Debbie Mandel’s
Turn On Your Inner Light
Weekly Wellness Newsletter
July 21, 2004
www.TurnOnYourInnerLight.com


Affirmation of the Week
 Learn to pause,
or nothing will catch up to you..

Health Tips of the Week

  • Does sex lead to happiness, or are happy people just more likely to lead each other to the bedroom? That's still under investigation, but there is evidence that mood and sex feed off each other. Contrary to popular opinion the latest research proves that money doesn’t make people happy, but sex does. Also, being wealthy doesn’t get you more sex. It’s a democratic process.
  • Eat well, stay active, be fit is the theme of the 9th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias. To date the best medical approach is prevention or at least delayed onset.
  • Noteworthy: Potassium sparing diuretics to reduce blood pressure reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s by 75%. Also, the oral diabetes medication, Avandia, shows potential in the treatment of early Alzheimer’s. By improving the body’s resistance to insulin, there is less buildup of amyloid beta protein in the blood and the brain which leads to brain damaging beta amyloid plaques in the brain. Once again the link between high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol and diabetes contribute to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.
  • There's no question that childhood vaccinations against measles, mumps, and rubella saves lives. But this protection may come with a price -- an increased risk of fever-related seizures. Parents need to be vigilant for 2 weeks following the MMR vaccination and treat high fever accordingly. While the seizure is frightening, there are no long lasting effects. However, those with epilepsy in the family might have a higher risk due to the vaccine.
  • Aches and pains without an obvious cause? Consider that you are depressed. Symptoms like unexplained chest pain, muscle ache, trembling, or hot flashes point to depression. Perhaps, it is time to get counseling or drug therapy. By the way people with inexplicable pain are the least likely to take drugs to ease their depression.
  • Most lead poisoning occurs on the job. However, recently a few cases have been traced to tableware from Mexico and Latin America. Apparently defective glazing caused the lead to leach out from dishes and cups. Also, other cases were traced to people who were taking pills prescribed Ayurvedic practitioners. Some branches of Ayurvedic medicine consider heavy metals to be therapeutic. However, the CDC doesn’t consider lead to be therapeutic.
Article of the Week - Meditate Your Stress Away

Mindfulness, relaxation response, cognitive behavioral modification - these are the buzz words of meditation. To many the concept is abstract, new agey and a slick panacea for whatever ails you. However, the mind/body benefits are actually real and have been documented. Last year meditation went mainstream making the cover of Time Magazine which extolled the concrete physiological benefits, quoting medical experts from Harvard and citing scientific breakthroughs in healing and pain relief. PET scans revealed that Buddhists’ brains had more left prefrontal lobe activity; in short, they were happier than the rest of us.
Yet many of us resist the idea of meditation or view it as an impossible dream. The excuses abound: I’m too busy; you want to make a Buddhist out of me? I am bombarded by too many images; I get no images. The first time that I tried meditating (in a yoga class), I composed a supermarket shopping list in my head. The second time I was so relaxed, I fell asleep. At least I didn’t snore and ruin it for the group. More.. -- Other articles
Frank Mikulka's Fitness Tip Of The Week
I was preparing for my first 5K race for cancer research and sprained my ankle! I was told to do RICE. I didn’t want to admit that I was ignorant about it, so could you please explain. (Doris, West Islip) Answer

Send your fitness question to: fitness@turnonyourinnerlight.com
Radio Show Guest of the Week - Dr. Hubert Weinberg
Tune into the Turn On Your Inner Light Radio Show Sunday mornings 7:30 - 8:00am on WHLI 1100 AM in Long Island. ( show archive).
On July 25, 2004 - Dr. Hubert Weinberg, a plastic surgeon with over 20 years experience, and a clinical professor at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Debbie Eisenstadt Mandel, MA is the author of Turn On Your Inner Light: Fitness for Body, Mind and Soul, a stress-reduction specialist, motivational speaker, a personal trainer and mind/body lecturer. She is the host of the weekly Turn On Your Inner Light Show on WHLI 1100 AM in Long Island and has been featured on radio/ TV and print media.

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