Friday, February 10, 2012
A report from the Centers for Disease Control suggests autism is more common than previously thought. More children were diagnosed with autism this past year than with AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined. It affects boys significantly more than girls, about three to four times more. Parents are sometimes confused about what autism is, and how to recognize it.
Autism is a brain dysfunction that appears in the first few years of life. It's a physical condition linked to abnormal biology and chemistry in the brain. But how these abnormalities surface in young minds remains a mystery. A great deal of public and private resources are currently devoted to finding a cause to this terrible disease, as well as an effective treatment.
Many children who develop autism have no symptoms whatsoever until age 2 or 3. In fact, some children develop normally and actually regress in their behavior and language. If you notice your child has lost any language skills at any age, have him or her examined by a doctor who specializes in diagnosing autism.
Parents should be aware of certain milestones that their child should be marking, and if are not doing so, should be seen by a doctor who specializes in diagnosing autism. These milestones are:
• Babbling by 12 months
• Gesturing (pointing, waving bye-bye) by 12 months
• Saying single words by 16 months
• Saying two-word spontaneous phrases by 24 months (not just echoing)
Parents with children who are, or might be, autistic suffer greatly and need all the help they can get. Thank God there are a number of wonderful resources where parents can get all the information and emotional support they need.
One of those resources is the website, Autisable.com which is part of the Xanga.com Network of blogging community sites. The Xanga Network reaches over 4 million people globally each month. Autisable's Twitter account is ranked 7th on Klout in terms of influence about the topic of Autism and ranks even higher for those with Aspergers.
Autisable.com connects to at least 20 other resources. This website gives families facing autism strength by reinforcing the fact that they are not alone. There are millions of families dealing with Autism and the bond they form with one another through sharing is truly an answered prayer.
Currently there is no known cause of autism. Researchers now say it is probably the result of a combination of factors. Genetic factors seem to be important, but those are not specific enough to predict autism at this point.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
This time of year about one in every five people will get sick with either the cold or the flu. It's a little tricky to tell which is which.
In general, cold symptoms are experienced from the neck up, whereas flu symptoms are all over.
COLD SYMPTOMS:
• Sore Throat
• Stuffy Nose
• Sneezing
• Cough
FLU SYMPTOMS:
• High Fever
• Body Aches
• Extreme Exhaustion
• Dry Cough
Unfortunately, both colds and flu are viruses and there isn't a pill that cures a virus. You must simply let it run its course. In order to make the process more bearable, treat the symptoms with a number of over-the-counter medications or home remedies.
The best plan of action, of course, is to not get sick in the first place. There are a number of healthy habits that really work.
KEEP YOUR HANDS CLEAN
It is the most important and effective safeguard against colds and flu. Be aware that only four out of ten people washes their hands after coughing or sneezing. Add on top of that the fact that viruses can live on surfaces for a full eight hours. So it's important to wash your hands or sanitize them as often as possible, especially before touching your eyes, nose, mouth, or food.
SLEEP
This is the time that your body repairs itself. If you are sleep deprived, your immune system suffers greatly because your body is having trouble just keeping you awake and functioning, much less fighting off viruses. According to a 2008 Carnegie-Mellon study, anything less than seven hours of sleep triples your chance of getting sick.
EXERCISE
It increases your immune system. A 2010 Appalachian State University study showed that people who walked briskly for 30 to 45 minutes a day, five days a week during the winter had fewer colds and flu than people who did not exercise at all.
EAT RIGHT
You've heard it a million times before: lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. But it's true. The vitamins in those foods will boost your immune system. Coconut oil is also a natural immunity booster, just make sure it's non-hydrogenated, also known as "virgin" or "pure" which means the only ingredient should be coconut oil.
SUPPLEMENTS
In case you don't get enough vitamins from your diet, supplements can fill in the gaps nicely. A multi-vitamin is a good place to start. You may also consider adding to it: vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, and fish oil.
Wednesday, January 04, 2012
The new year is a time for a fresh start. It's a time when many people turn their attention to areas in their lives that need changing.
