The Indonesian Pharmacist Association or more popularly abbreviated as Pafi is a forum for pharmacists in Indonesia to participate in improving the level of public welfare, especially in the fields of Public Health and Pharmacy, in addition to their daily duties.
One of the active branches that continues to strive to improve the quality of pharmaceutical services is Pafi Muara Bungo. For more complete information, check the website .
To facilitate providing the best service to the community, Pafi Muara Bungo continues to develop various initiatives and programs, including providing online registration for pharmacist members in the district.
The PAFI organization is a Professional Organization that is Work and Service-oriented.
In this case, it has 4 goals, such as:
Realizing a Just and Prosperous Society based on Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution quoted from the central PAFI, in fact, Indonesian Pharmacists have existed since the Proclamation of Independence of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia on August 17, 1945, have fought side by side with all groups of society, to eliminate colonialism from the face of the earth of Indonesia, and have actively participated in defending the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia and then participated in Community and State Development.
Therefore, Indonesian Pharmacists are one of the development potentials that have never been absent in the struggle for state development until today, continuing to optimize services to the Indonesian people.
Realizing Optimal Health for the Indonesian People
The second goal of PAFI is to realize optimal health for the Indonesian people. In this case, PAFI Muara Bungo is actively disseminating information about health and the importance of proper drug use. Such as, recommendations to increase awareness before consuming these drugs, consulting with doctors and pharmacists before using drugs, and providing education related to disease prevention.
Developing and improving Indonesian Pharmaceutical Development
Developing and improving development in the world of automatic pharmacy can also increase efficiency and accuracy in providing services to the wider community.
Both the central Pafi and Pafi Muara Bungo in particular have developed an integrated pharmaceutical information system. It is expected to be able to provide faster and more accurate information online. So that health information is easily accessible to various levels of society.
Improving Member Welfare
One of the main goals of Pafi Muara Bungo is to improve the competence and welfare of its members. Various training and seminar information for Muara Bungo pharmacy experts is updated on the website.
It is hoped that with the increasing competence possessed, the welfare of Pafi members will also increase. Good news for pharmacists can join the training, the first step, register first to become a member of Pafi Muara Bungo.
Training and seminars on pharmacy management, the use of technology in pharmacy services, and the development of soft skills such as communication and auto services can be followed. In addition, there is a lot of job vacancy information for fresh graduates and pharmacists for better jobs. For the Silo, Anna Melnikova.
Let’s Hope for Solid Hit from the PBO’s Third Swing at Carbon Tax Analysis
The “corrected” analysis by the Parliamentary Budget Office of the carbon tax and rebates is due soon. One hopes it will get more things right in this third crack at evaluating the government of Canada’s assurance that most Canadians will receive enough from the carbon tax rebates to cover their cost of paying the tax.
Reporting in 2022 and in an update last year, the PBO analysis confirmed the government assertion so long as induced economic effects from the carbon levy are not included. However, once the economic damage from the levy is included, the PBO concluded that the rebates fall short of keeping family budgets whole.
The PBO’s conclusion was seized on by Conservative politicians and others to justify calls to revoke the carbon tax. Now, more knives have come out. The NDP says it would scrap the tax on households and put the burden on large emitters, but it does not yet explain how it would square that with the current big-emitter carbon tax. And BC, where carbon taxing began in Canada, has said it would drop the tax if Ottawa removed the legal requirement.
Much is at stake with this third PBO swing.
After the second report, the PBO admitted that its analysis had included, in addition to the carbon tax on households, the tax on large emitters as well. The economic impacts had been taken from work passed over to the PBO by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), which included the effects of the tax as applied to both industrial and household payers. The budget officer said the error was small and had little consequence for the analysis and promised a corrected version this fall.
The Canadian Climate Institute estimates that 20-48 percent of the emissions reduction by 2030 will come from the levy on large emitters compared to 8-14 percent from households. Given the scale of the large emitters tax, it is likely that it has significant economic effects on any forecast. Fixing this should not, however, be the most consequential revision to its analysis.
The PBO’s first two efforts had an analytical asymmetry. It measured the economic cost originating in the tax, exaggerated as it turned out, but did not attempt to capture the economic benefits (not to mention any health gains) from the effects of the household carbon levy in mitigating climate change. Put differently, their work was, in effect, based upon the faulty premise that climate change brings no economic damage. The massive and growing costs of cleaning up fire and flood damage and adapting to the many other consequences of global warming bear evidence of such costs. The PBO could and should do its own analysis of those climate change costs and, hence, the benefits of mitigation. Or it could more easily tap into the substantial body of available literature.
Lowering Canada’s Gross Domestic Product
In Damage Control, the Canadian Climate Institute estimated climate change would lower the Gross Domestic Product by $35 billion from what it would otherwise have been in 2030; the impact would rise to $80 to $103 billion by 2055. Through cutting emissions, the household carbon tax will reduce this cost. International literature is rich, and the PBO could review it for applicability to Canada. As but one example, Howard and Sterner’s (2017) meta-analysis on the impacts of climate change concluded most studies underestimated them. Their preferred estimate points to a GDP hit of between 7 and 8 percent of GDP if there are no catastrophic damages and 9 to 10 percent if there are. Conceptual thinking is also advancing. Consideration is being given to there being “tipping points” where a certain degree of climate change may have much more non-linear dramatic economic effects. Some, like Stern and Stigliz, even question the worth of comparing an economic outlook with mitigation action against a status quo baseline as the PBO has done. They argue that without mitigation, there may not be a sustainable economic outcome.
Finally, those still inclined to think that a corrected Fall 2024 PBO report will provide ammunition to “axe the tax” need to ask themselves two questions.
First, is there value in the emissions reduction resulting from the household carbon tax? The Canadian Climate Institute concludes that the 8-14 percent contribution to emissions reduction by 2030 will grow in later years. Even with the tax and all the other policies announced to date, there is a 42-megatonne gap in Canada’s 2030 emissions reduction target. More than 200 Canadian economists signed an open letter asserting that “carbon pricing is the lowest cost approach because it gives each person and business the flexibility to choose the best way to reduce their carbon footprints. Other methods, such as direct regulations, tend to be more intrusive and inflexible, and cost more.” If not the household carbon tax, then what else?
Don Drummond is the Stauffer-Dunning Fellow in Global Public Policy and Adjunct Professor at the School of Policy Studies at Queen’s University and a Fellow-In-Residence at the C.D. Howe Institute.
Screenshot from the 1981 Canadian sci-fi film Scanners directed by Canadian film maker David Cronenberg.
I am a chronic Migraine sufferer. Are you?
I was diagnosed when I was 18 and now in my 40’s I still get cluster migraines. Cluster Migraines are recurrent, severe headaches that usually stick to one side of the head, for me it’s the left. I’ve probably suffered from them since I was a very young child. Throughout my life, I have dealt with many hurtful comments from those unable to understand my affliction. Their comments used to really get under my skin. Migraines are very severe. They are not just a very bad headache. No two Migraine sufferers are the same when it comes to patterns of pain or management. To make matters worse Migraines are an ‘invisible illness’.
An invisible illness is something that the sufferer feels but no one else sees or acknowledges. Those that are afflicted with migraines are often accused of faking or imagining their disabilities.
But it’s not entirely hard to understand why- these disabilities are not always obvious to the onlooker and the cyclic nature of migraines means that they are a chronic disability that are never going to go away.
To suffer with migraines is to know not only physical pain but also at times, sociological pain and even ostracization. It’s when you’ve been motoring onward through life and everybody looks at you like you are a healthy person but in actuality, there’s that one thing that keeps you from being the person you see yourself to be. This compounds your mood and may even trigger that other “invisible illness”: Depression.
Yes, migraines come with a lot of misunderstandings from critics that refuse to believe what is happening.
My favorite line has always been: “You’re young, there is nothing wrong with you…”. It’s shameful! The idea of simplifying health into a debate about youth and middle or old age. You take the time to try to explain and inform people what your life is about and yet they still believe that your suffering is all in your head. That’s when I usually hear comments like- “Get outside and get some fresh air, that’ll fix it.” or ” You just need to get over it, move on with your life”. The worse thing for me to hear is ” If you’re that sick how come you are doing that?” The sad truth is that all these phrases come from people who can’t understand what it is like to deal with an invisible illness.
Migraines occur when the blood flows through the brain causing blood vessels to rapidly expand, which in turn causes pain and other symptoms.
For me, it all starts with an unbelievable pain that can persist anywhere from 24 to 72 hours. I refer to it as having a huge Mack truck stuffed inside my head. While this happens, symptoms include: vertigo, numbness, mass nausea, fainting, blurred vision, and sensitivities to light, sounds and smells. I have been told that many of these symptoms are very close to what one would feel if they were having a stroke. Sometimes these symptoms can occur without the associated pain. I look at those as ‘added extras’. They include bright sparkles in the sky that only I can see…an added extra.
When things are at their worse and I have tried taking all the suggested and prescribed medications such as aleve, and the pain just won’t go away I plop myself in a car and have somebody drive me to the hospital.
If you were me and had experienced this you may have ended up spending four hours at the hospital on a good night. When you were admitted they may have looked at you like you were a drug addict. They may have checked you for signs of a stroke at which point they may have placed you in a bed where you wait and wait and wait. You may have been hooked up to an IV with sodium solution to help rehydrate you. Then they may have started you on the meds.
For me it’s always been 2mg of Maxeran (anti-nausea medication for people who go through chemotherapy) and 5mg of Toradol ( a strong pain medication). Perhaps it’s that mixture that worked for you and you sat there and waited, maybe even had a snooze. The nurse observed when you started to feel better because the colour flowed back into your face and you became very hungry. At this point you are finally ready to go home and start all over again knowing that the next day will always be the best day.
Perhaps you are like me- I turn into a bit of an energizer bunny… with the pain removed and the symptoms gone I actually feel pretty healthy and am ready to face the world again.
But what triggers these attacks?
This is the hardest part. These horrid brain attacks can be caused by almost anything- physically exhausting yourself on one extreme or simply walking down the soap isle in the grocery store on another. Almost anything and everything can trigger a migraine for me. The weather for instance is a trigger that I have been stuck with for years. Before a storm, a build-up of barometric pressure can be an instant trigger. Flying on airplanes is a trigger due to the change in the atmosphere.
If you want simpler triggers how about MSG, Artificial Food Colourings, Caffeine, Red Wine or Preservatives? Even certain veggies tend to make the list. Other things that are triggers can be strong perfumes/soaps, too much stress, bright lights and loudness. Basically anything that could possibly cause a disturbance to my personal inner balance. It is consoling to know that not all of these are triggers for everyone who suffer with migraines. Somethings effect more people than others. Trying to maneuver between what does and what doesn’t trigger is a battle in itself.
This invisible illness leaves me helpless.
The idea that it can pop up at any point in time means there is no space for future time planning. Making plans in my life is non-existent. I can say I am going to go here or there but in the long run until I get up that morning I will never be sure. Then there are the times that I take the chance and go out because I am just so tired of my couch no matter how bad I feel. Other times I stay home and safe.
Few non-sufferers know that in certain places Migraines have been upgraded to a neurological disorder. Another fact that most people don’t know is that it will never go away. There is no cure only pacifiers that help you to deal with everything that transpires. Sometimes these pacifiers worsen the attack.
And the frequency of attacks?
I get them 15 days out of a month which doesn’t leave much time to actually live a carefree lifestyle. There are so many things that I and other sufferers have lost because of this illness. Jobs and career goals go right out the window. The simplest things like enjoying a movie at the theater, going to see a live band or even a family gathering are at risk. It has to be just right and on a good day. It’s very stressing trying to keep up. I haven’t even mentioned the troubles it creates within a personal relationship, between you and the significant other. Between everything you have to do and the things that you want to do. All this takes place within such limiting time frames. I almost feel grateful, to have dealt with them from such an early age because it has prepared me to deal with this kind of lifestyle. In a way it’s made me so much stronger then I ever thought I could be. I have learned how to look at life in a different way. Don’t get me wrong, I would give anything to live without them but because that is not an option…I will reluctantly settle for this.
This is a side of me that many people do not get to see.
It’s something that I have only shared with the most important people in my life. There is a huge stigma out there when it comes to diseases or conditions that go unseen. When I get an attack you wouldn’t know it, you can’t see it. You can’t see the numb and tingles that invade my body. A lot of people just do not understand nor do they really want to. In our fast paced society it gets lost. I am sharing my story because I would love to see the stigma removed. I want people to understand that just because someone seems healthy and able it doesn’t mean that they actually are.
