibrate in three different planes of motion. These devices are reported to lower the percentage of body fat while increasing muscle mass and bone density.

Normally, I wouldn't give anything with such big claims a second look. You know the old "if it sounds too good to be true it probably is," saying. However, the studies on vibration plates look promising.

One study on mice showed that when placed on the vibration plate for 15 minutes per day for 15 weeks, the fat cell production was reduced 27% and free fatty acids and triglycerides were each lowered in the blood by about 40%. The interesting part is the mice's feeding behaviors stayed the same.¹

So what about humans? The technology was originally used in the Russian space program to help cosmonauts stay in space longer. From there it was used in Russian athletes. Since then, there have been many studies measuring the effects in humans -- and the benefits of vibration plates are proving to be enormous.

Athletes are seeing better workout results in shorter time,² though some professional sports teams report their biggest benefits seem to be in the increased flexibility and stretching their players get with the machines. These plates are also being used for other applications -- in elderly adults, for instance, to not only help them gain better balance and mobility, but to help them improve circulation and rebuild bone.^3-5

But some experts are warning against potentially negative effects. In occupational medicine, some workers who are exposed to vibrations day in and day out, i.e., jackhammer operators, develop hand muscle weakness.⁶ Others who sit on vibrating work equipment daily may develop low back pain, or their discs may degenerate from the vibration.⁷

The biggest difference between vibration plates and occupational vibration exposures is the amount of time you are exposed to the vibration. While the potential upsides with reasonable intermittent use seem strong, some experts caution strongly against overuse, and others recommend avoiding vibrational plates altogether for now, stating that more studies are needed.

There aren't many shortcuts, when it comes to fitness, but I think this may actually be a truly beneficial product -- though there are some people for whom vibration plates are not recommended -- for instance anyone prone to blood clots.

So, if you are interested in using one, check with your doctor first to see if there would be any reason that you shouldn't. And while vibration plates are available for home use, they are quite expensive.

Further research should show whether this technology would prove to be helpful without harming anyone. So, while I'm not spending my hard-earned money yet, this is one to keep our eyes on!

References

1. Rubin CT et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U SA; Nov. 6, 2007; 104(45): 17879. Source: Anthony L. Komaroff, MD. Journal Watch; Dec. 15, 2007; 27(24):191.
   
2. Cormie, P J of Strength and Cond Res, 20(2), 257-261, 2006.
   
3. Corrie H, et al. Osteoporosis Int. 18(Suppl 3), 2007.
   
4. Bogaerts, A et al. Gait & Posture, 26, 309-316, 2007.
   
5. Bautmans, I et al. BMC Geriatrics, Dec; 5:17, 2005.
   
6. Necking LE, et al. J of Hand Surg, Dec 2002, 27 (6), 520-525.
   
7. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2005;39:585-589; doi:10.1136/bjsm.2005.016857.

[Ed. note: Carlo X. Alvarez is a noted authority in the customized fitness and sports performance field. He is recognized for his integrated and systematic approach to training, based on a foundation of safe and proven methodology that has direct and measurable benefits to performance. To learn more, click here.]

Healthy Nutrition: Are There Really Any "Super Foods"? By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

As a dietitian, I strongly believe in the power of a healthy diet to improve a person's life -- but I do sometimes grow tired of headlines like "The 7 Super Foods You Should Always Eat," "3 Healthy Breakfasts for a Better You" or "Super Berry Fights Heart Disease and Cancer." While I understand the intent of most of these types of articles, no one food (e.g., an acai berry) or even ten foods, has the power to completely eliminate your chance for disease -- and may not do much at all depending on other health factors you may have.

For instance, some of the foods I have seen on these lists are berries, oatmeal, barley, or other whole grains, sweet potatoes, and even bananas. While these foods are indeed nutrient packed, most of them are high glycemic load foods.

A person who is overweight, or has high cholesterol or elevated blood pressure or blood sugar -- even if it's only slight -- should moderate their intake of any of these foods, no matter what antioxidant or other nutrients they contain. That's because their body is not equipped to handle increased carbohydrate loads, especially on a continuous basis.

