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You can do a quick self-test for your level of anxiety, fear, or stress.

Performing this test will help you determine how much anxiety, fear, and stress are affecting your life, as well as some of the possible root causes. The official name of the test is the Rhomberg neurologic test and it will immediately show if you suffer from low level anxiety syndrome.

Stand with your feet put together. Then stand on your tips toes. Now close your eyes. If you cannot keep your balance once you close your eyes, you have low level anxiety syndrome. People who pass the test and can keep their balance while their eyes are closed will have an anxiety level of 10 during an immediate fearful situation, but the next day be back to level 1. Those with low level anxiety syndrome stay at an anxiety level or 4 or 5 all the time.

You may recognize these other common physical symptoms associated with low level anxiety syndrome.

People with low level anxiety often have numerous allergies. They are also sensitive to scents such as perfumes or newsprint. Caffeine may keep them up all night. In addition, they are usually very sensitive to even small doses of prescription and over-the-counter drugs.

The source of low level anxiety syndrome is holding on to undesirable emotions.

If you didn’t pass the test and realize that you live in a constant state of low level anxiety, evaluate which of the following undesirable emotions are the source of your anxiety. People who are perfectionists often suffer from low level anxiety. Unresolved bitterness Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Various studies have been done linking both average and low Vitamin B-12 levels to brain shrinkage and dementia.

Last week I posted an article on Alzheimer’s prevention, so I thought it would be good to follow it up with these results of 3 different studies regarding B-12 deficiency and memory problems. I’ll paste abbreviated results below with their references in case you want to read the full articles. Top sources of Vitamin B are listed at the end of the post.

Take note of these main points:

-Though western cultures normally eat enough food with B-12, the absorption of it decreases with age.

-The push for using antacids has also decreased people’s absorption of B-12.

-If you divide a normal range of B-12 absorption into thirds, the elderly people in the lower level of what is still considered normal B-12 blood level range had 6 times more brain shrinkage than those in the upper third. Thus, a normal level could still be risky unless you are at the higher end of the range. Two studies below showed risk in normal ranges.

-Dairy products, fish, and meat are the typical sources of B-12.

-Daily oral doses of B-12 in 1000 mcg were effective in raising B-12 levels in elderly and reducing memory problems. Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

As over 5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s and over 500,000 of them are under the age of 65, it is well worth looking into preventative measures.

I’m highlighting 10 points from an AOL article by Vicki Salemi with a link below to the full article. The sentences in parentheses are my comments on some of the points. The doctor in Ms. Salemi’s article does recommend certain drugs as preventative measures; we, personally, prefer non-drug methods as much as possible, as all drugs have some negative side effects which can outweigh any benefits.

Vitamin B Work with your doctor to put together a plan to incorporate whatever vitamins you are deficient in, particularly Vitamin B. [Our doctor said that Vitamin B is the most difficult vitamin for the body to absorb, so he suggests a quality B complex even if it is the only vitamin you take.]

Heart Healthy Foods Implement a heart healthy diet that’s low in fat and high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Mental Gymnastics Taking your brain out of the comfort zone is one way to make connections and remain stimulated, such as doing crossword puzzles, creates a multi-dimensional connection.

Exercise Thirty minutes of exercise several times a week is beneficial for brain health. Exercise brings more oxygen to your brain, it helps burn excess sugar, it enhances hormones and is good for blood flow.

Avoid Heavy Metal Contamination Avoid shrimp and shellfish due to the mercury. Avoid exposure to aluminum in general, aluminum foil, pots and pans or deodorant with aluminum as an ingredient. [When buying fish, we look for "wild caught" on the label, and albacore in tuna, as they are supposed to be lower in heavy metals, though some doctors avoid fish completely, such as Dr. Mercola.] Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Reading Level: Leisurely

Most people admit to being tired and exhausted the majority of the time. Many suffer from restless sleep for a variety of reasons and would do anything for a good night’s sleep!

I recently read an article, it may have been by Dr. Mercola, that said most Americans actually exist in a continual state of jet-lag due to throwing off their internal clocks by not making a habit of a dusk to dawn sleep pattern. The article below quoted in Dr. Mercola’s newsletter says that “Americans now get about 25 percent less sleep than they did a century ago.” In addition to health problems such as weight gain, depression, high blood sugar, increased cancer risk, and brain damage, it said “an estimated 71,000 people are injured in fall-asleep crashes each year.”

In this quote from Dr. Mercola’s newsletter, there are 10 steps for achieving deep sleep.