All those comments that I pointed out at the beginning of this article are things that I have heard for years. I still deal with it to this day. People that I have had to deal with who never understood no matter how much you try to explain it. I know that other people have gone through the same things that I have and I want to let them know that they are not alone. I also want to let other people know that they need to think before making a judgment on somebody else. Keep in mind that old saying: “Do not assume or judge somebody until you have walked a mile in their shoes…” For the Silo, Dawn Bank.
MGO, a glucose metabolite, can temporarily destroy the BRCA2 protein, reducing its levels in cells and inhibiting its tumor-preventing ability.
Via friends at epochtimes. You may have heard that sugar feeds cancer cells, and evidence supports that. However, the missing link in this narrative has been a thorough understanding of just “how” sugar feeds cancer—until now. A recent study published in Cell in April uncovers a new mechanism linking uncontrolled blood sugar and poor diet with cancer risk.
The research, performed at the National University of Singapore’s Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, and led by professor Ashok Venkitaraman and Li Ren Kong, a senior research fellow at the University of Singapore, found a chemical released when the body breaks down sugar also suppresses a gene expression that prevents the formation of tumors.
This discovery provides valuable insights into how one’s dietary habits can impact their risk of developing cancer and forges a clear path to understanding how to reverse that risk with food choices.
Methylglyoxal–A Temporary Off Switch
It was previously believed that cancer-preventing genes must be permanently deactivated before malignant tumors can form. However, this recent discovery suggests that a chemical, methylglyoxal (MGO), released whenever the body breaks down glucose, can temporarily switch off cancer-protecting mechanisms.
Mr. Kong, first author of the study, stated in a recent email: “It has been shown that diabetic and obese individuals have a higher risk of cancer, posing as a significant societal risk. Yet, the exact cause remains debatable.
“Our study now unearthed a clue that may explain the connection between cancer risk and diet, as well as common diseases like diabetes, which arise from poor diets.
“We found that an endogenously synthesized metabolite can cause faults in our DNA that are early warning signs of cancer development, by inhibiting a cancer-preventing gene (known as the BRCA2).”
BRCA2 is a gene that repairs DNA and helps make a protein that suppresses tumor growth and cancer cell proliferation. A BRCA2 gene mutation is associated primarily with a higher risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers, as well as other cancers. Those with a faulty copy of the BRCA2 gene are particularly susceptible to DNA damage from MGO.
However, the study showed that those without a predisposition to cancer also face an increased risk of developing the disease from elevated MGO levels. The study found that chronically elevated levels of blood sugar can result in a compounded increase in cancer risk.
“This study showcases the impact of methylglyoxal in inhibiting the function of tumour suppressor, such as BRCA2, suggesting that repeated episodes of poor diet or uncontrolled diabetes can ‘add up’ over time to increase cancer risk,” Mr. Kong wrote.
The Methylglyoxal and Cancer Relationship
MGO is a metabolite of glucose—a byproduct made when our cells break down sugar, mainly glucose and fructose, to create energy. MGO is capable of temporarily destroying the BRCA2 protein, leading to lower levels of the protein in the cells and thus inhibiting its ability to prevent tumor formation. The more sugar your body needs to break down, the higher the levels of this chemical, and the higher your risk of developing malignant tumors.
“Accumulation of methylglyoxal is found in cancer cells undergoing active metabolism,“ Mr. Kong said. ”People whose diet is poor may also experience higher than normal levels of methylglyoxal. The connection we unearthed may help to explain why diabetes, obesity, or poor diet can heighten cancer risk.”
MGO is challenging to measure on its own. Early detection of elevated levels is possible with a routine HbA1C blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past two to three months and is typically used to diagnose diabetes. This new research may provide a mechanism for detecting early warning signs of developing cancer.
“In patients with prediabetes/diabetes, high methylglyoxal levels can usually be controlled with diet, exercise and/or medicines. We are aiming to propose the same for families with high risk of cancers, such as those with BRCA2 mutation,” Mr. Kong said.
More research is needed, but the study’s findings may open the door to new methods of mitigating cancer risk.
“It is important to take note that our work was carried out in cellular models, not in patients, so it would be premature to give specific advice to reduce risk on this basis. However, the new knowledge from our study could influence the directions of future research in this area, and eventually have implications for cancer prevention,” he said.
“For instance, poor diets rich in sugar or refined carbohydrates are known to cause blood glucose levels to spike. We are now looking at larger cancer cohorts to connect these dots.”
The Diet and Cancer Connection
Dr. Graham Simpson, medical director of Opt Health, stated in an email: “It’s genes loading the gun, but your lifestyle that pulls the trigger. Every bite of food you take is really information. It’s either going to turn on your longevity genes or it’s going to turn on your killer genes. So cancer is very much in large part self-induced by the individual diet.”
A 2018 study published by Cambridge University Press found an association between higher intakes of sugar-sweetened soft drinks and an increased risk of obesity-related cancers. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2020 concluded that sugars may be a risk factor for cancer, breast cancer in particular. Cancer cells are ravenous for sugar, consuming it at a rate 200 times that of normal cells.
Healthy Dietary Choices for Reducing Cancer Risk
A consensus on the best dietary approach for reducing cancer risk has yet to be determined, and further research is needed. However, the new findings of the Cell study on MGO support reducing sugar intake as a means to mitigate cancer risk. A study published in January in Diabetes & Metabolism shows that a Mediterranean diet style of eating may help reduce MGO levels.
In 2023, a study published in Cell determined that a ketogenic diet may be an effective nutritional intervention for cancer patients as it helped slow the growth of cancer cells in mice—while a review published in JAMA Oncology in 2022 found that the current evidence available supports a plant-enriched diet for reducing cancer risk.
Dr. Simpson stressed the importance of real food and healthy macronutrients with a low-carb intake for the health of our cells. “The mitochondria is the most important signaling molecule and energy-producing organelle that we have in our body. [Eat] lots of vegetables, healthy proteins, and healthy fats, fish, eggs, yogurt,” he said.
“Lots of green, above-ground vegetables, some fruits, everything that is naturally grown and is not processed.” For the Silo, Jennifer Sweenie.
Plastics that break down into particles as tiny as our DNA—small enough to be absorbed through our skin—are released into our environment at a rate of 82 million metric tons a year. These plastics, and the mix of chemicals they are made with, are now major contributors to disease, affecting the risk of afflictions ranging from cancer to hormonal issues.
Plastic pollution threatens everything from sea animals to human beings, a problem scientists, activists, business groups, and politicians are debating as they draft a global treaty to end plastic pollution. These negotiations have only highlighted the complexity of a threat that seems to pit economic growth and jobs against catastrophic damage to people and the planet.
Rapid growth in plastics didn’t begin until the 1950s, and since then, annual production has increased nearly 230-fold, according to two data sets processed by Our World in Data. More than 20 percent of plastic waste is mismanaged—ending up in our air, water, and soil.
Inescapable Problem
While plastic doesn’t biodegrade—at least not in a reasonable time frame—it does break down into ever smaller particles. We may no longer see it, but plastic constantly accumulates in our environment. These microscopic bits, known as microplastics and nanoplastics, can enter our bodies through what we eat, drink, and breathe.
Microplastics measure five millimeters or less. Nanoplastics are an invisible fraction of that size, down to one billionth of a meter or around the size of DNA.
While microplastics can be as small as a hair, they remain visible. Nanoplastics, however, are impossible to see without a microscope. (Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock)
Plastic pollution is a chemical remnant of petroleum with other chemicals added in to change the durability, elasticity, and color. PlastChem Project has cataloged more than 16,000 chemicals—4,200 considered highly hazardous, according to the initiative’s report issued in March.
The astounding level and types of plastics, many with unknown health effects, should be a wakeup call for everyone, says Erin Smith, vice president and head of plastic waste and business at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
“Plastic pollution is absolutely everywhere,” she said. “What’s hard right now is the body of science, trying to understand what the presence of plastic inside us means from a human health perspective, is still new.”
Ms. Smith said we may be waiting for the science to reveal the full scope of plastic’s biological effects, but one thing is certain: “We know it’s not good.”
Reproductive and Neurological Issues
Newer human health studies have shown plastic has far-reaching effects.
“The research is clear: Plastics cause disease, disability, and death. They cause premature birth, low birth weight, and stillbirth as well as leukemia, lymphoma, brain cancer, liver cancer, heart disease and stroke. Infants, children, pregnant women, and plastics workers are the people at greatest risk of these harms. These diseases result in annual economic costs of $1.2 trillion,” said Dr. Phil Landrigan, pediatrician and environmental health expert, in a Beyond Plastics news release in March.
Beyond Plastics, an advocacy group for policy change, warns that new research indicates plastic could be leading to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and death.
Successive studies have found microscopic plastic particles affect every system of our bodies and at every age.
Nearly 3,600 studies indexed by the Minderoo Foundation have detailed the effects of polymers and additives like plasticizers, flame retardants, bisphenols, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The vast majority of studies indicate plastics affect endocrine and metabolic function, the reproductive system, and contribute to mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopment issues.
One study published in Environmental Science & Technology looked at plastic food packaging from five countries and found hormone-disrupting chemicals were common.
“The prevalence of estrogenic compounds in plastics raises health concerns due to their potential to disrupt the endocrine system, which can, among others, result in developmental and reproductive issues, and an elevated risk of hormone-related cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer,” the authors noted.
Data mapped by Our World in Data shows national rates of per capita plastic pollution to the oceans. American individuals add about .01 kilograms (10 grams) of plastic waste to the world’s oceans each year. At 336,500,000 people today, that amounts to 3,311 tons or 7,418,555 pounds. (The Epoch Times)
The full scope of these chemical consequences is far from known. According to Minderoo, less than 30 percent of more than 1,500 plastics chemicals have been investigated for human health impacts. That includes the “substitution” chemicals used to replace additives that were restricted after being found problematic.
“All new plastic chemicals should be tested for safety before being introduced in consumer products, with ongoing post-introduction monitoring of their levels in human biospecimens and evaluation of health effects throughout the lives of individuals and across generations,” said professor Sarah Dunlop, Minderoo Foundation’s head of plastics and human health.
Absorbed Into Arteries and Skin
The relatively recent discovery that plastic particles can make their way into the human body through multiple methods has come with other unsetting insights. Microplastics and nanoplastics in human artery wall plaque were recently linked to a 350 percent increased risk of heart attack, stroke, and death.
Plastic pollution comes in all forms, from packaging and waste that clogs the Buckingham Canal in Chennai, India to plastic pellets from petrochemical companies that litter the ground in Ecaussinnes, Belgium. (R. SATISH BABU, Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP via Getty Images)
Published March 6 in the New England Journal of Medicine, the study followed 257 patients over 34 months. Among those involved in the study, 58.4 percent had polyethylene in carotid artery plaque and 12.1 percent had polyvinyl chloride.
Polyethylene is the most common plastic found in bottles and bags, including cereal box liners. Polyvinyl chloride, better known as PVC, is another common plastic, often used in medical and construction materials.
Besides finding entry through ingestion, polymers can also make their way into the bloodstream through our skin, according to another study published in April in Environment International. The findings, based on a human skin equivalent model, add to evidence that suggests that as plastics break down, it may be impossible for us to avoid absorbing them. Microscopic plastic has been found in our soil, water supply, air, and arctic ice.
Sweaty skin was found to be especially prone to absorbing the particles.
Once inside the body, plastic can mimic hormones, collect in arteries, and contribute to one of the most common disease pathologies today—an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants known as oxidative stress.
Dr. Bradley Bale, a heart attack and stroke prevention specialist and co-author of “Beat The Heart Attack Gene,” says there’s plenty of evidence that plastic is causing oxidative stress.
“Plastics are ubiquitous on planet Earth,” Dr. Bale said. “You’re crazy to think you can eliminate your exposure to that. It would be next to impossible. But we can look at other issues that cause oxidative stress.”
Data processed by our Our World in Data shows the increase in plastic production in metric tonnes. (Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock)
Those other issues, including poor diet and other toxic exposures, may be resolved through lifestyle approaches, supplements, or avoidance.
Dr. Bale suspects future nanoplastics research will reveal a relationship between plastics exposure and early death, dementia, cancer, diabetes, and any disease impacted by oxidative stress.
How to Stop the Plastic Onslaught
Since cleaning up plastic is nearly impossible once it breaks down, advocacy groups are pushing for legislation that would reduce single-use products such as food wrappers, bottles, takeout containers, and bags—some of the most prolific and problematic plastics.
