Vital Votes - Natural Health Articles by Dr. Joseph Mercola

How Broccoli Fights Cancer

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:37:10 GMT

Just a few additional portions of broccoli each week could protect men from prostate cancer. Researchers believe a substance called isothiocyanate in the broccoli sparks hundreds of genetic changes, activating some genes that fight cancer and switching off others that fuel tumors.

Prostate cancer kills more men than any other kind except for lung cancer. Each year, 680,000 men worldwide are diagnosed with the disease and about 220,000 will die from it.

The benefit derived from broccoli would likely also be available from other cruciferous vegetables that contain isothiocyanate, including Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, arugula, watercress and horseradish.

Swimming the Amazon: 3,274 Miles on the World's Deadliest River

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:37:03 GMT

Last year on April 8th, Slovenian marathon swimmer Martin Strel became the first man to swim the entire length of the Amazon River. He swam 3,274 miles from the headwaters in Peru to the Brazilian port city of Belém.

The task took him 66 days with a support crew of near twenty people following him in a boat for protection.

Strel had already swum the Danube, the Mississippi, and the Yangtze. In 1997, he became the first to swim non-stop from Africa to Europe, which he did in 29 hours, 36 minutes, and 57 seconds. Seven previous swimmers had attempted -- and failed -- that swim before Strel.

When Strel reached the finish line at Belém, he had to be helped to his feet and ushered into a wheelchair. His blood pressure was at heart-attack levels and his entire body was full of subcutaneous larvae.

You can click the link below the read a fascinating interview with Strel.

Toxic Metals: The Reason You Still Feel Sick

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:36:54 GMT

Dr, Kaayla Daniel and Dr. Galen Knight have observed that even when people follow healthy dietary guidelines, they can still have serious health problems. They may digest their food poorly, experience digestive distress, or be generally sickly.

One reason may be toxic metals. Mercury, aluminum, cadmium, arsenic, lead, nickel, and other metal poisons flood the environment and invade your body. Toxic metals can cause or contribute to a long list of diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other brain and neurological disorders. While the medical establishment recognizes the acute toxicity that comes from high levels of metals in your body, far more people suffer the adverse effects of low-level, chronic exposure.

But you can reduce your exposure to dangerous environmental metals by:

Using glass, cast iron, carbon steel, titanium, and enamel cookware; aluminum and teflon are well known for their toxic dangers, and stainless steel can expose you to carcinogenic nickel

Minimizing consumption of restaurant food; restaurants are required to use stainless steel pots and vats

Avoiding stainless steel thermoses; the glass lined kind are best

Not using cosmetics with aluminum bases, mineral powders that contain bismuth, and aluminum-laden antiperspirants

Staying away from vaccinations that inject mercury or aluminum directly into your bloodstream

Avoiding dental amalgam fillings

Other ways to protect yourself include a healthy diet, and the use of food grade diatomaceous earth. More information about this subject will be discussed in my Inner Circle interview with Dr. Kaayla Daniel, coming soon to Mercola.com.

20 Ways to Attack Shyness

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:36:41 GMT

Regardless of whether you are introverted or extraverted, you have probably felt shy at some point in your life. There is a misconception that only introverts experience shyness, but it has more to do with being uncomfortable with yourself, especially around other people.

Shyness has three components:

Excessive Self-Consciousness -- you are overly aware of yourself, particularly in social situations
Excessive Negative Self-Evaluation -- you tend to see yourself negatively
Excessive Negative Self-Preoccupation -- you tend to pay too much attention to all the things you are doing wrong when you are around other people

Here are some tips that may help you overcome the uncomfortable feeling of shyness:

1. Understand Your Shyness -- What situation triggers this feeling? And what are you concerned with at that point?

2. Turn Self Consciousness into Self Awareness -- Recognize that the world is not looking at you. Most people are too busy looking at themselves.

3. Find Your Strengths -- It’s important to know and fully accept the things that you do well, even if they differ from the norm.

4. Learn to Like Yourself -- Practice appreciating yourself and liking the unique expression that is you.

5. Don’t Conform -- Trying to fit in like everyone else is exhausting and not very much fun. Understand that it is okay to be different.

6. Focus on Other People -- Rather than focusing on your awkwardness in social situations, focus on other people and what they have to say.

7. Release Anxiety through Breath -- A simple technique to calm anxiety is taking deep breaths with your eyes closed.

8. Release Anxiety through Movement - One way of viewing anxiety is that it is blocked energy that needs to be released. You can release this energy through physical movement.

9. Visualization -- Visualizing yourself in the situation as a confident and happy person helps to shape your perception of yourself.

10. Affirmation -- Words can carry incredible energy. What you repeatedly tell yourself gets heard by your unconscious mind, and it acts accordingly.

11. Do Not Leave an Uncomfortable Situation -- Turn the fearful situation into a place of introspection and personal growth.

12. Accept Rejection -- Accept the possibility that we can be rejected, and learn to not take it personally.

13. Relinquish Perfectionism -- Create visions of yourself out of the Being from who you are, naturally; and let that expression flow, naturally.

