Drop in Age for Strokes

As you are probably aware, if you've ever visited a nursing home or other long-term care facility, or watched any medical drama on TV, having a stroke can bring on terrible impairments. But as much as we tend to think of strokes as a problem that only strikes the elderly, that's simply not true. In fact, new research brings some very bad news for people middle-aged and younger, suggesting that their chances of developing a stroke may actually be increasing.

The study, which took place at the University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor, found that the average age of occurrence for a first stroke has recently been getting younger. The investigators gathered data on stroke patients already involved in a large study known as the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi Project. For the current research, the scientists focused on a window of time from 2000 through 2012 and excluded any subjects who had experienced a stroke previously.

The researchers concentrated only on ischemic strokes in which a blood vessel to an area of the brain gets blocked by a clot, the most commonly occurring types of strokes. They discovered more than 3,200 participants who had suffered an ischemic stroke during this 12-year period and analyzed the medical records of each patient to determine whether any stroke risk factors were present. The results clearly showed that overall incidence of strokes had declined in just over a decade and that the age of first stroke had dropped by two years. The average age of a first stroke occurring was 71.7 in 2000, and it fell to 69.3 in 2012.

And yes, at first glance it appears to be good news that the incidence is dropping and that it's still a problem confined to the elderly. But there's a frightening secret hiding behind the headlines, which, as usual, don't always tell the full story. The headlines promoted only the fact that the rate of strokes has been decreasing for some time in the United States, which may lead people to a false sense of security. The bad news is that while the overall rate has declined, stroke rates have not dropped in people younger than 65, and in fact are on the rise in those younger than 55. A 2011 study at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia found that stroke rates have been increasing in both men and women between the ages of 15 and 44, as well as in children as young as five.

So why, if we appear to be improving these statistics among senior citizens, are they worsening for the rest of us? The positive side is that older folks are likely more aware of the risks and are doing what they can to lower their odds of having a stroke, including quitting smoking. But the negative side is that way too many people under the age of 65 have been increasing their risk factors for stroke, ignoring those added risks, and are often paying the price.

The researchers discovered that certain stroke risk factors became more common during the period of the study. Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and atrial fibrillation (an irregular heart rhythm that can lead to heart problems) all were on the rise among the volunteers over the years considered, and each of these problems can elevate the chance of having a stroke.

More than 795,000 people in the U.S. annually experience a stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And approximately three-quarters of these are first-time strokes. What's more, stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability. Some of the devastating neurological effects of strokes such as speech and language difficulties and paralysis, the possibility of health problems that could stretch for decades, and the  impact on quality of life should be enough to make more of us take this seriously.

To lower your stroke risk, start by losing excess weight. This can help you improve your blood sugar levels and prevent diabetes as well. Eat a nutritious diet and cut out (or at least cut way back on) junk food and high-fat, sugary snacks. And if you can't do that, you might want to consider a sugar metabolic enhancement formula to your daily regimen--to help give you some breathing room for your indiscretions. Exercise is also essential. A 2013 study led by scientists from the Harvard Medical School, the London School of Economics, and the Stanford University School of Medicine showed that physical activity is much more effective than prescribed medication in preventing death from stroke. So dedicate a little time each day to a workout that improves both your cardiovascular fitness and strength, and you will increase your chance of living a long, healthy, stroke-free life.

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The Natural Health Benefits of Echinacea

If ever there was a miracle herb, Echinacea would fit the bill. You may have heard about this herb's cold-relief benefits, or the fact that Echinacea is one of the best selling herbal products in the world. This herb's history is closer to home than most herbs, as its use was first documented by Native Americans. The interesting discovery of this herb, however, is a little less glamorous than its uses.

It's said that Native Americans first discovered the medicinal uses of Echinacea when they observed elk seeking out the Echinacea plant and consuming it when they were sick or wounded. These Native Americans actually identified the plant as elk root, not the common name of Echinacea that we use now.

