Benefits of Meditation for Stress Management

By Elizabeth Scott, M.S.

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Overview of Meditation:

Throughout the day, when we experience stress, our bodies automatically react in ways that prepare us to fight or run. In some cases of extreme danger, this physical response is helpful. However, a prolonged state of such agitation can cause physical damage to every part of the body. Meditation affects the body in exactly the opposite ways that stress does, restoring the body to a calm state, helping the body to repair itself, and preventing new damage due to the physical effects of stress.

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The Benefits of Meditation:

The benefits of meditation are manifold because it can reverse your stress response, thereby shielding you from the effects of chronic stress. When practicing meditation, your heart rate and breathing slow down, your blood pressure normalizes, you use oxygen more efficiently, and you sweat less. Your adrenal glands produce less cortisol, your mind ages at a slower rate, and your immune function improves. Your mind also clears and your creativity increases. People who meditate regularly find it easier to give up life-damaging habits like smoking, drinking and drugs. Meditation research is still new, but promising.

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How Meditation Works:

Meditation involves sitting in a relaxed position and clearing your mind. You may focus on a sound, like “ooommm,” or on your own breathing, or on nothing at all. It’s necessary to have at least 5 to 20 distraction-free minutes to spend. (Longer meditation sessions bring greater benefits, but sometimes starting slowly can help you maintain the practice long-term.) It’s helpful to have silence and privacy, but more practiced meditators can practice medtation anywhere. Many practitioners of meditation attach a spiritual component to it, but it can also be a secular exercise.

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Pros Of Meditation:

Meditation is wonderful in that it’s free, always available, and amazingly effective in short-term stress reduction and long-term health. Benefits can be felt in just one session. An experienced teacher can be helpful, but isn’t absolutely necessary; you can learn many effective meditation techniques from a book or from the meditation resources on this site.

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The Cons of Meditation:

It does take some practice, however, and some people find it difficult to “get it” in the beginning. It also requires a little patience, and may be difficult for people with little free time (like some stay-at-home mothers who get little privacy from small children). However, the time and effort it takes to learn and practice is well worth it in terms of the benefits it provides.

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How Does It Compare To Other Stress Reduction Methods?:

Unlike most medications, meditation has no potential side effects. People with physical limitations may find it easier to practice than strenuous physical exercise for stress relief, plus, no special equipment is required. Unlike enlisting the help of a professional, meditation is free. However, it does take discipline and commitment, so some people may find it more difficult to maintain as a habit than methods that enlist the help of someone or something outside themselves for added motivation. Also, some people may find it more difficult to free their minds of the thoughts of the day, and thus find it more difficult than methods like journaling that involve focusing on these events, or methods that in themselves are distracting, like physical exercise or the use of humor.

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Doctors refusing to treat overweight patients?

Increasingly, if you’re not a healthy person already, more and more doctors are shying away from you. In a profession where the axiom, “Do No Harm” is supposed to reign supreme, some physicians are saying “Don’t Come to Me” instead, especially for patients who are obese.

A few doctors in Florida have begun to turn away obese patients, claiming they come with too many health problems and risks. Some physicians who specialize in obstetrics and gynecology in particular, have set weight limits for new patients or other measures of obesity. Any woman who surpasses those standards is turned away.

“People don’t realize the risk we’re taking by caring for these patients,” said Dr. Albert Triana, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “There’s more risk of something going wrong and getting sued. Everything is more complicated with an obese patient in GYN surgeries and in [pregnancies].”

In the South Florida region alone, 15 OB/GYN practices out of 105 polled by the newspaper turned away obese patients. Some practices set weight limits of 200 pounds; others 250 pounds.

Part of the problem, say the physicians, is that obese patients tend to have more health issues. Another reason is continuity of practice; since obesity causes other medical problems, the doctors say they then have to sendtheirpatients to other physicians who specialize in those problems.

“This is not a high-risk practice,” one medical office manager told the paper, adding that the physicians in that particular OB/GYN office “are not experts in obesity.”

Doctors who specialize in OB/GYN practices have for years turned away pregnant women who are obese, referring them instead to specialists. But now, that trend is moving towards women who arenotpregnant, just obese.

Not all physicians feel that way. Some area doctors interviewed by the paper said they would never consider turning away obese patients.

“If I had that policy, I wouldn’t have a practice. I’d lose half my patients,” Dr. Maureen Whelihan, a West Palm Beach OB/GYN said. “We never turn down anyone. We would see them, and if we had to, we would refer them to a specialist.”