For a great many of us, we would like to live healthier. A significant portion of the population also resolves to know Jesus more intimately. The Daniel fast is a great way to accomplish both.
You recall that the Old Testament prophet Daniel refused to follow the Babylonian king's mandate that Daniel eat meat that was sacrificed to idols. Daniel and his friends refrained from wine, as well, which left them with food that grew from the ground and simply water to drink. The Lord blessed them abundantly.
Tens of thousands of individuals, as well as a great many churches nationwide, are adopting the Daniel fast. It lasts 21 days, as in Daniel 10, and as with all fasts, really only works when your goal is to please God, not lose weight.
In other words, you restrict your food and beverage intake for a spiritual purpose. This is not a diet where the emphasis is on the food. This is a fast, where the emphasis is on Jesus. Weight loss and better health are simply a by-product, a side-effect, if you will, of this fast.
A fast is a period of time where you deny yourself in order to heighten your relationship with God. In the words of our Savior (Luke 9:23), "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me. "
These are words to live by in everyday life, year-long, not just while fasting, because we must always deny our own fleshly desires to eat too much, which is the sin of gluttony. And we must deny the urge to bypass the Lord and seek comfort from food, instead of the true comfort source, which is Him.
Furthermore, denying ourselves through disciplined eating, regardless of whether we are fasting, is a great witness. How can we expect our teenagers, for example, to deny the temptation to give in to peer pressure to try drugs or alcohol, or how can we expect our spouses to deny the temptation to view pornography if they see us being unwilling to deny the temptation to indulge in eating things we have no business putting into our body, which as God says, is the temple of the Holy Spirit?
So give fasting a try, for good physical health, but more importantly, good spiritual health!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
The time between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day is steeped in unrealistic expectations. We are bombarded in the media with images of lavish gift-giving that can induce feelings of financial inferiority. We hear people talking about warm and loving family gatherings that can make the pain of our own dysfunctional relationships even more acutely painful.
And when you add all the cooking, shopping, and entertaining associated with the holidays to the already hectic schedules we lead, it can leave us with feelings of failure at our inability to get everything done.
So if you are not experiencing the joy of the holiday season, at least take comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Better yet, with a little know-how, you can avoid the pitfalls that ruin our holidays and experience them in the way God intended - with joy, peace and thanksgiving.
- Make a budget for gifts, travel, food, and donations. This will prevent the stress of out-of-control spending.
- Schedule tasks like holiday baking and shopping so you don't have to worry about when you will do it.
- Volunteer at a church, hospital, nursing home, anywhere that allows you to help someone else. This is a sure-fire way to lift your mood.
- Arrange well in advance time to get together with other people so you won't be caught alone. Isolation can lead to depression. If you can't be around your loved ones, try the next best thing, such as sharing pictures, emails, social networking or videos.
- Exercise. The longer and harder you work out, the more endorphins your body releases. So even though a slow short walk is light years ahead of sitting on the couch watching television, challenge yourself to kick it up a notch. Endorphins are neurotransmitters that have euphoric and pain relieving properties similar to morphine!
- Eat healthy food. The more you over-indulge the worse you will feel about yourself. Before any gathering that will involve lots of fattening food, try drinking lots of water and eating veggies, like a salad, or at the very least a healthy meal, so you'll be too full to pig-out at the party.
- Get your eight hours. Lack of sleep makes us eat more, but also leads to depressed mood.
- I saved the best for last: PRAY. Spend time with the Lord. By the power of the Holy Spirit you can have the self-control and wisdom to focus on the true meaning of the holidays: giving thanks, celebrating the birth of our Savior, and the promise of a new year.
Through prayer, Jesus fills us with the peace and love we crave and the strength to share it with others.
So above all, slow down, and take time to rest in the Lord this holiday season.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Emergency rooms are packed during the holidays. Many patients who end up seeking immediate medical treatment are suffering from a condition known as Holiday Heart Syndrome. It is brought on by drinking too much alcohol too fast and eating too much salt. Caffeine can add to the problem.