In the 19th century, "eclectic" medicinal practitioners documented using Echinacea for everything from snake bites to pain relief. Its use as a cold-relief remedy didn't occur until later, when a Swiss herbal supplement maker was erroneously told that Native American tribes used Echinacea for cold prevention. In truth, the tribes used Echinacea to treat some of the symptoms that could have been caused by the common cold like sore throats and headaches.

Today, many studies have been done on this miracle herb. One study by the University of Connecticut combined findings from 14 previously reported trials examining Echinacea and concluded that Echinacea can reduce the chances of catching a cold by approximately 58%, and decrease the duration of a cold by an average of 1.4 days. In fact, in one of the largest studies on the use of Echinacea to protect against colds, it was discovered that the number of recurrent colds suffered by those with weak immune systems or a history of catching several bouts decreased each year by 60%. And yes, there are some studies that seemed to find Echinacea ineffective, but as Jon Barron has pointed out, they are seriously flawed.

Echinacea's benefits certainly aren't limited to cold and flu prevention, either. Research has also reported Echinacea to be effective in treating bronchitis, tuberculosis, infections, etc. In fact, it contains echinacoside (a natural antibiotic, comparable to penicillin in effect). However, unlike antibiotics, which directly attack bacteria, Echinacea actually makes your own immune cells more efficient at attacking a broad range of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa, which makes it invaluable in wound healing and in the treatment of infectious diseases. Some studies even indicate that Echinacea might be beneficial in helping with cancer as well.

Echinacea also contains echinacein, a biochemical that protects against germ attack by neutralizing the tissue dissolving enzyme hyaluronidase, produced by many germs. Studies, such as the one published in Infection and Immunology, show that Echinacea contains substances that boost the ability of your body's macrophages to destroy germs. And other studies from the University of Munich have shown that Echinacea extracts boost T-cell production by as much as 30% more than other immune boosting drugs.

Since Echinacea has immune boosting abilities, it's probably not surprising that it's also recommended in treating urinary tract infections, vaginal yeast infections, ear infections, athlete's foot, sinusitis, hay fever, as well as slow-healing wounds. You will also find it as an ingredient in Jon Barron's Immunify formula.

And that's not all; Echinacea has been used to treat...

• Acid indigestion
• Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Diphtheria
• Dizziness
• Genital herpes
• Gum disease
• Malaria
• Migraines
• Pain
• Rattlesnake bites
• Rheumatism
• Septicemia - Bloodstream infections
• Streptococcus infections
• Syphilis
• Tonsillitis
• Typhoid

So, what should you know about taking this miracle herb?

First, it's important to remember that not all Echinacea is the same. As with all herbs, there is a wide range of quality, potency, and consistency among the numerous vendors, so you will need to be an informed consumer. Therefore, you should always check the grade of herb used. Instead of looking for bargain prices, look for companies that use high-quality herbs grown organically and with their natural ratio of biochemicals still intact.

Next, you'll want to make sure you use Echinacea in a formula, not as a single herb. Herbal medicine treatments differ from traditional drugs. If you have a sore throat, you don't just dose yourself with an herb like you would take a pill or cough medicine. Herbal medicine makes use of herbal formulations as opposed to single herbs. Herbal formulas not only address particular symptoms, they also support the body as a whole. In addition, they make use of the synergistic effect inherent in many herbs.

A few simple, easy to remember guidelines to follow are:

• Look for herbal formulations made from organic or wildcrafted herbs.
• Look for formulations designed by real herbalists.
• Look for (and expect) dramatic results -- Formulas that use high quality Echinacea should numb your tongue. If your tongue doesn't numb and tingle when you put your Echinacea formula on it, then it's probably low in its medicinal properties as well.

Finally, it's important to understand that the immune system responds best to periodic stimulus, as opposed to constant stimulus. That is to say, you don't want to use your Echinacea formula every day. It's not that anything bad happens; it just becomes less effective as the body becomes used to the stimulation. Taking one week off a month is enough to maximize the immune boosting effect.