The United Nations Environment Programme, a global environmental decision-making body with representatives from all UN member states, decided in March 2022 that the plastics issue needed a coordinated response. It committed to fast-tracking a treaty meant to address the world’s growing plastic problem.
However, after holding the fourth of five sessions in late April in Canada, the group still hasn’t decided whether to identify problematic plastics or call for new plastic to be phased out or scaled back. The final meeting begins in late November with a treaty expected in 2025.
(Left) The secretariat of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution consults on the dais during the closing plenary in Ottawa on April 30, 2024; (Center) Members of Greenpeace holds up placards during the discussions in Ottawa, Canada, on April 23, 2024.; (Right) Pro-plastic messaging was seen at hotels in Ottawa during the UN INC meetings. (IISD-ENB/Kiara Worth, DAVE CHAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers are on a third attempt to gain Congressional consideration of the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act. First introduced in 2020, it remains stuck in committee. Among the act’s proposals are reducing and banning some single-use plastics, creating grants for reusable and refillable products, requiring corporations to take responsibility for plastic pollution, and temporarily banning new plastic facilities until protections are established.
The Economics of Plastics
Plastics are important for many businesses and the plastics industry itself is significant and influential. However, plastics aren’t as profitable as one may expect. New plastic facilities often get subsidies and tax breaks that make plastics artificially cheap to produce. These financial supports have increased substantially in the past three years.
In addition to direct fossil fuel subsidies, the plastics and petrochemical industries benefit from grants, tax breaks, and incentives. Because of a lack of transparency, exact figures on subsidies are hard to come by, according to the Center for International Environmental Law. The group is urging the UN to ban certain subsidies, including any that would reduce the price of raw goods used to make plastic.
Some organizations question whether these incentives are beneficial to local economies and taxpayers as a whole.
The Environmental Integrity Project issued a report in March that found 64 percent of 50 plastic plants built or expanded in the United States since 2012 received nearly $9 billion in state and local subsidies. Unexpected events were common, including violations of air pollution permits among 42 plants and more than 1,200 accidents like fires and explosions. State-modified permits at 15 plants allowed for additional emissions that were often detected beyond the property line of the plants.
A case study report published June 2023 by the Ohio River Valley Institute examined the $6 billion Shell facility built in Beaver County, Pennsylvania to produce plastic pellets.
“Since the project’s inception, industry executives and government officials alike have argued that it would spur local economic growth and renewed business investment. Yet prosperity still has not arrived. Beaver County has seen a declining population, zero growth in GDP, zero growth in jobs, lackluster progress in reducing poverty, and zero growth in businesses—even when factoring in all the temporary construction workers at the site,” the report says.
The Shell Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex makes plastic from “cracking” natural gas in Beaver County, near Pittsburgh, PA. (Mark Dixon/Flickr)
Conflicted Solutions for a Plastic World
The Plastics Industry Association argues that plastic “makes the world a better place”—language it wants in the plastics treaty.
The association represents more than one million workers throughout the entire supply chain. A $468 billion industry, plastics are the sixth largest U.S. manufacturer, according to the association, which did not respond to media requests for an interview.
David Zaruk, a communications professor in Belgium with a doctorate in philosophy, said opposition to plastic is largely an attack on the fossil fuel industry—part of a larger “anti-capitalist political agenda.” The value of plastic on society, he said, is frequently understated.
He pointed to a 2024 study published in Environmental Science and Technology that concludes plastic is far more “sustainable” with lower greenhouse gas emissions than alternatives like paper, glass, and aluminum—many of which it was designed to replace. Arguments often overlook the environmental impact of alternatives, the study notes, and in some cases, there are no substitutions for plastic.
“This isn’t a recent revelation either. Academic scientists have said for years that plastic serves essential functions. Speaking specifically of short-lived plastic uses, a pair of supply chain experts argued in 2019 that ’some plastic packaging is necessary to prevent food waste and protect the environment.’ By the way, food waste produces roughly double the greenhouse emissions of plastic production,” Mr. Zaruk wrote recently on the Substack blog, Firebreak.
The Plastics Industry Association heavily promotes recycling and biodegradable plastics but critics say there are inherent problems with both.
Only 4 percent of plastic is recycled in the United States, while an equal amount ends up in rivers, oceans, and soil—breaking down into microplastics and nanoplastics that experts believe will persist for centuries.
The U.S. Plastics Pact—a collaboration of more than 100 businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and academic institutions initiated by The Recycling Partnership and World Wildlife Fund—identified 11 problematic plastics that its members aim to voluntarily eliminate by 2025. Members include major plastics users and the products are all finished items or components of plastics that either aren’t recycled or cause problems in the recycling system and could be eliminated or replaced.
While some major companies support the pact, the Plastics Industry Association has taken a dim view of the pact, describing it as an attempt to “tell others how to run their businesses by restricting their choices.”
The association says the best way to increase recycling is through education and innovation.
Recycled Mystery Chemicals
Unfortunately, recycling isn’t a perfect solution to the plastic problem. Recycled plastics present additional hazards because they are made from a blend of products and a more uncertain chemical makeup, according to Therese Karlsson, science advisor for the International Pollutants Elimination Network, a global consortium of public interest groups.
“We’ve looked a lot at recycled plastics. There you have a lot of different plastic materials that you don’t know what they contain and you combine that into a new plastic material that you have even less information about what it contains,” Ms. Karlsson. “As a consumer, you can’t look at a piece of plastic to figure out if it’s safe or not. We just don’t know, but we know a lot of the chemicals used in plastic are toxic.”
An IPEN investigation in April found plastic pellets recovered from recycling facilities in 24 countries had hundreds of toxic chemicals—including pesticides, industrial chemicals, pharmaceuticals, dyes, and fragrances.
“For our recycling technology, it just doesn’t work, and a lot of that ends up in landfills anyway,” said Ms. Smith from the WWF. “It shouldn’t require a decoder ring to decide what goes in that blue bin because everything should be designed for that system.” For the Silo, Amy Denny.
Little Changes Make a Big Difference
In the absence of government intervention, Ms. Smith said there are some easy tips consumers can take to limit their own plastic exposure:
Shop with reusable shopping bags.
Don’t use plastic in the microwave or dishwasher because heat can release additional polymers.
Buy metal or glass snack containers to replace sealable plastic bags.
Use beeswax cloth in place of plastic wrap.
Replace dryer sheets with wool balls.
Carry a refillable cup for water and coffee.
Consider reusable trash bags.
Use and carry metal straws, stir sticks, and/or reusable cutlery.
Don’t litter, and pick up trash you find outdoors.
What will the next fitness trend be? Has it already arrived?
Master Moy Lin shin
According to Bruce Frantzis, it is Tai Chi. Frantzis, called one of the Westʼs greatest living masters, holds authentic lineages in Taoist energy arts.
He calls Tai Chi an über-exercise because you can do it for health, healing, martial arts and meditation. In China they say, “Tai chi (a Qigong form) can be done by anyone, male and female, young and old, strong and weak, intelligent and slow, healthy or ill.”
An über-exercise for everyone.
Studies show that Tai Chi Qigong reduces stress, heals illnesses, increases mental and physical performance, and is an effective tool for aging well. This is of particular interest to Baby Boomers as they enter their 60s. It enables them to heal or prevent the aching joints, sore muscles, memory lapses, and many other issues that come after middle age.
This evidence is what is powering the surge of interest in the Chi arts. In my own experience, typical aches and pains related to aging disappeared when I resumed my Tai Chi practice after a lapse of years: achy sore knees are almost restored to normal; lower back pain is easily managed; migraines are rarer and deflected in minutes; sleep is deeper; eating properly is easier; and I have more energy. In fact, I have almost no physical complaints at all, and when something minor does arise I am more effective at self-healing.
Shoot-Hawk-with-Bow- the author demonstrating Tai Chi
These things are significant; but, even more important to me is the pure joy I feel from the movement, the rhythm, the flow, as I practice my set. And the fun and satisfaction I get in teaching others.
Many people try Tai Chi, enjoy it, but quit in frustration complaining that it is complex and hard to remember. It is complex. There are many subtle skills to remember and perform all at the same time: slow, relaxed, smooth, continuous, movements performed in a state of mental relaxation with slow, deep breathing; careful attention to the alignment of all joints; proper foot placement and and weight shifting; outer and inner focus.
In traditional teaching the student tries their best to follow along with the teacher, soaking up like a sponge all that the teacher has to offer. The teacherʼs curriculum is more important than students goals and needs. For some people this ‘teacher led’ style works well. But for many it does not.
As Tai Chi enters the mainstream this method is giving way to new learner friendly approaches. Older students respond with enthusiasm to methods which take into account their life experience and individual needs. Trained teachers are developing systematic ways to teach these subtle skills so that students know exactly what they are aiming for and when they achieve it. Students gain competency sooner and nearly every one notices benefits even from their first class. For the Silo, Jackie Davies.
Members are sweating and breathing hard over the equipment, only wiping it down quickly with a strip of paper towel — if they remember to wipe it down at all. To make sure you stay healthy every time you go for a workout, you should read these tips to protect yourself.
Wash Your Fitness Gear
Before you worry about the treadmills and locker rooms, you need to take a look at your gym bag. You could be harboring bacteria and germs in your athletic gear.
Moisture and bacteria will build up in your gym shoes, especially if you only wear one pair. This situation can lead to powerful foot odor, along with frustrating problems like foot fungus, toe fungus and blisters. Swap your shoes after every use to let them dry out. If you’ve been using the shoes for a while, you should replace the old dirty insoles. Click here to see where you can get custom orthotics in Toronto so that you can get the perfect fit for these supportive accessories.
Don’t re-wear clothes after a workout. Even if you think you didn’t sweat much, you should clean them. When you put those dirty clothes into the washing machine, toss your gym bag in there, too.
Wipe down Gym Equipment
If you think your equipment is dirty, just imagine what lies on the gym’s equipment. People have been touching it and sweating on it day-in and day-out, and you can’t be sure if they’ve been kind enough to clean up after themselves.
If you’re worried about getting sick, the microbiologist Jason Tetro recommends that anyone using gym equipment follows these simple rules to avoid bacteria and viruses:
Shower before and after the workout
Take 15 seconds to wipe down equipment before and after using it
Wash your hands often
Don’t touch your mouth or face
Don’t Go Barefoot
You need to wear shower shoes when you go into damp areas like the swimming pool deck, the locker room, the sauna, and, of course, the showers. These floors are covered with germs. The protective footwear will keep you from picking up an embarrassing infection like athlete’s foot or plantar warts.
You can get the same foot conditions from a borrowed yoga mat because people like to practice in their bare feet and they often forget to clean the material when they’re done using it. You should wipe down a borrowed mat before and after your yoga classes and use grippy socks as protective barriers. Better yet, buy your own mat and bring it from home.
Avoid gym mat germs.
These are all ways that you can protect yourself from germs at the gym. Luckily, they’re also ways that you can stop everyone else from catching a virus or bacterial infection. By cleaning up after yourself, you’ve given other members a better chance of staying healthy, too.
You should always avoid the gym when you’re not feeling well. Don’t push yourself to go for a jog or to do a round of sun salutations when you have the sniffles. Your determination to fight your illness and fit in a workout can make other members sick.
Canada Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc speaks in the Foyer of the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on March 20, 2024. (The Canadian Press/Spencer Colby)
After learning that samples of deadly Ebola and Nipah viruses had been sent from Canada’s top-security lab in Winnipeg to China, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said his reaction was similar to that of an MP who expressed incredulity upon learning of the move.
“I’m really concerned about the March 2019 incident where [Winnipeg lab scientists Xiangguo Qiu and Keding Cheng] were implicated in a shipment of live Ebola in Hanipah [Nipah] viruses on a commercial Air Canada flight. How the hell did that happen?” NDP MP Charlie Angus asked during a House of Commons Canada-China committee meeting on April 15.
In response, Mr. LeBlanc said, “When I saw that report, and publicly, I had the same reaction as you.”
A partly redacted national memo sent by the prime minister’s national security advisor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on June 29, 2017.
The minister deferred Mr. Angus’ question to the Public Health Agency of Canada, saying, “I don’t have any [information], but I had the same reaction as you, Mr. Angus.”
Mr. LeBlanc, who became minister of public safety in July 2023, was previously minister of intergovernmental affairs starting in July 2018.
