State Programs Provide Women With Cancer Screenings, Other Services
The voice on the phone sounded a bit shaky. “I heard about free breast cancer screenings on the radio,” the woman said. “Can you please tell me if there’s a screening site near me? I think I really need to go.”
For low-income women without health insurance, any sign of a health problem can lead of a host of frightening questions. Where can I find help? What if I have cancer? How can I pay for the treatment?
A trio of state programs can help women with these difficult questions and provide access to regular screenings for improved health and greater peace of mind.
The Breast and Cervical Cancer Services program provides mammograms, Pap tests and related examinations at more than 200 sites in Texas at no or low cost to low-income women without insurance.
The Texas Women’s Health Program provides uninsured women with gynecological exams, health screenings and birth control through Texas Medicaid.
Texas Medicaid provides coverage for treatment and other health services for low-income women with breast or cervical cancer.
Regular screening is the best way to detect cancer in its early stages, and 195,000 Texas women have received free screenings for breast and cervical cancer through the state program since 1991.
The state screening programs are available to low-income women ages 18 to 64. Women should talk to their doctors about the best time to begin getting regular screenings based on their family history and other risk factors.
Most Texas counties have a participating screening site through local and regional health departments, community health centers, university-based teaching institutions, public and private hospitals and other community-based organizations. To find a site that takes part in the state screening program, call 2-1-1 or visit www.dshs.state.tx.us/bccc.
A special Texas Medicaid program provided treatment services for 1,227 women in state fiscal year 2007, and the most recent Texas Legislature approved $19.7 million to double the number of women who may be covered by the program. In addition to screening and diagnostic services, women who are diagnosed with one of the cancers through the program will receive full Medicaid benefits for the duration of their treatment. Women are referred to the program by health-care providers.
The Texas Women’s Health Program began in January 2007, and has enrolled more than 78,000 women in its first year. The program is available to low-income women ages 18 to 44 and provides gynecological exams, Pap tests, assessment of risk factors, counseling and education on birth control methods, and screening for diabetes, sexually transmitted diseases, high blood pressure, and breast and cervical cancers.
Women can fill out the one-page application for the Texas Women’s Health Program at a participating clinic and receive services the same day. To get an application for the Women’s Health Program, call 2-1-1. More information about the program is also available online at www.hhsc.state.tx.us/womenshealth.htm.
Focus on Nutritional Services Important at Any Age
For many older Texans the checklist for living independently includes sound finances, a support community and quality medical care. Another vital element that is sometimes overlooked is nutrition. Staying healthy by making better food choices can contribute to a long life of living independently.
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS), through local Area Agencies on Aging, offers nutrition services that include counseling, consultation and education as well as meals at senior centers or delivered to a home. Services are provided to individuals who are 60 years of age and older who have the greatest economic and social needs. Meals are served at senior centers, adult daycare facilities and multigenerational meal sites. People with certain health issues may receive meals delivered to their homes.
Another aspect of nutritional services is education and counseling. Learning about nutrition can promote a person’s well-being and delay the onset of health conditions that may be the result of poor nutrition or a sedentary lifestyle. Counseling also is available to help older residents learn more about nutrition, how foods may interact with their medications and their overall health status.
Eating well is always important, but our nutritional needs change as we age. Take the time to evaluate your current nutritional needs and see what steps you can take to improve your health and well-being. If you have specific medical conditions or are starting an exercise program for the first time, you may also want to check with your doctor.
Here are some tips to help get you started:
Evaluate your current weight and normal weight to determine the number of calories you need each day. High blood pressure, coronary artery disease and stroke can all be related to your weight.
Include vegetables, fruits and whole grain foods in your meals and snacks on a daily basis.
Replacing fluids in your body each day is important. Soup, water, juice and milk are all liquids you should consider when thinking about replacement of fluids.
Intestinal problems may be avoided by eating more fiber. Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains and brown rice. If you need to add more fiber to your diet, do so slowly to avoid stomach problems and be sure to drink plenty of liquids.
Be aware of your intake of discretionary calories, such as those in oil, fat and sugar.
