Hypertension, or high blood pressure, affects about one in three U.S. adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control, and 25 percent of American adults have prehypertension. Although you can soon be one of the millions of people who must rely upon the daily use of medications to keep their blood pressure under control, I always believed that it is better to be proactive and try to prevent the need for expensive drugs that come with a list of side-effects of their own. Here are 8 tips you can use as preventative measures against high blood pressure. Or, if you already suffer from it, incorporate them and work with your doctor to reduce the medications you need!
Be well,
Dr. S

These eight all-natural ways can help tame blood pressure:

1. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
One double-blind, placebo-controlled study gave a group of hypertensive men and women 60 mg of CoQ10 each day, and gave a control group a placebo. The patients taking CoQ10 had an average drop of 17.8 mmHg in their systolic blood pressure when compared to those not taking the nutrient, a better result than using combinations of prescription drugs. And a study at the University of Western Australia found those taking 100 mg of CoQ10 twice a day reduced systolic and diastolic pressure (6.1 mmHg and 2.9 mmHg respectively) when compared to those not taking CoQ10.

2. Garlic
Many studies have shown garlic lowers blood pressure. Garlic that has been aged for up to a year after being extracted is the most common form of garlic used in experimental studies. A team of researchers at Adelaide University in South Australia reviewed 11 studies examining the link between garlic and high blood pressure and found significant decreases in blood pressure levels of the patients who consumed garlic. The decreases were greatest in those whose blood pressure was the highest. In some cases, garlic got results as good as prescription drugs. The daily amount of allicin (the active ingredient in garlic responsible for its health benefits) used in most studies was no more than the amount found in one small clove.

3. Hawthorn
Hawthorn is a traditional herbal remedy for high blood pressure. In a randomized, controlled British clinical trial, eighty patients took either 1,200 mg of hawthorn extract daily or a placebo for 16 weeks. And the end of the study, diastolic blood pressure of the hawthorn group was reduced a significant 2.6 mmHG. “The blood pressure lowering effect in this study was real,” study leader Ann F. Walker, Ph.D., said in a statement.

4. Folic acid (folate)
A type of B vitamin, folic acid helps lower blood levels of the amino acid homosysteine. One study of more than 9,000 Americans found that those who had the highest daily intake of folic acid (400 mcg) lowered their risk of stroke 79 percent when compared to those people who consumed the least (100 mcg) amount of folic acid. Some foods high in folic acid include cereal, whole wheat tortillas, bread, and pasta, lentils, black-eyed peas, and sunflower seeds.

5. Fish oil
Multiple human trials have shown that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil reduce blood pressure. Omega-3 fish oil contains both DHA (docosahexanoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), but DHA may be more beneficial than EPA. WebMD recommends taking a maximum of no more than 3 grams of fish oil daily. The American Heart Association recommends eating fatty fish, such as tuna, mackerel, or salmon, at least twice a week.

6. Quercetin
In a study published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, the flavonoid quercetin significantly lowered the blood pressure of individuals sensitive to salt. In fact, quercetin not only lowered their blood pressure better than a commonly used antihypertensive drug but also prevented enlargement of the heart, which is a major complication of high blood pressure. An additional study found that quercetin prevented kidney damage associated with hypertension. Food sources include apples, citrus fruits, parsley, onions, tea, and red wine.

7. Diet
High blood pressure is more common in people who are overweight or obese, and a change in diet is essential in lowering blood pressure naturally. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is approved by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It includes beans, fruits and nuts, and low-fat dairy foods, and sodium is limited to 2,400 mg each day. By changing your diet and losing weight, you may be able to reduce — or eliminate — medications used to control high blood pressure.

8. Exercise
Getting enough exercise can lower your risk of developing high blood pressure by 20 percent to 50 percent. Even light exercise, if done on a consistent basis, can be effective. The Mayo Clinic recommends at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise each day to help prevent, or to control, high blood pressure. But becoming a “weekend warrior” and cramming all of your weekly activity into the weekends could be dangerous.