The National Microbiology Laboratory (NML) in Winnipeg shipped 15 different strains of Nipah and Ebola viruses to the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in China on March 31, 2019. The package was sent from Winnipeg to Toronto and then on to Beijing via a commercial Air Canada flight.
Ms. Qiu and Mr. Cheng
The request to the NML management for the shipment of the viruses was facilitated by Ms. Qiu. The shipment was eventually approved by the NML management.
Ms. Qiu and Mr. Cheng, a married couple, were escorted out of the NML in July 2019 while under RCMP investigation. The couple were fired from their positions on Jan. 20, 2021, for having undisclosed ties to Chinese regime entities.
In 2021, in response to MPs’ questions about why the NML shipped virus samples to the Wuhan lab, laboratory management said the shipment followed all proper protocols and was in response to a letter from the Chinese lab indicating that they were to be used to understand their pathophysiology—the nature of infection—and the development of antivirals.
Declassified intelligence documents show that Ms. Qiu also sent antibodies and other materials to China without prior approval.
Shipments included antibodies for the China National Institute for Food and Drug Control, as well as small amounts sent to laboratories in the United Kingdom and the United States for testing.
The documents show that Ms. Qiu discussed the shipment of Ebola and Nipah with WIV employees in July 2018, and initially suggested that a formal agreement is not necessary as “no one owns the IP.” She also expressed “hope there is another way around” rather than issuing a formal agreement.
The documents also show that Ms. Qiu signed on to a project at WIV involving research on Ebola, and that some of the virus strains that were shipped from NML were meant for this project. Ms. Qiu had asked that the project remain a secret to her Canadian management as WIV was in the process of requesting the transfer of the virus strains from NML, the documents say.
Researchers work in the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, Man., where the ZMapp antibody “cocktail” was created to fight Ebola. PHOTO BY HANDOUT
The Wuhan lab has been involved in synthetic biology research on the deadly Nipah virus, according to testimony from a U.S. scientist. Synthetic biology involves creating or redesigning biological entities and systems.
“The Nipah virus is a smaller virus than SARS2 [the virus causing COVID-19] and is much less transmissible,” Dr. Steven Quay, a Seattle-based physician-scientist, told a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing on Aug. 3, 2022. “But it is one of the deadliest viruses, with a greater than 60 percent lethality” and 60 times deadlier than SARS2, he said. “This is the most dangerous research I have ever encountered.”
Chinese Talent Recruitment
During the April 15 House committee meeting, Mr. LeBlanc acknowledged revelations from the declassified documents that Ms. Qiu was involved in China’s Thousand Talents Program. The program was recognized by U.S. authorities as China’s efforts to “incentivize its members to steal foreign technologies needed to advance China’s national, military, and economic goals.”
It is clear that “elements from a Chinese-sponsored recruitment program were involved” at the Winnipeg lab, Mr. LeBlanc said. “It is well known that such programs are one way that China seeks to incentivize academics to participate in activities that exploit advancements in Canadian technologies.”
China is using the programs “to improve its military and intelligence capabilities, as well as the economic competitiveness all at the expense of Canada’s national interest,” the minister said.
He declined to address concerns raised by Conservative MP Michael Cooper regarding the delay in removing Ms. Qiu from the NML, saying it should be addressed to the health minister whose department is in charge of the Public Health Agency of Canada, which in turn oversees the NML.
Although concerns about the two were first raised in 2018, they weren’t fired until three years later. For The Silo, Andrew Chen. Omid Ghoreishi and Noé Chartier contributed to this report
Bulletproof Founder Dave Asprey was a sickly person who had Lyme Disease and numerous food allergies. Tired of spending each day feeling ill, he went in search of a way to cure his body and live a better, healthier life. He calls this quest “biohacking” and through it he succeeded beyond his wildest imagination. Using what he learned, he created the Bulletproof brand to help others do the same.
Using his plan, he lost 100 pounds with little exercise, upgraded his IQ by more than 20 points, exponentially increased his health and energy, and enjoys a highly effective life with just five hours of sleep a night. The secret is simply being smarter about what you eat.
The plan calls for eating more organic food, including select fruits and vegetables; increasing daily intake of healthy fats by eating grass fed butter, 100% MCT [medium chain triglycerides- see below CP] oil, brain and octane meats; cutting sugar and processed foods, and drinking mycotoxin-free coffee such as Bulletproof coffee with upgraded coffee beans.
Dave Asprey- super smart guy. CEO of Bulletproof, Author of The Better Baby Book (Wiley, 2011)
Today, Dave along with hundreds of thousands of others, are tougher, stronger professionals who are sleeping better, performing better (mentally and physically), and have improved their ability to handle stress better or eliminated it completely.
Here are his top five ways to ‘Biohack’ your life and body:
1- Get sick less by eating more foods with vitamin D3 and magnesium
2- Upgrade your fuel – Eat the Bulletproof Diet (high healthy fat, moderate healthy proteins, and lots of vegetables).
3- Upgrade your hardware – Practice HIIT [High intensity, interval training CP] not endless cardio
4- Drink Bulletproof Coffee for the boost in brain function and energy while ending of food cravings.
5- Upgrade your software – use technology to train your nervous system to behave the way you want. The Bulletproof FoodSense app measures food sensitivities as an example.
By incorporating these five things, people tie in to a better life overall. They sleep better, perform better (mentally and physically), and improve their ability to handle stress, even to gradually eliminate stresses altogether.
All of Dave’s findings, advice, diet details, and research is available on his website free of in hopes of building a healthier, happier world. For more information on Bulletproof, please visit www.BulletproofExec.com
Canadians are still bouncing back from the health impacts of years of isolation. A recent survey of over 1,000 citizens shows that almost one-third of them don’t exercise at all, despite the country’s health officials’ recommendation of at least 150 minutes per week of physical activity. After all, finding the motivation to go to the gym or do that morning run can be difficult when you only have yourself to be accountable for. This is why more people are opting to attend weight loss classes, helping them to stay consistent with their routine. But the effects of weight loss classes transcend merely the physical. Here are a few ways they can benefit your overall health:
Physical wellness
Weight loss workshops are as crucial as meal plans and gym sessions because they provide holistic guidance and tips to keep you on the right track, from changing your relationship with food, sharing stories about your unique challenges, and sourcing motivation to keep exercising, among other benefits. By searching “weight loss classes near me” online, you can evaluate which features work for you. In-person classes allow you to meet with coaches and like-minded peers. If those don’t fit your schedule, a bevy of virtual workshops can connect you to a coach who will help you work on your wellness goals with science-backed strategies and inspiration, even at a distance. Peer group virtual workshops can help you get out of a fitness rut by providing support and accountability. These build the foundation for a consistent fitness routine that ultimately benefits your body.
Mental wellness
Group workouts offer a unique balm to your mental health that working out alone may not. A group setting facilitates a more engaging and energizing environment that encourages you to have fun and even engage in some healthy competition. If you’ve had a difficult day, it can help you get “out of your head” instead of stewing in negative thoughts. In a previous post, we talked about how yoga can calm the mind, relieve stress, and reduce anxiety. These effects are further emphasized in group yoga, where shared energy and cohesiveness can bring a comforting sense of community, encouraging dynamic balance and mental clarity. In a study, 64 women with severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were asked to participate in a weekly 1-hour yoga class for ten weeks. By the end, 52% of participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD.
Social wellness
Mental health issues like depression and anxiety are inextricably tied to loneliness, which is why it’s concerning that over 40% of Canadians report feeling lonely some or all of the time. Excess weight may be another interconnected factor; among obese Canadian adults, 11% report being depressed or having a mood disorder compared to only 6.9% of normal-weight adults. For those who live alone or work from home, social interactions may not be as seamlessly integrated into their schedules, which is where group weight loss classes come in. They can help target the sedentary lifestyle commonly associated with loneliness, as well as provide a sense of belonging for people who need it. Participants often arrange social gatherings before or after classes, such as sharing meals or grocery shopping, to build camaraderie and keep one another on a healthy path for weight loss.
While weight loss may manifest most noticeably in your physical appearance, the team spirit offered by group weight loss classes carries mental and social benefits that can help you keep the weight off long-term. Having supportive figures you can lean on for advice and encouragement enables you to perceive weight management in a healthier, more positive light – and not something you must go through alone.
After a long day of work or school, it’s important to take care of yourself before bed.
Taking care of yourself at night ensures that you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the day ahead. Here are some tips on how to take care of yourself at night:
Take Care of Your Skin
Taking care of your skin is an essential part of self-care. Before bed, make sure you remove your makeup and cleanse your face thoroughly. Apply a moisturizer that suits your skin type to keep it hydrated and prevent wrinkles and other skin problems. Don’t forget to use an exfoliating soap for the perfect beauty routine!
Unplug and Disconnect
We are constantly connected to our smartphones, laptops, and other devices. Before you go to bed, switch off all electronic devices or keep them away from your bedroom to ensure a peaceful and restful sleep. The blue light from electronic devices can disrupt our circadian rhythms and affect the quality of our sleep.
Create a Relaxing Environment
Your bedroom should be a peaceful and relaxing environment that promotes restful sleep. Make sure your room is dark, cool, and quiet. Use comfortable bedding and pillows that support your neck and spine. You can also use aromatherapy candles or diffusers to create a calming ambiance that helps you relax.
Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
Good sleep hygiene is essential for a good night’s sleep. Make sure you stick to a regular sleep schedule and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and heavy meals before bedtime as they can interfere with your sleep quality. Also, try to establish a bedtime routine that helps you unwind and relax, such as reading a book, taking a warm bath, or meditating.
Do Relaxing Activities
Engage in relaxing activities before bed to calm your mind and promote a restful sleep. You can try reading a book, listening to calming music, practicing yoga or meditation, or taking a warm bath. These activities help reduce stress and anxiety, which can interfere with your sleep quality.
In conclusion, taking care of yourself at night is crucial for your overall health and well-being. By following these tips, you can create a peaceful and relaxing environment that promotes restful sleep and helps you wake up feeling refreshed and energized. For the Silo, Bill Gordon.
Have you ever felt like you need an upgrade on your life?
Most of us have – and there’s a way to get it, says veteran physician Sanjay Jain.
“First, I tell people, ‘Don’t be afraid of making your life clearer.’ but as we have paraphrased from Chinese philosopher Laozi, ‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step,’ ”. Many argue that life is not simple and, therefore, there are no easy answers, says Jain, whose specialties include integrative medicine. He’s also an international speaker and author of Optimal Living 360 – (www.sanjayjainmd.com).
“Lives are built from many small components which, when viewed as an assembled whole, can appear overwhelmingly complex,” Jain says.
“But when we break them down and consider the pieces as we make decisions in our lives, it’s much easier to see how small adjustments can result in a better return on all of the investments we make – not only in health, but in relationships, finances, and all the other essential aspects of our lives.”
Jain offers four points to keep in mind as you start the journey.
• Life is short, so live it to its fullest potential. Live it optimally. This is your life, so don’t waste its most precious resource – time. No matter one’s spiritual leanings, economic and education status, health, intelligence level, etc. – one thing is true for all: Our time on Earth is finite. There will be a time for most of us when, perhaps after a frightening diagnosis from a doctor, we reflect deeply upon our time and consider the most important moments, and all the time that may have been squandered.
• Balance is key. Too much or too little of something, no matter how good, is actually not good. Balance is one of the easiest tenets to understand, but arguably the most difficult to maintain. Obviously, too much alcohol is bad; then again, there are some health benefits to moderately imbibing red wine. What about too much of a good thing; can a mother love her children too much? Yes, if she is an overprotective “helicopter parent.” The best antidote to overkill of anything is awareness; try to be aware of all measures in your life.
• Learn to tap your strengths and improve upon your weaknesses. Engaging your strengths at work and in your personal life is important. When we do what we’re good at and what comes easily, we feel self-confident and satisfied. Some people, however, are not in jobs that utilize their strengths, or they don’t put their talents to work at home because they’re mired in the prosaic work of living. It’s important to identify your strengths and find ways to engage them. It’s equally important to recognize our weaknesses and work on improving them (because we can!) This is essential for achieving balance.
• Life is about making the right choices. Integrative decision-making makes this easier. There are many different types of decision-making, including systematic, hierarchal, impulsive, decisive and flexible. Integrative decision-making can be used for problems large and small, and includes the following process: 1. Define the problem. 2. Frame the problem. 3. Develop all your options. 4. Analyze your options. 5. Make the decision. 6. Execute your decision. 7. Debrief yourself.