Shopping for food and keeping the costs down can be a concern. Remember to think about the amount of the food or ingredients you will use, and make a list before you go to the grocery store. A larger container of a product may be less expensive at the checkout lane, but the savings may be lost if you can’t use that amount by the expiration date. Plan your meals and keep canned or frozen meal on hand in case you do not feel like cooking or for emergencies. Using generic brands and freezing leftovers are other commonsense ways to save money.
Simplicity and enjoyment should be a part of your good nutrition lifestyle. Avoid making too many changes at once. Develop your plan, and you soon will be on the path to good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle that will last a lifetime.
To learn more about nutritional services and locate your local Area Agency on Aging, call 1-800-252-9240. You may also visit the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services website at www.dads.state.tx.us.
Services Help Brain, Spinal Cord Injury Victims Maintain Independence
In 2005, Frederick E. Lee of Houston suffered a gunshot wound that cut his spinal cord and left him paralyzed from his waist down. A month later, Frederick was referred to the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) for rehabilitation services to help him improve his mobility and regain his independence.
Through its Comprehensive Rehabilitation Program, DARS helps Texans with traumatic spinal cord or brain injuries live as independently as possible. For some people, that means relearning skills most take for granted, such as walking, talking, eating or writing. For others, it may mean learning to accomplish these tasks in a new way.
The program’s services may begin at an accredited rehabilitation hospital, where a team of qualified professionals can provide intensive therapies, medical care and other services to help individuals maintain independent living. Other services, such as occupational or physical therapy, may be delivered in an outpatient setting. The program also includes post-acute traumatic brain injury services after an injury causes cognitive difficulties such as memory loss.
DARS provided Lee with a wheelchair, outpatient physical therapy and a stand-up frame to help him at work. Lee also received counseling, and guidance and information about other community services that could help him.
Lee quickly learned how to get around in his wheelchair and how to use his stand-up frame to maneuver around his home and work. Physical therapy helped strengthen the muscles in his lower limbs, and he was shown how to keep stress off his limbs to encourage the optimal alignment of his ankles, knees, hips and spine. By May 2007, DARS had helped Lee gain the skills to live independently at home and in the community.
After receiving services from DARS, Lee was able to resume work with the trucking company where he was employed before his injury.
“I am very thankful for the support I received due to my injury,” Lee says. “I did not know this type of service existed. The services helped me cope with the life-altering situation that I faced.”
Frederick’s counselor says he may benefit from other vocational rehabilitation services available through DARS as well. For example, Lee could receive training in computer-aided design or a range of other subjects to help achieve his career goals.
The DARS’ Comprehensive Rehabilitation Program is funded through fines collected by courts from people convicted of misdemeanors and felonies. To be eligible for the program, participants must be at least 16 years old, have a traumatic brain or spinal cord injury, and be expected to improve their level of independence with the help of these services.
To apply for the DARS Comprehensive Rehabilitative Service program, call 800-628-5115. More information about other these and other DARS services is available at www.dars.state.tx.us. |
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State Programs Provide Women With Cancer Screenings, Other Services
The
voice on the phone sounded a bit shaky. “I heard about free breast
cancer screenings on the radio,” the woman said. “Can you please tell
me if there’s a screening site near me? I think I really need to go.”
For
low-income women without health insurance, any sign of a health problem
can lead of a host of frightening questions. Where can I find help?
What if I have cancer? How can I pay for the treatment?
A trio of
state programs can help women with these difficult questions and
provide access to regular screenings for improved health and greater
peace of mind.
The Breast and Cervical Cancer Services program
provides mammograms, Pap tests and related examinations at more than
200 sites in Texas at no or low cost to low-income women without
insurance.
The Texas Women’s Health Program provides uninsured women
with gynecological exams, health screenings and birth control through
Texas Medicaid.
Texas Medicaid provides coverage for treatment and other health services for low-income women with breast or cervical cancer.
Regular
screening is the best way to detect cancer in its early stages, and
195,000 Texas women have received free screenings for breast and
cervical cancer through the state program since 1991.
