ARTICLE: Who Takes Care of the Caregiver? The Stressful Role of the Caregiver

Original design ©Melanie Neer

I thought the above illustration as appropriate as we caregivers DO need to be kind to ourselves

Originally Published on Yahoo.voices on October 5, 2007

As more and more of us in the baby-boomer age have discovered we are now facing the new role that we must confront, and that is to become the caregiver of our aging parents, a role that is far from easy. Naturally many of us hope, that as our parents grow older, and are reaching their seventies, eighties or beyond, they will age gracefully, without any complications, whether medically or emotionally, to contend with. That is the ideal scenario. But for far too many of us, this isn't the case, as was with my own mother.


Life with my mother, as I still lived with her, was far from easy in the last ten years or so of her life. First were the obvious emotional problems that seemed to have surfaced. Looking back, I believe she may have had emotional issues all along but they didn't become apparent until about ten years ago, when I began suspecting that she may have been suffering from depression, that got progressively worse as time went by. She had many of the classic symptoms of depression, mainly non-motivation or taking an interest in anything anymore. As her symptoms worsened, and I suggested that she get some psychological help. She did, but unfortunately she didn't benefit from this help. Why?

One is that my mother wasn't the type to openly discuss how she felt, whether medically or emotionally, not even to me, and I seriously doubt, she was capable of expressing herself to a virtual stranger, such as one in the psychiatric community. Also, since she didn't sign a proxy, at least not until the last few months of her life, and by then it was too little too late, I wasn't able to get involved with her clinical care, so in other words, I had no say in the matter due to those strict and stringent Hipaa Privacy Laws. It was unfortunate too, that her psychiatrist didn't catch on to her emotional problems, first of all, because he didn't see her on a weekly basis, as is customary in psychiatric field, but only every few months; also, truth be told, she was a great actress and could come across very differently to the outside world; only I saw her true personality.


It wasn't until March of 2006, a few months before her passing, that my finally signed a proxy. l then made sure I went with her, to what was to be her final visit to her therapist. I conveyed to her therapist about the severity of her emotional disorders and depression. It didn't impress him one bit, and even said to me, that my mother didn't look very depressed. My mother sitting next to me, had a radiant smile on her face, and all I could think of, this psychiatrist, was basing his pyscho-analytical diagnosis that my mother wasn't depressed due to the fact she was smiling?


You can imagine my frustration about this. However, I also did have private talks with her social worker, and she did indeed suspect what I had thought all along, that my mother did indeed have severe depression issues, plus as she put it, also had a variety of other personality disorders, ranging to possible bi-polar, to dementia. When I would go with my mother to visit her social worker, the two of us tried to get my mother interested in doing things again, to take an interest in something, like perhaps take up oil painting again, a hobby she had formerly once done with a passion in her younger years, or to join in any one of the activities that was sponsored by the hospital clinic geared for the elderly. Our suggestions went to deaf ears, as my mother continued to be unmotivated by any possible activity to get her going again.


Besides her emotional problems that I was witnessed to and had to care for, it was in the year 2005 that my mother was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. The discovery was quite by accident. For about two years prior to her being diagnosed with the cancer, my mother was doing a bulimic thing...yes, as soon as she'd eat, I would see her race into the kitchen, stick her finger down her throat to purge. Now at the time, I didn't know she had the cancer. She no doubt did her bulimia bout as it must have felt uncomfortable for her to eat, but at the time I thought, oh, great, another psychological problem.


And, you better believe I was trying to notify someone, anyone about what she was doing, but again, because of her failure to sign a proxy at that time, no one, not her doctors, psychiatrist, or her then social worker (a different one, from the one I got to know), would listen to me. It didn't help the fact that my mother was tight-lipped and not exactly telling anyone of her discomfort, except to say that she had a lot of congestion, so no one suspected her true medical condition. Each and every time I did try to alert professionals of what she was doing, all I would get from these people was that because of the Privacy Laws, my mother's clinical care could not be discussed with me.


It wasn't until June 8, 2005 that it was finally discovered as to the why of her bulimic episodes. I had to call 911 as my mother had passed out while taking a bath. She was out cold. I yelled at her, slapped at her face to bring her to consciousness, but nothing, thus my call to 911. After a week or so in the hospital and a battery of tests, including a mini-camera that went down to explore her esophagus, it was discovered she had a cancerous tumor. Now the real care of her came into view for me. My mother was an extremely stubborn person. When it had been suggested to her, after her being diagnosed with the cancer that she should go to a rehab/nursing home environment, to get her nutrition built up, and to undergo the chemo/radiation therapy, she wouldn't hear of it . She wanted to stay home and have me look after her. It was fortunate that the hospital in question, where she had been diagnosed was quite literally down the block and she was able to get her chemo/radiation therapy there, but as for her other care it was up to me. She had a G-tube inserted into her stomach, in which I would have to give her regular "feedings" of Ensure through it to make sure she was getting her nutrition as she couldn't eat anything by mouth.

She also was quite vocal, however, in not wanting any outside help, that is some kind of visiting nurse service that could have not only helped her out, but given me some kind of time off to myself to attend to my own needs. As I said, it was all extremely frustrating and stress producing to me, but I gave in, if anything to avoid the arguments that would have ensued every time I brought the subject up of outside help.


I suppose the main reason for this article and to point out and share all the difficulties I had in my own experience as a caregiver, is to perhaps give some kind of guidance to someone who is may also be facing the possibility of becoming a caregiver to an aging parent, and I'm hoping that you won't face the same problems as I had. First, of all, I was at least lucky in this regard, that since I didn't have my own family to raise I wasn't torn between my obligations of taking care of a spouse and/or children and of taking care of an aging parent. But I'm the exception, as this will not be the case with most people.


Despite all the hardships and demands on my time in taking care of my mother, I did manage to have some quality time out for myself on a daily basis. This is most important for any caregiver to prevent complete burnout and stress. Since my mother wasn't a complete invalid and was mobile, I took time off, usually by going out for a few hours, whether to do my own errands, or just simply take a refreshing walk, just to have that time to myself. I made sure I didn't neglect my own needs entirely and I also made sure that I had proper rest, sleep, and fulfilled my ow nutrition needs. Once my mother was able to eat solid foods again, I also had the benefit of the Meals On Wheels program which made daily home visits with a healthy, nutritious, balanced meal for the day. This gave me a little time off from constantly having to cook all the meals for my mother.


 It's almost ironic, that now that my mother has passed away, that it is only now that I'm finding out about programs geared for the caregiver, such as outreach programs and support groups that will help the caregiver be in contact with other caregivers so its members can vocalize the problems facing one who is a caregiver; this in itself can be therapeutic as knowing that others are going through the same concerns and stresses will make a person not feel so alone in this time-consuming and stressful new role that has been placed upon them. One can find support groups usually either in one's community, or one can even do a search on the internet. One really great website is Caregiver.com, which even has a discussion forum where people can discuss their challenges as a caregiver, and one can subscribe to their bi-monthly magazine, appropriately called "Today's Caregiver". 


Of course, there may come a time where it may become just too much for the caregiver to continue helping and providing entirely on their own their care of their aging parent, especially if their medical needs worsen, and this is when outside resources are a must. This may be anything from seeking the benefits of having a visiting nurse come to the home, to maybe having their parent go to some kind of adult day-care center, or perhaps short-term nursing home stays. This will give the caregiver some genuine time out for themselves so they don't have to take on all the responsibilities on their own. Finally, of course, may come the time, that one may have to think in terms of placing their parent in either a hospice, a qualified permanent nursing home or assisted living homes.


I hope this article will benefit anyone who in now facing the problems of becoming a caregiver to their aging parent. I invite the reader to visit any internet resources about caregivers, I have only listed two, but there are so many other websites that will be beneficial to the caregiver. All I know it that I sure wish I had known a lot of this material when I had taken on the role as caregiver to my mother.