Below the quote is a link to his full newsletter. Once there, look for 2 other links. After the 10 steps to deep sleep quoted in his newsletter, there is a link to a Reader’s Digest Article with 14 more steps for a good night’s sleep. However, Dr. Mercola has made his own list of 33 Secrets for a Good Night’s Sleep and you will see it at the end of his comment section. These are all good, practical tips, some of which we had already implemented in our household, and some we are going to begin tonight!

1. Sprinkle just-washed sheets and pillowcases with lavender water, and then iron them before making your bed. The scent is proven to promote relaxation.

2. Hide your clock, so that its glow won’t disturb you and make sure there is no light coming from other sources including your windows as this will seriously impair your body’s ability to produce melatonin.

3. Choose the right pillow — neck pillows, which resemble a rectangle with a depression in the middle, can enhance the quality of your sleep and reduce neck pain. Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Reading Level: Leisurely

A good beginning to resolve many physical health issues is an near as your pillow.

“An estimated 50 to 70 million [people in the US] live on the brink of mental and physical collapse because of a lack of sleep,” as stated in Dr. Don Colbert’s book, “The Seven Pillars of Health (1).” A lack of sleep affects one’s job performance, driving ability, family/friend relationships, creativeness, decision-making as well as contributes to a host of chronic diseases.

Let’s look at a great illustration from nature related to our need for rest.

Dr. Colbert relates the following illustration in his book.  The soil in which our food is grown needs to have regular periods of rest. If crops are not rotated and the soil given a year of rest every so many years, the food grown there, even if organically grown, is devoid of many of the nutrients necessary for life. According to the 1992 Earth Summit, North America has the worst soil in the world-85 percent of the vital minerals depleted from it (2). Data from a USDA handbook from 1972 was compared to USDA food tables in 2001 and found that many vegetables had almost a 50 percent loss in nutrient content during that period of time (3). In scripture, God told people to give the soil a year’s rest every seventh year so that the nutrients could be naturally restored to the soil, and hence, to our food (Lev. 25:1-7). We came from the earth. The earth or soil needs regular rest or it will become devoid of everything of value. The parallel is obvious: if we do not take time to rest, our lives will become devoid of everything of value.

If you are sleep deprived, take a quick inventory of the things of value in your life.

If you have been sleep deprived, you can now quickly see that everything of value in your life-your career, your relationships, your creativity, Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

There is one food item consumed daily in the US that raises blood pressure levels 77%.

High blood pressure is a common issue in our culture; when left uncontrolled, it greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.  We all know that food and lifestyle habits affect blood pressure.  Ignoring it is dangerous and yet it can so easily be helped!  Studies show that there is 1 great place to start  –  a food that is a main factor in high blood pressure.  Anyone can make a lifestyle change of just one food!

Dr. Joseph Mercola recently discussed the relationship studies show between fructose and high blood pressure. 

Here are some excerpts.  See the link below for Dr. Mercola’s full e-news post.

A recently published study (2010) showed that:

those who consumed 74 grams or more per day of fructose (the equivalent of about 2.5 sugary drinks) had a 77 percent greater risk of having blood pressure levels of 160/100 mmHg. (A normal blood pressure reading is below 120/80 mmHg.) Consuming 74 grams or more of fructose daily also increased the risk of a 135/85 blood pressure reading by 26 percent, and 140/90 by 30 percent. (1)

Dr. Mercola says what makes this significant is that the average American consumes 70 grams of fructose every day.  It’s time to read those food labels and see what the sources of fructose are in your diet!

Here are Dr. Mercola’s recommendations for safe fructose intake Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

If you have consistent low energy, especially upon standing, and have been unle to find a medical cause, you may want to check the possibility of adrenal fatigue.

Your adrenal glands not only give you bursts of energy for your “fight or flight” mode, but are responsible for increasing the flow of blood when you need to put out energy, such as just standing up from a lying or sitting position. With adrenal fatigue, which is common after long periods of extreme stress or for people with easily stressed personalities, the adrenal glands are unable to produce adequate quantities of its hormones, particularly cortisol.(1) Unfortunately, it is an often overlooked medical condition.

We had a friend who had passed out upon standing up and thereafter was consistently having difficulty just getting the energy to stand.  The lack of blood to his head was causing dizziness and lightheadedness.  He went through 6 months of medical testing at the hospital with no conclusive results. 

In only 5 minutes, you can easily do a self test with a home blood pressure kit to see if you have adrenal fatigue.

Finally, a different doctor did the Ragland’s blood pressure test on him and in less than 5 minutes discovered the cause to be adrenal fatigue.  With the Ragland test, you take your blood pressure while lying down and resting.  Then, stand up and immediately take your blood pressure again. The systolic pressure (the first number) should go up about 10 points.  If it stays the same or drops, you probably have adrenal fatigue. (2)

Here are some lifestyle factors that contribute to adrenal fatigue.