One suggested breakfast I saw in an online "3 Super Healthy Breakfasts" type article included a bowl of whole grain cereal, a glass of orange juice, and a yogurt. Healthy for who? Certainly not anyone who is overweight or insulin resistant. This high glycemic load breakfast would do nothing but continue to pack weight on most people I know.

As another example, take the lovely blueberry, which is rich in antioxidants and beneficial phytonutrients, and has been suggested to be protective of eye health.¹ You will often see headlines like, "Eat Blueberries for Eye Health." But an article like this that is recommending blueberries should caution people to eat them within reasonable amounts -- and within individual tolerance levels.

I had one patient who had been a pretty well-controlled diabetic, but saw one of these articles and began to eat so many blueberries he was raising his blood sugar -- and even developed an allergy to them.

"Super foods" may be high in nutritional value, but they won't usually be enough to overcome other bad habits. For instance, a person who drinks regular soft drinks or eats candy every day will still be at an increased risk of developing the most common cause of blindness, called age related macular degeneration,² whether they eat blueberries every day or not. Though they contain a lot of great nutrients and I love them -- blueberries are not powerful enough to overcome the inflammatory effects of daily, refined sugar intake.

Some of the super foods I have seen on lists, like spinach, ground flax seeds, olive oil, garlic, broccoli and green tea, I am particularly partial to because they can be eaten by anyone -- even a person doing a low carb diet. I think all these foods are great and have many benefits, but even these foods should be rotated in with a large variety of other foods for allergy protection.

Eat super nutritious foods, YES, but they should not be over consumed. And remember -- any of these "super foods" will be most beneficial when eaten within a context of an otherwise healthy diet.

References

1. Prior RL et al. J Agric Food Chem 2001 Mar;49(3):1270-6 2001.
2. Cho E et al. Arch Ophthalmol. 2004 Jun;122(6):883-92. PMID:15197064.

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute). She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention. To learn more click here.]

Healthy Recipes: Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

Rich in protein, antioxidants and energy-boosting B vitamins, this Italian-influenced salad entrée is a nutritious, satisfying way to please even the most discriminating salad eater.

Serves: 4
Time to Table: 30 minutes

Healing Nutrient Spotlight

Excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, niacin, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, magnesium, selenium, manganese

Good source of calcium, riboflavin, thiamin, folate, pantothenic acid, zinc, copper

Ingredients*

Salad:
4 3-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half
8 cups salad greens or any combination of baby spinach, beet greens, dandelion greens and Romaine lettuce
1 cup chopped sweet red peppers
1/2cup sliced red onion
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup raw or roasted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup sheep or goat's milk feta cheese
2 T. chopped dried figs
6 kalamata olives, sliced or chopped

Dressing:
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. stone ground organic mustard
1 T. chopped green onions or scallions
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

*Select organic ingredients for optimum nutrition.

Preparation
Season chicken to taste and grill over medium-low flame or coals until done. Meanwhile prepare dressing: In small bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, and chopped scallions. Mix well. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine lettuce, onions, sunflower seeds, red peppers, and garbanzo beans. Toss with salad dressing and top with chicken, figs, olives, and cheese.

Nutrition
440 calories, 30 g protein, 25 g total fat, 4 g saturated fat, 10 g monounsaturated fat, 6 g polyunsaturated fat, 65 mg cholesterol, 25 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 8g sugar, 8300 IU vitamin A, .2 mg thiamin, .3 mg riboflavin, 10 mg niacin, 1.4 mg pantothenic acid, .7 mg vitamin B-6, 3 mcg vitamin B-12, 95 mg vitamin C, 8 IU vitamin E, 40 mcg folate, 360 mg sodium, 160 mg calcium, 90 mg magnesium, 700 mg potassium, 5 mg iron, 25 mcg selenium, 2.2 mg zinc, .3 mg copper

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These articles appear courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 07-01-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/