Heart failure is one of the fastest-growing causes of hospitalization and deaths in the Western world. The United States takes the lead in this disease — an estimated 5.3 million Americans live with heart failure and 660,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.

Heart failure is defined as the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Of all the cardiovascular diseases, it is the only one that is increasing in incidence. It’s obvious that we have a real problem on our hands.

The condition is hitting senior citizens especially hard. A new 27-year study has found that heart failure in people over age 65 increased 131 percent, with women showing the greatest increase. Among younger people, men are more likely to suffer heart failure.

About 50 percent of both genders will die within five years of diagnosis — when conventional treatments are used.

Seven strategies can put the odds in your favor. We will discuss the first four this week.

1. Take vitamin D3.
Vitamin D3 is being shown to be one of our most
important supplements. In truth, vitamin D3 is not a vitamin; rather, it is a neurohormone.

As we have seen, the primary cause of heart failure, or at least its progression, is chronic inflammation. Therefore, anything that reduces inflammation also should lessen the chances for heart failure.

A number of studies are confirming this observation. Vitamin D3 has been shown to suppress the release of the inflammatory cytokine TNF-a and to increase the anti-inflammatory cytokine called IL-10 — the higher the dose of vitamin D3, the greater the beneficial effect.

For information on the powers of vitamin D3, read my special report “Vitamin D’s Hidden Role in Your Health.”

2. Avoid Statin Drugs.
Statin drugs have been shown to lower CoQ10 levels dramatically in the heart. It is interesting to note that the dramatic rise in congestive heart failure started about the same time as the widespread use of these drugs. Only recently have some cardiologists started recommending CoQ10 supplementation to their patients who use statins. Many still do not use it.

3. Increase Omega-3’s.

Omega-3 fats play a major role in reducing heart disease and especially death from heart disease. One of the major ways omega-3 oils reduce cardiovascular deaths is by reducing fatal arrhythmias.

Not only are omega-3 oils important for heart health during our adult years but also new research indicates they may play a role in regulating our heart rate from early life.

4. Reduce Excitotoxins in Your Diet.
Excitotoxins have been shown to raise blood glutamate levels anywhere from 20-fold to 50-fold higher than fasting levels.

At high levels, glutamate overstimulates the heart and can lead to destruction of heart muscle cells and the electrical conduction system. This can lead to heart failure and arrhythmias. For information on how to avoid excitotoxins and other poisonous foods in your diet, go here for the report “How to Avoid Poisonous Foods.”

Although the typical thought that most people gain 5 lbs. during the holidays is fiction (the average is closer to ½ – 1 lb.), there is certainly enough temptation out there that a few tips for maintaining your weight during the holidays certainly wouldn’t hurt! Although I rely on my daily supplement regimen to help me stay on track here are a few good tips that might help you this year.

Be well,

Dr. S

1. Never go to a party or dinner very hungry. Always eat a high-fiber or protein-based snack to take the edge off. Some ideas include cottage cheese and fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt with a tablespoon of chopped nuts or two tablespoons of high-fiber granola or cereal, or a bowl of minestrone. Soup is one of the best options since it is high in water, so more likely to fill you up with fewer calories. In addition, research shows that people who begin a meal with soup tend to eat fewer calories during the meal. If you are planning on drinking alcohol, include a little fat in your snack such as nuts or string cheese as this will slow the absorption of alcohol, helping you maintain better control over food choices during the course of the evening.

2. Squeeze in time for exercise or physical activity. Take the stairs at the mall or department store. Do pushups, sit-ups, and jumping jacks while watching TV. Go for a walk before or after Christmas dinner. Plan outings at the park for the family. If you don’t have time to get to the gym, get a jump rope and commit to five minutes daily (everyone has five extra minutes).