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The Surprising Health Benefits of Oregano

The Surprising Health Benefits of Oregano

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The Importance of Stretching

"Stretching is the stepchild of exercise, with more lip service paid to it than actual practice. Stretching though is crucial to good health. The health benefits include:

• Reduced muscle tension
• Injury prevention
• Increased range of movement in the joints
• Enhanced muscular coordination
• Increased circulation of the blood to various parts of the body
• Increased energy levels (resulting from increased circulation)
• Stress relief
• Improved posture
• Improved organ function

Think for a moment of the opposite of stretching, tightness and restriction. By definition, you are talking about constriction in muscles and soft tissue, meaning reduced blood flow, a reduced supply of nutrients to the area of tension, and reduced removal of metabolic wastes. Areas that are tense and constricted, then, are breeding grounds for illness and organ dysfunction.

Traditional Chinese medicine states that all disease results from restrictions in the flow of energy (chi or qi) in the body and the resulting energy imbalances. So, you can see that stretching is not just an issue of feeling good--it is essential for maintaining optimum health.

What kinds of stretching are good? Yoga is probably the best stretching exercise there is, but Pilates works well too. If nothing else, do 5–10 minutes of simple stretching after your daily exercise routine as part of your cool down time. It is not by accident that at 60 years old, I can still do full splits."

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Hallucinogens Lessen Fear of Death

A few years ago, my friend Dee shocked me when she told me that in her past, she had participated in a study out of UCLA that required her to take the hallucinogenic drug psilocybin every day for a one-month period.  She had been chosen as a subject for the study because the researchers needed participants over the age of 55 who had never "tripped" before, and Dee fit the bill. At the time of the study, she was the stodgy, conservative grandmother of two, but the experiment changed her. By the time I met her, she had embraced an alternative lifestyle and become a source of bewilderment to her family and former friends.

The researchers weren't trying to turn upstanding citizens into fringe hippies. Rather, they were investigating whether taking psychedelic drugs might help people to overcome their fear of dying. Each time Dee took psilocybin, she was supervised by an entire medical team who stayed with her throughout her trip. Dee says that by the end of the study, her fear of dying had diminished to just about zilch. More remarkably, even years later, her triumph over that fear remained solid.

Studies investigating the potential psychological benefits of hallucinogenic drugs, and particularly testing their ability to ease the fear of dying, have been going on quietly for many years now. Because hallucinogenic drugs are still illegal and ostensibly serve no medical purpose, funding for research has been scant in recent years, but it wasn't always that way. Back in the 1950's, a psychiatrist named Stanislav Grof undertook research in Prague investigating the medical applications of LSD. A few years later, he moved to Maryland and worked with Dr. Walter Pahnke at the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, where the team began looking at LSD as a possible palliative for terminal patients afraid of dying. In controlled experiments, the team administered LSD to dying patients and found that one-third of them experienced “dramatic improvement” in their psychological state after dropping acid, and another third experienced "moderate improvement."

In fact, back then, psychiatrists routinely used hallucinogenic drugs to help terminal patients cope with anxiety, as well as to help alcoholics stop drinking. For a while then, hallucinogenic drugs were considered exciting new substances on the frontier of medical and psychological research, prompting the US government to fund 116 LSD studies prior to 1973. Those studies investigated the various medical applications the drugs might provide.  Meanwhile, Dr. Grof published books and articles celebrating the promising findings.

The research might have continued if not for Timothy Leary, a well-established Harvard professor at the time, who caught wind of Grof's work and tried some LSD himself to see what the fuss was about. Leary decided LSD was too good to be confined to the lab, and so he famously declared that the masses should snag some of the substance for themselves and "turn on, tune in, and drop out." Leary was dismissed from his professorial perch at Harvard University after distributing LSD to students and taking massive doses himself, but the counterculture heeded his call. Instead of using psychedelics in a supervised fashion for medical ends, hordes of young people were walking around drugged out, some even having psychotic breaks triggered by the drugs, while the conservative mainstream reacted by declaring psychedelics illegal, causing funding for research into LSD medical applications to dry up.