14. Stop Labeling Yourself -- Stop labeling yourself as a shy person.

15. Practice Social Skills -- Like any other skill, social skills can be cultivated through practice and experience.

16. Practice Being in Uncomfortable Situations -- Placing yourself in these uncomfortable situations will help to desensitize your fear of the situation.

17. The Three Questions -- During social settings where you may experience nervousness, periodically ask yourself the following three questions:

Am I breathing?
Am I relaxed?
Am I moving with grace?

18. What is Comfortable for You? -- Going to bars and clubs isn’t for everyone. Understand what feels comfortable for you, and find people, communities and activities that bring out the best in you.

19. Focus on the Moment -- Becoming mindful of what you’re doing, regardless of what you’re doing, will take focus away from the self.

20. Seek and Record Your Successes -- Keeping a journal of your successes will not only boost self confidence, but also shift your focus towards something that can benefit you.

Hospitals are More Hazardous in July

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:36:36 GMT

July 1 marks the beginning of the academic year for medical students, when the annual influx of new interns begins at hospitals. Many experts believe that July is therefore the riskiest time of the year for hospital patients, who are susceptible to the mistakes of new medical staff.

A study of this trend concluded that “the July medical-training period is associated with between 1,500 and 2,750 accelerated deaths every year.”

Medical students must deal with their new responsibility of working with patients, and acclimate to the nuances of their assigned hospital and a demanding work schedule. Overworked interns’ long hours and extended shifts may also be responsible for the high rate of accidents that occur when they join a medical staff.

Companies Try to Cash in on Green Trend, But Should Consumers Buy It?

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:36:29 GMT

Corporate America has discovered that going green is the way to sell products these days. Sales of organic products have gone from $10 billion in 2003 to more than $16 billion in 2006. Products advertised as being sustainable or healthy accounted for more than $200 billion in U.S. sales in 2005.

But as legions of marketers make “green” pitches ranging from earnest to ridiculous, customers are growing warier.

Environmentalists welcome genuine corporate efforts to make products more benign, but there’s a fine line between real environmental efforts and "greenwashing." Last year, a Philadelphia marketing firm called TerraChoice investigated more than 1,000 products claiming to have some environmental benefit. All but one of them committed one of what the company dubbed the "Six Sins of Greenwashing", such as hidden problems or vague claims.

Home Gardens Ruined by Toxic Fertilizer

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:36:17 GMT

Gardeners across the UK have been warned not to eat home-grown vegetables contaminated by a powerful new herbicide.

The Royal Horticultural Society has been flooded by calls from gardeners who have seen potatoes, beans, peas, carrots and salad vegetables wither or become grossly deformed. The affected gardens were contaminated by manure originating from farms where the hormone-based herbicide aminopyralid has been sprayed on fields.

Aminopyralid, which is found in several products produced by Dow AgroSciences, is not licensed to be used on food crops and carries a label warning farmers not to sell manure that might contain residue to gardeners.

The contamination probably came from treated grass was made into silage, then fed to cattle during the winter months. The herbicide remained present in the silage, passed through the animal and into manure that was later sold. Horses fed on hay that had been treated could also be a channel.

Vital for Preemies to Get Good Bacteria

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:26:23 GMT

In preterm newborns who are exclusively bottle-fed, treatment with the probiotic organism Lactobacillus reuteri improves gut function.

Probiotics are micro-organisms that help maintain the natural balance of healthy organisms, the "good" bacteria, in the digestive tract. Some doctors suggest that their use for preterm infants should be "routine."

Infants receiving L. reuteri, like infants fed breast milk, have significant decreases in the number of episodes of spitting up and in the average daily crying time. Digestion is also significantly faster among preterm newborns receiving L. reuteri.

Mayonnaise Won't Ruin Your Picnic

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:26:19 GMT

Summer is the time of year when food poisoning typically spikes, and one ingredient that always attracts suspicion is mayonnaise.

But most mayonnaise contains vinegar and other ingredients that make it acidic, and therefore very likely to protect against spoilage. When problems occur, they usually result from low-acid ingredients like chicken and seafood.

One prominent study published in The Journal of Food Protection found that in the presence of mayonnaise, the growth of salmonella and staphylococcus bacteria in contaminated chicken and ham salad either slowed or stopped altogether. As the amount of mayonnaise increased, the rate of growth decreased.

A Shove with Love -- A Kickstart to Change

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:26:09 GMT

Everyone has behaviors and habits that they need to change, and from time to time you may need a little encouragement and support, and possibly a vigorous shove, to get under way.

Many people wait for the magical and mythical ‘right time’ -- but that time doesn’t exist.

So today, identify one habit which you really need to change right now. Not when it suits you, but now. It might be about food or exercise, it could be alcohol or drug related, it could have something to do with how you treat yourself or others, it might pertain to work, home or somewhere else. It may have something to do with how you deal with or react to certain situations, circumstances, events or people. It might be about your lifestyle, your finances, your long-term goals or perhaps some other kind of destructive habit.

