Moogger | 脉革: Holistic Blog Natural Health and Wellness

From Tylenol recall to medicines rethink

2010-05-26T21:35:00.004-05:00

Tylenol is one of the most commonly used nonperscription medicines in the U.S, yet it is not as safe as we thought. The recent Tylenol recall makes us think twice about little bottles of pills (any kind of pills) when we turn to them for help next time.

Were they produced in a FDA approved standard?
Can they deliver therapeutic benefits without harming the body?
Are all side effects associated with the pills fully disclosed ?

Although we don't have all the answers to doubts about medicines' safety and efficacy, we all want to have the least side effects on the ill body. Tylenol recall alarms us about consequences of taking medicine to get better (or wore in this case).

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Tylenol recall: Serious side effects investigated

by CNN website

The Food and Drug Administration is looking into reports of at least 775 serious side effects from drugs recalled by McNeil, a division of Johnson & Johnson, according to a source close to a Congressional investigation.

Included in the reports were 30 deaths, nearly all of which were found to not be tied to McNeil's recall of Tylenol, Motrin and Benadryl drugs from Jan. 1, 2008 through April 30, 2010, according to another source close to the investigation.

The FDA is also investigating reports of several hundred serious side effects -- or "adverse events" -- and seven deaths since May 1, when McNeil recalled 50 children's versions of these non-prescription medicines because of serious quality and safety concerns.

The FDA's investigation into the recalls is ongoing and the agency would not comment on the matter.

Adverse event reports are consumer complaints of a serious side effect associated with the use of a medical product, according to the FDA. Adverse events could include death, hospitalization, disability and other health complications.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has scheduled a hearing on May 27 to examine the recall.

Following the most recent recall, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ, Fortune 500) has suspended production at McNeil's facility in Fort Washington, Penn., that manufactured the children's drugs.

McNeil's latest recall is its fourth in the past seven months:

In November 2009, five lots of Tylenol Arthritis Pain 100 count with the EZ-open cap were recalled for unusual odor leading to nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
In December, the recall was expanded to include all product lots of Tylenol Arthritis Pain caplet 100 count bottles with the red EZ-open cap.
In January 2010, the recall was widened to an undisclosed number of Tylenol, Motrin and other over-the-counter drugs after complaints of consumers feeling sick from an odor.
McNeil has maintained that its recall of the children's drugs was not "undertaken on the basis of adverse medical events" but as a precautionary measure.

"We track all adverse events and thoroughly investigate all serious adverse cases that are reported and, in turn, report these to the FDA, whether or not the event may be caused by our products," McNeil said in a statement Tuesday.

The FDA, which earlier this month issued a scathing 17-page inspection report listing 20 violations at the Fort Washington plant, also maintains that the recalled drugs pose a "remote" potential for serious health problems.

The House panel invited Johnson & Johnson Chief Executive William Weldon to testify but he declined to be present due to health reasons. The Committee said Colleen Goggins, worldwide chairman of Johnson & Johnson's consumer group will testify at the hearings.

The FDA said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, principal deputy Commissioner, Deborah Autor, Director of the office of compliance and Michael Chappell, acting commissioner for regulatory affairs, will testify on behalf of the agency.

Christmas Spices Improve Year-round Health *

2009-11-23T14:05:00.006-06:00

There is something about the scents of Christmas. They remind us of chilly winter days and family gatherings. Cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg have added distinctive flavors to Christmas themes over the centuries. While we may not know the origins of holiday cooking traditions, we are more knowledgeable about the natural healing power of the festive mixes that extend beyond their delightful tastes.

Whereas, in ancient times, the anti-microbial properties of spices were used to preserve food long before the advent of refrigeration, today, they are commonly used to enhance the flavor of foods. Experienced chefs add them to their recipes, thereby, lessening the need for salt, oil and sugar which add considerable calories to the dishes and have other health impacts.
Besides enriching the aroma of cooked foods, spices increase the satisfaction we derive from eating, and help reduce our urge to overeat. When our taste buds are “heated up” by spices, we are distracted from noticing their remedial effects on our bodies. Additionally, they have high concentrations of antioxidants to fight the free radicals that cause diseases, contain a variety of vitamins that improve nutritional absorption and phytochemicals such as ginerol and salicin that reduce the risk of cancer.

It is perfectly fine to get "festive" with your cooking to stay healthy all year round. Here is more information about individual spices that are generally associated with Christmas and their healthy properties.

CINNAMON

Cinnamon is a must-have ingredient in mince pies. It stimulates appetite and speeds up body metabolism. The U.S. Agricultural Research Service's nutrition lab found that cinnamon increases the responsiveness of body cells to insulin. This function helps lower blood-glucose levels in diabetics. Naturopathic practitioners use cinnamon to treat cold symptoms, flu, and irritable bowel syndrome. Other studies suggest that cinnamon may slow down the deterioration associated with Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease.

CLOVES

Cloves have s long-lasting scent when stuck into an orange or used to season the fat of roast ham. In Ancient China, people rubbed clove oil onto their gums to get fresh breath. Today, dentists apply eugenol, a constituent of clove, to patients' gums for its anesthetic and antibacterial effect. Clove oil is also a natural toothache remedy and will reduce pain. When combined with eucalyptus, lemon, thyme, tea tree and alcohol, cloves are very effective in fighting staphylococcus. Such antiseptic properties work well in the fight against the flu, common colds, and bronchial congestion.

GINGER

Ginger can be used in many ways. Gingerbread cookies are found in almost all cuisines. Indian and Chinese use it in preserves and crystallize it with sugar. Some Europeans have a strong liking for star-shaped gingerbread cookies because ginger is considered as an aphrodisiac. In Ayurvedic and Tibetan medicines, ginger is used to help alleviate arthritis pain. It is commonly taken for morning sickness, motion sickness, indigestion and gas. If we have a cold, drinking hot water with a few slices of fresh ginger alleviates cold symptoms.

NUTMEG

Nutmeg is a legendary spice that has many interesting uses in different times and cultures. In the Middle Ages, it was a popular alternative to marijuana. In Ayurvedic medicine, it is used for digestive problems, premature ejaculation, and urinary incontinence. Egyptians use it to treat colds and respiratory conditions. Natives of the Banda Islands rub nutmeg oil onto the stomach to treat flu, and onto the forehead to reduce headaches. In the seventeenth century, a pound of nutmeg was worth a hefty amount £2.10, and the scent of nutmeg evaporated from one’s homes was a sign of wealth in England. Although a small amount of nutmeg is typically used to enhance flavors while cooking, consuming more than two teaspoons of ground nutmeg may elicit side effects such as double vision, nausea, vomiting and circulation problems. Also, nutmeg may interact with anti-anxiety medications like diazepam (Valium), ondansetron (Zofran), and buspirone (BuSpar). So, be careful not to harm the body while we enjoy the spice.

*This article was first published in Yellow Magazine December 2009 issue.

A Slower Life *

2009-07-02T14:52:00.001-05:00

Modernization has enabled us to live life at full throttle. Increased work efficiency via BlackBerry, real-time updates on Twitter, fast food for quick lunch, courtship by speed dating, instant relief medicines for aches and pains, mind-body relaxation through speed meditation, etc, etc.! Our lives literally consist of nonstop races against the clock. Speedaholics are the neo-workaholic of the 21st century, except they exhibit endurance (24/7) and greater range (workplace, home and in between places such as Starbucks).

Modern society may appeal to our need for instant gratification, but the quality of life does not always benefit from technological advances. On the contrary, high-velocity lifestyle takes a toll on our wellbeing. For example, fast eaters are at greater risk of overeating, obesity, and indigestion. People with high stress levels are more likely to experience unhappiness, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. When we are busy playing the roles of super-beings, we ignore the fundamental purposes behind the events and activities to which we are speeding. When life is constantly racing in the fast lane, our health deteriorates and aging accelerates. We must slow down before our bodies and minds break down.

Slowing down is about doing things at an appropriate speed, not at a turtle’s pace. Decelerating in life is not about dawdling, but about adjusting life rhythms and sharing experiences with people we care about. Rather than passing through places and events, it allows us to ‘be there’ to connect with what is actually going on around us. Being slow emphasizes building balances between work and life, quality and quantity, tangibles and intangibles, excitement and relaxation, destitution and abundance. Instead of rushing from one task to another, we take the time to enjoy important moments during prioritized activities.

While some people feel nervous about slowing down at the beginning, the “slow impact” will kick in quickly once new behavior patterns are adopted. Not only will our bodies benefit from slowing down, our mental health will be lifted to a more positive and energetic level. The core motive of slowing down is to choose living rather than to simply exist. The following is a list of the most effective slow actions. Put them into practice, and live life to the fullest!

Turn them Off: Turn off TV, cell phone, BlackBerry and radios for a few hours each day. This way, we don’t need to worry about unexpected interruption. We can have these few hours just to ourselves for reading, talking with families, playing instruments, or simply chilling. It’d be the best if we turn off all electronic devices during sleep.

Take a deep breath: Research has found that deep breathing helps calm the mind. Breathing deeply and evenly has an instant effect on heart rate. Especially during overwhelming moments, deep breathing can quickly slow us down.

Do one thing at a time: It is okay not to be an overachiever. Multitasking makes us feel anxious and stressed, and we may end up doing nothing well. Focusing on one thing at a time lets us to finish it well. Better yet, we are able to appreciate what it is from the beginning to the end.

Have leisure time: It is unwise to fill every hour of the day with activities. Having fun is just as important as working hard. There is no need to feel guilty about relaxing. Many studies show that people who make time for sports are more creative and productive than those who do not. Additionally, enjoying leisure time makes us happier and, allows use to develop relationships more easily. BTW, make sure when “leisure” mode is on, we are not worrying about other unfinished businesses.

Pick up a Hobby: Slowing down can be easily achieved by enjoying hobbies. Golfing, yoga, gardening, knitting, pottery, and writing are some examples for soothing and fulfilling relaxation. When we are engaged in interesting hobbies, we set our brains in a new mode that encourages creativity and productivity.

Stay Mindful: Mindfulness is a Buddhist meditation technique. Being present in the moment where things take place is the key of staying mindful. We can really experience all things in the surroundings without making judgments. We apply all of our senses to connect with matters around us.

* This article was first published in Yellow Magazine July 2009 issue.

Why Vitamins and Exercise don’t go hand in hand?

2009-05-13T22:33:00.000-05:00

Many of us have grown accustomed to taking vitamin supplements to boost immune system. When we are committed to a fitness routine to tune the body, we usually chew a few more vitamin pills for that extra metabolic effect. The common sense of exercise and vitamin combo is supposed to help us get healthier more quickly. However, a new study done by researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center in the United States and the University of Jena in Germany shed light on less beneficial effects of vitamins. Please read Nicholas Wade’s report below to find out why.

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Vitamins Found to Curb Exercise Benefits

By Nicholas Wade Published on New York Times May 11, 2009

If you exercise to improve your metabolism and prevent diabetes, you may want to avoid antioxidants like vitamins C and E.
That is the message of a surprising new look at the body’s reaction to exercise, reported on Monday by researchers in Germany and Boston.
Exercise is known to have many beneficial effects on health, including on the body’s sensitivity to insulin. “Get more exercise” is often among the first recommendations given by doctors to people at risk of diabetes.
But exercise makes the muscle cells metabolize glucose, by combining its carbon atoms with oxygen and extracting the energy that is released. In the process, some highly reactive oxygen molecules escape and make chemical attacks on anything in sight.
These reactive oxygen compounds are known to damage the body’s tissues. The amount of oxidative damage increases with age, and according to one theory of aging it is a major cause of the body’s decline.
The body has its own defense system for combating oxidative damage, but it does not always do enough. So antioxidants, which mop up the reactive oxygen compounds, may seem like a logical solution.
The researchers, led by Dr. Michael Ristow, a nutritionist at the University of Jena in Germany, tested this proposition by having young men exercise, giving half of them moderate doses of vitamins C and E and measuring sensitivity to insulin as well as indicators of the body’s natural defenses to oxidative damage.
The Jena team found that in the group taking the vitamins there was no improvement in insulin sensitivity and almost no activation of the body’s natural defense mechanism against oxidative damage.
The reason, they suggest, is that the reactive oxygen compounds, inevitable byproducts of exercise, are a natural trigger for both of these responses. The vitamins, by efficiently destroying the reactive oxygen, short-circuit the body’s natural response to exercise.
“If you exercise to promote health, you shouldn’t take large amounts of antioxidants,” Dr. Ristow said. A second message of the study, he said, “is that antioxidants in general cause certain effects that inhibit otherwise positive effects of exercise, dieting and other interventions.” The findings appear in this week’s issue of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The effect of vitamins on exercise and glucose metabolism “is really quite significant,” said Dr. C. Ronald Kahn of the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, a co-author of the report. “If people are trying to exercise, this is blocking the effects of insulin on the metabolic response.”
The advice does not apply to fruits and vegetables, Dr. Ristow said; even though they are high in antioxidants, the many other substances they contain presumably outweigh any negative effect.
Dr. Kahn said it might be that reactive oxygen is beneficial in small doses, because it touches off the body’s natural defense system, but harmful in higher doses.
Andrew Shao of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade association of dietary supplement makers, said the new study was well designed but was just one bit of evidence in a complex issue. Most available evidence points to the opposite conclusion, that antioxidants benefit health by reducing oxidative stress, he said.
“I wouldn’t change recommendations for anyone based on one study,” he said. “This is one small piece of the puzzle.”

True Meaning of Natural Medicine

2009-03-23T23:04:00.001-05:00

At work, I consult with patients on what natural healing means and how it works to improve their health. At leisure, I talk with people in diverse professions to promote their awareness for natural health. During my recent trip to New York, I discussed this popular subject with Ann, a friend from the good old SIPA (the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University) days. Having acquired critical acumen in top-tier health organizations, Ann asked an array of intriguing questions about natural medicine. We enjoyed our dialogue so much that we even extended the discussion via email in the following weeks. In this blog, I selected part of our email communication to present with you the meaning of natural health in modern society.

“Thomas Edison foresaw the medical development in this way: ‘The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.’

What you, I and other SIPA friends have in common is the ultimate drive to make a difference in the world through social, political, financial and educational means. We know that we cannot recreate a NEW world with ideal peace and equality. Then what can we do? Knowing the conflicts in the EXISTING world, we participate in tasks that hopefully can make a positive influence on it and change it for better over the long term. Regardless of how turbulent the world is (pollution, poverty, ethnic conflicts, economic downturn, etc. you name it), we, as do-good-agents, enter this imperfect arena to minimize its conflicts and enhance its valuable heritage. Of course, this is the almighty goal and requires many SIPA graduates to reach it. Fortunately, we are getting closer and closer to it every year. This point of view is based on the assumption that human's moral nature prefers a peaceful world.