The state
screening programs are available to low-income women ages 18 to 64.
Women should talk to their doctors about the best time to begin getting
regular screenings based on their family history and other risk factors.
Most
Texas counties have a participating screening site through local and
regional health departments, community health centers, university-based
teaching institutions, public and private hospitals and other
community-based organizations. To find a site that takes part in the
state screening program, call 2-1-1 or visit www.dshs.state.tx.us/bccc.
A
special Texas Medicaid program provided treatment services for 1,227
women in state fiscal year 2007, and the most recent Texas Legislature
approved $19.7 million to double the number of women who may be covered
by the program. In addition to screening and diagnostic services, women
who are diagnosed with one of the cancers through the program will
receive full Medicaid benefits for the duration of their treatment.
Women are referred to the program by health-care providers.
The
Texas Women’s Health Program began in January 2007, and has enrolled
more than 78,000 women in its first year. The program is available to
low-income women ages 18 to 44 and provides gynecological exams, Pap
tests, assessment of risk factors, counseling and education on birth
control methods, and screening for diabetes, sexually transmitted
diseases, high blood pressure, and breast and cervical cancers.
Women
can fill out the one-page application for the Texas Women’s Health
Program at a participating clinic and receive services the same day. To
get an application for the Women’s Health Program, call 2-1-1. More
information about the program is also available online at
www.hhsc.state.tx.us/womenshealth.htm.
Focus on Nutritional Services Important at Any Age
For
many older Texans the checklist for living independently includes sound
finances, a support community and quality medical care. Another vital
element that is sometimes overlooked is nutrition. Staying healthy by
making better food choices can contribute to a long life of living
independently.
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services
(DADS), through local Area Agencies on Aging, offers nutrition services
that include counseling, consultation and education as well as meals at
senior centers or delivered to a home. Services are provided to
individuals who are 60 years of age and older who have the greatest
economic and social needs. Meals are served at senior centers, adult
daycare facilities and multigenerational meal sites. People with
certain health issues may receive meals delivered to their homes.
Another
aspect of nutritional services is education and counseling. Learning
about nutrition can promote a person’s well-being and delay the onset
of health conditions that may be the result of poor nutrition or a
sedentary lifestyle. Counseling also is available to help older
residents learn more about nutrition, how foods may interact with their
medications and their overall health status.
Eating well is always
important, but our nutritional needs change as we age. Take the time to
evaluate your current nutritional needs and see what steps you can take
to improve your health and well-being. If you have specific medical
conditions or are starting an exercise program for the first time, you
may also want to check with your doctor.
Here are some tips to help get you started:
Evaluate
your current weight and normal weight to determine the number of
calories you need each day. High blood pressure, coronary artery
disease and stroke can all be related to your weight.
Include vegetables, fruits and whole grain foods in your meals and snacks on a daily basis.
Replacing
fluids in your body each day is important. Soup, water, juice and milk
are all liquids you should consider when thinking about replacement of
fluids.
Intestinal problems may be avoided by eating more fiber.
Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains and
brown rice. If you need to add more fiber to your diet, do so slowly to
avoid stomach problems and be sure to drink plenty of liquids.
Be aware of your intake of discretionary calories, such as those in oil, fat and sugar.
Shopping
for food and keeping the costs down can be a concern. Remember to think
about the amount of the food or ingredients you will use, and make a
list before you go to the grocery store. A larger container of a
product may be less expensive at the checkout lane, but the savings may
be lost if you can’t use that amount by the expiration date. Plan your
meals and keep canned or frozen meal on hand in case you do not feel
like cooking or for emergencies. Using generic brands and freezing
leftovers are other commonsense ways to save money.
Simplicity and
enjoyment should be a part of your good nutrition lifestyle. Avoid
making too many changes at once. Develop your plan, and you soon will
be on the path to good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle that will last
a lifetime.
To learn more about nutritional services and locate
your local Area Agency on Aging, call 1-800-252-9240. You may also
visit the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services website at
www.dads.state.tx.us.