As I mentioned, an easily stressed personality overworks the adrenals, but these common lifestyle factors also contribute to it, provided by AdrenalFatigue.org (3): Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

A study published by the American Journal of Gastroenterology shows that daily journaling about one’s illness brings improvement.

Someone forwarded to me a photo of an article by Healthcommunities.com . I was unable to locate the article on their website, though it was listed as “Remedy 17.”  Here is the quote about the study done by Boston University:

If you have IBS, a pen and paper may help.  A Boston University study published by American Journal of Gastroenterology finds that symptoms of IBS improve when the patients write about their feelings and experiences with the illness.  People with IBS suffer from chronic stomach discomfort, alternating of diarrhea and constipation and psychological distress.  Much like talks with the therapist, daily writing appears to ease some of the anxiety, depression, and other negative feelings that accompany IBS.  And when people feel better psychologically, they often feel better physically. (1)

A sideline to the idea of journaling, Healthcommunities.com recommends that you pay attention to the following certain foods and beverages which tend to aggravate IBS symptoms–chocolate, milk, soda, fats, caffeine, and large meals.
(1)Healthcommunities.com  Remedy 17

See these related posts:

Is Your Crohn’s Disease Food Allergy Related?

Olive Leaf Extract: The New Multi-Faceted Supplement

From Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia to Diabetes, High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol, Olive Leaf Extract Should be of Interest to You!

I recently came across a comment on someone’s webpage about olive leaf extract solving digestion issues.  After some research around the web, I wanted to post for you excerpts from 2 of those articles as I was amazed at what I found. 

According to the Nutritional Supplement Educational Centre, the use of olive leaf extract for health benefits has been common to the Mediterranean culture, though more recently popular in the nutritional supplement industry. Olive leaf extract gained international attention when studies showed it to have an antioxidant capacity almost double green tea extract and 400% higher than vitamin C. (2)

Here is a sampling of olive leaf extract benefits listed by the NSEC:

1.  Boosts weakened immune system by neutralizing free radical cell damage.

2.  Naturally kills pathogens such as bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi, by preventing them from reproducing.

3.  Lowers blood pressure.

4.  Lowers high cholesterol. Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Studies show many people use too little or the wrong kind of sunscreen or suntan lotion.

An spf 30 sunscreen rating sounds good but it may not be as good for your health as it sounds.  I compiled some lists of safe options for sun protection, whether you wear sunscreen or prefer other alternatives.

First is the easiest option for you. Use the Environmental Working Group’s sunscreen database.

 According to several sites I searched through, the FDA is not updating its sunscreen standards until 2012.  The EWG tested over 700 sunscreens and gave them a score of 0 to 10, 0 to 2 being the safest ones recommended by the EWG.  The EWG’s study found that 60% contain oxybenzone a potentially harmful hormone-disrupting compound that penetrates the skin and enters the bloodstream and 41 % contained retinyl palmitate which accelerates skin damage and increases skin cancer risk when applied to skin exposed to sunlight. (1) .

Check out the safety of your favorite sunscreens using this database link Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Few things ruin a good vacation or outing quicker than a severe sun burn.  Here are 6 steps to a quick sunburn recovery.

This list consists of abbreviated, paraphrased excerpts from an article called, “Summer Travel (see footnote),” by Dr. David J. Foreman, Herbal Pharmacist, who writes a monthly newsletter for the Vitamin Shoppe chain of stores. You can find more of Dr. Foreman’s articles at www.VitaminShoppe.com, click on Health Info, then on Herbal Pharmacist.

1. Treat it with ice as you would any other burn.  Don’t soak in ice water all at once; apply towels soaked in ice water to sections of your body for 20 minutes at a time, then rotate to another section.

2. Relieve the pain an inflammation naturally with white willow, or take an aspirin.

3. Treat the burn topically with aloe or calendula.  A stabilized aloe gel or calendula cream will soothe the burn and help repair the skin. 

4. Take antioxidants to help your body repair the free-radical damage caused by the burn from the inside out.  Supplements such as lutein, lycopene, or zeaxanthin are Dr. Foreman’s recommendations.

5. Fish oil is an anti-inflammatory and will also help produce new skin cells.

6. Drink plenty of water.  Not only will you have dehydrated from the burn, but increasing your daily water intake will decrease peeling and speed the rate of healing.

Related Post: Sunscreen- Here’s Some Safe Options

Excerpts from “Summer Travel,” by Dr. David J. Foreman, Herbal Pharmacist, Vol. 5, Issue 4.