These outside influences can throw the heart into abnormal heart rhythms. What's especially troubling about this condition is that people who are affected with it, often have no history of heart disease. Alcohol has been proven to cause several different types of heart rhythm disturbances sometimes. The most serious is called atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, which can lead to stroke.
Salty foods, which are certainly plentiful at the holidays, cause fluid retention, and add to the problem. So try to avoid those types of foods and drink more water than usual to flush-out your system.
Caffeine can sometimes make irregular heart rhythms worse, so avoid combining alcohol and caffeine. If your heart starts racing or beating irregularly, don't ignore it. Sit down. If you are drinking, stop. Wait five minutes. If the feeling isn't gone by then, go the emergency room.
So much of the damage we do to our bodies during the holidays is completely preventable, if we only practiced a little (or a lot) of discipline. Let's not let our overindulgent society dictate to us what the holidays are all about.
Thanksgiving is not about a 3,000-calorie meal, although that's what it has become to many Americans. Yes, that's the average calorie count for the typical Thanksgiving meal. That's the amount of calories most women should consume over a two-day period, not at one sitting.
Lets shift the focus away from the food and on to the people. Family gatherings can be stressful, of course. Stress is terrible for our health. But again, if we shift our focus from what is wrong with our family members, away from what they can give us, or should be doing for us, and instead focus on loving them and ministering to them the way Jesus teaches us to do, stress will not be a problem. This holiday season, let's make sure to make time to pray...pray for our families and pray for the peace that God promises to those who love Him.
Another stress reducer is exercise, and we all know the health benefits of exercise! So why not make exercise a new part of the holiday tradition. Go for walks with the family or instead of hitting the mall or the movies, how about hitting the gym together? Go for a swim at the YMCA pool, or how about ice skating?
Lastly, the best thing you can do to prevent health mishaps this holiday season is to quit smoking.
I pray God's protection, wisdom and strength to all who read this, throughout the holiday season.
Tuesday, November 08, 2011
Last month the world mourned the loss of the technological genius Steve Jobs. His life was cut short by pancreatic cancer. He actually outlived many people who have gotten that grim diagnosis. He was told the bad news in 2003.
Only four percent of people live beyond five years after being diagnosed. The reason it is so deadly is because it is nearly impossible to detect early. Therefore, once a person experiences symptoms, the cancer has spread to vital organs, such as the liver.
Studies show that certain lifestyle choices can greatly influence whether you will get pancreatic cancer. Since the long-term prognosis is so bleak, it makes sense to focus on prevention, keeping in mind that some people who live a healthy lifestyle still get cancer.
Smoking is the chief risk factor. Smokers are almost twice as likely to get pancreatic cancer than non-smokers. But remember, if you quit smoking, the longer you are tobacco-free, your risk of getting the disease is reduced. So if you smoke, quit! See your doctor about the smoking-cessation drug Chantix. It is highly effective, but is not suited for everyone.
Obesity is a key risk factor, so if you are overweight, this is now greater motivation to shed those extra pounds.
Similarly, a poor diet is also a risk factor. These would include diets that are high in sugar, processed foods, trans fats, and red meat. Poor diets are usually lacking enough fresh vegetables, water, fresh fruits, and whole grains.
Lack of exercise has also been a proven risk factor for pancreatic cancer. Keep in mind that every little bit helps. Even an hour and a half a week of walking has been shown to decrease your risk factor for cancer. So if you are out of shape, just start walking a little bit and gradually increase your speed, duration, and frequency. Then you can graduate to more vigorous cardiovascular exercise.
Genetics plays a role, too. About 8 percent of pancreatic cancer patients have someone in their family who had the disease, and your risk increases with every family member who had it.
And speaking of genetics, Jewish Ashkenazi decent is a risk factor. Those are people with a Central or Eastern European background.
Diabetes can be not only a risk factor, but an early sign of the disease.
Gingivitis or periodontal disease is another red flag. So brush and floss daily and keep up with those regular dental check-ups.
