Back Clinic Health Team. The level of functional and metabolic efficiency of a living organism. In humans, it is the ability of individuals or communities to adapt and self-manage when facing physical, mental, psychological, and social changes in an environment. Dr.Alex Jimenez D.C., C.C.S.T, a clinical pain doctor who uses cutting-edge therapies and rehabilitation procedures focused on total health, strength training, and complete conditioning. We take a global functional fitness treatment approach to regain complete functional health.
Dr. Jimenez presents articles both from his own experience and from a variety of sources that pertain to a healthy lifestyle or general health issues. I have spent over 30+ years researching and testing methods with thousands of patients and understand what truly works. We strive to create fitness and better the body through researched methods and total health programs.
These programs and methods are natural and use the body’s own ability to achieve improvement goals, rather than introducing harmful chemicals, controversial hormone replacement, surgery, or addictive drugs. As a result, individuals live a fulfilled life with more energy, a positive attitude, better sleep, less pain, proper body weight, and education on maintaining this way of life.
Fluoride is a man-made element that derives from fluorine. According to the declassified documents of the Manhattan Project, the U.S. military group which built the atomic bomb, fluoride was the main chemical utilized during the atomic bomb production. Tremendous quantities of the element were necessary for manufacturing bomb-grade uranium as well as plutonium for nuclear weapons throughout the Cold War.
Recognized as one of the most toxic chemicals in the world, the declassified documents distinguished fluoride as the principal chemical health hazard of the U.S. atomic bomb program, both for workers and for neighboring communities.
Scientists from the atomic bomb program later provided evidence demonstrating that fluoride can be safe for humans in low doses, after being secretly ordered to provide original proof useful in litigation against defense contractors for fluoride injury to individuals. The declassified documents also showed that the first lawsuits against the U.S. atomic bomb program were in fact not over radiation but over fluoride damage.
How Safe is Fluoride?
Fluoride continues to be identified as one of the most toxic man-made substances today, yet it can be found in our toothpastes, bottled water and infant formulas. Even vitamin supplements now contain fluoride. Additionally, fluoride compounds are being purposely added to water in many areas of the United States, a process known as fluoridation.
The practice of water fluoridation has been banned in various countries, including: China, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Hungary and Japan. Nearly all of Europe’s water supply is fluoride-free. In 2002, approximately 90 percent of the United States population was supplied water through public water systems where about 67 percent of that percentage received fluoridated water.
Fluoride is also added in a majority of toothpaste brands to help prevent tooth decay. Despite being used in toothpaste, fluoride has never been proven to considerably help protect teeth from developing cavities. Material Safety Data Sheets, abbreviated as MSDS, generally label sodium fluoride as a substance which is toxic by ingestion, inhalation and through skin contact, requiring that personal protection equipment for handling it should include safety goggles and gloves. Fluoride is more toxic than lead while being only slightly less poisonous than arsenic. Keep in mind that fluoride is utilized in many of the popular dental care products you use to brush and rinse your teeth on a daily basis.
The Dangers of Fluoride Consumption
The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, classifies fluoride as a drug because, unlike minerals like calcium and magnesium that we need, humans have no physiological requirements for fluoride. Research studies have shown that fluoride can affect the body’s normal production of hormones, can cause bones to become weaker and it’s been referred to as a neurotoxin, meaning its toxic to the nerves.
Sodium fluoride, which has long been known as an effective poison for cockroaches, is added to drops and tablets for the purpose of preventing tooth decay. However, because fluoride has been previously identified as a toxic element, fluoride supplements cannot be purchased over-the-counter, they can only be distributed with a prescription supervised by a healthcare professional. Ultimately, sodium fluoride is not a nutritional supplement, it’s a prescription drug and one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. The FDA has never approved fluoride as either safe or effective.
Fluoride drugs have been prescribed for over 50 years but because the FDA has not approved these products as safe and/or effective, the agency called on various manufacturers to cease selling fluoride drops and tablets immediately. Removing the harmful substance from the market will help ensure the health of millions of individuals is protected, however, there’s still a bigger issue the U.S needs to address: water fluoridation.
