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In a matter of days, the Food and Drug Administration could decide to ban products containing the popular skin lightening agent hydroquinone. The anticipation of the FDA’s ruling on the safety of this skin lightening agent provides an opportunity to compare the safety and effectiveness of alternative skin brightening ingredients to hydroquinone.

Skin lightening agents to treat conditions like age spots, melasma and acne marks. Skin bleachers interfere with at least one of the numerous steps involved in creating the pigment melanin, and bringing this color to the surface of the skin. Sources of unconventional skin lightening agents include vitamins, fruit acids, botanical extracts and novel chemicals.

Niacinamide, a derivative of vitamin B3, rests as a popular skin whitening agent in natural cosmetics. Niacinamide prevents melanin from entering the upper layers of the skin. A study in the British Journal of Dermatology found that a cream containing five percent niacinamide noticeably brightened the faces Japanese women.

Similarly, ascorbic acid, a form of vitamin C, exhibits a skin lightening capacity. Investigators discovered that combing ascorbic acid with lactic acid noticeably lightened age spots and skin discolorations on the skin of patients with medium to dark skin tones after three months of treatment and reported their findings in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science.

Another antioxidant, glutathione, has surfaced as skin brightener. Glutathione is made in the body with the help of a selenium and protein balanced diet. A report in the International Journal of Cosmetic Science noted the effectiveness of glutathione as a skin lightening agent. But, the amount of glutathione needed in topical products to induce skin lightening is not yet standardized.

Like glutathione, grape seed extract is another radical scavenger with skin lightening potential. Researchers in Nago City, Japan found that feeding guinea pigs foods containing one percent grape seed extract reversed skin darkening the resulted from UV exposure. Dosages of one percent vitamin C did not elicit the same skin brightening effect in the pigs. The investigators released their findings in Pigment Cell Research.

While not a vitamin, arbutin is a naturally occurring hydroquinone found in plants. Moreover, a food analysis published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Analysis observed significant amounts of arbutin in wheat products, pears, and coffee and tea.

Like hydroquinone, arbutin disrupts the reactions that lead to the formation of melanin. Yet a study in the Journal of Dermatological Science deemed arbutin less effective than niacinamide or kojic acid at limiting the production of melanin.

To expand skin lightening agents beyond botanicals and vitamins, researchers at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine synthesized their own version of hydroquinone called deoxyArbutin (dA). DeoxyArbutin blocks the formation of melanocytes, the cells that make melanin.

After 12 weeks of treatment, deoxyArubtin reduced the appearance of solar lentigines, age spots, on the skin of fair toned people. However the cosmetic improvement on patients with dark skin tones was slight.

Besides deoxyArubtin, exfoliating acids provide another form of skin lightening.

Researchers at the Makati Medical Center in Manila, Philippines compared a 20% azelaic acid treatment to a 2% hydroquinone treatment for melasma. Over a period of 24 weeks, 73% of the azelaic acid patients, compared with 19% of the hydroquinone patients, experienced good to excellent results, based on the reduction of melasma color intensity and blemish size. Still, both drugs had the tendency to cause initial mild to moderate irritation to the skin.

Regardless of the FDA’s ruling on hydroquinone, numerous skin lightening options remain on the market. Some of the downsides of alternatives to hydroquinone include increased expense for more exotic skin lightening agents and longer waiting periods to see satisfactory changes in the skin.

Nevertheless, studies have shed light on ways to speed the effectiveness of skin lightening agents. For example, a recent experiment published in Skin Research and Technology found that combining skin lightening creams that contain niacinamide and vitamin C with ultrasound enhanced the absorption level of the creams and increased the rate of skin lightening as compared to using the same treatment without ultrasound.

In all, as the FDA deliberates over the safety of hydroquinone, consumers can rest assured that effective skin lightening alternatives exists and new ones are undergoing tests in labs.

Naweko Nicole Dial San-Joyz founded Noixia, a San Diego based research firm dedicated to helping people intelligently, safely and affordably enhance their image by offering custom skin solutions to people with

This article was written to help parents better understand what their teens may be going through when acne rears its ugly head. I have pulled this information together from many different sources, and I hope you find it both interesting and helpful. Parents who truly understand what their teens are going through with the acne scourge are well ahead of parents who don’t. They have likely positioned themselves to cushion the negative effects of acne in their teens. We will discuss some causes, and management and prevention strategies.