Services Help Brain, Spinal Cord Injury Victims Maintain Independence
In
2005, Frederick E. Lee of Houston suffered a gunshot wound that cut his
spinal cord and left him paralyzed from his waist down. A month later,
Frederick was referred to the Department of Assistive and
Rehabilitative Services (DARS) for rehabilitation services to help him
improve his mobility and regain his independence.
Through its
Comprehensive Rehabilitation Program, DARS helps Texans with traumatic
spinal cord or brain injuries live as independently as possible. For
some people, that means relearning skills most take for granted, such
as walking, talking, eating or writing. For others, it may mean
learning to accomplish these tasks in a new way.
The program’s
services may begin at an accredited rehabilitation hospital, where a
team of qualified professionals can provide intensive therapies,
medical care and other services to help individuals maintain
independent living. Other services, such as occupational or physical
therapy, may be delivered in an outpatient setting. The program also
includes post-acute traumatic brain injury services after an injury
causes cognitive difficulties such as memory loss.
DARS provided Lee
with a wheelchair, outpatient physical therapy and a stand-up frame to
help him at work. Lee also received counseling, and guidance and
information about other community services that could help him.
Lee
quickly learned how to get around in his wheelchair and how to use his
stand-up frame to maneuver around his home and work. Physical therapy
helped strengthen the muscles in his lower limbs, and he was shown how
to keep stress off his limbs to encourage the optimal alignment of his
ankles, knees, hips and spine. By May 2007, DARS had helped Lee gain
the skills to live independently at home and in the community.
After
receiving services from DARS, Lee was able to resume work with the
trucking company where he was employed before his injury.
“I am very
thankful for the support I received due to my injury,” Lee says. “I did
not know this type of service existed. The services helped me cope with
the life-altering situation that I faced.”
Frederick’s counselor
says he may benefit from other vocational rehabilitation services
available through DARS as well. For example, Lee could receive training
in computer-aided design or a range of other subjects to help achieve
his career goals.
The DARS’ Comprehensive Rehabilitation Program is
funded through fines collected by courts from people convicted of
misdemeanors and felonies. To be eligible for the program, participants
must be at least 16 years old, have a traumatic brain or spinal cord
injury, and be expected to improve their level of independence with the
help of these services.
To apply for the DARS Comprehensive
Rehabilitative Service program, call 800-628-5115. More information
about other these and other DARS services is available at
www.dars.state.tx.us. | Mechanics of Addiction
The following article is the first in a five-part series written by Gary W. Smith, C.C.D.C., who has over 30 years experience in the chemical dependency treatment field. Mr. Smith is the Executive Director of the Narconon Arrowhead Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation and Education Center in Canadian, Oklahoma.
What is Addiction, Really?
Whether a person is genetically or bio-chemically predisposed to addiction or alcoholism is a controversy that has been debated for years within the scientific, medical and chemical dependency communities. One school of thought advocates the "disease concept," which embraces the notion that addiction is an inherited disease, and that the individual is permanently ill at a genetic level, even for those experiencing long periods of sobriety.
Another philosophy argues that addiction is a dual problem consisting of a physical and mental dependency on chemicals, compounded by a pre-existing mental disorder (i.e., clinical depression, bipolar disorder, or some other mental illness), and that the mental disorder needs to be treated first as the primary cause of the addiction.
A third philosophy subscribes to the idea that chemical dependency leads to permanent "chemical imbalances" in the neurological system that must be treated with psychotropic medications after the person has withdrawn from their drug of choice.
The fact remains that there is some scientific research that favors each of these addiction concepts, but none of them are absolute. Based on national averages, there is a 16% to 20% recovery rate, the message is pretty clear that these theories are just that theories and we have a lot more to learn if we are to bring the national recovery rate to a more desirable level.
There is a fourth school of thought which has proven to be more accurate. It has to do with the life cycle of addiction. This data is universally applicable to addiction, no matter which hypothesis is used to explain the phenomenon of chemical dependency. The life cycle of addiction begins with a problem, discomfort or some form of emotional or physical pain a person is experiencing. The person finds this very difficult to deal with.