Start with one habit, because people who try to undo years of bad behaviors in a short amount of time invariably fail. Instead, take one habit and change it in four weeks -- 28 days.

Now, write down the following:

The habit you’re going to address over the 28 days.
Why it’s necessary for you to change that habit.
Why it will be different this time.

Now, stop over-thinking, get off the fence, and do something amazing over the next 28 days.

Pesticides Persist in Ground Water

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:26:02 GMT

Many studies over the past four decades have established that pesticides can move downward to reach the water table at detectable concentrations. Once in ground water, pesticides and their degradation products can persist for years.

Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) examined several of the factors that can influence the likelihood of pesticides and their degradation products being detected in shallow ground water.

The study revealed that the pesticides and degradation products detected most frequently were predominantly from two classes of herbicides -- triazines and chloroacetanilides.

Even Modest Weight Gain Raises Kidney Disease Risk

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:25:56 GMT

Relatively small increases in weight raise the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a study by Korean researchers.

The study suggests that CKD should be added to the list of conditions associated with weight gain, such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Obesity was already a known risk factor for CKD, but the impact of weight gain in normal-weight individuals without high blood pressure or diabetes is unknown.

Smokeless Tobacco Causes Cancer Too

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:25:47 GMT

Chewing tobacco and snuff may be less dangerous than cigarettes, but the smokeless products still raise the risk of oral cancer by 80 percent.

A review of 11 studies also showed that people who chewed tobacco and used snuff had a 60 percent higher risk of esophagus and pancreatic cancer.

Frequency of use of smokeless tobacco products varies greatly both across and within countries, depending on sex, age, ethnic origin and economic background. Rates of use are highest in the United States, Sweden and India.

85 Percent of Sunscreens Do Not Live Up to Their Marketing Claims

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:25:35 GMT

A new report suggests that most sunscreens do not offer as much protection as they claim.

The nonprofit Environmental Working Group says that 85 percent of sunscreens either inadequately protect from the sun's rays or contain ingredients that may be unsafe. They looked at the ingredients of 950 name-brand sunscreens, and based their analysis on nearly 400 published studies.

Only one of the 144 products sold by the top three sunscreen makers -- Coppertone, Neutrogena and Banana Boat -- passed muster with the EWG.

The Food and Drug Administration has not passed standards for testing and labeling sunscreens.

The World is Getting Happier

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:22:25 GMT

Despite the anxieties of modern times, surveys show that happiness has been on the rise around the world in recent years. The uptick is attributed to economic growth in previously poor countries and the democratization of others, along with rising social tolerance for women and minority groups.

Denmark is the happiest nation and Zimbabwe the least. The United States ranks 16th.

The survey, which involves 52 countries and 350,000 people, found that the Happiness Index created from the answers rose in 40 countries between 1981 and 2007, and it fell in the other 12.

Why Low Cholesterol is NOT Good For You

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:22:20 GMT

Too little of one type of cholesterol has been linked to memory loss and Alzheimer's disease.

Scientists studied more than 3,500 civil servants to investigate how levels of HDL or "good" cholesterol were associated with memory. HDL cholesterol can influence the formation of the beta-amyloid "plaques" that are a distinctive feature in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

Higher levels of HDL are also believed to protect against damage to blood supply caused by the narrowing of the arteries.

Inadequate Sleep Leads to Cellular Aging

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:22:10 GMT

Researchers have shown that the unfolded protein response (UPR), a reaction to stress induced by sleep deprivation, is impaired in the brains of old mice. This suggests that inadequate sleep in the elderly could exacerbate an already-impaired protective response to protein misfolding that happens in aging cells.

Researchers found that the UPR was activated in 10-week old sleep-deprived mice, so that misfolded proteins did not accumulate in the endoplasmic reticulum of brain cells in the cerebral cortex. However, in two-year-old sleep-deprived mice, the UPR failed to do its job and misfolded proteins clogged the endoplasmic reticulum.

Old mice that were not stressed by sleep deprivation were shown to already have an impaired UPR.

Amazing Future Projects Of Dubai

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:22:08 GMT

Dubai, also known as the City of Dreams, has some amazing architecture planned for its future. Here are some of the buildings which may soon be built there.

Calcium Alone Does Not Reduce Hip Fracture Risk

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:22:01 GMT

A recent analysis of several studies found no reduction in risk of hip fracture with calcium supplementation by itself.

Hip fractures are the most frequent and severe fractures among the elderly, and experts estimate the average cost of care at $29,000 per patient. Increased calcium intake is still commonly recommended as a single fracture prevention strategy.

According to authors of the analysis, future studies of fracture prevention should focus on the best combination of calcium plus vitamin D, rather than on calcium supplementation alone.

Is Watermelon an Aphrodisiac?

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:21:50 GMT

According to scientists, watermelon has ingredients that deliver Viagra-like effects to the body’s blood vessels, and may even increase libido.

Natural, beneficial ingredients in fruits and vegetables are known as phyto-nutrients. In watermelons, these include lycopene, beta carotene and citrulline. Among the benefits of citrulline is the ability to relax blood vessels, much as Viagra does.