3. Build a better eating environment. Use smaller plates and taller, narrower glasses to keep portion sizes under control. Fill at least half your plate with lean protein and vegetables and use the remaining half for the special, delicious, not-so-good-for-you items. Also, try to limit variety when it comes to higher-fat options, as research shows that this can lead to overeating. Choose one type of cookie instead of three. Finally, try not to waste calories on fillers such as rolls, chips, cheese and crackers that you can eat any time of the year.

4. Make trade-offs. Resolve to skip wine at one party and skip dessert at another. Have pasta or bread if that is what you are craving but limit yourself to one cocktail instead of two. Don’t have an all-or-nothing mentality when it comes to holiday eating. You can be social and in control. If you feel your resolve slipping, focus on how great you are going to feel in January when you have not gained weight for the first time in how many years?

5. Get rid of leftovers. If you are having a party, stock up on Tupperware and send guests home with the remaining Christmas cookies and treats. Not only will they appreciate the holiday spirit, you won’t be faced with the cookie tray for days.

8 Wacky Weight Loss Tips

I really get a kick out of all of the crazy things people will do for effective weight loss. The grapefruit diet, the enema plan…… it just shows how much of a problem our society is having with weight management issues these days and creating a weight loss menu. I thought it would be fun to pass along this article I read recently By Sylvia Booth Hubbard from Newsmax and then end this blog entry with some common sense items I recommend for LONG TERM RESULTS.

Be well,

Dr. S.What would you do to lose weight? Live on baby food? Drink vinegar? Simply breathe? Weight-conscious Americans — even celebrities — embrace even the wackiest of diets. Although Newsmax doesn’t endorse them, here’s a look at some of the more unusual weight loss tips:

Baby food. Dieters either eat all baby food or substitute one regular meal during the day and eat baby food at other meals. Portions are small and bland, but baby food is chocked with vitamins and minerals and is free of additives. According to dietsinreview.com, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston are alleged to be fans of the baby food diet and safe weight loss.

Raw food. Believers in the value of raw, weight loss foods maintain that cooking destroys many of the essential enzymes found in foods. The raw vegetarian weight loss menu consists of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and sprouted seeds, grains, and beans.

Apple cider vinegar. Add apple cider vinegar to your weight loss menu as a nice weight loss system. The inexpensive apple cider vinegar diet is a cleansing diet and is credited with ridding the body of both excess weight and toxins. Dieters drink three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar 15 minutes before each meal. One study found that people who ate a slice of bread along with a small amount of vinegar felt more satisfied than those who just ate bread. Many devotees choose organic apple cider vinegar. Downsides include interactions with medications and irritation of the stomach and throat.

Maple syrup. A favorite of Beyonce, this is also a cleanse and a type of fast. A weight loss recipe that is a combination of maple syrup, lemon juice, spring water, and cayenne pepper, it’s also called the “lemonade diet.” Dieters drink eight to 12 glasses of the mixture every day — and nothing else — for up to 10 days. Advocates claim they not only lose weight, but free themselves of ailments they’ve had for years.

Acid-alkaline. According to some experts, modern diets cause our bodies to be much more acidic than nature intended (our blood is supposed to be slightly alkaline), and thus more prone to illness. Alkaline foods, which include broccoli sprouts, cucumbers, kale, wheat grass, parsley, almonds, and soy beans, make a great weight loss menu and comprise 70 to 80 percent of the diet and supposedly restore nature’s intended balance.

Breatharian. This diet plan, which is also called Inedia, promotes the idea that people don’t need food and can survive completely on air. According to diethound.com, most Breatharians actually do eat at times.

Cookie. Celebrities, including Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi of “Jersey Shore,” is a fan of Dr. Siegal’s Cookie Diet, according to “Access Hollywood.” The doctor’s special cookies replace both lunch and dinner. According to the Siegal Medical Group, the cookies’ secret amino acid protein formula allows dieters to control hunger and stick to their diets. Cookies are a tasty addition to any traditional weight loss menu.