Sources and information about caregivers:


1).Caregiver.com 



An excellent resource and includes a discussion forum and a bi-monthly magazine one can subscribe to, plus and e-mail newsletter:


http://www.caregiver.com/


2). womenshealth.gov 



 This website defines exactly what a caregiver is, and also defines caregiver stress and how to get help for it. 


http://www.4women.gov/faq/caregiver.htm#e



If one does a general Google search one will find a lot more resources to either help the “caregiver” or to even find caregivers that can help out.

ARTICLE: Do People Take Medications "Blindly" Without Knowing All The Side Effects?

(Also published at Bubblews with an additional addendum)

I have to confess, I'm not really big on taking medications and that is probably a throwback to my great-grandmother's viewpoints, as she was a nurse, thought doctors for the most parts were idiots, relied on natural remedies, never took anything stronger than aspirin, and lived to be 98.

Thankfully, I don't have any of the common health problems that many people may have: I don't have high blood pressure, nor high cholesterol, diabetes, etc. that would indicate the need for medications. I'm also not one to rush out to the flu vaccine as I haven't had the flu since I was eleven years old. Like my great grandmother, I try to find natural remedies to keep me healthy and also like her, I never take anything stronger than aspirin, with the few exceptions when I've taken an anti-biotic for some infection in my system. Unfortunately, that you might say was my downfall.

In the past, when I have taken an anti-biotic, I did fine with the simple penicillin types, they did the trick, but the last time I was prescribed an anti-biotic, the doctor insisted on my taking "Cipro" (Ciprofloxacin). Being the ever curious type, I decided to look it up on the web to find out if there were any side effects one should be aware of. You see, doctors do not, repeat do not know all the possible side effects any medication may have, usually just the more common and expected ones. Upon looking the medication up on the internet, I didn't see any serious side effects so I took it. Well I did have one effect right away. Not to be graphic, but let's put it this way, I could have read Tolstoy's War And Peace while sitting on the "royal throne". Yup, it triggered a real severe case of diarrhea. I even complained to the doctor about it, and he told me, "Oh, that means it's working," and that I should continue to take it.

For the first time in my life, I perhaps went against my better judgment, and rather than insisting in perhaps asking for a different anti-biotic, especially a penicillin type, I did indeed continue to take it. Then, about a month after I stopped taking it, I suddenly noticed an ever increasing stiffening and pain of my joints, particularly my wrist and hands and my ankles and feet. As time went on it became worse and worse and worse. I didn't connect the dots as to why I was having this problem, and no, I didn't exactly rush to the doctor about it either.

Well one time after a year had passed by and when I was researching for an article to write about, and yes dealing with medications, I came across and looked up "Cipro" again. NOW it had warnings about triggering RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) and even ripped tendons and was now one of those medications that had class action lawsuits against it. Gee, wonderful. Yes folks, I now have severe RA, with it CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and often feel like 150 years old at times.

Now, you may ask, do I now take medications for my RA? Are you joking me? The medications often prescribed for RA and severe pain issues aren't exactly stellar and even if you gave me a million dollars to take them, I won't. One common medication prescribed for RA includes the warning: "Please tell your doctor of any sudden mood changes, depression or have suicidal thoughts." Gee, lovely. I'm sure quite often while watching TV, you may have seen those commercials for some medication for a particular health problem, then the announcer lists all the side effects. Are you like me and shake your head in amazement and wonder, with all those side effects, why on earth would anyone want to take this crap?

So now the question, do people blindly take medications without knowing all the possible side effects? I would have to give a loud resounding yes to that, as way too often people perhaps trust their doctors a bit too much. I can give one great example of this, my own grandmother. Unlike my great grandmother who had a distain for medications, my grandmother was the opposite. In her later years my grandmother had developed a bad case of asthma and was given a wide variety of medications including Theophylline to clear her lungs. That medication was to have fatal results: one night when my grandmother went to the ER while having a bad asthma attack, the doctors gave her a stronger than usual dosage of Theophylline. Did my grandmother pass away due to her asthma problem? No. She passed away due to the Theophylline since it can trigger cardiac arrest.

In my own life, for a very, very brief time, I too took Theophylline whenever I had a serious case of bronchitis, but in very, very low dosages, much lower than what my grandmother had taken, but even with such low dosages, I could feel my heart palpitate , would feel shaky, and often had anxiety. There was one time while having a really extreme bad bout of bronchitis, I went to see my doctor and he decided to give me an injection of Theophylline, and I asked what effects could I expect, and he told me I might feel a little dizzy. A little dizzy? A little dizzy? Are you kidding me? The room was actually spinning and I thought I was going to pass out.

I can't emphasize enough how all too trusting people may be with their doctors and any medication that are prescribed. People will rattle out their symptoms of this or that problem, the doctor will then write out prescriptions, but again without full knowledge of all the side effects or possible drug interactions. Also, in this day and age of accessing the internet for information about medications, people still fail to look them up. I mean wouldn't you want to be aware of just what you are taking? And even then with looking up information, there are no real guarantees of being fully informed, as was in my case when I took Cipro since not all the side effects and warnings were known at the time I took it.

So do I take any medications? No. Like my great grandmother I only take aspirin, and even that only sparingly. I've been on a quest you might say to find an alternative, more natural means to help my RA problems. I refuse to be a guinea pig taking pharmaceutical type medications that may have far more serious detrimental effects and perhaps trigger even more health problems.

ARTICLE: You Are What You Eat: What Exactly ARE You Eating? Part 3: Are Dairy Products Really Healthy?

First published at Bubblews~March 15, 2014

Bubblews Article

ABSTRACT: This article explores the issue as to whether or not milk and dairy products are as healthy as we've been led to believe.

CONTENT:

This article is the third in a series of articles where I explore the various aspects of the food industry.

In this article, I explore the issue concerning dairy products and as to whether or not milk and dairy products are as healthy as we have been led to believe. For decades we in effect have been bottle-fed (no pun intended), that milk does the body good, builds strong bones, that it is a good source of protein and calcium and so forth. As children we were encouraged by our parents to drink our milk, and if we didn't care for the taste of milk outright, our parents thought of other ways to get us to drink milk, that is by adding a chocolate syrup such as Bosco or Hershey's.

In the past twenty years, who can forget the ad campaign "Got Milk?" that began in 1993 where celebrities such as Naomi Campbell, Taylor Swift, Ron Howard, Harrison Ford, Marg Helgenberger, Brooke Shields, Whoopi Goldberg, Susan Sarandon, just to name a few, posed with a glass of milk and had that milk mustache? In fact, if you wish, do a google search "images of celebrities got milk" and you'll be amazed as to how many celebrities participated in the "Got Milk?" campaign. Only recently, beginning in February of this year, the "Got Milk?" campaign has been changed to "Milk Life" with a whole new type of message to encourage people to drink more milk.

The big question however, do we really need to drink milk or consume dairy products, and are they really as healthy as we've been made to believe?

In a nutshell, to answer the question as to whether we really need to drink milk, the answer would be a flat outright no. The human species seems to be the only species that continues to drink milk after babyhood. You won't find any other mammals drinking their mother's milk after they are weaned. We have been in effect programmed that even as adults we need to drink milk and consume dairy products, and that would include cheeses, yogurts, sour cream, cottage cheese, ice cream, and I might add, not limited to cow's milk, but also the milk and dairy products from other milk producing mammals such as goats and sheep.

We have been in a sense programmed in how beneficial milk is as far as adding more protein in our diets. Well there are of course other sources of protein: meats, fish, beans, nuts, even vegetables have a certain amount of protein in them and of course for those who prefer a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, there is soy milk, and tofu.