By the same token, natural healthcare acknowledges the uncontrollable variables that affect people's health. Polluted environment is bad for respiratory system, growth hormones in poultry and dairy products interfere with body's normal hormonal metabolism, severe winter weather dehydrates skin (I’m curious about Sara Palin's secret to healthy skin is in Alaska), radiation from TV and computer weakens eyesight, stress increases risk for weight gain and chronic disorders ... ... These are just some examples of EXTERNAL factors that have negative impact on our health. Can we remove all of them in order to stay healthy? It'd be idealistic to see them gone in our lifetime. Then what can we do to preserve our natural body? Here comes Darwin's Survival of the Fittest theory. "The fittest" in human health are those who are able to maintain good health despite of the severity of external environment. Can we achieve this? The answer is the conceptual foundation (this term is definitely better applied here than elsewhere) of natural healthcare: empower the body to naturally stay at its ‘Fittest’. This is based on the assumption that our body is able to heal itself naturally. Healthcare innovation makes more sense if it shifts its focus to the body's INTERNAL environment and INTRINSIC ability, instead of applying foreign substances to regulate the already-damaged mechanism.

I can type out pages of my perspectives into natural medicine, but I don't want to bore you with more lengthy texts. Just think about this scenario. Ms. Veggie has been on an organic vegetarian diet for a while. She does so because her digestive system is sensitive. Her stomach easily gets upset when she tries new food. Her doctor told her that staying away from meat helps ease her stomach. Recently, she got addicted to cupcakes. "One cupcake a day, bid smile all day" has been her daily snack this whole month. Yesterday she read somewhere about enriching cupcake flavor with a bottle of milk. She usually drinks milk in the morning. As a healthy calorie-watcher, she postpones her milk consumption till 3PM when she usually eats a freshly baked cupcake. Milk (organic of course) and cupcake together taste better, but an hour later, Ms. Veggie's stomach started making funny movements. By the end of the day, she already used a roll of toilet paper. If she came to see a natural doctor, she’d be treated to improve digestion function, rather than being ordered to discontinue the cupcake-milk combo.

The bottom line of natural healthcare is to strengthen the body's innate physiological functions. If the body is healthy and strong, it can identify good nutrients and bad substances, absorb the useful and eliminate the waste. If it is sick and weak, it cannot recognize good or bad, improper absorption and elimination of wrong elements can occur (it doesn't matter what type of food intake is). In this case, it'd be really hard to treat the conditions by altering diet, don't even think about curing its root cause. In practice, the general concept mentioned above guides natural treatment plans, which must be carefully customized to meet each individual's body constitution, prior health condition, emotions, stress, religion, lifestyles and so on.”

By now you know a bit more about Moogger way of natural health concept. But be aware that not all natural health practitioners follow the same ideology, just like regional variations in western medical practices. You don't have to agree with me, but I'm happy that you’ve taken time to learn about a new health concept. Of course, your feedback and comments are always welcome to help expand Moogger’s knowledge from dissimilar minds.

Love is the Heart Rescue

2009-02-13T18:01:00.006-06:00

People are suckers for love. This is why pounding-heart lovers will rush into movie theaters tomorrow to see the heartfelt melodrama Slumdog Millionaire. Why not get more inspiration for love?

Love has profound impact on us. Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel laureate and an Israeli psychologist, wrote about what got him into the fascinating field of psychology. When German Nazis occupied France in 1940s, Kahneman and his family lived in Paris. During the wartime, Jews were required to wear the Star of David and had to obey a 6p.m. curfew. “I had gone to play with a Christian friend and had stayed too late. I turned my brown sweater inside out to walk the few blocks home. As I was walking down an empty street, I saw a German soldier approaching. He was wearing the black uniform that I had been told to fear more than others – the one worn by specially recruited SS soldiers. As I came closer to him, trying to walk fast, I noticed that he was looking at me intently. Then he beckoned me over, picked me up, and hugged me. I was terrified that he would notice the star inside my sweater. He was speaking to me with great emotion, in German. When he put me down, he opened his wallet, showed me a picture of a boy, and gave me some money. I went home more certain than ever that my mother was right: people were endlessly complicated and interesting.” (Kahneman, D. 2003. Maps of bounded rationality: A perspective on intuitive judgment and choice) Kahneman’s childhood Nazi experience presented tender loving nature of human beings when the boy least expected it. This particular incident of love display opened his mind to the “complimented and interesting” subject of psychology.

Love is at the heart of human world. No one can deny that people innately embrace the fundamental essence of human nature - love. We live for love, fight for love, and die for love. We compose poetry, write novels and produce movies to spread love. Globalization and civilization help us evolve into a special kind of race that not only reaches tangible goods like food and shelter, but also cultivates spiritual assets like love. Unfortunately, the very people who created love have been too busy to care for it. Current global financial crisis not only alarms business entities and policymakers to develop economic resolutions, it also serves as a wakeup call for global citizens. It urges us to analyze the underlying causes for the calamity and take a closer look at love. Did we jeopardize our well-being by stress, depression and OCD after succeeding at work and failing at home? Did financial and materialistic rewards drive us far away from nurturing love? Were we so involved in acquiring tangible assets that we overlooked the fact that the life’s gemstone is love instead of its filigree like vacation homes and private jets? Is now the time for us to rebound from financial deprivation as well as soul deficiency?

We all know that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. (CDC’s Heart Disease Facts and Statistics 2009) It is already heartbreaking to know that over 650,000 Americans died of heart disease each year, but it is more heart rending that few know love can really heals the physical heart. Loving relationships promotes better health, happiness and longevity, especially in times of severe downturns. When Dorbert Nerum’s team at the University of Houston conducted a research on the correlation between a high cholesterol diet and heart attack, they came across unanticipated health miracle brought by love. They fed experimental rabbits with the high cholesterol diet that guaranteed to elevate cholesterol level in the rabbits. Consequently, there was a build-up of plaque in rabbits’ arteries. This blocked blood flow and caused heart disease. The surprising finding was that one group of rabbits developed a lower cholesterol level and a smaller arterial plaque volume than expected. It took a while for the befuddled team to discover that a lab assistant’s extra care stopped the rabbits from suffering heart problems. After feeding the rabbits, the lab assistant took them out of the cage, talked to them, played with them and petted them. All these loving activities reduced the risk for heart disease by a very significant percentage, 60 percent! If a simple act of petting could prevent the rabbits from getting heart disease, think about how many lives we can save by doing little things to share love with people around us.

More and more scientific studies have shown that small changes in lifestyles lead to significant improvements in one’s health and well-being. However, love, the most powerful and the most effective intervention, has not been prescribed enough by health practitioners. Love has a stronger impact on the quality of life and development of diseases. It extends emotional transformation to physical restoration. Dr. Candace Pert conducted a famous research on the bio-chemistry of emotions to demonstrate how the emotions are connected to the body. She finds that receptors sit on the surface of body cells, and specialized cells like neurons have millions of the receptors surrounding them. These receptors scan, sense and receive chemical substances known as peptides. These peptides deliver emotional messages to the receptors. The emotional messages elicit bio-chemical reactions within the cells, and have positive or negative effect on cell’s growth and development. Dr. Pert advances the theory of body-mind connection through the evidence of chemical alternation at molecular level. Her finding coincides with the philosophy of Dr. Yongshu Yang, a revolutionary doctor in integrative medicine in China. Dr. Yang has treated thousands of patients through a mind-body approach since 1970s. Her clinical experience confirms that the body has self-healing ability or “natural medicine.” Proper emotional release and positive attitudes restore body’s healing mechanism. An angry individual has angry cells that attack and damage each other. A loving person has happy cells that attract and nourish each other. Dr. Yang discovers that people with anger suppression have greater risks for inflammation in all kinds of body cells, cardiovascular diseases and circulatory malfunction. On the contrary, people with positive and loving attitudes develop less inflammatory conditions and usually have a longer lifespan.

If the best doctor resides inside our mind, why not get involved with love to provide the natural pharmacopeias to others and ourselves? Love is both from the heart and for the heart.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Dieters Gone Wild!

2009-02-05T08:11:00.005-06:00

Do you really want to lose weight?

Have you tried all the diet methods out there?
If yes, think again. Are you sure you have tried the goldfish diet?
If no, wait to get enlightened by a CNN's report on fascinating diet schemes over the last century.

What you're about to read is beyond ordinary thinking and practice, and for information only. Make sure that you consult with your physician on what the healthiest way is to lose weight.

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Sleeping Beauty and worm diets -- thinning through history

By Linda Rodriguez

(MENTAL FLOSS) -- Most of the world seems to think that America invented obesity sometime in the last century, but the truth is, fat has always been a part of life (witness Hatshepsut, one of the great ancient Egyptian queens who reigned in the 15th century BC -- despite her svelte sarcophagus, modern archeologists believe that she was pretty obese and may have suffered from diabetes).

So it stands to reason that dieting has been around just as long.

Some historians credit William the Conqueror with starting the first fad diet. Having grown too fat to ride his horse, William went on a liquid diet in 1087 -- or, rather, a liquor diet, since all he did was drink booze.

The story might be apocryphal -- William, still fat, actually died after falling from his horse and there was no word on whether he was drunk at the time -- but it's a good one, and it sets the tone for the next 1000+ years of dieting.

Throughout history, people have been looking for some kind of magic that will allow one to eat and live as one pleases, but still look emaciatedly gorgeous. And they've come up with some pretty dubious theories that somehow took hold in the public consciousness and became fads. Here are a few of our favorites.

Location, location, location

"The Causes and Effects of Corpulence" was a treatise penned in 1727 by one Thomas Short, in which he observed that larger people were more likely to live near swampy areas. His advice? Fat people should move to more arid climes.

Improbable side effects

The namesake of the graham cracker -- ironically now an integral part of that deliciously fattening treat, the 'smore -- was a Presbyterian minister who claimed that overeating could not only make you fat, it could make you lecherous, too. In the 1830s, Sylvester Graham ran health retreats for like-minded parishioners featuring a strict meat-free, incredibly bland diet.

Chew yourself thin

Horace Fletcher, a turn of the century San Francisco art dealer, became known as the Great Masticator after he claimed he lost more than 40 pounds by chewing his food until it was essentially liquefied and spitting out all the bits that weren't.

Fletcher's scheme became incredibly popular -- novelist Henry James and industry titan John D. Rockefeller were reportedly fans, as was John Harvey Kellogg. Kellogg, of the cereal fame, was a health nut who ran a sanitarium in Michigan, where he encouraged his visitors to "Fletcherize" with a little song he wrote called "Chew Chew." Mental Floss: How cereal transformed American culture

The parasite diet

In the early part of the 20th century, the weight loss industry allegedly found a tiny little helper in the form of a tiny little parasite -- the noble tapeworm. According to product advertisements of the day, tapeworms were being sold in pill form as a weight loss tool.

While whether or not those pills actually contained a real live tapeworm is certainly debatable, however, there is evidence that jockeys, who frequently needed to lose a lot of weight fast, would try to induce tapeworms. Another favorite weight loss tool of the Lilliputian equestrians: Burying themselves in piles of horse manure, which acted as a kind of natural sauna.

Introducing the calorie

In 1918, Dr. Lulu Hunt Peters introduced a new word to the world lexicon --"calorie" (may she be forever cursed for it). Peters' book, "Diet and Health, With a Key to Calories," which helpfully included a phonetic spelling of the word "calorie," as so many people were unfamiliar with it, sold more than 2 million copies and established calorie-counting as the framework of a good health.

This diet regime wasn't particularly dubious, but it did lend a potentially dangerous new tool to those looking for a way to quantify and reduce their food intake. Case in point: The Scarsdale Diet of 1979, a strict 700-calorie a day diet that works -- because you're starving. Mental Floss: Quiz: Which item has more calories?

The goldfish diet

OK, this one wasn't so much about weight loss as it was fame gain, but in 1939, it was a fad that swept the nation. Like most good things, it all started with a bet -- a Harvard University undergrad won $10 after swallowing an innocent fishy. The story spread from there, prompting a countrywide goldfish slaughter.

Goldfish swallowing became so popular that not only were pet stores running out of the indigestible comestibles, but the New York Times published warnings from doctors that swallowing goldfish, which are known to carry tapeworms and other parasites, could be very harmful to one's health.

The nicotine diet

By the middle of the 20th century, dieting had become such a major economic, social and cultural force in the Western world that cigarette companies, not wanting to miss the money boat, jumped on board promoting cigarettes as a weight-loss tool. It's a belief that persists today -- ask any supermodel.

The master cleanse

In the 1940s, nutrition guru Stanley Burroughs created the Master Cleanse, a fast during which the dieter subsists solely on a mixture of cayenne pepper, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, maple syrup and water.

The Master Cleanse is still popular today, especially among anorexics and aspiring anorexics, despite the fact that most nutritionists and doctors say that "detoxing" is a nonsensical and potentially harmful idea.

The Sleeping Beauty diet

Then there's the Sleeping Beauty Diet, a regime that allows the dieter to literally sleep off the pounds while under heavy sedation for several days. Elvis was reportedly a fan of that one, right about the time when he was having a little trouble squeezing into those trademark white jump suits, as was a character in the landmark beach read, "Valley of the Dolls." Mental Floss: 7 simple rules for how to take a nap

The monotony diets

The 20th century also brought us back to a concept allegedly pioneered by William the Conqueror -- the single food or drink diet. There's the Grapefruit Diet, which alleges that eating a lot of grapefruit and drinking a lot of grapefruit juice, in conjunction, of course, with a very low-calorie diet, is the way to weigh less; the Cabbage Soup Diet, which is said to cause serious gas with a side of nausea; the Popcorn Diet, which is pretty much undercut by all the tasty things one puts on popcorn to make it palatable; and the Chocolate Diet, which, though tempting, is just plain silliness.

Memorable dieting paraphernalia

And let's not forget about the gadgets that went along with these suspect food fads, like the Vision-Dieter Glasses, which made food look unappealing, or the Mini-Fork system, which encouraged people to eat smaller portions by supplying them with -- you guessed it -- smaller forks.

Or how about slimming soaps, popular in the 1930s, which promised dieters that they could just wash the fat away? And then there's the perennially popular vibrating machine, which promised to melt off pounds by a few minutes of intense body vibration -- and which is actually enjoying a comeback now at gadgetry stores like Brookstone.

