Archive for July, 2009

Holistic Sleep Medicine

Friday, July 31st, 2009

In Holistic Sleep Medicine the optimal amount of sleep is not a meaningful concept unless the timing of that sleep is seen in relation to an individual’s circadian rhythms. A person’s major sleep episode is relatively inefficient and inadequate when it occurs at the “wrong” time of day; one should be asleep at least six hours before the lowest body temperature. The timing is correct when the following two circadian markers occur after the middle of the sleep episode and before awakening:

  • maximum concentration of the hormone melatonin, and
  • minimum core body temperature.

Holistic Sleep Medicine suggests that seven to nine hours of sleep for adult humans is optimal and that sufficient sleep benefits alertness, memory, problem solving, and overall health, as well as reducing the risk of accidents. A widely publicized 2003 study performed at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine demonstrated that cognitive performance declines with six or fewer hours of sleep.

A University of California, San Diego, psychiatry study of more than one million adults found that people who live the longest self-report sleeping for six to seven hours each night. Another study of sleep duration and mortality risk in women showed similar results. Other studies show that “sleeping more than 7 to 8 hours per day has been consistently associated with increased mortality,” though this study suggests the cause is probably other factors such as depression and socioeconomic status, which would correlate statistically. It has been suggested that the correlation between lower sleep hours and reduced morbidity only occurs with those who wake after less sleep naturally, rather than those who use an alarm.

Researchers at the University of Warwick and University College London have found that lack of sleep can more than double the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, but that too much sleep can also double the risk of death. Professor Francesco Cappuccio said, “Short sleep has been shown to be a risk factor for weight gain, hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes, sometimes leading to mortality; but in contrast to the short sleep-mortality association, it appears that no potential mechanisms by which long sleep could be associated with increased mortality have yet been investigated. Some candidate causes for this include depression, low socioeconomic status, and cancer-related fatigue. In terms of prevention, our findings indicate that consistently sleeping around seven hours per night is optimal for health, and a sustained reduction may predispose to ill health.”

Furthermore, according to Holistic Sleep Medicine sleep difficulties are closely associated with psychiatric disorders such as depression, alcoholism, and bipolar disorder. Up to 90% of adults with depression are found to have sleep difficulties. Dysregulation found on EEG includes disturbances in sleep continuity, decreased delta sleep and altered REM patterns with regard to latency, distribution across the night and density of eye movements.

How does diet and exercise affect your health?

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

How does diet and exercise affect your health? A LOT!

At the time of the creation of the World Health Organization (WHO), in 1948, Health was defined as being “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”

This definition invited nations to expand the conceptual framework of their health systems beyond issues related to the physical condition of individuals and their diseases, and it motivated us to focus our attention on what we now call social determinants of health. Consequently, WHO challenged political, academic, community, and professional organisations devoted to improving or preserving health to make the scope of their work explicit, including their rationale for allocating resources. This opened the door for public accountability.

Only a handful of publications have focused specifically on the definition of health and its evolution in the first 6 decades. Some of them highlight its lack of operational value and the problem created by use of the word “complete.” Others declare the definition, which has not been modified since 1948, “simply a bad one.”. More recently, Smith suggested that it is “a ludicrous definition that would leave most of us unhealthy most of the time.”

In 1986, the WHO, in the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, said that health is “a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasizing social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities.” Classification systems such as the WHO Family of International Classifications (WHO-FIC), which is composed of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) also define health.

Overall health is achieved through a combination of physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being, which, together is commonly referred to as the Health Triangle.

Scientific Anti-Aging Products

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Scientific Anti-Aging Products:

Life extension, also known as anti-aging medicine, experimental gerontology, and biomedical gerontology, refers to attempts to slow down or reverse the processes of aging to extend both the maximum and average lifespan. Some researchers in this area, and “life extensionists” or “longevists” (who wish to achieve longer lives for themselves), believe that future breakthroughs in tissue rejuvenation with stem cells, molecular repair, and organ replacement (such as with artificial organs or xenotransplantations) will eventually enable humans to have indefinite lifespans through complete rejuvenation to a youthful condition.

The sale of putative anti-aging products such as nutrition, physical fitness, skin care, hormone replacements, vitamins, supplements and herbs has become a lucrative industry, with the US market generating about $50 billion of revenue each year.