Here is an individual who, like most people in our society, is basically good. He has encountered a problem that is causing him physical or emotional pain and discomfort that he does not have an immediate answer for. Some examples would include difficulty "fitting in" as a child or teenager, puberty, physical injuries such a broken bone, a bad back or some other chronic physical condition. Whatever the origin of the difficulty is the discomfort associated with it presents the individual with a real problem. He feels this problem is a major situation that is persisting and he can see no immediate resolution or relief from it. Most of us have experienced this in our lives to a greater or lesser degree.
Once the person takes a drug he feels relief from the discomfort, even though the relief is only temporary, it is adopted as a solution to the problem and the individual places value on the drug or drink. This assigned value is the only reason the person ever uses drugs or drinks a second, third or more times.
There is a key factor involved in this life cycle scenario that determines which one of us becomes an addict and which one does not. The answer depends on whether or not, at the time of this traumatic experience, we are subjected to pro-drug or alcohol influences via some sort of significant peer pressure that influences our decision making process in regards to how one will find relief from the discomfort. Peer pressure can manifest itself in many different ways. It can come from friends or family members or through some venue of advertising or promotion which, when combined with the degree of relief we receive from the drug or drink, determines the severity of the use. Simply put the bigger the problem the greater the discomfort the person is experiencing. The greater the discomfort the more importance the person places on relieving it and the greater the value he assigns to that which brought about the relief.
For those that start down the path of addiction they will encounter other physical, mental and life style changes along the way that will begin to disintegrate the individual’s quality of life. If the drug or alcohol abuse continues unchecked, eventually the person is faced with so many unpleasant circumstances in their life that each sober moment is filled with so much despair and misery that all he wants to do is escape these feelings by medicating them away. This is the downward spiral of addiction. At this point for most there are only three eminent outcomes; death, prison or sobriety.
For more information about addiction or if you would like a free copy of the Life Cycle and Mechanics of Addiction 5 part series call 1-800-468-6933 or email Megan Bedford at megan@stopaddiction.com.
The Life Cycle and Mechanics of Addiction
“Cravings” The First Barrier to Successful Recovery
Overcoming the mental and physical cravings for drugs is the first challenge of any drug rehabilitation program. Cravings are uncontrollable desires to use drugs or alcohol again. The addict is driven by physical and mental impulses to use that they cannot control.
To get an idea of what drug cravings are like, remember a time when you went for a long time without eating a meal and you were really hungry. Hunger is a mental and physical experience that is triggered when the body needs nutritional energy. It is a craving for food that is driven at a physical level which in turn stimulates memories of eating food which is followed by a strong desire or compulsion to consume food. Usually when a person is hungry they will think about their favorite foods and if they get hungry enough, they can sometimes even smell and taste certain foods. If one is hungry and goes long enough without food, eventually the thought of food and the physical reaction (for example, growling stomach or shaking) to not having the food will become so great that they will drop whatever they are doing and arrange to get food and eat it. As soon as the food is consumed the hunger pangs stop and one feels good about satisfying their hunger.
A drug craving is similar but the desire to use drugs is much stronger and more intense than hunger pangs. An addict who is craving drugs will feel like life itself is dependent on them getting their drug of choice. They will do and say almost anything to get the drug to feed the craving they have for it. Once they feed the craving, they feel relief from the physical and mental drive to use until the drug wears off and the craving returns.
Today it is fairly common for many companies and federal agencies to drug test their employees. These drug tests are done through urinalysis. Through testing a person’s urine one can determine if they have taken drugs and if so what type of drug it was. Drug tests identify drug metabolites present in the urine. The drug metabolite is like a fingerprint of the drug taken. Cocaine produces a cocaine metabolite, opiates produce an opiate metabolite, alcohol produces an alcohol metabolite and so on. This is an important fact to remember as we look at what causes drug and alcohol cravings.