Feng Shui in the Spotlight: World Outlook 2009

2009-01-28T15:33:00.001-06:00

In June 2008, Moogger first presented the concept of feng shui as an interior design strategy to create harmonious home environment. We received positive feedback from many readers who have put it into practice. Improved family relationships, better health, and career promotion are reported benefits of home feng shui.

Besides regulating energy at home, feng shui masters apply unique formulas to predict the future viability of an event, a person, a business entity, or even a country. While the world is facing economic uncertainty, people turn to feng shui practice with a hope of exiting grim financial stage ASAP. Susan Fenton at the Reuters had a very interesting report on what Asian Feng shui masters foresaw for 2009. Believe it or not, it is worth reading about the unknown that may later surface as the real thing.

Of course, the best feng shui practice is optimism. There is no use worrying. let's sit back, relax, and enjoy the year of the Ox (shall we say “Bull”? ☺ ).

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Feng shui masters see calmer markets in Year of the Ox

By Susan Fenton

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Stock investors reeling from last year's market mayhem may take some solace from practitioners of the ancient Chinese art of feng shui, who predict a calmer, if subdued, performance in the coming Chinese Year of the Ox.

"This year of the Ox is an 'earth' year, when people will take a breather and reflect on what they should do after a turbulent 2008," said Hong Kong feng shui master Raymond Lo.

Practitioners of feng shui maintain the universe is made up of five elements -- earth, water, fire, wood and metal -- that define the collective mood in our environment.

Earth is the calmest of the elements and this year is a "yin earth" year as well as an Ox year, symbolizing a more feminine energy, says Lo.

The Year of the Ox, which starts on January 26, will be the most peaceful year globally since 2000, he says, but stock investors don't need to rush into the market yet.

"2009 will be a 'pure earth' year, which means fire will be missing so there will not be a lot of drive to push up the stock market," said Lo. The economic climate will still be tough and though stock markets might rise in the first half of this year, gains could peter out in the second half, Lo said.

"The market should still be quite low in the second half and that would be a good time to get in ahead of a recovery in 2010 (the Year of the Tiger)," he said.

The global outlook will be helped by the fact that incoming U.S. President Barack Obama was born in a "yin earth" year, like President Abraham Lincoln. French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou are also "yin earth" people.

"This is a new generation of leaders. They are more calm, humane and charismatic," Lo said.

Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Charles Darwin, Tchaikovsky and Sigmund Freud, were all born in "yin earth" years which symbolize harmony and a move to a new order.

The last "yin earth" year of the Ox, in 1949, saw the birth of NATO and the People's Republic of China.

MIXED RECORD

Vincent Koh of the Singapore Feng Shui Centre agrees that financial markets will be subdued.

"Don't pick high-risk assets this year, be patient and don't expect high returns," Koh said.

The global economy could start to pick up in the second half of 2009, says Koh, who sees busy merger and acquisition activity, but adds that banks will continue to be reluctant to lend.
A report this month by Japanese research company Daiwa Institute, however, warned that Ox years are usually disastrous for stocks and Japan's Nikkei stock index has fallen by an average 11.4 percent in each of the past five Years of the Ox.

Feng shui masters have a mixed record when it comes to market predictions. Lo forecast a stock market correction a year ago but also advised investors to put their money into property.

Prof. Charlie Chao, a leading feng shui expert in the Philippines, was quoted in a CLSA research note a year ago as warning of a possible global economic crisis in 2008.

But he also forecast a better performance for the Philippine stock market. That didn't happen. Manila stocks slumped 48 percent last year, reversing a 21 percent gain in 2007.

Chinese emperors put great faith in advice from feng shui masters as do many business tycoons and politicians in Chinese societies today. Apartment blocks and office buildings as well as furniture are often positioned according to feng shui principles to generate "wealth."

Banking giant HSBC's Hong Kong headquarters was built in accordance with feng shui guidelines and Hong Kong Disneyland changed the angle of its main entrance after consulting a feng shui expert.

As fewer people buy property or start businesses during the economic downturn, Michael Teo, a feng shui master at I-Ching Fengshui in recession-hit Singapore, is seeing a drop in business.

However, sales of auspicious feng shui jade carvings, which cost $2,000-$3,000 and are believed to bring wealth, are being snapped up every day, he says.

Koh compares feng shui with a reliable weather forecast, saying it can help us anticipate changes in our environment.

"We cannot stop the rain, but knowing it is going to fall we can prevent ourselves from getting drenched," he says.

But getting wet may be a minor concern in the Year of the Ox. While financial markets should be calmer, Koh foresees the spread of disease and a spate of natural disasters, particularly in the northern hemisphere, with landslides, floods and earthquakes in store.

Stanford Professor Analyzes Obama's Health Care Reform

2009-01-16T20:22:00.001-06:00

Dr. Victor R. Fuchs, a professor emeritus of economics at Stanford University, shares his insights into health care reform in the latest volume of the New England Journal of Medicine . Historically, "Big talk little action" has been the tragic ending of presidential attempts to health reform. Why is it so difficult to improve the American health care system? Dr. Fuchs explains the major problems that have hindered implementation of constructive health care policies in his publication shown below.

Can Obama really deliver the CHANGE to provide better health care for Americans? Let's all hope that this time is different. America needs sustainable health care reform that keep its citizens physically healthy to improve productivity. This can really help the nation restore its vital stage, economically and socially.

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Health Care Reform — Why So Much Talk and So Little Action?

Victor R. Fuchs, Ph.D.

As promised during his campaign, and under pressure from many quarters, President-elect Barack Obama may seek badly needed changes in the way the United States finances and delivers health care. Responding to public interest and perceived need, several previous presidents have attempted to enact some kind of national health insurance: Harry Truman in the 1940s, Richard Nixon in the 1970s, and most recently Bill Clinton in the 1990s. These attempts went nowhere. In pursuing comprehensive health care reform, President-elect Obama should be aware of four major reasons why, in the past, we heard so much talk and saw so little action.

First, many organizations and individuals prefer the status quo. This category includes health insurance companies; manufacturers of drugs, medical devices, and medical equipment; companies that employ mostly young, healthy workers and therefore have lower health care costs than they would if required to help subsidize care for the poor and the sick; high-income employees, whose health insurance is heavily subsidized through a tax exemption for the portion of their compensation spent on health insurance; business leaders and others who are ideologically opposed to a larger role of government; highly paid physicians in some surgical and medical specialties; and workers who mistakenly believe that their employment-based insurance is a gift from their employer rather than an offset to their potential take-home pay. These individuals and organizations do not account for a majority of voters, but they probably have disproportionate influence on public policy, especially when their task is simply to block change.

Second, as Niccoló Machiavelli presciently wrote in 1513, "There is nothing more difficult to manage, more dubious to accomplish, nor more doubtful of success . . . than to initiate a new order of things. The reformer has enemies in all those who profit from the old order and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit from the new order." This keenly observed dynamic, known as the "Law of Reform," suggests that a determined and concentrated minority fighting to preserve the status quo has a considerable advantage over a more diffuse majority who favor reform but have varying degrees of willingness to fight for a promised but uncertain benefit.

Third, our country's political system renders Machiavelli's Law of Reform particularly relevant in the United States, where many potential "choke points" offer opportunities to stifle change. The problem starts in the primary elections in so-called safe congressional districts, where special-interest money can exert a great deal of influence because of low voter turnout. The fact that Congress has two houses increases the difficulty of passing complex legislation, especially when several committees may claim jurisdiction over portions of a bill. Also, a supermajority of 60% may be needed to force a vote in the filibuster-prone Senate.

Fourth, reformers have failed to unite behind a single approach. Disagreement among reformers has been a major obstacle to substantial reform since early in the last century. According to historian Daniel Hirshfield, "Some saw health insurance primarily as an educational and public health measure, while others argued that it was an economic device to precipitate a needed reorganization of medical practice. . . . Some saw it as a device to save money for all concerned, while others felt sure that it would increase expenditures significantly."1 These differences in objectives persist to this day.

Currently, many health care reformers favor an approach based on comprehensive mandates and generous subsidies. This approach would leave in place employment-based insurance and income-tested insurance, such as Medicaid, attempting to shore up these systems rather than replace them with a more unified method of financing care. Other reformers favor "Medicare for all," an approach that is often referred to as "single payer." Still others want to combine the single-payer approach with choice and competition through a system of universal vouchers for enrollment in competing health plans that take responsibility for the care and costs of their enrollees. These approaches, and others that have been proposed, vary in their objectives and in the methods they would use to achieve those objectives. Differences among approaches are not easily reconciled, because they reflect differences in values and analyses. Even if a substantial majority of the public and legislators favors some kind of reform, we will continue to witness much talk and little action unless they can unite behind a single approach.

This type of review of the obstacles to health care reform is of more than theoretical or historical interest. It could help the Obama administration find a successful path to reform. Consider the groups that seem to prefer the status quo. They may not be as unified as they first appear. Some individuals and organizations might realize that they could benefit from changes in the health care system. For example, some of the large health care insurers or managers, such as Anthem, UnitedHealth, and Aetna, would flourish in a system where relatively few competing health plans are equipped to assume responsibility for large numbers of enrollees in return for risk-adjusted capitation payments. Reformers need to try to secure their support or, at a minimum, to blunt their opposition. Similarly, though some physicians would probably see their income fall under comprehensive reform, others might see an increase, and all would probably prefer a system in which no one is uninsured. Even in the pharmaceutical industry, where opposition to reform is traditionally strong, some firms are beginning to embrace a goal of high-value innovation; such companies would move to the head of the industry under a well-designed new system.

Under the best of circumstances, however, a major Obama reform initiative will still face strong defenders of the status quo. Machiavelli's Law of Reform highlights the importance of galvanizing those who favor reform into a more vigorous, aggressive source of political pressure. The success of Obama's campaign team in involving millions of supporters through the Internet points the way toward such an outcome. The U.S. political system will still have its numerous choke points, but skill and determination on the part of leaders in the executive and legislative branches may prevail, especially if high unemployment, a financial squeeze on Medicaid, an influenza pandemic, or some other crisis increases the political dangers for legislators who oppose reform.

One argument against comprehensive reform that is sure to surface is that it is not politically feasible. That may well be true, for the reasons mentioned above. But U.S. history is studded with major policy changes that were not politically feasible — until they were. Examples include the emancipation of slaves, the creation of a strong and independent central bank, the establishment of Social Security, the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates, and most recently, more than $1 trillion devoted to bailing out large financial institutions. Six months ago, a bailout of this nature and size was not even close to being politically feasible. Comprehensive health care reform must happen, if for no other reason than to avert a national fiscal crisis. The big questions are when it will happen and what form it will take.

In my judgment, it is far more important to get the right answer to the question of "what" than "when." It would be a shame to let short-term political feasibility dominate the discussion. Political leaders who aspire to greatness first decide what needs to be done and then set about making it politically feasible. If the current health care reform initiative is limited to questions of coverage, without serious attention to cost control and coordination of care, the "crisis" in health care will continue to plague us for years to come.

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Holiday Health Check *

2008-12-10T18:46:00.000-06:00

Isn’t December the happiest month of the year? Holiday lights radiate a festive glow wherever you go. We engage in shopping spree for Christmas gifts to express our appreciation of loved ones. Family and friends gather at parties to share joyful stories while feasting and enjoying their beverages of choice. Children indulge themselves with sweet delicacies that their parents usually limit during other times of the year.

As much as we enjoy this holiday season, many of us experience some side effects of the exuberance with which we celebrate. Fatigue, indigestion, hangover, and SAD (seasonal affective disorder) may affect us even before Christmas arrive. Luckily, we can avoid all these by making small but effective changes to our lifestyles. The following is the master list to achieve a jolly healthy Christmas. Put it into action for the upcoming holiday season and the many to follow. Have a healthy Christmas and New Year!

Keep shopping time under 2 hours. As much as we take pleasure in holiday shopping, our bodies and wallets can handle only so much. Navigating from stores to stores and carrying heavy shopping bags can create mental and physical stress, not to mention the apprehension of paying credit card bills in the following months. Any shopping trip longer than 2 hours diminishes the joy of holiday consumption.

Maintain regular exercise routine. With relatives coming to town, shortening holiday hours at health clubs, and a queue of parties to attend, we tend to forgive a lapse in our normal exercise routine. But exercise is the most effective way to reduce stress, burn off the excessive calories that we intake during all the Christmas parties, and boost serotonin (happy brain chemical). Intensive cardio work-out the day after a feast helps with digestion and avoids weight gain.

Have 3 meals a day like usual. We are tempted to skip meals so that we can indulge ourselves with abundance at holiday parties. Binge eating one day and limited eating the next day interfere with the body’s regular metabolism, and send out false signals to the digestive system. This increases the incidence of weight fluctuation and digestive diseases. Don’t change your meal times just for the holidays.

Eat citrus foods. We all realize that we are only human and that we will overeat during the Christmas holidays - no matter how discipline we think we are. To avoid indigestion, introduce citrus foods into your feast. Known as nutritional powerhouses for vitamin B6, folate, and thiamine, grapefruits, oranges, and tomatoes help liver to digest foods and metabolize toxins. If you are already experiencing indigestion, drink some hawthorn juice. When the stomach is challenged by unfamiliar foods, drinking a glass of hot water mixed with honey and lemon can quickly calm down a digestive rebellion.

Remember to take a deep breathe and meditate. Although we look forward to Christmas, company parties, gift shopping, holiday traffic, and pleasing relatives all add u to a sate of stress. Being able to manage this stress is important for the prevention of seasonal affective disorder caused by holiday activities. Remember to take a deep breathe whenever we feel overwhelmed. Better yet, medication, especially before sleeping, moves brain waves from the stress-prone right frontal cortex to the tranquility-receptive left frontal cortex.

Drink green tea after alcohol consumption. Few of us would say no to wine, beer and oher alcoholic beverages as we celebrate the holidays. Having a cup of hot green tea right after drinking helps you remain sober. According to a study published in Biological Chemistry, green tea extract protects against early alcohol-induced liver injury in rats. The natural antioxidants in green tea reduce ethanol oxidative stress in the liver. Green tea is one of the easiest and the best cures for hangovers.

* This article was first published in Yellow Magazine December 2008 issue.

Bridging the Divide *

2008-11-13T22:11:00.003-06:00

Oprah talks about it. Anderson Cooper investigates it. The Texas Medical Center researches it. It is a new sensation in America. What is it? Mind-body medicine also referred to as holistic, natural, alternative, or complementary medicine.