When watermelon is consumed, citrulline is converted to arginine. Arginine is an amino acid that has beneficial effects on the heart and circulation system, and maintains a good immune system. Arginine also boosts nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, the same basic effect that Viagra has.

Arginine also helps the urea cycle by removing ammonia and other toxic compounds from your body.

100 Californians are Injured by Hospitals Every Month

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:21:27 GMT

In 2006, California passed a disclosure law that requires hospitals to report each time a patient suffers certain adverse events caused by inadequate medical care. As data has become available for a 10 month period beginning in July 2007, more than 1,000 such events have been documented and ten hospitals have been fined $25,000.

Some of the events reported include:

Too little oxygen being pumped via ventilator hose to a 9-day-old child; the diagram for assembly was drawn backwards.
Surgeons removed the appendix of the wrong patient when a CT scan was placed into the wrong patient file.
A 76-year-old woman died when she was given two drugs her doctor never prescribed.
466 patients developed bed sores so severe that dead skin formed a crater in the patient’s skin or it rotted entirely through to the patient’s muscle and bone tissue.
145 surgical patients left the operating room with foreign objects, including surgical instruments, still in their bodies.

Investigation revealed that these events happen when hospitals do not follow the safety procedures that were developed to prevent them.

Bad Tomatoes May Still Be on Shelves

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:20:28 GMT

Tomatoes carrying a rare form of salmonella have sickened more than 800 people, and federal officials warn that they may still be on the market, two weeks after the risk was first revealed.

Investigators are considering the possibility that other produce may be spreading the bacteria as well.

According to the FDA, it is safe to eat all cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes and tomatoes attached to the vine. Roma, red plum and red round tomatoes not attached to a vine are safe if they were grown in certain areas.

After tomatoes are picked, they are often repacked to meet the customer specifications. In the process, tomatoes from many farms are combined, making it harder to trace a shipment back to where it was grown.

Could Blue Light Be a Cancer Cure?

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:20:24 GMT

A blue curing light used to harden dental fillings also may stunt tumor growth.

The blue-violet light produce free radicals that activate the catalyst and speed up polymerization of the composite resin. In oral cancer cells, though, those same free radicals can cause damage that decreases cell growth and increases cell death.

Researchers studied 10 tumor-bearing mice, five treated with the light and five untreated. Tissue analysis indicated an approximate 10 percent increase in cancer cell suicide, or apoptosis, in the light-treated tumors, and a nearly 80 percent decrease in cell growth in the light-treated tumors.

Tens of Thousands Harmed by Their Own Sofas

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:20:09 GMT

A group of about 1,400 people allege that they have been burned by fungicide in some leather sofas. They believe that trading standards authorities are failing them, and their lawyers are saying that tens of thousands of people might be affected, and that the authorities should make retailers take the sofas back.

The sofas, imported from China, are said to cause blisters and rashes.

Doctors say they have treated hundreds of patients with "sofa rash." Some are warning that warmer weather in coming months is likely to increase the problem. Dr. Sandra Winhoven, a consultant dermatologist, said that, "The substance that's causing the sofa dermatitis outbreak is a fungicide, and this fungicide has a very low vapor point. So when it gets warm, more of it gets released."

U.S. Government Ignores Flu Vaccine Death

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:20:00 GMT

Even as U.S. federal health officials gather to discuss the controversial case of a 9-year-old girl from Athens, Georgia, who became autistic after receiving numerous vaccinations, the government has so far kept quiet a second case that some say is even more disturbing.

On January 11, a 6-year-old girl from Colorado received FluMist, a flu vaccine, and about a week later “became weak with multiple episodes of falling to the ground”. The girl grew increasingly weak and feverish, was hospitalized, and underwent surgery. She died on April 5.

Both the 9- and 6-year-olds had mitochondrial disorders, a spectrum of genetic diseases that have received almost no attention from federal health officials.

75 Ways to Think Your Way Into Good Health

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:19:52 GMT

Health isn’t just about working out and eating right. The way you think and feel can have a big impact on your health as well. Here are some ways that you can use your brain power to make you happier, healthier and more fulfilled every day.

General

Get out negative emotions.
Try hypnotism.
Realize change is possible.
Think about things that energize you.
Imagine yourself aging more slowly.
Feel in control.
Embrace your faith.
Trust in yourself.
Be honest.
Live consciously.
Accept what comes your way.
Forgive yourself.

Dealing With Stress

Stress can have a big effect on physical and mental health. Here are some ways to think yourself free of it.

Meditate regularly.
Relax and let stress go.
Think about each breath.
Control your thoughts at bedtime.
Prepare mentally for bed.
Revise your dreams.
Concentrate on each muscle individually.
Allow yourself to daydream.
Stop worrying.
Set aside time to think.
Write in a journal.
Use color to control your thinking.

Illness and Disease

If are you are faced with potential illness or disease here are some ways you can use the power of your brain to improve your chances of recovery.