The origin of drug cravings begin with the way the body metabolizes chemicals. Drugs and alcohol are broken down and filtered in the liver. There is a by-product from this filtration process called a metabolite. A metabolite is a molecule that is produced when the body processes and filters food or chemicals that are ingested. When drugs or alcohol are filtered and processed, some of the remaining metabolites will leave the body through the sweat and urine and some of these metabolites will remain in the system in the fat stores of the body. Drug metabolites are like a finger print of the drug taken. Cocaine produces a cocaine metabolite, opiates produce and opiate metabolite, alcohol produces an alcohol metabolite and so on. It is upon this principal that drug test through a urine sample can determine what type of drug a person has taken.
The next component of the drug craving has to do with memory and the mind. Each time a person consumes drugs or alcohol they develop a complete recorded memory of that life experience. Whether good times or bad, happy or sad, all emotions, feelings and sensations that were present at the time the drug or alcohol was ingested is filed away in the person's memory. Even if a person is in a blackout, the experience is still recorded in the mind. Those that are dependent on physically addictive drugs like opiates, alcohol, tranquilizers or sleeping pills will have a series of memories that contain the pain and discomfort associated with drug withdrawal.
The body will metabolize and burn fat cells any time a person undergoes a situation in life that causes the heart rate to speed up. Stress can do this as can strenuous exercise or intense emotion. Most of us experience some or all of these things on a fairly regular basis. When an addict’s body metabolizes fat, if the fat cells contain metabolites from past alcohol and drug use, the drug metabolite will activate back into the person's bloodstream.
Keep in mind that each type of drug produces its own metabolite. When the metabolites of past drugs or alcohol are released into the bloodstream, a person’s body will be reminded of that past drug use at a physical level. This reminder then triggers recorded memories of drug-related experiences and discomforts from the past. The person remembers feeling and thinking like they did in the past when they were under the influence or will remember experiencing pain and discomfort when they were coming down from the drug and so are prone to use again at these times.
Special Note: Scientists have recently discovered that fat is actually a vital organ that produces hormones that affect our moods, energy levels and immunity. Chronic use of drugs or alcohol has been shown to disrupt this function. This disruption is one of the physical factors that cause cravings as the body attempts to correct the disturbance by craving what it lacks or a similar substance, such as the drugs that originally caused the disruption.]
For more information about addiction or if you would like a free copy of the Life Cycle and Mechanics of Addiction five-part series, call 1-800-468-6933 or email Megan Bedford at megan@stopaddiction.com.
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Good Health Naturally
by Darlene Hopkins
I live in Hooker Ok. I am a mother and housewife by profession and a Master Herbalist by choice. I obtained my Herbalist and Master Herbalist Degrees from the School of Natural Healing in Springville Utah. Dr. John Ray Christopher started this school in 1953. I teach classes on Natural Health in Colorado, Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma.
If you have a question, you may e-mail me at theherblady01@yahoo.com.
In my last article I wrote about food additives and said that I would elaborate more on each individual additive today I will write about MSG…
MSG or Monosodium Glutamate is a food additive originally developed to enhance the flavor of food. Glutamate is found naturally in protein-containing foods such as meat, poultry, milk, and vegetables.
MSG is in a class of chemicals known as excitotoxins. Excitotoxins introduced to the body in high doses have been shown in animal studies, to cause damage to areas of the brain unprotected by the blood-brain barrier. There are a variety of chronic diseases that can arise out of this neurotoxicity. In other animal research, MSG has been shown to indirectly cause obesity. According to laboratory studies, the chemical does this by down regulating hypothalamic appetite suppression, which increases the amount of food animals consume. This is another universal ingredient and can be found under names such as hydrolyzed yeast, torula yeast and autolyzed yeast.
Unfortunately, the American Diet is full of packaged foods. Most packaged foods have almost no nutritional value! If this is all you eat, you may look into adding some live foods. Eating packaged foods is fast track to being overfed, and under nourished.