Regardless of what it is called, a growing number of people have come to embrace it conceptually and have gained health benefits in practicing it. Philosophically, it is grounded in the belief that our physical well-being is directly connected with our minds. By releasing
emotional and mental toxins, we are able to restore our physical balance. The idea of treating body and mind together provides answers to some health conditions for which the cure has eluded traditional medicine. It may turn out to be the next best thing in medical practice. We have heard of the miraculous results that mind-body medicine has been able to achieve and it has inspired us to explore the subject in greater detail. But what are good and credible sources from which we may learn? Following are three books I recommend that were written by leading doctors in mind-body medicine. I hope that they will contribute towards a firm conceptual foundation for your holistic well being.

Healing from the Heart – Mehmet C. Oz, M.D.

Dr. Oz is vice-chair and professor of surgery at Columbia University. He directs the Cardiovascular Institute and Complementary Medicine Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Further, he is the health expert on The Oprah Winfrey Show and chief medical consultant to Discovery Communications. Although Dr. Oz is known for his recent best-seller You: The Owner’s Manual, a book he wrote earlier, Healing from the Heart, describes what he observed when his patients were treated with traditional cardiac care combined with energy healing, hypnosis, yoga, aromatherapy, music therapy, acupuncture, and visual imagery. The accounts of their mind-body healing are vividly described and strongly support his position that the relationship between traditional and alternative medicine should be complementary and not mutually exclusive.

Many Lives, Many Masters – Brian L. Weiss, M.D.

Dr. Weiss received his medical degree from Yale University, completed his internship at New York University’s Bellevue Medical Center, and went on to become the chief resident at Yale University Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Weiss is currently chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami and a clinical associate professor at the University of Miami School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry. In his book, Dr. Weiss innovatively brought psychiatry and metaphysics together based on his patients’ cases. Despite the controversy surrounding past-life therapy within psychiatric circles and Dr. Weiss’ own uncertainty about spiritual existence, he was startled when one of his patients recounted stories of 86 past lives during hypnosis. This realization helped Dr. Weiss treat her anxiety, depression and phobias. While it is understandable to hold skeptical views when entertaining the idea of the spiritual connections introduced in the book, you will be intrigued to consider the possibility of reaching “space between lives.”

The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine – Ted J. Kaptchuk, O.M.D.

Dr. Kaptchuk received his Doctor of Oriental Medicine in Macau, China in 1975, and has been instrumental in migrating eastern medicine philosophy to the United States. He is an assistant professor of Medicine and director of the Asian Medicine and Healing Program at Harvard medical school. If you only have time to read one book on Chinese medicine, this is the one. This book scientifically blends ancient Chinese medicine with modern Western medicine. You can find the answers from A-Z of Chinese medicine that include such matters as energy, spirit, the five elements, yin and yang, acupuncture and herbology. Through the lens of Western culture, Dr. Kaptchuk provides a comprehensive guide on the theories and practices of Chinese medicine that focus on the mind-body connection.

*This article was first published in Yellow Magazine November 2008 issue.

Lifestyle Change Becomes a National Affair

2008-10-10T10:43:00.001-05:00

In Today’s Lexington Herald’s Op-Ed “Exercise will help us avoid chronic diseases”, secretary Mike Leavitt of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, shares his priorities in building a wellness culture to prevent chronic diseases and to reduce rising health care costs. He points out that a major cause for our ailing nation is physical inactivity. Exercise is one of the best lifestyle changes we can choose to improve our well being.

For the first time in its history, the federal government has issued the “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans” to encourage Americans to participate in exercise for substantial health benefits. The guidelines serve as “a practical road map to a healthier lifestyle” and can be found at http://www.health.gov/PAGuidelines/.

Leavitt writes: "These guidelines present scientific evidence that Americans who are inactive can begin to gain health improvements by adding as little as 10 minutes of physical activity every day.”

Think about what 10-minute exercise can do for us: boost immune system, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, lose weight, enhance physical appearance, improve psychological outlook, cut down the number of doctor visits (of course, medical costs), gain more energy, increase productivity at work, strengthen stress-coping ability, … …

Exercise is the best prescription to heal our nation’s health care problems. Let’s start taking it NOW.

Dr. Judith Rich from the Huffington Post

2008-10-08T22:28:00.005-05:00

Dr. Judith Rich delivers a fresh breeze in the media world of politics, business, and entertainment. She is one of the leading scientists who explore the myths of transformation and consciousness. She has empowered people around the world to search deeper in their inner selves. She is an active blogger for the Huffington Post.

Her most recent blog on the wisdom of Warren Buffett and Eckhart Tolle presents enlightening perspectives in people's decision making process. check it below or visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-judith-rich/lessons-in-living-the-wis_b_132054.html

Lessons In Living: The Wisdom Of Eckhart Tolle and Warren Buffett

by Dr. Judith Rich

Lesson 1

Knowing When To Pull the Plug

"Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks." W. Buffett

" Sometimes letting go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on." E. Tolle

This is the first in a series of articles contrasting and comparing the teaching and philosophies of two very different modern day masters: Warren Buffett and Eckhart Tolle. It might seem odd to put these two men in the same sentence let alone compare their wisdom. Warren Buffett, iconic capitalist and one of the world's richest men; and Eckhart Tolle, one of today's most enlightened spiritual masters, travel very different paths.

Warren Buffett, now the world's richest person, has lived in the same house in Omaha, Nebraska since the 1950's. He has built enormous wealth through a set of very no-nonsense, and some say even ruthless investing principles. But what I find most compelling about his story is what he plans to do with his wealth. Warren Buffett has bequeathed his entire empire to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation upon his death. He intends for his wealth to do good in the world, not only to enhance his personal fortunes; what Richard Stylla, economist at NYU's Stern School of Business, calls "profitable patriotism".

Eckhart Tolle has written some of the most poignant and powerful books on the subject of human consciousness today. A soft-spoken man with a quiet presence; almost elf-like in looks and demeanor, Tolle has touched millions of people through his teachings, including the web cast series he recently co-hosted with Oprah Winfrey based on his latest book, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose.

Buffett's philosophy grounds us in the practical world and gives us structure and form. Or as my scientist friend, Brian, would call "bottom-up" thinking. Bottom up thinking is informational, it shows us how things work in the everyday world. It gives us a map with specific, detailed instructions about how to get from A to B.

Tolle's philosophy takes us to the depths of human consciousness and returns us to the well of our own inherent wisdom. He shows us the larger "territory" or the land where many maps exist. When we see the bigger picture, we discover there are infinite ways to get from A to B. Top-down thinking is contextual. It looks for larger themes and hidden patterns and helps to uncover what is not readily apparent.

I wondered what could be learned from comparing the philosophies of these two very different teachers with their divergent ways of thinking and seeing the world. In the coming weeks, I'll be exploring their writings to see what practical and spiritual lessons we can learn and how to apply them to our daily lives.

For starters, I wondered what each of them might have to teach us regarding one of the most common themes I hear among the people I meet in public seminars and in my private coaching practice: how to know when it's time to pull the plug on something that just isn't working. For most people, this usually implies relationship-related issues .

Referring to the two quotes at the top of this article: Buffett's advice has to do with the effective expenditure of energy. It's practical and quite matter of fact. It doesn't take into account the aspect of feelings, or the conflict between the head and the heart. He says don't spend your energy trying to fix something that is broken beyond repair. It's probably safe to assume he's referring to something stock or investment related. OK, don't ride a stock all the way to the bottom. But what greater application might we draw from this advice?

Look to see: how much energy have you expended trying to repair a "chronically leaking boat" in your life? (Chronically leaking, being the operative words here). How many jobs or relationships have you stayed in long after they were over, hoping things would turn around?

How many times have you stayed in a relationship with someone based on their unmet potential, or on who you hope they'll be "someday", completely overlooking who they are today? Or how long have you stayed with someone, wishing or hoping they could just be who they used to be when you first met? Wishing, wanting, hoping and waiting for the other person to change is a prescription for disappointment and frustration.

This is a huge relationship dilemma. I often ask people, "Who, in your life, needs to change in order for you to be happy?" The usual approach is to look at the other person and think it's their responsibility to change. But unless you want to keep repeating the same mistakes over and over, you must be willing to look at yourself and see what has you devoted to finding and fixing "leaky boats".

If fixing "leaky boats" has become your full-time job and you tell yourself this isn't what you want, the reason you keep doing it is because there is some hidden benefit you're receiving. Whether you know this consciously or not, getting that benefit is more important than having what you say you want. In order to move forward, it becomes critical to discover what those hidden benefits are. As long as they remain hidden from your conscious awareness, they'll continue to be your motivation for creating more suffering. (Much more on the subject of hidden benefits in future articles.) Stay tuned.

Here's the next question: How do you know when you've expended so much energy trying to patch a "chronically leaking boat", you're running on empty? How do you know when you've really, finally, definitely, for sure run out of juice? (Hint: Pay attention to your body. It tells the whole story. Insomnia, weight gain, elevated blood pressure, chronic fatigue and irritability are common symptoms that all is not well. The body never lies.)

Let's turn to Tolle to see if we can learn more about this subject. He invites us to consider what it takes to have the courage to let go, to stop holding on, defending and staying safe. In our frenzy to repair the leaky boat, we're focused on the boat and become disconnected from our own experience. Perhaps we can't see how frightened we are. Perhaps, because of hanging on so long, we don't know ourselves any more, or what we actually want. Perhaps hanging on has become a kind of security blanket or an identity we've created; "the one who doesn't give up", and maybe we wouldn't know what to do if we did let go. Perhaps, in grasping, we've crushed the very thing we thought we wanted.

Tolle suggests there is power in the letting go itself. In the letting go, we make space for courage. In the moment we unclasp, we make space for freedom. In the absence of grasping, we make space for presence. In being with our fear, we see the truth; there is only now. Breathe in. Breathe out. Now. Hence, Tolle's first book, The Power of Now, brings us to the only place we can do anything about our lives. Now.

So the icon of capitalism, Warren Buffett, and spiritual teacher, Eckhart Tolle both advise us to put our energies where they're the most productive and profitable. Both direct us into being present, seeing clearly what's right in front of us, drawing from the well of wisdom and courage and taking action in the direction of freedom.

I look forward to discovering more along this path with you in the weeks to come. You might want to read the first official biography on Warren Buffett, Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder, just published. I'd also love to hear your thoughts so please leave your comments below: until next time.

Skin Care Foods A to Z

2008-09-17T22:46:00.001-05:00

Do you want glowing, vibrant, wrinkle-free skin? Make sure you are applying the right stuff on your skin.

Botox and Restylane are so last-year glory. Despite the promises held by scientific breakthroughs, more and more people turn to Mother Nature for the naked truth of youthful skin. “You are What You Eat” is absolutely true for your skin. Foods that are healthy on dinner plates also work on your skin. Next time you pass by cosmetics counters at a department store, you’d be surprised by how many brands are making their marks by using fruits or vegetables for skin care products. Aveda, Dr. Hauschka, Juicy Beauty, L’Occitane, Lush and the Body Deli are among the popular brands going natural. If you are fully green about your skin and want to get the most benefits out of natural ingredients, go ahead apply foods on your skin. You’ll be amazed by how much they will make the skin change for better.

Almond Oil: removes acne scars and hydrates dry skin.

Apple: rich in vitamin C and contains small amounts of potassium to promote heart health and maintain healthy blood pressure. Green apples work for cracked skin, itchiness and inflammation.

Apricot: treats sunburn and eczema.

Carrot: nourishes and regenerates the epidermis (the outer layer of the skin) to prevent premature ageing.

Cherry: contains high level of iron and zinc. It improves uneven skin tone.

Garlic: helps combat wrinkles and restore tissue.

Grape: prevents skin ageing and moisturizes the body.

Flax seed: rich in Omega-3 fatty acids that reduce blood clotting to help with heart diseases, diabetes and cancer conditions. It dissolves blackheads and prevents future blackhead

Kiwi: rich in Vitamin C and E, and contains amino acids. It helps whiten skin tone.

Lemon: works like deep pore cleanser, stabilizes sebaceous glands and reduces brown spots.

Olive Oil: magic moisturizer for hair, feet, and hands.

Orange: rich in Vitamin A and soothes and moisturizes the skin.

Papaya: exfoliates dead or sun-damaged skin.

Pineapple: detoxifies the body system.

Strawberry: contains alpha hydroxy acid, removes dead skin, increases skin elasticity and rejuvenates the skin. It also whitens teeth.

Wheat Germ oil: Rich in Vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Taking two or three tablespoons a day in your diet helps remove pimples quickly.

Harvest from Helper’s High

2008-09-09T12:25:00.002-05:00

“We make a living by getting. We make a life by giving.” By Winston Churchill

Have you ever experienced Helper’s High? In the fiction “A Christmas Carol,” visits from three ghosts turned cold-hearted Ebenezer into a model of generosity. When he was finally willing to hug and to give to everyone he met, he was charged with euphoric helper’s high. Charles Dickens described such state of mind as “His own heart laughed and that was quite enough for him.” In the real world, helping others with your spare time, energy and money not only improves others’ lives, but also brings you unexpected therapeutic benefits. If you are hesitant about getting helper’s high, let scientific evidence encourage you to help others as a way to give it back to yourself.

Helper’s high is similar to runner’s high after an intensive workout. The release of endorphins in the helper’s body leads to a blissful feeling followed by a peaceful mind. He receives the second dose of helper’s high when he recalls the heroic act long after he completes it. What is more amazing is that the influence of charitable deeds can trigger positive physiological reaction in people. A Harvard study on “Mother Theresa Effect” found that students who watched videos of Mother Theresa helping the poor had their immune system response turn on. ABC News 20/20 revealed the stunning effects of helper’s high through the stories of Duke University Medical Center heart patients. With no particular agenda, recovering patients were asked to visit current heart patients to listen and offer support. It turned out that these patients’ recovery rate was 60 percent faster than those who chose not to help other patients.

Altruism brings you closer to others, gives you a purpose, and restores your psychological wellbeing. A study on patients with multiple sclerosis showed that those who provided peer support to other MS patients experienced noticeable change on confidence, self-awareness, self-esteem, and depression. Giving without expectation can easily make you feel good about yourself, your world, and life in general. Commonly experienced benefits fueled by helper’s high are:

Relieve stress
Strengthen immune system
Alleviate physical pain
Reduce incidence of negative attitudes like anger, hostility and aggression
Activate positive emotions
Gain social support
Build a better community

Not sure where you can get started to induce helper’s high? Visit www.volunteermatch.org, a nonprofit organization’s website that allows you to choose a philanthropic organization that matches your interest. If you are short on time to volunteer, don’t worry. Take your parents out for dinner to find out how their day has been, you get the similar benefit.