Recently, though, the door to that interrupted research seems to be reopening. In the past few years, multiple studies on hallucinogenic drugs have been initiated, including a handful--at New York University, UCLA, and Johns Hopkins--looking at using these drugs to alleviate PTSD symptoms, to manage chronic headaches, to help smokers and drinkers quit, and again investigating how these drugs affect fear of death in terminal cancer patients. The studies have benefited from the earlier research, which found that effective results could be achieved even when administering lower doses and, also, refined methods for guiding subjects through the experience. Whereas the research my friend Dee volunteered for back in the 70s required her to take psilocybin daily for a month, one current study at NYU restricts the drug-taking to just two sessions, and in one of those sessions, the subject gets a placebo (a niacin tablet). The study is double-blind, which means that neither the patient nor the researcher knows whether the subject is tripping for real or simply having a niacin episode.

In all the current studies, the subjects are screened carefully to be certain they're stable and have no family history of mental illness since psychedelics do have the potential to induce psychotic episodes. The sessions are always supervised and choreographed. In the NYU study, subjects lie on a couch while listening to carefully selected music, with two psychotherapists in the room to act as guides. In another study, participants are asked to bring meaningful objects with them and to use those objects as part of their experience. The preparation, screening, and support have insured that nobody has had a bad trip out of the many hundreds involved in the various studies. After the session, participants meet with the research team numerous times to debrief and make sense of their experience.

In nearly all cases, the drugs do seem to lessen death anxiety. An article last year in The Journal of Psychopharmacology reported that 94 percent of the subjects in a study at Johns Hopkins said that the trip was one of the five most meaningful experiences of their lives, while 39 percent said that it was the most meaningful experience. Considering that all of the subjects were at death's doorstep, that's significant indeed.

Why do the hallucinogenic experiences people have under the influence have the effect of lessening the fear of dying? Scientists admit that they don't really know, although they have a few theories.  A study just published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that psilocybin shuts down certain regions of the brain that might be overactive in depression, one possible factor. In any event, scientists agree that the state brought on by taking such drugs does indeed have profound effects. As Dr. John Halpern who conducted studies at Harvard University using Ecstasy at to ease fear in stage 4 cancer patients says, "On psychedelics, you have an experience in which you feel there is something you are a part of, something else is out there that's bigger than you, that there is a dazzling unity you belong to, that love is possible; and all these realizations are imbued with deep meaning...The experience gives you, just when you're on the edge of death, hope for something more."

Again, the research is just revving up after a long hiatus, but it seems clear that it will continue and possibly open avenues of pharmaceutical solace to those at the end of their lives.

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An Hour Less Sleep Ups Your Car Crash Risk

Most of us know way better than to drink and drive. If we're getting behind the wheel, we know our limits and either skip the alcohol entirely or go very lightly on it to avoid taking any chances. But would it ever occur to you to pass on driving after getting little sleep? Not likely, but it should. New research suggests that when we're not sleeping enough, the chances of causing a car accident can be as high as those of driving while intoxicated.

A new report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found that our risk of being involved in a car crash is almost double when we miss as little as one hour of sleep at night. The researchers arrived at their findings after conducting an analysis of the results of a large National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) survey. This included data from 4,571 car accidents to which the police were called, and they all took place between July, 2005 and December, 2007. Each crash was serious enough that at least one of the vehicles involved required towing from the scene and emergency medical personnel were dispatched to assess the occupants of the cars.

The investigators, who were present in the aftermath of each of the accidents, were trained to determine what factors influenced the crash. They also spoke to all of the drivers involved to ask questions about their typical sleep habits and any changes in sleep that had occurred in the 24 hours preceding the crash. The researchers found that the subjects whose actions behind the wheel contributed to the crash were more likely to have slept less than usual in the day prior to the accident and tended to have made a change in their sleep schedule at some point in the previous week.