Don’t think about the pain.
Concentrate on getting better.
Believe in your treatments.
Imagine you have a strong immune system.
Picture your body fighting off infections.
Listen to your body.
Find a positive and friendly doctor.
Believe in miracles.
Don’t fear treatments.
Relax to save your gums.
Tell yourself you will get pregnant.
Take time to deal with negative things.
Stop thinking of yourself as a sick person.
Don’t milk injuries.
Understand that sometimes its all in the mind.
Don’t expect pain.
Don’t place blame for illness.

Emotional Health

A big part of your overall health is your happiness. Here are some ways you can boost your mental outlook just by changing your thoughts.

Concentrate on happiness.
Focus on positive aspects.
Start each day with optimism.
Smile.
Change your inner dialogue.
Reverse thoughts.
Give yourself compliments.
Use positive words in your thoughts.
Put positive energy out there.
Expect the best.
Think of happy memories.
Be friendly to yourself and others.

Diet

Help yourself stick to a healthy diet with these mental exercises.

Control your cravings.
Actively remember your last meal.
Concentrate on food while eating.
Visualize yourself as slimmer.
Understand your hunger.
Don’t beat yourself up.
Reward yourself mentally.

Fitness

Help yourself meet your fitness goals by changing your mind set with these suggestions.

Think about exercise.
Get into the right frame of mind.
Think of yourself as healthy.
Make it a game.
Think of exercise as fun.
Envision the negative effects of your bad habits.
Celebrate small victories.
Think of your body differently.

Personal Development

Help yourself meet your own goals and be happier and healthier overall with these mental tricks.

Visualize yourself meeting goals.
Downplay cynicism, ill will and envy.
Remind yourself of your successes.
Visualize the future.
Think about what means most to you.
Make your goals realistic.
Fake it until you make it.

For more details about these techniques, and the studies that support them, click the link below.

How to Admit Your Mistakes

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:19:44 GMT

Most people will try to weasel out of their mistakes. But actually admitting a fault puts you one step closer to dealing with it, and it can often be the first step towards turning the problem around. At the very least, it shows that you’re someone with integrity and courage.

Here are a few pointers about admitting your mistakes:

See things from someone else’s perspective: If you’ve made a promise and failed to keep it, put yourself in the other party’s shoes and see how things look from there.
Be sympathetic: Realize that your mistakes might affect many more people than just you.
Take responsibility: Don’t try to weasel out of it, and don’t look around for someone else to blame.
Accept the consequences: Be prepared to embrace whatever befalls you as a result of the mistakes you’ve made.
Have a plan: You should have a clear idea of what went wrong and how you can fix it.
Be sincere: Show honest emotion; it’s the first step to rebuilding the trust lost.
Apologize: Sometimes just a simple “I’m sorry” will do the job.

Do You Think the FDA Will Approve of This?

Dr. Mercola — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:19:42 GMT

An unlikely candidate is shaking up the political scene!

Does Anesthesia Lead to Greater Pain?

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:11:16 GMT

Most general anesthetics, which are used to put patients to sleep during surgery, can actually increase the discomfort patients feel when they wake up.

"Noxious" anesthesia drugs -- a category which includes most general anesthetics -- activate and then sensitize specific receptors on neurons in the peripheral nervous system.

It was already known that general anesthetics cause irritation at the infusion site or in the airways when inhaled, and that they can activate pain-sensing nerve cells in the peripheral nervous system. However, the specific mechanism by which anesthetics affect sensory neurons was not known until now, nor the fact that anesthetics can continue to cause pain and inflammation even as they're used during surgery.

How to Make Yourself Indispensable

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:11:05 GMT

If you didn’t show up at work tomorrow, would it matter? What if you didn’t show up for dinner?

Many people might answer no to one or both of those questions. But you can turn that around by making some real changes in your life and in yourself.

None of the ideas below are easy – but none are impossible, either. All they require is

Network

Join and use one or two social networking tools. Select 10 or 20 people who are prominent in your field and introduce yourself to them; write them letters or email, give them a call, leave comments on their blogs. Join and become active in professional or recreational organizations.

Love

Try to be a loving, caring person in all your relationships. Approach every person you interact with as a person with their own needs, desires, and motivations. Look out for the people around you, be there when they need someone to lean on.

Excel

Be excellent at something. Figure out the thing that is most satisfying to you and learn how to do it better than anyone else.

Create Something

Whether it’s a book, a blog, a painting, an invention, a magazine article, a weekly newsletter, a company, a piece of furniture, or a recipe. The things you create contain a little part of you, a spark of who you are.

Innovate

Figure out how to solve a problems, and you will be anything but disposable.

Make People Feel Good

A joke, a compliment, an engaging discussion about the latest film or book -- these things add a little light to the lives of those around you.

Share or Teach What You Know

It’s not all that hard to put together a class, seminar, or workshop on just about any topic. Also seek out opportunities to share what you know informally throughout the day.

Be Eccentric

Eccentricity represents a significant difference in the way you view the world. While this can be alienating to some people, others will seek out and reward you handsomely for your insights.