In the early 1900s, MSG was extracted from natural protein-rich foods such as seaweed. Today, MSG is made from starch, corn sugar or molasses from sugar cane or sugar beets. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that is "generally recognized as safe,"
I would agree that glutamate is safe as it occurs naturally.. In foods glutamate is not free amino acids, they are bound in amino acid grouping. When food company’s put MSG into packaged foods they are free amino acids. We were never meant to have free amino acids in such high concentrations. If you eat foods such as tomatoes, the level of free amino acids is almost nothing, it is absorbed as combined amino acids, and then it's only broken down in the liver, where it's released in very low concentrations that the body can deal with.
MSG is a chemical compound that simply does not belong in the body in the concentrations provided by these foods. It is used by food manufacturers as a taste enhance. It does NOT occur Naturally.
Next time, I will talk in depth about Sodium Nitrite and the problems it causes.
In my last article I wrote about food additives and said that I would elaborate more on each individual additive today I will write about MSG…
MSG or Monosodium Glutamate is a food additive originally developed to enhance the flavor of food. Glutamate is found naturally in protein-containing foods such as meat, poultry, milk, and vegetables.
MSG is in a class of chemicals known as excitotoxins. Excitotoxins introduced to the body in high doses have been shown in animal studies, to cause damage to areas of the brain unprotected by the blood-brain barrier. There are a variety of chronic diseases that can arise out of this neurotoxicity. In other animal research, MSG has been shown to indirectly cause obesity. According to laboratory studies, the chemical does this by down regulating hypothalamic appetite suppression, which increases the amount of food animals consume. This is another universal ingredient and can be found under names such as hydrolyzed yeast, torula yeast and autolyzed yeast.
Unfortunately, the American Diet is full of packaged foods. Most packaged foods have almost no nutritional value! If this is all you eat, you may look into adding some live foods. Eating packaged foods is fast track to being overfed, and under nourished.
In the early 1900s, MSG was extracted from natural protein-rich foods such as seaweed. Today, MSG is made from starch, corn sugar or molasses from sugar cane or sugar beets. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as a food ingredient that is "generally recognized as safe,"
I would agree that glutamate is safe as it occurs naturally.. In foods glutamate is not free amino acids, they are bound in amino acid grouping. When food company’s put MSG into packaged foods they are free amino acids. We were never meant to have free amino acids in such high concentrations. If you eat foods such as tomatoes, the level of free amino acids is almost nothing, it is absorbed as combined amino acids, and then it's only broken down in the liver, where it's released in very low concentrations that the body can deal with.
MSG is a chemical compound that simply does not belong in the body in the concentrations provided by these foods. It is used by food manufacturers as a taste enhance. It does NOT occur Naturally.
Next time, I will talk in depth about Sodium Nitrite and the problems it causes.
I went into someone’s home the other day and we talked about natural healing for 2 hours. She showed me her herb garden - a very knowledgeable lady. Then she asked me what I thought about supplements She brought out over 100 supplements and sat them in front of and told me, “This is what I take.”
I was amazed. People read about Echinacea being good so they take it, they read about how good goldenseal is, and they take it. Vitamin E, Vitamin C, can’t forget about B complex, garlic, Herbal eyebright, flax seed, cayenne pepper, etc. etc. etc. All these things are good in their natural state and have their place however, BUT!! LEARN ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE TAKING.
If you are taking Wheat Germ oil and vitamin E together, that is not necessary. Wheat germ oil has vitamin E in it.
Echinacea should not be taken more then a week at a time. I know folks that take Echinacea daily. Echinacea is a great herb, however after a week you need a break because it stops working. Echinacea’s main function is to ACTIVATE the Immune System, not maintain it. Only take it when it is needed.
Supplements should not be taken together. They should be taken 20 minutes apart from each other. Here is a good rule of thumb, if you are taking something for its nutritional value, take it with food. But if you are taking something for medicinal purposes, take it by itself with water 20 minutes away from anything else, including food.
We have so many herbs and plants growing all around us that are beneficial. Some folks want you to believe that you need this exotic herb that can only be found in the Ozarks (and cost a lot of money). Things that grow in the area you live in are beneficial to people who live in that area. I am not saying that Tahitian Noni juice is not good for you because it does not grow here. There are a lot of things that grow in different areas that are good for you, however a plant that will take care of each of your problems can be found in the area where you live. (Actually there are no magic pills)
Everything in life, worthwhile takes time and effort. We came from the dust of the earth we need what is in the dust of the earth to keep us going. The body is amazing. It will take care of itself if you give it what it needs.