Medical ethicists say doctors turning people away because of what is clearly a medical condition is just plain wrong.

“To refuse to even see a patient because they are overweight is not reasonable and not ethical,” said Dr. Charles D. Rosen, president of the Association of Medical Ethics, told CBS News.

“This is discriminating against people who have a medical problem. It is like discriminating against someone who is African-American or short or has a certain employment,” he added.

 

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Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum)

What is Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne is a fruit not a herb, but possesses the healing properties of herbs. Cayenne peppers belong to the nightshade family of plants like the jalapeno and bell pepper.

These all contain oleoresin capsaicin which is where the health benefits of cayenne pepper derive from.

It is used in spicy dishes as a powder or vinegar like sauce. It gets it’s hot properties from a substance called capsaicin oleoresin which affects the body’s nerves causing them to release a neurotransmitter called substance-p into the bloodstream.

This release of substance-p is what causes the burning sensation. However this neurotransmitter is rapidly depleted, temporarily blocking the nerves from transmitting pain signals to the brain. This is the basis for the health benefits of cayenne pepper.

The hot properties of cayenne are measured in scoville units, also called heat units. Cayenne peppers are usually between 30,000 and 50,000 scoville units, with some other forms of hot peppers actually exceeding 100,000 heat units.

Most commercial encapsulated cayenne powders start at around 20,000 units, which is quite adequate to get the benefits of cayenne. It can also be made as a tea or a tincture, which is more effective in getting cayenne pepper herbs into the body rapidly.

You need to be cautious using capsules of cayenne, because when they begin to dissolve in your stomach the sensation can be quite uncomfortable to downright painful.

Health Benefits of Cayenne Pepper

Some of the health benefits of cayenne pepper are:

• Ability to stop a heart attack in progress
• Lowering blood pressure while strengthening heart performance
• Safe and natural stimulant action
• Improves circulation through vasodilatation
• Effective topical pain reliever for arthritis and joint pain
• Useful for relieving gastrointestinal problems such as stomach aches, cramping and gas
• Relieving headache pain
• Thinning the blood – helping prevent blood clots
• Relieving pain due to diabetic neuropathy, shingles, psoriasis, and fibromyalgia

The health benefits of cayenne pepper revolve around this substance-p depletion affect. Cayenne pepper and heart health are related to this as well. Cayenne aids in promoting cardiovascular health and has an all around tonic effect on the circulatory system.

 Cayenne Pepper and Heart Health

One of the most dramatic health benefits of cayenne pepper is its reported ability to stop a heart attack in its tracks! This effect comes from the ability of cayenne to act as a vasodilator and open arteries allowing critical blood flow to the heart to resume.

Cayenne helps prevent blood clots from forming due to it’s effect on blood platelet aggregation (stickiness). This anticoagulant effect is part of the relationship between cayenne pepper and heart health, and cayenne does it naturally with no toxic side effects.

In the case of heart attacks, cayenne is best given orally as a tincture or hot tea to speed its entry into the bloodstream. According to the famous herbalist Dr. John Christopher this amounts to a teaspoon of cayenne powder in a cup of hot water, about 500mg dosage.

Dr. Christopher claims that he has used this preparation a number of times to save the life of a patient who was having a heart attack. The cayenne tea was able to dilate the arteries and restore critical circulation and blood flow to the heart.

This is perhaps one of the most dramatic health benefits of cayenne pepper! 

Cayenne and Diabetes 

Health benefits of cayenne pepper extend to diabetic conditions as well. Recent research in which type I diabetes was cured in mice used capsicum extracted from cayenne pepper.The capsicum was used to deplete substance-p in the pancreas of the mice and allow the islet cells to begin working again and producing insulin.

This new development is interesting in light of the fact that cayenne has been used for many years as a “folk remedy” for diabetes. It would appear that science is finally confirming what centuries old folk medicine knew about cayenne pepper herbs.

Capsaicin Cream – Topical Pain Relief

There are now a host of topical pain relief creams based on capsaicin from cayenne peppers. These creams work by depleting substance-p from the sensory nerves in the affected area and preventing transmission of pain signals to the brain.

Capsicum based creams and lotions have become quite popular for both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis as well as other painful conditions of the muscles and joints. These creams are also extensively used in veterinary medicine on racing horses and dogs. The health benefits of cayenne also extend to animals as well as humans.

Capsicum based preparations used on horses can also be used safely on humans as they are formulated to be used on a horses skin which is more sensitive to irritation than human skin. My personal favorite is Equibloc, which can be found on the web. It is gentle on the skin while being very effective for relieving pain!