“Don’t be afraid of making your life clearer.” Dr. Sanjay Jain
While experts may be the best consultants for compartmentalized areas of your life, only you know the other aspects that affect your well-being and can determine how a decision in one area will affect another area. For the Silo, Ginny Grimsley
(May 12, 2023) Scientific evidence shows that yoga supports stress management, mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating, weight loss and quality sleep. This is according to the National Institutes of Health. On this edition of the Beth Linder-Moss Podcast, Beth specifically describes all those benefits and how to get started with Yoga.
Yoga is not just a form of exercise but a holistic approach to wellness that works on the mind, body, and spirit. From reducing stress and anxiety to building strength and flexibility, yoga offers numerous benefits for people of all ages and fitness levels.
According to Beth, yoga helps to calm the mind and reduce stress and anxiety. The practice of breathing exercises and meditation during yoga helps to quiet the mind, relax the body, and reduce cortisol levels. Cortisol is associated with higher stress levels. Studies have shown that regular yoga practice can also alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and even PTSD.
Yoga can also help to improve focus, memory, and concentration. “Yoga helps to improve cognitive function, which leads to better decision-making, improved memory and concentration,” says Beth Linder-Moss.
Body Benefits of Yoga
The physical benefits of yoga are well known. Yoga helps to increase strength, flexibility, and balance. Practicing yoga regularly can help to tone muscles and improve overall body composition. Yoga also helps to reduce inflammation and improve digestion.
According to Beth, yoga is one of the best ways to stay fit and healthy, especially as we age. “Yoga is a low-impact exercise that can be practiced by people of all ages and fitness levels. The practice helps to maintain mobility and flexibility in the body, which is essential as we grow older.”
Spiritual Benefits of Yoga
Yoga is not just a physical practice but a spiritual one too. It helps to connect the mind, body, and spirit. Yoga philosophy talks about the interconnectedness of all things and encourages participants to live a life of compassion and kindness.
Beth believes practicing yoga can help to connect with our inner selves and find inner peace. “Yoga helps to inculcate a deep sense of awareness, concentration, and mindfulness. It helps to cultivate a sense of gratitude, compassion, and contentment,” she says.
Finally Beth says, “yoga is a practice that nourishes and sustains us, helping us to live better, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.”
As westerners we’re used to running to the doctor for a prescription when we’re sick, but the down side to this is that many pharmaceuticals come with serious side effects.
That’s just one reason why Asians believe in helping the body heal from more natural methods. Sheri Laine studied under one of the great Chinese medicine masters and in her new book, Living the EnerQi Connection, she shares a profound understanding of Asian medicine and explains the many benefits people are realizing from switching to natural products.
Many of us have heard the words Eastern/ Chinese/Asian medicine, acupuncture, and chi, but we don’t really understand what they mean or the long tradition behind the culture of it. We are westerners. We are used to doctors in white lab coats rushing to meet with us and write a prescription for whatever problem we have at the moment. Living the EnerQi Connection (HCI Books – $12.95) presents a new idea to health, medicine, and introduces us to what those words really mean.
The book discusses Asian medicine as a whole, but one of the main points that it touches on is qi (pronounced “chee” and sometimes spelled chi). This is the energy that is constantly circling through our bodies. Sometimes the flow of our qi can become blocked in some way, because we’re tired or run down which can leave our bodies susceptible to illness. Sheri Laine, L.Ac, has developed a way through Asian medicine to help us maintain our health and keep our qi flowing.
In this book Laine presents the L.A.I.N.E. system, which stands for: Learn, Align, Inform, Natural, and Energy.
Each chapter of the book explains a part of her system to give us a better understanding of the concepts of the energy in our bodies and the energy around us. This will help us to take a more active stance on our lives, our health and our healing.
Laine shows us moments from her childhood when she loved to play doctor to her friends and family, giving them shots by sticking them with cactus needles and giving them medicine from the plants in her back yard. Many years later she is doing this again, but she is no longer playing make-believe. Acupuncture and herbal medicine are a powerful way for Laine to help enhance our qi and energy.
Doctor Richard Teh-Fu Tan LAc, OMD
Sheri Laine studied for many years under the Chinese medicine master, Richard Teh-Fu Tan. It is a long tradition that an apprentice study under a master for many years to get such an extensive knowledge of the medicine, the science, and the tradition behind it. This is how Laine is able to help us understand the concepts for ourselves so that we may apply them in our lives. She is the president of Eastern Medical Arts, a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist and nutritionist, with a focus on Integrative Lifestyle Medicine.
“Deep in their roots, all flowers keep the light. “–Theodore Roethke
Oriental Medicine draws from nature to diagnose internal medical challenges. We have all admired a great majestic tree. Your health is like that great majestic tree. The roots are your immune system, your qi essence, and the power of your qi essence. The branches of your tree are your subjective symptoms of a greater imbalance. The problem is not in a bad branch; it actually lies in the roots of the tree and within the soil that nourishes the tree, what is the underlying cause of distress?”– Chapter 2: Drawing from Nature: The Elements of EnerQi
While spring brings warmer weather, sunnier days, and beautiful flowers, it also brings the reminder that it’s time to air out, declutter our homes, and do some spring cleaning. At the same time, it might be tempting to spray our homes with disinfectants, a lot of common household cleaning products are actually pretty toxic to our health. This is why we’ve provided you with some tips on how to get your home sparkling, but not at the cost of your health.
When it comes to cleaning products, we Canadians buy a lot of them.
In 2014 alone, we spent more than $641 million on products like window sprays and floor cleaners. When you break that down, we’re spending $200-$300 per household annually on products that we think help us maintain healthy homes, when in fact they could be doing the opposite.
Some of Canada’s most popular cleaning products contain harsh chemicals and fragrance ingredients that can harm you and your family’s health. (Tell the Canadian government that we need better protections from toxics in our personal care and cleaning products.)
We tested the homes of 14 volunteers and found that indoor air quality quickly deteriorates when some conventional cleaning products are applied.
The good news is that safer options are widely available. Even better, DIY alternatives for many spring cleaning items are not only easy to make, they can provide significant cost savings over store brands.
How concerned should we be about the impacts of cleaning products on indoor air?
We put some of Canada’s most popular cleaning products as well as certified green products and products that had non-verifiable green claims to the test! We sampled the air in volunteers’ homes while they cleaned their kitchens for half an hour to test for VOCs.
Things are pretty much the same in the United States.
(Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs for short, are a common type of air pollutant. VOCs are a broad category of chemicals, some of which are linked to asthma and other health conditions, including cancer. A key concern with VOCs is that some of them can react with other pollutants present in the air, and form other contaminants that are even more toxic).
So, what did we find?
For the nine homes where conventional cleaners were used, total VOCs increased by an average of 120 per cent.
For the three homes cleaned with certified green products with full disclosure labels, the VOCs increased by an average of only 35 per cent.
For the two homes cleaned with products that made a green claim on the label but did not disclose ingredients, total VOCs averaged 100 per cent.
Handy tips to keep your indoor air quality in good shape while getting the job done:
Choose green products that list their ingredients in full. Companies are not currently required to fully list their ingredients, but some forward thinking businesses offer this information to customers voluntarily.
Avoid cleaning products that list “fragrance” as an ingredient.
Keep rooms ventilated by opening windows or turning on fans during and after cleaning. This is especially important if you live in a condo or an apartment. Better air circulation will keep harmful VOC levels from building up.
Try some simple DIY recipes with two simple ingredients: water and vinegar.
Following these tips, and choosing green products, or making your own when possible, are great (and toxic-free) ways to get your spring cleaning done without dirtying the planet and your health!
For the Silo, Sarah Jamal Program Coordinator, Toxics environmentaldefence.ca
Life sometimes can seem off kilter as responsibilities mount and people plow all their physical and mental resources into what seems to be the most pressing crisis of the moment.
But Lumbie Mlambo says that’s a good time to take a step back. Everyone has the potential to shine in life’s darkest moments, but the key to achieving goals and an overall better existence is to maintain a balance so that one aspect of your life isn’t consumed by another.
While some people might say balance in life is an impossible goal, she disagrees and says when each of us find our equilibrium, we become more productive and a greater asset to our communities.
“There’s balance in everything we do, be it walking, talking, eating, sleeping, working or spending time with family,” says Mlambo, editor of Equanimity Magazine, an online publication that features inspiring stories of life and success.
“For example, look at how we try to deal with our work-life situation. We balance our workload so that we can still make room for other activities, to spend more time with our spouses or our children. We do that because we understand how important it is.”
She offers these reasons for why living a balanced life is essential.
• The health factor. Staying balanced is a key to a healthier and successful life. Both mental health and physical health benefit, and as a result, so do our overall lives. “When we’re healthy, we’re able to care for ourselves and others in our community,” Mlambo says.
• The empathy factor. When we find balance in life, we can better understand the importance of helping the underprivileged, says Mlambo, who grew up in a rural area in Zimbabwe. You begin to realize that someday you could be in their situation, which makes you a more empathetic person. “Your economic situation is like your health,” she says. “Nothing is guaranteed.”
• The role-model factor. Sharing our stories – whether it’s a tale of success or even a tale of failure – is important because others can learn from us or be inspired by us as they too strive for a balanced life. “When you tell your story, it empowers, motivates and encourages people to not give up on their dreams and goals,” Mlambo says. “Maybe you think your story is just not that interesting or important. But for someone out there, it may be the spark that ignites them to great things.”
Mlambo always strove to find balance in her life. But she became even more passionate about it after she suffered a stroke in 2001 that left her partially paralyzed. She since has recovered, but says the event had a profound impact on her and she will always consider herself a stroke patient.
“Before the stroke, I thought my life was balanced in a way,” she says. “I mean, I ate healthy foods. I exercised seven days a week. But it was not balanced in the way I wanted. I had been too focused on myself. I realized that life was not just about me, but about others.”
Finding balance in life isn’t just a feel-good concept, Mlambo says. As people achieve balance, they realize they have the potential to rise above their circumstances. They can become more productive in their communities and that is good for everyone.
“Staying proactive and shifting the way we think can even help the economy to grow and can help create more jobs,” she says.
Certainly, maintaining a balanced life may be tougher than ever because technology allows work – emails, text messages, telephone calls – to intrude on people’s “off” hours. But that’s just all the more reason to make a concerted effort to strive for balance, Mlambo says.
She says it’s become popular in some circles to argue that a balanced life is a myth and can’t be achieved. But regardless of their views, she says, most people seem to be trying to bring balance to their lives, even if they don’t think of it that way.
“We eat healthy to stay balanced, we get enough sleep or rest to avoid stress, we juggle our daily activities to stay balanced,” Mlambo says. “To be successful in anything we do, we must have some sort of balance.” For the Silo, Lumbie Mlambo.
Do you get tired of eating the same or similar food every day? No matter how creative you might be in the kitchen, you cannot avoid repeating some recipes over and over again.
Healthy eating is usually linked with habits, as only in that manner you can keep your health in balance and keep diseases away.
Still, what to do when you get bored eating great all the time? Should you go after that burger? Should you indulge in high-sugar food?
Or you should do something completely unexpected? The answer is very simple as all you should do is vary your meals.
If you eat broccoli on Monday and don’t place it on your plate before Friday again, you are spinning your meals and your body will love it.
Here is how to vary your meals, so you can still eat healthily.
Do Not Ignore Sweets
Healthy eating doesn’t mean that you should completely forget about eating sweets, ever again.
No, eating well is more about balance and finding ingredients packed with high-quality products and no sugar or with a more natural sugary option. This is why vegan frozen desserts are always a great idea when you want to continue eating great, but enjoying that taste that homemade treats offer.
Frozen desserts are always easy to store and great to have around when you have unplanned guests.
Add Greek Yogurt To Your Diet
Ok, this is a life hack. Greek yogurt is not only great to store, and easy to carry with you, but it is also very beneficial when it comes to your health.
Greek yogurt is famous for its creamy and thick texture, making it great for salads or a nice addition to fruit salad.
Greek yogurt can be used alone, as a snack on the go, and you can choose between plain and flavored options.
Increase Your Protein Intake
When you include protein-based food into your diet, you will immediately start eating healthier and more diverse.
Nuts are packed with protein and snacking them throughout the day sounds great, right?
Food that is naturally rich in protein is usually great to eat as a snack, to mix with other ingredients, and serves perfectly for weight loss.
Here are some sources of protein that should make your diet more diverse instantly:
dairy products
nuts
peanut butter
eggs
beans
lean meat
Last But Not Least… Drink Water
Did you know that people are often just thirsty when they need food? This is because when a dehydrated body sends signs that it needs to be filled, the brain doesn’t dissolve immediately if you need water or food.