In spite of what the majority believe, your diet does have a tremendous affect on whether you get acne or not. Greasy foods like french fries, fried chicken, and fatty foods, are the major reason why acne is so prevalent among teens. Conversely, a lack of certain foods in the diet can hinder your ability to fight off acne. Leafy vegetables and fresh fruits help rid the body of the over-abundance of oils that tend to pave the way for acne. Moreover, enough cannot be said about the recommended six glasses of water. When was the last time you saw a teenager gulping their required amount? I didn’t say liquids I said water, not Coca-Cola, water. My youngest daughter, who suffers with acne, runs when she sees a glass of water coming her way.

To press the point home, greasy foods are the primary reason why acne is so prevalent among teens and young adults. To go along with a burdened body, these young people are also burdened with psychological challenges. This is when things can really get dodgy. Teens are social animals. They need to be among their peers, acceptance is extremely important during this stage of their development. When teens are stuck in their bedrooms because of bad acne, parents must remain vigilant as this behavior is a recipe for depression and possibly suicide.

Hormones were also looked into as a cause of acne. It has to be said at this point, acne surfaces for a variety of reasons, of which diet, hormones, and stress can play a role. It is commonly known that hormones and the excess oils that they bring can clog the pores, resulting in acne. My contention again is that a person who eats a well balanced diet which allows their system to be flushed and cleaned, won’t have any difficulty with the hormone issue. Stress is a horse with a different collar. I will deal with stress and acne in another article so watch out for that.
Did you know that something so simple as washing your face on a regular basis can help slow down the onslaught of acne? How often do you wash your face? Do you ever? Maybe mornings. Parents watch your children, a gentle reminder at the middle of the day won’t hurt. You would be surprised at what you see in the sink afterwards, oils and sludge with the accompanying bacteria.

Parents, don’t fear, we do have some good news about acne, it’s not all doom and gloom. Those unwanted zits and black and whiteheads generally respond well to treatment. That treatment would not be squeezing, pressing, or picking at them. Please discourage your children from doing that. Bigger bumps or welts can form as a result. A hot wash cloth gently pressed against the acne, while short term, does provide some relief, but we will talk about those types of treatments in an upcoming article.
In football they say that the best form of attack is defense(or is it the other way around), anyway, you get my drift. Protect yourself from acne. How you ask? You got it! Prevention! An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Wycliffe Williams has been in sales management for twenty years. He has a young daughter who has battled acne for years. If you enjoyed this article check my site: wyclefinnovations.com/indexacnetwo.html wyclefinnovations.com/indexacnetwo.html

Bodily fitness is being able to deal with and handle the daily stresses of life, good physical and mental health, especially when maintained by proper diet, exercise, and habits. Nutrition refers to the nurturing of our body, in our ability to keep it healthy and functioning as it is supposed to do. Our ability to provide the body with all the necessary food, vitamins, and minerals so that we continue to thrive in our daily life processes is a part of overall fitness. Fitness refers to the condition of good physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Fitness of the body occurs when all the body processes, physical and mental are functioning as the peak levels What does it take to achieve complete body fitness? It requires more than simply taking a trip to the gym, or a walk in the park.

Many factors come into play when we consider our body’s fitness. The daily intake of food, vitamins, and water are absolute necessities, and most often the items thought about. What about the conditioning of our body to deal with life each day?

Does our physical exercise have anything to do with the fitness of our body? Absolutely. For one condition without regard to the other, is not a complete whole. The body includes all of our physical processes, our mind, and our physical being as a whole. When we give thought to the fitness of the body, most often we contemplate our physical condition as it applies to our cardiovascular needs and our weight. But our bodies are much more than heart and a nice figure. What about all of our other organs? Are they fit? How do we maintain a fitness of the entirety? Daily physical exercise that benefits the body as a whole, taking time to rest and restore what has been depleted from our body over the course of the day, and making sure that we adequately supply our entire body with the nutrition necessary for healthy function.

If we use our resources wisely and educate our selves about the things our body needs to maintain fitness, over the course of our life, it isn’t a difficult thing to attain. But you cannot abuse your body for years, and then hope for immediate results in trying to attain overall fitness. It didn’t become unfit overnight, and it won’t become fit again that quickly.