When using capsicum based creams avoid getting any on your hands and subsequently touching your eyes. You should also be aware that when it is on your skin and you shower or bathe soon after, you will likely experience a burning sensation.

Water seems to intensify the effects of oleo-resin capsicum so you will want to avoid getting the area that you applied it to wet. Eventually you will become used to the effects and the uncomfortable sensations will lessen.

Dosages and Preparations for Cayenne Pepper Healing 

Cayenne is used in several forms:

• Capsules: 20,000 to 50,000 scoville units (usually 500-800mg capsules)
• Tinctures: (0.3-1ml) 3 times/day
• Topical creams: 0.025 to 75% capsaicin
• Cayenne tea infusion

An infusion of cayenne tea would be made by combining one cup of hot water with ½ to 1 teaspoon full of cayenne powder. Let it set for ten minutes. You would then combine a teaspoon of this infusion in water and take up to three times per day.

Capsules can be taken up to three times per day before meals, and topical capsicum creams should be used 3-4 times per day until the pain subsides.

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Akilah M. El, N.D. is a Naturopathic Doctor and board-certified Master Herbalist with a private practice in Atlanta Georgia and Berlin Germany. Join Dr Akilah El on Facebook and Twitter

 

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Over 100,000 Americans Died From FDA Approved Prescription Drugs Last Year

Last year, over half a million Americans were hurt by prescription drugs. And 100,000 of them died.

How did that happen? If some prescription drugs are that dangerous, how are they getting approved?

The answer is not simple. There are good people involved in the process. But the incentive in the system has become distorted.

Here’s how it happened…

The FDA now regulates $2.5 trillion worth of food, drugs and medical devices. That’s 25 percent of all U.S. consumer spending.

Plus, over the last two decades, America’s appetite for prescription drugs exploded. The FDA, struggling to keep up, needed to get drugs approved faster.

But the bureaucracy has grown so big that it’s not very efficient. So the FDA tried to shortcut the time for drug approval by getting the drug companies themselves to pay for the research.

In 1992, Congress passed the Prescription Drug User Fee Act to give the FDA more desperately needed funds. The law allows drug companies to pay the FDA to approve their drugs.

This funding is called “user fees,” which this year will equal nearly one-third – $920 million – of the FDA’s budget.

The fees make sense for the drug companies because delayed drug approval means millions in lost revenue. So, paying “user fees” to the FDA gets drugs approved fast. In fact, this funding boost has made the FDA the fastest drug approval agency in the world.

But that turned out to make a bad situation worse. Now you have government employees and supervisors very sensitive to what the drug companies think of them because they’re dependent on the companies for funding.

The FDA’s own scientists even admit to this. Scientists like David Graham. He’s played a key role in getting 12 drugs removed from the market, including Vioxx. Take a look at what he said after the FDA made Merck pull Vioxx from the market because of the risk of heart attacks:

“As currently configured, the FDA is not able to adequately protect the American public. It’s more interested in protecting the interests of industry. It views industry as its client, and the client is someone whose interest you represent. Unfortunately, that’s the way the FDA is currently structured.”

How does this affect you? Because as a result of this current structure, more than 20 approved drugs have been recalled since 1992.

Before the Prescription Drug User Fee Act – when the FDA received no funding from pharmaceutical companies – only eight drugs were withdrawn from the 1950s through 1992.

But withdrawn drugs are just scratching the surface. There are countless dangerous – even deadly – drugs that remain on the market. Drugs like statins and powerful NSAIDs. Not to mention recalls due to contamination and other manufacturing problems.

A few potentially deadly drugs that were approved for prescription include:

• Avandia: 83,000 heart attacks, 304 deaths and thousands of reports to the FDA, and 10 separate studies say it increases the risk of heart attack by up to 80 percent… and it’s still being prescribed to thousands of diabetes patients.
• Baycol: This statin drug caused a rare but sometimes fatal muscle ailment. There were 31 reported deaths directly linked to it before Baycol was pulled from the market.
• Vioxx: Prescribed 105 million times … it killed 57,000 people before its maker finally stopped selling it.

That in no way means there aren’t life-saving drugs developed by responsible people that have helped millions of Americans. But one brand new study by the American Sociological Association found that 85 percent of new drugs cause more harm than good.₉ And Celebrex, a pain reliever similar to Vioxx, has caused hundreds of heart attacks, but is still prescribed.

That can certainly make you wonder if we don’t need to slow down a little bit, and take a closer look at what drugs get approved, and how fast.