Cabbage soup. Promising quick weight loss of 10 to 15 pounds in seven days, the cabbage soup diet claims to burn fat while containing few calories — the more you eat, the more you lose. Quick weight loss is the key.  The recipes for cabbage soup vary, but usually include cabbage, onion, and tomatoes.

If you’d like to go on a reasonable diet, instead of a wacky one, here are several tried-and-true tips that I and many experts agree on:

• Drink a lot of water. Since you can often confuse thirst with hunger, WebMD suggests you drink a glass of ice-cold water, perhaps with a splash of lemon.

• Eat several small meals throughout the day. Frequent, small meals keep you from becoming ravenous which can lead to overeating.

• Spice up your diet. Spices boost flavor and keep you feeling satisfied. And some spices, such as chiles, may enhance your metabolism. Using spices cuts down on the need for adding SALT to your food.

• Stock up on healthy snacks and quick meals. Include fat-free popcorn, pre-washed greens, pre-grilled chicken breasts, and whole-grain pitas or wraps for fast, healthy meals.

• Don’t skip protein. Eat protein, such as nuts, cheese, or beans at each meal to promote fat burning.

• Stay active. Not only will exercise help you lose weight, you’ll get an energy boost.

Dennis E Sandler, MD

Doctor’s Choice Wellness

www.doctorschoicewellness.com

Contact Me

If you’re like me, the minute you hear the word RULES your brain shuts down! Label them what you will – hints, tips, suggestions – but the following 10 items can really help you shape your diet for 2010…… without a lot of pain!

Be well,

Dr. S

A healthy diet is essential to good health, but diet rules and the information they tout are sometimes complicated. Paring rules to a few simple, easy-to-remember guidelines can help transform your diet — and your health.

Follow these easy-to-remember rules:

1. Skip white bread. You’ve heard this bit of advice before, but do you understand why white bread is bad for you? In addition to being low in nutrients, once in the body, it acts much the same as sugar. Eat bread made from whole grains instead, because whole grains have vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and they lower your risk of many diseases.

2. Avoid white sugar and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). A recent study conducted by the University of California found that HFCS causes our bodies to grow fat cells. Avoid HFCS by eating less fast food, drinking less soda, and reading food labels.

3. Eat a healthy breakfast. When choosing cereal, avoid those that change the color of milk. According to the United Kingdom’s Mail Online, any cereal that changes the color of milk is highly processed and full of chemicals. Opt for whole-grain, high-fiber cereals and fruit.

4. Choose foods with dark colors. Fruits and vegetables with deep, vivid colors, such as blueberries and spinach, are rich in nutrients. Since different fruits and vegetables contain different phytochemicals that fight disease, choose a wide variety. ( Or just take Phytovite every day! )

5. Avoid long lists of ingredients in packaged foods. The shorter the list, the better, and avoid processed foods containing ingredients you can’t pronounce.

6. Avoid the center aisles of supermarkets. Shop the walls of supermarkets where fresh produce and dairy products are shelved.

7. Don’t eat alone. Eating with others encourages good eating habits. Studies have shown that people eat more when they eat alone.

8. Be wary of low-fat foods. Many low-fat foods aren’t lower in calories than regular foods because sugar is added to make up for the loss of flavor.

9. Include fish in your diet. Oily fish, such as mackerel and sardines are good choices. (the smaller the fish, the less likely they are to contain toxins – or better yet, just use a QUALITY Omega-3 Fish Oil like WINOmeg3Complex! )

10. Don’t eat foods that won’t rot. Foods that have a long shelf life are usually less nutritious and are loaded with preservatives and other additives. Think fresh.

You’ve all probably got one. Or you’re always telling your kids to turn theirs off. But who would have thought that you could actually put your IPOD to work…… toward helping you reach your New Years’ resolution goal to lose weight?! Read on and be well,

Dr. S

You could lose those holiday pounds — and then some — in just 12 weeks with help from your ears.

In a study, listening to podcasts that emphasized why achieving a healthful weight is important, how proper nutrition and exercise help shed pounds, and what obstacles to expect on the weight loss journey helped people drop half a pound each week of the 12-week study.