Proper attention to the physical needs of each part of your body results in the fitness of the whole. Every part of your physical body exists to work in unison with another part of the body. Two hands are necessary for optimal functioning of the limbs, two feet, two eyes, etc. The physical body is designed to work better than any machine invented to date. It is more complex and powerful than any piece of equipment we have on the market. It takes more abuse than believable, and continues to operate, even without the daily requirements being met, for several days. It is a fascinating machine, as machines go. But it is an even more fascinating subject, when we choose to care for our bodies as the temples they really are. They house our mind and soul, and when the body is fit, it does its job tremendously well.

home-fitness-equipment-center.info/blog/ Home Fitness Equipment Center is a free web site that offers the latest news and information about home-fitness-equipment-center.info/blog/ fitness equipment for home.

The Zone Diet gets its fair share of jokes about its name, but it basically comes down to being a diet that take hormone balance as its starting point. The zone of The Zone Diet is an actual physiological state rather than some sort of state of mind; a state in the body’s insulin is controlled with the eventual payoff being loss of fat and a general higher state of well being.

How is this zone achieved? How does one actually control a physiological occurrence such as the production of insulin? According to the creators of The Zone Diet, this is accomplished through balance. No, not balancing of the light and dark sides of the Force, but rather balancing one’s ingestion of protein and carbohydrates.

Just as in Zen Buddhism, achieving the zone known as Enlightenment requires moderation in all things, so is moderation the goal of the Zone Diet. The diet tries for a moderate balance of consumption of protein, fat and carbs. There is even a ratio to define how much of each of these types of food should be consumed: 40% of your food intake should be carbs with the other 60% divided equally among fat and protein.

The Zone Diet is one of the big three new diet plans that considers carbohydrate control to be the key to weight loss rather than controlling one’s ingestion of fat. Like the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet, the primary goal of the Zone Diet is to limit carbs from your diet. The criticism of the diet is similar to that of those two diets; that weight loss will be temporary and, worse, increase cholesterol and the risks of developing heart disease. The American Heart Association has been one of the most vocal critics of the Zone Diet.

Another criticism of the Zone Diet is that it requires far more effort than most others. In order to meet the ratio of the zone, you have to carefully measure every individual serving of food you eat. Many people simply don’t have the time required to dedicate themselves to this aspect and winding up consulting a dietician which, while saving time, costs money.

On the other hand, if you enjoy your daily dose of carbohydrates and aren’t in a big hurry to sacrifice them for the payoff of weight loss, the Zone Diet is probably a better choice for you than the Atkins or South Beach diets. With the Zone Diet you can actually consume more carbs per day than with those other two.

What this means is that those people who tend to give up on diets due to the psychological effects of feeling as if they are being unfairly deprived of the food they crave may be more successful with the Zone because it isn’t quite as restrictive.

Needless to say, before embarking on the Zone Diet or any diet, it is wise to consult a doctor first.

Author: Matt Garrett – © 2007

I found a great drug-drug interaction resource site today while in clinic. There is no reason why you cannot use the same reference. So many times people are on drugs, herbs or vitamins which interact with each other in harmful ways.

This drug interaction resource has the following types of drug interactions:

* Vitamin-Drug Interaction

* Herb-Drug Interaction

* Drug-Drug Interaction

* Alcohol-Drug Interaction

* Food-Drug Interaction

If you find something suspicious or not sounding that good, do not adjust your own medications. If you think you can, you cannot. If you change some prescription drugs too quickly, a serious side effect can occur causing death or a serious medical condition.

So – use this site as a reference – not to self-medicate and adjust your meds.

Drug Digest is an awesome easy to use tool that allows one to check two or more possible drug interactions. Simply search for a drug, vitamin or herb, add it to the drug interaction list and search for another. Keep doing this as needed. Once all drugs, herbs and vitamins are added to the drug interaction list, simply hit the button ‘check interactions’

The drug interaction database will think for a moment and then spit out the possible interactions with explanations.

Again – do not self adjust your medications. Ever.

I discovered in clinic today that a patient’s aspirin was altering his blood pressure medications. Aspirin works by limiting prostaglandin release and some blood pressure meds work by prostaglandins. Prostaglandins allow blood vessels to relax which is also what inflammation does. As aspirin decreases inflammation, this specific blood pressure med got affected. The outcome: he still had very high blood pressure.

Did I say don’t adjust your meds? Good.

To give an example – if this patient did, he would be dead or suffer a large heart attack.

Here is the drug interaction website: drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ChooseDrugs/1,4109,,00.html Drug Digest

Enjoy the database. Tell your physician about it. They will love it.