Water Fluoridation and ADHD
A recent research study, entitled: “Exposure to fluoridated water and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, prevalence among children and adolescents in the United States: an ecological association,” published in the journal Environmental Health, discussed the association between water fluoridation and ADHD in the United States.
Fluoride Disrupts Endocrine Function
FAN’s Science Director, Chris Neurath stated, �Scientific and medical research stretching back to the 1920’s has demonstrated that fluoride can affect the thyroid. The levels of fluoride exposure known to lower thyroid function overlap with the levels of exposure known to occur in some people drinking artificially fluoridated water.”
Hypothyroidism is a very common medical disorder in the United States and it can develop severe adverse health effects. Decreased thyroid function in pregnant women has been linked to reduced IQ in their children. Furthermore, growing evidence suggests that fluoride, at levels within that of which individuals utilize and consume, has been associated with lowered IQ. Fluoride’s effect on thyroid function could affect this reduction in IQ.
Fluoride as a Neurotoxin
Over 100 animal experiments have connected the consumption and exposure of fluoride to a reduction in IQ. Approximately 31 out of 33 of the animal experiments which investigated the behavior of the tested animals also concluded that fluoride caused learning and memory issues in the subjects while 43 out of 50 of the people studied demonstrated that modest levels of fluoride negatively affected IQ.
About 27 of these studies were recently reviewed by a team from Harvard School of Public Health. Of these, 26 displayed a decrease in IQ, about a drop of 7 points while the average fluoride level in the water for 20 of the studies was only 3.52 ppm, lower than the current safe drinking standard in the United States for fluoride of 4.0 ppm.
Department of Health & Human Services Admits to Overexposing Americans to Fluoride
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, abbreviated as HHS, acknowledged that the fluoride levels which they once reassured were safe to use, is actually damaging children’s teeth. A major increase in dental fluorosis, characterized as white spotted, yellow, brown and/or pitted teeth, found in 41 percent of teenagers lead the Department of Health & Human Services to conclude that water fluoride levels should be lowered to 0.7 mg/L from the average 1 mg/L utilized in most communities. In about 10 years, the HHS will check children’s teeth to determine if the new level should be implemented.
Fluoride Causes Disease
In the 1970’s, Austrian researchers demonstrated that a concentration of as little as 1 ppm of fluoride could interrupt the proper function and structure of DNA repair enzymes by up to 50 percent. If DNA is unable to efficiently repair damaged cells, our tissues can begin to degenerate faster.
Fluoride causes the body to age prematurely due to the alteration in the enzyme’s shape. When an enzyme becomes ultimately distorted or twisted out of shape, it becomes incapable of performing its job. This in turn results in collagen breakdown, eczema, tissue damage, skin winkling, genetic damage and immune suppression. Basically, any type of disease imaginable can occur due to this distortion.
Potential Results of Consuming Fluorides
Acute Poisoning
Birth Defects
ADHD
Impaired Brain Development
Osteoarthritis
Bone & Uterine Cancer
Thyroid Disease
Perinatal Death
Immune System Suppression
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Essential enzyme inhibition
Lowered IQ (especially in young children)
Skeletal Fluorosis (leading to brittle teeth and bones)
Fluoride And Osteoporosis
Former science director of the National Health Federation, Dr. Yiamouyiannis, cited a study from the 1990’s where roughly 541,000 osteoporosis cases concluded the definite link between hip fractures in women over 65 years of age and fluoride levels. A wide variety of research studies have concluded that fluoridation is indeed associated with osteoporosis and hip fractures in older adults.
The process of bone construction is complicated and finely balanced. Since the 1930’s, fluoride was recognized as a main threat in the disruption of this essential process. Dr. Alesen, former president of the California Medical Associated explained what fluoride does to bone formation. He cited dozens of international scientific studies proving that fluoride has caused osteoporosis, skeletal thinning, fractures, rubber bones, anemia and rickets.
Fluoride also causes osteoporosis by creating a calcium deficiency in the body. Fluoride precipitates calcium out of solution, causing low blood calcium as well as resulting in the development of calcium stones and crystals in the joints and organs.
