Colon cancer has become a genuine concern for many Americans today.  One of the main reasons we see such a huge boost in the popularity of things that propose to cleanse the colon and the digestive system and help “keep things moving” smoothly is that people are very afraid they are clogging up their colons and their intestines with foods that are not beneficial to these lines areas, and causing an eventual abnormal cell growth, especially if chronic constipation is a problem. 

At least that is how I view it.  I always think of a healthy colon and digestive system as one that is never clogged and always moving freely, never alternating between diarrhea and constipation as many with IBS experience, and unfortunately as much of the US population experiences because of a diet high in things that are colon unfriendly like cheese, meats (especially red meat), and refined wheat and starch products.  Herbal colon cleansers can help to wash this kind of stuff out and help to provide a regular cleansing of this vital area, but a healthy diet is the absolute best thing you can do to prevent issues in the first place.

Since colon cancer affects over a million a year and kills over 100,000 a year in the US alone, it’s no wonder researchers are looking for better ways to protect the colon from developing cancerous growth.  We know that unhealthy colons are more likely to develop polyps, which then can become cancerous later in life, depending on a number of factors including diet and lifestyle.  Researchers also know that because of the protective mucous lining of the colon that it is protected from the immune system, which is not such a good thing and may explain it’s susceptability to cancer growth, among other factors.

Researchers had discovered a specific protein in the human intestine, and used it to develop what they are tentatively calling a colon cancer vaccine.  They have so far only done the studies on mice, but the results are very encouraging that this may soon develop into a real vaccination against the life threatening disease.

The mice who were vaccinated were significantly healthier (colon wise) and lived longer than those that were not vaccinated and were infected with colon tumors (I’m a little confused as to how you “infect” a mouse with a tumor, but oh well).  Ugh, animal testing really is cruel, but I guess it’s the only way to further humanity’s search for medications and ways to prolong life and prevent and treat disease, unless we use human guinea pigs.  At any rate, it’s looking like we may have a big find if this translates well into human vaccination against colon cancer.

Remember that a good herbal colon cleansing once in a while can help keep your system free of harmful “gunk”.  Think of it as a fuel injector cleaner in a way (comparing it to a car, yes, I know!), it helps keep the way clear so toxins are free to exit the body and the excess waste can pass freely and not cause problems. 

Elevated cholesterol levels continue to be a problem for the American population.  High cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease and heart attack.  While there are a number of prescription drugs on the market for this problem, there is a more natural approach to lowering cholesterol.
Red yeast rice, which is a Chinese product that is used as a preservative, flavoring and coloring for food, has been found to be effective in lowering cholesterol levels.    While it is a food staple in some Asian countries, red yeast rice has compounds called monacolins that act to inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol in the body.
As an over the counter supplement, red yeast rice has been sold under names such as Cholestin for naturally reducing your cholesterol levels.  There is an ongoing dispute, both legally and industrially, over whether red yeast rice is to be considered a drug or a dietary supplement.  This dispute involves the manufacturers, the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry.
In ancient Chinese medicine, red yeast rice was used primarily to calm gastric problems, promote circulation and for spleen and stomach health.  Human studies have been ongoing for red yeast rice as it relates to cholesterol levels since the 1970’s.  Reports and findings showed it to be effective in lowering total blood cholesterol and the low density lipoproteins which is the “bad cholesterol” and triglycerides.
Although red yeast rice is natural, it still has a long list of possible side effects.  These may include headache, abdominal discomfort, heartburn,gas, bloating, muscle pain, dizziness, asthma and kidney problems.  Red yeast rice is contraindicated for people with liver disease.
If you have an elevated cholesterol level, you should certainly consult with your physician about the best treatment options.  Ask your doctor if red yeast rice would make sense for your situation as it has compounds related to statins.  Another great way to regulate cholesterol that is beneficial to the heart and circulatory system is using one of the best omega 3 dietary supplements also for numerous benefits as well as skin and hair improvements and mental clarity.

According to a study done recently in China, it was found that red yeast rice can reduce the risk of a second heart attack by nearly half.  That is not just god, that’s pretty amazing, although I will say I wonder what the variable and control groups were like, but still, this points to the fact that red yeast rice may prove a hug asset as an introduction to your traditional diet.  That and of course a diet rich in natural sources of omega 3’s, fiber and antioxidants which means lots of leafy green veggies, darly and brightly colored fruits and whole grains and lean nuts. 