We go to school for 12 years learning to read, write, learning about life and some of us go on another 4 years to learn a profession, but how much time do we take learning about our bodies, the food we eat and good nutrition. Take responsibility for your good health. Learn how to gain good health Naturally.
To have good health naturally, if you ask most Health Professionals, “ which is the most important, diet, or exercise? “ they will say, “ exercise! “ Why?
Because your body replaces each and every cell in your body at least once every six months. Most are replaced every three months. If we are exercising our, cells are healthier, therefore they can uptake more nutrients. It all seems so simple. I quote from Dr. Henry S. Lodge.
“You choose whether those new cells come in stronger, or weaker. You choose whether they grow or decay each day from then on. Your cells don’t care which choice you make. They just follow the directions you send. Exercise, and your cells get stronger; sit down, and they decay.”
(Complete article can be read at www.parade.com under the search button type in normal aging)
Did you know that the USDA first endorsed physical activity in its 2000 dietary guidelines?
So how much exercise do we need? 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week can lessen the risk of chronic illness. Walking, biking, aerobic, doing anything is better then doing nothing.
Exercise is important for osteoporosis, it can help Fibromyalgia, Muscular Dystrophy
Less than 20% of cancer patients maintain their physical activity after treatment. Yet research shows that exercise greatly improves one’s social, emotional, intellectual and physical well-being. It helps to lower blood pressure, reduce your total cholesterol level and increase the good cholesterol, it helps prevent plaque from building up in your arteries.
One thing, you want to make sure that you start out slow, pace yourself, do not over do it or you will be sorry. Anyone at ANY AGE can exercise and will gain benefits.
So little space to write about something so important. Do some research for yourself. Experiment! In my next article I will be addressing the dos and don’t in a healthy DIET. I will answer any questions via e-mail at theherblady01@yahoo.com
| Exercise Saves Dollars as Well as Lives
Writer: Linda Anderson, 979-862-1460, lw-anderson@tamu.edu
Regular physical activity is good for physical – and fiscal – health, said Dr. Carol Rice, Texas Cooperative Extension health specialist. That's because the lack of exercise can be expensive for both individuals and communities.
Physical inactivity helps increase the risk of coronary heart disease, colon cancer, osteoporotic fractures, diabetes and high blood pressure, and breast cancer to the tune of about $24 billion per year, according to the Task Force on Community Preventive Services in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Healthful habits can be established one step at a time, said Janet Pollard, Extension associate for health. Because family is so important when it comes to influencing children's activity levels, these efforts need to start at home, she added.
She recommends starting with small but significant goals, such as:
- Setting goals for increasing regular physical activity and monitoring personal progress.
- Building social support for these new behaviors, such as establishing a "buddy" system or group for exercising.
- Providing rewards and positive feedback for goals met.
- Establishing methods to maintain these changes.
- Guarding against relapses into old behaviors.
Healthful physical practices are important for the community too, Rice said, but establishing these practices takes time, coordination and cooperation.
"Community efforts are essential to create a social environment that promotes physical activity as well as healthy behaviors," she said.
Some of these community efforts that can help spread the word are:
- Information such as signs near elevators or escalators that encourage use of the stairs, and television and radio spots touting the benefits of healthful physical activity.
- Behavior and social methods including school-based physical education classes and individual exercise as daily activity.
- Environmental and policy approaches including easier access to parks, walking trails and pedestrian-friendly sidewalks.
The greatest benefit throughout the community will be among those people who aren't already physically active, Rice said.
"So if you're already active, consider helping implement some of the listed interventions, getting involved in community action or grabbing a buddy or two and helping them get active with you," she said. "The results could be a healthier America."
For more information on this and other health issues, visit Extension's Family and Consumer Sciences Web site at http://fcs.tamu.edu/ and click on the link to "Health." Also look for Health Hints newsletter on the "Health" link.
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