Testing for Fluoride Levels in the Body
In a medical laboratory, technicians are capable of measuring blood levels for the amount of calcium and potassium. Both hypocalcaemia, meaning there’s very little amounts of calcium in the body and hyperkalemia, meaning there’s too much potassium in the body, can indicate that a person has consumed or has been exposed to excess amounts of fluoride.
References:
Fluoride Action Network. Dental Fluorosis.
Schellenberg D, Marks TA, Metzler CM, Oostveen JA, Morey MJ. Lack of effect of fluoride on reproductive performance and development in Shetland sheepdogs. Vet Hum Toxicol. 1990 Aug;32(4):309-14. Erratum in: Vet Hum Toxicol 1990 Dec;32(6):527.
Fluoride Action Network. Gastrointestinal.
Martijn W. H. Pinkse, Maarten Merkx, Bruce A. Averill. Fluoride Inhibition of Bovine Spleen Purple Acid Phosphatase:? Characterization of a Ternary Enzyme?Phosphate?Fluoride Complex as a Model for the Active Enzyme?Substrate?Hydroxide Complex. Biochemistry. 1999 July 20. 38 (31), pp 9926�9936 DOI: 10.1021/bi990446w
Michael Connett, Tara Blank PhD. Fluoride & Intelligence: The 36 Studies. Fluoride Action Network. 2012 December 9.
Fluoride Action Network. Water Fluoridation.
National Institutes of Health, Endocrine Disruptors
FAN Study Tracker, Thyroid Health
Neurotoxicology and Teratology Jan-Feb 2015: 47; 96-101
Chemical Brain Drain
Fluoride Does Not Prevent Cavities
It’s essential that we no longer continue ignoring the amounting research studies and evidence regarding the dangers of fluoride consumption and exposure. Unfortunately, not only is fluoride found in our drinking water, it can also be found in reconstituted/dehydrated foods, foods cooked in Teflon pans, baby formulas and even in anesthetics.
In order to avoid fluoride exposure and consumption from your home water supply, invest in a good water filtration system to help properly cleanse your drinking water. Brita and Pur pitchers do not filter out fluoride, however, there are many affordable systems that will. The AquaSana system is a common system used for drinking water and whole house filtration. Also remember, your skin is the largest organ of your body. When you shower, your pores open up and act like a sponge, taking in chemicals from the water, including chloride and fluoride, both which can also lead to cancer.
If your budget doesn�t allow for a whole house water filtration system, don�t worry. You can pick up an inexpensive shower filter which can range from $40 to $50. It simply screws on to your shower head and it does a great job filtering out chlorine, fluorine and other harmful chemicals.
Don’t Use Toothpaste with Fluoride
And finally, make sure you switch your brand of toothpaste to one that doesn�t contain fluoride. Herbal Choice Mari Natural Tooth Gel doesn’t contain fluoride. Another brand which doesn’t contain fluoride is Dr. Brite Whitening Mineral Toothpaste. When it comes to your own body’s overall health and wellness, it’s up to you to take action to improve your well-being and eliminate your consumption and exposure of these dangerous substances.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic care is an well-known, alternative treatment option utilized to prevent, diagnose and treat a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the spine, primarily subluxations or spinal misalignments. Chiropractic focuses on restoring and maintaining the overall health and wellness of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, a chiropractor, or doctor of chiropractic, can carefully re-align the spine, improving a patient�s strength, mobility and flexibility.
Running is a great workout, and it comes with all of the heart-strengthening benefits of aerobic exercise. But doing it for long distances�like in a marathon�may come with unintended health consequences. A small new study finds that marathon runners can experience short-term kidney injury after the race.
In the study, published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases, researchers took blood and urine samples from 22 people who ran the 2015 Hartford Marathon, and looked for evidence of kidney injury. The researchers reported that based on the markers they observed in the samples, 82% of the runners had evidence of stage 1 acute kidney injury after the race. The problem appeared to be short-term, and most people�s kidneys returned to normal within 24 to 48 hours.