Make a Difference

What matters in all these points is that you make a difference in people’s lives. Do that, and the world -- or at least some of the world -- will hang on your every action.

Can Pizza Spice Protect You From Inflammation?

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:11:00 GMT

Oregano doesn't only give a pizza its taste; it also contains a substance which helps to cure inflammations.

The compound, known as beta-caryophyllin (E-BCP), was given to mice with inflamed paws. In seven out of ten cases, there was a subsequent improvement in the symptoms.

E-BCP might be of use against disorders such as osteoporosis and arteriosclerosis. It is not just found in oregano; it is also present in plants such as basil, rosemary, cinnamon, and black pepper.

Three Green Beauty Alternatives

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:10:52 GMT

You can go “green” with beauty products by lessening your use of the ones that use harmful ingredients. Here are a couple of organic beauty alternatives:

No-Hair-Washing -- You don’t need to shampoo your hair every day. In fact, when you aren’t torturing your hair with product, it produces a natural oil that gives it a unique sheen and softness, and according to studies, it might even reduce the amount of ozone you breathe in.

Natural Deodorant -- Store-bought deodorants and anti-perspirants contain harsh chemicals. Instead, try baking soda. Sprinkle a bit on a damp washcloth and apply it on your underarms; it should neutralize the smell and keep you cool all day!

Homemade Facials -- Honey, oatmeal, bananas and other household materials can make you a homemade facial treatment!

Gastric Bypass Surgery Leads to Kidney Stones

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:10:48 GMT

A particular type of gastric bypass surgery called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) can rapidly lead to the development of kidney stones -- small, pebble-like deposits in the kidneys that can cause severe pain.

These stones develop in patients within only a few months following the procedure, rather than several months to years, as had been previously thought.

RYGB is the most commonly performed surgical intervention for morbid obesity. During the procedure, a small pouch is created by stapling part of the stomach together, limiting the amount of food a patient can eat. Then, a Y-shaped section of the small intestine is attached to the pouch to allow food to bypass the first part of the intestines, reducing calorie and nutrient absorption.

Cell Phones Take Over Half of China

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:10:44 GMT

Nearly 50 percent of all residents of China now have mobile phones, while the number of fixed-line subscribers has fallen.

The number of cell phone subscribers stood at 592 million at the end of May, out of a total national population of 1.3 billion. The figure was up nine percent from the end of 2007.

The main factor behind the growth was a trend for operators to cut fees in order to gain market share.

Arm Injuries Soaring in Little League Pitchers

Dr. Mercola — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:10:39 GMT

Since 2000, doctors have seen about a 5- to 6-fold increase in the number of serious shoulder and elbow injuries in young baseball and softball players.

These injuries in young athletes can cause permanent damage that can affect their future growth and the future health of their joints.

Overuse injuries are also common in gymnastics, cheerleading, swimming, tennis, soccer, football and other sports.

In a recent study, researchers followed almost 500 little league pitchers for one season, and found that 50 percent had elbow or shoulder pain and most had to see a doctor because of the pain.

Statin Use Has Jumped 150 Percent

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:13:31 GMT

Use of the cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins rose by 156 percent between 2000 and 2005, rising from 15.8 million people to 29.7 million people. Spending on the drugs jumped from $7.7 billion to $19.7 billion annually over the same period.

The total number of outpatient prescriptions for statins rose from about 90 million in 2000 to nearly 174 million in 2005. Each individual spent $484 a year on average on statins in 2000; this rose to $661 by 2005.

Statins include atorvastatin, sold by Pfizer under the brand name Lipitor; pravastatin or Pravachol, sold by Bristol Myers Squibb; fluvastatin, sold by Novartis under the brand name Lescol, and several others.

Diabetes Now Strikes One in Twelve Americans

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:13:28 GMT

The number of Americans with diabetes has grown to about 24 million people, or roughly 8 percent of the U.S. population.

A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on data from 2007, indicates an increase of about 3 million cases since over just two years. The CDC estimates another 57 million people have a condition called pre-diabetes, which puts people at increased risk for the disease.

Diabetes results from defects in insulin production that cause sugar to build up in the body. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S.

Are Wireless Chips a Threat to Hospital Patients?

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:13:22 GMT

Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, which are often used as tracking tags for medical supplies, could cause potentially dangerous interference with critical care medical devices, including pacemakers. The RFID tags used to track medical supplies are similar to the security tags attached to clothing in stores. The tags generate signals with radio frequencies to communicate with one another.

A study found that they can interfere with the functioning of some medical devices and could potentially cause serious harm to patients.

Out of 123 tests on medical devices, there were 34 instances of interference. An independent panel of intensive care doctors classified 22 of the interferences as hazardous.

Natural Health Advocates Defeat Government Power-Grab!

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:13:16 GMT

In a surprising victory for natural health proponents, Canadian Health Minister Tony Clement has agreed to the key demands of a grassroots campaign against restrictions on homeopathic medicines and herbal remedies in new legislation.