Let Your Ears Lead the Way
Weight loss books, online aides, and face-to-face weight loss education and support can help you on your way to weight loss. And add podcasts to that list, because when a group of overweight or obese people listened to enhanced weight loss podcasts twice a week for 12 weeks, each participant lost an average of 6.4 pounds. The podcasts inspired them to eat more fruit and veggies and exercise more. So listen up and your body will follow your ears!

Losing weight is sort of like quitting smoking — the more you try the greater your chances of success. Here are more tips on making your diet stick:

• Look for great information. Nothing beats practical “how-to” diet and exercise tips that you can easily apply. Also, find out what weight loss pitfalls to expect and how to overcome them.
• Be in charge. You’re likely to absorb and retain more weight loss info when you absorb it at your own pace. Let the messages sink in, and revisit the important points often.

Genetically modified foods have come to your local supermarket, even though most Americans don’t want them and many believe they’re dangerous. A CBS poll found that 53 percent of Americans wouldn’t buy food they knew had been genetically modified. But here’s the rub—there’s no easy way to know which foods contain genetically modified ingredients.

Genetically modified foods are made by inserting genes from another species into a food’s DNA. About 60 to 70 percent of products on grocery store shelves contain at least one genetically engineered element. These foods include corn, strawberries, tomatoes, lettuce, potatoes, soybean, and canola.

The public is generally unaware when they purchase genetically modified foods (called GM or GMO, short for genetically modified organism) since manufacturers and producers aren’t required to disclose the information on labels. The European Union, Japan, China, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand require GMO foods to be labeled. And despite a CBS News poll that showed a majority of Americans want labeling, no such laws exist.

Many experts as well as concerned customers want to know if GMO foods are safe. A few troubling reports have been released. A study published in the International Journal of Biological Sciences revealed the parameters of 60 different biochemicals in rats. Rats fed genetically modified corn were compared to their parents who had been fed non-GM corn. The results clearly showed a difference between the two groups. Rats fed GM food had signs of liver and kidney problems. Effects were also found on the heart, adrenal glands, and spleen.

According to PhysOrg.com, a Russian study found that 55.6 percent of the newborns of female rats fed genetically engineered soy flour before, during, and after pregnancy, died within three weeks. Only 9 percent of the offspring of rats fed non-GM soy died. In addition, 36 percent of the rats in the GM-fed group were underweight, compared with only 6.7 percent of the control group. In another study, groups of rats were fed GM tomatoes for 28 days. Seven of 20 developed bleeding stomachs, and seven out of a group of 40 rats died within two weeks.

Opponents fear GM foods could:

• Trigger the emergence of new diseases due to the use of viruses and bacteria to modify some GM foods. These new diseases could be resistant to antibiotics.

• Raise the risk of developing cancer

• Trigger food allergies as a result of a food that causes allergies in some people being placed in another organism

• Harm the ecosystem by removing a pest that could be an important source of food for another animal

• Be toxic to an organism and lead to its extinction

Proponents of GM foods say benefits include:

• Higher crop yields to feed a hungry world

• Higher profits because GM foods need fewer herbicides and insecticides

• Longer shelf life

• The ability to withstand wider fluctuations in climate

• Overall higher levels of nutrients as well as the ability to be created with higher contents of specific nutrients

Another Option

If you’d rather not eat genetically modified foods, you can take the following steps to avoid them:

• Look for foods labeled “100 percent organic.”

• Read fruit and vegetable numbers on the produce sticker. Five-digit numbers beginning with an eight mean it is a GM food. Five-digit numbers beginning with a nine indicate organic foods. Conventionally produced foods have numbers containing four digits.

• Hunt for products that are labeled GM-free.

• Buy from small, local farmers. Most GM foods come from large commercial farms.

• Avoid processed foods.