So while cancer isn't completely preventable, there are certainly many things that we can control that will lessen the chances of us getting it.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Most of us know that filtered cigarettes are better for us than unfiltered. So does that mean we should smoke filtered cigarettes? By no means! We shouldn't smoke at all!
The same thing can be said about wheat. Most of us know that whole wheat is better for us then refined wheat. So does that mean we should eat whole wheat? By no means. We shouldn't eat wheat at all.
Unfortunately, wheat isn't what is used to be. Over the last 40 years or so, it has changes so drastically, it is hardly recognizable as the same food. It has changed in appearance as well as nutritional content.
Wheat plants are more than two feet shorter than they used to be. This change allows for more seeds on the plant without it toppling over from the weight. The effect on the body is such that wheat increases the body's blood sugar so dramatically that it's making us fat and sick.
Please understand that I am talking about whole wheat products. Even organic whole wheat products. The wheat plant itself has morphed universally, so that you cannot purchase the wheat Americans used just half a century ago. It's a real shame.
How did this happen? It will not surprise you to know that increased profits were behind the changes. The newer breed of wheat is not a product of genetic modification, but rather a result of cross breeding and hybridization that makes the plants more drought resistant higher yielding.
But the way our bodies react to today's wheat costs us all more in increased health care costs, not to mention increased food purchasing, because wheat is downright addictive.
The basic problem with wheat is that is converts to blood sugar more efficiently than any other carbohydrate....even sugar!
In fact, just two slices of whole wheat, yes, whole wheat bread increases your blood sugar to a higher level than a candy bar!
As most of us know, after that type of sugar spike, a couple of hours we experience a sugar crash. We are tired, shaky, foggy and of course, hungry. So the cycle starts all over again, eating wheat, sugar spike, crash, more wheat.
The obvious result is weight gain, which fans out into a whole host of other problems not the least of which are cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.
When you consider that 20 percent, one-fifth, of our diets are comprised of wheat, it's no wonder we're so fat and tired and sick!
The solution is a no-brainer. Eliminate wheat.
But while that remedy is simple, it's not easy. Just look around. Wheat is everywhere. It's in everything, not just crackers anymore.
Why is that? Do you suppose that food manufacturers know that wheat stimulates appetite and that by putting wheat in their products they can induce people to eat more of them?
Dr. William Davis, a preventive cardiologist, recently wrote the book called Wheat Belly, which explains how perilous wheat, all wheat, is to our health. Furthermore, he describes how his patients who eliminated wheat from their diets saw dramatically improved heath.
He says it takes about five days of no wheat before you stop craving it. That withdrawal period if the toughest part. But boy is it worth it. His patients immediately felt less hungry and noticed their thinking was clearer.
Next was the staggering weight loss. Then over time the diabetes, arthritis, acid reflux, heart conditions, all went away.
In these difficult economic times with food and health care costs rising, it makes sense to eliminate wheat from our diets to live healthier both financially and physically.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Cold and flu season is once again upon us. Before we talk about how to get relief from these conditions, let's first talk about how to avoid them altogether.
Hand washing is the best defense against contracting sickness.
Also, most doctors recommend getting a flu shot beginning right now. They are available at most pharmacies for a nominal fee, and most places do not even require an appointment. The flu shot lasts for six moths, so now would be an ideal time to get one and it will last you through the winter.
However, if you find yourself with a cold or flu, consider taking elderberry.
One tablespoon of an elderberry syrup extract four times a day is a typical recommendation, although you should consult your own doctor before taking it, or any other supplement.
Sometimes people take elderberry as a lozenge, often with zinc, several times a day after a cold has begun. In fact, research indicates that if you start taking elderberry withing one or two days after your symptoms arise, you can slash the time you suffer by one half!
Elderberry has been found to ease cold and flu symptoms like body aches, fatigue, fever, cough, sore throat, and headaches. But it doesn't stop there. Some people claim the healing properties of elderberry are effective in fighting high cholesterol and even HIV, although there isn't enough evidence at this point to substantially support those claims.
What gives elderberry its kick? Flavonoids, substances found in nature (in this case as the fruit of the elder tree) that boost the immune system as well as reducing inflammation.