In the proposed new law’s original language, natural medicines were lumped in with pharmaceutical drugs, raising concerns they would be subject to the same type of oversight. Some believed it could mean that a product as common as vitamin C would be unavailable without a prescription.

The government has now proposed to insert a definition of natural health products into the Food and Drugs Act to "clearly recognize" that they are distinct from foods and drugs under the law.

Other changes have been adopted which will make it clear that natural medicines will follow a different process to get to market. The new amendments will make explicit mention that traditional knowledge and history of use can be considered for obtaining authorization to sell a natural health product.

Home Depot Recycles Compact Fluorescent Bulbs

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:13:12 GMT

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are an increasingly popular way to save energy. But improper disposal of the bulbs creates a hazard, because they contain small amounts of mercury.

Home Depot, the nation’s second-largest retailer, has announced that it will take back old compact fluorescents in all of its U.S. stores, creating the nation’s most widespread recycling program for the bulbs.

Until now, most consumers had to seek out local hazardous waste programs or smaller retail chains willing to collect the bulbs for recycling, like Ikea and True Value. Others bought kits to mail the bulbs to a recycling facility.

FDA Balks at Expanding Gardasil Approval

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:13:07 GMT

U.S. regulators have told Merck that they cannot yet approve an application to expand marketing of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil to an older population of women.

Gardasil is currently approved for women aged 9-26. Merck had applied for expanding the use of Gardasil to women aged 27 through 45. The U.S. FDA has stated that there are "issues" precluding approval within the expected review time frame.

Merck also failed to win FDA approval to expand Gardasil to protect against more strains of Human Papillomavirus.

How to Go From Sedentary to Running in Just Five Steps

Dr. Mercola — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:12:50 GMT

Feeling like a couch potato? Here are five steps to turn yourself into a runner. There are some rough timeframes in each step, but the real rule is to increase only when you feel ready, and no sooner. If you need longer for a step, take longer.

Step 1: Start walking. Try walking just 3 times the first week, and four times the second. The first week, you only need to do 20-25 minutes. Increase to 25-30 minutes the second week. After this, you can graduate to the next step, but if you’d like to stay in this step for a week or two longer, that’s OK. If you stay longer, walk 4 times the third week, 30-35 minutes each time. The fourth week, stay at 4 times, but increase to 35-40 minutes.

Step 2: Start run/walking. Do this step very gradually, just a little more each time. For this step, you’ll continue to exercise 4 times a week. Warm up by walking for 10 minutes. Then do a very, very easy run/walk routine: jog lightly for 1 minute (or 30 seconds if that seems too hard), then walk for 2 minutes. Repeat these intervals for 10-15 minutes, then do a 10-minute walking cool down. Do this step for two weeks, or longer if you like.

Step 3: Lengthen the running. Once you’re comfortable running for a minute at a time, you’re ready to start running a little longer. Continue to exercise 4 times per week. Increase your running to 1 minute 30 seconds, with an equal walking (1:30 running, 1:30 walking) for 15 minutes. Do this a couple times or more, then increase running to two minutes, with walking for 1 minute. Do this a few times or more, then increase to running 2:30, walking 30 seconds to a minute. If any of these increases feels too hard, feel free to go back a step until you’re comfortable increasing. Don’t rush it. You should stay in this step for 2-3 weeks or more.

Step 4: Follow the Rule of 9. Once you start Step 3 above, you’re basically running with short walk breaks. This can seem difficult, but it’ll get easier. Commit to doing 9 running workouts in Step 3; after that, it will get easier. The first 9 running workouts can be difficult, but after that, it almost always gets better and more enjoyable. Don’t quit before the 9 running workouts!

You’re now a runner! You might be walking a little during your runs, but there’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, feel free to keep doing walk breaks as you work on your running endurance. Some runners have been known to do a marathon with walk breaks, running 10 minutes and walking 1 minute. That’s completely fine. Eventually you probably won’t need the walk breaks, but no need to rush.

Step 5: Take your running to new levels. In this step, you want to continue taking your running to new levels. There are a number of ways to do this:

Gradually increase your running until you can do 30-40 minutes of running at a time, 4 days a week..
Sign up for a 5K. If you can run for 30-40 minutes, you can complete a 5K.
Once you have increased your running to 30-40 minutes at a time, designate one run a week as your “long run”. Try to increase this by 5 minutes each week, until you can do an hour or more.
Once you’ve got endurance, you can add some hills to your program. Add hills gradually, by finding a more hilly course, and eventually adding hill repeats.
After hills, do a little speed workout once a week. Do intervals of a couple of minutes of medium-hard running, with a couple minutes of easy running. Make these speed workouts shorter than your normal runs; if you run for 40 minutes, do 25-30 minutes for your speed workouts. Be sure to warm up and cool down with easy running for 10 minutes.
Run with a group, or run alone. Don’t always run alone or with a partner. Mix things up.
Find new routes. Don’t always run the same routes. Try running on a track, in a different neighborhood, on a treadmill, on trails.
After you’ve done a few 5Ks, sign up for a 10K. Then a half marathon. Then a marathon. But do one step at a time.