In health,

Benjamin Lynch has a BS degree in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Washington. Currently, he is obtaining his doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University. Visit Ben’s healthegoods.com natural health product store, HealthE Goods where one can use our healthegoods.com/content/health_tips.htm free health information service where one may ask specific health questions. We provide physician-grade non-prescription natural health products. Wholesale spa products are available to all that qualify. Do visit our healthegoods.com/blog.html Healthy Lifestyle and Wellness Blog. We are here to help serve the public with proper health information and effective products. Products described in the article are available at HealthE Goods.

Have a health question? Drop by and send me an email. Glad to help.

copyright 2005 HealthE Goods and Benjamin Lynch

A concept developed by Joseph Pilates, based on the idea of physical-mind methodology, his system of non-impact exercises are meant to develop ones strength, balance, flexibility and self-consciousness.

It’s a great excersie for both you and old and is both enjoyable and healthy lets look at the basics of pilates.

The concept

Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. He will very ill as a child, and wished to find a way to make himself physically fit. He tirelessly studied all systems of physical culture, and eventually became a real athlete.

Later as the First World War broke out, Pilates was restrained in England as he was German.

There he worked as a nurse and devised some contraptions to aid rehabilitation. This was later refined into his ‘method’, which trains the basic back and abdominal muscles to stabilize correctly the upper torso, and gives the whole body a freer more natural movement.

The Method and Benefits

Specifically the method is a specialized series of movements that can be used by anyone at any age and in any kind of physical condition, even for people who are in wheelchairs.

As his method promotes feelings of well-being, and self-consciousness, people who practice it find themselves improving at many levels.

The method acts to strengthen one’s muscles, and give them greater flexibility. It does so without adding muscle mass, and therefore its ideal for dancers.

Also a benefit of practicing the method is that by improving your posture, your flexibility and your sense of balance, you can prevent injury.

This is very important in older adults, dancers and actors. The method is also an excellent aid to rehabilitation.

Working With a Pilates Instructor

If you find a Pilates studio will first have an interview with an instructor. He or she will do a survey on your posture, and how you move.

Then a specially designed training program is developed specifically for you, using classic (or newly adapted) Pilate’s method movements.

Your program will usually begin with some active and passive stretching movements, and general mat work. Passive stretching means the instructor will manipulate your body to get the desired effects. Active stretching means you will perform the stretching exercises as you are monitored by the instructor.

Working on a Pilates Machine

There are two basic machines in the Pilates method. One is known as the Universal Reformer (UF) and one as the Cadillac.

The UF looks much like a bed without a mattress. It has a platform that slides back and forth, and many cables, springs and pulleys.

These are vestiges of the original Pilates machinery that he devised for patients in bed, and so exercises can be done to suit the patient’s movement capabilities. Your exercise session will last about 30 minutes, maybe a bit longer.

All movements are done very slowly, and there is a lot of commentary from the instructor regarding all the variables; breathing, posture alignment and the way the movements are performed.

There are now many books and home videos (and many can be found on the internet) that will allow a person to practice without an instructor. However, it is highly advised to at least learn the basics with an instructor first.

The Popularity of Pilates

The method can be said to be nearly universal now. Dancers love it, as it gives them the added benefit of strength without more muscle mass.

Also it give them a great deal of flexibility. Athletes love it as it helps them improve their sport, and also prevent injury. People who are confined to beds, wheelchairs or the home love it as it allows improvement no matter one’s condition.

MORE FREE BETTER HEALTH INFO

On all aspects of health and more on net-planet.org/health.html Pilates visit our website for a huge resource of articles, features and downloads and at net-planet.org/index.html net-planet.org/index.html

Natural skin care is much preferable in today’s age and environment. Your skin already has too much pollutants originating from the air causing premature aging,so why add some more using synthetic skin care products? Having a naturally beautiful skin starts within. Your skin shows the kind of food you eat and the type of lifestyle you have. A dull, excessively oily skin could suggest you probably are munching too much fat and barely exercise.

You may try these natural skin care tips. It saves you a few dollars out of buying commercial “natural” skin care products and gives a boost to your system as well.

Natural skin care tips

Our skin sheds dead skin cells everyday. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do that by itself. Give your skin a dry brush exfoliation before you take a shower in the morning to eliminate the top layer dead skin cells. Dry brush exfoliation allows skin to detoxify and improves blood circulation, which in turn nourishes the skin by distributing nutrients and oxygen to every skin cell. Use a soft, natural bristle brush.

