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. 

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.

It does not take a lot of time and usually not a lot of money to become CPR ceritfied.  There are numerous ways to find out about CPR classes offered in your community.  If you work anywhere in a health related field, the course is mandatory and the class is free.
The knowledge gained could be priceless in a crisis situation.  CPR is illustrated nicely online in 3 simple steps that are easy to remember even in an emergency.  You can find this by clicking onto http://depts.washingtonedu/learncpr.html.
The first step is to check the victim and assess if they are unresponsive and then call 911 if no response is found.  Stay with the victim.  The second step is to tilt back the victim’s head and listen to see if they are breathing.  If you conclude they are not breathing, pinch the nose and form a seal by covering their mouth with yours and blow until the victim’s chest rises.  You’ll give 2 breaths, each one lasting 1 second.
If the victim is still not breathing normally, moving , responding or coughing, proceed with the third step, which are the chest compressions.  With the heel of your hand with fingers interlocked and your other hand on top, begin chest compressions.  Your hands will be placed directly between
the nipples and you will push down on the chest 1 1/2 to 2 inches 30 times.  The rate of the chest compressions will be 100 pumps per minute.  After the 30 compressions, repeat the 2 breaths. 
You’ll continue this cycle until emergency help arrives.
In the event that there is another person available that knows CPR, you’ll do a 2 person version of CPR.   With the 2 person CPR, one administers the mouth to mouth breathing and the other does the chest compressions.  The person pumping the chest stops when the other does the mouth to mouth breaths.
The Heimlich maneuver is another integral part of the CPR course.  The Heimlich maneuver is used for the emergency situation of a person choking.  It is to be used if a choking victim is not able to speak or cough.
You start the Heimlich maneuver by standing behind the choking victim and informing them what you are about to do.  Next, you place your arms around the victims waist and make a fist with one hand with your thumb towards the victim.  Your hand will be just above the victim’s belly button.
Grab your fist with your other hand and deliver 5 upward thrusts, strong enough to dislodge the foreign body blocking the airway.  Remember to keep a firm grip on the victim as they may pass out and fall to the ground.
Repeat the Heimlich maneuver until the foreign body is expelled.  The variations of what to do in CPR for children and infants are covered in detail with videos and instruction in the CPR courses.  Also covered is follow up for the Heimlich maneuver if the foreign body is not expelled. 
Stay with the victim in any emergency situation and have another person standing by call 911 if possible.  Calling 911 quickly will dispatch trained and equipped EMT’s.  However, quick trained action by people standing by can be effective and may be the difference of life or death.

Wow, we are just now starting to see a piquing awareness of what many have come to think is a harmful chemical that is used in the manufacture of plastic drinking bottles and even worse, has been used in many baby bottles over the years.

As a society, Americans are far too reliant on pills and substances to fix everything from bouts of anxiety to an occasional sleepless night.  When substances and drugs are combined, the consequences can be dangerous and sometimes deadly.
All medications have side effects and there is no such thing as an absolutely safe one.  The most common drugs that are misused are sedatives and sleeping pills.  One of the biggest dangers often comes about when a person combines alcohol with a sleeping aid medication or pain killers.
Some other drug interactions that are dangerous are prescription sleep medication mixed together with the anti-anxiety drug, Xanax.   Over the counter sleep aids usually contain acetaminophen, which is the main ingredient in Tylenol, and that can cause trouble if a person has already taken their quota of Tylenol in the same day.
Adding to the problem of drug interactions and additive effects is that most people don’t go strictly to one doctor or one pharmacist anymore.  Therefore, you do not have one individual monitoring all the medications for safety that a person is taking.   A person may be taking antidepressants from one doctor, sleeping pills from another, pain killers from another source and also drink alcohol on top of that.  The only person who will be aware of this mixture is the individual themselves.
Ensure that, if you take any of the sedating or anti-anxiety medications, you follow all precautions and don’t exceed recommended dosages.  If you have any concerns about possible interactions, call your doctor and pharmacist. With any medication of this nature, do not drink alcohol.  It can have an additive effect in combination and the results can be fatal.