Much of life extension has been concerned with the use of nutrition, in the form of diets or supplements, to extend lifespan. The many diets promoted by anti-aging advocates are often contradictory. One of the few areas of consensus among nutritionists is the importance of keeping stable blood sugar levels, achieved in part by managing the glycemic indices of food choices. Two diets with different approaches and some support from scientific research are the Paleolithic diet and Caloric restriction.

The restriction of energy intake, or calories, in an otherwise healthy diet (a practice generally called Calorie restriction or simply CR) has been shown to extend the maximum life span of laboratory organisms from several species, including rats, yeast, fruit flies, and nematodes. In rodents, a roughly 50% maximum lifespan extension is seen with a roughly 50% restriction of calories from what would be consumed by freely-feeding animals. The results of calorie restriction experiments on laboratory rats may not be generalizable because years of inbreeding have made these animals different from those found in the wild, and because these results are applicable specifically to short-lived species that have evolved to respond to feast and famine with alterations in longevity. Proving that calorie restriction could extend human life is difficult because experiments with long-lived species necessarily take a long time to perform. Scientists propose that the results of calorie restriction experiments on animals also depend on the habitat, genetics, other aspects of nutrition and frequencies of feeding.

The idea that antioxidant supplements, such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, lipoic acid and N-acetylcysteine, might extend human life stems from the free radical theory of aging. Other substances proposed to extend lifespan include oxytocin, insulin, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and erythropoietin (EPO). Resveratrol is a sirtuin stimulant that appears to extend lifespan in simple model organisms such as nematodes and short-lived fish.

Some supplements, including the minerals selenium or zinc have been reported to extend the lifespan of rats and mice, though none has been proven to do so in humans, and significant toxic effects were observed. Metformin may also extend life span in mice.

Best program for extreme weight loss

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

If you are looking for the best program for extreme weight loss do not subscribe to any diet that will make you starve. Even if you should loose weight this way, it will not last and you are hurting your body and slowing down your metabolism.

Lose the Weight with the Zone Diet

Avoid crash diets. A crash diet refers to willful nutritional restriction (except water) for more than 12 hours. The desired result is to have the body burn fat for energy with the goal of losing a significant amount of weight in a short time. However, the body reacts by preserving fat stores and burning lean muscle tissue, such that this is a poor strategy for intentional weight loss. Crash dieting is not the same as intermittent fasting, in which the individual periodically abstains from food (e.g., every other day). But we do not recommend fasting either.

Intentional weight loss refers to the loss of total body mass in an effort to improve fitness, health, and/or appearance.

Therapeutic weightloss, in individuals who are overweight or obese, can decrease the likelihood of developing diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, osteoarthritis, and certain types of cancer.

Attention to diet in particular can be extremely beneficial in reducing the impact of diabetes and other health risks of an expanding waist.

Weight loss occurs when an individual is in a state of negative energy balance. When the body is consuming more energy (i.e. in work and heat) than it is gaining (i.e. from food or other nutritional supplements), it will use stored reserves from fat or muscle, gradually leading to weight loss.

It is not uncommon for some people who are currently at their ideal body weight to seek additional weight loss in order to improve athletic performance, and/or meet required weight classification for participation in a sport. However, others may be driven by achieving a more attractive body image. Consequently, being underweight is associated with health risks such as difficulty fighting off infection, osteoporosis, decreased muscle strength, trouble regulating body temperature and even increased risk of death.

More information on Acai Berry detox

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

A comparative analysis reported that açaí has intermediate antioxidant potency among 11 varieties of frozen juice pulps, scoring lower than acerola, mango, strawberry, and grapes.

A powdered preparation of freeze-dried açaí fruit pulp and skin was shown to contain anthocyanins; however, anthocyanins accounted for only about 10% of the overall antioxidant capacity. The powdered preparation was also reported to contain twelve flavonoid-like compounds, including homoorientin, orientin, taxifolin, deoxyhexose, isovitexin, scoparin, as well as proanthocyanidins, and low levels of resveratrol.

In a study of different açaí varieties for their antioxidant capacity, a white species displayed no antioxidant activity against different oxygen radicals, whereas the purple variety most often used commercially was excellent against peroxyl radicals, good against peroxynitrite, and poor against hydroxyl radicals. Freeze-dried açaí powder was found to have high antioxidant activity against superoxide  and peroxyl radicals and milder activity for peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radicals. The powder was reported to inhibit hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidation in neutrophils, and to have a slight stimulatory effect on nitric oxide production by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages in vitro.

Extracts of açaí seeds were reported to have antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals, similar to the antioxidant capacity of the pulp, with higher antioxidant capacity against peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radicals.