Next, digestion is one factor that contributes to the type of skin we can have. Poor digestion often result to acne, psoriasis, and rosacea. The two common culprits for a sluggish digestion is: 1) not having sufficient fiber in the diet, and 2) not enough water. Doctors advice the intake of 8 full glasses of water a day to normalize your bodily functions. Also, eat fruits (like apples) with skin on and munch on high fiber snacks. They’re good for your tummy and skin.

Third, get moving! Exercise helps out by improving your blood circulation eliminating body wastes through sweat. If you lead a sedentary lifestyle, make sure exercise is part of your natural skin care regimen. However, always take a warm shower after sweating it out to wash off dirt and sweat.

Sugar is another factor of premature aging. Excessive sugar intake, in the process, leads to glycation. This is a process in which a sugar molecule called glucose sticks to amino acids (protein molecules) causing it to form other molecules called advanced glycation end-products or AGE. AGE is damaging to skin cells, bone cartilage, as well as ligaments resulting in premature aging. As part of your natural skin care, lessen your daily intake of sugar as much as possible. In addition, the natural food we eat like fruits or bread already contain sugar so there’s actually no need to add some more.

Lastly, essential fats are necessary in cell division to make new ones as in cell membranes, hormones, etc. Sources of essential fats include oils from nuts, fish, or fish oil supplements.

Natural skin care doesn’t have to be expensive. Patience is a virtue (as the cliché goes) because you need to work it out. Results might not be achieved overnight.

Milos Pesic is an expert in the field of Skin Care and runs a highly popular and comprehensive skin-care.need-to-know.net/ Acne Treatment web site. For more articles and resources on Skin Care related topics, Acne Treatments, Natural Skin Care Products and much more visit his site at:

=> skin-care.need-to-know.net/ skin-care.need-to-know.net/

You probably don’t want to yell “I have blood in my poop!” when you’re standing in a crowd. However, if you turn around one day and see bloody stools in the toilet, it’s certainly something you might be screaming inside your head. Seeing blood is bad enough, seeing your own blood is worse. When you start seeing blood in your poop, that’s gone too far. If you’ve just exclaimed to yourself, “I have blood in my poop!”, what could be the problem? What should you do?

There are actually quite a few reasons why you might have blood in your poop. Some of them could be serious. Most of them are not. The first thing you need to ask yourself is, “How do I know it’s blood?” You may not have realized this before, but there are actually several foods that can make your poop look bloody. Tomatoes and beets can turn your stools red. That makes sense now that you think about it, doesn’t it? Other possibilities include blueberries, licorice, iron supplements, Pepto-Bismol–all of these can turn your stools black, which looks a lot like blood in your poop. So the first thing you need to eliminate as a cause is your diet. Have you eaten any of these foods or taken any of these substances in the last 18 hours?

If food is not the cause of your strange-looking stools, then you probably should accept the likelihood that you actually do have blood in your poop. By itself, this certainly isn’t the end of the world. But here’s the thing–you need to call up your doctor and tell him, “I have blood in my poop!” Or, you might want to wait until you’re back in one of those private exam room. It’s your decision. But don’t delay making an appointment to see your doctor. Most causes of blood in your poop are minor. But it’s important for you to know for sure.

The very first thing that your doctor will want to know is what color your stools were. The obvious answer is “red,” but not all bloody poop is red. The actual color depends on where the problem is. The farther up your digestive tract the bleeding is occurring, the darker the blood will be. You see, as blood passes through your intestines, bacteria works to digest it like food. The chemical changes that bacteria cause darkens the color of the blood. The longer it stays inside your body, the darker it gets.

So what does this all mean? Well, bright red blood in your stool most likely was added just before exiting your body. The most common causes of bright red blood in your poop are hemorrhoids and anal fissures. Hemorrhoids can begin to bleed when you strain during a bowel movement or even when you wipe a little too roughly. Anal fissures are also quite sensitive to straining and may cause you to have bloody poop. If this is the cause of your problem, the doctor will probably encourage you to drink more fluids and deal with any possible causes of constipation. Another remedy that will provide great results is a colon cleanse. Natural colon cleaners help to remove old waste matter that may be contributing to your constipation.

Darker blood in your stools means that the cause is more likely in your stomach or small intestine. One of the most common causes of blood from your stomach is a bleeding ulcer. Although this sounds dangerous, it’s often a result of taking medication. Even over-the-counter medications like aspirin or ibuprofen can lead to ulcers that cause no pain but that bleed into your digestive tract. If your doctor believes that this is a likely cause, he may recommend a change in medications.