This is why people tend to overeat and later on realize that they just need more glasses of water.
Plus, drinking water regularly is important for your overall health so stick to it.
As people go about their daily lives, there’s a common but hidden scourge: excessive sweating. In fact, a national survey conducted by the International Hyperhidrosis Society (IHhS)—the scholars of sweat—shows multiple millions suffer from extreme, uncomfortable, embarrassing, debilitating, and emotionally-devastating sweating. This type of sweating is a serious medical condition known as hyperhidrosis and nearly 367 million people of all ages struggle with it on their hands, feet, face, underarms, or body.
Hyperhidrosis can be particularly devastating. While many attempt to hide their sweating problems and suffer in silence, the impacts are often hard to cover up. Dramatic sweating in the presence of peers at work, or in extracurricular or social environments, can cause severe embarrassment, stress, anxiety, and other emotional issues. Even when people are alone, away from potential judgements, hyperhidrosis often takes a heavy toll—adversely impacting one’s productivity in a myriad of ways.
Those with hyperhidrosis struggle with disproportionate and random sweating that may drench clothing, ruin papers, damage technology tools, make playing sports and musical instruments impossible, promote hiding and isolation behaviors, degrade self-esteem, and prompt bullying at any age—among kids and adults. The holistic effect on life—workplace, marital, social and otherwise—is thus profound. In fact, research published in Archives of Dermatological Research indicates that the majority of those with excessive sweating confirm the condition has negative impacts on their social life, well-being, and emotional as well as mental health.
Lisa J Pieretti, Executive Director of IHhS, notes, “Excessive sweating is a dermatological disorder that can cause an otherwise healthy person to produce up to five times more sweat than is normal or necessary. The pressures of dealing with a ‘sweating problem’ around peers can be catastrophic to self-esteem and more. Too often, people become anxious about attending work or school, socializing with friends, or being out in public in general. But when those with hyperhidrosis receive support, understanding, and appropriate treatment, their lives can be dramatically changed.”
To that point, IHhS co-founder Dr. David Pariser urges that, while hyperhidrosis is the number one dermatological disease in terms of negatively affecting a person’s quality-of-life, it’s also number one in having the most positive impact when treated. “When hyperhidrosis is caught early, a person’s life can be transformed for the better in a multitude of ways,” he says.
With that in mind, the first step toward providing solutions for those who sweat excessively is to bust some common myths and misconceptions with facts from the experts at the IHhS, including these:
Myth: Sweaty people are out-of-shape, nervous or have hygiene issues.
Truth: The average person has 2 to 4 million sweat glands. Sweat is essential to human survival and serves as the body’s coolant, protecting it from overheating. Many athletes actually sweat more than other people because their bodies have become very efficient at keeping cool. Meanwhile, people with hyperhidrosis (which causes overactive sweat glands) sweat excessively regardless of mood, weather, or activity level—often producing 4 or 5 times more sweat than is considered “normal”.
Myth: Those with hyperhidrosis don’t suffer with workplace-specific activities.
Truth: In a recent 2017 study, 63% of those with hyperhidrosis reported interference in the performance of tasks at work or school due to their condition.
Myth: To have hyperhidrosis, one must be dripping and saturated with sweat.
Truth: Excess sweating can range from severe dripping to moderate moisture. Symptoms of hyperhidrosis can manifest differently and personally. But, what is consistent is the impact on life depending on areas affected. This can include damaged clothing, paperwork and shoes; obvious, embarrassing sweat marks on clothing; unappealing cold wet hands; discomfort due to dripping sweat or constant dampness; and skin slipperiness that gets in the way of sports, music, and day-to-day tasks. Excess sweating of the armpits, hands, feet, face, chest, back, or groin can result in substantial impairment, including limitations at work, in social and physical activities, and during hobbies. Emotional and psychological distress is also common.
Myth: People will grow out of hyperhidrosis.
Truth: Contrary to popular belief, research shows that hyperhidrosis does not go away or decrease with age. In fact, in one recent IHhS study, 88% of respondents said their excessive sweating had gotten worse or stayed the same over time. This was consistent across all the different age groups, from youngsters to older adults.
image: wyldraven-deviantart.com
Myth: Hyperhidrosis is “just” a summer thing, or it’s at least worse during the hot summer months.
Truth: Research from the IHhS also shows that profuse sweating is not simply dictated by the time of year. The majority of patients in one survey indicated that their sweating bothers them equally, no matter the season.
Myth: Kids and young adults are “resilient” and can deal with sweating a lot.
Truth: Medical journal citations substantiate that young people are known to be significantly impacted by emotional sequelae accompanying dermatologic disease and that psychiatric issues inherently accompany dermatologic disease in children and adolescents. Studies further show that most patients with hyperhidrosis—characterized by excessive, spontaneous sweating beyond physiologic, thermal, or stress-reaction body requirements—describe their lives as “bad” or “very bad” due to the disorder.
Myth: Antiperspirants are for underarms only. Truth: Think outside the pits! You can glide, stick, spray, and roll-on nearly anywhere that sweating is a problem (think hands, feet, face, back, chest, and even groin.) Be smart and talk to your dermatologist first before applying an antiperspirant to sensitive areas and test new products on small areas of skin first.
Myth: Like caffeine, antiperspirants are best used in the morning. Truth: Pick a p.m. perk! Skip the bedtime espresso but do use your antiperspirant in the evening as well as in the morning. Sweat production is at its lowest at night, giving the active ingredients in antiperspirants a better chance to get into your pores and block perspiration when the sun comes up and you really get moving.
Myth: Excessive sweating is less debilitating than other skin conditions people have to deal with.
Truth: According to Dr. Pariser, hyperhidrosis has the greatest impact of any dermatological disease. In fact, various investigations show the impact of hyperhidrosis on quality-of-life is equal or greater than that of in-patient psoriasis, severe acne, Darier disease, Hailey-Hailey disease, vitiligo, and chronic pruritus.
The extreme level of sweat production experienced with hyperhidrosis can disrupt all aspects of a person’s life, from academic performance, recreational activities and relationships, to self-image and overall emotional well-being. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are helpful resources available to help people with hyperhidrosis to not just “know sweat,” but to also achieve a more comfortable and happier life. For the Silo, Merilee Kern.
Branding and consumer product trends pundit Merilee Kern, MBA is a wellness industry veteran, health advocate and influential media voice. Her ground-breaking, award-winning “Kids Making Healthy Choices” Smartphone APP for children, parents/caregivers and educators (iTunes) is based on her award-winning, illustrated fictional children’s book, “Making Healthy Choices – A Story to Inspire Fit, Weight-Wise Kids” (Amazon). She may be reached online at www.TheLuxeList.com. Follow her on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/LuxeListEditor and Facebook here: www.Facebook.com/TheLuxeList.
Natural gas is an important fuel used for heating and cooling in more than half of all North American homes. But methane, the key component in natural gas, is highly explosive and can become deadly when uncontrolled. Back in 2014, a natural gas explosion in two apartment buildings in New York killed eight people and injured 70 others.
Natural gas is composed primarily (95% or more) of methane, a colorless, odorless, non-toxic flammable gas. Methane is emitted from natural sources such as wetlands and also from industrial and agricultural processes.
Because methane is odorless, an additive known as mercaptan, or methanethiol, is added to natural gas to make the presence of methane detectable. Mercaptan additives contain sulfur, which is the reason natural gas smells like rotten eggs. Exposure to mercaptan can result in a variety of adverse health effects, including irritation of the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Natural gas can also contain small amounts of potentially harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as ethane, propane, butane and even toxic compounds such as benzene and toluene.
Methane cannot be filtered. Mercaptan and VOCs can. Unfortunately, methane is not just dangerous – it’s also unfilterable. Adsorption and chemisorption, the two processes by which gas and odor air filters remove chemicals from the air, are ineffective against methane, which has an extremely low molecular weight. As a result, the only effective strategies for reducing indoor methane levels are source control/reduction and increased ventilation.
Mercaptan and VOCs, however, can be efficiently filtered with a high-performance air filtration system with a combination of high quality activated carbon and potassium permanganate – such as the IQAir HealthPro Plus or GC MultiGas (at right) room air purifier. The activated carbon provides adsorption of VOCs, and the potassium permanganate provides excellent chemisorption of mercaptan and many other VOCs, such as formaldehyde. The combination of these two filtration media is ideal.
The IQAir HealthPro Plus Air Purifier- made in Switzerland
Importance of monitoring methane levels.
Because methane is so highly explosive, high-performance air filtration to remove the odors associated with natural gas (mercaptan) is not recommended unless sufficient monitoring with a methane detector has determined that levels are safe. Methane detectors, also known as explosive gas detectors, can be purchased at hardware and home-supply stores.
This article is brought to you by The IQAir Group, friends of the Silo who develop innovative air quality solutions for indoor environments around the globe. IQAir is the exclusive educational partner of the American Lung Association for the air purifier industry.
Sometimes, not knowing the truth about something of immediate importance can create some of the most intense stress, says former chronic pain sufferer Janet Komanchuk.
“The families of victims who’ve been missing for years or decades – identifying the body of their loved one, for example, can bring closure. For me, being diagnosed with fibromyalgia was also a relief – it meant that I had a name for my chronic pain,” says Komanchuk, whose pain was so intense over a period of several years that she had to retire as a schoolteacher.
Studies of Monkey’s may help solve causes of stress in humans- http://wabe.org/post/study-monkeys-may-help-solve-stress-humans
“My diagnosis meant I wasn’t crazy, that the pain wasn’t ‘all in my head,’ as some had suggested. It meant that my flu-like symptoms,
accompanied by intense waves of pain, finally had form and dimension. I understood I was just one of many suffering with chronic pain that at last had a name.”
Fibromyalgia syndrome is a complex, chronic condition of widespread muscular pain and fatigue. It often includes sleep disturbances, impaired memory and concentration, depression and other debilitating symptoms. The syndrome is one of the most common chronic pain disorders, affecting nearly one in every 60 North Americans.
When medical leave, morphine patches, codeine and myriad pharmaceuticals brought no relief, I tried a different approach in combination
says Komanchuk, (www.jkomanchuk.com), who has since enjoyed more than 13 years of pain-free and prescription-free living after finding an alternative healing therapy that works for her. She now works as an educational writer and public relations assistant with Joy of Healing, the alternative healing modality that she says brought about her remission.
Is Yoga a ‘healing therapy’? Forbes thinks it is and more- see Supplemental below CP
“Through the years, I’ve learned a thing or two about dealing with the psychological trauma of illness.” Komanchuk shares tips to keep in mind for those suffering from an indeterminate condition.
• Trust in yourself. “At times, the pain was so intense that I was certain my flesh was tearing away from my bones,” says Komanchuk, who was just like the more than 100 million Americans who suffer from chronic pain, which costs nearly $600 billion annually in medical treatments and lost productivity, according to the Institute of Medicine. Despite her unmistakable pain, the critical doubt from others as to what she was experiencing was disheartening, at times causing her to doubt herself.
“Trust in yourself, for you know what you’re feeling,” she says. “Don’t fall victim to the judgment and criticism of others who doubt your illness and the limitations it places on you or your activities.”
• Don’t quit! Despite the immense scope of chronic pain, very little is spent on research to find better ways to manage pain. Komanchuk was faced with the prospect of spending the rest of her life in a nursing home.
“Yes, the pain was excruciating, debilitating and fatiguing, yet I still felt as though my life had the potential for vitality,” she says. “The idea of going to a nursing home – reasonable for some – felt like a kind of death to me.”
Convinced that there was hope for her in overcoming fibromyalgia, she persisted in her search for wellness answers.
• Seriously consider alternatives. She was able to achieve what she thought was impossible – not just temporary relief, but permanent, lasting mind-body-spirit wellness. She had been to orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, rheumatologists, psychologists, underwent MRIs and took all manner of medications for her unbearable pain. In a narrow sense, it would seem as though she exhausted her options – until she looked beyond traditional Western medicine. Alternative treatment guided her to recognize the layers of stress throughout her life that she believes were a primary driver of her chronic pain.
“Every day, I am filled with gratitude for the fact that I am free of the torment from fibromyalgia that had plagued me throughout my
life,” she says. “I just wish I could give others a piece of the relief that I’ve found. All I can say is keep your eyes open, keep the hope alive and don’t give up!” For the Silo, Ginny Grimsley
A fever, stomach pains or a simple case of the sniffles can send people rushing to the pharmacy for a drug to cure their symptoms.