Not only have we been programmed that milk and dairy products are a great source of protein, but also for calcium. Guess what though? Milk and dairy are not the sole and only sources for calcium either. Other sources of calcium include: Bok Choy, Kale, Beans, Salmon, Spinach, Oranges, Oatmeal, Soy Milk, and Tofu, just to mention a few. In a pinch, if one feels they aren't getting their daily intake of calcium, there are of course calcium supplements one can take. A full listing of calcium sources is at this website

The Health Factor Of Milk:
Unless one is getting organic milk and dairy products, that is from cows raised "humanely" and not in a farm factory type environment, one is also consuming a number of less desirable elements. Farm Factory raised dairy cows are pumped up with Bovine Growth Hormones, known as rBGH which encourages the cows to produce more milk. If that isn't bad enough, dairy cows are also injected antibiotics to decrease infections like mastitis. (1) Also, once again, unless one is drinking organic milk or eating organic dairy products, one is also in effect consuming Monsanto GMOs. How? Humanely raised cows are grass fed, which is a cow's normal type of diet, while farm factory raised cows are feed GMO grains such as corn, and 90% of all corn grown are GMO corn. What does this mean to us? It means when we drink milk or consume dairy foods, we are also ingesting the rBGH, antibiotics and GMO corn.

Can Milk And Dairy Products Actually Trigger Health Problems?
For decades we were have been told how milk and dairy products helps to build strong bones and helps to avoid medical conditions such as osteoporosis. Sorry but I'm about to shatter that illusion. I've read countless articles where actually the opposite is true. Just do a google search, "does milk cause osteoporosis" and you'll be amazed at what comes up. I list only one source here but take my word, there are a lot of articles out there.

Let me quote a few things directly from the one article I found:

"…although milk makes bones stronger in the short term, in the long term it erodes bone-making cells, increasing the risk of osteoporosis…" and "…women…who drank milk three times a day actually broke more bones than women who rarely drank milk." (2)

If that isn't enough, do you have chronic headaches or even migraines? In another article, I found a list of possible triggers for these health issues as well, and guess what? Yes you can guess, among the list of headache and migraine triggers was cultured dairy products, sour cream, buttermilk, and all types of cheeses. (3)

The Humane Factor of The Dairy Industry:
I wish to add here, that one does have to also consider the humane factor when it comes to the dairy industry. Dairy cows in farm factory type environments live a life that is anything but humane. The female cows are kept in small, crammed stalls where they can barely move and each cow is hooked up to machine to pump out their milk. Also, the female cow is constantly kept pregnant in order to produce milk in the first place. Upon the birth of a calf, that calf is virtually yanked away from it's mother within hours of being born, and either outrightly killed or sent to be raised as veal, which of course means its eventual slaughter upon reaching around the age of 18 to 20 weeks old. (4)

Lastly, I do need to mention that I'm by no means a vegetarian nor vegan, though I have been cutting down on the eating of meats. As far as the milk factor, I've never have been a big milk drinker to begin with, yet ironically I do confess in loving cheeses. However, ever since I became more aware and conscious of the cruelty factor behind farm factory raised dairy cows, I've cut down on eating cheeses as well.

Got milk? Don't think so!

Sources:

Got Milk Campaign:

Got Milk Campaign

Milk Life

The Truth About Milk:

Facts About Milk (1)

Health Issues With Milk:
http://www.news-medical.net/news/2005/09/12/13120.aspx (2)

Milk Triggers Headaches and Migraines (3)

Calves (4)

Calves

My earlier articles in this series:
Part 1: Introduction
Part 1
Part 2: Organic Vs. All Natural Vs. Monsanto GMO
Part 2

ARTICLE: The Health Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): From Increasing Medical Risks to Possible Mercury Links

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~ 2/9/2009)

ABSTRACT: High Fructose Corn Syrup is found in a large variety of beverages and foods, but how safe is it?

CONTENT: Only a few days ago, several articles came out about the new health dangers about High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFSC) as tests were conducted in several products containing this ingredient and it was found that there were levels of mercury in certain foods due to this added ingredient. I was initially going to do an article just about this new health warning, but first I decided to look up information about High Fructose Corn Syrup in general.

What is High Fructose Corn Syrup?

First, I was curious just what High Fructose Corn Syrup was to begin with, as this is an ingredient that is found in practically every processed food going, even those foods that aren't that sweet to the taste, such as snack crackers like Wheat Thins or all salad dressings. High Fructose Corn Syrup is indeed a naturally made product, made from milled corn that is first made into cornstarch, that same type of cornstarch one uses to thicken foods such as gravies. That cornstarch is then processed to make a basic corn syrup, and then further treated with a whole array of enzyemes, such as aplha-amylase, Glucoamylase and Xylose isomerase. (1) There are several types of High Fructose Corn Syrups that can be produced, from HFCS-90, which is the purest and sweetest form. HFCS-55 which is the type used in sodas, and HFCS-45, the less sweet form which is used in most other processed foods such as juices, breads, crackers and so forth. (2) While High Fructose Corn Syrup was first developed in 1927 by Richard Off. Marshalle and Earl P. Kooi, it wasn't used extensively in processed foods until the mid-1970s. Supposedly one of the reasons HFCS gained in popularity as a replacement for regular table sugar was that it was found that food and drinks products made with HFCS not only had the same sweet taste as regular sugar, but had longer shelf lives, and more importantly, processed foods could be made less expensively than using refined table sugar.

Now many people might be confused between the two kinds of fructose, thinking they are similar or the same due to the fructose name itself. True fructose, in it's purest form is a type of natural glucose or sugar that is found in all fruits and vegetables. High Fructose Corn Syrup, on the other hand, while also from a natural source, that is corn, is a heavily processed, manufactured, and chemically altered form of glucose, in other words, a scientist's concoction.

You may be asking yourself, what foods contain High Fructose Corn Syrup? When I started researching into this topic I couldn't believe all the processed foods and drinks that contain this ingredient, the list was absolutely staggering and mind-boggling. Yes, of course I expected HFCS to be in sugary tasting beverages, but I found listed food items one would never guess containing this ingredient. I list here just a partial listing of foods or drinks with High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

Ketchups

Jams and Jellies

Cool Whip

Cereals

Chocolate Syrup

Cookies

Canned Fruits

Sodas

Enhanced Flavored Waters

Wheat Thins,

Ritz Crackers

Candy Bars (including Health Food and Granola Types)

Breads, Rolls (especially white)

All Juices (except Welch's Grape and Mott's Organic Apple Juice)

Pancake Syrups

Miracle Whip

Salad Dressings

Heinz Relishes

Some Soups (such as Campbell's Tomato)

Yogurts

Most Spaghetti Sauces

I was able to make up this listing, not only by looking at the photograph that illustrated the "No Sweet Deal With High-Fructose Corn Syrup" article by Dr. Mike Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz(3), but by simply looking at certain drinks and foods I had in my own home: Tropicana Fruit Punch, Smucker's Raspberry Jam, Heinz's Ketchup, Wishbone Italian Salad Dressing. I was even amazed to discover that my cough syrup contained HFCS!

Now if one was to go by all the information that is presented in the

HFCSfacts.com website, and there is quite a lot of information there, one is led to believe that High Fructose Corn Syrup is the greatest invention since perhaps the wheel itself. Then why are there so many reports about the health risks? When one starts doing research in general about High Fructose Corn Syrup, for health consciousness sake one wouldn't want to go near this stuff with a fifty foot pole.

What are the health risks with HFCS?

As one article points out, if consumed in small amounts, HFCS would probably have no detrimental affects(4). However, that is for small amounts, but unknowingly we have been consuming amounts of HFCS in just about every processed food going, as indicated in my listing. Given time, this large consumption of HFCS can lead to weight gain, raising cholesterol levels, diabetes, hypertension, and there is some indication of triggering off cirrhosis of the liver, formation of kidney stones, gout, and even accelerates the aging process in people in general.(5)

A New Danger About HFCS?