Why is it so important to tell your doctor about blood in your poop? The problem could be caused by bleeding from intestinal polyps. Polyps are not that dangerous by themselves, but there is a possibility that polyps could develop into colon cancer. This type of cancer is much more likely in people over age 50. If that describes you, then you should not hesitate to get screened for colon cancer. Although colon cancer is one of the major cancer killers, it’s also very easy to prevent. By discovering and removing polyps before they turn cancerous, colon cancer can be completely prevented. Whenever you notice anything that might indicate digestive tract bleeding, call your doctor immediately and tell him, “I have blood in my poop!”

Jim McDonald is a passionate writer and webmaster of colon-cleaners.com colon-cleaners.com, an informative website about

The aches and pains in her muscles just would not stop. After the car accident, it seemed like everything was going downhill. First she lost her job, then her boyfriend. Sleep hardly ever comes and if it does, the pain and tightness in her shoulders and neck wake her up. After countless visits to a myriad of specialists, she finally got a diagnosis. She thought that she was going crazy, but the rheumatologist said she had fibromyalgia. Learn about this mysterious ailment, the signs and symptoms, the latest theory on the cause, and some treatment options in this article. For an in-depth look at diet and supplementation that may benefit fibromyalgia see the article “Nutritional Strategies For Fibromyalgia.”

Complicated Syndrome

Fibromyalgia (FM) literally means pain in the fibrous connective tissue that surrounds joints, typically the muscle and the tendon that attaches the muscle to the bone. It isn’t a disease, but rather a syndrome, which is a collection of signs and symptoms that occur together. It is a form of soft tissue rheumatism. The American College of Rheumatology defines FM as widespread pain present for at least three months in combination with tenderness at 11 or more of 18 specific tender point sites. FM used to be called fibrositis, but that erroneous definition meant an inflammatory condition was present, and that is not the case. Because of the difficulty in diagnosing FM and the similarities that FM has to other diseases, many people are not properly diagnosed, or the diagnosis takes much time and effort. Since FM affects 2% of the United States population, with a breakdown of 3.4% in women and 0.5% in men, this is not a rare syndrome.

Signs and Symptoms

FM patients usually report that they “hurt all over” and describe their pain as stabbing, aching, or nagging. They also describe feelings of stiffness, especially upon waking up. Pain with palpation is found in 11 of 18 specific points that have been identified around the body. FM patients can suffer from fatigue, sleep disturbances, headaches, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, bladder urgency and frequency, and skin sensitivity. FM seems to occur in a vicious circle. The lack of sleep leads to sore muscles and fatigue, which leads to less participation in physical activity, which results in depression and further deconditioned muscles, which leads to more pain, which leads to less sleep.

The Central Nervous System Theory

Many researchers now believe that the central nervous system (CNS) plays a large role in the development of this syndrome. The central nervous system is composed of the spinal cord and brain. What investigators think is that an event, either emotionally or physically traumatic, leads to hyperactivity in the CNS. This hyperactivity leads to sleep disturbances, like the increased number of awakenings found in FM patients. The hyperactivity also affects the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that communicate between nerves. In FM, there appears to be larger concentrations of excitatory neurotransmitters (like Substance P) and lower concentrations of inhibitory neurotransmitters (like serotonin). This irregular ratio causes the pain amplification in FM patients. FM patients’ pain perception is normal, but their sensitivity to pain is increased and their tolerance of pain is decreased. The CNS hyperactivity can then lead to problems involving all bodily systems, which explains the seemingly unrelated symptoms of FM. There is even reason to believe that FM may have a genetic component.

FM Management

A combination of medication, cognitive behavior therapy, relaxation techniques, exercise, and education is recommended as treatment for FM. Medications that help promote sleep and relaxation have been used, but studies have met with mixed results. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) aren’t more effective than placebos and corticosteriod injections make FM symptoms worse. Trigger point injections using a local anesthetic can be helpful, but only have temporary effects, and the authors of one study that showed symptom improvement still recommended other forms of treatment. Only one high quality study suggests that real acupuncture is more effective than sham acupuncture. Cognitive behavior therapy, which involves learning affective coping strategies, and stress-reduction programs were proven to be successful in the long term treatment of FM.