In fact, the risk of an accident rose steadily as drivers reported getting fewer hours of sleep. Compared with drivers who received a minimum of seven hours of sleep the previous night, those who said they slept for between five and six hours had nearly twice the chance of contributing to a car accident. And the drivers who reported sleeping for four to five hours the night before had 4.3 times the risk of contributing to a crash versus their peers who had gotten at least seven hours of slumber.

For those who received just four hours or fewer of sleep, the odds were considerably worse, reaching an astounding 11.5 times the chance of having an accident. This figure is actually comparable to driving with a blood alcohol level of between 0.12 and 0.15--well above the legal limit of 0.08 for driving while intoxicated in most of the United States.

Other factors may come into play as well in many crashes. The researchers broke the information down by the participants' age and discovered that both the youngest and oldest of drivers tended to be the most frequent contributors to accidents in which lack of sleep was an issue. The age group least likely to be involved in a lack-of-sleep-related accident was middle-aged adults. We do not know, however, whether this is because younger drivers are less experienced and the oldest drivers have slowed reaction time, or if these age groups are simply more likely to get less sleep.

At any rate, this investigation is an important wake-up call (pun very much intended) to remind us that we need to be alert and focused every time we get behind the wheel. A 2016 study at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia showed that deaths due to car accidents are one of the top three reasons why Americans have a lower life expectancy rate than similar developed nations.

While you might not ever consider driving through the night or at a very late hour when you know you'll be exhausted, it somehow doesn't always occur to us that driving during the day when you've barely slept the night before--even if it's going on a routine drive in an area you're very familiar with--can be dangerous too. So if you were out too late, or something kept you up last night, don't hesitate to ask someone for a ride or choose public transportation instead. Or at the very least, force yourself to be extra alert--if possible. It's never worth the risk of harm to yourself or anyone else.

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New Year's Resolutions Already Broken

Every year before we even ring in the New Year, many of us mark the occasion as a starting point for fresh beginnings and create resolutions to reflect this. Among the most popular are resolutions to get in shape and these often focus on eating better, especially after the gorging that frequently goes on during the holiday season. How well do most of us stick with our diet resolutions? Not very, according to research, which suggests that in terms of the foods we purchase, we are off track within the first three months of the year. And it's even worse than you might think.

The study, which took place at the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab in Ithaca, New York, found that people actually buy more high-calorie foods at the supermarket between January and March than they do during other months of the year. The subjects were shoppers from more than 200 households in New York State. Their grocery store habits were monitored for a seven-month period between July 2010 and March 2011.

The information collected on the participants' supermarket purchases was separated into three readily definable sections of time. The first stretched from July until Thanksgiving, which represented a normal time of year and offered a baseline for what constituted typical buying behavior. The second segment lasted from Thanksgiving until New Year's Eve, which covers what you would think is, for many people, the most indulgent time of year food-wise. Finally, the last segment ran from New Year's Day through March, since the beginning of the year often marks an attempt to make healthier eating choices. All of the foods that the volunteers bought were assessed and deemed either healthy or unhealthy.

The greatest amount of money was spent on food over the course of the holiday season between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve. However, much more surprisingly, the data showed that the subjects were actually purchasing the largest quantity of food in the post-New Year's time period. It's not that the effort to eat more nutritiously wasn't there--a good deal of fruits and vegetables were in the shopping carts between January and March. But these items were not bought to replace unhealthy snacks; they were bought right along with all of the junk food. In fact, the difference added up to an additional nine percent of calories above average.

It would appear that even though many people have good intentions about getting their dietary act together for the New Year, the lingering habits from the previous year are pretty hard to break. Of course, it is possible that the results of this study may be somewhat flawed and would not be replicated if another experiment took place. After all, the findings were based on a relatively small number of participants, and they only resided in one state. Had a more expansive segment of the population been included as well as a more geographically diverse pool, the outcomes might have differed. For example, people living in New York are dealing with cold weather in January, February, and March and might be more inclined to seek high-calorie comfort food because of it, whereas someone in a warmer climate might more readily accept lighter fare.