Whether that happens or not, there’s good news.

You Have the Power to Make Your Own Decisions

There are forces out there that aren’t working to your advantage. Despite the smart people doing hard work and all the helpful science, not everyone’s incentive is your health. But don’t worry. You have plenty of help, and you can make your own choices.

You’d never hear that from a big company because showing you how to keep yourself well isn’t half as profitable as treating symptoms with drugs. But there are natural remedies and preventatives that can keep you away from the pharmacy for good.

My 100%-Natural Plan:
9 Keys for Avoiding Chronic Illnesses
and the Dangerous Drugs That Treat Them…

1. Eat like our ancestors. Our ancestors ate what they could hunt and gather. And that was natural meats and eggs, veggies, unmodified fruits and nuts, and olives. They ate a lot raw natural food with fewer carbs – and no processed foods or food cooked with vegetable oils. As a result, their archaeological records show virtually no heart disease, diabetes, osteoarthritis or obesity.

2. Enjoy the food you were born to eat. I’m talking about fat. Eating fat does not make you fat and unhealthy. But eating the wrong kinds of fat will. Our bodies need fat to absorb vitamins. In fact, vitamins A, D, E, K, and CoQ10 can’t even be absorbed without fat. What’s more, when you deprive yourself of fat, you eat more carbs. And an excess of them can put you at risk of weight gain, heart problems, diabetes and stroke. The best fat sources are foods loaded with Omega-3s (such as walnuts, almonds, cod liver oil and wild-caught salmon). But stay away from bad fats, like processed foods and vegetable oils. And don’t even go near potato chips, cookies and salad dressing. They’re loaded with the very worst fats – trans fats.

3. Stay away from simple carbohydrates. Starchy, high-carb foods spike your blood sugar. And that triggers the release of insulin. Over time, this can put you at risk of insulin resistance. And when that happens, you’ll be on the fast track to obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Always eat foods with a low glycemic index and glycemic load.

4. Go organic whenever possible. Pesticides and insecticides can harm the nervous system, immune system and major organs, like the liver and kidneys. They also can cause problems with growth and neurological development in children. Organic farmers don’t use these chemicals. And that makes organic food much safer and healthier.

5. Rid your body of toxins. The world we were designed to live in millions of years ago has changed drastically. And our bodies haven’t adapted quickly enough to flush out the countless pollutants that are now a big part of our everyday lives. The easiest way to rid your system of toxins is to drink plenty of filtered water, and to eat fruit and fibrous vegetables for 21 – 30 days. Getting rid of chemicals and heavy metals in your body will help you live a longer, disease-free life.

6. Don’t fear the sun. Your body needs exposure to the sun to produce vitamin D – which helps you maintain strong, healthy bones and fight disease. Contrary to what you’ve been told, the sun isn’t bad for you – it’s nature’s cancer fighter. Just by getting a little sunlight every day (about 20 minutes for fair-skinned people and two to four times that much for those with dark skin) could reduce your risk of 16 types of cancer. Of course, I’m not telling you to go outside without sunscreen – but if you need it just make sure it’s chemical-free.

7. Supplement your diet (if necessary). The best way to get the nutrients you need is through a healthy organic diet. But if you don’t feel like you’re taking in enough, you can also safely supplement. And I emphasize “safely” because unlike prescription drugs, people are not dropping dead from dietary supplements (vitamins, amino acids, herbals and homeopathics).

Here are the vitamins and nutrients I suggest taking daily:

Vitamin/Nutrient	Food Source	Daily Supplement Dosage	Benefits
B2	milk, cheese, leafy green vegetables, liver, kidneys, legumes, tomatoes, yeast, mushrooms, and almonds	40 mg	Good for blood cell formation and cataract prevention.
B6	roast beef, salmon, peanut butter, lima beans, chicken, sunflower seeds, spinach	50 mg	Boosts brain and immune function. Helps prevent cancer.
B12	milk, eggs, grass-fed beef, chicken, yogurt, trout, salmon, haddock, clams, ham	500 mcg	Helps digestion and prevents anemia and nerve damage.
Folic Acid	green leafy veggies, calf liver	800 mcg	Helps cell production and prevents dementia.
Vitamin C	citrus fruits, green pepper, broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts	At least 500 mg twice a day	Boosts immunity.
Zinc	steak, oysters	30 mg	Maintains healthy immune system.
Vitamin D	cod liver oil, eggs, milk and orange juice fortified with vitamin D, sardines, tuna, beef liver, Swiss cheese, ham	2,000 I.U. If your levels test low, take 5,000-10,000 I.U. from a variety of sources.	Calcium absorption for healthy, strong bones. Prevents osteoporosis, hypertension, cancer and several autoimmune diseases.
Ubiquinol form of CoQ10	pork, beef, chicken	50 mg (increase your dosage to 100 mg per day if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol, gingivitis, age-related memory loss, chronic fatigue or are a vegetarian)	Destroys free radicals in the cell membranes. Treats heart disease, high-blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Omega-3s	wild-caught salmon, grass-fed beef, sacha inchi oil, nuts, leafy green veggies, eggs, avocados	18-24 grams	Prevents heart disease, cancer – even strokes. Lowers blood pressure and triglycerides (blood fat). Boosts memory and brain power.

