It is a great time of year to improve the health of your family.  While preparing for the coming school year, it can take only a few moments to identify simple steps that will substantially improve your family’s wellness and make your life simpler.

Sleep is important - I consider it an essential nutrient.  Some medical studies show that decreased sleep can increase your chances of getting a cold.  Healthy amounts of sleep also improve mood and support weight loss.  Keeping regular bed times and avoiding stimulating activities (i.e. movies, wild play, caffeine, and sugar) before bed can go a long way to getting your family to bed at a reasonable hour and waking refreshed.

Vitamin D is important for both neurological and immune function.  Vitamin D is produced in the skin when exposed to direct sunlight - something that does not occur in cooler months of the year.  2,000 IU of vitamin D per day is safe for adults and children older than 12 months.

Healthy food is the cornerstone of good health.  Most people know that vegetables, fruits and whole grains are health foods, but many don’t realize the many negative effects of refined carbohydrates.  Beyond encouraging obesity, refined sugars cause emotional agitation and reduce immune function; some studies show that sugar, honey, and maple syrup reduce the ability of white blood cells to destroy bacteria by as much as 50%!  Simply reducing - it is not necessary to eliminate - intake of refined carbohydrates can have many positive health effects for your family.

Imagine what your family’s school year could be like with less illness and irritability.  Imagine how this can improve your stress level and support the time and energy required for raising a family and having fulfilling relationships.  Sometimes, great changes can result from the simplest of interventions.

Be Well,

Richard

As many as 25% of Americans experience a runny nose, itchy eyes, or asthma due to seasonal allergies.  There are some simple mainstream and alternative approaches that can alleviate symptoms in allergy sufferers.

An allergy is a type of response that occurs when the immune system is reacting to things in the environment that are not in and of themselves a threat.  For example, the danger in a person with a severe allergy to peanuts does not come from the peanut itself, but instead solely from the immune system’s extreme response.  Similarly, pollens, dander, dust mites, and other common allergens do not actually cause the symptoms of seasonal allergies, but trigger immune reactions that cause common symptoms.

The mainstream medical approach to seasonal allergies includes anti-histamines and other drugs that block the immune system’s ability to release natural chemicals that cause allergic symptoms.  These work for many, but not all allergy sufferers.  Another mainstream medical approach is immunotherapy - injections of small amounts of allergens that are designed to decrease your body’s sensitivity to identified allergens.

Another approach that helps many allergy sufferers reduce their symptoms and need for medication is identification and avoidance of non-seasonal allergens that a person’s immune system is reacting to.  This approach reduces a person’s total allergy burden and frequently reduces seasonal allergy symptoms.

Common non-seasonal allergens include dust mites and dander.  Simple steps that can have dramatic effects include: have pets sleep in another room, use dust mite covers on bedding, frequently vacuum with an effective HEPA vacuum, and use indoor HEPA air-purifiers.

Another common non-seasonal allergen is mold.  While HEPA vacuums and air filters can be helpful, the most effective approach is addressing the cause; identify damp places in the home and remedy them with a dehumidifier and, when necessary, minor renovations.

Another common non-seasonal allergen is mold.  While HEPA vacuums and air filters can be helpful, the most effective approach is addressing the cause; identify damp places in the home and remedy them with a dehumidifier and, when necessary, minor renovations.

Lastly, many chronic seasonal allergy sufferers see marked improvement when they identify foods they regularly consume that contribute to their reactions.  Offending foods can be identified through strict dietary avoidance (usually for several weeks) with controlled reintroduction to monitor changes in symptoms.  The hard part is knowing which foods to avoid.  Some specialty lab tests can be very helpful in this process, but many people end up reacting to one or more of the following foods: dairy, eggs, gluten containing grains, soy, or yeasts.

Lastly, many chronic seasonal allergy sufferers see marked improvement when they identify foods they regularly consume that contribute to their reactions.  Offending foods can be identified through strict dietary avoidance (usually for several weeks) with controlled reintroduction to monitor changes in symptoms.  The hard part is knowing which foods to avoid.  Some specialty lab tests can be very helpful in this process, but many people end up reacting to one or more of the following foods: dairy, eggs, gluten containing grains, soy, or yeasts.

There are a couple important things to remember:

• if you have a serious anaphylactic allergy, always avoid that allergen, and
• if experimenting with dietary avoidance, make sure the diet still has adequate options, calories, and nutrients - especially for children - because eating should always be fun and healthy.

In a previous article, I discussed the recent changes to mammography recommendations.  This week I’ll share what women can do to reduce their risk of breast cancer.

First of all, it is important to acknowledge that cancer statistics are very complicated; the most recent research study may have results that contradict the one before.  This explains why it is easy to get confused by the divergent information about cancer in the news media.  I will try to provide some clarity.

Put simply, being at a healthy weight significantly reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer.  Numerous medical studies indicate that maintaining a health weight (BMI between 20 and 25) is the most important lifestyle factor in affecting breast cancer survival.

The healthiest way of achieving optimal weight is to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits and to exercise regularly.  A 2007 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology indicates that breast cancer patients who eat these healthy foods and exercise reduce their risk of dying from their cancer by up to 50%.

While having a glass of wine every day seems to prevent cardiovascular disease and decreases the rate of death from all causes, this amount of alcohol seems to increase breast cancer risk.  If you are concerned about breast cancer because of your personal or family medical history, avoid alcohol.  If cardiovascular disease seems more important, a few glasses of wine can be an enjoyable and healthy choice.

Hormone therapy with estrogen and/or progesterone for menopause increases the risk of women getting breast cancer.  While the increased risk may be small, it is real: a 24% increase in risk.  Natural treatments for menopausal symptoms work well.  Some of the best therapies I recommend include herbs like black cohosh, chaste tree, and St. John’s Wort.  Preliminary research indicates that black cohosh can even be helpful as an add-on treatment for breast cancer.

One of vitamin D’s roles in the body is helping to make sure that cells grow to be healthy and mature.  Because dangerous cancer cells are immature, vitamin D status may be important in all forms of cancer, including breast.  The best way to know your vitamin D level is to get a test from your doctor called 25-OH Vitamin D.  Insufficiency is defined as less than 30ng/mL and optimal levels are about 45ng/mL.  If testing is not available to you, taking 2,000 IU of supplemental vitamin D3 each day is a safe approach.

Be well,
Richard Malik, ND

A recent research article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reports that some simple steps can help increase longevity AND quality of life. These include:

• Not smoking - non-smokers have more than twice the likelihood of living to 90 than smokers
• Not being diabetic - people with healthy blood sugar have nearly twice the likelihood of living to 90 than diabetics
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Having healthy blood pressure
• Regular physical activity - vigorous exercisers have over 20% increased chance of living to 90.

At age 70, the men studied who had the five characteristics listed above had 14 times the chance of living to 90 than men without these characteristics! These men also reported feeling better and having a better quality of life. What is best about all of this information is that all of the factors are controllable by you and can be summarized in the following way:

• Don’t smoke
• Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits
• Eat lean meats and fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids
• Eat whole grains
• Eat some raw nuts
• Exercise regularly

The exercise and dietary recommendations all help control blood sugar, maintain or get to a health weight, and control blood pressure. Being healthy is pretty easy - our bodies already know what to do if we can just get out of the way. 

This post is a reprint of another blog posting.

Be well,

Richard