Ultimately, though, we all need to take responsibility for what we choose to buy and to eat without making excuses as to why we can't have a healthier diet. The scientists who conducted the research suggested creating a shopping list of nutritious items at home, then sticking strictly to it once at the store. That's a great idea, as long as you can withstand impulse purchases. Also, you will want to spend the bulk of your time around the perimeter of the supermarket, where the produce, whole grain breads, and lean sources of protein can often be found. Don't even tempt yourself by going down the aisles dedicated to chips, cookies, and other junk food--what are known in the supermarket trade as Power Aisles.

Find fresh, natural items that you truly enjoy and soon you won't even feel like you are missing anything. Keep in mind that junk food is an addiction. When you break from it long enough, you lose your taste for it. And if you're not feeling your best after overindulging during the holidays, start the year off right with a five day liver detox. As Jon Barron says, not only does it provide all of the benefits associated with a good detox, it basically breaks all the bad food habits you've picked up over the holiday season. It provides the perfect opportunity to truly start anew.

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Why St. John's Wort For Depression & Pain

"Nature cures, not the physician." --Hippocrates

If you look closely enough, nature seems to have an answer for everything. Even more surprising is just how much our ancestors knew this to be true. Case in point: one of the most common herbs used for depression in the United States today is St. John's wort. And if you follow Jon Barron's newsletters, he even points out that it is the most popular antidepressant in Germany too, outselling Prozac 3-1!  The use of this particular herb can be dated back to the ancient Greeks, when Hippocrates recorded its medical properties.

HISTORY

The name itself has an ancient history. The flower is often in full bloom around June 24th, which is the day celebrated as John the Baptist's birthday. The word "wort" means "plant" in Old English. Since medieval times, to celebrate this day, it is customary to gather the herb and hang it over doors, windows, and icons as a preventive measure to keep evil away.

Its ability to fight "evil spirits" or "demons" is actually what led the herb to its current depression fighting application. The ancients, in fact, believed that evil forces or demons were responsible for making people melancholy or downcast. Since treatment with St. John’s wort provided a calming or sedating effect, the herb began to develop a reputation for having a spiritual power that was able to protect individuals from being tormented by evil spirits.

USES

As interesting as the history of this herb may be, its medicinal uses are equally, if not more, fascinating. Today, as in the past, the herb is most commonly used to naturally treat depression and its symptoms. It is licensed in Germany and other European countries as a treatment for mild to moderate depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders.

Sometimes called "Nature's Prozac," St. John's wort helps relieve stress, anxiety, and tension. As you can imagine, this herb has been studied extensively. In fact, more than 20 clinical studies have been completed using several different St. John's wort extracts. Most have reported antidepressant action equal to standard prescription antidepressant drugs, without the side effects.

In some studies, it has been shown to improve the mood of people suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression brought on in the winter months due to the lack of sunlight. There is also evidence that the herb works even better when combined with the traditional treatment for SAD: light therapy.

Of course, as with most of nature's health remedies, it isn't just a one-trick pony. St. John's wort has also been used to treat a myriad of other conditions. For instance, one study has shown that the herb may be helpful in relieving a number of physical and emotional symptoms of PMS, including cramps, irritability, food cravings, and breast tenderness.

In addition, a few studies suggest a combination of St. John's wort and black cohosh can help improve mood and anxiety in menopause.

The herb also has antibacterial properties and may help with fighting inflammation. Used as a topical treatment, it can help relieve symptoms that are associated with minor wounds and skin irritation, as well as help heal burn wounds. St. John's wort can also help ease nerve-related ache such as sciatica and neuralgia as well as help with arthritis and rheumatic aches. This is why you may find it in some natural topical pain relief products and why you’ll find it as an ingredient in Jon Barron’s Essential Relief formula.