When you get out to give your resources to others, you actually reap the fruits of altruism – better physical and psychological health.

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”

2008-07-21T12:30:00.001-05:00

Scorpion stings. Deathstalker scorpion kills.

Surgical removal of tumor is the best modern medicine can offer to treat cancer, but it often leaves behind some cancerous cells that make the cancer recur and spread.

However, when the dangerous deathstalker meets with the devastating disease, miraculous healing occurs. How is it possible?

Chlorotoxin, one component of the deathstalker's potent venom, has been discovered to advance gliomas (commonly known as brain tumor) treatment. The chlorotoxin is a type of protein that specifically binds to glial tumor cells while leaving normal cells intact. Scientific investigation shows that the injection of the protein limits cancer spread by keeping abnormal cells from moving and growing. What’s more amazing is that the chlorotoxin lights up cancer cells when combines with a fluorescent molecule. This allows surgeons to distinguish tumor cells during operation to perform more precise surgical elimination. Researchers from Seattle Children's Hospital Research Institute and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have completed pilot safety trails with the chlorotoxin application. If approved by the FDA for permission to begin human clinical trials, deathstalker’s lifesaving venom provides new hope to eradicate cancer cells.

Besides the chlorotoxin, other components of the deathstalker’s venom are found to help regulate insulin, and may be used to treat diabetes. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is exactly what the deathstalker scorpion is made of.

Living Smart with Patricia Gras: Finding Our Authentic Path *

2008-06-16T22:08:00.003-05:00

“I did not know I was on a search for passionate aliveness. I only knew I was lonely and lost and that something was drawing me deeper beneath the surface of my life in search of meaning. There is a hunger in people to go to those deep depths; to know that our lives are sacred; that our hearts are truly capable of love. It is a yearning to be all that we can be. A longer for what is real.” - Anne Hillman

When I was a young adult I had certain expectations about who I would become as an adult and what I would do with my life. Then one day, decades later, I realized none of it had come true. Then I picked up some books on Carl Jung and began to understand myself a lot better. That’s why I invited Dr. James Hollis, PhD, the director of the Jung Center Houston, to Living Smart. I found his books enlightening and reasonable. One of his books, Creating a Life: Finding Your Individual Path, is a guide to individuation. This usually happens in the second half of life when we are forced to reflect on who we really are and what we truly want. We ultimately have a choice to become authentic or, literally, sick.

Hollis, a Jungian analyst sees a lot of patients confronting mid-life issues. “That’s my work, helping individuals arrive at a better place in their life. No one happens to just sort of drop in to have a chat with me. They are usually there because their road map does not apply anymore or the good efforts they’ve had managing things are just not as effective as they are or as they once were and so often there is a sense of disorientation or defeat or confusion and you know… Frankly that’s the beginning of wisdom because that’s what forces us to begin to reexamine our lives from a different perspective.”

Hollis explains there are ways we recognize something is wrong with the way life is going. “When we get off track our psyche protests and we call those protests symptoms. Sometimes they turn up in our relationships, sometimes they show up in our body and sometimes they show up in emotional storms that we have such as depression or anxiety disorders. And sometimes they come to us in troubling dreams and the psyche is always speaking, it’s always expressing its point of view, and our tasks as individuals is to try and say… I do, I read the symptomatic response and perhaps I have neglected certain things in y life and I have to sort of bring that into greater play in my choices.”

I asked Hollis if it was difficult to live an authentic life. He explained to be authentic you must be in contact with a deep source within you. “There is something that is inherently true for us, an instinctual truth or your inborn truth or even your should, if you will, trying to tell you something and how do you separate that from all the messages that are coming to you from the culture, or family of origin, even from your own history. Ask yourself, which messages are more in touch with my own inner life or with my own nature,” says Hollis.

Living Smart is a weekly, half-hour interview and news magazine television program focusing on personal well-being. Living Smart covers spiritual, financial, personal, mental, physical, emotional, and educational aspects of well-being. Living Smart airs on Sundays at 3PM and Thursdays at 1PM. Go to http://www.houstonpbs.org/livingsmart to learn more about the show.

Patricia Gras is an Emmy Award-winning journalist, and the senior producer and host for “Living Smart with Patricia Gras.” Visit http://www.patriciagras.blogspot.com for her insights into smart living.

* This article is written by Patricia Gras and can be found in June 2008 issue of 002Houston Magazine at http://002mag.com

Ancient Design Philosophy with Buzz: Feng Shui *

2008-06-05T20:39:00.003-05:00

Recently, a California McDonald’s franchisee turned to Feng shui as a strategy to boost sales. When Disneyland opened in Hong Kong in 2005, company executives consulted with a feng shui master to shift the angle of the theme park's main entrance by 12 degrees to maintain good energy flow and to maximize the prospect of prosperity. What is this esoteric concept of feng shui that is redefining modern living and work areas around the world?

Literally translated, feng Shui (pronounced “Fung Shway”) means “Wind Water” in English. It is the ancient Chinese practice of arranging a harmonious environment to improve well being. Chinese believe that energy is a natural force that pervades all areas of our environment and affects our daily activities. Yang is positive energy that is bright, and active; yin energy is negative, dark and inactive. Abundant yang energy yields good health, prosperity and spirituality. Too much yin energy translates into stagnation and misfortune. By balancing the opposing energies in a physical location, feng shui enhances the inter-relationship between the macrocosm of natural environment and the microcosm of human body. It helps create a place that actively utilizes the natural healing force to nurture its residents, and harmoniously aligns with the residents’ internal energy for wellness maintenance.

While large corporations may seek feng shui advice to secure economic advantages, individuals apply it in home settings to sooth energy and enhance health. Try the following feng shui tips for your home and you will be amazed by the positive changes that follow.

Entrance
The entrance is one of the most important locations to attract good energy to your home. Keeping it clean and open allows positive energy to circulate inside your home and increases the change of receiving golden opportunities in life. If the entrance is blocked by clutter, it creates negative energy and affects the normal energy flow of the entire home. Make sure the path to the entrance is wide and well lit. Place a beautiful painting on the wall opposite the entrance to welcome positive energy into the home. If the entrance faces a dark area or a staircase, make sure to keep the entrance door closed or place a screen between the door and the living area. This can repel negative energy trying to gain entry inside the home.

Living Room
Being the center of family life, living room is one of the first rooms to greet guests and symbolizes a connection to potential career and relationship opportunities. A well designed living room reflects homeowners’ characters and attracts energy synchronized with the homeowners. In general, subtle color coordination creates a peaceful atmosphere in the room. Brighter colors tend to uplift people’s moods more than darker ones. Furniture should be arranged in such a way as to not impede traffic flow in the living area. For example, round coffee table encourages free energy flow. Placing sofas farther away from doors preserves energy since people usually sit upon them for extended periods and energy may be drawn away by the doors when opened.

Bedrooms
The bedroom is the one room in the house that is most aligned with one’s overall health. It serves as a restorative sanctuary for sleeping and energy rejuvenation. To reduce distraction during sleep, remove things with electromagnetic fields such as TV, telephones and computers. Place the bed’s headboard against a solid wall and opposite the door. The wall creates a safe haven for the sleeping mind. If the home residents are able to see activities outside the bedroom door, they are in control of the home. Even though new home construction tends to offer spacious bedrooms, feng shui practice prefers a small bedroom to a big one because the small room consolidates its resident’s energy, while the big room consumes both natural and human energies to maintain a balanced environment.

Kitchen
The proper placement of the kitchen helps produce sufficient positive energy. The ideal location for the kitchen is in the rear of the house, where resources are stored in abundance without easy identification by outsiders. As with other rooms in the house, the kitchen should be uncluttered and kept clean to prevent the accumulation of bad energy. It is very important to keep the stoves working at all times because non-burning stoves imply a distress with home resources.

Historically, feng shui is thought to have had ramifications beyond domestic serenity. To millions of practitioners around the world, an old Chinese saying reveals the essence of feng shui: “If there is harmony in the house, there is order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.” Be patient as it will take time for the harmonious magic of feng shui to materialize. For the moment, put it into action and experience how it transforms your life.

* This article was first published in Yellow Magazine May 2008 issue.

Presidential Candidates Propose to Brighten Future for Health

2008-03-03T12:33:00.001-06:00

Facts about U.S. Health Care:

In 2005, the U.S. spent $2 trillion on health care, which is 16 % of Gross Domestic Product and $6,697/person.
Since 1970, health care costs have grown on average 2.5 % faster than U.S. GDP.
47 million Americans were uninsured in 2006, an increase of 8.6 million from 2000.
While about 26 % of the poor spent more than10 % of their income on health in1996, the number increased to 33% by 2003.
Almost half of health care spending is used to treat just 5 % of the population.

If you have to think twice before your next doctor visit due to expensive medical bills, you are not alone. Skyrocketing healthcare costs keep many Americans from seeking care until they become severely ill. Although employer-provided health insurance is the predominant form of coverage for American families, rising insurance premiums have weakened many companies’ ability to offer comprehensive coverage for employees and their families. Particularly small companies pass on more costs to employees or cannot afford any coverage at all. As health care accounts for a significantly large slice of the U.S. economic pie and health inflation takes an increasing share of taxpayer dollars, health care reform has received considerable attention in 2008 presidential election. The presidential candidate who is able to put forward remarkable and practical proposals for the reform stands a big chance of getting elected.

Various strategies have been presented to improve health system throughout the presidential debates: delivery of more preventive care; better patient care coordination with high-cost or chronic health conditions; more investment in comparative effectiveness research; and implementation of electronic health information technology to reduce errors and increase efficiency. While some candidates proposes to strengthen government’s role in negotiating drug prices, others emphasizes on aligning provider incentives to reward quality care. All proposals aim to provide better access to health care coverage and enhance the quality of care, but which ones can deliver substantial improvements to American healthcare system?

Visit http://www.health08.org/sidebyside.cfm to compare candidates' positions on health care prepared by Kaiser Family Foundation. Let’s cast our votes for the candidate who is committed to carry out health reforms for all Americans.

What’s in Everlasting Love? *

2008-02-03T20:51:00.002-06:00

If you are thinking about attractive appearance, it only causes flushed cheeks, a racing heart beat, clammy hands and hence, secure the first date. It signals ATTRACTION, the very first stage in everlasting love. But it doesn’t last for long.

If you are thinking about a romantic kiss and great sex, they certainly triggers chemical reactions inside the body fired up by Cupid’s arrow. A kiss helps you burn 26 calories in a minute, and lovemaking elevates heart rate to 60-85% of maximum heart rate. These biochemical workouts drive you temporarily insane, and fortunately don’t endure for a lifetime. They confirm the enjoyment of LUST, the second stage in everlasting love. But there is more in everlasting love.

If you are thinking about commitment, you are on the right track in the pursuit of everlasting love. Commitment is a sign of reaching COMPATIBILITY, the third stage of everlasting love. However, not all couples know about holistic aspect of compatibility. Only through mutual commitment to reach compatibility in several areas of a relationship, couples can truly find everlasting love. The followings show compatibility factors that couples need to consider in order to cultivate love for a lifetime.

Compatibility Factors of Everlasting Love

Appearance: How attracted is he to her? How much effort does he put into maintaining and improving appearance to attract her after falling into love?

Emotions: How affectionate is he to her? How does his way of handling emotions impact her?

Communication: How open is he at expressing himself? How patient is he to listen to her? How willing is he to discuss ups and downs in life with her?

Intellect: How does he perceive her educational achievement? Does the couple share similar interest in cultural activities, current events, and world affairs? Can the couple interact intellectually to enhance emotional connection?

Sex: How sexy does he find her? How does bedroom etiquette affect the couple’s intimate moments?

Career: How important is it to split time between love and career? What is his/her definition of the right balance between work and family?

Finance: What is his/her attitude towards making money and spending money? How does he/she make financial decisions from grocery shopping to home buying?

Independence: How much personal space does he/she for themselves? How important is it to have ‘my life’ versus ‘our lives’?

Family: How many children does he/she want to raise? How often does he/she would like to visit relatives? How committed is he/she to take care of elderly parents?

Spirituality: How important is it for him/her to meet spiritual (compared to practical or materialistic) needs? How does his/her religious practices influence the other?

Sociability: How much does he/she want time alone? How does he/she enjoy others’ company and community events?

Habits: How to overcome the battle of sexes? Is he willing to watch Lifetime channel with her or is she willing to switch to ESPN channel to be his ‘buddy’? How acceptable is he/she to daily routine differences?

Everlasting love is a complicated human science. It is attainable with pheromone (sex hormone) and rationality. It takes two willing minds to reach strategic compromises over time. holistic compatibility adjustments in life make love last. Once you become aware of major compatibility factors of everlasting love, you can be confident and proactive about pursuing (if you are single) love, and nurturing (if you are in a relationship) love for now, and forever.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

*This article was first published in Yellow Magazine February 2008 issue.

Ginseng, the Herbal King

2008-01-03T22:56:00.000-06:00

"Quieting the spirit, removing noxious influence, brightening the eyes, and enlightening the mind. Continuous use leads one to longevity with light weight."
- Shizhen Li, China’s sixteenth century naturalist and author of “Great Compendium of Herbs”

There is nothing average about Ginseng. In the West, ginseng is known as "miracle tonic" that gives people energy boost. Ginseng based energy drinks such as Jones Soda and Snapple Fire may be found at most stores, and ginseng supplements populate shelves of countless supplement shops. In the East, ginseng is considered to be the king of all herbal medicines. During the holidays, it is offered as a valued gift that will bring good health. While ginseng is a potent revitalizer, many people do not really know how it works in the body. Understanding its ginseng can help you administer the herb safely and avoid side effects.

Two most common types of ginseng are Panax ginseng, also known as Asian, Korean or Chinese ginseng, and Panax quinquefolius, commonly called American, Canadian, or North American ginseng. The word “Panax” means “heal-all” in Greek. In Asian cultures, people traditionally believe ginseng to be crystallization of earth essence in the shape of roots, and think it is a cure for all. Clinical studies have shown that such beliefs actually enhance the healing effects of the root. The therapeutic components of ginseng are ginsenosides, active (steroid-like) compounds found in the herb that stimulate body’s endocrine and sympathetic nervous systems, as the herb’s sedative properties induce relaxation. Siberian ginseng is an inexpensive substitute for Asian and American varieties, and effectively enhances blood oxygenation to improve stamina and alleviate altitude sickness. Many climbers and other endurance athletes prefer Siberian ginseng to the other varieties.