One word of caution: don't eat raw elderberries. They are poisonous! In the raw form, they produce cyanide.
And don't waste your time eating cooked elderberries. You may run across elderberry jam or elderberry wine. They have not been shown to have marked health benefits.
If you decide to try elderberry, you'll most likely want to purchase it at the health store, vitamin shop or pharmacy. But check with your doctor first.
Friday, September 30, 2011
The recent listeria outbreak brings the topic of food safety to the forefront once again.Americans have experienced food scares related to spinich, peanut butter, and now cantaloupes.
Although tainted cantaloupes are off the store shelves, if you ate one a while ago, you could still get sick from it, as the symptoms sometimes don't present themselves until a month after the food has been consumed.
At first the symptoms are stomach cramping, but if left untreated can render a person incapacitated and unable to speak. So certainly if you feel sick and have eaten cantaloupe within the last month or so, be sure to consult your doctor.
While it is impossible to protect ourselves fully from every possible type of food contamination, there are many steps we can take as consumers to lessen our chances of getting sick or even dying from food illnesses.
For example, when you are grocery shopping, make sure to keep your meats and poultry away from your produce. E-coli and salmonella are two dangerous diseases that can result from consuming meat or poultry that hasn't been cooked well enough.
Put ice packs in a cooler in your car and transfer the meat and poultry to the cooler as soon as you finish shopping. Set your refrigerator at a chilly 37 degrees.
Now you may be surprised to know that you should not rinse raw meat or poultry before cooking it. The reason you should not do this is because you might be contaminating nearby surfaces by spraying around disease from the poultry or meat.
One of the most important things you can do is to thoroughly wash a cutting board that you use for meat and poultry before using it for anything else. Wash it with warm, soapy water. If you put the raw food on a plate before you cook it, make sure you wash that plate thoroughly before putting anything else on it. That even includes the same food that was just on it, only cooked.
Use a meat thermometer as the only means by which you test doneness. Eyeballing it doesn't always work. The instant-read thermometers are best. It'll say on the outside of the thermometer what temperature is considered done for the various types of meats and poultry.
And lastly, be careful when eating out. Most fast food restaurants are good about cooking their meats and poultry well enough to kill any dangerous bacteria. But those mom-and-pop restaurants are another story. Ask your server how the cook knows when the meat or poultry is done.
If the answer is anything but a meat thermometer, order something else.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
The Centers For Disease Control just released a report on lung cancer over the last decade. For the first time ever among women, lung cancer has been decreasing since 2006.
Up until that time it had steadily been in the rise. Overall, since way back in 1999, the rates of new lung cancer cases has dropped among women in six states and in 35 states among men.
The interesting thing about this report is it is a shining example of how bad habits contribute to chronic diseases, like cancer and diabetes. Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for about two-thirds of them. And remarkably, they can be prevented simply by quitting bad habits.
The top four bad habits that account for chronic disease are tobacco use, alcohol abuse, a poor diet, and little exercise.
Lung cancer is the chronic disease that leads the pack. It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Cigarette smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke causes most lung cancer deaths.
Therefore it stands to reason that as smoking levels have dropped-off, the number of lung cancer cases has, too. It usually takes about five years for the decrease in lung cancer diagnoses catches up with the decreased smoking rates.
According to the CDC report, states in the western U.S. are experiencing the greatest decline in smoking, and thus, lung cancer. The report also reveals that states that implement tobacco control policies see larger reductions in smoking.
This includes things like hiking the cost of a pack of cigarettes, emotional television ads about the dangers of smoking, encouraging, or often, mandating 100 percent smoke free environments in public settings, and making smoking cessation treatments widely available.
States that employ those techniques also experience a greater savings in health care costs related to smoking.
It should be noted that smoking not only is the key indicator for lung cancer, but also contributes to many other types of cancer.
So if you are a smoker and would like to quit, talk to your doctor. The prescription drug Chantix has been widely successful in helping people stop smoking for good.
For more information on kicking the habit call 1-800-QUIT-NOW.