As if these potential health problems can arise from constant consumption of HFCS isn't enough, now there is a new health warning, which unfortunately that HFCSfacts website seems to be downplaying, and that is the recent discovery of finding traces of mercury in High Fructose Corn Syrup. So far only a few food and beverages have been tested and had traces of mercury in them due to the HFCS used, but one part of the processing of HFCS, besides the enzymes previously mentioned, is also the use of caustic soda and hydrochloric acid which have been mixed vats with solutions of mercury in them . (6)

So far the list of food and beverages tested for and found with traces of mercury is rather small and include such processed foods as:

Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

Yoplait Strawberry Yogurt

Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce

Minute Maid Berry Punch

Yoo-hoo Chocolate Drink

Quaker Oatmeal to Go Bars

Hunt's Ketchup

For a full listing of the foods tested that had traces of mercury in them due to the HFCS ingredient, go to the Webmd.com Article(7)

What Can One Do?

After reading so many sources about the detrimental health hazards HFCS can trigger in general and now with these new findings of the traces of mercury found in some foods that use this rather "toxic" ingredient of HFCS, how are we to know first of all, if all foods containing it will have mercury in them? I'm just betting more and more foods that are to be tested will find mercury in them and lets face it, I'm not a big fan of our FDA as they seem to take forever in testing our food products in general.

So what can one do? First of all, I plan to make a real conscious effort and read every label of every processed food item I buy from now on. If I see it has HFCS in it, no thank you, I'm going to pass on it and get something equivalent that doesn't have it, and yes, that might mean giving up on some of my favorite foods. For instance instead of getting the Tropicana Fruit or Berry Punches I'll purchase Welch's Grape juice which does not have any HFCS in it at all. Also, I plan to buy more organic type foods which use purer ingredients in the first place. And no, they don't have to be high-priced organic brands. Even something as simple as a spaghetti sauce, such as the newer line of Organic Prego Sauces do not have HFCS in them. Lastly, If I do buy sweetened processed foods I'll buy the ones that list either sugar or molasses as part of the ingredients label rather than HFCS.

Resources:

Wiki High Fructose Corn Syrup(1)

Questions/Answers About HFCS(2)

No Sweet Deal Article(3)

HFCSfacts.com

Womentowomen.com(4)

Sprol Article

High Fructose Corn Syrup Article(5)

Mercury In HFCS(6)

Webmd.com Article(7)

ARTICLE: You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay: A Classic Self-Help and Inspirational Book and Now a DVD

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~1/21/2009)

ABSTRACT: Louise Hay wrote You Can Heal Your Life over twenty years ago, and remains one of the greatest books for self-help and inspiration

CONTENT: You Can Heal Your Life is one of those books I re-read on a regular basis. It is the ultimate self-help and inspirational book that everyone should run, not walk to their bookstore to get. The premise of the book is to get one to have a more positive mind-set about themselves, how one views oneself. Too often we can be our own worse enemies, beating ourselves up with negative thinking, then we wonder why our life isn't working out the way we wish it to be.

You might say, You Can Heal Your Life is a predecessor of the popular DVD and book The Secret, but instead of visualizing material things in one's life, one visualizes a better self. What amazes me about Ms. Hay's book, it's so uplifting considering her own life was anything but ideal. From an early age, she was sexually abused and molested, she therefore grew up having a very low self esteem and self-worth of herself. It wasn't until she joined up many years later with classes given out by a branch of Ernest Holmes' Science of Mind, whose many principles are positive thinking, that she herself began to realize that she had value in life and was worthy.

Ms Hay later became a Science of Mind "practitioner" herself, teaching her own classes. Her belief system not only raises one's worth, by repeating positive affirmations, but by getting a more positive frame of mind, one can even heal oneself of many medical problems. This was to hit home for her personally when sometime ago, she was stricken by cancer. Now she had to walk the walk, and talk the talk and began her own self-healing and is now cancer free and is in her eighties and is still as vibrantly alive as always. Toward the back of this book are positive affirmations for just about any medical condition, for she believes that often one manifests certain medical conditions due to stress, bitterness, resentment, hate and anger that we cling to and manifests itself one way or another medically.

One of the methods she introduces is saying positive affirmations while looking at oneself in the mirror. The most important one, is to look right into one's own eyes and say "I love you..(and one's name). At first it might seem silly to do this..but is beating ourselves up, talking negatively any better? Of course not. You Can Heal Your Life is a classic among classics in the self-help and inspirational genre and is a real must in any person's book collection. I highly recommend it.

The real good news however with the whole You Can Heal Your Life concept, is that now her concepts are also in a wonderful DVD as well, that not only has Ms. Hay in it, but also other people in the "positve thinking" business as well, such as Dr. Wayne W. Dyer,Gregg Braden, Cheryl Richardson (who has made numerous appearances on the Orpah show), Ester and Jery Hicks, Doreen Virtue, Ph.D, Candace B. Pret, and several others. The DVD opens up to a rather ordinary woman who is thinking one negative thought after another about herself, the classic case of beating oneself up. As she walks along a busy city street, she is surrounded by people who are also thinking negatvely to themselves. One woman however, passes her by, with a smile on her face in anticipation of seeing her boyfriend. Her walk is bouncy and light, so different from the other woman who is downcast. The "positive" woman accidently drops a card, which the negative woman picks up. On the card is says one simple sentence "I am willing to Change," and on the back of the card is a paragraphed positive affirmation. As she continues to walk along, she sees in an alleyway, a strange stone archway, that is identical to the picture on the card. She somehow makes the connection that she is to step through that archway and begin her journey to change.

The You Can Heal Yourself DVD follows the journey of this woman who is willing to change for the better, and in between these segments Louise Hay and the others further discuss the prinicples of positive thinking and of changing one's life. Just as the book is uplifting, so is the DVD. I actually found myself crying at points as some points really hit home for me and in my own life.

In either case, I can't recommend more highly both the book and the DVD, for the DVD further expands the concepts found in the book.

You Can Heal Your Life DVD official Website

(One can download and watch the dvd on-line for only $4.95)

Official Website

Louise Hay's Official Website: For books, DVDs, inspiration and more

Louise Hay's Website

ARTICLE: How Safe Are Hair Coloring Products? Health Hazards and Risks of Using Commercial Hair Dyes

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~10/10/2008)

ABSTRACT: Everyone wants to look younger, and dying one's hair can shed years off of one's appearance. However, their are risks involved in using almost all hair dying products, from severe allergic reactions to the risk of developing cancer.

(UPDATE: Another thing one should consider in using hair dye products is the fact they are from companies that test on animals~July 24, 2014)

CONTENT: One doesn't have to be a woman or man in their baby boomer years witnessing those grey hairs starting to sneak into one's hair to think about the idea of looking a few years younger by using hair color. Even young adults might experiment and color their hair to change their appearance. Dying one's hair has always been probably one of the quickest and easiest ways to shed a few years from one's appearance without expensive plastic surgery, or to just wishing to see what one would look like as a blonde if one's natural hair color is dark. Also, lets face it, many of us might plain be bored with how we look, want a change, and dying one's hair is one means to do so. But just how safe are those hair coloring products?

Looking in the mirror lately, I've noticed those pesky grey hairs coming in again as I have to admit I haven't dyed my hair in sometime. Unlike most women (or men) at my age, I've never had much grey and have more or less have kept most of my dark brown hair color intact without too many grey hairs coming in. Also, even when I first began coloring my hair, I found it just wasn't necessary to continue dying my hair on a monthly basis, more likely I only had to do it every six months or so.

It all started perhaps fifteen years ago, when I decided, that since the public has been programed to believe that blondes are supposed to have more fun, I decided to color my naturally dark brown hair to a radiant, beautiful blonde. The result was a disaster, I looked hideous, as I just plain didn't have the skin tone to compliment the blonde hair. Within a week, I quickly grabbed a dark brown hair color from my nearby Walgreens and changed it back again. So much for being a blonde.

Now that I have that desire of dying my hair again after a long time of not doing it, I'm frankly very hesitant to do so. In the past, while I've used some of the other major known hair dying products, I pretty much stuck with good old, tried and true Clairol's Nice 'n Easy. However, the last two times I did dye my hair, I had a severe reaction. Yes, yes, I know. One is supposed to do a patch test on one's skin and wait 24 to 48 hours to see if one has an allergic reaction to the dye, but since I never experienced any problems before, I was surprised when I had the reaction I did.