Exercise programs that emphasize cardiovascular fitness seem to be the tool for breaking the circle of pain. FM patients are deconditioned from avoiding exercise. This can lead to further pain from shortened and tight muscles. Many doctors recommend a balanced program of flexibility, gentle strengthening, and aerobic conditioning. Exercise should be thought of as health training, not sports training. The intensity and duration should begin slowly, but become a part of the FM patient’s lifestyle. Pool exercises are a good place to start with a gradual progression to land exercises. Physical therapists can help design exercise and stretching programs. The Arthritis Foundation recommends also learning progressive muscle relaxation techniques in addition to exercise and stretching.

The Good News

FM is not a life threatening disease, nor is it physically deforming. Symptoms do not usually get worse and may be lessened with appropriate interventions. Although researchers are still working on a complete explanation for the syndrome, progress is advancing rapidly. Without a definitive treatment for every FM patient, an individualized approach and experimentation with different methods should be utilized. In a study of FM patients who still had symptoms after ten years of onset, 66% of patients reported that their symptoms were a little or a lot better, 55% said they felt well or very well, and only 7% felt they were doing poorly. Of course, education about the syndrome is the first step to understanding and beginning a treatment program. For more information, visit the American College of Rheumatology website at www.rheumatology.org or The Arthritis Foundation website at www.arthritis.org. You can call Fibromyalgia Alliance of America, Inc., (614) 457-4222 and Fibromyalgia Network info line: (520) 290-5508. A newsgroup devoted to fibromyalgia can be found at alt.med.fibromyalgia.

References upon request.

Thomas Incledon, PhD(c), RD, LD/N, NSCA-CPT, CSCS, RPT has been involved in research on how to enhance health and human performance for over 17 years and is considered one of the worldwide leading experts on effective health and performance strategies. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Human Health Specialists. Tom can be reached at mailto:info@thomasincledon.com info@thomasincledon.com or (480) 883-7240. Visit our websites at ThomasIncledon.com ThomasIncledon.com, HumanPerformanceSpecialists.com HumanPerformanceSpecialists.com, HumanHealthSpecialists.com HumanHealthSpecialists.com

Please know that I am just like you and I am not trying to speak down from a
hilltop or condescend. I would do that if I thought it would work but humor is
usually more effective. I too once believed that milk was healthy, good and
should be guzzled down like beer through a funnel.

Milk is touted by the “experts” as the “Perfect Health Food” and best choice
for dieting and weight loss. The opposite is actually true. The growth hormones,
chemicals and bacteria in milk will make you gain weight, retain body fat and
make you sick. Try this experiment. Cut out all dairy products for one whole
month (cheese, ice cream, everything). Resume eating dairy products again. I did
this and now I become very ill when I drink milk or eat cheese and ice cream in
any quantity. I used to drink 2 gallons of milk a week! Lactose intolerance is
another way of saying that milk makes people sick. 95% of African Americans are
lactose intolerant, 20-40% of Caucasians are lactose intolerant, and 50-70% of
Asians are lactose intolerant. I do not know of any other “Perfect Health Foods”
that make so many people sick.

MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of dollars have been spent to put milk mustaches on
celebrities, athletes and models. Millions and millions of dollars are spent on
marketing dairy products to the American public and reassuring us that dairy is
healthy and safe. “Got Milk” “Milk does a body good” and lets not forget the
great calcium hoax. Where will we get our calcium if we do not drink milk? Well,
cows get it from grass but the best human source is green leafy vegetables. More
than 75% of the earth’s populations do not consume regular dairy products. They
are not dropping dead from calcium deficiency. Most people resist strongly when
I suggest that dairy products are unhealthy because of the massive amount of
media and government brainwashing (marketing) that takes place in this country.

The consumption of cow’s milk and dairy products has been linked to many
diseases and ailments like: Breast cancer, other cancers, Heart Disease, Stroke,
MS, Diabetes, Obesity, Acne, Varicose Veins, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Allergic
Reactions, Bloating, Gas, Cramps, and many more. You must check out Robert
Cohen’s website www.notmilk.com to get the truth about milk. Read “The Famous
Milk Letter” or view the 1999 video report and prepare to be shocked.

After the age of 4 or 5 our bodies lose the ability to effectively digest
milk. It is the same for other animals; they are weaned and taught to eat
regular food. Humans are the only species that continues to drink milk in
adulthood. What makes it even worse is that it is the body fluid from another
animal, which was intended for calves. The human body has an amazing tolerance
level for toxins and for most people if they never stop drinking copious amounts
of milk their bodies just take it and slowly build up mucus and disease over
time.