Still, the researchers say that their findings underline the fact that running a marathon is a stressful event for the body, and that some people may want to be extra vigilant. �We knew we would find something, but I was surprised by the level [of injury],� says study author Dr. Chirag Parikh, a professor of medicine at Yale University. �It�s comparable to what I see in hospitals.�
More research is needed, but Parikh says that people who have no risk factors for kidney disease probably don�t need to worry. People with diabetes or high blood pressure, or people who are older, may want to work closely with trainers and doctors to keep an eye on their kidney health if they�re running marathons.
Though the researchers did not determine how exactly running a marathon can temporarily hurt kidneys, Parikh says the damage may be due to less blood flow to the kidneys, high core body temperature and dehydration. It�s still unknown whether this short-lived kidney injury can cause cumulative damage, or if some people may not recover in the short-term.
The study is not the first to find that marathons can come with health risks. While it�s clear that getting exercise is important, research suggests that more isn�t always better. A 2015 review published in the journal Current Sports Medicine Reports found that while runners in the study lived longer than non-runners, men and women gained the lifesaving benefits of running if they ran at slow or moderate speeds for about one to two hours a week. Among the runners, the people who ran the most had worse survival rates than people who ran less.
Parikh says that his study did not identify who might be at a higher risk, but notes that people over age 40 are increasingly signing up for marathons, and may want to take more precautions. Today, people 40 and older make up nearly 50% of marathon finishers in the U.S., compared to 1980 when this age group made up just 26%.
�Is there a right amount of distance for each person?� says Parikh. �Like everything else, there might be a balance of the benefits and risks. People can find the right distance for them and train their body.�
An Estimated 86 Million Americans Are At Risk For Type 2 Diabetes
But nearly 90 percent of them don�t know it.
Doctors say adhering to a Mediterranean diet may help to reverse your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
The Mediterranean diet, which is especially popular from Spain and Italy to Greece and the Middle East, largely focuses on seasonal fruits and vegetables.
�It�s dark leafy greens, freshly foraged greens in all different varieties� like kale and collards and spinach and chard,� said Dahlia Shaaban, founder of Washington, D.C.-based Live Deliciously.
The majority of foods in a Mediterranean diet do come from plants, but Shaaban says to go for fish or lean proteins twice per week. Salmon and tuna, for example, contain Omega 3 Fatty Acids which promote heart and brain health.
�So you can think of crowding out your plate with more plant-based foods, then enjoying meat here and there,� explained Shaaban.
Beans, Nuts & Whole Grains Are Everyday Staples In A Mediterranean Meal
�The grain is something you can hold onto,� said Shaaban. �Brown rice, farro, wide rice, quinoa, bulgur or cracked wheat. The most common beans you find in the Mediterranean are:�lentils, chickpeas, fava beans, black eyed peas.�
The American Diabetes Association suggests using olive oil to cook instead of butter or margarine. That can help to lower cholesterol levels. And when it comes to seasoning, herbs, spices and citrus juice are better options than salt.
Finally, limit alcohol and sugar�and you�ve got the perfect blend of health-conscious choices for people managing diabetes.
�It�s not just a diet, it�s a lifestyle,� said Shaaban.
Many people enjoy spending quality time in the comfort of their own homes. As a matter of fact, a majority of Americans devote up to 90 percent of their time indoors but unfortunately, this may actually be causing more harm than good. According to a 2009 research study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, the average household contains over 500 toxic chemicals.
Further evidence from this study and several others also determined that the indoor air of a home and/or apartment is as much as 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Some of these indoor pollutants can even be up to 100 times greater than outdoor pollutant levels. The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, has announced that poor indoor air quality is one of the leading risks to public health.
The indoor air we often breathe in can be a dangerous combination of cleaning chemicals, air fresheners, insecticides and pesticides as well as plastics and furnishings. With so many questionable pollutants swirling in the air around our homes, “you definitely may need to take any measure, whenever possible, to lower your exposure to these unhealthy chemicals,” stated Phil Brown, PhD, director of the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute at Northeastern University in Boston.
