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As We Age, We’re Keeping Our
Brain Power Going
Researchers reported in
the journal Alzheimer’s and Dementia that our brain
health is getting better. In 2002, researchers compared a group
of men and women over 70 with a similar group of men and women
studied in 1993. The 2002 group had a significantly higher level
of thinking and memory abilities. According to the lead author,
Kenneth M. Langa, M.D., the keys to these changes were
controlling blood pressure, reducing cholesterol and remaining
physically active.
Since this is
2008, I would expect the trend to continue…now, if I can only
remember where my keys are.
Using Bacteria Infections To Fight Cancer
Way back in 1890, New York surgeon William Coley attempted a
radical cancer treatment. He injected patients with
disease-causing bacteria. After weeks of chills and fevers, many
showed significant tumor regression.
Today, some
scientists are thinking that Coley had the right idea. In our
infection-free lifestyle with anti-bacterial everything, we may
be robbing our body of its natural protection. Germs may be able
to teach our bodies how to fight back against the tumors. There
have been some new studies that have shown that certain cancers
may be reduced by exposure to disease-causing bacteria and
viruses, which results in a boost to your body’s natural
immunity.
So…anybody
for playing in the dirt?
(Reported in the Los Angeles Times
February 18, 2008)
Women Can Stop A Heart Attack From Happening
A study published by Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet and Boston
School of Medicine reviewed the histories of 24,444 women. The
researchers found that five lifestyle guidelines slashed women’s
heart attack risk by a whopping 92%. Here are the five factors:
1. Using a
moderate amount of alcohol (1/2 a glass of wine per day)
2. Eating a
diet based on fruits, veggies, whole grains, fish and legumes
3. Walking
daily for more than 40 minutes and doing 1 hour of more
strenuous activity weekly.
4. Having a
waist size that is 85% or less of your hip size
5. Never
smoking or having stopped at least 1 year ago
(Reported in Prevention April
2008)
Help Prevent Varicose Veins
According to Dr. Julian Whitaker there is an herb that has been
used since the 16th century in Europe to promote vein
health. It’s called Horse Chestnut extract. Whitaker says that
the active ingredient in Horse Chestnut is aescin, which helps
your vein walls stay strong and toned. It may also help balance
the process where old capillary tissue is broken down and new
tissue is built to maintain proper venous wall strength. If you
can’t find Horse Chestnut extract in health food stores, you can
call 800-722-8008.
Comparing the Atkins, South Beach and Ornish Diets
You’ve probably been reading a lot about which is the best diet
to be on – Atkins, South Beach or Ornish. Researchers at the
University of Maryland School of Medicine may have an answer.
They put 18 adults on each diet. They found that those on Atkins
increased their LDL cholesterol (this is the bad kind) by 16
points and experienced hardening of the arteries in only 1
month. Those on the South Beach Diet actually lowered their bad
cholesterol by 10 points while those on the Ornish Diet lowered
it by 25 points.
Both the
South Beach and Ornish diets also improved the flexibility of
the participant’s arteries. While the Ornish Diet is the most
restrictive, South Beach seems to be a little easier to follow.
However, either one will be a good way for you to go.
Using Your Mind To Relieve Arthritis Pain
Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine
have been busy. They also researched the impact of a meditation
technique called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on
chronic arthritis. The researchers found that people with
rheumatoid arthritis who practiced MBSR for 6 months were 35%
less distressed than those who didn’t use this method – even
though their physical disease progressed at the same rates as
the control group. Other studies have shown that MBSR works to
reduce pain by constantly refocusing the mind on the present
moment. To learn how to do MBSR read Full Catastrophe Living
by Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Cut The Need For Arthritis Drugs By Using Cod Liver Oil
Since I’m talking about arthritis, there was a study reported in
Rheumatology (March 24, 2008) about the impact of taking
cod liver oil once a day for relief of arthritis pain. The
researchers gave patients either 10 g of cod liver oil or a
placebo daily. After 12 weeks they found that 39% of the
patients on the cod liver oil were able to reduce the need for
drugs versus 10% for the placebo group.
So… to better
control your rheumatoid arthritis use your mind and use cod
liver oil.
Why The #1 Fear Of Speaking In Public May Have An Impact
The number one fear for Americans is speaking in public. People
will say, “I’d rather die than have to give s speech.” Well,
they may be right to fear speaking over dying, but for a
different reason than you’d think. A few years ago researchers
from Harvard were investigating the impact of stress hormones on
the body. The researchers monitored people who were giving
public presentations. Their anxiousness when they rose to speak
caused rapid changes in the stickiness of their blood, and in
some cases, also triggered heart vessel spasms and arrhythmias.
So…before you
get up to speak make sure to do some stress management exercises
such as deep breathing or meditation.
Figuring Out Where The Bread Plate Is
Since I do professional speaking, I speak at a lot of luncheons
and dinners. I, like many other people, have never been too sure
which is my bread plate. Recently a friend gave me THE SOLUTION.
Make an ok sign with both your hands. Hold them up in front of
you. Your left hand will form the letter ‘b’ and the right hand
will form the letter ‘d’. So the ‘b’ stands for THE BREAD PLATE
SIDE and the ‘d’ stands for THE DESSERT SIDE. So…just ‘b’ and
‘d’ yourself and you’ll know thy bread plate every time!
Feedback From Louisiana Bankers Association
I recently presented my seminar “Par and Beyond: Secrets to
Better Golf and Better Business” to the Louisiana Bankers
Association. Here’s what the Event Planner had to say about it:
“We were fortunate enough to have
you conduct two breakout sessions. Word spread fast that they
didn’t want to miss the second session. The session was packed
with bankers, exhibitors and spouses. Many spouses skipped the
spouse’s tour to hear you speak!”
“The feedback was outstanding, 100%
rated the program good or excellent. Your program was the
highlight of the convention and everyone is still talking about
you!”
For
information on having me speak to your group, contact Sandra Lee
at 800 77-RELAX or email her at
Sandy@Teplitz.com.
That's it for this month!
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