The last two times I dyed my hair, at first it didn't bother me. I had made sure I rinsed the excess dye from not only my hair, but any spot where the dye had touched on my skin over and over again. Within an hour however, after dying my hair, I quite literally wanted to rip my own scalp off due the reaction I had gotten. Every place on my skin where some residual dye had touched on my neck, forehead, and so forth turned a beet red. My scalp became super sensitive, scaly, itchy, and also developed areas of redness. I also developed bleeding blisters on my scalp which took a full month to heal and disappear completely. Now you understand my hesitancy of dying my hair again as I just plain don't want to go through that again.

I decided to read up about hair dyes in general to find out what could have caused this reaction when I dyed my hair. Now I have always known that all the popular commercial brand hair dyes had ammonia and peroxide, and yes, people can have an allergic reaction from these two chemicals, but after reading various articles I discovered that there are several other main ingredients that not only can create severe allergic reactions, but are high risk carcinogens. Top of the listing of the Cancer Prevention Coalition's Dirty Dozen of cancer-causing hair care products was, as you can guess, Clairol's Nice 'n Easy. However, this isn't to say that other brands are any safer.(1)

The list of ingredients listed not only in Clairol's Nice 'n Easy, but for the other popular hair dye products reads like a mad-scientist's chemical concoction: Quaternium-15, Diethanolamine (DEA), Propylene Glycol, and P-Phenylenediamine (PPD) just to list a few. It's the latter ingredient, PPD that is the one that is the most likely not only to create the allergic reaction such as I had experience, but the most dangerous as far as being a high risk carcinogen. Each and every single one of these ingredients are carcinogens that can trigger off anything from bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. (2) For some reason the greatest risk for developing cancer for men or women are those who regularly use the darker shades of hair dye, especially black.

One shouldn't be fooled either if the hair dye product adds the words "natural" or "herbal" for while they may contain more natural botanical-type ingredients, they will still have the other chemical ingredients, especially P-Phenylenediamine (PPD). Two such companies that have many botanical type ingredients are EcoColor and Naturtint, however, when reading the listing of ingredients they too have PPD in it.

The bottom line is that any commercial hair dye product that is semi-permanent or permanent will have PPD, and even some non-permanent dyes may also have it in its listing of ingredients. It is this particular chemical that makes hair dye more permanent and won't wash out with the next shampoo. Another ingredient besides PPD that creates the more permanent effect in how long the hair dye will lasts is of course, ammonia. That ingredient alone is not a carcinogen, but mixed with the other popular ingredient found in hair dyes, that is, peroxide turns the blend into a cancer producing one. (3)

I therefore began a search to find a product that truly was more natural and I had heard about Surya Natural Henna Hair Dye, which as you can guess from it's name has henna in it, which is a hair dye that has been used for centuries. I was all set to purchase this product until I was able to read the ingredients from the Natural Expressions Website. This product contains Ethoxydiglicol, Methylpyrrolidone,Ethylene Glicol, Cocoamide Dea, Diethanolamine, Monoethanolamine, Olemide, Acrylates Copoluner, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, all of which are also suspect of being carcinogens. (4)

What then is a safer alternative? I could completely forgo the idea of dying my hair at all, but like most people, I do have a bit of vanity. I want to look my best, and shed some years from my appearance by creating a more youthful look by getting rid of my increasingly greying hair by dying it.

One thing I may explore is to go the total henna route and I found two such possibilities through the Henna For Hair Website and the The Morrocco Method Henna websites. Neither are exactly easier methods of dying one's hair as these hair dying products do not come in nice, neat prepackaged bottles, but are ingredients you have to mix yourself. One usually mixes the henna powders in a glass or ceramic bowl with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice until one gets a thick paste. It may surprise people that since henna is a plant, the color of the powder will be green and so will the paste, yet applied on the hair will turn the hair into the desired color depending on which natural dying powders have been used from the usual red-tones to black. A wonderful detailed 56 page e-book one can download is at the Henna for Hair website and describes in full the whole process of dying one's hair using henna and includes illustrative photographs as well.

So if you are concerned with the safety factor of the familiar chemical hair dye products, either due to the severe allergic reactions one may develop by using them or of their potential for causing cancer due to the carcinogenic ingredients, one may opt for going the totally henna method...I know I'm going to.

Articles for further reference on the chemical dangers of hair dyes

http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/general/dirty_dozen.htm (1)

http://www.herbalremediesinfo.com/hair-dyes.html (2)

http://www.naturalnews.com/022575.html (3)

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-818.html

http://www.natural-living-for-women.com/natural-hair-color.html

http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/general/dirty_dozen.htm

Supposed Natural Hair Dyes

http://www.ecocolors.net/index.cfm?pg=ProfessionalHaircolor

http://www.naturalexpressions.org/hennaforhair.html#Surya%20Nature%20Premixed%20Henna%20Hair%20Dye (3)

Information about the chemicals Ethoxydiglicol, Methylpyrrolidone, Diethanolamine (4)

http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=702287

http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=703913

http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=718373

Henna Products or Websites

http://www.hennaforhair.com/

http://www.morroccomethod.com/henna.shtml#more

ARTICLE: Exploring Alternative Medicine and Healing Therapies: Using the Herbal Approach in Health Issues

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~10/1/2008)

ABSTRACT: More and more people are getting turned off by the Western approach for healing health problems due to medicines that may have a whole listing of potential sides effects or cautionary warnings.

CONTENT: I think it can be said that a vast majority of people are becoming less and less trusting of the formal Western type approach to health and healing, and in particular the medicines that are available. I'm not completely knocking the medical profession, as it is true that there have been many great strides in combating many illnesses and diseases. Many of the diseases that could have literally killed us, like the flu or pneumonia, while they can still create a few fatalities, are no longer as widespread as they were only a century ago.

However, with all the wonderful supposed miracle treatments, remedies and drugs that are now available to us, more people are getting dissatisfied with the Western approach to healing. Almost on a weekly basis, one may hear of yet another prescription medicine that may either be reissued with severe, cautionary warnings, or taken off the shelves entirely. Such is the case with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication Vioxx which was pulled off from the market as there were alarming facts that this medication was linked to triggering heart attacks. It's near "cousin" also in the same type of NSAIDS, that is Celebrex, while not discontinued, also has cautionary has severe warnings that it can trigger blood clots, strokes and heart attacks.

There is not one, repeat not one medication that doesn't have side effects, they all do and many of these side effects are only the potential possible ones that may occur while taking a medication, and it doesn't necessarily mean one will actually develop such side effects. But if you ever start reading the long listing of these potential side effects one wonders...why take it? The listing can often be staggering as there just too many of them. Also, doctors themselves may not always be aware of all the side effects involved. The agent representing some pharmaceutical company comes into the doctor's office, tells the doctor that this latest medication is for this medical condition or problem, and maybe gives the doctor a brief brochure of just some of the potential side effects, but not all. And granted, lets face it, doctors can't memorize each and every medication out there in the market and all the potential side effects or cautionary warnings. Usually, it's the pharmacist that is more aware of all the facts behind each medication.

I can, for instance site two examples in my own life. Many years ago, I had a terrible bout of asthmatic bronchitis and went to my doctor, and he was a good one at that. He prescribed two medications to me, an antibiotic and an asthma type medication and these weren't new types of medications either, but ones that had been around for many years. Now this bout of bronchitis occurred before I became computer savvy and could look up the medications myself, so I was in the dark of what effects the medications may have had. I took the two prescriptions to my local pharmacist and practically fainted. He told me if I had taken this particular combination of medications I would be six feet under as it was a lethal one.