In addition, reducing contact with these pollutants and chemicals can bring about some helpful benefits. Depending on the individual’s sensitivities, they may experience fewer allergy and asthma symptoms as well as less frequent headaches and skin irritations. According to Phil Brown, you may even lower your risk of developing infertility and cancer.
How to Improve Indoor Air Quality
While others would advice you to get rid of carpeting and trash old furniture, environmental health experts have found low-effort, high-impact ways to substantially decrease a household’s toxic indoor air load, ultimately boosting your overall health and wellness. The following have been ranked and listed from easiest to most difficult tasks for improving your indoor air quality. Trying a couple or more of these can really help cleanse the air of your home:
Avoid starting your car’s ignition while it’s still in the garage. Carbon monoxide fumes emitted from car exhaust have almost the same specific gravity as that of air. Because of this, carbon monoxide is able to rapidly travel along air currents and right into your home. Make sure to point your car exhaust out towards the garage door and always open the garage door first before starting your car’s ignition.
Leave your shoes at the door. Leaving footwear behind at the door can prevent a variety of toxic chemicals from being tracked into your home, including road sealants, pesticides and lead dust, to name a few.
Crack the windows. Increase ventilation by opening a few windows for at least 5 to 10 minutes per day, making sure to particularly open those found on opposite sides of the house to encourage cross circulation. Windows can be left open for longer periods of time if the weather permits.
Bring a part of nature inside your home. Along with the Associated Landscape Contractors of America, or ALCA, NASA conducted a research study regarding the benefits of plants on indoor air quality. They reported that household plants were capable of removing up to 87 percent of indoor air pollutants in approximately 24 hours. Its recommended to utilize about 15 to 18 considerably sized houseplants in 6 to 8 inch diameter containers for an 1,800 square-foot house to benefit from the air cleansing capabilities of plants indoors. Below are some examples of houseplants you can use:
Air Purifying Houseplants (Pet Owners Beware: these are poisonous to cats and dogs)
The Feston Rose plant (Lantana): eliminates formaldehyde
Devil�s Ivy (pothos, golden pothos): eliminates formaldehyde
English Ivy: eliminates benzene, trichloroethylene and formaldehyde
Snake plant: best for filtering formaldehyde, ammonia and xylene
Rubber plant: eliminates VOCs, bioeffluents
Dracaena (corn plant): eliminates formaldehyde
Peace Lily: removes VOCs, formaldehyde, benzene, trichloroethylene, toluene and xylene.
Detoxifying Plants (Safe for cats and dogs)
Areca Palm: removes toluene and xylene
Money Tree Plant: filters benzene, formaldehyde, toluene and xylene
Spider plant: removes formaldehyde, benzene, carbon monoxide, toluene and xylene (safe for pets)
Bamboo Palm: removes formaldehyde, xylene and toluene
Variegated Wax Plant: filters benzene and formaldehyde
Liriope (lily turf): filters ammonia, formaldehyde, xylene, and toluene
Boston Fern: removes formaldehyde, xylene and toluene
Dwarf Date Palm: eliminates xylene, toluene and formaldehyde
Phalaenopsis (moth orchids): remove xylene and toluene
Gerber Daisey: removes trichloroethylene (dry cleaning chemical), and benzene
African Violets: removes formaldehyde, xylene and toluene
Avoid using toxic cleaning chemicals. Most commercial cleaning supplies can drastically increase VOC, or volatile organic compound, levels in your home. VOCs found in these products have been associated with asthma, headaches, neurological disorders and cancer. The Environmental Working Group, or EWG, has an extensive list on household cleaning products, ranging from lowest to highest toxicities.
Do not use non-stick cookware, such as Teflon and Calphalon. According to the EWG, non-stick pots and pans can emit toxic fumes within 2 to 5 minutes when heated on a stove top. Safer alternatives to these include stainless steel and cast iron cookware.
Toss out the dryer sheets. Most dryer sheets can actually coat clothes with chemicals like quaternary ammonium compounds, many of which have been linked to the development of asthma, as well as acetone found in nail polish remover. Plus, without the extra chemical cover, your towels will be much more absorbent than they were before ditching the dryer sheets.