UALITY and SAFETY is a topic that will recur in many of my blog entries. One of the most important things that we can to ensure maximum results with ANY nutritional supplement we choose is to find a product that is pharmaceutical-grade and comes from an FDA approved manufacturing facility. This is more easily said than done! Since food supplements are not regulated, there is no guarantee that the product you are buying has truth in labeling and the quality you need. That is why you are better off relying on a product referral from someone you trust, rather than the buyer for Costgo or the high-school student working at your local vitamin store! In that vein, I wanted to pass along this article by Morten Bryhn, MD, Ph D on the subject of Omega-3 Fish Oil. WINOmeg3Complex is the brand of Omega that I use and the brand I recommend to my family and friends. It is manufactured by Pronova Biocare.

Be well,

Dr. S.

Omega-3 fatty acids are important for maintaining good health and prevention of diseases. This claim has been reinforced by statements from the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization. Pronova Biocare is striving to produce the best quality products to the nutritional supplement market.

Omega-3 fatty acids are generally regarded as important for maintaining good health and prevention of diseases. Prestigious national and international bodies such as the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization recommend regular intake of omega-3 fatty acids. It is therefore anticipated that omega-3 fatty acids will be one of the fastest growing dietary supplements in the years ahead. Previously the consumers were mainly interested in low prices but now quality and safety are the most important issues driving the choice of the consumer. This will lead to a preference for suppliers capable of meeting this challenge. Producers of cheap, inferior products are leaving the arena to a few serious players that will dominate the market. Pronova Biocare is one of these and our brand on the product label will guarantee that the customer is getting the best product available.

The raw material for Pronova Biocare’s omega-3 products is fish oil from fisheries on the west coast of South America, where nutrient rich cold water from the Antarctic region runs northwards in the Humboldt Current. The fish oil produced in this region is a co-product of fishmeal production. It is used both for making fish feed for the salmon farming industry and for companies like Pronova Biocare using the oil for production of food supplements. The oil from the Humboldt Current fisheries is high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in industrial pollutants.

Many industrial pollutants are fat-soluble and will therefore end up in fatty fish. At the Pronova Biocare factories the crude fish oil is purified in several steps, some of which are patented process unique to our products. Even if fish oil products containing about 30% omega-3 fatty acids are also purified, the concentrates typically containing 60% are by far the most pollutant free omega-3 products on the market. The environmental toxins in focus are PCBs, heavy metals like mercury and lead, dioxins and polybrominated flame retardants (the recent industrial pollutant coming from PC- and TV-waste). Our concentrates are usually lower in these pollutants than the fish sold in the region where the products are marketed.

Exposure to oxygen makes omega-3 fatty acids rancid. Prevention of oxidation is therefore, the second most important quality issue, next to removal of pollutants. At an early stage of production the crude fish oil is prepared according to a patented technology removing oxidative components. Later oil tanks and processing equipment are flooded with nitrogen in order to prevent the oil getting in contact with oxygen. The end product is kept in specialized containers covered with a nitrogen blanket. Well inside the capsules, the oils are not exposed to air, so there is no need for having nitrogen in the capsules. The final product contains a small amount of natural vitamin E for stabilization of the product.

Pronova Biocare is one of two producers in the world qualified by the US Food and Drug Agency for producing omega-3 pharmaceuticals. The fish oil, intermediate products and the end product are controlled according to predefined quality standards using state of art analytical methods. Routine audits by health authorities are done on a regular basis to ensure that the products are produced in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), the highest quality standard.

Pronova Biocare is continuously engaged in developing new processes for better handling of the omega-3 fatty acids. Working with polyunsaturated oils is very challenging and costly. New and patented concentration techniques using special enzymes have been implemented. These methods will allow us to process the oils at low temperatures, which will further improve the careful processing we use today. Being a supplier of products targeting human health needs, quality is always our top priority.

The omega-3 concentrates are capsulated in soft-gel capsules by industrial partners with a long experience in this field. About 15% of all pharmaceuticals on the market are capsulated using similar encapsulation technology and the materials and processes used in the production of Pronova Biocare’s products meets pharmaceutical standards.