A popular adaptogen, Ginseng can increase one’s energy and resistance to physical stress over time when taken in small, frequent amounts (usually 100 or 200 milligrams, twice a week). Under the supervision of licensed clinicians, ginseng is used to treat anemia, diabetes, and erectile dysfunction. Additionally, it stimulates carbohydrate metabolism in the liver, increases/decreases blood pressure, enhances memory and cognitive functions, improves sleep patterns, and stimulates cell growth.
Different varieties of ginseng offer their own unique healing properties. In general, Asian ginseng has a warmer therapeutic effect than American ginseng. Chinese ginseng has a warming effect on the body, while Korean ginseng has a hot effect. Supplementing with Asian ginseng in the winter keeps body temperature warm and increases blood circulation, especially for middle-age and elderly. However, when a person experiences excessive emotional stress, anger and frustration or consumes too much fried and greasy foods, and alcohol, his internal body becomes hotter than normal. It is not recommended for him to take Asian ginseng, otherwise he may have flushed face, headache, sore eyes and skin rashes. American ginseng is considered to have a cooling effect that works well for fevers and respiratory tract disorders by strengthening immune system.
It is strongly recommended to consult with a healthcare practitioner before taking ginseng for health reasons. If you are thinking about trying ginseng drinks or snacks, make sure you don’t take it:

With coffee because it may cause upset stomach.
If you are pregnant or nursing.
For colds and flu or other infections, as it nourishes bacteria and viruses, as well as the body.
If you have hormone-dependent conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, or cancers of the breast, ovaries, uterus, or prostate (relates to panax ginseng).
If you are on blood-thinner drugs such as such as aspirin, ticlopidine (Ticlid), and warfarin (Coumadin) because it may cause uncontrolled bleeding or hemorrhaging.
If you are on sildenafil citrate (Viagra) because it may affect heart rhythm and increase risk for heart attack.

Happy 2008

2008-01-01T21:33:00.002-06:00

One of the world’s oldest and best questions is “What really makes us happy?” Have you found the answer to it? 2008 is the year to explore true happiness. Dr. Martin Seligman at University of Pennsylvania developed a set of Authentic Happiness questionnaires. If you'd like to rate how happy you are, fill out some questionnaires at http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu

My experience with treating patients with depression and cancers allows me to seek the root cause of these health problems – holding onto unhappiness, a mental block to discover happiness. Doctors can try to treat health conditions, but only patients can heal the root causes for their own problems. It requires ability to define happiness in his/her own words, willingness to accept happiness, and self-determination for happy mind. The key to happiness is to maintain a positive and happy stage of mind. Once the mind is set to the right mode, people can sustain good health, experience blissful relationships, and develop spiritual maturity.

Next time when you are trying to feel happy or happier, let one of the following quotes lift up your spirit.

“Nothing is terminal, just transitional.” - Dr. Robert Schuller

“Life is really fun, if we only give it a chance.” - Tim Hansel

“I am sincere about life, but I’m not serious about it.” - Alan Watts

“Happiness makes up in height for what it lacks in length.” - Robert Frost

“This is what it’s all about: if you can’t have fun at it, there’s no sense hanging around.” - Joe Montana

“I think the next best thing to solving a problem is finding some humor in it.” - Frank Clark

“The most useless day is that in which we have not laughed.” - Charles Field

“The time to laugh is when you don’t have time for it.” - Argus Poster

“Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul to another.” - George Eliot

“What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork.” - Pearl Bailey

Why Warm Milk Helps us Sleep Better

2007-09-09T20:37:00.001-05:00

We all know age-old wisdom to cure sleepless nights– drink a glass of warm milk, but few of us know why milk helps us sleep better. What is in milk that makes it bed-time bliss? Does this natural soother work all the time?

Milk contains tryptophan, one of the ten essential amino acids that human body needs to synthesize proteins to maintain good health. Tryptophan facilitates the production of nervous system messengers related to relaxation, restfulness, and sleep. It also raises the level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter regulating our sleep patterns, appetite and mood. In order to deliver its soporific effect, tryptophan has to cross blood-brain barrier. It constantly competes with other amino acids to move across. Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that consuming protein-rich foods like milk and turkey reduces tryptophan’s ability to enter the brain. If there is not enough tryptophan in the brain, how can we sleep better.

Luckily, eating carbohydrates stimulates the release of insulin, which makes tryptophan enter the brain more easily. Drinking a glass of warm milk before bed can be a soothing routine, what really maximizes the sedative function of milk is a diet including high carbohydrates. Some people always feel drowsy after drinking a glass of warm milk, even though they do not eat any carbohydrate. This may have something to do with placebo effect.

What You Don’t know about Your Sweet Honey

2007-09-01T23:02:00.000-05:00

Although we were all born with silky and soft skin, the stress caused by climate changes, environmental pollution and the chemicals in skincare products wreak havoc upon our skin over course of years.

Fortunately, we can draw upon the properties of honey as a natural remedy to rescue dry, dull and damaged skin. Since the dry air that accompanies autumn tends to dehydrate skin, now is an ideal time to consider giving your skin a sweet treat.

Honey is a natural humectant that promotes the skin’s moisture retention. It is an anti-irritant used to for infants and for people who have sensitive skin. Cleopatra pampered herself with honey and milk baths to preserve her youthful appearance. Queen Anne of England applied a blend of honey and oil to her hair to maintain its luster and shine, while Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough, used a secret recipe of honey water to wash hers. Chinese women blend honey and ground orange seeds to control blemishes. As you can see, the applications for honey have reached far and wide.

Honey contains alpha hydroxyl acid(AHA),which is added to body moisturizers for its exfoliation effect. Weekly exfoliation removes the dead cells of the outer layer of skin to reveal a fresh layer that appears more youthful and supple.

In addition to its aesthetic properties, honey has been scientifically proven to be an effective antimicrobial agent for the treatment of minor abrasions and burns. Preliminary studies suggest that it is a powerful antioxidant that protects the skin from ultraviolet (UV) ray damage and promotes its rejuvenation. Don’t be surprised to find honey among the ingredients of many moisturizers and sunscreen on the market.

Now that we have discussed the benefits of honey, here are some ways that you can use it to improve the health of your skin and hair. The following beauty methods require long-term application to deliver optimal results.

1. Honey Cleansing Scrub

Combine 6 finely ground almonds, 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of honey. Gently rub the mixture onto your face for a minute, and rinse with warm water.

2. Honey Moisturizer

Mix 2 tablespoons of honey with 2 teaspoons of milk. Smooth over your face and neck and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

3. Honey and Aloe Vera Eye Treatment

Mix together 1teaspoon of honey and 1/2 teaspoon of natural aloe vera juice. Gently circle it around the eyes and leave on for 15 minutes. Gently pat off with a cotton pad.

4. Honey Facial

Beat 1 egg yolk with a fork, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon of honey and blend well. Smear over your face and neck and leave on for 15 minutes. Then, massage skin for 5 minutes in an anti-gravity direction. Massage helps stimulate blood and energy circulation around the local area and increase skin’s elasticity. Rinse it off with warm water.

5. Honey Face-firming Mask

Mix 1 tablespoon honey, 2 egg whites, 1 teaspoon of glycerin and a litter flour to make a paste. Apply it on face and neck and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

6. Honey Night Lotion

Mix 1 tablespoon of honey with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and ½ tablespoon of lemon juice. Rub into hands, elbows, heels and areas with dry skin before you go to sleep. Leave it on throughout the night and wipe a warm towel in the morning.

7. Honey and Milk Bath

Add 1 cup of honey and 1/3 gallon of milk to bath water. Soak for 20 minutes and raise with warm water.

8. Honey Hair Conditioner

Stir 1 teaspoon of honey into 1 quart of warm water. If you have blonde hair, add ½ teaspoon lemon for juice. After shampooing, pour the mixture through your hair. Do not rinse. Let hair dry normally.

By following these cost-efficient and health-optimizing techniques for hair and skincare, we can promote the rejuvenated appearance of both. I know that the next time you grocery shopping there will be a container of honey in your cart. I wish you sweet success.

Global Public Health: Its Threat and Solution

2007-08-29T20:26:00.001-05:00

According to the World Health Report 2007, one of the side effects of globalization is increasing risk of disease outbreaks, epidemics, natural disasters, industrial accidents, and other health emergencies. At least 39 new pathogens have been identified since 1967: HIV, Ebola haemorrhagic fever, Marburg fever and SARS. Other diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and pandemic influenza continue to pose a threat to public health through “a combination of mutation, rising resistance to antimicrobial medicines and weak health systems.”

Although the world is flat, disease outbreaks are multi-dimensional. Without a collective effort of all countries to share resources, global health will face unprecedented threats to its security. Health communities need to focus on building international cooperation and encouraging all countries to implement the revised International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) in order to deliver immediate rescue to disease outbreaks. Modern medical science plays an important role in improving public health system, but its approach in treating diseases has been vulnerable to fighting against newly developed pathogens. Its inability to offer effective solutions to outbreaks urges health professionals to re-evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of its current philosophy. Instead of investing in developing treatments and drugs on existing diseases, all countries should advocate proper lifestyles and regular health maintenance programs to prevent early onset of disease development. Healthy lifestyles and preventive medicine are the cost-efficient and life-enhancing solutions to people. The evolution of infectious disease outbreaks makes it difficult for human to predict when and where the next one will be, but preventive medicine can keep us away from chronic diseases, and better prepare us to resist new pathogens.

If you would like to read The World Health Report 2007 - A safer future: global public health security in the 21st century, visit http://www.who.int/whr/2007/en/index.html

Chinese Herbal Medicine: Will It Surface or Sink?

2007-08-09T22:10:00.000-05:00

Chinese herbal medicine refers to many compounds that are unused in Western medical practice. There is strong interest and wide application in those compounds as well as the theories that guide Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners to determine which compound to prescribe. Although abundant scientific research on Chinese herbal medicine’s pharmacological effects have been conducted in China, there is much less work in the West has been done on the same subject. Facing increasing costs and undesirable side effects of prescription drugs in the United States, American medical communities need to seek partnership with their Chinese counterparts to utilize the low-cost and less-risk Chinese herbs as an alternative to treat patients.

In China, herbs are commonly used among its population. Scientific collaboration between Western and Chinese medical research has been created through peer reviewed scientific journals and medical databases on pharmacology of Chinese Herbal Medicine. For instance, The Chinese Journal of Hospital Pharmacy and The Chinese Journal of Chinese Herbs are among the authoritative publications that showcase scientific studies on Chinese herbs. However, pharmacological efficiency of Chinese herbs is less known in The United States. While more medical schools start to incorporate alternative medicine including herbal medicine in their curricula, many Western doctors and scientists hold skeptical view toward Chinese herbs as superstition and archaic pseudoscience. Many Americans have a stereotype of Traditional Chinese Medicine as mystical and unscientific, which may lead to reluctant research among scientific communities. Additionally, many Chinese herbal medicines have been marketed as dietary supplements and there has been considerable controversy over the effectiveness, safety, and regulatory status of these substances. Misuse of marketed herbal products in the U.S. further reduces the scientific credibility of Chinese Herbal medicine. For instance, ephedra or Ma Huang in Chinese, contains ephedrine and pseudoephedrine. Due to the risk of adverse impact on the cardiovascular system and some deaths due to consumption of extracts in high doses, the use of ephedra is restricted in the United States. Chinese wormwood, Qing Hao in Chinese, was discovered as a source for artemisinin, which is now used worldwide to treat multi-drug resistant strains of falciparum malaria. It is also under investigation as an anti-cancer agent that may induces adverse effect. Moreover, certain Chinese herbs involve a risk of allergic reaction and a risk of poisoning in rare cases. Potentially toxic and carcinogenic compounds such as arsenic and cinnabar are sometimes decocted as part of herbal formulas or used on the philosophy of “using poison to attack poison.” Although Chinese culture is familiar with healing philosophy of herbal medicine, such practice creates legal and clinical risks in the Western medical system. Apparently, misperception on Chinese herbal medicine and incorrect application of herbs are major barriers to scientific research in the U.S.

Nonetheless, this is not to say that Chinese herbal medicine lacks of pharmacological effects. Chinese herbs contain powerful biochemical agents, which have been scientifically documented in Chinese medical literature. Their clinical application over hundreds of years in China confirm their therapeutic effects. Language barrier and conceptual differences hinder the communication between Chinese and Western medicine communities. It would take collaboration between English-speaking Chinese medicine practitioners and open-minded Western medical scientists to research on Chinese herbal medicine in the U.S. in order to deliver effective drug alternatives.

Sex and Its Reasons

2007-08-07T22:09:00.005-05:00

We all read about 237 distinct reasons humans have sex by now. Last week, Cindy Meston, Ph.D., director of the Sexual Psychophysiology Labotatory at the University of Texas, published her research findings on what motivates people to have sex. It took five years, self-sponsored funds, and 1,549 undergraduate subjects to conduct this study. All the efforts have been paid off: people now know lot more about why we have sex, and we are less shy about exploring our natural desire.

The study groups these reasons into four categories:

PHYSICAL

I was attracted to the person
My hormones were out of control
It seemed like good exercise

EMOTIONAL

I was in love
I wanted to say 'thank you'

GOAL-DIRECTED

I wanted to get a raise
Because of a bet
I wanted to change the topic of conversation

INSECURITY

I didn't know how to refuse sex
I felt obligated

The research looked at the leading reasons why men and women have sex. Men and women share eight of the top 10 reasons. If you think men only want sex for the physical pleasure and women want love, the following reasons disapprove such gender stereotype.

Women's Top 10 Reasons for Having Sex:

I was attracted to the person.
I wanted to experience the physical pleasure.
It feels good.
I wanted to show my affection to the person.
I wanted to express my love for the person.
I was sexually aroused and wanted the release.
I was "horny."
It's fun.
I realized I was in love.
I was "in the heat of the moment."

Men’s Top 10 Reasons for Having Sex:

I was attracted to the person.
It feels good.
I wanted to experience the physical pleasure.
It's fun.
I wanted to show my affection to the person.
I was sexually aroused and wanted the release.
I was "horny."
I wanted to express my love for the person.
I wanted to achieve an orgasm.
I wanted to please my partner.

For your curiosity, read about the uncensored study “Why Humans Have Sex” at http://tinyurl.com/ypzwvr

If you are still curious, visit www.mestonlab.com and www.kinseyinstitute.org to learn more about human sexual behaviors.

Secret Formula for Longevity

2007-08-02T08:06:00.003-05:00

In the quest for the fountain of youth, we have done well to extend life span. We found anti-aging foods such as berries and broccolis. We advanced medical procedures for organ transplants. We even created magic pills like Viagra and Levitra to enhance sexual performance. These are all good, but what exactly can we do to maintain our health and live longer in a natural way? The secret formula to slow aging will be revealed here. Make sure you share it with your family and friends so that you will hang out with loved ones for a LONG time.