Most of all, enjoy your runs!

The World According to Monsanto

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:31:04 GMT

In an interview with The Real News Network, filmmaker Marie-Monique discussed her recent film 'The World According to Monsanto' in which she exposes Monsanto's controversial practices, which range from concealing knowledge of toxicity of PCBs to producing genetically modified seeds and related herbicides.

A Monsanto declassified file stated that "we can't afford to lose one dollar" to worries about PCB toxicity. This, Robin says, sums up Monsanto's philosophy rather well.

How to Break All the Rules

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:30:55 GMT

While rules help to create an orderly and well-regulated society, sometimes their lack of flexibility hinders creativity. Sometimes, you need to break the rules.

But there is a difference between the consistent rule-breaking of the ignorant and inexperienced and the proficient rule-breaking of a master. There are, one could say, rules for rule-breaking --

Break the rules as a last resort: Don’t lightly waste your efforts fixing what already works well. Rule-breaking is the step you turn to when the rules fail to work.
Rule-breaking gains its power from the strength of rules, not their weakness: The ability of the great rule-breakers to shock and amaze relies on the expectations the rules create. Constant rule-breaking creates the expectation of constant rule-breaking, which soon loses its appeal.
For every broken rule there are a dozen unbroken ones: Consider the rules of grammar and style -- almost all great writers break the rules, but also know the value of simple sentences, a lack of unnecessary verbiage, and adherence to basic rules of grammar; to ignore them is to create a morass of incomprehensible gibberish.
For every broken rule, there is a reason: Only break rules if, after careful consideration, you have decided that the most effective and meaningful way to get something done was to break a rule.
Accept the consequences: When called on the carpet to defend your choices, know that you made the in decisions in good faith and for the right reasons, and accept the consequences of your actions.

A Fascinating Interactive Web Site

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:30:53 GMT

This amazing site is the interactive web at its best. Explore around to see fractals, context-free television, and move your mouse through the great imagination link. Don’t be afraid to click around -- it's interactive!

Cancer Patient 'Cured' With Own Immune System

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:30:47 GMT

An Oregon man given less than a year to live experienced a complete remission of advanced melanoma following a treatment that boosted his immune system to fight the tumors.

Melanoma is a cancer of the skin cells that produce tanning pigments. When caught early, melanomas can be easily treated by surgically removing the cancerous patch of skin. But advanced melanoma is often deadly.

About 20 years ago, scientists discovered that immune cells could latch onto and attack skin cancers. For this treatment, researchers drew blood from the patient, extracted special helper immune cells and then grew more of them in the laboratory. They then infused a massive dose of the newly grown cells back into the patient, without using chemotherapy or the other harsh drugs.

Corporations Try to Sweeten Corn Syrup's Public Image

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:30:40 GMT

The Corn Refiners Association is launching a major advertising and public relations campaign designed to rehabilitate the reputation of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HFCS has been linked by many scientists to the nation's obesity epidemic.

The group is running full-page ads in more than a dozen major newspapers, claiming that the product is no worse for you than sugar. The ad, which features a stalk of corn, carries the headline: 'And Now a Little Food for Thought.'

The Corn Refiners Association "has been trying to counter the bad publicity around HFCS since 2004," but concluded it "could no longer afford to rely on simple grass-roots marketing tactics such as talking with nutritionists and doctors."

Drug-Resistant High Blood Pressure is On the Rise

Dr. Mercola — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:30:30 GMT

High blood pressure, the most commonly diagnosed condition in the United States, is becoming increasingly resistant to drugs that lower it.

The problem is not that the medications have stopped working, but that many blood-pressure patients are sicker to begin with and require more drugs at greater dosages, but to less effect.

This is especially worrisome given recent estimate that one in three Americans have hypertension, an underlying cause of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease and heart failure.

Pine Oil Insect Repellent Could Be a Natural Alternative

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:23:01 GMT

A naturally-occurring compound in pine oil, called isolongifolenone, seems to deter mosquito biting and repels two kinds of ticks.

In laboratory tests, the compound deterred the biting of mosquitoes more effectively than the widely used synthetic chemical repellent DEET. The compound also repelled two kinds of ticks as effectively as DEET.

The research team that discovered the effect also developed an easy and efficient method to prepare the repellent. Often, natural insect-repelling compounds never attain commercial development because they are expensive and not available in pure and large quantities.

Can Food Additives Cause ADHD?

Dr. Mercola — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:22:54 GMT

Artificial dyes are used in sugary cereals, candies, sodas and other products marketed toward children. Sometimes artificial dyes are even used to simulate the colors of fruits and vegetables.

While U.S. consumers regularly ingest these additives in their food, they have been removed from the same foods in some other countries. British consumers have revolted against artificial food dyes in the U.K., but American protests have not been as widespread.

Two recent British studies found that certain food dyes, as well as the common preservative sodium benzoate, may have an adverse effect on some children's behavior. Researchers said the increase in ADHD diagnoses could be partly to blame on the preservative.