Convincing Americans that milk is not healthy is a tremendous challenge. Let
me apologize in advance to all the dairy farmers, lacto-ovo vegetarians and milk
chugging enthusiasts who might be offended by my opinions. I have discovered
that some people really cherish their dairy products and become quite upset at
any suggestion that dairy products are anything less than a healthy, wholesome
food that will nurture them for a lifetime. I suppose if you got your own cow,
milked it yourself, and consumed small quantities of pure, fresh, raw milk and
dairy products like our ancestors did than you might be OK. This is, of course,
if you’re mostly Northern European ancestors drank milk and you tolerate it to
begin with. This would be the only way to be sure you are not being
poisoned.

When I brought this article to my writer’s group-a small clan of literary
giants I now highly respect- the response I got was “Wow, this guy really hates
milk.” Actually, I hate the people and organizations behind the milk deception.
I like milk. It’s rich and delicious; it’s just not a health food. Don’t be
fooled by the dairy industry marketing. If you like milk then please swill down
a tall glass right away and have a nice life. Just know that it is not good for
you and think of it as you would a dessert or a cigarette.

The milk industry grew out of need to feed a hungry, growing nation. In many
cases we have taken the gifts of nature and altered and perverted them.
Domestication of animals, and advances in science and chemistry allowed for the
“great” modern achievements of food processing, canning, Pasteurization,
Homogenization, preservatives, food chemicals, hydrogenated oils and high
fructose corn syrup. All these things have made food unhealthy, easy and very,
very cheap and profitable. There was a time when most food was fresh, healthy
and chemical free. There was a time when milk was pure in this country, when
cows roamed free and ate grass free from antibiotics and pollutants. Maybe 50 or
100 years ago it was good and safe to drink small amounts of milk from a cow
before it became the milk of today. I do not fault corporations for wanting to
be profitable, or governments for obscuring the truth. It is our own
responsibility to discover the truth and change our lives.

“Most people prefer a simple lie over a
complicated truth!”

The milk industry and government know that MANY, MANY more people might
realize that milk does not agree with them if they stopped drinking it for a
little while. This is why it is so heavily marketed and subsidized by the
government. Please understand, I am not a fanatic .I will still have a little
milk froth on top of my double macchiato, or a small amount of cheese here and
there. I think of dairy the same way that most people view processed sugar.
Sugar and dairy are so pervasive in our food supply and such a big part of our
American culture it is almost impossible to avoid them entirely but they
certainly should not be considered healthy or made a staple of your diet or
added as a healthy component to a suggested eating guide or pyramid. Today’s
milk is a processed food and processed foods and chemicals are harmful, toxic or
at least unnatural to the human body.

So what about organic milk? Organic milk is great but it is still
homogenized, pasteurized and meant for calves. Americans everywhere are feeling
happy and safe by switching to organic milk. How wonderful it is that we now can
enjoy milk from happy, grass fed cows that have been massaged and groomed
everyday and not fed any antibiotics, growth hormone or chemicals, right? Sorry
folks, organic milk is just like light cigarettes, it is healthier but will
still kill you! Homogenization turns dairy products into a deadly artery
scarring poison. Homogenized dairy products are one of the real reasons behind
our epidemic of heart disease.

Milk is mostly casein, which is a mucus-producing glue that accumulates in
the human body causing long-term health problems and disease. Milk from cows was
intended for calves, even cows do not continue drinking their own milk in
adulthood they get their calcium and sustenance from grass.

Guess What. Yogurt is crap too! Two different friends recently were asking me
about yogurt. “Yogurt is still healthy, right?” No. Yogurt does contain healthy
bacteria, which aids in digestion but it also contains milk and often is loaded
with sugar, artificial sweeteners and other chemicals. A better strategy, if you
are looking to improve your digestion, would be to take digestive enzymes,
probiotics or Acidophilus pills which are available at health food stores
everywhere and are much more effective.

If you want to lose body fat, feel healthy and avoid chronic disease than cut
out or reduce all dairy products from your diet. I achieved an incredible new
level of health and leanness after I banished dairy products from my life. Don’t
take my word for it, do the research for yourself and you will find out what the
dairy industry has been hiding. Run quickly to your refrigerator and dump your
milk down the sink today. I know you will enjoy better health tomorrow and
hereafter.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ian Kelley is the author of The Organic Body fitness and cookbook. Ian is a lifelong chef, competitive natural bodybuilder, holistic health advocate and writer. His website,