1. Finding the PURPOSE of life - the MOST potent ingredient

Having a sense of purpose in life helps us buffer from the unforeseen mishaps. Having a job we like, volunteering for a charity organization we believe in, joining social or religious groups, and devoting ourselves to families are good reasons that make us look forward to another day. This helps us establish a sense of wellbeing. We feel happier when people think we are useful. The purpose of life drives away alienation and loneliness, which are often associated to poor health in elderly.

2. Coping with STRESS like taking a walk in the park

When we feel anxious or tense, our stress hormones become elevated. Chronic stress reduces the length of telomeres, enzymes that affect how many times a body cell can divide. Stress also reduces telomerase activity and accelerates the aging process. According to a study at the University of California, San Francisco, women with the highest levels of perceived stress have shorter telomeres by the equivalent of at least an additional decade’s worth of aging. Stress also causes us to develop bad habits such as binge eating, excessive drinking, smoking and fidgeting. Having longer sleep with better quality is one way to alleviate stress level. We cannot please everybody. We cannot finish every task. Take it easy.
(Wanna know the red hot modern stress triggers? Read Stanley Bing’s article “Off the Grid” in Fortune Magazine issue August 6, 2007)

3. Eat a healthy and BALANCED diet

There is no one magic food that can turn back the clock. If we haven’t eaten well, forget about the past. Start to eat a balanced and healthy diet with three regular meal schedule today! We can make the most of our metabolism if we eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper. It’s Okay to consume fats, the right kinds of fats - monounsaturated and polyunsaturated including Omega-3 fatty acids. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are good sources for carbohydrates. Don’t worry, moderate amount of carbohydrates do not cause water retention if our kidneys function well. We can get plenty of protein from lean meats and poultry, fish, beans and legumes. Soluble fibers found in foods are proven to have anti-aging effect, as fibers can keep blood sugar stable and insulin level down.

4. EXERCISE like an athlete

Remember Darwin’s “survival of the fittest”? Longevity is positively correlated to physical activities. 30-60 minute cardio workouts at least five days out the week help protect our heart, improve blood flow, keep bones strong, tone muscles, and more importantly, reduce inflammation and cancer risk. Physical activities including aerobics and strength training also lower our risk of developing depression, which is commonly seen in the retired population.

5. Control WEIGHT gain, especially the WAISTLINE

“Obesity accelerates aging by promoting insulin resistance or type-2 diabetes, increasing the risk of heart disease and cancer, contributing to inflammation, and leading to degenerative arthritis and disease of the lungs.” Says David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Yale Prevention Research Center. Eating less and exercising more can easily help us shed excess pounds. Waist circumference is a common measure for abdominal fat. Excess fat in the abdomen, independent of total body fat, is considered a risk factor for ailments such as diabetes, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure. It is considered “healthy” if our waistline grows an average 1/6-inch each year. Take extra caution if we have to shop for new belt.

6. SEX is necessary to keep adults healthy

“Sexual activity is a form of physical exercise.” says Dr. Michael Cirigliano of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Making love three times a week burns around 7,500 calories in a year -- the equivalent of jogging 75 miles. Heavy breathing during sex raises the amount of oxygen in cells. It helps organs and tissues function at their peak. DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a popular anti-aging hormone, is released naturally right before orgasm and ejaculation. Many people consider lovemaking as an effective way to reduce stress level.

Brain Foods

2007-07-27T10:01:00.002-05:00

Diet not only affects the body but also influences how the brain functions. The brain is a metabolically active organ. Right foods containing natural neurochemicals can protect the brain from diseases that destroy mental capabilities such as Alzheimer’s. It is smart to eat well-balanced meals. It would be smarter to eat easy-to-get brain foods that keep us motivated, enhance our memory and alertness, increase our stress-coping ability, and prevent our brain from aging.

In the book “UltraMetabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss,” arthur Dr. Mark Hyman says that two things damaging the brain the most are too much sugar and the wrong fats. Of course, no one wants to give up sweets and fats. We just need to get smart with the right amount of sugar and the right type of fats. In fact, the brain is mostly made up of fats, and it needs glucose (blood sugar) from carbohydrates for energy.

We all know that eggs are great sources of vitamins, proteins, and minerals, but few of us know that they are high in choline. Choline is an essential nutrient needed for structural integrity and neurotransmission of cell membranes. Memory becomes deteriorated as a result of choline deficiency. Numerous studies show that adequate amounts of choline in diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding period havs a long lasting, positive impact on cognitive performance of children.

Intellectual performance needs the specific type of fat found most commonly in oily fish, known as omega-3 fatty acids. Scientific studies have found that the true love of the brain is omega-3. Omega-3 fats are crucial for the brain’s health and fending off Alzheimer’s disease. Salmon (especially Alaska sockeye salmon), sardines, and herring lubricate the cells of central nervous system. Vegetarians can try flaxseeds and walnuts to replenish Omega-3 supply.

Leafy dark greens such as spinach, kale, mustard greens, and Swiss chard are exceptional good to prevent the loss of mental dexterity. According to National Institute on Aging (http://www.nia.nih.gov), folic acid, a B-Vitamin found in leafy vegetables, helps lower the risk of Alzheimer’s more effectively than antioxidants and other nutrients found in the same vegetables. Folic acid also breaks down homocysteines may lead to dementia and cognitive decline.

Berries satisfy our sweet tooth without affecting the brain’s function. Blueberries, strawberries and a spectrum of colorful fruits ease the craving for sweets, and boost antioxidant supply to reduce free radical damage in the brain. While excessive amount of refined sugar creates insulin resistance and poor glycemic control leading to memory loss, berries may significant improve short-term memory.

In sum, eggs, oily fish, leafy greens, and berries are best suited for optimal brain function.

“Organic? What’s that?”

2007-07-21T20:49:00.002-05:00

Once upon a time, our grandparents only needed to wash some dirt off their produce to make sure they were eating clean food. Now, we are concerned about pesticides, genetic modification, and fertilizers in our food. To meet our demand for healthier diet, more grocery stores place ads for organic foods in local newspapers. According to the Organic Trade Association research, the sales of organic foods have soared from $3.5 billion to $16.7 billion over the past decade. We all know ‘going organic’ is good for us, but a few of us understand what exactly “organic” means. Before adding organic food to your grocery basket next time, read this and know what you’ll be getting.

Organic food consists of crops grown without genetic modification and without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or ionizing radiation. Organic meat, poultry, eggs and diary from animals are without hormones or antibiotics. Organic farmers use renewable resources and apply soil and water conservation strategies to improve environmental condition for future generations. Organic production emphasizes regional quality – encouraging money shoppers spend on locally grown produce stays within the community. Shorter journey not only lowers distribution costs, but also reduces gas consumption and lessens air pollution.

Since 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the USDA Organic food label (see the attachment) as a national standard to ensure quality of organic food. Before labeling an organic food, government-approved certifiers inspect organic farm to make sure that crops are planted under the USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to restaurants and supermarkets have to be certified as well. When we see a small USDA organic seal on vegetables and fruits, we can be certain that the product is at least 95 percent organic. Besides recognizing the USDA organic seal, savvy shoppers look for package labels on organic food. Organic produce package has a five-digit number beginning with the number nine, while conventional one has a four-digit number.

Remember “natural” and “organic” are not interchangeable. Don't confuse “free-range” and “hormone-free” with "organic." Only food labeled "organic" has been certified to meet USDA organic standards. There is no such thing as 100 percent organic because pure soil does not exist.

Dig for Happiness

2007-07-18T21:54:00.003-05:00

We sometimes find ourselves dismal for not-so-obvious reasons. We want to get out of that gloomy stage but don’t know how. Then other aspects of our lives become affected. We have trouble sleeping. Our appetite is either too much or too little. We are reluctant to attend social events. How do we know if we are truly happy? What can we do to feel happy or happier?

Dr. Martin Seligman, founder of Positive Psychology and Chairman of Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, developed an Authentic Happiness Inventory Questionnaire to measure a person’s overall happiness. If you are curious about your happiness index, complete the questionnaire (http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/questionnaires.aspx) to find out. Under the influence of Jeremy Bentham, economists apply utilitarian theory to calculate happiness. Here is what they come up with: Happiness = the Utility of Good Feelings – the Utility of Bad Feelings. Better yet, some scientists proposed to invent a hedonimeter as a psychophysical instrument that could monitor, change and record a person’s emotional ups and downs. In theory, the hedonimeter should work. However, it has not been invented because people realize that happiness is strongly affected by inward feelings that determine choices we make, not by outward behaviors that display pleasure we take. Scientists have to dig harder to create the hedonimeter in a way that it can measure people’s spontaneous decisions, based on unforeseen variables like natural climate change, daily stress level, nutritional intake and human relationships. Before Oprah interviews the future-minded inventor for the hedonimeter, we still can rely on ourselves to find happiness.

We have to know that happiness comes in all different forms and there is no universal formula for happiness that works for everyone. We must take more active role in searching for personalized ways to lift up our spirits. Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861), one of the most respected poets of the Victorian era, found the secret of her happiness – giving and getting. When she gave a book to someone she cared about, or when she got a birthday card from someone who cared, she felt happy. What works for Browning may not work for us. What is the meaning of happiness to us? We can make a list of fun things (they can be either big pleasures or little ones) that bring joy to our daily lives:

A homemade apple pie?
Playing basketball with friends?
A visit to Barnes & Nobles?
Receiving a love letter?
Hanging out with college buddies?

This list is our emotional rescue when we feel unhappy next time. Instead of feeling down, we choose to engage in a fun activity in the list. We will be surprised by how much our moods get improved after we complete the activity. We also need to learn to disengage ourselves from negative thoughts right after our recognition of pain and misery. It is normal to experience troubles and sadness, but it is unhealthy to endure such feelings for a long time. Our minds need to get distracted by laughters, adventures, new knowledge and charity work. Being able to laugh helps people get through touch times. Go visit a city or a country that you always wanted to see. Pick up a new habit. Volunteering at a local nonprofit organization to help the needed.

The secret of feeling happy is kept in our minds. We make ourselves to choose happiness. Open our minds and let happiness in.

Simple But Effective Face Wash Routine

2007-07-15T21:11:00.002-05:00

Let’s FACE it, we easily max out our credit cards on skincare products to get that flawless look. Our bathroom cabinets are filled with tubes and jars that may not deliver the benefits their labels claim. We try the latest exfoliators, serums and eye creams to wish for miraculous skin transformation. But all we really need is to stick to a good face wash routine, the most effective way to maintain healthy skin.

Wake-up Routine

When we wake up, wash face with clear water is good enough. There is no need to wash face with a cleanser if we cleansed the night before. Excessive use of cleanser may cause skin dryness and increase skin sensitivity. For people with oily skin, use a light cleanser helps remove facial oil secretion during sleep.
Apply a daytime serum.
Use a SPF moisturizer, or apply a separate sunscreen if we will spend a long time outdoor later. Make sure to use a lightweight sunscreen if we are going to wear makeup over the sunscreen.
Make sure to use eye cream under the eye only. Don’t use it on the eyelid because it may interfere with eye makeup.
Apply makeup if necessary, and get ready for a bright day.

Bedtime Routine

We MUST wash face before going to sleep every night. We don’t want blackheads and breakouts to build up during sleep. Accumulated dirt, bacteria and makeup are the enemies of flawless skin. Exhaustion from late night party is not the excuse to skip face wash.
Get a remover and good quality cotton pads to remove all the makeup. Pay special attention to the eye area. For those who don’t wear any makeup, move on to the next step.
Apply a cleanser for our skin type to clean the face. Find a cleanser with little or no fragrance and detergent to minimize skin irritation.
Use a cotton ball instead of a towel to pad the face dry.
Apply a few drops of serum or treatment product to nourish the skin. Generally, serums go under moisturizer.
Gently massage a SPF-free cream or lotion, or a night cream onto the face, the neck and the chest. This helps boost the blood circulation to the face.
Put on eye cream gently around the eye, and close eyes for a sweet dream.

The untold secret of applying products onto the face: Massage from bottom to top on the forehead and towards the temporal region, and in the opposite direction of wrinkles. This anti-gravity stimulation improves skin firmness and elasticity, and help reduce fine lines.

Of course, diet, exercise and the quality and compatibility of skincare products affect the skin condition. We’ll explore them more in-depth in future blog entries.

Separation Anxiety

2007-07-14T21:08:00.000-05:00

Do you ever feel anxious about leaving home for college, starting a new job or moving to a new city or country? Does the anxiety affect your normal sleep pattern and emotions? Is such feeling keeping you from enjoying routine activities? If so, you need to know more about separation anxiety disorder.

Separation anxiety is a psychological condition in which a person has excessive anxiety regarding separation from home or from people to whom he or she is emotionally attached. Studies have found that adult separation anxiety is more common than childhood separation anxiety. Separation anxiety symptoms include:

Recurring distress when separated from the subject of attachment such as hometown, families and friends
Ongoing worry about losing the subject of attachment
Persistent, excessive worry that some event will lead to separation from a major attachment
Excessive fear about being alone without the subject of attachment
Inability to fall asleep without being near a major attachment figure
Recurrent nightmares about separation
Ongoing physical symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, or palpitations when there is separation or anticipated separation
These symptoms last more than 4 weeks

It seems socially acceptable for children to experience separation anxiety. Leaving home and separating from parents are big transitions for children, and they often get empathy and support from others. Adults may lose their cool if they display symptoms of separation anxiety as a result of changing jobs or moving. Many of us overlook the fact that separation anxiety is a symptom of a co-morbid condition. Research indicates that those suffering from separation anxiety have higher risks for developing ADHD, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, and other mental illnesses.

We tend to cling to familiar faces and routines, and run from uncertainties and risks. But leaving the old and starting the new often lead to exciting opportunities. If we embrace such adventurous experience, separation anxiety is just a short-term psychological reflex for the new transition. There is nothing quirky about acknowledging the anxiety. Actually, recognizing the condition alerts us to let go of our attachment to the past, and continue to strive for the best.

Early intervention for separation anxiety helps achieve successful recovery. Behavioral therapy includes exercises to help face the anxiety. Cognitive therapy first helps one identify thoughts that may trigger anxious feelings, then develops coping strategies. Psychodynamic therapy encourages separation anxiety sufferers to talk about underlying fears and worries. Besides seeking help through professional therapies, people can try meditation to calm their hyperactive inner energy. The most effective way to cope with separation anxiety is to establish a strong bond with the new environment. The moment we attain gratification in our new job, and build trust in our new relationship, we come to realize that we find an island of peace and stability in the raging surf. Then, anxiety disappears by itself.