Cleanse your dry cleaning. Make sure to remove the bags and air out your clothes in the garage or outside for a day or two to remove some of the solvent, called perchloroethylene, which can adhere to the fibers of your dry cleaning. Inhaling this chemical can trigger eye irritation and vision problems, headaches, dizziness and respiratory complications, according to the Environmental Working Group. You could also go to a green cleaner. Simply make sure they use liquid carbon dioxide or the wet-cleaning method, since other eco-alternative can be just as toxic.
Eliminate other possible volatile organic compounds or VOCs. Exchange your vinyl shower curtain out for one made of cotton, nylon, polyester, EVA or PEVA plastic. In a 2008 research study, vinyl curtains were found to release approximately 108 volatile organic compounds. These chemicals can become gaseous at room temperature, resulting in symptoms of nausea, dizziness, headaches, and eye or throat irritation. These can also be found in a majority of paints. Make sure to look for cans labeled with low or zero VOCs.
Pass on the pesticides. Coming in contact with some pesticides can be harmful to your well-being. Some formulations may lead to eye, skin and nerve damage, causing symptoms of nausea and headaches. Instead, try switching to natural agents in order to get rid of those pesky pests. Diatomaceous earth can be used to kill ants and flees, cedarcide can be used to kill fleas and boric acid can be used to kill cockroaches, ants and termines.
Avoid using plastic containers and never expose them to heat. Although plastic containers and/or water bottles are reported to be BPA free, there are still numerous other chemicals found within the plastic containers. Bisphenol A, or BPA, was replaced with bisphenol S, or BPS, however, Scientific American has determined that this compound is even more toxic than its predecessor, which affects our hormones. In addition, chemicals from plastic containers are more likely to leach out when heated in a microwave or when they’re left in a hot car. Exposure to acidic and oily foods can also cause chemicals in plastics to seep out of the containers.
What is in Your Indoor Air?
According to the American Lung Association, some of the most common pollutants and chemicals found in your indoor air at home and/or apartment can include: asbestos; bacteria and viruses; paint products; carbon monoxide; cleaning supplies; formaldehyde; lead; mold; radon; residential wood burning; and tobacco smoke. These contaminants can cause various health risks, such as: headache; dizziness; weakness; nausea; anxiety; cancer; heart disease; stroke; asthma and respiratory diseases.
If your home has carpeting, furniture and commercial household cleaners, you can assume you have some degree of indoor air pollution. The American Lung Association developed these questions to help you determine sources of your chemical pollution in your home or apartment.
Do you permit smoking indoors?
Is your house/apartment carpeted?
Can you see or smell mold?
Does the humidity of your home regularly rise above 50%?
Do you have an attached garage?
Do you store paints, solvents, gas containers, lawn mowers in your garage, basement, home?
Do you use air fresheners?
Do you use pesticides in or around your home?
Do you have your home tested for Radon?
Chance are you have answered yes to one or more of these questions. Start taking steps to clean up the air in your home. It�s the single best thing you can do for yourself, children, family and pets. Your body will thank you.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic care is an well-known, alternative treatment option utilized to prevent, diagnose and treat a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the spine, primarily subluxations or spinal misalignments. Chiropractic focuses on restoring and maintaining the overall health and wellness of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, a chiropractor, or doctor of chiropractic, can carefully re-align the spine, improving a patient�s strength, mobility and flexibility.
Meditation and other forms of mental training are becoming more and more popular each year. The rise of the number of practitioners is undeniable proof about the importance of this mental exercise. The term is mostly associated with religious connotations, but the truth is, contrary to popular belief, this practice is very helpful and should be done on a daily basis. You should even start making this a hobby the moment you realize the various benefits it could bring to your health. Here are the six proven mental health benefits of meditation that you need to know:
Gives Mental Strength & Emotional Intelligence
Meditating by itself is a very helpful therapy for people whose aim is to better one�s self-judgment. The act of meditating is geared towards a better understanding of the different factors that constitutes to a person�s life and existence. Constantly doing the practice have been proven to improve mental strength as well as emotional intelligence. As a result, a person becomes sharper and wiser regarding decision making.