Then just recently, I came down with a lesser case of bronchitis and decided to nip it in the bud before it became any worse so therefore I went to my doctor. Now I have no problem with penicillin type medications, and usually for any kind of infection in my system, my doctor will usually prescribe such a medication to me. This time he decided to give me a none penicillin type, Ciprofloxacin, and I went to my pharmacist and got it filled. Before I took any however, I went to my computer and decided to look it up. You can imagine my alarm then, when the information I found had nothing to do with potential side effects, but of the cautionary warnings, one being that one should NOT take this medication if one has joint pain, which I do have. As I read more and more about this medication, from class action lawsuits, to testimonial cases of how this particular medication affected people in such a way in which they became virtual wheelchair bound cripples from the aggravated joint pain and ruptured tendons they received while taking it, you better believe I decided not to take it.

I must admit, my whole attitude about my caution sometimes with the medical profession in general stems from my great-grandmother, who was a nurse, a mid-wife, and none too pleased with the medical profession herself just on principle. After all, many nurses even today can often see the mistakes doctors can make especially in prescribing medications. She was a walking encyclopedia of the more natural and herbal remedies, and was living testimony to their effectiveness, as she never took anything stronger than aspirin, relying only on her natural remedies and lived to be 98 years. She was definitely ahead of her time, for what she was doing, in effect, is what we now call alternative medicine and healing.

Just what is alternative medicine or healing? Exactly what it implies, that is, using other methods to help medical problems by using more natural approaches rather than relying on Western medicine and one form is by using herbal applications. Of course there are other forms of "alternative" medicines or practices, from anything to acupuncture, homeopathic remedies to even hypnotherapy.

Now I do must caution here first of all, one vital thing. Just because an herb or a combination of herbs is a more natural approach, doesn't always mean it's safer. Herbal remedies can have their own side affects as well, but usually not as drastic or severe, but some herbs must be used with extra caution. To give a case in point. Some years ago, St. John's Wort was toted as being a natural remedy for depression. Yet as natural as it is, it too can have side effects one should be aware of, such as an increased sensitivity to the sun, anxiety, dry mouth, dizziness, fatigue, headaches and sexual dysfunction.(1) Also, cautionary measures should be taken into consideration in combing this herb with other herbs or while taking certain medications as well. In one book I have on herbs, it also warns about eating certain foods while taking St. John's Wort such as potatoes and anything with caffeine in it which would of course mean coffee, tea, cola sodas, and chocolate.

Another thing that one has to be aware of, is not all herbs can be taking internally, as some can only be safely used externally. For instance, the herb Bloodroot has been effectively used externally for skin diseases, and warts, but severe caution must be accounted for if taken internally as an overdose of this herb can be fatal.(2) One also has to be aware as well, that many herbs have the affect of lowering blood sugar levels, meaning that if a person is diabetic is already on medication for this medical problem, may have to use caution if using the herb.

It may also surprise people to know that herbs are often classified as feminine or masculine, that is, some herbs are beneficial solely to women, while other herbs are beneficial only to men. Some of the feminine herbs are Sage and Black Cohosh, the latter herb is often found in natural supplements for women going through menopause. An example of masculine herbs are Ginkgo Biloba and Ginseng both thought to be nature's "Viagra".

When deciding to go the more natural herbal route for helping one's medical problems, one needs to be aware exactly what the herbs are good for and to use any precautionary measure for specific health problems. For instance, many herbs have the affect of lowering blood sugar levels, meaning that if a person is diabetic and is already on medication for this medical problem, may have to use caution if using the herb. A few such known herbs are Aloe Vera, Ginseng, Cinnamon, Fenugreek, Devil's Claw, and Ginger (3).

Also, just because the herbal remedy may be a more natural one to help in one's health problems, one shouldn't go overboard in using too much of the herb in question, like everything else in life, moderation is the key. One needs to become educated in the proper usage and amounts of any herb one wants to use for medicinal purposed. While there are scores of books out in the market, one excellent book I recommend as an almost "bible" of herb knowledge is The New Healing Herbs: The Ultimate Guide To Nature's Best Medicine by Michael Castleman. This book not only list all the possible beneficial properties of a wide variety of herbs and the safety factors, but also tells the proper amounts of each herb and how to use it, from infusions (that is a tea type form) to tinctures. Of course, one can always look at the myriad of websites that discuss herbal remedies as well and I've listed two such websites in my reference section.

So if you're tired of getting Western medicines that have a load of potential side effects that could trigger off other health problems, that have cautionary warnings attached to them that could be life threatening and want to help heal yourself more natural, you just might want to explore nature's cornucopia of herbal remedies.

References:

St. John's Wort

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/#cautions (1)

Bloodroot

http://www.altnature.com/gallery/bloodroot.htm (2)

Websites About Herbs

http://searchwarp.com/swa75811.htm (3)

http://altnature.com/

Books on Herbs

The New Healing Herbs: The Ultimate Guide To Nature's Best Medicine by Michael Castleman (Bantam Books)

ARTICLE: The Dangers of the Additive Brominated Vegetable Oil in Drinks: Do You Know Exactly What is in Your Favorite Beverage?

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~7/2/2208)

ABSTRACT: Brominated Vegetable Oil is an additive chemical found in many citrus-flavored type drinks, such as Mountain Dew and Gatorade. While BVO has been banned in many countries and the FDA considers it unsafe, it still is being used in drinks in the USA and Canada

CONTENT: I can almost thank my lucky stars, that I've never been much of a soda drinker, in fact, I haven't consumed any in years. First, I find them way too sickeningly sweet, for the regular types. I also never cared for the diet type as I just didn't care for the taste, and in consideration that there are now warnings about the health hazards of the added artificial sweetener, aspartame, I would think anyone would steer clear of diet drinks in general.

Now I've come across information, of yet another dangerous additive that is found in the citrus flavored type sodas or drinks, such as Mountain Dew, Fresca, Fanta, and is even found in the power drinks, such as the familiar Gatorade, and that is the additive of Brominated Vegetable Oil or BVO. The real kicker in all this is that BVO has actually been banned in over 100 countries, and even the FDA considers this additive as unsafe, yet, so far, no measures have been taken to ban it's usage here in this country.

Brominated Vegetable Oil, has as it's composition the element of bromine in which, believe it or not, the vapors of bromine are considered both corrosive and toxic...in other words can outrightly be considered a poisonous chemical. The chemical bromine is used for a number of products, from one of the chemicals that treat surfaces for light-sensitive photographic printing papers, as an additive for gasoline, to agricultural fumigants. At one time, bromine was even used to make sedatives, but then the FDA banned its usage around 1975, as it was found to trigger a whole host of psychiatric disorders.

Just why is BVO used in certain drinks? Supposedly, the reason Brominated Vegetable Oil used in citrus type drinks, is to stabilize the citrus oils to prevent them from separating, giving them a more unified appearance. One can always tell that Brominated Vegetable Oil has been added even if one doesn't read the ingredient label, as such drinks will have a rather murky, cloudy look to them, rather than clear. And believe it or not, many drinks containing BVO, do not include it on their labels!

Now of course, the FDA claims that BVO is used in acceptable levels that would do no harm, however, it has been proven that BVO, when consumed is stored in a person's fat cells, thus over time can accumulate. With time, if the average person consumes enough of these beverages that contain BVO, you can just bet, its toxic side effects will start to show up. And what are the side effects? Do you really want to know? Yes, they are that bad.

I've taken the liberty to include the list of the effects of BVO are from the Natural Thyroid Choices Website This websites primarily discusses about the soda Mountain Dew, but it can pertain to any of the drinks that contain BVO in them.

Abdominal cramps
Anxiety
Anorexia
Blurred vision
Coma
Constricted pupils
Convulsions
Cyanosis (skin blueness)
Diarrhea
Dizziness
Heart beat malfunction
Headache
Weakness
Tremors of the tongue and eyelids
Muscular cramps
Nausea
Respiritory difficulty
Salivation
Slow pulse
Sweating
Tearing
Vomiting (1)

Other possible side effects I found listed in other sources also includes birth defects, growth problems, memory loss and fatigue (2) & (3)

It actual makes me shudder to think that people are consuming beverages that contain such an additive with so many dangerous side affects. Think for instance, how many people, including children, will drink Gatorade, especially after strenuous physical or sports activity and are under the impression that this is a "wonder" drink to rehydrate and replenish one's body of vitally needed fluids, instead what they are getting is a dose of a toxic chemical.

Thankfully, I just never cared for the taste of Mountain Dew, and only once tried Gatorade and completely hated the taste. I'd much rather drink pure juices or even just plain water. I'm hoping that enough people will put pressure on the FDA to completely ban the use of BVO in any beverage, just as it's been banned in over 100 countries. Isn't our health worth it?

Information About Brominated Vegetable Oil

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brominated_vegetable_oil

http://fooddemocracy.wordpress.com/2008/01/18/the-dirty-dozen-12-foodsfood-additives-to-avoid-and-why/

http://www.vitalearth.org/dangerous_food_additives.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromine

http://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/1999/jul/29/what-brominated-vegetable-oil-and-why-do-soda-comp/(2)

http://www.naturalthyroidchoices.com/mountain%20dew.html (1)

http://www.healthyeatingadvisor.com/food-labels.html(3)

ARTICLE: The Wonderful Health Benefits of Garlic

(Originally published at Yahoo.voices formerly Associated Content~6/6/2008)

ABSTRACT: Garlic has been used for at least 6,000 years and has so many wonderful health benefits, particularly for lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure to cardiovascular health

CONTENT: When I decided to write this article I had known about some of the wonderful benefits of garlic for years but not all. For instance, long time ago, I remember hearing that garlic was a natural antibiotic and in many ways was even better than Vitamin-C in helping in not only preventing, but shortening the length of time of the common cold.

I was also curious however, as to the history of this most used herb and how far back the use of garlic went. I was surprised to learn that garlic, which is known in the Latin as Allium sativum and part of the onion family, had been cultivated and used as far back as 6,000 years ago, and was first grown in the Central Asia area. In fact, most of our garlic that we buy in stores even today, is still predominantly grown and comes from the Asian countries. During the early millenniums of civilization, and as trade became more and more popular between other regions of the world, it was quickly adapted and used in Africa, Europe and the Mediterranean areas. In many cases, garlic was so highly prized and considered so valuable that it was even used as currency.

The most amazing fact I learned was that while garlic had been used for thousands and thousands of years in these regions of the world, it didn't become popular or used much in America, except of course by immigrants who came from Europe or Asia countries until the earlier part of the twentieth century. (1) This fact is something that I think would surprise most of us today. I had just naturally assumed that garlic had always been used here in America. I mean can you imagine not having that wonderful garlicky taste on one's pizza, pasta meals, or in soups, to only mention a few foods that we add garlic to? And how about that delicious mouth-watering taste of buttery garlic bread itself? Since I love the taste of garlic in food, I practically add a bit of garlic in all my meals, I even sprinkle a bit of garlic powder on my hamburgers to enhance the burger's flavor.

Over the past few years, more and more benefits are showing up on how healthy garlic is for you. As a result of this, a really large industry has been created in garlic pill supplements, such as Garlique, Kwai and Kyolic, just to name a few. Naturally, fresh garlic is great to use, however, garlic pills have an obvious advantage, in that one can take stronger doses than the equivalent of fresh garlic. I for instance take Nature's Bounty 1,000 mg. To eat the equivalent of 1,000 mg of fresh garlic I would have to eat an awful lot of fresh garlic bulbs and I sincerely doubt if I would have many friends, since lets face it, garlic is rather pungent.

The list of benefits garlic has is quite staggering. I've already mentioned that garlic is a known natural antibiotic and can help prevent or shorten not only the duration of colds, but the flu as well. One of the major reasons for the ever-growing popularity of garlic pills and garlic in general, however, is that it is known to help promote cardiovascular health, lower cholesterol and also lower blood pressure levels. Garlic is also known for it's anticancer properties and can prevent certain types of cancers, from esophageal, stomach, colon and even breast and skin cancers.(2)

With everything however, there are some precautions when using garlic. First of all, one has to remember that garlic is also a natural blood thinner, thus the reason for its benefits for the lowering of cholesterol levels, blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Therefore, high doses of garlic especially as in pill form, should be used with caution when taking any anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen or even common aspirin. It also goes without saying that garlic can interact with any blood thinner medication such as heparin, or enoxaparin or any anticoagulant medication that reduces the blood from clotting, such as warfarin. One even has to use caution in taking too much garlic with other natural herbal supplements such as ginko biloba, ginger, and even willow bark, which by the way, is the natural form of aspirin itself. For a full listing of what medications may interact with garlic, you may refer to this website Garlic Interactions

As with anything when taking any supplement or medication, do talk with your physician about the safety factors involved, especially if you do take any of the prescribed medications that I've listed. All in all, however, I think the overall benefits of garlic far outweigh the risks and moderation is the key.

History of Garlic

http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/garlichistory.htm (1)

More References to Garlic

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/g/garlic06.html

http://www.emaxhealth.com/19/1024.html(2)

http://www.garlic-central.com/garlic-health.html

http://www.naturalhealthremedies.org/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-garlic/

Possible Side Effects or Drug interactions

http://gsm.about.com/compact/showtext.asp?cpnum=2221&monotype=full&match=M&gname=Garlic,*Allium*sativum&r=6078

ARTICLE: The Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners: The Many Health Risk Factors with Aspartame

(Originally published at Yahoo.Voices formerly Associated Content~Sept. 10, 2007)

The Dangers Of Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners have been around for over one-hundred years, with Saccharin being the first one to have been invented in 1878 by Constantin Fahlberg, and while it was in use as a sugar substitute especially among diabetics, and then used extensively during sugar shortages during World War I, it didn't become popular especially among dieters in the form of Sweet'nLow until the 1960s and 1970s. Saccharin wasn't without its problems, however, for even as far back as 1907, the USDA began investigating the possible health risk factors associated with this sugar substitute, and in later years, there was evidence of cancer connections with the constant use of Saccharin. Then, in 1972, attempts were made to completely ban this sugar substitute, yet it still remains on the market, but now has warnings about its risk factors.

With the controversy over the health risk factors connected with saccharin, manufacturers began scrambling to come up with another artificial sweetener and in 1974, the FDA approved the now very popular Aspartame. With its invention, Aspartame became more popular in use than Saccharin, and was packaged under the names of NutraSweet and Spenda, however, it also wasn't just used to sweeten beverages, such as diet soda, but could be found in over 6,000 products, including carbonated and powdered soft drinks, hot chocolate, chewing gum, candy, desserts, yogurt, and tabletop sweeteners, as well as some pharmaceutical products like vitamins and sugar-free cough drops. (1) The instant popularity of Aspartame in so many sugar-free products was due to the fact that it tasted better, for it did not have the bitter after taste that Saccharin had. And, for awhile, it didn't seem to have any known health risk factors involved. However, now the evidence is becoming more and more apparent, that this sugar substitute has even far worse side effects and can trigger over ninety-two health problems, and not just cancer. There are also indications that instead of helping people, who are diet conscious and who are trying to lose weight, or control blood sugar levels, may actually be hindering themselves from any beneficial effects of being on a sugar-free diet with the constant and continual use of Aspartame. ...."According to an article in Technology Review, "aspartame may actually stimulate appetite and bring on a craving for carbohydrates"(2)

The possibility of gaining weight from the use of Aspartame is nothing compared to the more serious health problems that can arise from the consumption of this sweetener. One of the main reasons for the staggering difference between the health risk factors that Saccharin can create versus Aspartame is due to the fact, that while Saccharin does not break down and therefore is not absorbed into the physiological system, Aspartame does, and can travel throughout the body and deposit within any tissue of the body. (3)

The list of potential health side effects is staggering when one reads the list given on the "Sweet Poison" website. I include the list in its entirety as this is the only way to inform of the serious risk factors involved here:

Adverse reactions and side effects of aspartame include:

Eye


blindness in one or both eyes 


decreased vision and/or other eye problems such as: blurring, bright flashes, squiggly lines, tunnel vision, decreased night vision


pain in one or both eyes 
decreased tears 
trouble with contact lenses 
bulging eyes

Ear


tinnitus - ringing or buzzing sound


severe intolerance of noise


marked hearing impairment

Neurologic


epileptic seizures 


headaches, migraines and (some severe) 


dizziness, unsteadiness, both


confusion, memory loss, both 


severe drowsiness and sleepiness


paresthesia or numbness of the limbs 


severe slurring of speech


severe hyperactivity and restless legs


atypical facial pain 


severe tremors

Psychological/Psychiatric


severe depression 


irritability


aggression


anxiety


personality changes


insomnia


phobias

Chest


palpitations, tachycardia 


shortness of breath


recent high blood pressure

Gastrointestinal 


nausea 


diarrhea, sometimes with blood in stools 


abdominal pain


pain when swallowing

Skin and Allergies 


itching without a rash


lip and mouth reactions


hives


aggravated respiratory allergies such as asthma

Endocrine and Metabolic


loss of control of diabetes


menstrual changes 


marked thinning or loss of hair


marked weight loss


gradual weight gain 


aggravated low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) 


severe PMS

Other 


frequency of voiding and burning during urination


excessive thirst, fluid retention, leg swelling, and bloating 


increased susceptibility to infection

Additional Symptoms of Aspartame Toxicity include the most critical symptoms of all


death


irreversible brain damage


birth defects, including mental retardation


peptic ulcers 


aspartame addiction and increased craving for sweets 


hyperactivity in children


severe depression


aggressive behavior 


suicidal tendencies

Aspartame may trigger, mimic, or cause the following illnesses: 


Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 


Epstein-Barr


Post-Polio Syndrome


Lyme Disease


Grave's Disease


Meniere's Disease 


Alzheimer's Disease


ALS


Epilepsy


Multiple Sclerosis (MS) 


EMS


Hypothyroidism 


Mercury sensitivity from Amalgam fillings


Fibromyalgia


Lupus


non-Hodgkins

Lymphoma 


Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

These are not allergies or sensitivities, but diseases and disease syndromes. Aspartame poisoning is commonly misdiagnosed because aspartame symptoms mock textbook 'disease' symptoms, such as Grave's Disease.

Aspartame changes the ratio of amino acids in the blood, blocking or lowering the levels of serotonin, tyrosine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and adrenaline. Therefore, it is typical that aspartame symptoms cannot be detected in lab tests and on x-rays. Textbook disorders and diseases may actually be a toxic load as a result of aspartame poisoning. (4)

There is a very tragic story involved of how a young little girl was unknowingly suffering from Aspartame poisoning. To the girl's doctor, her symptoms indicated nothing more than a severe ear infection and was simply given antibiotics. But her symptoms didn't fade nor become better, if anything, they became worse. No one, including her physician could figure out what was causing all the serious health problems this girl was undergoing and why. It was later discovered that the culprit was the chewable vitamins she had been taking. They hadn't been labeled as being sugar-free, yet had Aspartame in them. I include this article for you to read as part of my sources.(5)

What I would like to know is why, with the ever growing evidence of how dangerous this "simple" little sweetener is, that is found in so many of our products, that there hasn't been any government intervention to pull this hazardous and deadly product off the market. It's my hope that by writing this article, I will have succeeded in at least having more people become aware of the dangers of consuming anything with Aspartame in it.

Sources To Read More On The Subject of Artificial Sweeteners:

History of Saccharin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccharin

Aspartame Side Effects

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/aspartame-side-effects-include-cancer.html

Weight Gain And Aspartame

http://www.sweetpoison.com

Sources cited: http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/aspartame-side-effects-include-cancer.html 
(1)

http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-side-effects.html (3), (4)

http://www.sweetpoison.com/aspartame-case-histories.html 
(5)

http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/weight_gain_myth.htm 
(2)

ARTICLE: The Need for a Pet Health Care Plan: A Medicaid Type Health Plan for Pets

(Originally published at Yahoo.Voices formerly Associated Content~August 13, 2007)

Today there are so many people who own pets, especially here in America, and all pet owners want nothing but the best for their pets, from giving them the best quality food, to proper veterinary care should their pet or pets need it. Unfortunately, the status of pets is that they are unfortunately considered a somewhat a "luxury" item, and in the eyes of the government and law in general pets are merely considered as "property" Try to tell that to your average pet owner who usually will value their pet every much as a beloved family member, and will often think of their pet as their "children".

It has been proven that pets are extremely beneficial to people, and this can be especially true of people who are disabled, and not just those of the visioned disabled, and therefore needing a seeing eye dog, but also those people who are disabled for other reasons, including emotional and psychological disabilities. Pets can also be beneficial to people of even low or poor income status.


Whether rich or poor, disabled or not, pet owners often view their beloved pets as family members. The hardship however, can occur when those who do not have adequate income are faced with a pet who may be in need of veterinary care, and as you no doubt realize, veterinary costs can be staggeringly high. Yes, there are pet health insurance plans available, yet people of lower income and who are disabled may not be able to afford such plans, as some can be almost as expensive to have as those health care plans for humans. And, as in the case of human health plans, pet owners, especially those who have more than one pet, each pet would have to be listed and covered by the pet insurance plan. People of lower incomes or who are disabled and who are in need of veterinary care for their beloved pet family member may not be able to afford this idea of pet health insurance plans and therefore, should a real urgent medical condition crops up and are in need of veterinary care for their pets, these same people are quite often faced with the hard decision of putting their pet down; this is true especially if the medical care their pet needs runs into the hundreds, or even thousands. Quite a lousy decision to make, is it not?

I'm aware that there are many veterinary places and practices that do allow for some kind of reduced fees for pet health care, especially in their spaying and neutering programs they may have for pets, but that is usually all. The majority of these organizations are non-profit ones whose financial resources are limited as they are not funded by the government, therefore, none could handle or offer to those in need for other medical emergencies.

Therefore, an idea struck me and I couldn't help wonder if there could be some kind of health plan initiated to help those people who love their pets, want to keep them, and want to be able to have proper veterinary care. What I'm thinking of is a sort of Medicaid equivalent for pet health care for lower income or disabled people. I myself am disabled and receive a small SSI Disability benefit check each month, and if God forbid one of my two cats were to become ill, I would not be able to seek the proper care for my cats, should they get seriously ill and needed veterinary care.

I can't help thinking that if enough people perhaps wrote to various organizations and voiced their own opinions that somehow some action could take place and get things rolling into this direction of a "Medicaid" program for pet health care, that it could become a reality. I have already started writing to several pet organizations, such as the ASPCA, Friends of Animals, Best Friends, The Humane Society, and even PETA. I'm hoping that they will respond and further help me and might lead me to the right direction of the next course of action, which may include writing to various government officials, say our Congressional leaders with my proposal.

I invite you to take action too, especially if you are a pet owner who is of a lower income status and/or disabled and even if you're not, I feel the more people get our feelings across about such a plan the better. You may start with the writing to the organizations I've already cited, and I'm sure there are many more that can be contacted as well. I feel it's high time that all pet owners should be able to breathe just a little easier that if their beloved pet is of need of veterinary medical care, they would be able to do so as opposed to having to put the animal down. I firmly believe that all pet owners should have the right keep their pet healthy with some kind of pet health care plan that all can have access to. And more important, perhaps in the very near future, pets will also be regarded as being more than "mere" property or luxury "item".

Here are some places to start writing to: ASPCA: legistlativeservices@aspca.org


FRIENDS OF ANIMALS: info@friendsofanimals.org


BEST FRIENDS: info@bestfriends.org


PETA: info@peta.org