As life challenges go, anxiety caused by separation is rather minuscule. There is no need to feel solemn when we leave the present comfort to venture into the future radiance. ☺

(This blog is dedicated to my dear friend Ceci. Bon Voyage!)

Bones need calcium, you need these

2007-07-07T20:58:00.000-05:00

We all know that calcium is an essential mineral for growth and maintenance of bones and teeth. Strong bones can enhance our physical activities, and protect our heart, lungs and brain from injury. Weak bones increase the risks of fracture, osteoporosis and height loss. What does calcium do in the body? Why do bones need calcium nourishment? Where can we find natural calcium ingredients?

Calcium is among the major minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, chloride and potassium) required by the human body. 99 percent of calcium deposited in the body can be found in the bones and teeth, while the remaining 1 percent is stored in blood, muscle and the fluids between body cells. Calcium supports the structure of bones and teeth. It helps regulate blood vessel expansion and contraction, muscle contraction, hormone and enzyme secretion, and signal transmission throughout the nervous system. Obviously, calcium is a vital constituent of the body.

Bones, as living organisms, have cells and flowing body fluids. They are continuously renewed and remodeled with constant resorption (calcium transfer from bone fluid to the blood) and deposition of calcium into newly formed bones. The rate of resorption and calcium deposition changes as people grow. Elderly, especially postmenopausal women, experience more bone breakdown than bone formation. This leads to bone loss and causes arthritis, osteoporosis, and height loss. Besides biological factor, lifestyle factors such as physical activity, protein and alcohol consumption affect the function of calcium in the body. The optimal amounts of daily calcium intake for different age groups are shown below to help you determine how much calcium you need.

Newborn to 6 months: 210mg/day
6 to 12 months: 270mg/day
1 to 3 years: 500mg/day
4 to 8 years: 800mg/day
9 to 18 years: 1,300mg/day
18 to 50 years: 1,000mg/day
Over 50 years: 1,200mg/day

It is widely known that dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese are good sources of calcium. In the United States, the Department of Agriculture’s Food Guide Pyramid recommends that people two years and older consume two to three servings of dairy products every day to meet the body’s calcium demand. FYI, one serving is equal to one cup (8 oz) of milk, or 8 oz of yogurt, or 1.5 oz of natural cheese, or 2 oz of processed cheese.

However, not everyone is able to eat dairy products. Some people are allergic to dairy products. Many non-Indo-European descents are lactose intolerant. Vegans do not consume dairy products for health and ethical reasons. Fortunately, there are plenty of alternative healthy foods as great sources of calcium. If you like soy milk, try Silk, Provamel, and Plamil fortified with calcium. Green leafy vegetables with low oxalate level are as good as or even better than calcium from cow’s milk. They include kale, tofu, zuccini squash, green peas, broccoli, okra, and alfalfa sprouts. Other natural sources of calcium are seaweeds like kelp and wakame, nuts and seeds like almonds and sesame, watercress, black molasses and beans. If you are interested in knowing more foods with high calcium content, visit the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

Proper diet and physical activity strengthen the bones. Adequate calcium intake helps maintain a healthy body. Although it is recommended to replenish calcium each day, too much calcium intake may do more harm than good. Excessive calcium deposited in the body increases the risk of developing kidney stones. No more than 500mg calcium should be taken at a time because the body absorbs less amount of calcium with increasing supply of calcium.

Physiognomy: one of human basic instincts

2007-07-04T20:53:00.003-05:00

“I have yet to meet a man as fond of high moral conduct as he is of outward appearances.”
By Confucious, China's most famous philosopher, and political theorist, 551-479 BC

We are all well aware that appearance is overrated, but most of us make decisions subconsciously based upon physiognomy, judging the appearance of a person or an object, without reference to his/her or its underlying characteristics. The prettiest girl at high school receives a large number of prom invitations, even though few boys know about her personality. Some Porsche fans prefer the car’s distinctive look to its momentum. No matter how hard people try to make informed decisions through gathering substantial information, it is undeniable that human basic instincts are beyond rationality sometimes.

The meaning of physiognomy can be traced back to its Greek roots. “Physis” means body or nature, and “gnomon” means judge or interpreter. Physiognomy is an anatomy term for a person's general physical appearance and shape, particularly the person’s face. It also refers to a subfield of psychology that studies the judgment of a person or an object's outer appearance to provide insights into their character or personality. There are abundant observation and thorough research done on physiognomy. Malcolm Gladwell, the best-selling author of the book “Blink,” presents interesting cases in the book about “adaptive unconscious” behaviors driven by physiognomy. One of his illuminating studies is that CEOs of Fortune 500 companies on average are three inches taller than American men whose average height is around 5 feet 9 inches (not to mention majority of them are Caucasians). Gladwell suggests that although there is no “deliberate prejudice” inside the board room, people naturally see a positive correlation between leadership ability and physical stature. If you are curious about his finding on the average height of big companies’ CEOs, read about “Why do we love tall men?” at http://gladwell.com/blink/blink_excerpt2.html

With 2008 presidential election approaching, social and political scientists began to discover what factors influence Americans’ choice for our next president. Physiognomy is among the determinants of getting elected. Richard Conniff, a writer for New York Times, Smithsonian, The Atlantic and National Geographic, recently published the article “Facial Discrimination”, which can be found at http://conniff.blogs.nytimes.com. Conniff discussed how facial stereotypes may increase Mitt Romney’s chance of winning the presidential election for Romney’s handsome and mature look. Historically, some citizens voted for candidates with attractive physical appearance, regardless of preached political strategies. Nowadays, we can easily view candidates’ activities on CNN and YouTube to ‘reinforce’ our basic instinct of physiognomy. Is this for better or for worse? It will probably take another four years to find out.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine 101

2007-06-29T20:44:00.002-05:00

More and more Americans begin seeking complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to solve health problems. According to a survey conducted by The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) in 2002, 50 percent of U.S. adults age 18 years and older have used some type of CAM. Due to the heterogeneity of CAM, some people may hold misconceptions about the practices of CAM. The following sections are provided to highlight the basics of CAM.

What is the definition of CAM?

The NCCAM defines CAM as “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine.” David Eisenberg, M.D., Director of the Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies of the Osher Institute at Harvard Medical School, describes CAM as “practices explicitly used for medical intervention, health promotion, or disease prevention which are not routinely taught at United States medical schools, nor routinely underwritten by third party payers within the existing United States health care system.” Alternative medicine, complementary medicine, integrative medicine, holistic medicine, and natural medicine are other terms for CAM.

What are the common practices of CAM?

1. Energy Medicine
Energy medicine deals with the application of energy fields (such as magnetic field and bio-field) under the concept that the human body holds energy and people interact with each other through energy exchange. Energy is considered as the vital life force under different names in different cultures. Qi is known as energy in traditional Chinese medicine, Ki in the Japanese Kampo system, and Doshas in Ayurvedic medicine. Illnesses arise when there is an imbalance of energy in the human body. Restoring the normal flow of the energy helps improve one’s health. Qi Gong from China, Reiki and Johrei from Japan, healing touch, and intercessory prayer are examples of energy medicine practices.

There is an increasing demand for energy medicine in America in recent years. Some academic medical centers began investigation projects on the subject. However, energy medicine remains very controversial in the mainstream medical field, because the existing scientific technology cannot demonstrate the biophysical means of human energy field, external energy field, and their therapeutic effects. Dr. Mehmet C. Oz, Professor and Vice Chairman of Surgery at Columbia University in New York City, Director of the Cardiovascular Institute, and Founder and Director for the Complementary Medicine Program at New York Presbyterian Hospital, says "As we get better at understanding how little we know about the body, we begin to realize that the next big frontier … in medicine is energy medicine.”

2. Mind-body Medicine
Hippocrates (ca. 460BC-ca. 370BC) recognized the moral and spiritual aspects of healing. He believed that treatments could occur only with consideration of patient’s attitude, environmental impacts, and natural remedies. Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines integrated the mind healing into their medical philosophies, dating back more than 2,000 years. Scientific developments in the West around the 16th and 17th centuries led to a separation of the spiritual or emotional stage from the physical body.

In the modern world, mind-body medicine focuses on the interactions among the mind, the body, the effects of emotional, mental, social, and spiritual behaviors on a person’s health, and the empowerment of one’s capacity for self-care. Among a variety of mind-body intervention techniques, relaxation, hypnosis, visual imagery, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, tai chi, qi gong, cognitive-behavioral therapies, group support, and autogenic training are commonly practiced in the United States.

3. Manipulative and Body-based Practice
Manipulative and body-based practices treat the structures and systems of the body, including bones and joints, soft tissues, and circulatory and lymphatic systems. Chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation, Massage therapy, Tui na (Traditional Chinese Medicine Massage Technique), Reflexology, Rolfing, Bowen technique, Trager bodywork, Alexander technique, and Feldenkrais method are under the umbrella of Manipulative and Body-based Practice.

In the United States, manipulative and body-based therapies are primarily practiced by doctors of chiropractic, osteopathic physicians, physical therapists, and physiatrists. The majority of the research on the cost and utilization of spinal manipulation have focused on chiropractic, which covers 90% of manipulative practice. Similar to spinal manipulation, massage is commonly used for musculoskeletal dysfunctions. However, a significant fraction of people seek massage care for relaxation and stress relief.

4. Biologically Based Practice
Biologically based practice includes vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, proteins, botanicals, animal-derived extracts, prebiotics and probiotics, whole diets, and functional foods. Increasing use of dietary supplements in the past two decades indicates that there is a strong desire for consumers to promote overall health and wellbeing. Clinical studies find some evidence for the effectiveness of dietary supplements in improving energy level and promoting health.

In addition to dietary supplements, herbal supplements also became popular in recent years. Like over-ther-counter and prescription drugs, they have active ingredients that affect one’s physical environment. If herbal supplements are applied properly, they can work wonders. However, the correct application of herbal supplements depends on herbs’ properties and individuals’ body constitutions. Self-prescription is not recommended and may cause adverse effects.

What are the conceptual foundations for CAM?

Generally, CAM follows these basic concepts:

Body has the ability to heal itself.
Take a proactive role in disease prevention to achieve balanced health.
Target at the root cause of an illness instead of focusing on the symptoms of the illness.
Holistic treatments address all aspects of one’s life. Body, mind and spirit cannot be treated separately. The abnormal condition of one directly affects the wellbeing of others.
Try natural methods first, and avoid invasive procedures that may cause other problems later on. However, seek these procedures when necessary, and integrate CAM into treatment plans.

How prevalent is CAM in the United States?

The NCCAM survey conducted in 2002 finds that 50 percent of U.S. adults age 18 years and older have used some form of CAM. There is a significant increase in the use of herbal supplements, growing from 12.1 percent of adults reporting the usage in 1997 to 18.6 percent in 2002. Yoga practice has increased 40 percent during the same period, from 3.7 percent to 5.1 percent. If prayer specifically for health reasons is considered as a form of CAM, the number of adults using this healing method rose to 62 percent in 2002. The 2002 National Health Interview Survey showed that 4.1% of the respondents reported lifetime use of acupuncture, and 1.1% (representing 2.13 million Americans) reported recent use of acupuncture.

Why do Americans seek CAM?

When suffering from chronic ailments that have not been successfully treated by conventional medicine, many Americans turn to CAM for help. CAM works particularly well with chronic disease management and health maintenance through proper diet, exercise, stress management and emotional healing. Disease prevention is the goal of some CAM users. While some people seek CAM based on friends’ or physicians’ recommendation, others try CAM out of curiosity. Of course, the economic burden of conventional medical treatments urges people to look for alternative healthcare solutions.
Americans use CAM for different types of diseases and conditions. It is commonly seen that people use CAM for pain management of neck, back, and joints, psychological disorders such as anxiety or depression, gastrointestinal disorders, and sleeping problems. Women are more likely than men to experience mind-body therapies, while men often seek CAM for musculoskeletal conditions or chronic and recurring pain. Higher socio-economic status increases the likelihood of CAM utilization.

About Moogger

2007-06-28T19:19:00.010-05:00

What does Moogger mean?

Moogger is based on the Chinese words Mo Ge. Mo (脉) refers to Meridians, the energy pathways of human body, also known as Channels. Ge (革) means Revolution. The integration of Eastern and Western medical practices is revolutionizing modern medicine. More and more medical professionals agree that the Meridian theory of Chinese Medicine, recognizing both physiological elements and energy forces in the human body, will be a guiding principle for future medicine.

Moogger serves as a platform to educate people about holistic and natural lifestyles – the daily practice of preventive medicine. It encourages open and candid dialogue of 6 areas: Alternative Medicine, Mental Health, Public Health, Diet, Exercise and Skin care.

Why create Moogger.com?

Our mission is to provide knowledge on holistic and natural lifestyles, based on credible research, to help people achieve balanced wellness in our fast-paced modern society.

Our goal is to publish ready-to-use tips for healthy living in this blog. Since information overload is endemic in the Internet era, we strive to present practical you can absorb within minutes.

Our philosophy is that all aspects of a healthy lifestyle deserve attention. The body cannot be treated separately from the mind. Taking a holistic and preventive approach to maintaining health early in life contributes to lifelong well-being.

Who writes Moogger blogs?

Its creator, and its readers.

Blog creator Ivy Yang is passionate about promoting preventive medicine through holistic and natural lifestyles. She is the primary Moogger blog writer. Growing up in a distinguished medical family in China, Ivy began her health education in early childhood. She has received private training from several renowned Chinese doctors, and has worked with thousands of patients internationally to improve their well-being through integrative medical practice. She has served healthcare organizations in various roles since 1996, and she is currently the manager of Yang Research Center (Zhu Hai, China, and Houston, Texas) where she directs research and advocacy efforts to modernize traditional Chinese medicine. Ivy earned a Master of Public Administration in Health Policy and Management at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs in New York City, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University in College Station. She also received training at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan, and a certificate from Harvard Medical School in Boston.

You, our reader, share our goal: to live in a healthy, holistic and natural way. You take a proactive role in seeking new ways to achieve optimal well-being. Your knowledge is already substantial, and besides reading Moogger blogs, you often discover interesting material on holistic and natural lifestyles.

You are invited to share your wisdom by contributing your own experiences, findings, and links to useful sources. Together, we can influence the health-related behaviors and decisions of millions of people.

DISCLAIMER: All information contained on Moogger blog including information relating to medical and health conditions and treatments, is for informational only, and is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not uses the information on this blog for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease.