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Are you wondering if you simply like to eat, or have compulsive overeating disorder? Here are some symptoms of compulsive overeating disorder:

- Do you keep thinking about food all day long?

- Do you turn to food when you are sad, happy, stressed, or bored?

- Do you feel that food has taken control of your life?

- Do you buy a large amount of food and eat it in one setting uncontrollably?

- Do you feel embarrassed to eat with your friends or coworkers because you do not want them to know how much you eat?

- Do you eat very quickly, not even tasting the food anymore?

- Do you feel that you do not know if you are hungry anymore? You just eat until you are sick and feel extremely uncomfortable?

- Do you feel guilty due to your eating habits?

- Do you like to indulge on junk food, high fat food, and sugary food?

If any of the above symptoms sounds like you, you might have compulsive overeating disorder.

If you have compulsive overeating disorder, probably you feel alone and helpless. When you tell your friends about your problem, probably they just simply tell you to stop eating. Unfortunately, it is not that easy. Your mind and body just cannot control your craving.

Do not feel discouraged! There are more people who suffer from compulsive overeating disorder than you think. There is hope!

Here are some ways you can overcome compulsive overeating disorder.

1. Share your problems with other people.

Talking to your love ones and asking them to support you emotionally is extremely important for compulsive overeater. Explain to them it is important that they understand your problem and give you emotional support. When you go shopping with them and pass by an ice cream shop, they need to tell you “you don’t want that” when you start to walk over there.

If you live with your family and your house is full of cookies and candies for your brothers and sisters, explain to them that you do not want any junk food in the house. With someone who loves you to support you, you can stop compulsive overeating disorder a lot easier.

2. Find professional help.

Talk to your doctor about your problem. Many people who have compulsive overeating disorder also suffer from depression. Talk to you doctor about your problems, they can refer you to the right health care professional who can truly help you.

3. Get support from other compulsive overeater.

Like other addiction support group, you can find Overeaters Anonymous support groups in your area. You can find meetings in your neighborhood by going to oa.org. People who attend the meetings have the same problems as you. You can relate to them and they understand you. Getting support from them can make your recovery a lot easier.

4. Make a food journal.

Food journal is an effective tool to help you stop compulsive overeating. In the journal, write down everything you eat and drink, the amount you eat, what time you eat, how you feel before and after you eat. This will help you find out what triggers you to overeat. If you turn to food when you are stressed (which is very common), learn more about stress reducing methods such as listen to music, take a bubble bath, go out for a walk, or practice yoga. Once you find out why you overeat, then you are more likely to overcome it.

5. Change your food arrangement in your kitchen.

Throw away all the junk food you have in the house, do not go to the junk food isle in the supermarket, and rearrange your refrigerator so you can rich fruit and vegetables easily. These little changes will make it harder to overeat.

6. Do something you enjoy when you crave for food.

What else do you like to do besides eating? Watch scary movie? Read a novel? Find something you like to do instead of eating. When you are doing something you like, you will be completely distracted and not think about food anymore.

Don’t feel helpless and alone if you are suffering from compulsive overeating disorder. With your commitment and support from people who care about you, you can fight this disease and regain control of your life.

Chris Leung Are you suffering from compulsive overeating disorder? Feeling depressed, helpless, and losing self-esteem? Click on the link to learn how to overcome compulsive overeating disorder & regain your life. Get help from someone who successfully overcome binge eating disorder. Learn from someone who used to have the same problem as you and understand what you are going through. Don’t feel alone and helpless anymore…

Do want run but don’t feel that you can?

Do you enjoy walking but are looking for the added fat burning benefit of running?

Well if so, then the workout I’m about to take you through will make your day a happier one.

When most people start running (at whatever stage of their life) they usually cannot run for a very long period of time. That’s to be expected since the body hasn’t been trained to accommodate the greater demands imposed by running faster or longer. However, the desire to run is present for many people because of its fat burning and overall cardiovascular benefits.

One way to build up your running endurance is to simply run a little bit longer each time you run. A good rule of thumb is to increase either your distance or speed (not both) by no more than 10% per week. This progression allows your body to adapt to new running demands while minimizing your risk for injury.

This method of running at the same pace for a given distance or duration is known as steady-state cardio or running. Initially, this is a great place to start for most beginners but there comes a point when it becomes rather boring and its fat burning potential lessened.

Instead, you may want to consider interval training. Interval training, also known as HIT, is by far the most superior training method to improve your running speed and endurance while maximizing your fat burning potential.

HIT refers to a method of cardio training whereby you combine bouts of high and low intensity. So for our purposes, and since you are a beginner, you would be combining bouts of walking and jogging. Each bout would last a certain amount of time and would be executed at a certain speed.

For most people who have never run before (and who want to start) I usually get them to start with intervals that consist of 90 seconds of walking followed by 30 seconds of jogging. They would then repeat this sequence for a given amount of time – usually 10-15 minutes depending on their initial fitness level.

The wonderful thing about interval training is that there are thousands of possible interval combinations that you can use. And as you become fitter the amount of time at the low and high intensities would vary to give you more of a challenge.

Start with this interval training workout:

Assuming that you’re a complete beginner I’m going to suggest that you begin by following the workout I mentioned above. That is to walk for 90 seconds and then jog for 30 seconds. Repeat this sequence for a total of at least 10 minutes. If you feel you can go longer, then go for it.

The true value of interval training is that it allows you to exercise at a higher overall intensity because it is broken up. Starting off, it might be tough to run (without stopping) for a full 10 minutes but with HIT you can actually spend more time running at a faster speed because you have those lower intensity recovery bouts.

Working at higher intensities also means that you burn more calories and while maximizing your body’s ability to burn fat. Over time, your metabolic rate will increase and you will be burning fat even while your resting. When it comes to fat loss the key is intensity.

So start off with this walk and jog HIT workout and progress from there. For more great interval training workouts check out my Treadmill Trainer? iPod running workouts.

Fitness Expert, Yuri Elkaim helps millions of busy health conscious individuals lose fat while bettering their running performance with just 2 interval training runs per week. Watch his new You Tube Video for a complete guided interval training workout! And as a special bonus, you’ll receive a FREE special offer to receive one of Yuri’s FREE Treadmill Trainer? iPod running workouts to help you get fit and running faster with just 2 short runs per week!

Fitness Expert, Yuri Elkaim helps millions of busy health conscious individuals lose fat while bettering their running performance with just 2 interval training runs per week. Watch his new You Tube Video for a complete guided interval training workout! And as a special bonus, you’ll receive a FREE special offer to receive one of Yuri?s FREE Treadmill Trainer? iPod running workouts

All of us have desires we would be thrilled to see actualize in our lives but often can’t seem to make them happen. If you are taking action to make your wants happen but seem challenged in getting them, it maybe due to a lack of good receiving skills.

Let’s imagine a group of friends, Kelly, John, Larry, Julie and Rebecca, go out for lunch. Larry is just full of compliments…

a) Larry: John, congrats on your promotion at work.

John: Well, I worked 12 hour days for the last 6 months.

b) Larry: Rebecca, your new condo is really great.

Rebecca: Oh well, I am barely making it. Hopefully I can keep up with the expenses.

c) Larry: Julie, your garden is shaping up nicely.

Julie: Thanks and Larry, I love what you did with the living room paint.

d) Larry: Kelly, I love your new sweater.

Kelly: Thanks.

What kind of receiver are YOU? Are you like…

a) John? Do need to justify why you deserve what you got?

b) Rebecca? Do you need to diminish your success so others don’t feel smaller than you?

c) Julie? Do you feel like you need to reciprocate the compliment to be polite? Even if you really don’t feel what you are saying to them?

d) Kelly? Are you able to receive a compliment, no strings?

If you are like Kelly, you are probably a good receiver. What does this mean in relation to your life? Well, if you have been visioning what you want AND taking action, but not seeing results, you may not be a good receiver. How are you supposed to ACCEPT your good into your life, when you can’t even receive a simple compliment and feel you deserve it, no strings?

Let’s analyze the 4 types of receivers:

a) The Justifier: Often, something inside you doesn’t really believe you are worthy to receive and so you must find reasons why you deserve it. Sometimes it is because every time you have been giving something in the past, it was NOT unconditional. It was another person’s way of subtly manipulating you into doing what they wanted. And so you learned that you are not worthy to receive just for the sake of it. Now, to be cautious of receiving, you feel the need to justify.

b) The Diminisher: you want to be socially accepted. You would never want to make someone feel bad about his or her own situation because you have more. It may create jealously and affect your relationship long term. You respond by diminishing your own success.

c) The Reciprocator: You have been taught that when someone gives you something, you must give back. As a result, you go out of your way to return the compliment or favour. That is not to say that you shouldn’t give to others. Absolutely give and spread the joy BUT only give when it is genuine and unconditional.

d) The Receiver: You understand that the world is a balance of give and take. You are comfortable in receiving as you are confident that it will come back to the other in some form or another.

Now that you are aware of your receiving pattern, start noticing your reactions and focus on simply saying “thank-you” when receiving a gift or compliment. If you don’t already do this, it will feel really strange. But keep it up long enough and you will change your pattern and slowly start to receive your desires. Happy Receiving!

Cindy Ashton is an expert in helping people kiss their monsters & unleash their courage. Born with a 20% chance of living, Cindy’s life triumphs are a miracle. She presents keynote speeches, interactive seminars & motivational concerts across North America. http://www.cindyashton.com

A medical practice is more than just seeing patients. It is a business, and like all businesses, it has monthly bills to pay, and employees who want their paychecks. There are many different aspects to medical practices across the country.

A medical practice relies heavily on reimbursements from insurance companies to fulfill their financial obligations. However, filling out insurance claims for hundreds of patients each week can be very time consuming. The whole process can be a very frustrating experience.

A physician must either hire someone to perform this task, another expense that can be eliminated, or do it him or herself. Either way, it can be a grueling experience for the person filling out the forms. Often, filing the forms is another headache that can leave the person feeling a huge amount of stress.

If the forms are not filled out properly, the insurance company will reject them and the whole process is started all over again and often these claims are added to the stack of claims that are pending. This can cause financial hardships for many practices, especially small ones. Even when the claim is accepted, it can take several weeks or months for the insurance company to send the reimbursement check.

Many medical practices have found that by using a medical billing company, they have increased the efficiency in their office. The staff can concentrate on other areas of office work. Medical billing services have fast and secure methods of submitting claims to insurance companies electronically. This means that the claims are no longer lost in the mail or sitting in a stack on someone’s desk waiting to be put into the system.

When a claim is filed electronically, it is either accepted or rejected immediately. The billing service then will make the necessary changes and re-submit the claim. Because the claim is accepted electronically, payment is sent within days instead of weeks or months.

Another benefit to using this type of company is that the personnel are highly trained in all aspect of medical billing. They are familiar with all of the rules and regulations and when they are updated or changed.

The medical billing service will also track each of the payments to make sure that the transaction is completed and that a check was sent. They will contact the insurance company and follow up on each claim that is not processed.

This gives physicians the time they need to treat more patients and to concentrate on them and not worry about when they will receive their payments.

Any type of medical facility can use medical billing services. It does not matter how big or small, the benefits are the same for all.

Many physicians are skeptical about using this type of service, especially small ones, however, the benefits of these services far outweighs any fees that they may charge because the reimbursement time is quick and the success rate of submissions is over ninety percent. This makes it very cost efficient for any medical practice.

Peter Geisheker is CEO of The Geisheker Group marketing firm. One of the types of clients that Peter helps are medical billing companies

From our daily routines to big events such as getting married, a new job or a well deserved vacation, we get fixed in our expectations. When our ‘perfect’ plans go awry as they tend to do in life, it is easy to get negative, frustrated and doubtful. But when things don’t go as you think they should or as you wanted them to, it is a fantastic opportunity to grow and learn. Here are some ways to look at why:

1. It may be a reflection of your thoughts and beliefs:

Imagine that Peter worked to the bone for months on end and finally got to go on a vacation. For weeks prior he was visioning himself relaxing on the beach, playing with the kids, and so on. The vacation came and it was a disaster … from food poisoning to bad service to rainy weather. What happened? Perhaps Peter holds a belief deep inside that unless he is working and productive, he is not worthy. Or maybe he had a bad experience on his last trip and is still holding onto the past. This ‘disaster’ is great opportunity for him to look inside and start to change his patterning.

2. There may be a better route for you:

When I was 18, I was desperate to be a dancer but got rejected from the only degree dance program in Ontario because my grades were 2% below the cut off. Although I was devastated at the time, it was truly a blessing. A month later I went and trained full time in a professional dance company, 6 hours a day. Within a week, I snapped a ligament in my ankle and damaged my knee; within a month the director heard me singing to myself and cast me to sing in the show; within 2 months, I was accepted into a post secondary diploma program for… singing, not dancing. Since I never had a lesson in my life, it was a big sign. When I applied for university again, I got into the music program on talent despite my grades still being too low. My big rejection forced me onto the path I am still on today… 14 years later. So when things don’t go your way, there may be something far greater for you. Have faith!

3. It is not the right timing:

Let’s say you and your partner have been trying to get pregnant for over 2 years. Suddenly, a parent gets sick forcing all your energy towards helping them through their crisis. Can you imagine how difficult that would be if you have a small baby? Or maybe there was something you had to learn – perhaps by tending to the sick parent, you gained greater insight and compassion… tools that would make you a better parent when the timing was right.

4. We don’t always know why:

Sometimes when we don’t know why something happens, we have to come to a place of trust – have the faith that whatever the outcome is in our best and highest good. For example: Let’s say Donna was on her way to an important interview for her ideal job – an opportunity she had worked towards for over 10 years. While driving, she realized she forgot her portfolio at home. She drove back home, got what she needed and drove off to her interview. Luck had it that she encountered lots of traffic and arrived 45 minutes late. The potential boss refused to see her and she lost her ‘dream’ job. Although it seems like a disaster, it may have been a blessing. For all we know, if Donna would have had her portfolio and continued to drive, she would have got into a life threatening accident or maybe she would have got the job but ended up with a bully as a boss. We really don’t know but ultimately, no matter what happens in our life, we must trust that it is in our best and highest good.

When things don’t go as planned, look inside and start asking questions: Is there a belief or negativity within me that has blocked my good? Is there something I need to learn from this so I can have success next time? If all seems clear, then perhaps there is a better route for you or the timing needs to be right. Ultimately, we must always know that everything happens for a reason, so have faith that all will unfold as it needs to.

Cindy Ashton is an expert in helping people kiss their monsters & unleash their courage. Born with a 20% chance of living, Cindy’s life triumphs are a miracle. She presents keynote speeches, interactive seminars & motivational concerts across North America. http://www.cindyashton.com

It has now become established that problems like obesity, cardiovascular problems, diabetes and hypertension are closely associated to one another. This was first proposed by Gerald Reaven in the year 1988 when he presented the Banting lecture. This interlinking was collectively termed as Syndrome X during that time and is now recognized as Metabolic Syndrome.

One causative factor for this syndrome has been identified as insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone produced by the body to keep the glucose level in the blood in check. Insulin resistance alters the glucose levels as it does not get moved into the cells of the body thereby causing high levels in the blood. Glucose is found in the body due to the breakdown of carbohydrates into smaller sugars.

Carbohydrates form a part of everyone’s diet. Carbohydrates are made of polysaccharides or larger sugars that need to be broken down into smaller sugars or monosaccharides to get absorbed into the body. Polysaccharides, if they are not broken down cannot be taken up by the body.

Carbohydrates are broken down partly during the digestion process. Carbohydrate metabolism encompasses every process that is helpful in the reduction of carbohydrates and also includes the development and exchange of carbohydrates in an organism.

Cells in the body utilize the monosaccharides formed by breakdown of carbohydrates. Around 4 calories are got by the consumption of a gram of carbohydrate. The energy got from the metabolism of carbohydrates is stored in the energy units of the body called adenosine tri phosphate (ATP).

Carbohydrates are important for every living organism as an energy resource as this food is easier to utilize and breakdown when compared to fats or proteins.

Sedentary life styles and excessive carbohydrate intake in people with lower rates of metabolism reduces the rate at which carbohydrates are utilized as energy. Glucose that is not utilized by the body gets converted into fats once the glycogen levels in the body get saturated. If there is excess of carbohydrates in the diet, there is a higher chance of it getting stored up as fat. This results in obesity and is related to the disruption of carbohydrate metabolism in the body.

Excess carbohydrates in the diet have an impact on the organ systems too over a period of time. One such effect is the onset of diabetes mellitus that can be life threatening, if uncontrolled.

Diabetes mellitus has an impact on many other organ systems in the body and can lead to complications like cardiovascular problems, nervous system disorders, eye problems that can result in blindness and many skin disorders. This makes it very vital to regulate the intake of carbohydrates in the diet to keep the carbohydrate metabolism intact and to utilize all the carbohydrates that are consumed in the diet. This keeps the risk of developing disorders of metabolism like cardiovascular problems, diabetes, hypertension and obesity at a minimum.

Along with regulating the diet, everyone should also develop a regular exercise program to improve and maintain a healthy rate of metabolism to preserve good health and to have the energy and vigor to go through their day-to-day activities.

Found out ways to naturally increase metabolism as well as detailed look at interelationship with carbohydrates, protein and fats metabolism at http://www.extrametabolism.com

Thyroid disease, malfunctions of the thyroid gland, hyperthyroid (overactive) or hypothyroid (underactive) are showing signs in our population of becoming an epidemic says “The Colorado Thyroid Disease Prevalence Study”. This is a trend across the board in American health, where we are seeing many common diseases moving to an epidemic stage. You name a disease and it is probably an epidemic or moving toward becoming an epidemic like thyroid disease.

Why do we have this problem? Well, as a naturopath I say look at the basics, we are violating just about every natural law in how we take care of ourselves and our environment. But for you who have thyroid disease, solving your problem is the most important priority right now. I will be frank with you; the drug industry does not have a realistic answer to your problem. Drugs can be a way to stabilize your situation temporarily but to use those drugs does not address the root of the problem only the symptoms. Through your thyroid disease, your body is saying something is wrong with the way you are living. If you only address this disease signal your body is sending you with drugs, without addressing the real cause, it will breakout again as another disease and so on.

To get back to basics, take a look at an article I wrote titled “You Are Sick and You Need Help Now” also read “I am an omnivore, we are all omnivores”. These articles will give you some real solid basic health suggestions and common sense knowledge that, when put into practice, begin to address those needs your body has. When you give your body what it needs, the whole body begins to normalize and all your organs begin to run like they were designed to. When they do that, even genetically weak organs begin to move toward normal function.

I ask that you give these suggestions a fair shake of at least 3 months of diligent work. Remember it took years of abuse to develop thyroid disease, it is not going to be solved with a few good meals, you have to work with this. You will see changes just as I did. Read my biography. I had cancer, a genetic weakness, and many genetic problems all served up by an American life style. I really thought I led a healthy life until I was taught better by my sicknesses. If I had not changed my life, like I am asking you to do, I would be dead like my father and grandfather. As I have repeated over and over to students, “I have not drawn a sick breath since that time 18 years ago when I cured my cancer.”

While you are establishing a healthy foundation for your body there are herbs, vitamins and minerals listed below that can assist you with your thyroid issues. Also I would encourage you to take up a hatha yoga routine that includes the inverted postures (simple inverted, shoulder stand, and plow poses). These powerful yoga postures are known to cleanse and stimulate the thyroid gland to balance itself while encourage a balancing of all hormones.

The kind of Ingredients you should seek for thyroid disease.

Below are listed some of many foods that can assist the body when it is suffering from this disease. Some of these foods have a reputation for their thyroid remedial power. Why is it important that the ingredients in the herbal formulas you take be from food? Why couldn’t they be from chemicals? Scientists would like to think that we can treat our bodies with chemicals, that chemical medicines will cure us. But that has never happened and it never will; that is why there are always dangerous side effects. This is just plain common sense; our bodies do not recognize chemicals because they are not from nature. Below are simple natural food complexes which have been shown to be better for our internal human environment. Our forefather’s and mother’s have been using some of these same ingredients for thousands of years with no ill effects.

Why so many different ingredients? This is also just plain common sense as are all nature healing remedies and philosophies. Every single ingredient we are suggesting will all encourage a positive result in your body. But our bodies are uniquely individual and what will encourage dramatic healing results for you might not be as beneficial for someone else with thyroid disease. So we suggest many herbal foods combined together to create a healing synergy that will fit with each unique individual. Again this is common sense when you are given the simple answer. Chemicals can react against each other causing side effects while foods tend to work together; we all know that.

Food Nutrients for the Thyroid

Listed below is information on different food complexes that assist the thyroid to regain balance and function. This information was compiled by Doctor Robert Thiel, N.H.D. who also holds a Ph.D. in nutrition science; he heads the research group at Doctors’ Research.

Adrenalglandulars are a Food which has been used for decades by nutrition-oriented doctors when adrenal concerns are suspected. The adrenal glands help the body deal with stress, but high stress weakens the adrenal glands. Fatigue and metabolic problems are common symptoms of adrenal insufficiency. It should be noted that it is well accepted that hypoadrenalism results in “increasing the frequency of hypoglycemia” as well as “hypothyroidism”. Salt craving is a common symptom of hypoadrenalism; it can also be involved in hypothyroidism. The adrenal cortex produces the hormone cortisol which helps control organic metabolism and responses to stress.

Alfalfa is believed by some herbalists have a “beneficial effect on the pituitary gland”, “helps in chemical imbalance”, “neutralizes uric acid for arthritis”, and “is useful as a Food to prevent cholesterol accumulation in the veins”; this last point is supported by several animal studies.

Brown Kelp is a Food source of trace minerals, and an excellent source of iodine. Kelp has long been used (since 3000 B.C.) to provide nutritional support for the thyroid gland. Gary Null, Ph.D., has written, “Kelp can rebalance thyroid metabolism, resulting in successful weight management and the reversal of many conditions which are caused by a thyroid imbalance, including stomach and respiratory disorders”.

Burdock is believed by some to be helpful in “fortifying the immune system”. It has several historical uses including helping with skin disorders “particularly when they are caused by a system imbalance. It stimulates the digestive juices and bile secretion and therefore is useful in treating anorexia nervosa and digestion and appetite problems”. Some believe, in addition to helping with digestive concerns, burdock “aids the pituitary gland to help adjust hormone balance”. Burdock has sometimes been recommended for thyroid health.

Carrots contain a variety of carotenoids, which is a vitamin A precursor. Low levels of vitamin A are associated with increased risk of thyroid goiters and deficiencies affect thyroid metabolism. “A decade-long Harvard study indicated that by getting 50 milligrams of carotenoids in every other day…significantly reduced the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and cataracts”.

Copper is a mineral which, in proper dosages, is essential to the human body. Vegetarian Thyro contains copper in a B-vitamin containing Food. Copper works with zinc in the body, and zinc without copper can lead to imbalances. Food copper is not like non-food forms such as copper chloride.

Guar gum seed is a water soluble fiber (in the form of a galactomannan), extracted from locust beans. It improves “tolerance to glucose by decreasing absorption”, which makes it of value for many.

Iodine can be properly called THE THYROID mineral since the body’s sole use of the mineral iodine is for the thyroid to make thyroid hormones (T1,T2,T3, & T4). The primary thyroid hormone (T1) is called monoiodotyrosine, which means it needs iodine and tyrosine. It gets converted to T2 with the addition of more iodine, then to T3 with more iodine then to T4 with even more iodine.

Irish Moss Chondrus crispus contains humic and fulvic acids (FAs) which increase the solubility of toxic metals, thus it is sometimes used to detoxify. Detoxification can be an issue with thyroid health as some believe that substances like chloride and fluoride can bind with the thyroid and interfere with iodine absorption. “Irish moss and Kelp combination is used to balance hormonal indeficiency especially in the thyroid gland. It increases the metabolic rate, thyroid activity, and the detoxifying function of the body. The herbs {also} supply trace minerals…[and] is commonly used in conjunction with…the complex of B vitamins, vitamin A,…and zinc”.

Liver glandulars have sometimes been recommended by nutrition-oriented practitioners for some with metabolic concerns. The liver is involved in blood sugar regulation, conversion of T4 to T3, and a variety of enzymes.

L-tyrosine an amino acid required for the production of thyroid hormones, T1,T2,T3, and T4. Tyrosine may reduce the net rate of protein breakdown in the body and appears to help with endurance. Tyrosine has an effect nerve impulse transmission and may “improve vigilance and lessen anxiety”. Gary Null (Ph.D.) considers tyrosine to be a therapeutic amino acid for depression as well was an antiencephalopathic, antiparkinsonian, and an antidepressant. Women on oral contraceptives have been found to have less plasma and brain levels of tyrosine which results in a reduction in catecholamines, which affect mood. Oral consumption of tyrosine has, in some case, been shown to completely alleviate depression while increasing plasma tyrosine levels. It has also been shown to help when MAO inhibitors did not. In rat models vitamin C has enhanced the ability of tyrosine to decrease blood pressure. Interestingly, “Tyrosine has been known to normalize blood pressure whether high or low. Tyrosine is being tested by the Air Force to enhance performance under stress”.

The body naturally produces tyrosine by converting it from phenylalanine. “Compared with tyrosine which has a de novo synthesis component limited by phenylalanine oxidation, most nonessential amino acids have a very large de novo synthesis components because of the metabolic pathways they are involved in”. This might explain why taking separate tyrosine is more helpful for many than taking other separate amino acids classified as nonessential—they can be made with much easier (with less restriction) than tyrosine can (tyrosine requires liver hydroxylation).

Pituitary glandulars have long been used by doctors. The pituitary produces the thyroid stimulating hormone which signals to the thyroid that it needs to work and make its own hormones.

Rice bran is a Food source of B vitamins, which are often used for stress and anxiety.

Scullcap (also spelled “skullcap”) is a member of the mint family and is often used as a tonic for ‘female weakness’.“These [tonics] are plant remedies that either strengthen or enliven a specific organ or the whole body. They are truly Nature’s gifts to a suffering humanity”. Even the United States Pharmacopoeia has long recognized scullcap as a nervine and tonic. It also is recommended by some herbalists for thyroid concerns.

Selenium seems to support thyroid hormone production, function as part of many enzymes, have antioxidant effects, and supports cardiovascular health. Food selenium is about twice as well retained than non-food selenium.

Thyroid glandulars have long been used by doctors to nutritionally support the thyroid. The 1916 edition of the United States Pharmacopoeia states that the following concerning thyroid glandulars, “exerting a strong influence on the nutritive and metabolic processes. Used in the treatment of myxdema, cretinism and obesity”. Dr. Cass Ingram also prefers glandulars to synthetic thyroid medications when low thyroid is suspected. There are reports that many who do not test positive for clinical hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism who take thyroid glandulars have sometimes reported improvement in many symptoms associated with hyperthyroid and hypothyroid.

Watercress Nasturium officinalis is an evergreen that thrives in clear cold water. It has been written that, “Watercress is strongly alkaline due to its high potassium content…Watercress increases blood circulation and increases energy…. It increases physical endurance and stamina”.

Zinc deficiency in humans can cause thyroid problems, alopecia, impotence, skin problems, immune deficiencies, increased susceptibility to infection/sore throats, night blindness, impaired taste, delayed wound healing, impaired appetite, photophobia (hypersensitivity to light), difficulty in dark adaptation, growth retardation, male infertility (low sperm counts), liver enlargement, and spleen enlargement.

Reference:

The Colorado Thyroid Disease Prevalence Study, Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:526-534

Gay J. Canaris, MD, MSPH; Neil R. Manowitz, PhD; Gilbert Mayor, MD; E. Chester Ridgway, MD

Paul Blake is a doctor of herbal medicine and a master herbalist. He used naturopathic medicine to treat his own case of cancer eighteen years ago. Visit Paul’s website on Herbal Remedies, Natural Healing Herbs for more interesting information on improving your health, or for more information on the Thyroid Disease.

Challenging situations and disappointment are an essential part of the journey through the mountains and valleys we call life. We can either move through them kicking and screaming, resisting ‘what is’ to the bitter end or we can choose to … SHIFT PERSPECTIVE!

Back in high school, I was determined to become a professional dancer. Every moment of my existence was focused on that one goal – whether I was chewing my food to the beat of a tap step or walking with my tail bone nicely tucked under in a perfect ballet posture. I could be in math class working on geometry while choreography ran through the lines and curves on the page. Wherever I was, dance was. I applied to York University for dance. It was my only option as it was the only degree program for dance in Ontario at the time. I did my audition in March and waited anxiously to find out if I was accepted. June came around and I received a thin envelope in the mail… I was not accepted into the program because my grades were 2% too low. The hysterics began and I spent days crying my eyes out. I felt like all my dreams were taken away for me within a snap second – I simply couldn’t see that there may be another path.

All of us have experienced this type of disappointment or challenge. When you feel stuck as I was, follow these steps to shift perspective and turn things around. I have given the resolution to my situation as an example.

STEP ONE: Acknowledge and accept the situation as is. There is no point in trying to create a positive change if you are in denial. Certain circumstances cannot be changed but the outcome can be. Therefore it is essential to evaluate what is the truth in it, accepting that truth and then choosing the best path to get through it.

“I accept that I was rejected from the dance program. I can’t change the outcome. I need to stop dwelling on it.”

STEP TWO: Ask yourself: “How does this benefit me?” No matter how challenging a situation may be, there is always a positive that can come out of it.

“It will give me a year off to improve my grades, do further dance training and work part time, saving more money for tuition. In the long run, I will have less student debt. ”

STEP THREE: Shift perspective! What other choices do you have? How far can you think outside the box? How outrageous can you be? Come up with at least 10 options.

1. “I can train in a full time dance company, getting hands on experience.

2. “ I can work full time for 6 months, then use the money to go live in NY and train with the best.”

3. And so on….

STEP FOUR: Create an action plan and go! Decide which of those options excite you the most and take the positive steps.

“I am going to make a list of professional dance companies in Ontario by June 20th. Submit applications by June 25th.”

Right now, list a challenge or disappointment you are dealing with. Go through the steps and take charge. You are amazing and can shift ANYTHING. There is always a solution. Have fun with the process

Cindy Ashton is an expert in helping people kiss their monsters & unleash their courage. Born with a 20% chance of living, Cindy’s life triumphs are a miracle. She presents keynote speeches, interactive seminars & motivational concerts across North America. http://www.cindyashton.com

On May 16th, Glaxo-Smith-Kline Pharmaceuticals, the makers of Imitrex, announced that they were releasing a new drug for the treatment of migraines. The new drug was to be called Treximet and according to the makers, was to be a vast improvement over Imitrex. Like Imitrex, it is made to be taken at the onset of a migraine, but is supposed to work faster and better to reduce migraine pain. GSK has spent several years and millions of dollars researching and “pre-marketing” Treximet in anticipation of FDA approval and product launch.

So what’s the deal? Is this really better than Imitrex alone? From a strict treatment point of view, yes, the medication probably is better than Imitrex alone for a migraine. The reason for this is twofold. First of all, several years ago, Dr. Silberstein of the Jefferson Headache Center was able to demonstrate through research, that Imitrex combined with naprosyn taken at the onset of a migraine was better in treating that migraine than either drug alone. Such a combination is deemed synergistic, meaning basically that two plus two equals ten. Naprosyn is the prescription form of Aleve which is sold over the counter and is an anti-inflammatory. Once this research was confirmed, GSK began to develop a combination drug.

The second reason this drug might be better is something called RT technology. GSK has developed this and uses it currently for its Imitrex tablets. Think of it as “burst” technology as the tablet does burst apart when it begins to dissolve. This may speed absorption, and speed is of the essence when treating a bad migraine.

All treatment benefits aside, is Treximet really a great deal? Well for some, maybe not. One of the reasons a combination drug is usually developed is because the patent on the original drug is about to expire. And sure enough, that is what is happening to Imitrex this year. Unfortunately, samples of Imitrex are rapidly disappearing from doctor’s offices. For those who have prescription coverage, the best answer is to ask for a prescription for naprosyn and take both pills at the onset of a migraine. Failing that you could just take two Aleve tablets with your Imitrex.

For those with no prescription coverage, hang in there! Two pharmaceutical companies who make generic drugs have announced that they will be manufacturing sumatriptan (generic Imitrex) by the end of 2008. Once that is available, it will open up the availability of the drug for millions of migraineurs who previously could not afford the drug. Even with no prescription coverage, the generic may be cheap enough to afford by paying cash. The downside to generics is, different fillers which are cheaper are used in manufacture. GSK still holds the patent on RT technology so it most probably will not be available in the generic sumatriptan.