But Mother Nature provides a number of medicinal plants with healing properties that also can nurse you back to health, a fact more North Americans are beginning to discover.
Doctor Sodhi -” more North Americans realize the effectiveness of remedies found in nature”
“The use of herbal medicine, although traditional in many Eastern cultures, had been only a minor fad in Western medicine until recent decades,” says Dr. Virender Sodhi, founder of the Ayurvedic and Naturopathic Medical Clinic , which provides complementary and alternative medicine.
That trend has been shifting as a growing body of studies and research has demonstrated the effects of traditional remedies on chronic diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, says Sodhi, author of the new guide, “Ayurvedic Herbs: The Comprehensive Resource for Ayurvedic Healing Solutions”.
That’s not necessarily news to ailing people in other parts of the world, such as Asia and Africa. For centuries, they have found relief through herbal medicines derived from shrubs, vines, trees and other plants, Sodhi says.
Here are four examples, a couple of which are recognizable by better known names and purposes.
American licorice is a native, perennial legume that grows in temperate climates of North America. Licorice, which grows in Europe and Asia, is the root of varieties of the Glycyrrhiza plant.
• Glycyrrhiza glabra. Most people would recognize this plant by its more common name – licorice. It has been used for centuries in the traditional and folk medicines of Asia and Europe to treat ailments ranging from the common cold to liver disease, Sodhi says.
Most Americans likely encountered licorice as children because the sweet root of the plant is used to make candy. Licorice can cure more than a sweet tooth, though. It can protect people from the influenza virus. In cell line studies it was shown to reduce titer of the influenza virus by 90 percent and have strong immune modulation properties.
It’s an important ingredient in many herbal preparations, Sodhi said, especially for bronchial conditions. Because of its expectorant properties, powdered licorice has been used for centuries to treat coughs. Modern cough syrups often contain licorice extract.
• Piper nigrum. This flowering vine’s berries, when still unripe, are used to produce black pepper, but spicing up food isn’t its only talent. Piper nigrum has anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and anti-spasmodic properties that make it ideal for treating digestive disorders, Sodhi says.
It doesn’t stop there. Drug resistance is a major concern in cancer patients. Piper nigrum can reverse multiple drug resistance many fold and significantly increase the apoptotic effect of many pharmaceutical drugs.
CLICK me to discover more about Frankincense
• Boswellia serrate. Commonly known as Frankincense, this herb has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Several patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s colitis have gone in to remission using a Boswellia preparation.
In brain tumor patients it has reduced cerebral edema by 75 percent. Sodhi has mentioned case studies of many patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica and ulcerative colitis who went into remission.
• Bael. Commonly known as “golden apple”, this fruit-bearing tree indigenous to the hills and plains of central and southern India has numerous uses. The fruit promotes healthy digestion and is used medicinally to treat such conditions as diarrhea, dysentery and cholera. The leaves, roots and bark of Bael also have medicinal value.
They help relieve acute bronchitis, heart palpitations, intermittent fevers and many other ailments. Dr. Sodhi has observed 100 percent success in treating patients of clostridium difficile, who did not respond to standard medical protocol of metronidazole (Flagyl), Dificid (fidaxomicin), or vanconycin.
Vaping, which is the act of using e-cigarettes, is more popular in young adults and it is feared to lure them into smoking. On the flip side, it is thought to help adults who are already smoking to quit. Confusing, right? Indeed, it is. All of this is attributed to the presence of nicotine in the vape juice. Apart from this, the use of e-cigarettes is also linked to some other effects like on user’s health.
Effects of E-Cigarettes on Youths
As hinted, vaping might lead youths into using tobacco products in the long run. First, the majority of the vaping juices on the market today contain strong nicotine, which causes addiction. Users claim that it has the best experience, but they do not know that it will affect them eventually.
Youths are also known to be experimental, and hence, they like to try different flavors at the same time. This introduces them to different types of nicotine levels and increases the chances of addiction. They also vape out of peer pressure and they may end up becoming chain vapers.
E-puffer electronic cigar.
Eventually, youths might be tempted to smoke tobacco in search of more satisfaction. After all, it is believed that tobacco satisfies nicotine addiction in a better way than vapes.
What Youths Should Do
Young people need a lot of information to understand vaping in the best way. From this, they can know the best e juice to consume to avoid possibilities of addiction. They should know that peer pressure can lead them to making poor decisions that will cost them later.
Young people should also know that vaping has tons of health effects that they can avoid if they vape responsibly or quit. This means using products from reputable sellers and reading the labels to ensure that they are buying the right thing, which is low or medium nicotine vape juices.
How E-Cigarettes Helps Adults Quit Smoking
You have probably heard that vaping can help you to quit smoking. Many adults who are already tired of cigarettes or have health issues caused by tobacco wish they could quit, but the addiction is heavy. According to research, such adults can try vaping and gradually reduce the nicotine levels. E-juice ranges from strong nicotine levels to low and even zero nicotine.
Studies are showing that addiction to tobacco starts to reduce when one starts to vape cautiously. Many adults have finally stopped tobacco use by switching to vaping then other therapies like the use of gummies.
Is Vaping Good or Bad?
From the above insights, one might wonder whether vaping is good or bad. The truth is that it has its pros and cons, and this boils down to how people use it. As seen, youths tend to abuse it and they end up getting addicted or trying tobacco products. On the other hand, adults take advantage of e-cigarettes to quit smoking.
E-puffer electronic pipe.
It is up to the users to make use of electronic cigarettes in the right way to enjoy the experience they give and also help them to quit tobacco. Whether you are a teen or an adult, you can achieve this. Good luck! For the Silo, Bailey Merton.
“Our ability to fight off disease resides in our muscles,” Dr. Osborn says. “The greatest thing you can do for your body is to build muscle.”
He cites a large, long-term study of nearly 9,000 men ages 20 to 80. After nearly 19 years, the men still living were those with the most muscular strength. (BMJ, formerly British Medical Journal, 2008).
Muscle is all protein – “nothing but good for you,” Dr. Osborn says.
Fat, however, is an endocrine organ, meaning it releases hormones and other chemicals. When a person has excess fat, he or she also has a
disrupted flow of excess biochemicals, which can increase insulin resistance and boost risk factors for stroke and high blood pressure, among other problems.
“Increased cytokines, an immune system chemical, for example, are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease,” Dr. Osborn says. “You’re only as old as your arteries!” Strength-training has health benefits for everyone, he adds, no matter their size. “Some fat is visceral fat – it’s stored around the organs and it’s even more dangerous than the fat you can see,” he says. “People who look thin may actually be carrying around a lot of visceral fat.”
So, what’s the workout Dr. Osborn recommends?
“Back to basics,” he says. “These five exercises are the pillars of a solid training regime.”
• The squat is a full-body exercise; it’s the basic movement around which all training should be centered. Heavy squats generate a robust hormonal response as numerous muscular structures are traumatized during the movement (even your biceps). Standing erect with a heavy load on your back and then repeatedly squatting down will stress your body inordinately – in a good way — forcing it to grow more muscle.
• The overhead press primarily activates the shoulders, arm extenders and chest. Lower body musculature is also activated as it counters the downward force of the dumbbell supported by the trainee. From the planted feet into the hands, force is transmitted through the skeletal system, stabilized by numerous muscular structures, most importantly the lower back.
• The deadlift centers on the hamstrings, buttocks, lumbar extensors and quadriceps, essentially the large muscles of your backside and the front of your thighs. As power is transferred from the lower body into the bar through the upper body conduit, upper back muscles are also stressed, contrasting with the squat, which is supported by the hands. Deadlifts are considered by some to be the most complete training exercise.
• The bench press mostly targets the chest, shoulders and triceps; it’s the most popular among weightlifters, and it’s very simple – trainees push the barbell off the lower chest until the arms are straight. This motion stresses not only the entire upper body, but also the lower body, which serves a stabilizing function. This provides a big hormonal response and plenty of bang for your buck.
• The pull-up / chin-up stress upper body musculature into the body. A pull-up is done when hands gripping over the bar; a chin-up is where hands are gripping under the bar. Nine out of 10 people cannot do this exercise because most simply haven’t put in the effort. It’s also been called a “man’s exercise, which is nonsense,” he says. There are no gender-specific exercises. Women, too, should aspire to enjoy the health benefits entailed with this pillar.
“There are no secrets to a strong and healthier body; hard work is required for the body that will remain vital and strong at any age,” Osborn says. “Always practice proper form and safety. Otherwise, the result will be the opposite of your goal, an injury.”
What do you do when Western medicine fails to heal what ails you?
Mitzi Mensch knows only too well what happens once doctors have exhausted their bag of tricks. Through her writing, Mensch hopes to raise awareness of the dangers of Aspartame, challenge doctors to find answers – not simply mask symptoms – and to bring out the hopeless romantic in her readers.
Healthcare has turned into a multi-trillion dollar industry as patients around the globe are herded into doctor’s offices, only to leave with prescriptions in-hand for brightly colored pills. But what happens when the pills don’t work and the doctor is out of ideas of how to treat your symptoms? Mitzi Mensch knows first-hand the challenges this presents and has written about her experience in The Dangers of Kissing and Diet Coke: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know and Won’t Bother to Find Out, a neurological nightmare juxtaposed with a riveting love story.
This medical mystery has Mitzi playing dual roles of patient and detective all while embroiled in an intense affair with her long lost first love.
There was the “Go to Psych” doctor, the “We’re out of time doctor”, the “No, next” doctor. Physicians pushed pills which turned her into an emotional zombie and didn’t work. Alternative practitioners practiced protocols and provided potions which didn’t work. As Mitzi muddled through the morass she searched for anything that claimed to cure pain, calm nerves, create somnolence.
Still her headache raged on, her tics escalated, she didn’t sleep.
Mitzi was determined to find out what was wrong and fix it. And then there is the power of first love, potent and compelling. The Internet has made it so very easy for people separated by years and distance to rekindle what was long ago left smoldering. But should they? Much more than a self-help book, The Dangers of Kissing and Diet Coke sizzles, allowing the reader to voyeuristically experience an affair from the perspective of the ‘other woman.’
Mensch would like to help people through her writing. “Even if one person’s health is saved by eliminating Aspartame, or one person is cured of constant headache, or one doctor will look beyond the obvious – my words will have meant something. One thing I would like for readers to take away from this book is to be your own advocate when you get sick. As for lovers who love down through the decades, sometimes it works. They are the lucky ones. ”
Mitzi Mensch was born and raised in New England and attended college in Vermont. An island girl at heart, she lives in Hawaii. Available on Amazon.com, AuthorHouse.com and local bookstores. The Dangers of Kissing and Diet Coke: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know and Won’t Bother to Find Out By Mitzi Mensch Publisher: AuthorHouse ISBN-13: 978-1491814147
There have been countless anecdotal claims about the benefits of practicing meditation since the Eastern tradition has become more popular in the West.
Now, there’s plenty of Western-based scientific evidence to support them, says Dr. Matt Mumber, a radiation oncologist and co-director of a non-profit integrative oncology program.
“Meditation is to the brain what physical activity is to the body. We’ve found meditation to be an important facet of health care, both for prevention and maintenance as well as in the treatment of disease, including cancer,” says Dr. Mumber, co-author with colleague and Yoga instructor Heather Reed of “Sustainable Wellness: An Integrative Approach to Transform Your Mind, Body, and Spirit,” (www.sustainablewellnessonline.com).
Mumber and Reed, who are co-facilitators of non-profit residential retreats for cancer patients, say one can experience sustainable wellness by developing a life practice grounded in the cultivation of awareness. This awareness is paying attention without attachment. The ability to be aware can be increased by a meditation tool called mindfulness.
“Life is a constant series of adjustments, matching your inner being with your outer doing,” Reed says. “One way to heighten your awareness is through practicing meditation.”
Mumber and Reed say there’s plenty of new evidence that the resulting sense of balance and peace is not just a psychological effect:
• Mindfulness meditation leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density: Recently published in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, shows that measurable changes in gray-matter density in parts of the brain associated with memory, sense of self, empathy, and stress occurred with study participants who meditated for 30 minutes a day for eight weeks.
• Meditation practitioners have longer attention spans: Published by the journal PloS Biology, a study analyzed people with three months of rigorous training and found that they gained a drastically improved attention span – not only longer, but less susceptible to internal or external distraction. They also showed improved memory and enhanced performance in several tasks, from driving a car to playing piano.