You see frequently in advice columns where it is recommended to seek counseling or some kind of professional therapy for a host of human behavior problems.  But how do you decide, when it comes to your own personal situation, when and if it’s time to for you to seek professional help?
One factor to look at is if your usual mechanisms for coping or problem solving are not working, it’s time to seek help elsewhere.  Other signs to look at are the use of substances or sex or food for comfort with an increase in cravings. If any substances or destructive behaviors are controlling you, it’s time to seek help.  Also, there are some natural ways to combat light depression and anxiety, such as herbal remedies for anxiety and depression, but counseling is always recommended by doctors if your issues warrant therapy.

A huge red flag is constantly being unhappy, depressed or with suicidal thoughts.  Uncontrolled anger at friends, co-workers or family members is another sign of psychological trouble. Sometimes, for a major loss such as a death of a loved one, the end of a relationship or the loss of a job, it is necessary to seek counseling.  Major traumas such as being a victim of a crime, sexual or emotional abuse or a life threatening or chronic illness can often be handled better with the professional help of counseling.
Experiencing a loss of interest in things that usually interest you, a loss of appetite or a sense of despair that is ongoing are other signs that you could benefit from professional help.  Anxiety that keeps you from functioning in life and prevents you from doing things that you would enjoy is another sign for needing help.  If your anxiety keeps you from going to parties, dating, getting a job or meeting new people, it’s time to get professional help.
Another sign that you could benefit from psychological help is if you experience physical symptoms of illnesses and doctors are unable to find a physiological cause.  Symptoms such as headaches, gastric distress or fatigue can be rooted in emotional issues that psychotherapy can help you recognize and cope with it.  It’s hard to be objective about yourself and your own behavior.   Often, we want to “tough it out” or think it’s just a phase.  Looking at a list of signs and symptoms can help you differentiate where you could benefit from professional help.

Well, after a lot of back and forth about whether drinking coffee is beneficial or detrimental to your health, it seems somewhat of a verdict has been reached - for now at least, that coffee does have some sort of unpinned health benefit.  New research shows that women who drink coffee have statistically lower rates of heart disease than non coffee drinkers, and also have a slightly longer span of life (I’m not sure how reliable that data could be though). 

This goes for whether you are a regular coffee drinker or whether you like decaffeinated, so it appears the health benefits are derived from the coffee itself rather than from the caffeine that it has in it, in fact, drinking decaf yields even more health benefits.  To me, this suggests that the reason coffee benefits those who drink it is because of its antioxidant capacity. 

Coffee is notoriously a good source of antioxidants, and it may be even better if you drink the organic stuff since the antioxidant nutrients are less “touched” by pesticides and other environmental pollutants.

While drinking coffee may be a health benefit, it probably still isn’t the healthiest, most antioxidant rich hot drink there is to wake you up.  Instead, consider trying yerba mate, or green tea as a good kick start to your morning, or maybe even white tea, which supposedly has also been found to be a vast cornucopia of anitoxidants. 

For me personally, I wish I could drink coffee, but for me, it makes me break out if I drink it too much. I also have to watch drinking highly caffeinated coffee like Starbucks since it contains higher amounts of caffeine, since this will break out my skin in two shakes of a lamb’s tail as they say.  A weaker brew or more watered down coffee might be in order for those that share my caffeine sensitivity.

Being that I am an adult woman with asthma, I found this news to be interesting, and on point certainly for my personal situation.  The story was about how recent findings have indicated that adult females that have had adult-onset asthma, which is an inflammatory condition that affects the breathing passageways in the lungs and causes them to constrict, making it difficult to breathe and causes a wheezing sensation, also have a higher risk of stroke and heart attack.

The study did indicate however that it was in women with adult-onset asthma, not in women that have had asthma since they were children, which is what my case is since I developed the lung problem when I was about 6 or 7 years old.  The study also concluded that this statistically linked higher risk of heart disease and stroke did not apply for men who had adult onset asthma though, so it is somewhat of a mystery why it is only in women.

The group who did the study did say however that they’d like to test larger groups of people since they feel that it does not really dictate any different treatment scenarios because the control groups used in the studies were not large enough to warrant such actions.  For those with asthma, it is wise to watch your refined sugars and other foods that cause inflammation, since asthma is essentially an inflammatory disease.  Actually anyone should follow an “anti inflammatory diet”, but most of use eat too many refined foods and this leads to everything from cancer to arthritis to heart disease.