Akilah M. El, N.D. is a Naturopathic Doctor and board-certified Master Herbalist with a private practice in Atlanta Georgia and Berlin Germany. Join Dr Akilah El on Facebook and Twitter

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Watermelon: A Natural Viagra

A cold slice of watermelon has long been a Fourth of July holiday staple. But according to recent studies, the juicy fruit may be better suited for Valentine’s Day. That’s because scientists say watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels and may even increase libido.

“The more we study watermelons, the more we realize just how amazing a fruit it is in providing natural enhancers to the human body,” said Dr. Bhimu Patil, director of Texas A&M’s Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center in College Station.

“We’ve always known that watermelon is good for you, but the list of its very important healthful benefits grows longer with each study.”

Beneficial ingredients in watermelon and other fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients, naturally occurring compounds that are bioactive, or able to react with the human body to trigger healthy reactions, Patil said.

In watermelons, these include lycopene, beta carotene and the rising star among its phyto-nutrients – citrulline – whose beneficial functions are now being unraveled. Among them is the ability to relax blood vessels, much like Viagra does.

Scientists know that when watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted to arginine through certain enzymes. Arginine is an amino acid that works wonders on the heart and circulation system and maintains a good immune system, Patil said.

“The citrulline-arginine relationship helps heart health, the immune system and may prove to be very helpful for those who suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes,” said Patil. “Arginine boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has, to treat erectile dysfunction and maybe even prevent it.”

While there are many psychological and physiological problems that can cause impotence, extra nitric oxide could help those who need increased blood flow, which would also help treat angina, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.

“Watermelon may not be as organ specific as Viagra,” Patil said, “but it’s a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side-effects.”

The benefits of watermelon don’t end there, he said. Arginine also helps the urea cycle by removing ammonia and other toxic compounds from our bodies.

Citrulline, the precursor to arginine, is found in higher concentrations in the rind of watermelons than the flesh. As the rind is not commonly eaten, two of Patil’s fellow scientists, drs. Steve King and Hae Jeen Bang, are working to breed new varieties with higher concentrations in the flesh.

In addition to the research by Texas A&M, watermelon’s phyto-nutrients are being studied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service in Lane, Oklahoma.

As an added bonus, these studies have also shown that deep red varieties of watermelon have displaced the tomato as the lycopene king, Patil said. Almost 92 percent of watermelon is water, but the remaining 8 percent is loaded with lycopene, an anti-oxidant that protects the human heart, prostate and skin health.

“Lycopene, which is also found in red grapefruit, was historically thought to exist only in tomatoes,” he said. “But now we know that it’s found in higher concentrations in red watermelon varieties.”

Lycopene, however, is fat-soluble, meaning that it needs certain fats in the blood for better absorption by the body, Patil said.

“Previous tests have shown that lycopene is much better absorbed from tomatoes when mixed in a salad with oily vegetables like avocado or spinach,” Patil said. “That would also apply to the lycopene from watermelon, but I realize mixing watermelon with spinach or avocadoes is a very hard sell.”

No studies have been conducted to determine the timing of the consumption of oily vegetables to improve lycopene absorption, he said.

“One final bit of advice for those Fourth of July watermelons you buy,” Patil said. “They store much better uncut if you leave them at room temperature. Lycopene levels can be maintained even as it sits on your kitchen floor. But once you cut it, refrigerate. And enjoy. It is suggested that you would have to eat 1560g of water melon as a starting dose to see “performance increases”

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Akilah M. El, N.D. is a Naturopathic Doctor and board-certified Master Herbalist with a private practice in Atlanta Georgia and Berlin Germany. Join Dr Akilah El on Facebook and Twitter

For More Health Tips Like This Check Out Our Health Tips Page