As will all medications in the class of triptans, you cannot take these medications if you are pregnant, have uncontrolled hypertension or heart problems such as coronary artery disease. Check with your provider to be sure before taking any new medication and remember, treat early and treat fast to get rid of migraines.

Mary K. Betz MS RPA-C is a practicing Physician Assistant in neurology and specializes in headaches. For more information on headache treatment visit Headache-adviser.com

With the power to heal our bodies, minds and souls, learning to breath efficiently is essential to well being. When used consciously, breathing releases toxins and stored emotions, creates a relaxation response and enhances intuition. Breathing dysfunctions, such as hyperventilation, shallow breathing and breath holding, creates pain and stress in all levels. However, like any other skill, healthy breathing can be learned, eliminating these dysfunctions.

Healthy breathing is controlled by the diaphragm, a concave muscle running along the base of the ribs. When we inhale, the diaphragm pushes our internal organs down and flattens out causing the abdominal region to rise. The exhalation happens automatically by impulse.

The first step to developing good breathing habits is awareness. Often when we ‘try’ to breath, we do so in our chests. I suggest you lie on your back. If you have back problems, place a pillow under your knees.

STEP ONE: Place your hands on your stomach, close your eyes and just notice. Don’t try to take deep breaths yet.

STEP TWO: Once you feel the breath drop into your diaphragm, you should feel your hands rise up with the inhalation and down with the exhalation. Try to perceive the sensations you feel so you can duplicate the response at a later time.

STEP THREE: As you attune to the sensations, start to breath in more deeply. If you find the breath goes back up into the chest, repeat the process.

Once you are confident in diaphragmatic breathing, use the breath to consciously relax.

STEP ONE: Scan your body from head to toe, observing the areas of pain, discomfort and tension. Imagine deeply breathing into those areas and then releasing the pain upon exhalation. Continue to breathe into those areas and release until you feel less discomfort. I often imagine blowing out black smoke that gets eaten by a cloud of white light and floats away. Try to create several images for yourself and see what works better.

STEP TWO: Balance the exhale/inhale ratio by breathing in for 4 counts then exhaling for 4 counts. Try not to hold your breath between cycles, keeping it flowing continuously.

STEP THREE: Create a relaxation response by exhaling longer than the inhalation. So begin with breathing in for 4, exhaling for 6. Then inhaling for 4, exhaling for 8.

Once you feel relaxed, refreshed and ready to go, be sure to balance the breath (4 in, 4 out). If you stand up too quickly without balancing, you may experience dizziness.

Realistically, we don’t go about our daily activities lying down. So once your ‘floor’ technique is solid, stand up or sit in a chair and see if you can still create the sensations of breathing deeply in the belly. The majority of people have difficulty breathing deeply when erect. Here are various strategies. Test out which method works best for you.

CIRCLE BREATHING: as you inhale slowly, imagine a line of white light traveling from your tail bone, up your spine to the crown of your head. As you exhale, see that line travel in front of your body, down and around back to the tail bone.

THIRDS: Imagine your lungs are split into thirds - bottom, middle and top. Fill each third sequentially, starting at the base of your ribs.

WAVES: Envision yourself on a beach seeing the waves gently coming in and out. As the waves caress the shore, breathe in and as they travel back into the sea, breathe out.

TREE: stamp your feet on the ground, firmly planting them. Imagine you are a tree and your feet have roots that grow deep into the ground. Breath through those roots up through your legs into your entire being. With practice, it is possible to feel breath moving through your entire body.

GROUNDING STANCE: place feet slightly more than shoulder width apart and allow your feet to be slightly pigeon toed. Press your feet outwards as if you were trying to split the floor in two. Notice your seat bones separate with breath dropping down into that area. This stance is also great for really feeling your own power. If you have an upcoming proposal or confrontation, get into this stance and envision what you want.

SHOULDER RELEASE: Roll your shoulders back and allow the scapula to drop (good for posture!). Then inhale as you allow your scapula to drop down further.

YOGA POSES (for those of you who practice): try the squat, crocodile and child’s poses.

The final step of course is to bring these techniques into everyday. Start to scan your body often during the day. When you feel stiff, be sure to move around gently and breathe into the tension, releasing it. When you are stressed, balance your breathing followed by exhaling longer. When stuck in an argument or fearful situation, walk away to clear your head. If you can’t remove yourself, breathe deeply so you can slow down and hopefully respond with a rational mind. Most importantly, take time to just sit and breathe everyday. It will help you re-balance your body and notice your mind chatter. As you become aware of your thoughts and body, you can begin to create change and a more balanced life. Happy breathing!

Cindy Ashton is an expert in helping people kiss their monsters & unleash their courage. Born with a 20% chance of living, Cindy’s life triumphs are a miracle. She presents keynote speeches, interactive seminars & motivational concerts across North America. http://www.cindyashton.com