The herb has also been promoted to help treat:

• bronchial inflammation
• bed-wetting
• stomach problems
• hemorrhoids
• hypothyroidism
• insomnia
• migraines
• kidney disorders
• diarrhea
• malaria
• insect bites and stings
• skin diseases

POTENTIAL FUTURE USES

Studies on St. John’s wort continue as scientists and researches keep delving into the full medicinal potential of this herb. Some studies have shown that the herb may be effective at lessening the withdrawal symptoms from nicotine and helping reduce the craving for alcohol. More studies are needed to further confirm these possibilities. The herb is also being studied as a potential treatment for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and other viral illnesses. And it is being studied as a treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and other social phobias.

AVAILABLE FORMS

St. John's wort can be found in many forms -- from capsules, tablets and extracts to tinctures, teas, and even a powder.

AS A CAUTION

St. John's wort can interfere with the action of several types of drugs including: immunosuppressants used for organ transplants, antiretrovirals used in the treatement of HIV, benzodiazepines, hormonal contraception pills and devices, anticonvulsants, and digoix. And it may, in rare cases, increase sensitivity to light in both the eyes and the skin. The bottom line is that St John’s wort should only be taken under the guidance of a health care provider if you are on any medications, or under a doctor's care for any medical condition.

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The Importance of Resistance Breathing

Proper breathing is a topic worthy of its own chapter (in another book), but for now let’s focus on the advantages of resistance breathing. The concept is simple: putting a device in your mouth that restricts (in a controlled manner) your inhalations and exhalations, which forces your lungs to work harder. This, in turn, strengthens the muscles that make your lungs work and increases their capacity. There are a number of such devices available on the Internet and in health magazines. This type of exercise can significantly improve the strength of your respiratory muscles and increase your lung capacity. Studies have shown that these devices can increase breathing endurance by close to 300 percent. Considering how fundamental oxygen is to health, it’s not hard to see the short- and long-term health and performance advantages of doing so. This is not just for performance athletes--the older you are, the more important this is. 

We hope you enjoyed this week's excerpt from Lessons from the Miracle Doctors. If you enjoyed this excerpt and would like to download an ebook or audiobook copy of the book, click the link below. 

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Don’t Follow The Lead of Celebrity Chefs

DON'T FOLLOW THE LEAD OF CELEBRITY CHEF'S

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Bikini Waxing and STDs

Bikini Waxing and STDs

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8 Ways to Keep Colds and Flu at Bay This Winter

8 Ways to Keep Colds and Flu at Bay This Winter

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The Natural Health Benefits of Arnica

The Natural Health Benefits of Arnica

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How to Improve Your Balance

One other key aspect of exercise is balance. Why? Because like all other physical abilities, balance diminishes with age unless we consciously exercise it. Is that a bad thing? Only if you fall down and break your hip or wrist. 

Here’s a simple balance exercise that you can do daily. It takes just a couple of minutes and will produce quick improvement.

• Stand, while holding onto the back edge of a chair set beside you for support.
• Bend the leg nearest to the chair at the knee 90 degrees so that your knees are still together and the foot of the bent leg is projected out behind you. Get used to balancing on the one leg while holding the chair.
• Then, turn to the other side and do the same thing with the other leg.
• After a couple of days, once you can comfortably balance like this, try taking your hand off the chair and balancing on the one leg without support from the chair.
• As you get more comfortable doing this, try to stop using your arms for balance and pull your hands in, palms together in front of your chest (a prayer position). This will force the act of balance to the muscles of one leg.
• Again, after several days, once you can comfortably balance like this, try closing your eyes and holding the pose for 30 seconds.

If you really want to improve your balance, many yoga poses are specifically designed as balance poses, utilizing the arms, legs, hips, and the entire body. On a more modern note, there’s a new breed of vibrating-platform exercise equipment that forces you to balance while working out. The net effect is that because the balancing aspect forces you to use an entirely separate set of muscles in addition to your normal workout muscles, it dramatically accelerates the benefits of exercise. 