Intestinal damage caused by food allergies can be triggering your intestinal diseases, such as Crohn’s Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Celiac Disease.

I came across a study by Dr. Harry K. Wong that has beneficial insights on food allergies causing intestinal diseases due to the intestinal track damage they create over time.  The article made a great deal of sense considering the people I know with these ailments have not found relief from conventional medical treatments.  If one’s intestinal disease is food allergy triggered, then the problem will continue without relief until the food allergies are dealt with.

Be aware that many people are unaware of any allergic reaction to food allergies.

In my own experience, I discovered that a person can have food allergy reactions and not notice a reaction.  Over time, especially when there has been has been an overload of stimulus from an allergen, the body stops reacting to it in a noticeable way.  My doctor explained it to me this way.  The first time you put a ring on, your mind is consciously aware of the feeling.  Eventually, because of the constant stimulation of those nerves, the body tunes it out.  Those nerves are still working, still being affected by the pressure of the ring, but you are mentally unaware of it.  Dr. Wong also discusses that your immune system can be so overwhelmed by the allergen that it’s literally giving up Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Recent studies have shown that lowering your intake of sugars and grains plays a major role in slowing aging and extending lifespan.

A recent newsletter article by Dr. Joseph Mercola explained the results of these different studies. Use this link here or the footnote at the end of the post to read his full article.

The key factor resulting from the studies that Dr. Mercola brings out is that it is the lowering of insulin levels as a result of calorie restriction which helps to extend one’s life.

Calorie restriction equals lower insulin levels. On the reverse side, high insulin levels speed up the aging process. Though eating fewer calories overall does affect most people’s longevity, even more important is Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Probiotics are a popular health supplement. How do you know which ones and how much to take?

 Most of us have probably used acidophilus supplements, or more specifically, lactobacillus acidophilus.  However, now there are more choices of probiotics on the market than ever, in a wide variety of price ranges, and in an even greater variation of bacteria amounts.  Does it really matter which you take?

 You will want to make an informed decision based on your personal need.  I have used plain L acidophilus as well as some inexpensive probiotic combinations from Walmart.  If you have tried them, you, too, probably noticed an overall good experience of just feeling that your stomach is more settled, digesting easier, and less bloated after eating.  These simple inexpensive types are fine for those who feel that their digestion is healthy.

 Why would someone with good digestion want to take any probiotics at all? 

 As the digestive enzymes that occur naturally in foods are mostly destroyed by cooking, and many cultures eat too high a percentage of cooked food to maintain a good level of natural probiotic intake solely from food, a simple supplement is helpful.  However, if you or a family member have consistent bloating, constipation, inconsistently formed bowel movements, yeast buildup, ulcers, or consistent gut pain after eating, you will want to implement the information I recently came across.

 Though 1 million bacteria per pill sounds like a huge amount, these typical doses are not sufficient if you are having digestive issues.

Experts in probiotics say that you need a 10 billion bacteria per day probiotic intake to achieve Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »

Reading Level: Leisurely

Anti aging is a hot topic as more people realize that you do have the option not to succumb to all the typical ailments of aging and, especially, not to feel the affects of aging as early.

My grandfather decided to make major changes to his health when he turned the age of 39. I am not sure what all food related changes he made, but I know he stopped drinking alcohol, cut back to one cup of coffee a day, and began taking supplements and power walking a mile a day. He enjoyed incredibly good health throughout his senior years. He had a brief bout of severe arthritis in his early 70’s but through research on supplements and faithful prayer it soon disappeared completely. He still had none of the typical old age illnesses, rarely even a cold, when he passed away at the age of 89. On the other hand, I have known people who eat the typical American diet of almost no fruits, vegetables, or water and never exercise. They have already had diseases common to old age in their late 30’s, 40’s, or 50’s.

Many of the lifestyle changes to create a extended, healthier life are easy to make!

I wanted to include abbreviated lists from a couple of different organizations on anti aging. Each website has vast amounts of information to surf through, so please make use of their links to click through and read more ways to have a long, satisfying life.

These 8 tips are from Simply Anti Aging’s pages on health and nutrition. Many more tips on their site.

1. Laugh More. Recent research has shown that laughter really does help us in managing stress. Adopting a humorous view of life’s difficulties can take the edge off everyday stressful situations. Laughter stops the release of damaging stress hormones into the body. (A)

2. Improve Cardio Fitness with Dance. Combining cardio exercise fitness with dancing is a great way to keep fit over 40. (A) Immerse Yourself in the Full Healing Contemplation Here »