Recently, the açaí “berry” has been marketed as a dietary supplement. Companies sell açaí berry products in the form of tablets, juice, smoothies, instant drink powders, and whole fruit.

Marketers of these products make unverified claims that açaí provides increased energy levels, improved sexual performance, improved digestion, detoxification, high fiber content, improved skin appearance, improved heart health, improved sleep, and reduction of cholesterol levels. Açaí has higher levels of antioxidants, which are claimed to promote health, more than cranberry, orange, and apple juices, but less than Concord grape, blueberry, and black cherry juices. Apparently false claims include reversal of diabetes and other chronic illnesses, as well as expanding size of the penis and increasing men’s sexual virility and sexual attractiveness to women. Açaí is most commonly marketed as a weight loss product.

As of March 2009, there are no controlled studies backing up any of these claims. According to ABC News correspondent Susan Donaldson, these products have not been evaluated in the United States by the FDA, and their efficacy is questionable.  In late 2008, lawyers for The Oprah Winfrey Show began investigating alleged statements from supplement manufacturers who suggested that frequent Oprah guest Dr. Mehmet Oz had recommended their product or açai in general for weight loss.

But just use any of these free trials to test for yourself:

Foot Pain Cures ‘they’ don’t you want you to know about

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Are you looking for orthotics that help with ball of foot pain and heel pain?

Recommended solutions here.

Tired, sore, aching feet! We’ve all experienced that feeling. Foot supports, insoles, and cushions can offer additional support and provide some comfort for people with foot problems or medical conditions such as arthritis. A well-constructed foot support can make walking or standing much less stressful to the joints. Other conditions, such as drop-foot, can also be helped by specially-designed foot supports.

Pain in the ball of the foot (called metatarsalgia) may have many different causes (including arthritis, poor circulation, pinching of the nerves between the toes, posture problems, and various disorders). However, most often the pain is caused by nerve damage or by an abnormality of the joints nearest the balls of the feet (metatarsal joints). Often, developing one disorder that causes pain in the ball of the foot contributes to development of another disorder that causes pain in the same location.

Other links:

Introduction To Resistance Training

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Introduction to Resistance Training is a series of three individual sessions for about 90 Minutes that will put you in a position to fire your personal trainer and perform your own weight training (I prefer the term ‘resistance training’) while getting better results faster. The one time investment is $795 (get $25 off with this coupon). The sessions will be performed at your local San Diego gym. Contact me to schedule you session now.

* Required fields

Healthy Weight 5-3-11 Year Old

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

There is no general rule to what the healthy weight of a 5, 3 or 11 year old kid should be. However, it is iportant to start with a healhty diet from a very ealry age. US supermarkets sell virtuallyu nothing of nutriotional value: nothing in a can and nothing that has been ripped in a warehouse has significant traces of vitamins and minerals. If you can not afford to shop at WholeFoods or other organic food stores, make sure to supplement your kids diet with vitamins and minerals.

Single Origin Beans Gourmet Coffee

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

Single Origin Beans Gourmet Coffee

SeattleCoffeeDirect.com


If you have decided you would no longer like to receive mailings from Seattle
Coffee Direct, please visit
http://www.pnetcs.com/remove.php
or mail us at 990 grove St. Ste 204,
Evanston, IL 60201

Nutrients to Stop Sleep Apnea

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

There are some nutrients that may be able to stop sleep apnea such as Resveratrol (for a free trial click here). But you also may choose a standard sleep aid such as SomniemPM (for a free trial click here).

A nutrient is a chemical that an organism needs to live and grow or a substance used in an organism’s metabolism which must be taken in from its environment.Nutrient are the substances that enrich the body.They build and repair tissues,give heat and energy,and regulate body processes.Methods for nutrient intake vary, with animals and protists consuming foods that are digested by an internal digestive system, but most plants ingest nutrients directly from the soil through their roots or from the atmosphere. Some plants, like carnivorous plants, externally digest nutrients from animals, before ingesting them. The effects of nutrients are dose-dependent.

Organic nutrients include carbohydrates, fats, proteins (or their building blocks, amino acids), and vitamins. Inorganic chemical compounds such as dietary minerals, water, and oxygen may also be considered nutrients.[citation needed] A nutrient is essential to an organism if it cannot be synthesized by the organism in sufficient quantities and must be obtained from an external source. Nutrients needed in relatively large quantities are called macronutrients and those needed in relatively small quantities are called micronutrients.