Holding the market authorization for an omega-3 pharmaceutical, the Pronova Biocare organization is well prepared for the challenge of producing good quality documentation for our products. More than 70 controlled clinical studies in patients and healthy individuals have been published on the omega-3 concentrates used in our food supplements. Pronova Biocare therefore has, without comparison, the best-documented omega-3 concentrates on the market. Several thousand patients and healthy people have used the product since mid-80’s meaning that the concentrates are very well documented regarding safety. A special issue on safety has been published in a medical journal (1)

Soon omega-3 food supplements are expected to be as common as multivitamins. New omega-3 fortified food products may appear in the supermarkets and some beverages will contain a certain amount of omega-3. Most of the products will be based on concentrates, since these are the best-documented omega-3 products regarding quality and safety. Omega-3 will increase the daily intake of an essential nutrient that may significantly reduce the risk of getting cardio-vascular disease and maintain mental health and vitality.

REFERENCE:

1) Schmidt EB, et al. Safety aspects of Fish Oils. Experiences with an omega-3 concentrate of re-esterified triglycerides. Drug Invest. 1994;7(4):215-220

I am a firm believer that improving our quality of sleep improves our quality of life. There is so much research being conducted on sleep disorders and some of the most current literature is targeting products that don’t just “knock you out”, but rather allow you to spend more time in the phase of sleep that is most restorative. Sleep deprivation affects us all on so many different levels. It’s not just about “feeling tired”…have you ever thought about all of the decisions we make on a daily basis, and how much better they might be if we all got a “quality” sleep. My family & I use the natural Sleeptite to get a full night’s rest.

Dr. S

Sleep-deprived people may put themselves and others at risk when they need to make split-second decisions, U.S. researchers have found.

The study, which included 49 U.S. military cadets, looked at how sleep deprivation affected information-integration, a process that relies heavily on instantaneous, gut-feeling decisions.

“It’s important to understand this domain of procedural learning because information-integration — the fast and accurate strategy — is critical in situations when soldiers need to make split-second decisions based about whether a potential target is an enemy soldier, a civilian or one of their own,” Todd Maddox, a psychology professor at the University of Texas at Austin, said in a university news release.

The ability to make split-second decisions is crucial in a number of other high-pressure professions, including firefighters and police officers, the study authors noted.

The cadets performed information-integration tasks twice — once when they were well-rested and once while they were sleep-deprived. The results showed that moderate sleep deprivation can cause an overall immediate loss of information-integration thought processes.

Accuracy on the information-integration tasks declined by 2.4 percent (73.1 percent to 70.7 percent) when cadets were sleep-deprived, and improved by 4.3 percent (74 percent to 78.3 percent) when they were well-rested, the researchers found.

The study was published in the November issue of Sleep.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about sleep.

– Robert Preidt  SATURDAY, Nov. 21 (HealthDay News)

We all knew it in our hearts, now it is confirmed: EXERCISE IS GOOD FOR US! You want proof? Here’s the info that proves it:

The results of two new German studies emphasize that exercise is one of the most effective methods of preventing disease. The first study found that exercise has an extraordinary potential to prevent stroke. Rapid walking or cycling lowered the risk of cerebral hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) by 40 percent in men and cerebral infarction (blood supply blocked by a clot) by 27 percent.

The second study found that regular walking lowers the risk of colorectal cancer by 40 percent. It also found that patients with colorectal carcinoma can improve their chances of survival by exercising.

Professor Dieter Leyk of the German Sport University in Cologne raises the question of why the tremendous benefits of exercise, both preventive and therapeutic, are not fully utilized by medical professionals.

Now we just have to come up with a plan to implement exercise into our lives without quitting. Why not start with something achievable: brisk walking for 30 minutes 3 times a week. Once you have sustained that…..set your next goal. Maybe adding resistance exercises 2 times a week. Sustain that….. set your next goal.

Be well!

Dr. S.