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The Truth About Running and Your Knees

The Truth About Running and Your Knees

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Where You Live and How You’ll Die May be Linked

Where You Live and How You’ll Die May be Linked

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Four Methods to Help Fresh Food Last Longer

Four Methods to Help Fresh Food Last Longer

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Chanca Piedra - Nature’s Liver and Urinary Tract Protector

Chanca Piedra - Nature’s Liver and Urinary Tract Protector

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The Nutritional Component of Your Exercise Regimen

Exercise is as important to good health as proper nutrition. Then again, your need for proper nutrition is increased by exercise. You will need more quality protein to build the muscles you are exercising. Soy and whey are the "in vogue" supplements for body builders, but I much prefer the combination of rice protein and yellow pea protein. It is virtually of the same quality and bioavailability as those other sources, but has the advantage of being hypoallergenic and extremely easy to digest. 

You also need quality carbohydrates, especially ultra-long-chain carbohydrates (ULCs) such as pre-sprouted barley. ULCs release energy over several hours and do not spike sugar levels. High-quality fats are also critical--omega-3s and GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) in particular. 

When exercising, you utilize more oxygen, which produces extra free radicals, so you will need more antioxidants to clear them. Look for a full-spectrum antioxidant, rather than a single source wonder supplement (see Chapter 10). And you will want higher intake of minerals (particularly electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and all the trace minerals) and water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C and all of the B vitamins, for example), since you will be using them up and sweating them out at an accelerated rate. Instead of drinking high-sugar sports beverages, you might want to consider just adding liquid trace minerals to your water. 

The one area that you gain nutritionally while exercising is in detoxification. Exercise is its own form of detoxification: it removes waste from the lymph, stimulates peristalsis to remove waste from the colon, and accelerates the removal of waste through sweat and urine. 

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The Price of Healthy Eating

The Price of Healthy Eating

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A Workout All Women Should Be Doing

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Fenugreek - The Heal-All Herb

Fenugreek - The Heal-All Herb

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General Exercise Recommendations

"You need to cross-train for maximum benefit: do cardio/aerobic exercise, strength training, weight-bearing exercise, stretching, resistance breathing, and balance exercises. Find books, exercise DVDs, a personal trainer at your gym, or classes that you like and follow the program as laid out for you.

• The best form of cardio/aerobic exercise is interval training, which can be done with almost any form of aerobic exercise and many forms of strength training by alternating fast and slow versions of the exercise.

• Working out on an elliptical trainer or a cross-country ski machine is much easier on your body than jogging or running. Anything that involves a lot of bouncing on a hard surface (such as jogging) is likely to damage  your knees and spine over time.

• Stretching should be done every day. It’s invaluable as part of your aerobic and weight-training sessions to prevent injuries, and it’s also great exercise on its own.

• Yoga is spectacular exercise that, if done properly, can incorporate all aspects of exercise in one. Some of the poses can build strength in the legs, arms, chest, abdomen, and in every muscle in your body. Other poses, such as the sun salutation, can work as the cardiovascular/aerobic portion of your workout. Yoga can stretch every part of your body and many poses improve balance as well. And no other form of exercise helps you master breathing and optimize your lungs to the extent that yoga can.

• Besides feeling really good, regular deep massage can be a powerful tool for speeding recovery from exercise, removing toxins from muscle tissue, and improving the overall results of your exercise program. I particularly like a form of body work called BioSync, because of its unique ability to break up collagen cross-linking and restore the natural length and flexibility in muscle tissue. Saunas and steam baths likewise speed the removal of toxins from muscle tissue and accelerate recovery times. Check out the new generation of far-infrared saunas.

Of course, be sure and check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. But keep in mind, anyone can exercise. If all you can do is hobble around the bed using a walker, you can start with one trip around the bed the first day, two the next, three the third, and so on. If you’re confined to bed or a wheelchair, work your upper body. Extend your limits. Move or die. 
That finishes our discussion of the core Baseline of Health Program. In the remaining chapters, we’ll explore the issues that have elicited thousands of questions at Jonbarron.org over the last ten years -- namely, treatments for specific ailments." 
 
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