Improves Cognition Power
Another important reason why meditation should be part of your daily routine is its ability to improve cognition power. As we all know, a lot of disorders, or better yet, the highly anticipated ones is not due to aging but is due to the deterioration of the brain�s mental prowess including that of cognition. This fact is fairly evident to monks or hermits, these individuals often meditate a lot which is why they remain sharp despite old age.
Regulates Mood & Anxiety Disorders
One of the best things about meditation is the fact that it often leads to mind and self-control. The better judgment gained out of constant meditation often regulates mood and improves various forms of anxiety disorders. The awareness of one�s self and the strengthening of the brain�s cognition power is very helpful in regulating a person�s mood and in turn, will reduce anxiety disorders. If you are a person who�s mood swings are becoming frequent than usual, you better start meditating as early as today.
Decreases Stress &�Anxiety
Stress and anxiety are closely related to a person�s ability to regulate his mood as well as factors like anxiety disorders. When one is meditating, he is brought to a different state of mind, a state where he becomes free of any stress, anxiety, and corrosion. Constantly doing it will help the person become more vigilant, will see things differently and will be able to respond to different situations accordingly. This is because, when one engages on meditation, self-knowledge is increased. Hence, a person becomes more capable of defeating or reducing stress as well as anxiety.
In relation, certain drugs have been developed to aid an individual and simulate the same results. Smart drugs as how they are called in the market are supplements that enhance the brain�s power to perform at its peak. Hence, be sure to check out helpful nootropics information when available as these drugs are becoming more effective on today�s generation of users.
Improves Mood & Psychological Well-Being
A person�s psychological well-being is pretty much a result of the person�s ability to manage stress and all forms of anxiety on a daily basis. One�s existence is a constant battle to defeat every possible factor that would impede the brain�s state and mental health to be in its best shape. It is, therefore, important to regularly practice meditation as this has been proven to improve a person�s mood and the overall psychological well-being.
Reduces Panic Disorder Symptoms
Lastly, meditation is also helpful in reducing the symptoms of panic disorder. Once a person�s self-awareness is heightened, he becomes more and more capable of facing all sorts of challenges in life. In medical terminology, panic disorder is the frequent experience of fear without any tangible reason or cause. A person�s brain is so powerful that it can read between the lines, predict outcomes, as well as calculate solutions. When a person�s mental state is not stable, panic disorder comes in and attacks the vulnerable victim.
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About the Author:�Anna Brecken is a writer for�NootropicNation. She has extensive knowledge of Nootropics. She also writes for several other supplement and brain enhancement websites.
The woman I want to be looks something like the woman I saw in a recent Athleta catalog. She�s effortlessly jumping across a babbling brook in a verdant forest�while wearing sleek slate-gray workout tights and a quilted jewel-toned hoodie. Or wait: Maybe I�m the lady doing yoga on the beach in a slouchy pale-pink tank top, who I saw pictured in the window at Lululemon. While I definitely admire both of their strong bodies and what looks like adventurous spirits (as well as their choice of vacation spots)�I also really, really want those clothes.
Confession: I�ve never met a pair of leggings I didn�t love. As far as I�m concerned, if I could spend 90 percent of my life in slimming, strategically seamed workout wear that makes me feel ready to leap and bound, I would.
But it comes with a catch. If I want a piece of new gear, I�ve got to earn it. I have to be out there logging miles, slogging through spin class, grimacing through the ridiculously hard thigh portion of barre workouts. I need to be using the stuff so much that occasionally the items actually wear out and have to be replaced! It�s simple: The more consistent I am with my exercise regimen, the more justified I feel bringing home a new goodie.
Judging from what I wear the majority of the time�note that I work from home�you�d think I was pretty much always coming from or going to the gym. But that�s the point. The last person I want to be is the lady who looks like she is suited up for the gym but whose main cardio is gabbing at school drop-off. Oh, and my little sweat-for-spandex bargain also works once the gear has come home with me. On a day when I�m short on motivation, a cute new top is often what gets me out the door.
Look, I�m not aiming to be the best in the class, the fastest in the park, or even a seven-days-a-week exerciser. I�m only trying to keep myself on track when it comes to my spending, my sweating, and my style. Some people need a prize at the finish line. Me? I need something dangling at the starting gate�something just within reach and preferably ankle-length.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most prominent autoimmune arthritis. It is caused by a defective immune system that causes your defense system to target your joint linings. It affects the wrist and small joints of your hands, including the knuckles, other joints in your fingers and can eventually spread to your knees too.
It is considered one of the most disabling forms of arthritis as it affects both sides of the body, making it different from other forms of arthritis. It can also affect skin, eyes, lungs, heart, blood and even your nerves which is why it is one of the most feared forms of arthritis.
Over the years, several ways of treating rheumatoid arthritis have been discovered. Although there is still no cure for the condition, the treatment can significantly heal those that are newly diagnosed and can slow down the process that in the patients that have been suffering from the condition for a while.
When your immune system attacks your own body, certain chemicals lead to pain and inflammation on your joints. Medical experts are still unclear about what is the exact cause of inflammation in joints. Some suggest that is due to genetic make-up of the individual while other blame environmental factors such as cigarette smoke and infections.
New treatments have been introduced by rheumatologists to suppress the pain and reduce the inflammation caused by this condition. A major reason for why the inflammation needs to be controlled is because of its effect on your heart health. Inflammation can lead to the buildup of plaque in the walls of your arteries. People with this form of arthritis are advised to consult with their doctors regarding the prevention of heart disease.
Other than medication, regular exercise, specific foods and drinks also help you treat rheumatoid arthritis.
A Virginia-based rheumatologist, Mahsa Tehrani has found that certain organic teas help with the reducing of inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
�Tea has fantastic�anti-inflammatory properties�which can theoretically help with the underlying inflammation,� she claims.
Here�s a list of teas Tehrani recommends:
Ginger Tea
Ginger tea is known for helping with healing the digestive system but an Italian study in 2016 found that patients that were given regular doses of ginger reported a better quality of life and significant improvement in pain. To make the tea, just slice up some ginger root and let it steep in boiling water for 10minutes. Note that ginger can act as a blood thinner, so if you�re already on blood-thinning medication, opt for a different tea.
Green Tea
Amongst the many benefits of green tea, is its ability to block the effects of RA without impacting cellular function. According to medical experts, green tea can be considered an alternative to medicine in the future for those suffering from RA.
Rose Hip Tea
Rose hip tea is not as common as other teas. The rose hip is the fruit of the rose plant that appears when the plant is not flowering. The fruit is a concentrated source of vitamin C and is regularly used in home remedies. A study published in Australian Family Physician in July 2012 found that the composition of nutrients found in the rose-hips have anti-inflammatory properties which benefit those with arthritis.
Black Tea
The box of regular black tea bags is loaded with quercetin, a bioflavonoid which has anti-inflammatory effects. However excessive amounts of black tea can have adverse effects, the high caffeine content can leave you feeling jittery and can reduce the impact of medication.
Willow Bark Tea
Willow bark tea is an ancient Chinese remedy. Its effects are similar to those of aspirin and several medical studies have found that it helps with joint pain and osteoarthritis. The study revealed that willow bark extracts have anti-inflammatory and pain-killing effects. That being said, willow bark extracts should not be consumed with people on many medications, pregnant women and those younger than 16.
Nettle Leaf Tea
Nettle leaf has been used in Europe to relieve muscle, joint pain, and arthritis for many years. A study published in 2015 found the antioxidant activity in the nettle leaf extracts hinders one of the main enzymes responsible for inflammation. Nettle is easily available in most grocery stores. Pregnant women and those with kidney and bladder issues should are advised not to consume nettle.
Rheumatoid Arthritis may be the most disabling forms of arthritis and it may not be curable, however, early detection and proper treatment can help mitigate its effects. Medication significantly reduces the symptoms of RA but those suffering can look for alternative solutions as well.
About the Author:
Rachael Everly is an undergraduate student who loves to write on the topics related business, finance, health, lifestyle and education. Follow @Rachael Everly for further updates.
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