• Reduces stress and blood pressure: Presented to the American Heart Association by researchers at the at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention, a study including 200 high-risk patients for heart attack found that meditation reduced their chances for heart attack by 50 percent.
Oncologist Matt Mumber co-author of Sustainable Wellness
“Studies involving people seeking to reduce stress and other problems in their lives via meditation will continue, as well as for those who want to enhance performance of various duties,” Mumber says.
“For those skeptical of the medical benefits of this Eastern practice, there’s now plenty of Western proof.” Matt Mumber, MD
Matt Mumber, MD, is a practicing board-certified radiation oncologist with the Harbin Clinic in Rome, Ga. He completed his radiation oncology residency at Wake Forest University Bowman Gray School of Medicine and graduated from the Associate Fellowship Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. Dr. Mumber is past president of the Georgia Society of Clinical Oncology. He founded Cancer Navigators Inc, a non-profit organization offering cancer patients access to nurse navigation, social services and educational programs to support and augment the clinical care they receive. Dr. Mumber received the Hamilton Jordan Founders Award for involvement in statewide oncology activities and in 2008 he was named a Health Care Hero by Georgia Trend magazine. He serves on the editorial board for the journals Current Oncology and Journal of Oncology Practice and is on the board for the Society of Integrative Oncology.
Yoga instructor Heather Reed of “Sustainable Wellness: An Integrative Approach to Transform Your Mind, Body, and Spirit
Heather Reed has been teaching Yoga since 1996. She expresses an integrative, adaptive approach and specializes in using Yoga and meditation techniques for people living with cancer, post-polio syndrome and other chronic illnesses. Heather received an Experienced Teacher Certification from Esther Myers Yoga Teacher Training Program and has had extensive training with senior staff of the Commonweal Cancer Help program and Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease. She developed Yoga classes for cancer patients at The Wellness Community, Atlanta. Since 2008, she has been Yoga teacher and co-facilitator for the Residential Retreat Program for Cancer Navigators of Rome, Ga. For the Silo, Ginny Grimsley
ICYMI: Poorly installed tile can cause serious health issues due to mold, and significantly decrease home values. Gregory Norman, founder of BathMasters, highlights the advantages of hiring a professional for tiling projects and encourages homeowners to resist cutting corners.
(Clearwater, FL) —The homeowner improvement and repair market reached $317 billion USD in 2017 alone and continued to hover around that mark right up to this year-even when factoring in Covid, (1) and the number of homeowners utilizing DIY and unlicensed contractors for renovations is also on the rise.
13% of all households undertook a bathroom remodel or replacement project in the past 5 years, and of those, 42% failed to use a licensed contractor.(2)
The risks associated with improper renovations—especially tiling—can not only slash a home’s value, but also prove hazardous for homeowners’ health, warns bathroom renovation company BathMasters.
When it comes to bathroom overhauls, homeowners are generally unprepared for surprises, such as mold or leaks that can be hiding inside walls and beneath floors.(3) Improper tiling performed by a homeowner or unlicensed contractor can inadvertently allow water to seep in, facilitating accumulation of mold spores and thereby causing serious damage to a homeowner’s house and personal health.(4) Per BathMasters founder, Greg Norman, statistics show that in all remodeling projects, tile showers are the number one botched renovation.
Norman says the room for error is vast; if the underside of the shower pan is not waterproofed, or the membrane going to the drain is improperly installed, costly leaks and mold can – and likely will – occur.
(3) And the risks are alarming: mold and water damage under shoddily-installed tiles can cause heightened asthma problems, skin rashes and even autoimmune diseases.(4) Per Norman, preserving health and the value of the home are invaluable to cutting corners on a renovation project.
“No home renovation project in the world is worth putting one’s health at risk,” said Norman. “Additionally, home renovations are intended to increase the value of a home; DIY projects or renovations done by unlicensed contractors run completely contrary to that.”
Although it may seem like homeowners can save money by not using a licensed contractor, even a small defect can significantly devalue a property. Most cities require homeowners to tear out walls, along with any ceramic wall tiles, if the renovation project wasn’t inspected by the city beforehand. Also, a home appraiser may not include a non permitted addition in the square footage for the home value, which could cost homeowners thousands of dollars.
When considering home renovation projects that include electrical work, plumbing jobs, tiling or knocking down walls, hiring a licensed contractor is key.” Norman went on to say that when hiring a contractor, homeowners need to do their homework by checking reviews and ensuring that permits are being pulled consistently.
“BathMasters regularly replaces showers that have been done incorrectly by unlicensed contractors, generally within five years of installation.
The company is dedicated to providing the highest quality work; as such, its team is equipped with specialized training from the Tile Council of North America in South Carolina, enabling its contractors to offer customers the highest standard of work for all bathroom renovations. For the Silo, Ashley Richardson.
About BathMasters:
BathMasters is a Virginia plumbing, electrical and building contractor with showrooms and warehouses in Northern Virginia and the Tampa Bay Area (Florida). BathMasters is rapidly expanding to meet the demand of its customers for high-quality, full-service bathroom renovations and tub-to-shower conversions built to withstand the test of time. With thousands of custom bathroom remodel jobs under its belt, BathMasters has become the premier choice for all bathroom renovation needs.
Co-founders and brothers Gregory and David Norman grew up in a family of masters: their father was a master plumber, and their uncles worked as a master electrician, master carpenter, and class A home builder. The Norman family legacy has always been about high-quality work, never cutting corners, and an unparalleled commitment to communication, honesty and integrity in their dealings with homeowners. It is this legacy that Gregory and David carry forward at BathMasters. Their mission is to improve the skill level of bathroom installers through their extensive workforce training programs, to the benefit of homeowners and the industry itself. Visit BathMastersVirginia.com and BathMastersFlorida.com.
Donahue, Kerry. “STRONG AND STABLE GROWTH PREDICTED FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT AND REPAIR MARKET IN 2017.” Joint Center for Housing Studies. N.p., 19 Jan. 2017. Web.
Webb, Craig. “Homeowners Hired Pros to Remodel 66% of Kitchens, 58% of Baths, NKBA Survey Finds.” Remodeling. N.p., 11 Jan. 2017. Web. 09 Mar. 2017.
LaPonsie, Maryalene. “7 Reasons to Back Away From DIY Home Improvement Projects.” Money Talks News. N.p., 22 Apr. 2015. Web. 28 Feb. 2017.
Is Your Home a Death Trap? How Mold Affects Your Health and Your Home’s Value. N.p., n.d. Web.
Dark spots can be treated with topical vitamin crèmes but much larger doses are needed.
Way back in 2013 a poll by Penn Schoen Berland revealed that women’s worries about wrinkles, dark spots and other aging skin concerns aren’t all vanity. Forty-two percent of women ages 50 to 59 believed they needed to look young to be successful at work.
“Increasingly, both men and women have anxiety about looking older, but the good news is that science has developed natural tools to help us look younger longer,” say Drs. Rick and Arlene Noodleman, the husband-and-wife physician team at Silicon Valley’s Age Defying Dermatology, national leaders in medical and cosmetic dermatology and integrative medical treatments.
Something we all battle daily is damage from free radicals, a term that has entered the public lexicon with little understanding by most people.
“Free radicals are oxygen molecules that have lost electrons through oxidation, making them unstable. If your body doesn’t have enough antioxidants to stabilize them and render them harmless, they can damage cell membranes, which eventually breaks down the proteins that support and plump the skin,” explains preventive medicine specialist Dr. Arlene Noodleman.
“We’re bombarded by free radicals every day”, she says. “We produce them when we metabolize food and even when we breathe. They’re also in the environment – diesel exhaust, air pollution, UV radiation (from the sun) and cigarette smoke are all major producers.”
“What’s worse, those free radical oxygen molecules are always looking to stabilize themselves by swiping electrons from stable molecules, which creates even more free radicals,” says dermatologist Dr. Rick Noodleman. “We have lots of natural defenses against free radicals, but as we age, we begin to lose them,” he says.
Some vitamins are antioxidants, meaning their molecules provide electrons that stabilize the free radicals.
Clinical studies have found that certain of these are effective in preventing damage, or correcting damage such as reducing wrinkles and dark spots. In certain cases, “taking your vitamins” means applying them on your skin so they can work from the outside-in, the physicians say.
• Vitamin A – “There is significant scientific evidence that the form of vitamin A called retinoid, when applied topically, can treat damage caused by sun exposure,” says Dr. Arlene Noodleman. “It can soften fine lines and wrinkles and lighten dark spots.” In one study, subjects had significantly fewer fine wrinkles after applying a prescription-strength retinoid cream (0.1 percent isotretinoin) once a day for 36 weeks. “Of the over-the-counter retinoid products, Retinol appears most effective”, Dr. Noodleman says.
• Vitamin C – “Vitamin C applied topically is much more effective than taken orally”, says Dr. Rick Noodleman. “That’s because vitamin C is relatively unstable — it quickly oxidizes when exposed to air and in certain other conditions. So, to get the full benefit, you would need it in much greater amounts than you would normally consume in a tablet. You can get that benefit by using a topical formulation,” he says. “Look for ‘stable’ vitamin C of the L-ascorbic variety, which offers the best protection against sun damage”, he states. “It reduces lines and wrinkles, protects against sun damage, and encourages production of collagen, one of the proteins susceptible to free radical damage. Importantly, collagen makes up 75 percent of our skin and gives it support and volume.”
• Vitamin B3 – “As a ‘damage corrector’, test-tube studies have shown that vitamin B3 boosts collagen production and clinical studies have shown that it reduces dark spots”, says Dr. Arlene Noodleman. In one significant study, 50 Caucasian women applied a 5 percent vitamin B3 solution to one side of their faces every day for 12 weeks. They had a marked reduction in dark spots, redness and yellowing, and increased elasticity.
It might seem like “too much” but topical vitamin crèmes need to be applied relatively heavy in order for them to be effective.
The two doctors advise that, for best results, people should buy these topical vitamin products at concentrations that have proved effective
– and use them for the length of time recommended.
Dr. Rick Noodleman, a board-certified, Stanford-trained dermatologist, is an expert in the medical and surgical management of skin disease, aging skin, and advanced cosmetic techniques. Dr. Arlene Noodleman, board-certified in preventive medicine and fellowship-trained in integrative medicine, is a healthy aging expert who focuses on the whole person and strategies that facilitate the body’s innate healing response. Together,the Noodleman’s created the Revercel cosmeceutical and neutraceutical product line which includes products containing vitamins in the amounts and forms scientifically proven to be effective. They include Eye Perfection and Intensive Repair Serums with Retinol and Vita-C Emulsion. For the Silo, Ginny Grimsley.
Did Hollywood glorify smoking? Sophia Loren sharing an on screen moment of smoking.
Yes, I have quit smoking . . . again. I know – I know, you have lost your faith in me because I have stopped and started and stopped and started over and over and over. You have to give me props for my perseverance though right?
It is now day 16 and I am feeling great although I have to admit, cravings still come over me, especially when I have a glass or two of wine and I realize that I have smoked for far too long.
I had my first cigarette when I was a teenager and now that I am midway through my life I am motivated for my health and for my children.
For the last five years I wasn’t a heavy smoker and to be honest I would never have classified myself as a heavy smoker in all the 26 years that I was smoking. Wow, I can’t believe I have smoked for that long. You know, I gave up a couple times? – when I was pregnant with both my children and last year I quit for a couple of months as well.
My incentive and push was the Quit and Get Fit Program which is sponsored by the Lung Association of Ontario. “Quit and Get Fit is based on scientific studies that demonstrate how physical activity, and even deep breathing, can help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms.” I will readily admit that I do not consider myself to be very fit, although my trainer has expressed his amazement at how strong I am, considering I have never really followed any type of fitness regime on a regular basis.
It must be my First Nations blood.
Whatever the reason, the program allows “get fitters” to take part in personal training sessions at a participating health and fitness club. Basically, you get a sponsored two-month membership and 16 sessions with a trainer. It is a really good opportunity to get familiar with your local fitness center staff and equipment. Many successful quitters will tell you that after stopping smoking they inevitably gain weight and training is a perfect way to prevent this from happening.
If it’s too late to register or your local fitness center is not participating I would highly recommend taking up some type of fitness activity. For me, I hope that these two months will turn into years of taking care of myself and becoming a happier and healthier Julie. For the Silo, Julie Mallon.
Myth: Excessive sweating is less debilitating than other skin conditions people have to deal with.
